where some of her money is invested.
Still, she wants the fund to play a role controlling in executive pay. "Someone who is making millions of dollars does not need all that money," she said.
(Reporting by Ross Kerber; Editing by Carmel Crimmins and Brian Thevenot)
Sydney (AFP) - An Iranian refugee set himself on fire Wednesday during a visit by UN officials to Nauru, Canberra said, with four others reportedly attempting suicide.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton revealed the 23-year-old would be air-lifted from the Pacific island to hospital in Australia, but made clear that if he survived and recovered he would be sent back.
"I can inform you that there was a 23-year-old male who had originally come from Iran, by boat, was on Nauru and outside of the detention centre, in fact in one of the settlement areas, had set himself alight, self-immolated this morning," he told a press conference.
"He's in a very serious condition and the plan is to provide an air-lift for him later tonight but he is in a very, very serious condition and his outlook is not good at all."
Officials have not said why the man set himself on fire.
Canberra sends asylum-seekers who attempt to enter the country by boat to remote processing centres in Papua New Guinea or Nauru, with no hope of being settled in Australia.
The policy has been heavily criticised internationally, including by the UN, and in October Nauru's Regional Processing Centre was converted into an "open centre", giving its inhabitants freedom of movement.
It was not clear how long the Iranian had been on Nauru, but Dutton said his self-immolation coincided with a routine visit by a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees delegation.
The Refugee Action Coalition, an activist group, said four others attempted suicide on Tuesday evening by drinking washing powder and were being treated by medical staff on the island.
"My advice is that there have been other incidents where people have self-harmed or sought to self-harm," Dutton said when asked about the four, while making clear that anyone looking to come to Australia for medical treatment would not be able to stay.
"What we've been very clear about is that if people come to Australia for medical assistance they'll be returning back to Nauru once that medical assistance has been provided," he said.
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Three people were returned to Nauru by plane on Wednesday, Dutton added.
"So if people think that through action of self-harm or harming a member of their family that that is going to result in them coming to Australia and staying here permanently, that will not be the outcome."
Canberra has long defended its policy of denying asylum-seekers resettlement in Australia, saying it has prevented deaths at sea and secured the nation's borders. Rights groups have long criticised the policy and conditions in the camps.
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Leader accused the United States on Wednesday of scaring businesses away from Tehran and undermining a deal to lift international sanctions. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told hundreds of workers that a global deal, signed between Iran and world powers, had lifted financial sanctions, but U.S. obstruction was stopping Iran getting the full economic fruits of the agreement. "On paper the United States allows foreign banks to deal with Iran, but in practice they create Iranophobia so no one does business with Iran," he said in quotes from the speech posted on his website. Iran has repeatedly urged Washington to do more to remove obstacles to the banking sector, in the spirit of the July deal with the United States, the European Union, Russia and China to lift most sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear programme. But some U.S. sanctions remain, and U.S. banks remain prohibited from doing business with Iran directly or indirectly because Washington still accuses Tehran of supporting terrorism and human rights abuses. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in New York on Saturday that Washington was not trying to stop Iran dealing with banks outside the United States. "There are now opportunities for foreign banks to do business with Iran ... Unfortunately there seems to be some confusion among some foreign banks and we want to try and clarify that," Kerry said. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
MAKHMOUR, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqis armed forces backed by U.S.-led coalition air power captured a village in Nineveh province from Islamic State on Wednesday, the first advance on the northern front since the offensive was paused three weeks ago. Mahana, sitting south of a main east-west road, became just the fourth village seized by the army in the Makhmour area, which is set to be a staging ground for a future assault on Mosul, about 60 km (40 miles) further north. The advance brings Iraqi forces slightly closer to the oil town of Qayyara on the western banks of the Tigris River, control over which would help to isolate Mosul, the largest city held by the militants, from territory they control further south and east. "At 0600 (0300 GMT), segments of the 15th division 72nd Brigade proceeded to clear Mahana village," a statement from the Nineveh operations command said. The army suffered no casualties from the advance, which was backed by artillery and air strikes, it added. The offensive's faltering start has cast renewed doubt on the capabilities of the Iraqi army, which partially collapsed when Islamic State seized around a third of the country in 2014. It was not immediately clear what had enabled the forces to push further west, but the commander in charge of the offensive told Reuters the army was limited from advancing further on Wednesday by the lack of federal police units and additional tribal forces to hold territory after it is taken. Iraqi officials say they will retake Mosul this year but, in private, many question whether that is possible. (Reporting by Stephen Kalin and Isabel Coles; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Dublin (AFP) - A deal between two rival parties to suspend controversial water charges nudged Ireland closer to the formation of a minority government on Wednesday after more than two months of tortuous negotiations.
Fine Gael, the largest party to emerge from the February 26 election, had championed the retention of Irish Water, the utility it created as part of austerity measures in 2013.
But as part of a deal that may allow his party to return to power, party leader Enda Kenny bowed to demands by rival Fianna Fail for a suspension of the charges and the introduction of a commission to examine alternative ways of paying for water.
Kenny had previously said abolishing the organisation would be a "seriously costly and seriously historic mistake".
Following the announcement, Fianna Fail leader Michael Martin on Wednesday called the water charges "very far from being the single most important issue facing our country".
"However it is important and the handling of it in recent years represents a dramatic public policy fiasco," he added.
Fine Gael won 50 seats and Fianna Fail 44 in a 158-seat parliament in the February election that left no party with the clear numbers to rule.
Together, the two centre-right parties would have more than enough seats to form a stable government but Fianna Fail has ruled out a formal coalition.
Instead, it has offered to support its arch-rival Fine Gael if broad agreement can be reached on key policy issues.
The deal on water charges is the first significant sign of movement in weeks of negotiations.
But it remains far from certain that the two parties -- whose rivalry grew from a 1920s civil war -- can agree on enough to allow a government to be formed.
Fine Gael must also satisfy the disparate and copious demands of independent politicians, whose support it will need to form a government. These range from more facilities for local hospitals to increased broadband coverage in rural areas.
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Alan Shatter, a former justice minister in the previous government who lost his Fine Gael seat in the election, told national broadcaster RTE that if a government were formed he did not expect it to last long.
"If a minority government is created, I personally don't believe it will last 12 months," he said.
"Insofar as this might be described as some sort of partnership arrangement, this is going to be a very uncivil partnership."
The introduction of the water charges as part of the country's 85-billion-euro ($92-billion) international bailout in 2010 following a spectacular property crash turned out to be an austerity measure too far for the eurozone country.
Widespread street protests, payment boycotts, public burning of bills and obstruction of water metering were used in an ongoing campaign against the new tariff, which became a major issue in the election.
By Jeffrey Heller JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli police shot dead a Palestinian woman and her teenage brother on Wednesday, saying they were armed with knives and tried to carry out an attack at a checkpoint in the occupied West Bank. Police said the woman, holding a knife, and a man walked rapidly towards police and other Israeli security guards in a vehicles-only lane at the Qalandia checkpoint outside Jerusalem. "Police called on them several times to stop. When they kept advancing...the officers neutralized the terrorists," a police statement said. Palestinian authorities identified the two dead as Maram Abu Ismail, 23, and her 16-year-old brother, Ibrahim Taha, and said they had been en route to Jerusalem for a medical appointment. The siblings entered the vehicles-only lane by accident and their killing was a "brutal daylight crime" by Israel, the Palestinian Information Ministry said in a statement. Israel police, who have been on high alert during the current Jewish Passover holiday week, issued a photograph of three knives on the ground which they said the two had been carrying. Alaa Soboh, a Palestinian bus driver who said he witnessed the incident, told Reuters the pair appeared to be unfamiliar with crossing procedures and were swiftly challenged at the checkpoint. "As soon as the two crossed, (Israeli forces) started screaming 'Go back, go back', and then they began shooting. The first one they shot was the girl ... the boy tried to go backward, when they fired seven bullets at him," Soboh said. In the last half year, Palestinian attacks have killed 28 Israelis and two visiting U.S. citizens. Israeli forces have killed at least 193 Palestinians, 130 of whom Israel says were assailants. Many others were shot dead in clashes and protests. Factors behind the bloodshed that began in October include Palestinian bitterness over stalled statehood negotiations and the growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, stepped up Jewish access to a disputed Jerusalem shrine, and Islamist-led calls for Israel's destruction. The pace of what had been near-daily Palestinian stabbing, shootings and car-ramming attacks has slowed, although a suicide bombing on a Jerusalem bus that wounded 15 people on April 18 has fueled Israeli security concerns. Israel attributes the fall-off in incidents partly to tighter cooperation with Palestinian security forces in the West Bank and more stringent monitoring of social media to identify potential assailants. (Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi and Ali Sawafta; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Why ServiceNow's Stock Surged 15% following Its 1Q16 Results
(Continued from Prior Part)
ITapp acquisition will strengthen ServiceNows position in management of various cloud platforms
Previously, we discussed ServiceNows (NOW) 1Q16 results. In its recent earnings release, NOWs management stated that it aims to complete the re-platforming of ITapp in 2017. ServiceNow announced the acquisition of ITapp, a cloud management platform provider, in early April 2016.
ITapps solution offers support for varied cloud platforms such as VMware (VMW), Microsoft (MSFT) Azure, Amazons (AMZN) Amazon Web Services, open source cloud platform OpenStack, and open source technology Citrix (CTXS) XenServer.
With ITapps acquisition, ServiceNow will be able to enhance and expand its offerings in managing various cloud environments. ServiceNow believes that with each passing day, enterprise workloads are moving toward public and hybrid clouds.
According to Giri Padmanabh, ITapps founder and chief technology officer, Unlike most CMPs, we have designed hybrid cloud management solution from ground up.
Recently, in March 2016, Cisco Systems (CSCO) announced the acquisition of CliQr Technologies, which provides application-centric hybrid cloud management software. CliQrs CloudCenter technology enables users to create a single app profile that can be deployed across multiple environments, servers, data centers, and clouds.
Despite shrinking IT budgets, cloud spending is expected to rise
According to a recent International Data Corporation report released in 2016, global spending on public cloud services is expected to rise at a 19% compound annual growth rate, approximately six times the rate of overall information technology spending growth. You can read What Is Driving Growth in the Cloud Space? to know more.
Despite uncertainty prevailing in the current business climate and thus the shrinkage in corporate technology budgets, cloud adoption is on the rise, as businesses and organizations continue to shift their computing and software to the cloud.
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As you can see in the above graph, cloud computing, mobile, Internet of Things, and cognitive computing are expected to be the technologies that will shape the near future.
Investors interested in gaining exposure to ServiceNow can consider investing in the iShares U.S. Technology ETF (IYW), which has an exposure of 46% to application software and invests ~0.31% of its holdings in ServiceNow.
Continue to Next Part
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Unless you can flaunt it legally and publically, whats the point?
So its world weed day today. Kind of like International Mens Day, it really doesnt matter. For the crusaders, it is known as 4/20, the origin of which is lost in as many layers of stories and anecdotes about its origin, which the stoner community seems to be juggling with.
Never ever have I heard any of my herbal friends mention this day (or maybe I dont remember); forget celebrating it by, what, smoking a few extra joints? Or, get together in some nondescript den to get high and have deep conversations. Sure, one can expect some social media activity on the topic like the Adarsh Balak illustration last year. And Im sure many pot lovers revere the whole idea of having a day of entitlement.
More From 101 India: Arts & Culture
Photo Credit: www.facebook.com/adarshbalak
But chances are, smokers will be toking regardless, within their usual comfort zones because they certainly cannot have a public gathering or picnic to get high. Of course, thats what Holi is for; our own kind of national weed day where you can legally procure bhanga cannabis derivativefrom your local cigarette guy or pan shop, albeit, the law allows only ingestion rather than inhaling the smoke. Its like having a salmon forced down your throat when what you really want to have, is a smoked salmon. During Holi, the government is like, go on people, have a milkshake, which in the context of Holi means Thandai, a mixture of bhang and milk with some garnishing.
Having a weed day is great, but unless you can flaunt it legally and publically, whats the point? You can have parades and placards and slogans to legalize it, a la gay pride. But at the end of the day, theyre all illegal. Its a mass underground phenomenon, nonetheless. Because once you scratch the surface, or get into the scene with your first spliff, chances are that your friendship radar, more often than not, seek out the chronic (pun intended) smokers in the scene. Its safe to say that most of my stoner friends are friends because they met through a common friend. A big fat joint.
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And to think that cannabis was legal in India around the time I was born is something I delve into once in a while. The generation of smokers before the controversial 1986 inclusion of marijuana into stringent Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) act, consumed it without any legal stigma attached to it; personal or social stigma, maybe.
More From 101 India: God In Strange Places
Cannabis and its derivatives have been pretty much an integral part of the Indian culture dating back to the Vedic times. Why, even Shiva, one of the holy Hindu trinity, is said to have been a consumer of bhang and weed. Which is why Shivaratri, another Hindu festival is celebrated by drinking bhang and smoking weed in India and Nepal.
Not to mention the sadhus and babas; and their license to toke and legally carry and smoke weed and charas. So there it is, the thin line between the rule of law and the irony of hypocrisy. Things have even escalated to absurd levels when you take into account the recent crackdown by cops in Kerala for apprehending kids wearing Bob Marley t-shirts. Long hair and long beard are other keywords in the police manual.
Anyway, since it was international pressure (read: The United States) that had arm-twisted the Rajiv Gandhi government to make the herb illegal in 1985, lets see if it augurs well, now that states such as Washington and Colorado having recently legalized the recreational use of weed. Even global darling, Justin Trudeau, has made clear his intentions of legalizing it in role-model Canada. Theres also a strong campaign slowly taking shape to legalize weed in India with marijuana meet-ups in cities like Bangalore, Bombay and Delhi, armed with signature campaigns to the government and public interest litigations in the high courts.
More From 101 India: The Revolution Never Came Cause They All Got High
The fact is, no matter what, smokers always find dealers and dealers always have their sources and no amount of clampdown has ever stopped that. And honestly, theres a good chance that half the potheads might stop smoking or might not have gotten into the habit in the first place if it was legal. A small or significant part of it, depending on your perception, has always been about rebellion against authority.
At this juncture, Evan McGregors dialogue from Danny Boyles cult production, Trainspotting comes to mind.
Fuck it, we would have injected vitamin C if only theyd made it illegal.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are independent views solely of the author(s) expressed in their private capacity and do not in any way represent or reflect the views of 101india.com
By Mohan KK
Cover Photo Credit: facebook.com
For more visit www.101india.com
Abidjan (AFP) - "At five years old, I went to work in the fields with my dad. Today, my children go to school," said Peter, a cocoa farmer in Bonikro in the centre of Ivory Coast.
Peter is one of a generation of farmers at the heart of a drive to keep the country's children in school and away from its vast plantations.
Ivory Coast, the world's largest cocoa producer, has struggled to prevent children working in the cocoa sector, long an accepted practice in the countryside.
The industry, which accounts for 15 percent of GDP and more than 50 percent of export receipts as well as two-thirds of the country's jobs, is absolutely vital to the country's economic welfare, according to the World Bank.
But criticism of its record on child labour by consumers and buyers has in the past threatened to tarnish cocoa from the Ivory Coast and undermine its main export, prompting authorities to act.
The government's scheme to get children off the plantations and into school, launched in 2011, is as much about improving the country's image overseas as it is about protecting its young people.
Sylvie Patricia Yao, the leader of the campaign and chief of staff to the country's first lady, said that education would help limit child exploitation in the cocoa sector.
"(It) remains for us the alternative and the most effective response in the long-term fight against child labour," she said.
In 2011, the west African country announced plans to spend almost 20 million euros ($22.4 million) between 2015-2017 to reduce the number of minors working on plantations by 30 percent by 2017 and 70 percent by 2020.
Since 2011, 17,829 classrooms have been built or restored, according to the National Monitoring Committee (CNS), which is charged with overseeing the government's anti-child labour efforts.
It is hoped that the plan will break the cycle of children following their parents into the fields at a young age.
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Djouha Gneprou, a cocoa planter in Goboue in the country's west, is involved with a school opened by global food giant Nestle in 2013.
"Once the child is in school, they won't have time to be in the field so they can't do the heavy work," he told AFP.
Despite the scheme, recent figures highlight the challenges in the battle.
- 'Slavery and exploitation' -
Between 300,000 and one million children are still estimated to work in the sector, according to a report by the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI), an organisation created by the chocolate industry to fight the exploitation of minors.
Some 4,000 child victims of "slavery and exploitation" were removed from cocoa plantations in Ivory Coast between 2012 and 2014, according to authorities.
Whether paid or unpaid, children often come from Ivory Coast's neighbour Burkina Faso, and are used to carry heavy loads, fell trees and spray crops with pesticides.
Nestle, the world's largest food company and a major consumer of Ivory Coast cocoa, has previously faced criticism from pressure groups for profiting from child labour.
In 2012 Nestle joined the fight against the problem with an information campaign and school construction programme in the areas where it works most.
The company has built 40 schools in four years, according to Nestle-Ivory Coast's sustainability projects coordinator, Omaro Kane.
In Goboue, the small Nestle-sponsored school has changed the lives of the residents in this town dependent on cocoa production.
"More and more, we send the children to school," said Gneprou.
Before 2013, the town's children walked eight kilometres (five miles) every day to reach the school in a neighbouring village.
"It was difficult. The youngest children were unable to go to school because the road is very long," said Jean Oulai, a cocoa farmer in his 60s and father of six children.
His youngest son, Oulai, 10, is now in his second year of studies at the town's school.
- 'It's finished' -
The modest building with three classrooms, located at the entrance to the village, has become a victim of its own success, struggling to accommodate its 224 students aged between six and 10.
"The first year I effectively had a record with 80 students in the first grade," said headteacher Denis Kouakou Angoua, who spoke in the school's courtyard overlooking the very cocoa fields where his pupils would once have been destined to work from a young age.
"Africans believe that a child is someone who will replace them tomorrow. So they want the child to learn the same work that they did. That's why they take their children with them to the fields," said one cocoa planter.
But now the law bans the custom and punishes offenders harshly.
As many as 23 people were convicted, of whom 18 were jailed, for child labour offences between 2012 and 2014, according to Ivorian authorities.
Cocoa farmer Peter takes the threat of imprisonment seriously.
"It's finished, we don't send children to the fields anymore. The government said that it's forbidden and that if we do it then it's prison," he said.
Its been alleged that Jeremy McConnell was left hospitalised and needing six stitches after a nasty row with girlfriend Stephanie Davis in a luxury hotel in Cape Verde.
Reports claim other guests at the hotel could hear the violent row, with the couple leaving their room trashed as a result of their feud.
Copyright [Instagram/Jeremy McConnell]
An insider claimed police were eventually called, with staff branding them the worst guests ever.
Speaking to The Sun, a source said: Jeremy and Stephanie had a huge fight last night which ended with him having to get six stitches.
They were both screaming foul language and a number of guests complained as they had small children with them.
Copyright [Instagram/Stephanie Davis]
"When the hotels security came to the room the place was trashed. Stephanie verbally attacked them too and they eventually had to call the police to calm things down.
Reception staff have described them as the worst guests theyve ever had.
Copyright [Instagram/Jeremy McConnell]
The couple had been posting about what a good time they were having on holiday, with the former Hollyoaks actress tweeting a photo with the caption: So so happy!!!!! The best place.. Just WOW so so so so happy.
Representatives for Stephanie declined to comment, while those for Jeremy had not responded at the time of publication.
The same but different! Jessa Duggar reveals in Us Weekly's new issue that her 5-month-old son Spurgeon's upbringing is likely to differ a bit from her own.
PHOTOS: 2015's Babies of the Year
"Spurgeon is still pretty young, but Im sure that as he continues to grow, I will find that I tend to do some things differently than my mom did," Jessa, 23, tells Us. "Thats the beauty of the individual family. No one is identical."
"There will be variations with little things here and there, but I know that our foundational goals remain the same to raise our kids to love God and be a blessing to others," continues the Arkansas-based reality-TV mainstay, who welcomed Spurgeon with husband Ben Seewald in November 2015.
PHOTOS: Celebrity Kids Just Like Us!
The Jill & Jessa: Counting On star says she's lucky that she has such a valuable resource in mom Michelle who has 19 children with Jessa calling her mother a "baby encyclopedia." But the first-time mom is also quick to point out that Michelle encourages her to blaze her own trail.
PHOTOS: Celebrity Weddings 2015
"Every time I come to my mom for advice, she always reminds me that Ive got this," Jessa says. "Theres no pressure to do things just exactly how she did them, but Im so grateful for all her advice and help. Even when I feel overwhelmed, shes always there to encourage me and tell me, 'Youre doing a great job!' That gives me the courage to trust my instincts and do what I feel is best for my baby."
For more from Jessa and older sister Jill Duggar about raising their first sons, pick up the new issue of Us Weekly, on stands now.
Jill & Jessa: Counting On's season 1 finale airs on TLC Tuesday, May 3, at 9 p.m. ET.
April 27 (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors have charged a JetBlue pilot with flying while drunk from Orlando to New York last year with 151 passengers on board, officials said on Wednesday.
Dennis Thomas Murphy Jr. was arrested and arraigned in a federal court in New York City on a charge of operating a commercial vehicle while under the influence, said Nellin McIntosh, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York.
The complaint unsealed on Wednesday said 151 passengers were onboard the flight on April 21, 2015, and Murphy had been selected for random alcohol testing upon landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York.
JetBlue officials could not be immediately reached for comment on Wednesday.
Murphy, who is from New Jersey, was released on a $50,000 bond cosigned by his father and spouse. His attorney, federal defender James Darrow, could not be immediately reached for comment.
A breath test showed Murphy had a blood alcohol level of .111 percent, the complaint said. A second test showed him having a level of .091 percent.
"During the walk to the onsite testing office at JFK Airport, Murphy's face was red and he was chewing gum rapidly," the complaint said, adding that he attributed the high ratings to the gum he was chewing.
A blood alcohol level of .1 or higher qualifies as being under the influence for criminal charges, the complaint said. The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits pilots from flying with blood alcohol content higher than .04, according to the regulator's website.
Earlier in the day, Murphy also piloted a flight to Orlando International Airport from New York with 119 passengers on board and his co-pilot told authorities that Murphy was drinking an "unknown beverage from a cup" before and during both trips, the complaint said.
Murphy was immediately removed from being able to fly JetBlue planes and had resigned from the airline by May 27, 2015. He was hired by the company in February of that year.
Last month, an American Airlines co-pilot was charged for drinking alcohol before a weekend flight out of Detroit.
(Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco)
A federal judge in New Orleans has formally sentenced real estate magnate Robert Durst to 85 months in prison, followed by three years supervised release, for weapons possession.
U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt today approved the sentence that was agreed to as part of a plea deal reached in February on the felony charge. Durst, whose long-suspected involvement in several murders chronicled in HBOs documentary The Jinx led to his arrest, also was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and $100 special assessment.
But the legal saga is not over for Durst, who still faces a murder charge in Los Angeles for the killing of Susan Berman. Durst has insisted hes innocent.
A loaded .38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver was found in March 2015 during a lawful search of Dursts New Orleans hotel room after an arrest warrant was issued for the Berman killing. Having previously been convicted of multiple felonies, Durst was indicted in the Eastern District of Louisiana on April 10, 2015, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Dursts story drew national attention after HBO aired Andrew Jareckis documentary series The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst in spring 2015. The series explored the mysterious disappearance of Dursts wife, Kathy, in 1982, as well as the 2000 killing of Berman, who was found shot in her Benedict Canyon home. In the finale of the six-part documentary, Durst is heard mumbling to himself after he leaves an on-camera interview to use a washroom, his lapel microphone still live. What the hell did I do? he asks himself. Killed em all, of course.
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'The Jinx's Robert Durst Pleads Guilty To Gun Charge, Clearing Way For Extradition To L.A.
Robert Durst Of 'The Jinx' To Be Extradited To Los Angeles For Murder Charge - Update
Barbet Schroeder On Robert Durst, 'Amnesia' & Why He Hasn't Made A Hollywood Pic In 13 Years - Cannes Q&A
Real estate heir Robert Durst will serve seven years and one month in prison on a weapons charge after a federal judge approved a plea deal on Wednesday, the Associated Press reports.
U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt approved the sentence, which Durst accepted, in New Orleans. The maximum penalty that Durst could have faced was 10 years in jail and a $250,000 fine.
Durst, the subject of the HBO documentary The Jinx, was charged on March 16 by Louisiana State Police for possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm with a controlled substance. He pled guilty in February to illegally possessing a gun following a felony conviction.
His attorneys filed a motion Monday asking Engelhardt to recommend that Durst serve his time at Terminal Island, Calif., where he faces a separate pending murder charge. Durst is charged in Los Angeles with the 2000 murder of his friend and former spokeswoman Susan Berman.
He was jailed on the weapons charge on March 14, 2015 a day before the shocking finale of The Jinx. The show ended with an audio recording in which Durst is heard muttering What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course into a microphone he didnt know was on. The docu-series detailed the disappearance of Dursts first wife, Kathleen, in 1982; Bermans murder; and the killing of one of Dursts neighbors.
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'Going Clear,' 'The Jinx,' 'What Happened, Miss Simone' Named 2015 Peabody Awards Winners
'The Jinx' Subject Robert Durst Pleads Guilty to Gun Charges, Faces 7 Years in Prison
'The Jinx' Subject Robert Durst to Be Extradited to Los Angeles
Prince
A judge has confirmed previous reports that Prince did not have a will at the time of his death, according to People.
The magazine obtained court documents about a hearing held Wednesday, in which the judge approved Bremer Bank to handle Prince's estate, worth approximately $250 million.
The documents say that Bremer Trust has been tasked to "preserve the estate and to secure its proper administration until a general Personal Representative is appointed by the Registrar or by the Court," according to People.
Prince's sister Tyka Nelson, 55, had previously asked for Bremer, the institution Prince trusted with his finances for years, to oversee his estate following his passing.
Because Prince did not have a will laying out how his assets and expenses should be handled, Prince's estate could have a potentially "messy" future, as one lawyer told Business Insider.
NOW WATCH: 'Saturday Night Live' took on Sanders and Clinton's feisty exchange in Brooklyn
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An Argentinian federal judge is reportedly pursuing the promotion company behind the Time Warp festival in Buenos Aires where five people lost their lives.
The capital's mayor, Horacio Rodriguez Larreta, had earlier announced the government would no longer issue permits in a reaction to the drug-related deaths during the April 15 fest (another four were taken to hospital critically ill, though one has since been released).
Buenos Aires Bans Large Dance Music Festivals After Time Warp Deaths
Now, federal judge Sebastian Casanello has reportedly targeted key personnel at the fest's local promoter, Dell Producciones, for the negligent deaths.
Some 30 people implicated in the lawsuit must testify before Casanello, who is directing the investigation.
Among those detained are DP attorney Maximilliano Avila and Carlos Maria Garat, who was in charge of the site's evacuation plan, according to The Costa Rica Star (via Dancing Astronaut).
Adrian Conci, head of the event production firm, has reportedly been on the run since Casanello ordered his detention.
5 Die After Time Warp Electronic Music Festival in Argentina
Several members of the municipal government and an outsourced security firm are among those who must testify before Casanello, writes the Latin American Herald Tribune.
Time Warp began in Germany in 1994 and was being held in Buenos Aires for the third year.
By David Schwartz PHOENIX (Reuters) - A judge on Tuesday tossed out a legal challenge to a problem-plagued presidential preference election in Arizona, ruling that the woes at the polls were not due to fraud. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge David Gass said there were insufficient grounds for granting the request to void the results of the March 22 nominating election, which was marked by long lines and controversy. In a ruling from the bench, Gass said there were glitches and possible missteps by election officials but that the results would not have changed. "Elections are human endeavors. They are never, ever perfect," Gass said. "Glitches are always something that we need to wary of and we need to work hard, and we need to fix them.... But they don't rise to the level of fraud." Gass issued his verbal decision following a two-day hearing on the lawsuit brought by Tucson resident John Brakey, who alleged that election officials committed misconduct. The lawsuit argued officials improperly handled voter registration requests and permitted illegal votes to be cast in the election. He also said erroneous ballots were counted and the number of polling locations were inadequate. He sought a repeat of the election, easily won by Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. Brakey's attorney Michael Kielsky told Reuters on Tuesday night that he was disappointed in the ruling, but that it likely will not be appealed. The election brought widespread criticism to Arizona, which saw frustrated voters wait in line for as long as five hours to cast their ballots at a drastically reduced number of polls. In a cost-cutting move, county election officials slashed the polling locations to 60, compared with 200 in the election in 2012. Officials immediately took the blame for the mistake, saying the decision was based on past voter turnout and an increase in mail-in votes. The election also faces a separate federal court challenge by the state and national Democratic parties, along with the Clinton and Sanders campaigns. Justice department officials additionally have launched a probe into the handling of the election. (Reporting by David Schwartz in Phoenix; Editing by Curtis Skinner and Kim Coghill)
Junior doctors staged a march near the Palace of Westminster in London on Tuesday, April 26, the day around 78 percent of them went on strike over new contracts. The British Medical Association called the strike over government plans to impose a new contract on junior doctors, which will extend medical rosters to a seven-day week.
The government has refused to reopen talks with the BMA after negotiations over the new contracts broke down last year. Doctors have warned junior staff face working longer hours and a pay cut under the new deal.
Protesters called for the resignation of Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, saying he has made false accusations against junior doctors. Hunt described the strike, which affected A&E, maternity and intensive care services, as a bleak day. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, seen at around 3.30 in this video, voiced his support for the protest.
The strike will continue on Wednesday. Credit: YouTube/Paolo Zeriali
A judge in Scotland has warned that just one pint can put motorists over the legal limit.
Sheriff Scott Pattison made his comments after hearing two drink driving cases in Dumfries Sheriff Court.
In each case, the driver claimed they had only consumed one pint.
However, both drivers were found to be over the legal limit and each one was fined 450 and banned from the road for a year.
Thats the lesson in Scotland, said Sheriff Pattison, the BBC reported.
Just one drink can put you over, its as tight as that.
One case involved Donald McCallie, 66, from Annan, who admitted driving on April 19 in Summergate Road with a reading of 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath.
The legal limit is 22 micrograms.
McCallies solicitor said the defendant had consumed one pint of cider and would not have been committing an offence had he been driving 10 miles south in England, where the legal limit is 35 micrograms.
In the other case, Ashley Medicks, 62, from Kirkgunzeon, pleaded guilty to driving in Dalbeattie on April 21 with a reading of 32 micrograms.
He also claimed to have consumed one pint before driving.
But both men were handed down fines and banned from driving for a year.
(Picture: Rex)
There are those moments in film where the line between art and reality blur to produce something truly wonderful.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Keanu director Peter Atencio told the story of how the titular kitten in the Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele comedy is voiced by the actor that shares his namesake, Keanu Reeves.
Atencio says that Key and Peele were at first hesitant about reaching out to Reeves due to the similarities between their movie and Reeve's John Wick. In John Wick, Reeves seeks revenge on the Russian mob who killed his beloved dog, whereas in Keanu, Key and Peele go in search of a kitten stolen by gangsters.
The director eventually did reach out to Reeves' reps, who declined the offer to participate in the movie, he told the paper. But after his sister showed him the trailer for the film, Reeves took matters into his own hands. Said Atencio to the Times: "He flipped out and got in touch with us directly to say 'If there's anything I can do, let's make this work.' "
In order to incorporate the actor into a near-to-complete film, the director expanded a dream-sequence where the kitten guides Peele through a bad drug trip. Reeves, who was coincidentally filming John Wick 2, recorded the dialog while filming in Rome with Atencio offering direction via Skype.
You can hear Keanu (the actor) and see Keanu (the cat) in Keanu (the movie) out in theaters this April 29.
Read More: 'Keanu' Kitten: How a Cat in a Hat Was Trained to Act for Key and Peele's Movie
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In an open letter posted on Monday, Kenyon College alum Michael Hayes shares his sister Chelsie's experience as a survivor of rape at the school. Addressed to "Kenyon College, for failing my little sister," the letter begins by explaining that Chelsie Hayes, a current student, was assaulted on the evening of Saturday, Nov. 8, 2015, on the school's campus in Gambier, Ohio.
The piece assails the university's handling of the incident. According to Mathew, after a long "administrative process" the school found the accused not guilty of the charges.
"Kenyon has betrayed my trusta trust with the strength of 23 years," he said. "Kenyon failed my little sister in a way that I, with her permission, refuse to be silent about."
In an email to class representatives obtained by Mic, Kenyon College President Sean Decatur said his administration could not comment on the allegations, citing privacy concerns, but said it has "zero tolerance" policy on sexual assault:
"Over the past 24 hours, the Kenyon community has been made sensitive to issues regarding sexual misconduct. I and no other College administrator can comment on any student conduct case of any type. To do so violates the rights of privacy, and would, in turn, multiply the pain felt by everyone involved. This may seem to some that the College is hiding behind the law, but I believe that this is simply the right thing to do."
According to Mathews' searing account, the victim's mother sent him a text message the day after the assault: Someone named Katie was en route to the hospital with Chelsie Hayes. "She was raped last night," the mother said.
In Michael Hayes' retelling of the family's ordeal, Chelsie Hayes was "sexually assaulted in her dorm room in and out of consciousness after drinking a bottle of wine, a couple of beers" at local bar the Gambier Grill, and "taking her three prescribed medications." The alleged attacker told her she was "too cute to be a lesbian."
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Michael Hayes writes:
"My mother followed up with handfuls of messages about how it didn't feel real yet, how everything in our lives had changed while I was so far away and how we had to remain strong for Chelsie with the knowledge that she showered the morning after debating whether or not she wanted to commit suicide. I found strength in the faith I had that Kenyon would see that justice was done for a girl who spent so much of her life wanting to be there ... the little sister of a Kenyon graduate who loved that place with his whole heart."
Chelsie Hayes, who, along with her brother, grew up in Gambier, is reportedly transferring schools next fall.
Source: Rick Bowmer/AP
The frank account calls attention to the epidemic of sexual assault on college campuses. According to the Association of American Universities, 1 in 4 college seniors have experienced unwanted sexual contact. Given how reluctant victims may be to come forward, even this statistic may underrepresent the number of college students who have experienced assault. According to the Department of Justice, 80% of campus sexual assaults go unreported.
In the letter, Michael Hayes writes that what followed his sister's assault was a months-long "administrative process" that found "insufficient evidence to conclude that it was more likely than not that the college's policy on sexual assault had been broken at all." This was "despite her documented injuries, a bed stained with her own blood, her sexual orientation, and the combination of that much alcohol and prescription medication in her body."
Sexual assault cases are difficult to prosecute; the cases often devolve into a "he said; she said" battle. But there are many instances in which survivors and families, friends and communities frustrated with ineffective responses have taken matters into their own hands protesting, organizing and turning to the media when other pathways for justice are closed.
In an essay on Kenyon blog the Thrill, sophomore Carolyn Ten Eyck wrote that she spoke with a sexual misconduct adviser who said, "I've never seen a just outcome for a survivor handed down by this administration. Not once."
"It is easy for the college to say that there is 'zero tolerance' for sexual assault," Ten Eyck argued. "If the administration will not take responsibility, who will? ... When will rhetoric become action?"
Mic reached out to Michael Hayes and Kenyon College for comment on the story. We will continue to update it as we gather information to provide a fuller account.
UPDATE: This story has been updated with further details about the university's response to the allegations.
The dispute between Kesha Rose Sebert and her producer Dr. Luke (Lukasz Gottwald) is hardly over, but the producer has now dodged claims brought by Kesha's mother, Pebe Sebert.
Kesha and Dr. Luke continue to square off with each over her allegations that he sexually abused her and his allegations that she is attempting to repudiate a recording agreement. So far, he's gotten the upper hand. A New York judge rejected her bid for a preliminary injunction and earlier this month, dismissed all but one of her counterclaims.
The litigation is taking place in three states. Besides what's happening in New York, there's also a paused California lawsuit brought by Kesha as well as a battle between Dr. Luke and Pebe in Tennessee.
In the Tennessee action, Dr. Luke is suing Pebe on claims of defamation and tortious interference. According to the complaint, Kesha schemed with her mother to elevate a contract disagreement into a "smearing" of Dr. Luke, and when alleged extortion failed, circulated emails to bloggers and others in the industry accusing Dr. Luke of rape.
In response, Pebe filed counterclaims of intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress based on the alleged abuse directed at Kesha. She also claimed misrepresentations and fraudulent inducement by asserting that Dr. Luke had promised that she would be involved in her daughter's career including as a songwriter.
On Tuesday, Pebe voluntarily dismissed those counterclaims. She's also recently split with attorney Mark Geragos.
"The litigation with Dr. Luke has been a nightmare for Mrs. Sebert and her family," said Alex Little, Pebe's attorney. "She has decided to move on and find peace and forgiveness in her heart rather than dwelling in the cancerous past of an ongoing lawsuit with no end in sight."
"Pebe Sebert's voluntary withdrawal of all her claims against Dr. Luke is her acknowledgement that her claims are meritless," says Christine Lepera, attorney for Dr. Luke. "Dr. Luke's defamation and other claims continue against Pebe and Kesha Sebert."
The denial of the preliminary injunction is now going up to a New York appeals court while Dr. Luke's attorneys plan to depose Kesha and Pebe in June. In the California case, a status conference is upcoming that may determine whether a stay is lifted.
From Cosmopolitan
Kid Rock is mourning the death of his assistant Michael Sacha, 30, after he found Sacha dead near his Nashville home's driveway, TMZ reports. His death is classified as accidental.
The police believe Sacha was driving back to Kid's house on an ATV around midnight on Monday when he lost control of the ATV and crashed, though it's unclear what actually caused him to do so, according to NBC News. When Kid Rock couldn't find Sacha on Monday morning, he began searching the property with a friend.
"I am beyond devastated to report that my personal assistant Mike Sacha passed away," Kid wrote on his website. "He was a member of our family and one of the greatest young men I have ever had the pleasure to not only work with, but also to become friends with Myself, the band, our family, friends and co-workers are devastated over this loss."
Kid postponed a trip to Michigan to "stay here with Mike until I can bring him home to his family."
Follow Tess on Twitter.
Kim Kardashian is on the offensive against The Wall Street Journal for publishing a full-page advertisement that denies the Armenian Genocide.
In a post published to her self-titled website on Wednesday, the Armenian reality star criticized the ad as "reckless, upsetting and dangerous." It was printed in the newspaper on April 20, 2016 - four days prior to the genocide's 100-year remembrance.
"The ad was paid for by Turkic Platform. I won't list the group's website, as I don't want to give them the traffic, but basically they say that not as many people died as historians say, and that the Armenians were to blame," Kardashian wrote in the blog post titled "The Armenian Genocide."
The paid advertisement features "Truth = Peace" in large, black, bold text on the center of the page, with "stop the allegations" and "FactCheckArmenia.com" on the top right of the add.
"For the Wall Street Journal to publish something like this is reckless, upsetting and dangerous. It's one thing when a shitty tabloid profits from a made-up scandal, but for a trusted publication like WSJ to profit from genocide - it's shameful and unacceptable," she continued.
When contacted for comment, a Journal spokesperson referred The Hollywood Reporter to a prior statement saying that the paper runs "a wide range of advertisements, including those with provocative viewpoints. While we review ad copy for issues of taste, the varied and divergent views expressed belong to the advertisers."
Read More: Kim Kardashian Remembers Meeting Prince, Being Kicked Offstage at His Concert
Kardashian noted that though she and her family members are well-versed with the media and "are no strangers to BS in the press," she believes that the WSJ's decision to print the ad is "spreading lies."
"Advocating the denial of a genocide by the country responsible for it - that's not publishing a 'provocative viewpoint,' that's spreading lies. It's totally morally irresponsible and, most of all, it's dangerous. If this had been an ad denying the Holocaust, or pushing some 9/11 conspiracy theory, would it have made it to print?" the 35-year-old questioned readers.
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"We have to be responsible for the message we pass on to our children. We have to honor the TRUTH in our history so that we protect their future," she concluded. "We have to do better than this."
Full-page ad in today's @WSJ denying the Armenian genocide pic.twitter.com/LjBGjCo80l
- Gary Bass (@Gary__Bass) April 20, 2016
(Adds details on bargaining talks and background)
By Bernie Woodall and Daniel Wiessner
April 27 (Reuters) - The U.S. National Labor Relations Board on Tuesday filed an unfair labor practices complaint against Volkswagen AG for not bargaining with a portion of plant workers at its Tennessee plant represented by the United Auto Workers union.
Under board procedure, employers must formally refuse to recognize a union certified by the NLRB in order to bring the case to U.S. appeals courts. As the board earlier this month said Volkswagen workers could join the UAW, the agency will likely soon rule against Volkswagen, allowing the company to appeal.
On Monday, Volkswagen said it planned to take the matter, eventually, to a U.S. appeals court.
Last Friday, VW told the UAW that it would not bargain with about 160 skilled trades workers who voted 71 percent in December to be represented by the union. The plant in Chattanooga has about 1,500 hourly workers.
VW said in a statement on Monday that it "will continue our effort to allow everyone to vote as one group on the matter of union representation."
While the skilled trades workers who maintain plant machinery are a fraction of the hourly workforce, VW bargaining with them could serve as a launching pad for the union's efforts to organize other foreign-owned plants in the South. In decades of trying, the UAW has not organized a foreign-owned auto assembly plant in the region.
Volkswagen was at one time welcoming to the UAW at Chattanooga. But that was before the UAW lost a closely contested election open to all of the plant's 1,500 workers in February 2014.
The UAW worked closely with the German union IG Metall in fostering a good relationship with VW before that vote. IG Metall has much more power within VW than the UAW has at any major automaker.
The UAW claims to have majority support from the 1,500 workers at the VW plant, but its executives are fearful that well-financed antiunion lobbying groups will make winning an election difficult.
The UAW is banking on legal precedent that allows a small unit of a worksite to be represented by a U.S. union.
(Reporting by Bernie Woodall in Detroit and Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York; Editing by Bernard Orr)
LONDON (Reuters) - The Labour Party suspended one of its MPs on Wednesday over anti-Semitic remarks she made on social media in 2014, including a post supporting the relocation of Israel to the United States. Labour said it had agreed with Naz Shah, 42, that she would be "administratively suspended" from the party while an investigation took place, meaning she no longer represented Labour and was banned from joining any party activity. Newspapers reported that Shah, who was elected to parliament in 2015, had shared a graphic on Facebook entitled "Solution for Israel-Palestine Conflict, Relocate Israel into United States", adding her own comment: "Problem solved". Prior to her suspension, Shah apologised in parliament. "I accept and understand that the words I used caused upset and hurt to the Jewish community, and I deeply regret that," she said. "Anti-Semitism is racism, full stop." (Reporting by William James; editing by Stephen Addison)
Paris-based Films Distribution is set to reteam with Laszlo Nemes, the director of Cannes grand jury prize and Oscar-winning Son of Saul, on his sophomore film, Sunset.
Films Distribution, which sold Nemes harrowing Holocaust drama Son of Saul worldwide to major distributors, including in North America to Sony Pictures Classics, is back on board to co-produce Sunset on top of handling international sales.
A coming-of-age drama set in 1910 Budapest, Sunset tells the tale of a girl who matures into a strong and fearless young woman. While the plot remains under wraps, Nicolas Brigaud-Robert said the project was highly promising since its plot will essentially revolve around a womans journey and will deliver a portrait of the rapidly-changing, cosmopolitan city of Budapest right before the outbreak of World War I.
Set to shoot in 2017, Sunset will reteam Nemes with Son of Sauls cinematographer Matyas Erdely, and producers Gabor Sipos and Gabor Rajna at Hungarys Laokoon Cinema.
Nemes made a big splash in Cannes last year with his feature debut Son of Saul, which played in competition, earned rave reviews at the festival and scooped the grand prize from Joel and Ethan Coens jury. Son of Saul revolves around an Auschwitz prisoner who is forced, along with other prisoners, to work at the camp, and assist in the extermination and disposal of fellow Jews.
Nemes will be attending Cannes again this year to sit on George Millers competition jury, along with Mads Mikkelsen, Kirsten Dunst, Donald Sutherland, Vanessa Paradis, Valeria Golino and Katayoon Shahabi.
Headed by its founders Brigaud-Robert and Francois Yon, Films Distribution has a flurry of movies playing in Cannes, notably Brillante Ma Mendozas Ma Rosa playing in competition, Delphine and; Muriel Coulins The Stopover playing Un Certain Regard and Rithy Panhs Exile in Special Screening.
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A lawsuit filed in Florida's Palm Beach County Courthouse seeking to block the return of an iPhone to the family of one of two boys lost at sea in July may soon be dropped if both families give consent to allow a full investigation of the phone's data.
On July 24, longtime friends Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos set out on a boating excursion from Florida's Jupiter Inlet a something they'd done many times before growing up in coastal South Florida. But as night fell and a storm brewed, the boyas families lost contact. Cohen and Stephanos, both 14, would never be seen again, despite a weeks-long search by the US Coast Guard and dozens of others who combed sea, air and land for clues to the boys' disappearance.
Eight months later, however, crewmembers aboard a Norwegian freighter spotted Stephanos' 19-foot Seacraft boat overturned and floating in a shipping channel about 100 miles off the Bermuda coast. Hidden inside the boatas compartments were the boysa tackle and other personal effects, including Stephanos' iPhone, which since has been airmailed back to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and quickly became the source of a potential legal battle.
Soon after the discovery, state investigators announced that, because the teens' disappearance is not considered a criminal case, the items would be returned to the families. The Cohen family, however, quickly challenged that decision, saying that all items, particularly Stephanosas iPhone, should be held by law enforcement until a full forensics investigation can be completed. On Monday, Pamela Cohen filed a lawsuit with the Palm Beach County Court, naming Austinas father, Blu Stephanos, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as defendants and seeking to block the return of the iPhone and other items found pending a forensics investigation. The complaint argued that because Perry's own phone was broken that day and he had sent messages to his family on Austin's iPhone, both families have a privacy interest in its contents. It also cited highly publicized issues with retrieving data from the iPhones of the suspects in the December 2 terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California.
"Plaintiff believes the information on Austin's iPhone must be collected by technology experts who have the expertise required to extract such data without unnecessary risks of losing such information inadvertently or due to inexperience in such highly technical matters," the complaint reads. "It is now well known that multiple attempts at entering a security passcode on an iPhone will result in the destruction of information on the iPhone. This was the subject of great public awareness and litigation between the FBI and Apple in the wake of the horrific San Bernardino terrorist attacks."
Both boy's families took to social media to state their cases. Cohen plead with the Stephanos family to give their consent to allow the FFWCC to keep the phone in its custody until all potentially retrievable data including text messages, photos and GPS location information could be extracted and analyzed. Blu Stephanos posted assurances that his family was working with the phoneas manufacturer and independent IT specialists to get the phone operational again and would share any relevant information retrieved with the Cohen family and the proper authorities.
Lawsuit Against Family of Teen Lost at Sea May be Dropped| Real People Stories
Now, it looks as if there may be a quick resolution to the lawsuit.
"In the interest of cooperation and to help both families learn more details about what happened to our boys, we accept the offer of Blu Stephanos to share the contents of the iPhone with us and the FWC," Pamela Cohen said in a written statement released Tuesday. "Therefore we will be withdrawing our lawsuit as soon as FWC receives the written consents it needs from both families to put the iPhone in the hands of the best impartial iPhone extraction experts available, in a proper legal chain of custody."
Cohen also posted on Facebook a copy of her signed consent, which reads: "I hereby consent to the put the iPhone in the hands of the best impartial iPhone extraction experts available, in a proper legal chain of custody, and for the FWC to retain this iPhone and any information retrieved by such experts that may be helpful in determining what happened to my son, and to confidentially share that information with the families of both boys."
"They want to drop the case," Cohenas attorney, Guy Bennett Rubin, told PEOPLE on Tuesday afternoon. aThey have signed a consent to the FWC and they've asked the other family to sign the exact same consent. As soon as we receive those consents, we will drop the case. We have no interest in litigation anything. Our only interest is in getting as much information as there is to find out what happened."
While awaiting a response from the Stephanos family, Rubin filed a motion with the Palm Beach County Court for an emergency hearing on the injunction requested in the lawsuit. Judge Gregory M. Keyser will preside.
Meanwhile, "One day at a time, one issue at a time," Rubin said when asked how his clients were coping with the loss of their son and the possibility of finally getting answers theyave desperately prayed for. "They have a very successful business which is probably a welcome distraction but this is their priority. Mom, Pamela is just an incredibly strong and composed woman that I admire greatly. I donat see clients like this often. Sheas very determined to speak for Perry because he can't."
A California woman was filmed driving down a street holding her dogs leash while the Pit Bull was running beside it.
Read: Heroic Family Dog Leads Firefighters to Children Trapped in Police Officer's Burning Home
Amanda Brajkovich shot the disturbing video on her cellphone in Stockton, California earlier this week.
She was so upset she confronted the driver and asked why the dog was being dragged.
The dogs owner told Brajkovich: He wasn't being dragged. I was watching his leash. There was no tension.
The concerned videographer told the driver: I heard him yelp thats cruelty! You dont do that to a dog!
Watch: Great Dane Gets Rescued From 20-Foot Tree After Somehow Getting Stuck
Brajkovich told IE that she was shocked to witness the event.
I've never seen anything like this before, she said. She could've caused an accident.
The Stockton Police Department said officers reviewed the video and did not believe there was evidence of animal cruelty, but officials said the motorist would have been charged with distracted driving if she had been seen by an officer.
Watch: Firefighters Rescue 34 Dogs From House Fire of Hoarder
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By Neil Robinson LONDON (Reuters) - Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has said he will start to celebrate "only when the mathematics are certain" as the club close in on the first top-tier title in their 132-year history. Victory at Manchester United on Sunday will be sufficient for the Foxes after Tottenham Hotspur unexpectedly dropped two points in Monday night's 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion. With Leicester seven points clear of their only remaining title rivals with three games left, Ranieri knows he is in touching distance of his first major league title in a 30-year career that has embraced 16 jobs. The Italian conceded that Spurs' surprise result had taken a load from his shoulders. "I was a little more light. A little," he said on Tuesday at a Premier League sponsor's event. "Of course.. we are so very close. Everybody says it's done. In my opinion, no. I believe only in the mathematics," he said. Ranieri, who had never anticipated a title triumph when he returned to England last summer, added that he did not mind where Leicester secured their prize, provided they did so. "It is important to try to win every match. Every match. I don't know when, but it is important to get this goal (the title)," he said. "I said to them (the players), 'We have to play as an eleven... It's not important the name of your opponent, it is important what you do during the match and (to) help each other.'" Ranieri also praised Riyad Mahrez, who was named PFA Player of the Year on Sunday. "I am very proud because Riyad is a very humble man. He asks every time, 'What can I do to improve?' That is fantastic. He is a genius, our light," he said. "But I want to say also (that) all the players are having a fantastic season, with very great professionalism." If Leicester fail to win at Old Trafford, they will have a chance to secure the title at home to Everton before their final game at Chelsea, who sacked Ranieri as manager in 2004. (Editing by Mark Heinrich)
By Mike Stone
April 27 (Reuters) - At least five financial services companies are competing to acquire the credit card business of Cabela's Inc, a U.S. outdoor retailer that is exploring selling itself, according to people familiar with the matter.
Cabela's has been looking to sell its credit card division at a time when an auction for the entire company has attracted interest from a consortium comprising rival Bass Pro Shops and Goldman Sachs Group Inc's private equity arm.
Citigroup Inc, Bank of America Corp, Capital One Financial Corp, Toronto-Dominion Bank and Synchrony Financial are among the lenders that have submitted offers for the Cabela's credit card business, the people said this week.
The sources asked not to be identified because the sale process is confidential. Cabela's, Citigroup, Toronto-Dominion Bank, Bank of America and Synchrony declined to comment. Capital One did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Dubbed World's Foremost Bank, the credit card business of Cabela's had nearly 2 million accounts with roughly $5 billion in loans and $502 million in revenue in 2015, according to the company's latest annual report.
A sale of the Cabela's credit card business would free the Sidney, Nebraska-based company from the regulatory burden and capital requirements associated with maintaining a bank charter.
Cabela's said in December it was working with investment bank Guggenheim Securities LLC to explore strategic alternatives including a sale, following pressure from activist hedge fund Elliott Management Corp.
Cabela's, which has a market capitalization of $3.5 billion, was founded in 1961 by Dick Cabela and has roughly 80 stores in 36 U.S. states and nine in Canada. It also runs a large catalog business, which contributes roughly 24 percent of sales.
(Additional reporting by Lauren Hirsch in New York; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
testimony valeant swear in
Valeant Pharmaceuticals' outgoing CEO, Mike Pearson, the company's former interim CEO, Howard Schiller, and board member and hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman all just testified before the US Senate.
They were answering questions about the company's practice of buying drugs and jacking up their prices.
Not surprisingly, they walked into a very aggressive room.
Ranking member Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) of the Senate Special Committee on Aging was direct from the start. In her opening statement she said:
In case you haven't noticed, that has real ramifications in our political process and could lead to an instability of our government, our economy, and our standing in the world. Pigs get fed, hogs get slaughtered. It's time to slaughter some hogs. I thank the witnesses for being here today, and I look forward to hearing their testimony.
Here are the highlights:
Pearson was questioned about Valeant's R&D spending, its patient-assistance program, and its drug-pricing policy.
He was also asked about a Wells Fargo note that said Valeant had raised prices on 16 of its products in the past year.
Bill Ackman said that he was focused on saving Valeant from bankruptcy.
He was also questioned about his investments in Herbalife and Fannie and Freddie.
"Can you find me one drug that Valeant didn't raise the price on?" McCaskill asked.
Neither Ackman nor Pearson could find one.
Here's how it went down:
Pearson
"I've got a list of 20 drugs that you guys have raised over 200% in a matter of years," said McCaskill.
She had gotten that list from the US House of Representatives, which is also investigating Valeant for the same issue. She considers that matter an issue of national debt because healthcare costs drive the debt so high.
"I don't think you guys understand that you can't do this just because" it's legal, she said.
McCaskill pointed out that Valeant's top 30 drugs increased in price by 70% from this time last year.
"It couldn't have been because of R&D because you don't spend that much," she said.
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"We have not raised prices at all this year in terms of the neurology and other products," Pearson said. He also said that it reduced prices for dermatology drugs.
This runs counter to a report from Wells Fargo released on Wednesday morning that showed that the company raised prices for 16 drugs. Pearson said that the report was likely inaccurate, though he hadn't seen it.
Pearson also went back to discussing how much Valeant spends on patient-assistance programs programs that people in a previous panel said didn't really help anyone. The committee members didn't let him get away with that either, pointing out that these programs allow Valeant to maintain price and that Valeant has a "captive audience."
Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Indiana) pointed out that even the largest Catholic hospital system in the world couldn't use Valeant's "volume based" assistance program.
"It's a human right not to be treated this way," said Donnelly.
Another senator called Valeant's response to a patient on why it increased the price of a Wilson-disease drug "a red herring."
Valeant responded to the patient with a letter saying that "the investment to develop and distribute novel medicines" would not be worth it unless the company could increase prices for a bigger return on investment.
This letter came up over and over in the hearing.
Valeant bought the drug, the senator pointed out, and spent no money developing it.
He later asked, "Did you just now realize" that this was a life-and-death situation for some patients?
Pearson said that he did not.
Mike Pearson senate
Ackman
Hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman, who has been a big Valeant shareholder for over a year, opened with this gem: "As a shareholder of Valeant, I recognize my investment was an ... endorsement of Valeant's strategy."
Then he went on to talk about the changes he's trying to make to the company since he got on the board and admitted that price increases broke a "social contract" with Valeant's customers.
There was a lot of stuff that was in Ackman's written testimony that wasn't actually said. Like this:
We believe that a drug company can do as much or more for innovation in pharma by acquiring other drug companies and licensing drugs than by developing drugs internally. Much of Valeant's product portfolio has been built through acquisition where Valeant was the high bidder for smaller innovative companies and their products. As a result of these acquisitions, the selling company shareholders earned an attractive and in some cases spectacular return on their investment from the nearly $40 billion that Valeant has invested in acquisitions. We expect that a high percentage of the after-tax capital received by these selling shareholders is likely to have already been reinvested in other early-stage and innovative drug companies so the cycle of drug development can continue.
You can imagine why that would not have gone over well. After one line of questioning, Ackman said that he texted Valeant's board chairman to schedule a call tomorrow to discuss lowering prices for two heart drugs.
Bill Ackman senate
McCaskill nailed Ackman for not knowing about Valeant's price increases, naming drugs and hikes and a letter a patient sent to Ackman.
"Yeah, it's horrible. It's wrong," he said.
"One of the things with due diligence in this industry is that it's really hard to find out prices for drugs," Ackman said after stuttering a bit.
We should note that some of these price increases are documented by researcher IMG.
"Can you find me one drug that Valeant didn't raise the price on?" McCaskill asked.
Neither Ackman nor Pearson could find one.
Another senator asked Ackman if he thought that his public and private pension investors want him to invest in this kind of business model.
"Certainly not," he responded.
Then he went on to say that what attracted him to the company were its segments, like consumer brands, that weren't overpriced.
Of course, there had to be an attack on hedge funds, too.
"It's shocking the way hedge funds try to change public policy in order to benefit them," said Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tennessee).
He pointed to a potential Puerto Rico bailout as a policy hedge funds are trying to shape. He also brought up Ackman's aggressive attack against Herbalife, his famous short.
He asked where else Ackman has tried to shape public policy.
"Herbalife is the only one ... I can think of," Ackman said.
"Really?" Corker asked, bringing up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Then they talked about Fannie and Freddie as if the rest of us weren't even there to talk about Valeant.
Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pennsylvania) pointed out that Ackman said that drug pricing was a "serious issue."
Casey continued: "Can you point to anything in your testimony here that points to social responsibility?"
Ackman went back to his written testimony, which lacked the specifics Casey wanted.
"The first thing I've been doing is trying to make sure this company doesn't go bankrupt," said Ackman, adding that the company expected to file its annual report by Friday and was replacing the CEO.
Casey was still not satisfied. "I've heard of no policy ... in regards to pricing that says, 'It shall be the policy of this company to not do this.'"
Ackman said that he would "have that in weeks. Watch what we can do."
Elizabeth Warren
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) is not a fan of Wall Street's financial engineering. So, shocking no one, she came in aggressive.
"You double the price [of a drug] even if you get a waiver to the customer, you make a lot of money," Warren said.
She pointed out that the drug industry spent $7 billion on patient-assistance programs in order to maintain high prices and line their pockets.
"What is the return on investment to Valeant on the money you're currently putting into the patient-assistance programs?" she asked.
Pearson said that he didn't know.
"Don't tell me you've never done the analysis ... By doing this you ... keep the patient on the more expensive drug and then you ... recoup whatever from the insurance company. What I'm saying is that this must be a profitable ... for you ... You're making more money ... You haven't done that analysis?" she said.
Pearson said no.
Warren asked why these programs can't be used on government insurance and answered her own question: It's illegal. She said that government agencies know that the patient-assistance programs are just a way for drug companies to maintain price, and demanded immediate action.
Schiller
Valeant's former interim CEO and CFO, Howard Schiller, kept his opening statement light. He has already been in the hot seat since he filled in for Pearson at a hearing earlier this year. He was barely asked any questions during that hearing.
NOW WATCH: Watch Hillary Clinton threaten to 'go after' one of the most controversial drug companies in America
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Some well-known, heavily traded developed market currencies are highly levered to fluctuations in commodities prices. That list includes the Canadian dollar, which was punished by tumbling oil prices in each of the past two years.
With oil rebounding this year, so is the Canadian dollar, also known as the loonie, and that is good news for the CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust (FXC) . FXC, which tracks the movements of the loonie against the U.S. dollar, is up more than 4% over the past month and nearly 9% year-to-date.
Canada enjoys large natural resource reserves. As we have witnessed, Canadas oil production could either lift or weigh on the economy, depending on the energy market. Additionally, as we hear more about droughts and dry weather conditions, Canadas freshwater reserves, which account for 20% of the worlds freshwater, could come into play.
Some observers have warned of a bubbling real estate sector, and traders have bet against Canadian real estate through shorting Canadian banks. In the meantime, the national median home price continues to climb to all-time highs. We will have to monitor how the government plans to engineer a soft landing for the real estate market in an attempt to mitigate a potential fallout.
Want more news on Alternative ETFs? Visit: www.etftrends.com/alts
The recent rise in crude prices has been correlated with a rise in the Canadian Dollar. The most recent meeting on April 13 of the Bank of Canada culminated with the Bank of Canada leaving rates unchanged at 0.5%. The Bank of Canada revised upward their estimate for first quarter growth in Canadian GDP to 2.8%.
However, the Bank cautioned that they believe that GDP growth rate is a temporary blip and they forecast growth for 2016 to be 1.7%, an increase from their previous estimate of 1.4%. The Bank of Canada also mentioned that the Canadian economy will be undergoing a lengthy period of complex adjustment to lower oil prices, according to OptionsExpress.
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Canadas oil production could either lift or weigh on the economy, depending on the energy market. Additionally, as we hear more about droughts and dry weather conditions, Canadas freshwater reserves, which account for 20% of the worlds freshwater, could come into play.
Turning to the 3 month continuation chart, we see several bullish signs for the Canadian Dollar. The 20 day Simple Moving Average (SMA) is providing a nice support level and the 20 day SMA is also above the 50 day SMA. The Canadian Dollar has also been achieving a series of higher highs and higher lows since the bull run began in mid-January. 14 day Relative Strength Index is a moderately bullish 65.37, adds OptionsExpress.
CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust
Berlin (AFP) - Germany's Lufthansa has postponed until September a decision on the acquisition of Brussels Airlines following last month's deadly attacks on the Belgian capital, the airline said on Wednesday.
The delay would allow the Belgian carrier to resume flights in the wake of the suicide bombings that targeted Brussels airport and a metro station, leaving 32 people dead, Lufthansa said in a statement.
"Our colleagues at Brussels Airlines are currently devoting all their energies and resources to restoring reliable flight operations for their customers at their home airport following these terrible attacks," Lufthansa chief executive Carsten Spohr said in a statement.
"That is a major challenge under the current security provisions, and must now be the priority," he said.
Lufthansa already holds 45 percent of the airline and, after the March 22 bombings, Brussels Airlines transferred some aircraft to German airports.
"Lufthansa and Brussels Airlines have agreed to extend by a further three months the deadline for Lufthansa to decide on the call option to fully acquire Brussels Airlines' parent company SN Airholding," the airline added.
Under an existing agreement, Lufthansa is required to take the decision, through which it could acquire the remaining 55 percent of SN Airholding, by the beginning of June.
"This deadline has now been extended to the end of August," it added.
(Reuters) - A Maine state official on Wednesday validated a petition by pro-marijuana activists that would allow the state's voters to determine whether to make recreational use of the drug legal in the northeasternmost U.S. state. Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap found that activists had collected enough verified signatures to be presented to state lawmakers for consideration, his office said in a statement. The state legislature has the option of approving the proposal as written or placing it on the ballot in November. That move followed a ruling by a state judge earlier this month that overruled an initial decision by Dunlap's office that almost half of the signatures gathered by the campaign were not valid, citing concerns that the signatures of notaries public on various forms submitted did not match up with versions on file in official state records. The referendum would allow adults 21 and older to legally possess marijuana, while levying a 10 percent tax on recreational sales. Marijuana use in public would remain illegal. Maine Governor Paul LePage has publicly opposed the measure, saying he believes marijuana is a "gateway drug" that leads other sorts of narcotics abuse. Voters in four U.S. states plus the District of Columbia have legalized the recreational use of the drug in similar ballot initiatives. Advocates have pushed for similar referendums this year in a half-dozen other states, including Massachusetts and California. (Reporting by Scott Malone in Boston; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
By Nate Raymond NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Malian national with ties to militant groups was sentenced to 25 years in a U.S. prison on Tuesday after admitting to having conspired to kill an American diplomat during a 2000 carjacking in Niger, prosecutors said. Alhassane Ould Mohamed, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William Kuntz in Brooklyn, New York, for participating in a conspiracy to murder William Bultemeier, a defense attache system operations coordinator working at the U.S. embassy in Niger. Mohamed pleaded guilty in March as part of an agreement that prosecutors would seek a 25-year prison term at his sentencing. He faced a potential life sentence prior to the plea deal. He was indicted in 2013 for murdering Bultemeier and trying to kill Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Christopher McNeely after the two left a restaurant in Niamey, Niger, on Dec. 23, 2000. Prosecutors said Mohamed, also known as Cheibani, and another assailant, armed with a pistol and AK-47 assault rifle, demanded Bultemeier hand over the keys to his sport utility vehicle, which bore U.S. diplomatic plates. Mohamed then shot Bultemeier, prosecutors said. McNeely tried to help Bultemeier when Mohamed's accomplice shot both men, prosecutors said. McNeely survived the attack. Malian police arrested Mohamed, but he escaped from custody in May 2002, according to prosecutors. He was arrested in Mali in 2010 in connection with an attack on a convoy of Saudi Arabian officials in Niger that left four dead. Sentenced in Niger to 20 years in prison, Mohamed escaped again in June 2013 with other inmates who launched an assault coordinated by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, prosecutors said. Mohamed also had connections to other militant groups, including the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad and al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, prosecutors said. He remained at large until French forces in Northern Mali apprehended him in November 2013. He was extradited to the United States in March 2014. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Alan Crosby)
When a suicidal man ran to jump from a bridge, a cop was there to stop him just in the nick of time -- and it was all caught on camera.
Dashcam footage shows Sgt. Greg Bogert of the Riverdale Police Department in New Jersey diving to tackle the man before he made it to the edge of the bridge.
Read: 'Breathe!' Cop Cam Captures Hero Cop Saving Boy With CPR
Before the incident on Monday morning, multiple 911 callers had reported a man leaving his car and disturbing traffic on the New Jersey bridge, police said.
Sgt. Bogert, who's been with the department for 18 years, responded to the calls and stopped his patrol car beside the pedestrian.
In dashcam footage, the man can be heard crying as Bogert drives up to him and asks: "Hey, what's up man?"
Suddenly, in an apparent suicide attempt, the man takes off in a sprint towards the ledge of the bridge, and Bogert runs after him, screaming, "don't!"
The heroic officer can be seen tackling the man and holding him down. Authorities said Bogert was able to restrain the man until he was put in an ambulance and transported to a local hospital for psychological help.
Lieutenant Macintosh from the Riverdale Police Department told InsideEdition.com that the man, who was not violent, had been reported missing in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Though officials said the man yelled that his entire family was dead and he also wanted to die, Macintosh told InsideEdition.com that his family is fine.
"The only history we have on him is that he has some serious psychological issues that he needs help with," the lieutenant said. "As far as we know, he's still in the hospital. We just want him to get the help he needs."
Read: 'Coolest Cop' Becomes Internet Star For Letting Off Speeding Motorcyclist With Fist-Bump and a Warning
As for the cop, his fellow officers are now calling him a hero.
"Thank God for Sgt. Bogert," Macintosh told IE.com. "The guys on the squad are calling him 'Flash' now. They hung a picture of The Flash in his locker."
Story continues
Watch: Heroic Water Taxi Captain Rescue 3 Sailors In Charleston Bay
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Apparently, some people have strong opinions about Shia LaBeouf -- enough to punch a stranger walking down the street who happens to look like the Transformers star.
At least, that's what Mario Licato claims happened to him Saturday evening while walking around New York City.
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Licato took to Instagram on Sunday to share a close-up photo of his black eye, scraped face and bandaged forehead, and wrote in the caption, "I wanna thank the guy who randomly decided he needed to hit me last night. 'this happened bc you look exactly like Shia labeouf'. Well sir you boosted my self esteem bc he's [pretty] hot."
NEWS: Shia LaBeouf Gave an Insane Motivational Speech...and Became a Hilarious Meme
Licato spoke to The Gothamist on Tuesday where he detailed the events surrounding the alleged attack, saying that he was walking down a flight of stairs when someone punched him out of the blue.
Licato explained that he lost consciousness when he landed at the bottom of the stairs, and bystanders rushed to his aid. The attacker was apparently described to Licato as a man in his mid-20s, around 6 feet tall and muscular.
NEWS: Shia LaBeouf Cut His Own Face, Pulled Out a Tooth to Make 'Fury' More Realistic
"I was so confused," Licato explained. "I was even more confused because I got up and I was like, 'Am I crazy or did I hear him say, 'This is because you look like Shia LaBeouf?' And [the couple] were like, 'Nope. That's exactly what he said as he was running away from you.'"
Licato, who says he was attended to by EMTs on the scene and filed a police report regarding the incident, said it's not the first time someone has commented on his resemblance to LaBeouf.
"[I've heard it] so many times. That's why I knew I wasn't that crazy," he shared. "I've been stopped on the street before, at least 10 times in my life."
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NEWS: Shia LaBeouf Accused of Plagiarizing His Freestyle Rap
In the life of the real LaBeouf, he recently sat down for an interview with Complex magazine to promote the film LoveTrue, which he produced, and decided to answer all of the interview questions in the form of haiku-like poems.
LaBeouf admitted in the unique exchange that he has "no ambitions at all to be a producer," but revealed that, if money was of not object and he could instantly get a film green lit, his three dream projects would be The Billy Milligan Story, Catcher in the Rye and Captain Planet.
WATCH: Shia LaBeouf Arrested in Texas for Public Intoxication
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When Peter Rosten, a Hollywood producer with over 30 years of film biz experience, retired to Darby, Mont., in 2002, he noticed the absense of an arts curriculum in the states education system and decided that needed to change.
In 2004, with $10,000 of his own savings, Rosten founded Maps Media Institute, an after-school arts program based in Hamilton, Mont., that offers underserved students free courses in film, music, technology, design and entrepreneurship. As well there is an intensive four-week summer course in which participants conceive, write and produce their own videos. Maps also travels to underperforming schools in Native American communities and conducts week-long media arts workshops.
Widely touted, Maps was named one of the top 50 after-school programs in the U.S. by the Presidents Committee on the Arts and Humanities. In 2015 the organization won two awards of excellence from the northwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
The goal, says Rosten, is not to turn these students into mini-Spielbergs necessarily, but to provide them with a healthy environment in which to explore their creative sides and foster in them a collective sense of confidence and self-worth.
We strive to teach life lessons, Rosten says. We tell them that all it takes is one yes to change your life and to not sweat the noes. If we can imbue that kind of behavior so that it becomes muscular and constant the kids will be reaching for the stars.
Rosten is shopping around a feature-length screenplay that was developed at Maps in the hopes that, should the film get made, all royalties would go toward an endowment for the institute.
If it gets made, if there is money, all of it will go to Maps, Rosten says. All the Maps kids will be on the staff. Maybe some will get a (directors) chair. When I produced movies I cared about what I was being paid. Now I just care about my foundation.
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Sitting at Yahoo Musics studio to perform two acoustic songs with her musical partner Garrison Starr, fearless comedienne, pop-culture provocateur, and all-around badass Margaret Cho is serving 90s realness and not just because her surprisingly serious songs and flowy tunic wouldnt seem out of place on a classic Lilith Fair lineup. She also frequently peppers her conversation with enthusiastic references to Evan Dando, Superchunk, Fiona Apple, Kathleen Hanna, Linda Perry, Courtney Love, the Gits, and Kim Gordons now-defunct X-Girl fashion line. And when discussing her new album, American Myth, she says, I think a lot of my music is if Juliana Hatfield. Like, time-machine Juliana Hatfield. I want to be like time-machine Belly or time-machine Breeders. Thats my genre of music, very sort of 90s, maybe like 4AD.
One standout 90s reference on the album, Chos late friend Anna Nicole Smith, inspired not only the albums name, but also one of its most unexpectedly poignant tracks. The album title comes from [a line in] the song Anna Nicole: She tasted like pickles and American myth, says Cho. The song was based on a true story of me going to her house and making out with her, and she tasted like pickles. We had a great time, and it was weird, because I understand all of the addictions that she had and I had the same ones, and so I understood her struggle kind of from the inside. And so the song is really in the tradition of Candle in the Wind. It was weird when I was told that she died. I immediately burst into tears; it was such a hugely emotional thing. So then I wrote the song, and it just was healing for me to do, just as a friend and as a fan, and sort of to commemorate her in a more treasured light as opposed to this idea of her being a trainwreck.
Theres that American myth that some people are too beautiful to survive, like Only the Good Die Young, the Billy Joel song but its also Marilyn Monroe and James Dean and the 27 Club of musicians who died at 27. Theres this idea that theres something fragile in these people thats too perfect for this world. And I sort of look at [Anna] as that. And the album addresses a lot of different kinds of grief and death and loss, and so this seemed to be sort of a mythological thing. So it was the right thing to do. American Myth was the right title.
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Related: Margaret Cho Interviews Andra Day
Obviously, Chos emotionally bloodletting, demon-exorcising album is hardly typical, Weird Al-esque comedy fare. Its really about healing, and in a way, songs can get you to a place of feeling good that no other form of art can, Cho explains. Theres something that a song can do thats really pretty magical. It cuts through explanations, exposition, it cuts through biases, it cuts through triggers, whatever it cuts through to the heart of the matter.
For instance, theres Come With Me, which deals with sex workers rights, inspired by Chos own past as a phone-sex operator and her observations of street-walking male prostitutes during a recent trip to El Paso. (I think theres so much sadness and heartache and pain in that world of sex work, but when you break it down, its like, everybodys still a child. People have these judgments about sex workers, but really, theyre still a child that needs to be taken care of, she explains.) Another anthemic track, Fat Py, is about fat pride and to really embrace it and feel really good. The 90s was a great time for feminism, but also not, because the 90s was this time where we were Riot Grrls and there was revolution, but there was also the emergence of heroin chic. Everybody was so thin, and so you felt like you had to be feminist, but because you couldnt eat any food, it was really hard to live! It was really hard to stay awake for 120 Minutes when you couldnt eat anything! It was like, I do want to find Mia Zapatas killer, but Im so hungry! Feminism taught us so much but they were the thinnest feminists! We were not allowed to be fat! So I never had a good time in that revolution.
Another song on American Myth, Rons Got a DUI, may seem lighthearted upon first listen, but its really about all the older gay men I knew in my life that really showed me so much about the world. And for me, being somebody who was abused by men, to finally trust a man, it was a big deal. Gay men in my life really showed me how to love men and trust men, and its a huge gift Theres just a lot of healing that I got from gay men, in terms of my relationships with men.
And that brings us to the American Myth tune thats likely to get the most attention, and is the most classically Riot Grrlish in feel: the white-hot fury of I Want to Kill My Rapist. The shocking song was inspired by the horrific sexual abuse Cho suffered between the ages of 5 and 12 at the hands of a family friend and by her multiple experiences of being raped as a teenager.
People have been told you have to forgive to get to healing, and I honestly dont really believe in forgiveness, because I think that the crime of rape is unforgivable, Cho says bluntly. I dont care to forgive, and I dont want to take the high road; I dont want to be the better person. Im fine with the resentment. Im sure that a lot of people heal in their own way, but my feeling is, I like cathartic rage I want to cauterize the wound, as opposed to any other method.
In a Cosby-scandalized age when music stars like Kesha, Lady Gaga, Madonna, the Runaways Jackie Fox, and Chrissie Hynde are all speaking frankly about rape, I Want to Kill My Rapist is a powerful, if controversial, anthem for survivors. I had been talking about [my abuse for years], but nobody really cared I couldnt figure how to talk about it but I kept trying, says Cho. I talked about it in my book, I talked about it before and its an open conversation thats been going on with my family for 30-plus years. So its something that Im used to talking about, but for some reason it just never really caught on, I guess because people were still really uncomfortable with dealing with that kind of subject. So now were much more able to come forward.
I thought that Lady Gaga was so powerful at the Oscars Its a very big deal for somebody to come forward, and so is Kesha. Kesha is very important to this conversation, in the way of like, how a survivor is supposed to behave and the court not acknowledging that of course shes going to try to protect her alleged abuser [Dr. Luke], because thats another part of the process of getting to the light of being a survivor. So its a very hard thing that we need to know more about, so people should talk about it more.
Now in her music, Cho can tackle this topic, and other serious subjects, in a way she couldnt via her traditional comedy routines. Thats what I tend to do with my music, she says. Its very hard to do that in stand-up comedy, you know? Its very hard to talk about wanting to kill your rapist in stand-up comedy. But in rock n roll, its very easy I think music is good to address things. You know, you have the tradition in Americana of murder ballads and everything; you have a lot of catharsis even in very early, early music in America, and theres always been this sort of fascination with darkness with music. And I love metal and I love Goth and I love all these different genres that are pretty intensely dark that talked about things we would never talk about in life but thats always been very, sort of essential to rock. In rock, you address things that you cant really talk about, but you can really sing about.
Margarets Riot Grrl predecessors would be proud.
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Early in my career, I was taught by my teacher, Stella Adler, that actors and artists alike have a responsibility to speak up on social issues. I took that to heart.
In 2010, living in upstate New York with my family, I heard about the possibility of fracking coming to our town. To see it firsthand, I traveled to the rural community of Dimock, Penn., with Robert Kennedy Jr. We met families who had had their lives devastated by drilling and fracking the process of injecting liquid at high pressure into subterranean rock to extract oil or gas. Drinking water had been poisoned, the air was polluted with toxins, and families described health impacts including skin lesions, clumps of hair falling out, projectile vomiting, terrible migraines and digestive problems. In some cases, tap water was so full of methane gas that you could light it on fire. I knew I had to speak up.
Over the years, I worked with people across New York state to stop fracking from destroying lives like it had over the border in Pennsylvania. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo listened to us and to more than 500 scientific studies showing the harmful effects of the practice. In 2014, New York state banned fracking, citing serious public-health, safety and environmental risks. Like many others in the fracking fight, I became increasingly aware of where the energy we use comes from and the need to avert a climate catastrophe by transitioning our energy systems to clean renewables as soon as possible.
While I have been a supporter of President Obama on his leadership in addressing climate change and other social issues, I have been gravely disappointed by his cheerleading for the oil and gas industry over his two terms in office. Unlike leaders such as Cuomo, who stood up to corporations to protect the health of Americans, Obama has wrongfully continued the toxic legacy of the Bush Administrations energy policy, paving the way for frackings expansion.
Because of Obamas complicity, more than 17 million Americans now live within one mile of drilling and fracking operations. These non-consenting victims of Bush/Obamas energy policy have had their drinking water poisoned, their air polluted and their families made sick. Its time they receive justice. Its time for Obama to listen to their personal stories. To enable this, I made a film called Dear President Obama: The Clean Energy Revolution Is Now with award-winning filmmaker and National Geographic Ocean Hero Jon Bowermaster.
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Click here for full coverage from Varietys Hollywood and Politics issue.
The American publics opposition to fracking is growing; 51% now oppose the practice, according to Gallups 2015 poll, vs. 40% the year before. It has become a key topic among Democrats in the presidential election. Bernie Sanders forcefully supports a national ban. Hillary Clinton, who as Secretary of State reportedly promoted fracking to multiple countries, is now supporting local and state bans and laying out strict conditions where it is already being practiced. While Clintons position is still well behind the science such as calling natural gas a bridge fuel to renewable energy, a position that does not take into consideration its disastrous climate impacts, including significant amounts of leaked methane her movement shows how significantly the terrain has shifted and how fracking will be an ongoing political issue.
Obama still has the time and the authority to do whats right and not leave a toxic legacy in his wake. Im respectfully asking him to watch my film, to meet with me and with families who have been affected by fracking, and to take action now to right this wrong. Along with hundreds of environmental organizations, Im calling on him to direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to begin an aggressive series of investigations into the many cases of water contamination from drilling and fracking operations, similar to what the agency recently did in Flint, Mich., and to immediately ban all drilling and fracking on our federal lands.
Dear President Obama, the clean energy revolution is now. Will you join us?
Mark Ruffalo is an actor, director and advisory board member of Americans Against Fracking.
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Marseille (AFP) - A synagogue in Marseille is to be converted into a mosque, reflecting demographic shifts in the southern French city, a Jewish leader has told AFP.
A Muslim cultural association, Al Badr, is to purchase the Or Thora synagogue, which is used less and less by the Jewish community, the city's top Jewish leader Zvi Ammar said Tuesday.
"For the past 20 years or so we have seen the shift of the Jewish community to other neighbourhoods," Ammar said, adding that he viewed the sale "positively".
"We all have the same God, the main thing is for this to proceed in harmony," he said.
The site near the city's main rail station was built as Jews flocked to Marseille from Algeria after the north African country gained independence from France in 1962 following an eight-year war, he noted.
Al Badr currently runs a mosque nearby that is too small for its congregation.
Marseille's Jewish community is thriving, Ammar said, with the number of synagogues nearly doubling to 58 from 32 over the past three decades.
The city's 70,000 Jews make up one of France's -- and Europe's -- largest Jewish communities.
Marseille's population of nearly two million also counts around 220,000 Muslims, of whom 70,000 are practising.
Marseille's Muslims are still awaiting the construction of a Grand Mosque, but the project promised by the city's mayor in 2001 is mired in financial woes as well as legal challenges by the far-right National Front.
At an estimated cost of some 23 million euros ($26 million), the mosque would be France's largest if the project is finally achieved.
Earlier this week the mayor of Nice, just along the French Riviera from Marseille, secured a green light to sue the French state in a bid to block the opening of a Saudi-funded mosque in the city.
Mayor Christian Estrosi has accused the building's owner, Saudi Arabia's Islamic Affairs Minister Sheikh Saleh bin Abdulaziz, of "advocating sharia" and wanting to "destroy all of the churches on the Arabian peninsula".
PORT LOUIS (Reuters) - The weighted average yield on Mauritius's three-year Treasury bond fell to 3.63 percent on Wednesday from 3.68 percent at the previous sale of a similar bond on March 23, the central bank said. Bank of Mauritius sold all the 1.3 billion rupees worth of the debt it had offered. Bids totalled 2.62 billion rupees ($74.89 million), with yields ranging from 3.59 percent to 4.36 percent. The bond has a coupon rate of 3.59 percent and is due on Feb. 19, 2019. ($1 = 35.0000 Mauritius rupees) (Reporting by Jean Paul Arouff; Editing by George Obulutsa)
mcnugget
McDonald's is testing a new recipe for its chicken McNuggets.
The recipe strips the nuggets of artificial preservatives and contains more recognizable ingredients like lemon juice solids and rice starch.
The new nuggets were rolled out in March at 140 McDonald' restaurants in Oregon and Southwest Washington, McDonald's spokeswoman Becca Hary told Business Insider.
"These new chicken McNuggets are made with a simpler recipe that parents can feel good about while keeping the same great taste they know and love," Hary said. "More than ever, customers care about where their food comes from and how it is prepared."
McDonald's is planning to roll out the new nuggets nationwide this summer, according to Crain's Chicago Business, which first reported on the recipe change.
Hary didn't confirm the national rollout.
"Customers in Portland have responded favorably and well continue to learn from this test to inform future decisions," she said.
There are about 32 ingredients in McDonald's current chicken nugget recipe, according to nutrition information listed on the company's website.
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Melissa McCarthy, wearing a fancy work outfit, with husband Ben Falcone in a classic tuxedo McCarthy, wearing a black pencil skirt with a silver silk blouse, kept close to her husband, Ben Falcone, on the red carpet. Inside the event though, she delivered an uproarious and inspirational speech onstage. I think at some point along the road so many people in this room were told you cant do that. Thats not how you should think. Youre doing it wrong. Youre nuts. Youre crazy. Thats not how we do things. Thats not acceptable, theres a way to do it, she said to the crowd. And in one way or another, everybody in this room simply forged ahead. And thinking outside the box like that will change the world. She continued, And it doesnt matter how small or how big, theres people fighting for human rights and medical cures and making the world happier by singing amazing songs like Ariana out of that little tiny body, she joked, pointing to Grande in the audience. I dont understand how that works. (Photo: Getty Images)
What better way to celebrate a slew of primary wins than to attend a fancy gala? As news broke of presidential candidate Donald Trumps delegate gains, he was walking the red carpet at the Time 100 in New York with his wife, Melania Trump. The White House hopeful and former model dressed up for the event, with he in a classic tux and she in pale pink dress with cutouts.
And they werent the only ones in black tie: Caitlyn Jenner, an honoree, wore a black off-the-shoulder gown; Karlie Kloss, a list member for her advocacy work with young girls and coding, modeled a figure-hugging gown from Victoria Beckham; cover star Priyanka Chopra opted for a white suit without a shirt; Nicki Minaj went simple (for her) in a black lace dress with knee-high boots, and more.
Ariana Grande performing in a Christian Siriano gown with a massive train was certainly a highlight and Nicki Minaj dedicating her hit Anaconda to Joe Biden and Donald Trump was too. (Im very political, and I would like to dedicate a song, just in the spirit of unity, to Joe Biden and Donald Trump, she said.) But it was Melissa McCarthys funny and inspiring speech that topped the night. I think at some point along the road so many people in this room were told You cant do that. Thats not how you should think. Youre doing it wrong. Youre nuts. Youre crazy. Thats not how we do things. Thats not acceptable, theres a way to do it, she said to the crowd. And in one way or another, everybody in this room simply forged ahead. And thinking outside the box like that will change the world.
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By Brendan Pierson
April 27 (Reuters) - A federal judge has granted preliminary approval for a lawsuit accusing Merck & Co Inc of underpaying female sales representatives to go forward as a collective action.
The lawsuit is seeking at least $250 million in damages.
U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp in Trenton, New Jersey, on Wednesday granted conditional certification to a proposed class of current and former representatives under the federal Equal Pay Act, which requires women and men to be paid equally for the same work.
The complaint alleges that Merck systematically paid female sales representatives less than their male peers, denied them promotions and subjected them to sexual harassment and an otherwise hostile work environment.
Employees who become pregnant or have children were often pressured to leave the company, the complaint says.
A collective action under the Equal Pay Act requires potential class members to opt in, unlike a traditional class action in which class members must opt out. Shipp's order allows notices to be sent to potential members so they can opt in.
The class includes women who worked in certain sales representative positions going back to 2009. It would still require final approval later in the case for class members to win damages.
However, Shipp ruled that the four former sales representatives who brought the lawsuit had already made a "modest factual showing" of how Merck's policies affected them and other employees similarly.
"We're glad that women across the country are going to have an opportunity to join this case," said Russell Kornblith, an attorney for the plaintiffs.
A Merck spokeswoman could not immediately be reached for comment.
The lawsuit, filed in 2013 in New Jersey U.S. District Court, also includes claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The plaintiffs are seeking to bring those claims as a class action, though no class has yet been certified.
The case is Smith et al v. Merck & Co Inc, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, No. 3:13-cv-02970.
(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by David Gregorio)
By Brendan Pierson
(Reuters) - A federal judge has granted preliminary approval for a lawsuit accusing Merck & Co Inc of underpaying female sales representatives to go forward as a collective action.
The lawsuit is seeking at least $250 million in damages.
U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp in Trenton, New Jersey, on Wednesday granted conditional certification to a proposed class of current and former representatives under the federal Equal Pay Act, which requires women and men to be paid equally for the same work.
The complaint alleges that Merck systematically paid female sales representatives less than their male peers, denied them promotions and subjected them to sexual harassment and an otherwise hostile work environment.
Employees who become pregnant or have children were often pressured to leave the company, the complaint says.
A collective action under the Equal Pay Act requires potential class members to opt in, unlike a traditional class action in which class members must opt out. Shipp's order allows notices to be sent to potential members so they can opt in.
The class includes women who worked in certain sales representative positions going back to 2009. It would still require final approval later in the case for class members to win damages.
However, Shipp ruled that the four former sales representatives who brought the lawsuit had already made a "modest factual showing" of how Merck's policies affected them and other employees similarly.
"We're glad that women across the country are going to have an opportunity to join this case," said Russell Kornblith, an attorney for the plaintiffs.
"We remain confident that this case lacks merit," Merck said in a statement emailed by spokeswoman Lainie Keller. "The company will continue to vigorously defend itself, and remains fully committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees."
The lawsuit, filed in 2013 in New Jersey U.S. District Court, also includes claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The plaintiffs are seeking to bring those claims as a class action, though no class has yet been certified.
The case is Smith et al v. Merck & Co Inc, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, No. 3:13-cv-02970.
(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by David Gregorio)
When LaVonte Dell was pulled over by the Westland, Michigan, police April 18 for tinted windows, his first reaction was one with which many are familiar. "When he hit the lights, I did what probably everybody would do," Dell told local television station WXYZ. "Heart dropped. Went to my stomach."
What happened next, however, Dell did not expect.
Officer Joshua Scaglione, who made the traffic stop, realized that Dell was driving with his 3-year-old daughter who was not sitting in a car seat. "I asked him why is she back there without a car seat. It's not safe. He teared up a little bit and told me he was going through some tough times," Scaglione told WXYZ.
After asking Dell if he could use a car seat for his daughter, Scaglione had Dell follow him to a nearby Walmart, where the Scaglione bought a new car seat. "He purchased one for me, and it was pink, which is my daughter's favorite color," Dell told ABC News. "It has butterflies and she loves it."
Source: WXYZ
The Westland Police Community Partnership shared the story, which has gone viral. "As many of you may have heard, we had an incident occur on Monday in which an officer conducted a traffic stop on a car for having tinted windows," the Facebook post said. "While speaking with the driver, the officer noticed that there was a child inside who was not in a car seat. The officer took it upon himself to take the driver to Walmart and purchase a car seat for the child. The officer paid for this car seat out of his own pocket."
After buying the car seat, Scaglione left without giving his name. When the Westland Police Department discovered who was behind the good deed, it set up a meeting between the two.
"I had no other choice but to do that for you," Scaglione told Dell when the two met once again, according to Tribune Media Wire. "You have a daughter and she is a No. 1 priority and you deserve it."
The Future of Microsoft: Life after Missed Earnings in Fiscal 3Q16
(Continued from Prior Part)
Productivity and Business Processes in fiscal 3Q16
Microsofts (MSFT) Productivity and Business Processes segment encompasses the cloud version of Office, Office 365, and the traditional version of Office. This segment also includes Microsoft Dynamics and Dynamics CRM Online. In fiscal 3Q16, this division grew by 6% billion, which is $6.5 billion in constant currency terms.
Microsoft Office 365s growth in fiscal 3Q16
As we know, Microsoft primarily generates its cloud revenues from Office 365, Dynamics CRM, and Azure, its cloud-computing platform. Microsoft Dynamics revenue grew by 9% in constant currency terms. Fiscal 2Q16 marked the sixth straight quarter when the Dynamics CRM Online seat additions more than doubled on a YoY (year-over-year) basis. Customers shifting to Office 365 continued to lead to the expansion of Office 365s subscriber base in 3Q16. Microsoft stated that Office 365s subscriber base grew by 79% YoY to 22.2 million in fiscal 3Q16, up from 12.4 million in fiscal 3Q15.
The office suite space is dominated by players like Microsoft, Google (GOOG) (GOOGL), Salesforce.com (CRM), and Box (BOX). (For more on this, you might be interested in How Is Microsoft Office 365 Faring in the Office Suite Space?)
Office 365 continues to show steady and consistent growth, which has benefitted the company and is thus expected to be a key driver of revenue for Microsoft. Investors looking for exposure to Microsoft might consider investing in the Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK). While XLK invests ~10.6% of its holdings in Microsoft, it also has an exposure of ~38% to application software.
In the next part, well analyze Microsofts stock reaction after its latest results.
Continue to Next Part
Browse this series on Market Realist:
SELLER: Todd Stevens
LOCATION: Los Angeles, CA
PRICE: $1,720,000
SIZE: 2,412 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms plus 2 bed/1 bath guest quarters and pool bath
YOUR MAMAS NOTES: A triple-story contemporary in the increasingly affluent hipster-chic Silver Lake area of Los Angeles has been sold, according to property records, by veteran sitcom producer Todd Stevens for $1,720,000, substantially above its $1.575 million asking price. The property was purchased by the Emmy-winning Friends and Mike & Molly producer in April of 2005 for $240,000 and the existing house, audaciously cleaved to the outrageously precipitous, postage-stage sized .14-acre parcel, was custom built according to tax records and other online resources in 2011.
The house is positioned almost preposterously high above the street its at least four exhausting, glute grinding flights from the street to the front door but fortunately for stroller-toting parents and grocery hauling house keepers theres a wood-paneled multi-person elevator inside the street-level two-car garage that effortlessly whisks residents and guests up to the house. The floor plan included with online marketing materials shows the main entrance is on the second, middle level where an airy, high-ceiled living room has a minimalist fireplace with oblong fire-box and smoked glass sliding doors that peel open to a slender, cantilevered deck with knock-your-socks-off 180-degree views over the usually sparking but temporarily drained Silver Lake Reservoir. There are also two guest/family bedrooms on this floor along with a compact-looking compartmentalized hall bathroom.
The upper level, accessible by elevator or an internal staircase with a sassy and decoratively courageous construction cone orange perforated screen railing, holds a dining room large enough to comfortably accommodate a small sitting area with more smoked glass sliders that open to another slender cantilevered deck with another unobstructed vista. The dining room is open over a two-stool snack bar to a galley kitchen that opens though glass sliders on its rear end to a bamboo-backed courtyard with plunge-sized swimming pool. Around the side of the house a dining terrace takes full advantage of his high perch with open views towards the downtown skyline. A half bathroom with exterior entry opens on to the pool terrace, a semi-luxurious convenience that means never having to race soaking wet through the house to make emergency use of a toilet. The master suite is also on the top floor with an en suite bathroom that opens to the pool terrace and glass sliders to the same slim deck outside the dining room.
Story continues
A three-room suite on the bottom floor, which can be accessed from the upper floors by elevator and also has a separate exterior entrance, includes a full bathroom and works well as a home office, multi-room art studio, or private guest quarters with two bedrooms and shared living room that opens to a concrete terrace with over-the tree-tops open view.
Property records show Mister Stevens owns a second house in the hills above the Silver Lake Reservoir which was acquired in May 1989, long before Silver Lake was the ever-more expensive hipster enclave it is today, for $360,000.
Listing photos: Sothebys International Realty
Niamey (AFP) - The head of an African regional military force battling Boko Haram insurgents urged the international community on Wednesday to deliver promised support for the mission.
General Lamidi Adeosun, head of the coalition which includes troops from five countries -- Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin -- said the force was doing its best but needed "extra resources" to improve its performance.
Donors at an African Union summit in February pledged $250 million for the fight against Boko Haram, which under pressure in its native Nigeria has extended attacks in Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
Adeosun said the commitments had yet to translate into tangible support for the force's efforts.
"In concrete terms the pledges are there but on the ground not much has been achieved -- we have pledges of people to give some amount of money for specific assistance but they remain pledges, they are still in the works," he said at a news conference in Niger's capital Niamey.
"If anything has been given at all, it's a measure of communication equipment and some 11 vehicles -- that is what assistance so far we have received in concrete terms."
Adeosun, who arrived in Niamey on Monday, said he had met Niger's army chiefs to update them on the fight against Boko Haram, which launched an insurgency in Nigeria in 2009 seeking to form a hardline Islamic state.
With 8,500 soldiers, the regional force has managed to reduce Boko Haram's military activities without being able to put them completely out of action.
Niger has been hit by Boko Haram attacks since February 2015, particularly in its southeast, which neighbours the militants' strongholds in northern Nigeria.
R&B/pop pioneers the Miracles will be saluted by the Grammy Museum in an exhibit opening on May 13. Following last June's look back at iconic girl group the Supremes, Legends of Motown: Celebrating the Miracles is the second tribute in the museum's continuing series about the famed Detroit label.
Grammy Museum to Open First Motown Exhibit Celebrating the Supremes
Original Miracles Claudette Robinson and Warren "Pete" Moore will reflect on the group's legacy during a candid interview and Q&A on opening night. Featuring rare photographs and performance costumes from Robinson's personal collection, the exhibit will take visitors from the group's early days through its later incarnation as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.
Claudette Robinson, the first female artist to sign a record deal with Motown, was nicknamed the "First Lady of Motown." On the eve of the exhibit's debut, she says, "The Miracles, along with Mr. Berry Gordy and Motown, have become a part of musical history that changed the landscape of popular music, soul and R&B to foster positive and progressive race relations in America and around the world."
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Courtesy of The Grammy Museum
Adds Grammy Museum executive director Bob Santelli, "We couldn't be more excited to share the story of the vast impact the Miracles had on Detroit, the music industry and pop culture with this exhibit."
Including additional members William "Smokey" Robinson, Ronald "Ronnie" White and Robert "Bobby" Rogers, the Miracles gave Motown its first million-selling single with "Shop Around." Over the next five decades, the quintet left an indelible mark on musical history with such hits as "Ooo Baby, Baby," "More Love," "Tracks of My Tears" and "The Tears of a Clown." With four recordings inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the group also joined the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.
Legends of Motown: Celebrating the Miracles will be on display through summer 2017.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 27, 2016 / Miranda Gold Corp. ("Miranda") (MAD.V) and Prism Resources Inc. ("Prism") (NEX:PRS.H) are pleased to announce a planned drill program for the Cerro Oro Project in Colombia. Prism is the funding partner and Miranda is the operator in joint venture. Four to five angle holes totaling 1,000 m are planned. Drilling is anticipated to begin before the end of May 2016.
Miranda has completed geologic mapping and extensive 2-meter channel sampling. Approximately 416 channel samples have been taken. Twenty percent of those samples assay greater than 0.2 g Au/t. Multiple sub-parallel one to two meter width veins are identified within an area of alteration greater than 1 sq km. Locally veins, vein wall rock, and rock unrelated to veins are significantly mineralized. Veins assay as high as 2m @ 12 g Au/t and wall rock and country rock where significantly mineralized assay from 0.5 to 3.0 g Au/t. Samples unrelated to veins have widths up to 6.5 m @ 1.98 g Au/t. These widths and assays come from a database including all rock types, containing assays ranging from non-detectable to 12 g Au/t, with a median value of approximately 0.150 g Au/t.
Outcrop exposure is limited to creek beds. Where accessible in several artisanal mines, veins have been mapped and sampled. Visible fine gold is common in crushed samples of both fresh rock and saprolite - artisanal miners recover gold from in-situ weathered rocks using hydraulic methods within two large drainages on the project.
Adularia in veins and vein-selvages, bladed replacement texture, and abundant stibnite (antimony sulfide) occurrences at Cerro Oro suggest a low-sulfidation epithermal gold system. Adularia and bladed textures are widely reported in geologic literature, related to fluid boiling that results in high-grade gold deposition in low sulfidation epithermal veins. Stibnite commonly occurs in a zoned distribution above gold in these veins.
Cerro Oro is 14 km southwest of the Marmato District. Marmato, an epithermal district with a greater than hundred year mining history, is an analog target for Cerro Oro, although Cerro Oro is thought to be exposed at a higher erosional level. Porphyry dacite stocks mapped at Cerro Oro are equivalent to the dacite porphyry hosting the veins at Marmato. At Cerro Oro, it is inferred that gold-bearing fluids flooded into the porous wall rocks from vein structures. Veins may be more robust at depth within competent dacite porphyry, while the porous rocks at surface are important for potential broad zones of lower grade mineralization.
Drilling on two profiles is designed to test several veins and intervening wall rock along a 600 m trend, where veins and country rock have the highest assay values. Both veins, and stockwork and disseminated mineralization will be tested by the same drill holes. The veins extend for approximately 2 km of strike, thus a larger drill program will be needed in the future.
Prism and Miranda are pleased to be drill-testing a low sulfidation epithermal system at Cerro Oro that has the potential for high-grade gold veins within broader zones of lower grade disseminated and fracture controlled mineralization.
Miranda controls approximately 1,100 hectares at Cerro Oro of which 711 hectares are controlled by a contract and the remainder through applications. The project is in the Caldas department 120 km south of Medellin.
Data disclosed in this press release, have been reviewed and verified by Miranda's Chief Executive Officer, Joseph Hebert, C.P.G., and B.Sc. Geology, who is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.
About Miranda
Miranda is a gold exploration company active in Colombia and Alaska. Miranda employs a prospect generator and joint venture business model. Miranda focuses on generating projects with world class discovery potential, and then joint ventures multiple projects to maximize the chance of discovery, while reducing economic risk and shareholder dilution. Miranda has ongoing relationships with Prism Resources, Inc., Montezuma Mines Inc., and Gold Torrent Inc.
About Prism
Prism Resources Inc. is a junior exploration corporation listed on the NEX board of the TSX Venture Exchange. Its focus is on earning its 70% interest in the Cerro Oro Project.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS OF BOTH MIRANDA AND PRISM
For more information related to Miranda:
Joe Hebert, Chief Executive Officer
+1-775-340-0450
Email: joseph.hebert75@gmail.com
www.mirandagold.com
For more information related to Prism contact:
Robert (Bob) Baxter
Prism Resources Inc.
+1-778-928-1864
Email: bbaxter@prismresourcesinc.com
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
U.S. investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on our properties. We advise U.S. investors that the SEC's mining guidelines strictly prohibit information of this type in documents filed with the SEC. This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the Company's current expectations and estimates. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results implied or expressed in such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: the actual results of current exploration activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans to continue to be refined; possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates; accidents, labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing; and fluctuations in metal prices. There may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.
SOURCE: Miranda Gold Corp.
A desperate mom was filmed as she dropped to her knees when a cruise ship left her and her husband behind while their three children were on board.
Read: Shaken Cruise Passengers Return to Land After Ship Was Battered By Storm: 'It Was Hell!'
The incident, which occurred on April 21, was caught on camera by passengers on board the Norwegian Breakaway cruise ship in the Bahamas.
The 4,000-passenger ship was dockside preparing to depart for New York when the womans husband noticed she was missing.
He was driven away in a buggy to look for her, leaving their three children on board.
Minutes later, the ships horn blew as it sailed off. The couple tried racing back to the ship but it was too late.
Passenger Jaron Frieden shot the video. He told IE: "The wife came over and was basically begging and yelling: 'Hey, I have got kids!' Then she dropped to her knees and started praying."
Norwegian Cruise Lines told IE in a statement: the children were never left alone. Their uncle was on board and he accompanied them back to New York.
The cruise line added: "The ship went beyond normal protocol and waited an additional half hour. It was decided the husband would disembark with their travel documents to wait for his wife."
Read: Man Who Plummeted From Cruise Ship is ID'd as Family Blames Fall on Fight with Crew
Travel expert Mark Murphy told IE: "It is the woman's fault for not getting back on time. It is not the cruise ship's fault. It is not the captain's fault. It is not the cruise line's fault. Everybody knows the posted time to get back and that ship is on a schedule, it is going to go."
Watch: Wife Defends $21 Million Payout for Cruise Ship Door Hitting Husband's Head
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By Joy Wiltermuth
NEW YORK, April 27 (IFR) - Former Morgan Stanley securitization banker Steven Fernald has joined financial technology start-up ZestFinance as head of capital markets, a company spokesperson said Wednesday.
ZestFinance was founded in 2009 by a team of former Google employees looking to match big data and lenders making credit underwriting decisions.
Fernald reports to CEO Douglas Merrill and will oversee new and existing capital markets relationships.
He left Morgan Stanley's student loan ABS group in December after the bank announced it would cut up to 25% of its fixed-income jobs.
Prior to that he ha dworked at UBS since 2001, according to records kept by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
(Reporting by Joy Wiltermuth; Editing by Natalie Harrison and Marc Carnegie)
April 27 (Reuters) - The following financial services industry appointments were announced on Wednesday. To inform us of other job changes, email moves@thomsonreuters.com.
CREDIT SUISSE GROUP AG
Matt Mallgrave joined the bank as its new head of U.S. flow trading, according to an internal memo.
The Swiss bank has also recruited at least a dozen wealth managers in Mexico from rival UBS, a source familiar with the matter said, part of efforts to beef up its private banking business.
VONTOBEL WEALTH MANAGEMENT ASIA PACIFIC
Zurich-based Vontobel Holding AG's unit named Joannes Ho executive director and senior relationship manager in Hong Kong.
CFA INSTITUTE
The association of investment professionals appointed Nick Pollard as managing director of Asia Pacific, effective immediately.
AXA STRATEGIC VENTURES
The venture capital platform backed by AXA SA appointed Imran Akram and Alex Scherbakovsky as general partners and Stephane Marrache as partner and chief operating officer.
(Compiled by Arunima Banerjee in Bengaluru)
89787f2650ad4b10b43570507dc432d2
In 1983, NASA astronaut Sally Ride became the first American woman to fly in space.
Before launch, a group of NASA engineers came to Ride, asking if 100 tampons would be sufficient for her needs on a six-day space shuttle mission. Ride responded that you can cut that in half with no problem at all, according to an oral history produced in 2002.
SEE ALSO: We Asked Sally Ride All the Wrong Questions
That interaction best encapsulates NASA's wariness about dealing with women's health, both within the agency and to the outside world when Ride flew decades ago.
But even today, the space agency rarely, if ever, comments on managing women's reproductive health. NASA will be forced to confront the unique aspects of being a woman in space, at least internally, as the agency pushes to send humans to Mars in the coming years.
In her 2010 oral history, former astronaut Margaret Seddon said:
These may seem like humorous anecdotes, but they illustrate an important point: Menstruation has historically been a fraught issue for NASA and the women that fly to space with the agency.
Today, years after Rides first flight, far more women have flown to space with NASA, producing a relatively welcoming space agency culture for female astronauts.
However, the agency is now grappling with issues unique to women flying long-duration space missions, as it gears up for a trip to Mars. NASA doesnt appear to be talking publicly about this, however. Mashable contacted the space agency and was told they were looking into the inquiry, but they had not responded as of press time.
Image: NASA
Unique challenges
Women are just as capable as men when it comes to spaceflight, performing their duties as well as and alongside their male counterparts, but there are some challenges posed by being a woman in space.
One of those is the question of what to do about your period.
Through the years, many female astronauts have used the contraceptive pill to stop their periods during long-duration spaceflights, but that kind of medically-induced amenorrhea may not be practical on a three-year round-trip mission to Mars, according to a new review study published in the journal npj Microgravity on April 21.
Story continues
In spaceflight, everything down to the smallest items are taken into consideration before flight. Every ounce of material needs to be counted exactly in order to know precisely how much fuel is needed to get a spacecraft to its destination.
Image: NASA
For a three-year Mars trip, an astronaut would need 1,100 birth control pills and the packaging to contain them, plus those pills expire after a set amount of time.
Thinking about what you would need to do differently on a three-year-long Mars mission, thats exactly the exercise that a lot of folks at NASA are engaged in right now, co-author of the study Virginia Wotring, told Mashable in an interview.
If you think about supplying someone with a pill to take every day on a three-year-long mission, suddenly thats not negligible; thats kind of a big package of stuff.
Whatever amenorrhea-inducing method used by women on a trip to Mars will also need to sustain high g-loads and be effective in the weightless environment of space.
Also, if a woman choses to have her period while in space which is a perfectly reasonable and safe decision it would require a fair number of supplies like tampons and sanitary pads.
Plus, a space toilet is not necessarily the most robust tool around. The International Space Station's toilet isn't designed with menstrual blood in mind, according to the new study.
Ultimately, the decision to menstruate or not to menstruate in space is up to the woman alone, but if a female astronaut does decide to induce amenorrhea medically on a trip to Mars, there are some things to keep in mind.
The best method for each woman
The review study looked at the advantages and disadvantages of using birth control options like hormone-containing intrauterine devices and subdermal implants, which fall into the category of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs).
According to the study, these LARCs have not been extensively used by female astronauts yet, but they could be promising.
For instance, an intrauterine device is effective for five years without any daily maintenance, while a subdermal implant is good for three or five years depending on dosing. And neither of those devices require packaging.
Those two types of LARCs are theoretically safe for use during the high-g loads experienced during landing and launch, but more research needs to be done before that can be confirmed.
Its also possible that a sub-dermal implant could catch on equipment or a suit, the study says, and there could also be unknown side-effects of long-term use of hormones in the space environment.
Because loss of bone mineral density is known to occur on spaceflight missions, we need more data regarding health effects, including bone health, with long-term use of hormone treatments not just for contraception (as most women use them), but also for the less-common use to suppress menses," Wotring said in a statement.
Studies on female astronauts are somewhat limited by the small number of female astronauts and cosmonauts. For example, globally, only 59 women have flown in space, a very small sample size for anyone hoping to learn more about the efficacy of any specific kinds of medically-induced amenorrhea in spaceflight.
Women who choose to menstruate normally before and during flight will need to deal with the headaches, cramping and fatigue that sometimes go along with that time of the month, and that may be challenging for a woman keeping abnormal hours training for a mission to space.
Image: NASA
Many women in the military, for instance, do choose to suppress menstruation during missions, according to the study.
Studies of women in the military have shown that many would like to suppress their menstrual flow during deployment, but only a proportion of them use the pill to do so; the majority of women surveyed also wanted more advice from the military to help them make the right choice, co-author Varsha Jain said in the statement.
Why NASA should care
If the military's trend holds for female astronauts, they may look to NASA to provide some information on the best forms of menstruation-suppressing contraception.
And if the most recent class of astronauts is any indication, women will be a big part of NASAs journey to Mars: Four of the eight chosen astronaut candidates in 2013 were women, marking the first time an astronaut class had an equal number of women as men.
Its important that women have the most up-to-date information on reliable contraception and means of menstrual suppression, Jain added.
NASA doesn't usually comment publically on the health needs of their astronauts because of privacy concerns, but hopefully, at least internally, discussions surrounding menstruation in space are ongoing.
This isn't the only health issue that NASA stays mum on. The space agency is also exceedingly tight-lipped when it comes to reproduction and sex in space.
NASA has historically denied that any of the agency's astronauts have had sex while in space, but if we are eventually going to settle on Mars, NASA may need to start thinking about what reproduction in space could entail.
If humans are really going to live permanently on multiple planets, then sex is going to be part of that, so figuring out exactly what happens to the body during reproduction and gestation in space and on other planets is an important next step.
And it could be just the thing to push us into the final frontier.
(Corrects 11th paragraph to say "pizza and retail frozen food in Italy", not "pizza in Italy")
* Froneri to have annual sales of $2.78 billion
* Plan is to eventually list on London Stock Exchange
* Fuses Nestle's strong brands with R&R manufacturing agility
By Martinne Geller
LONDON, April 27 (Reuters) - Nestle has struck a deal with Britain's R&R Ice Cream to form a joint venture that will sell ice cream and frozen food in over 20 countries, its latest attempt to adapt to a changing and more competitive packaged food market.
The agreement announced on Wednesday caps months of talks between Nestle and R&R's owner, PAI Partners, which were first reported by Reuters in October.
The venture follows a portfolio review aimed at improving Nestle's performance, which has been weakened by slowing emerging markets, a change in consumer tastes toward fresher foods, and heightened competition.
The 50/50 joint venture, to be called Froneri, will combine the Nestle and R&R ice cream businesses in Europe, the Middle East, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, the Philippines and South Africa, marrying Nestle's strong brands and presence in convenience stores and ice cream stands with R&R's manufacturing agility and footprint at traditional retailers.
"We are doing this in order to reinforce our positions to compete in a marketplace in a revolution in retail," Luis Cantarell, head of Nestle's Europe, Middle East and Africa business, told Reuters. "They have better capabilities (at retail) and we see an opportunity of a more holistic approach."
Cantarell will be chairman of a six-person board of directors that will be split between Nestle executives and those named by PAI, a French private equity firm. R&R Chief Executive Ibrahim Najafi will be CEO.
Even though Nestle has a stated goal of becoming a more health-focussed company, it will keep its stronger ice cream businesses in Asia and most of the Americas, and its position as the world's second-largest ice cream company, behind Unilever .
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Financial terms were not disclosed, but the venture will be a close No. 3 player, with annual sales of 2.7 billion Swiss francs ($2.78 billion) and 15,000 employees.
LONDON LISTING
Froneri will be based in the United Kingdom, where it plans to eventually list on the London Stock Exchange.
"Long term, the objective will be to list the entity as we believe this will be quite an attractive growth story. We think it's a natural outcome," said Frederic Stevenin, partner at PAI.
Aside from the ice cream businesses of Nestle and R&R, which makes Cadbury Flake Cones and other frozen treats, Froneri will include Nestle's European frozen food business, excluding pizza and retail frozen food in Italy, and its chilled dairy business in the Philippines.
The executives declined to comment on the possibility of job cuts, saying the initial focus would be on growing sales, such as by filling gaps in the respective distribution networks.
"The strengths will come from innovation and from pushing growth because we believe there is a fantastic potential in a lot of countries where we could develop new propositions," Cantarell said. "Then time will tell how the company will work."
Following integration, the company would also be open to mergers and acquisitions, he said.
"We will look at all possibilities."
Nestle has other joint ventures, with U.S. cereal maker General Mills and one with French dairy firm Lactalis.
The deal is expected to close around the end of the year, subject to employee consultations and regulatory approval.
Nestle was advised by Credit Suisse, while PAI was advised by Rothschild.
($1 = 0.8825 euros) ($1 = 0.9704 Swiss francs) (Editing by Susan Thomas)
Reed Hastings and Ted Sarandos said they have strong confidence in the eventual success of the Netflix streaming video service in Asia, despite significant obstacles and local competition.
Weve made a great start, said Hastings, some 100 days after the service became available almost completely worldwide in January. We increased our net subscribers by 6 million globally in the first quarter. Of that 4 million were international.
The executives were speaking Wednesday at the APOS conference in Indonesia, the massively populous South East Asian country where Netflix is currently off air.
Netflix announced its arrival in Indonesia as part of the planet-wide push in early 2016. But it was pushed back in a row with the countrys censors which said that Netflix did not have an operating license and also deemed its content too racy for Indonesian viewers. The countrys largest Internet service provider Telkom Indonesia blocked access to Netflix shortly after.
Earlier this week Telkom Indonesia announced that it was partnering with Asia-based streaming platform iflix. And on Wednesday, the local rival gained a further foothold in Indonesia when satellite provider Indiosat Ooredoo said that it too would carry iflix.
Sometime ISPs block us. In Indonesia it happens to be the largest one, said Hastings. Despite that, he said the company continues to look positively at the territory. It can be a tremendous market for us. We will continue to invest in Indonesia.
Giving cause for the pairs optimism was the view that Netflix will evolve and improve its service and content offering in Asia. We are far below the number of languages we need to support. We have 21 languages. YouTube has 50. We will grow through partnerships with network infrastructure and in particular the content, said Hastings. There are currently no Vietnamese, Thai or Cambodian-language versions.
The road to profitability in Asia may be a long one as well as a rocky one. It will be many years before Asia becomes profitable for us, said Hastings. He explained that profits may take 3-7 years in many markets. You want to keep investing in content ahead of the revenue, and our investors know that.
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Netflix has launched with seemingly great success in Australia and it launched in Japan, seen as a large mature market, in 2015 before the mass rollout. But in many territories in Asia Netflix is regarded as lacking killer content either its own series have been licensed to other platforms and are not available, or it has so far not got very far in assembling significant rosters of local content.
We are doing local production in Asia much quicker than in other territories, Sarandos said.
He pointed to upcoming Angelina Jolie-directed Cambodia-set film First They Killed My Father, and Korean director Bong Joon-hos now-shooting Okja as examples of Netflix-produced local content intended for consumption around the world. They are in addition to local series being produced in Japan. With Okja we have a film that is on a much larger scale than Snowpiercer, that will premiere on Netflix around the world, said Sarandos. We have a really huge audience for director Bong and I think he will be one of the really great directors of our time.
Hastings pointed to English-language show The Crown, a 60-hour telling of the life Britains Queen Elizabeth age 29, written by Peter Morgan and starring Claire Foy. One of the most ambitious series anyone has ever seen, said Sarandos. Just as epic as House of Cards, Hastings ventured.
Other examples of wholly-owned Netflix content include forthcoming movies with Brad Pitt (War Machine,) Will Smith (Bright) and with Adam Sandler, forthcoming series The Get Down, directed by Baz Luhrmann, classic French political drama, Marseille, with Gerard Depardieu as star, launching next week in France, and feature-level 13-episode animation Green Eggs And Ham, based on the Dr. Seuss book.
We hope too to create fantastic Bollywood movies that the whole world will watch, not next year, but in two or three years, said Hastings. We think of that as making a contribution to the art form.
I keep telling Ted (Sarandos) to spend more money. We will raise the money. Spend more money, said Hastings. Negative cash flow is a sign of great growth and that we have found great projects to invest in. Sarandos suggested that Netflixs content production efforts are becoming more efficient as the company goes forward. When I look at a show like The Ranch Im reminded that it doesnt cost me more to produce more for a global market than a show that is only domestic.
Similarly, he pointed to global rights acquisition as improving efficiency and helping the global production sector. Global licensing (to Netflix) derisks production, said Sarandos. Before a show even rolls it can be very profitable for a (supplier) studio.
Such bullishness even extended to the companys vision of China, the worlds most populous nation and the second biggest theatrical market, but one where regulators bar Netflix from operating. We are continuing discussions with partners, said Hastings.
We are reminded that in Apples case they spent six years of discussions with China Mobile before they got the deal they were looking for. Now it is one of their largest markets in the world. Great rewards can follow great patience.
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The gang is heading back to Camp Firewood.
Netflix has greenlit the new series "Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later," which will consist of eight 30-minute episodes that look at the counselors from the original 2001 movie.
This will not be related to the series "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp" that Netflix ran last year. The announcement, released by Netflix on Wednesday, did not include which stars are returning, but the lead creatives, writers Michael Showalter and David Wain (with Wain directing), are returning.
The series will premiere in 2017.
Here's the video clip Netflix included in the announcement of the new series.
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Nick Gordon has been at the centre of a media storm ever since his girlfriend Bobbi Kristina Brown was found unconscious in a bathtub last January before she tragically passed away six months later.
Bobbi Kristinas father, Bobby Brown, has publicly pointed the finger of blame at Nick and even banned him from visiting Bobbi Kristina in hospital.
Now the 25-year-old has spoken out against his girlfriends parents, claiming that her drug use spiralled out of control after the death of her mother, Whitney Houston, in 2012.
Speaking to Dr. Phil in a new interview, Nick admitted that Bobbi was a social drug user but became really bad following her mums death, adding: Its unfortunate but at the time its the only way we knew how to deal with what happened.
Referencing the blame he has received for Bobbi Kristinas death, Nick added: Regardless of what everybody thinks, I made Krissy and Whitneys last few years on earth as happy as they would be.
"I gave them somebody to trust, to talk to, to be there, someone genuine.
Speaking specifically about Bobby Brown, Nick ranted: Bobby hurt his own daughter, not me. I was the one there for her while she was dealing with him not being there.
"Hes not a reasonable person so Im not planning on talking to him and I really dont want to.
Last month Nicks legal team hit back at allegations that hed played a role in Bobbi Kristinas death, instead claiming that hed tried to save her life.
Nicks full two-part interview on The Dr. Phil Show will air on Thursday 28th April and Friday 29th.
For the first time since Bobbi Kristina Browns death in July 2015, her former boyfriend Nick Gordon is opening up about the night of her death.
Speaking with Dr. Phil for a two-part special interview, Gordon got candid about discovering his girlfriend, unconscious in a bathtub in her home in Atlanta, Georgia, and how similar the situation was to the death of Browns mother, Whitney Houston, three years earlier.
It was literally a nightmare all over again, Gordon said.
WATCH: Nick Gordon Giving First Interview Following Bobbi Kristinas Death on Dr. Phil
Gordon, who has completed rehab since his first tumultuous interview with Dr. Phil in March 2015, also spoke about rumors regarding Browns drug use during their relationship.
Gordon admits to have used drugs with Brown socially while her mother was still alive, but revealed that Browns drug use got really bad after Houston died: At the time, thats kind of the only way we knew how to deal with what had happened.
RELATED: Remembering Bobbi Kristina Brown One Year After She Was Found Unconscious
ETs Kevin Frazier sat down with Dr. Phil days before the two-part special airs on April 28 and 29, where he revealed he didnt let Gordon off easy during their sit-down.
I ask him straight up, 'Did you murder Bobbi Kristina? Did you concoct a lethal cocktail that you gave her to end her life? he revealed on Tuesday. There are accusations from this family that he in fact was involved in the death of Whitney and I ask him straight up, 'Did you murder Whitney Houston?
Were going to hear the answers and people are going to be able to judge for themselves the credibility of his answers and explanations, Dr. Phil added.
WATCH: Nick Gordon Officially Served With $10 Million Lawsuit on Behalf of Bobbi Kristina Brown
As for Gordons health, Dr. Phil said he thinks the rehab has worked for him.
You know, he looked the best Ive ever seen him look, Dr. Phil shared. He was bright-eyed, he was focused. He looked healthy.
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Part one of Dr. Phils no-holds-barred two-part interview with Gordon airs Thursday, April 28. Check here for local listings.
For more on Gordons turbulent 2015 interview with Dr. Phil, check out the video below.
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A battle is raging for the future of the television business as Nielsen, the standard-bearer for measuring audiences for 66 years, faces down a challenge from comScore, a data upstart that hopes to rule ratings in the digital age.
At stake is billions of dollars of TV and digital advertising. The company that wins a heated debate over how to count viewers in the age of DVRs, streaming and ad-blockers will wield enormous power among advertisers and an ever-widening pool of television programmers.
Television networks have long sought an alternative to the monopoly power of Nielsen, but while they embrace comScore as a challenger, they are unsure it can deliver on its promise to broaden their audiences.
Also Read: How Nielsen Has Built a TV Ratings Monopoly Nearly as Old as TV
Little wonder, then, that the tension was high at a New York trade show earlier this month when top Nielsen executive Kelly Abcarian found herself on stage with comScores chief product officer Manish Bhatia.
After a tense exchange over whose system worked better, Bhatia alluded to a guideline that members of the media-measurement trade association embrace each other, and he jokingly asked her for a hug.
Unsmiling, she declined.
Also Read: ESPN Research Boss Fires Shot at Nielsen During TV Ratings Conference
GOOD NIGHT, OVERNIGHTS
A lot has changed since TV executives woke up every day to the overnights, which provided early-morning results for the previous nights prime-time shows. In a wildly fragmented media landscape, millions of viewers now watch on-demand programming on their computers and phones, and Nielsen is crunching data over three- and seven-day periods and longer.
And yet the networks are still not satisfied. Broadcasters and cable channels are struggling in the new TV economy, scrounging for every last viewer. And they insist that Nielsen is under-counting their true audiences by adhering to its continued focus on age and gender as well as its old ways of tabulating viewership. In addition to set-top boxes, in smaller markets the company still relies on those fabled paper TV diaries of select Nielsen families.
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Networks charge that some shows are seriously under-counted as a result. Blindspot, NBCs freshman drama about a mysterious tattooed woman, has performed well according to traditional Nielsen measures.
Also Read: Nielsen, ComScore Spar at Awkward TV Ratings Summit Panel
This season, the thriller has averaged about 7.5 million viewers the night it airs, with another 5.1 million watching later on DVRs. But the network claims at least 800,000 more viewers are watching, particularly via streaming on computers, tablets and mobile devices thats proven harder for Nielsen to measure.
If true, that could mean tens of millions of dollars in lost ad revenue.
And ad revenue is Topic A in corner suites as the broadcast business enters another round of upfront negotiations this spring to sell bulk ad time. Last years upfront generated more than $8 billion in revenue for ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and The CW.
But TV ad revenue has been stagnant, falling 0.6 percent last year to $79 billion and digital ads are on track to surpass that figure for the first time this year.
And it doesnt help that the industry cant agree on how many people are watching its programming, particularly in individual local markets.
Local people hate Nielsen they have terrible methodologies, said Jane Clarke, CEO of the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement Coalition, a trade group for the ratings industry.
It has a very antiquated way of actually doing what they do, she said, noting how the set-top boxes transmit minute-by-minute tune-in habits back to the Nielsen command center, which then breaks down the data by viewer age, gender, race, economic class, and location. Advertisers dont want to continue to buy all their media based on age and gender.
The recent challenge by upstarts like comScore is a wild card in an industry anxious for change, said Will Somers, the head of research at Fox Broadcasting Networks, which subscribes to both comScore and Nielsen.
Thats just for the moment, he said. Over time, there will be one winner and one loser. I doubt theres going to be multiple currencies, he predicted. I dont really think the business can transact that way and I think it makes it difficult for everyone.
Also Read: ComScore, Adobe to Buddy Up on Digital TV Ratings
THE HEAT IS ON
ComScore has spent years measuring online audiences. But after paying $732 million last year for the local measurement powerhouse Rentrak, which focuses heavily on legacy media such as TV, the company decided to expand its reach and mount a direct assault on Nielsen.
Last month, comScore delivered its first ratings across digital and TV platforms. We believe that the future belongs to comScore, comScore President Bill Livek told TheWrap.
Unlike Nielsen, which centers its data around age and gender, comScore provides much richer information, Livek maintained. Nielsen extrapolates its ratings from thousands of households that agree to have people meters measure their viewing habits. But comScore data comes from 40 million set-top boxes that cable operators include without most customers even knowing theyre there. ComScore combines that household data with demographic details about consumer behavior.
And comScore performs better in areas where Nielsen is weak, according to critics, including measurement of local markets, cross-platform viewing, behavioral consumption habits, and lower-rated networks.
The other guys are currency around age and sex, were the currency around how people buy products, he said. You can target [ad buys] a whole lot better and more efficiently.
However, comScore declined numerous requests for specific data, so direct comparisons are impossible. We dont generally share TV ratings publicly, a company spokesman wrote in an email. Our TV ratings are currently being enhanced with some cross-platform info, which are just starting to be released to clients.
Also Read: Nielsen Bumps Up Quarterly Cash Dividend on Q1 Profit Growth
BLINDSPOTS
Of course, Nielsen has not sat back on its heels.
The ratings giant with a $18.77 billion market cap, compared to comScores $1.18 billion introduced its own cross-platform measurement tool last fall, called Total Audience, to supplement its survey of about 100,000 households (an increase from 40,000 a few years ago).
Abcarian said Nielsens new Total Audience Measurement package is really taking that pain and frustration out of measuring viewers, providing complete and comprehensive coverage across a variety of platforms. Nielsen now has the capacity to look at on-demand data for more than 50 networks, she said. She is also critical of comScores methodology, which she dismisses as big data that fails to capture what clients really want.
Quantity is not the same as quality, Abcarian said.
But the rollout of Total Audience has been slow, frustrating many TV executives, especially given the imperatives of todays on-demand and streaming market.
And networks complain that Nielsen is consistently underestimating the audience for more youthful-skewing shows like NBCs Blindspot, which averages a 3.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic, the category most advertisers care about, over the course of a week. Blindspot was the 14th highest-rated broadcast series on TV last fall, according to Nielsen, but the network believes it might rank even higher if all the streaming views were factored in.
But for all the complaints about Nielsen, the advertising community still relies on its data. Nielsen is still one of the better research companies out there, GroupM managing partner Lyle Schwartz told TheWrap, while noting that his firm often had disagreements over individual measurements. (Its worth noting that GroupM is owned by WPP, which has a minority stake in comScore.)
STUCK WITH THESE GUYS
In January, NBCs Wurtzel endorsed comScore as an alternative to Nielsen a vital thumbs-up from a widely watched industry pro. He also mentioned smaller players such as TiVo Research, Reality Mine and Symphony Advanced Media who are poised to challenge Nielsen.
Nielsen, said Wurtzel, is still woefully inadequate. But, he acknowledged, Were kind of stuck with these guys Thats one of the reasons everyones so frustrated.
David Poltrack, the veteran head of research at CBS, compared the current situation to trying to move to a new house while living in the old one.
The industry is living in Building 1, which they helped Nielsen build by subsidizing costs. Its now showing signs of deterioration. Nielsen is saying theyll build a new building, but while they do that, clients have to stay in the old building and pay very, very high rent there. Worse, the new building will charge even more.
That is something that the industry cannot accept, Poltrack said.
Meanwhile, competitors are moving into the neighborhood, increasing the urgency for Nielsen to upgrade its measurement tools. About 85 percent of the companys revenues come from programmers, with the rest from media buyers, who tend to prefer more granular, drilled-down data about audiences.
Total Audience capabilities are available in the market today, Nielsen said but the rollout has been limited so far. The company does not plan to release Total Audience figures until after this years upfronts, at the request of its network subscribers.
During its initial evaluation period, the company counted more than 50 networks for video-on-demand data, 25-plus clients for digital video data, and 15 media brands for text-based measurements. More than a dozen media makers are dabbling in Nielsens Digital Content Ratings, TheWrap has learned.
Both companies are essentially trying to do the same thing: Measure linear and streaming viewership, counting and packing every single tune-in across every single device into one digestible (and accurate) number. Oh, and they have to deliver that repeatedly, and in a timely manner.
The battle for domination of the ratings market has only just begun.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Nielsen Bumps Up Quarterly Cash Dividend on Q1 Profit Growth
Nielsen, ComScore Spar at Awkward TV Ratings Summit Panel
Nielsen Gets Access to Dish Set-Top Box Data in New Deal
TV Ratings Winners and Losers: Let's Call It Early
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's biggest steelmaker Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp and trading firm Sumitomo Corp said on Wednesday they have renewed their 10-year contract with BP (BP.L) to supply oil pipes, despite a slump in oil prices.
Nippon Steel, which also supplies high-end pipes under a long-term contract to other oil giants such as Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSa.L), Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N), and Statoil ASA (STL.OL), said the new contract is effective from Jan. 1 this year, but declined to disclose details.
Global oil prices (CLc1) (LCOc1) have tumbled more than 70 percent since mid-2014, forcing a number of oil and gas companies to scale back capital spending plans.
That has battered Nippon Steel, with orders for its seamless pipes including line pipes falling about 30 percent in the last financial year, that ended March 31, 2016.
However, the recent sharp rally in crude prices led to a pick-up in export orders of oil pipes since January.
The Wakayama plant in western Japan, which makes seamless pipes for oil drilling, is now operating at full capacity, a Nippon Steel spokeswoman said.
"Demand from the Middle East and Europe has been solid although the U.S. demand remains weak," she said.
(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
By Bernie Woodall and Daniel Wiessner
(Reuters) - The U.S. National Labor Relations Board on Tuesday filed an unfair labor practices complaint against Volkswagen AG for not bargaining with a portion of plant workers at its Tennessee plant represented by the United Auto Workers union.
Under board procedure, employers must formally refuse to recognise a union certified by the NLRB in order to bring the case to U.S. appeals courts. As the board earlier this month said Volkswagen workers could join the UAW, the agency will likely soon rule against Volkswagen, allowing the company to appeal.
On Monday, Volkswagen said it planned to take the matter, eventually, to a U.S. appeals court.
Last Friday, VW told the UAW that it would not bargain with about 160 skilled trades workers who voted 71 percent in December to be represented by the union. The plant in Chattanooga has about 1,500 hourly workers.
VW said in a statement on Monday that it "will continue our effort to allow everyone to vote as one group on the matter of union representation."
While the skilled trades workers who maintain plant machinery are a fraction of the hourly workforce, VW bargaining with them could serve as a launching pad for the unions efforts to organize other foreign-owned plants in the South. In decades of trying, the UAW has not organized a foreign-owned auto assembly plant in the region.
Volkswagen was at one time welcoming to the UAW at Chattanooga. But that was before the UAW lost a closely contested election open to all of the plant's 1,500 workers in February 2014.
The UAW worked closely with the German union IG Metall in fostering a good relationship with VW before that vote. IG Metall has much more power within VW than the UAW has at any major automaker.
The UAW claims to have majority support from the 1,500 workers at the VW plant, but its executives are fearful that well-financed antiunion lobbying groups will make winning an election difficult.
The UAW is banking on legal precedent that allows a small unit of a worksite to be represented by a U.S. union.
(Reporting by Bernie Woodall in Detroit and Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York; Editing by Bernard Orr)
Most people who come to Omaha for the first time are shocked. They think theyll be surrounded by farms and cows, but they actually find a very vibrant city, says Andy Alloway, president of Nebraska Realty.
And Omaha is growing logging a growth rate of 5.5%. The median age of the citys population is 35.2, according to the Census Bureau. The age distribution has been getting flatter, says Skylar Olsen, senior economist at Zillow, and despite the large population of millennials, theres an even larger group of baby boomers retiring there. About one-fifth (20.8%) of Omahans are between 20 and 34 whereas 26.6% are between 35 and 54.
Alloway says businesses like Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A) and Union Pacific (UNP) have helped Omaha attract and retain young professionals. Omaha is a great place to live and theres a vibrant arts, food and culinary scene. The citys relative affordability is also a likely draw: the median price of a house in Omaha is $140,200, compared with $186,200 for U.S. median.
Olsen says home prices in the U.S. overall have appreciated 4.8% over the last year, while home values in Omaha have risen 8.3%, right back to pre-recession peak levels. (New York metro home values have gone up 1.8% and San Franciscos have appreciated 11.5% over the past year). This is a sign of a strong, healthy market, she says. In addition to affordability, the employment picture is robust. High-paying jobs, particularly in the finance and insurance sectors, are attracting talent, she says.
The business management industry has experienced the most employment growth since 1990 611.4%. Fields like social assistance (which includes family, vocational and rehab services) and educational services have grown substantially 439.5% and 162.4%, respectively, according to recent data from Zillow.
Alloway says he gives a lot of credit to Berkshire Hathaway and its famous CEO Warren Buffett for putting Omaha on the map. Theyve added tremendous benefits to our community, he says. Buffett being a global business icon certainly has some residual effect on Omahas reputation.
Is there a Buffett effect in Omaha?
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Some might like the idea that the Oracle of Omaha and Berkshire have some power in luring people. (Buffett has been living in the same home he bought in 1958 for $31,500.) But Buffetts reputation alone isnt quite a significant factor drawing homebuyers to the city.
Omaha-based real estate developer Arun Agarwal actually created an EB-5 regional center for Nebraska and Iowa because he saw huge opportunities for economic development in the midwest. The EB-5 program was created in 1990 to stimulate the U.S. economy through foreign investment. When Agarwal first started pitching Omaha real estate to Chinese real estate brokers and potential investors, he was met with blank stares and overall disinterest. But he had an epiphany last year when he was browsing a bookstore in the Shanghai airport; he noticed that 20% of the stores books were Buffett or Berkshire-related. The next time I got on the phone or met someone I started by saying Omaha is the home of Buffett. I got 10 meetings back-to-back after that, he says. Agarwal says that actual investments have yet to follow that initial interest.
Though Berkshire is headquartered in Omaha and is a multinational conglomerate, the fact is Buffett and about 25 other employees oversee the companys 62 subsidiaries that employ more than 340,000 people spread out all over the world.
In some indirect ways, however, Buffett and his family have impacted growth there, Agarwal says. In 2013, Buffetts cousin Fred Buffett and his wife Pamela donated $323 million to build a cancer-treatment center, the University of Nebraskas largest project ever. According to the university, the new center, set to open later this year or early 2017, will employ 1,200 people and the project will add 4,657 jobs to the metro area.
Omaha has a thriving job market and an unemployment rate of 3.5% (the national average is 5%), but is it enough to make the city a destination? Agarwal says thats an aspiration, and not quite a reality.
The conversations are absolutely happening around innovation. Were increasing our talent pool and colleges are offering more IT and entrepreneurial management classes, but Im not seeing any huge leaps or bounds, he says.
Agarwal says a low unemployment rate is not always a good thing because it reduces the number of people looking for jobs. Its actually a negative for us. How are we supposed to find talent? To combat this, Omaha is doubling down on vocational training, spending $90 million to expand its community college campus. It will take a lot more than Buffetts name to recruit highly qualified workers, though. Our biggest challenge is attracting talent. The main reason people move from one of the coasts is if they want to be closer to family or if a spouse needs to relocate, he says.
On April 30th, Yahoo Finance will have an exclusive live stream of the annual meeting. Click here for more information.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 27, 2016 / Noram Ventures Inc. (NRM.V) ("Noram" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to the news release dated April 25, 2016, it has closed the acquisition of 201 mineral claims comprising 3,998.18 acres, in Clayton Valley, Nevada. The two non-contiguous claim groups (the "Li Group Claims") are located in the same geological formation as Rockwood's and Lithium X's operations.
To view the image for the Clayton Valley Project, please click on the following link:
https://www.accesswire.com/uploads/10585_noramimage1.jpg
Highlights:
- Within 2 km to largest Lithium Producer in USA; Albemarle Corporation.
- Albemarle Corporation has been in continuous production of Lithium Carbonate and Lithium Hydroxide products from Clayton Valley brines since 1967.
- Two Target Horizons, Lithium potential contained within beds and brines.
- Close to infrastructure (power, transport and labor).
- Project is situated adjacent to Lithium X's North block (recently acquired permits to drill*).
- Within 11km of Pure Energy's holdings (NI 43-101 Inferred Resource of 816,000 Tonnes Lithium Carbonate**).
* Lithium X press release March 23, 2016.
* *(N I 43-101 Inferred Resource of 816,000 tonnes of Lithium Carbonate, [Pure Energy press release, July 29, 2015]).
Mark Ireton, President, said, "We are pleased to have concluded this acquisition which is a significant step toward Noram's goal of becoming a force in the Green Energy Revolution through the development of lithium and graphite deposits."
The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Michael Collins, P.Geo., who is a Qualified Person with respect to the Li Claim Group Property as defined under NI 43-101.
About Noram Ventures Inc.:
Noram Ventures Inc. (NRM.V) is a Canadian based junior exploration company, with interests in lithium and graphite claims with a goal of becoming a low-cost supplier for the burgeoning lithium battery industry. The Company's primary business focus since formation has been the exploration of mineral projects that include the Clayton Valley lithium project in Nevada and Jumbo graphite property in British Columbia. Noram's long term strategy is to build a multi-national lithium - graphite dominant industrial minerals company to produce and sell lithium and graphite into the markets of Europe, North America and Asia.
For further information, please visit www.noramventures.com.
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ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
/s/ "Mark R. Ireton"
President & Director
Direct: (604) 761-9994
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From Esquire
Did you hear the trumpets in the sky Monday evening? The Day of Jubilee has sounded again, this time in North Carolina.
In his ruling, the judge suggested that past discrimination had abated. "There is significant, shameful past discrimination," he wrote. "In North Carolina's recent history, however, certainly for the last quarter century, there is little official discrimination to consider."
In upholding the voter suppression laws in the now consistently insane state of North Carolina, Judge Thomas Schroeder, another gift to the Republic from the late Avignon Presidency, has walked right on the same glory road that led Chief Justice John Roberts to cut the viscera from the Voting Rights Act in Shelby County. The conservative movement has worked hard to salt the federal judiciary with people who believe that government has done all it can in the fight against institutional racism, and that the fight itself was won decades ago, and that the country never backslides once it has achieved progress. Combined with this fantastical vision of a country that exists somewhere between the Western Isles and the Big Rock Candy Mountain, these judges also appear completely oblivious to how most people-and especially, most poor people-actually exist in the world. And it is all of a piece. Once Roberts declared the Day of Jubilee, every likeminded federal judge in the system sang along with the choir. It is truly a remarkable, and systemic, triumph of politics over one of the three branches of the federal government.
"North Carolina has provided legitimate state interests for its voter ID requirement and electoral system," Judge Schroeder said near the end of his 485-page opinion. The judge, an appointee of President George W. Bush, found that North Carolina's system was not beyond "the mainstream of other states."
The "legitimate state interest" is, of course, the battle against practically non-existent voter fraud. And, of course, the argument that North Carolina's system was not beyond "the mainstream of other states" could have been made honestly in 1955 as regards, say, the poll tax. This decision is a magnificent demonstration of the power of strategic denial.
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As to the tenuous connection that Judge Schroeder's decision has with the real world, we only have to look back a little more than a month, when North Carolina ran its primaries, which were the first elections to be conducted under the law that Schroeder now has upheld. To the surprise of absolutely nobody, and especially not to the people who designed this law, the election was a huge and chewy cluster of fck.
About 218,000 North Carolinians, roughly five percent of registered voters, do not have an acceptable form of government-issued ID that is now required under state law to cast a ballot. Early voting offered a glimpse of the problems that will arise on Tuesday-during the past ten days of early voting, many college students were blocked from the polls. North Carolina's WRAL reported that 864 people across the state had cast provisional early ballots because they did not have acceptable forms of ID, and four of the five counties with the highest concentrations of provisional ballots from voters without ID were in places with college campuses.
It got worse as the day went along, and the problems were all the result of the new regulations.
Durham officials couldn't be reached Wednesday for an update on provisional voting. Wake County had about 8,000 provisional ballots. Wake also had its highest turnout for a presidential primary in years, at 41 percent. Statewide, turnout was about 35 percent-similar to 2012 but slightly lower than 2008, when it was a record 37 percent. Across the state, volunteers for Democracy NC spoke with people who reported trouble voting. Bob Hall, the group's executive director, said voter ID laws appear to have been enforced differently throughout the state, that polling workers often appeared untrained or overworked, and that some voters reported they weren't allowed to cast provisional ballots when a problem arose. "All the problems from this primary will be far worse in the general election," Hall said in a news release. His group has been a vocal opponent of the new ID laws. In Durham, some voters also had trouble finding a precinct on N.C. Central University's campus. It was moved from the student union to the law school, although the county board of elections didn't update its website to reflect that until about 4 p.m. Tuesday.
It is important to realize that, a month ago, they took out these new laws for their first shakedown cruise and the result was confusion and frustration. Both of these were conspicuously focused on certain areas and certain classes of voters. On Monday, in his decision upholding the new regulations, and with all of this having already occurred, Judge Schroeder wrote:
The plaintiffs "failed to show that such disparities will have materially adverse effects on the ability of minority voters to cast a ballot and effectively exercise the electoral franchise" as a result of the 2013 state law, Schroeder wrote. That argument was made more difficult after black voter turnout increased in 2014, he wrote.
Look, a lot of these folks managed to jump through the hoops the legislature so cunningly put in place. So what's the problem? The Day of Jubilee is a wonder indeed.
Republican Donald Trump swept to easy victories Tuesday in all five states, claiming Connecticut, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Delaware primaries, keeping the brash billionaire on his narrow path to the GOP nomination. Hillary Clinton carried Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania's Democratic contests, the first wins in what her campaign hoped would be a strong night for the former secretary of state.
She and rival Bernie Sanders were locked in a close race in Connecticut, according to early vote counts, while the Vermont senator edged out a win in Rhode Island.
During his victory speech, Trump said he considers himself the "presumptive nominee" of the Republican Party, despite being short of the delegates needed to claim the nomination.
Speaking after his sweep, and after making an appearance at the annual Time 100 gala, the Republican front-runner reiterated his calls to rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich to get out of the race. He also addressed "crooked Hillary" while fielding questions. "I'm not a hateful person. I'm a person who loves people. I'll do far more for women than Hillary will ever do," he said.
With her three victories, Clinton now has 88 percent of the delegates she needs to become the first woman nominated by a major party. She's already increasingly looking past Sanders, even as the Vermont senator vows to stay in the race until primary voting ends in June.
For her part, Clinton replied to Trump's accusation that she plays the "woman card" during her victory speech: "If fighting for women's health care and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the 'woman card,' then deal me in," she told her cheering supporters.
Read More: Donald Trump Fights Racketeering Lawsuit by Pointing to Bill Clinton's "University"
Sanders spent Tuesday campaigning in West Virginia, where he drew several thousand people to a lively evening rally. He urged his supporters to recognize that they are "powerful people if you choose to exercise that power."
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Still, there were some signs that Sanders' campaign was coming to grips with his difficult position. Top aide Tad Devine said that after Tuesday's results were known, "we'll decide what we're going to do going forward."
Trump's victories padded his delegate totals, yet the Republican contest remains chaotic. The businessman is the only candidate left in the three-person race who could possibly clinch the nomination through the regular voting process, yet he could still fall short of the 1,237 delegates he needs.
Read More: Megyn Kelly to Interview Donald Trump During Fox Special
GOP rivals Cruz and Kasich are desperately trying to keep him from that magic number and push the race to a convention fight, where complicated rules would govern the nominating process. The Texas senator and Ohio governor even took the rare step of announcing plans to coordinate in upcoming contests to try to minimize Trump's delegate totals.
Trump collected at least 105 of the 118 delegates at stake in his five-state win. His sweep raises the stakes for the anti-Trump effort in Indiana next week. If Trump can win the Indiana primary, he will stay the path to clinch the nomination by the end of the primaries on June 7.
Kasich will win at least five delegates in Tuesday's contests - both in Rhode Island. Cruz, meanwhile, was contending for one or two delegates, also in Rhode Island.
Eight delegates are left to be awarded.
The AP delegate count: Trump: 950; Ted Cruz: 559; John Kasich: 153. Needed to win: 1,237.But that effort did little to stop Trump from a big showing in the Northeast. Going into the primary day, his campaign was hoping for a clean sweep of all five contests, with 172 Republican delegates up for grabs.
Read More: Donald Trump: Lena Dunham Moving to Canada "Would Be a Great, Great Thing for Our Country"
Cruz spent Tuesday in Indiana, which votes next week. Indiana is one of Cruz's last best chances to slow Trump, and Kasich's campaign is pulling out of the state to give him a better opportunity to do so.
"Tonight this campaign moves back to more favorable terrain," Cruz said during an evening rally in Knightstown, Indiana.
Trump has railed against his rivals' coordination, panning it as "pathetic," and has also cast efforts to push the nomination fight to the convention as evidence of a rigged process that favors political insiders.
Yet there's no doubt Trump is trying to lead a party deeply divided by his candidacy. In Pennsylvania, exit polls showed nearly 4 in 10 GOP voters said they would be excited by Trump becoming president, but the prospect of the real estate mogul in the White House scares a quarter of those who cast ballots in the state's Republican primary.
In another potential general election warning sign for Republicans, 6 in 10 GOP voters in Pennsylvania said the Republican campaign has divided the party - a sharp contrast to the 7 in 10 Democratic voters in the state who said the race between Clinton and Sanders has energized their party.
The exit polls were conducted by Edison Research for The Associated Press and television networks.
Read More: Two Guys From Brooklyn: The Bernie Sanders Interview by Spike Lee
Democrats award delegates proportionally, which allowed Clinton to maintain her lead over Sanders even as he rattled off a string of wins in previous contests. According to the AP count, Clinton has 2,089 delegates while Sanders has 1,258.
That count includes delegates won in primaries and caucuses, as well as superdelegates - party insiders who can back the candidate of their choice, regardless of how their state votes.
Clinton's campaign is eager for Sanders to tone down his attacks on the former secretary of state if he's going to continue in the race. She's been reminding voters of the 2008 Democratic primary, when she endorsed Barack Obama after a tough campaign and urged her supporters to rally around her former rival.
Ahead of Tuesday's results, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said that while Sanders has run a "unique and powerful" campaign, he does not believe the Vermont senator will be the party's nominee.
According to exit polls, less than a fifth of Democratic voters said they would not support Clinton if she gets the nomination. The exit polls were conducted in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
NuVasive, Inc. NUVA reported first-quarter 2016 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of 32 cents, reflecting a 6.7% rise from the year-ago quarter and an 18.5% beat over the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
Revenues in the reported quarter increased 11.8% year over year to $215.1 million (up 12.3% at constant exchange rate or CER), edging past the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $205 million. The upside was driven by healthy performance in NuVasive's core U.S. spinal hardware business which improved 11.6% on the back of the continued adoption of ReLine posterior fixation system, along with ongoing uptake of iGA, surgical planning technology which pulls through spinal hardware.
NuVasives International business grew 16% year over year (up 20.7% at CER). Growth was significantly backed by strong contributions from core direct markets including Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., Italy and Germany.
The company reported a 147 basis points (bps) contraction in gross margin to 74.8% in the first quarter with an 18.8% increase in cost of goods sold. Sales, marketing and administrative expenses went up 12.1% to $130.2 million, while research and development expenses increased 14.7% to $10.6 million. NuVasive posted adjusted operating income of $20.1 million in the reported quarter, reflecting a massive 6.1% increase from the year-ago number. Adjusted operating margin contracted 178 bps to 9.3% in the reported quarter.
Outlook
Following NuVasives acquisition of Ellipse Technologies and Mega Surgical, its new convertible notes issuance and existing convertible notes repurchases, as well as expected changes in foreign currency rates, the company provided an update on its full-year 2016 guidance.
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The company expects 2016 revenues of approximately $928 million (an increase from the earlier quoted guidance of $923 million), up 14.4% (13.8%) from 2015, which includes approximately $53 million of revenue contribution from Ellipse Technologies. The current Zacks Consensus Estimate of $924 million remains below the expectation.
NuVasive has also provided its estimate for full-year 2016 adjusted earnings per diluted share at $1.48 (unchanged), up approximately 12.7% from the 2015 EPS number. The current Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.49 is a penny ahead of the companys guidance. Additionally, adjusted operating margin for the year is projected at 15.8% (unchanged), up 40 bps on a year-over-year basis.
Our Take
NuVasive performed well in the first quarter of 2016 with both earnings and revenues steering past the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Post a disruptive sales performance in the international market in fourth-quarter 2015, the first quarter witnessed strong international performance on the back of exceptional constant currency performance in both the Asia-Pacific and EMEA. According to management, there is tremendous growth opportunity for NuVasive overseas, given that it currently holds a mere 4% of the total market share therein.
NuVasive, at present, is rapidly developing technologies and services for spine surgery, expanding its global footprint in the existing and new markets, and building itself as a commercial powerhouse with integrated sales, service and specialized customer marketing programs. To this end, the company recently acquired privately held Ellipse Technologies that works on the transformation of procedural solutions for complex skeletal deformity.
According to the company, the inclusion of Ellipse products in its portfolio will drive revenue growth at multiples to the market growth, targeting an approximately 14% improvement over 2015. In addition, the companys acquisition of Brazilian distributor, Mega Surgical will contribute to its growth in 2016 and beyond.
The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Key Picks from the Sector
Some other well-ranked medical product stocks are Boston Scientific Corporation BSX, Cardiovascular Systems Inc. CSII and St. Jude Medical Inc. STJ. All the three stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2.
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A.O. Smith Corp. AOS continued with its earnings streak in first-quarter 2016, with earnings per share of 83 cents surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 77 cents by 7.8%.
The earnings figure also compared favorably with the year-ago tally of 65 cents, up 27.8% year over year. Manufacturing cost productivity coupled with a fall in interest expenses drove the bottom-line growth.
Inside the Headlines
Net sales in the quarter were up 3% year over year to $636.9 million but failed to beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $647 million.
Impressive sales across the companys Rest of the World segment acted as the chief revenue driver in the quarter. However, strengthening of the U.S. dollar against Canadian and Chinese currencies continued to act as a headwind, impacting sales.
Talking about the segments, A.O. Smiths sales in the North America segment (comprises U.S. and Canada) declined 1.2% year over year to $423.9 million. Higher prices as well as sales of water heaters in the U.S. were more than offset by lower volumes of residential and commercial water heaters.
Despite the tepid top-line growth, segmental operating earnings rose 29.1% year over year to $91.9 million. Improvement in operating margin at the segment was largely attributable to higher pricing of heaters in the U.S. and Canada and lower material costs.
Quarterly sales at the Rest of the World segment (China, India & Europe) rose about 11% year over year to $217.4 million. This improvement came largely on the back of continued strong customer demand for A.O. Smiths premium water heating and water treatment products, particularly in China (up 12% in terms of U.S. dollar). Moreover, favorable seasonal demand for air purifier products compounded sales growth at the segment.
Operating earnings at the segment also improved by 2.7% year over year to $26.9 million in the quarter. While higher sales in China drove operating income, this was offset by a host of other factors including adverse currency translation, higher selling, general and administrative expenses and wider losses in India.
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Share Repurchases
During first-quarter 2016, A.O. Smith bought back around 430,000 common shares for $30.5 million. Also, the company announced an increase in its estimated 2016 share repurchase spending from $150 million to $175 million on account of an anticipated decline in capital spending in 2016.
Exiting the first quarter, the company has a remaining balance of roughly 2.15 million shares under its discretionary authorization program.
Liquidity & Cash Flow
A.O. Smiths cash and cash equivalents at the end of the quarter were $305.5 million compared with $323.6 million at the end of Dec 31, 2015.
At the end of Mar 31, 2016, long-term debt stood at $274.1 million compared with $236.1 million at the end of Dec 31, 2015.
Guidance
Concurrent with the earnings release, A.O. Smith raised the midpoint of its 2016 guidance range, banking on the robust prospects in the U.S. and China. The company now projects full-year 2016 earnings per share between $3.47 and $3.55 (up from the previously guided range of $3.40$3.55 per share).
For 2016, the company projects 10% growth in the sales of Lochinvar-branded products in the U.S.. Also, surging demand for water heating, water treatment and air purifier products in China is adding to the companys strength, with sales in the country likely to rise 15% in local currency in 2016.
Our Take
Going forward, we believe A.O. Smith stands to benefit significantly from the impending shift to high-efficiency condensing boilers from low-efficiency products. Also, the companys strong top-line growth in China, which grew at a CAGR of 28% in the 2003-2014 period, signals bright days ahead.
Despite these positives, intensifying competition from renowned global brands and foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations are likely to weigh on the companys financials in the near term. Additionally, escalating selling, general and administrative expenses is adding to the woes of this Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) company.
Better-ranked stocks in the same space include Emerson Electric Co. EMR, Regal Beloit Corporation RBC and Rexnord Corporation RXN, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will visit Flint, Michigan next week to hear from residents about the drinking water crisis, the White House said on Wednesday. Obama will visit Flint on May 4 to hear "first-hand from Flint residents about the public health crisis," and get a briefing on federal response efforts, a White House official said. Children in Flint were exposed to dangerous levels of lead in drinking water after a state-appointed city manager ordered a switch to the Flint River for supplies. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
Office Depot, Inc. ODP posted adjusted earnings of 10 cents per share that missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 13 cents per share. Notably, this is the third consecutive quarter in which the company reported negative earnings surprise. The bottom line also declined 23.1% year over year. Following, the dismal performance shares of the company slipped 4.7% yesterday.
Including one-time items, the company delivered earnings of 8 cents per share, flat year over year.
The companys top line also missed expectations for the sixth consecutive quarter. Total sales of $3,544 million lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,619 million and also declined 9% year over year, primarily due to decline in sales of North American Business Solutions Division and International Division. Excluding the impact of U.S. retail store closures, currency headwinds and revenues from the Grupo OfficeMax joint venture (sold last August), sales dipped 4%.
Management expects total sales to decline in fiscal 2016 in comparison with 2015 on account of store closures, currency headwinds, business disruption owing to the impending buyout by Staples, Inc. SPLS, and tough market conditions.
The company mentioned, The protracted regulatory review of the pending Staples acquisition continues to have a substantial disruptive impact on our business. Office Depot further said that the pending acquisition has mostly impacted its North American Business Solutions Division and International Division.
In an effort to get Federal Trade Commission (FTC) clearance, Staples and Office Depot recently entered into an agreement to sell large corporate contract business as well as allied assets which generate above $550 million in sales to office-supply wholesaler Essendant. Essendant will pay around $22.5 million to Staples. However, this transaction will only be effective if FTC approves the merger between Staples and Office Depot.
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In Dec 2015, the FTC rejected the revised offer from Staples for the purchase of Office Depot. Also, the FTC had filed a lawsuit against this $6.3 billion deal on apprehensions that it would lower competition nationwide and result in price hikes and fewer options for large corporate houses that usually make bulk purchases. After the FTC objection, Staples decided to offload commercial contracts worth $1.25 billion to ease monopolistic concerns. However, the FTC rejected the proposal without a counter offer.
After the rejection of the revised offer, Staples and Office Depot decided to take a few more months to clear all the hurdles related to their merger. The companies postponed their merger date to May 16, 2016 from the initially scheduled date of Feb 4, 2016. A hearing on the FTCs initial restriction on the merger has begun i and the decision is expected to be out by May 10, 2016. The company believes that this deal will be beneficial to both shareholders and customers.
Coming back to Office Depots results, adjusted gross profit fell 8.6% year over year to $856 million, whereas gross margin came in at 24.2%, flat year over year. Adjusted operating income came in at $115 million, down 14.9% from the year-ago period, while adjusted operating margin contracted 30 basis points to 3.2%.
Segment Performance
In the reported quarter, the North American Retail divisions revenues fell 8.9% to $1,506 million. Comparable-store sales dipped 1% year over year. The segment reported operating income of $102 million, which improved substantially from $86 million in the prior-year quarter, mainly on the back of lower occupancy costs, a fall in selling, general and administrative expenses, and improved gross margin performance.
Total store count at the North American Retail division was 1,555 at the quarter end. During the quarter, the company shut down nine outlets. Notably, the company closed 181 stores in 2015. Also, it plans to close over 50 stores in 2016.
Revenues for North American Business Solutions declined 7.4% to $1,368 million (or 7% on a constant currency basis) owing to hurdles related to the pending buyout by Staples, and a drop in customer order fill rates.
The division posted operating income of $46 million, down from $58 million in the prior-year quarter, while operating margin declined 50 bps to 3.4%.
The International divisions revenues tumbled 10.3% to $670 million as currency headwinds intensified. On a constant currency basis too, sales dropped 6%. The division reported operating loss of $10 million due to a fall in sales, contraction in gross margin rate and negative impact of foreign currency exchange rate, partly offset by lower selling, general and administrative expenses. In the prior-year quarter, the company had reported operating income of $14 million. At the end of the quarter, total store count at the International division was 274 149 company-owned outlets and 125 outlets operated by franchisees and licensees.
Other Financial Details
Office Depot ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $879 million, long-term debt (net of current maturities) of $624 million, and shareholders equity of $1,661 million. The company incurred capital expenditures of $26 million during the quarter, comprising $6 million related to merger integration. Management anticipates capital expenditures of approximately $250 million in 2016.
Other Stocks to Consider
Office Depot currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the sector include CST Brands, Inc. CST and KAR Auction Services, Inc. KAR. Both the stocks hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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By Kim Palmer
CLEVELAND (Reuters) - A Mexican national living illegally in the United States was sentenced on Wednesday by an Ohio judge to life in prison for the rape and murder of a woman during a July crime spree.
Lake County Judge John O'Donnell sentenced Juan Razo, 36, to the maximum life without parole plus 107 years for a July 27 rampage in Concord Township, Ohio, about 30 miles northeast of Cleveland, that began when he attempted to rape his 14-year-old niece in a public park.
Prosecutors said the teenager fought off Razo, but he then went on to rape and murder 60-year-old Margaret Kostelnik after breaking into her nearby home. After killing Kostelnik, he stole a gun, fled the home and shot and wounded a woman walking with her two young children.
He then shot at county sheriff's deputies while they were trying to arrest him before later surrendering, police said.
To avoid a possible death sentence, Razo pleaded guilty in March to 16 criminal counts including aggravated murder, attempted murder, rape, attempted rape and kidnapping.
On Wednesday, O'Donnell chastised Razo for not showing any genuine remorse during his sentencing hearing in a Lake County courthouse. Razo, who does not speak English and had a translator, sat with his eyes closed and head down during the hearing.
"You are evil personified and there's nothing that's ever going to change that," O'Donnell added.
O'Donnell heard from family of Razo's victims including a letter from the now 7-year-old daughter of the woman he shot and wounded. The daughter said she has nightmares because of Razo, who she called a meanie.
Lake County sheriff's deputies first encountered Razo on July 7 and alerted federal authorities that he was in the country illegally, but no order to detain him for immigration purposes was issued and Razo was released, O'Donnell said.
The judge also fined Razo $180,000 and ordered him to pay more than $17,000 in restitution for Kostelniks funeral expenses.
Razo's sentencing comes at a time when Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has stirred up the debate around illegal immigration to the United States. Trump, who has said Mexico sends rapists and other criminals to the United States, has vowed to build a wall along the border with Mexico border and deport the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants already in the country if elected.
(Reporting by Kim Palmer; Editing by Ben Klayman and Frances Kerry)
With a little more than a week to go before a trial over Sumner Redstones mental competency, the fierce maneuvering in the case continues, with attorneys for his long-time companion attempting to force the billionaire to appear as a witness and Redstones lawyers asking that some testimony about his medical condition be given in secret to protect his privacy.
Lawyers for Manuela Herzer said they needed Redstones live testimony because his lawyers have refused to have him answer questions in writing. But they appear to face a substantial hurdle in trying to get the media magnate to appear, since they previously said they would not call him and the judge in the case has declined to force Redstone to give a deposition.
The two-page notice to appear filed Tuesday by Herzers legal team does not elaborate on the reasons for calling Redstone.
Redstones lawyers declined to respond to the latest gambit on Tuesday. But they previously excoriated their opponents, saying their insistence on bringing the Viacom and CBS titan into public view could subject him to embarrassment since he is frail and suffers from a severe speech impediment. They have said the push to expose Redstone belies Herzers stated concerns about his well being.
Judge David J. Cowan is expected to rule Wednesday whether Redstone, 92, must appear in court for the trial, scheduled to begin May 6 in downtown Los Angeles.
The case centers on the 52-year-old Herzers claim that she was improperly forced out of Redstones Beverly Park mansion last October, then removed two days later as his health care agent the person designated to oversee his health care in the event he becomes incapacitated.
Herzer argued that Redstone had already become mentally incompetent by October and that unscrupulous people around him manipulated Redstone into signing papers supplanting her. She said she worries his medical care has suffered in her absence and that a clear-thinking Redstone would have wanted her to remain in charge.
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Redstones lawyers say that the billionaire was completely lucid when he made his decision to remove Herzer and to make others most recently his daughter, Shari responsible. The Redstone camp charges that Herzers entire action is designed for her to pave the way to make a later claim to a share of Redstones estate. She once had been in line to receive $50 million and Redstones $20 million home, before she was stricken from his estate.
The two sides recently were on the verge of a settlement, but the talks fell apart, clearing the way for what promises to be a highly contentious trial that will expose the foibles of not only Redstone, but his family and potentially others. Among the more provocative charges from Herzers side: that Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman let the magnate continue on as chairman of the company, when he knew he no longer had the mental capacity to do so.
Cowan is also expected to hear arguments Wednesday about how much testimony about Redstones condition should be made public during the trial. The judge previously has said he recognizes the privacy rights protect some of the media moguls medical information and asked his attorneys to keep that information private.
His attorneys filed papers this week saying that the public and press should be temporarily excluded during the trial when witnesses are discussing medical care, nursing care and other constitutionally protected matters. Transcripts of testimony that does not pertain to medical matters would be made available within 24 hours, according to the proposal put forward by Redstones lawyers.
Judge Cowan previously said he intended for the trial to be open to the public. And California law presumes that most trials are open to all. A lawyer representing the Los Angeles Times and the Hollywood Reporter, said the plan submitted this week by Redstone would unfairly restrict the publics right to attend the trial.
The plan put forth by Mr. Redstones counsel does not adequately protect the publics right to know what is happening in court, lawyer Jean-Paul Jassy said, according to the newspaper. What Mr. Redstones counsel has proposed is an unworkable system with people being ushered in and out of the courtroom, question by question.
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Diversity in the workplace has become a hot-button issue in recent years, with many companies revamping their hiring processes to include more candidates from underrepresented backgrounds. But according to new research, simply adding a woman or a person of color to the applicant pool produces the same result: a non-diverse workforce.
If there is only one woman in a four-person candidate pool, she has statistically zero percent chance of getting the job, according to research published in Harvard Business Review by academics at the University of Colorado.
RELATED: Why Workplace Initiatives Arent the Only Key to Busting the Glass Ceiling
The problem with corporate diversity initiatives, according to Stefanie Johnson, a professor at the University of Colorado's Leeds School of Business, is that companies often push to include only one minority, which gives them about the same consideration for the job as if they weren't included at all.
Lots of data show diversity is a good thing. It enhances corporate performance, innovation, and return on investments, Johnson told TakePart. [Recruiters] need to be spending more effort getting a group of qualified women and minorities in the applicant pool, not just one.
Indeed, studies show that having more women in the workplace can improve firm performance and boost profits, but does having one woman versus two women in a group of eight finalists make a difference? The answer, according to Johnson, is a resounding yes.
Johnsons research team conducted three studies in which it analyzed separate applicant finalist poolsand which candidate ultimately received an offerto determine whether racial or gender bias was a factor in hiring. It found that the odds of hiring a woman were 79.14 times greater if there were at least two women in the finalist pool. The results were more significant for racial minorities, who had an almost 200 times greater chance of being hired if at least two minority candidates were in the finalist pool.
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When theres only one woman in a finalist pool of four or more people, Johnson found recruiters almost never hired that person. Rather than looking simply at the candidate's qualifications, she said, they subconsciously create a judgment based on her being the only female.
If theres only one woman, it seems risky, like maybe that says something about her competency, said Johnson. If theres just one, people will see them as a token, but I think that breaks down if you have lots of women, or even just two women. Then people say, 'Let's look at everyones strengths individually.'
RELATED: The ACLU Wants Federal Authorities to Examine Hollywood Hiring Practices
Hiring more women and minorities is only the first step toward a more diverse workforce. Theres the wage gap to overcome, and the retention and advancement opportunities have to be improved too. Agencies such as Business for Social Responsibility have encouraged companies not only to hire women but to make plans that will get them to stay, and investment firm Arjuna Capital has challenged tech companies to close their wage gaps and hire more women. Some, such as Intel, Apple, and Microsoft, have stepped up to the plate.
Johnson recommends that companies that want to increase their diversity hires put more effort into getting a group of women or racial minorities into the finalist pool. She acknowledged that recruiting more candidates can be expensive, especially if an employer already has a qualified pool of people who are white or male. The payoff, however, greatly outweighs the costs, she said.
If you look at the monetary benefits of diversity, the small increase in recruiting costs is negligible, she said. Not to mention, if a recruiter is bringing in one token minority who has no chance of being hired anyway, that is already money wasted.
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Original article from TakePart
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is currently reviewing the work history of its roughly 7,000 voting members. On April 25, it asked members in two of its 17 branches to provide their resumes, and by the end of July each of its branches' executive committees will notify their members whether or not they are eligible to vote for the 89th Oscars, which will take place next Feb. 26.
The Academy's decision to reassess its voting rolls, which grew out of its immediate response to the controversy that greeted the absence of non-white acting nominees for the 87th and 88th Oscars, has resulted in one of the most contentious and bitter episodes in the Academy's long history. It was originally proposed in January as part of a series of initiatives designed to ensure increased diversity among both the Academy's membership and the kinds of work the Academy honors. But it has threatened to overshadow that effort, as many older Academy members vehemently complained that they were being implicitly accused of racism and subjected to a different kind of 'ism' - ageism.
Since then, the Academy, attempting to quell that firestorm, has adopted more generous rules to determine voting eligibility, and it has attempted to disentangle the question of voting eligibility from its diversity push. When the Academy first announced a review of its voting rolls on Jan. 22, it introduced it as part of what it called "historic action to increase diversity," but on April 18 the Academy's Board of Governors offered the membership a new explanation of how voting rights would be determined and said the move "is actually not about diversity. We have other proposals to advance the growth of diversity. This initiative, required by our bylaws, has to do with relevance."
As first proposed, the voting review promised the most dramatic make-over of the Academy's rank-and-file since 1970, when Gregory Peck, then serving as Academy president, purged the organization of many "inactive" members in an effort to make the Academy more "relevant" amid a rapidly changing culture. But under the most recent proposal, it appears that far fewer members will lose their voting rights and be moved to "emeritus status" than many of them originally feared. (The Academy declined to provide THR with an estimate.) "We ended up back where we started, with nothing really changed or gained," says Bruce Feldman, a member of the publicity branch, who has been openly critical of the Board's moves.
But even if most members' voting rights now are safe, the upheaval at the Academy isn't over. The annual election for the Academy's Board of Governors is set to take place in May - a third of the Board's seats are voted on each year - and in what it has described as an attempt to be "more democratic, more transparent," the Academy has changed its procedures to allow any member of the organization to throw his or her hat into the ring. And this effectively has granted a megaphone to the dissidents among its ranks, a number of whom are running aggressive campaigns against the organization's current leadership.
* * *
To understand how the Academy ended up in its current position, it's necessary to return to Jan. 14, when the nominations for the most recent Academy Awards were announced.
That morning at the Academy's Beverly Hills headquarters, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the first African-American and third female president in the Academy's history, was joined by Guillermo del Toro, John Krasinski and Ang Lee to announce, on national television, her organization's picks. By the time they left the stage, the room - and social media - was abuzz. For the second year in a row, not a single person of color was among the 20 acting nominees. Additionally, the drama Straight Outta Compton, a film with black protagonists which had made the top 10 lists of the American Film Institute and the Producers Guild of America, and was therefore considered a strong contender for a best picture nom, was recognized only for its original screenplay, written by two white screenwriters; and Creed, the acclaimed new Rocky sequel that starred and was written and directed by black people, was represented only by supporting actor Sylvester Stallone, who four days earlier had forgotten to thank any of them in his Golden Globe acceptance speech.
#OscarsSoWhite, the Twitter hashtag coined in 2015 by black attorney-turned-activist April Reign after the 2015 Oscars "blackout," was back. And it was only a matter of hours before Jada Pinkett Smith, the wife of Will Smith, who had not been nominated for his performance in Concussion, posted a video online suggesting that a boycott of the Oscars - while regrettable in a year in which two blacks, Chris Rock and Reginald Hudlin, were set to host and co-produce the show - was the only way to send a clear message to the Academy that racism by omission would not be tolerated. Spike Lee, who'd been given an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards just two months earlier, but whose film Chi-raq also was shutout, Instagrammed that he would be skipping the ceremony, too. And other prominent blacks in the business, such as 12 Years a Slave Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong'o, issued statements expressing their displeasure.
The optics surrounding the 2016 nominations were terrible. And with ABC facing the untenable prospect of an Oscar boycott, the Academy offered a swift and strong response of its own. On Jan. 18, just four days later, Boone Isaacs - the sole black person on the Academy's then-51-member Board of Governors, and a longtime champion of increased diversity within the Academy - issued a lengthy statement congratulating the films and individuals that were nominated, but also expressing that she was "heartbroken and frustrated about the lack of inclusion," and that "it's time for big changes."
Just four days after that, she sent all Academy members an email - and simultaneously issued a press release - revealing the previous evening the Board unanimously had authorized "a series of courageous steps." Among them: members who had not remained "active" in the business during a 10-year period since being invited to join the Academy - except for those who had been nominated for an Oscar or who had demonstrated activity in three consecutive decades since joining the Academy - would lose their voting privileges beginning in the 2016 awards cycle.
She also announced that three new seats were being added to the Board for "diversity governors," to be appointed by the president and approved by the Board for three-year terms, to advance the interests of diversity within the organization. And she communicated the Academy's vow to double the number of women and non-white-male members of the Academy by 2020, so that women would then comprise 48 percent of the organization and minority groups 14 percent of the total membership.
A few people quickly voiced their support for the new steps. #OscarsSoWhite creator Reign tweeted, "I'm floored... Thank you so much for the support." Warner Bros. chief Kevin Tsujihara said, "The changes being made by AMPAS are a great step toward broadening the diversity and inclusivity of the Academy, and, by extension, the industry." And Ava DuVernay, a black member of the directors branch who somewhat controversially did not receive a directing nomination for Selma the year before. tweeted: "One good step in a long, complicated journey for people of color + women artists. Shame is a helluva motivator."
But simultaneously, a huge backlash was brewing from panicked and outraged rank-and-file members, with calls and emails flying left and right: What does "active" mean when you're, say, a producer who has been working for years on a project that hasn't yet made it to the big screen, or a director who had stepped away from the industry to teach aspiring filmmakers, they wanted to know. Why would the Academy begin counting decades of a qualifying work only when someone joined the Academy, as opposed to when their career began? Why were all members being blamed for the choices of the acting branch, the only one that determined the acting nominees? Wasn't this just a veiled method of ridding the Academy of old people? Why had any changes or public response been made by the Academy's leaders without consulting the members themselves? And didn't the Academy's response lend credence to the notion that prejudice had played a role in the nominations?
"It's trying to clear the decks so the show can go on in February without people screaming," vented Sam Weisman, 68, of the directors branch. 84-year-old Tab Hunter of the actors branch called it "bullshit." And documentary branch member Arnold Schwartzman said, "I just resent being characterized by some people as a racist. We judge films on the merits. There were some great films with white people that didn't get in that I was upset about. Race had nothing to do with any of it."
With Peck's actions nearly a half-century earlier, the Academy did have precedent on its side. But neither Boone Isaacs nor the chair of the Academy's membership and administration committee, Field of Dreams director Phil Alden Robinson, who has spent years pushing for more diversity within the organization, had Peck's gravitas within the community. And unlike Peck, they weren't suggesting that their members were failing to appreciate edgy filmmaking; instead, many members felt, they were implying that some of them were racist.
"Everybody was offended that we were being portrayed as a bunch of racists," reflects longtime music branch member William Goldstein, who began his career working for Berry Gordy at Motown Records. "They were wrong. We're not racists. That's nonsense and they should have said that." The PR branch's Feldman comments, "They just tried to get rid of a lot of altacockers who worked for a long time and earned the distinction. They just handed down these changes as if they were on two tablets and as if they were the final authority. My first thought was I was offended. My second thought was this will never fly and they will end up having to backpedal."
Boone Isaacs and the Academy's CEO Dawn Hudson showed no signs of backing down. They appeared on the cover of the Jan. 27 issue of The Hollywood Reporter, in which they both suggested they were being supported by their members. "They've been pretty positive," Boone Isaacs said in the interview. "Some people I haven't heard from before are saying, 'Bravo, this is a great step forward, we're proud of our Academy, we're proud of our Board.'" Hudson added, "And a lot of the same people who were writing before, like, 'What the heck is going on over there?' They now wrote emails of support and made phone calls of support."
But some other indications suggested the measure was massively unpopular with many members. That same week, THR began inviting guest columns from members who wished to express their view on the measures, favorable or not, and eventually published 15 from members representing a wide cross-section of branches, genders and races. Only four of them supported the Academy's moves.
Some even questioned whether the Academy's goals of doubling the numbers of women and minorities within its ranks in just five years was feasible. The New York Times ran a story in which it said, "To attain gender parity among actors in five years, the Academy could more than triple the number of annual admissions, to 80 [within that branch], while adding three women for every man. Assuming a typical annual attrition rate of about 26 people (largely because of death), the branch membership would be about 51 percent women by 2020, but women would then far outnumber men among the younger members."
The Academy insists, however, that goal is achievable. According to an Academy spokesperson, "We have an unprecedented global outreach campaign in place, and our goal is to recruit candidates that may not know they're eligible or haven't yet considered membership. The branch executives committees are meeting through May to review potential new members. We'll announce our new member class this summer."
Meanwhile, though, it wasn't just the rank-and-file who were complaining. Several industry heavyweights also went on record. Steven Spielberg expressed "surprise" that the Academy had not nominated Straight Outta Compton for best picture or Beasts of No Nation's Idris Elba for best supporting actor - though he rejected the notion that racism was to blame. "I don't believe that there is inherent or dormant racism because of the amount of white Academy members," he said. "I'm also not 100 percent sure that taking votes away from Academy members who have paid their dues and maybe are retired now and have done great service - maybe they've not won a nomination, which would have given them immunity to the new rules, but they have served proudly and this is their industry, too - to strip their votes? I'm not 100 percent behind that." Added Harvey Weinstein, "I believe that Cheryl and Dawn and the people who are currently on the Academy [Board] have their hearts in the right places." But he opposed the revocation of voting privileges from "people who've worked so hard all their lives and prize that Academy card and have reached that zenith and then go on to retirement."
In any event, despite the outcry, an Oscars boycott was averted. A group of presenters of considerable racial diversity handed out the awards. (Morgan Freeman handled best picture honors.) An unprecedented number of non-Americans were among the winners. (No blacks were among them, though.) And Rock "annihilated" the industry for its alleged racism, as Weinstein predicted he would, spending most of his time on stage discussing the controversy.
* * *
But, after the red carpet was rolled up, Academy members' anger did not dissipate. Some discussed a class-action lawsuit for age discrimination. Others vowed to run for the Board themselves on a platform of overturning the controversial moves. And with one-third of the Board's seats up for grabs in June and members well aware that the incumbent Board unanimously had supported those changes, the Academy began to consider a different sort of damage-control.
On the evening of March 15, the Academy released a summary of decisions made that night at the Board's first meeting since the Oscars, many of which pertained to the Academy's response to the #OscarsSoWhite controversy. It looked as if the Academy was tiptoeing away from the most controversial aspects of its earlier actions.
How? Instead of requiring three consecutive decades of activity after becoming a member of the Academy to earn lifetime voting rights, the rule was restated to require activity "anytime during three 10-year periods whether consecutive or not," meaning that members who were invited to join later in life, after most of their career was already behind them, now appeared to be safe, as were members who stepped away from the business - say, to raise a family - and then returned. In other words, significantly fewer members will lose their voting privileges, and few would rally to the defense of those who still would. (Feldman, for instance, says he would have supported the current policy if it had been the one promoted at the outset. "People who, say, were brought in from big ad agencies, ran a studio PR department for a couple of years and then went back to the ad world? They shouldn't be there. And [actress] Dolores Hart, after working for only a few years, left to become a nun, so that to me is a legitimate issue.")
Additionally, the Board gave the final decision about whether or not a member retains voting privileges to each branch's executive committee, which the Board also empowered to "determine specific criteria" to consider when they meet "every two years - starting this spring - to review their members and determine any potential reclassifications. The committees also will adopt an appeals process for members who may lose their voting privileges." Under the new formulation, it appeared only the most egregious cases would result in a revocation of voting privileges.
The Academy also revealed the names of the three diversity governors appointed by the president - Hudlin, Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Gregory Nava - as well as a handful of non-white members who had been added to the six committees that advise the Board (including producers branch member Effie Brown, who is perhaps best known for calling out Matt Damon for being racially insensitive on Project Greenlight).
But if the announcement was intended to calm the waters, it didn't really have that effect, since not everyone could immediately decipher what it actually meant. And, at the same time, a number of members also began questioning how Board of Governors members were chosen. The Academy's long-stranding practice called for each branch's members to elect one-half of a nominating committee that, in turn, prepared a slate of candidates for the Board. Not infrequently, that led to incumbents running against members who were challengers in name only. And none of the candidates ever provided platform statements before elections took place.
Given how politicized all the Board's decisions were becoming, the Academy decided it was time to change that system. In an email to the membership on April 7, Hudson announced that the Board had voted to democratize the process. "Now, you will choose your candidates directly," she said before going on to encourage interested members to throw their hats into the ring. Many did, right away, and several expressed frustration that there was no forum in which they could provide their platform - so THR provided one, and challengers from several different branches used it to vent their anger at the current Academy leadership and declare their intentions to implement change. After a few days, Hudson sent members a follow-up email, instructing them not to publicly criticize fellow members and notifying them that the Academy had set up its own private forum to accommodate platform statements.
Finally, on April 18, in a further attempt to get everything back on track, the Board emailed all members, admitting that it "failed" in its original attempt in January to devise a "one size fits all rule" regarding voting rights, and formally turning over the task of determining members' voting statuses to each branch's executive committee. It stated, "If you have spent a lifetime in motion pictures, you will not lose your vote," and further emphasized, "You will not lose your voting privileges simply because you're retired or haven't been active for a while. There is nothing ageist about this. In fact, these new guidelines advantage those with longer careers over shorter careers."
According to the letter, the Academy's bylaws have not guaranteed lifetime voting rights since the Peck-administered overhaul in 1970 - but the new rules guarantee lifetime voting for those who meet a certain set of standards. To secure lifetime voting rights, a current member still must demonstrate activity in three 10-year terms. But the tally of those terms now begins not when the member was admitted to the Academy, but retroactively, starting whenever that individual completed his or her "first qualifying work" in the business, as determined by the executive committee of that member's branch, which "will come up with their own definitions, based on employment and not screen credit." And now, those terms need not have come consecutively. Since the vast majority of current members joined the business decades ago, most of them, whether or not they are currently active, should receive confirmations of lifetime voting rights in the near future.
New members will be given an automatic right to vote for 10 years - but many will not even need that courtesy, since their term-count also begins retroactively, meaning some will qualify for lifetime voting privileges upon admission.
* * *
But the questioning of the Academy isn't over.
While its latest clarification has reassured many members that they will not be downgraded to second-class status, the Academy is also left with the task of reassuring those who question whether it still remains committed to increasing diversity within its ranks. "What it appears they're saying now is, 'We didn't think those things through,' and I find that hard to believe" says Reign, the #OscarsSoWhite activist. "I thought that some of the incremental decisions that the Academy had announced were smart ones, because if nothing else hopefully they would spur some of the more seasoned members to become more active in the film community again - and hopefully with up-and-coming filmmakers. Instead, what we see is that many members are looking to be grandfathered in, and I think that's unfortunate. I would hope that the timing of these announcements is merely coincidental and has nothing to do with the upcoming Board of Governors elections." She adds, "We'll continue fighting."
The Academy insists it has not backed away from its commitment to diversity as it has revised its rules for voting eligibility. "The initiatives are designed to work independently of each other," the Acadamy spokesperson says. "We have measures in place to help advance diversity within the Academy, including a global drive to recruit new members, adding three diverse governors, and giving members the opportunity to be active in the board's decision-making process." She adds, "The voting measure are indepedent of diversity, and intended to ensure the Academy remains relevant, and our voters reflect the filmmaking professionals who are - or were - the most active in motion pictures."
Feldman, who has declared himself a candidate for the Board, is pleased that the Board has reversed its initial course, but is still far from satisfied. "It's just stupefying that the Board of Governors couldn't have foreseen what the impact of what they did would be and didn't understand why it was the wrong thing to do. You don't achieve inclusion by disenfranchising older members, each of whom has achieved distinction in his or her field and was vetted and voted into the Academy. It was a huge error in judgment on the part of the governors to not stand up for the members who elected them." He adds, "What do we learn from all this? That we can't count on the governors to use good judgment and to represent their members. They are running the Academy as if it's an oligarchy, not on behalf of members but in spite of members. And the incumbents should all be displaced."
The music branch's Goldstein, who is also running for the Board, says he supports efforts to increase diversity, but that they are needed at an industry-wide level, not within the Academy, which can only pick its members and nominees from the options offered by the industry. "For four years the Academy has been actively trying to bring in new members, and I suspect there aren't presently as many people qualified to come in and make up an Academy as diverse as the one they want," he says. "The solution isn't to change our standards of who can and cannot be a member. It has always been and should always be about excellence."
He pauses for a moment before continuing: "But I think something really important has happened. I do not think the Board of Governors will ever do something like this again without consulting with the executive committees, at least, and maybe with all members." He adds, "How could I not be pleased?"
(Adds details on initial order)
April 27 (Reuters) - Pacific Exploration & Production Corp said an Ontario court approved a $500 million debtor-in-possession financing facility for the Canadian company and its units, hours after it filed for creditor protection.
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice also approved a $134 million letter-of-credit facility and second-priority lien over assets under the facility, Pacific Exploration said on Wednesday.
The company said earlier in the day that it had filed for protection from creditors under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, an insolvency law in Canada that allows companies to restructure their finances and stay in business.
Pacific Exploration said it also plans to file for protection under Chapter 15 in the United States.
Chapter 15 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code protects a foreign company from creditors looking to seize its assets in the country.
Pacific Exploration reached a deal last week with creditors, including Catalyst Capital Group Inc, to convert almost all of its debt to equity after it missed an interest payment due in March.
Pacific Exploration, formerly called Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp, has been hurt badly by the prolonged slump in oil prices.
The Toronto Stock Exchange suspended trading of the company's shares last week.
Until then, the stock had lost 65 percent of its value since Dec. 17, when Pacific Exploration said lenders had formed a committee to negotiate the terms of a credit agreement.
(Reporting by Arathy S Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Kirti Pandey)
(Reuters) - Pacific Exploration & Production Corp said an Ontario court approved a $500 million debtor-in-possession financing facility for the Canadian company and its units, hours after it filed for creditor protection. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice also approved a $134 million letter-of-credit facility and second-priority lien over assets under the facility, Pacific Exploration said on Wednesday. The company said earlier in the day that it had filed for protection from creditors under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, an insolvency law in Canada that allows companies to restructure their finances and stay in business. Pacific Exploration said it also plans to file for protection under Chapter 15 in the United States. Chapter 15 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code protects a foreign company from creditors looking to seize its assets in the country. Pacific Exploration reached a deal last week with creditors, including Catalyst Capital Group Inc, to convert almost all of its debt to equity after it missed an interest payment due in March. Pacific Exploration, formerly called Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp, has been hurt badly by the prolonged slump in oil prices. The Toronto Stock Exchange suspended trading of the company's shares last week. Until then, the stock had lost 65 percent of its value since Dec. 17, when Pacific Exploration said lenders had formed a committee to negotiate the terms of a credit agreement. (Reporting by Arathy S Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Kirti Pandey)
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan has done its best to root out militants from the Waziristan region, its foreign secretary said on Wednesday, after Afghanistan called for its neighbor to act against the Taliban and other groups aligned to the militants. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Monday that Taliban leaders were sheltering in the western Pakistani cities of Peshawar and Quetta, and he called on the government in Islamabad to wipe them out. Afghanistan has in the past also called for Pakistan to strike against the Haqqani network, which is blamed for past attacks in Kabul. Afghanistan has long accused Pakistan of actively harboring the Afghan Taliban leadership on its soil, a charge Islamabad denies, saying it only has "limited influence". Ghani made his request after a bomb set off by the Taliban last week killed at least 64 people and wounded hundreds in Kabul, the biggest single attack in the capital since 2011. Responding to questions about Afghanistan's request for Pakistan to deal with the Haqqani militants believed to be in the north Waziristan region, Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said Islamabad had already acted. "Pakistan has already taken all necessary action against all groups operating in north Waziristan and elsewhere," Chaudhry said in New Delhi, after meeting with his Indian counterpart. Pakistan has previously said that the Haqqani network militants, aligned to both al Qaeda and the Taliban, now mostly operate from inside Afghanistan after the Pakistani army launched operations against the group in north Waziristan. The Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, are seeking to topple the Western-backed government in Kabul and reimpose Islamic rule. In recent months the Afghan government has been frustrated by what it sees as Islamabad's refusal to honor a pledge to force Taliban leaders based in Pakistan to join the talks, or face military action. (Reporting by Drazen Jorgic)
Panama City (AFP) - Panama and the United States on Wednesday signed an agreement on sharing of back account information in a step Panama's finance minister hailed as proof of his country's cooperation in fighting tax evasion.
The bilateral agreement comes weeks after the Panama Papers, a series of reports around the world revealing how one Panamanian law firm set up offshore entities to help the world's wealthy stash their assets.
Following the revelations, Panama has come under intense international pressure to open its financial sector to greater transparency or risk being put back on an global "tax haven" blacklist.
While the government has long said it is committed to that goal and has made some reforms in that direction, it has so far not signed up to an international standard on automatic sharing of tax information set by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Wednesday's signing formalized an arrangement on exchanging bank account details already observed between the two countries. The US and Panama also already have a separate agreement in force on sharing tax information.
"Panama continues to advance in the area of financial and fiscal transparency," Panamanian Finance Minister Dulcidio De La Guardia said in a statement after signing the accord with US ambassador John Feeley.
He emphasized that it showed Panama was cooperating in "the fight against tax evasion, money laundering and terrorist financing."
The deal with Panama will allow the United States to monitor accounts in Panama used by US citizens and close tax evasion opportunities.
Sydney (AFP) - Australia's hardline immigration policy was thrown into turmoil Wednesday after Papua New Guinea ordered a processing camp to close, leaving the fate of hundreds of asylum-seekers hanging in the balance.
The move to shutter the Australian-funded Manus island facility follows a Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday that detaining people there was unconstitutional and illegal.
Piling further pressure on Canberra, just weeks out from an expected election campaign, an Iranian refugee set himself on fire during a visit by UN officials to Nauru, the other Pacific nation where Australia sends boatpeople.
Four others on the tiny outpost reportedly attempted suicide by drinking washing powder on Tuesday.
"Respecting this (court) ruling, Papua New Guinea will immediately ask the Australian government to make alternative arrangements for the asylum-seekers currently held at the Regional Processing Centre," Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said of the Manus camp.
Papua New Guinea's former opposition leader Belden Namah had challenged the Manus arrangement in court, claiming it violated the rights of asylum-seekers.
In a 34-page finding on Tuesday, the Supreme Court found that detaining them on the island was "contrary to their constitutional right of personal liberty".
Despite this, Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton remained adamant that none of the 850 or so men held there would come to his country and that the government's policy -- designed to deter others wanting to make the risky journey by boat -- would not change.
"As I have said, and as the Australian government has consistently acted, we will work with our PNG partners to address the issues raised by the Supreme Court of PNG," he said in a statement after O'Neill's decision.
"It is also the case that the government has not resiled from its position that people who have attempted to come illegally by boat to Australia and who are now in the Manus facility will not be settled in Australia.
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"We will continue discussions with the PNG government to resolve these matters."
Canberra currently has an arrangement with Cambodia, along with Papua New Guinea, to resettle those found to be refugees, although only a handful have taken up the option.
Australian media have reported that it is also trying to negotiate deals with Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
- No timeframe -
The court ruled that Australia and Papua New Guinea must "take all steps necessary to cease and prevent" the continued detention of asylum-seekers and transferees on Manus.
O'Neill did not set a timeframe for the closure.
He said he did not anticipate asylum-seekers being kept for so long at the Manus camp, which was reopened in 2012 by Australia after being closed five years earlier when the then Labor government abandoned offshore processing.
Offshore processing, and the use of Manus, was first introduced in 2001 as a deterrent to people-smuggling by Australia's former conservative government of John Howard in a punitive scheme known as the "Pacific Solution".
"For those that have been deemed to be legitimate refugees, we invite them to live in Papua New Guinea only if they want to be a part of our society and make a contribution to our community," O'Neill said.
"It is clear that several of these refugees do not want to settle in Papua New Guinea and that is their decision."
The comments come after an Iranian man set himself on fire on Nauru Wednesday during a routine visit by a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees delegation. Dutton said the man was in a serious condition and would be air-lifted to Australia.
The Refugee Action Coalition, an activist group, said the four others who attempted suicide were treated by medical staff on the island.
Dutton made clear any asylum-seeker looking to come to Australia for medical treatment would not be allowed to stay.
"What we've been very clear about is that if people come to Australia for medical assistance they'll be returning back to Nauru once that medical assistance has been provided," he said.
S -born French national accused of providing logistical support for and taking part in the Nov. 13 terror attacks in Paris was extradited to France, where he has been formally charged.
Paris terror attacks suspect Abdeslam extradited to France http://dlvr.it/L9CL0d pic.twitter.com/oY2ygoYMek https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ChC_0JCUoAAornd.png:large
PARIS (@AP) - Lawyer: Paris suspect Salah Abdeslam charged with terrorist murders and using bombs, weapons
Abdeslam, 26, is believed to be the only survivor of the terror cell linked to the Islamic State group that carried out the operation. He evaded capture for months, including escaping one raid in which a fellow militant was killed by a police sniper. An elite French military unit r early Wednesday and brought him to the Palais de Justice in Paris to prevent any possible attack on the convoy.
French Justice Minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas told reporters will be held in solitary confinement under maximum security conditions and protected by a "dedicated surveillance team of skilled agents, trained for detention of dangerous individuals," according to .
Source: Michel Euler/AP
Source: Michel Euler/AP
Abdeslam also faces charges of attempted murder in Belgium after militants wounded four police officers involved in the manhunt for him.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Lille (France) (AFP) - Salah Abdeslam's last lawyer described him as a "little moron" who brought him nothing but trouble.
Now French lawyer Frank Berton is taking up the baton, by agreeing to take on the daunting task of defending the Paris attacks suspect.
The 53-year-old lawyer based in the northern city of Lille added Abdeslam to his client list after he was extradited on Wednesday from Belgium where he has been held since his capture last month.
Defending the last known surviving member of the terror squad that killed 130 people in Paris in November will be no easy feat, but those who know Berton say this will not put him off.
"He loves challenges (and this is) the biggest challenge of his career," said Jean-Luc Romero, who headed an association supporting Frenchwoman Florence Cassez whom Berton helped free from a Mexican jail after she was convicted of membership of a kidnapping gang.
"He is someone who has a sense of a lawyer's role, and in a democracy you also need lawyers to defend suspected terrorists, even if he knows he will take hits and risks by defending someone who is considered public enemy number one."
Berton takes over from Belgian lawyer Sven Mary, who gave a lengthy interview with the French daily Liberation in which he details how he has been the victim of physical and verbal attacks since taking on the case.
"This case has brought me nothing but troubles," said Mary, explaining how police have had to escort his two young daughters to school on several occasions.
Mary has said he is unsure whether he will continue to defend Abdeslam on the terror charges he faces in Belgium over the Paris attacks.
Just days after Abdeslam's arrest, suicide bombers who have been linked to him carried out attacks in Brussels that left 32 dead.
"There have been moments when I thought of giving up. If I had known about the Brussels attacks, maybe I would never have taken this case," Mary said.
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He described his client as a "little moron from Molenbeek, more a follower than a leader. He has the intelligence of an empty ashtray."
However he believes that as a defendant, Abdeslam is "worth gold" and was willing to cooperate and communicate.
In his first chat with his new client Berton said this too was his impression, with Abdeslam claiming he was "anxious to explain himself."
Whether he will do so remains to be seen.
- Chasing the spotlight -
With his slicked-back hair, cigarette clamped between his lips and grumpy demeanour, Berton cuts a uncompromising figure but he is also "sentimental and a bon vivant", Romero said.
He was admitted to the Lille bar in 1989, after a childhood marred by a violent father, and shot into the public sphere in 1999 when he defended an Islamist involved in the 1995 bombings in Paris.
He took part in other high-profile trials such as the Outreau affair, a paedophile case in which several people were jailed and later acquitted after it emerged the children involved and several witnesses had lied.
Eric Dupond-Moretti, another Lille lawyer who worked with Berton on the Outreau case, said: "A guy who is defended by Frank Berton will be defended well."
In 2015, he defended Dominique Cottrez, in France's worst-ever case of infanticide. She received a prison sentence of only nine years after admitting she killed eight newborns.
In this case Berton was "extremely professional from start to finish," said a magistrate in the court.
Despite Cottrez's surprise confession, and admission that she lied about being raped by her father as a child, Berton "never abandoned her or defended her badly," Dupond-Moretti said.
Some colleagues disparage Berton's love for high-profile cases.
If it is the media spotlight he craves, with Abdeslam he has hit the jackpot.
PARIS (Reuters) - Salah Abdeslam, suspected of playing a major part in the Paris attacks which killed 130 people, will appear before French magistrates on Wednesday with a view to being placed under formal investigation, the French public prosecutor said. The prosecutor will request that he be held in custody, according to a statement. The move comes after Abdeslam was extradited to France from Belgium earlier on Wednesday. The suspect arrived in France at 0705 GMT according to the prosecutor. (Reporting by James Regan; Editing by Andrew Callus)
One of the world's biggest private art collections is to be housed in a new Paris museum within a stone's throw of the Louvre, a French billionaire said Wednesday.
Francois Pinault, the luxury goods mogul who also owns the auction house Christie's, is taking over the Bourse de Commerce in the centre of the French capital to show his 1.4-billion-dollar (1.2-billion-euro) collection of modern masters.
The city's mayor Anne Hidalgo, who negotiated the deal, described the museum as "an immense gift to the heart of Paris".
Pinault, 79, has amassed an enormous trove of work from Mark Rothko to Damien Hirst, which he now shows at his private museums in Venice after failing for decades to find a suitable home for them in Paris.
"I am delighted, it's a big plus for the city," Hidalgo told AFP, pointing out that the new museum is also only a few hundred metres from the Pompidou Centre, Europe's biggest contemporary art collection.
She praised Pinault and his great business rival, France's richest man Bernard Arnault -- who opened his own Frank Gehry-designed Louis Vuitton Foundation for his art collection last year -- for helping put Paris back on the modern art map.
"It is great to have our captains of industry helping to fly our colours. With this and the FIAC art fair, Paris is regaining its place in contemporary art," she added.
- 1-billion-euro facelift -
The historic Parisian grain exchange which Pinault is taking over is part of a one-billion-euro urban renewal project to give what Hidalgo calls a "new beating heart" to the city's Les Halles district.
Paris's magnificent 19th-century central market was bulldozed in the 1970s to make way for an airless underground shopping complex and transport hub which most of its residents loathe.
But a vast new steel-and-glass canopy unveiled this month by Hidalgo to put a lid on the problem has also been derided, branded a "custard-coloured flop" by the British daily The Guardian.
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Under terms of the deal, Pinault and his family will be given a 50-year lease on the building, which they must also renovate.
It was not revealed how much the work would cost or how much rent he will pay.
In 2001, Pinault handed the reins of his empire -- which includes the Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Puma and Balenciaga brands -- to his son Francois-Henri, who is married to the Mexican Hollywood star Salma Hayek.
Since then the man once described as "the most powerful in the art world", has mostly dedicated himself to his art collection, installing it in the Palazzo Grassi in Venice and two other historic buildings there.
They will now work in tandem with the new Paris gallery, which will open in 2018, sources close to the collector told AFP.
Pinault had tried for years to build a museum on the site of an old Renault car factory on the Ile Seguin in the middle of the Seine west of Paris, but gave up in despair in 2005 over planning delays.
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Washington (AFP) - Pentagon chief Ash Carter is traveling to Germany next week to meet with defense ministers from the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, an official said Wednesday.
Carter will spend about two days in Stuttgart, where the US European Command is headquartered, a defense official said.
The defense secretary will meet with partners to discuss progress in the 20-month-old fight against IS jihadists, who still control large bands of territory.
The United States has since 2014 led an anti-IS coalition with dozens of members.
Earlier Wednesday, Carter said in public testimony he would be visiting Brussels, but the defense official said he had misspoken.
On Thursday, the vast majority of Oklahoma's state senate overwhelmingly voted in favor of a bill banning abortion. Under the proposed law, any doctor who performed an abortion would lose their license and be c .
Read more: Texas Abortion Laws Prevented This Woman From Aborting Her Dying Fetus
"Oklahoma's latest bill removes any pretense behind recent abortion restrictions in Indiana, Utah, Arizona and across the country," Dawn Laguens, executive vice president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in an emailed statement. "These laws are part of a broader agenda to ban abortion, plain and simple."
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin
According to the New York Times, the bill, S, is n which case it will go to Gov. Mary Fallin, whose track record on reproductive rights puts the bill's passage within the realm of possibility.
While the bill does allow for pregnancy termination if the mother's life is at risk, criminalizing abortion is unconstitutional under Roe v. Wade.
Anti-abortion activists outside the Oklahoma state capitol in March
Despite the fact that the Supreme Court recently blocked Louisiana's effort to force the closure of its abortion clinics, other such laws continue to pop up across the country. This year has already seen 411 abortion-restrictive measures proposed in state legislatures; 21 of those laws have been implemented.
"We've seen what this means for women forced to drive hundreds of miles or cross state lines for an abortion," Laguens said. "This cannot be the future our daughters inherit, which is why people across the country are speaking out."
Blackbridge Capital has agreed to invest up to one million dollars in the company, pending SEC qualification of a regulation a filing
RENO, NV / ACCESSWIRE / April 27, 2016 / Pershing Resources Company, Inc. (the "Company") (OTC PINK: PSGR) announced today that it has entered into a securities purchase agreement with Blackbridge Capital, LLC ("Blackbridge"). Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, Blackbridge has agreed to invest up to $1,000,000 in exchange for up to 9.9% of the Company's outstanding common stock. The stock sale is subject to the Company filing of a Form 1-A Regulation A Offering Statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), the qualification thereof by the SEC and the satisfaction of customary conditions of issuance and sale including the final pricing of the stock. The purchase price will be based on the lowest trading price of the Company's common stock as reported on the OTC Bulletin Board, or other applicable market, during the ten (10) trading days immediately preceding the date the Company's Form 1-A Offering Statement is qualified by the SEC.
The Company intends to use the proceeds of the funding to accelerate work on its projects in Kingman, Arizona and Lovelock, Nevada, and, to expand its development facility near Kingman. A significant portion of the funds will be used for construction and equipment to develop a small production mill on the Kingman development site with a proposed processing capacity of up to 20 tons per day.
Steve Plumb, CEO of Pershing Resources, stated, "We are very pleased that Blackbridge has recognized our development work and has become one of our funding partners. Once completed, we believe this transaction will help us move forward on all aspects of our overall business development plan. Blackbridge has shown confidence in the Company's capabilities and our vision by their proposed investment and we are looking forward to working closely with them as we progress through the SEC review process."
Alexander Dillon, CIO of Blackbridge Capital added, "We looked at Pershing Resources and saw an interesting opportunity in the micro-cap/small-cap space for mining. Further investigation revealed a fit for our investment criteria and our portfolio profile. With precious metals prices having seen their lows in January of this year, we saw the Company was positioned well to benefit from an upturn in the commodity markets. Management has demonstrated a steady hand and prudent decision making through very difficult market conditions and the time is right for a risk on position. We are looking forward to working with the Company as it moves through the regulatory approval process."
To receive information on the Company, sign up for the Company's email news alerts at: http://ir.pershingpm.com/
Forward Looking Statements
The information contained in this press release as well as the information on the Company's website is provided solely for the reader's general knowledge. Such information is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all matters pertaining to the Company. Certain statements included herein and on the Company's website, constitute "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current knowledge, assumptions, judgment and expectations regarding future performance or events. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such statements are reasonable, these forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of, assumptions made by, and information currently available to the Company's management. When used in this press release and on the Company's website, the words "estimate," "project," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "expect," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance and/or achievements of the Company or of the gold mining industry in general to be materially different from future results, performance and/or achievements expressed or implied by those forward looking statements. 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. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include uncertainties related to fluctuations in gold and other commodity prices, uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology of the Company's properties, uncertainty of estimates of capital and operating costs, the need for cooperation of government agencies in the development of the Company's mineral projects, the need to obtain additional financing to develop the Company's mineral projects, the possibility of delay in development programs or in construction projects, and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones for the Company's mineral projects.
All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary notice. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. The Company has no obligation, and expressly disclaims any obligation, to update, revise or correct any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
About Pershing Resources Company
The Company is a development stage precious metals producer, focused on precious metal ores and mining projects located primarily in Nevada and Arizona. The Company is based in Reno, Nevada and, has established a pilot mill and development facility near Kingman, Arizona.
Our strategy is built on three basic components. First, the acquisition of U.S. domestic properties near mines with historical precious metals production. Second, the development of high tonnage projects on commercially viable grades of precious metals with proximity to historical occurrences. Third, the application of leading edge technologies to develop highly efficient and environmentally favorable extraction and recovery processes. This three-tier strategy supports our short and long-term goals of obtaining profitability and growing shareholder value through expansion. Supplemental to our overall strategy, we are focused on five key attributes. Those being; the pursuit of quality growth, maintaining low cash costs, prudent financing and fiduciary practices, establishing and building a strong balance sheet and conducting business in a responsible manner.
The Company's current assets are comprised of three properties with projects currently in development. The largest being the Marco Project which is a 1,100 acre site near Lovelock, Nevada. The Marco Claims were acquired in 2004. Two additional projects were acquired in 2015. The New Enterprise Project totals 160 acres near Kingman, Arizona and the Gold Lake Project, which is currently a forty acre site, also near Kingman, Arizona.
All of the properties have been previously mined and more recently re-assayed and explored for new target areas. The Company is presently in various stages of exploration, planning and pre-production on each of these properties. We continue looking to add to our portfolio of mining properties as well. As opportunities arise, the Company will seek to strengthen its balance sheet through acquisition. We continue to review and consider new mining projects in the western United States. The Company is committed to responsible mining practices and, we believe we are well positioned to deliver sustained growth and performance for years to come.
About Blackbridge Capital
Blackbridge Capital, LLC is an alternative investment fund focused on high growth investments in small to mid-cap companies. Headquartered in New York, Blackbridge was founded with a vision to forge long lasting relationships based on understanding what their portfolio companies need to accelerate growth and how capital can propel them. To identify the very best ideas for each of our investment strategies, we rely on the insights and innovation of our people. Our investment team consists of both young and seasoned professionals, delivering the highest grade of disciplined research and deal specific knowledge. Transparency and distinction are valued above all else. Our investment approach is driven by a combination of rigorous fundamental research and forward-thinking technical analysis.
We take a unique approach in understanding small, growth companies and their unique catalysts, which allows us to capture the majority of the upside, while significantly limiting any downside risk. Blackbridge is committed to the time honored tradition of portfolio strength, long term partnerships, and sustainable growth. Blackbridge's unique investments are a product of its unique philosophy.
Transparency and distinction are valued above all else. Our investment approach is driven by a combination of rigorous fundamental research and forward-thinking technical analysis. For more information, please refer to: http://www.bbridgecapital.com/
Contact:
Corporate Office
Pershing Resources Company
200 South Virginia Street, 8th Floor
Reno, NV 89501
Phone: 775-398-3124
Email: info@pershingpm.com
SOURCE: Pershing Resources Company, Inc.
After making his debut at the Colleagues' annual luncheon last year, Oscar de la Renta creative director Peter Copping returned for the charity event at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Tuesday morning.
"It's a very important charity here in Los Angeles - it was something that Oscar and the house cared about very much, and it's nice to keep that tradition alive," Copping told Pret-a-Reporter of his continuous support for the afternoon affair, which is held annually in support of the Children's Institute, Inc.'s work towards helping kids in L.A. heal from community violence.
Copping was joined by Emmy-nominated actress and LightWorkers Media president Roma Downey, who was honored with the Colleagues Champion of Children Award this year.
HOST AND HONOREE: Kate Flannery, left, and Roma Downey (Photo: Getty Images)
Downey expressed being "humbled to be able to follow in the footsteps of such amazing honorees from the past." Previous recipients of the award include Sherry Lansing, Maria Shriver, Anjelica Huston and husband Robert Graham and former first ladies Laura Bush, Betty Ford and Nancy Reagan.
The Colleagues president Barbera Thornhill paid tribute to the late Reagan, who passed away in March, noting that the former first lady had been involved with the Colleagues since 1962 and "helped make our organization what we are today. She attended the luncheon every year. We honor her today and we miss her terribly."
During Tuesday's luncheon, hosted by The Office alum Kate Flannery, guests were treated to a fashion show that showcased Copping's Oscar de la Renta fall 2016 collection.
Though Copping says he enjoys visiting L.A., his latest jaunt to the West Coast is a short one. "I leave this evening, so it's a very quick trip, which is a shame because I love Los Angeles," said the designer, who was welcomed with open arms by the society ladies attending the fancy occasion. "Unfortunately, I couldn't work it out this time."
Understandably so, considering the Met Gala is set to take place next Monday. When asked what we can expect on May 2, the designer remained tight-lipped other than, "No, I don't want to tempt fate." Guess we'll just have to wait and see.
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Vivint, a smart home company based out of Provo, Utah, has raised $100 million in its first round of venture-capital funding.
That's a big number for any company, let alone one you may not have heard of.
Even more interesting, that investment was led by the famed investor and PayPal cofounder Peter Thiel alongside Solamere Capital, a venture firm cofounded by Mitt and Tagg Romney.
It's Thiel's only known investment in the smart home industry. In fact, Vivint's whole existence is out of the ordinary for these kinds of massive venture deals.
Vivint doesn't really sell gadgets the way companies such as Alphabet's Nest and Amazon do. In fact, beyond the smart home components it makes in-house, Vivint will sell you an Amazon Echo or a Nest Learning Thermostat, if you really want one.
Instead, Vivint sees itself more as a service than a product. Pay for a monthly service plan, which starts at about $54 a month, and the company's team of experts will install your smarter lights, thermostats, door locks, and whatever else and show you how to control all of it from its signature Vivint Sky smartphone app.
If anything breaks, Vivint has a dedicated 24-hour customer-service line to help you fix it. If it can't be fixed remotely, the company will send help. And its engineers are always integrating more products into the app.
Having experts handle the whole shebang is a welcome idea, given the weird, frustrating, and confusing state of the smart home market in which just getting started can be a huge headache.
"We don't sell a piece of hardware and walk away," Vivint CEO and founder Todd Pedersen says.
amazon echo nest vivint glance display
Vivint's business model has a lot of overhead, Pedersen says. Customers on average have $1,200 of product placed in their home covered by the company's service plan, and that's beyond the cost of getting everything installed. Pedersen says that if a customer ditches Vivint, it can take the company 3 1/2 years to recoup that cost.
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But customers like Vivint's service so much, Pedersen says, that among its million customers, the average length of an account with the company is nine years. More important, Vivint says that it posted $650 million in revenue in 2015, with $387 million in EBITDA, a measure of profitability.
Outside the echo chamber
Vivint's novel approach comes from outside what Vivint president Alex Dunn calls "the Silicon Valley echo chamber."
The company was founded in 1999 as APX Alarm Security Solutions, your stock-standard house alarm system dealer. Over time, its ambitions got grander: In 2006 it started doing the home-alarm monitoring itself so it could own more customer relationships after the installation phase.
Peter Thiel
By 2011 the company saw the smart home trend coming and went to its alarm-system suppliers to ask whether they were working on anything that could help it make that transition. But the suppliers thought it was a fad, and they weren't shy about telling Vivint as much.
"We were truthfully laughed at," Pedersen remembers.
Undeterred, Pedersen says, Vivint still believed in the smart home and decided it would pursue it. APX Alarm became Vivint Smart Home in 2011, with a $565 million loan from Goldman Sachs to bring its vision to fruition.
A system, not a product
In 2011, Pedersen says, Vivint's business was still 95% tied to home alarms. That has since shifted to 87% in smart homes.
Vivint's vision hinges on selling an experience, not a single product, Pedersen says. People don't want a gadget, and they certainly don't want to have to navigate the ever-changing world of smart home standardization.
They just want technology that can help them save time and energy and maybe impress their friends. And so Vivint focuses on making sure customers have a good experience, hiding how the sausage is made. Pedersen likens it to how the Apple II was the first PC that took what had been something that was very much for hobbyists and made it accessible to normal people.
nest thermostat
"I'm not buying a computer anymore I'm buying a system," Pedersen says of the Apple II.
It's this integrated approach that appealed to Thiel, Pedersen says. It means Vivint can go to any customer, anywhere, and deploy teams that know exactly how to give a home a little more intelligence under the hood. It cuts down on complexity and makes it consumable to everyone, while also opening the door for customers to upgrade their plans later.
That is why Vivint wanted to take the money in the first place, despite its disconnect from the world of Silicon Valley and its profitability, Pedersen says. They already do business all across the US, Canada, and New Zealand. Now they want to do more, in more places, all over the world.
"For us, this is much, much more strategic," Pedersen says.
NOW WATCH: Billionaire entrepreneur Peter Thiel explains precisely how Mark Zuckerberg changed the world
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New York (AFP) - US authorities said Wednesday that drug giant Pfizer had agreed to pay nearly $785 million to settle allegations that one of its units overcharged the government for anti-acid drugs.
Wyeth, the unit, was accused of knowingly reporting to the government false and fraudulent prices for two forms of Protonix, a drug notably used to treat symptoms of acid reflux, from 2001 at 2006, before it was acquired by Pfizer in 2009, the Justice Department said.
Wyeth failed to report deep discounts on the two drugs it made available to thousands of hospitals nationwide, and as a result wrongfully avoided paying "hundreds of millions of dollars" in rebates to Medicaid, the government health insurance provider for the poor and people with disabilities, the department said .
"As part of the settlement, Wyeth and Pfizer do not deny the government's allegations," it said.
Under the Medicaid program, drug companies must report to the government the best prices they offer other customers for their brand-name drugs.
Based on those prices, the drug companies pay rebates to the state Medicaid programs so that Medicaid receives the same discounts drug companies offer to other large customers.
Under the terms of the settlement, Wyeth will pay $413.2 million to the federal government and $371.4 million to state Medicaid programs.
Pfizer had disclosed the pending $784.6 million settlement in February and booked a charge for it in the fourth quarter of 2015.
"We are pleased to have finalized the agreement to resolve these cases, which involve historic conduct that occurred at least 10 years ago, before we acquired Wyeth," said Doug Lankler, Pfizer's general counsel, in an emailed statement.
"The resolution of these claims reflects our desire to put these historic cases behind us and to focus on the needs of patients."
Philippine presidential favourite Rodrigo Duterte joked Wednesday about his penis and vowed to pardon himself for mass murder, as he took his profanity-laced campaign to the nation's business elite.
Duterte also hit out again at key Philippine allies the United States and Australia, after warning last week he would be prepared to sever diplomatic ties because their ambassadors spoke out against a joke he made about raping a missionary who was later murdered.
Duterte has shocked the political establishment in recent weeks -- surging to a clear lead in opinion surveys before the May 9 presidential election with a campaign stump speech full of swear words and promises to end crime by killing tens of thousands of criminals.
In an address to the nation's premier group of business figures on Wednesday, Duterte defended his history of womanising with typical straight-talking and crassness.
"I was separated from my wife. I'm not impotent. What am I supposed to do? Let this hang forever," Duterte said, referring to his penis, as people in the crowd laughed.
"When I take Viagra, it stands up."
Duterte, 71, had earlier on the campaign trail said he had two mistresses but reassured taxpayers they would not cost much, because he kept them at cheap boarding houses and took them to short-time hotels for sex.
Duterte has also boasted about running vigilante death squads during his many years as mayor of Davao, the biggest city in the southern Philippines.
He once said the death squads had killed 1,700 people. However he has at other times denied any links to the vigilante groups, which have attracted fierce criticism from human rights groups and the United Nations.
- Mass murder pardons -
A key part of Duterte's campaign has been a pledge to eradicate crime nationwide in the first six months of his presidency by ordering security forces to kill criminals.
In his speech to the Makati Business Club, Duterte again promised that his presidency "will be a bloody one".
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He promised to pardon soldiers or police officers if they were charged with rights abuses.
"I will issue 1,000 pardons a day," Duterte said.
Duterte said the constitution also allowed the president to pardon himself for crimes, and he would do so at the end of his term.
"Pardon given to Rodrigo Duterte for the crime of multiple murder, signed Rodrigo Duterte," he said, as people in the crowed laughed.
Surveys have shown Duterte is particularly popular among the nation's wealthy and middle class, who fear rising crime.
Duterte last week joked that he had wanted to rape a "beautiful" Australian missionary, who was sexually assaulted and murdered by inmates in a 1989 prison riot in Davao.
"I was mad she (the missionary) was raped but she was so beautiful. I thought, the mayor should have been first," he said at a rally.
The Australian and US ambassadors criticised his comments, prompting Duterte to tell them to "shut their mouths" and caution that diplomatic ties were at risk if he became president.
On Wednesday he criticised the United States and Australia for failing to do more as China expanded its presence in areas of the South China Sea that are also claimed by the Philippines.
"Why the hell didn't Australia, the Americans or even Japan stop it?" Duterte said.
In the Philippines presidents can serve only a single six-year term.
Duterte has tapped into strong sentiments among many Filipinos who are frustrated with the slow pace of reforms under current President Benigno Aquino, according to analysts.
They say many voters are being lured by his hard-man image and promises of quick fixes to deep-rooted problems such as crime and corruption.
Piaggio MP3 500 ABS Road Test Spring Fling with a Big, Quirky Italian
There's no getting around it. The Piaggio MP3 500 scooter is weird, but is it any good? Three-wheeled vehicles are a rare breed that are further divided into motorcycles with sidecars, three-wheeled cars (which you sit down in like the Slingshot), trikes (with two wheels in back like the Harley TriGlide), and reverse trikes (with two front wheels like the Can Am Spyder). Piaggio has come up with what may just be the first mass marketed leaning reverse trike, which steers like a motorcycle, but features increased stability and grip from three wheels.
IMGP1434
I can try to explain how it works, but it is not an easy thing to visualize. The front wheels are on single-sided leading link arms, but are also connected together so as to stay parallel to each other, with a teeter totter sort of pivot somewhere behind the headlights. When you lean, you're pivoting there, and not actually around the scooter sized 13" wheels it's as stable as a larger wheeled, longer wheelbase motorcycle. You can ask how and why, and you can try to wrap your brain around what it does...or you can just take it for a ride. Which is what I did, and almost immediately crashed it into a Ducati that was parked nearby.
IMGP1365
Operation
If you're familiar with riding a motorcycle, there are a few things you need to relearn with the MP3. There is no clutch, and it has the typical scooter twist and go CVT transmission with automatic clutch. There is no kickstand (though there is a center stand), instead there is a switch that locks out the leaning ability, freezing it at the angle it currently sits. There is also a parking brake, which is manual and mechanical. And, lastly, the thing that looks like a clutch lever is the rear brake lever. Once you're familiar with all the new controls, riding it is just like a motorcycle, almost. Lock out the lean for parking and it automatically unlocks when you hit a certain speed. But then, it doesn't obey typical motorcycle steering inputs, until suddenly it does. The owner of that Ducati was not amused when I twisted the throttle and headed right for his bike. Thankfully, I was able to lean it away at the last second.
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IMGP1359
The quirks of this three-wheeled scoot bit me again later when parking. I neglected to lock the front end (or set the brake) and climbed off, only to have the scooter roll and fall over in the driveway. It seems to me that turning off the key ought to lock the leaning function automatically, but it doesn't and neither does setting the parking brake. Piaggio does try to warn you though, with numerous blinking and flashing lights, not to mention beeps and alarms. The dashboard often looks like the bridge of the Enterprise.
READ MORE: Guy Sees Pretty Girl, Wrecks Scooter | RideApart
IMGP1364
The Ride
So how does it ride? Pretty nice actually. The fuel injected 493cc single and CVT transmission deliver plenty of seamless power for freeway commuting, while returning more than 55 mpg. Once you stop thinking and learn to love the trike, it can be ridden exactly like a normal scooter, only without the tiny wheel darty instability you sometimes get at speed or on rough roads. It seems to take more effort to bend it into corners and more effort to right it or transition to an opposite lean than you would expect. But then, at over 500 lbs, it actually weighs a lot more than you would expect. I can report that I don't think I have ever ridden a bike or scooter more stable in the 40+ mph wind gusts we've been getting the past few weeks. So I guess that means the whole three-wheel idea works.
IMGP1361
Storage
One of the greatest things about scooters is the commodious underseat storage, which this mega scooter certainly has. There is so much room that Piaggio's legal department felt the need to put a warning sticker inside that reads "No Pets." They also put a light inside so you can see to unpack, plus a 12 volt power plug and a gas charged cylinder to help raise the seat and hold it in place. You can fit a full face helmet inside, and probably two of the more commonly worn scooter type helmets. I doubt it's recommended, but I suspect you could fill it with ice and still have room for 12 cans of San Pellegrino soda. With it's shopping bag hook up front, luggage rack on the back, and underseat storage, I suspect it has a beer capacity approaching 36.
IMGP1363
Sizing
I'm personally too big for this scooter. My giant head sticking up over the windscreen, and my legs feel a bit cramped in the feet forward riding position. If you're 5'10" or less, you should be plenty comfy. And if you're so short your legs don't reach the ground, you can lock the lean upright when coming to a stop and never worry about balancing it in that position. The seat is wide and well padded, and the windshield will let you cruise at 80 mph without getting bugs in your teeth.
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Overall, the MP3 500 is narrow enough to easily split the lanes of traffic on the freeway, and fast enough that you don't feel like you're going to get run down. If you do split lanes, and your local area uses reflective dots between the lanes, you're going to hit them with at least one wheel. It's unavoidable. The three-wheel (Brembo?) ABS disc brakes are actually too good, a claimed 20 percent shorter stopping distance than two-wheeled scooters. Stoppies are possible with the ABS turned off; I've seen the pictures, but you have a lot less to brace yourself against than on a bike, or in a car.
READ MORE: 10 Bikes That Are Actually Comfortable | RideApart
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Verdict
Overall, I enjoyed cruising, shopping, and commuting on the MP3 500, but I think I'm just a little too big for it. It was nice not having to plan ahead how you are going to get your groceries home, or take the car just because you have errands to run. People say that scooter riders ride in a bubble, where they think they are somehow safer than motorcycle riders, and I was totally feeling that with the MP3. But I would rather be leaned forward, aggressively avoiding trouble on a bike, than sitting back on a scooter and riding like I'd drive a car.
Speaking of big weird Italians, I asked my friend Lido for his opinion over a couple of gelatos, and you can look forward to that next week. I'm sure it will be colorful.
READ MORE: 6 Clothing Options To Ban From Your Bike...Immediately | RideApart
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Does it commute? Yes. It has room for your briefcase, lunch, and gym bag under the seat.
Piaggio MP3 500 by the Numbers
MSRP: $8999
Power: 40.1 hp
Torque: 33.6 lb-ft at 5,000 rpm
Top Speed: 89 mph
Fuel mileage: 55 mpg
Fuel capacity: 3.2 gallons
Seat height: 30.9 inches
Wheelbase: 61 inches
Length: 85 inches
Width: 30.5 inches
Weight: 577 lbs
Learn more about Bryan and the rest of RideApart's excellent staff here: The RideApart Team
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Kuala Lumpur (AFP) - Pirate attacks on the high seas continue to fall but a global watchdog warned Wednesday of "unacceptable violence" by seaborne bandits off West Africa.
The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said in its quarterly report that it recorded 37 incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea worldwide in the first three months of 2016, down from 54 in the same period last year.
World piracy has been on the decline since 2012 after international naval patrols were launched off East Africa in response to a spate of violent attacks by mostly Somali-based pirates.
But the focus of concern has shifted to the waters off oil-rich Nigeria, it said.
Between January and March 10 attacks were reported off the country's coast -- typically involving armed pirates stealing cargoes of fuel oil -- and 44 ship crew members were abducted.
"Reports in the last quarter indicate unacceptable violence against ships and crews in the Gulf of Guinea, particularly around Nigeria," said Pottengal Mukundan, director of the London-based IMB.
Incidents in Southeast Asia dropped sharply following a spike in attacks against mostly small fuel tankers last year, with the IMB crediting enforcement action by Malaysian and Indonesian authorities.
Just six incidents were reported in the region in the first quarter compared to 30 in the same period last year.
However, the IMB's Kuala-Lumpur-based Piracy Reporting Centre issued an alert advising ships to exercise extreme caution in waters between the southern Philippines and eastern Malaysia following a trio of recent attacks by heavily armed men who took several crew hostage.
Authorities have yet to say who is suspected, but Philippine-based Islamic extremists have for years periodically taken hostages from nearby Malaysian shores.
Eighteen Indonesian and Malaysian sailors abducted over the past month are believed held by the Abu Sayyaf group in the southern Philippines.
The detention center on Manus Island will close, and Australia must find somewhere else to hold the 850 migrants and asylum-seekers detained there, Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Peter ONeill said Wednesday.
The move comes a day after the countrys supreme court ruled the detention center violated the migrants personal liberties.
In statement, ONeill said:
Respecting this ruling, Papua New Guinea will immediately ask the Australian government to make alternative arrangements for the asylum seekers currently held at the regional processing centre. As I stated recently at the at the Australian Press Club, we did not anticipate the asylum seekers to be kept as long as they have at the Manus centre.
Australia began resettling asylum-seekers and migrants outside the country 15 years ago, and since then it has paid other nations in the Pacific to process and hold migrants offshore. The Australian policy is hugely controversial, partly because migrants floating to Australia are often stopped by naval boats, then escorted to detention centers where they can be held for an unspecified time. Papua New Guineas Supreme Court decision Tuesday said holding migrants in the center was illegal, and amounted to a breach of the asylum seekers or transferees constitutional and human rights.
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But Peter Dutton, the Australian immigration minister, said the refugees would not be taken in by Australia.
As I have said, and as the Australian Government has consistently acted, we will work with our PNG partners to address the issues raised by the Supreme Court of PNG, Dutton said. It is also the case that the Government has not resiled from its position that people who have attempted to come illegally by boat to Australia and who are now in the Manus facility will not be settled in Australia.
Read more from The Atlantic:
This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
By Dan Whitcomb
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A woman found stabbed to death in 1969 and considered a possible victim of followers of Charles Manson has been identified after nearly 50 years, prompting detectives to question the imprisoned mass murderer about her death, Los Angeles police said on Wednesday.
The woman, previously known only as Jane Doe #59, was identified through DNA testing as 19-year-old Reet Jurvetson, who lost contact with her family after traveling to California from Canada in 1969, the Los Angeles Police Department said.
"Finally, after all these years, we are faced with hard facts. My little sister was savagely killed. It was not what I wanted to hear," the slain woman's sister, Anne Jurvetson, said in a statement posted on a memorial website.
Anne Jurvetson wrote that her parents never reported her sister missing, not realizing she had been the victim of a crime.
The body of Jurvetson, who was born in Sweden and grew up in Montreal, was found in the Hollywood Hills brush. She had been stabbed 150 times in the upper body.
An initial breakthrough in the case came when a family friend looking through a database of missing and deceased victims recognized her.
"Due to the location and the time period where Reet Jurvetson was found, and the violent manner of her death, investigators wanted to rule out any possible connection to the notorious 'Manson Murders' that occurred during the summer of 1969," the LAPD said.
Investigators questioned Manson, now 81, in prison about Jurvetson's death but learned nothing useful "and the investigation remains open and ongoing," the police department said.
The LAPD asked the public to help in identifying a friend of Jurvetson known as John, or Jean.
In the summer of 1969 Manson directed his mostly young, female followers to murder seven people. Among the victims was actress Sharon Tate, the pregnant wife of filmmaker Roman Polanski, who was stabbed 16 times by members of the cult in the early morning hours of Aug. 9, 1969.
(Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Toni Reinhold and Tom Brown)
Olenivka (Ukraine) (AFP) - Four civilians including a pregnant woman were killed and eight others wounded early Wednesday when their cars came under mortar fire in war-torn eastern Ukraine, rebel officials said.
The shelling attack occurred in the rebel-controlled village of Olenivka just 300 metres (1,000 feet) from a demarcation line separating pro-Russian rebels and government forces.
The body of a pregnant woman could be seen in the back seat of one of the damaged cars, her mobile phone ringing constantly, an AFP correspondent at the scene said.
Another victim could be seen in the front seat of another car, while the remains of two other people lay in the road surrounded by shell fragments and water-filled craters.
"According to preliminary information, another eight people were injured," rebel commander Eduard Basurin told AFP, blaming a mortar attack.
The Ukrainian military denied any involvement and blamed the rebels for the attack.
"We're not involved in this tragedy", military spokesman Anton Myronovych told AFP by telephone.
"We are considering two options: either the insurgents themselves fired at these cars, or they detonated (an explosive) device that was put there in advance".
The attack was the latest in a fresh upsurge of violence in eastern Ukraine, which has killed at least six Ukrainian soldiers over the past week -- the heaviest toll in nearly two months.
Around 9,200 people have died and more than 21,000 have been injured since the revolt against Ukraine's pro-Western leadership erupted two years ago in the predominantly Russian-speaking industrial region.
A series of truce agreements have helped reduce the violence, although sporadic clashes persist and prevent the two sides from reaching a political reconciliation deal.
claire mccaskill
A US Senate hearing on Valeant Pharmaceuticals is underway, and just based on the prepared statements we've reviewed, we can tell it's going to be a roller coaster.
Valeant CEO Michael Pearson, former interim CEO Howard Schiller and hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman are all set to testify about the company's drug-pricing practices in front of the US Senate Special Committee for Aging. The Senate has been investigating the company for jacking up drug prices since December.
Their prepared statements, along with that of ranking member Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri), are all out.
Mostly, they're cringeworthy.
McCaskill is about to let these guys have it. Here's a snippet of her testimony (emphasis added):
This hearing is not to demonize capitalists or destroy free markets. These hearings are really grappling with the biggest threat to our country...our debt. Which is being driven by healthcare costs. The notion that we can sit idly by while smart people on Wall Street can do ledger entries to create another layer of profit in the healthcare sector to benefit multimillionaires on the backs of patients and ultimately taxpayers can't continue to happen. A patients as hostages mentality of identifying companies that can be acquired simply by where you can get away with raising prices by the largest percentage has real public policy ramifications. And make no mistake, you can try to dress up this business model with do good sounding phrases but it is simple...give the companies that develop a drug that has little to no competition a healthy profit, fire the scientists, and jack up the prices as high as you think you can get away with. It's using patients as hostages. It's immoral. It hurts real people. It makes Americans very, very angry. In case you haven't noticed, that has real ramifications in our political process and could lead to an instability of our government, our economy, and our standing in the world. Pigs get fed, hogs get slaughtered. It's time to slaughter some hogs. I thank the witnesses for being here today, and I look forward to hearing their testimony.
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That's what Ackman, who is one of Valeant's biggest investors, is walking into. And he's about to say the following which seems like a mistake, but OK:
We believe that a drug company can do as much or more for innovation in pharma by acquiring other drug companies and licensing drugs than by developing drugs internally. Much of Valeant's product portfolio has been built through acquisition where Valeant was the high bidder for smaller innovative companies and their products. As a result of these acquisitions, the selling company shareholders earned an attractive and in some cases spectacular return on their investment from the nearly $40 billion that Valeant has invested in acquisitions. We expect that a high percentage of the after-tax capital received by these selling shareholders is likely to have already been reinvested in other early-stage and innovative drug companies so the cycle of drug development can continue.
Pearson's statement sounds more contrite. He admits that the "company was too aggressive and I, as its leader, was too aggressive in pursuing price increases on certain drugs." He calls his strategy a mistake, but still makes the mistake of justifying price increases for drugs for a rare condition called Wilson's disease by saying that very few people need the drugs and that they have Valeant-sponsored patient-assistance programs to help them.
That will be awkward.
Partly because McCaskill mentions the patient-assistance programs in her statement, and quite unfavorably someone has to pay those costs, even if it's not the patient and partly because a Wilson-disease patient will testify during the first half of the hearing.
Schiller kept his short. He was in the hot seat in January so he didn't have much to say and possibly knows better than to say too much.
Valeant's stock price started cratering in October, when government outrage over its pricing practices combined with accusations of malfeasance from a short seller turned Wall Street against a company it once embraced with a fervor. Since then, the stock has fallen almost 70%.
And speaking of Wall Street, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) sits on the Aging Committee, so she'll be asking questions, and we know how much she loves Wall Street.
NOW WATCH: Watch Hillary Clinton threaten to 'go after' one of the most controversial drug companies in America
More From Business Insider
Like Amy Winehouse, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley before him, Prince was an enormously talented musician who died way too young. And they all have one other thing in common: They left no will.
Prince joins the rank of celebrities who departed this world without directions on how to divide up his possessions, according to court documents filed this week by his sister. That leaves in question how his reportedly $300 million fortune will be divvied up among his family.
It is unfortunate that his estate will be administered without his direction, says Patricia Kane, a certified financial planner in East Hartland, Connecticut. Think of all the people who may have benefitted from charitable gifts and instead a large amount of taxes will likely be paid.
The artist, though, is not unlike many regular folks. Nearly two-thirds of Americans dont have a will, according to a 2014 survey from Rocket Lawyer, including 55 percent of parents. The majority of people said they hadnt gotten around to drafting one, while 22 percent said it wasnt urgent and 17 percent didnt think they needed one, despite what financial planners say.
Related: RIP Prince; Why He Was Even More Amazing Than You Think
A will is important because it allows you to exercise control over your assets and in some instances family members, from the grave, says Howard Pressman, a financial planner with Egan, Berger & Weiner in Vienna, Va. If you don't have a will, the state has one for you. Property will eventually be divided, but it may take a long time, be a contentious and expensive process that may tear your family apart and in the end, most likely not be done the way you would have wanted it.
But when you do write a will, you have to be careful to get it right. Here are three celebrities who wrote wills but made some unfortunate mistakes.
Tony Sopranos avoidable tax bill
When the The Sopranos star James Gandolfini died unexpectedly in 2013, his will became public and raised some eyebrows among tax experts. His will didnt fully take advantage of federal tax laws that allow unlimited tax-free transfers to spouses. Instead, he passed only 20 percent of his $70 million estate to his wifethe rest went to his sisters and daughters. Any bequests over $5.25 million to anyone but his wife were taxed.
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In the end, about 80 percent of Gandolfinis assets covered in the will were subject to federal and state taxes, according to Margaret Muldoon, assistant vice president of advanced sales at Penn Mutual Life Insurance Co.
He underutilized the marital deduction, she says.
That wasnt his only misstep, according to Muldoon. His will left his house in Italy to his teenage son and infant daughter, but it didnt provide any money in a trust for the propertys upkeep.
Related: Tax Trouble: 32 Celebrities Whove Tangled With the IRS
Jackie Os failed philanthropic wishes
The former First Ladys will stipulated that any leftover assets in her estate disclaimed by her children, Caroline and John, would fund a charitable lead trust. The trust would last for 24 years, distributing money to charities each year. After 24 years, what was left in the trust would be passed on to her grandchildren with no transfer tax consequences. But her children, who as co-executors controlled how the estate was distributed, never funded the trust.
It increased the taxes due and short-circuited any philanthropic goals Jackie might have had, says Muldoon. However, other reports said Jackie Os estate was worth far less than originally thought and the children owed more in taxes than what remained of her estate. Thats why they couldnt fund the charitable trust.
Philip Seymour Hoffmans procrastination
While the Oscar-winning actor had a will in place, it was woefully out of date by the time of his death in 2014 from a drug overdose. He first wrote the will in 2004 after his son was born but never updated it, leaving out his two daughters who were born after that. The will left some assets to his life partner, Mimi ODonnell, and some to a trust exclusively for his son.
Related: Another Benefit of Marriage Besides Pleasing Your Grandma
Further complicating matters is that ODonnell, who wasnt his spouse, did not qualify for the marital tax estate breaks, so a good chunk of the estate was lost to taxes off the bat, says Muldoon. Because Hoffman didnt have life insurance, the estate had to be settled quickly, so funds were available for ODonnell and their children.
Muldoon recommends that when including a trust for a child in a will, add the stipulation that the will also covers any children born thereafter. As for Hoffmans daughters, fortunately most state laws protect children from not getting an inheritance if a parent forgets to update a will.
Most likely some kind of court involvement and assets were appropriated for daughters as well, Muldoon said.
What you can learn
First, put a will and a comprehensive estate plan together. Depending on how many asset you have, you may need to seek out an attorney or financial planner. For simpler estates, you can probably do it on your own using free online forms.
Revisit your will and estate plan every year to make sure it considers recent major life events such as births, divorces, remarriages, children turning 18 and deaths. Update any beneficiaries of 401(k)s, IRAs and life insurance policies to reflect these changes.
Know how all your assets will passeither by will, contract or operation of law. Understand what is subject to estate taxes. Make sure your durable power of attorney and healthcare proxy is up to date. And make sure you have picked a guardian for minor children. Accuracy is just as important as doing a will in the first place.
It is serious business and you dont get any do-overs, says David Schneider of Schneider Wealth Strategies in New York. If you make a mistake, you can't come back from the dead to correct it.
Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
If Prince died without a will in place, as his sister suggests, his estate will be determined by a Minnesota probate court and likely will come with a hefty tax bill.
Tyka Nelson filed paperwork Tuesday morning in Carver County District Court seeking to appoint Bremer Trust as special administrator of her brother's estate. She claims Bremer Bank has worked with Prince for a number of years and is familiar with his personal and business finances.
The court won't just accept Nelson's assertion that her brother didn't have an estate plan, of course. After all, Michael Jackson's will, unbeknownst to his family, surfaced after his untimely death in 2009. So Nelson will have to prove she looked high and low for any relevant documents and discussed the issue with the various lawyers, agents and managers that have worked with Prince over the years.
"It is not impossible that an old will could be found," says Anita S. Rosenbloom, a trust and estate attorney at Stroock. "It could be relating to a period in his life when he was attached to different individuals. That would be enforceable."
Donald David, an attorney who has worked with the estates of several recording artists including Tupac, agrees with that assessment. "My bet would be ultimately a will would turn up," he says. "Certainly it's going to take a minimum of several months to complete that search with proper due diligence, particularly if he has had a number of business, financial and legal advisors over time."
If there really is no will, Minnesota statutes and federal tax code will dictate who gets what and at what cost. Attorneys point out that his sister and five half-siblings each would inherit one-sixth of the estate since Minnesota law treats all siblings the same.
Prince's estate will have to foot a potentially huge tax bill. Rosenbloom estimates that if Prince's taxable estate is valued at $250 million (that's a conservative estimate, based on reports following his death), the icon's heirs could be looking at a bill for about $120 million in state and federal estate taxes.
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Read More: Hollywood Pays Tribute to Legendary Artist Prince
Robert E. Strauss, an estate planning attorney at Weinstock Manion, says he was appalled when he read Prince had no will. "It's a mess," he says. "It's unlikely to be consistent with what he would otherwise have wanted to do."
"In the absence of a contribution agreement, the charities would get nothing," Strauss says.
Burton Mitchell, chair of Jeffer Mangels' trust and estates practice, says it's hard to imagine that splitting Prince's assets evenly among his siblings with nothing going to charity and no mechanism to protect his copyrights is what Prince would have wanted.
The biggest challenge won't be dividing financial assets, Mitchell says, but rather putting a price on the icon's legacy itself.
"His estate is not cash," Mitchell says. "It's his name, likeness and image. What is Prince's image worth as of the date of his death? Who is going to value that?"
Attorneys say Prince's heirs could face a clash with the IRS similar to the one the agency is having with Michael Jackson's estate. "The IRS believes, from what I hear, the Jackson estate is worth far more than appraisers say it was worth on the day of his death, and that's a problem," Mitchell says. "It's going to be a problem for Prince."
After calculating exactly what the estate owes the IRS, the icon's heirs are going to have to figure out how to pay it.
"The value of the estate is primarily due to the copyrights," Mitchell says. "That's definitely not cash. The music is going to throw off revenue to them every year, but I doubt he has $100 million sitting in cash."
Requesting that an administrator be appointed is an important first step for Tyka Nelson, 55. But David isn't yet sure if Bremer Bank is the right choice. "They're going to need somebody, or a couple of people, who have experience in exploiting the brand of an artist as diverse as he is," he says. "People who know how to maximize the various streams of income."
It is rumored Prince left behind enough unpublished music to fill more than two dozen albums.
"This is a cautionary tale," David adds. "The very fact that we're having this conversation about what happens if he didn't have a testamentary instrument tells me that people really need to understand that they need to do this. These people really should be thinking about what their legacies are beyond the artistry they create."
So whoever handles Prince's estate will be dealing with paying off debts, capitalizing on intellectual property, valuing the icon's image and calculating his monetary and real estate assets - potentially in multiple states. Prince's Paisley Park estate will be part of the Minnesota probate proceedings, but any real estate he owns outside of Minnesota will be addressed in the local courts.
After the estate is sorted, there will inevitably be lawsuits.
"There's always litigation in an estate like this," Mitchell says. "Someone's going to allege he promised them he was going to do something. It's too much money and a lack of planning always leads to trouble."
Tyka Nelson's attorney Matthew Shea could not be reached for comment.
A Bremer Bank spokeswoman sent The Hollywood Reporter the following statement: "Bremer Bank respects the privacy of our customers and it is our policy not to reveal the names of our customers or information related to requests for services. As a community focused company, our sympathies are with family and fans in mourning the loss of a talented musician and Minnesotan."
See More: Remembering Prince: The Iconic Singer's Career Through the Years
Buenos Aires (AFP) - Women's and abortion rights groups will march Thursday demanding the release of a woman sentenced to eight years in jail following a miscarriage.
The woman, 27, called Belen in press accounts, has become a symbol of the lamentable state of women's rights in Argentina, where abortion is legal only in cases of rape or if the mother's life is in danger.
Belen had been jailed for two years following the miscarriage in 2014 in the northern province of Tucuman.
Last week, she was sentenced to an eight-year jail term for "homicide aggravated by betrayal and the bond."
The woman, whose real name was not disclosed, was admitted to a hospital in her home province in March 2014 complaining of stomach cramps.
She claimed after the fact that said she did not know at the time that she was pregnant.
The hospital gave her a sedative, and then sent her to the obstetric unit where officials accused her of carrying out an illegal abortion on herself.
A doctor told her, she said, that she was miscarrying at five months pregnant.
"Then a male nurse brought me the fetus in a little box, and insulted me. I told him that was not mine, and he said 'look here, this is your child,'" Belen told the court.
She was taken from the hospital straight to jail to await trial.
Rights groups say that the woman's rights have been violated.
"After being sentenced arbitrarily, and with no crime proven, we demand the immediate release of Belen who has been in jail since 2014," said Raquel Vivanco, director of rights organization MuMala.
Center-left lawmaker Victoria Donda said the woman had been subjected to degrading treatment.
"Back alley abortions are the number one cause of death of mothers in Argentina. This is something that happens at all income levels, but poorer women are paying with their lives," Donda said.
About 100 women die every year in Argentina, where an estimated 500,000 abortions are carried out annually, NGOs say.
A deadly drug is catching the attention of U.S. lawmakers, and it isn't heroin or cocaine.
It's pure caffeine powder.
A single teaspoon of pure caffeine powder is equal to around 28 cups of coffee, and "very small amounts may cause accidental overdose," according to the Food and Drug Administration. Overdose symptoms "can include rapid or dangerously erratic heartbeat, seizures and death."
The powder is sold in bulk bags over the internet, and it's nearly impossible to measure out safe doses using everyday kitchen tools. "Volume measures, such as teaspoons, are not precise enough to calculate how many milligrams of caffeine are in the serving size," according to the FDA.
A teaspoon of pure caffeine powder is equal to around 28 cups of coffee.
Senators want to ban it: In a letter sent to the FDA on Tuesday, Democratic senators campaigned for a federal ban on the sale of pure caffeine powder, the Hill reported. The senators reportedly said the FDA has been a "bitter disappointment" in dealing with the dangerous product.
The lawmakers' concern stems from two overdose deaths from pure caffeine powder in 2014.
The first was Logan Stiner, a high school senior who died after using caffeine powder to boost his energy but misjudged the dosage, according to the New York Times. The second was James Wade Sweatt, a 24-year-old recent college graduate who reportedly died after consuming a blended drink containing caffeine powder.
Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York is among the lawmakers seeking a federal ban on pure caffeine powder.
What the FDA has done so far: In a statement following Stiner and Sweatt's deaths, the FDA recommended that people avoid pure caffeine powder. And in 2015, the agency sent "warning letters" to five distributors of the powder, "because these products are dangerous and present a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury to consumers," according to a statement.
But it hasn't been enough, the senators argued.
"It is disturbing that despite two unintended and untimely deaths associated with powdered caffeine, the FDA has done little to regulate these products or adequately enforce the standards in place to protect Americans," their letter read, according to the Hill.
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"These products do not provide a way to measure a safe dosage per FDA recommendations, and are sold in quantities that could easily kill hundreds of individuals if ingested incorrectly," the letter also stated.
Caffeine kills in other ways, too: We're talking about energy drinks, like Rockstar and Red Bull. A November study found that consuming just one energy drink causes a significant spike in blood pressure a risk factor for stroke and heart attacks, Mic reported at the time.
The FDA has also investigated a number of deaths in recent years linked to Monster and 5-Hour Energy shots.
"I bet a lot of people don't realize how much caffeine they're getting," Dr. Nieca Goldberg, a cardiologist and director of the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women's Health at NYU Langone Medical Center, said at the time.
By Tom Finn DOHA (Reuters) - Qatar National Bank, the largest lender in the Middle East and Africa by assets, is investigating an alleged security breach of data posted online this week that revealed the names and passwords of a large number of customers. A 1.5GB trove of leaked documents includes the bank details, telephone numbers and dates of birth of several journalists for satellite broadcaster Al-Jazeera, supposed members of the ruling al-Thani family and government and defense officials, Doha News website reported. Some files had pictures of account holders from Facebook and LinkedIn, according to the report on the anonymously leaked files. QNB said it was investigating "social media speculation in regard to an alleged data breach" and would not comment on reports circulated via social media. But it assured "all concerned that there is no financial impact on our clients or the bank." A copy of the leaked content seen by Reuters contained transaction data of QNB customers that showed overseas remittance data from as recently as August 2015. One file contained information on what appeared to be 465,437 QNB accounts, although only a fraction of these accounts had anything resembling full account details. There is no way to verify the authenticity of the vast trove of information. However, several known Qatari figures in the government and media whose names appeared on the list confirmed that their account details were accurate to Reuters. "I've been thinking about moving my deposits out of Qatar for a while and will definitely advance this more quickly now," said an expatriate banking official. "If others get the same idea, then this could be painful for the bank". The alleged leak had little impact on QNB's share prices which dipped initially on Tuesday by about 1 percent but remained flat on Wednesday. QNB is one of the largest banks in the Middle East. Earlier this month, it reported a seven per cent first quarter increase in profits to almost USD 800 million, despite the impact of low global oil prices. Middle Eastern banks are attractive targets for cyber criminals because of the high levels of wealth in a region that has flourished in recent years due to buoyant hydrocarbon prices. Qatar is the richest country in the world on a per-capita basis, according to the World Bank. The last major reported cyber attacks in the Gulf region was in 2013, when Oman's Bank Muscat and National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates had $45 million stolen by hackers who targeted details of pre-paid debit cards held by a third-party services company. In other high-profile bank record thefts, cyber criminals typically attempt to cash in quickly by re-selling the data through secretive online criminal marketplaces, the biggest of which are said to operate out of Eastern Europe. In these marketplaces, anonymous sellers can auction off bundles of personal financial information such as credit cards, bank accounts or home addresses to the highest bidder. (Additional reporting by Eric Auchard in Frankfurt; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
Last Friday, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe restored voting rights to more than 200,000 people with previous felony convictions. Its a momentous stroke in both scope and effect; with an eye towards the 2016 races, The New York Times estimated its electoral impact as small but potentially decisive. But the significance of McAuliffes efforts goes far beyond a single election. It instead marks an exorcism for one of Jim Crows last vestiges in Virginias state charterand a reminder of how many of its legal aftereffects still linger today.
Many of Jim Crows most pernicious aspects were swept away in a Second Reconstruction of sorts during the civil-rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. But those efforts had little effect on the criminal-justice system and its role in enforcing white supremacy, both in the South and beyond it. Disenfranchising people with criminal convictions was one of many vote-suppressing tools deployed in the states 1902 constitution, which was explicitly drafted and ratified to destroy black political power in the Old Dominion.
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The path to Virginias Jim Crow constitution began with its Reconstruction constitution. In 1868, delegates gathered to draft the states first constitution since the end of the Civil War. Led by John C. Underwood, a domineering federal judge and enthusiastic abolitionist, the convention produced a charter that guaranteed the vote to every 21-year-old male citizen, regardless of his race. (Convention delegates rejected Underwoods efforts to include womens suffrage, however.) Restrictions on the electorate were minimal. A set of clauses excluded only people convicted of corruption or treason, participants in duels, and idiots and lunatics from voting.
Virginians approved the Underwood Constitution, as it became known, by a wide margin in 1870. But their progress towards multiracial democracy only lasted a generation. Redeemer Democrats began to supplant Republican officeholders, both in Virginia and throughout the South, in the 1880s and 1890s. Once in office, they steadily repealed Reconstruction-era reforms and enacted Jim Crow laws aimed at suppressing black political power. Control of the Virginia General Assembly allowed them to pass restrictive election laws, but by 1900, those efforts culminated in an effort to eliminate the black franchise once and for all.
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The safety and perpetuity of our free institutions depend upon the purity and inviolability of the ballot, said John Goode, president of the 1902 constitutional convention and a former colonel in the Confederate Army. Threatening the ballots purity were black voters enfranchised during Reconstruction. By ratifying the Fifteenth Amendment to protect their right to vote, Goode argued, the Republican Party not only committed a stupendous blunder, but a great crime against civilization and Christianity against the South.
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The negro had just emerged from a state of slavery. He had no education. He had no experience in the duties of citizenship. He had no capacity to participate in the functions of government, he told the other delegates. Under the circumstances existing at the period of reconstruction, the bestowal of universal suffrage upon the negro was a grievous wrong to both races.
The ideal solution, he argued, would be the repeal of the Fifteenth Amendment, a view shared by many of his contemporaries at the convention. Northern and Western states opposed such an effort, but Goode suggested the rest of the country might agree to it after the Civil Wars hatreds faded. Until that auspicious day shall come, we must adapt ourselves to the conditions in which we are placed, he declared.
Black political suppression was neither an accident nor a mistake; it was the central purpose of the convention. Newspapers plainly reported it and politicians eagerly campaigned on it. I told the people of my county before they sent me here that I intended, as far as in me lay, to disenfranchise every negro that I could disenfranchise under the Constitution of the United States, and as few white people as possible, R.L. Gordon told his fellow delegates during the suffrage debates.
That proved trickier than expected. Delegates faced two balancing acts when crafting the suffrage provisions. The first one was constitutional. The Fifteenth Amendment prohibited states from denying the vote to black Americans because of their race, and the delegates had to craft exclusionary measures that targeted black voters without explicitly referencing them, lest the U.S. Supreme Court intervene.
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But the Court had already cleared a possible path for the delegates efforts. In 1890, Mississippi had enacted a constitution to eliminate the black franchise with literacy tests, poll taxes, and a grandfather clause. Those methods were challenged before the U.S. Supreme Court eight years later by Henry Williams, a black man convicted by an all-white jury, whose members were drawn from the states voting rolls.
The Supreme Court unanimously upheld the conviction in Williams v. Mississippi, ruling that the provisions did not violate the Fourteenth Amendments equal-protection clause because they were written in a race-neutral manner. Mississippis suffrage requirements reach weak and vicious white men as well as weak and vicious black men, Justice Joseph McKenna wrote for the Court, and whatever is sinister in their intention, if anything, can be prevented by both races by the exertion of that duty which voluntarily pays taxes and refrains from crime.
Virginias delegates referenced the Williams decision throughout their debates. They were also well aware of the racial imbalances in the states criminal-justice system. Fears of black criminality suffused the argument against black enfranchisement. Gordon told the convention that in the South, six whites out of 10,000 were in prison compared to 29 blacks out of 10,000, showing that since these people have been made free, instead of improving, the record of crime show that they are retrograding.
Previous Virginia constitutions also included language about disenfranchisement for criminal acts. The 1830 constitution limited it to infamous crimes, for example, while its 1851 successor drafted by reformers added bribery and the 1870 charter targeted treason and corruption. What set the 1902 constitution apart was the breadth of crimes it included. Drawing on language from other states constitutions, the convention approved a clause that disenfranchised Virginians convicted of numerous crimes, including treason or of any felony, bribery, petit larceny, obtaining money or property under false pretenses, embezzlement, forgery, or perjury.
Overall, disenfranchising criminals was one of the less contentious debates at the convention. The delegates often argued instead about the second balancing act they faced: disenfranchising as many black voters as possible without disenfranchising large numbers of white voters as well. Many delegates had no problem with also excluding poor and illiterate white voters in large numbers, but enough of them raised concerns about it to drag out the debates.
The final suffrage article once again limited the franchise to men 21 years of age and older. It imposed a poll tax, from which Civil War veterans were exempt. To weed out illiterate voters, it required prospective registrants to apply without assistance and in their own handwriting. And to grant local officials the latitude necessary to exclude any black Virginians who met the other requirements, it required voters to answer any questions posed to them by an election official.
Some delegates feared the provisions would exclude too many prospective white voters. But its drafter, future U.S. Senator and Treasury Secretary Carter Glass, claimed otherwise. The suffrage article does not necessarily deprive a single white man of the ballot, but will inevitably cut from the existing electorate four-fifths of the negro voters, he told his colleagues to applause. That was the purpose of this convention; that will be its achievement.
Will it not be done by fraud and discrimination? another delegate asked.
By fraud, no; by discrimination, yes, Glass replied. But it will be discrimination within the letter of the law, and not in violation of the law.
Unlike its 1870 predecessor, no referendum on the Jim Crow constitution was held before it went into force. The effects were immediate and profound for black voters as well as white ones, despite Glasss claims. In his book on Jim Crows effects in Virginia, the historian J. Douglas Smith summed up the new charters radical impact:
While 264,095 Virginians voted in the presidential election of 1900, only half that number, almost all of them white, bothered four years later. By the end of 1902, determined registrars and literacy tests had eliminated all but 21,000 of an estimated 147,000 blacks of voting age from the registration lists; three years later, the new poll tax cut that number in half. The electorate was so thoroughly eviscerated that throughout the first half of the twentieth century the Democratic Party regularly elected its gubernatorial candidates with the support of less than 10 percent of the adult population. From 1905 to 1948, state employees and officeholders accounted for one-third of the votes in state elections. So few Virginians voted in the first half of the twentieth century that political scientist V.O. Key quipped that by contrast Mississippi is a hotbed of democracy.
Change did not come until the civil-rights movement. By the late 1960s, Virginia had lost most of its disenfranchising tools to court decisions and federal legislation. The Supreme Court struck down grandfather clauses under the Fifteenth Amendment in 1915 and abolished state and local poll taxes in 1966. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 eliminated literacy tests and required Virginia and other states to seek approval from a federal court or the U.S. attorney general before implementing changes to its election laws. In 1972, Virginia enacted its current constitution, cutting the 35,000-word Jim Crow charter down to a more streamlined 18,000-word text. Many of the defunct measures to constrain black voting were erased along the way.
But the felon disenfranchisement provision remained and excluded hundreds of thousands of Virginians from the polls. 48 states have similar restrictions, although only a handful of them include lifetime bans. The Sentencing Project estimates that almost 6 million Americans cant cast a ballot because of post-conviction restrictions imposed upon them.
Now, Virginia is rolling back more than a century of racial disenfranchisement conducted beneath the thinnest veneer of legitimacy. But similar provisions remain intact in many other states, where legislators were not always so explicit about their motives. And even with McAuliffe's orders, the progress is tenuous. His successor could choose not to reinstate the rights of future ex-felons; Kentucky experienced a similar backslide last December. In North Carolina, meanwhile, a federal court recently upheld a sweeping set of voting-rights restrictions. As R.L. Gordon might have put it, instead of improving, the record of voting rights show that they are retrograding.
Read more from The Atlantic:
This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
By Kathy Finn NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - A New Orleans judge on Wednesday sentenced real estate scion Robert Durst to seven years in prison for a federal gun crime and agreed to recommend that he serve his time in California, where he faces a murder charge in a friend's 2000 death. The 73-year-old, who entered and left the courtroom in a wheelchair, had pleaded guilty to the gun charge in February. Speaking in a weak voice, he asked U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt to speed his transfer to California, so he can defend himself in the death of writer Susan Berman. "I truly, truly want to express my statement that I am not guilty of killing Susan Berman," said Durst, appearing thin in his loose-fitting orange prison jumpsuit. Durst has been held in Louisiana since his March 2015 arrest on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm after a search of his New Orleans hotel room turned up a handgun. His arrest came one day before the series finale of an HBO documentary entitled, "The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst," which chronicled several police investigations of the multimillionaire whose family is known for its significant New York real estate holdings. Engelhardt approved a plea agreement calling for an 85-month prison stint, followed by three years of supervised release. The judge said the deal also resolved several pending charges against Durst in New York, Texas, and Louisiana state court. The HBO series documented investigations of Durst in connection with the dismemberment killing of a male neighbor in Texas in 2003, for which he was tried and acquitted of murder, and the 1982 disappearance in New York of his wife, Kathleen. In the series' final episode, Durst's voice was captured on a microphone after an interview as he muttered that he had "killed them all." Durst has previous convictions in Texas related to jumping bail and carrying a weapon across state lines in 2004 as he tried to flee the murder prosecution there. Durst served about three years in connection with those charges. Prosecutors say Durst, who has long been estranged from his family, is worth some $100 million. Durst could move to California within four to six weeks, his attorney Dick DeGuerin said before Wednesday's hearing. He was expected to be arraigned on the murder charge in Los Angeles on August 18. (Writing by Letitia Stein. Editing by Paul Simao and Alistair Bell)
LONDON (Reuters) - Support for Britain to remain in the European Union stands at 45 percent while support for "Leave" is at 38 percent ahead of a referendum on EU membership on June 23, according to a Survation poll for online brokerage group IG published on Wednesday. The poll of 1,003 people conducted by telephone on April 25-26 found that 17 percent of respondents were undecided. It was the first in a series of polls IG said it would release between now and the referendum. The probability of Remain winning the referendum stood at 73 percent on Wednesday according to bets on IG's platform, up from 64 percent this time last week. IG said U.S. President Barack Obama's intervention in favor of Remain last week was the main factor behind the increase. However, in the poll, the Leave camp had improved its score by two percentage points since Survation's last poll on March 24, and by four points since the pollster's first telephone survey of the year on Feb. 20. Throughout the build-up to the referendum, telephone polls have consistently shown Remain in the lead, while online polls have suggested the race was much tighter, with some finding Leave ahead. (Reporting by Estelle Shirbon; editing by Stephen Addison)
D858fce339b54541bed6541302644c9f
Charitable giving is for everyone, but it's fair to wonder whether the top end of town is donating their fair share.
The answer is sort of, according to the National Australia Bank's Charitable Giving Index for 2016, which measures how much Australians are giving to charity. The latest report looks at where and how much Aussies spent on charities in the 12 months preceding February, and there are some surprises.
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Posh areas were the highest spenders per person, with the top 20 suburbs in this category having average taxable incomes of A$120,000 (US$91,602), according to the report. The suburb of Middle Park in Victoria was the highest spender on charity per person, with an average of A$327 (US$249) donated "more than three times the national average."
chart
Image: NAB
chart
Image: NAB
If you take a look at how much people are donating as a percentage of income, however, the results are wildly different.
Residents of the small city of Castlemaine in Victoria, with an average income of A$42,650 (US$32,556), donate on average 0.36 percent of their income to charity. In fact, the report notes the top 20 most generous suburbs by a percentage of income have an average income of under $A60,000 (US$45,801). Proof you don't need a lot of money to have a big heart.
Despite the disparity, the nation is improving when it comes to charity. In the 12 months prior to February 2016, there was a 6.5 percent growth in Australia in total charitable giving a jump from the 2.4 percent increase recorded in the year prior.
volunteer
Image: Paul Kane/Getty Images
So where is all this money going? Unsurprisingly, humanitarian services attracted most of our donations, claiming a 35 percent share of Australia's dollars. Health and disability groups, plus charitable lotteries, have the next biggest share with 12 percent each.
Different ages also have different priorities. If you're between 15 to 24 years old, the majority of your age group (14 percent) donate to animal and environment charities. Makes sense. If you're over 65, the largest spend is on health and disability organisations (18 percent). Also makes sense. And finally, 25 to 34 year olds give most of their money to cancer charities (12 percent), which seems a little more unusual.
In the end though, we're not doing too badly. Well done, Australia.
Carly Fiorina
It's common for successful businesspeople to enter politics. The weird thing about Carly Fiorina, now Ted Cruz's pick for the vice presidency, is that she was not a very successful businesswoman.
Fiorina managed to get a job running one of the largest companies in America, but she was not especially good at that job. The debate over her tenure at Hewlett-Packard, which ended with her firing in 2005, is roughly this: Was she a terrible CEO, or was she merely an average CEO leading a mature company with weakening fundamentals?
You can argue about whether Hewlett-Packard would have done much better under other leadership it seems to me a less grandiose CEO might have avoided the value-destroying acquisition of Compaq but you cannot argue that her tenure was a demonstration of excellence.
Given that track record, why should Fiorina become a powerful elected official? It's not obvious to me, and given the results of the 2010 California Senate race and this year's Republican presidential primaries, it's apparently not obvious to voters either.
The pairing with Cruz is especially odd, because Cruz and Fiorina have two of the most repellent personalities in this year's presidential field a field that, you will recall, included Republican Rick Santorum and Democrat Jim Webb.
Plus, there is the presumptuousness of announcing a running mate when your explicit strategy is to make up your delegate deficit by negotiating for support at the convention. If Cruz is going to try to convince delegates pledged to somebody else to make him the nominee, shouldn't one of the topics for negotiation be who goes on the ticket with him?
I gather Cruz's theory is that Fiorina will be effective on attack, against Trump now and against the Democratic nominee later. Conservatives have, at various times, been enamored with Fiorina's skill in attacking Barbara Boxer (her 2010 opponent), Trump, and Hillary Clinton. Fiorina was the only candidate to get through a direct debate confrontation with Trump and be judged a clear winner by the media.
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But Fiorina has zero electoral victories to show for her fighting skills. And I think that's mostly because her attacks, pithy and harsh though they can be, don't align with voters' driving concerns.
In California in 2010, attacking Boxer's concern about climate change as "worrying about the weather" was not an effective electoral strategy. In the current campaign, we have learned that many Republican-primary voters were not especially bothered when Fiorina pointed out that Trump is an inconsistent conservative and a sexist.
And there is no evidence that, in a general election, slamming Clinton over Benghazi which Fiorina would surely do with zeal will move swing voters.
The Fiorina choice represents wishful thinking. Cruz and his backers wish what Republican voters cared about was picking Mr. Conservative, and they wish that Fiorina's forceful voice will help those voters finally realize Trump is a moderate squish.
Wishful thinking can be a powerful motivator, in politics and in business, especially when it's clear that your business model is running out of gas.
The alternative for Cruz to read the writing on the wall and realize Donald Trump is on his way to clinching the nomination is unappealing. The alternative at Hewlett-Packard to admit the printer business was mature and the personal-computer business was unprofitable and therefore the company needed to shrink was similarly unappealing.
If you face inevitable decline, a desperate merger can look like your best option. Fiorina should just hope that this ends up being only the second most disastrous merger of her career.
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Rescued_cats_coloured_in
LONDON Two rescued kittens brought by police to a cat rescue centre in Bradford, UK, were found with their fur "coloured in".
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The kittens, which have been nicknamed Smurf and Shrek by volunteers at Bradford Cat Watch Rescue (BCWR), had been covered with blue and green ink thought to be from a permanent colouring marker.
Katie Lloyd, a volunteer at BCWR, shared the images on Facebook on Monday. Her post has had nearly 5000 shares at the time of writing.
Here's Lloyd's post in full:
The kittens were taken in and bathed by Lloyd, who received advice on what to do with them from the Veterinary Poisons Information Service.
Image: katie lloyd/bcwr/Mashable composite
Image: katie lloyd/bcwr/mashable composite
Bradford Cat Watch Rescue is a voluntary organisation that cares for abandoned and mistreated cats.
Mashable spoke to Katie Lloyd over the phone on Wednesday morning. She said the kittens were currently sat next to her squeaking, and that they were doing well.
"The kittens are doing really well and their cheeky characters are becoming more apparent," she wrote in a follow-up email.
Image: facebook/katie jane
After a long labour, Nicole Regan-Smith was discharged from hospital on Christmas Day. She was expecting to bring home her first baby. Instead, in her hands, she held a bundle of leaflets about post-mortems and funerals.
Despite a normal pregnancy without any problems, when Nicole went into labour a few days earlier, the midwife couldnt detect her babys heartbeat. During contractions, Nicole a non-smoker, non-drinker, healthy woman deemed low-risk was told her baby had died.
Our world fell apart. The doctors quickly vacated the room, drew curtains around me and my husband and we just sobbed into each others arms, she says.
The doctors told her she would have to deliver her baby and that a natural birth, rather than caesarean section, was better. Numb and in shock, Nicole was horrified by the prospect but managed to go through with it. After another three and a half hours of induced labour, Jessica was born. We decided we didnt want to see her, says Nicole. I didnt know what shed look like I was scared, she says.
The midwives immediately took Jessica away, cleaned her, dressed her in a baby grow, took pictures and prints of her hands and feet. They urged Nicole to see her; shed regret it if she didnt, they said. Nicole agreed and they brought Jessica back in, in a cold cot to preserve her body.
She was beautiful, absolutely beautiful. She looked just like her dad, she had very long legs, says Nicole. We held her, and talked to her, and cuddled her. It felt like half an hour, but it was a couple of hours.
Before Nicole and her husband Aaron returned to their home in Beckenham, his mother had swept up all of the babys belongings and cards, and shut them out of sight in a room. A month later was Jessicas funeral. But the event did not bring closure for the couple; the post-mortem on Jessicas death had come back as inconclusive.
I feel like if we had an answer, we wouldve known what went wrong and what to look out for, for a future pregnancy. We didnt, it was unanswered, so I completely blamed myself because I had no one else to blame, says Nicole.
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In England, there are about 665,000 babies born every year and over 3,000 stillbirths. That works out at about one stillbirth for every 200 babies born.
In the UK, it has become safer for women to deliver babies over the years, with stillborn and neonatal death rates dropping. Yet Nicoles tragedy is still experienced by thousands of families a year. In England, there are about 665,000 babies born every year and over 3,000 stillbirths, defined as babies that are born dead after the 24th week of pregnancy. That works out at about one stillbirth for every 200 babies born. Shockingly, recent research shows that six in 10 term stillbirths could have potentially been prevented, if NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidelines had been followed.
In many other parts of the world, where women have limited access to healthcare, birth is dangerous for the mother and baby. Why then, in a developed, wealthy country, are so many women experiencing the deeply emotional trauma of losing their babies at birth?
There are myriad, complex reasons why stillbirth occurs. The difficulty is youre dealing with different physiology and different women, says Louise Silverton, director of midwifery at the Royal College of Midwives. While stillbirth can be a result of a genetic or developmental deficiency, a large number of babies that die at birth appear to be healthy.
One third of stillborn babies are underweight, which could be linked to placental problems restricting oxygen to the baby, causing growth problems. Failure to pick this up during routine antenatal monitoring may lead to pregnancy complications being missed. This is what Nicole says happened with Jessica, who was underweight at 5lb 10oz when she was born.
Smoking, or being in a smoke-filled environment, during pregnancy increases the risk of stillbirth. Obesity and gestational diabetes, a disease developed during pregnancy, increase the chances of stillborns. Older mothers and women from certain ethnic minority groups are also more at risk. And regional variations in different NHS Trusts care have an impact too.
Despite its prevalence, stillbirth is the ultimate taboo, says Nicole, who is now 32. When she was speaking to midwives and reading up about her pregnancy in 2013, she said the issue of stillbirth was just a footnote; she learned more about the risks of having a baby with genetic disorders like sickle cell anaemia or Downs syndrome, than a stillbirth, which is more common.
Reduced movement in the womb is a warning sign of stillbirth. Nicole says that if there was more awareness around the risks of stillbirth, women and their partners might be more likely to alert their doctor or midwife if they notice reduced movement.
If people keep brushing it under the carpet and not talking about it, it wont be improved, she says.
Many of us find it hard to talk about death, which makes the tragedy of death at birth even more bewildering. We struggle to find the language to use when a baby dies before they are born, says Charlotte Bevan, senior research and prevention adviser at Sands, a stillbirth and neonatal death charity. If we havent experienced it, and dont know anyone who has, its impossible to know how to react.
These deaths are just as important as a child or infant death because they are devastating to parents. Its not a failed pregnancy, its the death of a family member thats how families view it, she says.
There is a real lack of understanding about the physiological mechanisms of pregnancy and birth. Its as if we prefer to remain in the dark, cross our fingers and hope everything goes well.
Bevan says difficulties in talking about stillbirth stem, in part, from societys wider inability to discuss womens affairs, like menstruation or reproduction.
It doesnt come up in the workplace or even sometimes in peoples homes. If it does its in an unsupportive way, like shes hormonal, says Bevan. I find it extraordinary that there is still so much mystery and lack of real understanding, among those of us outside the medical profession, about the physiological mechanisms of pregnancy and birth. Its as if we prefer to remain in the dark, cross our fingers and hope everything goes well, she adds.
Thankfully conversation around stillbirth is no longer confined to hushed hospital bereavement rooms. Years of campaigning, reports and research have helped place the issue squarely on the Department of Healths agenda.
In November last year, the Government announced plans to reduce the number of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths in England by 50% by 2030. This means halving the rate of stillbirths from 4.7 per 1,000 to 2.3 per 1,000. Last month, NHS England launched the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle, which is series of practises that improve care and patient outcomes when performed together.
The guidance consists of four elements: reducing smoking in pregnancy; enhancing detection of fetal growth restriction; improving awareness of the importance of fetal movement and improving fetal monitoring during labour.
The question is, is the NHS sufficiently resourced to actually do this?, asks Silverton. While she says that resources are not an excuse, and we can do better, many of these practises will be difficult to implement with maternity services seriously overstretched and underfunded. For example, cuts to local authorities public health funding make it harder to get entire families to stop smoking, which ultimately helps the pregnant woman give up and allows the baby to develop in a smoke-free environment.
Antenatal care monitoring babies growth can be improved, despite resource challenges, says Silverton. But even still, midwives are stretched for time a typical 10-minute antenatal appointment is not long enough, she says.
Having a better understanding of why babies die at birth and properly investigating the cause of death and improving data collection will help reduce stillbirths, says Bevan. This is one of the reasons the Netherlands has improved its birth rate four times faster than the UK, she says. What we endlessly have with stillbirths is the shrugging shoulders attitude of there is nothing we can do about it, she says.
Nicoles second pregnancy was closely monitored, with scans every two weeks, consultant-led care and the same midwife throughout. She fell pregnant three-months after Jessicas death. I was still coping with my grief I still am. It was very raw, coupled with not knowing why she died and pregnancy hormones. It was really difficult, she says. I was petrified history would repeat itself.
Another factor making Nicole nervous was that her second baby was due around the same time of year as Jessicas death. To avoid this situation, the baby was induced on the 18th of December. It wasnt until five days later that Tristan was born on the 22nd, one year to the day that Jessica died.
It turned the day of her death into a happy occasion too. We marked her birthday by lighting a candle, with a two-day old baby in our arms, says Nicole.
People who dont know you think having a Christmas baby must be exciting. Yes, its happy because of Tristian, but theres also an immense sadness and void in our lives too, she says. Christmas will never be the same for us.
With Tristan now 15-months old, Nicole continues to find the strength to raise awareness around stillbirth, while working as a learning advisor at a consultancy firm in London.
In everything I do, I feel its my daughters legacy, says Nicole. If she cant go on living, I feel like I need to do this for her. Its in her memory.
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jocko willink
For their service in the 2006 Battle of Ramadi, Navy SEAL Team Three Task Unit Bruiser and its commander Jocko Willink became the most highly decorated special-operations unit of the Iraq War.
Willink is now retired from the SEALs, and he and his former platoon commander Leif Babin released a bestselling book last year titled "Extreme Ownership: How US Navy SEALs Lead and Win." In it, they explain the lessons learned in combat that they've taught to corporate clients for the past five years in their leadership-consultancy firm, Echelon Front.
Willink writes that he realized during his 20 years as a SEAL that, "Just as discipline and freedom are opposing forces that must be balanced, leadership requires finding the equilibrium in the dichotomy of many seemingly contradictory qualities between one extreme and another."
By being aware of these seeming contradictions, a leader can "more easily balance the opposing forces and lead with maximum effectiveness."
Here are the 12 main "dichotomies of leadership" Willink identifies as rules every effective leader must follow.
BI_Graphics Jocko Willink leadership dichotomies
Willink is the host of the Jocko Podcast.
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Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - One of Brazil's most famous and eccentric heroes, the aviation pioneer Santos Dumont, lifts off again with an exhibition in Rio's new Museum of Tomorrow.
A full scale replica of Dumont's legendary airplane called "14 Bis" sits outside the museum, which is the centerpiece of a revamping of the Rio port area ahead of the Olympic Games starting in 100 days.
"The Flying Poet" is a big exhibit, the first of its kind dedicated to a man who while weighing a mere 110 pounds (50 kg) was a giant of aviation.
Although perhaps less well known than the Wright brothers in the United States, Dumont is celebrated in Brazil as no less than the true first pilot.
On October 23, 1906, he flew the "14 Bis" some 200 feet (61 meters) outside Paris. Shortly thereafter, he flew 722 feet (220 meters).
Although this was three years after the Wright brothers' historic flight in North Carolina, his fans argue that only his exploit met the definition of a certified, independently powered flight.
It's a polemic rich with nationalism, but what's sure is that Dumont, who has Rio's domestic airport named after him, remains a fascinating figure.
"It was the stories of Jules Verne that inspired him to dream of flying. In this exhibit, 110 yeas after the flight of '14 Bis,' we want to show the young that using the imagination is a way of promoting discoveries," Gringo Caria, the curator of the exhibit, told AFP.
"There's never been a big exhibition on this inventor before and we have taken advantage of the brand new museum."
- Madcap -
The Franco-Brazilian Dumont, who lived from 1873 to 1932, had a reputation for eccentricity and imagination.
Before his feat in the "14 Bis" he was already famed for flights in balloons and dirigibles, including one he used to moor outside his house in Paris and used to fly to join friends across town.
He can also claim to having been one of the first to wear a wrist watch, having asked his friend -- none other than the even more famous Louis Cartier -- to make him something more practical for telling the time in the air than the traditional pocket watch.
"That's how the first wrist watch was born and it was a real success, given how much of a dandy Dumont was," said Hugo Barreto, secretary general of the Roberto Marinho Foundation, which co-sponsored the exhibit with the mayor's office.
The often joyful story of Dumont ends sadly, however. He returned from France to Brazil in 1928 and in 1932 committed suicide.
It takes a village to raise a chid and, apparently, it takes a village of trailers to accommodate Robert Downey Jr. on the film set of a Marvel movie.
In this Associated Press video above of the London press conference for Captain America: Civil War, its clear that Iron Mans trailer situation which is comprised of not just one trailer, but multiple campers known collectively as the village has become a real point of envy for his fellow co-stars.
He has, like, five of em, says Anthony Mackie, a.k.a. The Falcon, while pointing at Downey Jr.
Related: New Captain America: Civil War TV Spot Shows Spidey in Web-Slinging Action
Robert actually has the smallest trailer. He just has another four trailers around it, adds Paul Bettany (Vision)
One day I had lunch and was eating my burrito in my humble, little trailer, says Daniel Bruhl, who plays villain Zemo in Civil War. Somebody knocked at my door and said Youre cordially invited to Robert Downeys village.
Then in the far distance, I saw that huge space, Bruhl remembers, sounding a little awestruck.
Downey who, in case you forgot, topped last years Forbes list of the highest paid actors in Hollywood responded by jokingly referring to himself as the Graydon Carter of the M.C.U. and noting that the state of Georgia wanted to give his village its own ZIP code.
The whole thing makes you wonder if the civil war between Marvels superheroes really started because everyone resents the amount of trailer square footage Downey has amassed. To be fair, though: That Iron Man suit really does take up a ton of room.
Robert Durst accepted a plea deal on a firearms charge on Wednesday and was sentenced to seven years and one month in prison after a .38-caliber revolver was found in his New Orleans, Louisiana hotel room in March of last year.
The 72-year-old New York real estate heir could have received up to a 10-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine, the Associated Press reports.
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Durst was the subject of the 2015 six-part HBO documentary, Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, which investigated the 2000 killing of Durst's friend, Susan Berman, and the disappearance of his first wife, Kathie Durst, in 1982. Durst now faces a murder charge in California for Berman's death, but maintains that he's innocent.
Durst was being held in New Orleans for the past year on weapon charges, but will be transferred to the minimum-security federal prison at Terminal Island, outside Los Angeles, where he will be arraigned on criminal charges on Aug. 18 in the death of Berman, the New York Times reports.
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Rolex
Play a simple word association game with anyone say "watches" and the reply you get will most likely be "Rolex."
The Rolex brand is so ingrained in the minds of much of the world, it's hard to believe watches even existed before Austrian national Hans Wilsdorf started the company in the early 1900s.
It now stands as the most powerful watchmaker in the world, consistently ranking at the top of lists of the globe's most reputable companies.
Rolex does not actually release sales numbers, but experts estimate that it makes roughly 1 million watches a year, presumably more than any other luxury watchmaker.
How did Rolex become this indisputable master of horology? According to Ben Clymer, the founder and executive editor of premiere watch enthusiast site Hodinkee, Rolex has built its brand on the back of incredible innovation, a name for rock-solid quality, and one of the most notable celebrity endorsements of the 20th century.
Basically: "Rolex is Rolex for a reason," Clymer told us.
Innovation after innovation
Rolex
Rolex's status is no accident.
"Actual innovation in the watchmaking field is what propels Rolex to where they are now," Clymer said.
To cement its status, Rolex invented: the first waterproof case, the first self-winding watch, the first watch with a date, and (arguably) one of the first driving chronographs.
Before watches became the luxury item they are known as today, they were tools, Clymer says. These innovations have made these watches much more usable.
A self-winding mechanism enables the wearer to avoid having to wind the watch every night, a waterproof case allows a diver to take the watch down with them and time their dives, and a driving chronograph allows race car drivers to time their laps with precision.
These innovations also make it easier to wear the watch every day. "You wouldn't be able to wash your hands with a watch [without a waterproof case]," Clymer said.
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A reputation for quality
Rolex
On top of these innovations in watchmaking in the first half of the 1900s, Rolex developed a reputation for reliability.
In order for all of these innovations to function, and for the watches to operate as the tools they were intended to be, the watches had to be the best. It's important to remember that these were not simply luxury items as they are viewed today, Clymer says.
"If you were a navy diver and you wanted something that would simply last forever and was a tool, and would survive going to 100 meters, [you bought a Rolex]," Clymer said. "Because it just works."
Swimmer tested, swimmer approved
Mercedes Gleitze
Innovation and quality is great but it does you no good unless potential customers are aware of it.
In 1927, Wilsdorf approached Mercedes Gleitze, the first woman to swim the English Channel (and the first person to swim the Strait of Gibraltar), and asked her to wear the new Rolex Oyster watch, complete with waterproof case.
The swimmer agreed and wore it around her neck during an attempt to swim the channel.
"This woman, who was then being photographed on the front page of the newspaper every day, was wearing a Rolex around her neck," Clymer said.
Though she didn't actually complete the swim on that attempt, Gleitze's celebrity status catapulted Rolex's name into the public consciousness, and Rolex was able to talk up the fact that the watch kept time even after being submerged in cold water for hours. This greatly increased brand awareness and the public's opinion of Rolex's quality.
Rolex has since used images of women swimming while wearing their watches in its advertising, even as recently as 2010.
NOW WATCH: These are the watches worn by the smartest and most powerful men in the world
More From Business Insider
Moscow (AFP) - Russia's defence ministry on Wednesday applauded Moscow and Washington's cooperation over Syria as a truce brokered by the two nations was tested by a recent spike in violence.
"Overall, we positively assess the cooperation with the United States in Syria," defence minister Sergei Shoigu said at an international security conference in Moscow.
"Our bilateral agreements on the prevention of incidents in the airspace are working, the military structures responsible for the reconciling the parties are interacting."
Shoigu said Moscow and Washington "must cooperate more closely" in the fight against international terrorism.
"We are ready for this," he said. "The ball is in Washington's court."
In a phone call last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Barack Obama agreed to work to strengthen the ceasefire which took effect on February 27.
After taking hold, the landmark partial ceasefire dramatically reduced violence across much of Syria, raising hopes that a lasting deal to end the bloodshed could be struck at peace talks in Geneva.
But a series of recent deadly air strikes and shellings have undermined the frail truce.
On Tuesday, 25 civilians were reportedly killed in air strikes and shelling on Syria's second city Aleppo and a town to its west, in a new test for the troubled ceasefire.
Earlier this month, Syria's main opposition group, the High Negotiations Committee, halted its formal participation in the Geneva talks over surging violence on the ground.
The Kremlin said both Putin and Obama had stressed the "significance" of the Geneva talks and the two also agreed that their security services and defence ministries would ramp up cooperation over Syria.
Moscow (AFP) - Russia has asked the United Nations to blacklist a major Syrian rebel group that is playing a key role in talks to end the conflict, its ambassador to the UN said.
Mohammed Alloush, a leading figure in Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam), is the chief negotiator for the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), the war-torn country's main opposition group, at UN-brokered peace talks in Geneva.
Russia, the key backer of President Bashar al-Assad's regime, has also asked that another Islamist rebel group, Ahrar al-Sham, be blacklisted.
"The Russian delegation submitted to the UN Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee a request" to add "two organisations: Jaish al-Islam and Ahrar al-Sham," to a blacklist that includes the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda, Russia's ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said in a statement Tuesday.
Churkin said that the two groups are "closely linked to terrorist organisations, primarily the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda."
The groups "both give (the IS and Al-Qaeda) and receive from them financial, material, technical and military support," he said.
Alloush rejected the accusation and said Russia was committing "massacres" with its air and artillery strikes in support of Assad.
"Russia supports it (the regime) with its weapons and airplanes and has committed 167 massacres in my country. The terrorist is the one who commits massacres not the one who defends himself," he told AFP.
An unprecedented ceasefire in February brokered by Moscow and Washington saw Syria's government and non-jihadist rebel groups agree to halt attacks while pursuing peace talks.
However the HNC pulled out last week from the latest round of talks that began on April 13 in frustration over a spike in violence on the ground.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov angrily accused the HNC's members of throwing "tantrums".
The Saudi-backed Jaish al-Islam rebel group is the most important in Damascus province.
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Ahrar al-Sham is among the most powerful Islamist rebel groups in Syria.
Financed by Turkey and Gulf states, it is allied to Al-Nusra Front, Al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate, and fights alongside it around Aleppo and in neighbouring Idlib province.
The Damascus regime has consistently branded all its opponents -- armed or not -- "terrorists" since the outbreak of war in 2011.
(James Saft is a Reuters columnist. The opinions expressed are his own)
By James Saft
April 27 (Reuters) - Your lifecycle fund with its tapering equity allocation may be injurious to your wealth.
Lifecycle, or target-date funds, which are typically designed to hold less and less equities as a saver reaches and then enjoys retirement, have been a financial phenomenon in recent years. Assets held in U.S. target-date funds have increased more than six-fold in the past decade, according to Morningstar data, reaching $763 billion.
Such strategies are intuitive - cut risky holdings when you are actually going to be needing the money - and often deliver as desired by managing to withstand withdrawals over a 20-year retirement.
A new study finds that some alternative strategies do better, both in investment performance terms, in mitigating the risk of running out of money and, depending on how wealthy you are, at leaving you with a lump sum for inheritance or further spending needs at the end of the 20 years.
"Our findings reveal that the dependence on the target-date fund approach creates an illusion of security in retirement, mainly because of its low standard deviation, and should be reconsidered," Osei Wiafe of Griffith University and Anup Basu and En-Te (John) Chen of Queensland University of Technology write in a recent study. (http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2744688)
Running thousands of simulations, the report looked at the performance of a variety of strategies in the retirement, or drawdown, period. The basic variables were how much was held for what period in equities versus safe assets like bonds and what percent of the portfolio value the saver takes each year as income over the 20 years. Seven strategies were used: ranging from a classic target-date fund tapering of equities to steady allocations of varying aggressiveness.
Particularly interesting was the good performance of a contrarian strategy called reverse lifestyle, which actually increases equity holdings during retirement. Not only did reverse lifestyle show a lower chance of running out of money before the 20 years of retirement was over, it also produced more money allowing for more income at the end of the 20 years. Given that many people will now live far longer than the 20 years assumed when these plans were first designed, this is an important point.
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EQUITY DOMINATES
Much of this depends, of course, on how much you start with and what your goals are. In general, though, the higher equity-weighted strategies produced good results and had a higher chance of generating excess wealth at the end of the 20 years.
"Overall, higher equity levels are good for the right tail of the distribution, providing the possibility of high terminal wealth levels for investment strategies. If the purpose of a retirement portfolio is to provide high wealth levels and generate a sustainable level of consumption in retirement, an equity-dominated strategy provides a better chance of meeting this purpose," according to the study.
Of course, if you save insufficiently during your working life, all of this won't matter. Glide paths don't help if you never get up above the trees and telephone wires.
Contrarian strategies, which increase equity weighting as the saver ages further into retirement, do better than conservative and traditional strategies at creating this terminal wealth, while lifecycle strategies limit the upside.
Of course there are tradeoffs. If you hold an aggressive 100 percent equity strategy your median final pot of money is more than seven times as large as with a more conservative lifecycle allocation of decreasing equities down to zero. Aggressive portfolios are also more likely to run out of money during the 20 years, though the risks remain small at a 4 percent withdrawal rate.
The problem with conservative strategies, like those which hold static but low amounts of equities, is that they simply don't generate enough investment gain.
One general point of the study was that strategies with substantial equity weightings give better risk-adjusted outcomes.
"Conservative strategies are unable to withstand the stress of periodic income withdrawal demands, especially as we experience elongated lifespans. Alternatively, contrarian strategies such as reverse lifecycle strategies are able to take advantage of the market movements whilst remaining relatively stable and providing better retirement outcomes and decreased chances of portfolio ruin," according to the study.
Taking more risk as you age will for many people be a gut-wrenching decision, but looks like it may be the right one. (At the time of publication James Saft did not own any direct investments in securities mentioned in this article. He may be an owner indirectly as an investor in a fund. You can email him at jamessaft@jamessaft.com and find more columns at http://blogs.reuters.com/james-saft) (Editing by James Dalgleish)
The 73rd Venice Film Festival jury will be presided over by British filmmaker Sam Mendes, organizers announced Wednesday.
The Spectre helmer was chosen by the Biennale di Venezia board of directors, chaired by Paolo Baratta, on recommendation by the fest's director Alberto Barbera.
Mendes will be tasked with choosing the Golden Lion for best film and Silver Lion for best director, among other awards.
"His productions, whether destined for stage or screen, are able to reconcile the expectations of the most exacting critics with the tastes of a vast audience, which seems to transcend all geographical and cultural boundaries," Barbera said of Mendes' selection.
Mendes took home the best directing Oscar in 2000 for his debut film American Beauty, which also won in four other categories, including best picture. He followed that up with Road to Perdition, which competed on the Lido in 2002. Mendes has recently directed James Bond blockbuster films including Skyfall and Spectre.
His next project, The Voyeur's Motel, will be based on the forthcoming novel from Gay Talese about a Colorado man who opened a motel to spy on guests. Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks are attached to produce.
"I'm very honored to have been asked by Alberto to lead the International Jury for Venezia 73," said Mendes of the announcement. "I've always had a strong personal connection with Venice; as a student I worked for three months at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection way back in 1984, and my happiest film festival memory is launching Road To Perdition at Venice in 2002. I am thoroughly delighted to be coming back to the Lido this year and welcoming a wealth of international filmmaking talent."
Last year, Venice regular Alfonso Cuaron headed the jury, awarding the Golden Lion for the first time to a Latin American film, Venezuelan drama From Afar. The event has been gaining more traction recently with a slew of recent films launched from Venice going on to win big at the Oscars, including Gravity and best picture Oscar winners Birdman and Spotlight.
The fest is set to run Aug. 31-Sept. 10.
From Esquire
At 6:41 p.m. Monday night, a column appeared on the Wall Street Journal's website. It was written by Jim VandeHei, one of the founding geniuses of Tiger Beat On The Potomac. The column was about how the good real white Americans of the author's hometown in the Midwest are hungering for a third-party presidential disruption, possibly by Mark Zuckerberg, perhaps bankrolled by Michael Bloomberg. It took less than an hour for political Twitter to eat VandeHei's column, bones and all. You rarely see a single piece disemboweled so completely and so immediately, and from so many directions. It was like watching pack predators descend on a wounded wildebeest. And, not for nothing, but the scorn blizzard was richly deserved.
VandeHei repeatedly reminds us that he is writing from the perspective of Normal America, his capitalization, not mine. This is already trouble that any relatively sober editor could have helped him avoid.
The candidate has to be authentic and capable of having a rolling, candid, transparent conversation with voters on social and conventional media. Voters aren't dopes: They want an unvarnished look at their future president's personality and ideas. They can tolerate uncomfortable truths. But they have to come from someone comfortable in his or her own skin. If voters trust the person isn't full of it, they are clearly willing to think differently about issues. Exploiting this ideological ambiguity is key. The ideal candidate would write a very specific agenda in normal, conversational language, not whatever nonsensical language today's political class was taught to speak. He or she would engage voters daily on social media, with fun and flare. (Think Trump with impulse control and better spelling.) The candidate would inundate voters with transparency and specificity, even when it hurts. And exploit cable TV's addiction to whatever is hot and new. Mr. Trump has shown how technology has made money less important in modern politics.
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Authenticity is the key. Once you've learned to fake that, the rest is gravy.
Exploit the fear factor. The candidate should be from the military or immediately announce someone with modern-warfare expertise or experience as running mate. People are scared. Terrorism is today's World War and Americans want a theory for dealing with it. President Obama has established an intriguing precedent of using drone technology and intelligence to assassinate terrorists before they strike. A third-party candidate could build on death-by-drones by outlying the type of modern weapons, troops and war powers needed to keep America safe. And make plain when he or she will use said power. Do it with very muscular language-there is no market for nuance in the terror debate.
Neither was there a "market for nuance" at Abu Ghraib, or at Bagram, or at all the black site prisons, either. VandeHei's lust for an American Peron with performance skills is ranging pretty close to actual fascism here. But, we're in luck, because his proposed candidate does not exactly make you think of Dwight Eisenhower or Zachary Taylor, warfare-experience-wise.
Right now, millions of young people are turned on by a 74-old-year socialist scolding Wall Street; millions of others by a reality-TV star with a 1950s view of women. Why not recruit Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg or Sheryl Sandberg to head a third-party movement? Maybe we can convince Michael Bloomberg to help fund the movement with the billions he planned to spend on his own campaign-and then recruit him to run Treasury and advise the president.
It is possible that I simply am getting old and I don't understand what the kidz are doing for satire these days. I certainly hope that's the case because, if this thing is meant to be taken seriously, most of the muscles in its language are actually in its head.
The head of crisis-hit Mitsubishi Motors said Wednesday that sales in Japan have fallen off a cliff since the company admitted last week that it has been cheating on fuel-efficiency tests.
Tetsuro Aikawa, the automaker's president, revealed that orders have dropped by almost half since the scandal erupted, as the crisis takes a toll on the company's reputation.
"It's difficult to know exactly what kind of impact this problem will have on sales," the executive said as Mitsubishi released its latest financial results, which were unaffected by the recent revelations.
"Domestic orders have dropped by nearly half since before our announcement and now. As far as overseas markets are concerned, we don't have new information on how this has impacted our sales."
But "the situation is very serious and we're treating it that way" he said.
The maker of the Outlander sport utility vehicle said it could not make financial forecasts for the current fiscal year to March 2017 in light of the potential damage from the scandal, as it faces the possibility of big fines, lawsuits and compensation costs.
Last week, Mitsubishi first admitted it was using the improper testing, and that unnamed employees manipulated data to make some of its cars seem more fuel-efficient than they were in reality.
Aikawa's comments came after Mitsubishi admitted Tuesday it had been using dodgy fuel-efficiency testing for a quarter of a century -- much longer than first thought.
That relevation drove speculation that its misconduct also stretched to vehicles sold overseas, and would send the number of affected vehicles soaring from the more than 600,000 cars -- all sold in Japan -- that were already known about.
Mitsubishi sold about one million vehicles globally last year.
It is unclear what top executives knew about the dodgy testing and data manipulation, but Aikawa has said he did not become aware of the problem until recently.
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On Wednesday he dismissed as speculation reports that he and other top executives would resign immediately.
"I will do everything I can to solve this problem if we are allowed to continue," he said.
An outside panel of experts has been hired to conduct a months-long investigation, while regulators are also probing the company.
The crisis has raised questions about Mitsubishi's future -- its Tokyo-listed shares have plummeted by about half since the story broke with billions of dollars wiped off the company's market value.
Dakar (AFP) - The mayor of Dakar said Wednesday Africa should not wallow in the horror of slavery but instead draw lessons from it to build a more prosperous future.
Khalifa Sall, the socialist mayor of Senegal's capital and a possible contender for the 2019 presidential, was speaking during a national day of remembrance to mark the abolition of the slave trade in France's colonies on April 27, 1848.
Sall said other African countries had also experienced slavery but had "made those tragic times a base from which they are rebuilding".
"It's not about wallowing in these litanies, (but) to reflect and see how we can build for tomorrow. That's the best lesson that slavery tought us," he said during a ceremony at Dakar's city hall.
It is the second time that Senegal has held a national day of remembrance for the end of slave trade.
Previous unofficial commemorations have been held on Senegal's Goree Island, an important transit point for the Atlantic slave trade, four kilometres (two miles) off the Dakar coast.
Goree processed many of the estimated 12 million Africans who over three centuries crossed the Atlantic Ocean to be traded on the US slave market.
The cramped cells of the island's House of Slaves -- built by the Dutch in 1776 -- were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.
The first twist of Sense8s second season is happening off screen.
When the Netflix thriller returns for its second season, Jean-Claude Van Damme enthusiast Capheus portrayed in Season 1 by British actor Aml Ameen will now be played by newcomer Toby Onwumere, our sister site Deadline reports.
RELATEDOne Day at a Time: Netflix Reboot Finds Its Schneider in Todd Grinnell
Per the report, Ameens exit is the result of issues between the actor and Sense8 co-creator Lana Wachowski during the initial table read in Berlin and the actual filming in India. Several episodes have already been filmed; its not yet known whether any of Capheus Season 2 scenes will be re-shot.
Ameens (former) co-star Jamie Clayton did a Twitter Q&A on Wednesday night, offering her unfiltered thoughts on his departure:
I'm fine with it sweets! https://t.co/fG5ezDlZsU Jamie Clayton (@MsJamieClayton) April 27, 2016
Capheus, one of eight strangers inexplicably connected after witnessing a shared vision, was introduced in Season 1 as a Nairobi-based man desperate to fund his mothers AIDS medication.
Your thoughts on Sense8s unexpected shake-up? Drop em in a comment below.
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 27, 2016 / The following statement is being issued by Levi & Korsinsky, LLP:
To: All Persons or Entities who purchased ExamWorks Group, Inc. (EXAM) stock prior to April 27, 2016 .
You are hereby notified that Levi & Korsinsky, LLP has commenced an investigation into the fairness of the sale of ExamWorks to an affiliate of Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. for $35.05 in cash per share. To learn more about the action and your rights, go to: http://zlk.9nl.com/examworks-exam or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@zlk.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500, toll-free: (877) 363-5972. There is no cost or obligation to you.
Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, and Washington D.C. The firm's attorneys have extensive expertise in prosecuting securities litigation involving financial fraud, representing investors throughout the nation in securities lawsuits and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders. For more information, please feel free to contact any of the attorneys listed below. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph Levi, Esq.
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 27, 2016 / The following statement is being issued by Levi & Korsinsky, LLP:
To: All Persons or Entities who purchased First Clover Leaf Financial Corp. (FCLF) stock prior to April 26, 2016 .
You are hereby notified that Levi & Korsinsky, LLP has commenced an investigation into the fairness of the sale of First Clover Leaf to First Mid-Illinois Bancshares Inc. (FMBH). Under the terms of the transaction, First Clover shareholders may elect to receive either $12.87 in cash or 0.495 of a First Mid-Illinois share for each share of First Clover stock they own. To learn more about the action and your rights, go to: http://zlk.9nl.com/first-clover-leaf-fclf or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@zlk.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500, toll-free: (877) 363-5972. There is no cost or obligation to you.
Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, and Washington D.C. The firm's attorneys have extensive expertise in prosecuting securities litigation involving financial fraud, representing investors throughout the nation in securities lawsuits and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders. For more information, please feel free to contact any of the attorneys listed below. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph Levi, Esq.
Eduard Korsinsky, Esq.
30 Broad Street - 24th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Tel: (212) 363-7500
Toll Free: (877) 363-5972
Fax: (212) 363-7171
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SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Sharifah Amani wants people to know her for her work and not her private life.
27 Apr Actress Sharifah Amani has come forth to refute rumours that say she doesn't want to star in television productions and will only star in films made for the big screen.
She added that the accusations were baseless as she had never drawn a line between choosing her acting medium and said that she will star in any production as long as it is of quality.
"In my decade long career, I've been through many experiences. Hearing rumours made up like this is normal, especially since they are not backed by facts."
"It is true that I don't appear on television often, but if there's a good script then I'm more than willing to star in any projects. That's my duty as an actor, to deliver a message through my work which can benefit audiences," said the actress to Utusan Online.
Added the "Sepet" and "Gubra" actress, she's too used and also fed up with those sort of rumours.
The 19th Festival Filem Malaysia (FFM) Best Actress winner said that she has her own career path to stick to and her aim is not to just fulfil her interest in acting.
The 29-year-old actress also added that her acting fee is not her main priority in accepting a job offer.
Sharifah said that she hopes that when she is eventually gone, people would remember her for all of her work and not her private life which brings no benefit to others.
(Photo Source: Sharifah Amani Instagram)
By Fatos Bytyci PRISTINA (Reuters) - Police in Kosovo arrested six people as part of an investigation into an alleged land scam that cost the state 30 million euros ($34 million), European Union investigators said on Wednesday. Azem Syla, a prominent legislator from the ruling party, was the alleged leader of the fraud which is believed to have involved 40 people, the EU police mission in Kosovo said. Syla, a former leader of Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) guerrillas who fought Serb forces during the 1998-99 war to gain independence from Serbia, remains at large and police failed to find him during a 10-day search. About 350 officers were involved and 42 locations were raided by police wearing masks. EU investigators were also involved in the biggest operation against crime in years. "The investigation relates to a large-scale organized criminal group, active from 2006 to date, composed of Kosovo and Serbian citizens, and headed by Azem Syla," the EU police and justice mission said in a statement. "The case involves the criminal offences of organized crime; money laundering; abuse of official position; falsifying official documents and giving and receiving bribes." The probe involves officials and business people who bought and sold state-owned land in an industrial zone near the capital Pristina. Participants in the scheme are alleged to have acquired the land cheaply before selling it for a large profit, depriving the state of 30 million euros in lost revenues. Syla could not be reached for comment. The EU police and justice mission, called EULEX, arrived in Kosovo in 2008, when the small Balkan country declared independence, to help fight organized crime and corruption, and to handle war crimes cases. EULEX has faced criticism in Kosovo and outside for not doing enough to tackle crime and corruption in one of the poorest countries in Europe. Efforts to investigate former fighters have often failed because clan loyalties run deep and KLA rebels are revered as heroes by Kosovo Albanians. Many entered government after the war. ($1 = 0.8835 euros) (Editing by Adrian Croft and Ed Osmond)
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Six Turkish members of a cargo ship's crew who were kidnapped by pirates off the coast of Nigeria two weeks ago have been released and are safely back in Istanbul, a lawyer for the shipping company said on Tuesday. "The six of them have been released and are back in Istanbul. All are in good health," said Fehmi Ulgener, a lawyer for the shipping firm Kaptanoglu Denizcilik. He declined to say whether or not a ransom had been paid. The Turks, who included the M/T Puli's captain, chief officer and chief engineer, were abducted some 90 miles off Nigeria on April 11. Other members of the crew were left onboard, unharmed. The tanker was carrying liquid chemical fuels and was travelling to Cameroon, the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported. Last month, Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea agreed to establish combined patrols to bolster security in the Gulf of Guinea. The countries around the Gulf are a significant source of oil, cocoa and metals for world markets, but pirates pose a growing threat to shipping. They target tankers in particular, usually seeking hostages for ransom and fuel to sell. Security analysts say the pirates have emerged from Nigerian militant groups such as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta.
By Chuck Mikolajczak NEW YORK (Reuters) - The technology sector has taken it on the chin in recent days, after lukewarm-to-disappointing results from a range of bellwethers such as Apple, Alphabet and Microsoft, but stocks of smaller tech companies have managed to buck the downtrend. The S&P technology index <.SPLRCT> has tumbled nearly 4 percent during the past five days, dragged lower by sharp declines among some of the biggest tech names. Apple and Microsoft are off nearly 9 percent while both classes of Alphabet shares have tumbled more than 7 percent. There has been no such weakness among smaller stocks. The S&P Midcap tech sector <.SPMDCT> has climbed 0.8 percent while smallcap tech <.SPSMCT> has advanced 1 percent. "The smaller names arent in everybodys portfolio, the bigger names are, thats why I would assume retail and institutional investors are selling their tech," said Kim Forrest, senior equity research analyst, Fort Pitt Capital Group in Pittsburgh. "Maybe the big cap is really the consumer-focused tech and media names and they deserve the selloff because they are not performing." While many of the smaller names are not expected to report until later in the earnings season, many of those that have reported already have posted positive results. Among midcaps, Advanced Micro Devices has surged more than 38 percent after besting forecasts last week. Smallcap Anixter International is up 10.7 percent as the best performer in that index for the past five sessions after posting results that topped expectations. "Expectations have been relatively low and as we go through earnings season, you are definitely seeing those areas the smaller companies - with the larger earnings beats," said Eric Marshall, director of research at Hodges Capital Management, Dallas. Some smaller tech names have also benefited since the start of the year from merger activity that, while slowed, has not disappeared completely. Checkpoint Systems is up more than 60 percent for the year after it agreed to be acquired by CCL Industries Inc for about $422 million. Coherent Inc is up 50 percent on the year after it reached a deal to buy Rofin-Sinar Technologies for about $942 million. "It dried up a little bit but every company out there that is large enough to do an acquisition is always doing acquisitions, they may not be completing them but they are talking to people," said Forrest. (Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; Editing by David Gregorio)
DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / April 27, 2016 / Soulman's Bar-B-Que has paved the way for a new kind of product roll-out that has proven engagement among the most loyal of customers. How did they do it?
Build a powerful online community and drive them into a store, add a secret code word and literally a new secret sauce. Soulman's newest menu item, Frontier Fries, are only the second new menu item in the last 18 years of Soulman's more than 40-year history. A week before public release of the new dish, loyal fans on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram were invited to come in and mention the code word for early access.
Brett Randle, CEO of Soulman's, explains, "No discount, no freebies, just insider early access to a secret new item. The code word video garnered over 76,000 views and reached over 120,000 users. We were very excited to use video to reach this particular audience because they exhibit high engagement on a daily basis. The 7-day early release resulted in a lift in traffic, 50-plus in-store mentions of the code word and a great start to early sales."
The social media team (including Denise Eiser, Mike Hartnett and Emily Gass) behind the screen know that the Soulman's audience is incredibly engaged and dedicated to the brand. On Facebook alone they number more than 25,000. They like and share posts, and comment in brand voice. In other words, they're the perfect audience for a sneak peek product promotion. Because they're diehards, they love the opportunity to feel more connected with Soulman's, and they want to talk about their love of meat. As a result, a "top secret" early release led to tons of excitement among the fan base, but also the urge to share that insider knowledge with others.
Randle adds, "Frontier isn't a product release for the sake of attention. Soulman's does simple, honest food well, and we felt like that positioned us particularly well for a promotion like this, because fans know we've got something delicious coming their way, rather than something flashy. In other words, nobody's going to roll their eyes at this and think there's no substance behind it. Soulman's has built brand equity to guarantee that we will deliver."
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Eiser concludes, "Now that the secret is out of the bag, we are continuing to use online video to publicize the new dish and drive in-store demand. Our engaged early-adapter audience is now helping Soulman's spread the word about the new item, and we're giving them compelling and fun branded videos to share with their networks, all at a fraction of the cost of traditional TV ads."
About Soulman's Bar-B-Que
For more than 40 years, Soulman's Bar-B-Que has satisfied the hardest to please barbecue lovers...Texans! Their selections of meats are cooked "low and slow" over hickory in a time-honored tradition: beef brisket, ham, hot links, sausage, turkey, chicken, pulled pork and, the crowd favorite, ribs. Ranch House Beans and Spicy Cream Corn are among the delicious homemade sides. Soulman's currently owns and operates 15 North and East Texas locations in Cedar Hill, Dallas, Forney, Garland, Greenville, Hurst, Lancaster, Mesquite, Quinlan, Rockwall (2), Royse City, Terrell, Van and Allen. To learn more about Soulman's Bar-B-Que, visit them online at http://www.soulmans.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/soulmansbbq.
Contact:
Dana Cobb
TrizCom Inc.
972-955-9747
dana@trizcom.com
SOURCE: Soulman's Bar-B-Que via Submit Press Release 123
South Yorkshire Police on April 26 said it unequivocally accepts the unlawful killing verdict reached by the jury of the Hillsborough disaster inquest. The decades-long inquest concluded that the 96 people who died in the 1989 tragedy were victims of gross negligence manslaughter.
On 15th April 1989, South Yorkshire Police got the policing of the FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough catastrophically wrong. It was and still is the biggest disaster in British sporting history. That day 96 people died and the lives of many others were changed forever. The force failed the victims and failed their families," said Chief Constable David Crompton.
Today, as I have said before, I want to apologise unreservedly to the families and all those affected," he said.
Families of the victims who died in the tragedy have called on the chief constable to resign immediately, accusing the force of seeking to undermine and mislead the inquests. Credit: YouTube/South Yorkshire Police
By Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - SpaceX plans to send an unmanned Dragon spacecraft to Mars as early as 2018, the company said on Wednesday, a first step in achieving founder Elon Musks goal to fly people to another planet. U.S. space agency NASA, which is aiming for a human mission to Mars in the 2030s, said it will provide technical support for SpaceXs first foray, known as Red Dragon. SpaceX "could provide valuable entry, descent and landing data to NASA for our journey to Mars, while providing support to American industry," NASA said in a statement. The announcement marks SpaceX's first target date for its unmanned mission to Mars. The SpaceX program is intended to develop technologies needed for human transportation to Mars, a long-term aim for Musk's privately held company, which is formally known as Space Exploration Technologies. The company said it will provide details of its Mars program at the International Astronautical Congress in September. "Dragon 2 is designed to be able to land anywhere in the solar system," Musk posted on Twitter. "Red Dragon Mars mission is the first test flight." He said that with an internal volume about the size of a sports utility vehicle, the Dragon spacecraft would be uncomfortable for people making the long journey to Mars. Musk, a billionaire entrepreneur who helped to found Tesla Motors and PayPal, started SpaceX in 2002 with the goal of slashing launch costs to make Mars travel affordable. SpaceX intends to debut its Mars rocket, a heavy-lift version of the Falcon 9 booster currently flying, later this year. The company recently has made spaceflight history by returning Falcon 9 rockets to landing pads on land and sea - key to Musk's quest to develop a relatively cheap, reusable launch vehicle. SpaceX now flies cargo versions of its Dragon capsule to and from the International Space Station under a $2 billion resupply services contract with NASA. SpaceX also is upgrading the capsules to carry astronauts, with test flights to the station scheduled for 2017, under a separate NASA contract worth up to $2.6 billion. NASA does not plan to provide financial assistance to SpaceX's Mars mission. The agency is investing in its own heavy-lift rocket, capsule and launch pad modifications targeting Mars travel. By the time NASA expects to debut a test flight in lunar orbit with astronauts onboard in 2023, the agency will have spent about $24 billion on the program, an April 2016 Government Accountability Office report shows. (Reporting by Irene Klotz; Editing by Letitia Stein and Bill Trott)
Barcelona (AFP) - Scientists in Spain on Wednesday they had created human sperm from skin cells, a medical feat which could eventually lead to a treatment for infertility.
The researchers said they were working to find a solution for the roughly 15 percent of couples worldwide who are unable to have children and whose only option is to use donated sperm or eggs.
"What to do when someone who wants to have a child lacks gametes (eggs or sperm)?" asked Carlos Simon, the scientific director of the Valencian Infertility Institute, Spain's first medical institution fully dedicated to assisted reproduction.
"This is the problem we want to address: to be able to create gametes in people who do not have them."
The result of their research, which was carried out with Stanford University in the United States, was published Tuesday in Scientific Reports, the online journal of Nature.
They were inspired by the work of Japan's Shinya Yamanaka and Britain's John Gordon who in 2012 shared a Nobel prize for the discovery that adult cells can be transformed back into embryo-like stem cells.
Simon and his team managed to reprogramme mature skin cells by introducing a cocktail of genes needed to create gametes.
Within a month the skin cell was transformed to become a germ cell, which can develop into sperm or an egg, but it did not have the ability to fertilise, they found.
"This is a sperm but it needs a further maturation phase to become a gamete. This is just the beginning," Simon said.
It is a step further than that reached by Chinese researchers who earlier this year announced they had created mice from artificial sperm.
"With the human species we must do much more testing because we are talking about the birth of child," Simon said.
The researchers also must take into account legal constraints since the technique involves the creation of artificial embryos which right now is only allowed in some countries.
"We are talking about a long process," Simon said.
Special Olympics has launched a petition against Showtime and comedian Gary Owen due to his use of the word retarded in his comedy special for the cabler.
In his special, I Agree with Myself, which first aired in January 2015 and aired again Monday night (the program is now available on Showtime On Demand), the comedian uses the word to talk about his cousin, Tina.
Tinas retarded, he says. Shes not slow. Its full-blown. It is what it is. He then goes on to describe learning that she had an STD, and make jokes about her having sex.
His routine also mocks the Special Olympics as well. The 100-meter dash is the funniest st youll want to see, he says, because its literally eight people running with no arm swing.
Special Olympics chair Tim Shriver has reached out to Showtime president and CEO David Nevins to request removal of the offending segment of the show.
The organization has also launched a petition on social media, which has over 1,000 signatures to date. We live in an era where bullying has become public sport, where public figures and leaders from dozens of walks of life seem to believe that humiliation and viciousness are acceptable ways of communicating, says the petition. Please join us in signing the petition to demand that Showtime remove this segment of the comedy special from their air and implore Gary Owen to apologize for his use of the R-word and take the pledge to not use the R-word.
People with intellectual disabilitiesone of the largest groups of people with disabilities in the worldhave suffered generations of discrimination and humiliation, Shriver told Variety in a statement. In the 21st century, they, together with their families and friends, are continuing their battle for the simplest form of justice: the justice that comes with a recognition of their full humanity. In my own experience, when I ask peoplebe they first graders or media figuresto join in stopping the casual use of the word retarded, they universally agree to do so. Most want to go further: they want to understand better how they can serve as agents of acceptance and dignity. None of this comedy routine is funny. At all. It is callous and gratuitous verbal violence. We are determined to stop it.
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A rep for the comedian and Showtime were not immediately available for comment.
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Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. SPR is set to release first-quarter 2016 results before the opening bell on Apr 29, 2016. In the preceding quarter, Spirit AeroSystems delivered a positive earnings surprise of 1.06%. Lets see how things are shaping up prior to this announcement.
Why a Likely Positive Surprise?
Our proven model shows that Spirit AeroSystems is likely to beat earnings estimates this quarter. 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. Spirit AeroSystems has the right combination of the two key components.
Zacks ESP: Spirit AeroSystems currently has an Earnings ESP of +6.60%. This is because the Most Accurate estimate stands at $1.13, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $1.06.
Zacks Rank: Spirit AeroSystems carries a Zacks Rank #2. Note that stocks with a Zacks Rank #1, 2 or 3 have a significantly higher chance of beating earnings estimates. Conversely, the Sell-rated stocks (Rank #4 and 5) should never be considered going into an earnings announcement.
Spirit AeroSystems Zacks Rank #2 and ESP of +6.60% make us reasonably confident of an earnings beat.
What's Driving the Better-than-Expected Earnings?
The growing demand for commercial airplanes globally is expected to boost demand for large aerostructures and components supplied by Spirit AeroSystems. The companys long-term contracts with The Boeing Company BA and Airbus Group SE are expected to keep its revenue stream steady. The company has worked on all Boeing programs, including building about 70% of the 737s.
Moreover, Spirit AeroSystems involvement in the defense market will help its performance. In Nov 2015, the company began first production of the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) P-8A aircraft. This will open up new opportunities for the company in the defense market.
The company expects 2016 earnings to be in the range of $4.15-$4.35 per share on sales between $6.6 billion and $6.7 billion.
Other Stocks to Consider
Here are some companies tied to the Aerospace/Defense industry worth considering on the basis of our model, which shows that they have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter.
Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. HII has an earnings ESP of +0.47% and carries a Zacks Rank #2. The company is slated to report first-quarter 2016 results on May 5, 2016.
Raytheon Co. RTN has an earnings ESP of +0.74% and carries a Zacks Rank #3. The company is slated to report first-quarter 2016 results on Apr 28, 2016.
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By Rory Carroll SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Stanford University's announcement on Monday that it will not rid its $22 billion endowment of oil and gas companies has raised the ire of campus climate activists, who said on Tuesday they will protest the decision. Activists felt they had momentum on their side after Stanford two years ago said it would no longer invest in coal mining companies, whose products are a major contributor to global climate change. But the Stanford Board of Trustees said on Monday it was not clear that the social injury caused by the companies outweighs the social benefit of providing energy to billions of people around the world. The university said it would have sold holdings in companies that specialize in producing crude from oil sands, a carbon-intensive extraction method. But since the endowment has no direct exposure to those companies, no action needed to be taken. The University of California last year agreed to sell off about $200 million in direct holdings in coal and oil sands companies. Stanford's Board of Trustees said that while it will not divest from fossil fuel companies, it would set up a climate task force to solicit ideas from across the Stanford community to address climate change. The board also said the university has taken steps to reduce energy use on campus and use more renewable energy. That was insufficient to satisfy activists who were pushing for bolder action. "We feel hurt and disappointed that the Stanford administration has chosen to remain invested in fossil fuel companies, in climate injustice, and in the destruction of our future," said Sophie Harrison, a student and organizer of Fossil Free Stanford. More than 100 students are expected to protest a scheduled speech on Wednesday by Stanford President John Hennessy, Harrison said. Fossil fuel divestment is a hot topic in California. Last year Governor Jerry Brown signed a law requiring the state's two large public pension funds the California Public Employees' Retirement System and the California State Teachers' Retirement System to sell all direct coal holdings. Pressure is building on Calpers to divest from ExxonMobil Corp after two California congressmen last month accused the company of "morally reprehensible conduct" tied to allegations that it covered up information on the environmental dangers of excess carbon dioxide emissions for decades. (Editing by Matthew Lewis)
From Seventeen
In response to the school's dress code that bans girls from wearing spaghetti strap tops and forces them to wear skirts/shorts of a "modest length" with the hemline at their fingertips, both female and male students at Washington Middle School in Missoula, MT teamed up for a "peaceful protest". The girls wore hand-made shirts that said "I am more than a distraction" and the guys rocked tees that said "I am not distracted".
Maya Heffernan, a, eighth-grader at the school told Missoulian, "I think [the dress code is] unfair and extremely sexist. It targets women and women's fashion tastes and it doesn't reflect what we consider modest."
The school took note of this amazing movement and has invited the students to attend a meeting with the school's Montana Behavioral Initiative committee to make their case against the dress code. Hopefully, the school will hear them out!
Follow @Seventeen on Instagram!
Victor Aerden is Belgian physiotherapist and hobby photographer who has fallen in love with the wide open spaces and natural beauty that Canada is known for. Aerden became so fascinated with our countrys unique landscape that hes decided to make it his permanent home.
A spring Sunrise in Banff. 2months before Ill call this place home.. @TravelAlberta #explorealberta pic.twitter.com/zWS0LSH0tx Victor Aerden (@VictorAerden) April 26, 2016
On a post he wrote for Bored Panda, he explains how his transition from Belgium to Canada has also been an opportunity to explore his passion for photography.
Im in the process of moving from the small, flat and heavy populated but cosy country of Belgium to the giant, beautiful and not so populated country of Canada, he said.
About a year ago I bought my first camera. Ive been exploring my new home through it, trying to improve my photography along the way.
A quick look at Aerdens Instagram page shows that the soon to be proud Canadian resident certainly has been busy exploring his surroundings.
A photo posted by Victor Aerden (@victoraerden) on Apr 22, 2016 at 6:18am PDT
A photo posted by Victor Aerden (@victoraerden) on Apr 8, 2016 at 9:45am PDT
Taken primarily in Alberta and British Columbia, these snapshots show stunning images of the vast Rocky Mountains, pristine glacier water lakes and dense vegetation this part of Canada offers on a daily basis.
A photo posted by Victor Aerden (@victoraerden) on Mar 22, 2016 at 1:10pm PDT
A photo posted by Victor Aerden (@victoraerden) on Feb 9, 2016 at 6:44am PST
Some of the wildlife who call many of Canadas national parks home make appearances on Aerdens stunning collection of outdoor photography.
A photo posted by Victor Aerden (@victoraerden) on Feb 4, 2016 at 11:14am PST
This collection of beautiful snapshots is a nice reminder that theres plenty of Canada available to explore, you just need to get out there and find it.
Khartoum (AFP) - A student was shot dead on Wednesday during clashes between Sudanese security forces and protesters at a university in the capital's twin city of Omdurman, officials said.
Violence erupted when security forces confronted angry students who spilled out of the campus of Ahaliya university in Omdurman, which lies on the western banks of the Nile opposite Khartoum.
The protesters were demanding the release of fellow students arrested in previous demonstrations at Sudanese universities.
"Students clashed with plain-clothed policemen when they stepped out of the university gate," a protester said.
A doctor at Omdurman hospital told AFP the student was already dead when he was brought to the facility.
Late on Wednesday President Omar al-Bashir's National Congress Party said in a statement that the student was "shot dead with a pistol outside the campus".
Hundreds of students carried his body from the hospital covered in a white shroud to his home in an impoverished neighbourhood of the city, an AFP correspondent reported.
"Killing of student means killing of nation!" angry students chanted as they marched in a procession.
Riot police and plain-clothed officers were deployed around the hospital and also walked along with the procession.
Omdurman's Ahaliya university condemned the killing and ordered the institution to be closed for an indefinite period.
Wednesday's incident came a day after police used tear gas to disperse a protest at Khartoum university over what students said was a government plan -- denied by the authorities -- to sell iconic Khartoum university buildings.
Universities in Sudan have seen regular protests, with the authorities often closing the institutions to prevent unrest.
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The trial early next month over who controls Sumner Redstones health care will be open to the public and media and not partially closed, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled today.
Just because there is a trial doesnt mean all his medical records should end up on the Internet, said Judge David Cowan on Wednesday. To that he asserted, in this country we have open trials, this is not Russia. Its not practical added Cowan in his tentative ruling to partially seal the trial as Redstones attorneys seek to do. The trial will be dignified and will focus on the legal issues and try not to get distracted by things that are undignified, he also said, emphasizing the need for balance.
The quickly convened downtown hearing today was scheduled after lawyers for the media mogul proposed earlier this week sealing portions of the proceedings and documents in the May 6 starting trial. As they have throughout the over 5-month legal battle first filed by Redstones ex-companion and former health care agent Manuela Herzer last fall, Redstones Loeb & Loeb attorneys sought to keep the 92-year olds private medical information kept out of the spotlight.
This was not a case that was brought by any choice of Mr. Redstone and brought against his will, argued lawyers for the billionaire after Cowan gave his tentative ruling. Cowan cut off the Loeb & Loeb attorney by saying he did not want to make this order before the trial starts. Let us see the evidence, Cowan essentially noted, and then maybe we can talk if required on specific testimony. With the May 6 12 trial days now extended to include May 13 and May 16, a final status conference has been set for May 5.
Along with several medical professionals, nurses and household employees, Herzer and Sheri Redstone will be called as witnesses in the trial as likely will Viacom CEO and Chair Philippe Dauman. Video of a recent deposition of Dauman will be shown in the court, said Herzers lead lawyer Pierce ODonnell today. Redstones other ex-companion Sydney Holland could be called as witness as could Redstones granddaughter Keryn. I dont want this case to turn into a history of Mr. Redstones family, the Judge said in caution, noting the rivalries in the clan. No decision has been made on whether or not Redstone himself will be a witness. A hearing on May 2 has been set on that matter.
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Wednesdays hearing comes one day after Dauman, who is Redstones current health care agent, was deposed in NYC by Bert Fields of Herzers Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinge legal team. It also came mere hours after Herzers side filed an opposition calling the Redstone sides plan unworkable and unconstitutional on several levels. The Court should adhere to its previous determination that this proceeding be open and public, said the filing (read it here).
Herzers lawyers also made another move to have Redstone himself testify as witness in the upcoming trial. Needless to say, having promised in an April 14 hearing that they would not call their client as a witness, Redstones attorneys fought back against the notice.
RelatedJudge Denies Attempt By Sumner Redstones Granddaughter To Join Health Care Fight UPDATE
Filed in November, Herzers legal action was born out of her removal late last year as the one who would make health care decisions for the billionaire if he were unable to. From Day 1, Herzer has claimed that Redstone did not sign the papers giving the role to the NYC-based Dauman and that information about her exs actual health is being suppressed. Kicked out of Redstones Beverly Hills mansion on October 12, removed as his health care agent and deleted from his will and the more than $50 million she stood to see, Herzer alleges that the now ex-Viacom and CBS boss is a living ghost.
That notion was reinforced recently by an April 15, 2015 email that emerged in discovery. The correspondence to Herzer seemed to have an estate planning attorney of Redstones worrying last year that the moguls current condition could become public if daughter Sheri moved for a conservatorship.
Philippe Dauman Shari Redstone
Still, after months of jostling and hearings, the two sides appeared close to resolving matters in a negotiated settlement. However, things hit an impasse, in the words of Herzers lead lawyer ODonnell, and fell apart in mid-April. Sources told Deadline at the time that Sheri Redstone was a big driver of a deal with Herzer. That deal, if it had been reached by both sides, would have seen the younger Redstone take over as her fathers health care agent from her apparent corporate nemesis Dauman. With talks crumbling, Herzers lawyers deposed Sheri Redstone in the matter on April 19.
After submitting to a court-ordered medical examination by a doctor of Herzers in late January, Redstone resigned from his position as executive chairman at CBS on February 3, with Les Moonves replacing him very soon afterward in a clear attempt to avoid any further corporate controversy arising from the suit. The next day Redstone dropped being executive chairman of Viacom with Dauman voted in to the job by the board over the expressed objections of Sheri Redstone.
As it stands, Redstone still controls 80% of the voting shares at Viacom and CBS a fact that has Wall Street watching this matter closely.
Before reading out his tentative ruling on Wednesday afternoon, Cowan also granted five motions to quash calling up several medical records of Redstones, as the ex-Viacom boss attorneys desired. Herzers lawyers wanted the analysis available for the trial, specifically in regards to Redstones mental and neurological health and CT scans. Turning to the little stuff, Cowan also granted Team Redstones fifth motion to seal other medical records for privacy sake. Additionally, the Judge wanted to see redacted records from Dr. Reed, an expert hired as a consultant by Herzers side.
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A trial over who will be the health care steward for media mogul Sumner Redstone will be open to the public, a judge decided in a tentative ruling on Wednesday.
Attorneys for Redstone had asked the judge to keep part of the trial behind closed doors to protect the 92-year-old billionaires privacy, Reuters reported.
The case, pitting Redstone against his former companion Manuela Herzer, has become a sideshow gripping Wall Street and Hollywood, revealing intimate claims about Redstones health and mental capacity.
Last year, Herzer sued to be reinstated as the steward of Redstones care. Her case claimed Redstone was like a living ghost, unable to follow conversations and sign his own name, and exposed prurient allegations of his sexual appetite. Redstones lawyers rejected the claims as an attempt to insinuate herself in his estate after she was removed in October.
Also Read: Sumner Redstone Dodges Deposition in Competency Suit
The two sides appeared close to a settlement earlier this month, having agreed in principle to a preliminary framework for a deal that would have averted a trial. But that deal collapsed, and a trial in the case is set to begin next week.
Redstone is a controlling shareholder of two media giants, Viacom and CBS, thanks to special shares that give him roughly 80 percent control over both.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Sumner Redstone Settlement Talks With Ex-Girlfriend Break Down
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden's center-right opposition Alliance bloc has a big lead over the minority coalition after the resignation of the housing minister and an ongoing asylum crisis, a poll on Wednesday showed. The poll by Ipsos for daily Dagens Nyheter showed the four-party Alliance with a lead of 7.6 percent in April over the minority Social Democrat and Green government and the Left Party, which supports the coalition in parliament. The Social Democrats, the biggest government party, saw their support drop to 24.4 percent in April - down 4.5 percent on the previous month and just above an all-time low of 23.7 percent hit in January 2012. The Greens dipped marginally to 4.8 percent, just above the 4 percent hurdle to get into parliament. The four-party Alliance opposition polled 43.8 percent. Sweden's political landscape has been turned upside down by the rise of the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats with neither the center-left nor center-right able to form a stable majority. The party polled 16.6 percent, up on the month but below a high-water mark of 18.9 percent hit in December last year. The minority coalition saw its first budget voted down and has been overwhelmed by record numbers of asylum seekers arriving last year. It was further weakened last week when Housing Minister Mehmet Kaplan, a Green MP, was forced to resign over comments about Israel. The Green Party's co-leaders, including Deputy Prime Minister Asa Romson, said supporters would have the chance to replace them at the party's congress in mid-May. Should that happen, it would throw the government into crisis. (Reporting by Simon Johnson; Editing by Alistair Scrutton)
Aleppo (Syria) (AFP) - Air strikes and clashes in Syria's second city Aleppo killed at least 12 people Wednesday, state media and emergency workers said, part of a surge in violence straining a two-month-old ceasefire.
State news agency SANA said that seven people were killed and 35 wounded by rocket and gunfire in several neighbourhoods that it blamed on Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front and its allies.
In rebel-held eastern Aleppo, five civilians were killed in two neighbourhoods, according to the civil defence, known as White Helmets.
An AFP correspondent said that regime aircraft targeted one area with barrel bombs and another with missiles.
Following a lull in fighting after the ceasefire took effect on February 27, violence has intensified in recent days, with more than 100 civilians reported dead in air strikes, shelling and rocket fire since Friday.
Once Syria's commercial hub, Aleppo has been divided between rebel control in the east and government forces in the west since 2012.
The fighting has put the ceasefire in jeopardy and overshadowed a new round of UN-brokered peace talks in Geneva that were entering a recess on Wednesday.
More than 270,000 people have been killed in Syria and millions been forced from their homes since the conflict erupted in 2011.
By Tom Perry and Rodi Said BEIRUT/AMUDA, Syria (Reuters) - The Kurdish government in Iraq has dealt a blow to Kurdish-controlled areas of northern Syria by keeping the border closed for more than one month, an economic and political setback for the Syrian region as it plans for wider autonomy. The Kurdish administration in northeastern Syria believes it is being targeted by the Kurdish government in Iraq in coordination with regional power Turkey, which is deeply concerned by growing Kurdish sway in Syria. The move has laid bare Kurdish divisions across the frontier that could complicate the Syrian Kurds' political ambitions: Iraqi Kurds took the step the very week the Syrian Kurds and their allies announced plans for a new system of autonomous government in northern Syria. The Iraqi Kurdish authorities gave no reason for the decision at the time the crossing was closed on March 16, Abdul Karim Saroukhan, the head of the Kurdish-led administration in northeastern Syria, told Reuters. The crossing was closed as Syrian Kurdish and other groups met to approve plans to deepen their autonomy in northern Syria by establishing a new confederation of self-governing regions. The area is known in Kurdish as Rojava. "It later became clear that this was to impose a complete siege on Rojava based - according to our information - on coordination between the (Iraqi) Kurdish region and the Turkish government," Saroukhan said. A senior Turkish official denied Turkey had a hand in the decision, while reiterating Turkey's fierce opposition to any ethnically-based autonomous federation in Syria. An Iraqi Kurdish official said the decision to close the border had nothing to do with federalism plans but was due to the "dictatorial behavior" of the main Syrian Kurdish party, the PYD, and its treatment of other Kurdish groups. The official, Hamid Darbandi, also said the PYD had interfered in Iraqi affairs, without giving details. "RESISTING" THROUGH SELF-SUFFICIENCY Syrian Kurdish officials say the aim is not separatism, but a decentralized system of government which they say must be at the heart of any solution to the Syrian conflict. The plan faced criticism, however, including from the United States. Saroukhan, who became head of the Syrian Kurdish-led government on April 5, however, said they were "trying as much as they can so this project does not succeed". Their message was that "you are the small part of Kurdistan ... and if you don't do as we tell you, we won't let you continue", he said. "This is their message to us. We've understood it. But we are determined to move in this approach - to resist, to be self-sufficient, to seek out other solutions," he said, speaking to Reuters from the town of Amuda in northern Syria. Kurds live as minorities in Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran. The Iraqi Kurds have sought to maximize their autonomy in recent years, building their own oil pipeline to Turkey. The Kurds make up the biggest ethnic minority in Syria, and faced systematic discrimination until the uprising in 2011. Kurdish groups have taken control of wide areas of northern Syria since the country's descent into war in 2011, including an uninterrupted 400 km (250 mile) stretch of the frontier with Turkey. The Kurdish YPG militia has been the most effective Syrian partner for the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State. With the Turkish border closed, the crossing to Iraqi Kurdistan from northeastern Syria has been used to bring in foodstuffs and building materials. Dozens of vehicles were crossing every day prior to the closure. It was also an important route out of northeastern Syria. FIGHTING ERUPTS IN QAMISHLI A Syrian Kurdish delegation headed to Moscow was turned back three weeks ago, according to Idris Nassan, a former official in the Syrian Kurdish administration who was himself recently turned back. While the flow of goods has dried up, Saroukhan said the region could cope thanks to its natural resources: the area is rich in agricultural land, and rudimentary refineries are being used to make gasoline and diesel from locally extracted oil. Kurdish-controlled areas of Syria are bordered to the north by Turkey, to the east by Iraq, and to the south and southwest by Islamic State-held territory. Flights from Damascus still operate to the city of Qamishli, where the airport is one of the few facilities still controlled by the Damascus government and is used for travel to government-held areas of the west where many Kurds live. Several dozen people were killed last week in fighting in Qamishli between Syrian Kurdish and Syrian government security forces. It was the bloodiest incident of its kind in the city since the start of the Syria crisis. For the most part, Damascus and the Kurds have left each other to their own devices. The outcome of the fighting was a further weakening of the Syrian government's position in Qamishli, with Kurdish militia capturing several positions that will stay under their control according to the terms of a truce announced by the Kurdish side. "The regime thought it could take Syria back to the way it was before 2011, but it does not realize that we have accomplished very much: military forces have been formed, and we have been able to run our society," Saroukhan said. "The regime has lost much of its strength, therefore this battle was to our benefit." (Additional reporting by Isabel Coles Erbil and Orhan Coskun in Ankara. editing by Peter Millership)
When it comes to Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, neither one of them know what theyre talking about, says T. Boone Pickens.
The best candidate for the energy industry would likely be Donald Trump, according to the American oil magnate.
Ted Cruz has stated that hed rein in the EPA if elected and work to get rid of other regulations and oversights that he says are endangering the gas and oil industry, but Pickens doesnt see him as electable. Hes not overwhelmingly liked, he says. Hes not a real popular guy.
Some conservatives have expressed worry over Trumps energy policy. In the past hes attacked Cruz for taking money from big oil, and industry experts are concerned with his lack of specific policy on the topic. Trump's official website explains his positions on the Mexican wall, healthcare reform, and Second Amendment rights, but doesnt touch on energy policy. Still, Trump has openly criticized New York for its fracking ban and has been endorsed by Harold Hamm, the shale pioneer.
Pickens, who says he hasnt voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in his nearly 88 years of life, does have tough words for another famous conservative. Charles Koch recently told ABCs This Week that its possible Clinton would make a better president than the Republican contenders.
I dont know what Charles is talking about, Pickens says bluntly. I cant even imagine anybody making that statement. Hillary has got so many problems. Ive seen her for 20 years and she really struggles with telling the truth.
TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan President-elect Tsai Ing-wen said she will maintain the status quo in the island's relationship with China, but that her policy will be based on democratic principles and transcend party politics, a nuance likely to be lost on Communist Party leaders in Beijing. China regards self-ruled Taiwan as a wayward province to be taken back by force if necessary and wants the new government to stick to the "one China" policy agreed upon with the outgoing China-friendly Nationalist government. Beijing distrusts Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which it believes supports formal independence for Taiwan. "Only in this way, can the cross-Strait relationship last and give 'maintaining the status quo' real meaning," Tsai, referring to the body of water separating the two sides, said in a speech. "In these 10 years or so, the rise of China's economy and its increasing overall influence has changed the structure of the cross-Strait relationship," Tsai said. "It has also resulted in far-reaching impact in all aspects of interaction." Her comments come less than a month before she takes power amid keen interest in what she will say during her inauguration speech on May 20. Tsai has always said she will maintain the status quo but has not elaborated on how she will engage Beijing beyond broad principles. Tsai and her independence-leaning DPP were voted into power in January on growing concern, particularly among younger citizens, that the island was not benefiting from its economic ties with China. China has been stepping up pressure on Taiwan. In the past few weeks, China has established ties with former Taiwan ally Gambia, sent a top general to inspect troops based in a frontline province and scooped up dozens of Taiwanese from Kenya wanted in China for fraud - a move denounced by Taipei as being more about politics than crime. Only 22 countries recognize Taiwan as the "Republic of China", with most having diplomatic relations with the "People's Republic of China", with its leaders in Beijing. Ties warmed considerably when Ma Ying-jeou of the Nationalists was elected Taiwan president in 2008, ushering in regular high-level exchanges and overseeing the signing of a series of landmark economic deals. China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since 1949, when Mao Zedong's forces won the Chinese civil war and Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists fled to the island. Tsai reiterated that the new government would maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and forge a consistent, predictable and sustainable relationship with China. "I will abide by the commitment," Tsai said. (Reporting by J.R. Wu; Editing by Nick Macfie)
DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - Tanzanian President John Magufuli suspended the head of the telecoms regulator on Tuesday, saying the watchdog failed to monitor the industry, resulting in the loss of potential tax revenues of 400 billion shillings ($182.15 million) a year since 2013. Magufuli, who took office late last year, has pledged to root out corruption and inefficiency in Tanzania. He has already sacked several senior officials, including the head of the government's anti-graft body, the head of the tax authority and the chief executive of the country's port authority. "I want the government to collect all outstanding (tax) revenues and I will not hesitate to take action against anyone who becomes an obstacle in this tax collection drive," a statement from the president's office quoted him as saying. It said Magufuli had also dissolved the governing board of the state-run Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority. The president's office said the telecoms regulator, headed by Ally Simba, had signed a contract with a private firm in 2013 for the installation of a telecommunications traffic monitoring system, but the regulator had failed to use it. The telecoms regulator did not immediately respond to Reuters' request to comment. Communications is the fastest growing sector in east Africa's second-largest economy, which has a population of more than 47 million. The number of mobile phone subscribers in Tanzania rose by 25 percent in 2015 to 39.8 million, according to latest government figures. As in other African countries, mobile phone use has surged in Tanzania over the past decade, helped by the launch of cheaper smartphones. Mobile phone operators in Tanzania include Vodacom Tanzania, part of South Africa's Vodacom, Bharti Airtel Tanzania, Tigo Tanzania, which is part of Sweden's Millicom, Zantel and Halotel, owned by Vietnam-based telecoms operator Viettel. The president has also launched a general tax crackdown and ordered the country's revenue authority to target large-scale tax evasion by big companies. ($1 = 2,196.0000 Tanzanian shillings) (Reporting by Fumbuka Ng'wanakilala; Editing by George Obulutsa and Jane Merriman)
Albertas carbon tax bringing Canada closer to new pipeline, Notley saysCanadians are closer to seeing a new pipeline built in this country than at any point in the past year, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said on Tuesday, days before she marks her first year in office.The Premier has expressed support in recent weeks for three proposed pipelines that would link Albertas oil sands to the Atlantic Ocean, northern B.C.s Pacific coast and an export terminal near Vancouver. One of those projects, the Northern Gateway pipeline from Edmonton to Kitimat, B.C., had seemed stalled before Ms. Notley told The Globe and Mail last week that she was dropping her opposition.On Tuesday, she said that Canada was absolutely closer to a new pipeline due to her provinces new carbon tax.Responding to Ms. Notleys remarks, federal Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr agreed: By virtue of the fact that theres more certainty and clocks are ticking on approval processes, we are closer to a decision, thats true, he said.Along with stricter climate rules in Alberta, Ms. Notley said that Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus cabinet better understands the importance of building pipelines for Canadas economy. She said that includes accepting her view that the environment can be protected while also building new energy infrastructure.I think their understanding of the relatedness of the health of Albertas energy industry to the health of the national economy has grown, she said on Tuesday from the provincial legislature in Edmonton.Ms. Notley will bring a similar message to Washington on Wednesday, when she intends to tell American officials and opinion makers that Alberta has changed. With a new economy-wide carbon tax taking effect next year and a legislated cap on the size of carbon emissions from the oil sands, she said U.S. groups need to revisit opposition to the provinces energy sector.
No delegate lead? No problem.
Ted Cruz is behind in the delegate count in the race for the Republican presidential nomination but that's not stopping him from selecting a running mate.
On Wednesday, Cruz announced that former Hewlett-Packard CEO and former 2016 Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina would be his running mate if he receives the Republican nomination.
Vetting vice presidential picks is something "any responsible candidate for president" should do, Cruz said at a rally, and went to say that he valued an understanding and experience dealing with national security, job creation, and good judgment in a vice president.
"Over and over again, Carly has shattered glass ceilings," he said, calling his potential VP a woman of "extraordinary intelligence" and "deep principle."
"Carly knows, from running one of the 20 biggest countries in America, where jobs come from," he said.
After a lengthy introduction, Cruz welcomed Fiorina to the stage.
She began with a call to action for her fellow Republicans: "This is a fight for the soul of our party and the future of our nation," she said. Fiorina went on to discuss Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, and the supposed similarities between them.
"They're not going to challenge the system," she added. "They are the system."
There has been murmurings that Cruz's campaign has been vetting choices for his vice presidential pick since last week, which campaign staffers themselves confirmed. From the get-go, Fiorina was the most-talked about of his picks.
"He is vetting a number of solid candidates, and certainly Ms. Fiorina is absolutely one of them," Chad Sweet, Cruz's campaign chairperson, told CNN. "She's one of the most talented business leaders of modern times."
It seems that Cruz hasn't been deterred by the numbers in making his announcement. After losing every state in Tuesday's Acela Primary (in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Delaware and Connecticut), he's trailing Donald Trump by nearly 400 delegates. At this point, he's mathematically eliminated from getting the needed number of delegates (1,237) to clinch the Republican nomination.
Cruz addressed this improbability, alluding to the possibility of a contested convention this summer.
"I'm not getting to 1,237 delegates, and Donald J. Trump is not getting to 1,237 delegates," he said.
What You Need to Know About a Contested GOP Convention
The upcoming California primary (scheduled for June 7) could be a reason for the announcement's timing: Fiorina lives in the state and previously ran for the United States Senate in the state. She's also set to speak at this weekend's California Republican Party convention, just hours after Ted Cruz himself.
Fiorina's own campaign started gaining traction after a strong showing at the first Republican debate back in August, bumping her up in the polls. Ultimately, she suspended her own campaign after a poor showing in the New Hampshire primary she came in seventh.
At the time of her campaign suspension, she said, "While I suspend my candidacy today, I will continue to travel this country and fight for those Americans who refuse to settle for the way things are and a status quo that no longer works for them."
During a rally Wednesday afternoon in Indianapolis, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz announced that he had selected former Hewlett-Packard CEO and unsuccessful 2016 GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina as his running mate.
After a great deal of time and thought, after a great deal of consideration and prayer, I have come to the conclusion that if I am nominated to be the president of the United States, I will run on a ticket with my vice presidential nominee Carly Fiorina, Cruz told hundreds of flag-waving supporters gathered at the Pavilion at Pan Am Plaza.
As cheers of Carly! Carly! subsided, Cruz hailed Fiorina as an extraordinary leader, reciting her resume and lauding her experience as the first female CEO in history of a Fortune 20 company.
Over and over again, Carly has shattered glass ceilings, Cruz said.
It was yet another whiplash-inducing twist in what has become the weirdest presidential campaign in recent memory.
Ted Cruz and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina wave during a rally in Indianapolis, April 27, 2016, when Cruz announced he has tapped Fiorina to serve as his running mate. (Photo: Michael Conroy/AP)
In a normal election year, an announcement like Cruzs wouldnt be so strange. Picking a vice-presidential partner is a regular and ritualistic part of the nomination process. Staffers start with a long list of contenders. They whittle it down to a shortlist, which inevitably leaks. The campaigns vet the candidates; so does the press. Eventually, the nominee settles on a sidekick who satisfies his chosen criteria: electoral strength, ideological balance, personal compatibility, readiness to serve as president and so forth. The pick is announced, the media salivates, the rollout commences.
All of which is happening right now.
The only difference? Unlike pretty much every other person in U.S. history who has selected a running mate, Cruz is not yet his partys presidential nominee and the odds are, he never will be.
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This selection seems to violate the norms followed by presidential candidates of both parties, which have usually produced able running mates and have helped elevate the office, says Joel Goldstein, a law professor at St. Louis University who specializes in vice presidential history.
Its no mystery why Cruz felt compelled to jump the gun here. As conservative blogger Allahpundit explained earlier today, He knew a blowout was coming on Tuesday and hed need to shift the conversation afterward immediately with Indiana set to vote in just a week. Picking a VP is the only card he has to play that can suck some media away from Trump, at least for a few hours. Without a major development to discuss, he[d] be left answering How can you possibly win? questions for the rest of the week.
Its also no mystery why Cruz felt that Fiorina was his best veep option (even though, unlike Kasich or Marco Rubio, she doesnt come with any delegates). After dropping out of the race in February, she became one of Cruzs earliest and most vocal supporters. She has proven herself an able and agile attack dog particularly when her quarry is Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton (a.k.a. the two people standing between Cruz and the presidency). As a businesswoman who has never held elected office, she is a political outsider at a time when GOP voters seem to crave political outsiders. She is a woman a point Cruz made repeatedly which could further weaken Trump with women voters and somewhat counterbalance Clintons strength in that department further down the road (in theory). And she is a popular figure among Republicans in California, where she lived for decades and won the partys 2010 Senate nomination. Incidentally, California is going to a host a fairly important GOP primary in few weeks .
Still, pre-announcing Fiorina as his running mate is a perilous move for Cruz. It may strike voters not yet sold on Cruz as presumptuous the equivalent of Al Gore launching his transition effort before the courts had officially decided the 2000 election. It would certainly limit Cruzs leverage at a contested convention, where the veep slot can be a powerful bargaining chip perhaps the only one with the power to propel a second-place candidate past the 1,237-delegate mark in later rounds of balloting. And even as a messaging maneuver, it may backfire.
Ronald Reagan and his then running mate, Richard Schweiker, at a 1976 news conference in Philadelphia, where they charged that President Ford was playing the same old politics with his vice presidential choice, and warned that it would take the party to defeat in November. (Photo: Corbis)
It seems like a last-ditch, desperate move, Goldstein tells Yahoo News. The vice-presidential selection sends messages about the selector. To choose someone who is not really an A-lister after an apparently truncated search does not send reassuring messages about Senator Cruzs appreciation of the role of the office or his decision-making approach.
If the press treats Cruzs premature decision as a sign of desperation, it could spell trouble. As Goldstein notes, not since 1936 has a running mate had zero years prior experience as a senator, high executive official, governor or member of the House of Representatives. That lack is particularly glaring in that Senator Cruz himself lacks as much experience in those positions as most presidential nominees. Fiorina has other vulnerabilities as well, including her role in HPs troubled merger with Compaq, which led to some 30,000 layoffs, and the fact that she lost both of her campaigns by massive margins. Trump will surely harp on both.
Only once in U.S. history has a candidate dared to select a running mate before clinching the nomination. The year was 1976. The candidate was Ronald Reagan. The former California governor was neck-and-neck with incumbent President Gerald Ford at the time, and his hope was that Richard Schweiker, a moderate U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, would soothe fears about his Western conservatism and flip some middle-of-the-road delegates in the weeks before the convention.
Instead, Reagans choice enraged many conservative delegates who were still angry about Fords veep selection two years earlier: moderate Nelson Rockefeller.
Reagan lost the nomination. But just barely. Announcing his VP pick much earlier than Reagan long before the end of the primaries and months before the convention is a sign that Cruz is unlikely to come as close to winning the nod as his hero did four decades ago. It may even push the prize further out of reach.
By Kathryn Doyle (Reuters Health) - Although most teen mothers know that co-sleeping with their baby or putting the baby to sleep with soft bedding or blankets increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), many do so anyway, a small U.S. study suggests. I was quite surprised to hear almost all of them admit making deliberate decisions to practice unsafe sleep behaviors despite being aware of SIDS and having been told about the risk factors, said lead author Dr. Michelle Caraballo of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. The medical community is shifting away from the term SIDS and toward Sudden Unexpected Infant Death, or SUID, to emphasize that we still do not know what causes it or how exactly these babies die, Caraballo noted. The new term SUID encompasses deaths previously labeled as SIDS but also includes other sleep-related infant deaths, including accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed, she told Reuters Health by email. Infants of mothers younger than age 20 are at higher risk for sleep-related sudden death than babies of older mothers, the study team notes in The Journal of Pediatrics, April 21. While rates of death in the SIDS category have leveled off since 1999, rates of infant death from causes like accidental suffocation or strangulation are rising, they point out. For the new study, they organized seven focus groups with a total of 43 teen mothers at high school daycare centers in Colorado. The groups talked about their knowledge of and adherence to American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) sleep recommendations. The mothers said their parenting information largely came from their own parents, teachers and doctors, but when faced with conflicting information, they listened to their own mothers. Almost all had learned about SIDS, usually from a medical provider or teacher, and knew that it could happen to any baby. Almost all knew the AAP recommends that babies sleep on their back, and only a few said they put their babies to sleep on their stomach anyway. Most also knew that blankets and soft objects should not be in the babys sleep space, but more than half said they put their baby to sleep covered with a loose blanket so that the baby would not be cold. Many said that if a baby bedroom set, which may include blankets and crib bumpers, is sold in stores then it must be safe which, the researchers note, is not the case. Most of the teen mothers said they owned a crib or playpen but very few said they consistently used a separate sleep space for their infant. Babies often slept in a car seat, swing or their mothers bed. Some mothers said bed-sharing was safer, helped them bond with their babies, and that babies slept better in bed with them. These results fit with a lot of other research that has demonstrated mothers have knowledge of safe infant sleep recommendations, but this knowledge does not necessarily translate to adhering to the recommendations, said Trina C. Salm Ward of the University of Georgia School of Social Work in Athens. What I find concerning is that they tend to know that bed-sharing is 'unsafe,' so they engage in practices to try to reduce the risk. Some of these practices, though, such as placing pillows around the infant, actually increase the risk of suffocation, Ward, who was not involved in the study, told Reuters Health by email. Because of the small sample size in our focus group study, I cannot generalize our findings and say that what we found is necessarily true of most or all new mothers, Caraballo said. Infants should sleep in the same room but not in the same bed with their mother, on a firm sleep surface, she said. Simply educating mothers on safe sleep practices is not enough to change actual behavior, she said. I do not know what it will take to induce behavior change in this high-risk demographic; unfortunately all I can say with certainty is that what we're doing right now isn't working, she said. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1YTBLjA J Pediatr 2016.
By Alex Dobuzinskis (Reuters) - Tennessee's Republican governor on Wednesday signed a law allowing mental health counselors to refuse service to patients on "sincerely held principles," the latest in a string of U.S. state measures criticized as discriminatory against the gay community. Governor Bill Haslam signed the bill into law three weeks after it was approved by the legislature. It goes into effect immediately. "The substance of this bill doesn't address a group, issue or belief system," Haslam said in a statement. "Rather, it allows counselors just as we allow other professionals like doctors and lawyers to refer a client to another counselor when the goals or behaviors would violate a sincerely held principle." An earlier version of the bill had allowed counselors to refuse service to patients on religious grounds, but it was amended to remove any direct reference to religion. The law protects therapists and counselors from legal action when they cite their personal principles in refusing service, despite a provision in the American Counseling Association's code of ethics barring members from such denials of service. "This measure is rooted in the dangerous misconception that religion can be used as a free pass to discriminate," Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, said in a statement. Weinberg called the bill one in a series of "attacks" on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community following last year's ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court striking down state bans on gay marriage. Haslam had previously told Nashville Public Radio he was considering the effect the legislation may have on Tennessee and its citizens, as laws criticized as discriminatory against the LGBT community has drawn increased scrutiny in several states. In South Carolina, a number of companies including PayPal Holdings and Deutsche Bank have canceled plans to add jobs in the state after it passed a law requiring people to use bathrooms or locker rooms in schools and other public facilities that match the gender on their birth certificate rather than their gender identity. Haslam said he decided to sign the counseling bill in part because it forbids denial of service to patients in danger of harming themselves or others. Earlier this month, Haslam disappointed some Christians in the state when he vetoed legislation that would have made the Bible Tennessee's official book. The governor said that violated the U.S. Constitution. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Alan Crosby)
Can Tesla Put It in High Gear after 1Q16?
(Continued from Prior Part)
Teslas Model 3
Tesla Motors (TSLA) is not a very large company, but it still manages to appeal to a large fan base. This huge community of the companys followers could be seen as one of the reasons for the rally seen in Teslas stock during the past several years.
Teslas Model 3 is going to be the companys fourth vehicle and its first mass-targeted car. CEO Elon Musk unveiled it on March 31, 2016, at a high voltage event. The energy level and enthusiasm of the audience at the Tesla Model 3 unveiling event demonstrated the power of Teslas brand.
Notably, in a very short period Tesla has received nearly 0.4 million orders for its Model 3 (which you can read about in our series Can the Model 3 Do for Tesla What the Model T Did for Ford?)
Can Model 3 live up to the hype?
Within a short period, Telsa CEO Elon Musk has become a hero for the companys many customers and investors. Teslas Model 3 has also received a lot of hype from the media, with some people even comparing the product image with Apples iPhone.
No doubt, the features and specifications that Teslas Model 3 are likely to come with are impressive. But its important to note that the iPhone was not a just a product for Apple (AAPL)it was a concept based on a technological innovation that no one else in the industry had thought of at the time.
The EV space
Nissans Leaf has already made itself known in the EV segment. In addition, legacy automakers (XLY) such as General Motors (GM) and Ford (F) have already announced their aggressive plans to invest in EVs. GMs Chevrolet Bolt, for example, has similar specifications and will hit the broader market before Teslas Model 3.
Theres no doubt that the timely delivery of Teslas Model 3s will be a make-or-break situation for the company. To be able to fulfill all of the Model 3 orders in time, the company will need to gear up. But it will be interesting, in any case, to see how Tesla exploits this huge opportunity.
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In the next part, well explore what key expectations will likely remain in focus for Teslas 1Q16 earnings release.
Continue to Next Part
Browse this series on Market Realist:
By Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Panarat Thepgumpanat BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's election commission on Wednesday filed charges against a group for posting "foul and strong" comments online criticising a military-backed draft constitution, the first case filed under a law that prohibits campaigning on the charter. Groups on both sides of Thailand's political divide have denounced the draft constitution as undemocratic. The U.N. human rights chief last week urged the junta to curtail "dangerously sweeping" powers enshrined in the draft charter and urged the government to "actively encourage, rather than discourage" dialogue on the draft. Election commissioner Somchai Srisuthiyakorn filed the charges against members of a Facebook group based in Thailand's northeastern province of Khon Kaen. "They posted comments on Facebook using foul and strong language," Somchai told reporters after filing the charges. He did not disclose the group's identity. "We want them to be an example," he said. "From now on, people should talk about the constitution using reason." Thailand's king on Friday approved a law providing a 10-year jail term for those who campaign ahead of an August 7 referendum on the constitution. The law criminalises "forcing or influencing" a voter to cast or not cast a vote. The August 7 referendum will be the first time Thais have headed to the polls since the military took power in a May 2014 coup. Opponents of the military regime, including the Puea Thai Party, have told supporters to vote against the draft charter. Sunai Phasuk, senior researcher in Thailand for Human Rights Watch, told Reuters a "climate of fear" was growing ahead of the referendum. "The junta is mobilising state machinery and everything is being used to promote the draft constitution while people who oppose the draft are being targeted," said Sunai. In a separate case, ten people, eight from Bangkok and two from Khon Kaen, were detained on Wednesday, suspected of violating the computer crimes law, junta spokesman Winthai Suvaree told Reuters. "We have no details on what they posted as yet," he said. A few dozen people gathered for a silent protest against the detentions at a monument in central Bangkok. At least 15 were also detained, a Reuters witness said. The junta has banned political gatherings of more than five people. (Additional reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Jorge Silva; Writing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre; Editing by Nick Macfie)
Thai election authorities on Wednesday filed their first charge under a law banning campaigning and debate before a referendum on a controversial new constitution, as the junta tightens its grip on free speech.
The broadly-worded legislation, which came into force last week, mandates up to 10 years in prison for anyone criticising the military's new charter or "influencing voters" in the run-up to the August 7 poll.
It will be Thailand's first return to the ballot box since the generals toppled an elected government two years ago and banned all political activities.
On Wednesday a senior official from the election agency filed the first charge under the law against a group who posted Facebook messages aimed at "inciting voters", police said.
"I want this case to serve as an example, that from now on criticising (the charter) must be done in a polite manner," Election Commissioner Somchai Srisuthiyakorn said on TV after filing the charge.
"Those who post comments with rude or aggressive wordings are clearly violating the law," he added.
Police said the group was based in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen, a stronghold of the political bloc opposed to the junta, but refused to release the organisation's name.
Criticism of the military regime -- often posted on social media -- has landed scores of activists and former politicians in detention over the past two years, attracting frequent condemnation from rights groups and UN agencies.
On Wednesday Thai human rights lawyers said at least eight people had been "abducted" by military officers across the country.
A military spokesman told AFP a total of ten people had been arrested on computer crime charges, another broadly-worded law used to curb dissent.
Later in the day small groups of activists were dragged away by police shortly after they gathered in Bangkok to protest at the arrests and the junta's limits on free speech.
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Critics accuse the military of seeking to entrench its political influence through the proposed constitution, which would give a junta-appointed senate authority to check the power of elected lawmakers for a five-year transitional period.
The senate, which would have seats reserved for military officers, could also have a say in choosing the prime minister if voters approve that power in the referendum ballot.
The military-appointed drafters of the charter insist their work will exclude corrupt politicians and provide a "safety valve" if Thailand topples into a political crisis.
The kingdom has been torn by rounds of often-deadly mass protests since billionaire premier Thaksin Shinawatra was toppled by the military in 2006.
His supporters say the junta is bent on dismantling the Shinawatras' powerful political faction, which has won every national election in the past decade but is hated by a military-allied elite.
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's Central Group is buying the Thai business of fashioned-focused e-commerce site Zalora, a unit of the group said on Wednesday. "Central Group Online .... has studied the deal and signed the agreement to acquire Zalora business in Thailand," Narumon Wipajaroen, company secretary for Central Group Online , said in a statement. Zalora Group said in a statement that it was also selling its Vietnam business. A spokeswoman for Central Group declined to comment on the Vietnam business. The two groups did not give financial details of the deals but a media report said the Thai and Vietnam deals were done at $10 million each. E-commerce in Southeast Asia has become a focus for consumer firms. China's biggest e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding Ltd earlier this month announced a deal to buy a controlling stake in Southeast Asian online retailer Lazada Group for about $1 billion. Central Group, like most major Thai retailers, is looking to expand its e-commerce business to win back customers who increasingly prefer to shop online. It is controlled by the Chirathivat family, the third-richest in Thailand. The group is among the bidders for French retailer Casino Group's Big C supermarket chain in Vietnam. Zalora is part of Global Fashion Group, the e-commerce firm backed by Sweden's Kinnevik and Germany's Rocket Internet . (Reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre, Manunphattr Dhanananphorn and Khettiya Jittapong; Writing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
BEAUTY LESSONS: All Things Eyeliner
Three makeup artists explain the art of perfectly lined eyes.
Written By ERICA LOPEZ
Call it the kohl conundrum: Our enchantment with the coquettish eyeliner of icons like Brigitte Bardot and Anna Karina is outmatched only by our own struggles to apply it without incident. Indeed, in the ongoing quest to ace smudge-proof, symmetrically lined eyes (some go so far as to incorporate Scotch Tape into their makeup routines), the pitfalls are manybut the effects are worth the effort. Get it right, and eyes will appear wider, brighter, and undeniably alluring. It may even take years off your face.
To that end, The Violet Files enlisted makeup artists Mai Quynh (the woman responsible for Saoirse Ronans sophisticated red carpet beauty), Gregory Arlt (a favorite of Gwen Stefani and director of makeup artistry at MAC), and Charlotte Tilbury (the makeup maven who invented the Feline Flick) to lend a (steady) hand and demystify the art of the lined eye. Read on for their insights.
A good liner is the LBD of beauty productsversatile and transformative. As makeup artist and cat-eye devotee Charlotte Tilbury explains: Eyeliner can create many different looks and magically morph the shape of your eye. And, she adds, theres one for every occasion. Here, a glossary.
LIQUID
Liquid liner, as the name implies, is the wettest formula and is usually packaged as a thin pen. Tilbury considers liquid liner your best friend when creating an elongated, sexy cat-eye, while Arlt favors MACs waterproof Liquidlast version in Point Black for people with watery eyes or allergies.
How to Apply: To achieve Tilburys signature Feline Flick (inspired by Japanese calligraphy), start in the inner corner of the eye and draw a very fine line as close as possible to the lash line until you are two thirds of the way across the lid. At this point, start to thicken the line, sweeping the pen up and out. Next, look in the mirror, advises Tilbury, and draw a dot where your flick should end. Compare the symmetry of the dots on each eye, and then connect the end of your liner with each dot with a simple flick of the pen. Beginners, keep cotton swabs nearby for touch-ups.
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KOHL
Kohl liner, which dates as far back as 10,000 B.C., remains the best texture for creating a smoky eye. True kohl contains soot, and was used in ancient times to protect the eyes from the harsh glare of the sun, says Arlt, who is partial to MACs Feline shade, which he calls the blackest of the black. Tilburys Rock N Kohl pencils were also inspired by the pigments rich history: Cleopatra crafted one of the first self-made kohls, believing it warded off evil spirits and made her eyes even more mesmerizing, she says.
How to Apply: Tilbury recommends using the Feline Flick method with kohl as well. Make sure the pencil is freshly sharpened to get the perfect line. Arlt favors kohl when highlighting the waterline, as its a waterproof formula.
PENCIL
Although eyeliner was moderately used in the early 20th century, it wasnt until the 1970s that it was considered acceptable for daily wear. Pencil liners offer the most variety in color and texture (wax, powder, and cream bases), and they create a softly defined look, making them similar to kohls but offering a smoother finish.
How to Apply: Make sure your pencil is sharpened, says Arlt, but buff off the pointed tip [by rubbing it against the back of your hand] before applying so the line isnt too thin and to prevent crumbling. When applying to the upper lash line, Arlt advises tilting your head back and looking down into a mirror, like a queen looking down at her subjects. Start from the inner eye and work outward. For the bottom lash line, Apply a little thicker on the outer corner, and make it thinner on the inner eye, he says.
GEL
Gel liner is similar to liquid liner in its precise, opaque finish, but offers more control in the application. Gel liner is my favorite, says Quynh, because it leaves a defined, dark layer like a liquid, but it dries faster.
How to Apply: Arlt likes to apply MACs Fluidline gel liner in Blacktrack using his queen-like gaze technique: Take a small amount of the product onto an angled brush and, looking down into the mirror, start at the tear duct and apply across the lid. If a cat-eye is what you desire, Arlt suggests bringing the line out and upward, using the longest end of your angled brush. Add more product to connect the point to the lower lash line, filling in the winged shape to get the thickness you want.
BLUE EYES
I intuitively use complementary-but-opposite shades to bring out eye color. I call it the Laws of Contrast, says Tilbury. Employing this philosophy, she prefers champagne and black tones with a shimmering finish against blue eyes to make them appear bluer. Quynh, meanwhile, likes to consider skin tone and hair color, using taupe-gray on blue-eyed clients with fair skin for an icy effect. For freshly tanned clients, a golden-bronze shade against the blue looks great, she says.
GREEN EYES
Per Arlt, purple eyeliners are a great way to make green eyes stand out thanks to the reddish undertones (after all, red is greens complementary shade on the color wheel). Tilbury agrees, suggesting her Rock N Kohl Eyeliner in Elizabeth Violet for green eyesthe very subtle black-purple makes them sparkle. Quynh also prefers purple shades on green eyes, suggesting a lighter shade of purple to maximize brightness.
BROWN EYES
Tilbury likes to use amber tones on brown eyes, as they pick up on the iris subtle golden flecks and make the color sparkle. Arlt also recommends navy and eggplant shades as alternatives to black liner for a defined look that is less harsh. A brown-eyed beauty herself, Quynh personally favors purple hues: The warmness of the plum shade complements my eyes really well, she asserts.
FOR BIGGER, BRIGHTER EYES
Tilbury and Quynh both enlist flesh tones along the lower waterline when they want the eyes to look more awake. Alternatively, Arlt recommends using a lighter frosted pencil in the inner corners and tear ducts to make eyes appear wider and alert.
FOR HIGH DRAMA
Dramatic liner (take Kate Lees Calligraphy Eye, for example) can make an excellent accessory. Quynh suggests picking a bold color that coordinates with your ensemble without matching exactly: I think its fun to match your liner to an accent colorlike one of your accessoriesfor a look thats exciting, but not overboard. Arlt also suggests considering the time and place for bold liner; what works for a night out with girlfriends might not be suitable for a job interview.
FOR THICK, LUSH LASHES
Nestle your liner tightly into the lash line to make lashes appear thicker, suggests Tilbury. You never want to see any gaps of skin!
FOR DAYTIME
Quynh uses soft gray metallics and taupe for daytime, and recommends employing a pencil liner for the softest finish: Its so smudgy and the color is almost nonexistent, making it subtle enough for daytime wear.
FOR MATURE EYES ONLY
Quynh avoids harsh looks by swapping black liners for charcoal grays and warm browns on mature clients who desire a bold line. Arlt also recommends using a softer pencil formula instead of liquid liners, which tend to get caught in the creases. And, of course, Tilbury reminds us to tend to the delicate skin around the eye with a hydrating cream, as this is one of the first places to show the effects of aging.
Advised
1. Try an unconventional smoky eye coloryou dont have to be married to black or gray. Quynh likes to mix it up with a jewel-toned color (like warm brown, navy, or even plum) to make the look more interesting and add dimension.
2. Blot excess eye cream with a tissue before applying eyeliner to help ensure the color will not smudge, especially when using a nonwaterproof formula.
3. Apply liner in between your lashes to create a full, thick effect.
Avoid
1. Matching dramatic liner to your outfit. Instead, select an accent color from your ensemble (perhaps your jewelry or clutch) and coordinate with that instead.
2. Fear of blue. Tilbury actually prefers navy for dark makeup looks, as it can be elegant and less severe than black.
3. Using liquid liner on mature skin types. This tends to settle into fine lines and exaggerate their appearance.
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Students Can Go On A Six-Week Global Expedition In Search Of A Real-Life Buried Treasure And $10,000 Scholarship
AUSTIN, TX / ACCESSWIRE / April 26, 2016 / Brain Chase Productions, the online education company specializing in global treasure hunts for kids, is announcing their third annual summer Brain Chase. Beginning June 20, 2016, students around the world in grades 2-8 can embark on an online learning adventure in search of the Mask of Tomoe Gozen, a gold-plated, mechanical trophy named after a female samurai warrior. The first participant to pinpoint the location of the lost mask within a two-mile radius will receive an all-expenses paid trip to go unearth the real-life buried treasure that holds the key to a $10,000 scholarship!
Designed to combat the "summer slide," children who participate in the 6-week interactive Brain Chase will complete weekly online learning challenges through academic partners such as Khan Academy, Typing Club, Google Books and Rosetta Stone. Students can also choose elective challenges including Engineering with Leo Labs, Cooking with Edible Education, Yoga with YogaMeDo, Art with Thorpe Studios, Creative Writing, and Brain Chase Book Club. Upon the completion of each week of academic challenges, an original animated webisode with kid archaeologists from the Grayson Academy of Antiquities is unlocked that contains hidden clues to the location of the buried treasure. Previous Brain Chase winners were whisked away on real-life adventures to Spain and Japan to dig up their prizes.
"Brain Chase immerses students in an educational environment that is disguised by the exhilaration of a massive treasure hunt," said Allan Staker, CEO of Brain Chase Productions. "With this summer's new quest for the mask of the historically brave samurai, Tomoe Gozen, we continue to redirect screen time into positive, academic digital experiences that keep kids sharp all summer long."
In addition to the online electives, Brain Chase includes weekly Bonus Challenges, three different adventure tools in the mail, a completion certificate and patch, and weekly update emails to parents. Early-bird pricing is now available now through May 15, 2016 beginning at $69. To join the Mask of Tomoe Gozen Brain Chase adventure, please visit www.brainchase.com.
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ABOUT BRAIN CHASE
Brain Chase began as a simple conversation between two parents, Heather and Allan Staker, who sought out to design a program that would keep their own five children sharp over the summer. Knowing that most students lose about two months of hard-earned knowledge over the summer months, Heather and Allan launched the online program to the world in June 2014. With much success, Brain Chase became the motivational tool to help kids return to school in the fall fresh and confident. In addition to its direct-to-consumer product, Brain Chase partners with schools and community programs around the country to offer Brain Chase at group rates. Brain Chase now offers spring, summer and fall programs year round.
For more information about us, please visit http://www.brainchase.com
Contact Info:
Name: Brandy Shuman
Organization: Konnect Agency
Address: 888 South Figueroa Street, Suite 1000, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone: 2139888344
SOURCE: Brain Chase Productions
From Country Living
Walk a mile-and-a-half from Sunset Beach pier on Bird Island, North Carolina, and you'll see a mailbox you might mistake for a mirage. It's nowhere near a house or any path a postal truck can travel. In fact, the mailbox was a mirage of sorts more than 40 years ago, when a woman known as Claudia began daydreaming of it.
"Over the years, it would just pop into her head. When she came to Sunset Beach, it all started to make more sense," said author Jacqueline DeGroot.
Claudia and her then-boyfriend Frank Nesmith made the mailbox a reality in the late 1970s, planting its post in the sand dunes and stocking it with blank notebooks. They labeled it "Kindred Spirit." Since then, tens of thousands of visitors have left messages there.
Maybe it's the serene coastal setting or the sturdy bench, but something about the post encourages people to take a load off and reflect on life for a while.
Many of the notes are anonymous, and soul-bearing isn't uncommon. Over the years, the notebooks have been filled with everything from simple thoughts of gratitude for the beauty of nature, to memories of a loved one who's passed on, and even heavy burdens laid bare on the page.
The messages can be inspiring, restoring the reader's faith in humanity. "Read about 30 minutes in one of these books [and] you'll walk away having a whole better feeling about the world that you live in," Nesmith, 89, told CBS Evening News in 2014.
Some families have made a tradition of trekking to the "mailbox to nowhere," coming back year after year.
No smartphones or tablets here - this experience is all about putting pen to paper.
These days, the mailbox is somewhat of a local icon, inspiring much more than letter writing.
Follow Country Living on Pinterest
(Reuters) - Three people were killed and one critically wounded in shootings early on Wednesday in north-central Mississippi, a Mississippi Bureau of Investigation official said. Multiple crime scenes are involved in the shootings in Montgomery County, located about 100 miles north of Jackson, according to Mississippi Bureau of Investigation spokesman Warren Strain. A person of interest was being interviewed and the Montgomery County sheriff is investigating, Strain said. No motive has yet been given for the shootings and authorities did not provide any information on the victims.The person who survived the shooting was airlifted to a hospital, Strain said. The incident occurred at about 2 a.m., WCBI-TV, a CBS affiliate in northern Mississippi, said, citing the county coroner. The coroner could not immediately be reached for further comment and Strain could not confirm the time. (Reporting by Suzannah Gonzales; Editing by Bill Trott)
Cairo (AFP) - A roadside bomb in the North Sinai town of El-Arish killed three Egyptian police conscripts on Wednesday, the interior ministry said.
Jihadists have waged an insurgency in the restive peninsula that has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the army toppled Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.
The interior ministry said Monday's attack targeted a police convoy as it drove through El-Arish, the provincial capital of North Sinai.
The insurgency is led by the Islamic State jihadist group's Egypt affiliate.
The group, which often claims attacks against security services, also said it planted a bomb on board a Russian airliner over Sinai last October, killing all 224 people on board.
5d10206008534d398397967d771f9711
No need to call your friends for a debrief after a particularly bad Tinder date now you can just bring them along.
The insanely popular dating app just launched a new feature, Tinder Social, on Wednesday local time. It's a new function that allows you and your friends to create a group on the platform, which can then match with other groups looking for a night out.
Tinder Social is currently being tested with a small group of lucky love hunters in Australia, although the company said in a blog post it hopes to roll it out globally. Mashable has reached out to Tinder for comment.
SEE ALSO: 10 haikus that capture love in the time of Tinder
When using the app in "group mode," you can swipe through groups just like you would normally with individuals, as well as flick through the profiles of people in the groups. If you see an appealing group of friends and they like you back, you can then chat and make plans for meeting up.
You can also indicate what your group's plans for the night are, to make it clear you're just up for bowling or a complete rager. The group expires after 48 hours, and of course, your friends must be on Tinder, too.
Image: mashable
Image: mashable
A group date doesn't always end well romantically for all concerned. Perhaps this move is simply an indication the platform is trying to become a medium for extending your social scene, as well as the dating pool.
"It's a way to go places full of people youve already matched with, making socializing so much easier once youre out and about," the company said. "Whether youre looking for groups you share common interests with, or youre looking for a completely new adventure, Tinder Social is a better way to go out with friends."
One lucky Mashable Australia reporter has access to the Tinder Social pilot, so we'll let you know if it works or whether it's just a messy waste of time.
New Delhi (AFP) - One of India's most senior lawyers has been ordered to study condom and other contraceptive packets to determine if their pictures are too racy and should be banned, according to reports Wednesday.
Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh must spend six weeks poring over sexy photographs -- often of scantily clad women or couples in steamy embraces -- promoting the products after the Supreme Court said they may breach India's tough obscenity laws.
"Do you have any plan to regulate such advertisements?" a Supreme Court bench was quoted by the Indian Express asking Singh, the government's third-ranked legal officer.
"You also have to tell us if such advertisements may constitute a penal offence," the newspaper reported the bench as saying.
Singh's office confirmed to AFP that the court issued the order on Tuesday, but declined to comment further.
Conservatives in deeply religious India often register complaints with police under the obscenity law, which carries a maximum punishment of two years in jail and five years for repeat offenders.
Bollywood actors often find themselves slapped with such charges for their movies that some see as crossing the lines of decency. Former porn star turned actor Sunny Leone was hit with an obscenity charge last year for her online movies and photographs.
Police are obliged to register a case when complaints are made.
The latest case came after condom manufacturers appealed against an earlier High Court order banning lurid pictures from their packets on the grounds that they were obscene and an affront to Indian culture.
The High Court was responding to a petition filed against the manufacturers.
Last year, India was forced to reverse a controversial order banning hundreds of porn websites after accusations of heavy-handed censorship in the world's largest democracy.
Indian censors also blocked the release of the erotic film "Fifty Shades of Grey" in cinemas last year, even though a toned-down version of the film was supposed to be screened.
By Joseph Menn SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Internet traffic to Wikipedia pages summarizing knowledge about terror groups and their tools plunged nearly 30 percent after revelations of widespread Web monitoring by the U.S. National Security Agency, suggesting that concerns about government snooping are hurting the ordinary pursuit of information. A forthcoming paper in the Berkeley Technology Law Journal analyzes the fall in traffic, arguing that it provides the most direct evidence to date of a so-called chilling effect, or negative impact on legal conduct, from the intelligence practices disclosed by fugitive former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. Author Jonathon Penney, a fellow at the University of Torontos interdisciplinary Citizen Lab, examined monthly views of Wikipedia articles on 48 topics identified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as subjects that they track on social media, including Al Qaeda, dirty bombs and jihad. In the 16 months prior to the first major Snowden stories in June 2013, the articles drew a variable but an increasing audience, with a low point of about 2.2 million per month rising to 3.0 million just before disclosures of the NSA's Internet spying programs. Views of the sensitive pages rapidly fell back to 2.2 million a month in the next two months and later dipped under 2.0 million before stabilizing below 2.5 million 14 months later, Penney found. The traffic dropped even more to topics that survey respondents deemed especially privacy-sensitive. Viewership of a presumably safer group of articles about U.S. government security forces decreased much less in the same period. Penney's results, subjected to peer-review, offer a deeper dive into an issue investigated by previous researchers, including some who found a 5.0 percent drop in Google searches for sensitive terms immediately after June 2013. Other surveys have found sharply increased use of privacy-protecting Web browsers and communications tools. Penneys work may provide fodder for technology companies and others arguing for greater restraint and disclosure about intelligence-gathering. Chilling effects are notoriously difficult to document and so have limited impact on laws and court rulings. More immediately, the research could aid a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of Wikipedias nonprofit parent organization and other groups against the NSA and the Justice Department. The year-old suit argues that intelligence collection from backbone Internet traffic carriers violated the Fourth Amendment ban on unreasonable searches. (Reporting by Joseph Menn; editing by Jonathan Weber)
Trespassing-thumb
"To travel alone, I'd learned, isn't to rely on yourself. To travel alone is to force yourself to depend on others. It is to fall in love with mankind."
So writes author and environmentalist Ken Ilgunas in his book Trespassing Across America. In it, Ilgunas documents his 146-day, 1,700-mile journey hiking the route of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.
SEE ALSO: 13 inspiring quotes from authors on how travel influenced their writing
But Ilgunas's hike is more than just about the love of travel. His journey was inspired by a mixture of personal existentialism (the kind that comes from being an adventurer who finds himself stuck washing dishes in Alaska) and part advocacy about global warming. As Ilgunas travels the distance of the Keystone XL pipeline from Alberta, Canada to Port Arthur, Texas he explores America's oil dependency, the history of the American landscape and just what the pipeline means for the communities and ecosystems it is routed to bisect.
Part stirring travel memoir and part powerful exploration of the environment, Trespass Across America is an eye-opening look at the beauty of the earth and forces that threaten it.
This month, Mashable's social book club MashReads is reading Trespassing Across of America.
You can join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. And don't forget to use the hashtag #MashReads to let us know what you think of the book.
Ilgunas will also be stopping by MashableHQ in New York City on May 24 at 6:30pm ET to chat about the book and his journey. We hope that you can join us. You can RSVP here.
By James Oliphant
INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton rolled up wins in Northeastern states on Tuesday in a major show of strength and immediately turned their fire on each other in a possible preview of a general election matchup.
The New York billionaire easily defeated rivals John Kasich and Ted Cruz in all five states that held contests, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Delaware, with a margin of victory rivaling that of his home state of New York a week ago. He was on a path to winning the vote in every county in each state.
Clinton, already in control of the Democratic race, defeated challenger Bernie Sanders in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Her only loss of the night was to Sanders in Rhode Island.
The race now pivots immediately to Indiana, which is shaping up to be Cruzs best, and perhaps last, chance to slow Trumps momentum toward the Republican nomination for the Nov. 8 presidential election to succeed Democratic President Barack Obama.
If Cruz, a U.S. senator from Texas, can win a large share of the states 57 delegates on May 3, it will boost the chances that Trump will not be able to amass the 1,237 delegates he needs to clinch the nomination before the partys convention in July. That could give Cruz a shot at convincing delegates to back him for president instead.
A loss to Trump in Indiana would effectively cripple Cruzs already faltering bid, and increase pressure on the party to rally around Trump as the prospective nominee.
Katie Packer, head of the anti-Trump political-action committee Our Principles, said her organization would be active in the state with TV, mail, phones, digital, all of it.
Were going to be playing in a lot of different congressional districts, Packer said.
The Club for Growth, a conservative pro-business group, has bought $1.5 million worth of anti-Trump TV ads in the state.
Both groups worked to hand Trump a defeat at the hands of Cruz earlier this month in Wisconsin.
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Tonight, this campaign moves back to more favorable terrain, Cruz said in Knightstown, Indiana on Tuesday.
DEAL ME IN
Back on the East Coast, Trump and Clinton used victory rallies to snipe at each other in the kind of back and forth that will take place should they win their partys presidential nominations and face off in the general election campaign.
I think shes a flawed candidate and shes going to be easy to beat, Trump told a news conference at New Yorks Trump Tower.
Trump, who is to give a foreign policy speech in Washington on Wednesday, criticized Clintons record as secretary of state and her vote as a U.S. senator from New York in support of the Iraq war. He said her only advantage was as a woman seeking to become the first female U.S. president.
Frankly if Hillary Clinton were a man, I dont think shed get 5 percent of the vote, he said.
Clinton, in a victory speech in Philadelphia, took aim at Trump for accusing her of trying to play the woman card.
Well if fighting for womens healthcare and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman card, then deal me in, she said to cheers.
Of 118 committed delegates available on Tuesday, the Associated Press said Trump took 105, raising his total delegates to 950. Kasich, the Ohio governor, won five, all from Rhode Island, and Cruz one, with seven delegates still to be assigned. Pennsylvanias 54 unbound delegates will become clearer later.
Projecting confidence, Trump said it was time for Cruz and Kasich to get out of the race so the party can unify behind him. He also urged Sanders voters to support him.
I consider myself the presumptive nominee, he said, adding later: As far as Im concerned, this thing is over.
Clintons strong showing in the Democratic race added to the pressure on Sanders to get out of the race or ease his criticism of her.
In her speech, Clinton gave a nod to Sanders and spoke of the need for party unity.
Whether you support Senator Sanders or you support me, there is much more that unites us than divides us, she said.
Clintons victories on Tuesday gave her 2,141 delegates, according to the AP, pushing her closer to the 2,383 needed for the nomination. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid told reporters earlier on Tuesday he did not think Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, had a realistic path to winning the nomination.
Sanders, in a speech in Huntington, West Virginia, and a subsequent statement, showed no signs of getting out of the race. He is expected to campaign in Indiana.
The people in every state in this country should have the right to determine who they want as president and what the agenda of the Democratic Party should be. Thats why we are in this race until the last vote is cast, he said in his statement.
(Reporting by James Oliphant in Indianapolis and Emily Stephenson, Jeff Mason, Megan Cassella and Alana Wise in Washington; Writing by Steve Holland and James Oliphant; Editing by Peter Cooney.)
Donald Trump
Donald Trump declared himself the "presumptive nominee" in a victory speech from Trump Tower on Tuesday night after dominating five Republican presidential primary contests.
Shortly after the polls closed Tuesday evening, several networks projected that the real-estate mogul would sweep through the day's five primary contests. He won primaries in Connecticut, Maryland, Rhode Island, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.
While Trump doesn't yet have the 1,237 delegates he needs to lock down the Republican presidential nomination, he doesn't seem to have much doubt left that he will get there.
"I consider myself the presumptive nominee, absolutely," Trump said during a speech and news conference at Trump Tower in New York City.
He said later: "As far as Im concerned, it's over."
Trump said his rivals for the GOP nomination, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, "should really get out of the race."
"They have no path to the nomination," he said, later adding, "They should get out of the race, and we should heal the Republican Party."
Trump insisted that he could unify a Republican Party that seems increasingly divided.
"I'm a unifier. I unify people," he said. "That's how I did it in business ... We will have people that are backing this party and backing my candidacy that you wouldn't believe. We're going to have such unity."
On Sunday, Kasich and Cruz announced an alliance to essentially halt campaigning in certain states where the other candidate has a clear advantage in an attempt to block Trump from winning the nomination.
If Trump does not reach the 1,237-delegate threshold, he could run into problems attempting to secure the nomination. Cruz has continually outmaneuvered Trump in electing delegates to the Republican National Convention. If Trump does not win 1,237 delegates, many convention delegates would become "unbound" to Trump in later rounds of convention voting, giving Cruz or Kasich a likely boost in support.
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Maxwell Tani contributed to this report.
NOW WATCH: 'It's pure political correctness: Trump on Tubman on the $20 bill
More From Business Insider
Washington (AFP) - Republican Donald Trump trained his fire on Hillary Clinton Wednesday, accusing his Democratic rival of playing "the woman card" in her White House bid, after both took a giant step towards clinching their parties' nominations.
Clinton and Trump crushed their rivals in Tuesday's latest round of primaries, leaving the former secretary of state virtually assured of the Democratic nomination and Trump in an ever more dominant position in the Republican race.
Despite unfinished business in the primary contests, both candidates turned their sights to November's general election with Trump dismissing Clinton's credentials in a frontal attack.
"Frankly, if Hillary Clinton were a man, I don't think she'd get five percent of the vote," he told supporters at a victory press conference. "The only thing she's got going is the woman's card."
The billionaire real estate developer doubled down Wednesday on CNN, goading: "She's playing the woman card left and right... she will be called on it. Absolutely."
It wasn't the first time Trump had goaded Clinton with the accusation, and she took up the gauntlet in a victory speech late Tuesday in Philadelphia.
"Well, if fighting for women's health care and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman's card, then deal me in," she said.
If Clinton wins the presidential nomination, she would be the first woman of either party to do so.
Though longtime frontrunners, both candidates until now have been more preoccupied fighting off rivals for their parties' nomination than with each other.
But with the latest primary results, the curtain is lifting on what promises to be a fierce Clinton-Trump general election battle.
"I'm not going to be changing. I'm presidential anyway," Trump told CNN, assuring there will be no makeover of his mocking, insult-laden campaign style.
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As Trump prepared to deliver a major speech in Washington outlining his foreign policy, the Clinton campaign pre-empted it by highlighting his many controversial proposals -- a ban on Muslims, bringing back torture, and encouragement for a nuclear armed Japan and South Korea, among others.
"As Hillary Clinton has said, loose cannons tend to misfire," her campaign said.
- Stubborn rivals -
Both candidates, meanwhile, must still contend with stubborn rivals intent on tripping them up before their parties' nominating conventions in July.
Trump's closest challenger, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, summoned media following him on the campaign trail in Indiana for what he promised would be "a major announcement" on Wednesday at 4 pm (2000 GMT).
He was widely expected to reveal his pick of running mate, with former White House contender Carly Fiorina tipped as a likely choice.
Cruz has teamed up with Ohio Governor John Kasich to try to block Trump's path, and wrest the nomination from him at the Republican convention in Cleveland.
Trump is still short of the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination outright, but his blowout wins Tuesday in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island give him momentum going forward.
"I consider myself the presumptive nominee," he told a crowd at Trump Tower in New York. "As far as I'm concerned, it's over."
A key test of the "stop Trump" strategy will come in the Indiana primary on May 3.
Kasich has agreed not to campaign there, giving Cruz an opportunity to compete head to head with Trump for the state's 57 delegates. Cruz has agreed not to compete with Kasich in New Mexico and Oregon.
Trump now stands at 988 delegates, according to CNN's running estimate. Cruz was a distant second with 568, while Kasich increased his numbers only slightly, to 152.
- Party unity -
Clinton's problem will be to mend the sharp divisions opened during her contest with Bernie Sanders, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist with an ardent following among young, independent and white blue-collar voters.
The former secretary of state won four out of five primaries Tuesday, taking Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland and the night's big prize, the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
She conceded only the small state of Rhode Island to Sanders.
"What a great night," Clinton told a thrilled crowd of supporters in Philadelphia.
"Let's go forward, let's win the nomination, and in July let's return as a unified party," she said.
The Vermont senator, however, has refused to concede the race, vowing to take his campaign to the Democratic convention "with as many delegates as possible to fight for a progressive party platform."
"The people in every state in this country should have the right to determine who they want as president and what the agenda of the Democratic Party should be. That's why we are in this race until the last vote is cast," Sanders said in a statement.
Clinton needs 2,383 delegates to win the nomination, and now has 2,168 delegates, including more than 500 "super-delegates," against Sanders's 1,401. Fourteen nominating races remain, with about 1,000 more delegates to be distributed.
donald trump
Donald Trump has suggested he is gearing up for a presidential general-election matchup against Hillary Clinton by studying speeches from her Democratic rival Bernie Sanders.
In a Wednesday interview with MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Trump said he would borrow some of Sanders' rhetorical shots at Clinton.
"Bernie Sanders has a message that's interesting," Trump said. "I'm going to be taking a lot of the things that Bernie said and using them."
"I can reread some of his speeches and I can get some very good material," he added.
Trump has already rolled out some of the Vermont senator's attack lines against Clinton.
Over the past several weeks, Trump has echoed Sanders' assertion that "something is clearly lacking" in Clinton's judgment.
"He said some things about her that are actually surprising, you know, that essentially she has no right to even be running and she's got bad judgment," Trump said Tuesday.
"The one thing I agree, he's absolutely right: Hillary Clinton doesn't have the judgment to be president," Trump told an audience in New York earlier this month.
It's unclear whether mirroring Sanders will be an effective strategy for Trump, who along with Clinton has a strong lead in the presidential primaries.
Most recent surveys show that Democrats have an overwhelmingly negative opinion of Trump, a fact the party is hoping will bring Sanders supporters back into the fold in a potential general-election matchup between Trump and Clinton.
Further, the Clinton campaign deflected Sanders' questions about the former secretary of state's judgment. The campaign went toe-to-toe with Sanders in the media over his understanding of complex policy issues, widely considered one of Clinton's strengths.
NOW WATCH: Watch Anderson Cooper compare Trumps argument to a 5-year-old
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It takes a lot of confidence to think that you can gamble on offending half the population of the United States and still win a general election campaign for president, but Donald Trump is not a man who is short on confidence. That was never truer than it was following his blowout victories in all five Republican primaries last night.
In a long post-election speech and press conference at Trump Tower in Manhattan, he declared that he sees himself as the GOPs presumptive nominee, even though he has still not reached the critical milestone of 1,237 pledged delegates that would guarantee a first-ballot nomination at the Republican Convention in July. He also signaled that one of his main lines of attack against Hillary Clinton, whose four victories out of five last night make her the de facto Democratic nominee, would be the fact that she is a woman.
Related: Trump Keeps Defying Predictions and His Own Advisers
I think the only card she has is the women's card, Trump said last night. She has got nothing else going. Frankly, if Hillary Clinton were a man, I don't think she would get 5 percent of the vote. And the beautiful thing is, women don't like her.
While Trump already runs weaker among women than he does among men, he received at least 50 percent of the womens vote in the three states where the major television networks conducted exit polls. He won 50 percent in Maryland, 54 percent in Pennsylvania and 55 percent in Connecticut.
To many political commentators, the idea that Trump would suggest that a woman who is a former first lady, former senator, and former secretary of state is only considered electable because she is a woman looks politically suicidal. But on Wednesday morning in an interview with CNN, he doubled down.
She is a woman. She is playing the woman card left and right, she said. She didn't play it last time with Obama. But she's playing it much harder this time, and she will be called on it. If she were a man and she was the way she is, she would get virtually no votes.
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Related: Bye-Bye Bernie? Sanders Vows Hell Keep Fighting but Clinton Is Moving On
Now, there is no arguing that so far in this election, at least when it comes to reading the Republican primary vote, nobody has done it better than Trump. Time and again, he has defied expectations, building a huge lead in delegates his 988 right now put him 420 ahead of his closest rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and blowing through supposed ceilings in his favorability numbers.
The question coming away from last night and Trumps follow-up interviews this morning is whether the decision to go after Clinton on the woman card issue marks Trumps pivot to the general election or is simply another piece of red meat to throw to the conservative base that will be voting in Republican primaries like Indiana, California, and New Jersey, where big wins would seal the nomination for the former reality television star.
If its the latter, theres plenty of time for Trump to shift to criticism of Clinton thats a little more nuanced than shes a girl. However, if this signals how Trump intends to compete in the general election, well, his advisors are going to need to start ordering heartburn medication by the crate.
The Republican primary electorate looks very different from the general electorate in a presidential year, and a candidate who has already alienated huge segments of the population Hispanics, Muslims, immigrants really cant afford to gamble on losing a large share of an entire gender as well.
Related: Trumps Vice President? Expect the Unexpected
No doubt, someone in Trump Tower has been designated to deliver that message to The Donald. But, as we learned recently from Trumps abortive attempt to be more presidential, he doesnt take kindly to being told what to do in this campaign. If he feels that attacks on the woman card are serving his interests, they will surely continue.
Trump is unpredictable, and he likes it that way. In a political word where being on message and highly disciplined are considered a huge plus, Trump sees them as annoying and inhibiting.
On CNN Wednesday morning, he stressed that he believes it is important to preserve flexibility in how he responds to his opponents. I may tone it down, or I may tone it up. I cant tell you what Im going to do. I dont know...I will determine when I see how the other people punch back.
Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
trump university
A fraud case involving Trump University the for-profit program that real-estate mogul Donald Trump established as training classes for aspiring entrepreneurs is officially going to trial.
A New York Supreme Court judge made the ruling Tuesday afternoon, some two years after New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a Democrat, filed a lawsuit against the organization.
The lawsuit alleges that Trump University deceptively used the term "university" in its name.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of students who paid thousands of dollars to participate in online courses and in-person seminars hosted by Trump University.
The trial could see Donald Trump himself forced to testify.
In a statement released after the trial was announced on Tuesday, Schneiderman said: "We believe that Mr. Trump and (university president Michael Sexton) will be essential witnesses at trial."
"As we will prove in court, Donald Trump and his sham for-profit college defrauded thousands of students out of millions of dollars," he added.
While some former students of Trump University have claimed that the program netted them a measure of success, others have been critical of their time in the program.
Samson Malani, who initially applauded the program, has said he was asked to pay $18,000 for additional training. That was a rip, he said, according to Slate.
trump
Malani claimed the first class of that program was helpful, but he said he never received the personal mentorship he was expecting.
"We were doing everything ourselves," he said.
Former Hawaii social worker Margaret Tom, another former student, said she spent $35,000 on the program. While she claimed to have eventually made back her investment, Tom said she later lost $60,000 on a real-estate deal that fell through.
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You believe that if you invest this amount of money that youll really be able to have a business thats up and running. And its not that at all," she said, according to the publication.
Trump is facing similar lawsuits in California, where his attorneys on Tuesday argued that there are not enough "disputable facts" to go to trial. The attorneys have asked a federal judge to squash the case, according to court documents obtained by NBC 7 San Diego.
Trump last month defended the program, which was renamed Trump Entrepreneurship Initiative in 2010.
"I'll easily win this case when it comes to court," he said.
NOW WATCH: POWER RANKINGS: Who has the best chance of becoming the next president
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Washington (AFP) - Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were a giant step closer to their parties' presidential nominations Wednesday after crushing their respective Democratic and Republican rivals in a string of presidential primaries.
Clinton has now virtually cleared the way to become the Democratic nominee in the November presidential election, the first woman in US history to reach that milestone.
The former secretary of state won four out of five primaries Tuesday in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland and the night's big prize, the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
She conceded only the small state of Rhode Island to rival Bernie Sanders in a near sweep that gives her an almost insurmountable delegate lead.
Clinton now has 2,168 delegates, including more than 500 "super-delegates," against Sanders's 1,401, with about 1,000 more to be distributed in the 14 remaining nominating races. She needs 2,383 delegates to win the nomination.
"What a great night," Clinton told a thrilled crowd of supporters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The 68-year-old former first lady telegraphed her eagerness to shift toward the general election and a showdown with Republicans.
"Let's go forward, let's win the nomination, and in July let's return as a unified party," she said.
Clinton's strong showing heaps pressure on the well-funded Sanders, a self-styled democratic socialist senator from Vermont who vowed to battle on until the California primary on June 7.
"The people in every state in this country should have the right to determine who they want as president and what the agenda of the Democratic Party should be. That's why we are in this race until the last vote is cast," Sanders said in a statement.
"That is why this campaign is going to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia with as many delegates as possible to fight for a progressive party platform."
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- 'Presumptive nominee' -
Trump swept all five presidential races held Tuesday, strengthening his grip on the Republican race.
He demolished his rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island -- a stunning show of force by a candidate seen as a populist political savior by millions despite being loathed by the party establishment.
"I consider myself the presumptive nominee," the real estate mogul told a crowd at Trump Tower in New York, despite still being short of the 1,237 delegates required to win the nomination outright.
"As far as I'm concerned, it's over."
The 69-year-old billionaire extended his lead in the delegates who will officially choose the Republican nominee at the party's convention in July.
"For weeks, the stop Trump, dump Trump movement has tried to puncture" his rise, James Morone, a political science professor at Brown University, told AFP.
"Today's results overwhelmingly tell you it's not working."
- 'Very dumb!' -
Trump also offered a preview Wednesday of what a Trump-Clinton matchup would look like, repeating on CNN his assertion that Clinton is "playing the woman card left and right."
But at her victory party in Philadelphia, Clinton told supporters that "if fighting for women's health care and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman's card, then deal me in."
Trump's triumph comes after Cruz and Kasich teamed up to try and to block the Republican frontrunners path in several upcoming primaries.
Trump slammed the alliance as "pathetic" and ineffective.
"This joke of a deal is falling apart, not being honored and almost dead," Trump said on Twitter. "Very dumb!"
A key test will come in Indiana which votes May 3. Kasich has agreed not to campaign there, giving Cruz an opportunity to compete head to head with Trump for the state's 57 delegates.
Trump now stands at 988 delegates, according to CNN's running estimate. Cruz was a distant second with 568, while Kasich increased his numbers only slightly, to 152.
But the convoluted system of delegate allocation in some states means Trump is still a considerable way from reaching 1,237.
Out of Pennsylvania's 71 delegates, only 17 are pledged to the winner, Trump. The remaining 54 are essentially wildcards, heading unpledged to the convention where they are free to vote as they see fit.
If Trump falls short of outright victory, he runs the risk that his delegates, most of whom are bound to vote for him in only the first round, will desert him in subsequent rounds.
Cruz and Kasich have openly said they are counting on a contested convention, where they have a shot at wooing enough delegates to snatch the nomination.
Trump recently faced criticism when a top aide revealed the candidate was preparing to reshape his image, but Trump insisted Wednesday morning he was not undergoing a makeover.
"I'm not going to be changing. I'm presidential anyway," he told CNN.
(Reuters) - U.S. Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump delivered a major foreign policy speech on Wednesday, vowing always to put America first.. The following are highlights from his address: AMERICA FIRST "No country has ever prospered that failed to put its own interests first. Both our friends and our enemies put their countries above ours and we, while being fair to them, must start doing the same. We will no longer surrender this country or its people to the false song of globalism. The nation-state remains the true foundation for happiness and harmony. I am skeptical of international unions that tie us up and bring America down." ON DEFENSE SPENDING "The Russians and Chinese have rapidly expanded their military capability, but look at what's happened to us. Our nuclear weapons arsenal, our ultimate deterrent, has been allowed to atrophy and is desperately in need of modernization and renewal." "Our active duty armed forces have shrunk from 2 million in 1991 to about 1.3 million today. The Navy has shrunk from over 500 ships to 272 ships during this same period of time. The air force is about one-third smaller than 1991. Pilots flying B-52s, in combat missions today - these planes are older than virtually everybody in this room." ON NORTH KOREA AND CHINA "President Obama watches helplessly as North Korea increases its aggression and expands further and further with its nuclear reach. Our president has allowed China to continue its economic assault on American jobs and wealth, refusing to enforce trade deals and apply leverage on China necessary to rein in North Korea. We have the leverage. We have the power over China, economic power, and people don't understand it. And with that economic power we can rein in and we can get them to do what they have to do with North Korea, which is totally out of control." RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA "Russia, for instance, has also seen the horror of Islamic terrorism. I believe an easing of tensions, and improved relations with Russia from a position of strength only is possible, absolutely possible. Common sense says this cycle, this horrible cycle of hostility, must end and ideally will end soon." RELATIONS WITH CHINA "We have a massive trade deficit with China, a deficit that we have to find a way quickly, and I mean quickly, to balance. A strong and smart America is an America that will find a better friend in China, better than we have right now. Look at what China is doing in the South China Sea. They're not supposed to be doing it. No respect for this country or this president. We can both benefit or we can both go our separate ways. If need be, that's what's going to have to happen." ON ISLAMIC STATE And then there's ISIS. I have a simple message for them: Their days are numbered. I won't tell them where and I won't tell them how." ISIS will be gone if I'm elected president. And they'll be gone quickly." THE IRAN AGREEMENT He (Obama) negotiated a disastrous deal with Iran, and then we watched them ignore its terms even before the ink was dry. Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. ON ISRAEL He (Obama) supported the ouster of a friendly regime in Egypt that had a longstanding peace treaty with Israel, and then helped bring the Muslim Brotherhood to power in its place. Israel, our great friend and the one true democracy in the Middle East has been snubbed and criticized by an administration that lacks moral clarity. President Obama has not been a friend to Israel. He has treated Iran with tender love and care and made it a great power. U.S. ALLIES AND NATO "After I'm elected president, I will also call for a summit with our NATO allies and a separate summit with our Asian allies. In these summits, we will not only discuss a rebalancing of financial commitments, but take a fresh look at how we can adopt new strategies for tackling our common challenges. "For instance, we will discuss how we can upgrade NATO's outdated mission and structure, grown out of the Cold War to confront our shared challenges, including migration and Islamic terrorism." (Compiled by Washington newsroom; Edited by Alistair Bell)
Ankara (AFP) - Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Wednesday pledged that Turkey's draft constitution would guarantee secularism after calls for a religious charter sparked controversy in the predominantly Muslim country.
"Secularism will feature in the new constitution we draft as a principle that guarantees citizens' freedom of religion and faith and that ensures the state is at an equal distance from all faith groups," Davutoglu said in a televised speech.
He said Turkey's secular and democratic character was "not up for debate" under the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which has been in power since 2002.
Parliament speaker Ismail Kahraman on Monday said the country "must have a religious constitution", triggering fears that that the AKP government was seeking to Islamise the traditionally secular country.
The call led to protests on Tuesday in major cities where police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators in Ankara and Istanbul.
Kahraman's comments also drew fire from opposition parties, prompting the speaker to release a statement saying he had been expressing his own opinion, not that of the AKP of which he is a member.
The separation of religion from state affairs is one of the fault lines in Turkish society.
The founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, based the post-Ottoman republic on a strict separation between religion and state.
- 'Pro-freedoms secularism' -
Opponents have voiced concerns over a rapid Islamisation of society after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a pious Muslim, won the presidency in August 2014 following over a decade as prime minister which saw a greater emphasis placed on religion in Turkish life.
Erdogan said during a visit to Zagreb on Tuesday that the state was at an equal distance between all religion groups and all beliefs.
Over the past few years, the AKP government has lifted a long-standing ban on women and girl wearing religious headscarf in schools and the civil service as part of a democratic reform package.
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It has also limited alcohol sales and made efforts to ban mixed-sex dorms at state universities.
Davutoglu said on Wednesday that the new charter would refer to a "pro-freedoms secularism instead of an authoritarian one".
"I am of the opinion that the discussion is over from our perspective."
Since coming to power, the AKP has prioritised efforts to change Turkey's 1982 constitution, drafted by the military junta which took power after a 1980 coup.
But it has barely made progress over disagreements with opposition parties who opposed Erdogan's aspiration for sweeping executive powers in the basic law.
Abdulkadir Selvi, pro-government columnist in the Hurriyet newspaper, wrote that the government had refrained from any discussion over a "religious constitution" but was debating whether to make a "reference to Islamic religion and faith in Allah given 99 percent of Turkey is Muslim."
Since the late 1960s, the Democratic Party has resembled a big, sloppy, ethnic wedding, complete with awkward sons-in-law, sudden crying jags, complicated rituals and fist fights.
The Republican Party, on the other hand, has more often resembled the luncheon reception after a Protestant funeral: everyone dressed up and on their best behavior, with a lot of furious accusations and speculation about the will taking place behind firmly closed doors.
Thats all about to change. With Donald J. Trump a man who swears hes a Republican, despite scant evidence steamrolling his way through most of the primaries and caucuses, were about to see what happens when Republicans, in the words of a journalist friend of mine, put their shit out on the street.
Cleveland, its safe to say, is going to be the most Democratic Republican convention ever, which is not the same as saying its going to be the most democratic Republican convention ever. Conventions are never democratic each partys primary rules are a tangled knot of delegate selection, favor-banking, threats and even actual voting results but Republicans in Cleveland are going to get a taste of what Democrats have been experiencing for years. There will be threats. There will be protests. There will be fists raised. There will be stupefying ignorance about how it all works. There will be so many calls to order and points of process and moves to suspend that each cable news outfit will have Roberts Rules of Order experts on-camera, daily, to explain what, exactly, is happening (and more likely, what, exactly, isnt happening) and why. There will be absurd rumors: Sen. Tom Coburn is wooing delegates! Paul Ryan is meeting with Condoleeza Rice! Mitt Romney is in that skybox! And there will be accusations of fraud, mendacity, bribery, theft and, probably, incest and cannibalism, because once you get started on that stuff, its hard to pull back.
And there will be Trump tossing aside the Republican rule that the nominees wait outside the hall, in their hotel suites, until the nomination is secured swanning around the convention floor, somehow managing to talk to every news network at once, basking in the chaos and mayhem he has inspired.
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Trump has spiked the punch at the Protestant funeral lunch, and everyone is tipsy and loose-tongued enough to start telling the truth.
The Reagan-era unity that led the party to the White House, to House and Senate majorities, to an overwhelming advantage in statehouses and governorships across the country its all starting to fray and fracture along the San Andreas Trump, between the big-government vagueness of Make America Great Again-ism and the Gospel of Tax Cuts and Economic Growth.
It turns out that the constituencies that made up the Republican Party secretly hate each other. The D.C. and coastal moderates are tired of being yoked with the religious crowd. The movement conservatives are sick of making common cause with the increasingly on-the-dole working-class right. The small-towners hate the big-timers. The patriots hate the libertarians. About the only things they all agree on are the importance of American-flag lapel pins and the notion that all political consultants should be publicly executed.
Make popcorn. Its going to be quite a funeral. The guests are going to be shouting and fighting so hard and loud that its even possible theyll rouse the corpse.
But that wont happen. The corpse is the old Republican Party, and its been dead for a while. It just took a rude, orange-faced funeral guest with peculiar hair to point it out.
Rob Long is a television writer and producer, a contributing editor for National Review and co-founder of the conservative community website ricochet.com.
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Updated with Trump & Clinton speeches; voting results: Im winning. Its over, an elated Donald Trump said, declaring himself the presumptive GOP nominee after sweeping all five of todays primary states.
I want to thank the media, the media has covered me very fair for the last two hours, Trump continued yes, he was that euphoric. Theyve been really very fair over the last few weeks, and its amazing whats been happening, he continued, saying his crowds have been bigger than Bernies but Bernies second.
The Democratic party has treated Bernie very badly and, frankly, I think he should run as an independent, Trump said, continuing on the Bernie theme.
Like Trump, Hillary Clinton, who won four of five states, also devoted a chunk of her victory speech to Sanders:
I applaud Senator Sanders and his millions of supporters for challenging us to get unaccountable money out of our politics, and giving greater emphasis to closing the gap of inequality. And I know together we will get that done, she said.
If you are a Democrat, an Independent, or a thoughtful Republican, you know their approach is not going to build an America where we increase opportunity or decrease inequality, Clinton said of the GOP. So instead of letting them take us backwards we want to take America to be in the future business.
Speaking of Clinton, Trump tonight said, Shes crooked; shell be a horrible president. She knows nothing about job creation except for jobs for herself. I will do far more for women then Hillary Clinton will do, including protecting our country. Clinton only has the woman card to play, he snarked. As he was victory lapping, TV networks called Connecticut for Clinton, giving her the fourth of tonights five states.
Previously: TV networks, who called GOP front-runner Donald Trump the partys winner in three of five states holding primaries today the moment polls closed, gave him a clean sweep about 30 minutes later.
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At about the same time, TV News outlets declared Hillary Clinton Delawares Dem winner, adding that to the Maryland win theyd called for her the minute polls closed. At 5:49 PM PT, the nets called the important Pennsylvania contest for Clinton.
At 6:15, MSNBC projected Clinton rival Bernie Sanders to take Rhode Island.
While the media at least waited until the polls closed to start making initial calls, Trumps GOP rival Sen. Ted Cruz wasted no time in blaming the media for the real estate moguls expected sweep:
If you find yourself wondering why the media are so eager to have Donald as the Republican nominee, you dont have to look any further than todays USA Today 40% of GOP voters doubt theyd vote for Trump, Cruz said, beginning his Losers Lament. I want you to think about that for a second. Network executives, are they Democrats or Republicans? Every one of them are really for Hillary, and Donald Trump is the one man on earth Hillary can beat, he ranted. According to Cruz, the media has decided that both party candidates are going to be New York liberals. But I got good news for you, that after tonight this campaign moves back to more favorable terrains. Tonight this campaign moves back to Indiana and Nebraska and North Dakota and Washington and California!
About 15 minutes after polls closed, Clintons Dem rival Bernie Sanders vowed not to drop out of the race, and blamed tonights showing not on the media, which was refreshing, but on the process. In New York state last week three million people in New York state could not vote, because they were independents. Those folks, and folks like them all over this country, will be voting in November for the next President of the United States, Sanders said as his rally supporters shouted approval.
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FA Insights is a daily newsletter from Business Insider that delivers the top news and commentary for financial advisors.
These two things are an investor's greatest enemies (University of Missouri News Bureau)
University of Missouri associate professor Rui Yao analyzed data from the 2008 FPA-Ameriprise Financial Value of Financial Planning Research Study and found that overconfidence and loss aversion are key factors causing people to make investment mistakes.
For most people, this is not exactly ground-breaking news. However, internalizing this can help financial planners determine which clients could be at risk for making investing mistakes.
During a down market, every mistake an investor makes is magnified, Yao said. If financial planners can identify those who are more at risk to make these mistakes, they can more effectively work with the investors beforehand to help prevent them from making such mistakes.
Ignore the manufacturing recession at your own risk (BlackRock)
Stocks have bounced back since February and the broad US economy continues to grow, which suggests that the US isn't on the precipice of a recession. However, the manufacturing sector hasn't recovered yet and investors would be wise to pay attention.
"For many investors the response is: So what? Manufacturing is a relatively small portion of the overall economy, they say. The much more important consumer sector is holding up, with households continuing to spend at a decent, if uninspiring pace," wrote BlackRock's Russ Koesterich.
"All true, but a rebound in corporate profits is much less likely in the context of falling industrial production. Put differently, falling industrial production is not necessarily indicative of an economic recession, but in the past it has been consistent with a profits recession."
Charles Schwab's latest move is a sign of the times (Investment News)
Charles Schwab is taking mutual funds with sales loads off its shelves in light of the new DOL fiduciary rule, reports Jeff Benjamin.
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"We expect more firms to look to no-load options for investors as advisers and their clients become more cost-conscious, Todd Rosenbluth, director of mutual fund and ETF research at S&P Capital IQ told Benjamin. With advisers increasingly using lower-cost passive strategies in fee-based accounts, assets have been moving out of many mutual funds with sales loads. The pending Department of Labor rules will accelerate this trend.
Raymond James has no plan for robos... yet (Financial Planning)
We wont create a platform that disintermediates the financial advisor, said Scott Curtis, president of Raymond James Financial Services, the independent arm of the financial advisory firm. Direct-to-consumer is not our model.
But, notably, Curtis added that if robo-type services would help Raymond James comply with the new DOL rule, then the firm "certainly will explore the option, reports Charles Paikert.
A $2.8 billion RIA just spun away from the Bank of Montreal even though they had a good relationship (RIABiz)
The founders of Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney (SBSB) just brought ownership of the $2.8-billion firm back to Virginia after selling the RIA to the Bank of Montreal 13 years ago.
While it may seem unusual for an RIA to spin away from a successful relationship, Sanders Wommack details a few reasons why the firm may have wanted to go solo, including that the partnership "jeopardized plans to ramp up growth," and that independence allows for greater flexibility with the compensation structure.
NOW WATCH: Drones are the next wedding trend
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By Jim Forsyth
SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - Two former San Antonio Police officers were indicted on Wednesday on suspicion of setting up a fake sting operation, luring women to work in it with the promise of high pay and forcing women to have sex with them.
Emmanuel Galindo and Alejandro Chapa, two former patrolmen, were indicted on charges including sexual assault and compelling prostitution. If convicted, they could each face up to 20 years in prison, Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood said.
The two promised to pay women up to $5,000 to help them in an undercover program, and more than 20 women replied. The program did not exist and the women were never paid the promised amounts, according to the statewide police agency Texas Rangers, which investigated the case.
Some of the women told Texas Rangers that since the men were police officers, they believed the operation was real.
To qualify for the non-existent program, the officers told women they had to have sex with them, which would be necessary for their investigations.
Galindo and Chapa both resigned from the police force after one of the women reported last year that she had been sexually assaulted, LaHood said.
(Reporting by Jim Forsyth; Writing by Jon Herskovitz)
By Ian Simpson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. 12th graders' average mathematics score in 2015 was lower than two years before, and reading performance had stagnated, the Education Department said in releasing the "nation's report card" on Wednesday.
The data also showed a higher percentage of high school seniors failed to reach basic levels in the two subjects, while the lowest-performing students had done worse.
Education Secretary John King Jr said teachers had been revamping classroom practices to adapt to new and higher standards over the seven years of the Obama administration.
"We know the results of those changes will not be seen overnight, so we need to be patient - but not passive - in continuing to pursue the goal of preparing all students for success after high school," King said in a statement.
The reading score fell to 287 in 2015 from 288 two years before, and is down five points since 1992, the first assessment year for reading, according to the report, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NEAP).
The mathematics score fell to 152 last year from 153 in 2013, a statistically significant drop, it said. The 2015 math mark was largely unchanged from that posted 10 years before, when the current benchmark began.
Students performing at or above proficiency fell to 25 percent in math and to 37 percent in reading. Both were down 1 point from 2013.
The percentage who fell below the basic level of performance last year rose to 38 percent in mathematics and to 28 percent in reading, both rises of 3 points.
The score of students in the 10 percentile, or where nine out of 10 students perform better, fell sharply, with a six-point drop in reading and four points in mathematics.
The NEAP test is often called the "nation's report card" because it is the only measure of student achievement given periodically to students across the United States. It is given to students in fourth, eighth and 12th grades.
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The math assessment measures students skills and ability to apply knowledge to problem solving. The reading gauge asks students to answer questions based on materials they have read.
About 13,200 students took the math test, and almost 19,000 were tested for reading, the Education Department said.
(Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by David Gregorio)
(Recasts with U.S. House passage)
By Richard Cowan
WASHINGTON, April 27 (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress on Wednesday passed and sent to President Barack Obama legislation strengthening legal protection for companies' trade secrets, including manufacturing processes and computer methods.
The House of Representatives voted 410-2 to approve the "Defend Trade Secrets Act" on the heels of it being unanimously passed by the Senate earlier this month.
The legislation, which is backed by the White House, would open the door for companies to sue in federal court for damages related to theft of trade secrets.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte said the measure "will help American innovators protect their intellectual property from criminal theft by foreign agents and those engaging in economic espionage."
In urging its passage, Goodlatte rattled off iconic U.S. products including fried chicken from the fast food restaurant KFC and Coca Cola, saying the legislation would provide further protections for their secret recipes.
Theft of intellectual property, including trade secrets, is estimated to cost American firms more than $300 billion a year, according to a 2013 report by the Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property.
Trade secret theft already is a federal crime, but without the right to sue in federal court, companies must seek redress in state courts amid a patchwork of state laws.
Corporations such as Boeing Co and Johnson & Johnson , as well as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and computer software lobbyists representing companies such as Apple Inc and Microsoft Corp, have pushed for the enhanced protections.
Backers of the legislation have cited a case last year in which a South Korean company, Kolon Industries, was found guilty in U.S. federal court of conspiracy to steal trade secrets from DuPont.
The foreign firm was ordered to pay $85 million in criminal fines and $275 million in restitution for illegally obtaining information on the chemical company's Kevlar body armor, which resulted in nearly $1 billion in economic losses for DuPont, according to lawmakers.
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In allowing civil suits in federal court for illegal procurement of trade secrets including manufacturing processes, formulas, computer algorithms, industrial designs, business strategies and customer lists, the legislation aims to create uniform standards for what constitutes trade secret theft.
"In today's digital environment, it has never been easier to transfer trade secrets across the globe with the click of a cell phone, tablet, or computer key," said Representative Jerrold Nadler, the leading Democratic co-sponsor of the legislation.
(Reporting By Richard Cowan; Editing by Alan Crosby)
HENDERSON, NV / ACCESSWIRE / April 27, 2016 / Recently released overdose mortality statistics paint a grim picture of America's battle against prescription drug addiction, and while the portrait isn't pretty, Rainbow Coral Corp. (OTCQB: RBCC) believes the dire numbers may have at last spurred industry and government to find a workable answer.
According to numbers issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 47,000 people died overall from drug overdoses in the U.S. during 2015. That's the highest total on record. The rising toll spared few. Overdose deaths were up across all gender, racial and ethnic categories. Opioid overdose deaths represented a stunning 60 percent of all overdose fatalities, the CDC said, and the subcategory saw a staggering 14 percent increase over the previous year.
"Those numbers are certainly grim," said RBCC CEO Kimberly Palmer. "However, this overdose epidemic appears to have moved the government to act. Lawmakers now have several bills in the works to combat this scourge. RBCC is doing its part with solutions like Naltrexone, a durable, long-lasting anti-addiction protocol that can help break the overdose cycle, and through our proposed program of opening low-cost, inclusive treatment centers to help the 80 percent of opioid addicts currently shut out of the system. There's a way out of this and RBCC wants to be a leader in that effort."
Research indicates that every dollar invested in effective substance abuse treatment yields government and society a 12-1 ratio of benefits in lower healthcare costs, reduced drug-related crime and decreased criminal justice costs.
For more information on RBCC's initiatives, please visit www.rainbowbiocorp.com.
About Rainbow Biosciences
Rainbow Biosciences, LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rainbow Coral Corp. (RBCC). The Company continually seeks out new partnerships with biotechnology developers to deliver profitable new medical technologies and innovations. For more information on our growth-oriented business initiatives, please visit www.rainbowbiocorp.com.
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Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements that include the words "believes," "expects," "anticipate" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, description of anyone's past success, either financial or strategic, is no guarantee of future success. This news release speaks as of the date first set forth above and the Company assumes no responsibility to update the information included herein for events occurring after the date hereof.
Rainbow Coral Corp.
Kimberly Palmer, 702-940-2345
President and CEO
info@rainbowcoral.com
SOURCE: Rainbow Coral Corp.
WASHINGTON, April 27 (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers in the House Armed Services Committee began debating an annual defense policy bill on Wednesday that would shift $18 billion in Pentagon war-funding to other military needs.
The proposed legislation would use the $18 billion to halt cuts to the size of the military and boost training and maintenance in an effort to improve U.S. military readiness.
The funding shift would leave $35.7 billion to pay for U.S. military efforts in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. The House panel said that was enough to last through April 2017, giving the next president time to evaluate the security situation and make a supplemental budget request to Congress.
Representative Madeleine Bordallo, a Democrat from Guam, said she was "concerned that the short-sighted budget gimmick ... may leave our troops short of funding required in the near future."
But Representative Mac Thornberry, chairman of the committee, said that while "some people may call it a gimmick," the Democratic majority in 2008 had done something very similar.
The U.S. military has warned repeatedly in recent years that ongoing efforts to trim nearly $1 trillion from projected defense budgets over a decade have forced it to postpone training, maintenance and upkeep.
The measure, the National Defense Authorization Act, sets U.S. defense policy and authorizes, but does not appropriate, funding for the Pentagon. Lawmakers in the House panel expected to vote on the final version early on Thursday, after which it will go to the full House of Representatives.
The draft bill unveiled by Thornberry this week would authorize $610.5 billion in defense spending for the 2017 fiscal year beginning in October. That total is in line with the defense spending plan proposed by Obama earlier this year.
The proposal calls for an active duty Army of 480,000 troops, which is 20,000 more than proposed in the president's budget request.
It also seeks significant reforms in the organization of the Defense Department, including expanding the term and the advisory role of the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.
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During debates on the legislation, lawmakers approved an amendment that calls for a senior U.S. defense official to be placed in charge of developing directed energy weapons.
The U.S. military hopes directed-energy weapons will provide it with an asymmetric advantage over potential rivals, for example enabling it to counter million-dollar missiles with a weapon that fires projectiles costing only $25,000.
(Reporting by David Alexander and Idrees Ali; Editing by Tom Brown)
By Michelle Nichols and Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council Libya sanctions committee blacklisted on Wednesday an Indian-flagged tanker carrying crude oil shipped by the rival eastern Libya government, said diplomats, which would prevent it from entering any ports. Libyan U.N. Ambassador Ibrahim Dabbashi wrote to the 15-member sanctions committee on Monday asking for the Distya Ameya tanker to be blacklisted, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The ship left Marsa el-Hariga port late on Monday. Diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the sanctions committee chair had informed them that there were no objections to the Dabbashi's request before a 3 p.m. (1900 GMT) Wednesday deadline so the ship was added to the sanctions list. The eastern Libya government has set up its own National Oil Company (NOC) to act parallel to the Tripoli-based NOC, which is recognized globally as the legitimate seller of Libyan oil. The Distya Ameya tanker is carrying 650,000 barrels of oil on behalf of Libya's eastern NOC. The ship appeared to be south east of Malta when it last reported its position through the publicly available AIS tracking system on Wednesday afternoon. The ship is carrying oil ordered by a company called DSA Consultancy FZC, registered in the United Arab Emirates, according to Libyan authorities. DSA Consultancy said on Wednesday it believed the shipment was legitimate. It said it had "a signed and agreed contract from the NOC dated 13th October 2015 to lift oil", and that the "ultimate beneficiary" was the Central Bank of Libya. Diplomats said the sanctions committee had also written to the governments of India and the United Arab Emirates to remind them of the Libya sanctions and seek further clarification and relevant information on the shipment. In March 2014, the Security Council allowed the Libyan government to request that vessels carrying oil from rebel-held ports be blacklisted by the sanctions committee and authorized states to board and inspect designated ships on the high seas. A 2011 uprising in Libya toppled leader Muammar Gaddafi but left the country in chaos. Two competing governments, one in Tripoli and one in the east, backed by militias scrambled for control of the oil-producing country, creating a power vacuum that allowed Islamic State militants to gain a foothold in the North African state. Leaders of a U.N.-backed Libya unity government, designed to replace the rival administrations, arrived in Tripoli last month. That government said on Monday it had taken control of seven ministries in Tripoli. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Toni Reinhold)
By Lesley Wroughton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is prepared to consider imposing sanctions or an arms embargo on South Sudan's leaders if they fail to cooperate in a proposed unity government to end conflict in the country, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday. "We have everything at the table, we are prepared to look at sanctions, we're prepared to look at an arms embargo," U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan and South Sudan, Donald Booth, told lawmakers. The fighting in South Sudan, whose 2011 secession from Sudan was supported by the United States, has torn apart the world's youngest country. The country's rebel leader Riek Machar was sworn in as first vice president on Tuesday after he returned to the capital Juba for the first time since conflict broke out two years ago. President Salva Kiir's sacking of Machar as his deputy ignited a war in December 2013 which has killed thousands and displaced millions in the world's newest country. The United States has said Machar's return is an important step toward the establishment of a unity government. But Booth said an arms embargo could only work if neighboring countries cooperated. The U.N. Security Council has long threatened to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan but veto-power Russia has been reluctant to support such an action. An effective way to cut weapons supplies to South Sudan, Booth continued, was to impose strict controls over its capital expenditure, which would also help focus spending on the neediest. "We all agree there are far too many arms in South Sudan and they certainly don't need any more," Booth said, "If we can use the financial side to get at preventing additional weapons from getting into South Sudan, that would be an easier way to do it and a more effective way to do it." He said the United States was looking at who was responsible for the pillaging of state coffers. "We really want to make sure that resources of the country are going to be utilized for the people, so we're taking a careful look at what has been stolen in the past and who stole it," Booth added. "We have already put the existing government and the opposition on notice that we would be looking for some kind of expenditure control mechanism in place, otherwise it would be very difficult to justify putting additional resources in support of stabilization of the macro economy," Booth said. The United States on Wednesday pledged an additional $86 million in humanitarian aid to help communities most hurt by the conflict. It has provided an estimated $1.6 billion in assistance to the country since December 2013. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by James Dalgleish)
WASHINGTON, April 27 (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury's top international official said on Wednesday that he believes China's new development bank can be a "constructive addition" to the world's multilateral lenders if it follows best practices and institutes proper safeguards.
But Nathan Sheets, Treasury undersecretary for international affairs, said that the United States is not presently considering an investment in the new Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
Sheets told a U.S. House Financial Services subcommittee meeting that the Treasury would need to see a positive track record from AIIB before considering such an investment in the future.
Sheets also said that Greece would not have access to the International Monetary Fund's exceptional lending facilities in the next phase of its bailout, adding that the Treasury supports the IMF's insistence that the bailout be restructured to make Greece's debt sustainable with more reforms from Athens and debt relief from European lenders.
(Reporting By David Lawder; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
By Jack Kim and Lesley Wroughton SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States warned on Tuesday it would consider "other" options, which could include new sanctions or security steps, if North Korea continued nuclear and ballistic missile testing. South Korea's Yonhap news agency earlier said North Korea appeared to be preparing a test-launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile, after what the United States described as the "fiery, catastrophic" failure of a launch attempt this month. It is widely expected to conduct a fifth nuclear test soon, perhaps ahead of a congress of the ruling Workers Party congress in early May. President Barack Obama said the United States was working on defending itself and its allies against potential threats from North Korea, which he called an "erratic" country with an "irresponsible" leader. In a CBS interview that aired on Tuesday, Obama said the United States was spending a lot more time positioning its missile development systems to set up a shield "that can at least block the relatively low-level threats," posed by North Korea. U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner urged North Korea to refrain from actions that destabilize the region and said Washington would consider "other" options if Pyongyang continued nuclear and missile testing. Toner noted that past steps had included sanctions and security measures, but declined to elaborate. "I think it's pretty clear that as North Korea continues to make decisions that we believe are counterproductive, that we've got to also continually look at what our options are in terms of response," he told a daily briefing. Asked what those options were, Toner added: "We don't want to announce anything before it's been fully formed and fully vetted." North Korea tested its fourth nuclear bomb on Jan. 6 and launched a long-range rocket on Feb. 7, prompting a significant tightening in United Nations and U.S. sanctions. It has conducted several missile tests since, including what it said was a submarine-launched ballistic missile on Saturday. On April 15, North Korea failed to launch what was likely a Musudan, a missile with a range of more than 3,000 km (1,800 miles), meaning that it could, if launched successfully, hit Japan and also, theoretically, the U.S. territory of Guam. Yonhap quoted an unnamed South Korean government official as saying there were indications North Korea might try to launch another of the missiles, which is not known to have been successfully flight-tested. South Korean Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun declined to confirm the Yonhap report but said North Korea's military would likely spend some time trying to fix the problem following the failed launch. North Korea's Foreign Ministry was quoted on Tuesday as saying that the country needed a "powerful nuclear deterrence" to counter U.S. hostility and threats. It said "nuclear threat and blackmail" would only prompt it to make "drastic progress in bolstering nuclear attack capabilities," state media said. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said he could not confirm reports that North Korea appeared to be preparing for another nuclear test. However, he said Washington would continue to "ramp up the pressure," including working with China, to persuade Pyongyang to curb its nuclear activities. North Korea, whose lone ally is China, routinely threatens to destroy South Korea and its major ally, the United States. The two Koreas remain technically at war after their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, rather than a peace treaty. Obama said there "was no easy solution" to the North Korean threat. He said that while the United States "could destroy North Korea with our arsenals," there would not only be humanitarian costs, but also a potential impact on South Korea. Experts see North Korea's Musudan test as part of an effort to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile that can reach the mainland United States. Obama said it was important to guard against such attacks. "They are erratic enough, their leader is personally irresponsible enough that we don't want them getting close" to obtaining such weapons, he said. The April 15 failure was seen as an embarrassing blow for its leader, Kim Jong Un, who has claimed several advances in weapons technology in recent months. North Korea said its submarine-launched ballistic missile test on Saturday was a "great success" that provided "one more means for powerful nuclear attack". South Korea on Tuesday described the test, which sent a missile travelling about 30 km (18 miles), as a partial success. Washington and Seoul began talks on possible deployment of a new missile-defence system, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), after the latest North Korea nuclear and rocket tests. (Reporting by Jack Kim in Seoul; Additional reporting by Lesley Wroughton, Susan Heavey, Alana Wise and David Brunnstrom in Washington and Dominic Evans in London; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky and James Dalgleish)
ZURICH (Reuters) - A $471 million UBS venture fund aims to generate annual returns "north of 10 percent" for its European and Asian investors by financing new cancer drugs, helping speed them from the lab to the point where drug companies buy their rights. Mark Haefele, global chief investment officer at the Swiss bank's wealth management unit, said on Wednesday its UBS Oncology Impact Fund was working with Boston-based MPM Capital to identify investment targets. It plans to make between 10 to 20 investments over five years, with initial investments around $10 million. Promising compounds or projects could get additional cash. Oncology is the fastest-growing area of pharmaceutical research, thanks to advances in understanding genetic and biological drivers of the disease. The push has been augmented by U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden's "moonshot" bid to find cancer cures and treatments. Haefele said the UBS fund aims to fill what he called a financing gap between early development of promising compounds and when drug companies are sufficiently convinced of their merits to pledge financial support. "In that first critical stage, where you go from the university to forming a company around these compounds, drug companies aren't particularly good at that," Haefele told reporters at a presentation in Zurich. "That's why they partner with MPM and a few other early-stage firms to develop that pipeline to the stage where they (drug companies) would be interested in investing and then taking the development even further." The fund, which UBS announced last year, includes a social component that promises to donate performance fees and a share of royalties from successful drugs. It will help fund research and cancer care for families in developing countries. UBS did not name individual investors in the fund, which is closed, but said the minimum investment was around $500,000. MPM Capital, with around $2 billion in assets, is already working with drug companies on funding health-care startups, including a venture fund it closed last year at $400 million that included Swiss drugmaker Novartis and France's Astellas Pharma as investors. Investors in the new UBS fund have agreed not to withdraw their money for five years. "Over the long term, we hope this collaboration will add significant value in the field of oncology and in ongoing efforts to finance its development," MPM Capital co-founder Ansbert Gadicke said in a statement. (This story corrects the first name of UBS investment officer to Mark Haefele from Michael) (Reporting by John Miller)
This is why we can't have nice things.
In an incident that made headlines across the state, students and staff were evacuated Tuesday from the University of Central Florida's main library after campus police got word "there was a woman with a gun" inside the building, UCF Police Department spokeswoman Courtney Gilmartin told the Knight News.
In fact, witnesses say the "threat" was just a Muslim student praying.
After a social media post and multiple emergency phone calls alerted local law enforcement to a "person of Middle Eastern appearance" in the John C. Hitt Library carrying a firearm, authorities cleared and searched the building and found nothing, UCF Police Chief Richard Beary said Wednesday at a press conference.
"Ultimately, no gunwoman or suspicious activity was found," Beary wrote in a separate Twitter post.
Anthony Scotto, a 21-year-old UCF student who was in the library at the time, told Mic the debacle was a clear-cut case of racial profiling.
"The person who started the rumor was just racial profiling because the girl was wearing a hijab and praying," he said. "Real ignorant if you ask me."
Students mill outside the University of Central Florida after evacuating due to an alleged gun threat inside.
"I didn't see the gun, but she's 90% sure that's what she had in her hands. And the girl was, like, Muslim and in a corner, like, freaking out."
Beary told reporters Wednesday the police department got wind of the alleged threat through a student's Facebook post. Beary read the transcript of the post during a livestreamed press conference.
"I was with [redacted] in the stairwell when we saw the girl," the unidentified student wrote, according to Beary. "I didn't see the gun, but she's 90% sure that's what she had in her hands. And the girl was, like, Muslim and in a corner, like, freaking out. We ran out and told the desk and they had apparently already had suspicious activity reported, so even if it ends up being nothing, I would steer clear from the library for a while. It's finals week in one of the biggest schools in the U.S. It's better to play it safe."
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Soon after, a series of phone calls flooded UCF police headquarters. The Knight News has since obtained nine of these calls and found that only one of them was from a person who claimed to have seen this alleged armed Muslim woman firsthand. The other eight were from people who'd heard rumors or read about the threat in social media posts.
A At around 5 p.m., after evacuating the building, sending several tweets telling students to avoid the area, and concluding their search, police finally tweeted an all-clear:
UCF Alert** Library cleared, no threat found. Call 911 to report suspicious activity. Campus operations normal.
"Yesterday afternoon, a social media post about a person with a gun inside the UCF library was brought to UCFPD's attention," Beary said in a statement the next day. "Multiple calls to UCFPD followed, some of which described a person of Middle Eastern appearance, possibly a woman, having a gun in the library ... Ultimately, no gunwoman or suspicious activity was found."
A message from #UCFPD Chief Richard Beary about the @UCFLibrary incident yesterday.pic.twitter.com/lVQgVuQv5o https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ChEK0hKU0AA0nnN.jpg:large
At least two witnesses have since said a young woman wearing a hijab and praying in a corner at the library had alarmed other students. One witness who identified herself as a Hitt Library employee said the "threat" was a woman "literally just praying," according to Knight News:
Unconfirmed*: UCF Library worker says suspect was woman 'praying' with Quran in stairwell & nothing morepic.twitter.com/qNPe91TAnX https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cg_zTemWUAAr7YP.jpg:large
Scotto, the 21-year-old student, told Mic he was sitting at a cubicle near a stairwell on the fourth floor of the library when is fraternity brothers texted him. before the police responded and wanted him to stay safe.
Scotto was confused: Could they possibly be talking about the girl sitting at the desk in front of him? While walking up a flight of stairs to find a seat a few hours earlier, Scotto had seen the girl wearing a hijab, praying. He said he then noticed her sitting just a few feet away in an adjacent cubicle.
"I didn't really think much of it," Scotto said. "So I sat down, she ended up being one cubicle in front of me. We were there for a couple hours and then I started hearing the rumors about her possibly having a gun. But I didn't see anything. She looked just like every other student studying. And when we evacuated she walked out with the rest of us."
A police officer stands guard outside the entrance to the library.
The alleged gunwoman has not been identified. But her physical description and behavior: a Muslim woman in hijab, praying paired with her location and timing in a stairwell at John C. Hitt Library shortly before police were alerted to a "threat," suggest the woman witnesses encountered is one and the same.
The police response seems outsized given how events played out, but it's important to note that gun violence on college campuses is a serious concern. Recent shootings at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona, and others have added to a seemingly endless epidemic of mass shootings across the United States one that UCF police would have been remiss in failing to respond to, whether real or alleged.
Yet the fear generated Tuesday at UCF by a student simply going about her religious business reflects a broader trend of Muslims being perceived as threats due to their appearance and ethnicity alone. This has taken place most often in airports and on airplanes: One college student was kicked off a Southwest Airlines flight in California earlier this month after a passenger got scared when she heard him speaking Arabic; a woman in hijab was also removed from a plane in Chicago this month after she asked to switch seats with one of her fellow passengers.
But it happens in schools as well. In a now notorious incident, a 14-year-old boy named Ahmed Mohamed was arrested after teachers at his high school in Irving, Texas, mistook the homemade clock he brought to school for a bomb. After the media frenzy that ensued, Mohamed and his family made an understandable decision: They decided to leave the U.S. altogether. In October, the Washington Post reported Mohamed had accepted a scholarship from a youth tech program in Qatar.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Authorities at the University of Central Florida put their Orlando campus on lockdown Tuesday after police saw a social media report of an individual with a gun in the library but the security response is widely believed to have been triggered by nothing more than a Muslim woman in a hijab praying in a stairwell, WESH 2 reported.
The library was evacuated shortly before 5:00 p.m., and no threat was found. But in tweets that have since been deleted, the UCF Police Department warned of a "POSSIBLE MIDDLE EASTERN GUN MAN/WOMAN IN UCF MAIN CAMPUS LIBRARY." Photos from the scene show officers responded in force, carrying rifles and wearing bulletproof vests.
So this JUST happened.pic.twitter.com/fe9peLEQXf https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ChAHN7aWUAEedbF.jpg:large
UCF student Anthony Scotto told WESH 2, "Just assuming she had a gun because she was praying how Muslims pray, it seemed like she made that connection, I assume any object on them would be a gun."
Source: John Raoux/AP
"I saw her praying in the hallway and didn't think anything of it," he added. "[She] was sitting in front of me and didn't do anything weird."
According to Orlando Weekly, some on campus said the woman in question is a library employee who regularly prays at work.
Campus goes into major lockdown simply because an islamaphobe sees a Muslim woman doing afternoon prayers in the library...nice one UCF
The Muslim woman was quickly revealed to pose no threat to anyone. But in a perverse spin, WFTV 9 reported campus police muddled the clusterfuck further by accidentally discharging a firearm shortly after students were given the "all clear" signal.
"It was literally feet in front of me, so it was really scary," UCF student Kayla Stevens told the station. "You kind of just saw the guy holding the gun, like it kicked back, and everybody that was standing there ran the opposite direction."
"I think there needs to be a thorough investigation before sending out an alert to 60,000 members of the UCF community," the Counsel on American-Islamic Relations' Rasha Mubarak told News 6. "We do call on them to create a proper investigation on who's posting maybe possible discriminatory micro-aggressive comments against Muslim students Middle Eastern students, for that matter."
By Kate Kelland LONDON (Reuters) - E-cigarettes are likely to bring benefits for public health and should be widely promoted to smokers to help them quit tobacco, Britain's Royal College of Physicians (RCP) said on Thursday. In a report likely to further fuel a debate over electronic cigarettes, the influential British doctors group stressed that tobacco smoking is both addictive and lethal, and concluded that e-cigarettes are "much safer than smoking". E-cigarettes are not a gateway to smoking, the RCP said, and do not lead to the normalisation of the habit - two issues often cited by critics who fear the devices can lure children and young people into smoking habits. "None of these products has to date attracted significant use among adult never-smokers, or demonstrated evidence of significant gateway progression into smoking among young people," the RCP's 200-page report said. E-cigarettes, which heat nicotine-laced liquid into vapour, have rapidly grown into a global market for "vaping" products that was estimated at around $7 billion in 2015. Tobacco smoking kills half of all smokers, plus at least another 600,000 people a year non-smokers via second-hand smoke. This makes it the world's biggest preventable killer, with a predicted death toll of a billion by the end of the century, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Many public health experts think e-cigarettes, or vapes, which do not contain tobacco, are a lower-risk alternative to smoking, but some questions remain about their long-term safety. Linda Bauld, a professor at Stirling University, deputy director of the UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies and a co-author of the RCP report, said that unlike tobacco, nicotine does not cause cancer, heart and lung diseases. "The ideal is for people to use nothing," she said, but when the alternative is smoking, people should be encouraged to use nicotine "delivered in a cleaner form than in deadly cigarettes". "This is what tobacco harm reduction is - it reduces the harm from tobacco while recognising that some people will still use nicotine in other safer forms." John Britton, chair of the RCP Tobacco Advisory Group which published the report, acknowledged that e-cigarettes were "a topic of great controversy" but said his group's analysis "lays to rest almost all of the concerns over these products". The anti-smoking group ASH UK welcomed the report, saying it showed "that switching to vaping is a positive and sensible life choice" for smokers. "Electronic cigarette vapour does not contain smoke, which is why vaping is much less harmful," said Deborah Arnott, ASH's chief executive. (Editing by Dominic Evans)
London (AFP) - Britain's Labour Party on Wednesday suspended one of its own parliamentarians pending an investigation into allegations she shared anti-semitic posts on social media.
Bradford West MP Naz Shah told the House of Commons she "profoundly" regretted the posts made in 2014, before she became an MP.
Shah shared a graphic of Israel superimposed onto the United States under the words "Solution for Israel-Palestine Conflict -- Relocate Israel into United States", adding the comment: "Problem solved."
She also used the hashtag #IsraelApartheid above a quote saying "Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal".
Shah and party leader Jeremy Corbyn had "mutually agreed that she is administratively suspended from the Labour Party," a party spokesman said.
"Pending investigation, she is unable to take part in any party activity."
Corbyn called the comments "offensive and unacceptable", but initially declined to suspend Shah, a decision described as "quite extraordinary" by Prime Minister David Cameron.
Shah quit as a parliamentary assistant to shadow chancellor John McDonnell on Tuesday before making the apology to parliament on Wednesday.
"I accept and understand that the words I used caused upset and hurt to the Jewish community and I deeply regret that," she said.
"Anti-Semitism is racism, full stop."
Corbyn has been urged to distance himself from far-left activists accused of anti-semitism.
Tripoli (AFP) - The United Nations' Libya envoy on Wednesday condemned the killing of 12 Egyptians and three Libyan nationals in a string of incidents in the central town of Bani Walid.
"I strongly deplore these terrible killings and call on those with authority on the ground in Bani Walid to ensure that the incidents are investigated and to prevent any further killings," Martin Kobler said in a statement.
He said the incidents took place on Tuesday and Wednesday but gave no details and there was no further information from sources in the region, which is controlled by militias loyal to a new unity government.
Thousands of Egyptians live and work in neighbouring Libya.
The United Nations has brokered the formation of the unity government for Libya, which has been roiled by turmoil since the 2011 ouster and killing of longtime leader Moamer Kadhafi.
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The United States on Wednesday circulated a draft UN resolution that stresses the "urgent need" to restore the UN mission in Western Sahara after Morocco expelled dozens of staff, leaving peace operations hanging by a thread.
The Security Council is set to vote Friday on the draft text on renewing the MINURSO mission's mandate for a year amid sharp divisions on the council on the way forward.
The vote was postponed by a day to allow for more discussion. Russia's Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said talks were "not going to be easy."
The draft resolution, obtained by AFP, calls on UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to report back to the council in four months on whether the MINURSO mission has been restored to "full functionality."
An earlier text provided for a two-month deadline for the report.
That provision is expected to raise concerns among some council members who fear that Morocco, backed by France and Senegal, is seeking to delay action on re-establishing the full strength of the mission.
Morocco last month expelled 75 staffers in angry retaliation over Ban's use of the term "occupation" to describe the status of Western Sahara.
Rabat maintains that Western Sahara is an integral part of the kingdom and has long resisted UN efforts to resolve the decades-old conflict. It pits Morocco against independence-seeking Sahrawi rebels of the Polisario Front.
The draft resolution expressed concern that "MINURSO's ability to fully carry out its mandate has been affected as the majority of its civilian component, including political personnel, cannot perform their duties within MINURSO's area of operations."
- Watered down draft -
Under the proposed measure, the 15-member council will "consider how best to facilitate" the mission's return to full capacity if the crisis over the peace mission is unresolved in four months.
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A previous text contained stronger language, calling on the council to "take immediate measures" to restore the full functionality.
Churkin told reporters after a closed-door council meeting to discuss the draft that there was "room for improvement" and suggested that some council members were looking to strengthen the text.
Venezuela, Uruguay and New Zealand have argued strongly that Morocco should not be allowed to downsize MINURSO and that failure to take strong action would send a signal to other governemnts unhappy with a UN presence to do the same.
MINURSO was established in 1991 after a ceasefire ended a war that broke out when Morocco sent troops to the former Spanish territory in 1975.
The mission was tasked with organizing a referendum on the future of the territory that never materialized.
The Algerian-backed Polisario Front, which has long campaigned for a referendum on self-rule, has called on the council to impose sanctions on Morocco if it refuses to allow the peace mission to operate fully.
"This is unprecedented, this kind of challenge to the Security Council," said Emhamed Khadad, the coordinator from the Polisario Front.
Khadad said the crisis over MINURSO was "manufactured by Morocco to distract from its unwillingness to engage in meaningful negotiations" on a final settlement for the territory.
Ban has warned that a weakened peace mission in Western Sahara will likely open up an opportunity for extremists to move in and could lead to a return to full-scale conflict.
Mexico City (AFP) - The office of the UN human rights chief voiced concern on Tuesday over claims by foreign experts that Mexico's government stonewalled its investigation of the disappearance of 43 students.
The spokesman for Zeid Ra'ad Al-Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, called on President Enrique Pena Nieto's government to "fully explore" the new lines of investigation recommended by the experts from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
"We are however concerned about the many challenges and obstacles reported by the experts that may have prevented certain lines of inquiries from being further explored," spokesman Rupert Colville said in a statement, citing the possible roles of the military and other authorities in the case.
The experts issued a scathing report on Sunday criticizing the government's investigation into the disappearance of the 43 young men in the southern city of Iguala on September 26, 2014.
The report accused the government of obstructing their work, preventing them from interviewing jailed suspects or members of a military battalion based in Iguala.
While the report does not implicate soldiers in the disappearance, it said the military monitored the students' movements and that an intelligence officer witnessed a clash between the young men and local police.
Prosecutors say the students were whisked away by municipal officers after they hijacked five buses in Iguala to use them for a future protest.
The officers then delivered the students to a drug gang, which killed them and incinerated their bodies at a garbage dump, prosecutors say.
But the experts maintain that there is no scientific proof that the students were burned at the dump.
They urged the government to pursue another line of investigation, the possibility that the students inadvertently took a bus loaded with heroin.
"We call on the government to ensure effective follow-up to the investigation report and to tackle the broader structural challenges it has exposed," Colville said.
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The experts' mission ends on Saturday as the government did not extend their stay, saying they had plenty of time to investigate. The government denies stonewalling them, saying they were given full access to the probe.
The commission now plans to set up a mechanism to ensure the government follows up on the recommendations.
Hundreds of people marched in Mexico City on Tuesday in a protest led by parents of the students, who have criticized the government's investigation.
"The Mexican government has led a murky investigation that, far from providing certainty, has offered uncertainty," said Vidulfo Rosales, a lawyer representing the parents.
From Esquire
"We never got ours," says John Doe, founding member of the seminal Los Angeles punk band X, when asked why he wrote the part-memoir, part-history book Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk. Out today, the book (named for X's third album, released in 1982) chronicles the heyday of the punk scene in the late-'70s and early-'80s. "I don't really feel that what we all accomplished got its due credit," Doe says. "Some people still think the Sex Pistols were the first punk rock band. Whatever. I really couldn't care less. But it's nice to have this as a document, to tell the story of that time and place in the right way."
For anyone who thinks that punk rock was limited to the famed scenes in London and New York, Under the Big Black Sun offers hard evidence that the L.A. scene was just as important-and perhaps created an even greater, lasting impact. And with heartfelt, authentic, and sometimes differing contributions from fellow artists like Jane Wiedlin and Charlotte Caffey of the Go-Go's, Henry Rollins, Doe's X bandmate Exene Cervenka, and former Minuteman Mike Watt-plus an introduction from Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, who adds a little historic perspective-it's hard to deny that this is a great story about the underappreciated music that came out of the City of Angels during that golden period of 1977-1982.
"We used five years because that was the point at which it really kind of fractured into a number of different scenes," Doe explains. "But I found that, looking back, that's about the longevity of most musical events- whether it's the Big Band era or Bakersfield. Those were short, too. A lot gets packed into one scene, but they generally burn bright and don't last."
Doe and Cervenka were the heart and soul of the L.A. punk, co-author Tom DeSavia says, while also underscoring the impact the music had on him as a young fan.
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"They were the king and queen," DeSavia says. "John and Exene were the George and Tammy of L.A. punk, no question. They were the coolest fucking people. You went to a show and you knew what you were going to get. But it was funny for a kid who grew up on pop radio, which I did, because when L.A. punk came into the picture, it came barreling through like a Mack truck into my world, and to the worlds of a lot of kids just like me. And that story has sadly gotten lost."
As important and significant as Doe's voice is to Under the Big Black Sun, the book maintains the communal, supportive, and grassroots nature of the punk scene in L.A., where The Go-Go's would open for Black Flag and hardly anyone was chasing a major label deal. It's an undercurrent that was arguably missing from both London and New York in many ways.
"It wasn't just because of the good vibes," Doe says of that camaraderie. "It was out of necessity. Everyone had a part to play. Everyone did something. Everybody wanted to be a part of this crazy, bohemian experience. And there was nothing else that was as much fun going on at the time." That DIY, all-for-one ethos carried over to the writing of Under the Big Black Sun, which includes many points of view-even if those perspectives are conflicting.
"That was the point of the book," Doe says, flatly. "Getting different peoples' perspectives hopefully gives the reader a fuller picture. It's not like we were all keeping track of what was going on. I think we all had a sense that something important was happening, but we were too busy doing it. Plus, I think, L.A. had a pretty big chip on its shoulder, because it was a little later [than the scenes in London and New York], and because everybody who isn't from L.A. seemed to think, 'Well, when you move to L.A., you're immediately given the swimming pool and the Mercedes and given a place to live.' They had no idea there was 5th and Main and a really nasty Skid Row. Everybody lived in crappy apartments and dealt with rats and roaches just like everybody else." The West Coast's grit and grime, naively ignored by those on the East Coast, also influenced Doe's music. "That's one reason X called our first record Los Angeles, to kind of plant that flag," he says. "People were busy, and they had a sense that it was fun and crazy and something was going on, but none of us had time to dwell on that or put on any kind of air about it."
Esquire is pleased to present an exclusive clip from the superb audiobook of Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk. (You can also read an excerpt here.)
For DeSavia, who discovered X as a 15-year-old suburban kid and later came to know Doe and the band later when he worked in the music industry, the story of the L.A. punk scene was an untold one, and he made it his mission to earn the scene he loved so much its due. "John became a pal, and we'd go to dinner, but the 15-year-old in me still couldn't believe I was hanging out with John Doe," DeSavia says. "I couldn't help subtly asking questions, between appetizer and entree. I'd dig for little stories, and what I found out was that everything I thought knew was wrong. And, beyond that, the stories that John told me were much better."
But there was another reason he signed on to collaborate with Doe on the book beyond the chance to thrill his inner fan. "The other thing that was happening, simultaneously, which I understand and am not bitter about, was that L.A. punk was being left to revisionist history," he says. "It's not an East versus West versus U.K. thing, it's that the East and the U.K. had stars. They had full-on celebrities like the Sex Pistols and Blondie and the Talking Heads, these super-iconic figures. L.A. bore a lot of legends, but not as many stars or people who were seen as notable. The idea that L.A. was a footnote-if it was even mentioned, like it didn't even exist-really bothered me. So I pressured John. I kept telling him, 'You've got to write a book.'" But he admits Doe was adamant against writing a straightforward memoir-a determination upon Doe's part that ultimately allowed the pair to produce the book they both wanted to see in print. "[John] said, 'I don't want to write a John Doe book. I don't want it to just be my perspective on what this happened, because I don't want that to be the tale,'" DeSavia says. "That's when the concept came. 'Whoa, what if we got a bunch of voices?' And he loved the idea that it wouldn't be just his story, but everyone's story."
"That was his driving force," Doe says of DeSavia. "He wanted to tell the L.A. story. It's not going to be like Gertrude Stein and Ernest Hemingway telling the story of Paris in the '20s, but in 15 or 20 years, I'm really glad that this will stand as [a record] of these people who were there telling the story of what we all experienced. I think that people who were part of that original Hollywood punk rock scene, and even the hardcore scene, are fiercely loyal and defensive of that, but that they realized that it was something in retrospect that was pretty special, and were glad to contribute, as a collaborative thing rather than an oral history."
And Doe makes it clear that he and DeSavia didn't take a strict journalist approach to writing the book, but rather maintained a punk-rock spirit. "There wasn't a lot of fact checking," he says. "This was more, 'We've got to write it down!' I wanted everybody's truth. If my memory is different from the other person's memory, so be it. That's their truth. Let the reader figure out what really happened."
For the Baltimore native, who, like so many before and since, ventured west in search of adventure and a new life, Doe still recalls the feeling he got when he first got to L.A. He admits he's still in love with his adopted hometown. "I came to Los Angeles for the distance. The distance and the light," Doe says. "I know people have written about it in the past, but as I stepped off the plane and out of the terminal and smelled the jet fuel and saw the pink light of Los Angeles, I knew I was in the right place. And that feeling still hits me. I think of it as fate, to meet Exene and Billy [Zoom] and D. J. [Bonebrake], and to become part of the whole scene that was happening, because there were a lot of things in play-a lot of angst and anger and ambition-but the freedom and openness of L.A. and the West really spoke to me. I don't think we realized what a naive time it was, but in retrospect, and after writing this book, I think we've come to realize how lucky we all really were."
By Alwyn Scott
NEW YORK (Reuters) - United Technologies Corp saw an uptick in equipment orders in China in the first quarter, Chief Executive Greg Hayes said in an interview on Wednesday, as the company posted results that beat analyst estimates.
The maker of Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines and parts, Otis elevators and climate controls and security systems, expects activity in China and Europe to keep rising, Hayes said.
"It feels like things have at least bottomed out both in Europe and in China," Hayes said. "We expect a better back half (of the year) at Otis as well as at our climate controls and securities business."
The U.S. market continues to be strong, with new orders for Otis equipment up 33 percent in North America, Chief Financial Officer Akhil Johri said in the same interview.
The company's shares rose 1.3 percent to $106.06.
Sales of aftermarket aircraft parts and repair services rose an exceptional 19 percent in the quarter. That reflected the market catching up after slow sales last year and a rise in major overhauls of V2500 engines on Airbus A320 planes that are reaching a service milestone. The company expects the trend will continue for the next few years, though at lower growth levels.
In addition, airlines are flying more hours, and some are keeping older planes in service, requiring more spare parts.
"We have seen (aircraft) retirements last year slow down as fuel prices have slowed down," Hayes said.
"What that means is they are flying the older planes longer. They aren't as anxious perhaps to take some of the new, more expensive equipment and as a result, it's probably good news for us in the aftermarket for a bit here as long as oil prices stay low."
In part to capture such growth, Boeing Co is aggressively building its own aftermarket business.
Hayes said Boeing has not tried to take aftermarket business away from United Technologies.
"Boeing got its pound of flesh from partnering for success a couple of years ago on the 787," Hayes said, referring to a Boeing program to reduce the prices it pays suppliers for parts.
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"We have been very guarded in terms of giving aftermarket away because ... we make big investments up front and the only way we recover it is in the aftermarket."
The company reported adjusted first-quarter profit of $1.47 a share, beating consensus estimates by 8 cents, and reaffirmed its full year profit forecast.
(Reporting by Alwyn Scott; editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Marguerita Choy)
Ford NASCAR Burnout
The US auto industry should be taking a victory lap: 2015 was a record sales year and profits continue to roll in.
Cheap gas is driving sales of SUVs leading to fat profits for the Detroit Big Three General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
Credit is abundant, meaning that it isn't difficult to finance a new or used car, or get a lease.
The job market is solid, so people need cars to get to work.
And the average age of a car or truck on US roads is over 11 years. In other words there are historic levels of pent-up-demand.
GM and FCA have already reported first-quarter numbers and they were great: GM netted $2.7 billion globally, $600 million more than the same period last year; FCA made $1.38 billion in North America, almost twice what it managed in Q1 2015, and worldwide it notched a $539-million profit.
Ford will wrap things up with its earnings report on Thursday, and analysts except it to double the $0.23 it brought in last year.
Ford and GM are aiming for yearly margins in the 10% ballpark, while FCA is shooting for slightly less than that, but at the same time reducing debt, to the point where the company will be "sitting on cash" in a few years," according to CEO Sergio Marchionne.
Record sales, steady profits, money in the bank, and a US auto market whose fundamentals suggest prosperity for at least a few more years. On top of it all, the financial crisis forced the Big Three to get lean, so both Ford and GM can break even if the market craters to a 10-million annual sales pace.
Where's the love?
So naturally, auto stocks are going ... nowhere.
Here's the last year, in one chart, for the Big Three. I added Tesla so you can see what a stock that Wall Street is more excited about has performed (it's been all over the place, swooning and recovering on a regular basis).
As you can see, the Big Three have been flat, flat, flat or modestly declining after being flat (that big drop for FCA was the Ferrari IPO, which sucked significant market cap out of the automaker).
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Automakers Chart
The new argument for flat auto stocks is that the market in the US has "peaked" and has no more room to grow, which means that the Big Three will resort to their old ways, frittering away profits to maintain market share and pushing slow-selling cars in to "fleet" sales to rental agencies.
But that isn't happening, at least not entirely.
GM has already slashed fleet sales this year, incentive spending has edged up in some cases, but so have average transaction prices. The most profitable vehicles continue to be the most popular, and the industry for the most part is running at full capacity in the US and maintaining good discipline about not adding a lot of new capacity.
Executives I've spoken with in the industry have addressed the stock-price issue; a typical response is that "we need to show Wall Street that we can deliver growth and not complain that investors don't get it."
That's a fantastic attitude, but now that much of the growth is in the rear-view mirror the market could climb above 18 million in the US, but probably not much beyond that the auto industry would be justified in asking how investors could have missed out on a run from a 10-million unit market to one that topped 17 million: a 70% increase.
SUVs move through the assembly line at the General Motors Assembly Plant in Arlington, Texas June 9, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Stone
But given how strong the market has been and how minimal the China slowdown and the crisis and Latin America and the implosion of the Russian market have all been in terms of impact you could be forgiven for wondering why these stocks aren't riding higher.
A possible explanation is that the auto industry now gets credit only for yielding healthy and steady dividends, and not screwing things up. Ford and GM are paying investors roughly 5% of the stock price and for some folks, that's an acceptable low-risk return.
If that's the case, then the best thing for auto execs to do now is let Wall Street spin its wheels, while Detroit's epic run goes on. But that doesn't mean a continued strong US car market and some timely recoveries in down markets around the world doesn't have the potential to change investor attitudes in the future.
NOW WATCH: Learn how to drive a stick shift in the $80,000 Jaguar F-Type
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Washington (AFP) - The United States on Wednesday condemned an alleged deadly strike by Syrian regime forces on a renowned rescue team, but refused to say why it had denied the group's leader a visa.
State Department spokesman Mark Toner expressed horror at what he said were "multiple aerial strikes" on a Syrian Civil Defense station Monday in the northern town of Al-Tarab near Aleppo.
"At least five members of the civil defense are believed to have been killed and many more innocent people were injured," he said.
Toner said the strikes reflect an "abhorrent pattern" in the tactics of Bashar al-Assad's regime, in which rescue and medical workers in rebel-held areas have been deliberately targeted.
The spokesman also paid tribute to the Civil Defense group, better known as the "White Helmets," for the work they have done during Syria's five-year-old civil war to save civilian victims of the fighting.
But he would not say why, earlier this month, US officials had barred the volunteer group's leader Raed Saleh from entering the United States when he arrived to collect a major humanitarian award.
Toner said US law prevents him from discussing individual visa cases, but seemed to suggest that security considerations could have been in play.
"Broadly speaking ... on any visa case, we are constantly looking at new information," he said.
"And if we do have new information that we believe this individual ... would pose a security risk, we'll certainly act on that."
He would not say if Saleh is under suspicion, but added "any individual in any group suspected of ties or relations with extremist groups, or that we had believed to be a security threat to the United States, we would act accordingly."
Siauliai (Lithuania) (AFP) - Two American stealth F-22 fighter jets landed in Lithuania on Wednesday in an apparent show of force, after tensions with Moscow flared this month when a Russian aircraft buzzed an American warship in the Baltic Sea.
The US air force's most advanced planes landed at the Siauliai air base which currently also hosts Spanish jets from NATO's air policing mission, created to help small Baltic members protect their borders with Russia.
Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said the planes' brief visit from their base in Britain demonstrated US commitment to defend the region, which keeps a wary eye on the Kremlin's territorial ambitions.
"It is a signal that the alliance is ready and capable to respond to any kind of threats," she said at the air base, standing in front of Lithuanian, US and NATO flags.
Asked if that was a message to Russia, the outspoken president responded: "Everyone should abstain from sticking his nose into things here."
Lithuania and other NATO members formerly behind the Iron Curtain have been rattled by Russia's actions in Ukraine, where it annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014 before pro-Moscow separatists began fighting Kiev's forces in the country's east.
Earlier this month, Russian warplanes flew within metres of an American missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea in what the United States called a "simulated attack".
Days later, a US reconnaissance plane was intercepted by a Russian fighter, prompting NATO to accuse Russia's military of "unprofessional and unsafe behaviour".
Russia has denied the actions were provocative and blamed NATO for increasing the risk of conflict by building up its troops in eastern European countries.
San Francisco (AFP) - The US is looking into whether free Android mobile software is giving an unfair advantage to other Google offerings such as its search engine, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) staffers have met with companies in recent months about concerns that Alphabet-owned Google is abusing the dominant position of Android software for powering smartphones or tablets, according to the Journal.
Concerns at issue are similar to some targeted by European Union regulators, and the FTC is even interested in learning about evidence being used to back a case there, it reported.
Citing people familiar with the matter, the newspaper said the FTC's move extends a probe that began last year.
Google and the FTC declined to comment on the report.
The Android operating system accounts for about 80 percent of the world market for mobile phones, far ahead of Google's closest rival, Apple.
EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager says the Silicon Valley giant has used practices such as making manufacturers pre-install its market-leading search engine as the default in phones to "abuse its dominant position."
Brussels believes such practices breach EU competition law.
The EU has accused Google of obstructing innovation by giving unfair prominence to its own apps, especially its search engine, in deals with mobile manufacturers such as Samsung and Huawei.
Google must now respond within three months to avoid sanctions which could amount to fines of up to 10 percent of the group's annual global sales or $7.4 billion based on their 2015 results.
Google has sought to downplay it's anti-trust battle with the European Commission and stressed in a recent blog post that people who buy Android-powered devices can change applications such as "search" that are pre-loaded on devices.
April 27 (Reuters) - Drugmaker Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc's new chief executive, Joseph Papa, will receive a base salary of $1.5 million, the company said in a filing on Wednesday.
Valeant said on Monday former Perrigo Co Plc head Papa would replace Michael Pearson as its CEO.
Papa will also receive a cash payment of $8 million to make up for the equity-based compensation he forfeited in connection with the termination of his employment with Perrigo. (http://bit.ly/1QBqWg7)
Valeant said in March Pearson was leaving the company, just three weeks after returning from a two-month medical leave.
Pearson's base salary for full-year 2014 was $2 million and his total compensation amounted to $10.3 million, according to a regulatory filing. (http://1.usa.gov/1aapxiM) (Reporting by Subrat Patnaik in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)
By Andrew Cawthorne and Daniel Kai CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's socialist government ordered public workers on Tuesday to work a two-day week as an energy-saving measure in the crisis-hit South American OPEC country. President Nicolas Maduro had already given most of Venezuela's 2.8 million state employees Fridays off during April and May to cut down on electricity consumption. "From tomorrow, for at least two weeks, we are going to have Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays as non-working days for the public sector," Maduro said on his weekly television program. Drought has reduced water levels at Venezuela's main dam and hydroelectric plant in Guri to near-critical levels. The dam provides for about two-thirds of the nation's energy needs. Water shortages and electricity cuts have added to the hardships of Venezuela's 30 million people, already enduring a brutal recession, shortages of basics from milk to medicines, soaring prices, and long lines at shops. Maduro, 53, who succeeded the late Hugo Chavez in 2013 and is facing an opposition push to remove him through a recall referendum, appealed for understanding and support. "The Guri has virtually become a desert. With all these measures, we are going to save it," he said, adding that the daily drop in water level had slowed to 10 centimeters from 20. OPPOSITION DERISION After months of unscheduled outages, the government began programmed electricity rationing this week across most of Venezuela, except the capital Caracas, prompting sporadic protests in some cities. Maduro has also changed the clocks so there is half an hour more daylight in the evening, urged women to reduce use of appliances like hairdryers, and ordered malls to provide their own generators. Regarding the public sector measure, the government is excluding workers in sensitive sectors such as food. Full salaries will still be paid despite the two-day week. Critics have derided Maduro for giving state employees days off, arguing it would hurt national productivity and was unlikely to save electricity because people would simply go home and turn on appliances there instead. "Maduro says that 'we in government don't stop working for a second'. Of course. Except for Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays!" satirized Leonardo Padron, a columnist for pro-opposition El Nacional newspaper, via Twitter. Officials said the El Nino weather phenomenon is responsible for Venezuela's electricity woes. But critics accuse the government of inadequate investment, corruption, inefficiency and failure to diversify energy sources. (Reporting by Daniel Kai and Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Toni Reinhold)
Its my pleasure to welcome Madeleine Haeringer as executive producer of the Vice on HBO nightly news show. Madeleines most recent gig was as the executive producer of MSNBCs news coverage, but shes spent the majority of her career mocking people who do desk jobs. She made her name in the field covering the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Working as Richard Engels lead producer, Madeleine consistently broke news and found ways to do the stories other people couldnt or wouldnt cover. Shes won ten Emmys, five Murrows, three Peabodys, two DuPonts and an Overseas Press Club for her work. (The EMOP.) In addition to spending a decade living and working in the Middle East, shes been the EP of all of NBCs international news coverage and overseen the networks Olympic news coverage, too.
Madeleine is pretty much what youd expect from her resumesmart, tough, funny, profane, intrigued by our free beer, and eager to cover important global stories in surprising ways. She lives in Brooklyn and grew up in Virginia in a restaurant family. Her dad still runs LAuberge Chez Francois (four-and-a-half stars on Yelp!) She starts May 16th. Feel free to Google her now.
Vice's forthcoming nightly news show on HBO is starting to take shape.
The media company has tapped NBC News vet Madeleine Haeringer to executive-produce the news program, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Madeleine Haeringer was most recently the executive producer of MSNBC's news coverage. Before that, she was executive producer of international news for NBC News, and before that, she served as senior producer of NBC worldwide newsgathering. During her tenure at NBC, Haeringer worked as the lead producer for international correspondent Richard Engel and made her name in the field covering the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. She also oversaw the network's Oympics news coverage.
Read More: Vice's Shane Smith Asks, "You Think I Could Hoodwink Bob Iger, Jeff Bewkes and Rupert Murdoch?"
Over her career, Haeringer has won 10 Emmy awardss, five Murrow awards, three Peabody awards and two Dupont awards, among other accolades. The news veteran joins former Bloomberg Businessweek editor Josh Tyrangiel, who was brought on board in October to oversee the forthcoming show.
Vice announced in March 2015 that it would produce a daily newscast for HBO - an expansion of the two companies' current relationship which includes a weekly docu-style news show that dates back to 2013. The weekly show will continue alongside the daily newscast, which will consist of five half-hour shows each week for 48 weeks a year. According to Vice, the daily show will feature original, on-the-ground reporting and pull from its 30 international bureaus.
The untitled newscast was scheduled to debut in early 2016. However, it is currently unclear when the program will launch, except that Haeringer is not due to start until May 16th. Vice has been busy the last several months with the launch of its own cable channel, which took over what was formerly History's H2, in February.
Read Tyrangiel's memo to the staff about Haeringer below:
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It's my pleasure to welcome Madeleine Haeringer as executive producer of the Vice on HBO nightly news show. Madeleine's most recent gig was as the executive producer of MSNBC's news coverage, but she's spent the majority of her career mocking people who do desk jobs. She made her name in the field covering the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Working as Richard Engel's lead producer, Madeleine consistently broke news and found ways to do the stories other people couldn't or wouldn't cover. She's won ten Emmys, five Murrows, three Peabodys, two DuPonts and an Overseas Press Club for her work. (The EMOP.) In addition to spending a decade living and working in the Middle East, she's been the EP of all of NBC's international news coverage and overseen the network's Olympic news coverage, too.
Madeleine is pretty much what you'd expect from her resume - smart, tough, funny, profane, intrigued by our free beer, and eager to cover important global stories in surprising ways. She lives in Brooklyn and grew up in Virginia in a restaurant family. Her dad still runs L'Auberge Chez Francois (four-and-a-half stars on Yelp!) She starts May 16th. Feel free to Google her now.
By Ho Binh Minh and Mai Nguyen HANOI (Reuters) - The Vietnamese government said on Wednesday there was no evidence that discharge from a new Taiwanese-built steel plant was to blame for the death of huge numbers of fish in farms and coastal waters. Farms in Ha Tinh province, 400 km (250 miles) south of Hanoi, began to see fish dying on April 6 and dead fish have washed up on nearby beaches. Media said discharge from a drainage pipe at the nearby a steel works was poisoning the water. The local unit of Taiwan's Formosa Plastics which is building the plant whose first phase began operation in December has denied that, saying all regulations and standards had been respected. At a news conference to announce the government's assessment, deputy environment minister Vo Tuan Nhan said: "Thus far, through testing and collecting evidence, there is no proof yet to conclude a link between Formosa and the facility to the mass fish deaths." With fears for Vietnam's seafood industry, worth $7 billion a year in exports, there is huge public interest in the case, but Nhan declined to take questions after reading a statement. He said there were two possible causes of the fish deaths: toxic discharge by human activities on land or at sea, or a phenomenon known as "red tide", when dangerous algae bloom at an abnormal rate and produce toxins. "This is a complicated issue that had happened in many places around the world, requiring time to identify causes," Nhan said. "It is necessary to research the cause systematically, fundamentally and in a fact-based way." Suspicions about a link between the fish deaths and the steel plant were exacerbated when Chu Xuan Pham, a Hanoi-based representative of Formosa's local unit, said in comments reported on Monday that Vietnam had to choose between "catching fish and shrimp and building a modern steel industry." Taiwan is Vietnam's fourth-biggest foreign investor after South Korea, Japan and Singapore. Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corp began the first phase of the $10.6 billion steel complex in December in the Vung Ang economic zone. Chu apologized for his comments and Formosa Ha Tinh said: "We are deeply shocked and sorry. We cannot understand why so many fish have died." Fish and shellfish deaths have now been reported along a stretch of some 200 km (124 miles) on Vietnam's central coast, in the provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue. "I've been doing this job for 19 years but I've never seen such a phenomenon," Ha Tinh clam farmer Nguyen Xuan Phuong told state-run Vietnam Television (VTV). He said it had caused him losses of 200 million dong ($9,000). Tests of seawater taken from Thua Thien-Hue province showed higher-than-normal levels of ammonium and chromium, Nguyen Huu Quyet, deputy head of the provincial environment department, said on Wednesday in a VTV broadcast. But deputy minister Nhan said: "There has not yet been detection of environmental parameters exceeding regulated standards." ($1 = 22,266 dong) (Additional reporting by My Pham in Hanoi and Faith Hung in Taipei; Editing by Martin Petty and Robin Pomeroy)
Real estate investment trust (REIT) Vornado Realty Trust VNO is expected to report first-quarter 2016 results on May 2, after the market closes.
Last quarter, Vornado reported a positive surprise of 6.2%. In the trailing four quarters, the company met estimates in one, recorded positive surprises in two and reported a miss in the rest. The average beat for the last four quarters was 10.4%. For first-quarter 2016, funds from operation (FFO) is currently pegged at $1.23 per share.
Lets see how things have shaped up for this announcement.
Why a Likely Positive Surprise?
Our proven model shows that Vornado is likely to beat estimates because it has the right combination of two key ingredients. A stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), #2 (Buy) or #3 (Hold) to beat estimates, and Vornado has the right mix.
Zacks ESP: The Earnings ESP, which represents the percentage difference between the Most Accurate estimate of $1.24 and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.23, is +0.81%. This is a meaningful and leading indicator of a likely positive surprise.
Zacks Rank: Vornado carries a Zacks Rank #3.
The combination of Vornados Zacks Rank #3 and positive ESP makes us reasonably confident of a positive surprise this season.
Note that, we caution against stocks with Zacks Rank #4 or #5 (Sell-rated stocks) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions.
What's Driving Better-than-Expected Earnings?
The high-quality office assets concentrated in a few select high-rent, high barrier-to-entry geographic markets, place Vornado well for future growth. Besides these, due to its diverse tenant base and a strong balance sheet, the company is well poised for growth in the to-be-reported quarter.
On the leasing front, the New York business continues to post solid performance in same-store earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). As for the Washington D.C. market, though it will take some time for the economic recovery to transform into growth, the worst phase is anticipated to be over.
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Stocks That Warrant a Look
Here are a few stocks in the REIT sector you may want to consider, as our model shows that they have the right combination of elements to post a positive surprise this quarter:
Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. HST has an Earnings ESP of +2.63% and a Zacks Rank #3. The company will report results on Apr 29.
Taubman Centers, Inc. TCO has an Earnings ESP of +3.53% and a Zacks Rank #3. The company will release results on May 2.
The Macerich Company MAC has an Earnings ESP of +2.35% and a Zacks Rank #2. The company will report first-quarter 2016 results on May 3.
Note: FFO, a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs, is obtained after adding depreciation and amortization and other non-cash expenses to net income. All earnings per share numbers presented in this write up represent FFO per share.
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Mark Zuckerberg
Following a week ofdisappointingtech companyearnings, Facebook reports its Q2 numbers Wednesday afternoon.
Analysts predict strong year-over-year revenue growth and for Facebook's user base to continue to swell.
Here are the expectations, via Yahoo Finance:
Earnings per share : $0.62, up from $0.42 in Q2 2015
Revenue: $5.25 billion, up 48% from $3.54 billion in Q2 2015
Facebook doesn't break out revenue for Instagram, but eMarketer predicts that the photosharing app and mobile video are increasingly big drivers of the company's revenue.
Instagram will earn $1.30 billion in the US ($1.53 billion worldwide) in mobile ad revenues this year, according to the research firm.
Wall Street will also be thirsty for more details on Facebook's plan for chat apps Messenger and WhatsApp.
Analysts from Credit Suisse recently described the business potential of the apps as being like "two more Facebooks lurking inside Facebook."
Messenger was the star of the show at the social network's developer conference earlier this month: Facebook opened up new tools to let businesses build intelligent chatbots to automate conversations with customers and discussed how it plans to test different way to make money through click-to-message News Feed ads and "sponsored" message blasts. But Facebook hasn't provided the same roadmap for WhatsApp, which has been vocally opposed to ads in the past.
Video will be another hot topic. Right now, Facebook is reportedly paying media companies like BuzzFeed and Vox around $250,000 for 20 livestreamed video over three months. Wall Street will want to know more about Facebook's plan to make not just spend money on its broadcast feature.
Options traders are betting on a move of 7.8% in either direction through Friday, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing market intelligence company Trade Alert. That's compared to an average post-earnings move of 4.9% over the last 8 quarters.
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NOW WATCH: Tony Robbins reviews DJ Khaled's keys to success
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NEW YORK, April 27 (Reuters) - Visium Asset Management, the approximately $7 billion investment firm led by Jacob Gottlieb, is blaming the U.S. government for some of its losses this year.
The Visium Balanced hedge fund, which focuses on healthcare stocks, lost money in March on Allergan Inc when a planned merger with Pfizer Inc collapsed because of concern the U.S. Department of the Treasury would block the deal, along with other so-called tax inversions.
"We did not expect the unprecedented overreach of the Treasury's authority and we incorrectly interpreted the Treasury as recognizing the limitations of its own powers," Visium wrote this month in a private letter to clients that was reviewed by Reuters. The letter said Visium had sold its Allergan shares following the news.
The fund also cited government concerns for losses on pharmaceutical company Endo International PLC. In its letter, Visium blamed the decline on concern that companies such as Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc, which acquire drugs and then raise their prices, could face increased regulation.
"Investors have been wary of buying into companies that are exposed to this pricing reform," the Visium letter said. "We believe ENDP is purely collateral damage from the VRX decline."
It said Endo's lower stock price "presents an opportunity, as it is well positioned to recover from its recent price weakness."
The Balanced fund is down nearly 8 percent this year through April 15, according to a report by HSBC's Alternative Investment Group.
Visium also suffered losses in its largest hedge fund, Visium Global, which bets on a variety of industries. The fund is down about 5.6 percent for the year as of April 15, according to the HSBC report.
Among the fund's losing bets was one against energy stocks as oil prices rallied, according to a separate letter to investors. The losses erased gains from its holdings of Swiss telecommunications company Sunrise Communications Group AG and hotel groups Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc and Marriott International Inc.
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A smaller fund called Visium Institutional Partners is also down nearly 13 percent for the year through April 15. An industry benchmark called the Hedge Fund Intelligence Americas Global Equity Index fell about 3.5 percent through March.
New York-based Visium disclosed to clients in March that it is being investigated by the U.S. Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission over trading and valuation issues.
A spokesman for Visium did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Lawrence Delevingne; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
Netflix is going ahead with a new series installment of Wet Hot American Summer, greenlighting Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later with an eight-episode order for a 2017 premiere.
Ten Years Later is Netflixs follow-up to the 2015 eight-episode limited series Wet Hot American Summer: First Day Of Camp, which was a prequel to David Wains cult 2001 feature comedy Wet Hot American Summer. The movie was set on the last day at a fictional Jewish summe
Netflix Logo
r camp in 1981, while First Day Of Camp was set on the first day of said camp. Like the title of the new installment suggests, it takes place 10 years later. It was set up by a scene at the end of the movie where Bradley Coopers character Ben proposes,Lets all promise that in 10 years from today, well meet again, and well see what kind of people weve blossomed into, and all agree. Netflix used a portion of the scene in its announcement for Ten Years Later, which you can watch above. Here is the entire conversation from the movie:
Wain and Michael Showalter, who wrote the movie and the limited series, are back as writers of Ten Years Later, with Wain again directing. There is no casting information yet on the new Wet Hot American Summer installment but, like First Day Of Camp, which reassembled virtually the entire original cast with Paul Rudd, Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Christopher Meloni, Michael Ian Black, Elizabeth Banks, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Zak Orth, Judah Friedlander and Showalter among those reprising their roles, the new installment will likely feature a slew of original cast members.
The streaming network alluded to Cooper, Poehler, Banks, Showalter and Zak Orth coming back by featuring them in the original scene that teases Ten Years Later.
Here is a hint at what Ten Years Later might look like. This is a bonus reunion scene from the movie, which was featured after the credits:
Wain and Showalter are executive producing Ten Years Later alongside the films producer Howard Bernstein, Jonathan Stern and Peter Principato. All also exec produced First Day Of Camp, whose new cast additions included Josh Charles, Jon Hamm, John Slattery, Lake Bell, Chris Pine, Jason Schwartzman and Kristen Wiig.
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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db9b1mQLcY0&w=970&h=546]
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Chee Soon Juan addresses reporters at Keming Primary School. Photo: Nicholas Yong/Yahoo Singapore
The gloves came off on Nomination Day (27 April), as Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan questioned what had become of former Bukit Batok MP David Ongs $24 million master plan for the ward.
Speaking to reporters after being officially confirmed as a candidate for the Bukit Batok by-election, Chee noted that Ong had proposed extensive upgrading plans for the constituency during last years General Election. These had included childcare centres and a new hawker centre.
What I want to ask the PAP now is: what happened to this project? Were those just promises to entice voters, and then you do something else, worse, do nothing else after the GE? That must be made clear.
This is where Mr Murali needs to address this issue.you dont just discard $24 million of projects and then make promises, and when the by-election comes, forget all about that and say, Ill give you $1.9 million.
Video by Jeremy Ho
The Peoples Action Party (PAP) candidate for the by-election on 7 May, K. Muralidharan Pillai, held an exhibition on Sunday (24 April) showcasing the PAP Jurong-Clementi Town Councils $1.9 million neighbourhood renewal plans for Bukit Batok. The lawyer said that the plans could only be carried out if he is elected as MP.
Chee took issue with this too, questioning if Muralis desire to serve the residents of Bukit Batok was genuine. What he should be saying is that, I want to be your MP, but I will abide by the peoples wishes. If I am not elected, I will ask the successful candidate, the MP to carry on this programme. That is truly caring, genuinely caring for residents.
The father of three also pledged to be a full-time Member of Parliament if elected. The clear difference here, is that every morning when Mr Murali wakes up, his first destination would be his office. When I wake up every morning, my first destination is Bukit Batokand thats when youre going to have that MP who will be with you, who will not just be there to speak up for you, to fight for you.
Danger: A radiation sign outside a forest near Chernobyl (Rex)
This week marks the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, that saw a nuclear power plant go into meltdown before exploding and sending lethal dust into the air.
A staggering 56,700 square miles of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia was covered by the fallout, forcing hundreds of thousands of residents to leave their homes for good in what is, to date, the worlds worst nuclear accident.
The nuclear fire lasted 10 days, spewing out 400 times as much radiation as the bomb dropped on Hiroshima at the end of the Second World War.
Amusement park: Bumper cars lie untouched in the abandoned town (Rex)
Deserted: Buildings lie empty as tress and plants begin to take over (Rex)
Around 31 people died as a direct result of the accident but many deaths since can be attributed to the after-effects of what happened on 26 April 1986.
Today, a 25-mile exclusion zone around the plant still remains, but life still goes on for those who remained or returned to the nearby area since the devastating accident.
But what is life like for those people - and do they run the risk of developing life-threatening diseases, 30 years on?
What is the nearest town?
Pripyat, in northern Ukraine, lies near the border of Belarus and was the closest town to Chernobyl. However, it was completely abandoned following the disaster, with the population of nearly 50,000 evacuating their homes to escape the fallout. Today, it is a deserted ghost town, full of empty buildings and, most iconically, a Ferris Wheel in the Pripyat theme park that has become a symbol of the deserted area. The closest inhabited city is Ivankiv, which sits around 20 miles north of the exclusion zone, and 42 miles from Chernobyl itself.
Iconic: The ferris wheel is one of the most famous sights of Pripyat (Rex)
How close do people live to the site?
Towns such as Slavutich in Ukraine are located just over 40 miles away from Chernobyl, and was build to house around 25,000 former exclusion zone residents. Around 3,800 people live on this border of the exclusion zone, many of whom commute in to carry out work on the site. Some 3,000 people live INSIDE the zone for up to 14 days at a time while they perform dangerous work on the factory. Another 400 elderly farmers have also resettled in their old homes following the disaster, not wanting to leave the area they had lived for their entire lives.
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Warning: The exclusion zone remains a restricted area today (Rex)
What is happening to the factory?
After 30 years, work at the power plant continues as around 7,000 people travel in from the outskirts of the exclusion zone to help decommission the plant. Workers must take radiation tests before they return home from their potentially life-threatening jobs. Other workers help to manage the exclusion zone.
Abandoned: Hundreds of books lie scattered in a floor of a building that was once a school (Rex)
What does the area look like?
Pripyat is an abandoned town, full of empty buildings and deserted homes. Much of the interiors remain untouched since they were abandoned, with childrens toys littered in bedrooms covered in mould and dirt. Rusty beds, deserted fairgrounds and empty swimming pools show an area that was once full of people. Now, nature itself has taken over - with plants and trees slowly spreading across what was once an area filled with human invention.
Has wildlife survived at Chernobyl?
With no human interference, wildlife has flourished at Chernobyl over the past 30 years. In fact, it has become the perfect place for animals to breed without control. The Chernobyl exclusion zone is now home to wolves, bears and horses, among other - although it is not clear how much the animals are affected by diseases as a result of radiation.
Dangerous: Workers still visit the factory to dismantle it for several hours a day (Rex)
Do residents have a massively increased risk of cancer and other deadly diseases?
The total death toll from cancer from the accident is expected to reach around 4,000 for people exposed to high doses of radiation, according to the United Nations and World Health Organisation. However, they state that there is no evidence of higher rates of death or illness for the 5 million people still living on contaminated lands in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. Others think the figures are too conservative. Keith Baverstock, a former radiation adviser for the World Health Organisation believes Chernobyl will kill between 30,000 and 60,000 people. At least 28 people were killed in the initial Chernobyl explosion.
Tests: Radiation levels are still higher than the norm close to the factory (Rex)
Desolate: Buildings lie in ruins after being left to waste away (Rex)
Are newborns at risk of birth defects as a result of radiation?
The short answer is yes - children are still being born with severe birth defects and rare types of cancer in areas close to Chernobyl, 30 years on from the accident. According to British charity Bridges to Belarus, women who have lived their lives exposed to high levels of radiation are starting to have children with some alarming deformities. Severe cases have included a baby born with two heads and other with missing limbs. An unusually high number of children are also stricken by thyroid cancer - in an area where state healthcare is lacking.
How much radiation still exists in the area?
Following the explosion, there was so much radiation inside the reactor and control room of the plant that death would occur in just one minute. Today, workers inside the exclusion zone work for three weeks inside before spending three weeks outside of it. They are only permitted to work for five hours a day. Any longer is thought to be too dangerous and the levels of radiation at Pripyat are still far higher than the norm.
Hotspot: Tourists flock to the area to see the abandoned streets for themselves (Rex)
When will the area become inhabitable?
While people do still live close to the exclusion zone, Ukrainian officials do not think the area will be completely safe for humans to live for at least another 20,000 years.
Can anyone visit Chernobyl?
Surprisingly, tourists do flock to the area every year to tour Pripyat, Chernobyl and its surrounding areas. Day passes must be obtained by the government through tour companies. Visitors are usually not permitted to enter any of the buildings while many bring radiation masks to protect themselves. Tourists are screened at the end of the day to test their radiation levels. However, it is thought that the amount of time spent near Chernobyl is not necessarily dangerous for those visiting. According to WikiTravel, it takes between 300 and 500 roentgens per hour of radiation to deliver a lethal dose, with levels on the tour ranging from 15 to several hundred micro-roentgens per hour.
ClassPass, the increasingly popular fitness class subscription service, has slowly but surely been jacking up prices in cities. And the companys loyal members are less than thrilled.
Members in half a dozen cities Atlanta, Toronto, Austin, Dallas, Boston, and, as of today, New York received emails alerting them to the changes over the last few weeks. The price hikes vary by city and by type of membership. For the most part, the changes will sting new users looking to sign up for an unlimited monthly subscription. Existing unlimited subscribers will get burned as well but to a slightly lesser degree.
For example, in New York City, an unlimited membership will now set new users back $200 a month, up from $125. Existing unlimited will now be charged $190, a 52% spike.
ClassPass
Atlanta was among the first of the companys more than 30 locations to get hit with the price increase in late March. New subscribers now pay $160 a month, up from $99, a 60% hike. Existing unlimited members in Atlanta will see a smaller increase, from $99 to $120. In an email sent to Atlanta users in March, ClassPass CEO Payal Kadakia said they could expect to see more features and more available classes to make up for the added cost. ClassPass is popular with users because it gives them the ability to take as many different classes as they like from a variety of genres spin one day, barre or yoga the next. These classes can cost upwards of $30 a pop in cities like New York, and ClassPass bills itself as an easy way to get more bang for your buck.
The story was similar in Boston, Dallas, Toronto and Austin, where prices jumped at least 50% for unlimited memberships. Ashley Hennings, a company spokesperson, said she could not confirm whether members in any of the other 30-plus cities where they operate can expect to see similar price hikes.
The good news is that unlimited ClassPass members will have to opt in to the new price, which means they wont get automatically slapped with a higher bill. If they dont opt in, ClassPass will bump them down to a 10-class membership (thats 10 classes a month), said Hennings. The majority of our members never exceed 10 classes in a month, so we wanted to provide an option more in line with their needs, she said. To help soften the blow, the company introduced a new offering, a 5-class membership. Prices vary from $40 to $75 a month. Its also running a 50% off promotion for new base memberships.
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That hasnt stopped users from flocking to Twitter to voice their fury over the changes. In many of the impacted cities, ClassPass members had already endured price hikes over the previous year.
.@classpass you want to raise memberships from $99 > $125 > $190 in less than a year?! pic.twitter.com/Z8pufyoPeC Lesley Hauler (@LesleyHauler) April 27, 2016
Second price hike from @classpass in 6 months! Figure out your business model guys because your customers have had it. Time for a new gym. Sara Hagen (@sfhagen16) March 30, 2016
my jeans are so tight but classpass unlimited just doubled their prices pic.twitter.com/GPSpFGAeh7 diana (@hidianachan) April 27, 2016
In a statement to Yahoo Finance, Kadakia said the changes were all part of a young companys evolution. The MIT graduate co-founded ClassPass in 2012. The company, based in New York, has since raised $84 million in several fundraising rounds and generated a reported $60 million in revenue last year.
We have to evolve our business model and adjust prices in order to create long-term sustainability with both our members and the market, Kadakia said. We've also realized that a one-size-fits-all membership is not diverse enough to serve all of our members unique needs, which is why we have decided to roll out new plans.
Want to reduce the crime rate? Increase the minimum wage.
That's an argument presented in a report published Monday by the White House's Council of Economic Advisers, which contends that conventions of punishment centered on harsh sentencing for the past three decades have proven ineffective, and at times counterproductive.
The report surveys research showing that longer sentence lengths are not only ineffective as deterrents, but often boost the likelihood of an individual re-offending: "a recent paper estimates that a 10% increase in average sentence length corresponds to a 0 to 0.5% decrease in juvenile arrest rates [and another] recent study finds that each additional sanction year causes an average increase in future offending of 4 to 7 percentage points."
Read more: Obama Administration Releases Bold Plan for Allowing Prisoners to Reenter Society
The researchers behind the report think that in order to continue to further bring down the crime rate, which has declined steadily since the 1990s, policymakers need to think outside the jail cell. They offer commonly cited data suggesting that expanding police forces and access to education would help.
But in a slightly less orthodox policy proposal, the authors argue that swiftly raising the minimum wage should also do the trick quite well.
The report , estimating that raising the minimum wage from $7.25 to $12 an hour in 2020 would cause a 3% to 5% reduction in the crime rate. By contrast, spending another $10 billion on incarceration would pull the crime rate down 1% to 4%. The idea is that addressing the material insecurity that often drives people to crime would be a more efficient way to uphold law and order than locking them up after they commit it.
Source: White House Council of Economic Advisers
Efficiency, of course, is not the only reason to favor wage increases over expanding the largest prison system in the world. But it's yet another way to argue that investing in people rather than punishment has huge payoffs for everyone.
h/t The Washington Post
By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two senior Obama administration officials wrote congressional leaders on Tuesday to urge legislation be passed to fund the fight against the Zika virus, as concerns mount the United States will soon face locally transmitted cases of the disease. U.S. health officials concluded this month that the virus, spreading rapidly in the Americas, was a cause of microcephaly, a rare birth defect defined by unusually small head size that can hamper development. Zika is also linked to other health problems. The Obama administration asked the Republican-controlled Congress on Feb. 22 for $1.9 billion in emergency supplemental funding to address the health threat from Zika. With Congress failing to move quickly on that request, the administration earlier this month redirected $589 million to prepare for Zika, mostly from a fund to fight the Ebola virus. "Without significant additional appropriations ... the nation's efforts to comprehensively respond to the disease will be severely undermined," Susan Rice, President Barack Obama's national security adviser, and Shaun Donovan, director of the Office of Management and Budget, wrote in the letter. It was sent to Senators Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid, the top Republican and Democrat in the Senate, and other congressional leaders. It can be seen at https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/zika_letter_4.26_mcconnell.pdf The mosquito that carries the virus, Aedes aegypti, is found in 30 states, and health officials worry that as temperatures warm, the virus will move north from countries including Brazil and cause locally transmitted cases. Nearly 390 travel-related Zika cases have been reported in the United States and 500 locally acquired cases in U.S. territories. Last week, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators said they would soon offer a proposal to an appropriations measure for more funding. Rice and Donovan said in the letter they were pleased to hear of that support but were "concerned about the adequacy and speed of this response." White House spokesman Josh Earnest said in a press briefing that lawmakers were talking about "barely half of what we have indicated is needed." The White House was also worried that funding being discussed on Capitol Hill "is tied to a moribund appropriations process," Earnest said. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Peter Cooney)
From 438 miles (705 kilometers) up, the floor of the north Caspian Sea looks like someone's just scoured it with a Brillo Pad. What could these bizarre marks be? Trawling scars? Propeller marks in sea algae or seagrass? An extraterrestrial message?
Don't get out the tinfoil hat yet: NASA scientists say these mystery lines are the work of sea ice.
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center ocean scientists noticed the image this month, shortly after it was acquired by the Operational Land Imager on the Landsat 8 satellite, according to NASA's Earth Observatory. The space agency put out the puzzler on Twitter, asking readers what the lines might be.
Now, the answer seems clear. Stanislav Ogorodov, an earth scientist at Lomonosov Moscow State University in Russi, told the Earth Observatory that the phenomenon was almost certainly all natural: "Undoubtedly, most of these tracks are the result of ice gouging," he said. [14 of the Strangest Sites on Google Earth]
The water in this area near Novyy Island is only about 10 feet (3 meters) deep, Ogorodov said, and the sea ice gets to be only about 1.6 feet (0.5 m) thick. But winds and currents sculpt this ice cover into jagged patterns called hummocks, which can reach the seabed. When wind or water pushes the floating ice around, Ogorodov explained to the Earth Observatory, the protruding parts can dig into the ocean floor and leave the scouring patterns seen from space.
Humans can cause similar-looking patterns. Propellers have scarred seagrass in the Everglades in Florida, and ships that fish by bottom trawling can bulldoze swaths of the seafloor with their nets. In the Caspian, though, the ice is almost certainly the predominant cause of these scours, according to the Earth Observatory. A look at a comparison image taken in January, when the ice was thick, shows chunks of ice at the ends of scour marks the geoscience equivalent of a smoking gun.
The image also shows dark green coloration, which is likely seagrass or algae. The island in the image, Novyy Island, is the easternmost island of the Tyuleniy Archipelago, a group of islands in the northeastern part of the Caspian Sea that belong to Kazakhstan.
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The Caspian is the largest inland sea in the world, and is bordered by Iran, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran. The sea has no outflow to the ocean, and is, by an odd quirk of fate, below sea level. The northern end of the sea seen in the NASA image is in the Caspian Depression. The sea in this spot is about 92 feet (28 m) below sea level.
Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter and Google+. 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.
Stocks (^DJI, ^GSPC, ^IXIC, ^RUT) are trading down at midday after a reversal in the energy sector (XLE), with tech (XLK) the biggest loser and utilities (XLU) in the green. Keith Bliss joins us live from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange to discuss the markets.
Joining Alexis Christoforous to discuss some of the other big stories of the day are Yahoo Finance editor-in-chief Andy Serwer and Yahoo Finance reporter Dan Roberts.
Facebook to announce Q1 earnings after the bell
Forget Appleor try to forget those dismal earnings anyway. Hello Facebook. The world's largest social media company reports after the bell today, and the tech world could use some good news. Accordingly, expectations are high. Analysts are looking for revenue of $5.25 billion, earnings per share of $0.62, and monthly active users at 1.64 billion.
Yahoo gives 4 board seats to Starboard Value
Parent company Yahoo will give four board seats to the hedge fund Starboard Value. Yahoos CEO Marissa Mayer released a statement saying, "The constructive resolution will allow management and the board to keep our focus on our extremely important objectives." Jeffrey Smith, the CEO and chief investment officer of the hedge fund, says he's "looking forward to getting started right away in achieving the common goal of maximizing value for all shareholders."
Alibaba's Jack Ma becomes China's richest man
And one of Yahoo's largest investments, Alibaba, is back in the spotlight. Alibaba affiliate, Ant Financial, just raised a whopping $4.5 billion in the largest private tech funding round. This makes Alibaba Chairman Jack Ma the richest man in China, with $33.3 billion in wealth.
Berkshire livestream
Berkshire Hathaway will hold its annual shareholder meeting next weekand you can watch the entire event live, exclusively on Yahoo Finance next Saturday at 10 A.M. Eastern. Check out finance.yahoo.com/BRKLivestream.
Nabors Beat Q1 Earnings Estimates, so Why Did the Stock Fall?
(Continued from Prior Part)
Nabors Industries share price reaction
Nabors Industries released its financial information for fiscal 1Q16 on April 25. Its stock reacted negatively immediately after the release. It fell ~9% to $9.85 from the previous days close. Since the beginning of this year, its share price is up 14%.
Halliburton (HAL), which released its financial information for fiscal 1Q16 on April 22, saw a 2% decrease in share price on the day of the release.
NBRs share price returns versus the industry
In the past year, Nabors Industries stock has returned -31% net of dividends as of April 25. NBR has underperformed the Market Vectors Oil Services ETF (OIH), which has returned -22%. The Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE), the broader energy industry ETF, has produced a -16.5% return. Nabors Industries has also underperformed the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY), which has returned 1.1% during the same period.
NBR has, however, outperformed the US rig count, which returned -54% in the past year. NBRs peer Weatherford International (WFT) has also underperformed NBR, producing a -43% return as of April 25.
Will NBRs returns fall more?
The dwindling US rig count, pricing pressure on Nabors Industries rigs, and ongoing energy market uncertainty in North America are Nabors Industries concerns. On the other hand, advanced rig deployment in the onshore United States, Latin America, and Saudi Arabia in fiscal 2015 could provide additional revenue opportunities in 2016. These opportunities could boost Nabors earnings, generating higher returns. Read Market Realists Is Nabors Industries Performance Tied to the Falling Rig Count? to learn about Nabors Industries in depth.
Next, well discuss Wall Street analysts targets for Nabors Industries.
Continue to Next Part
Browse this series on Market Realist:
Deconstructing Gold: What's Driving Gold Miners apart from Prices?
(Continued from Prior Part)
Business model for royalty and streaming
The business model of royalty and streaming companies is quite different from that of other precious metal miners. Unlike other precious metals companies, royalty companies dont own mines. They make an upfront payment in return for a purchase of a fixed percentage of the future silver or gold production from a mine. As the mine owner delivers precious metal to the royalty and streaming company, an additional payment is made to them.
Royalty companies then sell the gold and silver production they receive from these streaming contracts at market prices. These contracts give royalty companies access to the metal streams for the life of the mine at fixed costs. After that, if the producer expands output by spending more money, royalty companies stand to benefit. For this reason, these companies are usually less risky than mining companies.
Relative price performance
This model offers protection to investors in times of low prices because they have fixed costs. Such companies usually are diversified across various projects from different miners. Since they dont participate in mining costs directly, they have lower leverages to gold and silver prices. As such, they outperform miners in times of low and declining precious metal prices, and vice versa.
This could explain why royalty companies have returned only 47% YTD (year-to-date) as of April 26, 2016, as compared to GDXs 60% return. Investors should note, however, that they are still a levered play on gold. Gold prices have returned 16% YTD in comparison to royalty companies 47% return.
Correlation to gold prices
Of all the sub-categories of precious metal miners, royalty and streaming companies have the least correlation to gold. For the period starting 2013 until April 26, 2016, royalty companies have shown a correlation coefficient of just 0.63.
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Franco-Nevada (FNV), Silver Wheaton (SLW), Royal Gold (RGLD), and Osisko Royalties (OKSKF) currently make up 13.7% of the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETFs (GDX) holdings. We should note here that bigger royalty companies such as FNV and SLW are more diversified, while smaller ones such as Osisko and SandStorm (SAND) still face mine risks due to their limited diversification.
Now lets explore whats causing the spike in silver equities.
Continue to Next Part
Browse this series on Market Realist:
Washington (AFP) - The World Bank is putting a hold on new development support for Mozambique after the government was shown to have hidden off-budget some $1.4 billion in debt.
After the International Monetary Fund suspended aid to Mozambique earlier this month after discovering the hidden debt problem, the World Bank confirmed Wednesday it was putting new allocations of budget support on hold while they review the country's finances.
The Bank told AFP that "further approvals of development policy loans are delayed" while it and the IMF do an assessment of the country's macroeconomic stability and conduct a debt sustainability analysis (DSA).
"Following the DSA, a decision will be made on the volume of World Bank support to Mozambique."
The move affects $40 million in direct budget support scheduled during this calendar year.
The Bank noted that it continues to process certain investment lending for Mozambique, one of the 10 poorest countries in the world.
On Tuesday, Mozambique said most of the $1.4 billion in previously hidden borrowing had been used to fund maritime security and shipyards.
The government guaranteed a $622 million loan taken out by the state-controlled company ProIndicus in 2013 and another loan of $535 million to Mozambique Asset Management in 2014, government spokesman Mouzinho Saide said.
ProIndicus was created in 2012, primarily to protect areas where offshore gas is drilled, as well as to fight piracy, illegal immigration, drug trafficking and illegal fishing.
Mozambique Asset Management supports two shipyards providing maintenance services to public and private vessels.
Saide also said that Mozambique had received "bilateral credit" of $221.4 million from an unnamed country in 2009.
(Recasts, adds president's statement)
By Felix Onuah
ABUJA, April 27 (Reuters) - The World Bank's managing director and Nigeria's president on Wednesday discussed how the multilateral lender could help Nigeria overcome its economic crisis and repatriate more than $300 million stolen by a former military ruler.
On her second day of meetings with Nigerian officials, World Bank Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer Sri Mulyani Indrawati held talks with President Muhammadu Buhari which centred around plans to stimulate the flagging economy with a record 6 trillion naira ($31 billion) budget.
The economic crisis in Africa's top oil exporter has been caused mainly by a sharp fall in crude prices eating into its oil revenues, which make up about 70 percent of national income.
Nigeria will have to borrow 1.8 trillion naira from abroad and at home to help fund the budget, which has been delayed by several months and wrangling with parliament, if it goes ahead.
Although Nigeria has held talks with the World Bank over a possible loan or credit facility in recent months, Indrawati did not address this when speaking to reporters after the meeting.
"We would like to know how we can help Nigeria to make the very important decisions, whether on micro economic policy and other sectoral policy, that will make this economy move forward to become a strong middle income country," she said.
Nigeria's economy, the largest in Africa, grew by 2.8 percent last year, its slowest pace since 1999.
Indrawati, who met Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun on Tuesday, said she and Buhari discussed the government's "commendable goals to improve tax collection and crackdown on corruption".
During the meeting, Buhari urged the World Bank to assist in the repatriation of $320 million stolen by former military leader Sani Abacha, which is being held by authorities in Switzerland, his office said in a statement.
One of the conditions given by Swiss Authorities for repatriation of the funds was that the money should be used for social welfare programmes, which is to be monitored by the World Bank.
Story continues
"We are as concerned as the World Bank about accountability. If such repatriated funds have been misapplied in the past, I assure you that the same will not happen with us," said Buhari, who won an election last April on an anti-corruption ticket.
The statement added that $320 million was "a lot of money" which would "help to ease the current economic hardship facing the country".
(Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram, editing by Ed Osmond)
By Michael Flaherty and Liana B. Baker
(Reuters) - Yahoo Inc (YHOO.O) on Wednesday agreed to add four new independent directors to its board, bowing to pressure from activist hedge fund Starboard Value LP and averting a proxy fight ahead of its upcoming annual meeting.
The agreement shows Yahoo's board and management team were under pressure from major shareholders to settle the battle, and that Starboard was willing to set aside its plan for board control in favor of immediate director seats inside the struggling Internet company.
A truce with its most vocal activist investor helps Yahoo clear the way for the auction of its core businesses, which is underway.
Yahoo said Starboard Chief Executive Jeffrey Smith and three independent directors associated with him will join the board immediately. Yahoo's four new directors were on Starboard's slate that the hedge fund proposed last month to overthrow Yahoo's entire board.
The two sides spoke frequently about ways to avoid putting the fate of the board in the hands of shareholders, according to people involved with the negotiations, but it was not until recently that a deal came into focus. Starboard and Yahoo executives were set to meet in March to discuss ways to avoid a proxy fight, but those talks broke down after Yahoo appointed two new board members, said the people, who did not want to be named.
Key to the agreement is that Smith is also joining Yahoo's strategic review committee, which is overseeing the company's sale of its core business - a process Smith has aggressively pushed.
For Starboard's Smith, the concession is being part of that key committee even though the deal does not give him board control, said Eric Jackson, managing director at SpringOwl Asset Management, a fund that owns Yahoo shares.
"The decision point for Smith was, 'Do we want to be inside the tent when a deal goes down or do we want to be sitting on the outside hoping the board does the right thing?'" Jackson said.
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Separately, Starboard struck an agreement with Marvell Technology Group (MRVL.O) on Wednesday.
Yahoo said in a statement that two incumbent directors, Lee Scott and Sue James, would step down at the annual meeting. With the addition of the four new directors, Yahoo's board will have 11 members.
Yahoo has not set a formal date for its annual meeting, but historically it is held in late June.
Yahoo's agreement with Starboard means the company can now put the prospect of a costly and distracting proxy fight behind it, and focus on the sale of its core search business, which is fielding bids from potential buyers such as Verizon Communications Inc (VZ.N).
The company also faces the complication of sorting out its connection to Softbank Group Corp (9984.T), which owns 43 percent of Yahoo Japan Corp, and China's Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (BABA.N), in which Yahoo holds a 15.5 percent stake.
CORE SALE
Starboard, which owns about 1.7 percent of Yahoo, has been pushing for changes at the company since 2014. The activist hedge fund took aim at Yahoo's leadership in a January letter, implying that Mayer and top officials needed to go.
Yahoo was started by Jerry Yang and David Filo in a Stanford University dorm room, and the search company quickly became a tech-boom darling in the late 1990s.
But starting from just before the 2008 financial crisis, the company has constantly been under threat from activist shareholders unhappy with its performance, including hedge fund heavyweights Carl Icahn and Daniel Loeb of Third Point.
Starboard ramped up its pressure late last year, culminating in a filing in March when it proposed to replace all of Yahoo's board, a rare move in activist investing.
Yahoo's new directors aside from Smith will be tech and media industry veterans Tor Braham, Eddy Hartenstein and Richard Hill, who were part of Starboard's proposed slate.
Yahoo's stock dipped 1 percent to $36.73 per share on Wednesday.
"While Starboard settled for less than control of the board ... we think the firm would only do so if it felt comfortable that other independent directors supported their publicly expressed opinion that the core should be sold," said SunTrust analyst Robert Peck, who rates the stock a "buy."
(Additonal reporting by Rishika Sadam in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza and Meredith Mazzilli)
Yahoo's new agreement with Starboard Value and its pugnacious CEO Jeff Smith is a peace treaty of sortsand a step toward a sunnier sale of its core business.
The company, which owns Yahoo Finance, will add four of Starboard's picks to its board of directors, it announced on Wednesday. The new boardmembers are Tor Braham, a former Deutsche Bank exec, Eddy Hartenstein, who has worked at tech companies like Sirius XM and Broadcom and media companies like Tribune Company and Los Angeles Times Media, Richard Hill, of Tessera Technologies, and Starboard CEO Jeff Smith himself. Two existing Yahoo boardmembers, former Walmart CEO Lee Scott and former Ernst & Young exec Sue James, will not run for reelection.
Four of Yahoo's eleven directors will now be Starboard appointments.
So what does this mean? It pacifies Smith, for starters, but it also sends a message to shareholders that Yahoo is finally serious about a saleit had previously been criticized by analysts for appearing less than fully committed to fielding offers.
Settling with Starboard is also a way of bringing the enemy inside the house.
"It's a public acknowledgment that Starboard had been publicly making some very valid points," says SunTrust analyst Robert Peck. "If you thought they were wrong, you wouldn't bring them in." Continuing to fight Starboard would have been damaging to public opinion, and also potentially to Yahoo's share price.
Peck sees two big benefits to the Starboard appointments: One is Smith himself, who famously sent a 300-page letter to Olive Garden management admonishing it to cut down on breadsticks, and whose involvement "underscores that a sale of the core is the priority," and two is that two of the Starboard picks are former CEOs, which Peck believes will be a strategic asset, "even if the core sale does not occur."
But what are the real chances of Yahoo not selling? Slim, analysts say. "It's possible, but highly improbable," Peck offers. "I think they've already started this core process, even Yahoo has embraced the idea of selling the core, and from what we hear, there are multiple bidders who want to make multi-billion-dollar offers. The fact that Yahoo was willing to settle also shows they thought Starboard had strong shareholder support."
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That brings us back to the rumored buyers: Verizon (VZ), Alibaba (BABA), and a few others are all still in the mix, from an original pool widely exaggerated at 40 bidders, but if you ask Peck, "It's Verizon's to lose. They have the most synergies, the most cost overlaps, they can afford to pay the most because of those synergies. If Verizon decides it really wants it, it will get it."
Still, there is no guarantee that a single buyer will take the entirety of Yahoo's core business; it could also be chopped up like car parts. In a recent note, Peck and SunTrust wrote that Yahoo has three "hidden assets that are not well understood," including royalties from Yahoo Japan as well as 6,000 patents that could be worth far more than the $1 billion to $3 billion range the company has estimated. Someone could make a play just for the patents, or just for Yahoo Japana large number of possibilities remain, which means fevered speculation around this sale isn't going away any time soon.
--
Daniel Roberts is a writer at Yahoo Finance, covering sports business and technology.
Read more:
40 suitors for Yahoo? Unlikely-- here's the list so far
Facebooks live video plan should scare Twitter, Periscope and Snapchat
Reports of ESPN's demise have been greatly exaggerated
BuzzFeed reshuffles sections, lets go of staffers
Stranded sea turtles usually start appearing along the Northeast coast of the United States in late November, as the animals that did not make it south in time to avoid falling ocean temperatures become hypothermic and unable to swim or feed. But in the fall of 2015, said marine biologist Rob DiGiovanni, turtles started to increase more in early December. Maybe because of the climate we had at the timeit was the worlds warmest November and December on recordwe had animals come in alive on the 23rd of December, still able to be revived."
As the executive director of the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation, DiGiovanni runs the only organization in New York licensed to assess and pick up stranded seals, dolphins, and sea turtlesall protected species under federal lawfrom the states 2,625 miles of coastlines, beaches, bays, and estuaries.
Nursing marine animals back to health takes skill, dedication, and money. But the groups challenge is to get the word out that Long Islands beachesdespite being nestled in the nations most densely populated metropolitan area and best known as a summer party destinationare also habitat for wild animals that need special treatment when they show up onshore.
Education and outreach are among the biggest things we can do to let people know theyre here, that theyre protected, said DiGiovanni. Maybe people are seeing animals but just assuming that theyre not there, so sightings go unreported.
Walking along a Long Island beach in early February, DiGiovanni pointed to the wrack line": a jumbled band of seaweed, shells, and trash running parallel to the waterline, thrown dozens of feet inland by the high tide. This was where cold-stunned sea turtles typically turned up, he said, although it takes an attentive eye to spot a brown-green animal lying, probably motionless, in the brown-black tangles of sea kelp and driftwood.
After high tide, walk the beach and look at the wrack line for something unusual, said DiGiovanni. If you find a turtle, dont move it. Dont touch it. Make sure its secure, and then find a stick to mark where the animal is, so that rescuers can find itbecause each length of beach looks much like another. And always call in the sighting, DiGiovanni stressed, because hypothermic turtles may appear dead but may still be saved, while dead turtles can provide scientists and wildlife managers with valuable information.
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We were not spotting any sea turtles on this dayit was late in the stranding season to find survivors, said DiGiovanni. But we were seeing plenty of litter. As we walked and talked, we steadily filled a kitchen cansize garbage sack with cigarette butts, plastic shopping bags, tangles of fishing line, and other plastic trash, along with beer and soda cans.
This might not seem like it did a lot, but it made a difference, said DiGiovanni as he tossed the bag into the backseat of his car. If you werent writing this story, thats one bag of garbage that would still be on this beach.
RELATED: The Earth Is Becoming a Plastic Planet
Marine plastic trash has become so abundant and so widespread that scientists are calling it a global crisis for ocean life. One of the worst things he has seen in decades of marine animal rescue, DiGiovanni said, was a dead dolphin with plastic debris spilling out of its mouth.
In 2002, Riverhead rescuers picked up a seal entangled in four pounds of plastic fishnets and line; a picture of the animal features prominently in the Riverhead Foundation's educational exhibit at the Long Island Aquarium, where it is based.
Marine debris is something we always see in our animals, and its not going away, said biologist Samantha Rosen, the Riverhead Foundation's education coordinator, who organizes several beach cleanings a month through the groups new Pick It Up program.
Rosen, now in her mid-20s, first got interested in marine mammals when her mother brought her to a whale autopsy with the people who are now my bosses, she said. She went on to volunteer with the group, then interned while studying biology at a nearby college, and joined the staff about two and a half years ago.
Youre excited that you get to work with these animals, she said, and nervous because you want to save them.
The Riverhead Foundation gets an average of 200 hotline calls a year. In 2015 its rescue teams, which include staff and volunteers, responded to calls about 71 stranded seals and 24 cetaceansdolphins, whales, and porpoises. Less then halfway into 2016, the group has rescued more than a dozen seals.
Of the 34 turtles Riverhead picked up during the 201516 stranding season, there are 11 survivors: 10 green sea turtles and one Kemps ridley, all endangered species. They swim in two sizable standing pools in the groups animal care area, a warehouse-size expanse behind the aquariums exhibition space that also houses more than a dozen wood-walled enclosures for rescued seals, each with a small tank of circulating water. Plexiglas portholes allow staff to check on the patients without adding to the animals stress.
Its an airy, clean, well-lit space, with the no-frills atmosphere of any veterinary facility: a place optimized for tending injured and traumatized wild animals.
Off to one side, a small exam room fronted by two-way mirrors offers an education opportunity to aquarium visitors, who can observe unseen as animals rescued from the nearby beaches receive care.
Rehabilitating a rescued sea turtle or marine mammal doesnt come quick or cheap. Seals usually need about two months to recover, at a cost of roughly $10,500 per animal in housing, medicine, and fish. Turtles stay in care for six to eight months, at a cost of about $15,000 per animal, because they cannot be released until summer. Nursing a dolphin back to health also takes months and costs up to $100,000.
The group relies primarily on public donations and grants to meet expenses, along with some funding that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides to its marine rescue network.
When you look at a species like the Kemps ridley, which is so endangered, any animal you can save is important, DiGiovanni said. Its what we do as a society, to care for animals. We dont want to see them suffer, so if there are things we have introduced to the environment that cause them harm, having a program that can respond to those harms is needed.
With a staff of 11 employees and two volunteer veterinarians, its a lot of ground to cover. But DiGiovanni suspects that many stranded animals are never spotted. We cover the hot spots, he said, but until we can get better coverage of our beaches on Long Island, were not going to really know the magnitude of the problem.
Mendy Garron, the stranding network coordinator for NOAAs Greater Atlantic Region, which stretches from Maine to Virginia, said that the group accomplishes an impressive amount of work given its size. Dead animal response, live animal response, and rehabilitation and release. Some organizations might do two of these, she said, while Riverhead does all three and is also the regions only marine mammal rescue organization authorized to rehabilitate stranded cetaceans, such as dolphins.
They dont just do the response and rehab but also are involved in aerial survey work for population studies, she said. They do a lot of tagging work and also have expertise in large whale necropsieswhich we utilize both in and beyond the region. Theyre not just serving New York but benefiting the national network as well.
Riverheads territory includes New York Citys 520 miles of urban waterfront, where conditions pose sometimes-insurmountable challenges. In 2013, the group experienced a public backlash after opting not to rescue a common dolphin trapped in the Gowanus Canal, a muddy Brooklyn waterway better known as an industrial waste site than as a haven for marine life.
Whenever were going to attempt a rescue, we look at the safety of the animals and the rescuers, DiGiovanni said. When we were talking with the police and fire departments, they said they would not be able to rescue us if something happened. Its very difficult, but I think the people we had there made the calls that needed to be made. The experience and its aftermath were traumatic for his team.
Garron said that Riverhead made the right call, particularly as common dolphins that show up so far from their typical habitat far offshore are usually too sick or injured to recover. Most of the outcomes for those situations are not goodthe animal dies or has to be humanely euthanized, she noted. NOAA Fisheries has to do a better job of getting that message out to the public. There is so much involved in what Riverhead does that people dont see and understand the whole picture.
With 16 seals and 11 sea turtles under care, Riverhead is looking forward to a spring and summer of returning animals to the wild. Seals can be freed year-round, and the group intends to release two this week. The turtles will have to wait for the return of summer warmth.
Releases attract hundreds of residents, which helps spread the word about caring for New Yorks marine life, DiGiovanni said. Weve focused on getting good at this work. Now we need to build the support system with the community.
Sign the Petition: Help Save Sea Turtles From Extinction
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Original article from TakePart
A New York man is tending to a black eye after he was allegedly punched on the subway because he looks like Shia LaBeouf, PEOPLE confirms.
Mario Licato, 26, was walking down the subway stairs at the northeast corner of Essex and Delancey streets on Saturday when a man in his 20s punched him in the face, a New York Police Department spokesperson tells PEOPLE.
"[He] stated, 'This is because you look like Shia LaBeouf,' " an NYPD spokesman says.
Police are investigating the incident as an assault and no arrests have been made.
Licato took to Instagram over the weekend, posting a photo of his bruised left eye.
I wanna thank the guy who randomly decided he needed to hit me last night. "this happened bc you look exactly like Shia labeouf". Well sir you boosted my self esteem bc he's p hot. A photo posted by Mario Licato (@mariolicato) on Apr 24, 2016 at 7:28pm PDT
"I wanna thank the guy who randomly decided he needed to hit me last night," Licato wrote alongside the photo.
" 'This happened bc you look exactly like Shia LaBeouf.' Well sir you boosted my self esteem bc he's p hot."
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL April 27, 2016 Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Comcast Corporation (CMCSA), Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC) and Viacom Inc. (VIAB).
Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.
Here are highlights from Tuesdays Analyst Blog:
Cable & Media Stocks Reporting Earnings This Week
In the middle of the first-quarter earnings season, market consensus of negative earnings growth still persists, albeit in a less pessimistic manner than was initially perceived. With the quarter witnessing the highest number of downward revisions in the recent past, the Zacks Trend report predicts a 9.7% year-over-year drop in earnings of S&P 500 companies.
While our data indicates the fourth consecutive quarter of an earnings decline, we focus on some cable and media conglomerates that are expected to report their quarterly results this week.
Industry Trends
The broadcast TV industry is currently going through a transition. Even as the pay-TV business model continues to hold a major share of the market, it is facing stiff competition from the latest over-the-top (OTT) online video streaming service offerings. Apparently, massive growth of high-speed wireless networks and devices like smartphones and tablets has altered the taste of the millennial population to a great extent.
There are many Cable behemoths who own media companies. While the recent development in the pay-TV industry enabled such companies to generate revenues by selling original contents to OTT video streaming service providers, it has cannibalized their original source of revenues subscription fees and advertisement fees due to widespread cord-cutting. However, recently, many such cable companies have been jumping on the video streaming bandwagon in order to stay competitive. Additionally, pay-TV operators are now skinning their packages to counter cord-cutting. For media companies, escalation in production and programming costs for original content remains a concern, going forward.
Story continues
Earnings in Focus
Here are three companies scheduled to announce Q1 earnings this week.
Comcast Corporation (CMCSA), a leading cable MSO (multi-service operator) in the U.S., is scheduled to release first-quarter 2016 results on Apr 27, before the market opens. In spite of facing cord-cutting pressures in the pay-TV segment, Comcast can maximize its growth prospects on the back of its enterprise business division and its newly formed ad targeting division Audience Studio.
Comcast has a Zacks Rank#3 (Hold) and a positive Earnings ESP of 1.27%. Initially, our model did not predict better-than-expected earnings for Comcast, but the current combination of its Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and positive ESP indicate a beat in the to-be-reported quarter. Last quarter, Comcast had delivered a negative earnings surprise of 1.27%. (Read More: What's in Store for Comcast This Earnings Season? )
Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC) is slated to release its first-quarter 2016 results on Apr 28, before the market opens. Time Warner Cable has been persistently losing video customers in spite of its implementation of several business-oriented strategies. Furthermore, a soft TV advertising environment might dampen Time Warner Cables top-line growth. Moreover, since the company is heavily investing in promotional pricing as well as in services like IPTV, it might experience temporary margin contraction in the near term.
Time Warner Cable has a Zacks Rank#4 (Sell) and an Earnings ESP of +1.16%, indicating that the company is not likely to beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate this quarter. In the last reported quarter, however, the companys earnings had surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.56%. (Read More: Time Warner Cable: What Lies Ahead in Q1 Earnings? )
Viacom Inc. (VIAB) is set to release second-quarter fiscal 2016 results on Apr 28, before the opening bell. Lack of popular movie releases is likely to hurt the companys Film segment. In addition, expanded geographic presence will increase foreign currency exchange risks for Viacom.
Viacom carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) and a negative Earnings ESP of 10.00%, indicating that the company is not likely to beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate this quarter.. In the last quarter, however, the company had posted a 0.85% earnings surprise. (Read More: Viacom Q2 Earnings May Disappoint: Will Stock Suffer? )
Stay tuned! Check later on our full write-up on earnings releases of these stocks.
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For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL April 27, 2016 Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses the Oil & Gas, (Part 1), including Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK), Southwestern Energy Co. (SWN), Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI), Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. (COG) and Range Resources Corp. (RRC).
Industry: Oil & Gas, Part 1
Link: https://www.zacks.com//commentary/79298/oil-gas-industry-outlook---april-2016
Crude Oil
U.S. oil futures ended last year 30% below the 2014 level, which itself was 46% below the 2013 level the first time since the late 1990s of two back-to-back negative growth years. Such was the ferocity of the crash that three of 2015s five worst-performing stocks in the S&P 500 index were all energy companies Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK), Southwestern Energy Co. (SWN) and Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI), down approximately 77%, 74% and 63%, respectively. And now, with the failure of a producers meeting in Doha to agree to a production freeze plan in tackling the supply glut, prices look set to expand their 2-year rout.
In recent days, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures jumped 30% to above $40-per-barrel since four key oil-producing countries (Russia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Venezuela) reached a preliminary accord to cap future production on Feb 16. At that time, prices were hovering around their 12-year lows of around $27-a-barrel. The commodity gathered more steam on bullish talks surrounding the meeting of oil-rich countries.
However, the pact fell apart after Saudi Arabia by far OPECs major contributor insisted that the kingdom might agree to a production freeze only "if all countries including Iran agree to limit production to Jan 2016 levels. But Riyadhs Persian rival did not attend the meeting and vowed to increase production as it tries to bring oil back on the market post relief from international sanctions.
Oil is facing the heat on several other fronts as well. Perhaps most important pertains to the mounting worries about Chinas crude demand. In particular, the Asian giants currency devaluation has stoked speculation about soft economic growth in the worlds No. 2 energy consumer.
Whats more, in the absence of production cuts from OPEC, the resilience of North American shale suppliers to keep pumping despite crashing prices, and a weak European economy, not much upside is expected in oil prices in the near term. Moreover, a stronger dollar has made the greenback-priced crude more expensive for investors holding foreign currency.
As it is, with inventories at the highest level during this time of the year, crude is very well stocked. On top of that, OPEC members (like Saudi Arabia) have made it clear time and again that they are more intent on preserving market share rather than attempting to arrest the price decline through production cuts. Therefore, the commodity is likely to maintain its low trajectory throughout 2016.
In the medium-to-long term, while global oil demand will be driven by U.S. and the Middle East this will be more than offset by sluggish growth prospects exhibited by Chinese and the European economies.
In our view, crude prices in the next few months are likely to exhibit a sideways-to-bearish trend, mostly trading in the $30-$40 per barrel range. As North American supply remains strong and demand looks underwhelming, we are likely to experience pressure to the price of a barrel of oil.
Natural Gas
"It's cleaner, it's cheaper and it's domestic." - Legendary energy entrepreneur T. Boone Pickens, in reference to natural gas.
Over the last few years, a quiet revolution has been reshaping the energy business in the U.S. The success of shale gas natural gas trapped within dense sedimentary rock formations or shale formations has transformed domestic energy supply, with a potentially inexpensive and abundant new source of fuel for the worlds largest energy consumer.
With the advent of hydraulic fracturing (or "fracking") a method used to extract natural gas by blasting underground rock formations with a mixture of water, sand and chemicals shale gas production is now booming in the U.S. Coupled with sophisticated horizontal drilling equipment that can drill and extract gas from shale formations, the new technology is being hailed as a breakthrough in U.S. energy supplies, playing a key role in boosting domestic natural gas reserves. As a result, once faced with a looming deficit, natural gas is now available in abundance.
Statistically speaking, the current storage level at 2.477 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) is up 956 Bcf (63%) from last year and is 849 Bcf (52%) above the five-year average. Expectedly, this has taken a toll on prices.
Natural gas peaked at about $13.50 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) in 2008 but recently dropped to its lowest level in almost 17 years at $1.611 per million Btu (MMBtu). Apart from plentiful stocks, which hit an all-time high in November, the selloff has been spurred by predictions of tepid demand for the fuel due to mild weather spurred by the El Nino phenomenon.
In response to continued weak natural gas prices, major U.S. producers like Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. (COG) and Range Resources Corp. (RRC) have all taken significant cost-cutting measures, including a reduction in their capital expenditure budgets.
With production from the major shale plays remaining strong and the commoditys demand failing to keep pace with this supply surge, natural gas prices have been held back. Industrial requirement has been lackluster over the past few years with demand barely rising.
In the past, winter weather has played a factor in boosting prices with demand for domestic natural gas exceeding available supply. But with no dearth of new supply, even this association is becoming more and more obsolete. Finally, with improved drilling productivity offsetting the historic decline in rig count, we do not expect gas prices to rally anytime soon.
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By Matt Siegel and Swati Pandey SYDNEY (Reuters) - Apple Inc expanded its Apple Pay digital wallet in Australia on Thursday after ANZ became the country's first bank to support the mobile payment service, executives at the pair told Reuters. Apple Pay allows users to register credit cards on devices such as iPhones, and pay for goods and services by swiping the devices over contactless payment terminals. Apple charges card providers for transactions via the service, which it introduced to Australia last year with American Express Co . The latest partnership extends the service to ANZ customers and represents the culmination of months of talks with the bank and three bigger peers, all of which had already agreed to support rival Android Pay from Alphabet Inc unit Google. Collectively, the four account for 80 percent of all credit cards that consumers have linked to mobile payment systems, in a country with a relatively high rate of contactless payment. The partnership also coincides with Apple's first-ever drop in iPhone sales during a quarter in which services such as apps, music and payment emerged as the firm's second-largest business. "Our customers ... are much closer to being able to leave their wallets at home," Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay, said in an interview. Apple has partnered with a bank widely seen as trailing its three bigger peers in digital technology, a situation ANZ's new Chief Executive Shayne Elliott has set out to change with Apple Pay, as well as by hiring Google's Australia managing director. "It would be pretty hypocritical of me to ... do all this hoo-ha about digital banking and then not be at the forefront of change," Elliott said in an interview. Digital technology such as Apple Pay is making inroads in the financial industry, prompting traditional banks such as Commonwealth Bank of Australia , Westpac Banking Corp , National Australia Bank Ltd and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ANZ) to beef up digital services. Over a quarter of banking revenue, or about A$27 billion ($20.82 billion), is at risk from "digital disruptors", consultancy KPMG recently estimated. Apple has introduced Apple Pay to countries such as the United States and Britain where banks were also reluctant to sign up. It has since launched in China in February and in Singapore last week. Apple continues to speak with other Australian banks, Bailey said, hoping ANZ customers' experience will create demand among competitors. (Reporting by Matt Siegel and Swati Pandey; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was a real eye opener for a lot of people. We published a few posts about how vast the disparity was between critics' opinions and fans' opinions on the movie, and we subsequently received a flood of emails from people telling us how much they loved the movie and how little they value the opinions of critics.
But even among people who loved Batman v Superman, not everyone enjoyed Ben Affleck's portrayal of the caped crusader.
Well, we've got good news and bad news: the good news is that there's a brand new R-rated Batman movie coming out later this year, and Ben Affleck won't star as the Bat. The bad news is that no one will really star as Batman in this new film, because it's animated.
DON'T MISS: Instagram is testing a sleek new design and this is what it looks like
Batman: The Killing Joke is a hotly anticipated movie among comic book fans, and now the film's first trailer has finally been released. Early reactions have been mixed, due largely to the film's unique animation. The creators chose to use animation reminiscent of cartoons from the 1990s to create a retro look and feel, but fans are not impressed.
A few samples from the early comments on YouTube:
"Are you kidding me? Not only are they doing their first R-rated animated movie, but a legendary piece like the Killing Joke, and what do they do? They f*** it up with this poor excuse for animation. The 90's animated series looked better than this. What a waste."
"The animations all seem to be three frames long. I wonder if this will be the type of movie that I can minimize, and listen to like it's a radio drama?"
"What happens when you spend 95% of the budget on voice actors and chip a few pennies towards a couple animators and ask them to animate a feature length film. Corner cutting and outsourcing galore. What I feel worse about is these animators are probably going to catch a lot of s*** when it's probably not their fault. Reeks of bad budgeting/planning. Happens in videogames all the time, you can't overwork/underpay the people that actually create your content and expect good quality stuff. Normally I don't care and acknowledge the reality of today's underpaid animating industry, but it's just really unfortunate since TKJ is so iconic."
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"Cool slideshow but can I have the trailer now?"
Needless to say, The Killing Joke fans aren't at all into the retro look of the animation. Here's the full trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grmyt1w1W_Y
Batman: The Killing Joke features the voices of Kevin Conroy (Batman), Mark Hamill (The Joker), Tara Strong (Batgirl) and Ray Wise (Commissioner Gordon), and it will be released on Blu-ray and DVD following its debut at the San Diego Comic-Con in July.
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The next big Batman movie will be all about Ben Affleck
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Ben Affleck has written a script for a standalone 'Batman' movie
More from BGR: The iPhone 7 might cost you money even if you dont buy one
This article was originally published on BGR.com
More than ever before, cyber crooks are targeting small businesses, law enforcement, members of Congress, and top cybersecurity experts say. Its not just the blue chip companies or governments that are under fire.
Its now small mom-and-pop businesses of all stripes -- retail shops, leisure activity businesses, hotels, health clinics, even colleges are getting hammered by cyber criminals. And its pushing many entrepreneurs to the verge of bankruptcy.
Small business cybersecurity is now a top priority of the House Committee on Small Business, which conducted hearings on the dangers of cyber-attacks on small businesses last week.
Cybersecurity firm Symantec now says that cyberthieves have been increasingly targeting small businesses over the last four years. Cyber hackers view small businesses as a soft, easy mark versus big blue chip companies which have ramped up their cyber firewalls, said Sian John, a chief strategist at Symantec.
The owners, employees and customers of Americas 28 million small businesses need to have confidence that their data is secure, said House Small Business Committee Chairman Steve Chabot (R-OH) in a statement. I think it is fair to say that confidence has been shaken in recent years with the cyber-attacks on the IRS, the State Department, OPM [Office of Personnel Management], and even the White House. Between foreign hackers from countries like China and Russia and domestic identity thieves, the federal government has a target on its back that seems to get larger by the day.
Almost half of cyber-attacks worldwide, 43%, last year were against small businesses with less than 250 workers, Symantec reports. The FBI reported last summer that more than 7,000 U.S. companies of all sizes were victims of cyber hacks via phishing email scams as of late 2013, the latest data available, with losses of more than $740 million.
The cyber crooks steal small business information to do things like rob bank accounts via wire transfers; steal customers personal identity information; file for fraudulent tax refunds; commit health insurance or Medicare fraud; or even steal intellectual property. The criminals can also hijack a small businesss website to cyberhack other small businesses. There are probably 20 different ways a bad guy can get into a website run by a small business, Scott Mann, CEO of Orlando-based Highforge Solutions, has said.
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Over a two-year period through February 2016, about one in five small and midsize businesses reported they were hit by cyber-attacks on their computer networks, a survey of 233 small to midsize companies by CFO Magazine found, versus a little more than four out of ten finance executives at larger companies reporting cyber-attacks. Cyber criminals raked in an average of $32,000 from small business accounts, according to a December survey of owners by the National Small Business Association.
The World Economic Forum has listed cybercrimes as a top global risk, and warns that industrial-scale attacks are on the rise. An estimated 430 million new types of malware flooded the Internet last year, up nearly 40% versus the year prior. The Department of Justices Internet Crime Complaint Center recorded 269,422 cybersecurity related complaints in its 2014 report, an exponential increase of over 1500% from 2000.
Rep. Chabot said: With all of the uncertainty facing small businesses in todays world of e-commerce, it will take vigilance by all federal agencies and the watchful eye of this [Small Business] Committee to ensure the data of small businesses and individual Americans remains secure.
Many small businesses have poor cybersecurity, lacking things like anti-phishing email measures, a chief cybersecurity officer, data encryption, or off-site backups of their websites. A survey commissioned by insurer Nationwide of 500 small businesses in late 2015 revealed that eight in 10 small-businesses dont have a basic cyber-attack response plan, even though a majority was hit by cyber crimes.
The cyber criminals are breaking into small businesses in a number of ways, law enforcement experts say. They include easy phishing attacks, where cyberthieves will blast realistic-looking spam emails to small business employees pretending to be Citigroup or Bank of America.
The fake emails fraudulently inform the workers that they need to update their Internet banking passwords, directing them to a phony website that then steals their banking, credit card, and personal identification information. Small businesses are also getting hit by ransomware, which shuts down their computer systems, locks up all of their files via encryption, and demands thousands of dollars in exchange for a return of the data.
A phishing scam slammed entrepreneur Rick Snow, who testified before Congress last week. Snow is the owner of Maine Indoor Karting, a go-cart racing business in Scarborough, Maine (http://www.maineindoorkarting.com/).
When I started my business, I had the naive expectation that I would be able to follow my passion and race go-karts with the help of my wife and a few close friends, testified Snow. Phishing can happen to anyone, phishing attacks are meant to scare you and make you act without thinking, given the right circumstances, anyone can be lured by them. I am certainly no exception.
I logged into our bank accounts, and to my utter horror, I found that my balance was zero, explained Snow. This was a pay day, and I was terrified that the paychecks that were issued that day would not clear. We were supporting a number of families, many of which live paycheck-to-paycheck and could not have made it without the paycheck we issued them that day. I was also very worried about our business reputation since a restaurant nearby had just bounced their paychecks and the company never recovered from the bad publicity they received from not making their payroll.
Snow then asked the Small Business Committee: If the federal government cannot protect its networks and data from cyber-attacks with almost unlimited resources at its disposal, how can we expect Americas small businesses to do so?
Kevin Dunn, technical vice president for NCC Group Security Services, also testified that cyber-attacks on small businesses can lead to cyber hacks into government. Government agencies rely on numerous independent contractors and small businesses in their supply chains.
If the small business is compromised by a targeted attacker, it could be used as a conduit for gaining access to government systems, concluded Dunn, who said he has spent the last fifteen years conducting cybersecurity attacks against private companies and government organizations searching for cyber holes in their systems.
Rep. Chabot has also questioned IRS Commissioner John Koskinen about the steps the federal tax collector has been taking to improve cybersecurity after a breach exposed data from 700,000 accounts, many of whom were small businesses.
The IRS had launched its Get Transcript application on its IRS.gov website in January 2014.
The app let taxpayers view and download their tax return transcripts or order previous years of tax filing information. But cyber criminals broke in and stole tax return information from what the IRS first believed were 225,000 accounts, but that number has since more than tripled.
Rep. Chabot and Small Business Committee members also asked Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet about cybersecurity vulnerabilities at her agency. A Government Accountability report revealed serious weaknesses even in the SBAs own network systems.
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Nintendo's new console is less than a year away. The Japanese games giant announced that its highly-anticipated NX console will launch globally in March 2017, with the latest Legend of Zelda game slated to arrive for both the NX and Wii U.
While we finally have an official release window, we still don't know much else about Nintendo's mysterious gaming machine. There's no price, and we have no idea what the thing will look like yet. The console has been rumored to be Android-based, and many have speculated that the NX may replace both the Wii U and 3DS by functioning as both a home console and portable device.
Don't expect to hear more about the NX at this year's E3, either. Reporting from Nintendo's financial briefing in Japan today (April 27), The Wall Street Journal's Takashi Mochizuki tweeted "No NX at E3. Will focus on new Zelda." Mochizuki followed up to mention that Nintendo plans to find "another opportunity" to discuss the NX, perhaps during one of its regular Nintendo Direct broadcasts. According to a press release, the NX will be fully unveiled later this year.
MORE: Nintendo's NX Console: What It Needs to Win
Nintendo confirmed that its upcoming Legend of Zelda game will be showcased at E3 this June, and that it will launch simultaneously on both Wii U and NX in 2017. This isn't a first for Nintendo -- the company previously released The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess in 2006 for both the aging Gamecube and the then-new Wii. The latest take on Nintendo's beloved action-adventure series was originally slated for a 2015 release, but has seen multiple delays.
When the NX does arrive, it could have some competition in the PlayStation Neo: an upgraded, 4K-capable PS4 that's rumored to arrive as soon as this holiday. Microsoft is also rumored to have a more powerful Xbox up its sleeve, reports The Verge.
Nintendo's new mobile push seems to be paying off, as the company announced that its wacky social networking app Miitomo has reached 10 million users. The big N confirmed that more mobile titles are on the way, including apps inspired by role-playing series Fire Emblem and colorful life simulator Animal Crossing. According to Nintendo, Fire Emblem for mobile will offer true RPG gameplay, while the Animal Crossing title will be able to interact with the console versions of Nintendo's popular town-building game. Both franchises were on our list of Nintendo games we'd love to see on mobile.
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Do you plan on picking up an NX next March? What do you hope to see from it? Let us know in the comments.
via Kotaku
Copyright 2016 Toms Guides , a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
It didn't attract nearly the same headlines as Donald Trump defending his hand size or the heated Democratic presidential debate in Flint, Mich. - in fact, it was mostly a local story - but political news out of Florida in March felt like a watershed moment for an issue that has stayed under the radar for too long.
The issue is the teaching of computer science in high schools - or the lack thereof - and how we're squandering opportunities to better prepare students for an increasingly tech-centric job market.
In Florida, the state Senate in February overwhelmingly approved a first-of-its-kind proposal to allow computer coding to fulfill a foreign language requirement in high school. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Jeremy Ring, a former Yahoo executive, contended that in a competitive job market, computer skills are as important as speaking another language and that computer coding is a skill more aligned with liberal arts than math or science.
Though the legislation ultimately failed a few weeks later after going nowhere in the Florida House, the bill's momentum, albeit brief, cast a welcome spotlight on the astonishing lack of computer science in high school curricula and has given hope to those of us who feel creative approaches to address the problem are overdue.
Numbers tell the story of a painful contradiction: The United States needs many more tech workers, but schools aren't providing enough training to meet the requirement.
Nine in 10 parents want their child to study computer science, but only one in four schools teach computer programming, according to the organization behind Computer Science Education Week, an annual program dedicated to inspiring K-12 students to take interest in computer science.
There are currently 607,708 open computing jobs nationwide, but only 42,969 computer science students graduated into the workforce last year, says org, a non-profit dedicated to expanding access to computer science.
By 2018, 51% of all Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) jobs are projected to be in computer science-related fields, according to the White House. The federal government alone needs an additional 10,000 IT and cybersecurity professionals, and the private sector needs many more. "Computer science is not only important for the tech sector," says a White House fact sheet, "but also for a growing number of industries, including transportation, healthcare, education, and financial services, that are using software to transform their products and services. In fact, more than two-thirds of all tech jobs are outside the tech sector."
And, women and minorities are woefully underrepresented in computer science education (and the computer science field in general). In the fewer than 15 percent of all high schools that offered any advanced placement computer science courses in 2015, only 22% of those who took the exam were girls and only 13% were African-American or Latino students.
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It wasn't always this way. In the '70s and '80s, many high schools offered classes in computer programming (such as it was back in the day). But, despite a trend in recent years to provide more college-level courses in high schools, computer science has moved in the opposite direction.
I was shocked to discover that my own three daughters living in a suburb of Minneapolis had precious few options to take computer programming classes. While most schools offer classes on using computers or designing web sites, very few offer an introduction to computer programming -- and you can forget about advanced programming courses. Despite being the children of an old programmer, I think the lack of courses played a role in my daughters' lack of desire to learn how to code. As we all know, exposure and access is a critical component in developing a child's interest.
With coders (A.K.A. computer programmers) in such high demand, you'd think it would be obvious to "start 'em young" and put high school students on a path to a rewarding career. And yet, according to Computer Science Education Week, computer science classes don't count toward math or science high school graduation requirements in 22 states, including Colorado, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. It is no wonder that computing occupations are among the highest-paying jobs for new graduates, fewer than 3% of college students graduate with a degree in computer science.
I like the Florida legislation because it reflects the reality that coding is not a typical "science." It's like learning a foreign language or reading music. While there is specific structure -- like music and literature -- writing beautiful software is more art than science. In fact, some of the best coders I've known are also musicians. Furthermore, learning the structure of a computer language is easier than learning a second human language. People generally are not fluent in any language after only one year of study. However, I've seen computer programmers land great jobs with less than a year of training.
Developing more computer programmers requires a larger pool of talented teachers to lead computer science classes. The current lack of demand for those skills presents a chicken-and-egg problem. Because programmers are able to command six-figure salaries in a company, too few computer programming majors channel their talent and expertise into teaching at a high school.
To entice more teachers to take up computer science, local tech companies around the U.S. should consider emulating companies like Florida Power & Light and Pratt & Whitney and partner with schools in offering paid internship programs where STEM instructors can spend the summers gaining real-world experience. It's a win for companies desperate for talent. It's a win for teachers wanting to develop a skill, make extra money, and continue to do what they love. Most importantly, it's a win for students. But, I have never seen it done.
Our U.S. government has been making efforts to solve this problem. Specifically, in January, President Obama announced $4 billion would go to states and $100 million directly to districts to increase access to K-12 computer science by training teachers, expanding access to high-quality instructional materials, and building regional partnerships.
I can't think of a single high school activity that would better prepare a teenager for lifelong employment, not to mention world impact. After all, as we've seen many times, software can change our world. Don't we want our kids writing the code?
Dean Hager is CEO of JAMF Software, an Apple device management company.
See original article on Fortune.com
More from Fortune.com
By Malathi Nayak NEW YORK (Reuters) - A strike by nearly 40,000 Verizon Communications Inc workers is in its third week with unions and the company still far apart on contract talks, even as employee healthcare benefits are set to expire on Saturday. Workers, from network technicians to customer service representatives, in Verizon's Fios Internet, telephone and TV services walked off the job on April 13 in one of the largest U.S. strikes in recent years after contract talks hit an impasse. A resolution on various issues, including temporary job relocations, pensions and moving call center jobs offshore, has yet to be reached, representatives of Verizon and the Communications Workers of America union said on Wednesday. Verizon, which said last week that a long-drawn labor dispute would pressure its earnings, remains committed to reaching a fair deal, spokesman Rich Young said in a phone interview. A meeting between Verizon and union representatives is scheduled for Thursday afternoon, he said. HEALTHCARE OPTIONS Verizon has notified striking workers that under federal law their health care coverage was set to expire on April 30, Young said. Verizon has said it spent over $3.2 billion on healthcare for employees last year. The company offers insurance coverage to those employees who are actively working, Young said. Striking employees have the option of seeking coverage under the U.S government's Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) health insurance plan to get temporary healthcare coverage. "They think that this is going to be used as a wedge to break this strike. I assure you it will not," said Ed Mooney, vice president of CWA District 2-13, said in a phone interview. The CWA also has funds, collected through contributions from affiliated union members and other donors, to help cover healthcare costs of members when needed, Mooney said. "It's horrible. Most of us are parents, I have a daughter and the prospect of losing our children's healthcare is actually quite disturbing," Fitz Boyce, 45, a field technician at Verizon for over two decades, said in an interview at the picket line in front of the company's Times Square store in New York. The strike affects Fios Internet, telephone and TV services across several U.S. East Coast states, including New York and Virginia. Verizon has trained thousands of non-union employees over the past year to ensure no service disruption. The company has fielded over 60,000 requests since the strike began, Young said. The unions have said that replacement workers do not have the necessary expertise, especially in highly technical jobs such as equipment installations. (Reporting by Malathi Nayak,; additional reporting by Mir Ubaid in New York; Editing by Richard Chang)
A heart patient is prepped for a surgical procedure on an episode of NBCs Heartbeat that features the University of Washingtons Raven robotic technology. (Credit: NBC / Universal Television)
A surgeon peers into a high-definition monitor, studies the ragged edge of a heart valve, and twiddles her fingers in a gizmo-laden glove. Meanwhile, miles away, a robot that looks like a cross between a loom and a torture device reproduces her every delicate move with a pair of tiny pincers, suturing up the damaged heart.
This isnt reality. This is last weeks episode of NBCs Heartbeat medical drama, featuring a version of the University of Washingtons Raven robo-surgeon thats been souped up just for show.
The real-life world of robot-assisted surgery may not be as edgy as Hollywood makes it out to be. But its here, its profitable, and it could soon get a lot edgier.
The market leader is Intuitive Surgical, the maker of da Vinci Surgical Systems. Last week, the Silicon Valley company reported a nearly 17 percent rise in da Vinci procedures worldwide over the past year, and a 41 percent rise in quarterly profit. That boom came even though a single robot costs $2 million a price tag thats generated controversy in the health-care community.
Other types of medical robots are on the rise as well, such as Panasonics Hospi, a mobile cabinet that negotiates hospital hallways autonomously to deliver supplies and dispense medications. Medrobotics Flex Robotic System is custom-made to operate inside a patients hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.
And then theres the InTouch Vita doctor-bot, which is equipped with two-way video links to let a physician check up on patients remotely.
The way things are going, well soon be seeing the kinds of surgical droids that took care of Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies, right?
Wrong, says Blake Hannaford, director of UWs Biorobotics Laboratory and one of the leaders of the Raven robo-surgery research effort.
I dont know any robotics person who thinks that. Nor any surgeon. Nor any patient, he told GeekWire. Thats not the point.
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So what is the point?
The point is, expanding the capabilities of human surgeons under their control, and increasing the precision of the treatment, Hannaford said.
Charting a robotic route
The Raven project began at UW in 2002, with funding from the Defense Department. The idea was to build a compact robot that could be based close to the front lines and perform operations under the guidance of a surgeon in a different location potentially thousands of miles away.
In 2007, during one of NASAs NEEMO underwater exercises off the Florida Keys, researchers demonstrated how surgical procedures could be conducted by remote operators in Seattle and Cincinnati.
The robots arms look like 2-foot-long knitting needles, with pincers or surgical instruments attached to the tips. The manipulator system can be connected wirelessly to the surgeons control station, and a remote surgeon can use controllers to conduct the operation while a camera provides a close-up view.
Raven can be programmed to perform laparoscopic procedures autonomously or under remote control which is a key difference from the da Vinci robots. Researchers even experimented with Microsofts Kinect video-game system to give the robot a synthetic sense of touch.
Raven robots havent yet gone through the Food and Drug Administrations approval process for human clinical applications, so for now theyre being used only for research and training purposes. The robots also come in handy as science-fiction props: Years before its star turn in Heartbeat, the Raven had a cameo role as a telerobotic brain surgeon in the movie Enders Game.
Theres a darker side to the story of robotic surgery: Last year, UW researchers used the Raven system to demonstrate how easy it could be for cyber-attackers to disrupt a remote-controlled surgical operation.
Another report provided a sobering reality check for the field in general: An analysis of more than 10,000 FDA incident reports between 2000 and 2013 turned up 144 cases in which the patient died during robot-assisted robotic surgery, and another 1,391 cases in which the patient was injured.
The most common causes of injuries had to do with technical malfunctions for example, when pieces of the instruments burned up or broke off and fell onto the patient. Such problems suggest that the technology still has a long way to go.
Robots on the frontiers
Research into battlefield robotic surgery is continuing, but Ravens team is currently focusing on other applications. A company called Applied Dexterity was spun out in 2013 to commercialize the technology.
Applied Dexterity is working with NASA to develop a miniaturized Raven robot for use on the International Space Station. It wouldnt be used on people not yet, at least. Instead, the robot would be teleoperated from planet Earth to dissect lab mice.
The moustronauts are kept in the stations Rodent Research Facility to study the health effects of zero-G, but at the end of each experiment, two astronauts have to euthanize the mice and extract samples for shipment back down to Earth.
Flight crew time on the space station is a very precious resource, and the rodent research is consuming a significant chunk, Applied Dexterity CEO David Drajeske explained. If an earthbound researcher can do the work by controlling a mini-Raven robot inside the stations glovebox, the crews time commitment could be cut in half.
This is mainly looking at leveraging the crews resources, Drajeske said. Its also an example of how to make expertise available at a distance.
In February, Drajeske and his team traveled to Johnson Space Center in Houston to demonstrate the technology to astronauts and other NASA personnel. They sat down and started doing dissections after about 15 seconds of verbal instructions, he said.
If NASA decides to move ahead with the project, it would take about two years to get the mini-robot ready for liftoff, Drajeske said. He declined to say how much it would cost, other than to acknowledge it would be more than a million dollars.
Meanwhile, Hannaford and his colleagues are working on a robotic system that could someday semi-automate the removal of brain tumor tissue. The concept takes advantage of Tumor Paint, a biomarker technology developed in Seattle under the leadership of cancer researcher James Olson.
The biomarker, which is derived from scorpion venom, is absorbed by cancer cells and fluoresces when exposed to near-infrared light. The weak emission cant be seen with the naked eye, but it can be picked up by a camera and translated into a 3-D virtual model of the tumor.
Thats where the Raven robot can play a role: The robot could be programmed to remove the cancerous tissue with high precision, preserving as much of the healthy brain tissue as possible. In this case, the robot could do the job better than the best human surgeon.
Hannaford said the project has been pushing ahead for several years with funding from the National Institutes of Health, and itll take at least several more years to get the technology ready for prime time. Even then, itll be up to the surgeon to approve and monitor the robots course of action.
Its the surgeons responsibility to determine whether the operation is appropriate on a moment-by-moment basis, Hannaford said.
Which brings us back to Hannafords main point: He doesnt see robots as replacements for human surgeons. Instead, theyre gradually become part of the typical tool set in the 21st-century operating room.
More from GeekWire:
Tuesday night, support for the proposed poultry facility, owned by Costco Wholesale and Lincoln Premium Poultry, turned out in sturdy numbers as 70 to 80 members of the Fremont Community and business domain attended the Fremont City Council meeting despite the thunder that rolled in overhead.
Matt Rasmussen, of Soil Analytics LLC came for the City Council quarterly public comment period. The poultry operation attracted his personal and professional interest and he attended the meeting to show his support and find out more.
Soil Analytics LLC works with farmers in the nutrient management of the soil. They monitor soil samples with state-of-the-art equipment (including robotic machinery) that maintains soil containment and isolation from inadvertent contamination during the sampling process which ensures accurate results. His company could help provide Costco with a story of sustainability as it relates to soil content and the growing of crops.
Using a sustainable closed loop system for manure management Rasmussens expertise could ensure that the poultry facility and associated growers farms maintain good stewardship of water resources.
Vern Gibson, of the Fremont Chamber Board of Directors said that the operation could help bring tax relief, keep youth in Fremont, create high-tech jobs, as well as pull in people and resources from outlying communities.
Executive Director of the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska commented on the councils open public meeting that consisted of a meet and greet session for area resident to pose questions about any topic that piqued their curiosity. Tuesday night, the primary topic of discussion remained Costcos proposed project.
Its good to have a meet and greet and put a face on city official, Holoubek said. Its a good way to respectfully share our opinions.
Holoubek supports the Costco proposal, but as someone with a rich Nebraska agricultural background, she clarified that she puts her support for Nebraska famers and agriculture at the top of her list.
The growers network is the most important part of this whole thing, she pointed out referring to the 75 to 100 farmers who will raise the birds for Costco. They are here to improve their farms (and Costco) wants success for them and Ive got their backs.
In addition, several farmer were present at the meeting to voice their support and to find out more about the project during the open public session. The meet and greet atmosphere offered farmers like Tim Mueller a chance to speak with Mayor Scott Getzschman about the project and to learn more about what is involved in becoming a growers network farmer.
Following the open public comment period the regular meeting convened and tended to other business.
The City Council approved a resolution (8-0) for the redevelopment of a blighted area of Fremont located near the area of N. 23rd and North Bell streets. The planned redevelopment includes space for a restaurant and mixed-use retail space with expects expenditures of around $2,780,000 for the project. The Community Development Agency estimated that the completed projects will create five full-time professional or managerial employment opportunities in Fremont with annual salaries between $40-60 thousand. An additional 30 technical or skilled full-time jobs will also be added.
The council also approved an extension for the completion of the Fountain Hills redevelopment. Completion that was originally slated for March 31, 2017 will now be scheduled for a December 31, 2017 finish. The request for extension resulted from delays in the construction schedule stemming from the closing on the purchase and sale of the Project Site.
A report on the general activity of Fremonts Local Option Economic Development Plan was presented. The Local Option Economic Development Plan facilitates low or 0% interest loans as well as performance-based forgivable grants for the attraction of new industries and the retention or expansion of current businesses in the Fremont Area. To date, uncommitted funds for use in economic development stand at $1,105,670.32.
An approval, authorizing the Mayor to sign the Fantastic Future Me exhibit agreement with Omaha Childrens Museum passed with an (8-0) vote.
The council approved (8-0) continued investigation into and consideration of all options regarding the numerous grievances relating to the ailing conditions at rail crossings of the Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad line located at five crossing in the city. The mayor wants to continue to work and find a way to improve the crossing such as through the use of new asphalt or to remove the unused tracks all together.
The creation of a new water connection district east of Luther Road in the area of 27th Street was approved by the council to facilitate the water requirements of a business expansion into the area. The new district will also be available for new development as Fremont grows.
Applicants awarded Cass County Visitors Committee 2016 capital improvement grants are:
Alvo Volunteer Fire Department $11,250, LED Welcome Sign
Bess Streeter Aldrich Foundation $4,250, replace front steps and porch for visitor entrance and safety
Cass County Historical Society $8,450, repair and restoration of the historic attraction Joseph and Mary Cook Log Cabin at 3rd and Main - Plattsmouth
City of Plattsmouth, $25,000, Plattsmouth gateways and wayfinding signage
Eagle Vision $15,000, Eagle Monument /Welcome Sign
Lofte Community Theatre $3,769, replace and repair front entry for visitor safety and aesthetics
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission $40,500, Jenny Newman Lake enhancements at Platte River State Park. Educational project and angler improvements that include trails and structures. Part of Venture Park Project.
Plattsmouth Main Street Association $5,000, Bourmont 1714 Historical Marker commemorating the first Europeans to reach Nebraska and the Platte River Main & Schilling Road
Lee G. Simmons Conservation & Wildlife Park $25,000, Prairie Dog Town- Educational structure for visitors on the importance of the black-tailed prairie dogs to the Nebraska Plains eco-system.
Union United $14,198, upgrade village ballfield lights and scoreboard for longevity of tournament and visitor participation activities
Village of Manley $5,262, Village Community Signage and Parking Lot Pavement project
YMCA Camp Kitaki $40,000, Earth Shelter Trip Outpost, expanding 26-bed program focusing education on ancient, modern and eco-friendly building techniques while engaging the imagination of earth type dwellings.
KEARNEY Two Elmwood-Murdock graduates enjoyed successful results in several state business contests earlier this month.
Millie Anderson and Zach Zobel both competed for Peru State College in the Nebraska Phi Beta Lambda State Leadership Conference in Kearney April 1-2. Phi Beta Lambda is a college organization that allows students to expand and enhance their business credentials. Many high school students who participate in Future Business Leaders of America programs take part in Phi Beta Lambda events during college.
Anderson and Zobel each qualified for the Phi Beta Lambda National Leadership Conference on an individual basis. Anderson earned spots in the NLC in a pair of categories. She finished first in the Future Business Executive contest and placed third in the Retail Management category. She also collected a sixth-place honor in the Marketing Concepts contest.
Zobel qualified for the NLC in three individual contests. He placed second in both the Computer Concepts and Cyber Security categories and earned third place in the Information Management contest. He also placed fifth in the Project Management competition and eighth in the Statistical Analysis event.
Anderson ensured a trip to the NLC in a pair of team categories. She and Lincoln native Jenna Gruber paired up in the Strategic Analysis & Decision Making contest. The team captured second place.
Anderson teamed up with San Diego, Calif., native Melissa Jasso and Omaha native Lauren Robertson in the Website Design contest. The trio earned first place.
Anderson and Robertson also competed in the Business Presentation category. They collected third place in the state event.
Both E-M grads will travel to Atlanta for the National Leadership Conference this summer. Workshops and competitive events will take place June 24-27.
For 28 years, Linda Isaacson has overseen the education of children at St. John the Baptist School.
For her dedication and contributions to St. John the Baptist School and Church of the Holy Spirit, Linda was honored with the Holy Spirit Award April 23 during the Spring Benefit Dinner Auction.
Linda has served as principal of the school for 28 years and plans to retire in May. She has been instrumental in helping build and maintain a solid foundation of academic excellence, faith life and tradition at the school," information provided to The Journal states. She is a caring and compassionate individual and a positive role model of faith.
In addition to her administrative role at the school, Linda has been an active leader at Church of the Holy Spirit. She is a lector for the parish and has served on many committees in leadership roles including Catholic Daughters and St. Marthas Circle. Over the years, she has headed many events and fund-raisers for the parish and school.
We have been blessed to be recipients of Lindas talents, the information states. She has crocheted hundreds and hundreds of items for many different community organizations, fund-raisers and charity auctions. We are grateful to Lindas family for sharing her with us for 28 years.
Union property owner William Bescheinen is three days into a 90-day Cass County Jail sentence for contempt of court after failing to clean up several of his properties to the satisfaction of the town board and Judge Jeffrey Funke.
The Union properties owned by him in need of repairs and cleanup included the former Union school house, adjacent school property, south school property, Laundromat, feed store, 125 West Main Street, 123 West Main Street, former county building and 111 Rock Street. Abatements ordered ranged from cleaning up trash and litter at the sites to roof repairs and/or building removals.
An Order in Contempt Proceedings was entered May 2, 2014, after the county judge found Bescheinen in willful and contumacious civil contempt of court for failing to comply with the terms and provisions of an order entered on Jan. 18, 2013.
He was given 180 days from the date of the order to abate the nuisances on the properties cited.
Bescheinen was given a sentencing order Aug. 12, 2014, which ordered him to serve 90 days in jail. He was then given a chance to purge himself of the coercive sanction if he abated the nuisances on the Union properties.
The plaintiff, the village of Union, was authorized to file an appropriate motion if Bescheinen continued to fail in compliance with the terms and provisions of the coercive order to abate the nuisances at the properties.
The village board filed a motion to enforce the coercive sanctions and the motion was heard on April 20 of this year. Mindy Rush Chipman appeared as counsel for the board.
Bescheinen appeared at the hearing with his counsel, Jennifer Panko-Rahe. Chairman of the Union Village Board Dwain Hardbarger, Jr., provided testimony that properties had not been cleaned up to the level ordered.
Judge Funke found the defendant has failed to fully abate the nuisances located on his real estate in the village of Union, and ordered Bescheinen to start serving the 90-day sentence at 8 a.m. April 25.
Bescheinen appeared at the court and was taken to the jail.
A ramp has given Rudy Peterson an opportunity to enjoy his surroundings.
Before the ramp, the Fremont man, who is in a wheelchair, couldnt get outside of his house.
I hadnt been in my backyard for over a year, Peterson said.
Then Fremont High School students in the SkillsUSA organization working with Rebuilding Together constructed a large wooden ramp at Petersons home.
Now, the Korean War veteran can spend time outdoors.
When the boys got done with that ramp, I took my dog and went outside, he said. Thats what Id missed more than anything. Just the simple things, feeding the birds and throwing the ball for my dog.
Other area residents have benefited from ramps provided through Rebuilding Together, which is planning a fundraising event.
On Thursday, the organization will have a barbecue from 5-7 p.m. in the gymnasium at Trinity Lutheran Church and School. The public is invited.
Cost is $10 per ticket. Children ages 5 and younger get in free.
The menu is barbecued pork, cole slaw, baked beans, chips and beverages. Hot dogs will be available for children.
Students Noah Ondracek, Wil Neuhaus, Joe Keller from SkillsUSA plan to be at the event.
Fourteen students worked on building the platform, but Ondracek, Neuhaus and Keller installed and finished the ramp. They then presented the project at the Nebraska State SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference, which took place April 20-21 at the Qwest Center in Omaha.
There, they won first place in the Career Pathways Showcase competition in the Human Services division, said Keith Cunnings, SkillsUSA adviser and Rebuilding Together board member.
Now, the students are eligible to compete in the National SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference Louisville, Ky., in June.
Peterson appreciates the students work.
They did a wonderful job, he said. Theyre industrious young guys. Theyre going to go far.
Area residents, who attend the barbecue, can learn more about Rebuilding Together and SkillsUSA.
Rebuilding Togethers mission is to transform the lives of low income homeowners by improving the safety and health of their homes and revitalizing communities, said Brad Wiese, executive director.
The service area runs along U.S. Highway 30 from Schuyler to Arlington, north to the Dodge County line and south to Valley and Wahoo.
Money raised at the barbecue will go toward the work of Rebuilding Together.
Wiese noted that the Fremont Area Community Foundation has awarded a $20,000 matching grant for the ramp program.
Every time, we raise $5,000, we get $5,000 from the foundation, up to $20,000 for 2016, Wiese said, adding, We have several ramps waiting to be put up. Were trying to raise the money for that.
Wiese said the ramps, which go to elderly and disabled individuals who met program qualifications, can help increase their mobility and give them hope.
Ramps are built and installed by SkillsUSA students in partnership with Rebuilding Together.
SkillsUSA is designed to improve the quality of Americas skilled workforce through a structured program that includes leadership and technical and professional skills training.
Local students in the organization benefit by working on the ramps. They learn the basic design and layout of the ramps and construction techniques.
It gives them some real-life application to the skills theyre learning in their industrial tech classes, Wiese said.
Wiese hopes area residents will attend the barbecue.
Were expecting at least 300 people, he said.
Those who want to learn more about Rebuilding Together can visit rebuildingtogetherpve.org or call 402-727-7047.
Tosca Lee always enjoyed writing, but she never thought her ability to intricately spin a tale would someday land her on the New York Times best-sellers list.
Ballet and piano were her fortes two activities she loved and found success in, but an injury when she was 14 years old slowed down her progress, and eventually, the dream of twirling in a tutu for a living fell flat.
Fortunately for Lee, it turns out she is a pretty darn good writer.
Ive been winning contests and stuff ever since I was a kid, Lee said during a Tuesday interview at Scooters Coffeehouse.
In fact, she published her first article as a third-grader. She was published in a pet-lovers newsletter, sharing the melodramatic story of the death of Oliver, her black and white English bulldog.
Lee, a Lincoln East graduate, has gone from telling puppy stories to writing biblical fiction, and most recently, contemporary thrillers. Along the way she was even crowned Mrs. Nebraska in 1996 and finished first runner-up in the Mrs. United States Pageant.
Her newest novel, The Progeny, which is the first book in the Descendants of the House of Bathory series, is scheduled for release May 24.
The Progeny is a present-day saga of a 400-year-old war between the mysterious descendants of the Blood Countess Elizabeth Bathory, perhaps the most prolific and terrifyingly deranged serial killer of all time, and a secret society doing everything in its power to eradicate all of Bathorys descendants, released information says.
One of these descendants, Emily Porter, wakes up after a procedure in a secluded cabin in Maine with no memory of her life. She was left with a single note, one that reads If everything went as planned, youve forgotten.
The note instructs her to get a job, fall in love and live a happy, quite life, however, this is inevitably not something that happens for the storys protagonist.
Eventually, Emily finds herself on the run, and realizes the only thing that can save her life is to piece together a past that she cannot remember.
Theres so much action, lots of twists and turns and theres even more in the sequel which I just finished writing, she said.
Lee said that she wrote the first book over the course of three months, starting at the end of 2014 and finishing in early 2015.
The sequel, which is in the beginning stages of the year-long editing process, was finished at 7:30 a.m. April 1. A hefty portion of both books were written in Fremont, where Lee resides with her Husband, Bryan Ritthaler, and her four stepchildren.
While the story told in The Progeny, is fiction, many elements are drawn from historical fact.
To accurately portray elements of her novel, Lee and her mother traveled to Croatia, Hungary, Bratislava, Vienna and Italy.
All of those locations come into play in the next book, too, she said.
Prior to writing The Progeny, Lees notoriety soared when she co-authored The Books of Mortals trilogy with best-selling author Ted Dekker.
The trilogy landed on the New York Times best-seller list four times, she said.
After previously writing dystopian thrillers and biblical fiction, Lee said that diving into the Descendants of the House of Bathory series is a new type of writing for her.
After writing about the lives of Eve, Judas, the Queen of Sheba and a fallen angel, working on a novel aimed at grasping the attention of teenagers and young adults has been an interesting change.
This book right here represents a genre shift for me as a solo author, Lee said This is a significant change of direction. I wanted to write something contemporary, where I didnt have to research like what people ate or what they wore every five minutes. I wanted to write a thriller, I wanted something that feels like a thrill ride and would appeal to a broader audience.
Lee said that although her most recent novel isnt as intertwined with religious themes as some of her previous works, theres certainly still is a spiritual feel incorporated within its 320 pages.
The Progeny, Lee said, has all the necessary elements to take its readers on a whirlwind of a ride.
Im really looking forward to engaging readers who may not have been as interested in some of my other stuff, she said. Im really excited about just saying, here, here is just something fun. And Ive also been told that my books make people think, and I want them to make people think. I think this book will make people think, too, because this book is really all about identity, who you really are and what makes you, you. But I also just really wanted to write something that people could just get lost in.
While Lee is extremely excited about The Progeny being released, she is even more excited about all the twists and turns that her life has taken over the course of the past year.
While she was writing The Progeny, she became engaged, and while she was writing the sequel, she planned a wedding, got married, went on a honeymoon and became the stepmother of four children.
Ive gone from a single girl, to marrying a farmer and becoming a stepmother of four, Lee said. So this (the book) is very exciting for me, but the most exciting thing in my life is my new family, my new kids, all of it.
A Cedar Bluffs woman was recently recognized by the Nebraska Future Business Leaders of America as being the businessperson of the year.
Debbie Vacha, Cedar Bluffs School Board president and vice president of North American Sales and Operations for SONAC, an international business focusing on effectively using natures resources in terms of fuel, feed and food, was named the FBLA businessperson of the year during the FBLA state conference held in Omaha April 9.
Vacha said that the honor caught her completely off guard, that she was simply told to show up at the event and wasnt aware she was being honored.
Her son and daughter, both students at Cedar Bluffs, were two of the 52 Cedar Bluffs students in attendance at the conference.
I was told that I needed to be there at 9 oclock, that there was this little award I was going to get, Vacha said. Thats pretty much all I was told, and then I get there and its like a rock show. Theres music playing, and lights, all this stuff thats going on So Im going to my seat and I see that it says Debbie Vacha: Businessperson of the Year. It was a huge surprise.
Janelle Stansberry, Cedar Bluffs guidance counselor, was the person who nominated Vacha to the FBLA committee that ultimately selected her as the awards recipient.
Stansberry said that the award was supposed to go to somebody who not only was a business leader, but also a leader within their community and school system.
When we talked about it, Debbies name was the first one that came up, she said. Because she has always been somebody who is so willing to do things for the organization. She has helped us immensely financially through her company, and more importantly, she has given us so much of her time. I cant tell you how many times Ive had her come in to look at resumes, cover letters and to conduct mock interviews with students. Shes a huge help.
Stansberry also highlighted how Vachas international business experience has played a positive role in educating students.
So not only has she helped with the FBLA organization, but she is also an excellent resource in terms of our business curriculum, she said.
Vacha said that students FBLA involvement has positively impacted the community, the school and most importantly, themselves.
Although she is never looking for any recognition, being named the businessperson of the year reiterates the fact that she is making a difference.
When I walked onto the stage it was so neat because I could tell where all of our students were sitting because they were all screaming, Vacha said. It was just so overwhelming. There were so happy, and it was so well-deserved for all of us It was a really special day, you never do these things for the recognition, but it certainly was nice. And the kids were there to see it, and they are the reason I do it.
Dr. Herald H. Boschult, D.V.M, 88, of Fremont died Monday, April 25, 2016, at Nye Legacy in Fremont.
Herald was born Dec. 14, 1927, in Meadow Grove to Trajan and Ramona (Probert) Boschult. He attended elementary schools in northeast Nebraska. He graduated eight grade in Pierce County and attended high schools in Foster and Osmond, graduating in 1945.
He enlisted in the Army in January of 1946 through Omaha and went to Camp Crowder in Joplin, Mo., for basic training. Herald transferred to Chicago to attend Meat and Dairy Hygiene School. After graduation from that school he was assigned to the same school for the duration of his tour as an instructor. He received an honorable discharge on Dec. 1, 1948, at the Chicago Quartermaster Department after serving 2 years, 10 months, and 25 days.
Immediately after leaving the Army, Herald went to school at Michigan State College in East Lansing, Mich., graduating with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree in 1954. He practiced in Chicago until December 31, 1955. He met Shirley Ann Jankowski in Crete, Ill., and they were married on June 11, 1955. He continued to practice in Collinsville, Fairmont Park and Cahokia Downs race tracks in Illinois. He moved to Valley on Jan. 1, 1956, and established a general practice and race track practice at Aksarben in Omaha, while living in Valley. The practice expanded to Grand Island, Lincoln, Madison, Columbus and South Sioux City.
They moved to Fremont in January 1970 and continued to practice at the race tracks until retiring in 1995.
Herald was preceded in death by his parents, sister and brother-in-law, Eileen and Perry Nelson.
Survivors include: his wife, Shirley of Fremont; son, Derald (Robin) Boschult, and their children, Dara and Addison; son, Daniel (Rebecca) Boschult, and their children, Jack and Nia; and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be 2 p.m. Friday at Ludvigsen Mortuary Chapel in Fremont. The Rev. David Probst will officiate. Visitation will be from 3-8 p.m. Thursday at the mortuary with the family present from 6-8 p.m. Burial will be in Memorial Cemetery in Fremont.
An online guestbook may be signed at www.ludvigsenmortuary.com.
FOREST CITY A consultant will help the city of Forest City find a new city administrator/clerk.
The Forest City Council wants the city's personnel committee to interview consultants and recommend one to use in the search process.
Council member Ron Holland at the April 18 meeting told the committee it needs to meet soon.
"I'd suggest that you being doing that weekly," Holland said.
The committee has a meeting scheduled for today, April 27.
City Administrator/Clerk Mac Tilberg's last day is May 4. He will be working for a municipality in the Mitchell, South Dakota, area.
Committee members are council members Brad Buffington and Dan Davis. Mayor Barney Ruiter also attends. Councilman Tony Mikes is on the committee but will not attend meetings on the city position because he knows someone who may be interested in the job.
No other council member volunteered to serve on the committee but Holland said he'd try to attend the meetings and perhaps other council members could do the same.
The city used ISG as a consultant when it hired Tilberg as the city administrator/clerk in 2014. Bill Goldy of ISG also served as interim city clerk while the city search for an administrator clerk.
Ruiter said IGS was not contacted because quote he received from Callahan Municipal Consultants LLC of Anamosa was about $1,000 to $1,500 cheaper than IGS's. Callahan's quote did not include serving as interim city clerk, Ruiter said.
The city will need an interim clerk, council members said.
Ruiter said he expected one potential interim clerk to contact him last week. He also said he could contact Britt's former city clerk, Jeannie Purvis, who retired in late 2014.
The committee knows it must address the workload in that position, committee members said.
Tilberg has said his resignation was in part because of the workload as city administrator, city clerk, zoning administrator and treasurer.
"We did discuss hiring one or two persons ...," Buffington said.
The committee is leaning toward hiring a combination city adminstrator/clerk with some of the clerk duties assumed by existing city staff, Buffington said.
Davis said the city could have one or two people serve as deputy clerk "so we don't overload the administrator/clerk."
But one of the first steps in the process is to interview consultants and select one to use in the search, committee members said.
OSAGE Marc Waitek, physician assistant, said he wants to thank everyone for letting him be a part of their lives during his tenure at Mitchell County Regional Health Center.
His last day seeing patients at the health center was Tuesday, April 26. He has served Mitchell County for 14 years.
Over the length of his career, Waitek has provided care to patients in emergency room settings, orthopedics, surgical as well as in family practice settings.
Waitek said he did not always dream of a career in medicine. He said when he was young he wanted to be a carpenter.
However, looking back over his career, Waitek said, I like what I do; in fact I love it. But its the people who are the highlight.
After a two-year stint in the Marine Corps, Waitek decided to attend North Iowa Area Community College where he majored in nursing.
I had the G.I. Bill. I didnt know what to do with it at first but figured Id better use it, Waitek said.
Upon graduation from NIACC, Waitek worked as a nurse at Mercy Hospital in Mason City for five years until they sent him back to school to become a physician assistant. He graduated from the University of North Dakota in May 1984 with his physician assistant certification.
Waitek said he then returned to the Mercy system caring for patients in rural clinics across North Iowa, including in Sheffield, Algona, Nora Springs, Dumont, Hampton and Osage.
According to Waitek, in 2002, Dr. Mark Haganman reached out to him to join the provider team at Mitchell County Regional Health Center. Waitek said he agreed as long as he could join the practice full-time.
Waitek said there have been numerous times in his career where patients have impacted him personally.
One such occurrence was while Waitek was taking care of a patient in the emergency room who had coded but was revived.
Waitek said approximately one year later the patient approached him and said, Ill never forget you. You were the last face I saw before died.
Ive probably learned as much from them (patients) as theyve learned from me. Theyve taught me a lot of good lessons, Waitek said. Its amazing how resilient people are; how strong; how resourceful.
Although Waitek said he has loved his tenure in medicine, he does feel disappointment in some of the changes occurring in health care. He said health care is getting away from the personal aspect of treating patients.
Progress is mans ability to complicate simplicity, Waitek said, referencing the changing healthcare landscape.
When thinking about retirement, Waitek said, I dont know how to retire; the hardest thing is leaving my friends and patients.
Although the transition may be hard, Waitek said when he saw his Medicare card it made him think.
I just want to do some things before Im too old to do them, Waitek said.
LATIMER A Latimer man sentenced up to 50 years in prison in 2013 on three counts of second-degree sexual abuse involving a child has lost an appeal.
The Iowa Court of Appeals upheld Wednesday a Franklin County District Court decision to deny David Baughs amended application for post-conviction relief.
Baugh, 38, claimed the district court improperly relied on contents of the minutes of testimony that referenced dismissed charges.
The appeals court ruled Baughs speculations rise no higher than mere suspicions and do not constitute an affirmative showing that the district court relied on improper evidence.
Baugh initially was charged with 12 different counts related to incidents in 2012. Three sexual abuse charges, a charge of bestiality, two charges of lascivious acts with the child and three charges of exhibiting obscene material to a minor were all dismissed as part of the plea arrangement.
Baugh is required to serve a mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years in prison.
Mary Pieper
EAGLE GROVE | A Kossuth County man accused of shooting a man twice on Valentine's Day in Eagle Grove has pleaded not guilty.
Marcos Fidel Castaneda, 20, of Whittemore, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to felony charge of attempted murder.
Castaneda shot Hugo Salinas in the chest on Feb. 14 in the 100 block of North Lucas Avenue in Eagle Grove, according to court documents.
Police say Castaneda then left, reloaded, returned and shot Salinas in the back of the head. He then shot himself. Both survived.
Castaneda's trial is set for May 31 in District Court in Wright County.
-- Molly Montag
OSAGE | An Osage teen convicted of murder could be sentenced to no time in prison or ordered to serve up to 50 years, according to Mitchell County Attorney Mark Walk.
A hearing to determine the adult fate of Noah Crooks, who was found guilty in 2013 of second-degree murder in the shooting death of his mother, is set for May 6 in Mitchell County District Court.
Crooks was 13 when he shot his mother, Gretchen, with a semi-automatic rifle in their home in March 2012.
Crooks, who turns 18 in July, was placed at the State Training School in Eldora after a jury found him guilty in 2013 because he received a youthful offender deferred sentence.
Osage teen convicted of murder has hearing set to determine fate OSAGE A sentencing to determine the adult fate of an Osage juvenile found guilty of second
Under Iowa law those who receive this deferred sentence are to have a hearing in district court before their 18th birthday so a judge can rule on their fate as an adult.
Walk said the Iowa Code regarding youthful offenders has been amended since Crooks' conviction to make it a lot clearer, but he can elect to be sentenced under the code as it was at the time he was convicted.
Walk said he has spoken to several constitutional law professors about the old code section.
They say it is abstract enough that Crooks could get either a suspended five-year prison sentence or be ordered to serve up to 50 years in prison, according to Walk.
There's a good chance whatever sentence Crooks receives will be appealed, he said, noting the defense would appeal a lengthy prison sentence and the state would appeal a light sentence.
Crooks to spend years at state training school OSAGE Noah Crooks will live at the State Training School in Eldora until his 18th birthday
Crooks initially was charged with first-degree murder and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse.
The case was moved from Mitchell County to Wright County on a change of venue.
The Wright County jury found him guilty of second-degree murder and not guilty of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse.
During the trial the defense contended Crooks suffered from intermittent explosive disorder, which is characterized by periods of extreme rage and violence.
CLEAR LAKE | For the first time in 40 years, new faces are running the show at the Lake Theater in Clear Lake.
Clear Lake resident Aaron Donaldson and Erin Schieffer, of Des Moines, bought the downtown Clear Lake theater from the Sherman family.
Donaldson, who visited the theater as a child, and Schieffer began running the theater 10 days ago during the showing of "Miracles From Heaven."
"The community's been very welcoming," said Schieffer.
Donaldson agreed.
"Everybody's been wishing us luck, wanting to see us do well," he said.
Before taking the reins, Donaldson and Schieffer shadowed former owner Betty Sherman and her sons, Bob and John, for almost two months.
The Shermans have owned the theater since the 1970s when Bob Sherman, then working the projector, came home and told his parents it was for sale.
Betty Sherman, in particular, was an integral part of the theater.
"(Patrons) miss seeing Betty behind the counter," Schieffer said.
"Yes, Betty was a fixture. You could count on that you could come up here and Betty would be sitting here and you could get your ticket from her," Donaldson said. "She's not only seen kids grow up, she's seen their kids grow up."
The people were the best part of the job, said Betty Sherman, 84.
"The theater's been an awful lot of fun and we just met wonderful, wonderful people," said Sherman, who was 3 years old when she attended her first showing at the Lake Theater. "I don't know that we've ever had anybody that we wouldn't have been very happy to have come back."
The Shermans had interest from potential buyers who wanted to close the theater and putting a new business in its place, they were glad to find someone who wanted to keep the theater going.
"Our main concern was whoever bought it was going to keep it as a theater," Bob Sherman said.
Tackling theater ownership has been a new challenge for Donaldson and Schieffer, but one they're enthusiastic about taking on.
"(It's) overwhelming, but exciting," he said.
CHARLES CITY Construction of McQuillen Place, a three-story complex with retail stores and apartments in downtown Charles City, could be completed before fall.
We are getting close, said Charles Thomson of Amelia Management, the developer for the $8.6 million complex on the corner of Main and Clark.
Thomson said a firm completion date needs to be set before people can sign leases for the 33 apartments on the second and third floors of the complex.
Each apartment will have a washer and dryer, dishwasher, garbage disposal, stove and refrigerator.
Most of the apartments will have two bedrooms but some one-bedroom and three-bedroom units will be available.
Retail businesses will be located on the first floor of the building. Thomson said he is not at liberty yet to announce the names of the stores that will be leasing space in the complex.
The developers purchased four lots of city-owned land for $58,478 so they could build the complex. The land had been vacant since the Union House burned in 1987.
The project received a $3 million forgivable loan from the Iowa Economic Development Authority. The developers also are putting up some of their own money for the project.
McQuillen Place is eligible for tax increment financing (TIF). The increment is the difference between the original tax base and the post-development tax base.
The city agreed to grant the developers a 90 percent rebate on this increment for a period of 15 years.
Half of the TIF rebate will go to a local bank so that institution can make a $900,000 loan to the developers. The other half of the rebate will allow the city to make its own $900,000 loan.
Donald Don Krall
CHARLES CITY Donald Don Krall, 57, of Charles City, died Sunday, April 24, 2016, at his home.
A funeral Mass will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 29, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Charles City with Monsignor John Hemann celebrating.
Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Charles City.
Visitation will be at Hauser Funeral Home from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 28, and will continue one hour prior to the funeral Mass at the church on Friday.
Hauser Funeral Home, Charles City, is in charge of local arrangements.
Timothy E. Bowman
ALGONA Timothy E. Bowman, 63, of Algona, died Monday at Kossuth Regional Health Center, Algona.
A funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church in Algona with the Rev. Jeffrey Freese officiating.
Burial will be in East Lawn Cemetery, Algona.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at First United Methodist Church and will continue on Friday one hour prior to the service.
Oakcrest Funeral Services of Algona in charge of arrangements.
MASON CITY Elder rights and Medicare Patrol will headline the Cerro Gordo County Seniors and Law Enforcement Together forum on Thursday.
The event will be from 8:45 a.m. to noon Thursday at the Mason City Senior Activity Center, 326 Fourth St. N.E.
Information booths will be opened at 8:45 a.m. The event program begins at 10 a.m.
The program includes updates form local law enforcement officers, information on elder rights from Elderbridge Elder Rights Specialist Kim Doughty and details about Senior Medicare Patrol from Debra Shoopman and Carol Flaherty.
Cerry Gordo County Emergency Management Coordinator Steve ONeil also will give a presentation.
The event also includes a drug take-back program. Attendees will be allowed to safely discard outdated or unused prescription medication.
A free lunch will be served. Door prizes also will be given away.
MASON CITY Jerry Knoll of Mason City vividly recalls the difficult conversation with his best friends mother in 1971.
It was in the kitchen of her home in Horton, Kansas. A photo of her son Knolls friend and fallen soldier Danny Petersen was hanging on the wall with medals he earned in Vietnam.
Petersen, in Knolls unit, was killed in a firefight on Jan. 9, 1970, in Tay Ninh Province. He would later be awarded the Medal of Honor.
Knoll, there with his wife, Barb, tried to answer as many questions from Petersens mother as he could.
It would be the last time he talked about Vietnam for decades.
I wouldnt talk about this to my kids, Knoll, 67, said recently. My kids, they, I dont think they realized I was in Vietnam until somebody asked me one day and I admitted it.
He was drafted into the Army shortly after graduating from North Iowa Area Community College in 1968.
Basic training was in Fort Polk, Louisiana. He landed in Vietnam in August 1969.
Knoll drove an armored personnel carrier for Company B, 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. The unit worked an area west of what was then Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City.
A few firefights from the approximately one year he spent in the country are burned into Knolls mind.
He remembers the day he drove down a stretch of road that hadnt been swept for mines. They never did that, not without clearing the road first, but did it that day because another unit was getting hit by enemy fire.
Tension filled the air as Knolls vehicle safely rolled slowly through a big puddle filled with water. But the crews relief was shattered when a mine blast blew the next vehicle that rolled through that spot into the air and upside down.
Knoll cant remember the day his friend, Petersen, was killed. Normally they rode in the same vehicle, but were separated because a platoon sergeant needed a replacement driver.
Ive forgotten so much, Knoll said. Ive wiped a large portion of this out of my mind. For years.
He figures part of it was his mind coping with the trauma. The hostile reception that greeted soldiers returning from Vietnam had a lot to do with why he never talked about it, Knoll said.
That reluctance began to fade in recent years. The breakthrough came at a reunion with soldiers in his unit last year.
They met in Kansas.
Knoll and his former unit-members traded stories and photos for hours, in many cases talking about things they hadnt shared with anyone.
A few units of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, a VFW auxiliary, local law-enforcement and 38 members of Petersens family attended.
It really helped, I think, all of us, that week we were there together and were able to renew our friendships again and talk about our families and what you did for a living, he said. And, obviously we got to know Dannys family very well.
Knoll and two other men had the honor of putting flowers on Petersens grave during a prayer service at a country cemetery near Horton.
That was really special, Knoll said. Were all brothers. Ive got a bigger family now than I ever had before.
The presidential primaries are a long way from over, but theyve already produced an unhappy paradox: Both parties appear headed toward nominating the two most unpopular candidates in the country.
Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner, has accomplished an unprecedented feat: More than two-thirds of voters say they cant stand him. In the same unpopularity contest, Hillary Clinton, the likely Democratic nominee, is runner-up: more than half the voters dont like her. Ted Cruz, who still has a shot at the GOP nomination, is almost as unpopular as Clinton.
In every major poll conducted since February, all three leading candidates are underwater: more voters view them unfavorably than favorably.
That has troubling implications for the next president. After an election, presidents must bridge the partisan divide to get much done. But no need to wait for inauguration day 2017. We already know how this is going to turn out: Were pre-polarized.
Its easy to forget, but in 2009 Obama arrived at the White House with a massive 68 percent positive rating in the Gallup Poll, including 41 percent of Republicans. Eight years earlier, the newly elected George W. Bush enjoyed a 63 percent positive rating, including 37 percent of Democrats.
The honeymoon didnt last, but the numbers meant that these presidents at least had the benefit of the doubt from most independent voters and a significant minority in the other party. They both had a base of popular support from which to negotiate with Congress. But thats unlikely to happen this time.
With the next president already held in record low esteem, both parties will be tempted to follow the strategy example set by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell during Obamas presidency: constant confrontation, instead of bipartisanship, to heighten the chance of gaining ground in the next election.
We worked very hard to keep our fingerprints off (Obamas) proposals, McConnell told The Atlantic, in 2011. The only way the American people would know a great debate was going on was if the measures were not bipartisan.
Most voters still tell pollsters they want Congress and the president to work together and get something done, of course. But that sentiment never seems to be powerful enough to overcome partisan distaste for the other side. Political scientists call this affective polarization meaning the two sides just dislike each other more.
Whatever you call it, it produces the central political frustration of our time: political parties that see little reason to cooperate, and plenty of reasons to fight.
Is anyone pushing back?
Last week, a bipartisan group called No Labels unveiled a hopeful centrist program: a glossy catalog of sensible policy ideas, complete with poll numbers to show that each has wide public support.
Among the proposals: Allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug companies to lower prices, which gets 82 percent support. Passing a no budget, no pay law to withhold Congress paychecks if a federal budget isnt passed, which gets 81 percent support. Increased funding for child care and early education; 79 percent support.
The group has assembled a centrist problem solver caucus in Congress, with almost 80 members drawn equally from both the parties.
Were trying to disrupt the dysfunction, said former Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, the Connecticut Democrat who chairs the organization along with former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, a Republican.
How do we encourage members of Congress and the next president to take these risks? Part of it is to say there is more support for these ideas than you think, Lieberman said. The next president has to ask: Whats my goal here? Do I just want to get re-elected or do I want to build a record?
The group has a practical side, too. Its raising money to protect centrist members of Congress from being knocked out of office in primary elections.
Its a worthy effort. But the hill they are climbing looks steeper than ever because in the presidential campaign each side is already demonizing the other. That will make it even more difficult for the next president to bring the two parties together after January 2017.
In the days after the 2001 terrorist attack on America, plenty of things were done that probably should not have been. One of these was called rendition, the act of kidnapping suspected terrorists and those thought to be connected with them from foreign cities, spiriting them to a secret location and subjecting them to interrogation that often included torture.
The practice was carried out by the CIA despite the fact that it violated every tenant of this nations founding charter and was morally and legally reprehensible. In the beginning, it generally found a sympathetic audience among millions of Americans clearly in shock from the tragedy of 9/11.
Whatever it takes became the mantra of the people and their government.
As things cooled down, however, more opposition developed here and abroad, and even our allies became alarmed. So much so that the agents involved in carrying out the actual events and even those at the fringes of this policy became vulnerable to prosecution from nations where the action took place.
One of these Italy has gone as far as to indict and convict in absentia 26 Americans that its courts say were involved in the 2003 rendition of Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, also known as Abu Omar, a cleric in Milan.
None of the convicted were expected to suffer any real prison time or other consequences because they were in the United States before the trials took place and some have been pardoned.
But it now seems that one CIA employee who appears to have had little or nothing to do with the kidnapping is facing the possibility of four years in an Italian jail. Her crime, she told the Washington Post, was to have served as an interpreter a year before the kidnapping between U.S, and Italian intelligence strategists about the possibility of rendition. She said Abu Omar wasnt even mentioned. A year later when he was a victim of rendition, she was chaperoning her sons high school ski trip.
Sabrina De Sousa left the agency and moved to Portugal to be near relatives, knowing the risk. She was arrested at the Lisbon airport and is now facing the probability of extradition to Italy while so far her own government is stonewalling her pleas for intervention. Hillary Clinton, when she was secretary of state, it seems, never answered her pleas.
Lets get one thing straight: Rendition was the policy of the highest levels of the American government, from the White House to Congress to the director of the CIA none of whom face any responsibility for their actions. Those who actually carry out these assignments at the operational level are left holding the bag if things go wrong. Even those whose participation is less than tangential are unprotected.
Under those circumstances, it is a wonder that anyone would accept such an assignment one that carries a disavowal by those who dreamed up the entire mess.
The De Sousa matter has become a concern for the cloak-and-dagger manipulators. Morale of undercover CIA operatives is endangered by the governments refusal so far to provide immunity and other protections for her. As I have said, what person wants to toil under those conditions? Failing to extend diplomatic cover for those you have enlisted is inexcusable. Good faith and patriotism is a two-way street.
Italy is an ally, a member of NATO. The Italian government, which obviously had knowledge and participation through its own intelligence operations, has an obligation to advise its courts of this. But justice in a country where the Mafia is still a major factor doesnt seem to be all that important. The Washington Post was told by the prosecutor in the case that the Italian court doesnt need a smoking gun to convict.
Swell. In other words, if they just think she is guilty, complete lack of evidence makes no difference. And what about Abu Omar? He was interrogated, tortured and ultimately released.
Meanwhile, a 60-year-old American woman who apparently had nothing to do with his kidnapping is likely to be incarcerated because she wanted to be near relatives.
Icelandic English
HS Orka and Jardboranir have signed a contract for drilling of a 5 km deep, high temperature well at the Reykjanes geothermal field. Jardboranirs biggest drilling rig Thor will be used for the project. The well is intended to be the countrys deepest and hottest geothermal well, with temperatures up to 500C. Drilling operations are scheduled in the second half of 2016.
HS Orkas existing 2,5 km well at Reykjanes, well 15, will be deepened to around 5 km. The contract realizes the next step of the Icelandic Deep Drilling Project (IDDP), but earlier drilling into superheated steam was conducted in the Krafla field. The purpose of the project is to demonstrate the possibility of harnessing deep hydrothermal high enthalpy reservoirs in order to augment the current conventional geothermal fields. If the chemistry of the superheated steam can be dealt with, the well will be used directly for power production, potentially increasing the output of the Reykjanes plant. If not, the well may be used as an injection well, increasing the output of the existing shallower production wells. New technology will be introduced for the drilling, testing and harnessing the deep well, in collaboration with domestic and international partners.
HS Orka manages the project in cooperation with Statoil in Norway and the partners inside the IDDP consortium. The IDDP project was recently awarded an over 9 million Euro research grant from the European Union research program Horizon 2020. The project is led by HS Orka in cooperation with, Isor, Landsvirkjun, Georg, Statoil and number of European companies.
THE IDDP project has being ongoing the last 15 years. The consortium consists of the Icelandic power companies HS Orka, Landsvirkjun, Orkuveita Reykjavikur together with the National Energy Authority and Statoil.
Amsterdam, 27 April 2016 (Regulated Information) --- AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. ("AMG", EURONEXT AMSTERDAM: "AMG") will release its first quarter 2016 financial results on Wednesday, 4 May 2016 at approximately 07:00 CET. AMG will host a conference call to discuss its financial results for the first quarter 2016 on the same day at 09:00 CET (08:00 GMT / 03:00 EST).
Please connect approximately 10 minutes prior to the beginning of the call to ensure participation. The call-in information is as follows:
Europe +44 20 3427 1919
North America +1 646 254 3388
An operator will direct you onto the call. The conference call will be available on the website www.amg-nv.com within twenty-four hours following completion of the call.
About AMG
AMG is a global critical materials company at the forefront of CO 2 reduction trends. AMG produces highly engineered specialty metals and mineral products and provides related vacuum furnace systems and services to the transportation, infrastructure, energy, and specialty metals & chemicals end markets.
AMG Critical Materials produces aluminum master alloys and powders, titanium alloys and coatings, ferrovanadium, natural graphite, chromium metal, antimony, tantalum, niobium and silicon metal. AMG Engineering designs and produces vacuum furnace equipment and systems used to produce and upgrade specialty metals and alloys for the transportation, automotive, infrastructure, and energy markets.
With approximately 3,000 employees, AMG operates globally with production facilities in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Czech Republic, United States, China, Mexico, Brazil and Sri Lanka, and has sales and customer service offices in Russia and Japan (www.amg-nv.com).
For further information, please contact:
AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. +1 610 293 5804
Steve Daniels
Senior Vice President
sdaniels@amg-nv.com
English Danish
The annual general meeting of Alm. Brand Bank A/S held today was conducted in accordance with the agenda and the complete proposals.
The Annual Report 2015 was approved, and discharge from liability was granted to the Board of Directors and the Management Board.
The resolution proposed by the Board of Directors to transfer the loss for the year of DKK 248,853 thousand after tax to shareholders equity was adopted.
All board members elected by the shareholders were up for election and all board members elected by the shareholders, Jrgen Hesselbjerg Mikkelsen, Boris Nrgaard Kjeldsen, Jan Skytte Pedersen, Anette Eberhard, Ebbe Castella and Sren Boe Mortensen, were re-elected.
Deloitte Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab was re-appointed as the company's auditors.
The remuneration policy for the Alm. Brand Group proposed by the Board of Directors was approved.
At a meeting held after the general meeting, the Board of Directors elected Jrgen Hesselbjerg Mikkelsen as its Chairman and Jan Skytte Pedersen as its Deputy Chairman.
Contact
Please direct any questions regarding this announcement to:
Kim Bai Wadstrm, Managing Director, tel. +45 35 47 70 14, or Susanne Biltoft, Head of Information and Investor Relations, tel. +45 35 47 76 61.
Quarterly dividend of $0.4225 per unit
Revenue: 44.6% increase in Q1 to $24.1 million
EBITDA: 40.2% increase in Q1 to $17.7 million
Operating Surplus: 19.6% increase in Q1 to $11.3 million
Profit share: $1.7 million in Q1
MONACO, April 27, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Navios Maritime Midstream Partners L.P. (Navios Midstream) (NYSE:NAP), an owner and operator of tanker vessels, reported its financial results today for the first quarter of 2016.
Angeliki Frangou, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Navios Midstream stated We are pleased to report our results for the first quarter of 2016, in which we recorded $17.7 million of EBITDA and $7.5 million of net income, representing increases of 40.2% and 18.7%, respectively, over the first quarter of 2015. We also announced a distribution of $0.4225 per unit, representing an annualized distribution of $1.69 per unit and a current yield of 13.9%.
Angeliki Frangou continued, Our financial strength and flexibility are represented through our conservative positioning. We have 33.6% net debt to book capitalization, low operating expenditures being around 8% below the industry average and no committed growth capex. We do not have any debt maturing until 2020. In addition, our long-term charters, averaging 5.1 years, are expected to provide about $0.5 billion in contracted revenue and offer significant cash flow visibility. This forward visibility not only allows some certainty in difficult times in the MLP market, but also created healthy distribution coverage ratio of 1.29x for the first quarter of 2016.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Cash Distribution
The Board of Directors of Navios Midstream declared a cash distribution for the first quarter of 2016 of $0.4225 per unit. The cash distribution is payable on May 12, 2016 to unitholders of record as of May 6, 2016.
Profit Share
During the first quarter of 2016, Navios Midstream benefited from the strong VLCC spot market and recognized $1.7 million under its profit sharing arrangements.
Long Term Cash Flow
Navios Midstream has entered into long-term charter-out agreements for its vessels, with a remaining average term of 5.1 years, which are expected to provide a stable base of revenue and distributable cash flow. Navios Midstream has currently contracted out 100% of its available days for 2016 and 2017, expecting to generate revenues of approximately $91.2 million and $86.6 million, respectively. The average expected daily charter-out rate for the fleet is $41,537 and $39,559 for 2016 and 2017, respectively.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
For the following results and the selected financial data presented herein, Navios Midstream has compiled condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three month periods ended March 31, 2016 and 2015. The quarterly 2016 and 2015 information was derived from the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the respective periods. EBITDA and Operating Surplus are non-GAAP financial measures and should not be used in isolation or substitution for Navios Midstreams results.
(in $000 except per unit data) Three Month
Period Ended
March 31,
2016
(unaudited) Three Month
Period Ended
March 31,
2015
(unaudited) Revenue $ 24,149 $ 16,703 Net income $ 7,495 $ 6,312 EBITDA $ 17,688 $ 12,613 Earnings per Common unit (basic and diluted) $ 0.36 0.33 Operating Surplus $ 11,271 $ 9,424 Maintenance and Replacement Capital expenditure reserve $ (3,580 ) $ (2,148 )
Three month periods ended March 31, 2016 and 2015
Revenue for the three month period ended March 31, 2016 increased by $7.4 million to $24.1 million, as compared to $16.7 million for the same period in 2015. The increase was due to the acquisition of the Nave Celeste and the C. Dream in June 2015 and an increase of $0.7 million in profit sharing recognized in relation to certain charters for the three month period ended March 31, 2016, as compared to the same period of 2015. Time Charter Equivalent (TCE) was $43,476 for the three month period ended March 31, 2016 and $45,898 for the three month period ended March 31, 2015. The decrease in TCE was due to the lower average charter rate of the two VLCCs acquired in June 2015, compared to the existing fleet.
EBITDA increased by $5.1 million to $17.7 million for the three month period ended March 31, 2016, as compared to $12.6 million for the same period in 2015. The increase in EBITDA was due to a $7.4 million increase in revenue. The above increase was partially mitigated by a: (a) $1.8 million increase in management fees and $0.3 million increase in general and administrative expenses due to the acquisition of the two VLCCs in June 2015; and (b) $0.2 million increase in time charter expenses.
The reserve for estimated maintenance and replacement capital expenditures for the three month period ended March 31, 2016 was $3.6 million (please see Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures in Exhibit 3).
Navios Midstream generated an Operating Surplus for the three month period ended March 31, 2016 of $11.3 million. Operating Surplus is a non-GAAP financial measure used by certain investors to assist in evaluating a partnerships ability to make quarterly cash distributions (please see Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures in Exhibit 3).
Net income for the three month period ended March 31, 2016 was $7.5 million compared to $6.3 million for the three month period ended March 31, 2015. The increase in net income by approximately $1.2 million was due to a $5.1 million increase in EBITDA. The above increase was partially mitigated by a: (a) $2.0 million increase in interest expenses and finance cost; (b) $1.5 million increase in depreciation and amortization; and (c) $0.3 million increase in direct vessel expenses.
Earnings per common unit for the three month period ended March 31, 2016 was $0.36.
Fleet Employment Profile
The following table reflects certain key indicators of Navios Midstreams core fleet performance for the three month periods ended March 31, 2016 and 2015.
Three Month
Period
Ended
March 31,
2016
(unaudited) Three Month
Period
Ended
March 31,
2015
(unaudited) FLEET DATA Available days(1) 546 360 Operating days(2) 545 360 Fleet utilization(3) 99.8 % 99.9 % Vessels operating at period end 6 4 AVERAGE DAILY RESULTS Time Charter Equivalent per day(4) $ 43,476 $ 45,898
(1 ) Available days for the fleet represent total calendar days the vessels were in Navios Midstreams possession for the relevant period after subtracting off-hire days associated with scheduled repairs, dry dockings or special surveys. The shipping industry uses available days to measure the number of days in a relevant period during which a vessel is capable of generating revenues. (2 ) Operating days is the number of available days in the relevant period less the aggregate number of days that the vessels are off-hire due to any reason, including unforeseen circumstances. The shipping industry uses operating days to measure the aggregate number of days in a relevant period during which vessels actually generate revenues. (3 ) Fleet utilization is the percentage of time that Navios Midstreams vessels were available for revenue generating available days, and is determined by dividing the number of operating days during a relevant period by the number of available days during that period. The shipping industry uses fleet utilization to measure efficiency in finding employment for vessels and minimizing the amount of days that its vessels are off-hire for reasons other than scheduled repairs, drydockings or special surveys. (4 ) Time Charter Equivalent (TCE) rates: TCE rates are defined as voyage and time charter revenues less voyage expenses during a period divided by the number of available days during the period. The TCE rate is a standard shipping industry performance measure used primarily to present the actual daily earnings generated by vessels on various types of charter contracts for the number of available days of the fleet.
Conference Call details:
Navios Midstream's management will host a conference call today, Wednesday, April 27, 2016 to discuss the results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2016.
Conference Call details:
Call Date/Time: Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at 08:30 am ET
Call Title: Navios Midstream Q1 2016 Financial Results Conference Call
US Dial In: +1.866.703.4207
International Dial In: +1.636.692.6440
Conference ID: 9118 5926
The conference call replay will be available two hours after the live call and remain available for one week at the following numbers:
US Replay Dial In: +1.800.585.8367
International Replay Dial In: +1.404.537.3406
Conference ID: 9118 5926
Slides and audio webcast:
There will also be a live webcast of the conference call, through the Navios Midstreams website (www.navios-midstream.com) under Investors. Participants to the live webcast should register on the website approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the webcast.
A supplemental slide presentation will be available on the Navios Midstreams website under the "Investors" section by 8:00 am ET on the day of the call.
About Navios Maritime Midstream Partners L.P.
Navios Maritime Midstream Partners L.P. is a publicly traded master limited partnership which owns and operates crude oil tankers under long-term employment contracts. For more information, please visit our website at www.navios-midstream.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements (as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) concerning future events and expectations, including with respect to Navios Midstreams future dividends and Navios Midstream's growth strategy and measures to implement such strategy; including expected vessel acquisitions and entering into further time charters. Words such as "may", "expects", "intends", "plans", "believes", "anticipates", "hopes", "estimates", and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements include comments regarding expected revenue and time charters. These forward-looking statements are based on the information available to, and the expectations and assumptions deemed reasonable by, Navios Midstream at the time these statements were made. Although Navios Midstream believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates which are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the control of Navios Midstream. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, the creditworthiness of our charterers and the ability of our contract counterparties to fulfill their obligations to us, tanker industry trends, including charter rates and vessel values and factors affecting vessel supply and demand, the aging of our vessels and resultant increases in operation and drydocking costs, the loss of any customer or charter or vessel, our ability to repay outstanding indebtedness, to obtain additional financing and to obtain replacement charters for our vessels, in each case, at commercially acceptable rates or at all, increases in costs and expenses, including but not limited to: crew wages, insurance, provisions, port expenses, lube oil, bunkers, repairs, maintenance and general and administrative expenses, the expected cost of, and our ability to comply with, governmental regulations and maritime self-regulatory organization standards, as well as standard regulations imposed by our charterers applicable to our business, potential liability from litigation and our vessel operations, including discharge of pollutants, general domestic and international political conditions, competitive factors in the market in which Navios Midstream operates; risks associated with operations outside the United States; and other factors listed from time to time in the Navios Midstream's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including its Form 20-Fs and Form 6-Ks. Navios Midstream expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Navios Midstream's expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based. Navios Midstream makes no prediction or statement about the performance of its common units.
EXHIBIT 1
NAVIOS MARITIME MIDSTREAM PARTNERS L.P. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Expressed in thousands of U.S. Dollars) March 31,
2016 December 31,
2015 ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 38,009 $ 37,834 Accounts receivable, net 5,489 5,110 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 77 112 Due from related parties 9,361 2,804 Total current assets 52,936 45,860 Vessels, net 395,112 400,192 Intangible assets 27,629 28,450 Deferred dry dock and special survey costs, net 5,430 6,066 Total non-current assets 428,171 434,708 Total assets $ 481,107 $ 480,568 LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS CAPITAL Current liabilities Accounts payable $ 1,816 $ 412 Accrued expenses 666 654 Due to related parties 407 438 Deferred revenue 2,494 1,931 Current portion of long-term debt, net of deferred finance costs and discount 650 643 Total current liabilities 6,033 4,078 Long-term debt, net of deferred finance costs and discount 197,007 197,176 Total non-current liabilities 197,007 197,176 Total liabilities $ 203,040 $ 201,254 Commitments and contingencies Total Partners capital Common Unitholders (9,342,692 units issued and outstanding at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015) 125,754 126,317 Subordinated Series A Unitholders (1,592,920 units issued and outstanding at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015) 27,283 27,379 Subordinated Unitholders (9,342,692 units issued and outstanding at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015) 119,591 120,154 General Partner (413,843 units issued and outstanding at March 31, 2016 and at December 31, 2015) 5,439 5,464 Partners capital 278,067 279,314 Total liabilities and Partners capital $ 481,107 $ 480,568
NAVIOS MARITIME MIDSTREAM PARTNERS L.P. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Expressed in thousands of U.S. Dollars, except per unit amounts) Three Month
Period ended
March 31,
2016
(unaudited) Three Month
Period ended
March 31,
2015
(unaudited) Revenue $ 24,149 $ 16,703 Time charter expenses (411 ) (180 ) Direct vessel expenses (636 ) (289 ) Management fees (entirely through related party transactions) (5,187 ) (3,420 ) General and administrative expenses (826 ) (535 ) Depreciation and amortization (6,401 ) (4,877 ) Interest expenses and finance cost (3,156 ) (1,135 ) Other (expense)/ income, net (37 ) 45 Net income $ 7,495 $ 6,312 Three Month
Period ended
March 31,
2016
(unaudited) Three Month
Period ended
March 31,
2015
(unaudited) Net income $ 7,495 $ 6,312 Earnings per unit (basic and diluted) Common unitholders: $ 0.36 $ 0.33 Subordinated unitholders: $ 0.36 $ 0.33
NAVIOS MARITIME MIDSTREAM PARTNERS L.P. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Expressed in thousands of U.S. Dollars) Three Month
Period ended
March 31,
2016
(unaudited) Three Month
Period ended
March 31,
2015
(unaudited) Operating Activities Net income $ 7,495 $ 6,312 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 6,401 4,877 Amortization of deferred finance fees and bond premium 351 123 Amortization of dry dock and special survey costs 636 289 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Decrease / (increase) in prepaid expenses and other current assets 35 (56 ) Increase in accounts receivable (379 ) (944 ) Increase in accounts payable 1,404 844 Increase/ (decrease) in accrued expenses 12 (2,008 ) (Decrease) / increase in due to/from related parties (6,588 ) 269 Increase in deferred revenue 563 Net cash provided by operating activities $ 9,930 $ 9,706 Investing Activities Additions to vessel cost (500 ) Net cash used in investing activities $ (500 ) $ Financing Activities Loan repayment (513 ) (2,626 ) IPO expenses (1,465 ) Dividend paid (8,742 ) (3,761 ) Net cash used in financing activities $ (9,255 ) $ (7,852 ) Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 175 1,854 Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year $ 37,834 $ 30,877 Cash and cash equivalents, end of year $ 38,009 $ 32,731 Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information Cash interest paid $ 2,837 $ 1,041 Non-cash financing activities Accrued IPO expenses $ $ 1,888
EXHIBIT 2
Owned Vessels Type Built Capacity
(DWT) Shinyo Kieran VLCC 2011 297,066 Shinyo Saowalak VLCC 2010 298,000 Nave Celeste VLCC 2003 298,717 Shinyo Kannika VLCC 2001 287,175 Shinyo Ocean VLCC 2001 281,395 C. Dream VLCC 2000 298,570 Option Vessels(1) Type Built Capacity
(DWT) Nave Buena Suerte VLCC 2011 297,491 Nave Quasar VLCC 2010 297,376 Nave Galactic VLCC 2009 297,168 Nave Neutrino VLCC 2003 298,287 Nave Electron VLCC 2002 305,178 (1) Navios Midstream has options, exercisable through November 18, 2016, to acquire
up to five VLCCs at fair market value from Navios Maritime Acquisition Corporation.
EXHIBIT 3
Disclosure of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
1. EBITDA
EBITDA represents net income plus interest and finance costs plus depreciation and amortization and income taxes.
EBITDA is presented because Navios Midstream believes that EBITDA is a basis upon which liquidity can be assessed and present useful information to investors regarding Navios Midstreams ability to service and/or incur indebtedness, pay capital expenditures, meet working capital requirements and pay dividends. EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure and should not be considered a substitute for net income, cash flow from operating activities and other operations or cash flow statement data prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States or as a measure of profitability or liquidity.
While EBITDA is frequently used as a measure of operating results and the ability to meet debt service requirements, the definition of EBITDA used here may not be comparable to that used by other companies due to differences in methods of calculation.
2. Operating Surplus
Operating Surplus represents net income adjusted for depreciation and amortization expense, non-cash interest expense and estimated maintenance and replacement capital expenditures. Maintenance and replacement capital expenditures are those capital expenditures required to maintain over the long term the operating capacity of, or the revenue generated by, Navios Midstreams capital assets.
Operating Surplus is a quantitative measure used in the publicly-traded partnership investment community to assist in evaluating a partnerships ability to make quarterly cash distributions. Operating Surplus is not required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and should not be considered a substitute for net income, cash flow from operating activities and other operations or cash flow statement data prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States or as a measure of profitability or liquidity.
3. Available Cash
Available Cash generally means for each fiscal quarter, all cash on hand at the end of the quarter:
less the amount of cash reserves established by the Board of Directors to: provide for the proper conduct of Navios Midstreams business (including reserve for maintenance and replacement capital expenditures); comply with applicable law, any of Navios Midstreams debt instruments, or other agreements; or provide funds for distributions to the unitholders and to the general partner for any one or more of the next four quarters;
plus all cash on hand on the date of determination of available cash for the quarter resulting from working capital borrowings made after the end of the quarter. Working capital borrowings are generally borrowings that are made under any revolving credit or similar agreement used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to partners.
Available Cash is a quantitative measure used in the publicly-traded partnership investment community to assist in evaluating a partnerships ability to make quarterly cash distributions. Available cash is not required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and should not be considered a substitute for net income, cash flow from operating activities and other operations or cash flow statement data prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States or as a measure of profitability or liquidity.
4. Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
ORLANDO, Fla., April 27, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immune Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB:IMUN) (the Company), a clinical-stage biotech company providing immunotherapy solutions for the treatment of autoimmune disease and cancer with a focus on emerging nations, today announced that Nigerias National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has approved its patented Lodonal as an over the counter, non-toxic adjunct therapy in the treatment of HIV/AIDS and immune system regulator.
The receipt of NAFDACs approval will enable the Companys distribution partner, AHAR Pharma, and GB Pharma Holdings, to launch a nationwide marketing and sales program that is expected to generate new and significant revenue channels for the Company. The Company believes that this new sales revenue places it on-track towards achieving profitability and significant future revenue and earnings growth.
NAFDAC is the Nigerian agency under the Federal Ministry of Health that is responsible for regulating and controlling the manufacture, import/export, distribution, sale and use of food and drugs. Its approval for the Company to exclusively market and distribute Lodonal in Nigeria clears the way to complete the registration over the coming weeks.
The NAFDAC approval follows the successful completion of a 90-day bridging study conducted by AHAR Pharma on behalf of the Company in conjunction with State Specialist Hospital in Asubiaro. That study, "A Bridging Study to Evaluate the Effects of 'Lodonal' as an Immune-System regulating Agent in Subjects in which Their Immune System is Compromised: Lodonal in the Treatment of Subjects with Human Immuno-Deficiency virus (HIV)," met the primary and secondary endpoints for both efficacy and safety.
Breakthrough Lodonal Results on HIV Patients:
The 90-Day Bridging Study was undertaken at the State Specialist Hospital in Asubiaro, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria and the primary objective of this Bridging trial was to confirm that Lodonal had a beneficial effect on the immune system of immune deficient patients and safety. This was a single center, open labeled, randomized, bridging study of a 150 people. The Treatment Group was treated with 4.5 mg of Lodonal nightly in conjunction with antiretroviral. The Control Group was treated with antiretroviral plus placebo. The primary endpoints were efficacy and safety determined by a minimum increase of 25% in the CD4 count with no adverse effects on quality of life.
The results yielded an average 44% increase in CD4 count in the Treatment Group compared with 11% increase for the Control Group and there was no adverse effect on quality of life or opportunistic infections during the trial. The Nigeria trials results were consistent with previous clinical trials of LDN.
Due to its favorable cost/benefit, the Company believes Lodonal has large market potential to be the first affordable non-toxic therapy of its kind. It is administered in a single oral dose daily making medical and drug compliance much easier and is designed to produce a significant reduction in opportunistic infections. In addition to affordably improving the quality of patients lives, it offers a compelling economic benefit to health care systems.
Dr. Abayomi Oni, the Bridging Studys local Principal Investigator and Medical Director at State Specialist Hospital Asubiaro, said, The professionalism in this collaborative endeavor was outstanding and we are pleased to have been part of this international and medically significant accomplishment.
The Company Expects to Seek Lodonal Approval in other African Nations:
Commenting on its NAFDAC approval for Lodonal, Noreen Griffin, the Companys Chief Executive Officer stated, Receiving approval of our affordable non-toxic immunodeficiency treatment Lodonal is a significant company milestone. Supported by a new and growing body of clinical research, we expect Lodonal will be increasingly proven as an effective treatment for patients suffering from a comprised immune system and other autoimmune conditions as it prepares for commercialization.
Ms. Griffin further stated, While we finalize the registration process which requires us to file the following documents: Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product, Copy of Manufacturing License, GMP certificate from country of origin, we will focus on distribution throughout Nigeria. Simultaneously we will be working to leverage the successful clinical trial results and NAFDAC approval to expedite the approval and distribution into the many other African nations that have been devastated by HIV/AIDS for the past 17 years.
The Companys Agent in Africa, GB Pharma Holdings, will, in partnership with AHAR Pharma spearhead the distribution of Lodonal across Nigeria. Its CEO, Dr. Gloria Herndon said, We are now poised to finalize the distribution agreement with Fidson Healthcare Plc., one of Nigeria's leading pharmaceutical companies. As Africas leading economy with over 175 million people, Nigeria is an excellent launching platform for Lodonal.
Ms. Griffin expressed that This milestone could never have been reached without a clear regulatory process set forth by NAFDAC and the support and dedication of Dr. Oni and his team at the hospital and the patients that were willing to participate. I wish to thank Dr. Gloria B. Herndon and Dr. Richards Afonja, the International Co- Investigator, again for helping us accomplish this monumental goal...
About NAFDAC:
NAFDAC was founded in the early 1990s and has been and continues to be at the forefront of the development of effective health-care in Africa. NAFDAC is a Nigerian federal agency under the Federal Ministry of Health that is responsible for regulating and controlling the manufacture, importation, exportation, advertisement, distribution, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals and packaged water and chemicals.
About GB Pharma Holdings:
GB Pharma Holdings is a Washington D.C. global pharmaceutical company with expertise in defining policies, facilitating approvals, distribution and cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices) and introducing innovative therapies to Africa. It was established in order to be on the forefront of change and is dedicated to bringing cost effective and quality products to Africa. GB Pharma Holdings is able to link new technologies, science and education together to be a cause for good. Its core focus is twofold; manufacturing cGMP quality pharmaceuticals and helping existing government agencies develop testing and regulations to purge counterfeit and sub-potent products out of their respective countries.
About American Hospitals and Resort:
Dr. Richards Afonja, a Hematologist/Oncologist, living and working in New Jersey and Nigeria with over 28 years of experience, is the founder of American Hospitals & Resort (AHAR), a cancer and blood disorder treatment center (americanhospitals.org) that has been delivering high quality healthcare in Nigeria since 2007. AHAR Pharma is the associated pharmaceutical company, that operates in the West and East Africa markets. AHAR specializes in branded medicines and seeks to improve the lives of patients suffering from infectious diseases. Associated organizations include Paterson Medical Services Corp, Colfax Oncology, Inc. and Princeton Health Care, which is an HMO that has been operating in Nigeria since 2000.
About the Company:
The Company is a biotechnology company working to combat chronic, life-threatening diseases through the activation and modulation of the body's immune system using its patented immunotherapies. Its products and immunotherapy technologies are designed to harness the power of the immune system to improve the treatment of cancer, infections such as HIV/AIDS, chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
The Companys proprietary technology, therapies and patents include the treatment of a wide range of cancers. Its most advanced clinical programs involve immunotherapy with met-enkephalin (MENK) (sometimes referred to as opioid growth factor) and its Low Dose Naltrexone product (LDN) or Lodonal, which have been shown to stimulate the immune system even in patients with advanced cancer.
Forward Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ from those projected due to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to the possibility that some or all of the matters and transactions considered by the Company may not proceed as contemplated, and by all other matters specified in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements are made based upon current expectations that are subject to risk and uncertainty. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements in this news release to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such forward-looking information. Assumptions and other information that could cause results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking information can be found in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its recent periodic reports.
RALEIGH, N.C., April 27, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Triangle Capital Corporation (NYSE:TCAP) (Triangle or the Company), a leading provider of capital to lower middle market companies, today announced the postponement of the Companys 2016 annual meeting of stockholders in order to solicit additional proxies for such meeting. The annual meeting was originally scheduled for Wednesday, May 4, 2016, at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) and will be postponed to Wednesday, May 25, 2016, at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time). The location of the annual meeting will be the Companys headquarters at 3700 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 530, Raleigh, North Carolina 27612.
No changes have been made to the record date or the proposals to be brought before the annual meeting, which are presented in the proxy statement and related materials that the Company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 11, 2016 and previously mailed to stockholders of record as of February 25, 2016.
Eligible stockholders who have not yet voted are encouraged to vote by completing and returning proxy cards by mail. Stockholders who do not have a proxy card should contact their brokerage firm to request a replacement.
About Triangle Capital Corporation
Triangle Capital Corporation (www.TCAP.com) invests capital in established companies in the lower middle market to fund growth, changes of control and other corporate events. Triangle offers a wide variety of investment structures with a primary focus on mezzanine financing with equity components. Triangles investment objective is to seek attractive returns by generating current income from debt investments and capital appreciation from equity related investments. Triangles investment philosophy is to partner with business owners, management teams and financial sponsors to provide flexible financing solutions. Triangle typically invests $5.0 million - $35.0 million per transaction in companies with annual revenues between $20.0 million and $200.0 million and EBITDA between $3.0 million and $35.0 million.
Triangle has elected to be treated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). Triangle is required to comply with a series of regulatory requirements under the 1940 Act as well as applicable NYSE, federal and state laws and regulations. Triangle has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Failure to comply with any of the laws and regulations that apply to Triangle could have a material adverse effect on Triangle and its stockholders.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any such statements, other than statements of historical fact, are likely to be affected by other unknowable future events and conditions, including elements of the future that are or are not under the Company's control, and that the Company may or may not have considered; accordingly, such statements cannot be guarantees or assurances of any aspect of future performance. Actual developments and results are highly likely to vary materially from these estimates and projections of the future and some of these uncertainties are enumerated in Triangles filings with the SEC. Certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements are included in our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K, each as filed with the SEC. Copies are available on the SECs website at www.sec.gov and stockholders may receive a hard copy of the completed audited financial statements free of charge upon request to the Company at 3700 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 530, Raleigh, NC 27612. Such statements speak only as of the time when made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any such statement now or in the future.
As it is with pizza and bagels, every day is Burger Day in NYC, from the lowbrow bar versions to the over the top creations we'll only dream about. To wholeheartedly celebrate the humble meat patty meal we have Burger Week, an annual tribute to the staple of backyard bbqs and fast food joints everywhere. Now in its fifth year, the foodie fest presents burger lovers of all kinds with off-menu treats at their local watering holes, fun chef mashups and even some amped up burger crawls designed to test the top button on your Levis. There's a new event each day during the May 1st through 7th fete; here's what we'll be chowing down on:
On opening day, it's the Boozy Burger Brunch, which, unfortunately is already sold out during more "traditional" brunch times. However, there's still a 4 p.m. seating available, which is really a more reasonable time to begin bourbon and beer pairings if you'd still like to be functional the rest of the day. At Beer Culture on West 45th Street, attendees get three specialty mini burgers of Schweid & Sons Certified Angus Beef, each paired with either a Heaven Hill bourbon or a beer from Gun Hill Brewing Co. The menu: Poutine Burger (tater tots, brown gravy, melted cheese curds), BBQ Burger (Beer Culture BBQ sauce, bacon, cheddar, fried onions) and Saturday Morning Cartoon (Fried egg, bacon and American cheese on a fresh toast baguette). Sunday, May 1st, 4 p.m. Tickets $30
Riding the rainbow wave of colorful foodstuffs, Joe's Bar on the UWS is hosting the Golden Burger Lift Dinner, with Willy Wonka-themed burgers and cocktails including a rainbow bun burger, naturally. Accompanying the burger, Grandpa Joe's French Fries, made sloppy joe-style, as well as a choice between three cocktails and a Chocolate Fever Dessert, among other things. Monday, May 2nd, 6:30 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. Tickets $34
Emily Burger (courtesy Burger Week)
Asian-American fusion burger joint Uncle Sam's Burgers in Koreatown hosts the Twisted Burger Experience, with four specialty burgers topped with things like coconut milk, red curry paste, mushrooms, basil and bell peppers (Thai Me Up Burger) and five-spiced rubbed pork belly, pickled onions, arugula and a soy bbq sauce (Rub My Belly). Diners get a side of friends and fountain sodas/iced tea to wash down the evening's bounty. It's also a good spot to take a date, as tickets are $36 for two people. Thursday, May 5th, 6:30 p.m. Tickets $36 for two
Hard Times Sundaes and Emily are two of the bigger names in burgers at the moment, with both making big moves with their delicious meat-and-bun offerings. Burgers For Barkers 2016 sees the duo joining forces to benefit New York Bully Crew, a non-profit that specializes in rescuing pit bulls. At host venue NY Distilling Co, the burger makers will create a collaboration burger that uses smashed Schweid & Sons patties with American cheese and a Martin's Potato Roll from Hard Times plus caramelized onions and Emmy sauce from Emily. On the side, tastings of the Ragtime Rye and Sixpoint's Jammer Gose. Friday, May 6th, 7:30 p.m. Tickets $36 and include a donation to NY Bully Crew
We were oh-so-close to having a summer day yesterday. A warm front with plenty of hot air behind it stalled in its northward progression just short of the city yesterday afternoon. While Central Park only hit 60 degrees and JFK climbed to 65, Belmar, only twenty miles south of the city on the Jersey shore, shot up to 82. Highs in the mid 80s were common across central and southern New Jersey.
That warm front was pushed back down to southern Virginia overnight by a high pressure system exerting itself over eastern Canada. That high will give us plenty of sun this afternoon but our high will only reach the upper 50s, which is several degrees cooler than normal for late April. It will be cool enough tonight that the Mid-Hudson Valley, eastern Long Island, and much of Connecticut could see below freezing temperatures.
Highs ranging from the upper 50s to lower 60s looks like the rule for the rest of the week and through the weekend. A storm is expected to pass well to our south late Thursday or Friday. That storm will give us a couple of cloudy days and a slight chance of rain. The skies should clear up on Saturday before clouds and possibly rain return on Sunday.
If we learned anything from the trailer to the movie Flight, it's that only Denzel Washington can be trusted to pilot a plane upside-down while drunk. Everyone else is going to get into a lot of trouble that can't be smoothed over by a sweet Rolling Stones song on the soundtrackand so it goes for one JetBlue pilot who has been arrested after he allegedly flew drunk between Florida and JFK Airport last year.
According to the News, pilot Dennis Thomas Murphy, Jr. was selected for a random alcohol test on April 21, 2015, after his 151-passenger flight from Orlando touched down at JFK. He blew a .11 for blood alcohol content on the Breathalyzer (any pilot over .10 can face criminal charges under federal law, and FAA regulations limit pilots blood alcohol content to .04.). Earlier that same day, Murphy had flown with 119 passengers aboard from JFK to Orlando.
Murphy, who was only hired by the airline in January 2015, apparently blamed the results on the "gum that he was chewing." Court papers state: "During the walk to the onsite testing office at JFK Airport, Murphy's face was red and he was chewing gum rapidly." He was given a second test 15 minutes later that produced similar results.
His co-pilot later told investigators he saw Murphy drinking an unknown beverage from a cup before and during the two flights.
Murphy has since resigned and been stripped of his medical certification (which is required to fly), and he has been charged with flying under the influence of alcohol. He will be arraigned in Brooklyn court this afternoon.
ClassPass, a very popular start-up that lets users book exercise classes for a discounted flat monthly fee, has jacked that fee up to $190 in New York, making it more expensive than some Equinox gym memberships. This has riled a number of devoted users, many of whom already had to contend with a jump from $99/month to $125/month last year, and it's calling into question whether the service, which was intended to help make expensive fitness classes more accessible to people who can't afford to drop $30 on exercise, is even worth it anymore.
In ClassPass's defense, the $190/membership is for unlimited classescurrent users can get ten classes a month for $125 (for newbies it's $135), or you can opt for a $75-for-5 class deal. If you run out of classes during your subscription, ClassPass offers you the option to purchase more for an extra fee. And the whole point of the price increase is that ClassPass can hurt small fitness studios, taking away clientele who might otherwise purchase memberships or class packs and handing studios only a small cut of the price of each class. Theoretically, the new pricing will mean studios get a bigger percentage, which might help them survive.
It might seem bourgeois to get upset about something like the cost of fitness classes, and maybe it is. Exercise is, after all, a luxury, or at least that's how it seems. But the fact is, it shouldn't bemany of us work office jobs that keep us stationary all day, and this city is stressful enough as it is without the added toll all that sitting can take on our bodies and minds. Some people are able to suffice with long walks or free runs or super basic gyms boasting nothing but a few treadmills and some weight equipment, and that's just fine.
But not everyone is motivated or experienced enough to rely on bare bones workouts. Some people need the energy of a group workout, or the push of a scheduled session to get up and move. Some people have back or knee injuries that require gentler, more supervised exercise, and some people need equipment that's harder to access, like a pool. Some people need a gym to be literally two blocks away from them or they won't ever go. And some practices, like yoga or Krav Maga, require instructors to ensure that at least beginners are doing things safely and properly. Everybody does their own thing.
Yes, fitness classes are probably a racket. And while it's all well and good to make fun of people for spending $30-a-pop on spin classes, the whole point of ClassPass was to spare subscribers from doing just that.
I joined ClassPass a few months ago, after an unfortunate apartment fire moved me far, far away from my beloved $10/month gym and $68/month yoga studio. For me, the $75-for-5 class deal is sufficient, since I run in Prospect Park and am fine with paying a yoga studio directly for an extra class if I'm feeling ambitious, but back when I had an unlimited yoga membership, I went to class at least three times a week. Before I started practicing yoga I thought the whole thing was a total scam, but it helped me get through some rough personal stuff, and I drank the Kool Aid hard. Maybe it's a dumb thing, but it's a dumb thing that saved me.
Individual classes at a lot of studios can run upwards of $18 and class-packs can cost upwards of $130. Pay-as-you-wish studios like Yoga to the People are typically cramped and miserable, which kind of defeats a lot of the point of yoga. A year-long membership at a studio can be much cheaper, but if you're unceremoniously ousted from your neighborhood and find that your old studio is now both an hour away from your home and office, the cost isn't really worth it.
I'm getting a little too personal here, but the point is, when exercise is something you love and has a significant positive effect on your physical and mental health, it can become cost-prohibitive. This isn't necessarily the fault of a studio or individual gymrent here is horrific, teachers need to get paid, and a lot of studios hardly eke out a profit. Something like ClassPass doesn't help with that much, but either way, a lot of people who could use access to exercise classes are denied it because it's so expensive.
It's not just exercise that's problematictherapists and other mental health professionals are often out-of-reach for people who need them. If you're lucky enough to have health insurance, it's hard to find a therapist who's covered, and even then you might be spending $60-a-week on a session. Paying someone to listen to your problems might sound like a needless luxury for the overprivileged, but that's basically like saying that only the wealthy should be happy. Though maybe in this city, that's just the deal.
The director of the city Board of Elections apologized for voter registration and Primary Day polling place problems on Tuesday at a heated meeting of the board's commissioners.
"Despite public opinion presently, at least in the last week or so, we take [public] trust very, very seriously," the BOE's Michael Ryan said, addressing a crowd of several dozen activists, poll workers, and reporters. "And I would like to take this opportunity as the executive director to apologize to the public for any actions that might have been taken by our staff that caused any amount of the public trust in the voter process in New York City to erode."
The meeting was the board's first public accounting of the problems that plagued polling sites on Primary Day, the Tuesday prior, some of which were linked to voter roll purges that seemed to particularly affect Brooklyn. In that borough, 126,000 registered voters were removed from active status between November of last year and this April (a commissioner said that this was a figure counting the total voters removed, not just Democrats, as WNYC first reported).
Would-be voters have reported having their party affiliations changed or their registrations erased in all the boroughs except, to our awareness, Staten Island. Ryan said that he was not "proud" of the Brooklyn database issues. His apology was a stark shift in tone from an interview he gave the day after the primary, during which he insisted, "No one was disenfranchised."
So far, fallout for the registration irregularities has extended only to Diane Haslett-Rudiano, a Republican clerk who is one of two party representatives running the Brooklyn BOE office. She has been suspended without pay pending an internal investigation. Ryan told the audience that the preliminary findings tie some of the Brooklyn irregularities to a series of mailings sent out in May and July of last year as part of a long-term effort to clear the board's rolls of dead, moved, and otherwise officially disenfranchised voters. A series of mailers was supposed to first assess whether someone lived at an address, then if no response was received, to let the occupants at that address know of the board's intent to cancel the registration.
"At the very least, it appears that the first step, in terms of the [notice confirming people's addresses] may not have happened," Ryan said. "However, it is my understanding that the intent-to-cancel notice went out."
Ryan acknowledged that the screw-up is far from fully explained. He said that the updates to Brooklyn's voter list were supposed to be sent to the state in Novembershocker: the state Board of Elections does not have a centralized database that updates from the county boards in real timebut the changes did not appear in the state's system until April.
In light of the many reported problems, Ryan said that the board is taking another look at the purged entries, and cooperating with the attorney general investigation into the purges. The board is also adding an extra layer of review to the provisional votes cast that have yet to be counted.
And there are a lot of those.
Affidavit ballots are what poll workers are supposed to give voters when they can't be found on the relevant voter list. On the ballots, voters swear they are who they say they are and explain where they live and what party they believe they should be a member of, and cast a vote, which commissioners are supposed to consider the validity of after the polls close. In this year's primary, a BOE spokeswoman disclosed, 121,058 affidavit ballots were cast, including 37,214 in Brooklyn. For perspective, that's nearly five times the 26,242 counted in the last contested Democratic presidential primary in 2008, and more than a tenth as much as the 1,032,796 ballots counted already in the city.
Based on the ballots currently counted, Hillary Clinton won the state's Democratic primary by about 290,000 votes, whereas Donald Trump trounced his opponents, with 528,792 of 874,572 Republican votes counted.
Nisi Jacobs was one of a group of Bernie Sanders supporters who railed against the BOE's handling of voter rolls and called for an independent inquiry. (Nathan Tempey/Gothamist)
Ryan said that the number of affidavit ballots is "not unusual" for a high-interest primary, but from the available data, it seems to be. He called the Brooklyn irregularities "unfortunate and regrettable," but said that of those affidavits that have been reviewed so far, "there is a healthy mix of potential real problems as well as, we're finding a chunk of voters that did not necessarily understand the closed primary process in New York."
At commissioner meetings in the weeks leading up to the presidential primary, Ryan and the commissioners anticipated confusion at the polls due to new voters unfamiliar with New York's restrictive closed-primary system, and approved ordering a higher-than-usual number of affidavit ballots. New voter registrations seemed to surge towards the end: at a March 29th meeting, a commissioner reported having received 5,000 new registrations all at once from the city Campaign Finance Board ahead of the deadline, and at an April 12th meeting, the commissioners voted to allow in 623 new registrations that had been set aside in a bin by the postal service.
The commissioners seem not to have seen the data storm clouds looming, though, and even after widespread reports of changed affiliations and missing names on Primary Day, they were slow to acknowledge anything amiss.
In reviewing the affidavit ballots, Ryan said that the board will pull not just the voter's latest record, but all of his or her voting and registration history, in an attempt to reconstruct what's happened to the registration. The process would not include voters whose new registrations were not for whatever reason logged, such as Natalie Keyssar, a Brooklyn photojournalist who mailed her form ahead of the March deadline but was told by a BOE worker that the office had been receiving 2,000 forms a day and hers likely wasn't processed.
"We have to protect the rights of those voters that cast a vote, and we also have to do what is required to restore the confidence of the public at large in the voting process in New York City," Ryan said, adding, "There is no intent on evasion or lack of specific information, but we are intent on laser-focused attention to making sure that the voters that cast their votes via affidavit on Election Day are in fact counted."
Members of the public on hand for Ryan's presentation, including good-government advocates, poll workers, and Bernie Sanders supporters, were not happy with his explanations, and demanded a public accounting of the review process, a reversal of the purges, and reforms to poll worker hiring, among other things (a lone Brooklyn Republican operative also called for the commissioners to reinstate Haslett-Rudiano or resign).
"We want all the affidavits to be counted," said Nisi Jacobs, a Tribeca resident and Sanders backer. "It's a matter of life or death for future generations, frankly."
(Christian Hansen / Gothamist)
Poll monitors from Flushing, Central Brooklyn, and Chinatown reported names missing from voter lists, as well as missing ballots, erroneous instructions, failure to provide affidavit ballots, and other problems. Jerry Vattamalla, a staff attorney for the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, recounted correcting misinformation about people's eligibility to vote in the special election to fill the seat of felonious former Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver in Chinatown.
"I really shudder to think about all the voters we didn't contact," he said.
Diana Finch, a poll worker in the Bronx's Allerton neighborhood, said that of 168 Democrats who voted at her table, 27 had to cast affidavit ballots. Approximately a dozen Republicans voted, all normally, she said.
Experts attribute the problems with the primary, and New York's longstanding low voter turnout rate, to the state's byzantine election laws, which perpetuate its closed primary system and give control of the county and state election boards to local Democratic and Republican Party appointees, rather than people good at managing large data sets and complex logistics.
"The real solution here is automatic voter registration," said Susan Lerner, director of the group Common Cause NY, which led a coalition observing and commenting on the primary. "There are things that can be done to clean up the voter rolls in a more reliable way. Clearly something went terribly awry when we've got people who lived in the same place for 50 years, 20 years, 10 years, voting every election, and they get to the polling places and their names are not in the books."
The purges, in a tragic turn, constitute one of the few publicized efforts the board has made to comply with the recommendations of a scathing 2013 Department of Investigation report, which called out the BOE for failing to un-list dead people and safeguard against fraud, as well as rampant nepotism and patronage.
"They tried to clean up the rolls, but the problem is they've kind of run from one extreme to the other," Lerner said. "And the challenge is helping them fully professionalize."
Last June, League of Women Voters board member Kate Doran noted, BOE commissioners voted down a proposal to publicize job announcements for senior-level positions, thus introducing the possibility of hiring outside the party machines. Bills that would expand voter access, meanwhile, routinely pass the Democrat-controlled Assembly, "and they go nowhere in the Senate," which is controlled by Republicans.
Mayor Bill de Blasio this week offered the BOE $20 million, contingent on it allowing in outside consultants to review its structural failings, hire and retrain poll workers, and hire professional record-keepers. Lerner called the proposal "a step in the right direction." Ryan said he and the commissioners have not had a chance to look at the proposal in detail and are "reserving judgment."
A BOE spokeswoman said she could not provide lists of qualifications for clerks running the borough offices. Albert Brinmore-Britton, the Kings County GOP member calling for ousted clerk Diane Haslett-Rudiano's reinstatement, said that her "competence and work experience" made her fit for the job. Asked which work experience he meant, Brinmore-Britton said that she had been chief of staff to an Assemblymember, though he wasn't sure which one, and "she had computer, technology experience."
Ryan said that members of the public could watch the affidavit counting process at the borough BOE offices, starting this morning at 10 a.m. To find your local office, click here.
A Japanese art dealer was arrested at an Upper East Side hotel last month for a highly-specific crimeback in 1982, he purchased a stolen second-century Buddhist sculpture with a market value of $1.1 million. Manhattan D.A. Cy Vance's office and Homeland Security teamed up to seize the carved 440-pound artifact, and today Vance announced its return to Pakistanwhere it had been lifted from an archeological dig siteunder the approving gaze of Pakistani ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh.
"This sculpture and others like it are so much more than commercial propertythey represent ancient pieces of history and culture that should be celebrated and vigorously protected," said Vance in a statement.
Tatsuzo Kaku, a 70-year-old art and ancient artifacts dealer from Tokyo, was arrested on March 14th at the Mark Hotel on East 77th Street, according to the Post. He had apparently just agreed to ship the sculpture to the States to be sold at the Maitreya Inc. Gallery on East 75th Street, as part of Asia Week New York.
According to the DA's office, objects like the Buddhapada sculpture are protected under Pakistani law as "cultural property." This particular piece is from the Swat region of Pakistan, and depicts "footprints of the Buddha"symbolic reminders that Buddha once walked the earth.
Kaku pleaded guilty to criminal possession of stolen property on March 24th. According to the NY Times, Asia Week New York is actually a gold mine for stolen artifactsdaily raids at this year's event turned up a handful of artifacts, all of which were looted from overseas. And those were just a drop in the bucket for Operation Hidden Idol, which has recovered more than 2,600 items over the last nine years.
Rooftop Films, which has been championing interesting outdoor cinema since 1996, just announced the lineup for its 20th season, which will start in just a few weeks. This year, the series will screen over 50 movies, and, as part of its 20th anniversary celebration, will include retrospectives such as "Best of New York Non-Fiction" and "Best Of New York Shorts." Films will screen at over 13 venues across the city, and there will also be film installations at the Storm King Art Center in New Windsor, NY.
The series kicks off on Wednesday, May 18th at Industry City in Sunset Park with a sneak peek screening of Weiner, which opens on May 20th. The documentary, which released a promising trailer earlier this week, will take viewers inside Anthony Weiner's scandal-rife 2013 mayoral campaign. Doors open at 8 p.m., and early birds will be treated to live music before the film screens at 9 p.m. A Q&A with the filmmakers will follow the screening.
Then, on Friday, May 20th at the Bushwick Generator, Rooftop Films will celebrate its 20th anniversary by screening 10 short films in an evening titled "This Is What We Mean by Short Films." That includes four films by Steve CollinsThe Position, Avant Garde, Thunder P., and Dr. Meertzas well as Stations by Robby Hyduk; METUBE 2 - August Sings Carmina Burana by Daniel Moshel; Temporary Color by John Wilson; Mining Poems or Odes by Callum Rice; AN ECSTATIC EXPERIENCE by Ja'Tovia Gary; and Bad at Dancing by Joanna Arnow. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. for a reception with live music, and the films will screen at 9 p.m., followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers.
Tickets for those opening screenings are currently available for pre-sale only to Rooftop Films members, but will be available to the public online on Thursday, May 5th. Here's the rest of the lineup, with dates and more films to be announced soon:
The Bandit (Jesse Moss)
Burt Reynolds and Hal Needham recount the strange, wild making of Smokey and the Bandit.
Cameraperson (Kirsten Johnson)
Cinematographer Kirsten Johnsons deeply poetic memoir, culled from footage shot for other films.
Danny Brown Concert Documentary (Title TBA) (Andrew Cohn)
An intimate, behind-the-scenes adventure with Detroit rapper Danny Brown during a hometown show.
Don Juan (Jerzy Sladkowski)
A 4-sided love triangle, complete with autism & neuroses in the Russian city Nizhny Novgorod.
Goodnight Brooklyn - The Story of Death by Audio (Matthew Conboy)
The origins, influence and ultimate closure of one of Brooklyn's best DIY music venues.
In Pursuit of Silence (Patrick Shen)
A contemplative meditation that explores our relationship with silence, sound, and the impact of noise on our lives. The film will be presented as a special silent screening, with the audience listening to the film on headphones.
Life, Animated (Roger Ross Williams)
A young man with autism discovers a way to make sense of world via classic Disney animated films.
Los Punks: We Are All We Have (Angela Boatwright)
All thrash, noise, and pits; meet the fans and bands of the thriving backyard punk scene in LA.
The Music of Strangers: Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (Morgan Neville)
The extraordinary story of the renowned international musical collective which was created by famed cellist, Yo-Yo Ma.
Tickled (David Farrier & Dylan Reeve)
The shadowy world of competitive tickling is exposed in this stranger than fiction tale.
Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru (Joe Berlinger)
Go behind the scenes of renowned life and business strategist Tony Robbins in a revelatory cinema verite by renowned director Joe Berlinger.
Donald Cried (Kris Avedisian)
Stranded in his hometown, a favor from Peters old friend becomes a long van ride into the past.
The Fits (Anna Rose Holmer)
A tomboy's desire for a dance team's acceptance warps when its members fall prey to mysterious spasms.
Hunt For the Wilder People (Taika Waititi)
Raised on hip-hop and foster care, a defiant city kid starts fresh in the New Zealand countryside.
Hunter Gatherer (Josh Locy)
A darkly comic tale of unlikely friendship with an indelible central performance by Andre Royo.
In the Treetops (Matthew Brown)
Driving all night, packed in a car, 5 high school friends avoid their final destination: home.
Jacqueline, Argentine (Bernardo Britto)
A playfully mysterious whistle-blower comedy from Film Fund Grantee Bernardo Britto.
White Girl (Elizabeth Wood)
A NYC college girl goes to wild extremes to get back her drug dealer boyfriend.
A Queens woman kept 55 cats, 12 dogs, and 2 turtles in a feces- and fur-filled home, the Queens District Attorney's office announced yesterdaybut her lawyer insists she wasn't hoarding and that she had rescued the animals off the street, in order to nurse them back to health.
According to the DA, the unsanitary menagerie was only discovered when a police officer stopped by the Jackson Heights home to visit Elizabeth Grant's mother, who'd been the victim of an unrelated crime. No one answered the door when the officer knocked, but it was unlocked, and the officer opened it to see dozens of animals, many emaciated, in a filthy home with a peeling and rotting ceiling, according to the DA. Several weeks later, police returned with members of the ASPCA, who rescued the 69 animals and identified Grant, 48, as their owner.
Nearly all of the animals appeared emaciated, the DA said, and many were suffering from dental diseases, ear mites, and respiratory infections. Only two of the animals, both cats, were in good health. A number of the animals were allegedly missing patches of fur, and one cat wasn't able to walk. One dog, named Bond, was covered with excrement, had a kidney infection, and had lost several rotted teeth, according to the DA. Another, named Dorothy, was allegedly so afflicted with kidney, liver, and digestive diseases that she had to be put down.
"The smell of ammonia was so overwhelming, animal rescue workers had to wear respirators to breathe, as well as protective clothing when entering the premises," DA Richard Brown said.
The DA charged Grant with aggravated cruelty to animals; overdriving, torturing, and injuring animals; and failure to provide sustenance. But Grant isn't taking the charges lying down: she is in turn suing Brown, the NYPD, and the ASPCA, arguing that they deprived her of her constitutional right to petition the government for the return of her animals.
According to her lawyer, "The Dog Lawyer" Richard Rosenthal, Grant wasn't mistreating the animals, but rather was taking them in off the street and attempting to nurse them back to health. Rosenthal said that she began doing so around last February, after the death of her father.
"In order to deal with her grief she became more focused on trying to save lives," Rosenthal said. "The DA by this prosecution is sending a horrible message of basically saying if you see an animal on the street in distress, keep walking, because if you stop and feed it or try and take care of it we're gonna arrest you for a felony for whatever happened before you ever met the animal."
According to the Daily News, Grant and her 75-year-old mother shared a room in their three-bedroom home to give the animals more space, and spent $350 each week feeding them.
"All I was doing was helping the community, taking care of sick and abandoned animals," Grant told the tabloid. "No one was unhealthy. Everyone was taken care of."
An ASPCA spokesperson said that "the ASPCA provided full medical and daily care for all of the animals seized from Elizabeth Grant. Our concern is with their continued health and well-being, which is why the ASPCA is dedicated to providing any care necessary for as long as they need it."
Grant faces up to two years in prison if convicted, according to the DA. She'll return to court on May 10th.
SEATTLE The heartbreak of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is being turned into hope, as parents who have lost babies to the medical mystery are helping to fund a new research study to be launched by a Seattle doctor who hopes he is close to a cure.
Dr. Daniel Rubens, an anesthesiologist at Seattle Childrens hospital, has partnered with The Lullaby Trust in the United Kingdom and pediatrician Dr. Peter Fleming of Bristol University to conduct the Oto-Acoustics Signals in SIDS, or OASIS study. The two-year study will launch in May.
The hypothesis: That an inner-ear defect puts babies at risk of SIDS, since it dulls the impulse for a baby to automatically rouse and reposition itself when it is having trouble breathing. That lack of oxygen, Rubens believes, causes a buildup of carbon dioxide in the body, and the baby suffocates.
Its difficult because nobody really knows what this baby is doing 10 minutes before he or she dies, Rubens said. Its like a car crash.
Partnering with researchers in the U.K. will give Rubens access to data from the standardized hearing test administered to all babies born there. That data will be compared to death records from babies who have been classified as having died from SIDS.
Were going to see what the difference is between these babies and those who dont have a SIDS problem, Rubens said.
The United States doesnt have a standardized hearing test for babies; practices vary state to state.
The OASIS study is being funded, in part, by money that poured into Rubens SIDS Research Guild after a column I wrote about him last year received international attention. Much of it was from parents who had lost children. He also received support from the Fred H. and Mary S. Dore Charitable Foundation, formed by the well-known political couple who lost a daughter to SIDS.
SIDS is the leading cause of death in infants 1 to 12 months old, and about 2,000 babies born in the United States die each year from SIDS, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.
It totally motivates me, Rubens said, when youre talking to a parent on the phone and they tell you what theyre going through, and they really want to help.
They really want an answer, and it sparks them to become strong supporters now.
Rubens, 53, has been researching SIDS since 2007. His work is fueled, in part, by his love for his daughter, Hannah, 17, a student at Ballard High School, and by his work putting babies under anesthesia.
I am very drawn to this, he said. I look after babies when they are asleep and when I hear about a SIDS death, I wonder, Why did that happen?
I feel a very strong pull to understand, to really get it, to figure out what is happening to these babies, he continued, to do the research and demonstrate that this is correct so we can do something about it.
Its slow steps, he said with a sigh. And part of me gets very impatient.
Rubens and Fleming are partnering to review the death records of babies who have been classified as having died of SIDS and compare them with newborn hearing tests of control babies born during the course of the study.
Rubens will also partner with Dr. Marta Cohen, a pediatric pathologist at Sheffield Childrens hospital in the U.K. to review CT and MRI imaging of the inner ears of infants who die unexpectedly.
And at the Seattle Childrens Research Institute, Rubens will continue his work with Dr. Nino Ramirez to study inner-ear and vestibular system dysfunction in animal models.
The goal of the study is to develop a standardized hearing test for infants born in the United States that would identify babies at high risk for SIDS.
This is tricky, Rubens said of developing a test, so we need to do it properly and slowly and carefully.
Youve got to doggedly stick with it, carefully, and it will come in time.
Pets are an important part of many families and we want to take good care of them. April is Pet First Aid Awareness Month, a perfect time to brush up on our skills to ensure our furry family members get the care they need, especially during emergencies.
Do you know what to do during a pet emergency? Here are some common emergency tips:
DEHYDRATION To determine if your cat or dog is dehydrated, pull up on the skin between the shoulder blades. It should spring right back; if the skin stays tented, your pet is probably dehydrated. Make sure your pet always has plenty of fresh water available, in a clean bowl.
POISONING Signs of pet poisoning include bleeding externally or internally, dilated pupils, drooling or foaming at the mouth, seizures or other abnormal mental state or behavior. If you think that your animal is ill or may have swallowed a poisonous substance, contact your veterinarian immediately.
SEIZURES If your pet has a seizure, make sure it is in a safe place, but do not restrain the animal. Keep your hands away from its mouth as your pet may not know who you are during a seizure and could bite you.
HEAT STROKE Signs of heat stroke or heat exhaustion include collapse; body temperature of 104 degrees F or above; bloody diarrhea or vomiting; wobbliness; excessive panting or difficulty breathing; increase heart rate; mucous membranes very red; and increased salivation. If you suspect heat stroke, take your pets temperature rectally. If the temperature is above 105 degrees Fahrenheit, quickly cool your animal down, before heading to your veterinarian. The easiest way to do this is by using a water hose. Stop cooling your pet when the temperature reaches 103 degrees. Heat stoke can lead to severe organ damage, so rush your pet to your veterinarian immediately after cooling your animal down.
BITES Pets bitten by other animals need vet immediate attention to prevent an even minor wound from becoming infected and to check for internal wounds. Never break up a dogfight yourself because you could be bitten.
BLEEDING WOUNDS If your pet is bleeding, apply direct pressure using gauze over the bleeding site. If blood soaks through, apply more gauze (do not removed soaked gauze) until you can reach a veterinary hospital.
Download the free pet first aid app
You can find more lifesaving information in the free Red Cross Pet First Aid App. The app helps dog and cat owners provide emergency care until veterinary assistance is available. It includes step-by-step instructions, videos and images for more than 25 common first aid emergencies. You can download the app at the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross or by going to redcross.org/mobileapps.
You can also take a pet first aid course to practice your pet first aid skills and get feedback. For more information on Red Cross Pet First Aid classes, go to redcross.org/takeaclass.
Anna Fernandez-Gevaert is the regional communications director for the American Red Cross of Idaho and Montana. She can be reached anna.fernandezgevaert@redcross.org.
Every year since 1958, the nation has marked Law Day on May 1. Law Day provides an opportunity for us to commemorate our national ideals of liberty, justice and equality under the law and affords us an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to those great principles.
The American Bar Association has designated the theme of this Law Day as Miranda: More than Words to mark the 50th anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Miranda v. Arizona. In Miranda, the court held that law enforcement personnel must advise a suspect of his or her rights in order to use statements made during a custodial interrogation in a later criminal proceeding. As a result of this case, police developed the Miranda warning, which lets people questioned by police know of their constitutional rights to refrain from speaking to police and to consult an attorney.
The Miranda warning has become so ingrained in our popular culture and consciousness that many of us know all or some of its words, starting with, You have the right to remain silent. Yet, as the ABA Law Day theme implies, there is much more to Miranda than the words of the warning; it has become a living symbol of the importance of procedural fairness and equal justice under the law in our criminal justice system. Unfortunately, as a nation, many challenges still remain in effectuating our national pledge of justice for all, including dealing with racial disparities in the justice system, disproportionate sentencing and inadequately funded public-defense systems. We can and must do better; the Constitution and our cherished national principles demand it.
This Law Day, let us reflect on the importance of our constitutional rights, promote public awareness and understanding of those rights and commit ourselves to the work that remains to be done in ensuring that we have a criminal-justice system that is fair for all Americans.
Matt Thiel is president of the State Bar of Montana.
It's not often that we get good news about endangered species. But the unprecedented effort that took place last year in Montana and across the West to conserve the sage grouse stands out as a great example of what we can accomplish when we roll up our sleeves and work together. When the Interior Department announced in September of last year that the sage grouse did not need to be listed under the Endangered Species Act, it showed that we can conserve wildlife while also protecting economic development. Any time that we put this much effort into something, its worth it to follow through and hold the deal together.
One of Gov. Steve Bullocks first acts when he took office was to create the Montana Sage-Grouse Habitat Advisory Council. The council was comprised of representatives from oil and gas, mining and power transmission, agriculture, tribal government, local government, sportsmen and conservationists. The goal was to create a Montana-based program that would help conserve the sage grouse, averting an Endangered Species Act listing. By working together, and focusing on a common goal, Montanans were able to put aside their differences and craft a strategy that has been praised across the country as a model in collaborative conservation.
A major part of the plan developed by the Sage-Grouse Advisory Council was the Sage Grouse Stewardship Act, which created a $10 million sage-grouse habitat protection fund to fund voluntary conservation projects on private land. Private land encompasses 65 percent of Montanas sage grouse habitat, including crucial habitat around water sources. During a contentious legislative session, this bill was markedly different. It was championed by rural legislators and backed by Gov. Bullock, passed with overwhelming majorities in both houses. The bill was a major component of the state plan to ensure continued state management, which is now being implemented by the Montana Sage Grouse Oversight Team, comprised of rural legislators, agency heads and representatives from the governors office.
The federal government also played a big role in protecting the sage grouse, by incorporating conservation measures for the species into resource management plans for lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The plans for the Billings, Hi-Line and Miles City regions outline a comprehensive framework to guide future management decisions for all resource values and program areas, while addressing threats to the sage grouse. The plans focus protections on the areas of highest importance to the species. They will be implemented with input from local working groups and in coordination with the Montana Sage Grouse Oversight Team.
The unparalleled efforts of ranchers, conservation groups, federal land managers and the state working together is the primary reason why we have kept this iconic bird under state management. The state and federal plans have the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and science, while ensuring the best path forward to achieving abundant populations of the bird and better management of our public lands.
While some still want to find fault with how Montana manages our lands, wildlife, and in particular, the greater sage grouse, the state continues to find innovative and thoughtful ways to achieve economic and regulatory freedom as it relates to the bird. Maintaining state management was only the starting point, however. Now, Montana must follow through with the commitments made to other western states and our partners in the federal government to ensure that we live up to our end of the bargain. Legitimate concerns about the state and federal plans need to be resolved through creative collaboration and compromise, not through political efforts to undo the state and federal plans.
Dan Bricco of Miles City is a retired wildlife biologist, sportsmen and member of the Montana Wildlife Federation.
BUTTE -- Idaho authorities believe Butte native Paul Joyce was unfamiliar with the area and made a wrong turn before the car he was driving plunged into the Dworshak Reservoir in Idaho, where he drowned, authorities said Tuesday.
Joyce, 57, who graduated from Butte High School in 1977 and was a dean at the University of Idaho in Moscow, was found dead in the submerged car around 5:20 p.m. Saturday, the Clearwater County Sheriff's Office said Sunday. The county is in northern Idaho and borders Montana.
In an updated news release issued Tuesday afternoon, the office said Joyce left the High Country Inn near the small town of Ahsahka at about 10:30 p.m. Friday and was going to the Best Western in Orofino to spend the night.
"Mr. Joyce was not familiar with the area and was given directions on how to get to Orofino," the release said.
When he reached an intersection, "he turned left instead of right and was traveling toward the Big Eddy Marina and boat ramp" located on the reservoir, it said.
"The vehicle entered the water by going down the boat ramp," the release said. "The submerged car was first seen at 6:30 a.m. on April 23rd by some fisherman launching at the boat ramp but no one called the sheriff's office until approximately 5:20 p.m."
Sheriff's officials said they still have some follow-up interviews to complete and are awaiting toxicology reports before they are able to complete the investigation.
But an autopsy was completed on Monday and the preliminary cause of death was drowning, they said.
Joyce joined the University of Idaho faculty in 1991 and was appointed dean of the College of Science in 2013.
He lived in Moscow, Idaho. His siblings include Eileen Joyce, who is the county attorney in Butte-Silver Bow.
DECATUR Chapin Rose walked up to a table in the lunchroom at Evergreen Place Supportive Living on Tuesday and shook hands with resident Betty Hall.
"You need to lose some weight," Hall told Rose, the state senator from the 51st District.
Rose smiled at Hall and said, "I'm working on it."
Rose has been working on a lot lately as part of the Illinois General Assembly as it tries to end a 2016 budget impasse that is 10 months past the deadline. With the legislature in session, plus a slew of college students and administrators in Springfield trying to get MAP grants and other funds released to universities on April 13, Rose missed a meeting with seven people from Evergreen who were there with the Affordable Assisted Living Coalition.
Evergreen Community Relations Coordinator Dana Sharp, Life Enrichment Director Pam Workman and five residents waited 45 minutes, but Rose never showed.
Sharp said they were disappointed, but understood a senator's time is limited. She was surprised when Rose's chief of staff Landon Stenger called Evergreen the next day and set up a visit.
"Session days are crazy whatever schedule you had the night before is changed by 8:15," Rose said. "To me, the most important people in Springfield are the ones who come from back home to visit, so I try to see them. But with the schedule being so hectic, you invariably miss somebody.
"The thing is, even if we had met, it would have been difficult for it to be a quality conversation because you're getting pulled away for a committee hearing or a budget meeting. So when I'm out of session, I enjoy coming to the locations, walking around, meeting people and getting to spend more time with them."
Rose apologized to Sharp and Workman for missing them in Springfield as he walked in Evergreen's front door, then made his way around the lunch room shaking hands with residents. Resident Frank Marshall said to Rose, "I hope we get a budget sometime." Rose replied: "You and me both. We made a step in the right direction this week."
When Rose finished shaking hands he addressed the lunch room and spoke of the positive step.
"I don't want to pat myself on the back because we have a long way to go, but last week you saw rank and file members of the State Senate and State House stand up and say, 'Enough's enough. We have to get something done,'" Rose said. "Now, that was a very small bill -- not the complete package. But it did help in the areas of higher education. And what you're starting to see is people starting to cooperate and work together, which is long overdue."
Marshall said he appreciated Rose's visit.
"Some of us still vote and we want to know what's going on," said the 93-year-old Marshall. "He was kind to come here and give us an opportunity to express ourselves. I'm encouraged."
After taking a tour of the facility, Rose spoke with Evergreen Administrative Services Coordinator Andrea Robinson. He asked how Medicaid payments have been going and she told him, "They've sucked. They're eight to nine months behind and we've had to freeze raises."
"But you've been receiving some of the money," Rose said to Robinson, who replied, "No, we haven't received anything."
Rose shook his head and said, "That's why I do these tours.
"We're gaining ground with the human services piece. There has been some coming together and thankfully human services has been brought along in the conversation. We're not there yet, but that conversation behind the scenes is much farther along today than it was three weeks ago."
Rose and Robinson also discussed other issues Evergreen has dealing with the state aid system. Stenger gave Robinson his card and Rose told her to call anytime she needed help.
"The conversation I had with (Robinson) is way more impactful for me as far as finding out what's really going on between the Medicaid system and the facilities than it is talking to lobbyists or having a rushed conversation in Springfield when there are 25 other things going on," Rose said. "But I am sorry that I missed them."
WASHINGTON -- John Kasich, at a campaign stop in Rockville, Md., on Monday, explained why Republican voters aren't buying what he's selling.
"I'm trying to peddle hope," said the Ohio governor. "Hope in the short term doesn't get you a lot of attention, because hope's too positive. Negative is what works."
As if on cue, a man in the back row, enraged that a Fox Business correspondent's live stand-up was distracting him from the candidate's positive words about hope, turned around and bellowed at the press risers: "Shut up!"
If self-righteousness were a state and not just a state of mind, John Kasich would win its primary handily. But there is no such commonwealth. And here in the United States of Anger in 2016, Mr. Nice Guy has struggled to lift off.
"I've got a new plan," Kasich told the few hundred supporters seated in a gymnasium in the Washington suburb. "I'm going to go down to the Kennedy Space Center. I'm going to get in the rocket, have a short flight, land in water, be fetched out of the ocean by a big Navy ship and have a press conference. The only reason I might not do it is they might not pick me up."
If naval rescuers are anything like this year's Republican voters, they might not even notice he splashed down.
Yet hope-filled Kasich somehow remains optimistic about his candidacy, which is why he entered Sunday night into an unorthodox alliance with Ted Cruz to try to force Donald Trump into a contested convention. Under their agreement, Kasich won't contest Indiana, to boost Cruz's chances there, and Cruz won't campaign in New Mexico and Oregon, to assist Kasich.
Kasich seems to think it isn't too late. He gamely declared Monday that of the 10 times Republicans have had open conventions, the front-runner has been rejected seven times. What Kasich didn't note: This hasn't happened in 76 years.
An hour before Kasich took the stage, Trump was doing what he does best: insulting people. He called Cruz a "pain in the ass" and Kasich a stubborn child who has "disgusting" eating habits. He accused the two of them of "colluding" -- and said that's illegal in business.
But in politics, alliances aren't illegal -- they're essential. The only outrage about the anti-Trump alliance is that one didn't happen sooner, when it could have done some good. Had the candidates ganged up on Trump months ago, they surely could have beaten the bully.
Now the Kasich-Cruz alliance looks to be a few months late and a few million votes short, even as more Republicans come to terms with the horror of Trump as the nominee. The conservative billionaire Charles Koch, who was largely silent during the primaries, just said, "I don't know how we could support" Trump. In an interview with ABC's Jon Karl, Koch called Trump's call to register all Muslims "reminiscent of Nazi Germany," and he called it "frightening" that Cruz's talk of carpet-bombing the Middle East would appeal to Americans. Koch even said it's "possible" he would support Clinton over the Republican nominee.
Kasich at times already seems to be talking about his candidacy as if it were in the past. I am a fundamental believer in ideas, he told The Washington Post's editorial board last week. And frankly, my Republican Party doesn't like ideas.
In the Rockville gym, one of Kasich's fans carried a hand-lettered sign: Don't be so angry. You can't think straight. Vote Kasich. That message may make sense in the wealthy Washington suburbs, where many work for the federal government. Connie Morella, a moderate Republican who once represented the area in Congress, introduced Kasich with a lengthy treatment of his legislative bona fides, and Kasich spoke about doubling medical research spending, fighting man-made climate change and opposing the absurd idea of deporting 11 million illegal immigrants.
Everything you say -- it resonates, a woman told Kasich during the Q&A. So why, she asked, is the rest of the U.S. not picking up on that?
At the end of the day, Kasich replied, people don't want to live ... in tension, negativity, conflict. As evidence, he pointed to a new poll in New Hampshire showing that Republicans who voted in that state's primary would now favor Kasich over Trump at a contested convention, 26 percent to 22 percent.
Alas, Trump already won the New Hampshire primary. And buyer's remorse isn't going to get Kasich the nomination.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)
Today
Scattered thunderstorms in the morning, then cloudy skies late. High 91F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%..
Tonight
Rain showers early with mostly clear conditions later at night. Low 56F. SW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Hayk Minasyan, an Artsakh Defense Army soldier, was killed sometime last night by intensive Azerbaijani shelling, this according to the Artsakh Ministry of Defense.
The ministry reports that Azerbaijan intensified its shelling along the entire Line of Contact yesterday and last night, using practically all types of artillery weaponry at its disposal.
The ministry states that Martakert, Nerkin Horatagh, and other residential areas were targeted.
Units of the Artsakh Defense Army are said to have returned fire, thus suppressing the Azerbaijani shelling.
The ministry reports that the current situation along the Line of Contact is relatively quiet.
Armenian Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan left for Russia today to attend the 5th Moscow Conference on International Security.
Upon arriving, Ohanyan met with Iranian Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Hossein Dehghani.
The two discussed the recent fighting along the Artsakh-Azerbaijan border, noting that the results of the fighting once again prove that there can be no military solution to the Karabakh conflict.
State Debate: Voter ID debate far from over, Scot Ross says; Chancellor Blank opposes Ray Cross no confidence vote
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Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less.
A Reedsburg man who brought a teenage girl from Tennessee last year to work as a prostitute was sentenced Tuesday in federal court to 10 years in prison for transporting an individual to engage in commercial sex.
U.S. District Judge James Peterson imposed the statutory maximum sentence on Alexander Kluball, 25, for committing a horrible crime against a vulnerable child in a calculated way.
According to court records, Kluball had been unable to solicit girls to work as prostitutes through Facebook messages until a girl responded to his friend request. The girl had been in a foster home but ran away and was living with some men, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger.
Weeks later, she posted a suicide threat on her Facebook page and Kluball quickly responded saying she could make money in Wisconsin. Within a day of her agreeing, Kluball drove her to Reedsburg, photographed her and posted ads about her on a sex-for-sale website.
She had sex at least eight times last July with persons responding to Kluballs postings, according to court documents.
She was having sex with strangers and giving (Kluball) the money. She had never done that before, Pfluger told District Judge James Peterson.
The girl told authorities that Kluball would take 50 percent of her earnings if she had sex with him, and 60 percent if she did not, Pfluger said.
Disgusted with how Kluball treated her, the girl stayed with one customer, refusing to return to Reedsburg with Kluball, Pfluger said.
Worried he could be prosecuted for transporting a minor across state lines, Kluball called the girl's mother to find out whether she was 17 or 18 years old. After learning she was 17, Kluball called Reedsburg police saying he had kicked her out of his residence because she was smoking too much weed, Pfluger said.
The girl left Reedsburg with another customer and was turned over to Rock County authorities before returning to Tennessee, Pfluger said.
Local and federal law enforcement began investigating Kluball and searched his Reedsburg apartment in September. He was indicted in October and pleaded guilty to the charges in January.
Kluballs attorney sought a five-year prison sentence, saying his client has endured four sexual assaults, 12 psychiatric hospitalizations, six suicide attempts and was threatened by the person who killed Weston High School Principal John Klang in 2006.
The shooter (Eric Hainstock) pointed a gun in Kluballs face before moving to the next room the main office and killing the principal, stated Kluballs attorney Peter Moyers in a letter to the court.
Peterson rejected Moyers request to factor in Kluballs mental health issues and traumatic past in lessening his personal responsibility for the crime.
There are people who love him but even to those who do hes been abusive and manipulative, Peterson said.
Kluballs mean and deviant tendencies and fascination with guns make him a risk to himself and the public and drives the need for a lengthy prison sentence, Peterson said.
The prison sentence is to be followed by 20 years on supervised release.
A Tennessee man who stole a car from a Wisconsin Dells home before setting its garage on fire in the summer of 2013 will serve three years in prison.
During a sentencing hearing Tuesday in Sauk County Circuit Court, the attorney for 36-year-old arsonist Kenneth Ray Perkey described a man who was tortured by abuse as a child and a life-altering drug addiction as an adult.
The prosecution explained how one familys security has been shaken in the wake of the July 23, 2013, incident, in which their home was set ablaze while they were on vacation.
Id like to apologize to the victims for what Ive done to them, Perkey said in a soft southern accent. It wasnt intended to hurt anyone. It was a stupid mistake, being high, being scared and trying to get home, and Id like to apologize for my actions.
He wore an orange jumpsuit and swayed back and forth in a spinning chair throughout Tuesdays proceedings as he sat next to his attorney, Baraboo public defender Puck Tsai.
Tsai described the context of the bizarre incident that took place nearly three years ago along Trout Road in Wisconsin Dells.
Perkey is the son of an abusive father, he said, and escaped a troubled family life to become a productive, employed member of society after he graduated high school. He later fell 7 feet during a work accident and had three major surgeries before he turned 24.
Perkey must have surgery every few years to remove scar tissue that builds up around his internal organs, his attorney said.
The pain from that injury eventually took him down the path of addiction, first to prescription medication and later to harder street drugs. He lost his job, his wife and his family because of his drug addiction, Tsai said.
But as Perkey continued to work in construction, and later at an oil field in North Dakota, he was unable to get treatment for his addiction, and resorted to self-medication.
On July 23, 2013, Perkey was on an Amtrack train, trying to make his way home to visit his mother when security staff awoke him and kicked him off in Wisconsin Dells for allegedly stealing items from other riders. He didnt know where he was, and was high on drugs, Tsai said.
Authorities say Perkey stole a 2004 Toyota Prius from the home of Shirley and John Tollaksen, then lit the garage on fire before driving off. the Lafayette Police Department found the vehicle fully engulfed in flames in Indiana around 4:30 a.m. the next day.
Local investigators obtained Perkeys cell phone number from his Amtrack ticket purchase, and then determined the devices path following his removal from the train using mobile tower pings. They were able to match that data to the route of the stolen vehicle. The State Fire Marshalls Office determined that the garage fire was set intentionally.
Shirley Tollaksen told the judge Tuesday the incident profoundly changed her family, and has impacted their sense of security. They have lost memorabilia, and spent two years dealing with insurance companies following the fire.
She said she often wonders whether Perkey might have done the same thing if there were children inside the home.
It is not our desire to seek vengeance, but we seek the judge to take into account the full impact of Mr. Perkeys actions and realize that he did far more than destroy a structure, she said in court Tuesday.
Sauk County Assistant District Attorney Dennis Ryan said Perkeys actions could have led to a much worse outcome. An off-duty firefighter who happened upon the blaze ran inside to check if anyone was inside, he said, and could have been seriously injured if he didnt get out quickly enough.
Ryan lobbied against the judge granting Perkey access to prison programs that could result in a shortened prison sentence.
Sauk County Circuit Court Judge Michael Screnock denied Perkey entrance to a program that provides select inmates with focused training to help them return to the community. But he granted Perkeys participation in a substance abuse counseling program.
Perkey pleaded no contest to felony arson, and was sentenced to three years in prison with four years of community supervision to follow. A charge of felony car theft was dismissed. He was credited with nearly a year of time already served.
Perkey also must pay $1,763 in restitution, the Tollaksens insurance deductible. If he gains employment in prison, 25 percent of his earnings will be deducted toward that payment.
TOWN OF RANDOLPH A high, rickety wooden bridge a landmark to some Columbia County residents, and a hazard to many will soon be no more.
Barricades will go up on Columbia County Highway M in the next few days, blocking off traffic from Highway E to about a mile south of the Columbia-Green Lake county line, in the town of Randolph in northeastern Columbia County.
Early next week, a construction crew will start taking apart the 106-year-old span, plank by plank, in preparation to replace it with a concrete bridge a job thats expected to take until October or November.
Columbia County Highway Commissioner Chris Hardy said there will be no posted detour, although the few people who regularly drive in that area will be able to use town roads.
Most of the local traffic is already gone, because of the posting on the bridge, Hardy said.
The bridge is posted with a speed limit of 5 mph and a weight limit of 5 tons. But the rotting, splintered planks groan even when a person walks on the bridge, and the metal bolts holding the planks in place stick up.
It has long been a goal of Hardy and his predecessor, retired Highway Commissioner Tom Lorfeld, to get the Highway M bridge replaced.
Its one of three wooden bridges, built around 1910, that go over Union Pacific railroad tracks in the vicinity. The others are on Inglehart and Sterk Roads, and theyre about the same vintage, with similar speed and weight limits.
The Highway M bridge has its own entry on uglybridges.com a wood stringer/multi-beam or girder structure 238.5 feet long and standing about 33.5 feet above the Union Pacific tracks, which run along the bottom of a gully.
Lunda Construction Co., with corporate offices in Black River Falls, was recently awarded the contract to build the new bridge, at a cost of about $1.5 million.
Eighty percent of the money for the project will come from the federal government, with the Union Pacific Railroad paying most of Columbia Countys 20 percent share.
Hardy said the countys only costs have been for 5 percent of the design cost and for the acquisition of easements for the project. No homes or farms had to be acquired outright, he said.
Before the project could proceed, Highway Department workers examined last autumn the areas around and under the bridge to ascertain that the bridge is not a habitat for a threatened species, the northern long-eared bat.
Once the road is blocked, Hardy said, the first job is to take apart the existing bridges wooden rails and deck.
Hardy said hes had one inquiry from someone expressing interest in acquiring the wood from the old bridge, and he referred that inquiry to Lunda, which will own the salvaged materials.
The new bridge will not only be sturdier, Hardy said, but also will be about 5 to 6 feet lower on the south side.
Highway M on both ends of the bridge is also getting a makeover this fall, as county crews pulverize and rebuild the road from Highway E to the county line.
As for the other two wooden bridges on Sterk and Inglehart roads, theyll stay where they are for the foreseeable future.
Those bridges are located on town-owned roads, but the bridges themselves are owned by the railroad. For the federal government to pay a portion of the cost of replacing the bridges, a public body would have to take possession of the bridges something that the Columbia County Board of Supervisors did in November 2013, when they declared, by a non-unanimous vote, that Columbia County owns the Highway M bridge.
Town of Scott officials came to the Columbia County Highway Safety Commissions most recent quarterly meeting in February, to ask for help keeping heavy vehicles such as grain trucks, milk trucks and semi-tractor-trailers off the Inglehart Road bridge which, like the Highway M bridge, has a 5-ton weight limit.
Since then, the Wisconsin State Patrol has been on the lookout for overweight vehicles on the bridge, but has not reported seeing any, Hardy said.
The maker of Spotted Cow, Moon Man and dozens of other craft beers may no longer limit itself to just brewing.
New Glarus Brewing Co. is working on a plan to build a distillery.
Dan Carey, co-founder and brewmaster of the company that is nearing production of 200,000 barrels of beer a year, said they are still in the development phase of the project, havent determined where the facility would be built and that distilling is likely a year away. Carey confirmed the project Wednesday after the company posted a help wanted ad on its website in search of a distiller/brewer to support the goal of crafting world class beer & spirits.
Distilling is a natural extension of brewing because you have to brew before you still, so for us its an interesting and creative expression, Carey said. Its going to take some time to figure out all of the idiosyncrasies of the new business. We need to decide what were going to do, where were going to do it and what were going to make ... while were doing all of the other things were doing.
The brewery is in the midst of an $8 million expansion project that includes the construction of a $2 million canning line, a new warehouse, new keg line and additions to the bottling line. Moon Man in 12-pack cans will likely be released by the end of the year, Carey said, followed by the flagship Spotted Cow and other beers that are now sold only on draft or in bottles.
The distillery could include two stills: a 75-liter pilot still and a 600-liter commercial still, according to the job posting. The position would also include barrel management, including cooperage maintenance; and packaging operations related to distillery products. Carey spent two weeks in 2014 learning about distilling at Moonshine University in Louisville, Kentucky, and has been working with another Wisconsin distiller, which he declined to identify, to learn more about the process and distilling test batches.
In November, New Glarus Brewing applied for a federal trademark for a New Glarus Beer Schnapps, according to a filing. The brewery does not yet have a license to distill, Carey said.
Mark Garthwaite, executive director of the Wisconsin Brewers Guild, said there are about 120 breweries in the state and another 27 under construction or in the planning phase. He would not be surprised to see more take on distilling.
If they can do multiple products it creates more options for people to come to your establishment, Garthwaite said. This is not a lighthearted decision for a business to make. It takes a lot of talent and expertise and knowledge to know how to do all this stuff.
Craft distilling has been on the rise both nationally and in Wisconsin. In 1990, there were just seven craft distilleries in the country but that number could hit 1,000 by 2018, according to estimates from the American Distilling Institute. Wisconsin had just three distillers in 2007, but today there are nearly 30 distillery operations in the state.
Most of those are stand-alone operations, such as Yahara Bay Distillers in Madison. In December, owner Nick Quint announced a $1.5 million plan to convert a former yoga studio at 6250 Nesbitt Road in Fitchburg into a 20,000-square-foot distillery, tasting room and events facility. Some distilleries, however, are affiliated with a winery. They include Aeppeltreow Winery & Distillery in Burlington, Door County Distillery next to Door Peninsula Winery near Sturgeon Bay and White Winter Winery & Distillery in Iron River. In August, Wollersheim Winery unveiled a $4 million, 25,000-square-foot distilling facility at its vineyard in northwestern Dane County.
New Glarus would become just the second brewery in the state to open a distillery. In nearby Monroe, Minhas Craft Brewery opened a distillery operation about 10 years ago and today makes a wide line of whiskey, vodka, tequila, liqueurs, rum and gin.
Carey, who founded the brewery with his wife, Deb Carey, in 1993, describes the proposed distillery at New Glarus as boutique but with customers determining how much and what type of products will be made.
Its a small thing were going to do for fun just to learn the business, Carey said. Were still in a discovery phase. Nothing is set in stone. Theres no final blueprints, just conceptual drawings.
The Willy Street Co-op board of directors voted Tuesday to proceed with a North Side location for a long-awaited third store that will be about twice as large as its other locations.
The co-ops new store will replace Pierces Northside Market at 2817 N. Sherman Ave. Pierces 10-year lease of the 25,000-square-foot space ends this summer.
A grand opening for the new co-op location is tentatively scheduled for September, said Brendon Smith, the co-ops communication director.
Willy Street Co-op currently operates stores at 1221 Williamson St. on Madisons Near East Side and at 6825 University Ave. in Middleton.
The co-ops presence on the North Side will prevent a food desert there after Pierces closes, said Abha Thakkar, interim executive director of the Northside Planning Council.
Im so relieved that the decision has been made because we have been holding our breath to make sure we have a grocer, Thakkar said. Were very excited to have such a great community partner in the Willy Street Co-op.
While the North Side location has the desired features for a new store, Smith said it also ensures the community has a reliable and sustainable food source.
I know a number of people in the neighborhood were very concerned that they wouldnt have a grocery store when Pierces closed, so this preserves a grocery store in the neighborhood and I think its our obligation to do the best we can to serve their needs, Smith said, adding, I think we have a great plan to do that.
In addition to serving the North Side community, Smith said that adding a third location will allow the co-op to support more local and organic growers.
Co-op members initially approved pursuing a third store in 2014.
Founded in 1974, Willy Street Co-op has nearly 33,000 members and is looking to expand that number with the third location.
The co-op will hold a series of meetings throughout the North Side to ask residents what they would like to see from the new grocery store and answer any questions.
We want to find out what kind of products customers want and what kind of services they want, Smith said. This will be a store owned by the people who shop there, so we want to know what they want their store to be.
To help finance the new location, the co-op hopes to raise $1.5 million through a member bond drive, Smith said. Because the co-op is owned by its members, Smith said it wants to raise the bonds through them, rather than go through a credit union.
Smith noted that the co-op raised $1 million in bonds in 39 days through a similar drive to open its Middleton location in 2010.
Because the third location will be about twice as large as the co-ops other two locations, Smith said, the store will have space to introduce more traditional products in addition to the organic, local and conventional products it typically carries and ensure that the store is affordable for North Side residents.
Customers can also look forward to better parking and lighting at the North Side location.
The co-op will sign the lease on the condition that the parking lot in front of the store is resurfaced, Smith said.
In March, shopping center owners David and Donald Bruns submitted a request to the citys Community Development Authority for a $250,000 loan from the Madison Capital Revolving Loan Fund. If approved, the loan is expected to be used to comply with the co-ops request.
Pierces, which opened its Madison location in 2006 after Kohls shut down a 50,000-square-foot grocery store in the area three years earlier, will continue to operate stores in West Baraboo, Portage and Muscoda.
Deputies at the Dane County Jail were able to avert a potentially deadly situation involving an inmate who threatened them with a homemade knife, Sheriffs Office spokeswoman Elise Schaffer said Wednesday.
At about 10:30 a.m., while deputies were doing routine cell inspections in the City-County Building part of the jail, a 27-year-old male inmate, whom police did not name because of the ongoing investigation, locked one of the deputies inside a cell and pulled out a homemade knife, known as a shank, and threatened to use it, Schaffer said.
Deputies were able to calm the inmate by talking to him, Schaffer said, eventually persuading him to give up his weapon and lie down. Throughout the incident, the inmate remained in the outer day room of the cell block, separate from the deputy locked inside the cell, Schaffer said.
The inmate had previously been housed in solitary confinement because of a history of behavioral and mental health problems, Schaffer said. He progressed out of solitary to a general population cell over the past several weeks.
The inmate made the shank by whittling a sharp edge into a letter tray from a Scrabble game, Schaffer said. Detectives in the Sheriffs Office were following up on the incident and the inmate was returned to solitary.
A Dane County judge will decide after written arguments whether an Evansville coyote hunter must stand trial on felony animal mistreatment charges related to the accidental shooting of two dogs at a state wildlife area in January.
Michele Tjader, lawyer for Kurt Rausch, 35, argued Wednesday at a preliminary hearing that Rausch cannot be charged with felony animal mistreatment because state law requires that he intended to mistreat the dogs, owned by Deanna Clark, when he shot them on Jan. 22 while hunting coyotes after dark at Badfish Creek State Wildlife Area.
But Assistant District Attorney Paul Humphrey, citing a case that involved a man who shot one person while intending to shoot another, argued that although Rausch intended to shoot and kill coyotes when he fired his gun, that intent transferred to the dogs when he fired at them.
Asked by Circuit Judge Ellen Berz whether he knew of any cases of transferred intent that applied to animals, Humphrey said he would need time to look. Berz gave Humphrey until May 23 to submit a brief, and gave Tjader until June 13 to reply to it.
Berz will rule after reading those briefs.
In addition to that question, Berz also wants the lawyers to tell her in cases where intent is transferred, whether the intent of the original act has to be criminal in nature.
Tjader had argued that when Rausch fired his gun, thinking he was shooting at coyotes, his actions were not criminal in nature, because it isnt illegal to hunt coyotes at night.
Testimony earlier by Dane County Sheriffs Deputy Brandon Polich generally followed the facts in an April 12 criminal complaint charging Rausch with two counts of felony animal mistreatment and one count of negligent handling of a weapon, a misdemeanor.
Rausch had arrived at Badfish Creek about 4:45 p.m., took his rifle and gear with him and set up about a half-mile down a trail. Clark arrived later, and let her dogs run well ahead of her.
Rausch told Polich he saw glowing eyes and pointed ears, and thinking it was a coyote, fired. He fired again a few seconds later when he heard another animal approaching him.
The first dog, an Alaskan husky mix, died at the scene. After hearing Clark scream, Rausch helped carry the second dog, a mastiff, to the parking area. It died at a veterinary clinic. Polich testified that Rausch called 911, and that he was upset by what had happened. He said Rausch didnt notice that the dogs wore reflective vests.
Humphrey requested that as conditions of his bail, Rausch not be allowed to carry a firearm, or to hunt. Berz denied the first request, but ruled that Rausch cannot hunt as a condition of his bail, stating that he has shown he is a danger while hunting, and showed poor judgment at the very least.
Patricia McConnell, a spokeswoman for Clark, said a statement that although Clark is personally devastated by the traumatic loss of her dogs, she also hopes that this case might mean that in the future it will be safe for her, and all others, to use public lands again in safety.
Chancellor Rebecca Blank and other top UW-Madison administrators will take part in cultural competency training this summer, a university spokesman said, after a semester in which student activists have criticized their response to racist incidents on campus.
Dean of Students Lori Berquam, the campus vice chancellors, members of Blanks staff and UW Foundation President Michael Knetter will also receive the training, spokesman John Lucas said.
The announcement comes amid calls to expand the number of people at UW-Madison who receive racial awareness training as one response to a social media campaign and a series of high-profile incidents that have drawn attention to minority students experiences with racism at the university.
UW officials announced a pilot program earlier this semester for new students to receive cultural competency training, and on Monday, the Faculty Senate will vote on a resolution to support comprehensive racial awareness and inclusion education for all professors.
Lucas said the content of the training for Blank and other administrators is still being developed.
On social media and during a protest that drew hundreds of people to the heart of campus last week, students have frequently criticized Blank, Berquam and other administrators for their handling of racially charged incidents this spring.
Demonstrators say UW-Madisons leaders have sought to protect the universitys image and reputation after the incidents, rather than address problems with racism on campus.
Leaders of the Associated Students of Madison called for the training during a meeting with Blank this week.
Antigo police just demonstrated in a powerful and reassuring way that trained officers near schools can stop deadly shootings.
Officer Andy Hopfensperger responded in split seconds Saturday night when an 18-year-old former student of Antigo High School started firing a rifle at other teenagers as they left the schools prom, authorities said.
Hopfensperger was patrolling the school parking lot with another officer when he heard the attack begin. Hopfensperger quickly ended the threat by shooting the assailant, Jakob E. Wagner, who pointed his weapon at police, according to the coroner. Wagner was injured and later died at a hospital.
Many questions remain, including where and how Wagner got the gun that, according to police, he carried to the school on a bicycle, using it to shoot and injure two students before Hopfensperger intervened. Police also are investigating the shooters motive.
But this much is clear: Hopfensperger is a hero. And the presence of law enforcement at or near Wisconsin schools can deter senseless and terrifying attacks.
All of Madisons high schools have armed police officers on site. All Madison middle schools have security assistants. All Madison schools have safety plans and security cameras.
Antigo High School has had a police liaison officer since 1997, according to the citys website. Many school districts across Wisconsin similarly partner with law enforcement to discourage crime, drug use and bullying. Thats money well spent.
Every school district should have a close relationship with local law enforcement.
Hopfenspergers quick action may have prevented a slaughter.
Gov. Scott Walker on Monday praised Antigo police and called for more attention to bullying in schools, following reports the shooter had been taunted. Thats a welcome suggestion, though Wisconsin schools have done a lot in recent years to highlight and discourage bullying in the wake of previous incidents that ended with violence.
The governor discouraged limits on firearms. You wouldnt have hunting here if rifles were banned, Walker said. The governor can rest assured the state isnt about to ban rifles for hunting.
What our governor and Legislature should focus on instead is ensuring that existing gun laws are enforced and that loopholes are closed. All firearm purchases, including at gun shows and online, should require background checks.
The origin of the Antigo shooters gun is unclear. But this isnt: More firearm owners should lock up their hunting rifles and equip their handguns with trigger locks. A couple of simple gun locks could have prevented the school shooting death of a principal a decade ago at Weston High School, about 60 miles northwest of Madison on the edge of Sauk and Richland counties.
Some state lawmakers have suggested arming teachers to defend against school attacks and allowing citizens with permits to carry concealed guns into school. That isnt justified and would create more chaos during an emergency. Unlike civilians, police officers get intensive training on how and when to safely use firearms.
The Antigo case shows law enforcement is best able to respond to and stop threats.
The committeemen were met on their way in by a few protesters unhappy about Cleveland's part in last week's cleansing of thirteen Chicago precinct committeemen that had voted in Democrat primaries over the past eight years.
Cleveland is credited with revitalizing the Party over the last few years, having led a team that recruited candidates across the city, raised money, and supported Governor Rauner's effort to raise the Republican vote in Chicago in his successful 2014 campaign.
At a recent gathering of Northwest Suburban Republicans, Cleveland introduced his friend from college days, presidential candidate U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, with these words:
I'm Chris Cleveland, Chairman of the Chicago Republican Party.
Tonight I'm honored to introduce my friend Senator Ted Cruz.
You've heard quite a few things about the candidates, and no doubt you know a lot about Ted Cruz. I'd like to offer you a more personal perspective on the man I have known for almost 20 years.
We met through friends who enjoyed getting together to discuss politics and policy. Back then, we were a good deal younger and ready to save the world.
Years ago, when we talked politics, Ted always spoke in terms of core conservative values. The niggling policy questions of the day were different, but the values that animated his positions were not.
In 20 years, he hasn't changed.
Today we have families. I spend the day on Wednesday at events with his wife Heidi, and my wife took our son Sam, who is seven, and Ted and Heidi's children Caroline and Catherine, who are seven and five, to the zoo, where they spent the day joyfully climbing on things they weren't supposed to climb on.
Ted, Heidi, Caroline and Catherine are good and decent people. Heidi is one of the most gracious women Ive ever met. In the heat of an election, particularly this election, we sometimes forget that decency matters. When they get to the White House, the Cruz family will make us proud.
Ted Cruz has a commitment to the broad principles of a good society. Liberty, limited government, and an understanding that the American experiment in self-government continues. It's a lifelong commitment to the constitution, democracy, faith, righteousness, and the love of unseen things that do not die.
I've not met another American politician who has a clearer understanding of these things. Only one springs to mind. Ronald Reagan understood.
It matters because the next president will confront issues that we cannot yet see coming down the road. And when they come around the bend, we must know how the president will react. With Ted Cruz, that's easy. His thinking is clear and consistent. And he does what he says he will do.
Just as he spoke of these core principles 20 years ago, he will speak of them 20 years from now. And just as we Americans spoke of these principles 200 years ago, we will still be able to speak of the them 200 years from now, if we chose our leaders wisely.
Ted Cruz is such a leader, and we will make such a choice, for he is America's best hope.
And it's funny to say it, but I think we're both still ready to save the world.
Last week at Drake, Turning Point USA was trying to start a local chapter. They were denied. Here is the story on Hypeline: " Drake University: Conservative views are hateful ."
While at Drake University back in the 1980's, I was a member of the College Republicans. We worked on campaigns, promoted conservative ideas, and even drove as volunteers in presidential motorcades. Today at my school located in Des Moines Iowa, the trend seems to be changing.
This group started by Charlie Kirk, a native of the Chicago area, has been working on campuses throughout the country promoting a conservative agenda. Another member, Matt Lamb has spearheaded this drive to open new college chapters.
Photos from Matt Lamb used by permission
Drake University has a large cross-section of other sanctioned groups and clubs according to their website:
Anime Club
BACCHUS (health and safety)
Bass Fishing Club
College Republicans
Collegiate DECA (business/marketing/entrepreneurship)
Dance Team
Drake CONNECT (professional networking)
Drake Democrats
Drake Environmental Action LeagueDEAL
Drake Improvisational Comedy Experiment
Drake University International
TravelDUIT
Gaming League
Gung Fu Club
Investment Club
Mediation and Moot Court Team
Mind Sports Organization
Mock Trial
ONE (international poverty and disease prevention)
Outdoor Leadership Club
Poker Club
Quiz Bowl
Respect for Life
Running Club
Sportsmans Club
Student Activities Board
Student Athletic Advisory Council
Students For Womens Issues
Students In Free Enterprise
Tae Kwon Do
To Write Love on Her Arms (treatment/prevention of depression, addiction, suicide)
U.G.A.N.D.A. Youth
Visual Arts Association of Drake
West Village Community Council
Writers Circle
Young Americans for Liberty
They do allow the Liberty group along with the College Republicans and College Democrats. Women's issues and the environmental groups might be controversial to us conservatives. No offense to women, but their issues are often the same as mine. Is there a "men's issues" group?
I will give Drake credit for allowing the "Respect for Life" group advocating a pro-life agenda. I'm not so sure about the environmental groups, as they are often front groups for socialism, anti-coal and higher cost energy.
Just last week here in Chicago, conservatives at DePaul were under attack for writing political statements in chalk on campus. This was reported in Illinois Review.
I'm sure there will be more to follow. Conservatives are fighting hard to keep AMERICAN values alive and well especially on the college campus.
More information on Turning Point USA can be found here: http://turningpointusa.net
Weyermuller (c) meeting Vice Pres George Bush in 1982 as volunteer motorcade driver
TAIPEI - Japan released a Taiwan fishing boat and its crew on Tuesday after seizing them Monday, Taiwan media reported.
The vessel, "Tung Sheng Chi 16", from Pingdong in southern Taiwan, had turned back as one of its mainland fisherman had had an asthma attack, when it was chased and seized early Monday by a Japanese vessel in waters near Okinotori Atoll, some 1,700 kilometers south of Tokyo.
Japanese personnel boarded the boat and took the captain to the Japanese ship where he was held.
The captain has not returned to the fishing boat yet and the condition of the fishermen, including the sick man, was unclear, said a source with the local fishermen's association in Pingdong on Tuesday afternoon.
Representatives of fishermen's associations across the island are expected to protest outside the office of the Japanese interchange association in Taipei on Wednesday.
The result of the Chhatisgarh Class 10 board results are expected to be declared on the April 28 on the official website of the board. The examination that was conducted by CGBSE (Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education) started on February 24 and the last exam was held on March 4.
By India Today Web Desk: The result of the Chhatisgarh Class 10 board results are expected to be declared on April 28 on the official website of the board. The examination that was conducted by CGBSE (Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education) started on February 24 with last exam on March 4.
While the Class 12 results have been declared on April 21, all the students who appeared for the Class 10 examination are eagerly waiting for the results.
(Read: Chhattisgarh Class 12 boards 2016 result declared! Check your score at www.cgbse.nic.in )
As per information, around 2.5 lakh candidates sat for the examination.
All the candidates are requested to keep a track on the website, www.cgbse.nic.in or www.cgbse.net.
Last year, around 4,11,367 students registered for the CGBSE High School Certificate examination, but only 4,03,762 students gave the examination. And out of total candidates, only 2,21,846 (55.23 percent) passed.
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How to check the results:
All the candidates need to log on to the official website, www.cgbse.nic.in or www.cgbse.net
Now click on the relevant link and enter all the details
Then click on the submit button
Once the results will get displayed, candidates are advised to take print out of it for future reference
About CGBSE:
The Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education (CGBSE) was set up in Raipur on July 20, 2001 and started conducting the examination from 2002. The board is divided into 18 zones for the promotion and development of Secondary Education in the state and aims to develop and promote secondary education in the state.
For any query, candidates are advised to visit the official website.
Click here for more result related news.
Recent studies have proved that diabetes can affect the patient's hearing ability: Read to know more.
By India Today Web Desk: A journal published in the Current Diabetes Reports suggest Type-2 diabetes can damage the auditory system of the affected person.
The scientists are yet to find out whether only the disease causes gradual decline in hearing ability or it takes other factors into account.
Hearing impairment is a dangerous physical condition where a person loses his hearing ability and becomes more prone to social isolation, depression, dementia. Hearing impairment also increases mortality.
Diabetes is one of the most dangerous diseases in the world right now as it does not have a permanent cure.
Here are 10 astonishing facts about diabetes you must know:
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Famous personalities who were diagnosed with diabetes:
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To get more updates on Current Affairs, send in your query by mail toeducation.intoday@gmail.com
In what can be called a milestone ruling, a gay American-Spanish couple in Thailand has gone on to win a custody battle against a Thai surrogate mother, who gave birth to baby girl Carmen, but refused to transfer her custody, citing the couple's sexual orientation as the reason.
The high-profile case involving 15-month-old Carmen, and gay couple Gordon Lake and Spaniard Manuel Santos, gained momentum when the mother, Patidta Kusolsang, refused to sign the documents that would have enabled the couple to move out of Thailand.
But now, ending their woes, the Central Juvenile and Family Court in Bangkok, Thailand, has declared that Carmen's custody would be given to Lake and his partner.
According to a report by The Guardian, the mother was "worried" for Carmen's well-being when she found out that she wasn't going to be brought up in a "normal family."
Also Read: How India's first openly gay prince came out, met Oprah, and now fights for the LGBT community
Things for the couple got a little more complicated due to fact that Thailand, which was earlier an ideal place for commercial surrogacy, underwent a military coup and a series of surrogacy scandals, which ultimately led to a strict ban on all things related to the practice. The Associated Press reports that the Thai law also does not support same-sex marriages.
The ruling, however, did materialise due to a "transitory clause" that came into being due to the fact that Carmen was in Kusolsang's womb before the Thai government was overthrown by the military.
Also Read: India gets its first transgender modelling agency
Carmen's birth, which took place through an anonymous donor and Lake's sperm, has no direct, biological connection with the Thai surrogate mother--as proven by a set of documents possessed by Gordon Lake.
Lake and his partner, Manuel Santos, who also father Alvaro--a surrogate baby born in India--had been stuck in Thailand since launching their legal battle post Carmen's birth in January 2015, but now, as the legalities around the case seem to near an end, the family hopes to fly back to Valencia, Spain.
There was no bilateral meeting between PM Modi and his Italian counterpart Matteo Renzi on the margins of the UNGA in New York last year, MEA said.
By India Today Web Desk: The government has junked James Christian Michel's claims that Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Italian counterpart Matteo Renzi on the sidelines of UNGA in September 2015. Michel, who is wanted in India, allegedly acted as the middleman in organising bribes in exchange for a contract in Agusta VVIP chopper deal.
"There was no meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Renzi of Italy as part of PM's bilateral meetings at the UNGA in September 2015. In so far as James Christian Michel is concerned, various law enforcement authorities of India are proceeding against him in cases relating to the Prevention of Corruption Act and Prevention of Money Laundering Act," a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs said.
"An open ended non bailable arrest warrant has been issued by the Special Judge of CBI against him on 24.9.2015. Upon a CBI request, a Red notice against him (Michel) has been issued by the Interpol Headquarters on 25.11.2015. A request for provisional arrest for the purpose of extradition was made to the UK authorities on 4.1.2016 by the CBI," the statement further added.
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The ministry was reacting to allegations by James Christian Michel, the middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper deal, on purported meeting between Modi and Renzi where the Indian leader offered to free two Italian marines, facing murder charges in India, in exchange of evidence linking Sonia Gandhi and her family to the corruption in the Rs 3,600 crore deal.
Have done nothing wrong: Sonia
Asserting that she is not "afraid" of being "cornered" on the issue, Congress president Sonia Gandhi asked the BJP government what it has been doing in power for the last two years and demanded that the ongoing inquiry in the chopper deal be completed impartially.
"I am not afraid of anyone cornering me as there is no basis to that. All the accusations they are throwing at us are false," Gandhi told reporters in Parliament complex as BJP sought to target her on the deal.
"Let them hang me if there is an iota of evidence," said Congress leader Ahmed Patel, a close aide of Sonia Gandhi.
Earlier, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also rubbished reports of PM Modi striking a deal with his Italian counterpart to free two Italian marines accused of killing Indian fishermen for information on the "Gandhi family".
The minister's remarks came after Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad questioned if a deal was struck between Modi and his Italian counterpart, Matteo Renzi in the AgustaWestland scam.
"AgustaWestland helicopter deal middleman might have stood by his sensational submission made to an international court that Indian prime minister had attempted to cut a deal on Italian marine issue with his counterpart Italian prime minister at a brush by meeting at UN in September 2015," Azad said.
"According to him, when the deal was struck between two prime ministers, pronouncement of judgment had come from that side and subsequently now the Indian government is allowing Italian marines to return home. So that means the deal has been struck. I would like to know from government whether such meeting has taken place," he added.
Jaitley's cabinet colleague Rajiv Pratap Rudy also hit out at Azad over his remarks that charges against his party leaders may have something to do with PM Modi's reported meeting with the Italian PM last year.
"This is a brazen lie. Congress is using fabricated and imaginary things as its shield to divert attention," Rudy said.
ALSO READ | Sonia Gandhi on VVIP chopper scam: Not afraid, what was the government doing for 2 years?
VVIP Chopper purchase: Italian court says no corruption, ex-IAF boss and company officials did not do wrong
AgustaWestland to take India to court over outstanding payments, undelivered choppers
Chopper scam: India recovers Rs 1,818 crore from AgustaWestland
It is worth questioning as to why and more importantly, how does the beautiful actress get it wrong ever so often?
By Radhika Bhalla/Mail Today: Oops! She did it again - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan launched another fashion faux pas on unsuspecting fans and media (though in retrospect, it shouldn't have come as a surprise) as she stepped onto the stage as the brand ambassador of a leading beauty brand in a teal coloured strapless gown. The dress in question was by Lebanese label Azzi & Osta, and featured a statement peplum around the waist with a trail running down the back.
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In pictures: Tacky Ten: Fashion or beauty faux pas Aishwarya Rai Bachchan could have done without
Nothing to fault there, tbh (to be honest) - the gown in itself was interestingly built by a designer label that Indians are still warming up to (Malaika Arora also sported a gown by them recently). Yet the overall styling of the look seemed a bit OTT (over the top) for the 42-year-old, as she stepped out in soft ringlets, lightly smokey eyes and a pink lipstick. Aish appeared too pageant-like for the event, even though it also marked 15 years of her association with the Festival de Cannes.
It is worth questioning as to why and more importantly, how does the beautiful actress get it wrong ever so often? She's blessed with good looks equal to at least 3 women, is in admirable shape over the recent past, and has access to literally any and every designer in the world.
Could it be that the light-eyed beauty is suffering from what one may call the 'Miss World Hangover' - a condition where you take the girl out of the beauty pageant, but you can't take the beauty pageant out of the girl?
In pictures: Is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's latest appearance a hint of what's in store at Cannes?
The larger-than-life appearance of a beauty contestant - hinging on being somewhat contrived with the princess-like gowns, styled hair and sweet-tempered smile - doesn't quite fit in the regular world, and most certainly not in today's age. The beauty game has changed remarkably since Aish's magnificent win in 1994, and the new forerunners of physical excellence are redefining the idea of what is 'beautiful' in a far more interesting and fresh manner.
In comparison, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's overtly sophisticated and opulent style, with frills and trails and Derby race hats appears too heavy in today's younger and more minimal fashion environment. Which is why we cringe with bewilderment when we see her in a look that seems so far removed from styles that are causing a stir today. Which is also why we celebrate her incomparable beauty when she dresses in simpler and more relatable ensembles, like what she wore at Cannes last year or in some of her earlier movies like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Josh.
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The 21-year-old who once donned an international crown dazzled the world with the freshness she brought to the global stage. The recognition and praise still yearn for her to re-claim them, but with a relaxed charisma that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan once wore on her sleeve so charmingly.
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AMU Vice-Chancellor General Zameeruddin Sha today said that he was determined to trace the real instigators behind it and demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter.
Preliminary reports suggested that a majority of those involved in the violence were external elements including students who have been expelled earlier for criminal activities.
By Press Trust of India: Days after violence rocked the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) campus leaving two persons dead, Vice-Chancellor General Zameeruddin Shah today said that he was determined to trace the real instigators behind it and demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter.
In a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Shah has sought "either a CBI enquiry or an enquiry by the Special Task Force (STF)".
Acknowledging that "some mistakes may have been made by university authorities" in controlling the violence, Shah said he was "determined to set things back on track" and trace the "real instigators" behind the violence.
The AMU Teachers' Association has also made a strong pitch for instituting a CBI enquiry into the death of two persons in violent clashes between two groups on the campus last Saturday following which paramilitary Rapid Action Force (RAF) was deployed.
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Preliminary reports suggested that a majority of those involved in the violence were external elements including students who have been expelled earlier for criminal activities.
When pointed out that no arrests have been made till date despite several named FIRs, Shah told PTI, "We are working on videographic evidence and in the next few days you will see the results."
"When the University closes for summer vacation, we are going to ensure that each and every room in the hostels is vacated by June 15. The only exception will be medical students who will be provided special accommodation," he said.
The university will then make fresh allotments on the basis of recommendation of the Central Allotment Committee. When the University reopens after the summer vacation, a new system of "accountability and checks" will be in place in all the hostels, he said.
Shah said once the report of the high-powered enquiry committee is received, and if anybody is found to be "sheltering anti-social elements at the campus", then he will have no hesitation whatsoever in taking "strong punitive measures".
The vice-chancellor has also written a letter to central authorities seeking the deployment of Rapid Action Force for the next fortnight to help in what he called the 'Operation Clean Up'.
Aligarh's District Magistrate Balkar Singh has ordered a magisterial probe while the city the police have instituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the matter.
The case began when students at Hijla High School in Bagerhat district complained that the assistant teacher of a science class on Sunday dismissed the Quran as the word of Allah and said there was no heaven, said Magistrate Anwar Parvez.
By AP: A court has jailed two teachers in southern Bangladesh for making derogatory comments about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad, invoking a rare law from the British colonial era that makes insulting any religion a crime.
The case began when students at Hijla High School in Bagerhat district complained that the assistant teacher of a science class on Sunday dismissed the Quran as the word of Allah and said there was no heaven, Magistrate Anwar Parvez told the Associated Press late on Tuesday.
The students, aged 17 to 18, along with others from a nearby, Islamic school became incensed when the high school's head teacher backed up his colleague. A mob including students, parents and villagers attacked the teachers with sticks, forcing them to lock themselves in a room until police intervened, Parvez said.
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"The situation went out of control," Parvez said, adding the mob "wanted to take law in their hands."
The magistrate of the quick-ruling court said the assistant teacher pleaded guilty to publicly insulting religion, and the two were sentenced to six months behind bars.
The law against insulting religion, imposed when Britain ruled the Indian Subcontinent, is rarely used and aimed at preventing communal clashes and inciting violence.
The Muslim-majority country - politically fractured between secularists and those wanting Islamic rule - has been roiled by an ongoing wave of deadly attacks on atheist writers, religious minorities and activists over the last two years.
On Monday night, a gang of young men stabbed two men to death in Dhaka, including the editor of a gay rights magazine who also worked for the US Agency for International Development.
It was the fifth such killing this year, after nine were cut down in 2015. International governments including the United States and aid groups have implored the Bangladeshi government to do more to safeguard free speech and protect members of civil society.
The accused had put his phone on charging when his grandmother accidentally dropped it, breaking its display.
By India Today Web Desk: A 22-year-old man has murdered his 90-year-old grandmother when the she accidentally broke his mobile phone.
The victim identified as Lakshmamma was living with her grandson Shivaraju, a painter, who was later arrested by Banashankari police.
Reportedly, the incident took place around 6:30 pm, when he was back home from work and had put his phone on charging by the window sill. Lakshmamma who entered the room, tripped on the charger wire and as a result the phone fell down, damaging its display.
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Furious, Shivaraju attacked her with a piece of wood. Lakshmamma incurred injuries on her head and neck without any external bleeding.
Lakshmamma's five sons including Shivaraju's father who lived in the same lane, on hearing the commotion hurriedly came into the house. By then the damage was already done.
Unfortunately, assuming that the injuries were only minor, Lakshmamma's sons just applied an ointment on the wounds instead of taking her to a hospital.
Lakshmamma died on Monday night but her family got the saddening news on Tuesday. Doctors said she died due to internal bleeding and fractured skull.
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By PTI: Shillong, Apr 26 (PTI) The Central Election Committee of the BJP today rejected a proposal by the state leaders to contest in the Tura by-poll in Meghalaya in view of the National Peoples Party being an ally of the NDA government.
The state BJP had forwarded the names of three candidates to the Central leadership for consideration and approval but the central committee refused to field any contestant, state BJP President Shibun Lyngdoh said.
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He said the central leadership asked the party leaders to drop the idea of contesting in the by-elections in view of the NPP being an ally of the NDA government at the Centre.
The by-poll for Tura MP constituency was necessitated following the death of former Lok Sabha Speaker and founding President of the NPP, Purno A Sangma.
Lyngdoh said the party is supporting the NPP candidate Conrad K Sangma, the youngest son of P A Sangma.
"The BJP had in 2012 supported P A Sangma when he contested the Presidential elections and the party will support his son this time," Lyngdoh said.
The Opposition United Democratic Party today met Conrad K Sangma and senior party leaders at Baksalpara in the Garo Hills expressing their open support to the NPP.
UDP President and Leader of Opposition Donkupar Roy besides other senior leaders of the party campaigned for Conrad.
Both the NPP candidate, Conrad K Sangma and the Congress nominee, Chief Ministers wife Dikkanchi D Shira, are likely to file their papers tomorrow. PTI JOP SUS ANP SNP
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Marking a significant shift in its strategy, the BJP has now decided to directly target Sonia Gandhi, the Congress president, as one of the main beneficiaries in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal.
cap: Italian court judgment names Congress president Sonia Gandhi but does not give proof of any wrongdoing on her part.
By Javed M. Ansari : Marking a significant shift in its strategy, the BJP has now decided to directly target Sonia Gandhi, the Congress president, as one of the main beneficiaries in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal . Armed with an order from an Italian court the BJP intends to go for the jugular. This will be the first time that the BJP is going to directly charge Sonia Gandhi of wrong doing. The AgustaWestland issue was raised in the Lok Sabha on Monday by the BJP, but the party limited itself to calling for a probe and detailed statement from the defence minister.
The issue came up for discussion at the parliamentary party meeting of the BJP Tuesday morning. The strategy was fine-tuned later in the evening at meeting between party chief Amit Shah, and finance minister Arun Jaitley.
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The ruling dispensation has been under attack from the Opposition in general, and the Congress party in particular, over a range of issues. It has now decided to aggressively hit back and try and put its opponents on the back foot.
The partys political managers believe that unlike the Vajpayee government which fought shy of directly attacking the Congress leadership, the BJP needs to not just proactively counter the Congress partys offensive but it also needs to expose the Congress leadership's wrongdoings??.
The Congress party on its part has vigorously protested the party chiefs innocence.
It was the UPA government that cancelled the deal, we ordered a CBI inquiry, not a penny was paid, not one chopper was bought where is the question of any wrong doing,?? says former defence minister AK Antony.
It was during his tenure as the defence minister that the deal was called off.
The BJP nonetheless believes it has sufficient material in hand to corner the Gandhi.
An Italian court has observed that there are sufficient grounds to believe that corruption took place in the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP chopper deal.
The BJPs attack is based on a letter written by Christian Michel, the main middleman, to the head of the AgustaWestland, which describes the Congress President as one the main proponents of the deal.
The Italian courts judgment also mentions former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and Sonia Gandhi, but gives no proof of any wrongdoing on their part in the deal.
Congress prepares counterattack over BJP's bribery allegations on Sonia Gandhi
By PTI: From Aditi Khanna
London, Apr 26 (PTI) Italian police have arrested a former British professional boxer of Pakistani-origin in Rome on suspicion of delivering funds to Islamic State sleeper cells in Italy.
Hussain Shamshir was found to be travelling on a false British passport, according to British media reports.
The 34-year-old was arrested on Saturday while driving in Romes suburb of Torpignattara with three other men in a German-registered car.
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Described by Italian police as a former professional boxer who worked as a pizza baker in a London suburb, Shamshir was carrying 5,000 euros in cash when he was stopped for questioning by anti-terrorist police who had been tailing his vehicle, The Daily Telegraph reported quoting Corriere della Sera newspaper in Italy.
Shamshir was quoted as saying the cash was for buying clothing for relatives in Belgium.
The three men travelling with him, two Pakistanis and a Kurd, were released after questioning.
Italian police investigators believe the money was brought to Rome to finance terrorist sleeper cells or terrorist attacks in the country.
Police sources told the Italian newspaper that the Belgian connection was one of the reasons Shamshir was arrested as well as the false passport, large amount of cash and criminal record in the UK.
"We are in contact with Italian authorities following the arrest of a British national in Rome," a British Foreign Office spokesperson said. PTI AK AMS AKJ AMS
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By India Today Web Desk: Tom Holland, who is debuting as the new Spider Man in Captain America Civil War, had a nerve wracking experience while shooting the film with Robert Downey Jr.
ALSO READ: Robert Downey Jr teams up with Tom Holland for Spider-Man Homecoming
ALSO READ: Waiting for Iron Man 4? Robert Downey Jr hints you may never get to see the film
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Holland admitted that he was initially nervous to work alongside the 51-year-old star but says he had no need to be as he welcomed him with open arms.
The 19-year-old also said that Downey Jr welcomed him with open arms, reported bangshowbiz.com.
"He is so cool. Robert Downey Jr is awesome. I first met him at my first screen test and obviously I thought Robert was terrifying but once I met him, he was down to earth, really cool and easy going. We got on really well and we work very well together. I'm just so happy these guys gave me the opportunity," Holland said at the premiere of Captain America Civil War on Tuesday (April 26) evening in London.
Holland also shared that it is a "dream" to walk the red carpet in his hometown, London.
"The crazy thing is this is where I buy my clothes, and now here we are at the red carpet of Civil War, I could never have dreamed of being here. I am so happy this has happened," he said.
The actor also shared his experience while putting on the Spider Man suit for the first time.
Tom Holland said, "Sadly, I have to say it was a little disappointing. My stunt double at the time was a little taller than I am, and I had to wear his suit because they didn't have one for me! So it was kind of baggy the first time I tried it on, and it wasn't as cool as I hoped!"
He continued, "Then obviously, once they fixed it up, it looked incredible. It was amazing."
.@TomHolland1996 talks becoming Spider-Man for the 1st time, at the Captain America: Civil War European premiere https://t.co/EDxil3i0pP Marvel UK & Ireland (@MarvelUK) April 26, 2016
Tom Holland will soon feature in Spider Man Homecoming alongside Robert Downey Jr, who will don the red-and-gold-armored suit for Marvel and Sony's reboot.
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China has hinted it will not change its stance on placing a technical hold on Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions committee despite India's objections.
By Ananth Krishnan: China has hinted it will not change its stance on placing a technical hold on Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions committee despite India's objections.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that placing the hold was 'in line with the committee's rules of procedures'.
The ministry, in a statement sent in response to questions from the media on the hold on Azhar, indicated further that China wanted India to talk directly with Pakistan to resolve the issue, rather than get the UNSC sanctions committee to act. The likelihood of that, however, remains dim, considering Pakistan's past record of failing to address India's concerns on terror emanating from its soil.
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The Chinese foreign ministry statement said, "In accordance with the rules of procedure of the 1267 committee, the committee encourages communication between countries that ask for the listing and countries where individuals or entities covered in the listing come from or live in. We encourage all parties related to the listing matter of Masood Azhar to have direct communication and work out a solution through serious consultation. China is willing to continue with its communication with all relevant parties."
Separately on Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying confirmed that China had raised its concerns with India over the issuing of an electronic visa to the Uyghur exile leader Dolkun Isa. India on Monday said it cancelled the visa, citing a Red Corner Notice issued by Interpol on China's behest. "At first when we saw India planned to issue a visa to Dolkun Isa, we expressed our concerns to the Indian side immediately," Hua said.
"Dolkun is on the red corner notice of Interpol and we believe it is the responsibility of all countries to bring him to justice. At the moment China and India are in very good communication and we hope two countries will properly deal with the relevant issue."
Also Read: India, Pakistan should have direct talks on Masood Azhar: China
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The AAP leader said people are so satisfied with the AAP model of governance in the national capital that if elections are held today, the BJP will not win even a single seat.
By India Today Web Desk: Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is credited with creating the Gujarat model, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said people of the country have a choice between the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) model of governance and the "discredited" Gujarat model which has "cheated" citizens.
"There is a Delhi model of governance and then there is the Gujarat model. We invite everyone to compare the two models. Schools in Gujarat are in bad shape, so is health care. Now everyone knows what the Gujarat model is. People have been cheated in the name of Gujarat model," he said.
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The AAP leader said people are "so satisfied with the AAP's model of governance in the national capital that if elections are held today, the BJP won't win even a single seat". In the last Assembly election, the AAP had decimated its opponents by winning a 67 of the 70 seats in Delhi; the BJP won the remaining three.
"We read our manifesto everyday and work on it, while they hardly remember what they promised. Centre has done nothing. They say we will do this by 2023 because they know they won't be in power then," Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal hit out at the BJP alleging the saffron party canvassed for votes in the name of development and later diverted the focus to other issues like the row over raising 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' slogan. "Now they say raise 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' slogans otherwise you will be beaten up. During the Anna movement, people chanted 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' from their hearts. But they are resorting to threats. Everyone is angry including students, farmers and jewellers. Even the Chief Justice of India wept in front of them," he said.
Referring to the tussle between his government and the Centre over several issues, Kejriwal accused the Modi government of "trying its best to scuttle" AAP's efforts but added that "still we are moving ahead and working for the people of Delhi".
Indicating his willingness to expand the party's base, Kejriwal said the AAP will have to fight elections with a target of winning at least 90 per cent seats and make governments change the system. "We will fight elections but before that we have to work hard. We have to fight elections to win 90 seats out of 100. We will fight elections to make governments and change the system," the AAP's national convenor said at the party's National Council meeting.
During the day-long meet, AAP also reconstituted its National Executive which will further choose a new Political Affairs Committee (PAC) - the party's highest decision making body. Of the 25 members selected for the National Executive, seven are women.
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Subramanian Swamy led the BJP's attack on Congress in the AgustaWestland chopper deal on his Rajya Sabha debut and immediately put Congress on the back foot.
By Javed M. Ansari : BJP leader Subramanian Swamy is one who always relishes the limelight.
Little wonder then that he was beaming when the Rajya Sabha was adjourned within 15 seconds of his opening remarks on his comeback in Parliament after more than a decade in the wilderness.
Swamy waded in on behalf of the government, directly accusing Sonia Gandhi of wrongdoing in the AgustaWestland chopper deal. It mattered little to him that his opening remarks were expunged from the Rajya Sabha's records, perhaps a first for somebody making his debut.
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Swamy, however, remains unapologetic.
"After all I was not nominated because I am a good boy", he reportedly told a colleague in the Rajya Sabha. He enjoys the support of the hardliners and a section of the leadership within the party, that favours fixing the Congress leadership.
The Congress views him as a pinch-hitter brought in to target the Gandhi family. For somebody who refers to late Rajiv Gandhi "as a friend", the former IIT professor is a trenchant critic of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi and does not bat an eyelid in blaming the Gandhis of any and everything under the sun.
If facts are a casualty, so be it.
Sonia Gandhi told reporters she was "not afraid of anybody" and will not be cowed down by "the campaign of calumny".
That the Congress has been girding itself for a bare-knuckle slugfest with Swamy, was evident from its reaction the moment he got up to speak in the Rajya Sabha. They swarmed into the Well of the House, raising full-throated slogans.
"We know how to deal with elements like him, we will pay back with interest," said a senior Congress MP of the Upper House.
The Congress is the single largest party in the Upper House with more than a handful of members with enough lung power to take on Swamy. It also hopes to draw on the support of allies like the JD (U), Left parties, RJD and the NCP, who are not particularly enamoured with Swamy's tactics.
Senior Congress leaders like A.K. Antony, Karan Singh are credited with the view that the party should remain above the fray, state facts and avoid getting into a slugfest.
"He has been made an MP with a specific purpose of targeting and distracting us, we should deny him that opportunity," stressed a party veteran.
Also read:
Agusta scam: Govt junks middleman's claims, says no deal between Modi, Italian PM
Maximum noise, minimum work: Who's responsible for hooliganism in Parliament?
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Although the companies have not asked for any specific hike in power tariff but if the revenue gap in the Annual Revenue Receipt (ARR) will be accepted then the hike will be necessary.
By Kumar Kunal: Delhi's private power discoms are again pushing for a fresh tariff hike.
The petition filed by the three private power distribution companies has shown a revenue gap of almost Rs 2200 crore in last financial year in total.
The separate petitions by these three companies have been already submitted to Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC).
Although Delhi's power regulator has not accepted these petitions as of now. But in case the petitions will be accepted then Delhi power consumers might have to cough out additional 10 to 15 percent as the increased power bill.
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The three distribution firms - BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd (BRPL), BSES Yamuna Power Ltd (BYPL) and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd (TPDPL) - have reportedly submitted their petitions related to annual power tarrifs for 2016-17 earlier this month.
Although the companies have not asked for any specific hike in power tariff but if the revenue gap in the Annual Revenue Receipt (ARR) will be accepted then the hike will be necessary.
It is reliably learnt that the BRPL which distributes power in South and West Delhi has shown a revenue gap of about Rs 900 crore, while distribution company for East and Central Delhi, BYPL has claimed tht the revenue gap is of about Rs 600 crore and North Delhi's power distributor TPDPL has claimed about 700 crore.
A highly placed source said if the DERC accepts the petitions of the distribution firms, there are chances that the power tarrifs could go up anything between 10 and 15 per cent. Last time the city had witnessed increase in power tariffs was in September 2014.
There were no power hikes effected in 2015 as the AAP government had put up tremendous pressure on the DERC against any such decision.
The tariff levels had remained unchanged because the regulator had said no to the revenue increase sought by the distribution firms. The revenue disallowed for BRPL, BSES and TPDPL stood at Rs.913 crore, Rs.700 crore and Rs.912 crore, respectively.
While rejecting the proposal to hike power tariffs, the DERC had said that even at the exiting tariff levels there would be a surplus revenue of Rs.92 crore, Rs.37 crore and Rs.323 crore at BRPL, BYPL and TPDPL respectively.
While refusing to effect any hike in power tariffs, the regulator had also said as there was surplus revenue for BRPL, BYPL &TPDPL which would additionally liquidate the principal amount of the accumulated revenue gap, a decision has been taken to retain the tariff for FY2015-16 at prevailing levels, with minor structural changes, based on the stakeholders' suggestions/inputs.
Delhi's power demand is in the region of around 5,000 megawatts (MW). At present, electricity rates start at Rs.4 per unit for consumption of up to 200 units, going up to Rs.5.80-5.90 per unit for 200-400 units, Rs.7.30 per unit for 400-800 units and higher for more consumption. The AAP government also provides 50 per cent subsidy to those households who consume up to 400 units of electricity every months.
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The 4-year-old canine braved fire to find more victims in the aftermath of the devastating Ecuador earthquake.
By India Today Web Desk: Dayko, the 4-year-old canine died of exhaustion after rescuing seven people trapped under the rubble left by the devastating Ecuador Earthquake.
The news went viral after the fire department for the northern city of Ibarra revealed in a Facebook post that Dayko succumbed to a heart-stroke while braving flames. Resuscitation attempts by veterinarians and firefighters went in vain.
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Ibara fire service's Facebook page stated the cause of death as "massive coronary myocardial infarction and acute respiratory failure."
Dayko who had been working as a rescue dog for three and a half years was hailed as a hero by the fire department members.
Praising the resilient pup the fire department wrote, "This four legged friend gave his life in the line of duty. Thank you Dayko for your heroic efforts in Pedernales and in various emergencies where you were present.You held high the name of the K9 unit."
The fire department posted a series of pictures in honor of Dayko.
His guide Alex Yela said, "Dayko captivated everyone with his tender look, and his friendly nature." He added, "the tiny pup has also participated in several searches in Esmeraldas, Lita and found a French national who was lost in the Imbabura region and also impressed many in canine shows."
The April 16 earthquake is one of the most devastating calamities in Ecuador. The death-toll has gone up to 654 people with nearly 12,000 injured. More than 700 aftershocks have continued to shake the country since the major quake causing additional damage.
President Rafael Correa announced on Saturday eight days of national mourning for the victims of the quake.
The United Nations will distribute food to more than a quarter of a million people who survived the hazard.
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Trump scored victories in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Delaware, US television networks projected. His margin of victory in each state appeared to be even larger than in his home state of New York a week ago.
By Reuters: Donald Trump swept primaries in five Northeastern states on Tuesday, moving closer to winning the Republican presidential nomination as he easily defeated rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich.
Trump scored victories in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Delaware, US television networks projected. His margin of victory in each state appeared to be even larger than in his home state of New York a week ago, a major show of strength that sets the stage for a potentially pivotal battle next week in Indiana.
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Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, already in control of the Democratic race, defeated challenger Bernie Sanders in Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania.
But in a surprise, Sanders was projected to have won Rhode Island. Connecticut's Democratic vote was too close to call.
Clinton, in a victory speech in Philadelphia, took aim at Trump for accusing her of trying to "play the woman card" in seeking to become the first female US president.
"Well if fighting for women's healthcare and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman card, then deal me in," she said to cheers.
Although the race remains fluid, Trump's wins made it less likely that Republicans would choose their nominee for the Nov. 8 presidential election at a contested convention in July in Cleveland, an outcome seen by Cruz and Kasich as their only chance at the nomination.
"They should drop out because frankly they have no path to victory," Trump told a Time interviewer at a magazine event in New York honoring influential Americans.
Cruz, already looking ahead to Indiana's Republican primary on May 3, addressed a crowd in that state just as polls were closing in the Northeastern states.
"I got good news for you: Tonight, this campaign moves back to more favorable terrain," the US senator from Texas said in Knightstown, Indiana, inside the high school gymnasium made famous by the underdog movie, "Hoosiers."
Appeal for unity
Clinton's strong showing in the Democratic race added to the pressure on Sanders to get out of the race or ease his criticism of her.
In her victory speech, Clinton gave a nod to Sanders and spoke of the need for party unity.
"Whether you support Senator Sanders or you support me, there is much more that unites us than divides us," she said.
Clinton reached out to a wide spectrum of voters, asking for support "if you are a Democrat, an independent or a thoughtful Republican."
The former secretary of state had an almost insurmountable lead of 275 pledged delegates heading into Tuesday's contests, and Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid told reporters he did not think Sanders, a US senator from Vermont, had a realistic path to winning the nomination.
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Sanders, speaking to a big crowd in Huntington, West Virginia, showed no signs of getting out of the race and said he was shedding light on inconvenient truths about how hard life was these days for some Americans.
"The reason that we are generating this enthusiasm is because we are doing something very unusual in contemporary politics. We are telling the truth," he said.
A total of 118 pledged Republican delegates were at stake in addition to 54 unbound Pennsylvania delegates.
Cruz and Kasich, the Ohio governor, have formed an anti-Trump alliance in an effort to stop the New York billionaire from reaching a first-ballot victory at the July convention.
Former Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson, a Trump supporter, said the deal between Kasich and Cruz would backfire because it smacked of backroom politics.
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The battle for ballot will be won through bullet and this perhaps is one of those examples on how the political parties are gearing up to fight the turf wars in different districts of West Bengal.
By Manogya Loiwal : It's election season in West Bengal, and this time the battle for ballot in the state will be won through the bullet in the constituency of Birbhum - a district which has become a bastion for bomb makers. The saga is not limited to Birbhum alone. It will continue in different districts of the state in the days to come.
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An India Today special report shows how men from all across the state have come up to make bombs and earn anywhere between 10,000 to 40,000 per day. As the election day nears, even the price and the risk involved in bomb making get higher. Although, the bomb makers are scared for their lives, but money drives them to take up this dangerous assigment.
"Yes, we are scared for our lives but we need the money too. If we can make around 100-120 bombs, we get around Rs 20-30,000 for them. We have guns, crude bombs and several other such arms," says bomb maker Ismail.
As the election season hots up and the battle for Bengal becomes deadly, it's not just the sounds of election that are reverberating through the state. The election din is frequently disrupted by bomb blasts. It is also a daily feature in Nanoor and surrounding areas. Nanoor, with some 20 political clashes over the last year, was the "most disturbed constituency" in the state in the run-up to the 2016 Assembly polls.
The bomb makers of Birbhum do not merely have explosives, but huge cache of arms looted from local police stations or bought from the black market in cash. Many times these bomb makers perish in fighting between two political factions.
Though, the opposition parties have made a hue and cry about Birbhum's bomb factories in the past, but in most cases it is only limited to election rhetoric. The state administration too has turned a blind eye. There is no fear of the law.
Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee blamed the Left front of scientific rigging and booth capturing but with the huge amount of ammunition being prepared in her regime it has now triggered a bigger political blame-game. It is now up to the election commission to provide a safety to the voters going to the polling booths, without threat and terror.
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The results echo complaints from Republican front-runner Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Bernie Sanders that the system is stacked against them in favor of candidates with close ties to their parties - a critique that has triggered a nationwide debate over whether the process is fair.
By Reuters: More than half of American voters believe that the system US political parties use to pick their candidates for the White House is "rigged" and more than two-thirds want to see the process changed, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The results echo complaints from Republican front-runner Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Bernie Sanders that the system is stacked against them in favor of candidates with close ties to their parties - a critique that has triggered a nationwide debate over whether the process is fair.
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The United States is one of just a handful of countries that gives regular voters any say in who should make it onto the presidential ballot. But the state-by-state system of primaries, caucuses and conventions is complex. The contests historically were always party events, and while the popular vote has grown in influence since the mid-20th century, the parties still have considerable sway.
One quirk of the U.S. system - and the area where the parties get to flex their muscle - is the use of delegates, party members who are assigned to support contenders at their respective conventions, usually based on voting results. The parties decide how delegates are awarded in each state, with the Republicans and Democrats having different rules.
The delegates' personal opinions can come into play at the party conventions if the race is too close to call - an issue that has become a lightning rod in the current political season.
Another complication is that state governments have different rules about whether voters must be registered as party members to participate. In some states, parties further restrict delegate selection to small committees of party elites, as the Republican Party in Colorado did this year.
'So flawed'
"I'd prefer to see a one-man-one-vote system," said Royce Young, 76, a resident of Society Hill, South Carolina, who supports Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. "The process is so flawed."
Trump has repeatedly railed against the rules, at times calling them undemocratic. After the Colorado Republican Party awarded all its delegates to Ted Cruz, for example, Trump lashed out in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece, charging "the system is being rigged by party operatives with 'double-agent' delegates who reject the decision of voters."
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus has dismissed Trump's complaints as "rhetoric" and said the rules would not be changed before the Republican convention in July.
Trump swept the five Northeastern nominating contests on Tuesday in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Connecticut and Rhode Island. The New York billionaire has 950 delegates to 560 for Cruz, a U.S. senator from Texas, and 153 for Kasich, the Ohio governor, according to the Associated Press. A total of 1,237 delegates are needed to secure the Republican nomination.
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On the Democratic side, Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, has taken issue with the party's use of superdelegates, the hundreds of elite party members who can support whomever they like at the convention and who this year overwhelmingly back front-runner Hillary Clinton.
Clinton has repeatedly emphasized that she is beating Sanders in both total votes cast and in pledged delegates, those who are bound by the voting results - rendering his complaints about superdelegates moot.
On Tuesday, the former secretary of state won Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and Connecticut, while Sanders won in Rhode Island. Clinton leads Sanders by 2,141 delegates to 1,321, according to the AP, with 2,383 needed to win the nomination.
Sanders has also criticized party bosses for not holding enough prime-time television debates and said before a string of primaries open only to registered Democrats this month that "independents have lost their right to vote," referring to a voter block that has tended to favor him.
A Democratic National Committee official was not immediately available to comment.
'Arcane rules'
Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said the U.S. presidential nominating system could probably be improved in a number of areas, but noted that the control wielded by party leadership usually became an issue only during tight races.
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"The popular vote overwhelms the rules usually, but in these close elections, everyone pays attention to these arcane rules," he said.
Some 51 percent of likely voters who responded to the April 21-26 online survey said they believed the primary system was "rigged" against some candidates. Some 71 percent of respondents said they would prefer to pick their party's nominee with a direct vote, cutting out the use of delegates as intermediaries.
The results also showed 27 percent of likely voters did not understand how the primary process works and 44 percent did not understand why delegates were involved in the first place. The responses were about the same for Republicans and Democrats.
Overall, nearly half said they would also prefer a single primary day in which all states held their nominating contests together - as opposed to the current system of spreading them out for months.
The poll included 1,582 Americans and had a credibility interval of 2.9 percentage points.
Also read:
Trump sweeps five states, moves closer to Republican nomination
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Calling the policy arbitrary, faulty and illegal, the court directed Maharashtra government to not go ahead with the policy without its permission.
By Vidya : Bombay High Court on Wednesday rejected Maharashtra government's pleas to go ahead with the draft policy on regularisation of illegal structures in Maharashtra.
Calling it "arbitrary, faulty and illegal," the court directed the state to not go ahead with the policy without its permission. A government petitioner has now told HC that the government will need some time to come out with another policy.
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The draft policy was brought in before the court this month during the hearing of a public interest litigation concerning illegal structures in Navi Mumbai. On April 4, the state asked Bombay High Court for permission to implement it.
The draft policy regularizes all illegal structures - slums as well as those on government land - in Maharashtra before Dec 31, 2015, despite an earlier HC ruling disallowing the regularisation of any structure built illegaly after January 1, 1995. It further permits construction on land reserved for schools, playgrounds, roads, open spaces, public authorities and even government land.
The bill also proposes to regularize illegal constructions in industrial, commercial and no-development zones by converting them into residential zones. According to petitioners, there are about 2.5 lakh illegal buildings in Maharashtra, not counting slums and other illegal structures.
Builders may face MCOCA for illegal constructions: Maha CM
During their ruling, judges said the policy was "completely illegal" and "contrary to the law laid down by Supreme Court, which said illegal constructions should not be tolerated". They also noted that the policy gave a go-by to floor space index (FSI) rules and that according to it, "anything will be regularized by paying market value of the land".
Judges also said, if given a go ahead, the policy will lead to a complete breakdown of law - especially urban planning laws - and will put severe pressure on civic amenities. It said the state should have undertaken a study to look into these issues.
HC has now directed the state to bring its new policy to court whenever its formulated.
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The woman, a resident of Nirgajni village, had an affair with a man and they wanted to get married against the wishes of her parents.
By India Today Web Desk: A 23-year-old woman, who wanted to marry a man against the wishes of her parents, was allegedly thrown into a canal that flows into the Ganga by her family members, police said.
The woman, a resident of Nirgajni village, had an affair with a man and they wanted to get married against the wishes of her parents. Her family members on Wednesday took her to the canal and threw her into it. However, she was rescued by some villagers, they said.
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A case has been registered against her father and brother under relevant sections of IPC. They are absconding, police said.
Women continue to be victims of honour killings across the country. Recently, a 21-year-old woman was killed after her parents force fed her mango juice spiked with pesticide in Nanjangud, Mysore.
In another macabre case, family members hacked their daughter to death in Unnao after she was reportedly caught in a compromising position with another youth. The DM has ordered her body to be exhumed and sent for post mortem.
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The committee has decided to seek an explanation from the Union Minister on why did she make a reference to Hindu goddess Durga during the debate on the JNU row and dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide.
By Press Trust of India: A Parliamentary panel examining CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury's privilege motion against HRD minister Smriti Irani today decided to seek an explanation from her over her remarks made during a Rajya Sabha debate on the JNU row and Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide.
With Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari admitting the privilege motion against Irani, the House committee could summon and question Irani. However, the committee is learnt to be inclined to seek a written response from the minister first.
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The committee headed by senior Congress leader P J Kurien also decided to write to Delhi police to beef up the security of Yechury in the wake of he receiving threatening calls and derogatory messages for his participation in a discussion in the House on the day February 26 when Irani made the remark.
"The committee has decided to seek an explanation from the Union Minister on why did she make a reference to Hindu goddess Durga during the debate and why she made some remarks quoting Yechury, which he has denied having said.
"The committee has also decided to direct the police for immediate action to pin down those who issues threats to the CPI-M leader. The committee has also suggested that Yechury should be given proper security and will write to Delhi police in this regard," sources in the committee said.
Ansari had sometime back sent Yechury's privilege motion against Irani to the committee of privileges.
The privilege motion against Irani was moved for making alleged "baseless allegations" against the CPI(M) leader during her statement on the debate on the JNU row and Central Hyderabad University scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide.
In his letter to the Rajya Sabha chairman last month, the CPI-M leader had written that the minister had made "baseless allegations" against him "imputing motives that are completely false".
Yechury had earlier said in February that he received threat calls and text messages for allegedly saying "wrong" things about Goddess Durga in the Rajya Sabha.
Yechury had complained about having received threats in connection with his stance on the JNU row allegedly from right-wing forces.
During his speech in the Upper House, Yechury had taken on Irani for quoting certain Facebook posts purportedly written by Vemula which were critical of the CPI(M) leader, and accused her of making "all foul fair".
He had questioned the veracity of the Facebook account that she had claimed to be that of Vemula.
Yechury had later said he got around 1,000 calls and 500 text messages on his personal phone during the day.
The Rajya Sabha member had earlier claimed to have received threat calls on CPM head office's landline number on February 15 in connection with the varsity row.
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Delhi police had taken suo moto cognizance of the reports of alleged threats to Yechury and also asked for a complaint which his office had lodged.
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Fresh pieces of conversation have come to light from the three-and-half minute audio clip of the last telephonic conversation between Pratyusha Banerjee and Rahul Raj Singh.
By India Today Web Desk: More details from the last telephonic conversation of late actress Pratyusha Banerjee and Rahul Raj Singh have come to light. On Monday, Justice Mridula Bhatkar heard a three-and-half minute audio clip of the said conversation between Rahul and Pratyusha, while hearing the anticipatory bail plea of Rahul, accused of abetment to suicide. The conversation took place an hour before she committed suicide at her suburban home on April 1.
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Also read: Pratyusha to Rahul in her last call: You cheated on me, now see what I do
This is a part of the conversation:
Pratyusha Banerjee: Mujhe characterless kaha jaa raha hai. Mujhe marne ki dhamki di jaa rahi hai. Mere maa baap ko marne ki dhamki di jaa rahi hai. Bacha kya hai meri zindagi mein. (I have been called characterless. I'm getting death threats. My parents are getting death threats. What's left in my life now?)
Rahul Raj Singh: Yeh sab choti baatein hain. (All these are not a big deal)
Pratyusha Banerjee: Aap isko choti si baat kaise bol sakte ho. Mr. Rahul please keep your ego aside. (How can you say it's no big deal? Mr. Rahul, please keep your ego aside.)
Rahul disconnected the call while Pratyusha was still speaking.
Also read: Early leads indicate Pratyusha Banerjee was murdered, says prosecutor
Yesterday, Mid-Day had reported another part of the conversation:
Pratyusha: You cheater, tumne mujhe cheat kiya hai, mujhe mere maa baap se alag kar diya, ab dekho main kya karne ja rahi hoon (You cheater, you cheated on me, you separated me from my parents, now see what I do)
Rahul: What happened? I will talk to you once I reach home, I am on the way; till I reach, don't do anything.
The Bombay High Court, however, granted anticipatory bail to the actor-producer, observing that there was no prima facie evidence to show that the accused "instigated or intended" the suicide.
Famous for her role of the adult Anandi in tele-serial Balika Vadhu, Pratyusha was found hanging in her Goregaon flat by Rahul on the evening of April 1.
Watch Special Public Prosector Nilesh Pawaskar talking about the discrepancies in the case:
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A total of 32,077 rape cases were reported in 2015 across the country, Rajya Sabha was told on Wednesday.
By India Today Web Desk: In a shocking statistic, Rajya Sabha was told on Wednesday that a total of 32,077 rape cases were reported in 2015 across the country. This amounts to over three rape cases every hour.
To see how mind-numbing this figure is, consider this: If your daily office commute takes about an hour, by the time you reach home, three women would have been raped in the country.
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"As per information provided by National Crime Records Bureau, a total of 32,077 cases of rape reported, out of which 1,706 were gang rapes during 2015," Minister of State for Home Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said.
The minister said the central government has set up a central victim compensation fund under the Ministry of Home Affairs for assisting and supporting victim compensation schemes of states and union territories with an initial corpus of Rs 200 crore.
Meanwhile, amid rising concern for women's safety, the Modi government has made it mandatory for all mobile phones sold in India from January 2017 to have a panic button.
The rape epidemic seems to be continuing unabated. Four years after the gruesome Nirbhaya gangrape shook the nation, there seems to be no change in the situation.
Last week, a man in Bathinda tied a youth to a tree and chopped off his hands for allegedly raping his seven-month-old daughter. In the same state, a video went viral showing a man forcibly abducting a woman in Malaut. He raped her later. After the video went viral, the man surrendered to the police.
As the statistics below show, the story was the same in 2014.
All figures are for 2014.
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"It was really a fantastic meeting held in ideal conditions. Both sides discussed the issues of mutual concern. But, you cannot take it as a breakthrough" Aizaz Chaudhary told media persons during a press briefing held in auditorium of Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
By Kaswar Klasra: Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhary said on Wednesday that his meeting with Indian counterpart on the sidelines of 'Heart of Asia Conference' held in India on Tuesday remained fruitful in many ways but can't be regarded as a breakthrough.
"It was really a fantastic meeting held in ideal conditions. Both sides discussed the issues of mutual concern. But, you cannot take it as a breakthrough" Aizaz Chaudhary told media persons during a press briefing held in auditorium of Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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Considered a cool-headed career diplomat by his colleagues and friends, Aizaz Chaudhary looked fresh and energetic during the Wednesday's press briefing which was especially held to inform local media about his activities in India during the conference.
Aizaz Chaudhary told journalists that he made it loud and clear during the meeting with his Indian counterpart that Pakistan was deeply concerned about Research & Analysis Wing's (R&AW) activities inside Pakistan and especially the entry of Kulbhushan Jadhav, an alleged officer of the RAW.
"Availing this opportunity and in light of confessional statement by Kulbhushan Jadhav, I conveyed to the Indian side that Pakistan is deeply concerned about Jadhav's illegal entry into Pakistan," Aizaz said adding that such acts undermine efforts to normalise relations between the two countries.
Perhaps, this was the first time that Islamabad formally took up the issue of Indian' Research & Analysis Wing's subversive activities with New Delhi at a high-level following the arrest of an Indian Naval Officer Kulbhushan Jadhav from Balochistan last month. In a video footage, Jadhav had confessed to have been working for the Indian spy agency to create unrest in Baluchistan and Karachi.
Responding to a question on whether or not India has requested counsellor access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, Aizaz Chaudhary confirmed that India has requested the same and said Pakistan was still evaluating it.
"India has admitted that Kulbhushan is an Indian national. We are evaluating India's request for counsellor access," Chaudhary said.
Replying to another query, Aizaz Chaudhary said he boldly spoke about the Kashmir issue, inculcating that Kashmir remained the core issue between Pakistan and India that needs to be resolved as per resolutions passed by the UN.
"I highlighted Pakistan's commitment to resolve outstanding issues between Pakistan and India including Kashmir. I emphasised that Jammu and Kashmir dispute remained the core issue and it was vital to find a solution as per the UN Security Council resolutions," he said.
When asked to give details of the issues which his Indian counterpart put forward, Aizaz Chaudhary said that the issue of Pathankot incident was raised.
'I informed him that the JIT had visited India from March 27 to April 1, 2016. On the basis of the information it collected from India, it is currently engaged in further investigations," Aizaz Chaudhary told journalists.
According to a statement issued by India's Ministry of External Affairs, Foreign Secretary of India emphasised the need for early and visible progress on the Pathankot terrorist attack investigation as well as the Mumbai case trial in Pakistan. He also brought up the listing of JeM leader Masood Azhar in the UN 1267 Sanctions Committee. It also stated that Foreign Secretary Jaishankar clearly conveyed that Pakistan cannot be in denial on the impact of terrorism on the bilateral relationship.
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Also read:
Kashmir remains a core issue: Pakistan to India in first talks since Pathankot attack
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It will be a clash of two in-form teams when Delhi Daredevils host Gujarat Lions in an IPL match at the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium.
By Indo-Asian News Service: It will be a clash of two in-form teams when Delhi Daredevils host Gujarat Lions in an Indian Premier League (IPL) tie at the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium on Wednesday.
Gujarat have enjoyed a superb start to their debut season, winning four of their five matches to be placed second on the table with eight points. They have the same number of points as table toppers Kolkata Knight Riders. (Full IPL 2016 coverage )
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Delhi are two points behind in third place. The Daredevils have been equally impressive, winning three of the four matches they have played so far.
Led by Zaheer Khan, the Daredevils have done well as a unit. Opener Quinton de Kock has been in good form. The South African star has the ability to play the big shots and perk up the run rate, and can also play a long innings when required.
Delhi also have several talented young batsmen like Shreyas Iyer, Karun Nair, Sanju Samson, Pawan Negi, and Mayank Agarwal, while JP Duminy has been in good form in the lower-middle order. West Indies allrounder Carlos Brathwaite also has the ability to produce the big hits.
Among the bowlers, pacer Mohammed Shami and legspinner Amit Mishra have done well. Although Zaheer has not been in his best form, the likes of Chris Morris, Imran Tahir and Nathan Coulter-Nile offer several strong candidates in the bowling department.
Gujarat also have a strong batting line-up with the likes of Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Aaron Finch, Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Bravo, Dale Steyn, Dinesh Karthik, James Faulkner and Dwayne Smith. (Sanju Samson credits Rahul Dravid for Delhi Daredevils' revival )
Finch had struck three back-to-back half-centuries in the first three games, although his opening combination with McCullum was not a success. In the last match against Royal Challengers Bangalore. The Gujarat think tank tried a new opening combination in McCullum and Smith which proved to be a good move as the duo added a quick partnership of 47 runs.
Gujarat's Indian players like Pravin Tambe, Praveen Kumar, and Akshdeep Nath have also done well. In the bowling department, left-arm spinner Shadab Jakati has not been among the wickets and may find himself out of the playing XI.
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Ashok Dinda was a happy man after the bowler helped Rising Pune Supergiants break their four-match winless streak by beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by 34 runs (D/L).
By India Today Web Desk: Ashok Dinda was a happy man after the bowler helped Rising Pune Supergiants break their four-match winless streak by beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by 34 runs (D/L method). (Full IPL 2016 coverage )
"It's very nice to win the match. It was important. We played well, batting and bowling and fielding also," he said at the post-match press conference.
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Opting to bowl and led by Dinda Pune did well to restrict Hyderabad to a low total of 118/8 and in the chase were 94/3 in 11 overs when rain interrupted the proceedings.
Dinda, who was also the Man of the Match was not happy with the frequent rain interruptions and said it didn't help the team's cause. "No, sometimes it's disturbing. Because, we are going and coming back again. For batsmen, it is very tough," Dinda said.
Pune got a perfect start when Dinda provided the first breakthrough by snaring out dangerman David Warner cheaply.
"A plan was there for Warner... just hit the perfect area and bowl incoming deliveries to David Warner. For me, it was out swing, for him it was in swing. That was the plan, just wicket to wicket bowling," he said.
(with PTI inputs)
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The 200-page document, which was prepared by a group of 11 JNU teachers in 2015, was released recently to a few journalists.
By India Today Web Desk: A dossier prepared by a group of teachers of the Jawaharlal Nehru University is likely to add more fuel to the fiery controversy surrounding the prestigious academic institution. The 200-page report, which has been put together by a group of 11 JNU teachers, describes the university as a "den of organised sex racket."
The document, which was prepared in 2015 and released only recently to a few journalists, has been submitted to the JNU administration, The Wire reports. The report has been prepared by a group of 11 teachers, who are believed to be close to the Bharatiya Janata Party and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the students' wing of the RSS.
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Amita Singh, professor at the Centre for Law and Governance, who heads the group of teachers, claimed that sex workers inside JNU hostel messes are a common thing.
"Over one thousand boys and girls students have been fined from Rs 2000 to Rs 5000 for consuming alcohol, for indulging in immoral activities in their hostels. At a casual glance at the gates of the hostel one can see hundreds of empty alcohol bottles. Sex workers have been openly employed in hostel messes, where they not only lure JNU girls into their organized racket but also pollute the boys," Amita Singh was quoted as saying.
"How come big and high brand cars are moving around the hostels particularly in the night hours. Some security staff is also involved in this racket. Money, sex, drugs and alcohol are tools through which freshers are being lured into this ring," she added.
The document titled 'Jawaharlal Nehru University: The Den of Secessionism and Terrorism' also accuses a few university teachers of encouraging a "decadent culture in JNU and legitimising separatist movements in India."
"It is a matter of serious concern that some JNU academics masquerading as liberals and feminists have been engaged in nefarious and anti-national activities of maligning India publically through their statements, lectures, publications and extra-academic activities of their NGOs which receive liberal funding from foreign hostile agencies," the document states.
Assistant professor in the Special Centre for Sanskrit Studies, Hari Ram Mishra, who was part of the group which prepared the dossier, told The Wire that they want to safeguard JNU from more trouble.
"The reason we compiled and submitted the dossier to the university administration was to prevent future disturbances in the university. JNU has become a place where communists terrorise others in the name of freedom of speech. Our point is that students should be apolitical. If you want to enter politics, there is a huge field outside. But JNU Students' Union should be limited to campus work only. But unfortunately, here communists are preferred over meritorious students," Mishra said.
The report assumes significance as a high-level committee formed to probe the recent incidents on campus found many students guilty of raising anti-national slogans.
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Earier this week, based on the recommendations of the high-level committee, the JNU administration rusticated research scholars Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, and also fined student leader Kanhaiya Kumar Rs 10,000 for their involvement in a controversial event held in campus in the memory of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
ABVP leader Saurabh Sharma, who had complained against Kanhaiya and his comrades for their allegedly "anti-national" activities, has also been fined Rs 10,000 for the row.
Also Read:
Rajasthan MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja says JNU produces 3,000 used condoms every day
JNU is a den of intellectual terrorism: Sakshi Maharaj
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Phantom director Kabir Khan had to face the wrath of angry, shoe-wielding protesters at the Karachi airport in Pakistan today.
By India Today Web Desk: Bajrangi Bhaijaan director Kabir Khan had to deal with angry protesters at the Karachi International Airport in Pakistan on Wednesday (April 27). Khan was on his way to Lahore from Karachi when he was accosted by a group of angry protesters, several of them wielding shoes.
ALSO READ: Saif Ali Khan says his uncle Isfandiyar Khan is in equal trouble for having relatives in India
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ALSO READ: Make films like Race to not get banned in Pakistan, says Saif Ali Khan on Phantom ban
OPINION: Why is Hafiz Saeed so threatened by a film?
The director had two releases last year, Bajrangi Bhaijaan with Salman Khan and Phantom with Saif Ali Khan. Of the two, Phantom was met with a ban in Pakistan for its anti-Pakistan content. On his way to Lahore, Kabir had to deal with several furious Pakistani protesters who questioned the director about Phantom. In addition to that, protesters threw several anti-India and pro-Pakistan slogans at the director.
"You people send Jadhav and kill hundreds here, why don't you make a movie about it," a protester asked the Phantom director, reports Pakistani website Dawn.com. The person referred to is formal Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, allegedly a 'spy' that India had sent to Pakistan.
Kabir Khan's Phantom was a fictional, make-believe end to the 26/11 Mumbai Attacks, where Saif's character Daniyal Khan goes to Pakistan and kills four of the main accused in the case. The people killed by Saif in Phantom included the fictional counterpart of Jama'at-ud-Dawah (Lashkar-e-Taiba) chief Hafiz Saeed. Saif's character also had a dialogue in Phantom, "Ghar mein ghus ke maarenge," referring to his Daniyal going to Pakistan to kill the perpetrators of the 26/11 attacks.
A shoe-wielding protester also chased the Phantom director to the departure lounge at the Karachi Airport, warning the director about "Indian conspiracies against Pakistan army", reports Dawn.com.
A hashtag '#GetOutKabirKhan' has also been doing the rounds on Twitter.
Kabir Khan was in Karachi to attend a marketing seminar, MARCON 2016. While Kabir maintained his cool and proceeded towards the departure lounge without much ado, the protesters took it upon themselves to question him on his anti-Pakistan stance.
Phantom, which hit Indian screens in August last year, was banned in Pakistan after Hafiz Saeed moved court seeking one.
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In the drought-struck land of Latur, Sheikh Mateen Musa has been distributing over 10,000 litres of water from his borewell everyday among his neighbours for the past three months. And he has been doing so free of charge.
By India Today Web Desk: What would you do if your house was the only one with running water, while your neighbours' taps went dry?
As you ponder over that, let us tell you the story of Latur's Mateen Bhai.
The severe water shortage raging through Latur and elsewhere in Maharashtra has been all over the news. In this crisis, instead of locking up his borewell, Sheikh Mateen Musa has been distributing over 10,000 litres of water among his neighbours everyday.
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And he has been doing that for free for the past three months.
His story was brought to light by Facebook page Voice Of Ram. In a video uploaded in this page, those witness to Mateen Bhai's benevolent actions have no end to his praises.
"Mateen sir is not the name of a man, he is the name of action," says one of his neighbours. " If anyone can teach how to serve humankind, it is Mateen Bhai."
"We ask them to take money in exchange of the water, but he sternly refuses," says another woman about Mateen Bhai. "He tells us to take as much water as we need for free."
A mathematics teacher in a local school, Mateen Bhai seems quite oblivious to the fame he has been garnering for his good works. In fact, he believes he has been doing nothing outstanding but just giving away what belongs to others in the first place.
"The water in my borewell may be the water others are destined to have, so they are only taking away what belongs to them," says Mateen Bhai. "It is nothing mine to give."
When asked what he would do if his borewell ran out of water, Mateen Bhai laughingly says, "When that happens, even I will pick up a pot and go around looking for water like others."
It is people like Mateen Bhai who remind the rest of the world that charity begins at home, and that humanity is bound by no race and religion.
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The AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal and Uttarakhand political crisis dominated the proceedings in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
By India Today Web Desk: Little business was recorded in both Houses of Parliament for the third consecutive day today. The AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal and Uttarakhand political crisis dominated the proceedings in the Rajya Sabha.
The Upper House witnessed uproarious scenes when BJP leader Subramanian Swamy dragged Sonia Gandhi's name in the AgustaWestland bribery case.
As soon as Swamy named Gandhi, Congress members angrily stormed into the Well, with a handful even moving closer to the treasury benches menacingly. Members of the treasury benches too got up on their seats to counter the opposition.
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But is it fitting that these issues should lead to disruption in the Rajya Sabha? or no matter what the excuse would that still be akin to parliamentary hooliganism?
Big Questions
Who is responsible for Parliament disruption? Is Congress deliberately disrupting Parliament? Why disrupt house when government is ready to discuss? Uttarakhand crisis an embarrassment for government? Uttarakhand yesterday, Agusta today, what's next? Was AgustaWestland deal 'driven' by Sonia Gandhi? Is there proof of involvement of the Gandhis? Who's at the losing end, taxpayers' or MPs? Politics being played over national interest? When will this Parliament logjam end?
Speaking to Karan Thapar on his show To The Point, former Minister of Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari accused the BJP-led NDA government of misusing Article 356
in Uttarakhand.
"What the Congress and other opposition parties are protesting against is why the government is not discussing the issue of imposing President's Rule in Uttarakhand on the floor of the house? You can't dismiss a government in an unconstitutional manner," Tewari said.
Seshadri Chari, member of the BJP National Executive, responded to Tewari's charge saying the ruling party has already made it clear that it is willing to discuss every issue on the floor of the house.
"Parliament can't do anything on the imposition of President's Rule but we are prepared to discuss all issues including Article 356 when it is suitable to Rajya Sabha chairman," Chari said.
Shiromani Akali Dal Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral said that his party is totally against the Centre's decision to impose President's Rule in Uttarakhand.
"We've been victim of this seven times. We do not believe that Article 356 should be invoked unless it is totally necessary. In this case, circumstances were such that perhaps the President felt that it was justified. The issue is sub-judice, so there is no harm if we wait for the verdict and then Parliament debates the issue in total," Gujral said.
Gujral also charged the Congress of disturbing the economic agenda of the Modi government. "They do not want this government's economic policies to succeed," he added.
CPI's Rajya Sabha MP D Raja said that the Left party was one of the first victims of Article 356 in 1959 and "since then we are witnessing its misuse."
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Raja also questioned Centre's hurry in imposing President's Rule in Uttarakhand.
Biju Janata Dal Lok Sabha MP Pinaki Misra backed the Congress and said that Sonia Gandhi is justified in saying that one sentence of a judgment can't be taken against her.
"Nothing has come out in Bofors, nothing has come out in accusations against Robert Vadra. People of this country are far too wise, they understand the nature of these accusations and BJP needs to understand this," Pinaki Misra pointed out.
Commenting on BJP's charge against the Congress leadership in the chopper deal, Misra added, "Bribe was given, someone must have taken it. But we need a thorough investigation, not allegations. There is no point in disruption, Congress is capable of a robust response, they should do that."
ALSO READ | President's Rule to continue in Uttarakhand, no floor test on April 29
Agusta scam: Govt junks middleman's claims, says no deal between Modi, Italian PM
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This Iranian taxi driver firmly believes that books have the power to solve all the problems in life. So he went on to create a mini library in his taxi. Who would not want a ride in this car of knowledge?
By India Today Web Desk: After the news of a library-themed hostel in Tokyo went viral, this story of a taxi driver will assure you that the world is becoming a better place!
Sahel Filsoof is a taxi driver in Iran's Rasht city but his taxi is anything but ordinary. Loaded with nearly 50 books, Sahel's taxi is a mobile library.
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He wanted to encourage the passengers to read in his taxi and that is why he created this 'car of knowledge'. Sahel firmly believes that people could solve many of their problems by reading books.
"The idea to lodge my taxi with books hit me long time ago," Filsoof said, adding that he thought reading books may provide the public with mental fodder.
His taxi has 50 books on various subjects ranging from psychology, children to history. The fans of this taxi is mostly women and young men.
Sahel had asked the authorities of the public libraries across the northern province of Gilan to support his move. He was even granted books to increase the quality of his mobile library.
"When I come across a passenger who asks me for a book to read, I just realise I am doing a good job," he said.
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A fire department official said that preliminary investigation suggests that the fire was caused by a short circuit.
CM Naveen Patnaik was not in his office when the fire broke out.
By India Today Web Desk: A fire broke out at Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's office in the state Assembly building today. The blaze was contained soon and no loss of property has been reported. The CM was not in office when the incident took place.
A fire department official said that preliminary investigation suggests that the fire was caused by a short circuit.
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"It was a minor fire. There has been no damage to life or property because of the fire. Fire Department personnel were pressed into service immediately and we managed to contain it," Fire Station officer Manoranjan Rout said.
"The fire started because of an electrical short circuit that started from the set-top box of a TV in the office," Rout added.
Also Read:
Delhi Museum fire: Safety systems failed, priceless exhibits gutted
Centre to conduct energy, fire audit of all museums across India
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A placard on the horse which MP Ram Prasad Sharma rode to Parliament read, "Pollution-free vehicle."
By India Today Web Desk: Parliamentarians are furious with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for denying them relief from the ongoing odd-even scheme and some of them are resorting to unique methods to protest.
On Tuesday, several MPs violated the odd-even rule by taking out their even-numbered car on an odd-numbered say. On Wednesday, the protest took a bizarre turn when a BJP lawmaker reached Parliament on a horse.
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A placard on the horse which MP Ram Prasad Sharma rode to Parliament read, "Pollution-free vehicle."
Delhi: BJP MP Ram Prasad Sharma comes to Parliament on a horse in protest against #OddEven pic.twitter.com/xhtREkssk2& ANI (@ANI_news) April 27, 2016
Another BJP MP, Manoj Tiwary, was seen riding a cycle to Parliament.
BJP MP Manoj Tiwari comes to Parliament on a cycle, says he is following #OddEven pic.twitter.com/8vtnjzLf3g& ANI (@ANI_news) April 27, 2016
Vijay Goel, who represents the Chandni Chowk seat in Lok Sabha, arrived in a car which had news headlines about odd-even scheme pasted on it. The headlines were from news stories which raised questions over the Delhi government's scheme to curb air pollution.
"Odd-even formula: Not clean air, it's the Rs 2,000 fine that has Delhiites conforming, No data to suggest odd-even impact on Delhi's air: Pollution panel," some of the headlines read.
This is not for the first time that Goel has shown his discontent over odd-even. Last week, the BJP MP was fined Rs 2,000 for violating the 15-day rule. He was also slapped with an additional fine of Rs 1,500 for driving without his driving licence and vehicle's insurance papers.
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Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry who is in India for the Heart of Asia conference, met for nearly 90 minutes during which Pathankot attacks, 26/11 trial in Pakistan and Samjahauta express blasts were discussed.
By Mail Today: India's Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, held
informal talks in New Delhi on Tuesday.
India has conveyed to Pakistan that former naval officer Kulbushan Jadhav, arrested on charges of being an Indian spy across the border, was abducted and sought immediate consular access for him claiming that he was taken to Pakistan.
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Countering Pakistan's claim, New Delhi asked that which spy agency would put their agent in the field with an original passport and without a visa.
Spy Talk
The subject came up for discussion along with other key bilateral issues like terrorism and Kashmir on Tuesday when foreign secretaries of the two countries met in New Delhi informally for the first time since their scheduled talks were deferred in the wake of the Pathankot attack in January. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry met for nearly 90 minutes during which Pathankot terror attack probe, 26/11 trial in Pakistan and Samjhauta Express blast investigations figured.
The meeting between Jaishankar and Chaudhry, took place as the Pakistani foreign secretary is in the country to attend the 'Heart of Asia' conference.
However, in its statement, Pakistan said it has raised the issue capturing of Jadhav and expressed serious concern over RAW's alleged involvement in subversive activities in Balochistan and Karachi, a charge which was strongly rebutted by India.
Early progress
India's Foreign Secretary emphasised the need for early and visible progress on the Pathankot terrorist attack investigation as well as the Mumbai case trial in Pakistan. He also brought up the listing of JeM leader Masood Azhar in the UN 1267 Sanctions Committee. Jaishankar clearly conveyed that Pakistan cannot be in denial on the impact of terrorism on the bilateral relationship. "Terrorist groups based in Pakistan targeting India must not be allowed to operate with impunity," a statement by the External Affairs Ministry said after the talks.
The Pakistani statement said Chaudhry brought up the issue of Kashmir emphasising that it remained the core issue that requires a just solution in accordance with UNSC resolutions and wishes of Kashmiri people. Interestingly, the Pakistani side released the talking points while the meeting between the two foreign secretaries was still on.
The statement by Pakistan also said, "In line with our PM's vision of peaceful neighbourhood, the FS underscored Pakistan's commitment to have friendly relations with all its neighbours/India. All outstanding issues including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute were discussed. Describing the discussions as frank and constructive, India said humanitarian issues including those pertaining to fishermen and prisoners, and people to people contacts including religious tourism were also covered."
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On Samjhauta Express blast, Chaudhry conveyed concerns over efforts by Indian authorities for the release of the prime suspects of the Samjhauta Express blasts. The Foreign Secretary further pointed out that, despite repeated requests India has not shared investigation reports in which 42 Pakistanis had lost their lives.
He also conveyed concern over the environment being created in India for the release of the prime suspects of the Samjhauta Express blasts, the Pakistan High Commission said. The Pakistan High Commission said Chaudhry expressed confidence that building on the goodwill generated by the recent high level contacts, the two countries should remain committed to a sustained, meaningful and comprehensive dialogue process. In this spirit, the Foreign Secretary underscored the need for early commencement of comprehensive dialogue for which the Indian Foreign Secretary's visit to Pakistan is due, it said.
Also Read: India, Pakistan Foreign Secretaries meet, all issues including terror discussed
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These movements can increase your flexibility and mobility in the legs and hips.
The Reformer is a multi-faceted piece of equipment used in Pilates to tone each and every part of the body.
By Nikita Bhalla: Amid all the hype that Pilates has garnered, you must be wondering what it is about this popular workout that makes it so challenging and result-oriented?
To begin with, Pilates is a full-body exercise which not only focuses on the core but trains the entire body as an integrated system. The workout lays emphasis on improving strength, muscle development, flexibility, along with working on the mind.
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An effective and efficient way to work the complete body, Joseph Pilates invented it in the early 20th century. Originally called Contrology, Joseph developed a couple of exercises on the floor and later also designed a slew of fitness gear like the Wunda chair, the Ladder-barrel, the Spine Corrector--equipment that went beyond the ubiquitous Reformer.
Also read: Watch and learn with Vesna #1: 5 Pilates moves on the Reformer to sculpt your upper body
Pilates came to India somewhere around the early 2000s, but very few practiced it back then. The workout actually 'arrived' when a few experts began propounding it. One of them was wellness expert and Pilates trainer Vesna Jacob, who opened a fitness studio in the Capital and became a name to reckon with.
In the last video you learnt how to tone your abs with the use of a short-box. In today's video Vesna teaches you how to strengthen your lower body on the Reformer--legs, glutes, hamstrings, calves and the core.
Also read: Watch and learn with Vesna Jacob #2: For those killer abs, try these 3 Pilates moves on the Reformer (with a short-box)
Also called the 'kneeling and standing' exercises, these 8 easy moves can improve your flexibility and tone the lower half of your body.
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The woman, Trikal Bhavanta, the Pari Akhara head, entered into a samadhi on Tuesday for not getting facilities at par with male seers in the Mela, was arrested today on charges of disrupting peace.
By Press Trust of India: The campaign for gender equality in temples has now reached the ongoing Simhastha (Kumbh) Mela here with a woman seer demanding parity with her male counterparts in the month-long religious fair, failing which she has threatened to re-stage a samadhi protest on the issue.
The woman, Trikal Bhavanta, the Pari Akhara head, who entered into a samadhi yesterday for not getting facilities at par with male seers in the Mela, was arrested today on charges of disrupting peace.
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Her agitation yesterday reached a crescendo when she sat for a samadhi inside a pit and her followers reportedly started filling it, forcing the administration to intervene and persuade her to give up the protest.
"In order to ensure that peace does not get disrupted in the ongoing Simhastha mela, we have taken this action," Inspector General Madhu Kumar said.
Bhavanta was arrested under sections 151, 309 and 336 of the IPC today when she tried to stage the protest at the same spot again, Additional SP Aditya Singh, in charge of security of mela in Datt Akhara area, said.
She had yesterday threatened that if matters like allotting space for royal bath and other facilities extended to Akharas headed by male seers are not provided to Pari Akhara within 24 hours, she would again stage protest.
Meanwhile, Akhara Parishad General Secretary Hari Giri said there is a laid down procedure for recognising any new Akhara which the Pari Akhara has to follow for obtaining recognition.
Giri said it is for the government to take a call on providing facilities to it.
However, he said when the government was unable to provide proper facilities to existing 13 Akharas, how it can provide the same to a new one.
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About 330 million people, almost a quarter of India's population, are now affected by drought, the government estimates. Destitute women, children and older family members left behind in the villages are most at risk of exploitation.
By Reuters: The worst drought in decades across several states is forcing tens of thousands of people to migrate from rural areas in search of water, food and jobs, increasing the risk that they may be trafficked or exploited, activists said.
About 330 million people, almost a quarter of India's population, are now affected by drought, the government estimates. Destitute women, children and older family members left behind in the villages are most at risk of exploitation.
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"People in the rural areas have always been vulnerable because they want better jobs, better lives," said Mangala Daithankar at non-profit Social Action for Association and Development in Pune, in western Maharashtra state.
"The drought has aggravated the situation because they are so desperate now. They have absolutely nothing," said Daithankar, who has worked in the state's drought-hit Marathwada region for about two decades.
Maharashtra is one of the worst affected states, with successive years of poor rainfall ravaging crops, killing livestock, drying up reservoirs and forcing farmers into indebtedness that has led to thousands of suicides.
In the state's Jalna district, scores of villages house only destitute women and children left in the care of older relatives who keep an eye on their homes and parched fields.
"There's no water, so there are no jobs to be had on the fields and no food to feed their families," said Vishwanath Todkar at non-profit Paryay in Osmanabad district, which is helping build water management systems in some villages.
"The women and children are particularly vulnerable, as there is no one looking out for them," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Massive distress
Men and their wives have moved to cities including Mumbai and Pune in search of jobs on construction sites and as day labourers, sleeping under flyovers and on pavements. Some have been reduced to begging on the streets, activists say.
Others, with their families, have been lured to work for little money in harsh conditions in one of the hundreds of brick kilns in the state. Many single women and widows have been trafficked into prostitution in the cities.
"Disasters are the ground zero for trafficking," said Dhananjay Tingal, executive director at Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood Movement), which says it has rescued more than 85,000 children from modern slavery in India. "Everyone's so focused on just getting by, that they are easy prey," he said.
A police spokesman in Mumbai said police had not found cases of drought-related human trafficking but were aware of the rise in migration and remained vigilant.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged a nationwide drive to conserve water, but activists and economists have slammed the government's lack of "compassion" on the issue.
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In an open letter to Modi, 170 activists, academics and economists said the drought had resulted in "massive distress movement of populations, causing broken childhoods, interrupted education, life in camps, city pavements or crowded shanties".
In Maharashtra, among the wealthiest states in the country, the drought has not stemmed the flow of migrants from neighbouring Karnataka state and elsewhere, seeking work. The drought has hit an estimated 10 million people in Karnataka.
In some places the drought is spurring the migration of entire families, including the elderly and children who would traditionally have been left behind, activists say.
"The crisis is by far the worst the region has seen in many years. There is no fodder, no water and no agriculture in the region as of now," said Amlan Aditya Biswas, regional commissioner in Gulbarga in North Karnataka. "We are concerned about the spurt in migration," he said.
The state government is working on building farm ponds and de-silting tanks in the hope that the monsoon rains in June will fill them and provide some relief to small farmers, he said.
For now, those left behind in the villages are tending to their fields, digging wells and laying down drip irrigation systems as they await the monsoon rains - which are expected to be above average this year, easing some fears. "It all depends now on the rains," said Daithankar. "People will come back to the villages if the rains are good. Otherwise there is nothing for them to come back to."
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The militants were reportedly working for Mullah Wali, a Taliban commander. The group had planned a devastating attack on the northern Afghan city of Kunduz.
By India Today Web Desk: In a scene straight out of a Hollywood film, a Taliban fighter detonated his suicide vest by mistake, killing himself and his eight colleagues without a single civilian casualty.
The militants were reportedly working for Mullah Wali, a Taliban commander, British tabloid The Sun reported. The group had planned a devastating attack on the northern Afghan city of Kunduz.
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The paper quoted the Afghan Ministry of Interior as saying the jihadis were all wearing suicide vests, and appeared to be plotting a coordinated attack.
On their way to Kunduz something went wrong and one of the fighters appears to have detonated his bomb prematurely. The explosion killed all the jihadis involved.
The Taliban has chosen to remain silent about the explosion, perhaps out of embarassment, the tabloid said.
In an earlier incident, a group of 10 would-be bombers had blown themselves up whilst working on an IED in Ghazni province.
Similarly, in November last year, an incompetent jihadi was blown to pieces by a mortar whilst filming IS propaganda video.
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By Esha Mahajan/Harper's Bazaar: Miki Agrawal invites controversy. Not on purpose, of course, but given her areas of work it's hardly surprising. Because the New York City-based entrepreneur has chosen to invest in the most basic yet most taboo of all human functions: An underwear for women on their period.
Hmm, that doesn't sound fun or fashionable, but Agrawal is here to change the conversation. "It was just surprising to me that the subject of something that's so natural is considered so uncomfortable to talk about," says Agrawal, who was born to an Indian father and a Japanese mother, and grew up in Montreal before she moved to New York to attend Cornell University.
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Alos read: Do you think this skirt has a period stain?
"We are trying to make it funny, as if you're texting your best friend. It's not clinical marketing where people don't relate to what you're saying." Which is why even though there are other players in the market, none have achieved quite the recognition as Thinx, which was one of TIME magazine's top 25 inventions of 2015, a list that also featured the hoverboard and a sensor that detects gluten.
In The Week, a Youtube video just under 14 minutes, Agrawal deftly addresses hypocrisies, inherited misogyny, and utter misinformation. And she gets her buddies-the likes of actors Sophia Bush and Joy Bryant (Parenthood)-to weigh in. The advertisements for Thinx feature grapefruits, egg yolks, and the word period-seemingly innocuous but provocative enough for the NYC subway system to not approve them without a fight.
Also read: New study: Women who suffer from painful periods at a higher risk of heart attack
"We are still not allowed to advertise in taxis, in elevators, on television, and are faced with the great challenge of making this an acceptable dialogue," says Agrawal. Still, she says revenue for Thinx (it has six versions, including one for transgender men, created with patented technology) increased by 2,500-3,500 percent between last year and this year.
Since then, she's focused her efforts on even more unfashionable concerns: Icon, an underwear for incontinence; and Tushy, a bidet that has a royal black and gold version. The heart of all these is social entrepreneurship. Icon helps fight fistula through the Fistula Foundation; Tushy simply eliminates the need for tonnes of paper; and Thinx funds AFRIpads, a partner organisation in Uganda, for each pair sold. The next step? Thinx clubs worldwide for girls to learn about their bodies and get products safely, starting with India, Nepal, and other countries in Africa, South America, and Asia.
Also read: Now you can even express your period with these period-themed emojis
All this has turned her into a bona fide entrepreneurial force. She was named Social Entrepreneur of the Year at the World Technology Awards 2015, received the Tribeca Film Festival's Disruptive Innovator Award, and was one of Forbes's Top 20 Millenials on a Mission in 2013, when Thinx took root. "All three products elevate first-world experiences and have very linear solutions for the developing world as well," says Agarwal, who talks quickly and asks as many questions as she answers.
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Did you know that 27 million girls in India drop out of school when they reach puberty? Did you know that there have been only three major innovations to manage periods? Did you know that the root word of taboo comes from the Polynesian tapua, which means menstruation? Did you know it takes 37 gallons of water to make one toilet paper roll? "I'm a bit of a steamrolling torcano [that's tornado and hurricane] sometimes, but I put my phone on airplane mode every night, meditate almost every morning, workout, see my friends, the most amazing people who know what it takes to be in the business," she says.
Agrawal has dedicated her career to issues that concern women, and met Gloria Steinem at her home last fall, but she shies away from being labelled a feminist. "We live in a world where we can define that term for ourselves, but people try to push you in a bracket. I am me and just me. I get to share how I feel and not be spoken for," she says. Even if through her work she is speaking for women across the world.
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With the mercury rising on a daily basis, escape to one of these remote villages in Himachal Pradesh for a perfect summer vacation, far from the deadlines and traffic jams.
By Samonway Duttagupta: We are going through one of the worst summers ever. In the months to come, it will only get worse. In such times, all we want to do is escape to the hills. Hidden deep within the mountains of Himachal Pradesh are places that are far from the clutches of high amount of tourist arrivals. Places that are quiet, serene and provide the perfect break for those looking to switch off from the daily madness for a few days. And, they are very cold. Here's a selection some of the most beautiful villages in the state. Take a look, and plan your next vacation!
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Kaza
Picture courtesy: Flickr/Alan Jones/Creative Commons
Perched high up at an altitude of close to 12,000 feet, Kaza is a remote village in the Spiti valley of Himachal Pradesh. Surrounded by cold, snow-clad mountains on all sides, silence prevails in this place at all times. It's one of those places where a traveller can sit and enjoy stunning views for hours, and experience the slow and relaxed way of life for a few days. With a predominant Buddhist population, Kaza is home to the 14th century Tangyud Gompa, which is built beautifully in the form of an ancient fortified castle. The mud walls of the gompa are massive in size and slanted in shape. There are battlements with vertical red ochre and white vertical stripes. Located at the edge of a deep canyon, the gompa offers unparalleled views of Kaza and the surrounding landscape.
Temperature: These days, Kaza is averaging a maximum of minus five degree celsius and a minimum of minus 15 degree celsius.
How to reach: The best way to reach Kaza is by road. The village is located at a distance of 115 km from Manali, which takes six hours to cover if one travels by a hired cab. Another option is to avail the bus service from Shimla, which takes one to the place via Kinnaur. The 412-kilometre-long route from Shimla to Kaza is open only between the months of May and October.
Also read: 6 of the most beautiful homestays in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh
Chitkul
Picture courtesy: Flickr/Nick Irvine-Fotescue/Creative Commons
Something that makes Chitkul really special is the fact that it is the last inhabited village of India near the Indo-China border. This can immediately make you imagine how remote this place can be. Located at an altitude of just over 11,000 feet, this village is a part of the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. The only sounds a traveller can hear in this place are those of the strong cold winds, the chirping of birds, the rustling of trees and the murmur of River Baspa as it flows past. Needless to say, all you can see around are mountains with snow-capped peaks, kissing the bright blue skies. The nights are magical with unforgettable views of the Milky Way.
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The only buildings you see in Chitkul are a handful of slate and wooden-plan rooftop houses, built in the traditional Himachali style architecture. Chitkul Fort, the beautiful three-storied monument made out of wood and stone, is one of the prime attractions of the place. The Kagyupa temple is a unique Buddhist site in the place, with a highly valued old image of the Shakyamuni Buddha, a Wheel of Life mandala and four Directional Kings on either side of the door. During the winter months, Chitkul is covered with a thick layer of snow, forcing the inhabitants to move to lower regions of Himachal Pradesh.
Temperature: In the summer months, the maximum temperatures are between eight to 15 degrees and the minimum temperatures are between minus two and minus seven degrees.
How to reach: Chitkul is at a distance of 569 km from Delhi, and 28 km from the town of Sangla. The best way to reach this place is by road, in a hired vehicle. The driver needs to have enough experience of driving on mountain roads as the route is full of sharp turns and tough winding roads. Travellers must make sure they have enough fuel in their vehicles and must carry enough cash with themselves, as there are neither an ATM nor a single petrol pump in this place. Also, the nearest available medical facilities are in the town of Sangla.
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Dhankar
Picture courtesy: Flickr/Carlos Adampol Galindo/Creative Commons
If you happen to visit Kaza, make sure you club Dhankar and spend a couple of days in that place as well. Located between the towns of Kaza and Tabo, this village sits at an altitude of close to 13,000 feet. The total number of houses in this village is around 70 and was the capital of Spiti region in ancient times. If peace is what you are looking for, Dhankar is the place to be. Surrounded by nothing but plenty of barren mountains, the true beauty of this place lies in its pure natural surroundings. At the top of the village, sits the famous Dhankar Gompa, which is an ancient monastery belonging to the Gelugpa sect of Buddhism. It serves as the residence of several Buddhist monks, and houses a statue of Vairochana (Dhyana Buddha). There's also a small museum within the premises of this monastery, showcasing a wide range of ancient artifacts.
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Another must-visit spot in this place is the Dhankar Lake, which is essentially a glacial lake surrounded by snow-clad mountains on all sides.
Temperature: Located at a very high altitude, Dhankar freezes with sub-zero temperatures throughout the year. The summer temperatures range between minus one degree to minus 17 degree celsius.
How to reach: There can't be a better alternative to reach this place than a locally hired vehicle. Dhankar is located at a distance of 24 km from Kaza. Taxis are available from Kaza and charge around Rs 2,000 for a round trip.
(The write tweets at @SamonwayDg)
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After fighting for women's right to worship and enter temples like Shani Shingnapur, Kolhapur and Trimbakeshwar temple, Bhoomata Ranragini Brigade's Trupti Desai is now all set to enter Mumbai's Haji Ali dargah on Thursday.
Haji Ali dargah does not allow women to enter into the sanctum sanctorum. The inner chamber of dargah is restricted only for women but men can go there and pray. To oppose this discrimination, Trupti Desai and over 50 activists held a press conference in Mumbai and demanded equal rights to enter and worship at dargah.
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Trupti Desai, other activists have planned a protest at Haji Ali Junction in Mumbai on Thursday. "We will hold a protest tomorrow and will enter the dargah till the area where they allow women. I don't think they will have a problem in allowing us to pray where our Muslim sisters pray. We are not breaking any rule, we want to go where women are allowed to stand and pray, what's wrong in it?" said Desai.
Shiv Sena leader Haji Arafat had recently threatened Desai and warned her not to touch mazar-e-sharif at Haji Ali dargah.
Considering all these aspects, the dargah Trust has taken a stand that they will allow Trupti Desai and others till the point where usually women pray. "If they come respectfully we will welcome them and will allow them to pray at a separate section that has been created for women. But if they try to enter the dargah forcefully then we will ask police to look into the matter." said Trust member Suhail Khandwani.
Earlier, Desai along with several other women, NGOs and social groups, had also launched a forum 'Haji Ali For All' to campaign for women's entry to the shrine.
In February, the Maharashtra government had supported the entry of women to the Haji Ali dargah. However, the Haji Ali dargah Trust justified its stand on the ground that allowing women to the shrine would be against the religion.
Also read:
Trupti Desai will be hit with slippers if she enters Haji Ali Dargah, says Shiv Sena leader
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President's Rule in Uttarakhand will continue till May 3, the Supreme Court said. The top court has also put on hold the floor test which was scheduled to take place on April 27.
By India Today Web Desk: President's Rule will continue in Uttarakhand till May 3, the Supreme Court said today. The top court has also put on hold the floor test which was scheduled to take place tomorrow, April 28. During the hearing, the top court asked seven tough questions to the Centre which imposed President's Rule in Uttarakhand on March 27, a day before former CM Harish Rawat was scheduled to face floor test in the Assembly
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BJP offered our Uttarakhand MLAs Rs 50 crore, Rajya Sabha seats: Congress
Here are the latest developments:
1. Can delay in floor test be a ground for proclamation of President's Rule? The Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra asked counsels representing the Centre.
2. Whether disqualification of members of Assembly is relevant/irrelevant for the purpose of Article 356?
3. What is the stage of Appropriation Bill and what is the stand of the President on it?
4. Whether the Governor sent a message under Article 175(2) to hold the floor test?
5. Can TV sting be considered a relevant material for imposition of President's Rule?
6. "I am hopeful about the Supreme Court hearing," Rawat, who turned 69 today, told reporters.
7. The Supreme Court had on April 22 stayed the Uttarakhand High Court's verdict quashing the President's Rule.
8. The BJP-led central government had moved the top court after it suffered a setback on when the Uttarakhand High Court set aside President's Rule in the state, restoring status quo ante with Congress leader Harish Rawat as the chief minister.
9. Earlier, two Congress legislators alleged that they were offered Rs 50 crore, tickets for family members in the next election and a Rajya Sabha seat for supporting the BJP in the Assembly.
10. The two Congress MLAs, Rajendra Bhandari and Jeet Ram, who made the allegation, are considered to be close to former Congress leader Satpal Maharaj, who is now with the BJP. Interestingly, Maharaj's wife is one of the nine rebel MLAs from the Congress.
11. Uttarakhand has been on the boil since March 18 when nine MLAs of the ruling Congress turned hostile against Rawat's leadership, prompting the Centre to impose the President's Rule.
Uttarakhand political crisis: A Timeline March 18, 2016: 9 MLAs rebel against Congress and CM Harish Rawat. March 19: Rebel MLA Harak Singh Rawat expelled from Congress March 19: Uttarakhand governor asks CM Harish Rawat to prove majority by March 28. March 21: BJP and Congress delegates meet President Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi. March 24: Congress accuses Baba Ramdev of creating political turmoil. March 27: Assembly speaker disqualifies rebel Congress MLAs. March 27: President's Rule imposed in Uttarakhand. March 28: Rawat moves Uttarakhand High Court questioning President's Rule. March 29: High court orders trust vote on March 31. March 29: High court allows suspended MLAs to participate in trust vote. March 30: Centre challenges Uttarakhand High Court orders. March 30: High Court stays floor test. March 30: Uttarakhand High Court adjourns case to April 6. March 30: High Court asks Congress and BJP to file affidavits. March 30: Stay on President's Rule in Uttarakhand. April 21: Uttarakhand High Court sets aside President's Rule.
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As Parliament witnesses repeated adjournments and uproar over Sonia Gandhi being named in the AgustaWestland chopper deal, here is all you need to know about it.
By Shreya Biswas: Rajya Sabha saw much ruckus today after BJP MP Subramanian Swamy pointed out Congress president Sonia Gandhi's alleged involvement in the court proceedings of the Agusta Westland chopper scam in Italy.
As the BJP is expected to raise the issue yet again in the next Rajya Sabha proceeding, here is all you need to know about the 2013 Indian helicopter bribery scandal or the VVIP AgustaWestland chopper deal:
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EXCLUSIVE: AgustaWestland middleman Christian Michel speaks to India Today
What is the AgustaWestland chopper deal?
In February 2010, the Congress-led UPA government had signed a contract with UK-based helicopter manufacturing company AgustaWestland to purchase 12 AW101 helicopters for the Indian Air Force for Rs 3,600 crore.
These choppers were supposed to be used for flying the President of India, the Prime Minister, and other such VVIPs.
Why was the deal dropped?
In February 2013, Italian police arrested Agusta Westland CEO Bruno Spagnolini and Guiseppe Orsi, chairman of AgustaWestland's parent company Finmeccanica, on charges of paying bribes to win the VVIP chopper deal with the Indian Air Force.
This led to the UPA government putting a hold on the deal, as the then Defence Minister AK Antony ordered a CBI probe into the matter.
In 2014, the UPA government cancelled the deal with AgustaWestland on grounds of the integrity pact being violated. Most of the money paid for the deal is said to have been recovered.
Why is the BJP attacking Sonia Gandhi over it?
In its 225-page judgment, the Italian Court of Appeals addresses several conversations which took place among three middlemen involved in this deal: Carlos Gerosa, Christian Michel and Guildo Haschke.
These conversations have mentions of "Mrs Gandhi" being the "driving force behind the VIP", and she and her "closest advisers" (Ahmed Patel and Pranab Mukherjee) being "the aim of the British high commissioner".
What is the Congress defence?
Countering the attack by BJP in the Rajya Sabha, Congress president Sonia Gandhi told reporters that the party has "nothing to hide". As to her name being pointed out, Gandhi said she is "not afraid".
"We have nothing to hide. Let them take my name, I am not afraid," she said. "This government has been in power for two years now, why didn't they complete the inquiry?"
The Congress also alleges a deal was struck between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart over allowing Italian marine accused of killing Indian fishermen to go back home in exchange for information on the choppergate.
The BJP has rejected the allegation, saying no such meeting took place between the two leaders.
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Who is SP Tyagi? What is his connection to the VVIP chopper deal?
Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi, the former Indian Air Force chief, is being accused of having tweaked with the altitude requirements in favour of AgustaWestland winning the VVIP chopper deal.
Prior to Tyagi becoming the Air Force chief, the IAF is said to have opposed purchasing AgustaWestland's AW101 as they were not capable of flying in high-altitude areas like Siachen and Tiger Hill.
However, once Tyagi was appointed as the chief, the IAF "conceded to reduce" the altitude requirements, hence, bringing AgustaWestland back into the race for the chopper deal.
The Italian Court of Appeals judgement says there are "unmistakable indications regarding corruption of an Indian officer", identified as a cousin of Tyagi, therefore, implying Tyagi being involved in the scam.
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All the accused have been named in the FIR and are known to the victim.
A 20-year-old woman was on Saturday allegedly gangraped by 18 men in Kadarpur village, 27 kms from Gurgaon, police sources told India Today. She lodged a complaint regarding the incident at Badshahpur police station on Monday.
"The woman belongs to Gujjar tribe and all 18 accused are residents of Kadarpur village. According to the victim all her family members were out for a baithak (family get together) when three men entered her home by jumping the wall and first intoxicated her by using a chemical sprayed handkerchief. She was taken to a secluded place where she was allegedly gangraped," said Krishan Kumar, Head Constable Badshahpur police station.
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The accused named in the FIR include Amit, Rajesh, Veerpal, Manoj, Sandeep, Rajbir, Lalu, Prahlad, Pawan, Balraj, Adesh, Sunil, Raksh, Sunny, Dharmendra, Sanjay, Phulli and Karan. They were all known to the victim.
The police has registered a case, but no arrests have been made so far.
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A comprehensive approach
Guaranteeing the right to abortion isnt enough. We know that economic, cultural, religious, and systemic barriers prevent many people from accessing abortion care even where its legal and available.
Our solution: We work across institutions and communities to build sustainable abortion ecosystems. In such an ecosystem, people have the information they need to make decisions about reproductive health, theres community and health-system support for human rights and abortion access, and laws and policies support full bodily autonomy.
[April 26, 2016] Fitch Affirms Florida State University's Mandatory Student Fee Revs at 'AA'; Outlook Stable
Fitch Ratings has affirmed the 'AA' rating on approximately $26 million of mandatory student fee revenue bonds, series 2010A (the bonds) issued by the Florida Board of Governors (BOG), on behalf of Florida State University (FSU). The Rating Outlook is Stable. SECURITY The bonds are secured by a first lien on gross revenues of a mandatory per credit hour student health fee (the fee) charged to all students at FSU's main campus in Tallahassee. Additional bondholder security is provided by a cash funded reserve equal to maximum annual debt service (MADS) on the bonds. KEY RATING DRIVERS STRONG DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE: The 'AA' rating primarily reflects the universal nature of the fee assessed to FSU's large, and relatively stable, main campus population. This fee, the primary source of pledged revenues for the bonds, provides consistently strong coverage of debt service - 6.2x in fiscal 2015. MANAGEABLE CAPITAL NEEDS: Construction on the health and wellness center (the center), which was financed with the bonds, was completed in summer 2012, both on time and budget. The facility is sufficient to meet FSU's needs for this type of capital asset through at least the intermediate term. Fitch does not expect additional debt financed capital needs supported by the student health fee. LIMITED BOND COVENANTS: Covenants are limited but comparable to those at other Florida public universities, with an annual debt service coverage covenant of sufficiency (1.0x) and an additional bonds test of 1.2x pro forma MADS, based on an average of the last two years of operating results. FSU CREDIT STRENGTH: The university's financial resources are not legally pledged toward bond repayment, although Fitch believes FSU has strong incentive to support the center given its strategic importance to the university. Fitch regards FSU's credit profile as very strong, evidenced by healthy student demand, which is supported by the university's status as a comprehensive research institution, fairly diverse revenue base, historically break-even to positive GAAP-based operating margins, good balance sheet flexibility, and low debt burden. RATING SENSITIVITIES DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE: Substantial weakening of debt service coverage on Florida State University's mandatory student fee bonds could cause a negative rating action. SHIFT IN CREDIT PROFILE: A material adverse shift in Florida State University's general credit profile, while not expected, could negatively impact student demand for the university, and negatively impact debt service coverage. CREDIT PROFILE FSU is a public comprehensive research university with its main campus located in Tallahassee and a 25-acre branch campus in Panama City, FL. The university's regional accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Universities was most recently reaffirmed in 2014 for another 10 year term. Total student credit hours totaled 1,050,000 in fiscal 2015, a slight increase (less than 1%) above fiscal year 2014. SOUND DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE Pledged revenues totaled $14.8 million for fiscal 2015, up from $13.8 million in fiscal 2014. Prior to issuance of the bonds, the Florida state legislature authorized a substantial increase in the fee to support construction of the center. The health fee increased to $13.97 for fiscal 2014 and remained constant for fiscal 2015 and 2016. Fiscal 2015 pledged revenues covered MADS of approximately $2.4 million by a strong 6.2x. Debt service on the bonds is fairly level.
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY As pledged revenues are tied to student demand, the university's credit strength is an important consideration. Headcount enrollment declined slightly (less than 1%) in fall 2015 to 41,473 and is up a modest 1.6% since fall 2010. Based on preliminary admissions statistics, management expects enrollment to increase slightly in fall 2016. FSU's stable enrollment represents sustained demand.
Tuition and fees were held flat for fall 2015 and tuition is expected to be flat again for fall 2016. Fiscal 2015 financial performance reflected a 2.6% GAAP-based operating margin, which was an improvement from a 0.8% margin in fiscal 2014. Operating improvement was primarily the result of a substantial increase in state funding related to FSU's designation as a preeminent state research university and its achievement of certain performance metrics. The university's low pro forma MADS debt burden (2.2% of fiscal 2015 unrestricted operating revenues) supported solid MADS coverage of 4.6x. Total institutional MADS equates to about $24 million (fiscal 2017) and includes debt service on housing, parking, dining, and mandatory student fee revenue bonds. FSU's management team expects operating performance for fiscal 2016 to exceed the fiscal 2015 level due largely to further increases in state appropriations. FSU's balance sheet resources lend further strength and protect it against potential adverse swings in revenues and/or expenses. The university's available funds (defined as cash and investment less nonexpendable and certain expendable restricted net assets) totaled $647 million as of June 30, 2015. Available funds covered fiscal 2015 operating expenses ($1.08 billion) by an adequate 59.7% and pro forma debt (about $291 million) by a solid 223%. Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com' Applicable Criteria Revenue-Supported Rating Criteria (pub. 16 Jun 2014) https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=750012 U.S. College and University Rating Criteria (pub. 12 May 2014) https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=748013 Additional Disclosures Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/content/ridf_frame.cfm?pr_id=1003322 Solicitation Status https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=1003322 Endorsement Policy https://www.fitchratings.com/jsp/creditdesk/PolicyRegulation.faces?context=2&detail=31 ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON (News - Alert) THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE 'WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM'. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OF CONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE. FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160426006813/en/
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[April 27, 2016] Telco Systems to Upgrade Tier 1 Mobile Backhaul Network in the United States to 10 Gigabit Ethernet
MANSFIELD, Massachusetts, April 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Telco Systems, the leading provider of innovative CE 2.0, MPLS, IP and SDN & NFV business services and mobile backhaul solutions, today announced that the company has been awarded a major contract extension from a Tier 1 wholesale carrier of Ethernet mobile backhaul services in the United States. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150311/732930 ) This contract involves the deployment of hundreds of Telco Systems' T-Marc 3348 devices for this Tier 1 wholesale carrier to provision 10Gbps Ethernet mobile backhaul services throughout the northeast of the United States. This project extension will significantly expand on the 2,500 T-Marc devices previously deployed by Telco Systems. The deployment of Telco Systems' high capacity demarcation and aggregation devices will support the Tier 1 wholesale carrier's launch of 10GE mobile backhaul services, supporting its strategic plans to meet the increasing demand for more capacity associated with the emergence of the 4G/LTE technologies and future 5G deployments. "We value this project extnsion as an expression of trust from our customer in our leading mobile backhaul solutions. We see this project as a solid indicator of the increasing demand for higher bandwidth mobile backhaul services. As wireless service providers' cell site densification continues, driven by accelerating demand for mobile data services, the need for higher bandwidth mobile backhaul will continue to increase," said Reinhard Florin, Telco Systems North America VP of Sales and Solution Engineering. "Telco Systems has an installed base in over 20 wholesale mobile backhaul carriers in North America. Based on this on-the-ground vantage point, we anticipate strong demand as customers upgrade existing 1Gbps Ethernet-based mobile backhaul networks to 10Gbps Ethernet."
Telco Systems' T-Marc 3348 was an ideal choice for upgrading the customer's existing set of 1GE carrier Ethernet optical rings used for mobile backhaul to higher capacity 10GE rings. A highly cost-effective 10GE carrier Ethernet, MPLS and IP access solution, the T-Marc 3348 is available in three versions: A standard temperature-grade version is suitable for installation in wireless carriers' environmentally controlled shelters; an extended temperature-hardened version is available for installation in carriers' non-environmental controlled cabinets; and a fully weatherized version is ideal for standalone installation within cell tower properties. Telco Systems will be demonstrating its T-Marc 3348 and portfolio of demarcation and aggregation devices at UTC Telecom Technology Conference in Denver, Colorado at Booth #529 during May 3-6 and at the Big Communications Event in Austin, Texas at Booth #200 during May 24-25.
About Telco Systems Telco Systems delivers an industry-leading portfolio of Carrier Ethernet and MPLS-based demarcation, aggregation and edge solutions, enabling service providers to create intelligent, service-assured, CE 2.0-compliant networks for mobile backhaul, business services and cloud networking. Telco Systems' end-to-end Ethernet, SDN/NFV-ready product portfolio delivers significant advantages to service providers, utilities and city carriers competing in a rapidly evolving telecommunications market. Telco Systems is a wholly owned subsidiary of BATM Advanced Communications (LSE: BVC). To learn more, visit Telco Systems at http://www.telco.com or follow Telco Systems on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Press Contact:
Talia Rimon
Marketing Communications Manager
Telco Systems
+972-4-909-6434
[email protected]
SOURCE Telco Systems
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[April 27, 2016] SentinelOne Certified for HIPAA and PCI DSS Compliance
SentinelOne, the company that's transforming endpoint security, today announced that the SentinelOne Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) has been certified compliant by security assessor Tevora to satisfy all the HIPAA Security Rule and PCI (News - Alert) DSS 3.1 malware protection and anti-virus requirements. The Tevora report published on April 25th validates that organizations can replace their antivirus suites with SentinelOne EPP and remain in full compliance with these two leading regulatory mandates. In addition, SentinelOne EPP is verified by the independent AV-TEST Institute to provide antivirus replacement for Mac OS X and Windows devices. HIPAA | PCI DSS Compliance The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 requires that Covered Entities take strong measures to protect the privacy and security of health information. Specifically, the HIPAA Security Rule Administrative Safeguards - 164.308(a)(5)(ii)(B), requires Covered Entities and Business Associates to implement and maintain procedures to protect, detect, and report on malicious software throughout the environment. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of comprehensive requirements for enhancing payment account data security developed by the founding payment brands of the PCI Security Standards Council. PCI DSS Requirement 5 requires the protection of all systems against malware. According to the Tevora assessor's report: "SentinelOne EPP takes the best of the traditional techniques and adds next generation processes to assist in evolving the endpoint standard. SentinelOne's agents gain insight into every process on the system at the kernel level to extract all relevant operations data, including system calls, nework, IO, registry, and more. This allows SentinelOne to monitor the behavior of every process that executes on the system. Having this insight allows SentinelOne to provide many response options that can be tailored to each organization incident response plan."
"Traditional antivirus solutions have proven to be ineffective against a landscape of rapidly evolving threats, yet organizations subject to HIPAA and/or PCI DSS are required to deploy these technologies in order to meet compliance guidelines," said Tomer Weingarten, CEO of SentinelOne. "With this certification, organizations can now confidently replace their antivirus with an entirely new approach to endpoint security, built specifically to address the complexity and sophistication of threats we're seeing today, and expect to see in the foreseeable future." Unlike signature-based security products that rely on static analysis, SentinelOne's Dynamic Behavior Tracking (DBT) engine continuously monitors all activities on a machine, identifying malicious patterns and automatically eliminating threats in real-time. This approach defends against advanced malware, exploit-based attacks, and insider threats that use stealthy evasion techniques which can bypass traditional security methods.
Assessment Report Findings In the Tevora assessment SentinelOne EPP detected, prevented, and removed all malware infection attempts. The report summarizes the platform's unique capabilities in four key areas as follows. To download report visit: http://bit.ly/1YSnxPY Detection With behavior learning and cloud intelligence, SentinelOne EPP quickly and easily identifies both known and unknown malware and suspicious software. Cloud intelligence utilizes crowdsourcing from participating hosts to quickly update its database of known malware to help protect other hosts from infection. Protection With system level monitoring, SentinelOne EPP prevents malware from accessing system resources and stops the execution flow of malicious payloads. Based on policies, it can perform automated containment and mitigation of threats including proactively disconnect a host from the network to prevent malware from infecting other hosts or kill, quarantine threats. Reporting The management console provides real-time reporting for active threats, running processes, configuration changes, and network activity. Additionally, SentinelOne EPP provides email and SMS notifications, and log forwarding for SIEM integration. Features With additional features not found in traditional endpoint protection solutions, such as whitelisting, blacklisting, and rollback mitigation actions, SentinelOne EPP provides more than just compliance; it provides one of the most robust endpoint protection solutions on the market. About SentinelOne SentinelOne is shaping the future of endpoint security by unifying prevention, detection and response in a single platform that uses machine learning and intelligent automation to defeat even the most advanced zero-day threats. With SentinelOne, organizations can predict malicious behavior across multiple threat vectors, rapidly eliminate cyber attacks with fully-automated, integrated response capabilities, and adapt their defenses in real-time. SentinelOne was formed by an elite team of cyber security and defense experts from IBM (News - Alert), Intel, Check Point, McAfee, Palo Alto Networks and the Israel Defense Forces. To learn more visit sentinelone.com or follow us at @SentinelSec. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160427005265/en/
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[April 27, 2016] Terra Verde CEO Edward Vasko Named as a Finalist for Phoenix Business Journal 2016 Tech CEO of the Year Award
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Terra Verde, a leading provider of cybersecurity and risk management solutions, announced that CEO, Edward Vasko has been nominated as a finalist for the Phoenix Business Journal's 2016 Tech CEO of the Year award. Each year the Phoenix Business Journal recognizes individuals for their involvement and influence in the technology industry at the AZ Top Tech Exec Awards. The program recognizes winners and finalists in seven categories: Rising Star, Technology Advocate, Technology Innovator, Investment Catalyst, Community Hero, CIO/CTO of the Year, and CEO of the Year. "I've been in the intelligence and security business for almost 30 years and in that time I've met only a handful of executives who truly think about issues holistically, understanding the near term implications and the strategic implications of a solution," said Kim Jones, Director of the Cybersecurity Education Consortium for Arizona State University and former CISO of payment processor Vantiv. "Ed is and has always been one of those rare multidimensional, holistic thinkers. Ed's focus is always on doing the right thing both for the customer and for his company. While many folks talk about business ethics, Ed lives and breathes that concept instinctively," added Jnes.
"CEOs that impress me the most are those who understand how important sharing leadership and engaging with educational, economic development and cultural organizations are for the success of our communities and nation. Edward Vasko is always willing to step up to these leadership needs," said Mike Hawksworth, President & CEO, MSS Technologies. Ed's involvement in, and love of technology started at the age of 5 when he disassembled and reassembled his parent's telephone. "I was shocked when my parents told me that the phone actually worked again after I put it back together," said Edward Vasko, CEO of Terra Verde. "My desire to be involved in technology as a career began in high school, when I was asked to write a math program for my prior elementary school to use to teach kids progressive math facts. It made me realize that technology could provide interesting ways to help people of all ages."
The AZ Top Tech Awards is the premier technology event honoring Arizona's finest leaders in technology! This fast-paced, energetic, reception provides prime networking opportunities with the best of the valley's tech industry. The event is being held Thursday, May 12, 2016 at 5:30pm 8:30pm at the Phoenix Art Museum located at 1625 N Central Ave Phoenix AZ, 85004. Visit: http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/event/136872 for more information. About Terra Verde: With offices in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona, Terra Verde provides security and risk management solutions to clients in various industries, worldwide. The company has been trusted by government agencies, medium-sized businesses and publicly traded companies to deploy sustainable security and compliance programs and services. Terra Verde partners with the public, private and higher education organizations to recruit, develop and employ IT and security professionals that have an average of 10 years of hands-on security and compliance experience, are recognized experts in their field, and hold multiple security and professional certifications. Terra Verde continually invests in testing and developing methods, best practices and a portfolio of managed security services that are modified to support each customer's unique business, financial, regulatory compliance, goals and objectives. For more information, please visit TVRMS.com. Contact Information
Public Relations
Terra Verde
Phone: 1.877.707.7997
Email: [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150806/256488LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/terra-verde-ceo-edward-vasko-named-as-a-finalist-for-phoenix-business-journal-2016-tech-ceo-of-the-year-award-300258460.html SOURCE Terra Verde
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SPRINGFIELD -- In recognition of Earth Day, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Lisa Bonnett is honoring a group of distinguished fifth and sixth grade students selected for their creative skills used to express environmental awareness, as part of the Agencys 29th Annual Poster, Poetry and Prose Contest.
The writers and artists selected from throughout Illinois were recognized earlier this month at a reception in the Old State Capitol building in downtown Springfield.
Each year, fifth and sixth grade students in Illinois take part in the Agencys environmental education program Poster, Poetry and Prose Contest studying environmental concepts with a particular emphasis on the current years environmental theme.
Many round out the classroom program by creating posters or poetry/prose works to illustrate what they have learned, and submit these to the agency. Each participating school is eligible to select four works in each of these categories to submit for competitive judging. This years theme, W.A.T.E.R. What A True Environmental Resource! How will you conserve and protect it?, focused on the importance of conserving and protecting water, including drinking water and storm water; both individually and as a community.
Illinois EPA is honored to recognize these students for their creativity, which delivers an important message to their fellow students and community members, said Bonnett. This years theme focused on water as one of our most valuable environmental resources, and through their works, we are able to see how these students have learned important lessons on conserving and protecting our environment.
Posters Top Award Winner
Makenna McBride, Jefferson Elementary, Charleston
A panel of representatives from the Illinois EPA judged all entries and selected the finalists, whose entries were then judged by an outside panel of authorities, to determine the top 12 winners.
The students, their families, and teachers were invited to a reception at which the top 12 and honorable mention winners received environmental reference books for their school libraries. The winners, along with all finalists, also received certificates and ribbons for their creative efforts.
A listing of Honorable Mention and Special Recognition winners is attached, and a complete listing of winners is available on the Illinois EPA website at www.epa.illinois.gov. In addition to the awards, tours of the Old State Capitol were given to winners and guests before and after the awards ceremony.
The winning entries will be on exhibit in the atrium at Illinois EPAs headquarters in Springfield through May 9; the top 12 entries are also featured on the Illinois EPAs website.
Information about the annual event can be obtained by contacting Kristi Morris, environmental education coordinator for the Illinois EPA at 1021 North Grand Avenue East, P.O. Box 19276, Springfield, IL, 62794-9276, or Kristi.Morris@Illinois.gov.
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency 2016 Poster, Poetry and Prose Additional Winners
Special Recognition: Poetry/Prose
Nick Hawk, Jefferson Elementary
Special Recognition: Posters
Gracie Dittamore, Cumberland Elementary School
Ellie Jacobs, Jefferson Elementary
Austen Scott, Cumberland Elementary School
Kendyn Syfert, Cumberland Elementary School
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the third of seven profiles of this year's local Jefferson Awards for public service winners.
MATTOON When Tony Sparks retired 19 years ago, he asked the Rev. Bob Clark for ideas about how he could put his newfound free time to use in the community.
"I was born and raised in Mattoon and I was looking for ways I could help improve the community," Sparks said.
The Mattoon native said this inquiry led to him serving as volunteer executive director with the Mattoon Community Food Center. He also has played leadership roles in programs involving the Mattoon Area Family YMCA, Mattoon Girls Softball Association, Broadway Christian Church, and many other community organizations.
Sparks was recently honored for this community involvement by being named as one of the 2016 local recipients of the Jefferson Awards for public service.
Coles Together President Angela Griffin wrote in her award nomination letter that Sparks has worked to improve the lives of youths and families in East Central Illinois in both his career and his free time.
"After Tony retired, he went back to work. However, he didn't go to work to improve his own social and financial standing," Griffin wrote. "He went to work so he could improve the social and economic opportunities for youth and families in our community."
YMCA Executive Director Blake Fairchild wrote in his nomination letter that Sparks worked diligently to feed the hungry in the community as the volunteer director of the Mattoon Community Food Center and as the interim director of the Eastern Illinois Foodbank.
Fairchild said Sparks led the Mattoon Community Food Center as this organization expanded its building and the number of families and individuals who received food each month.
"He effectively reached out to our community to dramatically increase the network of food and financial donations," Fairchild said. "With the help of nearly 200 volunteers, the food center continues to provide quality food assistance to those in need."
Sparks said he is happy to help in his community. He said he feels blessed to have worked with so many great volunteers at the food center, the YMCA and other community organizations over the years.
"The volunteers really keep me motivated," Sparks said.
Griffin wrote that Sparks became the executive director of the YMCA in 2009 because his passion is helping others, particularly youths who may be disadvantaged in one way or another.
Fairchild wrote that Sparks revived the YMCA's capital campaign, led successful efforts to expand the facility and made many other improvements there during his time as executive director. Sparks continues to be involved with the Y as a senior adviser.
"Because of Tony's outstanding leadership, the Y has experienced the overwhelming support of our community," Fairchild wrote. "He has built the foundation for lasting relationships that will allow the Y to continue to impact the lives of the youth, families, individuals and seniors in our community for years to come."
Griffin wrote that Sparks has a passion for creating opportunities for young people so they may improve their lives.
"One example of his passion to help others is his partnership with Coles Together to offer work skills and ethics training to developing youth so when they enter the job market or begin to think about training beyond high school, they will have a proper framework for being successful," Griffin wrote.
Sparks said a word of advice that he offers to all young people that he mentors is to pause and "take a deep breath" before making a major decision in life.
"Sometimes it's best to take a deep breath and make sure the next big thing is really the next big thing," Sparks said.
MATTOON -- Several special events relating to the history of Abraham Lincoln are planned Friday through Sunday in Coles County as part of the "Link-on to Lincoln" festival.
The events will include the "Lincoln's Trial & Tribulations" dinner theater and an 1850s-style tent revival in Oakland; the Sheep to Clothing living history event at Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site; tours of museums and historic properties in Charleston, Mattoon and Oakland; and other activities.
On Friday, activities will start with tours of the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Museum at the Coles County Fairgrounds in Charleston. The museum spotlights the 1858 debates between U.S. Senate candidates Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, including the debate at the fairgrounds. The museum will be open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday to Sunday.
Friday's activities will continue will tours of an exhibit on political campaign history at the Coles County Historical Museum in the Mattoon train depot. This museum will be open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Festival-goers are also invited on Friday and Saturday to experience an 1850s-style tent revival and camp meeting at Independence Pioneer Village, and tour the home of abolitionist Dr. Hiram Rutherford in Oakland. The two properties will be open 3:30-5:30 p.m. on both days, the the village also will host its event 7-8 p.m. both days.
Performances of the festival's centerpiece "Trial & Tribulations" dinner theater are set for 6-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Oakland Methodist Church. This annual production tells the story of the 1847 Matson Slave Trial, which was the only time during Lincoln's legal career that he represented a slave holder.
The trial involved a family of slaves escaping from the Oakland area farm of Kentucky slave holder Robert Matson and then seeking their freedom in Coles County court. Seating is limited for "Trial & Tribulations," so tickets should be purchased in advance by calling 217-508-9113.
Coles County courthouses over the years will be the focus of a new historic marker that will be dedicated at 10:30 a.m. Saturday on the south lawn of the current courthouse in Charleston. At 1 and 2 p.m. Saturday, visitors are invited to tour the courthouse and its historic tunnel and to meet Mr. Lincoln there.
Saturday's activities also will include the annual Sheep to Clothing living history event from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Lincoln Log Cabin. During this free event, the historic site and its working farm will demonstrate how settlers transformed wool into clothing.
Visitors will see how sheep are sheared and then get a chance to take part in hands-on demonstrations, including sorting and washing the wool, teasing and carding the wool for spinning, and spinning the wool into yarn. This yarn is then used to make items following 19th century patterns.
Interpreters will explain and demonstrate how wool is dyed and how cloth is woven on the site's looms. This will include Sarah Bush Lincoln working on new pants for her stepson, Abraham Lincoln. This historic site preserves the last home of Thomas and Sarah Bush Lincoln.
Link-on to Lincoln will conclude Sunday with the tours of the debate museum and a presentation about the 19th century Brush Fork community of free African-Americans in Coles County. This presentation is scheduled for 1-2 p.m. at the Dudley House Museum in Charleston.
More information about Link-on to Lincoln is available at www.linkontolincoln.org.
A Lincoln company that does contract research and development of animal vaccines has a new owner and a new, larger manufacturing facility.
Benchmark Biolabs announced Wednesday that it and its manufacturing subsidiary Antelope Valley Bios are now owned by AgriLabs of St. Joseph, Missouri, which is one of the largest companies in the world specializing in the marketing and distribution of animal health projects.
Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed, but the companies did say that Benchmark and Antelope Valley Bios will continue to operate as standalone business entities and all 40 employees will stay on, including senior management.
"This means customers of each company will see no change in how they currently do business with them," AgriLabs CEO Steve Schram said in a news release. "However, an important benefit is that customers -- whether large or small -- now can have access to experts and other resources.
Benchmark Biolabs got its start in 1996, initially doing research, design and commercialization work for both large multinationals and start-ups. It eventually moved into manufacturing vaccines and five years ago formed Antelope Valley Bios.
Benchmark and AgriLabs partnered to form VaxLiant, a company that provides vaccine adjuvants, a year later.
The merger of the two companies will now allow them both to offer a full range of animal vaccine services, from research, to development, to manufacturing, to distribution.
Though the companies will continue to do work for other firms, they also will look into developing and distributing their own vaccines.
Schram, noting the growing backlash against using antibiotics in food animals, said vaccines are going to play an increasing role in the livestock industry.
"Vaccines are going to be a critical tool going forward ... to make safe food," Schram said at a news conference Wednesday.
AgriLabs, with the addition of Benchmark and Antelope Valley Bios, is "now in a position to make world-class vaccines."
The companies will do that with the help of a brand new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.
The 21,000-square-foot facility was completed earlier this year on land near Benchmark Biolabs' offices at 421 W. Industrial Lake Drive.
Benchmark officials said that will allow the company to take on projects that it used to have to turn down because its current 3,000-square-foot manufacturing space wasn't big enough.
AgriLabs said the initial focus of the new facility will be custom-made vaccines for swine.
The mandolin often is associated with bluegrass music -- unless it's in the hands of Avi Avital.
Avital will headline Lincoln's Symphony Orchestra season-closing classical music concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Lied Center for Performing Arts, 301 N. 12th St. He will perform an arrangement of Spring and Winter from Vivaldi's Four Seasons and a concerto written for him by Avner Dorman.
The orchestra, under music director Edward Polochick's direction, will close with Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major (Eroica).
"What a thrill to have Avi Avital as our soloist for our season finale," Polochick said in a release. "An incredible virtuoso, Avital has soared to international fame with his dazzling technique and musicianship. Our Lincoln audience is in for a very special treat."
A dynamic virtuoso who has been praised by the New York Times for his "exquisitely sensitive playing" and stunning agility, the Grammy-nominated Avital chose the mandolin through the chance inspiration of a neighbor, and his Israeli hometown conveniently provided a thriving mandolin youth orchestra.
Now an exclusive Deutsche Grammophon artist, Avitals debut release for that label featured his own transcriptions of harpsichord, violin and flute concertos by J.S. Bach. The mandolinists upcoming project, Avital meets Avital, features original music composed by Avi himself and his friend and compatriot jazz bassist Omer Avital, who happens to share the same surname.
Polochick called Beethoven's Erioca a "symphonic tour de force."
"This symphony was originally dedicated to Napolean, a dedication which Beethoven rescinded when Napolean declared himself emperor," Polochick said. "It is an appropriate closing to a wonderfully heroic season."
Tickets are $30 and $15 for adults and $5 for students. For reservations, call 402-476-2211 or go to lincolnsymphony.org.
Ruby "Robbie" Grace Hiatt, 83, of Fisher's Creek, Tenn., passed away April 25, 2016, in Lexington, Ky. In addition to being a Marine Corps. veteran, she was a ward coordinator at the VA Hospital in Lincoln.
She is survived by her son Mark; daughter Amy, their spouses and five grandchildren, GraceMarie, Christopher, Adam, Matthew and Martin.
Graveside services will be private at Camp Nelson National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions are suggested to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942. Kerr Brothers Funeral Home, 3421 Harrodsburg Rd., Lexington, KY 40513.
Dr. Wilfred M. Schutz, 86, went home to heaven on April 25, 2016. Will was born January 26, 1930, on the family farm near Eustis, to parents Martin and Sophia Schutz. Faith and family were the cornerstones of his life, a legacy that lives on in his children and grandchildren. His quiet strength and unwavering devotion to his family will always be remembered.
Will served in the Army in Korea. He earned BS and MS degrees at the University of Nebraska, and a Ph.D. in statistics from North Carolina State University.
In 1968 he joined the faculty of the University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. In 1987 he transitioned to the University's Central Administration, as assistant vice president and director of University-wide Computing. He retired in 1994 to pursue various hobbies and spend time with his family.
He is survived by his loving wife of nearly 60 years, Judy Koester Schutz; sister Agnes Leising; daughters Lisa Baldwin of Beatrice, Linda (Brad) Muehling and Amy (Rich) Geschwender, both of Lincoln; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother and sister-in-law Bernard and Margaret Schutz, and brother-in-law Gilbert Leising.
The funeral service will be held at 1 pm on Thursday, April 28, at Messiah Lutheran Church, 1800 South 84th St, Lincoln. Visitation will be from 12 noon to 8 pm, with the family present from 6 to 8 pm, on Wednesday at Butherus, Maser and Love Funeral Home, 4040 A St.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Messiah Lutheran Church, Lutheran Hour Ministries, or Haiti Lutheran Mission Society. Condolences may be left at www.bmlfh.com.
Charles Louis Shambarger, 70, Lincoln, passed away on Sunday, April 3, 2016. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Frederick (Phred) and Genevieve Shambarger, he grew up in New Philadelphia, Ohio. In his youth, Charles and his younger brothers, Paul and Peter, assisted their parents in finishing a cottage on the shore of nearby Atwood Lake and subsequently they would spend their summers there. This would become a special place for several Shambarger generations, instilling a deep sense of kinship, serenity and love of nature and the outdoors in all who visited.
Charles earned his bachelor's degree from Heidelberg College and his master's degree from the University of Akron. Charles married Maurine Henninger in 1969, a union perhaps written in fate as they shared the same birthday and would be happily married for 39 years. The young couple moved to Akron, Ohio, to begin their family and careers. Charles was a pioneering rubber chemist for the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for 34 years in its Akron and Lincoln locations. At Goodyear, Charles worked on project teams that researched and developed long-lasting tires, belts, and hoses. In 1970, he helped develop the tires for equipment used by Apollo 14 lunar astronauts.
Charles was a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. He and his wife Maurine enjoyed traveling and nature and instilled those same interests in their children. He traveled to South Africa, Europe, and throughout the U.S. Charles and Maurine were active members of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Lincoln and enjoyed the company of many friends made there. Charles was an avid reader, interested in history, science, geography, and politics. As a thoughtful person and exceptional listener, he was always fully present to those who shared his company. His kindness and conversation will be missed greatly by his family and friends.
Preceded in death by his wife, Maurine. Survivors: children and spouses: Amy Shambarger and Randy Williams, Denver; C. Michael and Ksusha Shambarger, Dillon, Colo.; Erick and Amy W. Shambarger, Milwaukee, Wis.; Katrina and Stephen Linscott, Seal Cove, Maine; grandchildren ages 11, 8, and 6; brother Paul, St Petersburg, Fla.; brother Peter, Annapolis, Md.; brother-in-law David Henninger, Bolivar, Ohio; nephew; nieces.
Mass of Christian Burial: 11 a.m. Saturday, April 30, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 1940 S 77th St., Lincoln, Monsignor Liam Barr. Rosary: 7 p.m. Friday at church. Family visitation one hour before rosary and Mass. Burial and additional service in Ohio at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a nursing scholarship established at St. Elizabeth's Hospital (payable to CHI Health St. Elizabeth, 555 S 70th St, Lincoln, NE 68510, memo: "Shambarger Scholarship") or the National Geographic Society (donate.nationalgeographic.org).
A Nebraska jury found a California man not guilty of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute after a search of a car in which he was riding turned up 2 pounds of it last year.
Alberto Hineges Jr., 30, of Mendota, was a passenger in the 2013 Subaru Legacy in which Nebraska State Patrol troopers found meth in a hidden compartment after a stop on Interstate 80 just west of Elm Creek.
According to court records, a trooper stopped Jose Ivan Preciado on Feb. 28, 2015, for following too closely, and a search revealed six packages of meth weighing a total of just more than 9 pounds.
In February, Senior U.S. District Judge Richard G. Kopf sentenced Preciado, 28, of Mojave, California, to 6 years in federal prison, plus three years of supervised release. He had pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute.
A federal jury found Hineges not guilty on late last week.
SALINA, Kan. One of two suspects in the shooting death of a Lincoln man has been arrested after a police pursuit in Kansas.
Salina Police Capt. Chris Trocheck says the chase began Tuesday morning after Adonis Loudermilk, 32, of Lincoln, was found fatally shot in a Salina motel parking lot.
Trocheck says a passing train forced the suspect to turn around west of Salina. The truck then headed back into town, where the suspect hopped a curb and traveled about 200 yards in a railroad right-of-way. With two tires busted, the suspect and his passenger bailed and were arrested after a short foot chase.
The driver and a woman are jailed on suspicion of felony murder and robbery, and the passenger on suspicion of obstruction. The woman was taken from the homicide scene for questioning and later arrested.
Residents of Parkview Haven Nursing Home and Meadowlark Heights Assisted Living in Deshler were able to return home Wednesday morning after being evacuated due to flooding, said Thayer County Emergency Manager Bill McPherson.
Water poured out of the banks of the Spring and Snake creeks where the two merge on the east edge of the Thayer County Fairgrounds and quickly began to surround the care facilities around 9:30 Tuesday night. Water did not make it inside the buildings, McPherson said.
Staff moved residents, about 35 from Parkview and 10 from Meadowlark, two blocks south to the Deshler High School, where they spent the night.
Not the most comfortable accommodations, Im sure, but they seemed to take it well. They seemed to handle it just fine, McPherson said.
Classes at Deshler Public Schools were canceled because of some road flooding.
A few area residents also voluntarily evacuated for a short time fearing floodwater would reach their homes, which they did not, he said.
Officials are still determining damage to property. McPherson said he has not heard of any reports of floodwater inside buildings.
The Thayer County Sheriff's Office said U.S. 136 between Nebraska highways 5 and 14 reopened after flash flooding caused it to close Tuesday evening.
Radar estimates put rainfall totals at between 3-8 inches in Nuckolls and Thayer counties. A weather observer in nearby Ruskin reported 5.10 inches of rain.
There were also reports of flooded roads in the Holdrege and Elm Creek areas from rains Tuesday night. Snow was falling Wednesday in the Thedford and Valentine areas, with 4 inches reported by noon in the Cherry County village of Nenzel.
In Lincoln, storms Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning dropped 1.28 inches of rain at the Lincoln Airport.
Resident of Deshler says he's able to get home, but just came by to check out the flooding. pic.twitter.com/ad3Q6OfNOU Nichole Manna (@LJSNicholeManna) April 27, 2016
A former Lancaster County deputy sheriff who recently served as the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's assistant police chief will return to the sheriff's office as chief deputy.
Todd Duncan will succeed Jeff Bliemeister, who left the sheriff's office to become Lincoln's police chief, Sheriff Terry Wagner announced Wednesday.
Duncan began his career in law enforcement in 1993 with a job at LPD before joining the sheriff's office in 1995, Wagner said in a news release.
He was promoted to sergeant in 1999 and captain in 2001, serving in the patrol, special services and criminal investigations divisions, the release said.
He was named an assistant chief at UNL police in 2012 and will begin his duties with the sheriff's office May 12.
Cindy Lange-Kubick Columnist Cindy Lange-Kubick has loved writing columns about life in her hometown since 1994. She had hoped to become a people person by now, nonetheless she would love to hear your tales of fascinating neighbors and interesting places. Follow Cindy Lange-Kubick Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
Shoppers snatched up silk flowers like they were back in style Wednesday morning in Meadowlane, where the last Ben Franklin in town was taking its final bow.
They mobbed the candy aisle, grabbing sugary necklaces by the handful and shoveling Jolly Ranchers into plastic tubs.
Crowds gathered next to the tea towels and back in scrapbooking and over in fabrics, where Alice and Carol measured and snipped, surrounded by an army of bolt-toting sewers.
Check-out lines looked like queues for a rock concert, and cars circled the shopping center parking lot like bargain-hunting birds of prey.
Theres been a Ben Franklin in my life for 70 years, said Pat Mahan, deterred by the mob but promising to return. Im going to miss it.
We used to come here almost every day after school, said Judy Garlock, who traveled from south Lincoln to buy Fireballs for her husband, penny candy for her grownup girls and Velcro for a friend. So this is sad to see it go.
But going it is, like Ben Franklins everywhere.
At its peak, 2,500 Ben Franklin franchises sold their wares from sea to shining sea -- staples of small-town main streets and big-city strip malls alike. The number has dwindled to 120.
Soon: 119.
After decades in the business and with a lease renewal due soon, Bob and Carol Schoenleber recently announced a going-out-of-business sale at their 70th and Vine streets store.
Letters landed in Lincoln mailboxes earlier this week, and the newspaper wrote a story, and Ben Franklin fans emerged.
They bought mint molds and wooden puzzles, muffin cup liners and kitchen utensils, photo albums and greeting cards, buttons and safety pins and Mason jars.
Strangers bonded over memories and one-liners in hour-long lines. (This is a fake smile, one said, heading to the back of the line.)
An older man bought out all of the stores hankies -- delicate squares embroidered with flowers -- while a young woman behind him cleaned out the candy cigarettes.
Ive always had a thing for them, said Makenzie Jaeger, holding 42 boxes of cigarette-shaped sugar, priced at 30 cents apiece.
The 19-year-old shopped here with her mom as a kid and later used the candy smokes to wean herself off the real thing. (Shes too young to remember the bubble gum cigarettes I bought at the Indian Village Ben Franklin, so I filled her in on the childhood thrill of blowing powdered sugar smoke out of a cigarette you could blow bubbles with later.)
Next to Jaeger, Gwen Powell had a small cookie sheet in her basket, the perfect size for her toaster oven.
This place has weird things no one else has, said Powell, a retired preschool teacher.
Things you didnt know you needed until you saw them, added Jaeger, listening in.
Things like Powells cookie sheet and tiny whisks for one egg and doilies and small metal toys.
Everyone seemed to be needing something Wednesday.
Wooden Christmas ornaments and fake fall foliage and a bit of nostalgia for DeAnn Allison Cudly, whose book club was buzzing about the closing earlier in the morning.
She and her husband, Bruce, bought a wedding present for themselves at a Minnesota Ben Franklin, a loom they still own.
Whenever we travel we find a Ben Franklin, she says. Its just like a big dime store.
Theres something about a Ben Franklin. This one in Meadowlane. The Indian Village Ben Franklin, the Havelock store, the Ben Franklin in University Place and in Piedmont, all of them gone but this one.
Rene Head had her first real job at the Piedmont Ben Franklin and spent hours in the candy aisle at the Indian Village store.
Its like a part of your childhood, the 56-year-old said. I hate to see those things go away.
Loren Rye favored the Ben Franklin toy aisle as a kid. He and his brother bought balsa wood airplanes and pea shooters (complete with peas) and kite kits that came in plastic bags.
Wed take the kites to the park until they were destroyed by the wind or ground contact.
Wistful is the word the 41-year-old uses, thinking about no more Ben Franklins.
And wistful is how Marsha Dvorak felt Wednesday morning, shopping cart loaded with flour sack towels and embroidery floss.
Ohhhh, Im going to miss it so badly, she says.
You could hear the refrain rippling down the crowded aisles as the lines kept growing -- as one former Lincoln mayor (Don Wesely) then another (Coleen Seng) come to pay their respects.
Outside, the cars kept circling, and Nancy Goering headed to hers without making a purchase.
She and her husband, Lanny, will come back, she said, but probably not until next week.
It took a long time to find a door to get out.
Sally Rockey is confident the deadlines agriculture producers face in feeding an ever-growing world population will be met.
In closing the 2016 Water for Food Global Conference Tuesday, the executive director of the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research shared an optimistic view that future breakthroughs in agriculture will allow farmers and ranchers to feed 10 billion people by the middle of this century.
But even as science is achieving new breakthroughs, Rockey said the traditional funding sources pushing that research have stalled.
Agriculture has seen the majority of its research and development funding shift from the public to the private sector, while funding in both sectors has moved largely to defense spending.
According to Rockey, the U.S. Department of Agriculture accounts for roughly 2 percent of the entire research and development budget for the federal government, with about 90 percent of that funding being awarded to non-government researchers.
We need our agriculture and our agriculture research to keep up, to be able to provide that food that is going to be needed in this population were going to have worldwide, Rockey said.
As private sector funding has eclipsed government research spending, Rockey said new opportunities have arisen for researchers through public-private partnerships -- the kind of Catalytic Collaborations this years Water for Food conference promoted.
Created through a $200 million appropriation included in the 2014 Farm Bill, the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research was established as a nonprofit organization that partners with non-federal agencies to fund programs and research tied to optimizing agricultural water use, transforming soil health, developing sustainable animal farm practices and improving food processing and nutrition, among other issues.
To accomplish those goals, the foundation partners with philanthropic groups, universities and other agencies.
Echoing the message presented by Water for Food Board Chairman Jeff Raikes on Monday, Rockey said both the public and private sectors find common ground for research in precompetitive spaces, which she defined as areas of research where outcomes offer no particular advantage relative to peers and where there is potential to positively impact all parties equally.
Its a broad definition, Rockey admitted, and one that doesnt always have clear lines companies adhere to. But its also an area where both the private and public sectors have recognized great opportunities.
Private companies realize its an area where they can work toward their corporate social responsibility, rapidly develop products, realize cost savings and efficiencies, access research completed at universities across the country, as well as the experts behind the research, while also tapping into researchers capable of bolstering their workforce.
Theres where the action is, folks, Rockey said. We need to continue to move in that arena, not only because we share goals with the private sector, but its also a place where there can be joint funding of research.
The precompetitive space benefits public agencies, too, Rockey added. It gives them a space to address real-world problems, translate research into solutions adopted by companies into the economy and access privately-held research and data.
Its really a win-win situation for both sides, she said.
In an area that crosses multitudes of disciplines -- agriculture, engineering, computer science, economics, sociology -- public-private partnerships have the capacity to produce large-scale solutions to the worlds most complex problems.
Rockey said the more she learns about the work being done at places like the University of Nebraska, where she was one of four finalists for the presidency in 2014, she is confident those challenges will be met.
It is just amazing as I travel around the country, seeing the pent-up need for research funds, because the ideas and innovations are absolutely incredible, she said.
Lancaster County officials have appointed Gwen Thorpe, deputy chief administrative officer for the County Board, to serve as interim county corrections administrator.
The County Board voted Tuesday to appoint Thorpe to oversee the county corrections department after a vote to place Corrections Administrator Mike Thurber on paid administrative leave for two weeks pending an investigation.
Doug McDaniel, city-county human resources director, said his office is looking into allegations but declined to say who or what the allegations are against.
"We are investigating allegations," he said.
He said his office doesn't investigate criminal complaints.
County officials declined to comment Wednesday about the reasons for their decision to put Thurber on paid leave. The 5-0 vote to suspend him came after a closed executive session Tuesday morning.
Thurber didn't respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
Asked if he is being investigated criminally, County Attorney Joe Kelly said: I cant say anything.
Neither the Nebraska State Patrol nor Lincoln police are investigating Thurber, according to spokespeople for both agencies.
Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner declined to say whether his office is investigating Thurber.
In December, the County Board approved a 2.5 percent salary increase for appointed county department directors including Thurber. He earns $113,500 and started work as the county's corrections director in June 1993.
Kerry Eagan, chief administrative officer for the county commissioners, said Thorpe has no experience operating a jail but has plenty of experience as a county administrator.
"A lot of administering the jail requires administrative experience," he said.
Thorpe ran Lancaster Manor for more than a year when the administrator there resigned unexpectedly in 2008.
County jail administrators typically need to meet certain training requirements, but since Thorpe will only serve in that capacity for two weeks, she won't need that training, Eagan said.
"She has lots of good people out there to help her," he said.
Age: 57
Address: 7562 Upton Grey Lane
Occupation: Attorney and CEO of ABLED Inc., an agency serving developmentally disabled individuals
Political party: Independent
Tagart says he wants to be a voice for those who do not have a voice and would address injustice in the justice system while addressing the issue of 100,000 Nebraskans who do not have access to affordable health care now.
What would be your top three legislative priorities?
1) Expanded Medicaid covering 100,000 Nebraskans using $1 billion of federal funds creating 10,000 jobs and protecting our hospitals.
2) Tax reform relying primarily on a simplified graduated income tax and eventually abolishing sales taxes and property taxes.
3) Judicial reform leading to $100,000,000 of annual tax savings to Nebraskans focusing on leniency, common-sense sentencing, victim restitution and community service.
Would you support a health care reform plan that accesses available federal Medicaid dollars to extend coverage to the working poor and other needy Nebraskans? Why or why not?
I support expanded Medicaid. Obamacare is available to individuals with family incomes above 133 percent of the federal poverty level (generally $32,253 for a family of four in 2015). Expanding Medicaid will provide 100,000 hardworking Nebraskans with healthcare. Most are not lazy freeloaders. Nebraska would receive $1 billion in federal funds. It would create 10,000 jobs and strengthen rural medical facilities.
Do you believe the death penalty should be restored in Nebraska, yes or no? Explain.
No. We have elected officials in Nebraska obsessed with the death penalty. The system is not flawless. Keeping people in prison for life costs less than executing them. We had the recent fiasco of thousands of dollars spent on lethal injection drugs never received. Our governor and his father spent hundreds of thousands of dollars seeking petition signatures.
Are additional protections needed to ensure rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender Nebraskans? How should such laws be written to protect the practice of religion?
We are to love our neighbors and that includes LGBT. Their rights need to be protected. We started ABLED Inc. and began operations in 2014 inspired by my developmentally disabled son who died in 2012. We do not require those served or those who serve to be Christians. However, we do require everyone to follow the Golden Rule.
Age: 35 on April 18
Address: 1008 S. Eighth St.
Occupation: Attorney
Political party: Republican
A former policy adviser for then-Gov. Dave Heineman and later director of the Platte Institute for Economic Research, Clark says ideas matter and government policies have real consequences. His children are young now, but he wants them and their peers to have abundant opportunities to thrive when they grow up. Smarter public policy now is how we get there, he says.
What would be your top three legislative priorities?
1) Education: We should have more choices, and we should replace our overly complex school funding formula. 2) Job creation and economic growth: Make sure entrepreneurs have a level playing field. We also need to control government. 3) Government accountability: There is a real cost to waste, fraud and abuse. Each misspent dollar is one that does not go to help run an essential service.
Would you support a health care reform plan that accesses available federal Medicaid dollars to extend coverage to the working poor and other needy Nebraskans? Why or why not?
I do not favor expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. There is strong evidence it would drive health care costs up. There are, however, ways that we can reform Medicaid to better serve patients. I support health care reform proposals like Sen. Riepe's LB817, which will enable patients and doctors to work together through Direct Primary Care agreements.
Do you believe the death penalty should be restored in Nebraska, yes or no? Explain.
Some crimes are so heinous that the only just, proportionate response is death. I don't think that people take the death penalty lightly, but I do expect Nebraska voters to reinstate the death penalty at the ballot box this November.
Are additional protections needed to ensure rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender Nebraskans? How should such laws be written to protect the practice of religion?
My understanding is such discrimination is already illegal under federal anti-discrimination laws. Every person is entitled to equal protection. As to matters of conscience or religious conviction, I believe in personal and religious liberty, freedom of association and the importance of consent. People should not be compelled by government to participate in activities of social or religious significance to which they object.
The presidential primaries are a long way from over, but theyve already produced an unhappy paradox: Both parties appear headed toward nominating the two most unpopular candidates in the country.
Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner, has accomplished an unprecedented feat: More than two-thirds of voters say they cant stand him. In the same unpopularity contest, Hillary Clinton, the likely Democratic nominee, is runner-up: more than half the voters dont like her. Ted Cruz, who still has a shot at the GOP nomination, is almost as unpopular as Clinton.
In every major poll conducted since February, all three leading candidates are underwater: more voters view them unfavorably than favorably. The negative numbers are driven mostly by partisan animosity. Republicans are divided over Trump, and Democrats are divided over Clinton but voters in each party are united in disliking the other sides front-runners by roughly 90 percent in each case.
When the Pew Research Center asked voters how good a president each candidate would make, the results were striking: 67 percent of Democrats said they thought Trump would make a terrible president. Almost as many Republicans, 58 percent, said they thought Clinton would be terrible in the White House.
Weve never seen numbers like this before, Carroll Doherty, Pews chief political pollster, told me.
And that has troubling implications for the next president, no matter who he or she turns out to be. After an election, presidents must bridge the partisan divide to get much done. But no need to wait for inauguration day 2017. We already know how this is going to turn out: Were pre-polarized.
Its easy to forget, but in 2009 Obama arrived at the White House with a massive 68 percent positive rating in the Gallup Poll, including 41 percent of Republicans. Eight years earlier, the newly elected George W. Bush enjoyed a 63 percent positive rating, including 37 percent of Democrats.
The honeymoon didnt last, but the numbers meant that these presidents at least had the benefit of the doubt from most independent voters and a significant minority in the other party. They both had a base of popular support from which to negotiate with Congress. But thats unlikely to happen this time.
With the next president already held in record low esteem, both parties will be tempted to follow the strategy example set by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell during Obamas presidency: constant confrontation, instead of bipartisanship, to heighten the chance of gaining ground in the next election.
We worked very hard to keep our fingerprints off [Obamas] proposals, McConnell explained [to The Atlantic, in 2011]. The only way the American people would know a great debate was going on was if the measures were not bipartisan.
Most voters still tell pollsters they want Congress and the president to work together and get something done, of course. But that sentiment never seems to be powerful enough to overcome partisan distaste for the other side. Political scientists call this affective polarization meaning the two sides just dislike each other more.
Whatever you call it, it produces the central political frustration of our time: political parties that see little reason to cooperate, and plenty of reasons to fight.
Is anyone pushing back?
Last week, a bipartisan group called No Labels unveiled a hopeful centrist program: a glossy catalog of sensible policy ideas, complete with poll numbers to show that each has wide public support.
Among the proposals: Allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug companies to lower prices, which gets 82 percent support. Passing a no budget, no pay law to withhold Congress paychecks if a federal budget isnt passed, which gets 81 percent support. Increased funding for childcare and early education; 79 percent support.
The group has assembled a centrist problem solver caucus in Congress, with almost 80 members drawn equally from both the parties.
Were trying to disrupt the dysfunction, said former Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, the Connecticut Democrat who chairs the organization along with former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, a Republican.
The group has a practical side, too. Its raising money to protect centrist members of Congress from being knocked out of office in primary elections.
Its a worthy effort. But the hill they are climbing looks steeper than ever because in the presidential campaign each side is already demonizing the other. That will make it even more difficult for the next president to bring the two parties together after January 2017.
As we make our way through the month of April, drawing nearer to Arbor Day, I cant help but think about the history of the holiday. Over the last 144 years, people across the country and around the world have been planting trees on Arbor Day. Its exciting to see a universal desire to celebrate trees and all they do for us. Its also exciting to watch the continued revitalization of Americas forests.
But how do you define forest? Many think of forests as expansive wilderness, most likely National Forests and Parks. Places where bears, moose and wolves roam free. Places for camping and fishing and wildlife excursions. These forests are critically important for watershed protection, air and water quality, wildlife habitat and much more. But today Id like to address another kind of forest, the forest where you live, work and play every day: the urban forest.
Now perhaps youre asking yourself, Wait, whats an urban forest? Its a common question with an easy answer. Walk outside and look around. See all those trees? Thats an urban forest a culmination of all the trees in your town or city. And dont think the term urban forest cant apply to smaller communities; urban forests exist everywhere from quaint villages to small towns to expansive cities.
An urban forest is always hard at work reducing energy costs by shading homes, improving air quality, controlling stormwater runoff, making neighborhoods safer and beautifying public spaces. Many of these trees, such as street trees and trees in public space, are managed by the city municipality and need ongoing care and maintenance. Thats where the Tree City USA program comes into play.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Tree City USA helps towns and cities develop a plan to plant and care for the trees of their urban forests. More than 3,400 communities of all sizes are involved in this program from New York City (population 8.4 million) to Sibley, North Dakota (population 28). To receive Tree City USA certification, municipalities are required to meet four core standards of sound urban forestry management. Meeting these core standards means a community is committed to keeping its trees healthy and public spaces green.
Everyone benefits when elected officials, volunteers and committed citizens make smart investments in urban forests. Trees are a natural solution to helping create vibrant and resilient communities. They frame our neighborhoods and help to create a sense of place for us. They are also the most effective tool for protecting cities from devastating storms and helping them withstand emerging changes in weather patterns.
This year National Arbor Day falls on April 29. Regardless of where you live, I encourage you all to celebrate by planting a tree and exploring the wonders of the forest surrounding youurban or wilderness. After all, we have a lot to thank our trees for.
It's good to see Ricketts standing against the redistricting bill (" Ricketts vetoes reform ," April 19). The process he describes, that "a citizens commission would be 'highly likely to be composed of party insiders who know how to draw districts to favor their friends and political allies," is exactly what happens time and time again. This is why Republicans and Democrats win the same seats every year, in addition to people's fear of voting for an evil they know versus the new guy running against the incumbent.
This process is something Nebraskans as a whole should be very interested in. It decides how powerful your vote is because if you vote Democrat in a Republican drawn district, odds are your vote will get overtaken by the winner-takes-all districting and this also works the other way as well. If Nebraskans want our legislature to actually get things done the way we vote, we need to crack the redistricting process that decides who will be nominated and win four years after each census.
It is very unfair for state senators and officials to blame Department of Correctional Services director Scott Frakes for all the problems in Nebraska's prison system ("Corrections director gets a grilling," April 19). He has been on the job for only 14 months and inherited a huge mess, none of which was his doing. The system is currently at 165 percent capacity. What did you expect? The blame correctly and directly belongs to former governors and state senators who did absolutely nothing for many, many years.
OMAHA Authorities say a 34-year-old man has been charged with vehicular homicide for the crash death of a motorcyclist in Omaha.
The Douglas County attorney's office said in a news release Wednesday that Joseph Madej also is charged with driving under the influence. Madej remains in Douglas County Jail. Online court records don't list the name of an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
Police say the accident occurred a little before 7 p.m. Monday when Madej's westbound pickup didn't halt at a stop sign and collided with the northbound motorcycle. The impact knocked the motorcycle into another pickup that was parked nearby, and both caught fire.
Police say 48-year-old Daniel McDonald, of Omaha, was pronounced dead at the scene. His wife was riding with him, and she was hospitalized.
RACINE A structure fire broke out in an eight-unit apartment building shortly before midnight Tuesday evening, the Racine Fire Department reported.
Crews were dispatched to an apartment building at 314 10th St. at 11:56 p.m. Tuesday after dispatchers received a 911 call from one the apartment's tenants who heard crackling sounds in the wall, according to a press release from the Fire Department.
When fire crews arrived on scene they did not see any smoke but observed some heat damage on a wall within an apartment. They removed the plaster from the wall and ceiling and found the fire within the wall that had extended into the attic. The blaze was quickly extinguished.
While only one apartment unit sustained most of the damage, fire officials said that We Energies crews determined that the natural gas could not be turned on following the fire and without heat in the building, all of the tenants were affected.
The Red Cross assisted tenants without a place to go for lodging, the Fire Department release stated.
The cause of the fire was under investigation early Wednesday. Damage was estimated at $10,000 for the structure and $25,000 for contents, the release said.
Wisconsin Lawmakers will seriously consider a funding request from the Government Accountability Board to educate voters about the state's voter ID requirement, the Legislature's budget committee co-chairman said Wednesday.
The GAB voted 4-2 during its Tuesday meeting to submit a formal request for $250,000 to the Joint Finance Committee to fund an informational campaign before the 2016 presidential election.
"We look forward to seriously considering the request," said Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, who co-chairs the JFC. "Election integrity is something you cannot put a price on. The ability to ensure every vote is counted is a goal we all share, regardless of party."
The campaign is ready to go, said spokesman Reid Magney, but the Legislature appropriated no money in the current budget for it to run on TV, radio, newspapers and billboards.
Gov. Scott Walker approved the law, which requires certain forms of photo identification to be shown at the polls in order to vote, in 2011. The measure was in place for the February 2012 primary, but was then blocked by orders from judges in state and federal court.
After a series of legal challenges, the law was put back in place this year for the Feb. 16 spring primary and April 5 presidential primary election.
The GAB spent about $720,000 on a statewide campaign after the law was passed, but additional funding wasn't allocated when it took effect once again after years of legal challenges.
Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, and League of Women Voters of Wisconsin executive director Andrea Kaminski both spoke at the board's meeting Tuesday, urging members to make the funding request.
The Joint Finance Committee's supplemental fund has just $267,000 for all state agencies through June 30, 2017.
At a bill signing in Humboldt on Tuesday, Walker said if people were serious about educating people about the law, its opponents wouldn't have allowed the state to spend so much time and money defending it in court.
I support informing the public about the law that ensures people can exercise their right to vote and would like to review the GAB request to ensure that the money will be well spent," said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, in a statement. "I also agree with Gov. Walkers sentiments on this issue. The state has had to utilize taxpayer resources to defend the law in frivolous lawsuits from liberal activist groups who are now asking for additional Voter ID education."
Wisconsin In Brief
MADISON
Walker, Thompson among
statewide GOP delegates
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Gov. Tommy Thompson backed different Republican candidates for president but are both among the 18 at-large delegates who will represent the state at the national convention this summer in Cleveland.
The Wisconsin Republican Party released the delegate names Tuesday. Wisconsins other 24 delegates, selected in each of the states eight congressional districts, had already been announced.
Under state party rules, all 18 of the statewide delegates are required to vote for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who won Wisconsins primary, in the first round of balloting at the national convention. They can switch to another candidate only if they are released by Cruz or he fails to get a third of the overall vote. Walker endorsed Cruz and campaigned with him. Thompson backed Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who came in third place.
MADISON
Board will seek money
for voter ID education
The state elections board voted Tuesday to ask lawmakers for a quarter of a million dollars to revive its efforts to educate people about photo identification requirements at the polls ahead of the fall election season.
The Government Accountability Board mothballed its voter ID outreach campaign in 2012 after a court challenge blocked the requirement. A federal appellate court ultimately upheld the law in 2014 and it was in effect for both this past Februarys primary and the April 6 general election, which included the presidential primary.
Democrats feared the voter ID law would prevent some people from voting, but the turnout was 47 percent in the April election, the highest since 1972. GAB officials have said things went smoothly for the most part, although some voters faced long lines and difficulties trying to obtain valid IDs, particularly college students.
MADISON
Walker signs bill expanding
property owners rights
Gov. Scott Walker has signed a bill expanding property owner rights and barring counties from imposing development moratoriums.
The bill cuts down on ways local governments can interfere with property transactions. It forbids municipalities from blocking property owners from selling or transferring land titles and bars counties from regulating repairs on structures legally located in shore land setback areas.
The bill also requires judges to resolve ambiguity in zoning ordinances in favor of property owners.
MILWAUKEE
Driver fatally shot
by child in back seat
Authorities say a 26-year-old woman driving in Milwaukee was shot to death when a child in the back seat got hold of a gun.
The Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office says the woman was struck once in the back as she drove south on U.S. 41/Highway 175 around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.
When deputies arrived, the woman had no pulse and was not breathing. Officers tried to revive her but she was pronounced dead at the scene. The age and gender of the child were not released.
MADISON
Kraft Heinz: Oscar Mayer
closing in March 2017
Madisons Oscar Mayer plant is slated to close by March 2017, ending nearly 100 years as a part of the city.
Parent company Kraft Heinz Food Co. announced the impending closure in November, along with the closure of six other plants, as part of a plan to save $1.5 billion in costs.
According to a notice from Kraft Heinz to Wisconsins Department of Workforce Development released Tuesday, the closure will occur in phases beginning at the end of June and continuing through the first quarter of 2017.
The notice says about 46 salaried employees and about 515 hourly union employees will lose their jobs.
Associated Press
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Gov. Tommy Thompson backed different Republican candidates for president but are both among the 18 at-large delegates who will represent the state at the national convention this summer in Cleveland.
The Wisconsin Republican Party released the delegate names Tuesday. Wisconsin's other 24 delegates, selected in each of the state's eight congressional districts, had already been announced.
Under state party rules, all 18 of the statewide delegates are required to vote for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who won Wisconsin's primary, in the first round of balloting at the national convention. They can switch to another candidate only if they are released by Cruz or he fails to get a third of the overall vote.
Walker endorsed Cruz and campaigned with him. Thompson backed Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who came in third place.
Republican front runner Donald Trump won two of Wisconsin's eight congressional districts, so those six delegates are required to vote for him in the first round. Cruz won in the other six districts as well as statewide, meaning he got 36 of Wisconsin's 42 delegates.
There is a two-front battle going on in the Republican presidential race. Trump is trying to win enough delegates through primary voting to capture the nomination before the convention. But it's mathematically impossible for Cruz or Kasich to win the 1,237 majority of delegates, so they are now trying to line up enough support to win the nomination on the second or subsequent rounds of voting.
Cruz and Kasich announced an unusual deal Sunday designed to prevent Trump from getting the majority of delegates by the end of the primary voting season in June. Under the deal, Kasich has agreed not to campaign in Indiana before its May 3 primary and Cruz said he would "clear the path" for Kasich in New Mexico and Oregon.
Walker was expected to campaign with Cruz in Indiana on Sunday. Walker has said he will back whoever is the eventual nominee.
Thompson said in an interview that he was honored to be a delegate and would follow the rules requiring him to cast his ballot for Cruz. Thompson said he has been a delegate at every national convention since 1976, the last time the nomination was contested.
Other delegates include Walker's wife, Tonette, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, Attorney General Brad Schimel, state Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, state Sen. Duey Stroebel, state Rep. Dean Knudson and Mike Grebe, a longtime Republican activist and chairman of the Bradley Foundation. Stroebel was an early backer of Cruz and was chairman of his campaign in Wisconsin.
Other than Thompson, none of the other delegates announced Tuesday have publicly backed anyone other than Cruz.
___
Follow Scott Bauer on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sbauerAP and find more of his work at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/scott-bauer
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After doctors, 3 fake engineers held in Capital
The Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Crime Division on Wednesday arrested three individuals for acquiring employments at various places with fake engineering degrees from the Capital.
Ancient artefacts found in Janakpur
Archaeologists have discovered several artefacts and remains of ancient houses at 52 Bigha Maidan in Janakpur.
Australia's Manus Island migrant camp left in limbo
The fate of asylum seekers held in Papua New Guinea remains unclear after the country's Supreme Court ruled their detention was unconstitutional.
Budget session from May 3
President Bidhya Devi Bhandari on Tuesday called the budget session for Parliament from May 3, as per the recommendation by the government. As per the constitutional provisions, the President, on the recommendation of the government, calls the House session.
Congress MPs ask PM to cut through red tape
Around two dozen Nepali Congress lawmakers, a majority of earthquake-affected districts, on Tuesday called on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and urged him to cut through all the red tape to make sure that quake survivors get housing grant to rebuild their houses within a month.
Dixit's spouse moves SC against his arrest
Shanta Dixit, spouse of noted journalist Kanakmani Dixit presently in confinement of Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), registered a writ of habeas corpus at the Supreme Court arguing that the arrest of Dixit is illegal.
Easy market access, trade barrier removal top agendas
Nepal and Bangladesh are scheduled to hold commerce secretary-level talks on May 11 and 12 where an agreement on providing easier market access to each others products and removal of trade barriers are expected to be signed.
Fire destroys 300 ha forest in Bhaktapur
Forest fires have destroyed around 300 hectares of public and community forests in Bhaktapur in the past one week, according to District Forest Office (DFO).
FNJ takes exception to CIAA detention of Dixit
The Federation of Nepali Journalists has raised doubts over the investigation process launched by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority against journalist and Sajha Yatayat Chairman Kanak Mani Dixit.
Govt slashes rent to woo industrialists
The government has sharply reduced the rental rate for factories inside special economic zones (sez) in a bid to attract industrialists to set up production lines inside the Bhairahawa Sez.
In US, man kills daughter, 2, for interrupting his computer game
31-year-old US man has been charged with suffocating his two-year-old daughter to death for distracting him from his computer games, a media report said.
Inclusion for the disabled
Development organisations need to open up their programmes for people with disabilities
Indefinite strike along Karnali Highway leaves passengers stranded
Karnali Transport Entrepreneurs Associationhas called for an indefinite strike along the Karnali highway since Wednesday morning. The passengers have been hit hard due to the bandawith the obstruction in vehicular movement.
Lama sworn-in as asst min replacing Bista
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli Wednesday administered oath of office and secrecy to newly appointed Assistant Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Resham Bahadur Lama amidst a programme at Singha Durbar.
Manoj Bajpayee one of the finest actors: Shah Rukh
Superstar Shah Rukh Khan says that actor Manoj Bajpayee is his childhood friend when they had lot of fun together and he considers him to be one of the finest actors.
NC will play active oppn role: Deuba
At a time when the political sphere is rife with talk about change in government leadership, Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has remarked that his party will play the role of an active opposition party.
Nepal Festival in Bangkok commemorates Nepal quake
Nepal Festival welcomed passers-by to authentic Nepali shops and performances, including a photo exhibition showcasing the countrys stunning Himalayan mountains, to promote awareness on the devastating earthquake last year, at the Central World in Bangkok. The event lasted for four days.
None of battered Sindhu rebuilt in a year
When the devastating earthquakes nearly wiped out the whole of Sindhupalchok last year, no one there had probably thought that they would still be living in makeshift shelters when another rainy season adds to their misery.
One dead, two injured in wedding bus accident
A person died leaving two others seriously injured in a bus accident along the Dharan-Dhankuta road section at Dhankuta municipality-3, Aatamardhat on Wednesday morning. The driver of the bus lost his life during the incident.
PM relieves Assistant Minister Bista from post
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has today removed Assistant Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development, Biraj Bista, from the post.
Rai promoted to APF chief
The Cabinet on Tuesday promoted Durja Kumar Rai, acting inspector general of the Armed Police Force, to the IG.
Small landholdings to be consolidated to cut costs
The government plans to introduce a special programme to consolidate fragmented landholdings to grow priority crops from the next fiscal year in a move aimed at boosting productivity and reducing the cost of production, the Ministry of Agricultural Development said.
The heat is on: Stores expect sales to sizzle
Stores are expecting a rebound in sales of summer appliances this season after a disappointing 2015. Summer is the peak period for the home appliance market, and dealers have been busy preparing for the expected rush of customers.
They are sufferers too
Women victims of sexual violence during the Maoist conflict must get due priority
TIA special desk to keep track of returning migrants
The government has decided to keep a record of Nepali migrants returning from overseas jobs through the Tribhuvan International Airportthe only international airport in the country.
Tourism year
Nepal should offer appealing packages to tourists, both international and domestic
Tremor that renews fear
A year ago, the most devastating earthquake in recent Nepali history gave a tragic blow to the nation. The earthquake claimed many lives, left thousands injured, razed villages, cities, infrastructure and a number of cultural and historical sites.
Yes, its hard to to tell when one enters the city limits
Yes, they will make the city more inviting
Maybe ... does it really matter?
No, the signs in place are fine
No, it would be a waste of taxpayer dollars
Vote
View Results
Killeen, TX (76540)
Today
Thunderstorms likely. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High around 80F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%..
Tonight
Scattered thunderstorms in the evening. Fair skies overnight along with gusty winds. Low 53F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Higher wind gusts possible.
The last minute revision of the 2016/17 budget has seen it jump to Sh26.3 trillion from Shs21.2 trillion, infuriating some members of parliament.
Ministry of Finance officials led by Planning Minister David Bahati presented the changes within the resource envelope to the House Budget Committee as contained in the Budget Corrigenda, highlighting what the minister called the corrections and adjustments in the budget.
Bahati explained that they are running an incremental budget system and it is cash budget.
His break down indicates that Shs200b has been allocated to NAADs to boost production, Shs445bn is going to infrastructure projects such as roads, Sh20bn goes into compensation to the people in northern Uganda and Sh10bn for Luweero.
However, the MPs on the Budget Committee have questioned the last-minute revision of the 2016/17 budget and wondered how the various sectoral committees of parliament intend to examine the details when they had already finalised and presented their reports to parliament.
The lawmakers led by Shadow Finance Minister Geoffrey Ekanya (FDC, Tororo County) have also demanded to know the source and purpose of the additional funding amounting to more than Shs5trillion.
How will the sector committees handle the budget corrigenda when they have already presented their reports? Ekanya asked.
The budget is going to increase by more than Shs5trillion yet as parliament we dont even know the source of funding and the implication to the economy. Its also not explained why most of the
sectors did not comply with the development path- the National Development Plan II.
Mr Eddie Kwizera Wagahungu (NRM, Bufumbira East) who chairs the Energy Committee stunned members when he revealed that his committee found that Shs10billion which is part of the corrigenda had been allocated to ministry of energy yet the ministry officials did not know what to
do with the money.
The budget committee chairperson, Mr Amos Lugoloobi (Ntenjeru North) also noted that additional Shs54billion was allocated to water sector lacks details. Other legislators raised concerns that the additional funds were going to prop up operational expenses especially in the local government yet development financing had stagnated at only 14 per cent of the total budget in the face of unfunded priorities across sectors.
You may expand your budget but not to the detriment of the critical areas where we had allocated funds, Mr Lugoloobi warned and questioned what he called: Abrupt expansion of the fiscal space
without explanation. We have seen a number of new items especially in the statutory that are not explained. For instance, the huge figures under treasury services amounting to Shs4.7 trillion. How does
such arise so abruptly?
The director budget, Mr Kenneth Mugambe explained that Shs4.7trillion had been included in the budget because Treasury had no completed reconciliation yet the money was needed to finance treasury
redemption, an annual activity. This money that comes in and goes out, it does not affect the delivery of services, Mr Mugambe explained.
He said an additional Shs82b in the corrigenda was for external financing. This is money needed to finance key projects. We had not included this money because we had not included financing
arrangements, Mr Mugambe explained, adding that other funds will cater for the appropriation in aid
Story By Yasim Mugerwa
Kendallville, IN (46755)
Today
A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High 73F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph..
Tonight
Cloudy. Low around 55F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
The owner of a Western Wisconsin-based construction company says a decision to expand in Minnesota because of Wisconsins right-to-work law is reaping benefits.
Jim Hoffman, president of Hoffman Construction Company, opted to ramp up the Black River Falls, Wis., business presence in the neighboring state last year because of the implications of new legislative policies, and it has acquired $85 million in Minnesota state highway contracts because of it.
It wasnt a political decision it was a business decision, Hoffman said. It was basically following our market. I saw indications that Wisconsin was headed in the wrong direction.
As a businessman, I had to listen to my market instead of fight it. I had to follow where Id have the best luck for success, which so far has come true.
Hoffman was a vocal opponent of the right-to-work law that was signed by Gov. Scott Walker in early 2015 because the nearly 100-year-old BRF company is a union contractor that utilizes workers from International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139 in Wisconsin and 49 in Minnesota. Right-to-work legislation allows members to opt out of joining a union and paying related dues, a measure that Hoffman believes will slowly erode the unions ability to provide the skilled workers needed over time.
One of the reasons I am so successful as a businessman is because of my workers, he said. Our company is our people thats our company motto.
Hoffman also noted Wisconsin passed some changes to its prevailing wage laws and the state currently bonds a significant portion of its highway program another two factors for growing business in Minnesota, he said.
Its erosion of some of the reasons why weve been successful in the past, Hoffman said. I see changes going forward. Were trying to move the political process with real-world construction business.
Hoffman Construction keeps its main office in BRF but added additional staff to an office in Lakeville in light of the expansion. The company acquired five Minnesota state highway contracts over the past six months and also is working on two Interstate 90 and 94 projects in Wisconsin near Tomah, Wis., and La Crosse, Wis., at a total value of $38.4 million.
We are going to have to do a lot of hiring here in Minnesota, John Klein, Hoffman Constructions Minnesota area manager, said in a statement. Im looking forward to the opportunities out there. Currently the Minnesota legislature is deciding on a 2016 transportation budget. Ive been in contact with my Minnesota representatives asking them to responsibly fund the Minnesota transportation program.
The company on average has completed more than 80 percent of its work with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in the past but the figure now has dropped to 50 percent.
Thats a function of the type of work the (Wisconsin) DOT is bidding, the lack of work and also just increased competition, Hoffman said. Theres some carry-over jobs, but we just havent been able to add any new jobs. We keep bidding on them.
Hoffmans recent announcement about the effects of the companys Minnesota expansion came on the same day a Dane County, Wis., judge struck down Wisconsins right-to-work law. The judge the next week finalized the decision that bars the state from enforcing the law.
Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel said the state plans to appeal.
We wholeheartedly disagree with Judge Fousts decision and final order, Schimel said in a statement. I am confident the law ultimately will be upheld and Wisconsin will remain a right-to-work state.
The UW Discovery Farms Program, part of UW-Extension, brought together 50 farmers and advisers in St. Croix, Vernon and Dodge counties to discuss results from their on-farm research projects.
Farmers in St. Croix, Monroe and Vernon counties have been participating in watershed projects since 2009. After so many years of monitoring at the local level we can really talk about what times of the year and what management decisions put you at risk for loss, said Amber Radatz, UW Discovery Farms co-director.
For instance, we know the risk for soil loss is highest in April, May and June. And that you should try to avoid late winter manure applications because they have been shown to increase phosphorus loss in snowmelt by 2 to 4 times, Radatz said. These points are seen from watershed data, as well as the more comprehensive Discovery Farms dataset, which includes 17 farms in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Were also sharing something new this year. Were beginning to really look at the runoff differences between agricultural and non-agricultural land, Radatz said. In the watersheds weve monitored CRP land, a small city, and a gully area. As part of another project we monitored a non-cultivated, natural area on a farm in Buffalo County.
Their data shows that runoff from agricultural and non-agricultural land occurs at similar times during the year, but the quantity of runoff varies. Data also suggests that it is possible for agricultural sites to have soil loss values that are similar to non-cultivated areas. Low levels of loss from agricultural sites are seen when exceptional erosion control practices, like appropriately sized and shaped waterways and limited soil disturbance, are put in place.
At each area meeting, the Discovery Farms staff reported on results from the first year of their Nitrogen Use Efficiency Project. Although the project is still in its infancy, the results offered a great conversation starter. As part of the project, they are also taking soil health measurements and will continue to for the next two years.
In 2015 we worked in four regions, on 22 farms, and 51 fields, said Megan Chawner, Nitrogen Use Efficiency Project coordinator. What we are seeing this year is that efficiency differences appear to be related more to management and cropping systems rather than climate and soil type.
What were telling farmers is that appropriately crediting nitrogen from manure and rotated alfalfa can increase efficiency, Chawner continued. Were really looking forward to having more data, more fields for data collection, and stronger conclusions to share next year.
Farmers from Buffalo County, Trempealeau County and northeastern Wisconsin will be joining the Nitrogen Use Efficiency Project in 2016. For more information on the Nitrogen Use Efficiency Project and Discovery Farms project results, go to www.uwdiscoveryfarms.org.
In Minnesota, they add for my family to their pledge.
Nowhere is that more appropriate than in La Crescents newest 4-H club, which recently was started at the behest of six La Crescent area families and newly-christened the Tiger Lilies.
It also came about through heavy recruiting efforts from Houston Countys University of Minnesota Extension office and 4-H Program Coordinator Rebecca Paulson.
La Crescent has been kind of a hole in our community, Paulson said.
Thats because, until not too many years ago, there were three 4-H clubs in the city. The last of those, the Apple Blossoms, folded a couple years ago. That left La Crescent without any 4-H representation, although Houston County scores high in the region with a total of 16 clubs.
Last fall, Paulson started sending out letters and flyers, hoping to set up an informational meeting aimed at getting La Crescents youth invigorated once again for the service-minded club, which pledges a potent mixture of clear thinking, greater loyalty, larger service and better living for everyone.
It was a success.
Enrollment ends May 15, she said, but as of now, 11 youth from six families form the core of the Tiger Lilies, with La Crescent resident Beth Theede as its club leader. It takes a total of three families to start a club.
Were hoping this number grows, Paulson said.
Whats perhaps most unique about 4-H which offers popular activities in animal science, healthy living, citizenship and leadership, science, engineering and technology is that its youth-led.
Just ask 10-year-old Lauren Horton, the Tiger Lilies president.
Ive never been president of anything before, Horton said.
She pounds the gavel at the start of each meeting the club convenes the second Monday of every month at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church from 6-7 p.m. and she ensures the old business is finished before any new business is started.
I thought it was really fun, she said.
It was her mom, Sally Fischer, who brought the club to Hortons attention, feeling it would be a good fit for her daughter.
We kind of came into this brand new, Fischer said, and now we have the president in our house.
She thought 4-H sounded like a great way for the family to do something together, as well as learn new things. While she said theres no history of 4-H involvement in the family tree, she had contemplated checking it out because of the well-known activities at the county fair. She quickly realized there is much more to it, namely children who learn leadership skills, like operating under Roberts Rules of Order. One of the Tiger Lilies first official activities was participating in La Crescents annual Neighbors Day celebration, cleaning up two yards on April 16.
When the Tiger Lilies got going in earnest, Fischer said, most of the adults were inclined to keep the name Apple Blossoms, but the kids decided differently.
It really is run by the kids, she said.
Talking with Horton, its soon apparent why: Shes both articulate and motivated, and a decidedly good advocate.
If you want to have experiences, Horton said, but you dont have the money, people or resources, I think you should join 4-H. They have all kinds of opportunities.
The wisdom of a 10-year-old is echoed by Paulson, who extolled the programs many benefits.
I feel that its important for the families in La Crescent to be involved with 4-H because (it) offers youth opportunities that they might not find elsewhere, Paulson said. The 4-H program will develop youth through positive hands-on learning experiences in a great number of ways. And with the help of caring adults, 4-H helps youth realize their full potential. The result is youth who become confident, caring, creative leaders who make a positive impact on their community.
For information on joining the Tiger Lilies, go to www.extension.umn.edu/youth/mn4-H/ or contact Paulson at 507-725-5807 or rpaulson@umn.edu.
State Rep. Greg Davids has announced that he will seek re-election in November to the Minnesota House of Representatives.
"Representing the people of Fillmore and Houston counties is truly a privilege, and it would be such an honor to continue this service," Davids said.
Davids, who for the past two years has served as chairman of the powerful Minnesota House Taxes Committee, said he will continue his fight to allow Minnesotans to keep more of their hard-earned money. Tax relief for farmers and rural Minnesota small business owners remains one of his top priorities.
As a former teacher, Davids, R-Preston, also continues to prioritize equitable funding for our rural schools, as well as job creation policies that will help solidify our state's economy.
"There is no better place to go to work and raise a family than in southeastern Minnesota," Davids said. "I have always enjoyed working for area residents and helping them with their priorities at the State Capitol, and I look forward to meeting with them on the campaign trail in the months ahead."
The Houston County Township Officers Association held its 55th annual business meeting April 5 at Good Times in Caledonia. Chairman Richard Markos presided, and began by stating, This is a forum for communications.
Attendance included township officers from nearly all 17 townships in the county, as well as county commissioners and department heads.
Treasurer Arlyn Pohlman presented the 2015 financial report of the county association, which showed a beginning balance of $1,604.43. Income was $15,257.92, and expenses amounted to $14,373.77 resulting in a years end balance of $2,488.58.
Democratic candidates for state offices spoke briefly, including Thomas Trehus, who is running for House of Representatives, and John Pieper, who is running for Senate.
County department reports
Houston County Board of Commissioners Chairman Judy Storlie reported on the county shop, public health, old voting equipment, historical jail and courthouse, Wildcat Park water and electric improvements and playground for children. She also noted that county surveyor Dick Walter would be retiring in September.
County assessor Tom Dybing noted that the 2016 local Board of Appeal and Equalization meetings would begin soon regarding values and sales in the county and state. Tillable land values went down, while woodland increased. Green Acres was kept the same. Legislators are working on language for Ag containment facilities and buffer strips.
County deputy auditor Michelle Quinn relayed information from auditor Char Meiners regarding elections. The primary election is on Aug. 9 and general election is Nov. 8. In preparation for the elections, clerk and head judge training sessions will be held at 2 and 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, in the commissioners room at the courthouse. Election judge training will be 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 12 and 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, in the basement conference room at the justice center. This class would also be available online.
Legislators are proposing bills which would create a March presidential primary on the first Tuesday in March beginning in 2020. Some of the concerns with the proposed presidential primary include how this would impact the March township elections and the cost of administering another state-wide election. At this point, both the house and senate proposals would require printing two separate party ballots. Both the Senate and House bills are moving through the appropriate committees.
There is also a bill being considered by the legislature which would move the primary election from August to June. It is the auditors understanding that the Senate version of the bill has been amended to remove June primary language and the House bill is currently laid over in committee.
Another issue that would be faced in the next few years is the need to replace election equipment. Meiners contacted township officers about a year ago and asked that they start putting away funds toward a joint purchase of equipment. Now the legislature is considering providing funding to counties for this purpose. The auditor is hopeful this will happen, and would keep everyone posted as more is learned. A House bill designating funding is moving forward with bipartisan support, she added.
Roads and bridges
County engineer Brian Pogodzinski provided updates of construction projects in 2015.
It was a relatively small year for township bridge replacement, while county projects were much busier, he reported.
Christianson Hill Road reconstruction was completed in Money Creek Township, and a bridge was replaced on Charlie Drive.
County projects in 2015 included paving three miles of CTH 8 west of Spring Grove with concrete surface, repaving CTH 5 in Caledonia, reconstructing CTH 12 west of Houston, and completing replacement of a bridge on CTH 3 west of Brownsville. Bridges replaced included two on CTH 249 and one on CTH 17 east of Spring Grove.
Township projects scheduled for 2016 include replacement of bridges on Rood Road, Wildflower Drive, Bush Valley Road, Daley Creek Road, and Looney Valley Road.
Major county projects scheduled for 2016 include replacing a bridge on CTH 10 west of Caledonia, and, pending funding availability, replacing a bridge on CTH 19 northwest of Spring Grove. Also, CTH 14 from CTH 5 to Hwy. 14 would be repaved.
At the current time, there are 20 structurally deficient township bridges and four deficient county bridges that are posted as such and are on the current five-year plan for replacement.
There are 20 load posted township bridges and two county bridges.
Bid prices on bridge reconstruction projects have been very good recently, which is helping the county and townships as we can replace more bridge structures per year, Pogodzinski said, adding, However this has increased the potential of overrunning the town bridge engineering cap on projects, which would shift some costs onto the township.
The Minnesota rule states, The sum of the project development and construction engineering charges must be limited to 25 percent of the eligible construction costs.
Design costs are going up, and the permitting process takes more time. As engineering costs go up and construction costs go down, it gets harder to keep it at 25 percent for township costs, Pogodzinski said. We want to minimize the extra regulation oversights, which are costing more for engineering and things like endangered species.
Pogodzinski is currently drafting a new county policy to detail the circumstances that the county may be willing to cover additional costs due to low bid prices.
The county has more control with engineering and working on the site, he said.
Environmental services
Director Rick Frank gave a financial report of environmental services for 2015, which included total income of $414,647 and expenses of $449,447.
We operated in the red with a loss of $34,799, he reported.
This was due to prices of metals being down, and increases in the amount of material handled, as well as electronic waste handling costs. The monthly cost per household has now been raised by 50 cents.
For the past five years, Ag bag plastics have been a matter to be dealt with, Frank relayed.
There are very few places that would accept this. If the material is shredded and mixed with wood, La Crosse County would accept it, he said. We are looking at a shredding machine, which costs from $800,000 to $1 million.
Election
The HCTOA board is made up of representatives from four quadrants, with two people from each quadrant and one at large. The 2016 board members are:
For the northwest (representing Money Creek, Houston, Sheldon and Yucatan townships): Richard Nelson and John Beckman.
For the northeast (representing Mound Prairie, La Crescent, Hokah, Union and Brownsville townships): Richard Markos and Sheldon McElhiney.
For the southeast (representing Mayville, Winnebago, Crooked Creek and Jefferson townships): Arlyn Pohlman and Eugene Tessmer.
For the southwest (representing Black Hammer, Caledonia, Spring Grove and Wilmington townships): Michael Patterson.
With no nominations or volunteers coming forward for the ballot, presently, there are two vacancies, including a representative for the southwest quadrant, as well as a board member at large.
Area residents can become a Kansas City Barbeque Society certified judge, and they dont even need to travel to Kansas City to learn how to rate barbeque chicken, ribs, beef brisket and pork shoulder. They can get certified by taking a class in Onalaska.
The Holmen and Valley View Rotary clubs are sponsoring KCBS judging and table captain classes at the Onalaska American Legion on Saturday, May 21. Sign-in begins at 9 a.m. and the classes will run from 10 a.m. until about 2 p.m. The table captains class will start at 3 p.m. and end about 5 p.m.
Along with certified judges, KCBS competitions need table captains. The table captains round up and assist judges at contests, and in the event there is a shortage of judges could be asked to step in to judge.
The Rotary clubs are planning their second Rock-n-Ribs competition this year in conjunction with Celebrate Onalaska and are working to get the June 25 event KCBS sanctioned. To become sanctioned, the competition needs certified judges to taste-test the meats and give scores on the presentation as well as flavor.
We want to promote barbeque and we are seeking folks throughout the tri-state area to become KCBS judges to judge all the local events that are popping up, said Laurie Tweten, event organizer and a KCBS judge herself. There are only six active judges listed on the KCBS site who live within La Crosse County.
Through the judging classes, the clubs hope more local people will get certified to judge at their barbeque competition. The annual barbequing event is a fundraiser for the two Rotary clubs.
Twenty-one teams entered last years inaugural Rock-n-Ribs event with teams coming from Minnesota cities of Lake Elmo, Le Sueur, Minneapolis, Owatonna and Stewartville as well as Mondovi and Elk Mound in Wisconsin and local teams from Sparta and West Salem. This years event will again be held at the Onalaska OmniCenter.
Anyone who takes these classes will be certified that day and then has a chance to judge any KCBS event, including ours, Tweten said. Its also a good way for cooking teams to learn what judges are looking for with their BBQ.
Pat Sake of La Crosse, a KCBS certified judge, travels throughout the country attending and judging BBQ events.
If you think you can cook barbeque and want to have fun, consider becoming a judge, Sake said. Its the best food youve ever had. Everybody there is a barbeque enthusiast, and youll taste the best barbeque of your life. You better come to the class hungry.
Started in 1985, KCBS is considered the leading name in barbeque competition. It sets the standard for judging contests, sanctioning over 450 competitions worldwide. A nonprofit with more than 20,000 members worldwide, the organization serves as the governing body for sanctioned barbeque events as well as a clearinghouse for information about all things barbeque.
The cost for the Onalaska class $70 for KCBS members, $105 for nonmembers with one-year KCBS membership included. Registration forms for the judge and table captain classes can be found online at www.rotaryrocknribs.com. The form can be printed off, filled out and then mailed with payment to JRM CPA, Attn: Rotary Rock n Ribs, P.O. Box 277, Onalaska, WI 54650. Make checks payable to Rock n Ribs.
After a successful beginners genealogy class last summer, another will be held at the Black River Falls Public Library this Saturday beginning at 10:30 a.m.
The class, Genealogy for the Beginner sponsored by the Monroe-Juneau-Jackson Genealogical Workshop, Tomah Area Historical Society and the Jackson County Historical Society aims to assist those who are just beginning to research their family history, said Jim Weinzatl, executive director of the Tomah Area Historical Society.
Its a repeat of the session that was held at the (Tomah) museum last year, he said. If you missed it and want to discover your roots, its a good place to start. Its free and for beginners.
Three people will give presentations during the class offering tips and resources for those looking into their familys history.
Weinzatl will discuss getting started with forms, such as ancestral charts, family records sheets, and setting them up.
Mary Woods, a historian at the Black River Falls Public Library, will discuss genealogical resources that are available in the library as well as other places around Jackson County.
Charlie Laudermilch of Monroe-Juneau-Jackson Genealogical Workshop, will discuss free online resources.
Weinzatl said the class is a useful starting point for someone just starting out.
Its good to help the beginners and to get some satisfaction knowing that people are wanting to trace their family history, he said. Ive been doing it for a good many years. Its fun and habit forming you always want to go back one more generation.
Law enforcement searched and cleaned up a methamphetamine lab in the town of Melrose last week.
A search warrant uncovered several one-pot meth labs in addition to other meth manufacturing materials at the N630 Highway 108 property Thursday. The search came a day after the property owner, 52-year-old James T. Schlifer, was arrested in connection with the case, according to the Jackson County Sheriffs Department.
The illegal lab was removed and officials disposed of toxic wastes at the site. The Melrose Fire Department was requested and assisted at the scene because one-pot meth labs can easily explode and catch fire, according to the sheriffs department.
Members from the sheriffs department, West Central Metropolitan Enforcement Group and Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the search as part of an ongoing investigation.
Schlifer was taken into custody last week Wednesday on a possible charge of possession of meth manufacturing materials and the sheriffs department plans to refer additional charges of manufacturing meth, possession of meth waste, possession of meth and drug paraphernalia and maintaining a drug house following the search.
No formal charges had been filed as of press time, according to online court records.
In case you missed it, theres been a lot of attention regarding the concerning news about the prevalence of chronic wasting disease among Wisconsins deer herd. The cause for concern stems from a recently released report by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources showing 9.4 percent of the deer tested were infected with CWD.
The DNRs 2015 report showing a 9.4 percent CWD infection rate is the highest percentage since CWD was first detected in Wisconsin in 2002. Not only are the 2015 numbers a 50 percent increase of infection from 2014, but they also are particularly concerning because 2015 was the year in which the fewest number of deer were tested since CWD was first detected.
In an effort to bring more attention to this issue and work toward solutions, state Rep. Nick Milroy, D-South Range, and I sent a letter to the governor asking for more urgent action to combat CWD. Deer hunting has a $1.3 billion annual impact, and its a proud part of our culture and heritage. With so much at stake, its clear we need to do everything we can today to make sure the next generation has deer hunting opportunities tomorrow.
In response to our letter, the governors office reached out to our offices and scheduled a meeting with his chief of staff. It was a cordial meeting, and it gave Rep. Milroy and me the opportunity to express our concerns and offer some ideas to combat CWD. After doing research about CWD and learning about what other states like Illinois are doing, we felt there are some basic things we can do. Here are some of the suggestions we gave:
n Require double-fencing of captive deer farms to prevent CWD from spreading to the wild deer population;
n Study whether lures that contain deer urine or other bodily fluids or parts such as tarsal glands (attractants) contain CWD prions. (Other states have banned them);
n Analyze other states baiting and feeding of white-tail deer statewide;
n Consider intensive culls in sites where new infections have been discovered;
n Restore the DNR Science Services Bureau positions that were eliminated in the 2015-17 state budget;
n Examine what the state of Illinois is doing to contain CWD and consider adopting those measures.
Again, these are suggestions we made based upon research and things that other states are doing. We recognize there isnt a silver bullet or one thing that will stop the spread of CWD, but if we are creative in our approach and willing to try several things, we are optimistic we will make progress in our efforts to protect the Wisconsin deer herd from this devastating disease.
The laissez-faire approach to combating CWD in Wisconsin isnt working, so its time for us to not only acknowledge the problem but also work toward solutions. With the next nine-day deer hunting season being about six months away and the future of deer hunting at stake, its our hope that the governor will direct scientists at the DNR to begin working on this issue immediately.
Clair Bill Walter Valentine, 89, of La Crosse passed away peacefully April 24, 2016, in his home.
He was born to Ida Marie (Dansbury) and Clair Inman Valentine of La Crosse. Growing up during the Great Depression, Clair helped his parents as a scavenger and hard worker early in his life.
Clair was extremely proud of his military service having served during World War II in the 45th Infantry Division and Korean War. Stories such as his involvement in the Battle of Anzio and the Liberation of the Dachau concentration camp April 29, 1945, are examples of what he endured and survived. During both campaigns Clair was wounded in combat, earning the Purple Heart. He married the love of his life, Beverly Jane Jerome, Sept. 23, 1945. With only an eighth-grade education, Clair became a welder at Trane Company. He had a reputation for being able to fix anything and became an expert in their welding process. He self-educated himself, learning necessary subjects such as algebra as he worked his way up to Plant 4 Superintendent /Plant 7 Manager and retired early Jan. 5, 1986, mainly due to health reasons.
Clair loved fishing and spent much of his time on the Mississippi River from an early age. His knowledge of walleye fishing was legendary along with his wifes fish frys. He took many fishing trips with family and friends to Canada, and Michigan, until his health would not allow it. He was also a member of the American Legion Post 417.
Clair was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Barbara Lee (Finanger); a son, Michael Clair Valentine; sisters, Beverly Pralle and Joan Loose.
Survivors include his loving wife of 70 years, Beverly; two sons, William (Rosemary) Valentine, Terry (Becky) Valentine; a son-in-law, Steven Finanger; 13 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and a sister-in-law, Edna Helgerson, who was like a sister to him.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 29, at Grace Ev. Lutheran Church in La Crosse. Pastor Jonathan Rimmert will officiate. Burial with military honors will take place in Woodlawn Cemetery, La Crosse. Family and friends may call from 10 a.m. until the time of service Friday at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Grace Ev. Lutheran Church are requested by the family. Schumacher-Kish Funeral & Cremation Services of La Crosse, are in charge of arrangements. Online guestbook is available at www.schumacher-kish.com.
Two University of Wisconsin-La Crosse professors will travel to Asia as Fulbright scholars.
Communications professor Sara Docan-Morgan will travel to South Korea, where she will teach students at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. Gita Pai, a history professor, will visit the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu to conduct research on historic depictions of the Hindu god Shiva in his dancing form, the Nataraja.
The two professors are among more than 1,200 U.S. citizens who will teach, conduct research and provide expertise abroad for the 2016-17 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to build relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries that are needed to solve global challenges.
Shiva Nataraja depicts the deitys cosmic dance of bliss that fuses his roles as creator, preserver, and destroyer of the universe. Pai, who specializes in the history of modern South Asia, said the imagery of the dancing Shiva as just as iconic of Indian culture as the Taj Mahal. Pais project will examine the deity as a spiritual element and devotional object, as an art object and embodiment of Indian culture, as a bought, sold, and sometimes stolen commodity on global markets and even as a legal person in the courts.
Docan-Morgan said she will teach two classes during her time in South Korea. Hankuk, a university in the capital of Seoul, is dedicated to international studies, with 30 percent of its classes taught in English. While she doesnt know exactly which classes she will be teaching during her time at the university, she said she hopes to include topics such as globalization or the representation of race in U.S. media.
One of my goals is to increase understanding between the U.S. and South Korea, Docan-Morgan said.
Docan-Morgan said she hopes to be able to share both sides of her identity as Korean and American in her teaching work in South Korea, which is part of the goal of the Fulbright program to increase cultural understanding and awareness between nations. Docan-Morgan will be joined for her year-long teaching assignment in Korea by her husband and three children.
She said she hopes the experience with be both personally and professionally enriching. She said she hopes to bring that experience back with her to UW-L when she returns after her year abroad.
Its a huge honor. I have always dreamed of getting a Fulbright and living in Korea she said. Im looking forward to the excitement and the challenge and the growth ahead.
The Salvation Army in La Crosse will present Don and Roxanne Weber with the corps Community Red Shield Award during its annual Civic Event May 12 in the Cargill Room at Riverside Center II South.
Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson will do the honors in bestowing the award, which is given yearly to acknowledge community contributions.
The theme of the event, one of several that will take place during National Salvation Army Week in La Crosse, is Lets go to the Movies.
Doors will open at 6 p.m., and the program will begin at 7.
Don Weber founded Logistics Health Inc., a La Crosse-based health care enterprise that has grown to more than 1,200 employees in the past 15 years.
During the past two decades, the Webers have founded several additional businesses that have helped expand the economic base in downtown La Crosse and western Wisconsin as a whole.
Those ventures include Belle Square, the $68 million housing, retail and office development that is rising between Third and Fourth and State and Vine streets; the $30 million Charmant boutique hotel in a building at 101 State St. that was constructed in 1898 as the Joseph B. Funke Candy Co. factory and more recently was the Ross Furniture Co.; a corporate wellness company; The Waterfront Restaurant and Tavern, and other enterprises, including three office buildings now known as Riverside Center on a former waterfront industrial site.
Community service is a key part of their lives, and their businesses are major sponsors and volunteer sources for several local causes, according to a Salvation Army news release announcing the award.
The event is a fundraiser for The Salvation Army, with proceeds going to the corps shelter. The agency provides roughly 1,800 nights of shelter to individuals and families who otherwise would be homeless.
Tickets, at $50 apiece, are available at www.salvationarmylacrosse.org/ or by calling 608-782-6126.
The corps came to La Crosse in March 1896 and began reaching out to people from a building at 200 Main St. The next 24 years were rocky, with the agency closing shop sometimes because of lack of funding and community support, as well as other problems, according to a Salvation Army history.
The Salvation Army returned to La Crosse in February 1920 and has remained ever since. The corps Thrift Store at 728 Copeland Ave. opened in 1955. Donations to the store are given free to people in need, while proceeds from selling the remaining items go toward the agencys social service programs.
The Salvation Army moved its headquarters to Eighth and State streets in 1955 and expanded the facility in 1990. It is the only emergency shelter of its type within a 100-mile radius and the location of the citys largest meal program.
Social workers meet with nearly 8,000 people a year, offering rent and heat assistance and other services.
The corps mobile canteen also provides food and beverages to workers at emergency scenes.
For more information on The Salvation Army in La Crosse, go to its website.
MADISON The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced Wednesday it will target low-income areas with $11.8 million in new grants to replace aging pipes made of lead that supply water to homes.
The dangers of lead in drinking water have been highlighted by the crisis in Flint, Michigan, where corrosion from a new water source sent unsafe levels of lead into homes, doubling the rate of lead poisoning among children. Lead exposure has been linked to irreversible brain damage in children, miscarriages and other health problems.
The DNR said it will make money available to water utilities to subsidize or pay for replacement of homeowners portions of the lead service lines that run from the curb to the house. Replacement of those segments will cost about $3,000 per home, the DNR said.
At least 176,000 homes and businesses in Wisconsin receive water from lead service lines, the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism reported in February.
Milwaukee has about 70,000 lead service lines, which the Milwaukee Water Works has estimated would cost half a billion dollars to replace. Madison is thought to be the first city in the nation to replace all of its lead service lines.
In a statement, DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp said the agency recognizes that the cost of replacement is a big barrier to utilities and private property owners alike. This program offers an effective way to fill the financial gap, she said.
Details of the program still are being worked out, but the agency proposes that communities with 50,000 people or less could receive up to $300,000; medium-sized communities would get up to $500,000 and Milwaukee could qualify for up to $750,000. The program is scheduled to begin July 1 and will be renewed in 2017 if it is successful, Stepp said.
The size of the grants will be determined by factors including median household income and unemployment rates.
Stepp said the program was made possible by a recent decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to allow states to use federal funds for lead service line replacements on private property.
The Centers Failure at the Faucet series found that the current federal regulations intended to safeguard drinking water from lead contamination fail to protect public health. The Center found that methods for sampling often do not detect the highest level of lead in a consumers home, too few homes are sampled, and those that are may not be in the neighborhoods most at risk.
The investigation also found that requiring utilities to replace lead service lines can cause dangerous spikes in lead unless the homeowners portion is replaced as well. Recognizing the dangers posed by partial pipe replacement, the DNR said the funds will be used for full replacement projects.
A Madison consultant who works with water utilities to solve lead problems in drinking water said she was pleased to see the DNR make such a bold move. Abigail Cantor, a chemical engineer with Process Research Solutions, said cost is not the only barrier to full lead pipe replacement. There are also questions about property ownership to be resolved.
With DNRs announcement, it looks promising that Wisconsin government agencies will overcome many obstacles to make complete lead service line replacement a reality in our state, she said.
Officials at the Tomah Veterans Administration Medical Center said Tuesday they are happy with results of a 100-day plan to improve operations, but are still looking for personnel to reopen the psychiatric unit and to take over as director.
Tomah VA interim director Victoria Brahm said the hospital has made significant progress since it was shaken by reports of patients being prescribed excessive dosages of painkilling drugs.
I am really excited that we have done so well with this, Brahm said. Were on our way to a much healthier environment, a trusting environment, a quality environment and a positive experience for our veterans. I am so proud of our staff. I can see them have energy again.
She said the main goals of the plan are to restore public trust, improve employee engagement and address the pain management issues that led to the facilitys recent turmoil. She called them visible wins that have improved employee morale and patient satisfaction.
Brahm said the opioid safety initiative is a huge focus for us. It includes adopting the standards of the states prescription drug monitoring program and increasing drug screening compliance.
All veterans are getting monitored the way they should be, she said.
Those steps, along with pursuing non-drug alternatives to alleviate pain, have reduced drug dosages by nearly 25 percent.
Brahm said 98 percent of appointment requests are fulfilled within 30 days and that wait times are fewer than two days for mental health. From November 2015 to January 2016, more than 90 percent of patients said they were satisfied or completely satisfied with their appointment scheduling.
She said the facility is working to reopen the hospitals acute psychiatry inpatient unit that was closed in August 2015. She said it has been difficult to attract a qualified psychiatrist to work in the unit despite retaining a national recruiter.
I wish I had a timetable, she said. The nursing staff is completely ready. The unit has been redone ... weve done all the upgrades we need to do.
One person who isnt a candidate for the job is staff psychiatrist Dr. David Skripka, who was the subject of a December 2015 story in the Daily Caller. The story says Skripka, the Tomah VAs associate chief of staff for mental health, has been allowed to live in Madison while working in Tomah one day a week.
Brahm said Skripka is fulfilling his obligation to Tomah patients through telemedicine.
He takes a full panel of mental health patients and performs tele-mental health, which is helping us beautifully because those patients need to be seen, Brahm said. Tele-mental health is a growing mechanism to take care of patients, and it has really helped us while we are doing the recruitment for our mental health personnel.
Matt Gowan, the VAs public affairs officer, said family obligations prevent Skripka from applying for the position.
Gowan said hospitals statewide are having difficulty hiring psychiatrists and noted that Mayo Clinic will be diverting patients from its La Crosse inpatient behavioral health unit starting in mid-June.
Its not just a Tomah problem; its not just a VA problem, Gowan said. Its a national problem.
Brahm didnt offer a timetable for hiring a permanent director. When asked about the position, she replied, We are in recruitment.
Brahm is the facilitys second interim director since Mario Desanctis was dismissed in March 2015. John Rohrer, the first interim director, has since been hired as permanent director of the VA hospital in Madison. Brahm has served as interim director in Tomah since October.
The facility also is in the process of filling openings for associate director, chief of staff and associate chief of staff for mental health.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser will retire in July, he announced Wednesday.
Gov. Scott Walker will appoint a replacement to serve on the court until the spring of 2020, the next spring election when there's no Supreme Court race on the ballot.
Prosser, 73, was appointed to the court by Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson in 1998 to fill the seat vacated by the resignation of former Justice Janine Geske. He was re-elected for 10-year terms in 2001 and 2011. His current term was set to end July 31, 2021.
A member of the court's conservative majority, Prosser faced no opposition in his 2001 race. But his 2011 race against then-assistant attorney general JoAnne Kloppenburg drew national attention as it was seen as a referendum on Gov. Scott Walker's Act 10 legislation.
"It has been a tremendous honor to serve the people of Wisconsin in various capacities for more than 40 years," Prosser said in a statement. "During this time, I have had the exceptional privilege of working in all three branches of state government, including 18 years as a representative in the State Assembly and 18 years as a justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court."
In his letter of resignation delivered to Walker on Tuesday, Prosser said his goal of serving the public has been fulfilled. He credited the support of a "loving family and a nearly endless stream of loyal and devoted friends" for his long tenure in public office.
"In choosing my successor, Governor, I respectfully request that you select a person who is fully committed to the important mission of the judiciary," Prosser wrote to Walker. "Such a person will understand that promoting the reputation and integrity of the institution is more important than the promotion of any individual. For me, the time has come to step down, pass the torch, and begin a new chapter in my life."
Prosser served as a Republican member of the Assembly from 1978 through 1996. He also served as a commissioner on the Wisconsin Tax Appeals Commission, district attorney in Outagamie County, administrative assistant to then-U.S. Rep. Harold V. Froehlich and as an attorney-adviser for the U.S. Department of Justice.
"Justice Prosser has faithfully served the state of Wisconsin for decades. Throughout his almost 18 years of service on the state Supreme Court, he demonstrated his love for the law and commitment to Wisconsins citizens," Walker said in a statement.
Chief Justice Patience Roggensack described Prosser as an "exceptionally bright and thoughtful jurist" and a "man of courage."
Prosser was at the center of controversy during the 2011 election, when the court's dysfunction spilled into the public arena by way of his disagreements with then-Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson and Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, members of the court's liberal minority.
In 2010, he called then-Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson a "total bitch" and threatened to "destroy" her behind closed doors. He later said he overreacted but was goaded into doing so by Abrahamson and Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, members of the court's liberal minority.
Bradley also said Prosser put his hands around her neck during an altercation in her office in June 2011.
"David has always been willing to listen, and he has never been afraid to speak up for those who could not speak up for themselves. His dedication to the people of Wisconsin has been a continuing gift that he gave without reservation," Roggensack said in a statement.
Prosser's retirement comes months after the death of Justice N. Patrick Crooks, whose seat was up in April. With the appointment and subsequent election of Justice Rebecca Bradley, the court has a 5-2 conservative majority.
KIEV, Ukraine As Ukraine and Belarus on Tuesday marked the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear accident with solemn words and an angry protest, some of the men who were sent to the site in the first chaotic and frightening days were gripped by painful memories.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko led a ceremony in Chernobyl, where work is underway to complete a 2 billion euro ($2.25 billion) long-term shelter over the building containing Chernobyls exploded reactor. Once the structure is in place, work will begin to remove the reactor and its lava-like radioactive waste.
The disaster shone a spotlight on lax safety standards and government secrecy in the former Soviet Union. The explosion on April 26, 1986, was not reported by Soviet authorities for two days, and then only after winds had carried the fallout across Europe and Swedish experts had gone public with their concerns.
We honor those who lost their health and require a special attention from the government and society, Poroshenko said. Its with an everlasting pain in our hearts that we remember those who lost their lives to fight nuclear death.
About 600,000 people, often referred to as Chernobyls liquidators, were sent in to fight the fire at the nuclear plant and clean up the worst of its contamination. Thirty workers died either from the explosion or from acute radiation sickness within several months. The accident exposed millions in the region to dangerous levels of radiation and forced a wide-scale, permanent evacuation of hundreds of towns and villages in Ukraine and Belarus.
At a ceremony in their honor in Kiev, some of the former liquidators told The Associated Press of their ordeal and surprise that they lived through it.
Oleg Medvedev, now 65, was sent to the zone on the first day of the crisis, to help evacuate the workers city of Pripyat, less than four kilometers (2.5 miles) from the destroyed reactor. Four days later I already had to go away from the zone because Id received the maximum allowable radiation dose. Thirty years passed and Im still alive, despite doctors giving me five. Im happy about that.
My soul hurts when I think of those days, said Dmitry Mikhailov, 56. He was on a crew sent to evacuate a village where residents knew nothing of the accident.
They smiled at us. They didnt understand what was happening, he said. I wish I knew where and how they are now. I just cant forget them.
In Minsk, the capital of Belarus, where the government is bringing farming to long fallow lands affected by Chernobyl fallout, more than 1,000 people held a protest march through the city center.
Belarus routinely cracks down on dissent, but authorities allowed the march.
Chernobyl is continuing today. Our relatives and friends are dying of cancer, said 21-year-old protester Andrei Ostrovtsov.
The final death toll from Chernobyl is subject to speculation, due to the long-term effects of radiation, but ranges from an estimate of 9,000 by the World Health Organization to one of a possible 90,000 by the environmental group Greenpeace.
The Ukrainian government, however, has since scaled back benefits for Chernobyl survivors, making many feel betrayed by their own country.
I went in there when everyone was fleeing. We were going right into the heat, said Mykola Bludchiy, who arrived in the Chernobyl exclusion zone on May 5, just days after the explosion. And today everything is forgotten. Its a disgrace.
Chernobyl is continuing today. Our relatives and friends are dying of cancer. Andrei Ostrovtsov, one of over 1,000 protesters marching in Minsk, Belarus
Winona man arrested after assaulting woman, fleeing police
A Winona man is in custody after assaulting a woman and fleeing police early Friday morning.
Officers were dispatched to East King and High Forest streets at 2:31 a.m. after a report of a man assaulting a woman and attempting to force her into a car, Winona Police Chief Paul Bostrack said.
The officer spotted Patrick Julius Walker, 26, and the woman near a white pickup and Walker bolted to a silver-colored car belonging to the woman, got in and accelerated sharply north on High Forest, barely missing the oncoming squad, Bostrack said.
The officer made a U-turn and pursued Walker, who raced north, ignoring stop signs and hitting speeds of up to 60 mph. He turned right onto Second Street, did a U-turn in the Winona Knitting Mills parking lot and headed west, losing control and driving over a medium-sized tree before coming to a stop on the railroad tracks. He ran from the car and was caught as he attempted to scale a fence at a residence on East Third Street.
Police found 68 grams of marijuana after a search of the vehicle, Bostrack said.
Walker was arrested and taken to jail. He faces possible charges of felony domestic assault (strangulation), domestic assault, fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance, motor vehicle theft, fleeing an officer in a motor vehicle, fleeing an officer on foot and driving after revocation. The woman was treated for possible injury to her neck.
Winona Daily News
Woman caught breaking into Mexican restaurant
A Holmen, Wis., woman recently was charged in La Crosse County Circuit Court after police caught her breaking into Fiesta Mexicana, 5200 Mormon Coulee Rd.
La Crosse officer Cody Plenge saw Amy Zielke, 36, trying to gain access to a gaming machine inside the restaurant about 5:40 a.m. April 19, after the owner told dispatchers that officers did not need to respond to an alarm sounding at the business, according to police.
Zielke fled in a car and was arrested after a short pursuit.
She was charged with burglary, possession of burglary tools, methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, criminal damage to property, attempting to flee a traffic officer and felony bail jumping, all as a repeat offender.
Onalaska Holmen Courier-Life
UW-L mum on death of 19-year-old freshman
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse officials remain silent about the death of a 19-year-old freshman, saying that releasing information could jeopardize the investigation being conducted by campus police.
UW-L student Connor Glynn died in Rochester, Minn., in mid-April. A campus email sent to students last week included a link to information about a visitation. In lieu of flowers, the family asked that memorial gifts be directed to the Connor Glynn Foundation, a newly-founded charity in his honor.
Medical personnel were called to Angell Hall late April 10 into the early morning hours of April 11 after residents found Glynn and tried to resuscitate him. He was taken to Mayo Health System in Rochester, where he died April 14.
Campus police and the Office of Student Life both have declined to comment on the cause of death, but UW-L Chancellor Joe Gow has said it is suspected the Glynn died of a prescription drug overdose.
Both UW-L Police Chief Scott McCullough and staff in the student life office have withheld further information about the incident, declining La Crosse Tribune requests for incident reports. A letter from a UW System lawyer in response to requests for information said releasing it could harm the ongoing investigation.
La Crosse Tribune
Tim Cullen has had a ringside seat for Wisconsin politics for more than 50 years.
The longtime state senator from Janesville is one of the good guys a politician who plays well with others, including members of the opposing political party. He knows how to work toward compromise and solution.
Those should be useful skills.
Instead, being a moderate, a compromiser are dirty words in Madison these day, Cullen said.
While being in the middle is popular around the state, he said, its lonely in the Capitol.
Cullen visited La Crosse last week to talk about and sign copies of his book, Ringside Seat: Wisconsin Politics, the 1970s to Scott Walker.
Its his new book, its his first book and as Cullen said with a smile it will be his only book.
Make no mistake: Cullen is a Democrat. But there was a day when a Democrat could serve in the Cabinet of a Republican governor.
The Janesville native and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater graduate was elected to the state Senate in 1974 at 30. Cullen rose in his caucus and became Senate majority leader. In 1987, he was appointed secretary of Wisconsins Department and Health and Social Services under Gov. Tommy Thompson.
Me, a Democrat, going into Tommy Thompsons cabinet, was not an unusual thing in that era, Cullen said.
Thompson even wrote a back-of-the-book note: Tim Cullen has enjoyed great success over the past half a century trying to creatively solve public policy challenges and is fearless in confronting those in politics that embrace the status quo. Hes a skilled problem-solver and someone I consider a friend.
In 1988, Cullen became an executive with Blue Cross, where he worked for the next 20 years.
In 2010, he ran for and was elected to his old seat in the Senate. He left after one term a term that included unprecedented protests on the Capitol in Madison and turmoil throughout the state. It included a trip to Illinois, too, which makes an interesting read.
During the past 60 years, Cullen says, our state has had a dozen governors six Republican, six Democrat. For the most part, he says, theyve succeeded by governing toward the middle and away from the extremes.
But Cullen said that is much less the case with Gov. Scott Walker and his partys hold on both the Senate and Assembly, plus its ability to change political boundaries to aid the party in elections, have been big factors.
The concept is known as gerrymandering the party in power drawing the electoral map to favor the party in power.
It got its name by combining the last name of Elbridge Gerry who signed the Declaration of Independence and was Massachusetts governor from 1810-1812 with a salamander, which described the shape of one of the contorted districts on his election map.
Weve criticized partisan political map-drawing in Wisconsin by both parties over the years, and we continue to favor our quaint notion that voters should pick their elected representatives rather than allowing the politicians to picking the voters.
Cullen talks at length about the problem and hes quick to point out that both parties are at fault. Democrats have gerrymandered such states as Rhode Island and even Gerrys native state.
Eventually, he believes a test case possibly from Wisconsin may go to the U.S. Supreme Court to help settle the one man, one vote concept when it comes to redistricting.
Cullen and UW-L political science guru Joe Heim have talked passionately about how gerrymandering results in safe districts where the majority has little fear of losing an election.
Those safe districts provide little incentive for a politician to worked toward the middle, toward compromise.
When youre in a safe district, Cullen said, the November general election doesnt matter nearly as much as the August primary in your own party, where youre vulnerable from an extreme wing of your party if you havent toed the party line 100 percent in your voting.
Cullen will donate proceeds of his book which is available at Pearl Street Books in downtown La Crosse to the Janesville Multicultural Teachers Opportunity Fund that he launched in 2008 to raise money for college scholarships for students of color in Janeville.
There arent enough Tim Cullens on either side of the aisle these days either in Madison or in Washington.
On 26 April the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) issued a statement calling on the Mexican government to ensure that it follows the recommendations made in the final report by the interdisciplinary group of independent experts (GIEI) sent by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to the country to help with the investigation into the September 2014 abduction, and presumed murder, of 43 training teachers from the town of Iguala. The OHCHR also called on the government to address all the challenges to the defence of human rights in the case exposed by the report.
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On 26 April Bolivias President Evo Morales and the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB) umbrella trade union agreed on a 6% general salary increase and a 9% increase in the national minimum wage for this year.
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At first look, the black-and-white photograph seems sweet and innocent. The image was taken in 1929 in Bremen, Germany. Nine neighborhood boys stand together. They are smiling as they look at the camera.
But, the photograph is the start of a dark story that is part of a new exhibit. The show, called Some Were Neighbors, is at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.
Many years after that photograph was taken, and after the end of World War II, one of the men in that old photo put it in the mail. He sent it and a letter to another man in the photo, seen standing with a bicycle. The man with a bicycle was Jewish. During World War II, Nazis murdered his mother. Later, he became a rabbi.
In the letter, the other man explained that he had worked as a Nazi guard at Germanys Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. But, he wrote, he never touched a Jew.
The rabbi wrote back to the sender of the letter.
He said, What I wanted to hear...was how he felt about his job. Did he think that killing Jews was the proper thing to do?
He never got an answer.
The questions the rabbi asked the guard are central to the Some Were Neighbors exhibit. Millions of ordinary people saw the crimes of the Holocaust. They saw the crimes take place in city squares, in stores and schools, in the countryside and other places. The Nazis found people all across Europe who willing to take part in their crimes.
Some Were Neighbors explores what moves people to behave certain ways in difficult situations. The exhibit challenges viewers to understand a dark period of history. It also examines the importance of social responsibility.
Zsuzsanna Kozak runs the Visual World Foundation in Budapest, Hungary. The non-profit organization works to support peace through video and media literacy. Last year, Kozak and other educators gathered at the U.S. museum for an international conference on Holocaust education.
The museum organized the conference with UNESCO. The conference brought together teams from 10 countries that have limited educational material on the Holocaust and other genocides. Those countries were Hungary, India, Lithuania, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, South Korea, Rwanda and Turkey.
Each countrys team left with a project plan. Kozak and the team from Hungary used the Some Were Neighbors exhibit to create a traveling student art project. The project centered on the Holocaust. But, it aims to create a discussion about current tensions in their country, including a large new border fence that blocked migrants from entering Hungary.
The anti-discrimination project is called Your Decision. Kozaks team worked with educators from six Hungarian schools. The students were from the very young to college age. The students explored ideas of tolerance or accepting difference.
Each group studied pieces of the Some Were Neighbors exhibit, such as a film clip of a Holocaust-era public shaming, or the Bremen neighborhood boys photo. Each group was asked to make art communicating the ideas they had studied.
The students works were displayed at an exhibit last week in Budapest at the Canadian embassy.
Teenagers from a Jewish school in Budapest made a three-dimensional copy of the Bremen neighborhood boys photograph. They separated the man who received the letter and another boy from the rest of the group.
Zsuzsanna Kozak was born in 1974. She recalled not learning much about World War II history in school. There is such a cultural silence, she said.
Peter Fredlake directs the Holocaust museums teacher education program. He said the Some Were Neighbors exhibit tries to change peoples understanding of what the Holocaust was.
The Hungarian student art project, he said, pushes back against the Holocaust narrative Hungarians hear today, one that ignores personal responsibility and claims victimhood.
Fredlake said that since the international conference, the other nine countries teams have also been exploring new ways for talking about genocide.
The Hungarian students art project will be on display at the six participating schools starting in May. It will then move on to sites like the International Jewish Youth Camp in Hungary and to a gallery in Austria.
Kozak said she hopes the art project will be seen in many places, for many years, because intolerance is a universal challenge.
I'm Ashley Thompson.
Carol Guensburg reported this story for VOA News. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.
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Words in This Story
rabbi - n. a person who is trained to make decisions about what is lawful in Judaism
proper - adj. correct according to social or moral rules
ordinary - adj. not unusual, different, or special
challenge - v. to test the ability, skill, or strength of (someone or something)
literacy - n. knowledge that relates to a specified subject
tolerance - n. willingness to accept feelings, habits, or beliefs that are different from your own
narrative - n. a story that is told or written
genocide - n. the deliberate killing of people who belong to a particular racial, political, or cultural group
gallery - n. a room or building in which people look at paintings, sculptures, etc.
China recently released an unusual comic strip. The comic which tells a story in words and drawings appears to be about a romantic relationship between a western student and a Chinese woman. But the comic is really part of China's new anti-spying campaign.
In the comic, a western student named David meets a Chinese woman named Xiao-Li. David brings Xiao-Li flowers, he buys her dinner, and he takes her for walks in the park. Then he asks Xiao-Li for secret documents.
The comic, or cartoon, warns citizens against helping people who might be spies. China has also released a phone number citizens can call if they are suspicious about foreign spies and Chinese citizens who might be helping them.
China's anti-spying effort comes at a time when two high-profile criminal cases are making headlines.
Just last week, the Chinese government sentenced to death a computer technician for helping foreign spies.
The computer technician's name is Huang Yu. He was accused of taking $700,000 over the course of almost 10 years to pass confidential information to a foreign country. His mother and brother-in-law were also punished for helping him.
Huang appeared on national television with a message: turn yourself in if you are spying for a foreign country. Its better for your family and for you, he said.
The Chinese government prosecuted another man for stealing state secrets. He was a Canadian who operated a cafe near Chinas border with North Korea.
There are several points of view about the anti-spying campaign.
One view, according to analysts in China, is that it makes sense to be worried about citizens passing secret information to foreigners.
Any responsible government should be concerned, says Shen Dingli, an international relations professor at Fudan University.
But others say the anti-spying campaign makes the average Chinese person more afraid of foreigners. They warn it also makes citizens more accepting of government restrictions on press and social media.
Eva Pils is a legal scholar from Kings College in London. She says Chinas campaign against spying helps the government explain the need for [the] repression of civil society.
Im Dan Friedell.
Shannon Van Sant wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted the report for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.
What do you think of Chinas campaign against spying? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.
__________________________________________________________________
Words in This Story
cartoon n. a series of drawings that tell a story
prosecute v. to hold a trial against a person who is accused of a crime to see if that person is guilty
confidential adj. secret or private
One year after a deadly earthquake struck Nepal, the prime minister announced the country is rebuilding some of the damaged heritage sites. They include temples, monuments and a UNESCO heritage site.
On April 25, 2015, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake killed 9,000 people and damaged hundreds of historic structures. Nepali officials have said fully rebuilding the countrys architectural heritage and the 600,000 homes destroyed by the quake will take years. But this week Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli announced the government will start.
Monday the prime minister offered prayers at an ancient Buddhist temple, one of the hundreds of structures damaged by the quake.
Memorial services for those who died were held Sunday. Protesters also demonstrated against the slow speed of the recovery efforts in the South Asian country.
In a White House statement, National Security Council spokesperson Ned Prince expressed condolences for the lives lost in the quake. He also acknowledged that "much of the hard work of rebuilding Nepal still lies ahead."
"We are humbled by those who risked their lives to save others, including the six United States Marines who perished in Nepal while providing relief to Nepalis in need," he said.
Other nations are also sending money to help the rebuilding efforts.
Monday, the New York-based World Monuments Fund announced donations totaling $1 million for five historic sites.
But, while international donors have promised $4.1 billion towards Nepal's recovery, only $1.3 billion has reached the country. Critics blame the government for taking months to set up the National Reconstruction Authority.
The slow movement to rebuild has left many people living in sub-standard temporary shelters. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies estimates that four million people are still in these temporary homes.
The homeless have been promised about $2,000 in aid. However, only several hundred people have received the first $500 installment.
Mike Bruce is a spokesman for the non-governmental group Plan International. He spoke to VOA via Skype from Nepals capital of Kathmandu. Bruce said the Nepali government has not been slow to rebuild it has simply faced challenges in the past year.
Bruce added that homes and heritage sites were not the only things destroyed by the powerful quake. He said over 30,000 classrooms were damaged or destroyed.
Plan International aims to rebuild 20 schools and repair 16,000 of those classrooms. Bruce said the classrooms will be both accessible to those injured in the quake, and better able to withstand any future quakes.
According to reports by VOA's Tibetan Service, Tibetan villages along Nepal's border, which were also destroyed by that same quake, have yet to be rebuilt. Many of an estimated 100,000 displaced Tibetans remain without homes to return to.
Last week, Tibet Radio, a Chinese official Tibetan language news service, said a senior official recently visited the displaced Tibetans. He told them that quake reconstruction is a top priority in 2016.
It is not clear whether the construction will focus on rebuilding damaged homes or simply moving displaced Tibetans into new towns, as Beijing has done before.
Im Anne Ball.
Anne Ball wrote this story for Learning English from several VOA News stories. Kelly J. Kelly was the editor.
We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on Facebook.
_________________________________________________________________
Words in This Story
heritage n. traditions, achievements, buildings, beliefs that are part of a group or nation
architectural adj. to describe method or style of a building, how it is built
condolences n. expression of sympathy when someone dies
sub-standard adj. below what is considered good
installment n. one in a series of payments until something is paid for
Five northeastern U.S. states held primary elections on Tuesday -- Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. Voters there expressed their choices for their partys candidate for president.
Donald Trump, a billionaire businessman, won a majority of votes for the Republican Party in all five states. Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state, won a majority for the Democratic Party in four states. The two candidates are close to claiming their parties nominations for president.
The other major challengers for the nominations -- Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Ted Cruz, and former governor John Kasich -- said their campaigns will continue.
The state primary elections influence the number of delegates who will support the candidates at the party conventions this summer. Clinton and Trump have both built large leads in delegate counts.
On the Democratic Party side, Clinton has a total of 2,141 delegates. A candidate needs 2,383 to claim the Democratic Party nomination. Her challenger, Bernie Sanders, told the Associated Press he has a very narrow path and we are going to have to win some big victories.
The race for the Republican Party nomination has Trump with 950 delegates. Cruz and Kasich are trying to stop Trump from reaching the 1,237 delegate total for victory. If Trump cannot reach that total, the Republican nominee for president could be decided at the GOP convention.
Exit polls taken Tuesday show division in the Republican Party, according to an Associated Press report. Only about 40 percent of GOP voters in Pennsylvania said they are excited about Trump being president.
In the same poll, close to 60 percent said this years Republican Party primary campaign has damaged the party.
Many polls have asked respondents whom they would choose in a contest between Trump and Clinton. Polls in the last month show Clinton winning by close to nine percent, according to a VOA news article.
But Trump says he welcomes the opportunity to oppose Clinton in the general election in November.
When I'm one-on-one with Hillary she will be, as I said, easier to take down, much easier to beat than many of the people I've already beaten," Trump told supporters Tuesday.
The candidates now are campaigning in the state of Indiana. The Indiana primary will be held May 3.
Im Pete Musto.
Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English. VOAs Chris Hannas and the Associated Press reported the story. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.
Who do you think would win in Americas general election in November? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page.
________________________________________________________________
Words in This Story
billionaire n. a rich person who has at least a billion dollars
Democratic Party n. a political party in the United States that is usually considered more liberal
primary elections n. elections in which members of the same political party run against each other for the chance to be in a larger and more important election
Republican Party n. a political party in the United States that is usually considered more conservative
GOP n. nickname of the Republican Party; stands for Grand Old Party
exit poll n. a method of predicting the result of an election by asking people questions as they leave the place where they voted
The United States government is urging Vietnam to release all political prisoners and end its poor treatment of civil society activists.
US officials made the appeals before President Barack Obamas first visit to Vietnam. He will travel there in May.
A State Department official noted the promotion of human rights remains a crucial part of U.S. foreign policy and is a key aspect of our ongoing dialogue within the U.S.-Vietnam comprehensive partnership.
On Monday, the two nations held their 20th in a series of meetings, known as the Human Rights Dialogue. The talks took place in Washington, D.C.
The State Department said the two sides talked about a number of human rights issues during the meeting. These included the importance of continued progress on legal reform efforts, the rule of law, freedom of expression and assembly, and religious freedom. They also talked about labor rights, disability rights, and cooperation between the two countries.
The U.S. government told Vietnamese officials that it is concerned about Nguyen Van Dai, a human rights lawyer who was arrested in December, 2015. He was detained as he was preparing to meet with representatives of the European Union. The EU officials were in Hanoi for talks with Vietnamese officials about human rights.
In December, the State Department urged Vietnamese officials to make sure their actions were in agreement with international treaties. It also called on Vietnam to release unconditionally all prisoners of conscience.
U.S. officials are also worried about blogger Nguyen Huu Vinh, also known as Anh Ba Sam. He was sentenced to five years in prison for what Vietnamese officials called abusing rights to freedom and democracy to infringe upon the interests of the state.
The State Department noted several concerns about Vietnam in its 2015 Country Report for Human Rights Practices. These problems included severe government restrictions of citizens political rights; limits on citizens civil liberties; and failing to protect citizens rights to due process, including protection against arbitrary detention.
Vietnamese newspapers and television stations face press and media restrictions. But U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the countrys human rights policies have improved. He said Vietnam has promised to make sure its laws give the same protections as international human rights laws and treaties.
During a recent visit to Hanoi, Blinken noted that Vietnam had approved the Convention against Torture and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
He also said that Vietnam was giving permission for independent trade unions to be created for the first time in modern history. And he noted that the Vietnamese government is taking steps to talk with religious and civil leaders as it writes a new law on religious freedom.
The United States hopes the law will protect the rights of people of different faiths.
Im Christopher Jones-Cruise.
VOAs Nike Chang reported this story from The State Department. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow 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
promotion n. the activity of helping something to happen, develop or increase
crucial adj. extremely important
dialogue n. (formal) a discussion or series of discussions that two groups or countries have in order to end a disagreement
comprehensive adj. including many, most or all things
prisoner of conscience n. someone who is held in prison because of his or her political or religious beliefs
blogger n. a person who writes about personal opinions, activities and experiences on a website.
infringe v. to wrongly limit or restrict (something, such as another persons rights)
due process n. the official and proper way of doing things in a legal case; the rule that a legal case must be done in a way that protects the rights of all the people involved
arbitrary detention n. the jailing of a person without concern for what is fair or right
The annual Nebraska Press Association Better Newspaper Contest awards banquet was held Saturday at the Holiday Inn in Kearney.
The Lexington Clipper-Herald and its staff members placed 14 times across 11 different categories and finished third overall in Class C weekly.
The Clipper swept all three places in the Best Digital Ad Idea category (first- Plum Creek Rodeo, second- Lexington Chamber events, third Servicemaster by Pat Tysdal and Casey Paine).
The paper also won first place for Best New Idea in Ads and Marketing with the Summer Road Trip Gas Giveaway. Heather Heinemann, Dan Voris, and Casey Paine won first place in the Advertising Campaign category for the Pinnacle Agencys ads featuring Mario the dog.
Paine and Heinemann earned second place in Retail Advertising Idea, Color for their U-Save Pharmacy ad. Tysdal and Paine earned second place in Retail Advertising Idea, Black and White for an ad featuring Plum Creek Medical Group.
Paul Pack and Paine earned second place in the Use of Color category for their Fourth of July page. Pack finished second in Use of Social Media for his Majestic Theatre photos.
Ben Schwartz came in second in the Feature Series category for a series on technologys impact on rural healthcare. Kevin Zelaya finished third in the same category for his profiles of retiring Lexington Public Schools teachers.
Carol Meyers photo of the RoofPros fire earned second place in Breaking News Photography.
The Clipper-Herald earned second place in the Headline Writing category.
Schwartz finished third in the News Writing category for the story Council denies Islamic Center request.
LEXINGTON, Neb. The send-off for the Spring 2016 Dawson County Hero Flight, held Wednesday at the Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles, was the realization of a lot of hard work and planning.
It was also a tribute to the 25 men who, through their service to their country, earned the right to take their seat on the Flight for a two-and-a-half-day tour of WashingtonD.C.
Lunch was provided courtesy of Gary Reiber with the Wounded Warrior Project and Jim Lundgren. Bonneville Daughters of the American Revolution provided hand-sized American flags. Pastor Ken Hutchins of Sumner gave a prayer and blessing not only for the meal but for the safe trip for the veterans.
Max McFarland, a member of the Dawson County Hero Flight organizing committee, said a little rain could not deter those in attendance from honoring their local esteemed veterans.
Freedom is not free; America is grateful. America will not forget. These are words we read when we see banners; these words stir our soul. Theyre only words until we meet you, our veterans. You bring those words to life, McFarland said.
Steve Zerr, another member of the Hero Flight organizing committee, said close to 300 donations from across the county were received to fund the Hero Flight. Although sizeable donations were received from businesses and civic organizations, he said the little donations showed the wide-spread support for the project.
Zerr introduced the two members of the organizing committee who were going on the Hero Flight as staff/support members Dick Pierce and Max McFarland.
Due to Pierces involvement with veteran flights since 2007 (the Hero Flight would mark his 13th flight), Zerr informally bestowed to him the title of Hero Flight Commander.
Zerr also bestowed the unofficial title of Hero Flight Crew Chief to McFarland.
Patriot Guard Rider Billy Rayburn introduced herself and explained the purpose of her motorcycle group. The group is a volunteer group open to others, which shows its support for veterans at send-offs and funerals.
Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg spoke briefly. He began by recognizing the members of the organizing committee and thanking them. He then turned his thanks to the veterans themselves.
I think about how our country was based on dreams, to come here, to start in the New World. To have the freedom that you (veterans) have protected, thank you, Williams said.
Other thank-yous were given to LexingtonPublic Schools and the Lexington School Board, which provided a bus and driver to transport the participants to Omaha.
In addition, Lexington fifth grader Abbie Owens was recognized for designing the blue nylon string backpacks for veterans going on the Hero Flight. She designed the bags as part of a 4-H project. The bags featured each veterans first initial and last name embroidered with an American flag.
Bill Burns, a Navy veteran who served during the Korean War, said he was ready to take off on the Hero Flight.
Im looking forward to seeing the Korean Memorial. Ive never been to Washington before. I feel special, Burns said.
Ill be able to talk about things that went on during the war from that time and about the service with the other veterans. I know a lot of guys going, several of them are navy guys, Burns said.
Vietnam War veteran John Grinde was going on the Hero Flight as an escort for his friend, Steve Anderson, a Korean War veteran.
Grinde said he was excited to travel with fellow veterans and had packed plenty of ponchos in case it rains.
Its always nice bonding with veterans. You open up with them; you dont have to explain things, they just know. When you mention monsoon season, the smell of diesel, the dampness of the morning, the sound of a chopper, they know, Grinde said.
Members from the Lexington Volunteer Fire Department, Lexington Police Department and Patriot Guard Group led out the bus filled with veterans out of Lexington onto Interstate 80. The will return to Nebraska on Saturday.
United Nations: India is projected to dominate the growth in the working-age population in Asia Pacific by 2050, thus becoming home to over a billion people eligible to enter the job market, a UN report has said.
In its latest Regional Human Development Report, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) underlined that Asia-Pacific countries now have more working-aged people and fewer dependents than at any point in history, providing a springboard for growth.
Region-wide, 68 percent of people are of working age and only 32 percent are dependents. Asia-Pacific's population size has tripled in the last 65 years, and is expected to reach 4.84 billion in 2050. The working-age population in the region, comprising 58 percent of the global total, continues to grow, the report said.
China and India comprised 62 percent of the region's share in 2015, with a billion and 860 million workers, respectively. "When countries have a greater share of people who can work, save and pay taxes, they have the potential to transform their economies and power investments in healthcare, education and other building blocks of future prosperity," said UNDP's chief economist Thangavel Palanivel, who is the lead author of the report.
The report said that China's share of working-age people is now falling while India's continues to rise, expected to touch a maximum of about 1.1 billion in 2050. The region as a whole will reach its maximum number of working-age people, at 3.1 billion, in 2045.
"South Asia will have more working-age people than any other sub-region, with the largest surge by 2055 to a projected 1.6 billion, dominated by India," the report said. In India, more than 280 million more people will be eligible to enter the job market by 2050, a third more than the current number. Further, the report said that most countries in South Asia will have their largest number of working-age people between 2045 and 2050.
"India alone will see the maximum number in 2050, when the population aged 15-64 is expected to be larger than 1 billion," it said. However, the report said that even as the working-age population increases, not all will be absorbed in the job market.
In India, the size of the working-age population increased by 300 million between 1991 and 2013, while the number of employed people increased by only 140 million the economy absorbed less than half the new entrants into the labour market.
In China, the number of jobs grew by 144 million between 1991 and 2013, but the working-age population increased by 241 million.
"A wider gap in India than China suggests a more limited capacity to generate employment a serious challenge given the continued expansion of the workforce in India over the next 35 years," it said. In Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan, more than 80 percent of working people earn less than $4 daily, it added.
The share of people working but earning below the international poverty line is still large in Asia-Pacific, and their numbers are likely to escalate with more entrants into the labour force, if current employment shortfalls continue. China and India, now home to 2.6 billion people, will drive demographic changes in the region and influence their consequences.
India's population will likely surpass China's by 2022, possibly earlier, the report said. It added that the proportion of older people will also increase substantially in India and China, rising from about 9 percent and 15 percent, respectively to 19 percent and 37 percent in 2050.
In 2015, seven Asian countries, namely Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan and the Philippines, had 420 million people aged 60 and older, which accounts for 47 percent of people aged 60 and above in the world. By 2050, they will have just over half the global share more than a billion.
The 'oldest old' population, comprising people above age 80, is also rising fast in Asia-Pacific, from 0.4 percent in 1950 to 1 percent in 2015. By 2050, the proportion will touch about 5 percent, it said.
The number of 'oldest old' will almost quadruple, from 58 million in 2015 to nearly 246 million in 2050, with the largest numbers living in China, India and Japan. Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, Thailand and Vietnam will also have significant numbers.
The study calls for immediate responses and outlines "9 Actions for Sustainable Development" concrete policies tailored to the demographic profile of individual countries. For nations with a large working-age population, UNDP is calling for the creation of decent jobs to match the growing workforce, equal employment for women and ways to turn savings into investments inside the region.
For countries with young populations, the agency says there is a need to invest in education and healthcare, smooth the transition from school to work and encourage youth participation in public life. In older countries, the recommendation is to have governments design fair, sustainable pension systems, to support active ageing and to promote appreciation for the value of older citizens.
Haoliang Xu, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Director for Asia and the Pacific, said, "If countries in Asia-Pacific do not create optimal employment conditions, the regional economy will begin to slow down by 2050 as the current working-age population begins to retire."
New Delhi: Two Lok Sabha members today opposed expanding the size of pictorial warning on tobacco products, saying it had adversely affected farmers and beedi workers and their livelihood was in danger.
Sharad Bansode (BJP) and R Dhruvanarayana (Cong) suggested that a parliamentary committee's recommendation that the warning be restricted to 50 percent should be adhered to, prompting an intervention from Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, who noted that public opinion was growing in favour of discouraging smoking.
Raising the issue in the Zero Hour, Bansode claimed that if "you don't minimise (the warning size), all beedi workers would be jobless". He also urged the Prime Minister to address their concerns.
Dhruvanarayana said that the parliamentary committee recommendation was not implemented by the government, which increased the warning's size from 40 percent to 85 percent. Some members, including Supriya Sule (NCP), were seen nodding their head in disapproval as the members spoke.
Naidu spoke about public opinion and experts' warning against tobacco use, and said the increase in the pictorial warning size was one step in that direction. However, he said that they would have to evolve a consensus, while noting that farmers, especially in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka cultivated tobacco. Government alone cannot do it, he said.
"We have to strongly encourage farmers to grow alternative crops. We have to find some solution," he said. Naidu added that he is willing to discuss the matter with Congress informally. "We have been discussing it but have not been able to find a meaningful solution," he said.
New Delhi: India today said its intellectual property rights regime is fully in compliance with global norms and the country will not succumb to "any pressure from any where" to modify it. "We are TRIPS compliant in every way. I think we move forward being consistently with the global expectations without yielding to any pressure from any where and I would like to state that India's legislative framework particularly in protecting patents is very strong and we would like to keep that strong framework," Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said at a function on Tuesday.
Trade Related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is a WTO agreement which deals with intellectual property related issues. She said that the new national IPR policy shall soon come to the Cabinet. "We have a robust IPR policy to guide us further," she added.
Developed countries wants India to amend its IPR norms particularly with regard to pharmaceuticals sector. When asked about the India-US solar case in the WTO, Sitharaman said that India is working on a case based on the fact that several states in the US are also possibly giving a domestic content like benefit to their companies.
"We are quoting them to highlight that when India does it particularly given the fact that we have given a commitment to the climate meet in Paris where countries will have to look at a sustainable way of providing renewable alternatives and if individual country's capacities in providing alternatives cannot be supported, how any country can fulfill its obligations is an argument which we are building.
"Taking the example of some of those programmes which the USA's own states are offering and that's the case in the making," she told reporters.
Last week, India has challenged certain provisions of the WTO's panel rulings, which held that the country's power purchase agreements with solar firms are inconsistent with international norms.
Speaking at the function, DIPP Secretary Ramesh Abhishek expressed concerns over low filing of patent applications by Indian companies or individuals. "Even though there are improvements in the number of total filings by Indians, still it is fact that filing of patent applications by Indians are just around 28 per cent which is in sharp contrast with many developed countries, despite our country having a vast pool of scientists and technologists and being worldwide recognise as a hub for research," he said.
"We lack in creation of sufficient IP-based knowledge assets," he added. The low patent portfolio of the country is seen as a stumbling block for achieving competitive edge in the domestic as well as global markets, he said. "I would like to call upon you to make sincere efforts to promote innovation and channelise the force of creativity in the country," he said.
When asked if government is looking at removing some steel products from the purview of the minimum import price (MIP), Sitharaman said no review has started yet on the issue. Further talking the Indian IPR regime, she said the government is taking several steps to strengthen the regime.
There is a 30 per cent increase in the filing of patent application in India to 3.40 lakh in 2015-16 and 35 per cent increase in filing of trademarks applications. "The four patent offices and five trademark offices have introduced e-processing of applications. It will reduce paper work," she said, adding the Copyright and the Semiconductor Act has been transferred to the DIPP.
New Delhi: India has imposed anti-dumping duty on import of telecom gear from Chinese firms Huawei, ZTE
Corp and Alcatel Lucent to protect domestic industry from cheap shipments.
The restrictive duty imposed on import of 'Synchronous Digital Hierarchy Transmission Equipment (SDHTE)' from China ranges between 9.42 per cent and 86.59 per cent of the landed (cost, insurance and freight or CIF) value.
India had first come out with anti-dumping duty of up to 266 per cent on import of telecom gear from China and Israel in December 2010 for five years.
The Department of Revenue yesterday issued a notification further extending the anti-dumping duty for five years, up to April 25, 2021. An anti-dumping duty of 48.42 per cent has been slapped on import of SDHTE from ZTE Corp while the same on Shanghai-based Alcatel-Lucent will be 54.09 per cent. Imports from Huawei Technologies Co faced an anti-dumping levy of 37.73 per cent. However, anti-dumping duty on import from Israel's ECI Telecom has been withdrawn. The government had in December 2010 imposed anti-dumping duty on ECI, along with the Chinese firms.
In the previous notification, the anti-dumping duty ranged from 3 per cent to 266 per cent. A 9.42 per cent anti-dumping duty was imposed on import of telecom equipment from any other manufacturer from Israel. Hit hard by the anti-dumping duty, Shenzhen-based Huawei Technologies' now plans to set up a new telecom equipment
manufacturing unit in the Sriperumbudur special economic zone (SEZ).
The notification said the quasi-judicial Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) in its
findings published in February this year stated that "there is continued dumping" of SDHTE by Huawei China, ZTE Corporation, Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai and Bell Co.
"Dumped imports were causing injury to the domestic industry in the period of investigation," it noted. But in the case of HETC, China, "there is negligible dumping in the period of investigation (POI)... Therefore, there was no likelihood of dumping," it clarified. DGAD had concluded in its probe that the domestic industry had suffered a material injury on account of dumped imports of the equipment.
Anti-dumping probes are initiated to check if domestic industries have been hurt because of a surge in cheap imports.
Countries impose duties within the multilateral regime of WTO. Anti-dumping measures are taken to ensure fair trade and provide a level-playing field to domestic players. It is not a measure to restrict imports or cause an unjustified increase in cost of products.
The resilient Indian IT services sector's revenue growth would stabilize at 11-13 percent annually, with the bottoming out of the slowdown over the past 18 months, said global credit rating agency Moody's on Wednesday.
"We expect economic stability in developed countries, accounting for 90 percent of Indian software exports, to fuel growth for the global IT services outsourcing industry, benefiting Indian IT firms in particular," the agency said in a statement.
The study report on IT services India: Market share gains despite headwinds also expects the industry to maintain its market share, with Ebitda (operating) margin at 21-22 percent.
Asserting that currency volatility would pressure growth estimate, Moody's said as IT export revenue was largely in US dollars and euro, the cost base would remain same as a result of conversion impact.
"Though the Indian rupee has depreciated against US dollar since April 2011, the latter (greenback) is appreciating against other currencies, leading to volatility and conversion impact on growth estimates," the agency pointed out.
Cautioning the growing industry on competition from global peers and low-cost hubs putting pressure on revenues, the report claimed as a result of increasing outsourcing, multinationals had improved cost competitiveness by developing their presence in low-cost countries like India and Philippines.
"As a fall-out of increasing competition from multinationals (MNCs), Indian IT firms are moving to low-cost destinations within and outside the country and are offering high-end value added services," the report noted.
The report also warned the industry that geo-political factors like curbs on outsourcing would impact its performance.
Noting that Indian firms would embrace new technologies, the report said growth of digital technology and cloud computing services would offset eventual declines in traditional services through acquisitions and in-house developments.
"As shift towards disruptive technologies like digital services, automation (artificial intelligence) and cloud computing will benefit large IT firms, we expect them to have edge over their peers by investing in skill development.
Though cost pressures may lead to consolidation in the long-term, there will be no pressure on credit profiles of the IT firms over the next 12-18 months.
The Supreme Court has raised certain important questions on the state of bad loans that has gripped India's Rs 101 trillion banking industry and has sought to overhaul the banking system in this context. Responding to a petition filed by NGO 'Centre for Public Interest Litigation', the Supreme Court noted that 'something is not working in the system leading to such huge loan defaults'. The court told the government that an expert panel could be set up to examine the issue of bad loan recovery.
The good part here is that the apex judicial institution in the country is paying close attention on the loan issue in the banking sector, including the fight against large corporate defaulters (as seen in the Vijay Mallya episode). SCs comments are coming at a time when the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) too has initiated an all-out attack on the defaulters by pushing banks on recovery. The RBI has set a deadline of March, 2017 for banks to clean up the mess.
The other side of this issue is that excessive judicial intervention in banks' loan recovery process too has contributed to the current bad loan mess in the banking sector. Under the current legal structure, courts often deny banks the rights over collateral when the loan is in default. One example is State Bank of India's loans to sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh. SBI has an exposure of Rs 3,000 crore to sugar mills. But an Allahabad High court order on 5 September ruled in favour of the growers to have first right on the collateral and get their dues, before banks can lay their hands on the collateral. Even though SBI moved the Supreme Court against this order, the bank didn't get any relief as the SC, in October, refused to interfere with the High Court order.
We lend against the security of the sugar produced or to be produced by the mills. While banks are supposed to have the first charge over the sugar stocks pledged in their favour, this judgement holds that the dues of cane growers, which are in the nature of an unsecured claim, would prevail over the rights of secured creditors, the Indian Express quoted the head of a top public sector bank.
Also, it is typical among large defaulters to drag lenders to prolonged legal battles when banks initiate recovery process on bad loans. The repayment process often gets delayed when companies secure favorable court orders, sometimes, on mere technical grounds. For example, in the ongoing Kingfisher-Vijay Mallya mess, where banks are fighting to get back about Rs 9,000 crore money lent to Mallya's now defunct Kingfisher airline, judicial intervention had complicated efforts by one of the lenders in the consortium to recover money.
United Bank of India, one of the lenders to the company, had to withdraw the wilful defaulter tag on Mallya after the liquor-baron managed to get a favorable order from the Kolkata High Court, citing that RBI guidelines required a three-member grievance redressal committee but the banks committee had four members!
The current bad loan mess is contributed by a mix of factors including the reckless lending practices of banks, the infamous corporate-banker-middleman nexus and the intervention by the governments in the operations of state-run banks that control 70 per cent of the banking industry. But, the point here is that the judicial system should recognize that it too has indirectly contributed to the mess. The proposed bankruptcy law, once enacted, could offer relief to the banking system since banks can then wind up the company quickly if chances of revival are less.
LAHORE, Pakistan A Pakistani judge directed Punjab province on Wednesday to decide a complaint against an Islamic charity that has been accused of running unauthorised sharia courts in the eastern city of Lahore.
The charity Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) is listed as a "foreign terrorist organisation" by the United States. Western officials regard it as a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the militant group behind an attack on Mumbai that killed 166 people in 2008.
Pakistani real estate agent Khalid Saeed filed the complaint against JuD, saying it had summoned him in January to appear at one of its courts to resolve a property dispute.
Court documents show the group is accused of holding parallel sharia courts where Islamic law experts decide family, civil and criminal law cases without official supervision.
It is based in Lahore, the capital of Punjab, the country's richest province and power base of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The Lahore High Court directed the Punjab interior ministry to decide the matter "in accordance with the law after giving opportunity of hearing to all concerned."
Saeed told Reuters the JuD letter warned him that if he failed to attend, "no excuse would be accepted and action will be taken according to sharia".
JuD officials deny having links to LeT or running a parallel court system. Instead, they said it holds "arbitration councils" chaired by religious scholars who mediate disputes and provide guidance in light of Islamic teachings.
FRUSTRATION WITH FORMAL JUSTICE
JuD operates openly in Pakistan and its leader Hafiz Saeed, who also founded LeT, holds public rallies and gives interviews despite a $10 million bounty placed on him by the United States.
JuD officials said last year the group had 30,000 volunteers and hundreds of workers across Pakistan.
JuD representatives said Saeed's summons was forged and the group did not issue threats or summonses.
"If we had been summoning people or coercing them to attend the council or abide by the council's decisions, then there would be thousands of complaints against us," JuD representative Nadeem Awan said. "Yet, all you have is this one complaint."
Pakistan has a Federal Shariat Court separate from the civil courts and has the power to examine if laws comply with Islam.
Many Pakistanis are frustrated with the formal judicial system, regarding it as flawed and slow, and instead look for justice from village councils or unauthorised sharia courts for a quick decision on a dispute.
Inside the JuD headquarters in Lahore, a large banner announcing the group's "Mediatory Sharia Court" was set up in 1992. The group said it has as decided "thousands of family, civil and murder disputes according to Islamic law" since its inception
The banner was taken down on Monday.
(Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
MUMBAI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The worst drought in decades across several states in India is forcing tens of thousands of people to migrate from rural areas in search of water, food and jobs, increasing the risk that they may be trafficked or exploited, activists said.
About 330 million people, almost a quarter of the country's population, are now affected by drought, the government estimates. Destitute women, children and older family members left behind in the villages are most at risk of exploitation.
"People in the rural areas have always been vulnerable because they want better jobs, better lives," said Mangala Daithankar at non-profit Social Action for Association and Development in Pune, in western Maharashtra state.
"The drought has aggravated the situation because they are so desperate now. They have absolutely nothing," said Daithankar, who has worked in the state's drought-hit Marathwada region for about two decades.
Maharashtra is one of the worst affected states, with successive years of poor rainfall ravaging crops, killing livestock, drying up reservoirs and forcing farmers into indebtedness that has led to thousands of suicides.
In the state's Jalna district, scores of villages house only destitute women and children left in the care of older relatives who keep an eye on their homes and parched fields.
"There's no water, so there are no jobs to be had on the fields and no food to feed their families," said Vishwanath Todkar at non-profit Paryay in Osmanabad district, which is helping build water management systems in some villages.
"The women and children are particularly vulnerable, as there is no one looking out for them," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
MASSIVE DISTRESS
Men and their wives have moved to cities including Mumbai and Pune in search of jobs on construction sites and as day labourers, sleeping under flyovers and on pavements. Some have been reduced to begging on the streets, activists say.
Others, with their families, have been lured to work for little money in harsh conditions in one of the hundreds of brick kilns in the state. Many single women and widows have been trafficked into prostitution in the cities.
"Disasters are the ground zero for trafficking," said Dhananjay Tingal, executive director at Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood Movement), which says it has rescued more than 85,000 children from modern slavery in India.
"Everyone's so focussed on just getting by, that they are easy prey," he said.
A police spokesman in Mumbai said police had not found cases of drought-related human trafficking but were aware of the rise in migration and remained vigilant.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged a nationwide drive to conserve water, but activists and economists have slammed the government's lack of "compassion" on the issue.
In an open letter to Modi, 170 activists, academics and economists said the drought had resulted in "massive distress movement of populations, causing broken childhoods, interrupted education, life in camps, city pavements or crowded shanties".
In Maharashtra, among the wealthiest states in the country, the drought has not stemmed the flow of migrants from neighbouring Karnataka state and elsewhere, seeking work. The drought has hit an estimated 10 million people in Karnataka.
In some places the drought is spurring the migration of entire families, including the elderly and children who would traditionally have been left behind, activists say.
"The crisis is by far the worst the region has seen in many years. There is no fodder, no water and no agriculture in the region as of now," said Amlan Aditya Biswas, regional commissioner in Gulbarga in North Karnataka.
"We are concerned about the spurt in migration," he said.
The state government is working on building farm ponds and de-silting tanks in the hope that the monsoon rains in June will fill them and provide some relief to small farmers, he said.
For now, those left behind in the villages are tending to their fields, digging wells and laying down drip irrigation systems as they await the monsoon rains - which are expected to be above average this year, easing some fears.
"It all depends now on the rains," said Daithankar. "People will come back to the villages if the rains are good. Otherwise there is nothing for them to come back to."
(Additional reporting by Anuradha Nagaraj, editing by Tim Pearce. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org to see more stories.)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
WASHINGTON Donald Trump swept primaries in five Northeastern states on Tuesday, moving closer to winning the Republican presidential nomination as he easily defeated rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich.
Trump, who has gained momentum after losing the Wisconsin primary to Cruz on April 5, scored victories in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Delaware, U.S. television networks projected. His margin of victory in each state appeared to be even larger than in his home state of New York a week ago.
Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton defeated challenger Bernie Sanders in Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania and was expected to sweep the other two states as well.
Although the race remains fluid, Trump's wins made it less likely that Republicans would choose their nominee for the November 8 presidential election at a contested convention in July in Cleveland, an outcome seen by Cruz and Kasich as their only chance at the nomination.
"They should drop out because frankly they have no path to victory," Trump told a Time interviewer at a magazine event in New York honouring influential Americans.
Cruz, already looking ahead to Indiana's Republican primary on May 3, addressed a crowd in that state just as polls were closing in the Northeastern states.
"I got good news for you: Tonight, this campaign moves back to more favourable terrain," the U.S. senator from Texas said in Knightstown, Indiana, inside the high school gymnasium made famous by the underdog movie, "Hoosiers."
Clinton's strong showing in the Democratic race added to the pressure on Sanders to get out of the race or ease his criticism of her.
Before Tuesday's outcome, the former secretary of state had an almost insurmountable lead of 275 pledged delegates heading into Tuesday's contests, and Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid told reporters he did not think Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, had a realistic path to winning the nomination.
Sanders, speaking to a big crowd in Huntington, West Virginia, showed no signs of getting out of the race and said he was shedding light on inconvenient truths about how hard life was these days for some Americans.
"The reason that we are generating this enthusiasm is because we are doing something very unusual in contemporary politics. We are telling the truth," he said.
A total of 118 pledged Republican delegates were at stake in addition to 54 unbound Pennsylvania delegates.
Cruz and Kasich, the Ohio governor, have formed an anti-Trump alliance in an effort to stop the New York billionaire from reaching a first-ballot victory at the July convention.
Former Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson, a Trump supporter, said the deal between Kasich and Cruz would backfire because it smacked of backroom politics.
(Additional reporting by Amanda Becker in Philadelphia, Luciana Lopez in New York and Jeff Mason, Alana Wise and Megan Casella in Washington; Editing by Peter Cooney)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
The Supreme Court said on Thursday that it would hear a PIL, which seeks to file an FIR against Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh in the AgustaWestland chopper case, next week.
The government on Wednesday said it will seek a report from the CBI on the deal and initiate the move to blacklist AgustaWestland and its parent company Finmeccanica. It also claimed that the previous UPA dispensation had not put any embargo on the scandal-tainted company.
Top Modi government sources claimed the UPA government had not blacklisted AgustaWestland despite allegations of bribery and that it was only when the NDA came to power in 2014 all acquisition proposals with the firm were put on hold.
Rajya Sabha proceedings were continually disrupted on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday by the Opposition, seeking a probe into the AgustaWestland chopper case.
The Congress went into a rage on Wednesday when Subramanian Swamy dragged Sonia Gandhi's name in his speech, disobeying rules of the Parliament stating names of members not present in the parliament should not be taken.
Before the issue is addressed in the Upper house , here is all you need to know about the AgustaWestland chopper scam:
What is the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case?
In February 2010, the Congress-led UPA government signed a government contract with UK-based AgustaWestland to buy 12 AW101 helicopters for the Indian Air Force for Rs 3,600 crore. The purpose of this deal was to have chopppers fly VVIPs like the president, prime minister and others.
In 2013, however, the deal was put on hold by the government after Bruno Spagnolin, CEO of AgustaWestland and Guiseppe Orsi, chairman of the Italian parent company Finmeccanica, were arrested on charges of bribing middlemen to acquire the deal with IAF.
The following day, then defence minister AK Antony ordered a probe into the matter.
Early in 2014, the Italian court investigating the chopper scam names former chief of the IAF, SP Tyagi in the scam, stating that he was bribed by Finmeccanica to sign the deal with AgustaWestland.
In 2015, however, reports of Tyagis acquital by the Italian court appeared, stating that there was no corruption by Indian officials.
How was Tyagi involved in the scam?
The Indian Air Force had urged the Defence Ministry to purchase helicopters that were capable of flying in high-altitude areas like Siachen and Tiger Hill. After careful evaluation of the AW101, it was ascertained that it was not capable of flying 6,000 m and above and could only reach up to 4,572 feet.
The alleged middleman in the deal, Guido Haschke, revealed that while AW101 did not meet the technical requirements of the IAF, the deal was signed after Haschke tweaked the contract with the help of his Indian contacts.
AgustaWestland allegedly paid 30 million in bribes, of which 20 million was routed through Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.
A CBI report that came in later said that prior to Tyagi being appointed as Air Force chief, the IAF had vehemently opposed the lowering of the altitude requirement. This changed after Tyagi came into the picture and the IAF conceded to reduce altitude requirements, allowing AgustaWestland to re-enter the bidding process.
Initial investigations by the Italian prosecutor said that Tyagi had personally met Haschke before, and that the bribery took place via Tyagis cousins Julie, Sandeep and Dosca. Tyagi, however, has denied any claims of having met Haschke.
In recent investigations by the Milan Court of Appeals, particularly in its 225-page judgment, Tyagis name appeared more than once. The judgment said, So, in the absence of contrary indications, it must be concluded that the reward bestowed to Tyagi family for their work in support of AW in relation to the race of the Government (of) India for military helicopters amounts to 10,500,000.
Why is Sonia Gandhis name being brought into this?
The Milan Court of Appeals, in its judgment, took note of the conversations between the three middlemen Carlos Gerosa, Christian Michel and Guildo Haschke who mention Mrs Gandhi as being the driving force behind the VIP and her close aides Ahmed Patel and Pranab Mukherjee the latter is referred to as being the British High Commissioner.
In a letter dated 15 March, 2008, Christian Michel wrote to Peter Hulet, the then head of India region sales and liaison for AgustaWestland, saying "Dear Peter, since Mrs Gandhi is the driving force behind the VIP, she will no longer fly with MI8 Mrs Gandhi and her closest advisers are the aim of the High Commissioner, senior adviser Prime Minister Manmohan Singh obviously the main figure, then theres Ahmed Patel Secretary".
Current progress
In April 2016, Guiseppe Orsi and Bruno Spagnolin were sentenced to four-and-a-half years and four years imprisonment respectively. The court also ordered the two executives to pay 7.5 million euros ($8.5 million) a sum related to the amounts deemed to have been allegedly paid in bribes.
A CBI probe into the matter is ongoing in India.
With inputs from agencies
Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union president Kanhaiya Kumar is all set pen a book recounting his journey from a small village in Bihar to recent upheaval at the JNU campus.
Kanhaiya, who spent 20 days in jail on sedation charges plans to title his book, Bihar to Tihar.
"It's the story about how in this exploitative society, a boy from a marginalised section struggled his way to come to JNU to study and how some people target him. Against this backdrop, I would like to highlight certain facts of our society," he said in an interview with The Times of India.
The book which Kanhaiya plans to complete writing by July-August will be released in both English and Hindi, says the report.
Bhagat Singh had said it is easy to kill individuals, but you cannot kill ideas. I dont know where this fight of ours will take us, but I thought our ideas should be permanently etched in history as a book. I want to write about the inherent contradictions of Indian society through my personal experiences and to reveal the hopes, despair and struggles of the youth of this country, Kanhaiya said in a statement, about why he chose to write the book.
Kanhaiya came into the lime light after he was arrested on sedition charges following a slogan raising at the JNU campus on 9 February.
The arrest had triggered widespread protests at JNU and many other universities, following which the Opposition had accused the government of attempting to stifle dissent.
The JNU on Monday slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on Kanhaiya and rusticated three others for varying duration over their alleged role in the controversial event.
In his reaction, Kanhaiya said the punitive action announced by the authorities was "simply unacceptable" and that the students rejected it.
From Bihar to Tihar will be published by Chiki Sarkar's Juggernaut Books. In a statement released by the publishers, Sarkar said, "This will be a defining book of our times. Kanhaiyas is a voice that everyone should hear."
With inputs from PTI
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed the plea by INLD leader Ajay Chautala, serving a 10-year jail term in the teachers' recruitment scam case, seeking 12 weeks' parole for medical treatment.
Justice Pratibha Rani declined the plea of Ajay whose appeal against the High Court verdict convicting him and his father, Haryana's former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, and sentencing them to 10 years in jail was dismissed by the Supreme Court on 3 August last year.
The Supreme Court which upheld their conviction, however, had said the convicts may move the High Court with their pleas seeking relief like parole on health grounds.
Advocate Amit Sahni, appearing for Ajay, had sought 12 weeks' parole for enabling the convict "to get treatment and to maintain social ties".
The High Court had on 5 March, 2015, upheld the 10 year jail term awarded to Chautalas and three others, saying, "the overwhelming evidence showed the shocking and spine-chilling state of affairs in the country."
The father-son duo and 53 others, including two IAS officers, were convicted on 16 January, 2013 by the trial court for illegally recruiting 3,206 junior basic trained (JBT) teachers in Haryana in 2000.
Besides Chautalas and two IAS officers, the High Court had also awarded 10-year prison term to Sher Singh Badshami, then an MLA and political adviser to Chautala senior.
The High Court, however, had modified the trial court's order on the quantum of sentence and awarded two-year jail term to 50 other convicts.
All the 55 convicts were sentenced under sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 418 (cheating), 467 (forgery), 471 (using forged documents as genuine) of IPC and provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.
Initially, there were 62 accused in the case. While two had died before filing of the charge sheet, four passed away during the trial of the case and one was discharged by the trial court.
New Delhi: A book which forms part of Delhi University curriculum calls Bhagat Singh a "revolutionary terrorist", BJP member Anurag Thakur said in Lok Sabha on Wednesday and demanded a debate on what is being taught in the educational institutions across the country.
India's Struggle for Independence, a book authored by noted historian Bipin Chandra and Mridula Mukherjee, have made such references, he said.
Thakur said the book also describes a Congress leader as a "charismatic leader", which was a "joke" as the party had been reduced to 44 Lok Sabha seats.
This triggered protests from Congress members who objected to the mention of their leader, who was not present in the House. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan later expunged the Congress leader's name.
In an UPSC examination, Thakur said, a question was asked about "revolutionary terrorism" of Bhagat Singh, a noted freedom fighter who was hanged by the British.
While taking strong exception to this, he hinted at the authors' link with the UPA, saying Chandra was National Book Trust chairperson between 2004-12.
Mukherjee, he alleged, faced vigilance probe.
"There should be a debate on what is taught in this country," he said, while noting that education plays a key role in building character.
Sandhu demanded that the Government must step in and withdraw the book.
"The book should be replaced by a new one with suitable amendments and correction," he told PTI.
He further said even the Britishers had described Bhagat Singh as a "true revolutionary".
"Even the Britishers, who hanged him, described him as a "true revolutionary in their judgement," the 58-year-old said.
New Delhi: An informal group of ministers has cleared an Election Commission proposal to buy nearly 14 lakh electronic voting machines (EVMs) at a cost of over Rs 5,000 crore, ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The GoM, headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, is learnt to have sent its recommendation to the Prime Minister's Office, supporting the purchase of EVMs in batches.
"The minutes of the meeting have been sent to the PMO for approval. Once the minutes are approved, the Union Cabinet will take up the proposal to buy new EVMs," a senior government functionary said.
Last year, the Election Commission had approached the government to buy nearly 14 lakh new electronic voting machines.
In its January 18 meeting, the Expenditure Finance Committee headed by Secretary Expenditure in the Finance Ministry, gave in-principle approval for the purchase of 13,95,648 new balloting units and 9,30,432 control units, at an estimated cost of Rs 5,511.48 crore between financial years 2015-16 and 2018-19.
Sources in the government said an estimated Rs 187 crore would be required in 2016-17 for the new EVMs, but final figures will be available when the EC issues tender.
The Election Commission wants to purchase new machines against the backdrop of over 9 lakh machines currently in use nearing the end of their 15-year life.
The two government undertakings Bharat Electronics Ltd, Bengaluru and Electronic Corporation of India Ltd, Hyderabad, will not be in a position to produce new EVMs in one go, and would provide it to the Commission in batches.
The machines EC gets in batches can be used in the coming assembly polls, and by the time the next Lok Sabha polls are due, the delivery will be completed.
In a proposal sent to the Law Ministry, the Commission had said that 9,30,430 EVMs in use today would become "outdated" between 2015-16 and 2019-20.
Director General in the Election Commission, Sudeep Jain, who recently appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Personnel, had flagged the issue of the limitations the two PSUs will face in producing EVMs on a short notice. "For 2016-17, we have asked for Rs 1,800 crore. So, every year, we will have to do it because of the production capacity of these companies. If we give them only one year, they will not be able to produce it," he was quoted in the report of the Committee tabled in Parliament yesterday.
Mumbai: Uttar Pradesh-based journalist Jagendra Singh, who was killed allegedly for his exposes on illegal sand mining and other misdemeanours, was on Tuesday honoured posthumously with "RedInk Veer Patrakar Puraskar" by Mumbai Press Club in Mumbai.
Singh's daughter Diksha Singh received the award on behalf of her father.
Singh used to run a Facebook page, Shahjahanpur Samachar, wherein he exposed the "corrupt" practices of an Uttar Pradesh minister. One of the issues taken up was illegal sand mining.
He was allegedly set on fire on 1 June last year by some local policemen and criminals for the expose. Singh had worked for Hindi language media for 15 years.
The UP government has claimed that the journalist had set himself on fire. A writ petition was filed by journalist Mudit Mathur from Lucknow, which is pending before the Supreme Court.
Besides Singh, 25 other journalists were awarded for their commendable work at the function.
TN Ninan, Chairman and Editorial Director of Business Standard, was bestowed upon the Lifetime Achievement award while NDTV India's senior Executive Editor Ravish Kumar got the 'journalist of the year' award.
The others winners included Gunjan Sharma (The Week), Pallava Bagla (NDTV), Aniruddha Ghosal (Indian Express) and Meher Ali (The Wire).
The Mumbai Press Club for the first time had included the 'start-up of the year' category. The award was won by thewire.in.
Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao was the chief guest on the occasion while Union minister Piyush Goyal the guest of honour.
A number of journalists and personalities from various fields attended the event.
For many months, the issue of the national or anti-national character of Jawaharlal Nehru University and its students has been at the centre of media and public scrutiny, at the instigation of right-wing communal forces.
On Monday, nearing the end of the academic year, the High-Level Enquiry Committee set up by the vice-chancellor of JNU to investigate, apportion blame and take action on those involved in the 9 February programme titled Country Without A Post Office (in which allegedly anti-national and seditious slogan were raised) released its report.
Considering the fact that the penalties were being handed out to the students at the behest of the Narendra Modi government, it appeared to be an attempt at token fairness, where one of the key students who apparently conspired to set up others to look like seditionists is given a light slap on the wrist in this case, Sharma.
Another fact to be noted is that Shehla Rashid, the prominent student leader and current vice-president of JNUSU has been neither rusticated, nor fined.
The punishments are all based on a complaint comprising one-sided statements from ABVP members, and the fairness of the enquiry is under question from all sides students, teachers and karmacharis.
The sentiment among students is that the VC is taking directions from the Central government, and that he should have behaved in his capacity as a scholar and administrator rather than as a loyalist of the BJP-RSS. Rakesh Bhatnagar, the head of the enquiry committee, is the treasurer of anti-reservationist Youth for Equality, and many of the students who have been punished belong to Dalit, Muslim and backward castes.
There was a meeting held on Tuesday at the admin block in JNU regarding the matter, where the students at large, the JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA), and the JNU Students Union firmly rejected the enquiry report, vowing to oppose and overturn it in the name of justice. The report was termed as 'scapegoating' and a 'political vendetta' for speaking out against the authoritarian administration of the university as well as the Modi government. More meeting are to be held in the coming days for the various student and teacher organisations to come up with a concrete roadmap to overturning the punishments imposed.
Certain issues need re-examination:
The penalties fly in the face of the fact that much of the video evidence and sloganeering (including much of what was telecast by Zee News) has been proved as doctored and by what is seen by many as fabricated charges on a politically-motivated complaint filed by the ABVP.
Unfazed by their ordeals, the students on their return from custody remained just as defiant, carrying on with their critiques of the current government and issues affecting students, including communalism, corruption, poverty, human rights and government overreach as did the remainder of the student leadership.
This helps explain why members of the student leadership who were not even involved with the 9 February event have also been penalised for what transpired on that day for the actions they later took: Organising students against the undue action taken on the university as a whole, and the public slander and the arrest of their colleagues.
The students under attack from the government during the controversy, instead of cowing down, began a national speaking tour to build student solidarity and progressive unity against what they saw as the anti-people policies of the present regime. Many of the allegations in the original complaint have been dismissed by the court as being heavily misreported, distorted or inapplicable. Further, the matter is subjudice and there is no guilt determined by the court yet, and in fact, each of the accused was given interim bail why should the High Level Enquiry Committee make up its own mind about guilt? The High-Level Enquiry Committee report also amounts to an attempt to influence court proceedings, by implying guilt for charges that are subjudice.
Extremely heavy fines have been imposed on students, many of whom can only afford to study in a university that charges Rs 250 as its annual fee. Coming as they do from extremely humble and underprivileged backgrounds, the idea appears to be that either the scapegoated students are expected to default on the payments, or the penalties are expected to hurt the students so much that they will be discouraged from continuing their activism.
More importantly, a campus with a students union and regular democratic elections should not punish student union office-bearers for legitimate political activity, especially for the weeks that followed the events of 9 February.
The strategic time for the release of the penalty order by the JNU administration also has to be taken into account: The commencement of exams, the searing heat, and the nearing vacations will favour an ebb of activism, rather than a groundswell. Further as university-level action, the punishments count as an internal matter and are less likely to be picked up by the media and equally unlikely to be portrayed as a contentious national-level issue.
However, a byproduct of the action taken has been that it roused many students who were beginning to reluctantly settle with the status quo, after all three students (Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya) received interim bail. They have now awoken to the fact that the onslaught is not over, and that there will be several more attempts to suppress the voices and needs of ordinary students, especially in such a liberal, politicised university as JNU.
It has also made the JNU students aware of their political and mobilisational shortcomings in the face of heavy-handed authoritarian action.
The students movement was not tactical enough nor militant enough. Many were afraid. There was no court arrest by students in protest against the fabricated charges of sedition on their colleagues, despite the students movement having amassed around 15,000 people for a rally on the 18 February they did not press hard enough. Despite Kanhaiya, journalists, and teachers being assaulted in the courthouse twice, there was no hunger strike in custody by the union president, despite having the eyes of the national media on him and a clear cause. An unconditional release was never achieved.
It took several days for the movement to arrange for a portable microphone that was not dependent on that power supplied by the admin block. There was a lack of general body meetings (GBM) despite the requisite student strength being present. This led to quick but unilateral decision-making at times. From the first confrontation, the current regime has understood that heavy-handed is the way to go rather than losing television debates to idealistic students with a flair for populism.
While this is clearly an attempt to intimidate students into submission and while the university everyone knew is being morphed to suit the political purpose of the saffronisation of education, the actions of the JNU administration may just backfire.
Kanhaiya, Umar and Anirban were unwitting and relatively isolated activists when they were victimised and returned as heroes, with the ordinary students rallying around them to fight for their democratic rights. A 23-year-old student, not wishing to be named, remarked, We all know they are being targetted for standing up to the Modi regime. The administration has taken special discretion to penalise these students on flimsy grounds, when none of them had committed any violation according to university rules.
Further, after the suicide of HCU student Rohith Vemula, the government is proving itself more and more insensitive towards student and Dalit issues. There are many similarities in the way the JNU students are being harassed by the administration, and the oppressive circumstances of Vemulas suicide.
The government-instigated action appears part of a larger scheme of criminalisation of dissent, suppression of democratic rights, felonisation of activism, intimidation and mob fury in the wake of criticism for terrible governance, normalised injustice, and policies detrimental to the public. The university must be suppressed because social sciences and politicisation question the basis and outcomes of current policy, while the austerity policies of the government count among their integral components education budget cuts, privatisation, abolition of fellowships, reduction of subsidies, as well as the underfunding and under-maintenance of existing institutions.
It turns out, eventually, that one suppresses the university to be able to pass unpopular welfare-reform policy that ultimately harms the university, which would then require another dose of suppression. From the stand-off between the students and the state, we can see that the seeds of authoritarianism have already been sown.
The writer is a research scholar at the Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University
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New Delhi: Anirban Bhattacharya rusticated for 5 years; Umar Khalid for one semester and fined Rs 20,000; former JNUSU president Ashutosh Kumar removed from hostel for one year and fined; current JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar fined Rs 10,000. They, along with many others have been punished by the Jawaharlal Nehru University administration for their alleged involvement in raising anti-national slogans inside the campus on a 9 February event.
While the students have apparently rejected the punishment imposed on them by a high-level inquiry committee, the decision has led to its questioning as many feel its too harsh and disproportionate for the crime committed. And also, whether its in sync with JNUs tradition of giving rights to its students to critique the system?
Though the opinions are divided; tilt is more on the side of the students.
Former noted professor of economics at JNU Arun Kumar said, It has never been as harsh as this time. The flavour of JNU is missing. The whole purpose of JNU is to critique knowledge. It seems like the administration has either got orders from the top to take stern action or probably they have been trying to be more loyal than the king. May be they want to set an example by punishing the students, that includes the student leadership as well. The message that they want to give is tow our line or face consequences.
By browbeating the JNU student leadership, the administration has set a bad precedence. And moreover, the case is in court and allegations against the students have not yet been proved conclusively. Those who actually raised anti-national slogans are out of bounds. There is nothing new about students being vocal, but that doesnt mean that attempts should be made to curb the culture of debate and discussion. No one at JNU gets into physical violence. Healthy politics is better than goondagardi, added Prof Kumar.
In the history of JNU, this is the second such incident of its kind after the 1983 one. According to some faculty and staff members, who are also JNU alumni, 33 years ago there had been a massive violence on campus the then vice chancellor was surrounded, his residence was forcibly occupied and that created a havoc. As a result, large-scale arrests were made and students were sent to Tihar Jail.
Mentioning the turn of events as a very sad one, TK Oommen, professor emeritus remarked, Its too harsh a punishment for verbal or symbolic violence. No physical violence or assault took place in the real sense. The punishment pronounced by the committee reflects the immature way of handling the entire episode. Moreover, at present the establishment at JNU and the government seem to harbor a different view, unlike in the past.
Prof CSR Murthy, member, executive council of JNU, would have been happy if the students would have responded to the high-level inquiry committees call and had presented their side of the story.
Personally, I feel extremely sad over the entire episode and the way the students have been reprimanded. The process of natural justice could not be followed as the students didnt appear and present their side. Today, the middle ground and voice of moderation have been lost. From student related issues on campus, it has converted into a larger political issue. It seems both JNU vice chancellor and administration on one hand and students on the other have lost control. Everything seems to be dictated by external forces, said Prof Murthy, a JNU alumnus and member of JNU teachers association.
However, there are academicians who feel that lawlessness inside the campus should not be tolerated, especially talks of dividing the nation, separatism and hailing terrorists.
Student politics is different to raising anti-national slogans inside university campus, and then to justify it under the garb of freedom of speech. Rather than punishing students alone, action should be taken against the teaching faculty and those who provoked the students to go this far. The source of indoctrination like the faulty texts and curriculum contents that leads to divisive mindset need to be reviewed and corrected, remarked, Prof Saradindu Mukherjie, member, Indian Council for Historical Research.
A former vice chancellor, who didnt want to be named told Firstpost, I havent seen the content of the inquiry panels report, but Im sure before pronouncing the punishment, they must have gone through the charges. Now, as the students have rejected the punishment imposed on them, what is the way out? Is there any plan B before the JNU administration? Now the issue will be heard in the court of law. Things have messed up.
Dharamsala: Lobsang Sangay was on Wednesday elected as head of the Tibetan 'government-in-exile' for a second consecutive term.
Sangay, 48, defeated his only rival Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament Pempa Tsering by 9,012 votes, Chief Election Commissioner of the Tibetan 'government-in-exile' Sonam Chhopel said.
Sangay polled 33,876 votes, while Tsering secured 24,864 votes. There were 90,377 registered voters for the elections, of which 59,353 exercised their franchise.
"The names of all the 45 elected members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile have also been declared today along with the declaration of the PM's result," Chhopel said.
He said the election to the post of PM started on 18 October last year with five candidates in the initial stage.
"At last, two candidates survived in this five-stage election to the Tibetan Government-in-Exile. The other three candidates were rejected by the voters in the first stage only," Chhopel said.
He said the last stage of the election was conducted on March 20. The last stage counting of the votes were conducted from 20-22 April, 2016 at Dharamsala by an eight-member standing committee headed by the CEC.
The 2016 general election were the second direct elections for electing the Tibetan leadership since the retirement of the Dalai Lama from politics in 2011 when Sangay took charge as his political successor.
Darjeeling-born Sangay did his studies in Delhi, before going for higher education in the US. He was a senior Fellow at the Harvard Law School.
Meanwhile, the Dalai Lama today attended the first Masters degree graduation ceremony of Tibetan College at Sarah in Dharamsala.
The first batch of 13 MA graduates received their masters degrees in Tibetan studies from the Education Minister of Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).
"Modern education alone will not be enough. One should have moral ethics for both personal and community life," the Dalai Lama said.
"Tibetan culture has much to offer. We need to find ways to share it with the world," he added.
The breweries in water-starved Marathwada region will have to face 50 percent water cut from Wednesday and further 10 percent cut from 10 May, following the directions passed by the Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court on Tuesday, as per the report by The Hindu.
Expressing concern over the dire state of water crisis, a bench of Justices SS Shinde and Santeetrao Patil said that it was inhuman that breweries were enjoying a lavish supply of water, when people had not seen water for days.
Apart from breweries and distilleries, the court has also upped the water cut for other industrial units by 5 percent from the initial 20 percent starting 20 May, says the report.
However, indicating that water cuts may trigger layoffs in the coming days destroying the livelihood of nearly one lakh people, Ashish Garde, president, Chamber of Marathwada Industries and Agriculture (CMIA), was quoted as saying in The Indian Express: The cut is more symbolic. At the moment, there is no proper plan of even transporting water saved from industries to any surrounding village in dire need. A marginal reduction of 10-20 per cent would have helped industries run smoothly, but such a huge water cut will have a direct impact on production.
Breweries in Aurangabad, including major brands such as Fosters, Carlsberg and Kingfisher, together require 5.207 mld water, states the report.
The Marathwada Association of Small Scale Industries and Agriculture along with CMIA had on Monday filed a civil application in which they said the water cuts could impact the regions economy as the breweries in Aurangabad employ about 3,560 people and pay a yearly excise duty of Rs 3,472.76 crore to the state government, with a cumulative production of 382.04 million litres, the report states.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court said on Wednesday that the MPs who passed the resolution condemning Justice (Retd) Markandey Katju for his blog against Mahatma Gandhi and Subhas Chandra Bose enjoyed the same freedom of speech and expression as him.
"Do you mean to say that the Members of Parliament have no right to express their views? They have simply put their views in a collective manner in condemning your viewpoint," a bench headed by Justice T S Thakur said.
It also said that prima facie the resolutions were passed to condemn the views and it was not a proceeding to "censure" Justice Katju.
Senior advocate Gopal Subramanium, appearing for Justice Katju, said the MPs, like ordinary citizens, are entitled to their views on issues.
In the present case, an institution like Parliament has taken recourse to "censurial jurisdiction" without according an opportunity to Justice Katju to put forth his views before condemning his statement made in his blog.
"Leave aside the Parliament, I condemn this. Do you have a cause of action against an ordinary citizen who enjoys the fundamental right as you did," the bench asked.
"No," Subramanium said, adding that in the present case, the two houses of Parliament passed the resolution without hearing Katju.
Senior advocate F S Nariman, who was appointed amicus curiae in the case, said Parliament did not respond to Justice Katju's plea of being heard as it was not exercising the "censurial jurisdiction" and merely voicing the collective view of the house.
Parliament responded by issuing the resolution because the person concerned was a high constitutional functionary and it did not want the public at large to believe him that Gandhi and Bose were British and Japanese agents.
"If you want to exercise your right as a citizen, then be a citizen and don't be a super citizen," Nariman said, adding Parliament reacted as the person concerned was a former judge of the apex court.
The court has now asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to assist it in the matter.
Earlier, the apex court had said "prima facie" it did not find fault with Parliament passing resolutions condemning Justice Katju for his blog against Mahatma Gandhi and Bose.
Katju has moved the court seeking quashing of resolutions passed by both Houses of Parliament for calling Mahatma Gandhi and Subhash C Bose British and Japanese "agents" respectively.
In his Facebook post, the former judge had criticised Parliament for censuring him without even giving him a hearing.
The resolutions were passed against him by Lok Sabha on 12 March and Rajya Sabha on 11 March last year.
Alternatively, Katju has sought a direction to Lok Sabha Speaker and Chairman of the Upper House that he be heard personally or through a lawyer duly appointed by him.
"It is a basic principle of natural justice that no one should be condemned unheard. But paying scant regard to this principle, the Hon'ble members of both Houses of the Indian Parliament all flocked together with one voice to condemn me,
like the Queen of Hearts in 'Alice in Wonderland' who would say 'Off with his head! ' even before she would give a hearing
to someone..," Justice Katju, who has created controversies with several of his comments in the past, wrote in his post.
The petition claimed Parliament lacked "competence" to condemn him.
Jammu: Non-local students of National Institute of Technology (NIT), Srinagar held a protest in Jammu for the second consecutive day on Tuesday.
They were joined by students of Jammu University.
The NIT students have been demanding action against police officials involved in baton charging non-local students and permanent deployment of CRPF on the campus.
The NIT students, supported by the National Students Union of India (NSUI), held a protest rally in Jammu and raised slogans criticising Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani.
The protest rally started from the central library of Jammu University and ended at Bikram Chowk.
A group of non-local students also boycotted classes which started on Tuesday, saying they will continue their protest till their demands are met.
"We will accept nothing less than action against the police officials involved in baton charging the non local students for raising the national tricolour. The police resorted to baton charging on non-local students who were raising slogans like Bharat Mata Ki Jai," said an agitating student.
Another student claimed police failed to act when the non local students were threatened to death by the locals.
On Saturday, over 300 students including NIT students had carried out a protest march from Press Club to Science College here in support of their demands.
The students had held a similar protest on Monday.
New Delhi: The visit of Pakistan's Joint Investigation Team (JIT) in Pathankot terror attack probe case was on the basis of reciprocity and government is in touch with the authorities of that country on the matter, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
"The interaction with JIT was held in accordance with terms of reference mutually agreed on the basis of reciprocity. The Pakistan JIT assured of their full cooperation and promised to execute the LR, which has been received by them.
"The case is under investigation in both the countries. The government is in touch with the relevant Pakistani authorities in the matter," Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said in a written reply.
He said the five-member JIT comprising an additional IGP, a DIG, two Lt Colonels and one inspector had visited India between 27 March and 31 March to collect, review and document physical evidence and to interview key witnesses and victims through the NIA, with regard to Pathankot airbase terror attack.
"The NIA briefed the JIT on investigations carried out in the Pathankot airbase terror attack. The Pakistan JIT, in turn, shared with NIA the results of investigations carried out by them in Pakistan so far.
"The JIT also informed that they were collecting admissible evidence outside Pakistan under the provisions of the CrPC of Pakistan, that will legally enable them to use the evidence in prosecution," he said.
Chaudhary said Pakistan JIT was informed that a team of NIA officials would like to visit Pakistan to carry forward the investigations in the Pathankot airbase terror attack. The details of the visit are yet to be finalised, he said.
Seated on his window seat aboard Jet Airways flight 9W 618 to Pune from Kolkata via Mumbai on Sunday, Tata Consultancy Services employee Manas Deka was an unknown man until of course destiny chose otherwise. Travelling with his team on an official assignment, little did Deka know, that this journey would turn out to be an epic one.
And what a way to get famous!
Those tense moments when he had a rather heated argument with Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiya Kumar and his group aboard the flight catapulted his popularity from Nowheresville to the land of trolls and TRPs.
After a failed attempt on Monday, it was on Tuesday that Firstpost was able to contact Deka to learn about his version of what happened.
"I was in the window seat while this guy (Kanhaiya Kumar) was in the aisle seat. Kanhaiya and 12-13 other boys were there in the group and they had boarded the flight in Mumbai. It so happened that when I was coming out from the seat my hand touched Kanhaiya's shoulder. I am suffering from a boil in my thigh and it gets extremely painful when the area hits something. I was quite careful not to hurt it. In the process, since it's a cramped area my hands touched Kanhaiya's shoulder. He immediately reacted saying that I was going to kill him and in non time turned the whole situation into a drama," Deka told Firstpost from Pune.
"There were 18 of us who were travelling to Pune as our base was temporarily shifted out of Kolkata because of the ongoing West Bengal Assembly Election. Since the private firms were asked to shut down operations on poll days, this was a temporary arrangement as all our clientele are all from abroad and we cannot afford to close down our operations. We are to function out of Pune till 27 May," the TCS employee said.
"Since there was a half-hour halt in Mumbai I just thought of chatting with my colleagues on board and that's why I had come out of my seat," Deka said while explaining the sequence of events.
But it was all havoc, the moment his hand touched Kanhaiya's shoulder.
Taken aback by this reaction, the TCS staffer instantly offered his apologies to the JNUSU president and explained him about his medical condition. "But Kanhaiya would have none of it," Deka said.
"Immediately all his friends surrounded me and threatened me with dire consequences. If you seen the clip there was one guy in a while shirt. He became so aggressive that I felt that he was going to rain blows soon after," he said.
"Very soon, it snowballed into a heated altercation."
What was intriguing was the BJP link. Where did the party jump in from in all that pandemonium?
"As soon as the fight escalated, the CISF and police were called into the aircraft. When they asked my name I told them it was Manas Jyoti Deka. Someone from Kanhaiya's group might have googled it immediately when the name of BJP's Manas Deka had probably appeared," the TCS employee said. "That's how the wrong Manas Deka of the BJP in all likelihood came into the picture. They did not have the time to ascertain the facts in their zeal to pin me down," he said.
The TCS staffer was furious that an innocent individual was unnecessarily dragged into the whole controversy.
"If Kanhaiya Kumar is such a big leader as he thinks he is, he should have some common sense. Can't there be many individuals with the same name? He claims to be a student but he is too much into politics," Deka said.
The TCS employee also took umbrage to the way Kanhaiya used his language. "Tu Kolkata se hai na? Aa raha hoon mein. Dikhatu hoon tujhe! (You are from Kolkata, right? I am coming. I will show you). That's how he abused me in public," Deka said.
Belonging to a nondescript village near Sarthebari town in Assam's Barpeta district, TCS staffer Manas Deka is the son of a retired college principal.
"Because of Kanhaiya and his group, my whole family is tense. My parents, my brother and sister are all crying because they fear harm to me. They are extremely worried," he said.
The highlight, however is, it is still not over.
"I have already received three-four threatening calls. I am concentrating on my work and have ignored them so far. I have not sought police protection yet. The police has also not contacted me so far," Deka said.
The TCS staffer was also not in a mood to meekly surrender.
"He has put my family in so much distress. I will soon file a case against him," Deka said, adding, "I am not alone. All my colleagues and my friends are behind me. The company has been extremely supportive and has assured me of all help. The TCS human resource department is constantly in touch with me."
When pointed out that his not-so-friendly updates about the JNU on Facebook are doing the rounds, Deka's answer was prompt.
"It depends on my wish. As a normal human being I might like or dislike anything. It's just my personal opinion. Now they have dragged in even that and are making politics out of it," he said.
Deka denied that he had deleted his Facebook profile. "Its access is private," he said.
Although aware of the trolls that he had been subjected to all the while, the TCS employee simply chose to ignore them as there is hardly anything he could about them.
Next time, when he boards the aircraft for his return journey to Kolkata, TCS employee Manas Deka will probably be in a pensive mood, wondering what lies ahead cruise control or turbulence.
JNUSU president Kumar has not yet responded to the direct message sent on Twitter on Tuesday night seeking permission to interview him. He was also not reachable over phone despite repeated attempts through calls and text messages before this copy was published. However, Firstpost managed to get in touch with All India Students Federation (AISF) national president Vali Ullah Kadri on Wednesday who was also travelling with Kanhaiya when that incident happened.
"We had boarded the aircraft in Mumbai. It was Manas Deka who pushed Kanhaiya hard. Kanhaiya told us that Deka was trying to strangulate him. There is already so much threat to Kanhaiya's life. So we immediately rushed to rescue him," Kadri told Firstpost from New Delhi.
"We asked Deka why he had come so close to Kanhaiya? There was no trigger from our side. This is just wrong. Finally we informed the air hostess about the incident and the police was called in. A scene was unnecessarily created. Deka also said later that he had recognised Kanhaiya," the AISF national president said.
However, Kadri could not give a definite answer from where the BJP angle appeared which resulted in another Manas Deka from the BJP getting dragged into the controversy.
"We requested the police to check Deka's background. Probably they found it out," he said not willing to comment on Kanhaiya's tweets linking Deka to the BJP on a possible case of mistaken identity.
Although, both the sides are actively pursuing the case till now as per law, the AISF did not entirely deny the possibility of an amicable solution.
"So far we are following up the case actively. But on the possibility of an amicable solution it could be perhaps known only by tomorrow," Kadri said.
Let good sense prevail.
(The copy was updated with AISF national president Vali Ullah Kadri's quotes, who was part of Kanhaiya Kumar's group, on their journey from Mumbai to Pune on Sunday -- 24 April).)
The seven questions that Supreme Court framed for the Centre over President's Rule in Uttarakhand read like seven commandments meant to ascertain the Union governments commitment to upholding the Constitution.
Perhaps the BJPs celebration of victory over the continuation of Presidents rule in Uttarakhand is too premature. There are all indications that the questions posed by the top court are carefully designed to elicit the real intent of the Centre.
For instance, the Supreme Court asks if the Governor could have sent a message to Vidhan Sabha under Article 175 (2) to hold the floor test. This question assumes significance in view of the fact that in many states of the country, Governors resort to this method to ascertain majority in assemblies.
Similarly, the Supreme Court asks if the disqualification of legislators was genuine ground for imposition of Presidents rule. In effect, the court has asked if the Centre intended to sit over the judgment on the Speakers action. Of course, the government has cited this as a cause for the breakdown of the constitutional machinery, leading to invocation of Article 356. The court has also sought answer from the Centre if proceedings of an assembly could be taken as ground for imposition of Presidents rule.
The Uttarakhand assembly passed the Appropriation Bill through voice vote despite protests by the rebels. The court has asked the Centre if the bill could be passed only through Presidents rule. It also questions the Centres contention that the delay in the floor test would lead to a situation where imposition of Presidents rule becomes imperative.
The most critical question that emerged from todays proceedings relate to the perception of destabilisation. The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to specify what exactly qualifies as perception of destabilisation. It has also asked if Presidents rule is necessary if a section of rebel legislators switches loyalties.
Apparently, the Supreme Court has covered all aspects that the Centre has been citing as reasons for the imposition of Presidents rule. If one goes strictly by the SR Bommai judgment, none of those arguments advanced by the Centre appears tenable. What is significant is the fact that the Supreme Court has downplayed the significance of horse-trading which came through a dubious sting operation in which Chief Minister Harish Rawat was shown to have offered money to buy support. Since the sting cannot be treated as evidence in court, the Supreme Court seems to have ignored the question of horse-trading.
Though Presidents rule continues in the state, the Supreme Court's final verdict, expected to be delivered before the summer vacation, would once again set the guidelines for its imposition. It is expected to put an end to the Centres tendency to misuse the article to further political ends. With the seven questions, the Supreme Court seems to be preparing for another version of Bommai judgment (Bommai 2.0).
Yavatmal - As the tribal-dominated Yavatmal in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region faces an unprecedented water scarcity, the district administration has submitted a proposal to the government to combat the crisis.
The Nilona dam, which is the main source of drinking water supply to the city and peripheral villages, and its reservoir have dried up alarmingly, forcing the Maharashtra Water Supply department to reschedule its supply time table to the city, and it is now restricted to once in four days.
The district administration is keeping a close vigil over the drinking water issue, particularly in the villages, and so far 27 tankers, 12 of government and 15 of private agencies, have been deployed to provide water to over 34 scarcity-hit villages in the district.
District Collector Sachindra Pratap Singh said they have submitted a proposal of Rs 9 crore to state government for tackling the drinking water problem faced by residents of Yavatmal. The amount is yet to be received, he said.
Given the scarcity situation, the residents are forced to lock their water storage tanks fearing theft in the night. Some of them have even painted their names on the tanks so that it would be traced even if it is stolen, sources said.
The Collector said in view of the prevailing situation, water from reserved drinking storage in dams has been released to the rivers so that the water table is raised. "We have ordered to release reserved water from the dam reservoir of 26 projects across the district," he said, adding that he is keen to minimise the drinking water problem faced by the people.
"To combat the water scarcity, we acquire public wells and this year 397 wells have so far been acquired," Singh said, adding that sanctioning of borewells is under consideration for which 225 spots in 216 villages were examined, of which only 104 were found suitable.
"I have sanctioned 98 such proposals," he said. Besides, temporary tap water scheme, repairing of the defunct tap water scheme and removal of silt and deepening of wells was being carried out across the district so that the water problem does not increase, the Collector said. As per data gathered from the office of a senior geologist of ground water surveys, the ground water table across the district has been slightly depleted to the extent of 0.15 metres as compared to the previous five years average.
The reason for the minor depletion is shortage of rainfall in 2014-15 and 2015-16. Singh said the ground water table in Yavatmal is comparatively higher than the neighbouring districts like Amravati, Washim and Akola. "There is no need for any alarm as the administration is fully prepared to meet any eventuality arising out of late arrival of monsoon," he assured.
London: People need not check their cholesterol levels on an empty stomach, suggests new research involving more than 300,000 individuals from Denmark, Canada and the US.
So far, fasting has been required before cholesterol and triglyceride measurement in all countries except Denmark, where non-fasting blood sampling has been used since 2009, the study pointed out.
Fasting is a problem for many patients, and the latest research shows that cholesterol and triglyceride levels are similar whether you fast or not.
"This will improve patients compliance to preventive treatment aimed at reducing number of heart attacks and strokes, the main killers in the world," said one of the researchers Borge Nordestgaard from Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen.
The research was published in the European Heart Journal.
In Denmark, the use of random, non-fasting cholesterol testing at any time of the day irrespective of food intake has been used successfully since 2009.
Patients, doctors and laboratories have all benefited from this simplified procedure. For people at work, children, patients with diabetes and the elderly it is particularly beneficial not to have to fast before blood sampling for cholesterol and triglyceride testing.
This is the first international recommendation that fasting is no longer necessary before cholesterol and triglyceride testing.
These recommendations represent a joint consensus statement from the European Atherosclerosis Society and European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine involving 21 medical experts from Europe, Australia and the US.
"We hope that non-fasting cholesterol testing will make more patients together with their doctors implement lifestyle changes and if necessary statin treatment to reduce the global burden of cardiovascular disease and premature death," Nordestgaard added.
Beijing: Yoga may have a beneficial effect on symptoms and quality of life in people with asthma, according to research conducted in India, Europe and the US. "Our findings suggest that yoga exercise may lead to small improvements in asthma quality of life and symptoms," said Zuyao Yang from Chinese University in Hong Kong.
"However, it is unclear whether yoga has a consistent impact on lung function and we do not yet know if yoga can reduce people's medication usage, or if there are any side-effects of yoga for people with asthma," said Yang.
Asthma is a common chronic disease affecting about 300 million people worldwide. The many typical symptoms of asthma include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath, researchers said.
Yoga has gained global popularity as a form of exercise with general life-style benefits, and recent studies have investigated the potential of yoga to relieve asthma-related problems, they said.
The new study summarised the results of randomised trials and found evidence that practicing yoga might be able to improve asthma quality of life and symptoms to some extent. Researchers found 15 randomised controlled trials which involved 1,048 men and women. Most of the trials were conducted in India, followed by Europe and the US.
The majority of participants had mild to moderate asthma for six months to more than 23 years. Six studies looked into the effects of breathing alone during yoga exercise, while the other studies assessed the effects of yoga that included breathing, posture and meditation, researchers said.
Most people continued to take their usual asthma medication while participating in the studies. The studies were conducted over a time period of two weeks to over four years, they said.
Researchers found some moderate quality evidence from five studies that yoga exercise reduces the impact of asthma on people's quality of life.
However, evidence about yoga's impact on the participants' lung function is more uncertain because the
results varied, researchers said. The findings were published in the journal Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
New Delhi: Former National Security Advisor (NSA) M K Narayanan on Wednesday said he played no role in the controversial Rs 3,600 crore VVIP AgustaWestland chopper deal and there was no talk of kickbacks till he left the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in 2010.
Narayanan endorsed the decision of former NSA Brajesh Mishra in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government that there should not be a single vendor for the deal which, he said, the UPA government implemented in "letter and spirit".
Responding to a query on him being allegedly named a "key advisor" to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Narayanan said the issue was something that is "neither here nor there" and that it was a revelation to him.
"I came to know on Wednesday, as a matter of fact, that I was a key advisor to Sonia Gandhi," Narayanan told NDTV.
"I really cannot speak beyond what I know. From my point of view, the issue was whether we were going to get a new set of helicopters. The previous government, that is when the NDA was there and Brajesh Mishra was the NSA, had taken a decision that we must avoid single vendor system.
"Soon after I took over and the matter came up again, we adhered almost to the letter and spirit of that statement. Whom do you select, how do you select, (such) questions do not come under the purview of the NSA's office or the PMO," he said.
Asked whether he was aware of alleged kickbacks and bribes involved in the deal, Narayanan said he left office in 2010 after being appointed Governor of West Bengal.
"At that time, there was no talk of anything in this regard and then I was in Bengal and saw what all was coming in the newspapers," he said.
Refusing to respond to charges made by BJP against him, Narayanan said, "Don't get me involved in conflict between govt A or govt B" and repeated that the UPA reiterated Mishra's decision.
"I think the decision taken by Mishra at that time, that we should get another vendor, which we reiterated, was the right one. Now whether that vendor should be AgustaWestland or somebody else was not part of our brief," he said.
He emphatically denied suggestions that anyone from Agusta approached him, saying, "In any case why should they approach anybody after the decision has been taken?"
"I can understand if there was some decision before that. So as far as we were concerned, it was nothing to do with AgustaWestland. The question is we had a single vendor. We were not prepared for it. We wanted two vendors," he said.
On the issue of alleged communication between the offices of the Italian Prime Minister and that of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Narayanan said nothing of that sort happened.
"If the Italian PM has spoken to PM, normally I would have been told or PMO would have been in the picture. I never heard about this. It seems most unlikely. In any case, Manmohan Singh was not the type of person who accepted calls in matters regarding private industry," he said.
BJP today sought to drag Sonia Gandhi into the controversial deal with its newly-nominated MP Subramanian Swamy taking her name in the Rajya Sabha.
Hitting back, Gandhi rejected the allegations against her and party leaders as "false and baseless" and termed them as an attempt at "character assassination". She asserted she was "not afraid" of being "cornered" on the issue.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi's defence in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam is in her standard combative format.
Responding to queries from the media in the Parliament House premises, she said: "Where is the proof? It's part of their strategy of character assassination. I am not afraid of anyone. We have nothing to hide. Let them take my name, I am not afraid of anyone. Why haven't they done an inquiry? These allegations are completely false and baseless. You (NDA) are in power for two years...finish enquiry, truth will be out."
The Congress party promptly put out her statement on the party's official twitter handle, hoping that it would convince people at large of its leader's innocence in the VVIP chopper scam.
Not a word was said, however, on why her name (Signora Gandhi) had been mentioned four times being referred to as the 'main driving force' in the 225-page judgment of the Milan Court of Appeals, which sentenced Finmeccanica's former chief Giuseppe Orsi to four-and-a-half years in jail and former CEO of Finmeccanica's helicopter subsidiary AgustaWestland Bruno Spagnolini to four years in jail for false accounting and corruption in the Rs 3,600-crore-plus deal to sell 12 VVIP choppers to India.
Surely, there is no substantive proof as yet that she was either bribed or that she exerted undue influence on the then UPA government, which she mentored. But such names figuring in scams can have two implications first, in the legal arena and second, in the public domain. Those in the public life have to be always wary of the perception battle fought in the public arena; legal implications, of course, have their own manifold importance.
What hurts Sonia Gandhi and Congress the most is that the fresh revelations coming through a legal document i.e. judgment of Milan Court of Appeal take away the moral sheen of the Congress president. After all, only 12 years ago in 2004 when she chose not to become Prime Minister and nominated Manmohan Singh instead she was hailed as a living symbol of superhuman virtues, of 'amazing grace' and 'ultimate sacrifice'. Also, unfortunately for Congress, the AgutaWestland scam could turn into a Bofors II.
It was precisely because of this reason that the newly 'nominated' BJP member in Rajya Sabha Subramanian Swamy mentioned her name in his 'maiden speech'. As the speech figured in the judgment, all hell broke loose in Rajya Sabha. Angry Congress members trooped into the well of the House, shouting slogans, with some pointing fingers at Swamy. It appears to be too much to bear for the Congress that its first family's name is being associating with moral and financial taint.
Even worse is the fact that it is being openly talked about inside the Parliament and on the streets. More so, it has happened twice in the past five months, first in the National Herald case and now in AgustaWestland. The Congress had stalled the winter session of parliament over a lower court summons (and High Court rejecting their appeal to quash those summons) issued to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and four other senior party leaders.
It would be interesting to see what Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have to say now. In December last year, when the Delhi High Court had rejected her plea to quash the Patiala House court summons issued to them, she accused the Modi government of political vendetta: "Why should I be scared of anyone? I am Indira Gandhi's daughter-in-law, I am not scared of anyone. I leave it on you to judge."
Compare this to what she had to say now (as mentioned above).
Now consider what Rahul Gandhi had said then (December 2015) on the National Herald case: "One hundred per cent political vendetta. This is pure political vendetta coming out of the PMO. It is their (BJP's) way of doing politics,"
"I have full faith in judiciary. We will see at the end what comes out. Truth will come out," Rahul had said.
This time around, Rahul Gandhi has not been seen in Parliament for the last two days. It remains to be seen how he will react on the AgustaWestland scam.
Rahul's absence is not missed at the moment because the entire brass of the Congress party has something to say on the subject counter-charging the Modi government.
Sonia's political secretary and her most trusted aide for decades, Ahmed Patel, whose name too has figured in the judgment in a loose sheet found by the Italian investigators, rather aggressively said, "Hang me if there is an iota of truth. Fact is once again BJP makes a poor attempt to spin a web of deceit. For two years they have been in power. Why are they crying foul now?"
"Those uncorroborated notes which are part of judgement annexure have been in public domain for over two years. Why BJP Govt failed to verify it. We unequivocally reject their allegations on AgustaWestland. We shall go all out to expose their hollow claims," Patel said.
The problem with Sonia and Ahmed Patel's combativeness asking why the Modi government didn't take action against them in last two years is that the controversy around their name has erupted now because their names have recently figured in an Italian court judgment where the bribe givers have been convicted.
If the Modi government had indeed come out with the same findings before, Congress would have cried hoarse accusing them of vendetta politics. Not that it is not charging the Modi government of vendetta politics now; but it's not cutting much ice in the public perception.
Now that the scam has erupted in the public domain, the Modi government appears keen to pursue the case with a certain vigour. Yesterday, the BJP parliamentary party was briefed on the subject by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. The CBI has asked the ministry of external affairs to get authenticated papers from the Milan Court for further investigation.
Inside the parliament, Jaitley aggressively countered Congress' arguments on the case. Outside of parliament, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar claimed that the Gandhi family was involved in the AgustaWestland chopper scam.
"It is clear that the Gandhi family is involved in AgustaWestland deal. Truth should come out. It involved so many VIPs," Parrikar said.
Congress clearly needs to augment its armoury to defend its first family.
12:43 (ist)
Manohar Parrikar explains AgustaWestland deal:
"AgustaWestland chopper was 100 cCore. We had to test the helicopters in Indian conditions. The other two vendors didn't agree to do so and conducted the test outside the country. this was against the clause in the country. Out of the 6 vendors who were given tenders, AgustaWestland Italy was also one of the vendors. But AgustaWestland UK took over the tender.
Only AgustaWestland got the concessions. They created a single vendor situation. In 2008, the price oh AW101 was 15 million Euros and oin 2010, it was listed as 27 million. Benchmark cost given by CNC(Contract negotiations committee) was 6 times higher than that of AoN (Acceptance of Necessity) There was no explanation for this.In 2012 February, then the government had written to the embassy through the MEA. The government even went to the investigating agency but nobody wrote to the company. This deal should have stopped in 2012. But yet, 3 helicopters were delivered in December 2012 and we accepted it.
In January 2013, Chief exec of Finmenccancia was arrested, Within hours our defence minister wrote to CBI immediately. If he wasn't arrested, they would not have taken this up.
After the CBI took it up, in Feb 2013, there was a notice issued to stop the deal.
Legal action forced the termination of the deal, it was not a proactive step, it was forced. Bank guarantee needed to be revoked and that was done.
When the Milan Court argued, they said that 166 Euros could be returned and the money for the 3 helicopters will not be returned.
I am not making allegations, but it is our Endeavour that we will take action. Defence Ministry initiating procedure to blacklist AgustaWestland. If that is our job, why is the Congress worried? "
For those who are hoping the AgustaWestland chopper deal will become another Bofors and accelerate the political decline of Signora Sonia Gandhi, the Congress has sent out a different message through its aggressive stance in Parliament: Dream on.
The Congress has instead come out aggressively against the Narendra Modi government, behaving more like the prosecutor than the accused.
"I am not scared of these baseless allegations. All the accusations are false. Let there be an impartial probe, the truth will come out," Sonia said outside Parliament on Wednesday.
"This government has been there for two years. Why has the inquiry (started by the UPA) not been completed? What is the government doing?" the Congress president questioned.
In the Rajya Sabha, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad asked: "Why was AgustaWestland allowed to participate in Make in India when it was blacklisted by the UPA government?"
The party's insistence on a discussion and quick probe has led to an amusing scenario even by Indian standards. It seems both the Congress and the BJP are keen to discuss the chopper deal, claim the role of whistleblower in the case, point fingers at each other and demand a quick investigation.
So, why is the Congress putting on a brave face? Isn't the party scared of the repercussions of a discussion on a deal where corruption has been firmly established?
The case against Signora Sonia
Prima facie, and on the basis of information available in public domain, the BJP will have to do much more to corner Sonia Gandhi than rely just on vague insinuations and allegations. The only ammunition the BJP has against the Congress president is the appeal panel's reference to documents that say Sonia is an influential person and the AgustaWestland representatives should meet the Congress president and other key leaders close to her.
The Italian court has, however, not identified the recipients of the bribe. It hasn't provided any evidence that the middlemen actually met the Congress president and her advisors like Ahmed Patel and Oscar Fernandes, whose names figure in the correspondence. The court has not been able to track the flow of kickbacks to India either.
According to a report in The Hindu, Italian middleman James Christian Michel, who has been accused by the CBI of outing the funds, has also given a clean chit to the Gandhis. Michel claims he had never met the Congress president or a single Gandhi in his life. The accused middleman says he is willing to depose before the CBI, which is probing the deal, to answer all questions related to the scam.
So, unless the CBI or some other Indian agency comes up with concrete evidence of the involvement of the Gandhis in the deal, the allegations will remain just that. And, this explains Sonia's aggression and the Congress' counterattack.
AgustaWestland vs Bofors
There are many similarities between the Bofors deal and the chopper scam.
Yet, it is quite unlike the gun deal that rocked Rajiv Gandhi's government in the 1980s and led to the rise of VP Singh. Earlier this month, an Italian appeals commission equivalent to the Indian high court recently sentenced two senior executives of Finmeccanica, the Italian parent company of AgustaWestland, to jail for cooking the books and paying bribes to secure a deal for sale of 12 choppers to the Indian government in 2010.
The appeals court sentenced Giuseppe Orsi, former chief of Finmeccanica, to four-and-a-half years in prison. Bruno Spagnolini who headed AgustaWestland was given a four-year jail term. The court also ordered the two executives to pay 7.5 million euros ($8.5 million), a sum corresponding to the amount deemed to have been allegedly paid in bribes, a report said.
So, just like Swedish Radio that first reported the Bofors scandal, the lid on the AgustaWestland deal was also blown by investigators in the country wherein the bribes originated. The chopper deal, worth around Rs 3,600 crore, was signed after plenty of delays, primarily because the Italian firm did not meet the selection criteria immediately. The Indian government was keen to buy choppers with the capability of flying over a certain height, but the Finmeccanica birds failed to cross the height barrier. But, according to reports, the then Air Force chief SP Tyagi allegedly relaxed the conditions and allowed Finmeccanica to compete for the tender.
Initial investigations had indicted 12 persons, including Tyagi, his brothers and Satish Bagrodia, brother of Congress leader Santosh, who was a minister in the UPA, in the scam.
The CBIs preliminary inquiry had revealed Guido Ralph Haschke, a middleman in the chopper deal, had entered into several consultancy contracts with Agusta through his Tunisia-based company Gordian Services Sarl. Between June 2004 and March 2005, he made two remittances of 126,000 and 200,000 in close succession, to the Tyagi brothers, in the name of consultancy contracts. CBI has alleged the Tyagis received an unquantified amount from Haschke and another middleman, Carlo Gerosa.
Similarities with the Bofors deal end here.
The Congress that brushed aside the Bofors allegations during the Rajiv era, acted with uncharacteristic haste when the AgustaWestland scam surfaced.
The UPA government cancelled the deal and recovered the amount it had paid as an advance to the manufacturer. It also ordered a CBI inquiry and blacklisted Finmeccanica.
The Congress is now hoping that it can claim the moral high ground on the basis of its actions and put the BJP in the dock by asking why the ban on Finmeccanica was lifted by the Modi government.
On Tuesday evening, the Congress party's Twitter account was busy.
UPA ordered a CBI probe against AgustaWestland, Modi Govt invited them for 'Make in India' pic.twitter.com/ZHg7H3X5Z7 INC India (@INCIndia) April 26, 2016
By then it had become clear that the ghost of the Italian AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal had come back to haunt Congresss First Family and the ruling BJP was aiming all its firepower directly at Sonia Gandhi. Her name had been mentioned four times, at one point referred as the main driving force in the 225-page judgment of the Milan Court of Appeals, which overturned the lower courts order and sentenced Finmeccanicas former chief Giuseppe Orsi to four-and-a-half years in jail, former CEO of Finmeccanicas helicopter subsidiary AgustaWestland Bruno Spagnolini to four years for false accounting and corruption in the Rs 3,600-crore-plus deal to sell 12 VVIP choppers to India.
Sonia's most trusted aide Ahmed Patel is also likely to be in the line of fire, but again, any ammunition directed at him will only ricochet towards his political boss. A completely cornered Congress tried hard to ring-fence its president, just as it did over the weekend in the Ishrat Jahan case.
And just as the Congress defence was gaining circulation, Subramanian Swamy, the nominated BJP leader who earlier in the day had taken his oath as a Rajya Sabha MP, tweeted:
BJP parliamentary party whip has asked me to raise Agusta in RS tomorrow. So I have filed Notice under Rule 267 Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) April 26, 2016
Whether or not the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha allows Swamy to speak remains to be seen. But, let's assume for a moment that the Chair does allow Swamy to raise the matter, will the Congress let him speak? Nobody has an answer yet. However, given the way Swamy speaks and the way Congress member reacts to anything pointed at their party president and vice-president, the Rajya Sabha is bound to see some of the most heated moments of the year.
Besides, considering Swamys known credentials and ability to garnish facts and arguments against Nehru-Gandhi family, the BJP has strategically chosen his first assignment as per the convention, any new members maiden speech is not disrupted. Its generally common courtesy to applaud him or her. Going by the available indications, Swamy's case will be an exception. Both sides have already issued whips to their members.
The AgustaWestland scam has the potential to acquire Bofors-like proportions. Parallels between the two are strong. An Italian connection is only one of the parallels.
Where it could hurt Congress worse is that if Bofors tarnished Rajiv Gandhis 'Mr Clean' image, AgustaWestland could dent the halo of amazing grace and ultimate sacrifice that was so consciously woven around Sonia since 2009.
In a letter dated 15 March, 2008 seized by investigators the main middleman in the deal, Christian Michel, who is still a fugitive, was shown to be writing to Peter Hulet then India region sales and liaison head of the helicopter company. The letter stated that Sonia was the main driving force behind the deal and she will no longer fly in the existing Mi-8 choppers.
The letter is quoted verbatim in the judgment.
The judgment also says that middleman Guido Haschke had identified all the Congress leaders including Sonia and Ahmed Patel in the court when their photos were shown to him during the trial by the Italian prosecution. The ninth page of the judgment also affixed Michel's handwritten note to Haschke on how to distribute the total commission of 30 million (approximately $34 million). Bribe money was to be distributed in three parts politicians (52 percent), bureaucracy (28 percent) and air force officers (20 percent).
All three arms of the decision-making process were compromised.
The note said political leaders were to be allotted 15-16 million and the name shown to those at the political level was noted only as AP. Only one political leader to whom the money was handed over is shown as AP, which refers to Ahmed Patel as confirmed on page 204.
The judgment papers also refer to the family of then air force chief SP Tyagi.
But the political war is going to be focused on Sonia.
Manmohan Singhs name also comes for repeated mention. Pages 163 and 164 name Singh and detail that Orsi used Italian leadership and diplomats to contact the then prime minister to scuttle the probe through non-cooperation from the Government of India.
Another tweet from the Congress said:
A company that violated Indian laws was blacklisted by UPA. The same company was removed from blacklist by Modi Govt pic.twitter.com/9mL8KNssT9 INC India (@INCIndia) April 26, 2016
The BJP vehemently denied this charge, with spokesman Sambit Patra saying, With all authority in my command, I say that AgustaWestland has not been delisted from blacklist.
In its briefing on the subject, the BJP fielded Union Telecommunication Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. He said "Now that the bribe-givers have been convicted, what should happen to the bribe-takers? Will Mr (former defence minister, AK) Antony publicly give a statement on this? Will he accept that his partymen are involved in the scam?"
BJP national secretary Srikant Sharma said The Congress and Sonia Gandhi have been unmasked. Some time ago, she was forced to appear in lower court in the National Herald case, then came revelations in the Ishrat Jahan case, then how the Congress-led UPA changed the course of investigations in Malegaon and Samjhauta express blasts cases to shield the real culprits and blame it on 'Hindu terror' and now the AgustaWestland scam. While the law will take its own course, we will also fight it out politically, inside and outside of Parliament."
Now that the bribe-givers have been jailed in Italy, it is incumbent on the Narendra Modi government to find and name the bribe-takers, and bring them to book as per the due process of the law.
Clearly, the BJP smells a big kill in the Agusta VVIP chopper scam.
Madurai (TN): In a fierce attack on DMK-Congress combine, AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa on Wednesday dubbed it a "loot coalition" by raking up a host of corruption charges against the two parties and asked the people to decimate them in the 16 May Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.
Listing out the scams of the UPA-II like 2G spectrum, coal and Adarsh Housing at an election rally here, she said, "Do not forget that it is the Congress-DMK combine which indulged in scam even in conduct of games..the Commonwealth games."
On issues such as Mullaiperiyar, Jallikattu and illegal granite mining, the Tamil Nadu CM attacked DMK for "betrayal" of the state and for "inaction" against the tainted in granite irregularities.
She told the audience the DMK-Congress combine would come to them "to seek votes to swindle more as if what they had swindled when they were in power was not enough.
"You must give them a (electoral) blow, more severe than you handed them down in 2011 Assembly and 2014 Parliamentary polls, to put a full stop to them," she charged.
Only if you deliver the blow, "the loot-combine will permanently go," she said.
"A full stop should be put for the DMK-Congress combine," she said and posed her characteristic question of "will you do it?, will you do it?" in an emotionally charged voice to which the large audience replied in the positive.
On Mullaiperiyar issue with Kerala, which has a direct bearing on five southern districts, she claimed AIADMK alone was working towards restoring the storage in Mullaiperiyar dam to its full capacity of 152 feet.
"Necessary steps have been taken by my government to store water to its full capacity of 152 feet. All work for dam strengthening will be completed and I give you my assurance that water will be stored to its full capacity of 152 feet," she said.
She referred to DMK's poll promise that it will make efforts for storage of 142 feet water in Mullaiperiyar by urging the Centre.
"I don't understand and I am not aware if you understand. When 142-feet water is being stored for the past two years, what is that they are going to urge," she asked.
She alleged that DMK was betraying Tamil Nadu by deciding to store only 142 feet water.
The Chief Minister said due to her government's efforts, the Centre had put on hold its nod to Kerala for a study on the environmental impact assessment for a new dam over Mullaiperiyar.
Jayalalithaa also targeted the DMK-Congress on the bull taming sport 'Jallikattu', which has a historical link to this temple city and other southern districts.
She alleged the combine was responsible for the Supreme Court's ban on the sport and referred to a 2011 UPA regime notification that prohibited exhibition of bulls.
She said, perhaps, having in mind such mistakes, the DMK workers were seeking the "people to forgive such mistakes. Tamil Nadu's people will never forgive such wrongs. I assure you categorically that we will get the right to hold Jallikattu through the Supreme Court."
Blaming DMK for betraying Tamil Nadu in Jallikattu, she said the party's present promise for conducting the bull taming sport was "diversionary and deceptive."
On the sensational illegal granite mining issue here, she said, "Illegal granite mining happened during the previous DMK regime in Madurai district."
She said in 2009, news reports over illegal granite mining were published and representations were made to then Chief Minister Karunanidhi also.
"Neither Chief Minister Karunanidhi nor his DMK government took action against those behind illegal granite miners. No action was taken. Since they were responsible for looting, they elbowed aside granite looters and took action against those who exposed it," she alleged.
In 2010, she said action was taken against a Tamil daily which exposed alleged illegal granite mining in Madurai.
"No study was done to unearth the irregularities in granite mining. After I assumed office as Chief Minister, I ordered detailed investigation and in 2012 the (Madurai) District Collector gave a report to the government," she said.
In the report, the Collector had said that he inspected three quarries and pegged revenue loss to the tune of about Rs 16,000 crore.
She claimed during her regime criminal action was taken, cases registered and granite mining halted in Madurai. She also said action was being taken on the basis of court-appointed Legal Commissioner and senior IAS officer U Sagayam's report to the Madras High Court.
The AIADMK leader also refuted the DMK's claim that the granite scam was worth Rs 1,10,000 crore when she took over as the CM.
"When this was the background, DMK was campaigning stating that there was Rs 1,10,000 crore corruption in granite mining in Madurai district," she said.
"Granite mining was halted in 2012 itself in Madurai. Do you understand? The claim of Rs 1,10,000 crore scam was done by DMK men," she charged.
New Delhi: Denying Congress president Sonia Gandhi's charge of character assassination in the AgustaWestland chopper deal, the BJP said it did not indulge in any vendetta against her.
The Bharatiya Janata Party said she should rather clarify the issue with an Italian court that mentioned her name along with others from the then United Progressive Alliance government in the chopper deal.
"The government is all for a probe in the matter. It's a genuine request by her, but she should clarify it with the Italian court that has come out with her name," union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy told the media at Parliament House here.
"She thinks we hold (political) vendetta against her, but why will the court have any vendetta against her?" he asked, adding that she herself should find it out.
The minister said that since notices have been given in the Lok Sabha on the issue, there will soon be a discussion on the issue in the house.
Rudy also dismissed as untrue the Congress charge of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with his Italian counterpart in September last year.
"It's a false statement (by the Congress)," he said.
Asked why did the National Democratic Alliance government take off AgustaWestland's name from the blacklist, the minister said the company has been suspended and still cannot work on any government project.
Earlier in the day, Sonia Gandhi hit back at the Bharatiya Janata Party over allegations against her regarding the chopper deal.
"We have nothing to hide. Let them (government) take my name; I am not afraid of anyone because there is no basis to that allegation. ...This is part of their (BJP's) strategy of character assassination," Gandhi told the media here.
Gandhi said she was "not afraid" of any inquiry and there was nothing to hide.
The BJP on Tuesday targeted the Congress chief, claiming her name cropped up four times in an Italian court's judgment that observed that bribes were indeed paid to Indian authorities to secure the $530 million contract.
Denying the allegation, the Congress had threatened legal action for defamation.
Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar is not in favour of early state Assembly polls, and wishes to continue the alliance with Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) during the elections.
"Our tenure ends in March (2017), so we want elections in the beginning of that month (March)," Parsekar told PTI on Tuesday, after arriving from New Delhi where he had a meeting with BJP chief Amit Shah.
"We don't want elections before that. We have informed the party president about our stand," the chief minister said.
The five-year-long tenure of the BJP-led state government ends in March 2017. The party had rode to majority in the 2012 elections, which they fought in an alliance with MGP.
"We always wanted to maintain and continue our alliance with MGP. Few MGP members were expressing their reluctance towards this. BJP never said about breaking their ties with MGP," Parsekar said.
Last month, MGP had expressed discomfort in giving an assurance for a tie-up for the 2017 elections. Its president Dipak Dhavalikar had said his party workers were not happy with BJP's attitude towards them.
MGP was an ally of Congress in the Digambar Kamat government from 2005 to 2012, but later joined hands with BJP.
Itanagar: The BJP in Arunachal Pradesh has decided to field its candidate in the 16 May bye-election for Kanubari Assembly constituency.
BJP general secretary Dominic Tadar in a press release on Wednesday said the party is fully prepared to work for the victory of the candidate.
He, however, did not name the candidate.
The Kanubari seat fell vacant after its MLA Gabriel Denang Wangsu resigned.
The BJP is extending outside support to the Kalikho Pul-led PPA government in the state which was installed on 19 February last after months of political turmoil.
The PPA is yet to finalise the candidate.
Opposition Congress is yet to finalise its candidate for the by-poll.
The last date for filing nominations is April 29 while scrutiny of papers would be made on 30 April and withdrawal of papers would be on 2 May.
Counting of votes would take place on 19 May along with five other states where Assembly elections are going on.
Meanwhile, the BJP has identified seven areas in Itanagar as most disaster-prone and suggested the Capital Complex administration to declare those areas as 'disaster-prone area'.
The areas which the party identified as disaster-prone include, shopping and residential complexes along C-Sector, '0' point and Mithun Gate, Akash Deep and Vivek Vihar streams, banks of Yopo Nallah and River Senki as well as Chandranagar area.
Claiming that Itanagar is no more a safe place to live due to danger posed by illegal and unauthorised construction of high-rise buildings, forceful diversion of natural streams and rivulet, landslides due to illegal earth cutting, the party appealed to the Deputy Commissioner to prevail upon those wrong doers.
New Delhi: A demand to disclose the names of Indians allegedly figuring in the leaked Panama Papers on those holding offshore accounts to launder money and dodging tax was made in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Naresh Agrawal (SP), through a notice under rule 267 seeking suspension of business to discuss the issue, alleged that the government was "deliberately sitting" over the names that have come to light in the leaked documents from the files of law firm Mossack Fonseca, based in the tax haven of Panama.
Under the Panama-India tax treaty, companies have to pay tax only in the nation where they are headquartered. So, black money is laundered from India to Panama, a nominal 5 per cent tax paid, the money then converted into 'white' and brought back as FDI, he claimed.
As part of the treaty, Panama is not to disclose names of the company owners, he said, adding that the government has all the names of persons who have used this route to avoid paying taxes and convert black money into white.
The BJP government, he said, came to power on the promise of unearthing black money but has done very little so far.
Only Rs 5,000 crore has been disclosed in the voluntary disclosure window for holders of foreign black money, he said, adding that besides Panama, Mauritius, Dubai and Singapore were earlier used to convert black money to white.
He claimed the black or illegal money was thrice the size of legal money. "This is a big racket," he said.
"Why are you not disclosing names? And what action is being taken," he asked the government. "Government is deliberately sitting over it."
He alleged that government patronage allowed a member of House, who owed hundreds of crores to public sector banks, to flee the country. Agrawal however did not name anyone.
He demanded a discussion on the Panama papers, disclosure of names of Indians and action taken against them.
New Delhi: Two senior leaders, Asaduddin Owaisi of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) and union Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptulla, clashed fiercely in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday after the minister made some "personal" remarks.
Responding to a supplementary question in the house, Heptulla told the Hyderabad MP that the 'Stand UP India' scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently was meant to encourage entrepreneurship of women, including from minorities.
The minister's reply was received with thumping of desks by the treasury benches and slogans of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai".
Heptulla then suggested that Owaisi could get a loan under the scheme if he applied for it in the name of a female kin.
This provoked Owaisi, who said none could make such "personal remarks" against him or his family.
"I am asking questions here for the people as an elected MP," he said, and at one point sought to walk towards the well of the house to register his protest.
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan advised the members not to lose their cool, while Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said anything controversial said should be expunged from the proceedings.
The Speaker agreed to do so.
Owaisi wanted to know from the minister whether the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation will also be part of 'Start Up India' and 'Stand Up India' schemes launched by the government to provide financial assistance to minorities for taking up skill related schemes.
Heptulla said her government is not seeking to differentiate whether skilled workers and young students belong to the Muslim community or not, and that it has been trying to promote skill development in all parts of the country, especially in helping the deprived and backward ones.
"No one has actually appreciated that 50 per cent of country's population, that is women, will be benefited by the Stand Up scheme," she said, adding that women in all communities -- including SC-ST and minorities were backward and were the suffering lot.
Heptulla also said at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan recently that young entrepreneurs from all communities shared their experience and projects.
"I should not be saying Muslim children. Because our government is not making any distinction between people. But I am answering in the language you have asked -- even young Muslim students presented their skills on the occasion," she said directing her response at Owaisi.
The minister said that under the aegis of the minority affairs ministry, as many as 35,000 young Muslim men and women are undertaking various training and would be suitably accommodated with jobs and provided with financial assistance once they are keen to launch their own projects.
New Delhi: JNU has failed to distinguish between nationalists and anti-nationals while deciding the punishment to students in connection with the controversial 9 February event and has "criminalised" patriotism, members of ABVP alleged on Wednesday.
The university officials, however, maintained that decision has been made after thorough investigation by a five-member probe panel and the punishments have been announced in accordance with the varsity norms.
Five members of ABVP which is BJP's student wing, are on hunger strike since Tuesday demanding withdrawal of punishment orders for Saurabh Sharma, who is the lone ABVP member in JNU students union.
Sharma, JNUSU Joint Secretary, was the main complainant of the event on campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.
Following his complaint on day of the event, JNU administration had withdrawn the permission for the programme but the organisers had gone ahead with it.
However, a high-level committee of the university probing the issue has found Sharma "guilty" of blocking the traffic and he has been imposed a penalty of Rs 10,000.
"JNU administration has failed to distinguish between the acts of nationalist and those of anti-Indians. It has infact equated them. We believe that the punishment awarded to Saurabh Sharma for stopping the anti-national procession is a sad incident of criminalising patriotism and nation-service," ABVP said in a statement.
"He was acting as a responsible citizen of India and it was his fundamental duty as per the Constitution to uphold the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India. We want his punishment to be revoked as this shall set a precedent whereby the every nationalist student shall fear to oppose the anti-national events in the campus," it added.
Responding to the allegations a senior university official said, "the sequence of events has been thoroughly probed by the five-member probe committee and the decision has been taken in accordance with university norms."
Terming the decision of the enquiry committee an act of "cowardice, compromise and collusion", ABVP has sought an assurance from the administration that "such anti-national and seditious event shall not take in future".
"The arbitrariness of punishment reveals the buckling of the JNU administration under pressure from students union and teachers association. One of the participants of the event is a daughter of a politician and has not been given any punishment. Some of them are the habitual offenders and awarding feather-like punishment is making heroes out of demons," ABVP said.
JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattachayra were arrested on the charge of sedition in February in connection with the controversial event and are out on bail.
While Kanhaiya has been slapped with a penalty of Rs 10,000 on grounds of "indiscipline and misconduct", Umar, Anirban and Kashmiri student Mujeeb Gatoo have been rusticated for varied durations.
Thiruvananthapuram: A red alert was issued on Wednesday by the Excise Commissioner in view of intelligence inputs that there was a possibility of flow of spurious liquor and toddy in Kerala, ahead of the 16 May assembly polls.
The Excise commissioner has issued a red alert and all the officials have been directed to ensure that no untoward incidents happen in their jurisdiction, especially with regard to spurious liquor and toddy, excise department sources told PTI.
The state Intelligence had in a recent report to the government, warned that there was a possibility of flow of spurious liquor in Kerala following the closure of foreign liquor bars in three and four star hotels as part of the new liquor policy. The excise and enforcement departments had also been asked to keep more vigil.
The report had stated that there was a possibility that people aggrieved by the new liquor policy would try to exploit the situation and create trouble as the state is all set for the 16 May assembly polls.
There were chances of spurious liquor being sold in festival places and tourist spots in the state, it said.
It also asked for steps to be initiated to prevent flow of liquor and illicit liquor from neighbouring states.
It requires amazing gift of the gab or the consummate skills of a conjurer to sell Nitin Gadkaris idea of India to someone. The Union Transport Minister possesses neither. Yet, he manages it with certain ease.
Much before the end of his governments term in 2019, India will be a changed place in terms of infrastructure, he said during a 50-minute exclusive interview with Firstpost. For instance, he is working on a plan to connect Dehradun with Mansarovar in China by blasting a way through the Himalayas. Similarly, if you have to go to Goa from Mumbai, drive your car onto a Ro-Ro vessel at Bhau Cha Dhakka and drive out at a jetty near Panvel onto the Goa highway near Panvel. In 20 minutes you will be cruising on the highway, he said.
If some disbelief is creeping in already, savour this from the minister: You may soon be able to hire a vessel at Varanasi and cruise along the Ganga for two days along with your friends and family, organise a function and go deep into the sea, far away from the proverbial madding crowd. If this isn't enough, imagine boarding a luxury boat in Delhi on the banks of the Yamuna and alighting at the Taj Mahal in Agra.
You may not believe it right now, but let me assert that all this will happen. My words are not empty rhetoric, he told Firstpost, a week after he was feted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and a section of the media for holding a successful Maritime India Summit (MIS) in Mumbai.
Gadkaris assertions indeed do have a sense of authenticity. In common perception, he is the best performing minister in the Modi government. I do not say what I cannot do, he pointed out many-a-time in the course of the conversation.
You see India is a classic case of a rich nation with poor people, he said. It sounded like an oxymoron.
What do you mean by this? I asked in a rather bewildered tone.
We have the problem of management of resources which are aplenty, he replied.
Conversion of knowledge into wealth seems to be the guiding motto for Gadkari. Indias waste management will spawn an economy of Rs five lakh crore and create employment for 15 to 20 lakh people, he said, adding I have given around 15,000 young persons employment in my area through this, he asserted.
But what about the perception of him being the most efficient minister in the government? Though pleased with the flattering question, Gadkari like a seasoned politician did not allow his emotions to show. No, everyone in the government is doing a good job. My work seems to be getting noticed as it relates to development of infrastructure, he said in an apparent show of modesty which he seems to have cultivated during his stint in Delhi.
The Sagarmala project
Then Gadkari explained the significance of his Sagarmala project which envisages huge transportation of goods through the sea and inland waterways.
It is going to be a game changer for the country. In India, when we send goods outside the country, we incur huge transport costs which we call 'logistics cost'. Our logistics cost is 18 percent and Chinas is eight percent. If you send material from Mumbai to London or from Mumbai to Dubai, it costs comparatively less than sending it from Mumbai to Delhi. Whenever we make any product for the world market, the logistics cost makes it comparatively expensive, thus less competitive. If we reduce the cost to 10 percent then our exports will double. What I am doing is a game changer. If you go by road and you spend Rs 1.50 per kilometre and using railways may cost you Rs one, using waterways will cost you only 20 paisa. You see how economical this is, Gadkari pointed out.
Big plans on the rivers
Statistics come easy to the minister and he overwhelmed me with data. For instance, he said, One hundred and eleven rivers are being converted into waterways. Work on five rivers has already started. Contracts worth Rs 4,000 crore have been given in the case of the Ganga. Waterways have been built from Varanasi to Haldia (a distance of 1,620 kilometres).
Giving examples of his projects, Gadkari said, Work on the Varanasi, Haldia and Sahebganj multi-modal hub is on. Water ports are being built at 40 places between Varanasi and Haldia. Twenty of these water ports are floating and 20 are of concrete. The gate in Farakka is being converted into a water gate that will be used for navigation. At five places we are starting Roll-on/Roll-off (RO-RO) service. Hundred trucks or buses will be ferried on one ship. We have started this service in Assam. This drastically reduces the travel distance.
My skepticism did not wane despite the bombardment of these facts and figures and I said, You see, all this sounds too good to believe in the face of the fact that I have been hearing these assertions since 1998 but nothing could be done to make rivers navigable.
I am not talking to you without doing homework, he asserted, adding that In the middle of the river we are maintaining a width of 45 metres and a draft of three metres. For this we are using very modern foreign technology with the help of World Bank. We will maintain the three-metre draft throughout the year."
When asked whether the three-metre draft will be sufficient, he explained: A European company has designed the barge in such a way that instead of 1,500-tonne, 5,000-tonne loads of goods can be transported.
When govt ports beat private players
At the MIS, Gadkari he claimed that his PSU ports and shipyards were running huge profits while private ports were incurring losses. How did you do it? I asked. By improving efficiency, he answered.
When asked what he did that the private sector didnt, the minister said, One day after taking over as the minister, I called chiefs of all ports and shipyards and told them to turn around their projects or face removal within a year. And they turned it around.
Across the world the growth rate is 0.5 percent whereas we have witnessed a growth rate of 4.6 percent. For the first time, private ports like that of Adani and others have growth in the negative and we have a growth rate of 1.6 percent. We have proved to be more efficient than the private players.
Once again, Gadkari delved deep into statistics and threw figures at me. He said In maritime, we have till now given out contracts worth Rs 80,000 crore. This year our profit through 12 major ports and three flagship organisations that include Kochi Shipyard is Rs 6,000 crore. Through ports, we have earned a profit of Rs 4,200 crore.
The road to the future
Asked how realistic his rosy projection of the road transport infrastructure is, Gadkari said, When I assumed office, 403 projects worth Rs 3.85 lakh crore stood stalled. Still there are problems. Currently 22 to 23 projects worth Rs 20,000 to 25,000 crore remain stalled. But I have tried to resolve the issue and get the projects started. You go anywhere in the country and you will see work being done. Ask any Congress person, he will say that roads are being built. Ask our critics, they will also accept that a lot of work is being done.
After becoming minister I had signed a contract for building 18,000 kilometres of road. Now it must have reached 19,000 kilometres. Rs two lakh crore in roads and Rs 60,000 crore on ports are the investments that we have made till now, he pointed out.
But from where will the money for these mind-boggling projects come? I inquired.
Gadkari seemed prepared for this question. We dont have a shortage of funds. We have a budget of Rs 55,000 crore. Every year it will increase by Rs 20,000 crore. The budget for four years will be around Rs three lakh crore. Of this, I can avail Rs 70,000 crore from tax-exempted bonds from the market. Toll income is around Rs 10,000 crore every year. I have a list of 103 projects that we have completed. We have to securitise the toll tax of 15 years that accounts for Rs one lakh crore. So this is around Rs 5 lakh crore. Then there are few projects that can be in public-private partnership (PPP) mode completely. Money is not a problem at all.
Found encouragement from PM Modi
Gadkari's confidence level indicates that he is given enormous autonomy in his ministry. This is in contrast to the impression that most oUnion ministers either work under restraint or try to second-guess Modi. Do you second-guess Modi or ever feel any constraints? In reply, Gadkari spoke his mind, I do my work and do not look for appreciation. I have never felt any constraints, instead found encouragement from the PM and all colleagues.
You see I have never gone to anyone with a biodata or sought any post for myself. Whatever I got is more than enough for me, he added.
The plan for Delhi
When asked for his thoughts about the odd-even formula of the Delhi government, Gadkari said, Dont drag me into this, I will not comment. However, he explained his own vision of Delhi in the future and said, Let me tell you that we are spreading a maze of roads around the NCR to divert traffic from Delhi and shortly, you will find roads in Delhi with smooth traffic flow, he said, adding that there is a slew of projects of elevated roads that have been commissioned in Delhi. Unfortunately we have consistently ignored even fundamental problems of traffic management in Delhi, he said.
And outsider makes Delhi his home
Gadkaris tryst with Delhi was never smooth.
When he came over to the National Capital as BJP president, he was quite averse to staying here and was uncomfortable with its political cabal. Yes I was not enamoured of Delhi and wanted to stay in Maharashtra, he admitted.
Have you started liking Delhi now?
Now staying in the city is my destiny and I like it very much, he replied. He ruled out the possibility of going back to Maharashtra.
At the end of the conversation, Gadkari literally conjured up an image of an India which is incredibly modern and advanced in infrastructure.
Will it fructify?
Gadkari assured me that it would not be long before we can test the veracity of his claims.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday framed seven questions to the BJP-led government in the Centre regarding President's Rule in Uttarakhand and sought its response. President's Rule will continue in Uttarakhand as the top court fixed 3 May as the next day of hearing. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi was representing the Centre in the top court.
SC frames 7 questions pertaining to President's rule in #Uttarakhand and seeks Centre's response on the same. ANI (@ANI_news) April 27, 2016
The Supreme Court said that the previous order staying Uttarakhand High Court order will continue implying that there will be no floor test in the state assembly on 29 April.
The top court was hearing the Centre's plea against Uttarakhand High Court's order which set aside the President's rule in the state. An apex court bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra on 22 April had stayed the Uttarakhand High Court's verdict reinstating Chief Minister Harish Rawat in Uttarakhand till Wednesday.
Here are the questions put up the top court:
1. Whether governor could have sent message in present manner under Article 175 (2) to conduct floor test?
2. Whether governor can ask Assembly Speaker for division of votes as both are Constitutional authorities?
3. Can a delay in the floor test be ground for proclamation of Presidents rule in state?
4. Convention is money bill failed, government goes but who is to say money bill hasnt been passed if Speaker doesnt say so?
5. What is the stage of appropriation bill and when Presidents rule comes in the picture with regards to Appropriation bill?
6. Whether disqualification of MLAs by the Speaker is a relevant issue for the purpose of imposing Presidents rule under Article 356?
7. Can proceeding in the Uttarakhand Assembly be taken note by the President for imposing Presidents rule?
The political crisis in Uttarakhand emerged after nine rebel MLAs from Congress defected to BJP during a debate over the state budget in March. They were later disqualified. Following the disqualification, Governor KK Paul asked deposed Chief Minister Rawat to prove his majority in the assembly.
In a stunning verdict on 21 April, the Uttarakhand High Court quashed the President's rule imposed by the Centre which restored the dismissed Congress government and castigated the Centre for uprooting a democratically-elected government.
The Supreme Court delivered a major blow to the former Congress government on 23 April by staying the Uttarakhand High Court's verdict setting aside President's Rule in the state. The verdict effectively re-imposed President's Rule in the state. On 27 March, the BJP-led government at the Centre had imposed President's Rule in Uttarakhand, leading the Congress, which was in power, to term it as a 'murder of democracy.' The judgment gave a new turn to the continuing political drama in the state.
Appearing for the Centre, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, along with senior advocate Harish Salve, had pressed for the stay of the High Court judgment. He said how one party can be put at advantage and assume the office of Chief Minister when the other party is pushed to disadvantage in the absence of the judgment.
Senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Kapil Sibal, appearing for Rawat and the Assembly Speaker, argued hard against the passing of any interim order saying "you are allowing the appeal by giving the stay". Sibal was of the view that allowing stay of operation of the High Court verdict would be like enforcing the proclamation of the President rule.
During the jam-packed hearing, the bench sought to pacify both the parties saying that it has to take a balanced view as this is a Constitutional court. "We will take on record the copy of the judgement and go through it. This matter may go to Constitution bench," the bench said.
The apex court had clarified on 23 April that it was keeping in abeyance the judgment of the High Court till the next date of hearing (Today) as a measure of balance for both the parties as the copy of the verdict was not made available to the parties.
Congress members blocked the Parliament on Wednesdsay over Uttarakhand and shouted slogans in both Houses while accusing the Modi government of using underhand means to take over opposition-ruled states. The Uttarakhand High Court had said President's Rule should be a "last resort" and dismissing an elected government breeds cynicism in citizens.
New Delhi: Sparks flew in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday after BJP leader Subramanian Swamy dragged Sonia Gandhi's name in the AgustaWestland helicopter bribery case, triggering angry exchanges between the opposition and treasury benches.
At one point, there appeared to be a possibility of an ugly showdown as some Congress members menacingly rushed towards the treasury benches, prompting a couple of marshalls to step in to act as a wall.
Congress members, who called Swamy a "CIA agent", created bedlam, forcing repeated adjournments of the House in the pre-lunch session. However, Chairman Hamid Ansari prevailed on the agitating members to take up the Question Hour.
Swamy, a BJP leader who took oath on Wednesday as a new member nominated by the government, raked up the issue of the AgustaWestland chopper case through his first Zero Hour intervention soon after the House met for the day.
He referred to the allegations reportedly made by Christian Micheal, the controversial middleman in the Rs 3600 crore VVIP chopper deal, through a letter to an Italian court.
As soon as Swamy named Gandhi, Congress members angrily stormed into the Well, with a handful even moving closer to the treasury benches menacingly. Members of the treasury benches too got up on their seats to counter the opposition.
Fearing an ugly showdown, a couple of marshalls stepped into the Well to act as a wall between the opposition and the ruling side.
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien immediately adjourned the House for 10 minutes lest the situation went out of hand.
When the House re-assembled, Kurien expunged Swamy's reference to Gandhi saying he should not name a member who cannot come and defend himself or herself. Gandhi is a member of the Lok Sabha.
"I am not admonishing you as this is your first speech in the House. But the name is expunged," Kurien told Swamy.
This did not satisfy the Congress members who were in the Well again shouting slogans against Swamy.
As Congress members continued to raise slogans from the Well, the Deputy Chairman again adjourned the House till noon. When the House re-assembled, the Congress members were once again on their feet, chanting "CIA agent is sitting here" while pointing towards Swamy.
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said Swamy will not be allowed to speak in the House unless he withdraws his comment. Deputy Leader of Congress in the House Anand Sharma also asked Swamy angrily to withdraw his comments.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said it was "not appropriate" for anybody to threaten a member of the House to which Congress member Hussain Dalwai retorted saying "nobody has threatened. He (Swamy) has only been called a CIA agent".
Amid the slogan-shouting by Congress members, Ansari called for peace, insisting that questions should be taken up in the Question Hour after which, the Congress members withdrew to their seats.
Srinagar: Police on Wednesday detained Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front(JKLF) chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik hours ahead of the funeral prayers in absentia for party founder Amanullah Khan, who died in Pakistan on Tuesday.
"Ahead of Gayibana Nimaz-i-Jinaza (funeral prayers in absentia) for JKLF supreme leader Amanullah Khan, Malik was arrested by police," a spokesman of the JKLF said in a statement.
The spokesman claimed that authorities have imposed "curfew" in Lal Chowk, Maisuma, Kokerbazar, Kothibagh, Abi Guzar, court road and other adjoining areas.
Amanullah Khan, one of the founders of pro-Independence JKLF, died in Rawalipindi, Pakistan, on Tuesday.
Moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq has also been put under house arrest.
"Mirwaiz was put under house arrest this morning.He was scheduled to head the Hurriyat's condolence meeting and join the funeral prayers at Lal Chowk, but a heavy contingent of police arrived at his Nigeen residence this morning and put him under house arrest," a Hurriyat spokesman said.
Meanwhile, authorities imposed curfew-like restrictions in parts of Srinagar ahead of the proposed funeral prayers for Amanullah Khan.
Restriction were imposed in the city centre Lal Chowk, Maisuma and adjoining areas to prevent JKLF from holding the funeral prayers, officials said.
They said heavy contingent of police and paramilitary CRPF has been deployed in these areas of the city.
"All shops and business establishments in Lal Chowk, the commercial hub, are closed and traffic is being diverted to other routes," the officials said.
Kolkata: CPM veteran and former West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Wednesday shared the stage with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, and called for ousting the "undemocratic" Mamata Banerjee government and save the state.
Addressing a rally at the Park Circus ground here, where a host of Marxist and Congress leaders were present on the dais, Bhattacharjee said: "You can very well understand the significance of this meet. Kolkata has not witnessed this before. This is unprecedented.
"There are Left and Congress leaders on the dais. Why have we assembled? We are here because there is grave danger before us. The Trinamool government is a terrible government. This government is destroying Bengal," he said.
"To save Bengal from it, we have to unite, and that is why we have united here," said Bhattacharjee, who along with Gandhi, was felicitated with a giant floral garland atop the dais amid loud cheers and claps.
Castigating the Banerjee government for "sending the economy of the state into tatters and "unleashing a reign of terror", Bhattacharjee gave the call "Drive away Mamata, save Bengal".
Dehradun: Rubbishing an allegation by two Congress MLAs that BJP had offered them a bribe of upto Rs 50 crore to switch their loyalty, the saffron party on Wednesday asked them to produce evidence to substantiate the charge or offer an unqualified apology.
Alleging that a sudden eviction from power had caused most Congress leaders to lose their mental balance, Pradesh BJP president Ajay Bhatt said they are levelling "wild allegations" like this against the party to divert public attention from real issues.
"Their own former CM was caught live on camera negotiating a money deal to buy back disgruntled party MLAs. An earlier sting CD had shown a top CMO official negotiating a bribery deal with a liquor baron. It is in a bid to divert attention from these that they (Congress MLAs) are making unfounded allegations against BJP.
"It seems a sudden ouster from power has knocked them out of their senses and they are making meaningless noises to confuse people," Bhatt said.
"Even Harish Rawat had accused the BJP of depositing Rs 25 crore into the accounts of nine rebel MLAs which prompted Vijay Bahuguna to slap a court case against him," he said, adding it seems Congress leaders have lost their head.
Alleging that buying and selling is Congress's culture not BJP's, Bhatt said the stand is vindicated by an Italian court's latest order which has "indicted" top Congress leaders like Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.
Chief BJP spokesman Munna Singh Chauhan also reacted sharply to the allegations by the two Cong MLAs saying they should either come up with proof to substantiate their charge or offer an unqualified apology for making a "baseless allegation" against the party.
"They are just hurling a wild allegation. They should produce evidence to prove the charge or offer an unqualified apology immediately," Chauhan said.
Congress MLA from Badrinath Rajendra Bhandari and its MLA from Tharali Jeet Ram had on Tuesday alleged that they had been offered a bribe of upto Rs 50 crore, an assembly ticket to a family member and a Rajya Sabha seat by the BJP in exchange for their support.
Said to be close to BJP heavyweight Satpal Maharaj, the two legislators asserted they were devoted soldiers of the Congress party and cannot be bought.
New Delhi: Former Uttarakhand chief minister Vijay Bahuguna, who is leading a group of nine rebel Congress legislators, on Wednesday said that fresh assembly elections in the state was the best way out in the given circumstances.
"In the present circumstances, dissolving the assembly and holding fresh elections seems to be the best option in the larger interest of democracy," Bahuguna told a news channel after the Supreme Court allowed the President's Rule to continue in the hill state.
The Supreme Court also cancelled the floor test in the state assembly scheduled for Friday. The next hearing is scheduled for 3 May.
"With the disqualification of nine legislators, the strength of the assembly stands diminished. Although we are challenging the disqualification, at the end of the day, fresh elections will provide a stable government in Uttarakhand," he added.
Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal had disqualified the nine rebel Congress legislators from the house.
Meanwhile, ousted chief minister Harish Rawat said he was happy that the Supreme Court had barred the Centre from attempting to form a BJP government in the state till the final judgment in the matter was pronounced.
After the successful exploitation of caste, community and religious matters for electoral success, prohibition is next in line to emerge as an attractive premise to win votes. Having been used successfully in Bihar by the grand alliance comprising Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congresss, the no-booze slogan is likely to resound in the plains of Uttar Pradesh in months to come.
According to reports, JD (U) president Nitish Kumar, who as Bihar Chief Minister took the revenue-slashing measure of closing booze shops in his home state, is all set to offer prohibition as his mantra to win Uttar Pradesh voters. Nitish is scheduled to pay his second visit to UP this year on 12 May, where he will address a JD (U) workers convention in Varanasi. Earlier, he had visited Ghazipur to address a gathering of backward communities comprising Kushwaha, Saini, Maurya and Shakya sections.
Incidentally, both Ghazipur and Varanasi are close to the Bihar border and have a sizeable number of OBC sections among which Nitish seeks to expand his footprint. This could also be part of his strategy to play a more proactive role as JD (U) president as compared to his predecessor Sharad Yadav. Needless to say, Nitishs endeavours are aimed to project him as a national leader with appeal among large sections of society outside Bihar, and UP is the first destination since Assembly elections are due here in less than one year.
According to JD (U) sources in Lucknow, Nitish will arrive in Varanasi on May 12 and address a party workers gathering in Pindra near Varanasi. He will also participate in the grand show of Ganga arti the same evening and will return to Varanasi the next day. He is then scheduled to arrive in Lucknow on 15 May to launch a state-wide prohibition campaign under the banner of Kisan Manch, established by late former Prime Minister VP Singh.
A local JD (U) leader AK Singh said that in many districts of UP, including some in eastern UP, women have been at the forefront of anti-booze campaigns, often forcing the closure of liquor shops in towns and villages.
The call for prohibition will therefore attract widespread support from women in this state, Singh said. The state JD (U) president Suresh Niranjan and general secretary Subhash Pathak have already started efforts to make the Nitish show a big success.
The recent formation of an alliance comprising JD (U), Rashtriya Lok Dal of Ajit Singh, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) led by Babulal Marandi and Samajwadi Janata Party led by Kamal Morarka has been facing some roadblocks with Ajit Singh putting up some pre-conditions. Notwithstanding this, the JD (U) has also been in touch with several leaders of smaller parties and caste-based outfits to seek the formation of an alliance, which is likely to contest the 2017 Assembly elections in UP.
It is also interesting to note that the RJD controlled by Lalu Prasad and his family and running a government in Bihar with JD (U) is not a part of any alliance featuring JD (U) outside Bihar. Similarly, the Samajwadi Party, in power in UP, is also against any alliance featuring JD (U). Interestingly, the SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad are related through matrimonial alliance of their respective family members.
Also in Uttar Pradesh, the SP government has not been taking any proactive stand on prohibition and has in fact reduced the duty on several popular brands of alcoholic drinks in this years budget. According to a SP leader, prohibition is not yet an issue in UP and the directorate of prohibition is doing good work to spread awareness about the ill-effects of alcohol among the people. In the last two years, more than 100 persons lost their lives after consuming illicit liquor in Azamgarh, Mau, Allahabad, Lucknow and Unnao districts. The famed all-women Gulab Gang has also been active in anti-booze campaigns in some districts of the state.
With Bihar joining the list of dry states and two major political parties in Tamil Nadu promising prohibition if they are voted to power, prohibition seems to have come out of dilapidated government offices. Now, with the European Union (EU) expressing concern at this anti-alcohol trend as it may affect EUs trade with India wine being an important part of EU exports Nitish has his next battle ready as he eyes the Prime Ministerial chair.
Vijayawada: Another MLA of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) joined the ruling TDP in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday even as leader of opposition YS Jaganmohan Reddy is visiting Delhi to mobilise support for his 'save democracy' campaign.
G Ravi Kumar, a legislator from Addanki in Prakasam district, joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the presence of party president and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu here.
Ravi Kumar is the 14th legislator from the lone opposition party to defect to the TDP.
The YSRCP received another blow as senior leader and former minister MV Mysoora Reddy also resigned from the party over "Jagan's style of functioning".
Meanwhile, Jaganmohan, son of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Delhi on Wednesday and complained that the TDP was "resorting to undemocratic practices" in Andhra Pradesh.
He told reporters that "Naidu is buying MLAs for Rs 20 crore to Rs 30 crore".
On Tuesday, Jagan also met Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Sitaram Yechuri and Janata Dal United leader Sharad Yadav and called on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
Releasing a booklet titled 'Emperor of corruption', Jagan alleged that during the last two years, Naidu was involved in 31 scams involving Rs 1.34 lakh crore. He said the booklet had all the details of the scams, which included certain government orders.
He sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) into all the scams.
Last week, Jagan had complained to Governor ESL Narasimhan against Naidu.
The leader of opposition said he will lodge a complaint with the president, the prime minister and the Election Commission on the issue.
The YSRCP bagged 67 seats in the 175-member Andhra Pradesh assembly in the 2014 elections to become the lone opposition party.
Islamabad: The Afghan Taliban on Wednesday confirmed a visit of its leaders to Pakistan.
A three-member delegation had arrived in Islamabad from its Qatar-based office on Monday to discuss with Pakistan the possibility of the peace talks, diplomatic and official sources said.
"Since the Afghan people have close relations, long border and commercial transactions with neighbouring country Pakistan and a large number of our countrymen are living there as refugees, therefore, the Political Office of the Islamic Emirate has decided to send a high level delegation to Islamabad," the Taliban Qatar office said.
"The esteemed leader of Islamic Emirate has instructed the delegation to discuss issues regarding Afghan refugees, some problems about frontier areas and particularly to discuss the release of Mullah Bradar Akhund and some other prisoners with the officials of the government of Pakistan."
Mullah Baradar, the former second-in-command in the Taliban hierarchy, was arrested in Karachi in 2010, and the Taliban said he has not yet been freed.
Pakistan had said in 2013 that he had been released along with some 50 senior Taliban leaders in 2013 on the request by then Afghan president Hamid Karzai.
A Taliban statement said the visit to Pakistan "would be in the interest of both countries and would have fruitful results".
Pakistan had hosted the first face-to-face meeting between the Taliban and the Afghan government in July last year near Islamabad.
The talks dubbed as Murree Peace Process broke down after the death of Mullah Omar was confirmed in late July.
Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Wednesday that the recent spate of murders of secular bloggers and minorities had been carefully planned to destabilise the country and held main opposition BNP and its allies responsible for the killings.
"The recent killings had been carefully planned. The targets were Imams, Hindu and Christian priests. The motive is to destabilise the country," Hasina's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim quoted her as saying.
Hasina was speaking at the 4th meeting of the Fast Track Project Monitoring Committee at her office wherein she said, those who had killed ordinary people for the sake of their campaigns are responsible for the recent "covert killings", the bdnews24.com reported.
The killings of a liberal professor in Rajshahi, a gay- rights activist and his friend in Dhaka by machete-wielding assailants within three days follow similar attacks on secular thinkers, bloggers and members of religious minorities.
"We do not want to see such events in Bangladesh," she said.
Hasina said a platform that "opposes development" was responsible, and added the culprits would be caught soon.
Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) has claimed responsibility for both the attacks. But the government has rejected the claims, saying home-grown terrorists were responsible, not global terror groups.
Also, Hasina told the parliament that the government has already directed law enforcers to take stern actions against all sorts of militant, sabotaging and violent activities.
Replying to a query, she said people who have connections with the previous militant, criminal or sabotaging activities are under surveillance.
Beijing: Chinese scientists claimed that dogs originated in southern China some 33,000 years ago, disputing US research that domesticated dogs evolved 15,000 years ago in Central Asia.
A research team led by Zhang Yaping from Kunming Institute of Zoology in Yunnan province, has questioned the results of previous research by Cornell University in the US that was described as the "largest-ever survey of worldwide canine genetic diversity".
The team's conclusion was published this month as a letter by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a top US-based research journal, and previously by Cell Research, a Chinese Academy of Sciences' publication.
Wang Guodong, an associate professor from the academy's Zoology Institute, told state-run China Daily that, "for the first time, our study unravels an extraordinary journey that the domestic dog has travelled on Earth."
The Chinese research disagrees with conclusions reached in October by a team of scientists led by Adam Boyko of Cornell University. The Cornell research, which analysed more than 185,800 genetic markers for 4,600 purebred dogs from 165 breeds, along with more than 540 village dogs from 38 countries, concluded that the earliest dogs appeared in Central Asia 15,000 years ago.
There are more than 400 dog breeds in the world, including the Chow, which has existed for more than 2,000 years, and the German Shepherd, which has a history of less than 200 years.
"First, the definition of Central Asia in the previous research is wrong because they assigned Mongolia and Nepal to Central Asia. Second, despite its large scale, the research did not include data on dog populations from southern China, which has always been believed to be an important place of origin for domesticated dogs," Wang said.
Wang also sequenced the genome of indigenous dogs living in the Chinese countryside, and compared the data with that of the Cornell research, finding that Chinese dogs existed much earlier.
The team also sequenced 12 gray wolves the modern dog's ancestor 27 primitive dogs from Asia and Africa and 19 diverse breeds from across the world.
The scientists said that Chinese dogs have significantly more genetic diversity than other populations and are genetically the closest to gray wolves, indicating that dogs were domesticated in southern East Asia about 33,000 years ago.
"Since dogs and humans became friends, dogs have migrated with humans either as watchdogs in agricultural civilisations or as herding dogs for nomads," said Peng Minsheng, an associate professor at the institute, who specialises in human and animal genetics.
Dogs travelled from East Asia to Europe with human beings. But it's unknown whether they travelled along the Silk Road or by sea.
Brasilia: The Brazilian Senate's special commission on the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff approved at its first meeting that it will vote on 6 May, on whether the process should continue or not.
If the commission votes and makes its recommendation, a full Senate vote could take place on 11 May, the commission's rapporteur Antonio Anastasia told a press conference on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.
Anastasia is a senator from the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB).
Under the Brazilian law, if a majority of senators, or 41 out of 81 vote in favour of the impeachment, Rousseff will be removed from office for 180 days as a full impeachment trial goes ahead, and Vice President Michel Temer would become the interim president.
A final impeachment vote would require a two-third majority to oust her.
WASHINGTON The U.S. House of Representatives voted unanimously on Wednesday to require law enforcement authorities to get a search warrant before asking technology companies to hand over old emails.
The bill's prospects in the Senate remain unclear, though the 419-0 vote in the House was likely to put pressure on the upper chamber to approve it
Under the Email Privacy Act, which updates a decades-old law, authorities would have to get a warrant to access emails or other digital communications more than 180 days old. At present, agencies such as the U.S. Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission only need a subpoena to seek such data from a service provider.
Supporters of the legislation say it is needed to update the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA). Technology companies and privacy advocates say that statute was written before the rise of the Internet and so is outdated.
More than a quarter of senators have endorsed similar legislation in the upper chamber, including No. 2 Republican John Cornyn.
But it was unclear if Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican with jurisdiction over the legislation, intends to move it forward during an election year.
Grassleys office did not respond Wednesday when asked about the measure.
Senators Patrick Leahy and Mike Lee, the Democratic and Republican authors of the Senate bill, praised the House vote in a statement as "an historic step towards updating our privacy laws for the digital age" and urged quick consideration.
The bill comes at a time of resurgent international debate over law enforcement access to private electronic communications. This was reflected in the Justice Departments high-profile pursuit of a court order earlier this year to force Apple (AAPL.O) to help unlock an encrypted iPhone linked to one of the San Bernardino, California, shooters.
Separately, Microsoft (MSFT.O) earlier this month filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Justice Department, alleging the government is using ECPA in a way that violates the U.S. Constitution.
The company argued ECPA is too often used to prevent the company from notifying its users, sometimes indefinitely, when investigators pry into emails and other data stored on remote servers.
Though Microsoft, along with other tech giants, supports the House bill, the firm has said it would not directly address all of the concerns raised in its lawsuit.
(Editing by Andrew Hay and Alistair Bell)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday welcomed the Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan, saying both the countries should show consistency and political will to engage in a sustained dialogue aimed at resolving all outstanding issues including Kashmir.
Both countries should show consistency, political will and positivity to engage in a sustained dialogue that aims at resolving all outstanding issues including that of Kashmir, Abdullah said.
He said although the resumption of talks was a positive sign, both countries should not sideline Kashmiri stakeholders and leadership in any structured engagement as this would have adverse political implications in the Valley.
Paris: French President Francois Hollande's allies have launched a battle to burnish the image of the deeply unpopular leader, who some in the fractured left still see as their best hope for elections next year.
The presidential ambitions of upstart Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron and the latest string of anti-government protests are but two of the headaches facing Hollande.
But his camp is working hard to extol the government's positive achievements, and this week launched an initiative called "He Oh La Gauche!" (Hey - The Left!) a sort of jab in the ribs to rally the left.
This is no easy feat when Hollande is plumbing the depths of public opinion in a poll this week, only 17 percent thought he was a good president. And his Socialist Party and the left in general are deeply divided.
"The moment has come for us to wake up. We are here to mobilise and defend our achievements," government spokesman and Hollande ally Stephane Le Foll told the first meeting of the new movement on Monday night, attended by about 600 people.
Philippe Marliere, a professor in French politics at University College London, told AFP the initiative showed that "alarm bells are ringing" for the left, one year ahead of presidential elections due in May 2016.
"This exercise comes at a very difficult time for Hollande and the Socialist Party, to show they are not dead yet, they intend to fight," he said.
"It is a gathering of people who are there to it is a bit surreal support a presidential candidate who hasn't announced his candidacy yet," said Marliere.
Hollande is trying hard to convince the French that things have improved, with growth inching upwards and unemployment slowly falling.
This idea received a boost with new figures Tuesday showing a steep drop in job-seekers in March.
Conspicuous by his absence at the meeting was Macron, Hollande's 38-year-old protege whose every move has been scrutinised by the French press seeking clues of presidential ambitions.
Daily appearances, regular high-profile media interviews and the launch of his own political movement "En Marche" ("On the Move") have fuelled the speculation, and prompted fellow ministers to call him to order.
A torrid term
Hollande, 61, was elected in 2012 after ousting conservative president Nicolas Sarkozy. He has had a torrid term in office, with record unemployment and ever-increasing public anger over policies perceived as favouring business over workers.
His party has lost five major elections in a row, the far-right National Front has surged in popularity and every effort to institute reforms has run into massive street protests.
In March, Hollande was embarrassingly forced to back out of plans to amend the constitution to enshrine a state of emergency and other measures after the Paris attacks, due to fierce opposition from within his own party and without.
His government has also watered down controversial labour reforms but this has failed to quell protests from citizens who fear workers' rights are being eroded.
Marliere noted that the only time Hollande saw his popularity rise was in the aftermath of major terror attacks in January and November 2015, both short lived bumps.
"There are a lot of things happening, and none of them are going his way this launch had to be one way to show the public that he has got supporters," he said.
"There have been one too many attempts to reform things in a way which is not favourable to ordinary workers -- people who would normally vote for the Socialist Party."
'Extreme political weakness'
Hollande has said he will decide at the end of the year whether to seek re-election, but a recent poll predicted he would be eliminated in the first round of the two-part contest.
According to Marliere, every French president since Charles de Gaulle has tried to get re-elected with the exception of Georges Pompidou who died in office.
"It's a sign of extreme political weakness that less than a year from the election there are open debates over whether he can run again. Not whether he can win again... but can he run again."
There have even been growing calls for a primary to vote for a candidate to represent the left and the greens.
Nevertheless, Hollande's supporters are convinced he is their man.
"I don't know anyone on the left who is as capable as Francois Hollande of uniting the left," said Finance Minister Michel Sapin on Tuesday.
"What is strange, and a pity, is that often the first criticism of the government does not come from the opposition, but from part of the left which does not like the difficulty of being in power."
Seoul: North Korea on Wednesday formally set 6 May for the opening of a landmark ruling party congress the first in nearly four decades and an event many fear will be preceded by a fifth nuclear test
Anticipation over the congress, last held in 1980, has been mounting since the North signalled its intentions to hold the gathering way back in October.
Kim Jong-Un is expected to use the event to cement his position as supreme leader and to take credit for pushing his country's nuclear weapons programme to new heights.
No details have been provided of the agenda, but it will be scrutinised for any key policy changes or reshuffles among the country's elite.
The actual starting date had been a closely guarded secret prior to Wednesdays announcement by the ruling party's central committee politburo.
In a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency, the politburo said the congress only the seventh in the party's history would open on May 6, but did not specify how long it would last.
The 1980 congress took four days, and South Korea's Unification Ministry said it expected next week's gathering to go on for "four or five days".
Fifth nuclear test?
There has been growing speculation that North Korea may carry out a fresh nuclear test just ahead of the event as a display of national pride and strength.
On Tuesday, South Korean President Park Geun-Hye said the North was understood to have "completed preparations" for a test, and could press the button at any time.
Such a move would constitute a dramatic act of defiance in the face of tough UN sanctions imposed on Pyongyang after its most recent nuclear test in January.
Some analysts have suggested that, by carrying out a fifth test so soon after the fourth, the North might hope to avoid a heavy package of additional sanctions but Park insisted that the international community's response would be swift and severe.
"Although the current sanctions are strong, we can impose even stronger sanctions that fill up any holes," the president said.
Weapons progress
In recent months the North has claimed a series of major technical breakthroughs in developing what it sees as the ultimate goal of its nuclear weapons programme an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to targets across the continental United States.
These have included success in miniaturising a nuclear device to fit on a missile, developing a warhead that can withstand atmospheric re-entry, and building a solid-fuel missile engine.
Earlier this month, Kim monitored the test of an engine specifically designed for an ICBM that he said would "guarantee" an eventual strike on the US mainland.
In a statement carried by KCNA late Tuesday, a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman said US hostility had pushed North Korea into making "drastic progress in bolstering nuclear attack capabilities".
In the run-up to the congress, the North has also carried out a series of provocative missile launches, including the failed test on April 15 of a powerful new medium-range ballistic missile, known as a Musudan.
The South's Yonhap news agency on Tuesday quoted unidentified government sources as saying the North had put another Musudan on standby for imminent testing.
Existing UN resolutions forbid North Korea from the use of any ballistic missile-related technology.
The Musudan is believed to have an estimated range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres (1,550 to 2,500 miles). The lower range covers the whole of South Korea and Japan, while the upper range would include US military bases on Guam.
The missile has never been successfully flight-tested, and the April 15 effort ended in what the Pentagon described as "fiery, catastrophic" failure apparently exploding seconds after launch.
Peshawar: An armed policeman stood guard outside the 300-year-old Sikh temple a gurdwara, in northwest Pakistan. He kept a watchful eye on everyone who passed him on the narrow street, looking for a suspicious gesture, or a bulge beneath the clothes that hints at a hidden gun or a bomb.
Earlier this month, the gurdwara in Peshawar's crowded Old City opened its doors to worshippers for the first time in 73 years. The reopening was celebrated by Pakistan's tiny Sikh minority, but security is a constant concern.
On Friday, a Sikh leader and provincial lawmaker was shot and killed outside his home in a remote area in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province, some 140 kilometers (86 miles) from Peshawar. The murder of Sardar Suran Singh devastated the Sikh community and heightened their fears of militant attacks.
It also added to human rights activists' despair over rising violence against religious minorities in Pakistan.
"It is tragic, but this is the trend in Pakistan right now. It is increasingly intolerant," said Zohra Yusuf, chairwoman of the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the shooting of Sardar Suran Singh, but police disputed their claim, blaming the shooting on political rivalry and saying they had arrested the culprit. There was no response from the Taliban, who often make unsubstantiated claims.
Peshawar is a deeply conservative city at the foot of the mountainous Khyber Pass once a popular route for traders and tourists travelling to nearby Afghanistan, now the focus of an extremist insurgency. Militants have attacked Peshawar schools, killing children as they studied, bombed buses of government workers and attacked Christians in their churches.
The newly-opened gurdwara has a 24-hour Sikh Security detail as well as police guards, but their Muslim neighbors believe an attack is inevitable.
"Security is very necessary ... for the people who want to come here for prayers without any fear," said Gurpal Singh, security chief for Peshawar's Sikh community.
Gohar Iqbal, a bookseller who works at a busy stall opposite the temple was certain the building would be targeted by militants. "We are worrying because of the children if something happens," he said, gesturing to the white cement building that houses a girls' high school, which abuts the gurdwara.
Few in this overwhelmingly Muslim neighborhood welcomed the gurdwara's opening. Apart from the security risks, many simply don't want Sikhs in their midst. The Sikhs that lived in the area and attended the gurdwara left when it closed in the 1940s.
It is not known how many Sikhs live in Pakistan today. The vast majority migrated to India in 1947, the year Pakistan was created as a homeland for Muslims of the subcontinent. The CIA Factbook estimates that 3.6 percent of Pakistan's 180 million people are non-Muslims, including Sikhs, Christians and Hindus.
Sikhs are among the smallest minorities. They are easily identifiable because of their tightly wound and often colorful turbans, and because they share the surname Singh.
Many of the Sikhs living in Pakistan are internally displaced, having fled their traditional homes in Pakistan's tribal regions as the threat posed by militants increased.
As the Taliban grew in strength in tribal regions such as Orazkai and Bajour, Sikhs were forced to pay protection money to local militant leaders or were killed, Yusuf at HRCP said.
Two years ago, extremists in the area swore allegiance to the Islamic State group. IS militants routinely video the brutal killings of non-Muslims in their territory.
Charanjeet Singh, a volunteer at the gurdwara and a community spokesman, fled his home in Orazkai several years ago.
He spoke to The Associated Press from inside the cavernous prayer hall of the gurdwara. Inside the sprawling compound, most of the buildings are crumbling only the ornately carved prayer hall has been renovated.
Still, remnants of its former glory are visible a small arch made up of odd-shaped blocks of stone, known as Waziri bricks, remains from the original structure laid around 300 years ago.
Charanjeet Singh said the community had been battling government intransigence and local resistance since 2012 to reopen the gurdwara.
In the 73 years it stood empty, the gurdwara was administered by the government's Evacuee Trust, an organization that looks after properties vacated by those who left for India during partition in 1947. Sometimes the buildings are returned to their original owners as happened with the gurdwara and at other times they are given to those who migrated from India to Pakistan, provided they can prove they owned property of a similar value in India.
Under the Pakistani government's guardianship, the gurdwara went through many incarnations. At one point, it housed a vocational school and it has been used for private homes. Several members of the Evacuee Trust still work and live there.
Despite receiving a chilly reception from their Muslim neighbors, the Sikhs of the gurdwara are giving shelter to an elderly Muslim woman.
In one of the ramshackle buildings lives Begum Shafqat Ara, a diminutive old woman who believes her age to be around 90. She has lived in the gurdwara for some 60 years. She never married and taught at the vocational school, where she continued to live after she retired.
"I didn't have anywhere to go, no family. This is my home," she told AP, sitting on the purple carpeted floor of the gurdwara's prayer hall.
Charanjeet Singh says Ara will stay. The Sikh community takes care of her and has promised to continue to do so for as long as she lives. Ara smiled a mostly toothless grin as she heard this and affectionately rested her hand on the knee of a nearby Sikh volunteer who had helped her to the prayer hall.
Despite the dangers they face, Charanjeet Singh said they will not capitulate to the militants. "If we do, they win," he said. "We are fully determined we will keep our holy places open."
Islamabad: Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry on Wednesday said that he has conveyed to his Indian counterpart that Pakistan will welcome the start of the peace dialogue whenever India is ready.
"The two sides raised their respective concerns in cordial and forthright manner," Chaudhry said in response to question on his meeting with Indian counterpart S Jaishankar.
Addressing media after his return from New Delhi where he met Jaishankar on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia Conference, he said Pakistan will welcome the start of the peace dialogue whenever India indicated that it was also ready for it.
Chaudhry and Jaishankar met for nearly 90 minutes in New Delhi on Tuesday during which sticky issues including probe into Pathankot terror attack, 26/11 trial and Samjhauta Express blast investigations figured.
The Pakistani Foreign Secretary once again termed "Kashmir a core issue" between the two countries and demanded that it should be resolved in accordance with aspiration of the Kashmiris and the resolution of UN Security Council.
On the positive side, he underscored that India also feels that dialogue was the only way forward between the two countries.
"There is a realisation on part of India that dialogue is the only way forward to discuss all outstanding issues," he said.
He also noted that both sides agreed that people-to-people contact should remain intact. He said there was a consensus to continue working on humanitarian issues.
Islamabad: Osama bin Laden was in Pakistan's detention for years and was killed after the country struck a deal with the US, a top American journalist has claimed citing new evidence and disputed Islamabad's assertion that it was not aware of the raid that killed the al-Qaeda leader.
Legendary US investigative journalist Seymour Hersh repeated his claim that Pakistan was aware of the Navy Seals' raid that killed bin Laden in 2011 in his his compound in Abbottabad town near Pakistan army's elite training school.
Bin Laden was the founder of al-Qaeda, the group that claimed responsibility for the 11 September attacks on the United States.
In an interview to Dawn, Hersh said that since last year he had seen new evidence that cemented his belief that the official US account on bin Laden's killing was deceptive.
He also reiterated his claim that Pakistan had detained bin Laden in 2006 and kept him prisoner with the backing of Saudi Arabia.
The US and Pakistan then struck a deal that the US would raid his compound but make it look as if Pakistan was unaware.
"Pakistan is in constant alert because of India. Their radars are watching, their F-16s are up all the time," said Hersh while arguing that it was not possible for US helicopters to enter Abbottabad without alerting the Pakistanis.
When asked if he still believes Pakistan helped the United States get bin Laden, he said: "More than ever".
When Hersh first made this claim in an article published last year, it shook Washington and forced the White House to reject the story as false.
Major US media outlets also rejected his claim as incorrect.
But Hersh repeated the claim in his new book, 'The Killing of Osama bin Laden' published this week, insisting that he was right.
He said the then army and ISI chiefs had made this deal with the Americans, which upset other Pakistani generals.
"The then head of Pakistan's Air Defence Command was very, very upset. He was ready to go public," said Hersh, claiming that the disgruntled general was made PIA chairman after his retirement to keep him silent.
In an interview to Democracy Now, a network of more than 1,400 radio and television outlets, Hersh said the US and Pakistan had jointly created the "myth" "we discovered" where he was living.
"What I know is...that in August of 2010, a Pakistani a colonel...came into our embassy, went to the then CIA Station Chief Jonathan Bank, and said: 'Weve had bin Laden for four years'."
Hersh told Dawn that the colonel was later moved to the US and was now living somewhere near Washington.
"The Pakistani intelligence picked him (bin Laden) in the Hindu Kush area, built the compound in Abbottabad and put him there," he said.
"Pakistani officials did so because the Saudis asked them to. The Saudis did not want Americans to interrogate him."
According to Hersh, when the CIA asked Pakistani officials to make the 2 May, 2011, operation in Abbottabad a surprise raid, they agreed "because they had kept OBL in custody without telling us".
The Americans were already very upset and the Pakistanis did not want to make it worse, he added.
Brussels: Top Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam was handed over to French authorities on Wednesday, federal prosecutors in Belgium said.
Abdeslam, a French national of Moroccan origin who grew up in Belgium, is believed to be the last surviving member of the terror squad that killed 130 people in the French capital in November.
"Within the framework of the Paris attacks of the 13 November 2015, Salah Abdeslam has been surrendered to the French authorities this morning," a statement in English said.
"No further information will be given concerning the exact time or the circumstances of his transfer," it said.
Belgian police have also tried to question him over his links to three suicide bombers who struck Brussels airport and metro on 22 March, killing 32 people and injuring hundreds more.
Taipei: Taiwan's president-elect on Wednesday said that democracy would be at the heart of future relations with China after they hit bumps recently over sensitive issues like the forced deportation of Taiwanese suspects from Kenya to the mainland.
Tsai Ing-wen, who will take office on 20 May as the island's first female president, repeated her vow to maintain the "status quo" across the Taiwan Strait that separates the island from the mainland.
"I have said several times in the past that the new government will do whatever we can to sustain the peace and stability of cross-strait ties and make them consistent and predictable," Tsai said.
"I'll abide by my promise," she said while visiting the Mainland Affairs Council, where she served as minister for four years until 2004.
But Tsai also highlighted a policy change when her China-sceptic Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) takes over the government from the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang party.
"What will be different from the past eight years is that the promotion of cross-strait ties will have to be based on the principle of democracy and people's desires" irregardless of the position of any individual political party," she said.
"Only through this can cross-strait ties be managed over a long period and the maintenance of the status quo be meaningful."
Before January's presidential vote, Tsai accused the Kuomintang government of handling relations with China through an opaque process not properly overseen by parliament.
Taipei earlier this month blasted Beijing for being "rude and violent" over the deportation of 45 Taiwanese from Kenya to China, where they face investigation for fraud.
There was another bout of diplomatic sparring when Malaysia deported 20 Taiwanese fraud suspects to Taiwan, even though Chinese authorities said their offences were committed on the mainland.
Observers say that China is stepping up pressure on Tsai because it does not trust her party, which has historically been pro-independence.
Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war. But Beijing still considers the island part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.
Ties improved markedly after the Kuomintang's Ma Ying-jeou came to power in 2008, pledging to strengthen trade and tourism links. He was re-elected in 2012.
WASHINGTON Rolling out a foreign policy that he said would always put America first, Republican front-runner Donald Trump vowed on Wednesday that if elected president, he would make U.S. allies in Europe and Asia take on more of the financial burden for their defense, or they would be left to defend themselves.
In a major speech, Trump delivered a withering critique of Barack Obama's foreign policy, saying the Democratic president has let China take advantage of the United States and has failed to defeat Islamic State militants.
Trump pledged to "shake the rust off America's foreign policy" and said he would seek better relations with China and Russia.
The New York billionaire spoke the day after victories in five Northeastern states that moved him closer to capturing the Republican Party presidential nomination for the Nov. 8 election.
Trump, who was also critical of policies of the last Republican U.S. president, George W. Bush, said he would use America's strength sparingly.
He said he would build up the U.S. military to keep pace with Chinese and Russian military programs but would use American armed forces only when absolutely necessary.
"I will not hesitate to deploy military force when there is no alternative. But if America fights, it must fight to win. I will never send our finest into battle unless necessary and will only do so if we have a plan for victory," Trump said.
With U.S.-Russian relations strained over numerous issues including Moscow's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Trump said "an easing of tensions with Russia from a position of strength" is possible.
Trump, a real estate magnate, also said he would use U.S. economic leverage to persuade China to rein in North Korea's nuclear program.
"China respects strength and by letting them take advantage of us economically we have lost all their respect," he said.
Trump said he would call separate summits of NATO and Asian allies to discuss a "rebalancing" of the U.S. financial commitment to their defense.
He was stern in charging that American allies have benefited from a U.S. defense umbrella but have not paid their fair share.
"The countries we defend must pay for the cost of this defense. If not, the U.S. must be prepared to let these countries defend themselves. We have no choice," Trump said.
Trump, a reality TV star, has never held elected office and has built support - particularly among white working class voters - with a no-nonsense style and populist pledges to "make America great again."
That message was echoed in his foreign policy speech, although he set aside his rancorous campaign rhetoric for the address on Wednesday, delivered at a downtown Washington hotel.
Trump usually speaks in an off-the-cuff manner, but he delivered the speech with the aid of a teleprompter as he sought to make himself appealing to more Republican voters.
Trump said he would develop a plan to halt the spread and reach of Islamic State militants but that more would be needed beyond the use of military force.
"Events may require the use of military force. But its also a philosophical struggle, like our long struggle in the Cold War," he said.
(Additional reporting by David Brunnstrom, Matt Spetalnick, Warren Strobel and Richard Cowan, Susan Heavey, Doina Chiacu; Editing by Frances Kerry)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
ANKARA Turkey's new constitution will retain secularism as a principle, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Wednesday, playing down comments from the parliamentary speaker who caused a public uproar by calling for a religious national charter.
Speaker Ismail Kahraman said this week that overwhelmingly Muslim Turkey needed a religious constitution, a proposal at odds with the modern republic's founding principles. He later said his comments were "personal views" and that the new constitution should guarantee religious freedoms.
"In the new constitution which we are preparing, the principle of secularism will be included as one guaranteeing individuals' freedom of religion and faith, and the state's equal distance to all faith groups," Davutoglu said in a speech to members of his ruling AK Party.
Kahraman's comments provoked opposition condemnation and a brief street protest, highlighting the schism in Turkish society reaching back to the 1920s when Mustafa Kemal Ataturk forged a secular republic and banished Islam from public life.
Davutoglu also said the government would seek a "liberal interpretation" of secularism, as opposed to an "authoritarian" one.
Asked at a news conference later in the day if the charter would explicitly reference Allah, Islam or religion, Davutoglu said: "We are expending efforts for a draft that references our own values, that includes both national and universal values, but at its heart is liberal and puts citizens first."
He also said the draft of the new charter will focus on an executive presidential system that reflects the national will. The Turkish presidency is now a largely ceremonial post, but President Tayyip Erdogan has made no secret of the fact that he envisages a presidency with expansive powers.
Erdogan and the ruling AK Party he founded, their roots in political Islam, have tried to restore the role of religion in public life. They have expanded religious education and allowed the head scarf, once banned from state offices, to be worn in colleges and parliament.
The headscarf ban, widely seen by the millions of pious Turks who back the AKP as an authoritarian stricture, was overturned by the ruling party in 2013.
The AKP is pushing to replace the existing constitution, which dates back to the period after a 1980 military coup. As speaker, Kahraman is overseeing efforts to draft a new text.
(Reporting by Ercan Gurses, Daren Butler and Ayla Jean Yackey; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Louise Ireland)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
OTTAWA Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is used to adoring welcomes and requests for selfies, on Wednesday had a tougher public encounter when aboriginal students pressed him on their poor living conditions.
Trudeau's Liberal Party came to power last November promising to rebuild ties with Canada's 1.4 million aboriginals, or First Nations, many of whom are mired in poverty and crime and suffer from bad health.
"Why do you allow the first people of this land to endure and live in Third World conditions?" asked one female student, referring to "the acts of genocide" aboriginals had been subjected to for centuries at the hands of settlers.
The question prompted loud applause at the high school for indigenous students in Saskatoon, in the western province of Saskatchewan. The 20-minute question-and-answer session was shown in a live webcast.
Trudeau, who sounded more defensive than he has been in other Q&A sessions across Canada, responded that the federal government could not fix the problem alone and needed to work with First Nations.
"Quite frankly ... this is a stain and a scar upon, not just our sense of who we are and our morality as Canadians, but on the kind of country we need to be building," he said.
Increased militancy and unhappiness among the aboriginal population has prompted protests against a number of pipeline projects that would cross First Nations territory.
Some of the students expressed impatience, pressing Trudeau on what improvements they would see this year.
"Why are the promises you made when you got elected prime minister taking so long?" one student asked.
Trudeau replied that the government was like a big ocean liner and turning it around would take some time.
In a federal budget this March, Ottawa said it would spend an extra C$8.37 billion ($6.64 billion) over five years to help tackle the worst of the problems facing aboriginals.
Earlier this month a cabinet minister said Ottawa was working on a plan to help address a wave of suicides in remote indigenous communities.
(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Richard Chang)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Brasilia: Brazil's outbreak of Zika which has been linked to the devastating microcephaly birth defect in newborns has topped 91,000 cases, health officials have said.
Between 3 January and 2 April, 91,387 suspected cases of Zika were reported, with a disproportionate share (30,286) in the poorer northeast of the country, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.
Three people have died of the mosquito-borne virus, it said.
Despite a flurry of research, very little is known about the virus how long it can hide out in the human body, the degree of risk via sexual transmission, the full list of diseases and disorders it may cause, and all the mosquito types capable of transmitting it.
Recent scientific consensus is that Zika causes microcephaly, a form of severe brain damage in newborns, and adult-onset neurological problems such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which can cause paralysis and death.
There is no vaccine or treatment for the virus, which in most people causes only mild symptoms a rash, joint pain or fever.
Among the infected to date have been 2,844 pregnant women.
"So far, it is not possible to determine what percent of Zika-positive pregnant women may have babies with microcephaly," said Infectious Disease Monitoring director Claudio Maierovitch.
Meanwhile, dengue cases surged to 802,429 13.7 percent more than in the same period a year earlier, government data showed.
It's war. That's the word on the streets of Rozelle and Balmain, at Newtown, Ashfield, St Peters and Haberfield. Mike's Motorway Madness is not their war of choice. They didn't start it and certainly didn't expect to be fighting it all over again. But it is war and, they say, they'll fight it to the end.
So NVDA - Non-Violent Direct Action - is a thing again. If you're a city dweller, NVDA is coming to a hood near you. Motorways are to the city what coal-and-gas are to the country: means for cynical government to funnel both private property and public interest into deep corporate pockets. The country defended itself with Lock the Gate. The city has NVDA. Watch for it.
Protests, heritage, bulldozers, arrests, civil disobedience training days. There's a deja vu to all this, as though history tripped and fell into a half-century repeat cycle. Remember Arthur Dent, from Hitchhiker's Guide, whose planet was demolished for a hyperspace bypass? That was 1978. Even then motorway madness was meme enough for satire. Now, in world terms, it is simply old-fashioned. Yet we're still doing it.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull offered no modelling, only "common sense" to justify his negative gearing policy, telling the ABC's 7.30 host Leigh Sales that figures showing top earners had the most to gain were "beside the point".
Sales asked what modelling the Prime Minister had to support his claim that Labor's negative gearing reforms would "take a sledgehammer" to property prices.
"This is a matter of common sense," Mr Turnbull answered.
Paris: Australia's governor-general has been one of the first to benefit from the country's submarine deal with France, touring some of Paris' finest palaces to a universally rapturous welcome.
The timing was (allegedly) pure coincidence, but on a day meeting two ministers and the president, Sir Peter Cosgrove can thank Canberra for choosing his hosts over Japan and Germany and ensuring a much more genuine reception.
French media have hailed the $50 billion contract as the "deal of the century" it is projected to lead to the creation of thousands of jobs in France, mainly on sites in Cherbourg, Nantes and Lorient.
And the French government gets a nice boost to its budget the state is a 62 per cent shareholder in DCNS.
So, do we get the canoe, too? For all the serious and weighty talk of national security, there must surely be a better way for Australia to decide to spend $50 billion on a dozen submarines and not upset a close friend.
France might well be a deserving winner on the technical specs, but this tortuous saga has resulted in one very definite loser, Australia's "best friend in Asia" - Japan.
It's bad enough that Bill Shorten almost but not quite invoked the "Yellow Peril" in an overly zealous demand to build the subs locally, only for a Coalition Defence minister to declare he wouldn't trust Australia's shipmaker to "build a canoe".
Nevers: A French court has found a Dutch dentist accused of causing "mutilations" to many patients guilty of assault and fraud, sentencing him to eight years in prison and a life ban on practising dentistry.
Jacobus Van Nierop showed no signs of emotion when the court in the central town of Nevers returned its verdict on Tuesday.
About 100 plaintiffs filed complaints against Van Nierop, ranging from having multiple healthy teeth removed, drill bits left in their gums and teeth, abscesses, recurrent infections and misshapen mouths after he did work on patients.
Van Nierop, dubbed the "horror dentist", was accused of causing "mutilations" or "permanent disabilities" to scores of patients from 2009 to 2012, of overcharging patients and billing them for imaginary procedures and of illegally practising dentistry in France.
Cruz scored as low as 10 per cent and no higher than 22 per cent in the five states, but has proved to be a more wily grass roots campaigner, reportedly ensuring that a good number of delegates who Trump believes are his, will vote for Cruz after the first ballot in a brokered convention. Hillary Clinton smiles during an election night event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Credit:Bloomberg But after his own, and Trump's figures on Tuesday night, it will be harder for Cruz to argue that in the face of Trump's divisive campaign, he Cruz is just the man to unify the party. A shared strategy between the Cruz and Kasich campaigns is that they can block Trump from winning the 1237 delegates he needs, and then offer themselves to Republicans as the party's saviour. Before giving his victory speech, Trump assured reporters in a kerbside interview that he could unify a party that had been "fractured, but it'll be amazing how quickly it'll be unified".
He also poked at Cruz and Kasich, urging them to quit the race. "They have no way to get there, there's no highway, there's no anything and they really should drop out of the race. They have no way of getting there. I'm millions of votes ahead many millions of votes ahead and I'm hundreds of delegates ahead," Trump said. "They really should drop out and we will unify the party." Cruz was doing no such thing. "Tonight, Donald Trump is expected to have a good night," he said, speaking earlier to supporters in Knightstown, Indiana. But Cruz then predicted that the race would turn his way because of the support he would get in states like Indiana: "Tonight this campaign moves back to more favourable terrain." Kasich might have been pleased to come second to Trump in four of the five states. But the margins were embarrassing Connecticut, 30; Rhode Island, 40; Delaware, 41; Maryland, 33 and seemed to puncture one of his key arguments, that he would be more appealing than Trump to the more moderate Republicans in the east.
Kasich's public statements as the results came in spoke volumes about his performance he was back home in Ohio and he made no statements, to the media or to supporters. Sanders needed big state-by-state victories on Tuesday if he was to continue as a serious challenger to Clinton. He didn't get them he won ahead of Clinton in Rhode Island, by 12 per cent; but lost to her in Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania, by margins of 21, 31 and 13, respectively. Clinton also won Connecticut. Sanders is reluctant to concede at this stage, despite Clinton's coded messages appeals for party unity; her millions more votes that Sanders; and not so subtlety pointing out how she urged her supporters to vote Obama in 2008. His speech as counting continued on Tuesday night was described by The New York Times' Nicholas Confessore as a "non-drop-out drop-out" speech "It had all the elements. A defence of how far he has come. A description of the wins he's had. A promise to keep fighting. All that was missing was "I'm dropping out'." In a telling interview earlier in the day with The New York Times, Sanders' senior strategist Tad Devine seemed to imply that he understood the jig is up. Anticipating Clinton's strong showing on Tuesday night, Devine said there would be a "reassessment".
The Times report said: "As Mr Sanders spent the morning happily greeting voters across Philadelphia, his senior campaign strategist said the senator understood the challenges ahead and would talk with his staff on Wednesday to decide how his bid will continue." Devine was quoted saying: "If we don't get enough today to make it clear that we can do it by the end, it's going to be hard to talk about it. That's not going to be a credible path. Instead, we will talk about what we intend to do between now and the end and how we can get there." So for now, the old boy keeps fighting. An appeal to supporters for donations, sent out by his campaign on Tuesday, featured one of Clinton's family snaps - a photo of herself and husband Bill attending Trump's wedding. At the same time Sanders was appealing over the heads of voters to the Democrat's super delegates and party leaders, arguing that across the American voting spectrum he has much greater appeal than Clinton national polls do show he would defeat Trump more convincingly than Clinton might.
Sanders also argues that Clinton's claim to have millions of votes more than he does is a bit dodgy, because in the New York contest alone, as many as three million independent voters had been locked out of a ballot that was open only to registered Democrat voters. Clinton was ecstatic on Tuesday night she could afford to be. Sounding more party nominee than mere primaries contender, she told a rally of supporters in Philadelphia: "What a great night. We're going to come back to Pennsylvania for the Democratic National Convention with the most votes and the most pledged delegates". In an odd turn up for Clinton, more Democrat voters in Maryland said they were inspired more by her than by Sanders 96 to 78, according to media exit polling. With the exception of young voters, Clinton out-polled Sanders in all key demographics in Maryland. Seven in 10 Democratic voters in Pennsylvania said that the campaign has energised rather than divided their party.
First Mid-Illinois Bancshares Inc. of Mattoon, Ill., plans to buy First Clover Leaf Financial Corp. of Edwardsville in a deal valued at about $90 million.
First Mid-Illinois Bancshares will offer First Clover Leaf's shareholders a choice of $12.87 in cash per share, or 0.495 shares of First Mid-Illinois stock for each First Clover Leaf Financial Corp. share, the banks announced Tuesday. First Clover Leaf's stock closed Monday at $9.60.
The deal will give First Mid-Illinois a deeper reach into Metro East. The bank has more than 40 offices, most in central and southern Illinois, including two branches in Highland. First Clover Leaf has six offices in Metro East and one in Clayton.
First Clover Leaf has assets of $655 million and First Mid-Illinois has assets of $2.1 billion. Both banks are profitable.
The sale needs approval from bank regulators and is expected to close in the second half of this year. First Mid-Illinois intends to place its own name on First Clover Leaf branches.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The estimated value of the deal was updated at 6:20 p.m.
ST. LOUIS A heavy thunderstorm that formed in central Missouri moved into the metro area Tuesday afternoon with drenching rain, scattered hail, high wind and even a glancing blow from a weak tornado.
The National Weather Service reported Tuesday night that an EF0 tornado touched down briefly in western St. Charles County, causing minor tree and roof damage. It touched down at 1:22 p.m. at Missouri Highways D and T. An EF0 is the weakest on the Enhanced Fujita scale, signifying winds from 65 to 85 mph.
The Weather Service also reported hail, some as large as one inch in diameter, on both sides of the Mississippi River. Winds as strong as 60 mph were reported in Union, Eureka and Hazelwood. Limbs six inches in diameter were torn from trees in Weldon Spring and Wood River.
The Weather Service recorded 1.1 inches of rain at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. About 27,000 customers of Ameren lost power during the storms, with heaviest concentrations of outages were in eastern St. Charles and north St. Louis counties.
The storm caused Sperreng Middle School in the Lindbergh district to lose power and phone service, according to an alert sent to parents at 2:10 p.m. Backup lights were in use, with communications handled through the district's main offices.
The Weather Service expects another round of storms to hit about 3 a.m. Wednesday and stick around for much of the day. The chance for rain Wednesday is 70 percent.
By midnight, the thunderstorms should be moving out.
The Weather Service meteorologists at the Weldon Spring office say the severe weather can include a chance of a tornado, more so on Wednesday than Tuesday.
The high Tuesday was 83 degrees in the morning, falling to 63 by late afternoon. Wednesday's high will be about 78, forecasters say.
Friday should be partly sunny with a high near 72. On Friday night, there is a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. The weekend has a similar forecast.
Chinese and Indonesian officials pledged to boost security ties, marine cooperation and infrastructure investment, state media reported on Tuesday, after a diplomatic spat over what Indonesia called a breach of its sovereignty by the Chinese coast guard.
The report came after a meeting between Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi, who outranks the foreign minister, and Indonesia's chief security minister Luhut Pandjaitan. Pandjaitan is visiting China this week.
The two countries will strengthen defense ties including in anti-terrorism, law enforcement, curbing narcotics, as well as "marine cooperation," according to the official Xinhua news agency.
Jakarta and Beijing will also work together in the fields of railway, electric power, mining, aerospace, agriculture and fisheries, Xinhua added.
Indonesia attempted to detain a Chinese trawler it accused of fishing in its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, prompting the Chinese coast guard to intervene last month.
China has said its vessels were operating in "traditional fishing grounds."
Indonesia is not embroiled in the rival claims with China over the South China Sea and has instead seen itself as an "honest broker" in disputes between China and the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.
Pandjaitan has previously said Indonesia would maintain good relations with China but "without sacrificing Indonesia's sovereignty," and had urged Chinese ships not to enter Indonesia's maritime territory near the northern Natuna Islands, where Indonesia said the incident took place.
China's increasingly assertive military posture in the South China Sea, a strategic shipping corridor that is also rich in fish and natural gas, has rattled the United States and its allies in Southeast Asia.
Scores of Taiwanese fishermen protested yesterday outside Japans representative office in Taiwan to demand an apology over the seizure of one of their fishing boats by the Japanese coast guard.
The fishermen lobbed eggs and clashed briefly with police while delivering a petition at the Interchange Association, which handles relations between the two in the absence of formal diplomatic ties.
Taiwans government has called the boats seizure Monday about 150 nautical miles southeast of Japans Okinotori islands an illegal act, saying it was fishing in international waters at the time. The uninhabited islands, located more than 1,700 kilometers south of Tokyo, consist mostly of partially submerged coral reefs.
The boat owner, Pan Chung-chiu, said he paid a USD54,442 bond to secure the release of the Tung Sheng Chi No. 16 and its 10 crew members.
As a fisherman of [Taiwan] I didnt do anything wrong, said Pan.
At yesterdays protest, chairman of the National Fishermens Association Lin Chi-tsang compared the seizure to pirates asking for a large ransom.
Japan considers the surrounding waters to be its exclusive economic zone, give it rights to fish stocks and other resources in the area. To help maintain that status, it has been shoring up structures built on the reefs. AP
Restoring confidence to setting up business partnerships is the aim of the new Angola-China Chamber of Commerce, whose governing bodies include important figures from Angolan society and the business world.
The institution, which is a continuation of the former Angola-China Friendship Association, established in 1995, is group of several Chinese associations in Angola, a community currently consisting of about 200,000 individuals and to stimulate business partnerships between the two countries.
In addition to a board made up of 27 Angolan and Chinese businesspeople, the Chambers president is Arnaldo Calado, former CEO of Angolan national diamond company Endiama, as President of the General Assembly Paulo Kassoma, former president of the National Assembly and one of its promoters is Carlos Feijo, one of Angolas most renowned lawyers.
In an interview with Angolan newspaper Novo Jornal, Calado said that the Chamber will act as a platform for Angolan and Chinese businesspeople.
It will be good to bring these Chinese private interests together with ours. We have several entrepreneurs who unfortunately lack funds, have space and ideas [] but lack the funds, said the head of the Chamber, referring to the credit lines opened by China.
The most important thing in business is trust. That has not happened so far. The lack of confidence of Chinese entrepreneurs due to various situations will be minimised with the Chamber. Our partners will have our seal of approval. There is no suspicion here. This is key in business. And it is something that the Chinese did not have before, he said.
The Chamber currently brings together over 200 Angolan companies and more than 100 Chinese companies.
The Chamber has seven strategic areas made up of the offices for food, agro-industry and fisheries; construction, housing and infrastructure; transport and logistics; banking, insurance and capital markets; tourism, housing and culture; health and education; water, energy and mineral resources; innovation, information and communication technology; trade, industry and services.
Our time is short, we have to move fast. Over and above the time we have to prepare the studies, we have to have other elements. For example, if a Chinese investor is interested in investing in a farm in one of the provinces, we have to mention that this money will have to enter the BNA, go through the procedures and all these things that are out of our hands. As the Chamber we will put pressure on, Calado told Novo Jornal.
Fortunately we have a political climate that allows us to negotiate. We do not have the problems that exist in many countries. I think that despite the economic and financial crisis affecting the whole world, and also Angola, the political and legal climate, of the laws governing business in the country is considered very good, he said.
With low oil prices dragging on that has made diversification of the economy more urgent and the drying up of several credit lines to stimulate economic activity, the Chinese financing has become increasingly important for Angola.
According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), China will continue to be an important partner, which was evident in the announcement made February that USD5.3 billion of Chinese credit lines will be used to finance 155 public investment projects across the country.
According to the EIU in its latest report on Angola, the government of Luanda is expected to continue prioritizing the payment of debts to China, in order to ensure the continuation of the Chinese credit. MDT/Macauhub
In a joint report to the European Parliament and the Council, the European Union (EU) Commission has released its annual whitepaper on the state of Macau during 2015, claiming that the one country, two systems principle [has] continued to work well, to the benefit of the Macau SAR, China as a whole, and the international community.
The EU report, which was released on Monday, reaffirms as in earlier years the EU adherence to the one China policy and the supports the one country, two systems principle and its implementation.
It noted that the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens continued to be respected and that positive steps were taken towards improving the wages of low-paid workers and combating domestic violence and trafficking in human beings.
Echoing reports earlier this year from the US state department however, the EU reminded the parliament and council of increasing concerns of self-censorship in Macaus media.
There is growing self-censorship [] particularly in Chinese-language media and when reporting on Chinese affairs. The international media operate freely, it resolved.
The report had this to say with regards to Chui Sai On: The Chief Executive was elected in 2014, in an election in which he ran uncontested. This was the third time in a row that only one candidate stood for election to the Chief Executive post. While Macaus Basic Law and other legislative acts do not provide for the possibility of universal suffrage, the EU encourages the Macau authorities to consider ways to promote greater public involvement in the election of the Chief Executive, thereby enhancing the legitimacy of the position and contributing to good governance.
In the economic dimensions, the report concluded that the market-based economy continued to function efficiently but that economic growth has suffered from a decline in gaming revenues, on which the SAR is over-reliant.
Despite a contraction in Macaus economy, bilateral trade grew significantly in 2015 due to an increase in the export of machinery and transport equipment. Trade relations led in 2015 to a general flourishing of relations between the two territories, the report said.
In a cautionary note the EU warned that the MSAR remains vulnerable to money laundering as its massive gaming sector provides avenues for illegal money flowing out of the mainland. However it congratulated a landmark agreement between China and Macau in August to increase cooperation and improve the implementation of suggestions by the Financial Action Task Force.
Macaus economic cooperation and integration with mainland China advanced at a fast pace, especially with Guangdong Province, helping to overcome Macaus shortage of land and human resources, read the EU report, adding that, in this connection, administrative reforms have been announced.
On external policy, the government continued to boost Macaus role as a service platform for trade and economic cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, the report noted. [The government] supported the operations of the Sino-Portuguese Cooperation Development Fund, and promoted Macau as a bridge for trade and investment between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.
On a broader level, bilateral relations between the EU and Macau remained very positive with the two sides in 2015 reviewing the developments in their relationship and exploring new areas for cooperation.
Future priorities in the relationship will include greater cooperation to diversify Macaus economy, attempts to maximize the benefits of a closer China-Macau economic partnership, cooperation on legal and regulatory affairs and collaboration in the areas of research and innovation. It will also step up efforts to cooperate on the fight against human trafficking. Daniel Beitler
The fate of hundreds of asylum seekers being held in a detention center in Papua New Guinea was in limbo yesterday as the countrys prime minister announced the facility would close in response to a court ruling that Australias detention of the men on the island nation is illegal.
Papua New Guineas Prime Minister Peter ONeill said he would immediately ask Australia to come up with alternative arrangements for the 900 asylum seekers and refugees currently held on the Pacific nations Manus Island.
The decision prompted fresh questions about the future of Australias divisive policy of refusing to accept asylum seekers who try to reach its shores by boat. Australia pays Papua New Guinea and Nauru to hold them in detention camps instead.
We did not anticipate the asylum seekers to be kept as long as they have at the Manus Center, ONeill said in a statement.
He said that those deemed to be legitimate refugees could resettle in Papua New Guinea if they wish to be a part of our society and make a contribution to our community.
It is clear that several of these refugees do not want to settle in Papua New Guinea and that is their decision, he said.
ONeills announcement, which gave no timeframe for the facilitys closure, follows a ruling by the nations Supreme Court on Tuesday that said the detention of the men at Manus was a violation of their constitutional right to personal liberty. Australian officials have been scrambling to respond to the decision, with Immigration Minister Peter Dutton saying none of the men will be resettled in Australia despite the pleas of human rights groups.
The chaos came as an Iranian refugee at Australias detention center on Nauru set himself on fire in an apparent protest over Australias strict asylum seeker policies. Dutton said the man would be airlifted off the island for medical treatment yesterday night.
He is in a very, very serious condition and his outlook is not good at all, Dutton told reporters.
Dutton insisted the court ruling would not change Australias policy. Australian officials were in talks with other countries that could potentially take detainees who had been declared genuine refugees, Dutton said. Australia already has a deal with Cambodia that allows refugees held on Nauru to settle there, though only five people have taken up that option.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the government had no immediate plan to contend with Tuesdays court ruling, which ordered both countries governments to quickly end the detention of the men held at the facility.
We were not a party to the litigation as you know, but this is something thats under consideration, Turnbull told reporters in Brisbane. I cant provide a definitive road map from here.
The 23-year-old Iranian refugee on Nauru set himself on fire in a protest intended to coincide with a visit to the island by representatives of the U.N. refugee agency, Naurus government said in a statement.
Self-harming incidents do happen on occasion at Australias immigration detention camps, with asylum seekers cutting themselves, swallowing chemicals or sewing their mouths shut as a form of protest. But the incident was particularly serious.
Asked if he felt any responsibility over the apparent desperation of asylum seekers left languishing in detention, Dutton replied: I feel terribly for people that have been conned by people smugglers to pay thousands of dollars believing that they were coming to Australia. Kristen Gelineau, Sydney, AP
A Walt Disney Co. cruise ship has rescued three fugitives off the coast of Cuba who were wanted in New Orleans.
U.S. Marshal Amos Rojas Jr. said in a news release that last week, the Disney Fantasy cruise ship found the fugitives clinging to a capsized boat. He says all three were wanted for violating their supervised release on federal credit card fraud charges in New Orleans.
Twenty-six-year-old Luis Rivera-Garcia, 23-year-old Juliet Estrada-Perez and 23-year-old Enrique Gonzalez-Torres were turned over to authorities in Florida.
The fugitives were Cuban nationals who were from the United States. Rojas says authorities believe the three may have been fleeing to Cuba to avoid prosecution.
Chinas national legislature is poised to vote this week on a draft law criticized by overseas governments for tightening controls over foreign non-governmental groups by bringing them under direct police supervision.
The proposed law requires that such groups accept police supervision and state the sources of their funding and how their budgets are spent, the official Xinhua News Agency reported yesterday.
Police would also be permitted to interview administrators and force Chinese partner organizations to terminate any program considered a threat to state security, Xinhua said. Groups seeking to subvert the state and split the nation would be banned, it said.
The proposed legislation has drawn criticism from U.S. and European officials and business and academic organizations concerned it would severely restrict the operations of a wide range of groups, further limiting the growth of civil society in China and hindering non-governmental exchanges between China and the rest of the world.
Several hundred NGOs founded, run or financed by foreigners are now operating in China in fields ranging from animal protection to human rights law.
Many overseas NGOs have partnered with Chinese academic and social, groups but operate in a legal gray area that leaves them vulnerable to crackdowns by the security forces.
In one recent example, China in January released and immediately deported a Swedish man it accused of training and funding unlicensed lawyers in the country.
The third and final draft of the foreign NGO law is expected to be voted on by the National Peoples Congress Standing Committee at its bi-monthly meeting this week. The committee handles the bulk of the congress legislative work outside of the full bodys annual two-week session.
Cooperative agreements between Chinese and overseas colleges, hospitals and science and engineering research institutes will continue to be handled under separate regulations.
Responding to some criticisms, the new draft would allow foreign NGOs to set up branches in multiple locations, eliminate a five-year limit on operating in China, and remove restrictions on hiring volunteers and staff.
It says the foreign NGOs would no longer need to seek approval for occasional programs but their Chinese partners need to register with local authorities 15 days before the activities.
The draft says the foreign NGOs, whether running permanent offices or operating occasional programs in China, generally would not be allowed to recruit new members except for those sanctioned by the state council. Thats mainly because China is encouraging its scientists to join influential international organizations on science and technology.
Of greatest concern to foreign groups and governments has been the naming of the Public Security Ministry as the overall body to govern foreign NGOs, something seen as casting those groups under undo suspicion. Those critics have suggested that the Civil Affairs Ministry would be a more logical oversight body.
Critics fear the law may lead to an onerous degree of scrutiny over administrators, with Xinhua saying police could bring investigations at will and demand the termination of any cooperation program considered to undermine state security.
Overseas NGOs, which engage in illegal activities including those to subvert the state and split the nation, will be blacklisted by police and banned from operating on the mainland, Xinhua said. AP
Benito Mussolini, dictator of Italy until his downfall in 1943, has been killed by partisans along with his mistress, Clara Petacci, and some close associates.
Their bodies were taken to Milan from the Lecco district near Lake Como where they were arrested and then killed yesterday.
According to the Times correspondent in Milan, the corpses of Mussolini, Petacci and 12 Fascists are on display in Piazzale Loreto with ghastly promiscuity in the open square under the same fence against which one year ago 15 partisans had been shot by their own countrymen.
One woman fired five shots into Mussolinis body, according to Milan Radio, and shouted: Five shots for my five assassinated sons!
Other passers-by spat on the bodies.
The executions are the first conspicuous demonstration of mob violence carried out by the partisans who until now have been kept under control by their leaders.
The partisan commander-in-chief General Raffaele Cadorna said such incidents were regrettable but desirable in this case as a way for the public to vent their anger against the former dictator and his cohorts.
Among the bodies were former general secretary of the Fascist Party, Roberto Farinacci and Carlo Scorza, former secretary of the party.
Mussolini was spotted yesterday heading towards Switzerland by an Italian customs guard at Dongo, near Lake Como. He was driving a car in a column of other German cars wearing a German greatcoat over his uniform.
Other members of his party were found in neighbouring villages.
It was in Milan that Mussolini founded Europes first fascist movement Fasci di Combattimento in 1919.
He came to power in 1922 after the so-called March on Rome.
By 1928 Mussolini was absolute dictator and took the title of Duce, leader, and embarked on an expansionist foreign policy taking Ethiopia in 1935 and annexing Albania in 1939. That same year Mussolini signed a Tripartite Pact with Adolf Hitlers Germany and Imperial Japan.
After defeats in Greece, the Balkans, North Africa and Russia, Mussolini lost popularity. Then on 9 July 1943 the Allies landed in Sicily and Italy was faced with an invasion of its mainland.
Mussolini failed to secure assurances from Germany of adequate support against such an invasion and the Fascist Grand Council turned against him and had him arrested on 25 July.
Marshal Pietro Badoglio was appointed prime minister, dissolved fascist organisations and negotiated an armistice with the Allies.
Six weeks later the Germans launched a dramatic rescue of Mussolini. He was made head of the puppet republic of Salo also known as the Italian Social Republic once the Germans had occupied northern Italy in September 1943.
On 11 October 1943 the Badoglio government declared war on Germany.
Courtesy BBC News
In context
It was later reported the mutilated bodies of Mussolini and his mistress had been hung upside down outside the forecourt of a Milan garage.
Beside them was Alessandro Pavolini, who had headed the black brigades to hunt down partisans and former leader of the Fascist Party Achille Starace.
On the following day Mussolini was buried in the family tomb in the village of Predappio.
The Committee of National Liberation in northern Italy publicly accepted responsibility for the executions and called them a necessary conclusion to a phase of history which has left Italy in a state of material and moral ruin.
Two days after Mussolinis death, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in his bunker in Berlin and the war was effectively over in Europe.
With Japans top diplomat making a rare visit to Beijing later this week, Chinas Foreign Ministry said yesterday that frequently tense relations with Tokyo have been getting better.
Spokeswoman Hua Chun-ying told reporters yesterday that Fumio Kishidas visit starting tomorrow comes as ties have shown signs of improvement, yet in the meantime are still facing challenges.
We hope Japan can meet China halfway [] properly deal with the issues and make concrete contributions to the sound and steady development of the bilateral relationship, Hua said at a regularly scheduled news briefing.
Kishida is due to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other officials for talks on bilateral relations and other issues of common concern, Hua said.
Many Chinese believe Japan has yet to truly atone for its brutal World War II invasion of much of China. High-level exchanges have been largely frozen since Japan nationalized a string of uninhabited East China Sea islands claimed by China in 2012, setting off violent anti-Japanese protests in several Chinese cities. AP
Drafted as a guiding tool to define the strategies for the future of the region, the five-year plan for the development of MSAR has the ultimate goal of transforming Macau into a World Centre for Tourism and Leisure (WCTL). The public consultation phase of the plan kicked off yesterday.
Presented yesterday in a press conference held at the government headquarters, the first ever five-year plan is the first work done by the Committee for Development of the World Centre for Tourism and Leisure the task force created by the Chief Executive (CE) to help advance this transformation.
The advisor to the Chief Executives office Lei Ngan Leng, said that the plan is only a semi-completed version.
During yesterdays presentation, the Macau SAR Policy Research Office coordinator Lao Pun Lap said that the plan is divided into four major areas or topics, namely Strategies, Peoples Life, Development and Good Governance.
Among them are the intentions to create a new image of a cultural Macau, to elevate the citys competitiveness, to implement the strategy of prosperity through education and to build the platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries.
Peoples Life is probably the topic that raises the most interest from society. In addressing this topic, the five-
year plan proposes to speed-up the construction of a city with ideal living conditions through developments in five main areas: land and urban planning; infrastructure construction; transportation and intelligent city; environmental protection and security.
Regarding land resources, the plan states that the government should start the works of reforming the old neighborhoods and building new urban areas.
This raised questions from journalists, who recalled that the Urban Master Plan is a long-awaited document whose completion date is seemingly never forthcoming.
Although not clearly stated, that urban plan is considered in this document, so it should be completed by 2020, explained the advisor to the CE Lei Ngan Leng.
Regarding infrastructure construction, the highlight is the Islands Hospital. According to the five-year plan, its completion will be delayed at least for another year. The plan states that by 2019 (the date previously indicated by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, for the conclusion of the project) only the Institute of Nursing and the residential building to host staff members will be completed.
The Transportation and Intelligent City chapter includes pledges to control the number of vehicles on the territorys roads to settle at a growth rate of between 3.5 and 3.8 percent from now until 2020.
As for public transportation, the plan focuses on promoting ecological buses, adopting the use of more buses fueled by natural gas. The plan aims to raise the number of these vehicles within Macau to 120.
Environmental protection is another of the topics included in the plan. It lists measures such as the use of more electric vehicles and the creation of 200 charging stations between 2016 and 2019. The planning for these sorts of facilities is also included in the upcoming public housing developments.
The Philippine military came under increased pressure yesterday to rescue more than 20 foreign hostages after their Muslim extremist captors beheaded a Canadian man, but troops face a dilemma in how to succeed without endangering the remaining captives.
Abu Sayyaf gunmen beheaded John Ridsdel on Monday in the southern province of Sulu, sparking condemnations and prompting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to pledge to help the Philippines pursue the extremists behind the heinous act.
Canada condemns without reservation the brutality of the hostage takers and this unnecessary death, Trudeau told reporters. This was an act of cold-blooded murder and responsibility rests squarely with the terrorist group who took him hostage.
Ridsdels head, which was placed in a plastic bag, was dumped by motorcycle-riding militants Monday night in Jolo town in impoverished Sulu, a densely forested province about 950 kilometers south of Manila, where the Abu Sayyaf and allied gunmen are believed to be holding 22 foreign hostages from six Western and Asian countries.
Its a politically sensitive time for troops to carry out major offensives, at the height of campaigning in a closely fought race among four contenders in the May 9 presidential election. President Benigno Aquino III and opposition politicians have had differences over the handling of the Muslim insurgency and the social ills that foster it.
The pressure on the armed forces is really immense, said Julkipli Wadi, who has conducted extensive studies on the Muslim secessionist conflict in the south.
The underfunded military has to contend with escalating territorial disputes in the South China Sea while dealing with Muslim and Marxist rebellions that have endured through several presidencies, fueled by the poverty, neglect and desperation that have not been tamed by political leaders, Wadi said.
A large-scale offensive could displace many villagers and draw attention to the longstanding security and social issues in the vote-rich south, homeland of minority Muslims in the largely Roman Catholic nation.
That could play to the advantage of Rodrigo Duterte, the tough-talking city mayor from the south who has emerged as the front-runner in the presidential race by a lofty promise to end crime in six months and restore law and order. Aquino has endorsed another candidate, Mar Roxas, whose platform focuses on continuing the presidents anti-corruption drive and economic reforms. All the presidential candidates condemned the beheading.
The Philippine military and police said there will be no letup in the effort to combat the militants and find the hostages, even though they have had little success in safely securing their freedom. Many hostages were believed to have been released due to huge ransom payments.
The full force of the law will be used to bring these criminals to justice, they said in a joint statement.
About 2,000 military personnel, backed by Huey and MG520 rocket-firing helicopters and artillery, are involved in the manhunt for the militants, who are believed to be massing in Sulus mountainous Patikul town, military officials said.
While under pressure to produce results, government troops have been ordered to carry out assaults without endangering the remaining hostages, including in the use of airstrikes and artillery fire, a combat officer told The Associated Press by cellphone from Sulu. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters.
Amid the offensive, Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado resigned yesterday in Sulu as commander of an army brigade due to conflict of approach in addressing the Abu Sayyaf threats in the province. Arrojado did not elaborate.
In past militant videos posted online, Ridsdel and fellow Canadian Robert Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipino Marites Flor were shown sitting in a clearing with heavily armed militants standing behind them. In some of the videos, a militant aimed a long knife at Ridsdels neck as he pleaded for his life. Two black flags with Islamic State group-like markings hung in the backdrop of lush foliage.
The four were seized from a marina on southern Samal Island and taken by boat to Sulu, where Abu Sayyaf gunmen continue to hold several captives, including a Dutch bird watcher who was kidnapped more than three years ago, and Indonesian and Malaysian crewmen who were snatched recently from three tugboats.
Ridsdel was killed after the militants failed to receive a huge ransom demand by a Monday deadline. A police official said the killing of five and wounding of about 16 Abu Sayyaf gunmen in a military assault three days before the beheading may have angered the extremists and helped lead them to decide to kill him in revenge.
In Canada, Ridsdel was remembered as a brilliant, compassionate man with a talent for friendship. Jim Gomez, Manila, AP
CHINAs national legislature is poised to vote this week on a draft law criticized by overseas governments for tightening controls over foreign non-governmental groups by bringing them under direct police supervision.
CAMBODIA Prime minister Hun Sen calls upon all of Cambodian society to help deal with the worst drought in at least four decades, which has left about two-thirds of the countrys 25 provinces short of water for drinking and other necessities.
PHILIPPINES The military comes under increased pressure to rescue more than 20 foreign hostages after their Muslim extremist captors beheaded a Canadian man, but troops face a dilemma in how to succeed without endangering the remaining captives.
AUSTRALIA Papua New Guineas Supreme Court rules that Australias detention of asylum seekers at a facility on the Pacific nations Manus Island is unconstitutional. The ruling could jeopardize Australias divisive policy of refusing to accept any asylum seekers who try to reach its shores by boat.
INDIA A massive fire guts the National Museum of Natural History in Indias capital, one of the countrys top museums.
TURKEYs Islamic-rooted ruling party has denied it has plans to change the nations secular constitution into a religious one. The statement from senior party officials came a day after speaker Ismail Kahraman said majority-Muslim Turkey should have a religious constitution.
IRAN State TV reports that the countrys foreign ministry has summoned Switzerlands ambassador to Tehran over a U.S. Supreme Court decision to permit the families of victims of a 1983 bombing in Lebanon and other attacks linked to Iran to collect nearly USD2 billion of frozen funds from Iran.
UK Thousands of doctors have posted picket lines outside hospitals around England in the first all-out strike in the history of the National Health Service. The 2-day strike marks the first time that even emergency services are affected by industrial action. More than 125,000 appointments and operations have been cancelled.
CUBA Cardinal Jaime Ortega, who oversaw a warming of relations with the Communist government and played a role in the secret negotiations that led to U.S.-Cuba detente, has stepped down, the Vatican announced. He is being replaced as archbishop of Havana by Juan de la Caridad Garcia Rodriguez, the archbishop of Camaguey.
The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund has released endorsements in the upcoming Idaho primaries, and locally it is backing two state legislative incumbents and one challenger.
The fund is endorsing incumbent Reps. Pete Nielsen, R-Mountain Home, and Steve Hartgen, R-Twin Falls, plus Reggy Sternes, who is taking on Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, in the primary.
Nielsen is running against Megan Blanksma, who also got an A from the pro-gun rights group, and Justin Freeman, who didn't fill out the NRA's questionnaire. Mary Bello, who is running against Hartgen, also got an A from the NRA. Sternes got an A based on his answers, while the group gave the incumbent Bell a C-minus.
The NRA generally backs the incumbent if both the incumbent and challenger are equally pro-gun, which would appear to be the case with Nielsen/Blanksma and Hartgen/Bello. The website doesn't spell out the criteria used, but it's a safe bet that Bell's votes against permitless carry within city limits this year and against "campus carry" in 2014 were factors. Bell was one of the few Republicans to oppose these bills.
The NRA is endorsing Curt McKenzie for state Supreme Court, and Raul Labrador and Mike Simpson for re-election to Congress.
Early voting has already started, and Election Day is May 17.
A woman who wants to change Idahos faith-healing law is sending legislative candidates a questionnaire about their stances on the states legal protections for parents of children who get seriously sick or die after faith healing.
You can see the answers here; theyre updated every so often as more responses come in. April Hoy sent out the survey and has been posting updates on the Facebook page Childrens Right to LiveIdaho.
The only Magic Valley candidates to answer the survey so far are Dale Ewersen, the Republican running against Sen. Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum; Reggy Sternes, the Republican challenger in House District 25; and Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, the incumbent in the District 25 House seat.
Ewersen said he is against changing the law, while Sternes and Bell staked out more nuanced positions.
I do understand that something needs to be done but do know the parental rights issue is difficult as is the right of religious beliefs, Bell wrote in response. I cannot sponsor a bill, again, I do not have the background necessary to do so. However, I am very willing to be taught and helped with understanding this very serious issue.
Sternes wrote an essay on his campaign website explaining his position, in which he said he was sympathetic to the advocates concerns but also emphasized the importance of parental rights and religious freedom. He concluded by saying he doesnt have enough information yet to know how he would vote:
My research to date is composed of emotional articles written by those opposed to the current Idaho statute. Ive found no articles that support the other side of this matter. I certainly have not found compelling data or evidence that faith-based or religious healing is systematically harming children in Idaho. It may or it may not. I just dont have the data yet.
I believe it is incumbent upon me to do a balanced examination of the facts, siding with the current law until I have a complete understanding of the matter. Let me assure you, if my examination of the facts determine that children are being unduly harmed because parents or guardians are not using reasonable medical care thats available to them, despite their religious beliefs, Id support loosening or removing Idaho religious exemptions.
None of the candidates from Twin Falls District 24 have answered the survey yet, although Sen. Lee Heider, R-Twin Falls, is on record as being against changing the law. Deborah Silver, the Democrat who is running against him, has said she favors changing the law.
Idaho is one of the few states where religious beliefs can be used as a defense if a child dies as a result of lack of medical treatment, and also one of the few states where there are documented cases in recent years of children from faith-healing families dying from ailments that likely could have been prevented by medical care.
Some advocates, including a couple of former members of the faith-healing Followers of Christ Church, have been trying to get the law changed, and Boise Democrat Rep. John Gannon introduced bills in 2014 and 2016 to change it, but he hasnt been able to get a hearing, with some Republicans saying they worry about encroaching on religious freedom.
Idahos law has gotten a lot more attention lately, though, after the Guardian newspaper ran a lengthy article on the law, and Mariah Walton, who has pulmonary hypertension and is gravely ill because her parents didnt treat a hole in her heart when she was a child, has been on national news programs with her sister Emily and become the face of the movement to change the law.
So what do the rest of the surveys show? Many more Democrats than Republicans have answered so far, with most of the GOP incumbents ignoring the survey so far. Out of the nine Democratic newcomers and challengers and eight Democratic incumbents who have answered the survey so far, all support changing the law.
The Republicans are more divided going on the survey answers alone, two Republican challengers and two incumbents said they support changing the law, while one incumbent, Bell, was a maybe. Three of the Republican challengers are against changing the law, while two, including Sternes, said they would be open to it but need to learn more. One GOP challenger in northern Idaho, Priscilla Giddings, declined to fill out the survey.
The two Republican incumbents who favor a change are Sen. Lori den Hartog, R-Meridian, and Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls. Davis support could be crucial, given his leadership position.
In short, yes I support a change, but it would depend on what the change is, Davis wrote.
Ammon Emanuel Prolife, who is running as the Constitution Party candidate for the District 8B House seat currently occupied by Leadore Republican Merrill Beyeler, said he is against changing the law. He is the son of Pro-Life, an organic strawberry farmer from Letha and perennial candidate who ran for governor in 2014 and is running for U.S. Senate this year.
Prolife, the son, wrote:
More laws is hardly the answer. This is what the court system was designed for. If a jury finds parents guilty of gross neglect leading to their childs death, then thats that. Are you for forced vaccinations?
What is your position on abortion, because a lot more children died through surgical abortion than just 2, in 2012.
Furthermore, I will have you know, I am an entirely rational individual, which is why the name of my Health Care Provider is Jesus Christ. He offers better rates than socialized OtterCare, and a corrupt medical system in the pocket of big pharma. Good day.
TWIN FALLS A mom accused of selling two pounds of meth to undercover officers has now been charged with having 10 more pounds of the drug in her car while her son was a passenger.
Brenda Trinidi Sainz, 34, of Yakima, Wash., was arraigned Monday in Twin Falls County Magistrate Court on a felony trafficking charge. Prosecutors say she sold two pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover officer and confidential informant in Twin Falls earlier this month.
Prosecutors filed an additional trafficking charge against Sainz stemming from her Saturday arrest in Payette County with 10 pounds of methamphetamine in her car.
She was set to be arraigned Tuesday, but was taken to Jerome for a court hearing there. Online court records show a sealed case against Sainz in Jerome County.
Several law enforcement agencies were investigating Sainz and set up a controlled purchase of two pounds of methamphetamine for $5,000 earlier this month, court documents said. The next day officers placed a GPS tracking device on her car and she was arrested Saturday shortly after crossing into Idaho from Oregon.
Her 12-year-old son was taken into custody by child protection services and officers found 10 pounds of the drug in the trunk of her car, court documents said.
Sainz is being held in Twin Falls County Jail in lieu of $10,000 on the original trafficking charge and her preliminary hearing in that case is set for May 6. Bond on the new trafficking charge will be set when shes arraigned on that charge, likely on Wednesday.
BUHL With Buhl schools on soft lock-down and bomb-sniffing dogs en route from Mountain Home Air Force Base on Wednesday, the Twin Falls Police Departments bomb squad used a high-pressured shot of water to open what appeared to be an old pipe bomb.
Two hours after it was found by city crews on the edge of school property, the pipe burst open to reveal its true contents a list of names and signatures on an old, crumpled piece of paper.
The pipe bomb was nothing but a geocache container.
There were names and signatures of individuals who had located it dating back to 2011, said Lori Stewart, spokeswoman for the Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office. The most current name was posted March 26.
So what is a geocache?
Geocaching.com describes the activity as a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location.
While finding a geocache can often be challenging or adventurous, a Buhl city crew stumbled upon the geocache by accident about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday while grading a parking lot on the south side of Sawtooth Avenue, Stewart said. They reported it to police because it looked like a pipe bomb.
It looked so realistic, said Buhl Police Sgt. Bill Deetz.
The area where the pipe was found was on school property but far away from buildings, and there was never any threat to students, Stewart said. But out of precaution, students at the high school and middle school were kept in their classrooms until after the Twin Falls bomb squad detonated the pipe.
Sawtooth Avenue was closed from the Boys & Girls Club to Clear Lakes Road until the situation was deemed safe.
Great practice for Twin Falls bomb squad and a safe ending for all, Stewart said.
HAILEY | The Blaine County Education Foundation has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Wood River Womens Foundation to support four programs.
Blaine County Education Foundation provides support to all eight schools in the Blaine County School District through four programs: can do fund, academic excellence, education enhancement and teacher mini grants.
The can do fund assists students with financial needs based on recommendations approved by counselors, social workers and principals. The support includes classroom fees, college credit classes and insurance for students to participate in sports.
The academic excellence program helps students participating in academic clubs or extracurricular activities who are unable to pay for costs associated with competing locally, regionally or nationally. Some examples are Business Professionals of America, Model United Nations and Voice II.
Education enhancement provides extra classes to assist students who may be struggling with core academic classes or life skills. An example is the homework club at Bellevue Elementary School.
Teacher mini grants are offered twice a year for teachers to implement new and innovative ideas in their classrooms.
DENVER The upcoming wildfire season across the U.S. isnt expected to be as bad as last years infernos, when a record 15,800 square miles burned, the nations top wildland firefighting official said Wednesday.
But parts of the nation should expect a rough season after a warm, dry winter or because of long-term drought, U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell said.
Southern California, other parts of the Southwest, Alaska and Montana are all vulnerable, he said.
So where we anticipate the severity of the fire season will not be at the same level as last year, we still expect to have some areas that will be really active, Tidwell said.
Tidwell discussed the fire outlook with The Associated Press four days before the federal government issues its wildfire outlook for the summer season. He was in Denver for a conference on forest health.
California is vulnerable because much of the state remains in a drought, despite an El Nino weather system that brought near-average snowfall to its northern mountains. Wildfires have already broken out in Alaska after a warm winter with below-average precipitation.
Slightly more than half the land scorched by wildfires last year was in Alaska, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, which coordinates firefighting nationwide. Washington and Oregon accounted for 18 percent.
The Forest Service, the nations primary firefighting agency, spent a record $1.72 billion on firefighting last year.
The overall bill for wildfires, including prevention programs and the cost of putting crews, equipment and aircraft on fire lines, is consuming a growing share of the Forest Service budget. That has forced cuts in forestry research, campground and trail maintenance and other areas, Tidwell said.
The Obama administration has been pressing Congress to pay the cost of fighting the worst fires from natural disaster funds, rather than the Forest Service budget. Tidwell said the largest 1 or 2 percent of wildfires account for about 30 percent of the costs.
Congress has not agreed to the change, but it did approve an additional $520 million for fighting fires this season, Tidwell said.
He said climate change is making wildfires worse, heating up the air, drying out forests and extending the wildfire season by an average of 78 days since 1998. A growing number of homes at the forests edge, which firefighters call the wildland-urban interface, also drives up costs by forcing managers to concentrate crews and equipment to protect communities, he said.
Tidwell said state and federal agencies need to thin those forests to a more natural state to prevent fires and make them easier to fight. Researchers say decades of over-aggressive firefighting have left forests dense with living and dead trees and more prone to deadly mega-fires.
With a chuckle and a smile, Tidwell defended Smokey Bear, his agencys memorable mascot, from allegations of making things worse by portraying fire as evil instead of part of the natural cycle that kept forests healthy. Smokeys original message, Only you can prevent forest fires, has been updated to Only you can prevent wildfires.
Really, Smokey was just talking about those human-caused fires which actually occur at the wrong time of the year, not where the natural fire occurs, Tidwell said. Those are the fires that the Forest Service still wants to stop, he said.
Smokey Bear gets no blame for the situation we have today, he said.
I am writing this letter to support Tom Carter for sheriff. Tom has demonstrated that he has the qualifications necessary to manage the sheriff's office and has kept departmental spending at or under the department's $7 million annual budget. Because of his support for the Public Employee's Retirement System, Tom has been able to keep trained employees by offering competitive retirement packages. Tom provides school resource officers in schools on a county-wide basis and he has deputized all city police officers throughout Twin Falls County to eliminate jurisdictional problems between the city and county boundaries.
Looking forward to the future, Sheriff Carter will continue to implement new programs while maintaining his support of: self-defense classes for women taught by professional instructors to promote safety and self-confidence; senior citizen education to better protect them from becoming victims of scams, fraud and abuse; and the drone program, which provides support to search and rescue operations, can be used at crime scenes to ensure safety of first-responders and citizens and help locate illegal marijuana fields.
Tom is the only candidate with proven experience in managing people, a budget, a county jail and in creating and maintaining positive relationships with surrounding law enforcement agencies. Tom holds an executive-level certification, which is the highest law enforcement certification available in Idaho. He has instructed at the Peace Officers Standard Training Academy, and taught law enforcement classes at the College of Southern Idaho. In short, Tom has done an excellent job in a very demanding environment. The choice is clear, vote Tom Carter for sheriff.
Richard B. Stivers
Twin Falls
Grant is a dedicated professional and an expert in his field. I have worked with Grant for many years in both local and state politics and have found him to be a dedicated servant not only to our party but also to the residents of Twin Falls County. Through the Idaho Prosecutors Association, Grant was instrumental in helping to draft the wording for Senate Bill 1373; Anti-stalking and Protection Order Legislation. The bill was a bi-partisan effort and will pave the way to help many, many people.
Members of the UN Security Council Tuesday largely rejected Israels decision to seize forever the Golan Heights belonging to Syria, a move that the UNSC fears can sabotage Syrian peace talks.
The 15 members of the UN Security Council, chaired this month by China, have voiced their concerns indicating that the Israeli move violates international law.
Council members expressed their deep concern over recent Israeli statements about the Golan, and stressed that the status of the Golan remains unchanged, Chinas UN Ambassador Liu Jieyi told reporters at end of a closed-door meeting.
Ambassador Liu Jieyi added that the council resolution 497 of 1981 numbed Israels then decision to annex the Golan Heights.
Israels UN ambassador, Danny Danon hit back in a statement accusing UNSC members of being manipulated by some members to criticise Israel.
Holding a meeting on this topic completely ignores the reality in the Middle East, he said.
While thousands of people are being massacred in Syria, and millions of citizens have become refugees, the Security Council has chosen to focus on Israel, the only true democracy in the Middle East.
Its unfortunate that interested parties are attempting to use the council for unfair criticism of Israel, he added.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier this month said at a cabinet meeting on the Golan Heights that Israel will never surrender the territory to Syria and was keeping it for good.
Brussels and Washington chided Tel Aviv for the decision.
Israel occupied the Syrian territory in 1967 following the six-day war with Egypt, Syria and Jordan. It unilaterally annexed it in 1981. The annexation stirred international condemnations calling Israel to pull out.
Around 30 Jewish settlements housing 23,000 have been built in the area.
UN forces known as UNDOF stationed since 1974 on the Heights to monitor cease fire line over the past years have been forced to pull back from a number of positions due to fighting between militants and Syrian government forces reports say.
1Iran summoned Switzerlands ambassador, Gulio Haas, to protest against a US court ruling that allows the freezing of $2 billion of Iranian assets in the US for compensation purposes for terrorism. Switzerland represents US interests in Iran since diplomatic ties broke between Tehran and Washington.
Iranian Foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned that if the funds are diverted and plundered, Tehran will hold the US administration responsible and will lodge a complaint with the International Court of Justice for reparation.
Ambassador Haas was given two notes stating Tehrans official objection of the Supreme Courts ruling founded on baseless accusations without any documents or proof. It termed the ruling as a clear violation of agreed mutual commitments that violates judicial impunity, government properties and funds.
The Iranian Supreme Court added its voice to the matter through its judiciary news service Mizan Online stating that it was beyond the jurisdiction of the US judiciary because the courts of every country have authority over their own territory and international civil cases. It stated that the ruling was based on no logic other than the law of the jungle and are more like an instance of international banditry rather than legal action.
If the US goes ahead in freezing the funds and distributing them to the more than 1000 Americans that are to benefit from it, ties between the two countries will be dealt a significant blow. The sealing of the nuclear agreement in July 2015 has helped to ease tension between the two sides but Tehran has been unpleased with U.S policies.
Zarif, in an interview with the New Yorker published on Monday, asked if the US will be happy if people can legislate in other countries to confiscate American assets considering the number of crimes they have committed against Iran, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Tunisians will be called to elect leaders of their municipalities in March 2017, six years after the 2011 revolution, head of electoral commission told the media.
Following the 2011 revolution, Tunisian politicians suspended local municipalities and replaced them by special delegations pending future reforms.
Chafik Sarsar, Head of electoral commission, said authorities and political figures have reached a consensus to hold elections next March but the date is yet to be set.
Sarsar revealed that some few technical elements are still pending, including passing a law on municipalities, as the new constitution stipulates that municipalities cover the entire country.
There is a need to create new municipalities, extend others to enable all Tunisians to vote during the municipal elections, Sarsar said.
Prime Minister Essid had told local media that the election could take place either on March 12, 19 or 26.
Bahrain and Egypt have signed eleven Memorandums of Understanding in various fields during a joint business forum held in Cairo with both parties hoping to boost their trade relations. The volume of trade exchange between the two countries has increased over the years. Bahraini investment in Egypt is estimated around $1.7 billion and the just signed MoUs are expected to further increase it.
Chairman of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) Khalid Al-Rumaihi said the board will soon open an office in Egypt to facilitate trade between the two countries.
The MoUs cover the areas of investments, vocational training, scientific research, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals and electricity.
The Governor of Egypts Central Bank, Rasheed al-Maraj, thinks that public and private banks could export the development of the countrys Islamic financial instruments to the Gulf States and other regional countries stating that Egypt has a promising market for Bahraini banks too.
Activists line up to put flowers in crib in front of Pfizer world headquarters in New York, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The crib filled with flowers, organized by Doctors Without Borders, was delivered to Pfizer with a petition demanding that the pharmaceutical company lower the cost of the pneumonia vaccine. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Doctors Without Borders protested the price of pneumonia vaccines Wednesday by leading a march through midtown Manhattan and delivering a crib filled with flowers to a pharmaceutical company.
About 70 people walked silently and in single file to Pfizer's headquarters, where they placed 2,500 flowers in a crib as though laying tribute on a coffin. The flowers represented the number of children who die from pneumonia every day.
The crib was inscribed with the names of more than 370,000 people from 170 countries who had signed a petition for Pfizer Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline PLC, the two companies with pneumonia vaccine patents, to reduce the price of a round of vaccination from $10 per child to $5. Organizers then hauled the crib over to Pfizer representatives instead of handing them the petition on paper. Thousands more people signed the petition later Wednesday, the group said.
Advocates especially want cheaper versions to be available in poor countries and for humanitarian groups.
"Pfizer understands the importance of making vaccines available to as many people as possible," the company said in a statement. "Prevenar 13 is one of the most complex biologics ever developed and it takes 2.5 years to make a single dose."
Activists deliver a petition in a crib filled with flowers to Pfizer world headquarters in New York, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The crib delivery, organized by Doctors Without Borders, contained a petition demanding that the pharmaceutical company lower the cost of the pneumonia vaccine. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
The company said it provides the vaccine to eligible countries at a deep discount.
"We continue to help address humanitarian crises through donations of Prevenar 13 to humanitarian organizations and are in active discussions with additional humanitarian organizations to determine if more supply is needed," it said.
Fifty-four countries are currently eligible for the deep discounts, according to The Vaccine Alliance.
Security personnel at Pfizer headquarter take a crib filled with flowers and a petition into the building in New York, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The crib delivery, organized by Doctors Without Borders, contained a petition demanding that the pharmaceutical company lower the cost of the pneumonia vaccine. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
A plan to reduce the price in those countries to $9.30 for a 3-dose round of vaccine amounts to a "paltry" savings; and a "vast swath" of developing countries, including Syria, Libya and multiple Latin American countries, won't be eligible, said Kate Elder, Doctors Without Borders' vaccines policy adviser.
A round of pneumonia vaccinations in the U.S. costs about $465 per child, she said.
Nearly 1 million children die from pneumonia every year. That number could be reduced "significantly" by lowering the price of the vaccine, which prevents most but not all strains of the disease, Doctors Without Borders spokesman Francois Servranckx said.
Activists put flowers in crib in front of Pfizer world headquarters in New York, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The crib filled with flowers, organized by Doctors Without Borders, was delivered to Pfizer with a petition demanding that the pharmaceutical company lower the cost of the pneumonia vaccine. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
"It makes me sad when children die for reasons beyond our control, and it makes me angry when they die from diseases that are treatable or preventable," said Deane Marchbein, the president of the U.S. board of directors for Doctors Without Borders.
The medical aid group said Pfizer had $6 billion in sales of the pneumonia vaccine in the last year, and the group has been trying to negotiate the vaccine price for the last six years.
Protesters converged on Pfizer headquarters a day before the drug company's shareholders meeting.
Last month, Doctors Without Borders filed a challenge to Pfizer's patent application in India, saying it would prevent companies from making more affordable pneumonia vaccines.
Explore further MSF challenges Pfizer's India vaccine patent application
2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Swiss SME NeMoDevices and its partners have developed and patented two groundbreaking sensors to help doctors save the lives of patients threatened by strokes and other brain injuries. With commercialisation negotiations now underway, NeMoDevices and project partner Creaholic are exploring new applications for their technology.
Around 7 million people suffer brain damage due to stroke, heart attack and head trauma every year across the EU alone. The economic cost is among the highest of any medical condition, to say nothing of the impact on patients and their families.
One key to reducing this suffering is to give doctors a better picture of how much oxygen is getting to the brain. The problem, explains NeMoDevices' founder Professor Emanuela Keller, is that "only imaging devices can measure cerebral blood flow accurately, but they're too bulky for the bedside or surgical theatres. We do have ultrasound at the bedside, but it doesn't measure the volume of blood flowing, nor its oxygen concentration. Both factors are critical to preventing brain damage."
In 2000, Professor Keller realised that optoelectronics could do better. As head of the Neurointensive Care Unit at University Hospital Zurich, she turned to the University's engineers for help. Seven years of research and two patents followed.
University spin-off
"Those first patents were very ideas-based, so we still had work to do," Professor Keller recalls. "NeMoDevices was founded as a spin off with exclusive licenses for the patents by the University and ETH Zurich in 2007."
Four years later, NemoDevices launched Opto-Brain with Swiss innovation house Creaholic, German usability experts Use-lab, and medical universities from Austria and Germany for clinical testing.
Together, the three SMEs developed two new products: NeMo Probe, which is inserted into the brain to measure bloodflow directly, and NeMo Patch, which measures via a patch applied to the scalp. Both monitor the quantity and oxygen concentration of blood flowing in the brain using miniaturised optoelectronics, measuring the way four laser beams reflect off blood vessels in the brain. Two more patents resulted from the project.
The two devices are complementary, explains Professor Keller. "While we need to drill a hole in the skull to use the Probe, doctors do that anyway to measure the pressure in the skulls of patients at risk. We shrank our Probe to the same size as today's pressure probes, so it measures much more without requiring more surgery."
The Patch, on the other hand, can monitor patients' cerebral blood flow from the bedside, non-invasively. This opens brain monitoring to entirely new groups of patients, potentially preventing brain damage in millions of people.
Multiple applications to come
"We didn't have all the skills we needed inhouse, so the Opto-Brain project was crucial in turning our research into marketable products," Professor Keller explains. "Use-Lab developed an interface suited to the clinical environment, which is absolutely critical if doctors are to accept any new technology. Creaholics skills with materials, on the other hand, were essential for the Patch in fact, they co-own that patent."
All three SMEs are growing as a result: NeMoDevices, awarded the CE mark in July 2015, are currently planning the market entry for their products and developing new medical applications in parallel; Use-Lab has launched a new medical design unit; and Creaholic is developing applications for the Patch outside the human body, for which they have exclusive licenses.
Explore further A new technique to test for brain damage in newborn babies
Provided by Eurostars
People recently released from correctional facilities in Ontario had a risk of dying from a drug overdose 56 times greater than the general population, a new study has found.
The life expectancy of people who are or have been incarcerated was also shorter than the general Canadian population, by 10.6 years for women and 4.2 years for men, according to the study published today in CMAJ Open.
"This is the first Canadian study to examine mortality rates in this population both during incarceration and after release," said Dr. Fiona Kouyoumdjian, a public health physician and post-doctoral fellow with the Centre for Research on Inner City Health of St. Michael's Hospital. "This study reveals a very high death rate in people who spend any time in provincial custody."
The study obtained data from the Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services on the nearly 50,000 people admitted to Ontario provincial correctional facilities in 2000, and then looked at death records at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences to determine how many of these people died between 2000 and 2012 and what they died of.
Dr. Kouyoumdjian said there may be opportunities to intervene during incarceration to prevent people from dying from causes such as overdose. These may include initiatives to divert people from incarceration to treatment programs, better access to drug substitution therapies and treatment programs, overdose prevention training and access to naloxone, which can reverse overdoses when they occur.
Dr. Kouyoumdjian said her study also found that the death rate for this population between 2000 and 2012 was four times as high as the rate for the general population over age 15. Of the 48,166 prisoners studied, 4,126 died, or 8.6 per cent.
While in custody, the death rate was double that of the general population.
Dr. Kouyoumdjian said the consistently high death rate, both in custody and after release to the community, suggests that it is not simply the experience of incarceration that increases the risk of death, but rather that this population is likely at high risk of death due to complex social, medical, and behavioural factors.
The most common cause of death among people who experienced incarceration was injury (which includes overdoses and suicides), diseases of the circulatory system and cancer.
In Canada there are more than 250,000 admissions to correctional facilities each year and about 40,000 people in correctional facilities on any given day - about one in every 250 people.
Explore further Hepatitis C prevention, control efforts should focus on incarcerated individuals
More information: CMAJ Open, DOI: 10.9778/cmajo.20150098
Provided by St. Michael's Hospital
There is widespread variation in the use of hip fracture surgery across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, concludes a study published by The BMJ today.
The findings show that, despite clear national guidelines, patients with higher levels of socioeconomic deprivation and those who require surgery at the weekend are less likely to receive it.
There are over 70,000 hip fractures in the United Kingdom every year, with a combined health and social cost of 2bn.
A number of studies have shown that patients who undergo total hip arthroplasty (THA) have better function and less need for repeat surgery. So in 2011, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended THA for patients with good cognitive and physical function who are fit enough for anesthesia and surgery.
But the extent to which surgeons comply with this guidance is unknown.
So a team of UK and US researchers set out to determine whether the use of THA among hip fracture patients is based on this guidance or if there are systematic inequalities.
Using the UK's National Hip Fracture Database, they analysed data for 114,119 adults aged 60 or over who received surgery for hip fracture at hospitals in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from July 2011 to April 2015.
The degree of non-adherence to this guidance was remarkable: only 32% of eligible adults received THA, and, of those who underwent the procedure, 42% did not meet the NICE eligibility criteria. There was also substantial variation in compliance between hospitals.
The researchers identified several variables that were associated with increased odds of receiving THA after fracture, including younger age, fewer co-morbid conditions, and better mobility before fracture.
Of particular concern, however, were the findings that being admitted on a weekday or being of a higher socioeconomic status were associated with increased odds that a patient would receive a THA.
The researchers suggest that availability of experienced hip surgeons "might account for the reduced use of this procedure observed at weekends."
This is an observational study, so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect. Nevertheless, the researchers say their results show "unexplained variation" - the so called "postcode lottery" - in the use of THA after a hip fracture.
"Further efforts are necessary to improve the use of THA for eligible patients and reduce unexplained variation in care for older adults with hip fractures," they conclude.
In a linked editorial, Harman Chaudhry at McMaster University in Canada says a lack of conclusive evidence on the benefits of THA and consensus among orthopedic surgeons about best practice may explain why there is such widespread non-compliance with the NICE guidelines.
He believes we need strong evidence to guide treatment decisions.
A concerted strategy to translate knowledge will be required, he says, combining dissemination of evidence based indications for THA with widespread mobilization and availability of specialized resources and personnel.
He acknowledges that there might never be a "silver bullet" intervention to improve the lives of patients with hip fracture. But calls for "evidence and models of care that facilitate standardization of hip fracture care nationally (and globally), ultimately rooting out biases in the system and improving the lives of patients after hip fracture."
Explore further Farmers are not just the backbone of a nation, they may have stronger hips too
More information: Inequalities in use of total hip arthroplasty for hip fracture: population based study, Inequalities in use of total hip arthroplasty for hip fracture: population based study, www.bmj.com/cgi/doi/10.1136/bmj.i2021 Editorialwww.bmj.com/cgi/doi/10.1136/bmj.i2217 Journal information: British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Working nights is bad for the heart
Working at night is unhealthy for the heart and increases the risk of sustaining coronary heart disease, meaning a disease of the coronary arteries. This is the result of a current, and one of the largest American cooperation studies under the management of Eva Schernhammer of the epidemiology division of MedUni Wien, which was published in the top journal JAMA today. First author is Celine Vetter of Harvard University in Boston.
Approximately 240,000 nurses, who were working day and night shifts at irregular intervals for around five years, were examined in the USA. The pivotal result: nurses, who also work nights for more than ten years have a 15 - 18% greater risk of developing a coronary heart disease than those working without nightshifts. However, the risk is also increases significantly after only five years of nightshift.
This also applies for those women who were classified as healthy and had no illnesses prior to entering the nightshift rhythm. Also in previous studies, MedUni Vienna epidemiologist from the Centre for Public Health was able to demonstrate with her research group at Harvard Medical School that - among other - also the breast and bowel cancer risk, the risk for diabetes or hypertension as well as for adiposity is elevated in nightshift workers.
At the same time, the researchers of the Centre for Public Health of MedUni Vienna were able to prove that the risk for coronary heart disease decreases continuously if the women change to a job exclusively with dayshifts or retire.
"Mini-Jet-Lag" at changes from night to dayshift
For this reason, the scientists recommend generally to reconsider the duty rosters for the nightshift and to offer preventative, company-internal health checks, but possibly also consider the "Chrono type" of the employee during the hiring process. Schernhammer: "Approximately 15% of the population are evening types and 20 % or more are morning types. The rest are mixed types." Sensitive types could suffer a "mini jet lag" along with sleeping disorders at a quick change between night and dayshifts.
Explore further Increased risk of coronary heart disease seen among women who work rotating night shifts
More information: Association between rotating night shift work and risk of coronary heart disease among women. C. Vetter, E. Devore, L. Wegrzyn, J. Massa, F. Speizer, I. Kawachi, B. Rosner, M. Stampfer, E. Schernhammer. JAMA, April 26, 2016. Journal information: Journal of the American Medical Association Association between rotating night shift work and risk of coronary heart disease among women. C. Vetter, E. Devore, L. Wegrzyn, J. Massa, F. Speizer, I. Kawachi, B. Rosner, M. Stampfer, E. Schernhammer., April 26, 2016. jama.jamanetwork.com/article.a 10.01/jama.2016.4454
Provided by Medical University of Vienna
Noroviruses are among the most common pathogens causing disease in humans. They are the most common cause of gastroenteritis globally and gastroenteritis is one of the most common ailments afflicting humans. Their role as a common cause of disease is also true among certain risk groups. Currently, in developed countries with routine rotavirus vaccination, noroviruses are the most common cause of severe pediatric gastroenteritis requiring medical care. The burden of norovirus disease is great in developing countries, as well. According to one well-designed multisite study of children in Africa and Asia, noroviruses are second only to rotavirus as a cause of diarrheal disease in the first few years of life. Globally, noroviruses are understood to be the most common cause of foodborne disease.
There is tragedy in this commonness: noroviruses are estimated to cause over 200,000 deaths per year globally, almost all of which are in developing countries where noroviruses are an important cause of child mortality. In developed countries, most outbreaks of norovirus occur in healthcare facilities, such as nursing homes (no, not cruise ships, like you might think from news reports). In these settings, where vulnerable populations reside, infection can result in severe disease, hospitalization or death.
If you can remember your most recent norovirus episode, you'd probably take issue with the old description that it's a 'mild and self-limiting' disease, even if you are an otherwise healthy adult. The vomiting, diarrhea and resulting dehydration may be short-lived but it is intense. It's not hard to imagine how a malnourished child in a community with limited healthcare access or an elderly person with other underlying health conditions could be severely affected by norovirus infection.
Incomplete Scientific Understanding, Insufficient Tools for Control
I'd argue there are two overarching barriers keeping us from making more progress in controlling norovirus. The first barrier is the range of technical issues that has slowed progress. Chief among these is the inability to efficiently grow norovirus in cell culture. Without a cell culture system, it's been difficult to develop diagnostics, infectivity assays and vaccines. Fortunately, we've seen important advances in the last decade in these areas including more sensitive diagnostics and even cultivating norovirus in cell culture. As we write in our Collection Review, these advances have the potential to accelerate control efforts. The second main barrier is norovirus's ubiquity, in so many domains. Is norovirus an issue of child survival, a food safety problem, a healthcare associated infection? Well, it's all of these, which may have hampered our community of researchers and public health workers from coalescing around a central problem.
Progress
It is for these reasons that last year, CDC and the Gates Foundation and other partners convened a scientific meeting in Atlanta, GA, USA bringing together representatives of government, academia, industry and philanthropy. The group was charged with reviewing the most up-to-date research on norovirus, identifying key gaps and detailing the studies needed to address them. The ultimate goal of the symposium was to orient the development of a norovirus vaccine for the populations that stand to benefit most: children in the developing world. The papers in this PLOS Collection represent some of the outcomes and new data called for at this meeting. Papers in this Collection offer new data on the epidemiology and burden of disease in Africa, the United States, and military populations, further highlighting how common norovirus is even as it affects geographically and demographically diverse groups. Another set of papers within the collection demonstrate how genetically diverse these viruses are, but that similar patterns are seen globally: genogroup II type 4 strains predominate; novel GII.4 strains serially replace each other every two to four years; and viral 'sex' (i.e. gene swapping through recombination) is the norm, not the exception. We also see progress in understanding immunity to norovirus, even in the absence of cell culture systems that could be used to raise neutralizing antibodies. Advances in all of these areas provide important information as wehopefullymove closer toward a safe and effective norovirus vaccine. Finally, we knew norovirus was a big, global problem, with a lot of open scientific questions. And now, thanks to an economic analysis published as part of this Collection, we know just how big that question is: it's a $60 billion question, every year, globally.
This story is republished courtesy of PLOS Blogs: blogs.plos.org.
Tbilisi and Istanbul forge ties as twin cities
The chief cities of Georgia and Turkey are now twin cities.The deal between Tbilisi and Istanbul means the bilateral relationship will strengthen, allowing the partnership to deepen and solidify.The Mayor of Georgias capital, David Narmania, is in Istanbul to meet with local officials and discuss ways to deepen ties between the two cities.Narmania and his Turkish counterpart Kadir Topbs signed a memorandum yesterday, making Tbilisi and Istanbul twin cities.We sorted out very specific issues for future cooperation. These issues are supporting investments, developing tourism, and deepening cultural ties between the cities," said Narmamia.There are some fields where Istanbuls experience is very important for Tbilisi. For example, we can have active cooperation with Istanbul in the field of managing the municipal transport and maintaining cultural heritage while renovating the city, he said.The memorandum also emphasised that Tbilisi and Istanbul would support each other on the international arena and cooperate in all international platforms.In recognition of becoming twin cities, Istanbul will gift Tbilisi five buses, said the press office of Tbilisi City Hall.
German EMS-Fehn-Group starts work on TAP
Experts from several member companies of the German EMS-Fehn-Group have started their work on the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), the message of the EMS said.The group, which consists of 19 companies with offices in various countries, is active in chartering, logistics, special transports, world-wide yacht transport, ship management (currently 19 vessels), stevedoring, terminal operations, warehousing, intra-logistics and crewing.During the project, 130,000 tons of pipes will be shipped from Brake city (Germany) to the Albanian port of Durres and from there via a storage area to the building site, according to the message.The first pipes were loaded in Brake March 21 and arrived in Durres eleven days later, the group said, adding that in total, 13 shipments are planned.TAP project envisages transportation of gas from the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas and condensate field to the EU countries.The 870-kilometer pipeline will be connected to the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) on the Turkish-Greek border, run through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Italy's south.TAP's initial capacity will be 10 billion cubic meters of gas a year, expandable to 20 billion cubic meters.
Flood risks and Tbilisi
By Messenger Staff
Austrian experts have arrived in Georgia to study and evaluate flood risks in the basins of three tributaries of the River Mtkvari in Tbilisi.The experts have been invited by Georgias Minister of Environment, and wil carry out all necessary studies for the Tsavkisistskali, Digmiskhevi and Dzevdzmara rivers.The Austrian specialists will examine all the risky areas in the basins of the rivers and produce relevant recommendations to prevent future losses.Georgias Minister of Environment Gigla Agulashvili said such studies were necessary, especially after the deadly floods of June 13 last year, when 19 people died and infrastructural damage amounted to more than $50 million USD.Georgia still lacks infrastructure that can reduce flood damage, but one of the main problems that can cause losses in lives and investments are illegal and sometimes legal constructions.In each part of the capital, new buildings are being built. If the pace is maintained, very soon Tbilisi will become a town of bricks, cement and blocks of flats.The current government says permission for construction for a big number of developers was issued under the previous state leadership, and they cannot oppose the process.However, new permission also cause suspicion amongst public and environment protectors.There are many cases named by specialists when a building has been constructed in the wrong place, and people there could very easily become victims if another natural disaster takes place.The government must consider the issue, as the process could cause dissatisfaction and unrest amongst the public very soon.
The News in Brief
Georgias Foreign Trade in Q116
Georgias foreign trade turnover in the first quarter of 2016 fell by 7%, compared to the same period of last year, to USD 2.14 billion and the trade gap declined by 2.5% year-on-year to USD 1.26 billion, according to figures released by the state statistics office on Tuesday.
Exports were down 11.9% year-on-year in the first three months of 2016 to USD 442.81 million.
Imports declined 5.1% y/y in the first quarter of this year to USD 1.7 billion.
Actual drop in value of imports was even larger, about 16.7%, if excluding one-off import of donated C hepatitis medicines, which stood at roughly USD 208 million in the first quarter.
After subtracting the value of this one-off import, the trade gap last year was down by about 18.5% y/y to USD 1.05 billion.
Georgias trade turnover with EU-member states increased 11% y/y in the first quarter of 2016 to USD 712 million. But this increase was caused by one-off imports of medicines from Ireland and after subtracting it, the actual trade turnover stood at USD 503.8 million, a 20.9% decline compared to the first three months of 2015. Excluding one-offs, imports from the EU were down 15.8% y/y to USD 392.8 million in the first quarter.
Georgias exports to the EU declined 34.7% y/y to USD 111 million, accounting for about 25% of countrys total exports in the first three months of 2016, according to Geostat.
Trade turnover with Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) declined by 15% y/y to USD 574 million in the first quarter of 2016.
Georgias exports to CIS member states were down by 26% y/y to USD 129 million, accounting for 29% of countrys total exports. Imports from the CIS-member states were down by 11% y/y to USD 445 million, accounting for 26% of Georgias total imports.
Georgias trade turnover with its long-time largest trading partner Turkey stood at USD 341.8 million in the first quarter of 2016, a 5.3% decline compared to the same period of last year. Georgian exports to Turkey declined by 22.6% y/y to USD 49.9 million and imports were down by 8.8% y/y to USD 291.8 million.
One-off imports of medicine made Ireland Georgias second largest trading partner with USD 209.7 million, but after excluding these one-off imports, Turkey is followed by Russia with USD 185 million trade turnout in the first quarter of 2016, a 8.7% y/y increase.
Exports to Russia increased 41.5% y/y to USD 38.5 million and imports were up 2.5% y/y to USD 146.5 million in the first three months of this year.
Russia is followed by China with trade turnover of USD 168.7 million in the first quarter of 2016, a 12.1% y/y decline.
Georgias exports to China more than doubled to USD 49.6 million, due to an almost 2.5-fold y/y increase in export of copper ores, which stood at 46.3 million in the first three months of 2016. Imports from China declined 29.3% y/y to USD 119 million.
China is followed by Azerbaijan with a USD 160 million trade turnover in the first quarter of 2016, which is a 25.2% y/y decline. There was a 3.5-fold y/y decline in Georgian exports to Azerbaijan to USD 17.7 million in the first three months of 2016. Imports from Azerbaijan were down by 5.5% y/y to USD 142.3 million.
Copper ores and concentrates were on top of the list of exports in the first quarter of 2016 with USD 84.1 million, 37.7% y/y increase; followed by re-export of cars USD 37.6 million (34.8% y/y decline); hazelnut 33 million (36.1% y/y decline); ferroalloys USD 26.79 million (44.4% y/y decline); nitrogen fertilizers USD 23.2 million (3.2% y/y decline); mineral waters USD 19.3 million (14.6% y/y decline); wine USD 19.2 million (23.7% increase); medicines USD 19 million (24.5% y/y decline); raw or semi-processed gold USD 17.7 million (40% y/y increase); non-denatured ethyl alcohol and spirits USD 17.1 million (74.7% increase).
One-off import of donated C hepatitis drug pushed value of imported medicines on top of the list of Georgian imports with USD 259.5 million in the first three months of 2016; followed by hydrocarbons USD 124.2 million; cars USD 99.3 million; oil products USD 93 2 million; copper ores and concentrates USD 78.5 million; mobile and other wireless phones USD 26.7 million; cigarettes USD 20.5 million; structures and parts of structures of iron USD 18.1 million; power transformers USD 17.1 million; electricity USD 14.7 million. (Civil.ge)
Georgia may end compulsory military service in 2017: Defense minister
Defence Minister Tina Khidasheli says compulsory military service may be abolished from 2017.
This is my decision as Minister of Defence, she told Channel 1 on Tuesday.
If another leader comes to this office, naturally, that decision may be changed.
The minister thinks a system with voluntary military service is much more effective.
She recalled her first hearing at the Defence and Security committee in Parliament, where she said that she would abolish conscription, and though the ministry has already decided to go forward with the plan, it now needs legislative support.
This doesnt mean that it ends the process. Our goal is to introduce a system of voluntary service from 2017, she said, adding that the same type of system is used in dNATO member states and it brings better results.
Switching to professional army was one of the promises made by the Georgian Dream government. Irakli Alasania, who was Defence Minister until his dismissal in late 2014, talked about the importance of ending compulsory military service. When she took over the same position, Tina Khidasheli declared her support for the idea. (DF watch)
via @JenStaletovich
Days after issuing a controversial plan for managing the troubled cooling canal system at Turkey Point, state environmental officials have cited Florida Power & Light for threatening nearby drinking water supplies and ordered the utility to hammer out a fix to stop the spread of an underground plume of saltwater.
In a notice to FPL officials Monday, the Department of Environmental Protection gave the utility 21 days to provide any information about how the 40-year-old canals have seeped into the Biscayne aquifer over the years and enter negotiations to come up with a clean-up plan. If the two sides fail to agree, the agency may come up with its own measures in 60 days, the notice said.
DEP Water Resource Management Director Frederick Aschauer also warned FPL that a new problem in March Miami-Dade County detected canal water in Biscayne Bay may be violating other state laws, for which the utility may be liable for damages. Aschauer gave FPL 15 days to set up a meeting.
The two notices come years late for critics, who say there has long been compelling evidence that the massive one-of-a-kind cooling canal system was degrading water quality far beyond the borders of the nuclear power plant along southern Biscayne Bay.
After DEP signed off on a December 2014 uprating project that expanded power output from the plants twin reactors, rock miner Steve Torcise, Tropical Audubon and neighboring cities including Miami sued, saying state regulators did too little to address a growing underground plume that has pushed saltwater inland about four miles. An administrative judge in February agreed, faulting DEP for not citing the agency for violations and ordering state officials to redo the plan.
Last week, the Miami Herald reported that FPL knew about super salty canal water pushing inland since at least 2010 when it conducted its own in-house study. The study found adding fresh water alone, a fix FPL sought repeatedly as canals grew hotter after the expansion, would likely worsen the plume.
More here.
@ByKristenMClark
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Alan Grayson said today that Republican candidate Carlos Beruff's comments this week about wanting to ban Middle Easterners from entering the U.S. were "racism -- plain and simple."
But for Democratic candidate Patrick Murphy to criticize Beruff is "disingenuous and hypocritical," Grayson said.
The Orlando congressman points to what he called a "truly heartless vote" that Murphy cast last fall to block Syrian refugees from coming to the U.S. in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks.
"The Syrian refugees are the people who suffer the most from the chaos in their country and that part of the world; they are the most in need," Grayson told the Herald/Times. "How could Patrick Murphy or anyone else justify keeping out the people who are most in need?"
Grayson, Beruff and Murphy are among a crop of seven contenders seeking to succeed Marco Rubio in the U.S. Senate. Grayson and Murphy will face off in the Aug. 30 Democratic primary. Beruff has four main competitors in the GOP primary that same day.
@PatriciaMazzei
Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson met Wednesday with Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, President Obama's pick to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia.
"Judge Garland is obviously qualified and should be confirmed as soon as possible," Nelson said in a statement after the meeting.
Garland has been working Capitol Hill, but most Republican senators, including Florida's Marco Rubio, won't sit down with him because they don't think the president should nominate a justice in his last year in office.
U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown filed a one-page motion with the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday saying that, yes, she's going to appeal the federal court ruling that upheld the redrawing of the district.
Brown, D-Jacksonville, sued the state last year after a court approved a map drawn by a coalition of voters was adopted. The League of Women Voters, Common Cause of Florida and a group of Democrat-leaning voters successfully challenged the Florida Legislature's map and, when lawmakers couldn't agree on a plan to redo it, the court approved the plaintiff's plan.
Brown, who was joined by dozens of black voters from north and central Florida, argued that the new districts east-west configuration across the top of the state violates the federal Voting Rights Act by making it less likely that the district would elect a candidate preferred by black voters. A three judge court panel of the Northern District of Florida rejected her claims.
Brown's motion filed this week indicates that she will appeal but does not indicate whether she will ask the court to enjoin the implementation of the map in November or not. Download Brown redistricting appeal
In a landmark case, the Florida Supreme Court ruled last July that Brown's Jacksonville-to-Orlando district was in violation of the "Fair Districts" amendments to the state constitution because it was drawn to carve out Democratic-leaning African-American voters from districts in Northeast and Central Florida to benefit Brown and to make the surrounding districts more hospitable for Republican candidates.
Brown, who had been elected twice from the map drawn by the Florida Legislature in 2012, announced last week that she would seek re-election to the reconfigured east to west district.
The ruling was the latest in more than four years of legal challenges over Floridas redistricting maps. Meanwhile, the court-approved map will remain in place unless Brown seeks an injunction and the U.S. Supreme Court approves.
@ByKristenMClark
On Facebook this afternoon, Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scott called for an end to the #NeverTrump movement, saying "yesterdays election results show that the anti-Trump efforts didnt work."
Scott -- who endorsed Donald Trump, also with a Facebook post, after Florida's primary last month -- again urged Republicans to accept what he calls the inevitable.
"Republicans now need to come together. Donald Trump is going to be our nominee, and he is going to be on the ballot as the Republican candidate for President," Scott wrote. "The Republican leaders in Washington did not choose him, but the Republican voters across America did choose him. The voters have spoken."
According to Real Clear Politics, Trump now has 954 delegates, compared to 562 for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Ohio Gov. John Kasich trails with 153 delegates. (Florida Sen. Marco Rubio -- who exited the race after the Florida primary, when he won only his home of Miami-Dade County -- is technically in third with 171 delegates.)
To win the GOP nomination, 1,237 delegates are needed. Neither Cruz nor Kasich have shown any signs of giving up, although it's mathematically impossible for either of them them to get enough delegates to clinch the nomination.
Scott cautioned that the GOP in-fighting will serve to help Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton. He said President Barack Obama had done "serious and substantial" damage to the country and said America "cannot afford another four years of liberal incompetence, and that is exactly what Hillary Clinton would bring."
"Weve had an extensive debate amongst ourselves, it is now time to get serious about winning in November. This was a hard-fought campaign, but now is the time for Republicans to unite," he said.
Scott has, for weeks, been urging the GOP to unite around Trump, who has consistently been the party's presidential front-runner.
@JeremySWallace
Two months after U.S. Senate candidate Alan Grayson blasted his Democratic primary opponent for missing votes in Congress, Grayson himself skipped a pair of votes last week to spend time in Las Vegas.
Grayson, a congressman from Orlando and an attorney, was a featured speaker at a trial lawyers conference at Wynn Las Vegas, resort hotel and casino. At the Mass Torts Made Perfect conference, Grayson gave a speech about a type of civil lawsuit dealing with whistleblower claims that help the government stop fraud and recover taxpayer funds.
But in delivering the speech at 9:45 a.m. on April 21, Grayson had to skip two votes in the House that morning.
Grayson was one of 15 House members who missed the vote on HR 4890, which would impose a ban on bonuses for IRS officials until there is a strategy to deal with customer service problems there. The bill passed on a 260-158 vote. All 158 no votes were Democrats, including 8 of 10 Democrats from Florida in the U.S. House. U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, D-Tallahassee, voted with Republicans in supporting the bill.
Later, Grayson missed the vote on HR 3724, which would among other things bar the IRS from re-hiring workers who were fired for cause. That bill passed by a 345-78 margin with Grayson among 10 members to miss the vote.
Grayson's campaign spokesman said Grayson committed to the Las Vegas speaking engagement a year earlier, not knowing the U.S. House would schedule votes for last Thursday.
"Congressman Grayson had hoped to vote last Thursday and then give the speech, but when the Thursday schedule was announced last Wednesday, it became evident that that would not be feasible," David Damron said. "Congressman Grayson checked and found that neither Thursday vote was expected to be close, and then he honored his speaking commitment. As anticipated, the first vote passed by a majority of approximately 100, and the second by a majority of almost 300."
@ByKristenMClark
After meeting for about a half hour with Republican Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday, incoming Florida Senate president Joe Negron, R-Stuart, said he and the governor seem to be in general agreement about their future goals for Florida's 12 public universities.
Enhancing the State University System -- and adding $1 billion in funding to it over two years -- is a priority for Negron as he's poised to take over the Senate in November. Last week, Negron and a handful of other senators toured all of the universities to learn about each institution's needs and goals.
"I updated the governor on some of the things that we learned during the university tour," Negron told reporters after the meeting at the Florida Capitol. "I think theres a strong alignment of policy and budget goals, with my commitment to universities."
Scott's spokeswoman Jackie Schutz said Negron "requested a meeting to discuss his priorities." She had no comment on what they discussed, because the governor typically doesn't talk about private meetings.
But the universities have been on Scott's mind, also.
Negron said Scott has a summit planned next month in Orlando, "where he's bringing in large employers, boards of trustees and university and community college presidents."
Schutz confirmed the event will be called the "Degrees to Jobs" Education Summit. It will be held May 25-26, and a list of speakers should be announced later this week, she said.
Negron's policy goals for the university system include: Recruiting and retaining top faculty, improving graduate schools, and "making sure that every student can attend the university to which they've been accepted regardless of their financial background," he said.
"That may require them to work part-time and contribute themselves or their families, but we want to make sure that financial insecurity doesnt keep students from going to a university or keep them from graduating on time," Negron said.
For example, he wants to improve funding for Bright Futures scholars to cover 100 percent of tuition and $300 a semester for books. He said he hopes lawmakers will approve that in the 2017 session, so next year's graduating high school seniors can start enjoying those benefits the following fall.
The Florence man accused of raping the daughter of a female friend pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent on Tuesday in Missoula County District Court.
Daniel Jay Dodson, 32, was arrested April 9 after a woman called 911 the previous evening saying he had been over at her house and had followed the womans 9-year-old daughter into her room.
After Dodson came back upstairs, the daughter followed him a short while later and peered around the corner, looking at her mom. The mother and the girl went back downstairs, where the 9-year-old told her Dodson had her perform a sexual act on him, according to a court affidavit. Dodson left the house before the woman called police.
When police arrived, the girl repeated what she told her mother and added that Dodson fondled her, the affidavit stated.
During Dodsons initial appearance hearing April 11, Chief Deputy County Attorney Jason Marks said another child had come forward claiming Dodson had sexually abused them.
Dodson pleaded not guilty during his arraignment hearing Tuesday in front of District Court Judge Robert Dusty Deschamps. He has an omnibus hearing set for May 24, during which Dodson and his public defender Reed Mandelko will also respond to a petition to revoke filed against him.
He is currently on felony probation following a 2010 incident in which he drove the wrong way on U.S. Highway 93 and hit another vehicle near Lolo. He was sentenced in April 2011 to 10 years with the Department of Corrections with 9 1/2 years suspended. The petition to revoke the suspended sentence does not include a specific sentencing recommendation.
Dodson remains in jail on $250,000 bail.
Beau Donaldson, convicted in the 2010 rape of a friend, will be granted parole after he completes the prerelease program in Billings.
The Montana Board of Pardons and Parole made the decision during a parole hearing on April 21. Senior parole board analyst Julie Thomas said the board's approval means Donaldson can work with his case manager to create a plan for what he intends to do when he is released.
In 2013, Missoula County District Court Judge Karen Townsend sentenced Donaldson to 30 years in the Montana State Prison with 20 years suspended after he pleaded guilty to sexual intercourse without consent for raping a friend in September 2010.
In the spring of 2015, the Board of Pardons and parole denied Donaldsons parole, instead allowing him to attend a boot camp program at the Treasure State Correctional Center and a Great Falls-based aftercare program for 100 days, after which he was moved to the Billings Pre-Release Center. At last year's hearing, the board said once he successfully completed the programs he could apply for parole again.
Thomas said Tuesday that Donaldson's parole is contingent upon successful completion of the Billings Pre-Release Center, a process that usually takes about six months. Donaldson has been in Billings' prerelease program since Dec. 9.
When he develops a parole plan, Donaldson will submit it to the board for approval, after which a date for his release will be set. Thomas said details such as the location where Donaldson will be living on parole would be a part of that plan.
In addition to completion of the prerelease program, the board also stipulated that Donaldson receive regular chemical dependency and sex offender counseling.
Donaldsons rape conviction was one of the court cases covered in the book Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town released last spring by author Jon Krakauer.
A Missoula man and self-described transient is in jail on $20,000 bail after he allegedly threatened employees of a sporting goods store with a knife after they discovered him cutting security tags off items.
John Clayton Skinner, 31, was arrested Monday and charged with felony robbery. According to a court affidavit, Missoula police were called to Bob Wards earlier that day after employees reported they had captured a shoplifter.
When police arrived, they found a Southgate Mall security member running out of the door of the sporting goods store saying the man had pulled a knife and ran out of an emergency exit, only to be followed by two other employees.
One of the employees had also called 911 after allegedly catching up with Skinner in an alleyway across from the nearby railroad tracks. When the officer approached, Skinner started to jog toward him with a closed knife in his hand. Upon seeing the officer, he allegedly dropped the knife, put his hands over his head and was arrested.
An employee who spoke with an officer said he saw Skinner take two wallets and some clothing into a dressing room in the store, where he stayed for about 20 minutes, according to the affidavit. The employee eventually knocked on the door and when Skinner opened it, he allegedly saw him holding a knife and a box cutter he was using to cut off the items security tags.
Skinner was then taken to the stores security office by two employees, who put his knife and box cutter on the desk. At a certain point while they were interviewing him, the employee said Skinner became antsy, grabbed the knife from the desk and began to threaten the employees with it, telling them to stay back according to the affidavit. He also said Skinner held the knife to his own throat.
When he was interviewed by police, Skinner allegedly admitted to trying to remove the security devices, but said after he was taken to the office, the employees threw him on the ground outside. The affidavit said Skinner told the officer he had held the knife to his own throat and said Get back or Ill do it but denied threatening the employees with it.
In court Tuesday, acting Justice of the Peace Matt Erekson set Skinners bail at $20,000, citing in part his previous felony convictions, and allowed him to be screened for pretrial supervision. If released, Skinner is not to enter Bob Wards or have any contact with employees of the store.
Im very concerned that there was a knife involved and threats of bodily injury, Erekson said.
A Missoula man who strangled his wife and threatened to kill her in June 2015 before she escaped by jumping from a second-floor window will be sentenced in July after pleading no contest to a felony charge.
Carl Alan Tanner entered the new plea to a count of aggravated assault in Missoula County District Court on Tuesday as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. He made the change of plea over the phone because he is currently living in Texas.
Tanner was initially arrested June 1 following an incident in which he became upset with his wife after she came home from being out with a friend. When the woman decided to leave the house, Tanner threw her onto the bed and started to strangle her, telling her he wanted to kill her.
After he stopped, Tanner refused to let the woman leave, saying he thought she would call the police and that he would kill her before letting her do so, according to a court affidavit. The woman escaped the house an hour and a half later by jumping from a second-story bedroom window. She was later taken to the hospital by a friend, where police officers first spoke to her.
When Tanner was interviewed by authorities, he claimed his wife had assaulted him and that she had jumped from the window to make it believable that he had attacked her.
As part of the plea agreement he made with prosecutors, felony kidnapping and misdemeanor partner or family member assault charges against Tanner are being dismissed. The agreement calls for a recommended three-year deferral of sentence when District Court Judge Karen Townsend sentences Tanner on July 5.
In court Tuesday, Lisa Kauffman, Tanners attorney, asked the judge to lift a restriction preventing him from having contact with his wife, saying she has made repeated attempts both to contact him and have charges against him dropped and that they intend to live together again as a married couple. Judge Townsend chose to lift the restriction.
SEELEY LAKE Seeley-Swan High School got a look at the physical changes coming to its school Tuesday night.
Seeley-Swan High School will get a new theater as its part of the Missoula County Public Schools facilities projects. CTA Architects Engineers project designer Jake Zander gave MCPS trustees what he dubbed a quick and dirty view of the work to design improvements to the high school. Tuesdays trustees meeting was held in the high schools cafeteria. Trustees Ann Wake and Julie Tompkins were absent.
The high schools projects will go out for bid next week.
This is your school plus a big piece, which is kind of fun, Zander said.
That theater will be added to the west side of the building.
Originally when the school was designed, this west wall was designed to come out and a theater to be added on, Zander said. That obviously has not happened and were excited to go this direction.
It will be a traditional stage except for the wings, which will be hard walls, rather than fabric.
The area also will include a design and prep area in the back of the house, three music rehearsal rooms and a small meeting space. A bathroom also will be added adjacent to the library, giving easy access to students when theyre using the theater.
The budget is going to determine seating, Zander said. The gym floor will stay as is, and seating would be arranged when the theater is in use.
CTA Architects originally considered removable theater seating, which is estimated at $600 a chair so that got nixed pretty quick. A better option, he said, is a stackable chair thats estimated at $100 a chair.
It adds up pretty quick, he said. Were going out to bid next month, so wherever that bid lands gives us our wiggle room on our wish list.
Trustee Grace Decker asked about the timeline for Seeley-Swans upgrades, wondering what would happen if other projects come under budget.
One of the things we would do is if it (the Seeley-Swan project) goes over budget, we would have to increase the budget to that project, so we would come back and explain to the board, and pull funds from bond money or premium money, said MCPS operations and maintenance supervisor Burley McWilliams.
Two sets of double doors and a secure window will be added to the high school, adding security to the library, which also functions as the community library. As a result, students will get an ID card or chip. The public will walk into a vestibule and will be buzzed in.
The problem is the library is a community library, Zander said. Anybody can come and go from the school. We want to try and limit that activity thats not student-related.
The high school also will get an entirely new roof over the gym and new theater, in addition to structural upgrades. Currently, the roof has to be shoveled due to the weight of the snow. It will also be seismically retrofitted, and the boiler system will be replaced.
The buildings obviously stood for a long time, so its not an immediate concern (seismic retrofitting), but whenever you do a project like this, you have to upgrade the existing building to todays structural codes, Zander said.
In addition, the trustees unanimously approved the partial reroofing project at Hellgate High School a project they awarded to Metal Works of Montana. The total cost for the project was bid at nearly $490,000, which came in as the lowest bid by about $120,000.
This opinion piece is prompted by the pie-in-the-sky, Utopian universe presentation given by Allan I. Bergman on March 23 in the Capitol building in Helena. This and upcoming presentations are being sponsored by Disability Rights Montana et al. to prove that all developmentally disabled persons can be served in the community. We parents who have years of experience with our loved ones who are now at the Montana Developmental Center know that this isnt so.
Bergmans errors:
1. All institutions, farmsteads (Farm in the Dell), group homes and nursing homes segregate the disabled from the community.
2. Disabled people should be trained to be able to work by the time they graduate from high school.
Even the best special education will not fix brain damage; our children will never learn the skills needed to compete for jobs in the marketplace.
The results of this view are the closure of sheltered workshops all over the country.
Six years after Vermonts sheltered workshops closed, only 36 percent of the disabled were able to find work, and then only for an average of 10 hours a week (Kansas City Star, Aug. 25, 2014).
3. Ideally, each disabled person should have her own home with personal staff, and not reside in a group home at all. Who will pay the astronomical costs?
Of course Bergman will not be responsible for endangering the neighbors in those cases where the disabled person is a danger to others. His ideal universe does not have such persons.
4. All pedophiles were sexually abused as children.
No. Psychiatrists are coming to the conclusion that pedophilia is a brain cross-wiring problem. Now they are trying to keep pedophiles from acting on their impulses rather than trying to cure them. (LA Times, Jan. 14, 2013, "Many researchers taking a different view of pedophilia"). So can every developmentally disabled person with this issue be taught restraint and be integrated into the community?
5. The disabled in group homes with more than three persons are deprived of choice, e.g., in meals, outings, etc. They are lonely in congregate settings.
But the disabled living in apartments are isolated, lonely and return to congregate settings when given a choice. (The Atlantic, May 26, 2015, "Who Decides Where Autistic Adults Live?")
Bergman was unhappy when persons in a group home only had one choice of salad dressing. He wanted them to have more choice but wont respect their choice in the non-trivial matter of where they want to live. Many residents of MDC do not want to leave, are begging to stay. One was reassured that he would not go to prison but was sent there last month.
6. The 15 states which have closed their institutions are praiseworthy.
The actual results: many of the disabled have died or ended up in prison. In New York, 1,200 died over a 10-year period after transfers to group homes (NY Times, Nov. 6, 2011). Georgia put a halt on closing all of its institutions because of 141 unexpected deaths which occurred during transfers to community settings (The Voice, Spring 2015). When Nebraska transferred 47 persons out of their developmental center, 12 died unexpectedly (AP, July 11, 2010).
From a comment in the Helena Independent Record, Aug. 6, 2012, by a retired MDC staff member, I learned that Disability Rights Montana is responsible for closing the non-ambulatory unit at MDC. Two other staff members stated that, of 40 who lived in this unit for years, five died within months after transfer to community settings which were not able to care for them properly. That no one bothered to investigate these deaths is reprehensible.
Children in adult bodies have gone to prison in recent years when there was no room at MDC. One committed suicide in prison. Eastmont, the backup center, was gone, closed by Disability Rights Montana.
To Disability Rights Montana, pointing out these facts is fear-mongering. In reality, we must reconsider the closure of MDC in order to prevent more disabled Montanans from ending up in coffins or prison, my daughter included.
Montana State University recently added to one soldiers burden by choosing to shoot, ready, aim, adding insult to injury, displaying remarkable institutional cowardice and insensitivity.
MSU leadership summarily fired Butte native and former Navy SEAL Robert ONeill from a public speaking engagement sponsored by the MSU Leadership Institute. MSU feebly rationalized their decision, citing consultation with veterans and student leadership groups and concluding that ONeills recent arrest in Butte for DUI would overshadow the (publicly supported) speech planned for the following Monday evening. What? If MSU felt he had important things to say before his arrest, he still had those important things to say afterwards. No doubt ONeill would be smart enough to deal with any behavioral lapse issue up front.
Rob ONeill knows the seriousness of the authoritys accusation. After all, he thrived in the Navys zero tolerance of DUI system. Meanwhile, ask yourself: why would ONeill voluntarily leave the naval service after 16 years? Was it because he wanted to selfishly tour the country, saying: Look at me everybody! Im a rootin-tootin hero cowboy! Hardly. My bet is he was exhausted by constant, unrelieved stress with only the promise of more.
Still, the facts are that he is a man of integrity with a tremendous amount of hard-won value to offer. He has performed in excruciating crucibles as a leader and a follower. Meanwhile, like all veterans he must recover from his prior existence without the camaraderie of his mates to carry him through. Like all veterans, he must make a living and do work that matters. He has a lot to offer that is eminently worthy.
Some, like former presidents, secretaries of Defense and retired SEAL Team 6 commanders, write books or become representatives. Rob ONeills medium is through the immediacy of riveting, up-close-and-personal speech. I have heard him and his multi-media presentation is truly inspirational.
Through years of demanding preparation, experience, real-life competition, ability and leadership, Rob ONeill found himself at the absolute forefront of Special Operations Forces with a team of contemporaries comprised of millions of man-hours and billions of dollars worth of collective effort to find and kill Americas No. 1 enemy. An argument can and has been made that his speaking out is ill-considered and self-aggrandizing. I dont buy it. Whether you represent the Navy, Department of Defense or MSU, asking him to stay mum on the Osama bin Laden subject is an insult to all of us, including his contemporarieslet alone O'Neill. What he has done and is currently doing is courageous, born of a self-sacrificing service ethic.
Lets assume O'Neill is indeed guilty of either DUI or at least the bad judgment of taking prescribed medicine (Ambien)especially when combined with any alcoholthat is strong enough to impair psychomotor skills such as driving. Insomnia, prescription medications and alcohol literally shout post-traumatic stress. O'Neills breathtaking 16 years of service could be expected to create PTS. The community should be absorbing some of the resultant pain. He will never publicly say he is in pain; his mantra is never quit. Now MSU has unnecessarily and unjustly added an unhealthy measure of grief, pain, anger and fear to the unrelenting combat load he is carryingcarrying in our name.
We should be doing all we can to ensure all like him, struggling to heal their wounded spirits, do not simply become statistics when life proves not worth living. Rob O'Neill wanted to share what he had learned, especially for the benefit of other wounded special operations warriors. The $28,000 speakers fee is chump change compared to the value of his presentation. Senior Chief Petty Officer ONeills exceptional personal combat awards are no fluke. No stolen valor here.
Meanwhile, like thousands of other veterans, O'Neill needs us to listen to himnot discard him. We need to communalize his extreme experiences so that the almost unbearable weight of sustained combat does not in the end destroy Rob O'Neill and his extended family. And well all be better for having listened.
Hope and joy spring from love and appreciation, and we have stifled too many combat veterans already. Just ask any Korea or Vietnam-era combat vet how he feels on this subject.
As I reviewed the letters to the editor April 20, I found one of great interest. The author was frustrated about what she viewed as an "alarming" imbalance of information about Islam.
Although your letter states that you do not "hate" nor are afflicted with Islamophobia, your letter is saturated with bias as you view many Muslims as "intolerant of all other religions" and you refer to the worst-case scenarios that have hit the world news about certain groups of Muslims. May I remind you of our own terrorism promoted by those who claim America as their birth country? Let's talk about the Oklahoma bombing, gang wars, Sandy Hook, Columbine, the Wyoming school bombing and many more right here in our own country by so-called citizens and neighbors in our own communities.
I am also a veteran who loves this country and although it is a good idea to seek those balanced views, you need to be a part of that balance yourself. I see this imbalance everywhere, but myself and my battle buddies fought not just for the views that you embrace but also for the views that others embrace and ones that you may oppose.
One of the things that makes America so great is our diversity, and we cannot let our fears of what might happen overcome our good sense of humanity. I would be willing to bet that many years ago your own ancestors came to America as refugees or in search of their own freedoms.
I personally applaud organizations like the St Paul Lutheran Church and the Hellgate High School for not being a part of the fear and hate and having the courage to keep an open mind and encourage others to see some of the good. More of us should seek to do the same.
Charleen Crenshaw,
Ronan
BILLINGS - A coffee kiosk barista was robbed at gunpoint Wednesday afternoon in Billings, according to a news release from the Billings Police Department.
A man wearing a black ski mask approached from an alley behind the kiosk, showed a black handgun and demanded money from the barista of the Latte Central coffee kiosk at 1306 Central Ave. at around 12:20 p.m., according to the BPD.
"The clerk stated she had no money and the suspect climbed through the north window of the kiosk," BPD Sgt. Mitch Hart said in the news release.
"Once inside, the suspect grabbed the victim's purse, taking her wallet and makeup bag," Hart said. "The suspect then climbed out the south window of the kiosk fleeing on foot."
The suspect is described as male, white, 5 feet 6 inches tall, with a skinny build and wearing a black ski mask with green lines under the nose area. He was wearing black running pants and a white hoodie, Hart said.
A customer pulling up to the kiosk as the suspect fled on foot followed the man and reported that the man got into an older model tan pickup with no tailgate. The customer called 911 and lost sight of the man before the police arrived.
BPD's search of a surrounding neighborhood discovered the pickup unoccupied at the corner of Harney Drive and South Plainview Street. The pickup was impounded pending a search warrant.
One nearby resident called The Gazette to say that fearing the suspect, she would be locking her doors.
There have been seven reported armed robberies this April in Billings, with the last occurring Tuesday when a man wielding a pellet gun robbed the Zip-Trip gas station near the intersection of Shiloh Road and Central Avenue.
Between April 4 and April 11 armed criminals struck five Billings businesses, including three casinos, one bar and one convenience store.
Central Latte opened up in October and was purchased on April 7 by two new owners, brothers Cordell Bird and Travis Bird.
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HELENA The Montana Public Service Commission is proposing to change the rules on who can have their power shut off in Montana.
The rules were adopted in 1980 and haven't been changed much since. They protect lower-income, older and sick people who struggle to pay their bills in the winter. The proposed new rules include:
Disconnect would not be allowed on any account when the ambient air temperature at 8 a.m. is at or below 20 degrees or if a snowstorm is forecast.
Utilities would be required to have procedures in place to allow for uninterrupted continuation of service from one account holder to another when service is disconnected.
Changing the winter moratorium period from the current period of November 1 through April 1, to December 1 through the last day of February.
Commission approval would no longer be necessary for winter termination on accounts not protected; rather the criteria to be considered would be established in administrative rules.
The Medical Exception section of the rules would be changed to allow a six-month agreement rather than a 12-month agreement, lower from $500 to $300 the minimum balance that could initiate a disconnect if payments are not made, and change the method of handling situations where the medical payment arrangement was broken.
The PSC will hold a public roundtable on Thursday, May 5, to discuss proposed changes. The roundtable will take place in the Bollinger room at the PSC offices in Helena, and will start at 2:30 p.m.
To view staffs full proposed changes to the rules, visit: http://1.usa.gov/1UcvuQU.
BILLINGS - Two brothers driving through West Yellowstone on Tuesday night struck an adult bison, killing the animal and likely totaling their vehicle, according to the Montana Highway Patrol.
What happened is actually somewhat normal in this area, MHP Trooper Marcus Cook said. Theyre black on a black road, Cook said of the bison at night.
According to Cook, the brothers, 26 and 17, were northbound on US Highway 191 in a 2005 Chrysler 300 when they struck a bison near mile marker 3.8 at around 10:15 p.m.
The vehicles pretty well smashed to bits. Luckily they were wearing their seatbelts and the airbags deployed, Cook said. No injuries at all.
The brothers told Cook they believe they struck the animal in the rear, but he could not confirm it. Cook said that when bison are struck by drivers, asphalt tends to rip their hair off as they tumble down the road, making it hard to determine where the animal was struck by the vehicle.
Cook guessed that the 26-year-old driver was near the 65 mph night speed limit judging by the lack of skid marks and the fact that they were able to walk away from the incident uninjured. According to Cook, the driver was negotiating a slight left uphill curve when he struck the bison.
The vehicle came to a stop in the northbound lane, near where the bison came to rest in the southbound lane.
In the past month or two, Cook said MHP has responded to several incidents of vehicles striking bison in the area, including one instance where a semi-truck struck multiple bison.
The National Park Services Yellowstone National Park website says the bison is the largest land mammal in North America. Adult female bison can reach up to 1,000 pounds, and adult males can grow up to 2,000 pounds.
BUTTE - Idaho authorities believe Butte native Paul Joyce was unfamiliar with the area and made a wrong turn before the car he was driving plunged into the Dworshak Reservoir in Idaho, where he drowned, authorities said Tuesday.
Joyce, 57, who graduated from Butte High School in 1977 and was a dean at the University of Idaho in Moscow, was found dead in the submerged car around 5:20 p.m. Saturday, the Clearwater County Sheriff's Office said Sunday. The county is in northern Idaho and borders Montana.
In an updated news release issued Tuesday afternoon, the office said Joyce left the High Country Inn near the small town of Ahsahka at about 10:30 p.m. Friday and was going to the Best Western in Orofino to spend the night.
"Mr. Joyce was not familiar with the area and was given directions on how to get to Orofino," the release said.
When he reached an intersection, "he turned left instead of right and was traveling toward the Big Eddy Marina and boat ramp" located on the reservoir, it said.
"The vehicle entered the water by going down the boat ramp," the release said. "The submerged car was first seen at 6:30 a.m. on April 23rd by some fisherman launching at the boat ramp but no one called the sheriff's office until approximately 5:20 p.m."
Sheriff's officials said they still have some follow-up interviews to complete and are awaiting toxicology reports before they are able to complete the investigation.
But an autopsy was completed on Monday and the preliminary cause of death was drowning, they said.
Joyce joined the University of Idaho faculty in 1991 and was appointed dean of the College of Science in 2013.
He lived in Moscow, Idaho. His siblings include Eileen Joyce, who is the county attorney in Butte-Silver Bow.
BILLINGS A woman on a Montana American Indian reservation pleaded not guilty to murder Tuesday in the alleged beating death of a 13-month-old relative who was under her care, court officials said.
Janelle Red Dog, 42, is accused of striking and killing Kenzley Olson, then putting her body in a trash dumpster before reporting the girl missing April 19.
Judge Marvin Youpee denied bond for Red Dog and ordered her back into custody pending a May hearing, according to the Fort Peck Tribal Court clerk's office.
The defendant's mother, Rhea Starr, said she believes Kenzley's death was an accident and Red Dog had been caring for the baby when no one else would.
"That baby was passed along like yesterday's gossip," Starr told the Associated Press. "I don't think (Kenzley's death) was intentional. I think my daughter was trying to help the baby and panicked."
Kenzley's mother and other family members could not be immediately reached for comment.
The defendant's initial claim that Kenzley disappeared from the house where Red Dog was caring for her triggered an Amber Alert for an abducted girl that was broadcast in Montana and North Dakota. Authorities canceled the alert after Red Dog purportedly confessed a day later and drew a map that led them to the baby's body.
Red Dog also faces a misdemeanor charge of hindering law enforcement for giving a false report to police.
The Fort Peck Reservation is about 20 miles from the U.S.-Canada border. Funeral services for Kenzley originally were scheduled for Sunday, but they were postponed until Wednesday. Her obituary described the girl's "tiny fingers, baby soft skin and beautiful smile."
Kenzley had been under Red Dog's care for about two weeks, after her mother dropped her off and failed to return, Red Dog's mother and her lawyer said. The tribal jail confirmed the mother was behind bars on unspecified charges when Kenzley died.
Defense attorney Mary Zemyan said told The AP that from the limited information authorities have shared with her, the cause of the baby's death is unclear.
Additional charges could be filed in tribal court later, Fort Peck Tribes Chief Prosecutor Scott Seifert said. Tribal law allows for a maximum three-year prison sentence on any one charge, with a combined maximum of nine years in prison and a $5,000 fine per charge, he said.
The severity of the crime and age of the victim merit the maximum punishment, Seifert wrote in a notice filed with the court.
Separate federal charges that could carry a more severe punishment also are expected in the case.
Kenzley's death was the second major crime in recent weeks to hit the reservation, which is home to the Assiniboine and Sioux tribes and has a population of about 10,000.
In late February, a man allegedly abducted a 4-year-old girl from a park in the town of Wolf Point, sexually assaulted her and tried to kill her. The girl was found alive several days later.
Zemyan has said Red Dog admitted to authorities that she struck Kenzley on three occasions. But she said it was unknown if that's what killed the girl.
"I haven't seen any autopsy so I'm not sure," Zemyan said.
Starr said Kenzley had been sick in recent weeks, coughing and throwing up, and she speculated that illness could have played a role in her death.
An investigator testified during a probable cause hearing last week that an autopsy determined Kenzley died of blunt force trauma. However, the court has not released the autopsy results or an affidavit from prosecutors that was said to have further details on the case.
Fort Peck Tribal Chairman Floyd Azure has blamed Kenzley's death and the recent kidnapping on a rising drug epidemic that he says the reservation must address.
Starr said her daughter had been addicted to painkillers "quite a few years ago" but was unsure if she had recent involvement in drugs.
"One addiction leads to another," Starr said. "There's so much drugs on this reservation it's crazy," she said.
Donald J. Trump has managed to get his once-grounded Cessna jet back in the air, by selling it to himself.
The private jet that Mr. Trump has been using to get to and from many campaign events was grounded last week by the Federal Aviation Administration, after The New York Times reported that its registration had expired on Jan. 31.
The paperwork problem threatened to ground the 1997 Cessna 750 Citation X for weeks, if not more. But Mr. Trump found a way around this.
On Friday, the plane was registered to a new owner, DT Endeavor I, according to records kept with the F.A.A. DT Endeavor I is a limited liability company that was registered in Delaware in early January, and is controlled by Mr. Trump.
INDIANAPOLIS Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, desperate to alter the course of a presidential primary fight in which Donald J. Trump is closing in on victory, announced Wednesday that Carly Fiorina would be his running mate if he won the Republican nomination.
The move, a day after Mr. Trump scored unexpectedly wide victory margins in sweeping five East Coast states, amounted to the grandest diversionary tactic a presidential candidate can stage or at least the grandest one available to a candidate trailing by about 400 delegates who failed to win more than 25 percent of the vote in any state on Tuesday.
Taking the stage after 4 p.m. before a modest but spirited crowd in a cavernous pavilion here, Mr. Cruz described Mrs. Fiorina, the former presidential candidate and Hewlett-Packard chief executive, as brilliant and capable and deeply principled, and praised her for having shattered glass ceilings.
Mr. Cruzs criteria for a pick, in his telling, seemed to be aimed squarely at Mr. Trump. Do they think through decisions in a rash and impulsive way? he asked. Do they pop off the handle at whatever strikes them at any given moment? He held up Mrs. Fiorina as someone who knows where jobs come from.
The owners of Dumas Brothel in Uptown Butte are behind on a $67,000 URA loan, city officials said during a Tuesday morning Urban Revitalization Agency board meeting.
The URA granted the loan to Michael Piche and Travis Eskelsen in March 2015. Since then, said the agencys director Karen Byrnes, the duo has made 12 of their monthly payments but have not been able to pay the last three months. They operate the building as a museum.
During the meeting, Byrnes said the agency sent Piche and Eskelsen a formal letter and arranged to speak with the two business partners in person.
They do have plans to get current with us, Byrnes later told The Montana Standard.
She also noted that Piche and Eskelsen have been very good about keeping up with their payments up until the last three months.
This isnt the first time an owner of the Dumas, 45 E. Mercury St., has run into financial difficulty.
Before Piche and Eskelsen took over the Dumas in 2012, the buildings previous owner Rudy Giecek neglected to pay property taxes for three years.
Because of this nonpayment of taxes, the property was in danger of being taken over by the county.
Michael and Travis decided they wanted to take (the Dumas on), said Byrnes describing the 2012 buyout. It was a blessing for Butte.
According a 2012 article, when Piche and Eskelsen acquired the Dumas, the historic bordello suffered from structural deficiencies and needed upgrades, including repairs to a crumbling interior wall and collapsed chimney.
Later in December 2013, the Standard reported that Piche and Eskelsen applied for a $92,000 loan and $8,750 grant from the old URA. This money was intended to cover the cost of a $127,000 project, which included consolidation of outstanding debt and masonry work.
Since then, Byrnes said, the duo has invested in restoring the building.
Byrnes went on to say that the Dumas is an extremely historically important structure, pointing out that the brothel which is often touted one of the longest running establishment of its kind in the United States ran from 1890 to 1982.
She added that the Dumas is also an important attraction that draws tourists to town each year.
But tourists arent the only people the Dumas has been attracting its also been a location appealing to ghost hunters as well.
In 2013 the Dumas was featured on SyFy's paranormal-investigation show "Haunted Collector," and just recently the bordello was the site of the Travel Channels season premiere of Dead Files a similar show in which a psychic investigator and former NYPD homicide detective team up to explore purportedly haunted locations across the world.
As for Piche and Eskelsen, Byrnes describes them as two entrepreneurs who care deeply about the Mining City.
Theyre young, theyre passionate and they have such a great love for Butte.
The Montana Standard was unable to reach Piche and Eskelsen by press time Tuesday.
The countys planning director in June will address repayment of a $100,000 loan given to a now-disbanded coalition of Butte festivals.
Karen Byrnes, director of the Urban Revitalization Agency, said during a meeting Tuesday that Jon Sesso will come before the board on June 28.
In 2013 the URA granted the loan to seven Butte festivals, including Evel Knievel Days, Montana Folk Festival and An Ri Ra Irish Festival the citys three largest events.
As The Montana Standard reported earlier this month, Butte-Silver Bow officials initially thought the loan could be repaid in three to six months using money set aside from the Redevelopment Trust Fund.
Three years later, however, the URA loan has yet to be repaid, despite the three festivals having received $100,000 from the trust fund each year for the past three years.
He will be coming before us to make a presentation about (the festivals) activities, about the loan we did make and how it was used, and how they would like to handle that moving forward, said Byrnes.
Butte police reports
SLEEP, PLEASE
Police responded to a room at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort at about 12:15 a.m. Wednesday where a man complained that his mother-in-law was drunk and was keeping the kids awake. Police talked to the unruly woman, who apparently agreed to settle down so everyone could get some shut-eye.
RUNNING PANTS
A man on the 2000 block of Gaylord Street said he was shot in the leg with a BB while in his backyard Tuesday afternoon. The BB came through a hole in the fence, he said. When the man looked through the hole, all he saw was a pair of legs in black pants running down the alley, the report said.
I wrote an article for Outside on June 13, 2013, of an Asian species, the Baikal teal, that was seen in the Missoula area in late April and May of that year. The species is common in Asia and often seen in the Western Aleutians and Pribilof Islands in the Bering Ocean. It was a first for Montana.
It has happened again in Missoula, only this time it was a European species, fieldfare, a member of the thrush family. It was first identified on the Christmas Bird Count on Dec. 19. It was found west of Missoula near Council Grove State Park on Harbors Bridge Road and La Viola at a private residence, feeding in a row of crab apple trees with waxwings and robins.
Birders from all over Montana hurried to Missoula to get a glimpse of this rare species. I heard about it a day after it was found and was unable to get there until the next day. You can often miss a rarity by being three days late, but in this case I was fortunate. When I drove up to the home at 9 a.m., there were about 10 birders standing in the road with scopes and binoculars focused on a tree. I got the bird within five minutes of arriving on site, number 373 for Montana and 605 for North America. Additional birders came and went the remainder of the morning. The species continued to be in the area through Dec. 23. There was much searching on Dec. 24 and 25, but it was not seen again. It is impossible to say if the bird moved on or a raptor such as a sharp-shinned hawk preyed on it. During that five-day period, at least 100 birders were able to see it. If it had stayed in the area, many more would have made the trip to Missoula.
As I write this, the Montana birding Internet sites are buzzing with the latest updates on fieldfare sightings. On the third day of the sighting, I received an email from a Minnesota birder that I met in the Pribilof Islands (off the coast of Alaska) in September, stating, I am on my way now driving and hope to be in Missoula late tonight, weather permitting. I hope the bird sticks. He saw the bird on Dec. 23; he was fortunate.
So how big a deal is this bird? Actually, pretty big. Reviewing eBird records, the last record of this bird in the United States was in 1991 in Northern Minnesota. The closest sighting to Montana for the species was Vancouver, British Columbia, in 2003. There are additional sightings of the species in Eastern Canada and Nova Scotia over the years.
If you look at the sightings for this species on eBird, it has been recorded in all of Western Europe from Spain north to Sweden and from the British Islands east to Ukraine. There are also sightings in Iceland, but not Greenland. There are a few scattered sightings in Russia all the way to the Bering Sea. Interestingly, there are no sightings in the Aleutian Island chain or mainland Alaskan on eBird. Several ornithologists have noted that there are a few sightings from Alaska that were not recorded on eBird. As mentioned previously, the two Western United States continental sightings on eBird are Vancouver and now Missoula.
So where did this bird come from? There is no real way of knowing. Statistically, it would have come from Eastern Canada, as there are more sightings in that area. It is assumed that these Eastern Canadian birds made it across the Atlantic Ocean from Western Europe. If that was the case, why was it not sighted en route to Montana? It seems unlikely that it came from a sparse population in Asia, but it had to originate somewhere.
Some have suggested that records for Asia are incomplete and it may breed in Asia more than eBird records indicate. Others on the Internet have asked, Are there known differences between Asian and Western European populations? One ornithologist responded: Fieldfares from the eastern end of the range are supposed to average slightly paler and longer-winged and theyve been proposed as a separate race, but I dont think that subspecies is recognized by most authorities. Thus, the answer to the origin of this fieldfare will remain open for discussion.
The fieldfare is a large thrush, the same size as the American robin, another thrush, at 10 inches. The most distinguishing field marks are the gray head and rump. The back is purplish brown, and the tail is blackish. The breast spots are arrowhead in shape on a buffy breast and extend along the sides as well as the breast. The bill is yellow with a black tip. In flight the wing linings are white and flash in flight. The slightly out-of-focus flight pictures show the wing linings. These pictures were taken by a birding friend, Robert Zirl of Alberton.
What started off as a normal Missoula Christmas Bird Count put the Montana and national birding community in a state of excitement this year. As I often say to my readers, get out there and bird often; you never know what you might see. The potential is always there for a rarity such as this one that rewrites the list of birds species found in Montana.
If you see a bird you think is rare, dont ignore it; get ahold of other birders and identify the species.
U.S. Minerals is formally contesting accusations by a federal agency that it violated health regulations by exposing employees at its plant in Anaconda to high levels of arsenic.
Art Hazen, the Billings director for the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said Wednesday that U.S. Minerals filed a challenge to the agencys findings.
The challenge was forwarded to federal officials in Denver and begins a process of civil litigation that could ultimately be decided by a federal judge, Hazen said.
OSHA personnel visited the plant, which turns the slag into blasting abrasives and roofing granules, three times in the fall of 2015 in response to a complaint. OSHA found workers were exposed to almost five times the permissible level for arsenic.
The agency is proposing almost $107,000 in fines for 16 serious violations. The agency classifies a serious violation as one that could result in serious physical harm or death.
Hazen said previously that six workers at the plant could have exposed their families to highly toxic substances by coming home in work clothes containing dust high in arsenic.
Michael Johnston, president of the Illinois-based U.S. Minerals, sent an email to The Standard earlier this month saying the company disagrees with OSHAs findings and would challenge the allegations.
U.S. Minerals Inc. takes the health and safety of its employees very seriously and has invested significant amounts of time and finances in developing a comprehensive safety and health program, Johnston said via email.
Paul Joseph Joyce was born September 26, 1958 in Butte, Montana, one of the 12 children of Thomas and Dorothy Joyce. Academically gifted, he breezed through the Butte schools, and then graduated from Montana State University in just four years with both a bachelors and masters degrees in mathematics. He went on to the University of Utah for his doctorate, where he met and married his wife and best friend, Janalyn Steed. They had a son, Andrew, who brought great joy to the couple and became Pauls favorite political debater, intellectual sparring partner and late night scotch drinker.
Joyce died on April 22, 2016, at the age of 57 in an auto accident near Orofino, Idaho. At the time of his death he served in a leadership role as dean of the College of Science at the University of Idaho, in addition to his roles as scientist, researcher, teacher, and mentor. He previously served as the director of the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology graduate program, as well as vice chair and chair of the Faculty Senate from 2010 to 2012.
At a time when post-graduate training in mathematics was rare, Joyce made opportunities for himself as visiting faculty at the University of Washington and the University of Southern California, and as a visiting scholar at University College London. In 1991, he took a permanent faculty position at the University of Idaho in Moscow, where he chose to remain for the rest of his career. There he mentored many young mathematicians, statisticians, and biologists who carry on his legacy teaching young minds around the world today. In addition to his roles at the University, Joyce also held several other titles over his career, including Associate Editor of Biology Letters and Fellow of the Newton Institute, Cambridge University, UK. At the time of his death, Joyce was a finalist for the position of Vice President for Research and Economic Development at the University of Idaho.
Biology professor Larry Forney remembered interacting with Joyce: Its disarming because hes very humble and very modest about what he does, so you never realize youre talking to one of the leaders in the field worldwide.
Joyce received multiple honors from the University, including three Alumni Excellence Awards, the College of Science Distinguished Faculty Award, and the Donald Crawford Graduate Faculty Mentoring Award. He was named University Distinguished Professor this year for his work as a professor of mathematics and of statistical science as well as of bioinformatics and computational biology. He received this honor posthumously at the University Awards for Excellence ceremony this week.
Colleagues remember Paul for his dedication to his field as well as his humor, charisma and devotion to math jokes. University of Idaho professor and friend Holly Wichman recalled of Joyce, his favorite [joke] was about the gregarious mathematician thats the one at a party looking at the other guys shoes. Paul went way beyond that. He could look you in the eye, shake your hand, bring out the best in you, and make you laugh. He enjoyed the ironies in life almost as much as he enjoyed nurturing great minds and teaching his sons friends to play poker.
Paul enjoyed the annual Joyce family reunions of his large clan treading water competitions and poorly sung renditions of 70s songs around the campfire. As a youth he was a competitive swimmer and a math nerd. He would spend weekends working math problems, only breaking to watch Saturday Night Live with his father.
He is remembered fondly by his in-laws for the many holidays he spent helping them cook, shop and decorate, despite his stated distaste for the holiday season and his belief that the so-called war on Christmas was a just and winnable war.
He is survived by his wife, Jana; his son Andrew; his siblings Tom, Jim, Jack, Kate, Mike, Ann, Eileen, Bill, Mary, Dorothy and Margie, as well as his parents-in-law Janice and Gordon, his sister-in-law Sally, and his grandmother-in-law Beth; as well as 27 nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents.
A wake will be held on Friday at the Best Western Inn in Moscow, Idaho at 7 p.m. Friends and the public are welcome to come listen to and share memories of Paul. A service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the University Administrative Auditorium, with burial to follow at Moscow Cemetery. A reception will be held at the Best Western at 5:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, an endowment is being set up to support students in the graduate program that Paul helped to create. Donations can be made to the Paul Joyce Memorial BCB Fellowship Endowment by sending checks to the UI Foundation/Paul Joyce Memorial at the following address: University of Idaho Foundation Gift Administration Office, 875 Perimeter Drive, MS 3147 Moscow, ID 83844-3147.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Shorts Funeral Chapel of Moscow and online condolences may be left at www.shortsfuneralchapel.com and/or www.mtstandard.com.
Election judge training slated
Training sessions for election judges in Butte-Silver Bow County will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 27, and at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Monday, May 2, in the commissioners chambers, third floor of the county courthouse, 155 W. Granite St.
Sally Hollis, clerk and recorder, said the training takes 60 to 90 minutes. New judges need to bring a photo ID and their Social Security card. The job pays $9.50 an hour, Hollis said. People with questions may call Hollis at 406-497-6342.
Upcoming elections include trustee and mill levy election Tuesday, May 3; primary election Tuesday, June 7; and general election Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Free car washes offered
Free car washes to combat spreading weeds are available through May 15 at Lube Alley, 1502 Holmes Ave.
The Butte-Silver Bow Weed District is helping to support the car wash promotion in collaboration with the Montana Weed Awareness Campaign, Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and Lube Alley.
Lube Alley will give away free car washes to any citizen interested in ridding their vehicle of harmful weed seeds before venturing out into Montanas back-country this spring and summer. Information on how to prevent the spread weeds will be provided by the county weed district at the time of the car wash.
Details: John Moodry, Community Enrichment assistant director, 406-497-6460.
Archives closing for cleaning
The Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives, 17 W. Quartz St., will close for annual cleaning at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27, through Friday, April 29. All events at the Archives will continue as scheduled. The Archives will return to its normal business hours of Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, May 2. Details: 406-782-3280.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is in Vietnam this week to discuss the Trans-Pacific Trade Partnership, which President Obama has made a centerpiece of his effort to expand U.S. influence in the Pacific Rim.
According to the USDA, within eight years the TPP would eliminate Vietnamese tariffs on beef that now run as high as 35 percent. The U.S. exported $32.3 million in beef to Vietnam last year.
On wheat, TPP also would end Vietnamese tariffs of up to 35 percent within four years. The U.S. exported about $67 million in wheat and wheat products to Vietnam in 2015, according to the USDA.
With examples like that, readers might well believe that TPP would be great deal for an agricultural commodities-exporting state like Montana. But in recent letters to The Gazette, some Montana ag producers and union leaders have voice their opposition to the 11-nation trade deal.
Opponents complain that the North American Free Trade Agreement resulted in multi-billion-dollar U.S. ag trade deficits, even though it was promoted as a way to export more U.S. farm products. The Northern Plains Resource Council says Mexico and Canada have exported a total of $40 billion more in food and farm goods to the United States than the U.S. has shipped to those countries since NAFTA took effect in 1997.
Walter Archer, a Broadus farmer and rancher, worries that the TPP will foist food products on Americans that dont meet U.S. health and safety standards. He points to the demise of Country of Origin Labeling when producers in Canada and Mexico complained of an illegal obstacle to free trade in a requirement that U.S. consumers be told where their meat was produced.
Darrell Johnson, president of the Greater Yellowstone Central Labor Council, is concerned that NAFTA caused the loss of Montana manufacturing jobs in dimensional lumber, logs, plywood, particle board, aluminum, medical instruments and electricity.
Trans-Pacific Partnership will be worse than previous trade agreements, Johnson said.
Before the trade agreements started years ago, when our refineries replaced parts, valves, pumps, exchangers and compressors, those parts came from Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri and other industrialized areas of the U.S., said J.W. Westman, a union worker at a local refinery. We could count on those components to be of good quality and consistencies. Sadly, those parts now come from Mexico and other cheap labor areas of the world and we are no long assured of quality and consistency.
The TPP was negotiated in secret. It wont be effective in the United States unless the Senate ratifies it.
Business that stand to profit from international trade favor TPP and it has the support of many Republican lawmakers. However, President Barack Obama doesnt have a lot of support for the pact among his own party members. Hillary Clinton, who favored TPP when she was Obamas secretary of state, now says she opposes it. Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders also are against TPP.
Trade agreements create winners and losers. Some businesses will gain greater market shares, others will get more competition with new rules. When the U.S. government agrees to trade rules that will help some Americans and disadvantage others, it must at least mitigate the harm.
Its ridiculous that free trade has come to mean that consumers cant know where their food and other products come from. Theres not a level playing field if U.S. products and plants cant compete effectively against products from foreign nations that have lower standards for health and safety.
As noted in an April 22 Associated Press report, there is recent precedent for renegotiating parts of a trade deal. Obama opposed the Korean Free Trade Agreement in his 2008 campaign, but as president negotiated some concessions, and Congress ratified the pact in 2011.
The TPP could be introduced and ratified in a lame duck Congress, but that would mean an up-or-down vote. A better option would be for the next president to aim for a fairer deal.
-- The Billings Gazette
This school year, Jordan Public Schools in Garfield County received 100 percent of their beef for school lunches as donations from local ranchers. Their Farm to Cafeteria Program resulted in all seven head of beef used for the year in the elementary, junior and senior high schools being locally grown and locally fed. Jordan Public Schools has 130 students enrolled attending a four days a week.
In January 2015, Jordan Superintendent Nate Olson and members of the Jordan school board were brainstorming methods to improve the taste of the beef in school lunches. They implemented changes in time for the August class start.
While were forced by the economics of the situation to adhere to federal school lunch guidelines, we have worked within them to create a uniquely Garfield County Lunch Program," Olson said. "Through the generosity of six local ranches, Garfield County Bank and Ryans Processing, our students are some of the best fed in Montana.
Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, inspection of beef entering the food supply is mandatory. Hence, donors hauled the live beef to Quality Meats of Montana, LLC, in Miles City, approximately 90 miles from Jordan, for harvesting and inspection. After USDA inspection and certification, the school paid for transportation back to Ryans Processing Plant in Jordan. Ryans donated the processing of one carcass, while the school paid for processing the remaining six head.
As a special treat for students, donors and other community members, the prime rib was saved for a holiday dinner the day before Christmas break. Ryans Processing Plant cooked the roasts and served the school a wonderful lunch.
Were all for it," owner Ed Ryan said. "The kids enjoy it and get something good to eat. Prime rib is also served at the Junior/Senior Banquet. A steak fry is planned for the seniors last day of classes.
Marla Pluhar, Jordan Schools head cook, says the school consumed 150 pounds of ground beef, along with the other cuts from each carcass. She can make an array of meals. She uses ground beef for pizza, meatloaf, beef and gravy over mashed potatoes and hamburgers. She uses the prime rib, New York strip, tenderloin and all the roasts. She admits it is more work than using the USDA government meat program because of the preparation and clean-up time involved.
The children receiving this generosity now know where their school lunch food comes from and seem enthusiastic.
I think that its awesome, said Evan Phipps, a freshman.
Cody Hocking, a senior, stated: It has been the best thing to happen to the school in a long time. When I graduate, I will surely miss the school meals.
There are plans to continue and possibly even expand this initiative. It was made possible through the generosity of Lee and Toni Murnion; Bryan and Chelsea Phipps; Rick and Earline Lawrence; Garfield County Bank; Colin and Carrie Murnion; Philip and Karen Gibbs; Brent and Hillari McRae; and Ryans Processing Plant. Also, Pluhar and Olson took on extra work and logistics.
If your school is interested in locally grown foods, there are programs to help them get started. The Montana Farm to School Summit 2016, Sprouting Success, is being held at Montana State University in Bozeman on Sept. 22-23. For more information visit: https://tofu.msu.montana.edu/cs/f2s_2016.
-- Heather Fryer serves on the Hobson school board. She is a member of Team Beef, the Montana CattleWomen and the Montana Stockgrowers.
BILLINGS The $405 million Tongue River Railroad proposed for southeast Montana is the crashing coal economys latest casualty.
The federal Surface and Transportation Board published its decision Tuesday to unanimously to kill the coal railroad, given the recent bankruptcy of Arch Coal.
Arch was to develop Otter Creek Mine south of Ashland, which the railroad was to serve. In March, Arch suspended its environmental permitting application, to Montana's Department of Environmental Quality.
"At this time, there appears to be little prospect that Otter Creek Coals mine permit will be secured in the foreseeable future," the STB concluded. "Otter Creek Coal and its parent, Arch, have both filed for bankruptcy, and Otter Creek Coal has suspended its application for an MDEQ mining permit indefinitely."
Otter Creek Mine had been in the works since 2010, when Arch Coal agreed to pay Montana $85.84 million for the development rights to 14 state-owned coal parcels in southeast Montanas Otter Creek Valley. At the time, Arch Coal representatives told The Gazette that they would break ground at the mine in five years and be in full production by 2016.
Arch partnered in Tongue River Railroad Co. with BNSF Railway and TRRC Financing, a limited liability company.
"The Tongue River Railroad Company is disappointed with the decision today to dismiss our current application," said Matt Jones, BNSF spokesman for Montana and Wyoming. "In the event the development conditions improve in the future, renewing the project will require a new permit application and environmental review."
Last November, the railroad collaborators asked the federal government to suspend the permitting process for the would-be Tongue River Railroad until Otter Creek Mines permits were approved.
Neighbors who have battled Otter Creek Mine for decades weren't ruling out another mine proposal resurfacing at some point.
"I'm a little hesitant to say it's over because for 30 years it hasn't been over," said Clint McRae, a rancher and member of Northern Plains Resource Council.
It was Northern Plains who asked the STB to reject the developers request that the Tongue River Railroad application be suspended, but kept alive. Tuesdays published decision was a win for Northern Plains.
"I think it is certainly a step in the right direction," rejecting the railroad, McRae said. "This decision amplifies what we've said all along, that this is a highly speculative venture that doesn't have any markets and shouldn't go forward."
The railroad was running into stiff opposition not only from environmentalists objecting to coal development, but also from the Northern Cheyenne Indians, who last fall cited concerns about damage to tribal culture and the environment when asking STB to reject the railroad.
The coal economy is in rough shape. Natural gas, priced lower than coal, is poised to take over coal's spot as the nation's top source for electricity generation this year, according to the federal Energy Information Administration.
Coal exports aren't doing well either. With world coal supply exceeding demand, sales prices haven't been high enough to make it worthwhile to rail haul Powder River Basin coal to the Pacific Northwest for shipping.
Three of America's largest coal companies Arch Coal, Peabody Coal and Alpha Natural Resources with mines in Wyoming and Montana have filed for bankruptcy in recent months.
Public concern about climate change has also driven states like Washington and Oregon to pass laws edging utilities away from coal power.
The federal Clean Power Plan rolled out last year might also require states to phase in cuts to greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, including in Montana where emissions cuts of 47 percent are prescribed. The Clean Power Plan is on hold pending litigation.
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The Columbus Wildcats reached the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1997 by clobbering Maquoketa Valley at Columbus Community High School on Friday night, 62-14. Columbus was led by Kaden Amigon, who scored four touchdowns and rushed for over 250 yards.
MUSCATINE, Iowa Muscatine Power and Water's Fiber to the Home project continues to be behind schedule, but construction is expected to begin in the fall.
Tim Reed, director of Utility Service Delivery, reported during Tuesday's meeting of the Board of Water, Electric, and Communications Trustees that the overall design has been completed by Newcom Technologies of Des Moines, and the total design is expected to be completed May 13. "It really is very close to being finalized," Reed told the board. "The designers have been late in the past, but they are turning things around faster than they have in the past."
Reed said he expects the project to go out for bids by the end of the year's second quarter.
FINANCIAL REPORT
All three of MP&W's utilities outperformed the budget in March, but the Electric Utility finished the year's first quarter well over three-quarters of a million dollars in the red. The Electric Utility posted a loss of $14,145 in March, compared to the budgeted loss of $245,616. A profit of $549,680 was budgeted for the first quarter, but instead a loss of $393,113 was posted.
Jerry Gowey, director of Finance and Administrative Services, reported wholesale revenue was lower as well as demand. But expenses also were lower, he reported, driven by less purchased power, lower fuel costs, less coal burned, and lower maintenance costs.
A March loss of $19,636 was budgeted for the Water Utility, but a profit of $10,718 was posted. For the quarter, the budgeted profit of $26,270 was bested by actual profit of $42,615.
The figures were even rosier for the Communications Utility. Profit of $86,985 was budgeted for March, but the actual profit was $135,389. For the quarter, profit of $280,465 was budgeted, but actual profit of $468,985 was posted.
After the meeting, General Manager Sal LoBianco said Communications Utility profit can't be used to lower the ever-increasing cable television rates because those funds will be needed to pay for the Fiber to the Home Project and because of continually escalating cable programming costs. "We haven't passed on all of the programming costs to the customers," said LoBianco. "We're absorbing some of that."
ANNUAL REPORT
The 2015 annual report, titled "In the Field, Behind the Scenes, Around the Corner" was presented to the board. The full publication will be available online. Trifold highlight brochures will be provided to MP&W employees and included in customer billings.
IN OTHER BUSINESS:
The board ratified expenditures and transactions for March totaling $10,693,144;
The board approved revised and updated service rules for the three utilities;
After discussing the matter for about an hour and a half in closed session, the board chose to take no action on a proposal to enter into a power purchase agreement with the South Fork Wind Farm of Minnesota.
MUSCATINE, Iowa The Muscatine County Soil and Water Conservation District has announced its 75th annual Soil and Water Conservation Week April 24-30.
The week is an opportunity to recognize the important conservation practices placed on Iowas landscape and bring attention to the ongoing work by farmers, landowners and urban residents to protect the states soil and water resources, a press release from the conservation district stated.
Iowas Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and others provide leadership in soil health, soil conservation, water quality and the protection and enhancement of Iowas natural resources.
Much has been accomplished in the last 75 years of conservation work in Iowa, Robert Lynch, president of Conservation Districts of Iowa, stated ina press release.
The statewide organization supports Iowas elected Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioners who work within our local communities to provide resources that assist landowners in caring for the land.
We celebrate these accomplishments during this week and seek to communicate the opportunities all Iowans have to become involved in conservation through their local soil and water conservation district," Lynch stated.
The Muscatine County Soil and Water Conservation District would like to thank all for their support, the press release stated.
To learn more about these opportunities through, contact Muscatine County Soil and Water Conservation District, 3500 Oakview Drive - Suite A, at 563-263-7944, extension 300.
The Muscatine Journal is under new leadership after a staff restructuring, announced Tuesday, created the new positions of general manager and managing editor.
Peggy Senzarino, who has been the Journal's news editor, has been promoted to managing editor. Jaime Limoges, a former advertising manager for the Journal, has been hired as the new general manager.
"We wanted to re-align our resources so we could provide more local coverage of the Muscatine area, news and events," said Quad-City Times Publisher Deb Anselm, who announced the changes to Journal staff during a meeting Tuesday morning.
As part of the realignment, the newspaper's publisher and editor positions were eliminated, and a new reporter position is being added. The impacted employees were Karla Pinner and Kevin Smith, who served as publisher and editor, respectively. The Muscatine Journal is a publication of Lee Enterprises Inc., which also is the parent company of the Times.
Senzarino brings 30 years of experience in radio, television and newspaper reporting. She is in her second stint at the Journal, where she was a reporter from 1995-1998 before spending 17 years as a reporter at the Mason City Globe Gazette, another Lee newspaper.
I am excited about the new challenges ahead as managing editor," she said. "We want to make the community proud of its local newspaper and provide the best in local news for readers in Muscatine and Louisa counties.
Limoges also is no stranger to Muscatine. The former Jaime Bryant worked 10 years for Lee at the Muscatine Journal, last as its advertising manager. Since 2014, she has been employed by the Florida Division of Lakeway Publishers Inc., as publisher of the Clermont News Leader Group in Clermont, Fla.
''The businesses in Muscatine have always been near and dear to my heart, and I have continued to advocate for them even during my time in Florida," Limoges said. "My passion has always been promoting what is great about Muscatine."
Limoges is the past president of Muscatine Downtown Action Alliance. She also served as a board member of Great River Days and founded the Muscatine Bridal Expo.
"I think both of them are going to provide great leadership for the news and advertising teams," Anselm said. "Filling these two roles is critical to our long-range plans and commitment to the area."
MUSCATINE, Iowa A food preservation class will be noon-1 p.m. Thursday, May 12, in the club room at Hy-Vee, 2400 Second Ave.
Preserving food at home is not difficult, but it does require following research-based recipes. Vera Stokes, ISU Extension and Outreach nutrition and wellness specialist, stated in a press release.
"Food Preservation 101" aims to introduce participants to safe home food preservation methods including canning, dehydrating and freezing. Participants will receive food preservation handouts, see various food preservation supplies and equipment, and learn about ISU Extension and Outreachs Preserve The Taste of Summer food preservation course.
Food Preservation 101 is sponsored by hosted by Iowa State University Extension's Muscatine County office, Muscatine Blue Zones Project and Muscatine Hy-Vee. There is no fee to attend, but a $5 healthy lunch will be available for purchase. To reserve a spot, call 563-263-5701 or email KristaR@iastate.edu.
MUSCATINE, Iowa Students from Central and West middle schools in Muscatine got a comprehensive lesson in safety from the barn to the home Wednesday at the Muscatine Ag Learning Center.
Monsanto's Ag Safety Day is held annually for Muscatine sixth-grade students.
"We offer ag safety, regular home safety and animal safety. Then we give them some hands-on activities. They put out a fire, all kinds of things," said Chris Boar, Monsanto's plant manager assistant.
The students moved through a series of activity stations in groups of 25. Approximately 60 Monsanto employees were on hand to help. Students from the Muscatine High School FFA assisted at the event.
The kids got to ride pedal cars through a maze wearing impairment goggles simulating intoxication from alcohol or drugs.
"Lots of these kids aren't old enough to drive yet but it still gives them an idea of the impairment from doing things that they shouldn't be doing," Boar said.
There were agriculture quiz stations. Other stations showed how to prevent hearing loss, the importance of wearing safety glasses and how to operate a fire extinguisher.
A "seat belt convincer" showed the effects of a low speed crash on an unbelted passenger seated in the rear of a vehicle.
The dummy suffered a broken nose and a broken arm.
A station asked the students to pick out the real food from a chemical look-alike.
"Just because it looks like candy, it's not candy," Boar said.
Another station demonstrated the force it takes to pull out somebody trapped in a grain bin.
"An adult male approximately six feet tall, if they are engulfed up to their waist it's going to take approximately 325 pounds of force to pull them out," said Mike Caffery of Monsanto.
A large dollhouse was staged so the students could try and spot hidden household hazards.
"I just think it's great for kids whether they're city kids or country kids to be able to get out and see things they normally don't get to see and learn a lot about safety," said Jason Paris of Monsanto.
The students got to see bees, horses, goats, cattle and sheep.
Diego Carranza, 12, a Central sixth-grader, said he learned that a bee dies when it stings you. But that's not all he learned Wednesday about animal safety.
"If you try to pet the horse or cow under its mouth or around there, it will mistake your hand for a carrot and try and bite it."
Lauren Michaelsen, 12, was bee crazy.
"I liked learning about honey bees. In the little crate they had, there were three types of bees, It was the drones, the queen bee and the worker bees. I only thought there was one type of bee so that was pretty cool."
Jayden Dillie, 11, was another animal lover.
"I really liked the goats. They are nice and friendly. I think they are funny when they do different things."
WAPELLO, Iowa Local residents continued to voice support for a proposed ordinance that would allow all-terrain/utility vehicles on most Louisa County secondary roads during a second public hearing Tuesday.
Three people, Louisa County Conservation Board Director Katie Hammond and her husband Jeff, Wapello; and John Cherry, Conesville, attended the meeting to discuss the proposal with county supervisors Paula Buckman and Randy Griffin. Supervisor Chris Ball was not present for the hearing, which was held as part of the supervisors regular weekly meeting, because he was assisting a neighbor whose tractor and planter had reportedly been upset earlier in the morning.
Griffin had missed the supervisors first public hearing on the ordinance last week because he was out of the area. It had been scheduled as a special April 21 evening meeting and attracted nine local residents.
While there were fewer local residents at Tuesdays meeting, they presented the same unanimous support for the ordinance that had been shown last week.
Cherry, who said he is 76 years old and had been riding the vehicles for almost 40 years, said he knew of only one accident involving ATV/UTVs.
That was a drunk up on the rodeo grounds, he reported, adding he thought Louisa County residents were unlikely to display that type of behavior.
It seems like we have more civilized people in Louisa County, he said.
Jeff Hammond agreed and said accident statistics he had found showed a dramatic decrease in ATV/UTV accidents between 2007 and 2014.
I think were better off in Louisa County, he said.
Cherry did suggest the countys ordinance could be modified to include requiring a red flag on the vehicles. He said Missouri requires the flag.
At last weeks meeting a provision was also proposed that would require ATV/UTVs drivers to turn on their headlights when operating. Buckman and Ball had indicated they supported that measure, but Griffin cautioned against that proposal and also Cherrys red flag suggestion.
I agree (the red flag and headlights) are good ideas, (but) I have always been (in favor) of (keeping) it simple, simple, simple, he said.
You are just asking for more for law enforcement to enforce, Griffin continued.
Sheriff Brad Turner, who did not attend the public hearing, but met earlier with the board to provide his monthly department report, seemed to agree on the lighted headlight issue.
He pointed out farmers would not be subject to the new ordinance, provided they were using their ATV/UTVs as part of a farming operation. That would mean they could operate without turning on their headlights.
However, officers would not know an operator without a lighted headlight was a farmer until after a stop was made and if the officer discovered some other violation during the stop, the farmer could still face legal action.
Be prepared as a farmer and dont take issue with law enforcement, Turner warned.
Buckman eventually moved to approve the first reading of the ordinance without the lighted headlight provision, and Griffin agreed. The board must pass two additional readings and then publish the ordinance before it can go into effect.
Griffin estimated it could be May 15 before that happens.
Meanwhile, Katie Hammond agreed to talk to her board about possibly developing a site where ATV/UTVs could operate.
MUSCATINE, Iowa Washington Elementary School will have a community celebration and open house 4:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 19. The event will include self-guided tours, inflatables for children, food for purchase, viewing contents of a time capsule buried in 1998 and a photo booth.
Washington Elementary opened in 1973 and will close at the end of this school year.
Orders for commemorative T-shirts are being taken until May 5 to be distributed at the open house. For more information on pre-ordering a T-shirt at $15 each, contact the school at 563-263-9135. All proceeds will go to the Washington Scholarship Fund.
WILTON, Iowa A proposal to allow springtime open burning that has been smoldering in Wilton appears to have fizzled out.
The city council Monday night took no action on a proposed ordinance amendment that would have allowed burning of yard waste April 25-May 7 every spring.
Public comments were heavily against open burning during the council's April 11 meeting. The meeting room was full again Monday night, but only former Mayor Carol Wade spoke about burning. Wade told the council that when she attended a softball tournament last Saturday, an out of town visitor expressed surprise that a resident was (illegally) burning yard waste near the ball park all day, exposing young people to the smoke.
No one on the council even made a motion to approve the first reading of the amendment. "I think we're just opening up a can of worms," commented Council Member Wayne Budding. "I've had enough people against it."
City Administrator Chris Ball said he will research obtaining yard waste bags to help residents dispose of waste material.
Wilton does allow open burning in the fall. "I really don't like the burning from October through November either," Wade told the council. "You have children out."
NUISANCE PROPERTY
A recommendation from Ball to take legal action to clean up and possibly remove a dilapidated structure was unanimously approved by the council. Ball described the former gas station converted into a residence at 101 Cherry Street as "run down," and ongoing attempts to get the owner to clean it up have not been successful. Ball recommended taking the owner to court and taking over the property if it isn't cleaned up, but he doesn't expect it to be cheap. "We're talking about several thousand dollars of lawyer fees and the cost of cleaning it up," Ball told the council.
Ball conceded the removal of any fuel tanks still buried at the site would add to the cost, but he also said cleaning the property would improve the property values of nearly everyone in the neighborhood. "I think it's time," Ball said. "It's probably going to cost us a few bucks."
On a related note, the council approved proceeding with the removal of around half a dozen trees on city property. Ball said nearby neighbors have not objected and in some cases have asked for the trees to be removed. "These are trees that should be taken down," he said. "They're dangerous."
MAIL SURVEY
Wilton residents who did not respond to a mail survey can expect the survey to appear in their mailboxes again. The council unanimously approved expending $3,200 for MSA Professional Services to conduct the second mailing of the survey to non responsive households.
The intent of the survey is to identify low and moderate income households, providing information for assistance for housing rehabilitation, water main repair, and correcting drainage problems.
"We would need an eighty percent response rate in whatever neighborhoods we're targeting," MSA's Jim Holz told the council. "So far, we've gotten thirty percent of the entire city."
Holz recommended doing the second mailing before sending volunteers door to door. "We have all the addresses that did not respond," he said. "I think it would be good to do a second mailing before going door to door."
Becky Allgood, Executive Director of the Wilton Development Corporation, said she'd be willing to be a door to door volunteer. "This is an important piece that will help us with the grant writing that we do," she said.
WATER AND SEWER RATE STUDY
Even though a water and sewer rate study was done in 2012, the council unanimously approved conducting a new study in preparation for the construction of the new wastewater treatment plant. The council approved an agreement with HRGreen Engineering to do the study for $14,200.
Construction of the new plant had been estimated at $4 million, but the estimate is estimated to go up. Ball said that's why the new rate study is necessary. "It might be a good idea to revisit this and make sure we can pay for the plant," he said.
BIKE NIGHT APPROVED
Motorcyclists will again descend on Wilton on Friday nights through the summer and into the fall. The council unanimously approved a request from Brian Froehlich, owner of Fro's Pub and Grub at 309 Cedar St., to close the portion of Third Street between Cedar and the alley behind his business for Fro's Bike Night on Friday nights 6-9:30 p.m. May 6-Sept. 16.
"It's going to be bigger this year," Froehlich told the council. "We're looking to give away a motorcycle."
Police Chief Tim Leathers said the event hasn't caused major problems. "I think the only calls we'll get will be complaints about noise," Leathers told the council. "We've gotten them in the past."
IN OTHER BUSINESS
The council unanimously approved payment of bills totaling $128,118.
The council unanimously approved amending the current budget, raising expenditures by $2,090,000, revenues by $2,475,000, and the closing fund balance by $385,000.
The council unanimously approved payment of $24,489 to Heuer Construction of Muscatine for Division Street improvement. Retainage of $24,655 remains to be paid for the project.
The council unanimously approved Mayor Bob Barrett's reappointment of Ryan Streck to the Board of Adjustment for a five-year term.
The council unanimously approved increasing a part-time position at the library to full time.
The council unanimously approved a request from the Wilton High School Alumni Association to close Sixth Street between Chestnut and Walnut streets from 6 p.m. June 17 to 11:59 a.m. June 18 for All School Reunion activities.
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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 []
Someone should sue the President for ...
1. Just months after her husband became president, she reportedly shut down a bar inside State House where ministers and close allies of the President used to enjoy a drink with the head of state.
2. She made her husband President Mwai Kibaki to call a press conference where he declared his monogamous status.
3. In May 2005, she stormed into the house of her then neighbour, the World Banks country director Makhtar Diop, in a tracksuit at midnight and demanded that he turns down his music at a private party he was hosting to mark the end of his posting in Kenya.
4. After the incident was captured in the dailies, the first lady stormed into the Nation Media Group offices on a Monday morning and demanded that the reporter who had written about her confrontation with Mr Diop be arrested.
5. She was the first public figure to assault a journalist, exemplified when she openly slapped cameraman Clifford Derrick who was filming her.
6. She once slapped the master of ceremony during a Jamhuri Day state dinner at State House in 2007. The master of ceremony had committed the unforgivable mistake of introducing her as Lucy Wambui instead of Lucy Muthoni Kibaki.
7. During the 2009 Jamhuri Day celebration at Nyayo Stadium, the First Lady slipped and fell on the staircase but was assisted by her security detail.
8. She was claimed to have slapped State House comptroller Matere Keriri. It later emerged that Mrs Kibaki had become uncomfortable with his closeness of Mr Keriri to the President.
9. She was a victim of numerous wardrobe malfunctions during her tenure. Of interest was the sky blue dinner dress she wore during a White House dinner hosted by President George W. Bush. The dress was criticised due to its cheap fabric and design that did not flatter her body.
10. Mrs Kibaki was also reported to have slapped Gitobu Imanyara at State House, Nairobi, during a briefing on parliamentary issues. She had been apparently irked by the legislators insistence on filing charges against another MP who had verbally attacked the President.
Source Nairobinews.co.ke
Controversial blogger and parliamentary aspirant, Robert Alai, has once again irked a large number of Kenyans after his tasteless sentiments following the death of former First Lady Lucy Kibaki.
While hitting out at corrupt Kenyan leaders and decrying the lack of proper health care in the country, Robert Alai dragged Lucy Kibakis in a post on social media claiming that the loot from her husbands regime could not stop her death.
What these corrupt leaders looting Kenya will discover is that no amount of loot will insulate them from death. Our mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers are dying daily due to preventable diseases but since greed precede service, the deaths will never end, reads the Facebook post.
He went on to explain how Kenyan hospitals dampen the hopes of patients.
From Hospitals in Kiambu, Isiolo, Isebania to Malaba, we cant get proper medical care because someone must steal. Our hospitals dampens the hopes of patients as our leaders seek treatment in foreign lands.
Then came the controversial part that had social media users elicit mixed reactions to the post.
He wrote, Even the 7-star Bupa Cromwell Hospital could not stop the death of Lucy Kibaki. Not even with the loot from the regime of her husband. She couldnt raid the news desk of death announcer to stop death.
I pray that our leaders remember to equip local hospitals because their greed is killing many more, He concluded.
Here are some reactions from other social media users:
Qanash Hellen:
Irene Jack:
Mtumishi Robert Mungai:
Gonzalo Lopez:
James Mwangi:
Michael Kisaka:
Masyula Kioko:
Mwikali Brown Becky:
Eulysis Muiruri Njoroge:
Ricky Ross Kinyanjui:
Mwaura Peter:
#STOLEN
Wezi Wa Mapenzi Beware!
By Councillor Njuguna Njohi/ Team Mafisi
Yesterday I was sipping the wisdom of Ruaraka with one Wainaina and we were joined by a member of the outlawed Munguki sect. Wainaina was telling us how it is bad to climb wives of owners. He said that even the Bible warns against eating women of someone. This was not the best stories to be telling somebody like myself who has previously climbed persons of others. I actually fear marrying a lot because they say that Karma is a female dog and what you do to others will be done unto you some day. I dont want to marry and have my wife eaten by others.
The member of Munguki told us that in 2010 he was living in Nakuru. He was not member of Munguki and had no plans of joining. Back then he was working at a respectable bank and money was not a problem. He used to eat colleagues and clients. There was this woman who came to borrow loan from the bank and the nigga helped him. Woman became very happy and told the nigga that she will return hand one day. They exchanged contacts and the man of Munguki started throwing lines small small.
One day the woman planned and invited the niggah at one of the clubs that say in Nakuru. The swallowed cold ones and danced to good music. Woman told the niggah that she was married but her husband was driver of lorries of transist and he was currently in Rwanda. In short the woman was saying that her cookie was ready to accommodate the niggas lions. That night they went to house of the woman. She did not have kids and was living all alone. The niggah ate the woman properly.
They became very good friends and the nigga would eat the cookie regularly. The niggah however made a big blunder, he would come to climb the woman in her matrimonial house. Things of stealing should be eaten at a very far and undisclosed location. Neighbours of the woman leaked news to the husband of woman that there is another man who comes to eat his wife.
One day the man visited the woman. The woman had talked to her husband and confirmed that he was in Juba South Sudan and therefore she would get climbed by the banker without fear. The husband had however lied but was actually in Nakuru. Out banker came and as usual he ate things. As he was mauling and excavating the cookie, the husband was briefed by neighbors that there was eater in his house.
The husband assembled 5 members of the Munguki sect and they ambushed out banker. Door was knocked and woman opened. She was shell shocked to see his husband standing at the door. The husband slapped the woman and demanded that she tell whoever she was in the house with to step out.. Our banker was very worried and was praying that earth splits and swallow him.
The 5 hired members of Munguki forced their way into the house and frog marched the banker outside. They made him remove all clothes. They beat him up like a dog. He pleaded not guilty and that he did not know that the woman had owner.
The members of Munguki produced a panga, a gun and a hammer. They instructed the nigga to select one tool which he wanted used to kill him. He cried, urinated on himself and diarrhead in the house. The Munguki felt mercy and told him to either pick the hammer and use it to remove two of his front teeth failure to which they will take panga and chop off his lion.
The nigga went for the hammer option. Painfully and amid gallons of tears he removed his own teeth. He was then forced to take oath and join Munguki.
When he was released, he did not spend another day in Nakuru. He went to his house, sold everything to Shylock and boarded the next matatu from Nakuru to his rural village in Ndumberi..!
From that day he sees women of owners and can not even greet them. He has never returned to Nakuru again and he says the furthest he can go along Nairobi-Nakuru Highway is Kinoo.
You continue eating wives of owners but know that one day, one fuckin day you will be caught.
#Karma is a female dog!!!
Central Gem MCA, Fred Ouda on Tuesday caused a scene at IEBC offices in Central Nyanza Region by chaining himself on the offices gates.
The bizarre scene came a day after CORD principals Raila Odinga and Senator Moses Wetangula led opposition leaders in a protest at IEBC offices in Nairobi. They led about 500 supporters, who waved placards, whistled and shouted, to the commissions offices at Anniversary Towers.
The controversial Siaya MCA was arrested and whisked away from the offices located next to Kisumu State House.
Last year, Fred Ouda made headlines when he stripped naked in protest over what he described as disparaging remarks against ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Here are photos from Tuesdays debacle:
Here is a video courtesy of The Star
The Hottest Stories on the Internet Today (Wednesday April 27)
Some attending the third annual Calistoga Food and Wine Event were repeat guests, others flew in from out of state, and some found out about the signature event when they arrived in town.
We were just coming here for vacation and just happened on the event, said Shiva Di Virgilio, who was with her husband, Richard, at the Grand Tasting on Saturday at Solage Calistoga.
The couple, who married three years ago in Yountville, wanted to explore Calistoga next so they decided to celebrate their anniversary here.
The event couldnt have been better suited to them, they agreed, as both are chefs and co-owners of Oporto, a fooding house and boutique bar in Houston.
Their food and style, Portuguese-Italian-Indian, is a reflection of who we are, Di Virgilio said.
The Calistoga Food and Wine event is exactly the same a reflection of who we are, Brandon Sharp has said of the event he has helped to grow each year since its inception.
Sharp, the executive chef of Michelin-star Solbar at Solage, wants to put Calistogas food and wine on the same stage as other Napa Valley towns, and this annual event is meant to be a celebration of all that Calistoga has and is, he said.
The now-three-day weekend started Friday with guest chef winemaker dinners, followed by the Grand Tasting on Saturday that had about 600 attendees, and concluded with a chef and sommelier brunch on Sunday.
Saturdays Grand Tasting showcased 30 Calistoga Winegrowers Association members whose wines were supported by tasty bites prepared by Sharp, guest chefs, and local Calistoga Inn Restaurant and Brewerys food truck. Sharp and Calistoga Inns food truck had a long, steady line for much of the event.
Wines being poured included wines from tiny producers such as Homage, Canard, 2880, Jack Brooks, Knighton Vineyards and newcomer to the event, Bragg that produces between 100 to 125 cases a year.
Several wineries offered whites such as sauvignon blanc or chardonnay with a handful offering rose, such as the 2015 Canard Rose of merlot, cabernet franc and zinfandel, which was cold pressed to maximize aromas and made by winemaker Brian Graham.
A 2015 Clos Pegase rose is made of mostly Calistoga zinfandel grapes from the propertys Dunaweal Lane property.
The only verdelho producer in the valley, Coquerel, served their 2013 Verdelho from their Calistoga estate, of which they produced about 400 cases.
Calistoga is home to the largest acreage of charbono in the state and Summers Estate Winery chose to pour that as one of their offerings.
Tom Eddy Wines brought out two other varietals not often on the scene of tastings such as this. They poured a 2013 Tom Eddy Petite Sirah, grown in Calistoga, and a 2015 Tom Eddy Orange Muscat, grown in the Sierra Foothills.
As the wine and music flowed, more attendees stopped in at the photo booth and its plethora of adornments such as pink flamingo hats, martini- and wine-glass shaped sunglasses, sombreros, royal crowns, police hats, and other silly things to put on ones head.
Yes, there was food at the Calistoga Food and Wine Grand Tasting Event. Among the small plates were a cured Mt. Lassen trout with oak-grilled Delta asparagus, favetta and spring pea barigoule prepared by guest chef Reylon Agustin, Executive Sous Chef of Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park.
Lars Kronmark, professor in culinary arts at Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena prepared New Scandinavian style shrimp with fresh cheese rye crumble and dill.
Sharp prepared Solbars Chef de Cuisine Brad Cecchi slow roasted suckling pig in steam buns, that was served alongside the Lucky Pig dish of slow roasted Rancho Llano Seco pork with pickled pineapple, Mongolian peanuts, lettuce cups, mint, jalapeno cilantro, rice noodles, and sweet chili mustard.
The wineries that poured at the Grand Tasting are, in alphabetical order, 2880 Wines, Amici Cellars, Barlow Vineyards, Bennett Lane Winery, Canard Vineyard, Chateau de Vie, Chateau Montelena, Clos Pegase, Coquerel Family Estate Wines, Davis Estates, Dutch Henry, Envy Wines, Fairwinds Estate Winery, Harris Estate Vineyards, Hindsight Wines, Homage Vineyard, Huge Bear Wines, Jack Brooks Vineyard, Jax Vineyards, Jericho Canyon Vineyard, Jones Family Vineyards, Larkmead Vineyards, Kenefick Ranch Vineyards, Knighton Family Vineyards, La Sirena, Laura Michael Wines, Madrigal, Olabisi, Phifer Pavitt Wine, Samuel Brannan Vineyards, Shypoke, Sterling Vineyards, Storybook Mountain Vineyards, Summers Estate Winery, Tamber Bey, Tom Eddy Winery, T-Vine and Vermeil Wines.
The Calistoga WineGowers is hosting a Wine Experience in Pioneer Park on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 1 to 5 p.m. in conjunction with the Calistoga Harvest Table, which will be held on Sept. 11. For information about the Wine Experience go to CalistogaWinegrowers.com.
Don your favorite book character or author to try to win a prize in the Literary Costume Contest during a full day of activities that are planned at Copperfields Bookstore, which is celebrating the second annual Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 30.
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. there will muffins and milk, and coloring fun and story time for kids with the book Fortunately, the Milk, by Neil Gaiman with illustrations by Skottie Young.
Children can also get temporary tattoos and their faces painted, then play Musical Feet, which is like musical chairs, to the companion record Rad American Women A-Z. There will be other prizes and fun for little ones.
A scavenger hunt for readers from 1 p.m. to the stores close will help visitors explore and learn more about the bookstore. Book Selfies with your favorite book are encouraged. Coloring books for adults is a craze now, with one being offered by Gaiman and Chris Riddell art. It includes 20 pieces of Riddells black-and-white art with quotes from Gaimans books Coraline, The Graveyard Book, and Fortunately, the Milk, both books that Riddell has illustrated. The coloring book is offered at $14.99 on the IBD website.
At 2 p.m. author Frances Dinkelspiel will appear to talk about her book Tangled Vines: Greed, Murder, Obsession and an Arsonist in the Vineyards of California. A 10 percent discount on the book is available to those who RSVP at CopperfieldsBooks.com.
Tangled Vines chronicles the 2005 fire of the Wines Central warehouse on Mare Island in Vallejo where between 4.5 million and 6 million bottles of wine were destroyed. The arson, which Dinkelspiel uses as the centerpiece of her book that includes other narratives, was part of a large-scale wine embezzlement scheme.
The story includes tales of counterfeiting, contested vineyards, more fires and a bloody history of Rancho Cucamonga.
From 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. there will be an open mic hour for emerging poets and writers. Reading is limited to 500 words, or about two to four minutes.
Between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. there will be literary trivia and costume contests, plus other bookish fun. Drawings for prizes include book bags, T-shirts, books and Independent Bookstore Day special items.
In addition to the adult coloring book, to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day, there are a dozen exclusive items available for purchase at IndieBookstoreDay.com that include Anthony Bourdains Perfect Burger Print, which is an illustrated guide to making the perfect burger, signed by Bourdain, for $20.
Other offerings include a Curious George plush doll with an IBD logo on his shirt, a vinyl record to accompany Rad American Women AZ, and IBDs signature item: a Bad Citizen stencil featuring a quote from Fran Lebowitz.
The sound of hammering, drilling and other construction noise outside the Napa Valley College library on Friday morning wasnt the start of a campus addition or other project. It was the sound of the start of new careers.
A career fair for anyone interested in becoming a mason, electrician, iron worker, painter, plumber, roofer, or other such skilled worker was presented by the North Bay Apprenticeship Coordinators Association, Kaiser Permanente, Carpenters Local 180 and Napa Solano Building Trades Council.
Vallejo resident J.J. Carnell, currently in the California Conservation Corps (CCC), said on Friday that he was most definitely looking for a skilled trade job. Through the CCC, hes been trained in landscaping, tree removal, fire prevention and trail maintenance, among other skills.
My ideal job would be in irrigation, he said. The career fair is great, he said, especially for people already doing hands-on work like in the CCC.
Im looking for a good trade and good-paying job with benefits, said A.J. Williams of Vallejo. Also a CCC member, Williams said outdoor work was best for him. If I was in an office all day, Id lose my mind.
Child advocates say higher wages, affordable housing needed
County child advocates say raising the local minimum wage to $15 an hour more quickly than the states multiyear, phased-in approach would help children in low-income families.
The stress of poverty and near-poverty is highly detrimental to children and adults alike, said Joelle Gallagher, co-chairwoman of the Napa County Child Abuse Prevention Council.
Last week Gallagher presented the councils 2016 Report on Children to the county Board of Supervisors. She sketched out the challenges faced by children and also made recommendations.
Even though Napa County has a median household income of $74,123 annually, 43 percent of families live at or below the $47,700 needed for a family of four to be self-sufficient, the report said. Also, 9.6 percent of households with children live below the $23,850 federal poverty limit for a family of four.
Frog's Leap seeking unusual winery approval
Frogs Leap Winery wants more visitors and more production, but this time a seemingly familiar request among local wineries comes with a twist the expanded processing doesnt involve grapes.
The winery at 8815 Conn Creek Road near Rutherford wants to build a 3,000-square-foot building where it would process fruit from its 2-acre orchard. It would make jams and butters.
Frogs Leap Winery grows such crops as peaches, apples and pomegranates, said Jeff Redding, a consultant working on the winerys application to the county. It is a bio-diverse farm, he said.
This really is agriculture at its best, Redding said during a break in Wednesdays Napa County Planning Commission meeting.
But issues associated with the visitation request led the Planning Commission to continue the hearing until June 15 at the winerys request.
Restitution Court: Helping victims collect compensation
When someone is sentenced for a crime, sometimes they are ordered to pay restitution to those who were affected by their actions. But they dont always pay.
Years later the victim hasnt received any money, said Napa County Assistant District Attorney Paul Gero.
Hoping to improve this situation, the county has launched Restitution Court, which meets the third Monday of the month.
Restitution Court is designed to enforce and monitor restitution payments. My goal is that these (people) pay the money that they owe, Gero said.
The court met for only the second time last week before Judge Mark Boessenecker.
NVTA finds possible bus yard site near airport
A two-and-a-half-year search to find a suitable site to build a $31.6 million VINE bus yard amid the pricey Napa County real estate market may have finally yielded fruit.
The Napa Valley Transportation Authority is looking at two adjacent properties totaling about 8 acres on Sheehy Court. This area in the airport industrial area could become the place where more than 80 buses are kept, repaired, cleaned and maintained.
Were negotiating with the owners, NVTA Executive Director Kate Miller said. But in order to move forward, we really need to do some environmental assessment to understand whether we can build on that site.
The NVTA Board of Directors voted Wednesday to spend $175,000 for Rincon Consultants Inc. to do an environmental study and design work. The agency wants to find out if the two properties are home to rare species, have contaminated soils, have water availability issues or have other constraints before it spends public money buying them.
Some Napa bicyclists are upset about the road and bike lane conditions by the Napa Valley Wine Train tracks at Soscol Avenue and Sixth Street.
This crossing has been a safety concern for years, said Patrick Band, executive director of the Napa County Bicycle Coalition. The degradation of the pavement has been bad for a long time, but it became worse this year after winter storms, he said.
The Napa County Bicycle Coalition complained to representatives from the Napa Valley Wine Train in March, Band said. When the coalition couldnt get a commitment for repairs, Band said he asked the California Public Utilities Commission for its help.
The CPUC said it will have an investigator go out to the scene, Band said.
In the meantime, some of the potholes in the bike lane have been filled, presumably by Wine Train, but Band said that it wont solve the problem. Patching doesnt address the issue. In some ways it actually exacerbates the issue, he said.
The patch will last only a month or two until it begins to disintegrate, causing debris to clutter the road and the bike lane, Band said. To take care of the problem, the area around the track must be repaved or concrete pavers need to be installed, he said.
Band said that the Napa Valley Wine Train is responsible for maintaining the road within two feet of the tracks.
The poor condition of the road is noticed not only by cyclists, he said, but is a concern for anyone who drives over the tracks.
Its been a problem for a long time and its not getting any better, Band said.
Messages left with Wine Train over the past week asking for comment were not returned.
Jacques LaRochelle, the citys public works director, confirmed Tuesday that Wine Train is responsible for maintaining their street crossings and the pavement within two feet of the tracks.
A long-range solution for rough conditions at railroad tracks is in the offing, LaRochelle said.
The city is planning to install more durable concrete at all railroad crossings within the city using Measure T funds, which will begin to flow in 2018, he said.
In 2012, Napa County voters approved Measure T, a half-cent sales tax for street improvements countywide. The sales tax will start in 2018 when a half-cent sales tax for flood control expires.
Its been 16-months since District Attorney Gary Lieberstein introduced the idea of creating a Family Justice Center in Napa County a one-stop shop for crime victims. Since then, his office has been meeting with several core partners to see if they can make it happen.
The first steps were taken during a community forum at City Hall in Napa on Wednesday morning.
Imagine that youre a victim a victim of elder abuse, a teenager being sexually assaulted, or are even the relative of someone who youre afraid will harm themselves or someone else, Lieberstein began.
When someone finally calls for help, they will often have to make numerous phone calls, visit offices spread across the city or county, and face not only the issues they are dealing with as a victim, but also face trying to navigate the services they might need anything from law enforcement, courts, mental health services, housing help, employment or transportation, he said.
Imagine that when they make that first call that person can say We have a place in our community called the Family Justice Center. Its a place where you can go and youre going to be greeted by someone whos caring, whos loving and is basically there to say What can I do to help you?
Chief Deputy District Attorney Allison Haley gave an example of all the places a typical victim of sexual assault might go. They might visit the police department, the hospital, Napa Emergency Womens Services in addition to visits to the D.A.s office. If that person has other needs, like a substance abuse problem, a developmental disability, identifies as LGBTQ or doesnt speak English, that can increase the amount of phone calls and visits they need to make and possibly increase the time it takes them to get help, she added.
They may also have financial hardships, limited transportation and children who need care.
Wheres that kid gonna go? That child is going to have to sit in appointments with mom while she tells her intake story, Haley said.
By allowing victims to have only one intake interview and one place to go, it honors their dignity and courage, Haley said.
Haley estimated that the quickest someone is able to get a restraining order is eight hours if they start early and spend all day in court.
To highlight the issue even more, Patricia Bauer, program assistant with the Alliance for Hope International, described what happened when she made calls for help to several area agencies. Pretending to be the friend of a victim, Bauer said that she was unable to find out how to file a restraining order after making phone calls to seven agencies, including NEWS, Bay Area Legal Aid, Napa Police and Calistoga Police.
Representatives from Alliance for Hope International were brought in to help with the planning process since they have helped start many Family Justice Centers. The Alliances mission is to create pathways to hope for women, children, and men who are victims of domestic violence and related sexual assault.
The idea behind the proposed Family Justice Center is to take already existing resources from the community and house them in one place. That way, when someone calls for help, everyone can give the same answer everyone in the community can direct them to the same place.
The goal is to create a framework where collaboration can increase social justice, said Casey Gwinn, president and co-founder of Alliance for Hope International. In places where there are Family Justice Centers, homicide rates decrease over time and victims become survivors, he said.
There are now 17 Family Justice Centers in California, including Alameda and Sonoma Counties, and more than 130 in the world. They all work differently in order to cater to the needs of the individual towns, he said.
The process to figure out what a Napa County Family Justice Center might look like is just beginning. Following the forum, two tours of local services were scheduled for planners in addition to a focus group with survivors. Survivors will give planners ideas about what the pros and cons were from their experiences dealing with the justice system and other services and what they would like to see in a Family Justice Center.
We cant do this unless we listen to the voices of your community, Gwinn said.
The DAs office already has core partners interested in making the dream of a Family Justice Center in Napa a reality, including NEWS, Napa County Health and Human Services, Napa County Probation, Napa County Sheriffs Office, Napa Police, Aldea Children & Family Services, Mentis and the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART).
Lieberstein said that they will continually be enlisting other organizations (government, nonprofit, or private) to take part in the planning process. There are still a lot of questions that need to be answered, like where it might be located or how it will be paid for, he said, but I think it will really enhance the health and safety of our community.
This part of the process is all a part of a feasibility study funded by the Gasser Foundation.
The next public forum will be held July 20.
Stalking silently through the school, peeking in classroom windows and plucking out students, leaving a black rose behind on their desks. Its not every day that the Grim Reaper walks the halls of your school, but this was the scene at Valley Oak High School on Tuesday morning.
This was Every 15 Minutes Day One.
The school received a grant from the California Highway Patrol to implement the program, which promotes awareness of the dangers of drunken driving. Day One features a mock car crash. A memorial service and press conference are held on Day Two.
By 10:30 a.m., a dozen students had been selected by the Grim Reaper, their faces painted to look like the living dead. At the same time, a fatal wreck was simulated outside the school.
The sound of sirens grew louder as the blue and red lights of police cars began lining the streets of the intersection of Marin Street and Myrtle Avenue. It was a head-collision a bicyclist was sprawled across the hood of one of the smashed sedans.
At least one student was pronounced dead at the scene
Senior Elva Garcia was pulled out of the white, four-door sedan by firefighters and funeral home workers. Her Converse sneakers were first to hit the yellow body bag spread out beside the car. A shard of glass protruded from her bloodied head.
Elvas mom, Blanca, stood by with about 200 students, school staff and parents as her daughter was taken from the mock crash scene.
The cars were staged, the bruises were brushed on and the blood was edible a combination of cocoa powder, confectioners sugar and red food coloring.
Elva wasnt wearing her seatbelt and, along with three other people in the vehicle, had been drinking prior to the crash.
But thats not what the real Elva would do, said her mom.
Weve been hit by a drunk driver, Blanca Garcia said. Elva was in the back ... went forward a bit and she bit her lip. Even the airbags came out on me they just hit us straight on.
That was 12 years ago, but the family still talks about the experience often.
Some of the filming done as part of the Every 15 Minutes program was done at Garcias house, including a party scene as well as when the news of the accident was delivered.
When the cops came to me, I started crying, I started shaking, she said. Even though she knows this scenario isnt real, it could be, she said. It was scary, she said. Its the fear a mother never wants to have to go through.
The drunken driver, Luis Reyes, performed field sobriety tests and blew into a Breathalyzer while firefighters and EMTs tried to save the lives of seven students who were still breathing.
Louis Sanchez, 17, was also riding in the car with Reyes. I tried to stop my friend from driving, he said.
Sanchez explained that he and Reyes had gone to Elvas party together. We went but I wasnt expecting alcohol to be there were underage. When Sanchez tried to get Reyes to let him drive because he was sober, it caused an argument, so Sanchez ended up giving in.
Luis Reyes was arrested, Elva Garcia was dead, Louis Sanchez was injured and the fate of the others had not been revealed.
All the students turned their heads to watch as the helicopter flew off with one of their classmates aboard.
Did they really bring in a helicopter? said one student as he watched it hover in the air above the school.
Yes, they did because thats how serious the situation is. Napa Police, Napa City Fire, California Highway Patrol and American Medical Response ambulance all came together with the school and others to put on the drama.
It was scary, said Monse Santos, 17, a junior. Because it actually happens in real life and it could actually be your friends and family.
Just two months ago, one of Santos friends was involved in an wreck, which left her in the hospital for two days and has given her a bad back, she said.
Its reality, she said. Obviously you have to have someone sober (driving).
The Every 15 Minutes program has been held at many of the schools in the area over the years, but Valley Oak is the only site this year. Its a timely reminder for students to be defensive drivers, said principal Maria Cisneros. We have prom coming up on the 13th.
You know its not real, youre play-acting, Cisneros said, but it still gets very emotional. It gets to the heart really quick, she said.
The mock memorial service, press conference and video screening will be held during an assembly at the school on Wednesday.
ST. HELENA A developers plan to build 10 apartment units on McCorkle Avenue is drawing concerns from neighbors about parking, traffic and density.
Joe McGrath, a St. Helena native who now lives in Orinda, described his plan for 632 McCorkle Ave. last week during an informal neighborhood meeting designed to collect feedback before McGrath files a full application with the city.
McGrath stressed that 10 units is near the low end of the 8 to 14 units required by the half-acre lots zoning of High-Density Residential. Neighbors said 10 is still too many, given the shortage of on-street parking, the tendency of neighborhood kids to play in the street, and the fact that McCorkle is a dead-end street.
McGrath said hed consider proposing fewer than 10 units while including the same total number of bedrooms. However, he warned that the project needs at least eight units to be financially viable. He added that he paid $907,000 for the lot.
In response to concerns about parking, McGrath showed plans that include 19 on-site parking spaces. He also tried to allay fears that the units would become overcrowded, saying the property manager would monitor the property to ensure that multiple families arent living in the same apartment.
Neighbors also expressed worries about drainage, since the street lacks storm drains, and about the risk of toxic substances like motor oil contaminating the groundwater.
McGraths application with the city isnt complete, so no public hearings have been set.
The site is three doors east of 684 McCorkle Ave., where Our Town St. Helena plans to break ground this year on an eight-unit sweat equity affordable housing project.
Computers are essential to the mission of the Napa Valley Unified School District, yet the district has struggled to provide reliable Internet service to some of its campuses.
Intending to remedy the problem, the Napa School board last week awarded a $1 million contract to AT&T to speed slow service and expand bandwidth so some schools dont have to turn off cellphones and rob some classrooms of Internet access so others can perform testing and other important tasks.
We have to do a better job locally and nationally of improving our bandwidth and connectivity for students, said NVUSD Superintendent Patrick Sweeney. Class A shouldnt have to power down to get lessons taught so Class B can do testing.
The problem has been acute at Redwood Middle School, one of several New Tech Network schools in the district that use computers and the Internet for lessons, projects and exams.
Weve been very vocal about this problem at Redwood, social studies teacher Chuck Dresel told the school board, and how difficult its been to deliver content to students in a 21st-century classroom.
Dresel said the faculty, staff and students have endured and suffered this ongoing problem of connectivity at Redwood Middle School for well over two years now.
Using a device that measures the strength of wireless signals, Dresel said Redwood often has download speeds of about 2 mbps (megabits per second).
NVUSD Director of Technology Gary Heard noted during the meeting that the district averaged 1.5 mbps four years ago, but could now get up to 80 mbps, demonstrating how behind Redwood was with its current service.
Just down the street, Starbucks can offer customers 29 times faster [service] than what we can offer our students, said Dresel. They do that for free.
Dresel also pointed out that the Internet service in the districts boardroom was 48 times better than at Redwood.
Imagine trying to operate a middle school with a thousand students on a dial-up connection and being a New Tech Network school, Dresel said. Its difficult.
Were pretty frustrated with the way things are, he said, adding the Internet service has been unacceptable and, frankly, embarrassing.
Sweeney acknowledged the problem, saying, It is sad in America that you get better Internet service at a coffee shop than you can at our public schools.
The superintendent admitted that Redwood was not alone with its poor Internet service, saying the district has been hearing of similar struggles at other schools, too.
Trustee Joe Schunk said hes heard the same thing. The story and the song are pretty much the same on other campuses, he said.
The new contract, unanimously approved by the board, will be awarded to AT&T. It beat several other bidders, including Comcast and TelePacific Communications, according to Heard.
AT&T is the incumbent provider, having handled Internet service to schools for the past four years. It was chosen again, Heard said, because its bid was the lowest of those received.
The company also came down in its price from what it previously charged NVUSD. The four-year deal expiring this year was for $1.8 million. The new four-year contract will pay AT&T about $1 million, said Heard.
Heard assured the school board that the service will improve under AT&T, whose representatives were also at the meeting.
The company will set up a new service network in time for the 2016-2017 school year that will be more flexible and responsive than now, Heard said.
He said if a school needs more bandwidth, AT&T will be able to rapidly address the problem within minutes.
Sweeney indicated he still has doubts about sticking with AT&T, saying he hopes staff has written a very strict contract that we can get out of because they have not performed at a level that was satisfactory.
Assistant Superintendent Wade Roach said the new contract included language for cancelling the deal, and that it could be further tweaked to eliminate or reduce penalties if the district chooses to opt-out of the agreement before the four years are up.
As for the problems at Redwood, Heard told the trustees that the slow service was due to the circuits being maxed out by growing demand. He said an analysis of Internet usage on that campus showed 50 percent of the Internet traffic was going to a single website: YouTube.
It also surfaced at the meeting that Redwood endured a two-year wait to get a new circuit that had been ordered to help expand the bandwidth.
Heard said the delay was not the fault of the district, but due to delays between the California K-12 High Speed Network a state program run by the California Department of Education AT&T and their management company.
The circuit was eventually received and installed, but not before district officials, including Sweeney, made calls to thump some heads, Heard said.
Sweeney advised the AT&T representatives to make sure their company sends personnel to our tech committees from time to time so you hear it directly from our users about any problems.
SADAT CITY, Egypt
Egyptian family seeks help for conjoined twins
The parents of conjoined twins in Egypt are calling for help to separate the girls, saying they have been unable to find treatment so far.
Mother Fatma Yousry and father Islam Hassan say their 10-month-old daughters Mai and Menna, who are joined at the head, are in poor health. They are worried that if the infants arent separated soon, both could die.
Hassan, a farm hand who earns around $150 a month, says: Every day I pray for god to save her, and that one day someone could separate them.
Yousry says she has developed novel techniques for taking care of the sisters, such as always dressing them from the bottom up.
BERLIN
4 Germans on trial accused of plan to attack migrant shelter
Four people appeared in a German court accused of forming a terrorist organization and planning to attack a refugee shelter.
The three men and one woman were arrested last May in raids across Germany.
Prosecutors accuse them of creating a group that called itself Oldschool Society and planning to use improvised explosives packed with nails that could have caused deaths.
The trial at the Munich regional court is scheduled to last until October.
Germany has seen a sharp rise in far-right attacks against foreigners over the past year amid an unprecedented influx of migrants seeking refuge from war, persecution and poverty.
CAIRO
Rights group says Egypt arrested nearly 400 over protests
An international rights group says Egyptian police arrested at least 382 people in the days leading up to and during April 25 protests in Cairo against a government decision to hand over control of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.
Human Rights Watch, citing witnesses and media reports, said Wednesday that Egyptian police arrested lawyers and activists.
It cited the Front for the Defense of Egyptian Protesters, an independent rights group, as saying that police arrested at least 286 people on Monday, the day of the protests.
Human Rights Watch said six foreign journalists were among those detained, but were later released.
Thousands of police were deployed across Cairo on Monday. Hundreds of protesters gathered but police quickly dispersed the demonstrations.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico
U.S. honors Puerto Ricans who fought, died in segregated unit
The U.S. government is honoring dozens of Puerto Rican veterans who faced discrimination and waited decades to be recognized for fighting several wars under the last segregated unit in combat.
U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald traveled to the American territory to hand out the Congressional Gold Medal to veterans on Wednesday. He said the service of the 65th Infantry Regiment known as the Borinqueneers is legendary.
The Borinqueneers were a Hispanic unit segregated from other soldiers as were the black Tuskegee Airmen and Navajo Code Talkers. But it was not until this year that they received the highest civilian award given by Congress.
Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi said Latinos have been able to integrate themselves in the U.S. military thanks in part to the Borinqueneers.
ZANZIBAR, Tanzania
Cholera outbreak hits Zanzibar, kills at least 45
A Zanzibar health official says a cholera outbreak on the island archipelago has killed at least 45 people since March.
Muhammed Dahoma, the director of disease prevention and control at the health ministry, said Wednesday that 3,000 people have been hospitalized with cholera.
The government of Zanzibar has recently taken steps to stem the outbreak, including banning the sale of food and juices in open areas. The government has also established several camps in the islands of Unguja and Pemba where cholera patients are isolated.
Heavy rains continue to pound parts of Zanzibar, clogging sewer systems and worsening the cholera problem.
The cholera outbreak threatens Zanzibars lucrative tourism industry, especially if it extends into June when tourism season enters its peak.
CARACAS, Venezuela
Protests as Venezuela starts 2-day workweek to save power
Reports of looting and fiery protests forced Venezuela as government offices close their doors for the rest of the week in the face of a worsening energy crisis that is causing daily blackouts.
President Nicolas Maduro announced late Tuesday that the socialist country would be slashing the work week for public employees to save power. Millions of officials will work only Monday and Tuesday for at least two weeks.
Local media reported widespread protests in towns around the country following the announcements, with fiery barricades and people looting bread and other scarce food.
The administration says the water level behind the nations largest dam has fallen to near its minimum operating level thanks to a severe drought. Experts say lack of planning and maintenance is also to blame.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates
Emirates CEO not worried about next U.S. leader amid air row
The chairman and CEO of long-haul airline Emirates said on Tuesday that he's not worried about the next U.S. president being more protectionist amid an ongoing row with American carriers.
"Different governments come and go," but it won't have much of an effect, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum told journalists. He also said that airlines should negotiate disputes with the government, not between themselves.
U.S. carriers, including American, Delta and United, have criticized what they say are billions of dollars in subsidies to Gulf carriers. They have pressed Washington to reconsider treaties that allow Gulf airlines to fly to the U.S.
Emirates, although owned by Dubai's sheikh-ruled government, vigorously denies receiving state subsidies.
RAMALLAH, West Bank
Statue of Nelson Mandela unveiled in West Bank
A 6-meter-high (20-foot) bronze statue of Nelson Mandela has been unveiled in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Ramallah's Mayor Mussa Hadid said Tuesday the statue was a gift from the Johannesburg municipality. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Johannesburg's Mayor Parks Tau took part in the unveiling.
Hadid says the statue reflects the "special relationship between South Africa and Palestine." It was erected in a new square named after Mandela.
The ceremony coincided with the 22nd anniversary of the end of Apartheid.
Hundreds of Palestinian attended the unveiling and took photos with the statue.
LISBON, Portugal
Cape Verde: Disgruntled soldier suspected of killing 11
The government of the Cape Verde islands off West Africa says it suspects a missing disgruntled soldier is behind the killing of eight soldiers and three civilians at a military barracks.
The former Portuguese colony's government says the attack was not a coup attempt and there were no immediate links to recent violence in the islands associated with drug-trafficking.
The government statement said two of the dead were Spanish technicians.
It said authorities are investigating what happened at the barracks that housed soldiers protecting a hilltop communications hub.
ISLA NEGRA, Chile
Chilean poet Neruda reburied in his coastal home
The remains of Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda have been reburied in his favorite home in a Chilean town overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
The writer died in the chaos following Chile's 1973 right-wing military coup, and some have speculated he was poisoned. His body was exhumed in 2013 to determine the cause of his death. Forensic tests showed no toxic agents in his bones, but other tests are still being carried out.
Neruda was buried Tuesday in his home in the coastal town of Isla Negra, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) west of Santiago.
Neruda was best known for his love poems. But he was also a diplomat, a left-leaning politician and friend of President Salvador Allende, who killed himself during the 1973 military coup that toppled his government.
BAGHDAD
Iraqi parliament approves partial Cabinet reshuffle
Iraq's parliament has endorsed a partial Cabinet reshuffle proposed by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, bowing to mounting public pressure for reform, including mass protests led by an influential Shiite cleric.
Parliament spokesman Emad al-Khafaji says lawmakers approved nominees for six ministries: health, labor and social affairs; water resources; electricity; higher education and culture.
Al-Khafaji says al-Abadi has until Thursday to submit other names.
Thousands of followers of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr had earlier massed outside the capital's heavily fortified Green Zone, calling for political reform and an end to corruption. Separately, dozens of lawmakers calling for the ouster of al-Abadi, the parliament speaker and the president had interrupted the parliamentary session.
In August, al-Abadi proposed a sweeping reform package to combat corruption, cut government spending and merge ministries, but his efforts have been stymied by the country's main political blocs.
PARIS
French TV station airs purported Paris suicide bombing
French television has broadcast what it says is a video taken from inside the Paris restaurant where jihadi Brahim Abdeslam blew himself up on Nov. 13, killing himself and wounding several others.
The footage broadcast by France's M6 on Sunday appears to show a man walking into the Comptoir Voltaire restaurant crowded with Friday night diners, looking down and covering his eyes before an explosion at his back propels his body forward.
The Associated Press was not immediately able to verify the footage's authenticity.
The images are gruesome but reaction in France has been muted. A spokesman for France's television watchdog says he couldn't give the total number of complaints but says it wasn't unusually high.
The Nov. 13 attacks in Paris killed 130 victims and wounded hundreds more.
North America used to be teeming with bison. But in one century, their numbers went from the tens of millions to just a few dozen wild creatures left after hunters nearly the wiped out the continent's largest mammals.
Now the bison is about to become the first national mammal of the United States. The National Bison Legacy Act, which designates the bison as the official mammal of the United States, passed the House on Tuesday. The bipartisan legislation is expected to get Senate approval this week.
The bison, which will join the bald eagle as an official national symbol, represents the country's first successful foray into wildlife conservation. Lobbying for the official mammal designation was a coalition of conservationists, ranchers -- for whom bison is business -- and tribal groups, such as the InterTribal Buffalo Council which wants to "restore bison to Indian nations in a manner that is compatible with their spiritual and cultural beliefs and practices."
Cristian Samper, president of the Wildlife Conservation Society which helped lead the effort, called the bison an "icon that represents the highest ideals of America: unity, resilience, and healthy landscapes and communities."
Before the mid-1800s, bison (also called buffalo) lived mostly in the Great Plains, but could also be found throughout the continent.
The introduction of horses and guns accelerated the pace of bison hunting among Native Americans, who relied upon the animals for many uses. But then came westward expansion by white settlers -- Manifest Destiny -- and the pushing of Native Americans off their lands. Killing bison became a tool in this fight by the U.S. government and the pace of extermination became furious.
The U.S. Army led a campaign to wipe out bison as a way to control tribes. When some in Texas worried about the activity of hunters, Gen. Philip Sheridan, who commanded during the Indian Wars, responded, "Let them kill, skin and sell until the buffalo is exterminated."
Columbus Delano, secretary of the interior, wrote in 1873: "I would not seriously regret the total disappearance of the buffalo from our western plains, in its effect upon the Indians."
Settlers also introduced cattle, and with it, diseases that impacted the bison. Farming encroached upon bisons' habitat. The animals' hides were worth good money. Tourists could even pay to shoot and kill bison through the windows of trains.
The army tried to protect a few dozen bison living in Yellowstone, and about 1,000 more were owned privately. But, other than that, "we fundamentally killed every bison," said John Calvelli, WSC executive vice president of public affairs.
"We had taken this animal that was an incredibly important symbol of our country, of America, and incredibly important, religiously, for Native Americans -- we got to the point when these animals were on the brink of extinction," Calvelli said.
Then came the conservationists. William Hornaday, founder of the American conservation movement and the WSC's first president, traveled to Montana in 1886 to get some bison to display at the Smithsonian Institution. He was shocked to see their numbers decimated. Three years later, he wrote "The Extermination of the American Bison," which helped drum up support to save the bison.
"Between the Rocky Mountains and the States lying along the Mississippi River on the west, from Minnesota to Louisiana, the whole country was one vast buffalo range, inhabited by millions of buffaloes," he wrote, adding that their near-annihilation was due in part to "man's reckless greed, his wanton destructiveness, and improvidence in not husbanding such resources as come to him from the hand of nature ready made."
The first federal legislation protecting bison was enacted in 1894; killing bison was punishable by imprisonment. Hornaday became director of the Bronx Zoo in 1896, and with the help of Theodore Roosevelt and other supporters, they started the American Bison Society to breed bison for wild reserves.
Hornaday explained why it'd be necessary to transport a handful of bison to a zoo to help keep the species alive, writing "the total expense would be trifling in comparison with the importance of the end to be gained, and in that way we might, in a small measure, atone for our neglect of the means which would have protected the great herds from extinction."
The approach was a success. With funds approved by Congress, the zoo donated 15 bison to a reserve in Oklahoma. Today, bison can be found in every state.
"We look at it as a conservation story, but to Native Americans, it's also about making peace with the past," Calvelli said. "Many of those bison were actually killed to help drive Native Americans to reservations. . . Now, 100 years later, we as a nation are recognizing this symbol."
Blink and youll miss it. Special interests have struck a backroom deal to raise Californias minimum wage to $15 per hour in just six years. The deal was rushed through the Democrat-controlled Legislaturewith little public inputand signed into law by the governor in less than a week. Its almost as if no one wanted to take the time to stop and listen; if they had, they might realize theyre making a huge mistake.
While a $15 per hour minimum wage may seem like a good deal for workers, it will cost many their jobs and raise the cost of living for all. A one-size-fits-all approach to combating poverty will fail in an economically diverse state like California.
Even supporters of raising the minimum wage realize the danger. A recent UC Berkeley study found that raising the wage in Los Angeles would cause the citys unemployment rate to rise and economy to shrink. Creating more poverty and shrinking the economy shouldnt be the goal of public policy.
For further evidence, take a look at Seattle. The state of Washington saw major job gains in 2015, except in Seattle, which recently adopted a $15 minimum wage. Not only did the city see no increase in jobs, the food service industry experienced the largest job losses since 2009.
While most restaurant owners cant pack up and leave California, its foolish to ignore the potential devastation.
Troy Paski, founder of Hoppy Brewing Company in Sacramento, is still adjusting to the last minimum wage hike. Hes worried about how another 50 percent increase will affect his business and the ability of his customers to enjoy a night on the town.
Itll be $10 for your beer and $20 for your burger, Paski said. I think a lot of people are in for a rude awakening when they realize they cant afford to eat out anymore.
The intentions behind a minimum wage increase may be pure, but it ends up hurting the very people its meant to help. Young, inexperienced workers trying to pay for college and struggling families will find it harder to find jobs when businesses find automation to be a cheaper option.
At some point well have to cut staff, Paski said. You can only raise prices so much. Eventually, you have to cut service.
Even Gov. Jerry Brown has said raising the wage too high will cost jobs and put a lot of poor people out of work. Balance is needed.
Yet the governor seems to have given up his fight for local control when its needed most.
Think about it: $15 per hour in Fresno means something completely different than in the Bay Area. Cost of living and disposable income vary dramatically from city to city. And rural California is a completely different world than coastal cities like San Francisco.
Its silly to treat every part of California the same. Thats elitism.
But if the minimum wage isnt the answer, how can we help low-wage workers obtain higher pay?
The answer lies in understanding how value is created. No employer in his or her right mind would pay $15 per hour for someone who only provides $10 per hour of value. The key is helping employees gain skills so employers want to pay them more or risk losing the value they provide.
Theres no easy fix to poverty, but if the governor and Legislature want to help Californians increase their skills they need to prioritize education.
Whether its college, technical schools or trade schools, workers need opportunities to better themselves and move up the economic ladder. And maybe, just maybe, if the governor and Legislature werent so busy making backroom deals, they might find time to increase their own governing skills. Because bad laws hurt just about everyone.
George Runner is an elected member of the state Board of Equalization.
WHATS HAPPENING AT CAMEO CINEMA
A Hologram for the King is the featured film at the Cameo Cinema Friday, April 29, through Thursday, May 5. In the adaptation of Dave Eggers novel, cultures collide when an American businessman (Tom Hanks) is sent to Saudi Arabia to close what he hopes will be the deal of a lifetime. Baffled by local customs and stymied by an opaque bureaucracy, he eventually finds his footing with the help of a wisecracking taxi driver (Alexander Black) and a beautiful Saudi doctor (Sarita Choudhury). It plays Friday and Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, May 5, at 3, 5:45 and 8:30 p.m.; and Tuesday at 5:45 and 8:30 p.m. Rated R (1H 30M).
Midnight Special concludes its run Thursday, April 28, at 3 and 8:30 p.m. Rated PG-13 (2H 2M).
Local fashion designer Karen Caldwell will curate a Couture Fashion Show before a showing of Women Hes Undressed, a documentary about enigmatic Hollywood costume designer Orry-Kelly, at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 7. Orry-Kelly was responsible for Oscar-winning costumes from the Golden Age of Hollywood, including Ingrid Bergmans jet-set noir from Casablanca, Bette Davis dowdy-to-demure transformation in Now Voyager, and Marilyn Monroes strategically tightened nude dress from Some Like It Hot. Caldwell lives in St. Helena, and when Spotlight producers Blye Faust and Nicole Rocklin stepped onto the Oscar stage in February they were wearing her designs. Tickets are $20, and include wine. Not rated (1H 39M).
Film titles and times may change. Call to verify. Tickets for regular showings: $10 general; $8 students, seniors and military; $6 for art films and matinees before 5 p.m.; $5 for family films.
CALISTOGA THEATER COMPANY PRESENTS ...
The Calistoga Theater Company will present A.R. Gurneys play Black Tie, directed by Sharie Renault, April 28-May 8 at the St. Helena Presbyterian Church, 1428 Spring St. The charming comedy is set in an Adirondack resort suite and told from the perspective of the grooms family on the eve of their only sons wedding. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Thursdays, April 28 and May 5; 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, April 29 and 30 and May 6 and 7; and 3 p.m. Sundays, May 1 and 8.
Tickets: $15-$25.
PRINCESS STORYTIME AT THE LIBRARY
Celebrate National Princess Week with Princess Storytime, featuring princesses Cinderella and Ariel, at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28, at the St. Helena Public Library. Children of all ages are encouraged to wear their favorite royal attire for an evening of stories, music and treats.
Admission: Free.
Details: SHPL.org or 963-5244.
CALLING ALL MOMS
Join Rianda House for an afternoon of theater and song honoring moms, grandmas, aunties and more at 4-5:30 p.m. Friday, April 29. The Rianda House Readers Theatre will perform short and humorous plays, and Kathryn Sculatti and Cynthia Ermshar will serenade with lively tunes.
Admission: RSVP to 963-8555.
LANDSCAPE PHOTOS AT SHPL
Seeing the Light, featuring the landscape photography of Stephen Edwards, is on display throughout April at the St. Helena Public Library. Edwards took the photos over a period of 20 years, with some predating digital photography.
Admission: Free.
Details: SHPL.org or 963-5244.
VINIFERA TRIO PERFORMS ON MOTHERS DAY
The Vinifera Trio will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 8, at the White Barn, 2727 Sulphur Springs Ave. Consisting of Rachel Patrick on violin, Ian Scarfe on piano and Matthew Boyles on clarinet, the trio will perform selections from works by Poulenc, Stravinsky, Mozart and Gershwin.
Tickets: $30.
CHRIS PERONDIS STUNT DOG EXPERIENCE
Chris Perondis cast of performers and pound pups will entertain audiences of all ages with two shows at 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday, May 8, at the Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center on the main campus in south Napa. Witness comedy antics, dancing dogs, the Extreme Canines Triathlon, and the Golden Bone Showdown, a series of five challenges that test each dogs intelligence, speed, accuracy and leaping ability. Each show includes crowd participation.
Tickets: $30.
MIKE GREENSILL AT SILOS
Pianist Mike Greensill of St. Helena will perform from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 11, at Silos, 530 Main St. in Napa. He will also play May 25, June 8 and June 22.
Admission: Free.
Details: SilosNapa.com or 251-5833.
STRING QUARTET PLAYS BEETHOVEN
The Beethoven String Quartet Series concludes with the Cypress String Quartet performing at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 14, at Jarvis Conservatory, 1711 Main St. in Napa. The quartet will perform the String Quartet in E minor, Op. 59 No. 2; and String Quartet in A minor, Op. 132. The quartet consists of Cecily Ward, violin; Tom Stone, violin; Ethan Filner, viola; and Jennifer Kloetzel, cello.
Admission: $40 general admission.
SPRING INTO STRINGS
Napa Valley Music Associates will present Spring Into Strings at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 15, at Jamieson Ranch Vineyards, 1 Kirkland Ranch Road in Napa. The show features Trio Seven with Matthew Grasso, Matthew Foley and Harry Stoddard on seven-string extended guitar, plus Laura Simpson (harp), Helen Newby (cello) and Erica Zappia (viola).
Tickets: $20 in advance/$25 at the door.
RSVP to 252-8671, 322-8402 or info@napavalleymusicassociates.org.
ICONIC IMAGES OF SANTANA
An exhibit featuring 40 photographs by Jim Marshall of Carlos Santana and some of his bandmates continues through May at Mumm Napa, 8445 Silverado Trail in Napa. Jim Marshall Seen Through the Eyes of Carlos Santana is curated by Santana himself, and coincides with the release of Mumms Santana Savor sparkling wine. A portion of the proceeds from the wine will go to Santanas Milagro Foundation, which benefits underserved and vulnerable children in education, health and the arts.
SHAKESPEARE AT THE CAMEO
NapaShakes 2016 season of Shakespeare on Screen at the Cameo Cinema continues with the Globe on Screen production of The Duchess of Malfi at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 19. All productions are captured live in digital high-definition.
The season continues with:
Aug. 21: Romeo and Juliet (starring Lily James, Richard Madden and Derek Jacobi)
Sept. 11: The Comedy of Errors (Globe on Screen)
Oct. 16: Titus Andronicus (Globe on Screen)
Nov. 20: The Entertainer (starring Kenneth Branagh)
NAPA VALLEY COLLECTS CONTINUES
Napa Valley Collects, honoring the regions private art collectors, continues through June 26 at the Napa Valley Museum, 55 Presidents Circle in Yountville. Presented in partnership with Arts Council Napa Valley and Visit Napa Valley for Arts in April, the exhibit includes significant works from outstanding art collections throughout the Napa Valley.
Details: NapaValleyMuseum.org or 944-0500.
NONSENSE AND VERSE WITH DAN GOODMAN
Dan Goodman will present Nonsense and Verse, a one-man show full of witty puns, musical numbers, reflections and recitations at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14, at Lincoln Theater, 100 California Drive in Yountville. The doors open at 2:06 p.m., with the show starting at 3:01 p.m. sharp.
Tickets: $18.
PAUL KOS SOLO EXHIBIT AT DI ROSA
Equilibrium, an exhibit at di Rosa exploring the work of Bay Area conceptual artist Paul Kos, continues through Oct. 2 in di Rosas Gatehouse Gallery, 5200 Sonoma Highway in Napa. Considered a leading figure of Bay Area conceptual art, Kos was among the first artists in Northern California to create performance-based film and video works as well as participatory installations. The exhibit features sculpture, film, video, photography and works on paper.
Harvey and Dorothy Rose lived a simple life.
Neither had a high-paying job Harvey was a carpenter and Dorothy, who worked at Napa State Hospital before marriage, was a homemaker who also worked part-time for 30 years in a doctors office. For more than 50 years, they lived in a modest Alta Heights home on East Avenue.
Youd never have guessed the couple would become millionaire philanthropists, but thats exactly what they became.
This is what happens when people are thrifty and they invest wisely, said longtime family friend Sudie Pollock.
Harvey and Dorothy were peace-filled people, comfortable with what they had and grateful for their blessings, said Pollock. Harvey died in 2011 at age 93 and Dorothy in 2014 at age 85.
Unbeknownst to those around them, the couple had made arrangements to donate almost $1 million to four charities with local ties.
Pollocks parents lived next door to the Roses for many years. Harvey and Dorothy didnt have any children or family close by, so the two families grew close.
She was sweet, said Pollock of Dorothy Rose. And so was Harvey. They were very gentle people, living unassuming, frugal lives, she said.
A number of years before their deaths, the Roses asked Pollock to be their trustee and executor.
I said, Thats such an honor.
At first, she didnt have any idea of the extent of their estate, Pollock said. I knew they had the house, but I no idea what their investments were.
After Dorothy passed, the couples intentions became known. According to Dorothys instructions, approximately $235,000 each was given to the Queen of the Valley Foundation, Collabria Care (formerly Napa Valley Hospice & Adult Day Service), the Salvation Army and the California Eastern Star Foundations cancer research branch.
The estate was recently finalized and Pollock sent the checks to the four nonprofits in March.
Joanne Sutro, director development and communications at Collabria Care in Napa, said that the gift from the Roses was a surprise. To say that we were ecstatic is not an understatement, she said.
In the past 10 years, the nonprofit has received fewer than six estate gifts of such magnitude.
We get a lot of modest donations, but a major gift like this, an estate gift of these proportions, is pretty special.
The gift also comes with some sadness because I didnt get to thank them, Sutro said.
Sutro never met the Roses, but if she had, I would ask what prompted their generosity to us. Theres always a story, and I would love to hear what their story is.
The money will be used to support unfunded or charity patient care and services at Collabria, including caregiver support groups, training, grief counseling and family consultations.
Sometimes people think that they cant support causes in a significant way. But a planned gift such as this makes it possible to have a huge impact on charities, said Sutro.
Damon Tinnon, director of gift planning at Queen of the Valley Medical Center Foundation, said he talked with Dorothy a number of times on the phone, but she passed away before they could meet in person.
Tinnon said he knew the donation was planned but didnt know the amount.
She felt she had been blessed in her life and wanted to do something, said Tinnon.
Donors like Dorothy and Harvey werent the kind of couple that attended galas to bid hundreds of thousands in auctions, he said.
People like the Roses are more under the radar but have this idea about giving. She just saw the Queen as valuable and wanted to do something very significant.
Receiving such a major gift never gets old, said Tinnon. Holding a check in the six figures, youre just floored.
For their donation, Dorothy and Harveys names will be listed on the Hall of Honor at the hospital entrance with others who have donated between $200,000 and $500,000.
Its amazing, said Tinnon.
The Rose donation likely to be used for new programs and services, including projects like the new cardiac catheter lab, cancer center and advanced training, officials said.
Tinnon said the Roses came from a generation of people whose legacy was important.
These are people who werent just living for today. It matters to them how the Rose family name is known while they were gone. Thats certainly something we want to see more of, he said.
Dorna Bashor knew the Roses from Dorothys membership in the Masons Eastern Star organization. Dorothy belonged for more than 60 years, Bashor estimated. She helped raise funds for many causes, including eye and cancer research.
The two women met in the 1960s. Dorothy was a very elegant lady who stood about 6 feet tall, recalled Bashor. She was so nice. She never said a bad word about anybody.
They had a beautiful home, but they didnt waste money, said Bashor. I think she made about all of her clothes. It was something she was raised to do.
She was surprised to hear that the couple left such significant gifts. I knew they were comfortable. I had no idea they had that kind of money.
She hopes word of their generosity will spread, Bashor said.
It might make other people get in there and give a little. Im sure there are many people around this county that could give a little bit more to help others out.
The $235,000 gift to the Salvation Army went to the organizations national headquarters, Pollock said. It could not be determined Friday how the Salvation Army, which runs a variety of programs to help people in need, would use the money.
Pollock said shes glad the Roses had the foresight to think about doing this for the community.
I want more people to realize if they think about it, they, too, can leave a legacy like this, rather than have a new car every five years or the biggest house on the block, she said.
If they saved, they could make a gift like this to help many people.
Since news of Princes passing, some of countrys brightest stars, including the Dixie Chicks and Chris Stapleton, have paid musical tribute to the legend. Now, Charles Kelley can be added to the list with his rendition of Purple Rain.
With a stage drenched in purple during his solo show, the Lady Antebellum frontman passionately threw himself into the lyrics of Purple Rain, supported by his incredible band. This ones for Prince, he says before launching into the cover at Anaheim, Californias House of Blues.
Watch Charles Kelley and his band cover Purple Rain:
Hot Tone Music, the artist-run label founded by bassist /composerin 2009, announces the simultaneous release on May 13 of new CDs by Jones (Feet in the Mud) and pianist/composer(Montage).Perdomos Montage is his eighth album as a leader but the first solo piano recording in his distinguished career. After hed begun playing solo concerts three years ago, this ever-evolving artist reached out to his pianist friend Fred Hersch to fine-tune some aspects of my own solo playing. Of Montage, he says, I felt the time was right for me to do it, and I felt ready to take on the challenge. I always loved the flexibility and freedom of being able to take the music in different directions.Repertoire on the new CD is an intriguingly personal mix of favorite jazz and Songbook standards (Monks Dream, Body and Soul, Stanley Cowells Cal Massey), studio improvisations, and songs from his Caracas childhood that left an indelible impression on him (Mambo Mongo, La Revuelta de Don Fulgencio, the bolero Si Te Contara). While Montage offers ample evidence of Perdomos musical mastery, the pianist claims that he wanted the music to serve as a soundtrack for everyday life. You dont have to go to Carnegie Hall and put on a suit to listen to this music.For her third Hot Tone Music album, Feet in the Mud, Mimi Jones called on an amazing crew consisting of her frequent drummer Jonathan Barber as well as new colleagues Jon Cowherd on piano and Fender Rhodes and soprano saxophonist Samir Zarif. They provide the perfect support for the leaders deeply satisfying bass lines and haunting vocals, which are anchored in the jazz tradition yet stylistically elastic enough to encompass other genres.The CD, says Jones, is a tribute to those who have left a huge imprint on me and the world, as well as those who are still alive and making an imprint as we speak. Its also about finding true joy within yourself, having an open mind and spirit and a connection to the earth. Joness originals (among them Lymans Place, the buoyant Elevate, and the appealing opening track Mr. Poo Poo) reflect these themes and concerns; the program also includes Wayne Shorters Fall, Enoch Smith Jr.s arrangement of Blackbird, and Feet in the Mud, composed by Perdomo.Born in New York City (in 1972) and raised in the Bronx, Mimi Jones attended Fiorello LaGuardia High School and earned a B.A. in music at the Manhattan School of Music Conservatory. She missed her graduation, however, because shed been hired to tour Japan with saxophonist Masa Wada and drummer Denis Charles. It was the first of numerous overseas tours that would take her to Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, some under the auspices of the U.S. State Department. In addition to leading her own groups, Jones has worked with jazz artists including Kenny Barron, Joanne Brackeen, Terri Lyne Carrington (who chose Jones to play on her Grammy-winning The Mosaic Project), Ravi Coltrane, Lizz Wright, Toshi Reagon, Roy Hargrove, and many more. She has previously recorded two albums as leaderA New Day (2009) and Balance (2014), both for Hot Tone Music.Luis Perdomo was born (1971) and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, where he received an excellent music education from his fathers vast LP collection and his teacher Gerry Weil. He was awarded a scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music and studied there with Harold Danko and Martha Pestalozzi, earning his B.A. in 1997; three years later he received his masters at Queens College after study with Sir Roland Hanna. Perdomo became a first-class sideman, recording and/or touring with Dave Douglas, Tom Harrell, Steve Turre, and many other jazz and Latin artists. He was a member of Ravi Coltranes Quartet for ten years, and is a founding member of the Miguel Zenon Quartet. Among his recordings as a leader are Focus Point (2005), Pathways (2008), Universal Mind (2012), and his 2015 Hot Tone Music debut, Twenty-Two, featuring his Controlling Ear Unit with Mimi Jones and drummer Rudy Royston.Perdomo and Jones, who have been a couple for the last 12-plus years, frequently work together, both on the stage and in the studio. I was afraid for the longest time of having my wife in my band, says the pianist. What if we have a fight, and it affects the music? But actually she knows what influences me, what I like and dont likeand shes a solid bassist.On Wednesday 6/1, Luis Perdomo will perform a CD release show for Montage at the Jazz Standard, NYC, with special guest The Controlling Ear Unit (Luis Perdomo, p; Mimi Jones, b/voc; Rudy Royston, d). Other Perdomo dates include: 7/25-7/31 Langnau (Switzerland) Jazz Nights; 10/21 Cafe Tra le rigge, San Severo, Italy; 10/29 Jazzkeller Esslingen (Germany).The Mimi Jones Band will be appearing 5/7 at Casita Maria Center for the Arts in the Bronx (3:00-3:45 pm, free/outdoors), with a New York City CD release show soon to be announced. Other dates include 7/9 at the Lighthouse Jazz Festival, Michigan City, IN; 7/11 Arts Incubator, Chicago; 9/6 Jazz Showcase, Chicago; and 9/10 IRock Jazz Festival, Holland, MI. A Japanese tour is set for 10/5-17, and a European tour for November.
Komsomolskaya Pravda: PM Pashinyan is handing over Karabakh in order to take Armenia to the West
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Saudi Arabia forum set to draw American business leaders despite existing tensions
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Sargsyan: Recognition of Artsakh people's right for self-determination must be reflected in legal documents
Italy's first female prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, sworn in
Private jet goes missing off coast of Costa Rica
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Pashinian's spouse: Yesterday at Elysee Palace I was received by dear Brigitte Macron
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YEREVAN. - The Armenian Government will in near future present proposals on the measures regarding the goods from Turkey, Armenian Economy Minister Artsvik Minasyan said in the parliament Wednesday.
Upon the instruction of the PM, the Ministry of Economy is conducting research regarding the goods which pose a treat to the national economy of Armenia both in terms of their quality and competitiveness.
The Armenian-Turkish economic relations directly stem from the political ones and a complete package of measures should be presented here, the Minister added.
Its necessary to consider that Armenia is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and cannot use protectionist measures which are not in line with the charter of that organization. But we have an important fact here: when Armenian was joining the WTO, Turkey made a reservation to the WTO Marrakesh Agreement, stating that it doesnt consider Armenia as an organization member and will not extend the observation of these rules over the country.
And this means that we are fully entitled to use all the measures for the protection of our economy. This concerns the agricultural, light industry and other goods, Minasyan stated.
Secondly, it is necessary to consider Armenias membership to the EAEU, where the countries agree on their economic policy.
But even considering all this, Armenia disposes of instruments, which will allow to take individual measures in each specific case. These steps should be accurately worked out so that no socially volatile situation results, the Minister added.
Former President Jimmy Carter spoke to students from two classes April 21 in the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library. In a session called Why Archives Matter: Memory, Meaning and History, he shared his candid thoughts on politics, history and the importance of archives relating to contemporary issues.
Students from history professor Joseph Crespinos class on American politics and race, and from journalism professor Hank Klibanoffs class on the Georgia Civil Rights Cold Cases project, joined Carter for the session. Each student has conducted research in the archives at least once, and some as many as three times during their college years. Archivists and students working in the Rose Library also joined the discussion.
Rose Library director Rosemary Magee invited Carter and other guests from The Carter Center to see the renovated Rose Library; he had used space on the 10th floor as his original office when he came to Emory as University Distinguished Professor in 1982. She asked him to reflect upon the space and also the value of archives to an understanding of the present as well as the past.
Carter discussed the importance of preserving and archiving history, especially the records of those people who have firsthand knowledge of events. He devoted most of the session to answering students questions about his own history as Georgia governor and U.S. president, as well as on issues such as the 9/11 Commission report, the importance of archiving documents and their impact on future decisions, and how personal narratives affect history.
Carters archive experiences during his presidency include his efforts to preserve the Alaskan wilderness for the U.S. National Park Service. Carter took on the decades-long, deadlocked issue, opposed by Alaskas congressional representatives and almost everyone in Alaska, he said.
They were all in opposition to what I was trying to do, which was to set aside certain areas for the park service and to keep it the way it had been before, Carter recalled. I felt it was important for our children and grandchildren and future generations to see how the Earth was before human beings arrived.
Carter said he and his team searched archives and found the Antiquities Act of 1906, which allowed him, as president, to establish a historic site, such as an ancient courthouse or church building, and designate it to be saved for the future. In addition, the law didnt have any limitation on acreage, which allowed Carter to designate large areas of Alaska some 43 million acres as historic sites.
We were able to double the size of the National Park Service and triple the size of the wilderness area set aside, Carter said. So theres a connection between wanting to keep things the way they used to be many years ago before human beings changed them, and the way they have been as human history has evolved. This is very important.
Lessons for modern dilemmas
Students asked Carter challenging questions about modern dilemmas. Jack Kuhr, a senior history major doing an independent study in Klibanoffs civil rights class, asked Carter for his opinion on the 28 pages of the 9/11 Commissions report that the U.S. government is debating whether to release to the public, regarding the Saudi governments possible involvement in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
We talked about the importance of documenting history whats your opinion on hiding history and not archiving history due to national security issues? Kuhr asked.
Those pages should be made available to the public, although it will no doubt damage our relationship with the Saudi government, Carter said. Secrets are important sometimes, but they need to be legitimate and not designed to benefit incumbent officials.
Carter added while there are reasons for making some documents classified for matters of national security, he felt they should be released as soon as possible after the security issue had passed. Releasing documents and archiving them presents opportunities for lessons to be learned from history, he said.
I think any discipline at a great university like Emory is dependent on going back and seeing what we did in certain times of crisis or opportunity in the past, Carter said, and seeing how things have changed, which requires some intelligence on our part, and seeing how those same lessons could be modified and applied in modern times.
One student asked him to recall a time when archives or historical memory played a healing role in a community. Carter talked about the Camp David Accords, signed in September 1978, when he spent 13 days sequestered with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar el-Sadat. The accords paved the way for a peace treaty between the two countries signed in March 1979, which ended a 30-year war.
I studied seriously to prepare myself for that, not knowing what was going to happen, Carter said. "I had the State Department and the CIA and others give me an extensive document on Begin and Sadat. They went back into the archives and looked at Begins record as a number-one terrorist in that region as assessed by the British. I studied those archives for at least two or three generations, and the same with Sadat, to really prepare for that.
"A vibrant model to us all"
Josh Niemtzow, a senior political science and history major, asked Carter a question about a detail from the 1966 campaign for Georgia governor. The two politely disagreed for a few minutes, with Carter remembering things differently from what Niemtzows research yielded. After the session, Niemtzow said he enjoyed interacting with the former president.
Im amazed at how great his memory is, Niemtzow said. My question was about a minute detail 50 years ago. I just love the way he spent most of the time answering students questions instead of going on a pre-prepared spiel.
Niemtzow has used the Rose Library archives three times during his years at Emory first in his freshman year for a paper on the 1964 Civil Rights Act, then last semester for a paper on Holocaust education in Germany, and again this semester for his research paper on former Georgia Gov. Ellis Arnall.
I didnt get to ask President Carter a question in my freshman year [during Carters Town Hall with freshmen] when there were a thousand people in the room, Niemtzow said. So to have this chance two weeks before I graduate is awesome.
Sarah Husain, a senior political science major who researched her honors thesis on political systems in Iraq, Lebanon and Malaysia among the Emory Libraries stacks and government documents collection, said after the session that she gained new insights from the session with Carter.
Archives are crucial for us to do any of our research, Husain said. It was incredibly insightful to hear President Carters thoughts about it and how archives affect our future. Thats something I hadnt thought about that there are certain documents that have to be preserved in order for political systems to function and learn from.
The session concluded with Magee asking Carter to name a book that significantly influenced him. He talked about James Agees Let Us Now Praise Famous Men as helping him understand the relationship between place and character. The Rose Library has a signed first edition of the work.
This session accomplished everything we set out to do, Magee noted. President Carter had an opportunity to revisit the place that he used as his office for four seminal years during the planning and construction of The Carter Center. The students could experience firsthand the reflections of someone who is both a student of history and a public figure who has made history.
"In this way, he serves as a vibrant model to us all.
In the midst of wrapping up her final semester at Emory, senior Zeena Lattouf has one more thing she'd like to share with the University community: a documentary she has produced with film editor and fellow Emory senior Meredith Stedman on the education crisis among young Syrian refugees in Zaatari, a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan.
"Zaatari," a documentary about refugee education, will be screened at 6 p.m. Monday, May 2, in Harland Cinema at the Dobbs University Center. Free tickets are available online.
The brief documentary is based on Lattouf's trip to Zaatari in January. The goal of the film, says Lattouf, "is to shed light on the lack of education received by these children" and to convey a sense of urgency about the problem.
"If refugees are educated, then they will have economic stability and a sense of self-worth, which will in turn allow them to give back to their community, their country, and the host country they are in," Lattouf says.
Zaatari, one of the biggest Syrian camps in Jordan, is located near the city of Mafraq and currently houses about 80,000 refugees, all of whom are Muslim and most of whom are women and children. The camp opened in 2012 to host Syrians fleeing the violence of the ongoing civil war and is evolving into a permanent settlement.
Lattouf, a Middle East and South Asian Studies (MESAS) major, received the department's Amy Johnson Study Abroad Award, which supported her trip. Lattouf was raised in Atlanta, but her family is originally from Jordan and still has a house in the capital city of Amman, about an hour's drive from Zaatari.
Since it is very difficult for students to get entry into the camp, Lattouf traveled with her father, Omar Lattouf, a professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Emory's School of Medicine, and sister, Emma Lattouf, a dentist. Their trip was under the auspices of the Syrian American Medical Society, one of the organizations working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to provide services to residents of the camps.
At Zaatari, Lattouf talked to many women and children about their hopes and dreams and their lack of educational opportunities. She hopes the documentary will accomplish two things:
raise awareness of the need for teachers who care about the refugees' educational futures, and
spur meaningful financial support for more resources.
Although her plans after graduation are still evolving, her commitment to refugee education is central to her future.
"I would love to do research to prove that if refugee children have teachers who care, their psychological and academic development will be tremendous," she says.
Posted by Mark Williams | April 27, 2016
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne wants to rearrange a couple Michigan production plants in the next few years to make sure production of Ram half-ton pickup trucks and Jeep SUVs can meet consumer demand.
According to Automotive News, plans are in place to move the majority of the next-generation Ram 1500 pickup truck production from its current location at the Warren Truck Plant in suburban Detroit 10 miles north to the larger Sterling Heights Assembly Plant.
The next-gen Ram 1500 is scheduled to debut as a 2018 model and will likely include new powertrains and lighter body parts. The Sterling Height plant presumably will be able to produce more half-ton trucks more efficiently because the plant is a third larger (by square footage) than the Warren Truck Plant.
Jeeps new Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer SUVs will be produced at the soon-to-be-upgraded Warren Truck Plant. Jeeps new pickup truck likely will be added to the production line at FCAs Toledo plant that currently produces Wranglers.
These moves position FCA to increase production numbers for the two biggest, most profitable brands in its stable: Ram and Jeep. However, the transition from making a current-gen model and then prepping the plant to accommodate new models could cause a pause in the flow of products, possibly creating shortages for dealerships.
Ford struggled for many months when it transitioned production processes for the all-new Ford F-150. Rams changeover will be tricky and will need the oversight of someone with lots of production experience. Ford had Joe Hinrichs to oversee the monumental F-150 plant changes, and he had a ton of plant experience.
FCA has not announced who will be in charge of this chess game yet, but Mike Manley is currently in charge of both brands and the key player with the most to lose. More to come.
Cars.com image by Evan Sears; manufacturer image below
Posted by PickupTrucks.com Staff | April 27, 2016
By Tom Torbjornsen
Vehicles Affected: Model-year 2011-12 Ford F-150 pickup trucks are part of a recall that affects approximately 184,000 Ford vehicles; affected F-150s are equipped with the 6R80 transmission and were built from Aug. 19, 2011, through March 9, 2012 at the Dearborn Truck Plant in Michigan and the Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri
The Problem: A problem with the output speed sensor on the vehicle's transmission lead frame could cause the transmission controls to force a temporary downshift into 1st gear. Depending on the speed of the vehicle at the time of the downshift, the driver could experience an abrupt speed reduction that could cause the rear tires to slide or lock up, resulting in loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash. Ford is aware of three reported accidents and no injuries related to this condition.
The Fix: Dealers will inspect the powertrain control module for diagnostic trouble codes tied to the issue. If no related diagnostic trouble codes are present, dealers will update the powertrain control module software, which will eliminate the condition. Additionally, as part of the corresponding customer satisfaction program, Ford will provide a one-time replacement of the lead frame at no charge within 10 years or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date. If related diagnostic trouble codes are present, dealers will update the powertrain control module software and replace the lead frame for free.
What Owners Should Do: The automaker did not immediately announce an owner-notification schedule. Owners can call Ford at 866-436-7332 for more info.
Need to Find a Dealer for Service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find your local dealer.
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Saving the treasures of a sunken world
A new national park protects the past, future of the Bahamas blue holes
An underwater graveyard of prehistoric mega-reptiles has long been a trove of scientific discovery. Now that these flooded caves in the Bahamas have gained national protection, they could be a key to restoring the islands biodiversity.
For four years, scientists including University of Florida ornithologist David Steadman and Bahamian research diver Brian Kakuk campaigned for a national park to protect flooded caves known as blue holes. The Bahamian government recently accepted the proposal to create the 34,000-acre South Abaco Blue Holes Park, along with 14 other new marine and land parks in the Bahamas, for a total of more than 2 million acres.
Kakuks first fossil finds led to discoveries that changed what scientists thought they knew about the Bahamas. Probing the contours of some of the worlds most dangerous underwater caves, Kakuk found the Bahamas oldest crocodile, tortoise and even human remains remnants of a sunken world.
Theres nothing like the Bahamas blue holes on the rest of the planet, said Kakuk, a dive instructor and former Navy diver based on Great Abaco Island.
A diver negotiates the Badlands of Dan's Cave on Great Abaco Island. Abacos earliest people frequented the much drier cave systems beginning 1,000 years ago, as many species of birds, mammals and large reptiles had for thousands of years before. But as sea levels rose after the last ice age, the caves became submerged. Now, 10,000-year-old fossils pulled from Abacos blue holes like Sawmill Sink and Dans Cave where one can find the worlds longest underwater passage are giving scientists at the Florida Museum of Natural History on the UF campus a better understanding of the impact of human and climate-driven change on island species.
No other site portrays the Bahamas environmental heritage in more detail than Sawmill Sink, said Steadman, curator of ornithology at the Florida Museum. We can go back in time clear to the last ice age 15,000 years ago and examine plants and animals that are extinct on the island today.
The cave systems that Kakuk navigates in his search for fossils create formations like Fang Horn Forest in Dans Cave, where divers have just enough room to move through a passage riddled with stalactites and stalagmites like a bed of nails on the top and bottom.
Although these fossils are protected by a labyrinth of cave passages and preserved thanks to a unique water chemistry found in the Bahamas, they could have been vulnerable to commercial land development and pollution without the protection of the national park.
If the water became more acidic, or full of organic pollutants, it would not only degrade the water qualityit would degrade the fossils, Steadman said.
Kakuk said the pristine condition of many fossils and bones pulled from the blue holes is what draws researchers from various fields.
A lot of people, when they go to look at bird or crocodile fossils, theyre usually looking at a small piece and trying to interpret what it was, Kakuk said. Were giving them the entire animal.
The park will also protect a forest of endemic pine trees that grow on land above the caves and only exist on four Bahamian islands, opening the door to more land-based tourism on Abaco. The areas are also key to the survival of several endemic species, said Janet Franklin, a professor of geography at Arizona State University whose work has addressed the impacts of human-caused change on island plant communities.
David Steadman has reconstructed the ancient food web of the Bahamian island of Abaco thanks to fossils of mega-reptiles, including the Cuban Crocodile, pulled from underwater cave systems. Florida Museum of Natural History photo by Kristen GraceSteadman and colleagues have recovered thousands of fossils from Sawmill Sink that show human activities such as habitat destruction pose a greater threat to island species than modern human-driven climate change. Among the 39 species that no longer exist on Abaco, 17 species of birds likely fell victim to huge changes in climate and rising sea levels around the end of the last ice age, about 10,000 years ago. Twenty-two other species of reptiles, birds and mammals persisted through those dramatic environmental changes only to vanish after humans arrived on the island 1,000 years ago.
The new national parks offer Steadman and his colleagues the opportunity to begin introducing species, including rock iguanas and tortoises, back into the Bahamas from other places where they still survive.
We know that every island in the Bahamas used to have tortoises and that they are now extinct, but we have close relatives still living on the South American mainland, Steadman said.
Theres growing scientific evidence that tortoises make excellent seed dispersers, so the introduction of red-footed and yellow-footed tortoises could do wonders for plant life on the islands, Steadman said.
Abaco has gone 900 years without tortoises Id love to see what it would look like 40 or 50 years after they are reintroduced, Steadman said. The new park is an area that can really inform the future and help us make it a little more natural than it is right now.
While saying that Mumbaikars have a habit of suffering silently and ignoring traffic jams and potholes, a division bench of Justices V M Kanade and M S Karnik, who was hearing a public interest litigation about increasing number of potholes on city roads and the fatalities caused by them, said that the major problem which the city faces during every monsoon is potholes and various agencies dig up the roads but do not restore it properly.
MCGM counsel Anil Sakhare informed the court that the website started for citizens to lodge complaints about potholes was shut down temporarily due to a technical snag.
"Citizens can file complaints on the civic body's Facebook page," he said.
Repair works were being carried out to ensure potholes do not resurface during the monsoon and the major roads would be repaired by May 30, he said.
The court has posted the PIL for further hearing in June and directed the Corporation to file a compliance report.
In May last year, the high court had observed that citizens have the fundamental right to good roads and it is the state government's statutory obligation to provide roads which are pothole-free.UNI AAA SS SB AN2259
-- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-702600.Xml
A major fire broke out at a bio-diesel manufacturing plant in Duvvada Special Economic Zone (SEZ) near Visakhapatnam late on Tuesday night. Around 40 fire tenders are still battling relentlessly to douse the flames, which erupted in Biomax Company around 7.30 pm yesterday. The fire-fighting has become a massive challenge for the authorities due to the presence of highly inflammable material in the plant's premises. According to reports, eighteen tanks of fuel and raw materials were present at the Biomax's unit at the time of fire. No causalities have been reported so far. Such was the intensity of flames that the Eastern Naval Command was pressed into service to aid the local authorities in fire fighting. "We have sent eight fire extinguishers, will see what best we can do... Eastern Naval Command launched two aircrafts for aerial reconnaissance and assessment of the extent of fire," Ravindra, an Indian navy Commander. Andhra Pradesh Human Resources Development Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, who rushed to the scene to take stock of the situation, said that the state government has ordered an inquiry into the matter. "We ordered to district for enquiry on this incident. There is no fire safety in the city. I accept this. Not only industry area, but even schools, malls, theatres and various other places do not have safety methods. We will check it from tomorrow, we should take action against those who are not following rules and regulations," he told media. In 1997, a massive fire in the HPCL plant in the same region had left over 60 persons dead. (ANI)
A high level delegation including Minister of State for Agriculture Sanjeev Balyan is accompanying the President on the five day visit, which is aimed at energising and upgrading bilateral relations.
Briefing reporters in New Delhi, Joint Secretary, South, Jaideep Mazumdar informed that this is the first ever state visit of an Indian President to these two countries.
During the visit to Papua New Guinea, Mukherjee will meet Prime Minister Peter O'Neill and other leaders.
He will also address a business event and an Indian community event.
The President will give a speech at the Papua New Guinea University.
Mazumdar said the visit is part of the growing engagement with the Pacific Island countries.
He said, the island nation is looking towards India for its development needs in health sector, capacity building in IT, agriculture and infrastructure development.
In the second leg of his visit, the President will leave for New Zealand.
He will hold meetings with Governor General Jerry Mateparae, Prime Minister John Key, and the Leader of the Opposition.
Mazumdar said agreements in the areas of air connectivity and education are expected to be signed.
Besides, the President will address a gathering of top New Zealand businessmen, and address an Indian community event hosted by the Indian High Commissioner.
He will also address the students of the Auckland University of Technology.
The Secretary said New Zealand's goal is to have India as a core trade, economic, and political partner and the visit is aimed to realise that goal.
He said, apart from agriculture and dairy farming, New Zealand has abilities in the areas of security and cold storage systems. (ANI)
Peering to the outskirts of our solar system, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has spotted a small, dark moon orbiting Makemake, the second brightest icy dwarf planet - after Pluto - in the Kuiper Belt.The moon - provisionally designated S/2015 (136472) 1 and nicknamed MK 2 - is more than 1,300 times fainter than Makemake.MK 2 was seen approximately 13,000 miles from the dwarf planet, and its diameter is estimated to be 100 miles across.Makemake is 870 miles wide.The dwarf planet, discovered in 2005, is named for a creation deity of the Rapa Nui people of Easter Island.The Kuiper Belt is a vast reservoir of leftover frozen material from the construction of our solar system four and half billion years ago and home to several dwarf planets.Some of these worlds have known satellites, but this is the first discovery of a companion object to Makemake.Makemake is one of five dwarf planets recognized by the International Astronomical Union.The observations were made in April 2015 with Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3.The discovery was announced in a Minor Planet Electronic Circular.The observing team used the same Hubble technique to observe the moon as they did for finding the small satellites of Pluto in 2005, 2011, and 2012.Several previous searches around Makemake had turned up empty."Our preliminary estimates show that the moon's orbit seems to be edge-on, and that means that often when you look at the system you are going to miss the moon because it gets lost in the bright glare of Makemake," said Alex Parker of Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, Colorado, who led the image analysis for the observations.A moon's discovery can provide valuable information on the dwarf-planet system.By measuring the moon's orbit, astronomers can calculate a mass for the system and gain insight into its evolution.Uncovering the moon also reinforces the idea that most dwarf planets have satellites."Makemake is in the class of rare Pluto-like objects, so finding a companion is important," Parker said."The discovery of this moon has given us an opportunity to study Makemake in far greater detail than we ever would have been able to without the companion."The researchers will need more Hubble observations to make accurate measurements to determine if the moon's orbit is elliptical or circular.Preliminary estimates indicate that if the moon is in a circular orbit, it completes a circuit around Makemake in 12 days or longer.Determining the shape of the moon's orbit will help settle the question of its origin.A tight circular orbit means that MK 2 is probably the product of a collision between Makemake and another Kuiper Belt Object.If the moon is in a wide, elongated orbit, it is more likely to be a captured object from the Kuiper Belt.Either event would have likely occurred several billion years ago, when the solar system was young.When Pluto's moon Charon was discovered in 1978, astronomers quickly calculated the mass of the system.Pluto's mass was hundreds of times smaller than the mass originally estimated when it was found in 1930.With Charon's discovery, astronomers suddenly knew something was fundamentally different about Pluto and that it was a dwarf planet.UNI YSG CJ RAI0954 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0129-702972.Xml
Firefighters broke the underground pipelines connecting the tanks that were on fire with the output tanks at the Biomax Fuels Limited(BFL) Biodiesel facility at Duvvada Special Economic Zone( SEZ) .Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister S.China Rajappa and State HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao along with Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao Visited the Fire Accident Site Supervising the operations. An inquiry would be initiated into the mishap after the flames are doused. Deputy CM told media persons at the factory gate in the early Hours today after preliminary discussions with the officials. The Indian Navy was also called to support the fire fighting effort. Indian Navy (IN) pressed its firefighting equipment apart from having its ambulances and hospital on standby. The Quick Response Team at INS Circars of Eastern Naval Command(ENC) was on standby. "Of the 170 permanent and 30 casual workers around a dozen were on duty when the fire broke out and all of them ran from the site and the company HR officials have confirmed that all are accounted for," the Minister said. The fire broke out around 2045 p.m. and all the officials have rushed to the spot as soon as they got the information. The District Collector N Yuvaraj, City Police Commissioner Amit Garg and other officials in supervising the operations. "The fire is likely to die down in four or five hours as some of the tanks were 70 per cent full and some others only 30 per cent," The District Fire Officer J.M Rao said that there are about 18 storage tanks and the fire had spread to the 12storage tanks and Five tanks burst with big sounds.It is a blessing in disguise that there are no habitations in close vicinity and the district administration has already alerted the residents in the area to be cautious, he added. "The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.Chandhra babu Naidu has directed the district administration to conduct quarterly industrial safety audit to ensure that such mishaps do not recur," Mr Srinivas Rao said recalling that the district had seen more than a couple of industrial mishaps in the recent past in the SEZ and Pharma Compnay's.UNI BSR CJ RAI1049 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-703008.Xml
Curfew like restrictions have been imposed in and around the historic Lal Chowk to prevent "Nimaz Jinazah" in absentia of one of the founder member of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Amanullah Khan, who passed away at Rawalpindi in Pakistan yesterday. However, police said restrictions under Section 144 CrPC have been imposed in some areas falling under the jurisdiction of police station Kothibagh and Maisuma to maintain law and order. The situation on the ground was entirely different as large number of security forces and state police personnel had been deployed in and around Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital, where Darbar Move, seat of the government, including the office of Chief Minister and her cabinet colleagues will reopen on May 9 after closing at winter capital on April 29. The busy Amira Kadal bridge has been closed with barbed wire and even pedestrians were not being allowed to move towards Lal Chowk. Similarly all roads and bylanes leading to historic chowk have been closed and nobody was being allowed to enter the area. Shops and business establishments in the chowk and nearby busy business hubs remained closed. Traffic on Residency road has been diverted to Moulana Azad road from Regal chowk, where road towards historic chowk has been closed. Authorities have also closed all roads leading to Maisuma, where the headquarter of JKLF and its chairman are located. Restrictions in the historic Lal Chowk has badly affected business and other activities in Srinagar. JKLF and other separatist organizations have announced to organize Nimaz Jinazah of Amanullah in absentia at Lal Chowk this afternoon. Amanullah is father-in-law of separatist turned politician Sajjad Gani Lone, cabinet minister in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition government in the Jammu and Kashmir. However, despite taking oath, Mr Lone has not attended his office following some differences over portfolio. All separatist and majority mainstream leaders have expressed condolence over the demise of Amanaullah.UNI BAS YSS CJ RAI1013 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-702978.Xml
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court (HC) has reserved its decision on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking judicial probe into the alleged molestation of a girl in Handwara and subsequent killings, the state government however has rejected the demand, saying it has already constituted an eight-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case. A division bench of Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey and Justice Tashi Rabstan reserved its decision on the PIL filed by High Court Bar Association (HCBA), seeking a judicial probe by a sitting High Court judge, assisted by an Inspector General of Police (IGP) into Handwara killings. Citing a judgment of Rajasthan High Court, the HCBA counsel argued that a judicial probe by a sitting HC judge can be ordered in a PIL filed on the basis newspaper reports. Referring to HC's directions to make food adulteration reports bases for a PIL, the counsel said in that petition the material available was newspaper reports. The government objected stating that the IGP has constituted an eight-member team, headed by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) North Kashmir Range Baramulla, to investigate the cases. Questioning the authenticity of investigation by the state police, the counsel, said, "How can one trust police when father of the girl has put signature on one application while in another he has put thumb impression." "Is he literate or illiterate." Asserting that the government should not resist a fair probe if it has nothing to hide, he alleged that there is something up their sleeves. ''As per the school date of birth certificate of the girl, which has been produced before the court, the she is a minor and cannot be placed in a police custody. Police can't even entertain her application," he pleaded. ''Police can't be trusted as they are not investigating the matter but are acting against the youth involved in the incident. Can they conduct fair probe when there is pressure from higher ups? This is why we are seeking impartial inquiry," he said "They talk of a safe custody when the police took away the girl three kilometers away and kept her in the house of a policeman," he added. Meanwhile, terming the demand for a judicial probe in the alleged molestation and killings as premature, the Advocate General (AG), who representing the government, said the SIT should be allowed to carry forward the probe, adding the Supreme Court (SC) has discouraged such probe as it would create unnecessary burden on judges. Claiming that newspaper reports cannot be the basis of a PIL as they have no evidence value and cannot be relied upon always, the AG said jurisdiction of this court is not circumscribed and it can seek presence of the girl and ascertain the facts.UNI BAS YSS CJ RAI1054 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-702981.Xml
Seven high profile businessmen from Gujarat have been arrested for allegedly defying complete prohibition in BiharPolice said they were consuming liquor in a posh hotel room last night .The arrested individuals, who had come to Patna to attend a marriage, were partying in a room of Hotel Panash, when the police raided the room and caught them red-handed. Several liquor bottles were also seized during the raid.All those arrested hail from Surat in Gujarat where prohibition is in force since 1960.UNI IS CJ RAI1246 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-703107.Xml
"There is no case, my party will respond," said Manmohan Singh when asked about AgustaWestland chopper deal.
The chopper deal scam has led to an uproar in parliament after reports that an Italian court has found that around Rs.120-125 crore was paid to Indian officials to get the $530 million contract for the VVIP chopper deal.
The court order, according to media reports, showed that the firm lobbied with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her close aides, including Ahmed Patel, and then prime minister Manmohan Singh.
--IANS sid/sd/vt
( 126 Words)
2016-04-27-14:44:09 (IANS)
Uttar Pradesh has turned into a lucrative destination for the Bollywood directors and producers as several mega budget films are being shooted in the state, claimed Uttar Pradesh Film Development Council member Vishal Kapoor here today. "All credit should go to chief minister Akhilesh Yadav,as due to his efforts the scenario of the state has changed and the film makers are coming to UP for shooting. Besides the new film policy launched by the Samajwadi Party government has also paved way to attract the stars to come to the state for shooting and other activities," Mr Kapoor told UNI here. "The council has already received 150 proposals seeking shooting permission from the Bollywood and other film producers," he claimed. He said that the formula of ' More Films, More Employments' is now being enforced in the state by the state government." Presently, two films of Salman Khan production would be shooted in UP with 'Sultan' just shooted in Muzaffarnagar," he said. Besides the next production of Kabir Khan would also be shooted in UP while British Film maker Asif Kapadia and other producers like Ramesh Sippy, Vidhu Vinod Chopra have also shown their interest in coming to UP, he added "There is immence potential in generating employment in the film industry and hence UP government is promoting it," Mr Kapoor said. The member of the UP Film Development Council made it clear that the image of the state has certainly changed after the shooting of films in different parts of the state besides it has generated local employment for the youths. He mentioned about the shooting of Bullet Raja in the chambal areas while recently Salman Khan participated in the shoot of his home production Sultan in Muzaffarnagar. "Very soon Sharukh Khan would also come to UP for shooting and the upcoming Lion Safari in Etawah would be a hot destination for the Bollywood," he further added.UNI XC-MB ADG VP1545 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0059-703566.Xml
Seven people, including two women and four minors, have been arrested in connection rampant instances of thefts during the ongoing Simhastha Mahakumbh in Madhya Pradesh's ancient temple town, police said. Ram Suresh Verma, Lakshmi, Phoolwati Bai and four minors were arrested from near Ramghat yesterday and Rs 2,200, two 'rudraksha' rosaries and rhinestones were seized from them. The accused were presented before the court from where the two women and four minors were sent to child detention centres. Ram Suresh Verma was sent to police remand.UNI XC-PS SW CS1441 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0044-703376.Xml
A senior railway engineer was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs one lakh by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team from Rajasthan's Jodhpur, CBI sources said. Mahendra Singh, who was posted as senior section engineer with the Ratlam Rail Division, was arrested while he was accepting the bribe from Jodhpur-resident contractor Umesh Kori at the Railway Station premises for painting work. Kori works in Ratlam. Kori complained to the CBI that the section engineer had demanded a bribe of Rs five lakh. He had already paid Rs 50,000 while the deal to pay Rs one lakh has been fixed on Tuesday. On the basis of his complaint, the CBI laid a trap and nabbed him. Later, raids were conducted at his residence. Mahendra was arrested under the Prevention of Corruption Act.UNI XC-PS SW AS1542 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0044-703510.Xml
Punjab Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani said today he had directed all civil surgeons in the state to ensure that no government doctors should prescribe medicines and laboratory test to patients from outside government hospitals. Mr Jyani said he had directed to civil surgeons after Vini Mahajan principal secretary Health and Family Planning, Punjab, visited Phagwara hospital and found numerous irregularities and the patients were being made to purchase medicines and laboratory test outside the hospital by the doctors, even after the government's decision to provide various type of medicines and consumables free of cost in all the government hospital in the state. He said that the principal secretary also found that even indoor patients admitted to the hospital were not being provided medicines within hospital. According to the Minister, he had taken serious note of the irregularities observed by the health secretary and had immediately placed a senior medical officer under suspension. UNI XC DS SW AN1547 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0101-703572.Xml
Later in protest against the killing, the villagers torched the house of the assailants.
Police said the Gram Pradhan of Hiravanpur village Nandlal Yadav was going along with his nephew Pappu Singh Yadav when the criminals fired on them near Narayanpur Kakrahi roundabout.
The pradhan died on the spot while his nephew critically injured was rushed to Varanasi. Superintendent of Police Ram Kishore Verma said an old rivalry is said to be the reason behind the killing.
Five years ago, Nandlal's elder brother and former pradhan Vishnu Yadav was also killed in rivalry and later Nandlal and his nephews were accused of attacking the rival people.
The SP said efforts were on to nab the culprits.
He said tension rose high after the incident and police has been deployed at the house of the accused after the supporters of the deceased torched their house.UNI XC-MB SW AS1436
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Riders from Royal Riders, Manipur, toured the international border areas of the state which do not have proper roads and communication system and organised free medical camps. President of Royal Riders Manipur, Miren Thangjam said the riders, numbering about 67, drove towards the borders areas which was challenging as the road was muddy. For three days from April 23 they toured areas like Namlee, Wangleem on the Indo-Myanmar border in Ukhrul District.As the people in the area do not get proper medical facilities the villagers turned up for the medical camps opened by the Royal riders. Hundreds of people from neighbouring Myanmar too came to attend the health camp. Four doctors attended to the patients and distributed medicines. The team also provided clothes and other essential items. All the medicines were provided free of cost by pharmacies and medical representatives of the state. During the visit the team members interacted with the villagers and counseled them on various issues. UNI NS PL SW AS1457 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0211-703268.Xml
Aizawl police have stumbled upon what is believed to be the biggest gold racket in Mizoram following a feud among the gold smugglers that resulted in one group robbing the other last December. Aizawl's Kulikawn police received a complaint recently that a vehicle carrying 50 kg of gold was robbed by a gang of about five people along the Aizawl-Thenzawl-Lunglei Road (called as World Bank road) on the southern outskirts of Aizawl around 2330 hrs on December 14, 2015. An FIR was submitted by one Lalnunfela, a resident of Electric Veng, owner of the robbed vehicle. After investigation by a special investigation team led by additional SP (CID), it was suspected that a high Assam Rifles official in Aizawl and some civilians were involved in the dacoity. On April 22, the SIT raided the residence of one of the suspects, Lalmuanpuia Mathipi, a former students' leader, at Zonuam locality in Aizawl. He was arrested the following day and he, along with his alleged accomplice Bulaki Chand Baid, who lives in a rented house at Laipuitlang Aizawl, is still in police custody. Sources said the police have also questioned some other civilians and Assam Rifles officials in Aizawl, but were not remanded. The whereabouts of the smuggled gold bars are yet to be known. The police have also not ruled out against the possiblity of involvement of "powerful" people.UNI ZS AKM SW VP1610 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0213-703565.Xml
The incident took place this afternoon when the Chief Minister was away in Delhi and the Assembly session was on. However, there was no loss of any property in the fire. The fire brigade pressed into service
doused the flame within a short time.
DGP K B Singh and Commissioner of Police Y B Khurania rushed to the Chief Minister's chamber on hearing the fire incident. The DGP said a electrical short circuit led to the fire inside the chamber of the Chief Minister.
The fire started from a digital clock and later spread to the set up box and TV installed in the chamber of the Chief Minister. The general electricity department(GED) has been asked to probe into the incident.UNI DP AKM SW AS1716
-- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0213-703640.Xml
At least seven persons were killed when an LPG cylinder exploded in a house in Barabanki district near here on Wednesday, police said. The incident took place in Rafipur village where a wedding was to take place on Thursday. Over a dozen people were injured, two of whom were said to be in critical condition. --IANS md/mr ( 65 Words) 2016-04-27-17:52:09 (IANS)
: Former ISRO Chairman and noted Scientist K Kasturirangan will deliver University of AgriculturalSciences, Bangalore Golden Jubilee Convocation address on April 30,Vice Chancellor H Shivanna said today. Talking to newspersons here, Prof. Shivanna said that in all 922students, including 584 Bachelors Degree, 245 Post Graduate and 93PHD, would be distributed degrees by Governor Vajubhai Vala, who isalso Chancellor of the University. UAS, one of the top agri-varsity in the country was started in1964 and has so far trained over 35,000 students in graduate,post-graduate and doctoral degrees in its 50 years of existence. Outof over 3100 students currently studying in the varsity, 922 wouldbe passing out this year. A total of 114 gold medals would be awarded to students ofvarious degree programmes. This include three in UG college, 36University and 75 donor's Gold Medals. Girl students have outnumbered boys in garnering gold medals with28 girls getting 71 gold medals, compared to 21 boys getting 43 gold medals. Prof Shivanna said the varsity had added Agri-Engineering courseto its PG programme to take the total number of courses offered to22 and horticulture in its PhD programme to make it 15. Replying to a question, the Vice Chancellor said that ''theUniversity has decided not to confer honorary degrees this year.'' The Governor had taken strong exception to the Universitiesdoling out honorary doctorates to persons, many of whom were not deserving. Prof Shivanna also said that UAS would be hosting the 13th All IndiaAgri Science Congress during February 2017, in which, over 2000delegates, including eminent agri-scientists from over a dozenforeign countries would be plenary speakers. The previous edition of the biennial event was last held atKarnool in Andhra Pradesh.UNI RS MSP KVV AK 1815 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-703773.Xml
The warrant was issued by Special Judge P R Bhavke who, during the hearing, said, "A NBW is issued against accused number three (Pankaj)."
Apart from the former MP, NBWs were also issued against some private persons named in the case after the court took cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the matter.
Earlier, the ED had told the court it had attached properties of the Bhujbals worth Rs 131.86 crore, while remaining properties worth Rs 708.30 crore were yet to be identified and attached.
Also, it had twice conducted searches on nine premises, including properties and offices, belonging to the senior Bhujbal, Pankaj, nephew Samir and few others.
On March 30 this year, ED had filed a 11,500-page chargesheet against Chhagan, Pankaj, Sameer, their wives, and corporates like D B Realty among others.UNI AAA ST SS SW VP1800
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Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today said the Congress-Left alliance will form the next government in West Bengal and clean up the administration. Addressing an electioneering campaign, Mr Gandhi said the people have already given their verdict for Congress-Left alliance in last four rounds of polls up to April 25, and urged the workers to be alert for next two rounds on April 30 and May 5 in the state. Criticising both the Narendra Modi and Mamata Banerjee government in the Centre and West Bengal respectively, the Congress leader claimed that the two leaders have hoodwinked the people in term of employment and alleviation of poverty. "While a government at the Centre is for fair and lovely and suit-boots, the West Bengal has a government of Saradha and Naradha," Mr Gandhi stated. He said Bengal once gave leadership to the rest of the country, but now it has hit the bottom of the list with no new industry coming , closure of jute based companies, increasing unemployment, torture on women and lately even the children not being spared by the Trinamool Congress goons. Mr Gandhi referred to the assault on three-year-old girl, her mother and her grandfather by the TMC on the eve of 4th phase of election at Halisahar in North 24 Parganas. He said Mamataji before coming to power had assured to fight corruption but now her party leaders, MPs MLAs, and ministers have been accused of various corruptions. "I ask Mamataji why she is silent when her party leaders have been caught taking money from Saradha scam and Narada sting operation. The terrorist money is in the Narada scam," Mr Gandhi pointed out. He said the people had given her five years time but the state government kept quite in various scams. "Now the Congress-left alliance will come after May 19 and clean the corruptions," Mr Gandhi added. He also alleged that ruling party TMC men were involved in the Vivekananda flyover, that collapsed last month due to poor quality of cement, iron and materials which will be investigated after the Congress-left alliance government was formed. The Congress leader today addressed a rally at Bhagabanpur in East Medinipur and will attend another at Park Circus later today with former chief minsterBuddhadeb Bhattacahrya. Bengal goes to fifth round of polls for 53 seats spreading over South 24 parganas, Kolkata South and Hooghly districts on April 30.UNI PC KK SB AN1856 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0136-704111.Xml
: Malayalam matinee idol Padmasree Mammooty has come up with a solace to people in the state, which faces serious drought and famine. The actor held discussions with Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and expressed his desire to work with the government in drought-relief activities in the state. Anticipating a severe drought in many parts of the state, particularly in Palakkad District, Mr Mammooty said "we should take effective preventive measure on how to tackle such serious problems, if it happened once like Lathur in Maharashtra". The renowned actor said the need of the hour was to find a permanent solution to the scarcity of water and extended all his support in this regard. He also said that since he was an individual and he could not do all such things on his own and sought the support of like-minded organisations in this regard. A detailed meeting will be held here tomorrow evening with all like-minded organisations and individuals and the strategy would be worked out, he added.UNI CGV KVV AK 1924 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0312-704022.Xml
The Coast Guard Region (East) today conducted a day at seato bid farewell to its Commander, who retires this month, after completing 36 years ofdistinguished service. A fleet of nine Coast Guard Ships and Aircraft namely, ICGS Sagar, Samudra Paharedar, Vigraha, Rani Abbakka, Abheek, Raj Tarang, Anagh, C-415, C-422, Two Dorniers CG 772 and 774 and one Chetak Helo CG 801 demonstrated their prowess at sea off Chennai. This event was organised to bid farewell to the Commander Coast Guard Region (East) Inspector General S P Sharma in a traditional service manner. During the interaction with the media on Onboard Sagar, Mr Sharma briefed about the planned infrastructure grown in forthcoming years to support Coast Guard operation both ashore and afloat. He also mentioned about the recently acquired sea going assets which have added pre-teeth to the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard Fleet showcased various operational capabilities like search and rescue demo by the helicopter, high speed manoeuvres, external fire fighting, small arms firing, Fly past by Dornier Aircraft and Chetak. The event concluded with an impressive steam past and fly past with the men cheering for the outgoing Commander.UNI GV KVV 1855 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-704107.Xml
DMDK Founder and actor Vijayakanth and DMK Treasurer M K Stalin today disclosed their assets while filing their nomination papers for the May 16 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls. In their affidavits filed before the Returning Officers, Vijayakanth has disclosed that he has assets worth Rs 19.37 crore and a bank loan of Rs 4.81 crore. He said his wife Premalatha's assets were worth Rs 17 crores and she has a liability of Rs 41 lakh. Mr Stalin, in his affidavit, said he has total assets of Rs 4.13 crore. He said he has total assets worth Rs 4,13,83,988. This included movable assets to the tune of Rs 80,33,242 and immovable assets worth 3,33,50,746. While Stalin was seeking re-election from Kolathur assembly constituency in Chennai city, Vijayakanth is contesting from Ulundurpet.UNI GV KVV 1900 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-704117.Xml
Police said here six armed criminals stormed into Maripur branch of Axis Bank, took all its staff under their captivity at gun point and looted Rs 45 lakh from vault of the bank. They managed to escape from the spot, police said.
"Criminals opened fire in air to scare away the locals attempting to chase them", police said, adding that raids were being carried out to nab them and recover the looted cash.UNI KKS AKM SHS AS1847
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A senior police officer said. stolen property worth lakhs of rupees besides a car were recovered from the burglars, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kulgam, Mohammad Irshad told mediamen adding the kingpin of the gang was still at large.
He said a number of complaints were registered about theft cases in different parts of the south Kashmir. A special team was constituted and investigation taken up, he said adding 16 members of the gang belonging to two each districts of Jammu region and Kashmir valley.
He said stolen property worth lakhs of rupees besides a car had been recovered and more recovery is expected. UNI BAS SB AN1944
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Grieving the loss, the CM expressed shock that a young life's dreams and hopes have been cut short by the tragic incident, official sources said here.
Doye, from Seren village in East Siang, is the daughter of late Kimar Doye and has a diploma in hotel management and was working in Sai City agency.
She also worked as a receptionist at a hotel in Raigad earlier.
According to sources, the deceased bore a ligature mark around her neck and postmortem is being carried out at J J Hospital in Mumbai.
The CM is in constant touch with the relatives of the victim and has assured to help in bringing back the mortal remains.
He informed that the state government is also in touch with the Maharashtra government and had urged the latter for a thorough investigation into the incident. UNI PB AKM DJK RK2010
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CPI(M) leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhis sharing the same podium for the first time today, called for ousting the Mamata Banerjee led governmentand urged voters to save West Bengal from imminent danger. Both the leaders first exchanged greetings and pleasantries on the stage and then while addressing they explained the need and importance of the alliance of Congress-Left under the present political circumstance. " You must understand the importance of this meeting. The Park Circus Maidan has seen numerous meetings. But you never have seen such a meeting," Mr Bhattacharya said while addressing the joint rally, just three days ahead of the Assembly polls to 53 seats in Kolkata South, South 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts on April 30. " We have united since a dangerous government ( Mamata Banerjee) is now existing and we cannot defeat it single handedly and that is why we have come together and formed the Left-Congress alliance", the 72-year-old former chief minister who was routed in the general election in 2011, told the gathering. " See the red and tri-colour flapping together. Congress and Left Front leaders are on the same stage. Rahul Gandhi and myself are on the same podium. why? Because we have understood the state is now in danger under the present government," the veteran leader said. The veteran CPI(M) leader called for a change of guard in these elections to set upa Congress-Left government. " We are forming the government after May 19." Mr Gandhi also echoed the same and said they would provide a clean government. He said the people have already given their verdict for the Congress-Left alliance in last four rounds of polls up to April 25, and urged the workers to be alert for the next two rounds of polls on April 30 and May 5 in the state. Criticising both the Narendra Modi and Mamata Banerjee government at the Centre and West Bengal respectively, the Congress leader claimed that the two leaders have hoodwinked the people in term of employment and alleviation of poverty. " While a government at the Centre is for fair and lovely and suit-boots, the West Bengal has a government of Saradha and Naradha," Mr Gandhi stated. He said Bengal once gave leadership to the rest of the country, but now it has hit the bottom of the list with no new industry coming , closure of jute based companies, increasing unemployment, torture on women and lately the children were also not spared by the Trinamool Congress goons. Mr Gandhi referred to the beating of three-year-old daughter, her mother and her grandfather by the TMC on the eve of fourth phase of election at Halisahar in North 24 Parganas. He said Mamataji before coming to power had assured to fight corruption but now her party leaders, MPs MLAs, and ministers have been accused of various corruptions. " Why is Mamataji maintaining silence when her party leaders were caught taking money from Saradha scam and Narada sting operation. The terrorist money is in the Narada scam," Mr Gandhi pointed out. Mr Gandhi also alleged that ruling party TMC men were involved in the Vivekananda flyover, that collapsed last month due to poor quality of cement, iron and materials which will be investigated after the Congress-left alliance government was formed. Among others all those who shared the stage were state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, his predecessors Pradeep Bhattacharya, Manas Bhunia and Deepa Dasmushi, who is contesting against Mamata Banerjee from Bhawanipur assembly seat and Congress candidate Krishna Debnath contesting from Ballygunge seat all shared the stage. Bengal goes to fifth round of polls for 53 seats spreading over South 24 Parganas, Kolkata South and Hooghly districts on April 30. UNI PC KK DJK RK2035 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0212-704173.Xml
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Prasad Harichandan today urged the state government to take initiative to bring back the world famous Kohinoor diamond now in United Kingdom to the state. Mr Harichandan told mediapersons here that the Kohinoor belonged to the temple of Lord Jagannath and the state government should try its best to bring it to the state. He said, though the claim over the ownership of Kohinoor had been made by many including Pakistan, Afghanistan, it was unfortunate that Odisha government had not made any claim on it so far. The OPCC president said on July 2,1839, the political agent and commissioner to Peshwar in a letter to T A Maddock, the officiating secretary to the Governor General Lord Dalhouse, had written that Maharaja Ranjit Singh wanted the Kohinoor diamond to be offered to the temple of Lord Jagannath. The letter is now kept in the foreign secret consultation section of the national achieve in New Delhi. Mr Harichandan said the state government should be intervener in the PIL filed in the Supreme Court and should also file a fresh case to stake its claim over the diamond. He suggested that an unanimous resolution be passed in the current session of the state Assembly to put pressure on the Union government to bring the Kohinoor diamond to the state. The Parliament members from Odisha should also raise the issue in both the house of Parliament in support of the claim. Mr Harichandan said he would also request the temple administration of Jagannath temple Puri to become a party to the PIL filed in the Supreme Court. The Congress, he said, is also planning to a file a case after consulting with the legal experts. He said a delegation of the Congress would meet the Union Minister for External Affairs in the first week of May and raise the issue. The Congress leader requested all Odias living in and outside the state to write post cards to the President and the Prime Minister requesting them to take initiative to bring the Kohinoor diamond to Odisha. The Kohinoor was divided into two parts. While a part of the diamond adored the crown of Queen Elizabeith-II, the other half was kept in the British museum. Mr Hrichandan said the East India Company took the diamond to England through Dillip Singh, the minor heir to Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Lord Dalhousie took the Kohinoor to England to please the British government even though he was aware of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh's wish that Kohinoor be offered to Lord Jagannath temple. Mr Harichandan said a few days back a member of the British Parliament had alleged that there was a understanding between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the British Prime Minister . Though the truth in the statement is not yet known but it was not denied either by the British Prime Minister or the Mr Modi yet, the OPCC chief remarked.UNI BD-DP AKM DJK RK2054 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0213-704204.Xml
The Supreme Court today said Parliamentarians who passed the resolution condemning Justice (Retd) Markandey Katju, for his blog against Mahatma Gandhi and Subhas Chandra Bose enjoyed almost the same freedom of speech and expression as him. A top court bench headed by Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur, said, "Do you mean to say that the Members of Parliament have no right to express their views? They have simply put their views in a collective manner in condemning your viewpoint."The SC also said the resolutions were passed prima facie to condemn the views and it was not a proceeding to "censure" Justice Katju. Justice Katju, a former judge of Supreme Court in one of his blogs, had described Gandhi as a British agent and Bose, a Japanese agent. The Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha -- on March 11 and 12 last year-- had passed a resolution against him for it.Senior Supreme Court lawyer Gopal Subramanium, appearing for retired Justice Katju, told the SC that the MPs, like ordinary citizens, are entitled to their views on issues. The apex court has now asked the Attorney General (AG) Mukul Rohatgi to assist it in the matter. Earlier, the apex court had said "prima facie" it did not find fault with Parliament passing resolutions condemning Justice Katju for his blog against Mahatma Gandhi and Bose. Justice Katju on June 29 last year, had knocked the doors of the Supreme Court seeking quashing of the Resolutions passed by Parliament last year against him for his social media posts in connection with his social networking posts on Gandhi and Bose.Justice Katju, who has retired as a judge from the apex court, in his petition, said Parliament had violated the principles of natural justice by not giving him an opportunity to be heard. In the petition posted on his blog, Justice Katju (69) sought the help of the Supreme Court in quashing the Resolutions passed by Parliament as they violate his rights as a private citizen to express his views freely about historically-respected personalities and show disagreement, dissent, criticism, non-acceptance or critical evaluation.In his petition, Justice Katju said the resolution passed on March 11 and 12 by the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha, respectively, violated the Rules for Procedure under Article 118 of the Constitution.He even went on to submit in his petition that the Houses are not competent to take cognisance of the expressions of free speech of the private person. UNI XC PY SB 2129 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0298-704406.Xml
The case was registered after the victim, a retired teacher staying in Shanivar Peth area of the city, lodged a complaint at Vishrambag police station here today.
A few days ago, the elderly man, whose LIC policy had matured in October 2015, received a call from two women, Payal Gupta and Ankita Jain, who told him that LIC has announced a prize of Rs 17 lakh for him. They told him he would have to pay some money as charges for claiming the prize, police said.
Accordingly, he deposited Rs 35,000 in a bank account provided by them. Later, he deposited another Rs one lakh. Thereupon, he received a fake LIC letter asking him to pay Rs four lakh to claim the money. He then deposited the amount but never received the money, sources added.
Police have booked the four -- Payal, Ankita, Harshavardhan and Bhatnagar -- in this connection.UNI SP SS SB AN2215
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The labourers -- Pachunadaji Gujar (45) and Mahadu Bhil (25) -- were killed instantly while handling the explosives at 0700 hours early this morning.
The labourers were digging a well in the field of one Sahebrao Shinde in parched Yeola, police said.
Police has arrested the contractor who provided the explosives, while the bodies were sent for autopsy to Yeola rural hospital.
The deceased had migrated to Yeola from Bhilwada in Rajasthan because of drought.
Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Dr Rahul Khade said that they have arrested the contractor Devilal Gurjar.
''The exact reason for the blast will be clear only after investigation. The contractor had a licence but was not available at the site, when the incident occurred,'' Dr Khade further said.
The Yeola tehsil city is located close to the border of Aurganabad district and is a drought-prone area of Nashik.
Earlier, in 2007, at least six workers had died and several others were injured in a powerful blast in a gelatin factory at Harasur village in Nashik. At the time of the blast at least 17-18 workers were working in the Premier Explosives factory.
The impact of the blast was so powerful that a three-storied building, which housed the explosive company, had collapsed. UNI RDS SS SB RK2250
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A law in Peru that allows the military to shoot down planes suspected of smuggling drugs has forced traffickers to move cocaine out of a remote jungle region by boat and on foot, the prime minister said.The law, which ended a 15-year ban on the downing of civilian aircraft when it went into effect in January, intends to keep scores of small planes from flying drugs out of the Peruvian Amazon and into neighboring Bolivia and Brazil.Prime Minister Pedro Cateriano said that even though the military had not yet shot down any new planes, the threat of force had led to a sharp drop in the number of "narco-flights.""Drug traffickers are using other routes to transport drugs, we've seen that in recent months," Cateriano said at a press conference, citing police intelligence. "Now, for example, the trafficking is fluvial and there's more antwork transportation, that is, backpackers."Cateriano said the lack of an easy outgoing route for coca leaf, the main ingredient in cocaine, has led to excess supply and that has prompted its price to plummet.Coca is native to South America and is especially abundant in a group of jungle valleys in southeastern Peru known as the VRAEM.The US State Department said in a 2015 report that small aircraft bound for Bolivia constituted the main method of transporting cocaine from Peru.Peru had stopped shooting at drug aircraft in 2001 after the military, in coordination with the CIA, downed a plane with missionaries on board, killing a US woman and her baby.The United States also banned funding linked to shoot-down activities in Peru after the incident. However, the United States has not said that the reinstatement of the policy would affect its joint anti-narcotics programs in the Andean country.Congress unanimously passed the law reinstating the policy in August, even though Peruvian authorities said that US officials had lobbied to stop it.Peru is virtually tied with neighboring Colombia as the world's top cocaine producer. REUTERS PS PM0450 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0139-702913.Xml
North Korea announced today that its ruling Workers' Party congress will open on May 6, ending its silence on the exact starting date of the first such conference in 36 years.The plan, first announced in October, calls for a rare party conference, at which analysts expect North Korea to formally adopt leader Kim Jong Un's "byongjin" policy to simultaneously push for economic development and nuclear weapons capability.North Korea's last party conference was held in 1980, before the birth of Kim, who is believed to be 33.Byongjin follows Kim's father's Songun, or "military first," policy and his grandfather's Juche, the North's home-grown founding ideology that combines Marxism and extreme nationalism.The event will be closely watched for any major policy adoptions by the isolated country, and how it will present its pursuit of nuclear weapons.North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and has pushed ahead with ballistic missile development in defiance of UN sanctions and international warnings. It is seen to be readying another nuclear test and missile launches in the run-up to the conference despite new UN sanctions imposed in March.The last Congress of the Workers' Party was held in 1980 under the rule of Kim's grandfather, Kim Il Sung, the state founder. Kim Jong Un's father, Kim Jong Il, who died in December 2011, never held a ruling party congress."The Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK decides to open the Seventh Congress of the WPK in Pyongyang on May 6, 2016," state news agency KCNA said. WPK stands for the Workers' Party of Korea. REUTERS PS PM0429 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0139-702914.Xml
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today defended a decision to build a 40 billion dollars submarine fleet in partnership with France in Australia, rather than opt for a faster build that would have seen initial work offshore.Turnbull said Australia planned to sign a full contract with France's DCNS Group by the end of the year after announcing that the state-owned naval contractor beat bidders from Japan and Germany to win one of the world's most lucrative defence contracts.Turnbull acknowledged that doing the build entirely in Australia, rather than allowing DCNS to begin construction in France, would cost more, "but it's not the huge figure people have speculated about.""It is critically important that with a sovereign defence capability we have the skills in Australia to build it, to maintain it and sustain it," he told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio."It is important that it is built in Australia, it's a matter of national security."The victory for state-owned naval contractor DCNS Group underscored France's strengths in developing a compelling military-industrial bid, and is a blow for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's push to develop defence export capabilities as part of a more muscular security agenda.Japan's government with its Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries boat had been seen as early frontrunners for the contract, but their inexperience in global defence deals and an initial reluctance to say they would build in Australia saw them slip behind DCNS and Germany's ThyssenKrupp AG.DCNS' share of the overall contract to build 12 submarines will amount to about 9.02 billion dollars, according to sources with knowledge of the deal.DCNS chief Herv Guillou said the deal would create about 4,000 French jobs, benefiting shipyards and industrial sites in Lorient, Brest, Nantes and Cherbourg.Australia is ramping up defence spending, seeking to protect its strategic and trade interests in the Asia-Pacific region as the United States and its allies grapple with China's rising power.REUTERS PS PM0622 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0139-702918.Xml
Justices Vijith Malalgoda and Preethi Padman Surasena took up the petition and issued notices on the respondents to appear before the court on May 12 in which the Defense Secretary, Army commander and four others are named as respondents, reports Colombo Page.
The petition has accused the Army of being unsuccessful in compensating 291 soldiers, who were rendered disabled during the conflict period.
The petitioners state that the Navy had been given full entitlements and there was no reason for the Army not to follow suit. (ANI)
Magistrate Anwar Parvez said the case began after two students at Hijla High School in Bagerhat district complained that the assistant teacher of a science class on Sunday dismissed the Quran as the word of Allah and said there was no heaven, reports abc news.
The students, aged17 to 18, along with others from a nearby, Islamic school became infuriated after the high school's head teacher backed up his colleague.
Parvez said that the teachers lock themselves in a room until police intervened as a mob including students, parents and villagers attacked them.
"The situation went out of control.. the mob wanted to take law in their hands," said Parvez.
Following the rage, the magistrate of the quick-ruling court said the assistant teacher pleaded guilty of publicly insulting religion, and both the teachers were sentenced to six months behind bars.
The Muslim-majority country has been witnessing rise in the cases of attacks on atheist writers, religious minorities and activists who make use of their freedom of speech.
In a recent incident, two men including the editor of a gay rights magazine were hacked to death. (ANI)
The United States has only lifted Iranian sanctions on paper and in practice is scaring businesses away from the country, its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said today."On paper the United States allows foreign banks to deal with Iran, but in practice they create Iranophobia so no one does business with Iran," Khamenei was quoted as saying by his official website, addressing hundreds of workers in Tehran."The US official says the sanctions regime is still in place to scare away the foreign investment from Iran."The deal with world powers allowed for the easing of some sanctions in return for Tehran curbing its nuclear program. Iran has previously called on the United States to do more to remove obstacles in the banking sector.REUTERS SHS SB1420 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0329-703366.Xml
Ghani made the statement while addressing a meeting of provincial chiefs of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) on Monday.
"President [Ashraf Ghani] had a meeting with NDS officials last night (Monday night) where he ordered them to create fear inside the enemy's hearts, close their traveling ways, dry up their financial sources, find their hideouts and eliminate them in ground and air operations, " Tolo news quoted Ghani's deputy spokesman Dawa Khan Menapal as saying.
The President also said that he would execute what he calls killers of civilians and non-civilians in Afghanistan. (ANI)
United States Ambassador to Bangladesh, Marcia Bernicat, has said Dhaka alone cannot fight terrorism, adding everyone needs to come together and join the fight. "I just met with your home minister, with the heads of your police forces. They are our strong partners. But they can't do this job alone, none of us can. We all have to do this together," Daily Star quoted Bernicat as saying. The US envoy mourned the brutal killing of USAID official and LGBT magazine editor Xulhaz Mannan and his friend Mahbub Tonoy. Replying to a query, Bernicat said they are working very hard on counter-terrorism cooperation and also assured that her government wants to help Bangladesh. Pointing out that the Bangladesh Government has been effective in fighting terrorism in the past, she said that the US wants to make sure that the country has all the tools it needs for this fight. "You don't deserve to be killed," Bernicat said while terming the killings as barbaric. (ANI)
Punjab government today said the famed 108 carat Kohinoor diamond, which was given to Britain following an agreement with the East India Company in 1849, could not be brought to Pakistan as it was gifted under the Treaty of Lahore.A Punjab government official stated this in the Lahore High Court during the hearing of a petition for bringing the Kohinoor back to Pakistan.''The Kohinoor diamond was handed over to the British East India Company by Maharaja Ranjit Singh under a deal.The diamond had been handed over under a treaty and the government could not demand for it to be returned,'' the official submitted.The judge directed the state government to provide a copy of the 1849 Treaty of Lahore 1849 to petitioner Javed Iqbal Jafree.Mr Jafree said,''Such a deal could only be concluded between two governments.''The petitioner said the British rulers had snatched Kohinoor from the then Maharaja Duleep Singh.He asked the court to direct the government, being a member of the British Commonwealth, to bring the famous diamond back to Pakistan.The Kohinoor diamond, which is kept under tight security at the 'Tower of London', is claimed by India, Afghanistan, Pakistan and also Iran.The petitioner said the seized diamond was part of Punjab's heritage. Its owners, he said, were the denizens of the region. UNI XC PY RP1835 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0298-704004.Xml
An explosion in the northwestern Turkish city of Bursa today was caused by a female suicide bomber, a security source and a senior government official said, citing photographic evidence.Seven people were wounded in the blast, the security source said. Turkey has been hit by a series of suicide bombings this year, including two in Istanbul blamed on Islamic State and two in the capital Ankara claimed by Kurdish militants. REUTERS PY AN2124 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0298-704408.Xml
4 months jail for manslaughter
Yesterday, the jail term Deomatee Rajballysingh, 54, and her son Ganesh Rajballysingh, 25, received for killing her other son (Ganeshs elder brother) Vicky Rajballysingh, 25, in 2008 in Fyzabad, was eight years. But with time already spent, they will be incarcerated for just four more months. This as Justice Carla Brown-Antoine deducted a third off the 12 years hard labour she would have imposed, on the guilty plea of Deomatie and Ganesh.
A further deduction of the seven years and four months they spent behind bars awaiting trial, must be deducted as well.
The four remaining months out of the 12 year term is what both must now serve in accordance with sentencing guidelines. On Sunday August 31, 2008, Rajballysingh (Vicky) was beaten to death by brothers Ganesh and Ajai, both of whom were 17 and 16 years old at the time.
Yesterday, Ajai, who is now 24, also pleaded guilty to manslaughter together with his mother and Ganesh. Justice Brown-Antoine heard the circumstances of the killing of the son, from Senior State Attorney Shabaana Shah, who said that Deomatee had confronted Ricky at 6 am that fateful day, over his drinking, so much rum.
But Rajballysingh in response, abused his mother verbally, and the judge heard, the mother called on Ganesh and Ajai, to tieup Rajballysingh and hit him a few lashes. Shah said Ganesh had told police officers, Meh mother told me and Ajai to tie up Vicky and hit him a few lash. I hit him with a mop handle and Ajai hit him with a louvre frame. They then tied him to a coconut tree and left him there. The mother, sometime later, told her sons to call an ambulance but by this time, Rajballysingh was already dead.
The mother and her two sons were charged with murder. Based on the circumstances of the killing, attorneys for the three wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) requesting a plea of manslaughter. This was accepted.
Yesterday, attorneys Lisa Singh-Phillip, Rekha Ramjit and Lester Chariah, pleaded on behalf of the woman and her two sons, for leniency and Justice Brown-Antoine, did consider mitigating and aggravating factors.
But after sentencing the mother and Ganesh, the judge said that Ajai, for the past eight years in jail, had not shown much inclination at improving himself, a marked distinction, the judge added, from Ganesh who attained academic passes in subjects while in prison and whom the prison authorities had spoken of in glowing terms, as a model prisoner.
Ajai, Justice Brown-Antoine added, did not seem inclined like his brother, to improve his lot behind bars during the seven years. Ajai suddenly stood up in the dock and raising his right hand to indicate he wanted to say something, said, This officer here only chooking me. I done say, them doh have nothing to do with this. The judge told Ajai that he would have to undergo a psychological examination by the prison authorities. He will return to court on May 23.
Stepdad charged with babys murder
Job who lives in John John, Port-of-Spain, was not called upon to plead as the charge was laid indictably. He was represented by attorney Randall Raphael, who was appointed by the Legal Aid and Advisory Board.
When asked by Ayers-Caesar if he wished to retain an attorney of his own, Job said he had no problem being represented by an attorney appointed by the Legal Aid Board.
The charge as read out in court alleges that on April 20, homicide detectives were called to the Accident and Emergency Department of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital by doctors who treated baby Nyla and noticed dried blood at the back of her head. Relatives of the toddler had taken her to the institution for treatment.
An autopsy performed by pathologist Dr Eslyn McDonald- Burris at the Forensic Science Centre in St James revealed that the baby died from blunt force trauma to her head. Job will return to court on May 24.
Petrotrin worker crushed to death
Mitchells co-workers rushed him to the Petrotrin Medical Facility at Clarke Road in Penal where he succumbed to his injuries. Police believe mechanical failure was responsible for the fatal accident. Mitchell lived at Inverness in Barrackpore. In a media release issued by Petrotrins Corporate Communications Department, the company stated Mitchell had over 40 years service and was injured, near a well site in the companys Exploration and Production Operations, at Penal.
The State-owned company confirmed that at the time of the accident the Craftsman II, of the companys Production Operations Department was working with a mechanical crew.
His crew members notified the companys emergency responders and he was taken via ambulance to Petrotrins Medical Facility at Penal where he was examined by the companys Medical team. He was subsequently pronounced dead, the release stated.
A report was lodged at Petrotrins Security Department, the Penal Police Station and the Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA). The Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries and the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) have been informed. Mr Mitchells family has been contacted and EAP (employee assistance programme) services are being provided for the family and co-workers of Mr Mitchell, the release further stated.
Petrotrin extended condolences to the family, friends and co-workers of the deceased. Officials of the OWTU, which represents Petrotrin workers, yesterday told Newsday that they were aware of the tragic death but had no further information at the time.
Yesterday afternoon, Mitchells body was taken to the mortuary of the San Fernando General Hospital. An autopsy is expected to be done today at the Forensic Science Centre in St James. Investigations are continuing.
IC still probing Mannings church
However, the investigations are continuing.
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard SC, in 2013, said after his review of materials that there was, no indication of criminal misconduct in relation to the matter. However, he found clear evidence linking Manning to the church, saying he (Manning) presided over a Cabinet meeting at which State lands were allocated.
He further found breaches of planning laws.
In a press release, the DPP alluded to a forensic audit being done by the Commission. In remarks to the report, the Commissions chairman, retired Justice of Appeal Zainool Hosein says the public has a right to make criticisms of the operations of Commission.
During the past year, there were a few challenges, criticism and accusations of one sort or another which the Commission was unable to deal with in public, Hosein states.
This Commission respects and upholds the publics right to make criticisms of the Commissions work. Hosein continues, We give the assurance that where valuable and constructive ideas, suggestions and recommendations are made, they will be given mature consideration for implementation. The Report discloses there were nine completed investigations before the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
It is anticipated that there will be a need for further collaboration with the Office of the DPP and it is anticipated that there will be a need for further collaboration, Hosein states. As was the case in 2014, three persons accessed the Register of Interests the publicly available records of the commission in relation to the assets of persons in public life.
Legislative proposals for amendments to the Commissions governing statute are due by 2016, the report states.
Freeport teen missing
The release stated that Andrea Prescod of Baucarro Road, St Marys in Freeport, was reported missing to the Freeport Police Station by her father Andre Prescod. She was last seen being dropped off at her school, Carapichaima East Secondary School, by her uncle Anthony Prescod at five oclock on Monday morning.
Anyone with information, a TTPS release stated, on the whereabouts of Andrea Prescod, is asked to contact the police at 555, 999, 911 or any police station.
I contacted AG over bizarre impasse
A Parliament committee on Monday heard how Petrotrins own lawyer who worked for the State agency handling the case, the Ministry of the Attorney General blanked a request by Petrotrin officials for more information in relation to the High Court proceedings.
Radica Maraj-Adharsingh disclosed to the Joint Select Committee on State Enterprises that the former Petrotrin board under Lindsay Gillette dissolved in 2011 and agreed that the Ministry of the Attorney General would take conduct of the High Court litigation.
The ministry engaged attorney Varun Debideen.
However, Petrotrins in-house legal department, thereafter, had no involvement.
Only in July 2015 was there contact from the Ministry of the Attorney General. Debideen asked Petrotrin for witness statements and tribunal awards in relation to arbitrations.
Jones legal team at the High Court had sought disclosure of these documents.
Petrotrins legal team supplied the documents to Debideen, legal privilege notwithstanding, because he was their lawyer.
In November 2015, Debideen had another request. The High Court matter was approaching the stage where a list of witnesses was required.
Petrotrin asked Debideen for details of the High Court action.
In response, Mr Debideen claimed privilege, Maraj-Adharsingh said. He said he had been engaged by the (Ministry) of the Attorney General and he could not give those documents to Petrotrin. Petrotrin reminded its lawyer that he was its lawyer.
I reminded Mr Debideen that he is on record for Petrotrin and he cannot claim privilege against his client, Maraj-Adharsingh said.
We were between a rock and a hard place.
In an effort to meet the obligations and not to waste the courts time, I contacted the Attorney Generals office seeing that counsel on record was refusing to respond to our requests and asked whether he (Al-Rawi) could intervene. At a later meeting, Debideen agreed to withdraw from the matter.
Petrotrin officials undertook to provide written responses to a list of questions posed to them by Opposition Senator Wade Mark yesterday on the matter.
Mark said the Constitution was the supreme law and superseded the Legal Profession Act.
I am disappointed, disturbed, over this development and I hope that Petrotrin would reconsider its unfortunate position, the UNC senator said.
Earlier, Independent Senator David Small criticised the emerging trend of State enterprises paying lawyers for legal advice in order to blank requests from Parliament committees for information. Small said it was not for State enterprises to tell the Parliament what materials the State enterprises could submit to Parliament in response to requests.
Legal rule ruffles Senate
National Security Minister Edmund Dillon said someone had been charged for the murder of Nedd.
He said he was loathe to say further as the matter was before the courts. However, Senator Khadijah Ameen said her question sought not to impinge on evidentiary matters, but rather asked about what steps had been taken, if any, to protect the child after complaints were reportedly made that he was at risk.
In reply, Dillon said the matter was sub judice.
This led to Opposition Senator Wade Mark protesting, saying it was for the Senate President, currently Christine Kangaloo, to rule whether a matter was sub judice.
She said as she understood it, the National Security Minister did not want to discuss national security matters or matters before the court.
Hes within his right to give that answer, the Senate President said. Earlier in the sitting, she admonished senators to not read from notes and urged them to avoid requesting to use a lectern when speaking.
TT, Venezuela unite to fight terrorism
His disclosure came amid concerns voiced in the Senate that terrorists are entering this country via Venezuela .
Is the Attorney General aware that a number of terrorists travel to Venezuela and enter Trinidad regularly through the porous borders that we have? UNC Senator Gerald Hadeed asked during Senate Question Time .
Al-Rawi replied, I would answer by saying the National Security Council, through the various entities that operate there, are tracking all issues specifically .
We are aware that porous borders create significant problems for us as a country, be it in relation to allegations in relation to persons who are terrorists; be it in relation to the importation of guns, narcotics; trafficking in persons etc. The Attorney General continued, What we have done is to broaden a very deep link with the government of Venezuela where we are sharing intelligence, and manning the border-patrolling as a unified approach. Al-Rawi once more knocked the Peoples Partnership for cancelling the OPV contract, saying smaller vessels were obtained for about the same price .
Earlier, the Attorney General disclosed that the Anti-Terrorism Desk in his ministry is preparing to approach the Supreme Court in relation to a number of persons in order to invoke provisions of anti- terrorism law which would designate these individuals as threats .
Al-Rawi would not rule out bringing fresh legislation to deal with foreign terrorist fighters, but warned the State would be cautious not to create stateless people .
He noted the Executive could invoke laws such as Sections 22(b), 36 and 37 of the Anti- Terrorism Act, but disclosed other independent bodies such as the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Judiciary could also utilise available legislative tools .
The Attorney General said Section 36(1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act allows the DPP to apply to a judge in order to seize terrorist property .
ArcelorMittal fighting court case
Jagroopsingh, who now works for Mittals liquidator Christopher Kelshall, was testifying before Justice Peter Rajkumar when hearing of the air pollution lawsuit brought by Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation Limited (PLIPDECO) resumed in the Port-of-Spain High Court. Jagroopsingh was being questioned extensively by PLIPDECOs lead counsel Deborah Peake, SC.
In March, the foreign operators of the plant shut down operations of the plant, putting 644 workers on the breadline. The companys total liability of the company has been set at US$280 million while the plant was worth US$70 million.
PLIPDECOs attorneys indicated previously the steel giants liquidation will affect some of the reliefs being sought by PLIPDECO, but nothing further on the issue has been raised at the hearing.
In his testimony yesterday, Jagroopsingh admitted that when the steel plant was running, the melt shop which he oversaw, worked round the clock. He said dust was expected from the operations but could not say what volume was produced as he never measured the dust in the melt shop. Jagroopsingh, who worked at the melt shop for 26 years, accepted that Mittal had responsibility to treat with emissions emanating from its operations as well as adhere to accepted environmental standards.
He also said while he was aware of some of PLIPDECOs complaints, he did not quantify them as be- ing in the hundreds as alleged by Peake, who also informed him that the steel company never disputed any complaint made by her client relating to high levels of dust particles emitted from the melt shop.
Jagroopsingh further testified that if the plant was not operating efficiently, there will be dust.
He also admitted that while it was not the best environment for workers, adding that it was no bed of roses, there was an acceptance by workers that that was the environment in which they were required to work.
PLIPDECO has taken the multi-national steel producer to court for allegedly polluting the Point Lisas port and its neighbours with corrosive red dust.
PLIPDECO is claiming ArcelorMittal breached its 30-year lease by failing to adhere to environmental covenants contained in the lease agreement and is seeking injunctive relief as well as indemnification for losses for continuing nuisance and damage caused by the emission of corrosive dust emanating from the steel producers plant.
It is PLIPDECOs contention that more than 70 letters of protest to ArcelorMittal were allegedly ignored by the steel producer.
Appearing for PLIPDECO are Ravi Heffes- Doon, Vijay Deonarine and Amirah Rahaman, while Vanessa Gopaul also appear for ArcelorMittal.
The trial continues today.
Pundit Shivas mission keeping T&T cyber-safe
As a teacher at the El Dorado North Hindu Primary School, he devotes many hours to educating the nations future leaders. But he has another mission...
to keep this countrys cyber space as clean as possible.
And with this in mind, Pt Maharaj who is also the man behind ICT Expertz Ltd, a company whose business is all about technology, recently visited the United States to attend the Digital Spring cleaning, Clean up your Cyber Clutter forum as part of an International Cyber Security Campaign initiative among ICT specialists from around the globe. The forum, held on April 7, was the first of a semi-annual National Cyber Security Days intended to raise the publics awareness of cyber-security issues and promote safe online practices. While we dont have a spring season here in Trinidad and Tobago, over 80 percent of our population is on the internet, stated a Digital Divide Survey conducted in 2013 by the Telecommunication Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT).
Therefore it is imperative, the survey report added, that we also promote cyber-security awareness and safety online with our citizens.
Pioneers in cyber-security services in Trinidad and Tobago, ICT Expertz Limited, is a forerunner in educating the public on internet safety locally. In February, ICT Expertz Limited represented Trinidad and Tobago on the global scene promoting Safer Internet Day (SID) with a series of radio and television programs to encourage everyone to play their part in creating a safer and better internet for all.
Pundit Maharaj said that in commemoration of Cyber Security Day on April 7, ICT Expertz launched a campaign for the entire month of April to assist personal and business internet users with assessing their cyber-security vulnerabilities and recommending international best practices to prevent lost, damage and misuse of their personal and private data. For further information on the Cyber Security Day campaign or available discounts in the month of April, please contact I.C.T. Expertz Limited, via Email: info@ictexpertz.
com , call: (868) 692-ICTE (4283) or visit their website: www.
ITinTT.com. ICT Expertz Limited keeping TnT Cyber-Safe.
Pardon petition forms available
The week will see the Presbyterian, Anglican, Methodist, Ethiopian Orthodox, Salvation Army and the Catholic churches come together each night at a different church (venue) to pray for unity among themselves. But Pereira noted that even as the various churches seek to go beyond the realm of prayer in their drive for unity among Christians in the southern region, he remains mindful of the appeal by Archbishop Joseph Harris for the authorities to release persons who may be unjustly incarcerated. Last weekend in all Catholic churches a letter was read out to parishioners asking to be part of the drive which seeks to pardon worthy prisoners.
He said: The Archbishop is making a call to all people of goodwill in this Jubilee Year of Mercy, to support this petition to the authorities that we seek to find a way to help these persons, not just come out of prison, but to be re-integrated into their homes, into their families and into their communities. He continued: Some people have been arrested and kept on Remand Yard for a long time and their cases are really petty and the Archbishop is asking us as a society, to be compassionate to be concerned about that. Saying that the injustice that reigns is a real injustice, the priest stated that citizens were so fed up of crime, that they say lock them up, put them in jail, get rid of all this crime. Pereira said that was not the issue but was really part of the problem and not because crime was a serious problem, that everybody have to get lock up for everything. He said that was going from one extreme to the next, and warned leaders not to interpret the Archbishops appeal for pardon for prisoners as one that says open the prison and set everyone free.
There is injustice and some persons are unjustly imprisoned and we need to address that and then we can talk other things. Persons wishing to sign the petition can also do so through social media. The list of signatories are expected between the feasts of Pentecost (May 15) and Corpus Christi (May 26) . The week of prayer is a universal celebration designated annually by the World Council of Churches.
I worked for them before I became AG
At a news conference during the tea break in the Senate in Port-of- Spain, Al-Rawi also denied statements by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, during the UNCs Monday Night Forum at Tableland Secondary School, that ArcelorMittal had financed his personal campaign for the September 7, 2015, general election.
The AG is the PNMs Member of Parliament for San Fernando West. I want to say that I categorically and with any form of reservation condemn her statements, he told reporters. Al-Rawi further described Persad-Bissessars statements as going beyond the realm of irresponsible. Acknowledging that he has served as the companys legal counsel since 1999, while in private practice, Al-Rawi insisted that his professional association with ArcelorMittal ended when he became AG.
It is a matter of public record, he said, adding there was not anything to hide. Its an open book. Al-Rawi said Persad-Bissessars claims that he may have had knowledge of ArcelorMittals plans to close up shop since becoming AG, flew in the face of tenets of proper conduct for public officials. It is improper for me to given any advice in relation to this matter and this is specifically why you have heard nothing from me, he said.
I HAVE NO ROLE NOW
I have taken no role or function in the ArcelorMittal matter in coming into the role of Attorney General. I recused myself entirely. The AG, however, admitted he had done work for the company months before he became involved in the election campaign. Al-Rawi said Minister in the Office of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Stuart Young, who had previously represented the Steel Workers Union, also had recused himself in the matter.
He has taken no part because of the rules of propriety, he said of Young. Al-Rawi also described as ludicrous, Persad-Bissessars statement that he sought financing from ArcelorMittal or any other international company for his campaign.
The AG said both he and Young had successful private practices prior to becoming members of the Government.
We have given up private practice and we are now salaried people as public officers, he said. On Persad-Bissessars threat to take the issue to the Integrity Commission if a proper response was not forthcoming, Al-Rawi said: That causes me no loss of sleep...none of her threats have materialised and none of them hold any water. They are the distractions of a very feeble opposition.
Senator: Let public petition for debates
Ramkissoon did so as she piloted a motion on gaps in the States policy on cyber- bullying, a motion which students of the Naparima Girls High School lobbied for.
I encourage our Parliament to use e-petitions where motions attracting over 1,000 signatures can reach a committee stage to highlight work that the Parliament should be working on and which is of vital interest to the public, the senator said. She noted the UK has provisions which allow the public to force a debate once a certain threshold of petition signatures is reached.
Ramkissoon said students of her alma mater, Naparima Girls High School, had used the Internet to lobby for change. They set up an online petition to demand the amendment of legislation, the Independent senator said. She said the petition was signed by approximately 4,000 people. Several students and teachers of the school were present in the Senate for the debate of yesterdays private motion on cyber-bullying, brought by Ramkissoon.
Bullying is no longer only in the schoolyard, the senator said.
It follows you home. She noted high levels of bullying among children under 12 years. Yet the code of conduct governing schools does not address the matter. And proposed cybercrime laws are in limbo. We in the Parliament are left with no choice but to legislate, Ramkissoon said. Cyber-bullies are respecters of no persons...This is a critical issue to Trinidad and Tobago, not only for today but for all generations. She cited the disturbing case of American Megan Meier, who was catfished (lured online into a relationship by someone pretending to be someone else) by an adult and committed suicide.
Parents need to be held responsible for their child, the senator also said. They should be fined or detained. She said suspension and expulsion should not be used to discipline students, but rather community service. Ramkissoon urged the Government to make reform of laws a high priority.
In response, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi noted cybercrime legislation was on the legislative agenda released last week and said, it is a priority item. We intend to come to Parliament very shortly to continue the work that successive governments began, the Attorney General assured.
Kamla: Items removed from Childrens Hospital
I do not know if they want to come one day and open the doors and tell us, listen, Kamla lie, it is empty, she told supporters at the United National Congress (UNC) Monday Night Forum at the Tableland Secondary School. Tonight I call on the Commissioner of Police to investigate whether equipment is being moved out of the hospital. This is a very serious matter and I intend to write to the Commissioner in that regard. Contacted for comment yesterday, Health Minister Terrance Deyalsingh attributed Persad-Bissessars statements to that of a person who had not recovered from the cuttail dished out in last years General Election. The Couva Childrens Hospital is still a construction site under the control of the Shanghai Construction company, as the contractor, and Udecott, as the project manager, Deyalsingh said. The Ministry of Health has no locus standi (lawful connection) in that facility and as to her charges, I send my regrets to Mrs Persad-Bissessar, who is very unwell having lost the General Election. At the forum on Monday, Persad-Bissessar walked with what she said were photographs of the inside of the hospital which were shown via an overhead projector.
She claimed the hospital was fully-equipped prior to the general election.
Tonight I want to make sure you know this hospital was fully- equipped, thats why we have the photographs...fully equipped.
This hospital was on the brink of opening to the public. Yes, we commissioned it and that meant we are handing it over to the regional health authority to take over the work to have it opened to the public. I am proud that my government commissioned the first ever Childrens Hospital in the region, she said.
Having recently celebrated her 64th birthday, Persad-Bissessar assured supporters she was far from retiring from active politics.
I celebrated a birthday on Friday last and people think when you come to these kinds of ages, you have to think about retiring. Tonight I tell you, I have no intention to retire, she said. I have a job which you gave me to do and I intend to put all my energy into that job.
Laws in place for cybercrime
It was imperative, Al Rawi yesterday told the Senate during the debate on a motion, put forward by Independent Senator Melissa Ramkissoon, calling on Government to quickly close the gaps in legislation in relation to penalties for the abuse and negative usage of computers, mobile devices and internet technology.
The motion, the first put forward by Ramkissoon, was unanimously approved.
Government was conscious of the need, he said, to have the laws covering cyber crimes harmonised and modernised and has placed it as a matter of priority on its legislative agenda. He listed over 20 acts of parliament including the Computer Misuse Act 2000, and the SSA Act among them.
Noting the need for statistical information, he said that for 2015, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) Cyber Crime Unit for 2015 had dealt with a number of cyber crimes locally. They included online identity theft 15, business email fraud 25, website compromise 10, network intrusion 7, social media investigation 60, digital forensics 231, online open source investigation 80, SE A laptop recoveries 12, child pornography/child exploitation investigations 8, malware analysis 8, and cellular triangulation 450.
The TTPS, he said, also assisted Interpol in 2013 to 2016 with enquiries related pornography involving the USA, Germany, Poland, Canada, Malta and France.
Cases of cyber crime as they relate to bullying conducted by TTPS for 2011 to 2015 totalled 142. Of 14 reported in 2011, nine were solved and five prosecuted, of 27 in 2012, 17 were solved and five prosecuted, of 33 in 2013, 24 were solved and seven prosecuted, of 36 in 2014, 20 were solved and nine prosecuted, of 25 in 2015, 17 were solved and four prosecuted, and of the seven in 2016 three have been resolved with no prosecution.
According to Al Rawi the cases solved for the period was 90 or 63.3 percent, an incredibly high number. Noting that cyber bullying was an extension of school bullying, Al Rawi said he was astounded to learn that in 2014 alone 2,531 students were suspended for bullying.
Males suspended for assault with weapons 5, assault without weapons 281, bullying 84, disrespect for authority 414, extortion 60, fighting with weapons 48, fighting 389, possession of weapons 84, robbery or theft 98, sexual misconduct 106, obscene language 87, vandalism to school 112, and disruptive behaviour 101.
The numbers for females, he said, are equally frightening. He noted that females involved in assault without weapons 165, sexual misconduct 59, vandalism to schools 25, and disruptive behaviour 34.
Noting that many cases were left unresolved because of no one coming forward to give information, he said that a matter of priority should be whistle blowing legislation which is currently before a Joint Select Committee.
The EPA just approved a pesticide that challenges birds, plants, amphibians and mammals even after admitting the risks
The chemical train of death and destruction just got another engine. Why should we be surprised? The folks at the EPA dont give two hoots about the soil or your childrens insides. They are more concerned with keeping their job as revolving door bureaucrats and doing the bidding of their masters. I wonder when they will develop intestinal permeability? Or some other auto immune disorder from eating processed food and GMOs. Its like those elite pilots who fly and dump the chemicals in the sky. Do they not read? Or is everything just kept on a need to know basis? Perhaps bribery and bonuses work too. Well, anyway, this next chemical to be engineered into and then sprayed onto soybeans and cotton is not new; dicamba has been around since 1967. The Pesticide Action Network reports that if this organophosphorus is inhaled, the results include: cough, labored breathing, weakness or vomit. And thats just for starters, according to the Center for Food Safety:
Epidemiology studies [have linked dicamba] to increased rates of cancer in farmers and birth defects in their male offspring. Dicamba is moderately persistent and frequently detected in surface waters. Farmers are particularly concerned by dicambas propensity to drift and damage neighboring crops. Dicamba drift also threatens flowering plants that provide nectar for pollinators and habitat for other species. The large increase in dicamba applications that would accompany the crops is expected to dramatically escalate these adverse impacts.
Dicamba GE Soybeans
Just why does the biotech agricultural pesticide and herbicide poisoned food industry need to beef up the use of dicamba? Probably for a couple reasons. One of which is money. And, just like New York fashion houses, maybe bringing back classic herbicides or pesticides is a seasonal phenomena. The other reason is most likely those pesky super weeds that affect over half of U.S. farms because nature has fought back Round Ups glyphosate and that the pusher men have been pushing. The Center for Biological Diversity in Portland, Oregon is not happy. Heres what they say:
The Environmental Protection Agency [has] proposed a plan to approve the use of dicamba on cotton and soybeans that are genetically engineered to tolerate the pesticide. Dicamba has been around for decades, but this new EPA decision would allow the herbicide to be sprayed directly on cotton and soybean crops opening the door for annual dicamba use to jump from less than 1 million pounds to more than 25 million on these two crops
And what about the birds and the bees? The EPA hasnt considered that in their approval.
From Center for Biological Diversity:
The EPA, however, has admitted that every single taxon of threatened and endangered species including birds, plants, amphibians and mammals may be harmed by the massive increase in dicamba use. The agency has not yet complied with its obligation to consider impacts to these species under the Endangered Species Act.
Once again the EPA is allowing for staggering increases in pesticide use that will undoubtedly harm our nations most imperiled plants and animals, said Dr. Nathan Donley, a scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity. Iconic species like endangered whooping cranes are known to visit soybean fields, for instance, and now theyd be exposed to this toxic herbicide at levels theyve never seen before.
Monsantos own conservative estimates predict that dicambas use on soybeans would go from 233,000 pounds per year to 20.5 million pounds per year and dicamba use on cotton could go from 364,000 pounds per year to 5.2 million pounds per year. Todays proposal covers 34 states.
Make it your mantra. Buy clean food and boycott all GMO food products.
Sources:
CenterForFoodSafety.org
PesticideInfo.org
FoodForensics.com
BiologicalDiversity.org
Science.NaturalNews.com
(Photo credit: Readynutrition.com)
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Frequent visitors to the Next Generation Communications Community are hopefully following along the two multi-part series in recent weeks on community host Nokias (News - Alert) white papers: Government broadband plan: 5 key policy measures that proved to make a difference, and Connecting communities with ultra-broadband. These actually could be considered companions. The first paper examines in comparative detail strategies that national governments can adopt to speed broadband deployments. The second is actually the first in a two-part set of papers that looks at first the justifications for community broadband and how public-private partnerships can facilitate them, while the focus this week is an initial look at the technology to be employed.
In fact, the Gigabit Technical Playbook, has so much practical information on how-to go about building a community broadband network that in this posting the concentration will be on getting started. Topics include
High level network overview
Network planning
Network build-out
High level network overview
As the opening lines of the song Do Re Mi from the classic musical The Sound of Music say, Lets start at the beginning, a very good place to start. In this instance it goes to what Nokia says are the three basic levels in a broadband network.
The access network connects residences and businesses to access nodes where the first traffic aggregation takes place
connects residences and businesses to access nodes where the first traffic aggregation takes place The aggregation network combines traffic from multiple local access nodes and sends it further up into the network. It is sometimes referred to as a regional, metro or backhaul network
combines traffic from multiple local access nodes and sends it further up into the network. It is sometimes referred to as a regional, metro or backhaul network The core network connects traffic from different areas, municipalities or regions. It is sometimes referred to as a backbone network
Interestingly, the paper notes that for communities looking to spur broadband deployment by taking matters into their own hands, they may only need one of the three or all depending on how they structure their deals with partners.
After a primer on the types of topologies that can be used in the aggregation and access networksTree, Ring, Meshed and Mixedthe paper goes into a well illustrated discussion of the components and consideration for each of the three basics. In fact, this is an excellent resource overall for anyone who wishes to familiarize themselves with how local networks are composed.
Network planning
As the authors explain, deployment of any network takes a tremendous amount of planning. Due to its very nature, and the number of connections that need to be made through a multitude of network elements, planning a local broadband network is a complex process that goes through multiple phases.
Network planning consists of different phases.
Strategic network planning creates several important outputs: the business case and major strategic decisions, such as which technology and what type of outside plant will be deployed
creates several important outputs: the business case and major strategic decisions, such as which technology and what type of outside plant will be deployed High level network planning creates the lowest cost network design within the boundaries of the strategic planning and geographical area where the network will be built. The outputs of this phase are the construction strategy, redundancy paths to protect against failure, demarcation points between network provider and end-user, preliminary bill of materials, points of presence, distribution points, etc.
creates the lowest cost network design within the boundaries of the strategic planning and geographical area where the network will be built. The outputs of this phase are the construction strategy, redundancy paths to protect against failure, demarcation points between network provider and end-user, preliminary bill of materials, points of presence, distribution points, etc. Detailed network planning provides tailor-made network drawings with all connection details and documentation that will be used during network build-out and operations.
Again starting at the beginning, it is noted that interestingly one of the most critical decisions in planning a broadband network, despite what many might think is a consensus view, is an upfront one on which technology makes the most sense. The choices are between Ethernet point-to0point and passive optical network (PON) technologies. While both have their merits and advocates, it is explained that PON has become the path of preference thanks to advances in technology that are driving down the cost curves on a variety of fronts and simultaneously creating the flexibility and agility to handle whatever comes next in terms of network traffic demands. On this front, readers would do well to take a look at the chart (below) from the report that compares the various PON options.
Network build-out
I will not spoil the enjoyment of the exhaustive and informative explanation of how to build-out a community broadband network except to point to a quote from the white paper:
Network build-out strategy needs to ensure first-time right and cost-effective implementation and at the same time provide a solid base for an efficient network evolution. The network build-out is not only about execution and civil works. The successful build-out requires expert project management to ensure the proper sequence of the tasks, engage the right parties, identify the required manpower, and so on.
The critical phrase is expert project management. The reasons are obvious, but realities are that particularly when government is involved, getting it right the first time is important for financial as well as political reasons. After all, deployment of a community fiber network really does involve the entire community. Hence, there can be economic as well as political consequences if a project is not managed well. These projects are about the upgrading of outside plant which means coordinating construction activities so as to cause minimal impact on citizens. It also entails thorough documentation as digging has replaced in many areas aerial deployments which means not just the communication utilities but all utilities need to know before they dig.
The object of the technical playbook is to ensure that communities and their partners know precisely what they are getting into. Indeed, even though the task may seem daunting based on all of the moving parts, particularly once financing is in place, responsibilities assigned, and technologies chosen, as many communities have already experienced the destination is worth the journey.
Next up will be a look at active equipment deployment, network operations and selecting a trusted partner.
Edited by Stefania Viscusi
1. Universe Today An Earth Like planet only 16 light years away ?
An artistic representation of Gliese 832 c against a stellar nebula background. A new paper says Gliese 832 might be home to another planet similar to this, but in the habitable zone. Credit: Planetary Habitability Laboratory at the University of Puerto Rico, Arecibo, NASA/Hubble, Stellarium.
2. Universe Today Chinese Space baby research lands in Mongolia
The Chinese performed a 96-hour experiment to test the viability of mammal embryos in space. They placed 6,000 mouse embryos in a micro-wave sized chamber aboard a satellite, to see if they would develop into blastocysts. The development of embryos into blastocysts is a crucial step in reproduction. Once the blastocysts have developed, they attach themselves to the wall of the uterus. Cameras on the inside of the chamber allowed Chinese scientists on Earth to monitor the experiment.
3. Planetaria New KEM proposal would extend New Horizons post-Pluto mission to 2021
A proposal has been formally submitted to NASA to conduct a flyby of at least one more Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) and last until 2021.
This new mission has been dubbed KEM, or Kuiper Belt Extended Mission. There are many other small bodies in the Kuiper Belt besides Pluto, and mission scientists would love to be able to visit some of them as well. Pluto has already turned out to be more geologically active than anticipated, so what about some of these other ones? Granted, they are all smaller than Pluto, but being able to compare some of them directly with Pluto and its moons would be invaluable.
If approved by NASA, the KEM proposal will allow New Horizons to continue its study of the outer fringes of the Solar System until 2021, including a flyby of 2014 MU69. Image Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI
4. Universe Today Dawn just wants to make all the other probes look bad
5. Spacer Pam Hoffman The Evolution of Astronaut Food
An astronaut career has always been shrouded in a veil of mystery. Many people perceive astronauts as extraordinary and out-of-this-world kind of people. In a way they are, since they live and spend their lives between galaxies, exploring and unveiling the universe. Becoming an astronaut implies taking a long and winding road that few decide to follow and many never complete. If and when they finally reach the end of it, thats where the
Part of a much larger infographic at Everyday Spacer
6. Chandra Xray Space Telescope Blog Comets in the X-Treme
7. Nextbigfuture Emdrive may be explained by quantized momentum, New Emdrive experiments are showing thrust replication and superconducting Cannae drive demo set for May 2016
If EMdrive works it will vastly increase our capabilities to move in space at very high speeds. An EMdrive system with a multi-megawatt nuclear power source would be able to get to significant fractions of the speed of light.
Various teams around the world have begun to build their own versions of the EmDrive and put them through their paces. And to everyones surprise, theyve begun to reproduce Shawyers results. The EmDrive, it seems, really does produce thrust. In total, six independent experiments have backed Shawyers original claims.
Cannae drive will have a demo that uses superconductors reveaked in May
Mike McCulloch at Plymouth University EMDrive explanation is based on a new theory of inertia that makes startling predictions about the way objects move under very small accelerations.
Inertia is the resistance of all massive objects to changes in motion or accelerations. In modern physics, inertia is treated as a fundamental property of massive objects subjected to an acceleration. Indeed, mass can be thought of as a measure of inertia. But why inertia exists at all has puzzled scientists for centuries.
McCullochs idea is that inertia arises from an effect predicted by general relativity called Unruh radiation. This is the notion that an accelerating object experiences black body radiation. In other words, the universe warms up when you accelerate.
According to McCulloch, inertia is simply the pressure the Unruh radiation exerts on an accelerating body.
8. Nextbigfuture 3d printing of rocket parts and liquified natural gas fuel could also dramatically lower launch costs
Reusable rockets could greatly lower rocket launch costs but two other significant emerging technologies are 3D printing and liquified natural gas rocket fuel.
Liquefied natural gas, which is a commercially available form of methane, could have several advantages as a rocket fuel. Blue Origin has said its wide availability and low cost would enable an extended engine development test program. Methane is also clean, meaning its less likely to clog fuel lines inside the engine. That would reduce the type of rigorous cleaning needed to clear those particulates and make it easier for reusability, said Ann Karagozian, UCLA professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. The gas also self-pressurizes, which could eliminate the need for tank-pressurization systems.
The combination could enable a simple, reliable design that is easy to manufacture. It could be a game changer.
SpaceX is also developing a liquid-oxygen-and-methane staged combustion engine called Raptor.
3-D printing: Additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3-D printing, can substantially reduce the time and cost of producing rocket parts.
9. Nextbigfuture Megawatt beam propulsion by 2023 and Gigawatts by 2030
Billionaire Yuri Milner is spending $100 million to work out the technology for ground based laser based beam propulsion for interstellar travel.
California Polytechnic State University researchers propose a 100 kilowatt space based laser system capable of probing the molecular composition of cold solar system targets such as asteroids, comets, planets and moons from a distant vantage. This system uses existing technology and only some needs refinement. All of it looks achievable in the next 3 to 5 years. They have NASA NIAC funding. They have detailed designs for a 900 kilowatt system that would use two Falcon heavy launches.
The military laser segment will be about a $5 billion per year market by 2020. There is a large multi-billion commercial laser market. Those markets will drive improvements in laser efficiency and technological improvements which will be leveraged for space based systems or ground based lasers for space beam propulsion applications.
University California Santa Barbara looked at sail mass and speed pushed by a 100 GW laser
UCSB has looked closely at issues for what Milner is proposing and have produced a roadmap for interstellar beam propulsion.
1 gram 24% of lightspeed 10 grams 14% of lightspeed 100 grams 7.8% of lightspeed 1 kg 4.3% of lightspeed 10kg 2.4% of lightspeed 100kg 1.4% of lightspeed 1000kg 0.77% of lightspeed 10 tons 0.43% of lightspeed 100 tons 0.24% of lightspeed
10. Nextbigfuture All of the technology is nearly ready for megawatt space based laser systems for science and planetary defense
California Polytechnic State University researchers propose a system capable of probing the molecular composition of cold solar system targets such as asteroids, comets, planets and moons from a distant vantage.
Their concept utilizes a directed energy beam to vaporize or sublimate a spot on a distant target, such as from a spacecraft near the object. With sufficient flux, our published results indicate that the spot temperature rises rapidly, and evaporation of materials on the target surface occurs (Hughes et al., 2015; Lubin and Hughes, 2015; Lubin et al., 2014). The melted spot serves as a high-temperature blackbody source, and ejected material creates a molecular plume in front of the spot. Molecular and atomic absorption of the blackbody radiation occurs within the ejected plume. Bulk composition of the surface material is investigated by using a spectrometer to view the heated spot through the ejected material. They envision a spacecraft that could be sent to probe the composition of a target asteroid, comet or other planetary body while orbiting the targeted object. The spacecraft would be equipped with an array of lasers and a spectrometer, powered by photovoltaics. Spatial composition maps could be created by scanning the directed energy beam across the surface. Applying the laser beam to a single spot continuously produces a borehole, and shallow sub-surface composition profiling is also possible.
Their initial simulations of laser heating, plume opacity, material absorption profiles and spectral detectivity show promise for molecular composition analysis. Such a system has compelling potential benefit for solar system exploration by establishing the capability to directly interrogate the bulk composition of objects from a distant vantage. They propose to develop models, execute preliminary feasibility analysis, and specify a spacecraft system architecture for a hypothetical mission that seeks to perform surface molecular composition analysis and mapping of a near-earth asteroid (NEA) while the craft orbits the asteroid.
This drawing illustrates a system concept for investigating the molecular composition of a distant target, such as an asteroid or comet. A spacecraft is sent to the asteroid, and enters into orbit. Solar cells generate electricity that is used to power a laser, which is directed at the asteroids surface. The laser will heat a spot on the surface, and very quickly material will begin to evaporate from the spot. The glow from the heated spot is visible at the spacecraft through the plume of evaporated material. Sensors in the spacecraft measure the intensity of light across a span of wavelengths; analysis of light intensity patterns provides information about materials in the plume of evaporated material. Credits: Mark Pryor (Vorticity, Inc.) , Gary B. Hughes (Cal Poly SLO)
The European Space Agency has a flagship mission to Mercury powered by ion drives. BepiColombo will provide the best understanding of Mercury to date. It consists of two individual orbiters: the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) to map the planet, and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO) to investigate its magnetosphere.
BepiColombo mission is based on two spacecraft:
a Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO); and
a Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO)
BepiColombo Mercury Transfer Module
Among several investigations, BepiColombo will make a complete map of Mercury at different wavelengths. It will chart the planets mineralogy and elemental composition, determine whether the interior of the planet is molten or not, and investigate the extent and origin of Mercurys magnetic field.
Only NASAs Mariner 10 and Messenger have visited Mercury so far. Mariner 10 provided the first-ever close-up images of the planet when it flew past three times in 1974-1975. En route to its final destination in orbit around Mercury in 18 March 2011, Messenger flew past the planet 3 times (14 January 2008, 6 October 2008, and 29 September 2009), providing new data and images. Once BepiColombo arrives in late 2024, it will help reveal information on the composition and history of Mercury. It should discover more about the formation and the history of the inner planets in general, including Earth.
The eerie blue exhaust trail of an ion thruster during a test firing. A quartet of these highly efficient T6 thrusters is being installed on ESAs BepiColombo spacecraft to Mercury at ESAs ESTEC Test Centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
The Mercury Transfer Module will carry Europes Mercury Planetary Orbiter and Japans Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter together to Suns innermost planet over the course of 6.5 years.
T6 Ion Thruster Firing
BepiColombo would not be possible in its current form without these T6 thrusters, explains ESA propulsion engineer Neil Wallace.
The twin QinetiQ T6 ion thrusters operate at maximum combined throttle of 290 mN
The Mercury Planetary Orbiter will have a mass of 1,150 kilograms (2,540 lb) and will have its sides covered with solar cells providing 150 Watts at perihelion.
Standard chemical thrusters face a fundamental upper limit on performance, set by the amount of energy in the chemical reaction that heats the ejected propellant producing the thrust.
Ion thrusters can reach much higher exhaust speeds, typically an order of magnitude greater, because the propellant is first ionised and then accelerated using electrical energy generated by the solar panels. The higher velocity means less propellant is required.
The down side is that the thrust levels are much lower and therefore the spacecraft acceleration is also low meaning the thrusters have to be operating for long periods.
However, in space there is nothing to slow us down, so over prolonged periods of thrusting the crafts velocity is increased dramatically. Assuming the same mass of propellant, the T6 thrusters can accelerate BepiColombo to a speed 15 times greater than a conventional chemical thruster.
The 22 cm-diameter T6 was designed for ESA by QinetiQ in the UK, whose expertise in electric propulsion stretches back to the 1960s.
It is an scaled-up version of the 10 cm T5 gridded ion thruster, which played a crucial role in ESAs GOCE gravity-mapping mission by continuously compensating for vestigial atmospheric drag along its extremely-low orbit.
The USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) marked a historical milestone April 13 after installing the first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) command center aboard an aircraft carrier.
Capt. Beau Duarte, program manager of Unmanned Carrier Aviation program office (PMA-268), inspected the site and recognized Carl Vinson Sailors instrumental in the security, logistics and installation of the UAV suite.
This marks the start of a phased implementation of the MQ-XX system on an aircraft carrier, said Duarte. The lessons learned and ground-breaking work done here will go on to inform and influence future installations on other aircraft carriers.
Previous Uclass drone fighter
The Navy is also sticking to its plans to field an unmanned MQ-XX Stingray platform with just tanking and surveillance capabilities to start with, while the Marine Corps is experimenting with the MQ-8C Fire Scout to help inform its path forward for amphibious assault ship-based unmanned aviation, officials said Wednesday.
The MQ-XX, formerly known as the Carrier Based Aerial Refueling System, will only include tanking and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) as primary missions.
The drone on carrier work was performed during USS Carl Vinsons recent Chief of Naval Operations Planned Incremental Availability (PIA). The completion of all phases of installation is scheduled for 2022.
We are carving out precious real estate on board the carrier, knowing that the carrier of the future will have manned and unmanned systems on it, said Capt. Karl Thomas, Carl Vinsons commanding officer. This suite is an incremental step necessary to extend performance, efficiency and enhance safety of aerial refueling and reconnaissance missions that are expending valuable flight hours on our strike-fighter aircraft, the F/A-18 Echoes and Foxtrots.
The MQ-XX program will deliver a high-endurance unmanned aircraft that will replace todays F/A-18E/F aircraft in its role as the aerial tanker for the Navys carrier air wing (CVW), thus preserving the strike fighters flight hours for its primary mission. It will also leverage the range and payload capacity of high-endurance unmanned aircraft to provide critically needed, persistent, sea-based ISR capability in support of the CSG and the Joint Forces Commander. The MQ-XX is scheduled to be operational in the mid-2020s.
Having a UAV asset that provides persistent, potentially 24/7, surveillance coverage for the strike group is a game changer, said Commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1, Rear Adm. James Loeblein. Putting additional ISR capacity into the warfare commanders hands increases the flexibility and warfare capability of the entire strike group.
The Carl Vinson Strike Group is scheduled to deploy on a Western Pacific deployment in 2017. Carl Vinson is currently pierside in its homeport of San Diego.
A European self driving truck experiment is known as the European Truck Platooning Challenge.
The European Truck Platooning Challenge, organised by Rijkswaterstaat, featured DAF Trucks, Daimler Trucks, Iveco, MAN Truck and Bus, Scania and Volvo Group; driving in platoons across national borders. This was a global first. Truck platooning means that two or three trucks connected by wifi drive in a column, with the first truck determining the speed and route. This enables shorter gaps between following trucks, while freeing space for other vehicles. The wifi connection between the trucks ensures synchronized braking and can prevent sudden jolt/shock effects. This is good news for traffic flows and speeds up deliveries. Truck platooning can realize up to ten per cent fuel savings. As well as reducing CO2 emissions, this can also mean a significant savings for businesses.
Six columns of trucks arrived at Maasvlakte II after they had driven from a number of European cities to Rotterdam over the past several days.
Shipping a full truckload from L.A. to New York costs around $4,500 today, with labor representing 75 percent of that cost. But those labor savings arent the only gains to be had from the adoption of driverless trucks.
Where drivers are restricted by law from driving more than 11 hours per day without taking an 8-hour break, a driverless truck can drive nearly 24 hours per day. That means the technology would effectively double the output of the U.S. transportation network at 25 percent of the cost.
Trucking represents a considerable portion of the cost of all the goods we buy, so consumers everywhere will experience this change as lower prices and higher standards of living.
There are currently more than 1.6 million Americans working as truck drivers.
Mogherini said resuming talks on Turkey's accession was "the only way we can help Turkey modernise its state (and) respect fundamental rights including press freedom. and also hold a larger conversation for example on relaunching peace talks with the Kurds".
Under the month-old, almost $7 billion deal, migrants arriving on the shores of Greece would be returned to Turkey and in exchange, Turks would, among other things, be allowed to travel to Europe without acquiring a visa. Many say Turkey is not a safe country to return migrants to.
Ahmet Davutolgu was speaking at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and top European Union officials who traveled near Turkey's border with Syria in a bid to promote the troubled deal with Turkey as they face increasing pressure to reassess the agreement.
According to European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, Turkey needs to fulfill "all" requirements, not some of them.
Volkswagen Posts $18.2 Billion Charge Related to Emissions-Cheating Scandal
It also announced it ordered VW to issue a recall for about 482,000 VW and Audi cars that have 4-cylinder turbo diesel engines. Daimler has dismissed the legal claim against it as being without merit and said the Justice Department query was unrelated.
The EU-Turkey agreement to send back thousands of migrants from the Greek islands to Turkey has also been fiercely criticised by United Nations refugee and human rights agencies, as immoral and a violation of worldwide humanitarian law.
"We are always facing this question whether this EU-Turkey agreement is the right one". Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Saturday there would be no more readmissions of migrants if the visa deal were not enacted.
Meanwhile, Ms Merkel called for the establishment of special security zones on the Syrian side of the border, where refugees could find shelter. "So this is why we attach great importance to that", she said.Turkish scholars and journalists, who have criticised government policies on Kurds and Syria, are on trial accused of betraying the state in cases that have sounded alarm bells over growing restrictions on free speech under Erdogan.
Following the refugee visit in Nizip, the leaders joined the inauguration ceremony of the Al Farah Child support center built by the Refugee and Migrant Solidarity Foundation (SGDD-ASAM) and UNICEF (The United Nations Children's Emergency Fund) in Gaziantep. Earlier rights groups reported that Turkish border guards were subjecting people fleeing from Syria to summary executions.
PM Visiting Threatened Port Talbot Plant
Mr Cameron was joined by Wales Secretary Alun Cairns for a tour of the plant, which employs more than 4,000 workers. Javid said: "There's every reason to think that steel can be a viable business in Europe for commercial operators".
The EU-Turkey deal stipulates that refugees who travel to Greece from Turkish soil and do not meet the criteria for asylum are to be returned to Turkey.
The deal, which went into effect three weeks ago, initially served to slow the number of migrants entering Greece illegally.
She said that EU-funded projects that form part of the migration deal are meant to provide opportunities for all 2.2 million Syrians living in Turkey - not just the 10 per cent to 15 per cent living in camps - and to pave the way for "all children to have an education". The EU is also set to allow visa-free travel to Turkish citizens.
"The European Commission can confirm the receipt of written assurances from the Turkish authorities confirming that non-Syrians in need of global protection returned from Greece to Turkey will be able to apply and receive that protection and will be protected from refoulement", Margaritis Schinas, the spokesman for the European Commission said on Tuesday.
Aston Villa flops won't be protected from fan backlash
It was a mistake and a goal which was symptomatic of Villa's season and really should have seen the floodgates open. Their anger was stoked when more miserable defending gave Southampton a second goal after 39 minutes.
FILE - In this Wednesday, March 16, 2016 file photo a Turkish flag flies at the refugee camp for Syrian refugees in Islahiye, Gaziantep province, southeastern Turkey.
President Obama said Thursday the US and its Arab allies remain united in their effort to dismantle the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), adding that talk of strained relationships "was always overblown". "Whoever comes out on top will be standing on top of a country that's been devastated".
"The American people send their greetings and we are very grateful for your hospitality, not just for this meeting but for hosting the GCC-U.S. summit that's taking place tomorrow", Obama said, referring to the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council summit.
He pressed the various kings, emirs and sultans of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar to provide more support to war-torn Iraq as a US -backed coalition takes back ground from ISIS.
Obama also held direct talks Wednesday with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the powerful crown prince of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
But he acknowledged "tactical differences" in dealing with Iran, which the Sunni Gulf nations are carefully monitoring as Western sanctions are eased.
Kangana-Hrithik row: Hrithik Roshan's lawyer issues fresh statement
If the grapevine is to be believed, Kangana has leaked the image through one of her friends, who purposely gave it to the media. An intimate picture of Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut went viral yesterday (April 26).
Obama met Gulf leaders in Saudi Arabia to push for an intensified campaign against the Islamic State group, despite strains in Gulf ties with Washington. They reflect an effort by the White House to reassure and coordinate with important but wary Mideast allies that harbor serious doubts about Obama's outreach to Iran and USA policy toward the grinding civil war in Syria.
"There was no denying the strains that have afflicted ties between Washington and its Gulf partners, though, even as they have worked together on shared concerns such as the wars in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, however".
"What is true between the United States and the GCC, as is true with all of our allies and friends is that at any point of time there are going to be differences", Obama said. "And I think what we saw at the airport today is symbolic of that", a CNN worldwide editor said.
Ben Rhodes, a close adviser to Obama, said there were "political steps that can be taken", as Iraq would need assistance to hold on to and rebuild areas reclaimed from IS.
"I think they both agreed that it was good to essentially have this opportunity to clear the air", he told reporters at a briefing in Riyadh. But they want the U.S.to do more to attempt to remove Syrian President Bashar Assad from power.
Storms could bring powerful tornadoes, hail to Great Plains
He brought as many cars as possible into the shop and even the lobby floor in an attempt to keep them protected, he told the AP. The Metro area and points north of I-66 are under the slight risk category for severe weather.
Obama's trip to Saudi Arabia - the fourth and probably last of his presidency - did not result in any major breakthroughs.
Gulf state leaders see ISIS as a destabilizing force in the region and have contributed to the air campaign against the group in both Iraq and Syria.
"And a recent example, of course, is the nuclear deal where, despite all of our concerns about Iran's behavior, we were able to see a significant rollback in the Iranian nuclear program because we pursued a diplomatic process". They also discussed ways to counter threats from Iran - a high priority for the Gulf countries dismayed with the USA move to reduce sanctions on Tehran as part of last year's nuclear deal.
An interpreter talks to King Salman as he meets with Obama.
It showed a Shi'ite cleric in black turban and robes, marked "Iran", sweating with alarm as he read a newspaper headlined "Obama in Riyadh".
Trump's Indiana chairman among GOP convention delegate picks
The convention runs from April 29 to May 1 at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, at 1333 Old Bayshore Highway in Burlingame. "Should he win the nomination, we expect Trump to pivot - not just on the issues, but in his manner".
Obama, in meetings with Saudi King Salman, the ruling emirs of Qatar and Kuwait and others, appealed for more financial and political support to help Iraq. Despite some calls in Europe for an arms embargo on Saudi Arabia over its year-long brutal campaign in Yemen, supplied by United States military, there is no indication that the U.S. has the slightest intention of rocking the solid boat of its decades-long alliance with the Saudis, who occasionally rattle Washington by making overtures toward China or Russian Federation.
Michael Strahan will leave Live with Kelly and Michael earlier than originally planned.
Kelly Ripa, the co-host of "Live! with Kelly and Michael", returned to the show on Tuesday, April 26, delivering a monologue about her absence.
"What transpired has been extraordinary, in the sense that it started a much greater conversation about communication and consideration and respect in the workplace", Ripa said of the experience, referring to recent conversations with ABC brass. She told the audience, "I needed a couple of days to gather my thoughts".
Cameron visits Welsh steel plant to discuss its future
We need immediate action to save the industry but also a long term plan to give United Kingdom steel making a fair chance to compete.
According to the new plan, Strahan will be making more frequent appearances on "GMA" before becoming a full-timer in September.
Leaving Live! early will not mean Michael Strahan will immediately jump over to Good Morning America.
On Tuesday's show, Ripa and Strahan complimented each other, but fans sensed that something wasn't quite right.
John Tavares carries Islanders to First Playoff Series Win in 23 Years
But Sunday night was the flawless show of leading by example. "And obviously once you get around the net, make sure it goes in". He had a hand in nine of the Islanders' 15 goals. "As a kid growing up, you dream about scoring an overtime victor like this".
Strahan, when she was done, said he was happy Ripa was back.
Last week, it was announced that the Hall of Famer, 44, would be leaving "Live" for a full-time position at "Good Morning America". "This is a tremendous opportunity and I couldn't be prouder of you, and everything we accomplished together".
It's probably not the best idea to start listing off contenders before Strahan even leaves the show, but for the time being, we anticipate that some of the leading candidates here could include Neil Patrick Harris or Ripa's good friend Andy Cohen. Ripa, who began her career as a soap opera star, has been a permanent host on Live! since 2001.
KFC in the United Kingdom probes faeces found in drink's ice
KFC, in a statement, says it is extremely disappointed with the results of the ice test and it has rolled out its own probe. The researchers' findings were part of an investigation into food hygiene standards at several big name food outlets.
As she recounted on Tuesday morning, they assured her that "there is a commitment to this show; to the people who work here; and most importantly, to you, the viewers".
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she, U.S. President Barack Obama and the leaders of France, Britain and Italy have discussed ways of supporting the fragile unity government in Libya and the possibility of expanding military efforts to stop the smuggling of migrants across the Mediterranean.
The Queen made these statements during a visit to the Kara Tepe refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos on Monday in her capacity as advocate for the International Rescue Committee (IRC), where she also met with several refugees.
Queen of Jordan Rania Al Abdullah has visited refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos - before highlighting the urgent need for a "sustainable long-term solution to this crisis".
Aid workers said tensions had been building in the camp for days but it was unclear what triggered the unrest in the centre, which came soon after a visit by the Dutch and Greek migration ministers, Klaas Dijkhoff and Yiannis Mouzalas.
Donald Trump sweeps five states in Tuesday's primaries, Hillary Clinton takes four
Trump said on Monday the partnership of Cruz and Kasich "makes them both look weak" and that it could backfire in upcoming races. Those were among the findings from exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research.
A government spokesperson for Greece claims that Athens has been rendering its services in processing returnees under the migration deal.
Police said eight minors were taken slightly hurt to a local hospital after scuffles between groups of Pakistanis and Afghans.
To stem the flow of migrants and refugees arriving in Europe from Turkey on boats, the European Union and Turkey signed an accord last month under which those who arrived in Greece from March 20 and did not qualify for asylum would be sent back. Around 3,000 people are now being held there awaiting news of their fate. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with department regulations, said the situation was tense.
The 48,000-strong entity of unpaid volunteers is often used to assist Danish defense units and police, and has also been deployed in Afghanistan and Kosovo.
Donald Trump Hits 50% National Support Among Republicans, New Poll Finds
Keene said the state party encourages all of the GOP candidates to compete in New Mexico. "The system is so complicated". He is moving away from his most favorable region yet, and going back out west, where his results has been mixed.
And will these deportees have the chance to seek asylum in Turkey?
On Tuesday, 13 people were deported from the island of Lesbos to the Turkish town of Dikili and five were ferried back from Chios to Cesme, police said.
The number of people reaching Greek shores from Turkey has dropped since late March, when a deal between Turkey and the European Union took effect allowing them to be returned.
So far under the deal, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has facilitated the resettlement of 350 Syrians from Turkey to European countries including in Austria, Denmark, and Germany, it said on Tuesday.
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Qatar Airways is eyeing to acquire shares at the Moroccan carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) to strengthen its presence on the African continent, reports say.
Baker El Baker, Managing Director of Qatar Airways has reportedly said that his company would move forward to acquire between 25 and 49 per cent of RAMs capital.
A cooperation to acquire some shares was signed between the Moroccan and Qatari governments, El Baker told Blomberg Agency on Monday on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market taking place in Dubai from April 25 to 28.
The deal, according to Jeune Afrique, will enable RAM to undertake vast reforms and scale up its operations and activities, while Qatar Airways will make inroads into air traffic market in West Africa where RAM is very active.
Cooperation between the two airlines has been strengthened by the launch of a regular connection between Casablanca and Doha.
Qatar Airways also serves the Moroccan city of Marrakech.
In a separate report, Moroccan authorities announced the launch of an air connection between Casablanca and Panama City.
The decision came after a meeting between the Moroccan Minister of Transport, Equipment and Logistics, Aziz Rabbah and Panamanian Ambassador to Morocco Gloria del Carmen Young this week.
A team of Panamanians presenting Panama City airport and the national carrier will visit Morocco in May, said the transport ministry in a statement.
Another delegation of Panamanian business people are also expected to visit Morocco in September to get informed about investment opportunities in the North African country.
American Hexcel Tuesday entered the Moroccan aeronautic market breaking ground on a new engineered core facility in MidParc Free Trade Zone Industrial Park in Casablanca, Morocco with an investment of $20 million.
When fully operational in 2017, the facility will convert HexWeb honeycomb materials into engineered core parts that are used for structural reinforcement and light weighting in aerospace applications, including aircraft structures, engine nacelles and helicopter blades. In the interim, Hexcel will occupy a temporary facility on the Midparc site that will begin operating in Q4 2016, the group said in a press release.
The Casablanca facility is expected to employ more than 200 people by 2020. It is part of Hexcels ongoing worldwide investment to create a diversified and robust global supply chain to support aerospace customers growing demand for engineered core. In recent years, Hexcel has increased capacity at existing plants to support its engineered core business and plans further expansions to capture additional opportunities in a global market with excellent growth potential.
Hexcel Vice President and General Manager, Thierry Merlot, said at the breaking ground ceremony that Moroccos forward-looking industrial policy, economic growth plan and the establishment of industrial free trade zones influenced our choice of location. Morocco has a highly skilled, competitive workforce, is well situated geographically, and has a quality infrastructure all of which are key logistical criteria for our industry, he said, adding that other deciding factors were the local Mohammed V international airport and the close proximity of several Hexcel customers including Safran (Aircelle,) Airbus (STELIA,) Daher, and Bombardier.
Executive Vice President Performance and Competitiveness at Safran, Jean-Jacques Orsini, welcomed Hexcels decision to invest in Morocco and build an engineered core facility at the Midparc Industrial Park.
Hexcels new plant will be close to our own Safran (Aircelle) plant that we opened in 2005, and having a supplier at such close proximity will create a very efficient supply chain that will benefit both of our companies and the aerospace industry more generally, not only in Morocco but around the world, Jean-Jacques Orsini said.
Moroccan Minister of Industry, Moulay Hafid Elalamy hailed the arrival of the American company saying that the new facility to produce an important material in aeronautics will surely encourage other companies to set up their aircraft producing plants in Morocco.
Hexcel Corporation is a leading advanced composites company. It develops, manufactures and markets lightweight, high-performance structural materials, including carbon fibers, reinforcements, prepregs, honeycomb, matrix systems, adhesives and composite structures, used in commercial aerospace, space and defense and industrial applications such as wind turbine blades.
Getting schooled. Photo: Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images
America recently celebrated the highest graduation rate in its recorded history, with 82 percent of high-school seniors completing their diplomas in 2014. But on Wednesday, the Department of Education called the significance of that milestone into question: According to the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only 37 percent of U.S. seniors showed college or career ready proficiency in math and reading.
The NAEP is the North Star for bureaucrats looking to measure Americas academic performance. Unlike state accountability tests, the content of the NAEP remains constant over time, offering a steady barometer of achievement. Whats more, since teachers suffer no consequences if their students perform poorly on the NAEP, no one drills past tests into their students brains until they become question-bubbling automata. Thus, the test is a relatively reliable measure of educational attainment rather than test-prepping skills.
The 2015 results show that high-school seniors were less proficient in math than they were in 2013, while their reading skills remained unchanged. Although the drop in the students average math score was relatively small, that average fails to capture the story told by the broader results. Which, like so many others in modern America, is a story of inequality.
The highest-performing seniors in American schools those whose scores put them in the 90th percentile nationwide actually saw an improvement in their reading scores, while their math scores went unchanged. But students who scored in the 10th and 25th percentiles saw declines in both reading and math.
As the Washington Post notes, the students on the losing end of this growing achievement gap are disproportionately African-American and Hispanic. While 47 percent of Asian students and 32 percent of white students scored proficient or above in math, only 12 percent of Hispanic students and 7 percent of black students did the same.
The disproportionate rate of poverty among African-American and Hispanic children in the United States likely accounts for much of this discrepancy. In 2015, Pew Research found that nearly 40 percent of black children lived in poverty, compared to a national average of 20 percent. Institutional racism exacerbates this material disadvantage, as studies consistently show teachers more readily suspend black students than their white peers. According to a 2014 report by the Department of Education, while black students represent 18 percent of preschool enrollment, they account for 42 percent of preschoolers who are suspended once, and 48 percent of those who are suspended multiple times.
If such high rates of early childhood poverty and suspension persist, its hard to imagine that more standardized testing and teacher evaluating will bring America report cards fine enough to post on the fridge.
Bernin out. Photo: John Sommers II/Getty Images
Bernie Sanders is cutting dead weight and heading West. Less than 24 hours after dropping four of five Northeastern primaries Tuesday night, the Vermont senator told the New York Times that he plans to lay off hundreds of staffers and shift most of his remaining resources into winning California.
We want to win as many delegates as we can, so we do not need workers now in states around the country, Sanders told the paper. We dont need people right now in Connecticut. That election is over. We dont need them in Maryland. So what we are going to do is allocate our resources to the 14 contests that remain, and that means that we are going to be cutting back on staff.
Barring an indictment or medical calamity, Sanders will not be the Democratic Partys 2016 nominee. And in his concession statement Tuesday night, the Vermont senator indicated an awareness of this fact.
The people in every state in this country should have the right to determine who they want as president and what the agenda of the Democratic Party should be, Sanders declared. But he proceeded to give much greater weight to the latter question:
That is why this campaign is going to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia with as many delegates as possible to fight for a progressive party platform that calls for a $15 an hour minimum wage, an end to our disastrous trade policies, a Medicare-for-all health care system, breaking up Wall Street financial institutions, ending fracking in our country, making public colleges and universities tuition-free and passing a carbon tax so we can effectively address the planetary crisis of climate change.
In other words, the Sanders campaign has returned to its original impetus: to push the Democratic Party left on issues of economics, the environment, and social welfare, even as the party anoints Hillary Clinton as its standard-bearer. Sanders indicated an awareness of this new purpose in his interview with the Times. His new strategy is not designed to engineer the world historical comeback it would take to dethrone Clinton, but rather to maximize the democratic socialists clout at the convention.
California will have the most staff, Sanders told the Times. Symbolically and in terms of delegates, if we can win the largest state in this country, that will send a real message to the American people and to the delegates that this is a campaign that is moving in the direction it should.
Winning California wont make Sanders president. But it would earn him a fresh round of triumphant headlines on the very last day of the Democratic primary, while giving him a hefty new batch of single-payer-loving delegates. For Democrats who sympathize with Sanderss policy vision but fear a prolonged campaign will damage the Partys inevitable nominee, these are encouraging signs.
Coming soon. Photo: Pier55, Inc./Heatherwick Studio
Bernie Sanders will tell you America has a problem with its millionaires and billionaires, but if one happens to build your city a fancy floating park, does he get a pass? Construction on Pier 55 the 2.7-acre Hudson River park funded in very large part by IAC Chairman Barry Diller and Diane Von Furstenberg is officially set to begin this summer. Crains New York reports that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gave the final okay on Wednesday, clearing the way for building to begin on this island off West 13th Street.
The Hudson River Park Trust will maintain the park in conjunction with Dillers P55 nonprofit, which has given $113 million toward its creation. The floating pier will have green lawns and walkways and a large outdoor amphitheater. It likely wont be open until 2018, at which point you can look forward to walking extremely slowly behind a mass of visiting tourists.
Ted Cruz uses a poker chip most had figured hed save for Cleveland. Photo: Gerardo Mora/Getty Images
Amid incipient panic among Establishment Republicans after Donald Trumps near-sweep of delegates in five northeastern primaries Tuesday, Ted Cruz is making a quick move today to get himself some media coverage and theoretically gain an advantage in California, the last of several crucial primaries he needs to win to keep Trump out of the winners circle. While campaigning in the first of such states, Indiana, hes announcing former candidate Carly Fiorina as his would-be/will-be running mate, according to several credible sources.
The only other time a presidential candidate has announced a running mate before winning the nomination was famously in 1976, when Ronald Reagan announced Pennsylvania senator Richard Schweiker as his veep choice before the Republican Convention in Kansas City. That, however, was three weeks prior to the August convention, not in April. And Reagans ploy (or, more accurately, that of his campaign manager, the crafty John Sears) was clearly aimed at prying away delegates in Schweikers home state. It would appear Cruzs motives are a bit less focused.
For one thing, its not clear that Fiorina (who endorsed Cruz some time ago) will help him much in her home state of California. In her one political race prior to 2016, she lost to Barbara Boxer by ten points in the wildly pro-Republican year of 2010, though she did win the GOP nomination handily over mispositioned centrist U.S. representative Tom Campbell and conservative firebrand Chuck DeVore (Campbell was the target of the famous demon sheep ad crafted for Fiorina by consultant Fred Davis, who is now on John Kasichs team). She immediately moved away from the scene of the political accident, relocating to a gated community in a suburb of that well-known entrepreneurs paradise, Washington, D.C.
Another problem with Fiorina is that shes never shaken the accusations of incompetence surrounding her failed tenure as CEO of Hewlett-Packard, the position that made her a national celebrity, a speaking-circuit regular, and an intimate of Republican presidential nominees John McCain and Mitt Romney. Donald Trump hit her a couple of times on that record in the debates she attended before falling off the radar screen, though she probably won her personal duel with the Donald by reacting appropriately to his nasty and sexist slurs about her appearance.
Fiorina was protected from more extensive criticism by the implicit appreciation for her in the GOP field as someone who could without inhibition attack Hillary Clinton day in and day out, which indeed became her signature on the campaign trail. Eventually, as other candidates lost their inhibitions and whaled away at Clinton with suggestions that she was a near-traitor or belonged in prison, Carly lost her distinctive purpose in campaign 16 and faded from sight. When she withdrew from the race in February, one pollster showed her favorable/unfavorable rating among Republicans at a tepid 36/36.
Its unclear whether Fiorinas supposed to humanize the Cruz effort (she is, after all, as slick a performer as the Texan), help him bash Donald Trump, improve his performance marginally among women, or just serve as a camera-ready surrogate at a time when hes having to campaign frantically in multiple states.
Without question, its a testament to the outsider atmosphere of this cycle that a candidate like Cruz, who has been in elected office just over three years, would choose someone with zero public experience to help him take on a front-runner who has also never been elected to anything anywhere at any time. Only Ben Carson could have offered him less of a political resume, and hes in Trumps corner. Its also something of a sign of desperation that Cruz is moving now and using up a big poker chip he might have better saved to clinch the nomination on a second or third ballot in Cleveland. If he doesnt stop Trump in Indiana and California, of course, that wont matter.
For Fiorina, its actually a bit of an accomplishment to go from a failed corporate career and a failed political career to a presidential candidacy that looked likely to elevate her to a cabinet post in a GOP administration, and then to becoming the second pre-nomination running mate ever. If Cruz somehow does prevail, Fiorina will also become the second woman to join a Republican ticket, and pick up where she left off in bashing HRC. And despite her shaky resume, Fiorina almost certainly wont be the walking time bomb her predecessor Sarah Palin turned out to be. If the presidential nominating contest were a battle of PowerPoint presentations, Cruz-Fiorina would win in a walk.
Its not enough for Clinton to shame Sanders with the example of her party-unity behavior in 2008. Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images; Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
If Hillary Clinton does as well in tonights five northeastern primaries as the polls indicate she should, then she still wont be the putative Democratic nominee a formal lock on a majority of pledged delegates probably wont happen until June 7. But she will strengthen her position as the presumptive nominee: the winner unless something rather weird happens down the road that enables Bernie Sanders to win in unlikely places and by unlikely margins.
So the strategic question for Clinton of how to achieve a soft landing in Philadelphia with a united party and Sanders and his devotees fully onboard will grow sharper.
There is little question that Sanders himself is preparing to make his enthusiastic support at the convention and in a general-election campaign conditional on substantive and political concessions; hes been telegraphing his determination to place his stamp on the party as a consolation prize for some time now. At Monday nights MSNBC town hall event, he took the clever tack of projecting his disgruntlement onto his supporters rather than personalizing it:
If we end up losing, and I hope we do not, and Secretary Clinton wins, it is incumbent upon her to tell millions of people who right now do not believe in establishment politics or establishment economics, who have serious misgivings about a candidate who has received millions of dollars from Wall Street and other special interests, she has got to go out to you and to millions of other people and say, you know, I think the United States should join the rest of the industrialized world and take on the private insurance companies and the greed of the drug companies and pass a Medicare for all.
As noted by the Washington Posts Greg Sargent, Clintons response to Sanderss apparent lack of interest in achieving party unity without major concessions was basically to shame him via the example she set in 2008:
Then-Senator Obama and I ran a really hard race; it was so much closer than the race right now between me and Senator Sanders, Clinton said, adding that this time around she is far ahead of Sanders in the delegate count and total number of votes. We got to the end in June, and I did not put down conditions. I didnt say, You know what, if Senator Obama does X, Y and Z, maybe Ill support him. I said, I am supporting Senator Obama because no matter what our differences might be, they pale in comparison to the differences between us and the Republicans. Thats what I did.
At the time, Clinton said, 40 percent of her supporters said they wouldnt support Obama.
The trouble with this analogy is that her campaign had few, if any, substantive arguments with Obamas, and no particular demands for procedural changes in the nominating process either. The implied sexism many Clinton supporters saw in the eagerness of elites to get behind Obama was a grievance that could, and could only, be mitigated by tokens of respect for the vanquished candidate and for women, not by platform planks or process reforms.
The crusade for a revolution in the Democratic Party represented by the Sanders campaign is another thing entirely, and thus the kind of unconditional surrender she offered to Obama was never really on the table. If Clinton wants a peaceful convention, some concessions are probably in order. Selecting which to make and which to reject will be a delicate process. Where doubling down on shared positions to make them more of a priority is an option as it is on, say, overturning Citizens United or pointed rhetoric on income equality Clinton should have an easy time caving to Sanderss demands. Even on some more detailed policy positions, hedging is entirely possible, as shown by Clintons recent willingness to concede that a carbon tax is one possible way to deal with greenhouse-gas emissions, or her contention that breaking up big banks may now be justified under Dodd-Frank. On the political reform front, it wouldnt be that hard for Clinton & Co. to punt the idea of universally open primaries to some post-convention commission, which is generally how Democrats have always dealt with such matters.
But if Sanders and his supporters decide to go to the mats on Medicare for all, it will be more difficult for Clinton to surrender inconspicuously, especially if the planted axiom is that opposition to a single-payer system can only be explained by whorish submission to private health insurance and pharmaceutical interests, as Sanders generally insists.
The ultimate calculation Team Hillary must make is how much Sandernista unhappiness it is safe to accept, and within that calculation, whether the prime objective is a happy convention or minimizing possible defections in November.
Since presidential politics is ultimately about winning the general election, Clinton could probably afford to honk off Bernie and his devotees to some extent in Philadelphia if she is reasonably certain theyll turn out for the Democratic ticket in November. And thats where she and other Establishment Democrats have really caught a break from Republicans this year.
Experts may differ on the exact value of negative versus positive mobilization strategies, but there is not much question that either Donald Trump or Ted Cruz at present the overwhelming favorites for the GOP nomination would offer a virtual laboratory experiment in maximizing negative mobilization for Democrats. There are few if any Bernie Sanders policy priorities on which Cruz does not hold a near-opposite position. Thats also true to a considerable extent of Trump, with the added ingredient of an implied extra-constitutional threat to civil liberties that makes the word fascism spring easily to the lips of precisely the kind of people most likely to feel the Bern. To put it another way, if Hillary Clinton has to make policy concessions to convince liberal and very liberal voters to turn out to smite Cruz or Trump, then the general election may already be lost.
So in the final analysis, convention optics may be the central consideration for the Clinton campaign in figuring out exactly how much kowtowing to Sanders and his fans is in order, recognizing that too many concessions could convey a weakness that would offset the gains from early party unity. If Clinton makes it clear early and often that there are limits to the gestures she is willing to make, then Sanderss leverage over her will accordingly be diminished.
All Clinton has to do in the meantime is actually win the nomination, if possible by margins that make it difficult for Sanders and his camp to claim they were robbed.
Were gonna make Bernie Sanderss speeches great again. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images
After five massive wins along the Acela corridor Tuesday night, Donald Trump has set his sights on November. And to prepare himself for his title match with Hillary Clinton, the Donald plans to read up on this democratic socialist all the kids are talking about.
Bernie Sanders has a message thats interesting. Im going to be taking a lot of the things Bernie said and using them, a very drowsy Trump told the Morning Joe crew. I can reread some of his speeches and get some very good material.
Earlier this month, Sanders argued that Clintons bad judgment called into question her qualifications for the presidency. Trump expressed admiration for that line of attack.
He said some things about her that are actually surprising. That essentially she has no right to even be running. Shes got bad judgment, the GOP front-runner continued. When he said bad judgment, I said sound bite! But Bernie has been treated very badly by the Democrats and Democratic Party. Frankly, he should run as an independent, I think.
Sanders has sworn off an independent run, and took a decidedly more conciliatory tone in his concession statement Tuesday night, implicitly framing the rest of his campaign as an effort to influence the platform Clinton runs on. However, many of his core supporters feel their candidate has been treated unfairly throughout the process, and the Donald seems intent on stoking their grievances.
Bernie Sanders has been treated terribly by the Democratsboth with delegates & otherwise. He should show them, and run as an Independent! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2016
But no matter how well Trump apes Sanderss critiques of trade deals, the Iraq War, and Goldman speeches, hes going to have a hard time defeating Clinton, for reasons he deftly illustrated later in the interview. Asked about the former secretary of States strength on womens issues, the presumptive Republican nominee replied, Well, I havent quite recovered, its early in the morning, from her shouting that message. And I know a lot of people would say, You cant say that about a woman, because of course a woman doesnt shout. But the way she shouted that message was oof that was the way she said it. And I guess Ill have to get used to a lot of that over the next four or five months.
Finally, Trump said he was probably okay with the presidents decision to send more troops to Syria, but he had a big problem with Obama informing the American people of what he was doing in their name.
I can live with it, but [what] I dont like doing is sending them in so I mean, with such fanfare, Trump said. Let them go in, go in quietly. Be unpredictable, but I just from my standpoint, I find it very, very hard every time we do something we announce it for publicity reasons, and I think thats very negative. I think its a bad thing.
Some would argue that a president should inform the American public of his decision to escalate a foreign war less for publicity than for democratic legitimacy (which is already, arguably, undermined by the executives expansive war powers). But Donald Trump is not one of those people.
All we are saying is give Trump a chance. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
Donald Trump didnt come here to make friends.
When the GOP front-runner announced that he would be delivering a major foreign-policy address this Wednesday, most pundits expected a reprise of his AIPAC speech: a carefully scripted embrace of Republican orthodoxy that distanced the candidate from his more idiosyncratic musings. This expectation was bolstered by reports that his campaign was planning to rebrand the mogul to fit with fall fashions. In a private meeting with GOP heavyweights, Trumps new strategist, Paul Manafort, promised a new and defused Donald 2.0, one capable of reversing the candidates devastating disapproval numbers by projecting an aura of stability and competence.
But at the Mayflower Hotel, Trump crammed all of his geopolitical heresies into a teleprompter and proudly recited them. Which doesnt mean that the speech wasnt presidential. While the address will not win hearts and minds at the American Enterprise Institute, it very well might in the living rooms of Real America, and for precisely the same reason: Trumps foreign policy caters to an underserved market, one that rejects the long-standing bipartisan consensus on matters of immigration, trade, and military intervention. Trump speaks to an American middle class that is less concerned with the details of his counterterrorism strategy than with the overriding sense that their government puts the interests of foreigners ahead of their own.
On Wednesday, the presumptive GOP nominee vowed that he wouldnt surround himself with advisers who have perfect resumes but very little to brag about except responsibility for a long history of failed policies and continued losses at war.
We have to look to new people, Trump continued. Because many of the old people frankly dont know what theyre doing, even though they may look awfully good writing in the New York Times or being watched on television.
Trump pledged that, unlike these camera-friendly experts, he would never surrender this country or its people to the false song of globalism.
The nation-state remains the true foundation for happiness and harmony, Trump continued. I am skeptical of international unions that tie us up and bring America down.
Trump then promised that he would never enter any union that reduced Americas ability to control our own affairs. His first and only example of such a union was NAFTA, a bipartisan trade agreement that the entire foreign-policy Establishment once described as a no-brainer. But Trump went farther than rejecting lousy trade deals (a common enough posture on the campaign trail), by reiterating his commitment to punish any corporation that leaves the United States.
There will be consequences for the companies that leave the United States only to exploit it later, he declared. Under a Trump administration, no American citizen will ever again feel that their needs come second to the citizens of a foreign country.
To dispel such feelings, Trump called on Americas allies to make greater contributions to our military spending, or else forfeit our guarantee of protection. He promised to balance our trade deficit with China, and I mean quickly, even if that requires the two great superpowers to go our separate ways. He assured the country that, unlike Obama, if President Trump flies overseas to try to bring the Olympics to our shores, he will win.
As with so many of the Donalds remarks, most of his address at the Mayflower reads like satire. His speech was framed as a call for a disciplined, deliberate, and consistent foreign policy, yet was littered with obvious contradictions: Trump criticized Obama for raising doubts about Americas willingness to support its allies then promised that if those allies refused to donate to American arms manufacturers, the U.S. must be prepared to let these countries defend themselves. He lamented Americas misguided interventions in Iraq and Libya and Obamas reluctance to intervene in Syria. He called nuclear weapons the single biggest problem that we have today in the world, and demanded that we renew our nuclear-weapons arsenal. He promised that unlike other candidates for the presidency, war and aggression will not be my first instinct, then suggested that Irans brief detention of ten U.S. sailors (who had drifted into its territorial waters) was an act of belligerence that demanded a muscular response.
And then there was his plan for defeating ISIS, which reads like a book report from a sixth-grader who didnt do the reading.
And then theres ISIS. I have a simple message for them. Their days are numbered. I wont tell them where and I wont tell them how, he said, then promised that he would never, ever let the American people know how he expects to defeat the primary threat to their well-being. We have to be unpredictable. And we have to be unpredictable starting now.
But for all its intellectual deficiencies, Trumps address also displayed no small amount of emotional intelligence, speaking directly to the sense of frustrated nationalism haunting the Rust Belt. In public-opinion surveys, Americans famously overestimate the amount of the federal budget devoted to foreign aid and always, always, always demand for that aid to be cut. While these patriots are mistaken about how their tax dollars are allocated, there is some validity to the feelings of disenfranchisement that these estimates express. American trade policies have never been designed with the working classs interests in mind. In fact, most of the trade agreements the United States forged in the postwar period were explicitly tailored to advantage foreign exporters over domestic ones, so as to secure Western Europe and Japan as allies in the Cold War. Economists have estimated that more recent agreements like NAFTA and the China-WTO deal cost the United States hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs. And, of course, the working class enjoyed little reward for its disproportionate participation in the last 15 years of foreign wars.
The bipartisan consensus on geopolitics has failed a lot of people. War on that consensus is the health of Trumps campaign.
Womans card is only a warm-up. Photo: Kena Betancur/AFP/Getty Images
Most weeks, New York Magazine writer-at-large Frank Rich speaks with contributor Alex Carp about the biggest stories in politics and culture. This week: Trump closes in on the GOP nomination, Kasich and Cruzs dysfunctional alliance, and how North Carolinas bathroom law is factoring into the presidential race.
After last nights sweep, Donald Trump surpassed Mitt Romneys 2012 popular-vote total and is, by some calculations, two key states from securing the nomination. What kind of changes should we expect once his main target becomes Hillary Clinton?
You can forget about those two key states. The fat lady has sung in harmony with the presumptive attorney general, Chris Christie. The Trump-versus-Clinton game is on for November. As for what kind of changes we can expect from Trump, I guess were to believe hell act more presidential (as he keeps putting it). But of course he wont. His last much-remarked-upon attempt at that, in which he unexpectedly referred to Ted Cruz as Senator Cruz, didnt last a week before he reverted to Lyin Ted. The shelf life of todays presidential Trump stunt, a foreign-policy speech in Washington presumably delivered from a teleprompter, wont last much past the moment he hops back on Twitter at Trump Tower tonight.
As a matter of cold political calculation, Trump shouldnt change his act in any case. Hes been constantly told to tone it down by Republican potentates and pundits throughout his primary run, but he has won by completely ignoring their advice. His voters dont want another presidential Romney or Bush. Quite the reverse: The more unpresidential Trump has behaved, the more voters he has amassed.
His assault on Clinton, however, is likely to shift into a 2.0 phase. His repetitive rhetoric accusing her of lacking stamina and of being a disaster have devolved into white noise. His misogyny is a disaster in its own right, and its likely his wife and daughter Ivanka will get him to tone it down. (Though it must be said that Trump has won a majority of women in some Republican primaries.) Meanwhile, we can look forward to watching an avalanche of opposition research rain down on Clinton when the time is ripe especially after Labor Day and especially involving the donor ranks of the Clinton Foundation. Bernie Sanderss demands for the transcripts of Clintons Goldman Sachs speeches were a mere warm-up act for what Roger Stone and the other thugs in the extended Trump circle have in store.
Just hours after apparently agreeing to divvy up forthcoming primaries in Indiana, Oregon, and New Mexico to block Trumps path to a first-ballot convention victory, John Kasich and Cruz couldnt stop trying to solicit voters for themselves in the states where they were purporting to be standing down. Was this strategy DOA?
Of course, like every other impotent GOP effort to derail Trump since he questioned John McCains war heroism. But let us linger on this latest #NeverTrump pratfall for a second. It will surely take its place high among the other farcical highlights of this remarkable election year, from Jeb!s desperate plea that his audience please clap to the neurosurgeon Ben Carsons inability to find his way onto a debate stage.
How this dumb-and-dumber Kasich-Cruz pact played out was representative of every other doomed Trump antidote since he announced his candidacy. Only this time the balloon deflated at warp speed. When the alliance was announced, the Upshot column at the Times, famous for its sightings of Marco Rubio paths to victory no matter how many primaries he lost, wasted no time in sounding its usual note: Cruz-Kasich Deal Means a Much Better Chance to Stop Trump. It only took hours for that headline to be jettisoned when the cold reality emerged in another Times story: Ted Cruz-John Kasich Alliance Against Donald Trump Quickly Weakens. When the primary results came in hours after that, the latest stop-Trump mirage had vanished without a trace. Cruz, the last supposed Trump-slayer left in the field, failed to clear 20 percent of the vote in four of the five primary states. Exit polls in the three biggest states (Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut) found that while roughly a quarter of Republican primary voters said they would not vote for Trump in November, even more said they would not vote for Cruz.
Yet to the bitter end, denial has remained the opiate of what remains of the GOP Establishment. On primary day, the anti-Trump Wall Street Journal editorial page clung to the argument that Trump couldnt truly represent Republican sentiments because he had only won more than 50 percent of the vote in one primary, New York, his home state. (It didnt point out that neither Cruz nor Kasich cleared 50 percent in winning their respective home-state primaries in Texas and Ohio.) In any event, Trump easily cleared 50 percent in every state on Tuesday.
To repeat myself, Trump didnt hijack the GOP. The GOP voters reclaimed the party from its feckless, threadbare Establishment. The next sound you are going to hear is the clamor of Republican leaders trying to shove Christie to a back row as they leap on the Trump bandwagon.
After Trump criticized a North Carolina law aimed at stopping transgender people from using a bathroom consistent with their gender identity, Cruz exploited the issue in his campaign, releasing an attack ad accusing Trump of p.c. nonsense. Will this persuade some conservative GOP voters that Trump is too socially liberal to be worthy of their support?
Not enough to make a difference. Despite Trumps marital history, his manifest inability to fake religiosity, and his surpassing verbal vulgarity, he has won the Evangelical vote in at least twice as many states as Cruz, in the accounting of Dan Balz of the Washington Post. Those who already have embraced him are unlikely to desert him because of this. If anything, Trumps refusal to demonize transgender Americans may help him with some other voters, given that his relatively benign stance so conspicuously sets him apart from bigots in his own party like Cruz.
Just how bigoted Cruz is can be found in his fearmongering ad, which says that its inappropriate that a grown man be allowed to use the same restroom used by your daughter. He is literally denying the existence of trans women even as he tries to slime them as sexual predators. Its worth noting that Caitlyn Jenner, whom Trump has said would be welcome in any public restroom she chooses at Trump Tower, is on record as being a Cruz fan. Given that she is relentlessly marketing herself as a spokesperson for transgender people, Jenners refusal to stand up to Cruz this week and call him out is as embarrassing as it is cowardly. Then again, maybe shes just holding her fire on Lyin Ted until her inevitable prime-time slot at Trumps convention.
Photo: QuickHoney
Im lying naked in a doctors office and a nurse is standing over me, booty tilted toward my forehead. Shes trying to insert a butt plug where God and sex-toy manufacturers intended. It keeps slipping out. I look over to the corner of the room and then back to her, up and down her body as it towers over mine. Its just too big, she says in a silken whisper. But she manages. Butt plug in place, the nurse lowers herself onto me.
Thats when I put down the headset.
You see: Im not in a doctors office. Theres no sexy nurse standing over me. The man lying on the examination table has flat abs, a hairy stomach, and a big penis none of which I possess. Im actually sitting on my sofa, holding a cube of cardboard, my cell phone tucked inside it like a swaddling baby. Im watching VR porn, and Im confused as hell.
As a homosexual of the highest order, I havent been inside a vagina since I came out of one headfirst, more than three decades ago. It feels weird to find myself screwing a female nurse. But it feels even weirder to realize that Im just sitting here on my couch, pitching a prodigious tent in my jeans. VR porn is so good it even got this gay dude all riled up.
When I first started reading about virtual reality for regular folks, I knew VR porn couldnt be that far away. Now that much-hyped gadgets like Facebooks Oculus Rift are available, and tech and video-game companies are investing billions in the technology, its only a matter of time before were all regularly avoiding our families with a pair of goggles or a strap-on headset.
And if you want to know what thats going to be like, you need to watch some porn. If VHS, DVD, and streaming video have taught us anything, its that the adult industry is always a few years ahead of its less prurient cousins when it comes to finding uses for technology. In other words: Porn is doing today what Hollywood will be doing tomorrow. I owed it to my fellow man to find out what that is, exactly.
The first step was getting together the necessary tools. The Oculus, priced at $599.99, might be the gadget of choice for the wealthy porn aficionado, but it was clearly beyond my budget. I went with the peoples VR headset: Google Cardboard, only $17. I got this one, but there are several different models that work for all sorts of phones. It was pretty easy to fold the flat cube of cardboard into something that resembled a homemade View-Master, though mine wouldnt entirely stay closed so I had to use a piece of duct tape. (I cant tell if its reassuring or terrifying that our new virtual future is as bootleg as our present.)
Thus equipped, it was time to find some porn. My first stop was the website of the enormous porn studio Naughty America, where you can find about 50 VR movies geared entirely to straight guys. I scrolled through the library and decided to go with Dr. Nikki, Assologist, starring Nikki Benz, mostly because of the title. (Okay, entirely because of the title.)
On the site, theres a little button under the movie summary that reads, Watch This Fantasy Now, but thats a bit misleading. VR porn isnt nearly as easy to view as the old-fashioned kind; theres a whole process involved. Between downloading the video and the appropriate app, syncing your phone, and selecting your playback mode depending on what gadget youre using and how the movie was filmed you could be spending 20 minutes in Dr. Nikkis waiting room. It might seem like its not worth all the hassle. But VR porn is actually a pretty awesome experience.
Lets start with the less sexy stuff. The user interface works smoothly and seamlessly. The movie itself is meant to be a hands-free experience because, well, you know. You can fast-forward the video or realign the image by moving your gaze toward on-screen controls. (You can also dismiss the control menu, because nothing kills the mood more than a giant floating pause button.)
But youre not here to hear about the design, right? Lets talk sexiness. The idea behind POV, or point-of-view, porn filmed, as you might gather, from the point of view of one performer has always been that viewers can more easily imagine themselves in the scene. But it rarely works that way. When watching porn in the traditional manner, theres a distance between yourself and the actual screen. You cant feel like youre the lucky dude in the movie because you know that youre watching a movie.
You get the complete opposite experience with VR porn. Here, with your earbuds in and goggles over your eyes, its totally immersive. When you look up, theres a ceiling above you. When you look left, you can see your sexy nurse. The camera trains on whatever it is that interests you most, whether thats Dr. Nikkis breasts or the weird anatomy poster on the wall. Theres no cameraman forcing your POV, just you. The image quality isnt exactly HD (the Google Cardboard acts as a magnifying lens for the phone screen, so you can see individual pixels) but you really do feel like youre there with the caveat, obviously, that the sensations felt by your avatar arent quite the same as those youre feeling. Unless youre really good at keeping tempo.
Having dipped my virtual toe in the world of hetero porn, I thought it was time to find something that was geared more toward me. Leave it to the people at San Francisco-based Kink.com to deliver. They have a VR site featuring 13 completely free scenes. While all of them cater to the S&M crowd, there is every configuration you could hope for: boy/girl, boy/boy, girl/girl, just a girl, boy/boy/boy, and girl/girl/fuck machine.
If youre going to play around in a virtual environment, you may as well go to a depraved sex den where a master whips a boy and forces him to serve someone. Alas, something weird happened when I entered the dungeon: It kept pulling to the right. It was like trying to eat a plate of fries when the waitress was steadily moving it inches away from me. To look straight ahead in the scene, I had to keep my head cocked over my right shoulder incredibly uncomfortable considering all the other strenuous activity I was engaging in. (Theres a way to re-center the video using the pointer control, but its annoying, and I had to keep doing it every three minutes or so during the scene.)
This speaks to the biggest current problem with VR porn: Small quirks and interruptions are more distracting than they would be on a regular screen. Youre looking for an immersive experience, after all, and theres not much thats immersive about odd angles and weird visual tics. The lenses make use of stereoscopic vision, combining two slightly different images to create the illusion of depth, and when the two dont line up, its disorienting. And every once in a while there are some weird perspective issues: In Dr. Nikki, Assologist, when you well, the performer stand over the titular medical professional, the movie turns into Attack of the 50-Foot Penis, with poor Dr. Nikki shrunken and seemingly in the distance, like the dirtiest scene cut from Alice in Wonderland.
By the same token, it can be a problem when the immersion works too well. In the Kink scene I started from the point of view of Jesse Colter, who was getting Jonah Marx off using all of my er, his orifices. But, unexpectedly, the POV switched and I was suddenly looking through Jonahs eyes as Jesse got him off. It was like a betrayal: I didnt want to be someone else, especially a bottom sporting two sets of pinkish cheeks from being slapped and spanked so much. If I was going to be Jesse Colter (and, oh, to be Jesse Colter, just for a day), I wanted to be him the whole time.
On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoyed the perspective shift in Tough Guys, from Virtual Real Porn, the only site I could find that specializes in VR porn. A few minutes into the video, which stars overly tattooed stud Antonio Miracle giving it to Mario Domenech, the point of view shifts from the pitcher to the catcher, and now Im looking through Marios eyes. Suddenly I am being railed by the hot, muscled, tattooed Euro man of my dreams. I can look up and see into his eyes, I can look down and see a body thats, well, what Id like to see when looking down during sex. And, well, importantly, Mario is touching himself just like I am. Rather than pretending my hand feels like a mouth, Im just pretending it feels like a hand. Its almost entirely immersive: The only thing absent from the experience is someone elses sweat dripping on me and the unmistakable smell of pheromones and lube.
Its just like sex. Actually, it might even be a little bit better. You dont have to deal with the mess, pain, and the worry of pleasing another person as well as yourself.
Of course, pre-filmed POV porn isnt the only way to have adult experiences in virtual reality. Camming companies websites where performers put on shows over webcam, usually in exchange for tips from viewers are eager to cash in on this new technology, too. CamSoda puts on a bimonthly 360-degree 3D session with women in a room doing all sorts of things. In a recorded clip the company showed me, a single room contained eight women, one Hula-Hooping topless, others mugging for the camera, and one moaning in the corner as a robotic dildo machine did its work.
To me, camming has always been the most boring form of porn: Its live, and its customizable, but theres rarely real, multi-person sex, and you have to share your favorite cam girl (or boy) with a room full of yahoos asking her to show off her feet or something else stupid you just dont care about. The VR room, while cool, didnt exactly change my opinion.
But Im not really the target audience. Daron Lundeen, CamSodas president, told me that the most successful cam girls are the ones who provide more than just sex. Models who can create a sense of intimacy and connection will get themselves repeat, and often high-paying, customers. I can get off a lot more with a human connection than a super-high-def video, Lundeen says. For us its about connecting the people more. We think VR is going to do that. Lundeen says hes most looking forward to augmented-reality technologies headsets that take what you see in the real world, and then add a layer of the virtual. Like, say, a cam girl sitting on your couch holding a glass of wine.
To Lundeen, this is the real future of VR porn: not the wild narrative fantasies of traditional porn, but the intimate girlfriend experience of escort work. It makes sense to me but Im also not sure you have to choose between the two. Isnt that the beauty of the on-demand age? Its all available to you with just the press of a button. Want to go to an orgy filled only with the hottest adult stars on the planet? Done. Want a nice young lady to tell you what a jerk your boss is before giving you a night to remember? Done. Want to be a top? A bottom? Both at the same time? Just want to complain about your boyfriend to a pretty, sympathetic face? Its all possible. It might not be real, exactly, but sometimes thats better.
Illustration: QuickHoney
Snapchat has more than 100 million users. But how are you supposed to find any of them?
Part of Snapchats beauty is that its not aggressively public. You can snap photos privately to one person or several people at a time. Your photos, unless your friends screenshot them before they disappear, fade away after a few seconds.
But you dont just have to follow or share photos with only your friends. You can sequence snaps to create a public story, a kind of flipbook that anyone following you on the app can access as many times as they want in a 24-hour period. Its those stories where some of the funniest, weird, coolest, and most interesting stuff on Snapchat exists.
The problem is that its hard to figure out where they are. The Snapchat Discovery tab leads you only to carefully curated content from news organizations, and the app is generally (and maybe intentionally) not as intuitive as some of its rival social platforms. Its easy to give up and just delete it from your phone. But Snapchat is used by tons of weird, interesting, creative people, all of whom are creating fascinating new things for increasingly large audiences.
As on many social networks, the best Snapchat users have something that you might not a talent for drawing, a gift for short skits, a closet full of Prada, the major keys to life but, just as important, they have a willingness to show it off in a funny, engaging, and down-to-earth way. The culture of Snapchat is more outgoing and less filtered than Instagram; you come to it for personality and presence rather than perfect curation. Users share less-buttoned-up versions of themselves, and act in the moment, without doing a ton of editing (or thinking) prior to publishing. They talk at the camera in a way that makes you feel like you could be sitting in the same room, or show off cool stuff drawings, dishes, bags with immediate glee rather than filtered distance.
So: How do you find those accounts? Which are the ones worth adding to your roster of friends? And once you figure all of that out, how do you follow them?
Look no further. Weve assembled this list of 101 artists, musicians, celebrities, chefs, models, trainers, and dogs we believe are worth your follow. Yes, DJ Khaled is there, along with a handful of other people youll recognize (though their Snapchats might show a side of their lives you didnt realize existed). But many, we hope, will be brand-new names (ever heard of Julz Goddard or Audrey Spencer?) youll be happy we introduced you to. Theyll show you everything from the Miami club scene to cat videos. All 101 have found a home on the app where they can be funny, or weird, or cute, or just flat-out creative. Theyre all, to put it bluntly, really good at Snapchat.
With each profile on this list, theres a corresponding yellow box containing a ghost. This is a Snapcode, a user-specific QR code that you can use to add people on Snapchat. (There are a few other ways to do this, but this method is definitely the easiest.)
To add a person, whip out your phone, open the app, and take a picture of your Snapcode of choice. Youll see a pop-up notification where youll need to tap Add Friend to confirm. Or you can swipe down from the Snapchat home screen, tap Add Friends, and manually type in their username.
To help make sense of what is, we admit, a very long list, well kick it off with a Top Ten the ten you should follow now.
Top Ten Name: DJ Khaled
Day job: DJ
Username: djkhaled305
Why you should follow: Theres a reason DJ Khaleds name feels like its been in every headline about Snapchat for the past six months: The guy is good. From daily lessons about life and musings while he waters his plants to that time he infamously got lost on a Jet Ski, Khaleds life is Snapchat gold. We just wish hed stop snapping from the shower. Were worried about water damage. Name: Cyrene Quiamco
Day job: Snapchat influencer
Username: cyreneq
Why you should follow: If Kylie Jenner is the king of Snapchat (Its the 21st century! Women can be kings!), then Cyrene Quiamco is its queen. Earlier this year, the 26-year-old quit her full-time job as a web designer with Verizon; now she pays the bills solely with her colorful doodled snaps, for which brands pay her thousands of dollars. Her celebrity selfies, a series where Quiamco draws herself beside stars like Bruno Mars and Ellen DeGeneres, is a fan favorite. Name: Georgio Bassil
Day job: Pursuing a masters degree in interior architecture
Username: georgio.copter
Why you should follow: Georgio Bassil whimsically transforms photos and videos from his everyday life by adding six-eyed, three-horned monsters. At their best, his snaps are almost like miniature Monsters Inc. sequels in other words, great. Name: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Day job: Actor, Terminator, and former governor of California
Username: arnoldschnitzel
Why you should follow: Most 68-year-olds dont even know what Snapchat is, much less how to use it and use it well. But most 68-year-olds have never played Conan the Barbarian, either. Late in life, Arnold Schwarzenegger has become a social-media savant with a deep understanding of what makes for good snaps: a peek behind the scenes of the actor turned politician turned actors day-to-day life with some well-placed emoji. Follow for world travel, a look behind the scenes of current projects and, not surprisingly, a lot of gym selfies. Name: Kym Perfetto
Day job: SoulCycle Instructor
Username: kymnonstop
Why you should follow: A SoulCycle master instructor (way better than your regular, boring, normal instructor), former Amazing Race competitor, and generally athletic human, Kym Perfetto finds there are few hours throughout the day where she isnt moving. Watch as she snaps while bopping from spin class to the gym to another spin class. Why would you pay for a SoulCycle membership when you can just open up Snapchat and pretend? Name: Yvan Rodic
Day job: Style photographer and creator of FaceHunter
Username: mrfh
Why you should follow: Yvan Rodic a.k.a. FaceHunter is one of the webs best-known street-style photographers. He once told Vogue that to take a great photograph, you need a great character with a good spirit. (You also need a big travel budget, but luckily Rodic has that.) Name: Julieanna Goddard
Day job: Blogger and promoter at Yez Julz!
Username: yesjulz
Why you should follow: Consider Julz Goddards Snapchat your all-access pass to the parties and clubs you wish you were hanging out at instead of sitting on your couch. The self-proclaimed director of vibes hails from Miami and dreams of bridging the gap between cool & conscious. Whatever that means. Follow her because her life is way more chill than yours. Name: Christine Mi
Day job: Snapchat artist and strategist
Username: miologie
Why you should follow: After graduating from Yale in 2015, Christine Mi decided to forgo the traditional career route and instead go all-in on Snapchat. And why not? She has a zany, colorful account filled with incredibly detailed drawings of classic art pieces with Christines face wedged in the middle. Name: Shaun McBride
Day job: Snapchat influencer and vlogger
Username: shonduras
Why you should follow: Better known online as Shonduras, Shaun McBride was among the first people to get a big Snapchat following (and, consequently, big brand partnerships). You wouldnt think watching somebody install a cereal dispenser would be entertaining, but when McBride does it, you cant help but wish youd thought of it first. Name: Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Day job: Museum
Username: lacma
Why you should follow: One Drake lyric at a time, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is determined to get Snapchat addicts interested in art. The museum likes to use lyrics from popular music paired with shots of artwork from its collection, like a painting of coconuts paired with the caption Im in love with the coco. You get the idea.
Art Name: Dasha Battelle
Day job: Snapchat creator
Username: dabttll
Why you should follow: Batelle describes herself as a creator of artsy thangz on Snapchat. Expect to see her doodling herself into everything from a walrus to David Bowie to a dog playing poker. And before you ask how shes able to draw in such accurate detail, Batelle is very clear on her website: She uses only her finger. No stylus involved. Name: Chino
Day job: Property master and art director
Username: turbanchino
Why you should follow: Some people snap their cool lives. Other people just snap themselves and paint a cool life around them. Like Chino (hes known only by his first name). Chino has a particular gift for celebrity portraits: His best snaps are the ones where he draws entire scenes from movies, leaving a hole for his face. We think he makes a pretty convincing Regina George. Name: Sallia Goldstein
Day job: Engineer
Username: salliasnap
Why you should follow: Who says social media cant be educational? (Try to read that without rolling your eyes.) A full-time engineer and part-time Snapchat pro, Goldstein has an account devoted to all things science; every Monday she hosts a weekly show where she demonstrates experiments, like building a Rube Goldberg machine. Doesnt hurt that shes also one heck of an artist. Name: Steven Paananen
Day job: Balloon artist
Username: stevenballoons
Why you should follow: A self-described Balloon artist Juggler Unicyclist Photographer from Boston, Steven Paananens Snapchat game is, quite literally, blowing up. Paananens balloons are not your average party favor; many of them are taller than Steven is. In his own words: I want to bring happiness to as many people as possible cause the world doesnt have enough of it. Name: Geir Ove Pedersen
Day job: Snapchat strategist and graphic illustrator
Username: geeohsnap
Why you should follow: Geir Ove Pedersen takes pictures of unsuspecting people on the street and then doodles on them to create cool pieces of art: A random person riding a bicycle suddenly has two giant bears clinging to them; a coffee-shop barista is transformed into Moe, the bartender from The Simpsons. Name: Alex Richter
Day job: Snapchat consultant
Username: decalex
Why you should follow: Alex Richter has better handwriting than you and he wants you to know it. His account is devoted to snaps showing off his calligraphy skills, rounded out with a daily dose of humor. Just think: If youd spent more time working on your cursive you might be able to make a living off of it. Name: Adriana Rivas
Day job: Cashier
Username: artist_wonders
Why you should follow: To put it simply, Adriana Rivas is probably better at drawing than you are. Follow her to see snaps of popular cartoon characters like Scooby Doo and Hello Kitty. Shell even accept requests if theres something special youd like to see her create. Name: Pouya Sayyedi
Day job: Mechanical engineer
Username: pouyas
Why you should follow: Mechanical engineer by day, Snapchatter by night, Pouya Sayyedi jokes that his finger has a sense of humor. Add him to be impressed by fun drawings most people couldnt do with a full set of Crayolas, much less a tiny phone screen. Photo: PouyaS Name: Audrey Spencer
Day job: Industrial designer
Username: cakes1todough1
Why you should follow: Taylor Swift has some competition for the title of Best Cat Lady on Social Media. Audrey Spencers feline-inspired snaps prominently feature her cats, both as they exist in real life and how they look when hilariously doodled into pole dancers or pirates. Did we mention cats? So. Many. Cats.
Doctors Name: Dr. Sandra Lee
Day job: Dermatologist
Username: drpimplepopper
Why you should follow: The fact that Dr. Sandra Lees snap handle is Dr. Pimple Popper says just about everything you need to know. Watch as Lee, a dermatologist with followings on Instagram and YouTube, splices and squeezes goop out of peoples skin. Its incredibly disgusting and, yet, insanely compelling. (Read more about Dr. Lee here.) Name: Dr. Michael Salzhauer
Day job: Plastic Surgeon
Username: therealdrmiami
Why you should follow: If youve ever considered getting plastic surgery, or are still watching reruns of Nip/Tuck, this NSFW and slightly gory account is for you. Dr. Miami (who is, yes, a real, board-certified plastic surgeon) takes you behind the scenes as he slices and tucks everything from tummies to bums to love handles.
Dogs Name: Doug
Day job: Pug
Username: itsdougthepug
Why you should follow: Doug the pug is a pug named Doug. He eats ice cream. He goes to the library. He wears costumes. As one of his recent snaps put it, hes so effing cute. What else could you possibly need to know? Name: Jiff
Day job: Pomeranian
Username: jiffpom
Why you should follow: Have you seen this dog? If you have, you dont need to be convinced to follow it on Snapchat. If you havent, well: Jiff is a tiny, adorable little dog who wears even tinier T-shirts. The most important reason to follow him on Snapchat is to see him move around and be convinced that hes not actually a stuffed animal. Name: Marnie
Day job: Shih tzu
Username: marniethedog
Why you should follow: Marnie is a 13-year-old shih tzu who was adopted three years ago after being found wandering the streets of Connecticut alone and almost blind in one eye. (Im not crying. Youre crying.) Now Marnie, thanks to her iconic lopsided head, has found social-media fame to the tune of nearly 2 million Instagram followers. Shes worth following on Snapchat if only to see the ridiculous way her tongue sticks out of her mouth at all times.
Fashion and Lifestyle Name: Sophia Amoruso
Day job: Founder of Nasty Gal
Username: sophiaamoruso
Why you should follow: The founder of fashion brand Nasty Gal knows how to be a #girlboss (the title of her book) in the office and on Snapchat. What to expect if you follow the groundbreaking entrepreneur? Selfies, clothes, and a karaoke jam here or there. Name: Kristina Bazan
Day job: Model and blogger at Kayture
Username: kristina_bazan
Why you should follow: According to her style blog Kayture (its wildly popular in Switzerland, trust us), Kristina Bazan has about 17 different jobs, including being a model, stylist, singer, creative director, and social influencer. Wonder what all that translates to in the real world? Follow her on Snapchat as she rides mopeds through Rome, reports live from concerts at Coachella, and works on campaigns with luxury brands like Bulgari and Cartier.
Name: Yoyo Cao
Day job: Fashion blogger and designer at Exhibit
Username: yoyokulala
Why you should follow: Fashion designer Yoyo Cao made a name for herself by racking up more than 100,000 followers on Instagram for her perfectly poised and stylish pics. But on Snapchat, the Singapore-based style icon gets to show fans a different side. I like Snapchat a lot because it reflects the real me, Cao told herworldPLUS. You can see me being silly. Name: Eva Chen
Day job: Head of fashion partnerships for Instagram
Username: theevachen212
Why you should follow: Unlike Instagram, Snapchat isnt made for inducing jealousy youre more likely to see goofy real-life scenes than perfectly arranged portraits. But somehow Eva Chens life looks just as cool on Snapchat as it does on Instagram (where shes the head of fashion partnerships). The key may be that she actually has a cool life and is happy to share scenes from her trips to restaurants, runways, and her adorable daughter, Ren. Name: Tina Craig
Day job: Co-founder of Snob Essentials
Username: bagsnob
Why you should follow: Tina Craig is an admitted snob. As co-founder of the popular style blog Bag Snob (later rebranded as Snob Essentials), her snaps often center on her daily look and what shes up to when shes not running her crazy-successful business. We could probably also have filed her under Fitness, because Craig snaps a lot while shes sweating it out at her barre classes. Name: The Cut
Day job: Fashion blog
Username: thecut
Why you should follow: Follow the Cut for beauty-product reviews, styling tips, and inside access to events like New York Fashion Week. Name: Naomi Davis
Day job: Lifestyle blogger at Love Taza
Username: love.taza
Why you should follow: Online, Naomi Davis is better known as Taza, the lifestyle and mommy blogger behind Love Taza. Follow her on Snapchat to watch her juggle raising three kids in New York City while holding a cell phone in one hand at all times. This family is cute, even to the mommy-blogger-allergic. Name: Erica Domesek
Day job: DIY guru and founder of P.S. I Made This
Username: psimadethis
Why you should follow: The blogger/author/DIY queen behind P.S. I Made This brings her creative advice to Snapchat. Tune in to see what goes on behind the scenes, including design projects, photo shoots, and delicious-looking snacks.
Name: Chiara Ferragni
Day job: Fashion blogger and creator of the Blonde Salad
Username: chiaraferragni
Why you should follow: Chiara Ferragni is an Italian-born, Los Angelesbased model and photographer better known as the Blonde Salad, the name of her extremely successful fashion and lifestyle blog. Ferragni and her fabulous eyebrows snap while working with high-end brands like Louis Vuitton and traveling the globe. Glimpses of her enviable closet have been known to make people weepy, so consider yourself warned. Name: Tina Leung
Day job: Fashion blogger and stylist
Username: tinayilayleung
Why you should follow: Hong Kongborn stylist and blogger Tina Leung is known for her eclectic style, mixing luxury pieces with high-street labels like Zara. Tune in for snaps from both the front row of Paris Fashion Week and from the sky as Leung flies from Los Angeles to Singapore to Thailand to just about anywhere else in the world you can name. Name: Aimee Song
Day job: Fashion blogger behind Song of Style
Username: songofstyle
Why you should follow: When shes not blogging on her popular fashion site Song of Style or vlogging on YouTube, you can catch also up with Aimee Song on Snapchat. Whether shes rocking a denim jacket while chilling at Coachella or strutting the streets of Paris in a little black dress, expect lots of fashion inspiration. Name: Shiona Turini
Day job: Style consultant and creative director
Username: shionat
Why you should follow: From photo shoots on the beach to snaps of her enviable shoe collection (Versace, YSL, Tom Ford, the list goes on and on), stylist and fashion editor Shiona Turinis Snapchat has us seriously green with envy. Follow and watch as she bops around the world, whether shes touring Amsterdam with Pharrell or hanging out in her native Bermuda. Name: Hung Vanngo
Day job: Makeup artist
Username: hungvanngo
Why you should follow: A makeup artist who has worked with dozens and dozens of A-listers and designers, Hung Vanngos Snapchat account is a behind-the-scenes look at the behind-the-scenes world of red-carpet life. Expect to see plenty of celebrity cameos (Selena Gomez has been known to show up here and there). Name: Andrew Warren
Day job: Rich kid of Instagram and designer
Username: adwarren
Why you should follow: Dont recognize Andrew Warren? Maybe you missed the big, splashy profile in the Times style section of Warren aspiring fashion designer and 23-year-old son of a New York real-estate investor and his semi-famous friends, dubbed The Snap Pack. If youre looking for a window into the world of the young, rich, and ambitious, there are few as consistently entertaining. Name: Bryan Yambao
Day job: Fashion blogger at Bryanboy
Username: bryanboy
Why you should follow: If you follow fashion, youve definitely heard of Bryan Bryanboy Yambao, the Filipino fashion blogger whos charmed the likes of Anna Wintour and Marc Jacobs into becoming a fixture in the industry. And if you dont follow fashion, Yambao is still a chill dude. You can always use more of those.
Fitness Name: Cassey Ho
Day job: YouTuber and creator of Blogilates
Username: blogilates
Why you should follow: If you follow enough people on Snapchat, you never actually need to leave your couch. So you should probably follow someone who will motivate you to do so. Cassey Ho, the fitness guru who runs popular YouTube channel Blogilates, snaps herself eating, living, and growing her **brand** but the reason to follow her is that shell yell at you to get off your ass and go to the gym. Name: Lyzabeth Lopez
Day job: Personal trainer and holistic nutritionist
Username: lyzabethlopez
Why you should follow: Lyzabeth Lopez, proud and hardworking possessor of one of the most famous butts on social media, reveals on Snapchat exactly how she got it: by working out, a lot. If working out or, for that matter, the butt isnt your thing, you might enjoy the peek behind the scenes at fitness modeling shoots.
Name: Name: Jenelle Salazar
Day job: Personal trainer and YouTuber
Username: getbodiedbyj
Why you should follow: Unless you are also an incredibly toned fitness model, Jenelle Salazars snaps will probably make you feel bad about yourself. (If you are an incredibly toned fitness model, text us!) In a motivational way, though. Expect updates from her daily workouts and photos of very healthy, but often disgusting-looking, food (sweet potatoes just arent that photogenic).
Name: Emily Skye
Day job: Fitness model and blogger
Username: emilyskyefit
Why you should follow: Emily Skye is in excellent shape and drinks a lot of smoothies and other healthy things you probably arent eating but should. Youll want to follow her for that motivational kick in the pants snaps from the gym, the beach, and a number of ab selfies that borders on gratuitous.
Food Name: Taco Bell
Day job: Purveyor of cheap tacos
Username: tacobell
Why you should follow: Big brands on social media tend to be cloying disasters, but Taco Bell manages to thread the needle between faceless and impersonal and disturbingly thirsty. I guess it helps that they used the account to announce the return of the Beefy Crunch Burrito, and who doesnt like Beefy Crunch Burritos? Name: Alice Zhou and Linda Chen
Day job: Food bloggers
Username: lettucedine
Why you should follow: Run by two New York Citybased food bloggers, Alice Zhou and Linda Chen, Lettuce Dine shows you all of the foods that youd rather eat instead of your sad desk salad. Name: Levi Eirinberg
Day job: High-school freshman and teenage chef
Username: levicooks
Why you should follow: At 14, Levi Eirinberg is the youngest person on this list. The high-school freshman is a budding chef whom you might have seen during season two of Foxs MasterChef Junior. Follow him on Snapchat for recipe inspiration, kitchen tips, and your daily dose of a 14-year-old whos better than you at at least one thing. Name: SortedFood
Day job: Internet food community
Username: sortedfood
Why you should follow: SortedFood is a digital cooking community full of millions just trying to find their way around the kitchen. Featuring everyone from beginner cooks to the more advanced chef, SortedCooks Snapchat aims to make you feel a little more at home around an open flame with recipes and tips for making dishes like bruschetta, sushi burritos, and a plate of nachos sure to knock ten years off your life expectancy. Name: Eden Grinshpan
Day job: Cooking Channel show host
Username: edeneats
Why you should follow: Grinshpan holds degrees from Le Cordon Bleu in London (and hosts Food Network shows), so youre in good hands while watching her food-centered snaps, which include recipes and just mouthwatering glimpses of excellent food. Dont watch on a empty stomach. Name: The Infatuation
Day job: Restaurant review start-up
Username: infatuation
Why you should follow: The Snapchat of The Infatuation, the bro-y food blog turned restaurant-review empire, is more than just a place to find a dinner recommendation: Its also a place to get your mouth watering, thanks to the frequent, appetite-provoking food snaps. Most recently, snap stories were 100 percent full of Coachella eats. Name: Corey Marshall
Day job: Social-media manager
Username: missfoodieprobs
Why you should follow: Whatever Corey Marshall is eating is probably much more enticing than whatever youre planning on ordering tonight on Seamless after giving up on trying to cook. Follow the Los Angelesbased foodie for tasty-looking snaps and, if you live in L.A., restaurant reviews. Name: Greg Remmey and Rebecca Leigh West
Day job: Neurophysiologist and model (respectively)
Username: devourpower
Why you should follow: Greg Remmey and Rebecca Leigh West are the hungry couple behind DevourPower, a Snapchat account devoted to all things food. Greg and Rebecca eat doughnuts and take a snap. Greg and Rebecca eat tacos and take a snap. Its a pretty foolproof system. Oh, and they also have a dog, Benny, who makes frequent cameos. Name: Spoon University
Day job: College food blog
Username: spoontv
Why you should follow: Spoon TV, the Snapchat account for popular college food site Spoon University, is devoted to what students across the country are putting into their mouths. Food-wise, we mean. Rather than just one persons obsessions, Spoon TVs snaps come from a number of participating campuses, so you never know where youre going to be when you open a snap.
Hollywood Name: Adrian Grenier
Day job: Actor
Username: adrianducontra
Why you should follow: Grenier, who you might remember from his work in Entourage or his role as boyfriend/grilled-cheese-maker in The Devil Wears Prada, has been trying to refashion himself into a tech mogul, and, of course, the most important tech-mogul accessory is a good Snapchat account. Grenier, as laid-back as you might imagine, shares much of his everyday life here; highlights include yoga snaps and Grenier reliving the 90s, one cassette tape at a time. Name: Paris Hilton
Day job: Heiress
Username: realparishilton
Why you should follow: 2003s favorite hotel heiress has found a room of her own on Snapchat, where she often documents her adventures as a club DJ. Peak Paris snaps feature Hilton singing along to her 2006 hit Stars Are Blind. (Okay, we considered it a hit.) Name: Kate Hudson
Day job: Actress and fitnesswear enthusiast
Username: khudsnaps
Why you should follow: Love Kate Hudson? You should follow her on Snapchat. Hate Kate Hudson? You should follow her on Snapchat. Unlike a lot of celebs who come and go on the app, the actress has really committed to using the app regularly (maybe too regularly), so theres always something new to see. Recent highlights include a step-by-step video of Hudson cooking huevos rancheros, sped up so her voice sounded like something out of Alvin and the Chipmunks. Very hard-hitting stuff. Name: Jared Leto
Day job: Actor
Username: jaredleto
Why you should follow: We appreciate Jared Letos minimalist approach to Snapchat. The actor frequently shares photos of himself covered in drawings that look like he took a selfie and then let a 10-year-old go to town on it. Also, those watery blue eyes look like a Snapchat filter all their own (Snapchat are you listening?). Name: Heidi Montag
Day job: TV personality and designer
Username: prattheidi
Why you should follow: Ever wonder what Heidi Montag is up to this side of The Hills? Turns out California is just as sunny as ever, as Montag often points out in her daily snaps. Our personal favorites are the ones where she rides her pink bicycle around while lip-syncing to Britney Spears songs. Its comforting to think that Heidi Montags life is only one click away. Name: Chris Pratt
Day job: Actor
Username: chrisprattsnap
Why you should follow: There arent many celebrities more tailor-made for Snapchat, the goofiest social network, than Chris Pratt, the goofiest action star. Pratt is a recent, but excellent, addition to the celebrity Snapchat crew, mostly because hes not trying to do anything but get a stupid laugh out of his followers. (Heres a litmus test: Pratt recently snapped a car thermometer reading 69 degrees. Did you giggle? Chris Pratts Snapchat is for you.) Name: Bob Saget
Day job: Actor
Username: bobsterclaw
Why you should follow: As if the Full House reboot wasnt enough to rocket Saget into 2016, hes also pretty excellent on Snapchat. Follow him if youre into Snapchat filters, R-rated dad jokes, and the occasional reference to, well, Danny Tanners penis. Name: Ryan Seacrest
Day job: TV and radio host
Username: ryanseacrest
Why you should follow: Between American Idol, New Years Rockin Eve, and every single awards show, Ryan Seacrest is already inescapable, so why not surrender your phone to him, too? If youve ever wondered to yourself, Which celebrity is Ryan Seacrest hanging out with today?, you should definitely follow him on Snapchat. Name: Hailee Steinfeld
Day job: Singer
Username: haiz
Why you should follow: Whether its the other members of the Swift squad or cast mates (she recently starred in Pitch Perfect 2), theres always something or, more likely, someone to see in Hailee Steinfelds snaps. The 19-year-old actress and singer (shes the voice behind 2015s catchiest masturbation anthem, Love Myself) is also headed on tour this summer with Meghan Trainor, so we expect lots of concert clips. Maybe too many. Name: Chrissy Teigen
Day job: Model and cookbook author
Username: chrissyteigen
Why you should follow: Teigen, who just gave birth to daughter Luna with husband John Legend, is a shining example of how celebs can use Twitter well (or, at least, use it a lot). Her Snapchat is no exception to her A-plus social-media game: Expect snaps of her cute mom, her closet, her pups, and dishes from her cookbook, which came out earlier this year.
Kardashians and Friends Name: Jen Atkin
Day job: Celebrity hairstylist
Username: jenatkinhair
Why you should follow: If youve ever wondered how to get your hair to look just like a Kardashians, Jen Atkin is your answer. But since youre probably not a celebrity (or reality star, or walking brand, or legend on Earth, or whatever Kardashian family members technically are), watching her snaps is the next best thing. Atkin offers styling and product advice and, of course, celebrity cameos. Name: Joyce Bonelli
Day job: Makeup artist
Username: joyce_bonelli
Why you should follow: Yet another one of the makeup artists behind the Kardashian empire (Bonelli also works with plenty of other A-listers, including Nicki Minaj), Joyce Bonellis snaps show what days are like when many of your waking hours are spent trailing Kris Jenner with an iPhone in hand. Name: Mario Dedivanovic
Day job: Makeup artist
Username: makeupbymario
Why you should follow: Longtime makeup artist of Kim Kardashian, Mario Dedivanovic knows how to create the perfect glam look and regularly documents them on Snapchat. But his snaps are also surprisingly useful for those of us who arent, you know, Kardashians. Watch for product recommendations, tips, and a lot of selfies. Name: Bella Hadid
Day job: Model
Username: babybels777
Why you should follow: If you didnt get enough of Yolanda Fosters home on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, her daughter Bellas Snapchat will help satiate you. And if L.A. real estate isnt enough, youll get plenty of selfies, shots of famous friends (shes pretty tight with Kylie and Kendall), and appearances by her boyfriend, the Weeknd. Name: Gigi Hadid
Day job: Model
Username: itsgigihadid
Why you should follow: And, because one Hadid is never enough, you should also follow Bellas older and slightly more famous sister Gigi, the model. When shes not snapping family (the Kardashians or her own), shes been known to share a few shots of a One Directioner or two. Name: Kylie Jenner
Day job: Model and lip-kit peddler
Username: kylizzlmynizzl
Why you should follow: The youngest member of House Kardashian-Jenner, Kylie Jenner uses her Snapchat to expand her familys hold on all media. If Keeping Up With the Kardashians requires too much of your attention (or if you cant get enough), this is the account for you. Expect a lot of pouty faces, whispering into the camera, and envy-inducing backdrops of gorgeous scenery. Name: Khloe Kardashian
Day job: Being a Kardashian
Username: khloekardashian
Why you should follow: Khloe just joined Snapchat, which in most cases would mean we wouldnt recommend her. But, well, shes a Kardashian, which means you can trust her Snapchat to be consistently engaging: Lately, shes been snapping herself with her ex, basketball player Lamar Odom, only to announce to her Snapchat followers that theyre not back together. Who needs TMZ? Name: Kim Kardashian West
Day job: Internet breaker
Username: kimkardashian
Why you should follow: Youre either already following her, planning on doing so soon, or are entirely refusing to do so. Honestly, what could we even say that would change your mind? Name: Rob Kardashian
Day job: Fiance of Blac Chyna
Username: robphuckedme
Why you should follow: Much like the other members of the Kardashian-Jenner family, Robs snaps are an unscripted look at what life is like as a member of the First Family of Reality Television. Or as close to unscripted as you can get. In case you dont, you know, keep up with the Kardashians, heres what youll need to know before watching his snaps. Rob is engaged to Blac Chyna. Blac Chyna is also the ex-girlfriend of Kylie Jenners on-again/off-again boyfriend Tyga, and the two women notoriously dont get along. Name: Patrick Ta
Day job: Makeup artist
Username: patricktta
Why you should follow: If youre not hanging out with Gigi Hadid but wish you were, you should follow Patrick Ta on Snapchat. If you are hanging out with Gigi Hadid, you probably are already in some of Patrick Tas snaps. The celeb makeup artist regularly posts from sessions with Hadid, the Kardashian clan, and Shay Mitchell, to name just a few. Name: Tyga
Day job: Rapper
Username: lamboluxury
Why you should follow: If youre not getting enough Kylie from Kylies own Snapchat, go to the next best source: her boyfriends. Tyga goes by lamboluxury on Snapchat, and that is about all you need to know; when hes not snapping Kylie, youll get cars.
Music Name: A-Trak
Day job: DJ
Username: atrak
Why you should follow: A-Traks snap game offers a little bit of everything: selfies, pictures of what hes eating, snippets from hanging out with his parents, updates from the hair salon (he recently bleached his whole head and snapped the process), and, of course, plenty of concert content. Name: Justin Bieber
Day job: Singer, rapper, Canadian troublemaker
Username: rickthesizzler
Why you should follow: Justin Bieber is the kind of celebrity you follow not because you want to, but because you have to after all, dont you want a front-row seat to the next stupid and controversial thing he does? Which should happen in approximately five minutes. Name: Chance the Rapper
Day job: Rapper
Username: theacidrapper
Why you should follow: Chance the Rapper (or Chance the Snapper, as hes known on the app) uses Snapchat to keep his fans wanting more. While he hasnt released an album since Acid Rap in 2013, hes been known to drop clips of his new music on Snapchat. Name: Diplo
Day job: DJ
Username: diplo
Why you should follow: If youre watching one of Diplos snaps, be prepared to adjust your volume: The DJ frequently snaps from his concerts, which means bass-heavy jams and screaming crowds. But, maybe more important, he also snaps his kids a lot and theyre very cute. Name: Ariana Grande
Day job: Singer
Username: moonlightbae
Why you should follow: She sings. She dances. She licks doughnuts. She does a mean Celine Dion impersonation. And sometimes she even does these things on Snapchat. Name: Rihanna
Day job: Singer, designer, being Rihanna
Username: rihanna
Why you should follow: Whats there to say that hasnt already been said? While lots of celebs have huge Snapchat followings just because theyre famous, Rihanna is among a dozen or so who really, truly understand what it means to be good at Snapchat. Rihannas Snapchat is a flurry of real-life gems in which she floats through life, often hilariously, like a goddess, wrote Myles Tanzer for Vogue. Name: Rick Ross
Day job: Rapper
Username: ferrarifatboy
Why you should follow: One part LOL and one part NSFW (okay, maybe a few parts NSFW), Rick Rosss Snapchat is full of delightful surprises, like the time he showed off matching ankle monitors with Meek Mill. Name: Meghan Trainor
Day job: Singer
Username: mtrainor22
Why you should follow: Its not hugely surprising that Meghan Trainor is an avid Snapchatter, since she is, after all, 22. Whats maybe a little surprising is that her Snapchat account is good: Watch her snaps to get a glimpse into what goes on inside the recording studio. Name: Vashtie Kola
Day job: Model, artist, and DJ
Username: vashtiekola
Why you should follow: Vashtie Kola is something of a chameleon. The New Yorkbased artist has done everything from designing shoes for Nike to directing a music video for Justin Bieber. Expect a range of content, from what shes eating for lunch on a Tuesday afternoon to where shes rocking out on a Saturday night. Weirdly, its the more everyday snaps that are our favorites.
Name: Zendaya
Day job: Singer and very cool teen
Username: zendaya_96
Why you should follow: The 19-year-old Disney star turned activist (and member of Taylor Swifts squad) pairs glam snaps with more everyday fare, like Zendaya driving around town. Or, rather, Zendaya snapping from the passengers seat as her mother drives her around town.
Snapchat Stars Name: Shaun Ayala
Day job: Marketing manager
Username: shaunayala
Why you should follow: Ayalas whole career is built around Snapchat. Thats how good he is. He treats his snaps not just as photos or videos but as interactive games (followers can snap him back to play), with characters like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong. And dont be surprised to see appearances from other Snapchat stars in Ayalas weekly stories. Name: Tristan de Burgh
Day job: Snapchat influencer
Username: tristantales
Why you should follow: If youre looking for a quick dose of daily comedy, Tristan de Burghs your guy. His snaps usually tell some kind of outlandish story, like his recent safari through a Whole Foods. It, uh, definitely doesnt hurt that hes not terrible to look at. Name: Danny Berk
Day job: Snapchat influencer and semi-pro surger
Username: dannyberk
Why you should follow: A relative new kid on the Snapchat block, Danny Berk is poised to be the next big thing in ten seconds or less. (He was nominated for a Shorty Award for Snapchatter of the Year in 2016.) A semi-pro surfer, add him on Snapchat to see what your life would look like if your life involved going to the beach a lot more than it probably does. Name: CJ
Day job: Flight student and barista
Username: operamericano
Why you should follow: OperAmericanos identity is a secret, but that hasnt stopped her from racking up tons of fans on Snapchat. A big part of her appeal is a series she created called Whats That Tune Tuesday, where OperAmericano will sing a snippet of a song and fans will send her snaps back to guess what shes singing. As with many of her fellow Snapchatters, shes also a way better doodler than you are. Name: Brittany Furlan
Day job: Vine star
Username: brittanyjfurlan
Why you should follow: Brittany Furlan is one of the top female Vine stars; millions of fans follow her on the video app to watch her six-second clips. So you can imagine that her Snapchat stories are similarly beloved. And, well, shes actually funny, even to grown-ups: Her comedic timing is spot-on. (Plus, if youre a fan of all of those cute Vine star boys, youre in luck they tend to show up.) Name: Sara Hopkins
Day job: Vine star and social influencer
Username: sayhop
Why you should follow: Hopkins, a Vine star, is one of the new generation of comedians whose short videos occupy the universe of relatable humor what older stand-ups mightve called observational humor. Ever gone to Target to get just one thing and ended up with six? Hopkins has a snap for you. She also has an excellent dog, Chico. Name: Mark Kaye
Day job: Radio host
Username: markkaye
Why you should follow: This Florida radio personality hosts an all-Snapchat show called Talking Snap! where he interviews celebrities and other Snapchatters. He calls himself the Jimmy Fallon of Snapchat. Were not sure wed go that far, but he did interview Kevin Jonas once. Plus, who else would the Jimmy Fallon of Snapchat be? Name: Taylor Nikolai
Day job: Social-media influencer
Username: taylor.nikolai
Why you should follow: If you like nice, clean corny dad jokes, Taylor Nikolai will give you (at least) one a day. You used to need to eat a whole Popsicle to get a good corny joke; now you can just check Nikolais stories. Name: Mike Platco
Day job: Snapchat storyteller
Username: mplatco
Why you should follow: Mike Platcos colorful, beautifully drawn Snapchat stories are like giant crossover episodes featuring your favorite characters from across TV and film: Batman! Cat-Dog! Harry Potter! Josh, uh, Groban? Name: Evan Garber
Day job: Snapchat influencer
Username: emgarber
Why you should follow: Garber, a former mechanical engineer, became a full-time Snapchatter after getting laid off from his job in 2014. His intricately drawn Snapchats make him one of the services most in-demand artists, but his elaborate projects are what make him worth following like this excellent live re-creation of the classic N64 game Goldeneye, done in collaboration with Shaun McBride. Name: Frankie Greek
Day job: Social-media manager
Username: wtfrankie
Why you should follow: A self-described problem child and internet human, it seems Frankie Greek lives her whole life online. Her day job as a social-media manager in New York City means Greek is rarely without her phone, so expect to see daily snaps as Greek updates her followers on what shes up to, whether thats visiting friends in Los Angeles or giving live updates from her morning subway ride. With a head of hot-pink hair, shes hard to miss. Name: Branden Harvey
Day job: Travel photographer
Username: brandenharvey
Why you should follow: Harvey calls Nashville home, but dont expect to see a lot of Tennessee snaps: The photographer (who first gained thousands of fans on Instagram before joining Snapchat) snaps from wherever he is on a train to nearby states, or jet-setting around the globe. Come for the wanderlust, stay for Harveys insane hairstyle.
Travel Name: Kate McCully
Day job: Travel blogger at Adventurous Kate
Username: adventurouskate
Why you should follow: After building a name for herself as a solo female travel blogger, McCully has settled down in Manhattan. She hasnt stopped having adventures, though theyre just a little smaller-scale. Watch as she wanders New York City doing all the things youve wanted to do but have never gotten around to doing. Read: eat one of those stupid rainbow bagels.
Name: Kiersten Rich
Day job: Travel blogger at the Blonde Abroad
Username: theblondeabroad
Why you should follow: This is the Snapchat arm of Kiersten Richs popular travel blog, the Blonde Abroad. Watch as Rich eats, swims, and selfies her way across the globe. Shes visited more than 50 countries and is currently snapping (and drinking a lot of wine) from South Africa.
Photo: Getty Images
Dear Polly,
I was arguing with a friend the other day about which is true: that our (middle-class American) problems today are way too big or much too small. He thinks theyre too small food, water, shelter, and sex are here in abundance, and everything is too easy.
I think the opposite. I look around and I see pandemics waiting to wreak havoc, I see violent ideologies gaining steam, and I see a breakdown in relations between the sexes. I know: One of these things is not like the other. But dang it, Im 22 and single and its the last that keeps me up at night as I wrap an arm around myself and pretend its someone elses.
Ive read your bio and know you used to write comics for a website called suck.com, so I imagine you have at least a fingertip on the pulse of the more, shall I say, cynical side of the internet? If you do, you know that for every woman in America theres an article about how men are the root of societys ills, how men are so violent they must be rounded up and taught not to rape women, how men should be reduced to 10 percent of the population. And you also know that for every man in America theres an article about how women are overgrown, spoiled children, how women have babies to use as pawns in nasty divorces, how women only like guys who will slap them across the face every once in a while.
I may be single and fairly young, but Ive dated and known enough men to know that when women make their broadly disparaging comments, theyre speaking from bitterness and not reality. I can honestly tell those women, no, not all, and point to the possible good points of dating a man: security, honesty, excitement, and more.
I find Im not as eloquent when I argue with the imaginary angry guys in my head as I am when I argue with the imaginary angry women. And so I wonder: What do men want, Polly? What could they possibly get out of a relationship with a woman that would be worth their dates with all those ditzy narcissists and manipulative gold diggers?
Sincerely,
Not a Gold Digger, Just a Girl
Dear NAG,
So, if Im hearing you correctly, you have no trouble explaining to women (in your head) that not all men are rapists, but you do struggle to explain to men (in your head) that not all women are narcissists and gold diggers?
How many women do you know well? Because I havent met a lot of truly terrible women in my 45 years on the planet. I also havent met that many truly terrible men. Ive met a lot of great people, and some good people, and a few people who clearly had decent intentions but who were products of a wrong-headed culture, or scapegoats of their very unhealthy families, or victims of their own unexamined emotional turmoil.
If you grew up in a family that valued money above everything else, but that didnt show you much love to the point where you werent even sure what love was, exactly then youd be likely to conflate money with love. Money, to you, would look like survival. Winners have money, youd think, and losers swoon over other losers and get nowhere. Hell, you might believe this if you only had a borderline shitty childhood and turned on the TV occasionally. Love, meanwhile, might just look like a sneaky joke to trick you out of your dress. And if no one you knew loved what they did for a living, or no one bothered to tell you what they did love, you might think having a career was a way of getting tricked into an endless miserable slog toward mediocrity.
Digging for gold might make simple sense under those circumstances. It might make simple sense under a lot of circumstances. For some women, years of abuse adds up to seeing men as the enemy. They dont come up with that view in a vacuum. Do you know how many young women have already accumulated more than a few deeply traumatic experiences, the likes of which would test any womans ability to keep an open mind about the opposite sex? Youre very young and maybe a little bit lucky so far, so youll be forgiven for not having considered this before. Consider it now.
While youre at it, familiarize yourself with the world around you. Consider the fact that women are treated like chattel on a good chunk of the planet. I get that you want to remain in the good graces of the men around you, but trust me, no one respects a traitor to her own gender. No one, not even a serious douche bro, doesnt recognize that for the ignorant, self-hating, suck-up maneuver that it is.
And consider the fact that, all things considered, being an accessory on someones arm might just have its appeal, particularly if you grew up being told that 100 percent of your value depended on how pretty you were. When youre young and men are the most interesting creatures in the room to you, its easy enough to encounter other women angry women, older women, so called desperate women as bitter. As you get older, though, youll find that most women come by their bitterness pretty honestly, either through truly terrible experiences or just by being immersed in a culture that diminishes everything Every. Fucking. Thing. that they do.
I called myself a feminist as a young woman, at a time and place when that wasnt so popular. I raved about the glories of Adrienne Rich and Nancy Chodorow (a feminist sociologist who asserted that as long as females are the primary caretakers of children, children will grow up with a warped view of gender roles and of their own worth). But all along, I was an ally to men, first and foremost. Men were misunderstood! Men got the short end of the stick. Men were lovable and pure (like Hobbits!), and women were sneaky and bad (like Gollum!). It wants an extra expensive birthday present from Barneys, the women hissed all around me, but I wasnt like them. I was pure and loving and still sexy and fun and super awesome!
You see where Im going with this? Being 22 years old and single is its own particular challenge, probably now more than ever. But facing that challenge by making yourself feel superior to other women is not a good look, and it will leave you a million times more bitter than youd become by making crass but pragmatic decisions about who to fuck based on their balance sheets.
Men and women alike are underestimated and mistreated by each other, by our culture, and by themselves. Men are up against a giant heap of tireless bullshit in their lives. I wouldnt be a man if you paid me. Im extremely thankful not to have had to take on that particular blend of emotional and societal pressure. But women have been treated like animals for much of human history. To close your eyes to that fact, and to not recognize how it still forms the guiding narrative of our culture, to remain ignorant to the strains of sexism and the raw hatred of women thats embedded in everything we do EVEN TODAY, is self-defeating and ignorant in the extreme. Sure, its easier by far to paint men as oppressed and become an outspoken advocate for those poor guys. It will get you laid for a while. But in the long run, youll look back and feel queasy over it. Youll be ashamed of your own ignorance. I get that this is your signature look right now, but trust me on this. Youll look back on this time and cringe the way I cringe when I see photos of that one time I got a really bad perm WITH PERMED BANGS.
Opening your eyes to the sickness of your own culture doesnt have to mean becoming bitter although youd be forgiven for feeling that way. Bitterness is something I myself embrace occasionally, but its the easiest route, just as easy as calling all women gold diggers and narcissists, or pointing to specific women who were raised to value money and their own good looks above everything else, and saying, These humans are not only evil for surviving by believing exactly what they were taught, they are representative of an entire gender. Same thing for men who were taught, by their fathers and their mothers alike, to treat women like their own personal handmaidens. We can only try to change this picture by recognizing how completely formed by our cultural norms we are, and by working tirelessly to change our culture, to change the gendered messages that kids receive about their value and their rights at a young age, to give kids and young people and adults the tools to choose their own destinies freely.
As far as the even bigger picture goes, my feeling is that if you have enough time to lose sleep over pandemics, youre probably pretty goddamn lucky to begin with. Its always the boom times that bring out the worry warts. I remember when I was 29 years old (in 1999) and I was deathly afraid of the Y2K bug. Thanks to Prince, Id spent my whole life planning to party like its 1999 in 1999, but noooo, the fucking IT guys had to spoil it for me. (Please note: This is not a nod to current events; I wrote this Prince reference four days before Prince died. Prince forever!)
1999 was also the year that everyone was running around talking about the revival of Hollywood glamour (which theyve somehow also been doing every single year since). I remember how much this talk of glamour rubbed me the wrong way. How dare they? People were barely fucking surviving out there, and all of these rich olds with their heads up their asses thought obscene excess was somehow not just okay but super fun and important and sexy. That show Cribs started the following year. People at the corner store were talking about buying Cisco stock. Boom time madness!
When youre young and single, the whole world gets under your skin. You HAVE to believe the world is full of enemies, because youre afraid that if youre not vigilant, youll end up sleeping with some creepy mutant who secretly sees you as a subhuman half-person whos going to blow him every night and make him scrambled eggs every morning, or a seductive cipher who secretly sees you as a bank account. But you have to remember that youre not courting the entire human population. Youre just looking for one person who makes sense. That person is not going to be creepy, obviously. You will pay attention and youll make sure. That person will be a lot like you: somewhat bewildered, somewhat aware, constantly tempted to take the easier route to simple answers, to superiority, to alienation, to learned helplessness, but too deeply principled and too pure-hearted to ever stay in that easy place for too long.
Youll find smart, good-hearted men and women out there. But in order to find them, NAG (how fitting, that even your acronym is an unfair stereotype of female behavior!), youre going to have to set aside some of your preferred intellectual positions, the ones that make you feel cooler and better than everyone else. Its funny because when I wrote for suck.com, Id get a letter from an older person who told me the same thing almost every other day, and it always made me laugh out loud. Haw, haw, haw, this old fucker thinks that my ability to see clearly how rotten and fucked up the world is is just an elaborate way of seeming cool! I didnt understand what these people were trying to tell me. They were trying to say, OPEN YOUR HEART, DUMMY. Dont keep yourself safe from the world. Dont hide behind your bulletproof rhetorical positioning, just because youre smart enough to try. You dont have to be the best, sexiest, most I already knew that lady on the block! You dont have to be better than all the rest, just to have love in your life, just to feel strong and confident and sexy.
Love comes to the woman whose eyes and heart are wide open. Educate yourself. But then stop debating everything and feel what you feel. Dare to be vulnerable. Dare to care more than a tiny bit about the most embarrassing, soft, sentimental squishy things. Admit that its not JUST that pandemics seem scary. Youre afraid of being alone, afraid that the world could end and youd still be alone, afraid that no one will ever see you clearly, that no one will ever see straight into your big, big heart.
You have to show your heart for other people to see it. Stop leading with your big brain, and show your heart. Show it even when people humiliate you for it. Show it even when it feels weak and sad to do so. When you show your heart, the whole world lights up, and love rushes in to greet you.
Polly
Order the new Ask Polly book, How To Be A Person in the World, here. Got a question for Polly? Email askpolly@nymag.com. Her advice column will appear here every Wednesday.
All letters to askpolly@nymag.com become the property of Ask Polly and New York Media LLC and will be edited for length, clarity, and grammatical correctness.
Photo: John Fedele/Getty Images
ClassPass announced today that unlimited memberships in New York City will cost $190 a month plus tax for current members starting on June 1, and $200 plus tax for new members. The boutique fitness booking tool was introduced for $99 in 2013 and the price went up to $125 in July of last year.
According to their site, ClassPass will also offer five classes per month for $75 and ten classes for $135. Earlier this month, the company raised the price of unlimited memberships in Boston to $180.
Naturally, this pissed everyone off:
the ClassPass bubble just popped pic.twitter.com/4g6xCpVMMk Jenna Wortham (@jennydeluxe) April 27, 2016
ClassPass roped us in at $99/month, now wants to charge $190/month FOR THE EXACT SAME SERVICE https://t.co/QytMNdTzYs Jenna Wortham (@jennydeluxe) April 27, 2016
brb making an hour-long visual album over my feelings of betrayal re: @classpass fee hike #classpass pic.twitter.com/CenHLS053t Christina Crisostomo (@frizztina) April 27, 2016
So @classpass is definitely no longer fitness for all. You're doubling prices and that's the second rate hike in what a year? #classpass Killmongers Queen (@AStylishJedi) April 27, 2016
ClassPass always seemed to me to be that really hot guy who you knew was going to break your heart Shane (@shaneferro) April 27, 2016
Well @classpass it was nice knowing you but when you cost more than @Equinox, what's the point? #classpass Diana Tsui (@chupsterette) April 27, 2016
RIP ClassPasss mentions. Seems like now is a great time to pick up running, or bite the bullet and join Equinox. Here are 11 ClassPass alternatives.
NYCBs 2016-2017 season campaign, shot by Peter Lindbergh. Photo: Peter Lindbergh
Renowned German photographer Peter Lindbergh is known for his starkly elegant portraiture of actors and models, but hes no stranger to shooting dancers, too his subjects have ranged from Blanca Li to ballerina Polina Semionova to his close friend, the late Pina Bausch.
With dance, it is about capturing movement, which is everything I love, Lindbergh says. It leaves space for the unexpected, as the same movement is never twice the same. Still, his new campaign for New York City Ballet, heralding the companys 201617 season, feels like a departure from the formal, staged nature of so much ballet imagery.
Shooting on the grounds of a country home in upstate New York last October, Lindbergh was eager to capture City Ballets dancers out of their usual context, in stables, barns, and an oversize garage with amazing light. Per artistic director Peter Martinss suggestion, he shot the dancers in black and white. It was not about capturing perfect movements; it was about portraying the energy of dance and, of course, poetry, Lindbergh says.
The resulting photographs have a raw, sensual energy emphasizing the dancers physicality and sense of partnership and ensemble a few of the qualities that make the company special. There was a beautiful feeling of cooperation and understanding, Lindbergh says. I like when you can improvise with the energy of dancers. You need to leave space for things to happen. It was not about the clothes or location; it was about capturing moments.
Photo: Peter Lindbergh
Photo: Peter Lindbergh
Photo: Peter Lindbergh
Photo: Peter Lindbergh
Photo: Peter Lindbergh
Photo: Peter Lindbergh
Photo: Peter Lindbergh
Photo: Peter Lindbergh
Photo: Peter Lindbergh
The Real Shia LaBeouf. Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Mario Licato was assaulted this past Saturday on the way to a show at Pianos on the Lower East Side. According to his assailant, it was because he looked like Shia LaBeouf. Damn. The New Yorkborn art director was apparently struck around 8 p.m. while walking up the steps at an F train station. Knocked unconscious, Licato fell to the bottom of the stairs, and a couple ran to his aid. Meanwhile, his attacker boarded an incoming train. I was so confused. I was even more confused because I got up and was like, am I crazy, or did I hear him say, This is because you look like Shia LaBeouf? And [the couple] were like, Nope. Thats exactly what he said as he was running away from you, Licato explained. As for his resemblance to the Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps actor, Licato says, Ive been stopped on the street before, at least 10 times in my life, Meanwhile, Shia LaBeouf is somewhere, absolutely shaking with rage that he didnt think of doing this as a piece of performance art first.
There was an exchange student who was my neighbour in our dorm. Nice guy, kinda quiet. We were just hanging around the corridor with our RA one day, and I was asking him where he was from - so he told me "Oh, I'm from North Carolina. Do you know where that is?" and I was like "Oh yeah, I do! It's on the East Coast, right? Somewhere in the middle, closer to the south?" He was surprised, since I guess not a lot of people from Asia know where NC is. Then he asked me where I was from and when I responded Malaysia, he was really apologetic that he didn't know where it was. Not unusual, especially before the whole MH370/MH17 disasters.
"Do you know where Singapore is?"
"Yeah"
"Do you know where Thailand is?"
"Yeah"
"We're right in the middle."
"There's another country there?!"
Good times.
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Malaysian here too! And yes, that's exactly how I explain where Malaysia is located and precisely the responses that I get.
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i've had several convos about asian geography that are mindnumbing. one of them was when i was in high school and it went like:
"he's asian? i thought he was chinese."
"he is. china is in asia."
"oh really?"
this was 100% true and sincere, and believe me there are a bunch of other genuine and weird convos i've had with other people that i don't remember that are similar.
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Haha a Malaysian student in UniMelb. They're a pretty big group there.
I remember when I was having a conversation with a Singaporean friend in our default accents, and my Australian friend asked me if we were speaking Chinese, because we were speaking so quickly she couldn't catch the words we were saying.
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lol it genuinely sounds like a different language sometimes! i remember going out with a group of singaporeans and i was drunk af and couldn't follow what everyone was saying bc it was so quick.
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one of the universities i went to had a bar on campus. it was the best because the beers were cheap and you could load up on a few before class. unlike Ronny Chieng, i never had a drinking contest at the uni bar, though!
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lol it's the best! the bar at my uni did (idk if they still do) $2 jugs on thursdays so that was a trip
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i am a malaysian currently pursuing my undergrad in the UK and i died at "only use chinese hairdressers, boil your water before you drink it, if you have a cough don't eat chicken ah" because these are all things my mom constantly tells me.
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my mum says the same things, except the chicken one i've never heard of that before. i also liked the part in the episode where they imagine their biggest fears and one of the guys imagined someone wearing shoes inside the house haha.
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ooh i'll give this a go since i'm a singaporean international student at unimelb. it is so similar especially the "we spend a lot of money to send you here, BOIL YOUR WATER, don't eat chicken etc" also so weird seeing unimelb here, i recognise ALL the places.
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omg that must be pretty cool! lol yeah, my family have been in australia for over a decade now but mum still tells me to boil my water.
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this makes me miss uni tbh, it was a simpler time
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I'm pretty lucky bc my experience as an international student was really different from most of my friends' as I've always been good at adapting plus I don't really have an ~Asian accent so to speak. I remember after like 2 months I was already settling in and have a regular group of friends who were locals. The code switching I had to do between the different groups of friends tho were insane lmao.
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yeah i've never heard the "don't eat chicken thing either" but my mum dropped off so much bone broth when she visited on the weekend bc i told her i was getting sick lol imdb tells me she's malaysian! http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4123491/?ref_=tt_cl_t7 yeah i've never heard the "don't eat chicken thing either" but my mum dropped off so much bone broth when she visited on the weekend bc i told her i was getting sick lol
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wooop my alma mater!
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Looks interesting tbh and relatable.
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ohh i loved the katering show!
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ahahah i grew up in msia and i was also an international student. this is refreshing
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Lol. Accurate. Well, quite. The drinking bit and we always could never find the books and the lecturers soon copied for us everything. we hardly had to go to the library. Oops.
I'm glad my mom was never a "helicopter mom" or whatever they call it. She was pretty chill when I went away, she called me like twice during my entire time in school. She'll just text me occasionally and say, you ok. And I'm like, ok. That's it. That's my family.
I miss being a student (I quite love learning) and being in melbourne. :((
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yes the drinking bit was too real, especially the part where the girl was like "i recommend a kebab and a long vomit"
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I was an international student, but from Bermuda to USA and the Canada so nobody noticed unless I mentioned something or they asked which state or province I was from
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On Lena Dunham: Well, she's a B-actor.
i hate him but i screamed
Edited at 2016-04-27 03:20 pm (UTC)
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Lol same
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shitty views asides he's hilarious!
I yelled when he kept making fun of that other for stuffing his face while doing interviews lol
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lmfao, his food feud with kasich is hilarious. whoever runs kasich's twitter responded to Trump with something about his steaks. I was dying.
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why? she isnt a-list. it would be a drag if he said c or d-list but b-list is pretty accurate.
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And the comment about Rosie lmao he's such a dick but I laughed.
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Ugh why are we even giving him attention for this shit?
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Because it's so stupid it's hilarious?
Edited at 2016-04-30 09:14 am (UTC)
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apparently the quality of pebbles abroad is much better than in the states, so Lena should be fine!
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NOOOOOOO omg
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nnnnnn
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Do you really think Trump will win ?
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yes, it's inevitable
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I honestly don't see how he can. You can no longer win an election with just white men, which is the only block of voters he can win.
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Actually he's even behind with white men by three points.
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it's terrifyingly possible at this point. i don't think the DNC is considering how much people really do not like Hillary.
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I think he's going to make himself much, much more appealing and "sane" in a few months which terrifies me because I think a lot of people will buy it to not vote for Hillary/a democrat.
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There has to be some way for them to block that orange piece of shit from getting the nomination.
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The republican nomination, yes. The presidential election, hell no.
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I think it depends on turnout. If you look at the demographics he should get smoked. However i fear that a lot of people will get apathetic and not show up. Hopefully the Sanders camp will remind his supporters that HRC is a hell of a lot better than Trump and help get out the vote.i know a lot of people aren't enthusiastic about any of the Dems either but this man can't be allowed to control the worlds most powerful military and pick maybe 2 SCOTUS judges.
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In the beginning, no. I thought he'd just be a joke of a candidate.
But now... omg I would feel so sorry for Americans (the ones who didn't vote for him). It would be awful for the world too, since I'm sure he'd ruin the progress Obama made with any nation.
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nope. he's gonna kill the republican party, fuck their down ticket, and hand the senate back to dems on a silver platter. hillary'll beat him easy, though it'll probably be closer than it reasonably should be since neither is terribly popular or well-liked.
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No. His own party (mostly) hates him. When he wins the nom he'll likely tone it down and try to be more ~approachable but it won't be enough. Hillary will win but she needs to work on her own image.
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i'm leaning towards no but i also didn't imagine him getting this far
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No, the only demographic he largely appeals to is white dudes. Women and minorities mostly hate him.
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Just the thought causes me so much anxiety I've kinda given up on following any political news.
There's lit like a pit in my stomach when I consider the possibility.
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I'm shocked he's so successful...the guy is a clown. even if I liked his views I would never vote for him..idgi
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no
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lol no
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He's an idiot but I wouldn't want Lena Dunham in my country either lol
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http://articles.philly.com/2016-03-20/news/71681456_1_party-today-republican-party-national-security
Edited at 2016-04-27 03:28 pm (UTC) I'm in PA with a closed primary, and my parents switched their registration from Democrat to Republican just to vote against Trump after reading this article. the PA results were totally predictable anyway, so I don't really get the logic.
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I've heard about a few democrats who did that, I actually think it's an interesting idea... though it clearly didn't work.
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My mom is a Dem but she voted in the Republican primary in our state for Kasich because she didn't want more votes to go to Trump.
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This really makes no sense to me. If someone's a Democrat, why would they want the Republican nominee be the one who'll make a better showing against their candidate?
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i seriously considered doing that here in Minnesota but i still voted dem. thank god Trump didn't win our state anyways
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All the party switching Dems in my sphere did so to vote for Trump, because they want him to get the nomination over Cruz who they fear is more electable in the general. I think both methods are kind of pointless, but whatevs.
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It's not like Europe is much better, y'all have UKIP and the national front
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that's what I'm saying, Europe's going collectively to the far right (latest example, Austria last Sunday)
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Europe is a mess so no American would want to move there.
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At first it was all a big joke, but as we get closer to November I'm really worried a Trump presidency might actually happen.
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There's also been a few interesting graphs on white voters and the electorate that will be difficult for him and I'm curious to see how that plays out in areas like the rust belt. NYT had a good piece on that. It could definitely happen and it's terrifying. Especially because who knows what he will say and do until November/how voters will respond but there's so many demographics he can't and won't win. Then you hold that up to how Romney did. It's going to be quite difficult for him but since it's still only him running against the other dumpster fire GOP candidates it's difficult to gauge rn.There's also been a few interesting graphs on white voters and the electorate that will be difficult for him and I'm curious to see how that plays out in areas like the rust belt. NYT had a good piece on that. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/03/us/politics/donald-trump-general-election.html
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yeah, I NEVER in a million years thought it would get this far, but here we are
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I refuse.
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I also refuse. I'm married to a non-American (I'm from the US but live in Europe), and he got me all riled up this morning by saying "I don't think Trump would be *that* bad as president." like... not today Satan.
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this is beginning, i fear, to become a belief in many people in the US, especially as he makes the blatantly obvs pander of moving to less crazy (still crazy all the same)
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i get you. a friend of mine who hates trump was like, "well i guess i can understand some peoples mindset because he's not an establishment republican which shakes things up" and while i get that, why the fuck did it have to be trump? bleh
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Lucky you that you don't live here.
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i've imagined it and it's chaos. it's saints row iv on bathsalts, if that were even possible.
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i'm coming to terms with the possibility
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I can't. It's mind boggling. Remember when his campaign was a joke to everyone? Simpler times.
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So many of my Bernie supporting friends aren't voting this year and it makes me scared, yeah I liked the dude and I know Hillary is more conservative democrat but still - like why would anyone want to hand it to Trump? It makes no sense to me, can someone explain to me why?
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you mean they haven't been voting at all, not even in the primaries? or they're one of the Bernie or Bust people who voted for him in the primaries but won't vote in the general election if Hillary is the nominee?
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no they voted in the primaries, they just mean if Hillary gets the nomination then they're not voting in the general.
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Because your friends are fucking stupid lol
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Bernie supporters to say they won't vote for Hillary cause of the ~establishment~ are assholes and childish. it's interesting to me that the majority of the time, they're also white males, which is why they don't care, cause really, what the hell do they have to lose
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People like that piss me off. Will I be happy if I have to vote for Hillary? No. Will I do it anyway to keep that vote from Trump or Cruz? Fuck yes.
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They are such sore losers
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Flouncing and sulking like toddlers - good strategy.
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if they're in a solid blue or red state, it doesn't really matter. if they're in a swing state, that's for them to live with if things turn out like 2000 and the country accidentally votes in a monster who literally ruins the entire world.
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I don't get this. Every Bernie supporter I know irl has said they'll vote for Hillary if she gets the nom.
Everybody on here seems to know these people but thank god I don't.
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Start hitting them
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Ugh. I'm a Bernie supporter and not a huge fan of HRC but I will vote for her any day to keep one of the clowns running right now out. Something wild would have to happen at the RNC where they suddenly get a respectable candidate for me to act otherwise.
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So dumb. They're in effect, not voting for Hillary, but voting against Trump.
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if u don't live in a swing state, w/e. if u do live in a swing state, u should knock some sense into them.
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Bernie or bust people really just....ugh
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I understand her anger but it's important for people who say this to remember that getting up and moving isn't feasible for the majority of people.
/in other Trump news...I wanted to punch my tv last night when Trump said if Clinton were a man she would get 5% of the vote. And the beautiful thing is, women don't like her. I'm not her biggest fan but that's absolutely false if you look at the numbers.
Women are still fighting for shit like equal pay but Trump lives in some alternate reality where women have some magical card to get ahead. Especially coming from a guy who had a ~small loan of $1 million~ from his father to start. idc if this waste of space died tomorrow.
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He's already essentially incited violence at his rallies, so I wouldn't put it past these idiots to go The Purge if when he loses.
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I'm legit worried about what could happen in Cleveland if the Rs attempt a contested election.
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I'm not worried. I hope they do contest it. Let that whole fucking arena of racist, bigoted assholes go to town on each other.
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At least he isn't wrong about Lena Dunham.
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Depressed oil prices, rampant corruption, and pipeline vandalism are only parts of Nigerias oil problem. Its now losing a massive 400,000 barrels of crude daily to pirates in the Gulf of Guinea, an amount equal to the entire daily export capacity of its Forcados terminal.
Overall damage from piracy, theft and fraud for Africas largest oil exporter is estimated at some $1.5 billion a month, according to U.S. deputy ambassador to the UN, Michele Sison, citing a Chatham House report.
Attempts by local governments and the UN to put a stop to piracy have met with some success, but the practice continuesshifting location and adapting to new security measures, so now the UN Security Council is calling for a comprehensive framework of measures aimed at eradicating it. Related: ExxonMobil Loses AAA Credit Rating For First Time Since 1930
Since 2014, says the UN, Gulf of Guinea piracy has increased at an alarming rate.
Two pirate attacks on 11 April affected seven countries. The cargoes came from Nigeria, Turkey and Greece; the ships were flying Maltese and Liberian flags; and the 8 missing crewmen were from the Egypt, the Philippines and Turkey.
In the first quarter of this year alone, there were six recorded pirate attacks in the Gulf of Guinea, and six attempted attacks. Nine of those were off the coast of Nigeria, while one was off the coast of Cote dIvoire, and two were within the territorial waters of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Last year, there were 100 similar incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, according to the UKs ambassador to the UN, Peter Wilson.
Dealing with the pirates requires an international effort, and particularly a coordinated effort by those countries near the Gulf of Guinea. There isnt much Nigeria can do on its own. Without a major overhaul of intelligence sharing and local law enforcement collaboration and training, the piracy scourge will continue to worsen. Related: Are Oil Dividends Worth it?
Nigeria has thrown its lot in the fight against pirates, but it has too much on its plate already. Plagued by low oil prices, pipeline vandalism and stalling reforms at its state oil company, the country has more than enough to worry about in addition to losses to pirates.
In March, Nigeria pumped 1.677 million barrels of crude, which was a decline on the previous months 1.744 million. According to a Financial Times analysis, the decline is set to continue over the coming years, largely because the reforms at the NNPC, pledged by new president Muhammadu Buhari to tackle long-time corruption and inefficiency, have so far not yielded any actual results.
In addition to dealing with corruption, as part of the reforms, Buharis government planned to change the terms of the production-sharing agreements it has with foreign oil companies operating in the country. Oil majors with a Nigerian presence said at the time that such a move could deter investments and ultimately have a negative effect on oil revenues. Related: Chesapeake Has Bought Itself Time But Can It Survive?
All in all, Nigeria has sunk deeper and deeper, and even a continued oil price rally would not be sufficient to prop it up as production continues to decline.
For June, Nigeria plans to export 1.57 million barrels of crude, for instance, compared with 1.6 million barrels scheduled to leave its shores in May. Whats more, its budget for 2016 had envisaged a daily output of 2.2 million barrelsan amount unlikely to be reached in the short-term.
Disputes between the NNPC and foreign oilfield operators are hampering normal output at more than one field. Thats in addition to the growing nervousness among international oil companies regarding Nigerias ability to ensure the stability of production and revenue sharing.
Vandals are responsible for an estimated 250,000 barrels in daily losses. Pirates are stealing at a rate of 400,000 barrels per day. Thats a 650,000-barrel shortage on the budgeted daily output. Sobarring all conscious effort on the part of the Nigerian governmentprices will have to rise more substantially than they have so far this year for Nigeria to feel any positive effect.
By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com
More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Tammy Dopp said there were two things shed never do: own a bar and, even more so, own a bar with a grill. However, as the great John Lennon sang, "Life is what happens to you while youre busy making other plans."
Hence, despite her pledge, Dopp opened her first bar, Dopps, about 16 years ago on Hawley Road. She later went to work at the gift-basket seller Fruit Ranch, was let go and finally realized she was actually pretty good at running a bar and maybe, just maybe, this was her lot in life.
"I wanted to buy my first bar, but the owner didnt want to sell," says Dopp. "And at the time, I had money and credit and a life And so I started looking around West Allis. Im from here, and always been here, other than for a short period of time."
Dopp bought a building, 1753 S. 68th St., that housed a watering hole at the time called Dukes. It was in disrepair and "very dingy," but when Dopp saw the attractive and still-solid art deco bathrooms, she knew she had to own it.
"Wait until you see the womens bathroom," says Dopp. "And youll understand."
Dopp says the address of the building also struck her because it was the same numerals 1753 as her grandmas address on 71st Street when she was alive.
In early 2009, Dopp closed on the building and opened the second Dopps, which was originally busy with workers employed across the street at Metal Technologies. However, by the end of that first summer, the factory closed and Dopp found herself with an empty bar off the beaten path from other West Allis taverns.
"You know how the economy was back then. Its been a rough, crazy road for me here, but its finally starting to get better," says Dopp.
Two years ago, there was finally an upside to the factory closing when the new investor stopped into the bar to introduce himself. He and Dopp have been dating ever since. "Silver lining, as they say," says Dopp.
Today, Dopp says the bar and grill is thriving, with customers ranging from 30 to 80. She also teamed up with the Wisconsin Country Music Association to offer live music and open jams. The next band will perform on May 15.
Adding occasional live music along with expanding the food menu has helped Dopp build her business. She offers a solid selection of burgers, sandwiches and, most recently, pierogi which are Polish dumplings by the local business, Stuffed.
"That was a learning curve for me," says Dopp. "I had never made pierogi before, but they turned out really good I think."
The pierogi are available stuffed with potato, onion or sauerkraut and are sauteed in butter. Theres also a tasty Dopps burger on the menu that comes topped with Swiss cheese and sauteed mushrooms with a side of crunchy fries and a sweet offering of a Reese's peanut butter cup and a mini Kit Kat bar.
Dopps serves food until 1 a.m. and all of the bartenders double as cooks. Dopp spends a lot of time behind the bar as well as in the kitchen.
"Its hard to find good bartenders, but I have some good people in here now and its working," says Dopp. "Ive met some of the best people in here. They have given me a lot of ideas. Im really good at taking an idea and making it happen, not necessarily coming up with the idea, but going for it once its suggested."
Theres also a wheel on the wall that guests can spin for $2 and win prizes from a drink to cash. The space is also available for rentals, weddings or baby showers, birthday parties and more.
"I always said I would never own a bar, but here I am, and Im really liking it now," says Dopp. "This is an up and coming area and things are really getting better."
Dopps is open every day from 11 a.m until bar time except Fridays when the bar opens for breakfast at 7 a.m. The breakfast is $5 and different every week. "It used to be a third shift thing, but now I do it just for fun," says Dopp.
Dopps will participate in "West Allis A La Carte," a fundraiser and street festival that takes place Sunday, June 5 on 75th Street and Greenfield Avenue.
After 30 years in business, the M&M Club - Milwaukees longest running gay bar - is closing. Owner Bob Schmidt, who now lives in Florida, sold the building and rumor says an Irish pub will be moving into the Third Ward space at 124 N. Water St.
The final nights will feature classic M&M events, including Friday night's famous, family-style fish fry. On Saturday night, the club welcomes karaoke group Singsational followed by the semi-finals for the 2006 Pride Idol. The winner of Saturday night's contest will compete in the finals during Pride Fest, June 9-11.
Unfortunately, M&M will be officially closed on Sunday and will not serve a final brunch.
Jeff Whitt served as M&M's bar manager for the past 18 years. "This place has a 'Cheers-like' quality about it," he says. "It's clean, comfortable and the food's good. And it's the only gay club where people felt comfortable taking their parents and (straight) friends."
Whitt says M&M was the first gay bar to uncover its windows in 1984. Prior to that, gay clubs were boarded up and hidden from the public.
Long-time customer Mike Frey has an emotional tie to the bar and restaurant. "I came out late (in life) and it was a place I felt comfortable right away," he says.
Originally built in 1904 as a Pabst Brewing Co. Saloon and Boarding House, Schmidt bought the building in 1976 when the Third Ward was still an undesirable location.
Whitt says the decision to sell the building was a difficult one for Schmidt, who added the restaurant in 1978, making M&M the first -- and one of the few -- gay bars that served meals. In 1980, the patio was built, and the glass atrium was erected three years later.
As for Whitt's future, he's taking a well-deserved vacation. "I'm going to enjoy the sun for a while, and then move on to the next thing," he says.
The latest
Top 10 to Try: Deep-fried cheese curds
Is there anything better than a delving into a plate of indulgently crisp deep-fried cheese curds? We think not. But not all curds are created equal.
A look back at the US Presidential Election 2012; How has it influenced the 2016 election?
This chart extends to all areas of political thought not just to the confines of the US campaign. Accordingly, the placement of the candidates is in the context of universal political landscape.Voter reaction against the party mainstream and Washington insiders couldn't be more in evidence, asandconfound the apparatchiks and pack out the town hall meetings.Wall Street? The Obama/Clinton Democrats couldn't have been more supportive. Militarism? Think only of Libya, Syria and Iraq. Civil liberties? Have you checked out the extended presidential powers in the NDAA, further surveillance provisions and Obama's unprecedented pursuit of whistle-blowers?There's little to distinguish the deeply traditional conservative Christian Republican candidates, yet the profane Mr Trump is paradoxically enjoying the largest share of white evangelical support. Never mind that he's clearly more at home with the gospel of Ayn Rand. A recent U-turn on abortion was all that the blustering billionaire, a man of apparently few fixed principles and no guiding ideology, needed to attract many of the party's Christian conservatives. His economics are sometimes less right-wing than the other GOP candidates; Trump for a time even supported single-payer health care. Is he really a Tory or a wig? He defended Obama's bank bailouts anathema to the other GOP contenders.He's a populist in the Berlusconi mould, and the more outrageous his statements the more his supporters love it.Style more than substance separates Trump from Hillary Clinton. After all, Trump was a generous donor to Clinton's senate campaigns, and also to the Clinton Foundation. Hillary is nevertheless disingenuously promoting herself as the centrist between an extreme right-winger (Trump) and an 'extreme left-winger' (Sanders). Abortion and gay marriage place her on a more liberal position on the social scale than all of the Republicans but, when it comes to economics, Clinton's unswerving attachment to neoliberalism and big money is a mutual love affair.Quite why Sanders is describing himself to the American electorate of all electorates as a 'socialist' or 'democratic socialist' isn't clear. His economics are Keynesian or Galbraithian, in common with mainstream parties of the left in the rest of the west the Labour or Social Democrat parties.While Sanders claims to admire particularly the Scandinavian model,Beyond tinkering, though,These odd clusters of attitudes are reflected in our placement of Sanders. Domestically the man is an undoubted progressive not the least for his courageous attack on corporate campaign funding. But on foreign policy, you could expect a President Sanders to be strikingly similar to his predecessors.He also appointed a former Monsanto executive as Senior Advisor to the FDA. He has extended Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, presided over a spiralling rich-poor gap and sacrificed further American jobs with recent free trade deals. Trade union rights have also eroded under his watch. He has expanded Bush defence spending, droned civilians, failed to close Guantanamo, supported the NDAA which effectively legalises martial law, allowed drilling and adopted a soft-touch position towards the banks that is to the right of European Conservative leaders. Taking office during the financial meltdown, Obama appointed its principal architects to top economic positions.Between 1998 and the last election, Obama amassed $37.6million from the financial services industry, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.Hey! You don't promise a successful pub, and then appoint the Salvation Army to run it. This time around, the honey-tongued President makes populist references to economic justice, while simultaneously appointing as his new Chief of Staff a former Citigroup executive concerned with hedge funds that bet on the housing market to collapse. Obama poses something of a challenge to The Political Compass, because he's a man of so few fixed principles.It would be naive to suppose that a Presidentwould feel no obligations towards his generous backer, Sheldon Adelson, one of the country's most influential men. Or a Presidenttowards billionaire mutual fund tycoon, Foster Freiss. (Santorum emerged as the most authoritarian candidate, not the least for his extreme stand against abortion and condom sales.) Or a President, whose largest single donor, billionaire Peter Thiel, founded a controversial defence company contracting to the CIA and the FBI. Last year it was caught operating an illegal spy ring targeting opponents of the US Chamber of Commerce. In our opinion the successful GOP contender,, despite his consistent contempt for the impoverished, was correctly described as the weather vane candidate. He shares another similarity with Obama. His corporate-friendly health care plan for Massachusetts was strikingly similar to the President's "compromise" package. The emergence of the Tea Party enables the 2012 GOP ticket of unprecedented economic extremity to present itself as middle-of-the road between an ultra right movement with "some good ideas that might go a bit too far" and, on the other side, a dangerous "socialist" president.Hence the appeal of Ron Paul to many liberals, despite his far-right economics. Paul, unlike Romney, would have delivered a significant crossover vote from Democrats.If Romney loses the election, it would hardly be devastating for mainstream Republicans. During a second term of Obama, they would no doubt continue to frame the debates.
Bernie and Hillary stickers
(Image by The Pen) Details DMCA
We are die-hard supporters of Bernie Sanders for president. We don't know what else we could have said or done to make that more clear.
But in light of the result in New York, and the states this Tuesday, the fact is that we have fallen short of the top slot this time. That's just the mathematical reality given the number of delegates left to be allocated. We have long said that whoever got the most pledged delegates, leaving any super-delegates aside, should be the Democratic nominee. And whether we like it or not, that person will now clearly be Hillary Clinton, absent some cataclysmic collapse.
So what do we do now?
(Article changed on April 26, 2016 at 23:35)
Oh heck, just when I as starting to think that Donald J. Trump was going "presidential." Yeah, I know he's going to "Make America Great Again""blah, blah, blah (yawn, yawn). Then the man goes and gives a prime time, foreign policy speech. Yah! Ole Trumpie, fresh off his clobbering of his two Republican challengers -- Trump "Mini-Me" Cruz and John "Me Too" Kasich -- I guess it was in order to show people that you know your foreign policy onions.
Granted, Trumpie's forays into the complex world of foreign policy were unmitigated disasters -- ban Muslims from entering the US, bomb the "sh**t out of ISIS and "get NATO nations to pay their fair share." So, to show us all that he's not a real life dud the Big Trumpie goes on the offensive and delivers his "major foreign policy speech."
I have to tell you that I'll-Make-America-Great-Again -Trump's hands are small! Small when compared with his overall physical size. That's why he's so sensitive about them. Ahhh, maybe the wonker, shlong thing is what's bugging the guy; seems to me the wee weenie story just got some legs!
But let me get back to The Donald's foreign policy jambalaya -- can't call it a speech (not because he gave it standing woodenly at a podium to sporadic but somewhat muted applause). "We have to be unpredictable," (on foreign policy) Mr. Trump said with a constipated bathroom grimace on his face. Adding this important tidbit: "ISIS will be gone, very, very quickly (when he's president of the United States.)
Waxing incoherently and disjointedly, Donald Trump now rip roaringly drunk on his own ego, lurched from one unsubstantiated statement to jaw dropping hyperbole after another, sometimes throwing red meat to the unwashed Republican Party's faithful and at other times creating the caricature of President Obama that could aptly give credence to a new children's reading book called "Puff Obama The Magic Politician." Or maybe a TV reality show starring DT of course?
Stating that Obama caused the United States to lose "massive monies" from its relationship with China, this somehow by a miracle of economic osmosis translated into the president's not protecting Christians from genocide in Iraq and elsewhere ergo "we have to help them, we've done nothing to help them." And keeping on this lurching, erratic course Mr. Trump soon concluded with great philosophical wit that "ISIS is now making millions and millions selling Libyan oil."
Have you ever watched the children's TV comic series Phineas and Ferb? Trump reminds me greatly of Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, the main antagonist in the series, who dreams up all kinds of schemes and plans to take over the "tri-state area." Doofenshmirtz is usually given to long monologues. Trying to impress TV viewers with his knowledge of American foreign policy and history, Trump launched into America's greatness and how "we saved the world in 1940" during the Secord World War. He then said that America was great again, for the second time in her history, when "we won the Cold War" and defeated communism. Presumably, the Third Greatness of America (like the Third Reich?) will come when he's president.
But after the Cold War? American and World History according to Donald Trump (required reading, by the way) said that "we made mistake after mistake and we replaced logic with foolishness and arrogance." Trump concluded that American foreign policy from that time on had "no focus, no purpose, and no direction."
Naturally, "I'm the only one who could fix this," he said beating his own drum. And for good measure Trump stated the core message of his foreign policy: "America first." As proof of this he opined that President Obama and Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party's front-runner, had caused this real mess. Obama, Trump thundered, has created a "huge debt," did not secure the border, and was rebuilding other countries."
"Obama made Iran a great, great power," Trump said incredulously without explaining how in under eight years did Obama the Magician accomplish his complex task. No wait, here's his proof: "I'm sick of the deals he made."
Earth to Trump Doofenshmirtz: the Iran Deal was not unilaterally negotiated by President Obama and the United States but by the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Germany, France, China, the European Union. Guess this is what "unpredictability" in foreign means. Then the quickly got back on track and lurched from the hilarious to the utterly extreme:
"Our military dominance MUST be unquestioned and I mean unquestioned by anybody," Trump said in a harangue that bore chilly comparisons and resemblance to Ole Adolf Hitler. Then not satisfied with that he launched into a full frontal attack on globalization adding that the "the nation state is the true measure of progress." Here I think that I'll just kinda educate Ole Trumpie.
My dear Doofie, as the bishop said to the actress as he tried to lift her dress, globalization is the tendency of businesses, technologies, or philosophies to spread throughout the world, or the process of making this happen. The global economy is sometimes referred to as a globality, characterized as a totally interconnected marketplace, unhampered by time zones or national boundaries.
And a nation state is a sovereign state whose citizens or subjects are relatively homogeneous in factors such as language or common descent.
The point, dear chap, is that the two are NOT the same. Globalization is about business, technology and the global economy. A nation state is a SOCIAL construct about a people and a common and shared heritage.
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Reprinted from Mike Malloy Website
Does the Cruz Kasich alliance against Trump remind anybody of a Marvel comic series or something? Like Ultron vs Captain America and Hulk? What the hell is going on this election season? Kasich is talking through a mouth-full of pancakes to reporters about his uneasy alliance with Cruz while cameras fire away. Doesn't look too presidential to dribble syrup down your chin while waving a fork at the press pool talking about strategies to defeat Trump. It was nauseating, actually. And certainly made Ted "glass the Muslims" Cruz look sane.
Not quite.
And is it possible that Democrats are actually poised to nominate a candidate who is under an active FBI investigation? Seriously? No wonder Bernie isn't backing off, he's a warrant away from the White House.
Can you picture Trump vs Sanders? The most ethical candidate possible against the most sleazy? If Team Clinton thinks the DOJ is going to give her a pass, they're in for a grim surprise. While she ponders VEEP selections the G-men are unlocking allegedly "wiped" email from her suspicious server. And Sen. Grassley may have a plan topple Hillary's presumed ascension to the throne.
Politico has more:
Can Responsibility to Protect (R2P) preserve our cultural heritage in Syria?
Franklin Lamb
Beirut
This month's Trafalgar Square exhibition in London of a digitally modeled replica of Syria's 2000 year old Roman Triumphal Arch at Palmyra (Tadmor), which was destroyed by ISIS in October, 2015, is sparking yet further discussion about the rights and wrongs of restoration at ancient sites. Approximately two thirds the size of the original, the replica arch was created through the efforts of Oxford University's Institute of Digital Archeology (IDA). The continuing exhibition of the model has been urged and it is soon on route to Dubai as well as to New York and probably elsewhere, before ending up hopefully in Syria. It features a 3D digital model which employed computer-operated drills to carve Egyptian stone from an Italian quarry. The result is impressive for a number of reasons not least of which is an expression of solidarity with the people of Syria, the enduring custodians of our cultural heritage.
Trafalgar Square, London
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In tandem with this important discussion, there is an important debate also taking place over how best to stop the destruction of our cultural heritage once iconoclastic groups like ISIS unleash their hatred of their and our past. A solution still eludes us despite various international and domestic agreements and legislative initiatives.
For the past 15 years, since the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan by the Taliban, many in the global community have been contemplating what can be done to avoid future catastrophes to our shared cultural heritage like those we continue to witness in Syria and Iraq. Diplomacy has failed for the most part.
From an international legal and political point of view, the 2001 creation of the doctrine of Responsibility to Protect (R2P) is being looked at as a possible tool to salvage our shared global cultural heritage. This observer submits that employing R2P warrants serious discussion as an option that should not be facially rejected.
As is well documented, since its rapid expansion in 2013, ISIS has been responsible for pillaging and destruction of scores of cultural sites in Syria and elsewhere, notwithstanding the protests of the international community. None of the solutions proposed and the few implemented to date have stopped the devastation, raising the question of the legitimacy of organizing a humanitarian intervention-using armed force as necessary- to preserve our cultural heritage from destructive iconoclasm. Admittedly, R2P, particularly after its widely viewed illegal use by NATO in Libya, is controversial among international legal scholars and plenty of others.
This observer concedes that some progress has been made at the international legislative level among UN Member States as well as some positive influence of international law in mitigating-even if to date only to a modest degree, the destructive capacity of iconoclastic groups.
These extremist jihadists, such as ISIS, attempt to attract media coverage, recruit new members and excavate and loot antiquities to be sold on the international black market and they exhibit no signs of abandoning their perversions of a few suras in the Koran. On the contrary, ISIS continues to escalate what they pledge will be decades of ever metastasizing wars of attrition against infidels everywhere. And it is probable that it will continue largely unabated unless the international community, under the aegis of the UN Security Council, takes immediate and resolute action.
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Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121
"Rob Kall demonstrates how the Bottom-Up revolution has ushered in a business, political and social upheaval the likes of which we've never seen. Bottom-Up: Tapping the Power of the Connection Revolution is a must read book that you need, to understand how this revolution affects every area of your life and the opportunities it is creating."
Jim Donovan, author, happy@work - 60 Simple Ways to Stay Engaged and Be Successful
On the lookout for Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan
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While the USDIA cable states that this is an "Information Report and not finally evaluated intelligence", the details in the cable raise several questions and therefore merit detailed analysis.
The cable states:
"During discussions at an unknown date with Haqqani, Salar and an unidentified ISID officer or officers, Haqqani and Salar were provided 200,000.00 USD to enable the attack on Chapman. Haqqani provided the money to Salar, who then communicated the planning details to Mullawi (Sakh). Sakh then contacted (Arghawan), border commander of the Khowst (Khost) Provincial Force. Arghawan was promised 100,000.00 USD for his assistance in a suicide mission by an unnamed Jordanian national. Following the attack, Salar was believed to have kept 100,000.00 USD promised to Arghawan because Arghawan died during the suicide attack."
Other cables now made available note that until the end of 2009, regular monthly meetings were held between Haqqani ring leader Sirajuddin Haqqani, his brother Badruddin Haqqani and some ISI officers.
The cables name some ISI officers -- a Colonel Nasib and a Major Daoud [sic] -- who participated in a meeting in which an unknown amount of funds were disbursed to the Haqqani Network to launch attacks in Khost.
In another meeting, the ISI handlers told the Haqqani Network "to expedite attack preparations and lethality in Afghanistan".
Readers will be interested to know that Sirajuddin Haqqani has led the group since 2005 when his father and Haqqani founder Jalaluddin retired. He is presently deputy to Taliban leader Akhtar Mansour.
The DIA cable dated 6 February 2010, is labelled "Foreign Intelligence Service and Haqqani Network involvement in the 30 December 2009 on FOB Chapman".
The cable claims that Pakistan's ISI funded the Haqqani Network for the attack which occurred when a presumed al-Qaeda informant was allowed into a secure US base in Khost to meet with a team of American officers and handlers. The Jordanian doctor, Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, was the al-Qaeda double agent who penetrated the CIA, as Jordanian intelligence believed his bonafides.
Could the person identified in the cable as Mullawi be the al-Balawi, who carried out the suicide attack at Chapman base in 2009? The conjecture is worth entertaining.
The Haqqanis, through intermediaries, got in touch with Arghawan, who was working with the Afghan National Directorate of Security. This appears to implicate the Afghan official, while Arghawan was killed in the suicide blast.
Al-Balawi's coup came in November 2009, when, just months after the paediatrician was recruited by Jordanian intelligence, he announced he had become Ayman al-Zawahiri's doctor. Clearly, this was a lie, with Balawi trying to impress his Jordanian handlers. Strangely, everyone believed him; perhaps they were desperate to break into al-Qaeda. When the CIA met the man, they found they had nothing on him.
Al-Balawi was picked by Jordanian intelligence for his violent online messages against the West. He claimed that he had penetrated the inner al-Qaeda circle. Wanting to establish contact with al-Balawi, the CIA, using the codename 'Wolf' decided on a meeting at Khost.
Darren La Bonte, the CIA case officer dealing with the subject, did not trust al-Balawi and warned that it would be too early for a meeting. Interestingly, al-Balawi wanted to meet the CIA in Miranshah, the hub of many terrorist groups like the TTP and ETIM, but the US insisted on Chapman base in Khost.
Stratfor, the Texas based global intelligence company, had suspected the ISI hand in the Chapman base suicide attack. Its 2010 report said: "The hit was by all accounts a masterful piece of trade craft beyond the known abilities of a group like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan." It quoted US and Afghan government sources saying that standard military grade explosives were used in the attack, pointing to Pakistan's ISI.
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Reprinted from Paul Craig Roberts Website
The letter below came to me from Oxford University where I was a post-graduate.
I do not think it conceivable that the letter was actually written by Oriel College, or any authority at Oxford. This letter was written in exasperation by someone who feels that the civilized world has collapsed around him. This is a letter that the author of the letter wishes had been written.
By presenting the letter, I am not endorsing a make-believe letter or its point of view. My point is different. The world's most famous university lacks the confidence to defend itself from from unreasonable demands made by students from its former colonies who desire to remove the association of Oriel College with its benefactor, Cecil Rhodes.
Yet, despite insufficient confidence to stand up to foreign students, England has mustered the confidence to align with Washington against the Muslim World and Russia. How do we explain this?
If the British still had enough confidence for an Oxford College to have penned such a letter, the British would not have forsaken their sovereignty and joined the European Union. What saved Cecil Rhodes stature at Oriel College was not Oxford but alumni who said they would cancel bequests of 100 million British pounds if the university succumbed to erasing its history in order to appease foreigners who claim to be offended by it. If they are offended, say the alumni, let them go elsewhere.
The future independence of universities is in doubt, especially those dependent on alumni support. Old grads are turned off by the erasure of what they remember. Recent grads are not experiencing the same success. A university degree no longer brings the same economic success that it did in the 20th century. A financialized and offshored capitalism has heavily redistributed income and wealth to the One Percent. One consequence is that the alumni donor base will shrink.
Moreover, the older generation of graduates, who made their money in the past, is constantly reminded by fund-raising materials that the college or university that they attended has been replaced by something else. What they experienced is gone. Oxford colleges were segregated by gender and attended mainly by British. Today they are gender-integrated and multi-cultural. Judging from photos in fund-raising materials, at Oxford the British appear to be a minority.
Instead of warm and fuzzy feelings, old grads feel dispossessed. The psychological effect on those who experienced a different Oxford environment is similar to returning to the site of your grandparents farm and finding a subdivision, a bedroom community for a once distant city. The creek you explored is now inside a pipe buried under back yards, and the trees you climbed are cut down. You feel a loss. This is what many alumni feel when they experience the transformation of their educational institution. They experience a loss of association, which is not a racist or sexist response.
As survivors of an era in which economic success was more broadly based pass away, colleges and universities will turn increasingly to corporations and the One Percent for funds. These donors will extract a price. Colleges and universities will be suborned, as the media and politicians are today, to serve the powerful interests on which they are dependent.
We might think that this is what the Oxford alumni are doing when they threatened to withhold bequests, but it is not. The alumni are not saying what is to be taught and not taught or how things are to be explained. The alumni are saying that it is impermissible to destroy history by throwing it into Orwell's memory hole. Oxford alumni have had to accept so much change and now the physical image itself, the historical landmarks, are to be thrown away. The result is that nothing any longer corresponds to their memories. Their association with their college and the university becomes severed.
There is no doubt that the British and US governments have ground under their feet many peoples. But history is history. We have to live with it and try to make the future better. We cannot substitute for history our view of what should have happened.
Here is the letter that indicates more British confidence than actually exists:
Millenials
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Article originally published in the New Jersey Herald
By Robert Weiner, William Klein and Daniel Khan
In 1972, with the Vietnam War raging, voter turnout reached a still unmatched height of 55 percent for 18- to 24-year-olds, and 68 percent for all under age 30.
Newly enfranchised by the 26th Amendment, faced with life-threatening service for the war's unclear mission, youth were able to have to-then unprecedented influence on foreign policy. Lyndon Johnson withdrew from re-election in 1968 because of youth support for war-opposition candidate Sen. Eugene McCarthy.
However, by 2012, 45 percent of 18-29-year-olds voted, down from 51 percent in 2008. The problem was even worse in the 2014 midterm, with only 20 percent of 18-29-year-olds voting nationwide -- the lowest ever in a federal election. New Jersey was lower than the nation at 13 percent.
At the National Press Club in Washington on March 22, Brandon Paulin, America's youngest mayor (19 when elected last year), of Indian Head, Md., and Laquan Austion, CEO of Action for America, announced a plan to recruit millennials to run for office in November. That's a start.
Last summer, the Blair Academy Class of 1965 hosted a forum on contrasts between issues motivating youth in the 1960s and 1970s versus today.
Speakers and the audience asked, can current issues -- jobs, college costs, police killings of minorities, criminal reform for drug crimes, green energy, climate change, income disparity, minimum wage increases, equal pay for women, Internet privacy, Middle East wars, marriage equality, to name several -- add up to enough interest to motivate youth to be active or even vote?
Millennials want more access. The authenticity of Sen. Bernie Sanders' rhetoric is effective among youth (he has won 70 percent of millennials in the primaries), whereas Hillary Clinton is high among women and older voters. Among 18- to 29-year-olds, according to a May 2015 Harvard poll, 55 percent plan to vote Democratic for president in 2016, 40 percent Republican. Polls shift. Youth may or may not stick with Democrats in the general election.
However, Clinton is convinced that in a general election, she can win youth. She told a town hall in February, "I'm going to be for them." In 2012, Democrats crushed Republicans among youth, 67 percent for Obama to 30 percent for Romney. Because of the weight of college loans and both Democratic candidates' plans to reduce costs, Democrats have an opening. In addition, a January 2016 Rock the Vote poll shows big majorities of millennials favor clean energy, see police violence against African-Americans as a problem, and favor background checks on gun purchases. Gallup Managing Editor Art Swift told us at the National Press Club that two-thirds of millenials favor legalizing marijuana. All these issues trend Democratic.
Yet Republicans have also been reaching out. Donald Trump has been active on social media. Sen. Ted Cruz made a BuzzFeed video auditioning for "The Simpsons" (he did not get on). But if Republicans push youth voter suppression, block reduced college loans, maintain gridlock on infrastructure jobs, and are insensitive to the minimum wage, marriage equality and police brutality, they will continue to draw low numbers.
Questions include, if the nomination goes to Trump, will his group-denigrating messages backfire so young people remain largely Democratic and move against him? If the nominee is Cruz, will his Planned Parenthood anti-abortion position and government shutdowns cost him?
On the Democratic side, if Sanders does not win the nomination, will his voters flock to Clinton? Will Sanders aggressively support her?
Can Clinton continue to assert she will not be bought by big business and be believed by youth? With millennials' increasing influence, politicians need to reach them.
In New Jersey, on June 7, with both parties' decisions still in play, in Democratic and Republican primaries that could be pivotal, as well as in the other remaining primaries and in the general election, youth will have the chance to demonstrate their impact.
Robert Weiner, a Blair Academy 1965 graduate, was the Democratic Party's first National Youth Voter Registration director at the Watergate in 1972, the year 18-year-olds got the vote. He later was a spokesman for the White House and the House Government Operations Committee and for Congressmen John Conyers, Charles Rangel, Claude Pepper, Ed Koch and Sen. Ted Kennedy. William Klein (Blair 2011 "millennial" grad) is from Blairstown and a 2015 Georgetown University graduate. Daniel Khan, from Rockville, Md., is a 2015 American University graduate.
setting sun..
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It was an ideal British summer festival evening, courtesy of the most desirable star at any outdoors gathering in the Albion -- the Sun (the celestial body not the tabloid paper). Though it had already jetted off from the festival grounds, el sol's rare presence was still felt and seen everywhere -- precious warmth was lingering in the air and splashes of crimson and gold turned the sky into an abstract painting you'd actually love having on your wall. Cocooned in the refined luxuries of one of the most middle class festival in Britain, if not the world, a mix of human content were aggregating politely around the main stage, where a hot new folkotronica band were blasting out their experimental sounds. Slightly away from all the action, my six-year-old son and I were sitting cross-legged on the grass, facing each other, while my husband and our 3 year-old daughter went off to get some food.
Having exposed our urbanite children to a day of telluric activities such as stone-carving, basket weaving and bow making, I felt quite satisfied with myself as a parent. Being more used to scooting alongside busy city streets inhaling exhaust fumes, it was a welcome change to see our children run around a quaint village fete environment. We pretty much gave up on trying to see any bands during the day, so that our kids could craft their hearts out and delight in organic ice-creams, while we praised their creative efforts and hovered nearby, away from all the musical fun, ready to attend to their whims. Sometimes being a parent feels like being someone's slave, only instead of hating your master, you absolutely love them. At the end of the day, all that was required from my son to continue feeding my self-image of a good parent doing the best for him is to just look happy. When you make sacrifices you need to know they are worth it. Unfortunately, to my disappointment my son's expression was not as jolly as I would have expected it to be.
I was aware that he must have been quite tired after such a busy day, so I instantly attributed his slightly sad expression to that. I tried to engage him in some fun conversation, but N. wasn't that responsive. He looked quite pensive and visibly more and more upset. I gave him a hug and asked him what he was thinking and feeling, I was slightly disappointed that he was in a grumpy mood after what we thought was an idyllic day, but such is one of the main laws of parenthood -- the more you bend backwards to please your child, the more unsatisfied they seem to be. However, N. wasn't being a spoilt brat about to throw a tantrum. Feeling stronger in my embrace, he got courage to start expressing his thoughts and this is the general gist of what came of out him:
"Mummy, why are humans so stupid? They are cutting trees, making too many cars, which pollute the air, and making animals extinct! And they are killing each other! They are making wars around the world! Like this we will become extinct too. Like dinosaurs. Why are humans doing it? Why? All humans care about is money and nothing else. They are so stupid. I hate humans."
I wish I could have told him that he's just tired and exaggerating and that everything is actually fine and is going to be even better as humanity continues on its glorious path of progress and that he should stop worrying about all of this and have a milkshake instead. For lack of an immediate decent intellectual response, I resorted to an emotional one: I gave him a tight squeeze and told him that I love him, my mind racing for what to say to a new being that I have brought into this completely mad even if beautiful reality.
"You are right, son. Humans are stupid. We are destroying our world, and not only polluting the air and cutting down the trees, which is leading to global warming, but also making our water and food toxic. Yes, we are making many animals extinct, sometimes through destroying their habitats, sometimes, because we like to kill animals for fun. Also we farm animals in cruel conditions often injecting hormones into them and feeding them with parts of themselves and then slaughter them for food, which is ultimately bad not only for the environment but also for us. As you can imagine eating our toxic food and drinking our toxic water and living in our polluted atmosphere is not making us that healthy, which is very convenient for the pharmaceutical industry that makes a lot of money out of our illnesses, feeding us chemicals, which suppress some symptoms but create other problems. Our knowledge of natural healing has practically been eliminated, as medicine, alongside other sciences, is now run by the funding of corporations, which operate within a philosophy of reality that views humans in a very limited way, as biological machines. Not that you get better philosophy taught at school, where education is a carefully-calibrated system of indoctrination, which works alongside media propaganda, to brainwash people and keep them blind to all injustices and hardships in the world. Governmental policy often reflects interests of a small group of people, whose power and wealth are increasing every year, generally at the expense of other people. In the meantime, the rampage for resources continues around the world. Wars are orchestrated on purpose, often using radical extremists within proxy armies, and these wars often kill millions of innocent civilians and force millions of others to migrate in hope for a better living. Movements that rise up to fight these malevolent global powers are demonised and dissolved. Leaders who attempt to address these injustices and crimes are instantly ostracised, ridiculed and vilified with the help of the lackey media.
People who attempt to expose the shadow mechanisms of these powers are arrested or detained. And while all of this insanity is going on the majority of people are sleep-walking through their reality, spending most of their lives slaving away for this power structure in order to purchase a lot of unnecessary goods, the want for which is inculcated in them by incessant advertising, while in their spare time they entertain themselves on various screens, obsessing about celebrities and fictional worlds, thereby perpetrating the whole cycle of destruction with their inactivity and ignorance. So yes, son, you are right -- humans are stupid and you are right for hating us."
This is what I may have said to my son, if he wasn't only a six year old and I didn't think that already having war and destruction of the environment on his mind is too much for his growing consciousness. I don't want him to turn into a misanthrope, to be angry and disillusioned. So far, aside from his occasional outburst such as this one, he is a jolly curious passionate character and I want him to continue being excited about life and to have hope. So instead of my hardened realist tirade, I continued hugging him and told him that even though I cannot know for sure, I hope that some humans are not so stupid or are smartening up and waking up and that there will be more and more of these people and that eventually humans will find a way of saving their world, and use their intelligence, emotional and spiritual resources, as well as technology, to clean up their environment, while starting to treat each other and the animals with care and respect. This idealistic response served the job of calming my son down and once my husband and my daughter re-joined us, the tears were dry and we managed to at least partially enjoy our evening within our privileged convivial atmosphere.
This was about nine months ago now, but I keep going back to that day, as a crucial moment in my life, when I felt the deep resonance of the question 'What legacy will we leave for our children?' on my own skin. While each emotionally and mentally adjusted parent will always strive to do the best for his/her child, in the context of a global crisis we are facing, it is not enough anymore to focus on the personal welfare (be that of a family or a small group like community or nation) without considering our collective interests as a species.
As this metaphorical festival memory will always remind me, technology has made sure that no paradise on this planet can be shielded from wider world problems. We cannot cocoon ourselves and our children from global issues, as our awareness of them has been expanding exponentially since the invention of the Internet and children get exposed to them at a younger and younger age. Even if we manage to block ourselves and our children off informationally, thereby decreasing the potentially negative psychological affects, we will still be exposed to the consequences of global problems, be that a threat of carcinogenic pollution or the risk of flooding due to global warming or a danger of a terrorist attack.
Our ignorance will not save us from global challenges, it will actually exacerbate the problems further as personal complacency translates to collective complacency, which is precisely what led us to the state that we are in. Driven by personal goals and interests, humans are causing havoc as a whole. Even though humanity has much to celebrate, especially in terms of its artistic, scientific, technological achievements, with all this fanfare we are actually self-destructing as a species, as well as putting other species and our planet under a huge risk.
While exposing the ill-doings of the current world power as well as fighting these powers through civic action, are extremely important elements on the path towards a just and peaceful world, they are not in themselves enough. The roots of the global crisis are deeply embedded in all of us -- in our spirituality, philosophy and psychology, that are formed by our education and culture. Anyone who's interested in changing the trajectory of human development from the destructive path must also look within and examine their own consciousness for memes which have a potential to lead to actions harmful to the wellbeing of all.
Collective interests of humanity are rarely considered during decision-making in the executive boardrooms or governmental headquarters. At best, figures of power act to reflect interests of small groups that sustain their welfare, i.e. shareholders, lobby groups, sponsors. Most of us, even without any power, are still tribal creatures, who prioritise and value our tribes (as long as it satisfies our needs and wants), even if it is done at the expense of the well-being of other tribes. In order to overcome our global crisis, we need to start shifting towards a more transcendental consciousness, where we place our allegiances with humanity at large, rather than with individual groups of our favoured nationality, religion, race, class, etc. This is not a fanciful idealistic position, it's actually a highly realist pragmatic stance, which we need to adopt, if we want to survive as a species.
Moral relativists argue that we cannot have universal moral truths on which we can all agree, as all ideas of good and evil are relative to social, cultural, historical or personal circumstances. In the context of the current global crisis, surely all humans could agree on one good: saving our planet and our species. However, genuine change is not going to happen overnight, it can take generations. The complexity of the global crisis and the long-term time span of a possible solution can prevent many from wanting to engage in pressing global issues. After all, why give up on our own lives, especially if they happen to be in the first world, for the sake of something, which might or might not happen after we are gone? With good luck, the Earth will still exist by the time our grandchildren grow up, even if it's going to be more polluted, and there will be fewer varieties of living beings. Why give up on one's own pursuit of happiness and success, the values which western culture encourages in us above all others, for the sake of abstract seemingly-unachievable universal good?
A prominent US positive psychologist Mihaly Csiksentmihalyi, who has dedicated his life to promoting individual happiness via his concept of flow (a highly focused mental creative state), at the peak of his career has argued that "only active and conscious participation in the evolutionary process of humanity can fill our life with meaning and joy", implying that anyone who's searching for one's own individual happiness without taking into account collective human destiny is bound to be disappointed, forever accompanied by a hidden sense of dissatisfaction. He also argued that alongside addressing injustices, fighting oppression, exploitations and inequalities, human beings should work on evolving their own consciousness.
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Reprinted from Campaign For America's Future
Regulators recently rejected plans from five too-big-to-fail banks, saying they haven't found a way to go bankrupt without relying on taxpayers to bail them out. If they can't fix it, they're supposed to be broken up.
So why are we suddenly debating the very concept of "too big to fail" instead?
If that debate sometimes seem complicated -- well, maybe some people want it that way. But the problems these regulators identified are plain enough.
'Til Death Do Us Part
Five big banks -- JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Bank of New York Mellon, Wells Fargo, and State Street -- received failing grades from U.S. regulators in the design of their "living wills." Those are the banks' plans to dissolve themselves in an orderly fashion if they begin to collapse into bankruptcy.
Two regulators, the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, issued their "living will" determinations jointly for the first time. One of the two agencies also gave a failing grade to Morgan Stanley. The other failed Goldman Sachs. Citigroup passed with "shortcomings."
The FDIC chair issued a celebratory statement about the findings. But vice chair Thomas Hoenig, who had a ringside seat at the 2008 crisis as a senior Fed official, said that the plans showed that none of the too-big-to-fail banks were "capable of being resolved in an orderly fashion through bankruptcy." He added:
"The goal to end 'too big to fail' and protect the American taxpayer by ending bailouts remains just that: only a goal."
Suddenly, A Controversy
Why aren't people talking about this? Instead there are those who would rather re-litigate the whole question of "too big to fail." Why?
Here's one reason: Sen. Bernie Sanders (disclosure: I work for Sanders' Democratic presidential campaign) has called for breaking up the big banks, and supporters of candidate Hillary Clinton are pushing back. There are undoubtedly others.
Paul Krugman argues that "shadow banks" like the insurer AIG and Lehman Brothers, along with other "non-Wall Street institutions," are the real problem, and that they are outside the scope of a "too big to fail" solution. (Clinton herself has taken the same position.)
Barney Frank attempts to turn the judicious remarks of too-big-to-fail critics into some sort of admission of failure, arguing that their willingness to evaluate each case rather than arbitrarily set a maximum bank size is somehow an admission that "the central question of how big is' 'too big' is too hard to answer."
Andrew Ross Sorkin of The New York Times even says that "generalists," including judges, are incapable of determining whether an institution is too big to fail or not.
Too Complicated to Understand?
Reprinted from Campaign For America's Future
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) went dormant in Congress after election season began. It became clear that the public despises our country's corporate-dominated "trade deals" that let companies just lay people off and close factories here to take advantage of conditions in countries that allow people and the environment to be exploited. Candidates who could sense which way the wind was blowing told voters they oppose TPP, and Congress dropped it -- for now.
But now people who follow these things are hearing more and more talk behind the scenes that indicate corporate America is going to try to push TPP through in the "lame duck" Congressional session after the elections. This is a session in which the old Congress, consisting of the ones who might have gotten voted out minus new ones who just got voted in, and the re-elected incumbents who won't be up for re-election for two more years can sneak things past the public with little or no accountability.
Last month Bloomberg's Tatiana Darie, in "Backers of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact pin hopes on lame-duck Congress," wrote about this:
"'I think we'll probably get it through, but it's shaky,' Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican, said in an interview. 'It will probably have to be after the elections. I think we have a better chance to passing it after, but we'll see' what Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wants to do, he said. "McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, has indicated plans not to pursue it 'certainly before the election,' leaving the door open to a vote in the lame-duck session, according to trade analysts. "[...] Business groups are 'going to put a lot of pressure on McConnell to make sure this doesn't fall through, and they have influence,' said Julian Zelizer, a presidential historian at Princeton University. "[...] Lawmakers fearing a voter backlash may be more apt to stay quiet on the issue through Election Day and take controversial votes during the lame-duck session, which can last as long as a month after the election and before a new Congress convenes in January, according to Bloomberg Intelligence."
Monday's Inside Trade newsletter (subscription), had a story, "Obama Signals TPP To Move Forward After Election Cycle Ends":
"President Obama this week said the prospects for congressional approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership will be best after the election season ends, signaling that the White House still believes it can successfully navigate political headwinds and push the trade agreement through Congress this year. "'And with respect to Congress and Trans-Pacific Partnership, I think after the primary season is over the politics settle down a little bit in Congress, and we'll be in a position to start moving forward,' Obama said on Sunday (April 24) in Germany at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. 'But I think we all know that elections can sometimes make things a little more challenging, and people take positions, in part, to protect themselves from attacks during the course of election season.'"
Where Obama says here that people running for office "take positions, in part, to protect themselves from attacks during the course of election season," he means they lie and tell voters that they are against TPP, but they intend to vote for TPP after we've voted for them. Nice.
Tuesday The Hill reported that the head of the huge corporate lobbying group, the Chamber of Commerce, expects this to happen. "Chamber's Donohue: TPP vote likely after the elections":
"A top U.S. business leader expects a vote on a massive Asia-Pacific trade agreement after the November elections. "U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue said Monday that election-year pressures will force the Senate to vote on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) during a lame-duck session to protect several vulnerable Republican incumbents."
Translation: they understand that the voters hate it, but the giant corporations want it, so they will try to push a vote after the election to "protect" politicians from the voters. And what the Chamber of Commerce "expects" of Congress usually happens.
Russ Baker
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My guest today is Russ Baker, forensic journalist, author and founder of WhoWhatWhy.
JB: Welcome back to OpEdNews, Russ! On April 5th, you posted an article entitled: Newsflash: Sanders's Strength of Character Hurt His Campaign. I'm puzzled by the headline. What can you tell us about it, Russ?
RB: Well, Joan, the essence of the headline was that Sanders may have harmed his potential as a candidate by choosing, in certain instances, to do something that he perceived to be right rather than what was most expedient. That was the buried point in an interesting New York Times article, and I thought it important enough to highlight, lest it get missed. Now that we're past the New York Primary, and we see how well Hillary Clinton did among the Times' traditional constituency, there's no question in my mind that the Times failed to really focus on fundamental moral and ethical differences between the candidates, and thereby did real damage to Sanders.
JB: Fascinating to think that something as simple as that could make such a difference in the voting. I'd like to hear more, please.
RB: From my interactions with voters, I found that Clinton backers were not really differentiating between the candidates on their personal nature, their very real decisions and philosophical cores, their historical allies and funders. They were so singularly focused on a few talking points -- first woman president, fuzzy good vibe around the Clintons in their mind, the general notion (unconnected to actual policy or behavior in office) that she is somehow especially well prepared for the job, a vague unease with Sanders and his backers (too radical somehow, too impractical), that nothing else really entered into it. But the point the Times made, albeit very buried, was that Sanders had failed to seize on some key opportunities to damage Clinton and stand further apart from her, though he could have -- because of his own essential decency.
JB: In a perfect world, if you were called in to advise the Sanders campaign at this late date, how would you change how they're running it? Let's keep in mind that no one, and I mean no one, expected him to still be in the running at this point and putting up a darn good fight.
RB: Not sure there is much more he can do at this late date. If he had really gone full frontal to educate people on Hillary Clinton's deep investiture in the global arms trade racket (which is made clear in an important new documentary-- albeit too late to matter), and how her main legacy as secretary of state may have been agitating for new wars, he would have done irreparable damage to her candidacy. I guess he's ambivalent, based on the usual "lesser of evils" balancing.
Hillary Clinton
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JB: What can his supporters do, Russ? Are we all out in the cold, stuck with an unpalatable, perhaps soon to combust candidate?
RB: I think that Sanders and his supporters play a useful role by continuing to bring up substantive matters, to, if you will, remain the conscience of their party. The longer they remain active, the more of an impact they have on the discussion. We can see that with the New York Times Magazine's ' (very belated) piece on Clinton's astonishing hawkishness, and how deep-seated it is. These are the kinds of issues Sanders brought up long ago in debate, some of which took a long time to gain traction. Plus, they could make for a very exciting convention. Virtue combined with persistence has incalculable value.
JB: Scant comfort.... On another front, I just read that while Bernie lost in NY state, he won 50 of the 62 counties, some by large margins, and therefore picked up a sizable number of delegates. Admittedly, that doesn't include NYC, which has a large proportion of the population. But why do the media not mention this noteworthy fact - or even that Bernie did far better in NY than Obama did in 2008 against Clinton? There's no nuance, no context. Isn't it news? And why hasn't there been much talk about the massive voter disenfranchisement mess in NYC, particularly Brooklyn, where whole blocks disappeared from the voting rolls? That's certainly news. Or is it? I'm so confused!
RB: At WhoWhatWhy, we have published numerous articles on the media's blatant failure to accurately or properly cover the Sanders campaign. (See for example this and this .) Many developments that could have been interpreted as signs of strength and success have been ignored or buried. Had the media covered these, they would have created a "success" aura around the campaign that would have logically generated additional momentum. The failure to highlight the kinds of things you're talking about here is a perfect example. It's why we started our news organization in the first place -- because we so badly need a whole new media.
JB: Agreed. And I'm grateful for WhoWhatWhy - and the work we do at OpEdNews, while we're at it. Let's talk about one more aspect of this whole Democratic race. The press and the Clinton campaign have been quick to note that Bernie's campaign has gone negative. Is this also semantics, slant, bias or something else I didn't mention? Where does aggressively making points leave off and running a negative campaign begin? Also, where does the Republican primary race fit in with this? From the tenor of the debates to various candidates' statements to the coverage of the issues, it's as if we're inhabiting two different and distinct universes. Your thoughts, Russ?
RB: The term "negative campaigning" is just another in a long list of essentially meaningless concepts that imply morality but are by design misused. The fact is, a campaign is for candidates to show who they are, and to distinguish themselves from their competitors. Merely stating views, without pointing out -- aggressively -- where candidates disagree, is not a public service.
I've never seen Sanders making gratuitous attacks on Clinton. In fact, if anything, I think he's been either too much of a nice guy or even perhaps too afraid of being labeled a "negative campaigner." There was and still is so much to be said about Hillary Clinton, her life, views and actions, that the public ought to know in making up their minds.
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Chanukah and Christmas as we approach a Trump presidency The bad news is that the world is not yet redeemed, and our religions have at times acted more like the oppressors than like the embodiments of the liberatory humanitarian loving energy they set out to embody. The good news is that there are many people in both of these religions who are capable of reclaiming the hopeful and loving and justice-oriented instincts. Saturday, December 24, 2016The bad news is that the world is not yet redeemed, and our religions have at times acted more like the oppressors than like the embodiments of the liberatory humanitarian loving energy they set out to embody. The good news is that there are many people in both of these religions who are capable of reclaiming the hopeful and loving and justice-oriented instincts.
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What's Really Best for Israel? Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump went before AIPAC this year and pandered to those who blindly support Israel's hard-line policies, but Bernie Sanders's more evenhanded approach is better for Israel, says Rabbi Michael Lerner. Saturday, May 28, 2016Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump went before AIPAC this year and pandered to those who blindly support Israel's hard-line policies, but Bernie Sanders's more evenhanded approach is better for Israel, says Rabbi Michael Lerner.
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Bernie: Create a Tea Party off the Left Within the Democratic Party Now But there is something you can do, and it's not to get a few planks put on the Democratic Platform that will immediately be ignored, as all the party platforms always are, immediately after their conventions are over. What you can do is organize a force within the Democratic Party that has the same determination to change the direction of that party as the Tea Party had within the Republican Party. Wednesday, April 27, 2016But there is something you can do, and it's not to get a few planks put on the Democratic Platform that will immediately be ignored, as all the party platforms always are, immediately after their conventions are over. What you can do is organize a force within the Democratic Party that has the same determination to change the direction of that party as the Tea Party had within the Republican Party.
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Save the Pope's Radical Prophetic Message from Media Trivialization Recognizing the Pope's prophetic role at this historical moment doesn't mean that we can't also urge him to rethink the Church's stance on women, on homosexuals, on abortion, and on birth control. We must do what we can to bring his radical message to the attention of a society whose media are already hearing a trivialization of the Pope's message as they try to transform him into the world's latest momentary celebrity. Sunday, September 27, 2015Recognizing the Pope's prophetic role at this historical moment doesn't mean that we can't also urge him to rethink the Church's stance on women, on homosexuals, on abortion, and on birth control. We must do what we can to bring his radical message to the attention of a society whose media are already hearing a trivialization of the Pope's message as they try to transform him into the world's latest momentary celebrity.
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We All Should Be Repenting for the Suffering of the Refugees The economic catastrophe led many to flee the violence of gangs and the hunger that US policies had created for millions of people in the global south. To escape that condition, millions risked their lives to get to the US where eager employers could use them to break the backs of trade unions, guaranteeing wages would remain depressed even as the rich and their corporations were going through ever new financial booms. Thursday, September 10, 2015The economic catastrophe led many to flee the violence of gangs and the hunger that US policies had created for millions of people in the global south. To escape that condition, millions risked their lives to get to the US where eager employers could use them to break the backs of trade unions, guaranteeing wages would remain depressed even as the rich and their corporations were going through ever new financial booms.
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Baltimore Riots Against Police Violence--Tikkun and the Baptists Response Police violence, particularly though not only against African Americans, requires immediate and forceful response at every level of our society. People should be protesting in the streets of our country wherever an ethical consciousness has not yet been snuffed out by cynicism, surplus powerlessness, indifference, or inability to focus due to mind-destroying absorption in the distractions that abound in cyberspace, the media Tuesday, April 28, 2015Police violence, particularly though not only against African Americans, requires immediate and forceful response at every level of our society. People should be protesting in the streets of our country wherever an ethical consciousness has not yet been snuffed out by cynicism, surplus powerlessness, indifference, or inability to focus due to mind-destroying absorption in the distractions that abound in cyberspace, the media
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Israel Faces Moses's Demand to Pharaoh The racist dishonesty of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has challenged Judaism's humanistic principles, as many young Jews will now flip the Passover script, putting the Palestinians in the position of Moses demanding "Let my people go" -- or give them the vote in one state, writes Rabbi Michael Lerner. Friday, March 27, 2015The racist dishonesty of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has challenged Judaism's humanistic principles, as many young Jews will now flip the Passover script, putting the Palestinians in the position of Moses demanding "Let my people go" -- or give them the vote in one state, writes Rabbi Michael Lerner.
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The Militarists and Haters Win in Israeli Elections Though the Israeli president has said he will ask for a government of national unity, it will be unity around the policies which Netanyahu put out clearly in the last days of the election: No Palestinian state, no deal that would allow Iran to develop nuclear energy, no willingness to count Arab Israelis as "real Israelis." Wednesday, March 18, 2015Though the Israeli president has said he will ask for a government of national unity, it will be unity around the policies which Netanyahu put out clearly in the last days of the election: No Palestinian state, no deal that would allow Iran to develop nuclear energy, no willingness to count Arab Israelis as "real Israelis."
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Benjamin Netanyahu's Fantasy World Netanyahu's speech to Congress was brilliantly deceitful because it played to the fantasies that Israeli propaganda and right wing militarists in the United States have been popularizing for the past thirty years. Wednesday, March 4, 2015Netanyahu's speech to Congress was brilliantly deceitful because it played to the fantasies that Israeli propaganda and right wing militarists in the United States have been popularizing for the past thirty years.
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Making Thanksgiving Real Taking time to give thanks for all that we have -- our lives, our health, the incredibly awesome universe in which we live, the love that we have in our lives -- all this deserves genuine thanks. Yet celebrating our many blessings should not preclude us from addressing the pressing need for healing and transforming the world. Thursday, November 27, 2014Taking time to give thanks for all that we have -- our lives, our health, the incredibly awesome universe in which we live, the love that we have in our lives -- all this deserves genuine thanks. Yet celebrating our many blessings should not preclude us from addressing the pressing need for healing and transforming the world.
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Mourning for a Judaism Being Murdered by Israel Please don't be silent when rabbis refuse to acknowledge their idol-worship and their blind support for Israeli policies. Insist that they take into account when judging Palestinians the psychologically and ethically destructive impact of living under Occupation. Tuesday, August 5, 2014Please don't be silent when rabbis refuse to acknowledge their idol-worship and their blind support for Israeli policies. Insist that they take into account when judging Palestinians the psychologically and ethically destructive impact of living under Occupation.
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Israel: Stop the Invasion of Gaza, Stop the Bombing of Gaza, Free the Palestinian Prisoners But not only is the war stupid from the standpoint of Jewish self-interest, it is also immoral in the extreme. None of this would have happened if Israel had been serious about negotiating an end to the Occupation. But as Prime Minister Netanyahu made clear in his press conference last week, he never intends to give the Palestinian people an independent state of their own. Friday, July 18, 2014But not only is the war stupid from the standpoint of Jewish self-interest, it is also immoral in the extreme. None of this would have happened if Israel had been serious about negotiating an end to the Occupation. But as Prime Minister Netanyahu made clear in his press conference last week, he never intends to give the Palestinian people an independent state of their own.
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Nelson Mandela: A Jewish Perspective Jews love and loved Nelson Mandela. He inspired us with his insistence that the old regime of apartheid would crumble more quickly and fully when faced with revolutionary love and compassion than when faced with anger and violence. Mandela also challenged us to think deeply about whether the current situation in Israel/Palestine reflects the ethic of compassion that is so central to Judaism. Saturday, December 7, 2013Jews love and loved Nelson Mandela. He inspired us with his insistence that the old regime of apartheid would crumble more quickly and fully when faced with revolutionary love and compassion than when faced with anger and violence. Mandela also challenged us to think deeply about whether the current situation in Israel/Palestine reflects the ethic of compassion that is so central to Judaism.
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How to Slow Down the Rush to War: What Obama Should Do About Syria The tragic dilemma we now face is that the murderous Assad regime in Syria should have been overthrown long ago, but the U.S. has no moral standing or credibility to be the agent of that overthrow. Monday, September 9, 2013The tragic dilemma we now face is that the murderous Assad regime in Syria should have been overthrown long ago, but the U.S. has no moral standing or credibility to be the agent of that overthrow.
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How to Stand in Solidarity with African Americans this weekend After Trayvon Martin I'm writing to YOU to urge you to either come with me on Sunday or go to a nearer African American church this Sunday and let the African American community in your neighborhood or town know that they are not alone, that we understand their fear and stand in solidarity with them. No matter where you came out on the Zimmerman trial, you can still stand in solidarity with African Americans, support them in their grief... Friday, July 19, 2013I'm writing to YOU to urge you to either come with me on Sunday or go to a nearer African American church this Sunday and let the African American community in your neighborhood or town know that they are not alone, that we understand their fear and stand in solidarity with them. No matter where you came out on the Zimmerman trial, you can still stand in solidarity with African Americans, support them in their grief...
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Trayvon Martin: A Jewish Response Where is there justice in a world in which so many people suffer oppression and in which those who choose to use violence as a way to address and deal with their hatred and fear often seem to triumph? Jewish theology holds that there is a karmic order, so that evil actions will not always run the world. Justice and compassion are both essential to the survival of the planet. Sunday, July 14, 2013Where is there justice in a world in which so many people suffer oppression and in which those who choose to use violence as a way to address and deal with their hatred and fear often seem to triumph? Jewish theology holds that there is a karmic order, so that evil actions will not always run the world. Justice and compassion are both essential to the survival of the planet.
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Making Thanksgiving Meaningful Many families take a moment to go around the Thanksgiving table to ask each person to say what they are grateful for. But too often there are some hidden injunctions that weaken the meaning of this practice, like "don't talk for more than a sentence" or "be sure to say that you are grateful for something your parent, partner, child, etc. has done..." or "don't go beyond... Spiritual Progressives have a more expansive practice Thursday, November 22, 2012Many families take a moment to go around the Thanksgiving table to ask each person to say what they are grateful for. But too often there are some hidden injunctions that weaken the meaning of this practice, like "don't talk for more than a sentence" or "be sure to say that you are grateful for something your parent, partner, child, etc. has done..." or "don't go beyond... Spiritual Progressives have a more expansive practice
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In Praise of the American People It would do well for the political Left to put a lot more energy into publicly celebrating the fundamental goodness and decency shown by the American public in the November 2012 elections. It's time to rejoice in that and celebrate the core goodness and decency of all Americans. Monday, November 12, 2012It would do well for the political Left to put a lot more energy into publicly celebrating the fundamental goodness and decency shown by the American public in the November 2012 elections. It's time to rejoice in that and celebrate the core goodness and decency of all Americans.
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Praying With Our Feet at Occupy Oakland no movement is perfect, and we have our problems and distortions. But the key is to have compassion for our distortions, compassion for everyone including those who right now don't support us, and use this moment to thank the universe for the opportunity to overcome cynicism and fight for the world most people really want. Sunday, November 6, 2011no movement is perfect, and we have our problems and distortions. But the key is to have compassion for our distortions, compassion for everyone including those who right now don't support us, and use this moment to thank the universe for the opportunity to overcome cynicism and fight for the world most people really want.
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Praying With Our Feet At Occupy Oakland a powerful reaffirmation, celebration and manifestation of the life and love energy of the universe The tens of thousands of people who streamed through the various parts of the day were there to affirm life, to manifest love, and to challenge the injustice and unrighteousness of our economic and political system. And they did so with remarkable energy, creativity, beauty, and intelligence. Friday, November 4, 2011a powerful reaffirmation, celebration and manifestation of the life and love energy of the universe The tens of thousands of people who streamed through the various parts of the day were there to affirm life, to manifest love, and to challenge the injustice and unrighteousness of our economic and political system. And they did so with remarkable energy, creativity, beauty, and intelligence.
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Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121
"Rob Kall's book, Bottom-Up, offers a compelling vision of a way of being in the world, bringing insights from different cultures and fields together while offering concrete steps to make the vision a reality. This is one of the rare books that, once you read it, will change the way you see the world and your relationships."
Helena Norberg-Hodge, author of Ancient Futures, Producer and co-director of the film The Economics of Happiness, Founder of Local Futures and cofounder of the International Forum on Globalization
I like to think of myself as a rational human being. But there are a few things that drive me to irrationality simply by their frequency, duration, and in-your-face public display. In this case we are talking about the abuse of handicapped plates and stickers. (Okay, the other two are Justin Beiber and the electric slide.) I have written about this before and will probably write about it again.
There is nothing that drives me nuts more than watching a three-quarter ton pickup that needs a step ladder to enter and exit pull into a handicapped spot at Costco and then watch a twenty-something sprite dressed in cutoffs and a halter leap from the drivers seat and race in to pick up a couple more cases of beer for the boyfriend who is waiting with his speed boat down at the river. It and other abuses are so frequent that I have even stopped people in the parking lot and asked them if they are handicapped. Invariably, there is an embarrassed reply that the car/pickup/van is owned by Johns uncle or Sarahs grandmother, or Bills cousin none of whom are ever present or being transported. Or there is the belligerent response none of your effing business usually delivered by some hulk who looks like an interior lineman gone to seed.
The abuse of the handicapped designation is so bad that there was an article in The Oregonian a couple of years ago that noted that a casual walk around the streets near a downtown Portland health club found that nearly every single parking space available on the street was occupied by someone displaying a handicapped plate or sticker. (Parking fees are waved for the handicapped in Portland.) But in typical liberal fashion, the Oregonian didnt bemoan the proliferation of handicapped displays, or even the difficulty that it might impose on people with actual handicaps in trying to access downtown Portland no, the Oregonian was apoplectic about the loss of revenue to the city government. God knows you need to feed the beast.
Virtually anyone can get a handicapped designation. Its like medical marijuana there is always some doctor, chiropractor, acupuncturist or voodoo priest ready to sign the forms. And there is never anyone in law enforcement that actually checks neither the accuracy of the information nor the actual use of the designation thereafter. For state and local government it is simply a sop to demonstrate their concern for the handicapped. Beyond that there is the periodic ritual to renew their concern by increasing the fine for violations without ever increasing the budget for actual enforcement. What a joke.
But there is a solution to the problem. I call it the Full Employment Act of 2016. Its pretty simple (but asinine) and it recognizes the evolution of technology such that virtually every person has in their hands a movie camera equipped with date and time stamps a smart phone.
The legislature should authorize a new, independent, self-funded corps of misdemeanor bounty hunters. By simply amending the existing laws to allow bounty hunters to recover one-half of the fines levied, Oregon could create a cadre of good citizens willing to enforce the very laws that Oregons policy makers have said are important for the safety of our handicapped and to ensure access to public activities by those same handicapped Oregonians. Of course, the fines for handicap parking violations probably ought to be increased to the same level as littering (up from $1000 to $6250) to recognize that people are at least as important as candy wrappers and Big Gulp containers.
Just think of the opportunities. Youre sitting in the parking lot at Target thinking about dinner and a movie but knowing that your budget is too tight. Bingo, there goes a guy in Golds Gym T-shirt, muscles bulging, and making the high-climb alone into an SUV parked in a handicap spot sure he has a handicap sticker but so does everybody else and there isnt anyone with a handicap in the vehicle. Grab the smart phone, start the video showing the offenders face, license plate, and a cab empty but for him. Then click/click an email to the Oregon State Police and you are $3,125 richer. (For those of you forced to endure a teachers union led education in the Portland public schools, $3,125 is one-half of the $6,250 fine proposed above.) In fact, some enterprising fourteen-year old can probably cobble together an app that lets you do all of this and order the pizza and the movie tickets right from the same app.
This is a liberals dream solution. First and most important, the increased revenues give government more opportunity to waste money. Second, it does not require any active law enforcement participation (we dont want to put more officers on the street for fear of offending some special interest group). Third, it encourages busybodies to tell others what to do. Fourth, it encourages citizens to spy on each other we could even call these volunteers something like the Red Brigade.
And fifth, it creates the kind of jobs liberals love show up when you want, quit when you want, and drink and smoke when you want without fear of supervisors. It would be like a progressives utopia well, like a Portland.
Or, you could simply enforce the laws you have already passed and clear the decks of the cheaters, malingerers, and free-ride remoras. But that would alienate a goodly portion of the liberals voting base.
All is not calm in the cosmos. Credit: ESA/Hubble and NASA, CC BY
The hustle and bustle of daily life is a stark contrast to the tranquility of the night sky.
The stars are the same, year after year. So much so that many of the very names we use for the stars and constellations are thousands of years old. Ancient Greek and Arabic astronomers had almost exactly the same view of the heavens that we have today: the stars do not seem to change.
But this is a lie.
We now know that the night sky is a seething, bubbling tableau. Look up, and unseen by your eye a vast number of stars are erupting, exploding or being torn apart.
How can the universe be so tumultuous, when it seems so peaceful? Because with our limited human vision we see only the tiny brightest tip of what the cosmos has to offer. Look deeper, and violence abounds.
Stars are far from static
A growing number of astronomers now devote their careers to what is known as "time-domain astronomy" the search for celestial bodies that appear, disappear or change with time. The goal is to catch stars in the very act of brightening or fading, and to use these changes to learn more about the cosmos.
Flashes and flares in the sky usually represent catastrophic releases of energy, under conditions far more extreme than we could ever hope to reproduce in laboratories here on Earth. To see the sky change is to open a window into exotic and fundamental physics that we could never otherwise study.
An aerial view of the Murchison Widefield Array, which has a drastically wider view of the sky than any telescope thats come before. Credit: Murchison Widefield Array
The catch is that time-domain astronomy is a cosmic guessing game, with seemingly impossible odds stacked against us.
Where to focus our shared sights
The fundamental problem is that we don't know in advance where the next change in the heavens is going to happen. So even if we look at the sky all the time, chances are we won't be looking in the right place.
For example, suppose that once a night, somewhere in the universe, a star abruptly ends its life in a colossal supernova explosion. We would very much like to see this happen, but we cannot possibly know which of billions of stars will be the next to go.
Maybe we should just stare through our telescopes, night after night, and hope for the best? Unfortunately, most modern telescopes have tiny fields of view, so it's almost certain that we will always be looking in the wrong direction. The Hubble Space Telescope, arguably the most powerful telescope ever built, has a field of view that covers just 0.000008 percent of the sky at any one time. Patiently point Hubble in a random direction once every 24 hours, hoping that you'll see the one supernova in the universe that happened to occur that night, and you'll average tens of thousands of years before you're lucky enough to catch one in the act.
Astronomers have thus had to come up with a range of clever solutions, all aimed at dealing with the vastness of the sky, and geared toward finding the needle in the cosmic haystack.
A star quakes massive blast of energy. Credit: NASA, CC BY
Perhaps unique in all fields of research, astronomy is built on strong partnerships between amateurs and professionals. Thousands of amateurs patrol the skies with their own modest-sized telescopes night after night, looking for anything unusual. With so many eyes on the sky at once, the chances of quickly finding any changes in the heavens are pretty good.
Astronomers have also built new types of telescopes, with spectacular fish-eye lens capabilities to image enormous swaths of the sky at once. For example, the forthcoming Large Synoptic Survey Telescope will utilize a 3,200-megapixel camera to provide a field of view more than 3,000 times larger than that of Hubble. And a new radio telescope, the Murchison Widefield Array, has a view of the sky larger than Hubble's by a factor of 500,000. While we will still not know exactly where to look to see the next explosion or disruption, the odds are greatly increased when you're looking through a massively wide-angle lens.
Once an astronomer finds something unexpected in the sky, the most urgent thing is to let everyone else know too, so that they can also study it before it fades away.
Sophisticated electronic alert networks have thus been developed, which allow any registered user to instantly notify everyone else as to what they've seen and where to look. The truly dedicated sleep with their phones by their beds, ready to be awakened by an automatic alert calling them to action.
Upon receiving such an alert, astronomers will swing their telescopes to the relevant patch of the sky, eager to capture their own contribution to the aftermath of the event before it fades away. Every day, a global game of "whack-a-mole" takes place as these alerts crisscross the globe and call stargazers to action.
Accumulating fiery findings
What have we learned from time-domain astronomy?
We have seen colossal distant star quakes, releasing more energy than the sun can produce in a quarter of a million years. We have seen stars cry out their final farewell in a flash of light as they fall into the maw of a giant black hole. We have seen invisible noodle-like tubes of gas, drifting in front of galaxies, flaring and distorting their light like a funhouse mirror. And we have borne witness to the birth cries of newborn black holes, formed when a star's nuclear furnace shuts down and gravity takes over.
The universe is a dynamic, violent, exciting place. We have begun a heady new era, in which the sky changes in real time as we watch with amazement.
Explore further Why is the night sky black?
Source: The Conversation
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Elementary particle strip sensor with a size of 15 cm x 10 cm in the center of the wafer. Credit: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
Ninety-five percent of the universe is still considered unexplored. Scientists at CERN, the world's largest particle physics research center, located in Geneva, are working on solving these mysteries. In May 2012, researchers there discovered the so-called Higgs Boson, whose prediction won Peter Higgs and Francois Englert the Nobel prize in physics. One of the things CERN scientists are researching at the moment is dark matter: Although it may well have five times the mass of visible matter in the universe, this extent can only be indirectly proved. With a bit of luck, CERN will also succeed in generating dark matter.
A unique sensor chip can contribute to proving the existence of dark matter: It is eight inches or 15 cm x 10 cm and was developed jointly by Infineon Technologies Austria and the Austrian Academy of Sciences' Institute of High Energy Physics (HEPHY). Tens of thousands of these silicon components could be used at CERN in the near future. They are not only more economical to produce than previous sensors, which measured up to six inches. The components also stand up better to constant radiation and thus age slower than the previous generation. Planned experiments will scarcely be possible without resistant sensors.
The experiments at CERN are analyzing the structure of matter and the interplay among elementary particles: Protons are accelerated almost to the speed of light and then made to collide, giving rise to new particles whose properties can be reconstructed with various detectors. "In particle physics and cosmology, there are many questions that are still open and to which mankind still has no answer," says Dr. Manfred Krammer, head of the Experimental Physics Department at CERN. "To make new advances in these areas, we need a new generation of particle sensors. Cooperation with high-tech companies like Infineon allows us to develop the technologies we need for that."
Elementary particle strip sensor with a size of 15 cm x 10 cm. Credit: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
As tall as an apartment building and 100 meters below ground
Two of the detectors for which the use of the Infineon sensors is currently being tested are named ATLAS (A Toroidal LHC Apparatus) and CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid). Particle physics experiments are huge cameras: When particles penetrate the silicon detectors, it registers them. With twenty meters (ATLAS) respectively fifteen meters (CMS) height both experiments are located 100 meters below ground. They have been in almost round-the-clock operation for years, carrying out 40 million individual experiments each second. The two sides are currently discussing possible production of chips with a total area of up to 1,000 m.
But researchers need a great deal of persistence. "It may take generations for the basic research to change everyday life," says Andreas Urschitz, head of the Power Management & Multimarket Division at Infineon Technologies AG. "That mustn't keep people from research. Without Marie Curie, we wouldn't have the X-ray, and without Maxwell, we wouldn't have cell phones." Marie Curie coined the term "radioactivity" in 1898. James Clerk Maxwell's equations, with which the Scottish physicist described electromagnetism between 1861 and 1864, are already 150 years old.
The technology developed for CERN could help cancer patients in less than ten years: Several groups of researchers are currently testing proton computed tomography. The medical imaging procedure is based on the same fundamentals as the chip technology for CERN. Large silicon detectors like the ones Infineon and HEPHY are developing could supply tomographic images during therapeutic radiation. This would better determine the position of the tumor, allowing less damage to be done to healthy tissue than is possible with conventional X-rays. It would reduce the radiation load by a factor of 40.
One end-cap of the CMS tracker is opened during installation work. Credit: CERN
irst half of CMS inner tracker barrel. Credit: CERN
Explore further Higgs particle can disintegrate into particles of dark matter, according to new model
Provided by Infineon
Scripps scientists Lisa Levin and Carlos Neira preparing a sediment coring instrument for deployment on the seafloor. Credit: Scripps Oceanography/Christina Frieder
A new study found that vulnerability of deep-sea biodiversity to climate change's triple threat - rising water temperatures, and decreased oxygen, and pH levels - is not uniform across the world's oceans.
The analysis by researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California San Diego used responses to natural variation in temperature, oxygen, and pH to reveal that deep-sea biodiversity from Baja California to San Francisco may be highly susceptible to projected climate changes in the future.
Climate change is often thought of as a single environmental threat from increases in atmospheric CO2. However, multiple climate stressors, from ocean warming and acidification to low oxygen levels, are expected to result in cumulative impacts on marine life. The deep ocean, which covers more than 60 percent of Earth's surface, is a biodiversity hotspot at increased risk from climate change.
The National Science Foundation-funded study, published in the April 27 issue of the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, looked at how marine communities change across natural gradients to better understand the influence of the three climate stressors.
"These stressors are often under-appreciated threats to diversity and ecosystem health," said Scripps biological oceanographer Lisa Levin, the senior author of the study. "Yet, they raise questions about whether, and how, populations will adapt and which stressors are the primary drivers."
To untangle the impacts that these three climate stressors will have on seafloor diversity in the future, the researchers examined existing published data and collected new data on organisms living in deep-sea sediments in upwelling regions along continental margins, where the ocean and continental crusts meet along the seafloor. The researchers found that organisms from each ocean basin had its own unique threshold for the level and type of stressor it could tolerate.
The researchers found that diversity of marine life in the eastern Pacific Ocean is highly sensitive to declining oxygen levels, while CO2 levels were of importance to biodiversity in the Indian Ocean. Oxygen levels are falling throughout the world's oceans, and the decline is expected to have the greatest impact to biodiversity in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
"Global change affects so many different environmental aspects, and across such a range of conditions, that it can be difficult to study in the laboratory," said Erik Sperling, assistant professor of geological sciences at Stanford's School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences, lead author of the study, which was conducted while he was a postdoctoral researcher at Scripps. "In some sense nature has already run these experiments on continental margins, where sharp natural environmental gradients exist."
Continental margins cover over 11 percent of the world's oceans. They are considered biodiversity hotspots and play a major role in supporting commercially important fisheries. They are also considered the largest "carbon sink" of atmospheric carbon dioxide on Earth.
The results from the study can help better identify areas under the most stress, and to predict the regions most susceptible to future climate change.
Explore further Widespread loss of ocean oxygen to become noticeable in 2030s
More information: Erik A. Sperling et al, Biodiversity response to natural gradients of multiple stressors on continental margins, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2016). Journal information: Proceedings of the Royal Society B Erik A. Sperling et al, Biodiversity response to natural gradients of multiple stressors on continental margins,(2016). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.0637
Provided by University of California - San Diego
How to detect fungi? A fast method of detection of fungal infections has been developed at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, Poland. Credit: IPC PAS, Grzegorz Krzyzewski
Fungal infections are a serious problem in modern health care. A critical factor in their successful treatment is time: the faster they are detected, the more effectively dangerous infections can be prevented. At the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw a chemical sensor has been devised enabling the detection time of fungi to be shortened from the current couple of days to just a few minutes.
When it comes down to it, nearly every one of us is a walking time bomb for ourselves. Almost half the populationand practically all medical personnelare carriers of Candida fungus. These yeasts live in a delicate balance with our organisms, on the mucous membranes of the digestive tract and the urogenital system as well as the skin. But when this balance is disturbed, fungi begin expansive uncontrolled colonization. In extreme cases, rapidly developing infection can lead to a patient's death in just a few days. Meanwhile, at present, standard tests for the presence of fungi in a patient's body fluids take at least a dozen or so hours, and the results may be false positive or false negative. In the near future, physicians will have the chance to react much more rapidly and certainly with the appropriate antifungal therapythanks to the sensor devised at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IPC PAS) in Warsaw.
"The most important element of our sensor is a film of polymer selectively recognizing D-arabitol. It captures molecules of D-arabitol, a compound indicating the presence of fungi. The measurement takes only a few minutes, and the D-arabitol is detected with a high degree of certainty even in the presence of interfering substances with a similar molecular structure," says Prof. Wlodzimierz Kutner (IPC PAS).
The number of fungal infections is expected to steadily increase over the coming decades. These infections develop particularly frequently in people with impaired immunity, that is, in patients (especially those receiving immunosuppressive therapy or chemotherapy), and the elderly, whose percentage share in the community continues to grow. Appropriately early diagnosis takes on a key role here, the less troublesome it is for the patient, the more frequently and more quickly carried outthe better. Yeasts, unlike bacteria that can be combated by antibiotics, are eukaryotes, and so just like human cells they have cell nuclei and from a molecular (biochemical) point of view, they are very similar. Substances that are harmful to fungi therefore create havoc not only amongst fungi but also in the human cells. For this reason, drugs must be administered early, when the fungus is just beginning its conquest of the body. Unfortunately, at the initial stage of development of fungal disease, it is currently rarely possible to establish its true cause.
One of the markers of fungal disease is arabitol, a simple sugar alcohol. This compound occurs naturally in mammalian cells, where it is produced in two forms which are mirror images (enantiomers). In healthy humans these forms, known as D-arabitol and L-arabitol, are formed in roughly the same amounts. However, cells of Candida species produce only D-arabitol. The relative increase in the concentration of this enantiomer in body fluids can therefore herald infection.
D-arabitol can be detected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), plasma, and urine. From the diagnostic point of view, the best solution is the measurement of its concentration in urine. The test is then completely non-invasive and can be performed without any risk to even a newborn baby or a very ill person.
"The keyand I mean this almost literally!stage of devising of the sensor was to construct a polymer with molecular cavities of the appropriate shape and locations selectively recognizing D-arabitol. In other words, we had to invent and build a molecular lock, which would only fit one key: the D-arabitol molecule. The task was not easy, because L-arabitol, xylitol, and ribitol are molecules that are very, very similar to each other," explains PhD student Marcin Dabrowski (IPC PAS).
The polymer film with molecular cavities binding D-arabitol was prepared using the molecular imprinting technique. The process began by dissolving D-arabitol in acetonitrile. Then boric acid labeled with bithiophene, whose molecules bound to the D-arabitol in particular positions, was added to the solution. The bithiophene substituent permitted the electrochemical polymerization of the solution. A polymer film having a rigid structure was thus created, from which all that was needed was to rinse out the D-arabitol molecules to obtain a film with molecular cavities of the desired shape and properties.
The detection polymer films produced at the IPC PAS have a thickness of ca. 200 nanometers. They are deposited either on gold electrodes, or on quartz resonators. After immersing a sample taken from a patient in the solution, D-arabitol particles get stuck in the molecular cavities of the films and depending on the method of detection, either change the flow of current through a field-effect transistor having a gate connected to an electrode or the oscillation resonance frequency of a piezoelectric resonator.
"What is especially important here is the fact that the molecular cavities of our polymer do not capture molecules of other compounds that could generate false positive signals misleadingly indicating the presence of D-arabitol. The film is almost completely 'deaf' even to other isomers of arabitol, including those that differ from D-arabitol only by their optical properties," stresses Dabrowski.
The chemical sensors constructed at the IPC PAS using the technique of molecular imprinting have simple construction suitable for repeated use, and their production is trouble-free and inexpensive. In the future, they can be used not only in hospitals or physicians' offices, but even by patients themselves at home. Perhaps one day such sensors will be able to be installed in typical sanitary equipment. Analyses could then be carried out repeatedly during the day and in a completely non-invasive manner. One of the basic problems of modern medicine would then disappear: that of delayed diagnosis, carried out at the stage where, concerned about his symptoms, the patient himself sets out to consult a physician.
Explore further Detection of proteinswe know how to build better locks for chemical keys
More information: Marcin Dabrowski et al, Early diagnosis of fungal infections using piezomicrogravimetric and electric chemosensors based on polymers molecularly imprinted with d-arabitol, Biosensors and Bioelectronics (2016). Journal information: Biosensors and Bioelectronics Marcin Dabrowski et al, Early diagnosis of fungal infections using piezomicrogravimetric and electric chemosensors based on polymers molecularly imprinted with d-arabitol,(2016). DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2015.12.088
Neighborhoods are becoming less diverse and more segregated by incomebut only among families with children, a new study has found.
Study author Ann Owens, an assistant professor of sociology at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, examined census data from 100 major U.S. metropolitan areas, from Los Angeles to Boston. She found that, among families with children, neighborhood income segregation is driven by increased income inequality in combination with a previously overlooked factor: school district options.
For families with high income, school districts are a top consideration when deciding where they will live, Owens said. And for those in large cities, they have multiple school districts where they could choose to buy homes.
Income segregation between neighborhoods rose 20 percent from 1990 to 2010, and income segregation between neighborhoods was nearly twice as high among households that have children compared to those without.
For childless families, schools are not a priority for selecting a home, which, Owens said, likely explains the reason that they did not see a rise in the income gap or in neighborhood segregation.
"Income inequality has an effect only half as large among childless folks," said Owens, whose study will be published online on April 27 and in the June print edition of the American Sociological Review. "This implies that parents who have children see extra money as a chance to buy a home in a good neighborhood so that their kids may attend a good school."
She said the increased neighborhood income segregation that her study uncovered is a troubling sign for low-income families. Studies have shown that integrated learning environments are beneficial for children of disadvantaged households, and do no harm to children whose families have higher incomes.
"The growing income gap and increased economic segregation may lead to inequalities in children's test scores, educational attainment, and well-being," Owens said. "Neighborhood and school poverty are big drivers of low-income kids' poor educational outcomes, so rising income segregation perpetuates inequality and may reduce poor kids' mobility."
Since the No Child Left Behind Act went into effect in 2002, more data than ever have been made available on schools, the quality of their teachers, and their student achievement. It has given rise to a sense of competition and rankings. Owens said this increased focus on performance, plus having access to more information about schools, may have made school an even greater priority for parents.
Policymakers have been trying to address economic inequities through proposals such as wage increases, but based on the trend Owens found, they may have another option.
"If schools play an important role in residential segregation, then breaking that link and making it less important and sort of alleviating parents' concerns about where their kids are going to attend school would reduce income segregation," Owens said.
She recommended that educational leaders should consider redrawing boundaries to reduce the number and fragmentation of school districts in major metropolitan areas. They also should consider designing inter-district choice plans and strengthening current plans within districts to address inequities.
Changing school attendance policies could be "more feasible than reducing income inequality, raising the minimum wage, instituting metropolitan governance, or creating affordable housing stock to address residential segregation," Owens wrote.
Many researchers have argued that housing policy can drive education policy, but Owens wrote: "School policy can also be housing policy."
The study was funded by a grant (AE00101) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Owens said she is working on a similar study of racial segregation trends among households with and without children.
Explore further Study finds shifting gaps in educational attainment among students of different incomes
Provided by American Sociological Association
The European Commission received a complaint from US photo agency Getty Images, accusing Google Inc.'s web search of hurting its business
US photo agency Getty Images filed a complaint Wednesday with the European Commission accusing Google Inc.'s web search of hurting its business, opening a new front in the Internet giant's anti-competition fight with Brussels.
Brussels, which is already investigating Google over alleged anti-competitive practices linked to its free Android mobile operating system and its web search business, said it would look into the unfair competition complaint from Getty Images.
"The commission has received a complaint, which it will assess," a European Commission spokeswoman told AFP.
In the latest case, Getty Images accused Google of changing its search functions in 2013 to show galleries of copyrighted photos in high-resolution, large format. Until then, a Google search would only turn up low-resolution thumbnails of the pictures.
Once people had seen the high resolution, large format Getty photo on Google, they no longer had a reason to visit Getty's own site to view the image, said a statement by the photo agency, which has been a distribution partner of AFP since 2003.
"These changes have allowed Google to reinforce its role as the Internet's dominant search engine, maintaining monopoly over site traffic, engagement data and advertising spend," Getty Images general counsel Yoko Miyashita said in the statement.
' Promoted piracy'
"This has also promoted piracy, resulting in widespread copyright infringement, turning users into accidental pirates."
The European Commission is investigating Google over alleged anti-competitive practices linked to its free Android mobile operating system and its web search business
Getty said it had approached Google three years ago with its concerns.
"Google's proposed solution was no solution at all: accept its presentation of images in high-res format or opt out of image search. This would mean allowing the harm to continue, or becoming invisible on the Internet," it said.
Google Europe said it would not comment immediately on the case.
The European Union last week opened an anti-trust case against the US tech giant, saying it had abused its dominance of Android, the free operating software that runs 80 percent of the world's smartphones, by giving unfair prominence to its own apps, especially its search engine.
It was the second attack by the EU against Google after European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager last year formally charged the company with abusing its dominance of the search engine market in Europe.
The Silicon Valley titan's legal troubles may now be growing on the other side of the Atlantic, too.
Surging profits
The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the United States is looking into whether Android is giving an unfair advantage to Google offerings such as its search engine.
Federal Trade Commission staffers have met with companies in recent months about concerns that Alphabet-owned Google is abusing the dominant position of Android, according to the Journal.
Concerns at issue are similar to some targeted by European Union regulators, and the FTC is even interested in learning about evidence being used to back the case in Brussels, it reported.
Citing people familiar with the matter, the newspaper said the FTC's move extends a probe that began last year. Google and the FTC declined to comment on the report.
Google has sought to play down its anti-trust battle with the European Commission and stressed in a recent blog post that people who buy Android-powered devices can change applications such as "search" that are pre-loaded on devices.
Alphabet last week reported a 20-percent surge in net profit to $4.2 billion (3.7 billion euros) in the first quarter of this year.
Explore further US looks into Google edge on Android: report
2016 AFP
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Local police are investigating three suspected opioid overdose deaths in Warren County in less than a week, one apparently having been caused by a powerful painkiller that has been blamed for hundreds of fatalities across the nation.
The death of a man in his 20s in Lake George last week was suspected to have been caused by the drug Fentanyl, a potent prescription opiate that is sometimes mixed with heroin or snorted or injected on its own. Because it is used legally in a time-release fashion, overdose deaths occur when it is abused and the time-release element from a skin patch is bypassed.
They were mixing Fentanyl with (prescription anti-anxiety drug) Klonopin and injecting it, sheriffs Lt. Steve Stockdale said.
A 35-year-old Queensbury mans death last week was linked to heroin as well, and Glens Falls Police are investigating the death of a man in his 20s in a home Monday night that also appears drug-related.
The Glens Falls death is suspected to have been caused by opioids, but an autopsy to include toxicology tests was to be performed in the coming days, Glens Falls Police Detective Lt. Peter Casertino said. He said there was no indication that Fentanyl has played a role in any recent drug overdose deaths in Glens Falls, but abuse of prescription drugs by crushing and snorting or injecting them has become common.
Police in Washington County also responded to two suspected opioid overdose deaths in recent weeks.
David Saffer, executive director of the Council for Prevention in Hudson Falls, said there have been indications that Fentanyl is increasingly being abused by opioid users in the region. He said the state Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services issued a warning about the drug earlier this year.
It is being mixed with heroin, and some heroin users who dont know it is in the dose they are using have overdosed because of it, he said.
We have been hearing more about it the past couple of months, Saffer said. It is a very powerful drug.
Saffer said the recent deaths come at a time when the regions Hometown Vs. Heroin Coalition is nearly two years into an effort to raise awareness of the opioid abuse epidemic. Nineteen public forums have been held in an effort to educate the public about the dangers, along with numerous other policy, treatment and law enforcement changes.
All we can do is keep trying to get the message out, Saffer said. Its tough to get it to sink in.
QUEENSBURY Town representatives on the Warren County Board of Supervisors will invite their Glens Falls counterparts to meet to hammer out a joint proposal for restructuring representation of the countys two most populous municipalities.
It would be easier to go to the county and say, The city and town are together on this, said Queensbury at-large Supervisor Ron Montesi, at a joint workshop meeting of the Town Board and Queensbury at-large supervisors on Monday.
Any changes decided on would not be put in place for about five years, said at-large Supervisor Rachel Seeber, who has suggested having the towns four county-only supervisors each represent one ward, extending terms from two years to four and imposing term limits.
Queensbury at-large supervisors now are elected on a townwide basis.
Glens Falls has five part-time supervisors, one from each ward.
Fifth Ward Supervisor Matt McDonald has proposed the mayor be added as a city representative on the county Board of Supervisors.
Seeber said Warren County Attorney Brian Reichenbach concluded state law only allows changes to the boards weighted vote system and representation structure after a U.S. Census, making 2021 the earliest possible date a change could be made at the county level.
Reichenbach also concluded only the county board can change the towns representation structure, and the county cannot turn over jurisdiction to the town.
Seeber suggested scheduling a public forum on suggested changes.
I think that citizen input would be good for all of us to hear, she said.
Montesi said officials should wait to schedule a public forum until they agree with Glens Falls officials on a joint strategy.
I agree with you, he said, referring to Seebers suggestion of a public forum. But we all have to be on the same page first.
Seeber reiterated that basing representation on a ward basis would enable supervisors to specialize on neighborhood issues.
Youre closer to the people in the ward where you live, she said.
But Supervisor John Strough said the county board does not focus on neighborhood issues.
Im waiting for an argument thats compelling to change from an at-large system to a ward system, he said.
At-large Supervisor Matt Sokol said he does not see the logic for ward representation on the county board.
Seeber said being able to run in a ward, versus townwide, would be easier and less expensive.
Townwide you work hard, she said. You knock on a lot of doors. You raise thousands of dollars.
Queensbury 3rd Ward Councilman Doug Irish said changing to a ward basis would encourage more competition.
Candidates now run at large with up to four candidates from each party running against candidate slates from other parties, with the top four overall candidates elected.
Montesi, a Republican, said running on a ward basis could make it easier for Democrats to get elected.
If you run it by wards, it would help the Democrats more than it would help the Republicans, he said. Now if youre a Democrat, you have to beat four Republicans. With a ward system, its one-on-one.
Republicans have a heavy voter enrollment advantage in Queensbury.
The Town Board, separately, is considering extending the terms of town supervisor, town board members, highway superintendent and town clerk from two to four years, and putting term limits in place.
Strough said a public referendum is required to extend terms, but term limits could be imposed by the board passing a local law.
Referendums in 2000 to extend terms from two to four years were rejected 6,211 to 3,385 for town supervisor and board members; 5,853 to 3,898 for highway superintendent; and 5,125 to 4,517 for town clerk, Strough said.
Irish said there was little advocacy in 2000.
Sokol said term limits might be unfair because supervisors would not be able to reach the 10-year minimum to participate in the state retirement system.
Seeber said there is a national outcry for term limits.
We dont oppose the establishment in our area of residential centers for troubled youths, where young people who have struggled in public school or at home, or both, can work within a more structured academic and social setting.
Sometimes, youths in these centers have also gotten in trouble with the law and can be referred by the courts. Shipping them off to prison, even if its a juvenile detention center, often does nothing but make the problems worse. Early, constructive intervention in the lives of troubled youths improves the chances that they will grow up to be productive adults.
We dont oppose the establishment of these centers in our area, but we do oppose the haphazard implementation of half-baked plans, and from what we have seen so far from Andrew and Jesse Brand, that is a fair description of their project.
The Brands would buy a former summer camp in Hebron and transform it into an institution for youthful offenders who would attend Salem public school. They would start with 14 boys and eight girls, 13 to 18 years old. These would be youths with some interaction with the criminal justice system for alcohol and drug issues, fire-setting behaviors or sexual-offending behaviors.
Adding 22 troubled teens to Salems school system, which has 286 students in grades 7 through 12, would be significant but not overwhelming. With proper screening and support from the center, which the Brands intend to call Brand New Beginnings Youth Center, it would be a challenge that the school and the broader community could meet.
But the Brands, who are from Long Island and are cousins, have not shown they are capable of providing proper screening and support. The few presentations they have made to local officials have not inspired confidence.
They didnt really have anything ready, said Hebron Supervisor Brian Campbell, describing a meeting between the Brands and local officials.
The Brands have not worked professionally in this sort of facility, although they have done volunteer work with troubled youths, Jesse Brand said. They both have served in the military. Jesse Brand spent time himself in a center for troubled youths when he was a teen, which is how his interest in the work arose.
Were trying to help kids out, Jesse Brand said.
That is admirable, and we do not doubt his sincerity.
We are skeptical, however, whether the Brands are prepared for this large undertaking and capable of carrying it out.
Jesse Brand said he and his cousin have the money to buy the property in Hebron. They have a Facebook page with a photo of the property. They have a Gofundme account that has raised $155 of their $100,000 goal.
They have a page on the startup website gust.com that includes the following company summary:
We are two ex military personal that have seen adults being denied a chance to chase their dreams because of their actions as a youth and thought this had to stop. After my aunt whos Andrews mother passed away we started up this process in her memory. We have to this day closed our first 3 meetings to secure 40 of the 48 youth we can house. The rate we have been given is $610 dollars a day Per youth.
None of this inspires confidence, nor did our conversation with Jesse Brand, despite his sincerity.
A residential center for troubled youths has operated for decades in Lake Placid. It used to be called Camelot, and its residents attended the local public school. Now it is called Mountain Lake Academy and its residents about 40 boys and young men, 12 to 20 attend classes at the Mountain Lake campus. Its academic and social offerings are structured and targeted to the needs of its residents. A registered nurse oversees its medical department. A psychiatrist consults on campus, and therapists develop treatment plans for each resident. The academy partners with St. Josephs Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Center, which is licensed by the state to provide substance abuse services. In addition to academic classes, the academy runs vocational and community volunteer programs.
Not every residential center for troubled youths has to run its own private school, but in every case, opening such a center is a complex and ambitious undertaking for which good intentions are not sufficient.
For local people concerned about the impact of a residential center, the disorganized state of the Brands project could be a relief. The cousins appear to be far from making anything happen.
But if they do buy the property, get state approvals and bring in residents, then we hope they have, by then, a more coherent and comprehensive plan. If they do, and they present it to the community, they may win some of the local support that, so far, is in short supply. For such a project to succeed, the local community has to be a partner and not an adversary.
Local editorials represent the opinion of The Post-Star editorial board, which consists of Publisher Terry Coomes, Editor Ken Tingley, Projects Editor Will Doolittle, Controller/Operations Director Brian Corcoran and citizen representative Tom Portuese.
So much remained unknown that it was uncertain how the company would react, he said.
Mr Aikawa said he did not know why employees resorted to rigging fuel economy tests to make mileage figures seem better.Mitsubishi had repeatedly promised to come clean after a huge scandal 15 years ago that involved a systematic cover-up of vehicle defects.The inaccurate mileage tests involved 157,000 of its eK wagon and eK Space mini cars, and 468,000 Dayz and Dayz Roox vehicles produced for Nissan. All were sold in Japan only.
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Our biggest challenge on the X-Factor was ourselves. As much as we believed in ourselves, there were times we had to believe more. We had to rely on the team around us When the confidence grew, we went on to be better week after week. It gets to a point where the pressure is on. Physically, your body cant take it but mentally, thats what you need, Reggie said on Hitz FMs Daybreak Hitz on Wednesday.
It would be recalled that Reggie N Bollie were hit with numerous criticisms from different quarters during their days on the X-Factor show.
The backlash escalated when they made it to the finals of the competition. It would be recalled that media personality and political adviser, Lord Sugar, described the hyperactive pair as a group of no talent.
In series of tweets, the Chairman of Amshold Group stated that the duos qualification to the finals of The X Factor music reality show was absurd because they cannot sing.
Regardless, the group did not disappoint on the night.
Reggie N Bollie are currently in Ghana to shoot their debut music video. The song, according to them, is a fusion of genres.
This was announced by George Quaye, Public Relations Officer of Charterhouse, organisers of the event. The announcement was made before he signed off on Tuesday April 26 edition of his television show, the Pundits on GhOne.
While it will be Naa Ashorkors first time of hosting the event, Chris Attoh will be hosting it for the fourth time. DJ Black has over the years served as the event DJ and announcer and has on all occasions delivered well.
Last years event was hosted by radio personality, Nathaniel Attoh and actress Joselyn Dumas.
The 17 edition of the Ghana Music Awards is slated for May 7, 2016 at the Accra International Conference Centre.
The nurses held placards with inscriptions "A hungry nurse is a potential killer," "We are tired of staying home" and "evidence bases nurses and midwives demonstration" among others.
Clad in training uniforms and red bands, the nurses went on their knees to ask God to touch the hearts of authorities so that their petition will be addressed before the demonstration started.
The aggrieved nurses petitioned the office of the president for financial clearance from Finance Ministry.
Their petition was received by the Health Ministry on behalf of the President.
President of Ghana Registered Nurses Association, Krobea Asante, told Asempa Fm that government is deliberately refusing to engage the unemployed nurses.
He described the situation as frustrating and disappointing, calling on government to walk the talk.
Asante added government by its action is infringing on the rights of the unemployed nurses.
The minister, who resigned her position as a result of the Metro Mass Transit bus rebranding saga, is reported to have told a group of National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters that a New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in 2017 will arrest some of them just like in 2001, when the NPP assumed office.
According to her, the NPP, if voted into power, will arrest Ewes like her and Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey Member of Parliament for the Constituency.
But, in an interview with Pulse.com.gh, the Executive Director for Gender Centre for Empowering Development, Esther Tawiah said the former minister must apologise for her "unfortunate" comments.
"I guess it is an unfortunate situation. And as a nation and in our democracy we don't encourage those comments; it's an unfortunate comment from her. Yes, she is a woman, she is a mother; we expected better from her.
"But, as I said women are allowed to make mistakes and I guess she has learnt her lesson and she will come out and apologise, and we will move on from there," she said.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Director of Communications for the NPP, Perry Okudzeto has denied assertions that the NPP targets personalities in certain tribes for prosecution.
In an interview with Pulse.com.gh, he said "In 2001, the state prosecuted some former government officials under the Rawlings administration. This included people from across the country. It didn't come from a particular tribe", he
According to a publication by Ghana News Agency (GNA), a data available at the Ghana Health Service (GHS) shows that six hundred and sixty-nine (669) of these teenage mothers were between the ages of 10 and 14.
This, according to the publication, was disclosed by Mrs. Evelyn Owusu-Akyaw, an official of the GHS, at a meeting held by the Regional Child and Family Welfare Policy Implementation Committee in Koforidua. The event was held to discuss matters relating to the protection and growth of children.
Mrs Owusu-Akyaw indicated that during the first quarter of 2016, about 3,000 teenage pregnancies were recorded.
She suggested that the Ghana Education Service (GES) set up adolescent corners in all the facilities to attend to adolescent issues.
She also advised schools to educate students on reproductive health.
The deceased are Sedem Hodo Nana Kofi Asare Boamah, Boison Kobby Junior, all level 100 students of the University
According to an eye witness who disclosed the information to Pulse.com.gh the unfortunate incident occurred at the main gate of the university college when an ash VW car with registration number ER 228-14 collided with a trotro car.
About Central University College
Central University College was founded by the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) in Accra, Ghana. It started off as a pastoral training institute in 1988. It was then known as the Central Bible College by June 1991.
He said even though this represented a reduction compared to 172 cases, representing 8.4 per cent in 2015, there was a significant shift from domestic related electrical fires as 70 of the 145 fires involved facilities and properties of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on the surge in electrical fire outbreaks, especially of ECG facilities, Affum said the facilities included 42 electric poles, 14 high tension poles and 14 transformers.
The regional breakdown were Greater Accra, 31, Ashanti, 21, Brong Ahafo, six, Central, three, two each for Eastern, Northern, Western and Volta, and Upper East, one. Upper West recorded zero.
Mr Affum, therefore, called on the ECG as a matter of urgency to put in measures to forestall the occurrence of fire outbreaks at their facilities and properties as it had consequential effects on GNFS logistics.
We recommend the creation of fire belts around the electric poles as well as the application of flame retardants to the poles, he said.
He said the harsh harmattan season contributed immensely to the increase in fires for the first quarter of the year, but the GNFS had consistently been up to the task in spite of some logistical challenges it was encountering.
To the best of our professional capabilities and resource-availability, we continue to execute proactive strategies to forestall fire outbreaks in Ghana.
We wish to solicit the total co-operation and support of the public, and I have no doubt in my mind that you, in the media, will spearhead this important agenda, he said.
Affum said fire safety was a shared responsibility and, therefore, all stakeholders and the public were expected to play their part to ensure a total fire safety and protection for the citizenry.
He said there were reduction in industrial, domestic, commercial and vehicular fires as result of intense fire safety education as well as safety and preventive measures by the GNFS.
It is, therefore, imperative to appreciate the importance of fire prevention and awareness creation hence the need to put in place measures to minimise or prevent the occurrence of avoidable fires in the country, he said.
Affum outlined some causes of fire in the country to include unintentional misuse of equipment or appliances, faulty electrical appliances, careless handling of fire or hot substances and lightning strikes.
He said with immediate effect, the GNFS had revoked the fire permit of Lucky Oil, adjacent to Pambros at Weija, and had ordered the owner to stop the construction of the fuel station.
He said this order shall remain effective until such a time that the Chief Fire Officer was satisfied with the safety of the facility to occupiers and neigbours.
Affum, therefore, appealed to stakeholders, specially the Ga South Municipal Assembly, to revoke the final permit issued for the construction of the filling station since the premises was a fire risk and a potential threat to the community.
The Director of Fire Safety of the GNFS, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Mr Michael Yarquah, said the Service would continue to take tough measures against filling stations that were flouting the laws of the country.
According to him, claims by critics would make no meaning if they fail to provide proof to Ghanaians that the president had indeed not created the number of jobs he is touting to have done.
"...What I can say in this studio is that some jobs are being created and we are all aware of them. Any vigilant person or if you dont have eyes but ears to hear things, you know there are jobs being createdHow many jobs have been created? How do I say that weve created 20000 jobs or 5000 jobs? How can I say that? What is the basis? he told Accra-based Peace FM.
In a statement released and copied to Pulse.com.gh, the Ministry of Communications claimed that government has created close to 600,000 jobs with 96,000 others receiving skills training for entrepreneurial projects.
Attivor, who resigned as transport minister in the wake of the GHC3.6 million metro mass branding saga, asked Voltarians to vote for the National Democratic Congress because she will be jailed should the New Patriotic Party win the November 7 elections.
Selormy, a former deputy minister of finance under Rawlings' regime, was sentenced to eight years in prison by an Accra Fast Track Court for causing financial loss to the state.
Abodakpi, then trade and industry minister, on the other hand, was jailed 10 years for willfully causing financial loss of $400,000 to the State.
"Dzifa Attivor sees Voltarians as Voting Machine, and that's very disgraceful. But do you blame her? It's the mentality frm with. tribalism," former Joy FM presenter, Anny Osabutey tweeted.
And others followed:
Sir Eldon was addressing the media after opening a workshop to commemorate International Leadership Day on Defense and Security.
His call comes on the back of reports of corruption within the military which the anti-graft body believed was undermining public trust in government and the armed forces, as well as posing a major threat to the success of operations.
The plan, the sector minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah disclosed at a summit in Accra, is currently before cabinet for approval.
He added that once approval is given, the ministry will develop a gas policy that will guide the industry.
My ministry is taking steps to address infrastructure planning and delivery requirements in a Gas Strategy outlined comprehensively in a Gas Master Plan. This master plan is currently before Cabinet for approval, Buah said.
Once cabinet approves the plan, the ministry will develop a Gas Policy and Gas Bill that will provide a transparent regulatory framework for the industry, he added.
The Chief Executive of the Petroleum Commission, Theo Ahwireng, noted that the countrys upstream petroleum sector continues to grow steadily.
Since the discovery of oil and gas in commercial quantities in the Jubilee Fields in 2007, with 25 additional discoveries, including two new discoveries made in the Deep Water Cape Three Points (DWCTP) in the first quarter of 2013, Ghanas upstream petroleum sector continues to grow steadily, he said.
He also disclosed that reconnaissance exploration activity has been planned to better understand the prospectiveness of the frontier Voltaian Basin.
According to him, the commission is open to investments and reinvestments in the upstream petroleum sector.
As we work with industry players to build a robust industry, we continue to welcome increased investments and reinvestments in our upstream petroleum sector, he said.
This is highly unacceptable. Im surprised she came out with such a statement. Its very tribal he said on TV3.
Dzifa Attivor, addressing supporters of NDC at Ketu South in the Volta region, mentioned that NPP has a track record of targeting people from the Volta Region for prosecution and charged the people to vote for the NDC otherwise history would repeat itself.
She mentioned two former NDC government officials, Victor Selormey and Dan Abodapki, as examples of NPP's persecution of Ewes.
When the NPP came to power in 2001, a lot of our people were sent to prison; Victor Selormey, Dan Abordakpi, and so on, were imprisoned. Was it because no other persons committed crime in Ghana? But it was only Ewes that they jailed. I want to entreat you not to do anything for Fiifi Kwetey and I to go to prison. It lies with you all to ensure that no Ewe person goes to prison. So I am pleading with you to work hard and deliver the hundred and twenty thousand vote target for the party in the constituency, she is quoted to have said.
But Mr Amewu has asserted that the NPP has never interfered in the trial of the aforementioned, adding that some non-Ewe NDC officials were also prosecuted and jailed by a competent court of jurisdiction under the NPP.
The minister, who resigned her position as a result of the Metro Mass Transit bus rebranding saga, is reported to have told a group of National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters that a New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in 2017 will arrest some of them just like in 2001, when the NPP assumed office.
According to her, the NPP, if voted into power, will arrest Ewes like her and Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey Member of Parliament for the Constituency.
But a statement released by the former president said "Before making such unfortunate statement, lets remove the logs in our own eyes. I do not subscribe to the politics of ethnic bias and never have. While I may not be a fun of the NPP, I know their presidential candidate is not tribalistic or ethnocentric. Whatever Nana Addos shortcomings, tribalism is not one of them. Some known and respected Voltarians like Nutifafa Kwenyehia should be able to testify to his political nature."
Below is the full statement:
My attention has been drawn to a statement made by a former minister of Transport Dzifa Ativor at a political event at Vodoabe in the Volta region. I find it distasteful that aside making ethnocentric references accusing the NPP presidential candidate of being tribalistic she also insinuated that because I was the finder of the National Democratic Congress NDC the electorate in the Volta region should vote for the party on that basis.
Ghana Decides seeks to promotes youth and marginalized voices towards a peaceful, credible,issues-based and inclusive elections, by using social media as well as offline community engagements, and information dissemination.
The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana estimates 1.2 million Ghanaians will register in the limited voter registration exercise, the #iRegistered campaign hopes to help the EC met those numbers.
Project lead, Kinna Likimani said the campaign focuses on getting the youth, women, persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups to register.
She also urged Ghanaians to assist the physically challenged to get to the registrations centres and encourage women to register and share their experiences.
Using social media, Ghana Decides wants to inform voters, by getting them to follow the campaign on at #GhanaDecides, and advocates people visit their site ghanadecides.com as well as ec.gov.gh for information on how to register.
The minister, who resigned her position as a result of the Metro Mass Transit bus rebranding saga, is reported to have told a group of National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters that a New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in 2017 will arrest some of them just like in 2001, when the NPP assumed office.
She made this known during the launch of Ketu South for Fiifi and Mahama at Wodoaba in the Ketu South Constituency.
According to her, the NPP, if voted into power, will arrest Ewes like her and Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey Member of Parliament for the Constituency.
Prof. Asante described the minister's comments as "divisive", "barbaric" and uncalled for.
"These are the things that create tension in society and it must be condemned...It is below the belt," the immediate past Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Ghana told Accra-based TV3.
Uganda and Kenya have confirmed commercial crude reserves and the potential for substantial extra discoveries, and oil firms in both countries have been eager for an agreement on the export pipeline to make final investment decisions.
Kenya, which has discoveries in the Lokichar basin in its northwest, had pitched for the pipeline to link the two countries' fields and onto its Lamu port, earning it transit fees and potentially cutting the cost of exporting its own oil.
Uganda's Energy and Mineral Development Minister Irene Muloni also told Reuters the pipeline was expected to be ready by 2020.
When asked what key considerations had gone into Uganda's decision to pick Tanzania for the route, Muloni said: "A project cost of $3.55 billion and a (transit) tariff of not more than $12.2 per barrel ... those were the considerations."
French oil major Total, which had favoured the Tanzanian route, has said it is willing to fund the project but has not stated whether it wanted to fully or partially own it.
Total owns fields in Uganda alongside China's CNOOC and London-listed Tullow Oil which also operates in Kenya.
"It's most likely to be a PPP (public private partnership) arrangement," Muloni said in a telephone interview, referring to the pipeline's ownership.
In March, Tanzania's presidency said Total had set aside $4 billion to build the pipeline and that Tanzania wanted the three-year construction timetable shortened.
Emma Gordon, senior Africa analyst at UK-based risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft, said in a research note Tanzania offered Uganda incentives including a promise to waive transit fees for an initial period to secure the deal.
Short who was served a temporary restraining order by his new wife, Karrine Steffans a few weeks ago, pleaded no contest to his felony assault charge in September 2015 which was a result of him knocking Fenton Hyche III unconscious, giving the victim a concussion and fractured eye socket in March 2014 and was ordered to pay him more than $14,000 in restitution to cover medical bills and lost wages.
He was sentenced to three years supervised probation, two months of community service and anger management counseling. He has completed his anger management counselling while waiting to fulfill the terms of his community service.
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Judge Leslie E. Brown of the Los Angeles court has ordered the actor to appear him on May 9 to address the new charges of the failed drug tests.
Recall that Short addressed his drug use and drinking which led to his departure from Shonda Rhimes ABC hit series - "Scandal" on Access Hollywood in 2014.
His lawyer, Ludlow B. Creary II stated that no further comment on it was necessary and believed his clients legal problems are overblown.
He however hopes that Short will complete his probation, and get on with his career.
It was reported that the king of Rumbasuffered an attack while performing at Festival des Musiques Urbaines dAnoumabo (FEMUA) and due to lack of emergency health service at the venue of the concert, he died before he was rushed to the hospital.
In reaction to the tragic event, Collins Enebeli, father of music producer, Don Jazzy, took to Facebook to share his thoughts and advise on the need to provide healthcare service at concert venues.
"The sad news of the death of Papa Wemba is a wake up call for artists and their managers to see reason why promoters and event organisers need the services of healthcare service providers for artists while on engagement for their events to avoid preventable fatalities as this.
Most artists due to their busy schedules are known not to be paying enough attention to their health and listening to their bodies which may have been under pressure and stretched to breaking point without them knowing it. Artiste managers need to insist that the services of a trained health personnel who specializes in handling celebrities is factored into their performance contract to ensure that artists are well monitored and looked after when on professional engagement anywhere in the world.
That way, risks such as this will be detected early enough and efforts made to seek help before it is too late. In the past, The King of soul music James Brown died while on a series of shows lined up for him. The same thing happened to the King of pop Michael Jackson who died while also under pressure from preparations for his mother of all shows This is it.
ALSO READ: Papa Wemba 7 interesting facts about late singer
We are yet to recover from the shocking news of the demise of the purple rain crooner Prince earlier this week and now it is our own dear Papa Wemba. This is the reason we must all see the need to engage the services of professionals. May the soul of Papa Wemba rest in perfect peace.
Licato received the punch on Saturday, April 23, 2016, which left him unconscious for a while.
The doppelganger narrated in an interview with Gothamist said that he was just leaving a subway station around 8 PM on Manhattans Lower East Side when he was assaulted.
He said, "I was walking up the stairs,"
"I had my head down there were people in front of me just to make sure I wasn't going to fall."
"I didn't even see the guy. I just see his fist coming towards me, he continued. It knocked me, and while I was falling down the stairs, all I hear was, 'This is because you look exactly like Shia LaBeouf!
Licato said a couple who came to his aid after he regained consciousness asked him if he knows the attacker, who rushed to catch a train after the punch.
The victim expressed that he is curious about why someone would attack a look-alike of the Hollywood actor.
"I wanna know what Shia LaBeouf did to him,"
"What did Shia LaBeouf do to him that he punched somebody that looks like him? He must have did something so mean. Did he steal his girlfriend? Did he just see his last performance art piece?
LaBeouf, who is a 2003 Emmy Award winner is popular for his roles in the movies "Disturbia", (2007) "Transformers" (2007) and "Fury" (2014).
Anti-poverty organisation ONE and its partners, including Nigeria Health Watch, the Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria, Africa-Dev, the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre and the Centre for the Right to Health are calling for improved access to lifesaving health services for all Nigerians.
15 years ago today, all African governments made a commitment in Abuja to increase health spending to 15% of their national budget. To address the health crises Nigeria is facing, the coalition today launched a new public health campaign, calling on the Nigerian government to keep the promise to increase funding for health care.
Successive governments have failed to deliver on the Abuja commitmentand Nigerians particularly women and children continue to die from treatable and preventable diseases.
The historic Abuja declaration has never been met by Nigerian policy-makers - only 4.37% is allocated to health in the 2016 Appropriation Bill - and the recent National Health Act has not yet been funded nor fully implemented.
We are all hopeful for change, says Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu of NHW. But as responsible citizens, we must learn how to hold our governments accountable for the promised change.
Fulfilling the Abuja promise will make a difference for millions of Nigerians who die needlessly from lack of access to basic healthcare.
Its hard to imagine that in our beautiful country, millions of Nigerians from Lagos to Wawa, from Sokoto to Yola, die preventable deaths every year because of poor investment in the health sector says Waje, top Nigerian recording artist and ONEs Strong Girl campaign activist. I am asking all Nigerians to join us in calling the implementation of these life-saving plans and promises, starting with the 2017 budget. This is not beyond Nigeria, I know it is doable and we need to support government in rolling out those plans.
Despite being Africas biggest economy, Nigeria spends relatively little on the health of its citizens and is facing both a health and a nutrition crisis, as women and children continue to die from treatable and preventable diseases.
Nigerias health expenditure puts it in the bottom third of the ranking of countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Out of 49 lower-middle income countries, only seven country governments spend less per capita than Nigeria does on health. In 2014 this figure stood at $55 per person - $31 dollars short of the minimum expenditure required to ensure proper health services
If fully implemented, the National Health Act could save the lives of over 3 million mothers, newborns and children under-5 by 2022.
Nigeria has a large rural population and many of these people are impoverished. The Nigerian government owes welfare to her citizens especially in the area of health care delivery services, says Dr Nkem Onyejizu, ONE Champion working in Kano state.
It is also not news that there are also wide regional disparities in child health indicators in the North East and North West geopolitical zones of the country which have the worst child survival indices, added Dr Onyejizu. We laud the Nigerian government plan to build 10,000 PHCs across the country, but these must well planned, mapped and staffed to ensure success as well as development of a comprehensive community health insurance scheme.
President Buhari and the Minister of Health last year reaffirmed their commitment to prioritising healthcare by agreeing to pursue the new Sustainable Development Goals. These goals present an opportunity for government to translate their commitment into time-bound and measurable outcomes to dramatically cut avoidable deaths of mothers, children and the marginalised. Now is the time for increased implementation of these important commitments.
We urge President Buhari to keep his promise to increase the quantity and quality of funding to implement the National Health Act, and ensure all Nigerias children not only survive, but thrive, says Mwambu Wanendeya, Africa Executive Director of the ONE Campaign.
A star-studded lineup of international artists will perform at the different events including Nigerias own Award-winning Afro Jazz Guitarist, Femi Leye; London-based Afro Soul musician, Jon Scott; renowned Jazz Saxophonist, Imoleayo balogun; Saxophonist and Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) City of David Choir Administrator, Saxtee, as well as acclaimed leader of All-Female band Girls Rule, Phebean and budding violinist Godwin Strings. London-based Carlo Rossi & The Organic Jam will also be in the country for the festival.
Winner of the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album, Norman Brown, recently confirmed his impending arrival for the festival via his Twitter account.
The festival takes off with two Satchmo's IJD Pre-Countdown events; the first on April 27th in partnership with Industry Nite at Oriental Hotel, and another the next day, April 28th at The Blowfish where attendees will enjoy live music and floetry.
The main IJD Countdown Event will follow on April 29th at Oriental Hotel. This event will set the stage for the UNESCO International Jazz Day Concert on 30th April 2016.
The pair were captured committing the act through a Closed Circuit Television Camera, which led to their arrest by the Maroko Police Division on Thursday, April 21, 2016.
According to Punch, the incident happened at Victoria Island, Lagos, where a Toyota Highlander parked on Aboyade Cole Street, was forcefully opened by Godwin and Omotayo.
Rasheed, the owner of the car, reported the matter to the police who were able to identify the criminals through the CCTV installed on the street.
A police source gave an account of how the suspects were arrested.
He said, The suspects did not know that a CCTV on the street had captured their faces. They were arrested the following day.
One of the arrested suspects, Godwin, explained how he came to be involved in the car vandalism business.
He said, I was seven years old then. At a point, I left home and met Michael (Omotayo) at a work site. We had been striking together.
Daily Trust reports that the conductor identified simply as John, carried out the evil act inside the bus after school hours.
It was gathered that the bus was conveying the children home from the school, when John took advantage of the kid and defiled her by inserting his fingers into the victims private part, while the vehicle was in motion, before dropping her at a bus stop close to her house.
A police source said:
The girl, on getting home, reported the incident to her parents who later took her to the hospital where she was confirmed to have been abused.
It was gathered that the soldiers who were four in number, had chased Sipe from 23 Road to a petrol filling station in Festac Town, Lagos State, and when he was caught, they dragged him out of his car, beat him mercilessly before shooting him and descended on his car which they destroyed.
It took only the intervention of a retired Navy Commodore who was driving past who stopped and restrained the soldiers from inflicting more injuries on the victim, who, according to witnesses, could have lost his life in the attack.
After the intervention by the Naval officer, Sipe was rushed to a nearby private hospital in the area where doctors have been battling to save his life.
According to the victim, trouble started for him when he went to buy water for his family.
"I was coming from where I went to buy water barely ten minutes after talking with my wife on the phone. At 23 Road Mobil Petrol station, those buying fuel had blocked one lane and a soldier had stopped a bus on the other lane in the middle of the road.
When I realised that the soldier was blocking the road I said to him, 'Oga this thing you are doing is causing holdup. Why dont you take the bus out of the road, so that we can move?' And then he said to me 'who are you, what nonsense are you talking?' And I said, 'No oga, Im not trying to teach you what to do, Im only telling you that if you do this thing, it will be better for us using the road.'"
The battered Olajide Sipe
Credit: Instagram
"The next thing he said was, 'You must be a useless man'. When I saw that he was already taking that tone, I decided to move my car. He started running after me. After I took the turning on 23 Road, another soldier, light in complexion came in front of my car. I stopped, then he began kicking my front wheel and smashed my windscreen.
When I saw he was kicking my car, I moved, then the two soldiers boarded a bike, and they later became four and began chasing me. As I got to 7th Avenue, I made a U-turn and they rammed their bike into my car, then I drove off. When the soldiers saw me driving off they shot at the car twice. The first bullet hit me while the second bullet hit my tyre.
According to Punch, Agbede was getting ready for the burial ceremony of his mother when the incident happened.
He and his friend, Gbenga, were distributing cloths to expected guests at the burial when bullets hit the pair on Saturday, April 23, 2016.
The gunshots, which came from some speculators killed Agbede at the scene, but his friend, Gbenga survived with injuries.
Agbedes neighbour have an account of how the incident happened.
He said, Agbede was a landlord on Gbenga Ajadi Street. He was not involved in the clash. His mother died recently and her burial is to hold on Saturday.
The deceased, who also had three children, was planning for the ceremony. He had bought the cow, foodstuffs and cloths.
He and his friend, Gbenga, also a landlord, had gone to Agunfoye to deliver some of the cloths to their friends.
It was while they were returning that bullets hit them. Agbede died, but Gbenga is in the hospital as we speak.
Everyone is angry because Agbede was innocent. There was no reason for Baba Olodas hoodlums to direct their guns at them.
We will not allow this to die down. Baba Oloda is known to the police in Igbogbo.
According to reports, the hoodlums were fighting over a land, and Agbede and his friend were unfortunate to be at the scene when it happened.
According to Punch, four suspects have been arrested in respect to the killing of Agbede.
According to Punch, the affected FRSC officers reported the assault to the police, which led to the arrests.
It took the intervention of some military officers to put a stop to the battering of the road safety wardens.
A resident of Ibafo said, The police came to the area and arrested some of the residents. They took them to the Ibafo Police Station.
Punch reported that the FRSC officers in question belonged to a team of Special Intervention Patrol, manning a section of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
A witness gave an account of the cause of the alleged brutality. He said, The motorist was towing a vehicle, whose rim was scratching the road.
The FRSC officers flagged him down, but he refused.
When he got to the Arepo U-turn, he slowed down and the head of the patrol team asked one of the FRSC men to enter the vehicle and force him to stop.
Instead, he drove away with the officer. The action alarmed the other members of the team, who then followed him.
The source also explained that on the course of driving to Arepo, the FRSC officer in the vehicle with him took pictures of the vehicle with his phone.
The driver, who identified himself as a legionnaire, demanded the phone from the officer.
When he refused, the driver used a horsewhip to flog him.
The announcement is contained in a statement made available in New York.
According to the statement, the special investigation will undertake detailed examination of the circumstances which led to the incident from Feb. 17 to Feb. 18, in which at least 25 civilians died and an additional 144 injured.
It added that the investigation would complement the UN Headquarters Board of Inquiry announced on March 11, also conducting an in-depth investigation into the overall response of UNMISS in the attack.
Bashua recently concluded his assignment as Deputy Joint Special Representative of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur, during which he also served as acting Joint Special Representative in 2014 and 2015.
In addition, he served at senior levels in Cote dIvoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Sudan.
This was disclosed via a statement released by army spokesperson, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman on Tuesday, April 26.
It reads:
In their continuous efforts of clearing the remnants of Boko Haram in various hideouts and enclaves, troops of 7 Brigade, 8 Task Force Division, have also embarked on clearance operations, since yesterday in which they cleared Boko Haram hideouts ahead of Gratte in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
During the clearance operation, the troops killed 7 Boko Haram terrorists including a notorious kingpin popularly known as the Albani of Monguno.
The troops also recovered 2 Vehicles, 7 motorcycles 1 AK-47 rifle, 2 Boko Haram terrorists hoisted flags, 3 vehicle tyres, 1 vulcanizing machine, 1 solar panel and bundles of chewing stick (Aswaki), which the terrorists believed has spiritual and medicinal values.
It is gratifying to report that the troops morale remains high as they dominate the general area with a robust fighting patrol in continuation with the clearance operations.
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Speaking for the first time after the herdsmen attack in Enugu State, on Monday, April 27, Buhari said that it has become necessary for his administration to prioritise ending the incessant attacks and killings perpetrated by the herdsmen.
The Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, made this known in series of tweets on Wednesday, April 27.
Following continuing reports of attacks by herdsmen on communities across the country, particularly Mondays attack on Ukpabi Nimbo in Enugu State, President Muhammadu Buhari assures all Nigerians, once again, of his administrations continued commitment to ensuring the safety of lives and property in all parts of the country, Shehu wrote on Twitter.
President Buhari unreservedly condemns the attack on Ukpabi Nimbo on other such acts of extreme violence against communities in other states of the federation.
Acting on the presidents directive, the inspector-general of police and heads of the nations other security agencies are already taking urgent steps to fully investigate the attacks, apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
Ending the recent upsurge of attacks on communities by herdsmen reportedly armed with sophisticated weapons is now a priority on the Buhari administrations agenda for enhanced national security and the armed forces and police have clear instructions to take all necessary action to stop the carnage.
In keeping with the presidents directive, the inspector-general of police, the general officer commanding the 82nd division of the Nigeria army and the director of the Department of State Security in Enugu state have, visited Ukpabi Nimbo to personally oversee investigations into the attack on the community and ongoing efforts to apprehend the culprits."
He stated this in Abuja on Wednesday, April 27, while speaking at a meeting with the visiting Managing Director of the World Bank, Ms. Sri Mulyani Indrawati.
Buhari noted that the repatriation of the additional $320 million (N64 billion) looted by Abacha and held in Switzerland will be helpful in easing the current economic crisis in the country.
He assured the Ms Indrawati that the current administration under his leadership is being structured in a way that stealing public funds would no longer be business as usual.
We need the support of the World Bank for the repatriation of the funds, Buhari said.
We are as concerned as the World Bank about accountability. If such repatriated funds have been misapplied in the past, I assure you that the same will not happen with us.
Three hundred and twenty million dollars is a lot of money and we will not allow it to be misappropriated or diverted, the President said.
One of the conditions given by the Swiss Authorities for the repatriation of the funds is that it should be expended on the implementation of social programmes for the benefit of the Nigerian people in an efficient and accountable way, guaranteed by the monitoring of the World Bank.
He said We think, from the intelligence available to us, that the remaining areas that we are working to move into, that are where we are hoping to be able to rescue the Chibok girls.
Its a belief, but beyond that, were also getting some intelligence that they may be somewhere on the Niger-Lake Chad border areas.
The question of the Chibok girls remains a sore point in our history. The biometrics as it were of the Chibok girls are not known to us. Those are the issues which I believe are among the challenges.
I think that the light is beginning to shine and in a short while well see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Major General Leo Irabor said this in an interview he granted CNN, where he spoke on the progress his men have made in the war against terrorism.
See Pulse Photo-News gallery below.
Maybe you didnt hear the President when he spoke. When the Agatu crisis happened, he decried it and said he was going to ask for security briefing on it and something will be done, he said.
And when we were in Qatar, Aljazeera did an interview with the President, and the matter came up and the President spoke on it. He said this herdsmen and farmers clash is as old as time and it is endemic in the country. He said that something would be done about it.
The Federal government, the state governments and even the local governments will consult, and that was how this ranches idea came out. What I see in Nigeria is that at times people want a talkative President that is speaking every day and he will speak to a point that people are even tired of hearing him.
The Presidency is the last point in any country but in Nigeria, they want to make it the first point of comment. No, it should not be like that, he added.
Adesina had earlier said that Nigerians should learn to stop complaining so much.
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The youths marched to the Assembly under the umbrella of the Citizens United for Peace and Stability (CUPS) and demanded the resignation of Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
Saraki is being tried for corruption before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) but he has insisted that he is innocent of the charges.
The Senate President has also vowed not to resigndespite several calls for him to do the honourable thing by stepping down.
Those who are contemplating calls for resignation want to circumvent the judicial system. They are obviously being sponsored by some politicians, Saraki said through his media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu.
The Senate President is not contemplating any resignation. He will surely have his day in court, he added.
The protesters also expressed anger at the recent purchase of expensive vehicles by the Senate and demanded that the 36 Senators who received the vehicles should return them immediately or face the wrath of Nigerians.
The protest is a sign that Nigerians have had enough of the Senate and its insensitivity.
Its amazing that elected officials have zero respect for the people who put them in office and zero consideration for the unpleasant economic situation in the country.
Nigerians are struggling with poor health care, poor electricity, fuel scarcity among other things and their representatives have the audacity to acquire luxury cars at the countrys expense despite their already ridiculous allowances.
The mentality of the average senator was expressed by Senate Leader, Ali Ndume who said that he and his colleagues have to buy new cars because they are too important to ride in official buses.
Look I am a senator representing 9 Local governments. A Minister was appointed, 36 of them. All of them are driving a convoy of at least 4 cars. By protocol I am the senate leader, he said while appearing on Channels TV on March 4.
How can I be going in a bus? You want me as a Senator to go in a bus? Senators going in a bus is as a matter of choice. When Senators are going to one place outside Abuja, how do you expect to pack them in a bus? he added.
The main problem with elected officials in Nigeria is that they see the office as a privilege, as a one-up to the average citizen, rather than the call to service that it is.
The group further said that Nigeria would be thrown into confusion if Jonathan, whos viewed as a hero of democracy, is arrested.
The comments were contained in a statement released by the groups spokesperson, Rev. John Joseph Hayab on Tuesday, April 26, 2016.
It reads:
Every honest Nigerian knows that the feelers on the ground are that this administrations popularity is dwindling rapidly among the Nigerian people. It is therefore not advisable to think or plan to arrest former president Goodluck Jonathan.
Let me warn that such a misadventure will set a wrong precedent and only open door for mischievous people to set this nation into confusion. What Nigerians need urgently is availability of fuel, electricity, prompt salary, security of lives and properties etc.
If the purported plan to arrest Jonathan is to please the international community and prove to them that we are fighting corruption, then let us know that these same international community are busy celebrating him as hero of democracy and even those who seriously wanted him to go for a change to happen are now singing a new song about him.
Former President Jonathan is deservedly seen in Nigeria and beyond as a hero of democracy because of his actions before, during and after the 2015 elections. As such, it will be curious for the Buhari administration to initiate the arrest of such a statesman.
Government must know that there are individuals serving today that have also been accused of corruption, but since there are claims that nothing has been established against them, they are walking and speaking like saints. While ignoring all these people, government now wants to arrest a man of peace like Jonathan?
CAN Northern states wishes to advice that such an action, if actualized, has the capacity to lead to serious confusion that will affect Nigeria economically and otherwise. We are afraid that such an action may spark chain reaction.
If our President wants to arrest anything for now then he should arrest the incessant spate of herdsmen attacks in Nigeria which has led to the deaths of almost a thousand innocent Nigerians under his watch.
He should arrest the dangerous slide in the power sector; he should arrest the slide in the economy. We believe at this time and with the current realities our former president must not be denigrated but honoured, because honour must be given to whom it is due.
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The Minister remarked that it is the intention of this present FCT Administration to nurture and entrench the right machinery to address all land related petitions in the Federal Capital Territory.
In a statement issued by Muhammad Hazat Sule, Deputy Director / Chief Press Secretary on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 Bello reiterated that the inauguration of the Committee is expected to mark the beginning of an end to injustice and impunity in the FCT Land Administration processes.
According to him, this is a Ministerial Inter-Departmental Committee of all relevant departments headed by a Lawyer who is a Deputy Director.
He emphasized that the essence is to allow fair play and justice in the dispensation of such cases within a record time.
The Minister noted that the terms of reference are: to investigate all land/property appeals and petitions submitted to the FCTA and duly referred to the committee; make recommendations for resolution of the appeals and petitions for the consideration of the Permanent Secretary and the Honorable Minister.
The State Commander, Mr Samuel Azige, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.
Azige said that the command also confiscated 313.969 kilograms of Indian hemp, 15,028.171 tones of tramadole (equivalent to seven trailers) and 145.14 liters of cough syrup within the period.
He said that 0.005 kilograms of cocaine and 0.007 kilograms of heroin were also confiscated from the suspects within the period under review.
"We have equally filed charges against 16 suspects at the Federal High Court for various drug-related offences.
"Also within the period, 13 persons have been referred to us for drug rehabilitation and another 55 for counseling.
"Some of the referrals were from the Nigerian Army, Air Force, the Police and the Directorate of State Security Service, while others are among the suspect we arrested during our routine operations.
"So far, three females have been successfully rehabilitated from drug addiction and discharge from our rehabilitation centre, he said.
Azige said that the command had a target for zero cannabis farm in 2016, adding that all measures were being taken to ensure that nobody cultivated Indian hemp this year.
The commander called on the youths to desist from cultivating Indian hemp, adding that the command in partnership with the state ministry of agriculture would fish out any farmer who cultivated the weed in his farm.
"We are also working with the Nigerian Custom Service, using their surveillance helicopter, to locate farm where Indian hemp are grown.
"The rainy season is about to set in, and some would be tempted to cultivate India hemp instead of food or cash crops that will earn them good money.
"That Kaduna State Government is doing everything possible to attract investors; it is our duty to ensure that the state is free from drug-related crimes to make the environment conducive for business.
For today, April 26 2016:
THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER
Buhari, Osinbajo, Saraki, Dogara meet to end budget impasseThe much-awaited meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the National Assembly finally took place last night with firm assurances between the executive and the legislature that the grey areas in the 2016 budget would be resolved in a matter of days. READ MORE
World Bank raises 2016 oil price forecast to $41 per barrelFresh hope of a quicker recovery is on the horizon for cash-strapped Nigeria as the World Bank has raised its 2016 oil price forecast up from the previous level of $37 per barrel to a new height of $41. READ MORE
South Sudans Machar returns to Juba, sworn in as VPSouth Sudans rebel leader, Riek Machar, has been sworn in as vice-president in a boost for a peace deal aimed at ending more than two years of conflict. READ MORE_____________________________________
VANGUARD NEWSPAPER
Ex-Finance Minister refunds N140m, surrenders 2 housesABUJAEmbattled former Finance Minister, Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, has returned N140 million out of the N2.5 billion she allegedly received from the office of the former National Security Adviser ahead of the 2015 Presidential elections. READ MORE
2016 Budget: At last, Presidency, National Assembly reach truceABUJA At last, the Executive arm of the government and the National Assembly have resolved their lingering face-off over the 2016 budget, giving hope that any moment from now, president Mohammed would sign the document into law. READ MORE
Youths occupy NASS, protest delay of 2016 budget passageABUJA hundreds of youths, under the aegis of Citizens United for Peace and Stability, CUPS, yesterday stormed the National Assembly calling for immediate resignation of Senate President, Saraki, on the allegations of corruption leveled against him and controversies surrounding the 2016 budget yet to be signed into law. READ MORE_____________________________________
THE NATION NEWSPAPER
85 percent of Nigerians live in poverty NgigeMinister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said Tuesday that about 85 percent of Nigerians were living in poverty, but was however quick to add that the Buhari government was taking concrete steps to address the high level of poverty in the land. READ MORE
Buhari, Dogara meet at Aso RockThe Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Tuesday met with President Muhammadu Buhari behind closed door at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. READ MORE
Tarfa must explain contact with judge CourtA Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere on Tuesday assumed jurisdiction in the two- count charge filed against the embattled Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Rickey Tarfa, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). READ MORE_____________________________________
BUSINESS DAY NEWSPAPER
Herdsmen attacks, FX scarcity compound manufacturers woesProlonged attacks by rampaging herdsmen, along with foreign exchange scarcity, have worsened the plight of Nigerian manufacturers who are already facing a myriad of crises. The herdsmen recently attacked Benue, Enugu, Bayelsa, Ekiti and Adamawa, among others, sacking farmers and destroying agro raw materials such as oranges, mangoes, pineapples, cassava, pears, tomatoes, grains, oil seeds, READ MORE
Fuel queues to ease next week as cargoes file inNigerians will likely get relief from the grueling fuel queues which have persisted for weeks, as ships laden with about 194 million litres of fuel start to arrive the countrys ports this weekend, an industry player has told BusinessDay. According to the source who does not want his name mentioned, six vessels, three of them READ MORE
"The six of them have been released and are back in Istanbul. All are in good health," said Fehmi Ulgener, a lawyer for the shipping firm Kaptanoglu Denizcilik. He declined to say whether or not a ransom had been paid.
The Turks, who included the M/T Puli's captain, chief officer and chief engineer, were abducted some 90 miles off Nigeria on April 11. Other members of the crew were left onboard, unharmed.
The tanker was carrying liquid chemical fuels and was travelling to Cameroon, the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported.
This is contained in a statement by the Head, Public Relations Department in NIMASA, Hajia Lami Tumaka, on Tuesday, a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
The statement noted that Peterside stated this when he visited the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Ibok Ete-Ibas and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.- Gen. Tukur Buratai, in Abuja.
The director-general said that the rising incidents of piracy had affected the economic fortunes of the nation and urged the military to initiate a joint patrol of the maritime domain to curb the trend.
He described maritime security as national and international obligation of all stakeholders.
The director-general also called on the Nigerian Navy to continue with the good job of fighting piracy which they had been doing.
He also assured the CNS of NIMASAs resolve to strengthen the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Navy to eradicate piracy and other criminal activities on Nigerian waters.
Responding, Ete-Ibas congratulated Peterside on his appointment as the director-general of NIMASA.
He pledged the support of the Nigerian Navy to continue to partner with NIMASA in maintaining safety and security on Nigerian waters.
The CNS stated that as a strategy against piracy, the Nigerian Navy had deployed boat houses at the entry points of the creeks.
Ete-Ibas said the Navy was in the process of inaugurating a surveillance system being developed by the Office of the National Security Adviser to increase its domain awareness.
Buratai pledged the support of the Amphibious Brigade of the Nigerian Army to collaborate with NIMASA and other stakeholders to maintain security in Nigerian waters.
The COAS noted that the Nigerian Army had the capacity to protect Nigerias maritime assets.
We just finished a meeting with the president and vice president. We came to let them know some of the solutions that we found in moving the budget process forward and we are happy to say that we have agreed on the way forward and we believe that this process will be completed in matter of days rather than weeks," he said according to The Nation.
So it is good to Nigerians and all of us, we have found a way forward and in a matter of days the budget will be ready for presidents assent. We have committees that have been set up on our side and also on the executive side. We will engage over the next few days, to just tidy up a few loose ends and here and there and the outcome will be satisfactory to everybody.
You heard what I have said, I said it is a matter of days and not weeks, so you can start counting the days which means that between now and Monday or Tuesday, Im hopeful that the budget will be signed, he added.
The meeting was also attended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yusuf Lasun among others.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Umar had been investigated by the EFCC for corruption to the tune of N10m and for meeting with an accused person privately in his chambers which he admitted.
Oluyede, who had accused the Chairman of bias in Saraki's case questioned his reputation and morality in prosecuting the Senate President.
This application is aimed at maligning the person of the judge. My lord, I will urge you to dismiss this application, Jacobs said while countering Oluyede's application.
He disclosed that the EFCC had in two separate letters cleared Umar of all corruption allegations.
Oluyede, however, queried the action of the anti-graft agency, in which the commission issued a letter clearing Umar of any complexity in the alleged N10 million bribe scandal.
Why is the EFCC yielding a sword of Damocus against the tribunal Chairman, he asked.
Saraki's counsel argued that the EFCC in the two letters written by the anti-graft agency to clear Umar of corruption charges, it did not clearly exonerate him from further investigation.
Quoting from one of the letters, Oluyede said, For now, we have no evidence to prosecute Umar.
He explained that the letter indicated that Umar is subject to future investigations on alleged bribe, thereby casting doubt on his credibility to preside over the matter.
He however urged the CCT Chairman to resign from the trial on the grounds that, to Nigerians, it would seem the legitimacy of the trial is been eroded.
Making known the state government's condolence, Governor Tambuwal said the unfortunate incidence has left Sokoto people traumatized and has cast a huge shadow over the conference.
He said Sokoto government has already sent a condolence letter to Ekiti state government to condole them over the incident.
While declaring open the NMA's annual conference in Sokoto on Tuesday, April 26, 2016, Tambuwal urged doctors to uphold the ethics of their profession and promote virtue that will enhance their profession in the country.
In a statement by his spokesman, Imam Imam, the Sokoto State governor said the National Health Act, whose operations the conference seeks to implement, will help in achieving universal health coverage and sustain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He said the Sokoto state government has already internalized the National health Act and already initiated provision of healthcare insurance for communities and public servants in the state.
How far will the new frenemies Abby and Olivia go to get their candidate into the White House?"
ALSO READ: undefined
A new episode titled "Buckle Up" is set to air on Thursday, April 27, 2016, and will have Olivia and Abby battle to put their candidate in the white house.
ALSO READ:
Read official synopsis and watch promo clip below.
As Mellie, Susan and Hollis prepare to meet with Floridas governor and vie for her influential endorsement, a spin war between Abby and Olivia threatens to keep their candidates grounded. Meanwhile, Cyrus is faced with a decision that could dramatically alter his future.
undefinedover what he called some grey areas.
You will recall that the presidency and the National Assembly have been trading blames over alleged padding and removal of the Lagos/Calabar railway projectfrom the 2016 budget.
Akpabio said The lingering issue on the budget is something that we feel is embarrassing to Nigeria, not just to the National Assembly as a whole. If we had a group like this, by now that issue would have been brought to an end.
But just to reassure you that Mr President will have his budget. And we are doing everything possible to rejig the details of the 2016 budget for Mr President to sign as soon as possible. And we hope we can finish that by this Friday so that things can kick-start in the Nigerian economy.
Manufacturers in the country have reportedly decried the non-passage of the budget.
See Pulse Photo-News gallery below.
Ndume made the comment on Tuesday, April 27, 2016, in reaction to a demonstration organized at the National Assembly to demand Senate President, Bukola Sarakis resignation.
That is why we are not trying to say anything about them because what is happening out there is a very dangerous precedence that we are trying to set, he said according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
I contested to represent Borno South. I did not force myself on my people and therefore somebody out there, especially the one that did not elect me cannot force me out because I didnt come in by force.
I came in by ballot not by gun, not by placard, I have posters not placards. So, if for example, I am short of performance and my constituents feel that they do not have time to waste, there is a clear-cut process by which they can ask me to be recalled.
They will collect signatures, ask for me to be recalled, that is the democratic way, not by coming in here to stand and say you want to occupy NASS. You occupy NASS to do what, to be leader or to be senator? It does not work that way, he added.
The protesters invaded the National Assembly on Tuesday and also expressed anger at the recent purchase of expensive vehicles by the Senate.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Yuguda made the remark in a letter sent to PDP Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff and obtained by Punch.
The letter reads:
I wish to tender my resignation as a member of the PDP effective from today, Saturday, 23rd April, 2016. My decision was informed by the shocking revelations on the embezzlement of $2.1bn meant for the procurement of arms to fight insurgency and reduce the sufferings of the victims of the insurgency.
This dastardly act by the leadership and members of the government of the PDP has left a moral burden on all the members of the PDP. With $500m, the lives of the over two million deprived Internally Displaced Persons would have been better today.
I was a governor from the zone who received no material or financial support from the then Federal Government, and was also a witness to the wasting of human lives and properties because of the non-availability of fighting equipment and relief materials.
The realisation that the funds were embezzled which led to the death of thousands of women, children, young men and unarmed members of the Nigerian security forces have made it impossible for me to continue my membership of the party.
He who comes to equity must come with clean hands. Rationality, morality and common sense suggest that the PDP chairman should have cleared his name before aspiring to that position. In an ideal country, an allegation against a public officer compels him to resign his appointment.
In view of the foregoing reasons and my hard-earned reputation and other track records, I cannot be part of the characters that formed the present PDP leadership, as such, I do resign my membership of the party.
The arms deal fraud is believed to have been supervised by former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki.
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Speaking at the flag-off distribution of solar power energy and transformers to a hundred communities within the Kaduna Central Senatorial zone, Senator Sani said the federal government should invest in renewal solar energy instead, rather than nuclear power which he said comes with a lot of dangers.
Nuclear power station is not like what happens, when militants break pipelines and the next day it is repaired. If we are to install nuclear station, we should know that it comes with a lot of consequences. Nuclear station is not NNPC depot or pipeline, where you can damage it and fix it immediately and continue operations," he said.
He further warned saying, We have seen the danger of nuclear power station in Japan and Russia, so, we must be very careful.
The lawmaker, while emphasizing that renewable energy is the future of energy, said Nigeria as a country must take the issue of power very seriously.
If we are serious about developing our country and serious about diversifying our economy, we must take the issue of electricity very seriously, understanding that without electricity ,we cannot develop and move to the promise land of our dream," he further stated.
Gerald Moore, former Albuquerque Tribune reporter, will be at Page One Books at 4pm on Saturday, April 30, to talk about and sign his non-fiction effort, LIFE Story: The Education of an American Journalist.
The book is described as such: "Before Americans got their news from television, they got it from LIFE, the weekly magazine that set the standard for photojournalism. In LIFE Story, Gerald Moore, a writer and editor who worked at the magazine in the last glory years before TV made it obsolete, recalls the dizzying excitement and glamour of LIFE's fast-moving, powerful approach to spreading the news. Moore covered the major stories of the late 1960s and early 1970s: LSD, assassinations, the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago, the McCarthy campaign, urban riots, the My Lai massacre, and the beginnings of feminism. His story offers a wonderful look back at the good and the bad old days of journalism."
Moore joined the staff of LIFE at the age of 27. Before that, he was a philosophy student at the University of NM who became a nighttime police officer and then a reporter at The Albuquerque Tribune in the 1960s, both jobs teaching him the tools of his trade. At LIFE magazine, he was a leading reporter, bureau chief, and eventually an editor. When LIFE ended publication as a weekly magazine in December of 1972, Moore turned to freelance magazine writing. His articles appeared in People, Saturday Evening Post, Readers Digest, Families, Horticulture and other national magazines. Moore lives in Hudson, N.Y., and Chapel Hill, N.C.
Page One Books is located at 5850 Eubank NE, Suite B-41, in Albuquerque's Mountain Run Shopping Center (southeast corner of Eubank and Juan Tabo). The Moore event is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 294-2026 or visit www.page1book.com.
The Western Sahara mission, MINURSO, is the only current U.N. peacekeeping mission without a human rights mandate, watchdog Amnesty International and rights coalition EuroMed Rights said on Tuesday.
Giving MINURSO the task of reporting on human rights "would offer some protection to a population that lives with the daily threat of abuses by the Moroccan authorities and the Polisario Front," said Magdalena Mughrabi, an Amnesty International spokeswoman.
The Polisario Front, which says the territory belongs to ethnic Sahrawis, waged a guerrilla war against Morocco from 1975, when Rabat annexed the area after taking it over from colonial power Spain, until the United Nations brokered a ceasefire in 1991. The two sides have been deadlocked since.
Morocco's diplomatic mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to telephone and email requests for comment.
Human rights monitoring would help shed light on a territory often out of bounds for journalists and independent human rights groups, said Jacob Mundy, an assistant professor of peace and conflict studies at Colgate University in New York.
It could "corroborate accounts that are often difficult to corroborate in terms of Moroccan abuses as well as what goes on inside the (Polisario-run) refugee camps," Mundy said.
Any such plan has been complicated by a controversy caused by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's use in March of the word "occupation" to describe Morocco's annexation of Western Sahara, while visiting Sahrawi refugee camps in southern Algeria.
His use of the word, during a visit intended to spur negotiations between the Polisario independence movement and Morocco, stirred the indignation of Rabat which expelled dozens of U.N. staff, greatly reducing the mission's work.
The 15-nation U.N. Security Council is due to vote on Thursday on whether to extend MINURSO's mandate. Ban has recommended an extension to avoid possible breaches of the ceasefire and a renewal of fighting.
Anouar Boukhars, a nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Washington think-tank, and Western Sahara expert, called the idea of a human rights-tasked MINURSO "a non-starter with Morocco."
"Certainly not in the current circumstances," he added.
Focusing energies on numerous big infrastructure projects currently under way, including a $9 billion solar power scheme, would better serve human rights by employing Sahrawis who feel they suffer from discrimination, he said.
"If you can't advance the political route, at least focus on the socio-economic route," he added.
But Amnesty International spokesman Richard Bennett said human rights should be upheld independently of economic circumstances.
Alhassane Ould Mohamed, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William Kuntz in Brooklyn, New York, for participating in a conspiracy to murder William Bultemeier, a defense attache system operations coordinator working at the U.S. embassy in Niger.
Mohamed pleaded guilty in March as part of an agreement that prosecutors would seek a 25-year prison term at his sentencing. He faced a potential life sentence prior to the plea deal.
Prosecutors said Mohamed, also known as Cheibani, and another assailant, armed with a pistol and AK-47 assault rifle, demanded Bultemeier hand over the keys to his sport utility vehicle, which bore U.S. diplomatic plates.
Mohamed then shot Bultemeier, prosecutors said. McNeely tried to help Bultemeier when Mohamed's accomplice shot both men, prosecutors said. McNeely survived the attack.
Malian police arrested Mohamed, but he escaped from custody in May 2002, according to prosecutors.
He was arrested in Mali in 2010 in connection with an attack on a convoy of Saudi Arabian officials in Niger that left four dead.
Sentenced in Niger to 20 years in prison, Mohamed escaped again in June 2013 with other inmates who launched an assault coordinated by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, prosecutors said.
Mohamed also had connections to other militant groups, including the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad and al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, prosecutors said.
Nevada State Sen. Ruben Kihuen wants to focus on the infrastructure if he is elected to represent Nevadas 4th Congressional District.
Nevada State Sen. Ruben Kihuen wants to focus on the infrastructure if he is elected to represent Nevadas 4th Congressional District.
Kihuen said he will suggest investing in the infrastructure of the Nevadas 4th Congressional District that encompasses Nye County, North Las Vegas and five rural counties.
We have to invest in our roads, our bridges and our deteriorating buildings and that includes here in Pahrump, he said.
Kihuen campaigns on increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour, equal pay for equal work and college affordability.
Those issues are near and dear to my heart. They are issues that Ive campaigned on, that Ive championed in Carson City, he said.
For Kihuen, who was first elected to the Nevada Assembly in 2006 before running for the Nevada Senate in 2010, this will be the fifth election.
I have the proven track record of getting things done, Kihuen told the Pahrump Valley Times at the Roosevelt-Kennedy Democratic dinner. My 10 years of legislative experience, I believe puts me in a good place to be able to win this race and be able to do the work on behalf of the people of Nevada.
Kihuen said that Nevada public lands should be controlled by the federal government. He also spoke in support of renewable energy.
I believe that that is one of the industries that can help us to diversify the state of Nevada that can help us to put people back to work and that can help us to clean our environment, he said.
He also said he was opposed to Yucca Mountain.
I dont think we should be compromising our families safety in exchange for a dollar value, he said.
Instead, Kihuen said there are other ways to create jobs in Nevada by focusing on renewable energy.
We have to diversify our economy, including bringing those renewable energy projects here to Nevada, manufacturing jobs, invest in infrastructure, he said.
Kihuen will compete in the June 14 primaries against former Nevada Assemblywoman Lucy Flores, Las Vegas philanthropist Susie Lee and five other Democratic candidates.
The 4th Congressional District seat is currently held by Rep. Cresent Hardy, R-Nevada, who is running for re-election.
Kihuens campaign was endorsed by U.S. Senator Harry Reid and Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman. He also received endorsements from 13 labor unions, including the Culinary Union that has close to 60,000 workers in southern Nevada.
On Tuesday, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) in Nevada, a voluntary federation of 54 national and international labor unions, endorsed the Kihuen campaign at its state convention.
Kihuen said he will fight tooth and nail to protect unions.
I want to continue this work in Washington, D.C., he said. So, for me, these are not just talking points. For me, these are things that Ive already accomplished.
The 4th Congressional District had 134,395 active Democratic voters at the end of March, according to the Nevada Secretary of State. Nye County accounts for 7,254 of those active voters.
Contact reporter Daria Sokolova at dsokolova@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @dariasokolova77
The State of Nevada Commission on Ethics penalized former Nye County Tax Assessor Shirley Matson a total of $5,000 for her two counts of misconduct while in office.
The State of Nevada Commission on Ethics penalized former Nye County Tax Assessor Shirley Matson a total of $5,000 for her two counts of misconduct while in office.
Last year, the commission determined there was sufficient credible evidence that Matson used her position in government to secure or grant unwarranted privileges, preferences, exemptions or advantages, per Nevada Revised Statutes.
Ethics Commission Executive Director Yvonne M. Nevarez-Goodson said the commission deliberated more than an hour over Matsons termination of employees in the assessors office as well as the ordering of employees to conduct reappraisals of certain properties in Nye County.
The commission determined that the series of conduct undertaken by Ms. Matson with regard to the terminations was one course of conduct which was subject to one willful violation with a sanction of $2,500, she said. The second course of conduct had to do with Ms. Matson ordering the reappraisals of certain Nye County properties outside the course and scope of when those properties should have been reappraised. Because of the ordering of subordinates to do that with a personal component of the properties that she chose, the commission again found that to be a single course of conduct for one violation for another $2,500.
According to the commission, while Matson was seeking re-election in 2014, office employee Sheree Stringer declared her intention to run against Matson in the election.
It was during that time, the ethics commission alleged Matson used her official position to hinder Stringers political campaign by seeking criminal charges against the employee.
Stringer won the two-candidate race against Matson capturing 62 percent of the vote.
The commission also determined when Matsons efforts failed, she then issued a Notice of County Intent to terminate Stringers employment, in apparent violation of Nevada Revised Statutes.
The panel determined the nature of the election campaign also contributed to alleged instances of staff conflicts and allegations of misconduct.
Evidence provided to the ethics commission showed that as a result of Stringers concerns pertaining to her campaign, including the concern that she might lose her job, Stringer placed a hidden camera in her office work space to view Matsons conduct while Stringer was away from the assessors office.
Evidence was also provided regarding Matsons actions when she first learned about the hidden camera.
Matson, according to the commission, filed a criminal complaint with the Nye County Sheriffs Office, where investigators deemed the hidden camera complaint did not support proceeding with a criminal investigation.
Ironically, the investigating detective was the spouse of part-time assessors office employee Tammy McGill.
The commission said upon learning there would be no criminal investigation, Matson proceeded to terminate Stringers and McGills employment.
The commission also said Matson required certain employees to conduct property appraisals of certain Nye County officials with whom Matson had a history of disputes.
The appraisals, according to the commission, were outside of the normal cycle and were not in compliance with applicable regulations.
As a result, the commission concluded there was sufficient evidence to render an opinion to the allegations that Matson, regarding the Stringer investigation, violated three state laws; failing to hold public office as a public trust, while failing to avoid conflicts between public and private interests.
Stringer, meanwhile, ultimately won the election.
Neither Matson, nor her attorney James Hoffman, could be reached for comment.
The former assessor has seen her share of controversy over the years after taking office.
At least one of Matsons ethics charges stemmed from her ordering Stringer to request a personal property declaration from local resident Stephanie Lopez, a day after Lopez led a protest calling for Matsons recall.
In late 2013, FBI agents seized two county-owned computers from the assessors office after allegations Matson opened a letter from the human resources department that held a computer disc containing employee records for a sheriffs deputy under federal investigation.
During that time, racially-charged emails from Matson to her supporters and other public officials were uncovered, including a number of individuals affiliated with the group Concerned Citizens for a Safe Community.
Just months after Matson was elected to the assessors office in 2010, she made national headlines for her comments about brown-skinned construction crews working on the countys detention center near her office.
The emails were authored just days before she won the 2010 general election.
Matson claimed the men were illegal aliens and demanded the sheriffs office investigate their legal status, while using terms such as dirty, filthy Mexicans.
The Ethics Commission has jurisdiction to investigate and take appropriate action regarding an alleged violation by a public officer, employee, former public officer or employee by the filing of a request for an opinion with the commission or by the bodys own motion within two years after the alleged violation or reasonable discovery of the alleged violation, according to Nevada Revised Statutes.
Matson, who didnt attend the hearing last week, couldnt be reached for comment.
Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes
LAS VEGAS The states Legislative Commissions Subcommittee to Study Water continued discussions about potential bill draft requests ahead of the Nevada Legislature session that begins in less than a year.
LAS VEGAS The states Legislative Commissions Subcommittee to Study Water continued discussions about potential bill draft requests ahead of the Nevada Legislature session that begins in less than a year.
Some of the day-long discussion included proposals that could impact domestic well owners in the state, including in Pahrump.
This committee is our chance to influence changes to law that can benefit Pahrump and allow us to include protections for current domestic wells in the groundwater management plan, Nye County Water District General Manager Darrell Lacy said.
The third meeting of the subcommittee was held at the Grant Sawyer Building in Las Vegas and brought five members of the Nevada Legislature together on Friday.
Nye County representatives state Sen. Pete Goicoechea and state Assemblyman James Oscarson were in attendance.
The subcommittee has been gathering information from different groups and will work on recommendations for future legislation during its final meeting in August.
Fifty-six of Nevadas water basins are severely over-allocated, according to Great Basin Water Network. That means that there isnt enough water to meet the water rights that the state has dished out.
One of the big questions is how to get those basins back in equilibrium, said Howard Watts, communications specialist with Great Basin Water Network, an organization that was formed in 2006 to protect rural water at its source and promote sustainable and transparent water policies.
The Pahrump Valley currently has 60,000 acre feet of paper water rights to pump water issued by the state, which is now overseen by Nevada State Engineer Jason King. The valley has approximately 20,000 acre feet of recharge annually.
Lacy said Pahrump has the largest concentration of domestic wells in Nevada, yet most of those wells are junior in priority to water rights in the valley.
The large number of domestic wells make Pahrump unique so we may need exceptions to the general rule, Lacy said.
Under state law, the domestic wells would be the first pumping to be curtailed.
The state law focuses on water rights, seniority and proof of beneficial use.
Greg Dann, chairman of the Nye County Water District Governing Board, declined to comment on the meeting, but said it was very educational.
In a letter, King encouraged the subcommittee to consider legislation to provide an exception to the current law that would require complete curtailment of junior priority domestic wells if curtailment by priority was required in a groundwater basin.
The state engineer encourages this committee to consider legislation that continues to refine Nevada water law and provide flexibility in the development and acceptance of groundwater management plans, whether in a Critical Management Area or not, the letter said.
Several other issues considered by the subcommittee include surface water and groundwater, perennial yield or the amount water that a basin can provide each year without decreasing, and beneficial use of water rights.
Meanwhile, Watts said Great Basin Water Network hopes for a few things.
(First), we want to make sure that the laws arent weakened by those who would like to see more unsustainable growth or gain from a weakening of senior water rights, Watts said. Second, we think some stronger legal language needs to be put into place to emphasize the water rights of natural water features and plants, which provide many benefits to the state.
The subcommittee plans to hold a meeting in Pahrump in July.
Contact reporter Daria Sokolova at dsokolova@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @dariasokolova77
An early morning power outage affected a large portion of the valley Monday morning as moderate to light rain fell on town.
An early morning power outage affected a large portion of the valley Monday morning as moderate to light rain fell on town.
A fire on a wooden power pole in the north part of town started a chain reaction that led the outage that affected over 3,000 Pahrump residents.
There were around 3,360 homes and businesses without power during the event, where all power was restored in just over an hour. The power outage began at 6:05 a.m., and all members power was restored by 7:18 a.m.
The pole fire was the original source of the outage and was exacerbated by a relay failing to operate properly in the substation, said James Andresen, manager of operations for Valley Electric Association, Inc.
The pole responsible for the outage is located west of Leslie Street and north of West Betty Avenue.
Andresen said its not uncommon for a buildup of dust on a pole, followed by a light drizzle, to create conditions that can trigger a fire.
A light rain is more troublesome than a heavy one, Andresen said. Its the combination of the dust and rain. Were better off getting a downpour than a light rain.
VEAs subsidiary, Valley Communication Associations broadband service, was not affected by the outage.
The system is designed to withstand extended periods without power, and it did, said Executive Vice President of Broadband Services and Operations John Spracklen. Those who lost power likely lost broadband, said Spracklen, but the outage did not affect the broadband system.
Pole fires are not an uncommon occurrence, but during most of the incidents widespread outages were not experienced. A protective relay in the substation failed to operate properly, resulting in the widespread outage. Repairs have been made to both the pole and the relay in the substation.
Contact reporter Mick Akers at makers@pvtimes.com. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.
With their win, Pahrump Valley has clinched a playoff spot in the 3A southern regional tournament. The Trojans need just one more win or a tie by Equipo Academy to lock up the No. 1 seed in the Mountain League.
The electric utility industry is about to undergo significant changes, Valley Electric Association Inc. officials said at the co-ops 2016 annual meeting.
The electric utility industry is about to undergo significant changes, Valley Electric Association Inc. officials said at the co-ops 2016 annual meeting.
The conversation about the future of the electric utility industry prevailed throughout most of the co-ops annual meeting that brought several technology experts and hundreds of VEA members and employees to Pahrump Valley High School on Saturday.
Tom Husted, chief executive officer at VEA, talked about the companys ongoing projects at the opening of the event.
We believe and we know that the electric industry is about to go through some very significant changes and those changes are driven by technology, Husted said.
VEA is on track to have a fiber build-out for wireless Internet connection in six rural areas within its service territory by the end of 2016. The company launched its optical fiber broadband communications service in Pahrump in October 2015.
Who would have bet, that the first all-fiber communities in the state of Nevada would be Sandy Valley, Pahrump, Amargosa Valley, Beatty and Fish Lake Valley? How many of you would think that would happen? Husted asked the audience.
Yeah, I probably wouldnt either, he said in response to several of the laughs.
Husted said the electric industry is moving toward a decentralized electric utility.
So, the old one-line concept is going away. Your utility, utilities across the United States and across the world will no longer be the dictator, he said. We will be the conductor of the order, so to speak.
Jason Mendenhall, executive vice president of Cloud at Las Vegas-based Switch Communications, also touched on the future of technologies.
Via partnership with VEA, we want to bring that vision to your communities, we are excited about the opportunity, but we are also excited about the partnership. And we are excited about this future that we can all be a part of, he said.
Mendenhall oversees the SUPERNAP, that delivers comprehensive technology and Cloud ecosystem in the market to SUPERNAP clients. VEA has a partnership with Switch Communications in shared fibers.
We want to see the communities along the way get all the tools, all the assets necessary, you would normally get in any major metropolitan area. Because if we can enable that, it opens up the world to everyone, Mendenhall said.
A keynote speaker at the event, Nevada Lt. Gov. Mark Hutchison, said the expansion of wireless connection in the VEAs service area will create economic opportunities for more jobs. He said VEA had made the expensive and risky investment of connecting the communities.
You are the envy of rural Nevada, who would desperately want to have this kind of connectivity, he said. And before Valley Electric decided to make the investment, there was no commercial enterprises willing to do this.
With the new expansion, communities along the 250-mile stretch of the companys service area will have access to Internet speed of 25 megabites, five times faster than whats currently available.
You are on the forefront of cutting-edge technology, Hutchison said.
Contact reporter Daria Sokolova at dsokolova@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @dariasokolova77
Three years ago when Gov. Brian Sandoval and other state officials announced the states new slogan was A world within. A state apart, I printed it on a card and took it to a post office. I asked people to read it and tell me what it meant. The most common reply turned the question back on me: What DOES it mean?
Three years ago when Gov. Brian Sandoval and other state officials announced the states new slogan was A world within. A state apart, I printed it on a card and took it to a post office. I asked people to read it and tell me what it meant. The most common reply turned the question back on me: What DOES it mean?
Responses around the state in reader comments were pretty caustic, too, and became more so with word of the $9 million marketing campaign to spread it by videos and other techniques.
Reno: A world within Satans armpit a state apart from all decency, humanity, ethics, and compassion I love it!
Las Vegas: Just lame any good ad agency WOULD NEVER [have] released this tripe so you know the wives were involved. (I dont know what THAT means.)
Laughlin: The slogan is ridiculous because it is meaningless unless you watch a video. Slogans have to stand on their own. Finally, frankly, as long as R&R didnt get the contract, I am happy. That agency has had a stranglehold on the state for decades.
Actually, R&R Advertising at least knows the state. To come up with the slogan, Sandoval and company hired Burson-Marsteller, an international public relations firm that had handled accounts like Philip Morris, Three Mile Island, Union Carbide in Bhopal, and dictatorships in Argentina, Romania, and Indonesia. What could possibly go wrong?
Burson-Marsteller explained the slogan this way: We are unwavering, we go about things our own way. Were a hearty bunch, unyielding and diverse like the land itself. Were mountains and snow and valleys of fire. Were characters. We live in our own world. When other states restrict, we allow. Were silver mines and pickups on long, lonely roads. But were also artists and oddballs and one-liner kings. Yes, were Vegas, but were also Tahoe and the Hoover Dam and wide-open country. We are enterprising. We are future focused. Were unlike any other state in the union. We are Nevada. A world within. A state apart.
Whew. Thats a mouthful. But I have read that slogan over and over and I cannot see the language that suggests When other states restrict, we allow. In addition, state officials have tried to get away from that notion of Nevada as a renegade state, so B-Ms mention of it was doing no favor to Nevada.
Clark County Latino leader Andres Ramirez wrote, While the tag lines value as a tool for economic development and tourism is debatable, it does offer a fitting description of how the state prioritizes K-12 and higher education between Northern and Southern Nevada.
Sacramento Bee writer Dan Morain pointed out that, in order to announce the slogan and the $9 million, Sandoval had emerged from hiding where he had been avoiding news crews who wanted his comments on the states just-revealed policy of dumping mental patients on other states. Maybe that mental health policy was a reflection of B-Ms Were unlike any other state in the union approach.
The Las Vegas Sun editorialized, The real crime of the branding campaign is that it minimizes, if not ignores, Las Vegas. To be fair, that is regional chauvinism. The slogan did the same to every part of the state. Indeed, the slogan could have been used unchanged by Vermont or Oregon or Arkansas.
Last week a contest ended in which Nevadans voted for possible designs for welcome-to-Nevada signs that will feature the tenebrous slogan. The contest was supposed to suggest that the public is being drawn into the process, though there was no write-in for those who wanted to vote for the states popular current sign with the miner in profile. It was like a Soviet election only government-approved candidates.
Five years ago, a slogan almost as unintelligible as B-Ms was proposed for Reno tourism promotion: A little bit left of center. No one seemed to know what it meant, and the confusion was heightened by the fact that one of Renos main streets is Center Street. Unlike Sandoval and company, Reno officials listened to the public and rejected the vague, nebulous phrase. Unfortunately, its replacement wasnt much better: Far from Expected.
Dennis Myers is an award-winning journalist who has reported on Nevadas capital, government and politics for several decades. He has also served as Nevadas chief deputy secretary of state.
Were tough on crime here in Nevada. Very tough.
Residents who howl in opposition to increased taxes for such trifles as quality public schools and a modicum of social services have no trouble calling for tougher laws and longer sentences. Tax increases for education are controversial, but no one ever had to float a bond in this state to build a prison.
Thats because were tough on crime in Nevada. And when voters cast ballots for politicians and judges who shout the loudest about how very tough theyll be on those lowlifes and neer-do-wells among us, they inevitably provide plenty of business for our bustling penitentiary industrial complex. Unofficial motto: If you build it, they will fill it.
Although we rank 15th nationally in adult incarceration by population, according to the state Department of Corrections and its intriguing to note the crime rate statewide has actually decreased in recent years theres little likelihood the Silver State will cease being very tough on crime any time soon.
The trouble with putting so many people in prison is that someone has to keep an eye on them. That old expression about locking them up and throwing away the key might work on the campaign trail, but in reality it takes trained correctional officers to prevent chaos and bloodletting.
This is where tough-on-crime Nevada suddenly becomes downright docile. An in-depth assessment of shift relief requirements and staff needs at Nevada prisons by the Association of State Correctional Administrators in September 2014 determined our prisons operated 100 officers and supervisors short of their legislative mandate. Thats no small number.
And correctional officers Ive interviewed say even that figure is deceiving. The Department of Corrections, they said, commonly counted inexperienced cadets and trainees as certified staffers. A single officer was commonly tasked with monitoring up to 200 inmates in circulation, they said.
A lack of sufficient direct supervision created a challenge, the study found. Although optimum staffing provides for direct supervision, staff shortages often result in facilities operating under intermittent supervision, where officers patrol the housing units but are not physically present in the unit at all times, because they are required to cover more than one unit when staff shortages exist.
The analysis also found that the department, rather conveniently for the states political elite, had been using inaccurate methodology. The report concluded, The reason the 100 staff are required is because the existing shift relief factor was based on out of date estimates of the number of days staff were actually available to work their posts. That underestimation resulted in a shortage of 100 staff that meant mandated posts either went unfilled, or were filled with staff working overtime.
While you might think prison officials would make certain sufficient professionally trained staff were on the job at Nevadas toughest prisons, the assessment found that wasnt the case.
In attempting to divvy up the projected additional staff needed to reach the legislative minimums, the experts found High Desert State Prison 27 staffers short. Ely State Prison lacked 15 staffers, Lovelocks Northern Nevada facility 13, and Southern Desert 12. But, again, veteran officers interviewed said the numbers dont tell the whole story. Its not just a lack of personnel; its a lack of experience of those on the job as well.
If youre wondering how an inexperienced correctional officer trainee at High Desert State Prison found himself unsupervised with a 12-gauge shotgun in his hands on the night in November 2014 when authorities allege he committed involuntary manslaughter while attempting to break up an inmate brawl, perhaps the reports findings will help end the confusion.
After what appeared to be a lot of thoughtful analysis, the assessment acknowledged another factor common to many jurisdictions when the subject is the maintenance of a professionally trained and sufficiently staffed prison system. Adding 100 trained staffers and supervisors was no simple matter.
Recognizing that it is neither reasonable nor realistic to expect all of the recommendations to be implemented immediately, the report stated, we strongly recommend adoption of a phased implementation of the recommended increases in staff.
Were tough on crime here in Nevada. Very tough.
Until it comes time to pay the check.
John L. Smiths is a columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Contact him at jsmith@reviewjournal.com. On Twitter: @jlnevadasmith
Davenport Police are looking for a man they say robbed a bank Wednesday afternoon.
Police were called at 3:21 p.m. to US Bank, 3624 Division St. The suspect, described as a white man about 5 feet, 7 inches tall with a thin build, fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash.
No one was injured.
This is the second bank robbery reported in Davenport this week.
Police say a man, described as white, 5 feet, 6 inches tall and 160 pounds, entered the Northwest Bank & Trust Co., 1454 W. Locust St., at 3 p.m. Monday, implied that he had a weapon and fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash. Police released a surveillance photograph of a person of interest Wednesday.
Capt. Brent Biggs of the Davenport Police Department said the descriptions of the suspect in both bank robberies are similar but that police don't yet know if they are looking for the same person.
Anyone with information is asked to call 563-326-6125 or submit an anonymous tip via the department's mobile app CityConnect, Davenport IA.
Students flood out of the front doors of Augustana College's Centennial Hall in Rock Island after a gunmen opened fire inside as part of training exercise.
Several hundred students sat in Augustana Colleges Centennial Hall as if they were listening to a low-level politician speak, and the shots rang out.
There were multiple shooters, said Elizabeth Gehrmann, 21, a senior studying chemistry and German. Then, she said, it was chaos as the crowd began heading for the doors to escape.
As students fled Centennial Hall, located at the corner of 7th Avenue and 38th Street, Rock Island, they headed to the safety of Carver Hall. Then, the text messages went out: "Drill drill: campus on lock down. Shooter in Centennial Hall. Evacuate Centennial if safe. Other buildings: See Emergency posters. Drill only."
As the text message went out, the campus emergency siren began to wail.
Some students who fled the building were made up to look injured, with blood and bruises. Others, including Gehrmann, werent so lucky.
I didnt survive, she said.
But she was sitting on the end of a row in the auditorium, so people had to push past her to get out.
This was an annual major exercise that Augustana runs to test the schools preparedness in emergency situations, college spokesman Sam Schlouch said.
Three years ago, we had an active shooter scenario, Schlouch said. Two years ago, we had a fire at Andreen Hall. We cycle the situations, whether they are evacuations, lockdowns or taking shelter.
Weather, such as a tornado drill, is a situation of taking shelter, he said.
We have a lot of international students on campus who have never seen a tornado, let alone been in one, Schlouch said. Its important they know what to do.
The shooting scenario acted out Tuesday night had been planned months ahead, he said. This was a lockdown situation.
Such events give emergency responders a chance to work together and build the relationships necessary to handle an emergency effectively, he said.
Something on a smaller scale is run during the semesters as it is not just new students who need to understand the protocols, but new teachers and staff, too, he said.
Augustana is recognized as a Ready to Respond campus by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Schlouch said.
Racing to the scene were Rock Island police and firefighters, several ambulance companies, including Medic EMS, Genesis and Trinity, as well as first responders from the Rock Island Arsenal. There even was a MetroLINK bus to take injured to the various hospitals.
Triage areas with yellow and red flags were set up for victims, with the worst cases being taken first.
Gehrmann said she participated in the active shooter scenario three years ago.
I think its a good idea, she said. You want it to be as realistic as possible so youll know how to respond to a real situation.
Most of the volunteers came from Augustanas Greek fraternity and sorority community.
Matt Eike, 19, who is studying history and international business, said he feels safe on campus.
I dont feel as though anything like this situation will happen here, he said. This is a very safe campus.
Schlouch said the event was filmed, including use of a drone by a member of the Scott County Sheriffs Department.
We have numerous people here from different agencies observing the response and will make recommendations, Schlouch said. You can never be too prepared.
The first weekend Don Doucette was in Davenport, he visited the Figge Art Museum to see its Haitian arts exhibit.
Doucette has been chancellor of the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges since 2011, but starting in 2001, he has visited Haiti more than 40 times.
They haven't been vacation trips. Ten years ago, Doucette founded Haiti's first and, to date, only community college. He also helped to start a maternal health center where hundreds of babies have been born.
Through these achievements, he's gained love, respect and no shortage of loyalty from the beleaguered Caribbean country, often cited as the "worst performing" in the Western Hemisphere.
Doucette is active in the Episcopalian Church and was working in Kansas City when he first got involved in Haiti. The church had launched a capital campaign and decided to send the first $30,000 collected to Haiti to establish a primary school.
Doucette's church, his work and his wife cleared his schedule for his 50th birthday project, and he traveled with other Episcopalians to help establish the school. One main job at the time was to build benches so the youths would not sit on concrete floors to learn.
While he was in Haiti, he ran into others who were interested in the country's economic situation. A meeting at a hotel allowed Doucette an enthusiastic cheerleader for the community college concept to sell others on the idea.
Community colleges were invented in the United States, he said, and serve as a economic driver.
Four years later it took organizers three years to get clear title to the property in Les Cayes, Haiti the Business and Technology Institute, or BTI, was born.
Doucette flew three weeks ago to Les Cayes to witness the college's 10th annual graduation ceremony. It was a joyous four-hour event, and the next day, it was followed by a four-and-a-half-hour church service celebration.
The community college helps to drive economic investment in Haiti and foster the country's middle class, Doucette said. Students may take either business or computer classes, as well as receive English and French language instruction.
It has grown over the years: There were 170 students in the first class to enter BTI in October 2005; 900 students graduated last month.
More than half, almost 60 percent, of the students go on to get good, middle-class jobs in Haiti, Doucette said. This includes employment in banks, the communications sector, in the government or with non-governmental organizations.
Doucette still serves as president of the BTI board in Les Cayes and teaches a seminar there. He takes his trips to avoid chaotic times in Haiti, such as during a presidential election.
"I've never felt threatened in Haiti," he said.
Life has improved in Haiti, but it is a slow process. He noted that in his first visit in 2001, there was no telephone reception. But his cellphone works there now.
The 2010 earthquake that killed up to 300,000 Haitians and devastated the capital city of Port-au-Prince did not much affect Les Cayes, home of the college and located on the southern tip of Haiti. Doucette said, however, that nearly all Haitians were affected by the disaster, losing a family member, friend or job because of it.
Still, He finds it to be a beautiful, enticing part of the world.
"There's just something about Haiti," he said.
The Davenport City Council is poised to approve a three-year contract with private security firm Per Mar to provide enforcement for downtown parking.
Aldermen heard details of the contract for $67,000 a year at a work session Tuesday and are expected to vote on it at the May 11 City Council meeting.
While the contract is for three years, it includes a six-month trial clause in which the city can rate Per Mar's performance and choose at the end of that period whether to back out. Davenport has money in its budget for the upcoming fiscal year to hire back a city employee to issue downtown parking tickets, city Finance Director Brandon Wright said.
The city contracted with Davenport-based Per Mar Security Services for a trial run that began in January. The firm is enforcing the two-hour parking limit during the day as well parking in handicapped and no parking zones and those found double parking.
Nicole Gleason, deputy public works director, said the private firm is utilizing license plate recognition technology "instead of chalking tires and writing tickets."
Before January, city employees belonging to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union provided the service.
"It would be nice to pay a city employee to do that and provide a living wage," Alderwoman Rita Rawson, 5th Ward, said in defense of the former unionized position.
AFSCME Iowa Council 61 President Danny Homan previously told the Quad-City Times that "outsourcing" the service "would diminish oversight because the city will no longer directly control the employees."
In related news, aldermen also are expected to vote May 11 to convert the city's parking ramp gate arms into unstaffed pay stations. The move would cost the city $275,000 to $350,000 for 23 pay stations, whereas upgrading and maintaining the arms would have cost $700,000, Gleason said.
Aldermen suggested video cameras in the ramps to record anyone who exits without paying so that tickets can be mailed.
"If we're going to do this, let's make sure there is a security plan in place," Alderman Mike Matson, 7th Ward, said.
Take a good look at him.
Bloodied and bruised, thats Dave Stewart, the 56-year-old man who survived a hit-and-run crash earlier this month in Davenport.
You may recognize him. A lot of folks know him for his service at the Culvers at 5320 Jersey Ridge Rd. After his shift on April 2, Stewart hopped on his bicycle and began pedaling home along his routine route.
About 10:20 p.m., less than a mile into his commute, police believe a white Mercedes-Benz E-Class struck him in the 4400 block of Jersey Ridge Road and took off.
Stewart, who suffered a concussion, several facial fractures and severe road rash, said he doesn't remember a thing.
"I have two days that are basically erased from my memory," Stewart said Wednesday at his workplace. "That whole weekend is a blank in my mind."
But he's thankful for what happened next that night.
Heading south on Jersey Ridge after a stop at Whitey's Ice Cream on 53rd Street, a carful of observant high school students yes, teenagers pulled over to investigate the aftermath of the accident on the side of the road.
Brian Dennis, one of the four students who arrived on scene, immediately called 911 once he saw a seriously-injured and helmetless Stewart on the ground.
He had blood coming out of his ears and nose and he was trying to talk, but couldnt really, Brian recalled. I dont like to think about it.
First responders initially transported Stewart to Genesis Medical Center-East Rusholme Street for treatment, but later transferred him to University Hospitals, Iowa City, where he spent six days, according to Davenport police Capt. Brent Biggs.
Authorities still are searching for the suspect luxury sedan with passenger side damage.
Larry Sheedy, general manager at the Jersey Ridge Road Culvers, said Stewart has worked there since 2008.
He rides his bike every day thats his only transportation, said Sheedy, who mentioned that someone stole Stewarts helmet last summer.
Meanwhile, feeling inspired by a random Quad-City connection, Brian and his mother, Heather Dennis, decided to launch an online fundraiser for Stewart.
It just so happens that Heather Dennis chiropractor, Paula Sheedy, is married to Larry Sheedy, Stewarts boss.
So, two weeks ago, Brian and his mother created a GoFundMe page for Stewart. As of Wednesday afternoon, 30 people donated $1,025 to help him keep up with medical bills and other expenses.
How could somebody hit him and drive off? Heather Dennis said. I think he keeps to himself, but nobody deserves to be treated that way.
Since the accident, Sheedy said customers, who have contributed more than $700 for Stewart at the restaurant, ask about him all the time. One person even offered up their spare bike.
Daves just a really good guy, added Sheedy, who plans to host a benefit for Stewart next week. Hed give you the shirt off his back if you asked for it.
During his recovery, Sheedy said Stewart, who lives in an apartment off Eastern Avenue, doesnt have to worry about job security.
And fortunately, the City of Davenport has made proposals to improve accommodations for cyclists along Stewart's route.
Currently, the designated on-road bike lane along Jersey Ridge stretches from the Village of East Davenport to Kimberly Road.
This spring, however, crews plan to extend the lane from Kimberly Road north past Culvers to Jersey Meadows Drive, an addition seemingly designed for Stewart. The Davenport Public Works Department is hosting a neighborhood meeting Thursday evening to discuss the specific project.
Brian, who said he still hasnt spoken with Stewart following the traumatic experience, hopes to visit him at Culver's when he returns to work.
That will probably be awhile, but I personally just want to see how hes doing and make sure he knows that we want to help him in any way we can, Brian said.
Stewart, who limped in the rain with a walker Wednesday afternoon from the 53rd Street CitiBus stop to Culver's, said the students have helped him plenty.
"I don't know what I would've done without them," he said. "People come into your life at interesting times and it's just incredible that someone would do that at any age."
More than 670.
That's how many second chances legislation in Iowa's House would provide. And thousands more lives could be salvaged in the future, if lawmakers have the guts to finally address the mass incarceration epidemic.
It's no secret that there's a disproportionately black population of non-violent felons in Iowa's prison system. It's quantifiable fact that 20th century drug laws created criminals out of troubled minds. And it's almost universally accepted that local, state and federal lock-ups are wrongly used as treatment centers, thanks to widespread disregard for mental health treatment.
But, just maybe, a little horse trading between the GOP-controlled House and Democratic Senate could result in a monumental leap toward ending failed policy that's destroyed entire communities.
House Republicans, this waning session, wanted an overhaul of child endangerment laws. And a bill to do just that breezed through the lower House in March. The Senate saw an opening and, with the support of Attorney General Tom Miller, inserted language that would free more than 670 nonviolent drug offenders in Iowa prisons who have served at least half a sentence. The revised draft is now back in the House for vetting.
Costly, draconian mandatory minimum sentences are driving policy debates throughout the country. Social-justice liberals in Congress have found bedfellows among budget hawk conservatives. Billions are spent each year incarcerating people guilty of low-level drug offenses, people sometimes deemed felons simply because of the "three strike" rule. Freeing those most unlikely to offend would save the state $757,000 next fiscal year, estimates the legislative analysts. And that's not even counting the boost in income tax harvested people re-entering the workforce.
This is the context within which Iowa's lawmakers find themselves. The moment is right. Lawmakers only must seize upon the opportunity before gaveling some time this week.
The fact is, HF 2064 is a good piece of legislation, particularly after the Senate amendment. The bill would not only free hundreds victimized by the mob's thirst for raw punishment. It would assure that, finally, the sentence fits the crime in Iowa.
"Safety" is the clarion call of the opposition. They paint pictures of hardened criminals preying on poor communities.
Miller said that's bunk. Only those deemed least likely to offend would be freed under the bill, he noted.
We think that some of (the drug offenders) can safely be released. We also think it could save some money" he told The Des Moines Register last week. "If its done right, the public will be just as safe as they are today.
Fear-based instinct never results in reasoned policy.
The fact is, U.S. prisons are basically terrible at rehabilitation. Recidivism rates have long been north of 50 percent. And, frankly, the stigma surrounding the felony tag almost dooms a former inmate's work prospects.
Inmates aren't somehow predisposed to criminal activity. It's a matter of social access. Neither jails nor prisons are equipped to grapple with this reality. There's social benefit to employers to hire an ex-con. A life is saved. And, when done en masse, crime falls.
But access goes beyond a job. This past week, Virginia Gov. Terry McCullough returned voting rights to 200,000 felons in that state. Iowa, on the other hand, is notorious for erecting barriers to felons looking for another shot at citizenship. It's a separate, but fundamentally associated issue, that can't be ignored.
Second chances and fair treatment are the pillars of American justice.
Nearly 700 inmates in Iowa's prisons deserve just that.
DES MOINES Debate at the Iowa Capitol over whether and how to expand Iowas limited medical cannabis law went deep into Monday night and also spilled into Tuesday.
Advocates calling for expanded access to cannabidiol, a medicinal byproduct of the marijuana plant, expressed their disappointment with a proposal introduced Monday night by House Republicans that would have increased the number of ailments permitted for cannabidiol treatments and attempted to establish partnerships with other states that, unlike Iowa, produce and sell the product.
Opponents of the proposal, including those who would use cannabidiol to treat such illnesses as epilepsy and cancer, say it would have done nothing to help them.
The legislation was voted down, 63-31, with only Republicans supporting and a mixture of Republicans and Democrats opposing.
Im disappointed. I feel misled by members of the Iowa House, said Sally Gaer of West Des Moines, co-founder of the advocacy group Iowans 4 Medical Cannabis, which has advocated for expanded cannabidiol access and which held a news conference Tuesday at the Capitol. Weve been working on this for months, and what they did (Monday) night showed they have no conscience, pure and simple. They decided not to help.
Robert Lewis of Windsor Heights fought back tears as he expressed his disappointment in the proposal.
I have lived in pain for 43 years. It hurts deeply today. Not so much the pain, because I have a patch on it. But the emotional pain, just knowing that there is something out there that I can use that takes that pain away, Lewis said.
Legislative leaders who support expanding Iowas medical cannabis program by legalizing the production and sale of cannabidiol in the state say they will continue to look for avenues to introduce legislation, but they acknowledged those opportunities are becoming scarce as lawmakers close in on finishing their work for the 2016 session.
Rep. Bob Kressig, D-Cedar Falls, said his colleagues hope to introduce their plan but conceded there are few bills remaining to provide such an avenue. Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, said the same and added that attaching controversial legislation to any would threaten bills that he said have to get done.
Bolkcom said it would take a signal from Republican House leaders that they would accept Democrats expansion plan before Senate Democrats would attach their plan to legislation.
I think people on our side will measure whether theres any opportunity and have that discussion, Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said.
Gov. Terry Branstad said he has tried to keep an open mind on the issue, but as he has in the past, he declined to weigh in on any of the proposals. Branstad says he wants to be empathetic to individuals who think they need cannabidiol to treat their ailments, but he also wants to guard against the unintended consequences of medical cannabis getting into the wrong hands.
Meantime, advocates such as Laura Jumper continue to hope for medical cannabis expansion. Jumper, a 36-year-old with ulcerative colitis and arthritis, said she has moved from Mason City to Ankeny in order to live with family who can help with her children.
Jumper, who thinks medical cannabis would ease the pain from her arthritis, said she gets her treatments at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, but doctors there are struggling to ease her suffering. She said the proposal introduced Monday night would not have helped her because of the great lengths it would take to acquire cannabidiol.
I cant travel. That was why we moved down here (to Ankeny), because it was getting harder and harder for us, for me to even drive an hour and a half. Its getting harder for me to drive to Mayo, even from Mason City, Jumper said. I cant sit in a car for hours on end. I cant sit on a plane for hours on end. Its not an option for me.
I have battled and used immune-suppressing drugs for the last 10 years. Chemo drugs. And Ive exhausted all my options. Ive been on probably 12 different medications in the last 10 years. And this is time.
DES MOINES It will take time to iron out the differences between Iowa lawmakers Democrats and Republicans, representative and senators but legislators remain optimistic theyll finish their work this week.
Thats my hope, absolutely,, Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said Tuesday as House-Senate conference committees worked on reaching agreements on a host of budget bills.
Among them are the $3.4 billion standings bill that includes school aid as well as a laundry list of funding provisions. Rep. Ken Rizer, R-Cedar Rapids, said the policy issues in the bill had been pared from about 100 last year to around 30. The Senate had added nine items, he said, and the House added a few.
So I guess theres room for horse-trading, he said after the House approved House File 2459 51-39 on its way to a conference committee.
A conference committee on the $1.9 billion health and human services budget met in a public session for a minute, but Sen. Amanda Ragan, D-Mason City, said she expected conferees to meet privately throughout the day to discuss significant differences.
Weve casually had conversations all along this year, so there are issues we will find agreement on fast and others that we just have to see how we can resolve everything, Ragan said. Nobodys going home until this budget is resolved.
Sooner rather than later is the preference of most lawmakers. Their daily expense money ended April 19, and the Statehouse cafeteria closed Friday. If the session doesnt end this week, many will be further inconvenienced because leases on their Des Moines housing will expire at the end of the month.
I think the members of the conference committees know the speakers and the majority leaders druthers, Gronstal said.
The Senate has been operating with a skeleton crew so far this week, but Gronstal expects to have all senators on hand Wednesday to begin the shutdown process that could take a day or two.
Well measure that as it happens, he said, explaining that once agreements are made, the tough part is transferring those agreements to paper and going through all the due diligence.
Moving the paper takes some significant time, the veteran of 33 years in the House and Senate said.
The major sticking points in the health and human services budget are Senate Democrats insistence on more extensive oversight of privately delivered Medicaid services, which began April 1, and House Republicans insistence on not funding Planned Parenthood.
Ragan predicted it will take time to go through the oversight details because private management of Medicaid is new.
Theres such detail. In the weeds, she said.
Resolving the differences on funding family planning services also will take time because the Senate wants Planned Parenthood funding in Medicaid, but the House funds womens health services from a different source.
Theres lots of positives in this bill that we agree on, Ragan said. The art of compromise is somewhere in here.
South Dakota public school students in fourth and eighth grades are generally in line with their peers across the country when it comes to reading and math skills, according to a set of national testing data released Tuesday.
Taken as a whole, the national data show that school students here and across the country are slipping some in math, but generally doing a bit better in reading.
According to the data, South Dakotas fourth-graders are achieving slightly lower in math and slightly higher in reading in 2015 compared to 2013, according to the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) report card released Tuesday.
South Dakota eighth-graders, meanwhile, scored slightly lower in both math and reading skills than in past years, but remained above the national average.
Nationally, high school seniors scored lower in mathematics than they did two years ago, while reading skills remained largely the same.
The NAEP, or Nations Report Card, is the largest continuing gauge of what K-12 students nationwide comprehend in various subject areas. Known as the gold standard of large-scale student assessments, NAEP is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics.
Math scores have declined over the last two years at grade 12, mirroring the declines we saw at grades 4 and 8, said NCES Acting Commissioner Peggy Carr. Were seeing that while lower performing students have score declines in both subjects, the highest performing students are making gains in reading.
The NAEP report focused on statistics for high school seniors nationwide, but did not include state-by-state data for those students. The NAEP numbers on South Dakotas fourth and eighth-graders were originally released in October.
Those numbers showed that the average score in math for South Dakotas fourth-graders was 240, which is in line with the national average for 2015, but one point lower than the 2013 score. The states fourth-graders improved in reading, however, bringing them up to the national average with an average score of 220 in 2015 as compared to the 2013 score of 218.
Meanwhile, the states eighth-grade scores in both math and reading declined slightly from previous years, but remained several points above the national averages in each category. The average 2015 score for math among South Dakotas eighth-graders was 285, two points lower than 2013. The 2015 scores for reading were 267 on average, one point lower than 2013.
NAEP results are measured at three achievement levels: Basic, which indicates partial understanding; Proficient, which shows solid academic performance; and Advanced, which represents superior work.
In 2015, 83 percent of South Dakotas fourth-graders were determined to have basic achievement math, while 40 percent were proficient, and 4 percent were advanced. For reading skills, 68 percent had basic achievement, 35 percent were proficient, and 8 percent were advanced.
For eighth-graders, 77 percent had a basic understanding of math, while 34 percent were proficient, and 6 percent were advanced.
Carr said the NAEP did not assess high school students state-by-state in 2015 as it did in 2013, due to a lack of resources.
Nationwide, the average mathematics score in 2015 for high school seniors was 152, or two points lower than 2013. For reading, the average score in 2015 was 287, which is unchanged from 2013.
The national numbers, confirm the need to move swiftly to ensure that all students have access to high quality programs that prepare them for success in higher education and the workforce, said governing board member Mitchell Chester, who is also commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Too many twelfth-graders are unprepared for the world after high school.
The 2015 NAEP report shows that an estimated 37 percent of the nations 12th-graders are prepared for college-level coursework in both math and reading, as compared to 2013, when an estimated 39 percent of seniors were prepared for college-level mathematics and an estimated 38 percent for college-level reading.
A state court on Tuesday granted the request of the man charged with assaulting a South Dakota state trooper to separate his case from the cases against his three co-defendants because they have made incriminating statements against him.
Meanwhile, lawyers for the man charged in the attack may also try to suppress some statements their client made to police.
The prosecution did not object to the motion to sever the cases that was submitted by the attorneys of Donald M. Willingham, who has been charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. Willingham is charged in the assault of S.D. Highway Patrol Trooper Zachary Bader, following a traffic stop on Interstate 90 in Pennington County in October.
Willingham, 34, of Renton, Wash., also faces the following charges with his co-defendants: possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana and commission of a felony with a firearm.
His co-defendants Jonathan Melendez, 22, of Kent, Wash., and siblings Desiree Sukert, 26, and Chase Sukert, 24, both of Renton, Wash. have been additionally charged with being accessories to a crime.
All three co-defendants made post-arrest statements, implicating defendant, a portion of Willinghams motion to sever reads. Melendez and C. Sukert made post-arrest statements that they observed defendant assault the victim.
A separate trial should be granted where co-defendants have made serious statements implicating other co-defendants and the possibility plainly exists that such statements will be introduced as evidence in trial, the motion says, citing a South Dakota precedent.
Dennis Doherty, Willinghams lead counsel who submitted the motion, told the Journal that giving his client a separate trial would enable him to have a fair trial given his and his co-defendants conflicting defenses.
A separate trial would also give Willinghams defense lawyers an opportunity to cross-examine Melendez and the Sukerts. This would not be possible if they had a joint trial, according to the motion.
Meanwhile, separating Willinghams case would allow prosecutors to call Willinghams co-defendants as witnesses, Deputy States Attorney Josh Hendrickson said after the previous hearing. But, Hendrickson added, the co-defendants might decline to answer questions on the witness stand for fear of giving information that would incriminate themselves.
Doherty said that he has also filed a motion to suppress the statements that Willingham gave local police officers since the interrogation was conducted in violation of a variety of constitutional protections.
The motion had not yet appeared under Willinghams court records as of Tuesday afternoon.
On Oct. 24, Bader stopped a vehicle carrying the defendants on Interstate 90 east of Rapid City. He attempted an arrest, and a struggle ensued in which Bader was seriously injured. Bader spent two weeks at the Rapid City Regional Hospital for treatment of his injuries, including broken facial bones.
Willingham is being held at the Pennington County Jail on a $5 million bond, while Melendez and the Sukerts are out on bail.
A 32-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday in the fatal shooting of two people in a home in the small rural Meade County town of Faith early Tuesday morning, according to authorities.
Berton Cole Toavs, 32, was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the killings, officials said. The two victims, whose identities were not released, were found dead in a home in Faith around 7 a.m. Tuesday.
Faith is a ranching community of about 500 people located about 125 miles northeast of Rapid City at the intersection of U.S. 212 and S.D. Highway 73.
Attorney General Marty Jackley and Meade County Sheriff Ron Merwin confirmed that Toavs is charged with two counts of first degree murder, stemming from the shooting of two people whose identities were not immediately released.
Merwin said the suspect and the two victims knew each other, but were not related. When the sheriff transported him to lockup in the Meade County Jail in Sturgis, Toavs disposition was docile, Merwin said.
The attorney general's statement noted that the penalty for first degree murder in South Dakota is either death or a mandatory life sentence.
The Faith Police Department; South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks; South Dakota Highway Patrol; and the Division of Criminal Investigation are providing assistance in the investigation.
A loss of bureaucratic patience a few weeks ago by a district forest ranger in the central Black Hills led to a take-no-prisoners threat to local mountain bikers who've been creating unauthorized trails in the hills.
District Ranger Ruth Esperance sent area mountain bikers a letter warning them that continued development and maintenance of unauthorized trails could result in penalties of $5,000 and six months in the slammer. The bikers' response? They conducted their weekly ride on one of the unauthorized trails as if they imagine this owned the place. Just who do those bikers think they are?
Esperance's gratuitous threat was met with the indifference it deserved. As a longtime lover of hiking in the Black Hills, I've encountered numerous bicycle trails and have yet to find one that has scarred the landscape or changed the pristine beauty of the forest that it's in.
Meantime, logging has disrupted the essential nature of so many sections of the Hills that to be annoyed by the virtually invisible, glorified tracks that make up a bike trail seems like a wildly disproportionate reaction to a bit of alteration that is neither as catastrophic, lasting nor aesthetically devastating as logging and mining ventures have been over the decades.
Ms. Esperance should lighten up. There's a better way to resolve this thing than to go public with threats of big fines and jail terms.
Meanwhile, as ever, there's a bigger picture to consider. As it happens, the matter of who owns and who operates these federal lands is part of the Republican presidential primary conversation.
Considering how much federal land (either National Forest or National Grassland) we have in South Dakota, most of it is here on the west end of the state, the U.S. Forest Service is a major partner in its management. It can be a tough relationship. The USFSs ferret re-introduction program on nearby prairies effectively closed huge swatches of federal rangeland to grazing, creating hard feelings that still linger among hunters and ranchers I know.
So where does Ted Cruz stand on this? He's been unequivocal: last month he told an Idaho crowd that "we need to transfer that (federally owned) land back to the states or even better, back to the people."
I'm kinda sorta with him on this because management of local land by D.C.-initiated fiat can be a pain, as we've seen. On the other hand, who knows what would happen to that land once state politicos get their hands on it? On balance, I don't think that risk is worth taking, and even though Donald Trump has already said he doesn't "like the idea" because "you don't know what the state is going to do," he's also said "it's not a subject I know anything about."
His thinking is still evolving, but contrasting the two attitudes you can see why ideologically-committed conservatives embrace Cruz and shun Trump. Where do I stand? Unless a Cruz-style transfer involves only operations and management, not ownership, Id have to go with Trumps overall reluctance.
U.S. court sentences Estonian national to 7 years for cyber fraud report
MOSCOW, April 27 (RAPSI) A court in New York has sentenced an Estonian citizen, Vladimir Tsastsin, to 7 years and 3 months in prison for conducting cyber fraud, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
According to Reuters, Tsastsin has also been ordered to pay a $2.5 million fine.
In July 2015 Tsastsin pleaded guilty to wire fraud and computer intrusion conspiracies, saying that he deeply regretted his actions, Reuters reported. Damage caused by his scheme is estimated to be as high as $14 million.
According to U.S. prosecutors, Tsastsin began distribution of DNS Changer malware in 2007 with the assistance of his co-conspirators, Reuters reported. The malware was used to divert money to the criminal group through machinations with fraudulent advertisement clicks.
Tsastsin was arrested in Estonia in 2011 where he was separately convicted on related money-laundering charges, Reuters reported. In October 2014 he was extradited to the United States.
A few months ago, a 6-year-old Utah boy was in the news for having a relatively common and minor surgery: otoplasty. Why was this procedure so notable and newsworthy? It was because the boy was receiving the cosmetic operation pro bono and because he was having the surgery to stop relentless bullying at school.
According to ABC News, Gage Berger has had protruding ears since birth and the teasing started as soon as he entered school. His parents say that his protruding ears were making it very difficult for their son to enjoy school, make friends, or gain any sort of confidence. They researched otoplasty (cosmetic ear surgery) as a potential solution and found that it perfectly fit their sons needs. They ran the idea past Gage, who was thrilled with the prospect of having normal-looking ears.
The boy had the two-hour surgery accompanied by his stuffed tiger. His parents reported that he is already having a better experience at school and that his confidence is higher than ever before.
Otoplasty and cosmetic surgery for children
Cosmetic surgery is not often recommended for children as young as Gage Berger. However, certain types of plastic surgeries, including ear surgery, nose surgery, breast reduction surgery and acne scar reduction surgery, are often cited as acceptable and helpful for those under 18 by many doctors, surgeons and national medical organizations, depending on the details of each individual case. These procedures correct issues that harm childrens self-esteem, make them stand out in a crowd, and lower their overall quality of life. Getting these cosmetic surgeries, many say, is more like getting braces or cleft palate surgery and less like getting a facelift or breast augmentation.
Otoplasty is a perfect example of a sensible cosmetic procedure for many children for the following reasons:
The surgery easily fixes deformed ears that can lead to teasing and self-esteem issues even at an early age.
The operation is short, relatively safe and has a relatively fast recovery period.
The ears are mostly finished growing by age 5, making the results viable over the long term.
Studies have confirmed that otoplasty in children has overwhelmingly positive outcome for children which lasts into adulthood.
The procedure
Otoplasty is a surgical procedure in which the ears are reshaped so that they are symmetrical and lay flush against the head. The surgery is designed to correct for overly protruding or malformed ears.
The procedure, which can take place in a surgeons office, an outpatient surgical facility or a hospital, takes about two hours to complete. The facility and type of anesthetic used for each patient is determined by the doctor and individualized to the patients needs. The recovery process involves wearing an earband for one to three days, followed by a week or two of further healing. All swelling should disappear by three months and most scarring will remain hidden behind the ear. Children often undergo otoplasty during a time off from school such as summer vacation.
The surgery is recommended for anyone over the age of 5 years who wishes to have less prominent ears. The surgery is not often covered by insurance plans, although some health care policies cover the repair of an abnormal body part. You should speak with your doctor and your insurance company about cost, payment, insurance coverage and financing.
Before deciding on the surgery, doctors recommend that your child is evaluated and briefed. Children should understand the consequences of the procedure, have realistic expectations regarding results and understand that the outcome is more or less permanent.
Studies regarding ear surgery and children
A 2012 study published in the Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology followed up with 36 people of all ages who underwent otoplasty between 2009 and 2010. Researchers found that the vast majority were pleased with the results of their cosmetic surgery and that their quality of life had improved after the procedure. This satisfaction was equally apparent in patients of all ages and both sexes.
A 2009 study published in the Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery surveyed people who had an otoplasty procedure between the ages of 5 and 16 and between the years 1999 and 2003. The study found that 97 percent of respondents reported an increase in happiness, 92 percent reported an increase in self-confidence, 79 percent noted improved social experience and all reported that bullying was reduced or eliminated.
A 2007 study published in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery examined the postoperative satisfaction of teens who underwent a cosmetic surgical procedure, including otoplasty. They found that 94 percent of people who had a plastic surgery procedure as teens were still satisfied with the results and that the group was not more likely than other teens to undergo a second cosmetic procedure.
Otoplasty at the Surgical Arts Centre
Could otoplasty be a solution for your protruding ears or your childs protruding ears? At the Surgical Arts Centre, we are happy to discuss whether you or your child is a good candidate for this procedure based on the patients medical history, their maturity, and their reasons for requesting the surgery. Talk with our team if you have a question about otoplasty, if you want to learn more about our ear surgeries, or if you would like to schedule a consultation.
Questions and or comments regarding this weeks health column please contact Dr. John Holtzen at the Surgical Arts Centre, 1201 Westwood Drive, Suite A, Hamilton, MT 59840 or 805 S. Reserve Street, Missoula, MT 59801. Working together to build a healthier community.
Bitterroot Colleges Geoscience Professor, George Furniss, takes his Water Resources classes to the river.
But not for recreation.
Over the last three years his students have tested the Bitterroot River and dozens of wells and surface water sources for drinkability. What they found is alarming. Several Ravalli County wells tested at high nitrate levels. In other words, there could be trouble in your drinking water and perhaps the river too.
Our students tested one house well that contained nitrates at a level high enough to be dangerous to a baby, Furniss said. Nitrates in groundwater can interfere with the oxygen carrying capacity of an infants hemoglobin, which can lead to death. Nearly everywhere we looked we found elevated, but legal levels, of nitrates in groundwater. The river and creeks flowing in from the mountains on either side of the valley are actually quite clean by comparison. As a society we are doing something in the valley that is tainting groundwater.
Despite the alarming nature of his students findings, Furniss didnt resort to any reactive extreme. Instead, he has initiated the opportunity for open dialogue among various perspectives.
On the last Friday in April, Bitterroot College will host the 2016 Water Symposium. The symposium will focus on two questions: Where do we stand? Where are we going?
Twenty-two confirmed speakers include Sen. Pat Connell, Dr. Larry Swanson from the Center for the Rocky Mountain West, and Ginette Abdo of the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology Groundwater Investigation Program.
The symposium format offers keynote speakers, panel discussions, and time for public discussion. The goal is to put varied perspectives in the same conversation to promote collaborative water management as the Bitterroot Valley continues to grow.
Seven sessions in total, the dialogues will provide information on population growth scenarios for the Bitterroot Valley, groundwater response to land use changes in the Hamilton aquifer, the use of exempt wells, water quality and competing demands on water supply.
The Bitterroot Water Symposium will be held on Friday, April 29, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bitterroot College, West Main Street, Hamilton, and is open to the public. For more information see the Bitterroot College website http://www.umt.edu/bitterroot-college/events1.php or contact Victoria Clark at 406-375-0100 for further details.
Matthew Kaler teaches literature and writing studies at the Bitterroot College The University of Montana.
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.
sacw.net - 27 April 2016
More than 50 years after the arbitrary killing, torture and imprisonment of more than a million communists and their sympathisers in Indonesia, the government has for the first time hosted a two-day national symposium on the 1965-66 violence.
After the November 2015 hearings of the International Peopleas Tribunal on the 1965 Crimes Against Humanity in The Hague, the Indonesian government repeatedly stressed it wanted to take a national approach to past human rights violations. The Co-ordinating minister for legal, political and security affairs, Luhut Panjaitan, took the initiative to organise a national symposium.
The government acted as a mediator between academics, survivors and the military using a historical approach to look at the political and social factors that led to the violence, which happened at the height of the Cold War.
The symposium comes as Pandjaitan targets national reconciliation for past human rights violations, including the 1965-66 massacres, to be resolved by next month.
Thatas ambitious, considering the police allow vigilantes to terrorise survivors to this day. Days before the symposium, instead of protecting survivors gathering to prepare for the event, police disbanded the meeting following threats by vigilante groups.
The goals of post-conflict resolution
The anti-communist pogroms began after Major-General Suharto rounded up a group of leftist soldiers calling themselves the September 30th Movement. They had kidnapped and killed six right-wing army generals on October 1, 1965.
Post-conflict resolution and reconciliation following major conflicts such as occurred in Indonesia takes time, has many dimensions and takes place at all levels of society.
The goals of the resolution should include the following (the order does not indicate hierarchy):
To fight impunity. Exemption from punishment for perpetrators of past serious crimes against humanity poisons a society and breeds new violence.
To rehabilitate the victims.
To establish the truth about what happened so future generations can learn from their societyas violent past.
To build a society that is more peaceful, tolerant and democratic in which human rights and the rule of law are guiding principles.
Transitional justice
Transitional justice plays a major role in establishing a more democratic and peaceful post-conflict society. Linked to the concept of transitional justice are retribution and reparation or restoration.
Retribution deals with punishment, usually via a judicial process. The advantages of trials are that perpetrators are punished and impunity is ended. It is often difficult, however, to find enough proof as in the case of Cambodiaas trials of Khmer Rouge leaders, and even the Nuremburg trials and other post-Holocaust court cases.
Trials may have destabilising effects when powerful groups feel they are attacked (such as the hardliner Muslim groups in Bangladesh). A judicial process is also often prohibitively expensive and slow. Where it operates, generally only few cases have been tried.
Reparation or restorative justice recognises that the whole society has to heal. Perpetrators, victims and the society are all parties to this process. The success of this model depends on the willingness of the perpetrators to accept their guilt or complicity, and on the willingness of the victims to forgive and to accept the help they get to heal. The society must do all it can to compensate the victims and help them face their loss and pain.
Recommendations for reconciliation of 1965-66 atrocities
The International Peopleas Tribunal, to which the authors belonged, was held last year in The Hague. We advocate a mix of retributive and restorative ways for the reconciliation of the post-October 1 crimes against humanity. This mix includes but is not limited to the following elements.
1. Truth finding
The number of victims of the massacres must be determined. A nationwide effort is required to investigate and document the identities of those murdered or disappeared.
The voices of the victims must be heard and their memories preserved. The archives of Kopkamtib (Operations Command to Restore Order and Security) and other institutions, both civil and army-related, involved in the mass crimes against humanity must be opened and made available to researchers.
Archives from the CIA and all countries that supported the Suharto regime must be opened. Universities all over the country must be encouraged to teach and research the history of the post-October 1 massacres and/or set up departments of genocide studies.
2.Retribution
The Indonesian attorney-generalas office must accept the 2012 report of the National Commission on Human Rights and take appropriate steps to prosecute cases for which sufficient proof can be found. Prosecution can start quickly for well-documented cases, such as the concentration camps on Buru island.
3. Reparation
Offenders to acknowledge that they engaged in crimes against humanity. This includes perpetrators, who were directly involved in these crimes, and supporters, who abetted, facilitated, profited from or failed to prevent such crimes against humanity.
The government should facilitate dialogues between victims and perpetrators and supporters in which a common understanding is sought.
Victims may grant forgiveness for the crimes perpetrated against them and/or their family members. Victims should receive compensation to secure them a decent livelihood, including medical care.
The government should revise history textbooks. Students and other members of civil society should be given intensive courses on the post-October 1 massacres.
4. Rehabilitation of the victims
The state should acknowledge that victims were innocent via an official apology by the Indonesian president. This can be carried out following Indonesiaas law on Amnesty and Rehabilitation.
Relevant places such as mass graves should be memorialised. The state should allow reburials or cremation of victims in mass graves, or give them the last honours in other ways, taking into account proper procedures for autopsy.
The government should establish a national-level memorialisation. This might include, for instance, a human rights museum.
These actions must be seen in combination with each other. Even if not all measures can be taken up immediately, it is not sufficient to select just one or two items.
Victimsa voices and interests must guide all discussions on reconciliation.
The state is obliged to facilitate and organise this process and to ensure that the security of participants in any of the above activities is not endangered.
This means the government should provide the budget, set up the infrastructure to carry out these actions and provide other means necessary to ensure the smooth functioning of all activities related to this process of reconciliation.
Saskia E. Wieringa is the chair of the International Peoples Tribunal 1965 Foundation. She is Professor and Chair of Gender and Womens Same-Sex Relations Crossculturally, University of Amsterdam
Saskia Wieringa co-wrote this article with the human rights lawyer and co-ordinator of the International Peopleas Tribunal 1965 organising committee, Nursyahbani Katjasungkana.
sacw.net - 27 April 2016
J & K is a palimpsest that has been inscribed upon two or three times, yet the previous texts have been imperfectly erased and, therefore, remain partially visible. A history of unfulfilled pledges, broken promises, political deception, military oppression, illegal political detentions, a scathing human rights record, sterile political alliances, mass exodus, and New Delhias malignant interference have created a gangrenous body politic, which hasnat even started to heal. The various political, religious, and cultural discourses written on the palimpsest of the state may have created alternative epistemologies but without an epicenter.
On the one hand, lavish sartorial and epicurean preparations are annually made for August 15th, the day India was declared independent, on the other hand, there is a legitimately disgruntled segment of the populace which really hasnat experienced the trickle down effect of Indiaas burgeoning economy or flourishing democracy. It is my hope that political actors of various hues in the state do not inter the victims of military and police brutality to the catacombs of history in their ardent desire to ingratiate themselves with the puppeteers in New Delhi and Islamabad who are adept at manipulating marionette regional representatives. August 14th and August 15th are entrenched in world history as the days the then dominions of India and Pakistan gained independence and routed the British colonial master, but in J & K they remain days that reinforce the fragility of an ill-defined democracy.
The debate amongst political thinkers, scholars, and policy makers about finding viable ways to placate marginalized ethnic minorities in J & K has been infinite. Since the advent of Independence, New Delhias self-deluding and self-serving ademocratica approach has been to allow the disaffected people of J & K to voice their aseditiousa opinions within the existing political framework legitimized by governmental rhetoric. The reasonableness of the autonomy solution advocated by mainstream political parties in J & K may seem axiomatic, but what is the likelihood of its being adopted in an undiluted form to metamorphose Kashmiras political, cultural, or territorial circumstances?
Both India and Pakistan have a long history of deploying rhetorical strategies to skirt the issue of plebiscite or complete secession of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. When feeling particularly belligerent Pakistan cries itself hoarse declaring the legitimacy of plebiscite held under United Nations auspices in J & K; India responds just as aggressively by demanding the complete withdrawal of Pakistani troops from the territory of pre-partition J & K; or, in a moment of neighborly solicitude, for conversion of the LOC to a permanent International border. Which of these solutions is the most viable? Currently, mainstream political parties in J & K have jumped on the autonomy bandwagon. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, the differences between them are not insignificant. New Delhi asserts, time and again, that a revitalized Indian federalism will accommodate Kashmiri demands for an autonomous existence. But, historically, federalism hasnat always adequately redressed the grievances of disaffected ethnic minorities. Here, I concur with Robert G. Wirsingas observation that, awhile autonomy seems to imply less self-rule than does the term confederalism, for instance, it is generally understood to imply greater self-rule than federalism, which as in the American case, need not cater to ethnic group minorities at alla (2003: 199).
Given Kashmiras treacherous political climate and the rampant political factionalism in that region, the appeal of an ambiguous aautonomya remains intact for some groups but for others, as has been forcefully pointed out to me by a couple of political scientists, it is a wrong narrative to establish in the case of Kashmir. Sadly, the Kashmir conflict is no longer just about establishing the pristine legitimacy of the right of self-determination of the people of the J & K, the former princely state. Rather, prolonging the conflictual situation works in the interests of some of the actors, state as well as non-state, on both sides of the LOC. Some civil and military officials, Indian, Pakistani, and Kashmiri, have been beneficiaries of the militarization of Kashmir and the business of the awar on terror.a Also, some militants, armed and unarmed, have cashed in on the political instability in the state to establish lucrative careers. For such individuals and groups self-determination and autonomy work well as hollow slogans stripped of any substantive content. The dismal truth is that the wish to establish the legitimacy of self-determination or autonomy vis-A -vis J & K is not universal. The current political discourse in the state has strayed far from home.
(Nyla Ali Khan is a faculty member at the University of Oklahoma, and member of Scholars Strategy Network. She is the author of Fiction of Nationality in an Era of Transnationalism, Islam, Women, and Violence in Kashmir, The Life of a Kashmiri Woman, and the editor of The Parchment of Kashmir. She is editor of the Oxford Islamic Studiesa special issue on Jammu and Kashmir.)
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Chen's Empty and Full uses both painting and sculputure to show the crossover between new and traditional in art. Rheagan's Pieces, Parts, Place is a series of photographs abstracting urban architecture.
Empty and Full, a selection of paintings and an installation by Albuquerque-based artist Xuan Chen. Empty and Full comprises three bodies of work with flowing color combinations, hard-edged patterns and hybrid forms of painting and sculpture. These series of vivid abstract works show the crossover between new technologies of image making and traditional painterly practice.
Chen begins each process by constructing colorful 3D drawings on her computer. Based on digital drawings, Chens Light Threads paintings explore transparency and luminosity. These dimensional acrylic paintings made with bright embroidery threads capture and reflect light. Empty and Full is a series of paintings created by meticulously arranging strips of poured vinyl paint on wood panels. Her large-scale installation incorporates sewn fabrics, mylar film, felt, wood and paint.
Born in Qingyang, China, Chen moved to the United States to complete a PhD in materials science and engineering at the University of California in Berkeley. She then received her MFA in studio art from the University of New Mexico. Chen has won the Miami University Young Painters Competition, the Reggie Gammon Memorial Award from the Harwood Art Center in Albuquerque, and a WorkingArtist.org grant.
In the project room is Pieces, Parts, Place, a series of photographs by Hayley Rheagan, who plays with abstracting urban architecture by using the cameras tendency to flatten space. With her keen eye for symmetry and color, Rheagan transforms naturally found geometric patterns into vibrant compositions. Originally from New Mexico, Rheagan currently lives and works in St. Petersburg, FL.
Seguin, TX (78155)
Today
Variable clouds with thunderstorms, especially in the afternoon. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 91F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%..
Tonight
Thunderstorms in the evening will give way to fair skies overnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 56F. SSW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Seguin, TX (78155)
Today
Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 91F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%..
Tonight
Thunderstorms in the evening will give way to fair skies overnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 56F. SSW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
You be the judge for "sentencing supernova": what punishment for former House speaker Dennis Hastert for structuring (and sex) offenses? | Main | "Unlicensed & Untapped: Removing Barriers to State Occupational Licenses for People with Records"
This local story out of Dallas, headlined "Deason and Koch give $7 million to SMU Dedman Law for criminal justice reform," tells an old criminal justice story from decades ago that in part explains the origins of a new criminal justice research center. Here are the details:
Dallas businessman Doug Deason was 17-years-old when he held a party at a neighbors house while they were gone. Booze flowed. Music was loud. Cops were called. The couples son gave me a key and things got out of hand, said Deason, who was charged with felony burglary.
Deasons parents hired a well-connected criminal defense lawyer, who convinced prosecutors to lower the charge to misdemeanor trespassing and to agree to expunge his record if he stayed clean for a year. A felony could have ruined my life, as I would have been forced to check that box on every school and job application, said Deason, who is the son of Affiliated Computer Services founder Darwin Deason. There are a lot of people who make a mistake like I did and end up paying for it for their entire life.
That was 1979 in northwest Arkansas. Tuesday in Dallas, Deason announced that he and his familys foundation donated $3.5 million to Southern Methodist Universitys Dedman School of Law to create a legal institute that conducts innovative research and educational outreach efforts designed to promote criminal justice reform in Texas and beyond.
The Deason Family Criminal Justice Reform Center will conduct statistical and analytical studies ranging from pre-trial procedures, sentencing disparities and pre-trial diversion, abuses of asset seizure and forfeiture laws and wrongful convictions.
SMU Dedman Law Dean Jennifer Collins said the Deason gift combined with a matching $3.5 million contribution by the Charles Koch Foundation will fully fund the center, which will be located on the law school campus. We hope this center generates statistical research that is part of the national conversation about criminal justice reforms, Collins said. The plan is to bring in visiting faculty members who are experts and to get students involved in research and to generate course ideas that allow students to interact with the experts.
This tremendous opportunity is happening only because of Doug Deasons passion for this issue and his passion for SMU, she said. Collins said the combined $7 million allows the law school to hire an executive director, an outreach director and additional faculty in the field....
Criminal justice experts say the center should investigate the effectiveness of prison educational and training programs. They point out that the Georgia Department of Corrections once had a program that allowed inmates to study and obtain college degrees or associates degrees in various tradecrafts while incarcerated. The recidivism rate for such inmates when they were released was less than 10 percent while the overall prison population recidivism rate exceeded 60 percent. However, the program was halted after victims rights groups and conservative Republican political leaders condemned the efforts as being soft on crime.
Deason, himself a Republican, said many in his own political party are shortsighted when it comes to doing whats right and whats effective in the area of criminal justice. He said the decision by Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, to restore voting rights to 200,000 former felons who have served their entire sentences and remained clean is awesome.
If theyve paid their debt to society and taken the necessary steps, then why not give them a better chance to re-emerge into society to live a successful and dignified life, he said.
Deason, who is the president of Deason Capital Services, has pushed Congress to reduce mandatory minimum sentences of non-violent drug offenders. The proposal passed the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee 15 to 5. He pointed out that Texas Sen. John Cornyn voted for the bill, while Sen. Ted Cruz voted against it.
Theres an extreme right wing that doesnt understand this issue or they are politically afraid to do the right thing, Deason said, which he said is ironic because he and the Koch brothers support the measure with President Obama. I was lucky enough to get a second chance, he said. Other less fortunate people deserve that same opportunity.
Former House speaker gets black hole of federal prison for 15 months after sentencing supernova | Main | Reviewing the final SCOTUS oral argument week that was full of criminal justice issues
April 27, 2016
Intriguing intricate split Seventh Circuit panel discussing Indiana sentencing appeals and ineffective assistance of appellate counsel
A split Seventh Circuit panel handed down an interesting habeas opinion yesterday in Miller v. Zatecky, No. 15-1869 (7th Cir. April 26, 2016) (available here). One needs to be a hard-core habeas AND state sentencing fan to be fully engrossed by all the substantive issues covered in the majority panel opinion or the dissent. Still, there is some interesting extra (law-nerd?) spice in both opinions thanks to good work by their authors --- Circuit Judge Easterbook and District Judge Lynn Adelman (sitting by designation), respectively.
What struck me as blog-worthy from Miller, especially because I spend a lot of time thinking about how to make appellate review of federal sentences efficient and effective in a post-Booker world, was this passage and footnote from the dissent about Indiana state sentencing appeals:
April 27, 2016 at 04:44 PM | Permalink
Comments
Fascinating case.
Posted by: federalist | Apr 28, 2016 9:05:12 AM
Do you think either side is being lawless here, federalist?
Posted by: Doug B. | Apr 28, 2016 9:16:33 AM
I don't know, actually---I haven't critically read either side. Speaking of lawlessness: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/ice-releases-19723-criminal-illegals-208-convicted-of-murder-900-of-sex-crimes/article/2589785
2100 released because their home countries won't take them back. And the society is powerless. An interesting view of the constitution . . . .
Bright's opinion, with its open racialism and appeal to Holder and the political winds, was lawless. I didn't backtrack from that.
Posted by: federalist | Apr 28, 2016 10:16:59 AM
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While Mission Street's new, bright red transit only lanes, reserved for buses and taxis, have so far confused and angered drivers between 11th and Randall, they've got a new enemy in some local stores who claim to be losing business as a result of the change.
What's more, the Examiner reports that the San Francisco Small Business Commission is backing up these business' complaints, looking over some numbers at a meeting yesterday to evaluate the purported decline.
"After the red lane on Mission street (Siegels) lost 15 percent of its business, the Ex quotes Roberto Hernandez, a Mission advocate, invoked the zoot suit shop between 19th and 20th Streets. A member of the Mission Development Agency said that one restaurant saw their income go down by half since the lanes came in.
While buses ferry shoppers around the Mission faster than ever before thanks to the car-free lanes, the argument goes that displaced former Missionites drive back to the district to do their shopping, and now can't find parking or avoid the area. From noon to six we see Mission as a dead zone," Eden Stein, vice president of the 150-member Mission-Bernal Merchants Association, reportedly said.
The Small Business Commission was apparently receptive to the claims. [SFMTA] put the livelihood of businesses at stake, the Examiner quotes Commission President Mark Dwight, while another commissioner called the SFMTA "autocratic."
Surely this will be more fodder for David Campos' crusade against the "red carpet" lanes he's asked that the plans be revisited. But with the paint still drying, maybe we'd all better sit tight and see what the longer term effects of the $3.8 million total project might be.
Previously: Mission Street Changes Have Drivers Seeing Red, Could Be Revisited Before They're Finished
April showers (and wind) are giving way to some balmier temperatures later this week, and there are plenty of reasons to step away from your many screens and engage with the greater human world. Here are a dozen of them.
TUESDAY, APRIL 26
PRE-PRESIDENTIAL BIOPIC: There's a screening tonight (and another on Thursday) of the film Southside With You, which takes as its conceit a story about a young Barack ("Barry") Obama in 1989 when he was a summer associate in a Chicago law firm, getting to know and fall in love with colleague Michelle Robinson. Richard Tanne's directorial debut, starring Obama lookalike Parker Sawyers, is one of the first fictionalized glimpses the public is getting into the life of our sitting President. Victoria Theater, 2961 16th Street, 6:15 p.m. $15
CANADIAN POP-ROCK: Toronto-based pop outfit Sloan is on a 20th anniversary tour, and they're stopping through the Rickshaw tonight for an event called "One Chord to Another." Maybe they'll play "Losing California"? Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell Street, 8 p.m. $20
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27
HAPPY HOUR WITH A VIEW: Ongoing at the Starlight Room at the Sir Francis Drake is this fashionista-friendly, weekly, early-evening fete from party gal Juanita More, who generally doesn't come out to play until well after dark. Lounge tunes come via DJ Sergio Fedasz (Go Bang), and the dancefloor with those wrap-around windows are a perfect spot from which to watch the sun go down. Sir Francis Drake, Floor 21, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Free
THURSDAY, APRIL 28
THINGS IN FILM: One of the live events in this year's SF Int'l Film Festival is a quirky discussion led by The Thing Quarterly, that all centers on "fascination[s] with unsung objects of the cinema," whether they be mysterious props, fantastic costumes, or cool architecture. Presenters include Elizabeth Ito, a director from Adventure Time; Starlee Kine from This American Life; and several local artists, musicians, and filmmakers. Alamo Drafthouse, 2550 Mission Street, 7 p.m., $15
80's DRAG ROCK MUSICAL: Drag queen theater impresario D'Arcy Drollinger brings the latest in her parodic, B-movie inspired stage musicals (remember Shit & Champagne?) to Oasis this week, and it's called... wait for it... Above and Beyond the Valley of the Ultra Showgirls. Want a taste? Here's a video for the fictional band Super Vixen's single "Flesh Popsicle." Oasis, 298 11th Street, Thursday through Saturday at 7 p.m., $25-$35
MYSTERY ROCK SHOW: It's Popscene's 21st anniversary, and they're keeping the headliner at this show a secret until another batch of tickets go on sale on Wednesday (4/27). Clearly it's somebody who could easily sell out a bigger venue, so keep an eye out here. Update: It's Local Natives, and it's now sold out. Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell Street, 8 p.m. $20
FRIDAY, APRIL 29
PHILIP ROTH NOVEL TURNED INTO FILM: Great American novelist Philip Roth's 2008 book Indignation has become a feature film that marks the directorial debut of screenwriter, producer, and longtime Ang Lee collaborator James Schamus. Schamus wrote the scripts for The Ice Storm and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and this film, about a young Jewish man from New Jersey trapped in 1950's Ohio, is one of the centerpiece screenings of the SF Int'l Film Festival. Victoria Theater, 2961 16th Street, 8 p.m. $25
MUSEUM PARTY: This week's "Friday Nights at the deYoung" event features "a trip around the world with Oscar de la Renta, emceed by Chelis Lopez, with live music by John Santos Septet and a lecture by Brad Rosenstein." The theme is "portraits," for what it's worth, and there will of course be cocktails, and a prix-fixe menu being served in the cafe. Also, the observation tower stays open until 8 p.m., perfect for taking a date to see the sunset. deYoung Museum, Golden Gate Park, 5 p.m. to 8:45 p.m., Free (though it's $20 to get into the Oscar de la Renta exhibit)
ELECTRO-INDIE-POP SHOW: The duo of Robbie Slade and Peter Ricq, known as Humans, are coming to do a show in support of their new EP, Water Water. Some of you may know their breakout 2012 track "De Ciel", but their newest stuff is cool too. Swedish American Hall, 2174 Market Street, 8:30 p.m. $15
SATURDAY, APRIL 30
INTERIOR DESIGN SHOWCASE: The annual SF Decorator Showcase this year takes over the Villa de Martini at 298 Chestnut Street on Telegraph Hill. As it does every year, the event features rooms designed by various Bay Area designers, as well as plenty of well heeled ladies who want to see what the latest trends are in throw pillows. Proceeds go to benefit San Francisco University High Schools financial aid program, and though the opening night fete is sold out, the house is open to the public starting Saturday, through May 30. 298 Chestnut Street, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Tues-Thurs, and Sat), and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays. $35, tickets here.
SUNDAY, MAY 1
NON-FETISH-Y SOMA STREET FAIR: Guess what! It's time for the 17th annual How Weird Street Faire on Howard Street, in a part of town that is quite a bit different than it was 17 years ago. Expect plenty of music, face paint, art, aerialists, food, drink, and weirdness of a Burning Man sort. Electronic music, especially, will be in force at 10 different music stages, and the fun spreads all over Howard and Mission around 1st, 2nd, and New Montgomery. Think "The Dream of the 90's," but more rave-circus-y. Advance "Magic Stickers" are recommended to avoid lines. Noon to 8 p.m. $16.82
ART FAIR IN A MOTEL: The always fun StartUp Art Fair happens this year at the Hotel Del Sol, down by Marina Green, and features small installations of art from a variety of galleries in the various rooms of the motel. The opening night event is Friday if you want to catch that, but the rooms are all open all afternoon Sunday for quieter browsing, and art shopping. Hotel Del Sol, 3100 Webster Street, noon to 7 p.m. $15
Fuller House, a February-released reboot of the 1980's and 90's syndication hit Full House, takes place in a familiar space: a Southern California soundstage.
But don't tell that to the throngs of fans whom the Wall Street Journal says are descending on the facade used in the show to represent the ancestral home of the Tanner family.
The resurgence in popularity? In Fuller House, a new generation takes over the same address, and hilarity does or does not ensue depending on your taste.
Over the years, many have confused the Painted Ladies, as seen from Alamo Square, with the Full House house. They're conflating two establishing shots from the opening of the show: While the Tanners picnic in Alamo Square, they (fictionally) live nearby, on Broderick between Pine and Bush.
The house is less recognizable now, with the addition of a tree and an intentionally different coat of paint on the once-red door. But that can't keep them away: I have to yell at people to get off their steps, one irritated neighbor tells the Journal.
The home's current owner has even installed a fence and, naturally, declined interview. In fact, shying away from the spotlight, the owner declined a "generous" offer to shoot exteriors of the house for the reboot, forcing the show's creator to use a spruced-up version of the original footage.
ABC7 followed up the Journal's report with word from another neighbor. She's been asked if she knows John Stamos, and says that when she leaves her garage, she has to yell at people to move. "What I do is I usually open the garage door and they ignore it. And then I go out and say, watch out! Crazy lady backing out! So far I haven't hit anybody," she said,
But why make the pilgrimage to the relatively unremarkable block? "You have to, says one fan from Nevada who clearly has not seen much of San Francisco. In San Francisco, theres Alcatraz and Full House,
Another fan who snapped some Instagram pics added that "They cant hide from the Internet. He's quite right these days, a quick search will turn up the house's address, and there's even a Yelp page (three-and-a-half stars).
You couldn't look that up so quick last time Full House was on TV. Actually, scratch that, because this time, Fuller House wasn't on TV at all.
Related: 'Fuller House' Renewed For Second Season By Netflix
Many of the 37,000 or so San Francisco Uber and Lyft drivers who learned last week that they were required to have a business license to ply their trade in the city have another shock in store when they go to comply with the regulations, as they're also getting hit with hundreds of dollars in penalties and fees.
As reported last week, SF Uber and Lyft drivers got a letter from the city last week telling them that since they're all independent contractors, drivers who work more than seven days a year are legally required to have a San Francisco business license.
As Caleb reported last week, the licenses "cost $91 each, annually, and if every driver were to register an outcome that is highly unlikely, as enforcement may prove difficult and the number of drivers who currently operate could differ from that 37,000 estimate the city would generate $3.37 million a year."
It might be time to up that figure, however, as drivers who are heading out to get their licenses are now being told that they're also on the hook for an additional $155 in fees and penalties for every year they worked without the license, CBS 5 reports.
According to driver Michael Sicard, who spoke with CBS 5, Uber and Lyft said that this is a new rule, and that he'd "even emailed inquiries asking if there are any other permits or licenses that Ill need and they said no.
Lyft maintains to CBS 5 that the rule is new, saying that We do not believe the city had made a decision about how to treat ride-sharing drivers for business license purposes until very recently.
But the rule isn't new, City Treasurer Jose Cisneros emphasized last week, saying that This has been a law that has been around for many years. Its very clearly spelled out on our website the law here in San Francisco requires you to register your business with the city."
"If they missed that requirement, they are still obligated to do that.
CBS 5 reports that when Sicard "contacted [sic] there Treasurers office, he was told the only new thing was is that Uber and Lyft finally handed over a list of all their drivers to city officials." "Handed over" might be a bit vague, however, as according to a press release from the Treasurer's Office, it took "two years of enforcement work, including multiple requests for information and subpoenas to get sufficient data about business operations from TNCs domiciled in San Francisco."
According to the Chron, "Lyft said it had complied with the Treasurers request for tax data on all its drivers in 2014 and 2015, as it was legally obligated to do," and while Uber declined to comment, in an email to drivers they said that "We are also unsure as to how the treasurer's office obtained addresses for Uber drivers and we are looking into how that could have happened."
But however it happened, the genie is out of the bottle now, as even Uber is now saying (via prepared statement) that As independent contractors, drivers are responsible to follow appropriate local laws. And that includes Sicard, who needs to pony up more than $500 by May 15 to remain in compliance...or not.
"I dont have that money and, without the business license, wont be able to drive to make ends meet, Sicard tells CBS 5. So my car will get repossessed and Ill go into bankruptcy."
Previously: SF's 37,000 Lyft and Uber Drivers Will Be Ordered To Get Business Licenses
Clearly not looking to give up this fight, Senator Ted Cruz is set to announce today that he's already got a vice-presidential pick, and it's Carly Fiorina. The announcement comes just as Donald Trump trounced Cruz in all five primaries in the northeast yesterday, and a week ahead of the Indiana primary which is now potentially make or break for Cruz's campaign. As the New York Times is reporting, the move to name a running mate this early, in April, "amounts to the grandest diversionary tactic a presidential candidate can stage."
The Weekly Standard noted on Monday that Cruz's team was vetting Fiorina as a possible VP, and ABC's Jon Karl predicted that morning on This Week that Cruz would likely make this announcement ahead of the Indiana primary.
Fiorina, the one-time Hewlett-Packard CEO, last month endorsed Cruz after ending her own presidential bid in February, and as the Times note's she's "proved to be an eager surrogate, attacking both Mr. Trump and Hillary Clinton with zeal."
And the selection of Fiorina is clearly an effort by Cruz to garner some more votes from women, given Trump's wide unfavorable ratings among women in polls.
Here, of course, is Trump's reaction to the announcement:
At the moment, a full three months before the Republican National Convention, Cruz trails Trump in the Republican delegate count 562 to 954, with 1,237 needed to secure the nomination. There are 616 delegates left to be decided, meaning that only Trump stands a chance of reaching that number, and regardless it is looking like it will be a brokered convention, which should be fun for everyone to watch.
Update: And, naturally, Boing Boing did a face swap.
Cruz to pick Carly Fiorina as running mate https://t.co/OUpZJXGBO2 pic.twitter.com/7D1f04IcMC Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) April 27, 2016
Previously: Ousted HP Head/Demon Sheep Vanquisher Carly Fiorina Is Now Running For President
HEAR Wisconsin (formerly the Center for Communication, Hearing and Deafness) began with two neighbors in 1927 who formed the Milwaukee League for the Hard of Hearing, a group that strove to provide a social atmosphere, encouragement and helpfulness to the deafened in any way needed. The group became a nonprofit in 1944 and underwent a handful of name changes to reflect its ever-growing programming. Known as HEAR Wisconsin since late 2015, the organization provides services for every age, no matter the degree of hearing loss, with a mission to serve everyone regardless of monetary means.
The nonprofits operations include a sign language interpreting unit called CommunicationLink, which works closely with local businesses to provides professional interpreting services; a birth-to-3 therapy program for kids with hearing loss and their families; and a program that works with adults with developmental disabilities who also have hearing loss to help their independent living skills, communication skills and social skills through small group activities and field trips.
New to the organization is its own audiology clinic, which opens this summer and will feature state-of-the-art equipment, a renovated clinic space and a range of communication technologies. Our new clinic is different than most hearing aid dispensers. Patients will be able to visit us and meet with a doctor of audiology and also, if they wish, meet with one of our Communication Technology Counselors, says Keegan Mager, manager of marketing operations of HEAR Wisconsin. Our patients can feel good knowing that we arent associated with any hearing aid manufacturer and can fit whatever brand suits their needs best. Proceeds from their purchase are also being reinvested back into our nonprofit to support our family programs.
HEAR Wisconsin (10243 W. National Ave., West Allis) will be hosting its 90th Anniversary Gala fundraiser dinner on Thursday, May 19 from 6-9 p.m. at Discovery World. Visit 90th.hearwi.org for tickets and details. To find out about group volunteering opportunities, contact James Kubley at jkubley@hearwi.org or 414-604-7209; to make monetary donations or to provide other in-kind support, contact Mager at kmager@hearwi.org or 414-604-7230. To learn more, call 414-604-2200 or visit hearwi.org.
AKRON, IOWA | Akron residents rallied Tuesday to the defense of the city's former assistant police chief, who was dismissed earlier this month by the mayor.
In a non-binding 3-2 vote Tuesday night, the City Council backed Mayor Sharon Frerichs' decision to terminate Phillip Torrey. Council members Jenell Lanning and Kasey Mitchell voted no.
Torrey, 31, had served as assistant police chief since Feb. 2, 2015.
City Attorney David Stuart said the council vote served as a courtesy to citizens, who may have had questions about the firing process.
Stuart said the city typically brings personnel changes before the council "to have full disclosure." He declined to comment on Torrey's firing.
Although Stuart said council members knew the specifics about the firing and were able to publicly discuss them, none did so during the meeting.
In Akron, the city operates with a mayor-council style of government, which gives the mayor the authority to terminate employees. The mayor is a non-voting member of the council.
Said Stuart: "In this case with the mayor being the overseer of the police department and having the authority to one appoint and dismiss, it was certainly in her power to do the termination."
Jason Cook, a Cherokee-based attorney representing Torrey, said the issue with the dismissal was the process, which he added "sometimes happens in smaller cities." He said there was "no meaningful discussion or explanation."
On April 15, Torrey said, he was called to City Hall for a special meeting, where he met with Frerichs, Police Chief David Lich and City Manager Gary Horton.
The former assistant chief said the city officials asked him during the meeting to resign immediately, or he would be terminated at 4:30 p.m.
Torrey said he did not volunteer his resignation.
"I could not bring myself to resign at that April 15 meeting," Torrey said. "It has been a pleasure serving this community."
"He is the most professional person I've ever met," Akron resident James Clinton said of Torrey during the meeting. "He needs to stay in this community. He's a great officer."
Other members of the community supported the council's decision, citing the council members likely knew more about the situation.
Cook said residents had difficulties understanding the mayor's action to dismiss Torrey, then have the council vote whether they supported her decision.
"People are right to have those concerns," Cook said. "There's a time and place for everything. There was a lot of confusion what this meeting was really about."
After Tuesday's meeting, Torrey said he hoped the council would have reinstated him to the police department.
"My next opportunity -- I don't know where that's going to take me," he said.
Lanning, Mitchell and Frerichs all declined to comment after the meeting.
STORM LAKE, Iowa | A 48-year-old man is facing a sexual abuse charge for an alleged crime against a six-year-old girl in 2009.
Storm Lake Police reported receiving a call of sexual assault Tuesday.
Derrick Roberts, 48, was investigated and questioned about an incident in 2009 concerning the girl at a residence in Storm Lake.
Roberts was arrested and charged with second degree sexual abuse. He was booked into the Buena Vista County Jail on $25,000 bond.
The Storm Lake Police Department was assisted in the investigation by the Iowa Department of Human Services and the Sexual Assault Response Team.
SIOUX CITY | A fifth-grader on a college campus stands out a bit. However, hundreds on a campus at one time shows that even at a young age, theres no better time than the present to think about higher education.
The Morningside College branch of the Iowa Student Education Association hosted fifth-graders from Morningside Elementary for a Lets Go to College Day Tuesday.
This offered the young students a three-hour look into college life, including campus tours, a personalized letter from Morningside College students and lunch on campus.
Fifth-grader Braxton Lengkeek said this was his first time on Morningsides campus. Hanging around the big kids, he said, was a pretty fun opportunity.
I was just excited I could meet college students, he said.
Summer Wulf, a senior at Morningside and the colleges ISEA president, said while fifth-graders are a few years away from the application process, its never too early to start thinking about life after high school. A glimpse into college now, she said, could provide a boost of extra motivation to do well throughout middle school and high school.
I hope that they realize that if they do work hard, they can come to a fun place, do different things and be who they want to be, she said.
Braxton said Tuesday was his first experience touring a campus in depth, but said he was excited to learn more about gaining a college education.
Lilyana Terry, fifth-grader, said shes already been thinking about college, even before the tour. She said her mother is currently trying to obtain her bachelors degree, and thats motivated her to think about the future.
Ive been thinking about what Im going to do when I grow up, what Im going to do when I get to college and what college I want to go to, she said.
She said she was surprised to see the arrangement of dorms and how spaced out the classrooms were.
Their classrooms are split apart, ours our together, she said. They have many classrooms, but for us, we have one classroom and the science classroom.
Shelley Molland, education instructor at Morningside and ISEA adviser, said the 25-member group works throughout the year to serve the community. She said the group has put on a Christmas dinner and gifts for a family, fundraised for causes and written Christmas cards to those serving overseas in the military.
The ISEA was able to fund the students lunch at Morningside on Tuesday through a National Education Association grant.
Wulf, originally from Denison, Iowa, said she was excited the ISEA had the opportunity to show off the campus to its elementary neighbors and show the possibilities of college.
Theyll be going to middle school soon and high school not long after that, she said. We want them thinking that if they try hard, they can get scholarships and come to Morningside or any other college.
HAWARDEN, IOWA | Heavy rains Wednesday continued to swell rivers and streams in Northwest Iowa, prompting the National Weather Service to issue flood warnings for some downstream cities in Northwest Iowa.
Sioux City recorded 1.04 inches of rain from midnight to 5 p.m. Wednesday, said Brad Adams, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, and even more precipitation is forecast in the region over the next four days.
With the ground saturated, more runoff could add to the flood threats on the Big Sioux, Little Sioux and Ocheyedan rivers later this week and into the weekend.
At Hawarden, the Big Sioux was estimated at 12.5 feet Wednesday morning, and is forecast to rise above the flood stage of 15 feet early Friday morning and crest near 16.5 feet by Saturday. That's expected to create minor flooding on farm land on the South Dakota side of the river before receding.
The Big Sioux at Akron, Iowa, estimated at 12.7 feet Wednesday morning, is forecast to rise above flood stage of 16 feet on Friday morning and crest at 17.6 feet by Sunday. At stages near 17 feet, more than 6,500 acres of farmland in western Plymouth County could be flooded.
The National Weather Service also has issued flood warnings on the Little Sioux River for Spencer, Linn Grove and Cherokee and the Ocheyedan River for near Spencer.
In Spencer, the Little Sioux was estimated at 9.7 feet Wednesday, just below flood stage of 10 feet. By Friday, the river is forecast to reach 11 feet, overflowing the bank and flooding the city park and some rural agricultural areas before receding.
In Linn Grove, the water was measured at 18.2 feet Wednesday, slightly above the flood stage of 18 feet, and levels could crest at 18.8 feet by Sunday. At 18.5 feet, the city park is prone to flooding.
On Wednesday morning, the Little Sioux at Cherokee was estimated at 14.9 feet, below the flood stage of 17 feet. The river is forecast to reach 17.5 feet by Saturday. At 18 feet, the city park begins to flood on the south bank of the river.
The National Weather Service warned the forecast crests could rise with additional rainfall.
In the Sioux City area, a third of an inch of rain was forecast Wednesday night through Thursday, with a high temperature of 50 forecast. After a short break from the rain on Friday, another weather system is expected to move in Friday night and continue through Saturday and into Sunday, with upwards of 1 to 1 1/2 inches of rain expected, Adams said.
SIOUX CITY | Deteriorating conditions in two Woodbury County buildings will soon be fixed.
County supervisors on Tuesday approved contracts to repair the crumbling entrance plaza to the Law Enforcement Center and replace broken windows in a courtroom in the courthouse.
After a year of talking about the need to improve the entrance to the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center, at 407 Seventh St., the supervisors approved a $164,700 repair contract with W.A. Klinger, of Sioux City.
There are problems with the concrete plaza, in the middle of an eight-step layout. The ramp system for handicapped access to the building also needs improvements.
All the steps will be taken out, and those in the middle will be replaced. Portions on the outside edges won't be replaced, making for a compressed entrance.
Klinger gave the lowest of three bids received. In August, the supervisors heard the plaza repair cost estimate was $131,182. The county's consultant, Mike Neswick of RML Architects, said the higher price was in part due to a tight working area in front of the building, so much of the work will have to be done manually instead of with trucks.
Klinger crews must complete the work in a six-week period by Sept. 1, but the starting date hasn't been set. Woodbury County Building Services Director Kenny Schmitz said Klinger, like other construction firms, already has a full summer of work lined up.
Neswick said a broader repair to heat the sidewalks near the entrance was investigated, but ultimately nixed as being too costly.
The second repair approved at Tuesday's meeting involves windows for Courtroom 203 on the second floor of the courthouse. The supervisors approved two contracts totaling $62,550 to repair 28 stained-glass window segments smaller than 10 inches.
The contract is with Bogenrief Studios, of Sutherland, Iowa.
In the previous week's meeting, the supervisors declared that an emergency situation exists in Courtroom 203, ordering that repairs be done quickly.
A 6-foot marble section detached from the window assembly and windows are bowing out in the building that opened in 1918. The southeast windows are in the worst shape in the courtroom, having moved two inches outward.
Passage of the emergency declaration enables the county to complete repairs quickly, with the option to bypass the typical requirement of using a formal bidding process.
"It is an emergency repair, so we are moving as fast as we can," Schmitz said.
Beyond the glass repairs by Bogenrief, there will be other unknown repairs needed to completely address the courtroom needs, he said.
SIOUX CITY | An 18-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old girl, who became pregnant.
Anthony Plunkett, of Sioux City, entered his written plea Tuesday in Woodbury County District Court to one count of third-degree sexual abuse.
According to court documents, the victim, then seven months pregnant, told authorities in March 2015 that she'd had sex with Plunkett. She told authorities that Plunkett had told her he was 15, and she stopped seeing him after learning he was 18.
Plunkett admitted to police that he had sex with the girl more than 10 times, court documents said.
The girl gave birth to a boy in May.
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WASHINGTON | Siouxland leaders returned home Thursday after a two-day lobbying blitz in the nations capital, confident their message was heard by federal lawmakers and other key decision makers.
More than 60 local business leaders, government officials, educators and students took part in the 62nd annual trip led by the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce.
Barbara Sloniker, executive vice president of the Chamber, said the delegation received ample support from members of Congress and their staffs.
It was a very good, productive time, Sloniker said. Our message on the hill of workforce being an issue was heard loud and clear.
The top priority this year was workforce recruitment and expanding the tight supply of skilled workers.
To help grow the next generation of employees, local officials urged federal decision-makers to support expanded career academies like those the Sioux City school district established for high school students a few years back.
The academies expose students to more in-depth lessons of various career paths, from engineering to medicine.
Two Sioux City High School students enrolled in academies -- Araceli Lopez and Hannah Rens -- joined the delegation in Washington, the first time in the 62 years of the annual lobbying trip that high school students were invited to come along.
Lopez, a senior at North, is enrolled in the school district's business academy.
Its helped me and other people I know out a lot in terms of figuring out what I want to do, like when I get to college, she said.
Rens, a senior at East High School, is enrolled in the engineering academy. She said the program has stoked her interest in aerospace engineering.
In addition to members of the tri-state congressional delegation, the students got a chance to meet Mark Mitsui, deputy assistant secretary for community colleges in the Office of Career, Technical & Adult Education.
I think Congress gets how important technical education is, Sloniker said. You have to upscale people so they are the workforce of tomorrow.
The lobbying trip kicked off April 13 with a breakfast with 4th District Rep. Steve King. The Iowa Republican brought along a special guest, David Petraeus, a former four-star general and top commander in Iraq and Afghanistan before he retired to lead the Central Intelligence Agency in September 2011.
On April 14, the delegation had breakfast with Adm. James Winnefeld Jr., former vice chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff and his wife, Mary Winnefeld, ships sponsor for the new USS Sioux City, a new Naval warship that was launched in northern Wisconsin in January.
As always, a highlight of the trip was the annual steak reception, which gives local officials a chance to mingle socially with federal lawmakers, members of their staffs and other key policy makers. A few years back, the Chamber replaced a traditional steak dinner with the more informal reception, which was held this year in the Hart Senate Building.
Getting to network with people, making connections here, it makes progress, Slonker said.
Woodbury County Supervisor Matthew Ung pointed to the cooperative nature of the time spend in the nation's capital.
To a larger degree, on this trip you get to network with other people in the delegation, from your area you may not know, Ung said. You find out about things you can work on together.
Sloniker said next years trip is already in the works.
Our community stepped up to represent us out here, and were really proud, she said.
SIOUX CITY | Bryan Goodman of the Goodman Law Firm attended the National College for DUI Defense Winter Session in Marina Del Rey, California, Jan. 21-22.
The seminar focused exclusively on techniques and strategies to defend DUI cases arising out of suspected marijuana impairment.
In 2015 Goodman also attended other legal training seminars sponsored by the NCDD and the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, including the 19th annual NCDD/NACDL conference DWI Means Defending With Ingenuity in Las Vegas.
Goodman is the owner of the Goodman Law Firm, and practices primarily in DUI/OWI defense, along with general criminal defense.
SIOUX CITY | UnityPoint Health -- St. Lukes has honored James Edwards as Employee of the Year for 2015.
Edwards was recently recognized during a special banquet for St. Lukes 2015 Employees of the Month. The Employee of the Year recognition is given to one employee annually. The winner is selected through a vote of all St. Lukes employees.
Employed at St. Lukes since 1996, Edwards serves as a registered nurse (RN) in Outpatient Services. He was recognized for his dedication to providing exceptional patient care and his willingness to help others in his department and other colleagues across St. Lukes.
Edwards obtained his degree from Newman Hospital School of Nursing in Emporia, Kansas.
Summer is just around the corner. And for many businesses, that means theres an opportunity to hire seasonal help.
Division Vice President and General Manager of Resource and HR Solutions for ADP, Aldor H. Delp, has some insights to share with small businesses about making the most of your summer hires.
Summer Hire Best Practices
Consider whether you need the help. Just because its possible for you to hire summer employees doesnt necessarily mean that you should. You need to think specifically about what youd like to accomplish that you can only do by hiring that extra seasonal help.
That said, there are plenty of different reasons why summer help might benefit your business. Of course, if you run a business that is extra busy in the summer, like camps, construction companies, or businesses in popular tourist locations, youll likely need the extra help just to keep up with demand. You can also make use of summer help if you have new offerings that youd like to test. Or, if youd just like to expand your business in the future, you can use summer hires as a way of trying out different candidates and potentially finding the best talent for your business going forward.
Look for Fast Learners
Since you only have a short amount of time to benefit from hiring summer help, you have to look for people who are going to be able to make the most of that time.
Delp says, Because these jobs are temporary (typically three to four months), employers look for candidates that can learn quickly and/or have previous experience. In some cases, they may even look to re-hire former summer employees.
Dont Exclude Any Potential Workers
While a good portion of the people looking for summer jobs are high school or college students on break from school, there are plenty of others in the summer employment pool as well. So dont limit your selection by only targeting one group of potential employees. Delp also said that its important for businesses to not use any exclusionary language in job postings or advertisements.
Make Your Job Postings Clear
Youll also need to decide exactly what it is that you want your summer employees to be responsible for. And then create job listings that make those duties very clear. The more up front you are about what youre looking for from a candidate, the better the chance you have of attracting people who will be a good fit for what you need.
Contact Candidates Early
Those who are interested in seasonal jobs often start looking fairly early. And they rarely apply for just one summer job. So if you want to get the best people, youll need to contact them and make your decisions as early as possible. If you wait too long, you might miss out on the best candidates.
Understand the Laws
Different states and industries have different regulations regarding seasonal jobs, particularly when it comes to young workers.
Delp says, Employers that hire minors must comply with federal and state regulations that apply to this group of workers which could impact the amount and type of work theyre allowed to do. Small businesses also must understand the laws around classifications for temporary workers. For example, there are specific rules for determining whether or not interns are entitled to pay.
Utilize Social Media
Social media isnt just a great place to promote your business and connect with people. You can also use it as a hiring tool.
Delp says, Social media platforms have become an end-to-end resource that employers can use to connect with potential applicants. In fact, a recent study of 800 HR and talent acquisition professionals by Jobvite found that 89% of U.S. companies said they would recruit through social media. Additionally, two thirds of the respondents confirmed that they have successfully hired a candidate through social networks.
Offer a Formal Orientation or Training
No one just gets hired for a summer job and magically knows exactly what to do. You have to make it easy for them, especially when you dont have a lot of time to work with them.
Delp says, When a business only has a short window to make money, learning on the job isnt always a viable option.
Dont Rush the Process
While you want to get your employees hired and trained as quickly as possible, there are essential parts of the process that you cant forget about or skip over.
Delp explains, During the summer, it can be easy for businesses to overlook fundamental hiring practices as they rush to bring seasonal staff on board quickly. However, small businesses must carefully manage all relevant employee reporting and documentation requirements for summer hires, such as filing the appropriate new hire paperwork (e.g. W-4s and I-9s) and understanding how to properly classify these workers (e.g., interns, independent contractors, etc.).
Prepare Your Current Staff
With all that goes into hiring for those seasonal jobs, it can be easy to overlook the people who work for your business during the rest of the year. But you still have to prepare those workers for the changes.
Delp says, Small businesses should also prepare their existing employees for the new arrivals by informing current employees of the assignments the new workers are hired to complete and the resources available to help them get up to speed as quickly as possible.
What I am about to tell you is a true story of my experience as a business leader dealing with a transgender bathroom issue in the workplace. Its a challenging issue but one that, in many small business situations, can have a practical solution.
Nothing in what Im about to tell you involves breaking any confidences. This was all public knowledge in our company. No real names are used, but the situation was very real.
During the late 1990s I was the executive in charge of a small office in the U.K. I have a background not only in business but also as a lawyer. And the company I worked for sent me off to the University of Michigan Business School for a crash course in human resources and put me in charge of HR for a few years.
Through a series of circumstances, I was assigned to an office of our company near London for almost a year. The team there had about 30 people.
Robert had been with the company for a few years. Robert was married with children.
Then Robert became Mary.
It turns out that Robert had been desperately unhappy as a man. And so he began the sex change process, which I understand takes a period of time to be fully effective, involving medications, surgery and therapy. While the sex change process was going on, Robert began his life as Mary.
The team there was, for the most part, in their twenties and thirties. Being a small office, they had worked together and socialized at the local pub for years. Robert was a quiet and earnest person by nature, and seemed to get along with everyone.
So, Roberts co-workers accepted him as Mary.
In fact, at the time, I remember thinking everyone was remarkably accepting. No reason they shouldnt have been Im not passing judgment with that statement. Its just that over the years, Ive seen workplace dust ups over things much less significant than a co-workers sex change. Having dealt with every imaginable workplace tension, some over relatively minor issues, I steeled myself for a backlash.
But it was a backlash that never came.
Robert (now Mary) was a good employee with positive reviews. We didnt want to lose an experienced employee. So we changed Marys personnel records to reflect her new name, along with her name tag and business cards.
Mary was in a tech support role and visited client sites in transgender attire. It was obvious she was transgender during the early stages of her transformation. The five oclock shadow was still there, the voice was baritone, and other signs were still apparent. But everyone, including the clients, seemed to accept Marys situation. Or at least, no one ever voiced an objection.
Life and business went on.
So what was the issue, you ask? Well, if there was an issue it was the bathroom situation. But as it turns out, we were able to solve the transgender bathroom workplace issue in a small office with a practical solution.
How We Resolved the Transgender Bathroom Workplace Issue
At first Mary would go home to use the bathroom at lunchtime. Occasionally, Mary also used a nearby public bathroom that she could tell was unoccupied before she went in.
But eventually Mary approached us and asked to use the womens restroom. She no longer felt comfortable using the mens room. And of course, leaving the office to find a bathroom was not realistic, either.
Now, in this office we had a small ladies restroom with an exterior door. Inside were two stalls, each with a door and lock, and a communal sink.
So we called a meeting with the rest of the women to ask how they felt about their co-worker Mary, now a transgender person, using the womens bathroom. Everyone agreed that Mary should be able to use the bathroom at work. But we could tell a couple of the women were uncomfortable with the idea of being in a toilet stall next to someone who still seemed masculine in many ways.
It was one of the co-workers who came up with the solution to the transgender bathroom workplace issue. She suggested that the women, including Mary, knock before entering and wait for a response. Depending on the response, each person would either wait or go in.
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Not every woman had a concern with being in the bathroom at the same time as Mary, but for those who did, knock before entering solved it.
If anything, Mary seemed to feel more awkward using the toilets at the same time as her female co-workers, than vice versa. So Mary also appreciated the knock before entering solution.
Being a woman myself, I also used this same bathroom and the knock before entering solution.
And thats how we solved it back in the 1990s.
As a company we were prepared to go further, by printing up an Occupied sign or even putting a lock on the exterior door and transforming it into a single-person bathroom. But we didnt need to go that far. Knocking is what everyone accepted as a solution to the transgender bathroom workplace issue.
My point in writing this is that with all the talk about transgenders and bathrooms, I felt it was helpful to share a real life situation. I think its important to not focus on hypothetical problems or imagine the worst. Instead, approach it like other workplace issues.
The transgender bathroom workplace issue we dealt with turned out to be less problematic than other situations Ive dealt with. Executives carrying on affairs with their underlings with resulting harassment claims; co-worker stalkings; assaults; employee theft; attempted suicide; intoxication; psychotic episodes at work these are all too common in todays workplace. Ive dealt with them all. All were far more difficult than figuring out a practical solution for a valued transgender employee to use the bathroom.
And Ill bet most human resource managers today have dealt with similar gnarly issues. HR people are used to dealing with the human condition. In HR, its all in a days work.
Would knocking on the bathroom door work for every small business that has a transgender employee? Maybe not. But with an empathetic approach that takes into account all your employees and visitors, including transgenders, Im convinced a solution can be found in any small business.
Try talking with your employees and see how they really feel. Dont assume. Ask them to propose solutions for potential transgender bathroom workplace issues that are fair to everyone. You might be surprised.
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
This group show is the result of an open call, which challenged numerous artists' to create vigorous works in microscale. Runs through 06/04/2016.
Fine art in miniature will be showcased on Saturday, May 7th from four until eight p.m. at Metallo Gallery in the heart of Madrid, New Mexico. In Microscale features collected artists such as Kevin Box while introducing emergent talents including Melissa Morgan, Shelly Johnson and Alicia Stewart. In its sixth year, this all-original show has established itself as a must-see event.
This group show is the result of an open call, which challenged artists to create vigorous works in microscale. Operating in miniature, the artists have concentrated their visions into works, which surge from their tiny confines. This years show received the largest number of submissions to date, in a dynamic variety of media and genres ranging from enigmatic shadowboxes to fanciful sculptures. In Microscale is a personal passion of owner Cassidy Watt, who will be contributing several pieces from his new series of patinaed copper to the show.
WASHINGTON
(April 26, 2016)The U.S. Department of Defense recently announced the following contract awards that pertain to local Navy activities and/or local contractors.Herdt Consulting, Chelsea, Alabama (N00189-16-D-0025);; and SAIC, McLean, Virginia (N00189-16-D-0027) are being awarded an estimatedmultiple award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price task orders contract to obtain process improvement, reengineering, management and data support services, to include Navy Enterprise Resource Planning sustainment on behalf of Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Business Systems Center (BSC). NAVSUP BSC requires process management and data services to support current and future Navy requirements in the areas of data governance and analysis, business process re-engineering and management, and business system engineering and integration. Each contract includes a 10-month base period, four 12-month option periods, and the option at Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-8 - option to extend services. If all options are exercised, the contract value will reached a ceiling value of $809,480,995. Work will be performed in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania (81 percent) and Washington, District of Columbia (19 percent). Work is expected to be completed by March 2017; if all options are exercised, work will be completed by July 2021. Fiscal 2016 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,000 will be obligated on each of the three contracts to fund the contract's minimum amount and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted to the Federal Business Opportunities website, with 15 offers received., is the contracting activity., is being awardedfor modification P00005 to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N66001-13-D-0107) to exercise an option for emerging navigation technology engineering services for air and shipboard command, control, communication, computers and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (80 percent); Los Angeles, California (10 percent); and Lexington Park, Maryland (10 percent), and is expected to be completed April 17, 2018. Fiscal 2016 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $20,471,350 will be obligated on this modification, and contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The original contract was competitively procured via publication on the Federal Business Opportunities web site. The, is the contracting activity., is being awarded acost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the procurement of basic and applied research of biometric identity operations in support of the Navy Special Surveillance Program. This contract includes advanced contactless/stand-off biometric face, finger, and iris technologies; data analytic tools; and established communication channels.Morgantown, West Virginia (80 percent); and, and is expected to be completed in April 2019. Fiscal 2015 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $50,000 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured under a broad agency announcement; one offer was received for this effort. The, is the contracting activity (N68335-16-C-0171)., is being awarded amodification to a previously awarded, fixed-price-incentive, firm target contract (N00019-13-C-9999) for material and supplemental support of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Delta System Software Configuration 2 Suite. Work will be performed in Marlboro, Massachusetts (60.8 percent); Melbourne, Florida (17.8 percent); Syracuse, New York (10 percent); Hayward, California (5 percent); Baltimore, Maryland (5 percent); Bethpage, New York (.8 percent); and St. Augustine, Florida (.6 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2018. Fiscal 2014 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $28,446,240 are being obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity., is being awarded aadvance acquisition contract for the long lead items in support of low-rate initial production Lot 1 of two CH-53K aircraft. Work will be performed in West Palm Beach, Florida, and is expected to be completed in October 2021. Fiscal 2016 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $25,000,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The, is the contracting activity (N00019-16-C-0048)., is being awarded amodification to advance acquisition contract N00019-16-C-0033 for long lead materials, parts, components and effort to maintain the planned production schedule for six low-rate initial production Lot 12 F-35A Lightning II aircraft for the government of Japan under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (30 percent); El Segundo, California (25 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (20 percent); Orlando, Florida (10 percent); Nashua, New Hampshire (5 percent); Nagoya, Japan (5 percent); and Baltimore, Maryland (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2020. Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $73,800,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The, is the contracting activity., is being awardedfor modification P00002 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-15-C-0123) to exercise an option for the conversion of U.S. government-provided AGM-88B high-speed anti-radiation missiles into 145 full-rate production Lot 5 advanced anti-radiation guided missile all-up-rounds and 12 captive air training missiles, including related supplies and services necessary for manufacture, sparing, and fleet deployment of the missiles, for the Navy and the government of Italy. Work will be performed in Northridge, California (90 percent); and Ridgecrest, California (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2018. This contract combines purchases for the Navy ($121,050,143; 99.98 percent); and international partners ($319,860; 0.02 percent). Fiscal 2015 and 2016 weapons procurement (Navy); and international partner funds in the amount of $121,370,003 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity., is being awarded acost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery-indefinite-quantity contract to provide engineering products and up to 706,560 hours of technical services in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division's Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems (ATC&LS) Division (AIR-4.11.7) for the design, development and test and evaluation of ATC&LS products. Work will be performed in St. Inigoes, Maryland (98 percent) and various ship/shore locations inside and outside the United States (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2021. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals; one offer was received. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The, is the contracting activity (N00421-16-D-0010).
LA PLATA, 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.
(April 27, 2016)The Charles County Sheriff's Office today released the following incident and arrest reports.THEFT FROM AUTO: Between April 25 and April 26, unknown suspect(s) broke into a car in the 11600 block of Marston Moor Lane in Waldorf and stole an Apple iPod Mini, an iPad, auxiliary cords, and an in-dash CD player / navigation system. Officer R. Pickeral is investigating.THEFTS FROM AUTOS: During the overnight hours of April 23 into April 24, unknown suspect(s) stole items from cars in the areas of Bel Alton, Newburg, and Cobb Island. None of the vehicles sustained any damage, and all were unlocked at the time of the incident. Items stolen range from note books, driver's licenses, credit cards, flashlights, and money. Detectives are working on leads. Officer J. Ryan is investigating.SECOND-DEGREE DOMESTIC-RELATED ASSAULT, DRUGS RECOVERED: On April 24 at 12:16 a.m., officers responded to the area of Circle Avenue in Indian Head for a domestic-related assault. Investigation showed a male occupant of the house continuously struck a female resident causing numerous facial injuries. The suspect fled the house prior to police arrival, but officers found him hiding in a shed in the backyard. Officers also located 115 grams of marijuana in the house. The suspect, a 35-year-old-male, was arrested and charged with assault and possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute. Cpl. J. Rager investigated.
Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) Technical Director Dennis McLaughlin retired from the Department of Defense (DoD) Senior Executive Service, April 1. McLaughlin led a wide-range of NSWCDD technical efforts impacting DoD programs from Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense and Directed Energy to Cyber Warfare and the weaponization of unmanned systems. A leader in the Navy's Disabled Veteran Outreach efforts, he served as the director of the Naval Sea System Command's Wounded Warrior Program. "I have seen firsthand the benefits of hiring disabled veterans," said McLaughlin. "In some cases, it really made a difference to have a job and participate. Former service members have a lot of pride and they understand teamwork. They want to be part of a team and they don't want handouts."
DAHLGREN, Va.
(April 27, 2016)Dennis McLaughlin retired from the Department of Defense Senior Executive Service during a ceremony held at a command he considers the "crown jewel" of Navy Warfare Centers, April 1.McLaughlinTechnical Director for Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) since October 2013described his tenure at NSWCDD as "the capstone to my career" in his last letter to the command's workforce prior to his retirement."It has been a tremendous experience," McLaughlin told more than 6,000 employees, comprising government civilians, defense contractors, and military personnel. "Dahlgren is often called 'The Crown Jewel' of the Warfare Centersand for good reason! Our long history of success is well known throughout the Navy."McLaughlin led the command's widespread technical efforts impacting a myriad of Navy and joint programs includingto name just a fewAegis Ballistic Missile Defense; Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Warfare Defense; Cyber Warfare; Homeland Security and Defense; Combat Systems; Radar and Distribution Systems; Directed Energy from Electromagnetic Railgun to the Laser Weapons System; and the weaponization of Surface and Air Unmanned Systems."Of course, I have only touched the wave tops of all the interesting work we do here," McLaughlin wrote. "There is a lot morefar more than I could describe in a simple message. It's all good and all highly valued. A prime example of this is the ground breaking we just had for our new SLBM (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile) facility, laying the foundation for the future of Dahlgren. Dahlgren Division has a bright future, and you are all a key part in shaping it."McLaughlin led the command's research, development, test, evaluation, analysis, systems engineering, integration, and certification of complex naval combat, sensor, weapon, and strategic systems associated with surface warfare as well as homeland and force protection."I am proud to have worked here," McLaughlin continued. "I'm particularly proud of the smart, hardworking and innovative Dahlgren people that make our Navy the best in the world. Our people are the intellectual capital the Navy looks to in order to solve issues facing war fighters. Over the past few years, I have had the privilege and honor of getting to know you and to hopefully help you in your journey. If it wasn't for all of you, we could not turn ships into warships. You have my admiration and heartfelt thanks for a job well done."In an interview prior to his departure, McLaughlin reflected on the top three highlights of his civil service career: his leadership impact as NSWCDD's technical director; his work on the open architecture design for the Navy's Virginia class submarine; and his founding of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Wounded Warrior Program."The design of the Virginia Class Combat System is something that I did with a small team of folks," said McLaughlin, who wrote the specification and led the design team for the submarine's combat control system. It was the first such structural design for a U.S. Navy vessel. "At the time, we didn't realize it but now it's clear that we had a huge impact on how U.S. submarine service will operate and fight their ships."A leader in the Navy's Disabled Veteran Outreach efforts, he served as the director of NAVSEA's Wounded Warrior Program."I have seen firsthand the benefits of hiring disabled veterans," said McLaughlin. "Since, I started that program, somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 wounded warriors have come in to service in the Navy. In some cases, it really made a difference to have a job and participate. Former service members have a lot of pride and they understand teamwork. They want to be part of a team and they don't want handouts."What departing words of advice does McLaughlin have for his (yet to be selected) successor?"Focus on technical excellence," McLaughlin advised. "That's our reputation and our future. We are technically excellent and people recognize that, but to stay on top we've got to continue to focus on it."McLaughlin and NSWCDD Commanding Officer Brian Durant also provided guidance related to the command's technical excellence and its core capability to deliver integrated solutions through innovation and systems engineering in a document called the NSWCDD 2015-2020 Strategic Plan."Special emphasis is placed on technical opportunities in emerging warfare areas aligned with our core capability to deliver integrated solutions through innovation and systems engineering," they advised. "The thrusts we are pursuing build off our science and engineering foundation and are envisioned to become an integral part of our core technical expertise in the future. Over the next five years, we will lead electric weapons design, development and integration; institutionalize mission engineering and analysis; and incorporate cyber warfare engineering in our naval systems.McLaughlin, commissioned as a Navy officer in 1980, held a variety of positions on active duty and as a reservist before he retired as a Captain. In 2004, McLaughlin was appointed to the Senior Executive Service.Prior to his NSWCDD technical director position, McLaughlin served as NSWC Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division technical director, directing a workforce of more than 1,700 employees, while providing technical capability in energetics and explosive ordnance disposal technology for all Navy warfare centers.
Thursday, 4/28 - History
The World AIDS Museum and Educational Center hosts the opening night reception for Saving Grace: A Multimedia Exhibit Confronting the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in the Black Community, tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Old Dillard Museum, 1009 NW 4th St. in Fort Lauderdale. Five leaders of the local black HIV/AIDS community will also be honored at the reception. $5 donation requested. Info at WorldAIDSMuseum.org.
Friday, 4/29 - Concert
The Master Chorale of South Florida, under the direction of Brett Karlin, performs Franz Joseph Haydns masterpiece, the Lord Nelson Mass, tonight at 8 p.m. at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, 5555 N. Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale. The performance will also be repeated Saturday in Miami and Sunday in Boca Raton. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door at MasterChoraleofSouthFlorida.org.
Saturday, 4/30 - Film
Head to the Albion Hotel, 1650 James Ave. in Miami Beach, tonight at 9:30 p.m. for the MiFo LGBT Film Festival closing party after the screening of Love is All You Need at 7:30 p.m. at the Colony Theater, 1040 Lincoln Road. Meet the filmmakers and actors and enjoy music and light bites. The festival, one of the largest in the country, closes on Sunday, May 1. For tickets and a full festival schedule, go to MiFoFilm.com.
Sunday, 5/1 - Art
Familiars, an exhibition of the evocative contemporary paintings of Jean-Paul Mallozzi, is currently on display at the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, 1650 Harrison St. in Hollywood. Mallozi, who was born and raised in Queens, New York, explores the broad spectrum of the human condition while revealing the concept that emotions are amorphous, emitting color. More info at JeanPaulMallozzi.com.
Monday, 5/2 - Theater
The Miller Center, 5202 University Drive on the campus of the University of Miami, and GableStage host a special reading from Andre Schwarz-Barts moving novel, The Last of the Just. The award-winning book, published in 1959, follows the men of the Levy family over eight centuries, culminating with the death of the last in the holocaust. The reading begins at 7:30 p.m. More info at Miami.edu/Miller-Center.
Tuesday, 5/3 - Community
The Pride Center, 2040 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors, hosts Hear their Stories: Learning for LGBT Seniors Life Experiences, tonight at 7 p.m. in the main hall. The event, cosponsored by SAGE and Our Fund, will include eight videos featuring lessons of resilience, strength and hope. The interactive session combines digital storytelling with a compelling panel discussion. More info at PrideCenterFlorida.org.
If you have ever visited Key West then you will be familiar with the conch. The word is pretty much everywhere, found in a variety of contexts.
Queen conchs (pronounced konk) are soft-bodied animals (mollusks) recognizable by their spiral shapes and glossy pink or orange interiors. This most majestic variety has been a protected species since 1992. Meanwhile, the meat of lesser varieties is consumed throughout the Caribbean, most notably in the form of deep fried fritters.
A conch is also how many inhabitants of Key West are defined. Saltwater Conchs describe locals who were born in Key West while a Freshwater Conch refers to a resident not born in Key West but who has lived in Key West for seven or more years.
The designation is a big deal for a destination city where people come and go and there is a real pride in local roots and ancestry. Traced back to its origin, however, a conch was originally a slang term for native Bahamians of European descent.
Despite the loosening of the 19th century definition, the descriptor has stuck, becoming even more symbolic thanks to a brouhaha that resulted in the secession of the city of Key West from the U.S. on April 23, 1982. The gesture was tongue-in-cheek at the time and a tourist attraction now, but the creation of the Conch Republic was initiated by a very real problem.
Key West is essentially connected to mainland Florida by a few slim roads. In an attempt to stem the flow of narcotics and illegal immigrants the U.S. Border patrol routinely ran road-blocks on these roads which also inconvenienced tourists making their way to and from the beaches and bars. This in turn hurt the Keys vital tourism industry.
When the citys complaints went unanswered and an injunction failed, local authorities declared independence. This was untenable and the city quickly surrendered (they also immediately applied for one billion dollars in foreign aid, which it did not get) but a crucial message was received loud and clear and the roadblocks stopped.
Now, the creation of the Conch Republic is heralded as a significant moment in Keys lore when a small mouse roared and government listened. If you fl y into Key West a banner will welcome you to the Conch Republic. A local office will issue you a souvenir passport. Each year the Fringe Theatre closes its season with Conch Republic (the Musical). And each year Duval Street closes for two Saturdays in a row, the first for drag races (men in heels not men in cars), the second for bed races.
This year marks the 34th anniversary of the Conch Republic celebrations and a schedule of events runs from April 22-30.
Last weekend 12 men, some notable local drag performers, others hardy volunteers lured from the crowd (including a seventy-five year old man and a an excessively enthusiastic visitor from Canada) ran a gauntlet of obstacles in the noonday sun.
The anticipation was milked for a good hour, then the wigs began to fl y and the contenders winnowed down until a sweaty winner was anointed. This year young Omar Gallagos claimed victory.
Where the drag race is an homage to Bourbon Street Pub Complex attempt to stimulate business during Key Wests 1982 stand-off the popular bars Red Ribbon Bed Race happening on Saturday, April 30 will benefit AIDS Help. The event is Bourbon Street Pubs oldest and most famous event and, according to Joey Schroeder the Pubs owner the most fun you can have in bed.... with your clothes on.
Ted Cruz suffered the consequences of deriding New York values, John Kasich won a little support while speaking out against anti-gay laws, and Donald Trump raked in nearly all the chips from Tuesdays New York primary by keeping a mostly muddled middle ground on rights for LGBT people.
In the Democratic primary, where both candidates have long-standing records of respecting LGBT people, Hillary Clinton held nearly all the backing from LGBT leaders. She, too, trounced her opponent, Bernie Sanders.
With big wins in the New York primary, Clinton and Trump have significantly tightened their grip on their parties presidential nominations.
Former Secretary of State Clinton now has 80 percent of the 2,383 delegates she needs to secure the Democratic presidential nomination; U.S. Senator Sanders has 52 percent.
Real estate titan Trump has 68 percent of the 1,237 delegates he needs to win the Republican nomination; U.S. Senator Cruz has 45 percent; Ohio Governor Kasich has 12 percent.
Clinton boasted the endorsement of most well-known LGBT leaders in the state, including State Senator Brad Hoylman, New York State Assembly members Deborah Glick, Daniel ODonnell, Harry Bronson, and Matthew Titone; New York City mayoral candidate Christine Quinn. She was also endorsed by openly LGBT New York City Councilmembers Daniel Dromm, Corey Johnson, Rosie Mendez, Jimmy Van Bramer, and James Vacca. And she also won the endorsement of the Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC.
A New York Times map of how various New York City neighborhoods voted, showed Clinton taking 68 percent of the vote in heavily gay Chelsea, compared to Sanders 32 percent. She got 66 percent, versus Sanders 34 percent, in the West Village and SoHo. (By comparison Clinton won 79 percent of the vote in Wilton Manors).
Even an untidy, self-selected survey of men in New York using a gay dating app found that most were supporting Clinton. The data collected by Scruff showed that, of 765 men who responded, 57 percent said they would be voting for Clinton, 32 percent for Sanders, four percent undecided but voting for a Democrat, and four percent for Trump. Almost two percent said they would vote for Kasich. Less than one percent (three people) backed Cruz.
At an LGBT fundraiser in New York City March 30, openly gay actors Guillermo Diaz and Cynthia Nixon were on hand to welcome the candidate.
Former State Senator Tom Duance endorsed Sanders.
People like that
What made the run-up to the New York primary particularly interesting was all the talk about gay issues on the Republican side.
In a town hall forum with CNNs Anderson Cooper April 13, Cruz tried to redefine what he criticized in January as New York values. Many groups had taken offense at Cruzs use of the term, including LGBT people who read it as code for acceptance of LGBT people and their equality under the law.
But Cruz told Cooper he was only repeating the phrase Trump had used in 1999 in regards to partial birth abortion. Cruz said he used the term to describe liberal Democrats who have been, frankly, hurting the people of New York over and over again.
He then shifted his defense of the term onto an Hispanic African American pastor and state senator, Ruben Diaz. He paraphrased Diaz as telling him in Spanish that he understood what Cruz was trying to say.
He said, I know exactly what you mean by New York values because, he said, I'm a Democrat and my Democratic governor, Andrew Cuomo, said if you are pro-life, if you believe in traditional marriage, if you believe in the Second Amendment, you have no place in the state of New York.
Ultra-conservative commentator Glenn Beck tried to soften Cruzs harsh edges, too. He quoted Cruz as saying he chewed my staff out for booking the candidate on the same stage with virulently anti-gay speaker Kevin Swanson early in the contest. Swanson told the audience that gays should be executed.
Beck said he and his daughter were meeting with Cruz when his daughter asked Cruz why he appeared on the same stage such a man. Beck said Cruz told his daughter that he considered that speaker reprehensible, bigoted, and despicable.
I want nothing to do with him or any kind of alliances to people like that, Beck said Cruz told him and his daughter.
Two days before the primary, appearing on ABCs Good Morning America, Cruz tackled a question from a man in the television audience who said he was leaning toward voting for Trump. The man, Todd Calongne, identified himself as being married to his husband for two years.
Calongne said he noticed religious freedom laws and institutionalized discrimination laws around the country.
What would you do as president to protect me and my husband from institutionalized discrimination?
When it comes to religious liberty, said Cruz, religious liberty is something that protects everyone. All of us, we want to live in a world where we dont have the government dictating our beliefs, dictating how we live. We have a right to live according to our faith, according to our conscience, and that freedom ultimately protects each and every one of us. And we shouldnt have the right to force others to knuckle under and give up their faith and give up their belief. And for me, I have spent my entire adult life fighting to defend religious liberty, fighting to defend the right of every one of us to seek out and worship God. And I think keeping government out of the way of your lives protects the freedom of everyone of us.
There was a scattering of applause but show co-host Robin Roberts, who is openly gay, jumped in.
But when you talk about freedom, she said, reminding Cruz that Calongne has a husband, a lot of people would say, Doesnt everybody have the freedom to be treated equally?
Of course we do, said Cruz, and the First Amendment protects everyone equally. He then leapt into a discussion of kosher delis.
This time, co-host George Stephanopoulos entered the fray. He noted that Cruz supports efforts to repeal the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling against state bans on marriage for same-sex couples.
What would that mean for couples like Todd and his husband who already are married? he asked.
Well, look, Im a constitutionalist, said Cruz, and under the constitution, marriage is a question for the states. So if somebody wants to change the marriage laws, I dont think five unelected lawyers down in Washington dictating that. If you want to change the marriage laws, convince your fellow citizens to change the laws.
On the other end of the Republican candidates political spectrum, at least as far as it concerns LGBT people, Kasich was continuing his double mantra of Im for traditional marriage and I want no discrimination against anybody.
At town meeting campaign event April 11, carried by ABC News, an audience member asked Kasich As president of the United States, what would you do to protect our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth?
Kasich acknowledged whats happening in North Carolina, what happened in Indiana, Georgia, and Mississippi states that have passed laws to allow discrimination against LGBT people.
In my state, first of all, I want no discrimination against anybody. I'm not in favor of discrimination, period, end of story, said Kasich.
Secondly, the Supreme Court ruled, you know, in favor of gay marriage. Im a traditional marriage guy. But the court ruled. I'm allowing a court ruling to stand. I'm not looking for some constitutional amendment. It's done.
Now, our religious institution should be protected. They should be able to do the things they want, continued Kasich. The town hall audience interrupted with applause, but Kasich quieted them to add the rest of his thought concerning discrimination by commercial entities.
Let's say I'm running a cupcake store. Somebody comes in, they want to buy cupcake, said Kasich. Sell them a cupcake! OK?!
Secondly, though, if I'm a photographer and you want me to go to your wedding and I don't want to, you know, then, go find another photographer, okay?
Kasich said he thought things were going along quite well after the Supreme Court decision against state bans on marriage for same-sex couples but that some people were using this to some degree as a wedge issue.
Now, if in my state, I find that we have a problem -- I mean a real problem; not a case here and a case there, but a real problem where things are coming apart-- of course, we have to do something about that, said Kasich. He did not suggest what kind of something he might consider but he suggested he would be inclined to Number one, to respect the position of those in the gay community, and secondly, to try to figure out what you do about religious liberty.
But I have to tell you, concluded Kasich, when you get in the middle of that, there's no easy answer. So you know what I kind of think? Let it go. Respect people -- that they are different than we are because that's just the way it is. And to get into these business of I'm not gonna serve you because you're a certain [audio not clear], cmon folks. We have to live together.How about a little bit more tolerance, a little bit more respect.
Xulhaz Mannan is being described in the press as a person with heart and courage.
He was the kind of person willing to fight for what he believed, someone ready to stand up for his own rights and the rights of others, said USAID administrator Gayle Smith.
The international diplomatic community is in mourning this week amid the horrific news of Mannans killing. Editor of the only LGBT magazine in the Asian country of Bangladesh, Mannan, 35, was murdered by members of a militant terrorist group with ties to al-Qaeda.
Police in the Bangladesh capital city of Dhaka, said the slaying occurred on Monday. Attackers, reportedly, ambushed Mannan and his friend, Tanay Mojumder, in his second story apartment.
We are profoundly saddened by the loss of one of our own in such a senseless act of violence, and we extend our deepest condolences to Xulhazs family and loved ones, said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, in a news release.
In addition to his editing duties, Mannan worked for the United States Agency for International Development. He was a local hire, State Department officials said, employed at the U.S. embassy in Dhaka.
The Associated Press is reporting the militant group Ansar al-Islam is claiming responsibility for the attacks, motivated by Mannans LGBT activism. Ansar al-Islam, which has been linked to the global terrorist organization al-Qaeda, told the AP the attack was motivated by pioneers of practicing and promotiong homosexuality in Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, the U.S. is seeking justice and remains committed to the human rights for all.
We offer our full support to the government of Bangladesh as they investigate these murders and bring the perpetrators to justice. We remain committed to the principles that were so important to Xulhaz, and we promise to support all those who work on behalf of tolerance and human rights in Bangladesh and around the world, Kerry said.
Utah Declares Porn a Public Health Hazard
Jayson Ross Jay Hey, Im a fellow Christian and I watch porn. To be perfectly blunt, straightforward, and to the point, I do not even consider it to be cheating. To hell with Utah.
Tom Menninger Their patrons are the biggest hypocrites. They should mind their own freakin business.
Luimar Zibetti Garza oh you old coots.... yer just bored silly with your lives that you have to impose upon others. What all those Mormons confessing that they cant break away from the porn in bishop meeting after bishop meeting? First you put your nose in Prop 8, then you call the LGBT community quite the abomination (no less than what those jihadists are doing) and now youre gonna be Papa Smurf and forbid people from watching porn. Yer perverts ya know... just idiotic, mind numbing perverts.
Christian Womens Group Declines To Tip Gay Waitress; Leaves Bible Verse Instead
Tiffany Fandl Thats why I discriminate against religious folks. Cordial accommodation is the most they get from me.
Joseph Green Post their pic from the security cameras and let it go viral....yeah [teach] those bitches a lesson
Steve Johnson ah self-righteousness. How we love it.
Fag On A Cake?? Whole Foods Story A Mystery
Greg Phelps I have to question why this man even took the cake home if he noticed it in the parking lot...why wouldnt he have taken it back immediately and asked to speak to the manager in person? Not saying he isnt telling the truth, but by leaving the premises and allowing time to pass, he opens himself up to doubt.
Will Portalatin All I am saying is that if he is fabricating this story then it would be such a huge disappointment and insult to those who fought for our rights of equality and love. If he isnt then a shame to Whole Foods but this surveillance footage is really not making this customer look good at the moment.
Paul Castilonia Whole Foods from what Ive seen is very LGBT friendly.
Bravos unscripted series, Below Deck sets sail again Tuesday, May 3 with new and returning crew and an itinerary that promises plenty of drama on the high seas.
Joining the crew is Jen Riservato, an openly gay deck hand, who has spent plenty of time in South Florida in between her tours of duty on the yachts of the megawealthy.
The native New Yorker promises a thrilling season for dedicated viewers of the series.
Oh, God, its pretty exciting, said the 28-year-old about the seven week gig. Living with people on a yacht is like living with people in a trailer, its stressful.
Riservato admitted that the latest season, set in the Mediterranean Sea, will not disappoint.
There are a few things that weve all done that were not proud of, whether its a fight or we got pissed off at someone, she said.
For Riservato, who as a deck hand is working in a job traditionally held by men, there was an added challengeshe was the only LGBT crewmember on the luxury yacht.
I wouldnt say its hard because the people in the yachting industry are pretty open minded, but I dont see that many gays and lesbians, she explained. I was pretty out from day one, but Ill just leave it at that.
Riservato was tight-lipped about any sparks that might fly during the upcoming season.
Theres romance on the show, but I didnt tell you that, she said with a slight chuckle.
Like viewers, shes eagerly waiting to see what scenes survived the editing room. Riservato would even consider filming another season.
Id definitely consider another season, but for now Im taking a little break, she said.
The only returning cast member from the previous seasons in the Caribbean is chef Ben Robinson.
Viewers remember when he was called in last season following a feud between chief steward Kate Chastain and chef Leon Walker that ended when Walker abruptly stormed off the boat.
I had been in touch with Kate, who made it clear the relationship was tumultuous, he recalled.
Robinson was pleased to be cast in the new series and feels Below Deck Mediterranean is the best yet.
I was the veteran and, with that, I think that it kind of empowered me and I became more responsible in terms of having crew members under my wings. I liked that position. I like being the mediator and trying to instill confidence in people, he explained.
The centrally-located ships galley is a natural place for the drama to cook.
It doesnt differ with many households where the kitchen is the hearth of the household. The action and the smells are very alluring, but I would also say, locationally, the kitchen is in the middle of the boat with proximity to the crew quarters, said Robinson. Thats how I lure them into the kitchen.
Robinson, who is home again in Fort Lauderdale, is currently operating his own catering company and cooking for a variety of private events across the country thanks to his new fame. Hes also eyeing other opportunities to return to television.
Ive spoken to my peers and my producers and everyone feels my place should be on television, whether its an entirely new spin-off away from the boat or my own cooking show, the 30-year-old said.
Below Deck Mediterranean premieres Tuesday, May 3 on Bravo at 9 p.m. EDT. Check local listings for channels.
Randy Berry, special envoy for the human rights of LGBTI persons, updated reporters on the status of his offices mission, saying hes engaged in "challenging conversations with foreign government officials."
Berry, the U.S. State Departments point man on persons who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex, said those challenging talks centered on discriminatory legislation, stigma and violence. Nearly 80 countries criminalize LGBTI status or conduct, Berry said. Of special danger is Saudi Arabia, which still imposes the death penalty for LGBTI persons.
The governments in Nigeria and Russia, Berry said, are moving in a hostile direction by passing draconian laws that "undermine human rights for all people, not just LGBTI individuals."
Berrys remarks were delivered at a United Nations press conference last week in Geneva, Switzerland.
Positive developments, mentioned by Berry, included the decriminalization of adult same-sex behavior by the African country of Mozambique, a meeting with the Secretariat of State at the Vatican and the addition of Argentina as the 12th partner in the Global Equality Fund.
The Global Equality Fund, Berry said, is a multi-stakeholder fund to support civil society organizations to advance LGBTI rights. Berry, a foreign service officer since 1993, was appointed to his special envoy position by U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry in April of 2015.
"I am confident that our collective efforts will help support a world in which everyone is afforded the dignity, the freedom and the equality they rightfully deserve," Berry said.
Algiers, April 27,2016 (SPS) - President of the Saharawi National Council, Khatri Addouh, called Tuesday the Security Council to take "firm" and "courageous" decisions in favour of Saharawi people's right to self-determination.
"We urge the Security Council and the United Nations to assume their responsibilities and exert pressure on Morocco to get it to be in conformity with the UN Charter, concerning Resolution 15-14, to allow Western Sahara people to enjoy their right to self-determination," said Addouh, who met, with his delegation, the members of Algiers-Centre's town council.
He underlined that MINURSO was designated by the Security Council for the organization of a referendum on Western Sahara.
Morocco must "allow (MINURSO) to fulfil its mission" and Rabat must be prevented "from committing violations against the peacekeeping Mission."
The Saharawi official greeted "Algeria's historical, consistent positions over Western Sahara cause and Saharawi people's right to self-determination.
The mayor of Algiers-centre, Abdelhakim Bettache, said the meeting bringing together the council members, the members of the committee on support to Saharawi people and Western Sahara MPs, was like a "forum of solidarity."
It was part of the actions undertaken to "strengthen the fraternal relations between Algeria and Western Sahara."
The meeting, he added, shows "Algeria's commitment to a fair and lasting solution to Western Sahara issue, in line with the international legality."SPS
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) Two of the deceased civilians were Spaniards, the website of the A Semana newspaper said.
The barracks provided accommodation for the servicemen guarding a communications hub, while the civilians were involved in repairs works, the daily added.
All of the victims were reportedly shot down as police later detected nearby an abandoned vehicle with eight Kalashnikovs and ammunition inside.
The agreement was signed by APS Director General Abdelhamid Kacha and Rossiya Segodnya First Deputy Editor-in-Chief Oleg Osipov during an official visit of the Algerian delegation to Moscow. The signing ceremony was attended by Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev and his Algerian colleague, Abdelmalek Sellal.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)
It is the third such agreement Sputnik has signed with an African media outlet.
Under the agreement, the parties will develop professional relations in the information sphere to strengthen Russia-Algeria cooperation, exchange information and assist each others journalists in their professional activities. Sputnik and Algeria Press Service also plan to consider joint media projects in various formats.
"Any EU proposal is calling for some kind of equity or sharing of the immigration burden, and the Brits are having none of it."
UK citizens might vote to leave the EU to avoid the burden sharing involved with housing anywhere from 20,000 to 100,000 immigrants, Rehman suggested.
In addition, she argued, the immigration flow into Europe is not stemming itself and will become a "lifelong problem" for the European Union and its member states.
Rehman doubts, however, that the United Kingdom will exit the European Union because it would be a "death sentence" to Britains business community, given that manufacturers and businesses have tax-free access to goods and services and movement of people in and out of the EU.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Pakistan is making sincere efforts in bringing the Taliban militant group to the negotiations table with the Afghan government to achieve lasting peace in the country, Khawaja Asif, the defense minister of Pakistan, told Sputnik on Wednesday.
"It is joint effort making it possible to achieve lasting peace in Afghanistan and we do anything that on our part to bring the different stakeholders on the table. We are planning to arrange another meeting. Things are moving in a right direction. This is a very delicate situation but Pakistan is a part of these efforts and Pakistan is keenly and sincerely making efforts that the Taliban is brought at the table," Asif said on the sidelines of the fifth Moscow Conference on International Security.
Formed in the 1990s, the Taliban seeks to enforce Sharia law in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan. The group is known for numerous terrorist attacks against authorities and civilians in both countries.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) A pending decision by an international arbitration court on conflicting territorial claims by China and the Philippines in the South China Sea will be binding, as will be future decisions affecting the disputed region, US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Congress on Wednesday.
"We have been working very closely with all of the claimants to secure from them an understanding that arbitration is an appropriate mechanism to resolve these disputes and that it will binding on the parties once it is issued," Blinken said in testimony before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, rejecting competing claims over parts of the international waterway by six other nations in the region.
"The Company posted quarterly revenue of $50.6 billion and quarterly net income of $10.5 billion, or $1.90 per diluted share," Apple stated on Tuesday. "These results compare to revenue of $58 billion and net income of $13.6 billion, or $2.33 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter."
However, Apples CEO Tim Cook said he was satisfied with the companys performance.
The Chinese authorities have already started focusing on the problem of excessive corporate debt, which also burdens banks and the countrys economy, according to local media.
Beijing has reportedly designed two techniques to resolve the issue, including transforming non-performing loans into equity, along with securitizing and selling them.
"While such techniques can play a role in addressing these problems and have been used successfully by other countries, they are not comprehensive solutions by themselves."
On April 13, the IMF said Chinese banks could face a financial loss equal to 7 percent of the countrys GDP, because of potential inability of local firms to repay their debts.
Decelerating growth rates have plagued the Chinese economy alongside turbulent stock markets and a falling currency. China's economy grew 6.9 percent in 2015, down from 7.3 percent in 2014, amounting to the lowest annual GDP increase in 25 years.
MOSCOW (Sputnik), Daria Chernyshova On April 22, Galp Energia confirmed in a comment to Sputnik that it had purchased LNG from the United States.
"Yes, it arrived yesterday evening, as expected, it docked and started to unload," Pedro Marques Pereira said.
Pereira added that the unload was expected to take about 24 hours.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The South American country has two types of Russian helicopters from the Mi-171 family that are used for Arctic missions.
"Argentina is considering buying new helicopters from Russia," Tello told RIA Novosti on the sidelines of the fifth International Security Conference in Moscow.
Tello said the Argentinian government was keen to continue working with Russia after presidential elections in December, which saw center-right Mauricio Macri replace Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, a long-time supporter of closer ties with Russia.
IZHEVSK (Sputnik) Russia signed the first export contract on the delivery of new Vikhr missiles, Aleksey Krivoruchko, the head of Russias small arms maker Kalashnikov Concern, said Wednesday.
"Two contracts for the delivery of Vikhr missiles have been sealed, one with the Russian Defense Ministry, the other one with a foreign customer," Krivoruchko told reporters.
On April 5, Russian arms manufacturer Kalashnikov Concern announced that the Russian Armed Forces had received Vikhr-1 guided missiles worth about 13 billion rubles ($191 million) under the state defense procurement plan.
It is understood that Iran raised this issue during Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan's meeting with Iranian Central Bank Governor Valiollah Seif in Tehran. Iran has sought interest on accumulated dues and wants India to pay in euros.
Since 2013, Indian refiners were paying 45% of the import bill in Indian rupees and the remaining 55% had been accumulating, pending finalization of a payment mechanism. With the lifting of western sanctions, Iran reconnected to the SWIFT international payment system, paving the way for receiving the $6.5 billion of blocked oil payments from India.
Belgium-based SWIFT, which provides banks with a system for moving funds around the world, recently allowed Iran to use its network for money transfers.
Meanwhile, Indian traders are now expecting to encash the goodwill India generated while dealing with Iran during the sanction period. They are pushing the government to resolve all potential hurdles that may obstruct future trade with Iran. They want the Reserve Bank of India to soon finalize a payment mechanism through which they can collect their dues from Iran.
President of the Federation of Indian Exporters Organization S C Ralhan says, Many of the exporters received payment in US dollars for exports to Iran which has not been materialized as RBI is yet to issue instructions for settlement of trade transactions subsequent to restoration of SWIFT. RBI has suggested to route them through the rupee payment mechanism. The delay is costing Indian exporters, and in a few cases, the payment in foreign exchange has to be remitted back in view of the absence of guidelines by RBI.
The bilateral trade between India and Iran during the fiscal year 2014-15 was over $13 billion. India imported $8.95 billion worth of goods, mainly rude oil and exported commodities worth $4.17 billion.
A year later Angela Merkel has provided startling confirmation of this.
Invoking an obscure nineteenth century Bismarck era law Angela Merkel's government has authorised a prosecution of a German comedian who recited on German television a satirical poem about Turkish President Erdogan.
This poem though sexually explicit does not offend religious sensibilities in the gross way cartoons that regularly appear in Charlie Hebdo often do.
The prosecution therefore violates the right of free expression set out in Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. To add to the absurdity Chancellor Merkel practically admits as much saying the law under which the prosecution is being brought will soon be repealed.
Why in that case is this prosecution being brought at all?
The German authorities defend it on the grounds that they are merely carrying out the law.
That is an absurd claim. Not only is there always a degree of discretion in the way the criminal law is administered especially in a case where the law clearly violates Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and is therefore itself unlawful but by that argument prosecutions should be brought in Germany to defend every foreign head of state not just President Erdogan whenever they are insulted.
The US government said that it was considering a Plan B if the Geneva talks failed. This would entail stepping up weapons supplies, including anti-aircraft rockets, to rebels within Syria.
This week President Barack Obama disclosed that the US was sending 250 more special forces troops to join a cohort of 50 already present in Syria. The dispatch was vaguely reported as helping rebels fight IS terrorists. But as always the details on the exact identity of such rebels are elusive.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Turkey of scuppering the Geneva talks through its decisive influence over the HNC faction. By making the unrealistic ultimatum that Assad must stand down, the supposed negotiations were bound to hit a wall.
That outcome then opens up the American Plan B option. It is noteworthy that the HNC group enthusiastically welcomed Obamas announcement to send more special forces, even though those forces are purportedly being deployed to fight IS with which HNC factions are intimately linked.
Washingtons position is complex and contradictory. Yes, US Secretary of State John Kerry has worked with Moscow to implement a ceasefire on February 27 and ensuing political talks in Geneva. Nevertheless, the US objective has always been regime change in Syria.
And covertly various arms of US military power, pre-eminently the Central Intelligence Agency, have been involved in orchestrating and weaponizing proxy mercenary forces on the ground, including the Daesh terror group, despite official claims to be fighting this same group.
Both Turkey and Saudi Arabia have long been pushing Washington to intervene more in Syria to expedite the regime-change objective against Assad.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Home Guards involvement in monitoring Denmarks internal Schengen border will allow the government to redistribute 125 police officers to other districts, according to the statement.
"The government has decided that the Home Guard will assist the police in connection with border controls. We have competent militias, which may contribute to the situation we are in," the statement published Tuesday by the Justice Ministry reads.
He added that the volunteers would undergo training under auspices of the police academy.
Eurozone finance ministers were due to meet on April 28 to discuss the Greek reforms needed to unlock the next tranche of money under the bailout deal, but the meeting was called off because of what sources said was a lack of agreement between Athens and its creditors.
After six years of recession, we are laying the foundations for recovery. Read my article at the Financial Times https://t.co/lxLqQgGyFv Alexis Tsipras (@tsipras_eu) April 14, 2016
Sources told the ANA-MPA press agency that "huge discrepancies" between the institutions and Greece on debt is another reason why the Eurogroup will not take place on April 28 as planned.
Negotiations over the third bailout since 2010 have been hit by a series of delays. As a pre-requisite of the third bailout talks beginning, Greece was forced to pass legislation on tax and pension reform, as well as other issues.
Greece needs a boost in investment and growth. https://t.co/uX81BHH5s7 Alexis Tsipras (@tsipras_eu) April 18, 2016
The latest stumbling block is over contingent measures to go with austerity measures worth 3 percent of GDP. Greece's creditors are demanding Athens guarantees an extra US$4 billion in savings that could be needed in the future will be implemented if deemed necessary.
Bailout Package
The third bailout austerity measures have proved deeply unpopular in Greece, with many demonstrations and rising street crime. The reforms included "streamlining the VAT system and broadening the tax base to increase revenue" and "up-front measures to improve long-term sustainability of the pension system as part of a comprehensive pension reform program."
We have very serious security problems in Kilis where children stay out of schools and people prefer to stay indoors. Storeowners are worried about this regular shelling and many companies have rolled back their investment activity there, Murat Sakar said.
Local tour operators have all gone bankrupt as people have stopped coming in and local administration officials are looking for ways to move out, he added.
Muzaffer Baca, deputy head of the Blue Crescent international charity foundation, said that 49 artillery shells had landed in the town since January.
Corporate event planner Kenn Leschey argued that the reasons are quite obvious. "This is due to a growing sense of insecurity among women. And particularly owing to cases like the incident in Cologne, as well as numerous rape cases largely promoted by the media. Women do not trust the police to either protect them or solve the cases," he told, as quoted by Berlinske newspaper.
Henrik Dam, president of the Crime Prevention Council, insists, however, that self-defense is not a panacea against sexual assault as it may instil a sense of false security, citing the absence of data on this subject. According to the Danish Crime Prevention Council, rape most often occurs among people who know each other well. Only 25 percent of sexual assaults occur outside the home, whereas the remaining 75 percent actually happen at home. The Crime Prevention Council is currently addressing the lack of statistics together with the suspected number of unreported cases and is set to publish a comprehensive report in mid-2017.
BRUSSELS (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, the Belgian Derniere Heure newspaper, citing a source at a local prison, reported that Abdeslam's transfer had been conducted in complete secrecy in order to avoid any risk of his escape.
"Within the framework of the Paris attacks of the 13th of November 2015 Salah Abdeslam has been surrendered to the French authorities this morning (in execution of the European Arrest Warrant issued by France on the 19th of March 2016). No further information will be given concerning the exact time or the circumstances of his transfer," the prosecutor's office said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Moscow has information that Russian prisoners in Ukraine have been subjected to torture, Russian Foreign Ministry Human Rights Ombudsman Konstantin Dolgov said Wednesday.
"We have evidence, in any case there is information, that torture is being used on our citizens in Ukrainian prisons," Dolgov told reporters during a press conference at Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency.
According to him, this information should be investigated carefully and seriously.
The news of the close cooperation between the NSA and the German BND intelligence agency caused consternation in the country, whose citizens are extremely sensitive to the protection of personal data.
There was a public outcry when former CIA contractor Edward Snowden unveiled details of mass surveillance by the NSA and the UK's intelligence agency GCHQ.
It emerged later, however, from sources including former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, that the US embassy in Berlin, overlooking the Reichstag, was being used as a base for a special unit of the CIA and NSA to monitor a large part of cellphone communications in the government district.
That would have been a clear violation of the Memorandum of Agreement that the US and Germany signed in 2002 in the wake of the 9/11, 2001 terror attacks, under which Washington and Berlin agreed that neither Germans nor Americans neither people nor companies or organizations would be among the surveillance targets.
It's official: German government confirms Bruno Kahl, 53, as Gerhard Schindler's successor as President of the BND. https://t.co/pLB1PyEsZU Diani Barreto (@deCespedes) 27 April 2016
When media reports began circulating that Merkel's own Chancellery department was aware of the operations, lawmakers in the German parliament set up an investigation committee to look into the affair, and called Schindler as a witness on several occasions. The German news agency DPA last month quoted sources close to Schindler as saying scrutiny over the BND-NSA affair was having a tiring impact on the 63-year-old.
Schindler will be replaced by Bruno Kahl from June 1. A statement from the chancellery said it "thanks President Schindler for his longtime, commendable work."
Om ni missat: Har skryter SD:s Lennart Karlsson om pastadda krigsbrott under FN-flagg. https://t.co/VN6Glp49vK pic.twitter.com/ySwWLkyTzF Jonkopings-Posten (@JonkopingsPost) April 26, 2016
"We did not usually intervene in the countries' internal affairs, but it actually happened a few times when we arrived too late, after which we locked and barricaded the doors, so that at least the vandalizing Muslims burned to death when fire bombs exploded. Sadly enough, this quickly reduced the number of fires," UNObserver wrote in one of his posts as quoted by Expressen.
In another comment, he basically admitted having fired towards muezzins. These should have survived, according to under UNObserver's own comment.
"I got to learn from two Finns, how you quiet a muezzin. Unfortunately, it is illegal to even mention it in Sweden, but it all became quiet. Allah's servants survived but never got upstairs again!" he wrote as quoted by Nyheter Idag.
The new law is known in Poland as the "act of surveillance," however those opposed to it say that it gives the police access to read and record people's phone and Internet data as well as emails.
The law also permits the police to record video and audio in buildings and public transport. They do not need to inform those investigated or ask the courts for authorization.
Poland drops an alarming 29 places in @rsf_eu media freedom ranking https://t.co/okoNtpCBLl pic.twitter.com/iHgVlJeypj Andrew Stroehlein (@astroehlein) 20 April 2016
The delegation team from the Council of Europe will meet with parliamentarians as well as government ministers, NGOs and the ministries of justice to discuss the new law.
A spokesman from the Council of Europe, Panos Kakaviatos said:
"The visit is of a technical nature and would form the basis of an opinion to be discussed in June, at the Councils next plenary session."
This is not the first time that the Polish government has been criticized by the Venice and European Commission.
The government recently tried to install loyalist judges and change the rules that govern the courts verdicts.
BRUSSELS (Sputnik) Introducing the environmental, economic and social, as well as foreign and security policy areas of the EUs role in the Arctic, Mogherini highlighted the region as "the only place in the world where three continents and major players in the world meet."
"So we will continue to work with all relevant players, engaging with each of them, meaning with all the countries that have territories in the Arctic, but also other global players that have increased interest in the Arctic, such as China for instance, or other Asian actors, including also the potential of connectivity through the Arctic of different routes," she told reporters.
The Arctic presents a "good example of constructive cooperative regional and international approach," the diplomat underscored.
France has been paralyzed by a series of nationwide strikes particularly by students against French President Francois Hollande's proposed reforms to the highly codified French labor laws known as the Code du Travail in order to give employers more flexibility.
Over a million people took part in protests in early April over the labor reforms that many claim will allow employers to sack people more easily. The reforms were largely directed at making companies take on more workers on permanent contracts, rather than temporary ones, to bring down the unemployment rate from ten percent. The proposals would give employers more scope to lay-off workers and cut costs and allow some employees to work far longer than the current 35-hour week.
2) Employment protection is higher in France than in other major western countries: https://t.co/y4NDFnExl3 pic.twitter.com/Ma6ZtYCnCM CPS Think Tank (@CPSThinkTank) April 27, 2016
3) Labour laws are leading to more temporary contracts. Proportion of short-term contracts in France is up 11 percentage points since 2000. CPS Think Tank (@CPSThinkTank) April 27, 2016
According to new analysis by the Centre for Policy Studies in London, despite France reporting a 1.1 percent year-over-year economic growth rate in 2015, its unemployment rate is forecast to rise to 10.5 percent, which is over double the level observed in the United Kingdom. Nearly one in four French youths are unemployed and more than 20 percent of 20 to 29 year olds are neither in employment nor education.
Hunger going without food was the most common deprivation in the UK.
"I didn't eat for three days; I couldn't have a hot shower when I came home from work which is in a factory," a 23-year-old man, who wanted to remain anonymous, told Sputnik.
"My pre-pay gas and electric meter were both in debt and I couldn't turn my electric radiator on or get any hot water. I almost lost my job because I couldn't go to work; I was weak, dirty and hungry," he said.
Julia Unwin, chief executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation said:
"There are a shocking number of people in the UK living in destitution. It is simply unacceptable to see such levels of severe poverty in our country in the 21st Century."
As for the route to destitution, the charity found that the single biggest cause was benefit delays, sanctions and unsustainable debt and arrears, mainly with public authorities and utilities companies and the rising energy costs.
Over 1.2million people experienced destitution in the uk last year. New @jrf_uk research https://t.co/Pf7HmFmUEv pic.twitter.com/cGJ6ZwJKzU Katie Schmuecker (@KatieSchmuecker) April 27, 2016
The data collected by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation suggests that destitution in the UK matches areas where poverty levels are higher, often where asylum seekers live in former industrial towns and cities in the north of England; including some London boroughs and small seaside town and rural districts of southern England.
"This report has shown that destitution is intrinsically linked to long-term poverty, with many people forced into destitution by high costs, unaffordable bills or a financial shock such as a benefit sanction or delay," Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick, director of the Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Environment and Real Estate at Heriot-Watt University and one of the authors of the report said.
Professor Fitzpatrick suggests "more coordinated debt-collection practices, particularly from DWP, local councils and utility companies, could help to avoid small debts tipping people in to destitution."
Destitution levels are not currently measured by the UK government; however the revelation that more than a million people are living like this suggests destitution has reached Britain's doorstep.
These claims and findings by Migration Watch come at a time when many are considering whether the UK should in fact remain within the EU, and shortly before the referendum, some are claiming that being in the EU only increases immigration.
Many Brexiters are in agreement with Migration Watch and of course would welcome this analysis. They argue that the freedom of movement principle damages the UK economy and favors unskilled European workers over skilled workers from outside Europe.
"[It] discriminates against precisely the sort of people who, in a world of increasing labor mobility, we might actually want to attract," UK Independece Party (UKIP) MP Douglas Carswell said.
There are others echoing these comments, such as UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who is fighting for the UK to leave the EU. In a recent speech, Mr Farage warned that the UK will not be able to cope with the surge of migrants if it stays in the EU.
Strip away the Brexit campaign and you find immigration, immigration, immigration. Column https://t.co/o1cuGHIwFu pic.twitter.com/TS6KP6Q5cw Iain Macwhirter (@iainmacwhirter) 25 April 2016
Mr Farage believes that with the inclusion of Turkey in the EU will allow its population of 75 million to come to Britain and the millions of Syrian migrants will also arrive on British soil.
NOW ALL BREXIT supporters must stand together to protect our way of life. Vote NO to uncontrollable immigration pic.twitter.com/sZbyosgGG1 BREXIT EU (@chrisem61) 17 April 2016
Ironic when the UK was built on Uncontrolled immigration & invaded 90% of the World#Brexit #EU #VoteStay https://t.co/4r0cGhJRfr Billy Meredith (@UrmstonLordMUFC) 17 April 2016
However, others are not as convinced that leaving the EU will have such an impact on migration.
Stephen Kinnock, British Labour MP for Aberavon believes that leaving the EU will not curb migration as we will still be under the EU free movement model.
"I think if we leave the EU we will fit broadly into two buckets, one is what's generally called the 'Norway model,' the Swiss model is very close to it. Under the terms of the model, Norway is part of the European Economic Arena (EEA), which gives it access to the Single Market, so you have all the economic benefits of [EU Membership].
"However part of the deal is that you must accept full movement of people. So Norway is actually in Schengen, even though it is not inside the European Union. So what is the point of Brexit?" Kinnock said.
MP Kinnock highlights that the second model the UK could implement if it leaves the EU is a risky one.
"The other model is the 'Canada model,' or it could be China, Singapore or any country which has a trading relationship with the EU but is not part of the Single Market. Now, you would have greater control of your boarders and do not have to accept free movement of people. But you would lose access to the Single Market and have to start creating trade agreements with every single one of the 27 members of the EU. This accounts for 50 per cent of our trade," he said.
Earlier Cemil Bayik said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was escalating a war between the two sides. The two year-old ceasefire between Ankara and the PKK broke down last July when the group accused Turkish authorities of allowing Daesh militants to attack a Kurdish town.
Moreover, Ankara has been repeatedly accused of condoning the jihadist group and even doing business with it when a relative of President Erdogan bought oil from Daesh.
Since the collapse of the ceasefire the Turkish government has launched a fierce military campaign against the PKK.
Discussing the Turkish governments policy toward resolving the conflict with the Kurds, Kurkcu said, Both the Turkish prime minister and the president of Turkey are speaking about not engaging in any negotiations until the last terrorist is liquidated. This language is not a political language. If it is an internal conflict, the politician, the ruling party and the head of the state cannot speak this way because these people are also citizens of Turkey.
Kurkcu further said, The Turkish government must take this call for negotiations very seriously because the number of causalities on the Turkish securitys side is also bigger than the government admits and there are very many reports spreading in the Turkish press that the Turkish Special Forces are now wary and they do not want to fight for an undetermined period, so even the security officials want to see an exit plan from this conflict.
In an interview with the BBC the leader of PKK said the group doesnt want to separate from Turkey and create a separate state. We want to live within the borders of Turkey, on our land freely, said Cemil Bayik in response to governments statement that the Kurdistan Workers Party wants to divide the country.
Talking about the conflict itself, Kurkcu said that it is a politico-cultural and identity issue which has occupied the Turkish agenda for the last century. The president cannot speak about domestic problems like a commander of anarmed battalion fighting against the enemys army. This is not the situation here.
"There is a legitimate case to be made for Leave but I dont see anyone emerging to lead it. You have Tom Harris from [opposition] Labour and David Coburn from UKIP [Euroskeptic UK Independence Party], but only Coburn and [ruling Conservative party lawmaker] Margaret Mitchell are elected representatives who back an out vote," Gethins stresed.
He agreed there was a broad consensus that EU reform was needed, asserting that "nobody is saying its perfect," and underscoring challenges in trying to get all 28 member states with vested national interests to work together.
"Remember the EU is not that powerful in itself. Its independent member states that are powerful and you are trying to get institutions to have a common set of rules for 28 member states, and that is a good thing to get them to cooperate and work together, but you do have the issue of trying to create institutions that will allow for that," Gethins said.
The lawmaker said he wanted to see major EU reform over fishing policy, public health and an end to the "two seat" parliament where EU representatives and their administrative staff travel monthly between Brussels and Strasbourg.
Gethins, a member of House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, added that the EU had a "role to play and a responsibility" in working with countries on its borders. He voiced confidence that the UK would not "get dragged into conflicts against our will" as an EU member "because that just isnt an EU competence."
MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the Tiroler Tageszeitung newspaper, Tyrol police chief Helmut Tomac said the construction of the fence in the Brenner Pass area which divides Austria and Italy depended on Rome's "willingness to cooperate."
A meeting of Austrian Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka with his Italian counterpart Angelino Alfano is expected to take place later this week, the media outlet reported.
In early April, Austrian Defense Minister Hans Peter Doskozil announced a plan to deploy troops to the Brenner Pass area amid concerns that migrants would search for alternative routes into the European Union, especially following the EU-Turkey deal on migration that put an end to the so-called Balkan route used by migrants to travel through Greece and Macedonia to wealthy EU states.
As far as the European Union is concerned, deporting asylum seekers breaks the business model used by people smugglers. It has also emerged that many people have been forced back without their bags or official documents and for those lucky enough to have a cell phone to contact family members have had them confiscated by Turkish authorities.
"The EU spins the deportations for Greece as 'breaking the cruel business model of smugglers,' even though many refugees see smugglers as a lifeline to safety. Indeed, absent rights safeguards in Turkey and Greece, the EU deal is cruel in its own right, and a violation of international law," Fred Abrahams, associate director at Human Rights Watch said.
Since April 4, the EU's border agency Frontex has deported 375 people from three islands; the same border agency that replaced the search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean in October 2014.
The photograph on display at the Place des Nations in Geneva is by Swiss-Turkish photographer Demir Sonmez, who is of Kurdish and Armenian origin. It shows a banner from March 2014, which proclaimed that Erdogan was responsible for the death of a teenager on the Taksim square in Istanbul in June 2013. The caption on the photo reads: "My name is Berkin Elvan. The police killed me on the orders of the Turkish prime minister."
The Turkish ambassador in Switzerland has lodged a formal complaint against the photo, calling for it to be removed from the exhibition. However, Geneva's local government said it stood by the exhibition supported by campaign group Reporters Without Borders which "participates towards freedom of expression and highlights Geneva's role as capital of human rights."
The European population in general is not prepared to receive a different civilization, different religion and way of thinking. There is some sort of intolerance from the side of the Europeans toward the refugees identity.
He said that the current phenomenon is going to last for a long time. What we are witnessing now is not a temporary situation. We will face a very long period of large influx of immigration. We, the Europeans, have created the commission for this development. We have created this with our state politicians and with the war that we waged in North Africa, Libya, Syria and Afghanistan.
It is not possible to stop them. They will arrive in any case and we have to prepare ourselves for a change of behavior of the Western society to a certain extent because we have a higher level of organization, the journalist said.
He further spoke about how the Europeans need to come up with a separate organization that will deal with the integration of refugees into European society.
France as well as other European countries has seen an influx of migrants and refugees fleeing their home states mostly in the Middle East and North Africa to escape violence and poverty. More than a million migrants and refugees crossed into Europe only in 2015, creating division in the EU over how best to deal with resettling people.
However, despite the unanimous decision in the House of Commons, it's not a matter for the government to decide, according to a Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood. Speaking for the government, Ellwood said he personally accepted genocide had taken place but it should be left to UN Security Council to decide.
Me in @TheTimes: I hope all MPs back Fiona Bruce's bid to designate ISIS' crimes as genocide https://t.co/ipaUm7JqiD pic.twitter.com/0VVQa9ZCpB Tim Montgomerie (@montie) April 18, 2016
Ahead of the debate, the government directed ministers and parliamentary aides to abstain from the vote.
The US, European Parliament and the Council of Europe have all declared Daesh murder and repression of religious ethnic groups as genocide, so questions are now being asked why the British government is so reluctant to officially call it the same.
#Daesh promise an idyllic lifestyle for families in their territory however when they arrive they find a living hell pic.twitter.com/3T50XJqtMt Tobias Ellwood MP (@Tobias_Ellwood) April 21, 2016
And answers are being sought in the recent deal between the European Union and Turkey to stop Syrian refugees from coming into Europe from Turkey, and fear of upsetting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
President Erdogan has said in the past that Turkey will ignore any qualification of the Armenian massacres in 1915 as genocide; which could be why the British government are keen to keep the word out of international politics while Ankara assists the EU with the refugee crisis.
Erdogan has been struggling to limit freedom of expression in Turkey since he came to power, but he still could not understand that his struggle is in vain. Ankara has recently taken new steps to put pressure on critics in recent Turkish censorship which not only intensified censorship in Turkey but also in the EU, according to newspaper Al-Monitor
Erdogans wrath for those satirizing him has reached new heights and gone international. Using an obscure law, Erdogan recently brought charges in Germany against comedian Jan Boehmermann for insulting him in a poem, the publication wrote.
Having found a suitable article in German legislation, the Turkish government sent a note to Berlin, demanding they start the criminal prosecution of the broadcaster in connection with the violation of section 103 of the Criminal Code of Germany Insulting officials and representatives of foreign countries.
The major security breach occurred at the Gundremmingen nuclear power plant, 75 miles northwest of Munich, after malware was found on 18 removable data drives.
The W32.Ramnit and Conficker viruses were discovered on the drives malware which could be used to obtain sensitive nuclear fuel data.
W32.Ramnit allows hackers access to files and, potentially, physical control over systems; terrorists could access the information and use it to build a radioactive dirty' bomb.
In 2010, engineers noticed alarming behavior regarding the labs machinery the nuclear centrifuges were literally falling apart and breaking one by one, while the software gave no warnings whatsoever. Computers that were running under the Windows operating system all had security certificates in place, and the Iranian personnel were baffled, not knowing what was going on. One local cybersecurity expert contacted his colleague Sergey Ulasen, a programmer from Belarus, who was at a rural wedding ceremony in his home country, hundreds of kilometers away from civilization.
Heres what Sergey said later in an interview to Eugene Kaspersky of the Kaspersky Labs:
All the other guests were of course happily celebrating, dancing and drinking far too much, while I was there on the telephone (my mobile) the whole time delivering urgent technical and psychological! assistance to a dude near Tehran.
At the time Sergey was unaware that together with his colleague he just discovered Stuxnet a notorious cyber weapon, a network worm, that was reportedly developed to slow down and disrupt Irans nuclear program.
It took a lot of effort for Ulasen to perform a sort of autopsy on the Natanz alien invader. The malware used the so-called zero-day vulnerabilities and was able to penetrate the protection of well-patched, up-to date Windows systems. It delivered its deadly payload across the local network in seconds and stayed hidden in the computers memory, using sophisticated cloaking algorithm.
Cyber security experts found out that Stuxnet was able to disrupt the automation in a wide variety of machines, including factory assembly lines and amusement parks. But the Natanz incident, which later caused the Stuxnet epidemic at several other Iranian nuclear facilities, was clearly a different type of rollercoaster ride a deadly one.
While the authors of Stuxnet remained anonymous, many cyber security experts believe that the malware was created by a joint team of Israeli and US hackers. Initially the hackers were trying plant the worm only into certain Iranian nuclear lab networks. But the beast got out of hand, spreading all over the world to countries like India, Russia, Syria and Kazakhstan.
By 2011, when several US and international mainstream media outlets ran stories on Stuxnet, its stateside origin was brought to light. And although the US government never publically admitted their involvement, anonymous sources confirmed such suspicions.
The Stuxnet outbreak has become the first, the largest and costliest malware development effort in history, bringing humanity one step closer to a dangerous line a line where hacking tools are not only an annoying and disruptive piece of code, but also a dangerous cyber weapon that could very well get out of hand, triggering a nuclear Apocalypse.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The number of Syrian settlements that signed up to the US-Russia-brokered ceasefire has reached 71, the Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday.
"The cessation of hostilities in Syria has been respected in most of the Syrian provinces. However, a total of 11 violations of the ceasefire regime have been registered, including four in the Damascus province, three in the Aleppo province and two each in the Homs and Latakia provinces," the ministry said in a daily bulletin posted on its website.
A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force across Syria on February 27. It was supported by Damascus, as well as by dozens of opposition groups on the ground. The Daesh and the al-Nusra Front terror groups, both outlawed in Russia, are not part of the deal.
Notwithstanding the election results, the countrys leader Ayatollah Khamenei maintains in control of the judiciary, with some interpreting the decision to crackdown on dissenting opinions an ominous warning to Irans growing moderate majority. In recent weeks the country has begun arresting dozens of journalists, dual-citizens and activists, warning of an imminent "Western infiltration."
Western human rights organizations have widely condemned the new verdicts. The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Iran to immediately release all detained journalists including those convicted today.
The United Nations followed suit, releasing a statement criticizing Tehran for "curtailing the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly, arresting and imprisoning journalists, human rights defenders, trade unionists and others who voiced dissent, on vague and overly broad charges."
Iranian officials counter that the arrests are necessary to prevent the growing threat of Western intervention, accusing the West of human rights violations throughout the region.
"Russian Centre for reconciliation in cooperation with Latakia province administration provided humanitarian aid to Syrian civilians, which had been evacuated from the Idlib province to Latakia city. Refugees have received about two tons of humanitarian cargos," the ministry said in a daily bulletin posted on its website on Tuesday.
Russia is currently forming humanitarian convoys for Syrian citizens of inhabited areas in the Hama province.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Liberation of the historic Syrian city of Palmyra from the Islamic State (IS) militant group, which is outlawed in Russia, became the breaking point in the armed conflict in the Middle Eastern nation, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday.
"The liberation of Palmyra from Daesh became the breaking point in an armed conflict in Syria," Shoigu said at the fifth Moscow Conference on International Security.
A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force across Syria on February 27. It does not apply to terrorist groups such as Daesh and al-Nusra Front, both outlawed in many countries, including Russia.
"Separate considerable efforts will be required to detect and effectively block the funding channels and other support to terrorism. Any resource support to terrorists including due to illegal oil products, antiques and arms trade," Patrushev added.
US Department of State deputy spokesperson Mark Toner welcomed Russias efforts to defeat Daesh in Syria.
"International terrorist organizations continue to engage more supporters. Intensification of terrorist activities regarding the national armed forces and law enforcement agencies is observed," Patrushev said.
Both Washington and Moscow have been conducting military operations against terrorists in the war-torn country. The US-led international coalition of more than 60 members has been carrying out airstrikes against Daesh targets in Iraq and Syria since August and September 2014 respectively. Russian began its own operation in September 2015 at the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
"I am sure that all peoples are interested to consolidate efforts in fight against the growing terror threat. At the same time, such cooperation should be conducted on the basis of equal interaction and with respect to sovereignty and territorial integrity of states without interference to the internal affairs," Patrushev added.
And this is why our countries are obliged to work closely together in the fight against international terrorism. Were ready for this. The balls in Washingtons court, Shoigu added.
A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force across Syria on February 27. It does not apply to terrorist groups such as Daesh and al-Nusra Front, both outlawed in many countries, including Russia.
US Department of State deputy spokesperson Mark Toner welcomed Russias efforts to defeat Daesh in Syria.
The efforts of the Syrian Armed Forces delivered heavy blow to terrorists, liberating vast country's territories, destroying extremists' infrastructure, Shoigu said.
"Syrian troops accompanied by Russian aviation have liberated 500 settlements and more than 10,000 square kilometers."
He added that Damascus had taken the initiative and created ground for Syrian settlement.
"Upon the Russian presidents decision, part of the [Russian] Aerospace Forces were removed from the territory [of Syria], and the remainder of the aviation group continues to deliver strikes against criminal groups. In doing so we are striving to destroy the economic basis of Daesh and its main source of income which is oil smugglingToday, Russian efforts are focused on the political settlement of the conflict and providing humanitarian aid to the population liberated from terrorist regions," Shoigu said.
Both Washington and Moscow have been conducting military operations against terrorists in the war-torn country. The US-led international coalition of more than 60 members has been carrying out airstrikes against Daesh targets in Iraq and Syria since August and September 2014 respectively. Russia began its own operation in September 2015 at the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Syria needs peaceful solution to the conflict that should be reached through dialogue, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security told Sputnik Wednesday on the sidelines of the fifth Moscow Conference on International Security.
"For Syria we need to have a peaceful resolution to the conflict. And for UN we need to ensure there is access to the people that much need humanitarian aid. So its a complex issue that needs to be resolved, but it needs to be resolved through a process of dialogue and resolve of conflict," Peter Thomas Drennan said.
He also noted that the Syrian talks in Geneva have paramount importance for settling the crisis in the country.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russian forces in the Syrian town of Palmyra are de facto playing the role of peacekeepers, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said Wednesday.
"Today I would like to underline this our forces are mostly playing the role of not just soldiers, but peacekeepers, providing assistance to Syrian authorities in restoring normal life," Antonov told reporters.
He specified that Russia was providing Syrian civilians with food and water, and added that Russian combat engineers had already demined most of Palmyra. They finished demining the city's historical part last week.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) the Syrian government had not given the United States permission to deploy any troops in the country, according to the deputy minister.
"Of course, they were not," Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told reporters, when asked whether the US troops had been deployed in Syria legally.
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"Over almost seven months of the Russian Aerospace Forces' military operation [in Syria], more than 9,500 sorties have conducted and some 29,000 terrorist targets have been destroyed," Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy said.
The Russian Aerospace Forces have destroyed over 200 terrorist oil facilities since the start of the military operation, Sergei Rudskoi, head of the General Staff's Main Operational Directorate, said.
"The sources of finance of Daesh and al-Nusra Front have been cut off. More than 200 facilities for extracting, refining, and pumping fuel in locations controlled by terrorist groups in Syria have been destroyed, as well as more than 2,000 means of delivering oil products."
Golan Heights, a region in south west Syria, which was seized by Israel after a six-day war, is to remain under its control, according to Prime Minister Netanyahu, despite the UN refusing to recognize it under international law.
Under the current peace settlement in Syria, Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be forced to fall under pressure and return the Golan Heights, a strategic area that was captured from Syria in 1967.
During the first ever cabinet meeting to be held since the annexation of the Golan Heights, Prime Minister Netanyahu said on Aprril 17: "It is time that the international community recognized reality. Whatever happens on the other side of the [Syrian] border, the border itself will not move."
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) US Special Presidential Envoy for the Coalition to Counter Daesh Brett McGurk will hold meetings in Iraq on advancing the campaign against the terrorists, according to the envoys Twitter message on Wednesday.
Daesh has been designated as a terrorist group and is outlawed in the United States, Russia and numerous other countries. The infamous group has seized large areas in Iraq and Syria, and declared a caliphate on territories under its control.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Syria's army is capable of defeating terrorists with the help of the Russian Aerospace Forces remaining in the country, Syrian Deputy Defense Minister Mahmoud Shawa said Wednesday.
"Syrian forces are currently engaged in a ground war against the enemies of our country, in cooperation with national militias. We are, of course, capable of taking part in the war and winning together with our Russian friends," Shawa said at a security conference in Moscow.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Coalition forces in Iraq launched the airstrikes near 11 cities, destroying Daesh tunnel systems, as well as several fighting positions and assembly areas, according to CENTCOM.
"In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted 23 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using bomber, ground-attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets," the release said on Wednesday.
Near Mosul, the coalition destroyed two Daesh rocket rails and suppressed a heavy machine gun used by the group. A separate strike near Hit destroyed a Daesh anti-aircraft artillery piece.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The US-led coalition against Daesh has decreased the terrorist groups oil production by some 30 percent as well as destroyed millions of dollars of the terrorists, the Small Group of the Global Coalitions members stated in a joint statement after their meeting in Kuwait on Wednesday.
Daesh continues to be degraded in other significant ways. It has been losing its leaders at a high rate and has lost large numbers of fighters, the statement said. Its resource base is drying up as Coalition strikes have lowered Daesh oil production by at least 30 percent and destroyed millions of dollars stored in bank vaults and other locations.
The group explained that as a result of the worsened financial situation, Daesh has relied on making revenue through taxation, imposition of rents and sale of confiscated property.
However according to agricultural experts, the food issue in Syria is not a new one and started way before the war began.
"From what I know there were serious problems even before the war started due to the drought and people from rural areas really suffered due to water shortages. This is happening all over the world due to climate change. When it comes to farming, war interrupts supply chains and equipment and seeds are hard to get hold of. Seeds are being eaten by the people in Syria," Nate Kleinman, co-director of The Experimental Farm Network based in the US, told Sputnik.
Mr Kleinman's organization has been building a collaborative agricultural network. They work to preserve seeds and plants around the world. They look at areas threatened by war and climate change.
With so many people now living in urban areas as opposed to rural regions, the traditional ways of growing seeds and plants are changing. The Experimental Farm Network aims to help and with its preservation scheme can send back seeds and plants to conflict areas once the war has ended.
There is also uncertainty as to what measures can be put in place to combat the food shortage, apart from ending the war there is little that can be done to help.
"Apart from ending the war, international aid is the only option. FAO is helping and I know they are providing food to people," Mr Kleinman said.
However, there is hope for the people of Syria, the war may have worsened the food crisis, but with initiatives similar to the ones run by The Experimental Farm Network, it easy to send back seeds and plants to Syria without any problem once the war is over.
"It's easy to send it back. We can just post it in the mail. Someone who is a competent farmer can grow the seeds and store the produce with ease," Mr Kleinman told Sputnik.
Regardless of whether these, like many previous US weapons, fall directly into the hands of Daesh, the deployment can only be interpreted as an advancement of their interests. The primary forces against Daesh in Syria are an alliance of the Syrian-Arab Army, Hezbollah, and Kurdish fighters, all of which are staunchly opposed by Turkey and Saudi Arabia on ethnic and religious lines.
Independent analysis indicates that both Turkey and Saudi Arabia continue to provide direct aid and support to Daesh, in opposition to the legitimately elected government of Assad. Turkey has been implicated in regular arms and oil trading with the extremist group. Additionally, in October 2015, a now-imprisoned Turkish MP exposed Ankaras false-flag sarin gas attack. That August 2013 attack threatened to draw American forces into Syria to oust Assad, which many observe would have cleared the way for Daesh to seize control of the country.
CAIRO (Sputnik) Alexander Prokhorenko was killed during the military operation to liberate the ancient city of Palmyra from Daesh terrorists as he was providing intelligence and coordinating Russian planes to attack targets in the city. During the operation, Prokhorenko's position was discovered and he was surrounded by terrorists. To avoid being captured, possibly tortured and interrogated, the 25-year-old man called an airstrike on his own position.
The Syrian army, supported by Russian aircraft, completely liberated the ancient city of Palmyra from Daesh terrorists in late March. The terrorist group, which is outlawed in many countries, including Russia, has destroyed part of Palmyra's historic ruins, which are a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, while controlling the city for nearly a year. UNESCO unanimously approved a Russian resolution on the restoration of Palmyra.
"At the request of the Russian Federation, the defense units of the Kurdish people have managed to get the body of the Russian serviceman killed near Tadmur [from Islamic State terrorists]," the YPG representative said, adding that the body of 1st Lt. Alexander Prokhorenko has been passed on to the Russian government.
Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders (D-VT) refused to sign the measure to increase military appropriations to Israel, arguing that US arms have already been used to wage disproportionate attacks against Palestinian civilians.
Ahead of last Tuesdays New York Democratic primary, Senator Sanders castigated Netanyahus regime for its apartheid-style tactics and the economic repression of its Arab neighbors.
The United States has provided Tel Aviv over $3.1 billion annually in military aid since 2007, already the highest amount of foreign military aid offered to any other country. Tel Aviv scoffed at this appropriation level as insufficient and has since demanded $4.5 billion in US military aid per year. The White House has aimed to meet their Israeli counterparts in the middle, offering $3.7 billion per year.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks urgently to finalize the deal for $3.7 billion per year before the end of the Obama presidency, fearing that his successor would refuse to offer as substantial an aid package.
"Georgia remains committed to NATO aspirations We are very consistent on our European integration path and very consistent with our NATO aspirations," Kvirikashvili said in a speech to the US Institute of Peace in Washington, DC.
Even if Georgia is not welcomed as a formal member, Kvirikashvili noted that Warsaw is "an important summit to mark the progress toward NATO."
The Armed Services Committee is scheduled to vote on the defense spending bill on Wednesday. The current version of the National Defense Authorization Act could authorize a total of $610 billion in US defense spending in the 2017 fiscal year.
The US government has accused Russia of acting provocatively towards NATO states and eastern European nations. Russia maintains the right to protect its national interests and has repeatedly rejected claims that it has meddled in the affairs of neighboring states.
Moreover, Moscow has warned that the US and NATO amassing troops and personnel on Russias borders is provocative and can destabilize the region.
The heads and senior officials from several international organizations will take part in the conference as well, including those from the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
The discussion at the conference will be focused on the anti-terrorism fight. Such topics as security in the Asian-Pacific region, situation in Europe, global security challenges and military cooperation are also due to be touched upon.
However, all sides to the conflict have been reporting near-daily reports of truce violations.
"The NKR MFA strongly condemns any attempts of the Azerbaijani authorities to reconsider these agreements, regarding them as an overt intention of Azerbaijan to unleash a new war, and insists on the full restoration of the ceasefire regime established in May 1994," the statement published Tuesday reads.
"<> the United States and NATO have started deploying supporting military infrastructure near Russian borders, implementing dangerous missile defense plans, increasing military spending. Such actions force us to take adequate retaliatory measures," Shoigu said.
"We prefer to communicate with the Alliance at the negotiating table, not through gun sights," the defense minister stressed.
Russia is willing to restore relations with NATO, however, this must be done on the basis of reciprocity, according to Sergei Shoigu.
"We are not against restoring relations with NATO, but this can only be done on the basis of reciprocity, respect for national interests and equal, indivisible security for all," he said.
"Terrorism is the problem number one for all of us. it could be proved with the crash of Russian passenger aircraft over Sinai, the recent terror attacks in Europe attempts of militants to create an additional platform in the states of the Asia- Pacific region and in Central Asia," Shoigu stressed.
The Russian defense minister also warned that any attempts to play with terrorists or even to arm them should be classified as a crime.
"I would like to underline the fact that any attempts to play with terrorists, to divide them on good and bad ones, and moreover to arm them for reaching selfish political goals are not only short-sighted, but criminal," Shoigu stressed.
One of Russias common goals, as well as for its allies, is not to allow the expansion of terrorism into the Commonwealth of Independent States, according to the minister.
One of the common goals is not to allow the expansion of terrorism into CIS countries. We are paying particular attention in this context of the alarming situation in Central Asia and on the development of negative influence from terrorist threats from Afghanistan, Shoigu said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday that Moscow is interested in its partners to have modern weapons, military technologies.
"We are interested in our allies and partners to have compact, highly mobile armed forces, equipped with modern weapons and military vehicles that could effectively resist the challenges and the threats to the national security," Shoigu said at the fifth Moscow Conference on International Security.
He added that strengthening of Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states' borders meant strengthening of Russia's security. Russian bases in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are guarantees for regional stability, he said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russia's troops are in Syria on a legal basis and at the request of Damascus, the head of Russias General Staff said.
"We speak about the involvement of our forces exactly in the struggle against terrorism and not about some military interference in the internal affairs of another state or about support of one of confessional groups," Gen. Valery Gerasimov said at the fifth Moscow Conference on International Security.
The Russian Aerospace Forces do not attack deserted schools, mosques and hospitals in Syria despite terrorists' facilities located there.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The threat of nuclear terrorism is growing in the world, which means particular attention must be paid to terrorists returning to their homelands from abroad, Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan said Wednesday.
The threat of nuclear terrorism is currently growing, which forces us to pay particular attention to the return of militants from abroad, Chang said.
"On the so-called NATO eastern flank, a constant rotation of US and allied military contingents is taking place, drills are being held daily, new military infrastructure is being built. Overall, these steps contradict the spirit of the Russia-NATO Founding Act US and allied actions in the area of missile defense and the creation of a global missile defense system continue to be a significant destructive factor posing risks to strategic stability," Lavrov said at the Moscow Conference on International Security.
Moscow has repeatedly dismissed the Ukraine-related accusations leveled at it, warning that increased NATO activities near the country's borders could undermine regional and global stability.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The number of international military exercises between Russia and China will be increased in 2016, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday.
We assess the level of Russian-Chinese contacts on both the government and military levels as high. This year we will hold many more exercises and events than last year, Shoigu said during a meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan in Moscow.
Shoigu said military exercises would be held on the ground and at sea.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Speaking on the sidelines of the fifth Moscow Conference on International Security, Menendez said that his countrys delegation arrived at the conference with great expectations.
"We are about to sign a treaty between Russia and Uruguay on defense and military cooperation," the official said.
"It could be signed in September as the content has already been agreed upon," Menendez added.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Pentagon officials familiar with reports of Chinas military test told the The Washington Free Beacon website that the launch the seventh since 2014 took place over China last Friday.
The DF-ZF glide vehicle was detected by satellites after it was launched atop a ballistic missile from a military center in central China, officials told the US news website.
The vehicle allegedly travelled along the edge of the atmosphere before hitting a target in western China.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) F-22 fighter jets from the United States have arrived at the Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania, the US Embassy in Vilnius said in a Twitter message on Wednesday.
Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite welcomed the jets crew.
On Monday, two US Raptors arrived at Romanias Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base to take part in joint military exercises. The US mission to NATO said the deployment demonstrates the commitment of the United States to the alliance.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Kalashnikov was created in August 2013 through a merger of Russias Izhmash and Izhmekh companies. It produces automatic and sniper combat weapons, guided artillery ammunition and a wide range of civilian products, from shotguns and sporting rifles to machines and tools.
The company has been exploring new markets in Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Middle East after the United States imposed economic sanctions on Russia in 2014, including on its military sector, after a conflict broke out in eastern Ukraine.
"Of course, wed love to return to the US market but its no use speculating about it as long as the sanctions are in place," Alexei Krivoruchko told reporters.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Earlier this month, Russian Su-24 Fencer tactical bombers flew close to the US destroyer Donald Cook in the Baltic Sea. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the bombers swerved away from the US warship once it was identified.
"We do expect that [flyovers] to be discouraged from higher up from now on," Carter stated. "These pilots need to get the word [that] this is unprofessional, this is dangerous, this can lead somewhere."
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Dehghan added that he did not discuss potential arms contracts at a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on the sidelines of the the Moscow International Security Conference as the meeting focused on Russia-Iran joint efforts to fight global terrorism.
"Iran bought S-300 to ensure the country's security in face of existing and potential threats. The delivery schedule envisions different timeframes. Some of the deliveries have been completed while the remaining part will be certainly supplied in the future," Dehghan said in an interview with RT television.
MOSCOW (Sputnik), Svetlana Alexandrova Moscow and Paris officially terminated the $1.3-billion contract for the delivery of the Mistral-class warships in August 2015. Moscow subsequently received some $1 billion from Paris in compensation.
Cairo and Paris signed a contract in October 2015 for the two helicopter carriers.
"There is joint cooperation between Russia, France and Egypt and this cooperation is very productive, the talks on cooperation are moving forward in leaps and bounds," Maj. Gen. Elkeshky said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russia and South Africa are gearing up to implement joint projects improving the combat readiness of the two countries armed forces, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday.
"We are satisfied with the positive dynamics of the development of cooperation and the joint mindset to implement projects aiming to improve the combat readiness of our countries armed forces," Shoigu said at a meeting with his South African counterpart Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
The Russian defense chief noted the growing contacts between the countries militaries, including on a level of commander-in-chiefs.
The T-90 retains the layout of the prototype T-72: in front there is the control compartment with the combat compartment in the middle. The hull and the tower was also placed onto the new tank almost unchanged, but with an important improvement the upper frontal part of the tower cast got built-in dynamic protection of seven blocks and one container. Another 20 protection units are placed on the roof of the tower.
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 tank 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 tanks main weapon is a 125-mm smoothbore gun 2A46M-2. The ammunition tank includes four types of missiles: armor-piercing, piercing, cumulative and high-explosive detonation from a remote system, allowing ammunition to explode at the desired point of the trajectory.
It can also fire using Reflex and Cobra anti-tank guided missiles. The elevation of the tank allows it to hit hovering helicopters.
Like other modern Russian tanks the 2A46M in the T-90 is fed by an automatic loader which eliminates the need for a manual loader in the tank and reduces the crew to 3 (commander, gunner, and driver). The autoloader can carry 22 ready-to-fire rounds in its carousel and can load a round in 58 seconds.
The Fire Control System of the T-90 is superior and one of a kind. It takes into account the speed of the tank, the range and the angular velocity of the target, air temperature, wind speed and atmospheric pressure. It also considers the angle of inclination of guns and barrel wear allowing the tank to hit moving targets on the first shot.
Vladimir was chosen to protect Russias airbase in Syria as it is ideal for defending a stationary object in a desert environment.
"It is a matter of concern not because of a threat to Costa Ricabut because one country in the Central American region starts an arms race," Gonzalez said, as quoted by La Prensa newspaper.
The foreign minister said the region needed more investment in healthcare, technology and infrastructure, rather than in military hardware.
"I do want to make one thing perfectly, crystal clear: Canada does not and will not pay ransom to terrorists, directly or indirectly," Trudeau said during a press conference on Tuesday broadcast by the CBC broadcaster.
He clarified that paying ransom would endanger lives of Canadians traveling abroad, as well as fund terrorist organizations to commit new acts of violence around the globe.
"We do not comment on committee overseas travel. The committee will make a report on UK-Russia relations in a few months," the media officer told RIA Novosti.
In late January, a cross-party working group on relations with Russia has been reconstituted in the British Parliament to start work on improving ties between London and Moscow. The group was formally set up in November 2015 but has been inactive since then.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Forty-eight people died in the incident and more than 250 were injured.
"We would obviously support any commemoration of this event, but as with any commemoration, it needs to be done non-violently, Toner stated. "[W]e would certainly condemn any threats in the run-up to these events or commemoration, and call on all sides to show restraint."
On Monday, the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) delivered a petition to the Ukrainian embassy in Washington, DC supporting the planned demonstration and calling for the UN Human Rights Council to investigate the murders of pro-democracy activists in Odessa.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) He added that the organizations restrictions imposed over the Russian delegations participation in PACE made it impossible for its observers to monitor elections in the State Duma.
"In May, on the sidelines of the session of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly in St. Petersburg, I plan to meet with the incumbent PACE Chairman Mr. Agramunt," Naryshkin told the Russian Izvestia newspaper in an interview published Wednesday.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to Bogdanov, Moscow hopes that the next round of the talks will resume on May 10.
"We want the talks to go on without interruptions," Bogdanov said.
The Russian diplomat noted that the talks between the Syrian government and the opposition should be more dynamic and involve all sides to the conflict.
The HNC has suspended its formal participation in the negotiations, while other opposition groups remain committed to finding a political solution to the years-long conflict that has claimed more than 250,000 lives and displaced over 11 million people.
The next round of the Syrian peace talks is expected to be held in May; no specific date has been set yet. But d'Auzon believes that the real negotiations will take place between Moscow and Washington, the two key sponsors of the Syrian peace process.
Bashar al-Assad, according to d'Auzon, is "counting on Obama's pragmatism." The Syrian president is hoping to reach an agreement with the Obama administration, not the next US president. He also hopes that Washington could force Turkey and Saudi Arabia to stop supporting rebels.
Ankara and Riyadh have long provided assistance to radical groups that are fighting to remove al-Assad from power and establish an Islamic caliphate in the Arab country, much to the discontent of the international community.
This process is ongoing. On Tuesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that al-Nusra Front militants kept arriving to northern Latakia from Turkey.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Many countries are currently losing independence and ability to make decisions, thus creating conditions for color revolutions, Secretary of Russia's Security Council Nikolai Patrushev said Wednesday.
"Many countries are subject to open political and economic pressure, lose the ability to make independent decisions. Thus creating the conditions for the transition of country's leadership and the implementation of so-called color revolutions," Patrushev said at the opening of the fifth Moscow Conference on International Security.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) He also called for a new regional security arrangement that would see more cooperation between Russia, Afghanistan, China, India, the United States and its allies.
"Russia and Afghanistan must engage more closely with one another economically, politically and strategically," he added.
"A stronger and more affirmative Russia is a guarantor of stability and safety in Afghanistan," Karzai said at the 5th Moscow conference on international security.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Karzai is in Russia to participate in the two-day annual Moscow Conference on International Security (MCIS). The agenda of the MCIS includes combating terrorism, as well as security challenges in the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Central Asia.
"Where we are today, with more extremism, with more terrorism, with more radicalization of the youth [than it was before the US invasion], not only in our region but beyond the Middle East and up to Central Asia," Karzai said.
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russia can play the leading role in the stabilization of the Mideast and Central Asia regions, Defense Minister of Pakistan Khawaja Asif told Sputnik on Wednesday.
"Russia can play a very effective role in the region: in the countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and the central Asian countries. Russia can take the lead," Asif said on the sidelines of the fifth Moscow Conference on International Security.
According to him, this role can be given only to Russia, but not to the West.
However, Barack Obama's decision to increase the US military presence in Syria could adversely affect the Geneva peace process, von Sponeck noted, saying that the move is part of a "series of experiments" that Washington has conducted in the war-torn country and neighboring Iraq.
These remarks came following Obama's Monday announcement that Washington would "deploy up to 250 additional US personnel in Syria including special forces." The move is ostensibly aimed at helping local forces to tackle Daesh, but von Sponeck offered a different explanation.
Obama "is entering his last six months and he wants to leave a legacy that shows some sign of success," he explained.
If so, these experiments will hardly help to achieve this goal, but could instead contribute to ruining a country plagued by a foreign-sponsored insurgency for more than five years.
"The Americans are never short of an experiment, never short of trying something new," von Sponeck asserted. Washington "is jumping from one laboratory test to another, and in the meantime [Syria] continues to go further towards a destroyed nation."
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Friends of Syria is a group of countries and international organizations that convene to discuss the topic of Syrian crisis outside the UN Security Council.
France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, the HNC opposition group, the Arab League, the European Union, the United Nations are among the members of the group.
In light of the horrific massacres and the military escalation by the regime and its allies, Dr. Hijab called for holding an extraordinary meeting in Paris for the Friends of Syrian People Group, with the aim to contain this crisis, put an end to the hostilities against the Syrian people and put pressure on the regime and its allies to abide by the International resolutions and put an end to their severe violations against the Syrian people, Riad Hijab, HNC General Coordinator, said in a statement on Wednesday.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura will present a document which would include general positions of the sides to Syrian settlement talks on transitional period in coming days, Qadri Jamil, one of the leaders of Moscow-Cairo group of Syrian opposition, told Sputnik on Wednesday.
"The next round of the negotiations will be critical and de Mistura will hand a document on Syria in coming days, where the common positions for the discussion of the transitional period would be gathered together," Jamil said following a meeting with the UN envoy.
He added that the next round of intra-Syria talks would be started from the discussion of the document.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The latest round of Syrian peace talks is coming to an end on Wednesday, with no success in reaching agreement or establishing direct negotiations between Syria's opposition and Damascus. The next round of talks has not been scheduled so far.
"Participation in the next round depends on actions by the international community toward improving the humanitarian situation. If it remains the same, if there is no progress in ceasing hostile actions, if the regime continues daily massacres while the political process remains at a standstill, I think that participation will be of no use," Hariri said.
Syria's National Coalition for Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces, which is one of Syria's main opposition umbrella groups, is set to discuss the political situation and the result of the Geneva talks on Thursday before finalizing its position, Hariri added.
KIEV (Sputnik) The summit was initially scheduled to be held in Brussels on May 19. Earlier on Wednesday, it was reported in the Ukrainian media that the summit had been postponed, citing a diplomatic source.
"The 18th EU-Ukraine summit has been postponed until September This was a balanced and pragmatic solution. The summit is not an aim in itself It should demonstrate the results of [our] cooperation and integration with the EU," Kostiantyn Yeliseyev wrote on Twitter.
In 2014, the UkraineEU Association Agreement was signed. The deal establishes a political and economic association between the parties, as well as regulations across a broad range of areas, including a visa-free regime, the exchange of information by security services, and the modernization of Ukraine's infrastructure.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the ambassador, speculations have been going around on the subject of Ankara allegedly mulling deploying troops to Syria, however, they have nothing to do with the actual state of things.
"The situation in the Middle East is very complicated. There are several speculations that have nothing in common with the reality. I can definitely say that any ground operation of the Turkish Armed Forces is out of the question, this issue is not on the agenda," Yardim told reporters, answering a corresponding question.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Tuesday, the Russian mission to the UN submitted a request to the UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee to include Ahrar ash-Sham and Jaish al-Islam organizations in the Daesh and al-Qaeda Sanctions List. Riyadh-backed HNC includes representatives of both militant groups.
If Russia has power to do so, well, they can do so and try to convince others This is a form of pressure on HNC in order to come back to the negotiations while the bombardment is still on. The talks were suspended for this particular reason, for breach of the cessation of hostilities, Aridi said.
Relations between the two countries took a major hit in late November after the Turkish Air Force shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber over Syrian territory, citing airspace violations that, Russian military officials and the copilot say, had not taken place.
Geostrategic analyst Nejat Tarakc referred to the Aleksandr Otrakovsky's decision to fly the Turkish flag as a positive development.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) On April 20, the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of the legislation enacted in 2012 by the US Congress, allowing victims of alleged Iran-sponsored terrorist attacks and their families to collect about $2 billion in restitutions from the Central Bank of Iran. Tehran has already filed a protest on the move.
Rouhani was quoted as saying by Tehran Times newspaper that the court's decision was a "continuation of hostilities against the Iranian people."
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russian-Turkish relations deteriorated following the downing of the Russian Su-24 bomber by a Turkish F-16 fighter jet over Syria on November 24, 2015. Moscow imposed a number of restrictive measures on Turkey in response to what Russian President Vladimir Putin classified a "stab in the back."
Russia's retaliatory measures against Ankara include, in particular, restrictions on the activities of Turkish organizations in Russia, prohibiting Russian employers from hiring Turkish citizens and a ban on certain food imports, including oranges, tangerines, tomatoes, apples, peaches, strawberries and most poultry products.
"When such situations appear, one must, first and foremost, sit down at the negotiating table This is not a situation that can be solved by apologizing. These are matters that need to be solved at the negotiating table. Let's sit down, discuss, it will be clear in the end, there will be some kind of result that we can work on," Yardim told reporters.
Over 800 jihadists have entered Germany alone over the past four years, and there are tensions in areas of Austria, Belgium, France and other countries in Western Europe with Muslim diasporas, according to Afanasyev.
Daesh terrorists in Libya are attempting to unite local tribes under their banners and pull in other regional countries into the conflict with the goal to destabilize the situation in that country, the Russian military said.
"Extremists are trying to undermine the process of restoring Libya's statehood and destabilize the situation in the country. They carry out provocations and attacks on Libyan army and oil facilities."
According to Afanasyev, Daesh is controlling some 250 kilometers (155 miles) of the coast around the Libyan port of Sirte and has recruited over 4,000 Libyan, Egyptian and Tunisian radical Islamists to fight on its side.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The political solution of the Syrian conflict cannot be reached in a short-term perspective, Daccord added.
"We all know that conflicts are not solved militarily, conflicts are solved politically. Despite of what we think, the experience is that most of time we have to have a political agreement. So all of you look at the three elements: the human costs of the conflict, which are dramatic, the international law violations, and then the complexity of the conflict, [and] you understand immediately that you have a triangle and these three elements reinforce each other," Yves Daccord stated at the fifth Moscow Conference on International Security (MCIS) commenting on the situation in Syria.
According to the ICRC, the civil war in Syria has left at least 250,000 people dead, and over a million injured. At least 13 million Syrians are still dependent on humanitarian assistance.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Berlin does not consider Ankara to be an easy partner within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and disapproves of Turkeys downing of a Russian military aircraft in November 2015, August Hanning, former head of the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND), said Wednesday.
"We were not happy with Turkey's actions in the situation with the Russian plane. Believe me, Turkey is not an easy partner even for us. We cannot force Turkey to behave [in a] certain way. We have rules in NATO and, [according] to my opinion, Turkey has violated these rules," Hanning stated at the fifth Moscow Conference on International Security.
At least for the time being.
"The US-Saudi relations are going through hard times: on the one hand, national interests of both countries differ to an extent that they sometimes directly contradict each other. On the other, decades-long cooperation prevents both countries from severing ties," Lenta.ru observed.
The US-Saudi friendship can be traced to the 1940s. Washington needed a regional partner to help counter communism in the Middle East and was interested in the Saudi oil, while Riyadh was searching for a new ally as the British Empire was losing its former power. Bilateral relations reached their peak in the 1980s as the oil kingdom bankrolled the CIA's special operations all over the world.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The lower-house French National Assembly will vote in the first round of parliamentary debates on whether to drop anti-Russia sanctions, which were imposed in 2014 at the height of the Ukrainian crisis.
"A large share of opposition lawmakers will vote against extending anti-Russia sanctions," Thierry Mariani, of Nicolas Sarkozy's The Republicans, told Sputnik, adding "some Socialists will also vote against."
Francois Rochebloine, a member of the New Center party, told RIA Novosti last week that the vote was called at Marianis request on the grounds that sanctions were harmful for both countries.
MOSCOW (Sputnik), Svetlana Alexandrova The Muslim Brotherhood movement is an international religious and political association established in Egypt in 1928 and supported in a number of Arab countries. It was outlawed and branded as a terrorist organization in Egypt by President Abdul Fattah Sisi.
The Turkish city of Istanbul currently hosts the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated Egyptian parliament-in-exile.
"The only legitimately elected parliament is located in Egypt. We do not pay attention to such statements, and do not give heed to the fact that other countries are trying to interfere in our domestic affairs," Elkeshky said, commenting on Turkeys role in destabilizing the region, in particular, through the support of the Muslim Brotherhood.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Meanwhile, Dehghan called Washington's decision to send 250 troops to Syria "an act of aggression that violates the international law," as the move had not been requested by Bashar Assad's government.
"Our current presence in Syria is limited to consultations, assistance in planning, and help to train those who fight there [against terrorists] the Syrian people and the Syrian army," Dehghan said in an interview with RT television.
"But we are ready to provide any necessary assistance if the legitimate Syrian government requests it to safeguard Syria's sovereignty and national interests," Dehghan stressed.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Trump added that the United States, Russia and China are "not bound to be adversaries."
"An easing of tensions and improved relations with Russia, from a position of strength only, is absolutely possible," Trump stated in his foreign policy address. "This horrible cycle of hostility must end, and ideally will end soon."
One of the first German politicians who dared to demonstrate their disagreement with Merkel's policy was Bavaria's leader Horst Seehofer. After Seehofer visited Russia to meet with President Vladimir Putin, he was harshly criticized by representatives of the ruling coalition.
However, it didn't prevent his counterpart Thuringia's leader Bodo Ramelow from following his example. Last week Ramelov traveled to Moscow and Kazan, as a part of a delegation of 40 people, the newspaper wrote.
"As many politicians and business representatives as from Germany travel to Moscow from no other European country," the article said.
The magazine criticized him for announcing such small numbers in "a country that has received one million people last year risking its political stability" and noted that more than 1.1 million refugees from all across the world entered Germany in 2015.
According to the magazine, many Germans welcomed Obama when he became President of the United States. However, for many of them he also has become a disappointment'.
"Guantanamo is not closed. Drone wars kill innocent people. America makes the world a subject of total surveillance. Whistleblowers are mercilessly persecuted. Obama has not made the world a better place," the magazine concluded.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) On Tuesday, Russia has requested to add the two terrorist groups operating in Syria to the UN sanctions list that already contains the Daesh and al-Qaeda. Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) of the Syrian opposition includes representatives of both militant groups.
No, we think that would have damaging consequences to the cessation, and frankly at the momemt when we try to de-escalate the situation on the ground, Toner said. They are frankly right now party to the cessation of hostilities, so we dont want to see that happen.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Leandra Bernstein The 1987 US-Russian INF Treaty prohibits the use or development of ground-launched cruise missiles within the range of 300 to 3,400 miles.
"Russia has violated the INF Treaty," Garamendi said. "Now that they have, we are preparing a defensive mechanism and there is talk of America building intermediate range missiles."
Russia has rejected US claims that it has violated the INF Treaty. The US State Department began reporting alleged Russian violations of the INF Treaty in 2014, and in 2015 the Defense Department provided Congress with a classified report outlining possible responses to the reported violations.
Pitha, a former staffer for retired Arizona Republican US Senator Jon Kyl, was serving as the chief fundraiser for Arizona Republican Senator John McCains 2016 reelection bid at the time of her arrest. The McCain campaign immediately released a statement saying Pitha was "immediately terminated upon our learning of her alleged involvement in narcotics distribution"
The sheriffs office spokesperson said that they were alerted to criminal activity at the residence after a package was identified in transit from the Netherlands carrying over 250 grams of MDMA, street name ecstasy, a popular and illegal psychoactive drug. Pithas boyfriend, 36-year-old Christopher Hustrulid, signed for the package when it was delivered Tuesday afternoon, right before a search warrant was served.
Moscow is concerned over the settlement in Syria during the ceasefire as the situation remains tense in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia and Damascus.
Saudi-backed opposition group, the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) attempts to undermine the Syrian peace process in the framework of the talks in Geneva by publicly accusing Moscow and Damascus, Maria Zakharova said. The HNC's statements are alarming, she added.
According to Zakharova, the HNC "organized in Geneva a series of public actions to discredit the Syrian authorities and Russian Aerospace Force's actions in Syria" with the assistance of "external sponsors." These accusations included traditional cliche like "Assad is to blame for everything" and "Russia is killing women and children." At the same time a representative of Ahrar ash-Sham militant group was the one who accused Russia of military crime, she added.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Russian Prosecutor General's Office is investigating the so-called Panama Papers, Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika said Wednesday.
"We are carrying out such an investigation. We have already sent requests to our colleagues in Panama," Chaika told Russian senators.
According to Chaika, the prosecutor's office has no doubts that the publication of the Panama Papers is a thoroughly planned action, coordinated by a Western state.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The website of Sputnik's Turkish bureau was blocked on April 14 by the Turkish telecommunications regulator. Turkey's Golbasi District court backed the decision.
"I have no concerns about the activities of Turkish journalists [in Russia]. I am convinced that Turkish journalists working [in Russia] here respect the Russian people, state, government and values of the Russian people. I am sure that the Russian authorities are taking it into account," the ambassador said at a press conference, answering a question whether the Turkish Embassy in Moscow fears of measures against Turkish media in Russia in response to the Sputnik website ban.
Last week, the chief editor of Sputniks Turkish bureau, Tural Kerimov, was denied entry to Turkey, stripped of his accreditation and residence permit in the country.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko had a phone conversation, in which they discussed the fate of Savchenko and her potential exchange for Russian nationals Yevgeny Yerofeev and Alexander Aleksandrov detained in Ukraine.
"I have received Savchenko's consent to be extradited and serve her sentence in Ukraine. According to the procedure, she should have received documents that need to be filled out for this process to be launched. I believe that, yes, the procedure has been launched, but it's necessary to understand that it is not fast and might take one to two months," Feygin told RIA Novosti.
IZHEVSK (Sputnik) The ministry is to make a choice between two assault rifles: the AK-12 produced by Kalashnikov Concern and the AEK-971 produced by the Degtyarev plant in the town of Kovrov, Central Russia.
In the short run, field exploitation of both assault rifles will be launched, the decision will be made in fall. We take it seriously and hope to win, Krivoruchko said.
Earlier, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said that the rifle would be chosen during field tests which were to take place in all four military districts of the country in 2016.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The United States and South Korea have signed an agreement on cooperation in the exploration and use of airspace, the US State Department announced in a press release on Wednesday.
On April 27, 2016, at the opening of the second US-Republic of Korea (ROK) Civil Space Dialogue, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea Yun Byung-se and the US Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Mark Lippert signed a Framework Agreement for Cooperation in Aeronautics and the Exploration and Use of Airspace and Outer Space for Civil and Peaceful Purposes.
The agreement describes potential collaboration between the two countries in areas like cutting-edge planetary exploration, earth observation and science, as well as further understanding of heliophysics, the State Department explained.
Despite New York was a pretty big blow for the Sanders campaign, it isnt a turning point that indicates the Vermont Senators complete loss, Sacks told Brian Beckers Loud&Clear . Still, it has made his prospects more obscure in the ongoing presidential run, amid the Clintons recent successes.
If he would have won New York, he could have gained some momentum and picked up some of these states in the east, but these states have closed primaries just like New York has, Sacks said. Clinton has a big lead in Maryland. Shell probably extend her delegate lead, making the math more and more difficult for Sanders for moving forward.
This was the first day of primary contests since Trump reshuffled his campaign staff. It is also the first since Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Ohio Governor John Kasich formed a strategic alliance, attempting to deny Trump the nomination.
While it remains to be seen if the billionaire will gain the 1,237 delegates necessary to achieve a first-ballot victory at the Republican convention in July, he will undoubtedly enter with more pledged delegates than either Cruz or Kasich.
"I do support the decision," Harper said. "We face a multi-faceted challenge fighting climate change by stopping the development of new fossil fuel infrastructure."
The pipeline would have transported natural gas extracted through the controversial method of hydraulic fracturing, a process in which water and chemicals are injected into wells at high pressure to release gas trapped by rock formations.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) US Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump called for banning Muslims from entering the United States in the wake of a terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California until their identities are properly established.
"We are striving to enhance our training with the goal of having people in every single one of our more than 240 embassies and consulates who can engage knowledgeably with religious actors," Kerry stated on Tuesday. "I believe this effort is necessary in todays world to help make America safe."
The United States, Kerry noted, does not establish contacts with religious actors in these countries simply for the sake of having interesting conversations.
An economist from the University of Southern Maine assessed that one of the reports used by the agency as a source for their analysis was based on nonexistent leasing scenarios, outdated oil prices, and unknown amounts of Atlantic oil."
In this context, claims that deviation from the proposed [drilling] plan would cost us jobs and harm security for decades to come," as well as undermining the energy security of the US, do not reflect the truth, economists claimed.
Do these things generate jobs? Probably not, Philip Verleger, an economist, told International Business Times. The fact of the matter is that with prices where they are right now, I dont think many companies, even if they get leases, are going to do much as far as drilling.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Clinton served for four years from 2009 to 2013 as the first secretary of state of current President Barack Obama during which she supported keeping US ground forces fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.
She later supported using NATO air forces to help topple Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and also backed opposition rebels, including Islamists, who were trying to topple President Bashar Assad in Syria.
"We agree that our next president must keep our troops out of another costly ground war in the Middle East," Clinton told a victory rally in the city of Philadelphia on Tuesday night after winning the Pennsylvania state primary over her challenger Senator Bernie Sanders.
"Hillary does not have the strength or the stamina to deal with China or other things Hillary will be horrible, absolutely horrible. She knows nothing about jobs except jobs for herself," Trump added.
'We Will Beat Hillary Easily'
"We will beat Hillary so easily," Trump said.
He claimed that Clinton lacked any widespread or deep popular support and relied only on her championship of women's rights and her promise to be the first woman ever to be elected as US president.
"I think the only card she has is the woman's card. She has nothing else going for her And the beautiful thing is, women don't like her," he added.
'Senator Cruz and Governor Kasich Should Get Out of the Race'
"I consider myself the presumptive nominee absolutely Senator [Ted] Cruz and Governor [John] Kasich should really get out of the race They have no pathway. We should heal the Republican Party. I'm a unifier. I unify people," Trump said.
Trump added that he considered that the race within the Republican party was over, and his rivals could not win.
Former Senator Graham, one of the authors of the report, has indicated that the chapter may implicate Saudi Arabia in financing some of the September 11 hijackers.
"I'm not sure there would be anything in the 28 pages that I read that would be of national security consequences at all. The Saudis have for many years been very supportive of the jihadist types in the Middle East," Jones noted.
He argued that the families of the terrorist attacks victims and every US citizen has "have a right to the truth," and should be able to read the classified section of the report.
Earlier in April, DNI Clapper indicated that the White House was reviewing the pages and considering declassifying at least part of the chapter by June.
Jones is the lead sponsor of legislation calling on President Barack Obama to declassify the report on the 2001 terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 Americans. The legislation was also picked up by the Senate and is supported by Senator and former Republican presidential Candidate Rand Paul.
"Their days are numbered. I wont tell them where and I wont tell them how."
While many deem Trumps platform to be one of isolation, he has outlined a curiously strong emphasis on military strength.
"We will spend what we need to rebuild our military," he said. "Our military dominance must be unquestioned by anybody and everybody."
Trump also criticized US intervention in Iraq, saying he was proud of the fact that he was against the war and criticized Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clintons interventionist policies.
"Many of the old people, frankly, dont know what they are doing," he said. "Unlike other candidates for the presidency, war and aggression will not be my first instinct."
On Tuesday, voters in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island went to the polls to select their presidential nominee. On the Republican side, billionaire celebrity Donald Trump added to his delegate lead, with significant gains in all five states.
Senator Ted Cruz brought up the rear in all but one of these states, failing to earn even 20% of the vote in every contest except Pennsylvania. In order for Cruz to clinch the nomination, he would need 677 delegates, and given that only 502 delegates remain available, a Princeton-educated man like Cruz should recognize the mathematical odds.
But Tenacious Ted is pressing on, and, on Wednesday, he teased a "major announcement."
In President Obamas response to the little girl, he wrote: Youre right that presidents are often busy, but the truth is, in America, there is no more important title than citizen. And I am so proud of you for using your voice to speak out on behalf of the children of Flint.
The President will travel to Flint, Michigan where he will hear first-hand from Flint residents like Mari about the public health crisis, receive an in-person briefing on the federal efforts in place to help respond to the needs of the people of Flint, and speak directly with members of the Flint community, the White House said in a statement.
Activist, filmmaker and Flint resident Michael Moore was not impressed with the announcement.
We don't need any more visits from politicians, even one as beloved as you, Moore wrote in a lengthy open letter to the President posted on Facebook.
We don't need any more promises of testing. We don't need any more token digging up of pipes made rancid by the Flint River water that flowed through them (of the 75,000 pipes that need replacing, a total of 39 39!! have been dug up and removed since you met with the mayor in the White House back in January). Meanwhile the poisoning continues on daily basis, even with the Lake Huron water that has been restored because it's flowing through lead-damaged pipes with a new chemical that now burns people's skin.
Some accused Clinton supporters of posting pornography in Bernie groups in an effort to get those groups banned, but, as Matt Baume points out at The Stranger, "That doesnt completely make sense if someone is posting porn in groups, surely its the bad-acting users who would get banned, not the group, right?"
Facebook has offered its own explanation, attributing the outages to a technical glitch.
"A number of groups were inaccessible for a brief period after one of our automated policies was applied incorrectly," the company told technology site Recode. "We corrected the problem within hours and are working to improve our tools."
An administrator for the group The People for Bernie Sanders 2016 chimed in.
"Were aware many of the pro Bernie groups were removed from Facebook," the groups page read. "Theyre back. It was a Facebook database error, not a conspiracy or attack."
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Karzai has arrived in Russia to participate in the two-day annual Moscow Conference on International Security (MCIS), which starts later in the day. The agenda of the MCIS includes struggle with terrorism, as well as security challenges in the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Central Asia.
"If this war is genuinely against terrorism, if the United States wants to succeed, then we know by now that success will not come unless you go to the sanctuaries, you go to the financial sources and all other factors And if you cannot do it alone, then go seek help from Russia, China and India. In particular, Russia, in our case, because it is close to us, because it has a long history with us, and because it has the means to do it, together with the rest of the world," Karzai said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Concerted efforts of the entire world are necessary for the effective fight against international terrorism, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.
"The issue of fight against international terrorism, which has taken an unprecedented scale and, in fact, challenged the civilization, is at the center of your agenda. Effective vigorous efforts of the whole world community are necessary to effectively fight against this global threat," Putin's address to the participants of the fifth Moscow Conference on International Security reads.
According to Putin, the Russian initiative to create a wide anti-terrorist front on a universal international legal basis and under the auspices of the UN aims to reach this goal.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The existence of the fundamental Russia-NATO act continues to be one of the key elements for Europes military security, but is being disrupted by NATO activities in Eastern Europe and the Black Sea, Russias envoy to NATO Alexander Grushko said Wednesday.
The presence of the Russia-NATO fundamental act, which was signed in 1997, continues to remain one of the key elements of military security in Europe. As was already stated today during the conference, the overall activities by NATO on its eastern flank, including the continual rotation of forces, deploying heavy weaponry on a permanent basis, continual exercises, the patrolling of airspace, reinforcing sea groupings, first and foremost in the Baltic Sea and now in the Black Sea, disrupt the purpose of this fundamental act, Gruskho said at an international security conference in Moscow.
He said that NATOs activities are seriously harming security in Europe and on the regional level.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) He stressed that he saw no indication that the United States was willing to reciprocate, citing Washington's practice of applying its laws outside its territorial jurisdiction.
"We are saying directly: if you have claims toward our citizens, our law enforcement agencies work very effectively on a range of crimes, including cybercrime. Let us share this information, let us work together," Dolgov told reporters.
At bilateral consultations held on April 21-22 in Geneva, high-ranking Russian and US officials agreed to boost practical cooperation in the fight against cyber threats, the Russian Security Council said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russias cooperation with the United States is essential to defeat the international terrorism, with Uruguay ready to support them, Uruguayan Deputy Defense Minister Jorge Menendez told Sputnik on Wednesday.
"I believe that it is essential that they [Russia and the United States] do it [cooperate], the counterterror front should comprise different countries above their ideologies and history," Menendez said on the sidelines of the fifth Moscow Conference on International Security.
According to the official, Uruguay will be an "element of cohesion" for such action.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The United States and Russia have established effective military-to-military communication channels to avoid miscalculations at sea and in the air, US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said in testimony on Wednesday.
We do havea military working channel to deal with unprofessional conduct and unsafe or potentially dangerous incidents. We have that at sea, we have that in the air," Carter stated. "We have managed at a professional military level to avoid incidents, and that has worked very well.
Nevertheless, the US is working with its NATO partners to develop a new game plan to deter Russian aggression, US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said.
With the start of the live racing season just over a month away, Dresden Raceway is gearing up for a busy summer and has partnered up with some high-profile outfits in 2016.
We've got a lot of great things coming along at the raceway this summer, said Dresden Agricultural Society president Lucille Laprise told the Chatham Daily News. We're really looking forward to having a very busy time.
Dresden is Ontario's only active pari-mutuel racetrack that will play host to the world-famous RCMP Musical Ride this summer. The Musical Ride performs in up to 50 communities across Canada between the months of May and October, and they help raise thousands of dollars for local charities and non-profit organizations. The Dresden stop comes on August 24 in concert with Racing Against Drugs, a community-based drug and alcohol awareness program.
The raceway is also hosting the Big Bike for the Heart and Stroke Foundation on June 9, with the fundraiser making its first appearance at the track in five years. Several teams will take turns riding the 29-seat bicycle to support heart disease and stroke research.
Laprise also noted that each harness racing card will be accompanied by a special promotion. Dresden's dates start on Sunday, May 29 and roll through to the start of August, with special holiday cards on Canada Day (Friday, July 1) and the August Civic Holiday (Monday, August 1).
Dresden's six horse barns were also recently fitted with nearly 900 solar panels, providing enough electricity to power 34 homes.
I strongly feel the innovative use of an existing structure to secure the preservation of our great racing tradition is something our raceways founders would be proud of as well, said Laprise.
2016 marks the tenth consecutive year that Standardbred Canada and the Atlantic provinces have partnered to offer the Atlantic Provinces Bursary Program. This project could award up to five students in the Atlantic Provinces bursaries towards their post secondary education this year.
If you are a student residing in the Atlantic Provinces and attending community college or university this fall, this is an opportunity that could help you pay for your tuition.
The bursaries will be awarded based on participation in the industry, academics and financial need. Applicants will be required to submit a typewritten essay on one of the following topics:
What unique ways can Standardbred Canada and the host tracks promote the WDC events to the general public in 2017? How can racetracks celebrate the 250th anniversary of horse racing at their track or in their community in 2017?
Applicants must be Canadian citizens and be a child or spouse of an active Standardbred Canada member or an SC member themselves. Applicants must be currently enrolled in a post secondary institution as of September 1, 2016.
A maximum of five bursaries worth up to $1,000 each will be awarded. Applications are available now and must be completed by June 24, 2016.
The successful applicants will be announced in early July.
This program is supported and funded by various organizations from the Atlantic provinces and Standardbred Canada. Partners from the Atlantic Provinces include the Nova Scotia Harness Racing Industry Association, Prince Edward Island Harness Racing Industry Association, and the 'Stretch Drive Fund,' a fund created by the Atlantic Provinces Harness Racing Commission's race officials.
Presentations to the successful applicants will be made during Governors Plate Week in Summerside. For a bursary application, email [email protected] or click here.
Knights of Columbus CEO to Speak on Christian Genocide at Holy-See Sponsored UN Event
Carl Anderson to outline steps to end persecution of Christians in the Middle East
Contact: Andrew Walther, 203-824-5412, andrew.walther@kofc.org; Joseph Cullen, 203-800-4923, joseph.cullen@kofc.org; both with Knights of Columbus
NEW YORK, April 27, 2016 /Standard Newswire/ -- Knights of Columbus CEO Carl Anderson will be among leading experts gathering at the United Nations this week to examine and help bring an end to the persecution of Christians worldwide.
Anderson will take part in a panel on Thursday, April 28, and will discuss the ongoing genocide in the Middle East and the steps that can be taken to end it. That session is sponsored by the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations. Focusing on "protecting victims of persecution and fostering religious freedom worldwide," the panel will be held in the UN's Economic and Social Council Chamber.
Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Holy See's Permanent Observer to the UN, will open the session with remarks at 10 a.m. Anderson will speak on the first panel. That panel will also include Swedish Member of the European Parliament Lars Adaktusson, who initiated the European Parliament resolution condemning the mass murder of religious minorities by ISIS as genocide, and Thomas Farr, director of the Religious Freedom Project at Georgetown University and an IDC board member.
Since 2014, the Knights of Columbus has raised more than $10.5 million to aid victims of religious persecution in the Middle East since 2014. It has also worked to raise awareness of the ongoing genocide, including via a petition drive urging the US State Department to declare a genocide. The petition drew nearly 150,000 signatures in the days prior to Secretary of State John Kerry's March 17 declaration in favor of a genocide designation.
The Knights also produced a nearly 300-page report that included an exhaustive chronicle of the evidence of genocide against Christians in the region. The report was requested by the U.S. State Department and proved helpful in their determination that genocide was occurring in the region. These efforts were conducted with the help of IDC.
The UN Event is launching the International Congress #WeAreN2016 that is being held in New York from April 28 to 30 and focusing "on defending religious freedom and other human rights: stopping mass atrocities against Christians and other believers." The events will include input from the victims of atrocities in Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Nigeria and other countries. The three day congress is being organized by CitizenGo and MasLibres and is co-sponsored by In Defense of Christians (IDC).
More information on the conference is available at www.wearen.org
More information on the Knights of Columbus is available at www.kofc.org
A 76-year-old former Kelso teacher was sentenced Tuesday to nine months in jail for communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.
According to a court document, Walter Monroe Knowles was caught asking for sex through Facebook from a fictitious 14-year-old girl named Amanda. The girl was actually a Cowlitz County deputy who arranged for Knowles to meet up at a local Starbucks, where he was arrested. He bought roses and perfume for the girl, according to the document.
Knowles, an Army veteran, pleaded guilty in 1998 to first-degree child molestation after he admitted having sexual contact with girls in his Butler Acres Elementary classroom. Knowles was an elementary school teacher in Kelso for 21 years.
Knowles tearfully apologized in court Tuesday.
I had 17 good years. I blew it. I made a terrible mistake, he said. I had good things going for me. I messed up. I certainly did. I regret it. I dont know what else to say.
Deputy Prosecutor Jason Laurine said Knowles has some signs of psycho-sexual issues. He is clearly seeking out ways of satisfying whatever needs he may have. In this instance, hes going back to the same stomping grounds as he did when he was a bit younger.
Knowles attorney Jim Morgan asked that the court consider electronic home monitoring because of Knowles health problems.
This is certainly not how he envisioned how he was going to wrap things up in his life, Morgan said.
Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama, announced Wednesday he will be running for his eighth term representing eastern Cowlitz County and other parts of Southwest Washington in the Legislature.
Orcutt was first elected to the House in 2002 and has represented the 20th District since 2013. The district includes Castle Rock, Kalama, Woodland, parts of North Clark County and all of Lewis County. He has been vocal against tax increases and, earlier this year, helped pass a bill that addressed the states substitute teacher shortage by allowing districts to hire retired teachers.
We need to fully fund education and do it without raising taxes as well, Orcutt said in a press release.
No Democrat has ever challenged Orcutt since redistricting put him in the 20th District, a Republican stronghold. He easily won the 20th District elections with nearly 70 percent of the vote in 2012 and 2014.
Orcutt owns Cascade Forest Management, a forestry consulting company, and is a member of Kalama Lions Club. He has also been the chairman of the Highlander Festival and member of the Columbia Theatre Board.
The National Rifle Association gave Orcutt the highest rating for advocating against gun control. He has also been vocal about opposing same-sex marriage. In 2013 he received backlash for saying bicyclists contribute to pollution in support of a bike tax.
A man wanted on murder charges in Klamath County pleaded guilty to felony charges in Cowlitz County and could be extradited to Oregon in June.
Matthew Reyes, 27, was arrested in Cowlitz County in January on suspicion of two counts of first-degree robbery, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree burglary, third-degree assault, attempting to elude an officer and being a fugitive from justice, according to a probable cause statement.
Reyes and a woman, Kareesa Dean, stole a mans vehicle after they were involved in a rollover accident near Ariel, according to the statement. They then broke into the home of two elderly residents, hit one of residents in the mouth with an airsoft gun and stole a different vehicle.
Deputies arrested Reyes and Dean after a 20-mile chase. It was then discovered Reyes had a warrant out of Klamath County for murder.
He is scheduled to be sentenced in Cowlitz Superior Court on May 24.
Authorities had been looking for Reyes since early January, when 57-year-old Rick Aston was found dead in a Klamath Falls motel, according to the Associated Press. Aston died from a cut to the neck, and investigators believe he may have been killed because he complained about noise Reyes and others were making in another room.
Klamath County District Attorney Rob Patridge told the Herald and News that his office is ready to begin its prosecution of Reyes on charges of murder, assault and unlawful use of a weapon, according to the AP.
Adam Olson, the man caught in March by a citizens sex sting, was sentenced Tuesday to 30 days in jail.
Olson, 36, pleaded guilty last month to communicating with a minor for immoral purposes through electronic means.
On March 3, Curtis Hart of Kelso and his friends pretended to be a 14-year-old girl wanting to have fun with an older man on the social media site Whisper. They invited Olson to Tam OShanter park in Kelso, where they confronted him at night and videotaped as he called himself in to police.
They posted the video to YouTube, though its since been taken down for violating the sites harassment and bullying policies.
Cowlitz County Deputy Prosecutor Jason Laurine said that 30 days in jail and a year in community custody would be sufficient to send the point to him and anyone else that this sort of behavior is not tolerated.
Olson now is a convicted sex offender, making it known to the community not to have contact with him, Laurine said.
Laurine took the chance to discourage vigilantism and commend the investigative work of trained law enforcement.
We in the office do not agree with or subscribe with that behavior. We do feel that law enforcement is better equipped to handle this, he said. Be that as it may, a crime was committed. He ramped up from zero to 100 mph his attempts to have sex with this individual.
Public defender Dan Morgan did not suggest an alternative sentence, but he criticized Hart and his friends for pressuring and threatening to hurt Olson when they met him at Tam OShanter.
I agree with the prosecutors assessment that he ramped up his efforts from zero to 100, he said. This would also show that this person pretending to be this girl, this vigilante, is the one who did a lot of ramping up.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - TD Ameritrade (AMTD.N) and Fidelity's brokerage arm both stopped accepting orders of Facebook (FB.O) shares as of Tuesday evening, according to representatives.
Morgan Stanley & Co (MS.N) did the same, according to three advisers at the firm who declined to be named because they are not permitted to speak to the press. E*Trade Financial (ETFC.O) also stopped accepting orders Tuesday evening, according to a client alert sent out Tuesday.
Wells Fargo & Co's (WFC.N) brokerage arm, Wells Fargo Advisors, was stopping accepting new orders at 4:00 p.m. EDT Wednesday, according to two advisers at the firm.
A Morgan Stanley spokesman and a Wells Fargo spokeswoman declined to comment.
On Monday, Morgan Stanley told its advisers that it would cap the number of Facebook shares for each retail client to 500, according to four people familiar with the situation.
(Reporting By Jessica Toonkel; Editing by Gary Hill; Additonal reporting by Jennifer Cummings, John McCrank, Joseph Giannone and Lauren Young)
tech2 News Staff
Google just announced in its app updates blog that Microsoft Exchange support is coming to the Android Gmail app. Gmail currently allowed Yahoo mail, Outlook and other email service providers through IMAP or POP protocols. Microsoft Exchange was supported by Gmail, but only on Nexus devices. This update announces a gradual roll out over three days to all Android devices using the Gmail app.
Exchange is Microsoft's business email service. This update allows users to have their personal accounts and business accounts inside one app. The Gmail app also supports syncing of mail, contacts and calendar data with Exchange. To add the Exchange account in Gmail, go to settings, then navigate to Add Account, and choose Exchange from the list of available options. After that, enter the login details and the device should be good to go.
The timing of the announcement is suspiciously close on the heels of both Google, and Microsoft agreeing to drop regulatory complaints against each other. Those using Gmail on Apple devices, will not have the feature.
Naina Khedekar
"It has been a challenging quarter for Apple," said Tim Cook as he began the earnings call. And, it truly has been with Apple facing its first ever decline and sales drop. But, weren't we all prepared for that? Tim Cook spoke about the new iPhone SE, the exceptional run with the iPhone 6, India market and more. Here are five quick takeaways from Apple's earnings call.
Fairly meets analyst expectations despite the drop
Apple has witnessed its first ever iPhone sales decline, as well as revenue drop. And, this doesn't come as a surprise. This disappointment for the Cupertino company comes inspite of having met analyst expectations. It sold 51 million iPhone units, which is a big number, but falls short by 10 million compared to what the tech giant managed to sell in the same quarter last year. It posted a quarterly revenue of $50.6 billion, slightly short of analyst predictions of $52 billion.
India is where China was 7 years ago
Recently, a Quartz report had drawn a parallel as to how India is following a similar path as China. Now, Tim Cook, in the earnings call, stated how India is where China was 7-8 years ago. Talking about the current scenario, he explained how LTE rollout has been one of the factors that has been holding Apple back as the potential and how the power of its mighty devices cannot be unleashed on 2G. But with good networks coming in things could change. He also spoke about problems related to building good retail channels as phones are not tied to carriers here, like in developed nations. However, with the LTE rollout, its rumoured retail store and other factors falling in place, this could change.
For Apple, the business is still in the developed markets.
Yes, you heard that right. It's just that the iPhone SE is preferred by developed nations rather than emerging markets like China and India that it was build for. Read more on this here.
The iPhone SE saw a strong demand, that even exceeded the supply, he said. Moreover, it should be noted that the device sales aren't reflected in the quarterly revenue. According to him, the SE is attracting two types of customers - those looking for latest tech in a compact form factor, and those who always wanted to own an iPhone but couldn't due to high pricing.
The focuss will still remain at growth rate in India
Nevertheless, Apple will still continue to focus on the India market. After all, it grew in India by 56 percent, while China market saw a 10 percent decline. "We've seen ability to attract more customers into the platform with a product at a new price point with the latest technology. We're very excited about what's in our pipeline," he said.
iPhone 6 encouraged Android switchers
The iPhone 6 debut introduced an extraordinary iPhone cycle, according to Cook. It encouraged Android users to switch to iOS. In fact, it brought in record switchers and the largest that the company has seen in any of its six-month iPhone cycle. So, looks like, the super successful iPhone 6s is to be blamed here. The records set in the iPhone 6 were too high and matching up to those numbers and grandeur has been difficult for Apple.
Besides, Apple Watch is said to be making progress after expansion into 60 more countries. Macs also saw a decline with a fugure that reads 4 million, but almost 50 percent of these users were said to be first time Mac buyers. In China, 80 percent users bought the Mac for the first time.
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In a bid to make a mobile phone handset an effective tool for self protection, especially for women, the government has said no such device will be sold from next year without a single key panic button to connect the nearest redressal agency. This follows a similar move for one emergency '112' number for availing services of police, ambulance and fire department.
"Technology is solely meant to make human life better and what better than using it for the security of women," Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said here on Monday. "I have taken a decision that from January 1, 2017, no cell phone can be sold without a provision for panic button, and from January 1, 2018, mobile sets should also have Global Positioning System inbuilt," Prasad said.
The notification did not specify which agency would connect the number, but sources in the ministry said the decision will be taken soon. The Gazette of India notification said from January 1, 2017, no mobile phone handset manufacturing company shall sell in India: "The feature phones without the facility of panic button by pressing 'numeric key - 5' or 'numeric key - 9' to invoke emergency call."
It also said: "Smartphones without the facility of emergency call button by pressing the same for long time to invoke emergency call or the use of existing power on or off button, when short pressed thrice in quick succession." The notification added: "With effect from January 1, 2018, no mobile phone handset manufacturing company shall sell the new mobile phone handset in India without the facility of identifying the location through satellite-based GPS."
The notification defined a feature phone as one that can access the Internet and play music but lacks provisions of an operating system feature of a personal computer. Smart phone, on the other hand, has all features of a personal computer system. Some of the leading smartphone makers like Vivo, Xiaomi and Karbonn whom IANS tried to contact for a reaction declined to comment on the notification as of now.
In March this year, the government had proposed that people will have to just dial "112" for emergency help from police, ambulance or the fire department. The telecom watchdog had proposed that all existing emergency numbers -- such as 100, 101, 102 and 108 -- be retained as secondary numbers, which would then be re-routed to the single emergency number 112.
IANS
Anirudh Regidi
When compared to Apple's earnings in Q2 2015, the earnings in Q2 2016 are significantly lower. In terms of pure numbers, Apple's earnings fell from $58 billion to $50.56 billion and profits fell from $13.6 billion to $10.5 billion. Apple is still making a lot of money, more than Microsoft and Google combined (around $40 billion), but the drop in earnings is indicative of deeper troubles for Apple.
This is the first time since 2003 that Apple has reported a year-on-year drop in earnings and the first year-on-year drop in iPhone sales. Considering that over 60 percent of Apple's income comes from the latter, it's no wonder that earnings have fallen.
The smartphone market is stagnating however, and, even if Apple maintains its current earnings, that's still 250 million devices sold and over a $100 billion in revenue just from the iPhone.
2007: The iPhone
It wasn't till 2007, when the first iPhone was introduced, that Apple earned its first billion and transformed into a cultural phenomenon. What was the iPhone really? A well-built phone with a touch-screen? Nokia had touch-screen phone in 2004, as did others, but those devices paled in front of the, arguable, elegance of the iPhone.
The first iPhone was nowhere near as good as it is today, copy-pasting and forwarding messages were added later on for example. But the phone transformed everyone's expectations from a mobile device. Apple showed the world that a touch-screen doesn't need a stylus, that phones can have large, gorgeous screens (3.5 inches was large at the time) and that a phone might just double as a portable computer.
2008: The MacBook Air and App Store emerges
2008 was a big year for Apple. Steve Jobs pulled the MacBook Air out of an envelope, the iPhone 3G was released and along with it, came the App Store. Again, Apple transformed our expectations from our devices. The MacBook was a netbook-sized device with the power of a regular laptop, the App Store gave developers a common platform for publishing their games and apps. Combined, these innovations effectively doubled Apple's income that year.
Android development started this year.
2009-10: The iPad and first Retina display announced
The next two years saw rapid growth for Apple. The iPhone 3GS was the first of the S series phones, announced in 2009 and 2010 saw the release of the first iPad and the completely redesigned iPhone 4. People fawned over the iPhone 4's Retina display and the pixel density (ppi) wars were born.
The iPad was, again, a game-changer. By itself, the first iPad didn't amount to much and people called it a stretched iPod Touch. But with the iPad, Apple introduced something more than just another large-screen device. It introduced a brand new way of consuming content. It was still not as significant as the iPhone in terms of sales, but it contributed significantly to Apple's bottom line.
2011: The end of an era
Steve Jobs passed away in 2011 and a great many Apple staples followed him to the grave. There is a select group of people who feel that with the passing of Steve Jobs, Apple lost some essential, defining element and arguably, kicked Apple into a spiral of irrelevance.
2011 was a tough year for Apple's new CEO, Tim Cook, but he did manage to push out iCloud services and the iPhone 4S. The iPhone 4S brought an incomplete Siri and the disastrously bad Apple Maps platform, but that didn't stop Apple from increasing their earnings by almost 50 percent.
Significantly, 2011 was the year that Samsung and Google released the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus S. Both devices caused a shake-up of the mobile space, offering competitive hardware and features at a comparatively low price. This was the year Android came of age (with 2.3 Gingerbread). The Galaxy Nexus marked the beginning of an Android onslaught that would consistently shake Apple's beliefs and its confidence in the market.
2012: A new direction
2011's Nexus lineup and a sudden surge in the availability and demand for large-screen phones forced Apple to rethink its iPhone. Suddenly, 3.5-inches just wasn't enough. Apple's answer? The 4-inch iPhone 5. Apple also refreshed its Mac lineup with a Retina MacBook Pro. In all honesty, 2012's product launches weren't that great, the iPhone 5 was, after all, just a larger iPhone 4S and it showed. Apple's earnings the next year were higher than in 2012, but only by 8 percent.
We also saw the Mac Pro that year. A revolution in computer design that resulted in a trash can size device capable of putting most high-end PCs to shame.
2013: Android eats away at Apple, so does China
Large screen phones are everywhere and 5-inch phones are becoming the norm. Apple, stubbornly sticking to its "4-inches are enough for everyone" strategy, refused to do more than release the iPhone 5S and the iPad Air. Considered in isolation, the iPhone 5S was a massive bump over its predecessor. The move to a 64-bit processor and a massively improved iSight camera were major upgrades.
In the long term, Apple's introduction of TouchID was significant, but it didn't do much for the iPhone 5S. Apple lost a huge chunk of the smartphone market to Android.
Still, people wanted larger iPhones and regardless of how good the 5S was, it simply wasn't enough. At the same time, the iPad Air, a newer, much lighter iPad, gained some traction thanks to its low weight. However, it came at the start of the decline of the tablet market and didn't amount to too much.
A redesigned iOS, which arrived in the form of iOS 7, received more flak than praise, especially from Apple purists.
It was around this time that Chinese smartphone makers started making their presence felt. Companies like Xiaomi ushered in the age of the budget flagship and a small, expensive iPhone just wasn't significant anymore.
In the end, a growth of 6 percent was all that Apple could manage. Do note that 6 percent for Apple still translates to over $10 billion or total earnings of over $180 billion.
2014: Finally, a larger iPhone
Caving in to public demand, Apple was almost forced into releasing the completely redesigned iPhone 6 and 6 Plus devices with a 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screen respectively. The response was staggering, for Apple at least. People left Android in droves and the devices sold out almost as fast as they could be made.
Apple had finally made a mark again. Jony Ive's design for the iPhone wasn't particularly well-received, but a larger iPhone was what people wanted and most didn't bother with much else. The introduction of the 5K iMac was just the cherry on the cake!
Beats was also acquired for $400 million this year.
2014's launches saw Apple's earnings cross the $200 billion barrier in 2015, a growth of over 30 percent.
2015: A Chinese prop
Let's just be nice and call this the year that Apple ran out of ideas. We saw the diminutive MacBook, the underwhelming Apple Watch, the ridiculously fast iPhone 6S and 6S Plus and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Work also started on Apple's Car project and the Apple Music subscription service was launched.
Sure, they launched a lot of products and one can argue that the Apple Watch is, at least, something new. But as with the launch of the first iPad and the first Macbook Air, the response has been less than tame. Oh, the Watch did sell, but when you're a company selling 250 million iPhones every year, for which the Watch is a perfect companion, 12 million Watches doesn't amount to much.
The 6S and 6S Plus, while major upgrades to the iPhone platform, were identical to their predecessor and in terms of real-world performance, didn't offer much of an upgrade.
To add to those woes, the smartphone market was already stagnating, the economy was struggling and people just didn't see why they needed to spend upwards of Rs 60,000 just to upgrade a fully-functional phone.
More than the devices, the real coup for Apple was a tie-up with China's China Mobile, resulting in an expanded userbase that potentially encompassed over 800 million users. Together with China, India also contributed significantly to Apple's bottom line this year.
The result? $233 billion revenue in one year alone. Staggering.
2016: ?
January to March 2016 saw the launch of a replacement for the iPhone 5S in the form of the iPhone SE and a smaller iPad Pro. Insignificant launches that would obviously not do much for a company like Apple. With nothing new on the horizon, people unwilling to upgrade perfectly functional devices and a smartphone market that was tapped out, where could Apple's sales go but down?
It's also not like they were the only company affected and if you'll notice, Apple still made billions of dollars in profit and there's still half a year left. Sales of iPhones, Macs and iPads did decline, but they've declined everywhere. Apple Music and the Apple Watch even went so far as to make a profit, however insignificant they are to the larger picture.
The future doesn't look any brighter for Apple though. At least, as far as the iPhone is concerned. Apple needs a new product to shake things up all over again and it doesn't look like the Watch is the one to do it.
However, you have to consider that Apple has consistently grown for more than a decade and is currently the most valuable company in the world. The pace at which Apple has grown is unprecedented and a slow down is to be expected.
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Researchers from Spain have found inconsistencies in counters that YouTube uses to register views reflecting the success of its videos.
"YouTube has a unique system for detecting fraud that is relatively efficient but it has some inconsistencies," said one of the study's authors Ruben Cuevas from Carlos III University of Madrid (UC3M).
The results showed that this data can have economic implications since with some online advertising campaigns that use videos, the portals can charge based on the number of registered views.
The researchers said that companies use "bots" -- computer programmes that replicate the behaviour of an internet user and artificially increase the number of views.
"We discovered a discrepancy in the visit counts on YouTube. Specifically, it seems that there are visits that YouTube detects as fraudulent and, therefore, subtracts from the public views counter (the one that appears near the video), but at the same time Google charges the advertiser for them," Cuevas added.
The method the researchers used to detect fraud allowed them to play the role of different agents: the attacker, the poster of the video and the advertiser who pays to put ads in the videos.
"This allowed us to put our ads into videos that we posted on YouTube and on which we carried out a fraudulent attack. That way, we could have a complete vision of the view count and of how those views were charged to the advertiser," Cuevas noted in the paper published in the scientific archive ArXiV.
With this method, when they sent "bots" to view two videos (exactly 150 times) YouTube's public view counter only identified 25 views as real.
Cuevas said that search engine giant Google has been in contact with the researchers and are showing keen interest in their research.
He said that during same study with Adwords -- Google's main service for advertisers - it charged the researchers for 91 of the views carried out by the "bots".
The findings were presented at the World Wide Web Conference held in Montreal, Canada, recently.
IANS
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Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, among others, have reportedly pledged to form a foundation in the name of legendary Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.
Russian billionaire and founder Yuri Milner held a screening of director Matthew Brown's "The Man Who Knew Infinity", a biopic on Ramanujam, over the weekend at the Silicon Valley, which was attended by the Who's Who of US super-elite, according to a source close to the film's unit.
"Sundar Pichai (CEO, Google), Sergey Brin (founder, Google), Mark Zuckerberg (founder, Facebook), Brendan Iribe (CEO of Oculus VR), and some other fifty other '1 percenters' of Silicon Valley were at Yuri Milner's house in Los Altos. Yuri hosted a very private screening and dinner for the film and they came out with tears," said the source.
Some of those, including Zuckerberg and Pichai, who saw this deeply moving film on the life of mathematician who journeyed from anonymity in his village in Tamil Nadu to everlasting fame in England have pledged to form a foundation in Ramanujan's name.
In the film, set in 1913, actor Dev Patel essays Ramanujan, a 25-year-old shipping clerk and self-taught genius, who failed out of college due to his near-obsessive, solitary study of mathematics.
Though Ramanujan had almost no formal training in pure mathematics, he made extraordinary contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series, and continued fractions.
He passed away at the age of 32 in 1920.
"The Man Who Knew Infinity", which also stars Jeremy Irons, Devika Bhise, Stephen Fry, Toby Jones and Arundhati Nag, is slated to release in India on Friday.
IANS
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By Neeraj Jain
When it comes to the rapid evolution that technology has been demonstrating, the mood among businesses, technology enablers and industry experts is bullish; the internet today is inundated with statistics that reveal how digital technologies are constantly changing the way people interact, make decisions and do things on a daily basis. This has, in turn, nurtured an underlying belief that consumers are just waiting to get their hands on the latest innovation fresh off the tech oven. This assumption, however, is flawed. Instead of eagerly tracking the latest developments in the field of digital technology, consumers are today mostly trying to come to terms with the momentous changes that have brought massive disruption into their lives.
Consider the numbers and statistics for a clearer understanding of the statement. The world population stands at just over 7.4 billion at present; in comparison, the global smartphone ownership is barely around 2 billion users. With nearly 3/4th of the world population either not having access to a smart device or choosing not to use it, this refutes the claim that digital technology today is ubiquitous and ever-present. Even highly developed countries, such as the United States and Germany, have only 60-70 percent of their populations currently owning a smartphone, meaning that a sizeable chunk does not have access to smart devices. This situation is not expected to change much in the near future. While smartphone ownership today stands at around 27 percent globally, it is only expected to reach to around 36 percent by 2018. Moreover, a good portion of this user base is not very tech-oriented; these entry-level users are content to have simply mastered the art of using a smartphone without help.
The implications of these numbers are clear technology alone cannot be depended upon to attract consumers to ones products and services. This news might worry hyperlocal businesses which were banking on the rise of the smart medium to create market disruption and establish their differentiated business model. A question has therefore been raised, resulting in an in-depth analysis of the way they approach their business if not technology, then what?
For hyperlocal businesses, the answers are not that complicated. Given how the hyperlocal business model was incepted as a facilitator that connects consumers with their neighbourhood brick-and-mortar vendors to fulfil their shopping requirements, networking has to be a major priority for players operating in the space. No matter how good a product is, it will simply not click with the consumer if it does not have a robust local network in place to support its operations. As such, there needs to be a more dedicated focus on building deep, lasting relationships with local vendors and developing a reliable, efficient network of local partners.
Ensuring quality of service and enhancing the user experience is another area that hyperlocal businesses need to focus on for continued success and growth. This can be achieved through a better service delivery infrastructure. Training workshops for the delivery guys, who are the consumer-facing end of a hyperlocal business, therefore become a must; this helps them in honing their communication skills and learning how to effectively tackle consumer grievances on the spot. The consumers are also more likely to appreciate interactions with better spoken, more polite delivery personnel.
The consumer experience, however, is not restricted to just the end-user order fulfilment. Rather, it encompasses the entire ordering process, beginning with the consumers initial product/service search through a hyperlocal platform and ending with post-sale follow-up queries if there are any. Businesses, therefore, must ensure that they provide a seamless integration between the online and the offline channels by enabling consumers to place an order either on a desktop/mobile website, an app or through the local retailer. Moreover, a keen eye must be kept on any consumer concerns both before and after the product fulfilment to keep the level of user satisfaction high, and efforts must to be made to resolve any grievance as soon as possible. This helps in establishing the brand proposition of a hyperlocal player as a consumer-centric business that puts consumers at the centre of their solutions.
All said and done, technology is and remains an integral part of the hyperlocal industry, but it is more or less an enabler than it is the end-goal. Effort must be taken to develop a comprehensive, well-rounded approach that synergistically integrates all aspects of the business. If hyperlocal ventures master how to optimally leverage technology in confluence with the aforementioned to enhance service delivery, there will be no stopping their growth and scale.
The author is CEO and co-founder, Zopper.
Five Bangladeshi workers killed in Qatar road crash
bdnews24.com: Five Bangladeshi workers have been killed and three others injured in a road accident in Qatars capital Doha. According to the Bangladesh embassy, the victims were from Bordhan, Amorpur, Gachbari and Katanpur villages under Kanaighat Upazila of Sylhet district. Ambassador Ashud Ahmed told bdnews24.com that they met the tragic accident on Tuesday at Al Shamal Road near Doha while going to their workstation in a microbus. The Egyptian driver was also injured, he said. Bangladeshi nationals Islam Uddin and Md Moin Uddin died on the spot while Kurub Uddin, Md Muhibur Rahman and Farid Uddin died at Hamad Medical Hospital. Md Rezwan, Helal Uddin and Md Hussain are undergoing treatment at the same hospital, and are expected to be released in a day or two. The ambassador said the bodies were kept at the mortuary and would be sent to Bangladesh within two or three days after completing formalities. The embassy would also take measures to realise their service benefits and other ancillary compensation as per service agreement.
Recent happenings not BD`s characteristics, Bernicat tells CNN
"Present govt has a track record in successfully fighting terrorism'
Dhaka, Apr 27 (UNB) - US Ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Bernicat has said what has been happening here in Bangladesh is not the characteristics of Bangladesh at all as it has a long tradition of tolerance, free speech and certainly the diversity of religions and cultures. What have been happening here are not the characteristics of Bangladesh at all, she said adding that the recent attackers violent ideology created fear among people. Bernicat was connected by CNN live through Skype from Dhaka on Wednesday evening to know her reactions on the recent killings of Xulhaz Mannan and Mahbub Tonoy. Responding to a question, she said Bangladesh has been a very strong partner in the fight against terrorism and appreciated Bangladeshs governments efforts in this regard. This is a government that has a track record in successfully fighting terrorism in the past. It is led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who has said terrorism knows no religion and no boundary, Bernicat said adding that Bangladesh government shows zero tolerance to any form of terrorism. Asked about reported hit lists not just in Bangladesh, Europe and even in America, the US Ambassador said, Thats exactly correct. There have been numerous hit lists published in Bangladesh over the last year. She said they are working diligently with the government, civil society and the media to help strengthen Bangladesh in its fight against terrorism. Asked what the US expects Bangladesh to do in addressing the issue, the US envoy said, We expect the government and everyone to speak out forcefully to condemn these acts of violence. The questioner from the CNN newsroom asked Bernicat whether the claims of terrorists groups appear to be authentic to her. In response, Bernicat said they have tracked 35 similar attacks in the last 14 months and 23 of those attacks have been claimed by the terrorist groups. Sharing her personal reaction on Xulhaz, the US Ambassador said he worked for development and human rights issue having so many admirers. Earlier, in her statement Bernicat said Xulhaz was more than a colleague to those of them fortunate to work with him at the U.S. Embassy. He was a dear friend.
N Korea to stage first party congress in nearly 40 years
The party congress will be the first since Kim Jong-un took control of the country .
BBC Online :
North Korea has said its ruling Workers Party will hold its first congress in nearly 40 years next month.The gathering, which will take place in Pyongyang from 6 May, will be only the seventh in the party's history and the first under leader Kim Jong-un.
It will be closely watched for signs of major policy shifts, movement among senior officials or comment on North Korea's nuclear programme.
It comes as North Korea is believed to be preparing a fifth nuclear test.
North Korea has often timed its controversial tests to coincide with big political occasions.
Its fourth test, in January, was followed by the launch of a satellite.
Both were violations of existing sanctions and resulted in the UN imposing further measures limiting trade and contact with the North.
The last North Korean congress was in October 1980, before the current leader Mr Kim was born.
It lasted four days and among other issues saw Kim Jong-il formally named as the intended successor to then leader Kim Il-sung.
Expectation has been growing for months that the leadership was about to announce the seventh congress.
The statement from North Korea's KCNA news agency on Wednesday gave no details of the event, and did not specify how long it would last.
Meanwhile,South Korean President Park Geun-hye said on Tuesday that the North had finished preparations for its fifth nuclear test and could carry it out it any time.
It would be the latest show of defiance to the international community in recent weeks, which have seen a series of missile launches.
The North also claimed last week to have used "cold launch" technology to fire a missile from a submarine, while South Korean officials say it also appears to be preparing another test launch of its medium-range Musudan ballistic missile.
Amid outside pressure, N. Korea sets date for key convention.
Electric fans of Tk 2 cr seized
Members of non- MPO educational institutions submitting memorandum to Md Daultuzzaman Khan, Additional Deputy Commissioner (LA) demanding MPO -enlistment recently.
Chittagong Bureau :
Officials of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Department (CIID) in Chittagong seized two covered vans loaded with electric fans worth TK two crore, from Fuzdarhat area at 2 am yesterday. Custom sources said Golden Sun Limited, a business house in Dhaka, imported the electric fans as raw materials under bond facilities from China. Based on secret information, officials of CIID seized the covered vans. Uttom Biswas, Assistant Director of CIID, said an importer declared the electric fans as raw materials paying minimum duty under bond facilities. CIID officials said they will take legal steps against the owner of Golden Sun limited.
Copyright 2021 New Nation. All Rights Reserved by thedailynewnation.com
Stocks fall for 5th session in a row
Economic Reporter :
Stocks fell for the 5th consecutive session on Wednesday, with the broader index at the premier bourse suffering a big slide amid highly cautious buying against huge sell pressure.
The boarder DSEX index of Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) finished the day nearly 43 points down at 4238.91, with the blue-chip DS30 and the Shariah DSES followed it to close moderately at 1632.78 and 1034.68 respectively.
Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also witnessed sharp fall in its major CSCX that closed the session over 88 points down at 7927.05.
"The weakness on DSE came as investors were cashing in on stocks to safeguard their position", said Lanka Bangla Securities Limited.
Despite the huge downturn, oil stocks continued rally on strong demand by the investors who were taking long term position for higher profit booking. The market vibe for energy issues made the oil distributing companies turnover leaders with substantial trade volume.
Among the day's top five mostly traded securities, four were from the energy sector, taking the first (Jamuna Oil), third (MJLBD), fourth (Meghna Petroleum) and fifth (UPGDL) positions. BSRM Limited took the second place in this row as a good number of investors focused on this scrips when it became over 6.0 percent cheaper than previous close.
The energy sector, however, lost over 1.0 percent in trade value and over 11.0 percent in turnover as the sector also saw profit booking selling.
All major sectors, however, declined, with bank, cement, pharmaceuticals, NBFI, ceramic, engineering and food and allied falling most. Only miscellaneous sector gained marginally on moderate level of buying. The dull trade left most of issues traded in the red area when 224 issues closed lower at DSE against 53 gaining securities. At CSE, the number of losing issues was 167 against 31 advancing scrips.
The daily transaction marked rise due to buying for repositioning. The trade volume at DSE rose significantly by around 30.0 percent to 10.04 crore shares, but the trade value rose by only 3.72 percent to Taka 356.44 crore as issues suffered loss across the board. At CSE, the trade value was Taka 27.68 crore for 1.21 crore shares.
Newly appointed non-resident envoy of Greece to Bangladesh Mr Panos Kalogeropoulos presenting his credentials to President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban on Wednesday. Photo: Press Wing, Bangabhaban
Give relief to the kids, keep the schools closed
THE ongoing heat wave has generated a serious shortage of electricity production in the country, adversely affecting all walks of life. The resulting shortfall in electricity production has also resulted in the shortfall of essential services like supply of water which have left some parts of the capital with an acute shortage of water.Dehydration along with the extremes in weather can lead to children and the elderly falling ill at any time. If schools and colleges remain open this would lead to a situation where many children could very easily fall it - especially if the schools are prone to frequent power outages and thus don't have an adequate supply of drinking water, or indeed water for performing essential hygiene functions. Moreover, the children are experiencing extreme difficulties in their to-and-fro journey to schools during the hot hours. In such a situation the government should immediately close the schools for a week and let the children cool off while the temperature becomes more clement. This would go a long way towards making the children better off and enable them to focus in their studies properly. Going to school for the sake of following norms while the children can't concentrate on education as they remain adversely affected by the weather is not a good idea. Learning can only function effectively in a climate conducive to it - and it will definitely not take place if the kids remain oblivious to all but the heat.It is not that it doesn't happen anywhere else in the world. School districts across the Dallas-Fort Worth area in the USA closed almost 40 of their campuses in 2014 due to power outages from Thursday's storms. The University of Texas at Arlington also canceled all classes in 2014 due to only a power outage. Meanwhile in our neighbouring country the Chief Minister of Delhi Mr Arwind Kejriwal in February 2016 closed of all schools due to a water crisis the capital city was facing at that time to ensure that the students don't have to suffer.So it is not that precedent does not exist -- it does, and in almost all parts of the world schools remain closed due to temperature extremes or inclement weather. It should not be a stretch for Bangladesh to keep our schools closed. The authorities should not add the misery of students to their failures of providing power or water, or indeed that of keeping the roads jam free. It is the least our students deserve.
Heat wave related diseases on rise
Number of child patients continue to rise at city\'s different hospitals, clinics due to sweltering heat. This photo was taken from ICDDR\'B on Wednesday.
Reza Mahmud :Fever, heatstroke, diarrhoea and different diseases continue to rise across the country due to the on-going heat wave. The school-going children are generally the victims of the fever and stomach related diseases.Sources said, every day around five hundred diarrhoea and dehydration patients are taking treatment at the ICDDR,B, a Dhaka-based international health research institute. Dr. Rafiqul Islam, the Senior Medicine Officer of ICDDR,B told The New Nation, "Every day we are treating about five hundred diarrhoea and dehydration patients. The number of patients is increasing day by day. We remain busy with patients every moment."He said, the hospital has only 350 beds, but we are taking care of patients twice of the bed capacity by arranging tents and more beds on floors on emergency basis. The health experts said, the people should adopt some precautionary measures to remain safe from the adverse impact of the heat wave. They have advised the people not to go outside the house at daytime to avoid heat stroke.Dr. ABM Abdullah, the Dean of Medicine Faculty of Bangabandhu Medical University Hospital, told The New Nation, "People should stay in houses at day time. Everyone should avoid sun ray.""The burning weather makes people affected from dehydration, At the same time, diarrhoea and dysentery attack the children. Everyone should take some precautionary measures by taking saline or salt mixed water after returning home," he said. He advised the people to drink much salty water but to avoid unsafe drinks and juice. " My son was attacked with fever three days ago due to unbearable heat wave. He fell sick for attending school overlooking adverse environment," said Abdul Latif a father of a nursery level student of a school at Mirhazirbagh in the capital city.People in many areas of Dhaka City said that fever, dysentery, dehydrations and many other diseases broke out creating anxiety among their family members.Hospitals and clinics of the city are struggling to treat such patients. Doctors and nurses said, they are admitting increasing number of diarrhoea, dysentery and dehydration patients every day.The guardians of students of many schools have asked the managements to declare summer vacation to save the children from the heat wave."My son Rishat has been suffering from high fever for three days. The temperature hovers between 102 degree and 104 degree most of the time," said Naznin, mother of the child living at South Goran, Dhaka."We have asked the City International School at Gandaria authority to declare summer vacation immediately. Our children are suffering from various kinds of diseases,'' said Saidur Rahman Mintu, father of a Nursery level student. Farida Parvin, mother of a student of a school at Jatrabari, said, one of her children and their father are attacked with fever and other stomach related diseases due to on-going heat wave.Mosharraf Hossain, Principal of a school and college at Wari said many of the school children of his institution fell sick. Many of them are attending the on-going examinations with sickness. They are thinking of announcing summer vacations before time.Sarwar Azam Khan, (46), resident of Rampura, said that he was attacked with fever before six days. He was cured on Tuesday, but not yet fully recovered from weakness. Many people like him are ill."The government should announce public vacations for few days before rainfall, otherwise many of the people may suffer a lot," said Mizan Sohel, a private company's official at Motijheel.
Radar installation at HSIA under PPP project opposed
As the aviation authority is moving ahead with a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project for the installation of a multimode surveillance system including radar and other equipment at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, experts raise eyebrows as they think it will jeopardise national security.
Applications of the entire system which is deemed as the critical component of modern air traffic systems include airport surface surveillance as well as high surveillance updates in terminal and en route to airspace for enabling the functions of automation. If any private company gets the job to install and operate the surveillance facility, it can put the information security of the airport authority at risk, security exports observed.
The Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry invited a tender to implement the project under PPP on November 11, 2015 and later extended the deadlines for submission of the tender several times. The ministry finally extended the deadline up to May 10 this year. It has directed the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the qualified organisation by June, 2016 after concluding the tender processing as soon as possible, sources at the ministry told UNB.
"It's a top security issue as the radar works as a central trafficking control for all kinds of aircraft-both civil and defence-of home and abroad. If any private company gets the access through the PPP, it'll put the security at risk," said security expert Maj Gen (retd) AK Mohammad Ali Shikder. "If any private company is contracted for the important works of the airport, especially the installation and maintenance of radar, the secrecy and sovereignty of the State may be compromised," he observed.
Asked about the security concerns over the government's move to install the radar at Shahjalal Airport under PPP, Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain said he does not think it is a correct decision of the government to hire a private company for installing the radar. When the country is lagging behind in ensuring the internal security, how can a foreign or private company be trusted with the security measures of an important area like airport, questioned Sakhawat, also a former Election Commissioner.
As the defence aircraft also use the Shahjalal Airport, the authorities need to be more cautious about their decision to set up the radar under PPP. "It shouldn't be followed considering the existing situation in Bangladesh," he said. Civil aviation expert Kazi Wahedul Alam noted that the CAAB has enough fund to modernise the current radar system of the airport and it is not comprehensible why it is going on to update the radar under the PPP. "I think, radar installation at the airport is a very important thing as it involves national security. But to me, the decision to install it under the PPP is not good at all," he said.
Contacted, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon shrugged off the apprehension of security threat due to the installation of radar under the PPP. "The government has a policy that any project can be implemented under PPP," the minister added. "If it's installed under the PPP, the company that will get the work might operate the radar for a certain period, but the control of the operation will certainly remain with the CAAB," he said. The CAAB has decided to install the state-of-the-art radar system at the airport according to the recommendation of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and Asia Pacific Air Navigation Planning and Implementation Regional Group as the incumbent radar had been being operated for 30 years.
On April 17, 2012, the CAAB submitted a proposal to the PPP Cell for a project for supply, installation and commissioning of the multimode surveillance system comprising ATC radars (Air Traffic Control radars), ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-B) and Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) at the Shahjalal Airport at an estimated cost of Tk 8.48 billion. Later, an unsolicited bidder quoted the project cost at Tk 900 million (90 crore). But, the price was later increased to Tk 1.90 billion when it was first sent to the cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA). In August 2013, the same unsolicited bidder, 'Karim Associates', sent the proposal increasing the cost to Tk 3.30 billion and the CCEA approved it in September that year.
The project period includes 10 years' technical maintenance of the full system with spare parts, training of 60 controllers, 40 engineers over 10 years and technical upgrading in the eight year of the installation.
The CAAB has also mentioned that it can earn Tk 200 million in 10 years, Tk 7.17 billion in 15 years and Tk 19.73 billion in 20 years. "Despite having its own enough recourses, why should such a financially lucrative project be handed over to a private entity and in whose interest?" questioned a former senior CAAB official.
Heat wave may continue for a few more days
Staff Reporter :The current severe heat wave across the country may continue for few more days. According to the Meteorology Department, the heat wave may last for 72 hours more, with night and day temperature remaining nearly unchanged over the country.The meteorology department predicts that a westerly low depression lies over West Bengal, India and adjoining area. According to forecast for April, it was predicted that the country would experience rains, but this had not been the case. The country has now been undergoing a spell of drought.Sadequl Alam, Senior Meteorologist of Dhaka Met Office said, there is no chance of rain till the end of April. It may rain, hopefully, on the second or third day of the next month. Till then, the heat wave will continue to blaze through the country. The monsoon is likely to begin in the first week of June. Surprisingly, Sylhet recorded heavy overnight rains measuring 109mm till 6am yesterday (Tuesday.) But the story is different in rest of the country. The northeast was drenched with rains at a time when the rest of the country was burning in heat wave that saw the mercury going up to 40 or 41 Degree C in the north western regions.On the other hand, people from all walks of life are suffering due to the blazing sun and the heat with excessive humidity. School going children are also affected. Frequent load shedding has made matters worse. The question that seems to be on everyone's minds is how long will it take for the rains to come and wash away the heat?
Int'l condemnations pouring in against recent murders
The European Union, France and Australia have joined other countries of the world in condemning the recent killings in Bangladesh and urged the authorities to quickly investigate the murders and bring the culprits behind the killings to justice.
"Thorough investigations into these killings need to take place to ensure those responsible are brought to justice," said the Spokesperson of European External Action Service (EEAS) in a statement from Brussels.
Two Bangladeshi "LGBTI activists" were brutally murdered in a horrifying attack in Dhaka on Monday, which also left a policeman and a security guard injured. With the killings of a law student on April 6 and of an English language Prof on April 23, this is already the third violent attack in Bangladesh in less than a month, the EU observed. "The EU expects the government of Bangladesh to ensure freedom of expression as a fundamental human right and to promote respect," said the Spokesperson mentioning that it is also essential to ensure the protection and safety of all citizens. The EU, a politico-economic union of 28 member states in Europe, expressed their deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. France, in a separate statement from Paris, also condemned the recent killings in Bangladesh and urged the authorities to bring the culprits behind the killings to justice.
"The culprits must be brought to justice," France said saying it stands aside Bangladesh in its fight against terrorism. France condemned the murders of Professor Rezaul Karim Siddiquee, Hindu priest Paramananda Roy and two LDBT rights defenders, Xulhaz Mannan and Mahbub Tonoy. "These outrageous killings come in addition to a series of murders occurring in Bangladesh these last months against civil society members, rights defenders and representatives of religious minorities," read the statement distributed by France Embassy in Dhaka on Wednesday. France conveyed its condolences to the families and friends of the victims.
Meanwhile, Australia also sought swift investigation into these murders condemned the recent murders in Bangladesh. "We trust these acts will be investigated swiftly and that those responsible will face justice," said Australian High Commissioner in Dhaka Greg Wilcock. The High Commissioner said Australia stands with Bangladesh, as they stand with other international partners, in opposing intolerance and violent extremism.
He said, Australia condemns the recent murders in Bangladesh - as they condemned previous such attacks.
In his statement on recent events in Bangladesh, the High Commissioner said the victims were respected citizens. "We offer our condolences to their families, friends and communities."
Earlier, the United Nations, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Norway, USAID, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) also condemned the recent killings and sought prompt and effective investigations into the murders.
Govt failing to ensure people's security
Staff Reporter :
Security analysts on Wednesday complained of deteriorated security situation elsewhere in the country amid sensational murder and target killing one after another, blaming the authorities of turning a blind eye to check the situation.
Expressing grave concern over such rampant incidents, they said these events have created an atmosphere of panic and sense of lawlessness among people.
"In fact, life has become insecure across the country. The constitutional responsibility of any government is to ensure safety, security of life and property of its citizens. But the present government of Bangladesh is failing to perform this duty miserably," Major General (Retd) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, Bir Protik, told The New Nation on Wednesday.
He said the fact that people are being killed on any excuse in Bangladesh is now talk of the world not of the country alone.
"I feel that law-enforcing agencies of Bangladesh are failing to perform their duty for at least three reasons. Firstly, they are giving priority to the political interest of the government rather than the interest of the people.
Secondly, their efficiency and professionalism are not targeted to the service of the people instead targeted to safeguarding a political coterie. Thirdly, political bias has influenced recruitment and promotion policy of the law-enforcing agencies, seriously jeopardizing their professionalism," he added.
When asked, General Ibrahim said, there is no point of denying the existence of extremists and militants of various sheds in the country, therefore, they need to be countered but unfortunately the political government of Bangladesh is attributing the anarchy and rampant killings to their political opposition namely BNP and 20 party alliance.
The government must rethink its activities if murders and assassinations are to be stopped.
Commenting on Police Chief's advice to the countrymen to build security cordons for themselves, General Ibrahim said, if people are to organise their own safety, two implications may arise. First one, what the police for if the people are to protect themselves?
Secondly, in the process of protecting themselves, people or local protection forces are likely to take law in their own hands.
"The ongoing wave of target killings in a similar style has raised security concern among people. Islamic State (IS) is apparently claiming responsibility for these incidents including two murder of Kalabagan but the law-enforcing agencies are yet to come out with any credible and concrete evidence regarding their claim. Even they are yet to find out motive behind the killings raising question over their efficiency and professionalism," Brigadier General (Retd) M Sakhawat Hossain told The New Nation yesterday.
He said, in the last two years, a number of secularist bloggers have been killed by Islamist extremists.
"The investigations into most of these cases are still dragging on amid an agonisingly long delay. The failure to secure justice for these incidents creates a sense of lawlessness, where local terrorist groups also feel that with poor investigation performance by the investigators it is possible to get away with serious crimes further deteriorating the law and order situation in the country," he opined.
Sakhawat Hossain, a security analyst, also said that the situation has damaged Bangladesh's image abroad and this may leave a negative impact on our foreign trade and investment.
The law-enforcement agencies should work more cautiously about targeted killings and run a proper investigation into the incidents. Besides, a joint effort is needed to tackle pre-planned murders in Bangladesh.
Journo Shafik sent to jail
Court Correspondent :A Dhaka court on Wednesday sent veteran journalist Shafik Rehman to the jail at the end of his second five-day remand in a case filed for his alleged involvement in a plot to kidnap and kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy. Magistrate SM Masud Zaman of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court of Dhaka passed the order after police produced him in the court on Wednesday on completion of his remand. The court directed the jail authorities to take necessary steps about the journalist's division facilities in the jail and his treatment at BIRDEM Hospital and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) as per the jail code in response to three petitions submitted by Defence Counsel Sanaullah Miah. He also sought permission to meet the journalist and the court allowed four persons, including Shafik Rahman's wife, to meet him in court custody. Earlier, on April 16, plainclothes DB Police arrested veteran journalist from his house in the city's Eskaton area and put him on a five-day remand. Shafik was arrested on the charge of plotting to abduct and murder Joy, the Prime Minister's Adviser on ICT Affairs. On completion of the 5-day remand, Shafik was placed on another 5-day remand for gathering more information about the plot. Police say that Shafik Rehman was physically present at a meeting on January 29, 2012 with US-Bangladesh citizen Rizve Ahmed Caesar and former FBI agent Robert Lustyik, where they allegedly conspired to abduct and kill Joy.On April 24, Monirul Islam, DMP Additional Commissioner and Head of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CT), said that Shafik Rehman had disclosed the names of three persons, who were also involved in a plot to abduct and kill Prime Minister's son.
Sundarbans burning again
Criminals set fire on new areas of the forest: Syndicates trying to grab fishing spots
Sagar Biswas :Series of recent mysterious fire incidents inside the Sundarbans have posed potential threat to the normal movement of wild animals, especially the Royal Bengal Tiger, in the eastern part of the world's largest mangrove forest.In the latest incident, a huge area of the Sundarbans has been damaged in a devastating ground fire at Aruader area near Dhansagar station of Changpai Range on Wednesday, which was fourth similar fire incident in the same region in the wake of only 30 days.Forest officials have admitted that the bushy [surrounded by reed pipe] area is very much favourite for the animals where the Royal Bengal Tigers are often seen visiting. But now the entire nature has been threatened due to 'ignition of intentional' fire. There is widespread allegation that criminals have established a reign of terror in the Sundarbans where forest officials and members of other law enforcement agencies, including Coast Guard, Rapid Action Battalion and Police, are virtually helpless.The criminal gangs are cutting tress, netting fishes, killing animals and preying other wild lives to sell them in the black market in exchange of huge money. Now they have become desperate following relax administration, it is also alleged. When contacted, Md Saidul Islam, Divisional Forest Officer, [Sundarbans East] told The New Nation yesterday, "A powerful crime syndicate is solely responsible for the fire incidents. They are trying to establish their supremacy inside the forest for grabbing fishing and other businesses. There is a vast low-water land, where adequate quantities of fishes are available in rainy season. This syndicate is trying to get hold of this area."Detailing the negative impact of fire, he said, "These fire incidents are not only damaging the echo system, but also interrupting the movement of tigers and other animals..We also suspect that hard core criminals, such as forest robbers, have made the place as their safe haven." Apart from Wednesday's [April 27] fire, official sources said, fire caught at Nagli, Pochakoralia, Abadullar Chhila and Napitkhali under Changpai Range earlier three times-on March 27, April 13 and April 18, damaging over 100 acres of land. The Divisional Forest Office filed two cases with the concerned police station accusing some locals of adjacent area in this connection. But none was arrested till the date.Superintendent of Police in Bagerhat Mollah Nizamul Haque, however, expressed severe frustration over the recent fire incidents expressing the inability of police. "We're trying to nab the criminals. The river police are mainly deployed to patrol the area. So far we know, the criminals have fled away from their houses after cases were filed." In this backdrop, Conservator of Forest [Sundarbans] Md Zahiruddin Ahmed told The New Nation yesterday, "We suspect, the Wednesday's fire was ignited by the same criminal gang for filing cases against them. They are threatening us to withdraw the cases. Apart from fishing, this group is involved in other illegal businesses also." "These criminals are powerful. They live in the adjacent villages and enter the Sundarbans whenever they want. We've not enough guards to resist them from entering the forest," the Conservator said.
Countrywide panic over recent killings
Joynal Abedin Khan :A deep panic prevails among the people in view of the recent sensational killings, including city's Kalabagan double murder, across the country in the recent days.Moreover the Tuesday's statement of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) that it is hard to check the target killings surprised all.At this, some people said, if it is that armed police are unable to ensure our security, how an unarmed man can face the armed-goons? According to a report of Ain o Salish Kendra, at least 20 sensational murder incidents took place across the country in last 10 days, while 43 people were killed in polls violence in the last three phases from March 22 and April 22. Of them, at least five persons were reportedly murdered in the capital, Chittagong and Gazipur districts only on Monday. In capital, former US Embassy official Xulhaz Mannan and his friend Tanay Mojumdar were hacked to death at a flat in the capital's Kalabagan.Besides, unidentified assailants riding on a motorcycle gunned down Rustom Ali, a former prison guard of Kashimpur jail in Gazipur in broad daylight and fled away.On the other hand, two young men were shot dead by unidentified miscreants at Purba Sarakbhata village in Rangunia upazila in Chittagong. The deceased were identified as Manju and Hashem,A former leader of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industries was found shot dead at his office in Rajshahi city on Sunday afternoon. Ziaul Huq Tuku, the former administrator of RCCI, was also an Awami League leader.Earlier, blogger and free thinker Nazimuddin Samad was hacked with machetes at a traffic piont in the city on April 7, while Comilla Victoria College student Sohagi Jahan Tonu was murdered in Comilla Cantonment area on March 20.Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque on Tuesday said that it is not possible for the police and other law enforcing agencies to guard all houses across the country with the limited manpower.The IGP advised the countrymen to build their own security-cordon for themselves with the necessary help of the cop personnel. The IGP also asked citizens to remain alert round the clock. "Every individual should have a sense of security. They should be aware of their own security, of their neighbours' and also of the locality." Fatema Parveen, a resident of Dhanmondi questioned, "How can an unarmed citizen ensure own security?" Jahanur Rahman, a student of Jagannath University, said if police do not ensure security of the people, will then miscreants would be more active. Dhaka University student Dilruba Akter Sawpna said, police are bound to provide safety to everybody and to maintain the law and order of the country. A resident of Dhaka said on condition of anonymity, how can we guard ourselves when we are unarmed and killers are well equipped? Zia Rahman, Chairman of Criminology Department of Dhaka University, said, "The members of law enforcing agencies must guard the countrymen."He said, most of people are disappointed at the latest statement of the IGP AKM Shahidul Haque. Every citizen desires security from the state, the professor said. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said that militant link had been found to the 31 recent murders that took place across the country. To the contrary, he rejected US Ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat's claim that the militants have been desperate.The minister disclosed the information to journalists after a meeting with Bernicat in the Secretariat on Wednesday afternoon. The US ambassador met him to express her concern over the recent outbreak of murders.About the Prime Minister's sudden meeting with the heads of law enforcement agencies, the minister said that the PM ordered them to be more careful about investigation into the target killings.Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia has claimed that there has been 'significant progress' in the investigations into the recent murders of writer, bloggers-online activists and a publisher."There is no reason to be terrified as it is a detached incident and the government has taken it as a challenge," the DMP boss said at a programme in his office in Dhaka on Wednesday. He also claimed that a number of killers of bloggers and other people left the country.
Hearing against Khaleda deferred
Court Correspondent :
The Metropolitan Special Tribunal-1 of Dhaka on Wednesday adjourned the hearing on a subversion case against BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia until June 6.
Judge Kamrul Hasan Mollah of the court set the date after hearing on a petition filed by Khaleda's counsels seeking adjournment of hearing on her health grounds. The case was filed with Jatrabari Police Station in the city.
Khaleda's lawyer Sanaullah Miah said his client is very sick and is suffering from severe hand and leg pain. "She is also facing eye and heart problems. It has become difficult for her to walk normally. This is why she could not appear in the court to attend the hearing today," he added.
Earlier, on April 5, Khaleda Zia appeared in the court in the case and secured bail from the court. On March 30, the court issued warrant of arrest for 28 people, including Khaleda Zia in the case.
The case statement says that on January 23 last year, at least 28 people suffered burn injuries after miscreants hurled two petrol bombs into a bus in Jatrabari area in the city during the BNP-led 20-party's blockade programme. Of the injured, Nur Alam, 60, died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on February 1.
Sub-Inspector KM Nuruzzaman of Jatrabari Police Station filed two cases -- one for killing and another for hurling petrol bombs under the Special Powers Act on January 24, making Khaleda Zia, the mastermind of the incident.
Sweden is warned of possible ISIS attack
NBC News :The Iraqi government has warned Sweden that the terror group ISIS may be targeting that country's capital of Stockholm, a senior Iraqi security official told NBC News Tuesday.The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Iraq found intelligence "about an ISIS plan to target the Swedish capital Stockholm," involving seven or eight Iraqi citizens who were former members of al-Qaeda in Iraq."The government sent [this] information to the Swedish government with details about those who are involved in these plans," the security official said."Those ISIS militants are Iraqis, and were able to arrive to Sweden in 2015 with those thousands who emigrate from different countries to Europe," the official said.ISIS claimed responsibility for deadly airport and metro bombings in Brussels on March 22 as well as the terror attacks in Paris on Nov. 13.The U.S. Embassy in Stockholm said Tuesday it "has confirmed that Swedish Police are actively investigating a potential terror threat against Sweden."Counterterrorism expert Magnus Ranstorp, who is Swedish but currently living in Denmark, told NBC News that Europe's refugee crisis could have made it possible for ISIS militants to enter Sweden.
Probe against judges to be contrary to charter: SCBA secy
UNB, Dhaka :
Secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon on Wednesday criticised the draft Bangladesh Supreme Court Judges (investigation) Act 2016 saying it will go against the Constitution if parliament investigates charges against Supreme Court judges.
The SCBA secretary came up with the remarks at a press conference at SCBA auditorium on the Supreme Court premises on Wednesday morning. Earlier on Tuesday, the Cabinet approved in
principle the draft of the act that specifies the procedure for the parliament to impeach a judge of the apex court if allegation of misconduct or incapacity is proved. "If the law is passed, it'll go against the Constitution. It'll be contradictory to the Constitution. The judiciary is considered a fundamental pillar of the Constitution. If this law is passed, it'll offend the fundamental structure of the Constitution," said Khokon. He noted that the government wants to establish full control over the judiciary through the proposed law.
"There's a possibility of wrong use of the law from political interest. The Justices won't be able to perform their duties independently," he added. The SCBA leader also noted that they had also protested against the 16th amendment of the Constitution as it included provisions to empower the parliament to impeach judges.
As ABiz reported Monday, the civil action against two local oil execs is likely to lead to criminal probes by the SEC and FBI.
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Photo by Robin May
As ABiz reported Monday](http://theind.com/article-23118-Lawsuit-Stabil-Drill%E2%80%99s-Russo-LeBlanc-bilked-company-for-millions.html), the civil action massive energy services company Superior Energy filed April 19 against two former execs of its Stabil Drill subsidiary is likely to lead to criminal investigations by both the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Chris Russo
The civil suit, filed in Harris County District Court in Texas, accuses former Stabil Drill Chief Operating Officer Chris Russo and former Chief Financial Officer Marty LeBlanc of masterminding an elaborate scheme to defraud the company. Via a complex scheme of self-dealing, the duo conspired with others including Scott Kerstetter of Lafayette to direct payments of more than $65 million to various entities they owned or controlled, the suit alleges.
Superior Energy Services, a publicly traded corporation with worldwide operations and a market cap of $2.4 billion, purchased Stabil Drill the late 1990s for $25 million in cash and notes. The company was founded in 1986 by Chris Russos father, the late Sammy Joe Russo.
Marty LeBlanc
A spokesman for the SEC, which enforces federal securities laws, tells ABiz the agency neither confirms nor denies investigations and would withhold any comment on an investigation until charges are filed. The FBI assumes a similar position, but Don Bostic, supervisory special agent for the local FBI office, acknowledges that he is familiar with the allegations contained in the suit.
Weve been made aware of the civil suit, and in a case where there are allegations of criminal wrongdoing in a civil action, an FBI investigation could be initiated based on that alone, Bostic says.
In these types of investigations involving allegations of fraud, the FBI is likely to look into whether federal wire or mail fraud statutes were violated, Bostic says.
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.
Paris, TX (75460)
Today
Showers and thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 73F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..
Tonight
Thunderstorms in the evening, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low around 50F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
One sip of this soup is like getting wrapped in your warmest, coziest sweater. Between the thick chunks of vegetables, tender cubes of potato, juicy shreds of chicken (take your pick of boneless breasts or thighs), and thick, creamy broth, it truly doesnt get more comforting than chicken potato soup.
As the temps begin to dip, this is a family-friendly soup to keep on repeat all through fall and winter.
HERRIN A family in Williamson County will soon have a new house to call home.
Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County broke ground on a new house Monday in Herrin on Habitat Way.
According to Board President John Barnett, this is the 22nd home the organization has started construction on since 2000. This particular home is for Meridith Phelps, a single mother with a 10-year-old son.
In about six months, this home will be complete and Habitat for Humanity will have a formal dedicated ceremony for the family. However, the mother of one isnt just receiving the home as a complete form of charity. She has to put in work herself, and pay a 20-year, no-interest mortgage.
Barnett said the family will have to put in 200 hours of sweat equity. This can be a combination of the mother, family members or friends to meet the allotted hours.
She also had to meet certain criteria to even be considered by the Habitat for Humanity board. Barnett said recipients have to show the need, meaning they must be living in substandard housing. Also, they have to show a willingness to partner by putting in the sweat equity, community service and spreading the work of Habitat of Humanity.
Lastly, he said recipients must show the ability to repay the loan. That is based on a credit score and level of employment.
They qualify to pay us back at a very low payment, but rarely do recipients make enough to qualify for conventional financing, he said.
Barnett said the typical mortgage on the homes is about $67,000; paid over the 20-year mortgage it's about $280 a month. There is a forgivable second mortgage at $10,000. For each payment made on time by the homeowner over a 10-year period, $50 is taken off the mortgage.
Habitat for Humanity gives house to Marion family MARION -- Tina Ince and her children will soon be home.
It is to entice them to make a payment on time to transition from a rental mentality to a homeowner mentality, he said.
Barnett said the concrete slab should be poured by the end of the week, then Highway Construction Careers Training Program at John A. Logan College, funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation, will work Monday through Thursday standing up walls and trusses.
Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Marion will be on site next Saturday to begin construction on the roof of the home, Barnett said. Then, for the next four to six months different volunteers and the family will rotate Saturdays, working until the structure is complete.
John White, electrician with Habitat Humanity, said he has been working with the organization for about 15 years. Seeing the homeowners receive the keys after all the hard work they put into projects is the best part, he said.
The smiling recipient of these homes puts golden memories in the heart, he said. When they are given the keys, it just brings tears of joy to my eyes.
Herrin Mayor Steve Frattini said the city is happy to be a host community for the organization and those working to build their new home.
We look forward to days and years ahead continuing our partnership with Habitat for Humanity, he said. The Williamson County program is one of the better ones around. We are happy to have them in town and we are happy be a part of it.
Barnett said the organization has been able to accelerate the number of homes constructed in a year due to increased volunteers and donations from the community. He said without it, the organization wouldnt be able to do anything.
Everybody deserves a clean, decent, affordable place to live, he said. Those of us who are fortunate to have it, are driven to give that back.
David E. Garris II, 36, of Eldorado, was sentenced Wednesday in United States District Court in Benton to a term of 132 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute 39 grams of methamphetamine, according to a news release from James L. Porter, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois.
Garris was found to be in possession of the methamphetamine and $4,180 in cash during a routine traffic stop conducted by the Illinois State Police in 2015 in Saline County.
At the time of the traffic stop Garris was on parole from the Illinois Department of Corrections after being sentenced to 5 years in state prison in 2013 for possessing methamphetamine manufacturing materials in Saline County.
The Southern
SPRINGFIELD An Illinois Supreme Court ruling from earlier this year has united two groups that are often at odds when it comes to legislation pending at the Statehouse.
The Illinois Municipal League and the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois, the states largest firefighters union, have joined forces to back a bill they say would shield local governments and public safety employees from being sued over the way they prioritize services.
In these unusual times at the state Capitol, I think this is a good example where divergent interests can come together in support of something that really is commonsense, said Pat Devaney, president of the Associated Fire Fighters.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. James Clayborne, D-Belleville, would codify the so-called public duty rule, which the Supreme Court struck down in a January ruling. The long-standing rule held that units of government and their employees have a duty to protect the well-being of the community as a whole rather than that of individual people.
The Supreme Courts decision came in a case involving the death of Coretta Coleman in 2008 in unincorporated Will County.
Coleman, 58, called 911 because she was having difficulty breathing. There was a series of delays and miscommunications among emergency personnel, and by the time Colemans husband arrived home and let paramedics in, more than 40 minutes had passed. She was found unresponsive inside and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Colemans family sued the East Joliet and Orland fire protection districts, Will County, and their employees who were involved in the response. Citing the public duty rule, lower courts ruled in favor of the defendants, but the high court overruled them in a 4-3 decision, abolishing the rule, which it had established in previous decisions.
Obviously, if the legislature determines that the public policy requires it, it may codify the public duty rule, but we defer to the legislature in determining public policy, Justice Thomas Kilbride wrote in the majority opinion.
Thats precisely what the Municipal League and the firefighters union are urging the General Assembly to do.
In the Coleman case, the court decided to abandon the public duty rule and to abandon the public safety employees who the rule supports and defends, said Brad Cole, the Municipal Leagues executive director, calling it a dangerous decision.
For example, Cole said, it could expose local governments and their employees to lawsuits resulting from how they decide to prioritize numerous calls for help at the same time.
Illinois Supreme Court denies former Carbondale police officer in health insurance battle The Illinois Supreme Court issued an opinion Thursday denying a former Carbondale Police off
Devaney said the ruling could lead to a cottage industry of frivolous lawsuits aiming to capitalize on the suffering of others.
The bill would not protect emergency personnel who engage in willful and wanton misconduct, they said.
While there hasnt been a flurry of new lawsuits since the ruling, supporters noted that the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association opposes the measure.
Perry Browder, president of the association, said the proposed legislation is overly broad and could block an important check on how public safety agencies operate.
We certainly dont want to encourage frivolous lawsuits, Browder said. But at the same time, we dont want to encourage reckless conduct or intentional disregard (by public safety employees) because that harms the public, harms our citizens and puts people at risk.
BENTON A West Frankfort-based health clinic whose Franklin Hospital contract was terminated earlier this year sued hospital leaders this week.
Among a number of allegations, the Franklin County lawsuit asserts that the hospitals chief executive, Hervey Davis, made misleading statements to his Board of Directors in order to induce them into terminating the contract early.
The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Benton on behalf of Morthland College Health Services LLC, naming Davis, Business Development Officer Derek Johnson and the Franklin Hospital District as defendants. The lawsuit was filed by Benton-based attorney Bryan Drew.
MCHSs five-year contract, entered in September 2013, was terminated Feb. 1 with a six-month notice to end hospitalist and other medical services at Franklin Hospital on July 31. Dr. Tim Morthland served as hospitalist under the contract.
Hervey (Davis) presented these misleading and false statements to the board in charge of running (Franklin Hospital) that MCHS was not performing sufficiently to warrant the contract they had with (the hospital), the lawsuit alleges.
Davis, reached Wednesday, would not comment on the lawsuit. He also would not name his or the hospitals law firm in this case.
In February, Davis said the contract termination has strictly an economic decision for the financially-strapped hospital, saying the move would save about $300,000 a year. Under the contract, he said, the service provided by MCHS was not resulting in more occupied beds at the hospital.
He noted, as well, that the decision was not related to criticisms previously launched by Morthland. Morthland has also previously said that the MCHS contract had generated about $7 million in annual revenue for the hospital.
The lawsuit contends that Davis made the statements to stop Morthland from raising questions to the Board about the use of computer software programs used by the hospital that were designed and maintained by Davis.
Davis has previously said that the software through his company, Inforserver Inc., is used only for internal accounting controls, but the lawsuit maintains that arrangement violates Illinois statutes against self dealing.
After MCHS began questioning the personal business dealings of Hervey with FHD outside his employment as CEO, Hervey began to undermine the relationship between MCHS and the (B)oard who controls FHD, the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit alleges Johnson was aware of and actively engaged with Hervey in furtherance of Herveys tortuous conduct to interfere with the contract between MCHS and FHD.
The lawsuit also alleges that Hervey interfered with the contract by luring a physician and a physician assistant to the hospital from MCHS by making false statements to them about being underpaid by MCHS.
The four-count lawsuit alleges that MCHS has lost revenue from the actions as well as costs and is seeking in excess of $50,000 for each count.
CARTERVILLE According to board officials, John A. Logan College will be receiving $4 million in state allocations.
The General Assembly's approval of $74.1 million in stopgap funding for community colleges was a highlight of discussion during a board meeting on Tuesday evening. According to Brad McCormick, vice president for Business Services and College Facilities, JALC's budget had included $11.4 million in state funding.
Additionally, he said the funding does not include MAP grants, wherein the college is to receive $653,000.
Despite the news, the board members' former approval for a reduction in force remained a lingering issue for attendees.
The concerns stemmed from the board's motion to fill several operational and non-teaching positions.
When asked whether or not the positions were posted by JALC code, Larry Peterson, interim vice president for administration, explained that one of the seven positions presented is part of the college reorganization plans in correspondence with the current reduction of staff.
"(It's) also the president's right, and the college's right to assign staff wherever they would like," he said.
Despite the concerns, the board moved to recall nine faculty positions and four non-faculty positions. When asked to validate the purposes behind the recall Peterson said that the current positions being filled are based on retirements.
Among the retirees was Donna Glodjo, board secretary and administrative assistant to the president, who the board recognized for her contributions in keeping the board together.
"At times the board hasn't probably been as stable with each other, but (Donna) was one person that was always there to help us in anything ask," Don Brewer, chair of the Board of Trustees, said. "It's a great time for her to retire, but it's (also) a very sad time for us because we will miss (her)."
CARBONDALE Days after a race-baiting and violence-inciting video targeting Southern Illinois University students surfaced on the web, some SIU faculty, staff and students are taking opportunity express their concerns.
The incendiary video surfaced on YouTube Saturday, injecting a racial slur over words in a previously edited video clip from an animated movie. The original doctored video support the May 2nd protest, which calls for a protest against the state's budget crisis and student funding. Last week, graffiti was found written on SIU property, seeming to support the student protest.
A university communications officer said various departments were responding individually to ways to handle the tension stemming from concerns over May 2, especially after the appearance of the second video, as the university enters the final week before finals.
"Its created more urgency for us to have the real conversation and so were trying to make sure we can do that, assuring people that our intent is to support and provide room for peaceful, respectful conversations, Rae Goldsmith, SIU's chief marketing and communications officer, said.
One of the next events is an open dialogue with deans and provosts, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the Student Center Auditorium.
An Open Mic Reading for Social Justice is scheduled for 4 to 5:30 p.m. Monday, the day of the planned protest, at SIU's Faner Hall Humanities Lounge.
Students, faculty, staff and others will read works that encourage people to think of one another as humans worthy of respect, regardless of race, ethnic origin, sexual preference, religion and gender identity and the like, according to organizer Allison Joseph, an associate professor of English and the creative writing co-director.
The event and participation in it are open to the public.
"Come and read work your own or someone else's that supports this theme (even if you can't be there for the whole time, stopping by to read a brief piece would be much appreciated)," Joseph wrote in an email.
Here is brief overview of some of the planned events:
"Dialogue with the Deans and Provosts," 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28, Student Center Auditorium;
"Listening Session," 1 p.m. Thursday and 2 p.m. Friday, April 28 and 29, College of Applied Science and Arts, in Room 118;
"Open Mic Reading for Social Justice," 4 to 5:30 p.m. Monday, May 2, SIU's Faner Hall Humanities Lounge;
An internal forum for Mass Communications and Media Arts students, 3 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, at the school.
The S.C. House approved a bill Tuesday by a vote of 99-0 that would forbid ticket quotas for law enforcement.
The bill by Rep. Justin Bamberg, D-Bamberg, now heads to the state Senate for consideration.
The bill prohibits a law enforcement agency from requiring officers to write a certain number of citations within a set period of time. Officers could still be judged on their points of contact.
Bamberg is an attorney for the family of Walter Scott, the African-American man who was shot in the back last year as he ran from North Charleston officer Michael Slager, who is now charged with murder in his death.
The attorney for Slager has said the incident never would have occurred if Slager had not been working under a quota system that required officers to stop three drivers a day. Scott was pulled over for a broken brake light.
North Charleston officials deny there is any quota system.
Bamberg says he was working on the bill before Scott died.
A St. Stephen man has pleaded guilty in the shooting death of a Holly Hill man, but wont be sentenced until a federal case is resolved.
Jordan Akeem McDaniel pleaded guilty Monday to voluntary manslaughter in the 2012 shooting death of 39-year-old Richard Davis.
A neighbor found a deceased Davis in his front yard just before midnight on Sept. 24, 2012. He had a gunshot wound to the head.
Evidence found in Davis residence led officials to believe that he was targeted.
Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office investigators later charged McDaniel and Kenneth Campbell Jr., also of St. Stephen, with murdering Davis.
Campbell pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in Daviss death on Oct. 21, 2015.
Circuit Judge Ed Dickson sentenced him to 20 years in prison for taking the life of the Holly Hill man.
He also gave Campbell credit for the two-and-a-half years hed already spent in jail.
Prosecutor Ashley Cornwell said McDaniels sentencing in the Holly Hill case will come after hes sentenced on the unrelated federal charges. He is being held in the Charleston County Detention Center.
McDaniel admitted in November to the Dec. 14, 2012 armed robbery of Orvins Insurance Agency.
Authorities said McDaniel presented a black handgun and forced the agencys owner into the back of the business and assaulted him, according to a Berkeley County Sheriffs Office incident report.
McDaniel pleaded guilty in federal court to robbery affecting interstate commerce and possessing a firearm in the commission of a violent crime.
On Monday, his federal public defender Robert Haley filed a motion asking the court to allow him to withdraw as McDaniels attorney.
A sentencing date for McDaniels federal charges has not yet been set.
Entertainer Sheryl Underwood will deliver South Carolina State Universitys commencement address to more than 600 students.
S.C. State will hold its spring 2016 commencement ceremony at 7 p.m. Friday, May 6 at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
Underwood is an entertainer, entrepreneur, movie and television actress, radio personality and philanthropist.
She is owner and chief executive officer of Pack Rat Productions, Inc. and is the 23rd international president of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Underwood is the only full-time entertainer to ever hold the sororitys highest post.
Underwood sits alongside her co-hosts Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne and Aisha Tyler on CBS Networks The Talk. The daytime talk show averages 3 million viewers per day.
With Underwood at the table, The Talk received its first daytime Emmy nomination.
As part of the shows hosting team, Underwood recently received a 2016 Peoples Choice award for Favorite Daytime TV Hosting Team and an NAACP Image award for Outstanding Talk Series.
She is national spokesperson for Kimberly-Clarks Depend brand underwareness campaign, hosts Sheryl Underwood Radio and recently launched a mobile app, which complements her brand.
During Underwoods tenure as international president of Zeta Phi Beta, she worked diligently to strengthen the sororitys partnerships with the March of Dimes, March for Babies, American Cancer Society, Text for Babies, the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association, to name a few.
Through her company, Pack Rat Productions, and her foundation, Pack Rat Foundation for Education, Underwood is raising money to support the 105 Historically Black Colleges and Universities and students.
Underwood holds an associates degree in liberal arts from Fresno City College, a bachelors degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago, a masters degree in media management mass communication from Governor State University in University Park, Illinois and an attorney assistant certificate from UCLA.
Unless the pollsters badly missed projections, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton this morning will have all but secured their respective party nominations in the presidential race.
But that doesnt mean their opponents are throwing in the towel though it is arguable that they should.
In the Democratic race, Bernie Sanders says he is not going to quit his presidential campaign until the Democratic convention.
He continues to say he has a path to winning the nomination, though he acknowledges it is a difficult one. And the reality is that he is more of a long shot than was Clinton in 2008 when she gave up on the race against then-Sen. Barack Obama.
Sanders says his revolution must go on and that people all over the country are owed the chance to cast votes for him, particularly the hundreds of thousands who have made contributions to his campaign. He says the average donation is $27.
At this stage, Sanders is sounding more like the campaign is about him personally than his anti-establishment, anti-Wall Street, socialist-based philosophies. And how he handles himself from now to the end could impact Clintons prospects in the November election.
Sanders supporters see him as the leader of a movement and the fervor for his candidacy has convinced Sanders that indeed he is.
Clinton needs that enthusiasm from the voters backing Sanders and the senators blessing of her candidacy against the GOP outsider who from the other side of the political coin is sounding many of the anti-establishment themes as Sanders.
How badly Sanders damages Clinton between now and the campaign could determine how many among so-called progressive Democrats go with Clinton, how many simply abandon the process and do not vote or how many actually consider moving to the GOPs outsider, Trump.
The very same outcry Sanders makes about the evils of the power brokers in government and the private sector is being sounded by Trump, even about the leaders within his own party.
For months, Republicans have watched as Trump has won primary after primary, brought in scores of new voters in much the way as Sanders among Democrats, and faced down all critics from within and without as he goes about a campaign that breaks all the conventional rules.
Trump has even seen the 2012 GOP nominee, Mitt Romney, take the lead in urging that no effort be spared in derailing the New York billionaire. But Romney is not alone in the anybody-but-Trump movement.
All the opposition has not worked, and the latest and last-gasp effort by the campaigns of GOP contenders Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. John Kasich is unlikely to fare any better.
Cruz and Kasich, neither of whom can mathematically win the nomination before the convention, have agreed to divide their campaign priorities, with Kasich backing away in Indiana in deference to Cruz, and Kasich getting Oregon and New Mexico, where Cruz will end active campaign efforts.
Trump says of the plan: It shows how weak they are.
And considering that neither Cruz nor Kasich will go all the way and urge supporters to switch allegiances in the three states, the prospects of success dont appear to be good.
Once again, foes dont seem to realize the more the powers-that-be gang up on Trump, the more his base of support grows. Its not unlike the Sanders phenomenon in a year when anything establishment does not suit the American electorate.
The irony is that while the Democratic establishment and Clinton will win the day and try to reel in the anti-establishment Sanders backers, the GOP finds itself in exactly the opposite situation trying to determine how its establishment will deal with a Trump nomination and its impact on all other party candidates from the national to local levels.
Donald Trump's presidential campaign is in the middle of a much-discussed reworking. There's a lot of reworking to do. But Trump, who now has the advice of several political professionals recently brought into the campaign, faces a risk of doing too much. He has to walk a fine line to fix his problems without changing the essential character of a campaign style that made him the front-runner in the Republican race.
A lot of the Trump comments that set off firestorms in the last nine months weren't really big, lasting problems for the campaign. A few examples: Trump's diss of John McCain, his feud with Megyn Kelly, his allegations concerning Mexican immigrant crime, his mocking a New York Times reporter's disability, his claim that Muslims in the New York area celebrated Sept. 11, his boast that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and his supporters would remain loyal, his charge that George W. Bush lied about the Iraq war -- it's a very long list. One could argue that they had a cumulative negative effect on Trump's image, but one could also argue that they were a net plus in terms of cementing loyalty among his supporters.
The fact is, Trump's supporters -- and he has more than any other Republican this cycle -- are attracted to him because of his shoot-from-the-hip style. Go to his rallies around the country, and they'll say they support Trump because he tells it like it is -- that he says things they and others would like to say but can't. That's a hugely valuable asset for Trump. If those supporters think Trump is trimming his sails to win approval from the Republican establishment, that would not help.
At the same time, some Trump errors have done grave damage to his campaign. Each resulted from Trump's own judgment, and preventing future repeats will require that Trump not only listen to (good) advice but that he restrain his own impulses going forward. Three of the mistakes that badly hurt Trump in the last few months:
1) Early hubris. In late February, after victories in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada, and predictions of a big night on Super Tuesday, Trump thought he had won the race. That led him to conclude he did not need to do the intensive, time-consuming, ground-level delegate-courting work that other campaigns had to do. The mistake had huge consequences down the road.
2) Duke/KKK. In a Feb. 28 television appearance, Trump refused to disavow David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan. That single moment terrified many Republicans. They have had the race card played against them many, many times by Democrats -- and now they're looking at a nominee who won't condemn Duke and the KKK? Sensing disaster ahead, some came together in what would become the #NeverTrump movement. They oppose Trump for many reasons, but they were galvanized by the Duke/KKK statement. And it didn't matter that Trump had disavowed earlier and would do so again; in a general election, the Sunday show moment will live on in web videos and attack ads.
3) Going off the rails in Wisconsin. The GOP primary in Wisconsin was a potential turning point in the race. If Trump won, he would have done perhaps fatal damage to the #NeverTrump effort, which could have splintered and lost momentum. But with two weeks before the vote, Trump made two enormous mistakes: 1) attacking Heidi Cruz in a couple of late-night tweets, and 2) revealing that he knew little or nothing about Republican thinking on abortion. Those mistakes, along with Trump's attack on popular-with-Republicans Gov. Scott Walker, sank Trump in Wisconsin. And they weren't just controversial; they showed a significant lapse in judgment on Trump's part.
Trump can blame aides for error No. 1, but the fact is, it was his decision. And errors Nos. 2 and 3 came out of his own mouth. So how to prevent such mistakes while keeping Trump's essential public character?
Error No. 1, Trump is working on, with the hiring of Paul Manafort, Rick Wiley and others. It remains to be seen whether that is a success.
Fixing error No. 3 would -- or should -- be easy. Don't attack your opponent's wife, stop tweeting late at night, and learn about basic Republican doctrine. Look for Trump to actually accomplish those minimal goals.
As the Trump team works on the inside, there appears to be some confusion about what Trump's reworking will actually mean on the outside. Some commentators seem to believe a true Trump reworking would mean that he no longer does things like, for example, calling Ted Cruz "Lyin' Ted." That's not it. In fact, Trump hasn't changed his stump speech noticeably -- just look at the speech he delivered Thursday night in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Pretty much the same as always.
Manafort tried to explain the change in a talk with Republican National Committee members meeting Thursday in Hollywood, Florida. "The part he's been playing is evolving," Manafort said. Though he didn't say it outright, Manafort seemed to suggest that Trump could sand down a few rough edges of his style and remain himself, while Hillary Clinton could not change the public's view that she is dishonest and lacking in character.
"Clinton's negatives are character negatives," Manafort said. "People don't trust her ... they think she's a liar."
"Trump's negatives are negatives that deal with his personality," Manafort continued. "Fixing personality negatives is a lot easier than fixing character negatives ... You can't change somebody's character, but you can change the way a person presents himself."
Manafort's message -- and he didn't elaborate -- seemed to be that Trump would pull back on some excesses, and also appear in different contexts, like next week's foreign-policy address, while not changing Trump's essential public style. The bottom line: Look for Trump to change but not change.
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Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner.
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/By Azernews/
By Laman Ismayilova
Photographer Orkhan Azim held an exhibition devoted to the 30th anniversary of Chernobyl disaster on April 27, Trend Life reports.
The event began with a minute of silence in tribute to the victims of Chernobyl disaster.
The photo exhibition was attended by representatives of the Ukrainian embassy in Azerbaijan.
Addressing the event, national artist Aghali Ibrahimov said that the exhibition will arouse great interest of the public.
"Recent global challenges increase the value of this exhibition. Photos by Orkhan Azim are works of art. Neither the music nor the film can affect people like photos. This is a really good job", said Ibrahimov.
Editor-in-Chief of Report News Agency, Murad Aliyev for his part, said that the Chernobyl accident was great tragedy for all countries of the former Soviet Union.
"Many Azerbaijanis provided assistance to eliminate the consequences. Organization of such an exhibition will commemorate their memory. Taking into account all these cases, Report News Agency sent its photographer Orkhan Azim, to the area. He decently coped with this task", said Aliyev.
In his speech, Chairman of the Union of Chernobyl Disabled Persons Mirhasan Hasanov spoke about Azerbaijanis' role in elimination of Chernobyl problem, health state of those affected by this tragedy and about their children. He said that they participated in the elimination of the accident, which occurred in the fourth block, 'So far, more than 3,500 people have been killed. A total of 600,000 citizens of the former Soviet Union took part in the elimination of the Chernobyl accident, of which 7,000 were Azerbaijanis.
The Chernobyl disaster was a catastrophic nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the city of Pripyat, then located in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic of the Soviet Union (USSR). An explosion and fire released large quantities of radioactive particles into the atmosphere, which spread over much of the western USSR and Europe.
The Chernobyl disaster was the worst nuclear power plant accident in history in terms of cost and casualties. It is one of only two classified as a level 7 event (the maximum classification) on the International Nuclear Event Scale, the other being the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011.
Azerbaijan`s first lady Mehriban Aliyeva has met with Chairman of the Senate of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev who is attending the 7th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations.
The first lady stressed the importance of the Global Forum. Mehriban Aliyeva hailed the holding of such an important event in Baku as a sign of respect for Azerbaijan and recognition of its contribution to the development and promotion of dialogue among civilizations.
They praised relations between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, particularly inter-parliamentary cooperation.
Azerbaijan`s first lady, president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva has met with Undersecretary of State of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism of Italy Dorina Bianchi.
They praised cooperation between the two countries, and highlighted the development of the bilateral relations in various fields.
The projects carried out by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Italy were hailed, and Dorina Bianchi said these projects made a significant contribution to the development of Azerbaijani-Italian cooperation.
President Hassan Rouhani's upcoming visit to Baku will boost the level of cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan, a senior Iranian official told Trend.
Iranian Vice-President and head of the Cultural Heritage Organization Massoud Soltanifar said that President Hassan Rouhani is expected to visit Baku within the next couple of months.
Saying that President Rouhani and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev have met six times over the past two years, he added that the presidents are determined to boost bilateral ties.
According to Soltanifar Tehran and Baku have agreed on over 40 deals during the six meetings between the presidents.
The latest meeting between presidents in late February in Tehran resulted in conclusion of more than 10 documents covering various areas of cooperation between Tehran and Baku.
Elaborating on the fields of cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan, Soltanifar said that the neighboring countries eye several projects on a range of sectors from industry and science to tourism.
Soltanifar is in Baku to attend the 7th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations which kicked off Apr.25.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and head of Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organization Masoud Soltanifar.
The head of state hailed the high-level representation of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, describing this as yet another evidence of the two countries` friendship. Saying that several high-ranking Iranian officials have recently visited Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev recalled with pleasure his recent meeting with President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani in Istanbul. All this attests to the high level of relations between our countries, said the President. The head of state expressed his confidence that the bilateral ties would continue to develop.
Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and head of Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organization Masoud Soltanifar expressed his gratitude for the excellent organization of the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. He said that he paid several visits to Baku, Ganja and other places in Azerbaijan when he was governor of Gilan province. Masoud Soltanifar said he was impressed by significant development processes that he saw during his current visit to Azerbaijan, and congratulated the head of state on the country`s accomplishments in all areas.
The UNAOC 7th Global Forum continued on April 27 in Baku, and Azerbaijan's first lady, president of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, goodwill ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, Mehriban Aliyeva made a speech at the event:
First of all, allow me to greet all participants of the concluding session of the 7th Global Forum of UN Alliance of Civilizations and to wish you all happiness, good health and lots of success. It is a great honor for us to host this very important forum. I am sure that this forum will make a valuable contribution to the development of constructive dialogue and enrichment of cultures and civilizations. At the same time, I hope that the participants of the forum will find an opportunity to do some sightseeing in our city, learn its culture, and feel its aura of hospitality and kindness.
The topic of this session has a great public importance. Today, the world is going through a large-scale social transformation, driven by waves of migration, urbanization, climate change, and ageing of population in some countries and increase of unemployed youth in other countries. In some cases, we observe new opportunities for social integration, in other cases, on the opposite, the isolation of people from society. It is obvious that the social adaptation of people in various countries requires different approaches and solutions.
On this issue, much depends on the mentality of the nation, its work ethic, the availability of the human and much-needed economic resources. Today, I want to share with you the experience of our country and to try to highlight the main priority of both the state policy as well as the activities of the public institutions and NGOs.
Azerbaijan, while being an ancient land, is at the same time one of the youngest members of the United Nations. Having restored the independence, which was lost in the beginning of XX century, Azerbaijan has become a full member of the UN on March 2, 1992.
We have passed 25 year-long path of state building process. Most of what you can see in Azerbaijan today have been achieved during this period. I will not bring up any economic indicators and statistical figures today. We are an open country and our economic and social achievements are well known. Of course, we are very proud of such fast progress. We have managed to achieve significant transformation of the economy and ensure its integration into world economic system. We have built an effective system of governance at all levels of public life. Reforms have been undertaken in the field of science, culture and education. And we have managed to implement all of this relying on rich human potential of our nation.
It is very important to note that this progress has been achieved despite enormous difficulties that our nation has faced during this period of our history. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the country had serious political, social and economic crisis. The happiness coming from the restored independence was overshadowed by the sadness coming from the loss of human lives and the occupation of our historic lands. By the time Azerbaijan became member of UN, Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been underway for 5 years already and this has resulted in occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani lands and the emergence of 1 million of IDPs and refugees.
As a result of Armenian occupation, 900 settlements, 150 000 houses, 693 schools, 975 kindergartens, 695 clinics on Azerbaijani territories have been destroyed. We have also lost more than 40 000 unique historical museum artifacts and materials and 4.6 million books and manuscripts in 927 libraries. One can hardly imagine the level of damage imposed on cultural heritage of Azerbaijan.
Using this opportunity, I want to thank all UN agencies, which were together with us during those horrible days. UN Security Council adopted 4 resolutions, calling for the immediate withdrawal of Armenian military troops from Azerbaijani territories. We are thankful to all international organizations, which helped us during that period.
Government of Azerbaijan faced a very difficult task: within a very short period to accept, settle and feed hundreds of thousands children, women, elderly, who became victims of aggressive policy of our neighbor. A country, which had 7 million people had to solve the problems of 1 million compatriots without much economic assistance and resources. To appreciate this challenge, one can look at the current situation with migrants around the world and compare the numbers.
In difficult times of 1993 when the aggression was underway and 7 adjacent regions to Nagorno-Karabakh were also occupied, the foundation of modern statehood and its basic principle of social protection of every citizen was laid down. We have managed to maintain the most important asset that is the human capital of the nation. Even in refugee camps, public schools, including music schools continued to operate. All humanitarian state bodies functioned without interruption. Children attended schools, teachers were teaching, doctors were treating patients. These daily routine works have instilled a sense of hope for tomorrow. This was one of the most reliable and effective methods of social adaptation of people, who have lost everything.
In subsequent years, government has done and continues to do everything possible for normalization of these people's lives. We have managed to eliminate all tent camps and build modern housing settlements for refugees and IDPs. These people are provided with jobs and social welfare benefits. Young generation received access to modern education. Speaking in medical terms, all of these efforts to help people were only palliative treatment. The person who finds himself or herself in a refugee status loses its personal identity. One can create for them ideal conditions for living, but nothing can replace their longing for native land and house. Elderly dream of finding last rest place in their native land, youth wants to return to their ancestor's lands.
I believe that every one of us can understand these human sufferings and agree that for the lasting solution of this problem it is important to have the liberation of the occupied territories and return of people to their homes. No matter what kind of social adaptation we speak about, we must clearly understand that Karabakh, Syrian, and Iraqi, and Afghani refugees and IDPs carry in themselves not only physical losses and difficulties.
Recovering from psychological traumas and hurt souls requires much more time and effort. We must unite our efforts so that the existing conflicts could finally reach their resolutions, so that no new epicenters of conflicts appear in the world, so that the number of refugees and IDPs does not increase.
The least everyone can try to show sympathy to the pain, tragedy and loss of another person. Compassion should become a real instrument for the resolution of human sufferings.
Dear guests, I would like to talk about projects of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, implemented in public-private partnership. They cover wide range of issues. As an example, in 2005 we have started the renovation and construction of public schools and have completed 412 of them. This initiative was later supported by government of Azerbaijan and we have created a good model of cooperation between government, NGOs and businesses. Today the outcome of this cooperation is the renovation of 3000 schools out of 5000 existing ones.
I also want to highlight the projects, directed towards the social integration of children, who have lost their parents and who are brought up in orphanages, as well as of people with disabilities. The Heydar Aliyev Foundation has managed to instill in people's mind the idea of equality of all citizens, tolerance towards children who have lost their parents.
Within the framework of the program, development of children's houses and orphanages the foundation has renovated and equipped 34 children's institutions. We arrange the participation of these kids in international competitions; we send them for vacations to resorts abroad. Foundation also provides an opportunity for children from other countries with similar conditions to visit Azerbaijan and get to know our country. Moreover, construction of buildings for orphans who have reached adulthood has also played an important role in social integration of youth into society.
Interaction of people with disabilities with healthy persons is an important element of social integration. At the moment, we have almost 570 000 people with disabilities in Azerbaijan, including 67 000 kids. As our experience shows, this category of people often having trouble to participate in the life of the society.
A major role in the social integration of kids with disabilities is played by inclusive education. Inclusion of kids with disabilities into the process of education alongside with the healthy kids ensures that they are accepted by the society. Despite the fact that Azerbaijan has joined the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008, first steps on inclusive education were made even before that, in 2004. Today, 366 kids with disabilities are involved in inclusive education.
Within the project Ensuring access for blind persons to Information Technologies, we created a modern ICT center in republican orphanage school for blind kids in Baku. The Foundation has also built several regional information centers for people with disabilities, as well as rehabilitation center for kids with special needs, including Down syndrome patients.
Relying on our own experience, we have also implemented a similar project in Bosnia and Herzegovina's capital Sarajevo, where the Foundation has reconstructed the center for blind youth and kids. In September of the last year, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation has built a new dormitory in Hungary for the Roman-Catholic center for kids with weak eyesight, named after Laslo Batyani.
Within the frames of the project "Azerbaijan - the address of tolerance", the Foundation contributes to the renovation of catholic, orthodox churches and synagogues. As a part of that project, we have supported constriction of the educational center for Jewish kids living in Baku. We also restored Rome catacombs of Saint Marchelino and Saint Pietro in Rome. For the first time in the history of Vatican, an organization from a Muslim country has helped to restore these saint monuments of Christianity.
The Foundation has also implemented a number of other projects in France. We have provided financial support for the restoration of several ancient place of worship in various regions of France, including Strasburg Cathedral. Azerbaijan also became one of the sponsors in the creation of the Department of Islamic Art in Louvre.
Dear friends, Azerbaijan is a multi-national, multi-religious country in which representatives of all religions and ethnic groups are citizens of the country with equal rights. Religious and ethnic tolerance, which is now accepted in the progressive world as an important pillar of democracy, has become a norm in Azerbaijani society. It is with sense of pride that I want to note that historically we have never had cases of discrimination or animosity on the national or religious basis.
Though the majority of our people are Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and other religions are also represented. There are 649 religious communities in Azerbaijan, including 24 non-Muslim. For example, we have a settlement of Krasnaya Sloboda in Guba district, which is the only place in the world where Mountainous Jews live together.
High level of social tolerance towards all segments of population is an indicator of a developed society. I think that one of our most important achievements is the existence of that level of social tolerance in Azerbaijani society today.
It is for sure that our country continues to face many unresolved issues, challenges and problems. The process of transformation and modernization in many sectors continues. However, looking back to our successes and achievements, we see our future with optimism, because we believe in our country's most valuable asset - its human potential.
I want to conclude my speech with a quote from famous Albert Einstein: The life of the individual has meaning only insofar as it aids in making the life of every living thing nobler and more beautiful. Life is sacred, that is to say, it is the supreme value, to which all other values are subordinate.
Once again, I wish you all good health, happiness and peace.
/By Azernews/
By Nazrin Gadimova
The Armenian government and army in general showed that they were not ready for the quick march that emerged in April as a result of the countrys aggressive policy.
The retirement of the high-ranking officials, mass suicides among soldiers, numerous rallies in Armenias capital city and mass flow of those living in the territories of Nagorno-Karabakh region in fact testify for wild behavior of the Armenian leadership.
The Armenian media reports that countrys President Serzh Sargsyan dismissed Deputy Defense Minister Alik Mirzabekian on April 26. In the light of the recent developments on the contact line of troops between the Armenian and Azerbaijani armies, the retirement of the military official in indeed alarming news for the country.
The Azerbaijani troops firm response to the provocation of Armenian military has led not only to massive losses in the army, but also to diffidence and suicide cases among the Armenian soldiers. As the situation on the frontline has escalated, local media reported that the commanders of the Armenian Armed Forces shot 17 people, who refused to take part in military actions in Nagorno-Karabakh and tried to flee.
At the same time, the ICRC reported earlier that local hospitals are in need of medicines, that the organizations representatives handed over medical kits, drugs, and bandages for those wounded.
Moreover, to prevent growing of the panic, Armenian Armed Forces and the armed units of the separatist regime tried to hide from the public the recent losses and spread misinformation about the losses of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.
Armenians who were residing in Karabakh leave massively the region every time when they find an opportunity, as people live in very poor condition being face to face the fear of death and injustice here. Armenian opposition have repeatedly reported about the deplorable situation in the country, as well as in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region.
The local media reports that those living in the territories adjacent to the front-line area are leaving far inland. The aggressive and cruel regime of Yerevan has shown its true face during hostilities: Armenian military not only refused to defend the population, but even more they actively opposed the outflow of the civilians by setting up roadblocks at the outskirts of the region.
Distrust to the authorities and countrys military has provoked a great wave of unrest in Yerevan. Some protesters demand for retirement of countrys FM Edward Nalbandian, Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan and Chief of the General Staff Yuri Khatchaturov, another urged to force oligarchs to pay large amounts to the state budget, as well as to pay $30,000 in compensation to the families of the dead soldiers and $5,000 to families of the wounded.
Police broke up these demonstrations with cruelty; some 42 participants were detained, including journalists.
Yerevan has set trap for itself: residents are displeased with countrys authorities. The army is experiencing chaos, whilst the country's political leadership refuses to sit at negotiation table with Azerbaijan and continues to pursue aggressive policy even against its citizens.
Azerbaijan's First Lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva has today met with former Prime Minister of France Dominique de Villepin, who is attending the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.
At the meeting, the sides said the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations was excellently organized.
They noted that the relations between Azerbaijan and France are developing, hailing the Heydar Aliyev Foundation's contribution to this process.
The sides underlined that the Heydar Aliyev Foundation is implementing a number of cultural projects in France and plays a vital role in the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Global economic experts and banking executives will join senior leaders from Saudi Arabia to discuss the impact and opportunities the Saudi Vision 2030 will generate at the Euromoney Saudi Arabia Conference in May.
With international interest in Saudi Arabias plans at an all-time high following the announcement of the Saudi Vision 2030 that seeks to minimise the kingdoms dependence on oil and diversify the economy, this years conference will be the most global edition in its 11-year history.
The conference takes place on May 3 and 4 in Riyadh.
Major financial institutions are closely following the National Transformation Plan, which details the governments plans to enhance efficiency, boost economic growth, expand the private sector and generate jobs and opportunities for young people, a statement said.
Mohamed Hamra-Krouha, partner, head of banking and projects, Clifford Chance, who will be speaking at the conference, said: So far in 2016, we have seen an increase in the number of companies looking to tap international and domestic markets in order to refinance, both to manage current economic pressures caused by low oil prices and also to prepare for the structural changes that we anticipate. The Euromoney Saudi Arabia Conference will provide an important opportunity for different companies from across a range of sectors to come together and analyse this key moment as the kingdom shifts to a post-oil economy.
The conference will also see the launch of new original research looking at key sectors in the kingdom.
Colliers International, a leading global real estate services organisation, will reveal the findings of its latest real estate research paper.
The paper, which examines the changing dynamics of the retail sector in the kingdom, pays particular attention to recent significant growth in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Al Khobar, and will examine best practices between mall developers and retailers in the country.
One of the key findings is that tourism spending is an important factor in boosting the overall spending in retail malls, which in turn is driving demand for retail space.
According to Colliers Analysis and data from MAS, it is estimated that tourist spending comprises 10-20 per cent of the total spending in retail malls for cities like Jeddah and Dammam Al Khobar.
Imad Damrah, managing director KSA, Colliers International, said: We are seeing significant changes in key industries in Saudi Arabia, which in turn have a knock-on impact on other sectors. This is creating a very positive dynamic for economic development in the kingdom, and we are very pleased to be able to present original research into one key area at The Euromoney Saudi Arabia Conference.
The key findings will be reviewed during a panel discussion on real estate on the second day of the conference.
Other topics during the panel will include pricing, demand, real estate regulation, and the impact of the changing economy on new investment structures in the kingdom. TradeArabia News Service
Leading paint manufacturer Hempel Paints has introduced a new range of paints called Fusions Makhmaleyat at gulfInteriors.
One of the latest products from the Fusions brand, Fusions Makhmaleyat has a velvet finish which adds elegance to the interior walls, said Jamil Matraji, area sales manager, Hempel.
"The final look varies in colour tone from dark to light, symbolising the movement of a fabric. While it takes more time to dry, it gives the applicator the flexibility to fix and retouch it, explained the official.
Makhmaleyat adds glamour to ones walls and fits into both classical and modern styles as it breaks the limits of plain paint, he added.
Matraji said business for Hempel was good last year with the company registering a six per cent increase in sales over the same period in 2014.
Hempel Paints, a regular exhibitor at gulfInteriors, has previously used the show to launch some of its most innovative products for the world of decor, colour and interior design.
The firms list of clientele within Bahrain includes elite companies of the industrial sector, such as the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco), Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (Asry), the Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) as well as many other private and public sector enterprises.
The importance of gulfInteriors for us is very much built on the advantage of being able to meet our existing and potential customers as well as to provide a strong brand presence to our key targets in the real estate and construction sectors of the Middle East, remarked Matraji.
Hempels products for Bahrain are manufactured in our factory in Mina Salman. We are taking the opportunity as strategic sponsors to highlight our made local but selling global credentials, said Matraji.
Meanwhile, the group's Saudi Arabian unit recently unveiled a new brand identity to coincide with the first anniversary of opening its biggest showroom in the Middle East at Riyadh.
One year on, Hempels largest regional showroom, which is strategically located in the Saudi capital, has successfully catered to the needs of its customers in the area.
Ahmed Abdulaziz, Hempel area sales and marketing director in the Middle East, said: "Hempel received a unique turnout from its customers. This is the fruit of distinct quality driven by global standards, and a great potential to withstand the harsh weather conditions in the region."
"Since its opening in April last year, the showroom has managed to record staggering results as sales have witnessed daily upturns and the store saw increased footfall, he added.
Malte Eggers, Hempels group communication director, said: "The Helix, used in Hempels new logo, symbolises layers and motions of mixing coatings, while also indicating global interconnection as it integrates all Hempels visual identity into one feel."
And as the world becomes more connected, so does the need for our businesses to operate, expand and appear as one unified Hempel.
"This strategic step comes with an aim to achieve absolute consistency across all of Hempels visual communications and to increase customer trust in delivering advanced and high-performance solutions," he added.
The showroom in Riyadh instilled the concept of sustainable paints through the introduction of particular products developed and tailored for the Middle Easts severe weather conditions, such as Contex.
Available in a variety of finishes and textures which can prolong the life span of concrete surfaces, the Contex range promises protection in a large range of attractive colours that are accredited with certificates from global test centres; and it also uses advanced technology, as it is ideally suited for buildings and bridges.-TradeArabia News Service
Dubai-based developer Emaar Properties, in association with Harrods Estates, is holding a UK launch and exhibition of its latest development projects in Dubai, UAE, at Harrods, the worlds most famous department store located in London.
The event is taking place at the 2,000-sq-ft Emaar marketing suite located on the second floor of Harrods until mid-August.
Visitors will experience the interactive video displays, view the large scale models of three of Emaars most exciting new developments; Dubai Creek Harbour, Dubai Hills Estate and The Opera District.
The display model of Dubai Creek Harbour contains The Tower, the recently launched architectural centrepiece of the development designed by renowned Spanish/Swiss architect Santiago Calatrava and anticipated to be taller than the 2,716 ft high Burj Khalifa.
Additionally there will be information on Emaar and the developers other projects such as Downtown Dubai, Arabian Ranches and Dubai Marina.
There is a sales team from Harrods Estates on hand to speak to visitors about the projects and the wide range of opportunities to purchase a new apartment, villa or penthouse-suite.
For a limited time on the ground floor of Harrods, Emaar is showcasing a stunning window display, which will draw the attention of the 75,000 people who pass by the store each day. One of the windows showcases a scale model of Dubai Opera, the countrys first multi-format theatre. Two other windows display the masterplans and visual imagery of The Opera District whilst a fourth artistically depicts ballerinas performing on stage.
During the London exhibition, Emaar will be selling residential property at Dubai Creek Harbour within the destinations local neighbourhoods in projects known as Creekside 18 and Harbour Views. Located on the prestigious Island District, Creekside 18 consists of twin residential towers providing 450 luxurious one, two and three bedroom glass fronted apartments, including penthouses. Harbour Views, will provide 750 one, two and three bedroom apartments located in twin 51-storey residential towers, complete with 14 highly exclusive luxury villas.
Ahmad Al Matrooshi, managing director of Emaar Properties said: We are delighted to exclusively showcase our exciting new developments at the famous Harrods department store. Harrods is a globally recognised luxury brand synonymous with quality, excellent service and an unrivalled reputation, making it the perfect brand partnership for Emaar. Our showcase has an array of properties which will appeal to different types of buyers. From luxurious penthouses and villas to one bedroom apartments, Emaar is showcasing high quality homes in Harrods to suit all needs.
Simon Barry, head of New Residential Developments at Harrods Estates said: Harrods Estates is delighted to be undertaking this brand partnership with Emaar, one of the top global property developers and provider of premium lifestyles. Each day, Harrods is visited by over 250,000 people from across the world and there is no other department store where someone can come in and buy a property.
We believe that our clients will be extremely interested in what Emaar and Dubai have to offer. In terms of investability, Dubai offers one of the most compelling opportunities to invest in property in the world at present. Just as London is the financial capital of the European time-zone, so Dubai is the financial capital of the Middle East time-zone.
The Dubai property market is now stable, benefitting from huge inward investment from both the Middle East and the Indian sub-continent, and its economy is anticipated to grow strongly leading up to the Dubai World Expo in 2020, despite last years downturn in oil prices. Most important is Dubais openness to the world and willingness to attract private investors, he added. TradeArabia News Service
nfrastructure works have started on the Phase Two of Durrat Marina, a major mixed-use development based in Bahrain, to make way for the construction of a new set of canal-facing villas and other prime residences, said its chief executive Waleed Saffy.
Saffy was speaking on the sidelines of the Gulf Property Show, the boutique showcase for real estate and property developments in the region being organised by Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE).
The event will run till April 28 at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain.
The second phase of the Durrat Marina in Bahrain is now being promoted to attract third-party developers, he stated.
Developed by Inovest and Durrat Khaleej Al Bahrain, Durrat Marina is a sophisticated, state-of-the-art project, distinguished as the Middle Easts first mixed-use marina development.
As Phase One is nearly complete, we are now spotlighting Phase Two, noted Saffy.
Durrat Marina is also showcasing the progress on Phase One, which includes completion of the marina which is currently operated by Port Marine, the villas and residential apartments, as well the promenade which will host an array of cafes and retail outlets.
It will enable the creation of a downtown arena for both Durrat Al Bahrain and Durrat Marina residents and their visitors.
With the progress of Phase One of the project, we are turning our vision into reality, stated Saffy, a fifth time exhibitor at the Gulf Property Show.
At the expo, the Durrat Marina team is now promoting investment opportunities and handling enquiries on plots of land available for development.
On each project, the group prides itself on delivering maximum value to investors and end-users, observed Saffy.
Saffy said the company had done exceptionally well last year. Saffy is optimistic that the market is improving, adding that the company aims to beat the tough conditions by creating a unique getaway for clients and offer diversification by providing them with the first mixed-use marina development in the kingdom.-TradeArabia News Service
Gems Education has announced the opening of Gems Al Barsha National School for Boys and for Girls for the 2016 academic year.
Located in Al Barsha, the school will have segregated campuses for boys and girls, and will offer the English National Curriculum with a strong emphasis on Arabic and Islamic studies to students.
Gems Al Barsha National Schools aim to be a leading national school in the UAE, developing students that are confident, resilient, tolerant and adaptable in an ever changing world. While students will gain all the benefits connected to an international school, they will also maintain the Islamic cultural understanding, a statement said.
Gems Education has been built by passionate educators, and for over 55 years we have been trusted by families in the UAE. With our track record of providing excellence in education we now launch this school for the UAE community, said Dino Varkey, group executive director and board member of Gems Education.
He continued: The UAE is placing an increased focus on quality education as a key pillar to build a knowledge-based economy, and by opening these new schools we are reaffirming our commitment to education in the country and helping to take forward the vision of the nation's leadership.
The curriculum will be delivered by experienced teachers in both English and Arabic, ensuring students are fluent in both languages. The academic leadership will be hired from top selected British and Arab educators to ensure the high levels of international teaching and learning. - TradeArabia News Service
A total of 70 exhibitors from 16 countries are participating at the ongoing Leatherworld Middle East 2016, the regions leading tradeshow dedicated to the leather industry, being held in Dubai, UAE.
The event which kicked off yesterday (April 26), will conclude on April 28, and is being held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
International and local tanneries, designers, suppliers, and leather manufacturers are sharing insights on the Middle East and North African (Mena) leather market at the event, said a statement.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Butti Saeed Al Kindi, second vice chairman of Dubai World Trade Centre, it said.
According to analysts Euromonitor International (EMI), Mena leather trade was valued at $4.6 billion in 2015, including the import and export of raw hides, skins, furs, and leather articles such as saddlery and harnesses, travel goods, handbags, wallets, apparel, and accessories, it added.
The GCC holds a 67 per cent share of that figure, with $3.1 billion worth of exports and imports last year, spearheaded by the UAE ($1.2 billion of imports and exports), and Saudi Arabia ($497 million), said the statement.
Saudi is also a leather manufacturing hub, with a production turnover of tanning and dressed leather (clothes, footwear, and accessories) valued at $346 million in 2015 according to EMI, and growing nearly eight per cent over the next four years to be worth $373 million by 2019, it stated.
The retail value for the UAEs luxury leather goods market, including wallets, bags, purses, handbags and accessories, grew 14 per cent year-on-year, valuing $413 million, with this expected to nearly double in size by 2020, when the market will be worth $800 million.
That will be welcomed by global and local players alike at the event, as they look to make a mark with their latest wares, from exotic hides such as alligator, snake, and stingray skins, to finished leather goods including footwear, handbags, and belts.
Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, the organiser of Leatherworld Middle East, said: Were delighted to bring the global leather industry together under one roof at the event, with exhibitors coming from all over the world from Italy, Spain and Germany, to Turkey, Thailand, Iran, South Africa, and even as far away as Trinidad and Tobago and Colombia.
Many are new to the regional market and eager to test the waters, while some have been around for many years and are keen to grow their business interests, not only in the Middle East, but further afield, he added. TradeArabia News Service
Oman Fisheries Company, which is 24 per cent owned by the government, plans to start a new company exclusively for fishing, said a report.
There are also plans to outsource several activities to reduce cost of operation and to enhance efficiency, added the Times of Oman report.
It also plans to convert the parent company into a holding firm structure, with separate subsidiaries for carrying out different activities, said the report.
We have created the first subsidiary company, which is Al Ameen Stores and Refrigeration, Said Al Rawahi, general manager of Oman Fisheries Company, was quoted as saying to journalists.
The company was established with a capital expenditure of OR2.57 million ($6.68 million) and the unit has won storage tenders, which helped to achieve return on investment within a short span of time.
The company plans to contract with small and medium enterprises in four major activities running five plants and 16 coastal fishing vessels, managing 10 shops selling fish and supplying 41,000 tonnes of fish to the companys own and leased plants.
Al Rawahi said that we currently have 16 fishing boats, and the aim is to form a new company for exclusively carrying out fishing activities. It will speed up our expansion programme.
He added that the company also plans to form a separate subsidiary for agricultural products.
Bahrains leading interior design brand Mobilia Uno is wowing the audiences at gulfInteriors with its modern furniture designs and special exhibition discounts.
GulfInteriors is a dedicated showcase of luxury, creative and designer products for the home or commercial spaces providing exhibitors with a unique opportunity to showcase their products.
The event kicked off yesterday (April 26), and will run till tomorrow (April 28), at the Bahrain Exhibition Centre.
Its range of living room, bedroom and dining room furniture is designed to provide a modern and elegant environment as well as comfort.
Designed in Bahrain, Mobilia Unos catalogue of products includes interior accessories such as chandeliers, lamps and lighting along with curtains, carpets and wallpapers.
We are thrilled to announce that we are providing special packages and discounts to visitors of gulfInteriors 2016, remarks Zahra Haji, the managing director of Mobilia Uno.
For Mobilia Uno, we see gulfInteriors as an important promotion tool for our designs and products. Our designs are a proud statement of modernity and sophistication that are concepts designed in Bahrain, says Haji.
Mobilia Uno believes participating in gulfInteriors is an opportunity to help strengthen its brand. Knowing fully well that branding is a huge aspect of business success, especially in industries that depend on trust and reputation, exhibiting at gulfInteriors is a wonderful way to tell the industry that the company is serious, reliable, and large enough to afford its own presence at leading events and conferences, Haji says.
Mobilia Uno has supplied furniture to the Royal Tulip Hotel in Amwaj, Saraya compounds, Bahrain Deal Properties, Lelamlak apartments, Zawia Two, Zawia Three and Amwaj Homes.
Over the last few years, Mobilia Uno has grown into a household name in Bahrain for affordable luxury. Offering a wide range of furniture and interior designing expertise, the brand has become synonymous with sophistication and refinement. Our showroom, located in Tubli, captures a modern-day interpretation of Bahraini lifestyle, Haji adds.
On the companys expansion plans, Haji says: Acquiring a large showroom has been one of our major expansions that has led to an increase in staff, stock levels and customer base. In fact, we have been successful enough to extend our roots to Saudi Arabia through a franchise located in Dammam.
And since the franchise has been a great success, Mobilia Uno seeks to cover all GCC countries by allowing each country have a piece of us. So we aim at investing on high-end products at more affordable prices.
Mobilia Uno has been successfully growing since last year, Haji says. We were able to meet our sales target and boost our performance levels, she concludes. TradeArabia News Service
Middle East Traders is launching several new products at gulfBID as part of a rebranding initiative and ahead of the launch of a new showroom later this year.
GulfBID exhibition delivers the Northern Gulfs specialist event for the construction and building materials sector.
The event kicked off yesterday (April 26), and will run till tomorrow (April 28), at the Bahrain Exhibition Centre.
The launches include sanitary ware from Turkeys leading brand ECA Serel, for which it has been appointed the exclusive agent; a new construction system called Cobiax voided slabs; a new range of LVT tiles from Tarkett Flooring; and Tandus carpets.
GulfBID 2016 plays a major part for the market positioning of our company, says Salman Alkhan, Middle East Traders business development manager. Since its inception, the company has gathered more than six decades of experience in general trading and retailing of high-end products and internationally prominent brands that serve the construction industry within Bahrain and neighbouring GCC countries.
Middle East Traders continues to maintain long-term and exclusive arrangements with many of its suppliers, with some lasting more than half a century.
Currently our main operations include building material finishes, sanitary ware, storage and shelving solutions, and real estate development, property rentals and investments. The quality of our products has always stood the test of time and resulted in significant repeat business, he says. TradeArabia News Service
Nestle Waters, the bottled water division of the Nestle Group, has signed an agreement with the UAEs Higher Corporation for Specialized Economic Zones (ZonesCorp) to build a Dh100 million ($27.2 million) water factory in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
The factory will be Nestle Waters 16th in the Middle East and second in the UAE, where an existing plant has been operational at Al-Qouz Industrial Area since 2003, then relocated to TechnoPark in the Jebel Ali Free zone in Dubai in 2010, said a statement from the company.
The 30-year lease covers a 43,000 sq m plot, with construction beginning this year and opening planned for 2018, it said.
Following completion the factory is expected to provide up to 100 jobs in its first few years of operation, producing Nestle Pure Life brand for the UAE and lower Gulf, it added.
The contract was signed yesterday at a signing ceremony during the UAE investment forum at the Hannover Messe, a leading international trade fair, in Hannover, Germany.
Additionally, as part of its commitment to showcase its partner companies and share its expertise and knowledge, ZonesCorp is leading a high level delegation of 19 important industrial manufacturing companies to Hannover Messe.
Walid Zamamiri, managing director at Nestle Waters for the Lower Gulf, said: Abu Dhabi is the perfect location to establish a new water plant, as it offers many advantages for the smooth running of the facility, and a strategic location for distribution within the UAE and lower gulf countries.
Saeed Issa Al Khaili, acting chief executive officer at ZonesCorp, said: We are delighted to have Nestle as a partner, as the company is an excellent addition to Industrial City - Abu Dhabi (ICAD) 3 and our food and beverage cluster; more widely this partnership reflects ZonesCorps strategy to increase the number of food and beverage sector investments within our economic zones.
We look forward to a longstanding partnership and to adding the new factory to the list of world-class facilities operating in the specialized economic zones in Abu Dhabi. This investment by Nestle further demonstrates ZonesCorps ability to attract leading global brands to our Industrial Cities, he said.
The new factory is a response to increasing demand for high quality bottled water brands in the region. It will be built to the highest standards in environmental sustainability, making it one of the most water- and energy-efficient bottling facilities, he added.
We will ensure that our factory is water efficient and that it benefits the local communities. In the Middle East, our 15 water factories have improved the water efficiency of their bottling activities by 40% in the last four years, resulting in water savings of 1.8 million m3, he concluded. TradeArabia News Service
Samsung Electronics Co has maintained its position as the worldwide leader in digital signage unit sales for the seventh consecutive year, according to recently released sales figures from IHS, a leading source of insight, analytics, and expertise in display technology.
Samsungs successful 2015 results indicate a continuation of the momentum the company has built in the digital signage space in recent years. As global clients seek more dynamic avenues to capture customer attention, Samsung has continued to innovate its technologies to capitalise on the growing need for versatile, high-performing displays in a range of environments, said a statement from the company.
According to the IHS Technology report Public Display Market Tracker Q1 2016, Samsung accounted for 28.8 percent of the global market share for digital signage unit sales, it added.
This signifies an increase on the 26.9 percent market share which Samsung maintained at the close of 2014. (Data Source : IHS Public display market tracker, Product Definition : Public display + Public display TV), it said.
Featuring a range of interactive and informative displays, Samsungs Smart Signage portfolio delivers tailored end-to-end solutions for numerous industries including government, education, hospitality, healthcare, financial services and retail, said the statement.
The technologies enhance collaboration and productivity while also offering a more powerful visual alternative to the consumer-grade displays often used in LED signage, smart outdoor signage, video walls and interactive whiteboards, it stated.
Seog-gi Kim, senior vice president, visual display business, Samsung Electronics, said: Samsung is the company behind some of the worlds most brilliant and powerful visual display innovations, and we believe that continuous innovation will take our business and our customers businesses to even greater heights.
These latest IHS rankings reflect years of hard work and dedication to provide our partners with the tools to create immersive and personalized experiences for their audiences, and we look forward to maintaining our position as the global digital display leader for many years to come, Kim added.
Karan Chopra, head of display solutions at Samsung Gulf Electronics, said: Dubais booming digital industry is being driven by a rapid growth in infrastructure and smart city projects.
With advanced connectivity and energy-efficient technology, our innovations in signage are finding applications across sectors, also corresponding to the rise of digital advertising, he added. TradeArabia News Service
The US Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that almost $2 billion in frozen Iranian assets must be turned over to American families of people killed in the 1983 bombing of a U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Beirut and other attacks blamed on Iran.
The court's 6-2 ruling dealt a setback to Iran's central bank, finding that the US Congress did not usurp the authority of American courts by passing a 2012 law stating that the frozen funds should go toward satisfying a $2.65 billion judgment won by the families against Iran in U.S. federal court in 2007.
Bank Markazi had challenged a 2014 ruling by the New York-based 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals that the money, held in a Citibank trust account in New York, should be handed over to the American plaintiffs.
"We are extremely pleased with the Supreme Court's decision, which will bring long-overdue relief to more than 1,000 victims of Iranian terrorism and their families, many of whom have waited decades for redress," said Ted Olson, a lawyer for the victims.
Lawyers for the Iranian bank did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.
The lawsuit was brought by more than 1,000 Americans who have waged a long legal battle seeking compensation for attacks they say Iran orchestrated. Congress inserted itself into the dispute by passing the law to help the American plaintiffs obtain the Iranian funds.
The plaintiffs accused Iran of providing material support to Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shi'ite Islamist political and military group responsible for the 1983 truck bomb attack at the Marine compound in Beirut that killed 241 US service members.
They also sought compensation related to other attacks including the 1996 Khobar Towers truck bombing in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 US service members.
The ruling, written by liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, said the US Congress did not violate the separation of powers principle enshrined in the U.S. Constitution that gives specific authority to the government's executive, legislative and judicial branches.
Ginsburg wrote that the law was "no threat to the independence of the judiciary" because it did not apply simply to one case, but rather "multiple civil actions" against Iran filed by numerous plaintiffs. The law simply set a new legal standard and left to the courts to determine how that standard should be implemented, Ginsburg said.
As such, the law "does not transgress constraints placed on Congress and the president by the Constitution," Ginsburg wrote.
She also noted that courts generally give Congress and the White House greater leeway when it comes to foreign affairs.
Chief Justice John Roberts, a conservative, criticized the ruling, saying he believes Congress was "commandeering the courts to make a political judgment look like a judicial one." Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor joined his dissent.
The Obama administration, the US Senate and a legal group representing leaders of the House of Representatives all filed court papers backing the families.
The lead plaintiff in the case is Deborah Peterson, whose brother, Marine Lance Corporal James Knipple, died in the Beirut bombing.
"The Supreme Court's decision upholds the decisions of both Congress and the executive branch to hold Iran accountable for its actions supporting and sponsoring terrorism, and we are gratified that the court agreed that the law Congress enacted to provide relief to victims of terrorism complies with the Constitution," added Olson, the lawyer for the victims.
The ruling came during a delicate period in US-Iranian relations, following the January implementation of a landmark accord reached last year by the United States and five other world powers to lift economic sanctions in exchange for Iran accepting limits on its nuclear program.-Reuters
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Wednesday that large parts of the nation's capital will sink below sea level if a $40 billion construction project, mired by accusations of corruption, does not go ahead.
A major bribery scandal and bureaucratic clashes prompted authorities last week to suspend work on a key phase of the "Great Garuda" project, which aims to shore up northern Jakarta while revamping the capital's image into a Singapore-like waterfront city.
"It is estimated that all of North Jakarta will sink below sea level by 2030," Widodo said at a cabinet meeting. "Because of that, the development of the capital's seaside, which has been delayed for so long, is the answer for Jakarta."
Greater Jakarta, one of the world's most densely populated cities, sits on a swampy plain and is sinking at a faster rate than any other city in the world.
Unable to stop the sinking, Jakarta has focused its attention on bolstering its defences with a 15-mile seawall and refurbishing the crumbling flood canal system.
The plan is known as the "Giant Sea Wall" or "Great Garuda", for its resemblance from the air to the bird-god of Hindu mythology that is Indonesia's national symbol.
"The point the president wants to make is the project is needed to save Jakarta," said city Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama. "But the national interest shouldn't be entangled in the legal cases."
Included in the master plan is the building of 17 artificial islands off Jakarta's northern coast, where property developers plan to build shopping malls and attractions similar to Singapore's Sentosa Island.
But work on these islands will be suspended for six months, said Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, after officials named the president director of property developer PT Agung Podomoro Tbk a suspect in allegedly bribing a city council member to influence the regulation for a land reclamation.
Authorities have also imposed a travel ban on the head of another property company, Agung Sedayu Group, and could soon name more suspects.
"We see this as a big case because it involves a Jakarta programme that is quite huge and that has become the object of the world's attention," Saut Situmorang, one of the key anti-graft investigators, told Reuters.
Widodo has backed the investigation and ordered his ministers to oversee every facet of the project.
"The president stressed that this project should not be driven by the private sector, but it should be completely within the control of the central and regional governments," Anung said. Reuters
Wang Yaohai (right) and Shao Yang (left), at the signing of the agreement
Opple Lighting has partnered with telecom equipment maker Huawei to establish a smart home lighting system with cutting-edge technologies.
A leading lighting brand in China, Opple will release a whole new range of smart lighting products integrated with Hilink protocol to meet the different lighting challenges and control requirements in applications like living room, bedroom and study, which also allows interactions with other recreational devices to create healthy, comfortable and romantic atmosphere at home. In the future, it will be possible to realise light switch and remote dimming control by voice command or gesture via Huawei mobile terminals such as smart phones.
This strategic cooperation with Huawei indicates that Opple Lighting is attempting to break industry boundaries by seeking various partnerships across different industries to build an open eco-system and platform, on which the extensive cooperation between partners would eventually offer consumers with the ultimate convenience brought about by smart technologies and a new lifestyle that is intelligent in the true sense, said a press release.
The omnipresent light is the most convenient and efficient means for IoT in homes. The cross-boundary cooperation of connectivity power between Opple and Huawei is the rewarding exploration to improve the lighting experience for consumers; furthermore, it signifies the grand beginning of the blueprint for Opple Smart Home Lighting, said Wang Yaohai, Opple board director.
Opple signed a Smart Home Strategic Cooperation agreement with Huawei in the presence of Yaohai, Opple president Ma Xiuhui, and Shao Yang, chief marketing officer of Huawei consumer business group. TradeArabia News Service
Vacheron Constantin, a luxury Swiss manufacture of prestige watches, recently hosted an event to launch its newest high complications and most unique pieces that are a part of the renowned Atelier Cabinotiers in Dubai, UAE.
During this exclusive global launch, a main highpoint of the spectacular exhibition was the showcasing of the Maitre Cabinotier Retrograde Armillary Tourbillon.
In the wake of the most complicated watch ever made, the Reference 57260 with 57 complications, Vacheron Constantin unveiled the Maitre Cabinotier retrograde armillary tourbillon model. This timepiece bearing the Hallmark of Geneva was produced by the three master watchmakers who created Reference 57260, and they incorporated two of the complicated features of the superwatch: the armillary tourbillon and the double retrograde indication.
Its contemporary styling opens the remarkable structure of the calibre 1990 movement to view. The high-precision manually wound movement is housed in a 45.7 mm case in white gold. Four patent applications have been filed for this unique model.
Armillary tourbillion
The lighting reaction of the retrograde hands contrasts with the statelier pace of the armillary tourbillon with a spherical balance spring. The elegantly structured tourbillon operates as a sphere perpetually rotating on two axes under a sapphire crystal dome at 9 o'clock. Its called an armillary tourbillon because it is based on an armillary sphere like the one incorporated in an astronomic clock made by the French clockmaker, Antide Janvier, in the 18th century.
Double retrograde system
The manually wound calibre 1990 movement developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin features retrograde hours and minutes indications with instant flyback. The double indications are as technically fascinating as they are visually mesmerizing. The hands flick back to zero at such a speed that the special attention is needed to ensure a precise indication and such lightweight and resistant materials as the titanium used in the hands.
Contemporary styling and finish
Another feature that makes the Maitre Cabinotier retrograde armillary tourbillon watch original is the modern styling applied to the architecture and finish of the movement. The calibre 1990 is electro-plated with an NAC treatment in a dark anthracite colour creating a mirror-polished effect. On the dial side the movement displays its modern architecture with sharply cut bridges tempered by a sunburst satin finish and Geneva stripes.
The back presents a more conventional look, finished with Geneva stripes making an elegant counterpoint to the contemporary face of this unparalleled watch in the Vacheron Constantin product range. As an additional token of excellence, the painstaking work of chamfering all the edges took more than 130 hours.
Maitre Cabinotier 15-Complications Lions
Vacheron Constantin unveiled an extremely sophisticated Grande Complication wristwatch, equipped with an exceptional set of functions and featuring an entirely hand-engraved case with 4 lions on a savannah background. This impressive feat of miniaturisation, driven by manual-winding calibre, brings together 15 of the most demanding Haute Horlogerie complications and gives pride of place to astronomical functions.
Vacheron Constantins Malte tourbillon high jewellery, certified by the Hallmark of Geneva, brings together the magic of watchmaking and the mystery of gem-setting. Created by the Atelier Cabinotiers, this unique piece features an invisible settings entirely hand-crafted, dressed in 398 baguette diamonds and 36 yellow diamonds (totalling approximately 19.67 carats), creating a supreme illumination of time and of the tourbillon.- TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Arabia's sale of a spot crude cargo to an independent Chinese refiner marks a new phase in the turf war for dominance over Asia's oil market and sends a strong message to its rivals Russia and Iran: the fight for market share is on.
State-owned Saudi Aramco, the world's biggest oil exporter, this month sold 730,000 barrels of crude for June-loading to Chinese refinery Shandong Chambroad Petrochemicals, one of about 20 independent refineries nicknamed "teapots." This is Aramco's first spot sale to a teapot.
Aramco typically sells its crude through contracts of one year or longer, and under an Official Selling Price (OSP), rather than in spot trades.
While it has occasionally sold spot cargoes, for instance to European and Indian refiners, this is the first time it sold on a spot basis to a non-state Chinese refiner, demonstrating new sales nimbleness.
"The Saudis are essentially showing more flexibility in order to tap into that market as it fights for market share. It points to a more creative and less rigid marketing strategy," said Virendra Chauhan, analyst at Energy Aspects in Singapore.
Aramco sold Shandong Chambroad a cargo, including Arab Heavy crude, at a differential to the Oman/Dubai benchmark price, said an industry source familiar with the matter.
The Arab Heavy May OSP was set at a $3.65 per barrel discount to Oman/Dubai.
The shipment moved out of Aramco's storage site on the Japanese island of Okinawa that it operates as protection against supply disruptions and to react quickly to short-term demand.
Russia has filled most of the surging demand from China's teapots, most of which were only allowed last year to import crude, pushing it to China's biggest oil supplier in March and in four separate months in 2015, nudging aside the Saudis.
"For the Saudis, offering a spot cargo to a teapot signals they want to bite back at the Russians, who have supplied most of the demand by the rising teapots," said a senior trader who has done deals with Saudis and Chinese importers.
"And it tells other producers, Iran in particular, that the Saudis are willing to play hard ball in the rush for Asia's market share."
KNIGHTHOOD FOR TEAPOT
Iran, freed from crippling sanctions in January, boosted exports in February to Asia's four biggest oil buyers by 24.6 per cent from a year ago to 1.28 million barrels per day (mbpd), government and tanker-tracking data showed.
Iran has increased its exports to 1.9 million bpd, up from just over 1 million bpd in January, and plans to raise production to reach the pre-sanction level of 4 million bpd, from around 3.23 million bpd as soon as possible.
Other sources said Aramco's move was a test to explore whether it could start a long-term relationship with China's teapots.
"This for now is a one-off test of the teapot's interest and its technical ability to process Saudi oil," said a Beijing-based trading official with knowledge of Aramco's marketing.
Neither Saudi Aramco nor Shandong Chambroad Petrochemicals were available for comment.
Chambroad's deal with Aramco is a major win for a teapot, which usually lack the credit ratings needed to sign long-term international contracts.
Major oil producers have shunned teapots after several deals fell through within months of them entering the market.
"The deal gives them access to Aramco supplies," said a person familiar with the deal. "That's like a knighthood for the teapot."
Oil producers are scrambling to find buyers as supplies still outstrip demand, causing prices to drop 70 per cent between mid-2014 and early 2016.
"It is obvious that there is a major turf war going on in the crude market," said an oil tanker broker. -- Reuters
Unique handmade leather shoes made of 24 karat gold was the highlight of the opening day of Leatherworld Middle East, the Middle Easts only dedicated leather industry trade show, running from April 26 to 28 in Dubai, UAE.
Launched for the first time in the region by A&E Fashion Group, these custom-made shoes are produced uniquely for the user by Italian master craftsmen, who hold the world patent for the design.
These unique hand-crafted shoes are also available in platinum, palladium and silver finishes, as alternatives for those who prefer other metals to gold. The shoes are debuting in the region with a price tag of 18,000 euros for a gold pair, 20,000 for platinum and 3,000 for the silver-finished pair.
Earlier, the trade show opened at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre with Butti Saeed Al Kindi, second vice chairman of Dubai World Trade Centre, inaugurating the exhibition.
Leatherworld Middle East 2016 features 70 exhibitors from 16 countries, all of which have their sights on a Middle East and North African (MENA) leather market that remains in good shape.
According to analysts Euromonitor International (EMI), Mena leather trade was valued at $4.6 billion in 2015, including the import and export of raw hides, skins, furs, and leather articles such as saddlery and harnesses, travel goods, handbags, wallets, apparel, and accessories.
The GCC holds a 67 per cent share of that figure, with US$3.1 billion worth of exports and imports last year, spearheaded by the UAE (US$1.2 billion of imports and exports), and Saudi Arabia (US$497 million).
Saudi is also a leather manufacturing hub, with a production turnover of tanning and dressed leather (clothes, footwear, and accessories) valued at $346 million in 2015 according to EMI, and growing nearly eight per cent over the next four years to be worth $373 million by 2019.
The UAE meanwhile is a haven of luxury spending; last year, the retail value for the UAEs luxury leather goods market, including wallets, bags, purses, handbags and accessories, grew 14 per cent year-on-year, valuing $413 million, with this expected to nearly double in size by 2020, when the market will be worth $800 million.
That will be welcomed by global and local players alike at the second edition of Leatherworld Middle East, as they look to make a mark with their latest wares, from exotic hides such as alligator, snake, and stingray skins, to finished leather goods including footwear, handbags, and belts.
Were delighted to bring the global leather industry together under one roof at Leatherworld Middle East 2016, with exhibitors coming from all over the world from Italy, Spain and Germany, to Turkey, Thailand, Iran, South Africa, and even as far away as Trinidad and Tobago and Colombia, said Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, the organiser of Leatherworld Middle East.
Many are new to the regional market and eager to test the waters, while some have been around for many years and are keen to grow their business interests, not only in the Middle East, but further afield.
Leading the UAE exhibitor charge at Leatherworld Middle East 2016 is Al Khaznah Tannery, the regions only tannery that specialises in 100 per cent biodegradable and metal-free camel hide. The Abu Dhabi tannery is rubbing shoulders with European heavyweights such as Lederett from Germany; Italian stalwarts Dani, Italhide, Real Piel, and Tempesti; and Spanish artisans Albacete Industrial, and Tenerias Omega. TradeArabia News Service
Qatar-based Al Meera Consumer Goods Company has recorded a net profit of QR49.4 million for the first quarter of 2016 as compared to QR43.1 million ($13.5 million) for the same period in 2015, marking an increase of 14.6 per cent.
Similarly, sales in the first quarter of 2016 grew by 13.7 per cent, to reach QR641.2 million by the end of the first quarter of 2016, compared to QR564.1 million in the same period of 2015.
Meanwhile, Earnings per Share (EPS) amounted to QR2.47 in first quarter of 2016 versus QR2.15 for the same period of the previous year.
Shops rental income also increased in the first quarter of 2016 by 52.4 per cent, to QR17.5 million from QR11.5 million for the same period of 2015.
Dr Mohammed Nasser Al Qahtani, Deputy CEO of Al Meera Consumer Goods Co, said: The effective steps that have been carried out by Al Meera in all of its operations have contributed to increasing the company's sales by 13.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2016 when compared with the same period in 2015. This is a clear indicator of the success of our expansion plan which aims to satisfy and please our customers demands.
For Al Meera the financial results constitute more than just profits, as it clearly shows further evidence of the companys reliability towards its consumers that comes in line with our commitment and promises to our shareholders, customers and stakeholders as we aim to transform Al Meera from a store to your preferred shopping destination where consumers can benefit from a perfect shopping experience, placing their satisfaction as our priority which proves our loyalty toward the community.
Al Meera will be launching exceptional offers for the holy month of Ramadan this year, which is based on selling 1,437 consumer goods at cost price, in honour of the Islamic Year 1437. The offers coming into effect will be kicked off within days and will continue until the end of the holy month at all of Al Meera branches in the country, a statement said.
Al Meera is currently working on following up on its plan to establish 14 new branches in various regions of the country, as it has already started the works at five shopping centres last year, which are expected to be delivered within the next three months.
The company is also negotiating with the Doha Institute For Graduate Studies, to operate a supermarket which is 150 sq m to serve the Institutes students. TradeArabia News Service
Turkish Airlines expects to receive 35 new aircraft this year, including 10 wide-body planes, as part of a drive to increase the size of its fleet and lower the average age of its aircraft, a senior executive said on Tuesday.
Ahmet Olmustur, Turkish Airlines' chief marketing officer, also told reporters in Dubai that the airline aimed to have almost 450 aircraft by 2020, from 311 now.
"People want to fly with new aircraft so we have plans to lower the age of our fleet," he said.
Turkish Airlines expects to have 72.4 million passengers this year, representing an 18 per cent increase on 2015.
However, Olmustur said the airline had seen a 10 per cent drop in demand on some Russian and southern European routes.
Tourist arrivals to Turkey have taken a beating following a spate of bomb attacks this year, including two in Istanbul, usually the country's biggest tourist draw.
Arrivals from Russia have also been hit by worsening tension between Ankara and Moscow after Turkey shot down a Russian warplane over Syria last year.
However, Olmustur said Turkish Airlines was betting on improving demand from Iran following the recent lifting of Western sanctions against Tehran.
"We're putting capacity to Iran (up) as far as we can," he said, adding the airline flew to seven destinations in Iran and was looking to increase its capacity by 15 per cent in 2016 from last year. - Reuters
European planemaker Airbus should do a better job selling its A380 superjumbo, according to Emirates, the aircraft's biggest buyer and most vocal supporter within the airline industry.
Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum's comments on Tuesday follow a Reuters report last week that revealed Airbus plans to reduce the production rate for the world's largest passenger jet.
Airbus, facing a shortage of sales, is increasingly focused on a potential new version of its smaller A350 and has shelved a plan to put new engines on the A380.
Emirates has ordered 142 of the A380s, of which 75 are in operation, and has used the aircraft to ease runway constraints at its Dubai hub.
"It's their (Airbus's) decision ... I think they will continue producing this aircraft," Sheikh Ahmed told reporters at a travel conference in Dubai.
"They have really to push their sales team to do much better, especially now the aircraft has been in the market for the last eight years. We should be making it easier for them to sell it to the others."
Emirates carried 51 million passengers in the 2015 calendar year and Sheikh Ahmed forecast this would increase to about 55 million in 2016, while load factor would rise slightly to 80-81 percent from 79 percent in the last calendar year.
Abu Dhabi-owned rival Etihad has bought stakes in several other airlines including India's Jet Airways, Air Berlin and Alitalia, but Sheikh Ahmed said Emirates had no plans to do anything similar.
"No, we would always want to work solely," he said.
"You've got to understand that with the number of aircraft we receive per year, it would be very difficult for me to manage the airline business ... also solving someone else's problem because we bought equity."
A plane operated by Flydubai, Emirates' sister low-cost carrier of which Sheikh Ahmed is also chairman, crashed in Russia last month. Initial investigations indicated pilot error was a likely cause.
"When it comes to safety, there is no cutting costs," added Sheikh Ahmed. "We have a risk management fatigue department where they look all the time at issues, things we hear about. We try to mitigate any risk that can happen." Reuters
Virtual reality is the most appealing new technology travel booking concept in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA), revealed a new survey by YouGov, an internet-based market research agency.
Scott Booth, research director and head of travel, Tourism and Leisure at YouGov ME presented the Travel Booking Trends results as part of an interactive panel discussion held at the new Global Stage arena at the Arabian Travel Market yesterday (April 26), under the theme The Role of Big Data and Immersive Technologies in the Future Travel Booking Experience.
The study sought opinion from over 10,000 travellers across 21 countries in the MENASA region and was designed to understand the latest reaction to different aspects of the travel booking experience. In particular, it sought attitudes towards peer-to-peer services, the rise of travel planning services that use predictive technology to help develop itineraries and virtual reality try before you buy technology.
One of the most exciting areas where technology is influencing consumer behaviour and online activity is the emergence of virtual reality tools in the travel sphere. This kind of immersive experience gives you the chance to try before you buy, and there are examples of this live on the exhibition floor this week, said Nadege Noblet-Segers, exhibition manager, Arabian Travel Market.
Over half of respondents in the study found the concept of virtual reality very appealing, making it the most appealing technological concept to aid their travel planning and booking process. Many also indicated their interest in virtual reality as adding value to the decision-making experience with 64 per cent willing to visit a travel store with the technology and 71 per cent prepared to download travel specific virtual reality content to their devices. One-third also confirmed that they would book their next holiday following a positive in-store virtual reality experience.
Booth said: While the outcome remains uncertain, this study demonstrates content is kingwhoever has the best, most accessible virtual reality content the soonest will stand to benefit most directly from the technology. Over time, we would expect immersive virtual reality content to become the norm, and consumers becoming accustomed to making decisions on the basis of this highly enriched content.
When it comes to predictive itinerary planners, 62 per cent of survey respondents claimed they would use predictive itinerary planning services, particularly Emiratis. In addition 43 per cent claimed they would pay to use them, which was particularly voiced amongst respondents in South Asia. That said, 47 per cent resisted the notion saying it would remove some of the joy of planning their next holiday, interestingly this was also particularly prevalent amongst Emiratis (65 per cent). 71 per cent also expressed concerns about ensuring their data was completely secure before using the concept, which was particularly voiced amongst Westerners (79 per cent). Others were concerned about how online travel companies would use their stored data (54 per cent), with Westerners and Emiratis the most concerned.
Booth added: Certain travellers particularly enjoy planning personal holidays. There is a sense of pride in pulling together and experiencing exactly the right trip for them and their companions. While predictive planners in a sense represent a loss of control in planning, there is immense potential for a service that can dramatically reduce the burden of planning and maintain or even elevate the quality and value of holidays experienced.
62 per cent of respondents claiming they would use a predictive itinerary planner, with Emiratis the keenest (78 per cent), followed by Westerners (52 per cent). It appears that within the next 12 months even more MENASA travellers will get the online travel bug, said Noblet-Segers.
YouGovs 2015 Travel Oracle report for the MENASA region found that 38 per cent of travellers booked all their travel online in 2015 because they found more options available. Over the last 12 months 25 per cent of leisure travellers used an online travel agent to book flights, with 19 per cent booking online direct and just 11 per cent booking via an offline travel agent. The report also found that 57 per cent of travellers claimed that technology had made their travel planning and booking more spontaneous.
Peer-to-peer services, which are technology-based networks related to the hospitality/tourism industry but offering services from individuals and sold through a technology-based platform, was another area highlighted by the YouGov Travel Trends report.
Over three-quarters of respondents were aware of peer-to-peer services for booking transportation, yet current usage statistics for business and leisure travel are still fairly low, at just 15 per cent and 12 per cent respectively. However, when it comes to accommodation, only 55 per cent of respondents were aware of the concept with just 9 per cent currently using it for business or leisure purposes. On the plus side, 27 per cent said they found the idea of using peer-to-peer taxi services very appealing, with 17 per cent finding peer-to-peer accommodation services very appealing.
Now in its 23rd year, ATM 2016 runs till April 28 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. - TradeArabia News Service
Millennium & Copthorne, Middle East and Africa has announced the introduction of The Biltmore Collection, a distinctive portfolio of unique luxury hotels that pay homage to the heritage, rich history and hallmark glamour of the original Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles.
The brand will make its debut with the launch of Biltmore Tbilisi in Georgia this autumn closely followed by Bab Al Qasr in Abu Dhabi, with Biltmore Bateen Marina Abu Dhabi and Biltmore Riyadh, also scheduled to open over the next three years.
From the moment Biltmore Los Angeles opened its doors in 1923, it has been the place to see and be seen, hosting Hollywood royalty, high society, presidents and dignitaries. Designated as a historic-cultural landmark in Los Angeles, the art deco hotel is a living monument to a bygone age when classical architecture, exquisite art and elaborate craftsmanship defined hotels.
Reimagined, reinvented and reborn for the 21st century, The Biltmore Collection leverages the allure of the original Biltmore to provide a portfolio of hotels that offer a contemporary interpretation. Located in highly desirable city centre addresses, The Biltmore Collection will include historic urban gems and contemporary classics, each with its own unique story to tell and designed to reflect its surrounding culture, history and geography in an authentic and meaningful way.
Introducing the new brand, Ali Hamad Lakhraim Alzaabi, president and CEO, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels MEA said: We are thrilled to launch The Biltmore Collection with such a distinguished group of hotels. The original Biltmore is incredibly iconic and we look forward to fusing its enduring legacy with regional inspiration to deliver exceptional hotels for generations to come. Ultimately, its all about creating rich stories and exceptional experiences to define and differentiate, whether it be from a fascinating past, an exclusive location, majestic architecture, seamless service or exquisite dining.
We are very optimistic that the timeless elegance and charisma of the new brand will resonate with the Middle Eastern market as well as cater to the robust demand for high-end hospitality from a new generation of global traveller. We are committed to creating a portfolio of hotels that will become icons in their own right; places where stories are created and memories live on," he added.
Pioneering the new brand will be Biltmore Tbilisi in Georgia, due to welcome its first guests this autumn. Situated on the prestigious Rustaveli Avenue in the historic heart of the capital, the 216-key hotel will exude regal sophistication, with bespoke services and facilities tailored towards discerning travellers. Connected to a landmark historical building known as the former Institute of Marxism and Leninism (IMEL), the hotels unique design will cleverly marry Georgian tradition and modernism, with luxury craftsmanship and inspired touches capturing the soul of the citys captivating culture and history.
The opening will be followed by the launch of Bab Al Qasr in Abu Dhabi, UAE later this year. Set on the pristine waters of the Arabian Gulf in an unrivalled beachfront location on the exclusive Corniche, close to the Presidential Palace, the 677 room hotel comprising of 298 rooms, 114 suites and 265 residences will be a unique new landmark on the capitals ever changing skyline. Born from a partnership between Morocco and the UAE, the hotel will celebrate the close ties the two countries share, drawing on influences in the design and experiences, and coming together with a mutual understanding to deliver warmth and authentic Arabian hospitality.
Additional future hotels will include Biltmore Bateen Marina Abu Dhabi, UAE and Biltmore Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, due to launch in 2018 and 2019 respectively. - TradeArabia News Service
Shaza Hotels, an independent five-star luxury hotel operator, has signed six new hotels across the Middle East that are set to open between 2016 and 2019 in addition to its existing Shaza Al Madinah in Saudi Arabia.
At the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), Sheikh Salem bin Ahmed Al Ghazali, chairman of Golden Group of Companies, and Salman Al Mohannadi, chairman of Shaza Hotels also signed an agreement of management for the new Shaza Muscat that will comprise 250 hotel rooms and 150 hotel apartments, as part of a mixeduse development. The hotel will be welcoming its first guests in the third quarter of 2019.
Further identifying an opportunity to offer Arabian lifestyle in an upscale environment, the brand is launching Mysk by Shaza, a four-star experience with its flagship hotel opening in March 2017 in Al Mouj, Muscat.
Inspired by the Arabic pronunciation of musk, Mysk carries the fragrance of Shaza into a renewed and festive worldliness. Like its parent, Mysk is born out of the Middle Eastern culture, awakening the senses with its enchanting aroma, and creating a theatrical experience that is closely tied to the rich and ever evolving Arabian culture.
The years 2016 and 2017 are a key milestone in the expansion plan of Shaza Hotels and Mysk by Shaza. The third quarter of 2016 will witness the grand opening of Shaza Hotel in Makkah while negotiations are underway for new Shaza projects in Europe, which marks an important new chapter for the brand outside the Middle-East.
Further to the launch of Mysk by Shaza in 2016, five hotels are to be signed in the region by the end of 2017, including two projects currently under negotiation in Saudi Arabia.
Commenting on the chains ground-breaking projects in the pipeline, Simon Coombs, CEO of Shaza Hotels, said: 2016 is definitely a landmark year for Shaza Hotels and we are excited to be unveiling our imminent projects across the Middle East. In a meaningful partnership and dialogue with our owners, we take pride in creating each Shaza Hotel to be a bespoke experience where we deliver the highest standards to our guests. I am now very excited to extend this experience to our new brand Mysk by Shaza." - TradeArabia News Service
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, today announced its strongest annual financial results to date, with a net profit of $103 million ($73 million in 2014) on total revenues of $9.02 billion ($7.55 billion in 2014).
The performance, which marked the airlines fifth consecutive year of net profitability, also saw earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of $259 million, and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and rentals (EBITDAR) of $1.4 billion, representing 16 per cent of total revenues.
James Hogan, Etihad Airways president and chief executive officer, said: Our mandate is to build a sustainably profitable airline. A fifth year of net profits, with our best annual financial performance to date, shows that we are delivering against that goal.
Our profitability clearly demonstrates the success of our business strategy, based on organic growth boosted by our partnerships. As well as operating profitability, we are building enterprise value across the airline and its many additional business streams, he said.
Etihad Airways financial statements are audited by Deloitte and are in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), a statement said.
Strong operational performance saw improved load factor, as passenger volumes outpaced capacity increases. Etihad Airways carried a total of 17.6 million passengers in 2015, an increase of 18.9 per cent year-on-year. The growth in passenger volume continued to exceed Etihad Airways capacity increase and outperformed regional market growth, which has seen a decline in load factors since mid-2014, it said.
Revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs), which measure passenger journeys, increased 21.3 per cent to 83.2 billion, while available seat kilometres (ASKs), which represent capacity, grew by 21.0 per cent to 104.8 billion, it said.
In total, the airline operated 97,400 flights covering 467 million km. The average network-wide seat load factor was 79.4 per cent for 2015, compared with 79.2 per cent in 2014.
Six new destinations were added to Etihad Airways global network Kolkata, Madrid, Hong Kong, Entebbe, Edinburgh and Dar es Salaam and capacity increased on 16 existing routes with bigger aircraft, more frequency and improved seat occupancy.
Etihad Airways fleet increased by 11 aircraft to a total of 121 at year end. With an average age of 5.8 years, Etihad Airways fleet is one of the youngest and most environmentally friendly in the industry. The additions included four A380-800 and four Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, while further leased capacity was also added.
The A380 was rolled out on the Sydney and New York routes, and inducted on a second daily flight to London Heathrow, while the 787 began commercial operations between Abu Dhabi and Zurich, Brisbane, Washington DC and Singapore, it said.
The airline's partnership strategy delivered five million passengers and $1.4 billion in direct revenues, as well as significant cost synergies, Etihad said. The strategy, based on almost 50 codeshare agreements and its strategic minority investments in selected airlines, remained a key driver of its growth in 2015, the airline said.
Etihad Regional was the latest addition to Etihad Airways equity partner network, which also includes airberlin, Air Seychelles, Jet Airways, Air Serbia, Alitalia and Virgin Australia. Etihad Airways stake in the latter increased to 25.1 per cent in 2015. Combined, the equity partners comprise the seventh largest global grouping of airlines, together flying more than 100 million guests worldwide.
The strategy has contributed to a large increase in sales across Etihad Airways global network, delivering revenues of US$ 1.4 billion an increase of 22.1 per cent on 2014 figures and more than five million passengers onto Etihad Airways flights. In addition, the airline and its equity partners have been able to identify and develop significant business synergies and cost savings, it said.
Hogan said the airlines return on its equity investments into the seven airlines was many times more than the money it had spent.
For an investment smaller than the cost of three new aircraft, we have been able to build our global network, attract five million new customers and $1.4 billion of revenues, and share massive cost synergies. Thats smart business.
This is a two-pronged approach. From a strategic level, we are looking for the equity partners to bring network connectivity, generate additional revenues and create economies of scale. All our partners are delivering on this level," he said.
Each partner then has a P&L goal, which is the responsibility of its own management and boards of directors. Many of these, such as Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Jet Airways and Virgin Australia, are now delivering on this level too.
Even with an investment such as airberlin, where it has taken longer than expected for the airline to reach sustainable profitability, we are seeing incredibly strong returns directly into our business, far in excess of our original expectations. We have already received more than $500 million in direct revenues to Etihad Airways and airberlin today delivers more than $150 million a year in direct revenues, as well as wide-ranging cost synergies which have already reached more than $100 million. In addition, the airberlin relationship is delivering a contribution of more than US$ 630 million a year to the Abu Dhabi economy. This is why we remain committed to the restructuring of that business as it moves forward, Hogan said.
Global financial community continued to recognise success of Etihad Airways strategy. During the year, Etihad Airways was instrumental in securing a $700 million financing transaction to fund expansion for the airline, its subsidiary Etihad Airport Services and five of its seven airline equity partners within Etihad Airways Partners (EAP).
Hogan added: This ground-breaking transaction was the first of its kind in the airline industry, and its success highlights the high level of confidence and support from institutional investors for our unique business strategy. It was a vote of confidence not just in Etihad Airways but in our partners too.
Growth continued across groups business streams, including cargo, MRO, catering and ground handling, and frequent flier programme.
Cargo freight and mail volumes rose four per cent to 591,000 tonnes, making it one of the worlds most successful air freight operations, it said. - TradeArabia News Service
Qatar Airways has raised its stake in British Airways owner International Airlines Group (IAG) to under 12 percent from 9.99 percent, chief executive Akbar Al-Baker said on Wednesday, without specifying the exact size of its holding or when it had increased it.
Qatar Airways bought a 9.99 percent stake in IAG, which also owns Iberia, in January 2015. Al-Baker said at the time that Qatar would like to raise its stake.
Speaking at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, he also said Qatar Airways has seen some issues with the A350 and that it was putting pressure on planemaker Airbus to resolve the problems.
"We have some issues with the A350, which was expected because it's a new programme. However, we feel that Airbus is losing steam in resolving these problems with the A350," Al-Baker said.
When asked what issues Qatar Airways had with the A350, he declined to comment, other than to say they related to the supply chain.
Deliveries of A350s are being delayed due to shortages of cabin equipment, sources told Reuters earlier this month.
The comments come after Al-Baker had earlier this week also voiced criticism over the latest variant of the A320 narrowbody jet.
A spokesman for Airbus said it had no comment ahead of the group's quarterly results on Thursday. - Reuters
Saudi Arabia's Flynas will decide whether to order Boeing 737MAX or Airbus 320NEO planes before the start of the holy month of Ramadan in early June, the airline's chief executive said on Wednesday.
The low-cost carrier is considering an initial order of 60 planes, with the possibility of a further 40, as it seeks to replace its existing fleet and expand.
Flynas currently leases Airbus A320s so choosing Boeing would create complications such as retraining staff to work on the U.S. firm's aircraft, Paul Byrne told reporters on the sidelines of an industry event in Dubai.
"To switch ourselves, they (Boeing) have to do a phenomenal deal for us. That deal will have to cover that pain of transition, as it will be painful," said Byrne.
"We are open to that argument, we see them as a player and what we want is something that will see the long-term future of Flynas. That door is wide open to both."
Ultimately, with Flynas in the process of phasing out its leased Airbus fleet, whichever manufacturer it chooses will over time become the sole supplier.
Byrne was quoted earlier this year as saying the airline was also considering Bombardier for the potential order.
However, on Wednesday, he said it had decided against the Canadian manufacturer as its new CS300 aircraft had not been flown by a Middle Eastern carrier in the region's harsh climate.
COMPETITION
Flynas, which turned a profit for the first time in 2015, was expected to do so again this year, Byrne said.
But while he welcomed increased competition in the regional airlines industry, he said the firm was feeling its impact.
"The optimism of 4-5 months ago has dampened down as we're seeing a lot of extra capacity in the market, a lot of state carriers flexing their muscles and dumping capacity with no real plan," said Byrne.
Competition is expected to increase as Saudi Arabian Airlines launches its new low-cost carrier, Flyadeal. Beginning services in mid-2017, it could have up to 50 planes flying by 2020, a senior executive said on Monday.
Flynas, 65-70 per cent of whose flights are domestic, also faces caps on fares imposed by the Saudi government. These would remain in place for at least the next five years, Byrne said, although the limits would be eased on an annual basis.
He argued these charges were unfair on Flynas as, unlike flag-carrier Saudi Arabian Airlines, it was not subsidised by the state. Reuters
Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2016 is experiencing healthy visitor growth, with a 4 per cent increase in the number of visitors through the doors over days one and two, compared to 2015.
The trade event, which is taking place from April 25 to 28 at Dubai World Trade Centre, is well on track to welcome more 26,000 visitors over the four-day showcase, with pre-registered visitors representing an impressive 158 countries.
Now in its 23rd edition, ATM boasts an additional hall this year, with 423 main stand holders representing 86 countries, 64 country pavilions and over 100 new exhibitors making their debut.
The show was officially inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai who was joined by dignitaries including His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Emirates Group and Helal Saeed Al Marri, director general, Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and director general, Dubai World Trade Centre Authority.
New this year is the ATM Global Stage, a 200+ capacity seminar theatre designed to showcase the very best speakers covering high-level strategic topics. A stellar opening session entitled The Future of the UAE As A Global Tourism Hub, which took place on April 25, set the scene for the days ahead by focusing on the need for the seven emirates to come together to promote the country as a top tourism destination while retaining their individuality.
The overriding theme of ATM this year is mid-market travel. - TradeArabia News Service
Crowne Plaza Doha The Business Park, a leading five-star hotel in the Qatari capital, has appointed Marcus Sutton as its new general manager.
Sutton brings with him more than 17 years of industry experience, having worked across leading brands in London, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Jordan.
Originally from Australia, Sutton joined the InterContinental Hotels Group in 2011 as executive assistant manager rooms at InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and InterContinental Residence Suites Dubai Festival City.
Most recently, he served as hotels manager at InterContinental and Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City, where he was responsible for overseeing the operations for a total of 834 rooms and 10 food and beverage outlets. - TradeArabia News Service
UAE's Etihad Airways has selected OpenLink, a global leader in trading and risk management solutions to the energy, commodities, corporate, and financial services industries, for commodities, treasury and enterprise risk management.
Driving the deal was the airlines move to consolidate its fuel risk management and treasury business into a single strategic platform. Managing these functions in one system instead of its previous two, provides senior managers with a consolidated view of operations, and treasury activities such as; dealing (management of interest, currency and commodity risks), risk management, cash liquidity and working capital management, back office operations, corporate finance and insurance.
Adam Boukadida, Etihad Airways deputy treasurer, said: As we expand, aligning with a partner who has a proven track record of success is essential. OpenLink was the standout choice as a one-stop solution to cater for and support the daily Treasury core functions in the most efficient manner, i.e. cash management or funding, in-house banking, trade capture and settlement of Foreign Exchange, Money Market, Loan, Lease, IRS and Fuel Hedging payments and Islamic equivalents.
Claudio Capozzi, OpenLink managing director for EMEA, added: "Our comprehensive solution fully supports Etihad Airways growth goals. Working with an airline group of this calibre is a testament to OpenLink's ability to support global corporates where efficient systems and return on investment are paramount."
Amer Attar, director of Business Development, Middle East and Africa at OpenLink, said: "Working with Etihad Airways is a sign of our commitment to the region. This commitment is supported by our expanding presence with a larger team and offices in Dubai, which allows us to develop closer partnerships and additional engagements in the region. - TradeArabia News Service
GILLETTE A Gillette woman charged with shooting and killing her husband has been found competent to stand trial for first-degree murder.
Debra Johnson is accused of fatally shooting her 48-year-old husband, Brian Johnson, in January. A report presented in court Monday determined Johnson was competent to move forward with trial.
The 53-year-old woman had called police Jan. 3 to tell them she shot her husband. The man was found in the living room with a gunshot wound to his chest. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead.
Police say Johnson acknowledged using a hunting rifle to shoot her husband.
Johnson is being held on $500,000 bail, despite requests from her attorney, Mitch Damsky, who says his client doesn't have any prior criminal history.
CHEYENNE Wyomings marijuana laws will again be in the spotlight during a legislative committee meeting Wednesday in Rock Springs.
Members of the Legislatures Joint Judiciary Interim Committee will consider the future of a bill to regulate marijuana edibles after such an effort failed in the last legislative session.
Lawmakers will also discuss the release of a final report from the Governors Marijuana Impact Assessment Council, which is expected to detail marijuanas effects on Wyoming, including if the state were to hypothetically legalize some form of the plant.
Sen. Leland Christensen, R-Alta and one of the co-chairmen of the committee, said he feels the state still needs to address marijuana edibles in light of court cases that have questioned whether Wyomings marijuana laws apply to edibles.
During the most recent legislative session, lawmakers discussed a bill that would have made possession of three ounces of marijuana edibles a felony.
After being passed in the Senate, the edibles bill died in the House.
Well see if the committee wants to look at bringing the same bill back (to the Legislature) or change it, Christensen said Tuesday.
That discussion will lead into an expected review of the Marijuana Impact Assessment report.
Months in the making, the report is supposed to provide information about the effects of marijuana from agriculture to health to criminal justice as it pertains to Wyoming.
Groups opposed and in favor of levels of marijuana legalization are expected to be at the meeting.
Both the Wyoming County and Prosecuting Attorneys Association and the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police have representatives on the agenda to discuss marijuana laws, and both are against legalizing medical marijuana.
Representatives of Wyoming NORML, a group in favor of legalizing medical marijuana and hemp cultivation, will also be present.
Wyoming NORML was previously listed on the committees agenda individually, but was removed.
Christensen has said he believes the group is a special interest and noted group representatives and any member of the public can still speak.
They are welcome, and they are invited to come speak during the public comment period, he said.
Wyoming NORML representatives said they can offer informed opinions about marijuana laws.
The group was especially disappointed to be removed from the agenda, since the committee will discuss Wyoming NORMLs ongoing medical marijuana ballot initiative.
Carrie Satterwhite, a spokeswoman for Wyoming NORML, said she feels removal from the agenda was disrespectful and gives the appearance the committee is not welcoming ideas they may disagree with.
Our group just wants good, common sense rules, she said.
The meeting will begin at 8 a.m. at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs.
The Judiciary Committee will also discuss opioid abuse, child welfare, sex offender registration funding, post-conviction relief, jail placement coordination and criminal justice reform during its two-day meeting.
Editor:
May 1-7 is Public Service Recognition Week. Across the country and in communities like Casper and Douglas, federal, state, county and local government employees serve us every day. Please join me in publicly acknowledging the good work done by the active and retired federal workers in Wyoming.
At a time when much of the talk about federal employees is biased or uninformed, let's use this week to talk about what federal employees really do. They work alongside our military at home and abroad to defend our country. They conduct cutting-edge research to improve health and prevent disease. They regulate food and drug products to keep us safe. And when natural disasters strike, they are there to provide relief and help us rebuild.
Despite popular belief, 85 percent of federal employees work outside of Washington, D.C. All around this country, federal employees help seniors get their Social Security benefits, guide airplanes safely through our skies and care for our veterans and wounded warriors.
During Public Service Recognition Week, please join me in recognizing the important work of the public employees in our community and thanking them for their service.
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) The growing number of patients who claim marijuana helped them drop their painkiller habit has intrigued lawmakers and emboldened advocates, who are pushing for cannabis as a treatment for the abuse of opioids and illegal narcotics like heroin, as well as an alternative to painkillers.
It's a tempting sell in New England, hard hit by the painkiller and heroin crisis, with a problem: There is very little research showing marijuana works as a treatment for the addiction.
Advocates argue a growing body of scientific literature supports the idea, pointing to a study in the Journal of Pain this year that found chronic pain sufferers significantly reduced their opioid use when taking medical cannabis. And a study published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association found cannabis can be effective in treating chronic pain and other ailments.
But the research falls short of concluding marijuana helps wean people off opioids Vicodin, Oxycontin and related painkillers and heroin, and many medical professionals say it's not enough for them to confidently prescribe it.
In Maine, which is considering adding opioid and heroin addiction to the list of conditions that qualify for medical marijuana, Michelle Ham said marijuana helped her end a yearslong addiction to painkillers she took for a bad back and neck.
Tired of feeling "like a zombie," the 37-year-old mother of two decided to quit cold turkey, which she said brought on convulsions and other withdrawal symptoms.
Then, a friend mentioned marijuana, which Maine had legalized in 1999 for chronic pain and scores of other medical conditions. She gave it a try in 2013 and said the pain is under control. And she hasn't gone back on the opioids.
"Before, I couldn't even function. I couldn't get anything done," Ham said. "Now, I actually organize volunteers, and we have a donations center to help the needy."
Bolstered by stories like Ham's, doctors are experimenting with marijuana as an addiction treatment in Massachusetts and California. Supporters in Maine are pushing for its inclusion in qualifying conditions for medical marijuana, and Vermonters are making the case for addiction treatment in their push to legalize pot.
Authorities are also desperate to curb a sharp rise in overdoses; Maine saw a 31 percent increase last year, and drug-related deaths in Vermont have jumped 44 percent since 2010. Vermont officials also blame opioid abuse for a 40 percent increase over the past two years of children in state custody.
"I don't think it's a cure for everybody," said Maine Rep. Diane Russell, a Portland Democrat and a leader in the state effort to legalize marijuana. "But why take a solution off the table when people are telling us and physicians are telling us that it's working?"
Most states with medical marijuana allow it for a list of qualifying conditions. Getting on that list is crucial and has resulted in a tug of war in many states, including several in which veterans have been unsuccessful in getting post-traumatic stress disorder approved for marijuana treatment.
"It's hard to argue against anecdotal evidence when you are in the middle of a crisis," said Patricia Hymanson, a York, Maine, neurologist who has taken a leave of absence to serve in the state House. "But if you do too many things too fast, you are sometimes left with problems on the other end."
In New Hampshire, where drug deaths more than doubled last year from 2011 levels, the Senate last week rejected efforts to decriminalize marijuana.
There are some promising findings involving rats and one 2014 JAMA study showing that states with medical marijuana laws had nearly 25 percent fewer opioid-related overdose deaths than those without, but even a co-author on that study said it would be wrong to use the findings to make the case for cannabis as a treatment option.
"We are in the midst of a serious problem. People are dying and, as a result, we ought to use things that are proven to be effective," said Dr. Richard Saitz, chair of the Department of Community Health Sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health.
Cannabis could have limited benefits as a treatment alternative, said Harvard Medical School's Dr. Kevin Hill, who last year authored the JAMA study that found benefits in using medical marijuana to treat chronic pain, neuropathic pain and spasticity related to multiple sclerosis. But he urged caution.
"If you are thinking about using cannabis as opposed to using opioids for chronic pain, then I do think the evidence does support it," he said. "However, I think one place where sometimes cannabis advocates go too far is when they talk about using cannabis to treat opioid addiction."
The findings in the Journal of Pain study that found chronic pain sufferers reduced their opioid use when using medical pot were limited because participants self-reported the data.
Other research is forthcoming, including a study by Rand Corp. that has found states with medical pot dispensaries saw reductions in admissions to treatment centers for opioid abuse and dependence.
Substance abuse experts argue there are already approved medications. It would also be wrong to portray marijuana as completely safe, they say, because it can also be addictive.
But supporters point to doctors like Dr. Gary Witman, of Canna Care Docs, who has treated addicts with cannabis at his offices in Fall River, Stoughton and Worcester, Massachusetts.
Since introducing the treatment in September, Witman said, 15 patients have successfully weened themselves off opioids. None have relapsed.
"When I see them in a six-month follow up, they are much more focused," Witman said. "They have greater respect. They feel better about themselves. Most importantly, I'm able to get them back to gainful employment."
___
Associated Press writer Tom Bell in Augusta, Maine, contributed to this report.
Space entrepreneur Jim Cantrell is planning to build small rockets in Tucson that will launch micro satellites into orbit at a fraction of the cost involved in full-scale launches.
Cantrell is CEO of newly formed Vector Space Systems, which announced Tuesday that it has secured angel investment of $1 million to continue building and testing prototype rockets already being developed by Garvey Spacecraft Corp., which is a partner in the new venture.
Cantrell, who has run a space investment and consulting business called StratSpace from Tucson since 2008, said the 35-foot-tall rockets will be manufactured here and launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, California and Alaska. The rockets will carry lightweight satellites into low-Earth orbit, from 200 to 800 miles up, Cantrell said.
A growing market for imaging, communications and scientific inquiry could lead to 100 launches a year for the company, Cantrell said, and a multibillion-dollar space business headquartered in Tucson.
There has been a dramatic increase in the number of (micro) satellite launches, said Jim Bell, president of the Planetary Society and a professor at Arizona State Universitys School of Earth and Space Exploration. Hundreds have been launched into low-Earth orbit.
At ASU, a CubeSat program that builds lightweight instruments for delivery into space has three or four in the works, with launches planned in the next couple years, Bell said.
Bell said the nonprofit Planetary Society has also launched a CubeSat to deploy an experimental, photon-powered light sail.
A successful test of a light sail in January will be followed by a launch into low-Earth orbit sometime this year.
Bell is director of ASUs NewSpace Initiative, which was created to form partnerships between private space companies and the School of Earth and Space Exploration.
Without commenting directly on Vector Enterprises potential, Bell said launch companies will be needed to accommodate the growing need for small satellites to do imaging, remote-sensing and communications. There arent any dedicated launchers for them, Bell said.
Cantrell said his company will concentrate its business on satellites from 1 to 50 kilograms (2.2 to 110 pounds), which make up about 75 percent of the market.
An analysis done by SpaceWorks Enterprises of Atlanta predicts the launch of 3,000 micro satellites in that size range by 2022.
The SpaceWorks report notes that a number of companies are developing launch systems for nano-satellites. A recent article in Aviation Week identified a dozen of them, including Virgin Galactic and SpaceX.
Cantrell, who was the vice president for business development at SpaceX in its early days, said Vector aims to provide low-cost launches on a regular basis.
Cantrell said the company is testing now at a facility near Mojave, California, and will make its first orbital test in 2018. We expect to be operational within two years, he said.
The $1 million raised recently at the Silicon Valley Space 2.0 gathering is the first of three fundraising rounds, he said. Ultimately, about $50 million will be needed to start the company, he said.
Cantrell has worked for the French Space Agency and NASA. His consulting firm has been involved in a number of space startups, including Planet Labs, Skybox Imaging and Tucson-based World View, which has a contract with Pima County to lease a $15 million manufacturing building and spaceport capable of launching the companys high-altitude balloons.
Vectors other founders John Garvey, Ken Sunshine and Eric Besnard have decades of experience in space programs, including with NASA, McDonnell Douglas and Virgin Galactic.
Cantrell said Vector has no plans to launch missiles in Tucson, but will build them here. The countys planned tech park, near the Tucson International Airport and Raytheon Missile Systems, is a possibility.
The once popular Indian food truck The Twisted Tandoor has joined Tucson restaurant group Jam Culinary Concepts, parent of Vero Amore and Noble Hops, and will soon have its own brick-and-mortar restaurant.
Plans arent finalized, but the restaurant is expected to open in midtown in late August or early September, said Suzanne Kaiser, an owner and partner in Jam with her sons Joshua and Aric Mussman.
Kaiser said the partnership comes two years after the company started working with Twisted Tandoors owners Roop and Mukhi Singh, who started the food truck in 2012. The Singhs were in the process of opening a temporary restaurant in summer 2015 when Mukhi Singh died of an apparent heart attack. He was 52.
Soon after joining forces in February, Vero Amore, the Mussman brothers Neapolitan pizzeria, started serving Indian style pizzas based on Roop Singhs recipes. Singh described the pizzas as being similar to serving her savory chicken tikka masala on classic Indian naan.
Singh said the restaurant, to be called The Twisted Tandoor, will feature many of the popular dishes they served on the food truck among an expanded menu of Indian dishes, all using her recipes. The menu also could have Indian pizzas and sandwiches.
She said she will not be the chef in the kitchen that was her husbands job during their food truck days but she will follow her late husbands food philosophy: The most important thing will be that people like the food, she said.
Its big shoes to step into when it comes to peoples expectations, when it comes to the reputation of The Twisted Tandoor, she said. (But) it will be fun, Im sure.
Other news ...
Meanwhile, the Mussman brothers are in Salt Lake City this week working on renovations of a bar they bought in late December, Kaiser said. The bar, called Tinwell, is located in Salt Lake Citys bustling and thriving downtown area.
Kaiser said Tinwell will serve a limited food menu, but its main focus will be to serve alcohol.
Its a great old building from 1945 with tall ceilings and wood floors. Its going to be wonderful, said Kaiser, who said the bar is open three nights a week while they completely renovate the space. We bought a dive bar and we thought we were going to make it into a restaurant, as well, but at this point its great as bar.
Kaiser said they bought the building in December after the brothers fell in love with Salt Lake City during a visit for a family wedding. The building came with a liquor license, which was key; Utah law makes it hard to acquire a liquor license in a process that often takes at least a year, she said.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas is withdrawing from the federal government's refugee resettlement program over safety concerns, Gov. Sam Brownback announced Tuesday after taking what could be a largely symbolic action to show displeasure with President Barack Obama's administration.
Brownback's move means the state will reject between $1.6 million and $1.8 million a year in federal funds to provide cash benefits and health care coverage to refugees. Brownback told the director of the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement earlier this month that he wanted the withdrawal to be effective "at the earliest possible date."
But the Republican governor's letter, dated April 19, came less than a week after another federal official told him that if Kansas withdrew from the program, federal officials would work directly with local agencies to provide help and, "refugees will continue to arrive in the state." Mark Greenberg, acting assistant secretary for children and families in the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, wrote Brownback on April 13, saying the state's withdrawal would have "no effect" on the placement of refugees or their benefits.
HHS spokesman Kevin Griffis said Tuesday in an email: "Not all states participate in the administration of the refugee resettlement program, and refugee resettlement will continue in Kansas, coordinated by nonprofit organizations."
Like other Republican governors, Brownback has been a strong critic of the Democratic president's decision last year to resettle thousands of Syrian refugees in the U.S. Brownback contends the Obama administration isn't doing enough to ensure that potential terrorists are kept out of the country.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, another Republican, took the same action earlier this month.
Since Oct. 1, 354 refugees have been resettled in Kansas, and five of them were from Syria, according to the state Department for Children and Families. Another eight Syrian refugees settled in Kansas from January through September 2015.
Brownback's office released a copy of Greenberg's letter on April 13, as well as 15 other documents meant to show that the governor has repeatedly sought assurances that refugees were being thoroughly screened.
In November, after attacks in Paris, Brownback issued an executive order to bar state agencies from helping Syrian refugees. In January, he expanded it to cover assistance to "refugees that present a safety and security risk."
"While our preference would have been to preserve the State's long history of participation in the refugee resettlement program, that is no longer possible in the current security environment," Brownback wrote in an April 25 letter to Robert Carey, director of the federal office of Refugee Resettlement.
The New York-based International Rescue Committee, which provides services to refugees in Kansas, said it will continue to resettle them in the state. Jennifer Sime, a senior vice president for the group, said in a statement that Brownback's action "is completely out of touch with local communities' overwhelming support and embrace of refugees."
And Micah Kubic, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, said Brownback's announcement is a "symbolic statement" because the state will find local groups to "step into the void." He said in the short term, as federal officials adjust, groups may find it harder to help refugees and refugees may struggle to get assistance.
"You still couldn't stop refugees from crossing the state line," he said. "The federal government is the one who gets to decide when and where and how refugees get resettled."
Brownback spokeswoman Eileen Hawley said the governor has strong compassion for refugees but is taking the only action available without "the assurances we need as a state" from federal officials about screening refugees.
"This is not an action the governor takes lightly," Hawley said. "There comes a time when you have to take a stand."
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Online:
Documents released by governor's office: http://1.usa.gov/1SyB636
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Follow John Hanna on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apjdhanna .
Those who try to recruit companies to Arizona are choking on a bone these days the Goldwater Institutes lawsuit over Pima Countys deal with World View Enterprises.
Locally, the questions are relatively clear: Did Pima County adhere to state law and Arizonas constitution when passing the $20 million incentive package for this local near-space balloon company? That will be answered in court.
From a statewide perspective, the questions are bigger. Gov. Doug Ducey has made recruitment of companies to Arizona one of the highest priorities of his administration. Now, for the first time during his term in office, his putative allies at Goldwater are suing to stop an incentive deal.
This lawsuit casts doubt on what can be done from an economic development standpoint, Steven Zylstra, the president and CEO of the Arizona Tech Council told me from Germany, where hes attending the Hannover Messe technology fair.
Space travel and research, he said, seems to be an up and coming industry, and too often AZ seems to be left behind on these kind of things. Here we have an opportunity to be in the drivers seat, and obstacles are put in the way.
Now, it isnt the first time the Goldwater Institute has become an obstacle to incentive deals for private companies. Goldwater brought the successful suit, Turken vs. Gordon, by which the Arizona Supreme Court in 2010 established the current case law over the constitutions gift clause and government incentives for private companies.
And in a visit to the Arizona Daily Star on Monday, attorney James Manley argued that Goldwaters interest in the Pima County deal and the whole economic-incentive world is simply one of principle.
We dont think these sorts of deals are a good idea, period, Manley said. The better way to encourage business is to have a level playing field and have a good business environment for everyone strong infrastructure, good education, good tax and regulatory policy.
So true, so true. And yet, so divorced from reality.
We live in a region where Nevada just gave a $1.25 billion yes, billion with a B tax-break to Tesla Motors to build a battery plant near Reno. In Texas, under previous Gov. Rick Perry, the New York Times found that state gave out the equivalent of $19 billion per year in incentives to companies.
Certainly Goldwater knows thats what were competing against.
I challenged Manley on this point, and he said incentives alone arent inherently illegal or unconstitutional in Arizona, even with the gift clause, which limits government aid for individual companies.
In the context of the World View deal, for example, he pointed to state law requiring counties to get an appraisal for properties they plan to lease and to hold an auction for the lease. That can be done even in the context of an incentive deal, he argued.
Were fairly confident the lease rate here is not anywhere near market value, he said.
But when I talked to him Tuesday, Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry said Manley and Goldwater are conveniently overlooking another law, which seems to give counties broad leeway.
ARS 11-254.04 says counties may appropriate and spend public monies for and in connection with economic development activities.
The same law says the county may engage in the acquisition, improvement, leasing or conveyance of real or personal property or other activity, that the board of supervisors has found and determined will assist in the creation or retention of jobs or will otherwise improve or enhance the economic welfare of the inhabitants of the county.
Said Huckelberry: It sounds like Goldwater is attacking that statute. That statute is of statewide application. If you dont like that statute, why dont you go to the Legislature and get them to change it?
Huckelberry argues, essentially, that Goldwater is picking on Pima County. He pointed to several deals done in Arizona over recent years and months that are similar to the World View deal and that Goldwater has not sued over.
In 2015, for example, Scottsdale agreed to build $25 million hangars for Gemini Air Group, which is serving wealthy customers at Scottsdale Airpark. Gemini is paying back the construction cost via its lease, just as World View is scheduled to do with Pima County.
Manley said Goldwater isnt picking on the Democrat-run county it just got complaints from Pima County taxpayers and didnt get them from other jurisdictions over their deals.
But his description of the Pima deal, in a piece he wrote for last Sundays Star and when meeting with us on Monday, often sounds more political than legal. Repeatedly, he and Goldwater have emphasized the space-tourism business that World View plans to engage in without mentioning its research business, which may end up being the more lucrative line.
He called the balloon rides a plaything for the rich, to which I said, So what, if it works?
Im not convinced Goldwater isnt picking on Pima County, when there are more cases it could have filed in Republican-dominated jurisdictions near Phoenix. And Im worried that other economic development deals will be hindered by this conflict.
Pima County made itself vulnerable in January when it didnt allow enough time for scrutiny in pushing the World View deal through quickly. As a result were paying the price of being Arizonas next test case.
Even if Goldwaters motive isnt completely pure, government-incentive plans should be scrutinized. All you have to do is look at our neighboring states to see the scale of the tax breaks wed be handing out if it werent for the Gift Clause and someone to enforce it.
People living with disabilities will find resources at Connecting Tucson, Southern Arizonas Disability Resource and Transition Expo on Saturday, April 30.
There will be information and booths from more than 100 local service providers.
The free expo runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Beacon Group, 308 W. Glenn St.
For more information, go online to ConnectingTucson.org, or contact Beacon Groups Patrick McCarthy at 622-4874, Ext. 166, or pmccarthy@BeaconGroup.org.
Planned site of the open-pit Rosemont Copper Mine is on private land in the Santa Rita Mountains southeast of Tucson.
A federal agency thats raised sharp and at times blistering criticisms of the proposed $1.5 billion Rosemont Mine is keeping its views close to the vest as decision time approaches for the long-delayed project.
In a recent interview, a top Environmental Protection Agency official gave no clues as to whether the EPA would refer the project for a higher-level review before the U.S. Forest Service makes its final decision on the mine, proposed for the Santa Rita Mountains southeast of Tucson.
EPA Regional Administrator Jared Blumenfeld also wouldnt say if it would consider vetoing a second permit for the project if the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decides to issue that one.
The prospect of a Rosemont decision looms large now because the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last week turned over to the Forest Service its Final Biological Opinion on the projects impacts on 11 endangered and threatened species. Thats the last major report before the Forest Service issues a decision on a project that was proposed in 2007.
The Forest Service has declined to say when it will make a decision although EPA has predicted one bb mid-May. Once the Forest Service decides, the Corps has said it will make its decision.
Blumenfelds recent near-silence on Rosemont is a world apart not just from the EPAs history of critical comments on it, but from the agencys July 2014 proposal to severely restrict waste discharges from the planned Pebble Mine on Alaskas Bristol Bay. That proposal came before the mining company had even applied for a federal permit to build the project.
Patrick Parenteau, a Vermont law professor who has followed the EPAs activities closely, said Tuesday that he believes the agency is hesitant to speak on Rosemont today because it got burned by political criticism and legal action regarding another Pebble. The EPA discounted that theory in a statement, however, saying the EPA reviews every project subject to the National Environmental Policy Act consistent with the rules and guidance.
Blumenfeld also declined in his interview this month to say if the EPA has learned any new information that could conceivably affect its views on Rosemont. It has drawn strong support from the business community in Tucson because it would create 450 permanent jobs and generate additional spinoff economic benefits. Its drawn strong opposition from environmental and community groups who fear its impacts on air, water supplies, water quality, species and wildlife habitat.
Were at a place where other agencies have a responsibility to go through and make their decisions, said Blumenfeld, who steps down from his job May 6. Prejudging is actually not useful for EPA. We we want to make sure we do our regulatory job and make sure other regulatory agencies do theirs. Until there is a decision, its premature for us to weigh in.
Even making a statement that the EPA hasnt changed its views can lead to a perception that its prejudging the mine, he said.
It could mean, for instance, that it has the same views as it had in early 2012 when it told the Forest Service that its draft environmental report on the mine was one of the worst ever published in the EPAs Region 9, which includes Arizona, California and Nevada, he said.
We havent seen the biological opinion and we havent seen the 600 pages of comments that Hudbay sent in on the biological opinion that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has prepared on the mine, he said, referring to Hudbay Minerals Inc., which proposes to build Rosemont. We havent been privy to a lot of discussions ...
We need to wait until we see the entire body of new information. Its irresponsible to make a statement whether what Ive seen could change our views, since I havent seen the complete record. We will get to see the complete record when decisions are made.
Based on what the Forest Service decides and the Corps decides, then we decide if we will be able to determine whether our issues have been resolved, he said.
The EPA can, under federal regulations, refer the mine dispute to the White House Council on Environmental Quality if it concludes it is unable to resolve its differences with the Forest Service before the service makes its decision.
The council can refer such a dispute to the president for final action. The EPA has the legal right to veto an Army Corps permit although its only done that 13 times since the Clean Water Act became law in the 1970s.
In the Pebble case, the EPA, after conducting what it said was a comprehensive review, proposed to restrict the discharge of mine wastes into federally regulated waters.
The EPA said that would cause the loss of 24 or more miles of spawning streams, 1,100 acres of wetlands and ponds or reduce streamflows by more than 20 percent in nine or more miles of spawning stream, said Parenteaus account of the dispute in a newsletter published by the nonprofit Environmental Law Institute, a center-left organization.
The mining company and Alaska politicians from the governor and senators on down criticized this as an unlawful pre-emptive veto. Parenteaus article noted the EPA has considerable legal authority to act before a permit is granted or even applied for. The mining company Northern Dynasty said the agency should have waited for a complete review by the Army Corps.
The mining company has also won a preliminary federal court injunction against the EPA, halting it from doing any more work on the Pebble project until the court can decide whether the EPA held illegal secret meetings with opposition groups.
I think the agency has been burned at Pebble, not necessarily that they are at fault, by getting in front of the Corps, said Parenteau, whose article was sympathetic to the agencys view and who has been critical of Rosemont. They are definitely gun-shy. They have reasons to be gun-shy. Not getting ahead of the Corps at Rosemont is smart.
The Pebble and Rosemont mines are very different cases, Blumenfeld said. With Rosemont, there is a permitting history that needs to reach its conclusion, he said. There is a lot of serious consideration going into making sure this project meets its environmental obligations.
PHOENIX A judge late Tuesday threw out a challenge to last months presidential primary.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge David Gass said there was evidence of problems in the March 22 election as well as things that may have been done wrong.
And the judge said its certainly possible that the decision by Maricopa County to have just 60 polling places was a mistake and that the result was some people choosing to walk away rather than stand in line for more than five hours.
But Gass said nothing presented by the attorney for Tucsonan John Brakey was enough to allow him to void the result.
The evidence suggests there may have been some glitches, Gass said at the end of the two-day hearing.
Glitches are always something that we need to be wary of, and we need to work hard, and we need to fix them going forward, the judge explained. But they dont rise to the level of fraud.
As to that lack of polling places, Gass said any concerns should have been brought up to the Board of Supervisors and, if necessary to a court after the number was announced.
Otherwise, what we face is trying to undo an election where more than a million people voted, and tell those more than a million people that were not going to count their vote, he said.
Todays ruling may not be the last word.
Attorney Michael Kielsky has the option of taking the case to the Court of Appeals. And Gass acknowledged the appellate judges may have a different viewpoint about some of his conclusions.
But Gass said he expects his ruling to be upheld because of one simple fact: There is no evidence the result of the March 22 vote would have been any different had some of the glitches not occurred.
Kielsky tried to prove otherwise, even soliciting the testimony of Richard Charnin, a Florida resident who has two degrees in math. Charnin has something of a reputation in the area, even writing in books that simple mathematics proves that the 1968, 1988, 2004 and 2008 elections were fraudulent.
Charnin told Gass that a comparison of voter turnout and election returns for Maricopa County between this years presidential primary and the one eight years ago mathematically shows that voting was depressed. His formula put the difference in that 100,000 range.
Gass, however, refused to consider his testimony, saying there were flaws in the methodology.
That left Colleen Connor, a deputy Maricopa County attorney, to point out to Gass that it was Kielsky who promised at the beginning of the case to prove that 100,000 or more voters had been disenfranchised, with an allegation that most of those voters were from minority groups.
He also used the word fraud, she reminded the judge. What the evidence has shown is nothing of the sort.
Connor did not dispute the long lines, with even Gass acknowledging he didnt need anyone to prove through witnesses and testimony.
But she and the attorneys defending Secretary of State Michele Reagan and several other counties named in the lawsuit pointed out that even those who said they ran into problems, like being told they were not registered with the party they thought, were allowed to cast ballots. And if there were questions about whether those votes would be counted, voters were free to present evidence of their eligibility to county election officials in the days following the election.
Therefore, there is no evidence, certainly not 100,000 voters, who were disenfranchised, Connor said.
Kielsky, however, refused to concede the point.
There is evidence in the record that shows that, he insisted, but acknowledged it was largely circumstantial.
Gass said that, ultimately, Kielsky may have brought a challenge there was no way for him to win.
The only other reason to void an election, Gass said, is if there is reason to believe the outcome would have been different had the problems not occurred. Here, too, the judge rejected the contention that more polling places would have meant more people casting ballots and somehow a result that would have kept either Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton from winning.
There was evidence that some voters were given ballots to the wrong congressional district after polling places ran out of the correct ones. Gass said even if that were the case, he still cant conclude the delegate allocation might have differed.
Reagan was named as a defendant because she is the one who certified the results of the March 22 primary.
PHOENIX A judge this afternoon threw out a challenge to last month's presidential primary.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge David Gass said there was evidence of problems in the March 22 election as well as things that may have been done wrong. And the judge said it's certainly possible that the decision by Maricopa County to have just 60 polling places was a mistake and that the result was some people choosing to walk away rather than stand in line for more than five hours.
But Gass said nothing presented by the attorney for Tucsonan John Brackey was enough to allow him to void the result.
"The evidence suggests there may have been some glitches, Gass said at the end of the two-day hearing.
"Glitches are always something that we need to be wary of, and we need to work hard, and we need to fix them going forward, the judge explained. "But they don't rise to the level of fraud.
As to that lack of polling places, Gass said any concerns should have been brought up to the Board of Supervisors and, if necessary to a court after the number was announced.
"Otherwise, what we face is trying to undo an election where more than a million people voted, and tell those more than a million people that we're not going to count their vote, he said.
Today's ruling may not be the last word.
Attorney Michael Kielsky has the option of taking the case to the Court of Appeals. And Gass acknowledged the appellate judges may have a different viewpoint about some of his conclusions.
But Gass said he expects his ruling to be upheld because of one simple fact: There is no evidence that the result of the March 22 vote would have been any different had some of the "glitches'' not occurred.
A federal jury awarded a Tucson couple more than $1 million in damages for being detained by sheriffs deputies during a raid on their home that stemmed from a fake 911 call.
On April 22, a U.S. District Court jury ordered the Pima County Sheriffs Department to pay Rob and Jill Larson $1.25 million, after deciding that deputies violated the couples constitutional rights, said the Larsons attorney, Michael Garth Moore, in a news release. The trial was held before U.S. District Judge David Bury.
On May 23, 2013, the Sheriffs Department received a 911 call from a person reporting a confrontation with gunfire across the street from his residence. Deputies went to the home southwest of Tucson, Moore said.
The Larsons, who were sleeping at the time, were awakened and opened the door when they heard deputies banging and screaming. They were handcuffed and placed into a department vehicle outside the home, Moore said.
Deputies began searching their home but stopped the search when the 911 caller informed them they had the wrong house. The Larsons, however, were detained while another nearby home was searched, Moore said.
The occupants of the second home were also handcuffed and questioned outside the house while the residence was searched, according to court documents.
After finding nothing in the second house, the raid was called off when a search of the departments database revealed that the person who called 911 had repeatedly made false 911 calls, Moore said. That man, identified in court documents as William Warfe Jr., was a neighbor of the Larsons.
In addition, the caller had been transported by sheriffs deputies to a mental-health crisis center days before the raid, Moore said. The original complaint said sheriffs deputies went to the trailer park where Warfe lived numerous times dealing with baseless 911 calls. The parks manager had also called deputies just days before the raid to complain about Warfe terrorizing the trailer park, the original court complaint said.
All of the encounters with Warfe were entered into a sheriffs database, the document states.
The jury concluded that the deputies acted according to a long-held practice of Pima County in ignoring evidence that revealed 911 calls to be fake, Moore said. The Larsons hope that this victory will convince the sheriff to implement policies that prevent the abuse they suffered.
When asked if the department has changed its procedures since the 2013 incident, Deputy Courtney Rodriguez, a department spokeswoman, said the agency was not able to discuss the case or anything surrounding it.
WASHINGTON Bolstering his grip on the Republican primaries, Donald Trump prepared Wednesday for a general election showdown with Hillary Clinton, accusing the Democratic front-runner of "playing the woman card" in her presidential campaign.
Trump swept five states in Tuesday's Northeast primaries, bringing him tantalizingly close to securing the Republican nomination against Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. Clinton, meanwhile, is now 90 percent of the way to her party's nomination after four solid victories of her own.
Trump, the Republican businessman, pushed forward with his charge that Clinton is "playing the woman card," telling CNN's "New Day" in a telephone interview Wednesday that "she does have the woman card" but said that "a lot of women don't like Hillary, despite the card."
Clinton said during her Tuesday night rally in Philadelphia that Trump had accused her of playing the "woman card," telling supporters, "if fighting for women's health care and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the 'woman card,' then deal me in."
The Republican race now turns to Indiana, where next week's primary marks one of Cruz's last chances to slow Trump and push the race toward a contested convention. While Trump does need to keep winning in order to stay on his narrow path to the GOP nomination, he declared himself the party's "presumptive nominee" after Tuesday's results rolled in.
"It's over. As far as I'm concerned it's over," he declared. The real estate mogul now has 77 percent of the delegates he needs.
Trump emerged with more than 50 percent of the Republican votes in Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Maryland, and scored over 60 percent in Delaware and Rhode Island. Similarly, Clinton won convincingly in four of the five contests, scoring 56 percent in Pennsylvania and 63 percent in Maryland the two biggest contests of the night. Her rival, Bernie Sanders, won the Rhode Island primary with 55 percent of the vote.
Trump planned to deliver a foreign policy speech in Washington and then campaign in Indiana. The address at a downtown hotel is the first in a series of speeches the Republican front-runner is expected to give in the coming weeks, all with the goal of easing Americans' concerns about his readiness for the presidency.
Likewise, Clinton was eager to turn her attention to Trump. While Clinton advisers say they won't underestimate Trump, as many of his vanquished Republican rivals did, her campaign sees opportunities to not only energize Democrats in an effort to keep him out of the White House but also appeal to Republicans turned off by the brash billionaire.
"If you are a Democrat, an independent or a thoughtful Republican, you know that their approach is not going to build an America where we increase opportunity or decrease inequality," Clinton said of the GOP candidates.
Trump's victories came in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. Clinton ceded only Rhode Island to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Sanders, in an interview with The Associated Press, conceded he has a "very narrow path and we're going to have to win some big victories."
In the Republican race, Cruz and Kasich are desperately trying to force a convention fight. The challengers have even taken the rare step of announcing plans to coordinate in upcoming contests to try to minimize Trump's delegate totals.
But that effort did little to stop Trump from a big showing in the Northeast, where he picked up at least 105 of the 118 delegates up for grabs. He now has 950 of the 1,237 delegates he needs to secure the nomination.
Cruz spent Tuesday in Indiana, where Kasich's campaign has withdrawn in an attempt to give the Texas senator a clear path.
"Tonight this campaign moves back to more favorable terrain," Cruz said during an evening rally in Knightstown, Indiana.
Yet there's no doubt the GOP is deeply divided by Trump's candidacy. In Pennsylvania, exit polls showed nearly 4 in 10 GOP voters said they would be excited by Trump becoming president, but the prospect of the real estate mogul in the White House scared a quarter of those who cast ballots in the state's Republican primary.
The exit polls were conducted by Edison Research for The Associated Press and television networks.
Democrats award delegates proportionally, which allowed Clinton to maintain her lead over Sanders even as he rattled off a string of wins in recent contests. According to the AP count, Clinton now has 2,141 delegates while Sanders has 1,321.
That count includes delegates won in primaries and caucuses, as well as superdelegates party insiders who can back the candidate of their choice, regardless of how their state votes.
Sanders has vowed to stay in the race until voting wraps up in June. He continues to raise millions of dollars and attract big crowds, including Tuesday night in West Virginia, where he urged his supporters to recognize that they are "powerful people if you choose to exercise that power."
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CHEYENNE, Wyo. Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead and others on Wednesday will formally kick off construction of a laboratory where researchers will test new technologies to make profitable use of carbon dioxide emissions from a coal-fired power plant.
The goal isn't just to prevent CO2 from entering the atmosphere, but to offset the cost of doing so while providing a glimmer of hope for a coal industry beset by bankruptcies and layoffs. As things stand now, carbon-capture technology typically is too expensive to keep coal-fired power competitive with wind and solar power.
Construction of the Integrated Test Center already has begun at Basin Electric's Dry Fork Station coal-fired power plant near Gillette and is scheduled to wrap up next year.
"There are only a few large-scale test centers in the world where people can test this kind of technology and none that are being built with the idea of carbon conversion as their first instance in mind," said Paul Bunje, principal and senior scientist at XPrize.
Eventually the lab will host teams that will compete for $20 million in awards, through the NRG COSIA Carbon XPrize, to develop carbon conversion technology. Half of the XPrize competition will focus on carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants and the other half on those from gas-fired plants.
Carbon dioxide emissions could be used to make diesel fuel, cement, advanced polymers and graphene, a carbon-based material many times stronger than steel, Bunje said.
"We're really keen about innovation that kind of breaks the mold that looks at something brand new," Bunje said. "You can't do it on a computer. You can't just model it. You need a place where teams can try out their diversity of ideas."
Wyoming has pledged $15 million toward construction of the lab. Wyoming has more coal mining than any other state, supplying about 40 percent of the nation's coal.
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Inc. has promised $5 million toward the center, and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association has pledged $1 million.
Help India!
By TCN Special Correspondent,
Lucknow: The Hussainabad & Allied Trust (HAT) will fund the foreign educational trip of two meritorious students of Madrasa Sultanul Madaris in Lucknow. The financial assistance will be given to two students who have completed the graduation course from the madarsa.
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Madrasa Sultanul Madaris & Jamia Sultania, Lucknow
Elaborating the details, Secretary, HAT and ADM City OP Pathak stated that the two meritorious students after completing their graduation will be provided one time return fare to foreign countries. Most of the graduates of this madrasa go to Iran and Iraq for higher studies. The Madrasa Sultanul Madaris is regarded as an important seat of learning for Shia theology. The proposal in this regard was moved by member of madarsa management committee, SM Taqi Rizvi during a meeting with HAT officials on March 5, said Pathak.
The proposal was accepted and HAT has decided to bear the travel expenses of two meritorious students. The Sultanul Madaris is governed by the HAT which is headed by District Magistrate (DM) Lucknow. The upkeep of historical Bada and Chota Imambara besides the responsibility of taking out the procession on Muharram and wasiqa to the descendents of Nawabs of Awadh also rest with the trust.
Help India!
By Rehan Ansari, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: Finally on Wednesday six Malegaon blast 2006 accused were released by the Arthur Road Jail authorities after completing long formalities which took nearly 11 days. A special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court on 5th November had granted bail to the nine accused on a personal bond of Rs.50,000 each.
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Today is our Eid, said Mujahid Alam, 12, son of Shabbir Masihullah, an accused released from the Arthur Road jail. He said, Since last six years we could not meet our father, could not sit together and eat together. We all missed him a lot.
Gulzar Azmi, Secretary legal Cell, Jamiat-ul-Ulema, addressing press confernce with the accused relased on bail
After giving thanks to Allah, Gulzar Azmi, Secretary, Legal Cell, Jamiat Ulema Hind (Arshad Madani Group) said, We are thankful to the two persons, both of whom have died. Adv. Shahid Azmi, who fought for Justice throughout his life and Shri Hemant Karkare, who exposed the Saffron Terror groups.
He said, Today, We pay Homage to these two great souls.
Speaking to the media just after the release of the accused, Gulzar Azmi criticized Congress led Government in Maharashtra for their laxity. He said, We got Justice from the Court and not from any government.
He said, We have won half of the battle and will fight till all of them are set free by the court.
Maulana Hamid Azhari alongwith the members of Kul Jamaati Tanzeem of Malegaon waiting outside the jail
Gulzar Azmi also thanked Arif Nasim Khan, Minister of Minorities Affair, Maharashtra for his co-operation and the members of Kul Jamaati Tanzzeem who agitated all along during this period.
Kul Jamaati Tanzeem of Malegaon and relatives of the accused were in Mumbai since last three days awaiting their release. They all were delighted to see their kin getting out of the Jail and some of them were crying in joy.
Salman Farsi, Shabir Ahmed, Noorulhuda Doha, Rais Ahmed, Mohammed Ali, Asif Khan, Javed Sheikh, Farooque Ansari and Abrar Ahmed were arrested for the bomb blasts near the Hamidia Mosque in Malegaon on September 8, 2006 and have been in jail since then.
12-year Mujahid Alam( on the right), son of Shabbir Masihullah
The National Investigation Agency, in its report, said that the decision to not oppose the bail application filed by the accused was taken in light of facts and circumstances after due deliberations.
The accused and the charges against them
1) Noor-ul-Huda (24), Labourer
Charge: Bomb planter at Hamidiya Mosque
2) Shabbir Masiullah (34), Owner of a battery shop
Charge: Conspirator
3) Raees Ahmed Rajjab Ali (35) Masiullahs brother-in-law, partner in Masiullahs battery unit Charge: Alleged Conspirator and bomb planter
4) Salman Farsi (40), Unani doctor
Charge: Conspiracy
5) Mohd Zahid (34), Imam in a mosque
Charge: Bomb planter
6) Abrar Ahmed: (40), inverter seller
Charge: conspirator and planter. He also turned approver but later retracted his confession.
7) Farog (30), Unani doctor
Charge: conspirator
Help India!
By IANS,
Bhubaneswar : At least two people were killed and one was critically injured in an accident inside an iron ore mine in Odisha, police said Sunday.
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A machine used to pile up materials broke down Saturday at the Bolani mine of the Rourkela steel plant in Keonjhar district when labourers were operating it, police officer P.K. Samal told IANS.
The dead were identified as Meenajuddin Ansari, 40, and Suresh Munda, 25.
Ignesh Khedia, who survived, was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Rourkela city. His condition was stated to be serious. Keonjhar district is around 300 km from Bhubaneswar.
The Rourkela steel plant is a unit of the state-run Steel Authority of India Ltd.
Help India!
Thiruvananthapuram : Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala Saturday said that Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy should apologise for calling Mahatma Gandhi a casteist.
She should withdraw her remarks and also apologise for her statements that she made on the father of the nation, said Chennithala, who is currently in Delhi.
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Roy made the controversial statement in a lecture organised by Mahatma Ayyankali Chair of Kerala University here July 17.
In the lecture, Roy accused Gandhi of being a casteist and also demanded that institutions named after him should be renamed.
Chennithala said a complaint that he received about Roys statement was forwarded to the police chief.
Meanwhile, police are examining the video and the transcript of the speech.
Kerala assembly speaker G. Karthikeyan was the first to raise objection.
The state Congress party also condemned Roys remarks.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told reporters Saturday that Gandhiji is held in high esteem all over the world.
So any statement against him does not augur well and is not acceptable, said Chandy.
Help India!
By Ramesh Menon
Nearly seven decades after the Partition and five decades since the 1965 war with Pakistan, the NDA government is brusquely trying to rewrite a law giving it control over 16,000 properties worth thousands of crores belonging to In-dian Muslims. It is called enemy property as it was once held by someone who opted for Pakistani citizenship and is vested with the government. This is irrespective of the fact that the property is presently held by their legal heirs who are Indian citizens.
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After the 1965 war with Pakistan, the Indian government designated some properties belonging to nationals of Pakistan and China as enemy properties during the 1962, 1965 and 1971 conflicts. It vested these properties in the Custodian of Enemy Property for In-dia, an office created for this purpose. Then, in 1968, the Enemy Property Act came into being (see box: Then and Now). Some legal heirs went to court and won the case, getting back their property.
MOTIVATED MOVE?
But early this year, the Modi government, which has constantly been in the crosshairs of various controversies involving minorities, promulgated an ordinance amending the Enemy Property Act 1968. This allows it to take over enemy property even if it has legal heirs who are Indian citizens. It also allows the government to dispose of the property as it thinks fit. It prohibits the transfer of this property before and after the 1968 Act came into being, declaring them void. More than anything else, it bars civil courts from entertaining cases against the enemy properties or actions taken by the custodian of the enemy property, which is the government. In short, it shears the basic rights of those who own or live on the property that their forefathers be-queathed to them as they moved into Pakis-tan. What is crucial is that this is being done with retrospective effect.
Ownership Crisis: The Butler Palace in Lucknow classified as Enemy Property
However, on March 30, 2016, the cabinet recommended repromulgating the ordinance to amend the Enemy Property Act. This was done as the governments ordinance would have expired in early April. It was passed by the Lok Sabha but in the Rajya Sabha, the opposition demanded that it be sent to a 23-member committee headed by BJP MP Bhu-pender Yadav. As it would take time for its report to come out, the ordinance would have lapsed as it has to be replaced by an act of parliament within six weeks.
The governments amendment early this year was designed to negate earlier court verdicts that gave the property to the legal heirs. It was in 2005 that a Supreme Court judgment specified that the takeover of such pro-perties must not violate the rights of Indian citizens. The government may be talking of amending the act, but what they are doing is actually rewriting it.
PAKISTANS EXAMPLE
After the conflict with Pakistan, the Tashkent Declaration of January 10, 1966, clearly indicated that India and Pakistan would discuss the return of property and assets taken over by both governments after the conflict. But Pakistan in 1971 chose to dispose all properties that were left behind by those who mig-rated to India. Now, India seems be following in Pakistans footsteps.
Pinaki Mishra, Biju Janata Dal MP told India Legal: It is so typical of this government to stereotype everything through a narrow prism. Look at the way it has expanded the definition of enemy to even include In-dian Muslims. How can a bill have provisions that dont allow citizens to have a recourse? It will be challenged and will be immediately struck down in any court. This move has only exposed the myopic way in which the government thinks.
Former minister and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was equally harsh on the government in parliament when he said that the bill would adversely affects the rights of lakhs of Indian Muslims and that it was against the basic principles of natural justice.
In the Lok Sabha, all opposition parties barring the AIADMK wanted the bill to be sent to a standing committee before being passed. But it was passed with a voice vote. Opposition MPs were not comfortable with Section 18B of the bill which said that no civil court or other authority shall entertain any suit or any other proceeding in respect to enemy property.
DUAL PURPOSE
During the two wars with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971, the Indian government took over many properties owned by those who had opted for Pakistani citizenship. At that time, this was done with a dual purpose. One was to secure the property as it could be attacked, looted or destroyed as emotions usually run high in such situations. The second was to ensure that profits accruing from that property or business were not channeled to Pakistan to help it fight the war. Looked at in this light, the term enemy property made actually made sense.
But today, it does not as international relations and diplomacy are all about subtlety and tight-rope walking.
Enemy Property Act 1968 defined the en-emy only as those who were nationals of those countries who had committed aggression against India and not Indian citizens as the new bill proposes. It also permitted sale of enemy property by the government only if it was to preserve the property or to secure the family of the enemy in India. It rightly permitted transfer of the enemy property by the enemy to an Indian heir or relative or his family.
Then & Now
-The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016 seeks to amend the Enemy Property Act, 1968, and the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971. It will replace the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Ordinance, 2016.
-Several of its provisions will come into effect from the date of commencement of the 1968 Act. Consequently, divestments (i.e., returning of property from the custodian to the owner or other person) and transfers of enemy property, which had taken place before January 7, 2016, and are in ontravention of the Bill, will be void.
-The 1968 Act defined enemy as a country (and its citizens) that committed external aggression against India (i.e., Pakistan and China). The new Bill seeks to expand this definition to include: (i) legal heirs of enemies even if they are citizens of India. (ii) nationals of an enemy country who subsequently changed their nationality to that of another country.
-The 1968 Act allowed for vesting of enemy properties with the custodian after the conflicts with Pakistan and China. The new bill seeks to amend the Act so that even in these cases, these properties will continue to vest with the custodian.
-The Bill further provides that vesting of enemy property with the custodian will mean that all rights, titles and interests in the property will vest with the custodian. No laws and customs governing succession will be applicable to these properties.
-The 1968 Act provided that the central government may order for an enemy property to be divested from the custodian and returned to the owner or other person. The new Bill replaces this provision, and allows enemy property to be returned to the owner only if an aggrieved person applies to the government, and the property is found not to be an enemy property.
-The 1968 Act permitted the sale of enemy property by the custodian only if it was in the interest of preserving the property, or to secure maintenance of the enemy or his family in India. The new Bill allows the custodian to sell or dispose of enemy property. The custodian may do this irrespective of any court judgments to the contrary.
-The 1968 Act prohibited transfer of enemy property by an enemy if: (i) it was against public interest, or (ii) to evade vesting of property in the custodian. The new Bill seeks to remove this provision, and prohibits all transfers by enemies. Further, it renders transfers that had taken place before or after the commencement of the 1968 Act as void.
-The Bill also seeks to bar civil courts and other authorities from entertaining cases against enemy properties or against actions of the central government or the custodian under the Act.
-The 1968 Act authorized the custodian to take measures to preserve enemy property, and maintain the enemy and his family if they are in India, from the income derived from the property. The new Bill seeks to remove the duty to maintain the enemy and his family.
However, the new bill does not allow these, thereby creating a window for the government to take it over, sell it or rent it out. There are over 16,000 enemy properties identified by the government worth thousands of crores. The bill will adversely affect the rights of lakhs of Indian Muslims who hold this property and also those who have bought the properties from them.
DISILLUSIONED MAN
Raja Mohammed Amir Mohammad Khan of Mahumudabad, better known as Sulaiman, and a former MLA in UP, is just one of the thousands affected. He has some 900 properties sprawled in Hazratganj, Sitapur and Nainital. These properties were taken over in 2010 by the UPA ordinance. These properties were given back by the government in 2005 following the Supreme Court order and taken back by the UPA government in 2010 by an ordinance that was promulgated that year. If the present bill is passed, it can have serious consequences as it gives blanket powers to the custodian which is the government. It was seen as enemy property as his father, Raja Mohammad Amir Ahmed Khan, took up Pakistani citizenship ten years after Par-tition but was soon disillusioned as Pakistan was ravaged with anachronisms he had not expected. He was very upset seeing the atrocities committed on freedom fighters in Bang-ladesh by the Pakistan army. He then decided to leave Pakistan to live in London.
His son, Raja Mohammed Amir Moha-mmad Khan who had chosen to stay back in India, said to India Legal: I have waged a legal battle for 43 years to get justice. My father died a broken man in London. He kept wondering if Partition was worth it as brother was killing brother. Why do I have to suffer for having opted to stay back in India and even serve the nation as an elected representative? I am not going to ever give up my fight for justice.
After The Enemy Property Act was enacted, the Rajas estate was declared enemy pro-perty and taken over with the justification that he was a Pakistani citizen. When he embraced Pakistani citizenship, his wife chose to stay back with her children. She had the power of attorney to take over all the property he had left behind, but as her husband was alive, she said she would not do it.
CONSTANT PLEADING
But after his death in 1973, his son, Raja Mohammad Amir Mohammad Khan petitioned the government to release these properties taken over under the Defence of India Rules (1962) in September 1965. But there was no response despite numerous petitions. In 1977, he met Prime Minister Morarji Desai to plead his case. Desai reportedly said that he was surprised that this had happened. He ordered it to be examined by the Ministry of Commerce. But nothing happened thereafter.
When Indira Gandhi was elected in 1980, he petitioned her too. A year later, he was told by the Custodian of Enemy Property and Director Vigilance of the Ministry of Com-merce that the cabinet had decided to release only 25 percent of his fathers property to him provided legal proof of his being the legal heir was provided. In accordance with this request, in 1984, he filed a suit in the civil court in Lucknow. A judgment was delivered in 1986 declaring him the sole heir. The government did not appeal against the judgment. But, neither did it act or respond in terms of action. Whenever the Raja raised the issue, officials would repeat that it was being examined.
In 1985, when he met Rajiv Gandhi and again pleaded his case he was asked to contest elections from UP. He did that and won twice as a Congress MLA from Mahmu-dabad. But there was no movement as far as his plea was concerned.
By 1994, he realized that the only way out to secure the property was to take legal recourse. He filed a writ petition in 1997 in the Bombay High Court as the office of the Custodian of Enemy Property was in that city. A year later, his wife, Vijay Khan, met then commerce minister P Chidambaram to plead the property case. He wanted to see the earlier judgment of the civil court of Lucknow. When it was given to him, he said: You will get a decision by the end of the month. Nothing happened.
POSITIVE JUDGMENT
It was only years later on September 21, 2001, that a judgment came from the Bombay High Court in this regard. It said that the properties of the Raja of Mahmu-dabad were illegally held by the government and they should be returned.
Soon after, the central government filed an appeal in the Supreme Court. And in a historic judgment in October 2005, a Supreme Court bench of Justices Ashok Bhan and Altamas Kabir ruled in favor of the son and said that the government had been in illegal possession of the property since 1973 which revealed its high-handed attitude. The court asked the government to hand over vacant possession of the property.
Sterling Examples
How enemy property around the world was dealt with:
Respecting the provisions in the Hague Conventions 1899 and 1907, many countries compensated enemy nationals for property seized during war
Bangladesh
In 2011, the Bangladeshi parliament passed a landmark bill that will enable the return of property seized from the countrys Hindu minority under a law enacted in the 1960s. This law, initially known as the Enemy Property Act, allowed East Pakistan authorities to take over land and buildings of Hindus who migrated to India.
United Kingdom
At the outbreak of World War II, assets of all residents of Germany and certain German nationals were placed under the control of the Custodian of Enemy Property. The total property was estimated to be around 15 million pounds. After the war, the assets of the occupied countries were released from British government control. An exception was made for victims of Nazi persecution and soon after the war, Nazi victims or their heirs could claim the return of their assets.
Canada
The Office of the Custodian of Enemy Property was established in 1916 and existed until 1985. In the early 1980s, the National Association of Japanese Canadians (NJAC) mounted a vigorous compensation campaign directed at the federal government. On September 22, 1988, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney delivered a formal apology and a package was presented to Japanese Canadians who had been interned in camps and their properties in Canada seized. The package included $24 million for the development of human rights projects and anti-racism education to the NAJC. All those who had been deported to Japan and stripped of Canadian citizenship also had their citizenship returned to them.
Germany
After World War II, according to the Potsdam conference held between July 17 and August 2, 1945, Germany was to pay the Allies $23 billion mainly in machinery and manufacturing plants. Since 1951, Germany has paid more than 102 billion marks, about $61.8 billion at 1998 exchange rates, in reparation payments to Israel and Third Reich victims. In the mid-late 1990s, Germany paid nearly 1.8 billion marks on the basis of special bilateral agreements concluded in 1991 and 1993 with Poland and three successor states of the former Soviet Unionthe Russian Federation, Ukraine and Belaruseven though in 1953 Poland and the Soviet Union renounced any further reparations payments from Germany.
Poland
Poland was under German occupation during WWII. According to some observers, it was plundered so severely that after the first raid, it never contributed to the German war effort again. Subsequently, Poland was placed under a communist regime instituted by the Soviet Union which continued till 1990. Poland remains the only ex-communist country in the EU yet to make substantial reparations to the former property owners.Sucheta Dasgupta
After that, most of the properties were returned and there were a flurry of court cases challenging the governments right in taking over these properties.
As for Raja Mohammed Amir Moha-mmad Khan, things started looking up. We started developing the properties between 2005-06. We enjoyed restoring some of the old heritage properties, remembered Vijay Khan painfully. Her son, Ali Khan Mah-mudabad, an assistant professor at Ashoka University in Sonepat, said: Although my father is an Indian, the 2016 bill now sees him and thousands like him as strangers in their own country.
On July 2, 2010, the UPA government came up with an ordinance annulling the judgments from 1968 to 2010 on enemy property which had deprived Indian citizens of their right to succession.
Firoz Bakht Ahmed, the grandnephew of freedom fighter Maulana Azad, told India Legal that the apex court had declared in 2005 that a claimant had the right to inherit an enemy property provided he or she is an Indian citizen and a natural legal heir or successor. The court had also observed that the government charged with the task of maintaining the properties had no right over the assets. One hopes that sanity prevails and the law takes its natural course, he said.
Thousands of Muslims all over India are desperately nursing the same hope.
(Ramesh Menon is the Managing Editor of India Legal, an independent legal news magazine, where the article first appeared. Reproduced here with permission.)
Two gay vultures have been reported by AFP as adopting an abandoned egg of one of their own kind. Very weird things are known to happen in our natural world, but animal behaviour in zoos tops all of them. Vultures are facing a desperate future as the birds are declining in the wild across the world. Apart from poisons found in veterinary medications, they are shot and killed by farmers in many countries.
Zoochosis describes abnormal behaviour.
Strange behaviour in zoos can often be attributed to the fact that the Animals are stressed due to an inability to control their environment.
The Born Free organisation credits Bill Travers with coining the term zoochosis to describe abnormal behaviour in captive animals. Bar-biting, infanticide and a lack of secondary sexual characteristics are fairly common indictors of zoo stress.
Vultures at Nordhorn zoo.
Gay birds are not usually good for species in decline, but this pair are doing their bit for their species. The vultures are kept at the Nordhorn zoo in Germany. Isis and Nordhornare sitting on an egg that was abandoned by a female vulture. Ina Deiting, a spokesperson at the zoo told AFP that the female made no effort to nest build so zoo staff collected the egg and placed it in an incubator.
Unprecedented decline in vultures.
When the egg was introduced to the gay pair, Isis and Nordhorn took to the concept of parenting with enthusiasm. It is sincerely hoped that egg was actually fertilized and that their maternal efforts result in a new addition to the vultures of the world. Many animal activists are against the concept of zoos and with good reasons believe that all animals should be free to live in the wild.
In the case of vultures, there is a sad but definite need to breed the birds in captivity. The Save the Vultures Organisation states that the unprecedented speed of their decline has left some species critically threatened and others are now endangered. Their breeding programs involve captive breeding followed by release into the wild.
Griffon vultures disappear in the wild.
The zoo constructed a new facility for their Griffon vultures in 2005, as the birds had not bred in their old aviary. Griffon vultures are a very old species and the Hohle Felscaves in Germany yielded bone fragments that date back 35,000 years. By the middle of the eighteenth century they had died out in Germany, with only a few vagrant birds being slighted by 2006. Conservationists are hoping to release some of them into the Alps in the near future.
China helping to fight piracy off Africa Updated: 2016-04-26 11:06 By Hezi Jiang at the United Nations(China Daily)
China is calling upon the international community to support West African nations in combating the rising piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea, said Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the United Nations and president of the UN Security Council for the month of April.
On the evening of April 11, pirates attacked a cargo vessel off the coast of Nigeria and boarded with force, he said. The captain and some of the crew hid in a protected space, only to discover when they emerged the following day that two members of the crew were missing.
As of Monday they were still missing, as China, together with Angola and Senegal, held an open debate titled Peace Consolidation in West Africa: Piracy and Armed Robbery at Sea in the Gulf of Guinea at UN headquarters in New York. The forum provided some sobering information.
Since 2011, the region has been victim to frequent incidents of piracy, threatening the safety of navigation and inflicting billions of dollars in economic losses on the countries along the gulf.
Most recently, the scope of pirate attacks has been further spreading northward to Guinea and southward to the waters off Angola. The numbers of hostages and ransom amounts demanded have also been increasing.
The attack on the evening of April 11 was not the first pirate attack of the year, nor even the first attack that day.
Earlier that day, pirates had attacked a Turkish cargo ship in the gulf, kidnapping six of the crew, including the vessel's captain. Those men are also still missing.
Countries in the region lack the resources to fight the pirates, the forum was told. Counter-piracy coordination mechanisms in the region are underfunded. The countries do not have the capacity to maintain maritime safety and security, and their port facilities are unable to provide logistical support for large-scale military operations at sea.
China has provided the coastal countries with patrol vessels and has been actively building ports in Nigeria, Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire. China is calling on the international community to join the effort by holding an open debate. It has been four years since the Security Council has had a session dedicated to the issue.
"The international community should take an active part in the construction, operation and maintenance of ports among other infrastructures," said Liu. "It is also necessary to help the coastal countries strengthen the training of their maritime security forces and provide them with necessary equipment such as vessels and radar systems."
Liu suggested that the nearly 30 countries represented at the debate continue to support international organizations including the UN and the International Maritime Organization and regional bodies such as the African Union and Economic Community of West African States.
"The integrated strategy for counterpiracy by increasing financial and technical input into institution-building in the fight against piracy ensures full, effective and sustainable operation of the relevant mechanisms," he said.
Liu also said that economic development on land is a weapon against piracy at sea. "The international community should increase assistance to the coastal states in light of their economic and social development plans, help them eradicate poverty, speed economic and social development and improve employment," he said.
In all, "cooperation for counterterrorism should be strengthened, international organized crime combated, links that connect pirates with terrorist organizations and illegal armed groups severed and channels for drug trafficking and financial blocked," he said.
The open debate ended on an upbeat note with the adoption of a presidential statement, stressing the importance of addressing underlying causes of piracy and strengthening the justice systems and judicial cooperation in the region.
The African Union is scheduled to hold a summit on maritime security and development in October in Lom, Togo.
hezijiang@chinadailyusa.com
Mainland voices opposition to 'Taiwan independence' secessionist activities Updated: 2016-04-27 15:01 (Xinhua)
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BEIJING - A Chinese mainland spokesperson has voiced resolute opposition to "Taiwan independence" secessionist activities of any forms, including those seeking secession through the so-called "referendum", "constitution making" or "constitutional amendment".
Spokesperson An Fengshan of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office made the remarks at a press conference on Wednesday in response to a question regarding Taiwan legislature's discussion of a referendum law amendment that some say may pave the way for "Taiwan independence" forces to promote "constitution making" through referendum.
"We resolutely oppose the 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces' efforts to make Taiwan secede from China under any name or by any means, including through the so-called 'referendum', 'constitution making' or 'constitutional revision'," said An.
"There is only one China, and the mainland and Taiwan belong to the same one China," An said. "China's state sovereignty and territorial integrity brook no division."
Taiwan's legislature is discussing a draft amendment to its referendum law.
Spokesperson warns of cultural de-sinicization in Taiwan Updated: 2016-04-27 20:41 (Xinhua)
BEIJING -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson has warned compatriots across the Taiwan Strait to be vigilant against de-sinicization and "Taiwan independence" activities in the island's cultural sector.
The comments, by State Council Taiwan Affairs Office (SCTAO) spokesperson An Fengshan, were made at a press conference in response to a question about a Taiwan politician who had allegedly asked to remove changes in Taiwan history textbooks that have been made to remind the historical connection between Taiwan and the mainland.
Taiwan's education authority last year changed the wording of some textbooks to better reflect history, altering "Japanese governance" to "Japanese colonization" and "[Chinese] takeover of Taiwan" to "the recovery of sovereignty over Taiwan." The pro-independence Democratic Progress Party and some student fractions, however, objected to the changes.
An said that cultural and education exchanges between the two sides of the Strait had seen positive development in recent years and that he hoped this could continue.
"Compatriots across the Strait must be highly vigilant in the face of attempts to cut links between the mainland and Taiwan, and reject de-sinicization and 'Taiwan independence' in the culture and education sectors," he said.
A Chinese dictionary, jointly complied by the mainland and Taiwan, has been published in Taiwan recently and will hit the mainland market in July, An said.
He added that the SCTAO will likely create social media accounts to promote cross-Strait exchanges.
Also, he expressed concern over an incident earlier this week, which saw Japan seize a Taiwan fishing boat and its crew. An said it is the common responsibility of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait to protect the legitimate rights and interests of fishermen from both the mainland and Taiwan.
ICBC rolls out first US credit card Updated: 2016-04-27 11:10 By Amy He in New York(China Daily USA)
Attending launch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China's first credit card in the US on Tuesday in New York are Wang Xiquan (center), ICBC senior executive vice-president; Cai Jianbo (second from left), CEO of UnionPay International; Zhang Qiyue (third from right), China's consul general in New York; and Demetrios Marantis (left), Visa senior vice-president of global government relations. Amy He / China Daily
Bank to work with UnionPay, Visa in effort to attract overseas Chinese, US tourists
The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China launched its first credit card in the United States on Tuesday, hoping to target overseas Chinese living and working in America, and to promote tourism between the two countries.
The new card will be offered by two networks, UnionPay and Visa. The purpose of working with Visa is to offer newcomers to the US with limited credit history to be able to get a credit card and "acclimate to the culture of the United States," a statement released Tuesday said.
ICBC will offer two card levels for both network brands, with the "Preferred" ustomers earning 1 percent cash back on their spending and "Premier" customers getting VIP benefits and accelerated cash back.
"This is a milestone for ICBC's international expansion, significant to ICBC's credit card footprint and its rising status globally," said Wang Xiquan, senior executive vicepresident of ICBC. "The issuance of the ICBC credit card in the USA is ICBC's major commitment to boosting China-US economic exchange and to serving local customers."
Cai Jianbo, CEO of UnionPay International, said in an interview prior to the launch that Chinese customers who work or live in the US will find the new card useful for its familiarity, as will Americans who travel for business to China and countries near it.
The credit card also was launched as part of cooperation efforts between the China National Tourism Administration office in New York and ICBC for the 2016 China-US Tourism Year.
"We hope that there are more and more exchanges between the two countries, and from UnionPay's perspective, we're hoping to be able to, through our networks, provide more safe and secure payment options to travelers," Cai said.
He said that through its collaboration with ICBC, UnionPay could provide a new payment option for local residents and attract more American tourists to China, supporting the exchange and collaboration between the two countries.
UnionPay is also hoping that it can entice American tourists to use the card when they travel to China, Cai said.
"I think the best proposition [for American customers] is that we can provide the best services to those who are traveling between China and the United States, because so far there's no such product in the market for people in the US that can be used safely and conveniently in the Chinese market," he said.
amyhe@chinadailyusa.com
Envoy captures images of New York Updated: 2016-04-27 11:10 By Hezi Jiang in New York(China Daily USA)
A photo of Central Park in the fall taken by Zhong Ruiming (below), China's deputy consul general in New York, is shown on Tuesday at the Asian Cultural Center, where Zhong launched his new photography book New York Through the Lens of a Chinese Diplomat. Photos by Hezi Jiang / China Daily
On weekdays, dressed in a suit and tie, Deputy Consul General Zhong Ruiming does what he can to promote US-China relations from the Chinese consulate in Manhattan overlooking the Hudson River.
On weekends, he straps on his camera bag, hops on a bike and delves into the lives of New Yorkers.
Taking photos of local people and landscapes takes up most of the spare time of this overseas diplomat.
"It helps me understand every aspect of the country where I am posted," he wrote in the foreword of his new book New York Through the Lens of a Chinese Diplomat (Asian Culture and Media Group, 2016), launched on Tuesday at the Asian Cultural Center in New York.
Framed by the same tunnel in Central Park, he shows the green-and-orange of early autumn and the snowy white of winter. He captures the romantic moment of a man in a Wolverine costume proposing to his girlfriend at New York Comic Con.
Timed to coincide with the 2016 China-US Tourism Year, the book is a celebration of cultural interaction.
"State-to-state relations thrive when there is friendship between the peoples," said Zhong. "We are also seeing more foreign photographers go on to the streets of China and share their works with their people."
Zhong has taken tens of thousands of photos in the Big Apple since being transferred there from the embassy in Indonesia in 2013. The book features more than 300 photographs organized to six sections: City Landscapes, The Four Seasons, Home of Birds, Diverse Society, Festival Parades and Chinese Culture.
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Nha Rong - Khanh Hoi Port in Districts 4 and 7 is being relocated to Nha Be District under HCM City plan. Photo cafef.vn
Viet Nam News -HA NOI The Bank for Industry and Trade of Viet Nam (VietinBank) and Viet Nam Prosperity Bank (VPBank), strategic investors of Sai Gon Port JSC, asked to sell their holdings in the port at the shareholders general meeting last week.
VietinBank and VPBank bought a 9.07 per cent stake and 7.44 per cent stake, respectively, when the port underwent equitisation last year.
Although the regulations applied to the purchase included restrictions on transferring the ports shares for at least five years, the buyers asked the board to permit sales in less than one year.
As of 2016, the port expects VN775 billion (US$34.7 million) in turnover and profit of VN50 billion. The target is much lower than last years recorded revenue of more than VN1 trillion and profit of VN85.5 billion.
This year, according to the port, it must relocate Nha Rong-Khanh Hoi Port under the citys infrastructure plan by the end of December and must hand over part of the port by the middle of this month. Thus, all services at the parent ports as well as their five subsidiaries will be affected, resulting in reduced output, revenue and profits.
The port also said the Tan Thuan 1 and Tan Thuan 2 ports were restructured within the year, while construction work on Sai Gon-Hiep Phuoc Port was incomplete.
The port has been adjusted retroactively for after-tax profit calculations, with accumulated losses of more than VN1 trillion for 2015, as it failed to report losses of this amount from its associated companies, deepsea container terminal SP-PSA and SP-SSA International Terminal (SSIT), last year. As a result, the port owners equity fell by almost half.
So, due to these difficulties, the board must lower the current annual target and will not pay a dividend, in accordance with last years equitisation plan.
Also at the meeting, the port said it would sell its shares in Ngoc Vien ong JSC which is developing the Vinhomes Khanh Hoi project in HCM City. Previously, the port was asked to contribute more capital to keep its current stake of 26 per cent in the company when it raises the charter capital to VN5 trillion in the future.
Based in HCM City since 1860, the port has been a key transport hub for the country, connecting the city to the southern region, the Mekong Delta and the neighbouring country of Cambodia.
Sai Gon Port operates important ports in the southern part of Viet Nam, including the Nha Rong Khanh Hoi, Tan Thuan 1, Tan Thuan 2 and Phu My Steel ports. The port accounts for 10.5 per cent of the overall throughput in the South. Currently, the port has five subsidiaries offering logistics, commerce, transport and investment services in the city.
The board said it would concentrate this year on upgrading Tan Thuan 2 Port, establishing the Hiep Phuoc Service Zone in Nha Be District and co-operating with Khahomex Company to build an office building on Nguyen Tat Thanh Street in the inner city.
On April 25, more than 21.6 million shares for the port (SGP) were listed on the unofficial market, making it the fifth-largest firm in UPCoM. After two trading days, SGP shares rose nearly 15 per cent to close at VND16,400 yesterday. VNS
Viet Nam News -HA NOI World Economic Forum (WEF) Managing Director Philipp Rosler met with young Vietnamese people and entrepreneurs in Ha Noi on Monday.
They discussed issues important to local youths, along with ways to create a national startup ecosystem.
Rosler shared his career development experiences and gave advice to those who want to set up their own startups.
Tran Thanh Huy, head of the Ha Noi Young Startups Club, said during the exchange he learned about incentives to boost startups used in other countries. He hopes that assistance would also be provided for young Vietnamese to run businesses.
Le Vinh Son, Chairman of the Ha Noi Young Entrepreneurs Association, said the exchange with Philipp Rosler inspired the local youths startup spirit.
He noted that his association was planning a number of youth forums in the near future to support startup ideas. It would also sponsor feasible startup projects.
The association wants local authorities to take pragmatic actions so that more young people launch startups, he added. VNS
A view of Ha Noi city. In April alone, the city's exports were estimated at $852 million, down 1 per cent month-on-month and 4 per cent year-on-year. Photo baodautu.vn
Viet Nam News -HA NOI The capital city generated approximately USS3.4 billion from exports in the first four months of the year, marking a modest increase of 0.2 per cent against the same period last year, according to the municipal Statistics Office.
In April alone, the citys exports were estimated at $852 million, down 1 per cent month-on-month and 4 per cent year-on-year, the office said.
Products recording high export growth in the reviewed period included garments, up 23 per cent and means of transport and tools, up 21 per cent. Items witnessing export decline were farm produce, down 19.5 per cent and computer components and peripheral equipment, down 20 per cent.
Meanwhile, the city imported an estimated $1.75 billion worth of goods in April, surging 2.3 per cent against the previous month but decreasing 13 per cent against last years corresponding period.
The latest addition has brought the citys import turnover in four months up to $7.33 billion, down 5.1 per cent year-on-year.
From January to April, the import of most products tended to decline compared to same period last year, such as chemicals, down 25 per cent, plastics (16 per cent) and fertilizers (6 per cent).
The office also reported that the citys total revenue from the retail trade and services saw a yearly increase of 9.7 per cent to reach nearly VN172 trillion ($7.61 billion) in April.
In the four months, the retail sale of goods and services topped VN682 trillion (about $30.3 billion), 9.7 per cent higher than same period last year. Of which, the State-owned sector recorded a retail sales growth of 7.6 per cent while the non-State owned and foreign sectors witnessed rises of 11 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively. VNS
Viet Nam's shrimp export turnover was expected to reach $3.3 billion this year. Photo fistenet.gov.vn
Viet Nam News -HA NOI Vietnamese enterprises should foster their shrimp exports to the United Kingdom as exports to other markets were tending to slow down, the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (Vasep) has suggested.
According to Vasep, the UK demand of warm-water shrimp would continue to rise in the time to come. That would result in many opportunities for Vietnamese firms, who had advantages in producing value-added shrimp products, to expand their market share.
Vietnamese shrimp exports to the UK have enjoyed remarkable growth in recent months, Vasep said.
The association cited statistics from the General Department of Customs showing that exports of Vietnamese shrimp to the market reached US$17.3 million in the first two months, up 38 per cent year-on-year.
In that period, the UK accounted for 4.6 per cent of Viet Nams total shrimp export turnover. It also surpassed Germany to become Viet Nams biggest shrimp importer in the EU.
The impressive shrimp exports to the UK was attributed to the markets greater demand of warm-water shrimp and the competitive price of exported Vietnamese shrimp.
Baocongthuong.com.vn quoted statistics from the International Trade Centre as saying that the price of Vietnamese shrimp in this market was about $11.5 per kilo, lower than that of Canada, Thailand and Bangladesh the UKs other main shrimp suppliers.
Viet Nams shrimp export turnover was expected to reach $3.3 billion this year, a year-on-year increase of 12 per cent. -VNS
Nha Rong - Khanh Hoi Port in Districts 4 and 7 is being relocated to Nha Be District under HCM City plan. Photo cafef.vn
Viet Nam News -HA NOI Deputy Prime Minister Vuong inh Hue urged the State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC) to strengthen operations for more effective use of State assets during a working session in Ha Noi yesterday.
SCIC is a strategic investment arm of the Government. Its assigned task is to manage the States interests in companies and projects, aiming to strengthen the dominant role of the State sector while respecting market rules.
Since the corporation began operations 10 years ago, it has disbursed capital worth more than VN24.3 trillion (US$1.1 billion) for investments in key sectors and essential industries, according to a SCIC report.
It currently manages enterprises that work in financial services, energy, manufacturing, telecommunications, transportation, consumer products, healthcare and information technology.
It gave out nearly VN8.5 trillion, or more than 30 per cent of the total disbursement, during the last two years alone.
The company reported average annual growth rates of 56 per cent for turnover, 31 per cent for ownership capital and 36 per cent for total assets. Its after-tax profits grew by 56 per cent on average per year, and its financial contribution to the State budget has nearly doubled each year.
The establishment of SCIC has been seen as a bold move by the Government during the height of economic and State-owned-enterprise (SOE) reforms, which aimed to reduce the burden on the State budget.
Hue said the company should consolidate its organisation by applying international management standards, improving human resources and ensuring efficiency in internal supervision.
He asked the company to closely track Government directives in divesting from SOEs and investing in strategic areas, such as start-ups involved in new high-tech products.
He said the Government expected the firm to become a major financial group that helped enhance the efficiency of the domestic economy and integrate it into the international market.
Viet Nam News reported earlier this year that SCIC would increase investments in 2016 through participation in initial public offerings of economic groups, as well as business mergers and acquisitions.
In 2015, it earned more than VN8.4 trillion in pre-tax profits, exceeding the yearly plan by 36 per cent. Its return on equity was 25.6 per cent last year, 1.6 times higher than the annual target.
As of December 30, 2015, the company represented the States shareholding rights in 230 enterprises. It held stakes of 30 per cent to more than 50 per cent in many large companies, such as Vinamilk, FPT Telecom and Bao Minh Insurance Corporation.
On Monday, Hue also urged the National Financial Supervisory Commission (NFSC) to intensify its capacity in macro-condition forecasts to give the government timely advice on running the economy.
He asked the agency to collaborate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment to figure out measures to accelerate economic growth and assure economic stability.
He also asked the commission to co-ordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the State Bank of Viet Nam to study policies to guarantee public debt security and handle bad debt, and restructure the financial market in balance with monetary policies.
The focus should be on reorganising credit institutions, and stock and insurance markets, he said. VNS
In 2015, it earned more than VND8.4 trillion in pre-tax profits, exceeding the yearly plan by 36 per cent. Its return on equity was 25.6 per cent last year, 1.6 times higher than the annual target. File Photo
Viet Nam News -HA NOI The Credit Information Centre (CIC) under the State Bank of Viet Nam should use data from other industries instead of information just from credit institutions to bring customers to banks.
Other industries could be electricity, water, telephone, and television, in addition to telecommunications, experts said at a workshop held in Ha Noi early this week..
According to CIC General Director o Hoang Phong, the CICs credit information database is currently mainly based on data from credit institutions.
It means that only customers who have had credit ties with credit institutions have credit ratings at the CIC, Phong said, and added that credit institutions were based on the CICs ratings to decide their lending.
The use of traditional credit information or information mainly provided by credit institutions, therefore, limits the number of customers for credit institutions.
Experts estimated that the proportion of Vietnamese who did not have access to credit was very high.
Le Tuan Anh, director of the CICs Research and Development Division, reported that by 2015, 41.7 million out of 67.1 million Vietnamese adults did not have access to credit. The amount accounted for 44.9 per cent of the countrys population of 93.4 million.
In the United States, according to IFC/WBG expert Hung Hoang, only 54 million out of 360 million Americans do not have access to credit.
To have more people access credit, Hung suggested to the CIC that it uses information from other industries instead of only data from credit institutions. This would give banks access to people who do not have credit ties with them yet.
He said information from services of electricity, water, television, telephone and especially telecommunications should be feasible options.
According to Hung, enterprises can have the same customers even while working with different industries. Therefore, he said, payment information data from industries providing necessary goods and services would be an important input information source to help credit institutions appraise their customers though the customers have not had credit ties with them.
Based on the bills of the services, customers with a good payment history of the services will find it easier to access credit and vice versa.
According to the experts, with additional information from electricity, water, telephone, and television, apart from telecommunications, banks could have more customers and better appraise financial status of their customers to avoid risks.
Such information would also contribute to increasing the credit quality and ensure banks are warned early.
CICs Anh said that information sharing would also contribute to maintaining or even increasing the positions of Viet Nams indicator of getting credit ranked annually by the World Bank.
According to the World Bank, Viet Nams credit indicator improved from the 36th position in 2015 to 28th in 2016 out of 180 economies. VNS
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets with Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Management Committee of Gazprom in Ha Noi yesterday. Photo VNA
Viet Nam News -HA NOI The Vietnamese Government supports Russias Gazprom in expanding oil and gas production in Viet Nam, asserted Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at his reception for Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Management Committee of Gazprom in Ha Noi yesterday.
He hailed the groups investment and operation in Viet Nam, in particular its cooperation with the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam), noting that energy cooperation is one of the crucial pillars shaping the Viet Nam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership.
He noted his hope for broader energy cooperation with Russia for more practical outcomes, urging both sides to speed up signed cooperative projects, especially those in exploring and exploiting oil and gas.
The PM also encouraged Gazprom to study the production of environmentally-friendly gas for vehicles, while asking it to back cooperative operations of Vietnamese oil and gas companies in Russia.
Alexey Miller told his host that Gazprom and PetroVietnam were maintaining their focus on oil and gas production in both Viet Nam and Russia as part of their established cooperation.
He said both would sign a memorandum of understanding with a view to bringing their cooperation to the next level.
In addition to that, the two sides would also ink a document on partnership in power production in Viet Nam, as Gazprom was very keen to expand in this field, he added.
The same day, the Gazprom executive was received by President Tran ai Quang who pledged the best possible conditions for the groups operation in Viet Nam, as well as effective cooperation in energy with Viet Nam.
The President reiterated that Viet Nam gave high priority to Russia in its external policy and advocated deepening its comprehensive strategic partnership with the country.
He thanked the Russian Government for helping PetroVietnam to realise its oil and gas production projects in Russia.
The President spoke highly of Gazproms partnership in researching, producing and distributing environmentally-friendly liquefied gas.
Alexey Miller assured the President that Gazprom paid heed to Vietnamese oil and gas companies in its development strategy, seeing PetroVietnam as its strategic partner.
Gazprom had established a strong human resource training partnership with its Vietnamese partners, he said.
Gazprom has partnered with PetroVietnam in Vietgazprom and Gazpromviet joint ventures, and wants the Vietnamese partner to join in oil and gas production in Russias Orenburg.
The two groups are considering expanding cooperation in power production and usage of gas tapped from Viet Nams continental shelf and imported from Russia. VNS
Illustrative Image-- nld.vn
Nguyen Van Cong, Deputy Head of the Economics Faculty under the National Economics University, explained to the Khoa hoc & oi song (Science & Life) newspaper why so many Vietnamese enterprises declared bankruptcy in the first quarter of 2016.
How do you respond to the report that in the first quarter of 2016, 22,044 enterprises stopped operating an increase of 23.9 per cent compared to the same period last year?
I would say that the number 22,044 for enterprises that stopped operating or declared bankruptcy in the first three months of 2016 was a big number. But to find the key reason leading to such a problem, we must conduct some in-depth research to determine the causes. By reading that figure, Im sure many people would feel shocked, including me. But we have to accept a naked truth that in a market economy, it is unavoidable that weak enterprises die out.
However, for the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the General Statistics Organisation, it is no surprise that such a high number of enterprises shut down in the first quarter of 2016. Do you support their argument?
As I have mentioned above, the premature death or bankruptcy of many enterprises is a normal phenomenon in the market economy. Competition is an important driving motivation in a market economy. Operating in this environment, all enterprises must regularly reform their market strategies, cut down their production costs and improve their products quality.
However, the number of more than 22,000 enterprises that either declared their devolvement or bankruptcy in three months is a big number. It raises a red flag for policy makers.
Do you think that one of the factors leading to the high number of shuttered enterprises is the tough business environment facing Vietnamese enterprises?
I would say since 2008 up to now, most Vietnamese enterprises have acknowledged the fact that they have been facing many difficulties and challenges in their businesses due to the world economic crisis and an unfavourable business environment.
Other causes, including corruption and cumbersome administrative procedures, have become major stumbling blocks for enterprises in the course of their business development.
A recent Viet Nam Report shows that many small and medium enterprises have to spend up to 10 per cent of their revenue (bribery money) to fortify their business.
The report also says that these under-the-table envelopes have become a major stumbling block for many Vietnamese small or micro enterprises.
Do you think that fees or charges have weakened Vietnamese enterprises?
In 2015, the price of crude oil dropped considerably, but many Vietnamese enterprises have complained that they have not benefitted much from such a price drop.
However, from the governments perspective, due to the steep drop of the price of crude oil internationally, it has to find ways to increase fees or charges against petrol and diesel in the domestic market to compensate for the losses in crude oil revenue.
For transport enterprises, most of them refused to reduce their fares in due proportion with the drop of petrol/diesel prices.
This prevented Vietnamese enterprise from growing in a harsh economic environment.
Do you think that when State-owned enterprises play a dominant role in the national economy, other economic entities will become their shadow?
I have to admit that State-owned enterprises (SOEs) have not been operating effectively. Yet, they have received quite a few priorities from the government compared with the private sector. To create a level playing field, in my opinion, the government should give equal treatment to all economic sectors, be it public or private.
In the meantime, the government should also speed up the process of equitising SOEs.
In 2015, the government issued Resolution 19 focusing on administrative reform and improving the business environment, particularly the slashing of taxes, charges and tariffs. But why do taxes, fees and tariffs keep going up?
I would say that Resolution 19 is a good document. It offers many advantages to Vietnamese enterprises in the course of their business development. However, it must take time to turn everything in the document into a reality.
In real life, there is always a gap between whats written in the laws or policy and the real situation. Many policies are good on paper, but their beneficiaries the enterprises and people - do not fully benefit from them. Why? The implementation of these polices does not strictly adhere to the letter of the law.
So in my opinion, it is the task of the new government to do its best to lift any barriers that arise during the course of national economic development while promoting business production for all enterprises, be it State-owned enterprises or private enterprises. -- VNS
Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), Doan Mau Diep, spoke at the opening ceremony of the 17th ASEAN Occupational Safety Health Net, or ASEAN-OSHNET, Coordinating Board Meeting in a Nang yesterday. Photo danang.gov.vn
Viet Nam News -a Nang Viet Nam has set operational safety and health in the workplace as a top priority, creating more effective solutions and budgets for safe conditions in the workplace over past decade since the country signed an ASEAN Occupational Safety Health Net (OSHNET) agreement in 1999.
Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), Doan Mau Diep, spoke at the opening ceremony of the 17th ASEAN Occupational Safety Health Net, or ASEAN-OSHNET, Coordinating Board Meeting in a Nang yesterday.
He said Viet Nam approved the law on operational safety and health as a strong commitment to promote a culture of labour safety among employers and employees as well as to prevent accidents in the workplace.
The Government has continuously carried out National Labour Protection, Occupational Safety and Health Programmes over past decade as an action plan to raise awareness on labour safety, Diep said.
He said the government also decided to change the National Labour Protection, Occupational Safety and Health Week into a Monthly Action Plan from 2017.
Diep, however, warned that Viet Nam averages 7,000 work-place accidents each year, resulting in 8,000 victims with 700 deaths.
He said the figure showed that "30 workers meet with accidents every day, and two of them never go home".
The meeting, which has drawn the participation of 200 deputies in regional countries and South Korea, Japan and China, aims to build up an action plan in 2016-20 in the context of the establishment of the ASEAN Community.
It is also an opportunity for countries to share experience, management and cooperation in boosting operational safety and heath.
The third ASEAN-OSHNET Conference (AOC) and a seminar between MOLISA, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and OSHNET will be held on the April 28th.
Deputies will make a field tour of operational safety and heath conditions at a rock mine in a Nang. VNS
Viet Nam News -HA NOI The Committee for Ethnic Affairs and related agencies should pay attention to implementing relevant resolutions and directives on ethnic affairs from the Party Central Committee, National Assembly and Government, President Tran ai Quang said.
Speaking at a ceremony marking the 70th founding anniversary of the agency in Ha Noi on April 26, President Quang praised efforts and achievements made by the sector over the last seven decades.
He underlined the need to consistently pursue the principle of ensuring equality, unity and mutual respect, and strictly forbidding discrimination and division among ethnic minority groups.
The State would implement comprehensive development policies and create favourable conditions for ethnic minority groups to promote their strengths, he stated, adding that the implementation of strategies and action programmes for ethnic affairs to 2020 should be closely connected to the socio-economic development plans of each region and locality.
The Government should continue modifying and perfecting policies and laws concerning this field, focusing on research and proposing the development of a law on ethnic minority affairs, Quang said.
The President asked sectors to mobilise resources for infrastructure development and new-style rural areas in mountainous and ethnic minority-inhabited areas.
He also stressed that the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, organisations and individuals needed to play a greater role in the implementation of ethnic minority community development. VNS
HA NOI President Tran ai Quang and Party General Secretary and President of Laos Bounnhang Volachith discussed ways to intensify bilateral ties in the foreseeable future during their meeting in Ha Noi yesterday.
Both sides agreed to effectively realise agreements reached by senior leaders and a co-operation deal made by the 38th meeting of the Viet Nam-Laos Inter-governmental Committee.
General Secretary Volachith affirmed that the Lao Party, State and people will do their best, together with their Vietnamese counterparts, to deepen their traditional friendship and comprehensive solidarity.
On the occasion, he also invited the host to visit Laos in the future.
President Quang said the two countries should raise public awareness of the bilateral special relationship and further promote economic, trade and investment links on the basis of each countrys potential and strength. Viet Nam and Laos will celebrate the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic ties, and the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Viet Nam-Laos Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation, next year.
The host spoke highly of mutual support at multilateral forums over the past period and vowed to help Laos fulfil its role as ASEAN Chair this year.
He also asked for Laos support regarding the East Sea issue, as well as the sustainable and effective use and management of water resources in the Mekong River.
The leader took the occasion to thank the Lao Party, State and people for helping Viet Nam with recovery efforts related to the current severe drought and saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta and Central Highlands, which he said vividly reflects the special solidarity between Viet Nam and Laos.
He also promised to visit Laos in the near future.
In a joint statement issued during the visit to Viet Nam by General Secretary Volachith as the top Party and State leader, both sides underscored their traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive co-operation, calling it an invaluable asset of the two Parties and nations.
They committed to reinforcing their bilateral coordination on the basis of upholding independence, self-reliance, and fair and mutually-beneficial co-operation for the sake of peace, stability and development in Southeast Asia and the world.
The host and guest also pledged to boost national defence-security links and reached a consensus on regional and global issues of shared concern, including the East Sea issue.
Visit to National Academy of Politics
Lao Party General Secretary and President Bounnhang Volachith yesterday visited the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (NPA) as part of his official friendly visit to Viet Nam.
At a working session with the academys officials, lecturers and students, the Lao leader said his visit aimed to further enhance the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Viet Nam and Laos, which were fostered by Presidents Ho Chi Minh, Kaysone Phomvihane and Souphanouvong, and preserved by the two countries revolutionary soldiers and people.
He thanked the academy for its assistance in training Lao officials, saying almost all those who received training at the school are now holding important positions in the country.
These officials served as a bridge promoting the traditional friendship and special solidarity, the guest noted.
NPA Director Nguyen Xuan Thang said about 400 Lao officials studied at the academy each year. After graduating, they made noted contributions to national construction and development in their homeland as well as in bilateral relations.
The academy would continue to regard the training of Lao leaders, managers and researchers as its most important political task, he said, promising to improve training quality and create the best possible conditions for the Lao members to fulfill their missions.
Earlier, Bounnhang Volachith paid a floral tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum and laid wreaths at the Monument to Heroic Martyrs in Ha Noi.
Delegation meeting
Party General Secretary and President of Laos Bounnhang Volachith met in Ha Noi yesterday with delegations from the Viet Nam Laos Friendship Association (VLFA) and the Liaison Board for the Association of Former Vietnamese Volunteer Soldiers and Experts in Laos.
Speaking on Laos achievements since its renewal, Volachith said Viet Nam had given substantial assistance through the VLFA, and generations of Vietnamese military experts and soldiers.
Laos was determined to foster its solidarity and comprehensive co-operation with Viet Nam, he said.
VLFA Chairman Vu Trong Kim and Huynh ac Huong, head of the liaison board, vowed to nurture the relationship by educating younger generations about the countries co-operation in the past.
They expressed hope that under the leadership of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party led by Volachith, Laos would reap more successes in its national construction and defence, and their relationship would grow. VNS
HA NOI (VNS) Ha Nois environment police in co-ordination with the market management department have seized 3.7 tonnes of frozen meat of unknown origin at a foodstuff shop in Thanh Tri District.
At the shops cold storage unit, owned by local woman Nguyen Thi Thuy, police on Tuesday found a large number of four kinds of cattle parts. The shop owner failed to show valid papers for the goods such as the food origin and quarantine licence.
The shop, which was producing fermented pork rolls and selling cattle meat, didnt have food safety certificates.
All seized goods will be destroyed, according to the city environment police.
Also yesterday, the citys transport police office reported that they seized some lorries carrying animal organs and grease to sell in the city.
At 4am yesterday, transport police stopped a suspicious lorry driving at a high speed on Highway 1A. They checked the vehicle and seized 400kg of animal organs for consumption in the city.
Lorry driver Nguyen Van Giang, 40, of the citys Phu Xuyen outlying district, failed to show valid documents for the goods origin.
Ten minutes later, police discovered a lorry containing 400kg of cattle meat of unknown origin.
At 7.30am the same day, a third lorry was seized, which contained 1.4 tonnes of cowhide. Driver Nguyen Manh Cuong, 28, had no valid papers and said he was hired to transport the goods to Ha Noi. VNS
KHANH HOA (VNS) Central Khanh Hoa Province Peoples Committee will halt cultivation of the summer-autumn rice crop on 2,000ha in the province to spare water for daily use.
This is one of the responses of the province to the record drought that has hit central and Central Highlands provinces of Viet Nam.
According to the committee and relevant agencies, more water released from upper Cai River is just enough for peoples daily use. So, seventeen pumping stations along Cai River, which provide water to riverside crops, would be stopped from operating.
Instead, the water would be used to meet the demand of residents for their daily use in Nha Trang City and neighbouring districts of Dien Khanh and Cam Lam.
Khanh Hoa Water Supply and Sewerage Joint Stocks Company also planned to reinforce a dyke to prevent saline intrusion on the Cai River and implement measures to store water.
It also planned to strengthen inspection and overseeing of waste water treatment in local plants and factories to ensure the quality of river water.
In case the drought continues to be severe, the province would release 6 cu.m of water from Suoi Dau Reservoir to Cai River to ensure water supply for local residents.
According to the provinces Natural Disasters Prevention and Control Steering Committee, during the winter-spring rice crop of 2015-2016, the province lost VN90 billion (roughly US$4 million) due to the drought. Rice was not cultivated on about 1,400ha because of water shortage.
The province asked the government for aid worth VN66 billion ($2.96 million) to cope with the drought, VN10 billion ($448,500) to buy water for daily use, and 2,000 tonnes of rice. In the third quarter of this year, the province planned to give 15kg of rice every month to each of the 44,500 residents. VNS
On the 22nd anniversary of South Africas Freedom Day today, Viet Nam News presents an article written by South Africa Ambassador Kgomotso Ruth Magau.
This occasion gives me great pleasure to address you today in Ha Noi.
For the 22nd Freedom Day Celebration, the Republic of South Africa has chosen the following theme for this years celebration: Together building better communities local government is everybodys business.
This years commemoration coincides with the 20th anniversary of the signing of the final draft of the Constitution into law, the 60th anniversary of the 1956 Womens March to the Union Buildings and the 40th anniversary of the June 16 Student Uprising.
The Constitution laid the foundation for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people. This years celebration also coincides with South Africa holding its 5th municipal or local government elections. Municipal elections are held every five years to elect councillors who will be responsible for governing municipalities for the next five years.
The month of April will forever resonate in the history of our nation as the month that saw the first democratic election in 1994. It was on the 10th of April 23 years ago that Chris Hani who was General Secretary of the South African Communist Party, a member of the National Executive Committee of the ANC and former member of the Umkhoto Weziwe was gunned down at his Boksburg home. The brutal murder of Chris Hani gave effect to the April 27 Election Day and a very vibrant constitutional democracy.
Just two months ago, there was a very successful 12th National Party Congress in Viet Nam, which resolved to continue to work together for the growth and development of the people of Viet Nam.
In May 2016, Vietnamese people will enter the election season to vote for peoples councils at three levels: ward, district and province. You also elect a new National Assembly at the same time. Very soon, you will have the new legislative apparatus which will, together with the new Central Party Committee, State organisations and Government, strive to sustain growth and prosperity for Viet Nam in the next five years and beyond.
The history of our two countries dates back to the 1950s, and for this years celebration, we have tried to show pictorial evidence of that rich history. Ever since its inception, the relationship between the two countries has been growing stronger and stronger. Last year, for example, resulted in a successful 3rd Partnership Forum between South Africa and Viet Nam in Ha Noi. During this event, the two countries used the opportunity to engage each other on issues relating to agriculture, defence, trade and industry, environment, education, science and technology, investment and finance, and justice and public security co-operation.
In the same breath of the 132nd IPU, the Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, Ms Baleka Mbete, met the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, Mr Nguyen Phu Trong, as well as the Chairman of the National Assembly of Viet Nam, Mr Nguyen Sinh Hung.
In August 2015, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai visited South Africa and met the Deputy President, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, and also paid a courtesy call to the President of the Republic of South Africa, HE Mr Jacob Zuma, in Cape Town. All these engagements are aimed at building better communities in South Africa and Viet Nam.
South Africa appreciates the political relations that exist between the two countries; however, a lot still needs to be done to close the trade deficit between our respective countries.
On behalf of the Government and the people of the Republic of South Africa, may I wish the new leadership of the Communist Party, the National Assembly, the Government and the people of Viet Nam all the best for the future. -VNS
HA NOI The Government of Viet Nam, the United Nations and partners are appealing to the international community to support a US$48.5 million emergency response plan launched yesterday to address the worsening drought in the country.
The drought that has hit the southern and central regions of Viet Nam has created water shortages for about two million people, and 1.1 million people are in need of food aid, according to a joint rapid assessment undertaken by the Government, UN and non-governmental organisations last month.
More than 60,000 women and children are already malnourished, and about 1,75 million people have lost their livelihoods as the drought worsens.
In the Mekong Delta, prolonged drought and the decrease in groundwater levels have resulted in the most extensive saltwater intrusion in 90 years, affecting more than 400,000ha of crops with varying degrees of productivity loss. Another 25,900 hectares have not been planted at all.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao uc Phat spoke at the emergency response plan launch, saying that this was the first time Viet Nam had called on international aid to respond to the crisis.
He said that donors and international partners had committed US$7.34 for Viet Nam in response to the impacts of climate change, including US$4 million from the UN, US$3 million from the Asian Development Bank, and $50,000 from both the US and New Zealand. Australia and Switzerland are considering providing aid.
Phat informed participants that China was releasing more water from its dam between April 21 and May 31, with about 1,500 cubic metres per second flowing south. It was expected that the extra water would arrive in Viet Nam in 20 days, partly helping to relieve its thirst.
Since late 2015, Viet Nams Government has provided 5,223 tonnes of relief food to drought-hit provinces and has allocated over VN1 trillion (US$45 million) for national drought relief efforts. Two million cubic metres of water has been delivered by trucks and 630,000 doses of Chloramine B and 400,000 Aquatabs delivered to water-insecure households.
In the middle of last month, Viet Nam requested assistance from partners, prioritizing support to ensure water supply, storage and treatment, food security and enhanced monitoring of potential disease outbreaks.
The UN Resident Coordinator Pratibha Mehta said that they looked forward to working with the Government to help meet the most immediate needs of those worst affected.
The current El Nino event is one of the strongest on record, affecting an estimated 60 million people across Africa, Asia, Central and South America and the Pacific. Its impact and the possibility of a severe La Nina to follow are likely to worsen the lives and livelihoods of millions world-wide until at least the end of this year.
A global call for support and action for 22 affected countries was also announced yesterday in Geneva. -- VNS
HCM CITY The number of cervical cancer cases in Viet Nam has fallen by half in the last 30 years thanks to a nationwide network of health facilities providing gynaecology screening, according to Professor Nguyen Chan Hung, chairman of Viet Nam Cancer Association.
Hung told Viet Nam News that gynaecological examinations and tests for the presence of precancerous or cancerous cell on the cervix were available at most health facilities in the country.
In addition, peoples awareness of the need for regular examinations and tests also improved, he said.
Patients can get more timely treatment to prevent the development of cancer, which has resulted in a drop in cervical cancer, he added.
Vaccinations, which are given to women under a certain age, have also reduced the incidences of cancer, he added.
According to International Agency for Research on Cancers Globocan 2012, a report on incidences, mortality and prevalence of cancers in 184 countries, showed that Viet Nam had a lower prevalence of cervical cancer than many other countries, including Cambodia, Myanmar and others in the region.
People should not be too anxious about this cancer because with early diagnosis and treatment, the rate of recovery is 80-90 per cent, he said.
However, it should not be disregarded, Hung said. Whenever women have excessive vaginal bleeding, they should visit a doctor.
According to a report from Globocan 2012, Viet Nam reported 5,146 new cervical cancer cases in 2012.
Speaking at a conference about cervical and ovarian cancers held on Saturday in HCM City, Dr Vu Van Vu, head of medical oncology ward No 1 at HCM City Oncology Hospital, said: Cervical cancer still is a challenge for the country, and HCM City.
The cancer still is one of the leading causes of death among women with more than 2,400 dying each year.
In cases of late detection, the five-year survival rate is only 16 per cent.
Increasing survival rate
Late last year, the drug bevacizumab, which the Ministry of Health approved to be used in the country, began to be used with chemotherapy. It has helped increase the survival rate for patients in the last stage of cancer.
In 2014, the US Food and Drug Administration approved bevacizumab solution for intravenous infusion in combination with chemotherapy.
At a conference held by the Viet Nam Cancer Association in co-operation with HCM City Oncology Hospital and HCM City representative office of Hoffmann-La Roche, Dr Mary McCormack, consultant Oncologist at Londons University College Hospital, said that doctors should note side effects and have careful patient selection before treatment.
Adverse complications such as wound healing, hypertension and thrombosis can also be avoided by appropriate planning for treatment, she said.
In Viet Nam, the drug and chemotherapry combination is used for treatment for patients in the last stage of cancer, including ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer
The Globocan 2012 showed that Viet Nam had 1,229 new cases with ovarian cancers in 2012.
The prevalence of ovarian cancer was the lowest in the region.
However, most cases of cancer are detected in the last stage because ovarian cancer often has similar symptoms to digestive diseases.
Hung said that the cancer could occur at any age, including children.
He said women should have periodic health check-ups, including abdominal ultrasounds which are one of the ways to detect tumours in ovaries.
Even if tumours are noncancerous, they should be watched by doctors frequently, he said.
Tumours can reoccur, and become worse, he added. VNS
Leaders of the Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation (FHS) officially apologised for a shocking statement made by a companys representative on Monday regarding recent mass fish deaths in the central region. Photo vietnamnet.vn
HA TINH Leaders of the Formosa Ha TInh Steel Corporation (FHS) officially apologised for a shocking statement made by a companys representative on Monday regarding recent mass fish deaths in the central region.
FHS Senior Vice President Zhang Funing offered the apology to the Vietnamese government, local administration and the people of Ha Tinh Province for the comment by the companys Ha Noi office chief representative Chou Chun Fan on Monday during a press conference on Monday.
It is only possible to choose one: either fishing or the development of modern steel industry, Fan had said.
Funing said the company would seriously learn from that experience and initiate proper measures to deal with Fan.
According to the deputy managing director, Fan was only a representative of FHS office in Ha Noi, not the company spokesperson.
At the press conference in Ha Tinh, Formosa leaders affirmed that Fans statements did not represent the companys viewpoint. It had aroused public disapproval and seriously affected the companys image. Fan also expressed his sincere apologies to the Vietnamese people, Vietnam News Agency reported.
Responding to reporters questions about the import of chemicals and cleansing of the waste water discharging system, Funing said papers related to all imported chemicals had always been provided to relevant authorities and the chemicals were permitted to be imported [into the country]. He said the company did not use chemicals to clean the system.
Sewage discharge has been suspected being the culprit responsible for the deaths in provinces from Ha Tinh to Thua Thien - Hue since early this month. Under the situation, the ministries of Natural Resources and Environment, and Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Ministry of Public Security have recently checked Formosas sewage discharge. Relevant authorities are also testing water samples to determine the major cause of the deaths.
According to Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, results of a study, analysis and assessment by Monday by scientists assigned to look for reasons for the mass deaths of the fish in the central region have excluded causes such as oil spills and earthquakes.
Scientists are testing noxious seaweed, analysing toxic substances contained in the water, sediments as well as fish samples collected from 200 water samples and 200 dead fish samples collected along coastal areas in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue, the Tuoi tre (Youth) reported yesterday.
The newspaper also reported that Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha will chair a meeting with related ministries and sectors to receive a full report of the incident today.
The meeting is expected to hear the relevant bodies and reports on analyses of samples, contribute opinions and determine exact causes of the situation.
A press conference is expected to be held later in the day to make public the causes for the deaths of the fish. VNS
HA NOI Representatives of 10 Vietnamese universities and institutions in agriculture and forestry and their Australian counterparts discussed, yesterday and today, expertise and excellence in agribusiness, education and research in Ha Noi.
The Viet Nam-Australia Agribusiness Research and Innovation showcase, organised by the Australian government in partnership with Viet Nams Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, provided a platform for the two sides to exchange ideas on how to ensure food security and safety as well as develop sustainable value chains and management systems.
Hugh Borrowman, the Australian ambassador to Viet Nam said that agricultural co-operation between the two countries had been increasingly promoted. Australia pledged to support Viet Nams economic development in general and agriculture in particular towards 2020 by promoting the private sector and improving workers skills.
Long-term investment in Vietnamese agriculture had been made through the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), focusing on enhancing competency, developing sustainable value chains of Vietnamese exported farm produce, he said.
Focusing on what brings success to Vietnamese agriculture sector, Dr Tran Cong Thang, deputy head of Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development, mentioned hard-working, smart, innovative farmers, investment from the government in terms of infrastructure, science and technology. In addition, domestic and foreign direct investment (FDI) enterprises, and the countrys integration into the global economy were also important contributing factors.
However, he pointed out challenges including slowing down of agricultural growth in the past five to six years, along with low labour productivity, small-scale farms which hinder increased application of science and technology, and impacts of environmental issues.
The representatives from the Australian universities shared similar opportunities and challenges that Australia had enjoyed and suffered with drought being a major cause of crop losses.
They said there was a need for smart agriculture strategies to address challenges through partnerships while highlighting the importance of bilateral co-operation in the sector.
According to the Australian embassy, Viet Nam is Australias sixth largest agricultural export market overall. In the context of Trans-Pacific Partnership signed by both countries, Viet Nam is an important partner to Australia in the ASEAN region. VNS
TIEN GIANG (VNS) My Tho City in the southern province of Tien Giang has been named a first-grade urban area under the provinces management.
A ceremony was held yesterday following the prime ministers decision.
Covering an area of more than 80sq.km, the city has a population of 270,200 people living in 17 wards.
The city has undergone significant development in its 335-year history. Not only is it one of the provinces central cities, but also is a key entrance to the Mekong River Delta.
My Tho Citys average economic growth last year was 15.5 per cent. Annual average income per person, at present, is VN95 million (more than US$4,200). Living conditions have also been improved.
It is the first city in the Mekong River Delta to meet the standards of a first-grade urban area, including standards based on population scale, population density, labour rate in non-agricultural sector, infrastructure and scenery.
The city was recognised as a second-grade urban city in 2005. VNS
MADRID Spain has geared up for fresh elections as the king put in motion a process to dissolve parliament after months of failed coalition talks that have left the country in political limbo.
Following talks with party leaders, King Felipe VI on Tuesday concluded there was no prime ministerial candidate possible more than four months after inconclusive December elections, triggering a constitutional mechanism that dissolves parliament and calls new polls.
"His Majesty the King... has established that there is no candidate with the necessary support," the palace said in a statement.
Bar any last-minute surprise turn-of-events, the new elections will be announced on May 3.
Under an official timeframe, they are then expected to take place on June 26 -- the first time a general election will have to be repeated since Spain returned to democracy following the death of long-time dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.
Hopes dashed
Decembers vote upended Spains traditional two-party system as voters weary of austerity, corruption and unemployment flocked to new groupings.
While historic, the result left Spain in uncharted waters as the country has never had a coalition government since its transition to democracy.
Parties were forced to go to the negotiating table, but unused to these types of talks, they were unable to reach a deal as the deadline approached.
So the king launched a third and last round of consultations with party leaders on Monday and Tuesday, after which he had been expected to make the announcement.
In a surprise move that gave Spaniards a brief glimmer of hope, a small regional grouping came up with a last-ditch proposal to form a new government for the eurozones fourth-largest economy.
Party leaders examined it, but as the day wore on they either rejected it or accused others of torpedoing the document.
The final nail in the coffin came when the main opposition Socialists (PSOE) -- who had been tasked by the king with forming a government following Decembers election -- said they had given up.
"We are heading to new elections," PSOE chief Pedro Sanchez told reporters after meeting the king.
The Socialists had plunged into negotiations after acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, whose conservative Popular Party came first in December but lost its majority, failed to drum up enough support.
Sanchez managed to strike a deal on a government with centrist upstart Ciudadanos -- which came fourth in the election -- but the two parties had too few seats in parliament to win a vote of confidence.
Sanchez then tried to enlist the support of far-left party Podemos, whose 65 parliamentary seats would have got it through, but failed -- prompting the current political paralysis.
Socialists blame Podemos
Sanchez placed much of the blame for the failure to form a government on Podemos, at a press conference that sounded like a public goodbye -- he thanked the media for their work, along with his allies.
Podemos, led by the charismatic Pablo Iglesias, was born just over two years ago from the Indignados anti-austerity movement. It has made no secret of its desire to supplant the Socialists as Spains main left-wing grouping.
"Mr Iglesias never wanted a Socialist prime minister," Sanchez said, accusing him of having "closed the door" to a reformist government and offered a "lifeline" to Rajoy and the conservatives.
At an earlier press conference, Iglesias accused Sanchez of saying "no" to everything.
Research polls have suggested that fresh elections will do little to change the December outcome.
Rajoys conservatives could gain ground, while Podemos and its allies may lose a little as some of the five million people who voted for the party believe it should have worked with the Socialists.
But parties are very likely to have to sit down for new coalition talks after the fresh election -- meaning yet another headache for Spain. AFP
India on Tuesday told Islamabad that its former Naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav was abducted by Pakistani agencies and sought immediate consular access to him, while the Pakistani side claimed the capturing of Jadhav was evidence of the involvement of Indian agencies in subversive activities in Balochistan and Karachi.
Both, however, stressed the need to keep alive the renewed bilateral dialogue.
Foreign Secretary of India S Jaishankar on Tuesday met his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry for about 90 minutes on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia conference to discuss bilateral issues. The two sides stuck to their known stands on issues from Kashmir, terrorism, the 26/11 terror attack trial, probes into the Pathankot terror attack and Samjhauta Express bomb blast.
For the first time, India said Jadhav was abducted. India has maintained that Jadhav was in Iran and denies that he worked for its intelligence agencies. In its statement, Pakistan expressed serious concern over the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW)'s alleged involvement in subversive activities in Balochistan and Karachi. India denies the charge.
Jaishankar emphasised the need for early and visible progress on the Pathankot terrorist attack investigation as well as the Mumbai case trial in Pakistan. He also brought up the listing of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) leader Masood Azhar in the UN 1267 Sanctions Committee. The Indian Foreign Secretary told Chaudhry that Pakistan cannot be in denial of the impact of terrorism on the bilateral relationship.
Terrorist groups based in Pakistan targeting India must not be allowed to operate with impunity, a statement by the external affairs ministry (MEA) said after the talks.
Chaudhry brought up Kashmir, terming it the core issue that requires a just solution in accordance with UNSC resolutions and wishes of Kashmiri people. Interestingly, the Pakistani side released the talking points while the meeting between the two foreign secretaries was still on.
On the Samjhauta Express blast, Chaudhry conveyed concerns over efforts by Indian authorities for the release of the prime suspects.
"The Foreign Secretary further pointed out that, despite repeated requests India has not shared investigation reports in which 42 Pakistanis had lost their lives."
The two Foreign Secretaries agreed to remain in touch, the MEA said. This was the first time the two were meeting after the announcement of the resumed comprehensive bilateral dialogue in December. Jaishankar was scheduled to travel to Islamabad to hold talks with Chaudhary on January 15 but both the countries had announced deferment of the talks with "mutual consent" in the wake of the Pathankot attack.
Jaishankar also met Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Hekmat Karzai, in Delhi to attend the Heart of Asia conference, to review progress on Chabahar port project in Iran.
Labor warned energy prices to rise by up to 50 per cent in 2023 A source told Sky News Australia in the lead-up to Tuesday's federal budget the conflict in Ukraine was "99 per cent" responsible for the looming increases in the cost of energy.
Sydney soaked by wettest October ever recorded A Sky News Australia meteorologist has predicted how much rain Sydneysiders can expect for the rest of 2022 as two weather systems lash almost every inch of New South Wales.
Jurors in rape trial make request amid ongoing deliberations The 12-member jury of the Bruce Lehrmann rape trial have requested extra time to come to a unanimous decision on whether the former Liberal staffer sexually assaulted Brittany Higgins.
Lambie prays for Netball Australia after sponsorship mess Senator Jacqui Lambie has thrown her support behind Gina Rinehart as she slammed Netball Australia for losing a major sponsor while local sports clubs struggle to stay alive.
WATERLOO The Iowa Court of Appeals has reinstated an appeal brought by a former Waterloo man with HIV who was convicted of having sex with a teen in 2003.
Jimmy Dean Stevens had been found guilty of third-degree sexual abuse and transmission of HIV following a 2004 jury trial and sentenced to up to 35 years in prison --- 10 years for the sex abuse charge and 25 for the HIV charge.
Prosecutors said Stevens was 33 when he met a 15-year-old boy in an online chat room and later picked him up at his home and had sexual contact with him in a vehicle without disclosing his HIV status. The boy didnt contract the virus.
Stevens appealed the transmission charge with post-conviction relief petitions in civil court, the latest of which was dismissed in district court because of missed filing deadlines. Part of his argument related to the recent Iowa Supreme Court decision that struck down the guilty plea of Nick Rhoades, who had been convicted of HIV transmission charges despite the fact his viral load was undetectable at the time of the incident. The state later dropped the charges against Rhoades after it was unable to a establish a likelihood the virus could have been transmitted.
In a decision issued Wednesday, the Iowa Court of Appeals ruled that Stevens missed filing deadline didnt apply because the Rhoades case was a significant development.
The Rhoades decision was a change in the law regarding the evidence that state needed to offer to meet its burden of proof to sustain a conviction for criminal transmission of HIV, said Wednesday's ruling, written by Judge Gayle Nelson Vogel.
The matter was considered by a three-judge panel, and the ruling had a 2-1 split with Judge David Danilson posting a dissenting opinion.
The ruling reversed the district courts dismissal of the post-relief conviction and allowed the matter to proceed in district court.
The ruling didnt overturn Stevenss HIV transmission conviction but returns the matter to district court to determine if the Rhoades decision applies retroactively to Stevenss case.
Stevens, now 46. is currently serving his sentence at the Anamosa State Penitentiary.
OSAGE A sentencing to determine the adult fate of an Osage juvenile found guilty of second-degree murder in the 2012 shooting death of his mother is set for May 6 in Mitchell County District Court.
Noah Crooks, who turns 18 in July, was placed at the State Training School in Eldora after a jury found him guilty in 2013 because he received a youthful offender deferred sentence.
Under Iowa law those who receive this deferred sentence are to have a hearing in district court before their 18th birthday to determine whether they should be discharged or continue to be under the supervision of the court after their 18th birthday.
Incarceration is one of the options that can be considered.
The maximum sentence for second-degree murder under Iowa law is 50 years in prison.
Crooks was 13 when he shot his mother, Gretchen, with a semi-automatic rifle in their home in March 2012.
His trial was moved from Mitchell County to Wright County on a change of venue.
Crooks was charged with first-degree murder and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. The jury found him guilty of second-degree murder and not guilty of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse.
During the trial the defense contended Crooks suffered from intermittent explosive disorder, which is characterized by periods of extreme rage and violence.
WATERLOO A Waterloo woman apparently suffering from mental health issues told her young son they were going to the river and then going to heaven as she pulled him toward the Cedar River.
Officer Tim Everett made sure they didnt get there.
Now the Waterloo police officer is being recognized for saving the life of the boy and his mother as she allegedly attempted to kill the child and herself.
Everett on Tuesday received a certificate of commendation for his actions on the banks of the Cedar River on the night of April 16. Daniel Trelka, director of safety services, presented the award.
Not only was Officer Everett in the right place at the right time but his keen situational awareness quickly made him aware of what horrific event was about to unfold, Trelka said.
Trelka said the boys mother was attempting to kill the 9-year-old and herself in the river. Court records state the mother had said they were going the heaven.
The incident started when Everett, a patrol officer, noticed a vehicle stopped on the Mullan Avenue Bridge without lights or emergency flashers at about 8:50 p.m. on April 16. Nearby, he noticed the woman and child struggling as she attempted to pull the boy down the bike trail toward the water.
As soon as the child sees the uniformed police officer, I think the child starts yelling, Help me! Help me! Help me! So then, he kicks into overdrive, Trelka said.
He said Everett realized she was trying to end their lives by throwing the child and herself in to the Cedar.
Its chaotic, its hectic. Emotions are high, but he quickly figures it out and gets them separated and calls for backup, Trelka said. She wasnt happy to see him. The child was very grateful to see him.
Everett was able to get the mother and son to sit down until other officers arrived, according to the report.
Officials with the Iowa Department of Human Services were notified, and the mother was taken to a local hospital for observation. She was arrested on child endangerment charges Monday after she was released. She is identified as 27-year-old Quenetta Chantaon Patterson of Waterloo.
These events, where the officers make a positive difference, occur in this community, with all the departments, day in and day out, and we need to recognize the officers more, Trelka said.
Everett started with the Waterloo Police Department in September 2004. He was seriously injured in January 2008 while working traffic accident in ice and fog at the U.S. Highway 20 and Iowa Highway 21 interchange. He was standing outside his squad car when a passing vehicle lost control and struck him.
The injuries forced Everett to retire, but he was able to recover and rejoined the force in 2011, Trelka said.
CEDAR FALLS A rocket club at Cedar Falls High School is flying high after qualifying for a national contest.
The five-member Science, Technology and Rocketry Students or S.T.A.R.S. club is preparing for the May 14 contest in Washington, D.C.
S.T.A.R.S., which started last school year, was one of 800 clubs across the country that attempted the Team America Rocketry Challenge. To qualify, it had to be among the top 100 competitors.
Teacher Zeb Nicholson, the clubs adviser, said, Im excited in year two with the experience that we have the team qualified. I think we surprised some people.
All expenses for the 3,000-mile round trip are being covered by the club, including costs such as gas, hotel and food. While club members or their families will pay some of the cost, they are working to raise $2,500 through the Go Fund Me website. The club also is holding a bake sale and soliciting donations from businesses to raise funds.
The contest will be the second event club members have done this school year where they are facing other competitors. They attended a regional launch event in Illinois last fall. Since then, theyve been testing and working to improve their rocket.
The club meets Tuesdays during school and sometimes gathers after classes to fly the rocket, which stands 34 inches tall and weighs just over 21 ounces. The minimum height requirement is 25.5 inches and the maximum weight allowed is 23 ounces.
The body tube is cardboard with plywood fins, said club member Ryan Ritter, a sophomore. Then we have several 3-D printed parts. One of those is the part holding the altimeter, the device equipped with a computer chip that records the height and speed reached by the rocket.
Students painted the rocket red and had decals made by Sandees in Waterloo that say CFHS S.T.A.R.S. in bold black letters. Decals with the high schools CF logo are attached to the fins.
Also contained in the body of the rocket is the engine, a parachute and the cargo hold. The rocket has to carry two raw chicken eggs, so foam molds fit into the body to try and ensure their protection.
The contest mandates one (egg) has to be horizontal, one has to be vertical, said Ritter. In order to qualify for the national event, the rocket had to go 850 feet in 44 to 46 seconds, he explained.
Both of the eggs had to come down safely. If theres even a hairline fracture, youre disqualified, said Nicholson.
A certified observer was required for the qualifying launches. You get three official launches, and then you take the best two, said Ritter.
Teams want the lowest point total possible. If a team hits the height and time targets, it earns zero points. Each of the clubs qualifying flights were within 10 feet and a second of the targets.
Were coming into some pretty stiff competition, said Nicholas. This years top 100 scores were the lowest theyve ever been in the 14 years of the competition.
Top placing teams split more than $100,000 in cash and scholarships, and the overall winning team will travel to the United Kingdom to compete in the International Rocketry Challenge during July.
The Cedar Falls club which also includes juniors Lucas Kolo and Trevor Dohlman and seniors Nic OLoughlin and Aiden Anderson has high hopes for the contest.
Anderson noted there will be an elimination round at the contest before the finals. So, itd be nice to get to the second round, he said.
But even if they dont reach that height, Ritter suggested theyve already accomplished something significant just by qualifying for the contest.
Being there is a goal in itself, he said.
URBANDALE (AP) A member of the Iowa Board of Regents has announced she is resigning.
Regent Mary Andringa of Mitchellville will leave the board that oversees Iowa's public universities at the end of April. Her term began less than a year ago, in May 2015.
In a Wednesday news release Andringa says she underestimated the time needed to serve on the board given her other duties. She also serves as a board chair for Vermeer Corp. The release says she holds several other board positions and national government relations roles.
The governor makes appointments to the Board of Regents, subject to Senate approval.
CEDAR FALLS The University of Northern Iowa will conclude its series of forums with the five chief diversity officer candidates Thursday.
Diane Marie Ariza will be the final candidate the university will host to fill the newly created position of chief diversity officer.
UNI will host an on-campus forum at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Maucker Union Elm Room. A public forum will follow at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Jubilee United Methodist Church Resource Center, 1621 E. Fourth St., Waterloo.
Ariza currently serves as the associate vice president for academic affairs and chief diversity officer at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut.
The university announced in November it would seek a new position of chief diversity officer who would report to the president and serve as a member of the executive management team, and began a national search shortly thereafter.
More information about the position and the candidates is at www.uni.edu/cdo-search/.
DES MOINES --- Debate at the Iowa Capitol over whether and how to expand Iowas limited medical cannabis law went deep into Monday evening and also spilled into Tuesday.
Advocates calling for expanded access to cannabidiol, a medicinal byproduct of the marijuana plant, expressed their disappointment with a proposal introduced Monday night by House Republicans that would have increased the number of ailments permitted for cannabidiol treatments and attempted to establish partnerships with other states that, unlike Iowa, produce and sell the product.
Opponents of the proposal, including those who would use cannabidiol to treat illnesses like epilepsy and cancer, say it would have done nothing to help them.
The legislation was voted down, 63-31, with only Republicans supporting and a mixture of Republicans and Democrats opposing.
Im disappointed. I feel misled by members of the Iowa House, said Sally Gaer, of West Des Moines, co-founder of the advocacy group Iowans 4 Medical Cannabis that has advocated for expanded cannabidiol access and held a press conference Tuesday at the Capitol. Weve been working on this for months, and what they did (Monday) night showed they have no conscience, pure and simple. They decided not to help.
Robert Lewis of Windsor Heights fought back tears as he expressed his disappointment in the proposal.
I have lived in pain for 43 years. It hurts deeply today. Not so much the pain, because I have a patch on it. But the emotional pain, just knowing that there is something out there that I can use that takes that pain away, Lewis said.
Legislative leaders who support expanding Iowas medical cannabis program by legalizing the production and sale of cannabidiol in the state say they will continue to look for avenues to introduce legislation, but acknowledged those opportunities are becoming scarce as lawmakers close in on finishing their work for the 2016 session.
Rep. Bob Kressig, D-Cedar Falls, said his colleagues hope to introduce their plan, but conceded there are few bills remaining to provide such an avenue. Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, said the same, and added attaching controversial legislation to any would threaten bills that he said have to get done.
Bolkcom said it would take a signal from Republican House leaders that they would accept Democrats expansion plan before Senate Democrats would attach their plan to legislation.
I think people on our side will measure whether theres any opportunity and have that discussion, said Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs.
Gov. Terry Branstad said he has tried to keep an open mind on the issue, but as he has in the past declined to weigh in on any of the proposals. Branstad says he wants to be empathetic to individuals who feel they need cannabidiol to treat their ailments, but also wants to guard against the unintended consequences of medical cannabis getting into the wrong hands.
Meantime, advocates like Laura Jumper continue to hope for medical cannabis expansion. Jumper, a 36-year-old with ulcerative colitis and arthritis, said she has moved from Mason City to Ankeny in order to live with family who can help with her children.
Jumper, who believes medical cannabis would ease the pain from her arthritis, said she gets her treatments at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, but that doctors there are struggling to ease her suffering. She said the proposal introduced Monday night would not have helped her because of the great lengths it would take to acquire cannabidiol.
I cant travel. That was why we moved down here (to Ankeny), because it was getting harder and harder for us, for me to even drive an hour and a half. Its getting harder for me to drive to Mayo, even from Mason City, Jumper said. I cant sit in a car for hours on end. I cant sit on a plane for hours on end. Its not an option for me.
I have battled and used immune-suppressing drugs for the last 10 years. Chemo drugs. And Ive exhausted all my options. Ive been on probably 12 different medications in the last 10 years. And this is time.
DYSART Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad took the opportunity to make one last push for water quality legislation this year during a stop in Dysart to learn about the soil and water conservation practices in nearby watersheds.
Were trying to urge the Senate (to) debate the House-passed bill, because its got strong support, Branstad told more than two dozen farmers and conservationists gathered at the Weber Farm in Dysart Wednesday morning. Theyre still in session whether they get done this weekend or not, I dont know but theres still an opportunity to get that done, and were pushing to try to get that accomplished.
Branstad, a Republican, praised the bipartisan House bill as one that would meet the level of funding he proposed in his original water quality legislation, which was tied to an extension of school infrastructure funds, through 2029.
Senate Democrats, who have no current plans to bring forward the House bill, have criticized the House proposal as a shell game that moves state money from one area to another. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle had balked at the governors original proposal.
The farmers gathered at Weber Farm voiced support for any proposal that would aid them in their efforts to implement better farming practices, though they also stressed all they are doing already to keep nutrients in the soil.
We have been a firm believer in the nutrient reduction strategy, the voluntary approach. Thats what got us started here, said John Weber, a Dysart pork producer and seed corn farmer. I do believe that farmers do need incentive to try some of these things, to try new technologies.
Weber said those incentives may not need to be long-term but rather just long enough to educate and encourage farmers about the better practices.
Farmers are very competitive by nature, so when they see success, their neighbor having success with a project, I think it spreads by nature itself, and Im just amazed what has happened here in our watershed and neighbors around here, Weber said.
Shannon Mitchell, coordinator of the Benton/Tama Nutrient Reduction Demonstration Project, said the work shes seen in the 92,000 acres of watershed her project covers is ahead of many others in the state.
She said she sees a lot of farmers in the region experimenting with conservation practices and always willing to try new things. She and Weber pointed to conservation practices like cover crops, saturated buffers, no-till or strip-till, and nitrogen monitoring.
Shane Wulf, coordinator of the nearby Miller Creek Water Quality Improvement Project that covers 42,000 acres in mostly Black Hawk County, added that most farmers had already been implementing conservation practices before projects like his began in 2014.
Its not like nothing was happening before our project was here; there was thousands of acres of no-till and strip-till already established, Wulf said. This has been going on for a long time, and I think were just increasing the speed of implementation.
Branstad, after listening to the conservation practices and collaborative efforts, praised the regional watersheds for their work and contrasted that with the ongoing legal dispute between Des Moines Water Works and three rural counties over the nitrates in the capital citys water.
That just divides people and creates controversy; instead, the cooperation and collaboration that youre doing in this area is exactly the kind of thing we want to encourage throughout the state, Branstad said, pointing particularly to collaborative efforts between the rural counties and the city of Cedar Rapids.
A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items of interest for Wednesday, April 27, 2016:
House Democrats made a failed attempt to make eligible for consideration a Democratic-designed proposal to expand Iowas limited medical cannabis program. Democrats requested a vote to move the Senate-passed medical cannabis expansion bill out of committee to make it eligible for debate, but the motion was defeated on a 54-44 vote, with only two House Republicans Reps. Peter Cownie and Quentin Stanerson supporting the move. Earlier this week, House Republicans proposed a far more limited expansion proposal, which was defeated with no support from House Democrats and divided support from Republicans.
Rail site OKd
The Iowa Economic Development Authority announced Wednesday Forest City Rail Park is the latest industrial site to achieve certification through the Iowa Certified Site Program. It joins 11 other sites in the state designated as project-ready.
The Forest City Rail Park is a 68-acre site in Hancock County adjacent to 3M and Winnebago Industries. Rail service to the site is provided by Iowa Northern Railway and is ideally suited for a trans-load, distribution or logistics facility, according to EDA officials. The state agency established the certified site program an independent, third-party certification program that uses a nationally recognized site selection firm in May 2012 to address a lack of project-ready industrial sites in the state. The next round of applications will be accepted in July. More information about the Iowa Certified Site Program is online at iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/SiteLocation/CertifiedSite.
Israel funds
The Iowa Senate voted 38-9 to approve a bill restricting the investment of state funds in companies engaged in a boycott of Israel.
Nine Democrats opposed the bill, with Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, expressing concern the legislation would create bureaucratic headaches for retirement funds for the Board of Regents, IPERS and others that would have to research thousands to companies connected with mutual funds to comply with the bill.
Similar to restrictions the Legislature has approved on the investment of public funds in Iran and Sudan, the bill is intended to counter the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement that encourages countries, governments and companies to boycott Israel and Israeli companies. According to the Legislative Services Agency, the bill will not impact the state general fund and the impact on the retirement funds cannot be determined.
Lots of votes
Sen. Wally Horn, D-Cedar Rapids, asked the Legislative Services Agency to estimate how many times he has cast votes during his 44 years in the Iowa Legislature. He got his answer Wednesday: more than 180,000 times.
That estimate was based on an average of about 60 days of legislative action each year with an average of about 68 votes each day of active session on bills, amendments, minutes, rules and motions in committee and on the Senate floor.
WATERLOO A number of City Hall jobs escaped the budget ax last month but still may be on the chopping block.
Waterloo City Council members deadlocked 3-3 Monday on requests to fill vacant positions at the Waterloo Center for the Arts and in the finance department, despite those posts being part of the fiscal year 2016-17 budget.
A tie vote is a failed vote.
Councilmen Steve Schmitt, Bruce Jacobs and Tom Lind voted against filling the jobs through the civil service process.
Those three councilmen pushed unsuccessfully during the March 14 budget hearing to eliminate all vacant city positions except for police officers.
Councilmen Jerome Amos Jr., Ron Welper, Pat Morrissey and David Jones voted in favor of the budget proposed by Mayor Quentin Hart, which retained those positions.
But Jones has resigned due to work commitments. With the remaining council evenly divided over city staffing needs, more requests to fill vacant positions may be rejected.
City department heads said eliminating posts, such as the arts center facilities manager, will have consequences.
That is a position that sets up for all the events, tears down, works all the odd hours for all the weddings, said City Clerk/Human Resources Director Suzy Schares. It is a position that creates revenue. They pay for all of those events, so theres going to be an issue if we dont fill that.
Culture and Arts Director Kent Shankle said he may no longer have enough staff to keep the building open 100 hours a week.
These are the people that are primarily responsible for opening and closing the building and making sure that its a secure and safe place to respond to all of our patrons needs while we are open to the public, Shankle said.
These are absolutely critical positions, he added. I dont see how we can possibly operate anywhere near the way we do right now, offering meeting spaces (and) programs for the public in that space.
Chief Financial Michelle Weidner was not at the meeting, but indicated in a memorandum the failure to replace her financial analyst will limit her departments ability to do budget research and other projects requested by the mayor and council members.
Council members did vote 4-2 to approve filling two planning positions, when Jacobs joined the majority. A request to fill a Waterloo Housing Authority job, which is financed with federal grant dollars, was approved unanimously.
DES MOINES A proposal to legalize home fireworks displays in Iowa failed to launch Wednesday at the Iowa Capitol, and a key state lawmaker said the legislation is likely grounded this year.
A Senate committee Wednesday shelved a proposal to allow Iowa residents to display some consumer-grade fireworks around the Fourth of July and New Years Eve.
Sen. Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo, said there was not enough support from lawmakers to advance the proposal.
Time is running out on any future efforts, as legislators are close to finishing their work on the 2016 session.
I would say yes, its dead, said Dotzler, who managed the fireworks legislation.
Iowa is one of four states in which only sparklers and novelty fireworks are legal, while three states ban all home fireworks, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association. The other 43 states permit some consumer-grade fireworks.
Supporters of legalizing fireworks in Iowa say residents should be able to use them to celebrate holidays like the Fourth of July. Opponents cite potential safety issues and say the noise causes stress for pets and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Dotzler said Senate Democrats largely are split along urban-rural lines: Many rural legislators support legalizing fireworks, while many urban lawmakers dont.
The House in 2015 passed a more expansive bill legalizing home fireworks. Rep. Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley, who managed that bill, said he was disappointed the proposal appears to have failed in the Senate this year. He said he hopes to try again next year, provided he wins re-election in November.
There are going to be new members in the House, new members in the Senate. So, my hope would be that we have more freedom-minded, freedom-loving representatives and senators that want to allow Iowans the opportunity to exercise this privilege for themselves, Windschitl said.
Dotzler said he, too, will continue to work to generate support for legalizing fireworks.
I think its something thats going to be an ongoing discussion here at the Capitol, and someday I believe it will pass, Dotzler said.
WATERLOO Angela Johnson has a message for struggling single parents: Dont give up.
Find a church home. Most importantly, seek help from the family services available in the community.
Johnson, of Waterloo, could have used that last piece of advice around this time last year. She remembers the night Friday, March 13, 2015 when she broke, and it temporarily cost her custody of her two young boys.
I had been crying out for help, Johnson says, but I really didnt know how to get it.
The Iowa Department of Human Services required she take a parent education class. That led her to Missy Denning at the Family and Childrens Council.
Johnson enrolled in the councils Parent Connection program that provides parent education, social support and access to community resources. Trained staff meet weekly at participants homes for a minimum of 90 minutes.
April is child abuse prevention awareness month. The Family and Childrens Council is just one resource in the community that helps families like Johnsons.
Johnson remembers the first thing she got from Denning: an agenda book.
Its something Denning regularly gives clients to provide structure in their lives and help them keep track of important events for their children.
I knew when I talked to her, she was a mother before she was a worker, Johnson said of Denning. When I would get emotional, she encouraged me and poured greatness in me. I forgot what my greatness was.
Both Johnson and Denning said part of the focus of the program is improving on strengths rather than highlighting things parents are doing wrong.
I knew what it took to be a role model. They just reminded me of the things that just seemed to slip away, Johnson said.
Many things were working in Johnsons favor, included her deep bond with her boys, her strength in raising her children alone, her independence, her pride and her faith family at Antioch Baptist Church.
Angela already had such a solid foundation, Denning said.
That doesnt mean it was easy. Johnson rarely talked about the incident that made her lose her boys and her feelings surrounding that loss. It was something she regularly discussed with Denning.
I think I cried everything I had to say, Johnson said.
Having lived the experience, Johnson has many new pieces of wisdom, as well as reminders to ensure she is a better parent going forward.
Denning passed along a crock pot and some recipes to ensure dinner is ready when Johnsons family gets home. Johnson sat down with her children and wrote household rules those both she and her boys will live by.
During stressful times she remembers to breathe and count to calm herself.
Most important, if its getting real hectic, I pray, Johnson said.
When Johnson was reunited with her boys after a trial period, she did what she believes few other parents do: She hugged her DHS worker. Johnson said she saw how DHS made a positive impact on her and her family.
She has now come full circle. She is not just a mom who was in the system; she is becoming a support for parents who find themselves involved with DHS.
Johnson is training to be a parent partner as part of the Children and Families of Iowa program. She will help parents find resources and be a sympathetic ear for them as they go through situations similar to those she experienced.
Shes paying it forward in a really huge way, Denning said. Angelas got a lot to give.
The Family and Childrens Council Parent Connection program is open to all parents in Black Hawk County who have a child age prenatal to 12 years old at no cost to the participant, regardless of income.
Kids dont come with instructions, and we all need help, and theres absolutely nothing more important than reaching out when you need help. Thats what were here for at Family and Childrens Council, Denning said. I believe every parent can use support, use a listening ear.
Hardly a week goes by without a news story usually accompanied by a YouTube video going viral about bad behavior on an airline.
Weve seen and read about passengers battling over oppressive legroom, wrath directed at parents with unruly children, demands fellow travelers be evicted as possible terrorists for speaking Arabic, a flight attendant allegedly trafficking in narcotics fleeing from authorities and more horror stories than Stephen King could conjure up.
When bad weather causes hundreds of flights to be canceled, long-awaited vacation plans are put in jeopardy, raising the anxiety level for passengers, who often are shown berating airline employees as if they bear responsibility for Mother Natures temper tantrums.
What we dont see are employees scrambling to set things right, even devising creative schedules to bypass storms when possible to get us to our destinations as soon as possible.
But a recent episode involving the Wartburg College Choir highlights an airline going way beyond the call of duty to set things right when winter weather plays havoc.
The world-renowned choir makes an international tour every third year during the spring and U.S. tours in the other years. This year its U.S. tour had stops in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Nebraska. It was scheduled to fly April 16 on United Airlines out of Minneapolis, through its Denver hub and onto San Antonio for two April 17 concerts there.
Unfortunately, a massive snowstorm closed the Denver airport, threatening the San Antonio performances and possibly throwing a monkey wrench into the rest of the tour.
This could have been a story about the 88 choir members lamenting the loss of a highlight of their college careers, because alternative flights to circumvent the storm were unavailable. United has no direct flights to San Antonio.
Instead, its a tale about heroic airline employees who literally saved the day by going way beyond the call of duty.
The United Airtime blog describes what happened:
The team at MSP realized they had two extra aircraft on hand and made a call to our Network Operations Center to see if they could arrange to use the spare Airbus A319 to take the group nonstop from MSP to San Antonio which is not a typical routing for us. They were able to make it happen.
The choir members were ecstatic, said Tammi Hautula, a Minneapolis operations representative. Thanks to the flight and inflight crews and all willing to fly this trip, we saved their spring tour.
The choir serenaded the crew with a special thank you song, which flight captain Thomas Osterholm posted on YouTube.
Never in my entire career (have I) ever seen more appreciative passengers for what United did for them, he said. It truly gives one a great sense of pride to be a member of such a great team that does such wonderful things for people.
Pilot Tom Cantrell emailed Wartburg, Your students blew me away with their positive attitude and politeness, several qualities that are lacking in most airports these days. You should be proud of how they represented your college, and whatever secret ingredient you feed them in your cafeteria keep doing it they are a credit to your college and faculty.
The choir posted its thanks: United Airlines very literally saved the start of the choirs tour ... and we are so, so grateful!
Wartburg professor Bill Withers, a customer service consultant for major corporations, summed up the event in a Facebook post:
Well played, United. I always applaud airlines when their teams put their heads together around (quality customer service) initiatives like this. So, we found them another plane! Seriously?! Of course; it can be done if organizations focus on service and solutions! And yes, you can still fly the friendly skies of United!
Score one for a feel-good airline video on YouTube with dozens of happy travelers, serenading the flight crew that saved their San Antonio concerts.
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U.K. Ban on Khat Affects Kenya
The British government has banned the stimulant khat, which will have consequences for Kenyan farmers who had been fetching inflated prices for the crop in the United Kingdom. By Bernard Mulwa.
ISIS Brutality Becomes a TV Series
"Black Crows" inspired by true events, depicts daily life for women who volunteer or are forced to join ISIS, and the fear that shapes their relationships. MBC director Ali Jaber had this to say about the series:"ISIS is not only an organization. It's an idea; it's a narrative. And you don't bomb an idea. You fight an idea with a more progressive, more compelling idea."
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
Popularity. Check out reviews, forums and Facebook pages to see what other people think of the casino. Also, ask around at work or friends houses who they would recommend to you. You could always take a look at the casinos website too, to see what kind of information they provide about themselves.
Reputation. Find out what the general public thinks about the casino. Check out any customer reviews on sites like Trustpilot, Amazon and Google Play to find out more. As far as gaming goes, you can also check out the Better Business Bureau to see whether there have been any complaints against the casino.
Security. Make sure the casino uses SSL encryption to secure its transactions, meaning that your private data stays safe during transactions. Other than that, look for security seals on the site itself and verify that theyre legitimate. You can also check out the casinos privacy policy to see how they handle confidential information.
Payment methods. Its good to have multiple payment options available, especially if you plan to play frequently. Its also nice to find a casino that accepts cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. If youre worried about safety, you can always opt for a credit card or PayPal instead.
With all those criteria in mind, heres our top picks
Betway:
Betway is a relatively new UK casino offering online gambling to residents of the United Kingdom and European Union. They offer hundreds of games across both land based and digital platforms, with plenty of top software providers like Net Entertainment, Microgaming and Yggdrasil Gaming Network. With a generous welcome offer that gives players 100% up to 100, you really cant go wrong with Betway.
Coral Casino:
Coral Casino is operated by the same company that runs the famous Caribbean casino, Grand Reef. Like many casinos, Coral Casino offers a wide variety of games, including plenty of video slots and table games. New players can benefit from a huge 100% match bonus up to 1000, while existing customers enjoy 25% cash back on deposits made within 48 hours of opening an account.
Ladbrokes Casino:
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.
Paddy Power Casino:
Paddy Power is another Irish-owned casino that operates throughout Europe. Not only does Paddy Power Casino offer traditional casino games like blackjack, roulette and slots, but it also provides a full range of sports betting, including football, tennis, boxing and horse racing. New players can receive a massive 100% match bonus up to 200, while existing customers can claim 35% cashback on their first three deposits.
William Hill Casino:
William Hill Casino is one of the biggest names in the industry, operating in Europe, Asia and North America. Founded in 1984, this online casino has more than 400 games to choose from, including slots and table games, with a wide array of software providers like WagerLogic, Big Time Gaming and Rival.
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If youre interested in trying out an online casino but arent quite ready to commit to one, why not try out one of the many no deposit casinos weve reviewed? You can test drive various casinos completely risk-free, so you can feel confident about your choice before you make a single penny deposit.
Apr. 27, 2016 | By Kira
Dubai, the largest city in the United Arab Emirates and an increasingly powerful World City, has launched the Dubai 3D Printing Strategy, a unique and wide-reaching initiative that seeks to exploit the power of 3D printing to add value to the national economy, and to humanity as a whole.
Initiated by Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Dubai 3D Printing Strategy will cover three key economic sectors, including 3D printed medical products, 3D printed consumer products, and 3D printed construction. For the latter, the citys stated goal is to ensure that by the year 2030, 25% or more of all buildings in Dubai will be built using 3D printing technology.
"The UAE is presenting to the world today the first integrated and comprehensive strategy to exploit 3D technology to serve humanity, said Sheikh Mohammed at the announcement of the launch. His speech stressed the opportunities, and indeed, the necessity of 3D printing technology in boosting not only Dubai's prosperity, but the entire world's.
The future will depend on 3D printing technologies in all aspects of our life, starting from houses we live in, the streets we use, the cars we drive, the clothes we wear and the food we eat," he said. "This technology will create added economic value and benefits worth billions of dollars during the coming period. We should have a share in this growing global market. This technology will restructure economies and labour markets as the use of unskilled labour will come down compared to the current situation, especially in the construction sector. It will also redefine productivity because the time needed for 3D printing of buildings and products will be 10% of the time taken in traditional techniques."
Dubai has made no secret of its interest in exploring and exploiting 3D printing technology. Last year, Sheikh Mohammed announced the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 plan, in which 3D printing will play an important role in helping Dubai become the most sustainable city in the world. These grand ambitions have been supplemented by several large-scale 3D printing projects, many of which are world firsts. These include using 3D printing to build Dubais Museum of the Future and the worlds first fully functional 3D printed office building. Other projects range from producing clean energy to preserving the regions most important cultural heritage to 3D printed jetpacks for firefighters.
Above: plans for the world's first 3D printed office building. Below: Dubai's 3D printed Smart Palm
While all of these projects have put 3D printing innovation in the limelight, the Dubai 3D Printing Strategy is, as its name implies, the most explicit in its aim to make Dubai a global leader in additive manufacturing technology.
Through the 3D Printing Strategy, we aim to make Dubai a global hub for the development of this technology and a base for research and development in this area, continued Sheikh Mohammed. We aim to provide the best opportunities for innovation and optimal application of this technology worldwide. Our goal is raise the level of services provided to the people and harness 3D printing for the benefit of the entire community."
As mentioned above, the strategy targets three key sectors:
1. 3D Printed Construction: Sheikh Mohammed made explicit Dubais goal to ensure that 25% of buildings in Dubai are based on 3D printing technology by 2030, with the percentage to be raised progressively with the development of global technology and growth of market demand. We believe that this technology is capable of transforming the construction sector by lowering costs and reducing the time it takes to implement projects. It will also help reduce manpower requirements as well as waste generated from construction which can be harmful to the environment, he said. The value of Dubais 3D printing construction sector is expected to reach Dhs3 billion (US$800 million) by 2025.
2. 3D Printed Medical Products: Dubais medical sector will focus on 3D printed teeth, 3D printed bones, 3D printed organs, as well as 3D printed medical and surgical devices, prosthetics, and hearing aids. The value of Dubais 3D printed medical products sector is expected reach Dhs1.7 billion (US$462 million) by 2025.
3. 3D Printed Consumer Products: This sector will see everyday items from household goods to optics, fashion, jewelry, games and even fast food benefit from 3D printing technology in order to save on materials, manufacturing times, and overall production costs. This sector is expected to reach DhS2.8 billion (US$762 million) by 2025.
In addition to the three key sectors, the strategy revolves around give pillars: Infrastructure, Legislative Structure, Funding, Talent, and Market Demand. Furthermore, it is to be implemented in four critical stages: Establishment, Qualification, Implementation and finally, Development.
Though evidently quite far-reaching, the plan brings together both government and private sector partners to fulfill its goals. Dubai Municipality, Dubai Health Authority, and Dubai Holding will all play key roles.
The announcement of the Dubai 3D Printing Strategy follows another major strategic launch: that of the Dubai Future Foundation and Dubai Future Agenda, which were presented by Sheikh Mohammed last Sunday. The Foundation will serve as an independent endowment establishment to shape the future of strategic sectors, with a heavy emphasis on the role of science and technology.
"Our vision for development is driven by a deep understanding of the future needs, and built on proactive ideas because we want to be in first place globally. Our methodology for development is based on the launch of initiatives that can be applied anywhere in the world and creating a global model for not only our economy but also for the global economy," said Sheikh Mohammed. "The future does not wait for those who hesitate and slow down. The next stage requires us to act fast and utilize the opportunities.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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r wrote at 4/29/2016 2:30:22 PM:yeet
Apr 27, 2016 | By Alec
Its increasingly looking like 3D printing and ships are a natural combination, as various navies around the world are already recognizing the technologys potential for creating parts in distant corners of the globe. The Chinese navy has already experimented with metal 3D printers aboard warships for the creation of spare parts during missions, while the UK is looking into the 3D printing of reconnaissance drones on the high seas. But the South Korean government seems to be far more ambitious. It has just been revealed that they will set up a five-year research project in Ulsan for the development of actual 3D printed ships and offshore equipment.
This project is financed by the South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and is expected to cost around $20 million over a five year period. The exploration of 3D printed ship development is expected to kick off in 2017. Few other details surrounding this project are already available, expect that it will be housed in Ulsan.
The decision to set up this project in Ulsan was doubtlessly easy to make. The Ulsan Metropolitan City, to give its full name, is the South Korean industrial capital. Though just a fishing port just a few decades ago, it became one of the focus points of the Korean push for industrial development during the 1960s. Today it is home to a huge harbor complex and a wide number of heavy industries, including oil refinement and automobile production. The HQ of Hyundai is also located in Ulsan, as is their automobile assembly plant the largest in the world. But the citys immense harbor will now thus also house one of the most ambitious and largest 3D printing projects weve ever seen.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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Andrew Flowers in FiveThirtyEight:
Daniel Straub remembers the night he got hooked on basic income. He had invited Gotz Werner, a billionaire owner of a German drugstore chain, to give an independent talk in Zurich, where Straub was working as a project manager for a think tank. He had read an article about the radical proposal to unconditionally guarantee citizens an income and spent a few years casually researching the idea. Straub had heard Werner was a good speaker on the topic, and that night in 2009 he was indeed excellent at connecting with the audience, a sold-out house of 200. It was a very intense evening; people were paying attention, Straub recalled.
Werner posed a pair of simple questions to the crowd: What do you really want to do with your life? Are you doing what you really want to do? Whatever the answers, he suggested basic income was the means to achieve those goals. The idea is as simple as it is radical: Rather than concern itself with managing myriad social welfare and unemployment insurance programs, the government would instead regularly cut a no-strings-attached check to each citizen. No conditions. No questions. Everyone, rich or poor, employed or out of work would get the same amount of money. This arrangement would provide a path toward a new way of living: If people no longer had to worry about making ends meet, they could pursue the lives they want to live.
Straub had studied business, international policy and psychology at school and spent years working for IBM, the International Red Cross and a Montessori school. Basic income struck a nerve, he said. People are burned out more than ever. You come to Switzerland and talk to people, they arent happy. They fear for their jobs. There is a gap between the economic possibility in this country and the quality of life.
After Werners talk, Straub quit his job at the think tank and began to campaign for a basic income full time.
More here.
Older voters comprised between 59 and 64 percent of the vote in those three states. Clinton led the overall unofficial results with 52 percent in Connecticut, 63 percent in Maryland and 56 percent in Pennsylvania. No exit polls were conducted in two neighboring states that also held primaries on April 26. Clinton won Delaware with 60 percent of the unofficial results; Sanders scored his only victory in Rhode Island, with 55 percent.
By contrast, Trumps resounding victories in all five states were accompanied by a mostly consistent performance among the four age groups.
In Pennsylvania, the exit poll indicated he got 59 percent from voters 65 and older, 57 percent from those 45 to 64, 58 percent from those 30 to 44, and 52 percent from those 18 to 29. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas had a narrow lead for second place from among the two middle age groups, while Gov. John Kasich of Ohio narrowly took second place among the oldest and youngest voters.
Northern football player donates hair to Wigs for Kids
Zach Bohnenkamp has been growing his hair out since he arrived at Northern. Thursday he had 12 inches of hair cut and donated to Wigs for Kids.
ACAs library of educational tools help members improve their business practices. ACA also holds the most popular industry conferences and offers credentialing for collectors, attorneys, and more. ACAs Training Zone subscription gives agencies access to almost all of our education for one low cost.
REDW LLC, one of the Southwests 10 largest accounting firms, has elected Steve Cogan as managing principal, succeeding Ron Rivera, who has served as firm-wide managing principal for the past 15 years.
I am both humbled and honored to be chosen by our principal group to lead REDW, Cogan said in a statement. Following Ron and continuing to honor the legacy of Sanford Rogoff will be a challenging task, but I am looking forward to the opportunity to lead the Firm as we grow together, work together and serve together.
The managing principal transition follows a coordinated succession planning process. REDWs governance structure calls for the election of the managing principal every three years. Cogan was elected in late 2015. He will assume his new responsibilities May 1, 2016. Rivera previously announced his plan to retire within three to five years.
Cogan joined REDW in 1992 and became a principal in 2000. He plans to continue to work closely with Rivera over the next few months to ensure the smooth and seamless transition of responsibilities and continuity in the firms operations and strategic direction. Rivera will remain active full-time at REDW but plans to devote more time to serving clients, mentoring team members, growing the commercial practice by overseeing the consulting, outsourcing and accounting services, and participating in community service efforts.
During his tenure as managing principal, Rivera guided REDW to significant growth, tripling its size by revenues, CPA headcount and total headcount. Under his leadership, the firm maintained its Southwestern roots while establishing a national profile and opening an office in the Phoenix market. During this stretch, the Albuquerque, N.M.-based firm became one of the largest CPA firms in the Southwest. REDW ranked 6th on Accounting Todays 2016 Regional Leaders list of the Top 100 Firms in the Southwest, with $27.89 million in annual revenue.
Weve seen unprecedented change in our profession over the past two decades. Despite some exceptional challenges and volatility in our economy, we were able to remain true to our core values and strategic direction, Rivera stated. The firms footprint expansion, combined with a strong value-oriented culture, makes REDW an increasingly attractive destination for professionals and clients who seek a more efficient, yet sophisticated platform of delivering accounting, audit, tax and a wide range of financial and consulting services, including outsourcing. REDW is a growing, dynamic firm and Steve is poised to continue to carry out our strategic vision and maintain our strong financial and operational position. The timing is ideal and will best serve the firm and our clients as we look to the next decade and beyond.
Cogan plans to use the experience he gained as a member of the firms board of directors, a senior member of the Audit & Consulting practice, head of the Firms Healthcare Industry and Internal Audit practices, and his leadership on a variety of local social service, cultural, industry and economic development boards.
Ron has done a terrific job, and thanks to his leadership and business acumen, the firm has grown to a market-leading position, offering diverse, integrated services to organizations and individuals, said Cogan. Its an exciting time to begin serving REDW in this new capacity, and I plan to build on Rons accomplishments and continue the firms commitment to building trusting relationships based on integrity, accountability and shared values, and by helping our clients and each other succeed.
USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez)
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III was inducted into the Air Force Order of the Sword during a ceremony April 22 in Montgomery, Alabama.An ancient tradition adopted by the Air Force in 1967, the Order of the Sword is the highest level of honor and tribute the enlisted corps can give its leaders. The sword symbolizes honor, truth, justice and power, and the induction distinguishes a leader among leaders.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody presented the sword to Welsh, and he explained that the Order of the Sword is for those leaders who have made significant contributions to the enlisted corps."Tonight, the entire Air Force is honoring you, all of the enlisted Airmen that you have helped," Cody said. "They are all thinking of you and saying, 'What a great leader.' And I can say that you have redefined what it means to be a good leader among leaders and what it means to know an Airman."Before the ceremony, a junior-enlisted Airman had an encounter with Welsh that exemplified the reason why the general was being honored.While standing and waiting for Welsh's arrival, Airman Andrew Dang, a 42nd Contracting Squadron contracting specialist, admitted to the surrounding chief master sergeants that he wanted to shake Welshs hand. The chiefs thought this was a great idea, so when Welsh walked by, they nudged Dang toward him. The Airman quickly shook his hand but was shocked when Welsh invited him to walk into the venue with him."It was such a privilege, because of all the people in the room, he chose me, an Airman to walk with him," Dang said. "I was awestricken, it was amazing. I am truly thankful."Welsh has gained the reputation of reaching out and connecting with Airmen wherever he goes, and the Order of the Sword ceremony was no different. Before presenting Welsh with the sword, Cody commended the general for his concern and care for Airmen."This is a significant way to honor you and there is no better example of a leader who should have it, but it almost pales in comparison to what you have given us as an Air Force," he said.In his remarks, Welsh shared a story from his career that shaped his opinion of the Air Force's enlisted corps.While deployed during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Welsh said he had lost a pilot from his squadron. In his grief, he went to the chaplain's tent where he sat alone until an Airman came in and put his arm around him and just sat with him."He didn't have to check on me to see if I was OK," Welsh said. "He certainly didn't have to sit there and grieve with me, and he somehow had the brilliance to not say anything or to interject his feelings about how bad he felt; he just felt it with me. I'll never forget him, but that's what the enlisted corps does. They do what's necessary, and they do it when it's necessary and they do it until it's time to move on to the next task. They always take care of their own."Welsh concluded his comments with a charge and a debt of gratitude to all Airmen."I do love you. Take care of each other. Lead our Airmen. Keep standing for what you stand for, and if any of you ever need help, find me. I'd be honored if you called," he said.
Air Force ROTC returns to Harvard
Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James helped return the Air Force's tie to one of the country's most prestigious institutions April 22.
The secretary signed an agreement at Harvard University, Massachusetts, re-establishing the Air Force ROTC detachment there. After establishing one of the country's first ROTC detachments in 1916, university administrators removed the school's ROTC academic standing during Vietnam War protests in 1971.
After the Defense Department's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was repealed in 2011, Harvard re-established the ROTC program, starting with the Navy.
"Leveraging the best talent America has to offer is our secret weapon," James said, standing in front of a small crowd of cadets and administrators after the signing.
Before the signing, James toured the storied campus, focusing on its military history, which dates back to the Revolutionary War. According to its website, Harvard students have contributed to every major conflict in U.S. history, and the school boasts 18 Medal of Honor recipients, including President Theodore Roosevelt for his actions in the Spanish-American War and U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt II, who led one of the first waves of men onto the Normandy beaches during D-Day.
James, however, focused on the future while speaking to staff and students.
"I am proud to be here to recognize Harvard University's continuing commitment to that future," she said. "This is the partnership we'll need to continue if we are to remain the preeminent military force in the world."
Leading the next generation of AF medics
Its a little after 7:30 a.m. and the stampede has finally cleared the hallways. Theres a moment of silence, the first since arriving to work three hours prior. The five-story building is nearly desolate now, but a multitude of paperwork and tasks remain to be done before the 800-plus military students return from class in the afternoon.
Such is the life of a military training leader at the 59th Training Group, the Air Force component of the Defense Departments Medical Education and Training Campus. The tri-service campus offers more than 50 medical programs, and graduates about 21,000 enlisted students annually.
MTLs provide administrative care and Air Force instruction to the second largest group of technical training students in the Air Education and Training Command -- the first group is security forces. Nearly all Air Force enlisted medics come through the unit. Some stay only a month, while others may be assigned here up to a year.
The group houses three squadrons with up to 1,200 Airmen from 16 different Air Force career specialties. Only 24 MTLs help run the unit, and they are responsible for the more than 5,500 Airmen who navigate the hallways every year.
Most of us never had to supervise a large number of Airmen before, so coming here is a new challenge, said Staff Sgt. Britni Hill, a MTL with the 59th TRG.
Hill, who was a security forces specialist before taking on the special duty assignment as an MTL, said this unique training setting is very different from her previous experience. The tri-service environment, Hill said, makes it important to instill military bearing, and customs and courtesies to the Airmen.
Oftentimes, its necessary to explain why things differ between the services instead of just barking orders, she said.
Another MTL, a native of the Philippines, said before his Air Force career began, he had to work hard to meet standards.
I was in the delayed enlistment program for more than six months because I had to lose weight before going to basic training, said Staff Sgt. Mark Visita. Later, I dropped another 60 pounds. Since then, fitness has been a huge part of my life.
Visita now leads physical training sessions and promotes exceeding the standards among the students.
Its a rewarding experience; I wouldnt trade it for the world, Visita said. But even when enforcing standards, its important to be aware of factors that might be causing someone to deviate. You have to be mindful that even as a disciplinary figure, youre also the mentor.
Its not uncommon to be counseling someone when they mention that they are going through tough times, like the loss of a parent or sibling. Some may even be going through a divorce, he added.
Its late in the afternoon now. Dozens of counseling sessions have been administered and stacks of paperwork have been completed. As the lights go off, other MTLs get ready for the night shift. At this 24-hour operation, there are always MTLs to tend to the next generation of warrior medics.
-- This look around the Air Force takes us to Florida where a fallen Airman is honored, and to the Philippines where Airmen are conducting missions out of Clark Air Base. Hosted by Senior Airman Nicholas Koetz.For previous episodes, click here for the Air Force TV page.Related links:
Separated from family, students chalk up their emotions
Azmeralda Poole pushes the chalk down on the ground and draws two dots inside a circle, cracking a grin as she sketches a smiling face. She points to her creation as she looks up at Nicole Flores, her Vogelweh Elementary School counselor.
"This is me, the student says. I'm happy right now!"
The young girl was participating in a therapy session for children who were ordered to leave Turkey by the Defense Department on March 29 due to security concerns there. Flores had them draw out their thoughts and feelings, and for Azmeralda, there were manyt.
"I had to leave Dad alone for a while," she said. "In the middle of the night, Mom and I came over to Germany and I knew nobody here. Some of my friends came with me to Germany, but a lot of them left to America."
As she said, some families were moved to Ramstein Air Base but some went back stateside. According to Flores, it's been an eventful first few weeks, as she and other school staff members help the dozens of families settle in.
"We got a call out of the blue ... we ended up with 65 kids from Turkey," Flores said. "It happened so fast, but we've kept our minds and arms open to these kids the entire way."
Despite the influx of over 60 students, the teachers have had no problem with taking more of them. If anything, according to Flores, the response has been incredible.
"A lot of teachers wanted as many students as possible," Flores explained. "Also, we have a program where these students have sponsors in the school that show them around and get them adjusted to the new environment. They become their new best friends, and they start feeling like they've been here all year."
It's not been an easy time for these kids and their parents, according to Flores. However, they've never been alone. The parents were provided sponsors to help settle them into the community, while their children were also given sponsors in the form of their peers.
"These kids are so spectacular," Flores said. "To see them getting along so well with students that have lived here, it's amazing."
Flores rounds up the students for their next classes. She takes a glance at the drawings across the playground. Smiley faces and frowning faces crowd the small playground turf. One scribbled face expresses a look of uncertainty with the word "Meh" chalked above its head.
She looks down at the students' faces. One girl has a doll with a photo of her dad's face on the head, clenched tightly in her hands.
"Did we get our emotions out today?" Flores asks her students, who answer with nodding heads.
"I know you all miss your moms or dads, but I want you all to leave your emotions here on this playground, kids," she says. "I want all the sadness, confusion and unhappiness to stay here, chalked in the ground."
The only emotion she wants them to carry to their next home is their happiness and positivity. Flores will only spend two more months with the students, as they and their parents will return stateside once the kids finish the school year.
"I'm going to miss these kids when they leave," Flores said. "They're part of our family now."
F-22 Raptors fly into Lithuania as part of European tour
A pair of F-22 Raptors and one KC-135 Stratotanker arrived at Siauliai Air Base on April 27, following a short stay in Romania.
The F-22s, with about 20 supporting Airmen, are from the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The KC-135 is from the 100th Air Refuel Wing at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England.
The aircraft and Airmen were welcomed by Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite and other distinguished visitors from the Lithuanian government and military.
"This is a demonstration that the United States is honoring its commitments and is ready to protect our region with all the most modern measures," she said in a press conference.
Both F-22s are currently part of the largest deployment of the fifth-generation aircraft to Europe. The deployment is partially funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, which provides support to bolster the security of NATO allies and partners in Europe while demonstrating the U.S. commitment to regional and global security.
"Today's demonstration is part the collective defense and security of our NATO Allies, a commitment that is underscored in President (Barack) Obama's $3.4 billion request for the European Reassurance Initiative," said U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania Deborah A. McCarthy.
The F-22s will briefly stay at Siauliai AB before returning to RAF Lakenheath, England, to continue their training deployment that ends in May. Before Lithuania, the aircraft visited Mihail Kogalniceanu AB, Romania.
Grissom Airman participate in Women Veterans conference
Indianas womens veteran population is more than 35,000 and women from Grissom Air Reserve Base, Indiana, make up part of that number.
To show their support, women from the Hoosier Wing attended the 2016 Indiana Women Veterans Conference in Indianapolis, April 15 to learn about VA benefits available and to network with other veterans.
Having so many [Indiana women veterans] in one place, and having the ability to speak to so many of them from different services was one of the best parts for me, said Col. Anna Schulte, 434th Maintenance Group commander and key-note speaker. It was amazing to see how many women from Grissom participated in the event adding to the rich heritage of Indiana female veterans.
That history and heritage was echoed as Schulte gave her speech to a diverse crowd of veterans from all branches of military services.
Today we celebrate Indianas Women Veterans; these women embody the core values of our armed services and their legacy is a treasure to behold and share, said Schulte during her speech. Women have been in our service since George Washingtons troops fought for independence. Some were so determined to fight for what they believed that they even masqueraded as men and took up arms.
Throughout the speech Schulte provided example after example of the women who helped shape the armed forces into what it is today.
The cheering and all the camaraderie that came from women in the crowd after Colonel Schulte delivered her speech informing us of all the achievements made from women service members was inspirational, said 2nd Lt. Erica Morgan, 434th MXG executive officer who attended the event with her daughter. Im glad my daughter had the opportunity to see the impact women make in our military and the chance to see some of our military traditions.
During the conference attendees also had opportunities to visit a variety of workshops that focused on topics such as VA benefits, positive discipline parenting, art therapy, self-defense and a resume workshop provided by Grissoms Family Readiness.
We had a lot of participation from the women veterans during the conference, said Jill Marconi, Grissom Airman and Family Readiness Center director. Our primary goal was to provide federal and civilian resume writing skills and ensure applicants were aware of the impact their credit score and finances have on them throughout the Federal hiring process.
Several woman have tried submitting federal applications and have simply given up hope because they didnt know how to navigate the system; our class renewed hope and also provided other woman whom these vets could relate to, she said.
Despite being there to provide resume writing skills, Marconi said that the event was more about unity, and female veterans speaking with people who can relate to their specific needs.
This function really pulled in all the team players and was all about unity and growth for these folks, Marconi added.
That unity was also displayed as volunteers from Grissom sat up and operated Grissom's interactive flight deck and boom pod displays so visitors could learn more about the 434th Air Refueling Wing KC-135R Stratotanker mission.
Our team of volunteers did an outstanding job showcasing the tanker mission during the event, said Senior Master Sgt. Douglas Stogsdill, 434th Maintenance Squadron fabrications flight chief and static display supervisor. There were several other events [at the same location] and even if people didnt come and visit our tent, they saw the uniforms and the Air Force logo; there were a lot of eyes on Grissom.
Grissoms presence and support of women veterans was also displayed by the amount of people from the base who attended. In all, over 40 people from the Hoosier Wing arrived to show their support and learn from the experience.
Almost all the women from our office attended to show our support and learn about the benefits available to us, said Tech. Sgt. Erica Sherwood, 434th Force Support Squadron noncommissioned officer in charge. It was good hearing everyones story and having the opportunity to come together as military veterans that share similar experiences.
The 434th ARW is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Men and women from the Hoosier Wing routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission.
Stay connected, visit Grissom on Facebook and Twitter.
It's 'Miller time' at Exercise Saber Junction
Senior Airman Miller is relatively new to the Air Force, and Exercise Saber Junction is the first time he has participated in a major, joint exercise overseas. It is also Millers first trip overseas. Having only been in the Air Force Reserve a few short years, Miller is a full-time student when not working at the 934th Airlift Wing, with plans for a long Air Force career.
Senior Airman Miller is a crew chief; he is also a loadmaster whose friends call him Alec. He joined the Air Force Reserve in 2013; he joined the Air Force in 2014. The 934th Airlift Wing has double vision when it comes to Senior Airman Miller--because there are two: Senior Airman Alec Miller and Senior Airman Blaine Miller.
Senior Airman Alec Miller, a loadmaster from 96th Airlift Squadron, is on his first ever trip out of the country. Having only joined the Air Force in March 2014, he has been assigned to the 96th Airlift Squadron ever since, training and learning about his career field. His uncle convinced him to join the Air Force as he also served in the Air Force, and Alec Miller is happy he took the leap. He said, What I like most is I get to fly around, and see cool stuff. It's a great time. He is currently working on a business degree at Inver Hills Community College in his off time.
Senior Airman Blaine Miller, crew chief from the 96th Airlift Squadron, joined the Air Force in 2013, and is also currently a full-time student during his time away from the Air Force Reserve. He is studying to be a dentist, and hopes to eventually serve in that capacity in the Air Force when he finishes dental school. Exercise Saber Junction has been a good experience for Blaine Miller, as he has received a number of compliments on the state of the C-130 from the 934th which has instilled pride in his work and his fellow airmen from the Global Vikings. This is the first exercise where Ive seen other C-130s, and it makes me appreciate our C-130s--we take great pride in their cleanliness and appearance, he said.
While this has been the beginning for the young careers of the two senior airmen from the 934th Airlift Wing, it certainly wont be the last we hear of them. They have long, promising careers ahead of them; Exercise Saber Junction is just the beginning of their long flight through the military.
Speaker: deployers should take time for the little things
After the 2011 death of his mother, Senior Master Sgt. Eric Smith found a locked box among her belongings. Inside, along with personal papers and valuables, was every letter, card and note he had written to her since 1985.
A swell of emotions left him speechless, the Air Forces First Sergeant of the Year for 2014 told a class he led Saturday at an Air Force Reserve Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program event here.
I didnt realize the impact my letters had had on my mother until that moment, Smith said. It was the little things that mattered most.
Smith, first sergeant with the 340th Flying Training Group at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, speaks frequently at Yellow Ribbon events. The program promotes the well-being of reservists and their loved ones by connecting them with resources before and after deployments. His audience during four hour-long sessions in Colorado consisted of Airmen preparing to deploy and those closest to them.
Effective communication, conflict resolution and the importance of networking were all key points to Smiths program to help those attending establish a solid foundation for openness and understanding throughout their deployments.
Plan for the people left behind, he said to GIs in attendance. Schedule time to talk to friends and family while deployed.
Smith, who has a doctorate degree in management, shared from personal experience the importance of effective communication before and during deployment.
Im really passionate about what I do, he said before covering ways to always make other people feel comfortable.
That included people in his audience, said Rachel Laberta, whose husband, Leonard, is a master sergeant in the Reserves 433rd Civil Engineering Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.
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Laberta was overcome by emotion at the similarity between herself and Smiths mother in valuing letters sent to them during long periods of separation.
Letter writing is so important, she said. Phone calls go away but letters are forever.
Tech Sgt. Nathan Sigars and his fiancee, Maria Vazquez, said they felt the overwhelmingly positive themes throughout Smiths presentation.
He was very engaging and kept our attention throughout, said Sigars, also a Lackland reservist. I like the team interactions used to remind us of communication strategies we can use in our personal and professional lives.
Smith encouraged Airmen in his classes to ensure they establish a strong support system before they deploy.
Do the little things, he said. The stronger the foundation, the smoother the transition when you get back.
Yellow Ribbon began in 2008 following a congressional mandate for the Department of Defense to assist reservists and National Guard members in maintaining resiliency as they transition between their military and civilian roles.
Each year, the Air Force Reserve program trains 7,000 reservists and those closest to them in education benefits, healthcare, retirement information and more through a series of weekend training sessions around the country.
Get AfricaFocus Bulletin by e-mail! Format for print or mobile Nigeria: Shapes of Violence, 1 AfricaFocus Bulletin
April 27, 2016 (160427)
(Reposted from sources cited below) Editor's Note The realities of violence, whether in Nigeria, other African countries, or indeed in rich countries such as the United States as well, are often far more complicated than the stereotypes that often prevail among those observing them from a distance. Thus, violence in Nigeria is often simplistically characterized as "religious conflict" between Muslims and Christians. A new collection of empirical studies released this year by Nigeria Watch, based in Ibadan, Nigeria, provides a more complex perspective, documenting, for instance, that intra-Muslim conflict is more common that conflicts between Muslims and Christians, and that much of the conflict involving both Muslims and Christians is based on secular rather than religious motives. This AfricaFocus Bulletin, available on the web but not sent out by email, contains excerpts from one of the chapters in this new report, focused specifically on violence involving Christians and Muslims in Nigeria. The full 216-page report is available at https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/handle/1887/37759 Another AfricaFocus Bulletin, sent out by email today and available at http://www.africafocus.org/docs16/nig1604b.php, contains recent press releases from Refugees International on violence by Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria and by Nigerian security forces in an unrelated incident in Zaria, in north-central Nigeria. Other recent articles with relevant background on Boko Haram in particular include the following from the Washington Post and the New York Times. "Here's why so many people join Boko Haram, despite its notorious violence," by Hilary Matfess, Washington Post, April 26, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/hqw6og4 "Failure to Share Data Hampers War on Boko Haram in Africa," by Eric Schmitt and Dionne Searcey, New York Times, April 23, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/jzsmla7 "Women Who Fled Boko Haram Tell of Devastation and, Rarely, Hope," by Helene Cooper, New York Times, April 22, 2106 http://tinyurl.com/z48hplw "Abducted Nigerian Girls Have Not Been Abandoned, U.S. Says," by Helene Cooper, April 20, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/z4bj6md "Boko Haram still a threat months after 'technical victory,' by Bradley Klapper|AP, Washington Post, April 19, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/h3dfy48 "What's Worse Than a Girl Being Kidnapped?," by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, New York Times, April 15, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/hcak5ch "Boko Haram kidnapped 276 girls two years ago. What happened to them?," by Kevin Sieff, Washington Post, April 14, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/zj57sxg "Boko Haram Turns Female Captives Into Terrorists," by Dionne Searcey, New York Times, April 7, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/jqyxw2d "They were freed from Boko Haram's rape camps. But their nightmare isn't over," by Kevin Sieff, Washington Post, April 3, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/zxcpob3 For previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on Nigeria, visit http://www.africafocus.org/country/nigeria.php ++++++++++++++++++++++end editor's note+++++++++++++++++ Violence in Nigeria: A qualitative and quantitative analysis Edited by Marc-Antoine Perouse de Montclos Published by: African Studies Centre, Leiden, Netherlands http://www.ascleiden.nl French Institute for Research in Africa / Institut Francais de Recherche en Afrique (IFRA-Nigeria), University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria http://www.ifra-nigeria.org Full 216-page report available for download at https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/handle/1887/37759 Muslims, Christians and Religious Violence in Nigeria: Patterns and Mapping (2006-2014) Akinola Ejodame Olojo Introduction This paper is an attempt to sketch out and analyse the evolution and diverse patterns of violent deaths involving Muslims and Christians in Nigeria between 1 June 2006 and 31 May 2014. Although this nationwide mapping offers representations of the broad spectrum and character of Muslim-Christian religious violence over the eight-year period in focus, it also includes the dynamics of violent deaths of a non-religious nature involving Muslims and Christians. Our assessment also considers the violent interaction between Muslim and Christian groups in relation to other protagonists associated with religious and non-religious issues. Without doubt, the religious institutions of Islam and Christianity in Nigeria are major rallying points for various social and political groups with disparate and sometimes obscure agendas. In fact, the almost ubiquitous use of religious pretexts in Nigeria has at several periods been appropriated by 'non-conforming' groups to instigate violence and inadvertently give the impression that religion is the paramount source of violence in the country. However, this study finds that while the factor of religion cannot be entirely disregarded, particularly in light of the character of recurrent crises in (northern) Nigeria, religious issues do not represent the only cause of violent deaths involving Muslims and Christians in the country. Religion as a causal factor must be put in perspective and nuanced with other pertinent sources of violent deaths, such as issues related to land and territorial claims, ethnicity, and politics and elections, as well as community violence and crimes involving Muslims and Christians. In addition, this study finds that in cases where religion appears to be an underlying cause of violent deaths, such incidents can also be reflected in clashes between just one of the religious faiths and a non-religious protagonist, or in fact occur within the same religious faith. ... In this paper, reference to violent deaths does not exclusively denote the act of perpetration of violence on the part of Muslims or Christians. Rather, the context of our interpretation of violent deaths refers to the involvement of Muslims and Christians also as victims. It should also be noted that the period under examination starts on 1 June 2006 and ends on 31 May 2014. Therefore, apart from the full years in between (2007-2013), data analysed in relation to either 2006 or 2014 should be considered in light of the stipulated period when data collation and analysis started and ended. Religion and violence in Nigeria Violence in Nigeria has taken various forms over the decades, and the data in this study depicts its wide-ranging character expressed through the interactions between Muslims and Christians. Political issues, especially those associated with the struggle for elective offices and power allocation, remain a potent source of violence. This state of affairs is often catalyzed by a lethal infusion of interests rooted in deep socio-economic and ethnic concerns, some of which may be legitimate and others spuriously held by different actors and groups. In addition, the overall frequency of violent deaths in Nigeria owes much to a combination of other causes such as car accidents and crime. And certainly, not least, religious issues appear to also reinforce the collective tally of fatalities, particularly in terms of recurrence rates in regions such as northern Nigeria. Scholarly interpretations of this religious angle hold significance because of the added perspective they bring to our assessment of Muslim and Christian involvement in the trends of violent deaths. However, in instances where violent deaths are not underscored by religious issues between Muslims and Christians, or in cases where violent deaths transpire between groups of the same religious faith, it raises questions regarding the limits of certain theoretical paradigms and how effectively their frameworks capture the violent interaction between adherents of religious faiths in Nigeria. One such paradigm pertains to the 'clash of civilizations', which suggests that civilization identity, of which religion is a core component, will be increasingly important in the post-Cold War period. Samuel Huntington, the main proponent of this acclaimed yet widely criticized civilizational thesis went further to assert that the fundamental source of conflict and great divisions will be cultural and that the fault lines between civilizations, being the broadest level of cultural identity, will be the battle lines of the future (Huntington 1996). To a certain degree, some of the fundamental conflicts evident in the era Huntington prognosticated about have indeed found some expression along religious fault lines, and particularly in relation to Islam in countries such as Nigeria. The academic literature is also instructive in the way it guides our thoughts on the central role of religion. Ellis and Haar (2007) describe religion as an emerging political language whose pattern of interaction cannot be ignored in the study of African politics. For Matthew Kukah (1993), the process of political bargaining in Nigeria appears to increasingly embody the factor of religion. Toyin Falola (1998) pushes this further by underscoring the profundity of religious attachment expressed by both Muslims and Christians and its instrumentality in political life and leadership in Nigeria. In the overall estimation of various scholars writing on religion and politics in Nigeria, there appears to be an almost seamless connection between several violent incidents from the 1960s through the decades up to the current period. And at different phases in this historical trajectory, the controversy between Muslims and Christians over the definition and interpretation of 'secularity', for instance, has offered opportunities for analysts to gauge what they see as diametrically opposed platforms of Muslims against Christians in Nigeria. A typical instance appeared in 1976 during the drafting of Nigeria's Constitution and then again in 1986 on the occasion of Nigeria's admittance into the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), which sparked off intense debates between Muslims and Christians. The common thread of 'fundamentalism' that also runs through these decades has often given way to militant expressions on both sides of the religious divide in Nigeria. On the one hand, for instance, northern Nigerian Christians, arguing self-defence, have in the past justified the use of militancy to protect their lives and defend their faith through the use of physical violence. On the other hand, however, Islam appears to have gained a wider reputation for militancy than Christianity, as clearly more cases of religious violence involving Islamist groups are reported (Falola 1998). The cumulative reality of these events appears to mirror the classical model of a religious clash involving Muslims and Christians in the country. Thus, when a superficial reading of the prevailing Boko Haram crisis is carried out, the penchant to anchor analysis exclusively on Huntington's discourse and assume the reflection of a clash between a 'Muslim North' and 'Christian South' is reinforced. Besides, Boko Haram itself purportedly calls for a Sharia state, and the several incidences of violence instigated against Christians or representations of Western civilization in Nigeria tend to receive considerable media interest and hype both locally and internationally. The overall impression of a civilizational clash involving Muslims and Christians is also strengthened in some way by the phenomenon of the 'youth bulge' in Africa and particularly in the case of Nigeria where the demographic structure is characterized by nearly three-quarters of the population being under the age of 30 (Leahy et al. 2007). The portrayal of such a population trend in a country where there is an exceedingly large and mismanaged youth population invokes the notion of how easily violent deaths can be a consequence of youth vulnerability in the hands of radicalized (religious) groups. By extension, it also becomes easy to understand how much analysis of the violence involving Muslims and Christians in Nigeria maintains intellectual currency within academic debates, policy circles, and the sensational projection of the global media. Beyond this, however, the connections between the aforementioned variables are far more complex than what fits perfectly into a single theoretical paradigm about a clash between religions. The religious divide between Muslims and Christians should not be overstated, because the monolithic perception held by many observers of Islam and Christianity in Nigeria should be balanced with the sense of caution expressed by scholars such as Perouse de Montclos. He draws attention to the need to recognize the divisions within Islam as well as disruptive factors within the Muslim ummah, which crises such as that related to Boko Haram underscore (Perouse de Montclos 2014). This kind of perspective holds merit as a safeguard against speculative counter-arguments about an inter-religious clash and also as a guide for other aspects of our study, which will permit a fuller understanding of the idea of divisions or schisms within religions such as Islam in Nigeria. Particularly in the third part of this paper, an appreciation of this will emerge through our statistical presentation of violent trends between rival groups aligned to the same religion. However, before reflection on this, we will proceed to present and analyse the distribution of data related to the causes of violent deaths and its relationship to religious and non-religious issues involving Muslims and Christians. Frequency of violent deaths and their causes Between 1 June 2006 and 31 May 2014, the absolute number of violent deaths recorded by the Nigeria Watch database was over 61,000 (Figure 5.1). This staggering number is spread out over the period examined in this study. Although an observable feature of this data is the steady rise in the absolute yearly frequency of deaths from 2009 to 2013, a critical look at 2014 reveals a sharp increase in the measure of absolute frequency just within a period of five months. Furthermore, in less than a year's span, the aggregation of violent deaths for the first five months of 2014 exceeds the absolute frequency of violent deaths for each of the preceding years, with the exception of 2013. Subsequent events confirmed this alarming trend. ... Beyond frequencies: Dimensions of violent death incidents ... For each year, all the data generated is classified under six main rubrics: Islamic group versus Christian group (religious issues); Islamic group versus Christian group (non-religious issues); Islamic group versus Islamic group (religious issues); Islamic group versus Security forces (JTF, police); Islamic group versus Vigilante group, Civilian JTF; and Other Violent Death Incidents involving Muslims and Christians (Community violence). With reference to specific incidents, where necessary we will analyse the data under each rubric one at a time. Islamic group versus Christian group (religious issues) Under this rubric, we take into account the recurrence rate of violent incidents with manifestations inspired by religious issues involving Christian and Islamic groups. A total of 57 incidents are identified, and 2012 represents the year with the highest rate of this type of incident between June 2006 and May 2014. In comparison with some other rubrics that possess higher frequencies of incidents reflected in Table 5.1, this total figure of 57 is once again a reminder of how religious issues do not represent the only cause or pattern of violent deaths involving Muslims and Christians in Nigeria. These religious incidents are nonetheless significant and are mainly comprised of three forms of violent encounters: first, attacks instigated by the Islamist group Boko Haram against Christian groups, with churches being a prime target; second, attacks through series of assassinations targeted at Christian clerics; and third - although to a lesser extent than the first and second forms - reprisal attacks by Christians against Muslims. ... Islamic group versus Christian group (non-religious issues) With 42 incidents between June 2006 and May 2014, the details under this rubric attest to violent death dynamics typified by nonreligious causes involving Muslims and Christians in Nigeria. Although the non-religious causes may appear insubstantial in terms of recurrence rates, their importance can still not be ignored. Based on the data, they represent violent deaths connected with issues such as election to political office. The years 2008, 2010, and 2011 stand out in relation to these non-religious causes and, to various extents, states such as Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, and Bauchi bear witness to this. In Plateau State, for instance, November 2008 was a critical period for local government elections in Jos North, where a tense political struggle for power pitched the People's Democratic Party (PDP) against the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). ... Islamic group versus Islamic group (religious issues) Our mapping study will not be complete without delving into the dimension of the violent interplay between and among Islamic groups. With a total of 60 incidents of intra-Islamic violent deaths, it is vital to consider the character of these events. They are divided into two broad categories: violent deaths due to clashes between Sufi brotherhoods such as the Tijaniyya and groups such as the Yan Izala; and, in the second case, violent deaths due to clashes involving either of these Islamic brotherhoods (and sects) and Boko Haram. ... It was noted earlier that the second category of violent deaths caused by intra-Islamic clashes refers specifically to attacks instigated by Boko Haram against the entire cross-section of Islamic groups in Nigeria. Similar to the desire of several of these Islamic movements in the country, Boko Haram advocates a nationwide application of Sharia. However, the line of disparity between these Islamic groups and Boko Haram is drawn based on the aggressive modus operandi which Boko Haram adopts. As a result, it is indeed the case that the majority of these Islamic groups are in fundamental disagreement with Boko Haram, and it is this point of divergence that contributes to the provocation of violence. Consequently, while 2011 reflected the highest frequency of Boko Haram attacks against several members of these Islamic groups and their mosques, 2012 was replete with a record number of assassinations targeted at Islamic clerics perceived as 'opponents'. ... Islamic group versus the security forces The security forces constitute what this study has so far described as non-religious protagonists. Although not the prime concern of this study, their role assumes some measure of significance owing to their violent interaction with one of the major variables (Islamic actors) examined in this paper. Thus, on the one hand we have the Islamist group Boko Haram, and on the other we have the security forces, comprised of members of the JTF, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and the State Security Service (SSS), among others. In addition, this rubric represents the highest number of violent death incidents (418) with which one of our major variables (Islamic actors) is connected. However, the lead-up to this high frequency of incidents appeared inconsequential until 2009, when figures (fatalities and incidents) began to accumulate. It should be noted that among the several deaths that occurred in 2009, that of the former leader of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf, marked a turning point in the level of violent encounters involving the Islamist group and the security forces. ... Islamic group versus Vigilante group and Civilian Joint Task Force By mid-2013, when the Nigerian government imposed a state of emergency in north-eastern states such as Borno, the formation of what is now called the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) became very visible amidst the violence instigated by the Islamist group Boko Haram. Since 2013, the CJTF, comprised mainly of youths whose families and communities have been ravaged by the state of unrest in the North-East, has engaged Boko Haram in a number of violent encounters. By way of counter-reaction, Boko Haram insurgents have extended their scope of attacks beyond battles waged against the state, religious clerics, and the government's JTF to engage members of the CJTF in several clashes. Although the CJTF does not constitute one of the leading variables of this study, their contribution to the overall frequency of violent deaths resulting from clashes with an Islamist group creates an entry point for them into the framework of our mapping study. ... Conclusion Understanding the true character of Muslim-Christian violent deaths between June 2006 and May 2014 requires knowledge of not only the religious dimension of this linkage; intellectual inquiries must appreciate also the cases of violent deaths inspired by issues connected with ethnicity, crime, land, and politics. We have established in this study that the essence of the violent interaction between Muslims and Christians is not devoid of the nonreligious factors highlighted. The statistics presented in this paper have also illustrated that even in cases where religious issues underlie causes of violent deaths, the associated incidents can also reflect the involvement of non-religious actors. Furthermore, our mapping demonstrates that religious causes of violent deaths can in fact manifest between groups belonging to the same religious faith. Within the context of geography, this paper finds that beyond any other region of Nigeria, the northern part embodies a preponderance of the violent interaction between Muslims and Christians. Finally, beyond local dynamics, global media perspectives consistently frame violence in Nigeria as largely religious and between Muslims and Christians, rather than adopting a more nuanced approach that enables a balanced interpretation of events. AfricaFocus Bulletin is an independent electronic publication providing reposted commentary and analysis on African issues, with a particular focus on U.S. and international policies. AfricaFocus Bulletin is edited by William Minter. AfricaFocus Bulletin can be reached at africafocus@igc.org. Please write to this address to subscribe or unsubscribe to the bulletin, or to suggest material for inclusion. For more information about reposted material, please contact directly the original source mentioned. For a full archive and other resources, see http://www.africafocus.org
Get AfricaFocus Bulletin by e-mail! Format for print or mobile Nigeria: Shapes of Violence, 2 AfricaFocus Bulletin
April 27, 2016 (160427)
(Reposted from sources cited below) Editor's Note "It has been two years since the world's deadliest terrorist organization Boko Haram abducted 271 girls from their high school in the town of Chibok a tragedy that would shine much needed international attention on conflict in northeastern Nigeria. Sadly, the Chibok girls are only one part of a much larger story of violence against women and girls in the northeast. ... the needs of all those whom the Chibok girls symbolize thousands upon thousands who have suffered gender-based violence at Boko Haram's hands are being unaddressed." - Refugees International This AfricaFocus Bulletin contains excerpts from a new report by Refugees International, documenting the failures of humanitarian assistance to address gender-based violence in northeastern Nigeria, both by Boko Haram and among those who have been displaced by the violence. Also included is an Amnesty International report on an entirely separate case of violence, in which Nigerian security forces in December last year perpetrated "mass slaughter of hundreds of men, women and children ...and the attempted cover-up of this crime," against followers of a Shiite Muslim group in Zaria in north-central Nigeria. As these examples show, the realities of violence, whether in Nigeria, other African countries, or indeed in rich countries such as the United States as well, are often far more complicated than the stereotypes that often prevail among those observing them from a distance. Thus, violence in Nigeria is often simplistically characterized as "religious conflict" between Muslims and Christians. A new collection of empirical studies released this year by Nigeria Watch, based in Ibadan, Nigeria, provides a more complex perspective, documenting, for instance, that intra-Muslim conflict is more common that conflicts between Muslims and Christians, and that much of the conflict involving both Muslims and Christians is based on secular rather than religious motives. Another AfricaFocus Bulletin, available on the web but not sent out by email, contains excerpts from one of the chapters in this new report, focused specifically on violence involving Christians and Muslims in Nigeria. The full 216-page report is available at https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/handle/1887/37759 Other recent articles with relevant background on Boko Haram in particular include the following from the Washington Post and the New York Times. "Here's why so many people join Boko Haram, despite its notorious violence," by Hilary Matfess, Washington Post, April 26, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/hqw6og4 "Failure to Share Data Hampers War on Boko Haram in Africa," by Eric Schmitt and Dionne Searcey, New York Times, April 23, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/jzsmla7 "Women Who Fled Boko Haram Tell of Devastation and, Rarely, Hope," by Helene Cooper, New York Times, April 22, 2106 http://tinyurl.com/z48hplw "Abducted Nigerian Girls Have Not Been Abandoned, U.S. Says," by Helene Cooper, April 20, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/z4bj6md "Boko Haram still a threat months after 'technical victory,' by Bradley Klapper|AP, Washington Post, April 19, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/h3dfy48 "What's Worse Than a Girl Being Kidnapped?," by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, New York Times, April 15, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/hcak5ch "Boko Haram kidnapped 276 girls two years ago. What happened to them?," by Kevin Sieff, Washington Post, April 14, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/zj57sxg "Boko Haram Turns Female Captives Into Terrorists," by Dionne Searcey, New York Times, April 7, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/jqyxw2d "They were freed from Boko Haram's rape camps. But their nightmare isn't over," by Kevin Sieff, Washington Post, April 3, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/zxcpob3 For previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on Nigeria, visit http://www.africafocus.org/country/nigeria.php ++++++++++++++++++++++end editor's note+++++++++++++++++ Nigeria's Displaced Women and Girls: Humanitarian Community at Odds, Boko Haram Survivors Forsaken Refugees International, April 21, 2016 http://www.refugeesinternational.org/reports/2016/nigeria It has been two years since the world's deadliest terrorist organization Boko Haram abducted 271 girls from their high school in the town of Chibok a tragedy that would shine much needed international attention on conflict in northeastern Nigeria. Sadly, the Chibok girls are only one part of a much larger story of violence against women and girls in the northeast. But the attention on this remote corner of the Sahel has not translated into sustained humanitarian assistance for all those that have been affected. Humanitarian stakeholders are under tremendous strain due to the enormity of the emergency, conflicts between aid agencies, limited resources, and an ineffective partner in the Nigerian state. As a result, the needs of all those whom the Chibok girls symbolize thousands upon thousands who have suffered gender-based violence at Boko Haram's hands are being unaddressed. Moreover, the lackluster humanitarian response is placing women and girls affected by Boko Haram at further risk of gender-based violence. Background Northeast Nigeria has been the primary theater for the militant group Boko Haram's insurgency since 2009. Violence has ebbed and flowed over the years as the insurgents evolved from a homegrown uprising against the police in three states to a more sophisticated and ruthless extremist Islamist group, which pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2015. The sheer brutality of Boko Haram, marked by mass abductions, indiscriminate killings, suicide bombings, sexual violence, and slavery, has earned it the unsavory designation as the world's deadliest terrorist group. The toll is not certain, but reportedly 20,000 have been killed as a result of the insurgency. In 2014, Boko Haram intensified its attacks, resulting in a sudden growth in the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) arriving in Maiduguri, the capital city of the northeastern state of Borno. Much criticism, both domestic and international, has been leveled at the Nigerian government for its perceived failure to deploy a more robust strategy to eliminate the scourge of Boko Haram. Muhammadu Buhari made the defeat of Boko Haram a central pillar of his successful campaign for the 2015 presidential elections. He assumed power in May 2015, and in December announced that Nigeria had technically defeated Boko Haram a declaration found to be outlandish by many Nigeria watchers, as violence continues. Although the validity of this statement is arguable, the Nigerian Army (NA) did intensify its campaign against Boko Haram in 2015, "liberating" in their words areas that were under the militants' control. This campaign resulted in further displacement in Borno, including into Maiduguri. Multiple reports document the horrors that women and girls have experienced under Boko Haram. Further, a recent report documents the difficulties that abducted women and girls have reintegrating back into their families and communities, particularly for those labeled as "Boko Haram wives." Yet there is a dearth of information on what and how humanitarian assistance is serving the very specific needs of these women and girls. In February 2016, Refugees International (RI) conducted a mission to Nigeria to assess the needs of those displaced in Borno State, and how the humanitarian community can best serve women and girls. The RI team met with federal and state authorities, the UN, international non-governmental organizations (INGO) and communitybased organizations, human rights defenders, local volunteers, members of the donor and diplomatic communities in Abuja and Maiduguri, and IDPs and host community members in Maiduguri. The humanitarian crisis facing the aid community in the northeast is nothing short of daunting. The Humanitarian Panorama The humanitarian crisis facing the aid community in the northeast is nothing short of daunting. According to the 2016 Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO), 14.8 million people are affected in four states of the northeast. 7 The UN estimates that of this number, seven million are in need, three million of whom are estimated to be entirely inaccessible. It is worthwhile to note, however, that precise numbers are difficult to attain due to the humanitarian access constraints. This is especially the case for Borno, where nearly 70 percent of the territory was inaccessible at the time of the HNO. Consequently, most humanitarians believe that the numbers of people in need are much higher. Overall, there are an estimated 2.2 million displaced in the northeast, according to the International Organization for Migration's most recent displacement tracking exercise. 9 This is a sharp increase from the much more modest figure of 261,000 in December 2014, as per the HNO. The vast majority of the displaced 1.3 million are in Maiduguri and its environs. Their arrival more than doubled the population of the city in a single year. Only approximately eight percent of the IDPs are in government-run IDP camps or settlements. The Nigerian authorities only deliver humanitarian assistance to those in camps, which are managed by the National and State Emergency Management Agencies (NEMA and SEMA, respectively). The remainder must fend for themselves, depending on the kindness of relatives and hosts among the local population hosts that are increasingly exhausting their limited resources as well as local faith-based institutions that have neither the resources nor the expertise to deliver humanitarian aid. A very small percentage of IDPs are being served by the small INGO community. Access to food both in and out of the camps was the primary concern cited by IDPs with whom RI spoke. According to figures released in March 2016 by the UN Office for Affairs (OCHA), an estimated 2.5 million children are malnourished. Within the government-run camps, the number of displaced far outstrips the number of water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities that international standards call for in camp settings, forcing women and girls to wait for hours in lines, with many ultimately opting for open urination and defecation. One INGO working in the host communities in Maiduguri asserts that nearly every household is housing IDPs, in some cases multiple families, and host families are now selling their assets to be able to feed displaced people under their care. Livelihood opportunities are grossly limited for those living both inside and outside of camps. Finally, several displacement sites have been targeted by Boko Haram suicide bombers, leading to restrictive policies involving basic human rights such as freedom of movement, which impact both IDPs' protection and their ability to participate in income-generating activities. Against this backdrop, at the time of RI's visit, there were only a handful of UN agencies, with very limited personnel, and less than ten international organizations operating in Maiduguri. At time of writing, the 2016 UN humanitarian appeal for Nigeria is dangerously underfunded. As of April, only $33.7 million of the $248 million proposed for the UN humanitarian response planjust 14 percenthas been met. Boko Haram's survivors, in the shadow of humanitarian action Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, International Alert, UNICEF, and several journalists have all reported on the horrors of life under Boko Haram and the very specific needs of women they have interviewed medical, psychological, livelihood, and community reconciliation opportunities. Yet it is RI's assessment that there has been minimal effort to identify and/or address these women and girls' needs, much less target them as priority beneficiaries for any programming. The humanitarian crisis in Borno State has led to infinite protection risks for women and girls. Boko Haram has abducted countless women and girls throughout its campaign in the northeast. No one is entirely certain how many women and girls have been abducted to date, in part because the Nigerian authorities have yet to respond to civil society's desperate calls for a survey in the northeast, by which families could register the data of their missing. Whatever the figure, it is surely dwarfed by the number that have been exposed to Boko Haram's brutality during its campaign to overrun and control territory, of which gender-based violence (GBV) has been a feature. Definitive counts of those who have been subjected to Boko Haram's rule in this manner are difficult to come by, but it is reasonable to believe that it figures in the thousands. As IDP numbers swell in Maiduguri, so do the number of women and girl survivors of Boko Haram's horrifying GBV tactics. As the NA clears Boko Haram from territory, it rescues people who had been trapped, the majority of them women and girls, and takes many of them to displacement sites. In the month of March 2016 alone, troops had rescued 11,595 hostages from Boko Haram, according to NA Spokesman, Colonel Sanu Usman. According to humanitarians with whom RI spoke, Nigerian authorities share little to no information on its process for vetting women and girls and releasing them. Some humanitarians, however, believe that it is quite simply because there is no formal process. Further, there is no process for identifying women and girls that have escaped and fled to Maiduguri without the assistance of the military. And there is no mechanism by which the military and humanitarians can coordinate to identify women and girls so they can benefit from much-needed services. RI interviewed one 14-year-old 14 who exemplified the protection risks this situation creates. She was abducted during an attack on her village of Baga and taken as a wife by a Boko Haram IDP women and children living in a host community in Maiduguri. ... During RI's mission, only one humanitarian agency told the RI team that procedures were in place to identify and provide services to women and girls associated with Boko Haram, or for the women and girls that are brought to Maiduguri on a near-daily basis by the military. ... However, life for a woman or girl in the host communities is not necessarily more secure. All of the displaced women living in host communities whom RI interviewed spoke of the risks of violence. IMC carried out a safety audit in the seven host communities where they implement programs, and the three top concerns women expressed, in order of priority, were domestic violence, rape, and denial of resources. According to the women IMC serves, domestic violence has become a serious issue due to food insecurity. Women suffer beatings when they cannot provide food or when they ask for money to buy food. On the third month of IMC programming, volunteers were recording as many as twenty rapes per week in the seven communities. Women are also reporting that they are often denied resources to purchase medicines or food. When asking a group of women in a focus group what self-care they practice to alleviate their trauma, RI learned that women and girls are reportedly purchasing and drinking bottles of cough syrup to "go to sleep and forget." There is no meaningful integrated GBV-prevention and response programming in Maiduguri. ... To RI's knowledge, at the time of RI's visit, only one INGO International Medical Corps (IMC) had a holistic GBV prevention and response program that included sensitization, referrals for medical care, and psychosocial counseling, but the reach was limited to only seven host communities and three IDP camps. However, this short-term U.S. governmentfunded program is coming to a close, pending the acquisition of alternative funding sources. Several other organizations were doing psychosocial counseling for women and children, but they did not specifically fall under the rubric of GBV. ... Further, medical interventions designed specifically for survivors of sexual violence across the board are limited due to an unanticipated reason: the global displacement crisis. The pressures on the global humanitarian system are reverberating in northeast Nigeria: the agency mandated with procuring Inter-Agency Reproductive Health kits, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has been unable to secure a shipment of Kit 5, the medical kit designed to treat STIs. UNFPA's suppliers in Denmark, China, and the Netherlands informed the country office that they were unable to fulfill the purchase order due to the overwhelming global demand; their supplies are exhausted. Kits are currently under production and should be made available to UNFPA Nigeria at the end of April 2016. ... RI is also concerned that traditional humanitarian psychosocial support programming may not be of the caliber that the context warrants. The trauma endured by the Boko Haram-affected populations cannot be underestimated. Community based organizations told RI that apart from the suffering resulting from abduction, sexual violence, the loss of partners and children, the violence of war, and loss of all assets, Nigerian women in the northeast are also facing a profound gender identity crisis. It is not the woman's traditional role to "bury one's husband" or to be the head of a household, and the rapidly shifting role is compounding the trauma they have endured and imperiling their resilience capabilities. According to service providers and some IDP women who chose to speak about their mental health, women feel helpless, fear men, feel they have lost all self-worth, and are hopeless when facing the uncertainty of the future. When asking a group of women in a focus group what self-care they practice to alleviate their trauma, RI learned that women and girls are reportedly purchasing and drinking bottles of cough syrup to "go to sleep and forget." Upon further investigation, RI learned that this is not a pre-existing coping mechanism amongst women and girls. In fact, demand for cough syrup in camps has increased such that supplies have become scarcer, driving the price up from 60 Naira per bottle to 150-200 Naira. Meanwhile, multiple international and local aid workers expressed concern that some current UN and INGO psychosocial support interventions may not be staffed adequately, contrary to what their own literature might otherwise indicate. Aid workers highlighted that several women's safe spaces tents erected by one UN agency are often empty. IDP women from several sites confirmed to RI that they are unaware of trauma support programming and that the tents are going unused. The fact that GBV programming does not figure among core humanitarian programming is a failure to global commitments to both prioritize women and girls, and place GBV prevention and response programming in its much-deserved category of a "lifesaving" activity. On the contrary, one senior UNFPA staff member told RI that a request to access UN Central Emergency Response Funds (CERF) to hold a GBV referrals pathway workshop was denied on the basis that "CERF funds can only be used for life-saving activities." ... Nigeria: Military Cover-Up of Mass Slaughter at Zaria Exposed Amnesty International Press Release 22 April 2016 http://www.amnesty.org - Direct URL: http://tinyurl.com/jnafcom Mass slaughter of hundreds of men, women and children by soldiers in Zaria and the attempted cover-up of this crime demonstrates an utter contempt for human life and accountability, said Amnesty International as it publishes evidence gathered on the ground revealing how the Nigerian military burned people alive, razed buildings and dumped victims' bodies in mass graves. The true horror of what happened over those two days in Zaria is only now coming to light. Bodies were left littered in the streets and piled outside the mortuary. Some of the injured were burned alive Netsanet Belay, Amnesty International The report, Unearthing the truth: Unlawful killings and mass coverup in Zaria, contains shocking eyewitness testimony of large-scale unlawful killings by the Nigerian military and exposes a crude attempt by the authorities to destroy and conceal evidence. "The true horror of what happened over those two days in Zaria is only now coming to light. Bodies were left littered in the streets and piled outside the mortuary. Some of the injured were burned alive," said Netsanet Belay, Amnesty International's Research and Advocacy Director for Africa. "Our research, based on witness testimonies and analysis of satellite images, has located one possible mass grave. It is time now for the military to come clean and admit where it secretly buried hundreds of bodies." More than 350 people are believed to have been unlawfully killed by the military between 12 and 14 December, following a confrontation between members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) and soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna state. IMN supporters - some armed with batons, knives, and machetes - had refused to clear the road near their headquarters, the Hussainiyya, for a military convoy to pass. The army has claimed that IMN supporters attacked the convoy in an attempt to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff. IMN members deny this. Following an initial confrontation the military surrounded other locations where IMN supporters had gathered, notably at the residential compound of IMN leader Ibrahim Al-Zakzaky. Some people were killed as a result of indiscriminate fire. Others appeared to have been deliberately targeted. All available information indicates that the deaths of protesters were the consequence of excessive, and arguably, unnecessary use of force. Children injured and killed Zainab, a 16-year-old schoolgirl, told Amnesty International: "We were in our school uniforms. My friend Nusaiba Abdullahi was shot in her forehead. We took her to a house where they treated the injured but, before reaching the house, she already died." A 10-year-old boy who was shot in the leg told Amnesty International how his older brother was shot in the head as they tried to leave the compound. "We went out to try to shelter in a nearby house but we got shot." Shot and burned alive On 13 December, two buildings within Ibrahim Al-Zakzaky's compound, one of which was being used as a makeshift medical facility and mortuary, were attacked by soldiers. Alyyu, a 22-year-old student, told Amnesty International that he was shot in the chest outside the compound and was taken inside for treatment: "There were lots of injured people in several rooms. There were dead bodies in a room and also in the courtyard. Around 12-1pm soldiers outside called on people to come out, but people were too scared to go out. We knew they would kill us. Soldiers threw grenades inside the compound. I saw one soldier on the wall of the courtyard shooting inside." One mother described a phone conversation with one of her 19-yearold sons before he was killed alongside his twin brother and their step brother and sister in the compound. "They are shooting those injured one by one," he told her. As soldiers set fire to the makeshift medical facility in the compound that afternoon, Yusuf managed to escape despite serious gunshot wounds: "Those who were badly injured and could not escape were burned alive," he told Amnesty International. "I managed to get away from the fire by crawling on my knees until I reached a nearby house where I was able to hide until the following day. I don't know how many of the wounded were burned to death. Tens and tens of them." Footage believed to have been shot on mobile phone by IMN supporters after the incident shows bodies with gunshot wounds as well as charred bodies strewn around the compound. Cover-up After the incident the military sealed off the areas around alZakzaky' s compound, the Hussainiyya and other locations. Bodies were taken away, sites were razed to the ground, the rubble removed, bloodstains washed off, and bullets and spent cartridge removed from the streets. Witnesses saw piles of bodies outside the morgue of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in Zaria. A senior medical source told Amnesty International that the military sealed off the area around the morgue for two days. During that time he saw army vehicles "coming and going". A witness described to Amnesty International what he saw outside the hospital mortuary on the evening of 14 December: "It was dark and from far I could only see a big mound but when I got closer I saw it was a huge pile of corpses on top of each other. I have never seen so many dead bodies. I got very scared and run away. It was a terrible sight and I can't get it out of my mind." Another witness told the organisation how he had seen diggers excavating holes at the site of the suspected mass grave: "There were five or six large trucks and several smaller military vehicles and they spent hours digging and unloading the trucks' cargo into the hole they dug and then covered it again with the earth they had dug out. They were there from about 1 or 2 am until about 5 am. I don't know what they buried. It looked like bodies, but I could not get near." Amnesty International identified and visited the location of a possible mass grave near Mando. Satellite images of the site taken on 2 November and 24 December 2015 show disturbed earth spanning an area of approximately 1000 square metres. Satellite pictures also show the complete destruction of buildings and mosques. "It is clear that the military not only used unlawful and excessive force against men, women and children, unlawfully killing hundreds, but then made considerable efforts to try to cover-up these crimes," said Netsanet Belay. "Four months after the massacre the families of the missing are still awaiting news of their loved ones. A full independent forensic investigation is long overdue. The bodies must be exhumed, the incident must be impartially and independently investigated and those responsible must be held to account." On Monday 25 April, the military are expected to give evidence to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry established by the Kaduna State Government in January 2016. On 11 April, a Kaduna State government official told the Judicial Commission of Inquiry that the bodies of 347 members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) were collected from the hospital mortuary and an army depot in Zaria and buried secretly in a mass grave near Mando (outside the town of Kaduna) on the night of 14-15 December. The IMN claim a further 350 people who went missing during the incidents in Zaria remain unaccounted for. During field research carried out in Kaduna state and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in February 2016, Amnesty International delegates interviewed 92 people, including victims and their relatives, eyewitnesses, lawyers and medical personnel. Attempts were made to interview members of the military. IMN leader Al-Zakzaky and his wife Zeinat Al-Zakzaky were arrested and held incommunicado. They were only allowed access to their lawyer for the first time on 1 April 2015, three and a half months after their arrest. Amnesty International has not had access to those who remain in detention but has received information from medical sources that some of the detainees were not allowed access to necessary medical care for several weeks after their arrest. Amnesty International is calling for those IMN supporters charged in connection with this incident to be tried promptly and fairly and for those still held in detention without charge to be either immediately charged or released. AfricaFocus Bulletin is an independent electronic publication providing reposted commentary and analysis on African issues, with a particular focus on U.S. and international policies. AfricaFocus Bulletin is edited by William Minter. AfricaFocus Bulletin can be reached at africafocus@igc.org. Please write to this address to subscribe or unsubscribe to the bulletin, or to suggest material for inclusion. For more information about reposted material, please contact directly the original source mentioned. For a full archive and other resources, see http://www.africafocus.org
Living with mental illness has been a harrowing ordeal for Safiatu Kondeh. The 34-year-old, who lives in Kabala, northern Sierra Leone, with her mother and two children, has had to endure conditions almost worse than the disease.
Congress- NCP is relying on Kanhaiya for strengthening their foothold in the state.
Inspite of being stamped as an anti-national from various right-wing quarters, Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar has found support from political leaders. Even though Kanhaiya has mentioned that he doesnt have any intention to enter mainstream politics or fight elections political parties are already coming forward to support him. Kanhaiya has said that he is a student and will continue to work for their cause. On the other hand its the Nationalists Congress Party leader Jitendra Awhad who drove car for Kanhaiya Kumar during his stay in Mumbai. Sources say the entire travel and stay of Kanhaiya was sponsored by NCP in Maharashtra. Congress- NCP will use this student leader as poster boy for strengthening their foothold in the state.
Recently, the Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray openly took on BJP for branding Kanhaiya as anti-national. Uddhav had said, It is wrong to brand Kanhaiya as anti-national and slapping sedition case against him. He is not anti-national. Who gave birth to Kanhaiya, Hardik Patel and Rohith Vemula? The government should ponder over it.
Meanwhile Hindu Sant Mahasabha an affiliate organization of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha said that the BJP is wrong in labelling Kumar as anti-national.
Swami Chakrapani Maharaj, the president of the organisation, was quoted saying, that they were misled by the BJP propaganda against Kumar and his fellow JNU scholars Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya.
He said, I was enraged when I learnt that Kanhaiya, Umar and Anirban had raised slogans against my mother land. I was swayed by the BJPs propaganda. However, I decided to follow this case properly. When I went into the details, I realized that there was not a shred of evidence against any of the three students. It was clear to me that the BJP has been trying to make scapegoat of them.
Whereas Abhay Vartak of Sanatan Sanstha held a press conference against Kanhaiya Kumar and alleged him of being anti national. He demanded social boycott of these students. Vartak said, Media has already made him big, larger than life but its time to expose Kumar and we will do it. We want our youth to boycott such elements in our society.
Fuming BJP Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar asked, How can Shiv Sena support Kanhaiya Kumar, who is being prosecuted for holding a programme to mourn death anniversary of terrorist Afzal Guru? Afzal was hanged for his involvement in the attack on the Parliament. How can Shiv Sena support someone who hails Afzal? What has caused this 360-degree ideological shift in the Shiv Senas stand?
Meanwhile, JNU slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on Kumar and rusticated Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya and Kashmiri student Mujeeb Gattoo for varying durations over their alleged role in the controversial 9 February event for which they were charged with sedition, an action which had sparked outrage and triggered protests. Based on the findings of a high-level enquiry committee (HLEC), Khalid has been rusticated for one semester and Bhattacharya till 15 July. Khalid has also been slapped a fine of Rs 20,000. Anirban has been barred from JNU campus for a period of five years starting 23 July.
We have decided that none of the students will pay the fine or vacate their hostels. We demand that the university administration withdraws these orders as we have maintained right from the beginning that we do not have faith in this enquiry panel and it should be reconstituted, JNUSU Vice President Shehla Rashid Shora said.
Maharashtras Dalit and leftist student activists along with students of other universities are planning to support the protest, until the justice is done to JNU students.
Posting a huge operating loss of 3,100 million Norwegian Krone (around Rs 2,530 crore) for its Indian telecom business, Telenor on April 27 threatened to exit India if it fails to procure spectrum at reasonable rates. At the same time, the Indian arm of Telenor looks to expand 4G footprint and said it would offer the lowest tariff for these services as part of its affordable pricing strategy.
While announcing financial results in Norway, Telenor global CEO Sigve Brekke said, Long terms presence in India is dependent on our ability to secure additional spectrum. We are not able to compete with current spectrum portfolio we have in growing data market. Brekke said that company is looking at solution to procure spectrum and a price that we can justify.
We are Looking at upcoming auctions and also looking at potential trading options Need to be pragmatic to consider other alternatives if that turns out not to be a possible to find value focused solutions. We are looking at all sustainable business model option, Brekke said.
Telenor India offer CDMA-based services in six out of 22 circles in the country. TRAI has recommended Rs 11,485 crore per Mhz base price for auction of spectrum in 700 Mhz band, the highest ever for any radiowave. We are in india to make money, if we dont see return then we need to look at other alternatives, Telenor CFO Morten Karlsen Sorby said.
The operating loss of Telenor India widened to NOK 3100 million in the January-March quarter of 2016 compared to NOK 159 million in the same quarter a year ago. The revenue during the reported quarter, however, rose by about 11 per cent to NOK 1306 million compared to NOK 1171 million a year ago.
Operating profit was negatively impacted by NOK 2.9 billion in impairment and write-down, Telenor said. The company calculated impairment charges by applying fair value less cost of disposal when determining recoverable amount of Telenor India.
An impairment loss of NOK 2.3 billion has been recognised in the first quarter of 2016, of which NOK 1.4 billion mainly relates to network equipment and the remaining NOK 0.9 billion mainly relates to spectrum. The recoverable amount of tangible and intangible assets in Telenor India after impairment is NOK 4.5 billion, as per the companys calculation.
The companys average revenue per user in local currency fell by 8 per cent to Rs 90. The decline was primarily driven by lower voice consumption. Telenor India is a mass market operator. We are committed to providing most affordable services, Telenor India Communications CEO Sharad Mehrotra said after launching pilot 4G service here.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi termed baseless the allegations linking her and party leaders to bribes in the AgustaWestland chopper deal. She said she was not afraid of being cornered on the issue. She claimed that all the allegations against her in the VVIP chopper deal are baseless and part of the BJPs strategy of character assassination.
I am not afraid of anyone cornering me, as there is no basis to that. All the accusations they are throwing at us are false, Ms. Gandhi told reporters in the Parliament complex, as the BJP sought to target her on the deal.
Where are the proofs? They are lying. They are part of a strategy of character assassination, which we have known these people indulge in, she said.
The Congress president said the government should conclude an impartial inquiry into the issue as quickly as possible and the truth will emerge.
These people have been in the government for two years and the enquiry is on, why they dont complete it quickly as soon as possible, an impartial inquiry and everything will come out, the truth will come out, she added.
Fresh revelations in the VVIP chopper scam had raised questions about the role of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in awarding the Rs 3,727-crore contract to UK-based AgustaWestland.
AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of Italian defence giant Finmeccanica, had allegedly paid more than Rs 375 crores as a bribe to secure the Rs 3,727-crore contract to supply 12 VVIP helicopters to the Indian Air Force.
In January 2013, India cancelled the deal and the CBI was assigned to investigate whether kickbacks were paid to Indian officials.
Talking to the media after a meeting chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her official 10, Janpath residence, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge expressed his disappointment over a report published in a leading English daily with regard to the VVIP helicopter deal.
We will move an adjournment notice for discussion. There is a report published in a newspaperWe are ready to discuss the Augusta Westland issue in the Parliament, Kharge said.
BJP had appointed Meenakshi Lekhi to lead the attack against Congress in Lok Sabha.
Ms. Gandhis political secretary and senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel also rubbished the allegations against him and the party as absolutely baseless.
This government, when they are saying all these things outside and inside Parliament, why cant they investigate, he said.
If there is something against me, they should find out and they should hang me, he said when asked by reporters for his reaction to the allegations.
BJP and its leaders are beating their chest on AgustaWestland scam; but none of them dared to order the probe or lodge an FIR against Sonia Gandhi. The saffron party has failed inspite of its government taking action against Gandhis and Congress. They indulged themselves in mudsling but nothing constructive has come out of it. Moreover, fuming exchanges between Congress and BJP over Subramanian Swamy seeking to drag in Sonia Gandhis name stalled the Upper House twice. The Congress sought a discussion on the AgustaWestland helicoper deal in the Lok Sabha, saying allegations have been levelled against its leadership.
As soon as the question hour started in the House, Congress leader of the House Mallikarjun Kharge said all newspapers have published news item on the VVIP helicopter deal and allegations have been levelled against party leaders. The Congress has maintained that the UPA government had taken action once reports of wrongdoings and allegations of corrupt practices surfaced in 2013.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi also rejected allegations linking her and her party leaders in the AgustaWestland chopper deal bribes. Besides cancelling the deal, the UPA had blacklisted AgustaWestland and confiscated the guarantee money. However the NDA government, the party said, had now removed the Italian company from the blacklist. In September 2012, AgustaWestland and Northrop Grumman announced the signing of a comprehensive teaming agreement under which the companies will jointly bid for contracts to build the U.S. Air Force Combat Rescue helicopter and U.S. Navys new Marine One presidential helicopter.
In March 2013, AgustaWestland announced its Project Zero hybrid tiltrotor/fan-in-wing technology demonstrator. In January 2014, India cancelled the US$630 million deal with AgustaWestland for purchasing 12 AW 101 helicopters meant for use by VVIPs. Following this event, in June 2014 India recovered the entire sum of Rs. 1,818 crore which it had paid to the company. The decision to annul the 2010 deal, being probed by CBI for irregularities, came after a meeting between then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and then Defence Minister AK Antony in New Delhi. The government cancelled the contract on grounds of breach of the Pre-contract Integrity Pact and the agreement by AWIL (AgustaWestland International Ltd). The contract was frozen in February 2013 after allegations surfaced that US$60 million was paid as a bribe.
In early 2013, an Indian parliamentary investigation began into allegations of bribery and corruption involving several senior officials and helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland surrounding the purchase of a new fleet of helicopters. The scandal has been referred to as the Chopper scam, or Choppergate by elements of the media. Several politicians and military officials have been accused of accepting bribes from AgustaWestland in order to win the US$530 million Indian contract for the supply of 12 AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters. These helicopters are intended to perform VVIP duties for the President of India and other important state officials. Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, was alleged by Italian prosecutors to have received kickbacks from the deal. A note dating back to 15 March 2008 presented in the Italian court also indicates that Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi is the driving force behind the VIP chopper purchase. And it further asks middleman Peter Hulett to target key advisors to Sonia Gandhi and lists the names of then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Ahmed Patel, Pranab Mukherjee, M. Veerappa Moily, Oscar Fernandez, M. K. Narayanan and Vinay Singh. The note also contains the bribes to be paid out divided as, AF 6 Million, BUR 8.4 Million, Pol 6 Million and AP 3 Million.
On 25 March 2013, Indias Defence Minister A.K. Antony confirmed corruption allegations by stating: Yes, corruption has taken place in the helicopter deal and bribes have been taken. The CBI is pursuing the case very vigorously. As of June 2014, Indian government has recovered a total amount of Rs. 2068 crore and has recovered the entire amount of around Rs.1620 (45% of total contract value Rs. 3600 crore) it had paid to AgustaWestland. However, it has to be noted that the Italian Court investigating the case, acquitted S.P. Tyagi of all charges in an October 2014 verdict. The Italian prosecution also shelved its case of graft charges against Finmeccanica and AgustaWestland. This has led to questions arising if there was a scam at all. The court cases in India are still running.
Controversy over the contract came into light on February 2013, with the arrest of Giuseppe Orsi, the CEO of Finmeccanica, AgustaWestlands parent company by Italian authorities. The following day then Defence Minister A.K. Antony ordered a probe into the contract. A Chandigarh based company, IDS Infotech was used for routing kickbacks to India. The role of Satish Bargodia (brother of ex-Union Minister Santosh Bargodia) who is also the director of the company is being investigated. In 2005 just few years before the scam, Pratap Agarwal appointed son of Satish Bargodia as its director. It is alleged that using the political connection of Satish, IDS a rather unknown firm managed to bag such a huge deal.
(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com)
The landmark civil rights lawsuit by Indian farmers and ranchers against the Department of Agriculture for discriminatory lending practices has come to a conclusion (barring any unexpected turn of events on appeal.) U. S. District Court Judge Emmett Sullivan approved an agreement reached by the Government, counsel for the plaintiffs class, and Mrs. Marilyn Keepseagle, the lead class representative.
Originally, USDA settled the case in 2011 for $680 million. However, in 2013, after the entire distribution process had been completed, class counsel notified the Court that approximately $380 million remained in the settlement fund. This led to a disagreement over how to best use these funds for the benefit of the class members: Keepseagle II.
Initially, Mrs. Keepseagle sought to distribute the entirety of the remaining funds to the 3,605 class members that had filed successful claims. The Court denied Mrs. Keepseagles motion after both the Department of Justice and the class counsel objected. Attorneys for the class, Mrs. Keepseagle, and the Department of Justice then entered into negotiations in an attempt to hash out a mutually agreeable compromise.
On April 20th, the D.C. District Court approved the proposed settlement supported by U.S.D.A., Class Counsel and Mrs. Keepseagle. The compromise will distribute the remaining funds in the following manner:
1) $21,275 in payments to each successful claimant ($18,500 in direct payments, $2,775 to the IRS as tax relief payments);
2) $38 million to be distributed to nonprofits chosen by Class Counsel within 180 days; and
3) $265 million to capitalize the Native American Agriculture Fund, a trust administered by Native American leaders, for the benefit of Native American farmers and ranchers over the next 20 years. It will be largest such trust ever created to benefit Indian farmers and ranchers.
In his decision, Judge Sullivan relied heavily on the recommendation of Mrs. Marilyn Keepseagle. Judge Sullivan quoted Mrs. Keepseagle who stated While I proposed a larger supplemental distribution, I support the proposed Addendum (settlement) because it is the best available compromise and the best option available for improving the terms of the Settlement Agreement in a timely manner.
Most of the attention to date has focused on the size of the individual supplemental payments ($21,275). The difference between the first Settlement Agreement and the compromise approved by the Court, however, in how it treats the remaining funds also deserves attention. The original Settlement Agreement called for the Class Counsel to evenly distribute funds among charities of their choosing. The new plan calls for a trust administered by Native Americans to review grant proposals and decide how best to leverage the funds to benefit the most number of farmers and ranchers.
The very highest unemployment rates in the United States are on rural Indian Reservations. Far from urban centers, they rely on farming as the primary source of private sector employment. The unemployment rates on these reservations generally exceed 50% and can reach as high as 80% o r m ore in some cases. The new Native American Agriculture Fund, leveraged with existing federal programs, and other possible sources of funding, could make a major difference for future generations of Indian farmers and ranchers.
The new settlement also expands the types of organization that can submit grant applications and carry out work on behalf of the trust. For example, educational organizations were disqualified from participating under the original settlement. Under the rules of the new trust, educational organizations, including Indian colleges, can apply for grants and work for the benefit of Native farmers and ranchers on behalf of the trust.
Mr. George Keepseagle and Mrs. Marilyn Keepseagle originally filed this class action in 1999. Their courage and leadership made this all possible. While this is a very large settlement, thei r m ost important legacy may be not the money but a greater understanding of the challenges faced by Indian people and the importance of Tribal sovereignty.
While this litigation is behind us (hopefully) the federal government still gives Indian reservations and Native Americans the short end of the stick. For example, each year the federal government makes approximately $1 billion from the sale of electricity produced by the dams along the Missouri River. The dams flooded the most productive lands of the Indian tribes along the Missouri River but this revenue is not shared with the tribes. Indeed, the tribes are charged for the electricity they use. If the revenue was split in some fair ratio, the Tribes could afford irrigation and other infrastructure upgrades to expand their agricultural operations and improve their quality of life.
Beyond the Keepseagles, there are two other individuals who deserve special mention in this historic story. Former Chairman Michael Jandreau of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe (now deceased) was one of the first and loudest voices to call for a modification to the original settlement when he heard there was some $380 million left over after the distribution. He then formed the Great Plains Claimants, a group of the successful claimants who objected to having class counsel distribute all of the remaining funds to charities of their choosing.
The second person who played an important role was Connie Knight of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. She worked with Chairman Jandreau to greatly expand the number of people participating in the Great Plains Claimants group. This group was given a special amicus status with the Court. Under the leadership of Mrs. Keepseagle, and with the support of the Great Plains Claimants, Class Counsel and the federal government agreed to renegotiate a new final settlement.
Marshall Matz specializes in agriculture policy at OFW Law. His first position as an attorney was with South Dakota Legal Services on the Crow Creek Indian Reservation. John Dillard is an agriculture, food and Indian law attorney at OFW Law. jdillard@ofwlaw.com
#30
Assyrian Christians Battle Kurds in Syria
If you thought the Syrian civil war was complicated before, get ready for your head to spin. An Assyrian Christian militia is now battling the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which is accused of being part of the Kurdistan Workers Party, a designated terrorist group by the U.S. State Department. Jeff Gardner, the Director of Operations for Restore Nineveh Now, spoke to Clarion Project's National Security Analyst Ryan Mauro about the situation and the Assyrian militia named the "Gozarto Protection Forces." Assyrian is often used interchangeably with Christian, as the former is the ethnicity of the minority group and the latter is its religion. He also shared photos of the GPF that can be seen below. The Kurdish YPG forces and the Asayish, the Kurdish police, have been battling a militia loyal to the Syrian regime of Bashar Assad in the northeastern part of the country around Qamishli. The fighting now includes the Assyrian GPF, which opponents accuse of being an ally of Assad, Hezbollah, Iran and Russia. Gardner has direct contact with the GPF and says they want a democratic Syria but are being forced to respond to Kurdish aggression against the Assyrians. According to Restore Nineveh Now, the YPG kidnapped two members of GPF and one member of an affiliated police force, the Sootoro, around April 20. It also attacked a GPF/Sootoro training academy in the town of Zalin. Shortly before that, in Iraq, the Kurdish Regional Government's police recently stopped Assyrians from protesting against the Kurds' treatment and land grabs. The GPF and the pro-Assad National Defense Forces reportedly counter-attacked the YPG and Asayish in Qamishli, capturing several checkpoints and protecting the military airport. The GPF Twitter account confirmed that it is getting assistance from Russia, writing in November that a Russian military aircraft transported its members to fight the Islamic State in a Christian town. Below is our interview with Jeff Gardner, Director of Operations for Restore Nineveh Now, to learn more about the GPF: Ryan Mauro: Which Assyrian Christian self-defense forces are Restore Nineveh Now Foundation linked to and where do they operate? Jeff Gardner: The Restore Nineveh Now Foundation works closely with the Nineveh Plain Protection Units, in northern Iraq, the Gozarto Protection Forces in Hasaka Province in Syria and also with the Khabur Assyrian Council of Guardians also in the Hasaka Province in Syria. As for their comparative strengths, the Gozarto Protection Forces (GPF) has over 500 active men in the field and the Nineveh Plain Protection Units (NPU) has 350 active men with over 2,500 awaiting training. Mauro: What is the relationship between these forces and the governments of Iraq, Iraqi Kurdistan, Russia and the Assad regime? Gardner: All Assyrian forces have a good working relationship with these entities in opposition to common enemies such as the Islamic State and other jihadist groups. Uniquely in northern Iraq, the Nineveh Plain Protection Units (NPU) is the only registered local security force on the Nineveh Plain under the authority of Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Abadi, and the only one to have constructed a training camp (flying the Iraqi national flag), located near the city of Alqosh, Iraq. Just 30 miles from Mosul, the Alqosh camp strategically positions the NPU for the upcoming military campaign against ISIS. I had a chance to meet and speak with the leadership of the GPF in Qamishli, Syria, and I asked about their relationship to Assad. They were very clear that they do not support a dictatorship for Syria, regardless of who it is, and they stand firmly for a secular, democratic nation in which all peoples are represented. When I asked why they wear the Syrian flag on their uniform, they informed me that it was the flag of their nation, the very same flag that flies in front of the U.N. and the flag that all Syrians voted on and approved. When, they noted, the democratic process results in the flag being changed, then they too, as members of the nation of Syria, will change their flag along with the rest of the country. Mauro: Christians have been facing a ferocious genocide in Iraq since 2003. Why haven't they picked up guns and organized local defenses until recent years? Gardner: Assyrians are local citizens of their respective countries and have, until recently, trusted that matters of security and protection would be secured by their respective national armies and local government forces. However, after 2003, the situation for Assyrians in both countries changed dramatically. In Iraq, the Assyrian militia that was fighting Saddam was first disarmed by U.S. forces and then later, as conditions in Iraq deteriorated, the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) blocked all Assyrian attempts to create local Assyrian forces, even those who were designed to do nothing more than protect soft targets like Assyrian schools, churches and businesses. Finally, in 2011 forward, the Kurds forcibly disarmed even average Assyrian citizens (and Yezidis as well) throughout the Nineveh Plain and Sinjar, leaving them incapable of defending themselves. Once disarmed, the Assyrians and Yezidis were abandoned by the Kurdish Peshmerga as ISIS stormed across northern Iraq. The KRG's program of forced disarmament and failure to defend Assyrians and Yezidis, even women and children, has been extensively documented by a number of groups. Mauro: What is the end-goal for the Assyrians in Iraq and Syria? Are they mostly united on the desire for an independent state or an autonomous state? Gardner: Assyrians want to establish local Assyrian administrations on their lands, notably in the form of semi-autonomous provinces with locally-governed regions. They refuse to be folded into and crushed by an independent, separatist Kurdish state (be that the so-called Kurdistan in northern Iraq or the so-called "Rojava" in Syria), but rather want to be part of multi-ethnic and multi-religious countries with control over their own affairs at the local level. Federalism or cantons work perfectly well in countries like Switzerland, Canada and Belgium. A similar arrangement would also work in Iraq. Mauro: Would a move to arm the Assyrian Christians result in a war between them and the Kurds? Or could a compromise be worked out? Gardner: Assyrian Christians are peace-loving people who have avoided war at all costs. However, to keep them unarmed and unable to protect themselves in the face of Islamic jihadist genocide is unacceptable. The Kurds have made it clear, by virtue of their actions, that they have no intention of defending the Assyrians or Yezidis, even in areas in which they claim sovereignty. The KRG seems to want to have their country and eat these residents, too--this scenario, more than anything else, raises the potential of war. Could a compromise be worked out? Yes, and one has already been proposed. In January 2014, the Council of Ministers, which is the executive branch of the government of Iraq, endorsed a plan (backed also by Prime Minister al-Maliki) to create four new provinces in northern Iraq. These provinces would serve the needs of the local, uniquely ethnic and religious peoples, giving them broad powers to run local affairs. The KRG has opposed the creation of these provinces. The irony is that if there is apprehension that arming the Assyrians might cause friction with the Kurds, then the fault lies with the Kurds and not the Assyrians. The United States should not arm the Kurds for two reasons: First, Kurds in Iraq are providing support to radical Kurdish terrorist groups such as the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) in Turkey and the YPG (People's Protection Units) in Syria. Both of these groups, which are nearly one in the same, are destabilizing the region through a war of terrorism waged against our NATO ally, Turkey. Second, the Kurds of Iraq, specifically the administration of President Barzani, cannot seem to get along with the Arabs of Iraq and have a history of shooting first and then (maybe) talking later.
Turkey Attempted to Stop Broadcast of Assyrian Genocide Documentary
(AINA) -- The Turkish Embassy in Sweden officially asked the Swedish television channel TV4 last week not to air a documentary on the Assyrian Genocide. The documentary Seyfo 1915 -- The Assyrian Genocide by the director Aziz Said and produced by the Assyrian Federation of Sweden was scheduled to be aired on Sunday 24 April, the day Assyrians and Armenians commemorate the victims of the genocide perpetrated by the ruling Young Turks during the late phase of the Ottoman Empire.
TV4 received an email note from the Turkish Embassy, signed by Arif Gulen, the press counselor of the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm. The editors of TV4 published the note on the TV4's media blog in Swedish and English.
The Embassy's press officer asks the TV4 editors to reconsider airing the documentary, because "conventional wisdom suggests that broadcasting of a documentary film comprising one-sided views of 'the 1915 events' will fail to serve the principle of objectivity of broadcasting."
The letter goes on stating that "there is no historical, academic or legal consensus on how to define 'the 1915 events'" and that "only a competent international tribunal can determine whether a particular event is genocide."
The letter triggered an immediate but strong response by TV4's program director: "We can never accept this. We will protest against any attempt to exert pressure that threatens freedom of expression," commented Viveka Hansson in a written statement. "The email is polite, though the message cannot be mistaken," she added and called the letter a "a clear attempt to censor Swedish media" based on opinions not appreciated in Turkey.
The Turkish Embassy's censorship attempt was also condemned by Swedish politicians. "It is unacceptable that the country [Turkey] is seeking to silence media in Sweden and it [the government] must take a hard stance against such actions," said Jonas Sjostedt, Swedish MP from the Left Party. He even suggested that Sweden should recall its ambassador from Turkey "to make clear that what you are doing in Turkey, which is very bad for the media, you cannot do in Sweden."
The Liberal party directed an appeal to the Swedish Foreign Ministry to respond to the Turkish attempt. "It is totally unreasonable for the Turkish Embassy in Sweden trying to stop the broadcast of a documentary on a Swedish TV channel and I assume that the Foreign Ministry will now call the Turkish ambassador for a discussion on what press freedom means and what rules apply in Sweden and in the Swedish democracy,"said MP Redrik Malm, on TV4 News.
The director of the Seyfo documentary Aziz Said, who lives in Germany, said to AINA, that he is "...encouraged by the strong response of TV4's program director and the Swedish media and politicians in general in not accepting Turkish interference in free speech, and by the courageous journalism."
Seyfo (sword) is the Assyrian word for the genocide their people during the time of the World War I. The documentary depicts survivor stories along with testimonies from several European, Turkish and Assyrian historians.
Afram Yacoub, the president of the Assyrian Federation in Sweden, is not surprised about what happened. "The only way to force Turkey to face its dark history is for democratic countries like Sweden stand up for the freedom of speech and historical truth," he said. He called on the Swedish Government to follow the Parliament's 2010 recognition of the genocide. The Swedish Parliament was the first assembly in Europe to officially recognize the Assyrian, Armenian and Greek Genocide in March 12, 2010 (AINA 2010-03-11). Turkey protested the decision at the time and issued a strong condemnation in a press release from the office of the Prime Minister (Recep Tayyip Erdogan). The protest culminated in Turkey recalling its ambassador to Sweden for consultations.
Sweden's genocide recognition explicitly referred to Assyrians and Pontic Greeks victims. Their suffering during the World War I has been mostly forgotten for decades, but in December 2007 the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) did vote overwhelmingly to recognize the genocides of the Assyrian and Greek populations of the Ottoman Empire between 1914 and 1923. For the Assyrians in Sweden, the recognition of the genocide was a milestone in their effort for political acknowledgment.
Eleven countries and institutions have recognized the Assyrian genocide.
The documentary Seyfo 1915 -- The Assyrian Genocide was aired as scheduled; however this incident is another chapter in Turkey's recent attempts to ban freedom of speech and silence journalism outside its own borders. The second part of the documentary is scheduled to be aired on TV4 on Sunday, May 1st.
April 26, 2016
President Barack Obama has all but given up on reforming the Middle East in the final year of a presidency that started off with grand hopes for democracy in the region, according to a new analysis of US aid priorities.
The promotion of democracy and human rights has taken a back seat to military support for autocracies that are in the midst of an unprecedented crackdown on civil society, according to an analysis of the State Department's budget request for the 2017 fiscal year by the nonprofit Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED). The annual report was presented to congressional staffers on Capitol Hill on April 26 in hopes of impacting assistance priorities as the House and Senate spending panels put the final touches on foreign aid appropriations.
"As the Obama administration comes to an end," POMED writes in its report, "it will leave behind a legacy in the region of continuing close ties with repressive governments and increasing already-robust security assistance, while reducing attention to and funding for democracy, human rights, and governance."
The POMED report found that security and military assistance increased from 69% of total State Department aid to the Middle East in Obama's first budget eight years ago to 73% in fiscal year 2017. That's not counting Department of Defense funding or the record $100 billion in arms sales to the region since Obama took over.
Assistance for democracy building, by contrast, fell from 7% to 6% of the total. And that's before taking into account the increasing difficulty of actually getting that money out the door to partners on the ground.
"The crackdown that we're seeing across the region by governments against civil society is having really dramatic effects," said POMED Executive Director Stephen McInerney. He said that not only is the crackdown having dramatic effects on local civil society organizations, but also increasingly is "having an effect beyond that and it's really affecting the international community and foreign assistance to a number of countries across the region."
The State Department, for example, requested $406.8 million for democracy and human rights programs in fiscal year 2015, but only $180.4 million about 44% ended up getting spent. The department has requested $427.5 million for such programs in fiscal year 2017 $15 million less than for fiscal year 2016 but Congress is taking a hard look at whether funding such programs makes sense in the current environment.
The State Department, for example, has requested $150 million in economic support for Egypt, about 10% of which is for democracy and human rights programs. But that economic aid pipeline is already facing a $500 million to $700 million backlog, Al-Monitor reported earlier this month, spurring calls to reallocate the funding to countries that are seen as more deserving, such as Tunisia.
"We've sort of had this contradictory relationship where on the one hand governments in the region very much want foreign aid and are dependent on foreign aid, and on the other hand they see foreign aid or foreign funding that they do not fully control as very threatening," McInerney said. "And so the situation now has become that many of the programs including programs that many governments in the region think are very important and would like to see are having difficulty being implemented and put in place."
The Gulf states began cracking down right after the 2011 Arab Spring revolts. But the POMED report argues that several other countries have recently been following suit, creating potential difficulties for the release of US assistance.
In Jordan, a new draft nongovernmental organization law introduced last month has activists worried, while development groups report "growing levels of 'micromanagement' even for programs not explicitly related to human rights or political reform issues," according to POMED. In Morocco, journalists and civil society members have reportedly faced trial for not reporting foreign funding. And in Libya, the Tobruk-based House of Representatives has passed an association law POMED describes as "extraordinarily restrictive" for its requirement that NGOs receive government permission before they can receive any foreign funding or training.
Tamara Cofman Wittes, a former deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, attended the briefing and urged staffers to press for continued support for democracy building rather than fall back on historical support for autocrats seen as US allies.
"Libya is a failed state today because for 42 years [Moammar] Gadhafi was absolutely focused systematically on destroying every social and political institution that could potentially challenge his rule," said Wittes, now the director of the Brookings Institution's Center for Middle East Policy. "That's what autocrats do. And the longer an autocracy is in power, the worse it's going to be."
April 26, 2016
CAIRO When Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi took office in June 2014, he invited Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to attend the inauguration ceremony, which sparked talk about a possible restoration of relations between the two countries.
During a March 31 interview with the Saudi newspaper Okaz, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said resumption of relations must be tied to several factors. Mainly, he said, Iran needs to change its approach and policies regarding the situation in the region; demonstrate a desire to build relations based on mutual cooperation, respect and parity of interests; respect Arab states' independence and sovereignty; and practice non-interventionism.
Egyptian-Iranian relations have been tense for decades. Under Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, controversy and hostility marked the relations between the two countries, especially following the inception of the Baghdad Pact in 1954, which included Tehran and which Egypt considered unreliable.
Under President Anwar Sadat, relations took a new political turn following the blows the Egyptian military dealt to Israel in 1973. Egypt's rapprochement with the United States also produced a good relationship with the shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. This was especially true in terms of their seeking Arab unity and the liberation of Palestine, Arab solidarity and a peaceful solution of the Arab-Israeli conflict, which resulted in the signing of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty in March 1979.
Egyptian-Iranian relations, however, took a different turn once more following the fall of the shahs regime in February 1979 with the outbreak of the Islamic Revolution. Sadat received the fugitive shah in Egypt, thereby cutting diplomatic ties with Iran in 1980. On April 28, 1991, diplomatic relations were restored at the business level under Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, as Egypt and Iran had common interests. Nevertheless, relations have been tense almost continually. Iran condemned the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty and chose the path of what it called resistance.
Egypt also supported Iraqs war on Iran, which lasted from September 1980 until August 1988 and was known as the First Persian Gulf War in the Muslim world.
Although Egypt supported Iran's membership in the Group of 15 in 1999, tension returned in 2004, when Egypt accused Iran of attempting to spy on it through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in order to assassinate an Egyptian figure whose identity Cairo did not reveal.
Under President Mohammed Morsi, relations developed positively between the two countries. Morsi, who belongs to the Islamic movement, visited Tehran to attend the Non-Aligned Movement summit in August 2012. Morsis visit was the first by an Egyptian president since the 1979 revolution; it was welcomed and viewed by some as a new chapter between the two countries.
In February 2013, Morsi invited his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to attend the Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit in Cairo. Ahmadinejad was offered a rapturous welcome.
Egypt's foreign policy approach to Iran remains complicated. The Gulf countries are Egypt's main engine, as they were first to support Cairo following the revolution of June 30, 2013, particularly Saudi Arabia during the reign of King Abdullah and then King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud.
This was reflected in Sisis statement to Al Arabiya in May 2014, before he won the presidential election, when he said, Iran is well aware that the relationship with Egypt goes through the Arabian Gulf. They are our family and we are keen on seeing them live in peace. All we seek with Iran is a fair relationship.
In an interview with BBC Arabic in November 2015, Sisi said, We have no relations with Iran. Egypt is greatly responsible for Arab national security, as it is an integral part of Egypts national security.
Mohammad al-Saeed Idris, head of the Arab and regional studies unit at Egypt's Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, told Al-Monitor that conditions are not conducive for restoring relations between Cairo and Tehran.
He said, There is an Arab-Iranian conflict, especially with Saudi Arabia. Any rapprochement between Egypt and Iran would be viewed as a stance against Saudi Arabia. Iran has been taking wrong measures that exacerbate crises, such as its unjustified expansion in Yemen. This is not to mention its role in Iraq, whereby it is using the sectarian conflict by supporting Iraqi Shiites, preventing the achievement of real political stability.
Idris, who is also a member of the peoples diplomatic delegation that visited Tehran after the June 2013 revolution, said, Iran is doing the opposite of the conditions set by Shoukry. Should it commit to them, the Iranian-Saudi conflict would come to an end. He said Tehran is unlikely to abide by Shoukrys recommendations.
Iman Ragab, an expert on Gulf Affairs at Al-Ahram Center, told Al-Monitor, Egypt is deferring dealing with the relations with Iran, because according to her the history of relations between the two sides is mired with bilateral issues that Iran has not worked to resolve. Iran also did not respond to Egyptian demands regarding national security, specifically concerning Iran's support for some armed groups in Gaza smuggling weapons through Egyptian tunnels, which is worsening the security crisis in the Sinai Peninsula.
Moreover, the Egyptian ruling elite is deferring the issue of relations with Iran because of Saudi Arabia, which is taking a stance against the normalization of relations with Iran until it meets the conditions Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed al-Jubeir set forth during his visit to Cairo in May 2015, when he said that Iran should stop interfering in the affairs of the regions countries, and desist from supporting terrorism and from taking actions undermining the interests of the regions peoples, said Ragab.
Ragab also said that Iran believes relations with Egypt are bound to be economic first and foremost, especially following the suspension of economic sanctions after the signing of the nuclear deal with the six world powers (the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia and China).
Egypt does not have a clear vision about the nature of interests it shall have with Iran in the event of normalization of relations. Does it seek economic relations or political stances with regard to regional issues? Bearing in mind that Tehran does not want political coordination with any country, including Egypt, she added.
Commenting on Saudi Arabias role in the resumption of relations with Iran, Ragab said, It is an important factor for Egypt, given the strategic relations between Cairo and Riyadh, especially following the June 30 Revolution. Egypt will not take any stance with Iran that could lead to tension in relations with Riyadh.
She believes the conditions set by Shoukry for the normalization of relations amount to diplomatic games, since the minister is well aware that Tehran will not meet them, but he is throwing the ball in Irans court, waiting for its next move, she added.
April 27, 2016
CAIRO In recent weeks there have been disputes among members of Egypts parliament over calls to relocate residents of the North Sinai governorate amid an escalation in the war between the countrys armed forces and extremist groups. Parliamentarians representing Sinai, headed by Salama Al-Roqie, have expressed their opposition to any effort to displace residents of this region.
In an interview with Al-Monitor, Roqie stated that the displacement of Sinai citizens will increase the spread of terrorism, arguing that the presence of citizens in the area prevents unknown people from infiltrating it and carrying out attacks. The lawmaker also highlighted the role of tribes in supporting the armed forces in the war against extremists, saying that the tribes have always been very cooperative with the Egyptian state in all its wars.
Below is the text of the interview:
Al-Monitor: Why do you oppose the calls of some parliament members to relocate residents of Sinai?
Roqie: Displacement should only happen during wars or natural disasters. It is not acceptable when citizens are settled in a certain place, whether in Sinai or border regions. The constitution rejects displacement, and it even calls on the state to return the Nubians to their original territories following their displacement. Sinai citizens can deter aggression against Egypt, and history stands witness to that.
Al-Monitor: You have said that expelling Sinai residents will lead to an increase in terrorism. Can you explain why you believe this to be true?
Roqie: Urban wars are the worst due to land elevations, geography and overpopulation. The presence of citizens ensures the absence of strangers. If the people are displaced, the strangers entering Sinai will have freedom to move around. The presence of citizens guarantees that strangers wont infiltrate Sinai.
Al-Monitor: Parliament member Hamdy Bakheet has called for evacuating Sinai for one year to completely eliminate extremist groups that hide among residents to carry out attacks. What is your response to this?
Roqie: We reject displacement, regardless of its duration. This is not the solution to eradicate terrorism. If terrorist group members blend in with citizens, then they will surely go with them wherever they go. But if the extremists are in mountainous areas, the armed forces can fight them in cooperation with Sinai citizens.
Al-Monitor: Has the state indicated that it is considering such measures?
Roqie: No. There hasnt been any official statement asserting that the state wants to displace Sinai citizens. There have only been unofficial statements from parliamentarians, public figures or experts.
Al-Monitor: What is the position of Sinais tribes on the battle between the Egyptian army and extremist groups in Sinai?
Roqie: The Sinai tribes were very cooperative with the Egyptian state in all its wars, including the 1967 and 1973 wars with Israel. They also provide information to the concerned parties. We refuse to doubt the cooperation of Sinai citizens with the armed forces, because the countrys stability is in our interest.
Al-Monitor: The constitution calls for developing border areas, including Sinai. Has the state made efforts to achieve this?
Roqie: The development cycle was slow in the wake of the liberation of Sinai from the Israeli aggression. The state set a development plan in 1994 and allocated a budget of 75 billion Egyptian pounds [$22 billion at the exchange rate at the time] for it. Egypt succeeded in establishing constitutional infrastructure for North Sinai, but some projects were hampered for many reasons, such as the simultaneous work on major projects, including the Toshka Project. Currently, expansion works are underway in Sharq al-Tafria and roads are being built parallel to the province, in addition to 27 development complexes and several projects to develop Sinai. This shows that the state insists on developing Sinai.
Al-Monitor: Is it feasible for the state to promote development in the midst of a violent battle between the army and terrorist groups?
Roqie: The armed forces are fighting extremist groups in a small area that barely represents 1% of North Sinai. All areas in the province are safe and far from the clashes, which will soon end in favor of the state. Therefore, development is essential to limit unemployment and solve problems that the citizens of North Sinai are facing. It will not be hampered by the terrorist operations that the armed forces are brilliantly fighting.
Al-Monitor: How can parliament help to alleviate the problems facing Sinai residents while supporting the state's efforts to eliminate terrorism there?
Roqie: The government is constitutionally responsible for creating a plan for socio-economic development in border areas and Upper Egypt in cooperation with citizens of these areas through committees or through the parliament to find out their ambitions and desires. This requires a law from the government or parliament to implement the constitution. The parliament will work in this direction, and we will organize delegations to visit the border areas, such as Sinai, to listen to the inhabitants problems.
Al-Monitor: When will the parliamentary delegation visit North Sinai, after its visit was delayed for security reasons?
Roqie: The parliament organized delegations to visit all border regions to implement the constitution and research peoples problems and include them in the governments program. The delegations were supposed to visit Halayeb, Shalatin and Nuba. But the visit was delayed until the security situation stabilizes in North Sinai because the members of the delegation want to visit all the regions in the province to listen to the peoples problems. No specific date was set, but the members of the delegation are willing to go through with it in good time.
April 26, 2016
April 19 marked the 100th day of the first session held by Egypts new parliament on Jan. 10. During this period, the legislatures sessions were marked by battles, challenges and various crises involving members of parliament. The first crisis came on day 1, when inappropriate behavior by some of the parliamentarians was broadcast on live TV. This caused a wave of criticism and mockery on social networking sites, prompting the speaker of parliament, Ali Abdel Aal, who was elected by a majority of parliamentarians, with 380 votes, to issue a decision to stop live coverage of parliamentary sessions.
The most prominent challenge facing the parliament in its first session was the impasse posed by Article 156 of the Egyptian Constitution. The article notes that when an event that requires taking urgent measures, which cannot be delayed, occurs while the parliament is not in session, the president will call for an urgent session to discuss the matter. However, according to the same article, if a parliament has not been elected, the president has the authority to issue decrees that enter into force of law, but these decrees must be debated and approved by parliament within 15 days once a legislature is elected.
From the time he assumed office in June 2014 until the first parliamentary session, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had issued 342 decrees. This meant legislatures were faced with the seemingly impossible task of debating and ratifying more than 20 decrees per day to meet the 15-day constitutional deadline. To do this, the parliament formed committees to discuss all of these laws according to competences, but without holding elections for committee heads. The parliament approved all of the proposed laws except for the Civil Service Law, which triggered a controversy among the Egyptian public 332 members of parliament rejected this law compared to 150 who voted in favor of it, while seven members abstained. The Support Egypt coalition, which represents the parliamentary majority and is accused of being the voice of the state in the parliament, had announced its support for this law, yet its members of parliament renounced their approval just before the vote.
Although 100 days are a very short period for this parliament with a five-year mandate, intense battles have already been raging between its members, reaching the point of the resignation of one parliamentarian, the suspension of another and several threats of resignation.
Sirri Siam, one of the 28 parliamentarians appointed by the president, submitted his resignation in February, citing an inappropriate climate that does not allow him to perform his parliamentary duties. The parliament accepted his resignation.
The most controversial and widespread crisis was the meeting of former parliamentarian Tawfiq Okasha with the Israeli ambassador, for which Okasha faced a storm of criticism and attacks by members of parliament. Parliamentarian Kamal Ahmed even hit Okasha with a shoe. The parliament ended up referring Okasha to a special committee to examine the multiple requests for his dismissal made by various members of parliament. The parliament also referred Ahmed to an investigation committee, which banned him from attending sessions for a year. The committee examining Okashas affair recommended his suspension for a year, but a number of parliamentarians in the plenary meeting who voted on this matter did not agree with the commission's recommendation, and the parliament voted on dismissing him. Moreover, during this period, Maj. Gen. Sameh Seif El Yazal, the leader of the majority coalition Support Egypt, passed away.
The parliament started drafting its organizational regulations, which were debated by the members of parliament over several sessions and approved by the president during the past few days. The parliament also had to deal with another challenge during the 100-day period, which was Prime Minister Sherif Ismails announcement of the governments program.
The parliament had announced the formation of a number of committees to discuss the governments program and to declare the parliaments position and to issue relevant recommendations.
Ultimately, the parliament approved the government program on April 19 with 433 votes in the plenary session attended by Ismail and all the ministers. The program was rejected by 38 members of parliament, while five abstained from voting.
Another crisis faced by the parliament was the handover of the islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia as a result of the maritime border demarcation agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The agreement faced a large wave of objection, and a protest was staged in front of the Journalists Syndicate on April 15, despite PSisis confirmation that the parliament has the right to refuse or approve the agreement.
The parliament formed delegations to carry out a number of visits abroad during the 100-day period, most notably a visit to Switzerland in mid-February, to the headquarters of the Swiss parliament. The visiting parliamentary delegation was headed by parliament Speaker Abdel Aal, who called on the Swiss parliament to help Egypt recover smuggled funds.
A parliamentary delegation headed by Ahmed Saeed also made an important foreign visit to the European Parliament headquarters in Strasbourg to discuss the European Parliaments unfavorable position and report against Egypt in relation to the murder of the Italian doctoral student Giulio Regeni.
The most prominent figures and officials received by parliament during the 100-day period included Iraqi President Fuad Masum, Chinas President Xi Jinping, King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia and Speaker of the US House of Representatives Paul Ryan.
Speaking to El Watan News on April 19 the 100-day milestone legal expert Amro Abdel Razek said, The Egyptian parliament has yet to meet the basic aspirations of citizens.
He added, The coming period will witness the submittal of several important laws and legislation that the people await, including the application of the VAT [value added tax] law and other laws.
For his part, parliamentary affairs analyst Akram Alfi told Al-Monitor, During its first 100 days, the parliament has passed through a transitional stage and was preoccupied with regulatory matters, the approval of laws, the drafting of its own internal organizational regulations and the discussion of the government's program.
He added, The parliament has achieved one victory, the rejection of the Civil Service Law, and this is a matter that pertains to the average citizen. Regarding the performance of parliamentarians, he said that the controversial positions taken by members of parliament such as Okasha and Mortada Mansour were expected, given that they are known to be controversial. He noted that the performance of the majority Support Egypt Coalition was marred by confusion, especially after the death of Yazal.
Regarding the laws to be approved by the parliament in the coming period, Alfi said, The parliament will pass through another transitional stage, which is the period of enactment of the laws provided for by the constitution, which obliged the parliament to approve them during the first legislative term, and which are laws governing the media, the building of churches, education and health.
April 26, 2016
RAMALLAH, West Bank In light of repeated Israeli accusations that the Palestinian Authority (PA) has been inciting violence through the media, especially during the recent popular uprising, Palestinian officials want to convene the Tripartite Committee on Incitement. The committees main task is to monitor the content of Palestinian and Israeli media and school curricula to detect incitement by either party against the other.
Headed by the United States and consisting of Israeli and Palestinian representatives, the committee was agreed to in the Wye River Agreement of October 1998 and reaffirmed in the 2003 road map. Only a few meetings have ever been held. In February 2014, Israel rejected a PA request to convene, demanding a Palestinian confidence-building measure before agreeing to participate.
On April 5, during a meeting with a Romanian delegation at the Muqata in Ramallah, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for reviving the committee, saying, We have no objection to the forming of this committee to monitor incitement by both sides. As soon as the Israeli side approves the committee, we are ready to participate in it.
Nimer Hammad, Abbas political adviser, told Al-Monitor, We have always called upon the United States to activate the committee. Unfortunately, Israel does not want it, and the United States doesnt comment or respond to our calls. Israel has been hampering the committees work since its inception, and the United States knows that. If Washington really wants to know who practices incitement, it should activate the committee. We are ready to participate in it.
Hammad added, We have sent letters to former President George W. Bush, and we have talked with President Barack Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry and Vice President Joe Biden during his recent visit to Ramallah, but they did not respond. They know that Israel has hampered the committees work and refuses to activate it, which requires more US pressure on Israel.
Hammad said that Israel does not want to convene the committee because it does not want to stop incitement by Israeli media and officials against the Palestinians. He also said that Israel spreads propoganda in the US media to promote its message and convince the public that the Palestinians are the ones inciting.
The PA has repeatedly denied recent Israeli accusations that the PA is inciting against Israel. Of note, during an interview with Israel's Channel 2 on March 31, Abbas said, I declare that I am against murder and violence. And now you say that I am inciting violence! Why do you say I am inciting? At every opportunity, we emphasize that we are against escalation or spreading hatred. I admit that we have incitement, but you also have incitement.
Amin Maqboul, secretary-general of Fatah's Revolutionary Council, told Al-Monitor, The call by President Abbas [for the committee] came in response to Israeli accusations that the Palestinians are inciting, which is untrue because the main inciter is Israel, through its deputies, ministers and media. The convening of the committee is a Palestinian demand aimed at countering Israel's claims. We realize that the United States and Israel will not respond positively to President Abbas call. The United States and Israel are complicit in not activating this committee in order to cover up Israeli incitement against the Palestinians.
Ahmed Majdalani, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) Executive Committee, told Al-Monitor, Israel doesnt want to activate the US-headed Committee on Incitement because it doesnt want international involvement in monitoring the implementation of any bilateral agreements with the PA or the PLO. Israel prefers to deal solo with these agreements, with nobody monitoring or pressuring it, not even the United States. Abbas wanted to refute Israels claims, make it face its responsibilities and confront the Americans with their responsibilities in accordance with the agreements signed between the Palestinian and Israeli sides. We insist on the activation of this technical and specialized committee, not just to showcase the incitement in the Israeli media, but to examine the school curricula so that everyone sees who is doing the inciting. Majdalani called Israels accusation of incitement by the PA a form of political blackmail.
Writer and political analyst Ahmed Rafiq Awad, told Al-Monitor, [Abbas is acting] out of a desire to signal to Israel, the Europeans and the Americans that he is against incitement and to refute the Israeli narrative, which says that the popular uprising is triggered by Palestinian incitement, not the continued occupation, and also to monitor Israeli media, which is full of incitement, so that Israeli politicians and journalists would stop blackmailing the PA on this matter.
Awad did not rule out European, American and Israeli pressure on the PA regarding actual incitement in the Palestinian media and on the need to stop it. Abbas, he said, is trying to tell them that if they want to monitor the Palestinian media, they should activate the joint committee. Awad believes Abbas call will pass unnoticed because Israel wants its media to continue inciting.
For now, the committee is not operating, like many other parts of Israeli-Palestinian agreements. Palestinian officials charge that Israel selectively implements what suits it and ignores the rest.
April 27, 2016
Israeli Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz succumbed to the pressure from residents of the Eshkol region surrounding Gaza. Katz decided that starting May 2 truck traffic will be prohibited in the mornings and afternoons on Route 232, the only available road to transport food and other merchandise into the Gaza Strip. This decision is expected to impact the activity of the Kerem Shalom crossing, the only lifeline for Gaza since Egypt sealed most of the smuggling tunnels on its border with Gaza.
According to a source in the Civil Administration, about 1,000 trucks bearing supplies travel on Route 232 every day on their way to the Kerem Shalom crossing, where the annual trade amounts to close to 5 billion shekels ($1.3 billion).
Route 232, which is 80 kilometers (50 miles) long, was paved in 1951 to connect the settlements of the western Negev to the center of the country. For most of its existence, Route 232 was empty at any time of day. After Hamas takeover of Gaza, for security reasons, Israel expanded the Kerem Shalom checkpoint for commercial traffic, but was not wise enough to develop suitable infrastructure for the enormous flow of trucks that has overwhelmed the old and narrow road.
In recent years, Route 232 has become a nightmare for the Israeli localities surrounding Gaza. There are traffic accidents on it almost every day, some of them fatal.
Residents of the region have raised an outcry against the dangerous road and the trucks. They have directed their protest mostly to Katz, who has yielded to their pressure and prohibited truck traffic from 7 to 9 in the morning and from 3 to 5 in the afternoon.
An April 13 press release from the Ministry of Transportation noted that Katz decision was made after analysis of data presented to him and consultation and cooperation with traffic police and the heads of regional councils in the Negev.
The problem, it seems, is that Katz did not bother to consult with the security forces regarding some significant implications of his decision, which could bring the region into another violent conflict.
According to truck drivers working on the supply line to Gaza, the transfer of food and raw materials to Gaza will be considerably impaired, and the 1.8 million residents will immediately feel a shortage of such essentials as food, clothing, medicine and raw materials.
The 1,000 trucks will not be able to complete their assignments in only six hours of work. No truck driver will start his drive to Kerem Shalom at 3 or 4 o'clock, David Abisrur, who has been driving the route for more than five years, told Al-Monitor.
A senior Israeli security source told Al-Monitor this week on condition of anonymity that the Israel Defense Forces and the Civil Administration were very surprised by the decision, which he thought was quick.
How will they understand this decision in the Gaza Strip? he wondered. I have no doubt that they will think that Israel is decreasing the supply to Gaza with clear intent to pressure Hamas, which could see the limited supplies as an act of provocation. According to him, already in June, a month after the limit on truck traffic will take effect, there will be a significant shortage of food in Gaza, and we can expect to receive Qassam rocket fire in response.
The recent violent conflicts between Israel and Hamas started with a smattering of Qassam rockets connected to economic distress in Gaza. In December 2008, for instance, the region deteriorated to all-out war because the Hamas leadership thought that massive Qassam fire toward Israel would force the Israelis to lift the blockade on Gaza. Operation Protective Edge, which caused terrible destruction and loss of life, also started with a strategic decision by the Hamas leadership in Gaza to fight the suffocating siege that threatened its regime.
Now one decision that seems minor could put pressure on Hamas, as well as provoke the groups opposing Hamas. They could try to lead Israel and Hamas into an uncontainable conflict.
Israel has refused to allow Hamas to build a seaport that could free Gaza from its economic dependence on Israel, and firmly insists on the continuation of the blockade, while providing supplies itself. Gaza's daily economic life depends entirely on large Israeli companies like Tnuva, Osem, Elite and others, which conduct thriving business with Gaza, despite its hostility to Israel. The dependence on supplies from Israel continues during calm and during war. During Operation Protective Edge, for instance, the Kerem Shalom checkpoint continued its regular activities even when Hamas fired rockets toward Israel. Hamas officials made sure to keep the peace surrounding the checkpoint, enabling it to continue functioning.
The bloody, old and crowded road troubles the residents of the area surrounding Gaza. One cant blame them for wanting to stay alive. The residents claim, justly, that they have suffered Qassam and mortar fire for many years, and that the constant danger of speeding trucks on the debilitated Route 232 shouldnt add to this burden.
Instead of ordering the improvement of the road, Katz chose the easiest path from his standpoint and limited the flow of supply trucks to the Gaza Strip. It would have been better for the transportation minister to allocate a small percentage of the profit from trade with Gaza to fund a more efficient and safer solution both for residents of the region surrounding Gaza and for those of the Gaza Strip, who are forced to rely on a lifeline supplied by Israel.
April 26, 2016
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not known to be humorous or sympathetic toward those who lampoon him. His anger toward the most innocuous of caricatures surfaced shortly after he became prime minister in 2003. In one of his first acts, which set the tone of his relationship with the press, Erdogan took the daily Cumhuriyet to court for depicting him as a cat entangled in yarn in a cartoon.
Erdogan lost that case, but his wrath toward critics in and out of the media never diminished. The Turkish president has opened 2,000 cases against journalists, artists and ordinary citizens he accuses of insulting him or members of his family.
The matter took on a Kafkaesque turn recently when a man in Istanbul accused of severely beating his fiancee defended himself in court by saying he had beaten her because she insulted Erdogan.
Erdogans wrath for those satirizing him has reached new heights and gone international. Using an obscure law, Erdogan recently brought charges in Germany against comedian Jan Boehmermann for insulting him in a poem.
Boehmermanns poem, which is rife with references to sodomy and zoophilia, is offensive by any count, and Chancellor Angela Merkel has said so. But because of Erdogans poor record on freedom of the press and free speech in Turkey, most Europeans interested in this topic are focused more on Erdogans actions than Boehmermanns words.
International interest in the case also increased after Merkel gave the go-ahead for Boehmermann to be tried under the all but forgotten Article 103 of the German penal code, which proposes prison for anyone who insults a foreign dignitary.
Aware of the uproar she caused in Germany, where she is accused of being Erdogans stooge, Merkel has admitted her regret in expressing an opinion on Boehmermanns poem. She said calling the poem intentionally offensive gave the impression that she does not value free speech.
Berlin was already bristling over its ambassador having been called to the Foreign Ministry in Ankara over a video clip satirizing Erdogan as an authoritarian leader with dictatorial tendencies.
Ankara demanded that the video Erdowie, Erdowo, Erdogan be dropped by the public broadcaster ZDF. Berlin rejected the demarche, saying freedom of expression is guaranteed in Germany. Ankaras move backfired and prompted Boehmermann to air his offensive poem to anger Erdogan further.
Analysts expect the Boehmermann case will also backfire on Erdogan. That appears to be happening already. In Britain, The Spectator magazines John Murray announced "The President Erdogan Offensive Poetry Competition" last week.
He added that a generous reader was offering a 1,000 pound award ($1,460) for the rudest and crudest limerick. Murray submitted his own limerick, which lives up to his bill, and in a subsequent article he said that the magazine had been flooded with entries, expressing surprise at the high number of submissions in Arabic.
Oblivious to the blowback, Ankara is now taking steps that are likely to further aggravate the situation to Erdogans disadvantage. For example, a circular by the Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam that calls on Turks to report compatriots who insult Erdogan has caused an uproar in the Netherlands.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte was asked about this development during a press conference with Merkel. "It's not clear what the Turkish government aims to achieve with this action," Rutte said, indicating that the Dutch ambassador in Ankara had been instructed to demand an explanation.
The Netherlands apparently has a lese-majeste law similar to the one in Germany, and it is clear that Erdogan intends to take full advantage of it through the large Turkish community in that country, many of whose members are his supporters and are eligible to vote in Turkish elections.
A spokesman for the Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam tried to downplay the circular, which also caused anger among liberal Turks in the Netherlands. He suggested that a junior-ranking official had used an unfortunate combination of words in writing it, and claimed that such circulars are not unusual.
Whoever wrote the circular, it is clear that the announcement could not have been issued without some kind of instruction from Ankara. This suggests that other Turkish consulates also received similar orders, but they are being more discreet about it.
Al-Monitor asked Osman Koruturk, a former Turkish ambassador to Berlin (2000-2003) and member of the main opposition Republican People's Party, whether such a circular was normal. It is not normal. It is also scandalous. I never heard of or saw such a practice, an indignant Koruturk said.
If one of my officers had done this when I was ambassador, I would have requested an inquiry because this amounts to using official instruments in an irregular manner. Koruturk added, however, with more than a tinge of cynicism in his voice, The times appear to have changed since I was ambassador.
Meanwhile, Erdogan is pushing for the Dutch comedian Hans Teeuwen to be tried for insulting him in a comic sketch. This will also anger the Dutch, whose annoyance already increased after Ebru Umar, a Dutch journalist whose mother is Turkish, was arrested in Turkey this week for insulting Erdogan.
Erdogan has in fact created a bandwagon across Europe where people and papers are lining up to insult him in the name of free speech. Following Umars arrest, for example, the Dutch daily De Telegraaf depicted him on its front page as an ape trying to crush free speech in Europe.
Koruturk said he could not predict the outcome of the case against Boehmermann, but added that whatever the court decides, the matter will continue to reverberate in Germany and the rest of Europe.
A Western diplomat in Ankara, who wished to remain anonymous due to his sensitive position, agreed. The matter has been too politicized in Europe for it not to have ramifications, he told Al-Monitor.
The diplomat also pointed to an ironic effect that Erdogans legal move will have in Germany and the Netherlands. Thanks to Erdogan, both countries are now ready to abolish the law he is using to open these cases. This way, he will be contributing to enhancing free speech in Europe while he is trying to curb it in Turkey."
April 27, 2016
In the tranquility of Oxford, I was having a lunch with Eugene Rogan, a renowned historian and the director of the Middle East Centre of Oxford University. Last year, he had published a book, "The Fall of the Ottomans," which was deservedly listed among The Economist's top 10 best books of 2015. I mentioned something that was sure to interest him: For the first time ever, the Turkish government has issued instructions for the commemoration of the Battle of Kut.
Apart from Gallipoli a disaster for the British military but a legendary victory for its Turkish counterpart known as the victory of Dardanelles during World War I the only other Ottoman military victory was achieved at Kut, in todays Iraq.
Also known as the Siege of Kut Al Amara, the Siege of Kut lasted from Dec. 7, 1915, to April 29, 1916. Some 13,000 soldiers of the British-Indian Army under the command of the Maj. Gen. Charles Townsend were taken prisoner and marched to Aleppo. Townsend himself enjoyed a comfortable retreat on an island until the end of the war. It is not surprising that some British historians describe the loss of Kut as the most abject capitulation in Great Britains military history.
Rogan received the news somberly. The great historian of World War I and the Ottomans said, Kut is well deserved to be commemorated and celebrated in Turkey.
He is probably right. Yet I reminded him that almost everyone in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand and of course in Turkey knows the story and historical significance of Gallipoli and the Dardanelles. But if you ask any Turk about Kut, he or she might look dumbfounded.
The commemoration and celebration of the Victory of Kut and its inclusion in elementary and secondary schools curricula for the first time in the Turkish republics history may have some sinister aims.
The government apparently wants to associate the name of a military officer, Nureddin Pasha, with the commemoration. Pasha became a general long after the Siege of Kut, but he was the governor of Baghdad and Basra during the initial stages of the military campaign. Apart from his contribution to the surrender of the British forces, he made a reputation for himself as being extremely harsh to Christian minorities in Turkey and established very strong nationalist credentials.
However, he found himself in conflict with Kemalist reforms during the 1920s. For instance, in 1925, when Western hats were introduced to replace the Ottoman fez or turban, he opposed it. President Mustafa Kemal Ataturks loyal Justice Minister Mahmud Esad Bozkurt, who was known as a diehard Jacobin secularist, dubbed Pasha a reactionary. Ataturk himself also criticized Pasha severely. He died out of favor in 1932.
Thus, for some staunch Kemalist-secularists in Turkey, reviving the memory of Kut from the forgotten pages of archives is a nefarious attempt to further tarnish Ataturk's name by the current Islamist rule in Turkey. The move is interpreted in terms of the incipient Islamization of Turkey.
However, even if the Turkish public is not very aware of the debate around the Victory of Kut during WWI, it is impossible for Turks to ignore a new combustible development: The speaker of the parliament, Ismail Kahraman, suggested that the concept of secularism should have no place in a new constitution and the word secularism should be omitted from it altogether.
As could be expected, Kahraman's words sparked an outcry from the staunchly secularist Republican People's Party. The main opposition party's chairman took the lead in lambasting the speaker. A coalition of secularists gathered as the United Movement of June, a reference to the Taksim-Gezi riots that rocked Turkey in 2013, marched toward the parliament, shouting, We will not let you to write a constitution of Sharia and caliphate!
Though a new constitution does not look imminent, the parliament speakers statement can be taken as a clue of the intentions of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in constructing a new Turkey attuned to his ideology.
The tension between political Islam and secularism as the mainstay and founding ideological principle of post-Ottoman republican Turkey has defined the Turkish political climate for decades. The arch-secularists have always been suspicious of the motives of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) as the offspring of Turkeys older Islamist parties. Even before it won the elections and took political power in Turkey in 2002, the AKPs leaders, having learned the lessons of previous failures, persistently emphasized that the party has no Islamist agenda and that it should be acknowledged as a conservative democratic party, the Muslim version of Christian Democrats in the Western world.
The AKP won election after election, and as it gained self-confidence it gradually shrank to its political Islamist core. The choice for the seat of parliament speaker following the November elections testifies to that trend.
Kahraman is considered one of the elders of Turkish conservative Islamism. Born in 1940, he was an Islamist-nationalist student activist in the 1960s, fighting against the rise of leftist activism in youth. He was the respected and influential chairman of the right-wing Islamist-nationalist Turkish National Student Union. Former President Abdullah Gul had served as its executive, while Erdogan was only a foot soldier.
Kahraman became a leading figure, generally the chairman of various prominent organizations and civil society associations of the Islamic movement. He became the culture minister in the Islamist coalition government of Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan from 1996 to 1997. He was a deputy from the Welfare Party of Erbakan from 1983 to 1998 when the part was banned and then he became a deputy for the Virtue Party until it was banned in 2001.
Kahraman remained outside of the parliament until the last elections, though he maintained close relations with Erdogan. He was the chairman of board of trustees and a founder of Recep Tayyip Erdogan University. All those who know Erdogan and Kahraman well also know the great respect the former has for the latter. Kahraman was Erdogans choice for speaker.
It is natural for people to associate his remarks on secularism with Erdogan's vision for the future of Turkey.
Secularism has always been a highly sensitive and controversial issue in Turkey, particularly for the Kemalist ruling elite and its spinal cord, the military institution. Whether Kahramans statement reflects Erdogans far-fetched objectives or not is irrelevant. It is certain that old cleavages will resurface and add to Turkeys political turbulence.
Where can it lead when a leading figure in Turkeys power structure takes a step forward toward what had previously been unthinkable? Inevitably, the question will arise: Is an Islamist Turkey possible? Some say that in todays Middle East, despite Turkeys European underpinnings, nothing is impossible.
A German machining operation announced plans today to establish its first United States manufacturing facility in Auburn.
The Berghoff Group plans to invest $30 million into the plant and create 100 precision-machining jobs over the next five years, the Alabama Department of Commerce stated in a release today.
John Emerson, the U.S. Ambassador to Germany, announced the deal today at the 2016 Hannover Messe, the world's largest industrial fair. The U.S. is the event's official partner country this year, and President Barack Obama joined German Chancellor Angela Merkel to officially open the fair on Monday.
"The Berghoff Group is a family-owned firm with a strong tradition here in Germany," Emerson said. "We are proud to join that tradition with U.S. productivity and innovation - among the many reasons foreign firms choose to invest in the United States."
Starting in 2017, Berghoff Precision Machining will use its manufacturing expertise to produce parts in Auburn for key customers in equipment fabrication, semiconductor and aerospace industries.
"With the North America operation we will be able to serve our global customers both from Europe and the U.S.," said Oliver Bludau, CEO of the Berghoff Group. "Berghoff's principles and processes will create the same quality and value for our customers for products made at our Auburn location.
"We are very grateful to the State of Alabama and the City of Auburn for the support that our project is receiving," he added.
The Berghoff Group specializes in the mechanical processing of highly complex workpieces, including five-axis and high-speed machining, according to the company. It machines a variety of high-performance metals in the high-mix, low-volume and high-complexity fields.
Auburn University and its well-regarding engineering program helped lure the Germany company.
Auburn facility will be Berghoff's fifth manufacturing location, joining operations in Germany and Switzerland
"The Berghoff Group's decision to open a facility in Alabama means 100 well-paying jobs and another world-class company operating in the state," Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said.
"The Berghoff Group is widely known as a high-quality manufacturer, and its investment in Alabama is a powerful endorsement of the state as an ideal location for expansion," he added.
The Department of Commerce says the Berghoff Group will strengthen the reputation of the Auburn area as center for advanced manufacturing.
Auburn Mayor Bill Ham Jr. said the Berghoff Group "will provide excellent job opportunities for our residents.
"I am extremely grateful for the support that the project has received from the State of Alabama, and I'm proud to welcome the Berghoff team to Auburn," he said.
Auburn University has launched a broad initiative to become a leader in 3-D printing technology - also known as additive manufacturing - while GE Aviation is preparing its Auburn plant to 3-D print fuel nozzles for jet engines, according to the Department of Commerce.
Last year, another German company, Schmidt Maschinenbau GmbH, announced plans to open a $17 million manufacturing facility in Auburn to produce precision engine components for automakers.
Big Bad Breakfast plans to open its second Birmingham-area restaurant in downtown Homewood later this summer, one of the owners said today.
The new Big Bad Breakfast will be at 1926 29th Ave. South, in the former Cathay Inn Restaurant location across the street from the Pastry Art Bake Shoppe. More recently, the space was home to Steep & Deep, a ski and scuba shop that closed last year.
"We love Homewood," Nick Pihakis, one of the founders of the Fresh Hospitality Group, told AL.com today. "We've had Little Donkey (restaurant) there for several years now. Homewood is a great area that has all of the attributes of an urban environment but more of a neighborhood, family feel to it."
Fresh Hospitality partnered with Oxford, Miss., chef John Currence to open Birmingham's first Big Bad Breakfast at 5361 U.S. 280 in June 2014.
Currence, a James Beard Award-winning chef, started the breakfast-and-lunch restaurant in Oxford in the summer of 2008.
In addition to Big Bad Breakfast and Little Donkey, Fresh Hospitality's other restaurant properties include Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe and Saigon Noodle House. Pihakis is also co-founder of the Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q chain.
Demolition on the interior of the new Homewood Big Bad Breakfast is complete, and once construction begins, Pihakis said the restaurant could open by August.
With seating on two levels, the restaurant will accommodate about 125 guests. The driveway that runs along the side of the building will be enclosed to create a walkway, Pihakis said.
The Red Lion Lounge, which is on lower level on the back side of the building, will remain open, he added.
Fresh Hospitality wants to open at least two more Big Bad Breakfast locations in the Birmingham area, Pihakis said.
"We plan on opening several here," he said. "We've got areas picked out that we feel we're comfortable with. We're looking to put four or five in Birmingham."
The restaurant group already owns two buildings at 33rd Street and Third Avenue South in the Pepper Place area and is eyeing property in Riverchase, Pihakis said.
Also, Pihakis said, Fresh Hospitality is nearing completion of a second Saigon Noodle House, which should open in mid-May in the former Bottletree Cafe space at 3719 Third Ave. South.
Was there something in Alabama's water in the 1950s? Something that made women who looked like grandmothers kill their husbands, neighbors and small children? Given the number of female multiple murderers from that decade, it would seem something was very wrong:
Two women were executed in the poisoning deaths of numerous family members, including children.
Two more were sentenced to life in prison for the poisoning deaths of family members and acquaintances, including children.
A fifth woman was sentenced to 10 years for the murders and gruesome dismemberment of two brothers who were her neighbors.
Arsenic: A woman's weapon of choice
A UPI story published on June 27, 1958, in newspapers across the country, like this one in the Milwaukee Sentinel, quoted criminologist Dr. Dudley Degroot on why women often chose poison as a means of murder. The story was written in response to the string of arsenic killings by women in the South at that time, including several from Alabama, one from Georgia and one from South Carolina.
"For one thing, women abhor violence, especially women in the middle and upper classes. Women are supposed to be the gentler, subordinate sex - the housewife and mother - and they will invariably choose a quiet, non-violent way to commit murder," he said. His adjectives for women seem quaint now, but at the time, women were often labeled as the "behind-the-scenes" keepers of the home and family. Degroot said arsenic was the most readily available poison; it could be bought without raising suspicions because it was a common ingredient in rat poison and insecticide.
Female murderers, he said, are able to rationalize their actions by telling themselves they deserve their cheating/abusive/annoying husbands' life insurance money sooner rather than later. However, Degroot did not address how female poisoners justify to themselves the murders of small children.
Unregulated life insurance
In the 1950s, Alabama did not require insurance agents to have permission from people, or even notify them, when life insurance policies were purchased against their lives. In one case described below, Mary Perkins worked in collusion with an agent to take out life insurance policies on as many as 150 people without their knowledge. Today, Alabama insurance agents require a signature of the person named in the policy.
In only one of the five cases from the 1950s in Alabama did a woman use violent means to murder: Viola Hyatt was convicted of the murders and dismemberment of two neighbor men. She then drove along the highway discarding body parts from the car window. However, there are still people who believe Viola would have needed help to kill and dismember the men. Click here to read one such theory from a family member.
Here are synopses for five female killers from the 1950s:
EARLE DENNISON (ca. 1898-Sept. 4, 1953)
Nickname: Aunt Killer
Age at time of execution: 55
Hometown: Wetumpka, Ala., Elmore County
Number of reputed victims: Two of her nieces. After Dennison was charged with killing her 2-year-old niece, Shirley Diann Weldon, authorities exhumed the body of Shirley's sister, Polly Ann Weldon, who had died the day Shirley was born. Her body also contained arsenic but Dennison was not charged in Polly's death.
Method: Arsenic poisoning
Motive: Insurance money
Charge: Murder of Shirley Diann Weldon.
Convicted: 1952, became first white woman sentenced to die in Alabama's electric chair.
Death: Executed Sept. 4, 1953.
Odd footnote: The Weldon family sued the insurance companies, saying they should have been suspicious of Dennison's reasons for taking policies on the children without the family's knowledge. The Weldons won a $75,000 wrongful death settlement.
Click here for her Murderpedia entry.
NANCY "NANNIE" HAZEL DOSS (Nov. 4, 1905-June 2, 1965)
Nickname: The Giggling Granny, the Lonely Hearts Killer
Age at time of conviction: 48
Hometown: Blue Mountain, Ala., Calhoun County
Number of reputed victims: Four husbands, two children, her mother, her two sisters, a grandson and a mother-in-law.
Method: Arsenic poisoning
Motive: Insurance money
Time period of crimes: 1920s-1954 in four states.
Charge: Murder of Samuel Doss in 1953 in Oklahoma.
Convicted: 1954, sentenced to life in Oklahoma State Penitentiary.
Death: Died in prison in 1965 of leukemia.
Odd footnote: Used "lonely hearts" singles ads to find husbands.
Click here to read her Murderpedia entry.
VIOLA HYATT (Feb. 3, 1929-June 12, 2000)
Nickname: The Torso Killer, the Alabama Axe Murdress
Age at time of conviction: 30<
Hometown: Rabbittown, Ala., Calhoun County
Number of victims: Two, brothers Lee Harper, 48, and Emmett Harper, 55.
Method: Shot to death, then dismembered with an ax.
Motive: Unknown. Some say Viola was abused by the brothers, others speculate Hyatt's father helped in the killing and/or dismemberment.
Charge: Two counts of murder.
Conviction: Pleaded guilty in 1959 and was sentenced to life in prison.
Death: Viola Hyatt was paroled in 1970 after serving a little more than 10 years. She returned to the area near the crimes and lived in a mobile home in Jacksonville until her death in 2000.
Odd footnotes:
Threw parts of the victims' dismembered bodies from her car as she drove through rural Alabama. A creek where body parts were found on Young's Chapel Road is known as Arm and Leg Creek, according to the
In 2015, Jacksonville State University students produced a play about the murders. Read more
No Murderpedia entry. Click here to see a gallery of photos from the investigation on AL.com.
RHONDA BELL MARTIN (1907-1957)
Age at time of execution: 49
Hometown: Montgomery, Ala., in Montgomery County
Nickname: Grisly Momma
Number of reputed victims: Confessed to killing her mother, two of her husbands and three of her children. She is thought to have killed two other children but denied it.
Method: Arsenic poisoning
Motive: Reportedly insurance money, although she did not collect large sums.
Time period of crimes: 1940s-1951
Charge: Murder in the death of fourth husband, Claude Carroll Martin, 51.
Convicted: 1951
Death: Executed Oct. 11, 1957, in Alabama's electric chair.
Odd footnotes:
She reportedly asked that her body be donated to science so people could figure out why she killed.
Her fifth husband, who was left paralyzed from arsenic poisoning, had briefly been her stepson; he was the son of her fourth husband.
Click here to read her Murderpedia entry.
MARY PERKINS (ca. 1922-?)
Age at time of conviction: 36
Hometown: Selma, Ala., in Dallas County
Nickname: Lady Bluebeard
Number of victims: At least three, and possibly as many as five.
Method: Arsenic poisoning
Motive: Insurance money
Partner in crime: Insurance agent Rufus J. Hogue, 27, was charged with forgery in connection with the case, accused of helping Perkins get policies.
Charge: Indicted in 1957 for murders of 10-month-old Gloria Jean Montgomery, the daughter of a neighbor; her husband Charles Perkins Sr.; and 70-year-old Della Davis.
Convicted: 1958, sentenced to three life terms.
Death: It is unclear if Perkins died in prison; the Alabama Department of Corrections is looking for her records at the request of AL.com.
Odd footnotes:
Authorities estimated Perkins
Shot herself in suicide attempt when suspicion fell on her for the murders.
She was one of 22 children, according to a feature in Jet Magazine in 1957. Click
Join al.com reporter Kelly Kazek on her weekly journey through Alabama to record the region's quirky history, strange roadside attractions and tales of colorful characters. Find her on Facebook or follow her Odd Travels and Real Alabama boards on Pinterest.
Ashfaq by Hammontree.jpg
Ashfaq Taufique, president of the Birmingham Islamic Society, says the best way to change stereotypes about Muslims is to do good works and help the community.
(Photo by John Hammontree/AL.com)
The Birmingham Islamic Society will join with many other Muslim groups nationwide on Saturday, April 30, to volunteer for National Soup Kitchen Day.
It's a way to help feed the needy, and to help change the narrative on Islam, said Ashfaq Taufique, president of the Birmingham Islamic Society.
"Fighting Islamophobia by words is not as good as doing it by deeds," Taufique said.
"We want to show the true spirit of Islam by taking care of those in need."
In the face of terrorist attacks by extremists claiming to be acting in the name of their faith, Muslims in America are fighting a difficult public relations battle.
In the past, the Birmingham Islamic Society has hosted free clinics in which its doctors and nurses provided health services. Muslims have also organized feeding the poor with a Day of Dignity in Linn Park, which was discontinued due to new city restrictions on feeding the poor in public parks. The Birmingham Islamic Society also cooperates with Greater Birmingham Ministries on food collection and distribution.
"We have been doing it for years, but we have not been publicizing it," Taufique said. "We want to be fighting hunger in our community. This is our goal."
About 70 to 80 Muslims in the Birmingham area have signed up for kitchen duty this Saturday.
"Many Islamic centers in many cities will be taking part," Taufique said. "We have joined a national movement. It's going on all around the country. It's quite exciting to be part of that."
In Birmingham, volunteers will serve in the food lines at Community Kitchen at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Southside and Grace Episcopal Church in Woodlawn for lunch at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, and dinner at 7:30 p.m. at the Firehouse Shelter downtown.
The Muslim community in Birmingham has grown dramatically over the past three decades, from a small group focused on the UAB Muslim Student Association to more than 5,000 Muslims spread throughout the metro area.
"We are slowly but surely getting into the things we should have been doing all along," Taufique said. "Hopefully now we'll make a dent."
The children of Muslim immigrants who have spent their entire lives in the United States have played a prominent role in expanding Muslim social outreach, Taufique said.
"These movements are being started by our younger generation, that does not have baggage like our generation," Taufique said. "Our children have a different outlook."
National Muslim Soup Kitchen Day marks a turning point and a new strategy.
"It's a great feeling - do something good, feel good about it and combat the stereotypical views some Americans have of Islam," Taufique said.
That won't stop people who want to spread hatred of Islam, he said.
"I'm not going to worry about what they do," Taufique said. "I can only control what we do. We're going to spread love."
Five years later it all comes down to what is left and what is not. What is seen and what is not.
The dichotomy of loss and rebuilding surrounds us.
It comes down to the buildings that were left standing and the marriages that could not withstand the force of loss. It comes down to neighborhoods with trees that held strong that day and children who have grown up without parents. Five years marks a journey to rebuilding yet remembering. A journey that we want to forget, yet never want to forget.
The tornado touches me in the most random ways each day, year round. In the blink of an eye it roars through my mind, then is gone just as fast. A few scenes:
I go to put on a dress then realize the belt got sucked into the sky that day, a fashion offering to the heavens. Somewhere, a bird has a polka dotted nest.
Delicate champagne glasses: the first possessions I bought as an adult in my first apartment with money from my first job. I get them out for a toast. There are three instead of four. One was crushed that day, thrown against a kitchen wall in nature's tantrum. I wonder how I even have three. The storm was fickle with possessions as well as people.
I look at my daughter and take her picture in the sun. She was 8 years old when the tornado hit. Now she is almost 14. There is a divot in the white of her eye where nature carved its signature with debris as we huddled in a closet. I am grateful that is the only visible scar.
I inhale smell of blooming jasmine, azaleas and clover deeply on a run. Just at the height of my breath, I realize though they smell like spring, the tornado is coming. I can feel it. Then, the anniversary is here again. My heart rate quickens.
Even as I type these words I am reminded of the sticky, tree sap-filled keyboard on which I typed my first in-shock reflections just hours after the tornado. I can still feel the plodding keys under my exhausted fingers.
A loud, unexpected noise sends me back to 5:10 p.m., April 27, 2011 when it sounded like fighter jets were sitting in my home, bearing down on me with a force I've never known. My head felt it would explode from the pressure. I expected to die from a heart attack. I knew what was about to happen. I heard it rumble toward us. Moments later, as I covered her body with mine, I expected my child to be motherless. The house shook underneath me like a Tilt-A-Whirl. Trees fell like drunk giants. Windows shattered. God thumped over houses. Satan himself took up residence and danced around my city.
I don't know why I am still here.
"There are more like us," the poet Robert Bly wrote. I have to believe I am not alone. There are more people like me, who also wonder how to put on a happy face today.
Five years down the road it all comes down to what is left and what is not.
I have my daughter. My friend lost her daughter that day. People tell her it's time to move on. It's time to focus on the positive this year.
Why is the fifth anniversary a magic number? Her child was taken from her, left in the rubble of buildings, boxes, furniture and memories packed away, frozen in time. Are we going to tell her how to be positive today? Just because five years have passed instead of five hours, five weeks or five months?
"It really hurts the most when you have to start pretending that you are OK," she writes to me. "That you aren't dying inside ... I have to walk around and act like my life is perfect or someone will say I'm crazy and need some medicine. No. My life was ravaged that day - ripped apart - torn to pieces, and it doesn't go away because you want to focus on the positive."
Another friend is in her early 20s. She is scared to talk about the tornado and the loved ones she lost because people judge her. They call her attention seeking, just like I was chastised for writing about the tornado in the days, weeks, months and years that followed.
I have another friend who shook death's hand that day then, somehow, slowly made her way back to the living. She reminds me most people relive the tornado once a year. She relives it every day. Her physical and mental scars never leave her.
Grief and tragedy open us up to so much. It's human to want to push forward with happiness. It would be easy to pretend everything is better now. In many ways this is true. Of course it is.
Yet there is still so much work to be done. This is the story that gets glossed over time and again. What has been the cost to our cities and our families? What are the long-term effects of devastation, both personal and to property? This state is still filled with pain and hurt for that day. Once a year is not enough to come together to fix it.
If we could see it, what would the unseen toll of the storm look like? How many tissues would it take to wipe away?
The last five years come down to what is left and what is not. What is seen and what is not.
I have seen the depths of human kindness and the astonishing, overwhelming force of hatred and selfishness the tornado left in its wake. This day is difficult for many of us. Let's leave it at that and not try to make it more.
Let's remember what is seen and what is not.
Decrying a "national media campaign," Oxford city officials today said they do not believe an ordinance making it illegal to use a public bathroom different from the gender on a person's birth certificate is discriminatory.
City Council President Steven Waits talks about Oxford's ordinance Wednesday, April 27, 2016.
"This is totally directed at protecting our citizens," said Council President Steven Waits. "People will not come to Oxford if they don't feel safe."
On Tuesday, Oxford's city council made it a misdemeanor punishable by a $500 fine or six months in jail to use a bathroom opposite the person's biological sex at birth.
The law does allow for exceptions, such as an adult accompanying a minor under the age of 12, for custodial purposes, for maintenance and inspection, to render emergency medical aid and to accompany the handicapped or those needing assistance.
But Waits said a national atmosphere of political correctness prompted the action.
"We can't be concerned with .3 percent of the population," he said. "We have to be concerned with 100 percent."
Waits said city officials had not anticipated the national attention the law is receiving, but they understood the city was the first municipality in the nation to pass such an ordinance. However, Waits said city officials began hearing from constituents immediately after Target changed its restroom policy last week.
Target announced it would allow transgender employees and shoppers to use the restroom that matches their gender identity as opposed to the gender with which they were born. The announcement set off a wave of controversy and came even as North Carolina and Mississippi passed laws that some say are discriminatory against LGBT people.
"Social media is amazing," he said. "We started getting calls, emails, the same day, and it escalated by day."
Waits said the Oxford Target already had a unisex bathroom that would have accommodated anyone of either gender, making any policy change unnecessary. He also said the city is not concerned about losing Target's business, though he has been in contact with Target officials today. He would not say what conversations had taken place.
City Attorney Ron Allen said he preferred not to speculate as to whether the ordinance would be challenged in court. The ordinance was drafted by looking at laws in a couple of states, he said, but "we are in rather uncharted waters. There's not a lot to go on."
Police Chief Bill Partridge said the law would be enforced like any misdemeanor.
Waits spoke several times about the safety of people using public restrooms, citing child predators or those who might use a gender orientation as a defense for entering a bathroom to look at the opposite sex.
When asked if those situations might already be covered under existing city laws, he said that might be true. However, the "media push" behind the transgender policy nationwide prompted the city's action, he said.
East Ghouta, Syria Residents of East Ghouta, on the outskirts of the Syrian capital Damascus, have witnessed terrible conditions for more than a year, with clashes and shelling from Syrian government forces causing widespread death, destruction and hardship. Rebel fighters are also blamed for violent human rights abuses in other parts of the country.
The wars effect on children has been especially serious. Many young Syrians in East Ghouta lack the most basic necessities and live in constant fear from the shelling. Some have become homeless, while others have dropped out of school. Many have been forced to search for anything to eat or sell, desperately trying to find firewood for heating and cooking making them working adults before their time.
Nevertheless, many of their faces still beam with the hope and innocence of childhood.
More than 10 years after a bloody civil war ended in Nepal, the country has finally started a process of transitional justice.
Some 16,000 people were killed in a decade of Maoist rebellion and at least 1,400 went missing, most at the hands of security forces.
The families of those who disappeared during the 1996-2006 conflict have finally started to register their complaints, but the response has been lukewarm.
The Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) were formed last year after many delays. They will handle cases such as rape, abduction, murder, displacement, mutilation, and torture.
Ram Kumar Bhandari, who has been campaigning for the families of the disappeared, said the commissions were not well-prepared and that many people in rural areas were not even aware of them.
Bhandari, whose father was disappeared by the army, says that Local Peace Committees responsible for registering the complaints are filled with political-appointees linked to alleged perpetrators.
He said that the protection and confidentiality of the families should be prioritised as many of them have received threats from the police and the army which stand accused in most of the cases.
A Nepal army spokesman said that the army has provided all material it has concerning disappearances to TRC through the defence ministry.
The army has helped fully to support TRC and the investigation of the disappeared from its side and will continue to do so, Tara Bahadur Karki told Al Jazeera.
Gyanu Adhikari reported from Kathmandu
It plays out like a tale of espionage. In Bremen , Germany, more than five-thousand miles from his Los Angeles home, American producer Zev Feldman, has a chance meeting with the son of a late German jazz producer. In a parking lot, the German plays a single track of music on his car stereo; a forgotten recording from tapes almost fifty years old. Feldman, upon hearing more of the tapes, decides he needs to get this out to the world. It is not quite that straight-forward and it takes the better part of two years to complete the deal. The result is a rare Bill Evans studio album, Some Other Time: The Lost Session From the Black Forest.The never before released album features Evans, bassistand drummerand represents DeJohnette's only studio recording with Evans. The content is trademark Evans in style, with alternative versions of "You're Gonna Hear From Me" and duo (with Gomez) and trio versions of "Baubles, Bangles & Beads." The difference between this and Evans' better known trio is in the influence of a young DeJohnette who plays with a lightness on the snare that belies his ability to guide the direction of the music. In comparison, the Gomez/DeJohnette trio opens Evans to more consistent cadences and longer lines than what was typical of thetrio. The differences may be subtle, but they place Some Other Time in a light that provides a somewhat different perspective on Evans' creative evolution.The animated "You Go To My Head" opens the first disc and sets the tone for a mostly upbeat collection of twenty-one compositions, relying deeply on well-known standards. There are, of course, the kind of ballads that were mainstays in the Evans repertoire. "Very Early," "I'll Remember April," "My Funny Valentine" and "Turn Out the Stars" stand out among the more reflective pieces. Another highlight is "Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)," demonstrating some of Evans' exceptional improvisational skills. Evans also offers some other fine solo performances with "These Foolish Things" and an unfinished "It's All Right With Me" being noteworthy.Gomez worked with Evans for some time but DeJohnette, for only six months in 1968. It was, however, at a time when Evans was overflowing with novel ideas and establishing himself as a force for change in jazz. Moreover, Evans was on the cusp of moving away from swinging lyricism to becoming a musical beat-poet. DeJohnette's sense of interchange and his propulsive motion, and layering technique lent itself to the new direction that Evans was working toward, and that influence remained after the drummer's brief tenure with Evans. The two-CD set includes an informative forty-page booklet with previously unpublished photographs, essays and interviews and there is a limited edition hand-numbered two-LP set as well. Some Other Time: The Lost Session From the Black Forest is more than a nice-to-have addition to the Evans catalog; it is an excellent collection that shines a new light on one of the most revered artists in jazz.
It wasn't until an ex-boyfriend bought me a Dyson vacuum for my birthday that I truly appreciated the brand's awesomeness. (Yes, initially I was pissed he bought me a vacuum for my birthday.) After five minutes of using it I knew I could never go back to my crappy old vacuum with its messy bags, cumbersome nozzles, and a body that looks like R2D2. And I suspect I'll soon be saying the same about my old blow-dryer. Today, Dyson officially announced its first foray into the beauty sphere with the launch of the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer, and it's set to be a major game changer. The brand invested millions of dollars, hired dozens of new employees, and brought on some of the world's top hairstylists (including Jen Atkin) to help create a blow-dryer that was lighter, quieter, and more efficient than what's on the market today. No one at Allure has tried the dryer yetthe tool is still in productionbut we've seen prototypes, read the stats, and talked to both Atkin and Dyson's head of product development, Tom Crawford. This is what we've learned so far.
1. Dyson invested $71 million into the project. What cost so damn much? First off, the company built a brand-new laboratory dedicated solely to investigating the science of hair. "We looked at the fundamentals of hair itself in terms of its characteristics and what happens to it when you put it through all these [styling] regimens," says Crawford. "We also looked at the science of how hair interacts with products, how people use products and tools, and looking at people's general frustrations with what's out there."
2. More than 100 different engineers worked on the dryer. And Crawford made a point of bringing dozens of female engineers on board. "We had to have people on the team who actually use the product and dry their hair regularly," says Crawford. "It brought a fantastic balance to the team because you had people who used blow-dryers and the people who didn't, and it sparked a real constructive debate and challenged the assumptions of how dryers ought to be used."
3. The engineers had to go to styling school. Crawford sent every engineermale and femaleto a local college to take hairstyling classes. "I really wanted them to understand what hairstyling was all about and how pros use dryers in the salon," says Crawford.
Essie is perhaps the most famous, loved, trusted nail-polish brand out there. The range of shades is impressive, the formula doesn't chip as soon as you leave the salon, and even the bottle is chic looking. Every season, we look forward to seeing the new colors the company will come up with because they're almost always ahead of the trend. This month, Essie is celebrating the launch of its 1,000th shade, a shimmery, happy yellow called Aim to Misbehave, and we're joining in by digging deeper with these five fun facts about the brand.
It's named after a real person. Essie Weingarten, the founder of the brand, is originally from Queens, New York. She moved to Las Vegas to push her nail-polish business because she knew women there take extra care in their appearance. It worked, and within a year, she was in 10,000 salons nationwide.
Three shades that still exist today were from the original launch in 1981. They're classics: Blanc (snowy white), Bordeaux (deep red), and Baby's Breath (creamy white).
Weingarten created a shade called Allure over 15 years ago and yes, in fact, it was named after us. Founding editor Linda Wells asked for a sheer beige that would flatter every skin tone, and this polish was born. To make it even cooler, the shade made history when Kate Middleton wore it for her wedding.
Essie vending machines are a real thing that exists. In 2014, the company began installing the dispensers, which hold 54 bottles of nail polish, at select airports and malls across the country. Consequently, we all have one fewer excuse for chipped nails.
Ballet Slippers is popular. Like, insanely popular. The company has sold more than 10 million bottles of it since its debut. We'd like to think that's because it's a Best of Beauty Awardwinning polish, right? Well, this shade is also a royal favorite. In 1989 (and maybe still today?), it was apparently Queen Elizabeth's go-to shade.
Go backstage at New York fashion week with M.A.C. senior artist Keri Blair:
Watch this video on The Scene.
2005 ..
POINT DE VUE Instead of shedding crocodile tears, CJI Thakur should fix judicial system
Alwihda Info | Par Hem Raj Jain - 27 Avril 2016
Bengaluru, India
Sub:- Supreme Court continues to know xyz of law without knowing abcd of it
---- People in India and abroad may be tempted to think that Chief Justice of India (CJI) Tirath Singh Thakur is deeply concerned about proper health of judicial system in India hence with his choked voice coming close to tears and rubbing his eyes with his handkerchief, over the weekend, CJI implored Prime Minister Narendra Modi to double the number of judges serving in Indian courts.
Speaking at a conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of States on Sunday, Thakur reportedly made an emotional appeal to the government of India (GOI) to provide some respite to the serving judges, who are handling a preposterous number of cases, while tens of thousands of people are languish in jail without having been proven guilty. [How do you think the judiciary's present strength of 18,000 can dispose of case pendency of thirty million?" - the CJI reportedly asked, looking towards PM Modi.]
Anybody who has practiced law knows that the situation is not that simple as CJI erroneously think that by merely increasing the number of judges it will be solved. If CJI is really interested in improving the judicial system in India and in making it people & rule-of-law friendly then CJI by exercising all-pervasive powers of Supreme Court of India (SCI) under Articles of the Constitution - [Article 141 (Law declared by Supreme Court to be binding on all courts ), Article 142 (The Supreme Court in the exercise of its jurisdiction may pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter) and Article 144 (Civil and Judicial authorities to act in aid of the Supreme Court)] - should improve judicial system at-least on five counts as respectively given below, namely (i)- Asking High Courts to stop (by exercising their powers under Article 227, the power of superintendence over all subordinate courts by the High Court) the problem of illegal & too many adjournments being granted mischievously (to say the least) by presiding officers of Subordinate (District and Lower) Courts (ii)- Stopping dadagiri & manmani (arbitrary & unprofessional behavior) of advocates at the seats of District Courts, High Courts and Supreme Court (all Courts of appeal) by providing (by involving Bar Councils of India and of States) adequate facility of lodging & boarding at nominal cost and full-fledged law library to advocates from small-towns at these seats of appellate courts (iii)- By upholding and ensuring rule of law & authority of courts (iv)- Stopping Bar Councils of India and of States from dealing in any manner the contempt cases against advocates and asking judiciary to take up contempt cases in future against advocates (v)- By making SCI and Delhi High Court real courts befitting rule-of-law :-
(1)- High Courts should keep one separate Judge / Registrar who will check every case file which comes to High Court from Subordinate Courts in appeal, revision, writ etc in order to check whether presiding officer of Subordinate Court has granted illegal & too many adjournments in the case. If yes, then High Court should initiate disciplinary action against such guilty Judge of Subordinate Court. This one action alone will drastically reduce pendency of cases in Indian courts. Nobody says that judiciary should not have more judges but unless the said is done Judiciary / CJI has no right to demand addition Judges from GOI
(2)- It is not merely one section of Judicial Community (the Bench) which needs improvement but Bar also requires it, equally. Advocates of small towns are not professionally competent and they spoil cases in lower courts to such an extent that it becomes difficult to rectify it at appellate courts because as the saying goes neem hakeem khatar-e-jaan (half-baked knowledge is dangerous). Also dadagiri & manmani (arbitrary & unprofessional behavior) of advocates is there at the seats of District Courts, High Courts and Supreme Court (all Courts of appeal) because of their monopoly because advocates from small town cannot go to these appellate courts to fight the cases. This problem regarding advocates can be solved by providing (by involving Bar Councils of India and of States) adequate facility of lodging & boarding at nominal cost and full-fledged law library to advocates from small-towns at these seats of appellate Courts.
(3)- Anybody who knows anything about law (which is State) knows that judicial system works properly only by upholding and ensuring rule of law & authority of courts. Without going into numerous cases where this is not being done the CJI should start the process of stopping this aberration at least from five cases:-
(i)- The SCI should restore the status-quo-ante of Babri Masjid (which SCI is under legal obligation to do it otherwise it is criminal contempt of court by SCI under section 2 (c ) (i) of Contempt of Court Act, because Masjid was demolished in the presence of Supreme Court Observer on December 6, 1992). Moreover this non-restoration of status-quo-ante of Babri Masjid emboldened the Hindutva goons which (despite NHRC which is nothing more than a white elephant as explained at http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/detail.php?articleid=2425) resulted in riots / massacre in which thousands of innocent Indians mainly Muslims have been killed (and if not restored many more will be killed in future).
(ii)- The most glaring example of communal prejudice of Indian State is post Babri-Masjid-demolition riots and serial blats in 1992 93 in Mumbai / Maharashtra. India is demanding extradition of Dawood Ibrahim from Pakistan as he was involved in serial blasts. But India has done nothing about Hindu accused mentioned in Sri Krishna Commission report. Hence in the interest of rule-of-law it is time SCI corrects this aberration of so-called secular Indian States.
(iii)- The GOI can easily recover Rs ~ 1,000 Trillion (Lakh crore) tax money from tax evaders which will solve most of the problems of India, born out of economic hardship of India. This is mockery of rule of law and cruel joke on the law abiding citizens who pay tax. The SCI, like in so many cases, should take suo-motto cognizance of the cases registered at Delhi Police as mentioned at http://www.alwihdainfo.com/Now-India-bound-to-get-Rs--1000-Trillion-income-tax-as-Delhi-Police-steps-in_a31456.html vide Dy. No. is 6455/E-mail dated 11/04/2016 and vide Dy. No. is 6919/E-mail dated 19/04/2016. It hardly needs any mention that once SCI gets Rs ~ 1,000 Trillion tax money, the GOI will be ashamed to such an extent that it will immediately release funds required to improve Judicial Community (the Bench and Bar) as mentioned above at S.No. 1 & 2.
(iv)- How much so-called secular Indian State of Hindu majority India has succumbed to dadagiri of Hidus can easily be gauged from agitation by Hindus for reservation as was witnessed by agitation of Jats in Haryana, Patitdars in Gujarat, Gujjars in Rajasthan, Kapus in Andhra Pradesh etc in which hundreds have been killed and there has been huge loss of properties. What is worst now even those castes of Hindus (in the name of backward communities) are getting and demanding reservation which once ruled in India like Jats, Yadavs etc and which is constitutionally-objectionable discrimination against Muslims (the religious minority of ~ 200 million Indians). Hence (by again taking suo-motto cognizance of recent reservation related large-scale violence, loss of properties, including gang-rape in Haryana) entire reservation laws need to be quashed by SCI under Article 13 & 14 of the Constitution.
(v)- Two major massacres of minority communities by Hindus (in which thousands were killed) have taken place in India in 1984 against Sikhs in Delhi and in 2002 in Gujarat. But in both these cases section 129, 130, 131 of Cr.P.C. were not invoked and guilty District Magistrates and Military Authorities were not punished (District Magistrates even did not know from which nearest place to call military). With the result such massacre can take place in future too due to impunity to these authorities. Therefore SCI should reopen these cases and punish guilty District Magistrates and Military Authorities which will be the best guarantee against such massacres in future.
(4)- )- The CJI must be aware that Bar Councils of India and of States function as agents of advocates to illegally protect the advocates especially in cases of complaint to these councils about professional misconduct of advocates and about contempt of court by advocates. This dereliction of Bar Councils has vitiated the entire judicial system and without rectifying it any hope for improvement of judicial system is nothing short of living in make-believe world. Therefor the CJI should stop Bar Councils of India and of States from dealing in any manner the contempt cases against advocates and should ask judiciary to take up contempt cases in future against advocates.
(5)- In addition to other elements the judicial system is based fundamentally on two principles (i)- Court can never be in abeyance and (ii)- Court can never be under siege. But SCI and Delhi High Court are under siege of Delhi Police. Even during Rajtantra people could approach the rulers (kings and emperors) freely for justice by pulling a rope for ringing the bell. But SCI and Delhi High Court are not the real courts befitting rule-of-law and people can go to these courts only when allowed by Delhi Police. This is done in the name of protecting these courts from terrorist attacks (in view of jihadi terrorism emanating from Kashmir which has caused terrorist attacks all over India in which thousands have been killed). These courts should understand that if apex courts of India and of States (the courts of records and the personification of rule-of-law) are not fearless then how Indians can be fearless? As far Jihadi terrorism the SCI should keep the following in mind:-
(i)- Jihadi terrorism emanating from J&K (mainly from Kashmir valley) is due to unresolved gory and chronic Kashmir problem. The territories of any country are mostly decided by military and not merely by mentioning in the Constitution or by passing unanimous resolution in Parliament that entire J&K (including POK) is integral part of India. Everybody knows that without unification of Kashmir there is no Kashmir solution but India has not retrieved POK so far. On the contrary instead of taking-on the military of Pakistan the military of India is showing its bravery by training its guns on civilians under protection of AFSPA etc (with immense violation of human rights of the people of J&K especially of Kashmir valley).
(ii)- The SCI should ask GOI - when will it retrieve POK (militarily or otherwise) in a time bound program ? So that the distortion which Jihadi terrorism has caused in legal system of India (including in implementation of criminal law, where raising of so-called seditious pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans is a crime in JNU Delhi but not so in Kashmir, Jadavpur University, Kolkata etc) can be removed once and for all.
Regards
Hem Raj Jain
(Author of Betrayal of Americanism)
Bengaluru, India
Dans la meme rubrique : < > Tchad : "une cuisante defaite" pour "les pessimistes" du Dialogue national (Abdelmanane Khatab) Tchad : lechec de la politique de lemploi, une opportunite entrepreneuriale ? Tchad : aller au federalisme dans ce contexte, cest cautionner leclatement (Dr Oguelemi) Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)
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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]
Penn Community Bank in Doylestown, Pa., has hired Stephanie Austin as chief financial officer.
Austin started in the newly created job in February, the $1.8 billion-asset company said in a news release Wednesday.
Previously Austin served as the CFO and treasurer for the $700 million-asset Continental Bank Holdings in Plymouth Meeting, Pa., where over nine years she established and developed the finance department.
Penn Community also announced that Todd Hurley, the banks chief retail officer, was appointed the chief relationship officer and executive director of the newly created Penn Community Foundation, a division focused on partnering with community organizations.
Penn Community was created from a merger between First Savings Bank of Perkasie in Perkasie, Pa., and First Federal of Bucks County in Bristol, Pa., in August. The bank has 22 branches across Pennsylvania.
Watching Donald Trump with the media I am reminded of the time my mother took me to a St Paul City Council meeting for an informal lesson in civics. The meeting was incredibly boring and exceedingly civil. Except, that is, for one obviously staged 45-second exchange of insults between the mayor and an ambitious Democrat councilwoman. Funny how the local TV news cameras came on five seconds before the verbal fireworks began. It was as if the media had been cued in as to exactly when the spat was to take place. As my mother pointed out, that staged war of words gave the media a story for that night's newscasts while reinforcing each politician's image with the base, but it meant nothing in the course of running the city.
Trump's beat-downs of the press are equally staged. Trump needs the free airtime and the media need the ratings his outrageous talk brings them. What his supporters see as Trump "sticking it to the liberal press" by being rude and politically incorrect is every bit as real as a WWE match. Rather than being different than regular politicians, Trump is taking their traditional ruse to an even higher level.
As with Obama in 2008, the media fix has been in from the start for Trump and low information types are once again eating it all up. But there is a pernicious difference with 2008. Back then while Obama's hardcore support was among leftist ideologues and media types. The idea they were selling to low information types was that a vote for Obama was a vote for idealism and for the future.
Trump's media support tends to be among careerists ever out to make a name for themselves, and what they have been selling is ratings and revenge hidden under a veneer of nationalism and nostalgia. I've had Trump supporters tell me they know he is likely to be a compete and total screw up, maybe even worse than Obama has been. That's a feature not a bug to them. They want Trump to do to "the other" -- depending on whom you talk to, blacks, immigrants, feminists or even those more successful in life than the Trump supporters -- what they feel has been done to them. They remind me of the client who told me he wasn't interested in minimizing income taxes when he had to sell off investment assets to fund a settlement to his ex-wife because "Every dollar I give to the IRS is 50 cents I don't have to give to her." Settling perceived scores is never a sound foundation for positive change. One of the interesting aspects of our language is that one short old English word serves as a synonym for three quite different concepts, the concepts of anger, of insanity and of infatuation. All three meanings can be applied to many Trump supporters. Mad, indeed.
Some of the pundits in the tank for Trump seek to flatter his supporters as being on the forefront of a political revolution. I think these pundits need to study a lot more history because nihilism and fear of the future mark not the start of ay revolution but rather the penultimate stage of failed revolutions. Let it burn! is the last cry of those whose often utopian wishes have been thwarted, not the cry of those who have a vision of the future. Note too the telling use of the word again in Trump's campaign slogan. Revolutions look forward in time, not back.
Rather than a dawn of a new era, this election marks the last ride of the I can have it all entitlement mentality that emerged in post WWII America. It also marks the endgame for the only model of government aging Baby Boomers have known, a model that does include many utopian aspects. America was in a unique situation in the 1950s and 60s. Almost all the other industrialized nations had been badly damaged by the war and there was immense pent up domestic demand because of the disruption the Depression and the war had placed on families. But within a decade after the war the other nations had begun to rebuild in earnest, while within another decade emerging nations were making their demands for a place at the economic table.
But human nature being what it is, many Americans people back then assumed that such unprecedented prosperity would and should continue forever. It was in that frame of mind that the nation first underwent a civil rights revolution and then adopted the Great Society programs. These programs began the slow, destructive march of unintended consequences through American families as America's economic competition from abroad continued to grow.
The unintended consequences of America's growing social welfare state were compounded by the Baby Boomers embrace of transgressive values in public, even as the more prosperous among them largely practiced the traditional bourgeois virtues in their own lives. The who am I to judge others? mentality slowly spread until today demented wishes are being treated as unalienable rights. People conditioned into accommodating those who claim to have either special rights or special insights because of a deep belief in their own private reality are a threat to both our liberty and our prosperity. Someone who eagerly accepts an your face falsehood such as the claim of a 5'10" 20-something white man that he is 6'5" seven year old Chinese girl as the truth isn't likely to take the time and effort to check out more abstract lies that may be outside of their limited experience. People with that mindset have no issue with the right of a woman to kill an innocent baby, that a nation can tax its way into prosperity, that Obamacare would bend the cost curve downward, or that the clock can be turned back to some prior era. That is why which bathroom Bruce Jenner gets to use is, in fact, a vital question.
Utopian minded American political leaders in the 1950s and 60s sought to end poverty as it was then known. They never imagined the symbol of poverty some fifty years later would not be the pinched faced wife of a coal miner outside an unpainted shack in Appalachia but decidedly chubby members of a single parent family sitting on a threadbare couch in front of a super sized HD TV eating junk food. Nor could they imagine the crippling spiritual poverty of those whose basic physical needs are met through welfare but who now lack meaningful daily tasks.
There is great truth in the old saying that idle hands are the devil's workshop, but it should be added that often that devil is urging self-destruction though drugs, alcohol and especially the deadly sin of false pride. There are constant complaints from those who do have entry level work to offer about how many of those they hire refuse to listen to performance feedback of any kind or who are rude to customers. I suspect that is why Trump uses H2B employees in his private club. Foreign workers are less likely to impulsively insult the members the way an American worker raised on the public school curriculum of self esteem may tells a customer ordering a pizza from him, you don't look like you need a large. For that marginally skilled young man, fired for just those words, it mattered more that he got dozens of likes when he posted his tale to his Facebook page. Such widespread attitudes combined with a push for laws increasing the minimum wage are a tremendous incentive to automate as many functions as possible, which will further reduce the number of jobs available to the working class.
Then there is the looming economic crisis of the Baby Boomers now retiring as new family formation among younger Americans lags. There are now only 2.1 workers paying into Social Security for each person collecting benefits. The average family today has two children. It won't take long for younger voters to figure out they would do better to support their own parents directly than to continue to pay retirement tax into a system top heavy with administrative costs and riddled with fraud.
Both Clinton and Sanders seem oblivious to these economic facts as they continue to channel 20th century socialists. Trump, the self-professed expert on all things related to real estate, doesn't seem willing to commit to the gut level rehab now long overdue for the American model of government. Far from being willing to lead a revolution, Trump seems geared more to preserving the outmoded New Deal-Great Society model upon which he and his corrupt political friends have fattened themselves across the decades. Indeed, Trump's recent embrace of antiquated and corrupt political fixers like Paul Manafort suggest it will be very much business as usual. He talks of restoring past glories, but in Trump fashion that is likely to mean a new marble foyer and a fresh coat of gilt on the chandelier to revive a hotel set in a neighborhood that has not been economically viable for some time now. In that way he reminds me a great deal of the liberal Eastern Republicans who ran the party before Reagan with their biannual election promise of being able to more efficiently manage the ill conceived programs the first FDR and then LBJ had put in place.
Indeed, Trump's offered solutions are often eerily similar to those made by Obama in 2008 -- smarter diplomacy, especially with China, more efficient management to cut waste, and rebuilding infrastructure to create jobs. Also note that neither man ever talks much about the fundamental principles of classic 18th century liberalism upon which this nation was founded. Funny how both men have champions willing to argue their corrupt ties to failed urban political models are all just something their man had to do in order to get ahead and that once in power, the candidate won't act like the past predicts he should act. Obama has been everything his ties to Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers and the Chicago political machine predicted he would be.
There will be a genuine revolution in America's future, but it won't be lead by the likes of the self absorbed gilded sleazebag, the women who would be Governess to the World or the affluent alms seeker who passed from the age of Pampers to Depends while never once earning his own keep. They are all mired firmly in the past. The revolution will come when the nation is ready to address several painful truths about both the present and the future.
The first is that people who don't have genuine daily challenges to cope with tend to do one of two things: They will either become self destructive or they will create illusory problems to solve. Second, traditional blue collar jobs for working class America are not coming back, at least not in the same form they existed in in the past. Thus we need to find ways to put meaningful work back into the lives or bluecollar workers. Three, many white collar jobs are also at risk or should be at risk. The internet has eaten into the revenue of both lawyers and accountants in private practice and promises to change how people are educated. Perhaps more importantly, the nation badly needs to strip illusory meaning from the lives of a huge numbers of lawyers, academics, bureaucrats and sleazy political fixers whose make-work tasks solving nonsensical problems have created a crushing level of bureaucratic sclerosis in our economy. No one wedded to a big government model will ever be able to do that.
Let me close by noting that I've been following politics for a long, long time. One thing that I have learned is that when you ask voters to choose between a Democrat who proudly states he or she is a Democrat and either a Republican talking about the need to reach out to Democrats or a candidate with Democrat beliefs pretending to be a Republican, the unabashed Democrat always wins.
I just got my copy of Deirdre McCloskeys new Bourgeois Equality which completes her three-volume hymn to the middle class. The first thing that jumps out, in the introductory Exordium that tells the story so far, is this:
For reasons I do not entirely understand, the clerisy after 1848 turned towards nationalism and socialism... and proliferating regulation for imagined but not factually documented imperfections in the market[.]
Gosh, I thought immediately. Isnt it grand that here in the good old USA we have running for president one nationalist candidate, one socialist candidate, and one regulationist candidate, three anti-capitalist candidates in one.
Then I paused for a moment, and I tried to think. What are these anti-capitalist crackpots telling us?
And then I realized, plumbing the deep well of my knowledge of the human condition, that this is all about the scapegoat mechanism. Something has gone wrong, but we dont, we cant blame ourselves, or even admit that life is unfair, even in the Great Enrichment from $3 per day to $100 per day.
So the nationalists, rallying to Donald Trump, blame foreigners that things have gone wrong.
The socialists, rallying to Bernie Sanders, blame the rich that things have gone wrong.
And the regulators, rallying to Hillary Clinton, blame the hoi polloi that things have gone wrong.
The way to get a grip on this is last weeks Smug Style in American Liberalism by Emmett Rensin.
It is central to the liberal self-conception that what separates them from reactionaries is a desire to help people, a desire to create a fairer and more just world.
Quite so, liberals. But stripped of smug self-conception the reality is that liberals want to help people by ordering everyone around. And the nationalists want to help people by ordering foreigners around. And the socialists want to help people by ordering the rich around.
Then there is Ted Cruz, who wants to help people by ordering the Washington cartel around. Yay!
The problem with all these nationalists and socialists and regulators is their lying use of the word help. They are not really talking about help; they are talking about men with guns.
In liberals this Big Lie is what I would call the Kindly Librarian fallacy. No, you liberals, government officials are not kindly librarians; they are politicians and bureaucrats backed by police power.
In nationalists this is the Brave Patriot fallacy. No, you nationalists, government officials are not brave patriots facing down rascally foreigners, they are ordinary politicians paying off entrenched interests.
In socialists, this is the revolutionary fallacy. No, you socialists, government is not collective action urged by peaceful protestors. Government is force, and political protest is raw intimidation.
All these nationalists and socialists and regulationists are united in one thing: their opposition to the price system. They dont like crafty foreigners undercutting American products with the price system. They dont like greedy bankers setting the terms of the credit market. They dont like employers bidding wages in the labor market. They have a better idea and they mean to enforce it with men with guns.
Dont you guys get it? The Great Enrichment of the last two centuries didnt come from nationalists beating the foreigners into submission; it didnt come from the workers enforcing their rights against the big corporations; it didnt come from a wise and educated regulatory elite. It came from ordinary people bringing new ideas to market; it came from workers finding out the best use of their talents. It came from open markets and uncoerced prices.
It is a curious thing that the clerisy should turn away from the Great Enrichment to the dead pools of nationalism, socialism, and regulationism at the moment that the working class really began to benefit from the industrial revolution, and that the 170 years should have echoed with the pessimism of intellectuals, and tens of millions die on battlefields and a hundred million die in man-made famines, and billions suffer under the demented rule of strutting nationalists and bloody socialists and smug regulationists.
Perhaps we are missing something, like Hegels impenetrable master/slave dialectic. We strive all our lives to lord it over the lesser folk, but can scarcely understand ourselves, let alone others, when we spend our whole lives helping other people with whips and taxes and regulation.
Maybe the utopian ideologies of 1848 are an inevitable dialectical negation of the equally utopian ideology of market capitalism. After all, in a world where everything eats everything else, from worms to humans, how can it be possible that voluntary cooperation in the market will end wars and enmities, and bring on Kants perpetual peace?
The only thing we know for sure is that the meaning of life, the universe, and everything is an ever-deepening mystery. And somebody will be elected president in November.
Christopher Chantrill @chrischantrill runs the go-to site on US government finances, usgovernmentspending.com. Also see his American Manifesto and get his Road to the Middle Class.
- Satire -
Word is out that the National Review, known as the soul of intellectual conservatism since its founding 60 years ago by conservative icon William F. Buckley Jr., is planning to endorse Hillary Clinton for President. According to a possibly informed source claiming to be close to the magazines editorial board and demanding anonymity, assuming that businessman Donald Trump is crowned the Republican nominee at the upcoming convention in Cleveland, National Review will release a special issue which is already in preparation (see cover illustration) emblazoned with Were Ready Now! echoing the Ready for Hillary campaign slogan.
The issue, which parallels the infamous Against Trump broadside the Review published in January, will feature 22 distinguished conservative writers and thinkers (see below) arguing that Mrs. Clinton is not a candidate as antithetical to conservatism as she has been portrayed.
The endorsement will mark the first time since the magazines founding that it has thrown its weight behind the Democratic nominee for the Oval Office.
According to our source in the magazines head offices, the lead article penned by The Editors includes the following explanation:
This magazine has frequently differed with the Clintons and their philosophy of social levelling and judicial activism, their radical anti-life policies and their support, pace Bill Clintons famed State of the Union Address, for big government activism. We have also been stalwart critics of Secretary of State Hillary Clintons less than stellar handling of international crises in Northern Africa and the Middle East and her comical reset button which at best was an encouragement for increased adventurism from Putins Russia.
But conservatism properly understood goes beyond the dichotomy between socialism and the free market or between libertinism and Judeo-Christian values. Conservatives seek to respect and maintain the enduring elements of the past and are averse to sudden, radical change for any ideology. Whatever the blemishes on Hillary Clintons record and character have been, no one has called her brand of governing disruptive.
Our 11 million undocumented employees will not, under Hillary, be threatened with deportation. Radical solutions for preserving Western Civilization by taking the unprecedented step of recognizing Islam as the source of Islamic terror will not be the modus operandi of the Clinton II White House. Productive relationships between interest groups and governing entities will not be decimated by paving over K Street to make way for a new factory for under-educated workers.
We consider that three or even four Supreme Court Justices chosen from the ranks of fanatical social justice warriors will be a small price to pay for these preservations of our past and present.
The source at the magazine added that while the wealthy supporters of the National Review have, for reasons of raw self-interest, pushed the against-Trump message at the publication (and several others), nevertheless the editors are all organically aligned with that message on their own. Speaking in a soft voice the source said: Look, these people have psychologically painted themselves into a corner anyway. They didnt need any big bucks to tell them to take this final leap.
Inquiries for comment from the editors and the publisher of the National Review have gone unanswered.
In a related development it appears that, immediately following the Republican convention and the release of the Were Ready Now issue, the Review and essentially all of its staff writers, editors and publisher will embark on their annual cruise with this years destination being Tierra del Fuego. Paying guests will be able to enjoy the ocean air, the fine cuisine and activities like shuffle board and Parcheesi with their intellectual favorites and return just in time for Christmas. As of this writing reservations are still available.
Table of Contents Were Ready Now issue, National Review
On Sunday, April 17, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Bibi) convened a cabinet meeting on the Golan Heights stating that the time has come for the international community to finally recognize that the Golan Heights will remain under Israel's sovereignty permanently. He spoke these words from Maaleh Gamla, next to the ruins of the historic Gamla, a Judean city to which the Romans laid siege in 67 CE during the Great Revolt (also known as the First Jewish/Roman War) (66-73 CE). In this battle, Roman soldiers slaughtered 4,000 Jews, while another 5,000 perished having thrown themselves down a ravine to their deaths in either an attempt to flee or in a mass suicide (Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, 4:1:9:80).
Bibis statements at Gamla followed reports that the United States and Russia were working on a draft peace resolution to the Syrian Civil War that would label the entire Golan Heights as Syrian territory. On April 19, U.S. State Department John Kirby stated The US position on the issue is unchanged...Those territories are not part of Israel and the status of those territories should be determined through negotiations. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Arab League, Syria, and Germany rejected Netanyahus comments.
Despite most of the world seemingly poised to throw Israel under the bus over this issue, Israel should continue to assert its sovereignty over the Golan. Israel has a stronger claim to the Golan than Syria does, the Golan is of essential strategic value to Israel and the free world, and given increased threats and development of the land, that value has only appreciated.
Israel has a Stronger Claim to the Golan than Syria
Israel gained control of two-thirds of the Golan Heights following Syrias defeat in the 1967 Six-Day War. (Israel later applied Israeli law to these territories in a de-facto annexation in 1981.) Syria gained independence in 1945. Before that, the Golan was part of the French Empire (1923-1945), jointly administered between the British and French Empires (1917-1923) and part of the (Turkish) Ottoman Empire for approximately 400 years preceding 1917. So, Syria had control of the Israeli-administered part of the Golan for 22 years (1945-1967), while Israel has had it for 49 years (1967 to the present). Israel has a stronger claim to the Israeli-controlled part of the Golan, given that it has been Israeli longer than it has been Syrian.
The Great Strategic Value of the Golan
Enemies of Israel, both past and present, have used the high elevation of the Golan Heights against her. The ancient, pre-Arab Assyrian Empire literally looked down on ancient northern kingdom of Israel from the Heights. Assyrias conquest of Israel in 722 BCE was launched from the Golan.
Fast-forward almost 2,700 years, and the Golan served similar aims for Israels enemies. Prior to the 1967 Six-Day War, modern Syria, like ancient Assyria, held the high ground over Israel from the Heights. (See cross-section and topographical maps on page 6 and 18, here). This topography enabled Syria to shell Israeli towns with ease, and sponsor Fatah fedayeen attacks from the Golan. Since gaining parity in elevation with the Syrians following the Six-Day War, the Syria/Israel border has been largely quiet. Given the many other conflicts in the Middle East, some of which I list here, that is a good thing for the world as well as Israel.
Has Only Appreciated Given Current Threats
Israels (and the free worlds) enemies have grown stronger, and closer in proximity to Israel since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War. Therefore, giving up the Golan would be foolish, and would most likely result in it being controlled by forces hostile to Israel and the West. The Islamic State and other jihadist groups, in addition to forces aligned with Syrian government (including Hizballah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRG)) are all vying for territory adjacent to the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights (see map). On April 22, the Islamic State captured the Salam al Jawlan Dam, approximately 17 miles away from Gamla. This victory puts the Islamic State closer to Israel than Tijuana, Mexico is to San Diego, California.
Hizballah has increased its presence in Syria in the past few years. During the Syrian Civil War, Israel killed Hizballah commanders/arch-terrorists Imad Mughniyeh in Quneitra (a town in the Syrian-controlled part of the Golan) and Samir Kuntar right outside of Damascus, in addition to six Hizballah fighters in Quneitra. A January 2016 article estimated that Hizballah has 8,000 troops in Syria. Hizballah is reportedly building a fortified base in Syria housing long-range missiles to use to attack Israel in a future war. Syria has also supplied Hizballah with tanks to create an armored division. Despite anti-smuggling efforts by Israel, Hizballah currently has between 100,000 to 130,000 rockets total (dispersed in Lebanon and Syria) that are more guided and precise, in addition to up to 12 Yakhont anti-ship cruise missiles with which to strike Israel. Hizballah is also preparing to invade Israel in a future war. If Israel relinquishes the Golan, there is a greater risk that Israel would be fighting Hizballah in both Lebanon and the Heights. On the other hand, Israels retention of its share of the Heights would serve as a strategic advantage in a future war.
Iran has also expanded its presence in Syria, not only through its proxy Hizballah. In January 2015, Israel reportedly killed an Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRG) general on the Syrian side of the Golan, while in October 2015 the Islamic State killed a senior IRG commander in Aleppo. In October 2015, the Wall Street Journal estimated that approximately 20,000 foreign Shiite fighters were fighting in Syria, backed by Iran and Hizballah. These include Afghanis. Since the onset of the Syrian Civil War, Iran is increasingly encouraging its citizens, including those of Afghani origin, to buy property in Syria in strategic places, including Homs and Damascus. Just as Iran transferred populations to settle Lebanon in the 1980s during the creation of Hizballah, it is now aiding its people in settling Syria. Rather than seeing Iran as a stabilizing force in the region in the fight against the Islamic State, most Israelis, including Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, and Americans alike see Iran as an increasingly destabilizing force. Israel and the world need the Golan to balance against growing Iranian hegemony.
Water Remains a Vital Concern
Giving the Golan to Syria would once again place Israels enemies in a position to threaten its water supply via border skirmishes and diversion of water, as Syria did in the 1950s and during the War over Water (1964-1967). Israel relies on Lake Kinneret/the Sea of Galilee as the source of a significant amount of its water, and of its National Water Carrier.
The Golan is now an Integral Part of the Israeli Economy
Israel has developed the Golan to be a vital part of its economy that produces goods and services for both Israel and the world, including several wineries, a brewery, a mineral water distribution company, and a ski resort on Mt. Hermon. It also contains vast lands for agriculture, meat, and dairy production. Israelis and world travelers travel to the Golan for tourism, and about 20,000 Israelis live there. The Golan is also thought to contain a great amount of oil and natural gas deposits. Once tapped into, these resources could make Israel more energy self-sufficient, as well as provide the West with reliable sources of energy. It doesnt make sense that Israel would uproot all of this only to hand the land over to its sworn enemies.
Israel is the Protector of the Golans Rich Archaeological Sites
The Golan also contains several archeological sites greatly cherished by the free world. Many of these sites date back to Antiquity and are painstakingly excavated and safeguarded by Israel, including: Gamla, Hippos/Sussita, Katzrin Ancient Village, the ruins of the Byzantine Christian monastery at Kursi, Nimrod Fortress, Um el-Kanatir, and the ancient Stonehenge-like monument Gilgal Refaim. If these sites were no longer protected by Israel, they could find themselves in the hands of a jihadist group like the Islamic State, which destroyed world-renowned archeological sites like the Temple of Baal, Jonahs Tomb, and the ancient ruins of Nimrud and Nineveh.
To Whom Would Israel Give the Golan Back?
On a practical level, it is difficult for Israel to return the Golan to Syria because Syria effectively no longer exists. It is unlikely that the world powers will succeed in reconstructing Syria as it was before the civil war. The Islamic State controls about half of the country in the east, and pockets in the west. The Kurds control most of the north. The Syrian government doesnt even control all that remains, with opposition forces (including jihadist groups) and Druze maintaining autonomous regions in the west.
Since the Syrian government does not control all of Syria, it cannot guarantee that other groups wont use the Golan against Israel. But asking the Syrian government to guarantee such a thing, even if Syria were intact, is ridiculous. Syria is Israels historic archenemy, and has supported and harbored jihadist groups such as Fatah, Hamas, Hizballah, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRG).
Conclusion
Several Israeli politicians have opposed the prospect of increased Iranian and Hizballah presence in Syria following a future peace deal, and believe that these two pose a greater threat given their capabilities than the Islamic State. But purging Iran and Hizballah from Syria in a peace deal is a pipe dream given Syrias alliances with Iran and Hizballah, Russias alliance with Iran, and the United States detente with Iran. Unless the goal of a Syrian peace deal is to open up yet another jihadist front against Israel, any final deal should preserve the right of Israel to retain its two-thirds of the Golan Heights. Enshrining this right in international law would strengthen the security of Israel and the free world. Continued Israeli sovereignty in the Golan is of great strategic value to Israel and the West, especially in these troubled times.
Black Lives Matter activist DeRay McKesson entered the race for Baltimore mayor hoping to "challeng the status quo of Baltimore's politics." Instead, the activist praised by President Obama and Hillary Clinton finished in sixth place with 2.5% of the vote.
Baltimore Sun:
While we did not win tonight, what we did was very important, and I want you to be as proud of our work together as I am," Mckesson said. "We did something very special, and it sets the table for what else is possible.
Mckesson, who has a large online following on Twitter and has won praise from high-ranking officials such as President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, was the last of 13 Democrats to enter the mayor's race in February.
He said he targeted 30,000 Baltimore voters over the campaign's final 30 days. Mckesson spent Election Day visiting polling stations and attempting to win over supporters.
Margaret Stansbury, 29, of Midtown, cast her ballot for Mckesson at the Waxter Center. She said she had initial concerns about his level of experience, but he won her over.
"When I heard more about his experience, that did it for me," she said.
Likewise, Mark Longhurst, 39, of Midtown, said he voted for Mckesson because he wanted change in Baltimore.
"We need someone who can shake Baltimore up," he said.
Remember the summer of 2008? Remember then-senator Obama getting a fanatical reception from some Europeans? It was embarassing to watch adults treat a man they didn't know a thing about like someone who had an answer for every problem in the world.
They called the speech "historic," but who remembers a word he said? The Guardian did express some concern about the reaction:
For the man who has brought rock-star charisma to electoral politics, today saw the campaign rally as pop festival, a summer gathering of peace, love -- and loathing of George Bush. Taking what he calls his "improbable journey" to the heart of Europe, Barack Obama succeeded in closing down one of Berlin's main thoroughfares tonight, luring the city's young in their tens of thousands to stand in the evening sunshine and hear him spin his dreams of hope, not for America this time, but for the whole world. The young and the pierced, some with guitars slung over their shoulders, others barefoot, jammed up against each other to cheer on a man who in less than a year has become the world's most popular serving politician, even if, as yet, he has been elected to no office grander than the junior Senate seat for Illinois.
They are not cheering today. In Germany, thousands marched against free trade deals and carried posters that reminded us of the ones about Bush. In Saudi Arabia, he was greeted by the governor of a state or province rather than a high-level delegation. In London, he got into trouble every time he opened his mouth.
In 2008, we heard about his brilliance. Today, we read about his arrogance:
Obamas election in 2008 inspired the world. But after eight years, its hard not to blame his abrasive style of politics for the rise of anti-politicians such as Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. Americans are rebelling against the emergence of an imperial presidency. As Barack Obama offers his hand to the Queen this week, and lectures the British on their place in the world, voters here might feel somewhat resentful, too.
From brilliance to arrogance and now failure.
President Obama has failed to project U.S. power the way his predecessors did. In 2008, thousands longed for a U.S. president who didn't project power but rather led with words that told them what they wanted to hear.
The Europeans and most of our allies have seen the consequences of that soft style and can't wait for America to be America again the superpower that protected them all of those years. They will never say it, but they long for Bush or a leader of the free world again.
P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
Bravo to lawmakers in Mississippi whove, so far, not allowed big business to bully and intimidate them into changing course on their religious liberty law. As Jennifer Marshall writes at Religion News, the law is crafted carefully and skillfully with the intent of diffusing conflict.
For starters, Mississippis new law ensures that churches and other religious groups arent punished for declining to host or solemnize weddings that would violate their conscience. Remember the controversy over Kim Davis, the county clerk in Kentucky? Mississippi wont have that kind of a showdown because the new law ensures everyone eligible for a marriage license gets one without delay while also accommodating individual clerks who want to opt out of issuing marriage licenses altogether.
Mississippis policy shows that we can coexist. Why would big business oppose that?
The law also ensures that religious schools and ministries serving those in need can continue to set their personnel and housing policies in accord with their beliefs. (This provision covers only religious organizations, not businesses. The law has nothing to do with business hiring or landlord policies. Faith-based adoption agencies will be free to continue placing every child they serve with a married mom and dad.
While bakers, a photographer, and a florist in other states have faced massive fines, creative professionals in wedding-related businesses in Mississippi cannot be coerced to use their talents to celebrate same-sex weddings.
The bill guarantees that no one is denied emergency care or hospital visitation privileges.
Confusion around the new law seems to come from media coverage that fails to distinguish its protections for religious organizations -- which do not apply to businesses -- from its much narrower policy concerning a handful of small businesses in a specific circumstance: wedding-related vendors in the context of participating in wedding ceremonies. The only provisions that apply to businesses generally are the assurances that private employers can set their own bathroom and employee dress policies based on their particular circumstances.
Most of the new law is about protecting religious groups and individuals who have a different perspective on marriage. It guarantees their religious freedom while not taking anything away from anyone else. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of differences.
The inability of people aged 40 and above to find a decent job to support their families has led to an epidemic of suicides.
But as Betsy McCaughey points out in this New York Post column, you'd never know it to hear President Obama and Hillary Clinton talk. President Obama insists that the "American economy is pretty darn good right now.
False. The Obama economy is stalled. It grew at a measly .7 percent annualized rate the first quarter of this year. Thats compared with the 3.5 percent rate the US enjoyed for most of the 20th century whats needed to sustain employment and optimism. True, the economy slowed under George W. Bush. Obama inherited a recession and, with it, a suicide epidemic. When the recession hit, suicide deaths suddenly started outnumbering deaths from auto accidents. But eight years later, job losses are still driving the suicide rate higher and higher. Clinton seems unmoved. Shes pledging to close down the coal industry and block natural-gas fracking. More pain for coal country or for portions of upstate New York that are sitting on natural-gas treasure. Self-inflicted deaths in the Syracuse area are up about 40 percent in the past five years, and rates in depressed western New York are double New York Citys rate. Upstate New Yorkers are literally dying for jobs. Similarly, joblessness is killing people in Walker County, Ala., where the coal mines have been shutting down, leaving families destitute. Since 1999, premature deaths among the middle-aged there have more than doubled some from suicide and others from slower methods of self-destruction like alcohol and opioids. New Jersey used to have one of the lowest suicide rates in the nation, but its shot up 13 percent in two years. Weve seen a wave of suicides that resulted from the financial crisis a little bit later than other parts of the country, reports prevention advocate Phil Lubitz. Economic distress is so widespread that for the first time ever, life expectancy for white women in the United States actually dropped. Despite progress against cancer and heart disease, lives are being cut short by hopelessness. Its a national health emergency. Suicide kills more middle-agers than flu, pneumonia and diabetes combined often after dashed expectations, abandonment by a spouse and loss of self-worth. Then a bullet to the head or a noose (for men), or a deliberate drug overdose (for women) ends the pain. These tragedies should awaken this nation to the real issue in the coming presidential election. Its not inequality, despite Bernie Sanders rantings. Its lack of growth and the Democratic Partys refusal to make growth a priority.
Growth is not as important as transgender bathroom access, diversity in the work force, a $15 minimum wage, foisting Obamacare on the public, and destroying their political enemies.
These are all distractions, because in order for the Democrats to embrace a growing economy, they would have to embrace capitalism. As we've seen from both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, that just isn't going to happen.
Republicans have a clue about how to stimulate growth but are far too timid to make it work. "Job-killing policies are people-killers, too," writes McCaughey. With neither party really addressing the growth issue, it's likely that the suicide rate will continue to rise.
A new euphemism has been constructed to lessen the impact of a plan to multiply by 20 the number of Muslims entering the United States and receiving funding to settle here. Its called alternative safe pathways, and it is a backdoor plan, not yet publicly acknowledged by its sponsors. Paul Bedard of the Washington Examiner explains:
In a move around the standard refugee settlement process in America, the United Nations and the administration are scheming to find other ways to boost the number of Syrians entering the country, from 10,000 this year to possibly 200,000. U.S. officials, meeting with United Nations human rights officials in Geneva, joined in a project that looks to "alternative safe pathways" to setting Syrian refugees in America and Europe that include pushing colleges and universities to offer tuition programs and encouraging Syrians already in the country to open their homes to those who've fled the war-torn Middle East nation. The plan already has one victory. Last week, the University of Southern California revealed that it is offering five free tuition programs for Syrian refugees, including one in the school's journalism program.
Rather than using tax-exempt funds to pay the tuition of Americans, the powers that be at USC and whatever other universities are persuaded (how?) to cooperate in the scheme will now be subsidizing the addition of Muslims to the United States.
This effort is taken completely outside the official framework known to the public.
The effort was revealed Monday in a Center for Immigration Studies post. It quoted a Georgetown University professor and U.N. refugee policy advisor who spelled out the backdoor plan to settle thousands more Syrians past the 10,000 President Obama has pledged to OK this year. Beth Ferris, a research professor at Georgetown University and U.N. advisor, even suggested a total of 200,000 at a recent Brookings Institution conference: "Refugees and government officials are expecting this crisis to last 10 or 15 years. It's time that we no longer work as business as usual ... UNHCR next month is convening a meeting to look at what are being called 'alternative safe pathways' for Syrian refugees. Maybe it's hard for the U.S. to go from 2,000 to 200,000 refugees resettled in a year, but maybe there are ways we can ask our universities to offer scholarships to Syrian students. Maybe we can tweak some of our immigration policies to enable Syrian-Americans who have lived here to bring not only their kids and spouses but their uncles and their grandmothers. There may be ways that we could encourage Syrians to come to the U.S. without going through this laborious, time-consuming process of refugee resettlement."
The population mix of the United States is already undergoing a deliberate transformation, which will have a dramatic effect of the foreign and domestic policies of the United States. Pew projects that the fast-growing Muslim population will outnumber Jews in the fairly near future:
That this program is being plotted outside normal publicly visible channels tells us a lot.
Hat tip: Byron Hood
The Washington Post continues to be defender-in-chief for Palestinian atrocities against Israelis. Readers are treated to more excuses for Palestinian terrorism than all other acts of terror combined. According to Post reporter William Booth, the Palestinian child terrorists are "frustrated," "motivated by revenge," "social media," and "nationalism." But that's not the kicker. Booth goes on to claim that the actions of the young killers are also because they have "personal problems"!
Of all the youth in the world with "personal problems," why has only one such group resorted to stabbing people in the neck and detonating suicide bombs?
The Post also attempts to cast doubt on Palestinian complicity in a recent bus bombing. Last week in Jerusalem, a bus exploded, injuring 21 people. According to this same article, "[a]uthorities branded it a terrorist attack; investigators are searching for clues about who planted the device and why" as if something other than terrorism may have been involved.
Interestingly, the Post proceeds to contradict itself. On the very same page as Mr. Booth's article is another article written by the same Mr. Booth, the "[a]lleged bomber of Jerusalem bus came from well-to-do Palestinian family"! So the culprit was a Palestinian terrorist but they just can't get themselves to fully admit it, so they say it is "alleged." According to this article, what is known is a Palestinian youth, "Abdel Hamid Abu Srour[,] boarded the Egged No. 12 bus and placed a package between his legs." DNA identified his remains. In one article, the jury is still out on whether it was terrorism in the other, it is "alleged." But what is most notable, the child suicide bomber came from an affluent family with no known "personal problems."
To its credit, The Washington Post though glossing over it hit the real reason for children committing heinous crimes: "official incitement," or what it really is brainwashing. Instead of mentioning this reason among many possibilities, the Post should highlight it as the primary cause of Palestinian violence. How else could children, from pretty much only this population, stoop to such brutality as blowing themselves up to kill others and committing the most intimate form of murder: stabbing people in the neck? It certainly isn't "personal problems"!
When you log into Facebook, you establish an identity. Your likes and dislikes, ads you do and dont respond to and the kinds of campaigns that are most effective with you are all logged, as well as which screens you access Facebook from and how long, as well as what you do on those screens and how your time on Facebook for desktop may differ from your time spent on the mobile app. Since you cant use Facebook without logging in, this is the case for every single user. Facebooks entire billion-strong user base is fed extremely targeted ads, leading to higher engagement and much higher ad revenues for Facebook. For all intents and purposes, Facebook knows exactly who you and all of your friends are and uses that information to serve you extremely well-targeted ads.
Google doesnt quite have this advantage. A user who hits Google through an iOS device or a Windows desktop computer has the option to sign in, but its not mandatory to use most of Googles core services, like Search and Maps. On Android devices and Chromebooks, however, users are prompted to sign in or create a login at the first boot. While its entirely possible to skip this, most users opt to go through with it so they can use Googles full suite of services. The number of great Google services that you have to be logged into to use, for obvious reasons, includes names like Hangouts, Drive, Gmail and Blogger. Users that arent signed in can be fed ads based on their location, if the user allows it, and their cookies, which track which websites theyve been to and some very basic actions, but thats about it. If you clear your cookies, which most internet users do regularly, your Google identity is gone.
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Users that are signed in hand over a large number of details to Google. Apps downloaded from the Play Store, locations frequented, favorite contacts and the types of music and videos a user likes, among tons of other details, are all in Googles hands when you sign in and use their services regularly. This means they can serve you extremely targeted ads, rivaling those served by Facebook. The issue, as mentioned above, is that not all users opt to sign in. As also stated above, almost all users of Googles Android OS, the most popular mobile OS out there, end up signing in.
According to CEO Sundar Pichai, a huge number of new users have been coming in through mobile channels, almost all of which have been signed in. Thus, a huge shift toward mobile is occurring within the company as everybody scrambles to tap into the mobile user and their highly targeted ads. Many of Googles services have user bases over a billion strong, such as Gmail. Naturally, all of Googles services also have a mobile component, which is where a large amount of access is coming in from. Pichai noted that over fifty percent of some products traffic is from mobile, which means that the better part of that figure is signed in. Guessing roughly, lets say that half a billion users are hitting YouTube daily through mobile. About 85 percent of these will be signed in, or roughly 425 million users. These 425 million signed-in users are being served highly targeted ads that not only result in more engagement but are normally paid higher per view, per click and per full engagement, such as a purchase or sign-up.
Effectively, this means that Google must close the gap by pushing harder for mobile adoption. There is a good number of OEMs, mostly in China where Google is blocked, that do not include Googles services on their devices. Google will have to make up for this with a much harder push against rivals and into markets that are either emerging, like India, saturated with a huge percentage of non-Android products, like the U.S., or have yet to be tapped. like some parts of Africa. Rivals like Apple and even dinosaurs like Blackberry and Windows Phone wont make it terribly easy for Google to clinch a victory, nor will antitrust regulators, but any step they can take against the firm thats poised to give them a beatdown in new media is a good step.
Its not a huge secret that the United States does not have the most reliable or the fastest mobile networks in the world, as determined time and time again by network benchmarks and speed tests. Taken cumulatively, however, the U.S. networks performance is far from terrible, though it still ranks near the bottom of the charts. The States are surpassed in average network benchmarking scores, provided by app analytics firm Apteligent and industry analyst STL Partners, by Italy, Spain, Germany, Canda, the United Kingdom and France, the king of the international mobile hill. Interestingly, according to these same metrics, the best network in the United States, as measured by user app experience, is neither of the two dominant networks in the States; its T-Mobile, the underdog who recently surpassed Sprint to become the third largest mobile carrier in the U.S.
The duo gets together quarterly to release the Mobile Network Experience Index, or MobiNEX for short. Analytics data is taken and compiled from 27 major carriers from the countries listed above. The report pulls data from running apps, such as the error rate, average latency, latency consistency and download speed, to determine how a given network performs in real-world usage, rather than more specialized benchmark tests like Ooklas Speedtest.net app. The scores were quite divisive, with the United States top dog, T-Mobile, earning 45 out of 100 points, just 2 points ahead of market leader Verizon. Meanwhile, the best wireless carrier out of all those tested was Bouygues Telecom out of France, with 76 points, reaching far ahead of T-Mobile which should put things in perspective when it comes to network experience in the country. The worst network in the United States, according to the rankings, was Sprint. This leaves AT&T to claim the third spot. Error rate, being how often the connection outright fails or hiccups for no good reason, was highest for carriers in the United States.
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The reports lead author and a partner with STL Partners, Chris Barraclough, said of the quarterly study, The index shows in simple terms which operators are likely to do the best job for people. And while it is easy to compare, its based on a huge amount of real world information so its a pretty reliable indicator of whats going on.
Xiaomi has introduced their new flagship back in February during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. The company has introduced two different version of the device, the regular Xiaomi Mi 5 which comes with 3GB of RAM and either 32GB or 64GB of internal storage, and the premium Mi 5 Pro model which ships with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. That being said, the Mi 5 has been available for purchase (through flash sales) in China for a while now, and now we have some new Mi 5 info to share with you, read on.
This China-based company has decided to release a White variant fo the Xiaomi Mi 5 Pro with a 3D Glass back. This handset is identical to the regular Mi 5 Pro, but its white, and in features 3D Glass back unlike the Black model which comes with a ceramic back. Thanks to the fact theres no ceramic here, the Mi 5 Pro also costs less than a black variant, this handset is priced at 2,599 Yuan ($400). This is not all, however, the company has also decided to announce that the previously unveiled Gold model of the Xiaomi Mi 5 will be available for purchase (both the Mi 5 and Mi 5 Pro). The standard model will be priced at 1,999 Yuan ($354), while the Pro model will cost 2,299 Yuan ($354). Both the White and Gold Xiaomi Mi 5 (Pro) models will be available for purchase in China starting April 29th, where the company plans to hold the first flash sale for these two models. The sale will commence at 10AM (local time), and youll be able to get the device through Xiaomis official website.
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The Xiaomi Mi 5 & Mi 5 Pro share all the specs except RAM and internal storage, as already mentioned. The Mi 5 (Pro) features a 5.2-inch fullHD (1920 x 1080) display, and is fueled by the Snapdragon 820 64-bit quad-core processor, and an Adreno 530 GPU for graphics. The 16-megapixel snapper can be found on the back of this handset, and a 4-megapixel camera (2um pixel size) is placed up front. Android 6.0 Marshmallow comes pre-installed on the Mi 5 (Pro), and on top of it, youll find MIUI 7 OS. Two SIM card slots are available here, and the internal storage cannot be expanded. The device(s) measures 144.6 x 69.2 x 7.3mm, while they weight 129 / 139 grams (depending on the variant).
Xiaomi Mi 5 $439
Google Keep is arguably one of Googles best-kept secrets. The application is three years old, having been announced in March 2013. On the face of it, Keep is a note taker with the ability to easily and quickly synchronise data across several devices its available on the Android, iOS, and Web platforms. Furthermore, Google Keep is tightly integrated with Google Now and for those readers with an Android Wear smartwatch, it works very well from your watch too. Keep can be used to create reminders in the Google Now service, including geofencing technologies: you can tell Keep to remind you to do something when you get to a location or to a time, and it will display the relevant note you had created. Some of Keeps more obvious features include the ability to add images and website URLs to notes, change the colour and category, and quickly search through your notes. However, scratch just a little below the surface and Keep has many more power features. Lets take a look.
Many people need a shopping list, and for those of us who do need to keep a list of things we need, we usually remember these things when we are not at the grocery store but instead when we are at a time and place very much removed. Googles engineers have recognised this and have given Keep the ability to take down our shopping lists by voice quickly and easily. If you title one of your Keep lists as Shopping List, you can add new items to this list without launching Keep. Depending on your devices, you may be able to add items to the list without even opening the application: simply say Okay Google, add to my shopping list. Google Now will bring up the shopping list card and you can say the things you need to add one by one, then say finished or thats it and it will save everything to the Keep and tell you Done. You can also add a single item too, and you can add items from multiple devices at different times of the day and night, and Keep will keep track of things for you.
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Keeps reminder feature is tightly integrated with Google Now and you can use the Remind Me button. These reminders may be set by location or time: if you are out and about and you come up with a great article idea, but you are not able to write it then and there, you can jot down a few notes and tell it to remind you when you get home, or when you arrive at work. You could also set the shopping list Keep to remind you when you get to the grocery store.
Google Keep has two ways to share data with other people. The first way is to send the Keep note: here, simply use the Send option and here, the latest version of Keep gives you two options: Copy to Google Doc and Send via other apps. Each does as you might expect: you can copy everything (and not convert) in the Note into a Google Docs file, for advanced editing. Or if you select Send via other apps Keep taps into the Android data sending system, so you can send the note via Hangouts, Gmail, or indeed any other application on the device set up to work this way.
However, Keep has similar collaboration technology as Google Docs and in the last update to the application, it has been renamed from Share to Collaborate, as it seems Google wanted to remind people of this feature. Theres granular control over who has access to each individual Keep note, which means you can easily share things with other people. Imagine combining your Shopping List with the rest of your household? Multiple users can also edit a Google Keep note at the same time, just as with Docs. To access this feature, tap on the menu button at the bottom right of the Keep note and tap Collaborator. In this next screen, you can see who else has access to the note, so you may add and remove as you need to.
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The fifth feature of Google Keep is the ability to use optical character recognition. Keep can be used to read business cards, posters and other details: simply tap on an embedded image on a Keep note, tap the menu and then hit, Grab image text. Google will analyse the image and copy any text it finds in the note.
There you have it: five power ways to use Google Keep. Keep is a very practical way to access and use multiple Google services on multiple devices. Its easy to create a Shopping List, collaborate with other members of a household, and set a reminder for when you get to the store. You could even take a picture of the receipt from the store and add the text, as recognised using Googles character recognition system, to a new Keep note.
The International Data Corporation, IDC, have today released preliminary sales information detailing the quarterly sales figure for global smartphones. For 2016, the results are particularly interesting not so much for the number one and two positions, which remains as Apple and Samsung, but for what is happening lower down in the table.
Overall, the first quarter of 2016 saw a small increase in sales volume compared with 2015. In 2015, 334.4 million smartphones were sold compared with 334.9 million in 2016, an increase of just half a million devices. This marginal increase in sales is seen as evidence that the smartphone market is approaching saturation. Both the number one and two positions, Samsung and Apple respectively, have witnessed a decline in sales over the year with the rest of the market making up for this drop. Looking at Samsung, over the year the IDC is reporting a decline of 0.6% in sales volume and this is despite the Samsung Galaxy S7 launching earlier in the year compared with the Galaxy S6. The IDC notes that the S7 family have sold well as has the less expensive J-family, but it should be worrying for Samsung that this has not stopped the sales decline. Meanwhile, Apple have seen their first decline in sales over the year: Apple sold 16.3% fewer iPhones in Q1 2016 compared with Q1 2015. The IDC has reached the conclusion that the S in iPhone 6S stands for Same, as it believes fewer customers have upgraded to the new iPhone models because there is too little difference. Apple also recently introduced the iPhone SE but it is believed to be too soon for this to have made an impact on sales figures.
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Its from third place that things get more interesting, because Huawei are in the number three spot, showing an impressive 58% increase in sales, year on year. Here, Huaweis blend of entry level and premium devices is seen as working well across the world, particularly in European and Chinese markets. Huawei has been on something of a charm offensive for some time now and have successfully raised brand awareness thanks to their Android Wear devices and of course the Google Nexus 6P. Recent devices such as the P9 smartphone, with its focus on camera optics, should prove successful. Huaweis subbrands, Honor and HiSilicon, have also caught headlines around the world, too. Huaweis global market share moved from 5.2% in 2015 to 8.2% in 2016.
The fourth and fifth placed smartphone vendors of the world are both something of a surprise: fourth place sees OPPO and fifth place is vivo. Both of these Chinese manufacturers have tended to concentrate on their domestic market, although we are seeing these brands across the world: almost 20% of OPPOs sales in 2015 was to non-Chinese markets. OPPO has worked to bring the smartphone to offline vendors in China, which has helped sales, managing an impressive sales growth of 153% over the year. Meanwhile, vivo have leapt into fifth place on the back of selling 14.3 million smartphones, which represents a 124% increase compared with Q1 2015. vivos smartphones are a premium device in China with a focus on high quality audio: one of their best selling devices is the X5Pro, which is also one of their more expensive handsets at $300. OPPO and vivo pushed out Xiaomi and Lenovo, which were previously showing strong sales growth OPPO moving from 2.2% to 5.5% of the global market share and vivo moving from 1.9% to 4.3%.
Looking at the rest of the market, the IDCs data shows a 11% decline in sales. This tells us that, although there are still dozens of manufacturers selling devices, consumers buying habits are concentrated into a relatively small number of manufacturers. Those IDC reckons that companies manufacturing devices that sell in the sub-$250 bracket, such as Huawei, OPPO and vivo, should perform well during 2016 as consumers look to buy affordable devices. However, given the changes weve seen in only a year and how fickle the consumer is, Huawei, OPPO and vivo should absolutely not rest on their laurels or their current gains in market share.
Even as LG Display is planning to invest a significant amount of money in new OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) manufacturing facilities to compete on even terms against its homegrown rival, Samsung, the company has now declared a 95% YoY decline in its operating profits in the first quarter of this year. Whats peculiar, however, is that analysts had been expecting even worse, which means the company has actually been able to beat market expectations with what is reportedly the worst quarter the company has had in four years. The company had previously warned about OLED display panel prices taking a tumble this year, which is exactly what seems to have been happening over the past few months now, amidst slowing demand for consumer tech products like smartphones and tablets.
Taking a look at the first quarter numbers that were released by the company earlier today, revenues decreased by 15% to 5.9 trillion won from 7.0 trillion won in the corresponding period of last year. Operating profit in the first quarter of 2016 came in at 39.5 billion won ($34.43 million) as opposed to 744 billion won in the first quarter of 2015, signifying a whopping 95% decline on a YoY basis. Meanwhile, a Thomson Reuters StarMine SmartEstimate survey of 26 analysts prior to the official announcement of the results had projected an even direr predicament for the company, predicting a loss of around 78 billion won. The company had earlier said that it expects revenues and profits to increase second quarter onwards, thanks to higher global shipments.
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LG Display is the largest manufacturer of LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panels in the world, and supplies television and smartphone panels to its sister concern, LG Electronics. The company is also one of the major suppliers to Apple, whose iPhones feature display panels manufactured by LG. However, even as it is one of the biggest names in the display panel industry alongside the likes of Samsung, Sharp and JDI, the company is now failing to generate growth because of lower prices of the panels that go into the production of laptops, TVs and smartphones; mostly because of a global slowdown in the tech industry on the one hand and a decline of 17% in the average selling price of LCD panels on the other.
Lately, the big news coming on the Motorola front has been about their poor customer support when a user needs to get a replacement device, because theirs is faulty. Some have been told that Motorola doesnt have any replacements to send out, and others have gotten a replacement which was not the one they ordered in the first place. As is the case with the main plaintiff in this class action lawsuit. Douglas Lynch, who is a Georgia resident, states that Motorola took months to replace his Moto 360 which was defective, in 2015. Motorola did finally replace it, but sent him a cheaper model than the one that he bought. This isnt just a one time occurrence either, the court filing has a number of additional cases where the same thing happened. Motorola has indeed admitted that there are delays in the processing of warranty claims. Thats cool and all, but doesnt help users that paid for their Moto Care warranty, and now are out of a working device.
When it comes to customer service, not everyones experience is the same. For every company that has customer service, you can find a group that has had a rough time with their customer service, and another group that has had no issues. Lately, it seems that Motorolas customer service has just been atrocious though. Which is out of the norm for Motorola. The class action lawsuit is for $5 million, and well likely be hearing a lot more on this in the coming weeks.
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This could turn out to be a pretty expensive lawsuit for Motorola and Lenovo. With Lenovo having just restructured their latest acquisition, one has to wonder if this is part of that restructuring. It likely isnt, but could be a cost cutting measure. Either way its not sitting well with consumers, and that should be no surprise. This could definitely affect both Motorola and Lenovos sales moving forward, which isnt going to be good for Lenovo. Especially where they want to challenge the big dogs Apple and Samsung in the near future a bit reason for buying up Motorola.
BlackBerry was once considered to be the Cadillac of smartphones and largely credited with bringing about the smartphone revolution. But more recently have found themselves much in the same boat as Microsoft, in an ocean of Android devices. Although it took some time, this ocean of Android did eventually see BlackBerry migrate over to the Android OS.
Last year with a new CEO at the helm, John Chen, BlackBerry finally launched their first Android device, the BlackBerry PRIV. It was the first time that BlackBerrys iconic keyboard was matched up with an Android smartphone. When asked about future Android devices, BlackBerry and Chen eluded to the fact that their future depended on how well the PRIV model sold. The device received an excellent response from critics and users, and the company reported sales of over 600,000 BlackBerry PRIVs in the Q4 FY 2016, even though the company reported an overall loss of $238 million. However, the PRIV was a high-priced device, especially for countries such as India, and BlackBerry announced they would launch two more smartphones in 2016.
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According to the latest online rumors, the two new devices are codenamed, the BlackBerry Hamburg and the BlackBerry Rome, which falls in line with recent previous rumors confirming the same codenames. There was one blurry real image leaked and some renders you can view them all below in our gallery. The BlackBerry Rome looks similar to the leaked renders last year of the BlackBerry Vienna a speaker across the bottom, below a physical keyboard, much like the BlackBerry PRIV. Other than using a curved OLED display, no other details are known. The leaked render of the BlackBerry Hamburg shows the latest BlackBerry logo above the screen, a large speaker at the bottom of the display, and no exposed physical keyboard. Of course, it could be a slider with a hidden keyboard or possibly no keyboard at alllike their once infamous BlackBerry Storm and Storm 2. The leaked real image clearly shows the power button on the left and the volume controls on the right. It is expected to be a mid-range device with pricing about $400. According to the source, it will be launching in the second quarter of 2016.
When it comes to the Nexus range, there is always massive buzz around what will be the next incoming Nexus device(s). What they will look like, feature and of course, who will make them. Up until last year, it was typical that by the close of the same year there would be a new Nexus smartphone. However, that changed last year when Google decided to introduce two Nexus phones at the same time, one from Huawei and one from LG. As a result, there was always the possibility that Google would continue to release Nexus handsets in twos. A sentiment which gained very early traction this year when a report came through back in January suggesting that two new Nexus smartphones would arrive in 2016.
However, that was not the most interesting part of that January report. Instead, what the majority of the report focus on is the suggestion that both Nexus smartphones would come from the same manufacturer, from HTC. As well as the idea of two new handsets from the same manufacturer, the fact that this was HTC, a company who had just endured a turbulent 2015 in the mobile world, added to the speculation. That said, the reports did come through and the two devices were even assigned early codenames T50 and T55 with the assumption being that one would be a 5-inch device and the other would be a 5.5-inch device.
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Fast forward to now and @evleaks has today sent out an interesting tweet which looks to confirm that HTC are working on two new Android handsets. While @evleaks does not specifically name-drop them as Nexus handsets, the tweet does state that these are Android N devices. and that they are being built for Google. Therefore, the clear assumption being that these are likely to be the previously rumored Nexus smartphones for this year. Unfortunately, the tweet does not go into much detail on the actual handsets and so there is no further information as to what the devices will be like or more importantly, the differences between them. However, @evleaks does state that they are at the moment being internally labelled as M1 and S1.
Microprocessors form the very foundation of modern living, but sales of the more advanced and sophisticated processor chips and System-on-Chips, such as those found in servers, desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones and wearable devices, are slowing down. We are seeing a significant slump in the sales of desktop computers and smartphones sales growth has dropped off too. We have also seen more businesses entering or trying to enter these markets, such as Qualcomm working to produce server chips with Googles support. Whilst the world is still buying and using processors for our smart devices, the manufacturers of these products are having to change how their businesses run to make them more cost conscious and competitive and at the same time, increasing the appeal of chips in todays energy conscious world. Weve seen Qualcomm announce it expects a drop in sales by as much as 22%, Intel potentially losing 12,000 jobs and SK Hynix announcing it expects to see a 65% drop in quarterly operating revenue. As products become more and more of a commodity, we are seeing how different businesses are struggling to make their product stand out. Those companies with a competitive edge are likely to experience a slow down but it will be much less severe.
Samsung is one such business. Their semiconductor technology has a number of technological advantages compared with much of the competition. Samsungs DRAM chips as used in smartphones and tablets offer a higher performance and lower power consumption compared with much of the competition. Their 3D NAND technology, used in solid state storage drives, also offers lower power consumption: these are desirable traits for modern manufacturers. Industry experts are expecting Samsungs NAND division to increase profits by close to 70% this year as vendors use Samsungs technology in favour of competitors products; Samsung is seen to be between one and three years ahead of its competitors when it comes to 3D NAND drives.
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When it comes to processor chips, Samsung are pushing ahead with building smaller process size units. The 2015 Samsung Exynos 7420 was one of the first commercially produced System-on-Chips designed for smartphones built to a 14nm process size. This smaller size reduces the power consumption and heat output of a given chip, reduces the size it occupies in the smartphone and increases the number of chips that may be built from one silicon wafer. Samsung are planning to release first generation chips built on a 10nm process size later this year, have second generation 10nm chips in the pipeline as well as a more efficient way to manufacturer 14nm chips. Samsungs semiconductor business has been winning contracts to manufacturer chips for other semiconductor businesses, as well as owning the worlds market leader in smartphones, which should be good news for cross selling chip sales.
There are many projects inside the X labs over at Alphabet. X was formerly known as Google X and then changed to just X. This is basically an incubator for new projects, and once they are mature enough, they end up being their own company underneath the Alphabet umbrella. And according to a report coming out today, Googles self-driving cars are close to graduating from X. What this means is that self-driving cars wont be so much a moonshot anymore, but something that Alphabet believes can generate revenue for the company.
Tonights NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt will feature a segment explaining what is in order for X and self-driving cars at Alphabet. The segment will include an inside look at the X division which includes many other projects, besides these self-driving cars. These include things like Project Loon, Project Wing and Makani. Holt interviewed Astro Teller and Obi Felten over at X.
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Now with the self-driving car project being close to graduation from X, that means that Google is close to selling these cars, or at least generating revenue somehow. Now Googles self-driving cars have not been approved in many States in the US. Currently, Google is only testing them in a handful of cities, mostly in the Western United States. Google has said that they want to battle Uber, basically, with their self-driving cars. Having them doing ride-sharing can generate more revenue for Google, but also makes it so that people dont need to buy cars anymore. Since they wouldnt be driving anyways. In theory, it should be cheaper than Uber, because Google isnt paying for drivers here.
With this being close to graduation, its also a bit fuzzy as to whether the self-driving car project would fall under Google or be a separate company under Alphabet. Theres also the question of what it would be called, weve seen a few different names floating around in recent years. But we should know more in the next few months. Now when they say close to graduation, its tough to know what that means. It could be a few weeks, months or even a year away. Since Google has been working on these cars for years already.
Whether you like, dislike, or are indifferent in regards to selfies, theres no denying that they have become very popular among smartphone and social media users. In fact, it reached a point where many smartphone manufacturers have equipped some of their latest handsets with so-called selfie front-facing cameras boasting higher pixel counts and wider angle lenses. HTC went as far as adding optical image stabilization to the HTC 10s front-facing shooter, and needless to say, some smaller accessory manufacturers have even created selfie sticks, allowing users to distance themselves further from their smartphones front-facing camera before snapping a selfie. As the phenomenon keeps growing, a company headquartered in Beijing, China, seems to have pushed the selfie concept to a whole new level. They have created a selfie drone called the Hover Camera, which has the ability follow users, track their faces, and capture both photos and videos wherever they go.
A Chinese company going by the name of Zero Zero Robotics has created what could be described as a selfie drone. Named the Hover Camera, the device takes the form of a relatively small, foldable drone equipped with object-recognition technology. This allows the drone to fly itself, avoid obstacles, and of course, follow the user as he or she moves. The drone is equipped with a 13-megapixel camera with electronic image stabilization (EIS), capable of recording 4K videos and capture 360-degree panoramic photos. It apparently relies on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 SoC, and the chassis is built from carbon fiber which makes it both durable and lightweight. In fact, the Hover Camera weighs less than 250 grams, which means that, according to the manufacturer, the device isnt required to register with the FAA. Given these characteristics, the gadget can apparently hover at a maximum altitude of 50 meters. However, it lacks GPS, and it remains to be seen how much fly time can be achieved on a single charge.
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As yet the Hover Camera is in its early stages of development. Enthusiasts can head down to the official website (source link below) and join the beta program, but pricing and availability details have not been set in stone. Zero Zero Robotic expects the Hover Camera to be priced somewhere around $600 and hopes to ship the device in time for the holiday season.
Alitalia mulling stake in Air Malta, due diligence started EC OK to Alitalia-Etihad ownership, control
(ANSAmed) - ROME, APRIL 27 - Alitalia is weighing taking a stake in Air Malta, a statement from the Italian flag-carrier said Wednesday. Alitalia has signed a memorandum of understanding with Air Malta's board and the Maltese government to start an extensive due diligence with a view to taking a 49% stake in the Maltese airline. Once the due diligence is completed the Alitalia and Air Malta boards will decide whether to sign a binding agreement. It is not currently known how long the process of due diligence will take.
The European Commission on Wednesday approved the Alitalia-Etihad merger in its ownership and control aspects, EU source said. They said it upheld EU rules that EU airlines have to be owned (at least 50%) and under the effective control of one of the EU's 28 member states or of one of its citizens.
The EC had previously approved other aspects of the merger, which has turned round the once-ailing Italian flag-carrier.
(ANSAmed).
Austria must explain Brenner moves, says Avramopoulos 'Fence unacceptable', Alfano. Vienna tightens asylum rules
(ANSAmed) - CATANIA, APRIL 27 - European Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said Wednesday that "instead of erecting walls we should build bridges" and that Austria must "explain and clarify" what is happening at the Brenner Pass where it is threatening to build a border fence. Meanwhile Austria approved a tightening of asylum rules.
Austria's threatened fence at the Brenner Pass is "unacceptable because not only is it against European Union rules on free circulation but it is against logic and common sense: we are at an all-time low of (migrant) flows between Italy and Austria", Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said Wednesday. "Our task is to convince our Austrian partners of the senselessness of their behaviour.
Italian House Speaker Laura Boldrini said on Austria's plans to build a wall at the Brenner Pass "it is not the right way, because it divides. It is the surrender of the European Union, it means raising the white flag and I hope the Austrian authorities reconsider". She said "it is a very worrying situation, and Austria's choice is completely wrong". Austria said Wednesday it is considering a 370-metre fence at the border and sending the army if needed in the event of a large migrant flow. It also said it wants to be able to carry out road and rail controls on migrants inside Italian territory.
(ANSAmed).
CATANIA - European Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said Wednesday that "instead of erecting walls we should build bridges" and that Austria must "explain and clarify" what is happening at the Brenner Pass where it is threatening to build a border fence. Meanwhile Austria approved a tightening of asylum rules.
Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said Wednesday "we are studying a proposal to put to the European Union to use ships to identify migrants, to be able to take digital fingerprints and ID data at sea during rescues. Thus we won't have a fixed place on the ground, by creating hotspots at sea". Alfano was speaking after talks with European Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos.
Italian House Speaker Laura Boldrini said on Austria's plans to build a wall at the Brenner Pass "it is not the right way, because it divides. It is the surrender of the European Union, it means raising the white flag and I hope the Austrian authorities reconsider". She said "it is a very worrying situation, and Austria's choice is completely wrong". Austria said Wednesday it is considering a 370-metre fence at the border and sending the army if needed in the event of a large migrant flow. It also said it wants to be able to carry out road and rail controls on migrants inside Italian territory.
UNESCO assesses Palmyra damage, site 'retains authenticity' Temple of Baal and triumphal arch destroyed, statues disfigured
(ANSAmed) - PARIS, APRIL 27 - The archaeological site of Palmyra in Syria has suffered significant damage but nevertheless ''retains a large part of its integrity and authenticity'', according to a UNESCO rapid assessment mission on April 24-26.
The team saw ''considerable damage to the museum, where they found that most of the statues and sarcophagi that were too large to be removed for safekeeping were defaced, smashed, their heads severed and their fragments left lying on the ground''. The experts observed the destruction of the triumphal arch and Temple of Baal Shamin, which was ''smashed to smithereens''.
They ''had to examine damages to the Temple of Bel from a distance, as the edifice is still inaccessible and demining operations have not been completed. Likewise, the Mamluk Citadel, overlooking the ancient city, which also sustained serious damage, remains inaccessible'', according to a statement released by the UN agency. It went on to say that: ''The experts participating in the mission, who were escorted by UN security forces, identified emergency measures to consolidate and secure the building and the work that will be required to document, evacuate, safeguard and restore whatever is possible. Work to match and document the fragments of destroyed statues has already begun.'' ''Palmyra is a pillar of Syrian identity, and a source of dignity for all Syrians,'' said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. ''UNESCO is determined to ensure the safeguarding of this and other sites with all partners as part of broader humanitarian and peace building operations.'' (ANSAmed)
TUNIS - The Tunisian start-up Saphon Energy has created a bladeless wind turbine that is more efficient than traditional ones. Inventors say that it produces twice as much energy at a much lower cost, is safer for birds and is ideal for developing countries. About fifty will provide enough energy for a village with a population of about 1,000 and are ''extremely quiet''. Called Saphonian, the turbine was inspired by the sails of ancient Carthaginian ships that competed for dominance in the Mediterranean Sea during the Roman Empire. The disc, similar to a pot cover, is mounted on top of a pole reminiscent of the mast of ship and serves to collect wind energy through a wave-motion converter. All wind turbines are subject to the Bertz's Law, which indicates that the maximum power that can be extracted from the wind is 59%. However, the developers of the Saphonian say that their product can surpass this limit due to not having blades and manage to convert up to 80% of the wind hitting its surface into electricity. Saphon Energy won the Gulfstream Navigator Award 2015, opening it up to large investors. Its project is also financed by such market giants as Microsoft, which is seeking sustainable ways to feed its huge cloud-computing systems across the world. However, the best application of it - given its lower costs - may be in developing countries, which will use Saphonian as an intelligent and economic solution for providing off-grid energy.
The Tunisian start-up already has a partnership with India, where it would like to set up a wind park with 50 turbines having a 20-KW capacity each, for a total of 1 MW, which would provide electricity for about a thousand inhabitants of a small community. Its creators hope to build a 'maxi' version of the Saphonian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=37&v=b3aBPDTDtx8
Jordan: Italian surgeon to establish volunteer aid programme Syrian and Palestinians also to receive life saving operations
(ANSAmed) - AMMAN, APRIL 27- Italian heart surgeon Giancarlo Crupi said today he is teaming up with Jordanian hospitals and NGOs from Italy and the US to establish a volunteer programme to treat Jordanian, Palestinian, Iraqi and Syrian children affected by congenital heart disease and other affiliated cardiac illnesses.
Over the past few weeks Crupi, a pediatric cardiac surgeon in Bergamo with 35 years of experience, has conducted several operations at the local Hospital of al Istiqlal for children suffering from congenital heart problems.
"This region lacks of specialized doctors in children congenital heart diseases," said Crupi during a press conference, stressing that there is an urgent need for such help due to lack of specialized doctors in this domain.
His humanitarian mission in Jordan proved a success and he seeks to establish a long lasting programme to aid dozens of children who suffer from this life threatening condition.
"There is a trained team at al Isteqlal hospital, who have been qualified to carry out such operations," he said.
"NGOs in Italy and the US have expressed readiness to transfer complicated cases to Italy or the US for further treatment," he added.
The volunteer programme is being carried out in cooperation between Gift of Life in Italy and Healing a Child's Heart (HCH) as well as local hospital of al Iseqlal in Amman.
Over the past years, Crupi has conducted 31 operations for children in the Middle East and many others for children from aound the world. Between 2005 and 2008, children from Moldova, Algeria and Iraq received surgeries, thanks to the work of Gift of Life Italy, USA.
Crupi said the programme "Middle East Children Heart Project", will be carried out with two other non-profit organizations: New York-based Gift of life Inc. and Amman-based Palestine for Medical Coverage.
Healing a Child's Heart (HCH) is a non-profit organization that aims to provide free surgery to indigent children in the Middle East born with a congenital heart disease. (ANSAmed)
CAIRO - Prosecutors in Cairo have extended the detention of Ahmed Abdallah, a consultant for the family of tortured and murdered Italian student Giulio Regeni, by 15 days, judicial sources said on Wednesday.
The prosecutors had ordered an initial four-day detention two days ago in a probe into alleged incitement to demonstrate illegally against a border deal ceding two islands to Saudi Arabia. The family of Regeni, who are seeking the truth about his brutal murder amid Egyptian stonewalling, have voiced concern over Abdallah's detention. On Tuesday they said that they were "anxious" over the arrest of Abdallah, president of the board of the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedom (ECRF), an NGO that is providing consultancy work for the Regeni's lawyers.
Sources at the general prosecutors office in Cairo have said that the arrest of Abdallah was not linked to the case of the Italian researcher who was tortured and murdered in Egypt earlier this year, according to an Egyptian daily. The sources said the detention was related to an "unauthorized demonstration" and has "nothing to do with the family of the Italian student," the site of daily newspaper Al Masry Al Youm said Wednesday.
Amnesty International confirmed Abdallah was arrested along with activist Sanaa Seif and lawyer Malek Adly. Egyptian special forces took Abdallah from his home on the night of April 24 and he stands accused of instigation to violence in order to overthrow the government, adhering to a terrorist group, and promotion of terrorism, Amnesty said.
In light of Amnesty's communique, the Regeni family expressed "concern over the recent wave of arrests in Egypt (of) human rights activists, lawyers and journalists, some of them directly engaged in the search for the truth about the abduction, torture and murder of Giulio", their statement said.
Regeni, a 28-year-old Cambridge doctoral student researching Egyptian trade unions, disappeared on January 25, the heavily policed fifth anniversary of the uprising that toppled former strongman Hosni Mubarak.
His beaten, burned, slashed, and mutilated body turned up in a ditch on the city's outskirts on February 3.
Italy has complained of a lack of cooperation from Cairo in getting to the bottom of the case and recently recalled its ambassador to Egypt for consultations after the investigation into Regeni's death stalled, with Egypt proffering unlikely versions of his death that included a car crash, a gay lovers' quarrel, and a kidnapping for ransom gone wrong.
On Monday, which was a national holiday in Italy, Lower House Speaker Laura Boldrini reiterated the call for truth and justice for Regeni.
"We will never tire of calling for the truth. A democracy does not compromise," she said during celebrations to mark Italy's liberation from the Nazi occupation in World War II.
Meanwhile in the Egyptian capital, a journalist who interviewed the relatives of the criminal gang allegedly found to be in possession of Regeni's documents was among numerous people detained following anti-government protests coinciding with the anniversary of the end of the Israeli occupation of the Sinai peninsula on Monday.
Basma Mostafa was one of six local and six foreign journalists be to detained.
Also on Monday, an Egyptian television presenter drew criticism after saying Regeni could 'go to hell'.
"What's all the fuss about?" asked Rania Yassin on the Saudi television channel Al Hadath Al Arabiya.
"Is it the first time that someone has been killed? Initially we sympathised, a young person had been killed. But now you have pushed us into saying 'go to hell', we've had enough of this story!" Journalists in Cairo said Yassin's remarks were "out of place and not to be publicised".
PARIS - Salah Abdeslam, suspected of playing a major role in the November 13 terrorist attacks in the French capital and arrested in Brussels, was on Wednesday extradited to France, the Belgian federal prosecutor's office confirmed.
He is the only suspect still alive. Abdeslam was taken to France on a French military helicopter that was reportedly escorted by a large security contingent with special units of the GIGN and the national gendarmerie. The helicopter arrived at 9:05 AM. Abdeslam is eager to speak to the French judiciary, the man's new lawyer, Frank Berton, told La Voix du Nord.
Berton added that what was important was that the man be given a fair trial and that he be sentenced for what he did but not the crimes he did not commit.
Trevi fountain to be coloured red for 'Christian martyrs' Bagnasco says event opportunity to pray for persecuted
(ANSAmed) - ROME, APRIL 27 - Rome's iconic Trevi Fountain will be lit up red on April 29 to highlight the plight of Christian martyrs and victims of persecution in many parts of the world, including the Middle East, west Africa and Pakistan.
The event is being organised by the Aid the Church in Need association which helps persecuted Christians. Among the people set to attend the event are Monsignor Antoine Audo, the Chaldean Catholic Bishop of Aleppo, which has suffered massive destruction during the Syrian civil war.
"Colouring the Trevi Fountain red will be an opportunity to highlight the existence, still today, of martyrdom and to send a prayer to the Lord for the persecuted Christians and all those who are oppressed," said Angelo Bagnasco, the president of Italian bishops conference CEI, in his message for the event.
(ANSAmed).
Austria to have 250 police at Brenner, army if needed Vienna plans to make migrant controls in Italy and a 370mt fence
(ANSAmed) - BOLZANO, APRIL 27 - Helmut Tomac, the chief of police of the Austrian state of Tyrol, said Wednesday that 250 police officers will be stationed at the Brenner Pass with the introduction of controls at the border with Italy. "Soldiers will be sent to the Brenner in case of necessity, although the decision is up to the defence ministry," Tomac said.
Austrian authorities on Wednesday asked to be able to conduct road and rail migrant controls in Italian territory. "The setting up of a fence on the Italo-Austrian border depends on Italy," said Tomac. "In view of the imminent meeting between (interior) ministers (Wolfgang) Sobotka and (Angelino) Alfano in Rome, the fence construction work has been put off," he said.
Tomac said the introduction of border controls at the Brenner Pass features plans for a 370-metre fence. "It's a normal fence, not a barbed-wire one," said Tomac. "It will only be set up if necessary in the case of a massive arrival of migrants".
He explained that this fence will be portable and will be put together shortly to be ready to be used if needed. "Austria does not intend to isolate itself but to channel eventual migrant flows". He added he was confident using the fence can be avoided. (ANSAmed).
Border checks between Italy and Austria 'inevitable', Hofer Austrian gov't takes hardline stance; 'showdown' on Schengen
(by Patrizia Antonini).
(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, APRIL 27 - Border checks at the Brenner Pass are inevitable, the head of Austria's far-right, anti-immigrant Freedom Party (FPO) Norbert Hofer has said.
The FPO, which is pushing for tighter border control, won the first round of the country's presidential elections on Sunday.
''I am certainly not happy about it, but we don't have any other choice,'' he said.
The government under Social Democrat Werner Faymann has however taken an even more hardline position on the issue. A press conference will be held at 1 PM on Wednesday at the border crossing between Italy and Austria to illustrate ''border control management'', with representatives from the police and traffic authorities. ''The closing of the Brenner Pass will severely damage the economy and transportation, as well as the EU since it is a symbol of European integration,'' warned Transport Minister Graziano Delrio. The European Commission is waiting and watching the situation. In recent days, some sources have said that they are ready to react including through an infringement procedure (the April package will be published on Wednesday), if the Austrian measures are ''unnecessary'' or ''disproportionate'' and thus violate the Schengen Code. Relations between Brussels and Vienna have been growing more complicated in this period, first after the announcement of daily refugee quotas and now with that of a barrier at the Brenner Pass. The hard-wrought EU-Turkey agreement will meanwhile be put to the test on May 4, when the EU executive will be giving its assessment on the implementation of the 72 criteria set to lift visa requirements for Turkish citizens. While Turkey threats to declare the agreement null and void, the European Commission continues to say simply that everyone must do their part but that if the agreement does not hold up, ''there will be many Idomenis'', said spokesperson Margaritis Schinas, referring to a Greek village on the Macedonian border where thousands of refugees have been stranded after the border closed. Berlin is applying a great deal of political pressure on the issue. Chancellor Angela Merkel returned to Turkey over the weekend and a high-level EU delegation is currently in the country. Greece - which was being assessed on Wednesday on its external border management - is the member state most at risk.
By midnight, Athens will have to send a document to Brussels in which it explains how it has resolved the porousness of its borders, one of the last parts of a procedure to decide whether an extraordinary procedure as per Article 26 of the Schengen Code will be activated. The procedure enables one or more countries to reintroduce internal border controls within the area of unrestricted circulation for up to two years. With Germany and Vienna planning to use all possible means set down by the Schengen Code to maintain internal border control (on May 13 and 16, respectively), there is a high possibility that the European Commission will on May 12 decide to save the Schengen zone by isolating Greece - which has already happened in a de facto manner with the closing of the Western Balkan migrant route. However, if migrant flows in the central Mediterranean were to increase and France were to decide to follow in Austria's footsteps, Italy may also end up with serious problems.
(ANSAmed).
Closing Brenner 'flagrantly' against EU rules, says Renzi Austria must rethink Brenner closure, Italian House speaker
(ANSAmed) - ROME, APRIL 27 - Premier Matteo Renzi said in his e-news Wednesday that Austria's idea of closing the Brenner Pass with a fence is "flagrantly against European rules, as well as against history, against logic and against the future". Italian House Speaker Laura Boldrini said on Austria's plans to build a wall at the Brenner Pass "it is not the right way, because it divides. It is the surrender of the European Union, it means raising the white flag and I hope the Austrian authorities reconsider". She said "it is a very worrying situation, and Austria's choice is completely wrong".
Austria said Wednesday it is considering a 370-metre fence at the border and sending the army if needed in the event of a large migrant flow. It also said it wants to be able to carry out road and rail controls on migrants inside Italian territory.
(ANSAmed).
State should have equal distance from all religions, Erdogan 'Religious constitution personal opinion of parliament speaker'
(ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, APRIL 27 - In calling for a new ''religious constitution'' in Turkey, Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman was only expressing his personal opinion, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. Following the ruling AKP's denial that Kahraman's statement represented them, Erdogan spoke on the issue during an official visit to Croatia. ''The reality is that the state should have an equal distance from all religious faiths,'' the Turkish president said, adding that the polemics simply distract from Turkey's main agenda. The current constitution, drafted after the 1980 military coup, enshrines the principle of laicism of the state.
(ANSAmed).
Le CBD, cette molecule active du cannabis a aujourdhui le vent en poupe. Et cela est en grande partie du au fait quil permet...
Last week, in an attempt to win back Johan Kobborg, the house ballets artistic director along with his superstar fiancee, Alina Cojocaru, and all the companys non-Romanian dancers the culture minister brought back the former general manager whose replacement led to the crisis. But that general manager, George Calin, had been removed because of corruption charges; when he returned, the opera side of the house and the orchestra went on strike (shutting down ballet performances as well). Calin stepped down the next day, and the house has been leaderless since; the culture minister has tried to convince legendary Romanian-American stage director Andrei Serban to return to Bucharest and turn the company around, as he did with the National Theatre after the Ceausescu regime fell. Now the pro- and anti- foreigner Kobborg sides (which roughly but not entirely align with the ballet and opera sides) are bitterly hurling accusations at each other, with the deputy prime minister attempting to mediate. (in Romanian; Google Translate version here)
Angry about impending changes to the countrys generous system of unemployment insurance for performers and backstage personnel between gigs, protesting intermittents du spectacle (as theyre called in France) have occupied the Comedie-Francaise and the Theatre de lOdeon in Paris (where this set of protests began, and where performances of Racines Phedre starring Isabelle Huppert have had to be cancelled). Demonstrators say theyve also occupied the major state theatres in Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Rennes, Caen, Lille, Toulouse, Grenoble, and Montpellier. A disastrous string of protests over the same issue in the summer of 2003 devastated the nations summer festivals, causing cancellations even at Avignon and Aix-en-Provence. (in French; Google Translate version here)
According to the General Staff of the United States Peter Gersten, between 500 and 800 million in cash destroyed in the attacks. Spike in defections (up to 90%) and decline in new arrivals, especially among foreign fighters. $ 150 million kept in one house in Mosul.
Baghdad (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The air raids against the Islamic state have led to the destruction of at least $ 800 million in cash, kept within sensitive targets destroyed by coalition fighters says Major General Peter Gersten, the most senior US military official in Baghdad. He claims US aircraft have struck several warehouses where part of the jihadist groups funds were held.
The blow to the coffers of Daesh [Arabic acronym of the Islamic State, IS] has also resulted in a peak (up to 90%) in defections and a decline in new arrivals, particularly among foreign fighters.
In 2014, the US Treasury had declared IS the "terrorist group with the best financing system" in history. However, in recent weeks independent analysts have revealed that the jihadi movement is in the red and is having to resort to raising taxes or creating new heavy taxes to plug the holes in the groups finances.
Major General Gersten, deputy commander on the ground for military operations and intelligence, reports that at least 20 air strikes have targeted warehouses where money is kept. However, he has failed to clarify how Washington is aware exactly how much money went up in smoke.
He reports of an attack on a house in Mosul, the jihadist stronghold in northern Iraq, where about 150 million dollars was destroyed. US intelligence sources had given precise instructions on the room of the apartment where the money was kept.
The exact amount of money available to Daesh is unknown; according to some estimates, the funds would total about two billion dollars, with a surplus of 250 million last year. In recent months the Sunni Islamic fundamentalist movement has suffered territorial losses, and its oil wells have been subjected to heavy shelling.
The crisis is confirmed by a note that dates back to last January, according to which the leaders of the jihadist group would cut the salary of militiamen by more than half "due to exceptional circumstances, facing the Islamic state.
The number of guerrillas joining Daesh for jihad has also decreased: if in the past the figure ranged between 1,500 and 2,000 per month, today it is around 200. White House sources add that in February the number of foreign militants was about 25 thousand, down from 31,500 last year.
The archbishop of Mumbai is among 260 religious leaders who signed an appeal to world leaders asking them to implement immediately the Paris climate agreement. Citing Pope Francis Laudato si encyclical, he stresses that it is the poor who pay for pollution. Step outside in India, and often you will be breathing some of the dirtiest city air on the planet, he writes.
Mumbai (AsiaNews) Some 76 million people lack access to safe drinking water in India; this is the largest number in the world. Periods of extreme drought affect various States every year six of ten of the most polluted cities in the world are in India. Their residents breathe air that is up to 15 times more polluted than the maximum allowable limit.
This has pushed Card Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Mumbai and president of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences, to sign a declaration asking the worlds heads of state to put into practice immediately the Paris climate agreement.
More than 260 religious leaders signed the declaration. In it, they urge governments which ratified the historic agreement on climate change last week in New York to accelerate the elimination of subsidies to fossil fuel as part of the transition to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050.
Card Gracias is one of 20 Indian religious leaders who signed the Interfaith Climate Change Statement. Writing in The Hindustan Times about the appalling conditions in which people live in his country, he reminded his fellow citizens of how humanity is abusing our planet, a gift from God.
Faith communities are already working hard to alleviate many of the worlds problems, but we can do even more by reducing emissions in homes, workplaces and centres of worship, and to divest from fossil fuels and invest in renewable sources of energy.
Citing Pope Francis encyclical Laudato si on the care of creation, the cardinal notes, Immorally, it is of course the poor who have contributed least to these problems that are worst impacted. For their sakes, the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas, coupled with unabated and unplanned urbanization, must cease soon as possible. Twenty-one countries have already proven that it is possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while keeping the economy growing India could be among them, but is not.
In a reference to Earth Day, which was celebrated on 22 April, the prelate pointed out that "the current state of our planet means we must rather bemoan its condition and act to rectify them.
Almost a year on from the Popes Encyclical, Laudato Si, which I invite everyone to read, how much has the world and India changed? he asks. The answer is depressing.
Pope Francis wrote that, due to pollution and climate change, our home is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth. Step outside in India, and often you will be breathing some of the dirtiest city air on the planet. Take a walk through our towns and villages, and you will see the foulness of our rivers.
Of course, there are some signs for optimism. The governments ambitious targets for renewable energy sources such as solar and wind are noble, and worldwide renewable energy investments are increasing at an astonishing rate. With the cost of solar energy plummeting, the situation can only get better. And Delhi has recently trialled its car pollution-reduction scheme to great success.
Yet, This is simply not enough.
Moscow (AsiaNews) - After the decision to draw up a detailed list of Christian places destroyed and damaged during the war in Syria, as well as that of the names of all the new Christian martyrs, the Catholic Church and the Moscow Patriarchate have announced the creation of another joint project: an event later this year in favor of the children of Homs, victims of the military conflict.
At a conference in Moscow on April 21, representatives of the two Churches who participated at the beginning of the month in a joint visit to Syria and Lebanon spoke about this latest effort. "We will coordinate and we will plan the event together" said Piotr Gumenyuk of Aid to the Church in Need, as reported by the Russian media.
The situation of children in the refugee camp of Zahle, Lebanon, particularly affected the archbishop of the Mother of God in Moscow, Msgr. Paolo Pezzi. "Despite what we have seen, the fact murders and losses remain forever etched that in their souls, they still smile," the archbishop said. "This trip allowed us to take the first concrete step, after the meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill in Havana," he said.
Hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), secretary of the Department for External Relations of the Patriarchate, then specified that all projects are studied and discussed with the Syrian Christians.
Participants at the press conference stressed the warm attitude that people in Lebanon and Syria have towards Russia. "This is an unequivocally positive relationship - said the Catholic Archbishop because Russia in recent years has done much more than others in these countries not only for Christians, but also so that all people can live in peace."
According to him, the bishops in Syria "have seen that we, Orthodox and Catholics from Russia have visited them together: it is a unity not on paper but of concrete steps of solidarity". (MA)
The dissident spent 19 years in a "re-education through labor camp". Released, he fled to the United States from where he began a decades-long battle against the laogai system. Thanks also to his commitment and his courageous witness, Beijing was forced - at least on paper - to close its slave labor camps. As a Catholic, spoke out on many occasions in defense of religious freedom in China.
Washington (AsiaNews) - Harry Wu, one of China's best known dissidents on the international arena, has died at 79 years of age while on vacation in Honduras. His passing was announced by the managing director of the Laogai Human Rights Organisation, Ann Noonan, who collaborated for a long time with him. The causes of death arenot yet clear: His son Harrison and his ex-wife Lee China are traveling to Central America, for an autopsy and to bring the body back to the United States.
Born into a wealthy Catholic family in Shanghai, subjected to Maoist requisitions after the Communist victory of 1949, Wu experienced the brutality of the Chinese regime first hand. Arrested by the communist authorities in 1960 - while studying geology at university - on charges of being a "counter-revolutionary" and "belonging to a group of dissident Catholic students", he was released in 1979 after 19 years of detention. In 1985 he managed to reach the United States and since then began his fight for the restoration of human rights in his country.
The tragic story of those 19 years is collected in Bitter Winds (1994), the memoirs of his experiences in the laogai. The book was translated and published in Italian in 2008. The text was presented by the author at the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions in Milan.
After taking American citizenship, he became Professor of Geology at the University of California, Berkeley. Here he began to write about his experiences in the laogai and in 1992 he gave up teaching to devote himself exclusively to activism and the condemnation of human rights violations in China. To do so, he set up the Laogai Research Foundation, a public research, education and non-profit organization on Chinese labor camps.
The forced re-education system devised by the communist government since its birth is divided into laojiao (short form of "laodong jiaoyang" reeducation through labor) and laogai. Both were implemented by Mao Zedong in 1957 to "reform the mind of the counter revolutionary and right-wing conservative".
In the first case, sentencing is left to police discretion and could not last more than six months; the second is imposed with a judicial sentence and can last decades. According to the Laogai Research Foundation in China, to 2013 there are at least 1,045 laogai, with about 4 million prisoners. Industrial or agricultural laogai are a real production system that contributes to the economy of China. The prisoners of the laogai are not paid.
Wu has testified before United States Congress, parliaments in the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, the United Nations and the European Parliament, achieving the pledge that these states ban the distribution and sale of products from laogai.
He continuously visited China to collect testimonies and reports on the actual social situation: As a direct result of this he was again arrested in 1995 and sentenced to 15 years on charges of espionage. Thanks to an intense diplomatic work he returned to the United States without serving his sentence.
In 2008 he opened a "Laogai Museum" in Washington: in his words, the museum "will serve to preserve the memory of the many victims of the system of reeducation through labor, and will help make the public aware of the atrocities committed by the Chinese communist regime" .
Thanks to his efforts, in 2013 Beijing announced the closure of the laogai system. Although the announcement did not follow immediately with concrete facts, in the space of two years the camps have in fact been abandoned. "He was a real hero - said Noonan - and his work will continue. It will never stop".
The Pope approved a decree attesting to the heroic virtue. Together with St Andrew Kim Dae-gon, he entered the seminary in Macao in 1836. After his ordination he returned home and, despite the persecution of the Joseon kingdom, cared for about 4 thousand faithful spread throughout the peninsula. He translated catechism books from Chinese and put Catholic teaching to verse to foster learning. He died consumed by the mission in 1861.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Pope Francis today authorized the promulgation of the decree on the heroic virtues of Fr. Thomas Choe Yang-eop, the second Korean priest and son of two martyrs.
Born in 1820 to St. Francis Choe Gyeong-hwan and Lee Seong-rye - both martyrs, the first canonized by John Paul II in 1984 - in 1836 the young Thomas along with Andrew Kim Dae-gon (the first priest and first saint of Korea) and Choe Pang-jae set off for Macau, to enter the seminary (in the picture, a portrait of their trip). Choe died before their ordination, in 1849.
For the next 12 years Fr. Choe cared for more than 4 thousand faithful in more than one hundred Catholic communities throughout Korea. Fr. Choe also translated catechism books from Chinese to Korean, and set the doctrine of the Catholic faith to Korean poetry, in order to facilitate its understanding and memorizing for the laity.
He died in 1861 at age 41 and is buried in Baeron, a village located between two steep and deep valleys in central Korea. This place has a lot of importance for the Korean Church: here Alex Hwang Sa-yeong wrote his Baek-seo, "Silk Letter", while hiding from persecution. Moreover, it is also home to the St. Joseph Seminary, the first of the peninsula.
A first-time Philippine senator and a former minister endorsed by the current president were selected by analysts as the most credible candidates in next months election to run the economy, according to a Bloomberg survey. Both are trailing in opinion polls.
Grace Poe, a senator and adopted daughter of a famous local actor, and former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas scored the highest support of the five main candidates in a confidence survey of 10 economists. Both ranked ahead of Rodrigo Duterte, the firebrand mayor of Davao city who is leading in the latest poll by Pulse Asia
While all the contenders are championing reforms started by outgoing President Benigno Aquino to boost infrastructure and create more jobs, Poe and Roxas are viewed by economists as the most capable of delivering on their promises. At stake is an economy thats been among the fastest growing in the world and a stock market thats more than doubled since Aquino took office in 2010.
From a business perspective, the priority is simple: continuity of reforms, said Jonathan Ravelas, chief strategist at BDO Unibank Inc. in Manila. Poe and Roxas are perceived as the most similar to the present administration. It might not be what the popular vote wants.
Duterte has won support from locals by transforming Davao from a city battling crime and gangs in the 1980s to one of the nations safest. A controversial figure, Duterte is facing a backlash for comments he made last week joking about the rape of an Australian missionary in 1989.
Duterte was ranked third on confidence in running the economy, followed by Vice President Jejomar Binay, who is facing corruption charges. Miriam Santiago, a senator who is battling health problems, was rated the lowest. The survey was conducted in late March to early April and respondents were asked to rank candidates from best to worst in steering the economy.
Rodrigo Duterte is somewhat of an outlier with a limited economic track record, BMI Research said in a note to clients.
Philippine growth averaged almost 6 percent in the past five years, the best performance since the 1970s. Aquinos policies helped the country win its first-ever investment-grade credit rating, while his campaign to end corruption has yielded better governance scores.
The top economic priorities of the new president should be infrastructure investment, combating corruption and making it easier to do business, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg.
Growth of more than 7 percent or even 8 percent can only be sustained in the medium term if adequate infrastructure is provided, bottlenecks to doing business eased and structural reforms including tax reform are put in place, said Emilio Neri, an economist at Bank of the Philippine Islands in Manila.
Photo caption: Cover image of A Guide to Overcoming Conflicts with Immigrant Parents by Hodan Ibrahime./ Photo Credit: Qurtaba Publishing House, 2015
By Florence Hwang
Special to The Post
Cultural differences between young new Canadians and their parents can compound the struggles youth normally experience within their families during childhood and adolescence.
A Guide to Overcoming Conflicts with Immigrant Parents (Qurtaba Publishing House) outlines how young first-generation immigrants can handle conflict with their immigrant parents. Hodan Ibrahim, an artist and entrepreneur, wrote this five-chapter booklet to guide young immigrants towards pursuing their dreams, with a particular emphasis on conflicts within Muslim families, based on her own experiences and upbringing.
Often, children of immigrants are expected to obey their parents without questioning their authority. Ibrahim writes that immigrant children may be left unhappy in the struggle to continually live up to their parents expectations.
I was able to fight through and escape the overbearing cultural pressures put on young people to essentially live up to the expectations of our community and parents when we have very different expectations for how we want to live our lives, she writes.
Culture impacts aspirations
In her booklet, Ibrahim emphasizes why it is important for children to discover and work towards fulfilling their own dreams - not living out the dreams of their parents. Her approach is more in-line with Western culture, in that it is more individualistic, rather than Eastern culture, which is more holistic.
She notes that individuality or sense of independence can scare parents. It makes them very uncomfortable because they dont understand or dont want to understand why their child wants to be different.
She says immigrant parents may react by saying, "You don't listen, but that this really means, You don't listen to my way of doing things.
Like many of you, I grew up in an environment where I was persuaded to not find my talent, let alone allowed to follow my dreams, she writes. As a Muslim woman, no one wants to hear you doing this. Actually, no one cares, as long [as] you find a nice husband, work 9-5, have a baby. But is that all I was made for? she asks.
Children need independence
To help learn about her personal interests and passions, she went to libraries and listened to speakers and personal development gurus.
I had no real understanding of what my life passions were but I knew that the only way to find it was to not be afraid to try new things, writes Ibrahim, who says her parents expected her to become a doctor.
She says a childs purpose in life supersedes the wishes of their parents and anyone elses opinions. She encourages immigrant children to explore, try new things and travel to find out what their passions are and potentially discover their calling in life.
Ibrahim says she also focused on faith and spirituality to find her passion and realize her goals.
I only had God ... who I called on when I had nothing else to call on, who nurtured me when I fell deep into my pain and kindly guided me to where I was supposed to go, not where I thought I wanted to go, she writes.
I learned that you really cant survive on your own and that a deeper and much higher force is there for you, to guide you and help you, she adds.
First- and second-generation immigrants must discover who they are, what they want to contribute to the world, and the families they want to have all while balancing their faith with their careers, writes Ibrahim. Parents dont often understand the difficulty of balancing it all, she notes.
She points out that the children of immigrants return from school or work to deal with society's problems while facing another internal battlefield at home the result of language barriers and other cultural divisions.
You are just set up to lose. So what do you do? You must learn to separate your thoughts and ideas from your family, community and culture, Ibrahim writes.
Not fair to generalize
As an immigrant and child of immigrants myself, not all of Ibrahims points resonate with me.
My parents did not expect me to become a doctor, accountant, or lawyer. They encouraged me to become anything I wanted to be, which was a journalist and later a librarian. They did question my choice as a journalist initially, but were eventually supportive. They did prefer my second choice, though, as it is a more stable profession.
While Ibrahim focuses on Muslim families, it is still a generalization to argue they are mostly set in their ways and do not change. Immigrant parents do want their children to become financially independent and successful in their careers.
A Guide to Overcoming Conflicts with Immigrant Parents offers practical advice and at the same time touches on the roots of intergenerational conflict. She looks at the differing philosophies of parents and their children and paints the parents as having an insular view of the world while the younger generations is non-hierarchal.
Im here to tell you: you are not alone, she writes. I get it and wanted to open up the discussion about the challenges and solutions to life's problems that many young, career-oriented individuals from ethnic backgrounds have to face.
Florence Hwang used to work as a print journalist before becoming a media librarian. These days, she is also a freelance writer, whose work has been featured in several publications, including New Canadian Media. Outside of work, Florence spends her time making short films about her family history.
This piece was originally appeared in New Canadian Media (newcanadianmedia.ca). See http://newcanadianmedia.ca/item/34494-immigrant-youth-struggle-with-parental-expectations
A Hertfordshire wedding dress designer has filed a claim against Alexander McQueen, claiming Kate Middletons custom royal wedding dress was a knockoff one of her own.
Five years after the royal wedding, Christine Kendall is suing the fashion house, saying she presented sketches to the duchess before the wedding which resembles the 40,000 dress Middleton wore on her wedding day.
The fashion house has vehemently denied the claim.
We are utterly baffled by this legal claim, a statement released by Alexander McQueen said.
Christine Kendall first approached us at Alexander McQueen almost four years ago, when we were clear with her that any suggestion Sarah Burton's design of the royal wedding dress was copied from her designs was nonsense.
Sarah Burton never saw any of Ms Kendall's designs or sketches and did not know of Ms Kendall before Ms Kendall got in touch with us some 13 months after the wedding. We do not know why Ms Kendall has raised this again, but there are no ifs, buts or maybes here: this claim is ridiculous.
The claim has been filed at the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court in London, suing for alleged breach of copyright.
Though she claimed Middleton saw her sketches for the dress, Kendall said the lawsuit doesnt involve the royals.
This claim is not against the duchess and there is no allegation of wrongdoing against the palace, Kendalls lawyer told the International Business Times.
A spokesperson for the royal family said Middleton herself never saw the sketches.
Kendall made the claim just 13 months after the royal wedding and made a series of YouTube videos, claiming the originality of her design.
New South Wales Family and community minister Brad Hazzard has announced $825,000 in funding for not-for-profit legal organisation Justice Connect.
The Department of Family and Community Services will provide $275,000 a year for three years.
This funding will allow Justice Connect to provide around 200,000 not-for-profit community groups in NSW with free, online, up-to-date legal information; low cost training and a free telephone inquiry service, Hazzard said.
Justice Connect has around 5,000 pro bono lawyers in NSW. The organisation works with not-for-profits and aims to grow pro bono culture and advocate for policy reform.
In funding this service the Government is helping the helpers by freeing up the capacity of organisations to provide vital support and services to vulnerable and disadvantaged people in NSW, Justice Connect CEO Fiona McLeay said.
A Deloitte Access Economics Report showed that our program delivers a contribution of around $2.4 million to the NSW economy. We thank Minister Hazzard and the NSW Government for this vital funding, which will increase our contribution further.
The service has seen a 21% increase in the number of inquiries they receive and a 163% increase in the amount of advice provided by telephone to not-for-profits since 2013-14.
Every day we see great organisations, delivering vital community services, spending their time navigating what can be a complicated legal landscape, said Juanita Pope, director of Not-for-profit Law.
By providing accessible, tailored legal help to these groups, we help the helpers. This work that the government has funded lets community groups focus on doing their real job, whether thats providing refuge for women and children fleeing family violence, caring for those with a disability, managing community-based housing, responding to emergencies or protecting the environment."
The first thing I did when I won the Nobel Prize was to sit my wife down. I told her I was sorry. I knew everything was about to change.
Its not every day you meet a Nobel Prize winner, and while Brian P. Schmidt appears, at first glance, no different than the average guy youd bump into at a bus stop, the reality couldnt be further from the truth.
Schmidt is 48. Born in Montana, he married an Australian and emigrated here in 1994. Described by some as a militant agnostic, his tagline of I dont know and neither do you often raises a smile. He believes in global warming, and has even placed a $10,000 bet on temperatures rising with the chairman of the Prime Ministers Business Council.
We meet in the ruins of Mount Stromlo observatory, which was burnt to the ground by bushfire in 2003. As his voice echoes off the walls, I quickly determine that behind his disarming charm and piercing blue eyes, a brain pulsates as powerful as the supernovae hes studied.
You see, Im just an ordinary guy, he continues with a wry smile, casually leaning up against the stone ledge in front of me. Even my old teachers reaction to my win was like, You? Its a bit surprising, really. I just worked hard and was enthusiastic.
I nodded but I didnt buy it for a second, for Schmidt seemed to glow, like the anointed ones do, and I was well aware that...
The first large-scale study of ancient DNA from early American people has confirmed the devastating impact of European colonisation on the Indigenous American populations of the time.
Published in Science Advances (http://tinyurl.com/za9vzu9), the study reveals a striking absence of pre-Columbian genetic lineages in modern Indigenous Americans, and thus points to the extinction of these lineages with the arrival of the Spaniards.
The research team reconstructed maternal genetic lineages of Indigenous American populations by sequencing mitochondrial genomes extracted from bone and teeth samples taken from 92 pre-Columbian human mummies and skeletons aged between 500 and 8600 years old.
Surprisingly, none of the genetic lineages we found in almost 100 ancient humans were present, or showed evidence of descendants, in todays Indigenous populations, says joint lead author Dr Bastien...
DNA repair is compromised at important regions of our genome, according to a University of NSW study of more than 20 million DNA mutations from 1161 tumours across 14 cancer types.
The study, published in Nature (http://tinyurl.com/h96cbv7), found that for many cancer types, especially skin cancers, the number of mutations was particular high in regions of the genome known as gene promoters. These DNA sequences control how genes are expressed and therefore determine cell type and function.
The researchers found that the number of DNA mutations are higher in gene promoters because the proteins that bind DNA to control gene expression block a cellular repair system that fixes damaged DNA. This particular system, known as nucleotide excision repair (NER), can only repair damage from UV light.
Lead author Dr Jason Wong of UNSWs Lowy Cancer Research Centre said the results provide compelling evidence that increased mutations at gene promoter sites are caused by a compromised NER system.
What this research also tells us is that while the human body is pretty good at repairing itself, there are certain parts of our genome that are poorly repaired when we sustain damage from mutagens such as UV light and cigarette smoke, he said.
By actively avoiding these harmful...
An international team of scientists has used the estimated ages and spatial distribution of Australian megafauna fossils to develop mathematical models that predict the most likely locations of undiscovered fossil deposits. Published in PLOS ONE (http://tinyurl.com/jkxh3jf), the models were developed for Australia but can be adapted for fossil-hunters in other continents.
A chain of ideal conditions must occur for fossils to form, which means they are extremely rare, so finding as many as possible can tell us more of what the past was like, and why certain species went extinct, says Prof Corey Bradshaw of The University of Adelaide.
Typically, however, we use haphazard ways to find fossils. Mostly people just go to excavation sites and surrounding areas where fossils have been found before. We hope our models will make it easier for palaeontologists and archaeologists to identify new fossil sites that could yield vast treasures of prehistoric information.
The team modelled the past distribution of species, the geological suitability of fossil preservation and the likelihood of fossil discovery in the field. They applied this information to a range of Australian megafauna that became extinct over the last 50,000 years, such as the giant terror bird Genyornis, the rhino-sized...
Marine biologists have raised concerns about the whereabouts of the worlds biggest whale sharks after finding that the largest sharks observed in recent years were smaller than those recorded more than a decade ago.
Dr Ana Sequeira of The University of Western Australias Oceans Institute, who led the study, said it was important to know the size of whale sharks because it provided information about their population status. However, its difficult to obtain accurate size estimates as this needs to be done while they are freely swimming.
A common technique is to compare the sharks with an object of known size while swimming alongside them. However, these estimates are often inaccurate, Sequeira said. We found the margin for error increased as the actual size of the target increased, which meant that big sharks of around 1011 metres were mistakenly thought to be up to about 3 metres smaller.
The new study, published in Royal Society Open...
The introduction of online visa applications for Chinese people in Mandarin is being hailed as a positive step and one that is likely to result in an increase in visitors for both work and leisure.It is the first time that applications will be able to take place in a language other than English and has been broadly welcomed.On top of this the Australian government is also introducing a new 10 year multiple entry for Chinese citizens and this will add to the numbers.The tourism industry has already welcomed the changes and now the business sector said it is delighted with the decisions too, in particular it is likely to result in more attendees at business events.According to Andrew Hiebl, chief executive officer of the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux, she cost and complexity of visa applications is a core concern for the business events industry."Ensuring that Australia's visa processing arrangements remain competitive is a must. The news today that visas will be easier to obtain for Chinese delegates is very welcome." he said.However, the AACB would like to see further change and has asked the government to consider allowing high spend delegates from China to be eligible for the same $20 electronic travel authorisation currently available to business delegates from Hong Kong and Malaysia.Hiebl also pointed out that there is a lot of synergy between business events in Australia and China. A recent showcase in Shanghai, for example, featured 30 Australian companies promoting conference and incentive travel to Australia. Sellers met with over 100 Chinese corporate buyers, business events agents and media during a three day programme."These events in China show the federal government's commitment to attracting business events to Australia and a recognition of the importance of the sector to the Australian economy," he said.He also explained that international delegates are as good as it gets for Australian tourism as they spend, on average, 21% more than other international visitors over the course of their trip and 77% more per day"They are exactly the kind of international tourists we need to be encouraging. The growth prospects for China are greater than any other market, especially now with the momentum of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. A focus on business events will only strengthen ties between the two countries, as they provide platforms for sharing knowledge, collaboration, networks and trade," Hiebl added.He also believes that while most sellers will be focusing on the corporate incentives sector out of China, there is enormous scope to attract Chinese delegates to conventions and exhibitions hosted in Australia.The AACB has just released a forward calendar of 296 international business events confirmed for Australia through to 2024. Hiebl said that sharing this intelligence with Tourism Australia and Austrade could help better direct delegate boosting and reverse trade mission initiatives.
I intend to apply for the 189 Skilled migration visa.since I work in my father's business for years, the VETASSESS asked me to submit a "Letters of testimony from the company accountant confirming your role in the (family) business" . And this is in addition to the "pay slips" and "service letters" I sent to them.what should be included in this? just the list of job roles? any special phrases to be included in that letter? what is it exactly ? what does it mean by "letters of testimony" ?Sherm
Codenamed F90, the next-gen M5 has been caught on test in Germany by our crack team of carparazzi. For the first time ever, the F90 M5 shed some of its camo, revealing the interior graphics of the headlights and taillights. Even though we are dealing with a stylistic evolution, not a revolution, the lights do look fantastic.Under the skin, the entire G30 5-Series (including the F90 M5) will adopt the multi-material construction pioneered by the latest BMW 7 Series. More to the point, the BMW 5 Series will shed a lot of weight thanks to carbon fiber, high-strength steel, and other stuff BMW has learned from the i3 and i8. In the handling department, we should look forward to dynamic anti-roll bars and an anti-dive system. These will work together with the downforce-augmenting air blades of the F90 M5.In the oily bits department, rumor has it the all-new M5 will stick to the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 that motivates the current generation, though output will be ballooned to 600 horsepower. Another novelty comes in the form of a high-performance xDrive all-wheel-drive system. Dont boo and hiss now because slipping and sliding will not be phased out from the character of the M5. Think of the add-on as a tool that will improve the balance between wagging the tail out and carving corners.Tentatively due to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2017, the BMW F90 M5 will arrive in the United States of America and Canada for the 2018 model year.
EV
SUV
As per a report published by the Korea Herald , the Hyundai Motor Companys research & development facility in Namyang is on the job at full steam ahead. A spokesman told the publication that its true Hyundai will launch a new electric SUV, albeit such news shouldnt be taken for granted. Then again, I tend to give the report the thumbs up considering that Hyundai is now a full-fledged player in therealm. Hyundai Ioniq , anyone? Yes, that five-door hatchback which is available as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or all-electric runabout. It shouldnt be that hard for Hyundai to apply the battery-powered formula to a sport utility vehicle. Sister company Kia has taken the first step in this direction with the Niro hybrid crossover , which will spawn a plug-in hybrid at a later date. The Kia Niro shares some bits and bobs with the hybridized Hyundai Ioniq, including the engine, the transmission, and 103-inch wheelbase.Theres another reason the upcoming Hyundai electricis relevant in the automotive ecosystem. You see, the Tesla Model X is expensive. The 2018 Audi Q6 electric SUV will be priced too high for us mortals as well. The Hyundai? Just as youve assumed, the South Korean carmaker will have the edge in pricing.Despite the fact that the Hyundai Ioniq Electric can travel up to 110 miles (177 km) on a full charge, the electric sport utility vehicle from Hyundai is rumored to up the ante to 200 miles (320 km) or thereabout. The additional range over the Ioniq will be possible thanks to a different platform from that of the Ioniq.
From the outside, it looks like the early stealth fighter-bomber, the F-117. Its body is made up of several triangular shapes and covered in matte black paint. While it could work as a radar reflector, it's unlikely to keep the Chinese police off your back, especially after they find out what this road tank costs.Thankfully, the makers of the IAT Kalman have even converted what RMB12 million means. It's $1,850,000... plus options. If you have the money to buy it and show off, there must be at least a thousand sweatshop employees under your car or some sort of illegal chemical factory.The model being shown in Beijing is only the working test prototype. However, they plan to put ten examples into limited production when the money starts rolling in. The interior gives us the first clue that it's based on an American vehicle.More specifically, the bones are from the F-450. While the new F-150 uses aluminum, this bad boy is made from heavy-duty railway iron using coal and hammers. Under the hood of the IAT Kalman is something pretty rare, a 362 horsepower 6.8-liter Triton V10 gasoline-burning engine. Maybe we've been spoiled by the Hellcat, but that's not enough to set our pants on fire.The interior is like a combination between a Ford truck and a stretch limo. The American model's dash has been covered in Alcantara and sprinkled with gold accents. The seats are pretty nice but come nowhere near those of Lamborghini that costs the same amount of money. We really wonder how IAT justifies paying 25 times more than a Super Duty.Taking inspiration from Rolls-Royce, the Kalman King also features a starlight roof, wood trim, and a champagne cooler. But nothing we see here is worth losing your head over.
While the news of a collaboration between Qoros and Koenigsegg is a bit exaggerated because the Chinese brand worked with a sister company of the Swedish hypercar maker, the camfree engine is real.So, lets get into specifics. Koenigsegg Automotive AB has announced that FreeValve AB, a sister company that has a laboratory in the headquarters of Koenigseggs central facility, will work with Qoros Auto.The Chinese company signed a partnership with FreeValve AB to continue the development of the camless engine, a project focused on raising the efficiency of internal combustion units.FreeValve has developed a few working prototypes, but they want to adapt their Pneumatic-Hydraulic-Electric-Actuator technology for consumer-grade vehicles, and Qoros will be the first brand to feature them.The Chinese brand has already showcased a concept car that incorporates this technology, and it also announced plans to implement camfree engines in future vehicles. Qoros will call the resulting engines QamFree, a funny play on words.While a timeline was not specified, the introduction of camfree engines will be a significant breakthrough in internal combustion engine technology. The transition to camless engines is described to be bigger than the jump from carburetors to direct injection, Christian von Koenigsegg believes.With the aid of camless engines, carmakers will finally have the ability to fully control the timing of a power plant. Each combustion phase will be adjusted, and engines will be lighter and provide more power and enhanced economy.Instead of having a set of camshafts to change the timing, individual cylinders will be controlled through the FreeValve system developed by Koenigseggs subsidiary. Unlike a conventional "fully-variable" cam timing system, the Swedish system provides the ability to control each cylinder's combustion cycle.The Swedish company compares current camshaft technology to playing piano with both hands tied to opposite ends of a broomstick. The use of individual fingers, as piano players do, will allow individual valve control.The system will no longer restrict an engine designer to make a choice between torque and output, and fuel economy will be easily enhanced with precise control.After engineers developed electronically controlled spark timing, direct injection, and variable valve timing, the new camless engine could bring the future of internal combustion engines. Furthermore, these units will have improved reliability, as the entire cam mechanism and timing will be eliminated.
Paris has well-known issues related to the quality of the air its residents - and millions of tourists for that matter - breathe each day. If you're familiar with those beautiful panoramic shots of the French capital where you can see everything, from the Eiffel Tower to the La Defense financial district, then forget about ever shooting one to match these days. Your investment in an ultra-wide lens and tripod will go down the drain as the air is full of smog and visibility is drastically impaired.The authorities (backed by environment specialists) put this drastic turn of events on the growing number of vehicles in general and diesels in particular. And it's hard to argue with facts: like in any other European country, the French have also fallen in love with the low fuel consumption levels of the diesel engine, and so they've started to outweigh the sales of gasoline cars lately.The authorities have been looking for a solution, and they seem to have settled on something. Even though the actual impact won't probably be too drastic, they've decided to completely ban the access of any vehicle on the iconic Champs-Elysees boulevard for one day each month. It feels like a drop in the ocean, but it's a start, and it's a good way of easing people (read "drivers") into the idea of not having access to an increasing area of the city center.The plan is to make every first Sunday of each month car-free on the world-famous artery, but the measure won't debut this week, as it was supposed to. May 1st happens to be on a Sunday, but it's also a national holiday in France (and throughout Europe) with a lot of the municipality's employees getting a day off, so it has been postponed for next week.Paris is very likely to see a lot more drastic measures being taken in the future, so the motorists who live in denial and get mad at something so minor as having the Champs-Elysees closed for a day are in for a very nasty surprise. The Verge reports that Mayor Anne Hidalgo intends to ban all diesel cars in Paris by 2020, as well as spreading the area affected by the "no car day" to the whole city this year. So if you're French and think of buying a diesel car, you might want to reconsider. Also, if you own one, now's the time to sell it.
Photo courtesy of The Hertz Corp.
Hertz Global Holdings Inc. will host a live webcast discussion of its 2016 first quarter financial results on Tuesday May 10 at 8:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern time.
This webcast can be accessed through a link on the Investor Relations section of the Hertz website and will remain available for replay for approximately one year, according to the company.
Hertz will issue a press release detailing the company's financial results and will file its SEC Form 10-K after market close on Monday May 9.
Tesla faces another looming threat, not from common rivals, but from a new entity. One Chinese firm aims at surpassing Tesla on the race for sales and dominance in the market of self-driving cars.
The Financial Review disclosed that the goal of outwitting Tesla is one of plans that Jia Yueting, a billionaire entrepreneur wants to achieve. He is starting up his electric company that aims to dominate and outrun Tesla in the car market. To prove the latter, "Tesla's a great company and has taken the global car industry to the EV era," Jia stated in Beijing.
In addition, "But we're not just building a car. We consider the car a smart mobile device on four wheels, essentially no different to a cellphone or tablet. We hope to surpass Tesla and lead the industry leapfrogging to a new age," Jia added.
It is incontestable that the EV market is gaining more demand in the global sense and some start-ups have seen the potential of the segment in the market. China in a way set the pace and the tide and in that region, a wave of EV companies has led to more rising competition for Tesla. To showcase his aims, Jia unveiled his company's prime runner to contest Tesla Motors. The LeSEE electric concept supercar is forecast to overrun the Tesla Model S in the run for supremacy and revenues.
It remains uncertain on whether Tesla is seriously being threatened by the rising competition from the Asian markets. However, it stands to reason that Tesla is not giving up all of its cards just yet. Independent reports that by the year 2020, Tesla intends to produce an ambitious 500,000 units.
According to the same post, the Model S, which is a full-sized, five-door saloon is Tesla's primary flagship product and it features the strength and willpower of Tesla to depict its firm reliance in winning the market sector.
It remains unclear on whether Jia Yueting's plan would impede Tesla's growth nor be considered as one of the threats in terms of the market for sef-driving cars, but given the volatility of the market and business industry, nothing is ever decisive in the world of business and trade.
Connected car technologies, which are fast becoming a standard in self-driving cars, need to make use of high-speed data transmission to co-exist. A known IT networking tech firm and a popular South Korean auto brand are bridging these technologies together in today's world of autonomous cars.
Cisco Systems is closely working together with car maker Hyundai Motors to develop upcoming online connected car features for the auto brand's new lineup, Fortune reported. The collaboration between the two would concentrate on creating a system which would boost data transmission as part of Hyundai's connected cars' platform for future models.
Both companies strategically said that they planned to enable a more effective sense of communication between the vehicles and its included smart car systems. Advanced driver assistance systems, such as lane steering and automated brakes, would require the ability to work with sensors and cameras aside from being able to send real-time information to the driver via the car's dashboard display.
Vehicle simulations would be the ultimate tests for both companies; Hyundai Motors is also planning to move it up a notch further through cloud computing analytics and smart car security tech. Details on this next venture have yet to be disclosed by the company, as per the news agency.
MySanAntonio stated in a related post that latest survey claimed Cisco and IBM as the top competing tech firms in the connected cars technology. At this point, Cisco System's move to partner with one of the top car makers in the world thru installation of its high-speed data transmission technology into Hyundai's connected cars allows Cisco to consistently retain its mark in the IT industry. Also, news has also been buzzing about another company, which is said to be behind Cisco System's newest gadgets and upcoming technological innovations. Wonder who could it be.
In the firstand largest demonstration of its kind, staffers from NASA and the FAA last week flew 22 drones simultaneously from six test sites across the country to assess NASAs drone traffic management system. Operators outside NASA entered flight plans and planned operations from several locations, using various kinds of aircraft and software. The traffic-management system checked for conflicts, approved or rejected the flight plans and notified users of constraints. The research platform performed well, said Parimal Kopardekar, NASAs manager for the project. This test would not have been possible without the six FAA test sites it was a collaborative effort to ensure a successful test.
A total of 24 drones flew multiple times throughout the three-hour test. In addition to the live aircraft interacting with the system, NASA Ames introduced dozens of virtual aircraft into the same airspace. This mixing of live flights with virtual flights provided additional insight for future tests to refine the concept, NASA said. The six test sites were located in Fairbanks, Alaska; Grand Forks, North Dakota; Reno, Nevada; Rome, New York; Virginia Techs locations in Blacksburg, Virginia, and Bushwood, Maryland; and Corpus Christi, Texas.
NTSB investigators have completed their fact-finding into the October 2014 midair crash at the Frederick, Maryland, airport, in which three people in a Robinson R44 helicopter died after a Cirrus SR22 flew through [its] rotor system in the traffic pattern. The safety board has not yet determined the accidents probable cause. The factual report states the air-traffic controller talking to the Cirrus didnt hear the pilot check in at 3 miles out, one minute before the crash, because she was listening to a pilot on the ground-control frequency. As the Cirrus pilot approached the pattern, the controller said, I have three helicopters below ya in the uh traffic pattern.
The pilot said he had two of the helicopters in sight, and the controller told him he was cleared to land. Seconds later, the two aircraft collided. The Cirrus pilot deployed the airplanes CAPS parachute system, and was not hurt, and his passenger survived with minor injuries. The factual report notes that both air traffic controllers on duty stated the airports traffic pattern altitudes were 900 feet msl for helicopters, 1,300 feet msl for small fixed-wing airplanes, and 1,800 feet msl for large fixed-wing airplanes and twins. However, the facility was unable to produce any documentation of the 900-foot msl helicopter TPA they had mentioned. The NTSB has not announced a date for its probable-cause determination.
Three people survived the crash of a Beechcraft Duchess in the back yard of a home in Pompano Beach, Florida, Monday. The Duchess clipped the roof of the house before crashing in the yard and erupting in flame. The pilot and two international students from Peru and Ecuador in the aircraft were badly burned. The aircraft is registered to Florida Aviation Academy at the nearby Pompano Beach Airpark.
No one on the ground was hurt but debris from the crash was strewn across four neighboring yards. The injured have been identified as pilot Geoffrey White, 40, and students Sylvia Mena, 23, of Ecuador and Fernando Diaz, 25, of Peru. They were described as having second-degree burns to 30-40 percent of their bodies. Federal investigators are on the scene.
How did this whole brand thing come about, anyway? When Coca-Cola and General Motors became iconic American companies as far back as the 1920s, was anybody talking about the actual word brand? In college during the 1970s and in my early years in journalism, I hardly recall the word itself ever being used in normal conversation.
But now, you can hardly crack the door on a press conference without hearing someone talk about brands and the importance of burnishing, defending, enhancing, extending or creating same. I thought of this last week when I was attending a Cirrus press conference where Ben Kowalski, the companys marcomm guy, was describing a new customer delivery and service center Cirrus is erecting in Knoxville. Its meant to be a high order facility where a Cirrus ownerincluding the soon-to-be jet ownerscan dodge the icy blasts of Duluth (in June) and visit geographically centered Knoxville for service, training, aircraft acceptance and even order specing. Its a great idea and well in keeping with what Cirrus does as a company. Notice I didnt say brand.
When Kowalski threw up a slide saying Cirrus was thinking of the kind of positive brand resonance that Apple, Audi, Starbucks and Tesla have in their respective markets, I almost thought he had it backward. Frankly, as a customer of three of those companies, I honestly think theyre more about image than exceptional product where Cirrus, in my view, is more about product and less about image. Branding is sometimes a sleight of hand where a company seeks to have a customer think of something that is somehow larger than the product itself. Probably, some customers respond to that kind of massage, but Im not one of them.It seems to me if you deliver the product, as Coca-Cola did, as GM did and as any of a dozen other such companies do, the image more or less takes care of itself. You dont need MBAs hiring junior marketeers to dream up brand enhancement.
Having erected this tiny little soapbox, I shall now mount it, starting with Apple. This blog is being written on a MacBook Pro from notes recorded on an iPhone. In my home office, I have an iMac. Clearly, I am an Apple user but I am also as far from a fanboy as its possible to get. All of these products are functional enough, but they are overpriced, overhyped and festooned with flaws. I would give the company an A+ in sales and marketing, a lukewarm B- for support and reliability. Why do I persist in using them? Because theyre a little less worse than the competition. When I see people camping on the sidewalk the night before to get the new iPhone, I see people whose lives dont seem to be happening, not a brand Im pining to be associated with. Please, just make the next %$*&^$ iOS have fewer fatal flaws.
And Audi. Let me stop giggling so I can continue. My wife and I owned an A4 once. It was, by performance measure, a terrific car. Handled well and was a hoot to drive. Maintenance-wise, it was a service writers wet dream. When I was under the car one day banging the tabs of the drooping plastic air dam back in place for the fifth time with a rubber mallet, I suspected that the Audi brand was an apparently high-quality car, but one that was in fact cheap to build with a high margin. In other words, image trumped reality. When the heater core burst its seams slightly after the warranty expired, necessitating removal of the entire interior to the firewall, my suspicion was confirmed in a mist of sickly sweet glycol. Its OK to project an image of lan and quality, but you gotta walk the walk.
The point is that when a company becomes brand conscious, its almost as though the brand itself is self-aware and the product merely tags along. Increasingly, I think if all the effort goes to the product and the people who buy itwhich Cirrus seems to do pretty wellthe brand takes care of itself.
Of course, as a professional crank, I am predisposed to see through all the hype that often puffs up branding like an overinflated bus tire and to merely ask if the company delivers a good product and treats its customers right. Based on contacts Ive had with Cirrus owners, Id say the company does that. It has a loyal community. But Im probably the only person in the universe who thinks that next time Apple has one of its big, overhyped and contrived product announcements, it ought to throw up a slide with a Cirrus logo.
Even as its deep into research on an electric hybrid drive system using internal combustion engines, the creative Slovenia company Pipistrel is looking into electric aircraft that will use hydrogen fuel cells. As part of AVwebs follow-up coverage of the Aero show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, Paul Bertorelli recorded this podcast interview with the driving force behind Pipistrels exploratory ethos, Evo Boscarol.
We had the pleasure of interviewing David Cuartielles (Co-founder of Arduino, leader of the Prototyping Laboratory at K3 and teacher of interactive technologies at Malmo University, Sweden) at the Maker Faire in Barcelona this February.
Our intention was to ask David how to face an Internet of Things project, unsuitable techniques, difficulties of the business models, data protocols and the problem of standardization of APIs.
1. Is there an organization that is carrying out a standardization process of APIs and the communication protocol of the Internet of Things?
To begin with, there is a difference between the world of makers in loT and the industrial or engineering world. In other fields the maker culture has been able to jump into the industrial version, in loT it's a lot more complicated because a big investment in infrastructure is required.
One of the problems of IoT is that a really useful application hasn't yet been found. Who wants to have a fridge that tells you that you need milk?
I worked on a European investigation project in which we designed a connected kitchen. We hacked electro domestic products and connected them to the internet through circuits made for us by Arduino LLC. When we finished the project we invited people from the electro domestic companies to come and see them. Someone from Electrolux told us that they weren't interested in IoT because 30 years ago they had experimented with connected kitchens and they thought that the market wasnt ready, or willing to pay extra for electro domestic products with internet connections.
One of the problems of IoT is that a really useful application hasn't yet been found. Who wants to have a fridge that tells you that you need milk? However, there are some home devices that have been very successful like Nest thermostats or Point fire alarms; but these are dedicated to monitoring.
Regarding standardization, the problem is that there are a series of large long-standing organizations held back by inertia and a series of small businesses with good ideas, between them it is hard to find a meeting point. This has generated friction and different approaches to the problem.
We have cases such as AllSeen Alliance, the joining together of a series of companies, and Thread protocol, which is followed by different companies. We also have Apple Homekit, and Google Wave protocol designed by Nest. Obviously the problem is that a standard does not exist.
Another big issue is the development tools that are currently very cheap, in part due to Arduino Genuino. We made them very economical so that in order to compete with us in price, very cheap circuits would have to be offered. The problem comes when, in order to sustain this economic model you provide a paid cloud and in order to prevent people from using a cheaper one you close yours so that it depends exclusively on its API, including for programming.
We find ourselves in the following ecosystem, you buy a development system from the company which only works with its paying cloud and when you want to do a large scale deployment you have to do the engineering again from scratch, because the company cant offer you a price to be able to reach a bigger market. One of the biggest questions today is the standardization of communications protocol. It's only a question of time until it improves, how much time? I dont know, but I think that were going to see lots of companies being born and dying in the process.
There has also been a great battle, which still prevails, to find appropriate wireless protocol. The European Commision invites investigation projects to work with Wi-Fi because it is already widely introduced into homes and it can do deployment experiments on a relatively large scale.
However, other protocols such as ZigBee, which make more sense because you can construct a web mesh more easily, have been dismissed. Later we see protocols that have a different communication structure like SigFox that is competing with 3G, which in turn is too expensive and solutions are looked for with cheaper patent systems..it really is a complex ecosystem.
2. What other problems are found in this ecosystem?
The two biggest problems are battery and channels of communication. The problem with the battery is solved if you have a system that consumes very little, that turns itself off when its not in use. But this cannot be applied well to Wi-Fi or other protocols. Wi-Fi is a very functional protocol but it needs to be adjusted so that it can be used in an efficient way from a battery point of view. A simpler version of Wi-Fi is needed and this is something that is already being worked on.
But the more businesses there are capturing user data the less value the data will have because there will be lots more databases. We currently have Google, Apple,Facebook, Twitter and Microsoft, but soon other companies will appear, like your fridge brand or your car brand.
One of the big problems currently in the world of the Internet of Things is to know which applications are going to be implemented first. I believe that everyone can imagine more or less the fields of applications. In 2014 a study was carried out by IBM called Device Democracy, it was relatively critical about what its policies are regarding the development of IoT. They defend why they have to have a decentralized internet, a thing that goes against IBMs current business model which is to give service to data capture and intelligence. They also have to have a system that works with Blockchain, so that activities such Firmware updates can be carried out in a secure way.
There is also the problem of business models, this is very interesting because lots of businesses think that a business model is to offer an API to be able to capture user data and later to negotiate with them, but the more businesses there are capturing user data the less value the data will have because there will be lots more databases. We currently have Google, Apple,Facebook, Twitter and Microsoft, but soon other companies will appear, like your fridge brand or your car brand. Soon enough there will be a load of databases that will end up with this business model. This was also mentioned in IBMs publication, its very interesting to see how they themselves are realizing that everyone is going to want a piece of the action and this wont function as a business.
3. How can the correct decisions be taken in respect to the available technologies to face a IoT project?
From my point of view, the deciding factor is, is your business going to be so big that you can have your own cloud? If the answer is no, you are going to use Microsofts Azure, IBMs Bluemix or Amazons IoT.
When you want to do a system based on APIs, the question is, what collection of APIs is best for you? Which will give you a better price at the end of the month?
If your company is going to have 10 employees and youre going to deploy 10,000 units of devices why would you want your own cloud? Its too costly. If you use IBM you will have the intelligence of Watson to be able to create systems. I have a feeling that Microsoft are going to give away artificial intelligence for free if your business is smaller than a particular size. These big companies have already realized how profitable it is for them to implement the AI systems on your network
When you want to do a system based on APIs, the question is, what collection of APIs is best for you? Which will give you a better price at the end of the month? If i were doing a cultivated control system, I wouldnt complicate things, I would do a cost analysis, find out which would give me the best price to send x number of data every month and carry out a web algorithm. Later its a question of testing, there are hundreds of tools.
4. Nowadays there are lots of Arduino based educational projects to attract the younger generation to technology. Are there movements that help stablished producers to use solutions based on Arduino in its industrial processes?
Right now there is an actual company for people who want to do consulting for engineering for small companies. The IBM report mentions that less than 10% of small companies invest in technology and in the majority of cases, investment goes to teams of IT workers for accounting.
There is a lot to optimize and this could make things really interesting, something like a Genuino UNO board that controls an element that makes a mechanical movement every minute. Something so simple could considerably improve the production of a small business and also see the emergence of a new type of business offering consultancy.
For example in agriculture, less than 1% of profit is reinvested in technology for the industry More technology in this field would enable us to make better use of smaller surface areas in order to produce the same quantity of food, meaning lower emissions. The applications are immense as well as the contribution to social development .
27 April 2016 10:03 (UTC+04:00)
Azerbaijani armed forces inflicted strikes only on the military facilities of Armenia, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry reported on April 27.
Armenian armed forces shelled positions of Azerbaijani armed forces and
settlements in Terter district on Apr.26, by using 82-mm and 120-mm mortars, the 122-mm howitzers D-30, the 152-mm howitzers D-20 and B-21 multiple rocket launchers, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry reported.
In response, Azerbaijani armed forces inflicted strikes only on the military facilities of Armenia.
Armenia's military-political regime is fully responsible for the events on the front line.
On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements.
Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
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27 April 2016 10:59 (UTC+04:00)
By Nazrin Gadimova
The situation on the contact line of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops has remained tense as the Armenian Armed Forces shattered ceasefire a total of 120 times throughout the day.
Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry reported that breaching the truce, the Armenian military units shelled the Azerbaijani positions and settlements located in Terter region using 82-mm and 120-mm mortars, multiple rocket launchers and other weapons. Given the operational situation, Azerbaijani Armed Forces inflicted 121 strikes upon Armenian positions.
The Defense Ministry stressed that the Azerbaijani military units inflicted strikes only upon the military facilities of Armenia, while the enemy is targeting civilians living in the villages adjacent to the contact line of troops.
Thus, eight houses located in the villages of Terter region have suffered severe damage from the Armenian shelling. Mustagim Mammadov, the head of the Terter Region Executive Authority, said several private houses in villages of Seidinli, Gapanli, Gazyan, Seysulan, Chilaburt, Yarimdzha and Goyarh were shelled by truck-mounted 122 mm multiple rocket launcher Grad.
One of shells exploded not far from the power substation, he said, adding that as a result, 11 villages remained without electricity.
He noted that currently repair work is being held on the substation.
The situation on the contact line of Armenian and Azerbaijani troops has again aggravated despite the ceasefire agreement that was reached with the mediation of Russia on April 5.
The long-lasting Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict remains unresolved due to the continuation of Armenias occupant policy. Yerevan has not yet implemented the UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
The OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, proceeding talks based on the renewed Madrid principles. However, the statements promising a sincere contribution to the peaceful resolution of the conflict have become frequent, but declarative in essence.
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Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
27 April 2016 15:39 (UTC+04:00)
By Nazrin Gadimova
Azerbaijans Defense Minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov is now on the frontline to support the morale of the countrys military officers and soldiers.
As part of his visit to the contact line of troops, Hasanov and the ministrys commanding staff met with medical personnel of one of the mobile field hospitals operating on the frontline on April 26.
Natig Aliyev, the head of Chief Medical Department, reported on the activities carried out in the hospital. The minister was also informed about the compliance of mobile field hospitals to the highest standards, which would enable to provide professional surgical aids during the war situation.
Following the visit, Hasanov gave relevant instructions and recommendations.
The day before, Hasanov visited Terter region of Azerbaijan. Accompanied by head of the Tartar District Executive Authority Mustagim Mammadov, the minister reviewed the houses of residents, which were damaged as a result of shelling by the Armenian armed forces on the night of April 26.
The minister met with local residents, listened to them, and inquired about their concerns and problems.
The Defense Ministry reported that breaching the truce, the Armenian military units shelled the Azerbaijani positions and settlements located in Terter region using 82-mm and 120-mm mortars, multiple rocket launchers and other weapons. Thus, eight houses located in the villages of Terter region have suffered severe damage from the Armenian shelling.
Hasanov and the Ministry`s leadership also visited the military units located on the frontline. He met with the military personnel, who are on duty on the recently liberated territories, and reviewed their combat, moral and physical preparedness.
The Defense minister watched the enemy positions from the common post of one of the units on the frontline, after which he was informed about the operational situation and activities carried out on the defense line.
The military personnel stated that they faithfully serve the motherland and the people, and are ready to fulfill the task of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief to liberate the occupied Azerbaijani territories.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
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Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
27 April 2016 17:13 (UTC+04:00)
By Nazrin Gadimova
Azerbaijans Defense Ministry warned the Armenian side as the situation on the frontline has aggravated following new provocations of the enemy.
Spokesperson for the Defense Ministry Vagif Dargahli said that in case Armenia continues shelling Azerbaijani settlements, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces will inflict retaliatory strikes on Armenias military facilities located in residential areas.
Residents of the Terter region, which is adjacent to the frontline area, have suffered as a result of the recent military activities provoked by the Armenian side. On April 26, several private houses in villages of Seidinli, Gapanli, Gazyan, Seysulan, Chilaburt, Yarimdzha and Goyarh were shelled by truck-mounted 122 mm multiple rocket launcher Grad belonging to Armenia.
Commenting on the situation, Dargahli also refuted Armenias reports that the Azerbaijani armed forces shelled residential areas in the occupied territories.
The Azerbaijani army only strikes the enemys outposts with high-precision weapons, Dargahli said. We are not dealing with civilians, on the contrary, Armenians are shelling residential areas with large-caliber weapons, as a result of which a number of houses have been damaged in Azerbaijans Terter region.
Armenia is also using weapons prohibited by international conventions while shelling the Azerbaijani positions and settlements near the contact line.
The defense ministry believes that committing acts of sabotage on the contact line of troops Armenia is trying to provoke the Azerbaijani side into active hostilities. The military and political regime of Armenia bears responsibility for the developments along the contact line, the ministry concluded.
After Russia-brokered ceasefire agreement was reached on April 5, the situation on the contact line of troops of the Armenian and Azerbaijani armies has again aggravated.
Yerevan launched military operations shortly after Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's statement on impossibility of resolving the long-lasting Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through the peaceful process.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
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Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
27 April 2016 18:06 (UTC+04:00)
By Nazrin Gadimova
Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has sent letters to the UN and OSCE in connection with the escalation of the situation along the contact line of Armenian and Azerbaijani troops.
Hikmet Hajiyev, the Spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry said that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Chairman of the UN Security Council Louis Michel and Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council Pohl Eberhard were informed about the Armenian provocations against Azerbaijan.
In these letters, Mammadyarov urged the heads of international organizations to strongly condemn Armenia for violating the ceasefire agreement reached on April 5 and to demand Armenias complying with the undertaken commitments and withdraw its troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
Hajiyev added that on the eve and during the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), which is underway in Baku, the Armenian military units have undertaken provocations using large-caliber weapons, including D-30 howitzers and other weapons prohibited by the international conventions.
These actions caused serious damage to private and public property in the Terter region of Azerbaijan, the spokesperson said.
Moreover, Mammadyarov noted that provocative actions of Armenia blow the diplomatic efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group, which is the sole negotiator of the conflict, Hajiyev concluded.
After Russia-brokered ceasefire agreement was reached on April 5, the situation on the contact line of troops of the Armenian and Azerbaijani armies has again aggravated.
Residents of the Terter region, which is adjacent to the frontline area, have suffered as a result of the recent military activities provoked by the Armenian side. On April 26, several private houses in villages of Seidinli, Gapanli, Gazyan, Seysulan, Chilaburt, Yarimdzha and Goyarh were shelled by truck-mounted 122 mm multiple rocket launcher Grad belonging to Armenia.
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Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova
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27 April 2016 10:00 (UTC+04:00)
By Javier Solana
The European Union has a dangerous case of nostalgia. Not only is a yearning for the good old days before the EU supposedly impinged on national sovereignty fueling the rise of nationalist political parties; European leaders continue to try to apply yesterdays solutions to todays problems.
Everyone was supposed to benefit from European integration. Whenever a new country joined, it received financial aid, while existing members gained access to a new market. The advantages, it was expected, would be apparent not just from aggregate data, but also from individual citizens own experience.
But reality has been less clear-cut. In the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, the EUs weaker economies faced skyrocketing unemployment, especially among young people, while its stronger economies felt pressure to show solidarity by bailing out countries in distress. When the stronger economies provided those bailouts, they included demands for austerity that impeded the recipients economic recovery. Few were satisfied, and many blamed European integration.
In this context, political parties and movements criticizing or opposing the EU have gained considerable traction, particularly in Western Europe. While these movements are nothing new, support for them has grown at alarming rates during the crisis-induced turmoil. Indeed, with every failed policy to aid economic recovery, Europeans have felt increasingly disenchanted, fueling populist sentiment and demands for a return to national sovereignty.
The political leaders channeling these demands do not just want to reassert national control in all areas; they are also spreading a message of indifference to and even outright rejection of foreigners, reflected in their response to Europes influx of refugees. According to them, each country should defend its own by any means, even if the rule of law is tested along the way.
But, while the economic pain that many Europeans feel is certainly real, the nationalists diagnosis of its source is false. The reality is that the EU can be criticized for the way it handled the crisis; but it cannot be blamed for the global economic imbalances that have fueled economic strife since 2008. Those imbalances reflect a much broader phenomenon: globalization.
This does not mean that globalization is a bad thing. Opening up societies and economies to the world obviously entails significant uncertainty; but it also provides abundant opportunities.
Not long ago, Europe was the world leader in openness. In fact, the European project is, at its core, a mirror of the opening that is an inextricable consequence of living in todays globalized world.
In 2004, when the EU formally welcomed eight formerly communist countries as member states, European openness reached its pinnacle. A new age seemed to be dawning in Europe, in which the rule of law, democracy, and individual rights were unassailable. Yet, just as West European countries have begun to resist openness, so have their Central and East European counterparts. Indeed, in some countries particularly Poland and Hungary nationalism and anti-EU sentiment have surged. Unfortunately, this has led to erosion of the rule of law.
Poland is the largest recipient of European funds and the only EU country that avoided recession during the crisis; indeed, it has experienced 23 years of uninterrupted growth. Moreover, the Polish public has been broadly supportive of the EU since becoming members. Even the latest Eurobarometer indicates that 55% of Poles view the EU positively.
Yet Polands government, led by the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, is aiming to change that, by portraying European policies as athreat to Polish national identity. Instead of discussing how to adapt specific policies to Polands national interests or amplify the countrys voice at the European level, PiS writes off all European measures and decisions as a direct challenge to what makes Poland Poland.
These claims, to some extent, echo those of the Hungarian government, led by the right-wing Fidesz party. The constitutional reforms implemented in 2013, among other things, expanded the executives authority and created a new state council, stacked with Fidesz members, to regulate the media.
Some say that if Hungary sought admission to the EU today, it would be refused entry. As for Poland, the European Commission has launched an unprecedented inquiry in response to recent legislation that, under the pretense of protecting national sovereignty, concentrates more power in the governments hands.
This represents a disappointing reversal. In my former professional roles, I witnessed as few others did the entry of Poland and Hungary into the Euroatlantic institutions. I saw firsthand the eagerness and hope of their peoples at that momentous time. That is why it is so hard for me to understand their position today.
Of course, it is not unreasonable that Poland and Hungary, whose sovereignty was largely usurped by the Soviet Union, are particularly sensitive to external efforts to shape their decision-making and have a stronger sense of national identity than other EU countries. But rejecting the EU will not insulate them from the uncertainty resulting from globalization. On the contrary, it will leave them far more vulnerable to the phenomenons myriad risks.
Some have used disenchanting experiences with globalization as an excuse for a return to protectionism and the supposedly halcyon days of strong national borders. Others, wistfully recalling a nation-state that never really existed, cling to national sovereignty as a reason to refuse further European integration. Both groups question the foundations of the European project. But their memory fails them, and their yearnings mislead them.
Copyright: Project Syndicate:Europes Dangerous Nostalgia
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27 April 2016 10:48 (UTC+04:00)
By Laman Ismayilova
Jordan strongly supports the position of Azerbaijan aimed at restoring the territorial integrity and the return of occupied Azerbaijani lands.
Marwan al-Hmoud, a member of the Jordanian Senate Council, Secretary General of the Arab-African Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development, Chairman of Jordan-Azerbaijan Friendship Society, made the remark while talking to Azertac on April 27.
The senator emphasized that this support is a priority for Jordan.
Armenia captured 20 percent of Azerbaijans internationally recognized territories as a result of 1992-94 war. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations and signing of another agreement on truce in 1995. However, Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Marwan al-Hmoud went on to say that today, Azerbaijan has a strong and well-equipped army and the country can liberate territories occupied by Armenia.
But from the very beginning of the conflict Azerbaijan has demonstrated its peaceful policy, respect for international law, commitment to a peaceful settlement and the continuation of the negotiation process, he said.
Speaking about the recent provocations of the Armenian armed forces on the front line, the senator pointed out that initially the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict started with the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani lands.
"Naturally, the conflict is not fundamentally resolved, Armenian provocations on the line of contact will continue, since Armenia initially pursued an aggressive policy and continues its aggression against Azerbaijan. Recent provocations on the front line at the beginning of this month provide clear evidence of this, he said.
Everyone knows that this is not the first aggression of the Armenian armed forces," he concldued.
Heavy fighting erupted between Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region on April 2 following the Armenian provocation.
Military operations launched by Armenia were stopped on April 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides and mediation of Russia. However, ignoring the agreement, the Armenian side started violating the ceasefire on the same day.
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27 April 2016 10:26 (UTC+04:00)
President Hassan Rouhani's upcoming visit to Baku will boost the level of cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan, a senior Iranian official told Trend.
Iranian Vice-President and head of the Cultural Heritage Organization Massoud Soltanifar said that President Hassan Rouhani is expected to visit Baku within the next couple of months.
Saying that President Rouhani and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev have met six times over the past two years, he added that the presidents are determined to boost bilateral ties.
According to Soltanifar Tehran and Baku have agreed on over 40 deals during the six meetings between the presidents.
The latest meeting between presidents in late February in Tehran resulted in conclusion of more than 10 documents covering various areas of cooperation between Tehran and Baku.
Elaborating on the fields of cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan, Soltanifar said that the neighboring countries eye several projects on a range of sectors from industry and science to tourism.
Soltanifar is in Baku to attend the 7th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations which kicked off Apr.25.
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27 April 2016 10:36 (UTC+04:00)
On the first day of the 7th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations in Baku, the participants stated the need for serious fight against terrorism, a senior Iranian official said, who is in Baku, attending the event.
Iranian Vice-President and head of the Cultural Heritage Organization Massoud Soltanifar told Trend that the world now understands that terrorism and extremism must be eliminated.
Pointing to the recent terror attacks across the world, including those in Turkey, Soltanifar said that the world should exercise strong will against terrorism and extremism.
He further urged international community to prevent "some regional countries" from backing terrorism in the region.
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27 April 2016 12:03 (UTC+04:00)
By Amina Nazarli
A large delegation headed by Azerbaijans Defense Industry Minister Yaver Jamalov paid a two-day visit to Pakistan to attend the 6th meeting of an Azerbaijan-Pakistan intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation on April 26-27.
During the visit Azerbaijans minister was received by Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.
The two-day event will feature bilateral meetings aimed at developing political, economic, military and humanitarian relations between the two countries.
The military cooperation is one of the main components of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan. The countries signed a defense agreement in 2013. Later, the naval forces of both countries held consultations on military-technical issues.
Pakistan and Azerbaijan enjoy good relations in various spheres.
Relations between the two states were established after Azerbaijan became independent following the collapse of the USSR in 1991. Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan.
Pakistan supported Azerbaijan during and after the Nagorno-Karabakh War and it is the only country that does not recognize Armenia.
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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli
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27 April 2016 12:57 (UTC+04:00)
The VII Global Forum of UN Alliance of Civilizations will make the contribution to expansion of the activity of the organization, to development of relations between civil society and private sector.
This was stated at the plenary meeting on subject "Civil society and business: joint activity for the sake of the peace, safety and sustainable development" within the VII Global Forum of UN Alliance of Civilizations in Baku, Azertac reports.
The meeting moderator, Commissioner for Human Rights in the name of sustainable development and the vice-president of BAIGO Francis Loriot stated that the relations between civil society and business are new and very important question for the UN. Main issue for this purpose is ensuring availability to the big corporate companies.
"The 7th Global Forum of UN Alliance of Civilizations in Baku will play an exclusive role in expansion of the field of activity of this organization and development of the relations between civil society and the private sector. I believe that this meeting will become an important platform for deep studying of the essence of question and exchange of ideas", Froncois Loriot underlined.
Peter Gorgievski, Chief Executive Officer of Global Dialogue Foundation stated that creation of dialogue between civil society and private sector in the globalized world plays an important role. Stating that the exchange of ideas of representatives of the private sector and civil society is the most important question, P. Gorgievski said: "In my opinion, medium and small enterprises have to build the general activity. Civil society and NGO have to be the main actors in this activity.
Noting that Azerbaijan since ancient times is an oil and gas country, SOCARs vice-president for investments and marketing Elshad Nasirov stated that the country provided 80 percent of demand for oil in the former Soviet Union. "Now Azerbaijan is known in the world for not only oil, but also gas country. By means of the Southern Gas Corridor project Azerbaijan is going to transport the natural gas to Turkey and from there to Europe. This project serves as the interests of Azerbaijan, and creates possibilities for ensuring energy security of Europe, diversification of resources and the most important - import of gas from new sources", the vice-president emphasized.
Nasirov has informed that SOCAR is an open multinational company of social orientation for civil society. The company has representations in various European countries, and realizes large-scale projects in these countries.
Louise Kantrow, the International Chamber of Commerce's permanent representative to the United Nations said that cooperation between business and civil society will have a big role and will make contribution throughout successful policy. "I believe that the UN discusses extremely important questions and gathers people for a sustainable development and lasting peace. The UN makes many efforts to achieve the objectives. However, it is necessary to build additional dialogues, but the most important is that this exchange of opinions would be useful, and for achievement of these purposes it is necessary to be self-assured. Thus, the road map of the future has to be lined", Louise Kantrow emphasized.
Liberato Bautista, Chairperson of the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, Ursula Wynhoven, the Chief Legal Officer and Chief, Governance and Social Sustainability for the UN Global Compact, Jean-Pierre Diserens, CIFA Secretary General, and others noted the importance of support of inclusivity and variety for ensuring development between civil society and business. It was reported that it is very difficult to construct effective cooperation without joint support.
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27 April 2016 14:33 (UTC+04:00)
By Laman Ismayilova
Azerbaijan and France are keen to expand educational relations, as the University of Strasbourg and Azerbaijan State University of Oil and Industry signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on establishment of the French-Azerbaijani University.
The MoU was undersigned by French Secretary of State for European Affairs Harlem Desir, who is on visit to Baku, and Azerbaijani Education Minister Mikayil Jabbarov on April 27.
"We had today the next round of talks on the establishment of the French-Azerbaijani University. We set a goal to open this university on September 15. France has already submitted the draft document on further steps," said Jabbarov.
"We work in this direction for more than a year. Today, I have received a document that reflects the next stage of this project," he added.
The education sector is one of the successful areas of the Azerbaijani-French cooperation, the minister believes. It is no coincidence that today's meeting is being held at the Baku French Lyceum. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the next stage of the establishment of French-Azerbaijani University, he said.
Azerbaijan and France established diplomatic relations in February 1992. French companies are actively participating in the petrochemical, food, agricultural, machine engineering, tourism and other spheres in Azerbaijan.
The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and France amounted to $ 1.681 billion in 2014, while the total volume of French investments in the Azerbaijani economy currently stands at $ 2.4 billion.
The inter-regional cooperation between Azerbaijan and France is also at a high level. Some 12 Azerbaijani cities signed a cooperation agreement with 10 cities and one province in France.
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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews' staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova
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27 April 2016 14:58 (UTC+04:00)
Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev received Masoud Soltanifar, Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and head of Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organization, on April 27 in Baku, Azertac reports.
The head of state hailed the high-level representation of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, describing this as yet another evidence of the two countries` friendship.
Saying that several high-ranking Iranian officials have recently visited Azerbaijan, President Aliyev recalled with pleasure his recent meeting with President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani in Istanbul. All this attests to the high level of relations between our countries, said the President.
The head of state expressed his confidence that the bilateral ties would continue to develop.
Masoud Soltanifa, in turn, expressed his gratitude for the excellent organization of the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.
He said that he paid several visits to Baku, Ganja and other places in Azerbaijan when he was governor of Gilan province.
The Iranian top official said he was impressed by significant development processes that he saw during his current visit to Azerbaijan, and congratulated the head of state on the country`s accomplishments in all areas.
Later, President Aliyev received Deputy Prime Minister of the State of Qatar Ahmad bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud.
The head of state recalled with pleasure the official visit of Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani to Azerbaijan, and their recent meetings and discussions on the sidelines of the 13th Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul.
President Aliyev hailed Qatar`s attention to the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, which is being held in Baku, describing this as a sign of friendly ties between the two countries. The head of state thanked Ahmad bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud for participating in the forum.
Ahmad bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud greeted the Azerbaijani President on behalf of Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. The Qatari Deputy Prime Minister thanked President Ilham Aliyev for attention and hospitality shown during the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.
Ahmad bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud said he was impressed by Azerbaijan`s development, beauty of Baku and well-planned landscaping in the capital, as well as by high spirits of the people, and congratulated the head of state on this occasion.
On the same day, President Aliyev received former Prime Minister of France Dominique de Villepin.
Saying he was glad to visit Baku again, Dominique de Villepin described the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations as successful.
He said he witnessed development in Azerbaijan despite complicated global economic and political situation. Villepin said he was an old friend of Azerbaijan.
President Aliyev recalled with pleasure his meetings with Dominique de Villepin in Baku and Paris. The head of state stressed the importance of the former French Prime Minister`s attending the Forum.
They emphasized the significance of the issues discussed at the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, and hailed the event`s role in expanding international cooperation.
President Aliyev later received Minister of Culture and Information of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Adel bin Zaid Al-Toraifi.
Adel bin Zaid Al-Toraifi extended the greetings and best wishes of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King of Saudi Arabia Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to the head of state. He said he was happy to attend the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations on instructions of King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
President Aliyev recalled his official visit to Saudi Arabia one year ago, and hailed hospitality shown by King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to him and his delegation. The head of state described the visit as a sign of robust ties between the two countries.
The president said Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia were close friends and partners, adding that the two countries have always supported each other. The head of state said the high-level representation of Saudi Arabia at the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations was evidence of the importance attached by the Kingdom to the event and a sign of the two countries` friendly ties.
President Aliyev thanked for the greetings of King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and asked the Saudi Minister to extend his greetings and best wishes to King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
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27 April 2016 16:50 (UTC+04:00)
The UNAOC 7th Global Forum continued in Baku on April 27.
Azerbaijan's first lady, president of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, goodwill ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, Mehriban Aliyeva made a speech at the event.
"First of all, allow me to greet all participants of the concluding session of the 7th Global Forum of UN Alliance of Civilizations and to wish you all happiness, good health and lots of success. It is a great honor for us to host this very important forum. I am sure that this forum will make a valuable contribution to the development of constructive dialogue and enrichment of cultures and civilizations. At the same time, I hope that the participants of the forum will find an opportunity to do some sightseeing in our city, learn its culture, and feel its aura of hospitality and kindness.
The topic of this session has a great public importance. Today, the world is going through a large-scale social transformation, driven by waves of migration, urbanization, climate change, and ageing of population in some countries and increase of unemployed youth in other countries. In some cases, we observe new opportunities for social integration, in other cases, on the opposite, the isolation of people from society. It is obvious that the social adaptation of people in various countries requires different approaches and solutions.
On this issue, much depends on the mentality of the nation, its work ethic, the availability of the human and much-needed economic resources. Today, I want to share with you the experience of our country and to try to highlight the main priority of both the state policy as well as the activities of the public institutions and NGOs.
Azerbaijan, while being an ancient land, is at the same time one of the youngest members of the United Nations. Having restored the independence, which was lost in the beginning of XX century, Azerbaijan has become a full member of the UN on March 2, 1992.
We have passed 25 year-long path of state building process. Most of what you can see in Azerbaijan today have been achieved during this period. I will not bring up any economic indicators and statistical figures today. We are an open country and our economic and social achievements are well known. Of course, we are very proud of such fast progress. We have managed to achieve significant transformation of the economy and ensure its integration into world economic system. We have built an effective system of governance at all levels of public life. Reforms have been undertaken in the field of science, culture and education. And we have managed to implement all of this relying on rich human potential of our nation.
It is very important to note that this progress has been achieved despite enormous difficulties that our nation has faced during this period of our history. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the country had serious political, social and economic crisis. The happiness coming from the restored independence was overshadowed by the sadness coming from the loss of human lives and the occupation of our historic lands. By the time Azerbaijan became member of UN, Armenia-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been underway for 5 years already and this has resulted in occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani lands and the emergence of 1 million of IDPs and refugees.
As a result of Armenian occupation, 900 settlements, 150 000 houses, 693 schools, 975 kindergartens, 695 clinics on Azerbaijani territories have been destroyed. We have also lost more than 40 000 unique historical museum artifacts and materials and 4.6 million books and manuscripts in 927 libraries. One can hardly imagine the level of damage imposed on cultural heritage of Azerbaijan.
Using this opportunity, I want to thank all UN agencies, which were together with us during those horrible days. UN Security Council adopted 4 resolutions, calling for the immediate withdrawal of Armenian military troops from Azerbaijani territories. We are thankful to all international organizations, which helped us during that period.
Government of Azerbaijan faced a very difficult task: within a very short period to accept, settle and feed hundreds of thousands children, women, elderly, who became victims of aggressive policy of our neighbor. A country, which had 7 million people had to solve the problems of 1 million compatriots without much economic assistance and resources. To appreciate this challenge, one can look at the current situation with migrants around the world and compare the numbers.
In difficult times of 1993 when the aggression was underway and 7 adjacent regions to Nagorno-Karabakh were also occupied, the foundation of modern statehood and its basic principle of social protection of every citizen was laid down. We have managed to maintain the most important asset that is the human capital of the nation. Even in refugee camps, public schools, including music schools continued to operate. All humanitarian state bodies functioned without interruption. Children attended schools, teachers were teaching, doctors were treating patients. These daily routine works have instilled a sense of hope for tomorrow. This was one of the most reliable and effective methods of social adaptation of people, who have lost everything.
In subsequent years, government has done and continues to do everything possible for normalization of these people's lives. We have managed to eliminate all tent camps and build modern housing settlements for refugees and IDPs. These people are provided with jobs and social welfare benefits. Young generation received access to modern education. Speaking in medical terms, all of these efforts to help people were only palliative treatment. The person who finds himself or herself in a refugee status loses its personal identity. One can create for them ideal conditions for living, but nothing can replace their longing for native land and house. Elderly dream of finding last rest place in their native land, youth wants to return to their ancestor's lands.
I believe that every one of us can understand these human sufferings and agree that for the lasting solution of this problem it is important to have the liberation of the occupied territories and return of people to their homes. No matter what kind of social adaptation we speak about, we must clearly understand that Karabakh, Syrian, and Iraqi, and Afghani refugees and IDPs carry in themselves not only physical losses and difficulties.
Recovering from psychological traumas and hurt souls requires much more time and effort. We must unite our efforts so that the existing conflicts could finally reach their resolutions, so that no new epicenters of conflicts appear in the world, so that the number of refugees and IDPs does not increase.
The least everyone can try to show sympathy to the pain, tragedy and loss of another person. Compassion should become a real instrument for the resolution of human sufferings.
Dear guests, I would like to talk about projects of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, implemented in public-private partnership. They cover wide range of issues. As an example, in 2005 we have started the renovation and construction of public schools and have completed 412 of them. This initiative was later supported by government of Azerbaijan and we have created a good model of cooperation between government, NGOs and businesses. Today the outcome of this cooperation is the renovation of 3000 schools out of 5000 existing ones.
I also want to highlight the projects, directed towards the social integration of children, who have lost their parents and who are brought up in orphanages, as well as of people with disabilities. The Heydar Aliyev Foundation has managed to instill in people's mind the idea of equality of all citizens, tolerance towards children who have lost their parents.
Within the framework of the program, development of children's houses and orphanages the foundation has renovated and equipped 34 children's institutions. We arrange the participation of these kids in international competitions; we send them for vacations to resorts abroad. Foundation also provides an opportunity for children from other countries with similar conditions to visit Azerbaijan and get to know our country. Moreover, construction of buildings for orphans who have reached adulthood has also played an important role in social integration of youth into society.
Interaction of people with disabilities with healthy persons is an important element of social integration. At the moment, we have almost 570 000 people with disabilities in Azerbaijan, including 67 000 kids. As our experience shows, this category of people often having trouble to participate in the life of the society.
A major role in the social integration of kids with disabilities is played by inclusive education. Inclusion of kids with disabilities into the process of education alongside with the healthy kids ensures that they are accepted by the society. Despite the fact that Azerbaijan has joined the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008, first steps on inclusive education were made even before that, in 2004. Today, 366 kids with disabilities are involved in inclusive education.
Within the project Ensuring access for blind persons to Information Technologies, we created a modern ICT center in republican orphanage school for blind kids in Baku. The Foundation has also built several regional information centers for people with disabilities, as well as rehabilitation center for kids with special needs, including Down syndrome patients.
Relying on our own experience, we have also implemented a similar project in Bosnia and Herzegovina's capital Sarajevo, where the Foundation has reconstructed the center for blind youth and kids. In September of the last year, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation has built a new dormitory in Hungary for the Roman-Catholic center for kids with weak eyesight, named after Laslo Batyani.
Within the frames of the project "Azerbaijan - the address of tolerance", the Foundation contributes to the renovation of catholic, orthodox churches and synagogues. As a part of that project, we have supported constriction of the educational center for Jewish kids living in Baku. We also restored Rome catacombs of Saint Marchelino and Saint Pietro in Rome. For the first time in the history of Vatican, an organization from a Muslim country has helped to restore these saint monuments of Christianity.
The Foundation has also implemented a number of other projects in France. We have provided financial support for the restoration of several ancient place of worship in various regions of France, including Strasburg Cathedral. Azerbaijan also became one of the sponsors in the creation of the Department of Islamic Art in Louvre.
Dear friends, Azerbaijan is a multi-national, multi-religious country in which representatives of all religions and ethnic groups are citizens of the country with equal rights. Religious and ethnic tolerance, which is now accepted in the progressive world as an important pillar of democracy, has become a norm in Azerbaijani society. It is with sense of pride that I want to note that historically we have never had cases of discrimination or animosity on the national or religious basis.
Though the majority of our people are Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and other religions are also represented. There are 649 religious communities in Azerbaijan, including 24 non-Muslim. For example, we have a settlement of Krasnaya Sloboda in Guba district, which is the only place in the world where Mountainous Jews live together.
High level of social tolerance towards all segments of population is an indicator of a developed society. I think that one of our most important achievements is the existence of that level of social tolerance in Azerbaijani society today.
It is for sure that our country continues to face many unresolved issues, challenges and problems. The process of transformation and modernization in many sectors continues. However, looking back to our successes and achievements, we see our future with optimism, because we believe in our country's most valuable asset - its human potential.
I want to conclude my speech with a quote from famous Albert Einstein: The life of the individual has meaning only insofar as it aids in making the life of every living thing nobler and more beautiful. Life is sacred, that is to say, it is the supreme value, to which all other values are subordinate.
Once again, I wish you all good health, happiness and peace.
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27 April 2016 17:21 (UTC+04:00)
The United States urged both sides of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to work together towards a comprehensive peaceful solution.
U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta announced about this while talking to reporters on April 27 in Baku.
"We don't see military solution to accomplish anything," said Cekuta, adding that as the OSCE Minsk Group's co-chair, the U.S. will work with the conflict parties to help achieve a comprehensive peaceful solution.
The ambassador also called on the conflict parties to adhere to ceasefire.
Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions of Azerbaijan have been under the control of the Armenian military and separatists since a war between Armenia and Azerbaijan ended in 1994. Over 20 years of negotiations have brought little progress in resolving the conflict, though a fragile truce has been in place.
Baku, which has suffered from Yerevan's aggressive policy for more than two decades, has repeatedly stated that the presence of the Armenian Armed Forces in the occupied territories is a major obstacle to the settlement of the conflict and threat to the regional stability.
Despite the fact that the UN Security Council adopted four resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) demanding the Armenian troops to withdraw from Azerbaijan's occupied territories, they were ignored and have not been implemented by Yerevan yet.
Although the OSCE Minsk Group, which is in charge of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as well as other international institutions have repeatedly made statements on the conflict resolution, all efforts ended without any result.
Azerbaijan has been and remains committed to the peaceful negotiated solution to the conflict.
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27 April 2016 17:27 (UTC+04:00)
The Breakout Session Reporting in Times of Crisis: Telling Migrant Tales through Creative Storytelling held within the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) has looked at various creative initiatives that are used to efficiently combat extremist and hateful language.
At a time when journalists have to constantly reinvent themselves and find new ways to create appealing content, this session discussed the value of transversal and multidisciplinary approaches in order to build strong counter narratives that can reach a large number of people, Azertac reports.
The session was moderated by Vania Andre, Editor in Chief, The Haitian Times.
Speakers were Claudia Nunez, Digital Director, Los Angeles Times en Espanol, Founder, Migrahack, Institute for Justice & Journalism, David Mason, Director, Cast From the Storm, Colin Boyd Shafer, Documentary Photographer, Cosmopolis Toronto, Christina Elizabeth Rodriguez, Co-Founder, EXPO Collective, Tania Bruguera, Installation and Performance Artist.
Points of discussion at the session included What are recent examples of amalgams in the media about certain communities?; How should we analyze them? What do they tell us about the current state of the media?; What are innovative ways of countering hateful and inaccurate narratives?; How can the media help avoid amalgams?; How can the media contribute to foster inclusive societies?; What are creative ways to build an impactful counter narrative?
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27 April 2016 17:49 (UTC+04:00)
By Nazrin Gadimova
Armenia has never intended to implement the UN Security Council resolutions on de-occupation of Azerbaijani lands, and the country is responsible for the recent clashes on the frontline.
Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, ISESCO Director General, made the remark as part of his visit to Baku.
"ISESCO has issued a declaration condemning the Armenian aggression and urging the international community to stop and force Armenia to implement UN Security Council resolutions, that is to withdraw its troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan," he stressed.
Altwaijri believes that the international community has not made sufficient efforts to force Armenia to withdraw its military troops from Nagorno-Karabakh.
We need to continue to clarify the situation and to convey to the world that Armenia has occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, violating all norms of international law, he concluded.
Earlier, Altwaijri expressed surprise at how this very serious conflict threatening to undermine peace in this part of the world is not high on the agenda of the UN chief. He further called upon UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon to enforce Security Council resolutions condemning Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and other lands of Azerbaijan and demanding its immediate cessation.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict evolved in 1988 as a result of Armenian aggressive policy towards neighboring Azerbaijan. As a result of a bloody war, Armenia occupied 20 percent of the Azerbaijani territories.
Large-scale hostilities ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire in 1994, but Armenia continued the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal.
In early April 2016, Armenia resumed military actions on the contact line of troops. The intense firings of the Azerbaijani positions and settlements along the frontline have caused causalities among Azerbaijani civilians.
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27 April 2016 17:17 (UTC+04:00)
By Fatma Babayeva
More and more consumers are discovering the advantages of non-cash payment methods in Azerbaijan. The use of payment cards in Azerbaijan has grown steadily, contributing to the growth of GDP by $70 million in total.
Increased use of payment cards (credit, debit and prepaid cards) has also promoted an increase in consumer spending by 0.06 percent on average per year from 2011 to 2015, according to the report on the research results conducted by Moody's Analytics on the request of international payment system Visa.
The development of the non-cash payments in Azerbaijan enabled to create 1,130 new jobs on average a year from 2011 to 2015, according to the research results.
This achievement would not be possible without close cooperation of public authorities, regulators and partner banks in Azerbaijan with Visa.
Visa intends to continue maintaining close collaboration to achieve the common goal on increasing the use of electronic payments which will develop Azerbaijans economy, said Igor Kovalyov, Visa country manager in Azerbaijan, Belarus and Moldova.
Moody's Analytics stated that the increased use of the electronic means for payment contributed to the increase of GDP in 70 countries to $296 billion, while growth of the consumer spending averaged 0.18 per cent a year.
The use of electronic payments is one of the main factors stimulating consumption, industrial production, economic growth and job creation. Countries with high level of use of the payment cards have demonstrated higher rates of economic growth, Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody's Analytics, said in the report.
The research results showed that the introduction of electronic payment helped to create more stable and transparent business environment. In addition, the use of non-cash payments reduced the shadow economy - economic activities mainly based on cash payments and not declared in the financial statements.
Moreover, the use of electronic means for payment results in provision of higher tax revenues, contributes to reduce costs which is associated with storing and handling the cash and helps customers to get expanded access to the financial services.
Moodys research results highlight the positive impact that electronic payments had on the economic development of various countries around the world once again. This study showed that the right policy pursued by the government might lead to open and competitive payment ecosystem, as well as, to contribute to economic growth and job creation.
The highest GDP growth was recorded in the countries where the maximum increase in the level of use of payment cards has been recorded during the study period. So, the leaders were Hungary (0.25 per cent), the United Arab Emirates (0.23 percent), Chile (0.23 percent), Ireland (0.2 percent), Poland (0.19 percent) and Australia (0,19 percent).
In the CIS countries, Russia has the highest index with 0.33 percent. In Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, this figure stood at 0.07, 0.03 and 0.02 percent respectively.
Moody's analysts stated that the real consumer spending increased by 2.3 percent on average from 2011 to 2015. 0.01 percent out of it accounted for the growth of payment cards.
Accordingly, the introduction of the electronic payments contributed to the growth of consumption by 0.4 percent on average. The greatest effect was observed in developing countries, where the growth in average consumer spending is higher, said the report.
Moody's experts concluded that expanding the use of electronic payments by one percent can increase consumer spending by an average of $104 billion per annum. Assuming that the growth factors will not change in the future, the use of payment cards will increase GDP on average by 0.04 percent.
Analysts believe that in order to accelerate the transition to electronic payments, countries are encouraged to implement policies aimed at simplifying regulations, to facilitate the creation of reliable financial infrastructure and to stimulate consumption.
Moody's Analytics survey covers 70 countries, which account for almost 95 percent of global GDP, including some countries of the CIS, Central and Eastern European regions. The study analyzed the impact of electronic payments on economic growth in countries from 2011 to 2015.
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27 April 2016 11:19 (UTC+04:00)
By Amina Nazarli
Azerbaijan has invited Spanish companies to become residents of agro-parks, which are being created in the country.
The remark was made by Economy and Industry Minister Shahin Mustafayev as part of the Azerbaijan-Spain business forum held in Baku on April 26.
The forum organized by the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) was attended by officials, as well as about 130 entrepreneurs from both countries.
The delegation was led by Spain's Minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism Jose Manuel Soria.
Speaking at the forum Mustafayev said Azerbaijan has recently taken important steps to improve the business environment, and now the country has created all necessary conditions for foreign firms, including Spanish companies.
The minister said Azerbaijan is interested in cooperation with Spanish companies in various spheres of the non-oil sector, underlining that Spain has rich experience in agriculture.
Azerbaijan, with its advantageous climatic conditions and good opportunities to develop agrarian sector, has defined the establishment of agro-parks among its priorities to boost the agriculture development.
In this regard, the country's Economy Ministry has approved an action plan to develop agrarian sector in 2016, which stipulates creation of agro-parks in the Azerbaijani regions.
Currently, the establishment of agro-parks nears completion in Shamkir and Khachmaz regions, which will allow to expand domestic supply and support the exports.
Mustafayev further went on to say that the two countries can also cooperate in light industry, in particular textile industry.
"Spanish companies have extensive experience in this field, and Azerbaijan has all conditions for the development of light industry," said the minister.
He highlighted the importance of an agreement signed on avoidance of double taxation for the development of relations between the two countries.
The volume of trade turnover amounted to $380 million between the two countries. This figure cannot meet out expectations, as we have potential to increase trade turnover and its structures, he said.
Touching upon tourism sector, Mustafayev expressed confidence that both countries have great potential for cooperation in this field.
The minister added that presence of direct flights between Baku and Barcelona may also contribute to this.
"With direct air service, we can work on attracting Spanish tourists to Azerbaijan," he emphasized.
Mustafayev praised the relations between the two countries in a variety of fields. He stressed the importance of the Azerbaijani-Spanish business forum held two years ago in terms of expanding the relations, and expressed confidence that Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo`s visit would also contribute to the development of cooperation between the two countries.
Garcia-Margallo, in turn, said he has eye-witnessed rapid development in Azerbaijan. The Spanish minister emphasized the main driver of this development was the political and macroeconomic stability.
Some 12 companies with Spanish capital, operating mainly in the fields of construction, agriculture and services have been registered in Azerbaijan.
The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Spain stood at 37.85 million manats ($25,24 million) in the first quarter of 2016, according to Azerbaijan's State Customs Committee. This is while 26.13 million manats ($17.42 million) accounted for the export of Azerbaijani products to this country.
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27 April 2016 12:18 (UTC+04:00)
By Fatma Babayeva
Baku will host Days of Dagestan for the first time on May 12-13, which stipulates a series of events.
Dagestan will present its economy, culture, traditions and history, as well as, tourism potential, Head of the Dagestan Republic Ramazan Abdulatipov told Tass news agency.
Abdulatipov informed that Dagestan will introduce more than 30 projects in Baku including the production and processing of subsoil resources. Dagestan owns one of the richest reserves in Russia.
Dagestan has already signed a preliminary agreement with Azerbaijani on the establishment of an enterprise for sand activation, he reminded.
Earlier it was reported that Abdullatipov will visit capital city Baku on May 12-13. He is expected to meet with Azerbaijani officials, particularly, with Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev, First Deputy Prime Minister Yagub Eyyubov, as well as, Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Office Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade.
Azerbaijan continues to strengthen business cooperation with Russian regions, thus increasing number of mutual agreements and business entities.
Bilateral agreements on trade-economic, scientific-technical, and cultural cooperation were signed with a number of Russian regions at the intergovernmental level till now.
Previously, Russia ratified the agreement on promotion and mutual protection of investments between Russia and Azerbaijan on November 4, 2015.
The agreement, which was signed in Astrakhan on September 29, 2014, aims to provide the most favorable environment to the investors of both countries. The deal guarantees the protection of investments against forcible seizure under nationalization or expropriation.
Overall, Russia has invested more than $ 1.8 billion in Azerbaijans economy. On its turn, Azerbaijan invested over $1 billion of investment in Russian economy over the last decade.
Moreover, there are over 600 Russian companies operating in Azerbaijan including major manufacturers like Gazprom, LUKOIL, KAMAZ and VTB Bank.
Two regions of Russia, Dagestan and Tatarstan, have representative offices in Azerbaijan.
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27 April 2016 16:30 (UTC+04:00)
By Fatma Babayeva
Banks operating in Azerbaijan have suspended operations with credit cards due to the introduction of the moratorium on the issuance of consumer loans in foreign currencies, the Association of Banks told Trend on April 27.
As the operations carried out with the credit cards in foreign currencies fall under the category of consumer loans, the banks temporarily ceased their use, the association said.
In accordance with the decision made by the Financial Market Supervisory Body of Azerbaijan, banks suspended issuing consumer loans in foreign currency since April 5 for a month.
The Supervisory Body reserves the right to prolong this period.
In order to ensure financial stability and protection of consumer rights, it was decided to conduct in-depth and comprehensive analysis on issuing loans in foreign currencies to determine the new regulatory framework within one month.
The data provided by the Central Bank of Azerbaijan shows that 842,000 transactional operations were carried out with credit cards in February 2016, which totaled 128 million manats ($85.2 million).
Namely, 189,000 operations out of the total transactions with credit cards within the country were carried out via ATMs which amounted to 50 million manat ($33.2 million), 254,000 transactions via POS-terminals which amounted to 33 million manats ($22 million).
The total number of the credit cards amounted to 792,000 for the given period which is 40 percent less than the same period last year.
Currently, the Financial Market Supervisory Body is planning to develop a model defining new vision on loan allocation and legal framework by May which will be discussed with the banking sector and public later.
There are no restrictions for lending in national currency in Azerbaijan. Banks can issue both business and consumer loans. However, Supervisory Body made a decision on suspending the issuance of loans to the pensioners as well explaining it with the fact that this category of population fall under the group of high-risk borrowers.
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27 April 2016 11:10 (UTC+04:00)
By Laman Ismayilova
German-Azerbaijan Cultural Society "Kapellhaus" will host the Fifth Arts and Crafts festival organized by the community Bezek in Azerbaijan on April 29-30, Trend Life reports.
The exhibition, titled "In one southern city", will present works by both amateurs and professionals in various crafts: carpet weaving, jewelry, ceramics, knitting, macrame, carving sculpture, stained glass, embroidery,etc.
The festival will present works done in completely different techniques. Guests may also see compositions made from the seeds of plants and dried fruit, natural handmade soap, soft toys, national clothes and jewelry.
Entrance is free.
Kapellhaus is located on 28 May Street 15/17, Baku.
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27 April 2016 15:58 (UTC+04:00)
By Laman Ismayilova
Photographer Orkhan Azim held an exhibition devoted to the 30th anniversary of Chernobyl disaster on April 27, Trend Life reports.
The event began with a minute of silence in tribute to the victims of Chernobyl disaster.
The photo exhibition was attended by representatives of the Ukrainian embassy in Azerbaijan.
Addressing the event, national artist Aghali Ibrahimov said that the exhibition will arouse great interest of the public.
"Recent global challenges increase the value of this exhibition. Photos by Orkhan Azim are works of art. Neither the music nor the film can affect people like photos. This is a really good job", said Ibrahimov.
Editor-in-Chief of Report News Agency, Murad Aliyev for his part, said that the Chernobyl accident was great tragedy for all countries of the former Soviet Union.
"Many Azerbaijanis provided assistance to eliminate the consequences. Organization of such an exhibition will commemorate their memory. Taking into account all these cases, Report News Agency sent its photographer Orkhan Azim, to the area. He decently coped with this task", said Aliyev.
In his speech, Chairman of the Union of Chernobyl Disabled Persons Mirhasan Hasanov spoke about Azerbaijanis' role in elimination of Chernobyl problem, health state of those affected by this tragedy and about their children. He said that they participated in the elimination of the accident, which occurred in the fourth block, 'So far, more than 3,500 people have been killed. A total of 600,000 citizens of the former Soviet Union took part in the elimination of the Chernobyl accident, of which 7,000 were Azerbaijanis.
The Chernobyl disaster was a catastrophic nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the city of Pripyat, then located in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic of the Soviet Union (USSR). An explosion and fire released large quantities of radioactive particles into the atmosphere, which spread over much of the western USSR and Europe.
The Chernobyl disaster was the worst nuclear power plant accident in history in terms of cost and casualties. It is one of only two classified as a level 7 event (the maximum classification) on the International Nuclear Event Scale, the other being the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011.
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27 April 2016 11:42 (UTC+04:00)
By Laman Ismayilova
The Azerbaijani Education Ministry, IDEA Public Union and Bir Student-Volunteer Program have jointly launched the Spring Yards project.
The project launched in mid April aims at arranging green spaces in schoolyards. Spring Yards project is planned to cover 15 universities and 26 schools in Baku, Ganja and Sumgayit.
Within the program, students and schoolchildren plant trees, take care of plants and engage in community work days in outdoor areas of their respective premises. Also, IDEA Public Union presents special birdhouses to educational institutions that take part in the project.
The initiative is to improve the landscape of school surroundings as well as contribute to the health of students and schoolchildren, deepen their knowledge of nature, and form caring attitudes towards the environment among young people.
The project that will run till May 1, 2016 envisages clean-ups of outdoor areas of educational institutions, planting of greeneries, whitewashing tree trunks and other activities. At the conclusion of the project, the Ministry of Education, IDEA Public Union and Bir Student-Volunteer Program will select the best yards and present awards to the winning institutions.
IDEA Public Union launched by the Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva in 2011 is aimed at promoting public awareness of environmental issues and action, collaboration with youth, education in the field of environmental problems and finding proper solutions for them.
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27 April 2016 14:04 (UTC+04:00)
By Fatma Babayeva
Energy resource rich Azerbaijan is currently considering alternatives for sending Azerbaijans gas to Europe.
The statement was made by Elshad Nasirov, Vice-President of SOCAR during the panel meeting on Civil Society and Business: joint work for peace, security and sustainable development which held within the framework of VII Global Forum of UN Alliance of Civilizations in Baku.
Nasirov reminded that Azerbaijan is interested in the launch of the Southern Gas Corridor.
Azerbaijani gas will enter to the European market, and works are carried out in this direction, he said.
The SOCAR vice president further added that Azerbaijan is in the center of the international companies attention. These companies are interested in investing in the country. Azerbaijan offers all conditions for realizing it.
Moreover, oil revenues in Azerbaijan are mainly directed to the social projects, by including renovation and construction of new hospitals, schools and power facilities, he added.
Azerbaijans gas will be transported to Europe via the Southern Gas Corridor which is a planned infrastructure project.
The SGC aims to improve the energy security of the EU and diversity its energy supply routes by bringing natural gas from the Caspian region to Europe.
The project envisages the transportation of gas extracted at the giant Shah Deniz 2 field located in the Azerbaijani section of the Caspian Sea. The pipeline network will stretch across 3,500 kilometer area from the Caspian Sea into the Europe.
However, there is a need to upgrade existing infrastructure and develop a chain of new pipelines in order to achieve full implementation of the project.
Existing South Caucasus pipeline will be expanded with a new parallel pipeline through Azerbaijan and Georgia. Construction of Trans-Anatolian (TANAP) and Trans-Adriatic pipelines are main elements of this project.
TANAP will pass through Turkey and join to TAP pipeline in the Greece border. TAP will pass through Greece, Albania and southern part of Italy.
First gas delivery to Georgia and Turkey is scheduled for late 2018. Gas deliveries to Europe are expected a year after the first gas is produced in offshore fields of Azerbaijan.
The SGC is one of the biggest construction projects of our times with a value of $45 billion.
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27 April 2016 13:10 (UTC+04:00)
By Aynur Karimova
Energy-rich Kazakhstan, which enjoys 30 billion barrels of proved crude oil reserves (as of January 2014, according to the Oil & Gas Journal), expects to enter the top 10 oil exporters by 2020 through producing 130 million tons of oil per year.
This was announced by Askar Kenzhekhanov, the Deputy Director General of the Information Oil and Gas Center of Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry at the SOCAR International Practical Conference on "Caspian Basin and Central Asia: Trade, Logistics, Oil Processing and Oil and Chemistry" in Baku on April 26.
He said Kazakhstan plans to produce 77 million tons of oil in 2016, adding that in 2015, there was a slowdown in oil production in Kazakhstan amid falling world price.
"In 2015, some 79.4 million tons of oil was produced in Kazakhstan, which is 0.5 percent more than the forecasted figures," he noted. "Gas production amounted to 45.3 billion cubic meters, which is 7 percent more than the forecasted figures, as well as 5 percent higher than in 2014. The forecast for production in 2016 amounts to 77 million tons of oil."
Kenzhekhanov further added that Kazakhstan is working to differentiate the oil supply chains and expects production growth after the production is resumed at the Kashagan field.
"It will contribute to the growth of export," he stressed.
Kazakhstan, being the second largest endowment in Eurasia after Russia, and the twelfth largest in the world, just behind the U.S., exported 60.9 million tons of oil in 2015, which accounts for 76.7 percent of the total production given the planned export volume of 65 million tons.
The largest volume of oil - 38 million tons was exported via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, 12.4 million tons of oil - via the Atyrau-Samara pipeline, and 4.8 million tons in the Chinese direction.
Export by sea totaled 3.1 million tons, while 0.8 million tons of oil was exported by rail. A significant reduction in export by rail is due to the rising cost of oil transportation.
In 2016, Kazakhstan plans to sell 74 million tons of oil versus 80 million tons sold in 2015.
Earlier, the then Energy Minister, Vladimir Shkolnik said that the Kazakh government plans to compensate the projected decline in oil production in 2016 by commissioning the Kashagan field in the future.
The government was also instructed by President Nursultan Nazarbayev to implement all perspective projects in the energy sector, including the commissioning of Kashagan field, the project for expanding the Tengiz field, and the second phase of expanding the Karachaganak project.
Tengiz, Karachaganak and Kashagan are Kazakhstans largest oil fields.
Karachaganak field is one of the world's largest fields. Its oil and condensate reserves stand at 1.2 billion tons, and gas reserves exceed 1.35 trillion cubic meters. As of today, almost 45 percent of gas and 16 percent of all liquid hydrocarbons produced in Kazakhstan are being extracted from this field.
The Tengiz field in the west of Kazakhstan is one of the deepest and largest oil fields in the world. Total estimated reserves amount to three billion tons (26 billion barrels).
Another large Kazakh oil and gas field is Kashagan, which is located in the north of the Caspian Sea. Oil production at Kashagan started in September 2013, but its operation was suspended after a gas leak appeared from the ground pipeline stretching from the Island D to the Bolashak plant.
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27 April 2016 11:47 (UTC+04:00)
By Aynur Karimova
Tehran and Ankara have discussed lifting impediments on the way of cooperation of Iranian and Turkish private sectors.
The discussions were held during a meeting of the Turkish side of Iran-Turkey Trade Council and Iran's new ambassador to Turkey Mohammad-Ebrahim Taherian on April 26, IRNA reported.
The two sides exchanged views on ways and means of expanding bilateral cooperation in a new atmosphere created after recent visit of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to Turkey.
Taherian said Iranian and Turkish senior officials have always been emphasizing importance of expansion of commercial and economic relations to achieve the $30-billion target with promotion of cooperation between their private sectors having the priority.
He added that Iran is ready to benefit from Turkey's experience in various economic sectors and support relations between Iranian and Turkish private sectors in a comprehensive manner.
Earlier, Rouhani urged the two countries' private sectors to make mutual investments to the export of joint products to third-parties, and also invited Turkish companies to invest in the infrastructure of Iran's tourism sector.
Iran and Turkey, which enjoy grounds for boosting cooperation in various areas, are keen to expand multifaceted ties.
Turkey, which is keen to give a new impetus to its trade ties with neighboring Iran following removal of international sanctions, intends to take the rising golden opportunity in Iran's economy and to play a more active role on the Islamic Republic's market by its private sector.
Being the Middle Easts two powerful players, Iran and Turkey share very close economic ties. The Iranian market promises a huge opportunity to Turkey in various sectors, including tourism, automotive industry, clothing, textiles, machinery, chemistry, petrochemistry and energy industry, as well as banking, telecommunications and transportation.
The trade turnover between Turkey and Iran stood at $22 billion in 2012 before dipping to $14.5 billion in the following year due to the economic sanctions imposed on Tehran by the West.
Trade turnover between the two countries stood at $13.71 billion in 2014 and $9.76 billion in 2015. Currently, Tehran and Ankara intend to raise their bilateral trade to $30 billion per year.
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27 April 2016 14:23 (UTC+04:00)
By Aynur Karimova
Iran, which has set a goal to revive its economy after the removal of international sanctions, needs to attract $50 billion of foreign investment annually to improve its industrial sector.
This was stated by Masoud Khansari, the Head of Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture at a meeting with Lower Austrian Commissioner for Economics Petra Bohuslav, Trend reported.
Khansari said that Iran, after years of sanctions, needs to attract foreign investment and technology, and called on Austrian companies to invest in the Islamic Republic.
Bohuslav, in turn, said that Austrian merchants and businessmen are interested in developing commercial ties with Iran since this country has high industrial and mineral capacities.
Amid the removal of international sanctions against Iran, the country's government has been developing plans for attracting huge amounts of foreign investment in the post-sanctions era to renew the country's aging industry and ailing economy.
Iran's annual inward FDI was $2.408 billion on average during 2005-2007, while this figure was $3.523 billion for 2011-2014, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development.
Iran's total FDI inward from 1995 to 2011 was a little more than $33 billion, according to the UNCTAD.
Iranian officials estimate that the country would attract $8 billion foreign investment over the current Iranian calendar year, which started on March 20. They say there are no serious obstacles for foreigners to invest in Iran within the law.
Meanwhile, Tehran's long-term view is to use foreign economic relations as a tool to improve political power balance across the world.
Iran's Deputy Economy Minister Mohammad Khazaei believes that not every investment is welcomed in Iran. He said Tehran only agrees to foreign investments which would add value to the country, as Iran seeks to create new job opportunities, boost exports, improve technology and environment.
Currently, Iran is planning to lure $25 billion worth of foreign investment to spend on the country's development projects.
The Iranian parliament is currently considering the 6th Development Plan, a framework for a 5-year perspective of economic performance in Iran between 2016- 2021, under which $25 billion out of the annual $90 billion worth of total investment should be acquired from foreign sources.
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27 April 2016 16:47 (UTC+04:00)
By Aynur Karimova
Russia has announced that it is looking for a partner in Turkey for the construction of Akkuyu nuclear power plant (NPP).
The Russian side is currently in talks with largest Turkish construction companies on the issue of their participation in the construction process, Bloomberg HT reported on April 27.
The Turkish construction company Cengiz Insaat Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. has already showed its interest in the construction of the NPP.
If the Turkish company decides to build the NPP together with Russia, the share of its participation in the project will amount to 49 percent.
Construction of Akkuyu NPP in Turkey will start in 2016 and the country had not abandoned its construction, which is expected to be completed in 2020.
The intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Turkey on cooperation in the fields of construction and operation of the country's first NPP Akkuyu near the city of Mersin in southern Turkey was signed in 2010.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the offshore structures of the Akkuyu NPP was held in April 2015.
The project cost nears $20 billion. The Akkuyu plant is projected to generate about 35 billion kilowatt hours of electricity a year.
After the deterioration of relations between the two countries due to the SU-24 incident, Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a government decree on economic measures against Turkey. However such large projects as Turkish Stream and Akkuyu NPP were not reflected in the list of these measures.
However, experts believe that like the Turkish Stream, this project has also been removed from the agenda.
Earlier, Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said that if Russia doesn't resume the talks on constructing the Akkuyu plant, there are countries which can build it.
It is not ruled out that if this project is cancelled, Turkey can discuss the plant's construction with France and Japan.
The Akkuyu NPP will become the first NPP in the country. The second NPP in Turkey will be built in Sinop province on the Black Sea coast.
The agreement on constructing the plant in Sinop was signed between Turkey and Japan in 2013. It is planned to complete the project's implementation by 2023.
Meanwhile, China and the U.S. have expressed interest in constructing the third NPP in Turkey, Sabah newspaper reported.
Turkey has already started talks on constructing the third NPP with the U.S. Westinghouse Electric Company and China's State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation (SNPTC).
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27 April 2016 16:12 (UTC+04:00)
By Laman Ismayilova
Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili has pardoned 95 prisoners, Trend reports.
Head of the Pardon Commission Zviad Koridze said that the commission has received 597 applications in total.
Sixty-nine of the 95 pardoned inmates will leave prison later today while the remaining 26 will have their sentences decreased", he said on April 27.
Among those being released today are 10 women, two minors.
On April 18, President Margvelashili pardoned 95 prisoners as part of this years Easter celebrations.
The President is only person authorized to pardon inmates in Georgia.
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27 April 2016 17:34 (UTC+04:00)
By Laman Ismayilova
Chynybai Tursunbekov, an MP from the Social Democratic Party, has been elected the chairman of the Kyrgyzstan parliament, through a secrete vote in the second round.
As many as 88 members of the parliament supported the candidacy of Tursunbekov, while his rival, Iskhak Masaliev from the Onuguu-Progress Party, gained support of 26 MPs.
Earlier, the previous speaker Asylbek Jeenbekov decided to resign after his brother, Sooronbai Jeenbekov, was nominated to the position of prime minister.
On April 20, Kyrgyz parliament put for vote the candidacies of Kanat Isaev of the Kyrgyzstan Party and Bakyt Torobaev of the Onuguu-Progress Party, but non of them succeeded to gain the necessary amount of votes.
Both candidates received 51 votes from the MPs.
At least 61 votes are needed to be elected speaker in the 120-seat parliament.
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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova
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Warewash equipment manufacturer Hobarts managing director, David Riley, has had his current role expanded to cover warewashing sales operations in Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Belgium.
The appointment of Riley to the extended role is an ideal fit, according to Hobart, which also said: The Scandinavian and Benelux businesses share a key focus on dealer business development. The warewashing sales teams in each country will now report directly into Riley.
Riley has been working at Hobart for 25 years and is widely credited with revitalising the companys dealer-led business through the creation of Hobart Independent, some 10 years ago.
Riley said: Im delighted to be working even closer with our Scandinavian and Benelux partners, helping to shape their sales strategies and further develop the dealer business that they have worked so hard to cultivate.
Wrexham-based Village Bakery has struck a deal to supply 27 Tesco stores in south Wales, adding to the 16 it already sells to in north Wales.
The deal coincides with the bakery announcing the launch of a two-week advertising campaign with ITV Wales.
Starting from 14 May, the advert makes use of slow motion photography to emphasise its use of slow dough to make better bread message.
Village Bakery will supply the new Tesco stores with a range of breads including its barm cake, Welsh batch and village-sliced products. The deal adds to existing contracts with Asda and 116 Co-operative stores.
Catherine Bletcher, account manager at Village Bakery, said: Although we have grown considerably, we are still a family-run firm of craft bakers. We make a loaf of bread with traditional methods and traditional values, and its all about the time we take in letting the bread ferment.
"With our slow dough rolls and bread, we make a sponge which ferments for 18 hours before we make the bread, and it just adds to the flavour. Hopefully, that will be reflected in the TV adverts. It tries to emphasise the care and attention we take in making our bread and also emphasises the slow dough principle.
Village Bakery recently submitted plans to build a new 16m plant next to its two existing bakeries.
The Tampa house fire that sent three children to the hospital with minor injuries overnight started in a window air conditioning unit.
According to Tampa Fire Rescue, the fire marshal's report states that the fire was "ignited by mechanical/electrical failure in the area of a window air conditioner unit and power strip causing major fire damage."
Three children were taken to Tampa General Hospital for injuries described as non life-threatening after the fire at at 4425 W. Oklahoma Ave.
A total of eight children and four adults were in the home when the fire broke out at 10:15 p.m. A smoke alarm alert the residents to the fire. Three children, ages 7, 5, and 18 months, were taken to Tampa General Hospital.
"It was scary," said Carol Tibben, who lives at the home. "I was afraid for my babies."
The residents rushed to wake up the children as flames began to spread, Tibben said.
According to officials, one child suffered burns to his hand when he touched a hot doorknob handle. All three children were released from the hospital overnight.
Meanwhile, the damage to the home is extensive. Inspectors said damage to the house and its contents is estimated at $130,000.
"Weve got friends and family that are being really supportive," Tibben said. "And with the grace of God, we will get through it, make us stronger."
Here's what you need to know about Tampa Bay's weather for Wednesday:
Partly sunny
Highs in the 80s
Rain chances at 20 percent
There will be mostly sunny to partly sunny skies today with a southeast wind of about 5 to 15 mph.
As the sea breeze develops this afternoon, there will be a chance of isolated showers in Tampa Bay and scattered showers inland. The rain chance is 20 percent to 30 percent.
Highs will be in the low 80s at the coast but the mid to upper 80s inland.
After a chance of a few inland showers this evening, it will be partly cloudy overnight. Lows will be in the mid 60s to low 70s.
Thursday will be partly sunny. There will be a chance of isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs will range from the low 80s at the coast to the mid and upper 80s inland.
High pressure will be weakening across the area as a weak front moves into North Florida on Friday.
There is a slight chance of a shower.
We will continue with above-normal temperatures for the rest of the week.
One week after the deadly terrorist attacks in Belgium, the Brussels airport remains closed. But on Tuesday, Belgian air travelers resumed traveling in and out of Central Florida from another airport in Belgium.
Veronique Denhaerinck was on a flight out of Brussels last Tuesday that took off just minutes before the airport was blasted by terrorist bombs. She didnt even know her country was attacked until she landed in Sanford.
My baby started panicking a little bit because he didnt know what was going on, said Denhaerinck.
Sanford Airport Police say they noticed Denhaerinck was also upset. Thats when officers gave Denhaerincks little boy, Max, an honorary police badge.
They were really nice and gave him a sticker. Maybe it was only a small thing, but for him it meant a lot because its like okay, Im safe, I can have a badge, and it made him feel better, said Denhaerinck.
Denhaerinck and her son came to the U.S. to get medical treatment for Max. He suffers from a rare digestive disorder. She says the only doctor who has been able to really help her son is in Gainesville.
Max poses with an Alachua County deputy and his K9 partner. (Veronique Denhaerinck)
We had to come here because we cant get the same kind of help that we can get over here, said Denhaerinck.
After getting his honorary badge from the Sanford Airport Police, Denhaerinck says her son asked her to stop whenever they saw a fire truck or police car while traveling in Central Florida. And she says during the week they were in Florida, they ended up talking with several firefighters, police officers and first responders. She says Max got several more honorary badges.
Denhaerinck and her son are heading back to Belgium with a sense of safety and security, thanks to the generosity of local law enforcement.
Every time hed say oh there are police theyll protect us. And thats a good thing, said Denhaerinck.
We spoke with people arriving at the Orlando Sanford International Airport Tuesday from Belgium. After spending a week in the country following the terrorist attacks, some of those travelers said they are looking forward to their time in Florida.
It was good timing for us. We had planned it before and well stay almost two weeks, said Annigja Clras, a Belgium resident.
The Better Business Bureau Serving Southeast Texas has revoked the BBB Accreditation of a Lumberton and of an Orange business.
The BBB Board of Directors approved these revocations at their April meeting.
The BBB Accreditation of B&D Residential Services of Lumberton and G. & D. Construction and Builders LLC of Orange were revoked due to failure to comply with BBB Code of Business Practices Standards for Accreditation.
As per Better Business Bureau by-laws, B&D Residential Services and G. & D. Construction and Builders have 30 days upon notification to appeal the decision to the board chairperson for review by the board of directors.
Specifically the companies failed to comply with two of BBB's Code of Business Practices Standards for Accreditation:
To build trust: Establish and maintain a positive track record in the marketplace;
Be Responsive: Address marketplace disputes quickly, professionally, and in good faith.
B&D Residential Services, a commercial handyman company in Lumberton, became BBB Accredited in October 2015.
In December 2015, BBB received a complaint about home repair issues. When BBB contacted the business owner he initially responded, but did not follow through and failed to appear for the scheduled mediation. The consumer then requested BBB arbitration, but business owner didn't respond.
In February 2016, BBB received another complaint regarding a repair issue alleging substandard work and failure to return calls.
By March, BBB received a third complaint regarding a contract issue in which the consumer stated the business failed to provide material receipts, did not complete tasks, was rude and did not honor promises.
Although BBB has made multiple efforts to communicate by phone, email and certified mail, B&D Residential Services did not respond.
G. & D. Construction and Builders of Orange became BBB Accredited in 2006 and maintained a positive history until 2014 when BBB reported a pattern of complaint involving the business issuing checks returned for insufficient funds.
BBB worked at length with the business and the issues were resolved.
Then, in September 2015, BBB received a complaint with the consumer alleging the business had abandoned a remodeling job leaving sub-contractors unpaid forcing the consumer to remit payment.
When the business did not respond to multiple contacts by the Dispute Resolution Department, BBB became concerned and began the revocation process.
During this time, the business contacted BBB and agreed to participate in mediation.
But, the owner did not show up for the scheduled mediation nor, did the owner cooperate to reschedule.
The consumer then requested BBB arbitration at which both parties participated. But the business failed to honor the arbitrator's decision.
Check out a company or charity in Southeast Texas, the United States, Canada or Mexico before you buy at www.bbb.org, (409) 835-5340 or 855-BBB-SETX.
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Dr. Lonnie L. Howard will succeed Lamar Institute of Technology President Paul Szuch this summer after being named the lone finalist for the position on Tuesday by Texas State University System Chancellor Brian McCall
Howard, currently president and CEO of Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood, Washington, was selected from a field of nearly 40 candidates, according to a news release from McCall's office.
Howard will replace Szuch, who is retiring after a decade at LIT's helm.
"Dr. Howard brings more than 20 years of experience in higher education to LIT, but he also brings a wealth of life experience-as a first-generation college student and the beneficiary of a technical college education-that make him an outstanding fit for the institution," said McCall in prepared remarks.
Howard, whose appointment must be confirmed by the TSUS Board of Regents, is expected to start his new position before the fall semester, according to the news release.
"By law, a candidate for president of a public college or university in Texas must remain the sole finalist for 21 days before a governing board can confirm the appointment," the release said.
Howard said in prepared remarks that he is "humbled by this opportunity."
"LIT is an important educational asset in Southeast Texas," he said. "I'm excited about the opportunity to build on the positive changes that Dr. Szuch achieved during his tenure so that LIT can offer more students the kind of life-changing opportunities I experienced as a student."
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If a window breaks at Ron Cunningham's immaculate one-story home in Beaumont's West End, a newly installed alarm can be heard miles away.
His neighbor put up a beaming nuisance of a bright light over both of their backyards, scheduled to turn on at sunset.
Meanwhile, Cunningham is reluctant to load suitcases into his trunk in plain view.
It hasn't always been this way on the quiet Dowlen Place subdivision cul-de-sac. Not until Cunningham's home was broken into and ransacked in February, with burglars staying overnight while his family spent the weekend in Dallas.
Residents in the West End are panicking, as the area they once considered safe from crime has experienced a jump in burglaries dating back nine months.
They are spending money on alarm systems and cameras while hoping their valuables turn up in pawn shops and rethinking additional insurance policies on their belongings.
Every week more people are joining neighborhood watch groups. Mobile devices also are uniting them, as residents join private social networks designed to make for safer neighborhoods.
One of the most disturbing elements of the trend is that
homes are being burglarized in broad daylight, when most people figure it's safest.
Beaumont Police Chief James Singletary acknowledged in a news conference earlier this month that burglaries are up in the West End, part of a citywide increase.
"It's all over Beaumont but a lot more in the West End than usual," he said.
As of last week, only four of 130 West End cases this year had been cleared by arrests.
Residents have reacted. Security systems are in vogue in the West End.
Cunningham did not have a security system before the burglary. He promptly called a home security company to install sensors on the windows, something he had not considered since moving there in 1998.
Burglars apparently entered through Cunningham's laundry room, which leads to the kitchen and dining area.
A stack of logs was knocked over and his barbecue pit was used as a boost for someone to shimmy into a narrow back window.
Cunningham found a tequila bottle - unopened when he left for the Dallas trip - half empty. Vodka and a bottle of orange juice from his refrigerator were missing.
They also took a pajama set that was a Christmas gift from Cunningham's daughter.
The most valuable item lifted was his wife's jewelry box, but the Cunninghams had to change their locks because the thieves made off with their spare keys.
"We were very fortunate they did not break anything else," Cunningham said.
On edge
Neighbors in a cul-de-sac on Shadow Lane, where a local surgeon's home was hit, have upgraded their security systems. Police sometimes are able to use surveillance footage from multiple homeowners' cameras to track thieves' activities in a single case.
Jean Hillin has lived on Thomas Road for 14 years and said she always considered it safe.
After her house was burglarized, she installed a more advanced security system, which is equipped with glass sensors.
Fourteen burglaries in one weekend this month - which included large car dealerships and a South End clothing store - prompted BPD's Singletary and Jefferson County District Attorney Bob Wortham to plead for help from the community.
The common targets in those burglaries were security safes.
The South End clothing store incident marked the 27th time since August that a vehicle was used to smash into a building for a burglary.
Wortham called for prosecutors to be aggressive if the cases end up in court, with no probation offered.
It's because people are on edge.
"The panic, it's just not good for this town at all," Hillin said. "It's happening every day."
Hillin said she was there most of the day her home was broken into, with her expensive jewelry and husband's guns lifted from their bedroom within minutes.
The burglars removed pillow cases and stuffed them with stolen goods, making their way in and out of the master bathroom.
They took a patio furniture cushion and broke into a French door toward the back of the house.
Hillin was gone for about two hours - sometime between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
It was a large enough window for intruders to make Hillin feel violated, especially when she found out neighbors also had been hit, one earlier the same day in February.
"Someone is obviously watching the area and knowing when I'm gone," Hillin said. "It's stressful."
Ron and Debbie Hunt are doing more walkthroughs around Briar Creek because of burglaries.
Debbie Hunt, who networks with other West End residents on the Nextdoor mobile app, said there is a newfound interest among neighbors.
They're nosier, but well-intended.
The Hunts are constantly monitoring neighbors' gates and garages, even ringing doorbells when one is left open and unattended.
Burglaries are the hot topic at homeowners association meetings, where Beaumont police have given standard, common-sense advice like locking doors and reporting suspicious activity.
"We are concerned about it, any neighborhood would be," Debbie Hunt said.
Feeling violated
A burglary on Briar Creek the same day as Hillin's, about two miles further west, was almost identical.
Security footage from a neighbor's camera showed the same white Chevrolet Impala, unfamiliar to either homeowner, pulling into their driveways.
While the law defines robberies as crimes against people and burglaries as crimes against property, West End residents make no such distinction about being violated.
Hillin said she police corrected her after she said she was robbed.
Meanwhile, Beaumont PD detectives are overwhelmed.
Singletary said earlier this month that burglaries citywide are up 35 percent from last year.
The West End's burglary numbers are actually the lowest of the three zones, according to BPD records. Of 444 burglaries from Jan. 1 to April 18, about 30 percent were in the West End.
Most years, the North End leads the city's three zones in burglaries, but it's the South End that has seen the most since January. As of last week, only 26 burglary cases had been cleared by arrests, including the West End's four.
Police suspect Houston gangs are responsible for most of the crimes, while residents fear the thieves might be a lot closer to their backyards.
Cunningham said he found a wallet left at his home identifying a Port Arthur man. No arrest has been made.
For now, West Enders are relying on security systems and nosy neighbors.
Some of them are being told to search local pawn shops for their stolen property.
"No one wants to hear that after they've just been violated," Hillin said.
Heightened awareness
Local dentist Alan Coleman had an alarm at his home for years but rarely used it until the break-ins started happening around him.
There was one in his Delaware Place subdivision two months ago, then another around the same time about half a mile away at Hillin's home.
After his 84-year-old mother's neighbor was hit, he installed an inexpensive, user-friendly system at her house.
Coleman put in the SimpliSafe, a self-installed unit, for less than $300. It equips his mother with a lava-lamp size base unit that calls the alarm company if there's a break-in, three window censors, a motion censor and a loud external siren that cost less than $200 a month.
She can also press a red panic button that immediately dispatches the police.
Because of the public response, Singletary has instructed officers to drop what they're doing when a burglary in progress is reported.
Very few people are recovering stolen property.
Gerald Farha, a local realtor who was burglarized in March, had property discovered at a pawn shop.
Someone tried to pawn his firearm and Rolex. A a jeweler became suspicious and turned in video to investigators.
It led to one of the few arrests in a series of mysterious cases.
"Now that this is happening, we turn the security system on every time we leave the house because we know what's going on," Coleman said.
BScott@BeaumontEnterprise.comTwitter.com/BrandonKScott
A Lumberton man arrested almost three years ago for carrying an assault rifle through Parkdale Mall will face a judge after an appeals court on Wednesday ruled against his constitutional objections to the charge.
Derek Ty Poe, 27, was charged in December 2013 with disturbing the peace after walking through the mall with an AR-15 strapped across his back, muzzle down.
At that time, Poe's gun supply store, Golden Triangle Tactical, was located inside the mall. He had moved his store to 5395 Texas 105, east of U.S. 69 in Beaumont, but a post on the store's Facebook page shows the store's status in red as "permanently closed."
The store's web site, www.goldtritac.net, is also offline.
While the Ninth Court of Appeals said Poe's case should move forward, Justice Leanne Johnson wrote in a separate opinion that displaying a firearm could, in some instances, be seen as free speech.
Poe had contended his public carrying of his rifle was a First Amendment effort to demonstrate on behalf of his Second Amendment right to carry arms. Poe also argued Texas law used in his citation was so vague as to be unconstitutional, which all three judges on the panel rejected.
Poe was scheduled to go to trial on the charge in August 2015. No new trial date was set as of April 22.
Poe, owner of Golden Triangle Tactical then located in Parkdale Mall in Beaumont, was stopped by Beaumont Police about 6 p.m. on Dec. 28, 2013, for carrying an AR-15 rifle slung barrel-down across his back as he walked to his store.
A Beaumont Police spokesman had said Poe was not arrested Dec. 28, but the weapon was confiscated. A video of the incident was posted on YouTube. The weapon will remain in police custody until the case is settled, said Sgt. Rob Flores in early 2014.
"We did our job to protect the public and protect his rights," Flores said.
Police received calls from shoppers who said they were "very afraid" and "terrified" at the sight of the weapon, Flores said after the incident.
In a post dated Dec. 28, 2013, on his Facebook page, Poe criticized the department's response.
"If you think Texas is an open carry state when it comes to rifles apparently not," read the post, which referred to "a select few thugs in the Beaumont Police department."
Firearm owners in Texas are legally allowed to carry rifles if it isn't done in a threatening manner.
Handguns were not allowed to be carried in the open, and owners must have a concealed handgun license to carry the weapon in public. Texas voters approved a change to the open carry law to make it possible to openly carry handguns in many, but not all situations.
In the online post, Poe maintained that he was carrying the weapon in a non-threatening manner in accordance with the law.
However, Parkdale Mall is private, not public, property, and Texas law allows private property owners to control who does what on their property.
"Parkdale Mall has never allowed the carrying of weapons of any kind except those carried by certified law enforcement officers in the performance of their duties," wrote Todd Anderton, the regional marketing director for CBL and Associates Properties in an email to The Beaumont Enterprise in January 2014. "This policy has always been part of the mall's code of conduct."
Anderton said the code of conduct is displayed at all of the mall's entrances and online.
BScott@BeaumontEnterprise.comTwitter.com/BrandonKScott
Jeff Blankinship, president and CEO of Surgical Notes and co-founder of Surgical Capital, discusses alternatives for healthcare financing.
Surgical Capital is a new firm focused on turnkey captive formation and captive management for ambulatory surgery centers, surgical hospitals and other healthcare organizations and business owners.
Q: Why did you form Surgical Funds?
Jeff Blankinship: Several key Surgical Notes clients, including ASC physicians and owners and leaders of top management and development companies, expressed frustration with the difficulties experienced when attempting to access funding for de novo projects, operational capital and equipment purchases, and buying into new partnership opportunities. Surgical Funds was created to respond to these needs by eliminating the hassles associated with traditional commercial lending programs. We provide a service that offers competitive, flexible financing programs tailored to meet the unique needs of the healthcare industry.
Many physicians and organizations are upside down with their credit and debt-to-income ratios, have a low FICO score, or face other challenges that make it difficult to raise capital quickly. Surgical Funds delivers fast, customized solutions designed to meet these challenges and others that are unique to the healthcare industry.
Q: What services does the company provide?
JB: Surgical Funds provides multiple options for funding from various lending partners, financial institutions, national and local banks, family offices, private equity, and more. There are seldom two deals which are exactly the same. At Surgical Funds, we work to provide healthcare professionals with multiple, flexible financing options so they can secure the funding needed.
Q: What are some of the reasons healthcare professionals need financing?
JB: There are various reasons when healthcare professionals may want to consider a capital loan. Perhaps their facility is experiencing reimbursement delays due to the transition to ICD-10 or they would like to consolidate or re-finance commercial debt. In order to remain competitive in todays healthcare industry, healthcare facilities need to upgrade their equipment or software periodically, and this requires capital. Surgical Funds also provides specialized healthcare financing for de novo development, real estate purchases, and practice acquisitions as well as physician loans for tax payments or to fund a healthcare captive insurance company.
Q: What are the biggest obstacles faced by healthcare professionals when seeking financing?
JB: One of the biggest obstacles faced when seeking capital is not knowing your options, which includes identifying available lenders. There are several ways to be creative when it comes to securing funding which are not in the typical wheelhouse of traditional banks. The first place a physician will typically to turn for financing is a local bank or national commercial lender. Inquiries at these institutions can result in the physician receiving a lowered credit rating, and the bank may ultimately turn down the physician's loan application for any number of reasons. Additionally, traditional lenders often have unexpected out-of-pocket fees and hard collateral requirements as well as long turnaround times. These are all avoided with Surgical Funds customized healthcare financing solutions.
Q: How can working with financiers help healthcare professionals reach their ultimate professional goals?
JB: Financiers, particularly those with healthcare expertise, understand the needs and desires of the deal at hand, which will often require creative and sometimes alternative financing to achieve the desired outcome. Growth through responsible financing helps healthcare entrepreneurs to reach their ultimate professional goals.
Q: What are the biggest misconceptions you see among healthcare professionals when taking on and managing debt?
JB: One of the biggest misconceptions is that while your practice or facility may gross a lot of money, this does not ensure that you will be financed. Many times the debt-to-income ratio is upside down. Couple that with a poor credit score/FICO and it will be difficult to secure favorable funding with traditional lenders.
Q: What are the smartest things you're seeing physician entrepreneurs do to manage and invest successfully?
JB: Due diligence and more due diligence! Healthcare entrepreneurs owe it to themselves to research all available physician loan programs and healthcare financing options available. In the long run, tailored solutions will be the best fit.
Springfield, Mass.-based Baystate Health is experiencing financial strain and may have to lay off up to 200 employees if it does not obtain an additional $10 million through the annual state budget process, according to The Republican.
The system has a large number of Medicaid patients, and reimbursements from commercial payers aren't high enough to offset the losses from the system's Medicaid population. Baystate reported an operating loss of $9.8 million in 2015, down from a surplus of $57.2 million the year prior.
This week, the Massachusetts House will consider a state budget amendment that would earmark $10 million for Baystate. If the system is unable to get the funding, it will have to cut costs across the board, a Baystate spokeswoman told The Republican.
Baystate will first attempt to renegotiate vendor contracts and reduce supply costs, but it may also have to cut programs and up to 200 jobs.
Massachusetts Rep. Benjamin Swan (D-Springfield) is the prime sponsor of the budget amendment.
"I'm trying to save 200 jobs," he told The Republican. "We've been told if they don't get the money, they're going to start laying off people. That's the long and short of it."
If the amendment makes it into the House budget and through the Senate, it will then go to Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. The governor must sign the budget by July 1.
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Wahiawa (Hawaii) General Hospital, the largest employer in Central Oahu, could close within the next six to nine months without legislative assistance.
The hospital is facing financial troubles and needs $6 million over the next two years to remain open.
A resolution is pending in the Hawaii House that would provide emergency funds for the hospital. However, the resolution has not moved since it was referred to the House Finance Committee in late March, according to a Pacific Business Newsreport.
In a post on Wahiawa General's website, officials said shuttering the facility would be devastating and affect more than 600 jobs.
Wahiawa General has recorded losses of $9 million over the last three years. The losses are largely attributable to reductions in government funding and lower inpatient admissions.
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Staff from the Illinois Health Facilities & Services Review Board released a report Tuesday that said a $270 million, 506-bed University of Chicago Medicine expansion project is too costly and unnecessarily large, according to Crain's Chicago Business.
U of C Medicine's proposed project, dubbed "GetCARE," includes adding a Level I adult trauma center, expanding its emergency department and adding 188 additional inpatient beds. The hospital has been forced to turn patients away in 310 days over the past year, according to a previous statement from President Sharon O'Keefe. The system is also seeking Level I designation for the trauma center to address the need for trauma care on Chicago's South Side.
Ms. O'Keefe noted in her response to the board's report that she believes the application is another step closer to providing better access to care on the South Side. It met more than a dozen other standards she noted, according to Crain's Chicago Business.
Despite the staff's findings, the board will still vote on the project May 10 and has been known to approve proposals that have raised concerns in the past, according to the report.
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It appears the pharmaceutical industry can weather just about any level of criticism over the rising cost of drugs.
Despite calls from the American Medical Association, Congress and the presidential candidates to control the costs of prescription drugs, many of the biggest pharmaceutical companies have continued to raise their prices, according to The New York Times.
Here are five things to know on the increasing prices.
1. Drugmakers have raised the prices on brand name drugs by double-digit percentages since January, executives from Express Scripts and CVS Caremark, two drug benefit managers, told The New York Times. A report from IMS Health found that in 2014, drug list prices increased by upwards of 12 percent, similar to growth rates over the five preceding years.
"It used to be the drug companies only took one price increase a year," said Steve Miller, MD, CMO at Express Scripts. "Now what they're doing is taking multiple price increases multiple times a year."
2. However, list prices don't tell the full story, as they don't include the rebates and other discounts obtained by insurers and pharmacy benefit managers, which lowers drugs' net costs. In the same IMS Health report, researchers found that while list prices increased by 12 percent in 2015, the price insurers and employers actually pay for drugs went up just 2.8 percent, one of the lowest increases in years, according to the report.
3. Unfortunately, the uninsured those who cannot afford the list prices most of all often must pay the list price of a drug, as they do not have access to the discounted prices offered by insurers and pharmacy benefit managers. According to The New York Times, a growing proportion of the insured population is being held responsible for a percentage of the list price.
4. Despite the fact that pharmaceutical companies' list prices are not representative of the true cost of a drug, the companies continue to raise the prices. According to the report, this is because many rebates and discounts are tied to a percentage of the list price, so a higher list price still yields higher profit. Some of the recent price hikes might be due to drugmakers trying to profit while they can, before congressional or other actions potentially limit them from doing so, Geoffrey Porges, an analyst at investment bank Leerink, told The New York Times.
"When you see this type of very aggressive pricing action across many products, then you start to scratch your head and say, is this the industry preparing for a more challenging price environment?" said Mr. Porges, according to the report. "There's just a general fear of the unknown."
5. Despite the increased attention on the drug industry, pharmaceutical companies say drug costs account for approximately 10 percent of total healthcare spending, and proportion that has remained relatively consistent over the years.
"Pharma is looking at these lower numbers and saying, 'We're not as bad as you're hearing in the marketplace,'" said Dr. Miller, according to the report. However, he said actual drug costs are still on the rise. "The main point is this is still faster than your income is growing. You're falling further and further behind, and it's not sustainable."
CMS decided Monday to release a previously unpublished 45-page letter to Palo Alto, Calif.-based Theranos and a more lightly redacted version of its inspection report, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The letter was not published publicly because Theranos said it contained trade secrets, and the inspection report was more heavily censored to the public for the same reason. But the agency decided these initial redactions were too extensive, according to the report.
The inspection report finds a number of deficiencies with Theranos' Newark, Calif.-based lab. The information that was previously redacted, but is now included in the latest version shows proprietary Theranos devices often failed to pass the company's own tests, according to the report.
The letter details six sanctions proposed by CMS for the deficiencies found in the inspection. These included banning Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes from owning or operating any labs for the next two years, revoking the Newark lab's license and barring it from Medicare, among others, according to the report. These sanctions have not yet been imposed and Theranos is still working to address issues and avoid the sanctions, according to the report.
The information that is still redacted involves a traditional blood testing machine produced by Siemens AG that Theranos used for some of its testing, according to the report.
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New York medical school students are more challenged to find clinical clerkships in hospitals, partly due to offshore competitors, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Clinical clerkships are critical for students in their third and fourth year of medical school because they allow the students to see how physicians diagnose patients, perform surgeries and deliver babies.
However, officials at New York medical schools told The Wall Street Journal clinical clerkship opportunities are a challenge to find, partly because for-profit offshore medical schools, often in the Caribbean, have purchased slots from New York hospitals for up to $400 a week per student.
American medical schools typically offer hospitals that help train students the prestige and benefits of university affiliations, rather than paying for slots, The Wall Street Journal notes.
Officials at offshore schools argue it is logical to compensate hospitals that provide them with assistance, according to The Wall Street Journal. They also contend their students perform an important public service, as they are more likely to work in underserved neighborhoods and short-handed fields like primary care after receiving their license.
But, The Wall Street Journal notes, concern over the purchase of spots has increasingly intensified as New York medical schools and offshore schools expand to meet a projected national physician shortage.
Officials with the New York State Education Department said offshore schools have not been allowed to add slots in the past two years while a committee, led by two members of the department's board of regents, reviews their quality under stricter guidelines, The Wall Street Journal reports. That process is expected to be complete in about a year.
Tennova Healthcare, headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., will no longer prescribe opiates to patients who require long-term pain management, according to WBIR.com.
In a letter, Tennova stipulated that patients will have a 30-day grace period to transition to non-opioid pain therapies. The company suggests various alternatives, such as acupuncture, physical therapy or referral to neurology and spine specialists, according to the report.
The decision was influenced by health officials' finding that Tennessee has the second highest rate of prescriptions per individual in the U.S. This week, Tennessee lawmakers sent a bill to Gov. Bill Haslam's (R) desk that proposes tighter guidelines for pain clinics and mandating a "certificate of need" to operate them, according to the report.
While supporters applaud Tennova's decision, other public health advocates are concerned some patients' insurance won't cover other treatment options for pain.
"Insurance will pay for opiates, so you can get your prescriptions filled," said Karen Pershing, executive director of the Metro Drug Coalition. "But if you wanted an acupuncture session for instance, that's not covered under our healthcare delivery system."
Alpharetta, Ga.-based Jackson Healthcare, a healthcare staffing and technology company, has delivered a cease-and-desist warning to Aaron Barlow, who is running for the Georgia Senate, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The warning pertains to comments Mr. Barlow made last week at the Cherokee County Republican Women's debate. A topic of the debate was Senate Bill 86, a measure sponsored by Mr. Barlow's opponent Georgia Sen. Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta). The legislation, which hasn't moved since introduced in February 2015, would significantly curtail malpractice lawsuits in the state.
During the debate, Mr. Barlow said the bill is a form of "crony politics." He said the only serious supporter of the legislation is Jackson Healthcare, which he claims has made $100,000 in political contributions to the campaign of Sen. Beach and several other politicians.
Jackson Healthcare took issue with Mr. Barlow's statements. In the cease-and-desist letter sent to Mr. Barlow, Jackson Healthcare's lawyer said the comments made during the debate about the company and its CEO Richard Jackson were false and deceptive.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Barlow's campaign told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the cease-and-desist letter is nothing more than an attempt by Sen. Beach to get Mr. Barlow to stop discussing the contributions Jackson Healthcare has made to the senator's campaign.
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Continued technology issues at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina have resulted in stalled payments to some physicians, who said it has been several months since they received reimbursement from the insurer, reports News Observer.
Below are five things to know about BCBS NC's continued technology headaches.
1. About 90 providers complained to the state department of insurance this month about Blue Cross payment delays. One of those providers, Chapel Hill (N.C.) Pediatrics, said it is owed $89,000 for 381 backlogged claims. Village Pediatrics, also in Chapel Hill, told the agency it is owed $53,000 for more than 135 unpaid claims.
2. In an email to News Observer, an insurance department spokesperson said many of the complaints they have received come from small practices or independent physicians who heavily rely on timely insurance payments to continue functioning.
3. All of the complaints reported to the insurance department involve Blue Cross members with individual insurance plans, often purchased through the Affordable Care Act's federal exchange.
4. Blue Cross spokesperson Ryan Vulcan told News Observer about 15 percent of total insurance claims have been delayed due to "configuration issues".
5. BCBS NC told employees last week that Stevie McNeal, who led the effort to transition more than 400,000 Blue Cross members to a new technology system called Topaz, will leave the organization July 1. Topaz crashed in January.
Tweets can be a valuable source of insight into what patients truly think about the hospitals they visit, and some hospitals particularly children's hospitals get the bulk of positive buzz on Twitter, according to analysis from CrowdClinical.com.
The website launched last year after a study in BMJ Quality & Safety found tweets could be a useful alternative to HCAHPS scores when it comes to monitoring patient experience. It analyses tweets about patient experience and determines if the sentiment was positive or negative.
CrowdClinical.com originally released a list of 10 hospitals that had "the most positive patient experience tweets sent to them" in October 2015, using data from February through October. It has now released an updated list, including tweets from February 2015 to April 2016. The list is restricted to hospitals that had more than 20 tweets to analyze.
The following hospitals receive the most positive patient experience tweets from Twitter users.
1. Children's Hospital Colorado (Aurora)
2. Spartanburg (S.C.) Regional Healthcare System
3. Primary Children's Hospital (Salt Lake City)
4. Arkansas Children's Hospital (Little Rock)
5. Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota (Minneapolis and St. Paul)
6. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Boston)
7. Nebraska Medicine (Omaha)
8. The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-James (Columbus)
9. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
10. Seattle Children's
See the fall 2015 list here.
The Leapfrog Group released its spring 2016 Hospital Safety Score update Monday, assigning A through F letter grades to 2,571 hospitals in the U.S. Here are five things to know about the spring update to Leapfrog's safety scores.
1. Leapfrog releases safety score updates twice a year, but this spring's scores included new factors, including patient satisfaction outcomes like nurse communication, doctor communication and communication about discharge, as well as infection measures for Clostridium difficile and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
2. The breakdown of grades earned by the 2,571 scored hospitals is as follows:
798 earned an A (up from 773 in the fall)
639 earned a B (down from 724 in the fall)
957 earned a C (up from 866 in the fall)
162 earned a D (up from 133 in the fall)
15 earned an F (down from 34 in the fall)
3. Of the 798 hospitals that earned A's this spring, 153 have earned an A grade in each update for the last three years, becoming a distinct group of "Straight A" Leapfrog hospitals.
4. Vermont had the highest percentage of A hospitals this spring, as five of its six graded hospitals earned the highest score. On the other hand, no hospitals in Alaska, Wyoming or the District of Columbia earned an A grade this spring.
5. According to Leapfrog data and analysis from John Hopkins Medicine's Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality, B, C, D and F hospitals have higher risk of avoidable death than their A counterparts. In fact, there is a 9 percent higher risk of avoidable death in B hospitals, 35 percent higher in C and 50 percent higher in D and F hospitals. Additionally, roughly 33,440 lives could be saved if all hospitals had the same performance as A hospitals.
Click here for more information on Leapfrog's safety scores.
Hospitals and some nursing groups are lobbying state legislators nationwide to no longer require that nurses be licensed in each state they work in, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Here are six things to know about the issue.
1. The lobbying comes amid a push to get states to join nursing licensing compacts, which allow nurses to practice in other compact states with a single multistate license.
2. Twenty-five states have joined the multistate agreement known as the Nurse Licensure Compact since it began in 1999.
3. Six additional statesFlorida, Idaho, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Wyoming have enacted legislation to join a newer version of the compact, and seven states have bills pending, according to The Wall Street Journal.
4. The newer version of the compact, unlike the earlier version, requires member states to do fingerprint-based state and federal criminal background checks on nurses they license, according to the report. The state board that issues a nurse's license is responsible for taking licensing sanctions against that nurse if an alleged infraction takes place in another member state, The Wall Street Journal reports.
5. Hospital officials who support the compact argue that it allows them to offer nurses to practice by phone or Internet without requiring multiple licenses, according to The Wall Street Journal.
7. But, unions contend such compacts threaten patient safety since states have different licensing standards, The Wall Street Journal notes.
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Even as firefighters battle to bring the blaze under control at a biodiesel plant in Duvvada in Visakhapatnam, the fire still rages on. A total of 11 storage tanks caught fire on Tuesday night at the Biomax Fuel Limited. At least 40 fire engines have been brought in to douse the flames, said Visakhapatnam district collector N Yuvaraj. However, there are no reports of any casualties in the incident.
One of Northern Ireland's best known philanthropists and business people is retiring from his main role.
Martin Naughton - a major funder of the Lyric Theatre in Belfast - is to step down as president of appliance and heater maker Glen Dimplex in Newry.
He will be replaced by group chief executive Sean O'Driscoll as part of a sweeping reorganisation at the top of the company.
Mr Naughton's 1m donation towards the rebuilding of the Lyric Theatre in 2007 is thought to be the biggest-ever personal donation to arts here.
Mr Naughton said that he would be leaving the board of the company he founded more than 40 years ago, and handing over the reins to his long-time CEO.
Fergal Naughton - son of Martin - succeeds Mr O'Driscoll as chief executive and Michael Maher becomes chief operating officer.
Martin McCourt, formerly of Dyson, joins the group as non-executive chairman and Neil Naughton will be deputy chairman.
Martin Naughton founded Glen Electric in 1973 and in 1977 acquired Dimplex, forming the Glen Dimplex Group.
Along with Lochlann Quinn - another well known Irish business figure - Mr Naughton built Glen Dimplex into Ireland's largest private manufacturing company.
Morphy Richards, Dimplex and Xpelair count among the group's many brands. It also has sites in Portadown and Craigavon.
"On stepping down as president, I am pleased to say that the business is in great shape, with a clear strategy and strong performance," Mr Naughton said.
"I am particularly pleased that Sean is succeeding me as president and that Fergal and Michael are taking on new responsibilities. I also welcome Martin McCourt to our board as non-executive chairman.
"We have a high calibre team at Glen Dimplex which will drive its long term profitable growth and make our companies even more exceptional in the years ahead," he added.
The Glen Dimplex company describes itself as "the undisputed world leader in intelligent electric heating".
But Mr Naughton is also a major investor in property.
Along with the Hastings Group in Northern Ireland, Mr Naughton and Mr Lochlann Quinn were key backers of the Merrion Hotel in Dublin.
Edgar Morgenroth sets out his argument against the UK leaving the EU at Queens University last night
Edgar Morgenroth sets out his argument against the UK leaving the EU at Queens University last night
Edgar Morgenroth sets out his argument against the UK leaving the EU at Queens University last night
A Brexit will "make everyone poorer" in Northern Ireland as foreign investment dwindles and exports fall, a leading academic has said.
Research by Dr Edgar Morgenroth, associate research professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), kicked off a heated discussion and debate at Queen's University last night. "My assessment is that the Brexit might make some people in the UK feel better, but it is my view it will make everyone poorer. That's the economic side to the debate," he said.
PwC economist Dr Esmond Birnie, who was also on the panel, said the impact to the living standards of people here may not be significant, through fewer people entering Northern Ireland if the vote was to leave the EU in June's referendum.
He said Northern Ireland would have bigger economic issues to face than a potential Brexit.
Dr Morgenroth said "we have a lot of uncertainty now" and that if there was up-to-date data on foreign direct investment (FDI) "we would see that dry up".
"The attractiveness of the UK and Northern Ireland for FDI would be significantly reduced if there are trade impacts," Dr Morgenroth said.
He added Northern Ireland could see exports fall by 12% if the UK voted to leave the EU.
Dr Morgenroth outlined what areas of business the UK could have to renegotiate with, outside the EU.
They would include trade, foreign investment, energy and migration.
Dr Birnie said the lack of trade tariffs within the EU "reduces our trade with the rest of the world". Queen's University vice-chancellor Patrick Johnston said his institution was firmly in favour of staying in the EU.
He said there was no doubt "we remain stronger in Europe as universities".
Also involved in last night's debate were Angela McGowan, chief economist with Danske Bank, and Paul MacFlynn of think-tank the Nevin Economic Research Institute.
Mr MacFlynn said Northern Ireland had a "particular structure that makes us more vulnerable" to an exit from the European Union.
Ms McGowan said the arguments over EU regulation had been "overdone" and that laws had "increased productivity" among some firms here.
Britain's biggest care homes group Four Seasons has reported a massive 39% fall in annual earnings to 38.7 million, and the debt-laden company's private equity owner has begun talks with its lenders to secure the firm's future.
Four Seasons, which houses 20,000 elderly residents across 450 homes, has been stung by a cut in local authority fees and rising costs, and faces a further hit with the introduction of the national living wage.
It is also saddled with 525 million of debt and faces interest payments of more than 50 million a year.
Owned by City financier Guy Hands's private equity vehicle Terra Firma, the company said it is exploring all options for the business.
Four Seasons chairman Robbie Barr said: "The group has adequate financial resources and liquidity for the medium term, (but) I recognise that the group's capital structure is not suitable for the long-term needs of the business. Options are now being explored."
The options thought to be under consideration include refinancing the debt, a sale or a debt-for-equity swap with lenders.
Industry experts have suggested that a debt-for-equity swap is the most likely outcome.
Mr Barr said a "financing solution for the group" will be announced before the end of the year.
Mr Hands is best known for his 2007 takeover of EMI, the record label that signed The Beatles. The deal ended in disaster when he was forced to hand the business over to lender Citigroup four years later.
Workers are leaving families behind and ensuring a dearth of emerging talent here, says FMB chief Gavin McGuire
Builders from Northern Ireland are paying a hefty personal price for their reliance on work in Great Britain, it's been claimed.
And the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) said a recent lift in house building activity at home was still not enough to end the exodus of construction workers to jobs across the water.
Firms of all sizes - from Tyrone building giant McAleer and Rushe to small contractors like PG Contracts in Antrim - have been picking up deals in Great Britain since the market crashed in Northern Ireland.
But Gavin McGuire, Northern Ireland chairman of the FMB, said that while it was a good thing that the talents of Northern Ireland workers were being recognised, there was a long-term cost.
Mr McGuire said: "For instance, I have spoken to many builders who are chasing the work and leaving their partners, and in some cases their children, behind.
"Others have brought their families to England, Scotland or Wales, which means that we're not only losing our existing workforce, but we are also putting at risk the next generation of Northern Ireland talent."
A survey by the FMB found builders in the province were busy in the first three months of 2016.
The FMB said the pick-up was due to a demand for the skills of Northern Ireland firms in Great Britain, rather than a pick-up at home.
"Building firms based in the province have seen a healthy increase in workloads and enquiries during the first three months of this year but much of this work is actually taking place on the mainland and not here in Northern Ireland.
"This means that we aren't seeing the local economic benefits that construction brings - instead, this is being enjoyed elsewhere," he added. "It's a testament to the quality of Northern Ireland building firms that they are so in-demand on mainland Britain but surely we should be reaping the benefits of their talents locally."
Other industry bodies - including the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors - have said that residential house building has led to a pick-up in work for Northern Ireland builders working at home.
And industry body the NHBC has said there were 3,223 new homes started in Northern Ireland during 2015 - an increase of 30% on 2014.
This week, Triangle Housing Association announced it would be building 300 new homes in Ballymoney.
House builder Fraser Homes said it would be constructing 1,000 new houses in Newtownards, as well as 75 apartments in Belfast city centre.
Mr McGuire said the surge in housebuilding was welcome but not enough to lift the entire industry.
"In addition, the new housing is coming off a very low base, and it's estimated that we actually need around 11,000 new houses to be built every year in order to meet existing demand in Northern Ireland."
And he called on political parties to act to "anchor" the construction industry on home ground.
"I'm urging the next NI Executive to steady the ship and ensure that we don't permanently export our current and future skilled workers to mainland Britain," he said.
Warsaw in Poland is among the new destinations from Belfast International Airport which Ryanair boss Michael OLeary hinted at last month
Ryanair has announced new routes from Belfast International Airport today - after news of a link-up with Warsaw emerged yesterday.
Gdansk and Wroclaw in the industrial heartlands of Poland are understood to be the next routes to be announced.
The new routes will augment the Irish airline's growing offer at Aldergrove, which already includes Krakow - and could mean four Polish routes by the end of the year.
Ryanairs chief marketing officer, Kenny Jacobs said:
"We are pleased to launch three new routes from our Belfast base to Gdansk, Warsaw and Wroclaw, as part of our winter 2016 schedule, in addition to the seven new routes announced earlier to Alicante, Berlin, Krakow, Lanzarote, Malaga, Milan and Tenerife, and the extra flights to London Gatwick."
Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary announced in March he was adding seven new European routes as part of the low-cost carrier's return to Northern Ireland. And more good news was promised for both the International and Belfast City as they worked hard to woo new airlines at the Routes Europe conference this week.
Yesterday Graham Keddie, Belfast International's managing director, hinted at exciting times for the region's main airport with the tweet 'Just had a great email with more good news' along with the hashtag #moreroutescoming.
The commercial optimism was shared by Belfast City. The city is being heavily promoted at Routes Europe in Krakow ahead of the handover of the major business conference. It is to be hosted in Belfast next year.
City Airport commercial and marketing director Katy Best told the Belfast Telegraph that the airport expected to by flying a quarter of a million extra customers by the summer of 2017 due to new routes.
And she confirmed that the airport had been talking to four airlines and was in "final stages talks" with several more on confirming new routes from the City.
"We have had a very successful few days at Routes Europe in Krakow, meeting with existing and potential new airlines," said Ms Best.
"Belfast is very much on the radar of airlines from outside the UK and I believe the discussions we have had this week will progress at pace and am hopeful we will see the arrival of new routes and airlines in the near future."
Warsaw was the second Polish route for Ryanair, as it had already announced Krakow as one of its seven new routes from Aldergrove.
The Warsaw route was announced unexpectedly by a delighted Warsaw Airport management on its Twitter feed and quickly confirmed by Ryanair.
The Polish routes are expected to strengthen the growing business and cultural ties with Northern Ireland. Grafton Recruitment has six offices throughout Poland, while IT firm Kainos has a large office in Gdansk.
A Grafton spokeswoman said: "The new route will encourage talent mobility between Warsaw and Belfast for specialist niche skills."
Polish national Eva Grossman said several Northern Ireland companies would benefit directly from employees being able to fly into the country's capital.
"Kainos and Delta Packaging have already established bases close to Warsaw and this new route will definitely further help economically and culturally."
Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain has landed her own cookery show in which she explores her culinary roots in Bangladesh.
Hussain, who recently made the Queen's 90th birthday cake, will star in a two-part travel food programme for the BBC.
The show, with a working title The Chronicles Of Nadiya, will start in the baker's home town of Luton and chronicle her heritage as she travels to her family village in the north east of Bangladesh.
The BBC describes the spin-off show, made by Love Productions, which also makes Bake Off, as an "exuberant" food-inspired journey.
It will see Hussain cook dishes from her childhood, share favourite meals with family and friends, learn new recipes and explore the changes in food in the country in the decade since she last visited for her wedding.
Patrick Holland, head of commissioning for documentaries at the BBC, said: "Nadiya's story on Bake Off touched the hearts of the nation. We are delighted that she will be using her cooking skills to take us on a journey to such an extraordinary and changing land."
Robert Downey Jr greeted two pint-sized super heroes at the Captain America: Civil War premiere after they won his heart with their stories of battling life-threatening illness.
Seven-year-olds Daniel Keyte and Ethan Miller were invited to join the Iron Man actor at the red carpet alongside a host of Hollywood stars in London on Tuesday.
Downey Jr first met fan Ethan, who suffers from the rare blood disease ITP as well as type 1 diabetes, during a visit to Great Ormond Street Hospital.
After posing for pictures dressed in an Iron Man costume his father, Lee, said the youngster was "over the moon" to meet his idol.
Daniel was invited to the star-studded event after his mother, Vicky, messaged Downey Jr to say her son was feeling unwell and unhappy.
In response, the actor dressed as children's character Tigger and posed for a photo.
He wrote on Instagram: "When I'm in the dumps, I've found this little getup to be helpful. P.S. Would you like to come to the LA premiere of Captain America: Civil War as my guest? If so, have your people call my people. All the best."
Instead, it was at the European premiere in London on Tuesday night that Daniel got the chance to meet Iron Man, aka Tony Stark.
Alongside a picture of her son and the megastar posing together on the red carpet, Vicky posted on Instagram: "It's happened!!!"
Earlier in the day, she shared an image of the car sent to collect her son, writing: "And so it begins! Daniels big day is finally here and so is surprise number one, Daniels own personal driver in a beautiful car."
Ethan was among several children to meet Downey Jr on the GOSH cancer ward on Monday.
It is one of the world's leading children's units, treating young patients with rare, complex and life-threatening conditions.
The visit was organised by Disney officials, who have worked with the hospital's charity since 2008, raising more than 10 million for the unit's redevelopment.
After the hospital visit, Ethan's father Lee said: "Ethan has been in and out of hospital a lot in the past three years. He watches the films all the time and virtually lives in his Iron Man costume.
"Ethan was over the moon to meet his hero and it has really helped to lift his spirits."
Conservative candidate Roger Lomas with an antelope he shot in South Africa
A controversial Conservative Party candidate and bloodsports enthusiast has released more photographs of himself posing with dead wildlife.
Roger Lomas, who is standing in West Tyrone, is seen posing with an eland antelope during a hunting trip to South Africa three years ago.
Blood drips from the long-horned animal's nose as he poses behind it with a rifle.
The same animal's head is now hanging on his wall in Tyrone.
Lomas shot so many eland during that trip that the local rancher gave him the head as a souvenir, he said.
He also released a photograph of dozens of dead boar lying side by side from a hunting trip to Bavaria last week.
In another photo he poses with one of the dead animals.
Mr Lomas also shot hundreds of doves on a trip in Argentina in recent years, and shot deer during a trip to New Zealand.
He spoke on the same day that the Tories' Secretary of State Theresa Villiers met the party's Northern Ireland candidates to wish them well in the Assembly election on May 5.
Ms Villiers has also been campaigning for Conservative Party candidates in Belfast and parts of Down.
The release of the photographs came after animal rights groups condemned him for posting an online photograph of a shooting trip to South Africa two years ago, in which he smiles as he props up a dead eland he shot on a ranch.
Mr Lomas said he had killed at least 10 eland on that trip and about 15 on a previous trip the year before.
In that first trip, in which Mr Lomas posed with another propped-up antelope, he had a greater kill count than anyone else on the hunting expedition, and the ranch owner rewarded him with a head to mount.
Both South African trips took place in the Eastern Cape province on large farms run by ranchers of English and German extraction.
A defiant Mr Lomas denounced as "hypocrites" the people who were attacking him online, but would then admit that they ate meat.
"Where do they think that meat came from?" he asked.
"Do they think it's worse to kill an animal that has a chance of escaping the hunter using its keen smell and sight and hearing?
"They are prepared to eat a defenceless animal that is cruelly treated before it's killed."
Mr Lomas said that he was looking forward to meeting Laura McAnea, who is running in West Tyrone for the Animal Welfare Party. "I have far more respect for vegans and vegetarians than the hypocrites who eat their Moy Park chicken and then attack me online," he added.
It is the first time that the Animal Welfare Party has stood a candidate in Northern Ireland.
Ms McAnea, who is from Omagh and now lives in London, didn't reply to a request for a comment.
Mr Lomas is a volunteer adviser to the Northern Ireland chairman of the Conservative Party, Harry Cullan.
In the midst of the controversy this week, Lord Feldman wrote to Mr Lomas to thank him for "working incredibly hard" for the party during the Assembly election.
The Catholic Church has urged the Northern Irish electorate against voting for candidates who support abortion
The Catholic Church has urged the Northern Irish electorate against voting for candidates who support abortion.
It also called on those elected to Stormont on May 5 to refrain from supporting laws permitting same-sex marriage.
In a pastoral reflection published yesterday, bishops also lambasted the previous Assembly for its failure to tackle childhood poverty, and appealed for the parties to make it their top priority in the next term.
They said: The last Assembly failed to address the issues of poverty, social need and economic recovery in any systemic or long term way.
They added that it was morally and politically inexcusable that some 20 years after the Agreement, Northern Ireland still experiences the widest gap on these islands between the haves and the have nots, and that this gap is widening further.
The bishops said they expected to see growing pressure on MLAs for reforms to Northern Irelands restrictive abortion law.
The moral issue here is not whether what is proposed is abortion on demand or some form of so-called limited abortion, they added.
From a moral point of view, there is no such things as limited abortion.
The medical prognosis for the life of a child in the womb, or the extent of that childs disabilities, is no more morally relevant than it is when considering an adult who faces the diagnosis of a life-limiting condition.
The bishops also reiterated their support for traditional marriage as the best and ideal place for children.
We make a special appeal to those standing for election to the next Assembly to reflect on the importance of the family based on marriage between one man and one woman as the foundation and cornerstone of society and therefore deserving of special recognition and protection in policy and law, they said.
Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK or Ireland where civil marriage is denied to same-sex couples.
It has been rejected five times by the Assembly.
Although the majority of MLAs voted in favour of introducing gay marriage when it was debated for a fifth time last year, the proposal fell because unionists who opposed the move deployed a controversial voting mechanism to veto it.
Yesterday, prominent gay rights activist Peter Tatchell called on the next Assembly to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage.
Marriage equality is now an election issue, Mr Tatchell said. For many years the DUP opposed the right of same-sex couples to adopt children, the introduction of civil partnerships and the holding of LGBT Pride parades in cities like Belfast.
It (the party) is currently the main obstacle to the legalisation of same-sex marriage.
Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams (left) with Martin McGuinness at the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis at The Convention Centre in Dublin.
Martin McGuinness has insisted there is no ambiguity in his party's stance in support of cutting corporation tax, but warned that a predicted jobs windfall linked to a rate reduction could be endangered by Brexit.
Rivals have accused Sinn Fein of double speak on the political agreement to bring the rate down to 12.5%, claiming its position has wavered due to unease about the reaction of its voter base to a policy that would see millions cut from public spending to drop taxes for big businesses.
As the party outlined its manifesto, Mr McGuinness said cutting the rate to 12.5% by 2018 was always based on it being affordable.
But he added: "I do think it will be affordable."
He said the reason he supported the move was because it could create potentially 37,000 jobs through new investment.
"The position is clear - there is no ambiguity in Sinn Fein's position. We along with all the other parties have signed up to a reduced rate of corporation tax of 12.5 % by 2018," he said.
But the Sinn Fein veteran claimed a Brexit could undermine Northern Ireland's ability to attract new investors to set up in the region.
"Every major grouping of potential foreign direct investors that myself and other leaders from the north met in the United States, the question always came up as to what would happen in relation to Europe," he said.
"So there is a linkage between the two."
Mr McGuinness also expressed optimism that an impasse between his party and the British government that has held up the introduction of new mechanisms to address the toxic legacy of the Troubles could be resolved in the near future.
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The wrangle centres on the shape of an appeals mechanism for victims to challenge the state over non-disclosure of sensitive documents related to historical killings.
"I would have preferred that solution to have been found before the election but for some reason the British government didn't want to go ahead with it before the election," Mr McGuinness claimed.
"But I believe it will be addressed immediately after the election and I do hope that a solution will be found."
Mr McGuinness said parties entering the new powersharing executive next month had to prove to the public they could work together.
"For me, in terms of how we go forward, what is very crystal clear is, as a result of the very difficult circumstances that the political process faced for a range of reasons over the course of a three-year period, we need to get back to convincing the public that we as politicians and political parties actually do have the ability to work together on the basis of respect and equality - that is the big challenge facing us," he said.
The Deputy First Minister said his party would consider taking on an economic-based portfolio when it came to the allocation of ministries.
"I am looking at a range of departments and certainly and economic department is on that list," he said.
Sinn Fein's manifesto set out its pledges to the electorate in the form of a 10-point programme:
A decision not to tell a jury about the murderous past of a man on trial for attacking his girlfriend has been strongly criticised by the family of the woman he killed 13 years ago.
David Thomas McCord (46) was last week unanimously cleared of causing grievous bodily harm to his girlfriend with intent on June 13 last year.
He was also cleared of the alternative charge of causing her grievous bodily harm.
The jury took just over one hour to return the not guilty verdicts following a two-day trial at Belfast Crown Court.
But the jury were not informed that McCord was handed a life sentence in May 2004 for the murder of girlfriend Nichola Dickson.
The 26-year-old was strangled and stabbed in the bedroom of her Ballycarry home in January 2003.
McCord admitted the murder charge and was subsequently sentenced to a minimum of 11 years in prison.
A short time after his release from prison for the murder, McCord, from the Antrim Road in north Belfast, was charged with injuring a woman he had met on the internet.
His victim sustained a broken hip following an incident in east Belfast.
A court heard the pair had met online and had been dating for around six weeks prior to the incident.
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The prosecution said that McCord and the woman had gone to east Belfast to watch a band parade. Both had been drinking, and several witnesses told the jury they saw a man and woman engaged in a scuffle on the Newtownards Road.
Each of the witnesses saw the woman fall to the ground, and it was the Crown's case that McCord pushed the woman to the ground, causing the fracture to her hip.
However, McCord's defence argued that the pair became involved in a scuffle and after the woman grabbed and ripped McCord's T-shirt, he pushed her away, resulting in the fall.
The family of Nichola said last night the jury should have been made aware of his violent past.
"The jury should have been told what this man is capable of, of what he did," said Nichola's mother Linda Brown.
"I just do not understand why bad character evidence was not introduced."
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Nichola's brother Gareth added: "Why would the jury not be told about his past?
"I am angry that this was kept from them. He's a dangerous man.
"The whole judicial system from start to finish has been geared towards protecting him. We are also angry that nobody informed us that he was back in court."
The Public Prosecution Service said that "consideration was given to introducing bad character evidence, however there was no legal basis upon which to do so in this case".
Police are appealing for information following two burglaries in Belfast.
The first incident occurred in the Saintfield Road area of Castlereagh sometime between 7.30am and 4.00pm on 13 April. An upstairs bedroom was entered, however it is not believed that anything was stolen.
A sum of money was stolen in the second incident, which occurred later that afternoon sometime between 2.30pm and 4.30pm in the Beechill Park West area of Belfast.
Detective Sergeant James Johnston said I would appeal to anyone who may have witnessed any suspicious activity in and around these areas to contact Detectives at Lisburn Reactive and Organised Crime on the non-emergency number 101. Or, if someone would prefer to provide information without giving their details they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers and speak to them anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Northern Ireland's music industry contributes more than 61m to the economy every year, experts have claimed.
A spokesman for Generator Northern Ireland, the State-funded music business support body, said the sector employs almost 4,000 people and was famous around the world.
The Generator spokesman added that the business was worth an annual 61.5m to the local economy.
The claim came after Aghagallon-born Spotify sensation Ciaran Lavery was last month invited by country legend Willie Nelson to play as a guest artist at a ranch event in Texas.
"The next few months look equally exciting (for the industry)," the Generator spokesman said. "Five leading Northern Ireland artists will be showcasing at Europe's biggest industry event, The Great Escape.
"Ciaran Lavery, Pleasure Beach, Ex Magician, REWS, and online sensation Bry make up the Northern Ireland show."
Melissa Reid's father Billy has spoken of the devastating effect his daughter's crime has had on his family
Drugs mule Melissa Reid could find out when she will return to the UK in the next few days as her appeal to be expelled from Peru is considered by a judge.
The 22-year-old, jailed for cocaine smuggling in 2013, has been seeking to serve the remainder of her six-year sentence closer to home.
Reid, from Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire, and Michaella McCollum, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, were imprisoned in 2013 for six years and eight months after admitting trying to smuggle cocaine worth 1.5 million from Peru to Spain.
After serving a third of her sentence, Reid has applied to return to Scotland under what has been referred to as an "expulsion programme".
A spokeswoman for the British embassy in Lima said on Tuesday Reid had been "granted expulsion back to the UK" and would be returning "very soon", but refused to comment further.
However, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has said "no decision" had yet been reached, with a judge still to rule on the case.
A spokeswoman said: "We continue to provide assistance to Melissa Reid and remain in contact with her family and local authorities.
"We are still waiting to hear a decision from the judge."
The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) said they had received no word of Reid's expulsion, adding they would only be notified if she was set to serve the remainder of her sentence in Scotland.
McCollum, 23, was freed last month under new legislation on early prison release introduced in Peru last year after serving two years and three months.
However, it is anticipated she will have to remain in Peru for a considerable period as part of her parole conditions.
McCollum and Reid were caught with the haul at Lima airport on August 6 2013 while attempting to fly to Spain.
They had claimed they were forced into carrying the drugs but pleaded guilty to charges later that year.
The pair were caught trying to board a flight with 24lb (11kg) of cocaine in food packets hidden inside their luggage.
McCollum and Reid faced the prospect of a maximum 15-year prison term but struck a behind-closed-doors plea bargain to secure a shorter sentence.
They had previously been held at Lima's Virgen de Fatima prison but were moved to the Ancon 2 prison, where McCollum was reportedly crammed into a cell with 30 other prisoners with poor sanitation and toilet facilities.
The SPS agreed in principle to a transfer in 2014 and Reid has been awaiting approval from the Peruvian authorities, who need to consent to her serving the remainder of her sentence under Scots law.
Reid's father Billy has previously said the impact of his daughter's crime on his family had been "horrendous" and spoke out in a video warning of the consequences of drug offences abroad.
He said: ''It's horrendous to see your daughter in handcuffs and the living conditions that she has to put up with. Melissa has spent her own 20th and 21st birthdays in prison in Peru.
''She missed the significant event of her only brother's wedding. Events such as Christmas are non-existent for us.
"There'll be no celebrations in our house, there'll be no Christmas tree until we get her back home.''
The order of service for the funeral of Lesley Ann McCarragher
The driver accused of causing the death of Lesley-Ann McCarragher in an alleged hit-and-run has been remanded in custody after his bail was revoked.
The teenager, who because of his age cannot be identified, is also accused of having no licence or insurance, failing to stop and remain at the scene of the incident and failing to report the collision to police.
Lesley-Ann was jogging along the Monaghan Road near her home in Milford in Armagh on April 9 when she was struck.
Initially being described as critical, the 19-year-old's condition deteriorated and she was airlifted to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, only to die the following day.
Witnesses described a white Saab racing another car along the road before undertaking on the hard shoulder, where it ploughed into Lesley-Ann. The Saab then turned and drove away from the scene.
The youth was arrested and first appeared at Newry Magistrates Court on April 11, when a detective sergeant said the youth had shown no remorse over the death and had claimed he had sold the Saab to "foreigners" 45 minutes before the incident.
After the last registered owner of the Saab was traced by police, she explained she had received numerous texts from the youth telling her to say she had sold the car to foreigners if officers spoke to her.
The car was later located in a garage rented out by the youth's elder brother. That property has been sealed off as parts from dismantled vehicles also found there are suspected of being stolen.
Bail was opposed at the first hearing, with the detective stating concerns that the youth or his family could interfere or intimidate the main witness.
The detective had indicated the accused had refused to hand over his mobile phone, which could contain texts potentially related to the investigation.
Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Family and Friends attend the funeral of Lesley-Ann McCarragher, 19, at First Presbyterian Church, Armagh. Pic Jonathan Porter Presseye Family and Friends attend the funeral of Lesley-Ann McCarragher, 19, at First Presbyterian Church, Armagh. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker The order of service for the funeral of Lesley Ann McCarragher Family members and mourners at the funeral of Co Armagh teenager Lesley-Ann McCarragher Family members and mourners at the funeral of Co Armagh teenager Lesley-Ann McCarragher Mourners at the funeral of Co Armagh teenager Lesley-Ann McCarragher / Facebook
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The judge had told the defendant he would be released from custody on strict bail conditions when police received the phone. The bail terms also specified that the youth was not to attempt to see, speak to or in any other way contact the injured party's family or any crown witnesses. He was also barred from travelling in the front of any motor vehicle and he was not go to within 500 metres of a specified address in Armagh. The case was adjourned to a sitting of Armagh Youth Court on April 22, but it has since emerged the youth's bail was revoked on that date. It appears the defendant applied for custodial remand.
The case has been adjourned until next month.
The mother of a young woman brutally murdered by her boyfriend has said she wants to meet him face to face and ask him why he killed her beloved daughter.
Nichola Dickson was strangled and stabbed in the bedroom of her Ballycarry home in January 2003 by her partner David Thomas McCord.
Her devastated mother Linda Brown wrote to McCord in prison asking him to meet her and answer her questions.
But McCord refused her request, saying he wanted to forget what had happened and serve the rest of his 11 year prison sentence in peace.
He was released from jail last year. Within weeks he was arrested for attacking another woman. Last week he was found not guilty by a jury that was unaware of his murderous past.
"I believe he is still a very dangerous man. The jury should have been told about his past. It just seems that the law is there to protect the criminals, not the victims," said Ms Brown.
"I just said to a friend the other day, I can't get away from this man and what he did. My son Gareth's partner has just had a baby and Nichola's not here. We just miss her so, so much."
McCord was sentenced in 2004 to a minimum of 11 years behind bars for the murder of Nichola, who he had met over the internet.
He had stabbed her with a kitchen knife and strangled her in her house near Larne on January 7, 2003.
Nichola's body was found by her mother in a bedroom at the house on Hillhead Road, Ballycarry.
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The sentencing judge at the time told the court that McCord had stabbed the young woman in a fit of "extreme and wholly unjustified jealousy".
At the time Nichola's father said McCord had robbed him and his family "of the most precious thing on Earth".
"Everyone has been totally devastated," he said.
Ms Brown told the Belfast Telegraph that 13 years after her daughter's death she still needs to know why McCord murdered her.
"I wrote to him and asked to visit him so I could talk to him about what happened. I wanted to ask him why he killed Nichola. I got a letter back from his solicitor to say that he didn't want to meet us. He wanted to forget about it and get on with serving his sentence. I was gutted," she said.
Ms Brown added: "I still have a lot of questions to be answered. I know I would never get the truth out of him and I don't really know why I want to meet him, but I know it is something I want to do."
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The Carrick woman, who in 2004 delivered a petition to Stormont for stiffer sentences for men who kill their partners, criticised the authorities for failing to share information with her family about McCord.
She said the family had been kept in the dark about McCord's release from prison in 2013 under a pre-release scheme. A request for information about where he was living was denied due to data protection laws, Ms Brown said. She also said the family only heard he had been rearrested through a friend.
"First they didn't tell us when he was being released from prison, they then wouldn't tell us where he was living. And we had to find out through a friend that he had been arrested on suspicion of attacking a new girlfriend. We are always being kept in the dark," said Ms Brown.
She added: "The system has protected him from day one. I haven't been in Belfast since the murder because I am afraid of bumping into him or any of his family unexpectedly.
"We were so surprised when he was allowed out, that someone had actually deemed him fit for release. I believe he is still a very dangerous man and that woman he was accused of attacking had a very lucky escape. He has never shown any remorse for what he did."
Nichola's brother Gareth Smyth said he believed McCord was still extremely dangerous.
"The whole thing from start to finish has been geared towards protecting the criminal. There is not enough protection for women like my sister," he said.
"How many cases like this must there be before more is done to better protect victims?
"I am convinced he has not been rehabilitated. He is still an extremely dangerous man. The sentence he got was just ridiculous.
"He's free and getting on with his life. My sister is dead.
"While we can't forget what happened, my mum and I have been trying to move on as best we can. But my dad is crippled still. He is only a shell of who he was. He's never going to be the same again."
In 2004 Nichola's family petitioned the Government for tougher sentences for domestic murders. More than 50,000 signatures were presented at Stormont by Ms Brown and the family of victim Angela Snoddy, who was stabbed more than 60 times by her partner.
The families called for the Secretary of State and the Life Sentence Review Commissioners to take public outrage at domestic murders into account when setting minimum release tariffs.
"Unfortunately, not much has changed in terms of sentencing since Nichola was killed as far as I can see. McCord destroyed our lives. Victims deserve so much better," said Mr Smyth.
Man in his 40s was pronounced dead
A man has died following a shooting incident in Cork.
The incident occurred shortly after 4.30pm in Ballyphehane on Corks south side.
Emergency services were alerted and paramedics raced to the scene.
However, the man, understood to be in his 40s was pronounced dead before he could be transferred to Cork University Hospital.
Initial indications are that the shooting was entirely accidental and may have involved the inadvertent discharge of a firearm - understood to be a shotgun - which was being prepared for a hunting expedition.
Gardai have commenced door to door enquiries in the area to determine the precise sequence of events.
However, one garda source said that all the early indications are that the incident involved a tragic accident.
A man who was at the scene of the tragic incident is currently assisting gardai with their inquiries into the precise circumstances of what happened.
Irish Independent
The bitter battle over water in Ireland has seen claim and counter-claim
The contentious debate on the future of Irish Water has been full of claim and counter-claim.
With the charges on the verge of being suspended for at least nine months and potentially refunded here are some of the facts and figures put out by politicians as the crisis looks set to make or break government talks.
:: 13 U-turns on Irish Water policies by the outgoing Fine Gael-Labour government, according to Fianna Fail's Barry Cowen.
:: 452km of pipes repaired or replaced since the semi-state was created.
:: 40 locations around the country where raw sewage is being pumped into the sea, rivers or loughs, watchdogs warned.
:: In one area of Cork harbour 20,000 tonnes of sewage is pumped out every day.
:: 34 million litres of water a day - enough to keep Co Wicklow supplied for 24 hours - is now being stopped from being lost through leaks and another 80 million litres of leaks at homes have been identified.
:: The near 90 million euro consultancy spend by Irish Water, including 50 million euro during its set up, Freedom of Information reports have revealed.
:: 20,000 people no longer living under boil water notices since Irish Water was created in 2013.
:: 40% of clean drinking water in Dublin being lost to leaks, according to Independent TD Tommy Broughan.
:: 1 million people - the number of demonstrators who took to the streets in seven major marches against the charges.
:: 100 million euro - the cost of calculating charges, sending bills and chasing payments for water, according to Social Democrat Stephen Donnelly.
:: 2 million payments - the number of refunds that will have to be made if charges are suspended.
:: 40% reduction in water use if a charge is introduced, an internationally accepted conservation rate, according to newly elected TD Michael Harty.
Labour deputy leader Alan Kelly said suspending water charges would throw Ireland back to the 19th century
Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have been accused of treason and sabotage over plans to suspend water charges in order to clear the path for a minority government.
Outgoing Environment Minister Alan Kelly launched the withering attack on his former cabinet colleagues and opposition benches as the contentious issue looks set to make or break power for acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
Fine Gael confirmed they want a nine month suspension of charges to let a special commission examine Irish Water's charging regime and its much-maligned funding model.
Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin insisted his party w as committed to the suspension of charges until the next election.
The responses came after Mr Kelly used one of his final speeches as a minister to fire broadsides at his opponents and defend the idea of asking people to pay for water from an environmental, conservation, common sense and economic point of view.
The Labour deputy leader said a deal to suspend charges or abolish Irish Water as a utility would throw Ireland back to the 19th century.
"I believe we are about to witness the triumph of mediocrity over modernism, of short-termism over common sense and immaturity over innovation," Mr Kelly said.
"If the scrapping of Irish Water goes ahead, let's call this what it is, political, economic and environmental sabotage."
Mr Kelly claimed the lifting of charges would lead to water shortages in Dublin in the future and continue the pumping of 20,000 tonnes of sewage into Cork harbour every day.
And he likened the reported deal on a minority government to the abolition of household rates in 1977 by Fianna Fail which ultimately created a massive hole in the country's finances and led to crippling income tax rates of up to 60% in the 1980s.
"We risk repeating that mistake again. Every other EU country has some type of domestic charge on water," he said.
Negotiations between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail continued while the Taoiseach put his case to parliamentary party members.
They also include an option to refund about two million payments for people who paid Irish Water bills.
Since its inception in 2013, Irish Water has overseen the building of 34 new treatment plants - 26 for sewage and eight for drinking supplies - and fixed or replaced 454km of pipes.
Some 17,300 people in Roscommon have also seen boil water notices lifted.
Mr Kelly also claimed 34 million litres of water - enough to supply Co Wicklow for one day - which was being lost through leaks was now staying in the supplies every day.
The outgoing minister also claimed Ireland could be facing millions in fines from Europe if water charges were abandoned.
A commitment to them was made by the Fianna Fail-led government in 2010 when it signed up to the Water Framework Directive as the country went bankrupt.
Mr Kelly also said water conservation was a necessity in tackling climate change.
"A former politician once stood in this house and accused Fianna Fail of economic treason - today I believe Fianna Fail are guilty of environmental treason and the Labour party stands behind the important public service of water provision," he said.
"Politics is failing the people of the country again. Utopian populism is winning again. It's Groundhog day. We will regret it, just as we did in '77."
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams backed the idea of TDs having the power to determine the future of Irish Water, claiming there were now a majority of politicians in Leinster House against the regime.
"Fianna Fail's manifesto, not once, but in three separate sections clearly calls for the abolition of Irish Water and the scrapping of water charges. It says nothing about the suspension of charges, or maintaining the mechanism for charging on the statute books," he said.
Fianna Fail leader Mr Martin said: "This is very far from being the single most important issue facing our country, however it is important and the handling of it in recent years represents a dramatic public policy fiasco."
But he added: "The policy we are committed to remains a scrapping of the commercial state firm, no charges for at least the duration of this Dail and a major national investment programme in developing this vital public service," he said.
Simon Coveney, Cabinet minister and Fine Gael negotiator, rejected allegations from some opposition figures that Irish Water was destined to be sold off by the state.
"The accusations from some of a secret agenda of privatisation is completely bogus and untrue," he said.
Labour MP Naz Shah as she tells the House of Commons in London that she "wholeheartedly apologises" for words used in a Facebook post about Israel. PA
The Labour leadership has faced a backlash over the latest anti-Semitism row to hit the party, with a major donor claiming a greater effort was needed to "stop the rot" in the party.
The party has suspended MP Naz Shah pending an investigation over offensive messages on social media.
The West Bradford MP was stripped of the parliamentary whip and barred from party activity pending an investigation of her behaviour - which David Cameron branded racist.
Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn had initially delivered only a reprimand, arguing that while the comments - made before Ms Shah was an MP - were "offensive and unacceptable", Ms Shah did not hold discriminatory views.
But under pressure from senior Labour figures to take disciplinary action amid mounting concern about anti-Semitism within the ranks - and with the Prime Minister joining calls for her suspension - it was announced Ms Shah had been excluded.
Ms Shah, who quit her role as a parliamentary assistant to shadow chancellor John McDonnell on Tuesday, told MPs she deeply regretted the hurt caused by the posts and wanted to work with Jewish groups to bolster understanding.
In a 2014 Facebook post, she shared a graphic of Israel's outline superimposed onto a map of the US under the headline "Solution for Israel-Palestine Conflict - Relocate Israel into United States", with the comment: "Problem solved".
The Guido Fawkes website - which published the post - also pointed to another made before Ms Shah was an MP, which used the hashtag #IsraelApartheid above a quote saying "Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal".
Labour donor David Abrahams told Jewish News: "I have been appalled by the growth of anti-Semitism in the party. This is a plague that has to be stamped out. Jews and others with values and principles need to work together within the movement to stop the rot."
Labour peer Lord Levy, a former fundraiser for the party, told BBC's Newsnight: "Unfortunately I have to say that I do think that it's a serious problem. The lack of sensitivity when an MP talks about transportation of the largest Jewish community in the world, I think it just shows such ignorance.
"The tweets and comments that she made on Hitler, I just begin to scratch my head in despair as to how people like this can enter our Parliament with such a lack of knowledge, such a lack of discretion and such a lack of sensitivity."
He added that it had "taken too long" for the leadership to act in Ms Shah's case and Mr Corbyn's team had "dithered".
He said "every party needs to look very carefully in their cupboards as to what is going on on anti-Semitism at the moment".
Rabbi Baroness Neuberger, a crossbench peer, told Newsnight: "I think Labour does have a problem with anti-Semitism. That's not to say that other parties haven't got problems with anti-Semitism, or that it isn't elsewhere.
"But Labour has a very particular problem, and a particular problem at the moment.
"I think the Naz Shah case illustrates that, but more than anything else, Oxford University Labour Club."
The chairman of the Oxford University Labour Club recently resigned, saying a "large proportion" of its members had "some kind of problem with Jews" and the party has launched an investigation.
Lady Neuberger added: "I was brought up in the Labour Party, my parents would be turning in their graves."
Labour MP Ian Austin, whose Czech Jewish father fled Nazi persecution, said: " What a mess. Aged 16, I joined the Labour Party to fight racism. I would never have thought we'd have ended up here."
Ms Shah's suspension was confirmed by Labour shortly after she apologised to MPs for her posts.
"Jeremy Corbyn and Naz Shah have mutually agreed that she is administratively suspended from the Labour Party by the general secretary," a party spokesman said.
"Pending investigation, she is unable to take part in any party activity and the whip is removed."
Ms Shah told the Commons: "Anti-Semitism is racism, full stop. As an MP I will do everything in my power to build relations between Muslims, Jews and people of different faiths and none."
Ms Shah wrote in Jewish News that she wished to make an "unequivocal apology for statements and ideas that I have foolishly endorsed in the past".
"The manner and tone of what I wrote in haste is not excusable. With the understanding of the issues I have now I would never have posted them. I have to own up to the fact that ignorance is not a defence."
But Ken Livingstone - the former London Mayor who is a close ally of Mr Corbyn - said Ms Shah's remarks were not anti-Semitic and the suspension was unnecessary.
He told LBC Radio: "What we have at the moment is a lot of people making a big issue about anti-Semitism in the Labour Party. In 47 years I have never heard anyone say anything anti-Semitic.
"We expelled a couple of people from the Labour Party early on for saying things that could clearly be interpreted as anti-Semitic.
"This is not that; this is an over-the-top comment about the horrendous conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians."
Sister Clare Theresa Crockett was based at a school in Playa Prieta with the Home of the Mother order.
The body of a Londonderry nun who died as she tried to save children during a devastating earthquake in Ecuador will be flown home to her native city in the next few days.
Sister Clare Theresa Crockett (33) was one of six people killed when a school collapsed during the disaster in Playa Prieta on April 16.
The South American country was hit by an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, bringing down buildings and damaging infrastructure, killing more than 650 people and injuring 16,000.
Sister Clare, who was from the Long Tower area of Derry, had been working at the school with the Home of the Mother order of nuns.
She was trying to lead six young Ecuadorian postulants to safety when a stairwell collapsed in the building.
Her family have faced a long wait to bring her home due to the massive devastation caused by the disaster.
But yesterday Colin Bell from the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, which has been working with the family, confirmed that her body would be brought home this week.
Mr Bell set up the trust - which has helped dozens of families hit by foreign tragedy - in memory of his own son who died in a hit-and-run in New York in 2013.
He said: "All the paperwork has been done and she will come home on the soonest available flight, which we hope will be the next day or two." The family were told at the time of Sister Clare's death that they would have to pay to repatriate the body.
As they wait to lay her to rest, her family and community have been fundraising to help cover the costs.
In a recent statement, the family said: "We will continue to fundraise, working with the Kevin Bell Trust who will provide the necessary assistance and should our fundraising yield more than is necessary to bring our beloved Clare home, the monies raised will be used by the trust to assist anyone else who may find themselves in a similar situation."
A fundraising page has been set up by local woman Sinead Johnson and has already raised almost 6,000.
She explained: "Unfortunately, at this sad time the family is faced with the ordeal of having to pay to get Clare's body home to where she belongs.
"Clare would have done anything to help anyone and we would be forever grateful if you could help Clare's family at this difficult time by making a donation to help with the costs."
North Korea has built a half-size mock-up of the South's presidential palace at a firing range in apparent preparation for a live firing drill, according to the South's military chiefs.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the information came from analysis of South Korean satellite imagery.
North Korea has in recent weeks repeatedly threatened to strike the presidential palace and government buildings in Seoul amid annual joint military drills between the US and South Korea and heightened sanctions against the North over its recent nuclear test and long-range rocket launch.
The development comes ahead of a crucial ruling party congress next month during which North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is expected to shake up the country's political elite and announce major state goals in an effort to consolidate his power.
A pre-emptive large-scale strike by North Korea against the South is regarded as highly unlikely. Such a move would risk bringing down Kim's authoritarian rule given the likely military response of the US and South Korea.
Iranian asylum seekers who were caught in Indonesian waters while sailing to Australia on a boat in Bali, Indonesia. (AP)
Papua New Guinea's prime minister says the island nation will close its asylum seeker detention centre after the Supreme Court ruled that Australia's detention of men there is illegal.
Peter O'Neill said in a statement that the facility on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island would be closed and the country would immediately ask the Australian government to make arrangements for the asylum seekers being held there.
Australian officials have been scrambling to respond to a court ruling that has thrown into jeopardy its policy of refusing to accept asylum seekers who try to reach its shores by boat.
Australia pays Papua New Guinea and the island nation of Nauru to hold them in detention camps instead.
The fate of 900 men being held on Manus Island is in limbo after t he decision prompted fresh questions about Australia's divisive policy of refusing to accept asylum seekers who try to reach its shores by boat.
"We did not anticipate the asylum seekers to be kept as long as they have at the Manus centre," Mr O'Neill said in a statement.
He said those deemed to be legitimate refugees could resettle in Papua New Guinea "if they wish to be a part of our society and make a contribution to our community".
"It is clear that several of these refugees do not want to settle in Papua New Guinea and that is their decision," he said.
His announcement, which gave no timeframe for the facility's closure, follows a ruling by the nation's Supreme Court on Tuesday that said the detention of the men at Manus was a violation of their constitutional right to personal liberty.
Australian officials have been scrambling to respond to the decision, with immigration minister Peter Dutton saying none of the men will be resettled in Australia despite the pleas of human rights groups.
The chaos came as an Iranian refugee at Australia's detention centre on Nauru set himself on fire in an apparent protest over strict asylum seeker policies. Mr Dutton said the man would be airlifted off the island for medical treatment.
"He is in a very, very serious condition and his outlook is not good at all," Mr Dutton told reporters.
He insisted the court ruling would not change Australia's policy.Officials are in talks with other countries that could potentially take detainees who are declared genuine refugees, Mr Dutton said. Australia already has a deal with Cambodia that allows refugees held on Nauru to settle there, though only five people have taken up that option.
Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said the government had no immediate plan to contend with Tuesday's court ruling, which ordered both countries' governments to quickly end the detention of the men at the facility.
"We were not a party to the litigation, as you know, but this is something that's under consideration," he told reporters in Brisbane. "I can't provide a definitive road map from here."
The 23-year-old Iranian refugee on Nauru set himself on fire in a protest intended to coincide with a visit to the island by representatives of the UN refugee agency, Nauru's government said in a statement.
Self-harming incidents happen on occasion at Australia's immigration detention camps, with asylum seekers cutting themselves, swallowing chemicals or sewing their mouths shut as a form of protest, but Wednesday's incident was particularly serious.
Asked if he felt any responsibility over the apparent desperation of asylum seekers languishing in detention, Mr Dutton replied: "I feel terribly for people that have been conned by people smugglers to pay thousands of dollars believing that they were coming to Australia."
The Duke of Cambridge talks to the President of the United States Barack Obama (front left), with the Duchess of Cambridge, First Lady Michelle Obama (back left) and Prince Harry (back right). Photo: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
The US President breached international protocol to barge his way into the Brexit debate. Or did he? Today Western leaders face a stark choice: hang together or hang apart. Eamonn McCann reports.
Last year Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu visited the US and addressed a meeting of the Houses of Congress. President Barack Obama made no secret of his displeasure at Netanyahu arranging to speak to Congress without having sought, must less received, White House approval.
Obama's feelings were exacerbated when the Israeli leader urged members of Congress to bin the US-Iran nuclear deal. The leader of one country campaigning in another for reversal of a specified policy went far beyond the bounds of precedent, protocol and standard practice. Even politicians supportive of Israel took umbrage.
The pro-Israeli Washington lobby group J-Street wrote to supporters saying that "a foreign leader lobbying Congress is inappropriate", and warning of possibly negative consequences for the Israeli cause.
So, how come it's deemed okay for Obama, during a visit to Britain, to call for a Remain vote in the EU referendum? How does that differ in principle from Netanyahu's intervention in the US?
Part of the answer has to do with the fact that every major financial and business organisation seems gung-ho for Britain staying in - the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Confederation of British Industry, the Bank of England, BMW, Deutsche Bank, etc, etc.
Angela Merkel, Francois Hollande and other EU leaders, right down to Enda Kenny, have taken the same stand. Obama was harmonising with a global choir of capitalist institutions.
Additionally, it seems that national leaders weighing in to support one another has become the new normal. This reflects the global nature of the economic and financial crisis. They have to hang together, or hang apart - apart from unimportant countries like Greece, which can just go hang.
Also last week, Tony Blair's closest sidekick Alastair Campbell was in Dublin speaking to a meeting of the Irish Business and Employers' Confederation (IBEC). This is the same Campbell who has cheerfully admitted authorship of a claim on the eve of a Commons' vote that Saddam Hussein could deploy weapons of mass destruction against British targets within 15 minutes of an order being issued.
There was no truth in this, but it helped spook a number of MPs into supporting Blair in his crusade to invade Iraq.
The invasion and consequent disintegration of Iraqi State structures prepared the ground for the emergence of Islamic State. But Campbell wasn't off-put by that. Leaving the EU would play into the hands of Islamic State he warned - the most brazen denial of his own role since Judas Iscariot tried to wriggle out of responsibility for touting on Jesus.
Campbell's fee for talking to IBEC won't have matched the fantabulous sums paid to the money-mad Hillary Clinton. But it won't have been chump-change, either.
The former storyteller went on to ask Irish people with relatives working in Britain to call them and explain that Brexit would spell doom for the Republic.
This blatant interference in the affairs of the sovereign Irish State by a senior British political figure on the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising has escaped criticism from Irish politicians and media commentators. If the Turkish authorities urged the three million German residents with at least one parent from Turkey, including more than 1.5 million Turkish citizens, to vote in a particular way in an election or referendum there would be hell to pay.
But all bets are off when it comes to backing EU membership.
The Europhiles now regularly weigh in with what in effect are pleas to foreign electorates to vote for particular parties. In the Sunday Independent last weekend the TD and commentator Shane Ross recalled that, a month before the Republic's election on February 26, David Cameron wrote to Kenny saying that he "looked forward to working with you in the months and years ahead". Didn't even think to make it subtle.
On the day before the election Cameron wrote and released to the Press a letter to Kenny expressing "my very good wishes for tomorrow's election".
None of this would have happened just a few years ago.
No doubt, good wishes were privately exchanged between political elites. But calling publicly and specifically for a vote for a particular party or proposition would have been beyond the bounds.
Nowadays Enda needs David needs Angela needs Francois, and they all need Barak, to withstand the tempest about to break as individual and state debt in EU member countries rises towards unsustainable levels.
When Cameron says "we are all in this together" he doesn't have the mass of the British people in mind, but the common interests of his fellow leaders across Europe and across the world.
Humanity never really changes. We often think people are worse now than ever before. Part of that is the 24/7 news cycle we cant seem to escape from.
Yet Im often struck by the commonality between eras and generations. The cuneiform tablets unearthed in Mesopotamia in the last couple centuries attest to that. Financial records, crime logs, personal lettersall reveal human frailties and character defects we display today. People were cheating on taxes then, robbing stores, committing adultery.
Just like today.
An interesting passage from Ezekiel, which highlights prophecies directly given from God to the prophet, shows us clearly that human nature never really changes. The passage comes from Ezekiel Chapter 12:26,27
The word of the LORD came to me: Son of man, the Israelites are saying, The vision he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies about the distant future.'
The context is the coming Babylonian invasion of Israel, due to the idolatrous nature of the Israelite kingdoms since Solomons kingdom was divided. Think about what the Israelites were telling Gods man, Ezekiel: No, the Lord isnt telling us about our near future; Hes talking about something coming way off in the distance.
Years from now. Decades. Centuries.
Typical human behavior.
Of course, we know (as they should have and perhaps really did) that the prophecy very much concerned their futures. Due to the punishments handed down by the Creator, the Israelites would either be slaughtered in the coming invasion, or theyd be taken into exile.
All that happened.
Likewise, Jesus and the apostles predicted certain things that would come to pass in the very last days of human history, around the time of Jesus Second Coming. Ironically, there are key scoffers in the Church claiming all these things (if they are even literal) are very far off. The scoffers even scoff about the Second Coming.
They could learn a few things from the ancient Israelites.
Shayara Bano is seen here in an undated picture in Terrai, Uttarakhand.
A soft-spoken woman, Shayara Bano is an unlikely poster girl for feminism.
But the 35-year-olds petition in Indias Supreme Court seeking a ban on a practice that is outlawed in several countries whereby a Muslim man can divorce his wife just by uttering the word talaq (divorce) three times has put her at the forefront of a movement seeking to bring equal rights to women in a largely male-dominated Muslim society.
I am no crusader. I just dont want more women to undergo the pain and torture that I have had to face, Bano told BenarNews from her parental house in Terrai in north Indias Uttarakhand state, about 250 km (155 miles) from Delhi.
In her petition filed in March, Bano sought a complete ban on triple talaq, polygamy and nikah halala where a divorced woman has to marry another man and then divorce him to remarry her former husband.
Bano said these practices should be deemed illegal and unconstitutional as they violate Articles 14 (equality before law), 15 (prohibition of discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, sex, place of birth), 21 (protection of life and personal liberty) and 25 (freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion) of the Constitution.
In India, where nearly 180 million Muslims constitute the largest minority in the country, there is no single civil law code for all of its 1.25 billion citizens. Muslim personal law is governed by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), which has resisted attempts to modernize its ostensibly Sharia-based laws and has vowed to challenge Banos petition.
According to Tahir Mahmood, former chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, the practice of triple talaq is an aberration that finds no mention in the Quran or Sharia. It is banned or not practiced in several Muslim countries, including Algeria, Iran, Malaysia, Tunisia, Turkey and Pakistan.
Even as Muslim rights activists and womens groups from across the country are voicing support for Bano, the Supreme Court has given the Indian government and the AIMPLB until early May to respond her petition.
Dreams crushed
Bano, who holds a masters degree in sociology, said she dreamed of becoming a teacher until she was deemed a suitable match for Rizwan Ahmed, a real estate agent from Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh state, in 2002.
He crushed all my dreams, Bano said. He wouldnt even let me step out of the house, leave alone take up a job.
Following the birth of her son, Irfan, 13, and daughter Muskan, 11, Bano said her husband forced her to undergo seven abortions. This obviously took a toll on my health.
In April 2015, Banos parents brought her, along with her two children, back to their house to help her recuperate.
Three months later, my husband came. He took both my kids with him, saying he will come back for me. Since then, his phone has been switched off. I havent heard from him or my children, Bano said.
On Oct. 10, Bano received a letter by post. In it, my husband had written the sentence, I hereby divorce you three times. The letter was signed by him and two other men, who are considered as witnesses to the divorce, she said.
I am worried for my children. I dont know where or how they are. If they are going to school or not, if they are eating properly or not, Bano said, as she broke down.
While she has been called un-Islamic by some sections of the Muslim society for challenging age-old practices of the religion, Bano is aware her fight ahead is a long and hard one, but she is ready for it.
I will not back down. What is happening to Muslim women here is wrong. Things need to change now, she said.
Demand for codified Muslim personal law
In a 2013 survey of 10 Indian states by the Mumbai-based Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA), a group working to empower Muslim women, an overwhelming majority wanted Muslim personal law to be codified.
Of the 4,320 Muslim women interviewed, 92.1 percent said they wanted the practice of unilateral oral triple talaq abolished. About 93 percent wanted a mandatory arbitration period before divorce. More than 91 percent were against polygamy.
Last November, the group released a report chronicling some 100 cases of triple talaq.
BMMA founder Zakia Soman said that over the years, the group had come across thousands of cases of triple talaq, some even by way of Facebook and Skype, rendering the women destitute.
Last year, a high-level government committee set up to review the status of women in India recommended a ban on the practice of triple talaq and polygamy, saying such practices render wives extremely vulnerable and insecure regarding their marital status.
The Supreme Court has directed the government to submit this report, which has not been made public, on the next date of hearing. An exact date has yet to be fixed by the apex court.
Muslim board against change
The AIMPLB, however, has made clear it wants no changes to the Muslim personal law.
On April 18, the AIMPLB unanimously passed a resolution which called for non-interference by courts and government in matters of Muslim personal law, board member Zafaryab Jilani told reporters, adding that the resolution has been sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Asma Zehra, another AIMPLB member, was quoted by BBC that Modis Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was focusing on the issue of triple talaq basically because they want to interfere in our religion so they can introduce a uniform civil code.
Back in Uttarakhand, Bano is mentally preparing herself for the legal battle ahead. Right now, my only focus is to fight for my rights and my children.
I have undertaken a mission that requires courage. I get that courage whenever I think of my children. I am certain change is just around the corner.
Malaysias government on Wednesday appointed the deputy governor of the central bank to replace outgoing Gov. Zeti Akhtar Aziz, ending months of speculation in the nations financial industry.
Bank Negara Malaysia Deputy Gov. Muhammad Ibrahim is to replace Gov. Zeti Akhtar Aziz, who will retire at the end of April, ending her 16-year tenure as the first woman to head Malaysias central bank.
Wednesdays announcement halted a four-day slide by the Malaysian ringgit against foreign currencies, the longest stretch of losses since November. Meanwhile, stocks had plunged to a six-week low.
Ibrahims appointment as the new central bank chief came a day after the nations image in capital markets took a blow, when Malaysias debt-ridden state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd. (1MDB) announced it had defaulted on a U.S. $ 1.75 billion bond that it had issued.
Zeti investigated for role in 1MDB probe
The fund has also been plagued with allegations of financial mismanagement and corruption that have overshadowed Prime Minister Najib Razak and led to calls for his resignation.
Zeti took part last year in a special task force that was investigating these allegations.
But on July 13, 2015, Police Inspector-General Khalid Abu Bakar said his agency would investigate all members of the task force, including Bank Negara personnel, to identify the source of a leak of classified documents to foreign nationals pertaining to 1MDB.
Khalid served on the task force along with Zeti, then-Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Chief Commissioner Abu Kassim Mohamed.
Najib sacked Gani two weeks after the investigation was announced, and replaced him with Mohamed Apandi Ali. In January, Apandi cleared Najib of potential corruption charges linked to U.S. $681 million in money linked to 1MDB that was deposited into the prime ministers private bank accounts.
Najib, who also serves as finance minister, issued a statement on Wednesday thanking Zeti for her contributions to the nations financial system while praising Muhammad, who will take over on May 1.
I am confident that under Muhammads leadership, Bank Negara Malaysia can continue its service in helping the government, providing advice and views for catalyzing the countrys economic growth, as well as administer monetary policy and oversee the countrys financial industry, including continuing Bank Negara Malaysias efforts to grow the financial industry, Najib said.
Zeti praises Muhammad
Zeti was appointed as the central banks acting governor for a week in September 1998 during the height of the Asian financial crisis that erupted in 1997.
She then served as the banks deputy governor for two years before taking over as governor in May 2000. In 2009, Global Finance magazine rated Zeti, now 68, as the Worlds Best Central Bank Chief.
The retiring governor called Muhammads appointment positive for the country.
Being part of our policy team at the bank will provide continuity and the much needed certainty in this prevailing period of great uncertainty. I have great confidence in his ability to lead the bank going forward into the future, Zeti said in the statement.
As speculation about her future grew last year, Zeti told reporters at a press conference that 16 years is too long.
More recently, she spoke about her potential successor.
There is plenty more to do the financial system needs to leverage on technology, including electronic payments. There are so many more things to be done for the central bank as a catalyst, she told reporters.
Muhammad, who joined the central bank in 1984 and holds a masters from Harvard University, was appointed deputy governor in 2010. He was seen a favorite to replace Zeti.
Accepting Najibs appointment, Muhammad stressed humility, calling it a way to serve the country.
I will strive to carry out the duties of governor of Bank Negara Malaysia to the best of my ability. I wish to record my appreciation to the prime minister and the government for the confidence and trust placed upon me, he said in the statement.
He said the bank must maintain financial stability by remaining focused on its strategic agenda.
Izzuddin Yussof, a research economist at the Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Bhd. (MIDF), described Muhammad as a positive pick because of his experience working at the central bank under Zeti.
With this appointment, we are expecting that the monetary policy path during Zetis era would continue and negative sentiments on Malaysias economy would improve, he told BenarNews.
Police detain activists in Bangkok for defying a ban on public gatherings of five people or more, and for protesting against the arrests of government critics, April 27, 2016.
Thailands junta Wednesday arrested 10 people for allegedly posting disturbing messages on social media, amid rising tensions over an upcoming constitutional referendum.
In related news, 16 other people were detained in Bangkok for demonstrating against the arrests of the first 10, according to Thai pro-democracy group Resistant Citizen.
Meanwhile, Election Commissioner Somchai Srisuthiyakorn told reporters in Bangkok that his office had filed a complaint against a group for criticizing the proposal via Facebook posts, under a new law that prohibits people from campaigning during the run-up to the Aug. 7 referendum.
Somchai did not identify the group that was the target of his offices complaint but said it was a fund based in Khon Khaen, a northeastern province.
Two people from Khon Khaen were among the 10 taken into custody Wednesday, and a spokesman for the junta said authorities were investigating whether the detainees had criticized the referendum through online comments.
Somchai said the group associated with the fund in Khom Khaen had been posting messages on Facebook that contained foul language and tried to persuade people to vote no in the referendum.
The action is deemed a violation of Section 61 of the constitution bill and maybe subject 10-year jail term, he said.
Whether the two detained in Khon Khaen by the military are connected to the funds Facebook account, I dont know but I have filed the case with the police, he added.
When a junta-appointed commission unveiled the draft charter in late March, it said elections would take place later on but warned that it would go after people who criticized the proposed constitution.
The document is controversial because it contains a clause that would allow the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to hand pick all 250 senators, including six officers from the militarys top brass. The junta seized power from a civilian-led government in May 2014.
On Wednesday, NCPO spokesman Col. Winthai Suwaree briefed reporters about the detention of the 10 people, including eight from Bangkok and two from Khon Khaen.
The officials invited those individuals to seek their cooperation to stop defying the rules, Winthai told a news conference in Bangkok.
The officials conducted the operations in line with the rule of law and want to make known to the public that they are under custody, and none have gone missing. Everyone is there and their detention is traceable, so dont worry, he said.
Winthai declined to name the 10 detainees. Apart from trying to determine whether the 10 had violated the new referendum-related law, he said that an investigation had found they had violated the countrys Computer Crimes Act.
Relatives and friends are searching
Another pro-democracy group, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, voiced concern about the arrests of the 10 and named five of them: Nopklao Kongsuwan, Supachai Saibutr, Wararat Mengpramul, Harit Mahathon, and Nithi Kulthanasilp.
At 6 a.m., about 20 armed military officers raided Harits and Nithis residence in Khon Kaen, confiscated Harits mobile phone, computer, and passport, and arrested Harit and Nithi without informing [them about] the cause or the location of detention, the lawyers group said in a statement.
Relatives and families are searching for them, but theres no official information of their whereabouts.
Elsewhere, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha on Wednesday defended the arrests.
What rights do you have to allow you to use social media to ridicule others? You misuse the rule of law and [human] rights? Does the law allow you to? Prayuth told reporters in Chiang Mai.
If they didnt break the law, no one could have arrested them, he added.
Bomb squad members inspect the site of a vehicle attack in the southern province of Narathiwat, April 21, 2016.
A Thai delegation met Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur with negotiators representing Deep South insurgency groups in efforts to resume formal peace talks, a spokesman for the rebel side told BenarNews.
The meeting ended without further development. Ill only comment tomorrow, Abu Hafiz Al-Hakim, spokesman for MARA Patani, a panel representing various rebel groups and factions from Thailands southern border region in peace negotiations, said in confirming Wednesdays meeting.
Thai officials could not be reached for comment.
The Malaysia-brokered meeting was the first one since the two sides met in the Malaysian capital in November to discuss technical steps toward resuming formal peace talks for the first time since December 2013, when a civilian-led government ruled Thailand.
In August, a delegation representing Thailands military-controlled government met for the first time in Kuala Lumpur with MARA Patani, when the newly formed umbrella body unveiled itself to the public.
No statements from me today. Thank you, Malaysian facilitator Ahmad Zamzamin Hashim told BenarNews.
Col. Kasturi Mahkota, leader of the Patani United Liberation Organization (PULO), one of the rebel groups represented on MARA Patani, did not attend the meeting. He told BenarNews that he had not received any information about it.
The meeting came amid a surge in deadly violence in the Deep South in recent weeks.
On Monday, a shooting and two bomb attacks left three dead and at least 20 injured. Since Feb. 10, at least 35 people have been killed in attacks by suspected rebels after Thai security forces raided a suspected insurgent hideout in Pattani, one of the provinces in the Deep South.
The meeting also took place days after a top government negotiator was relieved of his duties.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha said Army Lt. Gen. Nakrob Boonbuathong was removed from his post as part of a routine reassignment. Nakrob was the only member of the Thai government team involved since 2013 in efforts to negotiate peace in the Deep South.
Since the conflict re-ignited in 2004, more than 6,500 people have been killed in violence related to the separatist insurgency in the predominantly Muslim and Malay-speaking region.
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For Immediate Release, April 27, 2016 Contact: Jonathan Evans, Center for Biological Diversity, (510) 844-7118
Caroline Cox, Center for Environmental Health, (510) 655-3900 x 308 Lawsuit Launched to Fight Dangerous Sulfur, Nitrogen Pollution OAKLAND, Calif. Conservation and public-health groups today filed a formal notice of intent to sue the Environmental Protection Agency because the agency has failed to update air-pollution thresholds for sulfur and nitrogen. Standards for the dangerous air pollutants known as sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides must be reviewed and updated every five years in order to account for the latest research on their threats to public health and the environment. Our fossil fuel addiction continues to sicken millions of Americans and poison the environment, said Jonathan Evans, environmental health legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. The Clean Air Act has been incredibly successful in saving lives and cleaning up our skies, but it only works when there are strict protections in place to hold polluters accountable. The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to identify and set national ambient air quality standards for pollutants such as sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides, produced from the manufacture and burning of fossil fuels. Since the EPA last set air-quality standards for those pollutants in 2010, the research linking sulfur and nitrogen oxides to lung and heart disease, asthma, diabetes, birth problems, total mortality and cancer has only become stronger. EPA has made a commitment to good science, and that must include regularly re-evaluating air quality standards based on new research, said Caroline Cox, research director at the Center for Environmental Health. Sulfur oxides (SOx) are primarily produced from the burning of coal, but are also released during oil and metal manufacturing. Measured as sulfur dioxide (SO2), theyre linked to a range of heart and lung diseases, particularly for children and the elderly. They also contribute to acid rain and haze, damaging ecosystems throughout the United States and decreasing visibility in national parks. Currently 14 states fail to meet the current clean-air standards for sulfur oxides. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are created by burning fossil fuels and contribute to the formation of ozone and soot. Measured as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), theyre linked to a range of health problems including increased lung and heart disease, diabetes, birth problems, increased deaths and cancer. They also lead to excess nitrates in drinking water supplies and soils, causing toxic algal blooms and harmful changes to ecosystems. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. The Center for Environmental Health works with parents, communities, businesses, workers, and government to protect children and families from toxic chemicals in homes, workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods.
For Immediate Release, April 26, 2016 Contacts: Natalia Lima, Animal Legal Defense Fund, (201) 679-7088, nlima@aldf.org
Camilla Fox, Project Coyote, (415) 690-0338, cfox@projectcoyote.org
Cynthia Elkins, Center for Biological Diversity, (707) 888-2239, celkins@biologicaldiversity.org
Elly Pepper, Natural Resources Defense Council, (202) 717-8193, epepper@nrdc.org
Amey Owen, Animal Welfare Institute, (202) 446-2128, amey@awionline.org
Lynn Cullens, Mountain Lion Foundation, (916) 606-1610, Lcullens@mountainlion.org, Mendocino County to Perform Environmental Study on Lethal Animal Program County Settles Second Lawsuit With Animal Protection Coalition Over
Controversial Wildlife Services Program UKIAH, Calif. In a major victory for opponents of animal cruelty, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors has agreed to perform a full environmental impact report under the California Environmental Quality Act and immediately suspend its contract with a controversial wildlife-killing agency. The agreement settles a lawsuit brought by a coalition of environmental and animal protection groups against Mendocino County. The settlement concerns Mendocino Countys contract with Wildlife Services, which operates under the U.S. Department of Agriculture and kills hundreds of coyotes, mountain lions, bears, bobcats and other wildlife in Mendocino County every year. Under the terms of the settlement, Mendocino County must evaluate the merits of a non-lethal predator control program and prepare an environmental impact report under CEQA if it decides to enter into a contract with Wildlife Services in the future. Mendocino Countys agreement to study the wildlife control program operated by Wildlife Services signals a critical change in policy. In 2014, the coalition sued Mendocino County for failing to comply with CEQA before hiring Wildlife Services. The lawsuit was settled in April 2015, with the county agreeing to comply with CEQA prior to renewing its annual contract with Wildlife Services. However, in June 2015 the county reinstated its contract with Wildlife Services before completing an environmental impact report, as required by CEQA. Instead, the county claimed that lethal predator-control would have no impact on Mendocino Countys ecosystem and was exempt from CEQA. In July 2015 the coalition sued the Mendocino County a second time for breaching the agreement and violating CEQA. In 2014 Wildlife Services killed approximately 47,000 animals in California (out of nearly 3 million killed nationwide) using traps, snares, poison and other devices. Mendocino Countys contract with Wildlife Services authorized the program at a cost of $144,000 to taxpayers to kill animals without assessing the ecological impacts or considering alternatives. Peer-reviewed research shows that the reckless slaughter of native predators causes broad ecological destruction. Indiscriminate methods used by Wildlife Services have also killed more than 50,000 nontarget animals since 2000, including family pets, endangered condors, bald eagles and millions of other birds. Studies show that such mass killing in addition to being cruel and inhumane negatively impacts the biodiversity of ecosystems. These lawsuits mark the advocacy groups first attempts to require a local government to comply with state law when entering into contracts with the federal agency. Represented by the law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, the coalition consists of the Animal Legal Defense Fund, Animal Welfare Institute, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Mountain Lion Foundation, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Project Coyote and a Mendocino County resident. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. For more information, visit biologicaldiversity.org. The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) was founded in 1979 to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. To accomplish this mission, ALDF files high-impact lawsuits to protect animals from harm; provides free legal assistance and training to prosecutors to assure that animal abusers are punished for their crimes; supports tough animal protection legislation and fights harmful legislation; and provides resources and opportunities to law students and professionals to advance the emerging field of animal law. For more information, please visit aldf.org. The Animal Welfare Institute is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to reducing animal suffering caused by people. AWI engages policymakers, scientists, industry, and the public to achieve better treatment of animals everywhere in the laboratory, on the farm, in commerce, at home, and in the wild. For more information, visit awionline.org. The Mountain Lion Foundation is a national non-profit organization founded in 1986. For 30 years, the Foundation has worked with member volunteers, activists and partner organizations to create and further wildlife policies that seek to protect mountain lions, people and domestic animals without resorting to lethal measures. For more information, visit mountainlion.org. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 2 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the worlds natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC. Project Coyote is a national non-profit organization and a North American coalition of wildlife educators, scientists, ranchers, and community leaders promoting coexistence between people and wildlife, and compassionate conservation through education, science, and advocacy.Visit: ProjectCoyote.org
Researcher Juan Carlos Saiz from the Department of Biotechnology of the Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria in Madrid studying the Zika virus. The constant emergence of viral outbreaks has become a permanent threat to human health. Last year, Zika virus infected thousands of people in the Americas. It is also associated to several cases of neurological disorders and has raised worldwide public health alerts. Now due to the urgency, researchers are detailing the characteristics of the virus to find solutions.
The study completed by a group of researchers from the Department of Biotechnology of the Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria in Madrid, was published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Microbiology. It reveals the challenges humanity could face because of the increasingly frequent and devastating viral outbreaks.
"Zika is spread by mosquitoes Aedes Ae. Aegypti, and Ae. Albopictus. They are considered the most invasive species in the world due to their adaptability to different climates. This has facilitated the rapid spread of the virus to five continents during the last 30 to 40 years. The virus was first detected in 1947 in Nigeria, but because it had a low affect on peoples health, not much was done until the recent huge outbreaks in the Americas," explains researcher Juan Carlos Saiz.
We already know mosquitoes can infect humans, but new evidence suggests that transmission also can occur from human to human through blood transfusions, sexual contact, intrauterine and by breastfeeding. The virus has also been detected in saliva samples.
Identifying a person infected is not an easy task. Symptoms like fever, headache, rash, arthralgia or conjunctivitis are similar to those caused by other viruses and are often misdiagnosed. Signs usually disappear after 3 to 7 days, but the most troubling is that around 80 percent of cases do not present any symptoms.
Nevertheless, when disease does develop there is preliminary evidence associating the virus with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), an autoimmune disease causing paralysis and even death in adults. And if the virus is presence in the amniotic fluid, ZIKV can cause microcephaly in newborns babies.
"The links between microcephaly, GBS and ZIKV still need to be conclusively confirmed. Thus, efforts to solve it are being already done by the scientific community and by health authorities. At this moment there are no specific antiviral agents or vaccine for ZIKV. Treatment is generally directed to symptom relief with analgesics and anti-pyretics, and it seems it will take time until any drugs or vaccines against ZIKV will be commercially available," says Saiz.
In the meantime, preventive and control actions against ZIKV are the same as for others mosquito-borne infections. People exposed to the virus are suggested to take precautionary sexual measures, even including abstinence if the partner is pregnant, as well as avoiding blood donations.
As the current ZIKV pandemic continues, many important questions are still unanswered with many scientific journals such as Frontiers promoting the rapid sharing of research by waiving publishing fees. But what is disturbing to researchers is that conditions such as urban overcrowding, constant international travel, disruption of the ecologic balance and climate changes may promote the unexpected emergence of additional sleeping, or yet unknown, infectious agents.
"We should expect that other viruses, especially arbovirus, will colonize new geographical regions, and thus represent a serious risk for human and animal health. Therefore, their study should be promoted, that way humanity can be prepared to face them in better conditions," concludes Saiz.
Source: Frontiers
An antifascist student is threatened with a stricter punishment while Czech fascists go scotfree
27. 4. 2016
cas cteni 2 minuty
On Thursday this week, a court in Prague will deal with the appeal of Katerina Krejcova, a student at the Prague Film School (FAMU), who has been sentenced for "attacking an official", i.e. a policeman, during Prague anti-refugee demonstrations which took place there in July 2015. Krejcova, a petite girl who weighs only 50 kilograms, was sentenced for "attacking" Filip Dlesk, a policeman who weighs almost 100 kilograms, and for "bruising his shoulder". For this "attack", the student was given a suspended sentence of one month's imprisonment, and has had to pay a fine, but the prosecutor Zdena Galkova has appealed against this verdict, arguing that the punishment is "too lenient".
The incident happened at Wenceslas Square in Prague on 1st July 2015. The anti-refugee demonstration which took place there on that day was attended by Tomio Okamura, an extreme right wing politician, and Adam B. Bartos, an anti-Semite who holds openly fascist views. Hundreds of right wing extremists took part in the demonstration. Some of them were carrying gallows for "the traitors of the Czech nation".
Neither Okamura, nor Bartos have been prosecuted for their inflammatory speeches given that day. The police investigated the case of the activists who threatened the public with the gallows, but concluded that no criminal offence had been committed.
At the bottom of Wenceslas Square, a small group of left-wing activists was protesting against the demonstration. Their protest had been properly registered with the authorities, according to official regulations.
The left-wing activists were sitting on the pavement and some of them ignored the order of the police that they should leave. The police then brutally attacked one of the sitting men. He lost a tooth during their physical attack against him. The man was Krejcova's boyfriend. She tried to stop the police from attacking him when she was arrested and charged with assaulting a police officer.
Here is a video of the attack of the Czech police against the left-wing activists:
Source in Czech HERE
There are stories like this in the Czech Republic every day that never make it to the outside world because of a lack of translation. You can support us and help reveal what's happening in Central Europe today. Please make a contribution today on www.paypal.com and send your donation to redakce@blisty.cz. We fully rely on crowdfunding in our work. Thank you.
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Czech Republic deports a Russian student for filming a man spraying some graffiti on a wall
27. 4. 2016
cas cteni 1 minuta
Russian student Igor Shevtsov (20) has spent three months in a Czech prison on the basis of a suspicion, held by the Czech police, that since he is an anarchist, he must have firebombed the residence of the Czech Defence Secretary Martin Stropnicky. The Czech Defence Secretary's private residence was firebombed last year, but the culprit has not been found. No evidence was supplied to the courts linking Shevtsov to the crime and on Wednesday, Shevtsov was found not guilty of this offence by the Prague Municipal Court. The court has nevertheless ordered that Shevtsov should be deported from the Czech Republic. The reason? Shevtsov had filmed another person painting a slogan on the wall of a Czech prison. The slogan said: "Repression will not stop our desire for freedom". The court has decreed that by filming the action, Shevtsov is guilty of "participating in painting the slogan" and hence must be deported.
In 2015, the Czech police detained Shevtsov in prison for three months on the basis of their suspicion that he is an anarchist and is in contact with Czech anarchists. The Czech police was warned about Shevtsov by the Russian Federal Security Service. In Russia, Shevtsov was repeatedly punished for organising unregistered demonstrations, for instance a demonstration against the annexation of Crimea.
Recently, a number of shops in Prague have been daubed with anti-refugee and neofascist graffiti, a muslim has been knifed and an alternative refugee help centre Klinika has been firebombed. No one has been charged for these offences.
Source in Czech HERE
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YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani forces continued shelling civilian settlements and military positions of Nagorno Karabakh overnight.
The Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army released an announcement:
Azerbaijani forces continued intense ceasefire violations overnight April 26-27. Azerbaijani forces fired more than 550 shells at Karabakhi positions and civilian settlements by using mortars, cannons and MM-21 multiple rocket launchers. Fierce ceasefire violations occurred in the northeastern part of the contact line. Martakert, Nerkin Horatagh and other civilian settlements were shelled by Azerbaijani forces.
Karabakhi soldier Hayk S. Minasyan was fatally wounded by the Azerbaijani aggression.
The Nagorno Karabakh Defense Ministry extends its condolences to Hayk. S. Minasyans family, relatives and co-servicemen.
Nagorno Karabakhi Forces took countermeasures and suppressed the Azerbaijani aggression.
Azerbaijani forces sustained both manpower and equipment losses.
Currently the situation is relatively calm.
The KNDO Chief of Staff Brigadier-General Saw Neh Dah Mya said that at around 2pm on 23 April 20 armed Burma Army soldiers, led by Operations Commander Col Myo Kyaw Thu, of Operation (2) under the 19th Military Operations Command (MOC-19) entered the area of Oo Kray Kee.
This breached the NCA and nearly caused fighting to break out.
Under the NCA military code of conduct free movement of signatories unarmed troops is permitted in all areas except security-restricted areas. Armed troops can only enter other signatories areas after having obtained permission from the group whose area it is.
The KNDO is a defensive militia of the Karen National Union (KNU) who were one of eight ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) to sign the NCA with the government on 15 October 2015.
Brig-Gen Saw Neh Dah Mya said: The Burma Army informed us about their visit. They said they were coming [here] on duty. We didnt allow them. We told them that we would shoot at them if they come. Even though we tried to stop them they tried to use the public as hostages when they came. We didnt fire at them because we were considerate of the publics lives.
The fully armed Burma Army troops came with two vehicles on which they put at least four villagers. They drove around Oo Kray Kee village taking photos for half an hour before leaving.
Brig-Gen Saw Neh Dah Mya said that the Burma Army should avoid such actions and show respect during the peace-building process.
The incident was reported to the vice chairman of the Union Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC-U), a body set up as part of the NCA process to investigate breaches of the NCA rules. It was also reported to General Saw Jonny the Commander-in-Chief of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), another armed wing of the KNU.
JMC Technical Team member Saw Eh K'Lu Say from the KNU said: Such kind of incidents may arise before the troop deployment issues and monitoring tasks of both armies have been clearly carried out. When we carry them out step-by-step, they will gradually become resolved.
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
The meeting will continue today, 27 April, for the second day with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who will lead the new governments peace initiative and is in attendance to discuss guidelines and procedures relating to the Union-level ceasefire agreement, added Lt-Gen Ya Pyayt.
The Union-level JMC was formed with the eight ethnic armed groups that signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement with the government on 15 October 2015.
There have been three occurrences of armed skirmishes between the eight ethnic armed organisations and Myanmar Army since the signing of the NCA, said Lt-Gen Ya Pyayt.
The most affected townships in Mon State are Paung, Thaton, Belin, Kyaikmayaw, Mudon and Chaungzone townships.
On February 29, we went to the areas facing water scarcity and monitored the issues. Since March, weve been cooperating with the township administrators and helping locals access water, said U Myo Kyi, director of Mon State Rural Development Department.
U Myo Kyi continued that the villagers from coastal areas couldnt implement wells due to the salinity of the groundwater. They rely on freshwater from lakes that are now dry because of recent hot weather.
The villagers in our village have to fetch the water in Lat-tet village using a truck. We load the water on to the truck and drive to the water scarce areas near the village. Those who come to take the water will be charged 500 Kyat per Pi Pa (large barrel), said Nai Taung Tin, Administrator of Mudon Townships Ah-kon Village.
Nai Taung Tin added that although there was enough water in the lake in past years, during late April the lake dried and the villagers had to fetch water from other villages. Drought occurred earlier this year compared to last year.
Of the 2016-17 fiscal, the allocated amount from the budget will be reported to the Pyidaungsu-level regional development department to repair the hand-dug wells, big wells and lakes in villages facing drought throughout Mon State.
The villagers in the drought stricken areas can now contact township administrators and the township and village administration officials will help disperse water across the villages.
At the moment, many areas across Burma are facing the highest El Nino. Nine towns in the country have been recorded as having the highest temperature on record, according to the weather and hydrology directing department.
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The Target supermarket chain announced last week that transgender customers and employees should feel free to use bathrooms that correspond with the gender they identify as. The city council of Oxford, Alabama, has responded by criminalizing it.
Going beyond the scope of anti-transgender "bathroom bills" in other states, the Oxford city ordinance applies to any location within city limits, not just public facilities.
In a prepared statement after the ordinances passage, Council President Steven Waits said that the council passed it not out of concerns for the 0.3 percent of the population who identify as transgender, but to protect our women and children, according to the Anniston Star. Apparently many residents had complained about Targets policy statement about transgender inclusion.
If local morons complained about the Target policy, I suppose the city council is obligated to pass a moronic ordinance. That's how that works, right?
Snark aside, this could be the beginning of a new front in the Republican crusade to criminalize transgender people and force them out of public life. Republicans in other states have not included private businesses in their bathroom bills, but the Oxford city council's actions may prompt other cities and lawmakers to do the same.
Republicans will tell you they revere and respect the sanctity of private businesses and their freedom to make their own decisions, but that's about to come to a halt as more businesses openly oppose GOP efforts to demonize their potential customers and employees.
More often than not, the modern Republican party is bad for business unless you're a fossil fuel company.
I don't expect any so-called bathroom bill will remain standing once this issue finally reaches the Supreme Court at some point in the near future. The GOP opening up new fronts in multiple federal jurisdictions increases the likelihood that it will reach the highest court. Unfortunately, transgender men, women, and children may be ostracized and targeted by Republican lawmakers until the day comes that these laws are officially ruled unconstitutional.
As things stand, more Republican House Speakers have assaulted children in locker rooms or bathrooms than transgender people have. The currently tally is 1 to 0.
If Maine Governor Paul LePage is speaking, that most likely means he's saying something offensive and/or racist.
This is no exception.
Governor LePage spoke at the Maine GOP convention over the weekend where he said he was declaring "war" on the state legislature's attempt to increase the state's minimum wage. He also went on a rant about people from Bulgaria(??) and India who don't deserve a pay raise because they can't speak English.
Already our restaurants in the summer, if you go on the coast, its hard to hear what theyre saying. You ever try to say whats the special today? to somebody from Bulgaria? And the worst ones, theyre from India. I mean theyre all lovely people, but it takes some youve got to have an interpreter. Or how many of you have gone and tried to return something from Amazon on a telephone? said LePage.
I'm skeptical that LePage has actually had difficulty ordering at a restaurant because his server either did not speak English or spoke with a foreign accent. It's more plausible to me that LePage has encountered servers who had no idea what the fuck LePage was trying to say. He is not the most articulate person in any given room.
In any event, it's not as if LePage would back off his "war" against higher minimum wage even if the restaurants he frequents were exclusively staffed by white locals who are fluent in his native tongue of Moron.
LePage could have simply announced his opposition to the proposal without including anecdotes about foreign waiters, but that wouldn't be his style.
(Cartoonist - Jimmy Margulies)
In other news, Douglas County schools in Colorado will arm their security staff with long assault riles for some unknowable reason. Welcome to the dystopia, children.
Meanwhile, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback says people deserve to be kicked off food stamps because they're just like procrastinating college students.
And finally, Mitsubishi Motors has admitted that it has been lying about their fuel economy standards for the past 25 years!
Priyanka Chopra Slays Power Dressing On The #Time100 Red Carpet Bollywood Wardrobe Debanjali
Our hottest international export, Miss Priyanka Chopra, is one of Times Magazines' 100 Most Influential People this year, and we can't seem to stop gloating about it. She was also recently featured on the cover of the Times Magazine.
Pee Cee was spotted at the #Time100 party held in New York recently, and she was a stunner. Priyanka opted for power dressing on the red carpet, wearing a white pantsuit and it worked like magic. The tapered trousers were from Olcay Gulsen and the blazer from St. Studio.
The pantsuit was all-white and looked striking and very interesting; thanks to its plunging neckline. It was well paired with Giuseppe Zanotti strappy heels and a sophisticated Lorraine Schwartz neck piece in black and white diamonds.
The makeup did not overpower and the up-do style hair was the perfect addition to the perfect red carpet look. We loved absolutely everything about her look, and we are so proud of Pee Cee! Do let us know what you think of Pee Cee's Times 100 Gala look by commenting below.
Image Courtesy: Priyanka Daily
YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Ministry of Armenia informs that 18 ceasefire violations were recorded in the northeastern part of Armenian-Azerbaijani state border on the night of April 26.
The Armenian Defense Ministrys statement reads. On April 16 and throughout the morning of April 27 18 ceasefire violations were recorded in the northeastern part of Armenian-Azerbaijani state border. The Azerbaijani side fired irregular shots from various caliber weapons at Armenian positions.
The Armenian Armed forces exercised restraint and conducted response actions only in case of strict necessity and confidently maintain control of the situation.
According to the information provided by the NKR Defense Army Azerbaijani forces continued intense ceasefire violations overnight April 26-27. Azerbaijani forces fired more than 550 shells at Karabakhi positions and civilian settlements by using mortars, cannons and MM-21 multiple rocket launchers. Fierce ceasefire violations occurred in the northeastern part of the contact line. Martakert, Nerkin Horatagh and other civilian settlements were shelled by Azerbaijani forces.
Karabakhi soldier Hayk S. Minasyan (born in 1996) was fatally wounded by the Azerbaijani aggression.
The Nagorno Karabakh Defense Ministry extends its condolences to Hayk. S. Minasyans family, relatives and co-servicemen.
Nagorno Karabakhi Forces took countermeasures and suppressed the Azerbaijani aggression.
Azerbaijani forces sustained both manpower and equipment losses.
Currently the situation is relatively calm.
Top rated municipal bonds ended stronger on Wednesday, according to traders, as a California issuer came to market with almost $1 billion of bonds just one day after the massive Ascension Health Alliance deal was priced.
Secondary Market
The yield on the 10-year benchmark muni general obligation fell one basis point to 1.65% from 1.66% on Tuesday while the 30-year muni yield dropped two basis points to 2.61% from 2.63%, according to the final read of Municipal Market Data's triple-A scale.
The Federal Open Market Committee left the fed funds rate target at 0.25% to 0.50%, but didn't give clear clues about the timing of the next increase in its post-meeting statement. Markets don't expect any increases until September.
U.S. Treasuries were narrowly mixed on Wednesday. The yield on the two-year Treasury was unchanged from 0.86% on Tuesday, while the 10-year Treasury yield dropped to 1.87% from 1.93% and the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond declined to 2.72% from 2.75%.
The 10-year muni to Treasury ratio was calculated at 88.5% on Wednesday compared with 86.0% on Tuesday, while the 30-year muni to Treasury ratio stood at 96.5% versus 95.4%, according to MMD.
Primary Market
Bank of America Merrill Lynch priced the California Statewide Communities Development Authority's $947.62 million of Series 2016A revenue bonds for the Loma Linda University Medical Center on Wednesday.
The issue was priced as 5s to yield from 3.34% in 2025 to 3.93% in 2031; a 2036 maturity was priced as 5s to yield 4.27%; a 2041 maturity was priced as 5s to yield 4.45%, a 2046 term bond was priced as 5s to yield 4.48%; and a 2056 term was priced as 5 1/4s to yield 4.70%.
The deal is rated BB by Standard & Poor's and BB-plus by Fitch Ratings.
Since 2006, the SCDA has sold more than $22 billion of debt, with over $4 billion of bonds sold in 2007, 2008 and 2009. The smallest issuance year was 2013, when the authority sold $516 million.
On Tuesday, Morgan Stanley priced Ascension Health Alliance's $1.2 billion healthcare deal through four conduit issuers for the Ascension Senior Credit Group.
"As expected, current market conditions resulted in broad demand for the credit. The transaction was expected to have a nice reception and considering absolute yield levels and historical spread comparisons it did," said Adam Buchanan, a senior vice president in Ziegler's institutional sales and trading group.
The deal was rated Aa2 by Moody's, and AA-plus by S&P and Fitch.
"We were extremely pleased with the result of pricing, with a 3.945% long term taxable rate and an all-in TIC of 3.62%for the tax-exempt fixed rate piece," said Steve Gilmore, Ascension's debt manager. "The favorable taxable market enabled us to upsize that portion to $700 million and the bonds received over $2 billion in indications of interest, enabling the spread to treasuries to be reduced by three bps after the launch. The tax-exempt bonds received over $3.4 billion in orders, enabling yields to be reduced by up to five basis points per maturity."
On Wednesday, Citigroup priced the Texas Private Activity Bond Surface Transportation Corp.'s $271.3 million of tax-exempt senior lien revenue bonds for the Blueridge Transportation Group's SH 288 Toll Lanes Project.
The issue was priced as 5s to yield 3.64% in 2040, 3.72% in 2045, 3.83% in 2050 and 3.93% in 2055.
The deal, which is subject to the alternative minimum tax, is rated Baa3 by Moody's Investors Service and BBB-minus by S&P.
Wells Fargo Securities priced the Colorado Health Facilities Authority's $114.59 million of Series 2016 hospital revenue bonds for the NCMC Inc. Project. The issue was priced to yield from 1.02% with a 2% coupon in 2019 to 3.29% with a 3.25% coupon in 2033. The deal is rated A-plus by S&P and Fitch.
Citi priced the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency's $221.07 million of Series 2016 I revenue bonds for CareGroup. The issue was priced as 5s to yield from 0.80% in 2017 to 3.10% in 2038. The deal is rated A3 by Moody's and A-minus by S&P.
JPMorgan Securities received the written award on the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority's $149 million of Series 2016B housing mortgage finance program bonds.
The $65.98 million of Subseries B-1 bonds were priced at par to yield 2.40% in 2026, 2.55% and 2.60% in a split 2027 maturity, 2.95% in 2031, 3.25% in 2036, 3.45% in 2041 and 3.55% in 2046. The $68.50 million of Subseries B-2 bonds, subject to the AMT, were priced at par to yield from 0.75% in 2017 to 2.75% and 2.80% in a split 2026 maturity; a 2039 maturity was priced as 3 1/2s to yield 2%. The deal is rated triple-A by Moody's and S&P.
Piper Jaffray received the official award on the Ohlone Community College District, Alameda County, Calif.'s $155 million Election of 2010 Series C GOs. The issue was priced to yield from 0.50% with a 2% coupon in 2016 to 3.17% with a 3% coupon in 2038; a 2041 term bond was priced as 4s to yield 2.98% and a 2045 term was priced as 4s to yield 3.03%. The deal was rated Aa2 by Moody's and AA by Fitch.
CHICAGO Spread fallout from Chicago's latest pension and rating setbacks hasn't trickled down to other local governments the way Chicago's plunge to junk did last spring, Markit says in a new report.
The Illinois Supreme Court's March 24 ruling that voided an overhaul of the city's municipal and laborers' pension funds prompted Fitch Ratings to downgrade Chicago a few days later by two notches to BBB-minus, the lowest investment grade level.
Kroll Bond Rating Agency followed a week later lowering its rating to BBB-plus, the same level as Standard & Poor's.
Moody's Investors Service, which dropped the city to junk last May, labeled the court ruling a credit negative but left the city's rating at junk-level Ba1. All assign a negative outlook. The city has $9.8 billion of GOs.
The city's 10-year was trading at a 280 basis point spread to the top-rated Municipal Market Data benchmark before the latest Fitch downgrade and has since reached about 320 basis points. That's after hovering at 200 to 250 basis points late last year and early this year.
"Chicago's municipal bond spread has since widened again, back near levels seen after last year's Moody's downgrade, but interestingly, in divergence to fellow Cook County city spreads," wrote the report's author Neil Mehta, a fixed income analyst at Markit. "As the crisis deepens, it seems Chicago is left more and more isolated."
The city's secondary trading spreads hit a high of about 300 basis points after the Moody's May downgrade. The action followed an Illinois Supreme Court opinion overturning state pension reforms which threw cold water on a path to reforms that could help local governments as well as the state. Most acutely, the court's conclusions had cast doubts on whether Chicago's own pension reforms to its municipal and laborer's fund could withstand a then pending legal challenge.
"Chicago's municipal bond spread widened more than 30% after Moody's' decision, as surprised investors re-evaluated Chicago's credit worthiness," Markit said. "The downgrade also caused contagion in surrounding municipalities, which saw spreads widen in tandem."
The company looked at nine neighboring cities in the Cook County area and averaged spreads at the time, finding a 20% widening of spreads that followed the Moody's downgrade of Chicago to junk.
The spreads of both Chicago and neighboring communities tracked for the report remained volatile through September. Then investor sentiment reversed course, with volatility decreasing and spreads tightening across the board, Markit said.
The narrowing occurred after Chicago approved a record property tax increase last fall to tackle rising police and firefighter pension payments, a move seen as a display of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the City Council's political willingness to use the city's tax base as part of fiscal fix for $20 billion of unfunded pension liabilities. The city also had mostly resolved a $2.2 billion liquidity crisis triggered by its credit deterioration.
By January of this year, the average spread for the Cook County cities had retracted all the spread underperformance after the Moody's downgrade, while Chicago's percentage change fell from the 40% highs seen in September last year to just 5%, Markit said.
The city reaped the benefit in a primary market sale earlier this year when it was able to trim yield penalties. The spread on its 10-year maturity landed at a 253 basis point spread to MMD. The deal's overall spreads came in about 20 basis points under its summer sale and 40 basis points below a 2015 spring sale.
Markit said that while Chicago's municipal bond spreads are now back near levels seen after last year's Moody's downgrade, fellow Cook County municipal spreads have not been penalized with their spreads holding relatively steady.
The city is planning the sale of up to $1.25 billion of GOs this year, including $600 million of new money and $650 million of refunding and restructuring bonds that would push some principal payment offs in what the city said will mark its final use of scoop-and-toss refunding.
The city's ratings face further erosion.
"The outlook for the city's credit quality cannot be considered stable until such challenges are met in a sustainable fashion," Fitch said in its last report.
"In the near term, the city's credit quality could weaken unless it identifies a funding mechanism to address the unfunded liabilities in the municipal and laborers plans and prevent further destabilization of the city's budget," S&P said.
WASHINGTON A lawyer facing Securities and Exchange Commission charges that he violated federal securities laws as part of a pay-to-play scheme to secure Ohio pension business is arguing the SEC's charges cannot apply to him and should be dismissed.
Robert Crowe, a partner with Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, allegedly participated in a plan by an official with Boston-based State Street Bank and Trust Co. and others, including a former Ohio deputy treasurer now in federal prison, to funnel money to an Ohio treasurer's election campaign in exchange for subcustodian contracts for several Ohio pension funds, according to the SEC.
Crowe, who was the alleged fundraising expert for the scheme that took place in 2010 and 2011, worked with the head of State Street's public funds group at the time, Vincent DeBaggis, to arrange for at least $60,000 in political contributions to be made to the treasurer's campaign during that period, the SEC alleged.
The SEC's complaint charges Crowe with four counts of violating federal securities laws prohibiting fraud in transactions, two for direct violations and two for aiding and abetting DeBaggis' violations by saying in documents associated with the custodial contracts that State Street had not provided any public official with anything of value.
Crowe's lawyers are asking U.S. District Court Judge Algenon Marbley of the Southern District of Ohio to dismiss the case because the global custodial contracts State Street received did not involve the bank making securities transaction decisions. Instead the bank was carrying out tasks it was told to do by the officials of the three pension systems for which it was working. Under Ohio law, the power to make investment and other decisions related to transactions lies only with the pension funds. Subcustodians "assist with the purely ministerial aspects of effectuating securities transactions ordered by others," the motion to dismiss said.
Without the bank's ability to make investment decisions and without providing examples of securities that were affected, Crowe's lawyers said the SEC cannot meet an established precedent from the 2014 Supreme Court case Chadbourne & Parke LLP v. Troice.
The high court required "the misrepresentation" to make "a significant difference to someone's decision to purchase or to sell a security" for it to be a federal securities violation.
The SEC also does not have the ability to bring charges against Crowe because they can only do so when sanctioning fraudulent activity "in connection with the purchase or sale of any security," Crowe's lawyers wrote.
The other two charges for aiding and abetting should also be dismissed because of the SEC's lack of jurisdiction, his lawyers said. Those charges are additionally undermined because the SEC does not offer proof that Crowe had any knowledge of or involvement with the documents DeBaggis signed denying the existence of a pay-to-play situation.
Crowe's lawyers cite a 2014 case from the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York that held that, in such an instance, the SEC would have to show that Crowe "knew or was reckless in not knowing about each of the primary violations."
In a response to Crowe's lawyers' motion to dismiss, SEC lawyers argued the cases cited in the motion do not give an accurate picture of existing case law on the subject. The commission lawyers used examples from other cases to argue for a looser standard that allows the charges to stand.
Their main case is SEC v. Zandford, decided by the Supreme Court in 2002. The SEC lawyers said the high court adopted a broad reading of "in connection with" to be satisfied when the fraud "coincides with a securities transaction," much like Crowe's illegal channeling of funds is part of the scheme to obtain the subcustodian business. The SEC also argued the aiding and abetting charges are satisfied as long as the aider and abettor has a "general awareness that his role was part of any overall activity that is improper." The commission's complaint said that Crowe, at one point later in the scheme, tried to "cover his tracks" by sending a fake invoice for mentoring services in an amount equal to what he gave the person who funneled the money into the treasurer's campaign.
In the most recent filing in the case, Crowe's lawyers submitted a response to the SEC's arguments, disputing the commission's lawyers' use of case law and arguing they disregarded a "mountain of authority" that backs Crowe's arguments.
The SEC also brought charges in January against State Street and DeBaggis, both of which settled with the commission, paying a combined $286,000 in penalties and disgorgement of ill-gotten gains.
YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. The NKR Foreign Ministry condemned the violations attempts of ceasefire agreement by Azerbaijan.
The NKR Foreign Ministry statement reads:
Following the large-scale aggression against the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) in 2-5 April this year, the Azerbaijani authorities continue their efforts to bring the peaceful settlement process of the conflict to a final breakdown and transfer it into a military domain. Azerbaijan's attempts to unilaterally denounce the tripartite agreement on the ceasefire of May 12, 1994 at the UN and the OSCE come to prove this. Along with that the Azerbaijani side resorts to its traditional practice of fraud and manipulation, trying to lay the blame on the Armenian side, and thereby avoid liability for unleashing a war.
In this regard, we consider it necessary to remind that the agreement of 12 May 1994, concluded between the NKR, Azerbaijan and Armenia for an indefinite term is the only real achievement in the settlement process of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict. Thanks to this very agreement the foundations for peaceful negotiations were laid and conditions for the activity of mediators in finding a fair and final solution to the conflict created.
Sharing the point of view of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs that this agreement, as well as the agreement of February 1995, form the basis of the cease-fire and its strengthening, we believe it is extremely important to consolidate the position of the international community and the mediator-states to take effective and urgent measures in forcing Azerbaijan to comply with the commitments taken within the framework of these agreements.
The NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemns any attempts of the Azerbaijani authorities to reconsider these agreements, regarding them as an overt intention of Azerbaijan to unleash a new war, and insists on the full restoration of the ceasefire regime established in May 1994.
To guarantee the security of the NKR and its population, as well as to promote peace and stability in the region, the NKR authorities will take diplomatic and other possible measures to safeguard the full implementation of the agreements of 12 May 1994 and 06 February 1995 as well as to exclude the possibility of the development of the situation by the criminal scenario hatched by the Azerbaijani leadership".
YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. As reported by TIME, a senior American military official says that air strikes by the U.S.-led coalition may have destroyed as much as $800 million of cash held by the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS).
The BBC reports that Major General Peter Gersten, speaking from Baghdad, told reporters that fewer than 20 air strikes had targeted cash stores in parts of Iraq and Syria controlled by the group. In one case, the BBC says, an estimated $150 million in cash was destroyed when U.S.-led forces received intelligence identifying a room in Mosul, Iraq, where the group was storing the banknotes.
Gersten said successes targeting ISISs cash flow were causing more fighters to defect because of lower salaries.
Were seeing a fracture in their morale, were seeing their inability to pay, were seeing the inability to fight, were watching them try to leave Daesh in every single way, he said, using the Arabic acronym for the group.
YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. Number of children affected by Ecuador earthquake reaches 250,000 half of which is unable to go to school as a result of destructions of school buildings, Armenpress reports, citing the UNICEF.
More than 280 schools have been damaged by the earthquake that hit Ecuador on April 16, leaving up to 120,000 children temporarily without education, UNICEF reports.
UNICEF and its humanitarian partners need $23 million to respond to childrens immediate needs in water, sanitation, education, child protection, health and nutrition over the next three months.
Earlier Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Stephen O'Brien asked the international donors to give $73 million to support Ecuador.
The magnitude-7.8 quake struck on in the evening of April 16. Coastal areas in the north-west were closest to the epicenter. According to the recent data 655 people died, 48 are missing, more than 17.000 residents receive medical treatment. The damage to the country is estimated several billion dollars, TASS reports.
Photo by AP
YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. US Republican frontrunner Donald Trump said that he expects excellent relations with Russia and with Russian President Vladimir Putin if he wins the White House, Armenpress reports, citing SPUTNIK.
On Tuesday, US voters went to the polls in presidential primaries in five states located in the northeastern part of the country: Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Maryland and Rhode Island.
"We are going to have a great relationship with Putin and Russia," Trump told a victory rally at Trump Tower in New York City on Tuesday after winning the primaries in all the five states.
Trump added that the relations between Washington and Beijing would also be improved, despite his continued calls to set up protectionist barriers to limit Chinese industrial exports to the United States.
"We will have a real partnership with China China can be dealt with and you can get along with them," he said.
The US presidential election is scheduled for November 8, 2016.
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. NKR President Spokesperson Davit Babayan says the international community should solver up and call things accordingly in regard to Azerbaijan.
In this circumstances the Armenian side clearly knows what to do: to give counter response to the adversary and throw it back if it moves forward. Concerning the international community, its time to wake up. International forums are being held in Baku, and the representatives of the European structures praise Baku so that it takes wings, Davit Babayan said.
According to him, the Armenian media and Armenian, Artsakh and Diaspora leaders should raise this issue. The European leaders give positive assessment to this terrorist country for eating caviar and for some other reasons. We saw how Azerbaijan after Erdogans visit to that international forum became more encouraged and crudely violates ceasefire regime targeting civilian people. He violates all international conventions. Of course, if the representatives of European organizations praise that abnormal, terrorist country, it is obvious that Baku will act in such a way, Davit Babayan said.
He informed that fortunately there are no causalities among civilians, as they were all organized. The situation is currently relatively calm in the Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact.
Azerbaijani forces continued intense ceasefire violations overnight April 26-27. Azerbaijani forces fired more than 550 shells at Karabakhi positions and civilian settlements by using mortars, cannons and MM-21 multiple rocket launchers. Fierce ceasefire violations occurred in the northeastern part of the contact line. Martakert, Nerkin Horatagh and other civilian settlements were shelled by Azerbaijani forces.
YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. Turkey rejected the nomination of Estanislao Angel Zawels as Ambassador to their country for his views on the Armenian Genocide, Armenpress reports citing Prensa Armenia.
Argentine Clarin newspaper writes that Zawels was suggested by a group of former diplomats who took into account the fact that his father was a diplomat in Turkey for years. However, Zawels son is the author of several diplomatic articles one of them is called Notes on Genocides that he wrote in 2012. The article reads: The last stage of genocide is the denial of its existence. It is well known the case of Turkey with the Armenian Genocide. Until recently it was a state policy to deny it.
That phrase by the diplomat was enough to irritate Turkey on his nomination as Ambassador of Argentine to Turkey.
Director of the Armenian National Committee of South America Alfonso Tabakian stated that he is not surprised that Turkey press in each country with its lobby, working on the chancelleries, trying to put a pressure on those who are designated by their country. Erdogan wants to have diplomats that only say what he wants to hear, he said.
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A prowler who broke into eight homes sometimes as residents slept in their beds and helped himself to belongings and cars is going to be locked up.
But Julius Joseph McKay will have to wait to see how long behind bars hell have to spend as a judge now considers his fate.
The residents were home in some of the cases, asleep, when Mr. McKay broke in, Crown attorney Brett Rach said in court on Monday, quoting a woman whose home was violated.
To think that a total stranger went through my home while I was sound asleep is very frightening, she wrote in a victim impact statement. What would have happened had I awoke and confronted him?
Eighteen-year-old McKay burgled eight homes and stole five vehicles in less than a month, between July 5 and Aug. 2, 2015.
In six cases, residents were home asleep when McKay broke in. In one case, not only were the residents there sleeping, but so were guests.
He took car keys and stole vehicles from four of the residences.
He hit one victim twice. He broke into a Cornell Bay home and stole two sets of car keys. He took a pickup truck from the residence one night, then returned two days later to steal another truck.
McKay drove one of the stolen cars to the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, picked up friends and drove them to Winnipeg and back.
Electronics were a favourite to take, but the swiped items also included a wedding ring, medications, debit and credit cards, wallets, purses and cash.
Rach said McKay sold the stolen goods to pay for his drug addiction and to buy groceries.
The stolen cars and trucks were driven between Brandon and Sioux Valley and then abandoned in those communities, Rach said.
The Crown asked Judge John Combs to sentence McKay to three to five years in prison, minus 327 days credit for pre-sentence custody.
Defence counsel Philip Sieklicki asked Combs to consider a sentence of two-and-a-half years custody minus presentence credit for his client, whose troubles include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and a childhood of neglect and abuse.
Combs reserved his decision and will sentence McKay on May 24.
ihitchen@brandonsun.com
Twitter: @IanHitchen
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The Wheat Citys head honcho took jabs from colleagues and old friends during last nights Breakfast for Dinner roast a fundraiser for the Canadian Diabetes Association.
Mayor Rick Chrest was the guest of honour, after he willingly accepted the invitation.
Im kind of an open book, and thats for good and bad so to speak, he said. Not much humiliates me, and Im pretty good at laughing at myself Its certainly for a good cause and they tend to be a little bit of fun and Im all for that.
Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun Mayor Rick Chrest smiles as former politician Rick Borotsik gestures while telling a funny story about Chrest during the Breakfast for Dinner Roast of Mayor Rick Chrest at the Victoria Inn on Tuesday evening. Others roasters included Garry Bell, Jeff Fawcett and Scott Hildebrand. Proceeds from the event will go to the Canadian Diabetes Association.
Chrest was teased about his long-winded tendencies, his messy desk and his habit of talking with his hands, among many other zingers.
City manager Scott Hildebrand described a new mayor mobile to help with the citys mosquito abatement program.
This thing would drive up and down the city streets of Brandon and if you had a mosquito problem, of course you start talking to Rick and asking questions. His hands will do all the work for you, Hildebrand said. If youre one of those people that prefer a buffer zone, then you just need to not talk to Rick and hopefully his hands will stay at bay.
Hildebrand asked Chrest to sign off on a waiver at the beginning of the night so he still had a job today.
I think its an important event that the mayors being a really good sport about, Hildebrand said. Well have a good time, well share a few laughs and at the end of the day, were all going to remain friends.
Other roasters included Coun. Jeff Fawcett (Assiniboine), Chrests lifelong friend and retired deputy fire chief Garry Bell and former mayor Rick Borotsik.
Ive known Rick as a child, as an adolescent and as an adult all in the same day, Borotsik quipped.
I give him full marks, this isnt his first time being roasted, and its for a very good cause. The fact of the matter is, hes prepared to take the shots for that cause, so thats good.
The event was held at the Victoria Inn and presented by NetSet Communications.
It was the brainchild of Coun. John LoRegio (Meadows-Waverly), whose day job is Westman co-ordinator with the Canadian Diabetes Association. Funds raised will go toward the CDA programming in Westman, information sessions, education sessions, etc.
At the end of the night, it was Chrests turn to take aim at the roasters. For Borotsik, he announced that he and council were naming a room in city hall after Borotsik it will be called the Rotunda.
He teased Fawcett for his unruly hair and flying into meetings five minutes late. But in spite of Fawcetts desire to talk a lot, it was concluded that he loses that prize to LoRegio. He went after Hildebrands extremely neat desk in contrast to his own busy desk and concluded who has the most on the go.
Chrest ended the evening by saying Groucho Marx once said, Ive had a perfectly wonderful evening. Unfortunately this wasnt it.
jaustin@brandonsun.com
Twitter: @jillianaustin
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CALGARY The Alberta government and power producer TransAlta have agreed to alter water levels at four hydroelectric sites west of Calgary to protect against floods and drought.
The province is to pay the company $27.5 million over five years as compensation for the reduced power-generating ability at the plants.
The deal will allow the province to make changes at the Ghost Reservoir, along the Bow River, between May 16 and July 7 each year to prevent flooding in the Calgary area.
The Bow was one of the southern Alberta rivers that overflowed in 2013 and swamped much of downtown Calgary in one of the costliest natural disasters in Canadian history.
TransAlta (TSX:TA) says the deal is similar to arrangements in 2014 and 2015, which lowered water levels at the Ghost Reservoir to provide storage during high runoff.
The deal also includes changes at three reservoirs in Kananaskis Country to help boost flows on the Bow River during dry periods or to provide extra floodwater storage.
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EDMONTON Albertas largest union is to have an unusual guest at its ceremony to honour workers killed or injured on the job.
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees says for the first time ever the provinces labour minister will attend its annual day of mourning service Thursday.
Union president Guy Smith said having Minister Christina Gray speak at the event indicates the NDP wants to make meaningful improvements to workplace safety.
Smith said the union hopes that will include making it easier for employees such as social workers, hospital emergency room staff and correctional officers to get help for post-traumatic stress disorder.
We are seeing many more members coming forward with these psychological issues. Really, what we need to see is changes to law and legislation that really supports and protects workers who are suffering from PTSD, Smith said Wednesday.
By having it recognized formally in legislation I think that might open the door to people coming forward more. A lot of people suffer in silence.
In 2012, the Progressive Conservative government passed legislation to give first responders such as police, firefighters and emergency medical technicians coverage for PTSD without having to prove their condition is work-related.
During debate on the bill then-opposition NDP member Rachel Notley proposed an amendment that called for including correctional officers, social workers and emergency health employees in the legislation.
Notleys amendment was voted down.
Smith said the union has been lobbying the NDP to take action to broaden the legislation to cover more workers since it won the provincial election last May.
He said the challenge is the government has so many other issues on its plate that change could take time.
The labour minister is well aware of our concerns, Smith said. We would like to see it sooner than later but we also want to make sure that they get it done right.
Last month Gray announced a review of the Workers Compensation Board, including coverage for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Gray said the government wont decide if and what it will change until the review is complete next year.
I definitely think this is a topic worthy of consideration and I dont want to judge the work that panel will be doing, she said Wednesday.
Albertas review will include a look at legislation that came into effect in Manitoba this year that recognizes PTSD as a work-related occupational disease for any employee who has WCB coverage.
She called Manitobas legislation very progressive, but said the review panel will look at how other provinces and the federal government deal with PTSD.
In the meantime, Gray said it is important for the labour minister to speak at the unions day of mourning event.
I think being there to recognize that there is more we can do for safety and to take care of our employees is critical, she said. I dont know why a labour minister in the past would not have attended, but it is certainly a priority for me.
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LETHBRIDGE, Alta. An Alberta regulatory group is investigating a complaint about a naturopathic doctor involved in the case of a toddler who died of meningitis.
A jury in Lethbridge convicted David and Collet Stephan on Tuesday of failing to provide the necessaries of life for their 19-month-old son Ezekiel.
Court heard the couple thought the boy had croup or flu and treated him for 2 1/2 weeks with home remedies that included hot peppers, garlic, onions and horseradish, even though a family friend who was a nurse told them she thought Ezekiel had meningitis.
David and Collette Stephan leave the courthouse in Lethbridge, Alberta, April 26, 2016, after being found guilty in failing to provide the necessaries of life in the death of their 19-month-old Ezekiel 2012. An Alberta regulatory group is investigating a complaint about a naturopathic doctor involved in the case of a toddler who died of meningitis. The CANADIAN PRESS/David Rossiter
Collet Stephan also took the boy to a naturopathic clinic and picked up an echinacea mixture for the child, although there was conflicting evidence about whether the naturopathic doctor talked to her.
A letter of concern about the conduct of Tracey Tannis, with the names of 43 medical doctors attached, was sent to the College of Naturopathic Doctors of Alberta in March.
We are a group of Canadian physicians and surgeons who have been watching the trial of Collet and David Stephan over the past few weeks and, while we are moved by the senseless tragedy of Ezekiels death, we are also deeply concerned about the conduct of the registered naturopath involved in his care, said the letter.
The college responded in a letter, forwarded to The Canadian Press, that says Tannis is to be investigated under the provinces Health Professions Act.
Kristen Tanaka with the college wrote in the letter that she will review the investigation, then either dismiss the complaint or refer the matter to the hearings director for a hearing before the hearing tribunal.
The college said it cant comment because all complaints and investigations are confidential unless they result in a hearing.
Tannis did not respond to a phone message and declined an in-person request at her Lethbridge clinic for an interview.
She testified during the trial that she was with a patient when a clinic worker interrupted to tell her a mother was on the phone asking about a treatment for meningitis. She said she followed the employee back to the phone.
You need to tell the lady to take the child to emergency right away, Tannis said she told the worker.
Tannis told the jury that she remained by the phone long enough to confirm the message was relayed. She said she never met the mother.
The worker, Lexie Vataman, testified that she introduced Tannis to Collet Stephan when Stephan later arrived at the clinic. Vataman said Tannis asked her to make up the echinacea mixture.
I told her the tincture was pretty strong and she said, Thats OK. The baby is used to things like horseradish, Vataman told court.
Dr. Michelle Cohen of Brighton, Ont., who crafted the letter of complaint about Tannis, said another 30 physicians asked this week to have their names added.
Theres a couple of different stories there, she said Wednesday. If theres even a suspicion of malpractice, it behooves the college to investigate that.
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TORONTO Former residents of 12 Ontario institutions for people with developmental disabilities have won a $36-million settlement in a class-action lawsuit against the provincial government.
The Superior Court of Justice has approved a tentative settlement reached last fall to compensate people who suffered harm while living at the residential facilities between the 1960s and when the last one closed in 1999.
The former residents have up to four months to ask for a copy of their personal resident files from the Ministry of Community and Social Services, and will be advised by the claims administrator on how to apply for compensation.
Attorney General Madeleine Meilleur says shes glad the province was able to reach a fair settlement because the residents were harmed in a place that was intended to provide them with care.
The provincial government started closing the residential institutions in 1977 and moving adults with developmental disabilities into homes in their communities, with appropriate supports and services.
Social Services Minister Helena Jacek says the province wants people with developmental disabilities to live as independently as possible.
Thats why our government closed the provinces last remaining facilities and transitioned to community supports and services, Jacek said in a release.
The institutions involved in the settlement are: Adult Occupational Centre in Edgar, Bluewater Centre in Goderich, DArcy Place in Cobourg, Durham Centre for the Developmentally Handicapped in Whitby, L.S. Penrose Centre in Kingston, Midwestern Regional Centre in Palmerston, Muskoka Centre in Gravenhurst, Northwestern Regional Centre in Thunder Bay, Oxford Mental Health Centre and Oxford Regional Centre in Woodstock, Pine Ridge Centre in Aurora, Prince Edward Heights in Picton and St. Lawrence Regional Centre in Brockville.
Two similar class actions were also settled by the province two years ago.
A $35-million settlement in the case of residents at the Huronia Regional Centre in Orillia was approved by a court in December 2013. A $32.7-million settlement involving former residents of the Rideau Regional Centre in Smiths Falls and the Southwestern Regional Centre near Chatham was approved in February 2014.
The Huronia settlement led Premier Kathleen Wynne to apologize in the Ontario legislature for the suffering the residents experienced there.
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NELSON, B.C. A father found guilty of not providing his ailing toddler with medical care says he worries that others will be arrested if they dont fall in line with parenting as seen fit by the government.
David Stephan wrote a dear jury letter on his Facebook page Wednesday, one day after he and his wife were convicted of failing to provide the necessaries of life to their son, Ezekiel, who died of meningitis.
The letter said he deeply loves the jurors and appreciates their time but they were wrong.
David Stephan and his wife Collet Stephan leave the courthouse on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 in Lethbridge, Alberta. The Stephans are charged with failing to provide the necessaries of life to 19-month-old Ezekiel in 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Rossiter
I only wish that you couldve seen how you were being played by the Crowns deception, drama and trickery that not only led to our key witnesses being muzzled, but has also now led to a dangerous precedent being set in Canada, Stephan wrote Wednesday.
The floodgates have now been opened and if we do not fall in line with parenting as seen fit by the government, we all stand in risk of criminal prosecution.
May heaven help us all!
Stephan and his wife, Collet, were convicted by a jury in the death of their 19-month-old son in March 2012.
The jury heard that the couple thought the boy had croup or flu and treated him for 2 1/2 weeks with remedies that included hot peppers, garlic, onions and horseradish, even though a family friend who was a nurse told them she thought Ezekiel had meningitis.
Court also heard that Collet Stephan drove the little boy from their rural home to a naturopathic clinic in Lethbridge, Alta., to pick up an echinacea mixture, although he was too stiff to sit in his car seat and had to lie on a mattress in the vehicle.
The Crown argued during the trial that the couple loved their son but still had to follow a legal standard of care. The defence argued they were responsible parents who simply didnt realize how sick their son was.
David Stephan confirmed in an interview with The Canadian Press that he wrote the Facebook letter because he and his wife are disappointed with the court process.
It was just definitely heartwrenching to see the direction that it went, he said. Theres the Crowns version of our story, then theres our story of us who actually lived it.
He said they are considering an appeal.
Not so much for ourselves, but for the fact this sets a tremendous precedent for the Canadian populace. It would have been easier for us just to take a plea bargain a long time ago and just basically keep living our lives, but we didnt want this precedent being set. Thats why we proceeded forward in the first place.
I dont know yet whether were going to throw in the towel.
The maximum penalty for failing to provide the necessaries of life is five years in prison. A sentencing date is to be set in June.
After Ezekiel died, the Stephans moved from Glenwood, Alta. to Nelson, B.C., and returned there after the verdict with their three other boys: eight-year-old Ezra, three-year-old Ephraim and one-year-old Enoch.
Stephan said he and his wife are worried about going to prison because of their children. He said his mother died when he was 10, and he doesnt want his children to be without a mother or father.
It is a heartwrenching thought and I dont see how this is doing the public any good.
By Chris Purdy in Edmonton
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TORONTO In sharing the gut-wrenching journey of her diagnosis and treatment for metastatic breast cancer at age 37, Teva Harrison let her images speak first and then the words followed.
Her comic book-style illustrations inspired the short essays featured in her graphic memoir In-Between Days (House of Anansi Press.)
When I was starting to make sense in my own head of what was going on with me, when I was trying to clarify and sort it out, drawing about it really was the best way for me to get the thoughts and the feelings out, Harrison said in an interview at her Toronto home.
Teva Harrison poses at her home in Toronto on Monday, April 25, 2016. In sharing the gut-wrenching journey of diagnosis and treatment for metastatic breast cancer at the age of 37, Harrison opted let her images speak first - and then the words followed. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
To me, the things that are the scariest are the things in the dark, the things we dont talk about, the things were trying not to look at. And so, by putting them in the light, giving them form was almost like taking some power back for myself.
In the opening essay titled Whats Wrong With Me? Harrison recalls the lingering, excruciating pain radiating in her hips and back, which made everything from carrying groceries to running a challenge. Harrisons concerns over her discomfort are reflected in her illustrations, depicting meetings with doctors in search of answers.
Harrison eventually discovered a lump in her breast. Following a mammogram, she learned she had cancer. A subsequent scan found the disease had spread to her bones and was incurable.
In-Between Days documents the struggles Harrison faces in confronting the disease, from managing pain and side effects, to re-examining long-term goals and dreams.
Throughout it all, Harrison found catharsis through art.
Putting ideas into pictures and drawing them, I get into this sort of flow where Im not necessarily ruminating, Im not thinking about the hard things, said Harrison, 39. Im thinking about how to make a mark and how to make a shape and: Am I happy with the composition?
Even if Im drawing about cancer, it sort of takes me out of the experience of dwelling on the fact that I have cancer.
Harrison also provides perspective on how metastatic breast cancer differs in its absence of obvious signs of illness, especially to outsiders.
Pain isnt visible, discomfort generally isnt visible. And so, people see a pretty healthy-looking young woman just going about their day, she said.
Sometimes, I think thats a gift in that you can be a little anonymous in a crowd. But sometimes it could create awkward situations, like when Im really tired because of say, radiation, or some other kind of treatment, and man, do I want to sit down. But knowing how I look, Im more likely to give my seat to a woman with a cane.
I think the default is to be kind, and if people could see it on me, if they could identify that Im a sick person, Im certain they would always be offering me a seat. But theres no way they could tell.
Harrison devotes a portion of the book to speaking about her family, a point she felt was important because of the hereditary nature of her disease.
Among the most poignant essays is devoted to her whirlwind courtship and marriage to her husband, David, who is a central figure throughout the memoir in his enduring support of Harrison.
When we got married 14 years ago, there was this promise of forever. And to me, forever meant having kids and getting old and helping each other down the streets with our walkers and shaking our sticks at the kids on our lawn, she said with a laugh.
And even though we still have forever, our love story is likely going to be cut a little short because of this disease. And I thought without that story, we dont have as much of an idea of whats being lost.
Follow @lauren_larose on Twitter.
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A Brandon homeowner is warning the public about a brash salesman who tried to push his way into her home earlier this month.
He said he needed to see our furnace, said the homeowner, who requested to remain anonymous.
The salesman claimed that all furnaces in Manitoba need to be upgraded in order to meet provincial guidelines on efficiency by 2020. However, no legislation actually exists.
A local social media website shows the homeowners complaints are not an isolated case. In those instances, salesmen were selling contracts for fixed natural gas prices, air conditioners and furnaces.
In some cases, the salesmen claimed to be at the residence on behalf of the provincial government.
Manitoba Hydro is warning homeowners about suspicious door-to-door solicitors who have tried to sell products while using the provinces utilitys good name.
The individuals involved request entry to the residence to inspect the homeowners furnace, according to a Manitoba Hydro press release. They then offer to rent the homeowner a new furnace for zero per cent financing and suggest that it could be added to their Manitoba Hydro bill.
The utility stresses it is not involved in such a program and advises homeowners to deny entry.
Manitoba Hydro employees go door-to-door periodically for various reasons. However, they always carry an official identification card with their name and photo.
Hydro suggests affected homeowners call the Manitoba Consumer Protection Office at 1-800-782-0067, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or make a report to their local police department.
ctweed@brandonsun.com
Twitter: @CharlesTweed
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Two local men were caught up in back-to-back tobacco busts in Kenora, Ont., on the weekend.
At about 8 p.m Sunday, Ontario Provincial Police officers pulled over Richard Psutka, 62, and Yesenia Rivera De Cisneros, 42, on the Trans-Canada Highway just west of Kenora. Police say they are from Shilo and Brandon, respectively.
After speaking to the duo, officers determined they were transporting contraband cigarettes.
A subsequent search of their vehicle turned up 20 unmarked cases of smokes, valued at more than $60,000, and a larger amount of American money.
Both were charged with trafficking in contraband tobacco and possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000.
About 10 hours earlier, the Kenora OPP members made a similar bust after a traffic stop slightly farther west on the Trans-Canada Highway.
Officers pulled over two men from St. Catharines, Ont., and recovered seven cases of illegal cigarettes. Police say the smokes would fetch about $19,000 on the street.
They also face trafficking in contraband tobacco charges.
OPP Const. Laurie Harkof said its unusual to make two seizures of illicit tobacco so close to each other..
Weve had a few over the last year, but not two in a row like that, she said, adding that she couldnt conclude anything from the busy day about the relationship between the two sets of alleged smugglers.
It couldve been a fluke.
Both cars were heading west when they were stopped.
All four will face their charges at a June 9 court date in Kenora.
tbateman@brandonsun.com
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OTTAWA - Canada is contributing another $900,000 to earthquake-stricken Ecuador, but has decided against sending the military's Disaster Assistance Response Team.
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HALIFAX A new report showing Atlantic Canadas indigenous communities pour more than $1.1 billion in direct spending into the regional economy disproves conventional myths about the state of reserves and their residents, said the studys co-chair.
Were not a sinkhole of money, John. G. Paul told a news conference in Halifax.
As we build a better future I can tell you that every community or person that lives near us or around us will also benefit equally. I think that bodes well for Atlantic Canada.
Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett and Morley Googoo, AFN regional chief, share a laugh at a meeting of the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat in Halifax on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. A newly released study says Atlantic Canada's economy is bolstered by $1.14 billion in business and household spending from the region's indigenous community. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
Conducted for the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat, the study released Wednesday aims to highlight the importance of emerging economic opportunities.
The economic activities being pursued . . . are as diverse as the communities in which they are conducted, says the study.
The breadth of the multifaceted activity taking place speaks compellingly to the imperative to dispel the myth that contemporary Indigenous economic activity is largely confined to gas bars, tobacco, gaming and convenience stores.
Businesses are big, small, new, long-standing, innovative, mainstream and cutting edge.
The sectors vary from conventional resource-based industries such as fisheries and forestry to emerging areas such as renewable energy and IT.
The study, authored by Group ATN Consulting says the indigenous economy creates more than 16,700 full time equivalent employment positions and contributes $184.5 million in overall tax revenues. Nearly $711 million in household income is also generated.
Conducted over last fall and winter, the study draws on financial data from band operations across Atlantic Canada as well as from community consultations and an online survey of businesses, band managers and communities.
The study found that 94 per cent of the overall spending each year is spent largely in rural areas in and around indigenous communities and is on par with money spent by several mega projects including the Irving Shipbuilding contract in Halifax and the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project in Labrador.
It also highlights demographics as being the key to future growth and investment given that the median age for the indigenous population in the region is 28 as compared to 43 for all other residents.
Federal Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Carolyn Bennett said the study is significant because it shows Canadians that money provided to indigenous communities is an investment rather than just money spent.
This is part of moving what Canadians see on the problem side of the equation into the solution side of the equation when you realize this is actually contributing to the economy in a huge way, said Bennett.
However, the study also points to systemic barriers that hinder growth in indigenous communities including the reluctance of residents to leave because of cultural differences that prove challenging in more urban settings.
It says there is also a problem with skills development because of a lack of proficiency in reading and math for potential apprentices and a shortage of role models to emulate. Access to capital is also seen as a problem.
Leroy Denny, chief of Cape Bretons Eskasoni band, said a lot of work needs to be done to improve economic conditions in communities such as his own.
Denny believes a larger role can still be played by business and governments.
Invest in our people, invest in our education, invest in economic develop, training, programs, he said. Thats what we need. Our people are hungry to get educated and to work.
The reports findings will be used to inform government and community economic policy and to help develop business growth.
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HALIFAX After 10 years of patiently waiting for Nova Scotias ghost cougar to appear, a determined researcher working in the dark forests of Kejimkujik National Park is calling it quits.
The elusive cougar has long been a source of intrigue and myth in Nova Scotia, and even inspired an episode of the Trailer Park Boys.
But Chris McCarthys decade-long quest has failed to turn up any evidence that eastern cougars still roam the big park in western Nova Scotia.
This undated photo provided by the Teton Cougar Project-Panthera shows a wildlife camera capturing an image of a cougar in northwest Wyoming. After 10 years of patiently waiting for Nova Scotia's ghost cougar to appear, a determined researcher working in the dark forests of Kejimkujik National Park is calling it quits. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Teton Cougar Project-Panthera, Neil Wight
We havent had any success in detecting any, and so after a decade we think weve put enough effort into it for now, says McCarthy, the parks manager of resource conservation.
McCarthy says theres been hundreds of sightings across the province and in neighbouring New Brunswick over the years. But a cougar hasnt been trapped, hit by a car or shot in the province since the late 1930s.
Weve had no definitive proof in Nova Scotia of cougars being here for quite a few years.
McCarthys study involved travelling to remote corners of the 380-square-kilometre park, where scratching posts were baited with jugs containing a liquid that smelled like cougar urine. Barbed wire and Velcro strips were used to snag hair samples.
The traps collected plenty of hair, but none from a cougar.
It would have been nice to get a hit, McCarthy says. That would be a rare opportunity.
Even though the research led nowhere, he says he was stunned by the level of interest in the project.
It is such a magnificent beast and peoples curiosity is raised by things that are extremely rare. And it did exist here at one time, so the possibility is always there.
To be sure, the eastern cougar remains a source of intrigue in the Maritimes, where sightings continue to come in from remote campsites, lonely dirt roads and the sprawling backwoods.
House cats, lynx and bobcats are often mistaken for cougars.
Unless you have a size reference next to it, its kind of tough, says McCarthy.
Great danes from behind really look like cougars when you see them walking away at a distance.
As well, paw prints left in the snow by bobcats and lynx can begin to look like impressions left by a larger cougar once they start to melt and spread.
The most credible sightings typically prompt speculation about escaped pets or zoo animals.
And biologists have collected evidence to suggest that the western population of cougars known as mountain lions in the United States is pushing eastward.
In 2011, a young male cougar travelled about 3,200 kilometres from South Dakota through Minnesota, Wisconsin and New York before being killed on a Connecticut highway.
In 2003, officials at Fundy National Park in New Brunswick said two hair samples collected from a cougar-scented trap tested positive. DNA analysis showed one of the cougars appeared to be of North American descent, while the other was South American, suggesting it was an escaped pet.
It can happen, says McCarthy. But the possibility of (a pet cougar) actually breeding and surviving in this neck of the woods would be slim.
The federal Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada says it doesnt have enough data to say whether the eastern cougar is endangered or extinct.
Last June, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed removing the eastern cougar from the endangered species list, saying they have likely been extinct for at least 70 years.
At the time, the service has said recent sightings in the northeastern United States were all believed to be migrating western mountain lions, Florida panthers or escaped pets.
Note to readers: CORRECTS to fix typo in paragraph 3.
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This article was published 27/04/2016 (2371 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
SUTTON, Qc Although the Apkarians have never stepped foot in Sutton, Que., they are among the most popular and discussed people in the bucolic resort town of 4,000 residents.
A bank account has been opened on their behalf, a home is being prepared and an organic farmer has already promised them free, fresh fruits and vegetables for one year.
People have been asking me, When are they coming? They are all excited, said Lu Emanuel, the Sutton resident who started the project to have the town sponsor a Syrian refugee family.
Rafi Allaouirdian, left, his daughter, Amanda, and uncle Vache Maranian walk down a street Saturday, April 23, 2016 in Sutton, Que.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
The Apkarians will be the first Syrian refugees in Sutton, Emanuel said. And while Hay Doun, a Montreal-based Armenian community group, is backing the application, the family is effectively being sponsored by the entire town.
People in the community are by and large very happy and excited we are doing this, Emanuel said.
Emanuel first contacted Rafi Allaouirdian, an Armenian shoemaker from Lebanon whos been living in Sutton for several years.
My ex-wife is a Syrian-Armenian, said Allaouirdian. We know a lot of people who are refugees and living all over the world. I said maybe I could find a family to sponsor. And thats when the Apkarians came into the picture.
The couple and their three children, aged between 15 and 20, are in Lebanon waiting for the Canadian government to give them a medical examination. The mother is Allaouirdians sister-in-law.
If they are called for the medical then its an automatic Yes (to come to Canada), he said. From what I understand there is no No, its always Yes.'
When the Apkarians will arrive is unclear, however, as they wind their way through Canadas refugee-settling processing system.
Most of the thousands of refugees Quebec has agreed to accept since last year have settled in big cities, notably Montreal, where there are schools and other services aimed at helping them integrate.
Thats not the case in Sutton, where Lu said the closest services dedicated to refugees are a 45-minute drive away in Granby.
Although they will be far from their Syrian hometown of Aleppo, the Apkarians wont be alone.
Roughly 90 people have donated money, supplies or time in order to help the family until they are self-sufficient.
A group of residents recently held a fundraising concert attended by roughly 100 people in order to collect money for the Apkarians and other events are planned.
People have already promised to volunteer to help the family learn English and French and a registered nurse has pledged to assist them with navigating the health-care system.
Lu added that a professional psychologist has volunteered time to help family members deal with any residual trauma associated with having to leave a city in Syria that has seen some of the worst fighting in the civil war.
Additionally, the Apkarians have two family members already in Sutton.
Ottawa initially wanted to cap the number of privately sponsored refugees coming to Canada but Immigration Minister John McCallum reversed course in March.
He said the applications for about 10,000 Syrians that had been submitted by March 31 will be processed in the hopes of getting the refugees to Canada by the end of 2016 or early 2017.
Vache Maranian, 47, Allaouirdians Syrian brother-in-law, was fast-tracked to Canada and arrived in mid-April.
He drove to Sutton from Montreal to attend the benefit concert and to say hello to Allaouirdian and his son.
In broken English, he said, Thank you very much. To the government of Canada, thank you very much for everything.
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This article was published 27/04/2016 (2371 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Seven stories in the news today from The Canadian Press:
TRUDEAU: CANADA DOES NOT AND WILL NOT PAY RANSOM
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is taking an uncompromising stance against terrorist kidnappers, vowing that Canada will never pay ransom for the release of hostages. He took the hard line Tuesday as he wrapped up a three-day cabinet retreat in Alberta that was overshadowed by the beheading death of Canadian John Ridsdel by Abu Sayyaf militants in the Philippines.
TRUDEAU MEETS WITH FIRST NATIONS LEADERS
Cheering supporters greeted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as he arrived in Saskatchewan for what First Nations leaders described as a historic meeting that heralds a sign of change. Trudeau held a private meeting Tuesday evening with the File Hills QuAppelle Tribal Council in Fort QuAppelle, about 75 kilometres northeast of Regina. Trudeau said hes working on helping the relationship between First Nations people and the federal government.
PARENTS GUILTY IN SONS MENINGITIS DEATH
The parents of a toddler who died of meningitis have been found guilty of failing to provide him with the necessaries of life. David and Collet Stephan were charged after 19-month-old Ezekiel died in March 2012. The couple testified at their trial in Lethbridge, Alta., that they believed their son had croup or flu, so they treated him for 2 1/2 weeks with remedies that included smoothies with hot peppers, garlic, onions and horseradish.
NOTLEY TO TALK CLIMATE CHANGE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says she is going to Washington, D.C. mainly to spread the word on her governments climate-change plan. Notley says Alberta taking steps to reduce its carbon footprint is a story that needs to be emphasized with decision-makers and those with influence. The premier is to fly out today and meet with elected officials and David MacNaughton, Canadian ambassador to the United States.
SURVEY SUGGESTS TWO-THIRDS OF QUEBECERS FAVOUR GUN REGISTRY
A new survey conducted for a gun-control advocacy group suggests that two-thirds of Quebecers are in favour of the registration of long guns. Legers poll for PolySeSouvient comes as provincial lawmakers study Bill 64, which, if passed, would create Canadas only provincial long-gun registry.
U.S. SENATE HEARING INTO QUEBECS VALEANT TO BEGIN TODAY
American lawmakers investigating price hikes by embattled Quebec drugmaker Valeant Pharmaceuticals will also question one of the companys leading investors, hedge fund manager William Ackman. The U.S. Senates aging committee holds its third meeting on drug prices today, responding to escalating costs that have squeezed patients and strained health-care budgets across the country.
OREGON FAMILIES FIND PEACE IN AID IN ASSISTED DYING
As Canada debates new assisted death legislation, families in Oregon whose loved ones have used medical aid in dying describe powerful experiences. Pam Walds husband Ben Wald had terminal cancer when he used the law in 2012 and he died surrounded by friends in their living room. Pam says Oregons Death with Dignity Act gives terminally-ill people the opportunity to end their lives on their own terms.
ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet in Regina with Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall.
Drugstore chain Jean Coutu Group, Suncor Energy and Goldcorp Inc., are among the companies reporting quarterly results today.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. releases its quarterly Housing Market Assessment.
Various groups hold a news conference in Ottawa to press the government to stop the sale of light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia.
Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau visits Toronto to mark Rail Safety Week.
YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. American Geico skytyping company apologized for anti-Armenian notes left across New York city skies by the request of Fact Check Armenia Turkish company, Armenpress reports citing The Washington Post.
Geico Skytypers, which normally advertises for the likes of Coca-Cola, IKEA, claimed that it happened completely unwittingly. We were really busy and didn't take the time to find out what we'd be advertising to millions of New Yorkers beforehand. There is no excuse for carelessness, especially when harm is caused, however we are guilty of ignorance, not ill intent, the members of the company said.
The company members stated that they warned other advertisers about the lessons they have since learned."
Geico company by the request of Turkish company left the following notes in the New York City skies: 101 years of Geno-lie," "Turkey = Truth," "Great ally = Turkey" and "BFF = Russia + Armenia.
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This article was published 27/04/2016 (2371 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Highlights from the news file for Wednesday, April 27:
RCMP INVESTIGATES HOSTAGE KILLING: The RCMP is conducting a criminal investigation into the murder of hostage John Ridsdel in the Philippines. A senior official says the Mounties are relying on the extraterritorial provisions of the Criminal Code in pursuing the overseas investigation. It means the perpetrators, if found and charged, could one day face justice under Canadian law. In the Philippines, police forensic experts were trying to determine if the headless body of a Caucasian man that was found by villagers in the southern Philippines was that of the slain Canadian hostage.
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Philippine National Police Director General Ricardo Marquez talks to the media after reading a joint statement from the military and police on the beheading of Canadian hostage John Ridsdel of Calgary, by Muslim extremist Abu Sayyaf Group in southern Philippines Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at Camp Crame in suburban Quezon city northeast of Manila, Philippines. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ AP/Bullit Marquez
LIBERALS ASKED TO RETHINK DEAL WITH SAUDIS: The Liberal government must rethink its $15-billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia, given the deteriorating human rights situation there and in neighbouring countries, a group of peace and human rights organizations has urged. Opponents of the controversial sale of Canadian-made light armoured vehicles in the Middle East say it flies in the face of Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus promise to reinvigorate Canadas standing on human rights issues around the world.This is not sunny ways,' Rideau Institute president Peggy Mason said.
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TRUMP IN COMMANDING POSITION: With the general election in his sights, Republican Donald Trump delivered a sober foreign policy address Wednesday aimed at easing fears about his temperament and readiness to be commander in chief. Rival Ted Cruz made a desperate attempt to jolt the Republican race by tapping Carly Fiorina as his running mate. Both moves underscored Trumps commanding position in the Republican race. In his address, Trump outlined a doctrine that he said would put American interests first, leaving allies to fend for themselves if they dont contribute financially to back up security agreements. He vowed to send U.S. troops into combat only as a last resort.
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EVIDENCE OF OVERVALUED HOME PRICES: There is mounting evidence that house prices in a number of Canadian cities including Vancouver, Saskatoon and Hamilton are out of whack with incomes and other economic fundamentals, according to the latest report from the federal housing agency. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. says it has found evidence of overvaluation in nine of the 15 real estate markets included in its quarterly report. Overbuilding was identified as a problem in seven of the markets tracked by the report.
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FEDS SILENT ON LAC-MEGANTIC MONEY: The federal government used taxpayer money to shield itself from lawsuits related to the deadly Lac-Megantic rail disaster but its refusing to say how much it paid. Ottawa denies any legal responsibility for the fiery 2013 oil-train derailment that killed 47 people, even though it was released from liability by contributing to a $460-million settlement fund for victims and creditors affected by the crash.At least two of the other 24 other settling parties accused of wrongdoing connected to the accident have disclosed how much it cost them to avoid potential damages and legal fees. So far, the Liberal government is staying mum.
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RIGHTS TRIBUNAL CALLS FOR ACTION: The Trudeau government is grappling with a stern order from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal on welfare services for aboriginal children. The decision demands swift action from the federal government and promises close scrutiny. The tribunal says the Indigenous Affairs Department has two weeks to confirm it has implemented a policy designed to ensure First Nations children can access services without getting caught up in red tape.
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VICTIM OF 1969 SLAYING IDENTIFIED:The sister of a Montreal woman identified as the person found with 150 stab wounds in 1969 near the site of several Manson family killings says she hopes leads will now emerge to help solve the slaying. Anne Jurvetson said in a statement Reet Jurvetson was 19 when she went to Los Angeles in 1969 and that their parents assumed she would eventually resurface. Finally, after all these years, we are faced with hard facts, the Quebec woman wrote in a four-page testimonial dated April 18.My little sister was savagely killed.
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NATUROPATH INVESTIGATED: An Alberta regulatory group is investigating a complaint about a naturopathic doctor involved in the case of a toddler who died of meningitis. A jury convicted David and Collet Stephan on Tuesday of failing to provide the necessaries of life for their 19-month-old son Ezekiel. Court heard the couple thought the boy had croup or the flu and treated him for 2 1/2 weeks with home remedies.The mother also took the boy to a naturopathic clinic in Lethbridge and picked up an echinacea mixture for the child, although there was conflicting evidence about whether the naturopathic doctor talked to Collet Stephan.
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MOOSE KNUCKLES RAPPED: The Competition Bureau is seeking a $4-million penalty against high-end clothing maker Moose Knuckles, which it accuses of misleading marketing over claims that its parkas are made in Canada. In an application to the Competition Tribunal, the regulator alleges the winter coats marketed as made-in-Canada and which typically retail from $595 to more than $1,000 are mostly made in Vietnam and elsewhere in Asia. The bureau alleges that only the finishing touches to the jackets, such as adding the trim, zippers and snaps, are done in Canada. Moose Knuckles president Ayal Twik said in an emailed response that the Montreal-based company vigorously rejects the allegations.
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SLEEPING MAN GUILTY OF DRUNK DRIVING: A drunk man found sleeping behind the wheel of his idling parked truck has lost his bid to take his impaired driving conviction to Ontarios top court. The Ontario Court of Appeal rejected plans by Hugh ONeill to argue he had only started the engine to keep warm and had no intention of driving.
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HUNT FOR NOVA SCOTIA COUGAR ENDS: After 10 years of patiently waiting for Nova Scotias ghost cougar to appear, a determined researcher working in the dark forests of Kejimkujik National Park is calling it quits. The elusive cougar has long been a source of intrigue and myth in Nova Scotia, and even inspired an episode of the Trailer Park Boys. But Chris McCarthys decade-long quest has failed to turn up any evidence that eastern cougar still roams the big park in western Nova Scotia.
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This article was published 27/04/2016 (2371 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
OTTAWA As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met indigenous youth in Saskatoon on Wednesday, his government grappled with an order from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal demanding immediate action on the panels landmark child welfare ruling.
In the scathing order released Tuesday, the tribunal gave the Indigenous Affairs Department two weeks to confirm it has implemented Jordans Principle a policy designed to ensure First Nations children can access services without getting caught in red tape.
The policy, named after a five-year-old who died after a protracted government wrangle over his home care, is personal for Cindy Blackstock, executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with students, teachers, chiefs, and dignitaries at Oskayak High School in Saskatoon, Sask., Wednesday, April 27, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Matt Smith
Blackstock and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs worked on Jordan River Andersons case before he died in 2005 after the federal and Manitoba governments spent two years fighting over his home care costs.
When he passed away, the family immediately asked us Can you please make sure this doesnt happen to another kid? Blackstock said Wednesday.
Along with the Assembly of First Nations, she went on to become the face of a lengthy legal struggle with the federal government over the underfunding of child welfare on reserve.
In January, the tribunal ruled the government discriminated against First Nations children on racial grounds in its failure to provide the same level of welfare services that exist elsewhere.
Blackstock said the latest order from the tribunal is hopeful, especially because she was bitterly disappointed by the federal governments decision to earmark $71 million for child welfare in the budget a sum she said fell far short of what is needed.
Thats the kind of pattern of behaviour that I think I really want to see an end to, going forward, Blackstock said.
If they really want to end these inequalities, they need to stop just doing things on their own and they need to talk to experts who are working in the field.
The tribunals latest order is equivalent to placing the government under third-party management, said NDP indigenous affairs critic Charlie Angus. Blackstock agreed with his analogy.
Whats really clear here is the tribunal has looked at the response of the Liberal government to a ruling that found systemic racial discrimination against children and they simply dont believe this government is following through, Angus said.
You couldnt get a clearer sign that they dont trust this department to follow through.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett, who was mum after the tribunal ruled Tuesday, broke her silence in Halifax on Wednesday, saying the government is looking forward to working with all of the parties involved in the tribunal decision.
It is a matter of not only the dollar value, but changing the child welfare system, Bennett said. We have to work with provinces and territories and we are going to get going on that.
It is clear from the tribunal ruling the government has to deal with Jordans Principle, she added.
It is not fair to children that jurisdictions are squabbling over who pays instead of looking after the well-being of that child those are conversations that are urgently needed and ongoing now, Bennett said.
For his part, Trudeau said Wednesday his government is not simply paying lip service to the plight of Aboriginal People.
I think it is important to underscore that the conversations we are having, the signalling of a renewed relationship based on recognition of inherent and treaty rights, based on respect and collaboration, arent just words, Trudeau said.
They go to the fundamental nature of how the federal government engages in a responsible and proper way with indigenous communities and individuals across this country.
with files from Keith Doucette and Jennifer Graham
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MARKHAM, Ont. - A man driving for the popular ride-hailing company Uber has been charged with sexual assault after an alleged attack on a passenger.
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Opinion
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This article was published 27/04/2016 (2371 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
OTTAWA The new legislation concerning medical assistance in dying, Bill C-14, is not without its critics. Prohibitionists against euthanasia remain adamant that the Liberal proposal leads to an anything goes mentality.
They insist that once assisted suicide has been transformed from a crime into a public service, grounds to limit that right to some sufferers and not to others disappear. According to this logic, if the grievously ill are permitted an early exit, the next step will be physician-assisted death for broken arms, bad breath and hangnails.
Fortunately, the courts possess an uncanny ability to distinguish between constitutional rights and frivolous claims. Bill C-14 may not be perfectly consistent in its outcomes, but it does hug the constitution. In other words, it is both legally defensible and politically pragmatic. What it does not represent is the relativist nightmare dreamed up by slippery slope crusaders.
The governments initiative addresses previous gaps in end-of-life care options. One of the most important of these involves erasing the moral distinction between omissions and acts. Previous to the Carter v. Canada case, omissions were considered a viable option for the terminally ill.
Once treatment was withdrawn or withheld, the patients death was attributed to some underlying condition, such as a disease or trauma. However, in the case of euthanasia and assisted suicide, the patient dies as a result of the actions of a third party, the one who provides or administers a fatal drug. Omissions were considered part of standard medical practice, whereas positive acts were considered criminal.
This moral distinction between omissions and acts has now evaporated. Since passive measures have the effect of hastening death, it is only rational to allow dying patients access to prescribed overdoses or lethal injections. To summarize, medical practitioners are causal agents in the deaths of their patients for both acts and omissions, a fact recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada. Bill C-14 simply removes the stigma previously associated with active methods of death-hastening.
However, naysayers suggest that medical assistance in dying will lead to a fundamental shift in societal values by normalizing suicide for dying children. What they fail to mention is that childrens deaths are already hastened via non-treatment decisions, so euthanasia would, in many instances, be judged as more compassionate. Irrespective of the means chosen acts or omissions human agents are implicated in the death of a minor.
Therefore, medical aid in dying for grievously ill children would not undermine the core values of medicine. On the contrary, medical practitioners are only finding more effective, humane ways of ending lives that had previously been terminated using slow euthanasia.
Bill C-14 is also condemned because it may open the door to euthanizing incompetent patients. This too is a red herring. When patients lapse into a coma or permanent vegetative state, the next-of-kin have to make difficult end-of-life decisions, even when they are unclear about their loved ones final wishes.
We have long been able to negotiate ethico-legal boundaries for cases involving treatment withdrawal for brain-dead patients, so euthanizing those in states of permanent unconsciousness would represent a viable alternative to watching loved ones dehydrate to death over a period of days.
And what about advanced directives for future mental illnesses, such as dementia or Alzheimers? Ironically, those who have made prior requests to be euthanized in these specific instances may consider their condition another form of brain death. In any event, they are certainly providing a more accurate assessment of their intentions than individuals who become non-sentient, leave no living will behind, but still require some kind of end-of-life decision.
To reiterate: Bill C-14 will not lead to death on demand. That said, the Liberal approach does offer choices that now include active methods of death-hastening. Since society has previously navigated its way around nightmarish scenarios involving non-treatment decisions, we should be just as confident in our abilities to establish ethical boundaries for cases involving medical assistance in dying.
Stuart Chambers teaches a fourth-year class on death and dying in the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa. His column was also published by The Winnipeg Free Press.
YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. World history specialist Frank J. Perez published an article in the Mercury News about the Armenian Genocide. Denying acts of genocide is morally irresponsible and dangerous, especially when it becomes entrenched in a country's fabric. This is the case with Turkey. For over a century it has buried the truth about the Armenian Genocide, he writes.
He states that recently the Mercury News was an effort to perpetuate the falsehoods and dissuade inquiry into Turkey's dark history. But indisputable facts underscore what scholars have declared was the 20th century's first genocide.
The author tells that the Armenian experience within the Ottoman Empire was one of marginalization, persecution and violence. Armenian minority lacked political clout and protection in that country. Extortion by corrupt tax collectors, land theft and government sanctioned kidnapping of young Armenian boys for military service and of young girls for satisfying war-weary soldiers were common.
Historian tells how Sultan Abdul Hamid II crudely killed more that 200,000 Armenians at the end of the 19th century.
Perez states that in 1908 the sultan's rule ended with the arrival of the Committee on Union and Progress. For once it seemed this party will not apply discriminative policies against Armenians. However, during the First World War Young Turks blamed the countrys losses in battle on the Armenian soldiers within the ranks stating that they were cooperating with their enemy Russia.
Historian presents how the Armenian Genocide was organized and implemented which resulted in 1.5 million Armenian victims, and which completely matches with the UN Convention on the Crime of Genocide.
Unlike Germany, Turkey has never acknowledged its blood-stained past. Denial is championed, while voicing culpability is criminalized. Sadly, President Obama bolstered Turkey's impunity once again, omitting the word genocide from a recent statement commemorating the events of 1915 the author writes. He states that the final destination for Armenians who survived the death marches was the Syrian desert, where their perpetrators forced them into a circular pattern. Walking aimlessly, thousands died.
Perez concludes his article by saying: Their sun-bleached bones dot the arid terrain still today-a reminder of lives lost and an exclamation point on the truth.
Banking giant Barclays saw profits tumble by a quarter in the first three months of the year as it was hit by tough trading in its investment banking arm.
The group posted first quarter pre-tax profits of 793m, down from 1.1bn a year earlier as underlying profits in its corporate and investment banking business dropped 31%.
Barclays also announced talks with AnaCap Financial Partners to sell its 74-branch business in France as boss Jess Staley continues to overhaul the lender.
The group insisted its core business put in a resilient performance, with profits up 18% to 1.6 bn, but said this was dragged lower by loss-making parts of the business.
Mr Staley said the results "show a core business performing well in a challenging environment".
He added that moves to shed unprofitable divisions are cutting costs "which have a direct impact on our profitability today and mask the true performance of our strong core business".
"This is the work we need to complete," he said.
Barclays said it was "cautious" ahead of the June 23 referendum on European Union membership.
On second quarter trading so far, it said there had been little improvement for the investment banking business, with income down slightly further on a difficult first quarter, although the group added it was "too early" to comment on overall performance in the second quarter.
The update follows a dismal clutch of earnings on Wall Street after the new year stock market turmoil caused a collapse in trading and fee income.
Barclays had already warned over first quarter trading, saying alongside its annual results in March that figures were set to be weaker than last year in the face of turbulent market conditions and a ''particularly strong March in 2015''.
Bosses are set to face shareholders at its annual general meeting on Thursday as criticism mounts over Mr Staley's pay deal amid falling profits.
Investors have seen the stock slump by a third in the last six months, while dividend payouts will more than halve over the next two years.
The Department of Finance has said Ireland faces threats from major uncertainty in the world economy.
The body has issued the warning in a report sent to the EU commission.
BenRiach Distillery Company, which produces three popular Scotch whiskies, has been sold to the US owner of Jack Daniel's in a 367.95m deal.
Brown-Forman, based in Louisville, Kentucky, now owns the BenRiach, GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh whisky brands.
The takeover deal includes brand trademarks, three malt distilleries, a bottling plant and the company's headquarters in Edinburgh.
The BenRiach Distillery Company, which has 165 employees including 55 seasonal and casual workers, will now operate as a subsidiary of Brown-Forman.
The US company was previously a minority shareholder in Glenmorangie but sold its interest in 2005.
Chief executive Paul Varga said: "The acquisition of these super-premium brands will allow Brown-Forman to re-enter one of our industry's most exciting and consistent growth segments, single malt Scotch whisky.
"The Glendronach, BenRiach and Glenglassaugh single malt brands are rich in history and we believe they will continue to prosper and grow in our hands."
Brown-Forman already owns popular whisky brands including Jack Daniel's and Canadian Mist as well as Chambord liqueur and Finlandia vodka.
It sold the Southern Comfort brand earlier this year for more than $500m (442.36m).
BenRiach Distillery first opened in 1898 but after management mothballed the Speyside plant in 2002 it was acquired by an independent consortium led by Billy Walker.
Four years later the company purchased GlenDronach Distillery in Aberdeenshire, then Glenglassaugh Distillery, on the Moray Firth coast, in 2013.
The BenRiach Distillery Company was named global whisky distiller of the year at the 2015 Icons of Whisky Awards.
Managing director Mr Walker said: "We feel immensely privileged to have been custodians of this business for the last 12 years and to be associated with these wonderful brands and great distilleries.
"Our team have energised these distilleries and engaged creatively and successfully with the premium end of the market.
"We are very confident that Brown-Forman will take the GlenDronach, BenRiach and Glenglassaugh brands to the next level and fulfil their full potential, and prove to be worthy custodians of these historic distilleries."
There were 1,785,300 trips to Ireland between January and March of this year, an increase of 16.6% compared to the same period in 2015.
Trips by North Americans increased by 24.5% to 238,100, while there was a rise of 17.3% in visitors from Great Britain and 14.1% from other European countries.
This man is losing his mane to raise money for the Irish Cancer Society.
A hair stylist, who certainly knows a thing or two about looking after his locks, Robert Giffney is shaving off his wild, illustrious hair to raise some cash for charity.
Social media savvy travel enthusiasts are sure to be hot on the trail of these newly announced positions with Icelands low travel airline WOW air.
Four lucky people are to be picked from the masses and given control of the airlines Snapchat as they travel around the world courtesy of WOW air.
Sinn Fein has labelled the latest deal on water charges an award-winning fudge.
Last night Fine Gael and Fianna Fail reportedly agreed to suspend water bills for the next nine months while a commission will be set up to examine the future of Irish Water.
Sinn Fein deputy leader Mary Lou Mc Donald was highly critical of yesterday's deal.
I think it is an award-winning fudge, she said.
What we want this morning is the motion that 39 of us have signed up to the abolition of the charges.
That commission to establish, finally, a properly functioning single utility and a referendum so all of us will know that the public water supply is in the hands of the people.
Acting Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe said a framework for how water charges would be dealt with in the Dail has been agreed by both parties.
What we made progress on last night is creating a framework within which the differing views of the parties on Irish Water could be understood and could be recognised in the Dail, he said.
Myself and other members of the negotiation team will be briefing the Taoiseach on that this morning, and then well then be having discussions with our wider parliamentary party on this, as Im sure Fianna Fail will be.
Fianna Fail TD Willie O'Dea said there is no sense within his party that Fianna Fail has scored a victory against Fine Gael.
Theres been compromise on both sides, he said.
We dont see it as any kind of victory or any kind of one-upmanship. We made a firm commitment during the election campaign that this particular regime of water charges was unacceptable.
People who were voting for us told us that, and they told us they wanted to change it.
So theres been some hard talking, its been long, its been drawn out, I know people are losing patience, but I dont see it as a great victory for one side or the other, I see it as a reasonable compromise.
It is believed that talks between the two parties will continue into next week.
Drugs mule Melissa Reid is set to return to the UK "very soon" after Peruvian authorities agreed to expel her from the country, according to the British embassy in Peru.
The 22-year-old, jailed for cocaine smuggling in 2013, has been seeking to serve the remainder of her six-year sentence closer to home in Scotland.
Reid, from Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire, and Michaella McCollum, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, were sentenced in 2013 for six years and eight months after admitting trying to smuggle cocaine worth 1.93m from Peru to Spain.
A spokeswoman for the British embassy in Lima said Reid had been "granted expulsion back to the UK", and would be returning "very soon", but refused to comment further.
McCollum, 23, was freed last month under new legislation on early prison release introduced in Peru last year, after serving two years and three months.
However, it is anticipated she will have to remain in Peru for a considerable period as part of her parole conditions.
The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) said they had received no word of Reid's expulsion, adding they would only be notified if she was set to serve the remainder of her sentence in Scotland.
A spokesman for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said: "We continue to provide consular assistance."
McCollum and Reid were caught with the haul at Lima airport on August 6 2013 while attempting to fly to Spain.
They had claimed they were forced into carrying the drugs but pleaded guilty to charges later that year.
The pair were caught trying to board a flight with 24lb (11kg) of cocaine in food packets hidden inside their luggage.
McCollum and Reid faced the prospect of a maximum 15-year prison term but struck a behind-closed-doors plea bargain to secure a shorter sentence.
They had previously been held at Lima's Virgen de Fatima prison but were moved to the Ancon 2 prison, where McCollum was reportedly crammed into a cell with 30 other prisoners with poor sanitation and toilet facilities.
The SPS agreed in principle to a transfer in 2014 and Reid has been awaiting approval from the Peruvian authorities, who need to consent to her serving the remainder of her sentence under Scots law.
Reid's father Billy has previously said that the impact of his daughter's crime on his family had been "horrendous".
He said: ''It's horrendous to see your daughter in handcuffs and the living conditions that she has to put up with. Melissa has spent her own 20th and 21st birthdays in prison in Peru.
''She missed the significant event of her only brother's wedding. Events such as Christmas are non-existent for us. There'll be no celebrations in our house, there'll be no Christmas tree until we get her back home.''
Mr Reid spoke out in a video warning of the consequences of drug offences abroad.
A spokesman for the FCO said that "no decision" had been reached yet but they were expecting one this week.
He added: "We are still waiting to hear a decision from the judge."
YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has always supported peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict through negotiations, and Azerbaijan makes empty efforts to present Armenia as a side declining the negotiation process, Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian told at the National Assembly. Armenia has always supported peaceful settlement of the conflict and negotiations. Armenia has never refused to participate in different-level meetings. If there were wrecked meetings, Azerbaijan is responsible for that. The last case happened in Washington, where Azerbaijanis refused to meet even with the Co-chairs, Armenpress reports Nalbandian mentioning.
He mentioned that the prospects for further negotiations depend on to what extent it will be possible to prevent Azerbaijan from resuming large-scale military operations against the people of Artsakh. He stated that the efforts of the international community, the Co-chair countries and Armenia are aimed at excluding the reoccurrence of the incidents of early April. Sergey Lavrov told the same during his visit to Yerevan. The talks that he had brought some documents and some negotiations were held were mere rumors. If there are no proper conditions, there can be no talks of negotiations, the Minister clarified.
Edward Nalbandian also mentioned that Azerbaijan made an attempt to cast doubt on the trilateral ceasefire agreement signed in 1994. Such attempts were made in diplomatic arenas in Vienna and New York. And the Co-chairs adequately responded. They told what we say, that the trilateral agreements on the ceasefire and its reinforcement, signed in 1994 and 1995 are valid and must be unconditionally respected. This is the opinion of the international community and the Co-chairs. Azerbaijan once again demonstrated that it is in confrontation with the international community. These were their diplomatic miscalculations, the Minister said.
He added that Azerbaijanis pretend that they are not aware how it happened that they waged large-scale military operations against Artsakh on April 2, they are not aware of how many casualties they suffered during this period, they are not aware what is the meaning of the proposal on the creation of investigative mechanisms and they are not aware of the 5 statements of the Co-chairs on Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement.
I believe that we can remind for those uninformed that not having information does not exempt them from responsibility. I think it is time for the international community to sober up Azerbaijan and bring back to the negotiation table, where it will be possible to go on with the talks. While our current meetings are aimed at the elimination of the consequences caused by the operations unleashed by Azerbaijan, Nalbandian concluded.
North Korea has built a half-size mock-up of the South's presidential palace at a firing range in apparent preparation for a live firing drill, according to the South's military chiefs.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the information came from analysis of South Korean satellite imagery.
Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam has been hit with preliminary charges of terrorist murders and possession and use of bombs and weapons, his lawyer said.
Frank Berton said the 26-year-old will be sent to a jail outside Paris later on Wednesday.
He said Abdeslam told an investigating judge that he would explain his role in the deadly attacks in the French capital on November 13 at a later date.
Abdeslam was extradited from Belgium to France in what Mr Berton described as a "muscular operation" involving an early-morning transfer from his cell in Belgium and a cross-border police helicopter ride.
The express transfer surprised even Mr Berton, who had to rush from Lille to join his client at Paris' Palace of Justice, arriving in the early afternoon.
The Paris attacks were carried out by three teams of assailants who blew themselves up or sprayed gunfire and Abdeslam's testimony will likely prove significant to definitively linking the events that night. His brother was one of the suicide bombers.
French Justice Minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas said Abdeslam would be placed in isolation, watched by guards specially trained to deal with "people reputed to be dangerous".
Georges Salines, whose daughter Lola died at the Bataclan music hall, said Abdeslam's arrival in Paris had enormous significance for victims of the attacks.
"Up to this point, he is the key actor of the November 13 attacks to be behind bars," he told BFM television.
"I would like to look him in the eye. If I could even talk to him, it would be important to me."
Geraldine Berger-Stenger, a lawyer for several of the French victims, warned against pinning too much hope on any revelations from Abdeslam.
"I expect he will cooperate but I am very cautious," she told BFM. Abdeslam is a key witness "but we are perhaps hoping for too much."
Republican presidential contender Ted Cruz has tapped former technology executive Carly Fiorina as his running mate in the race for the White House.
The Texas senator plans to formally unveil his pick for vice president at an event in Indianapolis.
Mr Cruz is trying to generate momentum for his struggling campaign. GOP front-runner Donald Trump swept primaries in five North eastern states on Tuesday.
Mr Cruz has been mathematically eliminated from winning enough delegates to clinch the Republican presidential nomination before primary voting ends.
But he is pushing to claim the nomination at a contested national convention in July.
The 61-year-old Fiorina endorsed Mr Cruz earlier in the year after abandoning her own presidential bid.
The former chief executive at Hewlett-Packard has never held elected office.
"Of all the people who didn't make it far in the race, she was one of the best about laying out her plan, talking about who she is and her accomplishments," said Doug De Groote, a fundraiser for Mr Cruz based near Los Angeles.
It was an unusual move for a candidate who is far from becoming his party's presumptive nominee, but Mr Cruz is desperate to generate momentum for his struggling campaign.
Some Cruz allies praised the selection of Ms Fiorina, but privately questioned if it would change the trajectory of the race.
Mr Trump has won 77% of the delegates he needs to claim the nomination, and a win next week in Indiana will keep him on a firm path to do so.
Mr Cruz is set to appear with Ms Fiorina in Indiana's capital city, having staked his candidacy on a win in the state's primary contest next Tuesday. Ms Fiorina's California ties could also give Mr Cruz a big boost in that state's high-stakes primary on June 7.
"Carly has incredible appeal to so many people, especially in California," Mr De Groote said. "She can really help him here."
Her first major foray into politics was in 2010, when she ran for Senate in California and lost to incumbent Sen Barbara Boxer by 10 percentage points.
Mr Trump criticised a Fiorina pick as "ridiculous" and "dumb" even before it was announced.
"First of all, he shouldn't be naming anybody because he doesn't even have a chance," the New York billionaire said in an interview on Fox News.
"Naming Carly's dumb, because Carly didn't do well. She had one good debate - not against me by the way, because I had an unblemished record of victories during debates - but she had one victory on the smaller stage and that was it," Mr Trump said.
He added, "She's a nice woman. I think that it's not going to help him at all."
Two people have been charged in the UK with using a drone to carry mobile phones and cannabis into a prison.
Ingrid Edwards, 25, of Wolfe Crescent in Charlton, south London, and Daniel Lee Kelly, 37, of Amblecote Meadows in Grove Park, south London, have been charged with two counts of getting prohibited items into HMP Swaleside in Eastchurch, Kent.
NEW YORK: Gold prices rose more than 1% on Friday, on track for a weekly rise, as the dollar turned negative, with...
YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. The April war brought forward numerous questions and concerns, as well as revealed a number of cosmopolite politicians, Prime Minister of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan told at the National Assembly. I believe we have numerous issues to discuss, criticize and be concerned of. I refer not only to the Government, but the National Assembly, the civil society, and political forces. As refers to the plans of the Government, the Executive looks forward, to the future, not forgetting the past and taking lessons from drawbacks. We try not to lag behind; we must be very vigilant, cautious and responsible in this fast changing world. Any step and announcement of a Cabinet member assumes concrete responsibilities and obligations. For that reason in the near future we will issue a large and comprehensive statement, and all the changes and reforms we had planned to implement in 2016, will be revised, considering the 4-day war of April, Armenpress reports the PM mentioning.
Abrahamyan added that when a relevant legislative package is ready, they will discuss it with the National Assembly. PM Abrahamyan called on politicians not to make advantage of the situation engaging in populism. According to the PM, such behavior cannot be productive and create positive expectations for the country. During these days we understood that we are consolidated, that the Diaspora, Armenia and Artsakh are unified when facing such problems. And we must transform our consolidation into practical activities. I call on all political forces, be opposition or governmental, to gather and discuss together, Hovik Abrahamyan said, mentioning that the Government is ready to give explanations, express opinion and introduce its future plans to colleges.
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STEPANAKERT, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani side breached the relative tranquility on April 27 on the contact line of Karabakh-Azerbaijan forces at 17:40. The Azerbaijani armed forces started to shell the military positions of the Defense Army in Martakert direction using 82 mm mortars (14 projectiles). As Armenpress was informed from the press service of NKR Defense Ministry, movement of adversarys military equipment was noted in the northern direction of the contact line.
Defense Army frontline units attentively watch the developments on the frontline and quell the adversary by punitive measures.
PESHAWAR: Land acquisition for the construction of the 30-KM Dir Motorway has been initiated and a committee is...
KYIV: Kyiv accused Russia of planning to destroy a hydroelectric dam in the eastern Kherson region, where Ukrainian...
YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. In a meeting with Ambassadors of EU member states to Armenia on April 27, Foreign Minister Nalbandian emphasized the inadmissibility of breaching the untimely ceasefire agreement of 1994 and the agreement of its reinforcement of 1995.
As Armenpress was informed from the press service of MFA Armenia, Minister Nalbandian introduced the situation after the large-scale military aggression of Azerbaijan against Artsakh and the efforts of Armenia and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair countries for the elimination of its consequences.
The Foreign Minister of Armenia answered the numerous questions of the EU Ambassadors during the meeting.
Canberra's two public hospitals are the most inefficient and expensive to run in Australia, with patients continuing to turn to emergency departments for care rather than GPs.
According to a National Health Performance Authority report, Canberra Hospital almost twice as much on acute care per patient ($6100) than similar hospitals in Melbourne.
Drain: The cost of care at Canberra Hospital has increased by 7 per cent since 2011-12. Credit:Gabriele Charotte
Calvary Hospital ranked second at $5800 per patient, which was well above the national average of $4420 in peer hospitals.
The 2013-14 figures were calculated by comparing running costs with hospital output, but they did not assess the quality of care provided by medical staff. Equipment and building costs were excluded to ensure comparability.
Respecting this ruling, Papua New Guinea will immediately ask the Australian government to make alternative arrangements for the asylum seekers currently held at the regional processing centre, ONeill said.
Peter ONeills announcement follows a ruling by the PNG supreme court yesterday that the detention of asylum seekers and refugees was illegal and unconstitutional, and it ordered the governments of Australia and PNG to immediately move to end the practise.
THE immigration detention centre on Manus Island will close, and the Australian government has been requested to find alternative arrangements for its detainees, the Papua New Guinean prime minister has announced.
As I stated recently at the at the Australian Press Club, we did not anticipate the asylum seekers to be kept as long as they have at the Manus centre.
A number of people deemed to be refugees and settled in the PNG community have sought to return to detention for safety and security. Other asylum seekers have refused to submit their claim.
For those that have been deemed to be legitimate refugees, we invite them to live in Papua New Guinea only if they want to be a part of our society and make a contribution to our community, said ONeill.
It is clear that several of these refugees do not want to settle in Papua New Guinea and that is their decision.
The announcement puts the ball back in Australias court, after the immigration minister, Peter Dutton, sought to distance his government from the supreme court decision by saying it was only binding on PNG.
The governments position is very clear, and that is we are not going to accept people who have sought to come to our country illegally by boat, they will not settle permanently in our country, he said just a short time before ONeills announcement.
The court decision is binding on the PNG government, but not on the Australian government, so we will work with the PNG government to look at the situation, to provide what assistance we can, but we are not going to allow people smugglers to get back into business.
PNG will negotiate with Australia over a timeframe for closure of the centre, which ONeill predicted would have a detrimental effect on the Manus economy. He said he would work with Australia to minimise damage to local businesses.
Banking giant Westpac has stopped lending to foreign property buyers in a surprise move that is likely to spark concerns about a slowdown in residential construction, particularly in capital city apartments.
Australia's apartment construction boom is being underpinned by a wave of foreign buyers, with many borrowing from local banks to fund part of their home purchase.
Westpac said Wednesday that it, and subsidiaries St George, Bank SA and Bank of Melbourne, would immediately halt all home lending to non-residents and temporary visa holders.
The bank, one of Australia's big four and the country's second largest bank, said it was also tightening lending standards on Australian citizens and permanent visa holders whose main source of income was from overseas, reducing the maximum amount it will lend them for property to 70 per cent of the purchase price.
The verdict is in. After three years of false starts and halting progress, the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea has delivered judgment in a landmark case striking at the core of Australia's offshore processing regime in PNG. The ruling of the five judges is clear and unanimous: the detention of 900 men at the Australian-built facility on Manus Island is illegal, unconstitutional, and must end immediately.
The judgment confirms what we already knew. Since its earliest days, everyone from doctors to security guards warned that something was not right out at the remote, fortified facility. Australian and international observers questioned why vulnerable people were being detained there at all, why there was no oversight or transparency, and why every aspect of the detention regime was shrouded in such secrecy.
Two young men have died as a result of their illegal detention. Women and young children spent up to seven months in grossly inadequate conditions, before being brought back to Australia in mid-2013 without ever being processed. Rumours of gang rape, death threats and torture in a secret compound have proliferated, without ever being properly investigated. Meanwhile many of those who worked at the Manus detention centre young Australians and hardened professionals alike have returned deeply affected by what they saw offshore.
It was the lowest point in Papua New Guineas brief history as a young nation. Never before had our sovereignty become so prostituted by one man lack of consideration of the dignity of a people in exchange for a few coins and buildings.
This ill-conceived effort at shirking ones international responsibilities by a failed Australian prime minister aided and abetted by a failing PNG prime minister was never in the best interests of Australians, Papua New Guineans genuine asylum seekers and humanity.
THE Manus detention deal, which has now ground to a halt thanks to the Supreme Court ruling, is indeed justice for Papua New Guinea, Australia and humanity.
Sovereignty is priceless but Papua New Guineas sovereignty was sold that sad day when Kevin Rudd and Peter O'Neill signed the Manus detention centre deal.
Many a muppet and puppet MP from both sides rushed to gather on their knees and worship inhumanity and promote this despicable act of prostitution and declare that a reasonably perfect deal was made. But it was not to be.
No deal that is based on the misery of human exploitation can ever survive the scrutiny of justice.
Those who perpetrated this heinous effort have blood on their hands starting with the prime minister.
The courts decision is as good as finding them guilty of prostituting our sovereignty.
They should hang their collective heads in shame and resign and never hold public office where they may concoct or even consider decisions that demean us as a people and sell our sovereignty and dignity.
Gary Juffa MP is Governor of Oro Province
Bill O'Chee says he is filled with fear over a possible Human Rights Act for Queensland.
O'Chee should relax.
The rights of people living in the ACT and Victoria have not been undermined by human rights legislation, writes Aimee McVeigh.
The rights of people living in the ACT and Victoria have not been undermined by the human rights legislation that exists in those jurisdictions.
Their experience has been of improved delivery of public services and tangible benefits to individuals. Rob Hulls, former Victorian attorney-general, says that the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act has:
Trust trumps every attribute a politician has on offer.
Vision is important. So is leadership. Being articulate helps. But when voters fill out a ballot paper, the amount of trust they have in a politician will regularly dictate their vote.
Anna Bligh, Queensland's former ALP premier, learnt the hard way, squandering voters' trust when she embarked on a big privatisation program before the ink on their ballots was dry. Her electoral stocks never recovered.
Campbell Newman, Bligh's LNP successor, lost the trust of many who had put him in the top job with his decision to sack thousands of public servants.
PNG's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill had made this clear in March, declaring that his country couldn't afford to resettle those found to be "genuine" refugees and therefore wouldn't do so. "At some stage of course we need to close the centre, these people cannot remain in Manus forever. We need to make a determination where they should go." P-Dutty indicated on ABC radio that he'll offer refugees either return to their country of origin or resettlement in a third country, because Australia's off the table, but um, how? First up, "genuine" refugees can't be sent back to their home country. Being "genuine" requires a determination that one's life or safety was at risk and returning someone under those conditions is called refoulement, and is incredibly illegal, even under Australia's current and whimsically arbitrary interpretation of basic human rights law. So that leaves a third country, and which will that be? Meet the non-options!
That's the country that is about to be Australia's sole partner in offshore detention. There are alternatives, you realise? And, once again: we could be developing a coordinated regional solution to displacement under the Bali Process, including properly funding the UNHCR to actually provide a "front door" for resettlement. We could do what we used to do and process people in Australia - where it's far, far cheaper to do so, not to say safer - and promptly return those not found to be refugees while allowing those who are seeking asylum to stay. You know, like we've done since World War II, and which has worked out exceedingly well for everyone.
Or we could keep treating people escaping persecution and war as though they're criminals rather than victims, and punish them for asking for help. Expect the government and Labor to both promise a hard line on this, as detainees become political playthings for Who Can Be Tougher On Those Darn People Smugglers That We Also Occasionally Pay. This could have been a turning point for a smarter, kinder and more humane immigration policy. With an election around the corner, that seems like a forlorn hope. Nous vivons tous dans un sous-marin jaune
Plenty of people - including this very column - were snickering at what appeared to be the somewhat desperate move to ensure that French-designed submarines were built in Adelaide, given the government's woeful popularity in the state hardest hit by the death of the car industry. Indeed, as Crikey pointed out, the Coalition has historically not needed to even be seen to give a damn about the state since the most marginal Liberal seat is that of Hindmarsh, held by Matt Williams with a reasonably secure 7 per cent margin. However, that was in the halcyon days before Nick Xenophon a) had a party that was b) running candidates in the lower house, and - most worryingly - c) were polling around 24 per cent of the primary vote, similar to Xenophon's upper house vote at the last election - which puts Williams and beleaguered ex-minister Jamie Briggs at serious risk of losing their seats, and even threatens Science Minister Christopher Pyne with sudden unemployment. However, there was one ambiguous positive from Defence Minister Marise Payne's announcement: that it wasn't immediately followed by a snide statement undercutting it from the former, less competent Defence Minister Kevin Andrews, as has typically been the case. However, anyone wondering "have the Coalition finally realised they need to present a united front in the lead up to the election?" have their answer courtesy of the Turnbull government's greatest danger: former PM Tony Abbott.
See, this was all his idea - at least, according to him. "No wrecking, no undermining, and no sniping" "Today's submarine decision flows from an exhaustive and very comprehensive process put in place by the Abbott government," Tone explained in an official statement. You're welcome, nation! And sure, his government recommended submarines made in Japan, not France - but "Australia's special relationship with Japan is more than strong enough to withstand this disappointment and I am confident that our strategic partnership will continue to grow through other means." And if it doesn't - well, we know which PM's fault that is, right?
After praising the potential of CSIRO's other research to extract omega-3 and even oils from "leaves", he had to jump back in later during the hearing to amend his evidence, saying he meant "seeds" instead.
Wednesday's hearing, the latest in a series over the past two months, left many questions unanswered, such as how much climate science funding would be cut - rather than increased - by the creation of the new CSIRO climate centre.
At one point, Dr Marshall stated that delaying the cuts to the Oceans and Atmosphere division by one year would cost CSIRO $10 million. Later, chief financial officer Hazel Bennett intervened to say she didn't want that figure "to be a headline".
The division is home to the two main research units facing cuts of about 45 staff, down from the 96 planned at one point by management, according to evidence handed over to the committee.
Staff also say it is unclear what will happen to the 60 climate scientists who remain at CSIRO but are not included in the 40 staff at the proposed centre.
Twice as many Australians support New Zealand's Helen Clark to lead the United Nations than Kevin Rudd.
And even Labor voters prefer the former Kiwi prime minister to Mr Rudd, a poll has found.
The Essential poll, released Wednesday, indicates Australia's two-time former prime minister would no longer muster the widespread public support that characterised the "Kevin 07" election campaign and kept his leadership ambitions alive against Julia Gillard after being dumped by his party in 2010.
Mr Rudd has spent the past 12 months testing and rallying support for a bid to become UN secretary-general but has not made his candidacy official. His spokeswoman recently declared that he was "not a candidate".
Prospectors and explorers first moved through the area in the early 1930s, followed the Taylor-Black Hagen-Sepik patrol in 1938-9 and the establishment of a patrol post at Wabag. Isolated by World War II, most of Enga did not come under control of the Australian Administration until the 1950s and 60s.
THERE are few societies that have travelled from the Stone Age into the global economy of today as rapidly as the inhabitants of Enga Province in Papua New Guinea.
For people who enjoyed Daniels first compilation of writing from a variety of Engan authors, Remember Me, another treat is in store. He has now published a work entirely in his own right. We hope this will help Enga Province along the road to developing its own literary heritage in much the same way that Simbu writers have put their province on the literary map. Anthropologist Polly Wiessner, who for many years has worked extensively in Enga, wrote this foreword PF.
I Can See My Country Clearly Now by Daniel Kumbon, Pukpuk Publications, 2016, ISBN: 978-1530843954, 266 pages plus photographs, US$10.10 plus postage or contact Daniel on kondowaon@gmail.com .
The people of Enga had a cultural heritage that equipped them with the skills to adapt to the changes to come. Traditional values promoted hard work, competition, generosity and cooperation. Complex systems of exchange involving up to 40,000 people and the distribution of over 100,000 pigs were in full swing by the time Australian patrols first entered Enga.
From such systems for the exchange of wealth to build social ties, Enga had acquired skills of complex networking, planning, and timing and economic calculations necessary to join the global economy. Elaborate religious rituals united entire tribes and fostered cooperation.
Other Enga traditions made transitions rocky. When insult, injury and other disputes could not be solved through restorative justice, people turned to inter-clan warfare. This legacy remains today.
Young men were strictly educated and disciplined by elders in the Sangai and Sandalu ceremonies that were effective in the past. However, they were discontinued with the arrival of missions and the opening of schools, leaving a serious void in the education of youths.
Mens and womens houses separated the sexes, with men participating in the public realm and women relegated to the domestic. This barrier is only gradually being dismantled today.
Daniel Kumbons journey begins in his childhood in 1955 with memories of a terrifying eclipse of the sun that brought darkness over PNG. The event was read as the end of the world. In a sense it was, for it marked the beginning of the eclipse of the world as the Enga had known it.
Thereafter kiaps and missionaries arrived to build roads, churches, schools and health facilities. Daniel Kumbons account alternates from his memories of childhood to short vignettes that chronicle the lives, teaching and influence of missionaries whose dedicated work had lasting impact.
Such local histories after contact with Europeans are not well recorded. Future generations will value information about these early agents of change, as well as glimpses into the lives Papua New Guineans who took advantage of opportunities and rose in prominence.
The narrative turns to Daniels journeys as a journalist to foreign lands and his impressions, encounters and reflections of his own society. While lost in London, he notes the value placed on life by the British in stark contrast to PNG where life is cheap and many lives are lost to accidents and violence.
But he also deplores the many homeless begging in the streets and comes to appreciate the wantok system of his own country where the needs of individuals are spontaneously met by relatives.
In Wales and East Anglia, he is confronted with environmental concerns for his country where resources are currently being harvested with little care about the impact on environments that appear so abundant. Environmental issues so concerned him that he planted 2000 trees on his land upon returning home.
Daniel encounters Dr. Paul Brennan when visiting Hawaii, a former linguist who worked in Enga for many years. Brennans displays of Enga material culture awakens his pride seeing artifacts from his isolated corner of the world viewed in the US.
When visiting the birthplace of the inventor Thomas Edison, he marvels at his imagination and commitment. The museums of Mexico reveal the history of the building of a complex society; similar processes that were underway in Enga before Australian patrols entered there. He hears of the horrors of slavery in the US, something that could never have occurred in the more egalitarian and less individualistic societies of PNG.
The inevitable conversation arises in the US on relations between the sexes, perhaps the biggest gulf between PNG and western Nations. Two African American female journalists question Daniel on polygamy and his two wives, teasing, provoking, curious and bemused about how intimate relations were managed in a menage of three or more.
The conversation turns from the private to the big picture questions about how PNG will manage its rapidly growing population in the future.
The problems that face PNG confront much of the western world as well: war, crime, corruption, drugs, AIDS, severe domestic violence and sexual assault. Daniel deplores the scale of such problems in PNG today and goes on to take readers on a brief journey into the lives of recent politicians and politics.
His view is refreshingly objective in most cases, leaving readers to make their own judgments. His accounts do much to elucidate the challenges of moving from small-scale local leadership, where all actions are transparent to a full-blown democracy at a national level, particularly in a country that has experienced an unprecedented influx of wealth. How is such wealth to be equitably divided?
Wonderfully written, encompassing and full of fascinating detail, there is something of interest in this book for everyone. As future generations trace the history of their local communities, they will uncover much valuable information that would otherwise be forgotten. As the journey oscillates from foreign lands back to PNG, many valuable vignettes of traditional Enga culture and experience come to the fore, blending past and present.
For the first time traveller to the western world, Daniels experiences provide signposts to navigate another world. Amongst these is the magic of the Highlands hat and bilum for eliciting conversation and congeniality from strangers on the street who have spent some time in PNG.
The juxtaposition of approaches in the west to problems that confront all countries with those in PNG gives serious food for thought. The discussion of politics and politicians over recent decades provides a challenge to see recent history from different perspectives. For newcomers to the country, Daniel Kumbons ambitious, animated recent history gives a sense of how current politics came to be as they are today.
Daniel ends with a sense of how long change can take and how many restarts may be involved. His own effort to preserve his local environment and contribute his small effort to reduce climate change by planting 2,000 trees came to a halt with ravishing frosts and hungry pigs. In contrast Yasowa Kome succeeded after almost two decades of trying to establish The Yaskom Resort in the spectacular but war-torn high country of Sirunki in Enga Province. As with Yasowa, it will take time!
At the close of I Can See My Country Clearly Now, a depressed resident of Port Moresby who had visited Cairns asks, Why cant towns in PNG be like Cairns? The answer given is Maybe because we have not really made the transition from primitive tribal communities to a sovereign nation state. But would one want the towns of PNG to be like Cairns? No.
Indeed PNG has a long way to go in confronting problems of today such as corruption, crime, environment and violence against women. For this it can use models from other societies. But the cultures of PNG also have unique heritage, customs, celebrations, arts and above all open and supportive relations between people. It must draw on existing strengths and traditions, maintain its own character and synchronize them with a changing world.
Polly Wiessner is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
But this view that was met with scepticism from industry sources. Most of the work will go to South Australia, home of government-owned shipbuilder ASC at Osborne, where the submarines will be built.
Victorian Industry Minister Lily D'Ambrosio said on Wednesday there was "no reason" the Williamstown shipyards couldn't be revived to help in the construction of the fleet of 12 boats.
The Victorian government has demanded that Malcolm Turnbull put a local content mandate on the $50 billion submarine deal with France as a first step to bringing work on the project to the state.
Ms D'Ambrosio said Victoria was the nation's leader in maritime engineering and design, and Williamstown which had lost nearly 1000 jobs in recent years as work finishes on other major naval shipbuilding projects should be considered.
Most of the work for the new submarines will go to South Australia.
"Those people haven't disappeared off the face of the earth," she said. "They are dispersed throughout the economy, and with some commitment and long-term certainty that only Malcolm Turnbull can provide, we could potentially be able to do some of these jobs and this work. Nothing should be excluded until it has been examined."
Ms D'Ambrosio said she was "somewhat heartened" by Mr Turnbull's description of the project as a "national endeavour", but added he was "yet to utter the words 'Victoria, Victorian jobs and Victorian businesses'".
"He needs to ensure that before any contract is signed the government provides a strong local content requirement and allows the [French company] DCNS to make the right decision on how the submarines are designed and supplied.
I spent my morning at the London School of Economics where the OECD's Angel Gurria gave a doom-and-gloom (as has been the hallmark of the Remain campaign) speech about the consequences of Britain voting to leave the European Union. He claimed the costs of leaving would be about $4220 to the average household and dubbed it the "Brexit Tax". He has a warning especially for foreign financial services firms operating from London about what they stand to lose. You can read my story here. 5. ASC up for sale French President Francois Hollande, center, shows off a model of a submarine. Credit:Christophe Petit Tesson/AP
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Growing pressure to discharge patients too early from hospital and the inability to offer many a bed or proper care is demoralising doctors and driving them out of mental health care.
A growing proportion of psychiatrists are dissatisfied with their jobs in the public sector, with 38 per cent saying they are likely to quit their jobs in the next 12 months. Last year, it was 25 per cent.
NSW Minister for Mental Health Pru Goward. Credit:Brendan Esposito
"The experienced people are increasingly leaving," says Gary Galambos, chair of the NSW branch of the Royal Australian New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.
When it comes to the delivery of mental health care, it has become "quantity over quality, I'm afraid to say".
Notorious paedophile priest Vincent Gerard Ryan has pleaded guilty to historical child sex offences in the Hunter region on the eve of his trial.
On Wednesday, Ryan, 78, pleaded guilty to attempted homosexual intercourse with a male aged between 10 and 18, indecent assault on a male and gross indecency with a male under 18.
Vincent Ryan seen in a file picture. Credit:Ron Bell
Ryan had been due to face a two-week trial in the Downing Centre District Court. The offences occurred in the mid-1980s at East Gresford, near Dungog. The victim was aged between 13 and 15.
The Catholic priest commonly known as Vince Ryan has previously spent 14 years in jail for preying on 35 boys aged six to 14 between 1972 and 1991. He was released from Long Bay jail in 2010.
Cyclone-prone Palm Beach on the Gold Coast will be protected by an artificial reef 400 metres off shore after a $20 million pilot project to design the boulder reef was unveiled.
If it works, the offshore reef could be duplicated off other erosion-prone beaches in Queensland.
However Palm Beach Board Riders Club doubts it will have any impact on surfing waves, saying it is too far off shore to help surfers and doubts it will have a big impact on erosion.
The simulated artificial reef is now being modelled at the Queensland Government's Hydraulics Laboratory in Brisbane.
Bob Irwin was spotted delivering a reptile demonstration at a wildlife park on the Sunshine Coast earlier this month, however it was not the one he founded more than 40 years ago.
The conservationist was at Wildlife HQ on April 3 for a reptile demonstration and to take the title of "birthday ambassador" for Maly, a Sun Bear at the sanctuary.
Bob Irwin with Wildlife HQ CEO Jarrod Schenk Credit:Bob Irwin Wildlife Foundation
"Our good friend Bob will be doing a very special reptile presentation at 10.30am and even bringing an exciting gift for Maly," Wildlife HQ posted to their Facebook page.
Wildlife HQ houses 200 animals that were transferred from Alma Park Zoo after it closed in 2014.
A second pregnant Queensland woman has died inside a week and friends, family and the grieving father who lost his fiancee and unborn child are paying tribute.
Gemma Louise Rane died on Monday after being rushed to hospital when she suddenly stopped breathing in bed early last Wednesday.
The 31-year-old from the Glasshouse Mountains, north of Brisbane, was remembered as a "true gem" - gentle, caring and full of love, energy and compassion.
"My heart is breaking and things will never be the same," her friend, Sandy Lee wrote on Facebook.
Gold Coast police are hunting a serial sex attacker, who they believe is responsible for at least four attacks on women in their own homes since 2008.
Investigators have established an investigative body, code named Operation Melya, to track down the man, who they suspect is behind the four attacks in the Logan and Gold Coast areas between 2008 and February this year.
The same man is believed to be behind four attacks on women in their own homes since 2008.
In all four attacks, the man entered the woman's home in the night and either sexually assaulted her or threatened to sexually assault her.
The victims are aged between their early 20s and their 60s.
All knives were out as world-famous Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai showed two Queensland chefs how to peel an apple.
The three chefs had gathered for "performance rehearsals" ahead of Wednesday night's Advance Queensland Summit welcome dinner and while the rehearsals were subdued, it was hoped the rotating platform they stood on would work to liven things up for the real thing.
World-famous Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai of Japan and Queensland chefs (left) Alastair McLeod and (right) Matt Golinski at the Advance Queensland summit. Credit:Chris Hyde
Each chef was in charge of two dishes each and had been furiously prepping in the lead-up, getting ready to bring together the flavours and textures of Queensland's produce for the expected 600 guests.
Chef Sakai, best known as the "King of Iron Chefs" after appearing on 86 episodes of the Japanese cult cooking show Iron Chef, stood alongside Queensland culinary creators Alastair McLeod and Matt Golinski to discuss what Chef McLeod called the "love letter to Queensland" menu.
A 42-year-old man has been charged with assault, following the brief, alleged abduction of a woman at gunpoint on the Gold Coast last week.
Emergency services swarmed to Ensenada Court in Broadbeach Waters about 8am last Thursday, after reports a man had bashed a woman in the street.
Police in the Broadbeach Waters street where the woman was allegedly attacked. Credit:Emma O'Rourke / Twitter
The woman was reportedly briefly driven from the scene by the man before police arrived, prompting a large scale search.
Witnesses reported hearing gun shots fired before she was driven away, however, police were not able to confirm it.
Just one week ago, an excited Gemma Rane was proud of her hand-painted crib prepared for the arrival of baby Deegan.
The 31-year-old mum spent hours refurbishing the cot in anticipation of her second son's birth and was looking forward to introducing the baby boy to his family including grandmother Kellie Baker.
Kellie would not forget her future daughter-in-law's final words: "Have an amazing time, and I'll keep him safe and we'll see you at the airport."
The family had just finished a bon voyage dinner for Kellie who boarded a plane the next day, bound for Europe with her niece.
Two south-east Queensland hospitals are among the least efficient in metropolitan Australia, a federal government report has found.
But there have been signs of improvement almost across the board.
The National Health Performance Authority has named Chermside's Prince Charles Hospital among the least efficient in Australia. Credit:Steve Holland
The Prince Charles Hospital in Chermside and the Logan Hospital both rated in the top 10 when it came to the cost of offering similar care to similar patients, the National Health Performance Authority report covering the 2013-14 financial year has found.
The report, released on Thursday, shows some hospitals spent between $6100 and $3100 to deliver a notional "average" service for patients admitted with acute health problems.
We are visiting scholars at the economics department of the University of New South Wales, and we are thoroughly enjoying our stay. Despite having academic qualifications, our professional lives have been spent in the "real world" of business, much of it in telecommunications, which today means broadband internet.
Our home is in the smallest and most rural state in the USA: Vermont. Our house gets four metres of snow, the thermometer regularly falls to -30 degrees celsius, the ground freezes two metres down every winter and the terrain is mountainous and heavily forested. Ergo, telecom infrastructure is difficult to build and maintain. Not surprisingly, much of the state has poor service mostly obsolescent technologies like DSL and ADSL, plus band-aid systems like satellite or fixed mobile.
In Sydney we are staying in a flat in Randwick a prosperous, densely populated residential district with magnificent weather: ideal for telecom infrastructure. It ought to be a telecom gem, served by the latest fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) networks. In fact we have the same poor service at our Sydney flat that we have in frozen rural Vermont. This is astonishing to us. If juicy suburban plums like Randwick have poor service what, is happening in the rural outback?
Akamai, a global internet company, recently rated connectivity in Australia as 60th in the world. Presumably rural areas are at the bottom of even that sad scale.
Colleen Deacon, one of three Democrats vying for the party's nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. John Katko, will speak at an upcoming Auburn Rotary Club meeting.
Deacon, D-Syracuse, will be the guest speaker at the club's meeting from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 10 at the Auburn Holiday Inn, 75 North St.
The event is open to the public. Lunch is included for $20.
RSVPs are required and due by Friday, May 6. To RSVP, call Paul Barrus at (315) 237-7859.
Deacon is the second Democratic congressional candidate who will address the Auburn Rotary Club. Steve Williams, a Baldwinsville attorney, spoke at the group's meeting on Feb. 2.
Along with Deacon and Williams, Syracuse University professor Eric Kingson, who is also a leading Social Security expert, is running for the Democratic nomination. One of Williams' supporters has filed objections to Kingson's petitions, which will be reviewed by the state Board of Elections.
If the state determines that Kingson's petitions are invalid, he won't appear on the June 28 primary ballot. That would leave a head-to-head race for the Democratic nomination between Deacon and Williams.
Deacon is the front-runner for the Democratic nomination. She has received several endorsements from elected officials and political groups, including the National Organization for Women. She also raised the most money $161,723.44 in the first quarter of 2016.
Did you get the answer to today's brainteaser? Don't scroll down any further if you haven't seen it yet and want to figure out this whale of a conundrum for yourself. It's more of a science question than a lateral thinking puzzle.
Melbourne Express reader Mayurkumar was first in with the correct answer via email, while @_jedro was first to tweet it to me.
Here's the answer:
I told you it was a bit of a science question! It's actually based on a true story. In 2011, construction workers found some fossilised whale skeletons in Chile's Atacama desert - the driest place on Earth - as they were excavating the area for a highway.
The animals had died about six to nine million years ago, but the skeletons were very well preserved. Scientists were able to determine that the whales had died from eating poisonous algae and had beached themselves in an estuary, an area which is now several kilometres inland.
Check out the BBC's report on the discovery.
Phone scammers are using special software that allows them to call potential victims from a phone number belonging to a metropolitan police station.
Victoria police are warning the community of the elaborate scam, which involves a caller claiming to be from Collingwood Police Station before demanding money.
Police are warning of a new phone scam, where callers pretend to be from a metropolitan police station. Credit:Glenn Hunt
For those with caller identification, the phone calls appears to come from Collingwood station's phone number, 9419 4911.
But police spokeswoman Natalie Webster said there had been no breach of police phone lines.
"We're focusing on upgrading the roads in our growth suburbs, that's where work is most needed," Luke Donnellan, the Minister for Roads, said.
On public transport, the Melton railway line is set for a major boost in capacity, as foreshadowed in The Age earlier this year.
Commuters in one of the country's fastest-growing suburbs currently rely on a sparse V/Line service that is shackled by a 17-kilometre single track section from just west of Deer Park.
The line will be duplicated, paving the way for a big boost in service frequency. The project is a precursor to the line's eventual electrification, when it will join the metropolitan network. A Melton line upgrade has long been on the state's Infrastructure Australia wishlist for federal funding, but the state will go it alone on the project for now.
It forms the bulk of a $518 million upgrade to the Ballarat line, after its shortcomings were badly exposed by the opening of the Regional Rail Link last year. Ballarat services were hit hard after the $3.65 billion rail link open, with a drop in punctuality and many services replaced by coaches.
He is going to invest the proceeds in schools, roads, rail links and hospitals that will allow it continue.
Blessed with the highest population growth and the fastest property price growth in the nation, as well as the fastest economic growth this side of Darwin, Tim Pallas has decided to double down.
At around the turn of this century NSW made a different decision. Enjoying faster population growth than Victoria, it under-invested in the things that were needed to make the state work, partly to pay for the stadiums that housed the Olympics. Its population growth slid below Victoria's and never recovered.
If property prices turn down sharply and stay down, Mr Pallas might find he doesn't have the money he thinks he will have. Credit:Chris Hopkins
Victoria's treasurer could have given the bounty back in tax cuts. He could have allowed the surplus to soar. He could have spent it on monuments of little value as did NSW. Instead, he wants to use it to ensure the city and suburbs and regions work.
He'll spend a record $7 billion in the coming financial year, followed by as much, if not more, the next year, and up to $8 billion in 2020-21. Not all of it is on projects that are yet known. It includes what Mr Pallas calls "headroom". It's the amount his treasury officials believe is safe to spend on worthwhile projects when they are identified.
Heading the list is the Melbourne Metro, all the way through to completion in 2026. If a "future Commonwealth government" wants to help, Mr Pallas will accept its money, but he is sick of being messed around.
On Monday, Ms Cohen asked a court to issue a preliminary injunction barring state investigators from returning Austin Stephanos' water-logged iPhone found on board the recovered boat to his parents. Instead, according to her complaint, she wants it to remain with law enforcement. "All of the parents of Austin and Perry, who are painfully grieving and without closure due to the missing status of their boys, have an interest in determining what happened to them," Ms Cohen says in the complaint. It lists FWC and Austin's parents, Carly Black and William "Blu" Stephanos, as defendants. Ms Cohen argues that the newly discovered evidence is cause for FWC to reopen its missing-persons investigation. In doing so, the personal items found on board the boat would become property of law enforcement and subject to the highest level of examination. This scenario, she argues in the complaint, is her best shot at figuring out what happened to her child.
The boys initially went missing from Florida's Atlantic coast, near Jupiter, on July 24. The problem is that the iPhone in question belonged not to her son, but to Austin Stephanos, and would therefore become the property of his parents. In the complaint, Ms Cohen argues she has just as much right to the date on the phone as Austin's parents. On the day they disappeared, Austin let Perry send text messages from his iPhone because Perry's phone was broken. "Accordingly, Perry, and his family, have a shared privacy interest in the contents of the subject iPhone discussed herein," the complaint says. Ms Cohen alleges that she tried to reach out to Black and Stephanos about the iPhone but had received no response to her phone calls or emails, according to the complaint. FWC spokesman Rob Klepper told the Sun Sentinel that the commission could not retain the evidence without family permission because it's a missing-persons case, not a criminal one.
Ms Cohen took to Facebook again on Sunday with a harshly worded post, announcing her plans to file the complaint: "The fact that since mid March and as of today April 24th, the Stephanos family has not provided consent to FWC to have the iPhone remain in the custody of law enforcement for data retrieval is not only incomprehensible to us as parents, it is also an insult to our community, the men and woman in uniform from local and government agencies and the tens of thousands of private citizens, volunteers and children nationwide that worked and prayed so tirelessly in the search and rescue efforts to find our son Perry and his dear friend Austin. In light of the new evidence of the missing boat and Iphone, and the lack of cooperation from the Stephanos family, and the fact that FWC informed us late Friday afternoon, April 21st of the decision that the Iphone would be turned over to Blu Stepahnos on Monday morning April 25th without any examination by authorities. We have no choice but to reach out to State Attorney Dave Aronberg's office who can simply issue a warrant which would allow FWC to turn over the phone to proper investigating authorities so the phone can be evaluated by experts." In the complaint, Ms Cohen compares this situation to the litigation that unfolded between the FBI and Apple, the company that makes the iPhone, after the San Bernardino, California, terrorist attacks in December. In that case, the FBI wanted Apple to help hack the phone of one of the alleged shooters. The company refused. On Monday, Blu Stephanos responded with his own statement on Facebook, ensuring that the family already planned to have the phone inspected and would share any discoveries with the Cohen family: "With regards to my Son's iPhone; we've been working very closely with FWC since they received the phone and have the utmost confidence in them. In addition, we've been working with the phone's manufacturer who seems willing to help us try to get the phone operational again. That would be the first order of business, since Austin's phone has been submerged in salt water for over eight months. We've also had an IT expert access the phone's Cloud backup and, unfortunately, found that it had never been enabled.
"In light of the recent San Bernardino incident involving attempts by the FBI to retrieve data from a locked iPhone, we felt that it would be best to avoid the pressures of having these efforts played out in the media. We didn't want to do anything publicly that might jeopardise the cooperation of the manufacturer. Unfortunately, I feel that the recent publicity and wild speculation may have done just that. "Of course, any relevant information that might be retrieved from Austin's phone will be shared with the Cohen family and the proper authorities. "To me, this phone represents a connection with my son, so I thank you all for your continued support and understanding in this very sensitive, and very personal, matter," Blu Stephanos wrote. An Apple spokesman told the Sun Sentinel that Stephanos had been in touch with the company about his son's phone. The complaint also asks the court to withhold from the Stephanos family the boat itself, which is scheduled to arrive by shipping container May 16, and other personal items found on board.
U.S. Rep. John Katko's latest attempt to bolster aviation security has been approved by the House of Representatives.
The House unanimously passed legislation Tuesday that would increase security at foreign airports with direct flights to the United States.
Katko's bill, the Securing Aviation from Foreign Entry Points and Guarding Airports Through Enhanced Security Act, would require the Transportation Security Administration to conduct security assessments at international airports.
Under the bill, the TSA would be given the authority to provide equipment to help foreign airports increase security.
The measure also includes a provision directing the Aviation Security Advisory Committee to recommend ways the TSA can improve passenger screening at airport checkpoints.
"One of the most vulnerable points of attack exists for international-inbound aviation," Katko, R-Camillus, said in a statement. "Terror groups across the world understand the horrific symbolism of bringing down an aircraft and are persistently plotting to take down our planes.
"Terrorists recognize that it is easier to attack an aircraft destined for the United States from overseas, rather than travel to the United States and then plot a domestic attack."
Katko cited the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing, which killed 35 Syracuse University students. He said the sister of one of his closest friends was on the plane which exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988.
He also stressed the importance of the SAFE GATES bill in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks at an airport and subway in Brussels, Belgium.
"We must be as determined to mitigate the threat as extremists are in perpetrating their attacks against us," he said.
The bill is the ninth Katko-sponsored measure to be approved by the House. The Senate has already included the SAFE GATES Act in its version of the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization legislation.
Latest News NAB reveals six market megatrends for brokers More opportunities for investors, first home buyers
Firstmac shifts up a gear on auto loans National sales manager appointed to pursue growing market
AMP has announced the sudden retirement of chairman Simon McKeon. McKeon will step down from the AMP Limited Board at the conclusion of the companys AGM in May.John Palmer ONZM will assume the role of interim chairman until a permanent appointment is made. As a result, Palmers own retirement will be postponed until a new chair has been appointed.McKeon said, I am disappointed to leave the board following a change in my circumstances. It has been an honour to be the chairman of AMP Limited, I have every confidence in the strategy and management team and believe that AMP is well positioned to grow over the long-term.McKeon successfully oversaw a period of growth for AMP. A former Macquarie Group executive and chairman of the CSIRO, McKeon received the Australian of the Year accolade in 2011. He is also a philanthropist and an Olympic sailor. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2001.McKeon had held the chairmanship at AMP since May 2014. The Board of AMP Limited have thanked McKeon for his contribution since then, emphasising his focus on opportunities for future growth.Palmer said, We wish Simon the best for his future.AMPs latest full-year results show a rise in profits to $972 million, as its wealth management business expands in Australia and internationally.
A prominent national women's group is backing Colleen Deacon in the 24th Congressional District race.
The National Organization for Women endorsed Deacon, D-Syracuse, as she vies for the Democratic nomination against Eric Kingson, a Syracuse University professor and Social Security expert, and Steve Williams, a Baldwinsville attorney.
"Colleen is strong on the issues that are important to women," said Ann Jamison, president of NOW's central New York chapter. "She is an advocate for equal pay and reproductive freedom, and we need to elect more women like her to Congress."
Deacon said she's pleased to have NOW's support.
"Their work advancing women's rights and improving the lives of women is crucial, and I look forward to working with them to continue the fight for women and families not only here in New York but all across the country," she said.
It's the latest endorsement for Deacon, who raised $161,723.44 in the first quarter and is viewed as the front-runner in the Democratic primary.
Other groups have endorsed Deacon, most notably EMILY's List, an organization that supports pro-choice Democratic women candidates, and the Democratic Women of Cayuga County.
The Democratic primary is Tuesday, June 28. The winner of the party's nomination will face U.S. Rep. John Katko, a Republican who is running for his second term in Congress.
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76th Precinct
Carroll Gardens-Cobble HillRed Hook
Food fight
A woman attacked a W. Ninth Street grocery store employee on April 23, a police report states.
The seething shopper entered the store between Columbia and Hicks streets around 9:45 am and started throwing items off the shelves, but when the employee told her to stop, she went behind the counter and grabbed his neck, according to authorities.
Fresh paint
A knave vandalized 18 cars in a parking lot on Van Brunt Street sometime between April 23 and April 25, police said.
The jerk entered the fenced-in parking lot between President and Union streets sometime between 2 pm on April 23 and 7 am two days later and spray-painted all of the vehicles, according to authorities.
Missing electronics
A miscreant broke into a womans apartment on Warren Street on April 23 and stole her laptop, police said.
The 35-year-old woman told police the nogoodnik entered her apartment between Columbia and Hicks streets around 10:30 pm while she was out and removed her MacBook laptop from her desk.
The door to her apartment was open when she returned around 11 pm, according to authorities.
Shopping spree
Six teens robbed a clothing store on Atlantic Avenue on April 19, a police report states.
The manager was helping other employees at the store between Clinton and Court streets when she saw the sextet all 16-years-old and one 15-year-old run out of the store with bags, sweatshirts, and shirts at around 6:50 pm, according to authorities.
Tool time
A baddie stole a bunch of tools from a construction site at a residential home on Carroll Street sometime overnight on April 22, police said.
Police found no forced entry but the rule-breaker removed three screw guns, two laser levels, two dremels, and one electric sander from the site between Clinton and Court streets sometime from 8 pm to 8 am the next day, officials said.
Julianne Cuba
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88th Precinct
Fort GreeneClinton Hill
Schooled
Cops cuffed a guy who they say stole his teachers car from a school on Clermont Avenue on April 21.
The teacher told cops she parked her vehicle in the school parking lot by Atlantic Avenue at 8 am, but it was nowhere to be found when she went out to find it at 3 pm. She then remembered she left her keys in her coat pocket inside the classroom and realized a student had removed it, according to a report.
The teacher identified the student by checking out the schools surveillance camera and police tracked down the car to outside his home on Classon Avenue the next day at 9:27 am, officials reported.
Surrounded
A gaggle of goons bashed a guy after they tried to take his phone on Carlton Avenue on April 21.
The victim told police he was with his friend near Lafayette Avenue at 6 pm when he was surrounded by at least 10 kids. One of the jerks creeped up behind the guy and tried to take his iPhone from his hand, but was unsuccessful, instead removing his Apple headphones, cops said. He then punched the victim on the right side of his face, causing pain and swelling, according to a report.
Out gifted
A man was left empty-handed after a trio of nogoodniks beat him up and stole his wedding gifts on Washington Avenue on April 22.
Authorities said the guy was near Lafayette Avenue at 9:22 pm when three louts started to walk by him. As they were passing, one of them turned and punched the victim in the left side of the face, cutting his ear and lip, police said. The baddie then grabbed the guys bag, which contained two bottles of rose wine, a wedding card, and personal check, according to the police report.
Holiday heartbreak
A thief broke into a womans Washington Avenue apartment while she was away from the afternoon of April 19 to the next night and lifted her jewelry.
The victim told cops she went on holiday at 3:30 pm on April 19, but when she returned to her home near DeKalb Avenue the next night at 9:15 pm, she noticed her jewelry box was missing. The sneak pocketed her Burberry watch, gold bracelet, pearls, and family jewelry, according to a report.
Burned
A sticky-fingered weasel stole a womans purse as she was getting her afternoon cup of joe on S. Portland Avenue on April 22.
The woman told police she ordered a cup of coffee at the cafe near Fulton Street at 2 pm, and when she turned her back someone stole her bag, which contained her credit cards and leather wallet.
Lauren Gill
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ALBANY A central New York prison guard was arrested for allegedly stealing more than $38,000 in sick leave and workers' compensation benefits.
New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott announced the arrest of Giddel Feliciano Wednesday. The 37-year-old Five Points Correctional Facility corrections officer was charged with seven felonies: two counts of third-degree grand larceny and five counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing.
Leahy Scott said Feliciano, formerly of White Street in Seneca Falls, falsified medical records and asserted an inability to work while having secretly moved to Greensboro, North Carolina, where he applied for a job as a guard at a county jail.
"This corrections officer corruptly took advantage of benefits and protections meant for honest State employees," Leahy Scott said. "This alleged crime was nothing more than an elaborate scheme to help fund his life in a new state and a search for a new career."
The inspector general's investigation found that Feliciano began submitting falsified medical reports indicating his inability to work after he purportedly injured his shoulder while employed with New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision in March 2015. He then remained out of work at full salary until December despite having moved to North Carolina in August, violating the New York State residency requirement for the benefits he received.
Feliciano was arraigned Tuesday night in Romulus Town Court and remanded to Seneca County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash, $20,000 bond bail. He is due back in court Friday.
From the Pine Barrens and beyond, check out these haunted hikes
Foodbank and Aussie Farmers Foundation partner to fight rural hunger
The Aussie Farmers Foundation has pledged to fund Foodbanks Meals for Mates program in Australian rural areas for the next two years.
The Meals for Mates initiative helps to fight hunger in regional and rural Australia. It is expected the program will provide more than one million meals over the next 12 months.
The Aussie Farmers Foundation was established by home grocery delivery service, Aussie Farmers Direct, which will also support Meals for Mates directly through product donations and fundraising activities.
Foodbank Australia Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Starr, said Foodbank is excited to work with the Aussie Farmers Foundation as metro areas are often thought about over regional areas.
The issue of food insecurity in regional Australia often doesnt receive the same attention as the problems in our metro areas, Starr said.
But the need is no less urgent. In fact, those living in remote areas are at greater risk of food insecurity than their urban counterparts as, on average, food is up to 50 per cent more expensive in remote communities, he stated.
Executive Officer of the Aussie Farmers Foundation, Julia Hunter, said as part of the Meals for Mates program, Aussie Farmers Direct will also encourage suppliers and farmers to donate any excess fresh produce to Foodbank.
We already have a number of our generous farmers donating surplus produce to Foodbank, and wed love to see more join in, Hunter said.
Funds donated to Meals to Mates will be used to provide key staples such as breakfast cereals, milk, pasta and sausages.
In view of the upcoming Kerala assembly elections scheduled for May 16, will lift from Kolkata to Kerala over 3,000 personnel of the central para-military forces currently posted for election duty in West Bengal.
An source said that every day from May 1 to May 5, two 777 flights that can accommodate 320 people each will fly in these para-military force personnel from West Bengal to Thiruvananthapuram.
"In all, there will be 10 flights that will land in Thiruvananthapuram with these forces and once here, they will be posted in various places of the state," said the source, requesting anonymity.
Kannur in north Kerala, which is always considered to be a sensitive district when it comes to elections, will see the maximum deployment of para-military forces.
Jonathon Sinclair Neal recently took charge as CEO of AAE Travel - online company Expedias joint venture with Air Asia. On his maiden visit to India, Neal, in an interview with Arindam Majumder talks about the plans of making India strategic destination for the country and how the partnership with Air Asia helps the company. Edited excerpts:
What is the mandate for your new role?
The mandate is simple. It is to build the most locally viable and competitive business in the region. We have marked out India as a separate region on the lines of Japan, North East Asia and South East Asia. We have hired a new general manager for the country.
As Air Asia expands in India, how is the partnership going to help Expedia?
Air Asia brings a couple of critical parts. An US-based company like Expedia can be strong in technology but you still need to identify the behavioral trends of the local market. Air Asia has expanded across South East Asia. They have an extremely good understanding of the local market and an extremely large network. We see huge spike in enquiries when a new route is opened. By virtue of having a partnership, we are able to leverage their expertise.
Expedia has always trailed MakeMyTrip and Yatra in the Indian markets. What is the company doing to change this?
The India market is certainly competitive market. The other players have taken some steps but we are the only full service agent in the country. We feel at the moment we will play to our strength. We have the experience of running this business globally. We will bring in those practices and experiences to the Indian market.
Our customers are certainly different. They look for premium options and destinations like Scandinavia, Latin America. The trend among Indian customers is changing. They now look for certain off beat destination. We have better option and inventory in those places due to our global connection.
How is the company leveraging technology for growth?
While we look at Expedias success over the last few years, it has really been on the basis of technology. It is allowing us to accelerate the use of technology. Presently we use around US $850 million per in developing technology and use that in improving consumer experience of the Asian consumer. South East Asia is an under penetrated market and we see a huge scope in that.
Infosys, Indias second largest information technology services company, has made one more investment out of its global innovation fund.
The Bengaluru-based firm said it has invested an undisclosed amount in Trifacta, which develops productivity platforms for data analysis, management and manipulation. San Francisco-headquartered Trifacta has so far raised $76.3 million in four rounds of venture funding, the last one being $35 million it raised in February this year. Read more from our special coverage on "INFOSYS" Infosys faces NITI Aayog CEOs ire for MCA portal glitches
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Infy stock hits record high buoyed by results We see tremendous potential in self-service data preparation solutions like Trifacta to significantly help clients unlock the business value of their diverse and fast-growing Big Data assets, said Ritika Suri, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Infosys. This investment underscores our commitment to our clients to introduce a complete stack of data management solutions that complement our data management and automation platforms.
Infosys has so far invested in eight start-ups, mostly US based, the previous one being Waterline Data Science. In January this year, the Bengaluru-headquartered company had made an investment of $4 million in Waterline which builds data discovery and data governance software.
As Infosys kick-starts its three-day annual thought leadership summit Confluence, starting Wednesday in San Francisco, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) Vishal Sikka has reached out to the company's 194,000 employees saying that they cannot only be partners in the value creation at the company, but also share the value and get rewarded though a new mechanism.
In an internal e-mail to employees, Sikka said, FY17 is going to be a crucial year for the company. The transformation journey will be driven by the number of initiatives the company has identified to pursue further during the year.
"As we do these things, we will all share in the value creation and the reward. We have already started the restricted stock units (RSUs), or options, grant programme, which I announced on April 15, and this is just the beginning," said Sikka.
"Krish (Human Resource Head Krishnamurthy Shankar) and our leadership team are thinking about a new way for Infoscions to participate in and benefit from the value they help create above and beyond our expected work. They are looking at this from multiple perspectives, and will update you on this soon," he added.
Apart from the usual salary benefits, traditionally Indian IT services companies also reward their employees with bonus, which is linked to the performance of the company vis-a-vis the individual performance. Apart from this, offering RSUs has been one way of attracting and retaining key employees, even though these are mostly confined to the senior management.
Infosys, earlier this month, got its board's nod to offer 24 million shares as RSUs, which it aims to dole out to selected middle to senior management employees. The scheme would be rolled out in April-June quarter of FY17 and would run for the next four-five years.
In his e-mail to employees, Sikka, who recently got an extension to lead the company until March 31, 2021, also spelt out the top five priorities of the company for FY17. He said scaling and monetising of innovations and purposeful reshaping of costs through increased automation, reducing subcontracting costs and changing onsite-offshore role ratio would be of prime focus. Without these measures, the company won't be able to get ahead with the downward pricing pressure that the company is witnessing now.
"We must bring precision to the things we decide to do and be unforgiving in the things we decide not to do. We must bring massive automation to enable innovation. If a human has done it once, it should never be done by a human again," he wrote in the mail. "This must be our aspiration."
In the quarter and year ended March 31, 2016, pricing cut (by clients) did not make much of a dent in Infosys's operating profit margin, which saw an improvement of 60 basis points at 25.5 per cent. However, that was primarily driven by reduction in expenses towards subcontractors, improved utilisation and favourable currency.
The other priorities for the year would be, Sikka said, focusing on 'business hotspots' such as consulting, BPO, Finacle & Edge; continuing with various strategic initiatives such as artificial intelligence (AI), platform, design services and education and onsite marketing experience using communication and digital.
SIKKA'S TO-DO LIST IN FY17
Hiring must match automation & software adoption
Enable skills-matching that is clear & precise, real-time & frictionless
Improving onsite role ratios
Reducing subcontractor costs
Rethinking of the global delivery model with a virtual one
Maximising utilisation and eradicating bench
FIVE PRIORITIES IN FY17
Veggie growers label Northern Australia Fund unfair
Vegetable industry representative groups AUSVEG and vegetablesWA have labelled the AUD $5 billion Northern Australian Fund unfair, saying it excludes valuable regional centres.
The Federal Government funding packaging, which is currently before the senate, aims to boost productivity in the Northern Territory and areas of Queensland and Western Australia that are north of the Tropic of Capricorn. Funding will also be provided to other select parts of Queensland.
AUSVEG and vegetablesWA are unhappy with the distribution of the funds stating some major regional centres such as Carnarvon in are not included.
Carnarvons (895 kms north of Perth on the Western Australia on the Gascoyne River) horticulture industry is estimated to be worth over AUD $100 million and represents more than 10 per cent of the entire horticulture production of Western Australia.
Executive Officer of vegetablesWA, John Shannon, said it made no sense to exclude Carnarvon.
Western Australian Government departments and agencies consider Carnarvon to be within the scope of northern Western Australia for the purpose of infrastructure develop, Shannon said.
It makes no sense for the Federal Government to disregard this precedent, he stated.
On top of this, Federal Government departments already recognise Carnarvons position in regional northern Western Australia as requiring special consideration, with the Australian Taxation Offices Zone Tax Offset offering taxpayers an allowance for living in Carnarvon thanks to its isolated location, Shannon said.
AUSVEG and vegetables WA are requesting the definition of Northern Australia be extended.
The Governments definition of Northern Australia for Queensland and Western Australia is nominally based on the Tropic of Capricorn, but thanks to the special conditions in the legislation, the definitions southern boundary in Queensland is entirely below that line sometimes hundreds of kilometres south of the actual Tropic of Capricorn, AUVEG Chief Executive Officer Andrew White said.
If theyre willing to make these exceptions, we ask that they acknowledge Carnarvons huge economic value and make sure that this key area can benefit from their $5 billion investment. In reality, the 26th parallel would be a far better boundary for Northern Australia, White stated.
The forecast of an above-normal monsoon has buoyed hopes for a demand revival in the Indian economy and the mood in many corporate boardrooms is upbeat.
Industry and analysts foresee a broad-based demand recovery that will push top line growth of Indian companies to 8-10 per cent in 2016-17, which is twice the three-four per cent growth rate estimated for the previous year. Net profit growth is likely to clock 12-15 per cent as well.
Recent data from market research agency IMRB show household consumption of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in rural areas grew 5.4 per cent in 2015 while urban household FMCG consumption clocked 2.9 per cent growth.
Ajay Srinivasan, director, CRISIL Research, said, Timely, adequate, and well-distributed rainfall will fuel a recovery in demand in consumer goods. Two-wheelers, tractors, FMCG, and consumer durables, which have a significant proportion of demand accruing from rural areas, will be the biggest beneficiaries.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast monsoon rainfall will be 106 per cent of the long-period average (LPA) and a 94 per cent probability exists that it will be normal to excess.
Adds Wilfried Aulbur, head of automotive Asia at Roland Berger, For some companies like Maruti Suzuki, the rural market has become crucial. From three per cent of overall volumes the percentage of rural sales has grown to 30-35 per cent.
Says Srinivasan of CRISIL Research, We foresee demand for two-wheelers growing by 8-10 per cent in 2016-17 compared to three per cent growth in the previous year. Domestic tractor sales will also likely grow by 8-10 per cent after two consecutive years of declines.
While growth has been muted in the recent past, we are buoyant about the potential of the FMCG sector and we continue to invest in 65 projects across businesses with an outlay of Rs 25,000 crore, says an ITC spokesperson.
Consumer durables player LG Electronics is upbeat after good summer sales. A company spokesperson says, With a good monsoon projection we expect this sentiment to further boost sales.
Rohit Mathur, president, fans, Usha International, says, There is a lot of pent-up demand in the market. Looks like that demand has started trickling in now.
Sameer Deshmukh, an analyst with Reliance Securities, says while there is pent-up demand for consumer durables, rural FMCG sales growth has now matured.
The share of rural sales has grown to around 45 per cent of total FMCG sales. In comparison, around 25 per cent of consumer durables sales come from rural areas, says the Boston Consulting Group.
Says Srinivasan, Net profit growth is expected to accelerate and be in the range of 12-15 per cent owing to higher top line growth, improvement in margins, subdued working capital needs and lower interest costs.
Dekhmukh adds double-digit revenue growth is possible on pricing growth with commodity prices firming up.
Taking advantage of availability of cheap gas based power in the Gulf region, National Aluminium Company (Nalco) plans to go for toll-smelting arrangement soon with three Iranian to produce aluminium.
CMD, T K Chand, who was in Iran recently as part of an Indian business delegation, has already held preliminary discussion in this regard with top officials of the government there and state-owned Iranian Mines & Mining Industries Development & Renovation Organization (IMIDRO).
" is exploring the possibilities of toll-smelting in Iran through IRALCO (Iranian Aluminium Company), Al-Mahadi, and SALCO. If things work out, the toll-smelting can be done in next 3 to 4 months", Chand said. Read more from our special coverage on "NALCO" Nalco declares Rs 322 crore interim dividend
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This arrangement, he said, will be a precursor to the proposal to set up an 0.5 million tonne per annum aluminium smelter and 1,000 Mw gas based power complex at Chabahar free trade zone in Iran.
Through toll-smelting, intends to convert its alumina, currently exported to the international market, to aluminium by paying a tolling fee to the concerned .
Nalco annually exports about one million tonnes of alumina. If it is converted to aluminium, the topline of the company would go up significantly as the sale price of aluminium is six times that of alumina.
What has prodded Nalco to go for toll-smelting or an aluminium smelter in Iran is the availability of low cost power there.
Energy cost constitute nearly 40 per cent of cost of producing aluminium. In Odisha, Nalco is sourcing power from its captive generating plant at Rs 2.60 per unit. The gas based energy in Iran is available at half this rate, Chand said.
Meanwhile, Nalco and IMIDRO have constituted a joint task force to pursue the greenfield smelter cum power complex project at Chabahar free trade zone.
The task force, consisting of senior project executives of Nalco, IRALCO and officials from Iran's industries ministry, is expected to submit a feasibility report on the project in three months.
"This project, to be set up in joint venture, is expected to be highly cost competitive combining the advantages of low cost Nalco alumina and low cost Iranian energy", Chand said.
Based on the report submitted by the task force, the ownership pattern, project financing, long-term supply of gas and other aspects of the proposed smelter project would be decided.
Nalco, for some time, had been looking to set up a greenfield smelter at a place where energy is available at competitive price. The company had shortlisted Iran, Indonesia and Oman as possible locations for the overseas smelter.
While it dropped Indonesia on the ground of logistics problems, it has chosen Iran over Oman because of energy cost advantage, sources said.
In India, there is hardly any marketer who would not want to target the age group of 19- to 35-year-olds, but for e-commerce companies, they are even more precious as they are the fabled repeat users that brands vie for. But where do you get hold of them? At pubs, sporting events and restaurants. And that is where Ola is trying to find them too. The company, however, has stumbled in its efforts. Its ad, which compared a young woman shopper with an Ola Micro, screened during the Indian Premier League (IPL) was branded sexist and the brand was battered down by angry mobs on social media. The company had to hastily pull the ad off air and apologise.
"I think in this case Ola misjudged the customer. The 'youth' are today far more connected and opinionated than ever before. I think Ola got their metaphors mixed up in the current campaign. When marketing to the youth, you can be fun, you can be irreverent, you can be whacky but you cannot be disparaging or even patronising. It is the tonality of the communication and the thought process that can easily become repulsive. Then it is neither funny nor fun," said Sandeep Goyal, chairman, Mogae Media.
But will this misstep keep the young away from the brand? Not really. The cab-aggregator has adopted what it calls a three-pronged approach to keep the brand aligned to the young. It recently partnered with Hard Rock Cafe across five cities, especially those outlets that are telecasting the IPL on large screens. The ongoing campaign convinces pub goers to call an Ola after they have had a few drinks. The Bengaluru-based company also decided to cash in on the IPL craze by giving out tickets for the matches and IPL merchandise to customers. "Customers need to open the app and along with the cabs they will see something call a match-day cab. If they are lucky, they may get a taxi with free tickets to the match," said Raghuvesh Sarup, chief marketing officer, Ola.
Sarup explained that this was their way to increase customer engagement with the existing user base. "On non-match days, or cheer days, we can give our customers free merchandise, memorabilia or access to pubs showcasing these matches," said Sarup. He, however, refused to divulge the number of tickets on offer. The effort to push Ola through IPL started with the latest edition of the tournament. "We have seen a significant uptake in customers," he added.
Using discounts and freebies is the oldest trick in the book for e-commerce companies and experts say that deal hunters are never loyal to the brand. While that may be true, Sarup insisted that the current engagement offers more than free rides. He explains that the app is sticky and makes customers want to ride again and also with the launch of the Micro service, the bait will be too hard to resist.
"They are fanning a need. They are expanding existing niches. Ola started out with an offering that was centred round a timely and hassle-free cab ride. So, the central proposition was about the cab. Now, their focus has shifted from affluent corporate customers to a much younger audience with propositions around cab sharing, bus shuttles, bike cabs, and now affordable mass ride," said Goyal.
Ola, however, argues that their focus was always on the young customer. "We have been true to our user profile, which is between 20 and 30," said Sarup. It is not as if the company is seeking out the young customer now, he implies.
To tap the high spender in the same age group, Ola is a partner for the ongoing India Restaurant Week as well. The company offers a "certain number of free rides" to those who have reserved their seats at the festival. But this time it is pushing Ola Prime, a brand that rivals Uber Black, with free Wifi and a luxury sedan.
"All of these partnerships and efforts are what marketers call a 360-degree approach," said Goyal, but do such initiatives lose steam when a brand is battered down by angry users on social media?
Goyal warns that social media shouldn't be used to judge the impact of a campaign. "To be honest, these days 'outrages' are easy to kick up. One tweet can ignite a controversy. And if you are a visible brand like Ola, it is easy to target you. The 'outrage' takes very little time to gain momentum, and in a matter of hours you can have a full blown controversy on social media," he said. But like all things that light up in a flash, such controversies are also quick to burn out, or so Ola must hope.
Procter & Gamble (P&G), the world's largest consumer goods company, is moving away from unprofitable businesses in India as it seeks to improve its domestic performance, the firm said while announcing its March 2016 quarterly results in Cincinnati, US, on Wednesday.
In an analysts' concall, P&G's global chief financial officer Jon Moeller said the firm had made a choice to de-prioritise several unprofitable lines of business that negatively impacted short-term top-line growth rates.
"The strategic portion of our India business is growing at a high single-digit pace. Sales in the portions we're fixing or exiting have been down 30 per cent. This top-line pain is worth it. We're making significant progress in improving local profit margins, up about 700 basis points," said Moeller during the call with investors. P&G follows a July-June accounting year.
While the company has been saying for the past three quarters that its strategic Indian businesses such as haircare, skincare, feminine hygiene, and detergents were growing in high single digits, it had admitted while disclosing its September 2015 quarterly numbers that this revenue growth was down from the mid-teens it was clocking earlier.
For the financial year ended June 30, 2015, P&G's India business cumulatively grew 12.7 per cent to touch Rs 10,347.7 crore. In India, P&G has three entities including listed firms Gillette India and P&G Hygiene and Healthcare, and unlisted company P&G Home Products Ltd. Together, these companies produce items from razors and shaving products to feminine hygiene and baby-care products to detergents, anti-cold balms, oral care products, shampoos, creams, etc.
Abneesh Roy, associate director, research (institutional equities) at Edelweiss, said in a report that P&G would likely exit Duracell (batteries), AmbiPur (air fresheners) Old Spice (men's after-shave lotion) and Oral-B toothpaste. "Also, it could de-focus on lower-end Tide (detergent) and Wella (hair care products)," he added.
The company has in the past few quarters attempted to move away from lower-priced stock-keeping units in detergents as it looks to improve financial performance, analysts said.
The India business developments also come as P&G globally exits 105 brands including the sale its Duracell battery business to Berkshire Hathaway and 43 beauty products to New-York-based Coty Inc.
Roy notes in his report that P&G's defocus will benefit rivals such as Hindustan Unilever, Dabur, Colgate, and Godrej Consumer, which compete with the firm in those categories.
Tata Motors, India's biggest automobile company, said on Wednesday that it will issue non-convertible debentures to raise Rs 300 crore.
The company will issue privately placed 3000 rated, listed, unsecured, redeemable 8.25% coupon NCDs of face value Rs 10,00,000 each at par aggregating upto Rs 300 crore.
The tenure of the NCDs is 1006 days effective today while date of maturity/redemption is January 28, 2019.
The security will be listed on both BSE and NSE, the company said.
The fund-raising is a part of the company's plan to mop up Rs 4,400 crore through issuance of NCDs in one or more tranches on a private placement basis.
had proposed to raise Rs 4,400 crore from NCDs in May last year.
The company had stated that in continuation of its efforts to strengthen the capital structure, it intended to augment the long-term resources by substituting part of the short-term liabilities with medium to long term resources.
stock was trading at Rs 415.85, down 0.82%, on BSE. (With agency inputs)
Posting a huge operating loss of 3,100 million Norwegian Krone (around Rs 2,530 crore) for its Indian telecom business, Telenor on Wednesday hinted at exiting India if it fails to procure spectrum at reasonable rates.
At the same time, the Indian arm of Telenor looks to expand fourth generation services footprint and says it will offer the lowest tariff for these services as part of its affordable pricing strategy.
While announcing financial results in Norway, Telenor global chief executive Sigve Brekke said, Long-term presence in India is dependent on our ability to secure additional spectrum. We are not able to compete with current spectrum portfolio we have in growing data market.
Brekke said the company is looking at solution to procure spectrum and a price that we can justify.
"We are Looking at upcoming auctions and also looking at potential trading options... Need to be pragmatic to consider other alternatives if that turns out not to be a possible to find value focused solutions. We are looking at all sustainable business model option," Brekke said.
Telenor India offer GSM-based services in six out of 22 circles in the country. Trai has recommended Rs 11,485 crore per Mhz base price for auction of spectrum in 700 Mhz band, the highest ever for any radiowave.
"We are in india to make money, if we don't see return then we need to look at other alternatives," Telenor CFO Morten Karlsen Sorby said.
The operating loss of Telenor India widened to NOK 3100 million in the January-March quarter of 2016 compared to NOK 159 million in the same quarter a year ago.
The revenue during the reported quarter, however, rose by about 11 per cent to NOK 1306 million compared to NOK 1171 million a year ago.
"Operating profit was negatively impacted by NOK 2.9 billion in impairment and write-down," Telenor said.
The company calculated impairment charges by applying "fair value less cost of disposal when determining recoverable amount of Telenor India."
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The company's average revenue per user in local currency fell by 8 per cent to Rs 90. The decline was primarily driven by lower voice consumption.
"Telenor India is a mass market operator. We are committed to providing most affordable services," Telenor India Communications CEO Sharad Mehrotra said after launching pilot 4G service here.
Telenor, which has already launched 4G services in Varanasi, intends to roll out high speed services in 6-8 cities across six circles in the next 45-60 days.
The company has operations in Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh East and West, Bihar, Gujarat and Maharashtra and had 51.6 million customers on its network in February.
India Motor Pvt Ltd (IYM) has inaugurated its new spare parts centre in Tamil Nadu. The centre is located in the premises of IYM's Chennai plant with a total area of 30,000 sq.mts IYM has made a total investment of Rs 58 crore in the new centre.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by the officials of Motor Co Ltd (Japan), Mitsui & Co., Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co. India Ltd., Transystem Logistic International Pvt Ltd and other business associates as well as Top Management members of Motor India Group Cos.
Hiroaki Fujita, chairman, Yamaha Motor India Group (YMI-G) said: "In the present industry scenario, customer satisfaction is the key to sustenance & growth. Timely supply of genuine spare parts to the customers is the key to success.
Our main objective behind the establishment of the new parts centre is to cater to the demands of the consumers in South India with speed and quality."
The centre is targeting to ship out spare parts the very next day of receiving orders. Also, the part supply ratio will be five per cent more than that of Bangalore warehouse which has been discontinued now. Speedy spare parts supply to customers is very important for high customer satisfaction and the Chennai parts centre will play a key role in achieving the same. At present, IYM has 20 spare parts distributors across 15 states and more than 3,000 spare parts retailers across the country for supply of genuine spare parts to the dealers and customers.
Takashi Terabayashi, managing director, IYM said: "The new centre will play a significant role for achieving IYM goals. It will contribute to the IYM profit by strengthening the business foundation and supply chain management operation. The new centre will support Yamaha business by ensuring smooth supply of quality spare parts in South India as well as otherparts of the country and contribute to the achievement of business expansionplans.
The company will now maintain optimum spare parts inventory at Surajpur and the new Chennai centre for the North and South markets and would cater to the increasing demands across the country with high quality, lower costs & quicker lead time.
Private sector lender YES Bank reported a 27 per cent growth in net profit in the January-March 2016 quarter at Rs 702 crore, compared to Rs 551 crore in the corresponding quarter a year ago. The profits increased on the back of high net interest income (NII) and other income. For FY16 as well, net profit increased 27 per cent to Rs 2,539 crore.
NII, the difference between interest earned and interest expended, grew 27.1 per cent to Rs 1,241.4 crore. Rana Kapoor, managing director and chief executive officer of YES Bank, said the increase in NII was on the back of strong growth in advances and improvement in the share of low-cost current and savings account deposits.
Read more from our special coverage on "YES BANK"
Other income, which includes treasury gains, income from fees, commission etc, also increased 36 per cent to Rs 803 crore. The biggest contributor to the gain in other income was corporate fees, followed by retail fees.
There was slight pressure on asset quality. However, it continues to remain fairly stable with gross non-performing assets (NPAs) at the end of the March quarter at 0.76 per cent compared to 0.41 per cent in the corresponding quarter of the last financial year. In the same period, net NPA also inched up to 0.29 per cent compared to 0.12 per cent. At the end of the September 2015 quarter, gross NPA and net NPA stood at 0.66 per cent and 0.22 per cent, respectively.
Despite the heightened risk environment, we have managed to contain the credit cost at 50 basis points (bps) for FY16. The worst is behind us and we will not exceed credit cost of 50-70 bps in FY17, said Kapoor.
The management sold loans worth Rs 60 crore to asset reconstruction companies. However, there was no strategic debt restructuring or 5/25 scheme undertaken in the last financial year. The bank has also fully factored in the asset quality review that they had to undertake under the Reserve Bank of Indias guidance according to which the lenders were directed to recognise stressed assets as NPAs. With the increase in bad loans, provisions also increased 48 per cent to Rs 186.5 crore. However, the management credited the sharp increase in provisions mainly to the increase in advances that grew 30 per cent. Even going ahead, the lender believes it would be able to maintain a credit growth of 27-30 per cent.
YES Banks net interest margin, a key indicator of a banks profitability, expanded to 3.4 per cent compared to 3.2 per cent in the quarter ended December. In FY17, the management has guided for a further expansion in NIM by 10-15 bps.
Well be able to expand NIM as we believe that the share of casa (current and savings accounts) will improve and that will aid margins. Doing more priority-sector lending or our own instead of buying it from outside and the issuance of green bonds will also help in expanding margins, added Kapoor.
The bank remains well-capitalised with a capital adequacy ratio of 16.5 per cent. The lender had raised Rs 3,889 crore of Basel-III-compliant tier-II bonds during FY16. YES Bank also had a valid approval to raise $1 billion via qualified institutional placements, American depository receipts, and global depository receipts by June 2016, the deadline for which has been extended by one year.
A war that threatens to kill the legislative agenda of the budget session of Parliament and possibly the coming monsoon session has broken out between the government and the Opposition, with the Congress alleging that the government is out to "fix" it.
With Congress President Sonia Gandhi the target of corruption charges in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal and fresh revelations in the Aircel Maxis inquiry that mire the family of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, the Congress is militant, the government unyielding and the biggest casualty, important legislation, including the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Constitution Amendment Bill.
"This (Parliament) session is gone", conceded government leaders. The argument over the imposition of President's rule in Uttarakhand along with updates in the helicopter deal from London, in which "more names are expected to come out", will likely drive this session off the rails and will have its reverberations in the monsoon session as well.
Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy put the cat among the pigeons when he rose to say "Sonia Gandhi" in the Rajya Sabha. The rest of his sentence was expunged. The House erupted in frenzy and had to be adjourned twice and eventually until 2 pm. They did discuss drought in the afternoon, but it was under a non-voting motion.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told a meeting of the consultative committee on NPAs (non-performing assets) that the Joint Committee on Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code has submitted its report and it is likely to be taken up in the ongoing session. Sources said the committee has accommodated all amendments moved by opposition members and submitted its report without any dissenting notes. This, and the raging debate on NPAs and willful default of bank loans by industrialists like Vijay Mallya, might make the government as well as the Congress to allow discussion and passage of the Bill.
The Congress was primed from the morning as Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday convened a truncated Congress Working Committee meeting at her residence where she wiped her eyes as she tried to articulate her feelings at the way she was being targeted by the government.
Her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is likely to play a bigger and more visible political role, was present throughout the strategy session also attended by former Defence Minister A K Antony who had instituted the inquiry into the AgustaWestland deal and cancelled the contract.
Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad first raised the AgustaWestland issue in the House, citing a news report in The Hindu, demanding to know if any meeting had occurred between the Indian and the Italian prime ministers and a deal struck whereby Italian marines would be freed in exchange for incriminating information against the Gandhis. Leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley rejected outright the charges and said the "investigation is at an advanced stage" and while it was clear that bribes had been given, "the taker of the bribe has to be established".
Later, a combative Sonia Gandhi told the media, "I am not afraid. This is typical of the character assassination kind of politics that they (the BJP) indulge in." Antony described as "criminal negligence" the two-year delay by the National Democratic Alliance government on the investigation against AgustaWestland. Antony demanded to know the "compulsions" under which the Modi government allowed a "blacklisted company" (it was blacklisted in July 2014) to take part in the government's hyped Make In India programme, with permission to bid for defence business in India as partners or sub-contractors, despite objections raised by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate.
Demanding answers from the Modi government, Antony asked, "Why did the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approve a proposal from Indian Rotorcraft Limited, a joint venture between AgustaWestland and Tata?" He added, "Why did the Modi government permit AgustaWestland to bid for 100 naval utility helicopters in April 2015?"
Without mincing his words, Congress Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Is it not a fact that Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi (who is a central figure in the deal) has been part of the Vivekananda International Foundation?" He asked the government to come clean on the connection between Tyagi, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Nripendra Mishra, principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Taking the attack to the BJP camp, the Congress raised questions about BJP Chief Ministers Raman Singh and Vasundhara Raje, who have both been indicted by CAG reports for purchase of AgustaWestland helicopters, allegedly causing loss to the exchequer.
Congressmen ensured that they attacked the government, not just within Parliament but outside, for the "political conspiracy" against the party's leader. But the BJP was not backing down either. Several Lok Sabha MPs have given notices for discussion on the helicopter deal that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will reply to.
In the Lok Sabha BJP MP Nishikant Dubey raised the Aircel Maxis issue and asked the government to clarify the exact legal nature of the investments made by the family of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram. Later, at a press conference, Skill Development Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy was fielded to say the government must look at the 'benami empire' established all over the world by the family of P Chidambaram.
It is highly unlikely that any bills will be passed by the Rajya Sabha, where the government is in a minority, in the remainder of the session. Only financial business like passing ministry-related grants is on the Lok Sabha's agenda, the House having already passed bills on biotechnology and the composition of the Sikh Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC). In the Rajya Sabha, only issues relating to emergencies like drought and farmer suicides are likely to be permitted. It remains to be seen whether the Congress makes an exception for the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code in the Upper House.
Later in the day, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup also denied that any meeting took place between the Italian and Indian PMs on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September 2015. He said various law enforcement agencies of India are moving against James Christian Michel in cases relating to the Prevention of Corruption Act and Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
THE CHOPPER STORY SO FAR
On April 7, 2016, an Italian appeals court sentenced former Finmeccanica Chief Executive Giuseppe Orsi to four and a half years in prison for corruption and falsifying invoices. This overturned a lower court ruling holding Orsi guilty only of false invoices. Orsi was on trial for alleged bribes in a Euro 560-million ($638 million) contract awarded to Finmeccanica unit AgustaWestland in 2010 to supply helicopters to India.
Bruno Spagnolini, former head of AgustaWestland, was sentenced to four years in jail. The court also ordered the two executives to pay Euro 7.5 million ($8.5 million), a sum related to the amounts deemed to have been allegedly paid in bribes. Both Orsi and Spagnolini are going to appeal in Italy's Supreme Court. Italian public prosecutor Eugenio Fusco had accused Orsi and Spagnolini of paying tens of millions of euros to Indian officials, including a former air force chief, through intermediaries. Both were acquitted of the corruption accusations. Judge Luisa Bovitutti said the conviction concerned invoices dating to 2009 and 2010 and the acquittal on corruption charges was made because "there was no case to answer".
The India story
AgustaWestland was chosen to supply 12 helicopters to the government to replace the Soviet-built Mi8s, whose working life ran out in 2014. Negotiations began in 2000 and because the specifications were so precise only the Eurocopter qualified.
Brajesh Mishra, the then principal secretary to the prime minister, said this was to be avoided, and the specifications were lowered to make the deal more competitive. This left just two big players in the field, AgustaWestland and Sikorsky.
In 2010, after field trials showed AgustaWestland had the better aircraft, Sikorsky complained it had not been briefed on certain concessions and the trials had been unfair. It followed this up with a legal notice to the ministry of defence.
The Italian public prosecutor produced documents they found at the residence of Guido Ralph Haschke, a middleman who contacted another 'facilitator', Christian Michel, who is said to have had contacts in the Indian government and is a defence middleman. The note has headings "AF", which prosecutors said stood for air force, "BUR" for bureaucrats, "POL" for politicians and "Fam" for family members of the former Indian air force chief of staff, SP Tyagi. Prosecutors allege the family members-three brothers who are the cousins of the former air chief-shared the money among themselves and the chief.
"Staff qualitative requirements for the VVIP choppers were frozen in 2003, much before I assumed office of chief of air staff and the IAF did not change any requirements after that," Tyagi has said. His service records reveal he never had anything to do with procurement.
The last point of procurement-related decision in the IAF is the deputy chief of air staff. Tyagi has never held this office. Below this are six other officers. He has never held any of those appointments either.
But the papers also revealed other facts. Under POL the note lists Euro 3 million for "AP." Prosecutors said in court they believed the initials referred to Ahmed Patel, political adviser to Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
Italian prosecutors alleged that India's anti-corruption watchdogs also were on the list of those who received payoffs. The lists heading "CVC", they said, referred to the Central Vigilance Commission and "Auditor Gen" to the Comptroller and Auditor General.
In its FIR, the CBI - to which the matter was referred when former Defence Minister AK Antony cancelled the order - said the IAF had throughout opposed lowering the altitude requirement but when Tyagi took it agreed to reduce it.
Tyagi's three relatives, Rajiv, Sanjeev and Sandeep Tyagi, were paid via fake companies. "Guido Haschke managed to send Euro 5.6 million through the Mohali-based IDS Infotech and Chandigarh-based Aeromatrix Info Solutions to India and kept the remaining amount of about Euro 24.30 million received from AgustaWestland with themselves in the account of IDS Tunisia," says the CBI FIR.
Orsi has denied hiring Haschke and Michel to influence the helicopter deal, saying it was not necessary. "The AgustaWestland 101 was the helicopter the Indians wanted," he said in court.
The latest update
The Italian court order relies on the old evidence that mentions, but does not name, Sonia Gandhi or Manmohan Singh as recipients of bribes. As the CBI awaits the English translation of the order, the alleged clincher is a letter dated March 15, 2008, from Michel to Peter Hulet, then India region sales and liaison head of AgustaWestland. It reads: "Dear Peter, since Mrs Gandhi is the driving force behind the VIP, she will no longer fly with MI8 Mrs Gandhi and her closest advisers are the aim of the High Commissioner, senior advisor Prime Minister Manmohan Singh obviously the main figure, then there's Ahmed Patel secretary."
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy has named Sonia Gandhi on the floor of the House as a beneficiary from corruption. Congress Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said if anybody needed to answer questions on the matter it was the Modi government.
He said the UPA government had included an integrity clause according to which the contract for purchase of helicopters from AgustaWestland was cancelled, the guarantee forfeited and process initiated for recovery of money. Surjewala said the money was recovered and "not a single rupee loss was caused to the government of India." He said the UPA government had also ordered a CBI inquiry as well as initiated the process of blacklisting AgustaWestland.
"As the government changed in May 2014, Modiji proceeded to cancel the process of blacklisting AgustaWestland. Why did Modiji not blacklist AgustaWestland?" Surjewala asked.
With Vijay Mallya refusing to make an in-person appearance before the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the agency has decided to make a formal request to the National Central Bureau, a division of Interpol in India, to issue a red corner notice against him.
The move comes after CS Vaidyanathan, Mallya's counsel, told the Supreme Court that the liquor baron did not plan to return because he might be taken straight to Tihar jail from the airport.
Once the letter is issued, the Interpol wing of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is likely to issue the red corner notice on the Interpol's website in a day or two with a request to arrest him and hand him over to the enforcement agency in India.
Confirming the development, a senior ED official told Business Standard: "We are compiling the investigation report, which is required for the Interpol notice. This will go with the copy of the non-bailable warrant, issued on April 18, this week itself. Ideally, it takes one or two days to process it. If the request has been made on a priority basis, it gets processed in 24 hours."
A red-corner notice is an arrest warrant or court order issued by the judicial authorities in the country concerned. Many of Interpol's member-countries consider it a valid request for provisional arrest.
ED sources said Mallya's personal information, a detailed account of the circumstances of cases in which he is wanted and charges would be submitted. According to the warrant application, out of the total loan of Rs 950 crore sanctioned and disbursed by IDBI Bank in 2010, Rs 423 crore had been remitted out of India.
These apart, the agency will also provide the list of properties abroad that Mallya created by siphoning part of the loan. In addition, the report will include the progress that the ED has made in determining how the IDBI loan was restructured in 2010 and converted into preferential shares and, eventually, into the equity shares of Kingfisher Airlines.
"We need to emphasise that Mallya had been actively involved in criminal activity and the investigation could not be finalised without Mallya's statement on his role in the Rs 6,963-crore bank loan fraud case," said a source in the know.
On April 18, the special court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) issued warrants against Mallya after he failed to appear before the agency after three summons. The government also informed the apex court on April 26 that it would soon initiate proceedings to have Mallya extradited from the UK.
THE STORY SO FAR
Members in Rajya Sabha Wednesday expressed serious concern over the acute drinking water crisis and rising number of farmers' suicides in 11 drought-hit states including Maharashtra, with the Opposition accusing the government of not releasing adequate funds to these states.
Maintaining that drinking water problem has been severe this time, the members asked the government to complete 312 pending irrigation projects across the country in a timely manner to boost water supply for drinking purposes and agriculture.
They also asked the government to consider if more funds could be released to drought-hit states, saying the current allocation rate was less than half of what the states had demanded for 2015-16 to tide over the situation.
"Right now, 11 states are facing drought-like conditions. Whether in states or at the Centre, where there are different political parties, we must face the situation. We must rise above political lines and face the situation together," former Agriculture Minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar said during a short debate on in the Upper House.
Among 11 states, Uttar Pradesh is worst affected followed by Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Telangana, Rajasthan and Gujarat, he said and emphasised the need to provide immediate relief.
While there is no shortage of foodgrains in the country this year, the drinking water crisis is "serious", he said.
"We have to give full attention to drinking water. Why do we have this problem? We have to think of short and long term policy and serious solutions to address this issue," he said, and suggested that the government focus on water conservation and rainwater harvesting to boost groundwater level.
He also asked the government to complete 312 pending irrigation projects in India, of which 240 projects are in five states including Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
Urging the Centre to be considerate towards the states facing drought, Pawar said "every state expects the government at the centre to help them out. In 2015-16, the states made their demand for relief package. Was it met?"
"The actual release was less than 50%. I think there should be some improvement (in giving funds)," he said, and asked the government to ensure that states use relief funds for water conservation.
Against the demand of Rs 3,830 crore relief fund, Karnataka was sanctioned only Rs 1,540 crore for losses incurred due to during the 2015-16 kharif season. Similarly, Chhattisgarh was given Rs 855 crore against Rs 6,093 crore, while Madhya Pradesh was given Rs 1,875 crore against requirement of Rs 4,884 crore, he said.
Ex-finance minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti own controversial firm Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt Ltd through benami names, journalist S Gurumurthy wrote in The New Indian Express. The duo, in the past, has constantly declined to have ownership in the firm and said that it belonged to their friends.
The newspaper quoted access to Wills, signed by current shareholders in Advantage, stating that after their death, the shares in Advantage will go to his daughter Aditi Nalini Chidambaram. They also mention him as the executor for all these Wills. These documents were seized from Kartis vault by sleuths in joint raids conducted by the Income Tax Department and the Enforcement wing of the government in December.
Benami deals are based on secret trust between the benamis and the real owner and require no documentation. However, in this case, Karti is said to have documented all these in the Wills mentioned above, which prove the use of Benami approach, the newspaper reported.
Advantage is said to be holding 90,000 shares from the 1.5 lakh shares in Vasan Eye Care, the South India-based eye care chain. Vasan has faced allegations of being a front for laundering Kartis black money into the firm.
The company also has a subsidiary, Advantage Singapore, which struck global deals and helped build an empire, with investments in London, Dubai, South Africa, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, British Virgin Island, France, USA, Switzerland, Greece and Spain.
The huge wealth build up is said to have taken place when Chidambaram was the finance minister and home minister in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime at the Centre.
Modus operandi
Out of Advantage Indias five lakh shares, three lakh (60%) is held in the name of four benamis CBN Reddy, Padma Vishwanathan and Ravi Vishwanathan, and Bhaskararaman.
The four people have signed Wills, which mention that the entire 60% ownership of Advantage India will be given to Kartis daughter Aditi. All of them state Karti to be the executor of the Wills.
Interestingly, all the Wills have been executed on the same day, June 19, 2013, along with identical language and content.
The document divides the wealth into two parts. While personal assets will be transferred to their spouse and children, the shares worth many crore shows transfer to Chidambaram family.
The Reasoning
CBN Reddy who has promised transferring 42% share to the family states he was greatly indebted to his his friend, philosopher, and guide Dr B Rangarajan Kartis father-in-law . This was a token of his love for the family, he states.
Ravi Viswanathan repeats the above-mentioned rhetoric to justify the pledge in the Will. Meanwhile, Bhaskararaman and Padma Viswanathan say that they had recognised the contribution made by Dr Rangarajan to their life, which was immeasurable. Interestingly, all of them avoid mentioning the name of P Chidambaram and as the grandfather and father, respectively, of Aditi.
Hitting Out
Despite these allegations, the family had denied them. In fact, the ex-finance minister had accused the current NDA government of having started malicious onslaught. If the government wishes to target me, they should do so directly, not harass friends of my son who carry on their own businesses and have nothing to do with politics, he said.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Sahara group to submit the complete list of properties owned by it, along with indicative valuation in a sealed cover. The move, aimed at securing the dues of nearly Rs 40,000 crore, came after a group counsel said that the 67 properties that are being put on sale by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) could be worth around Rs 6,000 crore, less than a third of the Rs 20,000 crore projected earlier.
The sale process was cleared by the court and the process could begin soon. Sahara moved an application for parole of jailed chief Subrata Roy, but the court decided to consider it only after seeing how the sale process goes. The matter was adjourned to May 11.
Earlier, Sebi counsel Arvind Datar told the court that the regulator had entrusted the job of selling 60 of the 67 Sahara properties being put on sale to SBI Capital Markets and HDFC Realty. Sebi set out the various conditions for the sale process and had asked the two agencies to quote their charges for the job. Sebi, then, asked the agency that quoted the higher of the two quotations to match the charges quoted by the other agency.
Accordingly, the first sale would fetch a commission of one per cent, while the second, third, fourth and fifth transactions would fetch 0.5 per cent commission, while the remaining deals would get the agencies a commission of 0.4 per cent. The agencies would have the discretion to choose any property for sale first.
The entire sale process, which would be done through e-auction, should be completed in four months. If no sale happens within this period, the agencies would get a minimum fee of Rs 30 lakh.
Sebi would boot the e-auction charges and the costs of nationwide advertisements to be published in national and regional newspapers.
The terms of the process to be followed were agreed in the presence of retired judge B N Agarwal, appointed by the Supreme Court at a meeting on April 21, Datar told the court.
The process would start in the immediate future, Sebi told the court.
Sahara counsels expressed their concern that the intermediaries are going to cost a huge sum, given the number and value of properties to be sold and that they could do it themselves without so much fee. Rajeev Dhavan representing the Sahara group said the process is incentivised and the incentives are considerable.
Chief Justice T S Thakur said, The die is cast. Sale is going to take place. Ask your well wishers to participate in the process.
At this stage, Dhavan put forward an application of parole for Sahara chief Subrata Roy.
Dhavan said only Rs 100 crore was left in the Rs 5000 crore bail amount required to be submitted and this could be adjusted against the interest accrued on the sum already submitted. He added that since the group was finding it difficult to get the bank guarantee for an equal amount, the court could consider the properties now being put on sale as an alternative security since these are worth about Rs 6,000 crore. The Rs 6,000 crore value would be at 90 per cent of circle rates, the minimum price at which these could be sold. Instead of bank guarantee, you have the properties this property is a security, Dhavan argued.
He said the court should consider the application on humanitarian and health grounds. He said Roy had already spent two summers in the jail. I dont think he can survive the summer... He will go crazy, Dhavan added.
If not parole, at least a house arrest could be considered as he assists in the sale process. When the court asked Sebis opinion, Sebi counsels Datar and Pratap Venugopal expressed their concerns over the title deeds.
At this stage, judge A R Dave said, I dont see any compliance. Where is the compliance? Dave asked if Sebi knew what was the total number of properties of the group and if it had the complete list of properties of the group. Thakur added, "We want to know what is the extent of property. This Rs 6,000 crore may cover the release. But, that's not enough for the whole amount," which is close to Rs 40,000 crore.
Datar referred to the status report where Sebi said that against Saharas statement to the court that there were two separate lists of Rs 20,000 crore worth of properties, it found only one list. And in that list, instead of 86 properties as submitted by the counsel, there were only 71. Of this, three properties belonged to Aamby Valley and were not to be sold as per the courts directions and one was a property in Vasai, which was already under the sale process. Thus, Sebi had only 67 properties to sell, of which it is taking up 60 in the first stage.
Following on the heels of the political fistfight over the Ishrat Jahan case, now its the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal and the alleged scam associated with it that has found its way into the ongoing tussle between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress.
Both parties were on Tuesday headed for an escalating confrontation over allegations of bribery in the Rs 3,700 crore VVIP helicopter deal struck during the United Progressive Alliance regime.
The alleged scam, which was arguably overshadowed by coal-gate and the spectrum scam, came back to haunt the Congress after, in a 225-page judgement, a judge at the Milan Court of Appeals found that bribes were paid by the firm to Indian officials to get the contract for the supply of 12 AW101 choppers.
BJP picked up on Italian reports based on the judgement, which cited notes from middlemen involved in the deal, to take aim at Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
One particular note from a middleman reportedly described Gandhi as the "driving force" behind the deal.
Additionally, addressing a press conference, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that then defence minister AK Antony had, in March 2013, said that corruption had taken places in the purchase of VVIP choppers and that bribes had been taken. He asked Antony to come clean on it.
With the political fight over the alleged scam escalating in the Parliament, let us look into the details of the issue.
What was the deal all about:
The requirement for VVIP helicopters was raised by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the early 2000s.
After rounds of evaluations and changes in requirements, it was only in February 2010 that the contract was signed for 12 AgustaWestland AW-101s.
The deal was valued at Rs 3,700 crore.
The helicopters were meant for ferrying top Indian dignitaries, including the prime minister. The AW-101 helicopter, which was eventually purchased after an almost decade-long process, is also used by the President of the US. Besides enhanced reliability that is provided by its three engines, the helicopter is fitted with advanced electronic equipment that can detect and neutralise threats.
In fact, as on early 2013, the company had already delivered three helicopters to the IAF.
What went wrong:
On February 12, 2013, the Italian police arrested Giuseppe Orsi, the head of defence group Finmeccanica SpA, the parent company of AgustaWestland, on a warrant alleging that he had paid bribes to win the Indian VVIP chopper contract, reported Reuters.
According to the report, prosecutors accused Chief Executive and Chairman Orsi in the arrest warrant of "paying bribes to intermediaries to secure the sale of 12 helicopters in a 560 million euro ($749 million) deal when he was head of the group's AgustaWestland unit".
In light of the arrest, the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into allegations that kickbacks were paid to Indian middlemen to secure the deal.
A shadow had been cast on the deal an year earlier, when reports first appeared in the Italian media about a probe by Italian investigators into the affairs of Finmeccanica, and then widened to include the sale of VVIP helicopters to India.
At the same time, the remaining payment of Rs 2,400 crore to AgustaWestland, along with the delivery of nine helicopters from the company was put on hold, until the closure of an investigation by the CBI.
By then, India has already paid around 30% of the committed amount.
Meanwhile, Italian investigation reports suggested that Guido Haschke and Christian Michael were the main middlemen in the deal.
According to the report filed by Italian investigators in an Italian court, the middlemen had agreed for a 7.5% commission in the Rs 3,700 crore deal.
In March of 2013. the CBI said that it had found evidence against former Indian Air Force chief S P Tyagi that suggested that he had extended favours to the UK-based AgustaWestland by changing specification requirements for the VVIP choppers. The agency registered a first information report (FIR) against Tyagi and 12 others.
In its FIR, the CBI also included two top IDS officials CEO Satish Bagrodia (brother of former Union minister Santosh Bagrodia), and MD Pratap Agarwal who had not been named in its preliminary inquiry.
Days later, the CBI issued lookout notices for Tyagi, his three cousins and five others, named in its FIR.
With the Enforcement Directorate indicating that it would bring the deal under its scanner and the a Joint Parliamentary Committee conducting its own probe, it was only in January of 2014 that the deal was finally scrapped by the MoD.
What happened next:
A fortnight after cancelling the contract, the MoD has encashed a guarantee of over Rs 250 crore deposited by AgustaWestland in the State Bank of India, the Daily Pioneer reported.
However, India still had to recover bank guarantees worth Rs 2,134 crore deposited in Italian banks.
In an RTI reply in early 2014, the IAF had said that euro 83,439,303 (15% of the contract value) and euro 166,878,607 (30% of contract value), totalling to about Rs 2,134 crore (according to the then exchange rates), were deposited as bank guarantee by the company in Deutsche Bank, Milan, Italy.
In late March that year, an Italian court allowed India to encash bank guarantees worth about Rs 1,818 crore deposited by AgustaWestland in Italian banks.
"The Milan court partially upheld the complaint lodged by the Indian Defence Ministry and thereby revoked the order issued by the judge on last March 17," said a statement by Finmecannica.
The judgement came after a lower court had rejected India's request regarding the bank guarantees earlier.
The Tyagi angle:
According to an Indian Express report from April, 2016, the Italian Court of Appeals has observed that there are unmistakable indications regarding corruption of an Indian officer.
The observation pointed at then Air Chief Marshal Tyagi.
According to the report, the judgement reads: Ultimately, there are no elements of certainty to affirm this beyond any reasonable doubt that the reduction in the operating rate was chosen contrary to the public (duty) and that Marshal Tyagimade specific acts contrary to his duty; it remains anyway the wrongfulness of his conduct, for having offered to cooperate with AW [Agusta Westland] in economic operation which prohibited all forms of mediation, and for having received large compensation in relation to its institutional activity...
The Italian Court's observation comes just months after the ED, in September of last year, attached assets worth about Rs 7 crore alleged to be in the name of cousins of the former IAF chief.
The rural development ministry is scheduled to hold 10 regional corporate social responsibility conclaves next month, as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Adopt a Village scheme, The Economic Times reported. With Members of the Parliament slowly losing interest in the scheme, the government is now focusing on corporate funding, that will help take the initiative forward.
The regional conclaves, which will begin with Mumbai, are aimed at connecting MPs and district administration officials with willing corporates, whose investment in the scheme will develop model villages under the ambit of the scheme. The government has reportedly identified a total of 340 projects across states for funding under the adopted villages scheme.
A senior official from the rural development ministry was quoted as saying, "There are projects which require funding but they are not really covered under any government scheme. This is where corporate sector can step in. So we have identified projects and developed proposals for corporate players."
The Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana or was launched by Modi on August 15, 2014. The scheme aimed at encouraging MPs to adopt a village of their choice and develop it into a model village. Under the initiative, the government envisaged the development of 2,200 villages into model villages, during the span of three phases, scheduled to end in 2019. MPs adopted 695 villages during the first phase of the scheme.
As the initiative progressed into its second phase however, it began to lose lustre - with only 51 MPs adopting villages, mainly due to the lack of funds, the newspaper reported.
As per the report, the conclave in Mumbai will be followed by similar conferences in Lucknow, Gujarat, Chandigarh and other regional centres.
In the run-up to the election in February next year, the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party-controlled BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has recommended an increase in permissible floor space index (FSI) from the present level of 1.33 to 2 and in some cases even up to 5. FSI is the ratio between allowable construction space to the actual space.
The current FSI stands at 1.33 in the island city and one in the suburbs of Mumbai and the new development plan proposes to raise it to 2.
For the construction of five-star hotels and commercial development, 5 FSI has been proposed from the present level of 3-3.5. Besides, 4 FSI will be granted to malls. For buildings to be developed by state-run Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority, 4 FSI will be granted from the present level of 2.5-3.
The civic body has proposed 4 FSI for affordable housing. And, similar FSI will be granted to township projects.
A BMC official, who did not wish to be named, told Business Standard: The proposal to increase FSI is to give the much-needed boost for the creation of more housing stock. Besides, the revision is necessitated in view of constraints on horizontal development considering the geographical location of the Greater Mumbai.
He clarified that the FSI hike has been proposed in the new development plan and it will come into effect only after its approval by the general body.
The new development plan for Greater Mumbai, which is being currently prepared, will be sent to the general body before May 31.
With the Centre's biggest proposed legislative reform, goods and services tax (GST), roll-out well past the deadline of April 2016, things might have slowed down at state level, too. The empowered committee of state finance ministers has not met to discuss the legislation for five months now.
West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra was elected chairman of the empowered committee in February, after former chairman K M Mani stepped down as Kerala finance minister on graft charges. Mitra is yet to call a meeting.
This is significant, considering the Narendra Modi government is seen escalating efforts for the passage of the constitutional amendment Bill towards the unified indirect tax legislation.
The Union government is making all efforts to enable the GST roll-out, including pushing for passage of constitutional amendment Bill in the Rajya Sabha during the ongoing Budget session.
The Lok Sabha has already passed the Bill, stalled in the other House for want of majority support. After the passage, Bills of the GST itself would come before Parliament and state Assemblies. Rules will, then, be framed. The empowered committee needs to discuss key issues on the proposed rules. The empowered committee met in February to elect the chairman, but Mitra himself did not attend for health reasons.
In the earlier meeting in November 2015, Delhi Finance Minister Manish Sisodia was selected to chair a meeting for a day. It had decided on a sub-panel to decide on the issue of a threshold, as states were divided on whether GST should kick in from Rs 10 lakh or Rs 25 lakh of annual turnover.
The next round was to take place in December 2015, but it did not happen. The committee was to draft a GST law and business processes for payments, refunds and returns filing.
The Constitution amendment Bill could not be cleared in the previous session of Parliament, too. Congress has been demanding a cap of GST rate at 18 per cent in the Bill, but has met with stiff opposition from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party as it will curb the flexibility of the proposed GST Council to change rates when needed.
Fitch Ratings on Wednesday said a rapid rise in foreign currency debt of the private sector in emerging markets (EMs), including India, is threatening sovereign ratings.
In its special report on foreign currency debt and its impact on sovereign rating, Fitch examined Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and Turkey. However, India could be still better off than its peers in this respect as countries like Turkey and Russias debt profile is enormous.
Five of the eight countries had a rating of BBB-, or close to non-investment grade. Chinas rating is A+, Brazils was BB+ and Mexicos rating is BBB+. Foreign-currency debt accounted for 22 per cent of total debt of the eight countries that Fitch examined.
Foreign currency debt was highest as a share of GDP in Turkey at 41 per cent (including indexed debt) and Russia at 37 per cent. It was lowest in China at 10 per cent of gross domestic product, and India at 17 per cent, Fitch said, adding the foreign currency debt was highest as a share of total private debt in Turkey, at 46 per cent, and Russia, at 41 per cent.
Not only the corporate sector but governments have also engaged in raising foreign debt and the share of EM government debt denominated in foreign currency (median for 76 Fitch-rated EMs) rose to 58 per cent at end-2015, from 50 per cent at end-2013, after falling from 64 per cent at end-2001, the rating agency said. But, the foreign exchange reserves in US dollars in these countries have fallen since 2013. India here is well placed as its government debt is less than 10 per cent of total general government debt in calendar 2015, whereas the emerging markets median is close to 60 per cent.
According to Fitch, what makes the debt profile worrying was the sharp depreciation in the emerging market currencies, which pushes up the value of the liability.
Despite problems in auctioning non-coal mineral blocks in the first phase, states have told the central government they are ready to auction 82 blocks in the second phase.
In the first phase of mineral auction, expected to be over by June, states had planned to auction a total of 52 blocks. Till date, only six blocks have been auctioned out of the 52.
Read more from our special coverage on "AUCTION" Kingfisher House auction ends without a single bid
On March 15, Union Steel & Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told Parliament the states would be auctioning 42 blocks in the second phase of non-coal mineral auction. However, on April 6, the states told the central government they could auction twice that number.
For the first-phase auction in Andhra Pradesh, the date of initial bids for six limestone blocks has been extended to April 30. Of the six blocks, only three blocks have received a total of seven applications three each for two blocks and one for another block.
Land ownership has been a major reason for applicants not participating in the auction process. Andhra Pradesh wants to auction 12 mineral blocks in the second phase of mineral auction.
Goa has told the central government there is no scope of auction in the near future, due to the mining cap by the Supreme Court. Chhattisgarh is planning to auction eight limestone and two bauxite mines in the second phase.
Gujarat plans to auction 10 limestone and two bauxite mines in the second phase.
Jharkhand, which has auctioned two blocks in the first phase, would auction four more blocks by end-April. For the second phase, the mineral-rich state plans to auction four bauxite , one limestone and one graphite mine.
Madhya Pradesh, yet to auction its four mines in the first phase, is planning to auction another four in the second phase.
Odisha is planning to auction a total of 12 blocks in 2016-17. With regard to bauxite requirements, Odisha informed the central government the three bauxite areas reserved for Odisha Mining Corporation are being operationalised, which may be considered for any long-term agreement on bauxite supply to existing aluminum plants.
MINING FOR INFORMATION
Nintendo Co forecast full-year profit short of analysts' estimates, casting doubt on the gaming company's ability to deliver a new hit product to follow dwindling Wii U console sales. Net income will probably climb to 35 billion yen ($315 million) on revenue of 500 billion yen in the year ending March 2017, the Kyoto, Japan-based company said in a statement Wednesday. While that's more than double the previous period, the forecast is below analysts' projection for 44.1 billion yen, according to the average of estimates compiled by Bloomberg. The shares of Nintendo fell 6.1 ...
was in Pakistan's detention for years and was killed after the country struck a deal with the US, a top American journalist has claimed citing new evidence and disputed Islamabad's assertion that it was not aware of the raid that killed the Al Qaeda leader.
Legendary US investigative journalist Seymour Hersh repeated his claim that Pakistan was aware of the Navy Seals' raid that killed bin Laden in 2011 in his his compound in Abbottabad town near Pakistan army's elite training school.
Bin Laden was the founder of Al Qaeda, the group that claimed responsibility for the September 11 attacks on the United States.
In an interview to Dawn, Hersh said that since last year he had seen new evidence that cemented his belief that the official US account on bin Laden's killing was deceptive.
He also reiterated his claim that Pakistan had detained bin Laden in 2006 and kept him prisoner with the backing of Saudi Arabia.
The US and Pakistan then struck a deal that the US would raid his compound but make it look as if Pakistan was unaware.
"Pakistan is in constant alert because of India. Their radars are watching, their F-16s are up all the time," said Hersh while arguing that it was not possible for US helicopters to enter Abbottabad without alerting the Pakistanis.
When asked if he still believes Pakistan helped the United States get bin Laden, he said: "More than ever".
When Hersh first made this claim in an article published last year, it shook Washington and forced the White House to reject the story as false.
Major US media outlets also rejected his claim as incorrect.
But Hersh repeated the claim in his new book, 'The Killing of Osama bin Laden' published this week, insisting that he was right.
He said the then army and ISI chiefs had made this deal with the Americans, which upset other Pakistani generals.
"The then head of Pakistan's Air Defence Command was very, very upset. He was ready to go public," said Hersh, claiming that the disgruntled general was made PIA chairman after his retirement to keep him silent.
In an interview to Democracy Now, a network of more than 1,400 radio and television outlets, Hersh said the US and Pakistan had jointly created the "myth" "we discovered" where he was living.
"What I know is that in August of 2010, a Pakistani a colonel came into our embassy, went to the then CIA Station Chief Jonathan Bank, and said: 'We've had bin Laden for four years'."
Hersh told Dawn that the colonel was later moved to the US and was now living somewhere near Washington.
"The Pakistani intelligence picked him (bin Laden) in the Hindu Kush area, built the compound in Abbottabad and put him there," he said.
"Pakistani officials did so because the Saudis asked them to. The Saudis did not want Americans to interrogate him."
According to Hersh, when the CIA asked Pakistani officials to make the May 2, 2011, operation in Abbottabad a surprise raid, they agreed "because they had kept OBL in custody without telling us".
The Americans were already very upset and the Pakistanis did not want to make it worse, he added.
After years of battling Apple Inc in courtrooms and retail stores, Samsung Electronics Co. may be ready to offer an olive branch. That's expected to cost the Korean company almost $9 billion upfront. Samsung is in talks with Apple to be the exclusive supplier of displays for iPhone models scheduled for release next year, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter. Samsung first needs to spend money expanding its capacity to manufacture the technology, which is thinner, brighter and less draining on the battery than those in most current smartphones.Read more from our ...
Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (IIM-C) has been awarded the EFMD Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) Accreditation by EFMD, the globally recognized international organization for development, with over 800 members from academia, business, public service and consultancy in 81 countries. The EQUIS Accreditation Board voted to confer EQUIS Accreditation on IIM Calcutta on April 12, 2016.
IIM Calcutta has already been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the Association of MBA's (AMBA) in 2014. With EQUIS accreditation, IIM Calcutta has become the first Indian business school to achieve the 'Triple Crown' in accreditation, i.e. accredited by all the three major accreditation agencies in the world for education.
Only 5 other business schools in Asia and 73 business schools around the world are currently 'Triple Accredited'.
"This is a significant achievement for us. Each of the three accrediting agencies insists that accredited schools meet stringent quality requirements in various parameters of education. A 'Triple Crown' signifies that the Institute meets very high quality standards, be it in the area of institutional strategy, assurance of learning, research impact, or producing competent and ethical managers for the corporates as a few examples. This is where the strength of Triple Crown Accreditation lies - it is not surprising that very few institutes in the world are accredited by all three," said Professor Saibal Chattopadhyay, Director, IIM Calcutta.
AACSB, The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business is based in Tampa, Florida in the United States; AMBA, The Association of MBAs, is based in London, United Kingdom; and EFMD which awards EQUIS Accreditation is based in Brussels, Belgium.
Gujarat's textile policy, announced in 2012, has so far attracted investment commitment worth Rs 9,208 crore through varied units such as weaving, made-ups, processing, spinning, ginning and technical textiles. The plan is to attract Rs 20,000 crore investment and 2.5 million new jobs by 2017.
Under the policy, 549 textile units have got approval. The latest nod is for a textile and apparel park coming up in Surat. This park will come up on 62 acres, house 42 manufacturing units and generate 1,900 jobs. So far, 12 such parks have received in-principle nod. Led by Gujarat's minister of industries Saurabh Patel, the state government has set up a ministerial committee to look into the approvals and promotion of the textile sector in the state by incentivising the same.
The committee met for its 10th meeting recently and approved 43 units 42 units of weaving, made-ups, knitted fabric, processing, embroidery, cotton ginning & twisting, and one unit of technical textiles. These units, to come up in Surendranagar, Surat, Botad, Morbi, Rajkot, Valsad, and Junagadh districts, bagged approval for interest subsidy and value-added tax (VAT) concession for all units, apart from power rate subsidy for weaving units.
These units have invested Rs 603 crore for plant and machinery. Among the incentives, while made-up units will enjoy interest subsidy of seven per cent, technical textiles and rest of the units will enjoy six per cent and five per cent, respectively, Patel said.
In the past nine meetings of the committee, 506 units investing around Rs 8,605 crore bagged approval. Maharashtra, too, has rolled out a textile policy looking to attract Rs 40,000 crore of investment and create 1.1 million employment opportunities in five years.
With Bengaluru-based microfinance company Ujjivan going public on Wednesday, expectations are high that it will bring in the same levels of returns as its peers for PE players. Equitas Holdings during its initial public offering earlier this month saw 10 investors exiting with returns ranging from two to 13 times. The sector on the whole has seen exits with similar returns for the top deals in the past four years.
IFC, Mauritius Unitus Corporation, FMO, Sarva Capital, WCP Holdings and Women's World Banking Capital Partners are some of the investors likely to exit Ujjivan. Analysts said for a well-established player like Ujjivan, valuations were expected to be reasonable.
According to data from research firm Venture Intelligence, PE investors saw a whopping rise in their returns during exits from MFIs - from $800,000 in 2011 to $62 million in 2015. In all, the sector saw 20 exits during the period.
In an earlier exit in Equitas during May, 2014, when Bellwether and Kalpathi Investments made secondary sales to Creation Investments and others, the returns for them were over two times and 12 times respectively. In another exit from Equitas, in July 2010, Aavishkar Goodwell saw its returns multiply eight times through secondary sales to Canaan Partners at around $5 million.
In March 2010, Lok Capital exited from Spandana Sphoorty Financial through secondary sales to Helion Ventures making over four times. Bellwether and Michael & Susan Dell Foundation too opted for secondary sales exit in Ujjivan Financial Services, and both saw returns of over two times.
Thyrocare Technologies, a pan India diagnostics chain with focus on preventive and wellness health offerings under the Aarogyam brand is set to tap the today with its initial public offer (IPO).
The company plans to raise Rs 451 479 crore at a price band of Rs 420 446 per share. The issue which opens today for subscription, closes on April 29.
Read more from our special coverage on "THYROCARE TECHNOLOGIES"
On Tuesday, the company raised Rs 144 crore by allotting 3.22 million shares to anchor investors that included DSP Blackrock, HDFC MF and Birla Sunlife MF. The shares were allotted at Rs 446 apiece.
Also Read: Strong base, multiple new triggers
Thyrocare competes with diagnostics chains such as the recently listed Dr Lal PathLabs. That apart, SRL Diagnostics, Metropolis Healthcare and Apollo Clinic are some of its other competitors.
The offer for sale is essentially to enhance the company's brand name and provide liquidity to existing shareholders, analysts say. The company will not receive any proceeds from the offer.
So, should you subscribe to the IPO? Heres a quick compilation of what countrys top research and brokerage houses suggest:
MOTILAL OSWAL RESEARCH
Thyrocare intends to grow the business by setting more number of RPLs and PET-CT scanning centres across India. It intends to set up 5 Regional Labs per annum for next 2-3 years (capex of Rs 15.0 crore per annum) to support increasing volume for Wellness and Preventive healthcare test and other thyroid related tests. The company also intends to set-up 2-3 PET-CT scanning centres per annum over next 3-4 years (capex of Rs 4-5 crore per annum).
Also Read: Ujjivan, Thyrocare IPOs command a premium in grey market
For FY2011-15, its compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) for sales is 23%, where the sales grew from Rs 78 crore to Rs 180 crore in FY2015. The company's operating profit grew at CAGR of 20%, from Rs 35.6 crore to Rs 73.0 crore in FY2015. Its profit CAGR has been 18% from RS 25.0 crore to Rs 48.5 crore in FY2015. The company has no debt on books.
At a price band of Rs 420 - 446, the issue is priced at 47.7- 50.7x price-earnings (PE) ratio for FY2015 consolidated earnings per share (EPS) of Rs 8.8 and 30 - 32x EV/EBIDTA for FY2015. The valuations at the offer price are similar to that offered in the public issue of recently listed comparable players like Dr Lal Pathlabs. After listing, the premium valuations of Dr Lal Pathlabs have expanded further due to its strong track record, healthy return ratios and high free cash flows despite the aggressive expansion and exponential growth in the business.
IIFL
The size of the diagnostic services market in India is estimated at $6.5 billion in FY15 and the industry is likely to post ~17% CAGR to touch $9.8 billion by FY18E. Moreover almost 85% of market remains unorganized which leaves significant opportunity for the organized players like Thyrocare, SRL Diagnostics, Dr Lal PathLabs and Metropolis.
Also Read: Alkem, Dr Lal soar over 30% on debut
We like the underlying business contours such as strong revenue visibility, stable margin profile and healthy free cash flows combined with RoE/RoCE of around 25?30%. We believe premium valuations are justified given the accompanying business fundamentals and recommend investors to 'Subscribe' at the upper price band.
CENTRUM WEALTH
As per CRISIL research, the overall diagnostic industry in India is estimated to be Around Rs 37,700 crore in FY15 and is expected to increase at a CAGR of 18% to Rs 61,600 crore by FY18E. Currently, organised players with a pan-India presence have a market share of roughly 35-40%. Thus there is tremendous opportunity for organised players. TTL with its proven track record and expansion plan of opening 20 new RPLs is likely to benefit from this opportunity.
Also Read: Health care companies lining up a series of IPOs
At the higher price band of Rs 446, the stock is valued at 25.4x EV/EBITDA and 41.2x P/E on annualised 9MFY16 basis. While this may appear high, the company is expected to command premium valuation due to its strong brand image, proven track record, healthy financials and presence in niche high-growth business. Hence investors comfortable with such premium valuation, can subscribe to the issue.
In the past we have seen tremendous market interest in similar IPO of Dr. Lal PathLabs, with the issue getting 33.4x over-subscribed and is currently trading at much higher valuation of 69.4x FY16 P/E (though Dr. Lal Pathlabs is bigger in size in terms of revenue and market capitalisation).
NIRMAL BANG (RETAIL) RESEARCH
Between FY11-15 Thyrocare's revenues grew at CAGR of 23.3% while EBIDTA grew at a CAGR of 20% and PAT by 17%.
We expect the company to maintain healthy growth rate of 20-25% going forward as well, on the back of expansion of its base, opening of 20 new RLPs, eating share of standalone laboratories and increase spend by people on preventive and curative healthcare.
The issue price commands rich valuations of 21x EV/EBITDA (FY16 annualised) at the upper price of band of Rs 420-446, which we believe is justified given its pedigree and strong financials. On Consolidated financials, the issue price discounts EV/EBITDA by 22.7x (FY16 annualized) at upper price band. After Dr Lal Path Labs, Thyrocare is second diagnostics company to be listed on exchanges. Dr Lal is trading at 39.7x on FY16E EV/EBITDA. Considering the healthy balance sheet, improving growth prospects and strong profitability. We recommend 'subscribing' to the issue for listing as well long term gains.
ICICI SECURITIES
An early entrant in cancer diagnosis, Thyrocare is also developing a network of molecular imaging centres for cancer diagnosis and has five operating PET/CT scanners. With offerings in preventive & diagnostic services and radiology procedure, Thyrocare is well placed in a high growth and underpenetrated market.
Key concerns: Dependence on authorised service providers; High revenue dependence on functioning of CPL and RPL; Competition risk; Vendor risk; Extensive regulatory compliance.
ANGEL BROKING
Although the issue seems to be priced at a discount to Dr Lal Pathlabs, we believe that Thyocares consolidated ROIC will come under pressure in the near term as it has entered the molecular imaging space by acquiring Nuclear Healthcare Ltd (NHL).
According to the company, this business will take 3-4 years to attain peak profitability while it accounts for almost 40% of its fixed assets of the company (as on 9MFY2016). Thus, though Thyrocare could potentially provide listing gains, the pressure on its ROIC in the near term and the not-so cheap valuation demanded by it will keep the upside in the stock limited. We are Neutral on the issue.
The Congress Party, which has been cornered by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the controversy surrounding the AgustaWestland chopper deal, today dared the ruling dispensation at the Centre for discussion on the same.
Talking to the media after a meeting chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her official 10, Janpath residence here, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge expressed his disappointment over a report published in a leading English daily with regard to the VVIP helicopter deal.
"We will move an adjournment notice for discussion. There is a report published in a newspaper...We are ready to discuss the Augusta Westland issue in the Parliament," Kharge said.
The meeting, which was attended by several Congress leaders including Anand Sharma, Randeep Surjewala and Jyotiraditya Scindia, comes in wake of a report published in The Hindu wherein James Christian Michel, the accused middleman in the chopper deal, has offered himself up for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Michel told The Hindu from Dubai yesterday that he was willing to answer all questions from the Indian investigators in order 'to clear' his name, but insisted he had never met the Congress president or a 'single Gandhi' in his life.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, who has moved a notice for discussion on the AgustaWestland chopper deal in the Rajya Sabha, today told ANI that the Congress Party must support the probe in this regard.
"I can't corner the Congress Party; they have got nothing to hide. They must support me. I am only saying that expand the investigation of the CBI because you had set up the CBI and you confined it only to the Air Marshal, and now, the Chief of Air Staff says he only signed the documents put before him by the UPA ministers," Swamy said.
"You (Congress) have already few names from Italy in the document form and more importantly, it is a judgment of a high court level in Italy," he added.
BJP's Meenakshi Lekhi has moved a notice for discussion on the chopper deal in the Lok Sabha.
Agusta Westland's Rs 3,600 crore contract for supplying 12 VVIP choppers to the Indian Air Force was scrapped by the UPA government over charges of paying kickbacks to Indian agents. In January 2013, India cancelled the deal and the CBI was assigned to investigate the matter.
Anwar Hossain Ujjal, the prime accused in the murder of Rajshahi University Professor A K M Shafiul Islam, surrendered before a local court here on Wednesday over a year after evading arrest.
Ujjal, a Jubo Dal worker and the prime suspect in the case, was sent to jail upon his surrender, reports the Daily Star.
Abul Hashem, the court's inspector, said that Rajshahi Magistrate Court Judge Maksuda Azgar passed the order after Ujjal surrendered before the court and pleaded for bail.
Professor Shafiul Islam was hacked to death in front of his house in November 15, 2014. Eleven people were charged for his murder, and on December 18 last year, charges were framed in the case.
Taking a strong note of a Delhi University textbook labelling freedom fighter Bhagat Singh as a 'revolutionary terrorist', the Janata Dal (United) on Wednesday said it will raise the issue in the Rajya Sabha.
"We will be raising the issue of Delhi University textbook referring to Shaheed Bhagat Singh as a 'terrorist' issue in the Rajya Sabha today," JD-U general secretary K.C. Tyagi told ANI here.
According to media reports, history textbook prescribed by the Delhi University has labelled freedom fighter Bhagat Singh as a 'revolutionary terrorist'.
The book also calls the Chittagong movement a 'terrorist act', while Sanders killing has been called an 'act of terrorism'.
The freedom fighter's family has reportedly demanded the HRD Ministry to look into the matter and make appropriate changes in the textbook.
A five-year-long legal case involving Coconino County and the developer of a Bellemont-area subdivision appears to have come to a close.
In a settlement agreement approved by the county board of supervisors Tuesday, the litigation will be dismissed and the county will be off the hook for $98,000 in attorneys fees it was originally required to pay plaintiffs in the case.
The plaintiffs still need to sign the document for the settlement to be final.
The litigation revolves around an unbuilt section of the Flagstaff Meadows subdivision, just north of Interstate 40 in Bellemont. Now that the case has been resolved, the projects developer, Bellemont 276, plans to start work on the nearly 300-home subdivision this summer, said Brian Rhoton, a managing member with the company.
Rhoton said home prices in the new Flagstaff Meadows Unit 3 will likely be higher now that the company wont be getting the $4 million boost from the construction bonds it had sought through its lawsuit.
The settlement is a positive development for the county, bringing an end to what has been years of uncertainty, County Supervisor Liz Archuleta said.
The beginnings of the case trace back to before the Great Recession. Two sections of the Flagstaff Meadows subdivision had been fully built out, but the company that owned the final unit, Empire Residential, filed for bankruptcy in 2008 before starting construction.
Before that happened however, the county had required Empire to put down a financial assurance to cover the cost of installing public infrastructure like roadways, drainage structures, street signs and landscaping. Its standard practice for counties to require companies to purchase such performance bonds to ensure there is money to finish necessary public infrastructure if a developer goes under.
Three years after Empire folded in 2008, Bellemont 276 LLC, a company created in 2011 and headed by former Empire employees, purchased the third unit. The company soon approached the county, requesting that it redeem the bonds, which were worth approximately $4 million, in order to fund infrastructure improvements that Empire never completed.
Coconino County refused, contending that filing for the bond insurance money wasnt necessary for the public good, which is the intent of the law, and would primarily benefit Bellemont 276. No residents had purchased lots in the unbuilt Unit 3, and therefore no one was depending on the infrastructure to begin building a home, Archuleta said.
It was the countys opinion that because Bellemont 276 is financially able, it should be on the hook for infrastructure improvements if it was going to subdivide and sell the lots. The county also would risk being sued by the bond company if it tried to call the bonds and there wasnt an overarching public need for the money.
The case went to district court where a judge in 2013 ruled in favor of Bellemont 276 and several other plaintiffs including Ponderosa Fire District and the homeowners association. The county was ordered to pay $98,191 to the plaintiffs for attorneys fees and costs.
The county filed an appeal though and a year later won in the Arizona Court of Appeals. The court ruled that the county ordinance did not require the county to call the bonds, only gave it the option to if necessary.
The settlement came after the Arizona Supreme Court declined to hear the case.
Archuleta said the experience reaffirms that it is good practice and good policy to require bonds of companies.
Another takeaway, she said, is that bonds are not a financing mechanism for developers.
Bonds are there to protect the public and we are going to uphold the use of bonds according to their purpose, she said.
35 year old medicine wholesaler Abhishek Kumar was looking for a company to finance his new mobile phone last year. A first time borrower, his dream was fulfilled through a simple and easy loan from Home Credit.
Abhishek was delighted and almost surprised with the ease of taking the loan and even went on to take a two wheeler loan with Home Credit later in the year! Thanks to Home Credit, Abhishek, like many other loan takers from Home Credit, has built a healthy credit score.
Home Credit India Finance Pvt. Ltd. is one of India's fast-growing Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFC) that enables progress through consumer finance solutions. Through 2015-16, the company saw 31 percent of its first time loan takers from Delhi NCR eligible for a second loan from the company. 14 percent of the customers were actually went on to take a second loan from the company, thereby building a healthy credit score.
According to Tomas Hrdlicka, Chief Marketing Officer, Home Credit India Finance Pvt. Ltd said, "It is our aim at Home Credit to become a lender of choice for first time borrowers who are looking forward to a trustworthy and regulated source of financing. We're proud of our achievement in driving financial inclusion in the country by bringing the otherwise neglected sections into the mainstream of consumer lending. Our steady growth curve in India gives us confidence that our long-term objective to become the most trusted choice for consumer credit in this critical growth market will soon be realized."
The company has a presence in over 40 cities across 13 states of India. It services its growing customer base of over five lakh in the country through a strong network of over 3,000 Points-of-Sale (PoS).
The company is a part of Home Credit BV an international consumer finance provider with operations in 11 countries across Europe, Asia and North America. Home Credit's offerings primarily consist of providing in-store financing (direct non-cash loans in retail outlets) to qualified customers looking to purchase consumer durable goods such as home appliances, laptop/tablets, electronic goods, mobile phones and motorbikes.
The company is currently operating in Delhi NCR, Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Jaipur, Lucknow, Pune, Bhopal, Indore, Kanpur, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Jodhpur among others.
Abhey Singh Sandhu, the nephew of Bhagat Singh, on Wednesday said the controversy over the legendary freedom fighter being labelled as 'revolutionary terrorist' in a Delhi University textbook is extremely unfortunate as even the Britishers described him as a 'true revolutionary'.
"This is a very sad precedent that even after 68 years of Independence such words are used for the revolutionaries, who gave their lives for the freedom of the nation. The Britishers, who hanged Bhagat Singh, described him as 'true revolutionary' in their judgment, even they didn't use words like terror or terrorism," Sandhu told ANI.
"Using such words for revolutionaries in an attempt to stir controversy is very unfortunate," he added.
Sandhu further said the book written by Bipin Chandra in 1990 was amended later in which he termed as a revolutionary and not a terrorist
"But where that new edition has gone, nobody knows. This thing has been there since past 26 years, it should have been removed. I would urge the government to roll back the concerned book and re-issue it with amendments," he added.
According to media reports, history textbook prescribed by the Delhi University has labelled as a 'revolutionary terrorist'.
The book also calls the Chittagong movement a 'terrorist act', while Sanders killing has been called an 'act of terrorism'.
The freedom fighter's family has reportedly demanded the HRD Ministry to look into the matter and make appropriate changes in the textbook.
The Indian Navy on Wednesday said the massive fire at a bio-diesel manufacturing plant in the Duvvada Special Economic Zone (SEZ) near Visakhapatnam has been subdued and would be brought under control soon.
"Fire seems to be under control, but it'll take another four to five hrs to bring situation completely under control... Indian Navy is here since last night and we have deployed 15 fire tenders for fire fighting," Indian Naval officer Rajesh Shetty told ANI.
"Twelve fire tenders including foam types have already been deployed by the navy. Medical teams and quick reaction teams continue to be on standby," he added.
Meanwhile, a Dornier aircraft of the Indian Navy conducted an aerial recce over the facility this morning, confirming that eight tanks were still ablaze.
The fire, which erupted in the Biomax Company around 7.30 p.m. yesterday, has become a massive challenge for the authorities due to the presence of highly inflammable material in the plant's premises.
According to reports, eighteen tanks of fuel and raw materials were present at the Biomax's unit at the time of fire. No causalities have been reported so far.
Such was the intensity of flames that Eastern Naval Command was pressed into service to aid the local authorities.
Filmmaker Kabir Khan, who was in Karachi to attend a marketing seminar, was slammed by some angry protesters at the Karachi airport during his departure today.
The protesters shouted anti-India and pro-Pakistan slogans and questioned the 'Phantom' director on why he did not make similar movies about the Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) activities in Pakistan, reports the Dawn.
"You people send Jhadav and kill hundreds here, why don't you make a movie about it?" a protester asked the Phantom director.
Another shoe-wielding protester chased Khan to the departure lounge, warning the director about "Indian conspiracies against Pakistan army."
However, without any reaction to it, Kabir proceeded toward the lounge.
This protest came on the backdrop of 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' director's flick 'Phantom' which had some anti-Pakistan content and a Saif Ali Khan dialogue "Ghar me Ghuss Ke Marenge."
Earlier, during the conference, Kabir explained his agenda for directing 'Phantom.'
"The purpose of Phantom was to show that there are some factions in both countries that will always try to prevent people to people contact. I strongly believe that whenever terrorists attacks occur, the media of both our countries create a ruckus, which colours the percepton of the people. But when a Chand Nawab and a Bajrangi meet, there will always be friendship," he said.
At least nine Taliban insurgents were killed and several others were injured in an ongoing military operation in northern Kunduz province of Afghanistan.
The operation launched on Tuesday night in Chahardara district of the province to clear the area of insurgents,reports Tolo News.
A number of villages have been cleared of insurgents and the operation is still ongoing to eliminate all insurgents,said the officials.
In recent weeks the security forces have killed dozens of Taliban insurgents including their commanders in the provinces.
Currently, the security forces are in clashes with insurgents in Dasht-e-Archi, Chahardara and Khan Abad district of the province.
Legendary US investigative journalist Seymour Hersh in his new book titled 'The Killing of Osama bin Laden' has once again claimed that he believes Islamabad helped Washington nab and kill Osama bin Laden.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist first made this claim in an article published last year which shook United States and forced the White House to reject the story as false. His claim was also rejected as incorrect by major U.S. media outlets.
In an interview to Dawn, Hersh once again said that he believed more than ever that Pakistan helped the United States get founder of al-Qaeda.
"I learned a lot more than I knew in the beginning," he said.
He said that that since last year there were new evidence that he saw that cemented his belief how US officials found Osama in his compound and killed him.
Claiming that Pakistan had detained Osama in 2006 and kept him prisoner with the backing of Saudi Arabia, Hersh said that the U.S and Islamabad then struck a deal. The deal was to raid Laden's compound but make it look like Pakistan was unaware about it.
"The Pakistani intelligence picked him (bin Laden) in the Hindu Kush area, built the compound in Abbottabad and put him there. Pakistani officials did so because the Saudis asked them to. The Saudis did not want Americans to interrogate Osama bin Laden," he said.
Arguing that it was not possible for U.S. helicopters to enter Abbottabad without alerting the Pakistanis, he said, "Pakistan is in constant alert because of India. Their radars are watching, their F-16s are up all the time."
Hersh also claimed that then army and ISI chiefs made the deal with the Americans, which had upset other Pakistani generals. He said the disgruntled general was made PIA chairman after his retirement to compensate for his silence.
"The then head of Pakistan's Air Defence Command was very, very upset. He was ready to go public," said Hersh.
He also in an interview to media outlet said that in August 2010, a Pakistani a colonel came to U.S. embassy and went to the then CIA Station Chief Jonathan Bank.
According to Hersh, when the CIA asked Pakistani officials to make the May 2, 2011, operation at Osama's compound in Abbottabad a surprise raid, they agreed.
Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect in the Paris terrorist attacks last November, arrived in France on Wednesday morning after being transferred from Belgium.
Suspected to be the logistics mastermind behind the attacks,he was transferred from Belgium after being under arrested by the Belgian police last month.
He will appear before a judge in Paris on Wednesday, reports the Guardian.
Upon his arrival in the French capital by helicopter accompanied by an elite squad of gendarmes, Abdeslam was questioned by anti-terrorist police before his court appearance.
The 26-year-old French national is alleged of arranging the logistics for the November attacks, of renting and paying for several apartments used by the gunmen and suicide bombers.
Before the attacks, he left three suspects at the Stade de France, where they blew themselves up. According to reports, he later told Belgian investigators of backing out of blowing himself at the last minute.
He was shot in the leg during his arrest in the Molenbeek area of Brussels on March 18 after being on the run for months.
The tragic Paris attacks killed 130 people and left 349 injured whose responsibility was claimed by Islamic State.
The recent suicide bombers attack in Brussels also claimed 32 people and injured over 300.
Meanwhile, Frank Berton, Abdeslam's defence lawyer in France, said, "We're a democracy. Everyone has the right to a defence and Salah Abdeslam must have one.
The Supreme Court will on Wednesday hear the Centre's plea against Uttarakhand High Court's order which set aside the President's rule in the state.
A division bench comprising Justices Dipak Mishra and Shiva Kirti Singh had stayed the order till today.
The Nainital High Court order had restored Harish Rawat-led Congress government in the state, but the state came under President's rule again after Supreme Court stayed the High Court order.
The apex court had earlier clarified that it is keeping in abeyance the judgment of the High Court till the next date of hearing, which is today, as a measure of balance for both the parties as the copy of the verdict was not made available to the parties.
Appearing for the Centre, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi had told the Supreme Court that while the Centre waits for a signed copy, Harish Rawat has already begun taking the decisions.
Rohatgi had requested the apex court for a stay on the Nainital High Court verdict that struck down President's rule in Uttarakhand, and to direct the High court to deliver a signed copy of the judgement.
Republican front-runner Donald Trump has won presidential primaries in all five United States contests across the northeast states.
Hillary Clinton, who was dominant in four Democratic races, is now 90 percent of the way to the number needed to claim her nomination.
Trump called himself the Republican 'presumptive nominee' after victories in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
He swept all five primaries, winning landslides of more than 30 percentage points over his rivals Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, reports New York Times.
The results bring him closer to the number of delegates he needs before the party's national convention in July.
Trump's and Clinton's wins propelled them ever closer to a general election showdown.
However, Sanders and Republicans Ted Cruz and John Kasich vowed to keep running, even as opportunities to topple the leaders are dwindling.
Trump still must negotiate a narrow path to keep from falling short of the delegates needed to claim the nomination before the Republican National Convention in July.
The Vermont senator won in Rhode Island and vowed to fight to the end of the primaries process.
Speaking at Philadelphia Convention Center after securing the four other states, Clinton said that her campaign was setting 'bold, progressive goals' to improve lives in the US.
The two Democrats have also been eyeing Indiana, with Clinton campaigning there on Tuesday.
Sanders has vowed to stay in the race until voting wraps up in June. He continues to raise millions of dollars and attract big crowds, including Tuesday night in West Virginia, where he urged his supporters to recognise they are 'powerful people if you choose to exercise that power'.
While Clinton's campaign expects Sanders to stay in the race, her advisers are eager for the Vermont senator to tone down his attacks on the former secretary of state.
Clinton has been reminding voters of the 2008 Democratic primary, when she endorsed Barack Obama after a tough campaign and urged her supporters to rally around her former rival.
The exit polls were conducted in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
The US-India Council (USIBC) today launched its first Annual West Coast Summit to examine the US-India corridor to build the digital future of the global economy.
The event witnessed Amitabh Kant, the newly appointed CEO of the National Institution of Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, proposing ways in which the Government of India and industry can coordinate efforts to ensure the success of programs such as Digital India, Start up India, Skill India, Financial Inclusion and Make in India.
The summit comes on the heels of the historic visit to the Silicon Valley undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2015, where Silicon Valley entrepreneurs had highlighted the importance of US-India bilateral ties in the technology corridor.
USIBC Chairman John Chambers remained optimistic on India's prospects for growth despite strong global headwinds and said, "With the Prime Minister's extraordinary vision and leadership, India stands out as a force for change. The country also has someone as dynamic as Kant to lead the policy efforts of the Narendra Modi. There's a reason why Cisco is investing USD 100 million in India the next few years; it is representative of what we think is an opportunity to build the next generation of innovative solutions, talent, and products for the digital economy."
In a lively discussion between John Chambers and Amitabh Kant, the latter was applauded for his action-oriented governance and being the key figure for breathing life in to Prime Minister Modi's vision of Digital India, Make in India and Skill India.
Kant said that India's future would lie in how successfully the country is able to provide universal access for all citizens as well as improve the quality of education across all levels. Kant also highlighted that dismantling a heavy bureaucracy, fostering healthy and competitive environment continues to be the mandate for Prime Minister Modi's government.
Kant was also awarded the 'USIBC Transformative Leadership Award', an honor that has been instituted by the council to acknowledge excellence in public service and recognize the honoree's achievement in championing US-India ties in the areas of trade, politics and culture.
Congratulating Amitabh Kant on being the first recipient of the award, Mukesh Aghi, President of the USIBC said, "Amitabh has been the key player in promoting ease of doing in India and unlocking the potential of some vital initiatives such as Make in India, Start up India and the simplification of the permitting process. His branding ideas such as Incredible India and God's Own Country have put India on the global map. Under his stewardship, FDI flow to India has risen 37 percent. There couldn't be a more deserving candidate than Amitabh to receive this award."
With a major transition set to take place in the US government next year, the 45th US President will face a multitude of opportunities and challenges with regard to US-India bilateral ties.
The summit featured a panel on the priorities for the next President with former Undersecretary of Political Affairs, Nicholas Burns, and the Consul General of San Francisco, Ambassador Venkatesan Ashok. Nicholas Burns stated that there is bipartisan consensus at the political and policy level that makes the potential for US-India relations limitless.
The event was attended by USIBC Chairman John Chambers CEO of the National Institution of Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, Amitabh Kant; CEO of Adobe Shantanu Narayen; USIBC President Dr. Mukesh Aghi; Varsha Rao, Head of Global Operations, Airbnb; and Joseph DiSimone, CEO of Carbon, among others.
Home invasion
Flagstaff police are looking for a man who broke into a couple's home while there were sleeping inside.
According to the police report, the victims saw a man they did not know standing outside their bedroom door at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday in the 3000 block of North Zurich Street. The suspect appeared to have entered the house by kicking in an exterior door to the garage and a second door leading into the house. Cabinets and drawers in the house and garage had been opened and multiple items were missing, including money, keys, a wallet and electronics.
The suspect fled the house when one of the victims yelled at him to leave.
The victims described the suspect as a white or Hispanic male, approximately 30 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall and 180 pounds wearing a red top and blue bottoms. He may have been seen heading into the Siler Homes area in a dark hoodie.
The investigation is ongoing.
Charged with DUI
Kyle Dean Erwin, 21, of West University Avenue was arrested by Flagstaff Police Department and charged with DUI at 1:01 a.m. Saturday.
City and county residents who want to report a crime but wish to remain anonymous may call Silent Witness at 774-6111 or (877) 29-CRIME, submit a tip online at www.coconinosilentwitness.org, or text the word Flagtip along with your information to 274637 (CRIMES). Rewards of up to $2,000 are given for information that leads to an arrest.
A week back, we reported how Mitsubishi have been rigging fuel efficiency tests to show favourable figures. As it turns out, they have been fudging it since the past 25 years! The Japanese giant said it improperly tested the fuel economy of its cars for the past two and a half decades!
How did they do it? They over-inflated tyres. That's all! The automaker also said that it compiled data for fuel economy tests using U.S. standards, where highway driving forms a bulk of the commute. Japanese regulations changed way back in 1991 to account for urban stop and go commutes, which Mitsubishi failed to follow. It admitted to submitting non-compliant data to Japan's transport ministry since then.
The automaker has also set up an independent committee to investigate the matter, which is expected to submit a report in three months. Ever since it admitted to manipulating test data, the automaker has lost half of its market value (approximately Rs. 25,900 Crores). The cause of falsifying the test results seems to be aggressive internal targets, which may have put pressure on the employees. Mitsubishi Motors raised its fuel economy targets five times in two years, reaching 29.2 km/l from an initial target of 26.4 km/l. Fudging fuel economy numbers is a direct violation of Japan's fuel efficiency law. Buyers get a break in taxes if the vehicle claims to be efficient.
It is unclear as to how authorities plan on penalising Mitsubishi, or how the automaker plans on compensating the buyers. All said and done: the issue isn't as bad as the dieselgate scandal that Volkswagen pulled off. We are amused that they slid past the regulations for twenty-five years, though!
Source : CarDekho
On 25 April 2016
Alps Industries announced that the Company has entered into a Settlement and General Release Agreement with Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) on 25 April 2016 for settlement of all disputed claims of ABN Amro Bank NV against certain disputed derivative transactions entered into with ABN Amro Bank NV which has been shown by company as contingent liability estimated at Rs. 308 crore approx. as on June 2010.
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Cotton is a very important crop and very high level of subsidies in the developed countries have been a cause of worry for the developing countries. The subsidies provided in these countries adversely affect the cotton growers in the poorest of the countries.
The Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture (AOA) permits export subsidies on agriculture subject to the limits set-out in Members' Schedules of Commitments. Export subsidies can still be used by WTO Members, but only where they used them during the base period (1986-1988).
As India did not have any export subsidies during the base period, it was not entitled to any export subsidies except subsidies aimed at reducing the cost of marketing including internal and external transport as well as handling and processing costs (that is, subsidies listed in Article 9.1(d) and (e)), provided that these are not applied in a manner that would circumvent export subsidy reduction commitments.
This exemption is one of the special and differential treatment provisions of the AOA and was available during the implementation period of the Uruguay Round.
The implementation period of the AOA has ended and, therefore, some of the members have been arguing that the special and differential treatment provisions under Article 9.4 of the AOA are no longer available.
The Nairobi Ministerial Decision on Cotton and Export Competition resulted in a commitment by developed countries to immediately eliminate their export subsidies on the date of adoption of the decision; i.e December 19, 2015 and Developing countries by January 01, 2017.
At the previous Ministerial Conference of the WTO in Bali, Indonesia in December 2013, a Ministerial Decision reaffirmed a commitment to the objective of eliminating agricultural export subsidies, but stopped short of making legal commitments. The issue of addressing cotton subsidies was reiterated in almost all Ministerial Conferences.
India is not a major user of the export subsidies and as per India's notifications to the WTO, India has not given any export subsidy for cotton between the year 2006-07 and 2009-10.
The Nairobi Ministerial Decision on elimination of export subsidies on cotton will in fact be good for Indian exports as it will create a level playing field for our farmers, who were not entitled for it but other developed countries were providing the same as scheduled, as per the rules.
Thus India's push has helped in elimination of cotton export subsidies by developed countries. This will help Indian cotton growers in competing with other growers as well as prevent dumping of subsidized cotton in India.
Government of India is committed to the welfare of cotton farmers and has been taking every step to protect the cotton farmers which includes procurement of cotton through Cotton Corporation of India at Minimum Support Prices.
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Mahindra & Mahindra rose 1.4% at Rs 1,374 05 at 15:15 IST on BSE after the company announced the launch of a new pick-up vehicle under the name Big Bolero Pik-up.
The announcement was made during market hours today, 27 April 2016.
Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 63.42 points or 0.24% at 26,070.72.
On BSE, so far 36,888 shares were traded in the counter as against average daily volume of 93,193 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit high of Rs 1,377.50 and low of Rs 1,344 so far during the day. The stock had hit a record high of Rs 1,441.45 on 7 August 2015. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 1,092 on 12 February 2016. The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 26 April 2016, rising 8.47% compared with Sensex's 2.64% rise. The scrip had also outperformed the market in past one quarter, gaining 15.02% as against Sensex's 6.21% rise.
The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 310.55 crore. Face value per share is Rs 5.
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) said the vehicle will be available in two variants priced at Rs 6.15 lakh and Rs 6.30 lakh ex-showroom Pune. The product is launched to cater to India and India like markets. Currently, the product is launched for the domestic market only, M&M said.
M&M's net profit declined 14.2% to Rs 807.99 crore on 17.1% growth in net sales to Rs 10900.39 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014.
Mahindra Group enjoys a leadership position in tractors, utility vehicles, information technology, financial services and vacation ownership. In addition, Mahindra enjoys a strong presence in the agribusiness, aerospace, components, consulting services, defence, energy, industrial equipment, logistics, real estate, retail, steel, commercial vehicles and two-wheeler industries.
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Minister of State for Agriculture Mr. Mohanbhai Kundariya on Tuesday emphasized the need to spread information of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) to all the farmers of the country for which he invites all the stakeholders such as PHD Chamber and private insurance players to organize kisan melas in all the villages of the country so that farmers may avail the scheme of the government in better ways.
Inaugurating the 2nd National Seminar on Agri Insurance: Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana under aegis of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Minister said that the information of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana should spread by organizing kisan melas in all small villages of the country so that the farmers may get maximum benefits of the scheme of the government.
He underlined that not only non-loanee farmers have been covered under the scheme but also the scheme is focusing on introducing cap on the premium and added that the full benefit of the sum assured would be utilized with the major aim of maximizing the coverage under the scheme. He stated that before framing the scheme Prime Minister of India wanted that the scheme must not only exist on paper but must be implemented effectively with this objective the scheme has been framed and the farmers' welfare has been targeted at wider arena.
According to the Minister, to make the agriculture insurance attractive among the farmers, there is a need to educate farmers by organizing such events for which the government has been initiating such steps and organizing awareness campaign across the country.
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani in his address mentioned that the government of India is slowly moving towards farm level assessment of losses and local calamities such as unseasonal rains etc. and also underlined that the scheme can be a game changer. He also asserted that further scope for making the policy more flexible including experts from various states of the country.
In his welcome remarks, President, PHD Chamber, Dr. Mahesh Gupta said that agriculture insurance penetration amongst India's farming community is abysmal. Out of the gross cropped area of 195.26 million hectares in the country, only 42.82 million hectares or 22 per cent was covered under crop insurance in 2014. While the coverage was higher in some states especially Rajasthan and also Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Bihar and Karnataka it was hardly a tenth or less for the likes of Gujarat, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.
The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) will come into force from the Kharif season starting in June this year.
The scheme covers kharif, rabi crops as well as annual commercial and horticultural crops. For Kharif crops, the premium charged would be up to 2% of the sum insured. For Rabi crops, the premium would be up to 1.5% of the sum assured. For annual commercial and horticultural crops, premium would be 5 per cent.
Earlier only those farmers who have taken loans for their cultivation, were eligible for insurance of their crops. However as per the new scheme, all farmers are eligible for the new crop insurance scheme irrespective of the condition of taking loan or not. The insurance plan will be handled under a single insurance company, AIC and entire insurance process; right from joining of farmers to disbursement of claim is to be made electronically to make it a fraud free and effective scheme.
Subjects experts from the sector of weather and risk management, insurance companies etc. added more inputs and floor participation from farmers, brokers in insurance and the academia added their pertinent inputs. The Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani elaborated and addressed all queries raised.
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Allots 32.23 lakh shares to anchor investors at Rs 446 per share
Diagnostic chain operator Thyrocare Technologies has raised Rs 143.76 crore by selling 32.23 lakh shares to anchor investors ahead of the opening of the company's initial public offer (IPO). The shares were allotted to the anchor investors at Rs 446 per share, the top end of the Rs 420 to Rs 446 per share price band for the IPO.
Anchor investors allotted shares of Thyrocare Technologies include Nomura Trust and Banking Company, DSP Blackrock Emerging Stars Fund, HDFC Trustee Company, Birla Sunlife Trustee Company, Reliance Capital Trustee Company, SBI Magnum Multiplier Fund, ICICI Prudential, Tata AIA Life Insurance Company, Copthall Mauritius Investment, Spring Healthcare India Trust, FIL Investments (Mauritius), L&T Mutual Fund, Sundaram Mutual Fund and DB International (Asia).
The initial public offer (IPO) of Thyrocare Technologies, opened for bidding through the book-building route today, 27 April 2016. The bidding for the IPO concludes on 29 April 2016. The issue comprises of offer for sale of up to 1.07 crore equity shares by existing shareholders of the company. The company will not receive any funds from the IPO. Private equity investor Agalia Private Limited is selling 1.02 crore shares via the IPO. From the promoter group, A. Velumani HUF and A. Sundararaju HUF are selling 1.8 lakh shares each and Anand Velumani is selling 1.77 lakh shares.
Promoted by Dr. A. Velumani and A Sundararaju, Thyrocare Technologies is one of the leading pan-India diagnostic chain operators. It conducts an array of medical diagnostic tests and profiles of tests that center on early detection and management of disorders and diseases, including thyroid disorders, growth disorders, metabolism disorders, auto-immunity, diabetes, anemia, cardiovascular disorders, infertility and various infectious diseases. The company primarily operates its testing services through a fully automated Central Processing Laboratory (CPL). It has recently expanded its operations to include a network of Regional Processing Laboratories (RPLs).
The company has built a nation-wide network of authorized service providers that source samples for processing and testing by the RPLs and CPL. As of 29 February 2016, the company had a network of 1,041 authorized service providers, comprised of 687 Thyrocare Aggregators (TAGs) and 354 Thyrocare Service Providers (TSPs) spread across 466 cities, 24 states and one union territory. The company offers wellness and preventive tests under Aarogyam brand. The company also operates a network of molecular imaging centers in New Delhi, Navi Mumbai and Hyderabad focused on early and effective cancer monitoring. This business is carried through its wholly owned subsidiary NHL.
Based on the consolidated financial performance, Thyrocare Technologies reported net profit of Rs 40.02 crore on revenue from operations of Rs 175.91 crore for nine months ended 31 December 2015. Net profit stood at Rs 44.43 crore on revenue from operations of Rs 182.95 crore for the year ended 31 March 2015.
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The Algerian army arrested at least 34 people over charges of offering support to terrorist groups in the provinces of Tizi Ouzou and El-Oued, the country's defence ministry has said.
The ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that this operation was part of the fight against terrorism in coordination with police forces, adding that 32 individuals were arrested in El-Oued, near borders with Tunisia and Libya and two others were arrested in Tizi Ouzou, Xinhua news agency reported.
The African country has been deploying troops on the eastern borderline to thwart intrusion of arms and militants, due to unstable security situation in neighbouring Tunisia and Libya.
--IANS
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Actress Lakshmi Priyaa Chandramouli says nearly 80 percent of forthcoming Tamil horror-drama "Kalam", which releases in cinemas on Friday, unfolds inside a house which plays a pivotal character in the film.
"Almost 80 percent of the film takes place in the house which plays a very important character. It's one of the most beautiful houses I've come across in the city. It's a very ancient house and each room has about 10 doors. There's no story without the house," Lakshmi told IANS.
Directed by Robert Raaj, the film also stars Srinivas, Amzath and Madhu Sudhan.
"Kalam" will be a logical horror film, says Lakshmi.
"Unlike the recent horror comedies, our film is not intended to be funny. It has the usual share of thrills but everything you see will be logical and sensible," she said.
Although the experience working with a new team was encouraging, Lakshmi found night shoots exhausting.
"We were working on a tight budget, and hence, were working on double call sheets. Most of the night shoots will continue to the next day and we'd hardly have any time to sleep. It was really exhausting but the stress never came in the way of our work, thanks to the very committed team," she said.
Talking about her eerie experiences on the sets, she revealed: "Most of the interiors of the house was made of wood. So every time we'd walk around at nights, the wood would creak and the sound would send chills down our spines."
Lakshmi currently has independent projects such as "Revelations" and "Iglu", besides a few Tamil and Malayalam projects in her kitty.
--IANS
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The Afghan Taliban on Wednesday confirmed a visit of its leaders to Pakistan.
A three-member delegation had arrived in Islamabad from its Qatar-based office on Monday to discuss with Pakistan the possibility of the peace talks, diplomatic and official sources said.
"Since the Afghan people have close relations, long border and commercial transactions with neighbouring country Pakistan and a large number of our countrymen are living there as refugees, therefore, the Political Office of the Islamic Emirate has decided to send a high level delegation to Islamabad," the Taliban Qatar office said.
"The esteemed leader of Islamic Emirate has instructed the delegation to discuss issues regarding Afghan refugees, some problems about frontier areas and particularly to discuss the release of Mullah Bradar Akhund and some other prisoners with the officials of the government of Pakistan."
Mullah Baradar, the former second-in-command in the Taliban hierarchy, was arrested in Karachi in 2010, and the Taliban said he has not yet been freed.
Pakistan had said in 2013 that he had been released along with some 50 senior Taliban leaders in 2013 on the request by then Afghan president Hamid Karzai.
A Taliban statement said the visit to Pakistan "would be in the interest of both countries and would have fruitful results".
Pakistan had hosted the first face-to-face meeting between the Taliban and the Afghan government in July last year near Islamabad.
The talks -- dubbed as Murree Peace Process -- broke down after the death of Mullah Omar was confirmed in late July.
--IANS
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Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday rebutted the Bharatiya Janata Party's allegation of corruption in the AgustaWestland chopper deal, asserting there was "no case in this".
"There is no case, my party will respond," said Manmohan Singh when asked about AgustaWestland chopper deal.
The chopper deal scam has led to an uproar in parliament after reports that an Italian court has found that around Rs 120 crore-125 crore was paid to Indian officials to get the $530 million contract for the .
The court order, according to media reports, showed that the firm lobbied with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her close aides, including Ahmed Patel, and then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Local advocacy group Friends of Flagstaff's Future announced its opposition to Proposition 123, the school funding proposition that would increase the percentage of interest taken from the State Land Trust Permanent Endowed Fund.
F3 President Tory Syracuse said the group does not take stances on political candidates, but does offer support or opposition to political movements like Prop. 123.
"We thought it was important that we take a stand on Prop. 123 because we believe it is misleading," Syracuse said in an email. "It is being presented by supporters as an answer to our state funding crisis for education, but it is only a short-term solution, has disastrous implications for future education funding, and does not address the root of the problem: that our leaders are unwilling to adequately fund education."
The group joins the Arizona League of Women Voters and the Arizona branch of the American Association of University Women in its opposition to the proposition, which is supported by groups like the Flagstaff Education Association, which represents teachers.
Syracuse said instead of Proposition 123, the organization would like to see the state's projected budget surplus used to fund education.
Bangladeshi authorities should immediately investigate the killings of two lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) human rights activists, Human Rights Watch said.
Police found Xulhaz Mannan and Tonoy Mahbub hacked to death in a Dhaka apartment on the evening of April 25.
The killings follow a spate of recent targeted attacks on writers, educators, bloggers and editors who promote liberal and secular ideas that radical groups believe are against Islam.
The killings of Mannan and Mahbub brings to nine the number of liberals hacked to death in Bangladesh in 2016.
"The slaughter of two men advocating the basic rights of Bangladesh's beleaguered LGBT community should prompt a thorough investigation, aimed at prosecuting those responsible," Human Rights Watch said.
"The government needs to protect activists and to call a halt to the impunity that links this chain of vicious murders."
--IANS
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Director Sooraj Barjatya says that the industry is more conducive for independent filmmakers today who have "fresh thoughts" as the audience is much more "real cinema-oriented".
"There's no opportunity better than now for people who have fresh thoughts and who want to do something new because the audience is much more educated, much more real cinema-oriented," Barjatya said at an event here.
"I wish everyone that whatever is there in your mind, you should definitely make it. It is difficult to make films today, but if you have the passion, then you have everything," he added.
Barjatya has been in the industry for more than 25 years now, having delivered some of the biggest hits of the industry with films such as "Maine Pyar Kiya", "Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!" and recently "Prem Ratan Dhan Payo".
In today's time where Indian cinema is undergoing many experimental and innovative changes, 'I Am A Film Maker, I Am Independent', an initiative of We Manage Filmz, founded by Gaurav Pandey, promises to encourage independent film makers by bringing them close to each other and to the right audience.
--IANS
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Republican front-runner has said Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton is playing the "woman card" to try to get elected as president.
"I call her 'crooked Hillary' because she's crooked, and the only thing she's got is the woman card. That's all she's got? it's a weak card in her hands," Trump said on 'Fox and Friends' on Tuesday morning, ahead of primaries in five states Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Maryland and Rhode Island.
Trump won in all the five states while Clinton bettered her opponents in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Connecticut. Her main rival, Vermont junior senator Bernie Sanders, picked up his sole victory in Rhode Island, The Washington Post reported.
Read more from our special coverage on "DONALD TRUMP"
The business mogul said that Clinton is using her gender to pander to the electorate, and that the "woman card" just "may be enough" for her.
"I'd love to see a woman president, but she's the wrong person. She's a disaster," Trump said.
Trump has a history of making incendiary remarks about women. Last year, he said Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly had "blood coming out of her wherever" after she questioned him about his history of calling women "disgusting animals" and "dogs".
Last month, he retweeted an unflattering image of rival Ted Cruz's wife Heidi, contrasted with his own wife, retired model Melania Trump.
Trump also had words for actress Lena Dunham, who said she would move to Vancouver if Trump is elected.
"She's a B actor and has no, you know, mojo," Trump said.
The demand for a support package for the steel industry has been referred to the finance ministry, union minister Vishnu Deo Sai said on Wednesday.
"Some domestic steel manufacturers associations and other stake holders have represented for working out a suitable comprehensive package to support steel sector. The representations have been forwarded to Department of Financial Services for consideration," the minister of state for steel and mines said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
The minister clarified that the government, however, was not preparing a bailout for the steel sector.
"Representations received from Indian Chamber of Commerce and Indian Steel Association to consider working out a suitable comprehensive package to support steel industry, have been sent to Department of Financial Services," he added.
The government said that since the global steel industry is going through a severe downturn, demand slowdown and global over-capacity have resulted in very low international steel prices.
"Major steel producing countries are adopting a predatory pricing strategy and exporting at prices, apparently lower than its cost of production, in a bid to capture markets like India. This has resulted in declining profitability of Indian steel companits," he said.
The minister said that for reducing stress in the steel sector, the Reserve Bank of India had extended 5/25 scheme in July 2015, whereby longer amortization period has been allowed for loans to projects in infrastructure and core industries sectors.
He added that the government also increased the peak rate of basic customs duty on both flat and non-flat steel to 15 percent from 10 percent in the 2015-16 union budget.
--IANS
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Fire was still raging in a biodiesel factory in Duvvada Special Economic Zone (SEZ), more than 12 hours after it broke out, police said on Wednesday.
Huge flames were still seen in Biomax Fuels Limited and the officials said the Tuesday's fire may not be brought under control till evening.
As many as 40 fire engines were on the scene, trying to extinguish the blaze. A helicopter of the Indian Navy flew over to monitor the situation.
Visakhapatnam district collector Yuvaraj said 12 tanks of crude oil and biodiesel caught the fire, which broke out around 7.30 p.m. Tuesday. Six of them tanks blew up with huge explosions.
Officials said efforts were being to contain the flames from reaching six other fuel tanks in the factory premises.
Officials said fire could come under control after the fuel in the tanks which are on fire is completely burnt. Each of these tanks has a capacity of 3,000 litres and were filled between 30 to 70 percent.
Foam fire engines from Visakha Shipyard and Visakha Steel Plant were battling to control the fire since last night. Navy and Visakhapatnam Port were also helping in dousing the fire.
State minister G. Srinivas Rao said two company employees sustained minor injuries while others present in the premises escaped to safety.
The huge fire triggered panic among residents in adjoining residential areas.A Authorities evacuated few areas.
The fire believed to have resulted in a loss of aroundARs.200 crore.A The cause of the fire is still not known.
--IANS
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A maiden space launch from a newly-built Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Far East was postponed due to the failure of the automatic control system, space agency Roscosmos said on Wednesday.
"An automatic stop of the launch occurred after the supercharge command due to malfunction of the automated control system," Roscosmos head Igor Komarov said.
The orbit for the launch was sun-synchronous, thus the postponement for 24 hours is planned? I think there is every reason to believe that it can be fixed in one day," Sputnik news agency quoted Komarov as saying.
According to Roscosmos, the postponement of the maiden launch was no connected to the spaceport's infrastructure and was not caused by the human factor.
The telemetry, as well as the Soyuz-2.1a rocket and three satellites are operating normally, according to the space agency.
--IANS
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Summer vacations in Jharkhand schools for students of pre-nursery to class eight will begin from April 29, an official said on Wednesday.
Jharkhand Secretary Ardhana Patnaik had on Tuesday ordered the closure of schools from April 28 due to the intense heat.
However, representatives of schools met Ranchi district officials on Wednesday and requested for the implementation of the order from Friday.
"Schools have taken special permission from the department to let schools function on Thursday. Students of pre-nursery to class eight will go on summer vacation from April 29," a message from school managements to parents of students said.
Students of Class VIII to XII will continue to attend school till May 7 from 6.30 a.m. to 10.30 am.
Jharkhand is facing a heat wave and resultant water crisis this year. Mercury in Ranchi has shot up to more than 40 degrees Celsius since the beginning of April.
The maximum temperature has touched around 45 degrees in Jamshedpur, Daltanganj and other parts of the state.
Acute water crisis has hit residents of Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Daltanagnj and other parts of Jharkhand.
More than 15 people have died of heat wave, including a schoolgirl who died of sunstroke in Ranchi on Monday.
--IANS
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A taxi driver in Iran's Rasht city has lodged his car with books in a bid to encourage his passengers to read in his taxi, the media reported.
Sahel Filsoof, who has turned his shuttle taxi into a mobile library, believes that people could solve many of their problems by reading books, Xinhua news agency reported.
"The idea to lodge my taxi with books hit me long time ago," Filsoof told IRNA, adding that he thought reading books may provide the public with mental fodder.
His taxi exhibits some 50 books on different subjects, including psychology, children and history, and the fans of his taxi-library are mostly women and young men, he was quoted as saying.
According to Filsoof, he asked the authorities of the public libraries across the northern province of Gilan to support his move and he was granted scores of books to increase the quality of his mobile library.
"When I come across a passenger who asks me for a book to read, I just realise I am doing a good job," he said.
--IANS
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The four-day conference of a host of anti-Beijing international Chinese action groups in Dharamsala from April 28 is bound to mark a watershed in the history of India-China relations. Contrary to India's established policy of playing the underdog or a hesitant victim, New Delhi appears to be shifting to the combat mode in its dealings with Beijing.
This is first time such a big conglomeration of leaders representing various anti-Beijing Chinese action groups belonging to Tibet, Xinjiang, Mongolia, Taiwan, Hongkong and, of course, pro-democracy Chinese dissidents and leaders of oppressed religious minorities of China like Christians, Muslims and Falun Gong will be meeting together in India.
They are scheduled to exchange notes and probe common strategies on democratising China and getting justice for China's colonised nationalities like Tibet, East Turkistan and Inner Mongolia. Invited leaders include Yang Jianli, the star of 1989 Tiananmen Square democratic uprising of Chinese students.
A leading NGO, Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), will host the conference jointly with US-based group Citizen Power for China (CFC) and Initiatives For China (IFC), also US-based.
The delegates will be be addressed by Tibet's exiled ruler and supreme spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. This is first time that India is allowing almost all such groups to sit together, each of whom has its own compelling reasons, and capacity, to hit their Communist tormentors' regime at its soft belly from within.
China has repeatedly irked the Narendra Modi government since day one. Beijing's repeated use of its veto in the UN to block India's move to get Pakistani terrorist Masood Azhar's name included in the world body's official list of terrorists is only the latest one.
Many other Chinese steps like PLA soldiers intruding into Ladakh on the eve of President Xi Jinping's visit to India and a swathe of military-oriented 'developmental' projects by China in Pakisttan-occupied Kashmir have put India-China ties under severe strain of late.
Even before the conference started, Dolkun Isa, a known human rights fighter from East Turkistan, stole the limelight when New Delhi issued visa to him and his two Uyghur colleagues to attend this conference. India later withdrew Dolkun's visa, fearing that it may not be able to protect him from arrest by Interpol during his travels between Germany and India.
Dolkun Isa is the secretary of World Uyghur Congress (WUC), the umbrella organization of various Uighur groups across the globe which are working for freedom of East Turkistan from Chinese occupation. He had been repeatedly jailed by Chinese authorities before he escaped to Germany in 1997. China has officially branded him a 'terrorist' and managed to get Interpol's red-corner notice issued against him in 2003.
Interestingly, despite protests from Beijing, New Delhi has neither withdrawn the visas of the other Uyghur leaders nor put any restrictions on the Dharamsala conference.
In an interview with me a few months ago, Dolkun strongly contested his being labeled a 'terrorist' by Beijing.
"Since China annexed our country in 1949 they were using terms like 'criminals', 'gangs' and 'thugs' for those Uyghurs like me who dared to express themselves against the colonial occupation of our country. But soon after the September 11 attack in the US, when 'terrorism' became a buzzword, the Chinese government started using terms like 'terrorism' and 'terrorists' for people like me. ..... Now they are using term 'war on terror' as a pretext to divert world attention from the colonial occupation and suppression of East Turkistan (Xinjiang)," he said.
On the possibility of a dialogue with Beijing, the Uyghur leaders refer to Chairman Mao's strange 'dialogue policy'. Mao sent invitation to various clan leaders of East Turkistan for a 'friendly dialogue' in August 1949 when he discovered that the Uyghur clans were up in arms against the invading PLA. He sent a plane to Novosibirsk in the Soviet Union to fetch the Uyghur leaders for a dialogue. But before the plane could reach Beijing, it exploded midair on August 26 and almost an entire generation of East Turkistani leadership was wiped out in a single go.
Although New Delhi has revoked Dolkun Isa's visa and India remains unhappy on China's stand on Masood Azhar, but the real issues are far deeper and more serious than what meets the eye. It would not be surprising if future developments prove that by protecting Masood Azhar, China has focused on using Pakistani terror leaders as its extended arm to neutralize the freedom struggle of Muslim Uyghurs.
But, by its unending anti-India actions, China has also compelled India to aim at the soft belly of this rogue and aggressive opponent. The Dharamsala conference appears to be beginning of a new game between the two powers.
(The author is a veteran China-watcher and chairman, Centre for Himalayan Asia Studies and Engagement. The views expressed are personal. Vijay Kranti can be contacted at
v.kranti@gmail.com)
--IANS
vijay/vm
Despite Bernie Sanders repeated accusations, theres no real evidence that Hillary Clinton has been corrupted by large campaign contributions. But thats not to say donors havent influenced her thinking and priorities. Lodged in the gap between Sanders attacks and Clintons rejoinders lies the truth about big money in politics.
Anyone who has heard two minutes of a Sanders stump speech knows he rails against a corrupt campaign finance system that benefits the rich and powerful, and boasts of the support he gets from millions of individuals making small donations.
Sanders and his supporters call Clintons fundraising obscene. Using fuzzy math (such as counting all the donations bundled by lobbyists who have had oil companies as clients), the Sanders campaign asserted that Clinton took millions in donations from the fossil fuel industry.
More recently, the Sanders campaigns lawyer issued a letter suggesting, without evidentiary support, that Clinton or her supporters were breaking the law when they solicited six-figure donations in a joint fundraising operation with the Democratic National Committee and state political parties. In fact, while that fundraising strategy might be troublesome, it does not appear to violate any of the many porous rules set by Congress, the Federal Election Commission or the Supreme Court. Nor is there any evidence, despite the belief of some ardent Sanders supporters, that Clinton has somehow been bribed to do the bidding of big donors.
Still, Clinton struggles to explain why, when she opposes the influence of big money on politics, that no one should worry about her super PAC money and massive donations. During a New Hampshire debate she said you will not find that I ever changed a view or a vote because of any donation that I ever received. I bet Clinton actually believes this statement. But it glosses over the more subtle way money influences politics.
The unending money chase demanded by our privately financed system of campaigns skews how candidates spend their time and what views they hear. When you spend hours every day interacting with those wealthy enough to make four-, five-, six- and even seven-figure donations, you cant but help to have your priorities influenced by their concerns.
Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, who has spent hours a day on the phone asking for donations, spoke at a Yale conference a few years ago about how this soul-crushing amount of fundraising skews priorities. I talked a lot more about carried interest inside of that call room than I did in the supermarket, Murphy said, referring to a controversy about how little tax wealthy hedge fund managers and others pay on certain investment income.
A 2013 study found that the wealthy are much more likely than the rest of us to report having personal contact with a senator or representative. And it turns out that the 1 percent have very distinct views on public policy. The same study reported that the very wealthy are much less likely than the general public to support policies such as raising the minimum wage, providing substantive unemployment benefits, or expanding public health insurance programs.
Money has influence even before it is donated. A senator taking a position in favor of Internet gaming, for example, has to ask whether that stance will cause casino mogul Sheldon Adelson to unleash millions against him. Likewise, every senator from New York, including Clinton from 2001 to 2009, knows that staking out positions against Wall Street can close wallets or send money streaming to their opponents.
This is a deeply troubling campaign finance system, one which is slipping dangerously toward plutocracy. But it doesnt take a bribe for money to matter, a lot.
Japanese automobile maker Isuzu Motors will export vehicles from its Indian plant in Sri City in Andhra Pradesh besides automotive components, senior officials said on Wednesday.
The company's 50,000 units per annum plant was inaugurated by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu when he drove the first India made D-Max pickup model out of the assembly line.
"India is a strategic market for Isuzu Motors. We will be exporting out of India in the future as this plant will be a key manufacturing hub for our global operations," said Masanori Katayama, president, Isuzu Motors.
"Isuzu Motors has earmarked Rs.3,000 crore investment for the Indian project. Initially the local content will be around 70 percent and the percentage will be increased gradually," Hiroyasu Miura, chairman, Isuzu Motors India, told the gathering.
He said the company was in India for the past four years studying the market.
Speaking at the inaugural, Naidu said the government had agreed to the request of Isuzu Motors to extend the mega investment incentives to the component units to be set up in Sri City while exempting road tax to the company vehicles.
Eight component suppliers of Isuzu Motors will set up their operations at Sri City, he added.
He said Sri City has attracted 120 companies of which 80 are operational now.
According to Miura, the plant's production capacity can be increased to 120,000 units.
The bookings for the Isuzu branded vehicles will soon start followed by deliveries across India. According to the company, D-Max V-Cross is India's first adventure utility vehicle.
--IANS
vj/rn/mr
Reacting to reports that he was welcomed here with protests and anti-India slogans, "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" director Kabir Khan on Wednesday urged media persons of both countries to "ignore" such stories.
There were reports that noisy protests had erupted at Karachi airport on Wednesday against the Bollywood director as he was about to board a plane to go to Lahore.
The director also said that the footage captured by some "screaming lunatics" should not be considered news.
He tweeted: "To media on both sides: 12 screaming lunatics with a mobile phone camera is not news. Please don't give them the attention they want. Ignore".
Demonstrators mobbed Khan while shouting anti-India slogans asking him 'why he did not make movies depicting the role played by the Indian intelligence agency RAW in Pakistan'.
In fact, at least one man waved a shoe at Khan who did not respond to the ruckus at the departure lounge, Dawn reported.
The director had panned his camera to narrate a story about a retired Indian Army officer who leads a mission to kill Pakistani terrorist leader Hafiz Saeed set in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks through his film "Phantom", which was banned in Pakistan.
Khan, who has also showed the relationship between the two countries in new light of love and admiration with "Bajrangi Bhaijaan", starring superstar Salman Khan, arrived here to take part in a conference and said he was a firm believer in India's secular fabric and in the friendship between India and Pakistan.
--IANS
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Actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan will bring back one of his most loved characters from yesteryear in his next yet-untitled trilingual project, which will officially launch here on Friday.
"It's true that Kamal sir will be playing one of his most popular characters, and it's tipped to be hilarious. He will officially announce it on Friday," a source close to Haasan told IANS.
To be directed by Rajeev Kumar, the film will feature Haasan and his daughter Shruti Haasan as father-daughter for the first time on the screen.
Popular Telugu comedian Brahmanandam, Ramya Krishnan and Saurabh Shukla are already part of the project, which will be simultaneously shot in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.
A majority portion of the film will be shot in the US, besides some scenes in India.
Maestro Ilayaraja has been roped in to compose the tunes.
--IANS
hp
Union Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday made a veiled attack on the erstwhile UPA government for the "losses" suffered by the government-run telecom companies BSNL and MTNL.
The minister also suggested that a detailed debate could be held on the subject in the house.
"I have lot to hear on the same. I also have to tell a lot," Prasad told the Lok Sabha during question hour and alleged that both the companies suffered losses to the tune of Rs.10,000 crore in 2014 when the BJP-led NDA took office in May 2014.
He said that in 2004, when the Congress-led UPA came to power, BSNL was imaking profit of Rs.10,183 crore and MTNL Rs.900 crore.
However, "in 10 years" things changed, he said.
"When we took charge in 2014, the BSNL was suffering a loss of Rs.8,000 crore and MTNL Rs.2,000 crore. We are ready for a discussion in the house," he said.
Ravi Shankar Prasad also asserted that both the organisations were trying their best to generate maximum revenues for revival.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed that we bring these on track," he said, adding efforts were on to improve the functioning of both the government-run telecom companies.
Asa result of the efforts, he claimed, the BSNL's income from services in 2014-15 increased by 4.16 percent over 2013-14 while the BSNL's income in 2014-15 rose to Rs.27,242 crore as compared to Rs.26,153 crore in 2013-14.
"BSNL has earned an operating profit of Rs.672 crore in 2014-15. The operating profit is likely to be much higher during 2015-16 when figures come to us," he said.
Referring to the MTNL, Ravi Shankar Prasad said its revenue for the quarter ended December 31, 2015, was Rs.865.52 crore, which was an increase of Rs.25.08 crore over the previous quarter.
Congress member K.C. Venugopal, however, said the MTNL and BSNL business loss was chiefly due to poor services and there were "frequent call drops".
--IANSA
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Nepal is set to mobilise over 1,300 engineers this week as part of the post-quake reconstruction campaign, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli said on Wednesday.
"We are entering into reconstruction but the nation cannot be rebuilt until people and leaders are fully determined. I am hopeful that the engineers will work with honesty to rebuild the quake-resistant houses," Xinhua news agency quoted Oli as saying.
He said a large number of volunteers will be called in the 14 affected districts to assist the engineers.
More than half a million houses were damaged in a devastating 7.9-magnitude earthquake in April last year. The international community has pledged $4.1 billion in financial aid to quake-ravaged Nepal.
The engineers and architects, who are selected on the basis of merit and interview, will remain in their designated area for two years. They will begin the task in the affected districts from this weekend.
--IANS
py/dg
A Special Court on Wednesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against NCP legislator Pankaj Bhujbal and some others in connection with a money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Prevention of Money Laundering Act Special Court Judge P.R. Bhavke ordered the warrant after taking cognizance of the chargesheet filed by the ED in the case pertaining to the alleged corruption in the construction of the Maharashtra Sadan in New delhi and another case.
The judge also extended the judicial custody of former deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal and his nephew former MP and Sameer Bhujbal till May 11.
On March 30, the ED had filed an 11,500-plus pages chargesheet naming the Bhujbal trio, their other associates and corporate entities like D.B. Realty, Balwa Group, Neelkamal Realtors and Kakade Infrastructure in the scam worth around Rs.870 crore.
The ED has filed two first information reports (FIRs) against the accused under PMLA based on complaints registered by Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau for probing alleged irregularities in the construction of Maharashtra Sadan and a land grab at Kalina in Mumbai.
The actions followed a Special Investigation Team directed by the Bombay High Court in December 2014 to probe these cases against the Bhujbals and others.
Earlier, the ED had attached properties of the Bhujbals worth Rs.131.86 crore and carried out searches at nine offices and properties.
While Sameer Bhujbal was arrested on February 3, his uncle Chhagan Bhujbal was nabbed on March 14 by the ED and remains in custody. Now the warrant has been issued against Pankaj Bhujbal.
--IANS
qn/mr
India has imposed anti-dumping duty on telecom equipment exported by some Chinese companies, notably Huawei, ZTE, Alcatel's Shanghai unit and ECI, in a bid to protect the domestic industry.
The quantum of duty varies from 9.42 percent to 86.59 percent.
"As far as Huawei China, ZTE Corp (China) and Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell (China) are concerned, there is continued dumping of the subject goods from these companies in the period of investigation," said a notification issued by the finance ministry.
"Dumped imports were causing injury to the domestic industry in the period of investigation."
The quantum of anti-dumping duty for Huawei is 37.73 percent.
In the case of HETC (China), however, the government found negligible dumping in the period of investigation. Therefore, no such duty was imposed. So was the case with ECI Telecom of Israel, the notification said.
For any other import from China of synchronous digital hierarchy transmission equipment, the anti-dumping duty is 86.59 percent.
The notification said: "The anti-dumping duty imposed under this notification shall be effective for a period of five years from the date of publication of this notification in the Official Gazette and shall be paid in Indian currency."
--IANS
ap-ag/rn/dg
The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) on Wednesday launched a training programme for the family members of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.
The training will be imparted under the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) as part of the prime minister's 'Skill India' campaign, wherein the beneficiaries will excel further in their existing skills.
The project was launched in association with the CRPF Family Welfare Association.
As many as 72 women have enrolled for the pilot project, wherein they will be trained in sewing.
Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy said it was a small contribution to the families of CRPF personnel.
NSDC Chief Executive Officer Jayant Krishna said India had a huge workforce with specific abilities but their skills were not recognised and certified as per the industry standards.
"Hence, it is imperative we get more and more people formally recognised through the RPL. We are happy to initiate this pilot project and are certain that it will benefit as well as motivate many others," he said.
'Skill India' campaign was launched last year with a target to cover 24 lakh persons. There have been more than 19 lakh enrolments, including two lakh done under the RPL.
The RPL has been introduced in 26 states across 167 job roles through 24 identified sector skill councils and 216 training partners.
--IANS
av/tsb/vt
One BJP MP, Ram Prasad Sharma, arrived on horseback while another, Manoj Tiwari, rode a bicycle to parliament -- to mark their protest against the Delhi government's odd-even traffic restrictions.
Sharma, who represents Tezpur constituency in Assam, rode a white horse, with a placard that read: "Pollution Free Vehicle".
Delhi's northeast MP Manoj Tiwari pedalled his way on a bicycle to parliament.
Former Delhi state BJP president Vijay Goel protested against the odd-even curbs by putting out posters and stickers on his SUV against the scheme.
Rajya Sabha MP Mansukhbhai Mandavia arrives to attend parliament session on a cycle in New Delhi. Photo: PTI
On Monday, several BJP lawmakers, including actor-turned politician Paresh Rawal, violated the odd-even traffic curbs on four-wheelers by commuting in their even-numbered vehicles on the odd date.
Rawal later apologised to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Members of parliament are not exempted from the restrictions on four-wheeler use in the Delhi government's which came into effect for the second time on April 15. The city government has arranged for buses to ferry the MPs, but not many members are opting for these.
Noisy protests erupted at the Karachi airport on Wednesday against "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" director Kabir Khan as he was set to board a plane to go to Lahore, officials said.
Demonstrators shouting anti-India slogans mobbed the Bollywood director, loudly asking him why he did not make movies depicting the role played by the Indian intelligence agency RAW in Pakistan.
At least one man waved a shoe at Khan who did not respond to the ruckus at the departure lounge, Dawn reported.
"You people send Jhadav and kill hundreds here. Why don't you make a movie about it?" a protester asked the "Phantom" director, referring to alleged RAW official Kulbhushan Jhadav who has been arrested in Pakistan.
Starring Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif, "Phantom" is about a retired Indian Army officer who leads a mission to kill Pakistani terrorist leader Hafiz Saeed.
Another shoe-wielding man chased Khan to the departure lounge, warning the director about "Indian conspiracies against the Pakistan Army", Dawn said.
Khan's "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" received a warm response in Pakistan, where Indian movies are always in great demand.
"Phantom", based on a novel by S. Hussain Zaidi, was banned by the Lahore High Court.
Khan arrived here to take part in a conference and said he was a firm believer in India's secular fabric and in the friendship between India and Pakistan.
--IANS
mr/nn/
In the wake of the case of defaulting liquor baron Vijay Mallya, parliament's consultative committee attached to the finance ministry on Wednesday suggested a list of all defaulters, whose loans have been written off, be made public and asked for exemplary action against wilful defaulters.
These were among the suggestions made at a meeting of the parliamentary committee here with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and senior officials of the ministry to discuss the non-performing assets, or bad loans, of public sector banks (PSBs), a finance ministry statement said.
"Some members suggested that a committee be constituted to finalise recovery process in case of loans given to big corporate houses by various PSBs," it said.
Making his opening remarks, Jaitley said there are two categories of defaulters -- those who are unable to pay back due to economic slowdown, as well as those who are wilful defaulters, including loans sanctioned without due diligence by the banks -- and that the government has taken various measures to deal with both these categories, the statement added.
Jaitley also noted that the government had taken various measures to revive the stressed sectors -- mainly steel, textiles, power and roads -- besides providing Rs.25,000 crore each in the budgets for the last and current fiscals for recapitalising of banks.
In its report on Asia-Pacific sovereigns released on Wednesday, American credit ratings agency Moody's cautioned that a prolonged worsening in asset quality at state-run banks is the main threat to India's sovereign credit profile and suggested the government provide for higher recapitalisation of stressed banks.
"The main threat to the sovereign credit profile would be via a significant and prolonged worsening in asset quality at state-owned banks, beyond the recognition of bad loans currently under way, that causes contingent liabilities to crystallise on the government's balance sheet," it said.
Meanwhile, a consortium of 13 banks led by the State Bank of India on Monday told the Supreme Court that from the non-disclosure of assets by beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya, it was not possible to assess his capacity to pay their outstanding dues to the tune of more than Rs.9,000 crore advanced to his now-grounded Kingfisher Airlines.
--IANS
bc/sd/vt
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) Rajiv Pratap Rudy on Wednesday handed out skill development and employment certificates to 56 retiring air force personnel.
The defence ministry had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the skill development ministry to train the retiring defence personnel so that they could easily get civilian jobs post-service.
Indian Air Force chief, Air Marshal Arup Raha said the retiring personnel were well trained and they can contribute to nation building post-retirement.
"Every year, around 5,000 officers retire from IAF. But they don't get jobs commensurate with their knowledge and experience. But during this pilot project, 56 IAF personnel were trained and they all were offered the job. This is a good start," Raha said.
The defence minister said the government hoped to utilise the skills of all the 50,000 defence personnel who retire every year.
"Even after retiring from defence services, the armed forces personnel can serve the nation through trained manpower. In the next two years, hopefully there won't be a single defence personnel who would have question mark about his career post-retirement", the defence minister said.
The 56 IAF personnel were trained in three streams -- electronics, automotive and healthcare -- on pilot basis.
Stressing the need for skilled manpower in the country, Rudy said retiring defence officers can fill the gap.
"The biggest problem we are facing today is that we don't have trainers and assessors. The retiring armed forces personnel can fill the gap. The general misconception is that a retiring army man is only be good for a security related jobs. But their caliber is way beyond this," Rudy said.
He also added the government would open an international placement cell for the retiring defence personnel.
Meanwhile, National Skill Development Corporation CEO Jayant Krishna said in the next phase more sectors would be added to the list of offering for the retiring IAF personnel.
"This was just a pilot phase and it was successful. NSDC is also working with Indian Army and Indian Navy on the same model adopted by the IAF and shall be launching the pilot programme with them shortly," Krishna said.
--IANS
av/sd/vt
Superstar Shah Rukh Khan says he was "so happy" to see actor Manoj Bajpayee, who was promoting his upcoming reality-based film "Traffic" here.
The "Chennai Express" star paid a surprise visit to Manoj, who "thanked" SRK for "dropping by".
"Thanks for dropping by Shah Rukh Khan quite a surprise for the media present there. God bless you," Manoj tweeted on Tuesday night.
The 50-year-old superstar replied by saying: "Was so happy to see you my man."
"Traffic" is an emotional thriller based on a road trip from Mumbai to Pune. The story revolves around transportation of a heart for a heart transplant case, chasing a strict deadline. During the mission, the characters face numerous difficulties and traffic being one of them.
Directed by late Rajesh Pillai, produced by Deepak Dhar of Endemol India and presented by Foxstar Studios, "Traffic" also stars Jimmy Sheirgill, Divya Dutta and Sachin Khedekar.
--IANS
dc/nn/vm
The Rajya Sabha witnessed an uproar on Wednesday as BJP member Subramanian Swamy named Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the AgustaWestland scam, prompting Congress members to urge the chair to expunge the name.
Swamy had barely raised the issue in the house when protests erupted, as he named the Congress leader.
"It is touching to see leader of opposition relying on Mr. Michel for what he said orally but the high court of Italy have recorded a letter written by Mr Michelle stating that Sonia Gandhi is the main...," Swamy said, prompting a massive uproar from the Congress, forcing a brief adjournment.
When the house reassembled after around 10 minutes, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien said Swamy should not name a member from the other house and expunged the name from the records.
"You know that the name of member of the other house should not be taken here. A member's name who cannot come and defend here should not be taken," he said.
Even as the deputy chairman asked Swamy to continue, Congress members kept creating a ruckus.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Abbas Naqvi said it is a violation of the member's rights.
Congress members trooped near the chairman's podium raising slogans, after which the house was adjourned till 12 noon.
--IANS
ao/sd/vm
The US warning of "other options" against Pyongyang concerning its nuclear and missile programmes will have a negative impact on the Korean peninsula situation, says a Chinese analyst.
US State Department spokesman Mark Toner on Tuesday warned that Washington will "look at other options" if North Korea continues its nuclear and ballistic missile tests, Xinhua news agency reported.
However, he did not specify what options the US was considering.
Given the long-standing hostility and distrust between Washington and Pyongyang, tougher US stance will not ease tension on the Korean peninsula, but create a vicious circle on the issue, said Chinese expert Ling Shengli.
An expert at China Foreign Affairs University, Ling said compared with sanctions and isolation, engaging Pyongyang and encouraging economic reform could lead the country to abandoning its nuclear weapons.
Observers and analysts have also said that any progress toward denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula hinges on improvement in ties between Washington and Pyongyang.
However, in a CBS interview aired on Tuesday, US President Barack Obama remained tough, describing the country "a massive challenge".
He defended a plan to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence missile system on the Korean peninsula, "so that even as we try to resolve the problem of nuclear development inside of North Korea, we're also setting up a shield that can at least block the relatively low-level threats that they are posing right now".
China and Russia are opposed to the possible deployment of the missile system which they believe will create a real threat to their security and stability in northeast Asia.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest on Tuesday said the international sanctions on North Korea have not made a desired change in Pyongyang's behaviour.
Pyongyang on Sunday announced the test-firing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile.
South Korea's military said the missile was fired on Saturday in waters off North Korea's northeast coast and flew about 30 km.
It is believed that Pyongyang might conduct another test before a National Congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea scheduled for May 6.
The party congress will be the first major conference in 36 years and the first under the current top leader Kim Jong-un.
--IANS
py/dg
Venezuelan has imposed a two-day work week for public sector workers as a temporary measure to help it overcome a serious energy crisis.
Vice President Aristobulo Isturiz announced that civil servants should turn up for work only on Mondays and Tuesdays until the crisis gets over, BBC reported on Wednesday.
is facing a major drought, which has dramatically reduced water levels at its main hydroelectric dam.
The measures announced on national television by Isturiz affect two million public sector workers.
"There will be no work in the public sector on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays except for fundamental and necessary tasks," he said.
President Nicolas Maduro has already given most of Venezuela's 2.8 million state employees Fridays off during April and May to cut down on electricity consumption.
He said had been badly hit by the El Nino weather phenomenon and would return to normal when it starts raining again.
"We are managing the situation in the best possible way while we wait for the rains to return."
The government has taken a number of other measures to try to deal with the crisis.
In February, shopping centres were told to reduce their opening hours and generate their own energy.
Earlier this week, the government put the clocks forward by half an hour to reduce demand for electricity in the early evening.
Last week, it introduced power cuts for four hours a day.
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Wednesday made an unusual gesture in welcoming Trinamool Congress member Swagat Roy in the house during the Question Hour.
Calling up his name to ask supplementary question, Speaker Mahajan said: "Swagat Royji, aap ka swagat hai (Swagat Roy, you are welcome back)".
The Trinamool Congress front bench leaders, including the likes of Swagat Roy, Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Kalyan Banerjee, have been missing in the session due to ongoing assembly elections in West Bengal.
As some members laughed mildly at the chair's special observation on the vocal Trinamol member, the speaker also said, "Bahut mehnat karke ayen hain (He has returned after hard work in elections)".
Ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal is locked in a fierce triangular electoral contest with the Left-Congress combine on one side and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the other.
The Trinamool Congress had stayed away from last Saturday's all-party meeting convened by the speaker.
Meanwhile, the chair disallowed a discussion on the AgustaWestland helicoper deal in the house.
The Congress members demanded a discussion on the deal, saying allegations have been levelled against the party's top leaders.
As soon as the house took up the question hour, Congress floor leader Mallikarjun Kharge said all newspapers have the news item regarding the VVIP helicopter deal and allegations have been levelled against party leaders.
Mahajan said the issue can be raised after the question hour.
The Congress has maintained that the UPA government had taken action once reports of wrongdoings and allegations of corrupt practices surfaced in 2012.
Meanwhile, BJP members Anurag Thakur and Meenakshi Lekhi have also given separate notices demanding discussion in the house on the chopper deal.
BJP leaders have said "truth" must come out in the case. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is likely to make a statement in the Lok Sabha when the issue comes up for discussion.
--IANS
nd/sd/vt
Investors in mutual funds in India were recently asked to sign declarations relating to Fatca, the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act of the US. This Act is one indication of how tax authorities in most countries are trying to tighten tax collection, from both individuals and companies. Fatca predates the recent publication of the so-called Panama Papers, which has made tax avoidance/evasion headline news globally. In India, the first decision of the Narendra Modi government was to appoint a committee to investigate allegations of Indians illegally transferring moneys abroad to avoid taxes. Over the last two years, despite an amnesty scheme, only about Rs 2,500 crore of taxes have been recovered. By one estimate that I have seen, developing countries lose tax on around $1 trillion of income, which is being laundered and kept in tax havens each year, the accumulated amount being $20 trillion to $30 trillion!
It is as well to start with a couple of perspectives. At one time, it was thought that "earned income", say salaries, should be taxed lower and "unearned income", like capital gains, taxed higher. In recent decades, this principle has been overturned, with long-term capital gains attracting far lower taxes than earned income. (I recall Warren Buffet, the great investor, once saying that there was something wrong in a system where his average tax rate was lower than that of his salaried secretary!) Surely, this is one of the causes underlying the growing income inequalities in most countries.
The report, "Bangladesh bank hack attack: SWIFT compromised, alarms raised" (April 26), is a grave reminder of the risks of digital banking. Carrying out banking transactions through digital channels requires only a set of log-in IDs and passwords. Even top bank executives, when they are busy, tend to let subordinates know their passwords.
The remittance orders coming from the were never doubted as they appeared to be usual transactions. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBN) can't be faulted since the remittances were from a country's central bank. The FRBN authorities must be complimented for blocking fraudulent transactions worth $870 million.
The Bangladesh fraud is a warning to banks in India to fix their security systems. Despite the checks and counter-checks, the technical staff of banks tends to take cyber systems lightly. When a fraud is reported, the management alerts them on the possible misuse of the system, but afterwards it is back to business as usual.
K V Rao Bengaluru
can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:The Editor, Business StandardNehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar MargNew Delhi 110 002Fax: (011) 23720201E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
With reference to Deepak Lal's article, "Bring back DDT" (April 27), the discovery of saved many people, crops and livestock from insect-borne diseases. On the other hand, being an organic pollutant that found its way into the food chains of delicate ecosystems, caused great damage to various organisms as well as humans. The gravity of the problem had reached such a level that birds such as the Brown pelican would have been wiped out by the 1980s had the US not banned in the 1970s.
In nature nothing exists alone; we are all interconnected in its complex web. We must extensively use all viable options to control and prevent the breeding of mosquitoes and use insecticides such as DDT only as a last resort, not the first option. India should embrace the Stockholm Convention guidelines as soon as possible, and ensure a trade-off between human health and the health of ecosystems.
Read more from our special coverage on "DDT" Dividends deluge to keep taxman at bay
M Venkateswara Rao Vijayawada
can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:The Editor, Business StandardNehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar MargNew Delhi 110 002Fax: (011) 23720201E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
Why are so many economists writing about the current state of politics in India? Clearly they have not run out of things to say about the state of the economy and what needs to be done to accelerate growth and promote development. Yet one notices that the Delhi commentariat, in its private conversations and public pronouncements, sounds more concerned about the direction in which our politics seems to be moving than about the economy.
These are difficult days for trade policymakers. The global economic scenario stays insipid, significantly impacting the trade environment. Despite a steep decline in oil and commodity prices, manufacturing has remained tepid. India has lost its manufacturing competitiveness in several product areas and the fact that efficiency in delivery of services can lead to manufacturing competitiveness seems to have missed the adequate attention of policymakers.
The President's rule will continue in Uttarakhand and the April 29 floor test in the Assembly ordered by the High Court will not take place as the Supreme Court today extended its stay on the quashing of the Central rule.
Hearing the Centre's appeal against the Uttarakhand High Court judgement revoking President's rule, the apex court framed seven tough questions and even gave liberty to the Attorney General to include other questions the government would like to be addressed.
The bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh posted the matter for further hearing on May 3 amidst indication that the verdict may be pronounced before the court breaks for summer vacation by the middle of next month.
The bench made it clear that it was extending the stay on the Uttarakhand High Court verdict till further orders on the consent of parties.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Rawat, said there was no question of opposing the bench's stand on continuing with the interim order staying the High Court's order for few more days.
During the hearing, the bench said possibly the answer to the current incident would ultimately be the floor test and asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to think over the questions and suggestions put forward by it.
"The matter has its own gravity and ultimately in such a case prima facie we have to sustain democracy and if we don't find merit with the President's rule then we will have to have a floor test.
"Therefore, as a constitutional concept unless we really vacate our order, not to say lift President's rule, we have to modify our order and have to say go for the floor test. Think over it," it said.
Attorney General said that he will think over it and inform the court.
The bench also said that this is an emergent situation.
While answering various questions Rohatgi, said President's rule will be operative for two months till May 27 and if it is upheld by the court, then to have a floor test will be the discreation of the government and if the President's rule is dismissed, it will be a case of non-existence of Central rule and in that event the direction to the governor will be to call for the floor test.
In a high-voltage hearing that commenced at 2pm in a packed court room, the bench, at the outset, took strong note of the plea of Uttarakhand Chief Secretary that he be also allowed put forth his views in the matter.
"What will the Chief Secretary do? Chief Secretary has nothing to do with the matter. What kind of affidavit he is going to file," the bench said.
The court then listed out seven questions which it wanted to deliberate upon during the course of the hearing and asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi and others to assist it.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress were on Tuesday headed for an escalating confrontation over allegations of bribery in the Rs 3,700 crore VVIP helicopter deal during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime, with Sonia Gandhi clearly being the target of the ruling party's attack.
Reports from Italy based on a court judgement citing notes from middlemen that around Rs 120 crore were paid to some political leaders in the deal provided fodder to the BJP which has decided to attack the Congress leadership both inside and outside Parliament.
A note from a middleman reportedly describing Gandhi as the "driving force" behind the deal was seized upon by BJP, but the Congress hit back saying that integrity of Gandhi and the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was unquestioned.
The top brass of the BJP including its President Amit Shah, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and other parliamentary leaders met here to chalk out a strategy.
The issue also figured in the BJP Parliamentary Party where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present. Congress would also be targeted on the controversial Aircel Maxis deal and the affidavits in the Ishrat Jahan encounter case.
Dismissing allegations, A K Antony, the defence minister in the UPA government, asked the Modi government to fast track the probe into the chopper scam and find out the truth as the UPA government had cancelled the contract and ordered a CBI investigation into it.
When the primary allegation came out in the media, we immediately ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry. We cancelled the contract and fought the case in the Milan court. We won the case and got back all the money we paid in advance by bank guarantee, he told reporters.
The Indian government has gained more (information) now. My request to the Indian government is that the probe has been going on for a long and hence please speed up the inquiry and find the truth, he said.
The Congress party also hit back at the BJP leaders and said they reject all allegations against Gandhi and Singh with the contempt they deserve.
No one should be making loose comments against the Congress President and the former PM, whose integrity and intellect was never in question, party deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma told the media.
Sharma also claimed that a businessman close to Modi has entered into an memorandum of understanding with AgustaWestland. But he refused to name him.
The BJP fielded Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to attack the Congress on the chopper deal. He asked the defence minister in the Manmohan Singh government A K Antony to name the party leaders allegedly involved in the scandal.
"Bribe-givers have been convicted. Why are bribe-takers silent? Antony should answer if leaders of Congress are involved in it or not. Are they from your party or not? Please come clean," he told a press conference.
BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said Congress chief Sonia Gandhi should come out with a clarification over the alleged mention of her name in the Italian court's order.
"Her government was the champion of corruption. She must issue a clarification over the mention of her name by the court," he told the media.
Subramanian Swamy, who took oath as the newly-nominated member of Rajya Sabha today and the bete noire of Congress' first family, will rake up the chopper deal issue in the Rajya Sabha for which notice has been given. Meenakshi Lekhi is expected to do the job in the Lok Sabha tomorrow.
A top BJP leader said it is significant that for the first time the bribe giver has been convicted but still people do not know who the bribe-taker is.
The Aircel Maxis issue is likely to be raked up by Anurag Thakur in the Lok Sabha while in the upper house it may be raised by Bhupender Yadav.
Similarly, the Ishrat Jahan case pot will be stirred by Kirit Somayya in the Lok Sabha.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi has hit out against the BJP in the controversy surrounding the Rs 3600 cr VVIP chopper deal. Calling the allegations against her attributed to an order by an Italian court as false, Sonia Gandhi said that she has nothing to hide.
"I am not afraid as there is no base. All the allegation are false. This government is there from last two years, why is the government not completing enquiry.... Complete inquiry impartially, truth will come out," said Sonia Gandhi as proceedings in came to a standstill.The Agusta Westland VVIP helicopter scam resounded in the today with the Opposition Congress storming the well of the house, drowning out known Gandhi baiter and newly inducted member Subramaniam Swamy. No sooner had Swamy mentioned the name of Congress president Sonia Gandhi being cited as one of the main accused in a letter before an Italian court, Congress MPs raised slogans forcing two adjournments within the first hour itself of the house functioning.
With the media being flooded with news reports about the Agusta Westland issue, it was well expected that the proceedings would be stormy with both the BJP led government and the Congress trading charges against each other.
Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad first raised the issue in the house citing a news report in The Hindu newspaper demanding to know if indeed any meeting had occurred between the Indian PM and the Italian PM and a deal struck whereby the Italian marines would be freed in exchange for incriminating information against the Gandhis. Leader of the House and Finance minister Arun Jaitley, outrightly rejected the charges and said the investigation is at an advanced stage and the taker of the bribe has to be established.
ALSO READ: VVIP chopper scam: All you need to know about what went wrong
The ruling BJP has ensured that the Agusta Westland issue is used to corner the Congress and at the same time drown out the issue of murder of democracy in Uttarakhand.
Eleven men including eight soldiers were shot dead at a military telecommunications centre in Cape Verde, officials have said, adding that a missing soldier was suspected of carrying out the attack.
The government said in a statement that two Spanish technicians and a local civilian were among those killed yesterday in Monte Tchota, north of the capital Praia, at the army-guarded centre.
"Eleven people have lost their lives," the statement said. "The victims were all male, aged between 20 and 51."
It added: "A soldier who worked in the military centre has been reported missing and there are strong indications that he carried out this attack."
Calling for people to remain calm, the government rejected rumours that the shooting had taken place in the capital and that airports had been closed in response.
"The airports are functioning normally," it said.
It also added that there was "no link between these events and drug-trafficking", following media reports that raised the possibility of an attack in retaliation for recent major drug seizures on the archipelago.
"According to preliminary information, the motivations for these events were personal, which excludes the theory of an attack against the state of Cape Verde," the government said.
"The authorities are taking all necessary measures to shed light on this affair", it added, deploring the shooting as a "tragedy".
Nine guns, along with ammunition, were recovered several hours after the shooting in a car parked in a residential area of Praia, according to the statement.
Spain's foreign ministry confirmed the deaths of two Spanish citizens.
Cape Verde, an impoverished archipelago lying 500 kilometres (300 miles) off the coast of Senegal, is a former Portuguese colony that is home to half a million people.
At least 27 Yemeni soldiers were killed in a government offensive -- backed by Saudi-led forces, which drove Al-Qaeda militants out of a key southeastern city, military officials and medics said today.
Life, meanwhile, was returning to normal in the port city, residents said.
More than 60 other soldiers were wounded in the operations that began at the weekend and saw government forces recapture Mukalla, the provincial capital of Hadramawt, the officials said.
The city had been held by Al-Qaeda militants for over a year.
Recapturing Mukalla was part of a wider counter-offensive against the Sunni extremists launched by pro-government forces last month after a year in which they had focused their firepower on Shiite Huthi rebels who control the capital.
Government troops were backed by special forces from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as coalition air strikes, the Arab coalition said, claiming 800 militants were killed in the offensive.
Life began to return to normal Wednesday in Mukalla, a city of some 200,000 people, as shops and government offices reopened, residents said.
Staff at Mukalla airport and its port also returned to work for the first time since April last year, when militants of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) took over, officials in the city said.
During its year-long rule, AQAP imposed its strict interpretation of sharia law forbidding consumption of the mild narcotic qat, a mainstay of Yemeni social life, and demolishing the tombs of revered Sufi mystics.
Yesterday, a US drone rocketed the car of an Al-Qaeda chief in Zinjibar, in neighbouring Abyan province, Ali al-Shanna, killing his driver but he was not in the vehicle, security sources said.
Washington has been waging a drone war against AQAP since November 2002, when it killed the suspected mastermind of an October 2000 bombing of a US destroyer that killed 17 sailors in the southern port of Aden.
There has been a 30 per cent reduction in stubble burning in the National Capital Region, a major cause for air pollution, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said today.
"Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has set up a control room to enable people to register complaints against cases of biomass burning. 84 such complaints had been received in the last three months and necessary action has been taken on them," he said.
The minister, who chaired the fifth meeting of the Environment Ministers of National Capital Region (NCR) on mitigation of air pollution here, reiterated the importance of holding awareness and training camps for 7,000 sweepers so that biomass burning can be reduced.
Javadekar also urged the Environment Ministers of NCR to strictly follow the directions issued by CPCB under Section 18 (1) of Air Act, 1981.
He suggested quick implementation of the revamped Waste Management Rules, including the newly formulated Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules to reduce air pollution.
The Minister said that there has been a 30 per cent reduction in stubble burning and that the states of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have banned stubble burning.
"Pollution due to dust, emissions from industries, burning of biomass and vehicular pollution are among the major causes of air pollution. Pollution from unauthorised brick kilns must be reduced as well," he said.
The Union Minister said the government has decided to implement Bharat-6 compliance for vehicles by 2020, which will significantly reduce vehicular pollution.
The need to install vapour recovery equipment at petrol pumps was also emphasized at the meeting.
The ministers and representatives from state governments outlined the steps that have been taken to mitigate air pollution in their respective regions.
Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain said that since last year, 480 polluting vehicles have been fined while the number of PUC centres increased from 702 to 828 in the national capital.
The time of entry of commercial vehicles into Delhi has been rescheduled from 9.30 pm to 11pm and efforts are being made to strictly enforce the new timing, he said.
Delhi government has also started online monitoring of power plants and waste-to-energy plants along with setting up compost units in 346 parks in the city, he added.
Uttar Pradesh Environment Minister Abhishek Mishra said the construction of underpasses has been started and two elevated roads were being constructed while work on widening of NH-24 is underway.
Rajasthan Minister Raj Kumar Rinwa said that the state government has taken strict action against polluting vehicles.
A representative from Haryana said the state has issued directions to all local bodies on strict compliance of directives issues by Environment Ministry.
At least a third of travellers from India are booking holidays on their mobile phones says a new survey by online travel portal Yatra.
The latest survey shows that Indian travellers decide on the go and are well in tune with the latest technology.
The survey reveals a 10% year-on-year jump since 2014 has been observed in mobile bookings, currently standing at almost 32%.
While desktops and laptops continue to be the preferred medium of booking, there is a steep decline in demand for travel agents with the number being a mere 8% in 2016 versus 11.2% in 2015.
Additionally, 67.4% are planning a summer trip in 2016, as against only 35% in 2015. Despite the rupee slipping to 66-67 levels against the US dollar, nearly 31% of travellers are looking at international trips for summer 2016.
The survey also found that North Eastern states are showing prominence as a top choice in domestic destinations. Amongst international destinations, Bali and Mauritius have come forward as the new popular choices this summer.
Travellers spending on summer trip per person has seen an increase in the mid segment range, with over 25% people looking to spend Rs 25,000-50,000 in 2016, as against 17% in 2015.
There continues to be a large number of travellers that continue to choose budget accommodation to manage expenditure while travelling in 2016.
The survey also found that 44% Indians believe that relaxation during holidays is the key reason to travel in 2016.
"We continue to see a strong year-on-year growth in Indians travelling to various foreign and domestic destinations. We have also seen an increased demand for newer destinations this summer, with North East India destinations making it to our top five domestic destinations," says Sharat Dhall, president, Yatra.com.
"Indians are increasingly getting comfortable making their travel bookings on the mobile and (we) expect to see a further increase in bookings via our app in the coming year" he says.
This summer there has been a stark increase in families planning for holidays together, with almost 45% opting for family vacation in 2016, as compared to only 17% in 2015, according to the survey.
With women starting to become an important demographic while planning holidays, they are increasingly looking for holidays with partners, parents and children, and also alone.
Hotels continue to be top choice of accommodation whereas staying with family and friends continues to decline.
Also travellers are better informed and they decide destinations backed by online research from travel blogs.
Over seven kilograms of gold, found abandoned in a toilet on a Qatar Airways plane, was seized by Customs sleuths at the Goa airport today.
"When the Qatar Airways aircraft (after landing at Goa airport) was searched today, the Air Intelligence Wing found one duty-free plastic bag in the dustbin of the rear left toilet of the aircraft," Commissioner of Customs, Goa division, K Anpazhakan told reporters.
"An inquiry was made with crew members of the aircraft which had arrived from Qatar. They informed that they were not aware of the owner of the bag," he said.
The bag was opened at the international arrival hall of the airport and it was found to be carrying jewellery weighing 7.124 kgs.
"The correct value of jewellery would be known only after an approved valuer is approached. Inquiries were made with the arrival passengers but no one was having any knowledge about it," the Commissioner said.
Anpazhakan said this is the second seizure of gold by Goa Customs in a week.
"Another seizure of two kilograms of unclaimed gold bars was made by officers in the same flight on April 24. The bars were hidden inside the pouch in the life jacket which was attached below a passenger's seat," he said.
As many as 82,190 Muslim prisoners are lodged in different jails across the country by the end of 2014, Rajya Sabha was told today.
Minister of State for Home Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said that as per data compiled by National Crime Records Bureau, at the end of 2014, there were 82,190 Muslim prisoners of which 21,550 were convicts, 59,550 were undertrials, 658 detainees and 432 other prisoners.
"As per data compiled by NCRB for 2014, the percentage of convicted Muslim prisoners to the total convicted prisoners was 16.38 per cent and the percentage of Muslim undertrial prisoners to the total undertrial prisoners was 21.05 per cent," he said replying to a written question.
A high-level delegation of Afghan Taliban from its political office in Qatar has arrived in Pakistan to discuss the possibility of restarting the faltering peace talks with Afghanistan.
The confirmation came after media reports said that a three-member rebel delegation arrived in Pakistan on Monday to discuss peace process with Afghanistan.
The Qatar political office of the Taliban, however, downplayed the reports which said they were scheduled to discuss terms of peace talks with the Afghan government.
The Taliban said Afghan people have close relations, long border and commercial transactions with Pakistan and a large number of them are living there as refugees, prompting the "Political Office of the Islamic Emirate" to send a high level delegation to Islamabad.
"The esteemed leader of Islamic Emirate has instructed the delegation to discuss issues regarding Afghan refugees, some problems about frontier areas and particularly to discuss the release of Mullah Bradar Akhund and some other prisoners," the office said.
Senior Taliban leader Baradar was arrested in Karachi in 2010. In 2013, Pakistan said it will release him but rebels claim that he was still in custody.
Diplomatic sources in Pakistan said Taliban agreed to send a delegation under duress from Pakistan which is under a lot of pressure after Kabul bombing last week which killed over 60 people and injured hundreds of others.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that Taliban delegation may meet Afghan officials to prepare ground for further talks.
Last month, the Taliban had ruled out participating in peace talks sponsored by the quadrilateral group of Pakistan, Afghanistan, the US and China due to the presence of foreign troops in the country.
The first ever open direct talks between Kabul and the Afghan Taliban were held in July last year in Pakistan but the process was put on ice after death of Mullah Omer was made public towards the end of the same month. The had triggered an infighting within the militant group.
The quadrilateral group has been trying since its formation in December last year to set up talks.
AgustaWestland was not blacklisted during the UPA rule, top Modi government sources claimed Wednesday, asserting it was the NDA dispensation which had put on hold all acquisition proposals with the VVIP chopper scam-tainted firm.
The sources said the government will now seek a report from the CBI, which had registered a case in 2013 in connection with the scam, and initiate moves to blacklist AgustaWestland and its mother company Finmeccanica in wake of fresh information that has come out.
Congress had yesterday claimed AgustaWestland was blacklisted under UPA rule but "removed" from the blacklist by the Modi government.
Congress leader and former Union Minister Anand Sharma had said, "The chopper deal was scrapped. Action was taken by the UPA government. A K Antony, the then Defence Minister, had made a statement in Parliament and AgustaWestland was blacklisted."
However, the government sources said, "The only punitive action taken by the Congress was in January 2009, just before the Lok Sabha elections, when the UPA govermment encashed the bank guarantee. They never blacklisted the company as claimed by them".
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had earlier in the day challenged the Congress to show the order by the UPA government confirming the blacklisting.
It was on July 3, 2014 when Arun Jaitley was Defence Minister that an order was issued which put on hold all procurement and acquisition cases in the pipeline with six companies involved in the scam including AgustaWestland and Finmeccanica, the sources said.
They said it was also decided that in cases where the tender process had not started, there shall be no dealing with those companies andentities till conclusion of the CBI probe and that Request for Intent/Request for Proposal shall be issued to any of them.
The sources said the question was not about being banned or not but about who the politicians, bureaucrats and IAF officials were who took the bribes as reported by the Italian Court.
The ruling AINRC today announced that it will contest the May 16 Assembly elections in the Union Territory on its own and released its first list of 21 candidates, including Chief Minister N Rangasamy.
Releasing the list at a press conference, AINRC founder Rangasamy said he was confident that people would vote again for his party as his government had lived upto their expectations.
"I am absolutely confident that the people would renew their mandate to continue our schemes and welfare measures," he said.
Rangasamy, who led his party to power on its maiden foray in the elections in 2011 after breaking away from Congress, would contest from Indira Nagar constituency which he had vacated after winning from Kadirkamam.
The chief minister had been silent on his party's poll strategy amid speculations that AINRC would revive its alliance with AIADMK forged for the 2011 elections.
However, AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa slammed Rangasamy in her rally here on April 25, accusing him of "serious breach of trust when he buried the ethics of alliance" in 2011, putting at rest speculations about possible revival of the tie-up.
She was referring to AINRC forming the government on its own with the support of an independent MLA and dumping AIADMK.
The polls would witness a multi-cornered contest with the presence of AINRC, Congress-DMK combine, AIADMK and People's Welfare Alliance.
The first list of AINRC nominees includes the names of Theni C Jayakumar and P R N Tirumurugan, who quit the Congress and joined the ruling party earlier in the day, for Villianoor and Karaikal North constituencies, which they represent in the outgoing assembly.
Both Jayakumar and Tirumurugan had been distancing themselves from Congress for the last couple of years and were denied tickets by the party for the coming polls.
Three ministers of Rangasamy's six-member cabinet - P R Siva (Tirunallar), N G Panneerselvam (Oulgaret) and T Thiagarajan (Bahoor), have been renominated in their respective constituencies while Tourism Minister P Rajavelu's name is not in the first list.
Priyanka, daughter of Agriculture Minister M Chandrakasu, will contest from Neduncadu (Reserved) seat in Karaikal ashe has opted out citing health grounds.
Other prominent names in the first list are Assembly Speaker V Sabapathy and Deputy Speaker T P R Selvam, who will seek re-election from Ariyankuppan and Mannadipet.
Rangasamy said the candidates for the remaining nine seats would be announced tomorrow. April 29 is the last date for filing nominations.
Addanki MLA Gottipati Ravikumar of the YSR Congress today crossed over to the Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh.
He is the 14th legislator to quit the lone opposition and join the ruling party in the last two months.
Ravikumar was admitted into the TDP by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in the presence of party AP unit president K Kala Venkata Rao and many other leaders.
The Gottipati family from Prakasam district once sailed with the TDP but, owing to faction feud with another leader Karanam Balarama Krishna, joined the Congress.
Ravikumar was elected to the AP Assembly in 2004 and 2009 as a Congress candidate but joined the YSRC after Jagan floated the outfit.
He was elected as an MLA for the third time on behalf of YSRC in 2014.
He had been unhappy with the state of affairs in YSRC and wanted to quit a couple of months ago.
But convincing Karanam Balarama, who is now a senior vice-president of the TDP, over Ravikumar's admission proved tough.
"I will neither welcome nor oppose Ravikumar's entry into the TDP," Karanam reportedly told Chandrababu as the latter discussed the issue last night.
By then Chandrababu was said to have made up his mind to admit Ravikumar, Karanam's opposition notwithstanding.
On his part, Ravikumar too held series of talks with his supporters and constituents in the last four-five days and decided to jump onto the TDP bandwagon.
Accordingly, a formal function was organised here this afternoon and Ravikumar joined the TDP.
Punjab's Agriculture Department aims to increase area sown under kidney bean (rajma) here as part of its crop diversification plan.
Kidney bean has been sown on 28 acres of land in dozen odd villages of the district.
Initially, this crop has been sown on trial basis, but eventually the department plans to bring more area under this crop, an official said here.
Additional Chief Sectary Suresh Kumar, who visited one such farm at village Bhadla Neecha near Khanna, today appreciated Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat's efforts and assured that this crop would be introduced to farmers across the state on a large scale.
Chief Agriculture Officer Sukhpal Singh Sekhon said the rajma crop is very profitable as with an input cost of around Rs 10,000 per acre, farmers can easily earn a profit of around Rs 40,000 per acre from the crop, which takes only 90 days to grow.
"We started this crop on trial basis from one kanal of land and in a period of three years, now 650 acres of this crop is sown in Amritsar district, out of which 70 acres is sown in village Manawala alone," he said.
In a daring heist, armed robbers today allegedly looted Rs 50 lakh from a branch of private bank at Maripur in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district.
Scores of armed miscreants barged into the Axis Bank branch at 10.30 AM and robbed Rs 50 lakh after briefly holding some bank employees hostage at gun-point. They then made a quick dash with the booty, Superintendent of Police, City, Anand Kumar said.
The money had arrived from Patna by a vehicle, he said.
A probe has been initiated into the incident, Kumar said adding, the bank employees and customers were being questioned.
The Army today regretted in the Patna High Court conducting a recruitment examination at Muzaffarpur for candidates in their underwears to prevent cheating and promised to take all precaution so that such an incident does not recur.
An affidavit was submitted by Director, Army Recruitment Board, Muzaffarpur, V S Godhara and a division bench of acting Chief Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari and Justice Samrendra Pratap disposed off the PIL after it.
Central government counsel S B Sanjay submitted the affidavit on behalf of Godhara expressing regret over the incident.
"Regret such incident. What happened should not have happened. Assured that respondent will take all precaution so that no such occurance happens in future," the affidavit submitted in the HC read.
On February 28, some 1,100 candidates were made to take off their clothes first and then sit only in underwear in an open field at Muzaffarpur for examination for the post of army clerks in a bid to prevent copying.
The incident had invited angry reaction.
Reacting to the images splashed across the media, the Defence Ministry had asked Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhaag to explain.
Colonel V S Godhara of Army Regional Office had at that time defended the action citing previous instances of candidates hiding slips of paper and mobile phones in their undergarments.
The Patna High Court too had taken notice of these pictures and filed a suo motu public interest litigation.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today alleged that the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were hatching a conspiracy to turn the state into "desert" by snatching its river waters.
Addressing gatherings during 'Sangat Darshan' programme in various wards of Sri Muktsar Sahib assembly segment here today, the Chief Minister said "Congress and AAP were inimical to the development of the state due to which they were now constantly weaving plans to deprive the Punjabis of their river waters".
Cautioning the people to not fell prey to "malicious propaganda" of AAP and Congress, he alleged that both these parties were hell bent upon ruining the state.
The 88-year-old five-time CM said, "all of us will have to struggle relentlessly to ensure that not even a single drop of water is taken away from us".
Coming down heavily on the Congress party, the Chief Minister said that "this party had signed various agreements to deprive the state of its river water."
He claimed Haryana, Rajasthan and others were "illegally" given water from Punjab's share by the Congress.
"(Punjab Congress chief) Capt Amarinder Singh had enthusiastically welcomed the then Prime minister Indira Gandhi to perform ground breaking ceremony of Satluj Yamuna Link canal, which aims at giving Punjab's water to Haryana," he said.
"No Punjabi can ever forgive Congress for depriving state of its Capital, Punjabi speaking areas," he said, adding even Aam Aadmi Party was suffering from the "same anti-Punjab syndrome as Congress".
Terming the fresh affidavit by Delhi government in Supreme Court on SYL issue as a "political stunt", he said Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's "anti-Punjab mindset has already been exposed in its earlier affidavit which had termed Punjab's stand on the issue as unconstitutional and anti-national".
Badal said as Arvind Kejriwal hailed from Haryana "so he was naturally inclined towards safeguarding the interests of his parent state and nothing good for Punjab can be expected from him".
He alleged Kejriwal has no affection with Punjab or its people and his sole intention was to "vest political power in the state".
Referring to another query regarding "wrong portrayal" of the martyr Bhagat Singh in some books, the Chief Minister termed it as most "unfortunate and miserable."
On the wheat procurement issue, the Chief Minister said it was going on in a "smooth and hassle free manner".
The Bar Council of India has written to the Union government for appointment of more judges in the Supreme Court and High Courts to tackle the issue of rising backlog of cases.
The letter, written by BCI Chairman Manan K Mishra, came two days after Chief Justice of India T S Thakur broke down during a conference over judiciary being blamed for backlog of court cases.
The apex lawyers' body has extended support to the judiciary and the CJI, saying it will fully cooperate in speedy disposal of cases and requested the government to make immediate appointments in Supreme Court and various HCs.
"More than 60,000 cases are pending in the Supreme Court alone, while High Courts have a backlog of about 39 lakh cases. Every month, the filing is increasing and in order to tackle this situation, an immediate filling up of the existing vacancies is required.
"The Indian Bar fully stands with the highest judiciary of the country and the Chief Justice of India. The bar is ready to extend its full cooperation to the judiciary in disposal of cases," it said.
The letter, which is also addressed to the state bar councils, requested the Supreme Court and High Court lawyers to express their willingness to work during vacations and cooperate with the judiciary in disposal of cases.
The apex lawyers' body also said it was likely to convene a meeting of Bar Associations and state Bar Councils on May 7 and 8 to urge the government to fill up vacancies and provide proper infrastructure.
During a recently held Conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High Courts, CJI Justice Thakur had lamented "inaction" by the executive in increasing the number of judges from the present 21,000 to 40,000 to handle the "avalanche" of litigations.
Justice Thakur had also rebutted PM Narendra Modi's comment on judges having long vacation, saying judges don't go to hill stations to enjoy the summer break, but spend this time on writing judgements and clearing their desks so that fresh cases can be taken up.
A Patna district court today sent seven businessmen, six of them from Gujarat and one from Uttar Pradesh, to judicial custody for consuming liquor in a hotel in violation of the total prohibition in Bihar.
Magistrate Supriya Goswami ordered the seven to 14 days in judicial custody under Bihar Excise (Amendment) Act, 2016 after they were produced before her by Patna police.
The seven businessmen were apprehended by Patna police during a raid at a posh hotel here when they were consuming Indian Made Foreign Liquor notwithstanding the complete ban on alcohol in Bihar since April 5.
The men were caught with seven empty bottles of premium brands of whisky from a room of the hotel.
The businessmen, who had come to attend a wedding here, pleaded that they were not aware about the liquor ban in Bihar and claimed that they purchased the liquor bottles in Mumbai, the police said.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna, Manu Maharaj, said a case has been registered against the hotel's management in the case.
Bihar government had imposed total prohibition from April 5 and as per the order sale and consumption of country, spiced liquor as well Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) were banned under the Excise law 2016 which has provision of jail term of 5 years to 10 years for violators.
Executing its plan, the BJP today sought to drag Sonia Gandhi into the controversial Rs.3,600 VVIP AugustaWestland chopper deal with its newly-nominated MP Subramanian Swamy taking her name that caused a huge ruckus in the Rajya Sabha as Congress members stormed the well of the House and paralysed it for an hour.
Hitting back, Gandhi rejected the allegations against her and party leaders as "false and baseless" and calling them as an attempt at "character assassination". She asserted she was "not afraid" of being "cornered" on the issue.
Talking to media in Parliament House, Gandhi asked the government what has it been doing in power for the last two years and demanded that the ongoing inquiry be completed impartially so that the truth comes out.
The controversial deal and the alleged bribes to the tune of Rs.360 crore paid in clinching it rocked the Rajya Sabha against the backdrop of an Italian court citing handwritten references to Gandhi, her political secretary Ahmed Patel and former Air Chief S P Tyagi by a middleman in a judgement that convicted the helicopter company's chief executive.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar joined the row asking the Congress to show the order of the UPA government blackmailing AugustaWestland, a stance the party has taken ever since the controversy broke out.
Today's drama began with Swamy, bete noire of the Gandhi family who took oath as a nominated member only yesterday, began his new innings raking up the chopper deal and sought to drag Gandhi's name during the Zero Hour soon after the House met for the day.
All hell broke loose triggering angry exchanges between
the opposition and treasury benches. At one point, there appeared to be a possibility of an ugly showdown as some Congress members menacingly rushed towards the treasury benches, prompting a couple of marshals to step in to act as a wall. Members of the treasury benches too got up from their seats to counter the opposition.
Congress members, who called Swamy names, created bedlam, forcing repeated adjournments of the House in the pre-lunch session. However, Chairman Hamid Ansari prevailed on the agitating members to take up the Question Hour later.
Swamy referred to the allegations reportedly made by Christian Michel, the controversial middleman in the chopper deal, through a letter to the High Court of Italy.
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien immediately adjourned the House for 10 minutes lest the situation went out of hand.
When the House re-assembled, Kurien expunged some of the references and allegations to Gandhi saying he should not name a member who cannot come and defend himself or herself. Gandhi is a member of the Lok Sabha.
"I am not admonishing you as this is your first speech in the House. But the name is expunged," Kurien told Swamy.
This did not satisfy the Congress members who were in the Well again shouting slogans against Swamy.
As Congress members continued to raise slogans from the Well, the Deputy Chairman again adjourned the House till noon.
When the House re-assembled, the Congress members were once again on their feet, chanting "CIA agent is sitting here" while pointing towards Swamy.
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said Swamy will not
be allowed to speak in the House unless he withdraws his comment. Deputy Leader of Congress in the House Anand Sharma also asked Swamy angrily to withdraw his comments.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said it was "not appropriate" for anybody to threaten a member of the House to which Congress member Hussain Dalwai retorted saying "nobody has threatened. He (Swamy) has only been called a CIA agent".
Amid the slogan-shouting by Congress members, Ansari called for peace, insisting that questions should be taken up in the Question Hour after which, the Congress members withdrew to their seats.
In the Lok Sabha, surprisingly the Congress members raised the issue seeking a discussion on the chopper deal saying allegations have been levelled against their leadership.
As BJP mounted the offensive, Gandhi herself took the lead in returning the fire.
"Where are the proofs. They are lying. They are part of a strategy of character assassination which we have known these people indulge in," Gandhi said.
"The government is there for the last 2 years. What are they doing? Inquiry is there, why don't they complete it? Complete it as soon as possible, impartially, so that the truth will come out" she said.
On his part, Ahmed Patel also rubbished the allegations against him and the party as "absolutely baseless" and dared the government to "hang" him if he was guilty.
"This government, when they are saying all these things outside and inside the Parliament, why can't they investigate," Patel said.
"If there is something against me, they should find out and they should hang me," he said when asked by reporters for his reactions over the allegations.
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Swamy later told reporters that all persons including Sonia Gandhi, Ahmed Patel and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should be questioned on the deal.
"All should be questioned. Some may be guilty and some may not be," he said.
On Gandhi's charge of character assassination against her, Swamy said a person who used the term "maut ki saudagar" (merchant of death) against Narendra Modi cannot talk of character assassination.
A book which has been part of Delhi University's history curriculum and refers to Bhagat Singh a "revolutionary terrorist", today became a centre of controversy with freedom fighter's kin objecting to it and prompting HRD ministry to ask DU to reconsider the same.
The book titled "India's Struggle for Independence" has been part of DU's curriculum for over two decades.
Authored by noted historian Bipin Chandra and Mridula Mukherjee, the book mentions Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Surya Sen and others as "revolutionary terrorists" in Chapter 20.
The book also calls the Chittagong movement a 'terrorist act', while killing of British police officer John Sanders has been called an 'act of terrorism'.
Bhagat Singh's family had written a letter to HRD Minister Smriti Irani seeking her intervention in this regard and demanded appropriate changes in the textbook.
While the officials in the university confirmed that the ministry has asked DU to reconsider teaching of the particular chapter or book, they maintained that it is a "reference book" and not a "text book".
Terming the text of the book to be an "academic murder of sacrifices of individuals", Irani had yesterday assured that she will convey her angst to the university.
"I would not call it an academic anomaly but an academic murder of the sacrifices of many individuals. If I am to be called intolerant to ensure that Bhagat Singh ji is not called a terrorist, then that is tag I will proudly wear," she had told Times Now.
The family members also met DU Vice Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi today who assured them of looking into the matter.
"This is a very sad precedent that even after 68 years of Independence such words are used for the revolutionaries, who gave their lives for the freedom of the nation.
"The Britishers, who hanged Bhagat Singh, described him as 'true revolutionary' in their judgement, even they didn't use words like terror or terrorism. Using such words for revolutionaries in an attempt to stir controversy is very unfortunate" the freedom fighter's nephew Abhey Singh Sandhu told reporters.
DU Vice Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi said they have taken note of the request.
"The book is taught as a reference book in our history department but is not a text book published or authored by DU professor," he told PTI.
"Few members of his (Bhagat Singh's) family met me today. We have taken note of the request and the matter is being looked into," Tyagi added.
Brazil's outbreak of Zika -- which has been linked to the devastating microcephaly birth defect in newborns -- has topped 91,000 cases, health officials have said.
Between January 3 and April 2, 91,387 suspected cases of Zika were reported, with a disproportionate share (30,286) in the poorer northeast of the country, the Health Ministry said yesterday.
Three people have died of the mosquito-borne virus, it said.
Despite a flurry of research, very little is known about the virus -- how long it can hide out in the human body, the degree of risk via sexual transmission, the full list of diseases and disorders it may cause, and all the mosquito types capable of transmitting it.
Recent scientific consensus is that Zika causes microcephaly, a form of severe brain damage in newborns, and adult-onset neurological problems such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which can cause paralysis and death.
There is no vaccine or treatment for the virus, which in most people causes only mild symptoms -- a rash, joint pain or fever.
Among the infected to date have been 2,844 pregnant women.
"So far, it is not possible to determine what percent of Zika-positive pregnant women may have babies with microcephaly," said Infectious Disease Monitoring director Claudio Maierovitch.
Meanwhile, dengue cases surged to 802,429 -- 13.7% more than in the same period a year earlier, government data showed.
A British Asian woman who tried to escape a speeding fine by paying a bribe was jailed for three months today for lying to the police.
Ayesha Ahmed, a 27-year-old politics graduate, was caught speeding in her BMW twice within five minutes by a mobile camera van parked near her home in Dudley, West Midlands, in July, 2014.
She wanted to avoid getting penalty points on her licence by paying 450 pounds to a man who claimed he could fix things so she could escape the fine and penalty points.
West Midlands Police uncovered the scam and charged Ahmed with attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Ahmed stood trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court after she refused to admit her guilt.
A jury unanimously found her guilty and she was jailed as well as banned from driving for 58 weeks.
Steve Jevons, of the West Midlands Camera Enforcement Unit, said "Ahmed has paid a heavy price for thinking she could lie her way out of speeding offences. The jury concluded she was deliberately trying to avoid justice and not, as she claimed, victim of a scam by a bogus lawyer.
"She never met this 'legal expert', didn't have an address or phone number for him, and paid the money via a third party.
"Ahmed was given every opportunity to admit her guilt - an admission that would have spared her a jail term - and even the judge asked if she wanted to proceed to trial in the face of damning evidence.
"She has no previous convictions but a potentially promising career is now in ruins and all because she wanted to retain a clean licence," he said.
A banner depicting a rifle and a slogan supporting a separate Sikh nation that appeared at a Vaisakhi festival in the UK city of Birmingham has led to demands for action against those who raised the flag.
A British Asian MP has called for action against those behind the banner showing a rifle and a slogan for a separate Sikh state with the words 'Khalistan Zindabad' at the Vaisakhi celebrations.
Pakistani-origin MP Khalid Mahmood said organisers of the event attended by hundreds of British Sikhs over the weekend should ensure such banners do not feature in future celebrations.
"Khalistan Zindabad, as many people know, is a proscribed organisation in the European Union and the UK and therefore displaying that at a family event, and displaying those weapons openly at a family event, I think contravenes basic decency that we have," Mahmood told the BBC on Tuesday.
"If the organisers didn't know about it, they should have been warned properly about it and certainly they should take action in the future to ensure this does not carry on," said the Birmingham MP.
The flag seen to represent the Khalistan Zindabad Force featured a rifle alongside the slogan, which translates as "Long live Khalistan".
However, a member of Sikh Federation UK defended the flag, saying they supported an independent Sikh state - and not the terrorist group.
A spokesperson for Birmingham City Council said "We did not organise the weekend's Vaisakhi celebrations. They took place at Handsworth Park so we are in effect the landlord for this event. If anyone had brought this terrorist flag to our attention, one of the council officers attending would have asked for it to be taken down, however nobody did. That said the event was a wonderful family celebration".
The Khalistan Zindabad Force is banned in India and was added to the European Union's list of banned terrorist groups in 2005.
A Bulgarian town that is home to a Roma minority practising an ultraconservative form of Islam today banned Islamic face veils in public, a first in the country.
The town council of Pazardzhik in southern Bulgaria voted overwhelmingly in favour of the ban in all administrative buildings, schools, shops and on the street. Driving with a full-face veil, or niqab, was also outlawed.
The council justified the measure by saying that a veil impeded identification. Fines of USD 175 can be levied, rising to 1,000 leva for repeat offenders.
Bulgaria's centuries-old Muslim community, dating back to conversions during Ottoman times, makes up around 13 per cent of the 7.4-million population of mainly Orthodox Christians.
Muslim women in Bulgaria generally wear just a simple scarf to cover their hair, but recently there has been a rise in the number of women from Pazardzhik's Roma Muslim minority wearing the niqab.
The phenomenon has since spread to small numbers of women in at least three other Roma communities. Roma make up just under 10 percent of Bulgaria's population, around a third of whom are Muslim.
The Roma Muslim minority in Pazardzhik follows Wahhabism, the fundamentalist form of Islam originating in Saudi Arabia, which has been accused of inspiring the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.
13 spiritual leaders from Pazardzhik's community are currently standing trial for allegedly propagating extremist ideology and helping people join IS.
Their self-proclaimed imam, Ahmed Moussa Ahmed, was already sentenced to two years in jail in 2015 for inciting hatred on religious grounds.
The junior partner in Bulgaria's ruling coalition, the nationalist Patriotic Front, recently proposed imposing a nationwide ban on the full-face veil with fines of between 200 and 1,500 leva.
The bill which is yet to be put to vote in the legislature also proposes jail sentences of up to three years and fines of up to 5,000 leva for anyone who incites others to wear a niqab.
France and Belgium have in recent years both banned the wearing of the niqab in public.
The Cabinet today approved a proposal to provide 400 hectares of barren land at Central State Farm (CSF), Jetsar in Rajasthan for setting up of more than 200 mw solar power plant.
"The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for utilisation of 400 hectares of un-cultivable farm land at the Central State Farm (CSF), Jetsar in Sri Ganganagar District, Rajasthan for setting up of a solar Power Plant of capacity exceeding 200 mw," an official statement said.
The land is in the possession of National Seeds Corporation (NSC), a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the administrative control of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the statement added.
The solar power plant will be set up by a CPSE, which would be selected through negotiation.
NSC will provide 400 hectares of un-cultivable land, out of the 5394 hectares under its possession to the identified CPSE, which will bear the costs relating to the installation of the Solar Power Plant.
The selected CPSE will have to do tariff based competitive bidding for the project. It will be allowed to utilise the land for the installation of a solar power plant over a contract period of 25 years, which may be extended on mutually agreed terms and conditions, after which the entire plant will be surrendered to the NSC on as is where is basis.
The project, by utilising un-cultivable land for a solar power project, will yield revenue for NSC and will also generate clean energy for the nation, it added.
The Cabinet today gave its nod to a pact between Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) and the Insurance Authority of United Arab Emirates which provides for enhanced cooperation between the two authorities.
The Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in February, an official statement said after the meeting.
The MoU provides for enhanced cooperation between the two authorities in the field of insurance supervision by providing a framework for cooperation such as channels of communication.
"It will also result in increasing mutual understanding through the exchange of regulatory and relevant supervisory information including confidential information to enforce or ensure compliance with their respective laws and regulations," it added.
Prime Minister David Cameron told Parliament today that there was "no guarantee of success" for his government's efforts to save the British steel industry after Tata Steel announced its exit even as the country copes with a supply glut.
The UK government had announced last week that it would be willing to take a 25 per cent stake in any takeover of the Indian steel major's UK units up for sale.
"There is no guarantee of success. While I want to do everything we can to secure the future, not only for Port Talbot but also for Scunthorpe and steelmaking in Britain, we're coping with a massive oversupply, a collapse in prices from China," Cameron told the House of Commons.
His comments came a day after he made a surprise visit to the Tata Steel plant at Port Talbot in South Wales, the country's biggest, to reassure workers and unions.
Cameron was joined by Wales Secretary Alun Cairns for a tour of the plant, which employs more than 4,000 workers.
"The Prime Minister underlined our commitment to working with Tata to support the future of steel-making," a Downing Street spokesperson told reporters after the visit.
Cameron held talks withworkers in the Port Talbot blast furnace control room and finishing lines before holding round-table discussions with unions and managers, including the chief executive of Tata Steel Europe, Hans Fischer.
Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of the Community union, said "The Prime Minister looked steelworkers in the eye and promised to do all he could to protect their jobs. We will hold him to his word".
UK business secretary Sajid Javid is to be questioned by MPs on the steel industry crisis during a Business Select Committee meeting in the Commons tomorrow.
Bimlendra Jha, Tata Steel chief executive, Gareth Stace of trade group UK Steel, and Rickhuss will also appear before the committee.
Other witnesses will include Marc Meyohas of Greybull Capital, which is buying Tata's plant in Scunthorpe.
Tata Steel has said it wants to find a buyer for the entire business, but if no viable bids emerge, it could also be broken up.
Around 190 bids of interest are being analysed by advisers of the firm after which non-disclosure agreements will be signed with a short-list of buyers to move to the next stage in the process.
CBI has managed to freeze Rs 9.5 crore in the United States which was alleged to have been illegally transferred by the Chief Executive Officer of General Insurance Company to a firm based in Washington.
The sources said the agency, working in tandem with US domestic intelligence agency FBI, was able to identify the amount which was in the "banking channels" there and got it frozen. They said proceedings are on to bring it back to India.
The case relates to a complaint filed by GIC in October last year alleging that the Chief Executive Officer of its Dubai branch Syed Farrukh Shah had transferred over 14 lakh USD (about Rs 9.5 crore as per the present exchange rates) from the company's account in Bank of Baroda to one Washington DC-based company T.O International group's account in PNC Bank on June 4, 2015.
Shah has been questioned by CBI in connection with the case.
The sources said the directions to transfer the amount were allegedly issued by Shah on the basis of fake and fraudulent mails, purportedly from the then Chairman-cum- Managing Director of GIC, Ashok Kumar Roy, and a London-based individual Christopher Adams, received on his official email ID.
The mails claimed that GIC was acquiring shares in the US based company and Dubai branch of the insurer has been chosen to handle the acquisition proceedings, they said.
The agency got in touch with FBI and managed to locate the amount which was still in the "banking channels" of the USA. After it was located, the amount was frozen.
CBI has also sent Letters Rogatory to the US, along with the letter from a special court in Mumbai to attach the amount, they said.
The Centre will provide Rs 40 crore for setting up Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology (CIPET) at Baddi in Solan district, Himachal Pradesh.
The central institute will help students upgrade their skill and technical competency to meet the growing demand of the plastic industry.
The Centre would provide Rs 40.10 crore for the institute while the Himachal government has offered adequate land free of cost and also made a provision of Rs 2-crore in the current year's state budget, Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers Ananth Kumar said at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the new complex at Baddi in Solan district today.
Addressing a gathering, Ananth Kumar announced a Bulk Drug Pharma Park and Satellite Extension Centre of National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) for Pharma testing lab at Baddi.
He said though bulk drugs were coming from China, now Himachal would also be a centre of production of base material for such bulk drugs.
Bulk drug parks in Ahmedabad and Andhra Pradesh have already been proposed and this will be the third one at Baddi in Himachal, he said.
At present, there are 28 CIPETs in different parts of the country and 11 more have been approved with the increase in demand, he said.
At present, India requires 9 lakh plastic engineers and skilled labourers.
The institute which started classes from 2015-16 is presently functioning temporarily in the premises of Baddi Technical Training Institute (BTTI) and the new state-of-the-art complex would be build within a year.
CIPET would be completed within a year and he would inaugurate it next year, Kumar said.
Besides Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Minister of State for Petroleum and Fertilisers Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, State Transport Minister G S Bali and Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri were also present.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said the state government had released first instalment of Rs 50 lakh to the institute in January this year for creating infrastructure.
"Skill Development is key to sustainable development and is essential to address the opportunities and challenges to meet new demands of changing economy," said the Chief Minister.
He further said the government has initiated vocational education in as many as 500 schools and will start bachelors of vocational education courses in 10 colleges and short-term courses to provide new and additional skills to make the youth employable.
State Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said a sum of Rs 100 crore has been sanctioned for the industrial belt of Baddi, Barotiwala and Nalagarh.
China today said it has taken note of growing military cooperation between India and the US and hoped that it would be "conducive" to regional peace and stability.
"We have noted the recent frequent military cooperation in the region between some countries," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing here, replying to a question about US official's reported comments about cooperation between India and Washington to track submarines in the Indian Ocean.
"Hope relevant cooperation is conducive to peace and stability," she said.
Earlier China reacted guardedly to India's decision to open up military bases to the US for logistics during this month's visit of US Defence Secretary Ash Carter to New Delhi.
"India is also an influential country in the world and India has been upholding independent diplomatic policy. India will make up its diplomatic policies based on its own interests," another Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang has said, reacting to India's decision to sign logistic supply agreement, (LSA) which enables troops of both the countries to avail their military bases for logistics.
Harry Wu, a longtime Chinese human rights campaigner, and author and founder of the Laogai Research Foundation, has died. He was 79.
Wu died yesterday while on vacation in Honduras, Laogai Human Rights Organization administrator Ann Noonan told The Associated Press. The case of death wasn't immediately known and Wu's son Harrison and former wife China Lee were traveling to the Central American nation to bring home Wu's remains, Noonan said.
"He was a real hero," Noonan said by phone from New York. "Harry's work will continue, it will not stop."
Wu was born into a prosperous family in Shanghai that saw most of its property confiscated following the civil war victory of Mao Zedong's communists in 1949. He studied geology in university but fell foul of the authorities for his criticism of the Soviet Union, China's then ally, and was sentenced in 1960 at age 23 to China's prison camp system known as laogai, or "reform through labor."
Laogai was notorious for punishing intellectuals and political prisoners with long sentences and brutal conditions and were blamed by some for causing millions of deaths.
According to his autobiography, Wu spent various terms in 12 different camps, experiencing harsh work regimens on farms, coal mines and work sites, along with beatings, torture and near starvation.
Released in 1979 following Mao's death three years earlier, Wu moved to the United States in 1985 but returned frequently to China to conduct research on the labor camp system.
Having become a US citizen, Wu was arrested during a visit to China in 1995 and sentenced to 15 years on espionage charges. He was immediately deported to the US where he continued his work documenting Chinese human rights abuses and was a frequent speaker before Congress and at academic events.
His Washington, DC-based Laogai Research Foundation established the Laogai Museum in 2008 to "preserve the memory of the laogai's many victims and serve to educate the public about the atrocities committed by China's communist regime," according to the foundation's website.
China has since formally eliminated laogai along with a milder version known as laojiao, or "reform through education," although penal labor remains a key feature of the Chinese prison system.
China has repositioned itself as a geopolitical rival of the US, a top American Senator today said, expressing concern over Beijing's aggressive behaviour in the disputed South China Sea.
"We've reached a point now though where there's no denying the fact that China has positioned itself as a geopolitical rival to the United States. The calculated and incremental strategy on the part of Beijing to challenge US power is having real consequences for US interests and international norms in the Indo-Pacific and beyond," Senator Bob Corker Chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee said during a Congressional hearing.
Many experts, he noted, has opined that it is increasingly likely that Beijing will declare an air defence identification zone in the South China Sea.
"And China could undertake further destabilising actions if the international tribunal ruling as expected goes against Chinese interests," he said.
Corker also expressed concern over the lack of progress on a number of economic and trade related issues.
For more than four years, the US and China have been engaged in a trade war over solar panels and polysilicon imports and exports to make those panels, he said.
Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Antony Blinken, Deputy Secretary of State, reiterated that the ties with China is most "consequential" relationship.
Blinken said the relationship the Obama Administration has been working with China has paved the way for a landmark joint announcement on climate change that galvanised the international community reach a global climate agreement in Paris last December and signed it in New York just last week.
"From top to bottom the administration has worked to expand and deepen our diplomatic, military, economic and people to people ties with China. Since the president took office, our exports to China have nearly doubled.
"China's now the largest market for American made goods outside of North America and it's also one of the top markets for US agricultural exports and a large and growing market for US services," he said.
Blinken said while the United States and China share an interest in ensuring that North Korea does not obtain a nuclear weapons capability, the two do not always agreed on the best way to reach that objective.
Ranking Member Senator Benjamin Cardin alleged that China's continued reclamation activities in the South China Sea, violation of international law, the militarisation of the islands is a "clear attempt to bully its smaller neighbours and to clearly challenge the US" as a Pacific power in one of the most important zones, trade navigation zones in the world.
Blinken said the US has a profound national interest in the way the various claimant pursue their claims and anything that threatens freedom of navigation, that threatens the peaceful resolution of disputes or that undermines international law, including obligations, is a problem for it.
"In addition China is making it more difficult for us to carry out our own commitments and our own alliances. That is also a problem for us," Blinken said.
"China's actions are alienating virtually every country in the neighbourhood and they are looking to the US increasingly," Blinken said.
"So our engagement with those countries has reached, unprecedented levels and if you go down the list of countries in Southeast Asia, as well as in Northeast Asia, the relationship with our treaty allies as well as with emerging partners is deeper and stronger than it's been and in particular the cooperation on maritime security is greater than it's ever been," he said.
Chinese scientists claimed that dogs have originated in southern China some 33,000 years ago, disputing US research that domesticated dogs evolved 15,000 years ago in Central Asia.
A research team led by Zhang Yaping from Kunming Institute of Zoology in Yunnan province has questioned the results of previous research by Cornell University in US which was described as the "largest-ever survey of worldwide canine genetic diversity".
The team's conclusion was published this month as a letter by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a top US-based research journal, and previously by Cell Research, a Chinese Academy of Sciences' publication.
Wang Guodong, an associate professor from the academy's Zoology Institute, told state-run China Daily that, "for the first time, our study unravels an extraordinary journey that the domestic dog has travelled on Earth."
The Chinese research disagrees with conclusions reached in October by a team of scientists led by Adam Boyko of Cornell University.
The Cornell research, which analysed more than 185,800 genetic markers for 4,600 purebred dogs from 165 breeds, along with more than 540 village dogs from 38 countries, concluded that the earliest dogs appeared in Central Asia 15,000 years ago.
There are more than 400 dog breeds in the world, including the Chow, which has existed for more than 2,000 years, and the German Shepherd Dog, which has a history of less than 200 years.
"First, the definition of Central Asia in the previous research is wrong, because they assigned Mongolia and Nepal to Central Asia.
"Second, despite its large scale, the research did not include data on dog populations from southern China, which has always been believed to be an important place of origin for domesticated dogs," Wang said.
Wang also sequenced the genome of indigenous dogs living in the Chinese countryside and compared the data with that of the Cornell research, finding that Chinese dogs existed much earlier.
The team also sequenced 12 gray wolves - the modern dog's ancestor - 27 primitive dogs from Asia and Africa and 19 diverse breeds from across the world.
The scientists said Chinese dogs have significantly more genetic diversity than other populations and are genetically the closest to gray wolves, indicating that dogs were domesticated in southern East Asia about 33,000 years ago.
"Since dogs and humans became friends, dogs have migrated with humans either as watchdogs in agricultural civilisations or as herding dogs for nomads," said Peng Minsheng, an associate professor at the institute who specialises in human and animal genetics.
Dogs travelled from East Asia to Europe with human beings. But it's unknown whether they travelled along the Silk Road or by sea.
Coast Guard Commander and Inspector General (Eastern region) Satya Prakash Sharma was given a traditional farewell today after 36 years of service, with Coast Guard ships and aircraft demonstrating their prowess off Chennai coast during the 'day at sea'.
A fleet of Coast Guard ships, comprising ICGS Sagar, Samudra Paharedar, Vigraha, Rani Abbakka, Abheek, Raj Tarang along with two Dornier aircraft and one Chetak Helicopter demonstrated the prowess during the day at sea on the Bay of Bengal, as part of giving a traditional farewell to Sharma, an official release said.
Sharma will retire this month after serving the Coast Guard for more than 36 years.
Sharma, hailing from New Delhi, is a second batch Indian Coast Guard officer and joined the Eastern region as its Inspector General in December 2010.
He isa recipient of the Tatrakshak Medal for meritorious service and also the President Tatrakshak Medal for distinguished service, the release said.
Coast Guard ships and aircraft showcased various operational capabilities, including search and rescue operations, high-speed maneuvers, fire fighting, small arms fighting among others, the release added.
Targeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi over the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, BJP president Amit Shah today said Congress must accept the judgement of an Italian court in connection with the scam.
"Now Italian court's (judgement) has come. Accept that. Congress will not accept anything from here but shouldn't they accept if it is coming from 'Italy'," Shah told an election meeting here.
"Italian court's judgement has come. All papers have not come to us and they (Congress) are saying to do an investigation. Wait. Investigation will be done," he said.
Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had said they have received a copy of the Italian court order and is in the process of translating it into English.
While in Bhowanipore constituency where Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee is defending her seat, Shah questioned why the Chief Minister has been silent on the issue so far.
"She knows the moment she utters a word on this, Congress will raise the issue of Saradha scam," Shah said.
He asserted that in the last two years of Narendra Modi government, no scams have been reported even by the opposition.
Tracking a weak global trend, copper futures fell 0.46% lower at Rs 327.55 per kg today as speculators offloaded positions.
Furthermore, muted demand at domestic spot market pushed down the metal prices.
At the Multi Commodity Exchange, copper for delivery in April shed Rs 1.50, or 0.46%, to Rs 327.55 per kg in a business turnover of 2,153 lots.
Analysts attributed the fall in copper futures to offloading of positions by speculators, tracking weak global cues as slumped on fears that supply will outpace demand.
Globally, copper, used in pipes and wiring, extended its retreat from the high level in a month by dropping 1.4% to $4,930 per tonne at the London Metal Exchange in yesterday's trade.
A labour court here has awarded Rs 5,32,800 as compensation to a 52-year-old widow in connection with the murder of her husband while he was driving a tanker of his employer in 2012.
Labour court Commissioner B Y Phad directed the two respondents -- Jagdeep Singh Bakhrawar Singh of Jaideep Transport from Bhiwandi and Reliance General Insurance company -- to jointly and severally pay the compensation to Surinder Kaur, with 12 per cent interest per annum from the date of murder on May 7, 2012.
He also ordered Jaideep Transport to pay a penalty of Rs 2.63 lakh to the woman.
Advocate S C Bodulla, appearing for Surinder Kaur, informed the court that her husband Jagjit Singh was employed with Jaideep Transport and earning Rs 8,000 as monthly salary.
On May 1, he started driving the tanker from Mumbai to Punjab to deliver some chemical. On May 7, Jagjit was allegedly killed by some unidentified person, who hit him with a blunt object on his head and his body was left in the tanker's cabin at Bhiwani in Haryana, Bodulla said.
The deceased's wife said both the respondents were liable to pay her a compensation of Rs 5,32,800.
However, the two respondents contested the claim saying it was a case of murder and not an accident.
Referring to rulings of various courts, Bodulla said the murder of an employee during the course of employment amounts to accidental death arising out of employment.
The Commissioner, in his order, said as per the facts of the present case, the deceased was found dead in the cabin of the tanker and it transpired that the death was caused by injuries caused by a blunt object. Accordingly, police registered a case under section 302 (murder) of IPC.
"It is clear that it is a case of murder of deceased by some unknown person. Therefore, it cannot be said that the assailant was having dominant intention to kill the deceased.
"Thus I am of opinion that it cannot be ruled out that the murder of deceased was an accidental murder while the deceased was acting in the course of employment of opponent transporter and his death arose out of employment," he said.
"Hence both the opponents are liable to pay the amount of compensation," the Commissioner said in a recent order.
The court also observed it was evident that inspite of notice given to the opponents, they failed to deposit the compensation amount.
The opponent no. 1 (transport company) is not justified in causing delay in depositing the compensation amount on the ground that the vehicle was insured with the opponent no. 2 (Reliance General Insurance company).
Therefore, the court ruled that Jaideep Transport was liable to pay a penalty of Rs 2.63 lakh to the widow.
Alleged gangster Neeraj Bawana's elder brother Pankaj Sehrawat, accused of running an organised crime syndicate, has been granted custody parole by a Delhi court for four days for arranging money to deposit school fees of his two children.
Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Pandit granted the custody parole to Sehrawat from April 29 to May 2 from 8 AM to 5 PM each day.
The court passed the order while disposing of his plea seeking 10 days of interim bail saying as he is in custody, the school fees of his two children could not be deposited and he be granted the relief to arrange money as his wife was also unwell.
"It appears that wife of the accused (Sehrawat) is now not in such condition that intervention of accused is necessary. Moreover, from perusal of document dated April 20, 2016 which is letter issued by the school, it appears that about Rs 15,000 of fees is due...
"In these circumstances, it will be suffice that accused be granted custody parole for four days," the court said.
The judge added, "He is granted custody parole from... So that he can arrange the necessary amount for the payment of fees of his children."
The court posted the case for May 7 for hearing arguments on framing of charges against the accused.
The police has listed in a charge sheet 10 people, including Neeraj, Sehrawat and ex-MLA Rambeer Shokeen, for alleged offences under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act.
They were named in the charge sheet for allegedly running an organised crime syndicate in the Delhi-NCR region.
Advocate Akram Khan, appearing for Sehrawat, told the judge that the accused was granted interim bail for 10 days by another court earlier this month in a murder case lodged at Subhash Place Police Station and due to his custody, children were suffering as their school fees could not be paid.
The prosecutor, however, opposed the plea saying he cannot be given bail as there was likelihood that he can commit any serious offence.
The court said the situation in this case was different as in the murder case, interim bail was governed under the CrPC while in the case, it was governed by MCOCA provisions.
In its charge sheet, police said Neeraj belonged to a lower middle class family but enjoyed a lavish lifestyle from the money generated through the syndicate.
Besides the three, the Special Cell of Delhi Police listed in its charge sheet other arrested members of the syndicate -- Sunil Rathi, Amit Malik alias Bhura, Naveen Dabas, Rahul Dabas, Naveen Hooda, Deepak Dabas and Gurpreet Singh in the case.
Police, which named 163 people as prosecution witnesses in the case, claimed these accused were involved in several criminal cases.
Ahead of the fifth phase of polling in West Bengal, BJP President Amit Shah today hit out at the ruling Trinamool Congress as well as the CPI-M-Congress alliance in the state.
"The CPI-M-Congress poll understanding is not a 'joth' (alliance) but a 'ghot' (nexus)," he said at an election meeting here in South 24 Parganas district that goes to polls on April 30.
"In Bengal, the two parties (Cong-CPI-M) are in alliance while they are opponents in Kerala. We are waiting to see what these parties do in Rajya Sabha," he said.
Hitting out at Mamata Banerjee-led TMC, Shah said the party had changed the names of many central schemes for the poor and claimed that they were being sponsored by the state government.
"Jan dhan Yojana is being touted as a state government scheme as is the Rs 2 per kg rice for the poor. That the Centre pays a subsidy of Rs 27 per kg of rice is never spoken of," he charged.
"Syndicate Raj" is rampant in the state and was the reason behind the collapse of the Vivekananada Road flyover, he said.
The law and order situation in the state has deteriorated and its women are not safe, the BJP chief added.
Seeking to enhance operation and maintenance of market complexes and deliver efficient services to people, the DDA has decided to transfer its revenue stream from parking to the municipal corporations, the urban body today said.
The decision was taken in the authority meeting of DDA held at the Raj Niwas here.
The urban body, however, said the ownership of the land would "continue with DDA" and it could take back the possession of any such land, if required for any development purpose.
"In the interest of proper management, operation and maintenance of market complexes and for the efficient delivery of the parking services to people, it has been decided to transfer this revenue stream from parking to the municipal corporations," it said.
DDA said the move would also help boost the revenue of corporations as the services transferred to them involve substantial expenditure.
"The corporations will be responsible for maintenance of parking sites, action to be taken for any encroachment or misuse.
"But MCD will have no rights over the land and it could not put the land to any use other than parking. Also DDA will not be liable to pay any property tax to the MCD in respect of the transferred parking sites," it said.
The authority also decided to use a rationalised procedure for levying misuse charges for its plots.
"The new formula will simplify the procedure for levying misuse charges which is scientific and user friendly and is on the basis of self assessment," the DDA said.
"An affidavit may be accepted in lieu of inspection by DDA from the applicants along with recent photographs and certification by way of affidavit from two witnesses or registered RWA certifying that there is no misuse of the respective property," it said.
The top decision-making body of DDA also decided to revise the maximum period for construction time for properties across various categories, from the date of possession.
For residential allotment it has been revised to 20 years, for institutional 10 years, for Group Housing Society 10 years, among other categories.
Other issues discussed in the meeting included farm houses and amendments related to it.
"As per the new amendments, the definition of 'Low Density Residential Plot' includes existing farm houses in urban extension (both within and outside Low Density Residential Area or LDRA villages which had come up prior to Feb 7, 2007) regularised as per policy and new Low Density Residential plots in the green belt and LDRA," it said.
The authority also decide to change land usage for various
proposed projects across the city.
"Change of land use of area measuring 90 ha from commercial to public and semi-public for a convention centre project in sector 25 Dwarka Zone K-II was proposed. The project is being processed by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion and Ministry of Commerce in coordination with the Ministry of Urban Development," it said.
Change of land use of a plot measuring 8,670 sqm from residential to public and semi-public located in sector-2, Dwarka was also approved for the construction of the office of National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), it said.
A proposal for change of land use of an area measuring 7.76 acres from government office to residential (guest houses) was approved for Western Court Hostel at Janpath area in central Delhi.
"Presently the Western Court has 66 single suites and 4 double suites for transit accommodation for Members of Parliament and their guests. It has been proposed to construct additional 64 suites as transit accommodation for new MPs who join after elections and also for their guests and ex-MPs," the DDA said.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today urged the Centre to declare Kerala a drought affected state.
He said a high-level meeting of ministers andgovernment officials would be held inThiruvananthapuram tomorrow to discuss the "unprecedented" drought conditions prevailing in many parts of the state.
Chandy, who is in the midst of the May 16 Assembly poll campaign, said the government has got permission from the Election Commission to deal with the drought situation.
"Drought has become a major issue. I am cancelling my election campaign programme and going to Thiruvananthapuram tomorrow to chair a meeting convened to discuss drought issue. Our demand is that Kerala should be declared as a drought affected state," the Chief Minister said here.
He cited the prevailing extreme hot weather condition affecting normal life in several areas.
Chandy was talking to media after noted Malayalam film star Mammootty met him to express his willingness to work for drought relief operations in the state.
Referring to drought situation in Latur in Maharashtra, Mammootty said many areas of Kerala would also face a similar situation if civil society and government fail to step in to solve the water crisis.
He said a meeting of civil society activists and other organisations would be held here tomorrow to discuss the way drought relief operations should be organised in the affected areas.
Mammootty also invited all those interested in drought relief operations for the meeting here.
Delhi government has set up the 'Fifth Finance Commission' to give suggestions to improve the financial condition of municipal corporations.
Lt Governor Najeeb Jung has given his nod for the constitution of the Commission, to be headed by former Urban Development Secretary Sudhir Krishna, which has been asked to submit its report within 18 months.
Urban Development Department of Delhi government has issued an order in this regard. The Commission will review the financial position of municipal corporations covering five years from 2016-2021.
K R Kishore has been appointed as Member Secretary of the Commission.
The Commission will recommend suggestions to improve the financial condition of local civic bodies besides modernising their functioning.
"The Commission may also study the present activities of local bodies and see whether some of their functions i.E. major hospitals etc can be transfered to GNCTD which may reduce their expenses," the order stated.
In June last year, the Delhi High Court had pulled up the city government saying it cannot wait for acceptance or implementation of the Fourth Financial Commission's findings before constituting the fifth one.
The today retained India on its priority watch list for "lack of sufficient measurable improvements" to the IP framework despite robust engagement and positive steps on intellectual property protection and enforcement by the Indian government in the last two years.
Releasing its annual 301 Report, the said that it will continue to put India and China on its priority watch list for intellectual property rights (IPR).
Pakistan, however, has been upgraded from the Priority Watch List to the Watch List, the Office of the Trade Representative (USTR) said in its annual report.
"India remains on the Priority Watch List this year for lack of sufficient measurable improvements to its IPR framework despite more robust engagement and positive steps forward on IPR protection and enforcement undertaken by the Government of India," the USTR said in its report.
USTR retains the option of conducting an Out-of-Cycle Review (OCR) of India should developments - positive or negative - weigh in favour of a review in advance of the annual cycle, the report said.
"Intellectual property is a critical source of economic growth and high-quality jobs for the United States, and it is more important than ever to prevent foreign governments and competitors from ripping off United States innovators who are trying to support high-paying jobs by exporting their goods and services to consumers around the world," said US Trade Representative Michael Froman.
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"This final Special 301 Report of the Obama Administration underlines the great value that unique American creativity and innovation have for millions of families - ranging from small business owners to medical researchers to employees of the recording and motion picture industries.
"As well as the efforts of the executive branch, our bipartisan partners in Congress, and the US business community to vigilantly monitor abuses of American intellectual property rights anywhere they exist in the world," he said.
Continuing to place China on the Priority Watch List, USTR said China has undertaken wide-ranging intellectual property law reform efforts and some positive enforcement initiatives, but both longstanding and new IPR concerns merit increased attention including with respect to trade secret theft, rampant online piracy and counterfeiting, continued high levels of physical pirated and counterfeit goods, and localisation requirements that condition market access on use of IPR developed in or transferred to China.
In its report, USTR added Switzerland to the Watch List this year.
While Switzerland is generally a strong partner on IP issues, copyright holders have essentially been prevented from enforcing their rights against online infringers and Switzerland has become an increasingly popular host country for infringing websites, it said.
USTR also said that it will conduct OCRs for Colombia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Spain to promote engagement and progress on specific IP opportunities and challenges identified in this year's review.
Pakistan it said has taken significant steps to improve IP protection and enforcement including establishing specialised IP courts, establishing a timeline to draft and implement amendments to IP laws, improving border enforcement procedures, undertaking public awareness programs on IP protection, and committing to regular action-oriented engagement with the US government and stakeholders.
Eleven countries - Algeria, Argentina, Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, and Venezuela - are on the Priority Watch List.
These countries will be the subject of particularly intense bilateral engagement during the coming year, it said.
Twenty-three countries are on the Watch List, and also merit bilateral attention to address underlying IP problems.
The Madras High Court today quashed the detention order under the Goondas Act against Yuvaraj, the prime accused in the case of alleged honour killing of Dalit youth V Gokulraj, and will hear tomorrow his bail plea.
A division bench comprising Justices M Jayachandan and S Nagamuthu quashed the detention order, issued by Namakkal District Collector on December 2, 2015, on a habeas corpus petition filed by Sunitha, wife of Yuvaraj.
Goondas Act has a provision of detention without bail for up to a year
Meanwhile, in an another order Justice K Kalyanasundaram adjourned the bail application filed by Yuvraj to tomorrow for filing counter by CB-CID.
Yuvaraj had surrendered before the Crime Branch-CID officials on October 11 last year after being on the run since the Dalit youth was murdered in June 2015.
Gokularaj's body was found on the railway track near Pallipalayam on June 24 and it had triggered protests from his family and relatives and snowballed into a socio-political issue in Tamil Nadu.
Love affair with a girl belonging to another caste was suspected to be the reason for his murder, an alleged honour killing.
When Tiruchengode DSP Vishnu Priya, who was investigating the murder case, allegedly committed suicide on September 18 last year, it gave a new twist to the murder case and Opposition parties raised several questions and targeted the ruling party over the issue.
The state government subsequently transferred the probe of Gokulraj murder case and the DSP's suicide to the CB-CID.
Vishnu Priya's father and one of her batchmates had levelled charges of harassment by her superiors in connection with the case related to the murder of the Gokulraj.
Police had rejected the charge, claiming they recovered a 16-page suicide note in which she had said it was her third suicide attempt and requested her mother not to make an issue over it.
A dozen "laser walls" have been made operational along the India-Pakistan International Border in Punjab to plug the porous riverine and treacherous terrain and keep an effective vigil against intruders and terrorists exploiting the frontier areas to cross over.
While eight infra-red and laser beam intrusion detection systems are "up and working" along as many vulnerable and sensitive areas of the international border (IB) in Punjab, four more will be operationalised in the next few days, a senior BSF official said.
The "laser walls" or fence are being monitored by Border Security Force (BSF) which guards the Indo-Pak IB in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
The decision to install these laser walls was taken by BSF two years ago keeping in mind the vulnerability of the border in these areas as barbed wire fencing could not be installed in many infiltration prone areas due to treacherous terrain or marshy riverine topography.
After the Pathankot terror attack, where it was suspected that terrorists crossed over from Pakistan by breaching the IB from Bamiyal area in Punjab, Union Home Ministry and BSF have sped up the deployment and activation of these walls along the long and winding border.
A total of 45 such laser walls will be installed in these areas along the international border in Punjab and Jammu, a blueprint prepared in this regard and accessed by PTI said.
According to the blueprint, BSF along with a team of technical experts will be conducting a pilot project for deploying "technological solutions" for effective border guarding at two "sensitive" riverine stretches in Jammu sector which entails deployment of smart sensors to pick up suspected movements along IB.
"The laser walls have started working and their functioning is being monitored. Preliminary results in detecting illegal movements are encouraging," the official said.
He said sensors were being monitored through a satellite-based signal command system and armed with night and fog operability tools.
Apart from these, four other pilot projects of similar kind in stretches of 30-40 kms of IB in Jammu and Gujarat and one in West Bengal along Indo-Bangla border have been approved by Home Ministry to secure Indian borders effectively.
"Work on them will begin by next month," he said.
After the Pathankot incident, BSF had deployed an additional battalion (about 1,000 men) in Punjab sector even as it has increased the number of its ambush operations and patrol in the area.
BSF is also considering deploying at least four more battalions in Punjab and Jammu border areas as a second-tier of defence after withdrawing these units from the Line of Control.
A book which forms part of Delhi University curriculum calls Bhagat Singh a "revolutionary terrorist", BJP member Anurag Thakur said in Lok Sabha today and demanded a debate on what is being taught in the educational institutions across the country.
'India's struggle for independence', a book authored by noted historian Bipin Chadra and Mridula Mukherjee, have made such references, he said.
Thakur said the book also describes a Congress leader as a "charismatic leader", which was a "joke" as the party had been reduced to 44 Lok Sabha seats.
This triggered protests from Congress members who objected to the mention of their leader, who was not present in the House. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan later expunged the Congress leader's name.
In an UPSC examination, Thakur said, a question was asked about "revolutionary terrorism" of Bhagat Singh, a noted freedom fighter who was hanged by the British.
While taking strong exception to this, he hinted at the authors' link with the UPA, saying Chandra was National Book Trust chairperson between 2004-12.
Mukherjee, he alleged, faced vigilance probe.
"There should be a debate on what is taught in this country," he said, while noting that education plays a key role in building character.
Election Commission today deployed more police observers for the fifth and penultimate phase of election to West Bengal assembly on April 30.
With this the number of police observers in South 24 Parganas district has been increased to three from two and in Hooghly and Kolkata south to two each against one each deployed earlier, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Dibyendu Sarkar said here today.
The decision was taken after a review meeting with observers of the poll-bound districts, he said.
The review meet was attended by all general, police and expenditure observers of 53 constituencies in Kolkata, South 24-Parganas and Hooghly which go to the polls on Saturday.
Sarkar said the Election Commission had transferred five police officials yesterday ahead of the polling for the fifth phase.
A sub-inspector of Kasba police station, officers-in-charge of Jibantala, Panchasayar and Harwood Point Coastal police stations, besides the sub-divisional police officer of Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas district were transferred with immediate effect.
BJP candidate Roopa Ganguly met the CEO during the day and lodged complaint of rigging in Howrah North seat from where she has contested.
Demanding repoll in 16 booths, Ganguly said the observers in her constituency could not be contacted when required. "I have also informed the EC Headquarter in Delhi about rigging in my constituency," she said.
CPI(M) leader from Hooghly district Sudarshan Roy Chowdhury too met the CEO urging him to ensure that the central forces are more active to prevent entry of outsiders to the district on polling day.
The sixth and last phase of polling will be held on May 5 and the results will be out on May 19.
A day after a massive fire destroyed specimens of flora and fauna at the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), the government today said assessment of losses is going on and all efforts will be made to restore the items.
"The assessment will come within a couple of days. Then we will be able to tell how much (of the items) can be restored. We will make all efforts," Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said on the sidelines of an event.
Nearly four-decade-old NMNH housing thousands of rare specimens of flora and fauna including a 160-million-year old fossil bone of the Indian Sauropod Dinosaur, at the heart of the capital was ravaged in the massive blaze.
The fire first started on the top floor of the six-storey FICCI building which housed the museum in Mandi House area of Central Delhi around 1.45 AM and rapidly spread to all other floors except the ground floor.
35 fire tenders were deployed to contain the blaze and six firemen were injured in the operation to douse the fire. The fire was brought under control at around 6 AM.
Yesterday, Javadekar had described the fire mishap as "unfortunate" and ordered a safety audit of all the 34 museums under his ministry.
The project of constructing a new museum will be done at an estimated cost of Rs 225 crore and while the conceptual work is in progress, a committee has also been formed for the purpose, the Ministry had said.
The 38-year-old museum had a rich collection of herpetological specimen, specimen of tigers and leopards, preserved butterflies and pre-historic fossils and all of them have been gutted.
Thane police has arrested three persons, including a director and an operations manager of Solapur factory of Avon Lifesciences Limited, in connection with the recovery of a major haul of ephedrine, pegged at Rs 2000 crore, earlier this month.
According to police, the arrests have led to unravelling of international drug mafia links of the accused. With the fresh arrests, the number of accused in police custody has risen to 8.
While Punit Shringi, in-charge of operations, was arrested from suburban Virar last night, Manoj Jain (46), one of the directors of the company, and Harjit Singh Gill (42), a transporter, were caught today from suburban Mahim and Navi Mumbai, respectively.
Police also seized around 10 kg of ephedrine, a controlled drug, from Shringi's car. Shringi had been brought in by the factory management in September 2015 and was subsequently made in-charge of its operations in Solapur.
"The seizure of narcotics and subsequent arrests have led police to unravel major international drug mafia links," Thane Police Commissioner Parambir Singh told reporters today.
According to police, Jain had gone abroad several times to meet suspected international drug smuggler Vicky Goswami along with Jaymukhi and Kishore Rathod who are wanted in the case.
"Jain had met Goswami in Kenya and they were about to start a project of manufacturing narcotics in the Solapur factory to sell it in international market," Singh said.
Thane police had unearthed the haul of around 18.5 tonne of ephedrine, worth approximately Rs 2000 crore, by raiding the premises of Avon Lifesciences Limited earlier this month.
The lid on the drug syndicate was blown after police arrested a Nigerian drug peddler from Kalyan and recovered around 500 grams of ephedrine from him on April 10.
"The Drug Enforcement Authorities (DEA) from various states have approached Thane police to get information about the drug racket after it was busted," Singh said.
He said a DEA official, Derreck Odney, had handed a letter to Thane police informing that those arrested in the case were working in coordination with Goswami.
"The wanted accused namely Jaymukhi, Rathod and Narendra Kacha had gone to Kenya to study the manufacturing of amphetamine and metamphetamine from ephedrine and pseudoephedrine," Thane police stated in a release today.
According to the release, Gill's vehicles were allegedly used to transport narcotics.
One of the vehicles was used to transport 1.3 tonne of ephrdrine to Ahmedabad from Solapur, which was in turn handed over to Kacha, it said.
Police had seized around 7.6 kg ephedrine powder from cabin of an accused arrested earlier and another 9,500 kg from an adjacent godown in the factory, besides 571.5 kgs of the drug and another 8,541 kg of pseudo ephedrine (powder) from the premises of the factory.
"Jain had met Goswami in Kenya and they were about to
begin manufacturing the drug at the Solapur factory to sell it in the international market," Singh had said.
Earlier this month, Thane police seized 18.5 tonnes of ephedrine, worth about Rs 2,000 crore, after raiding the premises of Avon Lifesciences Limited in Solapur.
The drug racket came to light after the arrest of a Nigerian drug peddler from Kalyan in the Thane district on April 10.
According to the DEA, those arrested were working in coordination with Goswami, who is based outside India.
"The wanted accused Jaymukhi, Rathod and Narendra Kacha had gone to Kenya to study manufacturing process of amphetamine and metamphetamine from ephedrine and pseudoephedrine," Thane police had said yesterday.
All India Ex-servicemen United Front, a political outfit, today said it will contest 2017 Punjab Assembly polls as the ruling SAD-BJP alliance and previous Congress governments "failed" to address the issues of the ex-servicemen.
The party would field its candidates on nearly 40 constituencies in Punjab so that they could be the part of the government after winning elections, Front's state In-charge Captain (Retd) Chanan Singh Sidhu said in a press conference here.
Sidhu declared Colonel (Retd) Manmohan Singh as party candidate for Jalandhar Cantt for the 2017 polls.
He said the name of rest of the candidates will be announced by May 25 so that they could get enough time for elections' campaign.
Talking about alliance with any political party, Sidhu said they were open to alliance with any party except the ruling SAD-BJP alliance while "holding them accountable" for "mass suicide" of debt-ridden farmers in Punjab, besides "poor" state of ex-servicemen.
A Sikh man in the US has filed charges against individuals who falsely accused him of making a bomb threat resulting in his unlawful detention on a bus.
"The only crime I committed was wearing a turban, having a beard, and speaking in a different language to another brown man on a bus," said Daljit Singh, who on February 21, while travelling on a Greyhound bus through Amarillo, Texas, was falsely accused by a fellow passenger of making a terroristic threat.
"I still cannot believe that this happened to me in America," Singh said after the Sikh Coalition, a community- based organisation, filed a complaint on his behalf with Texas law enforcement agencies.
An asylum seeker from India, Singh wears a turban and beard as part of his Sikh articles of faith.
The complaint claims that the allegations, which were made by a fellow passenger against Singh, were completely fabricated.
The passenger profiled Singh and then alleged that he had been discussing a bomb threat with a second passenger.
Other passengers then unlawfully restrained him until law enforcement officials arrived, the Sikh Coalition said in a statement.
"Singh was jailed for approximately 30 hours. During that time, local outlets linked Singh's name to terrorism charges," it alleged.
"When you actually see something you should say something," said Sikh Coalition senior staff attorney, Gurjot Kaur.
"However, what happens when you see nothing and concoct a story that is completely baseless because you don't like the colour of someone's skin, their religious headwear, and the fact that they speak a different language? There must be consequences when bigotry and xenophobia trump common sense on a bus deep in the heart of Texas," she said.
A 40-year-old man and his minor son, who were asleep inside a tent near a wedding venue at Tirana village here, were today killed when they were crushed under an SUV which was allegedly being driven by a man in an inebriated condition, police said.
Kailash Harijan and his son Changur, 12, were members of the band party at the wedding and were sleeping in a tent set up for the function, they said.
The incident occurred in the wee hours when the driver, who was under the influence of alcohol, lost control of the vehicle which ploughed into the tent, leaving the duo dead on the spot, police said.
The driver has been arrested, police said, adding the bodies have been sent for post mortem.
The Cabinet will soon take up the proposal to permit 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in food processing sector through government approval route, sources said.
The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) had proposed to allow FDI in marketing of food products produced and manufactured in India after approval from the FIPB.
Sources said that the government will not impose any conditions on the foreign players investing in the sector.
The government is also likely to permit business-to- consumer online selling of food products produced and manufactured domestically.
"The DIPP has sent the proposal for the consideration of the Cabinet. They want to make the policy simple," the sources added.
The government has said FDI in food processing will benefit farmers, reduce wastage of fruits and vegetables, give impetus to the industry and create vast employment opportunities.
During April-December, FDI into the country grew by 40 per cent to USD 29.44 billion.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country has increased 37% after the launch of 'Make in India' programme till February this year, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.
"In the 17-month period (October 2014-February 2016) up to February after the launch of 'Make in India', FDI inflows have increased by 37%," Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
She also said that overseas inflows grew 29% during the period compared to the 15-month period prior to the launch.
The 'Make in India' initiative was launched on September 25, 2014, with an aim to make the country a global manufacturing hub.
Replying to a separate question, she said that in 2015 the government has received as many as 204 FDI proposals, worth $39.32 billion.
In 2016, (till April 22), 64 proposals have been received.
In a separate reply, she said the top ten states that have implemented industrial entrepreneurs memoranda during January 2015 to March this year include Maharashtra (82 worth Rs 53,438 crore), Gujarat (117 worth Rs 8,474 crore) and Andhra Pradesh (67 worth Rs 5,560 crore).
A female suicide bomber blew herself up in the Turkish city of Bursa today, wounding seven people in the latest attack to strike the country, officials said.
The bombing took place near Bursa's 14th century Grand Mosque, a historic symbol of the city that was the first capital of the Ottoman empire.
"A woman believed to be a suicide bomber blew herself up. Seven citizens were injured according to initial findings," said a statement from the local governor's office.
Security sources confirmed that the blast was a "suicide attack", while Turkish media identified the bomber as a 25-year-old woman.
Nobody has yet claimed responsibility for the blast.
But Turkey remains on high security alert after a series of deadly attacks since last summer blamed on the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group and Kurdish rebels.
The powerful explosion smashed windows in shops near the mosque, and television footage showing the injured being treated in ambulances.
Police sealed off the area for investigation.
Today's attack came just a day after the US embassy in Ankara issued a new security alert for Turkey.
"The US government continues to receive credible indications that terrorist groups are seeking opportunities to attack popular tourist destinations throughout Turkey," the embassy said on its website.
"The US embassy reminds US citizens that foreign tourists in Turkey have been explicitly targeted by terrorist organisations, and advises US citizens to be mindful of the potential for danger in crowded public areas and at popular tourist destinations."
Bursa, once major trading post on the route linking Asia to Europe, is an industrial hub and Turkey's fourth largest city with a population of 2.7 million.
It lies across the Marmara Sea from Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey that has often been the target of attack.
Ankara launched an offensive against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) after the collapse in 2015 of a two-year ceasefire in a renewed conflict that has left many dead in the mainly Kurdish southeast of the country.
The conflict has also struck the heart of the country, with two attacks that killed dozens of people in the capital Ankara in February and March that were claimed by Kurdish rebels.
Four Israelis and an Iranian were also killed in a suicide attack on March 19 in Istanbul, while a January attack in the city's ancient touristic heart killed 11 German tourists.
The Finance Ministry is considering a proposal to raise annual allocation of funds under the MPLAD scheme to Rs 25 crore from Rs 5 crore at present, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
"Deputy Speaker Lok Sabha (16th Lok Sabha) and Chairman, Lok Sabha Committee on MPLADS vide letter dated February 25, 2015 had requested for increase of annual allocation of MPLADS funds per Member of Parliament to Rs 25 crore. The matter was referred to Ministry of Finance," Statistics Minister V K Singh said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
The Lok Sabha Committee on Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) in its sitting held on July 2, 2013 had recommended to increase the annual allocation per Member of Parliament from Rs 5 crore to Rs 10 crore.
In a separate reply, the minister also informed that a new integrated MPLADS website has been developed to monitor critical aspects such as fund release, fund utilisation, implementation of works, etc.
This will provide single point of reference for stakeholders, including customised dashboards for Members of Parliament (MPs) and will also enable communication between MPs and District Authorities.
The nodal districts are also required to submit the MPRs (proposals) online on this website. The website is being made functional in a phased manner.
From financial year 2015-16 fund installments under MPLADS are being released by Ministry through this website. Currently 229 nodal districts are uploading information on the new website.
When the new website becomes largely functional, login IDs and passwords will be provided to MPs for making online recommendations and viewing the progress of their recommended works, the minister added.
In another reply to the House, the minister informed that on the recommendation of the National Statistical Commission (NSC), a proposal to carry out Employment and Unemployment Survey at more frequent intervals, namely, Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), has been included in 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) of Statistics Ministry to measure changes in the labour market on quarterly/annual basis.
At present, widely used comprehensive data on labour market (i.E., employment and unemployment statistics) are available only from Employment and Unemployment Surveys conducted by NSSO once in five years.
The main objective of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) is to measure quarterly changes of various indicators of the labour market in urban areas as well as to generate the annual estimates of different labour force indicators both in rural and urban areas. The estimates will be brought out at State/UT and all India level, the minister added.
The Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan "failed" to break the stalemate and did not produce any significant measure of forward movement as the two sides only raised issues important to them without conceding ground to the other, the Pakistan media said today.
Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry met his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar in New Delhi yesterday on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia conference for their first formal interaction since their scheduled talks were deferred in the wake of the Pathankot attack in January.
The Express Tribune reported that Pakistan conveyed "its serious concerns to India over its spy agency's involvement in subversive activities in Balochistan and Karachi as talks between the foreign secretaries of the two arch-rivals in New Delhi failed to break the stalemate in the bilateral dialogues."
Dawn in its report said the two Foreign Secretaries raised their respective preferred topics without apparently conceding much to the other.
"Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry, predictably as happens in inclement diplomatic weather, raised the issues of Jammu and Kashmir and the capture of an Indian intelligence officer in Balochistan," the newspaper said.
The Nation reported that the top diplomats of India and Pakistan held talks after a hiatus of several months and both raised issues of their own concern and made demands from the other side on contentious issues.
It further said that though both sides called it a constructive session where they discussed "all issues", the low-key meeting did not produce any significant measure of forward movement.
The Urdu newspapers and electronic media also emphasised that RAW's involvement was the big issue in the talks.
The International, known to be close to the establishment, also highlighted the spy issue.
However, it noted that "Mr Jaishanker firmly rebutted the allegations of India's involvement in Balochistan or other areas.
"Masaan" director Neeraj Ghaywan has appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to provide better facilities to those who have migrated to the city from drought-affected areas of the state.
The National Award-winning director, along with a friend, visited migrants from Marathwada living currently in Mumbai and was distressed to them struggle for food, water and shelter in the hot weather.
"Dear Sir @Dev_Fadnavis, my account of the drought hit Marathwada migrants living in Mumbai. Needs your attention!," he tweeted along with the link of his Facebook post of his experience.
He also shared a few pictures from his visit on his Facebook page.
"These pictures might seem like they are from Latur or Beed or any of the drought affected areas. But, this is in Bombay. Yes, in your neighborhood. When I read the post shared by Anurag Kashyap (original post by Rahul Narvekar) on migrant farmers in Ghatkopar, I wanted to go there and see for myself," he began.
"My friend, Randeep Kumar Jha and I went there to witness a harrowing view of migration and what this water crisis is doing to people. Most of them are from Nanded and Latur. There were mostly women when we were there."
Ghaywan wrote, "The place is dirty and has pigs and other animals rummaging (see pics). One man I met said he didn't need anything but all he needs is a place to stay. He has been coming here to stay for the past 10 years. He said he couldn't live like this...
As many as 138 SEZ developers have have been granted more time to complete their projects in the last four years, Parliament was informed today.
"During the last four years and current financial year (up to 25 April), extension of time has been granted to 138 developers of SEZ across the country to complete their projects," Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
In a separate reply, the minister also said that special economic zones (SEZs) have seen a slowdown in terms of exports, increased number of applications for denotification, slower operationalisation and fewer number of requests for setting up new zones.
"The slowdown may be due to a number of reasons including withdrawal of exemption from minimum alternate tax (MAT) and Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT) provisions, uncertain fiscal regime for SEZs and global slowdown in exports," she said.
During April-December 2015-16, exports from these zones dipped by 1.89 per cent to Rs 3.41 lakh crore.
She said that to boost SEZs, review meeting, open house discussions, road shows have been organised.
Replying to a separate question, Sitharaman said the Sagarmala programme conceptualised by the government envisages coastal economic zones (CEZs) as spatial economic regions around and integrally linked to a group of major and minor groups.
Three CEZs have been identified for Tamil Nadu.
"The total estimated investment in basic infrastructure and land for all the proposed three CEZs in Tamil Nadu would be about Rs 35,000 crore and expected to generate 8-10 lakh direct jobs in the next 10 years," she added.
Once the perspective plans for these are finalised, the projects would be implemented preferably through private sector on the PPP mode, she added.
In a separate reply on the pharma sector, Sitharaman said the department of pharmaceuticals and the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry are sorting out the issue relating to the difficulties being faced by the bulk drug manufacturers relating to environment issues to give boost to manufacturing.
In 2014-15, India has imported bulk drugs/active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) worth USD 3.24 billion from countries like China, Germany, the US, Japan, Italy and South Korea.
"Out of the total imports, China contributed about 63.6 per cent in 2014-15," she said.
Replying to a separate question, Sitharaman said the share of India's exports to SAARC countries vis-a-vis total Indian exports to all the countries has increased from 5.03 per cent in 2012-13 to 6.8 per cent in 2015-16 (April-February).
Similarly, she said the share of India's imports from the South Asian (SAARC) countries vis-a-vis total Indian imports from all the nations has increased from 0.55 per cent in 2012-13 to 0.77 per cent in 2015-16 (April-February).
A government panel has recommended exempting iPhone and iPad maker Apple from mandatory local sourcing norms, a move which would pave the way for tech giant opening single-brand retail stores in the country.
The company had given a detailed presentation to the committee headed by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Secretary Ramesh Abhishek on April 19, on its products, technology, innovations and camera.
"The committee has found that the company's products are cutting edge technology and state-of-the-art. It has recommended to exempt them from the local sourcing norms," sources said.
The DIPP would soon send the proposal for final approval to the Finance Ministry.
The US-based company has sought approval from the government on setting up single-brand retail stores in the country.
As per the foreign direct investment (FDI) norms, the government may relax the mandatory local 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.
The government had set up a committee to decide whether a product is state-of-the-art and can be eligible for exemption from the mandatory local sourcing applicable for FDI single-brand retail trading.
At present, 100 per cent FDI is permitted in single-brand retail sector but companies are required to take FIPB permission if the limit exceeds 49 per cent.
The company sells its products through Apple-owned retail stores in countries including China, Germany, the US, the UK and France.
Apple has no wholly-owned store in India and sells its products through distributors such as Redington and Ingram Micro.
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has also submitted an application to open stores in the country. Chinese technology company LeEco also has sought the government's nod to open the stores.
The government will soon announce the name of CEO for India's first sovereign wealth fund NIIF as the interview of the shortlisted candidates was completed last week.
"Interview for the shortlisted candidates for the post of CEO of NIIF (National Investment and Infrastructure Fund) has just been completed. The name of successful candidate will be announced soon," a senior Finance Ministry official told PTI.
After the due official process, the name of the successful candidate would be announced, the official added.
Candidates from both private and public sector experiences faced the search-cum-selection committee headed by Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das for selecting a CEO of NIIF.
The government in December had set up the Rs 40,000-crore NIIF, which is an investment vehicle for funding commercially viable greenfield, brown-field and stalled projects.
The Finance Ministry had signed MoU with Abu Dhabi and Russian nano technology company and is also having discussions with some funds with the UK for investments in NIIF.
While the government will invest Rs 20,000 crore in NIIF, the remaining amount will come from private investors.
The Fund is set up as a Fund of Funds (Category II Alternate Investment Fund) with a proposed series of funds.
The CEO's responsibilities include, the initial set up activities of the Fund, putting appropriate investment and other relevant policies in place, and fund raising.
Other responsibilities include, coordinating with investors, identifying investment opportunities, analysing them, obtaining necessary approvals, funding, managing the assets post investment and exiting the investments to meet the investment objectives and policy of the Fund.
Donald Trump today said that halting the spread of radical Islam would be a "major goal" for the US if he is elected president, as the Republican presidential front-runner laid out the vision of his foreign policy asserting that the days of ISIS are "numbered".
In a speech outlining his foreign policy, Trump did not mention about India, and said that his administration would seek to improve ties with Russia and China.
"I'd like to talk today about how to develop a new foreign policy direction for our country, one that replaces randomness with purpose, ideology with strategy, and chaos with peace," Trump said, asserting that it is time to "shake the rust off" America's foreign policy.
In his first major foreign policy speech, a day after he declared himself as a "presumptive nominee" when he won primaries in all the five States, Trump said, "Containing the spread of radical Islam must be a major foreign policy goal of the United States and indeed, the world."
"Events may require the use of military force, but it's also a philosophical struggle, like our long struggle in the Cold War. In this, we're going to be working very closely with our allies in the Muslim world, all of which are at risk from radical Islamic violence, attacks and everything else. It is a dangerous world, more dangerous now than it has ever been," he said.
"We should work together with any nation in the region that is threatened by the rise of radical Islam. But this has to be a two-way street," he said.
The real-estate tycoon underlined that sending troops overseas would be his last option and would depend on diplomacy and the country's economic power.
"To our friends and allies, I say America is going to be strong again. America is going to be reliable again. It's going to be a great and reliable ally again. It's going to be a friend again.
"We're going to finally have a coherent foreign policy based upon American interests and the shared interests of our allies," he said.
"We're getting out of the nation-building business and instead focusing on creating stability in the world. Our moments of greatest strength came when politics ended at the water's edge. We need a new rational American foreign policy," he said.
On the ISIS, he said that the dreaded terror outfit's days are "numbered".
"I have a simple message for them (ISIS). Their days are numbered. I won't tell them where and I won't tell them how. We must as a nation be more unpredictable. We are totally predictable. We tell everything. We're sending troops. We tell them. We're sending something else. We have a conference. We have to be unpredictable. And we have to be unpredictable starting now," Trump said.
"They're going to be gone. ISIS will be gone if I am elected president. And they'll be gone quickly. They will be gone very, very quickly," he said.
He said in the Middle East the US' goals must be to "defeat terrorists and promote regional stability, not radical change."
"We need to be clear sighted about the groups that will never be anything other than enemies. And believe me, we have groups that no matter what you do, they will be the enemy," he said.
Trump said that if he is elected president his
administration would seek to improve ties with Russia and China.
"We desire to live peacefully and in friendship with Russia and China. We have serious differences with these two nations, and must regard them with open eyes, but we are not bound to be adversaries. We should seek common ground based on shared interests," he said.
"I believe easing of tensions, and improved relations with Russia from a position of strength only is possible, absolutely possible. Common sense says this cycle, this horrible cycle of hostility must end and ideally will end soon. Good for both countries," he said.
"Some say the Russians won't be reasonable. I intend to find out. If we can't make a deal under my administration, a deal that's great -- not good, great -- for America, but also good for Russia, then we will quickly walk from the table. It's as simple as that. We're going to find out," he cautioned.
Fixing US relations with China is another important step, he said.
"China respects strength and by letting them take advantage of us economically, which they are doing like never before, we have lost all of their respect," he said.
"We have a massive trade deficit with China, a deficit that we have to find a way quickly, and I mean quickly, to balance. A strong and smart America is an America that will find a better friend in China, better than we have right now. Look at what China is doing in the South China Sea. They're not supposed to be doing it," Trump said.
Haryana Government has notified "Water Audit Scheme" for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to encourage water harvesting and conservation in industrial units in the state.
The scheme also involves measuring the actual water consumption of various gadgets used in the premises of the enterprise, comparing it with an estimate of the minimum water required to undertake the process and establishing technically and economically feasible means to achieve the same.
Under the scheme, best ways to optimise the water consumption leading to water saving and cutting down water consumption bills would be suggested, a spokesman of the Industries and Commerce Department said here today.
Referring to the quantum of assistance, he said 75 per cent reimbursement of cost of water audit limited to a maximum of Rs one lakh and subsidy up to 50 per cent or maximum of Rs 20 lakh on the cost of capital equipment required for water conservation or harvesting systems would be provided to an eligible MSME under the scheme.
He said the scheme will remain in operation for five years. The MSMEs which have undertaken water audit and purchased equipment after August 14, 2015 and before August 14, 2020 would be eligible under this scheme, he added.
Investments in new plant, machinery and equipment focused towards enhancing water conservation shall only be eligible for subsidy under this scheme.
The unit should have obtained NOC/CLU from competent authority, if applicable. The unit should be in commercial production.
In addition, the unit should be in regular production at the time of disbursement. The assistance shall not be released to a closed unit, he added.
Former Security Advisor (NSA) M K Narayanan today said he played no role in the controversial Rs 3,600 crore VVIP AgustaWestland chopper deal and there was no talk of kickbacks till he left the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in 2010.
Narayanan endorsed the decision of former NSA Brajesh Mishra in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government that there should not be a single vendor for the deal which, he said, the UPA government implemented in "letter and spirit".
Responding to a query on him being allegedly named a "key advisor" to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Narayanan said the issue was something that is "neither here nor there" and that it was a revelation to him.
"I came to know today, as a matter of fact, that I was a key advisor to Ms Gandhi," Narayanan told NDTV.
"I really cannot speak beyond what I know. From my point of view, the issue was whether we were going to get a new set of helicopters. The previous government, that is when the NDA was there and Brajesh Mishra was the NSA, had taken a decision that we must avoid single vendor system.
"Soon after I took over and the matter came up again, we adhered almost to the letter and spirit of that statement. Whom do you select, how do you select, (such) questions do not come under the purview of the NSA's office or the PMO," he said.
Asked whether he was aware of alleged kickbacks and bribes involved in the deal, Narayanan said he left office in 2010 after being appointed Governor of West Bengal.
"At that time, there was no talk of anything in this regard and then I was in Bengal and saw what all was coming in the newspapers," he said.
Refusing to respond to charges made by BJP against him, Narayanan said, "Don't get me involved in conflict between govt A or govt B" and repeated that the UPA reiterated Mishra's decision.
"I think the decision taken by Mishra at that time, that we should get another vendor, which we reiterated, was the right one. Now whether that vendor should be AgustaWestland or somebody else was not part of our brief," he said.
He emphatically denied suggestions that anyone from Agusta
approached him, saying, "In any case why should they approach anybody after the decision has been taken?"
"I can understand if there was some decision before that. So as far as we were concerned, it was nothing to do with AgustaWestland. The question is we had a single vendor. We were not prepared for it. We wanted two vendors," he said.
On the issue of alleged communication between the offices of the Italian Prime Minister and that of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Narayanan said nothing of that sort happened.
"If the Italian PM has spoken to PM, normally I would have been told or PMO would have been in the picture. I never heard about this. It seems most unlikely. In any case, Manmohan Singh was not the type of person who accepted calls in matters regarding private industry," he said.
BJP today sought to drag Sonia Gandhi into the controversial deal with its newly-nominated MP Subramanian Swamy taking her name in the Rajya Sabha.
Hitting back, Gandhi rejected the allegations against her and party leaders as "false and baseless" and termed them as an attempt at "character assassination". She asserted she was "not afraid" of being "cornered" on the issue.
The Calcutta High Court today said it would pass an order next Friday on sending the Narada recordings and the device with which it was made for forensic test to ascertain the genuineness of the videos purportedly showing Trinamool Congress MPs and ministers taking money.
Observing that the genuineness of the recordings are to be first derived at, a division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice A Banerjee said that an order would be passed on sending the pendrive and a mobile phone allegedly used for recording the purported financial transactions for forensic analysis on Friday.
Appearing for the petitioner in a PIL, counsel Bikash Bhattacharya prayed that the recordings be sent for forensic examination to prove their authenticity following which an investigation be ordered by an independent agency.
Appearing for the West Bengal government, Advocate General Jayanta Mitra submitted that the state was also concerned about the truth and that it be brought to light.
Mitra, however, questioned as to why Narada editor in-chief Mathew Samuel had refused to come down to Kolkata to hand over the recordings and the device to the court citing personal security concerns, while he came over to the city and held a press conference a few days after it was secured from him by a court-appointed committee in New Delhi.
He also questioned why Samuel had chosen the time of the state Assembly election to come up with the disclosures though the recordings had been allegedly done earlier since 2014.
The Chief Justice observed that it was in the interest of all parties that the common man know what the truth was-- whether the recordings were genuine or not.
The court said that if found genuine, an investigation would be necessitated and if these are found not to be genuine, then also a different inquiry would have to be initiated.
Appearing for one of the leaders shown in the alleged recordings that Narada had released, counsel Kalyan Banerjee submitted that mobile recordings were not admissible in court as per the Evidence Act.
Kishore Dutta, counsel for IPS officer SMH Mirza who was also purportedly seen in the recordings accepting cash, submitted that the recordings were allegedly done with an iPhone 6 device.
The recordings from the mobile phone set were transferred to a laptop from which it was stored in a pendrive, he submitted, adding that while the mobile phone and the pendrive were handed over to the three-member committee, Samuel did not hand over the laptop, which he claimed also needed to be examined.
To the concerns raised by the AG and the other counsels, the bench said that it was not going into the merits of the case at present and that it wanted to first find out whether the recordings were genuine or not.
Delhi High Court today dismissed the plea by INLD leader Ajay Chautala, serving a 10-year jail term in teachers' recruitment scam case, seeking 12 weeks' parole for medical treatment.
Justice Pratibha Rani declined the plea of Ajay whose appeal against the high court verdict convicting him and his father, Haryana's former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, and sentencing them to 10 years in jail was dismissed by the Supreme Court on August 3 last year.
The Supreme Court which upheld their conviction, however, had said the convicts may move the high court with their pleas seeking relief like parole on health grounds.
Advocate Amit Sahni, appearing for Ajay, had sought 12 weeks' parole for enabling the convict "to get treatment and to maintain social ties".
The high court had on March 5, 2015, upheld the 10 year jail term awarded to Chautalas and three others, saying, "the overwhelming evidence showed the shocking and spine-chilling state of affairs in the country."
The father-son duo and 53 others, including two IAS officers, were convicted on January 16, 2013 by the trial court for illegally recruiting 3,206 junior basic trained (JBT) teachers in Haryana in 2000.
Besides Chautalas and two IAS officers, the high court had also awarded 10-year prison term to Sher Singh Badshami, then an MLA and political adviser to Chautala senior.
The high court, however, had modified the trial court's order on the quantum of sentence and awarded two-year jail term to 50 other convicts.
All the 55 convicts were sentenced under sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 418 (cheating), 467 (forgery), 471 (using forged documents as genuine) of IPC and provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.
Initially, there were 62 accused in the case. While two had died before filing of the charge sheet, four passed away during the trial of the case and one was discharged by the trial court.
Madras High Court todaysuspended the life imprisonment awarded by a lower court to three police personnel attached to the Vadapalani police station here in an alleged encounter death case.
A bench comprising Justices M Jaichandran and S Nagamuthu passed the interim order on an appeal from the three police personnel.
Additional Sessions Judge J Mavis Deepika Sundaravadana had sentenced the accused - then Inspector (crime) Natesan, SSI VK Murthy and Head Constable Murugesan, to life imprisonment in connection with the death of a 34-year old man in October 11 after he was taken into custody in a burglary case.
Challenging this, the three accused filed the appeal in the high court.
With a strong domestic demand, India provides an excellent alternative for the global industry as Chinese economy is slipping into painful slowdown, a top official has said.
"India is working with a clear vision and strategy to be the world's preferred manufacturing destination by a series of initiatives like improving ease of doing business, liberalising foreign direct policy in most of the industries, including defence production," Girish Shankar, Secretary in the Department of Heavy Industry, told reporters here.
The Secretary is leading a delegation to the Hannover Messe 2016 Fair here.
Shankar said India has to take part in the development of a globalised manufacturing environment.
"There is a realisation that with prices of commodities like steel and iron ore remaining subdued and subject to cyclical fluctuations, India's engineering sector has to invest in R&D and forge new tie-ups with global majors from countries such as Germany," EEPC India Chairman T S Bhasin said.
Besides, Department of Heavy Industry inked a pact with Steinbeis GmbH for cooperation in manufacturing sector. It also signed an agreement with Hannover Milano Fairs India and Ficci for promoting technology and innovations through WIN India series of events.
As part of its defence diplomacy, India today deployed an advanced light helicopter MK III in Maldives, to be based at Kadhdhoo Island in Laamu Atol.
The helicopter will assist Maldivian forces in undertaking search and rescue, casualty evacuation, coastal surveillance, maritime reconnaissance, communication and logistic duties.
The Indian Naval contingent, headed by Cdr Rohit Gupte, an experienced helicopter pilot, comprises four officers and 21 sailors.
The technical support team comprises 13 technicians. The support team with the spares and support equipment had already reached Male on April 25.
The ALH MK III landed at Male and was received by Minister of Defence and National Security Adam Shareef and High Commissioner of India to Maldives Akhilesh Mishra.
Advanced Light Helicopter (MKIII) has been manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and has state-of-the-art avionics and is powered by Shakti engines.
The detachment of ALH would further strengthen the robust maritime cooperation between the two countries, a Navy statement said.
India has imposed on import of telecom gear from Chinese firms Huawei, ZTE Corp and Alcatel Lucent to protect domestic industry from cheap shipments.
The restrictive duty imposed on import of 'Synchronous Digital Hierarchy Transmission Equipment (SDHTE)' from China ranges between 9.42% and 86.59% of the landed (cost, insurance and freight or CIF) value.
India had first come out with of up to 266% on import of telecom gear from China and Israel in December 2010 for five years.
The Department of Revenue yesterday issued a notification further extending the for five years, up to April 25, 2021.
An anti-dumping duty of 48.42% has been slapped on import of SDHTE from ZTE Corp while the same on Shanghai-based Alcatel-Lucent will be 54.09%.
Imports from Huawei Technologies Co faced an anti-dumping levy of 37.73%.
However, anti-dumping duty on import from Israel's ECI Telecom has been withdrawn. The government had in December 2010 imposed anti-dumping duty on ECI, along with the Chinese firms.
In the previous notification, the anti-dumping duty ranged from 3% to 266%.
A 9.42% anti-dumping duty was imposed on import of telecom equipment from any other manufacturer from Israel.
Hit hard by the anti-dumping duty, Shenzhen-based Huawei Technologies' now plans to set up a new telecom equipment manufacturing unit in the Sriperumbudur special economic zone (SEZ).
The notification said the quasi-judicial Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) in its findings published in February this year stated that "there is continued dumping" of SDHTE by Huawei China, ZTE Corporation, Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai and Bell Co.
"Dumped imports were causing injury to the domestic industry in the period of investigation," it noted.
But in the case of HETC, China, "there is negligible dumping in the period of investigation (POI), therefore, there was no likelihood of dumping," it clarified.
DGAD had concluded in its probe that the domestic industry had suffered a material injury on account of dumped imports of the equipment.
Unlike safeguard duties, which are levied in a uniform way, anti-dumping duties vary from product to product and country to country.
Anti-dumping probes are initiated to check if domestic industries have been hurt because of a surge in cheap imports.
Countries impose duties within the multilateral regime of WTO. Anti-dumping measures are taken to ensure fair trade and provide a level-playing field to domestic players. It is not a measure to restrict imports or cause an unjustified increase in cost of products.
India is projected to dominate the growth in the working-age population in Asia Pacific by 2050, becoming home to over a billion people eligible to enter the job market, a UN report has said.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) underlined in its latest Regional Human Development Report that Asia-Pacific countries now have more working-aged people and fewer dependents than at any point in history, providing a springboard for growth.
Region-wide, 68 per cent of people are of working age and only 32 per cent are dependents.
Asia-Pacific's population size has tripled in the last 65 years, and is expected to reach 4.84 billion in 2050.
The working-age population in the region, comprising 58 percent of the global total, continues to grow, the report said.
China and India comprised 62 per cent of the region's share in 2015, with a billion and 860 million workers, respectively.
"When countries have a greater share of people who can work, save and pay taxes, they have the potential to transform their economies and power investments in healthcare, education and other building blocks of future prosperity," said UNDP's chief economist Thangavel Palanivel, who is the lead author of the report.
The report said that China's share of working-age people is now falling while India's continues to rise, expected to touch a maximum of about 1.1 billion in 2050.
The region as a whole will reach its maximum number of working-age people, at 3.1 billion, in 2045.
"South Asia will have more working-age people than any other subregion, with the largest surge by 2055 to a projected 1.6 billion, dominated by India," the report said.
In India, more than 280 million more people will be eligible to enter the job market by 2050, a third more than the current number.
Further, the report said that most countries in South Asia will have their largest number of working-age people between 2045 and 2050.
"India alone will see the maximum number in 2050, when the population aged 15-64 is expected to be larger than 1 billion," it said.
However the report said that even as the working-age population increases, not all will be absorbed in the job market.
In India, the size of the working-age population increased by 300 million between 1991 and 2013, while the number of employed people increased by only 140 million -- the economy absorbed less than half the new entrants into the labour market.
In China, the number of jobs grew by 144 million between
1991 and 2013 but the working-age population increased by 241 million.
"A wider gap in India than China suggests a more limited capacity to generate employment -- a serious challenge given the continued expansion of the workforce in India over the next 35 years," it said.
In Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan, more than 80 per cent of working people earn less than USD 4 daily, it added.
The share of people working but earning below the international poverty line is still large in Asia-Pacific, and their numbers are likely to escalate with more entrants into the labour force if current employment shortfalls continue.
China and India, now home to 2.6 billion people, will drive demographic changes in the region and influence their consequences.
India's population will likelysurpass China's by 2022, possibly earlier, the report said.
It added that the proportion of older people will also increase substantially in India and China, rising from about 9 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively to 19 per cent and 37 per cent in 2050.
In 2015, seven Asian countries, namely Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan and the Philippines, had 420 million people aged 60 and older, which accounts for 47 per cent of people aged 60 and above in the world.
By 2050, they will have just over half the global share-more than a billion.
The 'oldest old' population, comprising people above age 80, is also rising fast in Asia-Pacific, from 0.4 per cent in 1950 to 1 per cent in 2015.
By 2050, the proportion will touch about five per cent, it said.
The number of 'oldest old' will almost quadruple, from 58 million in 2015 to nearly 246 million in 2050, with the largest numbers living in China, India and Japan.
Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, Thailand and Viet Nam will also have significant numbers.
The study calls for immediate responses and outlines "9 Actions for Sustainable Development"- concrete policies tailored to the demographic profile of individual countries.
For nations with a large working-age population, UNDP is calling for the creation of decent jobs to match the growing workforce, equal employment for women and ways to turn savings into investments inside the region.
For countries with young populations, the agency says there is a need to invest in education and healthcare, smooth the transition from school to work and encourage youth participation in public life.
In older countries, the recommendation is to have governments design fair, sustainable pension systems, to support active ageing and to promote appreciation for the value of older citizens.
Haoliang Xu, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Director for Asia and the Pacific, said, "If countries in Asia-Pacific do not create optimal employment conditions, the regional economy will begin to slow down by 2050 as the current working-age population begins to retire.
Indian-origin MPs in the UK have launched anew cross-party group to campaign for Britain to remain a member of the European Union (EU) in the June 23 referendum.
The "British Indians for IN" campaign was launched yesterday with the backing of 15 British-Indian lawmakers including Keith Vaz, Shailesh Vara, Lord Karan Bilimoria, Virendra Sharma and Seema Malhotra among others.
Those supporting the campaign have signed an open letter which reads: "We are British Parliamentarians of Indian-origin and whilst we represent different political views, on a whole range of matters, we believe that membership of the EU is an issue which transcends party politics.
"We are united in our belief that the UK is stronger, safer and better off as a member of the EU. Contrary to the argument made by some that Britain needs to leave the EU in order to strengthen its ties with Commonwealth countries, we believe that our membership of the EU helps to enhance and strengthen the UK's partnership with countries like India."
"We will be encouraging everyone to vote to remain in the European Union, including the 1.2 million British-Indians eligible to vote, whose votes could prove to be decisive in determining the outcome of the referendum," it said.
Alok Sharma MP, who is helping to co-ordinate the campaign, said that with more than a million eligible voters in the upcoming referendum, British-Indians could "prove to have a decisive say" in our future relationship with Europe.
"A vote to remain guarantees us continued unfettered access to Europe's free trade single market of 500 million consumers, meaning lower prices, more jobs,increased investment and financial security."
"It also means a seat at the table as the EU negotiates some of the biggest trade deals in history - such as the ongoing discussions with the US, China and India," he said.
Betting big on 'blockchain technology', software services major Infosys has launched a new framework that will allow banks to simplify complex transactional services.
Blockchain is like a huge, decentralised ledger for bitcoin (digital currency) that records every transaction and stores this information on a global network so it cannot be tampered with.
It enables secure, peer-to-peer transactions that can be verified without any centralised authority.
Banks and other financial institutions are increasingly investing in blockchain technology as it cuts their costs and make their operations faster and more transparent.
Infosys said it is in discussion with over 10 institutions globally for deploying the solution.
"The EdgeVerve Blockchain Framework is designed specifically for the banking sector and can scale to the levels needed to support international, cross-border transactional business," Infosys Finacle Product Strategy Head Rajashekara V Maiya told PTI.
He added that applications built on this framework can run payments and other high volume transactional banking services with increased efficiencies, transactional security and accuracy at a lower cost.
"We are in active conversations with more than 10 banks," he said adding that these institutions are located across India, Australia, the US, Asia and Africa.
The Bengaluru-based firm is keen on working with companies across areas like payments, trade finance, invoice processing, smart contracts, digital vaults and syndicated loans among others.
Maiya said there is a high level of interest in blockchain technology. He said venture capitalists and private equity players have invested about USD 20 billion last year in companies working on blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies.
"We started from scratch... To start with, we got almost over 40 people to get certified under Blockchain. The blockchain solutions development is built in our R&D centres in India and Ireland. Interest in this field is dynamic and the developer count will keep increasing with the demand," he said.
Iran's supreme leader and president accused the United States of hostility and bad faith today saying the implementation of its nuclear deal with world powers was not being honoured.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei echoed other officials in Tehran who allege that Washington is creating hurdles for European financial institutions, more than three months after the agreement came into force.
With nuclear-related sanctions lifted, US and European diplomats have said there is no bar on non-American banks doing business with Iran. But it is not happening in reality, Khamenei said.
"On paper they say that foreign banks can do business with Iran but, in practice, they are fomenting Iranophobia to prevent relations.
"The United States creates disruptions and then asks us afterwards: 'Why are you suspicious'?" Khamenei told workers in the capital.
European officials have told AFP their bankers fear they could face fines or even criminal cases against their US subsidiaries if they rush back to Tehran.
At a separate event, President Hassan Rouhani criticised a decision by the US Supreme Court last week to make $2 billion of frozen Iranian assets available to American victims of terror attacks.
US officials blame Tehran for attacks including the bombing of a US Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983 and the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia.
Tehran threatened on Monday to take action in the International Court of Justice against the US if the $2 billion belonging to Iran's Central Bank is "diverted" to 1,000 Americans affected by the ruling.
"This is a totally illegal action and contrary to international rules and immunity of central banks," Rouhani said, calling it "a violation and open hostility by the United States against the Iranian people".
The US court verdict comes despite hopes for better relations between Tehran and Washington, foes since the Islamic revolution of 1979 ended the rule of the US-backed Shah.
That tumult was followed by students' storming the US embassy and a 444-day hostage crisis.
More than two years of talks led to the nuclear agreement between Iran and major powers led by the United States and it involved the first open direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran since the revolution.
But it has not heralded a thaw on other issues.
US sanctions still exist to punish Tehran for its ballistic missile programme and what Washington says is its sponsorship of "terrorist groups" in the Middle East.
Islamic State militants seized five villages from Syrian rebels close to the Turkish border today, further weakening the rebels' foothold in and around the northern city of Aleppo.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a network of activists monitoring the conflict, said the extremist group took five villages in Azaz district, north of Aleppo, where a rebel enclave is home to tens of thousands of displaced civilians. The IS group's agency also reported the advance.
Syrian rebels are anticipating a major government offensive in Aleppo, Syria's largest city and onetime commercial capital, which has been contested since 2012.
Dozens of civilians have been killed in shelling and airstrikes on the city over the past week.
In another blow to the rebels, government troops repelled an attack on the western edge of Aleppo by a coalition of insurgent groups, killing at least 19 fighters, said Nazeer al-Khatib, an Aleppo-based activist who keeps close contact with the insurgents.
Al-Khatib said the rebels were ambushed by government forces near a factory, trapping nearly 600 fighters inside.
Nine rebels were killed in the clashes, while another 10 died during an operation that succeeded in freeing the trapped fighters but failed to dislodge government forces from the area.
The Observatory also reported the failed attack, but put the number of rebels killed at 34.
A pro-government TV station also reported that troops had repelled an attempt by insurgents to crawl up the city's sewage system in a western neighborhood. The Sama TV station aired footage of the bodies of nearly a dozen fighters.
A government offensive backed by Russian air power and regional militias earlier this year dislodged rebels from parts of Azaz and severed their corridor between the Turkish border and Aleppo.
The predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who are fighting for their autonomy in the multilayered conflict, also gained ground against the rebels.
That left the rebels in Aleppo with just one narrow corridor to the outside world, through Idlib province. Those in Azaz are now squeezed between IS to the east and the SDF to the west and south, while Turkey tightly restricts the flow of goods and people through the border.
Doctors Without Borders and other aid organizations warned earlier this month that the humanitarian situation for over 100,000 people trapped in the Azaz rebel-held pocket was critical.
India expects to achieve production level of 50,000 units per annum in next three years as it opened its manufacturing plant here today.
The Japanese automaker today rolled out its India-made D-Max V-Cross pick-up from the newly-launched facility in Andhra Pradesh. The facility was inaugurated by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
India Managing Director Naohiro Yamaguchi said that initial production capacity of the plant is 50,000 units per annum and can be scaled up to 1,20,000 units eventually.
"In the current market we cannot aim that 50,000 figure. In the next two to three years we have to open up new markets. We hope that we can reach 50,000 mark in the next three years. We cannot exactly say when we are going to reach 1,20,000 units. We are still in the start up phase," Yamaguchi told reporters here.
A senior official of the company said IMI has sold close to 3,000 vehicle so far during the last two years.
Replying to a query, Yamaguchi said the company has no plans to shift the production of its MU7 vehicle (SUV) to the Sricity plant.
"MU7 will not be produced out of this plant. We will continue to produce that at the current facility which we are sharing on contract basis with Hindustan Motors in Chennai. All D-Max production will be stopped at Chennai plant. The new plant here will start producing them," he added.
President Masanori Katayama in his address during inauguration said the new plant will not only cater to requirements of the growing Indian market, but will also serve as a key manufacturing hub for Isuzu's global operations.
Isuzu had earlier committed an investment of Rs 3,000 crore for the Indian project.
Ambassador of Japan to India Kenji Hiramatsu was present during the inauguration.
With its existing operations in the US, Japan and Thailand, this plant in India is expected to provide a manufacturing leg-up to Isuzu globally.
A statement from Isuzu said the new generation of Isuzu D-Max pick-ups will be manufactured at the plant, with 70% localisation at the start of production, which will be stepped up.
Isuzu will also consider export of vehicles manufactured at this facility at a suitable time in future, Yamaguchi said.
Meanwhile, Naidu said his government will consider giving exemption of road tax for Iuszu vehicles that are manufactured and sold in the state.
He also said the government would examine according to 'Mega Project' status to Isuzu plant.
In a fierce attack on DMK-Congress combine, AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa today dubbed it a "loot coalition" by raking up a host of corruption charges against the two parties and asked the people to decimate them in the May 16 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.
Listing out the scams of the UPA-II like 2G spectrum, coal and Adarsh Housing at an election rally here, she said, "Do not forget that it is the Congress-DMK combine which indulged in scam even in conduct of games..The Commonwealth games."
On issues such as Mullaiperiyar, Jallikattu and illegal granite mining, the Tamil Nadu CM attacked DMK for "betrayal" of the state and for "inaction" against the tainted in granite irregularities.
She told the audience the DMK-Congress combine would come to them "to seek votes to swindle more as if what they had swindled when they were in power was not enough.
"You must give them a (electoral) blow, more severe than you handed them down in 2011 Assembly and 2014 Parliamentary polls, to put a full stop to them," she charged.
Only if you deliver the blow, "the loot-combine will permanently go," she said.
"A full stop should be put for the DMK-Congress combine," she said and posed her characteristic question of "will you do it?, will you do it?" in an emotionally charged voice to which the large audience replied in the positive.
On Mullaiperiyar issue with Kerala, which has a direct bearing on five southern districts, she claimed AIADMK alone was working towards restoring the storage in Mullaiperiyar dam to its full capacity of 152 feet.
"Necessary steps have been taken by my government to store water to its full capacity of 152 feet. All work for dam strengthening will be completed and I give you my assurance that water will be stored to its full capacity of 152 feet," she said.
She referred to DMK's poll promise that it will make efforts for storage of 142 feet water in Mullaiperiyar by urging the Centre.
"I don't understand and I am not aware if you understand. When 142-feet water is being stored for the past two years, what is that they are going to urge," she asked.
She alleged that DMK was betraying Tamil Nadu by deciding to store only 142 feet water.
The Chief Minister said due to her government's efforts, the Centre had put on hold its nod to Kerala for a study on the environmental impact assessment for a new dam over Mullaiperiyar.
Jayalalithaa also targeted the DMK-Congress on the bull
taming sport 'Jallikattu', which has a historical link to this temple city and other southern districts.
She alleged the combine was responsible for the Supreme Court's ban on the sport and referred to a 2011 UPA regime notification that prohibited exhibition of bulls.
She said, perhaps, having in mind such mistakes, the DMK workers were seeking the "people to forgive such mistakes. Tamil Nadu's people will never forgive such wrongs. I assure you categorically that we will get the right to hold Jallikattu through the Supreme Court."
Blaming DMK for betraying Tamil Nadu in Jallikattu, she said the party's present promise for conducting the bull taming sport was "diversionary and deceptive."
On the sensational illegal granite mining issue here, she said, "Illegal granite mining happened during the previous DMK regime in Madurai district."
She said in 2009, reports over illegal granite mining were published and representations were made to then Chief Minister Karunanidhi also.
"Neither Chief Minister Karunanidhi nor his DMK government took action against those behind illegal granite miners. No action was taken. Since they were responsible for looting, they elbowed aside granite looters and took action against those who exposed it," she alleged.
In 2010, she said action was taken against a Tamil daily which exposed alleged illegal granite mining in Madurai.
"No study was done to unearth the irregularities in granite mining. After I assumed office as Chief Minister, I ordered detailed investigation and in 2012 the (Madurai) District Collector gave a report to the government," she said.
In the report, the Collector had said that he inspected three quarries and pegged revenue loss to the tune of about Rs 16,000 crore.
She claimed during her regime criminal action was taken, cases registered and granite mining halted in Madurai. She also said action was being taken on the basis of court-appointed Legal Commissioner and senior IAS officer U Sagayam's report to the Madras High Court.
The AIADMK leader also refuted the DMK's claim that the granite scam was worth Rs 1,10,000 crore when she took over as the CM.
"When this was the background, DMK was campaigning stating that there was Rs 1,10,000 crore corruption in granite mining in Madurai district," she said.
"Granite mining was halted in 2012 itself in Madurai. Do you understand? The claim of Rs 1,10,000 crore scam was done by DMK men," she charged.
JNU has failed to distinguish between nationalists and anti-nationals while deciding the punishment to students in connection with the controversial February 9 event and has "criminalised" patriotism, members of ABVP alleged today.
The university officials, however, maintained that decision has been made after thorough investigation by a five-member probe panel and the punishments have been announced in accordance with the varsity norms.
Five members of ABVP which is BJP's student wing, are on hunger strike since yesterday demanding withdrawal of punishment orders for Saurabh Sharma, who is the lone ABVP member in JNU students union.
Sharma, JNUSU Joint Secretary, was the main complainant of the event on campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.
Following his complaint on day of the event, JNU administration had withdrawn the permission for the programme but the organisers had gone ahead with it.
However, a high-level committee of the university probing the issue has found Sharma "guilty" of blocking the traffic and he has been imposed a penalty of Rs 10,000.
"JNU administration has failed to distinguish between the acts of nationalist and those of anti-Indians. It has infact equated them. We believe that the punishment awarded to Saurabh Sharma for stopping the anti-national procession is a sad incident of criminalising patriotism and nation-service," ABVP said in a statement.
"He was acting as a responsible citizen of India and it was his fundamental duty as per the Constitution to uphold the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India. We want his punishment to be revoked as this shall set a precedent whereby the every nationalist student shall fear to oppose the anti-national events in the campus," it added.
Responding to the allegations a senior university official said, "the sequence of events has been thoroughly probed by the five-member probe committee and the decision has been taken in accordance with university norms.
In the backdrop of complaints of attacks on media persons, Union Minister Piyush Goyal has said journalists are not the only messengers who are being targeted and the time has come for all stakeholders to reflect on their roles.
Goyal was addressing a gathering at the RedInk Awards organised by Mumbai Press Club at NCPA here last night after a panel discussion on "Who Shot the Messengers" to deliberate on the state of persons in the country.
"Journalists alone are not the messengers, who are being shot. It's not as if one section of the society is pitted against journalists or journalism," Goyal said.
"I think all of us will have to reflect on overall standards of the society, which is reflected on politics, journalism and public work of the day. After all, it will be an influence of the entire society that will be reflected in whatever one reads in the paper or writes in the papers, magazines or 24/7 breaking TV channels.
"It is possibly time for all of us, the stakeholders in the system, to sit and reassess our positions and our roles," he said.
The Union minister also called for accuracy of data before it gets printed or reported on television.
"Instead of looking at 24/7 breaking news or sensationalizing each issue, one could look at the far greater degree of responsive journalism in terms of correct data, in terms of data being sanitized and corrected.
"This will truly help us in engaging with people in public life, engaging the government and giving confidence to the public at large," Goyal said.
He said a viable option should be worked out for the online news media so that "economic interests" do not come in the way of unbiased news.
"Not just online media, be it newspapers or magazines, a lot of linkage to reporting and economic interests have been discussed and talked about. And its unfortunate. The kind of unbiased reporting that truly is the power of journalism is probably something that we miss these days. It would be great to have that streak of journalism back in the market," he said.
Participating in the panel discussion, NDTV's Ravish
Kumar, who bagged 'Journalist of the Year' award, alleged that the attacks on journalists were "politically organised".
"These people are consistently defaming you (journalists) in a very organised manner and are attacking you in a way. I called it organised because to some extent everyone is doing it. But those with the government certainly have more power. If we go on accepting this, it would do a great damage to our profession as well as political culture," he said.
Late journalist Jagendra Singh was posthumously honoured with RedInk 'Veer Patrakar' Puraskar.
Twenty-four more journalists were honoured for their contribution to the field of journalism.
"Bajrangi Bhaijaan" director Kabir Khan faced an ugly situation at the airport here today when some protesters accosted him for showing Pakistan in bad light in his last film "Phantom".
The director, 43, was in Karachi to attend a marketing seminar.
The incident took place when Kabir stepped out of his car at the Quaid-e-Azam international airport as he had to take a flight for Lahore.
The director was also confronted by a shoe-wielding protester in black shalwar kameez.
The angry protesters shouted 'Pakistan Zindabad' and anti-India slogans while confronting the director as he walked into the departure lounge.
They also asked Kabir why he did not make films about Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) activities in Pakistan.
Kabir did not react and proceeded towards the lounge.
Ironically, Kabir's other film "Bhajrangi Bhaijaan" did roaring business in Pakistan last year and was lauded by everyone for promoting Indo-Pak ties.
"Phantom", starring Saif Ali Khan-Katrina Kaif, about a retired army officer who leads a mission to seek out and kill the terror masterminds including Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, five years after the Mumbai terror attacks, was banned in Pakistan last year.
The director had defended his film during the seminar, insisting people misunderstood its purpose as he highlighted the role of bad elements in both countries.
Kabir later tweeted, "To media on both sides: 12 screaming lunatics with a mobile phone camera is not . Please don't give them the attention they want. Ignore.
Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today showcased the Delhi model of development against the "myth" of Gujarat model and said people are feeling "cheated" as votes were garnered in the name of development but the focus now is on issues like raising 'Bharat mata ki jai' slogan.
"Before the Lok sabha polls, there was a myth created before the nation. The name of the myth was Gujarat Model of Development. The story was created a year before the Lok Sabha polls about the Gujarat model of development.
"Now the entire country is saying that we have been cheated. What was that Gujarat model. People say that they have photoshop editors...They will show Switzerland road and say this is Gujarat's road. This is the way they have cheated the country. Today there is a story of Gujarat model of development and then there is a reality of Delhi model of development.
"We challenge the country and world to see the Gujarat model of development and Delhi model of development. We invite people to see Delhi model of development...See our mohalla clinics, find faults in it and we will rectify them," Kejriwal said, even as he listed out the achievements of his government over the past one year in field of electricity, water, health and education.
Kejriwal was addressing the National Council meeting here where a fresh National Executive was elected for a period of three years.
Terming the incident of Chief Justice of India T S Thakur breaking down before Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a conference as the "biggest slap on the face" of Modi government, Kejriwal said traders, jewellers, farmers and students are upset with the BJP rule.
Indicating his willingness to expand the party's base, Kejriwal said AAP will have to fight elections with a target of winning at least 90 per cent seats and make governments to change the system.
Attacking the BJP over the 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' row, Kejriwal said the saffron party deserted the cow after Bihar polls, and will also "forget" Bharat Mata ki Jai after their loss in polls ahead. Interestingly, Kejriwal started his speech with Bharat Mata, his usual style before addressing any rally.
"They are trying to divide the country. The traders, the jewellers, farmers and students are upset with them. The Chief Justice of India cried before them. There cannot be a bigger slap on the face of the Modi government when Chief Justice of India wept," he said.
"They took away vote on the name of development. They
brought cow before Bihar polls. They failed in Bihar and deserted the cow. Now they have brought Bharat Mata ki Jai. After they lose the next polls, they will leave Bharat Mata as well.
"Before polls, they (the BJP) said we will do development and took away the votes on this plank. Had they taken votes in the name of Hindus, they would not have got even 10-12 per cent of votes," Kejriwal said.
"After victory, they forgot development and resorted to hooliganism....If you don't raise the slogan Bharat Mata ki Jai then we will bash you. Those who chant Bharat mata ki Jai in Kashmir are put behind bars and outside Kashmir those who don't chant Bharat Mata ki Jai are also put behind bars. This is their hypocrisy.
"These people say if you don't say Bharat Mata ki Jai then we will chop off your head. This is not Bharat Mata ki Jai, but hooliganism." Kejriwal said, adding when social activist Anna Hazare gave a Bharat Mata ki Jai call, everybody raised it whole-heartedly."
Attacking the Centre, he said that the Prime Minister talks of cooperative federalism, but tries to break duly elected governments.
Referring to the tussle between his government and the Centre over several issues, Kejriwal accused the Modi government of "trying its best to scuttle" AAP's efforts but added that "still we are moving ahead and working for the people of Delhi".
"We believe our manifesto is our Geeta, Quran and our Bible and keep the copy on our mobile phones. We revise it every morning. And then there is another party which says that their promises were jumla. They must not be even remembering their manifesto," Kejriwal said.
He also lashed out at Modi for giving "unrealistic" deadlines.
"When we fix targets, we say we will do it by December 2017 (during the life of the government's). Prime Minister says that the farmers income will be doubled by 2022 because he knows that they will not be in power by then. So say whatever you wish. They are not doing what is to be done. Tell us what will you do now. We are giving a deadline and if we don't do it then pull us up," Kejriwal said.
Listing the achievement of mohalla clinic, he said a leading American newspaper has lauded the concept.
"The newspaper report says that America should learn something from the mohalla clinic. We would earlier say that we have to learn a lot from America. Now the wind is blowing the other way round," he said.
If the polls are held now, the Delhi Chief Minister
claimed, it will even win the remaining three seats in the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
Kejriwal said the government is planning to come up with a policy that if power goes off in any area, the discoms should restore it in an hour or else it has compensate residents for power failure.
He said that 30 lakhs gallons of water is being saved per day by giving free 20,000 litres of water and Jal Board has recorded a profit of Rs 176 crore and installed pipeline in 263 new colonies. The CM said said he given a target of 100 per cent piped water in Delhi homes by December 2017.
Kejriwal said said 8000 new classrooms in government schools will be ready by July this year, adding that even the private sector cannot do the work so "efficiently" the way the PWD department has done.
Attacking the Congress, senior AAP leader Ashutosh said that it(Cong) cannot take on the RSS and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and it is only AAP, which has the "ability" to do so.
"The party believes that the Congress, which is the the main opposition party, cannot counter Narendra Modi and the RSS. It is wiped off in Delhi, it will meet the same fate in Punjab. People don't trust them anymore.
"It is the Aam Aadmi Party which is not only fighting Modi and the RSS, but also has the ability to defeat them. We have proved that in Delhi, and Punjab is waiting. And we are working in other states as well," Ashutosh said.
A new sartorial style could be embraced by all employees of Rajasthan Khadi and Gramodyog Board starting May 1 if Board Chairman Shambhu Dayal Badgujar has his way.
In a meeting with officials today, he insisted that all employees of the Board wear khadi from May 1.
Representatives of reputed khadi organizations were also suggested to wear the fabric to promote its usage.
The Chairman also directed district and divisional level officials to monitor and review the khadi programmes in their areas and report to the Board on a regular basis.
In another meeting with empowered committee, Badgujar gave sanction to set up a plant with an estimated cost of Rs 1 crore to improve the finishing and quality of khadi products.
Criticising the Odisha government for its silence on the famous Kohinoor diamond, Congress today asked for its intervention in adopting a resolution in the Assembly seeking steps to bring back the diamond and offer it to Lord Jagannath Temple as per the last wish of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
"We are anguished that Odisha government is silent on the sensitive issue of Kohinoor as its last owner Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab had willed the diamond to be given to the Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri," Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Prasad Harichandan told reporters here.
Asking the Naveen Patnaik government to intervene immediately in the matter, he said, "Sincere efforts must be made and a government resolution be passed unanimously during the current session of Assembly and sent to the Centre seeking concrete steps to get back the diamond and offer it to the Lord."
Asserting that the diamond "rightfully" belongs to Lord Jagannath Temple, the OPCC Chief said this wish of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was known from a letter sent by the political agent and commissioner to Peshawar to the officiating secretary of the government of India with the Right Honourable the Governor General on July 2, 1839.
Noting that the communique has been preserved at the National Archives in New Delhi, Harichandan released copies of the letter and said the demand for bringing Kohinoor diamond to India had earlier been raised by Congress in 2013 and before Lord Jagannath's Nabakalebar festival in 2015.
A PIL relating to Kohinoor was pending in the Supreme Court, the Congress leader said, adding that it also planned to become a party in the case besides gearing up to take up the issue with the External Affairs Ministry next month to ensure that the last wish of the King was fulfilled.
He said that the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration should also become a party in the matter and a post card campaign would be launched urging all sections of society to write to the President and the Prime Minister on the issue.
Slamming the Union government for its stand on the issue, Harichandan said it was alleged that as per an understanding, India would not stake claim to Kohinoor diamond, 108.93 carat of which is now in the Tower of London and the rest in British Queen's crown.
No one has so far denied the allegation, he said.
The OPCC Chief said it was not appropriate on the part of the Union government to tell the Supreme Court that Kohinoor was neither "forcibly taken" nor "stolen" by the British rulers.
Harichandan said the British had forced Ranjit Singh's successor Duleep Singh, then a minor, to part with Kohinoor in Lahore in 1849.
Delhi High Court today said it was surprising that various government bodies have maintained that no manual scavengers were there in the national capital but admittedly a large number of insanitary latrines exists here.
"It is surprising that although admittedly a large number of insanitary latrines exist in Delhi but as per the affidavit filed by the EDMC (East Delhi Municipal Commission) and the submissions of other agencies, there are no manual scavengers in Delhi," a bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva said.
The bench expressed its displeasure over it and said that the civic bodies would have to respond to a number of issues concerning the matter.
"What is happening? You have to respond to various things. It appears to us that they (government agencies) are trying to block the people from getting benefits which they are entitled to. As per the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act of 2013, manual scavengers have to be rehabilitated," the bench said.
The bench also observed that most of the directions given by it have not been complied with by various agencies.
"The counsel for Delhi government has assured this court that the directions given would be duly complied with within two weeks. We further direct that affidavit, which has to be filed by the Delhi government and the MCD's, will be filed by an officer of Additional Commissioner rank or equivalent," it said.
The court also asked the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Northern Railways authority and Delhi Cantonment Board to file their affidavits in the matter.
The bench, which posted the matter for further hearing on May 25, asked the Member (secretary) of the Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) to appear before it on the next date of hearing so that "they may provide legal assistance to persons who may be identified as manual scavengers."
The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed in 2007 seeking rehabilitation of manual scavengers.
After the MLAs, senior leaders are now dealing a blow to YSR Congress as M V Mysura Reddy today resigned from the YSRC protesting the autocratic attitude of party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.
Mysura, who has been a key strategist for the YSRC, emailed his resignation letter to Jagan this morning.
"He (Jagan) doesn't take others' opinion into consideration. He himself lacks consistency," Mysura told reporters today after quitting the party.
"Except money, there is no value for anything in the YSRC. Jagan craves only for power. He doesn't have a human angle," Mysura, who previously served in the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party, said.
Earlier this month, 13 YSRC MLAs defected to the ruling Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh.
Mysura said being an Opposition party, the YSRC did not have any inclination to stand by the people and fight for their causes.
"Jagan doesn't have any belief in democracy. The happenings in the YSRC only denote that everything is guided by vested interests," Mysura said.
"As a senior politician, I used to take the initiative and offer advice when required but Jagan never took it," he lamented.
A former state Home Minister and a former member of Rajya Sabha, Mysura shared a 'love-hate relationship' with Jagan's father late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.
As an MP, he helped TDP bring out a booklet "Raja of Corruption" against the Y S Rajasekhara Reddy rule in 2009.
He even contested the Lok Sabha by-election from Kadapa in 2011 against Jagan and lost.
Facing Opposition heat on the Saradha scam and Naradha sting, Trianamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today hit back at the Congress by raking up 2G and coal scams which surfaced during the UPA regime and accused the Modi government of undermining the federal structure.
"They are talking about corruption and Saradha scam. But what about the extent of corruption during their time (UPA government)? Of Coal gate scam and 2G scam? They should not talk much," Banerjee said at election meetings in Hooghly and South 24-Paraganas districts.
"Such smear campaigns, false propaganda and narrow politics I have never encountered in an election," the Trinamool Congress supremo bemoaned and asserted that "Saradha and Narada are the conspiracies hatched by the Congress, CPI-M and BJP."
"TMC is a thief and you all are sages? Congress, CPI-M and BJP have huge chunks of money which has no source", she charged.
Accusing Modi government of interfering with the federal structure of the Constitution, Banerjee said, "BJP government at the Centre is unleashing torture and atrocity against us. They are doing whatever they like".
"By sending central forces they are scaring the voters," she said.
The TMC supremo said, "Let the 2016 (assembly) election be over. In 2019, we will show Modi what is what. We will go to Delhi taking others".
Noting that the Congress, CPI-M and BJP have forged alliance, she said, "Otherwise, why Delhi is sending central forces to scare the voters?"
"From morning to night, Congress, CPI-M and BJP are lodging same complaints against me. I have accepted their challenge. Fight me if they can," she thundered.
The TMC chief urged the voters to give a befitting reply to the Opposition's smear campaign through ballots.
"For the entire five years, you won't find them when you need them (Congress). They will come only during elections They are (migratory) birds who come only during elections," she said.
The Congress-Left alliance is making inflated claims due to pampering from some quarters, Banerjee alleged and said "some are saying they will get 200 seats. But when the election results get announced you will see they have received not more than 20 seats."
The TMC will form the next government with two-thirds majority," she claimed.
Facing criticism that it allegedly failed to provide safe drinking water even after remaining in power for over 17 years in Odisha, the BJD government today accused the Centre of not giving required funds for piped water projects.
"It is a fact that there is drinking water problem in the state. The state government has accepted it as a challenge. But the central government did not support us. The Centre reduced allocations for drinking water projects from Rs 230 crore in 2014-15 to only Rs 24 crore in 2016-17," state Rural Development Minister Badrinarayan Patra told the Assembly.
Replying to a debate on the water crisis, he said providing safe drinking water to all, is the responsibility of both the state and the central government.
Slashing of allocation has affected expansion of water supply infrastructure in Odisha, Patra said.
This apart, the state has not got any financial assistance from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NFRD) to deal with the prevailing water problems. The state government from its own resources has allocated Rs 351 crore for the purpose of setting drinking water supply infrastructure as a long term measure to resolve the crisis, he said.
He said the state government has decided to spend about Rs 300 crore from the 13th Finance Commission assistance and priority is being given to spend money from the 14th Finance Commission recommendations and the 4th State Finance Commission.
The minister said the state government has decided to set up an additional tubewell each in 27,711 partially covered villages this time in view of the prevailing situation.
"We have taken up eight major drinking water projects," Patra said, adding that the priority should be fixed on use of ground water.
"We are using ground water for all the purposes including agriculture, industries and drinking water. The industries are sucking a huge volume of ground water. Therefore, priority should be fixed as ground water reserves are also limited," he said.
To the criticism that the BJD government failed to provide drinking water to the people during its 17-year long regime, Patra said the drinking water crisis is a national phenomena this time due to severe drought.
The ground water level has also gone down further as there has been no rainfall since seven months.
Urban Development Minister Pushpendra Singhdeo, who
too participated in the debate, said the government has been taking all possible steps to ensure drinking water to the people.
"We have identified the hot pockets which faced acute water crisis and making provisions to give water through tankers, tanks and other means," Singhdeo said.
Earlier, BJP member K V Singhdeo alleged that a nexus of officers, engineers and contractors have come as hurdles before drinking water projects.
"In my Patnagarh Assembly segment in Bolangir district, the drinking water projects are not completed even in seven years. A school teacher has been awarded contract for different water projects," Singhdeo said.
Congress Chief Whip Taraprasad Bahinipati alleged that ponds and tanks in Jeypore town in Koraput district have been converted into residential colonies.
"It is a shame that the government has failed to provide drinking water to the people even though BJD ruled the state for over 17 years," Bahinipati said.
State-owned hydropower producer NHPC Ltd's share sale today garnered 1.58 times subscription, totalling Rs 3,410 crore, with most bids coming in from LIC and mutual funds.
Day one of the two-day share sale, wherein the government is offloading 11.36 per cent of equity, saw subscription for 156.79 crore shares as against 100.61 crore offered to institutional investors, according to the stock exchange data.
Most of the bids came at the floor or minimum bid price of Rs 21.75. At this price, subscription of over 156.79 crore shares totaled Rs 3,410 crore.
Investment banking sources said most of the bids came from mutual funds and insurance companies including Life Insurance Corporation (LIC).
The offer for sale (OFS) will open tomorrow for retail subscribers.
NHPC is the first disinvestment by the government of the current fiscal, where it is targeting Rs 56,500 crore through selling shares and privatisation of public sector undertakings (PSUs).
Government is selling over 125.76 crore equity shares of NHPC that will bring down its shareholding in the company from 85.96 per cent to 74.6 per cent. This will help NHPC comply with the minimum 25 per cent free-float requirement.
The remaining, over 25.15 crore shares, will be sold to retail investors tomorrow. They will be allocated shares at 5 per cent discount to the cut-off price. These individual investors are to place bids for shares of total value not exceeding Rs 2 lakh.
At a floor price of Rs 21.75, the sale will fetch about Rs 2,700 crore to the exchequer. The floor price was at a discount of 5.6 per cent over yesterday's closing price.
In the secondary market, NHPC closed at Rs 21.55, down 6.51 per Cent over previous day close. In the morning trade, it had lost 6.7 per cent to Rs 21.50 a piece.
The government has set an ambitious target of Rs 56,500 crore from disinvestments in current fiscal. Of this, Rs 30,000 crore is to come from PSU stake sale and the remaining Rs 26,500 crore from strategic stake sale.
NHPC, under the administrative control of the Power Ministry, generates power through conventional as well as non-conventional sources.
The government's 11.36 per cent stake sale in electricity generator NHPC on bourses took off today, with the scrip slipping 6.72 per cent in line with the broader market trend and going below the floor price.
The floor price of Rs 21.75 for the offer for sale (OFS) was at a discount of 5.64 per cent over yesterday's closing price of Rs 23.05 on BSE.
However, in morning trade, the scrip lost Rs 1.55 a share, or 6.72 per cent, to a low of Rs 21.50. The OFS is open to institutional investors today and bidding will continue till 1530 hours.
The government is selling over 100.61 crore shares in NHPC to institutional investors at the floor price of Rs 21.75 today. The remaining over 25.15 crore shares will be sold to retail investors tomorrow.
Retail investors, who will be allocated shares at a discount of 5 per cent to the cut-off price, are individual investors who place bids for shares of total value of not more than Rs 2 lakh.
NHPC is the first PSU stake sale of the current fiscal and also the first share sale of the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), earlier called Department of Disinvestment.
The government is selling over 125.76 crore equity shares of NHPC representing 11.36 per cent of the total paid-up equity share capital. At a floor price of Rs 21.75, the sale will fetch about Rs 2,700 crore to the exchequer.
The government holds 85.96 per cent in NHPC and the sale would help it comply with the minimum public shareholding norm.
The government has set an ambitious target of Rs 56,500 crore from disinvestments in current fiscal. Of this, Rs 30,000 crore is to come from PSU stake sale and the remaining Rs 26,500 crore from strategic stake sale.
NHPC, under the administrative control of the Power Ministry, is into generating power through conventional and non-conventional sources and is dedicated to planning, development and implementation of an integrated and efficient network of power projects in India.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today accepted an invitation for a programme on liquor prohibition being organised by a women's group in neighbouring Jharkhand.
Members of 'Jharkhand Nari Sangharsh Morcha' met Kumar at his '7 Circular Road' residence here to extend invitation for their programme against liquor ban at Town hall in Dhanbad on May 10, an official statement said here.
The CM assured the women of his participation in the function in support of prohibition, the statement added.
The women members included Morcha President Chanchala Devi, Secretary Sathi Biswas, Vice Presidents Shabana Parveen and Priyanka Devi.
The organisation is demanding for imposition of total liquor ban in Jharkhand as done in Bihar.
Kumar, who announced a total ban on liquor in Bihar on April 5 after a decision to this effect was taken by the state cabinet, has time and again said that he would participate in programmes on prohibition in other states also.
Earlier, on media reports of a boost in liquor business in neighbouring states of Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh after Bihar was declared a dry state, Kumar had said that these states should not rejoice on revenue boost as similar demands for ban on alcohol would arise from the citizens of their states too.
The CM had also lamented on the lack of concrete cooperation from the neighbouring states despite writing to their CMs to make the total ban in Bihar a success.
"If a complete ban on alcohol can be imposed in Bihar why cannot the same be done in Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh or Odisha?" Kumar said yesterday at a programme in Bhagalpur while pitching for a total ban on alcohol in the country.
There was no bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and his Italian counterpart Matteo Renzi on the margins of the UNGA in New York last year, External Affairs Ministry said today.
The ministry was reacting to allegations by James Christian Michel, the middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper deal, on purported meeting between Modi and Renzi where the Indian leader offered to free two Italian marines, facing murder charges in India, in exchange of evidence linking Sonia Gandhi and her family to the corruption in the Rs 3600 crore deal.
"There was no meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Renzi of Italy as part of PM's bilateral meetings at the UNGA in September 2015.
"Insofar as James Christian Michel is concerned, various law enforcement authorities of India are proceeding against him in cases relating to the Prevention of Corruption Act and Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)," the ministry said.
It also noted that an open ended non-bailable arrest warrant has been issued by the special judge of CBI against Michel on September 24, 2015.
"Upon a CBI request a Red notice against him has been issued by the Interpol Headquarters on November 25, 2015. A request for provisional arrest for the purpose of extradition was made to the UK authorities on January 4, this year by the CBI.
"The Enforcement Directorate, another autonomous agency to handle private money laundering and foreign exchange irregularities, has also separately sent a Red Corner notice seeking arrest and a request for his extradition from the UK on February 29, this year," it added.
No nexus between Naxals and Islamic State has come to the notice of the government so far, Rajya Sabha was informed today.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary replied in the negative when asked "if it is a fact that a nexus between Islamic State and various Naxal groups of the country has come to notice, as supporters in country have been caught trying to carry out a big attack in the country by taking training and weapons from the naxalites."
He said among the agencies probing cases related to ISIS, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested 25 persons, Telangana Police six, Madhya Pradesh Police five, Maharashtra and Delhi Police four each, Tamil Nadu Police three, Karnataka Police and Rajasthan Police one each.
"... No terror attack by ISIS has been reported in the country," he said.
The minister said a few incidents of unfurling of flags of ISIS by some "misguided youth" were noticed on different occasions in Jammu and Kashmir in the recent past.
"'Police' and 'Public order' being state subjects, the State Governments concerned, have been directed to take appropriate action against such elements as per relevant provisions of Law," he said.
Chaudhary said IS led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, which split from Al-Qaeda in February 2014 is using both positive and negative imagery to attract the youth at a global level, including India.
"However, it has influenced/attracted very few youth from India. The National Investigation Agency and the State Police in some States have registered cases and arrested some active cadres affiliated to ISIS in the recent past," he said.
He said the ISIS is using various internet-based platforms for propaganda and to propagate its ideology. The intelligence and security agencies monitor the cyber space closely to identify political recruits and keep them under surveillance and take further action, if necessary.
"In order to assess the threat posed by ISIS/ISIL and to devise a national strategy to deal with it, meetings have been held by the Ministry of Home Affairs with all the central agencies concerned and the state governments on August 1, 2015 and January 16, 2016 respectively. The government has taken all necessary measures including sensitisation of the states to counter the incipient threat posed by the ISIS," he said.
The minister said since 2013, nine major terrorist attacks have taken place in the hinterland. However, these do not indicate any trend of attacks on targets near the national highways.
Google Inc today told the Delhi High Court it has not earned any revenue out of the agreement with the government or any other monetary benefit from content uploaded on the YouTube platform under the deal.
The company also told a bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva that petitioner K N Govindacharya has "failed to establish that the content provided by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting under the agreement has been monetized by Google Inc".
"Any allegation in this regard is absolutely denied as being unfounded and baseless.
"...Based on verification of records maintained by Google Ireland in relation to agreement and made available to its parent entity i.E. Google Inc, that Google has not monetized the content owned and uploaded by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on the YouTube platform under the agreement," Google Inc, the parent company of Google Ireland which operates YouTube, in its affidavit said.
Google Inc's submission was opposed by advocate Virag Gupta, representing former BJP leader Govindacharya, saying the court in its March 14 order had directed for clear cut affidavit on the line, which Google India had filed.
Earlier, Google India Pvt Ltd had submitted that it has not earned any revenue out of the agreement with the Centre.
The court recorded the statement of Google Inc that it did earn any revenue or any other monitory benefit out of the agreement with the government and disposed of the petition.
Earlier, the Centre had told the court that it has no "customised agreements" with Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. There are no customised agreements with YouTube (Google) either, except the one (with Google Ireland/YouTube) mentioned above".
These submissions were made by the authorities concerned on a PIL filed by Govindacharya raising questions on social media usage by the government.
On January 27, the government had filed the content licence agreement entered into with Google Ireland in 2013 regarding content put up on YouTube.
The petitioner had said the social networking sites are not paying due taxes on their Indian operations as per provisions of double taxation avoidance agreement and the government is not taking any action to safeguard the national interest and sovereignty of India.
The petition had also said social networking sites should be directed to ensure verification of all existing and future users and refrain from allowing access to children below 13 years, which against law.
Mid-sized private sector lender Yes Bank today reported a 27.4 per cent growth in March quarter net profit at Rs 702.1 crore aided by jump in non-interest income.
For the full year, the city-based lender posted a 26.6 per cent jump in profit at Rs 2,539.4 crore.
The core net interest income rose 27.1 per cent to Rs 1,241.4 crore on a 0.20 per cent expansion in net interest margin to 3.4 per cent and a loan growth of 30 per cent.
The bank's management exuded confidence in expanding the NIM by another 0.15 per cent on taking the share of low-cost casa deposits to a higher level and growing the PSL book to earn more.
Non-interest income rose 36 per cent to Rs 802.8 crore during the period, majorly on the performance of higher fees from the corporate banking vertical, Yes Bank's Managing Director and Chief Executive Rana Kapoor told reporters here.
Gross non-performing assets ratio nearly doubled to 0.76 per cent from 0.41 per cent in the year ago period and the fresh slippages were Rs 329 crore.
The share of restructured advances grew marginally to 0.53 per cent to Rs 524 crore.
Kapoor said the bank was successful in getting down the credit cost by 0.50 per cent at 0.80 per cent as against the earlier expectation of a 0.60 per cent reduction. It expects to get credit cost in the 0.50-0.70 percentage range this fiscal year.
Even though it did not have a single case of strategic debt restructuring, Kapoor opined that the route of taking management control in borrowing companies is not a viable solution for lenders.
The bank sold a cement account with an exposure of Rs 60 crore to an asset reconstruction company during the quarter, he said.
The core capital ratio came down to 10.7 per cent and the bank board also extended the approval for raising up to USD 1 billion in core capital by another year.
Stating that the current capital levels will support the targeted 27-30 per cent credit growth for another 12-18 months, Kapoor said the bank is confident of doing a transaction in two to three quarter to shore up its capital base, which is among the lowest amongst its peers.
The bank's board also decided to raise up to Rs 10,000 crore from debt market in tier-II capital.
The bank scrip closed with gains of 0.55 per cent at Rs 915.60 on BSE, as against a 0.22 per cent uptick in the benchmark Sensex.
Meanwhile, the bank said it has received markets regulator
Sebi's approval to start an asset management company and will be working on it for the next few months to enter the mutual fund space by early next fiscal.
Kapoor said the stress is on building business organically, but added that the bank is open to acquisitions that come along.
The bank will be launching a credit card next week which will complete its retail product suite. Kapoor said it will be launching seven variants of the card to target different categories.
The bank is witnessing surging demand from pharma, auto and renewable energy space, Kapoor said, adding that the international business unit at the GIFT City's loan book stands at USD 400 million at present that it looks to grow to USD 1 billion.
The bank scrip closed flat at Rs 1,200 on BSE as against a 0.17 per cent rise in the benchmark Sensex.
Donald Trump today swept all five Republican primaries in Northeastern states while his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton also strengthened her lead by scoring victories in four states, bringing them closer to a monumental duel for the White House in November.
Trump, 69, declared himself the "presumptive" Republican nominee after posting big wins in Maryland, Connecticut, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
In all the five states, Trump bagged more than 50 per cent of the votes.
In fact, in Rhode Island and Delaware his vote percentage was more than 60 per cent. In Pennsylvania it was more than 58 per cent, in Connecticut 59 per cent and Maryland 56 per cent.
With this, his delegate count jumped to 950.
"This to me was our biggest night," the real estate tycoon said in his victory speech.
"I consider myself the presumptive nominee."
Though the clean sweep gave a big boost to Trump's White House ambition, he still needs over 300 delegates to reach the magical number of 1,237 delegates required to bag the Republican presidential nomination.
"As far as I am concerned, this race is over," Trump said, adding that his rival John Kasich, who has 153 delegates to his kitty, is simply wasting his time.
Kasich came second in four of the five States but could earn just five delegates.
After the latest primary results, Trump's main Republican rival Ted Cruz has 569 delegates and his path to nomination before the July convention is impossible.
Cruz came last in four of the five states where primaries were held yesterday.
Despite notching up more delegates and dominating the media agenda, Trump's ultimate claim on the nomination remains far from certain. The final winning margins will be crucial in deciding whether he can reach the 1,237 delegates needed before the Republican convention in July.
Trump has already criticised the system in Pennsylvania, where the Republican winner is awarded 17 delegates, but 54 other delegates will be unbound and free to vote for any candidate at the convention.
On the other hand, Clinton, 68, won in four states -- Maryland, Connecticut, Delaware and Pennsylvania while her rival Bernie Sanders secured victory in Rhode Island.
After registering four wins, she appeared to be headed to be the first ever woman to win the presidential nomination of a major political party.
The wins in the three states also takes Clinton closer to earning the Democratic presidential nomination. The former Secretary of State now has 2,026 delegates while Sanders holds 1,291.
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump today slammed US President Barack Obama's foreign policy, alleging it is a "complete disaster" and has "weakened" the country.
"Our foreign policy is a complete and total disaster. No vision, no purpose, no direction, no strategy," Trump said in his first major foreign policy speech here after he declared himself as a "presumptive nominee" when he won primaries in all the five States.
He alleged that Obama has weakened US military by weakening its economy.
"He has crippled us with wasteful spending, massive debt, low growth, a huge trade deficit and open borders. Our manufacturing trade deficit with the world is now approaching USD 1 trillion a year. We are rebuilding other countries while weakening our own," he said.
The real-estate tycoon said "the legacy of the Obama-Clinton interventions will be weakness, confusion, and disarray."
"We have made the Middle East more unstable and chaotic than ever before. We left Christians subject to intense persecution and even genocide. Our actions in Iraq, Libya and Syria have helped unleash ISIS. And we are in a war against radical Islam, but President Obama won't even name the enemy," he said.
Attacking his Democratic counterpart Hillary Clinton, Trump said, "She also refuses to say the words 'radical Islam', even as she pushes for a massive increase in refugees."
"After Secretary Clinton's failed intervention in Libya, Islamic terrorists in Benghazi took down our consulate and killed our ambassador and three brave Americans. Then, instead of taking charge that night, Hillary Clinton decided to go home and sleep! Incredible," he alleged.
"Clinton blames it all on a video, an excuse that was a total lie. Our Ambassador was murdered and our Secretary of State misled the nation - and by the way, she was not awake to take that call at 3 o'clock in the morning. And now ISIS is making millions of dollars a week selling Libyan oil," he alleged.
Trump said that because of Obama's foreign policies, "rivals no longer respect the US".
"In fact, they are just as confused as our allies, but an even bigger problem is that they don't take us seriously any more. When President Obama landed in Cuba on Air Force One, no leader was there to meet or greet him - perhaps an incident without precedent in the long and prestigious history of Air Force One," he said.
"Then, amazingly, the same thing happened in Saudi Arabia -- it's called no respect. Do you remember when the President made a long and expensive trip to Copenhagen, Denmark to get the Olympics for our country, and, after this unprecedented effort, it was announced that the United States came in fourth place," he said
"He should have known the result before making such an embarrassing commitment. The list of humiliations goes on and on. President Obama watches helplessly as North Korea increases its aggression and expands even further with its nuclear reach," he said.
He alleged that Obama has allowed China to continue its "economic assault" on American jobs and wealth, refusing to enforce trade rules - or apply the leverage on China necessary to rein in North Korea.
"He has even allowed China to steal government secrets with cyber attacks and engage in industrial espionage against the United States and its companies. We have let our rivals and challengers think they can get away with anything. If President Obama's goal had been to weaken America, he could not have done a better job," Trump alleged.
Barring a handful of top business schools like the Indian Institutes of (IIMs), most business-schools in the country are producing sub-par graduates who are largely un-employable and therefore earning less than Rs 10,000 a month, if at all they find a job, a report has pointed out.
The report blames the lack of quality control and infrastructure, low-paying jobs through campus placement and poor faculty as the major reasons behind India's unfolding B-school disaster.
India has at least 5,500 B-schools operational at present, but including unapproved institutes could take that number much higher, the report by Assocham said, expressing concern over the decay in the standards of these B-schools.
"Only 7% of MBA graduates from Indian business schools, excluding those from the top 20 schools, get a job straight after completing their course," it found.
The report says that only 7% of the MBA graduates are actually employable.
"Around 220 B-schools have shut down in the last two years in Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region), Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Dehradun etc. And at least 120 more are expected to wind up in 2016," it said.
"Low education quality coupled with the economic slowdown, from 2014 to 2016, campus recruitments have gone down by a whopping 45%," the study revealed.
In the last five years, the number of B-school seats has tripled. In 2015-16, these schools offered a total of 5,20,000 seats in MBA courses, compared to 3,60,000 in 2011-12.
The report observed that while on an average each student spends nearly Rs 3-5 lakh on a two-year MBA programme, their current monthly salary is a measly Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000.
"Even the quality of IIM/IIT students coming out now compared to last 15 years has come down due to the quality of school education. The faculty is also another problem as few people enter the teaching profession due to low salaries and the entire eco-system needs to be revamped," said the report.
"The quality of higher education in India across disciplines is poor and does not meet the needs of the corporate world," Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat said.
The report also observed that out of 15 lakh engineering graduates India produces every year, 20-30% of them do not find jobs and many other get jobs well below their technical qualification.
Vital organs of a teenaged girl, who was declared brain dead after a road accident, were harvested at a private hospital and transplanted to patients today.
16-year-old Malini had suffered serious head injuries in the accident at Udumalpet in Tirupur district on April 25 and was under treatment at the Kovai Medical Center and Hospital (KMCH), a KMCH release said.
She was declared brain dead the next day and her parents volunteered to donate her organs, the release said.
Her lung was sent to Frontier Life Line Hospital in Chennai and liver and kidneys were transplanted in patients in KMCH, while eyes were donated to Aravind Eye Hospital in the city, it said.
"Our child was highly talented and she scored 476 marks in the 10th board examination. Her loss is unbearable to our family. By donating her organs, we feel that it would at least help someone to live their life fully" the release quoted Malini's father Kalimuthu, a farmer, and mother Velumani, as having said.
In the first three months of the year, China's internet watchdog shut down over 1,046 websites for spreading pornographic content or information which jeopardised national security.
85 websites were given warnings and 8,008 microblog accounts were shut down during the same period, said the Cyberspace Administration of China in a statement released yesterday.
The top internet regulator said 89 cases were transferred to judicial organs.
In one case, Ronganwang.Com was required by the cyber watchdog in Guangxi to suspend operations for 15 days for spreading information about violent and terrorist activities.
Others were punished for publishing information about illegal acts, including blackmail, telecom fraud, illegal fundraising and exam cheating, state-run Xinhua agency reported.
The administration pledged to strengthen the crackdown on illegal websites and welcomed tips from the public in order to ensure a healthy online environment.
Over 50 retired IAF personnel were today handed over skill certificates as part of a pilot project by the government to help them in their post- retirement life.
56 retired IAF personnel were handed over skill certificates conforming to the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) and placement letters.
This was the first-ever placement ceremony for retiring India Air Force personnel through Skill Certification.
As part of the pilot project, they underwent training programmes post mapping of their trades to National Occupational Standards.
Sector Skill Councils provided them training as trainers and assessors in three sectors - medical, electronics and automotive - which was followed by their assessment and certification.
These efforts are in line with the MoU signed between the Defence Ministry and the Skill Development Ministry in July, 2015 to partner in various skill development initiatives.
The MoU seeks to provide additional skills to about 60,000 service personnel who retire every year at a comparatively young age in the ranks of Officer, JCO, NCO or Jawans.
Congratulating the IAF on the success of this pilot, Parrikar said, "Our personnel are not only fighting for the security of the nation at the borders but will contribute in securing the economy of the nation as well. We are certain to accelerate this partnership in the next couple of years and not even a single ex-serviceman will have to worry about his career post-retirement".
Skill Development Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said every year 5,000 air warriors retire from Indian Air Force between the ages of 32 to 47.
China accounted for over half of India's electronic and communication items import that stood at USD 37.2 billion in April-February period of 2015-16.
"As per Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S), Kolkata, the total import of electronic and communication items stood at USD 37.2 billion in 2015-16 (up to February) from USD 33.5 billion in 2012-13," Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
This includes computer hardware, peripherals, consumer electronics, components, telecom instruments and batteries.
Imports from China have also grown, rising from USD 16.5 billion in 2012-13 to USD 20 billion in 2015-16 (up to February), the minister said.
"Large scale import of electronic (including telecommunication) items is taking place from China as China has substantial share in global manufacturing of electronics," he added.
Export of electronic and communication items from India, on the other hand, has steadily declined from USD 8.2 billion in 2012-13 to USD 7.8 billion (2013-14), USD 6.2 billion (2014-15)and USD 5.3 billion in 2015-16 (up to February).
"The promotion of electronics manufacturing is one of the pillars of Digital India programme. The target to achieve 'Net Zero Import' by 2020 is a manifestation of the intent," Prasad said.
Under the Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme (M-SIPS), the government provides financial incentives to offset disability and attract investments in the electronics systems design and manufacturing (EDSM) sector. The scheme was notified in July 2012.
Since May 2014 till March 2016, investment proposals worth approximately Rs 1.05 lakh crore have been received in DeitY under M-SIPS.
Major investors are Bosch, GE, Sterlite, Mundra Solar, LG, Harman, Flextronics, Lava, Micromax, Karbonn, BHEL, BEL, Hero Moto Corp, among others.
"Investment proposals are mostly in the verticals of display fab, solar, telecom, automotive electronics, electronics components and consumer electronics," he said.
M-SIPS provides subsidy for investments in capital expenditure - 20 per cent for investments in SEZs and 25 per cent in non-SEZs.
Under the Electronics Hardware Technology Park (EHTP) scheme, approved units are allowed duty free import of goods required by them for carrying out export activities, CST reimbursement and excise duty exemption on procurement of indigenously available goods, as per Foreign Trade Policy.
Pakistan government today slapped a countrywide ban on recently released controversial movie "Maalik" on the subject of militancy, projecting politicians in poor light and glorifying the military.
The federal government issued a notification to stop screening of the Urdu film, which was released about three weeks ago, declaring it "uncertified".
The notification issued by the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage said that the federal government declares 'Maalik' as uncertified film in the whole of Pakistan "with immediate effect".
The government has not given any reason for banning the film which was apparently backed by media wing of the armed forces - the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
It was reported that the film created controversy by showing excessive extremist violence and depicting some similarities with the killing of government officials.
The ban came a day after the Sindh province stopped the screening of the movie but later revoked it after criticism.
'Maalik', a political-military thriller film made by director Ashir Azeem shows the struggle of a man in Pakistan's elite Special Forces whose life gets entangled with politics.
Extensive military hardware were used in the film including multiple helicopters MI-17 and MI-35 Gunships, T-55 Tanks and C-130 Hercules aircraft.
Pakistan's Special Forces has provided extensive support including advanced weapons, ammunition and training to the cast and crew.
The visit of Pakistan's Joint Investigation Team (JIT) in Pathankot terror attack probe case was on the basis of reciprocity and government is in touch with the authorities of that country on the matter, Rajya Sabha was informed today.
"The interaction with JIT was held in accordance with terms of reference mutually agreed on the basis of reciprocity. The Pakistan JIT assured of their full cooperation and promised to execute the LR, which has been received by them.
"The case is under investigation in both the countries. The government is in touch with the relevant Pakistani authorities in the matter," Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said in a written reply.
He said the five-member JIT comprising an additional IGP, a DIG, two Lt Colonels and one inspector had visited India between March 27 and March 31 to collect, review and document physical evidence and to interview key witnesses and victims through the NIA, with regard to Pathankot airbase terror attack.
"The NIA briefed the JIT on investigations carried out in the Pathankot airbase terror attack. The Pakistan JIT, in turn, shared with NIA the results of investigations carried out by them in Pakistan so far.
"The JIT also informed that they were collecting admissible evidence outside Pakistan under the provisions of the CrPC of Pakistan, that will legally enable them to use the evidence in prosecution," he said.
Chaudhary said Pakistan JIT was informed that a team of NIA officials would like to visit Pakistan to carry forward the investigations in the Pathankot airbase terror attack.
The details of the visit are yet to be finalised, he said.
A top US official today accused Pakistan of "not taking action" against terrorist groups that threaten its neighbours and pressed it to act against all such dreaded outfits including Haqqani Network, LeT and JeM.
"We believe Pakistan has not taken action against terrorist groups that threaten its neighbours," Special US Af-Pak Representative Richard Olson told members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee during a Congressional hearing.
Olson was responding to questions from the lawmakers who expressed concern over Pakistan being "selective" in taking actions against terrorist groups.
"Their (Pakistan's) stated policy is not to discriminate against terrorists. We believe there is a considerable room for improvement," said the American diplomat, who is President Barack Obama's point person for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
He said it is the time to take action against terrorist groups "more robustly" that threaten Afghanistan.
Olson said the US has raised at the highest level the need to take action against terrorist groups that threaten its neighbours in particular the Haqqani network.
"We continue to press Pakistan to take action against all terrorist groups, including the Haqqani Network, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed," he said.
"We have repeatedly and frankly underscored with the most senior levels of the Pakistani leadership the need to target the Haqqani network as part of their wider counter-terrorism operations, in keeping with their commitment not to discriminate between terrorist organisations," he said.
The Haqqani Network has carried out a number of kidnappings and attacks against US interests in Afghanistan, as well as Afghan government and civilian targets.
The group is also blamed for several deadly attacks against Indian interests in Afghanistan including the 2008 bombing of the Indian mission in Kabul that killed 58 people.
JeM and LeT have carried out multiple terror attacks in India more recently JeM attacked a key air force base in Pathankot in which seven security men were killed.
The Obama Administration shares the sub-committees' disappointment in progress against these groups and continue to voice its concerns with Pakistani leadership often, Olson said.
"We will not be satisfied until Pakistan makes a decisive shift in its policy toward these externally-focused groups, nor will Pakistan's struggle with terrorism come to an end," he said.
Responding to another question on sale of eight F-16 jets to Pakistan, Olson defended the Obama administration's decision arguing that with the aircraft Pakistan has developed "precision striking capabilities" against terrorist groups.
Olson, however, did not mention India even as several lawmakers expressed concern that F-16 jets would be used against India.
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Olson said America's relationship with Pakistan, a growing country with over 190 million people, a nuclear arsenal, terrorism challenges, and a key role to play in the region, will also remain a critical one.
"Indeed, in Pakistan, we see the government engaged in a concerted and difficult fight against terror groups that threaten all Pakistanis," he noted.
"Pakistan's relationships with its neighbours have peaked and troughed, but are trending toward greater dialogue to resolve differences," he said.
"Effective engagement with Pakistan, grounded in our important national interests, is critical to promoting the consolidation of democratic institutions and economic stability while supporting the government's counter-terrorism capabilities," Olson said.
For Pakistan, the State Department has requested USD 742.2 million for 2016-2017. This includes USD 472.4 million in civilian assistance and USD 269.8 million in security assistance, he said.
"This request strikes the appropriate balance between long-term development and strategic military-to-military cooperation, both of which are in our national security interest, and is at a level that we can responsibly implement," he said.
"This request is considerably lower - indeed, over 60 per cent lower - than our peak funding for Pakistan in FY 2010, the first year under the Kerry-Lugar-Berman authorisation," Olson said.
"While this decrease is warranted given urgent needs around the globe, the requested resources remain crucial to advancing cooperation on core areas that matter to us: bolstering Pakistan's counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations; empowering women and girls; enabling the return of internally-displaced persons; and facilitating private sector investment in Pakistan's economy and energy sector," he said.
Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry today said that he has conveyed to his Indian counterpart that Pakistan will welcome the start of the peace dialogue whenever India is ready.
"The two sides raised their respective concerns in cordial and forthright manner," Chaudhry said in response to question on his meeting with Indian counterpart S Jaishankar.
Addressing media after his return from New Delhi where he met Jaishankar on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia Conference, he said Pakistan will welcome the start of the peace dialogue whenever India indicated that it was also ready for it.
Chaudhry and Jaishankar met for nearly 90 minutes in New Delhi yesterday during which sticky issues including probe into Pathankot terror attack, 26/11 trial and Samjhauta Express blast investigations figured.
The Pakistani Foreign Secretary once again termed "Kashmir a core issue" between the two countries and demanded that it should be resolved in accordance with aspiration of the Kashmiris and the resolution of UN Security Council.
On the positive side, he underscored that India also feels that dialogue was the only way forward between the two countries.
"There is a realisation on part of India that dialogue is the only way forward to discuss all outstanding issues," he said.
He also noted that both sides agreed that people-to- people contact should remain intact. He said there was a consensus to continue working on humanitarian issues.
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Replying to a question on President Pranab Mukherjee's recent visit to China, Singh said he had held substantive bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and other senior leaders.
"It was emphasised that it is important for both sides to show sensitivity to each other's interests, concerns and aspirations. Willingness was expressed to further strengthen bilateral ties through enhanced exchanges at various levels including at leadership level so as to build greater mutual trust and understanding," the minister said.
Pakistan has highlighted the need for a structured, "result-oriented" comprehensive dialogue process with India for resolving outstanding issues, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry said today.
Chaudhry, who met his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar in New Delhi on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia Conference yesterday, said in a statement that during the meeting the Pakistani side had conveyed Islamabad's commitment to resolve all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir.
"I emphasized that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remained the core issue and it was vital to find a just solution to this long standing issue, as per the UN Security Council resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people," he said.
"In line with our Prime Minister's vision of a peaceful neighborhood, I underscored the need for a structured, sustained and result-oriented comprehensive dialogue process between the two countries," he said in the statement.
However, the uninterruptible dialogue process would require commitment from both sides, he said.
"I affirmed to my Indian counterpart that Pakistan believes that a sustained and structured engagement is imperative for resolving the outstanding issues," he added.
Pakistan will welcome the start of the peace dialogue whenever India indicated that it was ready for it, he said.
The sticky issues including probe into Pathankot terror attack, 26/11 trial and Samjhauta Express blast investigations figured during the meeting between Chaudhry and Jaishankar.
"I conveyed to the Indian side Pakistan's deep concern on the illegal entry into Pakistan by a RAW officer and his involvement in subversive activities in Karachi and Balochistan," he said, referring to the arrest of Kulbushan Yadav. "Such acts undermine efforts to normalize relations between the two countries," he added.
During the meeting, Indian side had raised the issue of "abduction" of former Naval officer Jadhav, saying he has been taken to Pakistan, and sought immediate consular access.
"I also reiterated Pakistan's call for fair investigation and trial of the Samjhauta Express terrorist attack," he said, adding that Pakistani side expressed its concern over recent items regarding efforts being made to exonerate some of the individuals who were responsible for the attack.
On the Pathankot attack, Chaudhry said, "I informed him (Jaishankar) that the JIT had visited India from March 27 to April 1. On the basis of information received from the Indian side,the JIT is currently engaged in further investigations."
He also noted that both sides agreed that people-to- people contact should remain intact.
He said there was a consensus to continue working on humanitarian issues, including the issue of release of all fishermen as well as prisoners who have completed their sentences.
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Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today challenged the Congress to show the UPA government order blacklisting the Anglo-Italian helicopter maker AgustaWestland in connection with the VVIP chopper scam.
Parrikar, who said that he will speak in detail in Parliament on the issue in the near future, informed that the Ministry has received a copy of the Italian court order and is in the process of translating it into English.
He said that the process might take 8-10 days.
Parrikar also took a dig at Congress president Sonia Gandhi, saying translation from Italian was not easy, "at least for the ruling side. May not be a difficult task for the opposition".
A combative Parrikar hit back when asked about Congress' allegation that while UPA had blacklisted the company, the NDA government removed it from the blacklist.
"When did they blacklist? Ask them first. Ask them what date the order was issued? Show me the copy of the order," the Minister said.
Asked if he meant that the firm was never blacklisted, he said, "I am not saying that".
Interestingly, in a written reply to Rajya Sabha on February 5, 2014, the then Defence Minister A K Antony, while giving details on AgustaWestland, had said, "No decision has been taken till date to debar the said company".
This runs contrary to what the Congress has been claiming because the reply came just months ahead of the regime change.
However, records of state-run HAL show that Agusta Westland International Ltd, UK, Finmeccanica, Italy and its group of companies, including subsidiaries and affiliates, IDS Tunisia and Infotech Design System (IDS), Mauritius, were blacklisted on July 3, 2014, when NDA was in power, because of the CBI case against them to inquire into alleged criminal wrongdoing in the procurement of VVIP Helicopters.
Hitting back at BJP on the VVIP chopper deal, Congress had yesterday alleged that AgustaWestland was "removed" from the blacklisted category by the Modi dispensation.
Congress leader and former Union Minister Anand Sharma had said, "The chopper deal was scrapped. Action was taken by the UPA government. A K Antony, the then Defence Minister, had made a statement in Parliament and Agusta Westland was blacklisted.
Parrikar said he will not buy an equipment simply because
someone he knows has recommended and nor will he reject something because someone has batted for it.
"Obviously, if it is a good product and price is good, I will consider it. That is why I had the courage to say Bofors is a good gun. Corruption in it was bad. People who did corruption should be punished, not the guns," he said.
He also lamented that the Ministry had not purchased a single artillery gun after Bofors controversy and he had to push for the same as it was stuck for over three decades.
Parrikar also questioned why the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas took 32 years.
"The test flight of the aircraft took place in Vajpayee's tenure in 2001. After that, during 10 years of UPA government, how many meetings did defence minister conduct to ensure that LCA goes into production and is inducted into Air Force? I did it. I did about 18 meetings on this issue. I pushed them both together. Asked Aeronautical Development Agency and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to do what is required and asked IAF not be unreasonable," he said.
Asked about murmurs that government has evidence against journalists in the VVIP chopper scam, he asked, "Who said we have evidence? I am not saying there is no evidence but evidence required in such matters need to be conclusive. Let them (investigating agencies) link. Sometime you get evidence but it cannot be linked in a particular manner. Let them do their job. They are trying to crack open the money trail. It is not easy," he said.
Parrikar said there are many people whose tickets for foreign travel was booked through middleman Christian Michel.
"It has to show that it was done for a particular reason. Let us assume, there is an air show and someone sends tickets. This cannot be proved as corruption. Many a times, when marriages are held in Goa, the host sends air tickets to guests. But this is not corruption. Because he wants them to come there but if it happens too often, and for too many times, then it can definitely be a special favour. Then it starts going into the zone of corruption," he said.
Parrikar stressed that the investigative agencies have been given a free hand. "The job of the political class is to ensure that officers should be allowed to function free. To see they are not pressurised," he said.
Talking about his tenure as Defence Minister, he said the journey so far had been good.
"File movement has started. Decision-making on directions(are happening). They do not fear even giving a negative opinion also," he said.
Talking about specifics, he said a lot of positive changes have taken place in welfare of ex-servicemen besides armed forces involved in field operations getting a "morale boost".
Goa Chief Minister is not in favour of early state Assembly polls and wishes to continue the alliance with Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) during the elections.
"Our tenure ends in March (2017), so we want elections in the beginning of that month (March)," Parsekar said yesterday after arriving from New Delhi where he had a meeting with BJP chief Amit Shah.
"We don't want elections before that. We have informed the party president about our stand," the chief minister said.
The five-year-long tenure of the BJP-led state government ends in March 2017. The party had rode to majority in the 2012 elections which they fought in an alliance with MGP.
"We always wanted to maintain and continue our alliance with MGP. Few MGP members were expressing their reluctance towards this. BJP never said about breaking their ties with MGP," Parsekar said.
MGP had last month expressed discomfort in giving an assurance for a tie-up for the 2017 elections. Its president Dipak Dhavalikar had said his party workers were not happy with BJP's attitude towards them.
MGP was an ally of Congress in the Digambar Kamat government from 2005 to 2012, but later joined hands with BJP.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino vowed today to launch a military assault aimed at "neutralising" Islamic militants who beheaded a Canadian hostage and are holding more than 20 other foreigners.
"Casualties are to be expected. But what has to be of utmost importance is neutralising the criminal activities of the ASG," Aquino said in a statement, referring to the Abu Sayyaf militant group by a commonly used acronym.
Aquino released the statement after the severed head of Canadian John Ridsdel, kidnapped seven months ago from aboard a yacht, was dumped Monday on a street on Jolo, a remote southern island that is one of the Abu Sayyaf's main strongholds.
"This murder was meant to terrorise our whole population. The Abu Sayyaf thought they could instill fear in us. Instead, they have galvanised us even further to ensure justice is meted out," Aquino said.
"We have always been open to talks with those who desire peace, but those who commit atrocities can expect the full might of the state."
He did not give a timeframe for the assault.
The Abu Sayyaf militants, whose leaders have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, are holding more than 20 other foreigners captive.
These include another Canadian, a Norwegian man and a Filipina who were abducted at the same time as Ridsdel at a marina near Davao, the biggest city in the southern Philippines and about 600 kilometres (370 miles) from Jolo.
The Abu Sayyaf is also believed to be holding a Dutch birdwatcher kidnapped from a southern Philippine island in 2012, as well as 18 Indonesian and Malaysian sailors abducted over the past month.
Aquino said the captives were under the control of Radullan Sahiron, one of the Abu Sayyaf's founders who is famous for losing one arm in battle against the military.
He said Sahiron had consolidated his forces around himself and the captives in Sulu, a small Muslim-populated archipelago about 1,000 kilometres from Manila. Jolo is the biggest island in Sulu.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-way communication with the people has resulted in the exchange of a lot of ideas, Union Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore said today.
He was addressing the valedictory function of the 65th Diploma Course in Development Journalism conducted by Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) here, where 22 students from 14 countries were awarded certificates.
Calling the students of the four-month-long course as India's "unofficial ambassadors" to their respective countries, the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, urged them to empower people through journalism.
"In our government, communication is a vital aspect. Our Prime Minister is very keen to able to connect in multiple ways with our people. He has developed a two-way communication.
"When he does his 'Mann Ki Baat' on the radio, he solicits questions from the people and then answers them once a month. In our portal, mygov.In, people get to write to the Prime Minister directly and he and the administration get a lot of ideas from there," Rathore said.
On the occasion, two students, Ameera Mubarak from Jordan and Mengistu Lamaro Lagebo were conferred the Press Trust of India Award.
Nusrat Jahan (Bangladesh), Oluwatosinka Fayat Lawal (Nigeria) and Obed Mule (Kenya) were conferred the IIMC Award for International Understanding, Rajasthan Patrika Award and Prof VG Desai Memorial Award respectively.
Social media accounts of the State-run institute were also launched on the occasion. KG Suresh, a former journalist, was recently appointed as its new Director General.
Shiv Sena member Sanjay Raut today asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spend a day each in drought-hit Bundelkhand and Marathwada so that his government can take steps to solve the problems faced by the affected people.
He also asked how can one expect thirsty and hungry people to raise 'Bharat Mata ki jai' slogans.
"Our respected Prime Minister travels within the country and abroad. But I request him to go to Bundelkhand and Marathwada for a day each. I am sure he will go and after seeing the conditions of people he will take steps to alleviate the problems," Raut, whose party Shiv Sena is a NDA constituent, said in Rajya Sabha.
In a hard-hitting speech during a discussion on drought, he said people hit by drought, even though they have 'Bharat Mata' in their hearts, have empty stomachs and are thirsty.
"I don't want to link it with religion, but to hunger. Those who are famished and have become paupers, how do you expect 'Bharat mata ki jai' (slogans) from them, we will have to think," Raut said.
Referring to the slogan of "Congress-mukt Bharat" given by the Prime Minister, he said "first we have to create a drought free and poverty free India. When the country becomes drought free, it automatically will become Congress free."
"We believe that Pakistan is our greatest enemy," but hunger and poverty are even greater enemies, he said.
"We have talks with Pakistan, they can be held. But the poor, who are leaving there homes, discussions should be held with them also," the Shiv Sena member added.
Referring to a statement by a bank official that farmers cannot live by farming alone and there is a need for them to have other sources of income, he said when even MGNREGA was not being implemented properly, such people were talking of additional income sources for the poor.
"(Vijay) Mallya escaped after taking away Rs 850 crore of State Bank and you can do nothing, but a farmer who owes a few thousands, you take action against him," Raut said, adding that people in Maharashtra were living in grave difficulty.
"We talk of 'achche din' but the responsibility of providing water to people is also ours," he said.
Raut said the problem of drought was not of one state but of several states and added that over 200 districts were affected and many people cannot even get rice or pulses to eat.
President Pranab Mukherjee today embarked on a six-day trip to Papua New Guinea (PNG) and New Zealand, his first state visit to the two countries, which is seen as a push to India's 'Act East' policy.
The visit is likely to give a push to Indian pharmaceutical companies to set up businesses in the pacific nation after the local government withdrew a ban in January.
The President was given a sendoff at Rashtrapati Bhavan by Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, besides three Service Chiefs and senior bureaucrats.
Terming the visit as 'Act East', a natural extension of the government's 'Look East' policy, President's Press Secretary Venu Rajamony had told reporters it would play a significant role in strengthening India's economic relations with Pacific nations like PNG.
Mukherjee will reach PNG tomorrow after which he will witness signing of agreements in the fields of health, economic cooperation and Information Technology besides addressing the students and business community.
The President was accompanied by Minister of State for Agriculture Sanjeev Baliyan and a three-member delegation of Members of Parliament.
The PNG, the largest Pacific Island nation, is looking towards India for enhanced cooperation in the health sector and capacity building in Information Technology, Joint Secretary (South) in External Affairs Ministry Jaideep Majumdar had said.
The country has large natural resources of oil, gas and minerals.
The discussions regarding cooperation in these areas will be taken forward after the conclusion of President's visit, Majumdar had said.
During the second conference of Pacific nations held in India last year, New Delhi had offered radars for coastal surveillance and patrolling craft for maritime security to the PNG, he had said.
About the President's visit to New Zealand, which starts from April 30, Majumdar said India traditionally shared close relations with that country.
The Indian diaspora of 1,75,000 helps to further cement our ties, he had said.
The two sides will look at prospects for cooperation in agriculture, dairy, food processing, education and skill development as well as high technology.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key had visited India in 2011 and its Governor General in 2008, 2009 and 2011.
The last high-level visit from India was by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1986.
"Quantico" star Priyanka Chopra has criticised Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump's call for banning Muslim immigrants, saying generalising a type of people is "really primitive".
Priyanka was named by Time among 100 most influential people thanks to her blossoming career in Hollywood.
Trump is also on the list and both attended the gala last night.
"I just think you can't put a ban on anyone. Generalizing a type of people is really primitive," she said.
The 33-year-old star said the fight against domestic terrorism has grown so complex that "you can't put a face on it anymore," she added.
Trump has been already criticised by celebrities like George Clooney and wife Amal for his controversial comments.
Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra has confirmed that she will be attending the White House Correspondents' dinner this weekend.
The 33-year-old former Miss World, whose presence was little dicey earlier, took to Twitter to share the .
"Yes I will be attending," she wrote while replying to a fan on Twitter chat.
The gala dinner will see who's who of Hollywood including Will Smith, wife Jada Pinkett Smith, Kerry Washington, Shonda Rhimes, Kim Kardashian's model sister Kendall Jenner among others.
The 2016 White House Correspondents' dinner, which will be President Barack Obama's last in office, will be hosted by comedian Larry Wilmore. It will take place at the Washington Hilton.
Qatar's largest bank is investigating a security breach that appears to have exposed sensitive personal data for what could be hundreds of customers, including employees of international broadcaster Al-Jazeera and potentially senior government officials.
Qatar National Bank acknowledged in an emailed statement today that it was looking into "an alleged data breach" after a file containing the purported account information began circulating online.
The bank did not say whether information in the files was legitimate or if its network had been breached, citing a policy of not commenting on reports shared on social media.
Four people identified in the files and reached by The Associated Press confirmed their personal information was authentic.
The files are not uniform, but in many cases contain bank customers' bank logins, passwords, security questions and answers, Qatari national identification numbers, phone numbers and email addresses.
"Everything that they had was correct," said Gordon Hickey, who used to work for Al-Jazeera and now works as a freelancer in Ireland. "It's a complete personal breach. It's awful."
The bank said it was coordinating with "all concerned parties" to investigate the matter and offered its assurance that there would be no financial impact for its clients or the bank.
"QNB Group places the highest priority on data security and deploying the strongest measures possible to ensure the integrity of our customers' information," it said.
The data dumped online was organized into nine folders, with names including "Al-Jazeera," ''Police, Security," "Defence and etc" and "Mukhabarat" the Arabic name for intelligence services.
It also included a folder named "Al-Thani," the name of Qatar's ruling family, which purported to include details on many of its members.
Al-Jazeera said its online security division has sent a message to all staff assuring them that its own internal networks have not been compromised.
"Our staff have been recommended to be vigilant, be prudent and change passwords for those who bank with QNB and report any suspicious activity," Al-Jazeera said in a statement.
Qatar's government communication office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh today held an open dialogue session with villagers in Chaksu area during which he shared the pain and experiences of rural life and listened to their grievances.
"I am also from a village and understand the situation. I understand the pain of farmers and I have also gone through this. I have come here to speak to you," he told the locals of Ajmeripura village in the district, who were surprised on seeing a governor for the first time in their village.
"You share your problems with me. I am very much familiar with happiness and sorrows of the poor and villagers, your problems will be addressed for sure," he said.
The villagers, shared their problems related to road, electricity, water, school, college, employment, transport, medicines with the Governor.
On his initiative, the village was adopted by the Rajasthan University of Health Sciences which has initiated several developmental works there.
Health Minister Rajendra Rathore, MLA Laxminarayan Bairwa, Divisional Commissioner Rajeshwar Singh were also present.
The Delhi High Court today said "rampant" unauthorised construction was going on in the posh Sainik Farms here neither the municipal body nor Delhi Police has nothing to show apart from few prosecution and some demolition action that too on a "pick and choose manner".
The court observed that despite earlier direction that no trucks carrying construction materials would enter the area, many buildings have been constructed and even South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has admitted in its affidavit that around 700 buildings came up there after 2007.
Expressing concern on the issue, a bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva asked the standing counsel for CBI to appear before it on the next date of hearing on May 15 to discuss if the matter could be probed by the agency.
"We find that despite clear directions given by division bench of this court in several matters concerning Sainik Farm, rampant unauthorised construction is going on unabated. The division bench had clearly directed that no trucks carrying construction materials will enter Sainik Farm area and for this, Commissioner MCD and DCP South were to deploy officials.
"These personnel were deployed yet building construction activities continued in the area without any legal sanction," the bench said.
During the hearing, the counsel appearing for petitioner claimed that thousands of houses have been built in the area despite the court's orders.
On being asked about the number of such trucks carrying required building materials in the area, the counsel claimed that 200 trucks were required, besides furnishing materials, to construct one such house.
The court observed if 700 buildings have been constructed in the area, about 1.40 lakh trucks must have entered there.
"Yet, the officials of MCD and Delhi Police has nothing to show apart from a few prosecution and some demolition action on a pick and choose manner. Before we take further steps in this aspect, we call the standing counsel for the CBI to take their input on the next date of hearing," the bench said.
It also directed the SDMC and police to file a list of officials who were deployed in Sainik Farm area after court's directions given in January 2001.
Meanwhile, central government's standing counsel Anurag Ahluwalia informed the bench that proposal by Delhi government for regularisation of unauthorised colonies was considered by a union Urban Development minister and a draft has been circulated among the stakeholders.
The central government told the court that after receiving
comments of the stakeholders over the issue, the matter would be placed before the Cabinet.
Delhi government's senior standing counsel Rahul Mehra told the bench that draft regulations have been received by them and they have commented upon these.
"The counsel for Union of India submits that decision would be taken by the competent authority within six weeks after the receipt of comments from all the stakeholders.
"We direct the government of India to ensure that all the stakeholders give their responses on it within two weeks," the bench said, adding, it would hear this issue on July 20.
However, the bench made it clear that while the government is considering on the aspect of regularisation of Sainik Farm area here, the court has "not given imprimatur" on it.
The court was hearing a PIL filed by an NGO alleging illegal construction in Sainik Farms.
The NGO, in its plea, has contended that over 500 fresh illegal constructions of huge structures have come up in the area and thousands of tonnes of building material were being taken there despite the court's 2007 order prohibiting the same.
today announced that its first ruling party congress for nearly four decades will open on May 6, amid increasing concern that Pyongyang will preface the event with a fifth nuclear test.
Anticipation about the congress, the first since 1980, has been growing since the North first signalled its intentions back in October last year.
Kim Jong-Un is expected to use the event to cement his position as supreme leader and to take credit for pushing his country's nuclear weapons programme to new heights.
No details have been provided of the itinerary, but the gathering will be scrutinised for any key policy changes or reshuffles among the country's elite.
The actual starting date had been a closely guarded secret prior to today's announcement by the ruling party's central committee politburo.
In a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency, the politburo said the congress -- only the seventh in the party's history -- would open May 6, but did not specify how long it would last.
The 1980 congress lasted four days.
An RAS officer was today arrested with his two middleman by Anti Corruption bureau of Rajasthan Police for allegedly accepting bribe of Rs 40,000 for regularising a residential plot in Ajmer.
K K Goyal, Deputy Commissioner of Ajmer Development Authority, had demanded the bribe from one Fehjaan Hussain to regularise the plot.
The matter was pending with the officer for the last one and a half year.
The complainant came in contact with his middleman Rohit Jain who demanded Rs 60,000 for the work.
"During verification of the complaint, Jain took Rs 20,000 from the complainant and handed over to the officer.
After the verification, a trap was laid today and the officer, his middlemen Jain and Vinod Joshi were caught red-handed while accepting the bribe,"IG ACB Dinesh M N said here.
He said the trio was placed under arrest.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said that the recent spate of murders of secular bloggers and minorities had been carefully planned to destabilise the country and held main opposition BNP and its allies responsible for the killings.
"The recent killings had been carefully planned. The targets were Imams, Hindu and Christian priests. The motive is to destabilise the country," Hasina's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim quoted her as saying.
Hasina was speaking at the 4th meeting of the Fast Track Project Monitoring Committee at her office wherein she said, those who had killed ordinary people for the sake of their campaigns are responsible for the recent "covert killings", the bdnews24.Com reported.
The killings of a liberal professor in Rajshahi, a gay- rights activist and his friend in Dhaka by machete-wielding assailants within three days follow similar attacks on secular thinkers, bloggers and members of religious minorities.
"We do not want to see such events in Bangladesh," she said.
Hasina said a platform that "opposes development" was responsible, and added the culprits would be caught soon.
Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) has claimed responsibility for both the attacks. But the government has rejected the claims, saying home-grown terrorists were responsible, not global terror groups.
Also, Hasina told the parliament that the government has already directed law enforcers to take stern actions against all sorts of militant, sabotaging and violent activities.
Replying to a query, she said people who have connections with the previous militant, criminal or sabotaging activities are under surveillance.
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"I would like to suggest those who are opposing the coal-based plants to visit Barapukuria Plant at the densely crowded location...Despite being a sub-critical plant, it did not cause any harm tothe environment and public life in the past 10 years and rather it made fertile the land there," Hasina said.
"A super critical plant reduces emission of carbon, sulfur and nitrogen by 40 per cent while an ultra-super critical (plant) could bring down any kind of pollution to zero level," Hasina argued.
A red alert was today issued by the Excise Commissioner in view of intelligence inputs that there was a possiblity of flow of spurious liqour and toddy in Kerala, ahead of the May 16 assembly polls.
The Excise commissioner has issued a red alert and all the officials have been directed to ensure that no untoward incidents happen in their jurisdiction, especially with regard to spurious liqour and toddy, excise department sources told PTI.
The state Intelligence had in a recent report to the government, warned that there was a possiblity of flow of spurious liqour in Kerala following the closure of foreign liqour bars in three and four star hotels as part of the new liqour policy.
The excise and enforcement departments had also been asked to keep more vigil.
The report had stated that there was a possibility that people aggrieved by the new liquor policy would try to exploit the situation and create trouble as the state is all set for the May 16 assembly polls.
There were chances of spurious liquor being sold in festival places and tourist spots in the state, it said.
It also asked for steps to be initiated to prevent flow of liquor and illicit liquor from neighbouring states.
Policy reforms like liberalisation of FDI in multi-brand retail and implementation of GST can attract investments from UK companies into the domestic food supply sector, according to a report.
"...Government needs to hasten various policy and regulatory reforms like right compensation for land acquisition, liberalisation of FDI in multi-brand retail, implementation of GST and green channeling for agri produce," said the report titled 'India-UK collaborations and investments in food supply chain', prepared by Dun & Bradstreet Tangram.
These measures will "push India-UK collaborations and investments in food supply sector where huge opportunities and potential remain to be tapped fully", it said.
Unless FDI is allowed in multi-brand retail and the rigid conditions are removed, the food supply chain sector will not get the desired investments, the report added.
The study also emphasised that it is urgent for the government to implement GST "since apart from creating a unified market across India, GST will help make India's manufacturing competitive by cutting high logistics costs."
For better movement of agriculture products, the report said that government should establish 'green channels' along national highways and economic corridors to speed up the movement of trucks.
The report focuses on five areas of the food supply chain -- storage and warehousing, cold-chains, packaging technology, skill development and R&D.
It was jointly released by former Agriculture Secretary Siraj Hussain and Anthony Cooper, First Secretary, UK Trade and Investment, British High Commission.
The report provides an overview of each of these segments in India and the UK, examines the regulations, identifies the areas of collaborations and the barriers faced by UK companies in India.
Request of five political parties, including Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena and BSP, for allotment of land for building party offices in Delhi is pending with the government, Lok Sabha was informed today.
According to the guidelines, parties which have been recognised as national political parties by the Election Commission of India and the state recognised parties having at least 7 MPs in both Houses of Parliament, are considered for allotment for land in the national capital.
The area of land considered for allotment varies depending on the strength of the party in Parliament.
The current strength of TMC is 46 in both Houses of Parliament, while Shiv Sena has 21 MPs and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) 10.
Other political parties whose requests are pending are Nationalist Congress Party with 12 MPs and Shiromani Akali Dal which has 7 MPs in Parliament, Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said in written reply in Lok Sabha.
In reply to another question, he said TMC was allotted a plot of land measuring about 1008 square metres at DDU Marg but the party refused to take the possession and requested for a bigger plot on the basis of its strength in Parliament.
Similarly, Shiv Sena, which was recommended for allotment of land at MB Road in Saket, refused to accept the offer and requested for allotment at DDU Marg.
BSP, which was alloted a plot at DDU Marg, did not deposit the land cost, Naidu said.
Resuming commercial operations at the Kandla airport in Kutch district would help in the economic development of the region, a state industry body said today.
In this regard, the Federation of Kutch Industries Association (FOKIA) submitted a memorandum to Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju yesterday in New Delhi, seeking restoration of air connectivity at the airport.
"We have brought to the minister's notice the importance of Kutch district. Restoring air connectivity at Kandla will be in the interest of industries and locals in the area," Leader of the FOKIA delegation Nimish Phadke told PTI here.
The minister was also informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was keen on development of Kutch when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat, he added.
Industrialisation in Kutch has grown exponentially and focus remains on the Anjar town and the surrounding areas. Several industries were established here. The expansion of Kandla Sea Port and Mundra Sea Port provided a major gateway for Indian maritime trade. So, restoring the air-connectivity at Kandla airport is the need of hour, he said.
"Operations at the Kandla airport started in 1960 and this airport was under commercial operation till 2012. However this airport is not operational since last four years despite having all the facilities," he said.
Closure of commercial operations at the Kandla airport have resulted into loss of an opportunity for the region's development and travellers are using the nearby Bhuj airport, the body said.
"We have also requested Raju to ask Air India to operate on the Kandla-Bhuj and Kandla-Delhi route," he added.
Former top cop Julio Ribeiro has decided to file a PIL in the Gujarat High Court challenging the recent appointment of state in-charge DGP P P Pandey, who is an accused in the alleged fake encounter case of Ishrat Jahan.
Ribeiro, 87, who earned the image of a no-nonsense cop as DGP of Punjab during the militancy there, has termed the appointment as "ridiculous" and in contravention of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules.
"I gave a signed copy of the PIL to my lawyer Rahul Sharma (also an ex-IPS officer), which has to be filed in Gujarat High Court," Ribeiro told PTI.
"I think the appointment of P P Pandey is not right. How can a person, who is facing trial, be appointed to the top post, as the person facing trial has to be under suspension, according to the All India Services (Conduct) Rules," Ribeiro, who has also served as Gujarat DGP, said.
"IPS officers cannot continue to remain in service if they are chage-sheeted in a criminal case. If they are proved innocent, then they can be taken back," he said.
"(In the case of Pandey), when the charge sheet has been sent by the CBI (in Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case), and yet the person is not only reinstated but made (in-charge) DGP...This is ridiculous," he said.
"When you are facing trial, does it sound reasonable that you are reinstated at top post? This is what they have been doing. Its a total negation of law," he said.
Senior IPS officer Pandey took took over as in-charge DGP of Gujarat following unexpected transfer of incumbent P C Thakur to Delhi, on April 16.
Pandey is out on bail in the fake encounter case of Ishrat Jahan and three others. He had spent around 18 months in jail in the case which is at present is pending before a local court in Ahmedabad.
Pandey who was suspended after his arrest in the Ishrat fake encounter case, was taken back into service after four days of his release on bail on February 5, 2015.
Ishrat, a 19-year-old girl from Mumbai, and three others were killed in 2004 in an alleged fake encounter by Gujarat police.
VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi today remained defiant and stuck to her controversial "terrorists in Parliament" remarks after she appeared before Rajya Sabha Committee of Privileges, where opposition members asked her to tender an "unconditional" apology.
The committee headed by P J Kurien is examining a complaint of Opposition MPs against Prachi about her remarks made during the Monsoon Session. The panel had summoned Prachi to appear before it.
Emerging after the meeting, Prachi told reporters, "I am a daughter of the country. I won't backtrack. I am being pressurised to apologise. They (the committee members) shouted me down. I said I also have the right to speak."
Sources said that in the meeting, the panel chairman asked her to tender an apology multiple times but she kept on talking of some kind of "conditional apology" while members wanted her to tender an unconditional apology.
Sources said that Prachi, who appeared before the panel along with her lawyer, said that she was "not insulting Parliament as a institution" but stuck to her remarks that there are some terrorists in Parliament.
The matter was referred to the Committee in October last year under Rule 203 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Rajya Sabha for examination, investigation and report.
Opposition leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury and TRS member K. Keshav Rao were among 20 members, who gave the privilege notice against the VHP leader, saying her remarks had "violated the dignity" of Parliament and the privilege of MPs.
Speaking at a public meeting in Roorkee, Prachi had earlier slammed those who had opposed the hanging of Yakub Memon, the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict.
"It is a big misfortune that in the Indian Parliament, we have one to two terrorists sitting there. I do not think there can be a bigger misfortune for India than this as they are disobeying the judegment of a court, because the court has proved that he (Yakub Memon) is a terrorist" she had said indirectly referring to the MPs who had opposed the hanging of Memon.
A bulletin of the Upper House had then said," Members are informed that Chairman, Rajya Sabha has referred a question of breach of privilege arising out of the complaint of Naresh Agrawal and other Members of Rajya Sabha pertaining to alleged derogatory remarks against Members of Parliament by Sadhvi Prachi, a leader of a religious organisation, to the Committee of Privileges.
The Supreme Court today directed the Sahara group to furnish details of all its properties in a sealed cover to ascertain the fact as to whether they are sufficient for paying back the entire amount to the investors.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur, however, refused to grant parole to Sahara chief Subrata Roy, who is in jail since March 4, 2014, saying that so far its orders have not been complied with "substantially".
"We should know about the total assets of the Sahara group. What exactly is the extent of properties, we must know. Currently, 66 properties of the group are scheduled to go on sale which will generate around Rs 6,000 crore.
"This might be enough for securing Roy's bail but not to refund the entire money to investors. We want the rest of the properties to be brought into focus so you give us a list of properties," the bench, also comprising Justices A R Dave and A K Sikri, said.
Senior advocate Rajeev Dhawan, appearing for Sahara, sought release of Roy on the ground of his "deteriorating" health and the fact that market regulator SEBI has already been authorised to sell 66 properties.
"The court should consider granting parole to him or put his client under house arrest. I am in substantial compliance of the orders of this court. SEBI has the property and the machinery. I am required for compliance of order of this court and I am not required for any offence. At this stage please consider all the factors and grant me parole. My client's health has been deteriorating and he may not be able to survive another summer in jail," Dhawan said.
To this, the bench said,"we don't see substantial compliance unless the money is refunded to the investors. It does not give us pleasure to keep somebody in jail. See, there has to be change in circumstances and there has to be a subsantial compliance of our order."
When the bench enquired about the total assets of Sahara in India and abroad, Dhawan sought two weeks time to seek instructions and produce the list of properties in a sealed cover to the court.
The matter is listed for hearing on May 11.
At the outset, senior advocate Arvind P Datar, appearing for SEBI, informed the court that the market regulator, in consultation with Justice B N Agrawal, has engaged services of SBI Capital Markets and HDFC Realty to sell properties of the Sahara Group.
He said the selling process of 66 properties will be completed in four months time and the first phase of the sale process would commence next week.
Datar told the court that HDFC Realty and SBI Capital
would help the market regulator in valuation as well as the sale process for the selected properties through e-auction. He also filed a status report giving details of terms and conditions fixed for auctioning 66 properties of the group.
Datar said once the auction process starts we would know about the objections if any in the properties of Sahara group. The petitioner is seeking parole on health grounds but it is for this court to decide that issue.
On the last date of hearing, the apex court had asked SEBI to initiate the process of selling 87 "unencumbered" properties of Sahara group, whose title deeds are with the market regulator, to generate the bail money for release of its chief.
SEBI was asked to devise a suitable mechanism for the sale in consultation and under the supervision of Justice Agrawal, former Supreme Court Judge, and also seek help of experts or expert agencies, if required in the process.
The regulator was also asked to keep the Sahara group "duly informed about the steps taken by it in which event Sahara shall be free to provide such inputs as may be considered necessary so that the properties fetch a fair price towards sale consideration".
SEBI was also asked not to sell any property owned by the beleaguered group for a price less than 90 per cent of the circle rates for the area in question without the permission of the court, the Supreme Court had ordered on March 29.
For the interim bail of 67-year-old Roy, the court had put conditions like depositing Rs 5,000 crore in cash and a bank guarantee of equal amount and tough terms including payment of the entire Rs 36,000 crore, which includes interest. The money will be paid back to the investors of Sahara.
Senior Delhi Police officials today held a meeting with their counterparts in northern states and discussed issues related to policing and sharing of terror-related information.
The inter-state coordination meeting, chaired by Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar, was attended by top officials from Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.
It was decided that police presence and intensive checking of people, boarding and deboarding at railway stations, airport, inter-state bus terminals and taxi stands, will be ensured and terror-related intelligence shared among the senior officials, said a statement by Delhi Police.
Emphasis will be on tenant verification and sensitisation of cyber cafe owners in order to strengthen counter-terrorism measures, it said.
The police officers also stressed on joint action against inter-state criminals and sharing of information on their activities to strengthen surveillance.
Shell India Markets today announced the inauguration of its global in-house IT centre in the city which is expected to have close to 1,000 staffers by the end of this year.
The centre is likely to have several thousand employees by 2020, company officials told reporters here.
"To date we have 900 people and we expect this one to grow to 1,000. We plan to see same type of consistentgrowth over the next two to three years," Royal Dutch ShellChief Information officer Jay Crotts said.
Officials said the IT centre building can accommodate 2,300 people and the capacity can be expanded if the need arises.
Shell has Projects and Technology (P&T) centers at Bengaluru, Amsterdam, Houston (US) and IT centers at Houston, Hague, London and now in Bengaluru.
Crotts said "abundance" of skill and talent was themost important trigger to set up the IT centre in the city.
"The IT world that we are operating in today, the talent that India and Bengaluru, in particular, has... It was a clear decision for us to come here," he said.
Shell Companies in India Chairman Yasmine Hilton said the centre would also hire freshers in the future.
"We haven't taken freshers this year, the idea is toset up the centre and build from an experienced base. We will start recruiting freshers at some point soon," she said.
Noting that skill sets of people working at the center will cover all aspects of IT, Crotts said, "We see Bengaluru centre being absolutely critical for IT cloud centre and our project delivery, also from innovation to new development of technology."
Shell said it supports the vision of 'Make in India' and Skill India and is contributing towards the initiative by developing its largest IT delivery engine via the centre here.
Asked whether with the opening of the centre, Shell will consolidate the work it outsources, Crotts said, "We do have significant number of outsourcing contracts. Shell is on the path to in-source our projects with delivery capabilities."
"Our concentration is on bringing itin-house and focus on our delivery centre here in Bengaluru. Itwill be our largest centre by the end of the year... Where most of thedelivery and innovation comes from."
He also said project delivery is among the corefunctions it plans to bring in-house, along with IT cloudoperations.
Hilton said Shell sees India as a long term bet.
"The centre is a talent place for the Shellgroup. This is not about responding to a current oil price. This is about looking at capabilities, building skills,knowledge in-house to be the world's number one company.
"Yes, it is important to be cost efficient, butactually it is more important to deliver value," she added.
Stating that Shell in India has over 4,000 employees, Hilton said, "2016 will be the fastest growing year for us because of the IT centre and also because of the expansion into other businesses.
Sparks flew in the Rajya Sabha today after BJP leader Subramanian Swamy dragged Sonia Gandhi's name in the AgustaWestland helicopter bribery case, triggering angry exchanges between the opposition and treasury benches.
At one point, there appeared to be a possibility of an ugly showdown as some Congress members menacingly rushed towards the treasury benches, prompting a couple of marshalls to step in to act as a wall.
Congress members, who called Swamy a "CIA agent", created bedlam, forcing repeated adjournments of the House in the pre-lunch session. However, Chairman Hamid Ansari prevailed on the agitating members to take up the Question Hour.
Swamy, a BJP leader who took oath only yesterday as a new member nominated by the government, raked up the issue of AgustaWestland chopper case through his first Zero Hour intervention soon after the House met for the day.
He referred to the allegations reportedly made by Christian Micheal, the controversial middleman in the Rs 3600 crore VVIP chopper deal, through a letter to the High Court of Italy.
As soon as Swamy named Gandhi, Congress members angrily stormed into the Well, with a handful even moving closer to the treasury benches menacingly. Members of the treasury benches too got up on their seats to counter the opposition.
Fearing an ugly showdown, a couple of marshalls stepped into the Well to act as a wall between the opposition and the ruling side.
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien immediately adjourned the House for 10 minutes lest the situation went out of hand.
When the House re-assembled, Kurien expunged Swamy's reference to Gandhi saying he should not name a member who cannot come and defend himself or herself. Gandhi is a member of the Lok Sabha.
"I am not admonishing you as this is your first speech in the House. But the name is expunged," Kurien told Swamy.
This did not satisfy the Congress members who were in the Well again shouting slogans against Swamy.
As Congress members continued to raise slogans from the Well, the Deputy Chairman again adjourned the House till noon.
When the House re-assembled, the Congress members were once again on their feet, chanting "CIA agent is sitting here" while pointing towards Swamy.
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said Swamy will not be allowed to speak in the House unless he withdraws his comment. Deputy Leader of Congress in the House Anand Sharma also asked Swamy angrily to withdraw his comments.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said it was "not appropriate" for anybody to threaten a member of the House to which Congress member Hussain Dalwai retorted saying "nobody has threatened. He (Swamy) has only been called a CIA agent".
Amid the slogan-shouting by Congress members, Ansari called for peace, insisting that questions should be taken up in the Question Hour after which, the Congress members withdrew to their seats.
Twenty one Tamil Nadu fishermen were today arrested by Sri Lankan Navy on charges of crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line, official sources said here.
The three boats of the fishermen, hailing from Pamban and Thangachimadom near here, were also seized by the navy personnel, Assistant Director of Fisheries Department D Gopinath said.
The fishermen were arrested while fishing near Katchatheevu, an islet ceded to Sri Lanka by India by two agreements of 1974 and 1976.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had earlier this month written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to act decisively to find tangible mechanisms to permanently resolve this vexatious issue, affecting the livelihood of lakhs of fishermen of the state.
She had also reiterated the need to restore the traditional fishing rights of Indian fishermen in the Palk Bay by annulling the Indo-Sri Lankan agreements.
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Later, the fishermen were produced before a court in Mannar and remanded to judicial custody.
The Mannar Magistrate Court remanded them to judicial custody till May 11, official sources said.
A 15-year-old boy, among the 21 arrested, was sent to a government-run home, they added.
Thunderstorms bearing hail as big as grapefruit and winds approaching hurricane strength lashed portions of the Great Plains, but arrived without the grand tornadoes that many had worried about for days.
A rope tornado brushed fields south of Wichita, Kansas, and another small twister touched down in southwestern Indiana yesterday. As the sun went down on the western prairie, the Storm Prediction Center had received reports of bad weather from Texas to Nebraska to West Virginia, but none of them deadly.
"It's never straightforward when you're sitting here talking about (predicting) large tornadoes," meteorologist Matt Mosier said as the forecast was taking shape.
But it's not like the weather wasn't bad or scary. It was both.
Hail 4 inches in diameter fell in northern Kansas, northwest of Marysville, and winds hit 70 mph in Missouri and Texas while storms went through. Residents of Topeka, Kansas, eyed the sky nervously during rush hour after forecasters warned that a supercell thunderstorm could produce a tornado at any moment.
As night fell, small twisters accompanied a line of thunderstorms as it rolled into Oklahoma City. Telltale power flashes from failing transformers pierced the twilight as another neighbourhood lost power.
Forecasters posted a tornado watch for Oklahoma and Texas until midnight, saying the atmosphere could still be unsettled enough for twisters to develop.
"This is a particularly dangerous situation," the Storm Prediction Center alerted in red type in an afternoon advisory. It uses such language on only about 7 per cent of its tornado watches. Forecasters had predicted a 90 per cent chance of tornadoes and said 80 per cent could have winds above 111 mph in much of Oklahoma and northern Texas.
In the days ahead of the storm, forecasters had said a severe weather outbreak was possible yesterday, perhaps including tornadoes that could stay on the ground for miles. Bad weather is expected again today in Arkansas and Missouri, then later in the week in Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana.
Tablets loaded with literacy apps may help improve the reading skills of young children living in economically disadvantaged communities, say scientists who have launched new trials of the devices in India.
Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Tufts University, and Georgia State University in US examined the use of tablet computers loaded with literacy applications in a range of educational environments.
One was set in a pair of rural Ethiopian villages with no schools and no written culture; one was set in a suburban South African school with a student-to-teacher ratio of 60 to one; and one was set in a rural US school with predominantly low-income students.
"The whole premise of our project is to harness the best science and innovation to bring education to the world's most under resourced children," said Cynthia Breazeal, an associate professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
The researchers' system consists of an inexpensive tablet computer using Google's Android operating system.
Researchers combed through the early-childhood and literacy apps to identify several hundred that met their quality criteria and addressed a broad enough range of skills to lay a foundation for early reading education.
The researchers also developed their own interface for the tablets, which grants users access only to approved educational apps.
Across the three deployments, the tablets were issued to children ranging in age from 4 to 11.
The Ethiopian trial involved children aged 4 to 11 who had no prior exposure to spoken English or any written language.
After a year using the tablets, children were tested on their understanding of roughly 20 spoken English words, taken at random from apps loaded on the tablets.
More than half of the students knew at least half the words, and all the students knew at least four.
When presented with strings of Roman letters in a random order, 90 per cent could identify at least 10 of them, and all the children could supply the sounds corresponding to at least two of them.
Perhaps most important, 35 per cent of the children could recognise at least one English word by sight. These figures roughly accord with those of children entering kindergarten in the US.
In the South African trial, rising second graders who had been issued tablets the year before were able to sound out four times as many words as those who had not, and in the US trial, which involved only 4-year-olds and lasted only four months, half-day preschool students were able to supply the sounds corresponding to nearly six times as many letters as they had been before the trial.
Researchers have launched new trials in Uganda, Bangladesh, India, and the US.
on Wednesday said it has raised Rs 300 crore by issuing non-convertible debentures (NCDs) on private placement basis.
A meeting of a duly authorised committee approved the issuance of privately placed 3,000 NDCs of face value of Rs 10 lakh each at par aggregating up to Rs 300 crore, the company said in a BSE filing.
The rated, unsecured redeemable NDCs are for a tenure of 1,006 days from the date of allotment of April 27, 2016, and will mature on January 28, 2019, it added.
The security will be listed on both BSE and NSE, the company said.
Last week, the company had announced that it would raise Rs 300 crore via NCDs to meet requirements of its expansion plan. The fund-raising is a part of the company's plan to mop up Rs 4,400 crore through issuance of NCDs in one or more tranches on a private placement basis.
had proposed to raise Rs 4,400 crore from NCDs in May last year.
The company had stated that in continuation of its efforts to strengthen the capital structure, it intended to augment the long-term resources by substituting part of the short-term liabilities with medium to long term resources.
stock was trading at Rs 415.85, down 0.82%, on BSE.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The opposition Congress and BJP today demanded that the Telangana government initiate comprehensive measures to deal with drought conditions prevailing in the state.
Telangana Congress president N Uttamkumar Reddy, who led a party delegation to Governor E S L Narasimhan seeking his intervention, alleged that the TRS government was busy with political issues rather than taking drought relief measures.
Alleging that the political executive has failed to take drought-relief measures, BJP submitted a memorandum to the Chief Secretary, stating that the bureaucracy was expected to rise to the occasion.
The main opposition Congress demanded that drought in Telangana be declared a national calamity, a party release said.
Reddy told the Governor that severe heat conditions have been prevailing in Telangana, resulting in unprecedented drought conditions.
There is severe drinking water shortage and the number of deaths due to sunstroke are rising day by day, he alleged.
Cattle is being led to slaughter houses due to severe shortage of fodder and grass in rural areas, he said.
Work under the NRGES is not being conducted and even previous wages under the scheme are not paid, Reddy alleged.
The Governor promised to take appropriate measures after obtaining information from the government, he said.
The Congress leader alleged that the ruling party was "celebrating" its plenary (in Khammam district) at a time when four crore people of the state were facing enormous difficulties.
Meanwhile, Telangana unit BJP president and MLA K Laxman
submitted a memorandum to Chief Secretary Rajeev Sharma on the drought conditions.
"You are aware and newspapers also widely reported that more than 243 people lost lives due to heat waves so far. While the situation warrants emergency measures, the Chief Minister and his ministers are holding party plenary. Though it is the right of a political party to hold its meetings, what surprises everyone is the timing," the memorandum said.
"More than 360 mandals are reeling under drought but the government has declared only 231 as the drought-hit areas. Till date neither the Chief Minister nor the ministers visited individual mandals to take stock of the situation.
"The central government has released Rs 791 crore towards drought relief which the state could very well use to undertake relief works but nothing is happening on the ground," it said.
The BJP demanded that drinking water be provided to all drought-hit villages, fodder supplied for livestock and relief works monitored continuously.
The state government has declared 231 mandals as drought-hit.
On April 19, the then Telangana Panchayat Raj Minister K T Rama Rao (his portfolios was later changed) had made a presentation to visiting Union Ministers, Chaudhry Birender Singh and Ramkripal Yadav, on the drought conditions.
The Centre had only sanctioned Rs 719 crore though Rs 3,064 crore was sought towards drought relief measures, Rao had pointed out.
He also told the ministers that only Rs 72 crore was given to the state, though Rs 555 crore was requested for drinking water needs, according to an official release.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is scheduled to hold a review meet with district collectors on drought conditions on April 29 here, an official release earlier said.
With a price war in 4G services looming, the Indian mobile arm of the Norway-based Telenor today sharpened its pitch, saying it will offer lowest tariff in high-speed mobile segment in line with its brand positioning of 'sabse sasta' (most affordable).
"Telenor India is a mass market operator. We are committed to providing most affordable services. We will continue to maintain our sabse sasta position. Now, customers have evolved and now they would like to experience digital. That's why it is important for us to venture into narrow-band LTE (4G)," Telenor India Communications CEO Sharad Mehrotra told PTI after launching pilot 4G service here.
Telenor already offers narrow-band 4G service in Varanasi where the company, Mehrotra said, is offering an average download speed of 2 megabit per second.
The company is offering 1GB of 4G data for Rs 149 and 2GB for Rs 249, about half the price of others. But the catch is telenor competitors promise full-fledged 4G service, with a higher speed.
Mehrotra saw competition with existing players on the cost front and entry of Reliance Jio as major challenges.
"When we entered the Indian market, we started as the 12th or 13th operator in the country. Even then, there were big and established players. Today, we are number 4 in terms of customer and revenue market share in 6 circles where we operate. This talks about acceptability of Telenor in India."
He added that Telenor's cost of providing services is about 25-30 per cent less than others and the company will maintain it.
While Telenor uses 1.4 Mhz of spectrum to offer 4G in Varanasi, it will test the service in Vizag by using 3 Mhz of spectrum.
"We want to see the output when customers load get attached to our network. Once we are able to ascertain the service status here, we will start planning expansion of 4G service further," Mehrotra said.
Telenor intends to roll out 4G services in 6-8 cities across its all operational circles in the next 45-60 days. The company has operations in Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh East and West, Bihar, Gujarat and Maharashtra and had 51.6 million customers on its network in February.
Telenor has limited spectrum vis-a-vis its competitors.
Mehrotra made it clear that there are no capacity constraints for the company as of now, which is keen to acquire more spectrum either through the auction or M&A route.
"We are very keen on buying spectrum. That's why we have been requesting the government to keep spectrum price at an affordable level. Trai's suggested price for 700 Mhz is at a higher level. We also favour Trai's suggestion on payment methodology as it would encourage operators to expand services for mass market at affordable rates," Mehrotra said.
The regulator has recommended Rs 11,485 crore per Mhz for spectrum in 700 Mhz band, the highest ever for any radiowave.
Telenor expects its entire existing network to be 4G ready by mid-2017, but will expand 4G services gradually.
A Tim Burton-inspired bar an restaurant, Beetle House, is set to open in New York City's East Village this week.
Beetle House is based on the director's 1988 classic fantasy movie "Beetlejuice", which starred Michael Keaton as the titular character, as well as several of his other motion pictures, reported Female First.
The eatery features nods to the 57-year-old filmmaker's other big movies, including "Edward Scissorhands" and "Mars Attacks!".
Among the cocktails on offer at Beetle House are the Headless Horseman, so called after his 1999 horror motion picture "Sleepy Hollow", and the Jack Skellington, a character in 1993 film "The Nightmare Before Christmas", which Burton produced.
The restaurant also houses some Burton-inspired foods, including Eggs Skellington, another reference to Jack.
Customers who are keen to indulge in a meaty treat might like to order the Edward Burger Hands, the Sweeney Beef, which gets its name from the Johnny Depp-led "Sweeney Todd", or the Victor Van Pork, named after Victor Van Dort, the animated character voiced by the actor in 2005's "Corpse Bride".
It's not the first time Beetle House's owners have created a celebrity-inspired venue, having previously opened the Stay Classy New York bar, which is dedicated to Will Ferrell.
The bar gets its moniker from the star's "Anchorman" character Ron Burgundy's catchphrase "stay classy, San Diego".
Sri Lanka's main Tamil party, the TNA today called for a probe on the alleged illegal occupation of civilian lands by the military in the northern province.
The Tamil National Alliance was responding to accusations that on April 16, a group of party legislators led by the main opposition leader R Sampanthan had forcibly entered a military installation at Paravipanjan area in the northern Kilinochchi district.
"There is no camp there so there was no illegal entry. The military was occupying civilianlands so we went for an inspection," MA Sumanthiran, a senior TNA legislator told reporters today.
He said some 84 families had been displaced when the army occupied the area in the Tamil-majority northern province.
Sampanthan also met the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe this morning to complain about the incident.
Wickremesinghe has asked the army to verify the ownership of the land, TNA spokesperson said.
The alleged illegal entry by the Tamil politicians to a military installation drew fire by the opposition groups and majority Sinhala nationalists who urged the President Maithripala Sirisena to arrest Sampanthan.
The incident comes in the backdrop of last week's resolution in the TNA controlled northern provincial council to set up a federal Tamil government in the north.
Sumanthiran said the northern council had not advocated a separate Tamil unit by passing the resolution.
He also said the Sinhalese and Muslims displaced from the north were welcome to return back.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu today pledged that Turkey's draft constitution would guarantee secularism after calls for a religious charter sparked controversy in the predominantly Muslim country.
"Secularism will feature in the new constitution we draft as a principle that guarantees citizens' freedom of religion and faith and that ensures the state is at an equal distance from all faith groups," Davutoglu said in a televised speech.
He said Turkey's secular and democratic character was "not up for debate" under the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which has been in power since 2002.
Parliament speaker Ismail Kahraman on Monday said the country "must have a religious constitution", triggering fears that that the AKP government was seeking to Islamise the traditionally secular country.
The call led to protests on Tuesday in major cities where police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators in Ankara and Istanbul.
Kahraman's comments also drew fire from opposition parties, prompting the speaker to release a statement saying he had been expressing his own opinion, not that of the AKP of which he is a member.
The separation of religion from state affairs is one of the fault lines in Turkish society.
The founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, based the post-Ottoman republic on a strict separation between religion and state.
Opponents have voiced concerns over a rapid Islamisation of society after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a pious Muslim, won the presidency in August 2014 following over a decade as prime minister which saw a greater emphasis placed on religion in Turkish life.
Erdogan said during a visit to Zagreb on Tuesday that the state was at an equal distance between all religion groups and all beliefs.
Over the past few years, the AKP government has lifted a long-standing ban on women and girl wearing religious headscarf in schools and the civil service as part of a democratic reform package.
Two Germans were killed todayin a crash on a motorway in central France known locally as "the road of death".
The accident occurred near Montbeugny, just a short distance from the site of another crash in March that left 12 Portuguese minibus passengers dead.
Today the two Germans' vehicle swerved to the left for an unknown reason and collided head-on with a heavy lorry, an AFP journalist said.
The two crash victims, aged 23 and 28, died instantly. The shocked Spanish lorry driver was taken to hospital nearby.
The Central Europe Atlantic Road (RCEA in its French acronym) sees several accidents each year, many of them deadly.
On March 25, 12 Portuguese minibus passengers including a seven-year-old girl died when their vehicle collided with a heavy lorry on the same road.
Their minibus was travelling from Switzerland to Portugal, taking the group home for the Easter holidays.
A local official last month described the motorway, which cuts across the country from east to west, as "the deadliest road in France".
Two Chinese helicopter pilots were today found dead, a day after their chopper went missing in south China.
Their bodies were found in the wreckage of a helicopter which was found 24 hours later after it went missing in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The deceased, were both pilots for its owner. The helicopter belongs to a local company organising helicopter tours.
Guilin General Aviation Company said the helicopter took off from Guilin yesterday and was headed to Beihai in Guangxi.
It lost contact with the ground about an hour later over Guilin's Yongfu County.
The wreckage, along with the pilots' bodies, was discovered in a mountainous area of Yongfu, according to the company.
A two-storey building was today gutted in a fire at Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar in north-west Delhi.
No casualty has been reported yet although there is extensive damage to property, police said.
The fire broke out on the top floor of the building used for storing tyres and plastic materials following which heavy smoke billowed out posing challenge for the firefighters as they attempted to douse the flames.
The incident was reported at around 5 AM and 15 fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The blaze was controlled by 10 AM after which cooling operation was started, a Delhi Fire Service officer said.
The exact cause of the fire is being ascertained although short circuit is believed to be the reason behind it, a police officer said.
The mishap comes a day after the nearly four-decade-old National Museum of Natural History, housing thousands of rare specimens of flora and fauna, at the heart of the capital was ravaged in a massive blaze.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon called today for the US, China and other nuclear-armed states to end the "madness" of atomic testing by finally ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which turns 20 this year.
"I call on remaining states, the eight remaining states, to sign and ratify the treaty without further delay," Ban said in Vienna at an event marking the anniversary.
"Nuclear testing poisons water, causes cancers and pollutes the area with radioactive fallout for generations and generations to come," he said.
"We are here to honour the victims. The best tribute to them is action, to ban and to stop nuclear testing. Their sufferings should teach the world to end this madness."
The CTBT, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 1996, bans all nuclear explosions.
It has been signed by 183 states and ratified by 164 including Russia, France and Britain, three of the nine countries which have, or are thought to have, nuclear weapons.
But to enter in force, the treaty needs 44 particular "nuclear technology holder" states to ratify it, eight of whom have yet to do so.
These eight include the other six in the nuclear club -- the United States, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel -- as well as Iran and Egypt.
The US, China, Egypt, Iran and Israel -- the latter widely assumed to have nuclear weapons although it has never confirmed it -- have signed the treaty but not ratified it.
US President Barack Obama said in a major speech on nuclear weapons in Prague in 2009, shortly after taking office, that he would "immediately and aggressively pursue US ratification".
Seven years later, with Obama leaving office in January 2017 and the opposition Republicans controlling both houses of Congress, the issue appears to have been put on on the back burner.
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has said it is troubled by a group of international experts' complaints of obstacles to their investigation into the disappearance of 43 students in Mexico.
Spokesman Rupert Colville yesterday said in a statement that the office is "concerned about the many challenges and obstacles reported by the experts," including the ability to examine other lines of investigation such the possible roles of the military and other officials in the case.
He called on the Mexican government to "take into serious consideration" the recommendations of the group of experts from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
The group's report from Sunday criticised the government's investigation of the 2014 disappearances. It said suspects were apparently tortured and key pieces of evidence were not investigated or handled properly.
In a partial study of detainee records, the experts found there was evidence that all 17 detainees included in the study sample had been tortured. Yesterday, Mexico's governmental National Human Rights Commission said it was investigating 47 complaints from detainees that they were tortured. Four others complained of mistreatment and 11 cited illegal arrest.
Mexico's deputy attorney general for human rights, Eber Betanzos, said yesterday that his office had received a total of 32 torture complaints, and that a total of nine investigations had been opened into the torture allegations.
The numbers vary because of who the complaints were filed with, and how much proof was presented.
Government investigators have said the students were taken by local police in the city of Iguala, in the southern state of Guerrero, and handed over to drug gang members who killed them and burned the bodies at a trash dump.
The group of experts, known by the acronym IGIE, and a separate body made up of Argentine investigators say there is no evidence at the dump of a fire large enough to incinerate that many corpses.
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said on Sunday via Twitter that the federal attorney general's office would "analyse the whole report, to aid in its investigations."
Colville called the group's work "invaluable" and urged the government to explore new lines of investigation.
"It is very important that the Government acts decisively on the IGIE's recommendations and ensures the rights to truth and justice of the victims and their families," Colville said.
The United States also called on Mexico to consider the experts' recommendations.
Ahead of President Pranab Mukherjee's trip to Papua New Guinea, the government today approved the signing of an agreement between the two countries, seeking cooperation in the field of healthcare and medical sciences.
"The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Papua New Guinea on cooperation in the field of healthcare and medical Science," an official statement said.
The pact will encourage cooperation between the Health Ministries of both the nations through joint initiatives in the sector.
"It will strengthen bilateral ties between India and Papua New Guinea," the statement said.
Taking forward the 'Look East' policy of the government,n Mukherjee embarked on a six-day trip to Papua New Guinea and New Zealand this week, his first state visit to the two countries.
The visit is likely to give push to Indian pharmaceutical companies to set up businesses in the pacific nation after the local government withdrew a ban in January.
Papua New Guinea is looking towards India for enhanced cooperation in the health sector and capacity building in Information Technology.
Meanwhile the draft Surrogacy (Regulations) Bill, 2016 which was to come up before the Union Cabinet today for clearance was withdrawn from the agenda at the last moment, sources said.
The Health Ministry, which had drafted a bill, has legal provisions to allow single women including divorcees and widows to become surrogate mothers besides provisions for setting up of a regulatory body.
A top State Department official says, China is risking conflict and isolation through its assertive behavior in the disputed South China Sea.
Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken says US allies and partners in the region are concerned about China's land reclamation and militarisation of reefs. Six Asian governments have conflicting territorial claims in the South China Sea.
Blinken tells the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that unless China changes its approach and clarifies its claims in accordance with international law, it risks "conflict, instability and isolation."
The committee chairman, Senator Bob Corker, says China has positioned itself as a geopolitical rival of the United States. The Tennessee Republican is critical of the Obama administration's handling of the US-China relationship.
Bollywood actor Vicky Kaushal says he is excited to go to the Cannes Film Festival where his upcoming film "Raman Raghav 2.0" will be premiered.
The Anurag Kashyap-directed thriller stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui as a serial killer, while the "Masaan" actor will play the role of a policeman.
The film will be showcased at Cannes' Directors Fortnight section. The festival will open on May 11.
Vicky says the film's screening will coincide with his birthday, the "best gift" he could have asked for.
"I'll be going to Cannes with the whole team on May 14. I think the screening will be on May 16 which also happens to be my birthday. This will be the best birthday gift. I couldn't have asked for more," Vicky told PTI in an interview.
Raman Raghav, also known as Psycho Raman, was a psychopathic serial killer who terrorised the streets of Mumbai in the mid-1960s.
Vicky, 27, earlier assisted Kashyap on the two parts of "Gangs of Wasseypur" in 2010, which also starred Nawazuddin.
The "Zubaan" stars says it will be a special moment as he will go with a team which has seen him grow over the years.
"I am extremely excited, I am already dreaming about being in Cannes. What is more special is I am going with a team which has seen me grow over the years. It feels extremely special," he said.
Kashyap has earlier showcased his films "Ugly" and the two-part crime saga "Gangs of Wasseypur" in the Cannes festival's sidebar.
"Raman Raghav 2.0" is scheduled to release in India on June 24.
Congress leader and Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala today hit back at V S Achuthanandan, saying he would file a complaint with the Election Commission against the CPI(M) veteran for levelling "false charges" of vigilance cases pending against him.
"Achuthanandan is spreading lies with the deliberate intention of defaming me," Chennithala said at a meet-the press programme here while referring to the Marxist veteran's statement that nine Vigilance cases are pending against him.
"Not a single case is pending against me," he said and added that there was no case against Chief Minister Oommen Chandy also.
Achuthanandan had alleged that there were 31 cases pending against Chandy in the Apex Court and 136 corruption cases against 18 UDF ministers.
On April 25, Chandy had stated that he would file a complaint with EC against Achuthanandan for levelling false charges.
Referring to the political situation in the run-up to the May 16 polls, Chennithala said CPI(M) in Kerala is the party's main political enemy and attacked it, saying the communist party believes in political violence.
"It will be authoritarian rule in Kerala if CPI(M) politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan becomes Chief Minister, if the party comes to power," he said.
However, there was no such possibility as the political climate in the state was in favour of UDF, Chennithala said.
He said BJP would fail to open is account in Kerala this time also as it has in the past.
Though BJP was a force at the national level, the saffron party was insigificant in the state. "The poll results will prove that," he added.
Chennithala said Congress felt that a unity of secular democratic forces, including the Left, was necessary to take on the challenges posed by BJP at the national level.
Expelled Congress leader Jagmeet Singh Brar today said he would raise key issues which Punjab is facing like agriculture crisis and drug menace at a meeting he will hold at Chappar Chiri in Mohali next month.
"We will be raising key issues which Punjab face today. The farmers are facing so many hardships and some are forced to commit suicide. Then there is the issue of drug menace and drug trade, in which we will seek CBI inquiry," Brar said here.
He also said people were fed up with "dynasty politics" and want a change.
Brar, a known detractor of Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh, was expelled from the Congress over a fortnight back in the wake of his consistent statements against the interests of the party.
"I will show the world that Punjab has the talent in the May 21 gathering," he said, claiming former MLA Harbans Lal and others will also be taking part in the "crucial" meeting at Chhappar Chiri in Mohali to chalk out further strategy.
Punjab goes to polls early next year.
Brar also said he was "open" to tie-up with "like-minded" political leader or outfit.
"If any like-minded political leader or party calls me for talks, I am open. I am a free bird now, I am not into party discipline, I will go for talks," he said.
Two-wheeler major India Yamaha Motor today inaugurated its new spare parts centre in Tamil Nadu, set up at an investment of Rs 580 million.
Top officials from Yamaha Motor and Mitsui and Company participated in the inauguration of the centre, located within the premises of Yamaha's manufacturing plant near here, a company statement said.
"The new centre will play a significant role in achieving India Yamaha Motor's goals. It will contribute to the profit by strengthening the business foundation and supply chain management operation," India Yamaha Motor's Managing Director Takashi Terabayashi said.
The centre would support Yamaha's business by ensuring smooth supply of quality spare parts in South India as well as other parts of the country, he said.
"In the present industry scenario, customer satisfaction is the key to sustenance and growth. Timely supply of genuine spare parts to the customers is the key to success," Chairman, Yamaha Motor India Group Companies, Hiroaki Fujita said.
Currently, India Yamaha Motor has 20 spare parts distributors in 15 states and more than 3,000 spare parts retailers across the country, the statement added.
As the tribal-dominated Yavatmal in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region faces an unprecedented water scarcity, the district administration has submitted a proposal to the government to combat the crisis.
The Nilona dam, which is the main source of drinking water supply to the city and peripheral villages, and its reservoir have dried up alarmingly, forcing the Maharashtra Water Supply department to reschedule its supply time table to the city, and it is now restricted to once in four days.
The district administration is keeping a close vigil over the drinking water issue, particularly in the villages, and so far 27 tankers, 12 of government and 15 of private agencies, have been deployed to provide water to over 34 scarcity-hit villages in the district.
District Collector Sachindra Pratap Singh said they have submitted a proposal of Rs 9 crore to state government for tackling the drinking water problem faced by residents of Yavatmal. The amount is yet to be received, he said.
Given the scarcity situation, the residents are forced to lock their water storage tanks fearing theft in the night. Some of them have even painted their names on the tanks so that it would be traced even if it is stolen, sources said.
The Collector said in view of the prevailing situation, water from reserved drinking storage in dams has been released to the rivers so that the water table is raised.
"We have ordered to release reserved water from the dam reservoir of 26 projects across the district," he said, adding that he is keen to minimise the drinking water problem faced by the people.
"To combat the water scarcity, we acquire public wells and this year 397 wells have so far been acquired," Singh said, adding that sanctioning of borewells is under consideration for which 225 spots in 216 villages were examined, of which only 104 were found suitable.
"I have sanctioned 98 such proposals," he said.
Besides, temporary tap water scheme, repairing of the defunct tap water scheme and removal of silt and deepening of wells was being carried out across the district so that the water problem does not increase, the Collector said.
As per data gathered from the office of a senior geologist of ground water surveys, the ground water table across the district has been slightly depleted to the extent of 0.15 metres as compared to the previous five years average.
The reason for the minor depletion is shortage of rainfall in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
Singh said the ground water table in Yavatmal is comparatively higher than the neighbouring districts like Amravati, Washim and Akola.
"There is no need for any alarm as the administration is fully prepared to meet any eventuality arising out of late arrival of monsoon," he assured.
"The amount of water stolen is 3.5 TMC which is generally
sufficient for irrigation of sugarcane crops in over 7,000 acres. Sugarcane is a water intense crop and it is not largely cultivated in Aurangabad," an expert on water management told
Yoga may have a beneficial effect on symptoms and quality of life in people with asthma, according to research conducted in India, Europe and the US.
"Our findings suggest that yoga exercise may lead to small improvements in asthma quality of life and symptoms," said Zuyao Yang from Chinese University in Hong Kong.
"However, it is unclear whether yoga has a consistent impact on lung function and we do not yet know if yoga can reduce people's medication usage, or if there are any side-effects of yoga for people with asthma," said Yang.
Asthma is a common chronic disease affecting about 300 million people worldwide. The many typical symptoms of asthma include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath, researchers said.
Yoga has gained global popularity as a form of exercise with general life-style benefits, and recent studies have investigated the potential of yoga to relieve asthma-related problems, they said.
The new study summarised the results of randomised trials and found evidence that practicing yoga might be able to improve asthma quality of life and symptoms to some extent.
Researchers found 15 randomised controlled trials which involved 1,048 men and women. Most of the trials were conducted in India, followed by Europe and the US.
The majority of participants had mild to moderate asthma for six months to more than 23 years.
Six studies looked into the effects of breathing alone during yoga exercise, while the other studies assessed the effects of yoga that included breathing, posture and meditation, researchers said.
Most people continued to take their usual asthma medication while participating in the studies. The studies were conducted over a time period of two weeks to over four years, they said.
Researchers found some moderate quality evidence from five studies that yoga exercise reduces the impact of asthma on people's quality of life.
However, evidence about yoga's impact on the participants' lung function is more uncertain because the results varied, researchers said.
The findings were published in the journal Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
The government's 11.36 per cent stake sale in electricity generator NHPC got off to a strong start on Wednesday with the portion for institutional investors getting oversubscribed within three hours of opening trade.
Of the over 100.61 crore shares on offer for these investors, bids for over 156.33 crore shares, or 1.55 times had come in till 1255 hours.
Bidding will continue till 1530.
The remaining, over 25.15 crore shares, will be sold to retail investors on Thursday.
They will be allocated shares at 5 per cent discount to the cut-off price. These individual investors are to place bids for shares of total value not exceeding Rs 2 lakh.
NHPC is the first PSU stake sale of the current fiscal and the government is selling over 125.76 crore equity shares of NHPC representing 11.36 per cent of the total paid-up equity share capital.
At a floor price of Rs 21.75, the sale will fetch about Rs 2,700 crore to the exchequer. The floor price was at a discount of 5.6 per cent over Tuesday's closing price.
In the secondary market, the scrip was holding steady at Rs 21.70, down 5.86 per cent over previous close.
In the morning trade, it had lost 6.7 per cent to Rs 21.50 a piece. Post stake sale, government holding in NHPC will come down to 75 per cent, making the PSU compliant with minimum public shareholding norm of market regulator Sebi.
The government has set an ambitious target of Rs 56,500 crore from disinvestments in current fiscal. Of this, Rs 30,000 crore is to come from PSU stake sale and the remaining Rs 26,500 crore from strategic stake sale.
NHPC, under the administrative control of the Power Ministry, generates power through conventional as well as non-conventional sources.
With an aim to cut down its travel expenses, AAP government has permitted its officers to travel in private airlines if the fare is less than that of the national carrier Air India.
The move is in contrast to Centre's rule which says that all government servants entitled to travel by air on tour are required to travel only by Air India. However, while availing LTC, government officials entitled to travel by air shall travel only in economy class.
The AAP government's decision was taken after the approval by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the charge of finance ministry.
But according to a senior officer, instances have come to the notice of the finance department that the air fare being charged by Air India is much higher than that of private airlines.
"No reimbursement of air fare shall be allowed more than that of Air India. While submitting the reimbursement claim of travel by private airlines, all officers are required to attach a printout of rate chart of air fare of Air India taken from their official website," a memorandum, signed by principal secretary SN Sahai, said.
The reimbursement will be approved only after providing a print out of rate chart of Air India applicable for the same destination on the date of booking tickets by private airlines to ensure that air fare of private airlines is less than the air fare of Air India.
(In association with Mail Today Bureau)
India's World Bank world ranking on 'Ease of Doing Business' has improved from 142 to 130 now, government said in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
"Out of 189 countries, India had ranked 142, it has now improved to 130. We wish it improves even further," Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said during Question Hour.
Asked why India was so poorly ranked by the World Bank, she said "the rank of India being placed at the rank of 142 refers to the period 2014 before this new government has come into place. Post that, our ranking has improved and we have reached 130."
To a question on why Indian states were also being ranked by the World Bank, she said the action of ease of doing business happens in states and they contribute to the country's overall ranking.
Sitharaman said in December 2014, 98 criterion for ranking Indian states were identified to improve their rankings, after which 340 indices have been identified and agreed upon.
"We are only working together with World Bank along with an independent agency in ranking Indian States. The World Bank is only giving us technical consultation together with an independent consultant who works with the government in this regard," she said.
The Minister also said no labour law provisions have been eased while improving India's position to improve its world ranking on 'Ease of Doing Business'.
She refuted suggestions that labour laws were being compromised, saying "existing laws on labour welfare are being protected and labour interests are being well taken care of".
In a written reply, the Minister said "a state level business reform action plan consisting of 340 points has been prepared by DIPP in consultation with the states/Union Territories and shared with all state governments/UT Administrations for implementation."
An online portal for 'State Level Business Reform Action Plan' developed by DIPP was also launched on April 8 to track implementation of reforms on real-time basis.
The government's 11.36 per cent stake sale in electricity generator NHPC on bourses took off on Wednesday, with the scrip slipping 6.72 per cent in line with the broader market trend and going below the floor price.
The floor price of Rs 21.75 for the offer for sale (OFS) was at a discount of 5.64 per cent over yesterday's closing price of Rs 23.05 on BSE.
However, in morning trade, the scrip lost Rs 1.55 a share, or 6.72 per cent, to a low of Rs 21.50. The OFS is open to institutional investors today and bidding will continue till 1530 hours.
The government is selling over 100.61 crore shares in NHPC to institutional investors at the floor price of Rs 21.75 today. The remaining over 25.15 crore shares will be sold to retail investors tomorrow.
Retail investors, who will be allocated shares at a discount of 5 per cent to the cut-off price, are individual investors who place bids for shares of total value of not more than Rs 2 lakh.
NHPC is the first PSU stake sale of the current fiscal and also the first share sale of the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), earlier called Department of Disinvestment.
The government is selling over 125.76 crore equity shares of NHPC representing 11.36 per cent of the total paid-up equity share capital. At a floor price of Rs 21.75, the sale will fetch about Rs 2,700 crore to the exchequer.
The government holds 85.96 per cent in NHPC and the sale would help it comply with the minimum public shareholding norm.
The government has set an ambitious target of Rs 56,500 crore from disinvestments in current fiscal. Of this, Rs 30,000 crore is to come from PSU stake sale and the remaining Rs 26,500 crore from strategic stake sale.
NHPC, under the administrative control of the Power Ministry, is into generating power through conventional and non-conventional sources and is dedicated to planning, development and implementation of an integrated and efficient network of power projects in India.
Aimed at decongesting the existing rail network, the Indian Railways will commission 2800 km of new track in the current year. Railways have plans ready to lay new tracks besides starting work on three new freight corridors that will further take the load off the tracks and increase the average speed of passenger trains. Railway officials said it is targeted to lay 7 km of tracks every day in the year 2016-17 as compared to the average of 4.3 km per day during the previous UPA regime.
The laying of new track including doubling and trebling is being undertaken in some of the most saturated corridors such as Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Howrah, Delhi-Chennai, Howrah-Chennai Ahmedabad-Rajkot. Officials said the priority is on decongestion of the choked corridors to facilitate faster movement of trains and for this we have used new ways to speed up the process.
Indian Railways also plan to begin work on three freight corridors, namely East West corridor, North South corridor and East Coast corridor. These new dedicated freight corridors (DFC) will ensure faster movement of goods besides taking the load off existing rail network. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has said that the average speed of superfast trains will be increased by up to 25 km per hour in the next three years. "Laying new tracks, replacing old ones and doubling and tripling of lines are essential to clearing the traffic bottlenecks. Traffic congestion also leads to delay in transportation of goods which is a major source of railways' earnings," said a senior Railway Ministry official. While North-South DFC is being planned to connect Delhi to Chennai, East-West DFC will link Kharagpur with Mumbai and East Coast DFC will connect Kharagpur to Vijayawada.These three additional DFC will be funded through innovative financing mechanism including PPP. Railways have already done a feasibility study for these three corridors. Currently, work is going on Western and Eastern DFC. While Western corridor is being funded by Japan, the Eastern is World Bank funded. Both Western and Eastern corridors will be electrified routes.
Presenting the budget for the year 2016-17, the Railway Minister had emphasized on connectivity with ports in India. While the railways have already commissioned Tuna Port in Gujarat; rail connectivity projects to ports of Jaigarh, Dighi, Rewas and Paradip are under progress. Officials said rail connectivity for the ports of Nargol and Hazira will be executed under PPP model in 2016-17.
(In association with Mail Today Bureau)
LOGAN The 12-day jury trial for Anthony C. Murphy, a 51-year-old Smithfield man accused of brutally assaulting a woman in 2009, began Tuesday in 1st District Court.
The jury of nine people and one alternate were selected during the morning and early afternoon, before attorneys began their opening arguments.
Later, prosecutors described how Murphy reportedly raped the alleged victim after getting into an argument with her over text messages. The woman claimed she went to bed after the argument and was later awakened by the defendant who brutally assaulted her physically and sexually. The assault lasted several hours during which he reportedly threatened to kill her as she begged him to stop.
Prosecutors also told the jurors how the defendant allegedly assaulted several other women in Kentucky, Florida and most recently in Salt Lake.
Defense attorneys argued that the victim made up the allegations and continued changing her story as she was interviewed multiple times by law enforcement officers. They also said detectives investigating the case tampered with evidence.
Murphy was arrested in June 2009 and later charged with aggravated sexual assault and kidnapping, both first-degree felonies, forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony and aggravated assault, a third-degree felony. He could face up to life in prison if convicted.
In September 2009, Murphys bail was reduced from $75,000 to $35,000, allowing him to be released on pre-trial supervision. At that time, Judge Thomas Willmore ordered him to have no contact with the alleged victim and not to consume any alcohol.
Four years later, days before his trial was to begin, Murphy was arrested and charged with patronizing a prostitute and assaulting the woman in a Salt Lake motel room. He was later sentenced to serve six-months in jail and transferred back to the Cache County Jail to await his earlier trail.
During testimony on Tuesday, Dr. Kyle Hancock, a clinical psychologist, explained about violence in abusive relationships and the effects of trauma on a persons memory.
The trial continues Wednesday when the victim is expected to testify.
will@cvradio.com
The recent unprecedented escalation around Nagorno-Karabakh highlighted deep systemic shortcomings in existing international mediation initiatives. The OSCE Minsk Group, dedicated to settling the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, has become largely irrelevant in the new operational situation. The intense fighting erupted on April 2 and lasted for four days until a Russia-brokered ceasefire between the adversaries was mutually agreed upon on April 5. The fighting put an end to the 22-year-old ceasefire regime, and the security environment of the South Caucasus. The escalation was clearly a consequence of a shift in the military balance of power, consistently fueled by Russias distribution of advanced offensive arms to Azerbaijan and the evident impracticability of the Minsk Group.
BACKGROUND: The outbreak of clashes between the Armenia-backed Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan immediately turned into a military offensive conducted by Azerbaijan in the southern and north-eastern segments of the line of contact. The fighting enhanced Russias influence on the conflict and has seemingly put an end to the protracted negotiation process under the auspices of the Minsk Group.
The trilateral truce reached in Bishkek between Armenia, the self-declared Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and Azerbaijan in May, 1994, owed more to the parties willingness to terminate the hostilities than to the efforts of the mediators. In the aftermath, the status quo was maintained through a relatively refrained posture by both parties, without security guarantees from the major powers or imposed international peacekeeping mechanisms.
The OSCE became the main platform for political consultations and peace negotiations, establishing the so-called Minsk Group in 1992. The three co-chairs from the U.S., France and Russia the powers that took the initial lead in promoting a peaceful solution were the core of this initiative. In October 1992, the OSCE requested an arms embargo on the parties directly involved in the combat, which remains valid today. In 1993, the UN Security Council passed the non-mandatory Resolution 853, urging states to refrain from the supply of any weapons to the forces operating or stationed in the conflict zone. Nevertheless, the Minsk Group has never used these levers given their political inadequacy, which has in turn highlighted the lack of deterring mechanisms and political capacity to ensure the implementation of the OSCE embargo.
The ineffectiveness of the Minsk-group format is a result of the contradictory priorities and agendas of both the powers involved and of the conflicting parties. France played a relatively proactive role in the region in the early 2000s, but currently appears satisfied with formal representation in the Minsk Group. Likewise, the U.S. pursued an active policy in the South Caucasus in the 2000s, which was nevertheless reversed during Barack Obamas presidency, leading to a waning U.S. influence in the region. In contrast, Vladimir Putins Russia has re-emerged as a revisionist power, most prominently demonstrated by its aggressions towards Georgia and Ukraine. These moves placed Russia on a collision course with the West and specifically with the U.S., a fact reflected in the limitations of the Minsk Group.
Despite its co-chairmanship, Russia consistently violates the OSCE arms embargo. Moscow has sought to acquire substantive levers on the conflicting parties, fueling the conflict by supplying both parties with arms while at the same time sustaining its position as the indispensable power in managing the conflict. Over the last two decades, Russia has become adept at leveraging the conflicts between the states and the breakaway territories of the South Caucasus, making them equally vulnerable and dependent.
IMPLICATIONS: Prior to the hostilities, now known as the Four-Day War, Russia effectively buried an initiative to set up an investigation mechanism for Nagorno-Karabakh. The mechanism, suggested by the U.S., entailed the installation of gunfire-locator systems and sound-ranging equipment to determine the source of attacks along the line of contact (LFC). This could have helped preventing incidents along the LFC, but was resisted by the Russian side. In March, the head of Russias Ministry of Foreign Affairs information department Maria Zakharova unambiguously claimed that Russia seeks to avoid the creation of an investigation mechanism thereby reinforcing the impression that Moscow was challenging the current negotiating format.
The Four-Day War demonstrated that Russias interests concerning Nagorno-Karabakh differ starkly from those of the West. The Russian leadership took the initiative in engaging the conflicting parties as soon as the fighting began, giving Russia a decisive role in the new operational situation at the expense of U.S. interests. Moscows imperative in the long-term perspective is seemingly to outmaneuver the U.S. in the South Caucasus, discrediting the latters initiatives to settle the Karabakh conflict. Yet in the short-term, Moscows goal is to sideline the U.S. from the first stages of the decisive upcoming negotiations between Yerevan and Baku. Several experts also believe that Moscow is determined to utilize Bakus vulnerability in relation to Nagorno-Karabakh to secure Azerbaijans membership in the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov shed some light on Russias plans for a settlement in Karabakh. During a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart on April 6, he stated that in light of the Karabakh issue, it would be beneficial for Azerbaijan to join both of these Russia-led organizations. Though Moscow has declared that the Madrid principles and Kazan agreements are critical pillars of the negotiations, Azerbaijans EEU and CSTO membership may thus also be on the table. Furthermore, Putin likely also pursues Presidents Serzh Sargsyans and Ilham Aliyevs signatures on a documented approval of Russias plans.
Russian news outlets Izvestia and Kommersant have cited leaks from Russias Ministry of Foreign Affairs stating that intensive negotiations are anticipated in the upcoming days, where Vladimir Putin will personally be engaged in convincing the presidents to compromise, indicating that Moscows plan is preliminarily accepted by Baku and Yerevan. According to the leaked information, the first stage will presumably entail Armenias handover of two regions to Azerbaijan, probably Akna (Agdam city and suburbs) and Varanda (the Armenian-controlled part of Fuzuli) in compliance with the Madrid principles. In return, Azerbaijan is expected to reopen economic relations with Armenia and Karabakh, which should be allowed to join the EEU to become embedded in the common economic and political space.
Simultaneously, a framework will be discussed for the deployment of peacekeepers. Since both Armenia and Azerbaijan are members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the proposed peacekeeping mission will likely be imposed under CIS auspices akin to the format formerly used in South Ossetia. This implies that the contingent will be made up of Armenian, Azerbaijani and Russian units under Russias command, stationed in Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding provinces.
Putin will be able to put significant pressure on both Sargsyan and Aliyev, in return offering Russian guarantees for the longevity of their respective regimes. However, given the overwhelming patriotic resurgence in Armenian society, territorial concessions run a serious risk of undermining Sargsyans regime. On April 23, Armenian authorities therefore stressed their skepticism towards Putins plan on conflict resolution to Lavrovs delegation. Sargsyan also admitted in an interview to Bloomberg that Armenia consented to withdraw from five territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh at Kazan in 2011, however, he saw no particular reason to negotiate with Baku at present. Public pressure and a reassessment of the new situation have incentivized the Armenian leadership to resist Moscows coercion. Yet it is unlikely that Armenia will prove able to evade Russias control of the Nagorno-Karabakh process in the long term.
CONCLUSIONS: The disruption of the status-quo and the security environment in Nagorno-Karabakh illustrated the ineffectiveness of the Minsk Group. The inertia of this format has emboldened Russia and increased its ability to control Yerevan and Baku. The new situation also enabled Russia to enhance its influence in the region, through diplomatic moves made in light of the mounting standoff with the West. In anticipation of NATOs Warsaw summit in July, where a decision on an enhanced partnership with Georgia is plausible, Russia seeks to diminish the U.S. role in the region.
Against this backdrop, a fundamental change of the OSCE Minsk Group is urgently needed. In order to facilitate effective negotiations, the Minsk Group should announce an unambiguous commitment to the validity and implementation of the OSCE arms embargo. The Minsk Groups political status should be elevated by substituting the current co-chairs with, for instance, deputy foreign ministers or the equivalent. The imposition of a permanent Minsk Group monitoring mission, approved by at least one of the conflicting parties, would ensure that a price would have to be paid for violations of the ceasefire.
Needless to say, the U.S. and the European allies have a considerable responsibility for handling the situation, and should be prepared to confront Russia on its current approach to the conflict. It is unsurprising that Russia uses the Minsk Group primarily as a vehicle for its geopolitical ambitions, given the waning interest of the western powers in the format and the region in general. Only principled engagement on the part of the U.S. and EU, along with a steadfast commitment to ensuring respect for the arms embargo, can put pressure on Russia to stop arming the conflicting parties.
Otherwise, the dynamic of the Karabakh conflict and Russias engagement in it suggest that the South Caucasus will face even worse turmoil in the future, which will have detrimental implications for security in the greater Black Sea region.
AUTHORS BIO: Dr. Eduard Abrahamyan is an Armenian regional security and defense policy analyst. He is currently based at the University of Westminster in London, and is a fellow of Policy Forum Armenia, Washington DC.
Image Attribution: www.news.az, accessed on April 27, 2016
Emmanuel Macron in Brussels: We need Europe to overcome this situation
Published on April 27, 2016
Story by Lucas TRIPOTEAU Translation by: Oriana HENRY
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The French Minister for the Economy who came to interact with journalists from Politico in Brussels on April 18th shared his views on French and European policies.
The place was crowded for Emmanuel Macrons visit the French Minister for the Economy on April 18th for the first anniversary of the launching of Politico in the European capital. It was the first time that this journal received a national sitting minister for political debates.
It must be noted that French policy is still very relevant in Brussels and in the European sphere. The coming of the Minister was indeed much anticipated both by political circles and media. Over a hundred people in general behind his cause and his ideas were gathered to hear his talk, a few days after the launching of his new political movement: En marche.
Discussions mainly focused on two topics: French policy and the European Union. Mr. Macron answered, in English, in a very honest and laid-back manner.
We need an open society
If questions related to French policy were supposed simply to be an introduction to European matters, they hogged a great part of the debates. And the Minister for the Economy was right away asked to give his position on a possible candidature of Francois Hollande for the presidential election in 2017. He reasserted that the latter was the only one to decide, reminding them of what the President had said a few days ago; knowing that he would make his mind up in the next months.
The fact remains that Mr. Macron currently officially supports the French Head of the State and did not create his political movement with the idea of challenging him. According to the Minister, the current political offer is not sufficient. He wishes for the raising of a real political platform for the post-2017. Moreover, he insists on underlying ideas, which according to him are lacking, unlike candidates. We never talk about ideas he said, before adding that already a dozens of candidacies had already been received.
Mr. Macron confirmed to the audience that the movement En marche had the purpose to be cross-party and so it would welcome people from both left-wing and right-wing parties. He mainly wants to be at the origin of an inclusive platform, including people from the civilian society: The civilian society talks about the politics saying You are technocrats. We need an open society.
Video presentation of Macron's movement, En marche.
Regarding questions related to the economy, the Minister well-known for his liberal and reforming orientations reaffirmed that he wished for a renewal of the economy, with more flexibility. Thus, to give the possibility to people excluded from the labour market to do small jobs more freely, giving the example of Uber. We will not be able to create a future with regulations from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. We are in a multipolar world. We need to adapt our economic model and our training model he concluded about economy.
A willingness for "more European Union" and more solidarity
After talking about the responsibility of politicians regarding the rise of the Front National (editors note: far-right party), Emmanuel Macron answered questions related to the future of the European Union. Being in favour of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, the famous TTIP, he considers that this latter is not dead and that it is a good thing for Europe, if well-negotiated. The negotiations rounds have indeed been multiplying for the past few years and some topics are still very sensitive being agriculture or public markets.
The European steel crisis was also mentioned. On this matter, the French Minister is in favour of a certain amount of protectionism, because of unacceptable Chinese trading practices which are decreasing the prices by 40 to 50%. If you think about liberty, you think about rules of liberty he said, advocating a more effective and faster protection of the European industry.
On matters more institutional and political, the politician maintained that We need Europe to deal with the situation. We are not better equipped at the national level to face crisis [Financial crisis, terrorism, refugee crisis] . We have the opportunity to be stronger and stronger he said, keeping throughout the discussion his Euro-enthusiasm and his desire to see more European integration, but also to reform the Union.
Finally, the speakers questions ended with the Franco-German relationship. The Minister showed solidarity with his President and his government, assuring them that the relations were very good between Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande. He even added that the relations are currently better than when Nicolas Sarkozy was president. But according to him, both parties have to make efforts: France must go forward with a new treaty and Germany should accept more transfer of power.
Despite the discussion being very intense for over an hour, it did not result in any policy statement or staggering statement. Mr. Macron simply reiterated his political line and his views on European Union. So, no surprises, but a real enthusiasm on the part of the Minister in a tumultuous political time for French left-wing politics.
Story by Lucas TRIPOTEAU
Translated from Emmanuel Macron a Bruxelles : Nous avons besoin de lEurope pour nous en sortir
Nuit Debout: Standing in Brussels's night
Published on April 27, 2016
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Last night was March 44th on the protest calendar. Unlikely? Not any less than a public and democratic debate, free, with almost no rules but no abuses, right in the middle of the public space. Last night we were on the steps of the Mont des Arts in Brussels, for the 8th Nuit Debout protest night in Brussels. We met some of them.
We made our way in the middle of a hundred people, all here gathered around a team settled on the first steps and being the hard core of the participants, the nuit-deboutistes. Speakers take their turn at the microphone, lit in the encroaching night by spotlights. They appeal to their audience, question them regarding public debt, the fundamental right to access art and education, energy production, and the decaying life conditions or even the fact that bike lanes are so narrow in the city centre.
The stage is set, and you could easily think that you are standing in the middle of an Athenian amphitheatre. The way the place is set was wisely chosen and reminds us of an auditorium, looking like a forum, a place for a reviving republic. The setting leads people into talks, peaceful exchanges, attentive and curious, people holding their beers and cigarettes.
Speech sharing
People do not want a structure, but we must stay careful as well. The subtlety is to find a way to get organised, says Jean-Francois, 42-year-old. Indeed, even being hostile towards too strict internal rules of procedure, public speaking and debates are very well organised. On this night, Aurelien, a 19-year-old journalism and communication student is in charge of coordination. You need to go and see him if you want your name to appear on the ultimate post-it note and get the right to speak for 2 minutes at the microphone.
It is the golden rule to moderate the debate, only one speaker at a time and the instant reactions are expressed through a very specific gestural code and regularly reminded of during technical meetings in between interventions: you raise your hand and shake them if you agree with the speaker. You make a cross with your arms in front of you if you disagree with the speaker. For a deeper reaction, you need to wait for your turn on Aureliens post-it note.
In general, this way of doing things is okay for most of those attending, and they are proud to see that no censorship is necessary and that everybody is complying with a minimum set of conventions. Jean-Francois laments a single inconvenience in this system: The debate often starts, grows bigger and gets really intense, and suddenly someone who had their name on the list starts speaking because it is their turn and talks a bit too much about them and then the debate is not as good as it was before, it is a pity.
They say you should sleep on it to have a clearer picture
The use of public space is very respectful. Bin bags (blue for cans and white for the rest) were placed around so that there would not be any detriment to the place. And when the sun rises again, there is no sign left of the democratic exchanges which took place during the night. During the technical meetings, Aurelien reminds people that Nuit Debout is not about vandalism and they condemn the fact that some graffiti is left after the night on the steps and on some tree trunks. They prefer their poetic slogans written on their banners, such as: They say you should sleep on it to have a clearer picture, but we are the night and we are not feeling sleepy!.
Brusselss meetings are starting to be organised. And a small communication unit was created to boost the movement which is only making its first steps, and to inform the participants night after night of how the movement is going and of the projects. Decisions are written down by a scribe who is in charge of taking notes during the public speaking and votes by show of hands. A commission for actions has also been created following the Parisian model. But up until now, only a very few initiatives have been started.
But why? Because for the moment it is still a catch-all for ideas and claims. The future is yet to come.
Rebuild together
We need to be together and, to meet each other. And that is why we are here tonight and not on Facebook or watching TV. Because in the end, it is thanks to these meetings and the idea of being together which inspires participants of the movement. We wanted to be part of it.
Miriam, a 38-year-old psychologist just spoke on the microphone. She came every night from the start. And she speaks to raise awareness on the matter of the power of the public debt and the responsibility of States to put in all their resources to pay back, allowing them to act in favour of education, social and artistic development. Her motto: Debt or life, make your mind up!. For her, Nuit Debout is looking for a more human than political finality.
Pascal, a 33-year-old scene technician testifies: There is a desire in people coming here to (re)build something. For him, Nuit Debout is the first steps of an emerging parliament.
Jean-Francois, 42 years old, explains that Nuit Debout is not about taking the whole system down to rebuild it after. It is rather like we were all in prison and we discovered freedom again. People are going out of their homes and realising that they are not alone in coming down this path.
Nicolas, 29 years old agrees: People are learning to communicate again.
Melissa, a 21-year-old student in her third year in a journalism school came with 2 friends to film for a documentary for her final year exam. She is surprised that nobody from the local or national press is here. Who knows? Maybe they are still around Place de la Bourse.
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This article was published by our local team at cafebabel Brussels.
Translated from Debout, dans la Nuit de Bruxelles
Xenofeminism: Let a hundred sexes bloom!
Published on April 27, 2016
Story by Katarzyna Piasecka Translation by: Katarzyna Piasecka
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Todays reality is evolving as quickly as Windows 10, every day bombarding our brains with millions of updates. "To control our minds," you may hasten to add. At times, perhaps. However, some upgrades aim to jolt society out of its obsolete schemes. A new update has just appeared in Windows Feminism. It is likely to implement major changes on our drives.
The First Question: What is Laboria Cuboniks?
Ask the Internet about xenofeminism and you will inevitably land on a mysterious, colourful and not-so-epilepsy-friendly site: Laboria Cuboniks. Is that some kind of laboratory? My brain immediately wants to find a link. Well, only in some sense. Laboria Cuboniks an anagram of the pseudonym Nicolas Bourbaki is a collective of six women who created the xenofeminism theory.
"We first met during a conference in Berlin," explains Helen Hester, one of said initiators with whom I meet in London. "Between us we had artists, scientists, archaeologists and even one security professional. Since then, the project has been in development online. First we wrote the manifesto and now weve been working on a book."
Helen has been devoted to gender studies since the beginning of her academic career. At present, shes a University of West London lecturer on gender in the context of media and gender equality (or the lack of it). After two minutes of conversation, I have no doubts about her eagerness to share her energy with students.
The Second Question: What is xenofeminism?
If Internet search suggestions are to be believed, xenofeminism is cut from the same cloth as accelerationism a futuristic theory announcing the end of capitalism and urging the political left to consolidate on a global level to bring about a post-capitalist future without work. Are they right? Is xenofeminism a feminist accelerationism?
To answer this question, we need to briefly return to Berlin, the cradle of xenofeminism. Helen explains: "In the course of one of these open discussions, we asked: What is there within the left's accelerationism that can be levered into feminism? What would a feminist accelerationism look like? What does the left's accelerationism have to learn from feminism?'" Thus, rather than through direct derivation, xenofeminism is brought to life through a dialogue with accelerationism.
The mothers of the movement describe it as a technomaterialist, anti-naturalist, and gender abolitionist form of feminism. Too much to digest at once? Let me decode it for you.
Xenofeminism is technomaterialist because, similarly to accelerationism, it states critically that modern technologies are not inherently beneficial, due to the history behind their design, the existing infrastructure into which they emerge, and the imbalances in who can access them. "Xenofeminists debate over how existing technologies could be re-purposed to be more useful to society and over all not be used as a tool of gender discrimination," Helen explains.
Xenofeminism is also anti-naturalist in the sense that it contests the determinism of nature in the political context. Helen expands: "Anyone who's been deemed 'unnatural' in the face of reigning biological norms, anyone who's experienced injustices wrought in the name of natural order, will realise that the glorification of 'nature' has nothing to offer us." Xenofeminists affirm that biology is not destiny.
Similarly, the gender into which we are born does not define our destiny either. Xenofeminists don't just argue for gender equality; they go as far as being "gender-abolitionist". This doesnt mean that they want to abolish gender altogether, they rather fight against those limitations imposed by gender. "Instead of eliminating differences between genders, we want them to proliferate. Let a hundred sexes bloom!" calls Helen.
The Third Question: Is nature unjust?
"Let a hundred sexes bloom?" I ask Helen to elaborate on this fragment of the manifesto that she co-wrote. I need to get a better grasp on the anti-naturalist aspects of the movement. My first inquiry: what exactly is "gender hacking"?
"Have you read Testo Junkie by Paul B. Preciado?" asks Helen. From her enthusiasm I can tell that I should have. "Preciado identifies the antagonist as willing to become someone else, so through experimentation is playing with testosterone to see what it does to subjectivity and identities. That was our starting point."
As xenofeminists underline, only full access to hormones can grant real liberty in making decisions about oneself as well as one's body and identity. Today, access to hormones is protected by a multitude of legal (and moral) regulations. "What we, as a collective, are interested in is the way in which we can circumnavigate such regulations," Helen explains. This view is promotion through the proliferation of open source platforms, as well as through the popularisation of endocrinological knowledge.
Today, hormones are widely available on the dark web, Internet pharmacies and the black market. As to endocrinological DIY thanks to open source platforms it's becoming easier than your average biology A-level. "It has already been happening," Helen confirms. "I started with self-help groups and now people are running their own home hormonal laboratories. The project Open Source Gendercodes is a perfect example here."
However, xenofeminists demand more. In their opinion, this "gender hacking" should be allowed to emerge from the realm of quasi-legality on the deep web.
The Question I Forgot To Ask: Have you seen Sexmission?
Before I met Helen and brushed up on my xenofeminist knowledge, I thought that the movement sought to establish a new Sexmission, like in the cult Polish comedy by Juliusz Machulski. Its two main protagonists wake up from hibernation in an utopian underground society of women, where unisexuality goes hand in hand with dizzying technological progress. Its female inhabitants reproduce via in vitro methods and, thanks to genetic control, only give birth to girls. Advanced use of technology? Check. Overcoming limitations imposed by nature? Check. Abolition of gender? Check. But only at first glance.
First of all, Copernicus was not a woman, as they say in the film. She was a man.
A fragment of the film Sexmission. The two protagonists wake up in the world they least expected.
First and foremost, Sexmission is a parody of a totalitarian state. It's a caricature of a model of ideal social organisation, at the same time ridiculing the ambitions of those who seek to create such a utopia of human progress and exposing the cruelty that is created when human individuality is repressed.
Xenofeminism, in turn, clearly indicates that an imposed social order is our oppressor, because it generates divisions (based on gender, class and race) and through this, ideal conditions for discrimination.
Furthermore, the new shape of society proposed by xenofeminists doesnt completely resemble the vision of uniformity presented in Sexmisssion: the elimination of men at no point being on the menu. Instead, they want to enlarge our repertoire of existing genders to one hundred blooming sexes.
Nor is the use of technology in Sexmission consistent with the xenofeminists manifesto. According to said document, technology's application should evolve out of being imposed from the top down and beneficial only to a few as is the case in reality as in the film. Xenofeminists want to see roles reversed and technology democratised so that it can be accessible to everyone.
Thus, there exists no direct link between xenofeminism and Sexmission.
What a huge mistake it was to dig so deeply into 80s Polish science fiction! And what a good idea it was to confront my rusty cultural references with reality. A high-speed reality, stuffed with new updates. Lets hope it will be a good breeding ground for a new feminism that draws the prefix "xeno" out from the realms of negative connotation.
Story by Katarzyna Piasecka
Translated from Ksenofeminizm: Niech zakwitnie sto roznych pci!
Henry Kinney (left) encouraged California-bound emigrants to use Corpus Christi as a staging point for the trip west. One who joined the California gold rush in 1849 was the famous Texas Ranger captain and Mexican War hero, Jack Hays (right).
Henry Kinney returned to Corpus Christi after a two-year absence at the end of the Mexican War in 1848. The town he founded was virtually deserted. It had languished after Zachary Taylor's army marched away in 1846. He set about trying to improve his town's prospects.
Kinney took advantage of sensational news. In January 1848, the week before the treaty was signed that ended the Mexican War, gold was discovered in California. A carpenter picked up a nugget the size of a pea at Sutter's Mill near Sacramento and the news spread like wildfire.
Newspapers reported that gold nuggets were there for the bending over and picking up. In one story, a party of miners saw the glitter of gold dust in a ravine. Each man threw himself down and spread out arms and legs to lay claim to the spot his body covered.
Gold fever spread across the land. Cornfields were left half planted, houses half built, and some towns lost half their men as thousands of gold-seekers made their way to distant California.
Songs of the miners were the hits of the time. One went: "Oh, don't you remember sweet Betsey from Pike? / Who crossed the big mountains with her lover Ike / With two yoke of cattle, a large yellow dog, / A tall shanghai rooster and one spotted hog." Another asked, "Oh, what was your name in the States? / Was it Thompson or Johnson or Bates? / Did you murder your wife / And fly for your life? / Say, what was your name in the States?"
Like the rest of the country Corpus Christi was stricken with gold fever. The town's newspaper, the Star, was filled with news from California, news that described the gold fields, the techniques of mining and panning for gold, and the best way to get there.
Henry Kinney placed ads in newspapers in New York, Boston and Philadelphia asserting that Corpus Christi was the best route to take to get to the California gold fields.
In truth there was no easy way to get there. The main route was overland starting at Independence, Mo. Another was 18,000 miles by ship around the stormy Horn. Still another was by ship to Chargres, Panama, then by foot or mule-train across the narrow Isthmus of Panama and board another ship on the Pacific side.
The route promoted by Kinney was by ship or packet boat to Corpus Christi, then travel across South Texas and the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora to California.
Gold seekers began to arrive in town in January 1849. They came mostly on the Neptune, a fast-sailing packet boat, or the Fanny, a packet steamship. The town began to stir with the kind of economic activity it hadn't seen since Taylor's army left two years before. Wagons, horses and mules that were sold dirt cheap as army surplus after the Mexican War were in demand at high prices. Gunsmiths, blacksmiths and coopers set up shop. The emigrants would need everything a town could supply.
Those bound for California were organized into companies, for mutual protection and assistance. They adopted bylaws, elected officers, and created their own judicial tribunals. Groups arriving in Corpus Christi included the Essex Mining Company of Boston, the Carson Association of New York, the Kinney Rangers (named in honor of Henry Kinney), the Holmes County (Miss.) Mining Company, and the Mazatlan Rangers.
Many Texans joined the exodus. Jack Hays, the famous Texas Ranger and Mexican War hero, left for California in 1849. Hays went on to become the first elected sheriff of San Francisco and helped found the town of Oakland.
For months, the editor of the Corpus Christi Star, John Peoples, filled his paper with news about the gold rush. He came down with the fever and joined the Mazatlan Rangers, under the command of Col. E.W. Abbott. Peoples had been a war correspondent in Mexico and knew Abbott from the war. Abbott had led a regiment of Massachusetts' volunteers.
Peoples departed with the Mazatlan Rangers in February 1849. They stepped off as chipper as larks, leaving their camp at Twelve-Mile Motts (near today's Calallen) and heading for the Rio Grande in the Laredo area.
They were not chipper for long. The trip across Texas took 33 days, longer than it should have. Pack mules carrying trade goods usually made the trip in 10 days. Peoples wrote a letter to the Star from the Rio Grande in which he blasted his fellow travelers as lazy layabouts who had no interest in anything involving work.
Peoples said some of them had paid their $150 fee to join the company and expected nothing more was required of them. They deemed it below their dignity to do physical labor. He said their wagons were weighed down with useless personal possessions and were pulled by oxen and mules in poor condition.
On days when they should have been traveling, Peoples wrote, some refused to stir, forcing the entire company to waste time. "A large number of the men were unfit to go to California by any route," Peoples wrote, "and will be unfit to stay there if they ever arrive, unless they get a situation in the shade next to a cologne lake."
The Mazatlan Rangers broke up before they started across the arid region of northern Mexico. The main group, with Peoples, continued on across Mexico. It was a hard trip. They ran out of water and suffered dysentery. Crossing raging rivers was their most difficult undertaking. They had to caulk wagon beds and turn them into rafts. In crossing the Gulf of California Peoples was drowned.
Word spread that the journey from Corpus Christi across Chihuahua and Sonora was long, difficult and dangerous. An affidavit like that of the Mazatlan Rangers carried weight. The 49ers fell back on tried and true routes. They took ship to Chagres and rode mule-back across the isthmus or they went overland and over the mountains, like Sweet Betsey from Pike.
Short though it was, the gold rush represented an epic chapter in Corpus Christi history. We still have a reminder of that time in Peoples Street, named for John Peoples, editor of the Star who left for the gold mines of California and ended up at an unintended destination.
CALLER-TIMES FILE Linda Bridges, then president of the Corpus Christi American Federation of Teachers, leads a news conference about salary negotiations with Corpus Christi ISD on Sept. 2, 1981. The local organization is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
SHARE CALLER-TIMES FILE Linda Bridges, president of the Texas chapter of the American Federation of Teachers for 24 years, died Jan. 13, 2015. She was 65. The Corpus Christi American Federation of Teachers is celebrating its 40th anniversary. CALLER-TIMES FILE American Federation of Teachers President Linda Bridges (left) and Vice President Pat Musmaker (center) speak with Corpus Christi ISD Superintendent Charles Benson before an Aug. 21, 1989 meeting. CALLER-TIMES FILE Harry Hubbard (right), president of the 300,000 member Texas AFL-CIO, threw the organization's support behind most of the education reforms recommended to the Legislature by then Gov. Mark White in 1984. At left is John Cole (left), then president of the Texas American Federation of Teachers. CALLER-TIMES FILE AFL-CIO President Ron Wilcox (right) and John Cole, president of the Texas American Federation of Teachers, head the organizations' legislative committee at an Austin news conference in 1980.
By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times
The inception of a group that advocates for school district employees stemmed from frustration.
The Corpus Christi American Federation of Teachers' pioneers taught in low-wealth neighborhoods, mostly "Hispanic and black schools," during court-ordered integration, said John Cole, the federation's first president. Cole explained teachers' voices were muffled by Corpus Christi ISD officials when they tried to speak up for students.
"All of us were frustrated. Starting a union for me was not because of wages, benefits or hours, it was simply driven by the desperation of watching students get crushed by the weight of the system," Cole said. "Teachers had no voice, so we decided to form a union."
The federation's local 3456 was formed 40 years ago in the 1975-76 school year. A news conference and dinner will be held Friday to mark the milestone. Cole, AFT secretary and treasurer Loretta Johnson, Texas AFT President Louis Malfaro and former Texas AFL-CIO President Becky Moeller will speak to attendees about the history of labor activism and the federation's advocacy for public education, students and employees.
For seven years, Cole taught English, history and social studies in the Corpus Christi Independent School District. He juggled the presidential duties for the group and lesson plans about a year before a grant acquired by the federation started paying him a salary. He took a 40 percent pay cut and quit his job at CCISD to lead the organization full time.
"It was a leap into the unknown," Cole said. "But something needed to be done."
The federation has grown from 17 initial members to about 1,800 as of March. In a state where collective bargaining is mostly banned for public employees, Cole assured there is strength in numbers and advised Texas workers to not lose sight of that.
Through consultations and political capacity, members' voices were heard, Cole said. CCAFT was the first organization to win elected consultation in the state. Air-condition systems were installed in west side schools after the group petitioned board members for the change. Alternative disciplinary solutions also were adopted and ideas that laid the foundation for Chula Vista Academy of Fine Arts were heard. .
In 2005, Cole retired after 24 years as president of the Texas chapter of the American Federation of Teachers.
Becky Moeller, former president of the Texas American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, echoed Cole's sentiment. She said because of Texas' labor rights restrictions, activist groups have to band together.
"We need to be united whether you're a private sector worker, a communication worker or a teacher, to advance the cause of all workers in the country," Moeller said. "Part of the history of unions is we work for senior citizens and youngsters. From the cradle to the grave we care about workers, whether they are part of unions or not."
Moeller retired as Texas AFL-CIO president after eight years. She was the first woman elected to the position. As a member of the Communications Workers of America, an AFL-CIO labor affiliate, she worked with the local chapter "as a sister union" when the group was getting off the ground.
The federation has evolved in many ways, but its mission remains the same, CCAFT President Nancy Vera said.
"We envision to work with the community to build the schools that our community needs. We want to make a difference ... and will do so by moving forward in a way to bring social and economic justice to the community ... We want to be the vehicle to everything positive moving forward."
Twitter: @CallerBetty
Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Charlotte High School students Sergio Tijerina (from left), 19, BJ Barrera, 20, and James Gaitan, 17, give a tour of a tiny house to Emily Smith during the annual Ag Mechanic Show held by the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences at Texas A&M University-Kingsville on Wednesday.
SHARE Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Jay Aguayo judges a tractor refurbished by students at Gonzales High School during the annual Ag Mechanic Show held by the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences at Texas A&M University-Kingsville on Wednesday. Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times McMullen County High School students Tucker Smith (from left), 18, and Tyler Gunter, 19, talk with judge Toby Tomlin during the annual Ag Mechanic Show held by the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences at Texas A&M University-Kingsville on Wednesday. Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times New Braunfels Canyon High School students Blake Jonas (from left), 17, and Gregory Bielke, 18, talk about their project with Gene Brown during the annual Ag Mechanic Show held by the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences at Texas A&M University-Kingsville on Wednesday. Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Tadeo Reyna looks over a chuck wagon made by students from Roma High School during the annual Ag Mechanic Show held by the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences at Texas A&M University-Kingsville on Wednesday. Related Photos 4th annual Ag Mechanics Show
By Natalia Contreras of the Caller-Times
KINGSVILLE A group of six students from Charlotte High School built a tiny home in seven months.
It has a full bathroom, queen size and twin size beds, a refrigerator, a stove, a sink and storage compartments. As many as four people could live in it.
But these high school seniors weren't following a movement or planning to be roommates anytime soon.
They accepted a challenge from their architecture teacher.
The group was one of several South Texas high school teams and individuals that participated Wednesday in the fourth annual Ag Mechanics Show at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
"We designed it and once we had the blue print we decided to build it," Joey Garza, 19, said as he gave judges a tour of the 181 square foot home. "We went to Austin to look at tiny homes and get ideas."
Steven Boot Chumbley, assistant professor of Agricultural Education and Mechanics, said the show gives the university an opportunity to recruit students and it gives the students a chance to show off their work.
This year there were 43 entries from 24 schools with 160 students involved.
"The key is to get the kids on campus," Chumbley said. "These projects are incredible and they have to be built within one calendar year so you can see the work that goes into it."
The five different divisions of the show included agricultural machinery and equipment, livestock and equipment, trailers, recreation and tractor restoration, Chumbley said.
Roma High School student Jesus Lopez, 16, said what he enjoyed most about working on a tailgate style grill was learning to work on a deadline.
He and three others worked on adding a table, a cooler, a sound system and roof next to the grill.
"When you go to college your teachers are not going to give you extra time to finish a project," the teen said. "It's good when you know how to work the materials but when you learn how to work with a time frame it's better."
Garza said completing the tiny home was a team effort that not only gave the group skills they'll use in college but also helped them bond.
"We enjoyed the experience," Garza said. "We have always been good friends but when we got to building this we got even closer."
Twitter: @CallerNatalia
B. Arline Armknecht, 91, of rural Talmage, died April 26, 2016 at Community Memorial Hospital in Syracuse. She was born to Alvin and Matilda Wellsandt on Feb. 18, 1925.
Memorial services at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 30, at the Grace Lutheran Church in Cook, Neb. Closed casket visitation at Wherry Mortuary in Tecumseh, Friday, April 29, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. with family greeting friends from 6-8 p.m. Memorials to the Grace Lutheran Church or Grace Lutheran Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund. Private family Interment in the Grace Lutheran Cemetery, rural Cook, Neb., with Pastor Mary Grundman officiating.
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By Chris Ramirez of the Caller-Times
A delegation of elected officials and business leaders from the Coastal Bend is in Washington D.C. this week to meet with federal lawmakers about issues critical to the region.
Mayor Nelda Martinez and Port Authority commissioners Charles Zahn and Wes Hoskins joined Annette Medlin, the president/CEO of the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce, on the trip Tuesday. They will be in Washington until Friday.
The group is expected to attend a series of meetings and briefings Wednesday and Thursday, and meet with Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise. They also will meet with Chairman of House Ways and Means Committee Kevin Brady, Chairman of House Homeland Security Committee Michael McCaul, Chairman of House Transportation and Infrastructure Bill Shuster.
"(The meetings are) all about communicating face-to-face with a unified voice on the priorities of our region including jobs, infrastructure, transportation, education and our military installations," Martinez said. "Showing up in numbers sends a powerful message."
The team also will attend a dinner with U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi, and a reception sponsored by Cheniere Energy.
Cheniere is constructing an $11 billion liquefied natural gas facility near Gregory, along with a $500 million, 552-acre marine terminal and condensate facility in Ingleside.
"In this unpredictable economic and political climate, it is crucial that we go to Washington and tell the story of the Coastal Bend," Medlin said.
Twitter: @Caller_ChrisRam
When is hurricane season? Here's what you need to know in South Texas
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Richard Berman, Center for Union Facts executive director
Labor union rules need change
Thursday is Workers Memorial Day the AFL-CIO's way of honoring "those who have suffered on the job."
Unfortunately, many workers are still struggling under onerous labor rules. Less than 10 percent of union members ever voted for the union currently "representing" them. And those who did weren't even guaranteed a secret ballot election labor organizers often circumvent the democratic process by using publicly staged "card check" procedures. Forced union dues are still automatically deducted from workers' paychecks with much of the money spent on politics.
So there's no better time to celebrate the Employee Rights Act (ERA), national legislation which would substantially update American labor law for the first time since the 1940s. The ERA democratizes the workplace by requiring secret ballot union elections, guaranteeing employee privacy during union organizing campaigns, and protecting members' paychecks from unapproved political spending all without attacking collective bargaining. It's no wonder the bill is now co-sponsored by more than 130 members of Congress and supported by about 80 percent of Americans.
On this Workers Memorial Day, let's honor our working men and women by passing the Employee Rights Act.
[Story has been updated to include comments from Kuala Lumpur mayor and budget of the rebranding exercise.]
During an event on 25 April, mayor Datuk Seri Mohd Amin Nordin launched the new brand identity: Kuala Lumpur: exciting. surprising. enticing. A City of Contrasts & Diversity.
In a report by The Star, Amin Nordin said the new branding was a summation of the citys key attributes and leveraged on its diverse attractions, contrasted with Kuala Lumpurs many old and new charms.
By successfully branding Kuala Lumpur, we will be able to stimulate tourism, investment, job opportunities, business development and major event hosting, he added.
The branding effort is aimed at bringing the city to the forefront of the regions most popular destinations for business and leisure.
Signs bearing the words: Kuala Lumpur: exciting. surprising. enticing. will be installed at three locations in the city. The first one at Dataran Merdeka, followed by Bulatan Semantan and Jalan Sungai Besi.
Designed by a 12-year-old?
The mayor said Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) would work with corporations to seek their participation to fund the project.
However, since the unveiling, the new brand identity and logo have met with almost universal scorn.
Online comments ranged from questions around how much was spent on the rebranding exercise to comments about how it runs afoul of good design sense.
Campaign Asia-Pacific collated some of the more colourful comments that could be found online:
A 12 year old in 1997 would be very proud of that logo. (source)
You gotta be kidding me. My washing machine instruction manual is more exciting than that. (source)
Was this made in Microsoft Word? (source)
OMG, that's our new logo? Really? Designed from ppt or word eh? There's a lot of agency out there! (source)
Well. That certainly has a lot of contrast. And diversity. (in typefaces) (source)
Who did the design? They had a competition among secondary schools? (source)
Industry sources tell Campaign Asia-Pacific that the agency behind the rebranding effort is WarisanAd, a local agency founded in 1993 by Dato Rosle Bin Jaamat.
According to its website, the agency was and is registered with the Ministry of Finance with a paid-up capital of RM1 million (US$255,405).
When contacted, a spokesperson for the agency confirmed that it is working on the rebranding project and said that next steps for the campaign are currently awaiting client feedback and approval.
In addition to the announced plans for signage around the city, sources told Campaign Asia-Pacific that a TV spot is in the works.
The spokesperson declined to comment about the negative feedback the new brand identity has garnered online and directed further queries to its client.
The Kuala Lumpur Tourism Master Plan 2015-2025, released in November last year, aims to double foreign tourist arrivals and quadruple tourism income from RM19 billion in 2013 to RM79 billion by 2025.
The plans involved the establishment of the Kuala Lumpur Tourism Bureau, to replace the Tourism Unit of DBKL and comprises representative from the city police, the Tourism and Culture Ministry and the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).
The new bureau was provided with RM16 million as initial funding by DBKL.
Responding to media queries amidst ongoing complaints by netizens over its new logo and branding, mayor Datuk Seri Mohd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz on 29 April urged city folk not to jump to conclusions over the Federal Capitals new logo and tagline that he had launched on Monday to promote tourism.
The work to finalise the branding took a long time with the feedback from stakeholders from the government and key players from the tourism industry. Everyone was consulted and it went back to the government for approval, he said in a report by The Star.
When asked at a press conference if DBKL planned on tweaking the logo before using it for promotions, he said: Fine tune it and all that, yes, yes.
According to a report by Malay Mail Online, the mayor said theres a lot of work to be done.
For start, we still need to promote and it will take years to strengthen this logo, he explained, adding that that it would take years to achieve a suitable final product, pointing out that it was no different for those running promotional campaigns for cities like New York and London.
The overall branding exercise is budgeted at RM2.6 million (US$669,835), to be used for road shows, media junkets and other promotional activities.
The new logo and brand master guide promoting Kuala Lumpur as a travel destination cost RM15,000 (US$3,863), the citys Tourism Bureau general manager Noraza Yusof said.
Due to a budget cut in its branding exercise this year, City Halls tourism arm has no plans to change the logo for now despite the public ridicule.
The budget this year is very tight ... usually for this (branding), the cost could range between RM300,000 and RM1 million, she said, in a report.
The 2016 edition discusses six macro trends believed important for study, including ad blocking; the integrity of digital supply; mobilisation and the expansion of app use; TV's transition to over-the-top (OTT); the application of data to marketing; and the expansion of e-commerce.
Rob Norman, chief digital officer, noted that the velocity of change makes for a dizzying environment for marketers, but the agency has identified what it believes to be enduring truths.
We are not now, nor have we ever been, in steady state with digital advertising, he said.
Norman added that data and technology have changed advertising for the better, even in video. But ads stop working when theyre avoided and when the ecosystem allows fraud, or when strategies dont follow the consumer to apps and commerce anywhere.
Though there is more still to understand about ad-avoidance trends, data does suggest the time is now to share in a profound sense of responsibility, transparency and vigilance to ensure the ongoing engagement of consumers with brand communications, he said.
Mark Patterson
Speaking to Campaign Asia-Pacific, Mark Patterson, CEO of GroupM APAC and chairman of GroupM China, said that although most of the studys findings confirmed observations about the industry and did not come as surprises, it was still useful to approximate programmatic growth and distill actionable insights from the findings.
This is because programmatic measurement of marketing data is a necessary precursor to integrating substantial volumes of data into media placement decisions, he said. This affects how clients collect and apply their own data, which can be a source of substantial competitive advantage.
Patterson said it also affects the way agencies are run, such as having an impact on training and hiring practices, as well as improving standards of brand safety and data security.
The media network predicts digital advertising in 2016 will comprise 31 percent of measured advertising investment in media, up from 28 percent in 2015 and representing a 14.4 percent increase to surpass US$160 billion.
The investments are aimed at reaching nearly 2.3 billion adults expected to use the internet in the year, and increasingly executed programmatically. In 2015, 37 percent of display ad investment was transacted programmatically, up from 21 percent in 2014.
For the Asia-Pacific region alone, digital advertising in 2016 is expected to make up 36 percent of measured advertising investment in media, to surpass US$62 million, representing a 23 percent increase from 2015.
In 2015, 10 percent of display ad investment was transacted programmatically, up 100 percent since 2014 (5 percent).
The effectiveness of these investments is impaired by problems with the integrity of digital supply including fraud, viewability and measurement, which past reports have explored.
This year, the report also seeks to add clarity to the issue of ad blocking. Some correspondents reported a lack of hard facts on the state of ad blocking, but 19 countries reported figures on the percentage of users with ad-blocking technology installed on their devices.
Countries with the highest percentage of consumers using ad blocking tech included France, Poland and Austriaeach reporting greater than 30 percent of users.
Adam Smith, Futures director, said the rise in consumer adoption of ad-blocking technology violates the inferred consumer contract with content owners, which enables advertising investment to support content development.
For this reason, and its potential to inhibit brands ability to reach their audiences, it merits close study and preventative measures, he said. We have much further to go in understanding the true impact of ad blocking as estimates of lost inventory are scarce.
Patterson believes countries with languages based on Roman characters may have seen ad blocking efforts rising faster than those countries with languages based on pictograms.
But ultimately, I believe that these countries are simply moving at different speeds towards the same destination, he said. The consumer sentiments that gave rise to ad-blocking are universaland therefore the same solution can be applied in all cases.
Patterson said marketers need to be mindful of the end-users perspective, and consider the value of content marketing through engaging audiences with authentic narratives that are editorially relevant.
This underscores respect for the value covenant between users and advertisers, and it is a form of responsible advertising that should be integral to the marketing mix, he added.
On the e-commerce front, Patterson highlighted that China, which accounts for a third of the worlds online retail market, determines the rate of global growth.
Growth is slowing globally; in 2014 it was 31 percent, and in 2015 it dropped to 24 percent. The primary reason for this, he said, is that growth in China is moderating from a plainly unsustainable 40 percent in 2015.
It is also interesting to note that e-commerce prevalence is a not merely a function of wealth, but of local infrastructure, culture and retail landscape, he said.
Patterson pointed to Japan and Italy as examples of rich countries with moderate e-commerce appetites, while e-commerce is by contrast much more ubiquitous in markets such as China, Taiwan and South Korea.
Other highlights from the report include:
| BY Ricki Green |
Each week Bestads picks the very best advertising in the world, in every medium which is reviewed by a top creative director or team to select their own personal favourites.
The watch TV anywhere brief has landed on a few desks out there, but I think BETC Paris found a fresh way to do it in their new Canal+ spot. It would be my pick here. I think even if youre in on the joke its still funny. Laddish but hey, Im a lad. READ MORE
| BY Ricki Green |
How will Australia perform at Cannes this year? In the lead up to the Festival, Campaign Brief will be showcasing the work we hope will impress the judges
BWM Dentsu, Sydney
What if there was a way to donate to a charity that was so easy you could do it in your sleep, and it wouldnt even cost you a cent? BWM Dentsu Sydney came up with a unique way to do just that for SurfAid, a charity that helps poverty stricken communities of the Mentawi Islands.
Fight Duchenne Foundation: Last Will
BWM Dentsu, Sydney
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a neuromuscular disorder affecting approximately 1 in 3,500 males. It cuts the lifespan of its young victims shockingly short with death in their late teens or early twenties. More shocking still, this disease is widely unknown and woefully underfunded. To drive awareness and to generate a compassionate public response, BWM Dentsu created an emotive press ad featuring a young boys last will and testament.
Viking Cruises: More than Scenery
BWM Dentsu, Sydney
Unlike other cruises, Viking spend more time in port, allowing passengers to delve deeper and experience more than just the regular tourist attractions of the places they visit. In keeping with this positioning of More than scenery these press adverts capture the chance encounters and interesting experiences of Viking passengers.
Viking Cruises: More than Scenery
BWM Dentsu, Sydney
| BY Lynchy |
This year D&AD will be hosting a private screening of the 2016 D&AD Award winners in Australia.
Be part of D&AD Awards Ceremony: the biggest celebration of global advertising and design on Friday morning the 20th of May. This event is exclusively brought to Sydney by Shutterstock.
Join the finest minds in communications, design, film and technology to experience first-hand the awarding of 2016s Wood, Graphite, Yellow, White and Black pencils.
Londons biggest night will simultaneously be celebrated Down Under with a selection of the best work and the announcement of the D&AD winners. Including award-winning work from Australia and New Zealand.
Hosted by Jonathan Kneebone (left), co-founder of The Glue Society, the screening will be held in Sydneys Eternity Playhouse Theatre in Darlinghurst. There will be a strong focus around this years judging process, D&ADs festival and most importantly, the recognition of the best creative work from around the world this year.
Says Kneebone: The diversity of creative work being scrutinised and judged at award shows around the world is growing and becoming ever more complex.
And while at some events, every category has a winner, diluting the value of the achievements D&AD sets a universal standard across all the various categories and seeks out the stuff that is original, contemporary, relevant, valuable and brilliantly crafted. So a winner here is really worth celebrating and recognising.
It will be fascinating to see these displayed, spot the trends and explore the reasons why certain work stood up to the scrutiny to the judges through the eyes of some of this years Australian jurors.
Some of the Australian judges who participated this year at D&AD Judging will share their insights and outtakes of the jury experience as well.
Some notable jurors include: Dave Bowman (right), Creative Director Special Group (Integrated), Richard Bullock, Director Hungry Man (Creativity for Good), Jo de Fina, Executive Producer The Otto Empire (Music videos) and Tara McKenty Creative Director Google Australia (Direct).
Event Details:
Friday 20 May
Eternity Playhouse Theatre, Darlinghurst
A zany cast of more than 50 local students will bring to life the story of Rapunzels escape from a harrowing tower this Friday and Saturday, April 29-30, 7 p.m. at Freeman Public Schools.
The musical production, "Rapunzel," is organized by Missoula Childrens Theatre.
Playing the title character, Rapunzel, are local students Montana Bender and Caleigh Behrens. Nathan Hundley and Camden Behrens play the princes. Mary Zeman plays the villain, Madame Gothel. They are supported by a host of students playing characters and creatures from fairy tales.
Anna Abbot, Grace Vandergriend, Eli Delhay and Curtis Krause are working as assistant directors throughout the week.
Tickets are $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, $4 for students K-12, free for preschool and younger. Tickets are available the night of each performance at the door.
The Missoula Children's Theatre residency in Adams, Neb., is funded by Freeman Public Schools with support from Freeman Foundation and patrons attending the performance. For more information, contact Marcy Marker at (402) 988-2525 ext. 111.
| BY Ricki Green |
Pencil&Pixel, the boutique agency specialising in fashion and retail, has launched the new AW2016 campaign for Jeanswest in partnership with The Woolmark Company.
The campaign, shot by renowned fashion photographer Steven Chee, is a first for Jeanswest as they push into a more premium space.
Says Belinda Waller, general manager of marketing, Jeanswest: Were excited and proud to tell the story behind our collections and working closely with the Woolmark Company is another way of demonstrating our commitment to traceability and transparency in relation to sourcing.
In keeping with the brands Australian heritage and drawing on the collections use of premium Woolmark-certified merino wool, Pencil&Pixels strategy was to tell an authentic story.
Says Andrew Henderson, creative partner, Pencil&Pixel: Creatively, we set out to tell a real story of Australian Wool, and the idea that our client Jeanswest were sourcing from home was very important. Selling stuff with pretty pictures no longer really cuts it. Great retail stories need to be bigger, more meaningful stories. Stories told with authenticity that the customer can connect with.
Aware that great retail requires more than just fashion pictures, the agency found and engaged a campaign face whose family own one of the great Merino studs in central NSW. The campaign shoot took place at Benangaroo Station, owned and operated by Michael and Angela Field. Michael is a fourth generation wool grower and the agency cast his daughter, international model Stephanie Joy Field.
Says Henderson: Working with Steph and telling her personal home-coming to Benangaroo was an exciting way to launch Jeanswest return an all Australian Pure Winter/Pure Wool. It was just so genuine, shot beautifully by Steven on an iconic creative canvas.
Says Stephanie Joy Field: Being able to share where I grew up with the rest of the crew was such an incredible experience. It made me feel proud of who I am and where I come from. Its not often you have the luxury of shooting in the comfort of your own home.
Working with The Woolmark Company demonstrates Jeanswests continued commitment to increasing their premium category while supporting the Australian wool industry. The Woolmark logo is one of the worlds most recognised and respected brands, providing assurance of the highest quality.
Says Adam Lloyd, general manager of product, Jeanswest: The Woolmark association brings with it the highest level of quality and integrity, so our customers can be assured they are purchasing superior, premium knitwear that will last the test of time.
Says Stuart McCullough, managing director, The Woolmark Company: With high visibility across Australia and New Zealand, the latest Woolmark collection for Jeanswest allows our hard-working wool-growers to witness the commercial aspect of their product seeing their wool on the racks of one of Australias largest lifestyle retailers.
| BY Ricki Green |
Lions Health has announced a partnership with RB, the global leader in consumer health and hygiene, and Save the Children, to tackle the worlds largest environmental health risk air pollution in an innovation challenge like no other.
Hosted at Lions Health, part of the International Festival of Creativity in Cannes, the RB & Lions Health Innovation Hack will bring together RBs R&D and marketing teams with external, entrepreneurial minds from around the world, to pioneer innovations that protect children from the devastating effects of air pollution exposure. Pollution is currently responsible for one in eight of total global deaths killing 7 million people every year. This figure is likely to increase and the Innovation Hack aims to inspire sustainable solutions to this global health problem.
Says Sharon James, senior vice president R&D at RB: At RB, we are inspired by a purpose to deliver innovative solutions for healthier lives and happier homes across the globe. We focus on consumer driven discoveries that can drive meaningful behavioural change and want to pioneer viable solutions to fight the effects of air pollution. The R&D-led Innovation Hack will see like-minded partners from both inside and outside of our business coming together to discover and create innovations that could potentially change the lives of future generations.
United by a common purpose, technical and commercial representatives from RB, including medical and regulatory experts will be teamed with leading creative catalysts and innovators, as they compete to find a solution that could make a real difference. RBs long standing charity partner, Save the Children will be on hand to share insight of global health issues. The competing ideas will be presented to a judging panel in a live, open outputs session. Following the Innovation Hack, RB will explore whether any of the shortlisted ideas could have the potential for development.
Says Tanya Steele, interim chief executive of Save the Children: Our ground-breaking partnership with RB, which began in 2003, has already allowed us to reach over 1.6 million children. This innovative partnership between Save the Children and RB harnesses the research and expertise of RB with Save the Childrens on the ground experience to stop children dying of diarrhoea. It is pioneering how the private sector and NGOs can accelerate change for children.
The Innovation Hack represents another opportunity to make a real difference to millions more and were delighted to be involved in such an initiative. We applaud the ambition of this activity to find a breakthrough that will help protect children across the world from the effects of air pollution exposure and reduce the number of associated health conditions.
Says Louise Benson, festival director at Lions Health: We are delighted to be hosting the Innovation Hack in partnership with RB and Save the Children. The Lions Health Festival celebrates life-changing creativity in the healthcare industry and we hope we can inspire some award-winning creations of the future.
| BY Ricki Green |
Macquarie University (Marketing and Management Dept.) is undertaking in-depth research into the power of creativity. Creative professionals are invited to participate in an experiment that investigates the creative development process.
The research is designed as an experiment that requires agency art directors and copywriters, with at least two years experience, to respond to a dummy brief. The brief is essentially the same, but there will be differences in variables like insight, ideation technique and media.
To volunteer, please contact scott.koslow@mq.edu.au.
Creatives will be required to fill a questionnaire after the experiment. Volunteers will spend just one hour in the study.
The research will assist in understanding the unique motivators to developing creative ideas, the factors affecting creative output and how these can be maximised to greatest effect. The findings of this research will be presented to all volunteers at the conclusion of the research.
| BY Ricki Green |
MullenLowe Group has announced today the fusion of its two strong media entities, Mediahub and Profero Performance (the media planning and buying group within the integrated digital agency MullenLowe Profero), to create a global media shop under the MullenLowe Mediahub banner. Related to this integration, Mediahub will launch a global search and performance media offering called MullenLowe Mediahub Performance. MullenLowe Profero continues as the rapidly-growing digital creative and technology offering within MullenLowe Group.
As a result of this reorganization, MullenLowe Group now has a global, unified, full-service media capability under the MullenLowe Mediahub name with over 350 people in 12 offices worldwide. Mediahub is a strong blend of creatively driven and innovative media planning, insight-driven communications planning and strategy, large-scale buying power fueled by its affiliation with IPG Mediabrands, and best-in-class search and performance capabilities on a global scale. The merger also means MullenLowe Mediahub now has a strong presence in the two largest U.S. media markets (New York and Los Angeles), as well as in key European and Asia-Pacific markets, including London, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Shanghai.
The MullenLowe Mediahub Performance capability combines the SEM, SEO and performance media talent at Mediahub and Profero Performance to create a global digital media offering tied to diversified client engagements. Mediahub Performance has over 140 people across key regions, including the U.S., Europe and Asia. The agency expects to launch Mediahub and Mediahub Performance in several additional markets during the remainder of 2016.
Under John Moore (above, left), global president of MullenLowe Mediahub, the new Mediahub Performance offer will be led by Ross Jenkins (above, right), global managing director, who will be based out of London; Keith Lusby, executive director at Mediahub Boston, Lizzy Hanna and Lavall Chichester, media directors based in NYC; Neil Ramsden, UK managing director; and Phil Ely, head of media in APAC. They will work closely with Moore, Sean Corcoran, Mediahubs executive director of innovation, and Jonathan Fowles, Mediahubs chief media officer in the UK.
Says Moore: Fifty percent of every digital media dollar spent is in the area of search, so, naturally, a large-scale performance capability is critically important to our ongoing growth and competitive positioning. MullenLowe Group opened the door to a perfect opportunity for Mediahub and Profero to combine their symbiotic talents, proprietary tools and geographic footprints into a significant, holistic, global media offering. We see this as a huge benefit for existing clients, an opportunity for us to be highly competitive in global new business, and as a terrific avenue for our employees to expand their horizons.
Says Jenkins: When we sat down to talk about how we might create a more powerful media entity within MullenLowe Group, it was clear that the two offerings Mediahub and Profero Performance had highly complementary attributes; we significantly add to each others footprint, capabilities, tools and people. Also, culturally, it is a very natural fit. By fusing these two groups together, weve created a more potent, contemporary offer; a global media agency with a challenger mindset that is able to deliver breakthrough thinking across the full range of media.
| BY Ricki Green |
Chloe Gilchrist has been appointed as head of operations of Whybin\TBWA Sydney.
Gilchrist joins from JWT Sydney where she was operations director for 3 years.
Gilchrist will be on the leadership team at Whybin\TBWA Sydney, responsible for end to end delivery across the business.
Says Nitsa Lotus, managing director of Whybin\TBWA Sydney: Chloe Gilchrist is just stand out, world-class talent she has great energy and an infectious passion for the business. Her exceptional multi-channel experience and commercial smarts make her quite unique I know shell have a big impact in how we shape the agencys future.
It has been far too many years since the Woke theology interlaced its canons within the fabric of the Indoctrination Realm, so it is nigh time to ask: Does this Representative Republic continue, as a functioning society of a self-governed people, by contending with the unusual, self absorbed dictates of the Woke, and their vast array of Victimhood scenarios?
Yes, the Religion of Woke must continue; there are so many groups of underprivileged, underserved, a direct result of unrelenting Inequity; they deserve everything.
No; the Woke fools must be toppled from their self-anointed pedestal; a functioning society of a good Constitutional people cannot withstand this level of "existential" favoritism as it exists now.
Chock-full of a variety of seafood, fish and vegetables, this rich soup is inspired by a similar chowder served at the Masstown Market, near Truro, N.S. Enjoy a hearty bowlful with Buttermilk Biscuits.
Ingredients 900 g mussels
2/3 cups dry white wine
3 tablespoons butter
3 ribs celery thinly sliced
2 onions chopped
1/2 teaspoon each salt and sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup water
1 bottle (240 ml) clam juice
2 yellow-fleshed potatoes peeled and cubed
340 g haddock fillets or other firm-fleshed fish fillets, cut in 2-inch (5 cm) chunks
340 g sea scallops halved horizontally
1 can frozen lobster meat thawed and drained
3 cups 10% cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley Nutritional facts Per serving: about Sodium 405 mg
Protein 21 g
Calories 236.0
Total fat 10 g
Potassium 582 mg
Cholesterol 78 mg
Saturated fat 6 g
Total carbohydrate 14 g %RDI Iron 13.0
Folate 14.0
Calcium 11.0
Vitamin A 12.0
Vitamin C 12.0
Method Scrub mussels; remove any beards. Discard any mussels that do not close when tapped.
In saucepan, bring mussels and wine to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until mussels open, about 5 minutes. Strain, reserving broth; discard any mussels that do not open. Let cool enough to handle. Remove and discard shells; set mussels aside.
In Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat; fry celery, onions, salt, paprika and cayenne pepper, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in flour; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Stir in reserved broth, water and clam juice, scraping up any brown bits on bottom of pan. Add potatoes; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered and stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Stir in haddock, scallops and lobster; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in cream, mussels and parsley. Stir until heated through, about 2 minutes. (Make-ahead: Let cool. Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 2 days.)
Nostalgia, bug spray and champagne will fill your trendy destination wedding this summer.
Former campers fondly remember summers spent jumping into a freezing cold lake, making new friends, tye-dying t-shirts and going on picnics . Now, engaged couples (and their guests) can relive those childhood memories with a summer camp destination wedding Summer camps offer a perfect venue for those couples that have a love for the outdoors and can't resist some rustic, old school fun. Julie and Adam got married at Kananaskis Country Campgrounds in Alberta and, with the help of family, were able to create almost all of their wedding decorations themselves. Who knew a destination wedding could be low-key and budget-friendly?Rather than simply having a half-day event, a summer camp wedding gives couples an opportunity to spend a full weekend with their closest friends and family. Amy, a bride who got married at Camp Tapawingo in Parry Sound, chose a summer camp wedding because she wanted it to " feel like a relaxed weekend at the cottage with friends and family ."There's something for everyone to do, whether it's canoeing, swimming, hiking, or relaxing by the water with a book . Depending on the camp, you may also be able to plan group activities, such as a morning yoga class or singing and roasting marshmallows around a campfire.Drew Taylor, co-owner of a summer camp in Maine, says " what happens is that the wedding weekend turns into a family reunion, or it's a time for the families from both sides to really get to know each other. Plan friendly competition games that have one side of the family vs. the otheror better yet, parents vs. newlyweds and siblings or friends.If you're thinking twice about the destination because of your guests, don't. According to Alison Bartolone, who got married at a summer camp in Ohio, you don't need to worry about those guests that might not be " game for showering in a public shower and all. " Her guests, even the ones she was unsure of, "were enthusiastic and had a lot of fun."Get more ideas and inspiration for your wedding from our wedding planning guide
Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at 10:22AM
Dyson is bringing its technology and innovation to the world of beauty. After more than four years of intensive research and development and over $100 million spent, James Dyson unveiled Dysons first hair dryer in Tokyo today. The Dyson Supersonic hair dryer is engineered for balance in the hand, uses a fast-yet-focused airflow and intelligently controls temperature to help protect hair from extreme heat damage.
Conventional hair dryers can be bulky and difficult to manoeuvre. Emitting air at high temperatures, they can cause damage to hair. Where the grill and filter are located on conventional dryers, hair is often at risk of being pulled into the machine.
James Dyson: Hair dryers can be heavy, inefficient and make a racket. By looking at them further we realized that they can also cause extreme heat damage to hair. I challenged Dyson engineers to really understand the science of hair and develop our version of a hair dryer, which we think solves these problems.
Hair science
Frustrated with the lack of advancement in the industry, Dyson invested $100 million in the development of the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer, including building a state of the art laboratory dedicated to investigating the science of hair. Dyson engineers studied hair from root to tip, understanding how it reacts to different stresses, how to keep it healthy and how to style it.
For more than four years they tested the machine on different hair types, building test rigs to mechanically simulate hair drying techniques, which can differ around the world. To date over 1,010 miles of real human hair have been tested in the lab.
Powerful motor
The Dyson Supersonic hair dryer is powered by the patented Dyson digital motor V9, created in-house by a team of 30 motor specialists specifically for this machine. It is Dysons smallest, lightest and most advanced digital motor to date.
A motor sits in the head of most conventional hair dryers, making it heavy while in hand. The Dyson digital motor is engineered to be powerful yet compact, allowing the motor to be positioned in the handle. Dyson Supersonic is the only manufactured hair dryer with the motor in the handle, so its engineered for better balance.
Helps protect natural shine
Other hair dryers can reach extreme temperatures, especially when held close to the head. This can cause extreme heat damage to hair, leaving it dull and dry. The Dyson Supersonic hair dryer has intelligent heat control to ensure hair isnt exposed to excessive temperatures. A glass bead thermistor measures the temperature 20 times a second and transmits this data to the microprocessor, which intelligently controls the patented double-stacked heating element.
Fast & focused
The Dyson Supersonic hair dryer uses Dysons patented Air Multiplier technology. The volume of the air drawn into the motor is amplified three times when exiting the loop, producing a high pressure, high velocity jet of air.
Traditional hair dryers can have a weak airflow, meaning they are slow. Others can have strong airflow, but is not controlled. The Dyson Supersonic hair dryer creates a focused jet of air, angled at 20 for controlled, precise drying and styling.
Settings and attachments
The Dyson Supersonic hair dryer has four heat settings, including a cold shot, and three airflow settings. Dyson engineers have designed three precisely engineered magnetic attachments with 16 patents pending to further control this airflow, allowing you to achieve a range of different styles.
- The smoothing nozzle dries hair gently, using smooth, wide airflow, allowing you to dry and style at the same time.
- The styling concentrator directs airflow precisely where you need it, perfect for styling one section at a time without worrying about disturbing the rest of your hair.
- The diffuser is engineered to disperse air evenly around each curl. It simulates natural drying, helping to reduce frizz and improve definition.
The attachments remain cool to the touch using Heat Shield technology. The hot air is contained within a double-walled exterior so surfaces of the attachment stay cool.
Additionally, tools magnetically attach onto the Dyson Supersonic loop, ensuring, each nozzle is easy to attach and adjust.
Acoustic engineering
A team of Dyson aero-acoustic engineers sought to understand how the acoustics of this machine could be optimized. By using an axial flow impeller inside the motor they have simplified the pathway of the air reducing turbulence and swirling. And by giving the motor impeller 13 blades instead of the usual 11, Dyson engineers pushed one tone within the motor to a sound frequency beyond the audible range for humans, helping to reduce the overall sound and tone emitted from the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer.
Since the motor is small and compact, engineers have been able to embed it in the handle, surrounded by acoustic silencers to further reduce sound. The Dyson Supersonic hair dryer is engineered for reduced noise, without compromising on speed and power.
In February, the court set aside convictions for four offences committed against the same complainant, finding they were unsafe and unsatisfactory because there was not enough evidence to prove the girl's age at the time.
Firefighters said four grass fires they battled in Acton on Wednesday afternoon appeared suspicious, just one day after saying the same for three grass fires in Kaleen and another in Tuggeranong.
Defence's marketing material re-iterated the position taken at other departments during their own disputes, with one bulletin assuring staffers that changes proposed to their agreement, the Defence Enterprise Collective Agreement (DECA), were there to make the document easier to understand.
The National Days of Remembrance is an annual commemoration established by congress. The observance is scheduled to take place May 1-8; this years theme is Learning from the Holocaust: Acts of Courage.From 1933 to 1945, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party led the German government in the systematic persecution and annihilation of Europe's Jewish population. This genocide, known as the Holocaust, is a horrifying example of what happens when a community and culture are robbed of their human rights.According to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Jews were the primary victims -- six million were murdered; Roma (Gypsies), people with disabilities, and the Polish were also targeted for destruction or decimation for racial, ethnic, or national reasons. Millions more, including homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, Soviet prisoners of war, and political dissidents also suffered grievous oppression and death under Nazi Germany.During the Holocaust, German soldiers followed orders without question. Bystanders witnessed atrocities and did nothing; too scared to speak up, they stood by while innocent people were killed.Martin Niemoller, a prominent Protestant pastor who emerged as an outspoken public foe of Adolf Hitler and spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps, is remembered for the following statement:First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak outBecause I was not a Socialist.Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak outBecause I was not a Trade Unionist.Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak outBecause I was not a Jew.Then they came for meAnd there was no one left to speak for me.The terrible events of the Holocaust should be remember both for their historical significance, but also as a cautionary tale about respecting fellow human beings. The disrespect and disregard for humanity during the Holocaust is disturbing, but it is important that we remember the Holocaust to honor victims and prevent future genocide.More than seven decades have passed since then, yet to this day, people treat those who are not like them differently. If you look across the world to places like Bosnia, Iraq or Rwanda, there are still millions of people being persecuted for their differences.Our values should align with the Air Force core values to show mutual respect. Genuine respect involves viewing another person as an individual of fundamental worth. This means members should not be judged on the basis of his or her possession of an attribute that places him or her in a particular racial, ethnic, economic or gender-based category.The next time you hear or witness something that looks questionable, heighten your awareness, show an act of courage and take the time to question the behavior. Remember your contributions help to protect the inalienable right of everyone to be treated with dignity and respect.For more information about the Holocaust and Days of Remembrance, please contact the Equal Opportunity office at 575-784-2407, or visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum website at https://www.ushmm.org
President John Magufuli, who was elected in October 2015, says that the regulator is responsible for the loss of $180 million in tax revenue since 2013.
However the figures of potential revenue provided by the TCRA seem to be very different from the loss that Magufuli is claiming.
The presidents office said, according to Reuters: I want the government to collect all outstanding (tax) revenues and I will not hesitate to take action against anyone who becomes an obstacle in this tax collection drive.
According to the office of the president, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) installed a traffic monitoring system in 2013 but has failed to use it. The contract was signed by Ally Simba, the director general of the TCRA, who has been suspended.
The contract in question appears to be the telecommunications traffic monitoring system that is still being hailed on the TCRA website as not only a revolution but also one of the greatest achievements to the countrys communication sector.
The system was designed to allow 28% of international telecoms revenue to be paid to the government. According to the TCRAs figures on its own website, international calls are charged at $0.25 a minute, out of which the international network operators get $0.13, the government receives 7 cents, and the balance of 5 cents is shared by the consultant and TCRA for maintenance.
This enables the country to earn about 20 billion Tanzanian shillings a year from the revenue share, says the TCRA meaning that the TCRAs revenue calculations are a long way short of the 400 billion shillings ($180 million) that the president says has been lost.
According to the TCRA, the contract for the monitoring system went after an open tender to a consortium of Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS) and Global Voice Group (GVG). The TCRA website says that: The project is being financed under build operate and transfer, whose main advantage is that no funds are paid up front.
Seychelles-based GVG says that it is a pioneer in the development and implementation of telecom governance technologies, with clients in 10 African governments, Rwanda, Tanzania, Liberia, Guinea-Conakry, Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, the Central African Republic, Togo, Senegal and Ghana.
SGS is based in Switzerland and describes itself as the worlds leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, with more than 85,000 employees.
Magufuli has built a reputation as an activist against excessive government spending since he was elected: he has banned overseas travel for government officials, cancelled state banquets and according to one east African website fired the board of a hospital after finding patients sleeping on the floor.
Operators in Tanzania include Bharti Airtel, Millicoms Tigo, Smart Mobile, Viettel, Vodacom and Zantel.
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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.
Goal is to push legislature to adopt independent, nonpartisan process while drawing own set of maps
Former state Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr, at left, and former Chief Justice Henry Frye discuss redistricting reform at a Duke University forum. (CJ Photo by Dan Way)
DURHAM - North Carolina's constantly shifting population and demographics, and the sour taste both Democrats and Republicans have experienced as a minority party with no meaningful role in the legislative redistricting process, could offer strong incentives to transform redistricting to a nonpartisan, independent commission model, a group of academics, analysts, and retired judges said April 21 at a Duke University forum.The group is exploring redistricting reform that would put North Carolina on the same path as several other states that have minimized the role of partisan politics in the drawing of legislative and congressional district boundaries. The group also will draft its own map based on the principles the members articulate.said former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Henry Frye.in hoping to convince them to adopt a less-politicized system, said Bob Phillips, executive director of Common Cause North Carolina.Phillips said legislative Democrats "couldn't see any reason" to adopt independent redistricting procedures when they were in the majority and Common Cause (along with other organizations, including the John Locke Foundation) raised the issue. Then the Republicans gained control of the General Assembly.to be powerless in drawing legislative boundaries.North Carolina's rapid demographic shifts offer no guarantee that a district drawn to favor a current majority will remain that way for long, said Tom Ross, former president of the UNC system. Ross, now a fellow at Duke's Sanford School of Public Policy, said the dynamics of the state allow an opportunity to adopt a process that creates more competitive districts and spurs voter interest.The Sanford School and Common Cause are leading the effort involving 10 retired judges. The April 21 daylong event was the first the group plans to host.Ross said.A better process of redistricting that does not take partisan politics into account might narrow that divide, he said.Ross said. Many municipal, county, and state office holders are supportive.Iowa's independent redistricting commission often is invoked as a model of reform, but its process doesn't face the same potential for race-based litigation as North Carolina and other Southern states that must satisfy the federal Voting Rights Act. Even an independent commission would be challenged to draw legislative boundaries that would survive in court.regardless of who is redrawing legislative districts, said retired state Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr.Orr also said it would be beneficial for the U.S. Supreme Court to state thatAlthough he supports the independent commission approach, Orr said,so any reforms would have to address that issue. He believes a constitutional amendment setting forth inviolate criteria for an independent commission or other reform would be essential.Orr said that he, former Chief Justice Sarah Parker, and former Chief Justice I. Beverly Lake, all members of the Duke study group, were on the state Supreme Court during the 2002 Stephenson v. Bartlett redistricting litigation over state constitutional provisions to keep counties whole when drawing state legislative lines.Orr said. The time and political pressures the court is put under when deciding momentous redistricting lawsuits areUnlike earlier redistricting, gerrymandering is made easier today due to the sophistication of technology and computer graphics.Orr said.for both parties. The majority party always gets the lion's share, even though North Carolina is a more politically balanced state with the ranks of unaffiliated voters growing fast than either Democrats or Republicans.It's unlikely the use of an independent commission would remove politics and lawsuits from the system completely, since political players would try to stack the panels with friendly members.Ross said, but he believes there would be far less litigation with an independent commission.While one goal of an independent commission would be to promote voter participation in elections, Ross admits the only evidence of higher turnout in such a system is anecdotal.he said.
The Chery A5 has been in need of a generation change for a while now. It first came out in 2006 but thanks to an outdated design, it never really stood out in a crowd.
All that is about to change as the all-new A5 will look a lot like a proper 2015 automobile which is good news for those living in China and looking to buy into the segment.
Design-wise, we like pretty much everything about it, even the Dodge Dart-like front end. We should say that this particular model might not be exactly what you get in production form. Those rims for example probably arent making their way into dealerships.
The interior doesnt look bad at all either but there are a couple of features that you might not see when you finally get to order the car such as the leather covered upper dash or the futuristic gear knob. Even so, a trained eye might still spot a couple of places made out of cheap plastic.
We dont know whats under the hood, but if we were to go by the current model, we can probably expect 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 liter petrol units, or perhaps just the smaller capacity ones.
Were curious to see if such a new model would be successful overseas, where for example a few years ago, the Chery A5 was being sold in Egypt, with a Daewoo badge.
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Volvos UK-based autonomous driving trial will be called Drive Me London and will be using real families driving real autonomous cars on public roads starting next year.
The Swedish automaker announced a similar program for China earlier this month, where it will look to reduce accidents, improve traffic flow and cut back on harmful emissions.
Company president & CEO Hakan Samuelsson will argue his case in London on May 3rd at a seminar named A Future with Autonomous Driving Cars Implications for the Insurance Industry, sponsored by Volvo and Thatcham, the insurance industrys research organization.
There are multiple benefits to AD cars, said Mr Samuelsson. That is why governments globally need to put in place the legislation and infrastructure to allow AD cars onto the streets as soon as possible. The car industry cannot do it all by itself. We need governmental help.
Drive Me London will begin early in 2017 but with a limited number of semi-autonomous vehicles. A larger expansion will come in 2018 which will include up to 100 autonomous cars, thus making it the largest and most extensive AD testing program in Britain.
According to independent research, autonomous driving has the potential to reduce car accidents by up to 30% in some cases, whereas up to 90% of all accidents are currently being caused by driver error or distraction, which should become non-factors in an era of self-driving cars.
Vehicle manufacturers are predicting that highly autonomous vehicles, capable of allowing the driver to drop out of the loop for certain sections of their journey, will be available from around 2021. Without doubt, crash frequency will also dramatically reduce. Weve already seen this with the adoption of Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) on many new cars. Research in the US by NHTSA predicts that by 2035, as a result of autonomous and connected cars, crashes will be reduced by 80%. Additionally, if a crash unfortunately cant be avoided, then the impact speed will also drop as a result of the systems performance reducing the severity of the crash, argued Peter Shaw, chief executive at Thatcham Research.
PHOTO GALLERY
Using the Fun to Drive, Enjoy Future with Chery theme, the Chinese automaker exhibited no less than 12 models and four powertrains at the Beijing Motor Show. But the FV2030 caught our attention.
Named the Future Vision 2030, this futuristic looking machines best suits Cherys motif, setting a standard for the automakers products 20-30 years from now.
Judging by Cherys description on how it integrates three future technologies (intelligence, internet and new energy), we assume that this concept can drive itself, probably comes with internet connectivity at its disposal, and benefits from an electric powertrain.
Thanks to its show stopping looks, the FV2030 was undoubtedly one of the most striking appearances at the Beijing Motor Show, sporting the bands new essence and its Life in Motion design language, which Chery says was developed to appeal to a more youthful audience.
The automaker even used the word supercool to describe the concepts gullwing doors, its overall design and the fantasy 3D holographic screen, trying to show the world a young and vigorous Chinese vehicle brand; and thats coming from Cherry.
PHOTO GALLERY
If there was an award for the worst ever tantrum thrown behind the wheel, then Alina M from Krasnodar, Russia, would easily and undoubtedly win.
The police report says that, on February 23, after getting into a heated fight with her husband over her mother in-law, the 27-year old woman fueled her anger with plenty of alcohol and jumped into her car.
Apparently, no one bothered to stop her and she managed to bump, scratch and smash into 17 (!) cars in a private parking lot, all while talking on her mobile phone, as recorded on a young boys camera.
After being detained by police, the woman was released. In March, a Russian court suspended her driving license for eight years and gave her a 30,000 RUB (about $450) fine. Shes also liable for all the damages caused to the parked cars. On the bright side, Russian media reported that she got back together with her husband.
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Ever since Henrik Fiskers car business was bought by a Chinese auto-parts conglomerate back in 2014, weve heard very little of the new firm, but it appears that Karma Automotive is working to complete development of a luxury electric car.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the company, formerly called Fisker Automotive, will unveil the vehicle this July or August, together with a new battery and charger pack. Production has been moved from Finland to California, where Karma plans to build the all-new Revero.
If you manufacture all kinds of hype then fail to deliver on time, it undermines your credibility. We are being careful about making promises [because] things happen in car development, said Jim Taylor, Karmas chief marketing officer.
With that in mind, details about the upcoming car are quite scarce, although its known that Karma made an agreement with BMW last year in order to use some of the Bavarian car makers electrical components. The deal allows Karma to offer a new mechanical base under the original Frisker designed body, a fact underlined by Taylor:
There are huge, serious, major upgrades throughout the electronics systems, wiring, charging, battery, he said. It just wont be visible to the naked eye.
PHOTO GALLERY
It turns out the eulogy for Jaguar wagons, or Sportbrakes, was premature. Thank the car gods.
In a tweet Tuesday, Jaguar Director of Design Ian Callum (pictured) said he was misquoted in an April 18 Autonews Europe story, in which it was inferred Jaguar would not make a successor to the XF Sportbrake and leave the segment to German and Swedish rivals.
Rather, its the new XE compact sedan that wont get a Sportbrake derivative. The Auto News reporter says hes amending the piece.
Callum hasnt confirmed, however, there will be a successor to the XF wagon, now that the XF sedan has been on sale for a while. And he has also reinforced the idea Jaguar will continue to focus on crossovers, given the strong initial interest in the F-Pace and rumors of larger and smaller Jag SUVs. But there is a glimmer of hope the brand will have at least one traditional long-roofed car.
Please send it to the U.S., please and thank you.
@IanCallum @Automotive_News Apologies Ian. I understood we were talking about all wagons. Will amend! Nick Gibbs (@NickGibbs) April 26, 2016
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Three different versions of the Huracan are displayed at Lamborghinis stand at the 2016 Beijing Auto Show.
Marking its local debut after being presented in Geneva last month, the limited edition Huracan Avio pays tribute to the Italian air force with its Military Mate Blue exterior and il Tricolore badges. It will be assembled in just 250 units, channeling the 610 PS (601 HP) to the all-wheel drive through a 7-speed double-clutch gearbox, pushing it from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.2 seconds.
Lowering its top for Chinese visitors, the Huracan Spyder is the Italian brands second debut for this years show. It comes in the same LP610-4 version as its limited edition sibling, but since it gained some weight over the coupe, 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) time has increased by 0.2 seconds to 3.4. Its electrohydraulic fabric roof, available in three colors, takes just 17 seconds to open or close and operates at speeds up to 50 km/h (31 mph).
Ditching the all-wheel drive in favor of RWD, the Huracan LP580-2 is also showcased in Beijing, with its slightly detuned 5.2-liter V10 engine, producing 580 PS (572 HP), 30 PS (30 HP) more than its predecessor, the Gallardo LP550-2. Its 33 kg (73 lbs) lighter than the AWD version, needs 3.4 seconds to go from naught to 100 km/h (62 mph) and tops out at 320 km/h (199 mph).
PHOTO GALLERY
It was 1994 when the BMW Group bought the rights to the British manufacturer, changing its name in caps lock, and 2001 when the modern MINIs were introduced.
Now, 15 years later, employees at the at the Oxford Plant are looking back to when the new era started and the brand-new models rolled off the production line.
The first new MINI was built on April 26, 2001,and it came in Chili Red with contrasting white paintwork on the roof and mirror caps. Since then, the automaker delivered in excess of 2.5 million vehicles in more than 110 countries across the globe.
With a workforce that rose from 2,400 to 4,500, the Oxford facility assembles roughly 1,000 cars per day in three shifts: Building 1,000 individually configured premium automobiles every day is a big challenge, which our employees master thanks to their exceptional level of passion and skill, said the plant manager Frank Bachmann.
Car production in Oxford has a long historyThe classic Mini was put together here from 1959 to 1968 and the decision to assemble the modern MINI here was taken in the spring of 2000, followed by a record-speed modernization process that lasted 13 months. From the five-door hatch to the JCW models and the Clubman, they are all made there and if a rumor thats circulating is true, a compact sized sedan might join them soon.
PHOTO GALLERY
The Environmental Protection Agency ordered Mitsubishi to further inform them on their US models, after the Japanese company announced their improper fuel economy testing of their vehicles in Japan for the last 25 years.
The agency is coordinating their actions with the California Air Resources Board, reports AutoNews. Mitsubishi was also ordered to retest the models sold in the US from now on.
US regulators now want Mitsubishi to retest their vehicles sold in the US by conducting additional coast down tests on them. During this test, a car coasts to a stop from 80mph, getting data this way from its aerodynamic drag and drivetrain friction. The data is then used to program dynamometers in simulating a cars behavior on real roads during indoor testing.
The Japanese company admitted that they have been measuring the fuel economy of their models in Japan incorrectly since 1991. More specifically, they said that the have been using a different method for Japans official coasting test, with Mitsubishis half market value being wiped out since the news originally broke out.
PHOTO GALLERY
China is the worlds largest car market, coupe-crossovers are all the rage right now, so, tap into these two trends and you have a winner.
The truth is, when Mazda rolled out its Koeru concept last fall at the Frankfurt Auto Show, it had us wondering whether it would serve as the replacement for the mid-size, but defunct for quite some time, CX-7 or something completely new.
As we found out a few days ago at Beijing, the production car, called the CX-4, is the coupe version of the CX-5. This makes sense. What is curious is that its meant solely for the Chinese market; an odd decision, to say the least, given that this segment is on the rise globally.
No matter from the moment we laid eyes on the Koeru, we knew two things: a. it was good looking, and b. it was production ready. Of course, concepts are one-offs that can do away with production details and display what the designers had in mind before streamlining the project to make things more cost effective and, of course, compliant with myriads of safety rules.
You wouldnt, for example, expect those ultra-slim, chrome door handles to adorn the real car; nor, for that matter, the miniscule mirrors or huge alloys that are great on the showroom floor but a pain in real life.
Thats small stuff, really. Want to check out how close the real thing is to the study? Easy: look at their profiles, which are all but identical. Same lines, A- and C-pillar angles, shallow glasshouse and even the blacked-out A-pillar.
The Koeru differs in the parts that make it more impressive, as a concept should be, yet are easy to change in the finished item. For example, the bumpers are more heavily sculpted and have a much more pronounced 3D effect and the LED head- and taillights, though identical in shape, have more intricate inner elements.
The same stands true for the cabin. The shape of the dashboard is exactly the same and that stands for almost everything, from the center console to the position and shape of the infotainment controls and the dash and door inlays.
The Koerus aircraft-inspired gearknob is replaced in the CX-4 by a conventional one and the infotainment screen by a tablet that stands out and is currently the norm in all new cars. Its more cost-effective, too yet, even though theres no head up display in the CX-4 (not that we expected one), one would have thought it would have adopted a more futuristic, and not so conservative, approach.
If we had to choose, wed have preferred the concepts aggressive front bumper with its sharper lines that give it a less bulbous and more aggressive look and the air intakes mesh instead of the gaping plastic that looks (and, we guess, is) cheaper on the CX-4, yet these are small concessions indeed.
Mazda CX-4 live pics from Auto.Sina and Auto163
Photo Gallery
Photo: Jon Manchester
A man charged with confinement after taping the hands and mouth of a woman who intervened in a domestic dispute has been sentenced to six months in jail.
Police were called to a home in West Kelowna on the evening of Nov. 11, 2015, after receiving a call from a woman describing a domestic assault in progress. The call was cut off mid-sentence, prompting a priority response from the RCMP.
Upon arrival, police found the door to the house wide open. They heard shouting from inside.
Jamie Ragan and two women his common-law partner and her friend were inside. The friend had packing tape wrapped around her face and hands.
Ragans partner and her friend had been having dinner at the friends house earlier in the evening. Ragan was not invited to the dinner, as the friend did not want him in her house.
Despite the lack of invitation, Ragan showed up, causing a dispute.
Ragan and his partner eventually left and went back to their house.
The friend remained concerned, as she knew Ragan had been drinking, so she walked to their house and found Ragan hitting his girlfriend.
She called the police, enraging Ragan, and he turned his violence towards her.
After knocking her to the ground, Ragan began wrapping packing tape around her face and wrists, when police arrived.
Ragans girlfriend and her friend began screaming at each other after police removed the tape.
Ragan was arrested and charged with assault and unlawful confinement, and released on bail, with a promise not to contact his common-law partner or her friend, or consume alcohol.
Despite the violence, Ragans partner still wanted to see him, and on Jan. 17, the pair took a trip together to Halcyon Hot Springs, a resort north of Nakusp, defying the court-order.
Alcohol was consumed by both at the hot springs, and things turned violent again. Their dispute prompted staff to intervene and call police.
Police realized Ragan was breaching a court order and immediately arrested him.
He was charged with assault and two counts of breach of undertaking for the January incident.
Ragan pleaded guilty to the charges against him back in February, and says he has been working to deal with his issues.
I take full responsibility for everything, Ragan said in court. I want to be a good person and not a bad one.
Since the January incident, Ragan has been living in North Vancouver with his father, who attended his sentencing hearing in Kelowna Friday.
He has been attending daily group counselling sessions to work on his anger and alcohol issues.
Despite the work he has been doing, a psychiatric evaluation of Ragan found there is a moderate risk he will reoffend.
Several days before the sentencing trial, Ragans former partner wrote a letter to the court, claiming she had cut ties with her former friend who had tried to intervene back in November, and everything between Ragan and her is OK now. She said she wants Ragan back in her life.
The judge did not give much weight to her letter.
Its complicated when you have someone like (Ragans partner) who, blinded by love, makes poor relationship choices, the judge said. Shes not thinking clearly, shes not able to protect herself, and it falls upon the courts to provide such protection.
The Crown was asking for four months jail time for the two incidents, but the judge felt that wouldnt be sufficient.
That just doesnt sound right, even with the mitigating factors of the guilty plea and no related record, he said. This is a serious matter.
In addition to the six-month jail sentence, Ragan was given three years probation, where he must avoid contacting his former common-law partner, until he has completed domestic violence counselling.
Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer
Thieves stole several items from a Penticton business overnight on April 24.
According to RCMP Cpl. Jill Wrigglesworth, copper wire on a spool, weighing about 1,000 pounds, was taken using a forklift on site at Penticton Foundry Ltd.
A 1989 Chevy truck was also taken from the location.
The incident remains under investigation.
In recent days, there was also an attempted break-in at a storage shed at Skaha Lake and there was damage to outdoor toilets in the vicinity of Carmi Elementary School.
A blue and white 2008 Yamaha dirt bike was taken from Interior Power Sport on Government Street.
Thieves gained access by busing a panel in the garage door and reaching in and unlocking the door.
An additional bike, same year, same model, was stolen from a residence on Gardner Court.
A brick was also thrown through the window of a business, At The Front Door, in the 200 block of Main Street. The cash register was broken into and change taken.
As a result, talks are now underway with the Downtown Penticton Association regarding independent security.
A fire that burned a four-door Sedan Infiniti on Max Lake Road remains under investigation. Efforts are being made to contact the owner.
RCMP also responded to a report of human remains in the Chute Lake area. The remains turned out to be from an elk. Conservation and RCMP attended.
Photo: City of West Kelowna
Naysayers may just get their way and scuttle plans for a new city hall in West Kelowna.
Council has approved the borrowing of up to $10.5 million for the project on Elliott Road, but must get voter approval in the form of an Alternate Approval Process.
Through the process, eligible voters against the bylaw have until 4 p.m. next Tuesday to sign, and return a form to city hall stating their disapproval.
Ten per cent of the 26,030 registered voters (2,603) must submit the AAP form.
To date, 441 forms have been received at city hall. However, No side spokesman Ian Graham said his group has more than 1,800 completed forms in their possession. He anticipates getting more.
They are expected to be handed in to city hall next Tuesday morning.
When asked if they have vetted the names to insure there are no resident living on WFN lands among those who have signed AAP's, Graham said he only expects a small handful of those.
The city has not yet begun the verification process.
That will be done only if more than 2,603 AAP forms show up.
If enough forms are verified, then council has two choices, scrap the project altogether or hold a referendum.
If the number is below the 2,603 threshold, the borrowing bylaw is deemed to have the necessary support of the electorate and would go ahead.
Photo: Wikipedia Apples infested with coddling moth.
A Kelowna man is appalled at the heavy-handedness the Sterile Insect Release program has employed in getting him to take care of his trees, but the SIR says they simply use standard bylaw language.
Bernard Schleppe, 74, was born and raised in Kelowna, and has lived on his acreage in Southeast Kelowna for more than 30 years.
He says he has always maintained the two apple trees on his property and has conformed to SIR standards to reduce the chance of the coddling moth, an invasive species from Europe, breeding in the region.
The SIR program was introduced in the Okanagan in the early '90s after the coddling moth had caused decades of damage to the regions orchards.
The moth had become resistant to toxic pesticides over the years, so sterile insect technology was developed at the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in Summerland and adopted by the four regional districts in the Okanagan and Shuswap area.
This birth control for insects works by pairing sterile male insects with wild females to limit viable offspring.
Two summers ago, the SIR found larvae on Schleppes trees, which are close to orchards.
He did a great job last year of stripping the fruit and trying to get it cleaned up, but again last year we found some more infested fruit, said Melissa Tesche, acting general manager of the SIR.
Schleppe disagrees, saying they didnt actually find anything on his trees last summer.
Last year they asked that I take all of the fruit off of the trees so I did, Schleppe said. They came by to lift their cardboard at the end of the year in September and there was no larvae in there at all of the coddling moth and they said its completely clear.
Schleppe received what he calls a threatening form letter from the SIR on Monday, saying he needs to prune his trees, remove all fruit and dispose of all clippings.
I have to do this and I have to do that and if this isnt done by such-and-such they will come in and cut down the trees at my expense, Schleppe said. If I had given them cause in any way, shape or form, I could see it, but this is just garbage. Who the hell do they think they are?
Tesche says she is a little confused about Schleppes outrage, as he would have received the same letter last year.
The wording isnt changed, its a standard legal bylaw order, the same that you might get from dog control or weed control or something like that, Tesche said. I can appreciate that it might sound heavy-handed but its necessarily so, because its a bylaw order.
Tesche says the SIR program has been a huge success, eliminating 96 per cent of B.C.s coddling moth populations since its introduction.
Schleppe says hell be speaking to his lawyer about the threatening nature of the letter.
That is a threat, theyre saying you either do this, or else, Schleppe said. You go through your life and you do everything youre supposed to do and so-on and so-on and then you get crap like this in the last part of your years and you think 'this isnt right.'
Photo: Natalia Bosley
How much does it cost to rescue a cat from the top of a power pole?
Don't ask BC Hydro they admit they have no idea how much.
You may recall the story of kitty, a Princeton cat stuck up a BC Hydro pole for four days nearly two weeks ago.
Calls asking the cat be rescued were unsuccessful until media attention spurred action and BC Hydro sent two highly-specialized transmission crews with transmission trucks to Princeton from the Shuswap.
However, repeated requests asking the public utility for the final cost of rescuing kitty were not successful.
An email from BC Hydro responding to the request stated:
"I'm told that we aren't able to find the specific cost of the cat rescue because we wouldn't have tracked the cost separately. The cost is part of our regular 'trouble' costs it's treated the same as costs associated with responding to specific power outages."
The tale of kitty went viral, even having its own hastag, #SavethePrincetonBCcat.
Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola MP Dan Albas also got into the act, thanking BC Hydro crews in the House of Commons.
Photo: The Canadian Press
The mother of a toddler who died of meningitis began weeping uncontrollably Tuesday after a jury found her and her husband guilty of failing to provide their ill son with the necessaries of life.
David and Collet Stephan were charged after 19-month-old Ezekiel died in March 2012.
The couple testified at their trial in Lethbridge, Alta., that they believed their son had croup or flu, so they treated him for 2 1/2 weeks with remedies that included smoothies with hot peppers, garlic, onions and horseradish.
He eventually stopped breathing and died after being rushed to hospital.
The four-man, eight-woman jury had been deliberating since Monday afternoon. There was a gasp in the courtroom as the decision from the jurors came down. Observers in the courtroom's gallery started to cry.
The defence argued the couple were loving, responsible parents who simply didn't realize how sick the little boy was.
The Crown said the Stephans didn't do enough to ensure Ezekiel received the medical help he needed. The prosecution noted that the Stephans had been warned by a friend who was a registered nurse that the boy probably had meningitis.
The maximum penalty for failing to provide the necessaries of life is five years in prison.
Justice Rodney Jerke did not set a sentencing date. That's to be decided at a court appearance on June 13. The Stephans were not taken into custody.
"This case is not yet over, but a big chapter has come to a close," Jerke said.
He noted that you only had to look at the faces of the jurors to tell "this was a difficult case."
A Stephan family member scolded the media as she left the courthouse, saying she would not speak to reporters.
The case has drawn international attention, due in part because of the societal divide between those who do and don't believe in the natural medicine movement.
Court documents entered at the trial said just days before Ezekiel was rushed to hospital his family was giving him fluids through an eyedropper because he wouldn't eat or drink.
The jury also heard that Collet Stephan researched treatments for viral meningitis online and picked up an echinacea mixture from a naturopath in Lethbridge.
Court was told Ezekiel was too stiff to sit in his car seat and had to lie on a mattress on the way to a naturopath's office the day before he stopped breathing.
It wasnt all that long ago that discovering a grow-op in our city would result in police action, drug seizures, and even confiscation of cash and property of those engaging in producing this illegal drug. Now, here we are in 2016, and things have radically changed and we should be very concerned! I am not sure where and when Health Canada made a sudden change and decided that dealing drugs was a moral and acceptable act in society, but I am hugely concerned about Canadas current stance. I am not interested in debating whether Marijuana has a medical benefit and should be allowed for pharmaceutical purposes. I might concede that there is a place for this drug somewhere in the medical realm, and perhaps a place for industrial production behind high fences, in tightly controlled agricultural buildings. That might make some sense. But as far as I can tell, Health Canada has gone stupid when it comes to swinging the pendulum to the opposite extreme.
Health Canada is now promoting the production of this drug in our neighbourhoods and Health Canada is endorsing drug dealers to now legally produce weed, within reach of every man woman and child in our society! And Health Canada is doing this even though there is no scientific proof that this drug has any health benefit whatsoever. Health Canada has legitimized this destructive drug culture.
A few years back, Health Canada changed the laws to try to decriminalize the drug in Canada, and instead of fighting with the thousands of grow-ops in our cities, they began issuing licences for these same thugs to become licensed peddlers of this drug and to allow its production for medicinal use. I am the Victim of these new licences along with my neighbours as we have discovered our neighbour, in a small cul-de-sac of 600,000 dollar homes, has obtained not one, but three grow-op licences, all issued by Health Canada allowing for the production of not one or two plants, but rather allowing for up to 200 plants per licence. My neighbour is allowed to grow a total of 600 plants at any given time.
Now, the police have investigated and confirmed, their hands are tied, the City of West Kelowna has been consulted, and they too have feebly stated There is nothing we can do. Even our MP seems unable to have any impact on what Health Canada has allowed.
Now, one would think that if we are going to take what was an illegal and highly dangerous, once criminally prosecuted drug, and turn it into a Health Canada controlled substance, wouldnt this new era require caution? One would be inclined to think that along with a licence should come some extremely careful and restrictive requirements right? Wrong! Never in the past year has Health Canada ever set foot on the property to ensure that this production site meets health safety standards. Never has Health Canada shown up to ensure that these drugs are being handled with a keen attention to public safety, or that the drugs themselves are being used for the purposes of the licence permission. No one at health Canada is monitoring to ensure that our neighbour isnt selling his drugs to the neighbourhood children, or that he isnt lacing the drugs with something even more destructive and addictive. No one, not even BC Public Safety Authority, is showing up at this production site to ensure that the environment meets all safety codes required of any production company, nor are they examining the electrical distribution of this licensed venue. No one from the fire department has ever come over to make sure that these grow lights, requiring over 200 amps of power producing enormous amounts of heat requiring several AC units to cool them down, are not on the verge of burning down the entire neighbourhood. And although the RCMP initially almost knocked down the door to invade the grow-op and correct any illegal activity, they froze and retreated when they heard that Health Canada had licensed this site.
Help me out here. Am I, and my neighbours, the only ones who think it is absolutely ludicrous that slimy unaccountable, unmonitored, red neck gangsters are allowed to produce drugs in our neighbourhoods, within feet of our children and grandchildren, all with the blessing of Health Canada without any accountability or supervision?
In the meantime, my home is at risk for increased gang targets, my home is at greater risk of burning down, my home is subject to power surges due to the high voltage lights going on and off, and my home is being devalued by this ugly neglected yard and house that is inappropriately being used in a zoning that is not at all for production of pharmaceuticals.
We, the neighbourhood, are being told we have no recourse to deal with the harvesters coming in the middle of night, loudly disrupting our quiet street. We have to deal with the hum of these large, power consuming air handlers. We have to deal with our lights flickering on and off. And we have to deal with the stench of skunk-weed drying for days on end.
Has Health Canada gone Nuts? I think Canada law has reached a new low point!
Geoff Neufeld
Photo: Darren Handschuh
The plan was to give away one laptop every three months to a deserving person, but unscrupulous scoundrels dashed those plans before they could even really begin.
Not only did the thieves make off with the laptop Derek Deans had planned to give away, they also took seven other laptops from his business, Henry's Dad Computer Repair.
We were looking for a good cause, he said of the giveaway. We were going to do it quarterly and the first one we were going to give away was stolen.
Located at the intersection of 32nd Street and 39th Avenue, Deans said someone gained access to his small business Friday night and made off with the laptops, some iPads and other items.
Of the stolen computers, five belonged to customers and without insurance, Deans estimates he is out close to $5,000. He will replace the customer's computers.
It's been one thing after another, he said. I'm just trying to provide for my children.
But despite the setback, Deans vows to continue with his plan to provide four laptops a year to people who need them.
On the evening before the break in, Deans noticed two men peering in the front and side windows. He recognized one of them as a customer he served last week.
Thinking their behaviour was odd, Deans snapped a picture of the two which he has since handed to the police.
Deans suspects the person acting as a customer may have lifted a set of spare keys that were hanging on the wall because those who broke in caused no damage entering the building.
Locks are being changed and security measures put in place.
Deans urges anyone with information on the break in to call police.
Photo: Thinkstock
A new study shows that wait times for medically necessary, elective surgeries in Saskatchewan went from the longest to the shortest in just four years.
The Fraser Institute says the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative, a government program launched in 2010, is the reason for the rapid decrease in wait times.
Government of Saskatchewan statistics show a 75 per cent decline in the number of patients waiting more than three months for medical treatment from 2010 to 2014.
The Fraser Institutes independent data backs up the governments findings, showing median wait times across 12 medical specialties in the province were reduced from 26.5 weeks in 2010 to 13.6 weeks in 2015.
By focusing reforms on practical solutions rather than ideological preferences, the Government of Saskatchewan has markedly reduced wait times in a fairly short period of time, said Prof. Janice MacKinnon, author of the study.
A different Fraser Institute study released several weeks ago found that long wait times for surgery and medical treatments cost Canadians $1.17 billion in 2015.
The Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative contained several reforms, including allowing patients to select physicians on the internet based, in part, on their past wait times.
Another reform allows private for-profit clinics to perform day surgeries covered by Medicare.
Because there were no additional fees or charges from these private clinics, the use of the clinics are within the guidelines of the Canada Health Act.
The study by the conservative think-tank notes that while the private clinics were the most controversial aspect of the reforms, the reduction of the wait times have shown their efficacy.
As provincial and federal leaders across the country struggle with health care budgets and demand for services, which will only increase as our population ages, the Saskatchewan experience shows that success depends on leadership, focusing on patients, collaborative decision-making and valuing results over ideology, said Mackinnon in the study.
The Canadian Institute for Health Information released a report in early April, which found that 80 per cent of Canadians receive their medical procedures within medically acceptable wait times.
Despite the report, a Castanet poll found 62 per cent of respondents rated their wait times at local hospitals as terrible or poor, while only 20 per cent rated it as good or excellent.
Photo: kag.bc.ca
The BC Liberals are getting artsy with tax dollars.
The Kamloops Art Gallery is receiving $18,000 from the B.C. government as part of the 2015-16 Collaborative Spaces pilot project, which encourages innovation and partnership between arts organizations through the sharing of space and specialized equipment.
The grant will go toward a partnership between the Kamloops Art Gallery and the Arbor Collective, an indigenous arts group providing training and exhibition opportunities to artists in the region. The project will enable enhanced training opportunities for indigenous artists, as well as increase wider community access and impact.
This partnership between the Kamloops Art Gallery and Arbor Collective will open doors for Indigenous artists in the region and broaden the artistic community for all residents, Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Terry Lake said.
The arts and culture community in Kamloops is thriving and this grant ensures it will continue to grow, evolve and become an even greater contributor to our regions creative economy, Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone said.
Collaborative arts spaces are an important contributor to B.C.s growing creative economy. These creative clusters (or hubs) are mixed-use, flexible spaces that blend educational, recreational and cultural engagement uses to generate new artistic opportunities, enhance accessibility and strengthen local economies.
By infusing funds into targeted projects, the Collaborative Spaces pilot project is intended to expand their audience reach, range of programming opportunities or shared administrative services through the renovation of spaces and/or the purchase of specialized equipment.
The provincial government will invest $1.5 million in collaborative spaces opportunities over three years, as part of the new Creative Economy Strategy.
Further details about the 2016-17 Collaborative Spaces program will be released in June. This program will include an open call for applications to qualifying not-for-profit arts and culture groups throughout the province.
Photo: Contributed Quinn Shirley is shown in a photo provided by her father, Robert Shirley.
Quinn Shirley has not directly held her mother's hand or felt a tender kiss on the cheek for most of her life.
She is less than four months old and lives in virtual isolation.
Quinn has severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Also known as "bubble baby disease," it means Quinn has no immune system. A common cold that could have taken her young life is what got her a crucial and early diagnosis.
Her mom, Dawn Shirley, told CTV News we kind of felt like we were having a bad dream when they learned of their child's condition.
In order to visit her in Victoria General Hospital, her parents must first scrub up and put on gowns and masks. When they enter the room, they sanitize their hands again, and put on gloves just to be able to hold her
Its really hard not being able to kiss your baby and having to hold and cuddle her in a gown and mask, Quinns mom said, fighting back tears.
Pediatric Immunologist Dr. Scott Cameron is treating Quinn and said SCID itself is rare, but the Victoria baby has an even rarer strain of the disease.
Most children that don't have this identified are really, really, really sick by the time they finally come to hospital at about six months of age, and some children actually pass away at home without anybody knowing they had the disease, he said.
Babies like Quinn dont get fevers, because they dont have white blood cells to fight infections. Early detection is crucial.
We definitely want to push Quinn's story to help out other families in the future, her dad, Robert Shirley, said Tuesday.
The Shirleys are now asking the province to include SCID screening as one of the tests regularly performed on newborns.
Quinn is on new medication paid for by the province, and her parents say she is responding well. They even hope to take her for a walk outside soon. But this journey will take them much further. If Quinn is well enough to return home, they will need to scrub their home and make it completely sterile.
They have also heard of a cure.
Curative gene therapy is an experimental treatment pioneered by researchers out of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), but the treatment is expensive and in demand.
But it has a much higher survival rate than a traditional bone marrow transplant. The Shirleys are on a waitlist for curative gene therapy, and hope to get Quinn treated later this year. Theyre asking the province to cover the costs.
A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help the family.
- with files from CTV
Photo: Contributed
The BC Coroners Service has confirmed the identity of a man who died in a snowmobiling accident near Sparwood on April 21 as Mark Wayne Paniec, 54, of Sparwood.
Paniec was one of a party of seven who had travelled to the Barnes Lake area to go snowmobiling.
At about 3 p.m. on April 21, Paniec's snowmobile was headed down a slope when it collided with another snowmobile that had been traversing across the slope. Paniec died at the scene.
The BC Coroners Service and RCMP continue to investigate.
Photo: Thinkstock.com
Months after he was diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer, his body wasting away and his voice reduced to a whisper, Ben Wald woke up his wife in the middle of the night and told her he was dying.
"I've had a good life. I love you," Pam Wald remembers him saying. "I just don't want to continue living like this. I want to explore Oregon's death with dignity law."
Pam didn't want to listen at first. After 43 years of marriage, she couldn't fathom the idea that her husband was dying. But the next night, he brought it up again.
"He looked me in the eye, and he said, 'I need your help.' I knew then I had to listen."
Wald is one of the 991 people who have used Oregon's Death with Dignity Act since it was passed in 1997. The law allows terminally ill residents with less than six months to live to request lethal medication to end their lives.
As Canada debates its own assisted-death legislation, families say Oregon's law gave their loved one a sense of control and the chance to die surrounded by friends and family. But critics say the law robs families of precious final moments, with one expert saying the safeguards aren't strong enough to stop depressed people from getting the drugs.
Wald had to overcome a number of barriers while seeking a prescription in 2012 in Philomath, a rural community about 140 kilometres from Portland. His oncologist was reluctant to use Oregon's law, so he turned to advocacy group Compassion and Choices, which referred him to Dr. David Grube.
"Ben was so sick he couldn't even get out of bed," Grube recalled. "He was having trouble even completing sentences. He usually weighed around 190. He weighed about 100 pounds. He looked horrible. But he was witty, and very alert."
Grube and a second doctor confirmed that Wald had less than six months to live, his judgment was not impaired and his decision was voluntary, all criteria of Oregon's law. But Wald couldn't find a local pharmacist to fill the prescription, forcing his friends to drive to a pharmacy near Portland.
"Once he got the prescription, I had my husband back," Pam Wald said. "He was weak as hell, but he had a twinkle in his eye because he knew he was going to have his choice."
On May 4, 2012, a group of the couple's close friends came over. They sang and read poetry, and spoke with Wald privately in his bedroom. Pam Wald shared with the group her husband's final advice to her, which was, "Make people earn your trust," and "Live simply, act nobly and obey your heart."
After two Compassion and Choices volunteers prepared the medication, Pam Wald gave it to her husband. He consumed it quickly, falling asleep in five minutes and dying in two hours.
"Before he closed his eyes, he looked at me and he said, 'Thank you.' Those were his last words."
Sitting in her tiny living room surrounded by photos of her husband, Wald said everyone who was there that day says their lives have been changed forever.
"What death with dignity does ... it shows individuals we're all going to die. It shows individuals how to have a dignified death on their terms."
In Oregon, the language people use to describe using the law remains political, 19 years after legalization. Critics deliberately call the practice "assisted suicide," to the disdain of advocates who prefer "aid in dying" or the euphemistic "death with dignity."
Grube said deaths under the law have an entirely different emotional impact on families than suicides. About five years before the law was enacted, his neighbour, a cancer patient, killed himself with a shotgun. Grube had to go over to his house to find his body.
"It was horrible for his family and horrible for me," he said. "Everybody wonders. I wondered: 'How come I didn't recognize he was feeling this way?' And there's the physical mess of it. It's so awful. Nobody grieves normally.
"Aid in dying is a planned thing, which is gentle and kind and the family usually is all there. So when the person dies, the family grieves appropriately. They're sad because they lost their family member, but it was a beautiful death."
Still, critics argue the final weeks and days of one's life before a natural death can be beautiful and that a hastened death isn't the answer. After Dr. William Toffler's wife was diagnosed with cancer and given months to live, she survived for five years.
"I wouldn't wish cancer on anyone. But the reality is that we were married 40 years and among the best years of my life and her life were the last five," he said. "If you know you only have a limited amount of time to live, you don't take days for granted."
Oregonians who seek aid in dying are often described as well educated, accomplished people with a lifelong focus on independence and control. In a 2003 survey by psychiatrist Linda Ganzini, doctors described their patients not as depressed but as "determined" and "decisive."
The law requires patients be referred for a psychological exam if a doctor suspects they have depression or a mental illness, but these examinations are surprisingly rare. Just five of the 218 people who received prescriptions last year were referred to a psychiatrist.
In a 2008 study of 58 terminally ill residents, Ganzini found that of the 18 people who used lethal medication to end their lives, three were depressed when they obtained a prescription.
"The current practice of the Death with Dignity Act may fail to protect some patients whose choices are influenced by depression from receiving a prescription for a lethal drug," she concluded.
Susan Smith, who became a Compassion and Choices volunteer after her husband Joe Smith used the law in 2005, said suicide is a decision made by someone who has a choice to live or die. Her husband had terminal lung cancer and could only choose when, where and how to die, she said.
"He was an independent thinker and wanted quality of life instead of quantity," she said. "He wanted to be able to be conscious and say goodbye when his body was ready to go."
Smith recalled standing with her stepdaughter in her kitchen and pulling apart 100 bright pink capsules of Seconal to mix into applesauce. As a former nurse, she had a moment where she wondered, "Is this the right thing to do?"
But she thought of his suffering and what he would endure if she didn't help him. He had grown skeletal, his chest was filled with mucous and he was suffering tumour fevers. Refusing to give him the medication would have been selfish, she concluded.
Smith told his family and friends he loved them before his wife gave him the applesauce, her "last gift."
"I've always wondered about the mystery and now I get to go find out," she recalled him saying.
He died within 45 minutes of eating the mixture, and only a few minutes after a friend opened a door. He was part Cherokee, a culture that believes the soul needs a portal to exit.
"I felt very relieved and joyful sad, but it had happened and it happened well," his wife said. "He was where he needed to be."
Photo: Contributed
A new survey conducted for a gun-control advocacy group suggests that two-thirds of Quebecers are in favour of the registration of long guns.
Leger's poll for PolySeSouvient comes as provincial lawmakers study Bill 64, which, if passed, would create Canada's only provincial long-gun registry.
The survey, a copy of which was provided to The Canadian Press, found that 69 per cent of those polled were in favour of a registry, versus 26 per cent who were opposed. Five per cent had no opinion.
The online poll surveyed 1,004 Quebecers between April 15 and April 17.
Respondents were asked: "Do you agree with the implementation of a firearms registry (the registration of long guns) in Quebec so as to be able to link each weapon to its legal owner?"
The results, to be made public Wednesday, also found that 90 per cent of Quebecers were in favour of an obligatory verification of firearms permits to ensure they are valid before a weapon is sold. Proponents argued during recently concluded public hearings it is a necessary amendment
"There was more and more talk coming from the opponents (of the registry) that the majority of Quebecers don't support registration," said PolySeSouvient spokeswoman Heidi Rathjen.
"We wanted to get the latest measurements of public opinion regarding the registry in Quebec and one of the main amendments that has been called for by us and expert groups is the mandatory inspection of the permit at time of sale."
Quebec is looking to set up its own registry after the former Conservative government abolished the federal database for non-restricted guns in 2012.
The province fought Ottawa in court to save the Quebec data, ultimately losing at the Supreme Court before moving forward on its own last December.
But the debate surrounding the Quebec bill has caused political wedges and ideological divides.
Grassroots opposition to the bill has emerged, with much of it coming from hunters and sport shooters. They argue Canadian licensing regulations are sufficient, while gun-control advocates counter most Quebecers want a registry and that licences aren't enough.
Rathjen says her goal is an effective registry minus "loopholes" and "grey areas."
A spokesman for grassroots group Tous contre un registre quebecois des armes a feu (All Against a Quebec Firearms Registry) says the poll results are not surprising given who commissioned the survey and the way the questions were asked.
"But if we asked the questions in a different way looking at cost versus utility, for example it could completely change those results," Guy Morin said. "The survey at some level is leading, giving them the numbers they were looking for."
Some rural politicians have been targeted in the past because many voters in their ridings are opposed to the bill. There are also concerns about the costs of the registry and Morin says the protests will continue.
"We're here to make sure this bill doesn't pass," said Morin.
The polling industry's professional body, the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population.
Photo: Wavebreakmedia Ltd
Stem cell research in bipolar disorder
When most of us think of stem cells, we think of ethical controversy, umbilical cord blood banks, growing new tissues and other commonly discussed topics in medical research.
I would venture that not many think of stem cell research in relation to psychiatric conditions and what we might learn about them.
Researchers at the University of Michigan are using stem cells from skin fibroblasts of people with bipolar disorder to gain more understanding of this difficult mental illness.
By observing how the stem cells behave and change, researchers have already discovered a few ways in which cells from individuals with bipolar disorder are different from those with no bipolar disorder. Differences lie in how often certain genes are expressed, how they differentiate, how they communicate, and also how they respond to lithium.
Gene expression
Examining gene expression in cells from those with and without bipolar disorder as they differentiated into neurons, researchers found the cells from bipolar patients express more genes involved with sending and receiving calcium signals between cells. This is particularly interesting because calcium signals are known to be important to neuron development and function, and other studies have already linked bipolar disorder to problems with neuronal calcium balance.
Signalling patterns changed in the presence of lithium among the cells from bipolar patients the lithium didnt completely normalize the calcium signalling, but did made a noticeable difference and showed that lithium (a mainstay in treatment for bipolar disorder) affects the metabolism of calcium.
Researchers also noticed differences in what is called microRNA expression in the cells from bipolar patients, and this suggests bipolar disorder likely occurs as a result of a combination of genetic susceptibilities.
Preliminary findings, but exciting
These are preliminary findings, but exciting. The more we learn about the way cells act and react in bipolar disorder and other psychiatric conditions, the better well understand about causes and possible interventions to help people living with these illnesses.
I anticipate much more to come from this and other groups examining stem cells in hope of discovering more about mental illness. I look forward to the day when this kind of research enables more personalized treatment and prevention tools.
Help is available now
In the meantime, bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses can be effectively managed. Speak with your doctor and get a referral to a mental health professional if you think you or a loved one are experiencing mental health symptoms. Help is available now.
This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: Contributed
The public is invited to cruise over to the South Okanagan Events Centre parking lot for a swap meet featuring vintage vehicles and more this weekend.
The South Okanagan and Okanagan Chapter of the Vintage Car Club of Canada is holding their 26th Annual Automotive, Motorcycle and Antique Swap Meet on Saturday.
More than 100 vendors will be on hand in the parking lot and the Penticton Curling Club.
There will be a wide range of automotive related memorabilia for sale including vintage vehicles, porcelain signs, advertising memorabilia and automotive manuals, including custom and muscle car parts and motorcycles.
Antique and collectible vendors from around the Okanagan will also be on hand selling their collectibles.
The Okanagan Motorcycle Riders Association along with the Kelowna and District Safety council will be selling tickets for a chance to win two Harley Davidson motorcycles.
Cops for Kids will be promoting their annual car show and there will be information on site regarding the Rides for Dad Motorcycle Run.
There will be breakfast and lunch concession be on site.
Admission is $3, and children under age 12 get in for free.
There is a limited number of vendor spaces still available.
The event is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Photo: Contributed The Benedict Canyon estate, sheltered in the hills of Los Angeles, photographed in 1992.
UPDATE: 1 p.m.
A friend of a newly identified young Canadian woman found stabbed 150 times in 1969 near the site of some of the Manson family killings in Los Angeles says she's distraught to finally learn how her friend had died.
Piret Koppel, a Montreal psychotherapist, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that 19-year-old Reet Jurvetson was intelligent and vivacious, and that learning how she died gave her shivers.
Jurvetson's sister, Anne Jurvetson, says in a statement that she's horrified that her sister must have felt "terribly frightened and alone" as she died and that she didn't deserve to be savagely killed.
Los Angeles police Detective Luis Rivera said Jurvetson was finally identified 46 years after her death in December after her sister saw a photo of her body posted online.
Police are investigating whether Jurvetson's death is connected to the Manson family killings.
People magazine was first to report she had been identified.
ORIGINAL
Los Angeles police have identified the body of a woman found stabbed 150 times in 1969 near the site of the Manson family killings as a 19-year-old from Montreal, People magazine reported Wednesday.
Police have identified the woman as Reet Jurvetson, who moved to Los Angeles from Montreal the year she was killed, according to People.
Los Angeles police Detective Luis Rivera told the magazine that investigators can't rule out that the Manson family was involved in the killing.
Rivera said the best lead police have is a man known as "John," whom Jurvetson met in Toronto before flying to Los Angeles to see him the summer of 1969.
Jurvetson's body was found Nov. 16, 1969, by a birdwatcher in dense brush off the iconic Mulholland Drive.
She had been stabbed 150 times and didn't have identification.
"It was personal," Rivera told People. "It was a maniac ... or love gone wrong."
After going unidentified for years, Jurvetson eventually became known Jane Doe No. 59. The location and timing of her killing, just a few miles away from several Manson family murders, has long fueled speculation that Jurvetson's case was connected.
Police are working to solve the murder, with Rivera saying, "No one deserves what happened to her."
"It's our job to find out who's responsible and bring them to justice," he said.
Police said they used DNA to identify Jurvetson after her sister recognized a photo posted of the young woman's body online.
The sister, Anne Jurvetson, told People that the "free-spirited and happy" teen went to Los Angeles after meeting and becoming smitten with "John."
Anne Jurvetson said her sister sent her family a postcard saying she had found an apartment and was happy but that they never heard from her again after that. Her parents never reported her missing because "they thought that she was just living her life somewhere," Anne Jurvetson said.
Eventually, she said she came to realize that her sister was probably dead.
"It is such a sad, helpless kind of feeling to always question, to never know," she said. "After all these years, we are faced with hard facts. My little sister was savagely killed."
Manson became notorious in 1969 as the leader of a "family" of young killers that terrified Los Angeles. Manson was convicted of killing seven people, including pregnant actress Sharon Tate, the wife of director Roman Polanski.
Photo: Flickr
A man driving for the popular ride-hailing company Uber has been charged with sexual assault after an alleged attack on a passenger.
York Regional Police say the incident happened shortly after midnight on Tuesday morning when a woman in her 30s used the Uber app to arrange a ride in Richmond Hill, just north of Toronto.
Police say the driver took the woman to a parking lot in nearby Markham where she was allegedly sexually assaulted.
Police say 30-year-old Ahmadfayim Bayat is now charged with one count of sexual assault.
They say Uber has been co-operative in the investigation.
Bayat is due in court later today for a bail hearing.
Susie Heath, a spokeswoman for Uber, said in an email that the company takes "every safety incident very seriously and are committed to the safety of everyone who uses Uber."
"Upon hearing of this disturbing incident, we immediately removed the driver from the platform and contacted York Regional Police to offer our assistance and have supported them in their investigation," she added.
Photo: Contributed
A new code of conduct that warns foul-smelling patrons or those "lingering aimlessly" won't be tolerated at the Kingston, Ont., public library is coming under fire from critics who say it targets homeless people.
A group called Libraries are for Everyone says that while the new rules don't explicitly bar homeless or poor people from using the library, they will have that effect.
The group says the guidelines "may do more to stigmatize and marginalize some of the most vulnerable library patrons."
It is hoping to convince the library board to repeal the changes and launch a public consultation at its monthly meeting Wednesday night.
The library board has defended the policy, which was passed at its meeting in March but only came to the public's attention a few weeks ago.
In a statement posted on its website, the board says the guidelines are not aimed at a specific group and stresses they are required to ensure the library remains a safe space.
The board is reaching out to shelters, police and mental health support to ensure that patrons whose needs exceed library services are directed to the appropriate organization, the statement says.
But Libraries are for Everyone says excluding people won't help.
"I think it will impact a lot of people's lives," said Nancy Jones, one of the group's members.
Among the new guidelines is a note that "offensive body odour and/or offensive clothing/bag odour will not be tolerated," and that patrons must "limit the belongings" they bring inside.
"Patrons are expected to be actively engaged in a library service or event," the rules say.
"Loitering or sleeping is not permitted on library premises. Loitering is defined as sitting or standing idly about; lingering aimlessly without using library services, regular and/or prolonged attendance at the library without using library services."
Libraries are for Everyone says those references, in particular, "could discriminate against shelter users and other people in precarious housing situations or suffering mental ill health."
Photo: Contributed
A B.C. Mountie has left the RCMP over a controversy involving explicit bondage photos.
Photos of Coquitlam RCMP Cpl. Jim Brown posted on a sadomasochism website made the Mountie the subject of three separate investigations in 2012.
He was suspended with pay for alleged professional misconduct when the photos were first brought to the attention of the RCMP.
Brown is seen wearing his RCMP boots in various bondage photos.
CTV News has learned that Brown's disciplinary hearing was cancelled and the commanding officer of the RCMP in British Columbia said Brown submitted his discharge papers, which were "immediately" signed.
"His career with the RCMP is over," Dept. Comm. Craig Callens said in a statement.
"I will continue to use all authorities available to me as the Commanding Officer of the RCMP in B.C. to hold accountable the few who fail to meet our standards of conduct and behaviour."
Friends stood up for the Mountie after the photos were made public but the RCMP distanced itself.
"Our challenge is to separate behaviors that can be corrected and made better versus those that attract the most horrendous and outrageous condemnation by everybody, Commissioner Bob Paulson said in June 2012.
Brown hasnt commented publicly, but he has filed a defamation suit against the Pacific Newspaper Group.
The statement of claim says hes experienced embarrassment, anxiety and depression. It also says he has undergone medical treatment as a result of the incident.
with files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer
Osoyoos Mayor Sue McKortoff said Wednesday she isn't happy that the School District 53 board has declined an offer of financial assistance from the town.
That assistance, in the amount of $350,000 over three years, equaling $1.1 million, was laid out in a letter recently sent to board chairwoman Marieze Tarr.
Tarr subsequently sent a response letter, declining the offer.
"We feel they are not treating this with the respect they should," said McKortoff. "We have some money that we could use now to assist the district."
The letter is one of many the town has sent to the board, following its decision in early April to close Osoyoos Secondary School.
The decision to close the town's only high school angered many in the community, from parents to students, business people and the town council.
After the recent offer of financial assistance, Supt. Bev Young said the board had a meeting to discuss the details as provided by the town to offer the assistance contingent on a number of factors and then sent a response to the town based on those discussions.
The council also sent a letter to the board last week regarding legal action.
That letter states in part: "Osoyoos Town Council is advising the School District 53 Board that given the impacts on the Town of Osoyoos and the region as a whole of the Osoyoos Secondary School closure, the town is considering legal action unless the board defers the school closure decision for at least one year to allow for meaningful consultation with the town and other School District 53 constituents."
The third reading on the school closure matter will be held at the school board office in Oliver at 7 p.m. tonight.
Tarr said after the decision was made that she recognizes this is a difficult time for students, staff and the community.
The most recent letter declining financial assistance, as well as others, can be found on the Town of Osoyoos website.
Photo: YourNikonMan
An 80-year-old woman was terrorized in her own home by a gun-wielding thug Tuesday.
Richmond RCMP were called to a home at about 5 p.m. in the 8000 block of Williams Road following a report of a robbery with a firearm.
The senior was in her residence when the suspect entered her home through an unlocked garage door.
The suspect produced a handgun and demanded her purse and car keys. He then fled in the victim's vehicle. The victim was not injured.
This despicable act was particularly brazen, especially given the time in which it took place. We are doubling down our efforts in tracking down those responsible for this crime. Our LMD Forensic Unit has processed the crime scene and will be processing the vehicle later on today. We are continuing with our canvas and security footage analysis, says Cpl. Dennis Hwang. "We are very relieved to hear that the victim was unharmed. Our Victim Services Unit has been activated and is engaged."
The suspect is described as:
Indo-Canadian, or darker skinned male
In his late 20s or early 30s
Around 6 feet in height
Slim build
Short dark hair with a receding hair line
The victims vehicle was recovered near a business complex in the 4200 block of Hazelbridge Way just before 2 a.m. April 27.
Several promising leads have arisen that we are actively pursuing. If anyone has any information on this case, please contact us immediately. Your tips could make the difference in this case, said Hwang.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Const. Gerow at 604-278-1212, tips cab be enailed at [email protected] or to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Photo: Flickr - BC gov't
Premier Christy Clark is defending her annual stipend of up to $50,000 from British Columbia's Liberal party, on top of her $195,000 annual salary.
"It's been publicly disclosed since 1993," Clark told reporters Wednesday about a policy the Liberal party called a long-standing tradition. "I guess I would have happily disclosed it last year if you'd asked me."
Clark was fending off attacks from NDP Leader John Horgan, who alleged she benefits from donations at high-priced Liberal fundraisers.
"Big money is staying in politics largely because the premier's benefiting from it," he said.
"We tabled legislation just two weeks ago and the Liberals voted against it. We want union and corporate donations to be gone," Horgan said. "Because of her fundraising activities the Liberals have money to top up her salary, and that's wrong."
Quebec's Liberal party had a similar policy but did away with it, he said.
Clark said the NDP also raises money with "exclusive soirees and the B.C. Liberals raise money as well.
"We all do that under the rules in the province. We've done it for a long time in British Columbia," she said.
"The issue for us is to make sure that we always separate our public duties from any sources of funding for our political party."
The Liberal party and an official in Clark's office said former premier Gordon Campbell received a $90,000 stipend at one point.
Clark declares her premier's allowance on her annual public disclosure documents, but the amounts are not specified.
She has said she attends exclusive fundraising events organized by the Liberal party, but does not know how much people pay to attend.
B.C.'s conflict-of-interest commissioner is reviewing separate complaints from New Democrat David Eby and Democracy Watch co-founder Duff Conacher claiming the fundraising events that Clark attends violate policies that prohibit the acceptance of gifts.
Paul Fraser later confirmed in a letter to Conacher that he would investigate both complaints and issue one opinion on the matter.
Eby amended his complaint on Wednesday in a letter to Fraser, saying the allowances Clark receives from the Liberal party are a direct financial benefit.
"Simply because the donation money from these private dinners briefly visits the B.C. Liberal Party before ending up in Ms. Clark's pocket does not, for the purposes of the act, eliminate the direct personal, financial benefit she experiences from these large donations," the letter said.
Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet File Photo
Tourism Kelowna and Sharron Simpson are agreeing to disagree.
The two are at opposite ends of a discussion concerning the site of a new Tourism Kelowna information centre.
The centre is proposed for the foot of the Queensway, which is now a parking lot between Stuart and Kerry parks.
About 40 to 45 per cent of the 3,000 square foot building would encroach on lands covered by the Simpson Covenant.
Following a meeting between the two sides, Simpson sent a letter to local media, questioning the need to place a building in front of the waterfront the city is trying to promote.
A retail component within the walls of the tourist centre is at the heart of the matter.
Tourism Kelowna board chairman Daniel Bibby said he understands Simpson's point of view, but said it is their belief a tourist centre is very much municipal in nature, which falls within the spirit of the covenant.
"We'll make sure we honour the covenant and don't put anything that could be deemed commercialized in any way," said Bibby.
He said the current information centre does sell some souvenirs and tickets for both the Actor's Studio and Community Theatre.
"But, that won't be the primary the purpose. It's no different than the museum or art gallery having a few souvenirs," he said.
He also said the proposed centre would be set back 50 feet from the shoreline and would be constructed mostly of glass to maintain sightlines of the lake.
Bibby said Tourism Kelowna has obtained a legal opinion, which he said backs their assertion the covenant has not been breached.
Tourism Kelowna is in the process of obtaining a lease from the city, and finalizing a design to take to the public approval process.
"We do want residents of Kelowna to embrace this idea and provide their feedback."
Bibby said he hopes the dispute doesn't end up in court, stating he doesn't believe there is a basis for a legal challenge.
"Once we get a chance to showcase this to the local community and answer as many questions as possible ... there will be some good dialogue," he said.
"Hopefully we can talk through these issues, rather than it going any further."
For her part, Simpson didn't threaten legal action, stating only she hopes there will be sufficient groundswell to convince council not to approve the use.
The covenant has been in place for 71 years. It restricts the area between Queensway and Doyle avenues and the lake to Ellis Street, for municipal, non-commercial use only.
Photo: BC Ambulance
Paramedics will provide expanded health-care services in 73 rural and remote British Columbia communities, giving patients more access to primary care.
Health Minister Terry Lake says paramedics will deliver basic services such as checking blood pressure, helping with diabetes care and assessing medication.
The Health Ministry says more paramedics are being hired and will visit patients in their home or community to perform assessments requested by a referring health-care professional.
Ambulance paramedics of BC president Bronwyn Barter says paramedics are well suited to take on an expanded role.
Community paramedicine was introduced in nine B.C. communities last year and has now been expanded to the Interior, northern B.C., Vancouver Island and the Vancouver coastal area before it begins in Prince George next year.
The government failed to meet its promise of recruiting and retaining enough doctors by 2015 so every B.C. resident who needed a general practitioner would have one.
Photo: Contributed
The British Columbia Supreme Court has stepped in to allow an 11-year-old child diagnosed with gender dysphoria to be represented in a parental dispute over medical treatment.
The child, identified only as J.K. in court documents, was born female and is transitioning to become male, a treatment that includes taking a puberty-blocking drug called Lupron.
J.K. and his mother both asked the court to appoint a litigation guardian to represent the child after J.K.'s father launched legal action to try to stop the Lupron treatment.
Court documents show J.K.'s mother has been supportive of his transition but the father argues that the treatment was undertaken without his consent and the child has not been adequately assessed by experts.
Justice Ronald Skolrood ruled in a written decision that J.K. should be represented by a litigation guardian who can help him formulate views to present in the next court battle over the his treatment.
In the meantime, Skolrood denied a request from J.K.'s mother to give her sole authority to make decisions on the child's medical, social, gender, education and legal matters.
Re: Going up in smoke
I agree that having homes growing cannabis plants in densely-populated neighbourhoods isn't really the best solution, but switching over to industrial-type operations isn't ideal either. This product is best cultivated by those who know and care about it, not money-hungry weasels who take it to warehouse scale and have to use nasty chemicals to keep things in order. That is just one example of how the quality and safety of the product is reduced by scaling up the operation. There must be some sensible middle ground.
As for your claims about brownouts/lights flickering, I'm no electrical engineer, but I find it highly unlikely that these homes would be equipped with large enough inductive loads to cause noticeable voltage drops in neighbouring properties. The lights themselves have transformers in them to allow the special type of bulbs to operate, but they are not "high voltage." They're designed just like any fluorescent fixture (or CFL bulb). When it comes to your claims about gangster activity, slimy individuals, and cannabis being a severely destructive substance on par with truly gnarly hard drugs, that's where it becomes painfully clear that your concerns are rooted in some strange ideological place rather than here in reality.
Your heart seems to be in the right place, but I don't think you are viewing the issue from a rational angle. This whole cannabis movement is a really big moment in Canadian history, but it requires the whole lot of us adults to think and act in a sensible manner. Otherwise, we will be stuck with a goofy system that does not serve the public well.
Zane Gates
Photo: Correctional Service Canada
A South Okanagan man convicted of sexual interference has died midway through his sentence.
Kenneth Blair Schmutz, an inmate at Mountain Institution in Agassiz, died at a hospital in Surrey on April 19.
At the time of his death, Schmutz, 51, had been serving a 7-1/2-year sentence since April 15, 2013, for sexual interference and other offences.
His family has been notified of his death.
"As in all cases involving the death of an inmate, the police and the coroner have been notified, and Correctional Service of Canada will review the circumstances of the incident," said a news release from the organization.
Photo: Google Street View
RCMP are warning people to watch their backs after a woman was attacked on the Mission Greenway Tuesday morning.
The incident took place about 7:30 a.m. near the south end of Hollywood Road South. A young woman was jogging along that part of the Greenway, when she was grabbed from behind by an unknown assailant.
The woman said she was able to fend off her attacker, and ran three kilometres back to her vehicle.
She didn't report the incident to police until late this morning.
The 18-year-old woman was not hurt in the attack.
The suspect has been described as:
Caucasian male
25 years old
Six feet
Short medium brown hair worn flat
Having a neatly trimmed beard
Muscular build
He was seen wearing:
Blue jeans
Black jacket
Large silver watch with Roman numerals
RCMP would like to remind residents walking, jogging and biking alone to plan your route, vary your routine and avoid isolated areas, said Const. Jesse ODonaghey.
RCMP would also like to encourage all victims to report such incidents to the police as soon as it is safe to do so."
RCMP are seeking the publics assistance in identifying the suspect.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Const. Ryan Routley of the Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300.
Remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, leaving a tip online at www.crimestoppers.net or by texting your tip to CRIMES (274637) ktown.
Loesche secures Thanh Thang order
27 April 2016
Loesche GmbH, Germany, has signed a new contract with Sinoma-NCDRI, China, to supply three vertical roller mills to Thanh Thang Group Cement JSC in Vietnam.
The scope of delivery for this order also includes rotary feeders, water injection, metal detectors and sealing air fans. All of the equipment is to be delivered in 8 to 9 months' time and the mills will be put into operation as early as October 2016.
The order forms part of Thanh Thangs second cement plant project, being built at a greenfield site in Ha Nam province in the Red River Delta region, which includes the Vietnam capital, Hanoi.
The plant will use a type LM 60.6 LOESCHE mill, with a capacity of 520tph, for grinding raw material to a fineness of 12 per cent R DIN 0.09 mm. The gearbox of this mill has a power output of 4,600kW.
Two type LM 53.3+3 CS Loesche mills, each with a capacity of 200tph, will grind clinker to 3400 Blaine. The gearboxes of these two mills each have a power of 4,600 kW.
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A US district court in Ohio dismissed a challenge by US Sen. Rand Paul and several other plaintiffs seeking declaratory and injunctive relief against enforcement of the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), the intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) entered into under FATCA, and the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (called FBAR) administered by the US Treasurys Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The court held the plaintiffs lacked standing to sue (Crawford, No. 3:15-CV-00250 (S.D. Ohio 4/26/16)).
The plaintiffs filed suit against the Treasury Department, the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and FinCEN. They brought eight claims before the court. The first was a challenge to the validity of the IGAs with Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Israel, and Switzerland. The second claim addressed the information-reporting provisions imposed on foreign financial institutions (FFIs). The plaintiffs third claim challenged the laws heightened reporting requirements for foreign bank accounts.
The fourth and fifth claims challenged FATCAs 30% tax on payments to FFIs from US sources when those FFIs choose not to report to the IRS about the bank accounts of their US customers and the 30% tax imposed on recalcitrant account holders who exercise their rights not to identify themselves as US citizens or waive privacy protections afforded their accounts by foreign law.
The sixth claim challenged the penalty for willful failures to file an FBAR, which can be as much as the greater of $100,000 or 50% of the value of the unreported account. Finally, the seventh and eighth claims argued the information-reporting requirements of FATCA and the IGAs are unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution.
Paul, who sued in his official capacity as a US senator, and whose participation in the lawsuit brought increased attention to the proceedings, was the first plaintiff to have his claim dismissed for lack of standing. He had argued, among other things, that the failure to bring the IGAs before the US Congress to be voted upon denied him the right to advise and consent to executive action. The court held that this claim of injury was not concrete enough to confer standing, and the court noted that Paul had an adequate, nonjudicial remedy of enacting legislation to repeal the laws he objected to.
Amongst the other plaintiffs was Mark Crawford, who objected to the laws effect on him because his brokerage firm did business with a bank that was refusing to take US citizens as clients. He also objected to disclosing the financial details of his accounts to the US government, and he feared the excessive fines imposed for willful failure to file an FBAR. All of these claims were dismissed by the court.
The first was dismissed because the action of a third party (the foreign bank) that is not part of the suit is not grounds for standing, the court said. Second, Crawfords discomfort with the information-reporting requirements does not establish the concrete, particular harm required for standing. And third, Crawford did not allege that he had failed to file any required FBAR or that the penalty had been assessed against him; thus, he had not alleged a harm that would confer standing.
The other plaintiffs were US citizens and former US citizens currently living in foreign countries, including Canada, the Czech Republic, Israel, and Switzerland. They either objected to disclosing information to the US government or alleged harm because they could not open accounts in the foreign jurisdictions in which they lived. As in Mark Crawfords case, the court held that all of these plaintiffs lacked standing because they failed to establish the concrete, particular harm that is a prerequisite to standing.
As a result, the court granted the defendants motion to dismiss the case.
Sally P. Schreiber (sschreiber@aicpa.org) is a CGMA Magazine senior editor.
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CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. on Wednesday announced the company will relocate its corporate headquarters from Carpinteria, Calif. to Franklin.
CKE, parent to the Carls Jr. and Hardees sister chains, will invest $5 million in the new headquarters and create over 100 jobs in Williamson County.
"We appreciate CKE for choosing Tennessee as home to its corporate headquarters and creating more than 100 new jobs in Franklin, Governor Bill Haslam said. In Tennessee, we provide a business-friendly environment that promotes growth and success for both new and existing businesses. We welcome CKE and thank the company for bringing us one step closer toward our goal to make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs.
With the best balance sheet in the nation, Tennessee proves yet again to be a state that can back up its promises, Economic and Community Development Commission Randy Boyd said. This is our second headquarter announcement in two weeks, and we are fortunate to soon have CKE call our state home. Thanks, CKE, for choosing Franklin, and welcome to Team Tennessee.
Earlier this month, Hankook Tire America Corp announced plans to locate its North American headquarters in Nashville, representing an investment of approximately $5 million and the creation of 200 new jobs.
Carpinteria-based CKE Restaurants, which also owns St. Louis-based Hardees, is consolidating both offices in Tennessee, where it has several company-owned restaurants. The new headquarters will be at 6700 Tower Cir. in Franklin. As part of the newly developed business park, CKE will occupy 47,030 rentable square feet across 1.5 floors. CKEs Anaheim, Calif. corporate office will remain fully operational.
We are pleased to bring CKEs headquarters to Tennessee, a state that understands business and provides companies like ours with an environment that facilitates success, Andy Puzder, chief executive officer of CKE Restaurants, said. We look forward to calling the city of Franklin our base of operations as we continue to meaningfully forge ahead with some very exciting new developments in the foreseeable future.
Federal and local officials welcomed CKE to Williamson County, citing the impact the company will have on the areas business landscape as well as its workforce.
Because of our positive business climate of low taxation and light touch regulation, Tennessee is a top choice for corporate relocations, U.S. Congressman Marsha Blackburn said. We are fortunate to welcome CKE to Tennessee and are confident the company will thrive in its new home. In Williamson County, CKE will not only find talented and motivated employees, it will find great neighbors.
We are thrilled CKE Restaurants has decided to relocate their corporate headquarters to Williamson County, Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson said. I welcome the employees of CKE and their families to our community, and I look forward to a strong partnership with one of Americas most iconic brands. With over 200 companies that call Williamson County home, our community has become the premiere location for headquarters over the last decade. CKE Restaurants will now enjoy the same amenities that draw talent to Williamson County, including our great school systems, our low crime rate, our corporate housing options, our public parks and recreation areas, and countless other benefits that make this the fastest county for job growth in America.
"TVA and Middle Tennessee EMC congratulate CKE Foods on its decision to locate in Franklin, Tennessee, TVA Senior Vice President of Economic Development John Bradley said. We are proud to partner with Williamson County, city of Franklin, Williamson Inc. and Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to help further TVAs mission of service and facilitate new job opportunities in the Valley.
Dysfunctional family drama takes an especially morbid turn in Youth in Oregon, the star-studded dramedy that made its worldwide premiere at New Yorks Tribeca Film Festival. The film revolves around the complex topic of euthanasia, specifically one dying mans decision to commit physician-assisted suicide against his familys wishes. Its a premise surrounded by complicated ethical questions and though Youth in Oregon has its share of moving moments, the movie doesnt quite do its complex subject justice.
The film stars Frank Langella as Raymond Engersol, a cranky, 80-year-old retired doctor who suffered a heart attack two years ago and now lives with his wife Estelle (Mary Kay Place) in the home of their daughter Kate (Christina Applegate) and son-in-law Brian (Billy Crudup). The supposedly temporary arrangement doesnt really work for anyone least of all Brian, who is constantly pitching an assisted living facility, and Ray, who feels like a burden on both his daughter and his wife.
Increasing family tensions come to a head when Ray discovers that his heart is failing again and will prove fatal unless he undergoes another surgery. Desperate to avoid another complicated procedure, Ray keeps the prognosis a secret from his family, instead announcing that hes hired a driver to take him to Oregon, where hell meet with a doctor wholl approve his legally assisted suicide. He makes the announcement in the middle of his birthday dinner and of course, nobody other than an alarmed Kate takes him seriously. In fact, Estelles reply is something along the lines of Can you pass the bread?
When Ray doesnt let up as expected, Kate eventually promises to drive him herself. But shes waylaid by an irrelevant problem involving teen daughter Annie (Nicola Peltz) and Brian gets roped into taking her place behind the wheel. What ensues is a wacky, stress-filled drive with a few comedic moments (Brian and Estelle get high on prescription pills) and random detours to an Iowa hot air balloon festival, an aviary sanctuary (Ray has an affinity for bird-watching), and the house of Rays estranged son Danny (Josh Lucas). Throughout it all, Brian remains under the vastly misguided impression that hes just humoring his stubborn father-in-law and that Ray will never be able to follow through on his plan.
As the man at the center of the familial storm, Langella gives a truly extraordinary performance. Vulnerable in some places and ferocious in others, the actor delivers a genuine and respectful depiction of an aging man confronting his own increasing frailty
Unfortunately, the rest of the cast is struck in largely one-dimension roles that make the movies more unconvincing elements all the more obvious. Most viewers will at least feel sympathetic for Applegates Kate, who looks as if shes trying to keep it together in the midst of her difficult family. But Crudups Brian seems borderline delusional most of the time while Places Estelle also comes off unlikable and almost cruel in her easy dismissal of her husbands growing frustrations. And lets not even get started on the characters of Ray grandkids, Annie and Nick (Alex Shaffer), both of whom participate in tangential plot devices (the former sends risque photos to her boyfriend, the latter is at odds with his dad) that serve little to no purpose and take up too much of the movies 99-minute run time.
Youth in Oregon is careful not to take a side on its central subject (although Langellas performance seems to advocate for individual choice) and thats sometimes a hindrance to the overall narrative. Taking a general stance to avoid becoming an issue movie is one thing, but the film doesnt do nearly enough toward contemplating the complex consequences associated with euthanasia. The result is an occasionally touching, but ultimately unsatisfying, drama that is nowhere near as ambitious as the issue it takes on.
More from Entertainment Cheat Sheet:
Specialty chemicals company LANXESS is expanding its portfolio of material protection products by taking over the Clean and Disinfect business of US-based chemical company Chemours. The business comprises active ingredients as well as specialty chemicals used especially in disinfectant and hygiene solutions.
Both companies have now signed an acquisition agreement. The enterprise value of around EUR 210 million will be paid by LANXESS from existing liquidity. Closing is expected in the second half of 2016. The transaction is still subject to approval from the relevant antitrust authorities.
The acquisition will be earnings per share (EPS) accretive in the first fiscal year. The acquired business is expected to generate an annual EBITDA contribution of around EUR 20 million, which will increase gradually with synergy effects to roughly EUR 30 million by 2020.
The deal is LANXESS first acquisition after the completion of its realignment program. We plan to enhance our position particularly in mid-sized, less cyclical markets with high margins and sound growth prospects, said Matthias Zachert, Chairman of the Board of Management of LANXESS AG. We have made quick headway and are now expanding our specialty chemicals portfolio which will make us more profitable and more resilient.
LANXESS takes over Chemours Clean and Disinfect business with 170 employees worldwide and three production sites in Memphis and North Kingstown, USA, and Sudbury, United Kingdom. In 2015, the business achieved sales of around EUR 100 million, roughly half of which in the region of North America. Through the acquisition, we will grow especially in the region of North America, where we still see good opportunities, said Zachert.
The new business will be integrated into LANXESS Material Protection Products business unit. With the acquisition of Chemours Clean and Disinfect business, we are not only expanding our portfolio of active ingredients, but are also able to establish a forward integrated value chain in the veterinary disinfection segment, said Michael Schafer, head of the Material Protection Products business unit. Above, we will benefit from Chemours experienced and dedicated employees, its strong technical and regulatory expertise, its widely recognized brands and well-established distribution networks.
Chemours Clean and Disinfect business is comprised of three segments: disinfectants, potassium monopersulfate and chlorine dioxide.
The segment of disinfectants focuses on providing solutions for veterinary disinfection. Its core product, the powder disinfectant marketed under the brand name Virkon S, has proved to be successful against a multitude of viruses, bacteria and fungi. It is deployed, among others, to combat major diseases such as Foot-and-Mouth disease, Swine Vesicular disease or Avian Influenza.
The second segment deals with the production and distribution of the active ingredient potassium monopersulfate with its core brand Oxone. It is used for pool and spa applications, in personal care, in the electronics industry and as active ingredient in the formulation of disinfection products, especially in Virkon branded products.
The chlorine dioxide segment is an established provider of package solutions for industrial water treatment.
Martin Thuo holds a vial of the liquid-metal particles produced by his research group. Working behind him are, left to right, Simge Cinar, Jiahao Chen and Ian Tevis.
The vial contains liquid-metal particles suspended in ethanol. The particles were used to demonstrate heat-free soldering.
Martin Thuo likes to look for new, affordable and clean ways to put science and technology to work in the world.
His lab is dedicated to an idea called frugal innovation: "How do you do very high-level science or engineering with very little?" said Thuo, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at Iowa State University and an associate of the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory. "How can you solve a problem with the least amount of resources?"
That goal has Thuo and his research group using their materials expertise to study soft matter, single-molecule electronics and renewable energy production. A guiding principle is that, whenever possible, nature should do part of the work.
"Nature has a beautiful way of working for us," he said. "Self-assembly and ambient oxidation are great tools in our designs."
One of the latest innovations from Thuo's lab is finding a way to make micro-scale, liquid-metal particles that can be used for heat-free soldering plus the fabricating, repairing and processing of metals - all at room temperature.
Thuo's co-authors all have Iowa State ties: Simge Cinar, a postdoctoral research associate; Ian Tevis, a former postdoctoral researcher who's now chief technical officer at an Ames startup called SAFI-Tech; and Jiahao Chen, a doctoral student.
Ask about the discovery and Thuo says Iowa State is just the place for a new development in soldering technology. Back in 1996, a research team led by Iver Anderson of the Ames Laboratory and Iowa State's department of materials science and engineering patented lead-free solder. That patent expired in 2013. But at its peak, the technology was licensed by more than 50 companies in 13 countries.
Thuo is hoping his heat-free soldering technology is just as useful. To try to help make that happen, he's worked with Tevis to launch SAFI-Tech. Thuo said the company plans to locate to the Iowa State Economic Development StartUp Factory when it opens in the ISU Research Park later this year.
The project started as a search for a way to stop liquid metal from returning to a solid - even below the metal's melting point. That's something called undercooling and it has been widely studied for insights into metal structure and metal processing. But it had been a challenge to produce large and stable quantities of undercooled metals.
Thuo's research team thought if tiny droplets of liquid metal could be covered with a thin, uniform coating, they could form stable particles of undercooled liquid metal. The engineers experimented with a new technique that uses a high-speed rotary tool to sheer liquid metal into droplets within an acidic liquid.
And then nature lends a hand: The particles are exposed to oxygen and then an oxidation layer is allowed to cover the particles, essentially creating a capsule containing the liquid metal. That layer is then polished until it is thin and smooth.
Thuo's research group proved the concept by creating liquid-metal particles containing Field's metal (an alloy of bismuth, indium and tin) and particles containing an alloy of bismuth and tin. The particles are 10 micrometers in diameter, about the size of a red blood cell.
"We wanted to make sure the metals don't turn into solids," Thuo said. "And so we engineered the surface of the particles so there is no pathway for liquid metal to turn to a solid. We've trapped it in a state it doesn't want to be in."
Those liquid metal particles could have significant implications for manufacturing.
"We demonstrated healing of damaged surfaces and soldering/joining of metals at room temperature without requiring high-tech instrumentation, complex material preparation or a high-temperature process," the engineers wrote in their paper.
Thuo and the Iowa State Research Foundation Inc. have filed for a patent on the technology.
Thuo supported the project with faculty startup funds from Iowa State and funds from a Black and Veatch faculty fellowship. The project also included imaging work at the Center for Nanoscale Systems at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Tevis, of the SAFI-Tech startup, said the company is still testing the liquid-metal technology for electrical conductivity and mechanical reliability. He said the company is also developing the technology for product demonstrations.
Thuo said the project is a good example of his frugal approach to science: it should be practical, sustainable, inexpensive and all about innovating and solving problems.
Tiny units of matter and chemistry that they are, atoms constitute the entire universe. Some rare atoms can store quantum information, an important phenomenon for scientists in their ongoing quest for a quantum Internet.
New research from UC Santa Barbara scientists and their Dutch colleagues exploits a system that has the potential to transfer optical quantum information to a locally stored solid-state quantum format, a requirement of quantum communication. The team's findings appear in the journal Nature Photonics.
"Our research aims at creating a quantum analog of current fiber optic technology in which light is used to transfer classical information -- bits with values zero or one -- between computers," said author Dirk Bouwmeester, a professor in UCSB's Department of Physics. "The rare earth atoms we're studying can store the superpositions of zero and one used in quantum computation. In addition, the light by which we communicate with these atoms can also store quantum information."
Atoms are each composed of a nucleus typically surrounded by inner shells full of electrons and often have a partially filled outer electron shell. The optical and chemical properties of the atoms are mainly determined by the electrons in the outer shell.
Rare earth atoms such as erbium and ytterbium have the opposite composition: a partially filled inner shell surrounded by filled outer shells. This special configuration is what enables these atoms to store quantum information.
However, the unique composition of rare earth atoms leads to electronic transitions so well shielded from the surrounding atoms that optical interactions are extremely weak. Even when implanted in a host material, these atoms maintain those shielded transitions, which in principle can be addressed optically in order to store and retrieve quantum information.
Bouwmeester collaborated with John Bowers, a professor in UCSB's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and investigators at Leiden University in the Netherlands to strengthen these weak interactions by implanting ytterbium into ultra-high-quality optical storage rings on a silicon chip.
"The presence of the high-quality optical ring resonator -- even if no light is injected -- changes the fundamental optical properties of the embedded atoms, which leads to an order of magnitude increase in optical interaction strength with the ytterbium," Bouwmeester said. "This increase, known as the Purcell effect, has an intricate dependence on the geometry of the optical light confinement."
The team's findings indicate that new samples currently under development at UCSB can enable optical communication to a single ytterbium atom inside optical circuits on a silicon chip, a phenomenon of significant interest for quantum information storage. The experiments also explore the way in which the Purcell effect enhances optical interaction with an ensemble of a few hundred rare earth atoms. The grouping itself has interesting collective properties that can also be explored for the storage of quantum information.
Key is an effect called a photon echo, the result of two distinct light pulses, the first of which causes atoms in ytterbium to become partially excited.
"The first light pulse creates a set of atoms we 'talk' to in a specific state and we call that state 'in phase' because all the atoms are created at the same time by this optical pulse," Bouwmeester explained. "However, the individual atoms have slightly different frequencies because of residual coupling to neighboring atoms, which affects their time evolution and causes decoherence in the system." Decoherence is the inability to keep track of how the system evolves in all its details.
"The trick is that the second light pulse changes the state of the system so that it evolves backwards, causing the atoms to return to the initial phase," he continued. "This makes everything coherent and causes the atoms to collectively emit the light they absorbed from the first pulse."
The strength of the photon echo contains important information about the fundamental properties of the ytterbium in the host material. "By analyzing the strength of these photon echoes, we are learning about the fundamental interactions of ytterbium with its surroundings," Bouwmeester said. "Now we're working on strengthening the Purcell effect by making the storage rings we use smaller and smaller."
According to Bouwmeester, quantum computation needs to be compatible with optical communication for information to be shared and transmitted. "Our ultimate goal is to be able to communicate to a single ytterbium atom; then we can start transferring the quantum state of a single photon to a single ytterbium atom," he added. "Coupling the quantum state of a photon to a quantum solid state is essential for the existence of a quantum Internet."
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Parade steps off Audio Article For the first time since 2019, marching bands, classic cars, dance troupes, scouts and politicians made their way along Midlothian Turnpike for the annual Midlothian Day Parade on Saturday, Oct....
Fresh off his career-defining role as prosecutor Christopher Darden in FX's acclaimed limited series "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story," Sterling K. Brown is revisiting an old friend.
Half a mile from Los Angeles Superior Court, where O.J. Simpson was tried on two counts of murder for the 1994 deaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and waiter Ronald Lyle Goldman, Brown can be seen on stage at the Mark Taper Forum in the Suzan-Lori Parks play "Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3)."
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The dramedy explores the work and personal lives of Civil War-era slaves. Brown stars as Hero, a slave who must choose whether to join his master fighting for the Confederacy in exchange for his freedom. He will appear in the production through Sunday. (The production continues without him until May 15.)
Brown originated the role at New York's Public Theater in 2014. We spoke to the actor about returning to the character and seeing the parallels between Hero and Darden. .
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Did the decision to come back happen pre-O.J. or post-O.J.?
Post, I believe, because we finished shooting in October of 2015, and it was after we were done shooting the show that they knew it was going to be scheduled at the Taper.
When you started rehearsals, was everyone talking about "People v. O.J. Simpson"?
A few people. Some of the cast was watching, some of the cast was not. They may or may not have FX in their apartment complex, so a lot of them were watching on their computers. But everybody was very complimentary and very sweet. I tried not to bring it up too much because I was focused on the task at hand. They said positive things, by and large you never get tired of hearing positivity.
With so much happening for you right now, why did you decide to continue with "Father Comes Home from the Wars"?
When the play first came to me, I'd been a fan of the casting directors at the Public Theater in New York for a long time. Heidi Griffiths and Jordan Thaler. They were always interested in me coming back to do a particular project. Suzan-Lori wrote this play so many years ago, and as it was moving toward production, they were like, "We think Sterling Brown should be a part of this." And so I was honored that they considered me in the first place.
And Suzan-Lori Parks wrote a play that was one of the theatrical highlights of my life going to see "Topdog/Underdog," with Don Cheadle and Jeffrey Wright. It blew me away. And it won the Pulitzer Prize, deservedly so. The fact that this woman asked me to be a part of something that she was creating, it wasn't a very hard sell. So the opportunity to come back to it, in my hometown, where I don't have to uproot myself from my family for several months and I get to still be a father and a husband although, if you ask my wife, she may tell you differently because it does take up a lot of time. But the opportunity to do theater, which is how I first came into this business in the first place, and be home at the same time, was too good to pass up.
What initially spoke to you about this play?
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The play is set in the Civil War on a plantation in West Texas. And even though it's set in that time, it's not supposed to be a period piece. As you can see, some of the costume design elements throw things very jarringly into the present day. Even the vernacular gives you some phrases like "true dat."
I think Suzan-Lori set out to create a piece of theater that didn't leave people thinking, "Wow, what a shame slavery was, glad we got over that." It's still an institution that affects the way in which we live our lives, even today. I think in regards to Hero and Homer, in particular, they are these two slaves that are both left with scars one in a physical manifestation, and the other in a psychological manifestation. No one escaped from it unscathed.
But at the end of the day, when Hero says, "These are my hands now," what he's trying to say is: Slavery is real, slavery has done a number on me, but at the end of the day, I have to take responsibility for my own actions. And own myself. The act of owning oneself, recognizing that he is his own man, he decides to bury the boss master, and now he can start his life anew. And that's such an interesting place to be in, for me.
And it's interesting. As a kid growing up St. Louis, Missouri, I lived in a predominantly black neighborhood. Any time people talked about slavery, it was always something like, "If I was a slave, I wouldn't have been putting up with that. I would have been out in a heartbeat." And it's like, sure, it's a very easy thing to say. But when actually faced with the realities of that institution, we can only speculate. Suzan-Lori gives us a vast diorama of the different perspectives of how to navigate that institution: to flee, to stay, or this very indecent proposal that the master brings to Hero's table, which is to go and fight with the Confederacy with the hopes of gaining your freedom when the war is over.
There's a moment in the play where it's said: "The worth of a colored man once he's made free is less than his worth when his slave."
In that whole section of Part 2, you can tell that Hero is really struggling with the concept of freedom. When the paradigm that he has known for the entirety of his lifetime is slavery, how does one imagine something outside of the paradigm? You have to be worth something, right? It's not quite landing the idea that, no, you own yourself. That, in it of itself, is a very scary proposition because there's something about being someone's property, being something of worth or value, that keeps you safe from the rest of society. When you know you no longer belong to someone in that way, what's to keep anyone from doing to you what they wish to do?
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And so the resonance that has for me, in particular, being from St. Louis and doing this play in N.Y.C. the incident with Mike Brown had transpired in Ferguson. The failure to indict happened while we were performing the show. And it was just heart-wrenching on a personal level for me. I go back to this statement from the Watchman: "Who watches the Watchman?" The people who are supposed to protect and serve us. And particularly coming off the O.J. Simpson project.
There is a reason that many African Americans have a healthy mistrust for law enforcement. We don't always feel protected or served by that particular institution.
So there's something frightening that comes with freedom. And there was something very frightening for a lot of slaves once they were free and were going through Reconstruction. It was like, what do you do now? There was nothing set up. Most people wound up sharecropping and staying on the land where they had once been slaves. So, yeah, that night when the lack of indictment transpired in the Mike Brown case, people were just crying. But we had this play that gave us sort of a mouthpiece to express what we couldn't necessarily express on our own. At the end of the show we decided as a cast that we would put our hands up in "hands up, don't shoot" posture and it was such a powerful moment that Suzan-Lori decided that she wanted to incorporate it into the play itself. So when Hero says, "I belong to the boss master," he puts his hands up, as if to say, "Don't shoot me. I'm just going about my business."
There is this parallel between Hero and Darden in that they're both sort of viewed as traitors by their communities.
That's interesting. They are definitely two individuals that don't have the most popular standing with regards with how they should navigate their personal lives.
Hero puts a lot of stock in the master's word because he tries to be a man of word himself, even though he falls short. ... He himself is the closest to the master, and Suzan-Lori is very much saying, you can't help, to a certain degree, to become akin to the people whom you spend the most time with. And at the end of the play, it's almost like you've seen three different Heros. You see Hero, the alpha male, at the beginning of the play; a very subservient Hero in Part 2; and by the end you see a man who has literally changed by virtue of war, by virtue of exposure to the master.
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And then Darden, being in a very particular crossroads being a prominent black member of the prosecution at a time when black America was very much on the side of the defense in the O.J. Simpson trial that was interesting because I heard that a few named actors had passed on the role because of how unpopular he was.
And so it's interesting for me to try to get into the skin of both of these individuals because you can't judge someone and play them at the same time. You have to have some real compassion and empathy for them. And you don't necessarily have to like them or love them, but you have to understand their perspective. And you have to be able to communicate their perspective without bias, as strongly as you can. I think that's what attracted me to these characters who can seem very problematic.
For me, it's a release in judgment. I may have had feelings about Hero before this process began, I may have had my feelings about Darden before it all began, but when you strip yourself of that judgment and try to authentically walk in their shoes as best as you can, you can't help but come away with a sense of love for them because you have to tell their story.
yvonne.villarreal@latimes.com
The governing body of the Chicago Teachers Union will meet next week to consider what conditions could trigger a strike this school year.
CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey said Wednesday that "the majority" of members would want to strike immediately if Chicago Public Schools unilaterally ends its long-standing practice of picking up the bulk of teacher pension contributions.
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"We would respond accordingly and it would be on," Sharkey said.
But Sharkey said the union wants to continue pressuring lawmakers for a solution to the district's latest fiscal crisis before a possible walkout.
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"We put a lot of energy, including an April 1 strike, into trying to figure out how schools would be funded," Sharkey said. "And there's a political process that needs to play out. And so, it's worth some trouble for us to make that play out. We have to see what's going on there."
CPS is preparing for the possibility of a teachers strike before the end of the school year with a plan that includes canceling final exams, but allowing elementary and high school graduation ceremonies to proceed, according to a letter CPS sent to principals last week.
"Our objective, obviously, is to do everything possible to reach a final deal with (the Chicago Teachers Union) to prevent a strike," district CEO Forrest Claypool said Wednesday during a Chicago Board of Education meeting.
After rejecting recommendations from a independent fact-finder, the CTU opened the door for a strike after a cooling-off period that ends May 16. But the union, which must give 10-days notice before a walkout, is still debating the timing. Contract talks are ongoing.
The CTU's executive board is scheduled to meet early next week before a Wednesday meeting of the union's House of Delegates, and Sharkey said union leaders are still working out the specific resolutions the delegates will vote on.
"We haven't set a strike date," Sharkey said. "We would give people a little more notice than three weeks, you know, unless someone forces our hand."
Claypool on Wednesday repeated his call for the union to enter an additional stage of arbitration, an idea CTU President Karen Lewis rejected last week.
"The only reason school could end early is if the leadership of the Chicago Teachers Union strikes before the end of the school year," Claypool said.
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In a letter to principals from district Chief Education Officer Janice Jackson, the district acknowledges the "unfortunate possibility that a work stoppage will occur prior to June 21." The district lays out a number of dates and contingency plans for progress reports and grade entries.
The letter says nonunion, school-based central office staff would be called on to make sure graduation ceremonies go on as scheduled.
The union and CPS say they are working toward a contract agreement, though both sides have also acknowledged CPS can't afford to pay for the deal proposed by the district early this year and endorsed by the independent fact-finder..
"It's a bit of a contradiction, and frankly it's a contradiction in their position too," Sharkey said. "If you're buying or selling a house, you'd have to evaluate the ability of the person making an offer to pay. We're all basically trying to add political pressure, in order so that the people who control the purse strings do what's right."
At Wednesday's meeting, CTU members pressed the school board to support union-backed legislative measures to generate new money for the district. CTU officer Michael Brunson asked board members to sign a pledge to support measures that include higher taxes on the state's wealthiest residents.
The district has called for an overhaul of the state's education funding formula. Claypool has endorsed pending legislation proposed by state Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill.
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"We view it as useful, but not enough," Sharkey said of the proposal, echoing comments made by Claypool. "Then they need to really find some funding."
jjperez@tribune.com
Twitter @PerezJr
A "No Trump Anytime" sign sits mounted on a pole outside Trump Tower on April 27, 2016, on West Wacker Drive in Chicago. (Anthony Souffle / Chicago Tribune)
If you've strolled by Wrigley Field or along Wacker Drive near the Trump Tower in downtown Chicago in recent days, you may have noticed what appeared to be new traffic signs but with the message: "No Trump Anytime."
The signs, aimed at Republican presidential front-runner, real estate magnate and reality TV star Donald Trump, are the work of the Los Angeles-based street artist known as Plastic Jesus.
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The signs began popping up coast to coast Sunday in a coordinated effort by the London-born artist whose projects often offer stark commentary on the country's celebrity culture. The sign on Wacker Drive in clear eyeshot of the Trump Tower was one of three signs posted in Chicago; a second was posted near Wrigley Field and the third in Wicker Park, on Damen Avenue near North Avenue.
"They were all put up Sunday evening," the street artist told the Tribune on Wednesday by phone. "I've got collaborators in most major cities. I didn't give them instructions at the specific locations."
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The street artist said he told collaborators to post the signs near sites with political or local significance. But still, he confessed: "The signs against the Trump building (are) pretty amusing."
The signs are intended to be posted for a limited time, though exactly how limited may depend on city workers concerned about the art pieces looking too much like real street signs, or souvenir seekers who might be tempted to steal them. By Wednesday evening, the sign near Trump Tower was gone.
"I've had street art stolen," he said, mentioning that he once had a massive wooded board with two art projects unbolted and stolen. "I don't mind that as long as it's up for a sufficient time for enough people to have time to enjoy it or consider the message. That's quite common."
The signs may be in violation of federal rules that govern uniformity of street signs across the country, but a spokesman with the city's Department of Transportation said he had not been alerted to the Trump signage and declined to comment.
In the U.S. for the last eight years and doing public art projects for nearly four, the artist known as Plastic Jesus has made a name for himself for his Banksy-style stencil art projects. Some of his eye-catching artwork includes a life-size Oscar statuette snorting cocaine and injecting heroin, or the piece depicting Chicago rapper Kanye West in a crucifixion pose.
The "No Trump" signs are similar to a "No Kardashian Parking Anytime" sign a reference to the reality TV family he created and posted around Hollywood. One of his recurring messages is "Stop making stupid people famous."
Plastic Jesus said he's more interested in getting people talking than trying to sway a presidential election.
"With most of my art, I try to kind of start a dialogue where people can actually consider current situations, their own ideas or politics around policy and so on," he said. "I really wanted people to look at the signs and really consider the effect that Donald Trump would have on the whole country."
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The artist said Trump, whose rivals in the GOP race include Gov. John Kasich of Ohio and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, appears to be riding the wave of deep divisiveness in American politics.
"In European politics, politicians are fighting over that middle ground to get those undecided voters across that boundary. And they gain strength by doing that. However, in the U.S., it seems to be politics is moving toward the extremes in order to gain popularity. By doing so it's very divisive, very segregating and I don't think conducive to a working democracy."
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Trump's campaign did not respond to an emailed request Wednesday for comment on the signs.
While public art fans and advocates have praised his public displays, Plastic Jesus said he considers himself to be a regular person using art to share his outlook with the public.
"Most of what I do is commentary on subject and matters that really an ordinary person like me would not get a voice in.
"I could not write a column for the New York Times or The Times of London, or The Huffington Post about politics, about drug use, about the war on drugs or banks, credit debt and so on nobody would ever listen to me," he said.
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"So the way that I do it is through street art. It gives people like me a voice to put an opinion out there."
wlee@tribpub.com
Twitter @MidNoirCowboy
Gov. Bruce Rauner said April 27, 2016, that he is "cautiously optimistic" about reaching a "grand compromise" with Democrats sometime in May. (WGN-TV) (Chicago Tribune)
SPRINGFIELD Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on Wednesday sought to strike an optimistic tone that a "grand compromise" with Democrats can be reached by May 31 to end the unprecedented budget impasse that's threatened universities, caused havoc for groups that care for the vulnerable and led to a large stack of unpaid bills.
Whether Rauner's optimism has a basis in reality was at best unclear, however.
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Rauner said he is not backing away from the business-friendly, union-weakening agenda he says must be a part of a larger agreement. That wish list, which Rauner says will help the state's economy rebound, remains a non-starter with Democrats who say it'll hurt the middle class. The impasse has Illinois poised to end its current fiscal year without ever passing a full budget.
But it's an election year, and both sides are trying to pin blame on the other for the mess at the Capitol. By broadcasting he's open to a deal, Rauner is seeking to avoid blame as an obstructionist should an agreement remain elusive.
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It's not the first time Rauner has declared he's "cautiously optimistic" about a pending deal. He said as much nearly a year ago, though those talks quickly fell apart. His optimism has since wavered depending on whether he's in attack mode.
Rauner offered his latest take on the budget situation Wednesday after speaking at a high school in Auburn, south of Springfield. It was the first time Rauner has been out publicly taking reporters' questions since Democrats and Republicans last week approved legislation to spend $600 million to keep the lights on at universities and community colleges.
The first-term governor said he's encouraged by talks among rank-and-file lawmakers, saying the stopgap measure they engineered for higher education was "a very small initial step in the right direction."
Rauner said he wants a two-year budget that would provide more money for universities and colleges and support for social service programs that have gone without state assistance since last July.
"My hope, my strong belief is that the right answer is not necessarily to do another short-term crisis bridge like we did on higher ed, but to move expeditiously in the next couple weeks to a grand compromise," Rauner told reporters. "Reforms, revenues, spending reductions as part of a grand solution for (this year and next year) simultaneously. That would be better. And I think it's doable."
During his time in office, Rauner repeatedly has blamed Democrats, specifically House Speaker Michael Madigan, for standing in the way of a broader deal in an effort to build pressure for a tax increase. On Wednesday, Rauner credited pressure of another kind, namely the possible closure of Chicago State University, as the reason Democrats and Republicans suddenly saw eye-to-eye on higher education funding.
"The reality is, elected officials respond to pressure. And this is pressure," Rauner said. "This is a crisis. And that definitely focuses the mind, for sure."
A Madigan spokesman noted the higher education deal got done without Rauner insisting it be coupled with items from his reform agenda.
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"I think the evidence continues to show that when you don't force these non-budget issues, you make good progress, so we will continue to work along those guidelines," said spokesman Steve Brown.
Brown added lawmakers have already voted on many of the governor's proposals, roll calls Republicans said were a sham because they did not accurately reflect what Rauner wanted.
"We took plenty of action on things that he had on his list, one way or another. And if he would just recognize that, we could have had most of this in place more than a year ago," Brown said. "Instead, we are where we are."
The governor's list includes limiting collective bargaining rights, curbing compensation costs for workers hurt on the job and putting restrictions on big-dollar lawsuits. Democrats say the changes are unrelated to the budget and would undermine middle-class workers.
Rauner dismissed what he called the political "back and forth," saying he's more focused on getting something done before June 1, when it will take more votes to pass legislation. Rauner said he wants to avoid calling lawmakers back for a special session on the budget over the summer, but said he's looking into whether he can pay for the costs himself if need be. The governor previously has dismissed the effectiveness of forcing lawmakers to Springfield without an agreement, saying it's a waste of taxpayer money.
"The real goal is to come up with compromises by the end of May," Rauner said.
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"I've been watching as members in the General Assembly have been meeting. I'm not privy to all their conversations, I have not personally attended all the meetings," Rauner said. "But I hear reports, I hear rumors, I hear some feedback from members of the General Assembly. And I am seeing more excitement and more optimism within the rank and file saying 'You know, this has gone on too long. Everybody is going to have to come off their positions, and some of their hardest positions, and come up with some middle ground.' I'm hearing that on a level I haven't heard before. And so that makes me optimistic."
A spokesman for Senate President John Cullerton also expressed hope about the renewed talks.
"Hopefully they will continue, because they need to continue," Cullerton spokesman John Patterson said. "We're going to have to work together if a solution is going to be found."
mcgarcia@tribpub.com
cbott@tribpub.com
Scientists and policymakers will meet April 29, 2016, in a Paris summit to grapple over the ethics and science of CRISPR, a tool for editing genes. (Fotolia illustration)
On Friday, scientists and policymakers meet in a Paris summit to grapple over the ethics and science of a powerful new medical tool. It's called CRISPR, and, in the simplest terms, it helps researchers (and, someday, will help doctors) edit human beings. With CRISPR, researchers can invade a person's DNA, snip out the bad bits and replace or repair what's left.
CRISPR carries immense potential and, possibly, peril.
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The potential: For some people born with debilitating genetic diseases, scientists could give them relief from their symptoms and maybe even cure them in the not-too-distant future.
The peril: Scientists could also make permanent changes in the human germ line, the genes that parents pass on to their children. As those edited genes are passed from one generation to the next, the human race could be changed in ways that are not yet predictable. Or desirable.
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How does it work? Again, in simple terms: CRISPR is a one-two punch of genetic materials that, once injected into a body, act as a team. One molecule guides the team to a faulty bit of a DNA strand. The other molecule then cuts out that bit. DNA, if you can't remember from biology class, carries our genetic code; it's each life's unique blueprint.
There are other ways to edit human genes, but they're tedious and often inaccurate.
But let's not oversell CRISPR. We're still years maybe decades away from an easy fix for genetic ailments; CRISPR isn't nearly precise enough yet. Nor is it clear when CRISPR will be safe enough to use in that capacity on humans.
But researchers are steadily improving CRISPR, helping it home in on more specific strands of DNA. "CRISPR is the Model T of genetics," Hank Greely of Stanford University's Center for Law and the Biosciences told The New Yorker. "The Model T wasn't the first car, but it changed the way we drive, work and live. CRISPR has made a difficult process cheap and reliable."
For better or worse, geneticists, biologists and medical researchers can easily access the tools to use CRISPR.
That widespread availability raises a familiar Science-Gone-Wild scenario: technology that is used to enhance human abilities beyond what many people would approve. We've seen similar concerns and debates around the cloning of animals, stem cell research and the potential to create designer babies.
Key question: Can we trust scientists and governments to set ethical boundaries for research and therapeutic use and then stick to them? We're skeptical.
For example: Last year, a group of Chinese researchers pushed the boundaries by editing the genomes of human embryos with CRISPR, trying to modify a gene that causes a potentially fatal blood disorder. They had limited success. The embryos were nonviable they could never become humans. But alarm bells rightly went off.
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At first, the researchers struggled to find a scientific journal to publish their findings because of ethical concerns. It didn't take long to find a journal that would, though.
Those are some of the topics for debate in Paris. Dr. Elizabeth McNally, director of the Center for Genetic Medicine at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, tells us that the scientific community has a strong history of self-policing its research.
"I think, in the history of medicine, we're actually pretty good at drawing the line," McNally said. "We know when people are sick and there's a bad problem, and we undertake some risks to fix those problems. So I think we need to use those same principles that we've always used for medicine and deciding when to intervene."
National science councils can set norms and make recommendations that encourage and limit gene editing research. Science journals can refuse to publish results that cross the ethical line. Also, governments and private businesses can deny funding to questionable research proposals.
Several governments already limit research into human gene editing. This country's National Institutes of Health, for instance, is legally forbidden from funding research on gene editing in human embryos, but can do so regarding adults. Private institutions are free to support CRISPR research, and they do.
We wouldn't be human if the whole idea of CRISPR didn't creep us out a little. And also excite us to the possibilities for medical breakthroughs.
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Ultimately, the scientific community's safeguards are voluntary. But scientists will have to police themselves, and their colleagues, if they hope to maintain funding and the trust of their fellow citizens.
Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.
Three Fox Valley men are charged with beating and robbing an 18-year-old West Chicago man outside an Aurora home.
Noah I. Rodriguez, 18, of the 1800 block Nottingham, Aurora; Luis E. Rodriguez, 20, of the 900 block of Solfisburg, Aurora; and Kyle R. Hughes, 18, 0-99 block of Highview Drive, Yorkville, are charged with felony mob action and robbery in connection with the incident, which occurred about 11:55 p.m. March 15 on the 400 block of Jefferson Street.
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The three men are charged with beating and robbing the victim and taking items including a phone, clothes, jewelry and cash worth a total of about $3,300, according to information provided by Aurora police spokesman Dan Ferrelli.
The man who was robbed apparently knew Hughes, and the four men spent much of the evening together, hanging out at various places in the area including the Red Roof Inn on Diehl Road in Naperville, Ferrelli said in an email. The four eventually went to the home on Jefferson, where the three men charged allegedly beat the West Chicago man, Ferrelli said.
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During the investigation, Aurora police officers went to the hotel to look for the suspects. There, they found Noah Rodriguez in one of the rooms, along with some items that belonged to the man who was robbed, Ferrelli said.
After that, police issued warrants for the arrests of Luis Rodriguez and Hughes. Hughes was taken into custody March 17 without incident, and Luis Rodriguez was taken into custody Saturday, when he was also charged with unlawful contact with a street gang member, according to police reports.
The March 15 incident was not gang-related, Ferrelli said.
Two of the men charged remain in custody in Kane County Jail. Bail for Luis Rodriguez is set at $260,000. Bail for Noah Rodriguez is set at $150,000. Hughes' bond was $35,000. He posted bail and is out of jail, according to court records.
Luis Rodriguez was previously convicted of a 2012 battery causing bodily harm and sentenced to 22 days in county jail and 18 months probation. In 2014 he was convicted of a 2013 burglary and sentenced to three years in state prison and ordered to pay $560 restitution, Kane County records show.
hleone@tribpub.com
Stop bending over backward for religions: I'm getting so tired of hearing my religion this and my religion that. Now when some guys join the Army, they want to keep their beards and turbans. What are we coming to? We can't let some religion tell us what to do or how our armed forces are supposed to look. We are fed up with this bending over backward for these different groups. This is America. Everybody pull together in one direction and not in 12 different directions. Get religion out of state and politics.
Fight Zika virus: I want to say they finally approved money to fight against the Zika virus. President Barack Obama has been trying to secure funds for this virus for quite some time. Now that the virus is getting more dangerous and spreading, finally we are getting things moving. This is the kind of the thing that we need to work together on and be bipartisan instead of fighting everything that the president asks for. We shouldn't have lagged on this. Babies are going to be affected by this disease, and people will be hospitalized. Let's not let our petty differences get in the way of things.
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Desire for higher wages: This is a comment about the minimum wage worries. Well, $15 an hour is no money for a family to live on. I own my own business. I pay my laborers a minimum of $15 an hour, and that has been going on for a few years. It's still not enough, but it's all I can afford. People tend to work and stay at their jobs if you pay them better. They tend to want to make things work because they know they will get more money. If I was paid $5 an hour, I would work like I was making $5 an hour. If I was paid $20 an hour, I would definitely do a better job and do everything I could do to keep my job. Don't tell me that everyone needs a college education. If everyone had a college education, you would have a person with a college degree flipping burgers at Burger King.
Wise up about wage increase: Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and others are saying we need to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Everybody would like to make more money, but you need to consider if increasing the wage will increase or decrease your income. My father used to turn down raises when he was working, and he was a union member. He turned down raises because if he got a 50 cent per hour raise, it put him in another tax bracket that would actually make him bring home less money. People need to get smart. You can't keep raising prices. Where are businesses going to get the money to pay higher salaries? Get information from the library to figure out your tax bracket if you get a raise. People have been getting less and less money to take home. When income goes up, prices goes up twice as much. Think about what you want before you take it. We need to have less spending, prices need to go down, and people need to be taken care of.
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Doubtful about No Refusal DUI events: I don't understand these No Refusal DUI events in Kane County. How can they possibly be worth it? Since 2008, 131 drivers were charged. What's that? Nineteen events, or six people per event. I would think they could write that many on an average Friday night. If they want to get drunks off the road, I would think they could write hundreds of them every weekend.
Women only in women's washrooms: I think the whole world has gone mad when it comes to men telling women who can use their washroom. Giving a man the right to go into a women's washroom because he says he's a woman is ridiculous. Has everyone gone crazy? Don't we have enough people pouncing on women? Government doesn't belong in my bedroom, and it does not belong in my bathroom.
Companies fail due to foreign trade: This is about Donald Trump. I am voting for him because of companies failing in this country due to foreign trade and cheap labor like in Mexico. Look at Haeger Potteries in East Dundee. It's gone because of foreign trade. They can't keep up with the foreign competition. We drive a Volkswagen Beetle. Guess where it's made? It's a German car made in Mexico. Now Ford Motor Co. is talking about taking one of their plants to Mexico. People better wake up and smell the coffee. A lot of jobs are gone because of the computer.
Editor's note
Speak Out is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you see something you disagree with or think is incorrect, please tell us. Call us at 312-222-2460 or email couriernews@tribpub.com. Please include "speak out" in the subject line.
A Lyons man accused of killing two neighbors Sunday at a senior apartment building because of a dispute over missing property was ordered held without bail Wednesday afternoon.
At a hearing at the Cook County courthouse in Bridgeview, prosecutors said John Arnold, 72, stabbed 73-year-old David Bosseler 15 times and a 61-year-old woman three times in their third-floor apartment inside the Riverwalk Senior Residences. The woman, who Lyons police on Tuesday had said was 51, has not been identified. Lyons police earlier had said Arnold was 67.
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Assistant State's Attorney Kevin Pacini said Arnold admitted in a police interview that he entered the apartment and stabbed the occupants.
Authorities said Arnold, who also lived on the third floor, was upset because of a dispute over some missing property. Prosecutors did not specify what property was missing.
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Pacini said surveillance video taken inside the building in the 8000 block of Ogden Avenue shows Arnold carrying a chair and briefcase about 7 a.m. as he walked to Bosseler's apartment. The video also shows Arnold sitting in the chair by the apartment door, the apartment's only entrance.
Prosecutors said the door opened about 7:50 a.m. and Arnold entered, thrusting the briefcase forward "in an aggressive manner," Pacini said.
Prosecutors said the video shows Arnold was inside the apartment for about five minutes and shows Arnold "placing the shoes inside the briefcase" as he left the apartment, prosecutors said. The shoes were later recovered from an apartment building trash bin, Pacini said.
Pacini said video shows no one else entering or leaving Bosseler's apartment after Arnold's visit.
Riverwalk is an independent-living facility, but does perform wellness checks of residents. It requires residents to check in every morning via an electronic button in their apartments. When Bosseler didn't check in Monday morning, staff visited the apartment and discovered the deaths, Pacini said.
Pacini noted that murder charges involving the death of two or more individuals is a mandatory no-bail.
Arnold, wearing a beige T-shirt, did not speak during the hearing before Judge Peter Felice.
Arnold's next hearing is scheduled for May 24.
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Dennis Sullivan is a freelance reporter.
Gov. Bruce Rauner is cautiously optimistic that a "grand compromise" with Democrats can be reached by May 31 to end the budget impasse. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
I attended a town hall meeting Tuesday night where business owners, social service providers, representatives of private colleges and others spoke about how the state budget impasse affects them. The event took place at theChicago Southland Chamber at St. Xavier University and was organized by the Small Business Advocacy Council.
I previewed the meeting in a column a few weeks ago and decided to write the following as an open letter to Gov. Bruce Rauner and House Speaker Michael Madigan.
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Dear Gov. Rauner and Speaker Madigan,
Thank you for serving the people of Illinois. These are difficult times in our state, and I know you're busy with many concerns. I'm writing today to urge you to pass a budget so the state can move on to address other important issues.
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The 10-month stalemate has created uncertainty about the future and caused irreparable damage: jobs lost, students leaving colleges, businesses deciding to relocate, even lives lost as people die while on waiting lists to get drug treatment.
I serve as a voice for the people of Chicago's south suburbs. I want you to know how the budget impasse affects them. Gov. Rauner, many in the region support your Turnaround Agenda and desire to make Illinois a better place to do business. Speaker Madigan, many others support your efforts to protect the rights of hard-working men and women.
You need to know, however, that support for the principles of both your platforms is waning as the stalemate drags on. The lack of a state budget is hurting everyone, from businesses to unions. The people you took an oath to represent want the impasse to end, now.
Your constituents will not settle for another piecemeal, temporary fix like the recent authorization of some funds for higher education. Do not think that a similar measure to release money for social services will be cheered as an accomplishment. People want you to do the jobs they elected you to do, and the first order of business is for you to agree upon a comprehensive state budget.
People know it costs money to provide services. They also know the state has not generated enough tax revenue to pay all its bills. The impasse has increased awareness of that situation. People prefer a budget be balanced, but the immediate need is for a budget, period.
Speaker Madigan, you should carefully consider cost-saving aspects of Gov. Rauner's proposals, including procurement reform and reduction of workers compensation costs.
Gov. Rauner, you must understand that proposals you tout as pro-business are considered by many to be anti-union. Agendas that have advanced in other states will be staunchly resisted here in Illinois.
Illinoisans want government to be efficient and fair. Most importantly, they want government to work. One of the great frustrations with the current situation is that people continue to pay taxes during this stalemate. They expect services to be provided.
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At a forum in Orland Park the other night, I learned how businesses, social service providers and others urgently need a state budget authorizing appropriations and allowing private enterprises to conduct business. I learned from Paul Lauridsen, clinical director of Stepping Stones Treatment and Recovery Center in Will County, that the absence of state funding means agencies are unable to treat hundreds of people in urgent need of care.
"When people can't get into treatment they continue to do what they're doing," Lauridsen said of clients being denied treatment for addiction to heroin, painkillers and other opioids. He said he's taken calls from parents and others telling him to take names off the waiting list because people died while awaiting treatment.
People have listened to posturing about how the other political party is to blame for the budget deficit. Now they want solutions. Elizabeth Christofylakis, manager of DisposAll Waste Services, said her company has a $1 million contract with the state to provide services but has had to cease work on the project and lay off employees because her company is not getting paid by the state.
"The state has the money but it can't cut the checks," she said. "We're significantly impacted by the state's inability to pass a budget."
The state's inability to balance its budget is a serious problem, but your refusal to negotiate and compromise to pass a budget at all is inexcusable. It's making a bad situation worse by damaging credit ratings, increasing costs and doing the opposite of what you both say you want to accomplish.
Businesses owed money from the state cannot obtain lines of credit from banks and other lenders who question the state's ability to appropriate funds.
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"People are afraid to re-invest in business," said Kevin O'Keefe, executive director of the Bolingbrook Area Chamber of Commerce." Businesses are laying off people. It's affecting our community."
Shutting down government is no way to solve problems with how government is run. People want to continue doing business and providing services while you lead efforts to adopt reforms. Deficits are bad, but a lack of a budget is worse.
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"There's no stability, no way to predict what will happen," said Madeleine Doubek, publisher of Reboot Illinois.
People are noticing how Indiana is using billboards to advertise in Illinois about our state's problems.
"It's truly pathetic other states are using our budget crisis to lure businesses," said Elliot Richardson, co-chief executive officer of the Small Business Advisory Council. "Chambers of commerce, businesses and civic organizations are calling for an end to the stalemate in the state capital. It's hurting businesses, nonprofits, college students it's nonsense and there's no reason for it."
Gov. Rauner and Speaker Madigan, people have had enough. Illinois urgently needs a budget for this fiscal year, and will soon need one for the next fiscal year. People will not tolerate continuation of the impasse into the next fiscal year, or after the election in November, as if the inevitable tax increase will be more palatable to voters then.
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You must do your jobs and agree upon a budget so the people of Illinois can resume doing business and providing services.
tslowik@tribpub.com
Twitter @tedslowik
This second-place winning cupcake by Joe McGovern of Harper College included a vial of Chambord liquor to pour over the top before eating. (Janelle Walker / The Courier-News)
The Eiffel Tower, butterflies and spring flowers topped the 1,600 mini cupcakes made by students at Elgin Community College and Palatine's Harper College last week.
But the topper for the students was winning first or second place in the fourth-annual Community Colleges Cupcake Competition, sponsored by Tate & Lyle, an international food ingredient company with offices in Hoffman Estates.
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As Tate & Lyle manufacture Splenda, a sucrose-based artificial sweetener, the competition cupcakes all had to include 50 percent of the product in the final entry, explained Jennifer Walker, community affairs manager for the company.
The competition was held with Hoffman Estate's Bon Appetit Community Food and Drink Festival, now in its fifth year.
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The first-place winner in the baking competition took home a $1,000 scholarship and second place, $500. Students who worked in teams would split the award.
The Chocolate Sangria Blackberry cupcake was one of the finalist, made by Jennifer Ivansco of Algonquin. (Janelle Walker / The Courier-News)
In years past, explained ECC Culinary Instructor Chrystie Wojcik, the scholarship money went directly to the school. Now, when students win food competitions, the money is given to the student.
"Sometimes, they need a computer or books," instead of money for tuition, she said.
The three students ECC had in the competition one baking on her own and two working as a team began baking on Monday morning for the Thursday evening event. She estimated the students put 40 hours into preparation that week.
Jennifer Ivansco, 41, of Algonquin, made chocolate sangria blackberry cupcakes. They included a sangria filling and a whipped cream topping mostly because she prefers whipped cream to buttercream. She also created toppers for the 404 mini cupcakes either tiny hats or flowers made of fondant. It took nearly four hours just to bake all of the cupcakes, she said.
"It was a lot of work," Ivansco said.
Five or six students at Harper College entered the competition, explained Instructor Pat Doepke.
The finalists were narrowed to the two cupcakes based on appearance with the taste being judged by the crowd, who were given ballots when they arrived at the food festival.
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"We support restaurants and hospitality sectors through this event," said Tricia O'Brien, president of the Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce.
All vendors had to include food or drink in their businesses, but came from locations outside of Hoffman Estates, too. The $25 ticket included tastings from the 31 vendors up from previous years, she said.
Gabrielle Vaz and Marissa Ramos partnered to make this sponge cake cupcake. They also cut out the butterfly liners by hand, and made butterflies for 400 cupcakes for the competition. (Janelle Walker / The Courier-News)
In the past, the event was held in the fall, but was moved to spring this year.
That gave the cupcake bakers a new theme, she added. In past years, with the fall timing, the cupcakes tended toward pumpkin and apple themes, O'Brien said.
This year, the theme was spring leading to Spring in Paris and butterfly-topped cupcakes.
Harper College students Marissa Luisi and partner Char Vale were the first-place winners with the Paris-themed, chocolate and caramel filled cupcakes, topped with an amaretto ganache. The two will split the prize.
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They also made 400-plus chocolate Eiffel Towers to top their cupcakes.
Luisi, 21, of Elk Grove Village, said she has been in the Harper College hospitality program for three years, and has always been more on the cooking that the baking side.
"But I have started to develop a passion for baking," in part because she is baking with her grandmother, using recipes brought over from Italy, Luisi said.
"We bake together now," she said.
Students in Elgin Community College's culinary program have the opportunity to enter several food competitions each year, including the Fisher Nut competition. Now in its eight year, that event was held on the same evening as the cupcake event.
This year, Fisher Nuts awarded $1,000 scholarships to six Elgin Community College students, for recipes including:
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Edward Dolik Pecan Pineapple Pucker Bread
Dan Garcia Spicy Glazed Walnut Shrimp
Erin Neisendorf Cajun Almond Shrimp with Pasta
Janet Ruiz & Paxon Vongohakdy Banana Foster Almond Mix Crepes
Brit Steffensen Mexican Chocolate Spiced Almond Lava Cake with Mexican Chocolate Spiced, Almond Truffles & Mexican Chocolate Spiced Almond Biscotti
Alejandro Zuniga Ginger Sesame Almond Beef Tenderloin
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Janelle Walker is a freelance reporter.
Comments by a resident at a recent Elmhurst City Council meeting have focused attention on Fire Department staffing levels.
Geoff Gaebel, who said he is a lifelong Elmhurst resident and a longtime firefighter in a nearby town, has criticized the city's decision not to hire additional firefighters to replace two who retired and one who is on medical disability.
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"The Elmhurst Fire Department is currently short three members and has been for about a year, bringing the department down to its lowest staffing level since 1999," Gaebel said. "This is inappropriate staffing level for a town of this size and quality."
City manager James Grabowski noted the city contracts with Metro Paramedic Services, Inc., part of Superior Ambulance Service, for two advanced life support ambulances and 12 paramedics who average seven years of experience.
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Grabowski said the department was covering the three vacancies with overtime.
"None of the three shifts is running a firefighter short," Grabowski said. "Each shift is being covered by an Elmhurst firefighter being paid time and a half."
He cited uncertainty over Illinois state finances and provisions of the firefighter union contract for not hiring replacements for the three positions.
"The immediate effect of this (state budget crisis) is a proposal to eliminate $2.2 million of Elmhurst revenue," Grabowski said. "If this is approved by the General Assembly, we'll need to look at budgetary changes."
Grabowski noted that the contract between the city and its firefighters, which runs through May 2017, prohibits firefighter layoffs.
"I want to stress that the citizens of Elmhurst are as safe as we were nine months ago and nine years ago," Grabowski said.
But Ald. Mark Mulliner was unconvinced that overtime was the best solution.
"We're paying for overtime, a significant overtime cost," he said. "By placing firemen on overtime and requiring them to be on overtime, you're putting an undue burden on those firefighters as far as expecting them to be on double shifts."
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Mulliner noted that since the city is seeking a new chief, the department is actually short four people.
"I'm gravely concerned about the fact that we continually say we're not going to hire these three firefighters," he said.
"We'd just like to see our manning (restored) to replace the three guys and anyone additional that retires," said Ed Siuzdak, an Elmhurst firefighter and member of the executive board of the Elmhurst Local 3541 of the International Association of Fire Fighters.
Siuzdak said union representatives had discussed with Grabowski removing the no layoff provision, but didn't get a clear commitment from him that he would then hire firefighters to fill the vacancies.
Siuzdak said union representatives had also talked with Grabowski about upgrading fire engines with advanced life support equipment, including monitors and telemetry and advanced life support level drugs as backups when ambulances are out on other calls or far from a medical emergency.
According to Siuzdak, about a third of firefighters are paramedics but aren't functioning in that role.
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Grabowski indicated Tuesday he was still concerned with budget and revenue issues. The offer to drop the no layoff provision also involved several other issues and would have applied only to possible layoffs of new hires for the three existing vacancies, he said.
He added that discussions over upgrading engines to advanced life support levels had not covered possible additional personnel costs or questions about how many certified paramedics would be available on any given shift to cover the upgraded apparatus.
Graydon Megan is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
As I was reaching out to an attorney with condo and townhome expertise, I received this email from Gerry: "At this very moment, our ceiling is being repaired and repainted. I credit you with this, even if indirectly, since I sent another letter to our management company this past Monday and mentioned I was contacting you. We had a call from the roofer the very next morning. In an hour or so, our problem should be solved. Apparently no one wants to mess with the Help Squad!"
Andy Warhol was right about ubiquitous fame.
Today we come bearing evidence. This is the sad tale of strangers Christopher Hornezes and Susan Dixon, a pair of lowlifes who shared Warhol's dream.
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They prove the pop-artist prophet was right in 1968 when he suggested that eventually "everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." Our attention span has receded so precipitously that our time on the cultural stage is more likely 30 seconds.
You probably are the star in someone's secretly directed video, but just don't know it.
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Don't worry. If you do something terribly good or awful today, your face likely will appear on local TV tomorrow.
But our momentary stars of this tale are nothing special or unique in evilness. You don't have to be famous to be a star.
One is awaiting sentencing for low skunkery, and the other is relaunching his lifelong trip through the legal system. They are testament that no one escapes the all-seeing eye, or even tries.
Someone is always watching. Mostly we're watching each other. That's because we have become a selfie/surveillance culture, held in rapt attention by images of ourselves.
Studies by the Pew Center reveal how self-obsessed we are. If the current trends stay the same, a millennial born this year will spend 4,000 hours of their lives taking selfies, which works out to 5 1/2 months. Young females spend an average 48 minutes every day taking selfies.
Maybe this is the single neon demarcation line in the cultural sand between being hip and being an ill-tempered old fud.
On some days, I find myself drawn to old fud-ism partly because 73.65 percent of all photos taken of me show a person who could be a fat war criminal.
We've always been a Kodak-moment society, but the current obsessiveness likely began just six years ago when the new Mac iPhone 4 came equipped with a front-facing camera.
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Today, people across the world take more than 1 million selfies each day.
But this tendency toward consuming self-imagery extends in all directions, including surreptitious surveillance capturing low-lifes in the act of being low.
Small-time hoods are interesting.
It's the bank robber who writes a your-money-or-your-life robbery note on the back of a deposit slip he mindlessly filled out with his name and address while he was waiting to rob the joint.
Then he poses for the security camera. Smile. Click.
Hornezes and Dixon did, too. They are unaffiliated Lake County strangers, except for their shared lost-ball-in-the-tall-grass-of-life status.
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They share fate.
Dixon is the elected Foss Park Board commissioner in North Chicago who celebrated Christmas 2014 by stealing toys from her agency's Toys For Tots stash meant for needy kids. She empowered friends, colleagues and relatives to help themselves, too.
She did it over three days while the very security cameras she helped administer rolled on.
This is not only morally scurrilous, it's also dumb.
The legal system took 15 months to get her in front of a jury in March and then three hours to convict her. A three-hour deliberation is virtually instantaneous. Juries believe selfies and surveillance videos.
Dixon could get a year in prison or up to 30 months of the truly intrusive, obnoxious, freedom-choking probation that Lake County invokes. If she'd taken a plea deal in early 2015, that all would be behind her.
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As for Hornezes, he got out of a downstate state prison on a Wednesday afternoon several weeks ago. He was paroled.
Illinois always paroles him. Since 2006 when he was 17, he has been in an out of state prison three times. He's always paroled and commits virtually the same thieving and goes back inside.
The Illinois River Correctional Center parole board in Canton was the latest to offer him freedom prematurely.
On the Thursday morning after being paroled, he was back in Lake County, and police say he was robbing businesses, stealing cars and wearing female clothes that made victims remember him more clearly. That's 24 hours between prison and recidivism.
Lake County News Sun Twice-weekly News updates from Lake County delivered every Monday and Wednesday >
That's a career.
It took less than 30 hours after his last crime for police to identify him from security camera images and catch him.
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In both cases, the crimes and criminals were nabbed in their Kodak moment. Maybe this is why jails are so crowded. Crooks can't escape cameras.
According to international data consultant IHS Technology, there are 245 million professionally installed video surveillance cameras operational globally.
Like it or not, that's Warhol's world.
Luckily for us, crime and inadvertent narcissism still don't pay.
David.Rutter@live.com
Robert Moussetis, North Central College professor of international business and coordinator of graduate business programs, is a panelist at this year's 2016 Fox Valley SCORE conference. His panel will discuss Business Without Borders. (North Central College / HANDOUT)
Fox Valley SCORE, a national volunteer organization devoted to growing small businesses, is holding a one-day conference May 21 at North Central College that will include a $5,000 Business Pitch Contest.
The program, designed for Fox Valley business owners, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, inventors, students and early stage startup professionals, will start at 7:30 a.m. at Wentz Concert Hall at the Fine Arts Center, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville.
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"There will be sessions geared specifically for startups and getting their business noticed as well as sessions for existing businesses to grow internally through the digital market," said Martha Carney, newly appointed executive director for the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at North Central College and coordinator of this year's event.
"There will be many local industry experts presenting 17 training sessions and panel discussions in the two distinct tracks."
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During the lunch break, a "shark tank" type business pitch session will be where three pre-selected entrepreneurs will present their business in hopes of winning $5,000 to fund their businesses.
"There will also be a keynote address from North Central College President Troy Hammond regarding a new business accelerator as well as information about the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which acts as a bridge between the college and the regional business community," Carney said.
North Central College President Troy Hammond will give a keynote address about the school's new business accelerator and the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Fox Valley SCORE conference on May 21. (North Central College / HANDOUT)
The deadline to enter the pitch contest is 5 p.m. May 1. Applications are available online. The judging panel will select 15 semifinalists and each will receive 15 minutes to present their pitch and answer questions during scheduled appointments before the event. The panel will then select three finalists, who will each have 10 minutes to present during the May 21 conference.
The Ideas to Profits Business Conference early bird registration fee is $79 now and $99 after May 13, with registration closing May 18.
For more information, go to www.northcentralcollege.edu/ideastoprofits or email questions to entrepreneur@noctrl.edu.
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
Hammond Port Authority employee Brian Vanderberg arranges prizes at the recent 18th Annual Fishing Derby at the Hammond Marina. The traditional spring event brought out dozens of anglers of all ages and skill levels (Sue Ellen Ross / Post-Tribune)
Travis Maxson woke up earlier than usual on a recent Saturday morning, but it wasn't to go to work or meet friends for breakfast. The Hammond fisherman picked up his buddy Jeremiah Lampkins so they could be the first in line at 7 a.m. to register for the recent 18th Annual Fishing Derby at the Hammond Marina.
"We try various fishing spots every weekend, and this is our first time here at the Marina," Maxson said. "I'm here just to have fun, but it would be nice to win a prize too."
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Dozens of like-minded fishing enthusiasts found the day a tad bit chilly, but sunny, as they displayed their angling skills. The event was free and open to the public. It included land and dock fishing only, no boats.
Sponsored the Hammond Marina and Hammond Mayor Thomas M. McDermott Jr., the contest offered a variety of prizes for largest salmon, largest trout and largest bass. Both live and artificial bait was allowed.
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Brian Alderden of Lansing of was one of last year's winners, and came again this year to try his luck.
"I'm going back to the same dock I was at last year," he said as he gathered his fishing gear. "Maybe I'll have good luck again over there."
Connie Goodman of Dyer taught her son, Brian, 17, to fish when he was a youngster. They traveled to various spots over the years and it became a beloved hobby for both of them. Brian attends Mt. Carmel High School in Chicago and belongs to the fishing team there.
The pair has been in attendance at the Hammond Fishing Derby for about 10 years, according to Mom. "It's peaceful out here," the teen said, as he chose his spot on one of the boat docks. "And we've met some really nice people that come out here for this every year too."
According to Harbor Master Keith Carey, those fishing at the Marina during the regular season usually are only allowed to try their luck along the Marina's outer walls. "During the Fishing Derby, we invite them to come in and chose whichever dock they want (on the west end)," he added. Attendance at the event usually numbers about 100 participants, but many observers also can be found along the pier leading to the boat docks.
"I'm just taking a walk, this marina is so nice," said Mary Linger of Whiting, as she watched the participants ready their gear for the morning.
"I've been living close by all my life and I'm amazed at what they have done to beautify this lakefront."
Indeed, many area residents are not aware of what the Marina has to offer, according to Port Authority employee Brian Vanderberg.
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"Many people don't know what's available out here. There's so much to see, the Marina is really beautiful," he said. "This Fishing Derby is one of the opportunities to see that."
Fellow employee Bryan Gaal, who has been involved with the Fishing Derby since its inception, feels there are many benefits to attending, in addition to Vanderberg's comment.
"This gives children a chance to spend quality time with their family," he said. "It's a good thing for everyone."
Sue Ellen Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Valparaiso police are investigating an incident that occurred at a school bus stop Wednesday morning in which a man in a pickup truck asked a girl if she wanted to see his puppy.
Around 7:50 a.m., an 11-year-old girl was waiting for the school bus at the corner of Willowwood Avenue and Silhavy Road when a blue pickup truck approached her, according to a police report.
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The driver of the dark blue, two-door truck was described as a white man in his 30s who was possibly wearing glasses and had short brown hair, a mustache and a goatee, police said.
The man pulled up next to the girl and asked, "Want to see my puppy?" The girl did not see or hear a dog in the truck and replied "no," the report said. The man smiled and left the area northbound on Silhavy Road.
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Police have increased patrols in the area. The incident also was reported to officials with the Valparaiso Community School Corp., who sent a message to parents about the incident Wednesday afternoon.
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
The filmmaker suspected of the plagiarism of Disney/Pixar's animated feature "Cars" has now incited another round of controversy as he announced yesterday that he would create a sequel to his copycat production.
The Chinese animation "The Autobots" by Zhuo Jianrong previously came under fire in 2015 as critics dismissed the film as a copycat of the Hollywood-hit "Cars" with similar cartoon character designs, movie title (in Chinese), and promotion posters. Even the English title of the film has been copied from another Hollywood blockbuster franchise "Transformers."
Two posters comparing Zhuo Jianrong's "The Autobots" (2015) and Pixar's "Cars 2" (2011), which are almost identical. [China.org.cn]
Zhuo fought the accusations raised and insisted he has never seen the movie "Cars." He said his movie was independently produced and the story is completely different. After the first film was released, several theaters canceled the screenings because "the quality was too low. And there was a copycat scandal," one theater executive said.
At the 12th China International Cartoon & Animation Festival, which runs from April 27 to May 2 in Hangzhou, Zhuo unveiled a sequel to his animation, "The Autobots 2." The new installment is 3D and 85 minutes long, and will have a budget of 30 million yuan (US$4.62 million), hitting Chinese screens next year. The director also said he wished to invite the popular teen group TFBoys to contribute their voices to the film.
Zhuo confessed at the press conference that the first installment made money for investors, so he has financial support to do the next installment. He said he didn't mind too much what internet users were saying, "It is not important how others look at this, it is important how I look at it."
The Walt Disney Company, which owns Pixar, has expressed concern over the potential copyright infrigement of Zhuo's first installment, saying "we share the same concerns as many web users and movie fans in China, but have no further comment at this stage." Apparently Disney hasnt taken substantial actions against Zhuo.
The news of the sequel ignited another round of dispute among movie fans on the internet. Zhuo, who said he didn't mind others' opinions though, had to go online and respond to the criticism.
"Why can't I make a second film? You might dislike it, but I can prove I will do better with the second film," he said, responding to a comment from a web user on his Weibo microblog account, adding he will do a third, fourth and more installments in the future.
He later released a long statement saying he redesigned the characters images in the new installment which will be totally different from the first one, "Teachers always said, Understand your mistake and correct it, you are still a good kid.' Now, I've corrected my mistake and I will be a good kid," he wrote, "I just want to prove that my team can make a better cartoon film, prove it's not the Americans' exclusive. Someday Chinese people will make a better car cartoon than Americans. We will always try our best!"
At last he begged critics to give him more time, tolerance and support.
Disney hasn't responded to the story.
Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.
China's biggest internet search engine Baidu has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Copyright Protection Collaboration with the International Publishers Copyright Coalition (IPCC).
Baidu signs a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Copyright Protection Collaboration with the International Publishers Copyright Coalition (IPCC).
The creative industries are vitally important for both the UK and China. Creative industries including publishing, music, film, TV and gaming software together account for over 5% of GDP in both the UK and China, respectively.
Over a third of British publishing industry total revenues (4.3 billion in 2014) come from digital sales and around 40% from exports. This MOU sets out a programme of collaboration to tackle the shared issue of online IP infringement. Industry initiatives such as this are vital to support the international IP framework.
The signing was witnessed by Dr Ros Lynch, Director of Copyright and Enforcement at the UK Intellectual Property Office, who is visiting for UK-China Copyright week.
The co-operation indicates a positive direction for IP enforcement in China, with digital industry getting behind efforts to reduce online infringements.
Dr Lynch said: "Our work is fundamentally underpinned by industry engagement. In the UK, we recognise that government and legislation can only reach so far. It is important that rights holders and internet platforms work together to help protect IP.
"The benefits of an efficient and fair global IP system are huge, for both the UK and China. This MOU today represents a great step towards this, creating a collaboration which will lead to faster and streamlined approaches to tackling a global problem."
Emma House, Director of Publisher Relations at the UK Publishers Association, said: "As one of the sponsors of the IPCC, we warmly welcome the MOU with Baidu signed during UK-China Copyright Week. This demonstrates Baidu's commitment to working with global rights holders to tackle copyright infringement for mutual benefit.
"We look forward to the implementation of the MOU and continuing dialogue with Baidu in the future to build on collaboration opportunities in the field of IP protection."
Ralph Haupter, CEO of Microsoft in China.
Microsoft Corp will step up efforts to expand its cloud computing business in China as local enterprises are embracing new technologies to boost productivity, a top executive of the US software giant said on Tuesday.
Ralph Haupter, CEO of Microsoft in China, said despite China's economic slowdown, the company is seeing an increasing demand for its cloud service Microsoft Azure.
"Though the GDP growth is slowing down, Chinese companies still need to focus on three points to remain relevant and competitive: innovation, productivity and the return of investments. And cloud computing can help in all of the above three aspects," he added.
The company said on Tuesday it has more than 65,000 corporate customers for Azure in China, up from about 50,000 a year ago. The service was launched in the country just two years ago.
And Office 365, the cloud version of its popular Office software, has attracted about 10,000 Chinese corporate customers, who have bought more than 1 million suits of Office 365.
"We will focus on manufacturing, retail, automotive, media and other industries to further expand market share," Haupter said. He declined to offer more details.
Earlier this month, Microsoft lowered the price for part of its cloud computing services amid intensifying competition from rivals like Amazon.com Inc and China's homegrown internet heavyweights Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Tencent Holdings Ltd.
The US company is trying to transform from a traditional software vendor into a service provider by boosting its cloud computing capabilities.
Cloud computing offers customers shared access to software or the processing power of vendors, which they can use over the internet. The model saves clients the cost of running their own information technology department, and they will only have to pay for the resources they use, like utility bills.
According to the research firm Gartner Inc, the global cloud computing industry will grow nearly 17 percent to $204 billion this year and it is likely to hit $312 billion in 2019.
Ji Yanhang, an analyst at Beijing-based internet consultancy Analysys International, said the Chinese cloud market is still in its infancy, but it is already a fiercely competitive sector.
"China's national strategies, such as boosting high-end manufacturing, will increase demand for cloud services in the coming years."
But foreign companies are facing more difficulties than their Chinese counterparts as some government bodies and State-owned enterprises are abandoning overseas technology for domestically made alternatives due to information security concerns, Ji added.
In September, Microsoft and its Chinese cloud computing partner 21Vianet Group Inc set up a joint venture with the State-owned information technology company Unisplendour Corp Ltd, aiming to break into the government and SOE market.
Haupter said: "So far, the partnership is going well. Since September, we have inked deals with (governments in) more than 10 cities and provinces in China. More progress can be expected pretty soon."
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The basement and an annex of China's tallest building, the Shanghai Tower, have opened to the public as the buidling launched trial opening on Wednesday.
The annex of Shanghai Tower that opens to the public on April 27, 2016. [ Photo by Yang Jian/Shanghai Daily]
The 35-meter-tall five-floor annex in gold color includes restaurants, conference rooms and wedding and banquet halls.
The underground exhibition hall also opened to the public for the first time on Wednesday where the building's details and other world's skyscrapers were displayed.
The 632-meter building in the Lujiazui financial hub in the Pudong New Area is the worlds second-tallest building surpassed only by Dubais Burj Khalifa, which soars to 829.8 meters.
Along with the neighboring 492-meter Shanghai World Financial Center and the 420-meter Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai Tower is intended to cement Lujiazuis reputation as a center for top financial companies and corporate headquarters.
Work began in 2008, and the tower, which includes four underground stories, is scheduled to fully open by the end of the year.
It will feature offices, stores, a hotel and cultural facilities.
An elevator that travels at 18 meters per second will take visitors to the 118th floor in 30 seconds. There they will take another elevator to the sightseeing platform on the 120th floor.
The organizer of a water park party that turned deadly last year in Taiwan was sentenced to four years and ten months in prison on Tuesday.
Medical staff help the injured after a fire which took place in a park in New Taipei, southeast China's Taiwan, June 27, 2015. [Photo: Xinhua]
In a first instance verdict, the Shilin District Court convicted Lu Chung-chi, head of a local firm that organized the Color Play Asia party at a water park in New Taipei City on June 27, of negligence that led to deaths and injuries.
Fifteen died and more than 400 people were injured after colored powder used for special effects at the party ignited and exploded.
Lu was in charge of the event's organization and knew the risk of blasting the colored cornstarch powder, but he failed to tell workers to stop ejecting the powder when he left the event stage at around 7 p.m.
According to the verdict, an inexperienced worker accidentally launched the powder onto the high-temperature surface of nearby light bulbs, triggering a fierce blaze and blasts as the powder ignited. The blaze engulfed partygoers.
The loss caused by Lu's negligence was "very severe and huge" and the defendant has not compensated the victims, it added.
Some victims and relatives of victims, who gathered outside the courthouse on Tuesday morning, said they cannot accept such a light sentence for Lu.
Prosecutors have not filed charges against eight park executives due to lack of evidence showing they should be held responsible for the tragedy.
But upon the request of the victims, the Taiwan high prosecutor's office has ordered the Shilin District prosecutor's office to relaunch an investigation into them.
Chinese sperm banks have been in short supply of donations for years, a situation made worse by a new national policy allowing all Chinese couples to have a second child, the Beijing Times reported on Tuesday.
A medical staff tests donated sperm quality. (File photo/Chinanews.com)
The Shanghai sperm bank said supplies have been inadequate since 2003, while those in Beijing, Shanxi and Hubei have also issued similar alerts, the paper said.
Song Chunying, director of Shanxi's sperm bank, said a current inventory has supplies at just a little more than 20,000. "Since the sperm bank was set up in 2006, it has never had enough supplies," Song explained.
Due to the influence of traditional ethical values, most Chinese men remain reluctant to donate sperm, so college students make up the majority of donors, according to the paper.
On the other hand, the number of donors whose sperm meets quality standards is small. The Shanxi sperm bank received donations from 800 people in 2015, but only 106 met requirements, the report said.
To encourage more donations, many of the country's sperm banks have rolled out a subsidy policy. In September 2015, the Hubei sperm bank announced a plan on its WeChat account saying that donors would receive an iPhone 6s at a preferential price. Shortly afterwards, the Shanghai sperm bank also released a similar plan on its WeChat account. In Sichuan, sperm donors receive a subsidy worth up to 5,000 yuan ($770) starting this year, and are entitled to have their sperm preserved for their own use for five years.
According to Jiang Hui, a physician at the Peking University Third Hospital, China has only 22 sperm banks, all of which are non-profit, while about 10 to 15 percent of male infertility patients need donated sperm for treatment, resulting in a huge gap between supply and demand.
According to a 2012 white paper on the quality of Chinese men's sperm, some 40 million Chinese men and women suffer infertility, accounting for about 12 to 15 percent of the population, and 20 percent of male infertility is caused by poor sperm quality. In addition, the survey has also found that the quality of Chinese men's sperm is deteriorating at an annual rate of one percent, with drivers and white-collar workers especially vulnerable to problems.
Zhang Zhichao, a physician at the Peking University First Hospital, attributes the rise in male infertility to staying up late, unhealthy lifestyles and habits, overwork and mental pressure.
Three panelists Ros Lynch, director of Copy Right and Enforcement from UK IPO, Chief Judge Rui Songyan from Beijing IP Court and Chen Xi, musician and lyricist encouraged women to find joy in their work at the 15th UK-China IP Salon held yesterday on World IP Day.
Attendants of the IP Salon are served afternoon tea on April 26 to celebrate World IP Day. [Photo by Wu Jin/ China.rog.cn]
"Personally speaking, I get extremely excited when reading files of lawsuits as the job makes me very happy," Rui said during the workshop focused on empowerment, gender equality in the workplace and choices between work and family.
The Chief Judge in the IP sector in Beijing has held a very practical view towards women's balance between job and family. She said men and women may make different contributions to families, as men in China are regarded as the principal bread earners while women are seen as being responsible for family chores and children rearing.
"The proportion of female judges far exceeds the number of male judges in the domestic system of courts, because courts provide women with stable and reverent positions," Rui revealed.
"But to most male employers, a judge's meager earnings can't satisfy their ambition to buy a house for their family," she further explained.
It has been Lynch's third visit to China to exchange and share information and experience with Chinese counterparts. During the workshop, she shared a very clear attitude towards her career when talking about empowerment and gender equality in the IP sector in Britain.
"I want the opportunity because I deserve it," she said when speaking on the qualifications of female employees in the job market. "I want to be able to do the job because of the skills I have."
"We want the best people no matter whether they are men or women," she said.
She also revealed that after listening to staff opinions, the UK IPO has launched flexible working hours for its employees to allow them to work outside of the workplace.
With dual roles as both a lyricist and company executive, Chen said she has always sought a balance between freedom and self-discipline. Chen is known for her song "Where did all the time go," which was mentioned by Chinese President Xi Jinping in his exclusive interview with Russian TV Station two years ago.
The UK-China IP Salon jointly organized by the UK IPO, British Embassy in Beijing and China Intellectual Property centered on the topic of women's roles in and outside of the IP sector.
Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.
A traffic policeman prevented a disastrous accident thanks to his experience, winning praise from the world after a surveillance video was broadcasted by CNN, reported zjol.com.cn on Tuesday.
Li Weiqi on duty. [Photo from web]
Li Weiqi, the traffic police on duty on April 21, was patrolling at a big busy intersection in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.
At some point, he noticed there was something weird about the road as minor cracks showed even though most people would have ignored it.
Li didn't miss the signal of danger. He started to ease the traffic and directed passing cars to bypass the questionable road surface.
It was not an easy job as the crossing was quite busy. Soon, he brought some road cones from nearby and blocked the area. His colleagues came and helped him to surround the area to warn the passing vehicles to stay away from it.
It was only four minutes from the time Li noticed the problem and set up all the cones. Then, a two-meter-deep sinkhole appeared. Thanks to the police's foresight, nobody was hurt.
CNN has uploaded the video to its official Facebook account and received over 3.6 million clicks and about 20,000 reposts so far.
It was flooded with praise for the policeman.
@Brandie Wilburn comments "Somebody give that man a beer and a raise!"
@Chris Teo said "Do give that traffic cop a medal, promotion and raise...he did risk his dear life and has a family to go home too like everyone else."
@Irene Shaw said "Wow! That's so scary. But his vision was spot on. Can you imagine if the cop wasn't there to notice what was about to happen. He saved so many people that day from sinking in that hole."
Li Weiqi, the traffic police who noticed the signs, said he never met this situation before but he knew it might be something wrong and needed to be cautious when he saw the cracks, according to zjol.com.
He said there was a breath-stopping moment when a driver tried to go over the problematic area but he did his best to stop the vehicle.
The driver was impatient and asked him if he violated any regulation. Just at that moment, the road collapsed just in front of them.
"He kept saying thank you for saving my life," Li said, "I told him it's not a big deal. This is my job."
The Chinese mainland and Taiwan should strengthen cooperation in fighting telecom fraud to safeguard the rights and interests of victims and bring all who commit fraud to justice, a mainland spokesman said Wednesday.
These crimes have caused tremendous economic loss as well as physical and psychological harm to people on both sides, An Fengshan, spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a news conference.
"We'll handle the cases in strict accordance with the law and protect the property safety and legitimate rights and interests of people across the Strait," said An, referring to an investigation of 45 Taiwan suspects who were deported from Kenya to the Chinese mainland for their involvement in telecom fraud two weeks ago.
The deportation sparked debate about the legal jurisdiction rights of judicial organs on the mainland over the repatriated suspects in Taiwan.
"The so-called 'statement' by Taiwan's legislative body is completely groundless, confusing truth and falsehood with disregard for the victims' rights and interests," said the spokesman in response to a request for comment on protests against the deportation.
"It conveyed an obvious message of 'one country on each side' with designs to cause confrontation and destroy the status quo across the Strait," he said, adding the move is against the will of people on both sides and damaged the foundation for cross-Strait cooperation in cracking down on crimes and for the development of cross-Strait relations.
A delegation from Taiwan arrived in Beijing on April 20 to discuss the cases of the 45 Taiwan suspects with mainland police.
Members of the delegation visited Beijing's Haidian District detention center, where the suspects are detained, to see how they are treated on the mainland, according to An.
"We'll fully protect the legal rights of all suspects and assist their relatives in visiting them," the spokesman added.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged Party and government officials to map out reform measures catering to people's demands, anticipating "many hardships" to be solved in the country's reform.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during his inspection in east China's Anhui Province from April 24 to 27 on the region's implementation of the 2016-2020 national development plan.
Acknowledging the pressure from downward economic trends and growing social issues, Xi said that "bottom-line responsibility" to ensure people's livelihoods should be fulfilled and reform should start with the "issues people feel most strongly about."
"As supply-side structural reform deepens, some employees will be laid off," Xi said. "We should pay more attention to employment, create more jobs, and implement and improve assistance measures."
Xi cited methods such as encouraging businesses to arrange more job openings, creating public welfare jobs as well as policy support to help people find jobs as soon as possible.
The president urged various local regions to bear in mind their own realities when following development plans to optimize current supply structures, improve product quality, foster new industries and offer new products and services.
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The central government plans to invest about 40 billion yuan (6.16 billion U. S. dollars) in water conservancy projects in Tibet Autonomous Region in the next five years.
According to the regional water conservancy department, this investment will help the region improve the water quality of its rivers and lakes and expand access to tap water in the countryside.
As more than 70 percent of Tibetans are herders and farmers, water sources for grassland and farmland are very important.
"We will accelerate construction of small farmland water projects, improve the efficiency of irrigation water use and boost the production capacity of farmland," said Dawa Zhaxi, director of the department.
Tibet will also develop forage grass bases and ensure water supply to grassland and woods, he added.
The investment is also expected to help ease floods and droughts in Tibet.
The central government spent 22.3 billion yuan on water conservancy infrastructure in Tibet in the past five years, benefiting some 1.8 million farmers and nomads.
From 2011 to 2015, Tibet saw its water supply capacity increase by 700 million cubic meters. About 1.5 million mu (100,000 hectares) of irrigation areas were created or improved.
A Chinese mainland spokesperson has warned compatriots across the Taiwan Strait to be vigilant against de-sinicization and "Taiwan independence" activities in the island's cultural sector.
The comments, by State Council Taiwan Affairs Office (SCTAO) spokesperson An Fengshan, were made at a press conference in response to a question about a Taiwan politician who had allegedly asked to remove changes in Taiwan history textbooks that have been made to remind the historical connection between Taiwan and the mainland.
Taiwan's education authority last year changed the wording of some textbooks to better reflect history, altering "Japanese governance" to "Japanese colonization" and "[Chinese] takeover of Taiwan" to "the recovery of sovereignty over Taiwan." The pro-independence Democratic Progress Party and some student fractions, however, objected to the changes.
An said that cultural and education exchanges between the two sides of the Strait had seen positive development in recent years and that he hoped this could continue.
"Compatriots across the Strait must be highly vigilant in the face of attempts to cut links between the mainland and Taiwan, and reject de-sinicization and 'Taiwan independence' in the culture and education sectors," he said.
A Chinese dictionary, jointly complied by the mainland and Taiwan, has been published in Taiwan recently and will hit the mainland market in July, An said.
He added that the SCTAO will likely create social media accounts to promote cross-Strait exchanges.
Also, he expressed concern over an incident earlier this week, which saw Japan seize a Taiwan fishing boat and its crew. An said it is the common responsibility of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait to protect the legitimate rights and interests of fishermen from both the mainland and Taiwan.
Legislators on Wednesday discussed the need to regulate the freeing of captive animals while deliberating the newest revised draft of the wild animal protection law.
Without regulation, albeit well-intended, release of captive animals could have serious consequences, lawmakers said at an ongoing bi-monthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), citing media coverage of released animals, like foxes and snakes, that had gone on to cause damage and wreak havoc.
The freeing of captive animals needs to be supervised, lawmaker Sun Baoshu said.
"Both alien and indigenous species could pose a risk to the environment, and people's safety," Sun said, advising that a new provision that banned unregulated release should be added to the draft.
The release of alien species could compromise the local ecosystem, and indigenous species could be harmed if predators are released, said lawmaker Yan Xiaopei.
Fatalities could arise if animals are released into the wrong environment, Yan said, adding that the unchecked release of animals indirectly encourages poaching and the illegal trade of wild animals.
"Reckless release equals killing," Yan said.
Lawmakers also suggested measures be taken to better balance the protection of wild animals and that of people's safety and livelihood.
Some wild species have reproduced in large numbers and their presence has started to take a toll on the life and production activities of local species, lawmakers agreed. It was suggested that a review and revision of the protected animal list could help the situation.
The new revised draft, submitted to the top legislature for a second reading, stipulates that the central government evaluate the state protection list every five years and revise it accordingly.
Under certain circumstances, the five-year interval could be shortened, some legislators said.
The revised draft mandates that permits should be obtained for the hunting, captive breeding, sale, purchase, use, and import and export of protected wild animals.
The issuance of these documents should be made public to ensure better supervision of wild animal protection, lawmaker Fang Xin said.
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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Polish counterpart Witold Waszczykowski held talks on the development of bilateral relations on Tuesday.
Calling Poland an important cooperative partner of China in Central and East Europe, Wang said China attaches importance to relations with Poland, and is ready to enhance cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, infrastructure connectivity, and production capacity, and strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
Wang called on the two sides to maintain high-level communication to improve mutual trust, and to consolidate the bilateral strategic partnership.
Waszczykowski said Poland, with its unique geographic position, is willing to promote cooperation between China and Europe, and strengthen high-level engagement and cooperation in all areas with China.
Wang also briefed Waszczykowski on the South China Sea issue, related historical facts and China's stance.
Waszczykowski voiced Poland's support for China's policy that relevant disputes should be peacefully settled through dialogue and negotiation.
The two foreign ministers also discussed international and regional issues of common concern, such as the European situation.
Waszczykowski is paying an official visit to China from April 23 to 27.
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Eleven militants of the Islamic State (IS) were killed in Syria on Tuesday when Turkish artillery units shelled two missile launchers, local Daily news reported.
This was the second such operation by the Turkish Army in the past two days, said the report, adding that the Turkish artillery units shelled a missile launcher in Syria on Monday, killing eight IS militants.
Reconnaissance vehicles spotted two missile launchers ready for attack in Duwaibik, 26 km from the center of the southeastern province of Kilis.
Meanwhile, a three-story building next to the launchers in Syria was also destroyed, said the report.
The Turkish military responded to the IS group that has fired 45 rockets hitting the province of Kilis and killing at least 17 people since Jan. 18 this year.
Turkey has recently been on high alert as the country has been rocked by a series of suicide and car bomb attacks which claimed many lives and wounded hundreds more.
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The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Tuesday dismissed criticism from the international community for its test-firing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile.
The DPRK's successful test-fire of the SLBM was "the exercise of the just right to self-defence to safeguard the sovereignty and the country's right to exist" as well as from "the U.S.'s escalating threat of nuclear war," a spokesman for the foreign ministry was quoted by the state-run news agency KCNA as saying.
The DPRK announced Sunday that it had conducted a successful underwater test-fire of a strategic submarine ballistic missile; it added that the country's top leader Kim Jong Un guided the test.
This was the second time the DPRK's state-run media had announced the success of a SLBM test-fire since May 9, 2015 when the KCNA reported that Kim watched the testing of a newly developed SLBM.
The latest launch has provoked worldwide condemnation. Pyongyang has been accused of developing ballistic missile technology which is banned under several UN Security Council resolutions against the country.
The UN Security Council on Sunday "strongly" condemned the missile test, saying "this incident constituted yet another serious violation by the DPRK of UN Security Council resolutions."
The Security Council has adopted five resolutions to curb the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs. The latest one adopted in March imposes the most severe sanctions yet on the country, including an export ban and asset freeze.
Meanwhile, South Korea on Sunday denounced Pyongyang's latest SLBM launch, and Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday that the country had lodged an official protest with the DPRK and described the recent firing as a "provocative" act.
A DPRK foreign ministry spokesman says that his country will ignore all resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council "that side with vicious moves by the U.S. against the DPRK."
He blamed the United States for jeopardizing peace and security on the Korean Peninsula through nuclear war games that target the DPRK, including the mobilization of a nuclear submarine to South Korea.
He said that as a consistently hostile policy by the U.S. and nuclear threats against the DPRK leave the country no alternative but to "ensure a balance of force" through "nuclear deterrence."
"The U.S.'s pursuit of an extremely hostile policy and nuclear threats and blackmail against the DPRK will embolden the latter to make progress in bolstering its nuclear attack capabilities." the spokesman added.
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Turkey will take additional military measures in southeastern Kilis province in the wake of rockets fired from the Syrian side of the border, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Tuesday.
The government has made preparations for the security measures, along with social programs such as support to shopkeepers in Kilis that have suffered due to recent security problems, Davutoglu told a meeting of the ruling Justice and Development (AKP).
Additional medical personnel will also be sent to the border town, which has been targeted by rockets from regions controlled by Islamic State (IS) militants in northern Syria.
On Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus also talked about stronger military presence on the border with Syria and the deployment of "additional drones and devices in an effort to know of possible attacks in advance."
Kurtulmus said rockets were fired from mobile vehicles such as trucks or pickups, which he said makes it difficult for the army to target them.
Since January, rockets fired from IS controlled territory in northern Syria into Kilis have killed 17 people.
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At least 20 Al-Shabaab militants were killed Tuesday in a heavy fighting between Somali National Army and the militant group at a military base near Baidoa town in Bay region, 250 km southwest of Mogadishu.
Somali National Army (SNA) Commander in Division 60 based in Bay region, Ismail Khalif Shire told the state media that 20 Al-Shabaab militants attempted to attack their base there were killed during the battle.
"Al-Shabaab militants attacked our army base at Daynunay near Baidoa town in Bay region this morning. The SNA overpowered and shot dead 20 of them on the spot," Shire said.
He declined to say if there were casualties on their sides. However, Al-Shabaab militants claimed victory in the attack in which the insurgents claimed to have taken over the army base.
The group said that it captured the SNA base of Daynunay and killed 10 government soldiers. Baidoa town is the administrative capital of Southwest State in Somalia.
The latest incident comes after security forces killed at least six Al-Shabaab militants and captured three others in Bur-hakabo town in Bay region this week.
Six of the militants blew up themselves, according to government officials earlier this week.
The militants have recently increased their attacks against AU and Somali forces in the Lower Shabelle region, which has seen a surge of attacks that resulted in the loss of several strategic towns although the militants mainly held those towns briefly.
The AMISOM forces have also increased airstrikes in southern Somalia in the recent past, resolving in the killing of more than 50 militants late last month.
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China said on Tuesday it has noted Japan's positive messages over Sino-Japanese relations, but warned Tokyo to stop making indiscreet comments on issues including the South China Sea.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying speaks at a regular press conference on April 26, 2016. [Photo/fprc.gov.cn]
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying made the remarks after Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida delivered a speech on Sino-Japanese ties on Monday.
Kishida said he will pay a visit to China. The visit, starting on Friday, will be his first formal visit to the country since the administration of Shinzo Abe took office in December 2012.
Relations between the two countries nose-dived after Japan moved to "purchase" the Diaoyu Islands in September 2012.
Kishida said in his speech "the only choice" for the two countries is to try to contribute to the world through friendship and cooperation, and that he hopes to contribute to establishing China-Japan relations that "suit the new times".
Kishida called on the two countries to expand cooperation and improve understanding and trust between their peoples.
Hua said that China hopes Japan will match its deeds with "positive information" Kishida delivered in his speech, and make effective efforts to improve bilateral ties.
However, Beijing "regrets to see that Japan is still commenting indiscreetly on China over some issues".
Kishida had voiced "worry" over what he called China's "fast and opaque increase in military spending" and its activities in the East China Sea and the South China Sea.
Hua said: "China has been sticking to the path of peaceful development and pursues defensive national defense policies. Its strategic purpose is transparent."
Japan, as a country outside the South China Sea region, "should get its position and attitude right and stop making indiscreet judgments on China", Hua said.
She emphasized that China's activities in the East China Sea and the South China Sea have been "totally legitimate and lawful".
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The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday announced that the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) will hold its 7th Congress in Pyongyang, the capital of DPRK, on May 6, the country's official news agency KCNA reported.
The congress will be the first major conference in 36 years and the first under the current DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un.
The decision, which was made by the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee, however, did not say how long the congress will last.
According to the decision, provincial conferences of the WPK held earlier had elected delegates, including Kim and observers to the 7th Congress.
About 3,000 people are expected to attend the congress, reports say.
Pyongyang declared in late October 2015 that the 7th WPK congress will be convened in early May. The 6th congress of the party was held in 1980.
In late February, Pyongyang launched a nationwide campaign, known as "70-day Battle," that lasts till May 2, with the purpose to mobilize all party members and laborers to work harder and show loyalty to the ruling Party and the country. Work time has been extended and people are encouraged to deliver more achievements to open up the "heyday for building a thriving country."
Reports say participants to the party congress will discuss a broad range of issues, including major political and economic policies, medium- and long-term development programs, high-level personnel adjustment.
It is believed that the 7th Congress of the WPK is likely to introduce new state policies and the reshuffle of senior-level party and state officials. The congress will play a role in strengthening the solidarity of the country and the people's loyalty to the leadership.
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The UN Security Council on Tuesday urged the early formation of transitional government in South Sudan.
The statement came as Liu Jieyi, the Chinese UN ambassador who holds the rotating council presidency for April, was speaking to reporters here after the 15-nation council was briefed by Herve Ladsous, the UN under-secretary-general for peacekeeping operations, on the current situation in South Sudan.
"The Security Council strongly urged all parties to quickly form the transitional government and fully implement the peace agreement to realize lasting peace, reconciliation and national rebuilding of South Sudan," Liu said.
The Security Council appreciated the work of the chairperson of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, former President Festus Mogae, and the African Union high representative, former President Alpha Oumar Konare, in their efforts to promote the peace process in South Sudan, he said.
"The members of the Security Council noted that there is much work to be done to bring peace and stability to South Sudan," he said. "The members of the Security Council demanded the parties to comply with their obligations, the international law and respect human rights."
"The members of the Security Council expressed their alarm at the dire humanitarian situation and demanded the parties to facilitate humanitarian access as well as allow the free movement of UN personnel to carry out their duties," he said.
The security situation in South Sudan remains precarious, intermittent fighting occurred in several areas of the country, Ladsous said in his briefing to the Security Council, stressing the need for unimpeded movement by the UN Mission in South Sudan and humanitarian partners in order to address the worsening humanitarian and human rights situation.
South Sudan was born in 2011 to great international fanfare. But shortly after independence, it spiraled into a civil war that killed tens of thousands and displaced more than 2 million people.
Civil war erupted in South Sudan in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Machar of planning a coup, setting off a cycle of retaliatory killings that have split the country along ethnic lines.
Nearly two years of peace negotiations in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, yielded several ceasefires, and recommitments to cease-fires, that were broken almost immediately.
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Visiting Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that the Western countries should show humanity and extend a different kind of assistance to Turkey to deal with the current refugee crisis.
Visiting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends a joint press conference with his Croatian counterpart Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic (not seen in picture) at the Presidential Palace in Zagreb, capital of Croatia, April 26, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
Erdogan made the remarks at a joint news conference with his Croatian counterpart Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic here, but didn't elaborate.
Turkey would never close its door to Syrian refugees, he said, adding, "Turkey never has nor will it ever close its door to people fleeing bombs."
Grabar-Kitarovic expressed strong support to Turkey's getting closer to the European Union (EU), including abolition of visas for Turkish citizens.
"Croatia can help Turkey in its EU integration process, primarily by providing strong political support in Brussels, for lifting visa requirements, which I hope will happen soon," she said.
Besides refugee crisis, during his two-day visit Erdogan will discuss the economic cooperation with Croatian officials. His delegation comprises of six ministers, including the minister of justice, European affairs, economic affairs, as well as over 90 businessmen who will attend a business forum.
On Wednesday, Erdogan will meet with Croatian Parliament Speaker Zeljko Reiner and Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic.
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Head of the Syrian government delegation Bashar al-Jaafari told press Tuesday that his team will leave Geneva tomorrow as planned after convening for the last time with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura in the latest round of intra-Syrian proximity talks.
"I can describe this particular round as useful and constructive," he said after his meeting with the envoy who is mediating UN-backed efforts seeking to broker a political end to the five-year conflict.
"We engaged in this meeting with a sense of responsibility and objectivity and discussed all issues that pertain and serve the interest and security of our country," al-Jaafari explained, adding that he had replied to all enquiries and questions put forward by the special envoy.
The Syrian diplomat also raised the issue of terrorism, one of many sticking points which has permeated diplomatic negotiations striving to end the crisis which has killed some 400,000 people.
Al-Jaafari has repeatedly stated that some of the groups represented by the High Negotiations Committee, the main umbrella group for opposition factions, are terrorist entities.
Talks have also been marred by the HNC's early departure from formal negotiations last week.
The opposition delegation left but a small technical team of advisors after accusing the regime of avoiding the issue of political transition amid a worsening humanitarian and security situation on the ground.
While the Syrian government seeks to establish a broad-based national unity government to include members who reject terrorism as well as opponents in the national opposition who are not subject to foreign agendas, the HNC backs the creation of a transitional governing body with full executive powers which has no place for incumbent Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
De Mistura is scheduled to brief the UN Security Council in New York via videoconference tomorrow, after which he will hold a press conference here in Geneva.
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UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday encouraged the international community to learn from the lessons of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the worst nuclear accident in human history, in a bid to strengthen nuclear safety.
"The accident led to a new awareness of safety issues and to major improvements in the regulation of nuclear plants around the world," the secretary-general said in his message to mark the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear accident.
Ban said that "This anniversary offers an opportunity to take stock of lessons learned, reflect on the recovery process, and to appreciate once again the heroic efforts of the first responders who rushed to the damaged reactor on 26 April 1986 and sacrificed their health, and in many cases their lives, to save others."
Chernobyl is a place replete with horrific memories in northern Ukraine. A large tract of land around the nuclear power plant there was designated a forbidden zone and ordinary people were completely prohibited from entering after the disaster occurred 30 years ago.
The accident released more than eight tons of radioactive leaks, directly contaminated an area of over 60,000 square kilometers and exposed some 3.2 million people to dangerous levels of radiation.
"The disaster had grave humanitarian, environmental, social and economic consequences. It cast a radioactive plume across a swathe of northeastern Europe, and its effects are still being felt in the region and around the world," Ban said in the message.
"The reactor encased in concrete, the empty houses and villages and the sense of lives ruptured by sudden tragedy made a deep impression on me," Ban said, recalling his visit to the site of accident five years ago.
"The tragedy of Chernobyl will always be linked with nuclear safety. The accident led to a new awareness of safety issues and to major improvements in the regulation of nuclear plants around the world."
"The Chernobyl disaster also brought the international community together to support the enormous efforts of local, regional and national authorities," he said. "I particularly commend the governments of Belarus, the Russian Federation, and Ukraine for their joint work."
"The most visible sign of current international cooperation efforts may be the New Safe Confinement structure, which is now nearing completion, and should make the reactor complex stable and environmentally safe for the next 100 years," said the secretary-general. "We owe our gratitude to the governments and international institutions that contributed to the costs of this record-breaking structure."
Since 1986, the United Nations has helped to address the needs of people in the areas surrounding Chernobyl, first through emergency and humanitarian aid, and then by supporting recovery and social and economic development, which still continues, he said.
"The United Nations has also helped to provide essential information on the continuing impact of radiation on local communities," he said.
Meanwhile, the secretary-general commended the success of the development approach adopted 10 years ago and led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). "Communities that were affected by the accident are now more self-reliant and self-sufficient, and lessons have been learned for the future," he said.
"Knowledge gained from the tragedy at Chernobyl is helping other people and communities around the world to protect themselves and to recover from trauma, including during the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear emergency of 2011," Ban said.
"There is a growing risk of disasters in which natural events combine with chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear crises," he said. "At the World Humanitarian Summit that I am convening in Istanbul on 23rd and 24th May, I will ask leaders to consider multidisciplinary strategies that include prevention, preparedness and response."
"Looking ahead, long-term recovery efforts around Chernobyl must be linked to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals," he said, referring to a set of 17 development targets which serve as the blueprint for the global development efforts for the next 15 years.
"The 2030 Agenda's promise to leave no one behind applies above all to those caught up in crises around the world; those who have struggled for years to overcome trauma and fears about their health and livelihoods; and those who continue to demonstrate their resilience as they walk the road to recovery and development," Ban added.
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Iraq's parliament approved five cabinet members as part of a reshuffle presented by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is facing pressure to finalize the stalled reforms, official television reported Tuesday.
Legislators voted in the ministers of Health, Water Resources, Labor and Social Affairs, Electricity and Higher Education, after voting on dismissing their former ministers, the state-run Iraqiya channel said.
The parliament failed to vote on the dismissal of other cabinet members due to a disagreement between legislators, according to the channel.
The session, which was attended by 180 legislators from the 328-seat parliament, was then adjourned by Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jubouri to Thursday.
Voting on the new cabinet reshuffle came following hours of deliberation, as the parliament first convened at 1:00 pm.
However, the session soon became chaotic once Abadi entered the hall, as about 30 dissenting legislators kept shouting "illegal" referring to Parliament Speaker Salim Al-Jubouri whom they dismissed earlier during an emergency session.
The chaos forced Abadi to withdraw from the session hall after several legislators threw water bottles towards his table.
However, Parliament Speaker Jubouri remained in the hall and continued discussions with the dissenting legislators in order to convince them to join the session.
The disorder led parliament security personnel to intensify security measures, ordering journalists and photographers to vacate the parliament building, forcing the Iraqiya channel reporters to depend on information leaked from some officials and legislators inside the parliament.
A few dissenting legislators ended their protest and joined the parliament which reconvened in another parliament building hall.
Subsequently, Abadi presented his cabinet candidates after voting on dismissing the previous ministers, according to information leaked to the Iraqiya channel.
Iraqiya Television Channel first quoted sources inside the session as saying that six cabinet members were dismissed and replaced.
However, it reported later on that only five cabinet members were included in the reshuffle.
Parliament met whilst thousands of demonstrators rallied at Tahrir Square and beside the entrance of Baghdad's Green Zone, which houses Iraq's government offices and some foreign embassies.
The demonstrators, many of whom are loyal to the prominent Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, held Iraqi flags and chanted, "No to corruption," "We are staying. We're not leaving until all reforms are met."
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Delegations of Yemen's warring parties agreed with each other on agenda of the ongoing UN-sponsored talks, a first notable progress since the negotiations began seven days ago.
Abdel-Malik al-Mikhlafi, head of the government delegation said "today's session winds up with progress."
"We and the Houthi side along with their Saleh ally agreed on the UN-based agenda and signed the agreement to be discussed as of tomorrow (Wednesday)," al-Mikhlafi said in a statement posted on the official news agency Saba.
The progress is confirmed by the heads of Houthi and Saleh's delegations, Mohammed Abdelsalam and Yasser al-Awathi in statements on their groups' media outlets.
The consensual agenda consists of a five-point road map, which is based on the UN Security Council 2216 on Yemen conflict issued last year.
The road map calls on the Houthi group to cede power to the internationally recognized government, disarm and withdraw from cities to establish permanent peace and resume the political process.
During the past days of talks in Kuwait, the Houthis and Saleh's delegates expressed reservations. They want the formation of a new national sharing government before implementing those points.
The Houthi group and pro-Saleh militias stormed the Yemeni capital Sanaa in September 2014, and forced Hadi and his government to exile.
Last March, Hadi's government authorized a Saudi-led coalition to enforce the resolution and bring Sanaa back to the control of the internationally recognized government.
The coalition and the government forces have taken four southern provinces from Houthi and Saleh militias in July last year.
Over the past two months, the coalition-backed government forces have advanced to northeast suburbs of Sanaa, ready to storm the capital once the talks collapse.
The civil war has so far killed over 6,000 Yemenis, mostly civilians, injured around 35,000 and displaced over two million, according to the latest UN statistics.
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Three prominent leaders of the Yemen-based al-Qaida offshoot were killed Tuesday by a U.S. drone strike in the country's troubled southern province of Abyan, a military intelligence officer told Xinhua.
Missiles were fired from a U.S. unmanned aircraft and targeted two cars carrying local commanders of the al-Qaida terrorist group near the town of Zinjibar, Abyan's provincial capital, the local intelligence source said on condition of anonymity.
"Initial reports indicate that the al-Qaida mid-level commander named as Abu Sameh and two other leaders were killed in the drone attack that destroyed their small vehicles, " the officer said.
Earlier this week, Yemeni government forces and the Saudi-led Arabian Coalition launched well-planned and unprecedented attacks against key bastions of the al-Qaida terrorist group in the country's southern and eastern regions.
Hundreds of Yemeni soldiers newly trained by the Saudi-led coalition and supported by special UAE troops managed on Sunday to recapture the coastal city of Mukalla, Hadramout's provincial capital, after intense fighting and intensified air raids on al-Qaida positions.
Saudi-led warplanes provided air power and air-covered the pro-governmet forces and the UAE troops that engaged in intense gun battles with al-Qaida militants on ground, according to local military officials.
Hundreds of southern tribal fighters loyal to Yemen's government strongly participated in the anti-Qaida military operations in Hadramout and Abyan provinces and elsewhere in south.
Security experts fear that al-Qaida terrorist group may carry out coordinated suicide bombings against army bases in southern Yemen in revenge for the latest military operations.
The government authorities in the port city of Aden, Yemen's temporary capita, tightened the security measures near state facilities and deployed armored vehicles around the city's entrances.
Yemen, an impoverished Arab country, has been gripped by one of the most active regional al-Qaida insurgencies in the Middle East and the affiliate of the Islamic State group.
The al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), also known locally as Ansar al-Sharia, emerged in January 2009. It had claimed responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks on Yemen's army and government institutions.
It took advantage of the current security vacuum and the ongoing civil war to expand its influence and seize more territories in Yemen's southern part.
The already fragile security in Yemen has deteriorated since March 2015, when an all-out war broke out between the Shiite Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullash Saleh, and the government backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition.
More than 6,000 people have been killed in ground battles and airstrikes since then, half of them civilians.
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Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that Moscow's relations with Ankara are not expected to be normalized in the foreseeable future due to the "anti-Russia stance" of the current Turkish leadership.
In a review of Russia's diplomacy in 2015 that was posted on its website, the ministry said relations with Turkey have been promoted to a certain point through contacts at various levels, but "negative potentials have been gradually developing due to differences in a raft of bilateral and global issues."
Relations between Russia and Turkey have soured after Turkish forces shot down a Russian Su-24 jet near the Turkish-Syrian border on Nov. 24, 2015 for alleged airspace violation, which the Russian side denied and saw as a hostile act.
The two sides have since been locked in a war of words. Moscow accused Turkey of having ties with terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq, while Ankara, turning the table around, claimed that Russia is involved in oil smuggling with the Islamic State the extremist group.
The incident has been described as the biggest crisis in history between the two countries. Russia has imposed a comprehensive set of sanctions against Turkey from this year.
The import of Turkish foodstuffs and other agricultural products to Russia have been curtailed. Charter flights in both directions have been halted, and the visa-free travel regime between the two countries has been suspended to "ensure national security and the safety of Russian citizens."
Russian companies are also banned from hiring Turkish citizens, while companies owned by Turkey or Turkish citizens are prohibited from providing services for state and municipal needs in Russia or participating in such areas as construction, tourism, hotel and lumber business.
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With Chernobyl disaster's effects still being felt after 30 years, the United Nations' top officials on Tuesday renewed their commitment to a safer future, underlining the need to draw lessons from the disaster and the remaining problems.
Photo taken on April 19, 2016 shows a gas mask in a deserted village near Chernobyl, Ukraine. [Photo/Xinhua]
"Today, we remember the human cost of the disaster," Mogens Lykketoft, the president of the UN General Assembly, told delegates attending a commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear accident at UN Headquarters in New York. "We remember those who sacrificed their own lives to prevent this disaster from becoming even worse."
Thirty years ago, the accident, widely considered one of the most severe ones in the history of the nuclear power industry, caused a huge release of radio-nucleoids over large areas of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, devastating the region's mostly rural economy and uprooting more than 300,000 people.
On April 26, 1986, a series of explosions occurred at the plant located 110 km north of the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, resulting in the demolition of the No. 4 reactor and the spread of radiation across Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and other European countries.
To assist Ukraine in making the Chernobyl disaster site environmentally safe, international donors have established a special fund, which finances security projects in the area.
In 2011, about 780 million U.S. dollars were raised by the donors to build a safe sarcophagus over the destroyed reactor to prevent further leakage of radiation.
On Monday, the international community pledged an additional 87.5 million euros (about 99.2 million dollars) for Ukraine to complete the construction of the ISF2 facility, which is needed for the safe decommissioning of units No.1, 2 and 3 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
"Livelihoods lost almost 30 years ago have yet to recover fully and many affected are still struggling to overcome poverty, exclusion and the stigma of contaminated regions," Lykketoft noted.
The president highlighted that this year, along-side this 30th anniversary, the global community is also marking the end of the Decade of Recovery and Sustainable Development for Chernobyl-affected Regions, with a series of activities taking place in the affected countries included a high level conference Monday in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.
A photo exhibition entitled "Chernobyl, tragedy, lessons, hope" is also on display at the UN headquarters in New York.
Speaking at the event on behalf of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Chef de Cabinet Edmond Mulet said the tragedy of Chernobyl will always be linked with nuclear safety.
"The accident led to a new awareness of safety issues and to major improvements in the regulation of nuclear plants around the world. The Chernobyl disaster also brought the international community together to support the enormous efforts of local, regional and national authorities," he said.
Noting that the most visible sign of current international cooperation efforts may be the New Safe Confinement structure - which is now nearing completion and should make the reactor complex stable and environmentally safe for the next 100 years, Mulet said the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Turkey, next month will ask leaders to consider multidisciplinary strategies that include prevention, preparedness and response.
Echoing this message in a statement issued from Vienna, Austria, the director general of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano, said Chernobyl led to a leap forward in global cooperation on nuclear safety, including the adoption of the Convention on Nuclear Safety.
"Countries with nuclear power began sharing information and experience in a way they never had before. The IAEA's mandate on nuclear safety was enhanced. IAEA Safety Standards were expanded," said the IAEA chief.
However, despite these improvements, he said the world was confronted with another serious accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan in March 2011 following a tsunami caused by a 9-magnitude earthquake.
"In the five years since then, considerable improvements have been made in nuclear safety throughout the world," he added. "But the key lesson from both Chernobyl and Fukushima Daiichi for everyone involved in nuclear power -- plant operators, governments and regulators -- is that safety can never be taken for granted. Complacency must be avoided at all costs."
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Chinese engineer Zhang Qingchun (L2) and Kenyan workers work at the Mombasa West Station. [People's Daily]
An article recently published on National Geographic magazine accused the under-construction railway, stretching from the port of Mombasa to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, of threatening wildlife.
The controversial railway is being built by a Chinese company. A person in charge responded yesterday that the harsh criticism, at least some aspect of it, has distorted facts.
The Mombasa-Nairobi railway is set to be the biggest infrastructure project since Kenya achieved independence. About 56 percent of the project has been finished, and a trial run is expected in July 2017. Sections of the railway will run through protected land, including the Nairobi and Tsavo West National Parks.
As the section scheduled to pass the Nairobi National Park recently broke ground, National Geographic reported that Kenyan conservationists were placing tracking collars onto elephants to see how well Tsavo's estimated 12,000 savanna elephants traverse the new rail line.
In fact, this stretch of track is just 12 kilometers long and will affect less than one percent of the park.
"There are no other options except passing through the national park," the Chinese company told the Global Times. The Tsavo National Park covers an area of 20,000 square kilometers, and stretches over 240 kilometers from northeast to southwest, heading the same way as the Mombasa-Nairobi railway.
The park in southeastern Kenya was already traversed by an old, British meter-gauge railway and a two-lane highway known as A109. Parallel with the old railway and the highway, the new rail line will not exert secondary damage to the park.
As for the planned passage through the Nairobi National Park, it is the only way out neither dodging nor passing through the African Heritage House in Nairobi proved feasible.
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Flash
The U.S. State Department on Tuesday warned that it would consider "other options" if Pyongyang continues its nuclear and ballistic missile tests.
"We call on North Korea to refrain from actions that further destabilize the region and focus on what it needs to do, which is take concrete steps toward fulfilling its commitments and its obligations to denuclearize," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a daily press briefing.
He warned that Washington will "look at other options as we move forward if North Korea continues with this kind of behavior."
However, Toner declined to specify the options the United States is considering, only saying that Washington wants to ensure the security and safety of its allies and protect the peninsula, but also to make every effort to bring Pyongyang back to the negotiating table.
Also on Tuesday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest issued a similar warning. "We're going to continue to ramp up the pressure on the North Korean regime," Earnest told a press briefing.
Pyongyang must choose to rejoin the international community by committing to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and come into compliance with their international obligations, he said.
In a CBS interview aired Tuesday, U.S. President Barack Obama described the DPRK as "a massive challenge."
He defended the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile system on the Korean Peninsula, saying that "so that even as we try to resolve the underlying problem of nuclear development inside of North Korea, we're also setting up a shield that can at least block the relatively low-level threats that they're posing right now."
China and Russia are opposed to the possible deployment of the missile system, which they believe will create a real threat to their security and the stability in Northeast Asia.
Flash
Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida will pay an official visit to China from Friday to Sunday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Wednesday.
Hua told a routine press briefing that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Kishida will hold talks and exchange views on China-Japan relations as well as international and regional issues of common concern.
China and Japan are important neighbors, and healthy and stable bilateral relations are not only in the interests of both countries and the two peoples, but also are of important significance for the peace and stability as well as development in the region, Hua said.
She said currently relations between the two countries saw improvement but also faces challenges, calling on Japan to meet China halfway and make concrete efforts for sustainable, healthy and stable development of bilateral relations.
It is hoped that Japan would abide by the four political documents reached between the two countries in 1972, 1978, 1998 and 2008 as well as the four-point principled agreement reached in November 2014, and handle relevant issues in appropriate manner, according to Hua.
China's Global Newspaper
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BEIJING - Many of China's State-owned enterprises (SOEs) reported drops in profits in Q1, as building materials, electronics and tobacco reported large profit declines, Ministry of Finance data showed on Tuesday.
The combined profits of China's SOEs fell 13.8 percent year on year to 432 billion yuan ($67 billion) in the first three months, although the decline narrowed from a 14.2-percent drop in the January-February period.
Total business revenue for state firms decreased 3 percent from a year ago to 9.95 trillion yuan, while operating costs went down 3 percent to 9.7 trillion yuan.
SOEs in the areas of petrochemicals and medicine saw profits grow, while oil, coal, steel, non-ferrous metals continued to suffer losses.
By the end of March, total assets of SOEs stood at 122 trillion yuan, while liabilities grew 18.1 percent year on year to 81.2 trillion yuan.
The figures, which exclude financial firms, were collected from SOEs in 36 provincial-level regions and those administered by the central government.
China has about 150,000 SOEs, many of which are uncompetitive with declining profits.
The government is determined to continue SOE reform this year, an important part of supply-side structural reform, according to Zhang Shuyu with the University of International Business and Economics.
Pilot programs this year are planned in payment distribution, investment of state capital and mergers and acquisitions.
The reform is not going as quickly as expected because the desire of SOEs to reform themselves is weak, as some of them control the country's most profitable sectors, such as railways, telecommunications and natural resources, Zhang said.
To press ahead with reform, the central government said in March it will encourage private enterprises to participate and allow private capital to invest in key sectors including power, oil, natural gas, railways, aviation and telecoms.
Mainland tourists are seen with luxury brand shopping bags in Hong Kong, China, May 17, 2011.[Photo/IC]
As a primary force behind luxury consumption worldwide, Chinese tourists' buying power has recently seen a decline. According to GlobalBlue, a tax return service company, overseas spending on luxury items by Chinese tourists declined 24 percent in March. This is the first time that number has fallen since records started being kept in 2010. In the European market, luxury consumption saw a year-on-year decline of 35 percent in March.
Statistics also show that luxury spending by Chinese tourists in the Asia-Pacific region fell 6 percent from last year. Only Chinese luxury spending in Japan saw an increase.
According to Beijing Business Today, over the same period last year, overseas luxury consumption by Chinese tourists had a growth of 122 percent. According to some analyses, the sharp decline can be attributed to the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels. Meanwhile, the price difference between luxury goods in China's domestic market and abroad is shrinking, so many Chinese consumers choose to buy luxuries closer to home. GlobalBlue believes the sluggish sales of luxury goods in the European market to Chinese tourists will become a "new normal."
Zhou Ting, a luxury expert, said that the big decline in overseas luxury spending by Chinese tourists is also caused by China's slowing economic growth. Chinese consumers may be cutting expenses in order to cope with the situation.
Shelves displaying medicines are seen at a pharmacy in Shanghai, November 27, 2015.[Photo/Agencies]
BEIJING - The State Council has published its major health care reform tasks for the year, with a general practitioner (GPs) pilot program, and reduced reliance on drug revenue for health centers.
This year, 200 cities will trial GP practices, making the service available to 15 percent of urban citizens and 30 percent of key groups, according to the State Council's statement.
GPs will open their practices to residents, providing them with basic, consistent medical services.
The plan is part of a tiered health system being rolled out across the country.
To improve local-level medical institutions, the government will allow physicians in public hospitals to practise or establish their own practices, according to the major tasks of the health reform this year.
Another health reform task this year will be the establishment of a pricing mechanism for drugs to reduce the cost born by patients, the State Council said.
Patients will be given the choice of buying drugs from hospitals or retail pharmacies, it added.
The public hospital reform will be further advanced this year, according to the major tasks, which said that 100 more cities will carry out pilot public hospital reform this year.
According to the pilot reform, revenues of public hospitals will not rely on drugs but medical service charges.
A worker cleans the nose of a business jet on display ahead of the 2016 Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (ABACE 2016) at the Shanghai Hongqiao Airport in Shanghai, 11 April 2016.[Photo/IC]
SHANGHAI - Business aviation in China, the largest market in the Asia Pacific region, is now in "cruise mode" with growth slowing.
"Changes are in the air. In aviation terms, China's business aviation industry has entered long-range cruise mode after going full speed and ascending rapidly in recent years," said Charlie Mularski, chairman of the Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA).
He made the remarks at the 2016 Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (ABACE) in Shanghai.
The annual ABACE in April is seen as a weather vane of the region's business aviation market.
China's business aviation fleet numbered about 300 last year. That was up 5 percent year on year, but slower than the double-digit growth of previous years before 2014.
In the Asia-Pacific region, including China, the three major business aircraft manufacturers in the market are the Bombardier, Gulfstream and Cessna.
Calming market
"We're confident that business aviation in Asia and China will continue to grow, perhaps at a slower pace, but still growing," said Mularski.
Industry insiders at the ABACE show generally agreed that China's prospects remain positive, although the industry is particularly sensitive to the nation' s economic vitality and policy environment.
"The market needs to calm down after years of irrational expansion, and get on the track of healthy development," said Kevin Wu, AsBAA vice chairman and Textron Aviation vice president of international sales for greater China and Mongolia region.
Wu noted the industry in China is still in its infancy compared with European and American markets.
Global major business aircraft manufacturers participated in the ABACE event with a greater range of aircraft than ever.
Textron Aviation announced it will boost its strategy of localization to better cultivate the Chinese market. Textron subsidiary Cessna launched a joint venture in China in 2013 and witnessed an 80-percent increase in sales of its Cessna 208 Caravan, a single-engine short-haul utility aircraft.
Bombardier has completed about 90 percent of a new maintenance plant with Chinese partner Tianjin Airport Economic Area and strengthened its support network in China.
Business high flyers
Business aviation arrived in China in the mid-1990s and took off as executives realized how it could save time getting around the vast country, but it also raised popular ire in some quarters with users being accused of flaunting their wealth.
China's economic slowdown affected the industry, which was still producing orders placed in previous years.
The government's anti-corruption campaign caused further effect as officials eschewed symbols of privilege.
However, Asia, especially China, is creating more high net worth individuals than any other region in the world. The main users and owners of business aircraft want to grow their businesses beyond local markets.
"More Chinese companies are expanding or cooperating abroad, which requires frequent and timely meetings," said Jason Liao, chairman and CEO of China Business Aviation Group. Entrepreneurs and other leaders in their fields must be efficient to succeed against brutal competition.
"A business plane is fast and comfortable, but it's not necessarily a luxury big one," said Liao.
Chinese buyers used to prefer aircraft with larger cabins, wide bodies and longer range, but now are growing accustomed to charter services or buying aircraft according to their practical requirements. A second-hand market is also growing.
Smarter buyers
Vanity purchasing -- or conspicuous consumption -- is less noticeable than in previous years, say insiders.
"They are more concerned about product value, and are more rational and mature in selecting a suitable model," said Guan Dongyuan, senior vice president of Brazil's Embraer and president of Embraer China.
A new phenomenon is emerging, said Khader Mattar, vice president of sales in Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and China for Bombardier.
"Compared with their foreign peers, Chinese buyers rapidly master super bargaining skills, and are becoming smarter and more professional," said Mattar.
They are no longer eager to get a plane as soon as possible, preferring to wait for the right conditions. "They are more patient and professional," said Mattar.
However, Chinese entrepreneurs still have difficulties using business aircraft. Operating costs in China -- including maintenance, airport and flight charges -- are among the highest in the world.
Moreover, airspace usage and insufficient ground support, such as airports and fix-based operations, all hamper the use of business aircraft.
The government has committed in its 13th five-year plan to build 50 major airports, mainly in less-developed central and western regions, to boost its transport network. It is hoped the business aviation market will become more flexible as the country' s civil airports approach 500 in number.
"In the next 10 years, China will be a dynamic sector in the global business aviation industry," said Wu. "Visionary industry insiders are already mapping out the market."
BEIJING - After a satisfactory jump in the first quarter (Q1), China's infrastructure investment is set to continue to be a major economic driver during the rest of the year, especially thanks to projects to alleviate poverty.
The Chinese economy posted a better-than-forecast year-on-year increase in Q1 thanks to capital flow into infrastructure projects and property development. Infrastructure investment totaled 1.54 trillion yuan ($235 billion), up 19.6 percent year on year, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows.
"This growth is expected to be maintained," according to CICC analyst Liu Liu, who cited upcoming projects and huge room for infrastructure improvement.
Growth of new projects has accelerated in most parts of the country, with total planned investment up 39.5 percent year on year in the January-March period, the fastest since 2012, Liu said.
Liu expects the upward trend to continue in the second quarter as state-owned contractors have posted strong order volume since the second half of 2015. It takes around two months from the signing of a contract for construction to begin.
However, Liu predicts a deceleration in the second half due to a high base last year.
Besides, investment in urban rail transit, which has contributed substantially to growth, still offers ample potential as the length of urban rail transit lines in the country's most developed cities still lags behind large overseas cities, Liu said.
Infrastructure investment is seen as one of the most effective means for China to stabilize economic growth against looming downward pressures.
To ensure infrastructure investment continues to grow, the government may need to further raise deficit ratio, and allow private investment via more channels, including public-private partnership (PPP) and special bonds, according to a research note issued by Ping An Securities.
NBS chief Ning Jizhe, who also advocates PPP projects, said construction funds could be established to attract private investment.
The National Development and Reform Commission, the top economic planner, has said one of its priorities this year is to improve the infrastructure project system to attract investment and raise funds.
China has also started to improve infrastructure in rural areas to alleviate poverty and prop up the economy.
At a State Council executive meeting last week, the government promised to accelerate the construction and upgrading of rural roads, expressways, rails and airports over the next five years as a way to help lift underdeveloped areas out of poverty.
"Rural areas need more money to improve living conditions, such as better sewerage systems and other sanitary facilities, as well as roads and greening," said Geng Qinghai, a housing and rural-urban development official in east China's Shangdong Province.
By raising rural investment, China can find an outlet for saturated industries including steel and cement while trying to rein in a continued slowdown, analysts said.
GUANGZHOU - In China's largest trade fair in the southern city of Guangzhou, a small electric kettle attracted the attention of many foreign buyers.
With a single tap on their smartphone, users can sit back and wait for the water to be heated to a desired temperature.
The smart kettle, made by Ningbo Smal Electrics Co is one of the innovative products at the fair that is revamping the notion of "Made in China" in many foreigners' mind.
The China Import and Export Fair, also known as Canton Fair, is considered a barometer for China's foreign trade, which has been under significant pressure as global demand wanes. Facing economic uncertainties and rising competition from overseas manufacturers, Chinese exporters are seeing technological innovation as a silver lining.
"There's no way out if you are producing the same stuff," said Dong Yuejun, president of Smal. "For the products to sell, you have to be different."
Dong is reluctant to forecast how many orders they will receive at the fair, but she said she was "optimistic" about the prospects for profitability.
Since 2014, Smal has started the research into the technology of the Internet of Things, of which the Internet-connected electric kettle is one result.
Like Smal, a rising number of domestic and foreign exhibitors at the fair are innovating to battle a downturn in overseas sales.
Zhang Qingfu, vice-president for the overseas operation of Haier, one of China's major home appliance makers, said personalized customer demand is a key reason that drives enterprises to innovate.
"It's no longer the case that consumers purely buy a refrigerator just to store things," said Zhang.
To satisfy diversified demand, Haier has developed a platform to connect resources from more than 300,000 R&D centers around the world, in effect to "crowdsource" creative ideas that respond to customers needs.
Jayesh Daryanani, a buyer from Reunion Island, carefully examined the refrigerators at Haier's booth and was especially impressed with the frost-free feature.
"This technology is very advanced," said Daryanani, adding that technology was the main reason he bought Haier products, which approximately accounted for 10 percent of all home appliances sold on the Island.
He said buyers are always seeking a balance between price and quality. "It's not only the price we consider, quality also makes a difference," said Daryanani.
The transformation of Chinese products from "cheap goods" to higher-end commodities came at a time when innovation was given center stage in the country's development plan, which promotes innovative technology through a wide range of measures.
Thanks to the emergence of innovation-driven growth engines, China still has competitive advantages in foreign trade, said Vice Premier Wang Yang on Monday, adding that more needs to be done to make foreign trade "more stable and stronger."
Besides measures to increase the overseas presence of Chinese firms, the central government has vowed support for imports of advanced equipment and technology, according to a State Council statement released last Wednesday.
That will be good news for foreign exhibitors at the fair who are looking to introduce technology to the Chinese market.
Ecovitta, a Singapore-based company that has a manufacturing base in China, said the company is looking for Chinese partners who want to sell their product -- steam cleaning technology -- under their own brands.
Nasser Jafarzadeh, managing director of the firm, said the technology helps clean carpets, rugs and hardwood floors without harsh chemicals, and is more widely used in Western homes.
"As Chinese customers pursue higher-end products, steam is one of things they'll move into," said Jafarzadeh, who is expecting more customers to choose steam products over the dirty mop.
Residential buildings in Bao'an District, Shenzhen, April 5, 2016. [Photo/IC]
Shenzhen property market cooled down following the tightening measures on home purchases adopted a month ago.
Second-hand home transaction in Shenzhen came to 6,793 units during the period from April 1 to 24, down 64 percent year on year, according to data from the research center of property agency Centaline Group, quoted by South Metropolitan Daily.
Meanwhile, the average price for resale homes last week (April 17-23) stood at 51,690 yuan ($7,965) per square meter, sliding 8 percent from March, data indicated.
In Huangbeiling, Luohu district, the average price of second-hand homes declined nearly 10 percent to 50,000 yuan per square meter, according to Xu Xiangxi, a local store manager of property agency Homelink Real Estate.
In a bid to rein in the runaway property market, Shenzhen adopted a series of new curbs described as among the strictest on record - on March 25.
Under the policies, second home buyers in Shenzhen, who have paid off loans for their first property or those who have applied for mortgage loans within two years, are required to fork out a down payment of at least 40 percent, compared with the previous 30 percent.
Buyers without Shenzhen household registration are allowed to buy only one property and must have paid tax or social security premiums in the city for at least three consecutive years instead of one year in the past.
Receded heat on the second-hand housing market has prompted property agencies to shift their focus to the sale of new homes, said Yu Zhigui, a store manager with real estate agency qfang.com
"Previously when the market was upbeat, developers were unwilling to work with property agencies. However, recently a majority of them have opted for cooperation with the agencies," he added.
Data from Centaline also showed some 5,548 units of new homes were transacted from February 25 to March 24. The volume fell nearly a half to 2,733 units for the period from March 25 to April 25.
Nicholas Speeks, President and CEO of Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Co Ltd, speaks during the 14th Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, also known as Auto China 2016, in Beijing, China, April 25 2016.[Photo/IC]
The drive by foreign automakers to enter the Chinese market speaks for itself increasingly in Mandarin.
It sometimes even sings such as when Nicholas Speeks, a Briton who heads sales and marketing for Mercedes-Benz in China, drew cheers on Monday by serenading a crowd at Auto China in Beijing with the ballad Great China.
"We have the same home, and its name is China," Speeks crooned in Mandarin to applause at the company's booth at the show, which runs until May 4.
That was a day after the brand's new E-class car was unveiled to the tune of the Chinese classic song In the Field of Hope.
Participants joked that the country truly is "a field of hope" for Mercedes-Benz.
Jiang Jianqing (left), chairman of ICBC, and Hu Hao, board secretary of ICBC, during a news conference in Hong Kong. The credit card launch is part of the lender's global expansion plan.[Photo/Agencies]
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd launched its first credit card in the United States on Tuesday, hoping to target Chinese people living and working in the country and to promote tourism between the two nations.
The new card will be offered by two networks, UnionPay and Visa. The purpose of working with Visa Inc is to offer newcomers to the US with limited credit history to be able to get a credit card and "acclimate to the culture of the US", a statement released by the bank said.
ICBC will offer two card levels for both network brands, with the "Preferred" customers earning 1 percent cash back on their spending and "Premier" customers getting VIP benefits and accelerated cash back.
"This is a milestone for ICBC's international expansion, significant to ICBC's credit card footprint and its rising status globally," said Wang Xiquan, senior executive vice-president of ICBC.
"The issuance of the ICBC credit card in the US is ICBC's major commitment to boosting China-US economic exchange and to serving local customers."
Cai Jianbo, CEO of UnionPay International, said in an interview prior to the launch that Chinese customers who work or live in the US will find the new card useful for its familiarity, as will Americans who travel for business to China and countries near it.
The credit card also was launched as part of cooperation between the China National Tourism Administration office in New York and ICBC for the 2016 China-US Tourism Year.
"We hope that there are more and more exchanges between the two countries, and from UnionPay's perspective, we're hoping to be able to, through our networks, provide more safe and secure payment options to travelers," Cai said.
The BMW Brilliance plant in Shenyang, Liaoning province, is an important part of the group's China operations. PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY
The BMW Group is taking solid steps forward with new investment and localization in China, despite the challenging conditions in the world's largest car market.
The luxury carmaker achieved stable sales growth in the Chinese mainland with 127,105 BMW and MINI vehicles delivered to customers in the first quarter, a surge of 10.5 percent year-on-year.
The BMW brand contributed 120,810 units to the entire Chinese market volume, up by 11.2 percent year-on-year, while 6,295 MINIs were sold.
"In this big year, our company is taking solid steps forward in China," said Olaf Kastner, president and CEO of BMW Group Region China, at the company's ceremony in Beijing on Sunday ahead of the auto show.
"Our forecast to 2016 is positive although the market conditions remain volatile.
"We are confident to achieve positive growth with such strong product portfolio," he said.
Olaf Kastner, president and CEO of BMW Group Region China.[Photo provided to China Daily]
With 39,033 units delivered, the BMW 5 Series expanded at a high growth rate and remained one of the most popular sedans in the country. The BMW 3 Series sold 34,162 units, accomplishing a significant growth of 28.1 percent year-on-year.
The BMW X family maintained strong growth of 38,079 units while the BMW X3 achieved the biggest gain with a surge by 69.3 percent.
"With the new products we have launched in Q1 and more to come within the year, we are confident of obtaining positive growth in sales by the end of the year," he said.
A new generation locally developed Sport Activity Vehicle BMW X1 will make its world debut on Monday, joining the domestic BMW 2 Series Tourer that hit the market in March.
Fulfilling the company's constant commitment in specially tailored products for Chinese customers, both new models are powered by the latest turbocharged engines locally produced in Liaoning province.
The all new BMW X1 long wheelbase version will make its world debut at Auto China 2016. PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY
The luxury brand's advanced B family engines entered local production in January at BMW Brilliance Automotive's new engine plant in Shenyang.
The plant serves as the BMW Group's first competence center outside of Europe, and its fourth after those in Germany, Austria, and the United Kingdom.
With it BMW has been realizing full localization in China of core engine components to assemble the latest generation of BMW 3- and 4-cylinder engines.
In addition, the BMW Group plans to expand the BMW ChargeNow pillars to 1,000 in China by the end of 2016, for customers of the new-energy vehicles of the i series and the joint venture's Zinoro.
The BMW team in China has expanded to 17,000 employees, with 16,000 based in Shenyang.
"In China, by Chinese, for China is the guiding principle of our strategy," Kastner said.
After another successful year in China, key executives from Mercedes-Benz joined this year's Auto China to highlight their commitment to China.
China is a key market for the German automaker, becoming their largest last year and providing a strong engine for the brand's growth. This is despite challenges posed to the company in China, including the slowing growth of the overall automotive industry, impacts from emerging new business models, and the changing consumption patterns of consumers.
However, executives from Mercedes-Benz remain confident in the Chinese economy, and the overall prospects for the automotive market here. "Last year was a strong one for Mercedes-Benz, and we are satisfied with our performance in China," said Nicholas Speeks, president and CEO of Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service, also known as BMBS.
Speeks noted that this success was not due to just one factor, but an array of different initiatives the company has undertaken in China. "Thanks to the right products, our strong relationships with our dealers, pro-active customer care initiatives, and hard work, we saw more than 363,000 units sold last year. That represented 35 percent year-on-year growth," he said, indicating the company achieved the target it set at the beginning of the year.
An equally impressive expansion of their local dealer network supported the company's growth last year.
"By the end of 2015, we brought our total dealer outlets to around 500, with strong coverage in over 200 cities," said Li Hongpeng, senior executive vice-president at BMBS.
He attributed the successful network expansion to the close ties the automaker maintains with its dealer partners.
"Our good relationships with our dealer partners are the result of the strong communications mechanisms we've put in place. This has been vital in ensuring mutual trust and aligning our business goals."
This includes efforts to add additional convenience with new customer-oriented service initiatives this year.
"Only by building a happy relationship based on mutual trust with our dealer partners can we lay the foundation for sustainable growth and achieve our goal, ensuring that every customer receives the world-class service for which Mercedes-Benz is known," Li explained.
With 130 years of brand heritage, Mercedes-Benz is also committed to living up to its reputation as a responsible corporate citizen.
A large part of the company's China commitment is not its business efforts, but its ongoing CSR programs, which began over eight years ago.
Programs supported by its Star Fund cover areas as diverse as road safety, environmental protection, and education support in underprivileged regions.
"Strong CSR efforts are a key part of how we fulfil our social responsibility and support Chinese social development," Li said.
These efforts are just one way the company is firmly planting its roots in China. Another is through localization of production.
By laying this essential strategic foundation for long-term and significant participation in the growth of the key Chinese market, Mercedes-Benz is increasingly looking to localization to provide its Chinese customers with the products that meet their needs.
Among the more than 15 new models introduced to China last year, were the GLA and the GLC, two powerful models made at their joint venture Beijing Benz that continued the company's "Year of the SUV".
Local production of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars began in 2005 with the E-Class, followed in spring 2008 with the C-Class.
According to Duan Jianjun, executive vice-president, sales and marketing at BMBS, Beijing Benz Automotive - BBAC, represents the firm confidence Mercedes-Benz has in the Chinese market: "We've never let up with our local investment, to give our customers the best products that most fulfill their needs.
With more than 10 models slated for this year, Mercedes-Benz is continuing from last year with a strong product offensive."
"The success of our local production has continued in the first quarter of 2016, with locally produced vehicles accounting for 68 percent of our sales volume in China," Duan said.
"And this year we have another star of our local production - the All New Long-Wheelbase E-Class."
"The All New Long-Wheelbase E-Class is designed and made exclusively for China," Duan said. "It lives up to its reputation as 'the most intelligent executive sedan' in the world as it pioneers features that bring us closer to autonomous driving."
Another way Mercedes-Benz is showing its China commitment is through creating more opportunities for people in China to experience its brand and products - and not just those that are already Mercedes-Benz customers.
On Saturday, the new "Mercedes me Sanlitun" opened in Beijing to provide Chinese consumers a new way to see the brand, part of Mercedes-Benz' "Best Customer Experience" marketing strategy.
" 'Mercedes me Sanlitun' is an exciting new initiative under our 'Mercedes me' brand experience, and the largest so far. It presents our brand in a completely new environment, and in an entirely new way - with a restaurant and caf to meet with friends, a boutique for shopping, and lots more that bring Mercedes-Benz into people's lives," said Speeks.
With these new efforts to reach additional consumers, Mercedes-Benz is looking ahead to another successful year.
"This year we remain confident in the Chinese market, and wish to sustain our growth with reasonable expectations," said Speeks. "We will sustain our growth with continuing efforts to do the right things and continuing to do things right."
Infiniti delivers its fleet of vehicles to the organizer of the China Development Forum 2016. [Photo provided to China Daily]
To demonstrate its long-term commitment of contributing to Chinese society, Infiniti has been a sponsor of the China Development Forum for three consecutive years.
Roland Krueger, president of Infiniti Motor Co Ltd, and the only speaker from the premium auto sector at the high-profile political and economic event, shared the company's thoughts and plans about autonomous driving.
At the event, themed "The Internet and Future Technologies" and held on March 19, Krueger explained Infiniti's concept of autonomous driving and how it differs from the driverless cars proposed by tech giants like Google. He said people are front and center of autonomous driving, which offers more enjoyable rides.
"We do not believe in driverless self-driving vehicles. Hence, our autonomous technologies will offer a choice, alternatives and assistance to the driver and ultimately make him or her an even better driver.
"We are convinced that driving should be a fun activity as much as possible, and people will want to enjoy an exhilarating ride. This is why we don't want to take the driver out of the equation."
Krueger said safety is the biggest reason why autonomous vehicles are being so vigorously pursued. Infiniti, as a member of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, has the ambitious goal of moving closer to a zero-fatality future for car transportation.
The Infiniti Q70L hybrid is an official service car for the China Development Forum 2016. [Photo provided to China Daily]
He said autonomous driving promises to greatly reduce on the number of fatalities and injuries by virtually eliminating driver error, which is responsible for 93 percent of all traffic fatalities today.
"The Infiniti Q50 is one of very few vehicles on the market today that can be driven semi-autonomously by utilizing our direct adaptive steering technology, the world's first production steer by wire system that uses advanced electronics to streamline the steering mechanism, providing new levels of control, precision and adaptability," he said.
Krueger added that Infiniti will offer a number of cars featuring autonomous technologies over the next few years. Its parent company, Nissan, is one of the first companies to announce a long-term strategy for autonomous driving.
Later this year, the Renault-Nissan Alliance will begin selling vehicles with "single-lane control", which will allow the cars to drive autonomously and safely in heavily congested traffic on highways.
In 2018, its cars will have "multiple-lane control" to autonomously negotiate hazards and change lanes during highway driving. More advanced autonomous-driven cars that can navigate city intersections without driver intervention will hit the market by 2020.
This was the third consecutive year for Infiniti to support the forum, and the second consecutive year to be the forum's only vehicle provider.
Infiniti has sponsored the China Development Forum for three consecutive years. [Photos provided to China Daily]
Initiated in 2000 and hosted by the State Council's Development Research Center, the China Development Forum has played an important role in China's policy exchange and collaborations with the world.
The forum this year was held at the Diaoyutai Guesthouse in Beijing from March 19 to 21.
The forum also featured hightech moguls such as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Alibaba Chairman Jack Ma, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun and Uber CEO Travis Kalanick.
"As a young, passionate premium automaker, Infiniti is keen to be a provider of quality, sustainable trip solutions. Our participation in the China Development Forum over the past three years shows our long-term commitment in China," said Gaby-Luise Wuest, the former president of Dongfeng Infiniti and managing director of Infiniti China.
This year, Infiniti provided 15 of its QX60 Hybrid and Q70L Hybrid cars to the forum as VIP shuttle cars.
Two boys check out a concept car at an auto show in China. Jing Wei / for China Daily Marques realize they must adapt to attract more car-savvy and demanding buyers
China sold 6.59 million cars in the first quarter of 2016, a 6.2 percent growth year-on-year, in line with the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers' annual prediction.
While the growth rate represents a healthy number from a global perspective, many in the industry have been lamenting the golden days of double-digit growth in the world's largest car market.
Today, car brands are gradually realizing that they must adapt to attract a population of buyers that is becoming younger, more car-savvy and demanding. Several forward-thinking automakers have already sprinted to a small lead.
On April 19, Cowin, a newly launched brand under Chery Auto, showcased its first car, a crowdsourced midsized SUV that involved more than 1 million participants since responsibilities for the model were assigned through the internet from July 2015.
Its president Zheng Zhao rui said netizens helped come up with a design sketch and the car's name, the Cowin X5.
"We don't think Italian designers in their 50s will surely meet the taste of the post-1990 generation in China, so we let young netizens make those decisions," Zheng said.
Earlier this month, Next-EV, a Chinese startup aspiring to make electric and smart supercars, inked a 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) deal with JAC Motors to produce connected vehicles. NextEV was founded in 2014 by William Li and a group of internet entrepreneurs.
Li said NextEV is meeting the demands of a customer base that grew up in the age of the internet.
"Take the iPhone for example. It doesn't have great voice clarity or battery life, which used to be two hallmarks of a great mobile phone. Instead, it changed the way we evaluate mobile phones. We now agree that apps and touch screens are more important.
"For the auto industry, electrification and the mobile internet will do the same thing as iPhones have done. They will help make cars more fun and be more than a tool of transport."
Both Cowin and NextEV's achievements have come after China initiated its "supply-side" reform last year aimed at reducing overcapacity, improving products and service quality and boosting productivity through innovations. Ultimately, the nation's policymakers hope these measures stimulate consumption.
In response, international car giants have changed their strategies to consolidate their positions in the country.
"China will be the fastest-growing market for new-energy vehicles worldwide," said Matthias Muller, CEO of Volkswagen Group. "So for us, it's crystal clear: The future of e-mobility is strongly connected to this market. In China, the future is now."
He said Volkswagen is empowering regional markets to be more responsive to customer demands and tastes, particularly those in China, where 15 new locally produced new-energy vehicles will be rolled out by 2020.
The new-energy vehicle market is growing rapidly in the Chinese market. Sales of NEVs in the first three months of the year totaled 58,125 units, a 100 percent rise year-on-year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
At the Beijing motor show, which opens on Monday, 147 of 1,179 vehicles displayed are new-energy models.
Muller also emphasized the importance of digitization and connectivity, saying that they will alter the automotive industry.
"If the automotive industry does not want to run the risk of having its status downgraded to that of a hardware supplier, we have to make sure we take advantage of the big technological trends ourselves."
The mobile internet is surging in many countries, especially China. There were 899 million active smart mobile devices by the end of last year in China, accounting for 69 percent of the country's population, according to QuestMobile.
GM is implementing a plan to improve personal mobility solutions with such tools as ride-sharing, car-sharing and autonomous driving.
By the end of the year, GM will have 12 million OnStar-connected vehicles on roads. In China, all Cadillac, Buick and Chevrolet models will be connected by 2020.
Earlier last month, Shanghai OnStar inked a deal with China's home appliances producer Midea Group to integrate onboard telematics and smart household technologies into vehicles.
Record recall total
Besides their enthusiasm with connectivity, domestic customers are becoming more and more demanding of quality.
Automakers recalled more than 5.5 million cars last year, a record high, in the Chinese market.
"Customers are getting younger and younger," said John Zeng, managing director of LMC Automotive.
"They know more about cars than those born in previous generations and they want to defend their rights."
Geoff Broderick, general manager of Asia-Pacific Auto Operations at JD Power, said "quality is a nonnegotiable factor" in China as "there are no second chances with over 500 models for a consumer to choose from".
The Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge makes its Asian debut at the Auto China 2016. Photo Provided To China Daily
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has brought three highly bespoke models to Auto China 2016. The Ghost Black Badge series, which debuted in Asia this month, is technically and aesthetically the alter ego of Rolls-Royce: darker, more assertive, more confident and powerful, and more demanding.
The unveiling of the Black Badge series is a truly transformative moment for Rolls-Royce. The British luxury brand is delivering an unparalleled presence at the 14th Beijing International Automotive Exhibition by presenting the Wraith Inspired by Music, the third model completing a striking and distinctive bespoke trilogy, and the Dawn, a younger, more social model.
Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said, "With Black Badge we have created the most commanding presence on the super-luxury landscape. Black Badge is an attitude to life, an aspect of the Rolls-Royce brand that appeals to those risk takers and disruptors who break the rules and laugh in the face of convention.
"They are driven by a restless spirit. They play hard and they change the world."
The British carmaker continues to lead China's superluxury automobile segment, despite the contraction in the entire luxury market.
Leon Li, director of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, China, said, "Every Rolls-Royce is a unique work of art, and this collection of three very different, very beautiful Rolls-Royces will delight our Chinese patrons in different ways.
"Some will be naturally drawn to the dark edginess of our Black Badge cars, whilst others will embrace the burst of sunlight that is the Rolls-Royce Dawn, the sexier, more social super-luxury drophead motor cars. And those who appreciate the sound of perfection will of course enjoy Wraith Inspired by Music."
Ghost Black Badge
As a permanent bespoke series, Rolls-Royce Black Badge has achieved transformation both in appearance and engineering.
The darker aesthetic manifests itself in the transformation of the Spirit of Ecstasy, the front grille surround, boot lid finisher, lower air inlet finisher and exhaust pipes to the new composite aircraft-grade aluminum, carbon fiber and titanium wheels.
The famous Double R badge on the prow, flanks and aft of every Black Badge limousine invert to become silver on black.
Rolls-Royce engineers employed the flexibility of the 6.6-liter V12 engine to make the Ghost Black Badge a little more menacing. The modifications boost the power output to 450 kW and the torque to 840 Nm, 30 kW and 60 Nm more than the current Ghost. An upgrade to the eight-speed automatic transmission adds a sense of urgency in its power delivery.
The Ghost Black Badge ensures rear passengers' comfort by maintaining Rolls-Royce's renowned Magic Carpet Ride. The black leather with vibrant tailored purple adds a more edgy and personalized feel to the cabin.
Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Photo Provided To China Daily Dawn
Unveiled in 2015, Rolls-Royce's Dawn opened a new age of super-luxury drophead coupes.
The Rolls-Royce Dawn is finished in two-tone Tuscan sun and Jubilee silver. The interior is in black and subtle tan leather and Canadel veneer, with exquisite craftsmanship and the pure luxurious styling.
The multi-layered roof, with French seam and shape, make the open-top a quiet convertible. Operating in silence in just 22 seconds, and at cruising speeds of up to 50km/h, this "silent ballet" engages one's senses for the sounds, light and aromas of the outside world.
The Rolls-Royce Dawn offers four individualized seats. The full four-seater has no compromise in comfort wherever one sits, and promises a striking, seductive encounter like no other Rolls-Royce to date.
Inspired By Music
The Wraith Inspired by Music, which is making its China premiere, completed a trilogy of striking and distinctive bespoke collections after the unveiling of the Wraith Inspired by Film and the Wraith Inspired by Fashion.
The brushed and polished exterior paint and book-matched copper finish features are used for the first time on Wraith's fascia. A copper exterior paint and contemporary copper theme in the cabin create an atmospheric setting. The clock's radial lines on the outer bezel playfully emulate the look and feel of vinyl records.
The Bespoke Audio system was created from scratch by a team of the world's leading automotive audio engineers. The two-year development process saw the team work closely with Rolls-Royce interior designers to ensure a system perfectly tuned to the cabin interior.
The extraordinary sound clarity and dynamic range are achieved via a 1,300-W, 18-channel system that creates an "exclusive music venue" for the owners to drive in an encompassing music system.
A mini car at an international new-energy vehicles expo in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. WEI XIAOHAO / FOR CHINA DAILY
Not long ago, I had my very first experience of test driving an electric car in suburban Beijing by selecting a premium homemade model Denza, a joint product by BYD Co and Mercedes-Benz's parent company Daimler AG.
Smooth driving, amiable guest services and the attractive post-service guarantee, gave me a strong urge to put an order.
Also, here are a couple of reasons I should have got one:
It will be the second car for my family;
I have been joining the car plate license lottery for my second car for years but failed all the time;
It is rumored that Beijing will resume the alternate car running rules during its five-month-long heating season, which means I would only be able to drive to work every other day;
A sufficient electric-car purchase quota means there is no need to wait for the meager chance to win any lottery;
A pure electric car is eligible for running on the capital's road everyday throughout the year;
Attractive government subsidies are offered to buyers of models such as the Denza, priced between 369,000 yuan ($56,680) to 399,000 yuan, but the government offers a subsidy at around 110,000 yuan per unit;
And most importantly, driving an e-car makes me feel better for being an environmentally friendly driver and an accountable citizen.
Before I put in an order, my husband said: "Think about it, do you really need a second car? or an electric car? or an electric-vehicle license? " I said yes, I need them all.
The thing is, my home, his office and our son's school all in a 2-kilometer radius. Walking and biking are the best way for them to commute every day. Driving my son to school has repeatedly proved a wrong decision since the car will get stuck on the narrow lane.
I'm the only one in my family in real need of driving since my office is about 15 km from home.
"Plus there are parking and charging problems," he said.
As I was wondering, a piece of news about Tesla Model 3 being available for order appeared at the beginning of April. It's sold at $35,000, even cheaper than the Denza, Oh, my gosh, why not buy a Tesla? But it will not roll off the production line until the end of 2017 in Los Angeles. It is estimated the first shipment to China will be 2018. Reservations for Model 3 hit 253,000 units in 36 hours after the news release, even though no one has seen a real car yet.
"I can wait, it's cheaper, better and cooler," I said.
In fact, Tesla is seeking ideal local partner in China for possible local production and to offer more affordable models.
My enthusiasm for electric car was fueled partly by the market boom last year.
According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China produced 340,471 clean-energy vehicles in 2015, up 3.3 times over that in 2014. Of them, 254,633 units of pure electric cars were produced, up 4.2 times over the previous year. The number of plug-in hybrid production is 85,838 units, almost double that in 2014.
Boosted by the government's supportive policy and subsidy incentives, China has seen an explosive growth for clean-energy vehicles last year. It produced only 83,900 units in 2014 and only 17,500 units in 2013.
Besides conventional carmakers, a group of IT companies are also tapping the clean-energy auto market, making more fancy and sexy models.
Chinese internet company LeEco Holdings Ltd has displayed its latest LeSEE concept car at the ongoing Beijing Auto Show. BYD, the world's largest clean-energy vehicle maker, with sales of 62,000 units last year, is presenting its new model the Yuan and BAIC Group is showing its D80EV.
Of the total number of about 1,200 cars on display at the Beijing show, about 150 units are clean energy, much more than the last show.
"We have so many choices and the market will be more mature in the foreseeable future," my husband said.
I have started to believe that any incentive and subsidy should be a positive message, allowing me to care more about the trend and market, not necessarily the prime time to buy or own.
Since a group of new models will be available, I might be planning more test driving. Even for the driverless car, I want to have a try, why not?
A Martin Jetpack, the world's first practical and commercial jetpack, which is developed by KuangChi Science, an innovative high-tech startup in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. [Provided to China Daily]
Shenzhen, the innovative city in southern China's Guangdong province, has received results from its enormous investment in some of the most cutting-edge technologies in the world.
KuangChi Science Ltd, an innovative high-tech startup in the city, has received 200 orders for its Martin Jetpack, the world's first practical and commercial jetpack, at the price of 2 million yuan ($308,640) each.
"Our buyers are from all over the world," said Zhang Yangyang, CEO of the company. "For example, a rescue team in Dubai ordered about 30 units because the jetpack is easier to operate than helicopters in a city full of skyscrapers."
The jetpack is powered by a gasoline engine driving twin ducted fans, which produce sufficient thrust to lift the aircraft and a pilot, and to enable sustained flight. It can operate close to or between buildings, near trees and in confined spaces that other aircraft are unable to access.
The jetpack can carry commercial payloads of up to 120 kilograms with a maximum flying time of 45 minutes at a speed of up to 80 km per hour.
The innovative aircraft is mainly produced in New Zealand, but Zhang told China Daily they will transfer the entire manufacturing process to China in the future.
The startup was established by five students who came back to China after studying abroad, said Zhang.
"In the beginning, almost everyone was very skeptical of the concept of the personal jetpack," Zhang said.
"It was Shenzhen's recognition that makes our technological development and research possible," Zhang added.
The team was brought into Shenzhen through "peacock campaign", a plan the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission launched to attract tech talent.
The plan has played a key role in gearing up the city to develop into a key zone for innovation and the development of modern services in the region.
Since 2011, the commission has lured 64 "peacock" teams to the city, most of which have now grown into striking high-tech enterprises such as DJI Innovation Technology Co, KuangChi, Royole and BGI. These teams received government's financial support of tens of millions yuan each.
In addition, the plan is only one of the investments the city has made in promoting innovative and emerging industries. The city's R&D investment accounted for 4 percent of its GDP last year, which is about the same as of South Korea.
Shenzhen Mayor Xu Qin said the investment was important for the city's long-term economic development.
A worker adjusts the logo at the stand of Huawei at the CeBIT trade fair in Hanover, March 15, 2015.[Photo/Agencies]
NAIROBI - Chinese telecom company Huawei on Tuesday signed a partnership deal with Kenya's mobile phones retailer FoneExpress in a retail expansion plan aimed at increasing its coverage and market share in Kenya.
Huawei Devices Kenya General Manager Mark Hemaobin, who inked the deal in Nairobi, said the agreement will enable the company to reach out to middle level and premium customers, hence boost the market share across over 100 shops countrywide.
"Huawei is keen to providing quality and affordable smartphones to as many Kenyans as possible. For us to meet our business goals and also increase our local smartphone market share from the current 13 to over 25 percent this year, partnerships like this will be key for us," he said.
The partnership is part of a wider plan that will see Huawei expand its retail and reseller businesses to cover the whole country.
Huawei Device Kenya is currently selling devices through business to business partners like Safaricom, Airtel and Orange -- the three main operators in the East African nation.
The Chinese firm also opened a new flagship shop In Nairobi, and will be looking to set up additional shops in key towns in Kenya this year.
As part of the deal, Huawei devices will be selling in all FoneExpress in major shopping malls and retail outlets across the country.
FoneXpress Service Director Brenda Okwiri said the partnership will enable the company to bring Huawei devices to its customers in the region as yet another choice in the company's portfolio of International Brands in a vibrant mobile device industry.
"This initiative is part of our commitment to offer customers a wider variety of original smartphone brands, and serves as an endorsement of the Huawei brand and product range," Okwiri said.
"We will work closely with the Huawei team to offer our customers' value-for-money and essential after-sales support that will also be mirrored on the back-end as a dedicated newly appointed Authorized Service Centre,' she added.
Details are pictured on the backside of an Apple iphone 6 on a table in a restaurant in Hanau, Germany, April 10, 2016.[Photo/Agencies]
Apple Inc on Tuesday posted its first-ever decline in iPhone sales and its first revenue drop in 13 years as the company credited with inventing the smartphone struggles with an increasingly saturated market.
The company's sales dropped by more than a quarter in China, its most important market after the United States, and it also forecast another disappointing quarter for global revenues.
Its shares fell about 8 percent, dropping below $100 for the first time since February. A hike in Apple's share buyback and dividend as well as bumper revenue from services failed to mollify investors.
Apple's results followed disappointing quarterly reports from Microsoft Corp and Google-owner Alphabet Inc, and microblog Twitter also on Tuesday reported results that missed expectations.
Apple said it sold 51.2 million iPhones in its second fiscal quarter, down from 61.2 million in the same quarter a year ago but above analysts' estimates of about 50 million devices.
While Apple executives had predicted iPhone sales would decline this quarter, they must reassure investors that the drop represents a momentary roadblock, rather than a permanent shift for the product that fueled its meteoric rise.
After years of blockbuster sales, many investors fear the iPhone has reached saturation, spelling the end for Apple's exponential growth.
"Apple needs to come up with a radical new innovation or product rather than just the current incremental improvements to existing products. This is the only way in which it will reinvigorate sales growth," said Neil Saunders, chief executive of research firm Conlumino.
Apple Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri told Reuters that the success of the iPhone 6 a year earlier had set a difficult bar to beat in the second quarter. "The iPhone 6 is an anomaly," he said.
But Chief Executive Tim Cook told analysts that the smartphone market was not growing, reinforcing wider concerns of saturation.
Cook also conceded that the iPhone 6S was driving customers to replace phones at a much lower rate than the 6. "I don't mean just a hair lower; it's a lot lower," he said. "If we'd had the same rate on 6S as 6, it would be time for a huge party."
He pointed to the services division, which includes Apple Music and the App Store, as a bright spot. Its revenue grew 20 percent to $6 billion and surpassed iMac and iPad sales.
Cook also hinted that Apple had more gadgets to come. "The future of Apple is very bright," he said. "Our product pipeline has amazing innovations in store."
Earnings of $1.90 per share fell short of the average analyst estimate of $2 per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Revenue of $50.56 billion missed expectations of $51.97 billion.
Apple forecast third-quarter revenue of $41 billion to $43 billion, short of the Wall Street consensus of $47.3 billion.
Apple also said it was raising its capital return program by $50 billion through a $35 billion increase in its share buyback authorization and a 10 percent rise in the quarterly dividend.
The new iPhone SE is seen on display during an event at the Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California March 21, 2016.[Photo/Agencies] iPhone SE demand strong
In March, Apple released the iPhone SE, a smaller, 4-inch-screen phone featuring much of the company's latest technology. Although sales of the phone were not captured in the second quarter, the device is off to a strong start, particularly in emerging markets, Maestri said.
"The situation right now around the world is that we are supply-constrained," he said. "The demand has been very, very strong."
Although Apple's revenue in Greater China fell 26 percent from the year-ago quarter, Maestri stressed that the company was "extremely optimistic" about China. "We continue to make a lot of investment there," he said.
Cook said that Chinese mainland sales were down only 7 percent in constant currency, attributing much of the Greater China drop to Hong Kong, where strength in the local dollar, which is pegged to US currency, deterred tourist shopping.
The company did not comment on prospects for its iBooks Stores and iTunes Movie service, which were shut down last week in China.
The drop in after-hours shares wipes out roughly $46 billion in market capitalization, roughly the value of heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc.
In reaction to Apple's results, shares of its suppliers Skyworks Solutions, Qorvo, Broadcom and NXP Semiconductors all fell 2 percent or more on Tuesday.
Zhang Gaoli (R), Chinese vice premier and special envoy of President Xi Jinping, meets with French President Francois Hollande on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the High-Level Event for the Signature of the Paris Agreement at the United Nations headquarters in New York April 22, 2016.[Photo/Xinhua]
Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli held talks separately with French President Francois Hollande and US Secretary of State John Kerry here Friday, urging full implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The talks were held on the sidelines of the High-Level Event for the Signature of the Paris Agreement at the United Nations headquarters.
In the talks with Hollande, Zhang lauded efforts by the French side in hosting a successful UN climate change conference in Paris, during which the historic deal was finally adopted with no objection on Dec. 12, 2015.
He highlighted the close coordination and highly effective cooperation between China and France throughout the preparatory process of and the negotiation during the conference, noting that the joint statement on climate change issued by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Hollande in November in Beijing contributed to the final adoption of the agreement.
China is willing to work together with France to further promote the follow-up negotiations and effective implementation of the deal, Zhang said.
Moreover, as the hosting country of the 2016 G20 Summit, which is scheduled to be held in east China's Hangzhou City in early September, China will lead the G20 to push forward the great cause of globally countering climate change, he said.
The vice premier also expressed the hope that the two countries could maintain high-level exchanges to discuss possible coordination of development strategies such as China's 13th Five Year Plan for socioeconomic development in the 2016-2020 period and initiative on the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, and France's "Industry of the Future" plan, as well as deepen cooperation in nuclear power, aviation and sustainable development.
For his part, Hollande highly commented on China's role in promoting the adoption of the Paris Agreement, noting that France is ready to work together with China to take advantage of the G20 Hangzhou Summit to promote implementation of the agreement.
France is full of confidence in China's economic development, and wishes to further strengthen cooperation in renewable resources, nuclear power, urban construction and third-party marketing, said Hollande.
In the talks with Kerry, Zhang noted the successful meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the fourth Nuclear Security Summit in Washington on March 31, adding that the two sides should plan well for upcoming bilateral high-level meetings and dialogues of this year to achieve more positive results.
Zhang said that China and the United States have issued three joint statements on climate change over the past few years, and both have played key roles in securing the adoption of the Paris Agreement. All of these developments indicate that the two countries could achieve win-win results in dealing with global challenges through cooperation.
The two sides should continuously motivate the cooperating process in fighting climate change by making use of multilateral platforms, such as the G20 Hangzhou Summit, and promote practical bilateral cooperation in the area through mechanisms including the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue and the China-U.S. Climate Change Working Group, said Zhang.
China and the United States share common interests and responsibilities in global energy security and development. The two countries should strengthen dialogue and deepen cooperation to contribute to global energy sustainability, added Zhang.
For his part, Kerry said that the US-China relations are among the world's most important bilateral ties, and that both countries have played vital roles in achieving the final adoption of the Paris Agreement.
The United States would like to work together with China to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, he added.
A total of 175 countries signed the Paris Agreement at the U.N. headquarters in New York on Friday -- the first day on which the deal was open for signature.
Zhang, in the capacity of a special envoy of President Xi Jinping, signed the document on behalf of the Chinese government.
NANJING -- The curator of a municipal museum in east China's Jiangsu Province has been suspended from her post for allowing a developer's promotional event to be held at a protected cultural site.
On Sunday afternoon, a ceremony was held in Dacheng Hall of Chaotian Palace, which is managed by the Nanjing Municipal Museum, to promote a real estate project. Movie star Jackie Chan was among those who attended the event at the state-protected relic site.
The event sparked online outrage, prompting an investigation by authorities in Nanjing City, the provincial capital.
The city's bureau of culture, radio, film, television, press and publication said Peng Jian, the curator of the museum, failed to file an application for the event, as required by the cultural heritage protection regulation, and that commercial events may not be held in museums and cultural venues.
The Chaotian Palace is a well-preserved complex of building constructed during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Three sets of coffins believed to have been buried 3,000 years ago were unearthed in Central China's Henan province on Monday and taken to a museum in Anyang, sources said on Tuesday.
Last month, a villager digging a kiln in Anshang's Neihuang county discovered tombs 10 meters underground that included bronze items and human and animal bones.
Following a preliminary excavation, experts from the Anyang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology found 22 tombs from the late Shang Dynasty (c. 16th century-11th century BC), the second dynasty in Chinese history.
They recovered three sets of inner and outer coffins made of cypress wood, along with another single coffin. In ancient times, an outer coffin was used to protect the inner coffin.
Kong Deming, head of the institute, said it's rare to see such well-preserved Shang coffins.
"It is a family burial place," he said. "The owners were affluent people, possibly aristocrats."
He said the discovery might help archaeologists learn more about Shang burial customs and understand cultural development. The excavation could also be helpful in geological studies, since the coffins were buried so deep, he added.
The Shang capital was once in Shangqiu, Henan, and later moved to Anyang, where ruins of the old city were discovered in the early 1900s. That archaeological site is one of China's oldest and largest.
Parts of the heavy-ion medical accelerator at the Modern Physics Institute at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Lanzhou, Gansu province. [Photo/Xinhua]
50-70% of patients in China need radiation therapy, according to expert
The country's first heavy-ion medical accelerator is expected to be used in cancer radiotherapy by the end of the year.
Heavy-ion cancer therapy, a cutting edge radiotherapy approach, kills malignant tumors by irradiating them with high-energy beams produced by a large accelerator.
Developed by the Modern Physics Institute at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a subsidiary company in Gansu province, the accelerator still has to pass a clinical trial, according to Xiao Guoqing, the institute director.
"It's a great milestone as it marks an end to China's long-term dependence on imported large-scale radiotherapy equipment," he said.
The development of the accelerator started in 2012.
Currently, only the United States, Germany and Japan produce such accelerators.
For the coming clinical trials, about 30 patients will be recruited in Gansu and "if everything runs smoothly, it's expected to formally receive patients by the end of the year", said Ye Yancheng, head of the Wuwei Cancer Hospital, which will conduct the trials with another two hospitals in the province.
Five types of cancer, including brain, liver and prostate, will be targeted in the trial, he added.
The public hospital in Wuwei, a small city about three hours' drive from Lanzhou, capital of Gansu, has bought the first machine under contract with the developer for 550 million yuan ($84.6 million), he said. Local governments and several other private companies also invested.
A subsidiary hospital with 1,600 beds, Gansu Heavy Ion Cancer Center, is under construction. It will receive at least 2,000 patients each year, he added.
"Cancer patients from abroad are welcome as well," Ye said.
According to Ye, top radiotherapists from across the world will be hired, and the treatment will be cheaper than in industrial countries.
It will also serve research purposes for the nation's radiotherapists, he added.
Each year, more than 3 million people develop cancer in China and about 50 to 70 percent of patients need radiation therapy, according to Xia Tingyi, director of the Cancer Center of the Air Force General Hospital in Beijing.
Some Chinese patients have been going overseas seeking advanced radiation therapy, he added.
Manfred Herbst, director of the Rinecker Proton Center in Munich, Germany, told China Daily that they mainly received patients from Australia, South Africa and the US.
Three years ago, the center began to receive 50 to 80 patients a year from China, he said.
"The number has been constantly increasing and we have an international patients service department helping them," Herbst said.
In May, the first heavy ion and proton center opened in Shanghai with a machine purchased from Germany for about 2 billion yuan. A typical course of radiation procedure costs nearly 278,000 yuan.
shanjuan@chinadaily.com.cn
People can solve online shopping disputes within half an hour, thanks to "online courtrooms" established in four courts in East China's Zhejiang province.
Customers who unknowingly purchase fake or low-quality goods online can sue, and then participate in court hearings from their homes, instead of going to court. The approach is "a new appealing style that saves litigants' time and reduces the burden on the legal system", said Li Yi, a judge specializing in intellectual property cases at Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court.
The online case hearings are part of a pilot program run by the court, and includes three grassroots courts in the province's Yuhang, Xihu and Binjiang districts. It started last year.
So far, the online courtrooms have received 8,165 lawsuit applications. In addition to settling online disputes about goods, the courts alsodeal with complaints about online payments and copyrights.
"What we want is to provide convenience for litigants, making lawsuits as easy as shopping online," Li said, adding that fighting online counterfeits through the courts helps protect intellectual property.
Litigants can register an account on one of the four courts' websites using a mobile phone number, and then provide evidence for the case. They pay court fees via online banks or Alipay, a payment channel of Alibaba Group.
"Information about the lawsuit, such as when the case will be heard, will be conveyed to litigants via the mobile network," Li said. The judge, plaintiff, defendant and representatives of the e-commerce platform, such as Taobao, participate in an online chat room, providing testimony and evidence.
"Most online litigations can be ended within 30 minutes," she said.
The online courts can also handle complaints from customers overseas. But hearings are conducted in the Chinese language and rely on the country's laws, so hiring a Chinese lawyer to participate in the hearings may be a good idea.
According to Cheng Wenjuan, a judge responsible for the online courtroom at Yuhang court: "Enterprises providing online shopping, such as Alibaba, have fueled a boom in online disputes, which is the major reason that we hear such litigations in this way."
As of April 19, the Yuhang court had received 5,451 lawsuit applications. After review, 600 were filed.
"Some disputes, in fact, can be mediated or cannot be accepted under the law, so more than 1,800 complaints were withdrawn," she said.
caoyin@chinadaily.com.cn
The school at the center of an alleged pollution incident - which made headlines after hundreds of students reportedly became ill - had relocated to contaminated land before remedial treatment of its soil had been carried out, according to a government investigation team.
Changzhou Foreign Languages School found itself at the center of a media storm after reports claimed students had fallen ill at the school, which was subsequently said to have been built on toxic land contaminated by three chemical plants.
The team said the Xinbei district government failed to finish a soil treatment project in time and the school followed its original construction schedule. Students were moved to the new school in September.
According to the Changzhou government, all of those responsible, including people from the school and the chemical factories, will be investigated and punished if found guilty. Some of them have already been detained for investigation.
Health experts from the team said 909 students were examined at hospitals. Thyroid nodules were found in 247 of them, and 35 had lymphatic anomalies. However, the investigation team said it was hard to tell whether the diseases were directly related to pollution at the school site.
For the first time, China will form part of a global network of events held annually to promote a free programming language for children developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Scratch is a programming environment aimed at beginners, offering an introduction to the world of computer animation, game, and interactive story creation.
The aim of Scratch Day, which falls on May 14, is to celebrate the young people who use the programming language and their creations.
More than 250 locations worldwide are involved in the event, including the debut this year of Beijing and Chengdu, according to Chinese co-host Raising Culture. On the day, participants aged 10 to 14 will create interactive stories, games and animations using Scratch and share their finished projects with millions of other users around the world.
Mitch Resnick, an MIT professor and founder of the event, expects Scratch Day China to inspire Chinese students to fulfill their dreams.
"Young people today have lots of experience interacting with new technologies, but a lot less so creating with new technologies and expressing themselves with new technologies. It's almost as if they can read, but can't write," said Resnick, the current head of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab.
"Coding isn't just for computer whizzes, it's for everyone. I want to welcome Chinese children to Scratch Day here in Beijing, it's so exciting to see young people coming out to design, create, and do creative things with Scratch."
According to Raising Culture, the Beijing leg of Scratch Day will involve 150 participants, although more than 500 applications have been received, while the Chengdu event will welcome 120 participants selected by the local education authority.
Veronica Li, director of international programs at Raising Culture, said the day will help create a bridge between Chinese children and other imaginative youngsters around the world.
"We hope to create a platform for kids to experience and share the joy of learning and creating through computer technology across time and space," she said.
Scratch Day China will begin with a briefing on the event's background and rules, followed by a training session on Scratch use.
Participants will then be tasked with creating animations and games before finishing the contest by offering a randomly-chosen design for the judges' review. The event is a nonprofit cause with no fees charged for participants.
Chen Jiayi, a student from Beijing Yumin Primary School who has signed up for the event, said he was excited to take part.
"Scratch could help implement my creative ideas rather than just drawing them on paper using a pen. As a young techno freak, I am looking forward to meeting more like-minded friends at the event," he said.
sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn
Travelers passing through Beijing Capital International Airport who cannot speak Chinese need no longer worry about communication breakdowns, thanks to volunteers from Beijing Foreign Studies University.
Starting this month the students, based in a call center on campus, are offering translation services for passengers who speak French, German, Russian, Spanish, Arabic, Japanese and Korean, from 8 am to 6 pm.
Passengers who are not at the airport can still make an inquiry about its services by calling the multilingual hotline on 96158.
Student volunteers have been translating in these seven languages, plus English, for emergency services since 2010, according to Zheng Dapeng, the multilingual service center's office director.
"That we can speak their native language doesn't only help them explain their issue, it instantly makes them feel more comfortable and builds trust, especially when they are in trouble and are really anxious," said Lin Shihan, a volunteer.
To volunteer at the center, students need to have foreign language proficiency that is equal to or greater than a third-year bachelor's degree level.
The job can also be physically challenging when translations are being provided for the emergency services, as calls can come in at all times of the day.
"It could be 11 pm, 1 am, 3 am or even 5 am, and we have to go out of the dorm to answer the phone to avoid disturbing our roommates," said Xiao Danqi, who heads the English-language service team. "In many cases, the people seeking help are drunk and don't know where they are. Sometimes, they lose their temper. But we have to keep calm and help solve the problem since we are all well-trained and prepared for this situation."
The reasons people contact the call center can range from injury, to a missed flight, to rental disputes.
"A lot of times, the call comes through and it turns out the caller just wanted the Wi-Fi password of the place they are staying at, which we look at with amusement more than annoyance," said Niu Xuchen, leader of the Korean-language group.
She said the work also enables foreign language majors to get a deeper understanding of the country they are studying.
"Personally, I find that no matter how urgent the issue is, the South Koreans always stay very polite. On the other hand, they are also very prudent and can call to confirm about one thing several times," she said.
tangyue@chinadaily.com.cn
Graduates of China Europe International Business School in Shanghai attend their graduation ceremony. Many Chinese universities running Executive Master of Business Administration programs are busy tracking down new students before they lose the power of autonomous recruitment at the end of this year. Provided To China Daily
Changes coming for executive programs that will raise the bar for new admissions
Some Chinese universities running Executive Master of Business Administration programs are busy tracking down new students before they lose the power of autonomous recruitment at the end of this year.
Liu Jianbo, for example, a 30-year-old employee at a State-owned enterprise in Beijing, received several callbacks from two universities he had consulted about applying.
"Staff members urged me to make a decision as soon as possible, before the policies about the programs are overhauled next year to make it more difficult to be accepted," Liu said.
Stories similar to Liu's showed up in numerous news reports, after the Ministry of Education released a series of regulations stipulating that, starting in 2017, applicants for EMBA programs will have to take a national entrance exam, rather than a local test at their desired university.
The regulations are part of a move to make EMBA recruitment and teaching more transparent and standardized. For universities running such programs, the regulations mean they will no longer be able to conduct entrance exams or recruit students on their own.
China began to award EMBA degrees in 2002, to nurture high-level talent with master's level knowledge of modern management and to cultivate leadership and innovation.
Sixty-four universities won approval to organize exams and recruit students on their own.
But in recent years, the programs in China have gained a reputation as "a club for the rich" because of their high tuition fees - sometimes amounting to hundreds of thousands of yuan.
The programs were also criticized for some of their attendees, among whom were many government officials, senior managers or owners of enterprises. Party officials were banned in 2014 from taking expensive training courses.
The newly released regulations also stipulate that students should take enough courses to get an EMBA degree. Universities granting degrees at a lower standard, or students buying degrees will be strictly prohibited.
Wang Huiying, head of Huazhang Education Group, a Shanghai-based company that provides guidance and services for EMBA applicants, said the change will lead to a decrease in the number of students recruited.
The coming national entrance exam, which will test applicants' abilities in math, English and other subjects, means a rising bar for enrollment that will hold some potential applicants back, Wang said.
But Chu Zhaohui, a senior researcher at the National Institute of Education Sciences, said the changes in EMBA education will help improve the quality of the programs, because students will have to meet certain thresholds in order to be accepted or to qualify for a degree.
"The change will definitely boost healthy development and generate real talent," he said.
Liu, the enterprise employee who planned to apply for an EMBA program, said the degrees will become more valuable and that people holding one will have advantages in their career, especially after the change that will tighten standards.
"I think I will have a try after the change," Liu said.
EMBA in China
Some schools with well-known executive programs:
Tsinghua University, School of Economics and Management
Peking University, Guanghua School of Management
China Europe International Business School
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Antai College of Economics & Management
Renmin University of China, School of Business
Xiamen University, School of Management
Zhejiang University, School of Management
University of International Business and Economics, Business School
Fudan University, School of Management
Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business
zhaoxinying@chinadaily.com.cn
President Xi Jinping visits the Institute of Advanced Technology in University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, east China's Anhui province, on April 26, 2016, where he was introduced to different innovative technologies.[Photo/Xinhua]
President Xi Jinping Tuesday visited the Institute of Advanced Technology in University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Heifei, Anhui province, and was greeted by two human-like robots developed by the institute.
The two life-like robots named "Xiao Man" and "Jia Jia" interacted with Xi when he approached them during the inspection.
"Hello Mr. President. I am Xiao Man. We have been looking forward to your visit," Xiao Man said.
"I'm very happy to see you, dear President, I wish you happiness every day," said Jia Jia, who has been dubbed "robot goddess" for her good-looks.
Xi praised technicians' work on innovation, and said the country must rely on innovation to boost high-end manufacturing as China has now entered the "new normal".
He stressed that self-led innovation, as the leading concept among the five development concepts, must be promoted under the country's fundamental principal of opening-up policy.
Xi also visited the library of the university and encouraged the students to study hard and devote themselves to the country.
A newly-built road winds through a walnut plantation in Tiangang village, Angezhuang township, Yixian county, Hebei province, on April 27, 2016. [Photo by Wu Yan/chinadaily.com.cn]
Just two years ago, there was neither road nor trees where a walnut plantation now grows in Tiangang village, Angezhuang township, Yixian county, Hebei province, a mountainous area about 150 km away from the center of Beijing.
"We planted walnut trees in the spring of 2013 using poverty relief funds earmarked by the government," said Yu Changzhi, Party secretary of Tiangang village. Today the plantation has expanded to 500 mu (33.3 hectares) with more than 35,000 walnut trees.
"The village has very favorable natural conditions with a lake and a river nearby", said Yu. The village also uses the funds to build and renovate roads totaling 5,000 meters and build a 1,500-meter-long diversion canal, good infrastructure for supporting the plantation.
A villager cleans a diversion canal in a walnut plantation in Tiangang village, Angezhuang township, Yixian county, Hebei province, on April 27, 2016. [Photo by Wu Yan/chinadaily.com.cn]
According to the village's development plan, the walnut trees will be able to produce 200 kg of walnuts per mu in 2017. The whole plantation is expected to produce 2 million yuan ($308,200) worth of walnuts. In addition, the income from an orchid cultivation base which is also under development in the plantation, so that the village will be able to climb out of poverty by 2020.
"If a village wants to eliminate poverty and become rich, it has to develop its own industry first," said Yu.
The Thirteenth Five-year Plan has set the goal to relieve people from poverty in rural areas across the country by 2020.
The photo shows Chen Dianying, a 71-year-old native farmer and a member of a poverty-stricken household, in Taidi village, Niugang town, Yixian county, Hebei province, on April 27, 2016. [Photo by Wu Yan/chinadaily.com.cn]
"I see a promising future and I am motivated to work in the plantation," said 71-year-old Chen Dianying, a native farmer and a member of a poverty-stricken household, in Taidi village, Niugang town, Yixian county.
Similar to Tiangang village, Taidi village built its own plantation but has chosen to grow apples due to its unique natural conditions.
Chen Dianying works at an apple plantation in Taidi village, Niugang town, Yixian county, Hebei province, on April 27, 2016. [Photo by Wu Yan/chinadaily.com.cn]
He has been employed to do farming work on the plantation for three years, after transferring the usage rights of his land to a villager-run rural cooperative to build the plantation and became a shareholder. This model has become a widely-adopted development model among Hebei's poverty-stricken villages.
"I can earn money and also look after my sick wife," said Chen.
He now earns thousands of yuan more from the work and dividends on the land shares every year, besides allowances offered by the government, enough to support his family.
Villages and their residents are not alone in benefiting from the plantation.
A view of a modern agricultural plantation in Xiahuanghao, Lianggezhuang township, Yixian county, Hebei province, on April 27, 2016. [Photo by Kou Jiaxiang / Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Some companies have taken over the role of villager-run rural cooperatives in some villages. Villagers transferred their land to a company and got shares in exchange, while the company is in charge of managing the plantation and giving out dividends.
"The merits of the plantation dwarf its shortcomings," said Wang Hongwei, manager of Hebei Lvzenong plantation company, "though the company invests a large amount of money and the production cycle is long, it can get government subsidies and sustained returns."
The company manages a modern agricultural plantation which plans to cover 13,000 mu of area involving five villages in Lianggezhuang township, Yixian county. It has already planted 500 mu of cherry trees and 2,500 mu of apple trees with an estimated prime revenue of more than 3 million yuan.
A view of a modern agricultural plantation in Xiahuanghao, Lianggezhuang township, Yixian county, Hebei province, on April 27, 2016. [Photo by Kou Jiaxiang provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Wang said that the company plans to initiate deep-processing factories in the plantation and chicken and pig farms are also in operation to build a circular economy. The plantation is expected to be upgraded into a tourist destination in several years.
"The rural market is now surging", said Wang, "the company hopes to earn money from the market. But the most important point is that villagers will never face poverty again."
Tourists crowd the West Lake in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, during the May Day holiday in 2015. [Photo/IC]
If you want to win more 'likes' for your photos on Wechat's "Moments", then here is one tip you don't want to miss: Do not let any tourists ruin your photo.
But is it possible for you to take a picture with great scenery without any tourists in it during the May Day Holiday, notorious for being the second busiest holiday period in China?
Well, nearly every Chinese, as well as expats in China, will be celebrating the short three-day holiday of International Labor Day by asking the age-old question: to travel or not to travel.
If we travel, the most likely thing to happen is that we would get overwhelmed by tourists from around the country. We even have to line up to take a clean picture with a blossom or a famous statue.
The best strategy, as I see it, is to pull away from the madding crowd by going to lesser-known spots around China, where you can truly relax. Here are some of our best picks.
Mainland voices opposition to 'Taiwan independence' secessionist activities (Xinhua) Updated: 2016-04-27 15:01
BEIJING - A Chinese mainland spokesperson has voiced resolute opposition to "Taiwan independence" secessionist activities of any forms, including those seeking secession through the so-called "referendum", "constitution making" or "constitutional amendment".
Spokesperson An Fengshan of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office made the remarks at a press conference on Wednesday in response to a question regarding Taiwan legislature's discussion of a referendum law amendment that some say may pave the way for "Taiwan independence" forces to promote "constitution making" through referendum.
"We resolutely oppose the 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces' efforts to make Taiwan secede from China under any name or by any means, including through the so-called 'referendum', 'constitution making' or 'constitutional revision'," said An.
"There is only one China, and the mainland and Taiwan belong to the same one China," An said. "China's state sovereignty and territorial integrity brook no division."
Taiwan's legislature is discussing a draft amendment to its referendum law.
Two killed in S China helicopter crash (Xinhua) Updated: 2016-04-27 16:18
NANNING - Two people were confirmed killed when the wreckage of a helicopter that went missing on Tuesday morning was found 24 hours later in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The deceased, the only two people on board the aircraft, were both pilots for its owner, a local company organizing helicopter tours.
Guilin General Aviation Company said the helicopter took off from Guilin at around 11:20 a.m. on Tuesday and was headed to Beihai in Guangxi. It lost contact with the ground about an hour later over Guilin's Yongfu County.
The wreckage, along with the pilots' bodies, was discovered in a mountainous area of Yongfu, according to the company.
Further investigation into the exact cause is under way.
Police in Guangdong province have detained 39 suspects accused of deliberately causing road traffic accidents to fraudulently claim compensation.
As many as 16 criminal gangs were broken up in the operation, code named Jufeng-4, which took place from April 10-20.
The suspected racketeers were involved in what is commonly known as peng ci in the Chinese mainland, the act of pretending to be hit by a vehicle and then asking the driver for a large amount of compensation.
Lin Weixiong, director of Guangdong Provincial Department of Public Security's Criminal Investigation Bureau, said the suspects had been active in a number of cities along the Pearl River delta.
Operation Jufeng-4 has dealt a heavy blow to this type of crime, Lin told a news conference in Guangzhou on Wednesday.
BEIJING -- Tests have begun on a new high-speed railway (HSR) line between Zhengzhou, capital of central Henan Province, and Xuzhou in eastern Jiangsu Province; signalling that it will be operational soon.
Trains on the 362 kilometer, 9 station line -- which broke ground in December 2012 -- will be able to travel at a maximum 350 km per hour, according to the China Academy of Railway Sciences (CARS).
"The tests have been successful so far, but there will be more before the line is given the green light to go into operation," said Hou Fuguo, CARS passenger rail line project chief, on Wednesday.
"The Zhengzhou-Xuzhou line will be a significant milestone in China's 'four-vertical' and 'four-horizontal' HSR network," said Li Ben, assistant chief engineer of Zhengzhou-Xi'an high-speed passenger rail line.
BEIJING -- Legislators on Wednesday discussed the need to regulate the freeing of captive animals while deliberating the newest revised draft of the wild animal protection law.
Without regulation, albeit well-intended, release of captive animals could have serious consequences, lawmakers said at an ongoing bi-monthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), citing media coverage of released animals, like foxes and snakes, that had gone on to cause damage and wreak havoc.
The freeing of captive animals needs to be supervised, lawmaker Sun Baoshu said.
"Both alien and indigenous species could pose a risk to the environment, and people's safety," Sun said, advising that a new provision that banned unregulated release should be added to the draft.
The release of alien species could compromise the local ecosystem, and indigenous species could be harmed if predators are released, said lawmaker Yan Xiaopei.
Fatalities could arise if animals are released into the wrong environment, Yan said, adding that the unchecked release of animals indirectly encourages poaching and the illegal trade of wild animals.
"Reckless release equals killing," Yan said.
Lawmakers also suggested measures be taken to better balance the protection of wild animals and that of people's safety and livelihood.
Some wild species have reproduced in large numbers and their presence has started to take a toll on the life and production activities of local species, lawmakers agreed. It was suggested that a review and revision of the protected animal list could help the situation.
The new revised draft, submitted to the top legislature for a second reading, stipulates that the central government evaluate the state protection list every five years and revise it accordingly.
Under certain circumstances, the five-year interval could be shortened, some legislators said.
The revised draft mandates that permits should be obtained for the hunting, captive breeding, sale, purchase, use, and import and export of protected wild animals.
The issuance of these documents should be made public to ensure better supervision of wild animal protection, lawmaker Fang Xin said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping inspected the Central Military Commission (CMC) joint battle command center in Beijing on April 20, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
A changing Chinese military strategy and planned troop reductions in the People's Liberation Army are having an impact on the number and type of students military academies will be recruiting and training.
Recruitment of students needed to bolster China's combat capability will be increased, even as the overall number of military school students will be reduced, officials said at a military school recruitment conference in Beijing that ended on Tuesday.
Compared with last year, 24 percent fewer students will be admitted to studies related to the army, including the infantry and artillery, while logistic and support departments will see their recruits fall by 45 percent, said a news release from the Central Military Commission's Training Management Department.
In comparison, students studying in aviation, missile and maritime fields will increase by 14 percent. The number of recruits in sectors where there is an urgent need, such as space intelligence, radar and drones, will rise by 16 percent, the release said.
The changes were announced in line with ongoing military reforms and were made after rounds of negotiations with the army, navy, air force, rocket force, regional military commands and military academies, PLA Daily reported, citing an unidentified officer from the department's Training Establishment Bureau.
The department has pledged to intensify supervision of military schools' admissions, the officer said, adding that officers and applicants' parents will be invited to monitor the admission process.
It also plans to revise the regulations on military schools' recruitment and students at such schools, PLA Daily said.
A researcher in the Human Resources Department at the PLA Xi'an Political Academy said the military reform will lead to an adjustment in the proportion of each PLA service and corresponding changes to the military's training systems.
As the PLA moves to implement President Xi Jinping's order for a troop reduction of 300,000, it is natural for the military to reduce the number of new officers, said the researcher, who asked not to be identified.
However, it must address the shortage of officers who have a deep knowledge of joint combat operations and advanced equipment, he said.
"We have developed and deployed many cutting-edge weapons, including some that are the best in the world, but there are not enough soldiers to use many of those advanced weapons," he said.
"In some cases, soldiers lack knowledge and expertise to make the best use of their equipment."
President seeks an increased 'sense of mission' through education and greater achievements
For the second time in a week, President Xi Jinping has emphasized the important role of science and technology in powering China's development.
Speaking at a symposium on internet and cyberspace security on April 19 in Beijing, he called for China to make a breakthrough in next-generation internet technologies.
On Tuesday, at one of the events highlighted most by Chinese media during his field-study tour of Anhui province, Xi visited the University of Science and Technology of China, in Hefei, the provincial capital.
He visited the province from Sunday to Wednesday.
At the university's Institute of Advanced Technology, Xi was shown achievements in areas ranging from artificial intelligence to public security, and from drones to alternative energy.
He visited the control center of the 2,000-kilometer Beijing-Shanghai quantum communication main network, due to become fully operational in the second half of this year, and the university's Laboratory of Physic Science for Advanced Medical Application.
Talking to faculty members, researchers and students, Xi praised the university's recent progress in innovation and new technologies.
He urged his audience to show a greater "sense of mission" by educating more people and making greater achievements in the new frontiers of science and technology.
An economy of China's size would be unsustainable if it relied entirely on imports for its new science and technologies, Xi said.
Zhang Xiaojun, vice-president of Anhui Huami Information Technology, which has investment from Chinese mobile phone producer Xiaomi, was one of the high-tech company leaders who met with the president.
He said he thinks Xi's comments will greatly encourage technology companies like his, and he is more confident in serving the Chinese economy with smart wearable gadgets.
Yao Hongyu, CEO of Beijing-based cloud computing and big data company Yoyo Systems, said he thought the president was saying in Anhui that the next 10 years is the best time for China to build up its power in new technologies.
He said the country's current scientific research capability still lags behind many developed nations, and most of the core components of China's industrial robots are imported.
Yao added that it will be "a long and tough journey" for the country to improve its capability on core technologies.
He said State-owned companies and government departments should buy domestic brands to support the development of China's science and technology, and the nation needs to develop core technology in fields such as cloud computing and big data.
During his Anhui trip, Xi visited the village of Xiaogang, which was one of China's poorest four decades ago and took a lead in the country's economic reform and opening-up in the late 1970s.
He also visited mountainous Jinzhai county, where many farmers are beginning to use solar power to change their lives under the government program to eliminate poverty.
Contact the writer at anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn
A sinkhole appeared at an intersection in Hangzhou last week. Nobody was hurt thanks to Li's foresight. CHINA DAILY
Officer is nominated for award after his quick action saves lives
Li Weiqi, a 40-year-old auxiliary traffic police officer in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, has become a household name after a surveillance video was broadcast showing how he prevented what might have been a major tragedy last week at a busy intersection in the city.
Li, who is originally from Liaoning province, has served as a member of Hangzhou's West Lake detachment of the Traffic Management Bureau since March last year.
Traffic monitoring cameras caught the moment on April 21 when he noticed something was wrong with the road after seeing cracks that everybody else was ignoring.
Li immediately recognized the danger and stopped traffic before directing drivers away from the buckling road surface.
Three minutes later, the crack widened and developed into a 20-square-meter sinkhole that was 2 meters deep. The hole could have easily swallowed three cars.
Commentators said it was due to Li's quick thinking that no one was injured.
His quick response became known immediately after the incident when media coverage started by domestic and major western media outlets, including the Cable News Network in the US.
CNN uploaded the video to its Facebook page and has received more than 3.6 million clicks and about 20,000 reposts so far.
The site and others were flooded with praise for the officer.
On Wednesday, the city's government nominated Li for a first-class public security award.
Li modestly responded to media questions by saying he was getting too much credit for his actions.
"I was just doing my job," he said when asked why he put his life in danger by stopping fast-moving cars.
Similar words came from the mouth of Ye Jianjiang, a traffic police officer, who was also on scene and who helped redirect traffic.
Hangzhou has around 1,800 contract workers who are employed by traffic authorities as auxiliaries to assist the 1,300 traffic police officers.
Li said he is paid more than 2,000 yuan ($300) a month and works 10 hours a day, which has triggered a debate on the internet about whether contract workers like Li should be paid something closer to the earnings of regular traffic police, who earn around 8,300 yuan a month.
Contact the writers at shixiaofeng@chinadaily.com.cn and zhang_yi@chinadaily.com.cn
Performers who are jugglers, contortionists and multidisciplinary artists play stunts in Cirkopolis, a show from Canada, which will tour 19 Chinese cities from June to September.[Photo provided to China Daily]
Cirkopolis, a show from Canada, will tour China from June to September. It has been performed hundreds of times in nearly two dozen countries earlier. Zhang Kun reports in Shanghai.
Cirkopolis, a show from Canada that combines theater, circus and dance, will tour 19 cities in China from June to September.
"It's like a theater version of the film Inception," says Zhou Bin, general manager of its Chinese promoter Shanghai Fresh Vogur.
"It's a visual extravaganza that takes audiences along with the actors on a trip through illusions and reality."
Staged by Jeannot Painchaud, one of the directors of Cirques Eloize, Cirkopolis is set in a concrete jungle.
Twelve performers mount the stage in armor-like trench coats and hats, and then the show unfoldsdefying monotony and pushing the limits of an industrial city.
They are jugglers, contortionists, aerial and multidisciplinary artists, and they perform stunts accompanied by original music and stage design, complete with video projections, until anonymity and bleakness give way to bursts of color and vitality.
"It's theater, a musical, a ballet and of course acrobatics. It's a contemporary circus and a circus of the future," said Painchaud at Beijing 's Poly Theater earlier.
A former acrobat, Painchaud says he wanted to explore different artistic visions, so in 1993, he founded Cirque Eloize to invite artists from different fields to perform in a "contemporary circus". Ever since, Cirque Eloize has presented more than 4,000 performances in more than 500 cities around the world.
Chinese writer Liu Cixin is the first Asian author to win the Hugo Award.[Photo provided to China Daily]
Hugo winner Liu Cixin predicts the market for sci-fi books in China will grow in time. Mei Jia reports.
Surrounded by fans at a World Book Day event in Beijing last Saturday, Chinese sci-fi writer Liu Cixin attributed the success of his Three Body trilogy to chance.
The English edition of the first book of the trilogy - The Three-Body Problem - translated by Chinese-American sci-fi writer Ken Liu (unrelated to the author) in 2014, sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide, according to Liu Cixin.
Last year, that book also won Liu a Hugo Award, which is an annual global honor given to sci-fi and fantasy works.
But even so, Liu, 53, says sci-fi as a genre isn't mainstream in China.
"Readers of sci-fi novels in the country are still in a minority. That hasn't changed despite my winning. I'm talking about facts here, not showing my modesty."
While The Three-Body Problem has sold way more copies than other translated Chinese novels in the recent past, the numbers of new sci-fi books printed in China each year are on an average less than 10 percent of those in the United States.
That's also a reason why noir films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Matrix, Gravity or Interstellar are made in Hollywood.
The sales of his novels outside the trilogy and books by his Chinese peers haven't risen either, says Liu.
Even his wife and daughter are not readers of his works, he jokes.
William Shakespeare: Complete Works is published to mark 400 years since the Bard's death.[Photo provided to China Daily]
A new Chinese collection of William Shakespeare's works is bringing one of the world's greatest playwrights closer to people in China, says Gu Zhengkun, chief editor of William Shakespeare: Complete Works, which was published recently by Beijing-based Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
In 39 volumes, the bilingual folio contains 12 tragedies and 14 comedies, among other works by the Bard.
The project that was authorized by the Royal Shakespeare Company from Shakespeare's birthplace Stratford-upon-Avon, took Gu, Xu Yuanchong, Zhang Chong and other 20 Chinese translators some eight years to complete.
This year, along with the rest of the world, China is marking 400 years since the Bard's death.
The Chinese collection is based on three previously translated versions by Zhu Shenghao, Liang Shiqiu and Fang Ping - all late Chinese scholars.
Shakespeare's name first appeared in China around 1838, when national hero Lin Zexu was sent by Emperor Daoguang to Guangzhou in the country's south, to supervise an anti-opium campaign. There, Lin found a mention of Shakespeare in a Chinese edition of the Encyclopedia of Geography by Britain's Hugh Murray.
But the process of translating Shakespeare in China really began in 1903, with Tales from Shakespeare, an adaptation by British writer Charles Lamb and his sister, Mary.
In the early 20th century, the Chinese seemed to regard the Bard more as a "writer of strange stories".
Writers like Lu Xun sought to change that perception by using literature to elevate people's spirits in what then was a poor country.
But as more Chinese scholars debated which foreign books should be translated, Shakespeare's works were left out for later because they were "unable to shoulder the responsibility", Zheng Zhenduo, a prominent writer, translator and critic, wrote in a magazine back then.
Even author Hu Shi wrote in an earlier essay that he didn't see Hamlet's greatness. "Hamlet is such a fool!"
But after the '30s, eminent writers such as Zhu and Liang started translating the complete works of Shakespeare.
Zhu completed translating 31 works in a decade and died of overwork. Liang, on the other hand, spent nearly 40 years translating the Bard.
Dancers from Chinas Guangdong province perform at the gala celebrating the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in Vientiane, capital of Laos, on April 25, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
Staff members set up a creation of Andy Warhol at the Art Basel in Hong Kong, March 24, 2016. A total of 239 galleries from 35 countries and regions attended the 3-day Art Basel in Hong Kong this year. [Photo/Xinhua]
Wealthy Chinese are splashing big on foreign art pieces in recent years, marking a trend in art collecting becoming a major portion of their global assets.
During the just concluded Art Basel Hong Kong, many wealthy Chinese from the mainland nabbed contemporary pieces from all over the world with prices ranging from tens of thousands to millions of US dollars. This is a great cause of excitement for art galleries and artists, and David Zwirner Gallery from USA is already looking to locate a branch in Hong Kong, according to 21st Century Business Herald.
In recent years, Chinese moguls like Wang Jianlin, Wang Zhongjun and Liu Yiqian are splashing money in purchasing European art masters' works, including those by Pablo Picasso and Amedeo Modigliani, which has aroused the art world's attention.
The 21st Century Business Herald says that the scene makes people think of the time in the mid-80s when wealthy Japanese were pursuing masterpieces of the Impressionists. At that time, Japan's economy reached its peak with its cars and machines exported worldwide. The Japanese yen appreciated all of a sudden and lots of Japanese people went abroad and traveled overseas. Wealthy people and enterprises also splashed out abroad to purchase art pieces.
Today's China is quite like Japan at that time. But the problem is, after that, Japan's economy had been in recession due to the bursting of the asset bubble, and the art market broke too. Will China experience a similar situation, or avoid the decline?
Well, China is different from Japan in three main aspects. First, China has a much larger population which means a huge domestic market. Second, China has more a diversified and multi-leveled industrial system. Third, China has many resources and a powerful government which may save the dangerous situation caused by an asset bubble if it happens.
Company, worth $138 million, is majority owned by Chinese firm
Glenn Martin was sitting in a bar with his college buddies 35 years ago when they got to wondering: What ever happened to flying cars and jetpacks?
The next day, the New Zealander began looking for answers in the science library, triggering a lifelong quest to build a jetpack.
But today, with the company he created seemingly on the verge of triumph, Martin worries his dream is slipping away.
Martin Aircraft Co says it will deliver its first experimental jetpacks to customers this year, a big development for the new technology. But the jetpack is being designed for first responders like firefighters, an outcome that falls short of Martin's vision of a recreational jetpack that anybody could fly.
The inventor has now left the company he founded. What's more, he says, he's asked for his name to be removed.
Storied, troubled past
"All us guys know what a jetpack's for," he says with a smile at his Christchurch home. "With a jetpack, you save the world and you get the girl. Right?"
Jetpacks have often been portrayed that way in books and movies. They have formed part of humanity's utopian future vision for the past century. Fictional characters from Buck Rogers to Elroy Jetson have used them, and a real jetpack wowed the crowds at the opening of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Martin, 56, grew up in the South Pacific, thousands of kilometers from HoustonT. But he followed the space race avidly.
"I still remember sitting in class and listening to Neil Armstrong step onto the moon," he says. "And I believed, I suppose, that we would all have flying cars and jetpacks and bases on Mars by the time I was an adult."
Storied though they may be, jetpacks have a troubled history. The Bell Aerospace rocket belt, developed in the 1960s, showed it was possible. However, that jetpack couldn't carry much weight and could remain airborne for less than 30 seconds.
For personal use
Peter Coker, Martin Aircraft's chief executive, says he believes the best business plan is to make jetpacks for first responders and later for other commercial operators. Once all the supply chains are in place, he says, the company can then turn its attention to building a personal jetpack.
"We are now an aviation company," Coker says. "Before, it was very much the Kiwi dream. But you have to take that commercial path."
Glenn Martin's vision still holds true, Coker says: Creating and selling a personal jetpack remains part of what the company is all about.
But Martin doubts the company will ever make one.
When he began his research, he wanted to improve on the Bell rocket belt and make a jetpack that could lift a solidly built guy like himself and a safety parachute, then stay airborne for at least 30 minutes. He decided to use ducted fans, making the word jetpack something of a misnomer.
During the 1980s, he worked in the pharmaceutical industry and built prototypes in his garage. He sponsored two university students to check his math. By 1997 he needed a lightweight pilot, so he enlisted his wife, Vanessa, to make the inaugural flight. It lasted a few seconds.
More refinements eventually allowed the jetpack and its pilot to remain airborne for several minutes and complete controlled turns. In 2008, he took a prototype to the Experimental Aircraft Association airshow in Wisconsin.
But as he sought to raise funds for his fledgling company, Martin says, he began losing control. Along came investors, venture capitalists, and plans for an Initial Public Offering. The company was listed on the Australian stock market in February last year, and is now majority owned by a Chinese company, KuangChi Science. It's valued at about $138 million, showing that investors are taking the concept of a commercial jetpack seriously.
Disillusioned with the direction the company was taking, Martin resigned as a director in June. He still owns a 10 percent stake, which he cannot sell before February.
High-tech diagnosis machines in 20 hospitals around China will soon help patients cope with osteoarthritis, a disease caused by aging joints, injury and obesity. A charity program initiated in Beijing on April 23 aims to raise public awareness of the disease and to improve patient care.
About 10 percent of the Chinese population suffers from the degenerative joint disease. From 1990 to 2000, the incidence of knee osteoarthritis in China increased 45 percent, and 21.3 percent of the patients suffer from disability in the joints caused by the disease. The rate in China is second-highest in the world, according to Tao Maoxuan, vice-president with China Association of Health Promotion and Education.
The development of the disease is related with aging, genetic factors, obesity and injury, and symptoms include joint pain and stiffness.
Treatment depends on the affected joint, including the hand, wrist, neck, back, knee and hip, and involves medication and exercise. Knees are particularly vulnerable. For overweight patients, weight loss may provide relief from osteoarthritis symptoms, international experts say.
However, in China, the public is not fully aware of the disease, and together with Pfizer China, the association initiates the program to change that, Tao says.
The high-tech diagnosis machines being made available to patients in different areas of China will allow patients to get questions answered about their specific joint condition, before they seek further treatment.
There will also be a series of lectures and free service from top medical experts in the field across China, to provide the public with more knowledge about the disease.
Related:
In race against others and the clock, many put bodies at risk
A 10-member Taiwan delegation led by Chen Wen-chi (center) visits on Thursday a house of detention in Beijing where 45 suspects from the island are held.[Photo/Xinhua]
Human Rights Watch recently criticized Kenya's deportation to the Chinese mainland of 45 telecommunication fraud suspects from Taiwan and called for an end to what it said was the "illegal repatriation" of suspects to the mainland.
It remains unknown whether the New York-based organization realizes that Taiwan's judiciary recognized Kenya's repatriation of these fraud suspects to the mainland and it is mainly those "independence-minded" politicians and radical figures on the island that have made a fuss over the repatriation case.
Regardless of these facts, Human Rights Watch has shown its total disregard to the legal rights of the mainland's victims and the "territorial jurisdiction" principle of international law. By ignoring these and smearing the Chinese mainland, Human Rights Watch has proved it is speaking with the secessionist voices on the island.
The repatriation of telecommunication fraud suspects to the mainland is actually a simple transnational criminal case that should be free of political factors. It is totally lawful for the mainland's police to pursue and bring to justice those from the island who organize telecom frauds targeting mainland residents.
According to the logic of Human Rights Watch, the Chinese mainland should not have independent judicial power and should operate its judiciary only under the guidance of the West. China's judicial system does have problems in some areas, but the country has made continuous efforts for its improvement.
However, the consistent prejudice it displays toward China does reflect that Human Rights Watch totally repudiates the contribution China has made to the international human rights cause and its hostility to Beijing.
As a non-governmental organization funded by Western funds, the irresponsible remarks by Human Rights Watch about China usually remain unchecked by the West and indeed are encouraged.
--Global Times
A woman cries during a memorial service for victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in a church in Kiev, Ukraine, April 25, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]
On Tuesday, Ukraine marked the anniversary of the world's worst nuclear disaster. The meltdown at the fourth reactor at the nuclear power plant in Chernobyl happened 30 years ago, but the wounds it inflicted on the world's psyche are still felt today.
Especially as fears of new leaks at Chernobyl increase as the concrete structure covering the reactor ages. It is estimated that only 3 percent of the reactor's radioactive contents escaped at the time.
And people's fears about nuclear power plants after the Chernobyl disaster were only exacerbated by the meltdown at Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in March 2011 following a massive earthquake and tsunami.
The safety of nuclear power plants is a particularly pertinent issue for China. With 30 nuclear power plants already in operation and 24 under construction, it is already one of the countries with the most nuclear plants in the world.
The size and planned scale of growth in China's nuclear energy sector pose unprecedented security challenges to regulators, especially as the country intends to build more nuclear power plants in heavily populated areas.
So far, the country has a good nuclear security record, with no major accidents having occurred thanks to its "most stringent security monitoring system", as President Xi Jinping pointed out at the recent Nuclear Security Summit in New York.
International cooperation programs, such as the Center of Excellence on Nuclear Security set up jointly by China and the United States, also help China meet the world's highest nuclear security standards.
But the progress made in nuclear security should not breed complacency. Although China has formed nuclear emergency teams to deal with mishaps and disasters, more information about how they will operate in case of disasters and how routine security measures are conducted, such as inspectors' onsite checks at nuclear facilities, is needed to help dispel people's fears.
Regulators must also stand on guard against any impulse to launch a "great leap forward" in the construction of nuclear power plants by local authorities in pursuit of higher GDP figures.
Nuclear power is fundamental for the country to honor its climate change pledge to peak its carbon emissions by 2030, and to help meet people's demands for clear air and a healthy environment, but safety must always come first.
Any lapse in supervision will not only derail China's ongoing efforts to transition to cleaner energy use, but also imperil people's health and safety.
On Monday, Minister of Environmental Protection Chen Jining delivered the government's first annual environment protection report to the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature.
According to Chen, the country still faces great environmental challenges, and the carrying capacity of the country's resources and environment are approaching their limits. The air, water and soil pollution in the country are very serious and threaten the goal of comprehensively building a well-off society.
While environmental emergencies nationwide are showing a declining tendency, the regional and structural environmental risks are increasing.
For instance, 12 percent of the nation's hazardous chemical production plants are located less than 1 kilometer away from sensitive sites such as drinking water protection areas.
From now on the State Council, China's Cabenit, will report to the National People's Congress on the government's environment protection work every year, as required by the new Environment Protection Law.
According to the law, governments at the county level and above should report the local environmental situations and environmental protection work to local people's congress every year.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar in Beijing, capital of China, April 19, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
Last week, intensive talks between Chinese and Indian officials in Beijing, along with a meeting of foreign ministers of China, India and Russia in Moscow, sent a strong message to the international community that the three countries are intensifying their cooperation and coordination at the regional and international levels.
During his five-day visit to China starting on April 16, Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar met with top Chinese political and military leaders, including Premier Li Keqiang, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission Fan Changlong and Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan. On April 20, State Councilor Yang Jiechi met with India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval in Beijing for the 19th round of talks on the boundary issue. And two days before that, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, his Russian and Indian counterparts Sergey Lavrov and Sushma Swaraj attended the 14th Russia-India-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Moscow.
Judging by the Indian officials' visit to China and the joint communique issued by the trilateral foreign ministers' meeting, one could say China, Russia and India are showing greater political will to accommodate one another's interest and work together to tackle global issues of common concern.
In Beijing, Chinese and Indian diplomats had in-depth discussions on the boundary issue, which is perhaps the most sensitive part of the Beijing-New Delhi relationship. Since the two neighbors have not yet agreed on the demarcation of their 3,488-kilometer border, tensions have risen from time to time straining bilateral relations.
But the decline in border incidents in recent months created a cordial atmosphere for last week's talks, suggesting the two sides are moving toward resolving the knotty issues. The two countries are at a crucial stage of negotiating a framework for a "fair and reasonable" political solution to the border dispute. But to actually reach a solution, both sides need to be more flexible and pragmatic.
In an encouraging sign, China said at last week's talks that it, too, wants to set up a hot-line between the Chinese and Indian militaries. This is another gesture that the two sides intend to deepen mutual strategic trust.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) in Cairo, Egypt, Jan 20, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
Editor's Note: Essam Sharaf, former Egyptian prime minister, participated in a dialogue between Chinese and Arab political parties in Yinchuan, the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, which was held from April 21-22. He delivered a speech at the opening ceremony and was interviewed by Chinese reporters during the event. Below is an excerpt from the Chinese translation of his interview and speech.
The internal cause for the current situation in the Middle East is that some regimes are not fully for the people. Externally, some countries have been interfering with the Middle East region and trying to split us. What Arab countries need to do is to stick together and work with China. The problems the region is facing will be solved.
I appreciate the policies China has been carrying out over the past three decades. I think there are three important factors in China's policies: stability, reform and development. Stability is very important. Especially for our region, we should obtain stability, then many problems will be solved neatly.
We believe there is great room to further develop China-Arab cooperation. As a result, Arab countries welcome the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (or the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road), a new bridge for the world. It will be built into a link between the two peoples, and is the best way to enhance cooperation to the expected level.
As a transport engineer, I regard this new bridge for the world as a complex structure, consisting of roads, railways, bridges, tunnels and ports. Yet as an average person, I believe this architecture can be of great significance in helping consolidate China-Arab relations and helping shape a new basis for relations between countries around the world.
Exchanges of civilizations are very important for development. Not only goods, but also thoughts, culture and civilizations are exchanged on the routes of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Egypt and China can conduct good cooperation on resisting the impact of savage globalization. Egyptian people love the Chinese people. Egypt has the important Suez Canal leading to Europe, which can be an important stop on the Maritime Silk Road. In general, Egypt can become an important stop in the Belt and Road Initiative. In this way we can work together and become a new force to resist the impact of globalization.
The article was compiled by China Daily reporter Wang Qingyun.
Screen shot of a video posted by Internet celebrity Papi Jiang's Weibo account. [Photo/Weibo.com]
Jiang Yilei, a popular Shanghai-based online talk-show artist better known as Papi Jiang, might not have imagined she would falter on the language front. Just after receiving more than 100 million yuan ($15.38 million) in angel investment late last month, Jiang was ordered by the media administrative department to discontinue her program for frequently using vulgar language.
The authority's order was justified, if not overdue, because Jiang has millions of fans who could be easily influenced by her lifestyle and language. This is evident in the reactions of Jiang and her fans. While she has apologized for the use of vulgar language, many of her fans don't think her coarse expressions are a problem.
China has given birth to many operas, dramas, crosstalk performances, and the artists who have infused life into them. But these artists were extremely careful with the language and type of expressions they used even in the days when a majority of the people in the country were illiterates.
It is thus an irony that most of the popular programs on the internet today rely on coarse language to grab audience's attention.
Jiang uses English words, which are coarse and vulgar, in her programs. She may feel her expressions sound cool and add a unique touch to her shows. She is wrong.
She could have developed a smart, exquisite language style given the fact that she has a postgraduate degree from China's top drama academy. But since that involves a lot of hard work and practice, she chose the easy way to gain popularity.
Jiang's case should be a lesson for people spreading vulgarity on the internet. And it should prompt them to abide by certain rules and fulfill their due social responsibility.
View of the charging facilities at the production site in Daxing district, Beijing, July 23, 2014. [Photo/IC]
In a move to support the development of new energy vehicles, the central government has devised a series of preferential policy measures in recent years, including financial subsidies and tax cuts for the fledging sector.
Local governments, too, have taken measures to support the new energy vehicle sector. Since the beginning of April, Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, and Shanghai have adopted policies encouraging operators of battery-charging facilities to offer electric vehicles preferential prices.
The catalog for the third batch of new energy vehicles, published recently by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, has added 309 new vehicle types that qualify for promotion. This increases the types of such vehicles to more than 1,000 since the first catalog was first published in January 2016.
Thanks to the continuous support of the central and local governments, the share prices of companies manufacturing new energy vehicles have been rising. Indeed, the sector is booming. But it owes its boom to the huge subsidies from the central and local governments. For example, subsidies from tens of thousands of yuan to hundreds of thousands of yuan are offered to new energy vehicles, depending on their types. A 6- to 8-seat vehicle can get a subsidy of up to 500,000 yuan ($77,080) from the central and local governments. Last year alone, more than 30 billion yuan were given as subsidies to such vehicles.
China has in place a set of comprehensive policies and measures to support the sector's development, including subsidies, tax cuts, government procurement and funds for research and development, and construction of supporting facilities. According to Zeng Xiao'an, an official with the Ministry of Finance, the country's financial policy should play a role in helping expedite the development of the new energy vehicle sector, which manufacturers have hailed.
An expert associated with a domestic new energy vehicle company says that in the initial stage of development, it is difficult for new energy vehicles to find a niche in the market exclusively on their inherent strength, because of factors such as high investment, high risks, and the lack of an ideal environment for their consumption and a strong competition among the brands. Preferential taxation and subsidy policies thus become necessary to boost their development.
But preferential policies have increased the dependence of new energy vehicle enterprises on the government and also encouraged new manufacturers to enter the market even though they don't have proper supporting facilities or innovation capability to gain a solid footing in the sector. Grabbing a piece of the government subsidy pie remains enterprises' biggest motivation to enter the new energy vehicle market, which, in turn, has given rise to some malpractices. In fact, some electric vehicle plants and leasing companies have reportedly swindled the government out of huge amounts of subsidies by, for example, falsely claiming of having massive outputs.
"China started its new energy vehicle sector some years ago, but it is yet to achieve a major breakthrough in developing high-end products and core technologies," Finance Minister Lou Jiwei has said. "An important reason for this is the excessive dependence of enterprises on government subsidies and their lack of tenacity and spirit of innovation".
If getting a slice of the subsidy cake becomes the only motivation for enterprises to develop new energy vehicles, the sector will inevitably suffer losses. To tackle the problem, the market has to play the decisive role in the distribution of resources, and the government's "invisible hand" should be shortened to promote the new energy vehicle sector's healthy growth.
The author is a researcher on enterprises development studies.
"I am worried the trend is going to rise with parents relying more and more on their cellphones."
Qian Youqiong, a well-known padiatrician in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan province, who encounters three to four cases of children with language difficulties on a weekly basis, which she claims is due to the parents spending too much time on their cellphones and not paying enough attention to their kids.
Jacob's loving family. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Good is rewarded with good. The story of Jacobs family illuminates this dictum that kind people will be rewarded eventually.
Jacob Myers, who is from United States, has been an English teacher in North East Normal University in Changchun for years. He and his wife, Sarah (also an American), have five children, including three adopted ones. They adopted Ephraim, who is from Africa, in 2011. Five years later, they adopted Theo from Shandong province and Tessa from Fujian province in China.
I met them at their house on March 30. My first impression was that this big family is really filled with care and love.
The story began many years ago. When Sarah was a teenager, she was studying in Africa. She and her friend went to visit an orphanage once a weekend. One day when they were playing with kids, Sarahs friend saw a little boy sitting on the floor crying. He looked sick, scared and disabled. Her friend said, I wish somebody would go and pick him up, but Im afraid. But Sarah picked the boy up. She said that If everyone is afraid, then who is going to pick him up? Surprisingly, after she picked him up, the little boy stopped crying. But every time she moved him to another side, he started crying because he thought that she wanted to put him down. Nevertheless, it was time to go; she had to put him down and leave. The little boy cried hysterically, which broke her heart. Sarah told me that she never forgot that boy because it was he who kindled her desire for adoption the first time. Everyone in the world has a dream when he or she is young. After that encounter, one of Sarahs dreams was to adopt children.
Influenced by Sarah, her husband Jacob started finding out about adoption and decided to adopt children. Because we both are Christian and believe the Bible, I supported her decision after our first date although I didnt understand adoption very well at that time, Jacob said. However, his understanding has grown over the years. When we were preparing to adopt Theo and Tessa, we were required to take 12 hours of classes. The combination of the classes and five years experience of raising my adopted son, Ephraim, helped to better prepare me, he said. I also studied more about what the Bible teaches us about adoption and read some books. Although rearing children is a back-breaking work and big responsibility, Jacob and Sarah think its the greatest reward to be a parent. Good is rewarded with good. Thus, they have five responsibilities, but also five rewards. They help and support each other physically and mentally, overcoming a number of difficulties and building an affectionate family with five children. And family is the greatest reward ever.
They have lived in China for three years, so they can speak little Chinese that help them communicate with their young Chinese children. And Theo now is learning English, which can help him better adjust to the new family. In addition, they also buy Chinese clothes for them and celebrate the Spring Festival and other Chinese traditional festivals because they dont want them to forget and lose Chinese culture.
As a parent of five little kids, they love their kids uniquely but equally. They know their children are all different, so they try to learn their love languages. Some need a lot of hugs, while some need praises. They love them in the way they feel loved. What a loving family!
When it comes to the question that how they will reply to their adopted childrens questions about their biological parents, both of them choose to tell them the truth when their children are old enough. They will tell them their parents love them very much. If the children want to find their parents one day, they will do what they can do to help them. They will also encourage their kids to have adoption or care about orphans and those who need help.
It is hard for them to change the world and save all the children, but they have changed three childrens life. These children would have still stayed in orphanage crying alone without help and love if no one else had picked them up and then gave them a warm family. Jacob and Sarah did not merely give them food or clothes, but also created a harbor of refuge those children could rely on mentally.
At the end of our talk, Sarah told me that we cannot underestimate children. Every life is important and exists with reasons and talents. Therefore, why dont we do our best to help those lovely kids and make contributions to our society?
Just to show that the new Zhuhai website is for you, cityofzhuhai.com will put you up overnight at an exotic hot springs resort, or in elegant hotels around Guangdong, or provide other gifts just for doing a great job telling your story: Zhuhai Through My Eyes.
Thats right; all that is required is that you have been to, lived in or worked in Zhuhai and have something humorous or captivating to write about. Who doesnt? All the Zhuhai English website asks in return is for your awareness that this is the place to go for information on investment, travel, news and living in the delightful coastal city of romance.
Dong'ao Island, Zhuhai [Photo from cityofzhuhai.com]
Cityofzhuhai.com debuted on April 22, superseding the former Weekly News page of the Zhuhai Daily newspaper. Now, Zhuhai news and events and other must-have information is available daily, or even sooner. This essay contest is being held by chinadaily.com.cn and sponsored by deltabridges.com for overseas friends and local expatriates.
Language: English
Length: No word limit
Form: Feel free to write whatever you think, in travelogue, narrative prose, or poetic form.
Deadline: May 31, 2016.
Email: zhuhai@chinadaily.com.cn
China Daily will select one 1st place, three 2nd, five 3rd, and 10 excellent award winners at the beginning of June. The essays will appear on chinadaily.com.cn, deltabridges.com, and the new Zhuhai English website cityofzhuhai.com on June 15 under the writers bylines.
Zhuhai Hengqin Chimelong International Ocean Tourist Resort [Photo from cityofzhuhai.com]
Prizes
1st place
One deluxe room at Imperial Hot Springs with breakfast, lunch and massage Imperial Hot Springs is a 5-star Japanese-style hot springs resort in the Zhuhai suburbs and an ideal place for a romantic getaway, with quiet, comfortable rooms and a private courtyard just outside the door.
2nd place
One superior room at Swissotel Foshan Hotel
Swissotel caters to discerning business and leisure travelers in Foshans business community. This international luxury 5-star hotel exemplifies exclusivity, elegance, and impeccable Swiss hospitality and service. Swissotel Foshan is the tallest building and a prominent landmark in Foshan.
One deluxe room at the Pullman Dongguan Forum
The Pullman Dongguan Forum is in the heart of town next to Qifeng Mt, with a peaceful setting and resort-style atmosphere, and yet it is a renowned 5-star business hotel.
One deluxe room at Crowne Plaza Foshan
Crowne Plaza Foshan is in the city center, close to the shopping hub and Ceramic Exhibition Center. It is 25 km southwest of Guangzhou and a 10-minute drive from Foshan train stations or a 50-minute drive from Guangzhou Baiyun Airport. There are 410 spacious guest rooms, six restaurants, 12 meeting rooms, a business center, swimming pool and gym.
Cantonese congee [Photo from cityofzhuhai.com]
3rd place
Mobile battery for smart phones and U-key with a chinadaily.com.cn logo
Provided by chinadaily.com.cn
Excellent
U-key with a chinadaily.com.cn logo
Provided by chinadaily.com.cn
The Zhuhai English Website cityofzhuhai.com is undertaken by chinadaily.com.cn, the largest English news website in China. Deltabridges.com is a public and media relations company based in Zhuhai and covering the Pearl River Delta area.
Website: www.cityofzhuhai.com
QR code of Zhuhais English website
A view of the Qinglongqiao railway station.[Photo/IC]
Qinglongqiao railway station is a century-old station on the Beijing-Zhangjiakou railway in Beijing. The Beijing-Zhangjiakou railway was the first railway designed, funded and built by Chinese people alone.
With construction beginning in 1908, the station was designed by famous Chinese railroad engineer Zhan Tianyou (1861-1919). Zhan, known as the "Father of China's Railroad," designed a railway that would zigzag upwards by switching back the line near the Qinglongqiao railway station to overcome the steep gradient.
The track maintenance division which oversaw the Qinglongqiao section boasted a zero-error record in the past century and witnessed the rapid expansion of the railway network in China. China now has the world's biggest high speed railway network at a stunning 19,000 km; this is longer than all of world's high-speed lines put together.
Li Weiqi on duty. [Photo from web]
A traffic policeman prevented a disastrous accident thanks to his experience, winning praise from the world after a surveillance video was broadcasted by CNN, reported zjol.com.cn on Tuesday.
Li Weiqi, the traffic police on duty on April 21, was patrolling at a big busy intersection in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.
At some point, he noticed there was something weird about the road as minor cracks showed even though most people would have ignored it.
Li didn't miss the signal of danger. He started to ease the traffic and directed passing cars to bypass the questionable road surface.
It was not an easy job as the crossing was quite busy. Soon, he brought some road cones from nearby and blocked the area. His colleagues came and helped him to surround the area to warn the passing vehicles to stay away from it.
It was only four minutes from the time Li noticed the problem and set up all the cones. Then, a two-meter-deep sinkhole appeared. Thanks to the police's foresight, nobody was hurt.
CNN has uploaded the video to its official Facebook account and received over 3.6 million clicks and about 20,000 reposts so far.
It was flooded with praise for the policeman.
@Brandie Wilburn comments "Somebody give that man a beer and a raise!"
@Chris Teo said "Do give that traffic cop a medal, promotion and raise...he did risk his dear life and has a family to go home too like everyone else."
@Irene Shaw said "Wow! That's so scary. But his vision was spot on. Can you imagine if the cop wasn't there to notice what was about to happen. He saved so many people that day from sinking in that hole."
Li Weiqi, the traffic police who noticed the signs, said he never met this situation before but he knew it might be something wrong and needed to be cautious when he saw the cracks, according to zjol.com.
He said there was a breath-stopping moment when a driver tried to go over the problematic area but he did his best to stop the vehicle.
The driver was impatient and asked him if he violated any regulation. Just at that moment, the road collapsed just in front of them.
"He kept saying thank you for saving my life," Li said, "I told him it's not a big deal. This is my job."
ECU911 emergency monitoring system plays key role in coordinating rescue work
A four-year-old girl in the port city of Manta had been trapped in debris for eight hours before she was rescued after a deadly earthquake jolted the Pacific coast of Ecuador on Saturday.
The girl was almost at her last gasp when she was rescued, but all nearby hospitals were either too-badly damaged or too overcrowded to treat her.
During the emergency crisis the rescue team turned to the ECU911 system made by Chinese experts, and the girl was transported to a hospital in Guayaquil of Guayas Province by a military helicopter.
She is now out of danger after timely treatment, Minister of Security and Coordination Cesar Navas said.
During this earthquake, China's ECU911 emergency warning and monitoring system has helped save a number of lives, Navas added.
The ECU 911, designed and built by China National Electronics Import and Export Corp, connects Ecuador's various security and disaster relief agencies, such as police forces, fire departments, transportation, paramedic units and the Red Cross, to aid reaction speed to emergencies via a single telephone number, 911, said Wang Fei, manager of CEIEC' s Ecuador' s subsidiary.
By Tuesday afternoon, the magnitude-7.8 earthquake had claimed 499 lives, leaving 4027 injured and 231 missing. Covering the entire country via 16 command and control centers, the ECU911 is playing a key role in handling emergency needs from the quake-struck regions and coordinating rescue work.
ECU911 is an integrated system of police services, video surveillance with thousands of cameras, GPS, geographic information, and a smart analysis of resources, among others, said Wang.
In ECU911's headquarters in Quito, the red lights of the several telephones keep flashing with incoming calls. Information like the caller's location, a digital map and emergency briefings pop up within seconds on monitors after the SOS call. With all this data, coordinators can efficiently allocate resources and arrange rescue missions.
During the first two days after the quake, ECU911 handled 17,888 emergency cases.
"After the earthquake, we are operating at 100 percent to help grant the coverage the country needs," said Francisco Rolayo, Director of the ECU911 Quito Center.
"Our crisis center regroups help at all levels of government, to send food, rescue materials and other necessities while we also coordinate the planes being sent to help in relief efforts, mainly to the province of Manabi," Rolayo said.
ECU911 regional centers for the quake-struck areas like Esmeraldas, Portoviejo, Santo Domingo and Machala are also available to provide necessary services, he added.
Humanitarian aid
Meanwhile, the government response continues. President Rafael Correa said searching for survivors and caring for the wounded and displaced are top priorities.
International organizations and a number of countries have also activated their humanitarian aid plans for Ecuador.
President Xi Jinping sent a message to President Correa on Monday. In the message, Xi mourned extended condolences to families of the victims and those injured.
China's Red Cross has provided $100,000 in cash for emergency assistance to its Ecuadorean counterpart, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Tuesday.
In ECU911's headquarters, more than 20 Chinese technicians are working day and night to ensure this lifesaving system runs well at this critical moment.
"They came to the ECU911 center soon after the earthquake," said Sixto Heras, director of the Resources Coordination Department of ECU911, "and have been working with us side by side. I'm quite moved by their braveness. Thank you, my Chinese friends".
QUITO - China's government and private sector have provided much-needed humanitarian aid and donations to Ecuador's post-earthquake relief efforts.
The Chinese government on Thursday handed over $2 million and 10 truck-fulls of aid to Ecuador to help the South American country's recovery from a powerful 7.8-magnitude quake that devastated parts of the coast late Saturday.
China's ambassador to Ecuador, Wang Yulin, presented the aid to Ecuadorian Foreign Affairs Minister Guillaume Long at a ceremony at the ministry's headquarters in the capital Quito.
The trucks, loaded with supplies of food and water, and cots and tents for temporary shelters housing those left homeless, were dispatched Thursday to the affected areas.
Included in the aid package was a mobile emergency-care facility to attend to the victims.
"On behalf of the people and government of Ecuador, we thank China for this contribution to our country," said Long.
"China has been one of the countries that most quickly responded to the emergency in Ecuador," Long added.
The Chinese resident community in Ecuador helped raise funds and collect supplies for the relief effort, Wang noted.
"China and Ecuador are friends and sister countries," said Wang, adding "China is very willing to actively collaborate and participate in the future reconstruction of the areas destroyed."
Like Ecuador, China is prone to earthquakes, said Wang. "In China we have had the same experience as Ecuador, we have felt what the Ecuadorians are feeling. At this difficult time, China and Ecuador are today more united than ever."
Also Thursday, the Chamber of Commerce of Chinese Companies in Ecuador provided 138,000 U.S. dollars in cash and humanitarian aid to the relief effort.
Chamber representative and vice president of the firm Andes Petroleum, Zhao Xinjun, presented Ecuadorian officials with the contribution.
"In the name of the Chamber of Commerce of Chinese Companies in Ecuador, we are here to show our support for the people in the areas that were hit and for the government of Ecuador," Zhao said.
The chamber gathers 12 major Chinese firms, including Sinohydro, Huawei, Harbin Electric International and Gezhouba.
Zhao noted Chinese companies sprang into action immediately in the wake of the disaster, dispatching technicians, machinery and rescue teams to hard-hit coastal communities.
"Some (of the companies) helped reestablish transportation and communications," said Zhao, "others donated urgent necessities, such as cots, mosquito nets, disinfectants, food and water."
The chamber donated 11 tons of water, as well as lighting and communications gear, sheets, towels, pillows and blankets, and diapers.
Employees of chamber firms, meanwhile, helped distribute the aid to the affected communities.
The chamber also addressed a letter to Ecuador's President Rafael Correa, expressing its members' support and solidarity in the face of the worst disaster to hit the country in nearly 70 years.
"In this crisis, Chinese companies in Ecuador join in the concern of the people and the government, and will accompany you in overcoming this difficulty," said the letter signed by Zhang.
Chinese companies additionally offered to provide heavy machinery and personnel for the ongoing rescue efforts.
The death toll from the quake currently stands at 602, with 12,492 wounded, and 130 missing.
BEIJING - China will provide humanitarian aid worth 60 million yuan ($9.2 million) to earthquake-hit Ecuador, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said on Monday, following cash support of 2 million dollars announced on Thursday.
The latest batch of aid will be in the form of disaster relief facilities and materials, which will be sent to Ecuador by chartered flight, the MOC said.
The Red Cross Society of China will send teams to Ecuador to assist the distribution and installation of these materials and facilities.
The Chinese government will continue to provide support according to the development of the situation and Ecuador's needs, the MOC said.
Ecuador was hit by the 7.8-magnitude earthquake on April 16. The death toll has risen to more than 650.
RIO DE JANEIRO - Argentine Production Minister Francisco Cabrera said Monday that the ongoing political crisis in Brazil has a significant impact on his country's industrial sector.
"The impact of Brazil's situation does not escape Argentina," a report carried by Brazilian news portal G1, a unit of the Globo media group, quoted Cabrera as saying in an interview in Brasilia.
Cabrera said that over 50 percent of Argentina's industrial exports go to Brazil and that the trade flow is suffering.
"In general, we believe that Brazil is a country with strong democratic institutions, and will solve its issues within their scope," said Cabrera.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is facing impeachment, which she has said is an "attempted coup".
The Argentine minister was in Brazil on Monday for a meeting with his Brazilian counterpart, Armando Monteiro, to discuss the renewal of an automobile trade agreement that expires in June.
PYONGYANG - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Tuesday dismissed criticism from the international community for its test-firing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile.
The DPRK's successful test-fire of the SLBM was "the exercise of the just right to self-defence to safeguard the sovereignty and the country's right to exist" as well as from "the US's escalating threat of nuclear war," a spokesman for the foreign ministry was quoted by the state-run news agency KCNA as saying.
The DPRK announced Sunday that it had conducted a successful underwater test-fire of a strategic submarine ballistic missile; it added that the country's top leader Kim Jong Un guided the test.
This was the second time the DPRK's state-run media had announced the success of a SLBM test-fire since May 9, 2015 when the KCNA reported that Kim watched the testing of a newly developed SLBM.
The latest launch has provoked worldwide condemnation. Pyongyang has been accused of developing ballistic missile technology which is banned under several UN Security Council resolutions against the country.
The UN Security Council on Sunday "strongly" condemned the missile test, saying "this incident constituted yet another serious violation by the DPRK of UN Security Council resolutions."
The Security Council has adopted five resolutions to curb the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs. The latest one adopted in March imposes the most severe sanctions yet on the country, including an export ban and asset freeze.
Meanwhile, the Republic of Korea on Sunday denounced Pyongyang's latest SLBM launch, and Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday that the country had lodged an official protest with the DPRK and described the recent firing as a "provocative" act.
A DPRK foreign ministry spokesman says that his country will ignore all resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council "that side with vicious moves by the US against the DPRK."
He blamed the United States for jeopardizing peace and security on the Korean Peninsula through nuclear war games that target the DPRK, including the mobilization of a nuclear submarine to South Korea.
He said that as a consistently hostile policy by the US and nuclear threats against the DPRK leave the country no alternative but to "ensure a balance of force" through "nuclear deterrence".
"The US's pursuit of an extremely hostile policy and nuclear threats and blackmail against the DPRK will embolden the latter to make progress in bolstering its nuclear attack capabilities." the spokesman added.
ANKARA - The United States Embassy to Turkey warned its citizens on Tuesday about terrorist threats to tourist areas in Turkey.
"The US government continues to receive credible indications that terrorist groups are seeking opportunities to attack popular tourist destinations throughout Turkey," the embassy in Ankara said in a statement to US citizens on its website on April 26.
"Foreign tourists in Turkey have been explicitly targeted by terrorist organizations, and advises US citizens to be mindful of the potential for danger in crowded public areas and at popular tourist destinations," the US embassy said in a statement.
The US Embassy in Ankara issued a security warning to US citizens in Turkey on April 9 this year, saying that there are credible threats to tourist areas in Istanbul and Antalya.
Turkey has been hit by four suicide bombings already this year, two in capital Ankara and two in Istanbul.
Chinas labor law provides for a 44-hour work week, but its regulations provide for a 40 hour work week and most municipalities enforce the 40-hour work week, but recognize that this workweek may not be practical for certain employees. A flexible working hours system is thus permitted for senior management as an exception to this basic hour rule.
But before an employer can implement a flexible working hours system for its employees, it must usually first secure permission to do so from the relevant authorities. But it seems that every Chinese city has its own rules on what it requires and on what it will allow.
For example, Beijing permits an employer to use a flexible working hours system for its senior management personnel without having to obtain permission first. This system is consistent with a U.S. style salaried employee approach in that as far as these employees are concerned, the employer is not required to follow the 40-hour workweek rule.
One of the first issues that must be resolved to have a flexible working hours system is what is meant by the term senior management. The Beijing Human Resources and Social Security Bureau interprets that to mean all employees designated as such in the employers Articles of Association. At the very minimum, a companys legal representative and general manager are certain to qualify as senior management. With respect to other management employees, it is important that the employer review its Articles carefully to be sure that they are indeed senior management and thus do not require permission from the Beijing authorities.
But like I said, other cities may have different rules. For instance, Shanghai requires permission from the authorities before you can apply a flexible working hours system to any type of employees. Moreover, even though a salaried employee approach is permissible in Shanghai, Shanghai requires an employer to provide them at least one day a week that is not a work day.
Making things even more complicated is that each district within a particular city may have different requirements. This is why when one of our clients seeks the advice of one of our China employment lawyers, we always contact the particular district where the client is registered so we can figure out the specific local rules our client must follow.
First, even for employees under the flexible working hours system, employers are legally required to provide adequate rest time to these employees. Though adequate rest time has been left undefined in some jurisdictions (Beijing being one of them), some are clear on what they require by this. Shanghai, for example, requires employers provide at least one day every week as rest time for their employees designated under the flexible working hours system.
Second, you often cannot avoid paying overtime simply by implementing a flexible working hours system. Even in the case of a salaried employee system, some municipalities (Shanghai and Shenzhen immediately spring to mind) require employers pay 300% of an employees normal wages for time spent working on a Chinese legal holiday. For this reason, we tell our clients that the safest approach is for them not to have any employee work on Chinese national holidays, if at all possible.
It also needs to be emphasized that employers cannot use a flexible working hours system with low level management and non-management employees, unless those employees fall under one of the following five categories:
offsite sales personnel personnel permanently based out of town long distance transportation personnel non-production on-duty personnel others in special work positions that may arrange their own work and rest schedules.
For example, it may be possible for you to secure approval from the local agency for your off-site sales managers or for your long-distance transportation employees who are constantly on the road, but note that you must secure the requisite permission from the authorities before you can apply a flexible working hours system to any employees who fall under the above five categories.
In May 2012, Chinas Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security issued Draft Regulations on Management of Special Working Hours (Draft Regulations) for public comments. These regulations would have clarified various issues relating to the flexible working hours system. These Draft Regulations would have revised the above-mentioned categories by adding a new category: employees in positions relating to technology, research and development, and creative work who may arrange their own work schedule with no attendance record requirement. The Draft Regulations kept categories (1) and (3) above, as well as senior management, as positions eligible for the flexible working hours system.
But these Draft Regulations have yet to take effect and until they do, the existing regulations are what apply, and as far as non-senior management employees are concerned, you can only use the flexible working hours system with those who fit into one of the five categories listed above.
Chinas flexible working hours system is an exception to its standard working hours system. Chinas labor law and relevant regulations also provide for a second exception: the comprehensive working hours system. This latter system applies to three categories of employees who work longer hours because of their particular industries:
(1) employees required to work extended hours in the transportation, aviation, railway, shipping, fishing, postal and telecommunications service industries;
(2) employees subject to seasonal and natural constraints in the resource exploration, construction, salt production, sugar production, and travel industries; and
(3) other employees in positions that may be suitable for the implementation of the comprehensive working hours system.
Before implementing the comprehensive working hours system, an employer must obtain written permission from the local labor bureau on two fronts: general permission to implement the system, and specific permission for each specific employee designated to work under the system. Once implemented, the designated employees working hours will be accumulated over a given period (i.e., a week, month, quarter or year), called a comprehensive calculation period. During each such period, the employees hours for a month may exceed by up to 36 hours what would have been allowed under the standard working hours system. (In practice, the overtime calculation is even more employer-friendly, as labor bureaus typically define the maximum allowable hours as the employees average hours for a month.) Employers that disregard overtime rules risk significant penalties: 150% of an employees normal wages for any time exceeding the legal maximum, and 300% of normal wages for such time occurring on a Chinese legal holiday.
The above rules leave several details open to interpretation, and to help clarify matters, Chinas Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security issued Draft Regulations on Management of Special Working Hours for public comments. The Draft Regulations introduced the following revisions:
Categories (1) and (2) above would be expanded to include the electric power, petroleum, petrochemical, and finance industries.
Category (3) above would instead read: in accordance with the industry policies issued by the State Council with respect to encouraged or promoted industries, the positions that the PRC Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security deems eligible for implementation of the Comprehensive Working Hours System.
The amount of allowable overtime would depend on the length of the comprehensive calculation period. For a period of one week, the maximum overtime permitted per period would be 15 hours (with an additional cap of 36 hours per month). For a period of one month, the maximum overtime permitted per period would be 36 hours. For a period of one quarter, the maximum overtime permitted per period would be 108 hours. For a period of one year, the maximum overtime permitted per period would be 360 hours. In addition, regardless of the period length, an employee could not work more than 11 hours per day, and would be required to have 24 continuous hours of rest every other week.
However, the Draft Regulations are still out for comment, with no end in sight. Unless and until they take effect, the comprehensive working hours system may only be used for employees who fit into one of the three categories listed above.
(Photo : Kyodo News - Pool/Getty Images) President Xi has encouraged Chinese internet firms to explore the global market and asked government bodies to help them attract manpower to work in Chinas internet sector.
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President Xi Jinping has called for stringent online security through complete screening of internet risks during a symposium on cybersecurity and informatization on April 19. He emphasized the correct outlook on cyber security in his statement, which was released on Monday.
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Xi speech focused on enhancing cyber security in the country. He encouraged officials to use the internet to understand public opinion. The Chinese leader laid out plans for establishing a secure system that will protect key information infrastructure in various industries like finance, energy, telecommunication, and transportation.
The new five-year plan that was submitted in March gives emphasis to the development of the internet sector and cyber security, including cyber defences. The United States' defence department has already made a move to include cyber deterrence as part of its cyber strategy.
Xi encouraged internet firms to explore the global market and asked government bodies to help them attract manpower to work in China's internet sector.
"Some countries would use supremacy in cyber power to attack other countries," said Huang Chengqing, director of the National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team/Coordination Centre of China, who was at the meeting. "When China is equipped with deterrence powers, it will be able to counterbalance the influence of other countries, and therefore, maintain peace. The best defence is offence."
Aside from cyber security, Xi also called for a positive Internet environment, where the government can gather feedbacks from the public. It is a perfect medium to engage people and know their concerns to have a better understanding of their interests, the president explained.
Cyberspace is also a great medium to help clarify public misconceptions and dissolve public grudges and grievances, Xinhua reported. President Xi wants China to improve the management of its cyberspace to create a positive culture and healthy environment.
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Tagscybersecurity, china cybersecurity issues, China Cybersecurity, Informatization, President Xi Jinping
(Photo : Guang Niu/Getty Images) The sudden death of a 14-year old boy in China has sparked protests against illegal child labor.
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The death of a 14-year old boy, who worked in an underwear factory in Foshan City, Guangdong Province triggered a citywide campaign against illegal child labor on Monday.
After the death of Wang Pan on April 11, the Foshan bureau of human resources and social security organized a campaign against child labor. The main goal is to provide protection to young workers commonly found in factories along the southern province.
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Wang reportedly suddenly died, losing consciousness at the house his mother is renting on April 11. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was proclaimed dead. According to China Daily, Wang's mother believes that her son died due to overwork. She said that her son was working 11 to 12 hours a day at the lingerie factory. His mother, who is surnamed Kuang, is a migrant worker from Qidong county in Hunan province.
As a result, the factory where Wang works, Foshan Accor, has agreed to pay Wang's family 150,000 yuan ($23,000) as compensation. Aside from this, the factory has also been charged with 10,000 yuan ($1,537) by the authorities for employing an underage worker. The factory has not denied the allegations.
Local authorities are still conducting a separate investigation and will determine the cause of death of Wang. An official from the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau of the Nanhai District of Foshan City has revealed that the cause of Wang's death is not overworking.
Although the company has agreed to pay the compensation and the fine, many critics are not satisfied with the ruling However, authorities said that the fines imposed were accordance to the law. The ongoing campaign will target labor-intensive manufacturing industries such as the garment, shoe, food and metal industries.
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Tagsillegal child labor, child labor, campaign against child labor, Wang Pan, Foshan Accor, Fosha City, Guangdong Province
(Photo : Getty Images) China has unveiled its first crime-fighting robot known as AnBot.
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China officially launched its very own first crime-fighting robot called AnBot during the 12th Chongqing Hi-Tech Fair on April 21.
The new robot, which boasts of impressive intelligence and security capabilities, is an invention of the National Defense University. The droid will play a significant role in China's anti-terrorism and anti-riot measures, according to People's Daily.
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With a height of 1.49 meters and weight of 78 kg, the droid could patrol around flat areas at a pace of 1 kilometer per hour, and when prompted could reach a top speed of 18 kilometer per hour. The AnBot is also equipped with sensors that are akin to the human brain, ears and eyes.
When the security of people around the AnBot is compromised, the robot can be controlled to use its electrically charged riot control tool.
The robot, which appears like a Russian nesting doll, is capable also of performing non-stop work for eight straight hours. It is, however, how long it takes the robot to recharge.
The AnBot is also designed with an SOS button for distressed individuals to call for help by simply pressing the button. Furthermore, it is independent as it can patrol on its own and protect itself from violence and unrest.
The AnBot is just a part of a whole series of innovations in key technologies such as "low-cost autonomous navigation and intelligent video analysis," People's Daily reported.
Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a new realistic, interactive and stunningly attractive humanoid earlier this month. The creation by the University of Science and Technology of China is called Jia Jia. Although it does not possess security capabilities like AnBot, Jia Jia also boasts of sophisticated artificial intelligent features including ability to learn skills and recognize human faces, speak and understand dual language (English and Chinese), identify human interaction, to name a few.
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Tagschina, Chongqing Hi-Tech Fair, AnBot, DROID, Artificial Intelligence, Robots
(Photo : Getty Images) Beijing recently blocked India's attempt to put Pakistani terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad' chief Masood Azhar in United Nations designated terrorists list.
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China on Tuesday asked India and Pakistan to hold direct bilateral talks to resolve the Masood Azhar issue.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said China encouraged India and Pakistan to resolve the listing matter of Masood Azhar though serious consultations.
"We encourage all parties related to the listing matter of Masood Azhar to have direct communication and work out a solution through serious consultations," Hua said. "China is willing to continue with the communication with all relevant parties."
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Bejing recently blocked India's attempt to put Pakistani terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad' chief Masood Azhar in United Nations designated terrorists list.
The Chinese government, on the other hand, defended its decision saying that it always deals with the listing of 1267 committee based on facts and pursuant to UN Security Council resolutions and relevant rules in a fair manner.
"It is in line with Security Council resolutions and the 1267 Committee's rules of procedure for China to place a technical hold on the listing of Masood Azhar," Hua said.
The Indian government, which accused Azhar of masterminding recent Pathankot airbase attack, has strongly objected to China's support at Azhar.
China's backing of direct India Pakistan engagement came a day after India cancelled the visa of Uyghur leader Dolkun Isa. The Germany-based Uyghur leader blamed China for cancellation of his Indian visa.
"Such an unjustifiable comparison seeks only to delegitimize my decades of impassioned work as a strictly non-violent campaigner for Uyghur rights. China's clear abuse of Interpol's Red Notice issuance is also concerning," the head of Munich based Word Uyghur Congress said in a statement.
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Tagschina, India, Pakistan, Masood Azhar., Dolkun Isa
(Photo : ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images) Michael Read, Director of Flight Operations from New Zealand-based Martin Aircraft Company, flies on a Martin Jetpack over a water park on Dec. 6, 2015 in Shenzhen, China.
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Five years after its launch, Shenzen's Peacock Plan is gaining ground, as the city is now emerging as a leader in the development of cutting-edge technologies across the globe.
The Peacock Plan - a campaign spearheaded by the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission to attract tech talent - aims to develop Shenzen into a key zone for innovation and the development of modern services in the region, reported the China Daily.
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So far, the commission has brought in 64 "peacock" teams to the city, most of which have now blossomed into leading high-tech enterprises such as DJI Innovation Technology Co, KuangChi, Royole and BGI.
Under Shenzen's Peacock Plan, these teams have each received tens of millions of yuan from the Chinese government to support their research and development activities.
A solid proof of the plan's success is KuangChi Science Ltd, an innovative start up based in the city, which has already received 300 orders for its Martin Jetpack, the world's first practical and commercial jetpack to be developed.
The jetpacks, which are priced at 2 million yuan ($308,640) each, was created by Chinese students who returned to the mainland after completing their studies abrod.
"Our buyers are from all over the world," shares Zhang Yangyang, the company's CEO. "For example, a rescue team in Dubai ordered about 30 units because the jetpack is easier to operate than helicopters in a city full of skyscrapers."
The jetpack is powered by a gasoline engine which drives the twin ducted fans, producing sufficient thrust to lift the aircraft and a pilot in the air, and enable sustained flight.
But what makes the aircraft revolutionary is its ability to operate close to or between buildings, near trees and in confined spaces, things which other conventional aircraft will be unable to do.
The groundbreaking jetpack can is capable of carrying commercial payloads of up to 120 kilograms. It has a maximum flying time of 45 minutes and can fly at speeds of up to 80 km per hour.
The aircraft is currently being produced in New Zealand, but plans are already underway to transfer its manufacturing facility to China.
"In the beginning, almost everyone was very skeptical of the concept of the personal jetpack," Zhang said. "It was Shenzhen's recognition that makes our technological development and research possible."
With KuangChi Science Ltd's success, more start-ups are expected to take part in Shenzen's Peacock Plan.
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TagsShenzen Peacock Plan, Shenzen, china
(Photo : Getty Images.) US Steel Corp announced on Tuesday that it has filed fresh anti-dumping complaint against cheap import of Chinese steel.
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US Steel Corporation filed a fresh trade complaint against China on Tuesday as the US steel giant announced another disappointing quarterly result, partly owing to cheap steel imports from China.
The company filed the complaint at the International Trade Commission, calling for complete ban on Chinese steel imports. The company also argued that China indulged in various trade malpractices such as fixing prices, stealing trade secrets, and evading duties with false labeling.
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"We have said that we will use every tool available to fight for fair trade," US Steel CEO Mario Longhi said. "With today's filing, we continue the work we have pursued through countervailing and anti-dumping cases and pushing for increased enforcement of existing laws."
The latest complaint comes amid global anti dumping outcry against Chinese steel. Unable to compete against cheap steel products imported from China, major steel companies across US and Europe have seen their profit declining in recent years.
While American manufacturers have been badly hit, UK steel companies suffered the most from China's excessive dumping of steel in European markets. Last month, the UK government had to financially bail out several major steel plants to prevent millions of job losses.
Several important world leaders including David Cameron and Hillary Clinton have called on China to reduce overproduction of domestic steel. Earlier this year, US announced imposition of huge import tariff over certain steel products imported from China.
However, Chinese steel companies are not showing any sign of relenting under global pressure. Experts cite sharp slump in demand of steel in domestic market as the major factor behind China's excessive dumping of steel in international markets.
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TagsUS Steel Corp, Chinese Steel, china, Mario Longhi
(Photo : Jessica Hromas/Getty Images) Domestic worker from the Phillipines, Bea sits in her room in the illegal boarding house where she lives in Pokfulam on January 26, 2014 in Hong Kong
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Around 1.4 million overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong started casting their votes on Saturday, April 9 as the Philippines heads into a presidential election. It is believed that this large amount of absentee voters can make or break the presidential race.
The Filipino consulate in Hong Kong predicted a 50 percent voter turnout, which is higher than the global average turnout rate of 26 percent. "I believe that the nearly 1.5 million registered voters overseas can actually make or break a Presidential candidate," Eman Villanueva said, a Filipino migrant rights activist.
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This unusually high number of absentee voters are believed to have the power to influence the polls this coming May 9. Hong Kong's community center was filled with different Filipino workers who are mostly domestic helpers.
These often abused underclass in Hong Kong are hoping that the coming elections will end their struggle overseas. A majority of them decided to leave the Philippines and work in Hong Kong because of the lack of opportunities. Hong Kong Free Press noted that one Filipina lady has a nursing degree but ended up working as a helper since it pays more.
Filipinos working overseas mostly in Asia, North America, and the Middle East send more than $25 billion remittances back to the Philippines. The remittances have kept the Philippine economy on the steady growth of 6.2 percent.
There are currently five candidates running for President in the Philippines. The elections will end on May 9. Who do you think will win? Let us know by leaving your comments below.
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TagsHong Kong, Hong Kong domestic workers, domestic workers, Philippine Elections 2016, Philippine-Hong Kong Relations, Overseas Filipino Workers, Absentee voters
(Photo : Mario Tama/Getty Images) Foreign violators usually purchase and export counterfeit versions of products with registered trademarks, selling them to dealers overseas.
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There has been a steady increase in the number of intellectual property infringement in Shanghai in the past four years. Foreigners were mostly held responsible in these cases, a senior official said on Monday.
According to the vice-president of the Shanghai People's Procuratorate, Zhou Yongnian, the foreign culprits usually purchase and export counterfeit versions of products with registered trademarks, selling them to dealers overseas. Zhou revealed this during a media briefing on Monday, just ahead of the World Intellectual Property Day.
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"The number of such cases that were planned by foreigners who organized Chinese to manufacture counterfeit products in China has risen in the past years," Xiao Kai, the head of the department of financial cases at the Procuratorate said.
The prosecuting agency cited one foreign violator, a British man, who was named as L. L. He allegedly purchased counterfeit UGG boots, Hunter rain boots, Chanel sunglasses and Ray-Ban eyeglasses, then shipped them to the United Kingdom. A Chinese accomplice was identified, who was simply named as Xu. Xu helped L ship the items by providing false information to customs.
Together they worked hand-in-hand seeking clients in the U.K. with Xu following through with the orders, recording transactions and keeping tabs on payments. Their partnership allegedly worked for almost two years. They started their operations in May 2010 and were not nabbed until Feb 2013, gaining more than 4.25 million yuan ($654,000).
Customs officials discovered their criminal activities in Feb. 2014 when they found more than 12,300 pairs of Ray-Ban eyeglasses and more than 2,800 Chanel sunglasses inside the packages directed to U.K. The trademark holders confirmed that these were counterfeit products.
L was given one year and six months in prison and was fined 500,000 yuan as punishment. More so, he was deported from China through a court order in January. Meanwhile, Xu was sentenced to one year in prison and was also fined with 20,000 yuan.
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Tagscounterfeit products, counterfeit goods, Counterfeit, United Kingdom, Shanghai People's Procuratorate, Foreign Violators
Christian student organization sues N.C. State over muzzling of religious speech 27 April, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , |
RALEIGH, N.C. (Christian Examiner) A Christian student organization at North Carolina State University is suing the school for violating its members' right to speak openly about their faith on campus.
In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina April 26, the members of Grace Christian Life claimed that it is a registered student organization on the campus, but that it is forced to seek approval from university administrators before it can have open and frank discussions about religion with other students.
Attorneys for the Christian student group argue in the complaint that the university's reputation as a "marketplace of ideas" depends on the students' ability to freely express their thoughts and beliefs, but the campus "Speech Permit Policy" regulates the activity in a way that subordinates free speech, including the distribution of written materials, to the university's administration.
"The Policy also grants university officials unbridled discretion to restrict the content and viewpoint of student speech if it is not 'consistent with the University's mission and purpose of the location,'" the lawsuit claims.
In the filing, Grace Christian Life ("Grace") claims its goals is "to give an accurate picture of Jesus and His church to all people everywhere.
"In furtherance of its goal, student members and staff of Grace regularly initiate conversations with students about religion and other important topics. These conversations take place in the public areas of campus where students congregate such as inside and outside of the Talley Student Union. On September 15, 2015, Grace was informed by the University that it was not allowed to approach students for the purpose of engaging in religious conversations without first obtaining prior written permission of the University," attorneys for the student group claimed.
Universities commonly establish "free speech zones" on their campuses for interactions such as those described in the court filing, but a recent spate of lawsuits has challenged the restrictions of speech to a specific time and place often far off the beaten path and in small spaces.
In 2014, students from three California campuses launched what the Los Angeles Times called "the first-ever coordinated legal attack on free speech restrictions in higher education." An Arizona student also challenged her schools limitation on free speech in December 2015.
Oftentimes, it is conservative groups that are left on the margins. For example, at the University of Hawaii-Hilo, students from Young Americans for Liberty were not allowed to distribute copies of the U.S. Constitution outside of the school's small "free speech zone." The same organization saw a similar situation arise at the University of Cincinnati when the group tried to collect signatures for a "right to work" law. The students were ordered to remain in the free speech zone or cease and desist their activity.
Students in the Hawaii and Ohio cases are being represented by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.
Grace Christian Life is being represented by Alliance Defending Freedom.
ADF's Senior Counsel Tyson Langhofer, who claims the university is violating the students' free speech, free exercise, due process and equal protection rights, said students at a public university do not need a permit to exercise freedoms provided in the Constitution.
"The only permit needed to engage in free speech is the First Amendment," Langhofer said.
David Hacker, also a senior counsel with ADF, said the organization is asking the court to invalidate the university's speech permit policy and allow the students to practice free speech "free from unconstitutional restrictions."
N.C. State Chancellor W. Randolph Woodson, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Warwick Arden, Associate Director of University Student Centers T.J. Willis, and Associate Provost Mike Giancola are named as defendants in the lawsuit.
The university has not issued a statement in response to complaint.
I had the privilege or reading a pre-release version of "God Shines Forth: How the Nature of God Shapes and Drives the Mission of the Church." Here are 20 quotes from the book, which you should pick up.
NOM Vows to Unseat Three Republicans Who Betrayed Missouri Voters and People of Faith Contact:
WASHINGTON, April 27, 2016 /
"This act of betrayal by three cowardly Republicans will not be tolerated," said Brian Brown, NOM's president. "These lawmakers have sided with LGBT extremists and voted against the right of Missouri voters to consider needed religious liberty provisions protecting people of faith from being forced to participate in a same-sex 'wedding' despite their deeply held religious objections. As we have done elsewhere, we will do everything in our power to end the political careers of these gutless politicians."
NOM has a history of involvement in legislative elections against Republicans who vote to redefine marriage or fail to protect the right of people to refuse involvement in a gay 'wedding' that violates their religious beliefs. They were instrumental in unseating all four Republican state Senators in New York who voted with Democrats to redefine marriage. In 2014, the group helped defeat two Republican US House candidates in Massachusetts and California, and defeated a Republican US Senate candidate in Oregon who supported same-sex 'marriage.' The group also funded independent expenditure efforts and ran ads supporting two successful US Senate candidates in Arkansas and North Carolina.
"LGBT extremists are intent on harnessing the power of government to target anyone who opposes their desire to redefine marriage," Brown said. "They have successfully gone after florists, bakers, photographers, innkeepers and others seeking to force them to participate in a gay 'wedding' that many people consider to be sinful. People have been sued, fined, fired and punished, their reputations ruined and their livelihood destroyed. SJR 39 would have given Missouri voters an opportunity to prevent this type of discrimination against people of faith, but the three Republican legislators instead made sure that the extremists will be able to continue to harass and punish anyone in Missouri who disagrees with their dangerous and divisive agenda."
Representatives Zerr and Rowden are currently seeking election to the state Senate. Rowden is running in Senate District 19 against Rep. Stephen Webber, while Zerr is in a contested Republican primary on August 2nd to fill the vacant 23rd Senate District. Hansen is running unopposed for reelection to the state House of Representatives.
"Whether it takes us a few months or several years, we will not rest until all three of these turncoat Republicans are out of office," Brown pledged. "The people of Missouri are tired of politicians who betray them, running for office as conservatives but failing to support conservative policies once in office. We're going to make sure that voters in each of these districts know that they were betrayed, and we'll be working to unseat them at the first opportunity."
To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, please contact Chris Plante,
Paid for by The National Organization for Marriage, Brian Brown, president. 2029 K Street NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006, not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Share Tweet Contact: Chris Plante National Organization for Marriage , 202-457-8060 ext 812WASHINGTON, April 27, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today vowed to unseat Representatives Anne Zerr, Jim Hansen and Caleb Rowden because of their refusal to support SJR 39 which would allow Missouri voters to protect the right of Christians and people of faith from being punished by government because they object to participating in a same-sex 'wedding.' NOM is the nation's largest and most active organization in support of traditional marriage and the religious liberty rights of marriage supporters."This act of betrayal by three cowardly Republicans will not be tolerated," said Brian Brown, NOM's president. "These lawmakers have sided with LGBT extremists and voted against the right of Missouri voters to consider needed religious liberty provisions protecting people of faith from being forced to participate in a same-sex 'wedding' despite their deeply held religious objections. As we have done elsewhere, we will do everything in our power to end the political careers of these gutless politicians."NOM has a history of involvement in legislative elections against Republicans who vote to redefine marriage or fail to protect the right of people to refuse involvement in a gay 'wedding' that violates their religious beliefs. They were instrumental in unseating all four Republican state Senators in New York who voted with Democrats to redefine marriage. In 2014, the group helped defeat two Republican US House candidates in Massachusetts and California, and defeated a Republican US Senate candidate in Oregon who supported same-sex 'marriage.' The group also funded independent expenditure efforts and ran ads supporting two successful US Senate candidates in Arkansas and North Carolina."LGBT extremists are intent on harnessing the power of government to target anyone who opposes their desire to redefine marriage," Brown said. "They have successfully gone after florists, bakers, photographers, innkeepers and others seeking to force them to participate in a gay 'wedding' that many people consider to be sinful. People have been sued, fined, fired and punished, their reputations ruined and their livelihood destroyed. SJR 39 would have given Missouri voters an opportunity to prevent this type of discrimination against people of faith, but the three Republican legislators instead made sure that the extremists will be able to continue to harass and punish anyone in Missouri who disagrees with their dangerous and divisive agenda."Representatives Zerr and Rowden are currently seeking election to the state Senate. Rowden is running in Senate District 19 against Rep. Stephen Webber, while Zerr is in a contested Republican primary on August 2nd to fill the vacant 23rd Senate District. Hansen is running unopposed for reelection to the state House of Representatives."Whether it takes us a few months or several years, we will not rest until all three of these turncoat Republicans are out of office," Brown pledged. "The people of Missouri are tired of politicians who betray them, running for office as conservatives but failing to support conservative policies once in office. We're going to make sure that voters in each of these districts know that they were betrayed, and we'll be working to unseat them at the first opportunity."To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, please contact Chris Plante, cplante@nationformarriage.org , (202) 457-8060 x-812.Paid for by The National Organization for Marriage, Brian Brown, president. 2029 K Street NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006, not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Tune In to The Orange Conference, Starting Tonight
ATLANTA, April 27, 2016 /
The Live Stream will include select main sessions, such as the opening session with Orange founder Reggie Joiner, as well as speaker and author interviews, the debut of new family ministry resources, giveaways and much more.
Drawing together speakers, authors and church leaders from around the world, Orange sets out to rethink the way the traditional church model approaches family ministry. The event is structured around the Orange Strategy of partnering families with the church to have a greater impact on the faith of kids and youth. "Thinking Orange" blends two vital, yet often unconnected worlds to reshape the current ministry model. Every year thousands of family ministry teams attend the conference to get realigned, hear new ideas, discover resources and answers that are specific to their needs, network with innovators, bond as a team and have fun.
Those interested in watching the Live Stream are encouraged to RSVP to receive additional information and special offers only available to this group. For more information about the event, please visit
About Orange and The Orange Conference:
Orange is a division of The reThink Group, a nonprofit organization providing resources and training to help churches maximize their influence on the spiritual growth of the next generation. For more information, please visit
Share Tweet Contact: Kristi Porter, Orange , 678-600-8115, kporter@rethinkgroup.org ATLANTA, April 27, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- The Orange Conference, a conference for entire family ministry teams, will be held April 2628, in Atlanta. For those who can't attend in person, a Live Stream will be held to give those at home a glimpse of the event. Over 7,000 key influencersNextGen, student, children's and preschool leaderswill gather in person to discover how to make what you do on Sunday matter more during the rest of the week. The Live Stream will begin with the conference's opening session, starting tonight at 7:20 pm ET. To watch the Live Stream or view the schedule, visit Live.TheOrangeConference.com The Live Stream will include select main sessions, such as the opening session with Orange founder Reggie Joiner, as well as speaker and author interviews, the debut of new family ministry resources, giveaways and much more.Drawing together speakers, authors and church leaders from around the world, Orange sets out to rethink the way the traditional church model approaches family ministry. The event is structured around the Orange Strategy of partnering families with the church to have a greater impact on the faith of kids and youth. "Thinking Orange" blends two vital, yet often unconnected worlds to reshape the current ministry model. Every year thousands of family ministry teams attend the conference to get realigned, hear new ideas, discover resources and answers that are specific to their needs, network with innovators, bond as a team and have fun.Those interested in watching the Live Stream are encouraged to RSVP to receive additional information and special offers only available to this group. For more information about the event, please visit TheOrangeConference.com About Orange and The Orange Conference:Orange is a division of The reThink Group, a nonprofit organization providing resources and training to help churches maximize their influence on the spiritual growth of the next generation. For more information, please visit www.ThinkOrange.com . Orange is also the architect and primary sponsor of The Orange Conference, ReThink Leadership, Orange Tour and Live to Serve, which provide national training opportunities for senior pastors, church leaders and ministry volunteers.
Unconstitutional Court Censorship Prompts Daleiden First Amendment Federal Court Appeal
Thomas More Society Defends Planned Parenthood Expose and "Undercover Journalism at Large"
Contact: Tom Ciesielka, 312-422-1333, tc@tcpr.net
SAN FRANCISCO, April 26, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- Thomas More Society attorneys filed an appeal last week with the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for undercover journalist David Daleiden, arguing for reversal of a preliminary injunction that bars Daleiden and the Center for Medical Progress from publishing undercover videos from the 2014 and 2015 annual meetings of the National Abortion Federation ("NAF"). Daleiden's appeal assails the lower court's decree as a blatantly unconstitutional "prior restraint" on free speech, based on repeated Supreme Court precedents that condemn such gag orders, most notably the famous Pentagon Papers case in which the Justices refused the federal government's plea to stop publication of top secret files discussing the Vietnam war which had been leaked to the New York Times and Washington Post. The appeal brief also argues that release of undercover video of significant (if not paramount) public interest should not be suppressed, in order to protect the public's right to know a critical element of our professed democratic self-governance as an open and free society. Indeed, the United States Congress, numerous state legislators, and criminal investigators have subpoenaed and relied on Daleiden's video releases to instigate hearings, new legal and regulatory initiatives, defunding measures, and also possible civil and criminal enforcement actions against the abortion industry. Congress itself had subpoenaed the suppressed videos and the lower court upheld that subpoena, which in turn led to a public hearing by the House Select Committee on Infant Lives, held last week.
This prejudicial censorship targeted at civilian investigator Daleiden threatens undercover journalism at large, explained Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Society, a national non-profit law firm. "The National Abortion Federation (NAF) is working in tandem with Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers and promoters to suppress David Daleiden's First Amendment rights and to shut down the resulting investigations focused on the abortion groups' involvement in baby parts trafficking," stated Brejcha.
The Society's appeal, filed with California-based co-counsel, comes on the heels of the preliminary injunction entered by District Judge William H. Orrick of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. NAF had sought entry of this censorship in response to Daleiden's public release of a series of videos exposing illegal and unsavory practices by Planned Parenthood and other abortion industry participants. NAF's principal claim in its lawsuit, filed last summer, is that Daleiden and CMP violated the federal Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organizations Act ("RICO"), a 1970 federal law designed to combat organized crime.
About the RICO claims, Brejcha said, "These are totally inapposite charges in this scenario charges that have been decisively rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. Equally as other investigative journalists for so-called mainstream news media, such as CBS's Sixty Minutes, regularly resort to undercover journalism tactics to ferret out hidden crime, citizen journalists like David Daleiden have every right to penetrate the criminal underworld to bring to light and open to public scrutiny evidence of potential criminal wrongdoing."
Read the appeal filed on April 19, 2016 for David Daleiden in the lawsuit by National Abortion Federation here.
Find additional background on the case at the following links:
About the Thomas More Society
The Thomas More Society is a national not-for-profit law firm dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, and religious liberty. Headquartered in Chicago, the Thomas More Society fosters support for these causes by providing high quality pro bono legal services from local trial courts all the way up to the United States Supreme Court. For more information, visit www.thomasmoresociety.org.
Knights of Columbus CEO to Speak on Christian Genocide at Holy-See Sponsored UN Event Carl Anderson to outline steps to end persecution of Christians in the Middle East
Contact: Andrew Walther, 203-824-5412, andrew.walther@kofc.org; Joseph Cullen, 203-800-4923, joseph.cullen@kofc.org; both with Knights of Columbus
NEW YORK, April 27, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- Knights of Columbus CEO Carl Anderson will be among leading experts gathering at the United Nations this week to examine and help bring an end to the persecution of Christians worldwide.
Anderson will take part in a panel on Thursday, April 28, and will discuss the ongoing genocide in the Middle East and the steps that can be taken to end it. That session is sponsored by the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations. Focusing on "protecting victims of persecution and fostering religious freedom worldwide," the panel will be held in the UN's Economic and Social Council Chamber.
Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Holy See's Permanent Observer to the UN, will open the session with remarks at 10 a.m. Anderson will speak on the first panel. That panel will also include Swedish Member of the European Parliament Lars Adaktusson, who initiated the European Parliament resolution condemning the mass murder of religious minorities by ISIS as genocide, and Thomas Farr, director of the Religious Freedom Project at Georgetown University and an IDC board member.
Since 2014, the Knights of Columbus has raised more than $10.5 million to aid victims of religious persecution in the Middle East since 2014. It has also worked to raise awareness of the ongoing genocide, including via a petition drive urging the US State Department to declare a genocide. The petition drew nearly 150,000 signatures in the days prior to Secretary of State John Kerry's March 17 declaration in favor of a genocide designation.
The Knights also produced a nearly 300-page report that included an exhaustive chronicle of the evidence of genocide against Christians in the region. The report was requested by the U.S. State Department and proved helpful in their determination that genocide was occurring in the region. These efforts were conducted with the help of IDC.
The UN Event is launching the International Congress #WeAreN2016 that is being held in New York from April 28 to 30 and focusing "on defending religious freedom and other human rights: stopping mass atrocities against Christians and other believers." The events will include input from the victims of atrocities in Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Nigeria and other countries. The three day congress is being organized by CitizenGo and MasLibres and is co-sponsored by In Defense of Christians (IDC).
More information on the conference is available at www.wearen.org
More information on the Knights of Columbus is available at www.kofc.org
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home World Christians and Hindus join forces to help Nepal recover from earthquake
One year after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that shook Nepal, the country continues to struggle to get back on its feet, but good things have come out of the tragedy.
Communities have come together in their effort to rebuild their lives. In Nepal, Hindus comprise the majority of the population while Christians are the minority. There was obvious division between the two groups, with the latter often experiencing persecution.
However, after the earthquake, Hindus and Christians have started working together, forging relationships as they did, according to Christian Today.
This was confirmed by Pastor Prajwak Thakuri from Makwanpur. Sharing his experiences with Christian development agency Tearfund, the pastor said doors have opened up for Hindus and Christians to serve the community together. His church started a project called "Sangasangai," which means "together," where people can help meet the needs of other people.
Additionally, the church and the community have cleared the path leading to the main road, making it easier for people to go in and out of the village. One of their future projects is setting up a water source for the community.
"The work with the community has been really positive. Before the Sangasangai group, the community didn't have much to do with us here and very few people would let Christians into their house," Prajwak told Tearfund. "This has given us a way forward to work together, and to change the way the community sees us and begins to accept us."
Steve Collins, who heads Tearfund in Asia, said more and more people in Nepal are being proactive about their situation.
"In a sense, it's difficult to say there is good coming out of it [the earthquake], because there is so much suffering, but God is able to work in such a crisis as this," Collins said. He added that the earthquake opened the opportunity for churches to have clear roles in the communities they serve.
home World Christians denied water supply for not contributing to a Catholic fiesta in Mexico
Authorities have cut off the water supply of some Christian families in San Jose, Chiapas in Mexico because they would not give financial contribution to a Catholic fiesta.
Five families of evangelical Christians, including that of Maranatha Church Pastor Octavio Gomez, have been denied access to potable water because they refused to pay 200 pesos as contribution for the celebration that will be held in honor of a Catholic saint.
Event organizers and local authorities reportedly visited houses in the neighborhood early this month to collect the fees. Those who refused to pay were threatened that their water supply will be cut off. As a result, around 80 families consented, not only because they were afraid to lose water but also because it cost a whopping 4,000 pesos to have one's water supply reconnected.
Refusing to be pressured, Gomez and four other Christian families stood their ground and did not give the payment. The authorities made good on their threat and promptly cut off their water supply.
Although local authorities had threatened people who refused to participate in Catholic celebrations in the past, they had never gone so far as to actually cut off the water supply from people's homes.
"Teopisca is an urban community, where you never thought these things would happen, because of the social conditions they enjoy, and the recent workshops about freedom of worship organised here, although the audience was not probably the right one," Christian Organizations in Chiapas coordinator Luis Herrera said, according to Evangelical Focus. "The complaint is in progress."
San Jose is not the only place in Chiapas where this kind of persecution is experienced. In Juarez, Protestant families will be able to enjoy their water supply and electricity again, which had been cut off since February 2014. Like the families in San Jose, they also refused to pay the fees for certain Catholic festivities.
After two years, the authorities in Juarez have decided to uphold religious freedom, so they are restoring the Protestant families' water and electricity.
In spite of the Mexican Constitution's provision to respect religious freedom, the persecution of Christians in the country is increasing. The International Christian Concern recorded more than 70 cases of persecution in Chiapas, Puebla, Hidalgo, Guerrero and Oaxaca in 2015.
home US Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton primary wins draw candidates closer to winning party nominations
Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton rapidly turned their fire on each other with an eye toward November's presidential election after rolling up strong wins in Northeastern states.
The New York billionaire easily defeated rivals John Kasich and Ted Cruz in all five states that held party nominating contests on Tuesday - Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Delaware. He had a margin of victory rivalling that of New York state a week ago and was on course to win the vote in every county in each state.
Clinton, already in control of the Democratic race, defeated challenger Bernie Sanders in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Her only loss of the night was in Rhode Island.
The race now pivots immediately to Indiana, which is shaping up to be Cruz's best, and perhaps last, chance to slow Trump's momentum toward capturing the Republican presidential nomination for the Nov. 8 general election.
If Cruz, a U.S. senator from Texas, can win a large share of the state's 57 delegates on May 3, it will boost the chances that Trump will not be able to amass the 1,237 delegates he needs to clinch the nomination before the party's convention in July. That could give Cruz a shot at convincing delegates to back him for president instead.
Cruz's campaign has begun hinting that he could name a vice presidential running mate as soon as this week, a move that would seek to consolidate more Republican support and create an image that he will be the nominee. Former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, who made a failed presidential bid, is among the potential picks being vetted.
Trump, pressing his point that he views the nominating race as essentially finished, criticized that as a potential Cruz pick. "I think it would be a bad choice, not because she's a woman but because she did not resonate at all with people."
"It's too early to do it. And frankly, he's wasting his time because he's not going to be the nominee," Trump said.
A loss to Trump in Indiana would effectively cripple Cruz's already faltering bid, and increase pressure on the party to rally around Trump as the prospective nominee.
As Trump has moved from longshot candidate in a crowded field last year to clear front-runner, he has sparked despair among many in the Republican establishment both for his aggressive and sometimes insulting style and for campaign pledges such as slapping a temporary ban on Muslims entering the country, and building a wall along the border with Mexico.
Katie Packer, head of the anti-Trump political-action committee Our Principles, said her organisation would be active in Indiana with "TV, mail, phones, digital, all of it."
"We're going to be playing in a lot of different congressional districts," Packer said.
The Club for Growth, a conservative pro-business group, has bought $1.5 million (1 million) worth of anti-Trump TV ads in the state.
Both groups worked to hand Trump a defeat at the hands of Cruz earlier this month in Wisconsin.
"Tonight, this campaign moves back to more favourable terrain," Cruz said in Knightstown, Indiana on Tuesday.
'DEAL ME IN'
Back on the East Coast, Trump and Clinton used victory rallies to snipe at each other, a taste of the kind of back and forth that will take place should they win their party's nominations and face off in the general election campaign.
"I think she's a flawed candidate and she's going to be easy to beat," Trump told a news conference at New York's Trump Tower.
In an interview on Wednesday morning with ABC's "Good Morning America," he said he was not concerned that supporters of his Republican rivals would not back him against Clinton.
"They're going to come over," said Trump, a real estate magnate and former reality TV star. "I've watched it all my life. They are angry, they're confused, and they don't know how all of this has happened, then all of a sudden it turns into love. Anger turns into love."
Trump was due to give a big foreign policy speech in Washington on Wednesday. He criticized Clinton's record as secretary of state and her vote as a U.S. senator from New York in support of the Iraq war. He said her only advantage was her bid to be the first woman U.S. president.
"Frankly if Hillary Clinton were a man, I don't think she'd get 5 percent of the vote," he said.
Clinton, in a victory speech in Philadelphia, took aim at Trump for accusing her of trying to "play the woman card."
"Well if fighting for women's healthcare and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman card, then deal me in," she said to cheers.
Of 118 committed delegates available on Tuesday, Trump took 105, raising his total delegates to 950. Kasich, the Ohio governor, won five, all from Rhode Island, and Cruz one, with seven delegates still to be assigned, according to the Associated Press. Pennsylvania's 54 unbound delegates will become clearer later.
Clinton's strong showing in the Democratic race added to the pressure on Sanders to get out of the race or ease his criticism of her.
In her speech Clinton was careful, however, to avoid criticizing Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, as she spoke of the need for party unity.
"Whether you support Senator Sanders or you support me, there is much more that unites us than divides us," she said.
Clinton's victories on Tuesday brought her total count to 2,141 delegates, according to the AP, pushing her closer to the 2,383 needed for the nomination.
Sanders, who has accused Clinton of being in the pocket of Wall Street and pledged to do more than she would to address social inequality, showed no signs of getting out of the race. He is expected to campaign in Indiana.
"The people in every state in this country should have the right to determine who they want as president and what the agenda of the Democratic Party should be. That's why we are in this race until the last vote is cast," he said in a statement on Tuesday night.
home Tech ISIS hacks Michigan church website; 'We will break your crosses, enslave your women'
The website of a Michigan church was hacked by a terror group and left a threatening message for Christians.
"We will conquer your Rome, break your crosses and enslave your women by the permission of Allah, the Exalted," said a video posted on the site of the Lamont Christian Reformed Church in Michigan, as reported by Fox 17.
A 15-year-old girl stumbled upon the defaced site on Friday while searching for the church's phone number. The landing page bore the words "You have been hacked by the United Cyber Caliphate," and a video started playing.
"It just started playing, and I was reading the bottom, and it was talking about crazy things. I called my dad in, and said he needs to see this. I covered the camera, because I was super scared there for a second," said Elizabeth Storteboom. "It was just talking about hating Christians and how Allah was God and everything. I was just confused. They were talking about taking women and children and stuff."
The website, run by Coopersville's C.C.S. Technologies, was fixed by the afternoon of Saturday, and the church has notified the FBI. There is no confirmation if it's a real threat or merely a prank, but at Sunday's service, there was still tension at church.
The United Cyber Caliphate is said to be a consolidation of several Islamic State hacking groups, including: IS's main hacking unit, the Cyber Caliphate Army; the Sons Caliphate Army; the Kalacnikov.TN; and other pro-ISIS groups. The new, bigger group has claimed reponsibility for hacking numerous websites. Apart from the Michigan church, websites of more than 20 small businesses in Australia also experienced defacement, said ABC.
TechWorm also said that the group got hold of information of 18,000 employees of the Saudi Ministry of Defense and Aviation. Last week, it reportedly released the names and addresses of the "most important citizens of #NewYork and #Brooklyn" and called on IS supporters to use the data to carry out attacks on those 3,602 citizens. A hit list naming 43 federal personnel of the State Department and Homeland Security, among other state departments, reportedly circulated in a Telegram messenger channel on Sunday, said Vocativ.
This merger reportedly follows an earlier one, that of AnonGhost and CCA.
home World Israel frees 12-year-old Palestinian girl charged with planning to stab guard
A 12-year-old Palestinian girl who had been charged with planning to stab a guard was released from an Israeli jail on Sunday, April 24.
Dima al-Wawi a the youngest known Palestinian prisoner held in an Israeli jail a was released early because of her age, according to Israeli prison service spokesman Assaf Librati, as reported by The New York Times.
Family and friends welcomed her return in a West Bank village where she was given a hero's welcome, complete with banners from the Fatah party and Hamas. Al-Wawi said she's happy that she is now out of prison.
"Prison is bad," she told The Associated Press. "During my time in prison I missed my classmates and friends and family."
Al-Wawi was arrested on Feb. 9 after a foiled attempt to stab an Israeli security guard in a West Bank settlement. Witnesses said the guard ordered her to stop while a resident told her to lie on the ground and surrender the knife she was carrying under her shirt. She pleaded guilty to the charges in court.
Al-Wawi said she was interrogated in the absence of a lawyer or her parents and claimed that her feet had been bound with shackles while authorities questioned her. However, she found prison to be "fine" because she was able to play with other girls.
Offenders caught in the West Bank are treated differently than those caught in East Jerusalem. In the West Bank, Palestinians as young as 12 years old, if convicted of crime, can go to jail. On the other hand, for the Israelis, only those older than 14 years old can be sentenced to prison.
As of December 2015, there were 422 incarcerated Palestinian minors in Israel, according to a document released by Defense for Children International-Palestine. Of these, around 100 were below 15 years old.
home World Imprisoned China pastor finally permitted to meet with lawyer
A lawyer was finally given permission to meet with an incarcerated pastor in China after a month of attempting to see his client.
Lawyer Chen Jiangang had requested many times for permission to see his client Yang Hua, whom he last saw on March 23, but his requests had been denied. However, on April 22, he was granted the permission to talk to his client, according to China Aid.
Yang is a pastor of Huoshi Church. He was detained on Dec. 9, 2015 on initial charges of "obstructing justice." Days after, authorities accused Yang of "gathering a crowd to disturb social order." He was supposed to be released on Dec. 20, but when his wife went to pick him up, she saw him being escorted into a vehicle, his head covered by a hood.
The charge raised against Yang was changed to the criminal charge of "illegally holding state secrets." After a month, authorities changed his charges once more to "divulging state secrets."
Yang's wife, Wang Hongwu, told China Aid in a previous interview that her husband had not been tortured nor forced to confess the crimes he was being accused of. She learned, however, that authorities did threaten him, saying they have control over the case.
"We know we cannot change your beliefs. However, we control everything and can completely succeed in painting you as a greedy pastor, causing you to lose all of your reputation," they reportedly said to Yang.
Zhao Yonglin, another lawyer who works with Chen on the case, said that when they saw Yang in March, he had lost weight. He added that although Yang missed his family greatly, he seemed "mentally peaceful."
Chen and Zhao also had had to file repeated requests to see their client before they were granted permission to meet with him last month.
Huoshi Church in Guiyang has faced intense persecution from the authorities, especially since mid-2015. Government officers reportedly intimidated church members through one-on-one interrogations in order to stop them from participating in church events.
home US Missouri university sued for expelling Christian student over same-sex couple counseling issue
A counselling student is taking legal action against a university in Missouri for expelling him due to his Christian beliefs.
Andrew Cash, a student who was close to completing the Masters of Counseling program at the Missouri State University, was dismissed from the school after saying that he would refer a same-sex couple to another counselor because of his Christian convictions. His expression of his religious inclination has had a negative reaction from his adviser and from the school.
"Traditionally, universities have been places for free exchange of ideas and values, both religious and secular," said Thomas Olp, executive director at Thomas More Society, as quoted by the Catholic News Agency. "Unfortunately, Missouri State University departed from its mission by denying educational opportunity to Mr. Cash simply because he expressed, in an academic setting, sincerely-held religious beliefs which his advisor deemed hostile to her own and therefore unacceptable."
Thomas More Society is a national public interest law firm that has filed a lawsuit against MSU in behalf of Cash. The complaint claims that Cash was "penalized for expressing his religious views," and that he was treated differently from his peers "because he is a Christian and because of his Christian beliefs." They want Cash to be reinstated into the program and they are also seeking punitive damages because the former student has suffered both economic injury as well as "irreparable harm."
In 2011, Cash interned at the Springfield Marriage and Family Institute, a university-approved counseling agency, to fulfill the program's requirements. With his instructor's approval, Cash asked his internship supervisor -- the chief counselor at SMFI -- to speak in his class regarding Christian counseling. The discussion included treatment of homosexual clients, and the chief counselor said that, for relationship counseling, they would rather refer gay couples to other counselors. When a student complained to the faculty adviser, Cash was asked about his views, and he admitted that he would refer gay couples to other counselors since he could not counsel them himself.
The faculty adviser said that this stance is discrimination against members of the LGBT community, and it goes against the ethics code of the American Counseling Association. The SMFI was then deemed as not fit for internship and Cash's internship hours was expunged from his records. He was then required to take remedial classes and was subsequently expelled from the masters program in 2014.
According to CNA, a similar case happened in 2009. The Eastern Michigan University was sued for expelling a student who did not want to counsel a same-sex couple because of her faith. The university took out the expulsion from her record and paid a settlement following the lawsuit.
home World Palestinian Christians angered by PA's refusal to recognize Easter
Palestinian Christians expressed their dismay over the government's decision not to declare Easter as a national holiday.
They considered the Palestinian Authority's (PA) rejection of Easter as an insult to their faith, while some of them said it was a decision tinged with racism.
Dr. Ghassan al-Toubassi, a doctor from Ramallah, addressed Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in a letter stating that he and many other Palestinian Christians were hurt over this move of the government, which claims to represent all Palestinians regardless of religion. In the letter, he compared Palestine with other countries.
"We would have understood this explanation had the debate been taking place in the governments of Saudi Arabia, Qatar or Malaysia, which are purely Islamic countries that follow the Shari'a laws," Toubassi said, according to the Jerusalem Post. "But it's a great sin when a government that purports to represent all Palestinians takes such a decision."
The doctor also said he was disappointed that the Palestinian Authority has not been able to establish a "unified Islamic-Christian narrative," and that while it refused to acknowledge Easter, it accepted the "Zionist Christian ideology," which also rejects Easter.
Most Palestinian Christians are part of the Greek Orthodox Church, which is yet to celebrate Easter on May 1, unlike other Christians who already celebrated it in March.
Toubassi hoped the government will be persuaded to recognize Easter as an official holiday.
In response to the Christians' outburst, Palestinian tourism minister Rula Ma'ayah said the group's claims are not true and that the government considers Easter as a holiday for Christians. Ma'ayah cited a law enacted in 2005 that supposedly allows them to do this.
In 2014, West Bank Christians were able to celebrate Easter, which fell on the feast of Passover, the same time as other Christians. However, they were not able to go to Jerusalem where hundreds of Christians converged to celebrate because they are prohibited from entering Jerusalem's holy sites, according to Al Jazeera.
home World Al-Qaeda linked militant group beheads Canadian captive in Philippines
A 68-year-old Canadian man was beheaded by members of the Philippine militant group Abu Sayyaf in southern Philippines.
The victim's head was found inside a plastic bag on a street in Jolo, Sulu on Monday night, April 25. It was reportedly left there by two men riding a motorcycle. A physician from the Integrated Provincial Health Office said the victim was likely decapitated at 3:30 p.m. of the same day, local media platform Inquirer reported.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed that the beheaded victim was John Ridsdel from Calgary, Alberta. Ridsdel had been seized by the Abu Sayyaf from a resort in Samal Island in September 2015 together with three others: Robert Hall who is also from Canada, Kjartan Sekkingstad from Norway, and Marites Flor from the Philippines.
Local government officials revealed that the Abu Sayyaf wanted 300 million pesos ($6.4 million) individually for their foreign captives, demanding that the money be given at 3 p.m. last Monday or they would behead one of them.
Despite rescue efforts carried out by Philippine forces as ordered by Pres. Benigno Aquino III, the deadline lapsed without any ransom delivered or any captive rescued, The Washington Post reported.
Trudeau condemned the killing of Ridsdel.
"This was an act of coldblooded murder, and responsibility rests squarely with the terrorist group who took him hostage," he said, according to The New York Times.
Ridsdel was shown in a video last month where he asked the prime minister to help by settling the ransom. However, the Canadian foreign ministry said it will not give in to the terrorists because ransom money is "a significant source of terrorist funding, fueling violence and instability."
Meanwhile, Jolo Chief Insp. Junpikar Sittin said a search will be conducted for Ridsdel's body.
Formed in the 1990s, the Abu Sayyaf group is believed to have ties with the al-Qaeda. Known to have frequent clashes with the military, the Abu Sayyaf has carried out numerous bombings, kidnappings, and beheadings in southern Philippines.
Archbishop of Cologne slams Germany's anti-Islam party: 'Mosques are equal to churches'
The Catholic Archbishop of Cologne has slammed Germany's anti-Islam party, Alternative for Deutchsland (AfD).
Rainer Woelki posted a video where he ridiculed the right-wing party's claim that Islam is incompatible with the German constitution. The archbishop's intervention comes after the anti-immigration party said it would press for bans on minarets and burqas.
"Anyone who denigrates Muslims as the AfD leadership does should realise prayer rooms and mosques are equally protected by our constitution as our churches and chapels," he said.
"Whoever says 'yes' to church towers must also say 'yes' to minarets."
The AfD has grown in prominence putting pressure on the German Chancellor Angela Merkel by winning three regional elections in March.
Earlier this month AfD deputy leader Beatrix von Storch told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung: "Islam is in itself a political ideology that is not compatible with the constitution.
"We are in favour of a ban on minarets, on muezzins and a ban on full veils," added von Storch, who is a member of the European Parliament.
However the archbishop questioned whether "one really has to take the AfD seriously".
He said: "The religion of Islam is compatible with the German constitution just as Judaism or Christianity are."
He continued: "Those who question the freedom of belief and religion guaranteed by our constitution should as themselves whether they haven't left the grounds of the constitution with their fear-fanning postulations.
"We do not need any such alternative for Germany. The freedom of religion in our country is without alternative.
"It is especially our painful German history," he said. "Never again must people in this country be marginalised or persecuted for their race, ethnicity or religion."
Brother Lawrence, the kitchen saint: 10 quotes from The Practice of the Presence of God
Nicholas Herman of Lorraine (1614-1691) was a lay brother at a Paris monastery. He was converted at the age of 18 when he saw a tree in the winter stripped of its leaves and thought of how it would be renewed and spring to life again; it spoke to him of the power of God.
An uneducated man who had been a soldier and a footman (he described himself as "a great awkward fellow who broke everything"), he worked in the kitchens in the monastery. His quiet spirituality attracted people from all walks of life to talk with him and learn from him. But he might have lived and died unremembered if his letters and conversations had not been preserved, by Joseph Beaufort, Grand Vicar of the Archbishop of Paris, and written down in a book that became a classic.
Herman was better known as Brother Lawrence and his book was The Practice of the Presence of God. Here are 10 quotes from it.
1. He does not ask much of us, merely a thought of Him from time to time, a little act of adoration, sometimes to ask for His grace, sometimes to offer Him your sufferings, at other times to thank Him for the graces, past and present, He has bestowed on you, in the midst of your troubles to take solace in Him as often as you can. Lift up your heart to Him during your meals and in company; the least little remembrance will always be the most pleasing to Him. One need not cry out very loudly; He is nearer to us than we think."
2. Let us think often that our only business in this life is to please God. Perhaps all besides is but folly and vanity.
3. I cannot imagine how religious persons can live satisfied without the practice of the presence of God.
4. We should establish ourselves in a sense of God's presence, by continually conversing with Him.
5. Think often on God, by day, by night, in your business and even in your diversions. He is always near you and with you; leave him not alone.
6. Along with this total abandonment must go a complete acceptance of God's will with equanimity and resignation. No matter what troubles and ills come our way, they are to be willingly and indeed joyously endured since they come from God, and God knows what He is doing.
7. The King, full of mercy and goodness, very far from chastising me, embraces me with love, makes me eat at His table, serves me with His own hands, gives me the key of His treasures; He converses and delights Himself with me incessantly, in a thousand and a thousand ways, and treats me in all respects as His favourite. It is thus I consider myself from time to time in His holy presence.
8. We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.
9. Do not pray for relief from pain, but pray for strength to suffer with courage, humility and love.
10. We can do little things for God; I turn the cake that is frying on the pan for love of Him, and that done, if there is nothing else to call me, I prostrate myself in worship before Him, who has given me grace to work; afterwards I rise happier than a king. It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God.
Catholic bishop opposes Austria's plans to deny refugee entry by building fence, says it's not the answer to crisis
A Catholic bishop is opposing Austrian government plans to build a border fence to deny entry to refugees by refusing to cooperate with authorities and arguing that it is against the Pope's wishes and not the answer to Europe's refugee crisis.
"A fence would contradict the spirit of the Gospel, Pope Francis's clear message to Europe, and in particular for a diocese that was in the shadow of the Iron Curtain for decades," Bishop Aegidius Zsifkokvics of Eisenstadt told the AFP news agency.
''We need to tackle today's problems at their root and that means: stopping organised human trafficking, stopping sales of European arms, stopping war and the deliberate destabilisation of the Middle East," he said, according to the Daily Mail.
The proposed nine-kilometre fence on the Hungarian border near Moschendorf would cross two properties owned by the Church.
The fence was reportedly ordered by the government of Catholic Chancellor Werner Feymann in a bid to cut the number of migrants looking to avoid controls at authorised crossings.
But the 53-year-old bishop contended that building the border will not change everything and that the refugee problem will worsen unless it is addressed from the roots.
Zsifkokvics likewise stressed that the Church had always opened its doors throughout the refugee crisis, and that "now is not the time to change."
During the worst refugee crisis last year when 200,000 people crossed the border at (nearby) Nickelsdorf in six weeks, the bishop said they "provided around a thousand emergency places in church buildings for exhausted families, for women, children and old and weak people."
''And now we are supposed to build a fence on Church lands?''
According to reports, Austria took in 90,000 refugees in 2016 and saw almost 10 times that cross through its borders as they searched for asylum in Germany and throughout Scandinavia.
The stance of the Catholic Church in Austria comes as migration debates heats up the nation and the refugee crisis worsens as conflict in the Middle East rages.
Last year, the country served as a transit country for hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees seeking to reach countries in northern Europe, such as Germany and Sweden, and has also seen an increase in the number of asylum claims in the country, reports say.
More than 1 million people arrived in Europe last year, but their arrival was reportedly met with the rare closure of borders and plans to build fences, effectively shutting down the Balkan route to other countries.
Amid a new influx of refugees this year, countries are planning to erect several barriers, including at Moschendorf and at the Brenner Pass on the Italian border, says the Mail.
Christian bakers ask appeals court to overturn Oregon wedding cake ruling
The Christian bakers from Oregon who were ordered to pay a fine of $135,000 for refusing to make a cake for a same-sex couple have filed an appeal to overturn the ruling.
Aaron and Melissa Klein of Cakes by Melissa, through the First Liberty Institute, is asking the Oregon Court of Appeals to annul the ruling made by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) last year, arguing that it violated their constitutional rights to religious freedom, free speech and due process.
Lawyers for the First Liberty Institute said before hearing the Kleins' case, BOLI Commissioner Brad Avakian made public comments on social media where he prejudged the case against the Kleins.
Avakian said the Kleins had "disobey[ed]" Oregon law and needed to be "rehabilitate[d]." By failing to recuse himself from the case, Avakian deprived the Kleins the right to due process, the lawyers said.
They added that the penalty against the Kleins was excessive and the ruling was against the state and U.S. Constitutions.
The case stemmed from a visit by Rachel Cryer and her mother to Sweet Cakes by Melissa on Jan. 17, 2013.
Cryer told Aaron Klein that she wanted to buy a cake for her wedding. He asked the names of the bride and groom and Cryer said it was for two women.
Klein apologised, saying that because of their family's religious beliefs they could not make a custom-designed cake for the purpose.
BOLI ruled that the Kleins violated Oregon's anti-discrimination law by refusing to make a wedding cake.
"In America, you're protected by the Constitution and you're also innocent until proven guilty," said Kelly Shackelford, president and CEO of First Liberty Institute. "Commissioner Brad Avakian decided the Kleins were guilty before he even heard their case.
"The Constitution guarantees the rights of free exercise of religion, free speech, and due process for every American," said Boyden Gray, former ambassador to the European Union and founding partner of Boyden Gray and Associates.
Meanwhile, in another religious freedom case involving a baker, the Colorado Supreme Court has declined to hear the case of Mastepiece Cake owner Jack Phillips, who was found to have violated the state's law against refusing to provide service based on sexual orientation, race, sex or marital status.
The decision upholds a ruling by the Colorado Court of Appeals, which said that Phillips cannot cite his religious beliefs or free speech to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, the Denver Post reports.
In 2012, Phillips declined to make a wedding cake for same-sex couple Charlie Craig and David Mullins because of his religious beliefs.
Administrative Law Judge Robert Spencer said in December 2013 that offering services to gay couples did not violate Phillips' rights.
The Colorado Civil Rights Commission later required him to submit quarterly reports for two years to show that he was working to change policies.
"We asked the Colorado Supreme Court to take this case to ensure that government understands that its duty is to protect the people's freedom to follow their beliefs personally and professionally, not force them to violate those beliefs as the price of earning a living," said Jeremy Tedesco, senior counsel at the Alliance Defending Freedom, said.
Christian women suffer more from persecution compared to men, global survey reveals
Even when it comes to persecution of Christians by Islamic extremist groups, gender inequality is quite evident.
More Christian women suffer in the hands of terrorist groups compared to men, a new global survey conducted by the group Open Doors revealed. Open Doors calls itself "the world's largest outreach to persecuted Christians in the most high-risk places."
In an interview with The Catholic News Agency, Open Doors Communications Director Emily Fuentes said the persecution of Christian women come in many forms.
"There are numerous international incidents of women being kidnapped, raped, and forced to convert from Christianity to Islam by radical extremist groups like Boko Haram. Many are also sold on the open market," Fuentes said.
She added that Christian women are being abused by extremist groups not only in the Middle East but across the globe as well.
"This brutality is not only occurring in the Middle East but in Africa and in many other places," she said.
Fuentes attributed Christian women's vulnerability to persecution to their social status in nations where extremist groups are present.
"In many of these countries, women are subject to persecution because they are considered second-class citizens because of their gender," the Open Doors official explained.
"As minorities in both gender and faith, Christian women face double the persecution. Although we don't have an exact number, we know that millions of women are being persecuted," she added.
Fuentes further said that Christian women become targets for persecution because they tend to be "more outspoken and devoted to their faith than men."
"Unfortunately, they end up paying a price for it. Women are seen as valuing their faith and serving a God that is higher than the government and that is unacceptable to foreign governments," she explained.
According to the California-based group, the Islamic State (ISIS) has reportedly executed 250 girls over the past two years after they refused to become sex slaves. Aside from these, Boko Haram kidnapped 276 school girls in Chibok, Nigeria, most of whom are still missing at present.
More generally, Open Doors concluded that the level of violence against Christians globally has reached an all-time high, with numbers almost doubling every year.
Islamic extremism is the "primary driving factor" of Christian persecution in 35 out of the top 50 states, the group said.
Is the Antichrist on his way? Half of America's pastors think so
Just who is the Antichrist?
A previous generation of evangelicals would have had not difficulty answering that: it's the Pope, or the papacy in general. The virulence of anti-Catholic feeling in years gone by cheerfully reciprocated by many Catholics is quite startling, but it's largely died away. In fact evangelicals rather like Pope Francis.
Throughout history there have been various candidates, including Peter the Great, Napoleon, Hitler and Stalin. It's surprising how many people today think the Antichrist is President Obama or Hillary Clinton.
According to a new survey by the Southern Baptist Convention's LifeWay Research, whoever they identify as the likeliest candidate, by far the most popular view among Protestant pastors is that the Antichrist is a real figure, a false Messiah who will arise at some point in the future.
Nearly half hold to that view, while others say there is no individual Antichrist (12 per cent), or that he is a personification of evil (14 per cent) or an institution (seven per cent). Six per cent say the Antichrist has already been here.
However, the 'Antichrist is future' view is heavily skewed towards Baptists and Pentecostals (75 and 83 per cent respectively), with Lutherans, Methodists and Presbyterian/Reformed pastors far less likely to believe it.
It's also noteworthy that the more educated a pastor is, the less likely he or she is to believe in a future Antichrist.
But who or what is the Antichrist, and is it sensible to think in terms of a future event at all?
Attitudes to this question have been strongly influenced by the "premillenialist" theology of JN Darby and others in the 19th century. Based on an ingenious reading of "apocalyptic" books of the Bible, which speak in highly symbolic terms of the "end times" and the victory of God over evil, this teaches that Christ will come and institute a thousand-year reign on earth after a time of 'tribulation'.
But Bible scholars point out that the 'Antichrist' of novels like the notorious Left Behind series of books by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B Jenkins has no biblical basis at all.
Often assumed to appear in the book of Revelation, in fact the word only appears in John's first and second letters (1 John 4:3 and 2 John 7) where it is used of people who don't believe Jesus is God come in the flesh. In those verses 'anti' means "taking the place of" rather than "opposing".
But 'Antichrist' is often identified with the "man of lawlessness" in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. In verse 4 this says: "He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." Whether Paul has in mind a spiritual power or an actual figure perhaps the Emperor Caligula, who declared himself to be divine is uncertain.
However, many Bible scholars today are sceptical about this way of approaching scripture. Rev Dr Ian Paul, who has written extensively on Revelation, criticised the 'premillenialist' approach, telling Christian Today: "All these things are created by a jigsaw puzzle approach to Scripture where different bits are forced together to make a new picture."
And Rev Dr Simon Woodman, author of The Book of Revelation (SCM, 25) told Christian Today: "We should read apocalyptic in the same way we read science fiction just as science fiction takes an imaginary other world and uses it to reimagine the world as we actually live it.
"I don't think it predicts or prophesies the future. It offers another way of living in the world now."
Woodman believes we shouldn't look for detailed predictions of what's to come from this kind of literature. Instead we should look for metaphors and images that spoke to the people of the time and can still speak to us today.
And according to another scholar, Dr Marion Carson, focusing on an 'Antichrist' who's yet to come distracts us from focusing on the evils that are much closer to home. If we imagine there's an evil Antichrist who will come to oppose the Church in the future, we don't think about the antichrists who are already at work. Writing for the BMS Mission Catalyst, Carson says: "We would do well to return to the Johannine letters and heed the warnings that the antichrist resistance to Christ comes from within the Church itself."
She continues: "This, of course, is not to say that there is not evil in the world, and that Christians should not name it as such when they see it. But it is a salutary warning that it is always easier, and more psychologically satisfying, to point the finger at others than to examine ourselves."
Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
ISIS terror cells are operating in England US intelligence chief
ISIS has terror cells operating in England and other European countries that are planning Paris and Brussels-style attacks, the US intelligence chief has warned.
Director of national intelligence James Clapper told journalists in Washington DC that Islamic State militant groups are active in England, Germany and Italy.
"That is a concern of obviously ours and our European allies," he said in response to a question. "We continue to see evidence of plotting on the part of Isil [ISIS] in the countries you name."
Clapper warned that "fanatics" have "taken advantage to some extent of the migrant crisis in Europe, something which the nations have a growing awareness of".
"We've learned that they are... very OPSEC conscious meaning operational security conscious they're very mindful of that," he added. "We don't have the total picture all the time if we did, then the plots would easily be thwarted."
Clapper also said there is a "fundamental conflict" between the desire to retain freedom of movement in Europe while also protecting national security interests.
"The obstacles in Europe have somewhat to do with some of the fundamental conflict between, on the one hand, European Union incentives and drives to promote openness and free movement of people and goods, privacy, which is in some ways in conflict with the responsibility each country has as a nation state to protect the security of its borders and its people," he said. "Those are sort of countervailing processes."
Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons home affair select committee, told The Telegraph that Clapper's comments reveal "a worrying view which needs to taken very seriously as it comes from a key ally which works with the UK closely on these matters.
"There are worrying concerns about free movement across the EU. Once someone passes through the external border of the EU there are simply no checks before they get to the UK. Even there they are not challenged robustly enough as they are EU citizens. These gaps need to be addressed."
Clapper's remarks follow warnings from the EU and Nato that there is a "justified concern" ISIS militants are plotting to carry out massacres using biological and chemical weapons in Britain and Europe.
Lord Dubs' second attempt to accept child refugees passes House of Lords
The government has been defeated for a second time in the House of Lords over fresh calls to take in child refugees in Europe.
Lord Dubs, the Labour peer who tabled the initial amendment to the Immigration Bill that was rejected by MPs on Monday night, proposed a second amendment. It would force the government to relocate child refugees in European camps but left the number to be decided by ministers.
The House of Lords, where the Conservatives do not hold a majority, passed Dubs' second amendment by 279 votes to 172. Unlike the first amendment it did not prescribe the 3,000 figure but would require ministers to consult with local authorities before arriving at a number for relocation.
Home office minister Earl Howe said the government was already fulfilling its duty to help those in need and pointed to aid given to Syria and as well as the extra 3,000 children the government has promised to take from camps in the Middle East.
He added that "physically transporting unaccompanied children from one part of the EU to another is not the best or most effective way to fulfil our duty".
Lord Dubs, who arrived in the UK as a refugee fleeing Nazi Germany in 1939, welcomed the government's existing support for refugees. However he said: "When all is said and done, the government will still leave thousands of children in Europe.
"Children who are vulnerable, children who are in an unhappy situation, children who are in danger possibly even to their lives and certainly to their wellbeing."
The Immigration Bill will now return to the House of Commons and MPs will have to decide again whether to pass Dubs' amendment. On Monday the first option to accept 3,000 from Europe was narrowly defeated by 294 to 276 after the promise of a Tory rebellion failed to materialise.
Labour, Lib Dem and SNP MPs united against the government but the home office's announcement it would take 3,000 more children from camps in the Middle East, but not Europe, succeeded in halting a rebellion.
Labour's shadow immigration minister, Keir Starmer, said after the vote: "It's not over. The fight will go on." He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We can't turn our backs on these vulnerable children in Europe, and history will judge us for that."
Methodist church investigates pastor who conducted same-sex wedding
A formal complaint has been filed against a Methodist minister who conducted a same-sex wedding in North Carolina on Saturday.
Bishop Melvin Talbert and Pastor Val Rosenquist conducted the service for Jim Wilborne and John Romano in direct contradiction to the United Methodist Church's (UMC) teaching. The anonymous complaint will be investigated by the local bishop Larry Goodpaster.
Goodpaster leads the Western North Carolina Conference of the UMC and a statement from officials acknowledged a same-sex wedding would be in violation of the church's teaching, called the Book of Discipline.
Rosenquist said she was not surprised by the complaint but said she was willing to face consequences in order to put pressure on church officials. Both Rosenquist and Talbert described the service as "an act of biblical obedience".
Talbert, who is 81 and retired, is a long-time campaigner against discrimination and in 1960 spent time in a cell with Martin Luther King.
He said: "Discrimination is discrimination, no matter where it is, and it's wrong. I hope that what we did here will be an act of evangelism for people...who are looking for safe places to come because they don't want to be identified with anti-gay [sentiment]."
Michael Rich, a spokesperson for the Western North Carolina Conference, said details of the investigation are "a confidential matter, and [the bishop] is not going to speak about it."
The dispute comes at a poignant time for the UMC as next month its international voting body will consider whether to repeal the current ban on clergy conducting same-sex weddings. Many of the US-based UMC ministers are relaxed about same-sex marriage services.
However it has yet to follow The Episcopal Church in the US. This is largely because it is an interational denomination and increasing move to change the rules are blocked by ministers from more conservative African countries.
Naz Shah suspended from Labour party after anti-Semitic Facebook post
Naz Shah, the Labour MP embroiled in an anti-Semitism scandal, has been suspended from the party.
Criticism of the Bradford West MP escalated on Wednesday after it emerged she had made a number of anti-Semitic remarks on social media including one where she said the "solution" to the Irsael-Palestine conflict was to "relocate" all Israelis to the US.
A statement from the Labour party on Wednesday afternoon said: "Jeremy Corbyn and Naz Shah have mutually agreed that she is administratively suspended from the Labour Party by the general secretary.
"Pending investigation, she is unable to take part in any party activity and the whip is removed."
In an extraordinary series of events that developed throughout the day, Shah issued a public apology to MPs in the House of Commons but it later emerged that apology had been watered down by Labour's HQ.
According to Buzzfeed, News Shah's apology was edited by Labour's press team to remove all references to the term "anti-Semitic" as well as any mention of wider problems of anti-Semitism within left-wing politics.
The Labour party HQ have denied the allegations.
The revelation came after David Cameron used Prime Minister's Questions as an opportunity to join a number of other Conservative MPs and call for Shah's suspension.
He said: "Anti-Semitism is effectively racism and we should call it out and fight it wherever we see it.
"And the fact that, frankly, we have a Labour Member of Parliament, with the Labour whip, who made remarks about the transportation of Israel to America, and talked about a 'solution,' and is still in receipt of the Labour whip is quite extraordinary."
Moments before PMQs, Jeremy Corbyn issued a statement condemning Shah's comments as "offensive and unacceptable". However he declined to use the opportunity to suspend her.
Wednesday's development came after it emerged Shah shared a graphic on Facebook that showed an image of Israel superinposed onto a map of the US. The caption read: "Solution for Israel-Palestine conflict - relocate Israel into United States." Shah added the comment: "Problem solved".
Shah made the comments in August 2014, before she became an MP in May 2015.
In a statement before her suspension she said: "I made these posts at the height of the Gaza conflict in 2014, when emotions were running high around the Middle East conflict.
"But that is no excuse for the offence I have given, for which I unreservedly apologise."
She set out a more detailed apology in an article for Jewish News.
Nigeria: Dozens slaughtered and church burned down in latest Fulani massacre
Up 40 people or more have been slaughtered in a new atrocity by an armed force of Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria's Enugu State, according to local reports.
In the run-up to the massacre, local news sites commented on the arrival of 500 heavily-armed herdsmen in and around seven villages in the Nimbo area.
Ten homes were razed by arson, cars and motorcycles were destroyed, animals killed and Christ Holy Church International also burnt to the ground, the Nigerian news site Vanguard reported.
One young man died when the bus he was travelling in was set fire to near the church.
One victim, Kingsley Ezugwu, speaking to Vanguard from his hospital bed, said: "I was coming out from the house when I heard the community bell ringing. I was going with a friend to know what the bell was all about, only to see about 40 Fulani herdsmen armed with sophisticated guns and machetes.
"They pursued us, killed my friend and shot at me several times but missed. They caught up with me and used machetes on me until I lost consciousness."
When the attackers realised he was still alive, others were summoned to finish him off. He managed to crawl away and said he was helped to hospital by a "good samaritan".
Many survivors fled the villages.
A spokesman for Rochas Okorocha, the local governor, said: "Our problem in this country is that whatever happens is given an ethnic colouration and that makes the solution to such problem somewhat difficult."
According to the Igbo Youth Movement, Fulani herdsmen have murdered more than 700 Nigerians in the last 10 months, with the Federal Government taking no action to halt the killings.
Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar, a defence spokesman in Nigeria, told IBTimes that security forces were investigating the killings. "Security agencies will issue a statement soon, investigations are ongoing," he said.
He was unable to confirm the numbers killed in the latest attack. Estimates in Nigeria range from 20 to 48 people.
Pakistan: Was an 18-year-old boy the latest victim of Muslim hostility to Christians?
A Christian boy in Pakistan has allegedly been hanged by Muslims who believed he was attached to a Muslim girl who lived opposite his brother's house.
A report in the Pakistan Christian Post cites an investigation from The Voice Society which concluded 18-year-old Qaisar Masih was killed by the girl's family in an attack led by her father, Mohammad Billa.
Previous reports said he had been murdered for resisting drug traffickers, while according to The Voice, local police were treating it as a case of suicide.
Qaisar's family attended the local Roman Catholic Church in Pir Mahal, around 300 kilometers from Lahore. A team from The Voice met the priest there, Fr John Joseph, and members of Qaisar's family.
According to The Voice, the family of Mehwish, the Muslim girl whom Qaisar wished to marry, had warned Qaisar not to have anything to do with her and threatened to kill him.
Qaisar's family denied allegations that he had killed himself. His sister Saira told The Voice's team that his neck was broken and there were marks of resistance on his body, and that he was hanged after being killed. She said: "My brother was innocent, he tried not to contact Mehwish but Mehwish said that she cannot live without him... We told her sisters to ask Mehwish to avoid my brother because her father is a criminal and he will kill my brother. But none of our efforts could save my brother."
Qaisar's mother Rani Sardar said: "We all know who killed my son, he was the youngest, he was the apple of my eye and they killed him brutally and hanged him in front of our house. I only demand justice. I want the accused to be hanged and punished."
The Voice spokeswoman Aneeqa Maria told Christian Today a report was being compiled and that the police's assumption of suicide would be challenged when it was completed.
Christians in Pakistan face systematic discrimination and frequently find themselves the target of intercommunal violence. Politicians and judges who have spoken up their favour have been targeted by extremists and risk assassination.
Rome's Trevi Fountain to be dyed red to honour Christian martyrs
The water of the Trevi Fountain will be dyed red on April 29 to honour the Christians who have sacrificed their lives to proclaim their faith.
The event, which is being organised by the group Aid the Church in Need, is intended to be "the start of a long lasting, concrete reaction everywhere so that the persecuted people of the 21st century can as soon as possible return to fully enjoying their natural right to religious freedom."
The event will be attended by the Chaldean Catholic Bishop of Aleppo, Syria, Antoine Audo, and Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, the International President of Aid the Church in Need, who are expected to underscore the need to address systematic violations of religious freedom being experienced by Christians throughout the world.
In his recent homily, Pope Francis recounted the sacrifices of martyrs and lamented that to this day, there are still those who are being targeted and persecuted for their faith.
"It is the witness of our martyrs of today so many! chased out of their homeland, driven away, having their throats cut, persecuted: they have the courage to confess Jesus even to the point of death," he said.
Based on the World Watch List report by Open Doors, more than 100 million Christians are being persecuted because of their beliefs around the world.
There is especially severe persecution of Christians in Iraq and Syria where ISIS thrives and subjects believers to violence, enslaving, and displacement. Christians in Nigeria are also being subjected to constant attacks from the Boko Haram terrorist group.
Other countries where Christians experience hardship for their faith include in North Korea, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and Eritrea.
"Persecution levels have been rapidly rising. This is a cause of great concern," Open Doors CEO Lisa Pearce said previously.
Rwandan refugees hide in church after violence erupts in Zambia
Rwandan refugees in Zambia have hidden in a Catholic church after days of violence targeted Rwandan immigrants left five dead.
More than 250 were arrested in the capital Lusaka and at least 1,000 troops deployed to prevent further violence, according to home affairs minister Davies Mwila. The attacks came after rumours on social media claimed Rwandans were the culprits of a series of ritual killings, according to authorities.
St Ignatius Church in Lusaka now hosts more than 300 refugees, according to the Lusaka Times, and is struggling to provide basis supplies such as food and water.
President Edgar Lungu visited the church last week and claimed "full responsibility on behalf of the Zambian people" for the violence. "I also assure you of full protection and security of your person and property," he said.
Zambia has about 6,000 Rwandan immigrants and was "proud of providing hospitiality to refugees", said Father Cleophas Lungu, general secretary of the Zambia Episcopal Conference, in a telephone interview. He branded the attacks as "un-Zambian" and added the attacks could be an expression of growing frustration and high unemployment and deprivation.
"We have enormous challenges of poverty, but instead of addressing the root causes of our problems, immigrants are being scapegoated," he said.
Gary van Staden, a Zambian analyst at NKC Africa Economics, agreed. "This week's attacks on foreign nationals are more likely prompted by the fact they were easy targets and the victims of frustration and desperation," he said according to Bloomberg.
"The fact that the violence occurred in generally poor and marginalised communities provides a clue as to the real underlying causes."
Turkey: New constitution will guarantee religious freedom, PM says
Turkey's constitution will retain the principle of secularism, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Wednesday, following public uproar after a top politician called for a Muslim constitution.
In a speech to members of his ruling AK Party, Davutoglu said the government would guarantee religious freedom and seek a "liberal interpretation" of secularism, rather than an "authoritarian" one.
"In the new constitution which we are preparing, the principle of secularism will be included as one guaranteeing individuals' freedom of religion and faith, and the state's equal distance to all faith groups," he added, noting that Turkey's secular and democratic character was "not up for debate".
Parliamentary speaker Ismail Kahraman, who is overseeing the draft charter, said on Monday that overwhelmingly Muslim Turkey needed a religious constitution, a proposal at odds with the modern republic's founding principles.
"We are a Muslim country... Secularism cannot feature in the new constitution," he said.
His comments resulted in condemnation from the opposition and provoked a brief street protest, highlighting the schism in Turkish society reaching back to the 1920s when Mustafa Kemal Ataturk forged a secular republic and banished Islam from public life.
Kahraman later said his comments were "personal views" and that the new constitution should guarantee religious freedoms.
President Tayyip Erdogan and the ruling AK Party he founded, which is rooted in political Islam, have tried to restore the role of religion in public life. They have expanded religious education and allowed the head scarf, once banned from state offices, to be worn in colleges and parliament.
The headscarf ban, widely seen by the millions of pious Turks who back the AKP as an authoritarian stricture, was overturned by the ruling party in 2013.
The AKP is pushing to replace the existing constitution, which dates back to the period after a 1980 military coup. As speaker, Kahraman is overseeing efforts to draft a new text.
Additional reporting by Reuters
US warns North Korea of consequences if it continues nuclear and missile tests
The United States warned on Tuesday it would consider "other" options, which could include new sanctions or steps, if North Korea continued nuclear and ballistic missile testing.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency earlier said North Korea appeared to be preparing a test-launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile, after what the United States described as the "fiery, catastrophic" failure of a launch attempt this month.
It is widely expected to conduct a fifth nuclear test soon, perhaps ahead of a congress of the ruling Workers Party congress in early May.
President Barack Obama said the United States was working on defending itself and its allies against potential threats from North Korea, which he called an "erratic" country with an "irresponsible" leader.
In a CBS interview that aired on Tuesday, Obama said the United States was spending a lot more time positioning its missile development systems to set up a shield "that can at least block the relatively low-level threats" posed by North Korea.
US State Department spokesman Mark Toner urged North Korea to refrain from actions that destabilise the region and said Washington would consider "other" options if Pyongyang continued nuclear and missile testing.
Toner noted that past steps had included sanctions and security measures, but declined to elaborate.
"I think it's pretty clear that as North Korea continues to make decisions that we believe are counterproductive, that we've got to also continually look at what our options are in terms of response," he told a daily briefing.
Asked what those options were, Toner added: "We don't want to announce anything before it's been fully formed and fully vetted."
North Korea tested its fourth nuclear bomb on January 6 and launched a long-range rocket on February 7, prompting a significant tightening in United Nations and US sanctions.
It has conducted several missile tests since, including what it said was a submarine-launched ballistic missile on Saturday.
On April 15, North Korea failed to launch what was probably a Musudan, a missile with a range of more than 3,000 km (1,800 miles), meaning that it could, if launched successfully, hit Japan and also, theoretically, the US territory of Guam.
Yonhap quoted an unnamed South Korean government official as saying there were indications North Korea might try to launch another of the missiles, which is not known to have been successfully flight-tested.
South Korean Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun declined to confirm the Yonhap report but said North Korea's military would likely spend some time trying to fix the problem following the failed launch.
North Korea's Foreign Ministry was quoted on Tuesday as saying that the country needed a "powerful nuclear deterrence" to counter US hostility and threats. It said "nuclear threat and blackmail" would only prompt it to make "drastic progress in bolstering nuclear attack capabilities", state media said.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said he could not confirm reports that North Korea appeared to be preparing for another nuclear test. However, he said Washington would continue to "ramp up the pressure", including working with China, to persuade Pyongyang to curb its nuclear activities.
North Korea, whose lone ally is China, routinely threatens to destroy South Korea and its major ally, the United States. The two Koreas remain technically at war after their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, rather than a peace treaty.
Obama said there "was no easy solution" to the North Korean threat. He said that while the United States "could destroy North Korea with our arsenals", there would not only be humanitarian costs, but also a potential impact on South Korea.
Experts see North Korea's Musudan test as part of an effort to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile that can reach the mainland United States. Obama said it was important to guard against such attacks.
"They are erratic enough, their leader is personally irresponsible enough that we don't want them getting close" to obtaining such weapons, he said.
The April 15 failure was seen as an embarrassing blow for its leader, Kim Jong Un, who has claimed several advances in weapons technology in recent months.
North Korea said its submarine-launched ballistic missile test on Saturday was a "great success" that provided "one more means for powerful nuclear attack".
South Korea on Tuesday described the test, which sent a missile travelling about 30 km (18 miles), as a partial success.
Washington and Seoul began talks on possible deployment of a new missile-defence system, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), after the latest North Korea nuclear and rocket tests.
Violence, displacement and mass exodus: Burundi's forgotten crisis, one year on
A year ago this week, Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza announced his intention to run for a contentious third term. That was the moment everything changed.
The president's announcement on April 25, 2015, triggered protests, violence and a failed coup, followed by delays in elections and the withdrawal of opposition parties.
The fallout didn't stop there. In the past 12 months, over 250,000 refugees have fled the east African nation to neighbouring Tanzania, Rwanda and the DRC: this figure rises daily.
A quarter of a million refugees is no small thing. Equally, we must be mindful that the majority of Burundians remain in the country this includes over 25,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) in just three districts, who have limited access to humanitarian assistance, according to the International Organization for Migration. It's likely that there are even more displaced people in harder to reach areas.
A year on, the crisis appears to be going nowhere fast. Granted, there are no huge IDP camps or long queues of people waiting to register as hosts for displaced families. However the security situation remains volatile, with shootings and grenade attacks becoming part of everyday life, particularly in the capital, Bujumbura, where I live.
While things can appear normal, there has been a distinct change in mind-set: these incidents affect you. Some people feel the need to be prepared and on edge. They are wary of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The fear of stray bullets, or a grenade attack, casts a shadow.
At the same time, there have been reports of human rights abuses that seem to increase in frequency. There is now a huge amount of work needed to create an environment where people stop leaving and can feel safe and happy in their homes. As part of this we must support Burundians to tackle the important development issues that are being exacerbated by the crisis.
The economic and health implications of the crisis are indisputable, and could deepen. We have already seen an increase in malaria, with over 1 million cases and 520 deaths reported in the last year. There have been reports of cholera, which is also endemic, along the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika and the Tanzania border.
In the communities where Christian Aid works, people are struggling to access essential medicines such as anti-retrovirals for HIV. Access to sexual and reproductive health services has also dipped, according to our monitoring results and other reports. This will have a severe impact on the wellbeing of some of Burundi's poorest and most vulnerable citizens.
Difficulties in accessing essential services, coupled with worrying predictions for harvests due to El Nino weather patterns and conflict-related issues represent an on-going struggle.
The turmoil has disrupted farming activities in Burundi: recent surveys show that national agricultural production is 10 per cent below average during the current season. Staple food prices in these areas are higher than both the 2014 and five-year averages. With the vast majority of the population dependent on agriculture, the ramifications are huge.
And yet, there is a distinct lack of funding available to support Burundians. An EU suspension of direct aid to the government and a general reduction in economic activity has left the state with even less money for essential services, infrastructure repairs and other necessities.
Things are only set to worsen as funds potentially dry up throughout the year. For a country that was already one of the poorest in the world, Burundi's ability to cope has been severely threatened.
The UN recently launched a Humanitarian Preparedness Plan in light of the financial need, but current pledges fall far below what is required. It isn't easy to generate funds for a slow-onset crisis that is aggravating existing problems; particularly since many donors are primarily interested in the number of internally displaced people.
Things might get worse before they get better. So Christian Aid has pledged to keep doing what we can to raise funds. We will also continue supporting local partners that are working with communities to establish 'Humanitarian Disaster Committees' which can manage a crisis from the ground up. Extra investment would mean these committees are better placed to address other local problems such as gender-based violence, which has reportedly risen in the last year.
Burundi is a beautiful country full of potential, with many success stories including Christian Aid's work to help smallholder farmers reach international coffee markets.
With the right support, I am confident that Burundians can, and will, find a way to improve their situation. However there is a long road ahead and much work needed at the 'higher levels', particularly around reconciliation, peace-building and fostering mutual respect.
One year on, it's vital that we keep Burundi on the international agenda: let's not turn our backs on this forgotten crisis.
James Robinson is the Burundi Country Manager for the overseas development charity Christian Aid, which works with churches, faith-based organisations and other partners to bring about change in Burundi's communities.
Does the gospel need to be liberated?
More than 30 years ago I found myself in the tropical rain forests of Nigeria, struggling to understand the questions which African students were raising in my classes. I happened to meet a local Catholic theologian and shared with him my difficulties in coming to terms with the issues arising in a culture so different to my own. He replied with words that have remained with me ever since: "The problem with Western theology," he said, "is that it jumps far too quickly from the cradle to the cross, and so misses out the life of Jesus, the teacher, healer and exorcist, which in our situation is a crucial element of the good news".
The years spent in sub-Saharan Africa proved to be a turning point in my life in all kinds of ways, but perhaps most of all because they revealed the extent to which my reading of the Bible and my understanding of the gospel had been shaped by modern, Western culture. This had left me with unrecognised blind spots which screened out crucial aspects of the message of the New Testament. Across the intervening years I have been engaged in an ongoing quest for a deeper understanding of what Karl Barth once described as "the strange world of the Bible". With the decline of European Christianity and the social and cultural marginalisation of once-powerful church bodies, the need to listen afresh to the Bible paying particular attention to the contexts in which it came into existence, and then to ask how the message it contains might be communicated today has become more urgent than ever. In the words of Tom Wright: "For too long we have read Scripture with nineteenth century eyes and sixteenth century questions. It's time to get back to reading with first-century eyes and twenty-first century questions".
If Christians in the modern West are to take up that challenge they will need to engage in a two-stage process. First, to listen to the message of Jesus within the context of the first-century world in which he lived and died, before then facing the task of communicating the gospel in the globalised world of today. With regard to the first of these stages, I suggest we must learn to practice 'deep listening' to the Bible, allowing the text to speak its own language and recognising the danger that our modern preconceptions may have created distorting lenses as we read Scripture. Such listening requires that we take biblical scholarship seriously, but also that we recognise the insights possessed by non-Western Christians (like my students in Nigeria) whose cultures are in fact far closer to the world of the Bible than our own.
My personal quest for fresh understanding of the Bible received a significant boost when I was fortunate enough to discover the work of the Catholic biblical scholar, Sean Freyne. He devoted his life to the study of the Galilee of Jesus and his books have shed important light on the geographical, social and political context of the ministry described in the gospels. The 'deep listening' to (over)familiar texts made possible by Freyne's careful scholarship helped me to appreciate how the imperial power of the Roman Empire, including its policy of urbanisation, impinged upon the life of Jesus, creating a situation of severe social disturbance and economic hardship for the peasant population to which his ministry was directed. As this discovery began to shed more and more light on the life and ministry of Jesus, it triggered a new set of questions regarding the crucial importance of a knowledge of the first century context for the proper understanding of the rest of the New Testament. Paul took the message of the crucified Messiah far beyond Palestine, making Roman cities throughout the eastern Mediterranean central to his missionary strategy, and expressed a desire to reach into the very heart of imperial power in Rome itself. The relationship between the gospel he preached and that which Rome propagated throughout the vast region it controlled now seemed to be essential for the interpretation of Paul's letters, and indeed, of the entire literature which makes up the New Testament.
What I had in fact discovered was a new set of lenses with which to read the Bible, hearing the gospel as if for the first time and freed from the cultural blinders which had obscured central aspects of the message and mission of Jesus. But now a fresh set of questions came on the agenda: how could I relate and apply these fresh insights to the globalised world of the 21st century? Was it possible to build a bridge between these two worlds? Could the gospel be liberated in order to sound like revolutionary good news in a world now increasingly dominated by the empire of Capital and the ideology of consumerism?
Suddenly it became clear that the world emerging today is not entirely different from that of Jesus, Paul, and John of Patmos. As at the beginning, we discover that authentic witness to Christ as the Saviour of the world results in a clash of gospels as the message of the crucified Messiah ceases to be religious jargon and becomes again a scandal, subversive of the reigning values of our culture and potentially destructive of the idols of our times.
David Smith is currently honorary lecturer in the School of Divinity, Philosophy and History at the University of Aberdeen. He has written nine books, the latest of which is Liberating the Gospel: Translating the Message of Jesus in a Globalised World.
Woman convicted of fraud for faking cancer to get free abortion in Arizona
A jury in Arizona has convicted a woman of fraud for faking cancer to get the state to pay for her late-term abortion.
Chalice Renee Zeitner, 30, was found guilty on Monday by the jury at the Maricopa County Superior Court of all 11 counts charged against her, including fraudulent schemes, theft, forgery and identify theft, the Associated Press reports.
She was accused of falsifying medical records that indicated she had cancer so she could abort her baby. The scheme was discovered in 2010 after her abortion.
Her lawyer Adam Schwartz told the jury that she genuinely believed that she had cancer and did not plan to defraud anyone.
Zeitner told her doctor in 2010 that she was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation for cancer and that the baby in her womb was exposed to radiation.
After a specialist found the baby to be healthy, she faked a letter from another specialist that said she should have an abortion to save her life.
Zeitner was subsequently enrolled in a state health care programme that covered cost of abortions such as when a mother's life was in danger.
Before she got the abortion, Zeitner claimed that she had state IV cancer in her abdomen and lower spine. She had an abortion during her 22nd week of pregnancy.
The fraud was discovered in April 2010 when a doctor who performed C-section during her subsequent pregnancy found no evidence of cancer. A doctor listed as one of those who treated her for cancer also denied that she was his patient.
She was arrested in Georgia in May last year where she was living under an assumed name.
More than $6,000 in state fund was spent for her healthcare related to abortion.
"We are pleased the jury found Zeitner guilty on all counts," said Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, according to The Arizona Republic. "We hope Zeitner receives the maximum sentence possible for her despicable acts."
Zeitner is also facing a separate case of defrauding a charity for veterans in 2012. The trial is set on May 25.
Young man in Yemen abducted and murdered for atheist 'apostasy'
A young man from Aden in Yemen has been abducted and murdered, possibly for apostasy, after he wrote posts on social media that appeared to criticise extremism in Islam.
Sources close to his family said reports that he had been murdered for atheism could not be accurate because they insisted he was not an atheist.
Omar Mohammad Bataweel was shot dead after he wrote some posts that seemed critical of Islam on Facebook.
Even after his death, many of the comments on a Facebook page dedicated to Bataweel condemned his atheism.
However, there was also shock and outrage among Muslims and others.
The Nobel Peace Laureate Tawakkol Karman, from Yemen, said on Facebook: "The murder of Omar Mohamed in Aden because of apostasy is a heinous terrorist crime and will be repeated if not combated and atoned for. The local authority and the government must prosecute and put on trial the perpetrators of this crime."
The Al-Bab blog reported that he was seized near his home on Sunday and his body found the next day.
Apostasy is punished with the death penalty in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Often, those who renounce Islam are allowed to flee the country or are tried and put in prison for a different crime to avoid interntational embarrassment, Al-Bab said.
The blog cotinued: "In the eyes of Islamist militants, however, these governments are neglecting their religious duty, and the result is vigilante killings. Such killings may be inspired by the actions of groups like IS but they are also legitimised by national laws against apostasy and by governments which reject the right to freedom of belief."
Al-Bab cites one leaflet, headed: Notice to Atheists.
It states: "To every atheist who reviles and incites hatred of Islam in social media: Your end is to choke to death, to perish as an animal perishes, to be cast under dirt and mud and have worms eat your rotten body. No one will remember you; it will be as if you never existed ..."
It ends with the words: "Islam will remain until the Day of Judgment."
A local freelance journalist, Fuad Rajah, told Christian Today: "There is no evidence, confirmation or reliable information Omar Bataweel was abducted by Islamists and killed for atheism apostasy. His family declined to comment and I have sought other sources, friends or others, but no one showed cooperation.
"According to activists and journalists in Aden people are afraid to get killed or harmed if they say something because Jihadists and extremists are everywhere in Aden.
"It is very weird and no one can prove he was killed for atheism. Nonetheless, it is still possible he was murdered by extremists amid security vacuum and presence of Islamists in Aden. By the way, his posts and thoughts did not indicate he was atheist. He just was criticising extremism like we all do. Maybe he was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Recently in Saudi Arabia, a Palestinian poet who had been sentenced to death for apostasy had the penalty cut to eight years in prison and 800 lashes.
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KRIV-TV is getting a new weekday evening anchor, according to a Fox Television Stations press release.
Jonathan Martin will be sitting beside Melinda Spaulding on Fox 26, come May 9 at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.
According to the release, Martin was recently reporting for the now-defunct Al Jazeera America. The channel, which never could quite compete with the big dogs in the same market, collapsed earlier this month during the oil downturn. Martin has also been an on-air presence in Georgia, anchoring for Augusta's WRDW-TV and WFXA-FM.
Alabama fans (i.e. my boss) will likely be upset to hear that Martin is an Auburn graduate and holds a bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism.
Martin is replacing Don Teague who left the station under mysterious circumstances earlier this year. Fox Television Stations and KRIV-TV would not comment on the matter. According to his personal Facebook page, Teague has been busy constructing a tavern in Ledbetter, Texas.
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Asia Society
1370 Southmore, asiasociety.org/texas
JAPAN CINEFEST: Five shorts by emerging Japanese and Japanese-American filmmakers shed light on love and relationships, ethnic-based discrimination, concepts of social acceptance and a sense of duty to one's family. Ages 17 and older. 7 p.m. Thursday
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
1001 Bissonnet; mfah.org
OUR LAST TANGO: Documentary explores the rise to fame of tango's most famous pairing, Maria Nieves Rego and Juan Carlos Copes. (Spanish with English subtitles) 7 p.m. Thursday and 1 p.m. Sunday
FROM AFAR: The relationship between a middle-age voyeur and a teen begins with violence but transitions into surprising intimacy for which neither is prepared. (Spanish with English subtitles) 9 p.m. Thursday and 7 p.m. Saturday
THE SECOND MOTHER: Filmmaker Anna Muylaert scrutinizes the relationship that many Brazilian families have with their nannies and the contradictions that can emerge. (Portuguese with English subtitles) 5 p.m. Friday
IXCANUL: Teenage Maria lives with her family at the base of an active volcano. They are hardworking, Kaqchikel-speaking Mayans, harvesting coffee beans for a Spanish-speaking overseer to whom Maria is promised in marriage. But she yearns for someone else. (Maya and Spanish with English subtitles) 7:15 Friday and 3 p.m. Sunday
I PROMISE YOU ANARCHY: Newcomers Diego Calva Hernandez and Eduardo Eliseo Martine star as two teenage lovers in Mexico City who become embroiled in the city's illegal, narco-run blood trade. (Spanish with English subtitles) 9 p.m. Friday
BOY AND THE WORLD: Animated film with no dialogue follows country boy Cuco, whose journey into a complex world begins when his father leaves for the city. 1 p.m. Saturday
THE PEARL BUTTON: Director Patricio Guzman contemplates the lack of relationship that Chileans have with the Pacific, despite the country's nearly 2,500 miles of coastline. (Spanish with English subtitles) 3 p.m. Saturday
SEMANA SANTA: A young family struggles with melancholy while spending time at a resort on the Mexican coast. (Spanish with English subtitles) 5 p.m. Saturday
EMBRACE THE SERPENT: Colombian filmmaker Ciro Guerra tracks the devastation wrought by colonialism on the once pristine and thriving Amazon. (Spanish with English subtitles) 9 p.m. Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday
ABSENCE: Coming-of-age story set in Sao Paolo, Brazil, about 15-year-old Serginho, who has to grow up quickly after his father leaves the family. (Portuguese with English subtitles) 5 p.m. Sunday
14 Pews
800 Aurora; 14pews.org
GROWING UP SMITH: Romantic comedy about a Hindu American boy who, at 10, already has an arranged bride-to-be but falls hard for the girl next door. 6 p.m. Friday
River Oaks Theatre
2009 W. Gray, landmarktheatres.com
GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES: In the aftermath of a World War II bombing, two orphaned children struggle to survive in the Japanese countryside in this animated film by Isao Takahata. Midnight Friday and Saturday
Houston Museum of Natural Science
5555 Hermann Park; hmns.org
SECRET OCEAN: Jean-Michel Cousteau and marine biologist Holly Lohuis take viewers on a breathtaking underwater journey. Filmed in the Bahamas, Fiji and Bimini.
DINOSAURS ALIVE: 3-D adventure follows paleontologists around the world as they uncover evidence that the descendants of dinosaurs still walk (or fly) among us. Multiple screenings daily.
NATIONAL PARKS ADVENTURE: Join world-class mountaineer Conrad Anker, adventure photographer Max Lowe and artist Rachel Pohl as they bike, hike and climb their way across America's most pristine parks.
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A strong line of thunderstorms overnight Sunday and early Monday morning left Houston and its suburbs battered and soggy.
Along with high winds, high water, lots of rain and possible tornadoes, thunderstorms over the next two days are expected to flood spots across the Houston area. Much of the area was already under water before sunrise Monday.
BREAKING WEATHER NEWS: See the latest updates on school closures, flooding and forecasts
Experts hoping residents take caution and, as always, follow the motto, "turn around, don't drown."
Before the rain gets too bad, click the gallery above to see the worst spots in Houston for high-water that you'll want to avoid.
Dallas edges out rival Houston for the best place in Texas to kick off a career, according to a new analysis.
Finance site BankRate put out the annual report this week of the best and worst major U.S. cities to launch your career. The biggest metros topped the list. The first three spots went to: New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Dallas placed ninth, Houston landed in 11th and Austin checked in at no. 22.
Other major Texas cities didnt fare as well. Amarillo (no. 63), San Antonio (no. 67), Corpus Christi (No. 88) and Beaumont-Port Arthur (No. 98) all finished on the latter half of the list.
READ MORE: Forbes names the best employers in Texas
The ranking didnt look at the 100 biggest cities, but instead chose the 100 major cities (out of 400) with the best economies. So thats not a good sign for El Paso, one of the largest U.S. cities to not even qualify for the list.
The study looked at 18 variables divided into five categories, all weighted equally: Job prospects, pay potential, quality of life, social opportunities and career advancement. Quality of life included factors like cost of living, tax rates, crime rates, weather and air quality.
Oh and Houston ranked 100th in the quality of life category. That seems a little crazy, but Dallas didnt fare much better, placing 93rd. The best parts about starting your career in Houston are the social opportunities and career advancement potential.
START OFF RIGHT: The best and worst jobs in America in 2016
The ranking had some other quirks too. Some of the major cities on the list, while looking great in certain categories, performed poorly in job prospects. So spots like New York (no. 94 for job prospects), Los Angeles (no. 92) or San Francisco (No. 78) are great for your career if you can find a job. Maybe its best to start in a smaller town, build your resume and then head to the big city.
The best place in America for job prospects is in fact a mid-sized city: Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
See the gallery above for a look at the best and worst cities to start a career.
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Some Cajun flavor came to the Heights on April 17 when Amber White and Jason Moore married.
The two decided to trump tradition and go with a New Orleans-style wedding with a parade, a brass band and friends from all over the country.
The Moores have worked with Treadsack for the past 5 years, a company entrenched in craft beer and good food. Amber oversees the beer selection at D&T Drive-Inn as the general manager while Jason is the bar director for Treadsack.
"It brought a really fun combination of food, beer and rock 'n roll to it," Amber said. "I ended up wearing a tuxedo dress, Jason wore the white. There was nothing really traditional about the wedding."
The two married at the gazebo in the Heights and blocked off Heights Boulevard where guests, police and the public danced with the brass band.
Rather than cutting a cake to celebrate their lives as newlyweds, Amber tapped a Yellow Rose from Lone Pint Brewery and Jason had a Cortado from Brash Brewery.
Philip Ethridge shot video of the wedding while Courtney Caswell photographed for Allmon Productions and Wall Seven Imagery. The two said it was one of the most fun weddings they've ever covered.
"We shoot all kinds of walks of life and this was by far the most unique wedding," Ethridge said. "A lot of people do weddings that are cookie-cutter and Pintrest-inspired. These people were unabashedly themselves."
Amber's mother had some reservations about having a wedding that didn't follow tradition but loved it in the end.
"My mom is quite traditional and she's set her ways," Amber said. "I told her to have some faith, you'll have fun, which she did."
After all the songs, movies and books, any American might claim extensive knowledge of the outlaw Billy the Kid. But how much of that is true?
Though many facts will remain murky, his life is worth examining.
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Galveston's first Chick-fil-A Express debuted to the public Tuesday.
The fast-food establishment comes courtesy of Landry's Inc., the Houston-based corporation owned by Galveston-born billionaire Tilman Fertitta. It's in a prime spot for tourist traffic -- across from another Fertitta island outpost, the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier at 2501 Seawall Boulevard.
RELATED: What to do and where to eat in Galveston now
Chick-fil-A Express serves a limited menu but will offer the same chicken sandwiches, waffle fries, shakes and lemonade that have made it a successful chain in this region. It will not have a drive-through or playground, but there's plenty to do at its neighboring amusement park.
Fertitta's hospitality company, Landry's, also operates Rainforest Cafe, Saltgrass Steak House, Vic & Anthony's. In addition, it runs the Kemah Boardwalk and the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casinos.
SEE ALSO: Former Texas governor's mansion (and White House replica) for sale near Galveston
QSR magazine lists Chick-fil-A as the No. 8 quick-service brand in the country, outperforming its competition in sales per restaurant.
"Chick-fil-A, in many regards still a regional quick-service player, now does more in annual sales than any pizza brand in America," QSR stated. "Its average unit volume now tops $3 million."
Prior to this fast-food venture, Fertitta's latest island launch was last summer's The Villas at The San Luis Resort, which are five 800-square-foot suites with luxury amenities.
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Although Stratford High School's production of "Anything Goes" swept the 14th annual Tommy Tune Awards competition, the Bellaire area had several outstanding nominees.
Theatre Under the Stars sponsored the competition, in which three-judge panels of 30 Houston-based theater enthusiasts evaluated entries during the 2015-16 school year.
The sold-out Tony Awards-style ceremony that was planned for April 19 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts was canceled because of last week's flooding, but winners were announced that evening via webcast.
Eight scholarship recipients also were revealed in the 24-minute announcement by Hot 95.7 radio personality Sarah Pepper on the Tommy Tunes Facebook page.
More Information Who won? Details: Go to https://www.facebook.com/TommyTuneAwards/ for the complete listing of Tommy Tune winners. See More Collapse
"Hairspray"
"Hairspray," a co-production of the Kinkaid School with G. W. Carver Magnet School in Alief ISD, was nominated for 10 Tommy Tunes, including best musical.
It won for best choreography, repeating its win in that category for last year's "A Chorus Line."
Kinkaid sophomore Mia Munn, 16, of Bellaire was nominated for best supporting actress as Penny Pingleton, a character she believes embodies the spirit of the Carver-Kinkaid collaboration.
As Tracy's loyal friend, she is the first to follow Tracy into a black neighborhood, saying, "I'm very pleased and scared to be here."
Alex Goeringer, 18, who played Edna's "kooky" husband, Wilber Turnblad, was a nominee for best supporting actor and the winner of a $3,000 Tommy Tune scholarship.
"I usually play serious roles, like the mean guy, so it was fun to play a goofball," said Goeringer, who will attend Vanderbilt University.
"Hairspray" also won nominations for best featured performer, direction, musical direction, stage crew and technical execution, costumes, choreography and ensemble/chorus.
Episcopal High
Episcopal High School's "Godspell2012" won 11 nominations, including best musical, leading actor Sultan Abboushi, supporting actress Sofia Starrtjes, featured performer Jilian Branch, direction, stage crew and technical execution, musical direction, choreography, lighting, scenic design and ensemble/chorus.
Stratford High
"Anything Goes" star Noelle Flores, who played Reno Sweeney, won best leading actress, so she will go on to compete at the national level for the Jimmy Award and college scholarships at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York City on June 27.
Flores is featured in Stratford's April 28-30 and May 6-7 performances of "A Chorus Line," along with Collins Rush and Matthew Hopper, who were best leading actor nominees at the Tommy Tunes, and Marlina Brown, a best leading actress finalist from "Anything Goes."
Stratford's tap-dancing revival of Cole Porter's popular 1934 shipboard romance also scored acting nominations for Dustin Nichols, Grayson LaGrange and Kate Schageman.
Going into the finals, "Anything Goes" led the 45-school competition with 16 nominations in 15 categories.
"That was kind of a big wow," said director CeCe Prudhomme.
The musical won additional Tommy Tune honors for best direction, ensemble/chorus, costume design and featured performer, Kirby Morris, as Chastity (Angel #2).
Morris was also nominated last year for best featured performer, as Gloria in "Bye Bye Birdie," which won best direction.
"She has such an incredible stage presence," explained Prudhomme.
"She had a really great moment that made her stand out in 'Anything Goes' when she danced to 'Blow, Gabriel, Blow.'"
Ty Doran, a senior at The Kinkaid School, claimed the coveted $5,000 Ruth Denney Scholarship, which is named in honor of the legendary Lamar High School drama teacher who was Tune's mentor.
In addition to starring as Edna Turnblad in Kinkaid's Tommy Tune entry, "Hairspray," Doran performed a recurring role as Peter Tanner in last fall's highly acclaimed drama series "American Crime" on ABC-TV.
He plans to follow graduation this spring by enrolling as a theater major at prestigious Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, then go to medical school.
Second Baptist
Also one of eight nominees for best musical was Second Baptist School's "Grease: School Version," whose 12 nods included Gabrielle Adickes as Sandy Dumbrowski for best leading actress, supporting actress Kendall Spurlin as Frenchy, supporting actor Tyler Braswell as Teen Angel, direction, stage crew and technical execution, musical direction, choreography, lighting, costumes, scenic design and ensemble/chorus.
Adickes also won a $3,000 Tommy Tune scholarship.
Scholarships
Other Memorial-area scholarship recipients included Kinkaid's Alexandra Szeto-Joe and Savannah Faith Rucoba of Houston Christian High School, whose production of "Monty Python's Spamalot" nabbed a nod for Cole Little for best supporting actor as Sir Dennis/Galahad.
Spring Woods High
Adam Pena as Max Bialystock and Matthew Ridgers as Leo Bloom were nominees for best leading actor in "The Producers" from Spring Woods High.
"They played off each other beautifully," said director Terry Hibbert-Ismert.
Oak Forest homeowners have voluntarily raised $205,000 for private security firm Strategic Executive and Logistical Security, or SEAL Security, to patrol their streets.
The Oak Forest Homeowners Association first signed a $125,000 yearly contract with SEAL in 2013, which residents have renewed each year through voluntary contributions made in addition to their annual homeowners association dues.
Collections for the 2017 SEAL contract ended on April 15, and a total of $205,000, which is $80,000 above what was raised in 2015, was collected from residents.
The excess will go into additional security programs for residents of the neighborhood, such as additional holiday patrol hours and officers, according to the OFHA.
Security committee chairwoman Martha Mears said the generous contributions from residents to the program is an indicator that residents are pleased.
"One resident sent in $2,520 this year," she said. "And he isn't in a McMansion, he has a small home in the neighborhood and said he loves it here and wanted to do his part."
Mears said the OFHA asks for $250 per year from each household, or $150 for senior households, to fund the security patrol.
Though the contributions are voluntary, the security patrol does cover the entire neighborhood, and additional programs such as home vacation watches are extended to all homeowners regardless of payment into the program.
Mears said she has been floored by the generosity of those in the community who pay extra to cover those who have less.
"I've had so many people say they are going to pay a little extra to cover the seniors on their block who can't afford to pay," she said. "It really makes me proud to be part of this close-knit community."
OFHA President Donna O'Connor said the decision to hire a private security firm arose when residents saw a spike in crime around 2013.
"It was right around the time that gentrification really began in the area," O'Connor said. "It was more than just stolen tires from your driveway, this was guns and it was scary."
O'Connor said Perry Homes had created quite a stir that year buying up lots in and around Oak Forest, razing original homes and installing larger, newer homes with higher price tags.
The development was paralleled by a spike in crime.
Mears said the crime mainly centered around burglaries, graffiti and other petty crimes, but there were some armed robberies of residents who were followed home from area stores, as well as hold-ups at the Oak Forest Kroger and some banks on Ella.
The crime sprees happened frequently enough to concern builder Perry Homes, who joined the community efforts to find a solution, Mears said.
In May 2013 the OFHA held a town hall meeting to discuss the issue.
The group decided that some sort of law enforcement was needed on the streets.
But with 5,500 homes, making it the third largest subdivision in Harris County, according to the OFHA, the cost to pay for constable patrols seemed out of reach.
Braeswood Place, a subdivision of about 2,200 homes east of Bellaire, pays for the constable patrol at a rate of $385,000 annually, according to officials with the Braeswood Place Homeowners Association.
"We decided to look at private security companies, and we reviewed several proposals before deciding on the SEAL team," Mears said.
Mears said the rate for the patrol was the most competitive, at around $35 an hour, or $125,000 annually for Oak Forest's patrol, and she said the OFHA liked the fact that all patrol officers are GPS tracked so that patrol time and locations are transparent and accountable.
In addition, all SEAL officers are commissioned by the Texas Department of Public Safety, and all community patrols also include a trained K9 officer.
The OFHA held their first annual "Wine Extravaganza" in October 2013, with all of the proceeds earmarked for a SEAL security contract. With a $20,000 donation from Perry Homes, proceeds from the Wine Extravaganza and resident contributions, the first SEAL contract was paid for and put into effect in November 2013. Director of Operations James Alexander said that there has been a 15 percent decrease in crime in Oak Forest since his officers were hired by residents. Alexander said SEAL patrols more than 100 communities in Harris County, including the Greenspoint and Spring Branch Management Districts. SEAL began in 2003 as a private firm providing security against pirates for cargo ships traveling through the Gulf of Aden, and has expanded their team to land operations in Houston and San Antonio.
For more information on the SEAL Security Program in Oak Forest, visit www.facebook.com/OakForestSEAL/
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A Kingwood couple raced against time Monday night after their 1-year-old dachshund suffered a venomous bite from a snake.
Ross Taylor, a pediatrician, shared his story and an aftermath image of his dog, Tahoe, on the forums at Kingwood.com under the username "v1kings28."
PET CARE: People foods that are toxic for your pet
Taylor says Tahoe was bitten while playing in the backyard of his home at Woodstream Villages. His fiance, Jennifer Nguyen, took him to the Animal Emergency Clinic North East in Humble.
"Once we noticed the swelling and the fact that his breathing was labored and he was drooling we called the vet," he told the Houston Chronicle. "Took about 20 minutes for her to get to the hospital where he was seen fairly fast."
According to the veterinarian's discharge notes, Tahoe appeared to have bruising on the corner of his lip which may have indicated bleeding from the puncture wound or even early tissue necrosis. Still, Dr. Virginia Groemminger suggested Taylor and his fiance continue to monitor their dog for any worsening symptoms, including bruising, swelling, discoloration or nasty discharge.
MORE DACHSHUND PHOTOS: Get a long little doggie at Wiener Dog Races
Taylor is originally from Idaho and said he lived in the Rocky Mountains area. His encounters with slithering reptiles was mostly limited to harmless garter snakes.
"I moved from an area in the country where we never worried about snakes, let alone venomous ones," he wrote on Kingwood.com. "I'm glad it looks like he will be ok, but I've heard stories of other dogs who weren't so lucky."
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The show didn't go on, but Kingwood High School senior Emily Lawrence won a $3,000 scholarship when results of the 14th annual Tommy Tune Awards competition were announced last week.
The sold-out Tony Awards-style ceremony that was planned for April 19 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts was canceled because of flooding, but Hot 95.7 radio personality Sarah Pepper revealed the winners that evening on the Tommy Tunes Facebook page.
Lawrence was one of eight scholarship recipients from a field of 42 applicants who participated in 45 Houston-area high school musicals that were considered for honors in this year's Theater Under the Stars program.
The 18-year-old senior will attend Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to seek a bachelor of fine arts in design and production with emphasis on lighting design.
She is the daughter of Dwight and Mary Lawrence of Kingwood.
She designed the lighting for Kingwood High's entry, "Nice Work if You Can Get It," a dance-heavy production that required her to experiment with a number of colors and angles.
The frothy pastiche of a 1920s "Jazz Age" musical featured songs by George and Ira Gershwin.
"I have always been fascinated by the music of the Gershwins and how it's so cheerful and upbeat," said Lawrence.
Kingwood High junior Chase Callahan, whose parents are Mike and Bobbie Callahan of Kingwood, scored a Tommy Tune nomination for best supporting actor as Cookie McGee in "Nice Work if You Can Get It." Had the show gone on, he would have joined other supporting-acting nominees and Houston native Tommy Tune in the opening number.
Callahan, 17, spent most of the musical clad in a tuxedo, since he was a shady bootlegger disguised as a gentleman's gentleman at a ritzy wedding.
"Dress to impress, always," said Callahan.
His life in theater began about nine years ago when a friend who was enjoying a summer musical theater camp at Kingwood High told him, "Hey! There are a few spots open in our show,' " said Callahan.
"I got a bit part as Thomas Jefferson in a number about the Declaration of Independence," said Callahan. "The next year, I played a snake in 'The Jungle Book.'"
Callahan's director, Frank Chuter, said, "He has continued to improve in quality, most recently giving fantastic performances in the city of Houston in 'Bring It On,' 'Rent' as Joanne's father and 'Hairspray' at Miller Outdoor Theater as a featured dancer on 'The Corny Collins Show.'"
Callahan plans to attend this summer's International Thespian Festival at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and audition for theater departments at universities across the country.
Porter High School
In the category of best featured performer, the Porter High School duo of Alex Semler and Kaesye Wyatt was nominated as Mayor and Mrs. Shinn in "The Music Man," said PHS choir director Cara Cavenaugh-Woodard.
Their competition included a student who played Ethyl in "The Music Man" at The Woodlands High School, but the winner was a featured dancer from Stratford High School in Houston, which also claimed the best musical prize for "Anything Goes."
Porter High was also nominated for best orchestra, conducted by Stuart Woodard.
A pedestrian tunnel will be constructed at the northbound lanes of West Lake Houston Parkway, between Appalachian Trail and Sycamore Springs Drive.
The tunnel is similar to other pedestrian tunnels in Kingwood, which run perpendicular to intersections at major thoroughfares, said Stan Sarman, chairman of the Lake Houston Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone.
"A lot of times these pedestrian crossings are also to connect different villages together, and also schools," Sarman said.
"This just allows pedestrians to cross major thoroughfares without having to worry about the traffic, particularly the kids. It's just part of the master plan that (was) developed years ago for Kingwood."
"These are at mid-block crossing and are not at major street intersections," he said. "There are several of these tunnels throughout Kingwood that were put in by the developer years ago."
If sidewalks are present at a street intersection, then there is likely not a pedestrian tunnel nearby, he added.
There are about 10 of these pedestrian tunnels throughout the Kingwood community, many of which are used by school-age children who use the foot trails while walking to nearby schools, which can provide a safer alternative to trying to cross a busy street.
The TIRZ approved this addition to a contract with the Friendswood Development Co. on April 14.
The tunnel will cost $900,000 to build and is part of the redesign and construction of the northbound lanes of West Lake Houston.
Lauren Laake, chief of staff for Councilman Dave Martin, said the project was of significant interest to Martin, who had worked during the last year with members of the Mills Branch Homeowner's Association and many community members to persuade Friendswood Development Co. to construct the it.
"The installation of this tunnel is extremely important to Council Member Martin because twin pedestrian tunnels can be found throughout the Kingwood community," Laake said.
Last year, Friendswood Development built a pedestrian tunnel beneath southbound lanes at West Lake Houston Parkway at a cost of about $400,000.
It was part of the original design plan begun in late 2014.
Traffic changes
In order for the tunnel under the northbound lanes to be built, all traffic will have to be diverted to the newly constructed southbound lanes of West Lake Houston Parkway, Sarman said.
Sarman said the northbound tunnel will cost more because concrete will have to be torn out and walls added before the roadway can be built.
Construction of the northbound pedestrian tunnel is expected to begin in the next 60 days and is expected to be completed by the start of the 2016-17 school year.
Community leaders in Spring Branch are hailing a proposed hike-and-bike route that will link two major trails, adding to what is becoming an extensive trail system across the Houston area.
David Durham, active in his civic association in Spring Shadows and the Spring Branch Super Neighborhood North, said the proposed six-mile trail, much of it to run along a CenterPoint easement in the heart of Spring Branch connecting Addicks reservoir with White Oak trails will be a great attraction for families, while benefiting the city.
"We're very, very excited about this," Durham said.
Durham said residents have been pushing to develop a park along an almost one-mile stretch of the easement that runs by Northbrook High School, included in the project, and doesn't see why (work) can't get started.
"This is going to be a multi-year project, but we'd like to get started on this park and develop the trail in parts," he said. "We can put the pieces in place and then connect it when we can. I'd like to move forward to get every piece usable."
Catherine Barchfeld with the Spring Branch Central Super Neighborhood said many residents in her area are in favor of the project but that some have expressed concern the trail might bring more crime.
"I think it would be a great use of that property," Barchfeld said, referring to the easement.
The trail is a key component of the Spring Branch Management District's comprehensive plan, which calls for mobility, drainage and infrastructure improvements.
The trail would provide connectivity for neighborhoods to the many schools and parks along the route and for those who want to cycle to work in the Energy Corridor.
"I think it would be great for the management district and the city as a whole to connect Addicks to White Oak and to downtown," said Josh Hawes, the district's director of services.
The district has contracted SWA Group, the firm that designed Buffalo Bayou Park, to plan the CenterPoint trail.
Meanwhile, Hawes has been drumming up community support - he said the half dozen or so groups he's met with during the past few months have generally been receptive - and making plans for funding the project.
"Our committee is pretty driven about this - they want to see it happen," Hawes said.
"Our job is to make it happen as fast as possible."
Hawes hopes the Houston-Galveston Area Council will consider the connector trail under its Transportation Improvement Program, which channels federal and state funds for priority transportation improvement projects.
Hawes said mobility is a major issue for the city and will continue to be a major issue as the region continues to grow, which makes the project even more vital.
"Personally, I can't see someone not wanting it," said Doris Hinson, president of Ridgecrest Civic Club and secretary of Spring Branch East Super Neighborhood. Discussions are underway between the management district and the city of Houston about incorporating the trail into Bayou Greenways 2020, a public-private initiative aiming to create a network of 150 miles of trails.
Details: http://sbmd.org/proposed-hike-and-bike-trail-would-connect-energy-corridor-to-white-oak-bayou-downtown/
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Stratford High School's production of "Anything Goes" swept the 14th annual Tommy Tune Awards competition, winning six prizes including best musical.
The sold-out Tony Awards-style ceremony that was planned for April 19 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts was canceled because of last week's flooding, but winners were announced that evening via webcast.
Eight scholarship recipients also were revealed in the 24-minute announcement by Hot 95.7 radio personality Sarah Pepper on the Tommy Tunes Facebook page.
"Anything Goes" star Noelle Flores, who played Reno Sweeney, won best leading actress, so she will go on to compete at the national level for the Jimmy Award and college scholarships at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York City on June 27.
More Information Who won? Details: Go to https://www.facebook.com/TommyTuneAwards/ for the complete listing of Tommy Tune winners. See More Collapse
Flores is featured in Stratford's April 28-30 and May 6-7 performances of "A Chorus Line," along with Collins Rush and Matthew Hopper, who were best leading actor nominees at the Tommy Tunes, and Marlina Brown, a best leading actress finalist from "Anything Goes."
Stratford's tap-dancing revival of Cole Porter's popular 1934 shipboard romance also scored acting nominations for Dustin Nichols, Grayson LaGrange and Kate Schageman.
Going into the finals, "Anything Goes" led the 45-school competition with 16 nominations in 15 categories.
"That was kind of a big wow," said director CeCe Prudhomme.
The musical won additional Tommy Tune honors for best direction, ensemble/chorus, costume design and featured performer, Kirby Morris as Chastity (Angel No. 2).
Morris was also nominated last year for best featured performer, as Gloria in "Bye Bye Birdie," which won best direction.
"She has such an incredible stage presence," said Prudhomme.
"She had a really great moment that made her stand out in 'Anything Goes' when she danced to 'Blow, Gabriel, Blow.' "
Ty Doran, a senior at The Kinkaid School, claimed the coveted $5,000 Ruth Denney Scholarship, which is named in honor of the legendary Lamar High School drama teacher who was Tune's mentor.
In addition to starring as Edna Turnblad in Kinkaid's Tommy Tune entry, "Hairspray," Doran performed a recurring role as Peter Tanner in last fall's highly acclaimed drama series "American Crime" on ABC-TV. He plans to follow graduation this spring by enrolling as a theater major at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
"Hairspray," a co-production with G.W. Carver Magnet School in Alief ISD, was nominated for 10 Tommy Tunes, including best musical.
It won for best choreography, repeating its win in that category for last year's "A Chorus Line."
Alex Goeringer, 18, who played Edna's "kooky" husband, Wilber Turnblad, was a nominee for best supporting actor and the winner of a $3,000 Tommy Tune scholarship.
"I usually play serious roles, like the mean guy, so it was fun to play a goofball," said Goeringer, who will attend Vanderbilt University.
Kinkaid sophomore Mia Munn, 16, of Bellaire was nominated for best supporting actress as Penny Pingleton, a character she believes embodies the spirit of the Carver-Kinkaid collaboration.
As Tracy's loyal friend, she is the first to follow Tracy into a black neighborhood, saying, "I'm very pleased and scared to be here."
"Hairspray" also won nominations for best featured performer, direction, musical direction, stage crew and technical execution, costumes, choreography and ensemble/chorus.
Also one of eight nominees for best musical was Second Baptist School's "Grease: School Version," whose 12 nods included Gabrielle Adickes as Sandy Dumbrowski for best leading actress, supporting actress Kendall Spurlin as Frenchy, supporting actor Tyler Braswell as Teen Angel, direction, stage crew and technical execution, musical direction, choreography, lighting, costumes, scenic design and ensemble/chorus.
Adickes also won a $3,000 Tommy Tune scholarship.
Other Memorial-area scholarship recipients included Kinkaid's Alexandra Szeto-Joe and Savannah Faith Rucoba of Houston Christian High School, whose production of "Monty Python's Spamalot" nabbed a nod for Cole Little for best supporting actor as Sir Dennis/Galahad.
Adam Pena as Max Bialystock and Matthew Ridgers as Leo Bloom were nominees for best leading actor in "The Producers" from Spring Woods High.
"They played off each other beautifully," said director Terry Hibbert-Ismert.
Episcopal High School's "Godspell 2012" won 11 nominations, including best musical, leading actor Sultan Abboushi, supporting actress Sofia Starrtjes, featured performer Jilian Branch, direction, stage crew and technical execution, musical direction, choreography, lighting, scenic design and ensemble/chorus.
Theatre Under the Stars sponsored the competition, in which three-judge panels of 30 Houston-based theater enthusiasts evaluated entries during the 2015-16 school year.
Hours after Conroe officials ruled that a lost tiger found in a neighborhood would be moved to a sanctuary near Fort Worth, someone tried to break into the Conroe animal shelter, presumably to steal it.
A person wearing a black hat, sunglasses, a camouflage jacket, black shirt and pants broke the glass of the Conroe Animal Shelter about 5:40 a.m. Wednesday. Police believe the suspect was trying to locate the tiger.
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When Ahsan Khan stepped out of his one-story home on Willie Way for a smoke late on a Sunday night in April, he noticed the ominous black clouds reeling in the distance, but he wasn't too worried.
Last time the area was pummeled by rainstorms, the front yard turned into a puddle, but the water never flooded the house.
So Khan put his two sons to sleep and knelt beside his bed for his nightly Salah - or prayer - before drifting into an uneasy sleep himself.
Within hours he was awakened by his worried wife, Sanam. The thunderous storms had brought water pooling around the house and seeping under the doors. A little after 5 a.m., Ahsan called 911 to ask for help getting his family out of the quickly flooding neighborhood.
More Information Want to help? Montgomery County Community Assistance Recovery Efforts and Services, or MC-CARES, has set up five donation and distribution hubs in Montgomery County. These hubs are prepared to accept food. items most needed include: baby food, baby formula, diapers, new undergarments, hygiene products, water, squeeze pouch fruit and vegetables, easy-open canned fruit and vegetables, pasta and convenience meals, granola bars, toilet paper, paper towels, mops, brooms, garbage bags, bottled water and monetary donations. South Montgomery County Interfaith Of The Woodlands Address: 4242 Interfaith Way, Spring, TX 77381 Phone: 281-367-1230 Central Montgomery County Crisis Assistance Center Address: 1022 McCall Ave. Conroe, TX 77301 Phone: 936-539-1096 Sleepy Hollow Multi-Purpose Center Address: 9845 Sleepy Hollow Road, Conroe, TX 77385 East Montgomery County Mission Northeast Address: 22098 Loop 494 New Caney, TX 77357 Phone: 281-354-1200 Additionally, the Montgomery County Food Bank will be accepting mass quantity food, personal care items and toiletries donations at One Food for Life Way, Conroe, TX 77385 Phone: 936-539-6686 (GPS will recognize 1 Prospect Point Conroe, TX 77385) Monetary donations to help county-wide flood recovery efforts can be directed to United Way, 1600 Lake Front Circle Ste. 248, The Woodlands, TX 77380 Phone: 281-292-4155 See More Collapse
Twenty minutes passed. The emergency responders still hadn't come, and the water was now filling the house. Ahsan opened the front door and more water crashed inside.
"Let's go," Ahsan said to his wife.
The couple hurried to pile belongings on top of furniture and gather items they wanted to save - careful not to wake the children for fear of scaring the six- and seven-year-olds. When the water was nearly waist deep, Ahsan finally woke his sons.
"We're going to have water fun," he told them, hoping to keep them from panicking.
Ahsan carried the heavier of the two boys in one arm and grabbed a bag containing his most important paperwork in the other while his wife carried their other son.
The family of four waded through waist-deep water in the dark. Sanam's legs started cramping and she struggled under the weight of her son. Ahsan had to take her by the arm and pull her along. For 20 minutes they walked just to get to high ground on Glen Loch Drive, less than a quarter of a mile from the house.
Surveying the damage
On Friday morning after the flood, Ahsan surveyed the damage to his rented home of four years. The thick odor of mildew permeated the air in spite of the fans. He and his friends had torn the bottom foot of gypsum wallboard from the walls, pulled up the carpets and piled the ruined fragments in the front yard by the road. Similar piles stretched the length of the neighborhood as the residents of more than a 100 flood-damaged homes in the Timber Lakes-Timber Ridge subdivision just south of The Woodlands began the clean-up process.
In the house, pairless children's shoes were strewn throughout, paintings hung haphazardly, piles of soaked clothes lay in the closet. The family's tank full of fish was one of the few items that survived.
Ahsan believes that his landlord has flood insurance and will help the family recover damages, but not everything that was lost can be replaced.
"You cannot compensate for the small things," Ahsan said. "It has a sentiment attached It's been hard." He fought to hold back tears.
"We have to start all over."
Coming to America
In 2009, Ahsan and Sanam, both Pakistani natives, came to the United States. With a master's degree in petroleum geology and experience managing purchasing for a bank in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Ahsan hoped to find a steady job to support his family.
But after they arrived in California, he discovered that there had been some errors in his asylum paperwork. The deportation letter came.
With the help of an immigration lawyer, Ahsan was able to stay in the United States, but he was never issued a work permit, in spite of a ruling in his favor, he said.
"The judge is recorded saying that there's no way my work permit isn't good," Ahsan said. But errors in the system have kept him from getting his permit, he said. His next court date is in 2019.
In 2013, after hard economic times hit California, Ahsan moved to the Houston area to look for work and to be near his sister, who lives in Katy.
He was able to find contract work helping manage gas stations while waiting for his work permit to be issued.
"If you are a good worker, this city will not let you starve," Ahsan said.
In the four years that his family has lived in Spring, they have started to put down roots. His sons, Nubhan and Arshman, attend Hailey Elementary School in The Woodlands. The boys had saved $157 by doing chores to buy an Xbox. The family has become deeply connected in their mosque community.
"We get close together," Ahsan said. "They are like family."
Things were going relatively well, he said. Until the flood.
"We came for a better life," he said. "It is miserable it turned into a nightmare."
When the water was rising, Ahsan could only save one bag - the one that held his asylum case papers and his degree.
Without them, he said, "I would lose my identity."
Relief efforts
The Khan family is one of about 120 households in south Montgomery County who were affected by the flooding as the county was pounded by about 15 inches of rain the week of April 18, said county officials.
County Judge Craig Doyal and Gov. Greg Abbott declared the flooding a disaster, but President Barack Obama did not include Montgomery County in his disaster declaration for four Houston-area counties on April 25. The Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management has petitioned the federal government to include the county in the disaster declaration and hopes it will be approved in the coming weeks.
As the area began to dry off a couple of days after the flood, the community turned its focus to relief efforts. As many as 60 people slept at the South County Community Center, a designated Red Cross shelter, the week of the flood. Sts. Simon and Jude Catholic Church on Glen Loch Drive, right up the road from the hardest hit subdivision in south county, opened its doors as a shelter for about 20 flood victims on April 25.
Community organizations mobilized MC-CARES - Montgomery County Community Assistance Recovery Efforts and Services - a collaborative effort pooling resources from the various community assistance organizations.
Interfaith of The Woodlands, a local nonprofit group, is one of the organizations coordinating assistance by providing those affected by the storm with clothing, food, water, and, in some cases, temporary housing and financial assistance.
"People have lost everything," said Missy Herndon, chief executive officer of Interfaith.
But as great as the need is, Herndon said that the local community has responded with equal generosity.
"We've had an overwhelming, wonderful response from our community wanting to give food, bottled water, cleaning products wanting to give time," she said.
Ahsan and his family are staying with friends as they wait to see what the next step is. And even as Ahsan stood in his devastated home, he looked to the future with hope.
"You cannot control these things," he said. "I believe everything is from God. Everything happens for a reason. I try to be positive. There is something good coming."
NEW ORLEANS (AP) A federal judge in New Orleans has approved a plea agreement for real estate heir Robert Durst to serve 7 years, 1 month in prison on a weapons charge.
Judge Kurt Engelhardt approved the sentence Wednesday. The 72-year-old Durst agreed to the sentence as part of a guilty plea in February.
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Vermont senator and Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders is betting voters will "Feel the Bern" all the way to November.
But he probably wasn't expecting his slogan to be associated with sexually transmitted diseases.
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation recently rolled out a billboard campaign urging people to get that burning sensation checked out by a healthcare professional. One of the billboards has been spotted here in Houston.
The billboard asks "Feel the Burn?" in the same font style and color scheme Sanders uses for his own campaign. The anti-STD group started posting the billboards in Los Angeles earlier this month.
Jason Farmer, senior director of creative for AHS, said in a press release that invoking Sanders will hopefully motivate younger Americans to make sure they're sexually healthy.
"Senator Sanders' powerful message resonates with a lot of Americans, particularly young people," said Jason Farmer, Senior Director of Creative at AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "We hope that our lightheartedbut highly importantbillboard campaign for STD testing will as well."
AHF has other colorful advertisements urging people to get checked out, from mimicking Netflix to the Texas anti-littering campaign.
Houstonians may want to get a checkup even if they feel confident that they're clean. According to the Aids Foundation Houston, there are more than 27,650 people who knowingly have HIV/AIDS in Houston and Harris County. "Every seven hours, one person in Houston is infected with HIV."
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Some advice for would-be thieves: Make sure your clothes are properly packed if your getaway car is filled with stolen goods.
After officers saw a pair of shorts hanging over a truck's license plate, Houston police officers stopped the vehicle with three men inside at 5:05 a.m. Monday near Beaumont Highway.
That's when police discovered 46 stolen batteries used for 18-wheeler trucks, Houston Police Department spokeswoman Jodi Silva said.
The men Robert Thomas, 22, Gerald Jones-Roy, 20, and Kendrick Cole, 21 allegedly left Max's Trucks & Equipment minutes before the stop.
The business's owner, Max Sanchez, said he showed up to work at about 5 a.m. and realized that the batteries had been stolen when he found his yard filled with battery covers. Luckily, he had surveillance video of three men stealing the batteries from about 4 to 5 a.m.
"I called the cops and wasn't sure if they would ever find them," Sanchez said. "To my surprise, they found them five minutes later. That's great police work!"
Sanchez said the batteries have about 800 to 1,000 amps and fetch about $175 each. He estimates they're about a foot and a half long and half a foot tall, weighing around 40 pounds.
Sanchez said he's had thieves steal truck batteries from him before and had no luck in catching them. He plans to press charges.
"The only reason they left is because they couldn't take more of them," Sanchez said. "I've heard from a lot of people in my industry that they've gotten ripped off. Stolen batteries are hard to find because they don't have serial numbers. I'm pressing charges, not just for me, but for others too."
Thomas, Jones-Roy and Cole each face a felony charge of engaging in criminal activity.
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Shoreacres is a quiet, small community of about 1,500 people located on north Galveston Bay. On Tuesday, more than 100 townspeople gathered around a makeshift memorial to remember a teenager known by few.
Although Harris County medical examiners have yet to make a formal identification, a body believed to be that of Abigail English was found Saturday in a wooded area near Baywood and Westview, only about 200 yards from her grandmother's home, where she had been living since November 2015.
She was a girl who seemingly fell between the cracks. Abigail had been living in foster care in California for 13 years after her parents lost custody because of drug use.
On Tuesday, Abigail would have turned 16.
"We're here to celebrate her life," local minister Don Lanier said before the crowd sang "Happy Birthday."
Because Abigail had spent most of her life in California foster care, Lanier reached out to one of the teen's friends there for some thoughts about her.
"It's a sad thing that we live in a world where we don't know our neighbors," Lanier said.
She was a "shy, sweet girl," Lanier said, and she loved to shop at thrift stores and eat Chinese food. But she wasn't happy living in California.
"She wanted to be back here, with her family," Lanier said.
Tim Miller, of Texas EquuSearch, agreed that her longing to return to Texas was a catalyst for whatever problems Abigail might have had with her California foster families. There were no reports of any kind of abusive situation there, he said.
The organization Miller founded in 2000 has led search efforts in 38 states and eight foreign countries. But some cases hit home with a special poignancy, he said. Abigail's case reminded him of his own daughter, Laura, who was 16 when she was abducted and murdered in 1984.
Because the family lacked the financial resources, Miller stepped in, arranging with California officials for a joint custody of the remains with Abigail's mother and her burial near his own daughter.
"The only thing little Abby wanted in life was her family," Miller said. "Abigail finally has that home. They (Laura and Abigail) can talk all the teenage stuff they want to talk."
On HoustonChronicle.com: Missing teen spent her life looking for home
Deborah Dreyer, Abigail's mother, was at the Tuesday evening vigil for her daughter. At times, she seemed overwhelmed and fell to her knees before the memorial at one point.
"It turned out she had the whole neighborhood behind her. She would be amazed" by the turnout, Dreyer said. "I'm going to miss her every day of my life."
The criminal investigation is continuing. Abigail left her home at about 7 p.m. March 22 to walk the dog. The dog came back about an hour later, without its collar and leash. Abigail did not return.
Her family contacted the Shoreacres Police Department the next day to report her missing. EquuSearch was later brought in to add its expertise and manpower to the effort to find her.
About 75 people responded. Search officials sent out five teams to scour the area for any signs of the missing teen. A body with clothes that match what Abigail was wearing was found about three hours later.
Don Lanier said his son was part of the group that came across the body about 20 feet into the woods from where the flower-bedecked memorial now stands.
"It changed his life that day," Lanier said of the discovery.
Although some have said she was a victim of the system, shuffling between foster homes, Lanier said now is not the time to point fingers and make accusations.
"Sometimes we fail ourselves and sometimes we fail each other," he said.
In the end, all Abigail was searching for was a family to love her, he said. "She's Shoreacres' child now," he said
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A Houston man believed to be a member of one of the nation's largest white supremacist prison gangs has been named to the state's Most Wanted Fugitives list.
A reward of up to $7,500 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of Danny Ray Ferguson Jr, 39, who authorities said is a member of the Aryan Circle.
The gang is one of five white supremacist prison gangs operating in Texas and is one of the largest such gangs in the country, the Anti-Defamation League noted in a recent report.
READ THIS: Tango Blast poses biggest threat among Houston's hundreds of gang
Ferguson, who is also known as "Outlaw" or "Danny Ray" and has a tattoo of a swastika on the side of his neck, was most recently convicted of assaulting a family member in Harris County and sentenced to three years in prison.
Ferguson is to be considered "armed and dangerous," according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. To share a tip about Ferguson, call 800-252-8477.
His parole from that incident was to have ended in November 2015, but authorities say he failed to properly check in.
Ferguson served three stretches in the Texas prison system for such crimes as gun possession, drug possession and evading arrest, according to authorities.
His last known address was in Houston, where he has ties to Channelview and Baytown, officials said. He was previously worked as a carpenter, mechanic and auto body repairman.
The Aryan Circle, which is believed to have as many as 1,500 members, has kept a low profile with law enforcement in recent years. The gang is a main rival of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas.
RELATED: Aryan Brotherhood of Texas sends almost 100 gang member and associates to prison
The gang, which is unique in that women can join, gained public attention nearly a decade ago when one of its members, Dennis Clem, killed two Louisiana police officers in an ambush style slaying at a motel.
Clem, who was also killed at the scene, had been on a killing spree that began days earlier in Houston when he shot and killed two black teens.
The Aryan Circle was also implicated in 2013, when federal authorities arrested 13 former state prison guards on corruption charges for taking bribes to smuggle cellular phones, drugs and tobacco to prisoners.
That probe began when authorities arrested Aryan Circle members trying to smuggle stolen sport utility vehicles from Corpus Christi to the Texas-Mexico border.
See the Most Wanted Fugitives in Texas in the gallery above.
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Crews with the National Weather Service expect to fan out across the Houston region Wednesday to determine if tornadoes formed as severe thunderstorms ripped through the area earlier in the day. They have a sense of urgency to review the damage before another round of powerful storms hammers the region on the weekend.
In particular Wednesday, the weather service will assess damage in northwest Harris County near Tomball, where a 62-year-old woman died when a large tree fell on her mobile home at the height of the storms, according to the Houston Sheriff's Office. Deputies said the woman was found dead inside the home about 4:45 a.m. in the 8300 block of Willow Path.
The storms that hit the Tomball area possibly sparked powerful tornadoes that uprooted the tree, said Patrick Blood of the National Weather Service.
Blood said it's possible other tornadoes hit Spring, Willis, Montgomery and other areas. Crews will assess damage in the hard-hit spots to determine if tornadoes were to blame. Even if tornadoes weren't spawned, the storms packed high winds easily capable of knocking down trees. The line of fast-moving storms rushed through the area at about 50 mph and with surface winds of about 60 mph.
Also, Blood said, the ground was saturated from recent torrential rains last week, making even large trees more likely to fall over in high winds.
"The tree that killed the resident in the trailer was a huge tree," Blood said.
In the neighborhood where the woman died, about a dozen manufactured homes were damaged in the storms. The high winds toppled several very large trees and snapped branches on others. Residents were out early Wednesday cleaning up, cutting up the debris with chain saws.
Eric Wolanin said he woke up moments before the storm hit to let his dogs out. When he opened the door, he saw a car canopy sail by. Then sparks flashed nearby when the wind ripped down a power line. He called his dogs back inside just before a large tree smashed down near his home, branches bashing into his front door.
"The storm hit real fast, real hard and then was gone," Wolanin said.
Another resident. Steve McCrary, said he was in the shower went he herd he high winds battered the neighborhood. When he ventured out after the storm trees had fallen on almost every home.
"It sound like a train just come barreling through," he said.
McCrary said his neighbor across the street had been trapped his home when a tree fell on it.
Dorian Hernandez, 20, her father and her brother and his wife huddled in the bathroom as the storms passed over their house. She said after a massive tree fell on their home, hitting her father and splitting the house in half. Her had scratches on his back but they were minor injuries. Her house is destroyed.
"It was pretty crazy," she said
A man was injured in his leg when a tree fell on is home, said Chief David Bessolo of the Klein Volunteer Fire Department. He said the damage was extensive.
"We've not seen this amount of damage in a very long time," Bessolo said.
The region gets a break from rain Thursday,which will be sunny with only a slight chance of showers. But Friday and Saturday more powerful thunderstorms are expected to batter the area. A 30-percent chance of rain is forecast for Friday but jumps to 70 percent Saturday.
"It doesn't look good this weekend," Blood said. "Friday and Saturday will be active."
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A woman died early Wednesday morning as powerful thunderstorms battered the Houston region, leaving more than 120,000 customers without power, delaying schools and making the morning commute a mess for drivers still leery of rainy roads from last week's deadly floods.
The storms approached from the northwest, moving into the metro at speeds of up to 50 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
HOUSTON'S FLOODS: Is the city designed for disaster? Only on houstonchronicle.com
Winds speeds as high as 60 mph along with nickel-sized hail were possible in some areas as the storm entered greater Houston around the 6 a.m. hour, according to the weather service.
Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for much of the area. Polk and San Jacinto counties were under a tornado warning until 5:45 a.m. A brief tornado warning for Harris County expired at 5 a.m.
A Woman Dead
A woman died when a tree smashed into her mobile home as the strong thunderstorms ripped through northwest Harris County. The incident happened about 4:30 a.m. in the 8300 block of Willow Path near Tomball, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office. The woman's name has not been released. No other injuries were reported.
School Closures & Delays
The Willis and New Waverly independent school districts have cancelled classes at their campuses due to the inclement weather. Goodrich, Livingston, Crosby, Big Sandy, Magnolia, Shepherd and Montgomery County independent school districts announced classes would start two hours later than normal.
The storms forced buses to run 45 minutes late in Huffman Independent School District. Buses were also delayed in Klein Independent School District.
High Water on Roads
As of 6:40 a.m. Wednesday, Houston TranStar was reporting the following locations with water on roads:
IH-10 EAST Westbound At LOCKWOOD DRRight Shoulder,Right Lane,2 Center Lanes
US-59 EASTEX Southbound At IH-610 NORTH LOOPLeft Lane
US-59 Northbound At BRAZOS RIVER1 Frontage Road Lane
US-59 Southbound At BRAZOS RIVER1 Frontage Road Lane
FM-1462 Eastbound At BRAZOS RIVER/BRAZORIA-FORT BEND COUNTY LINEAll Mainlanes
FM-1462 Westbound At BRAZOS RIVER/BRAZORIA-FORT BEND COUNTY LINEAll Mainlanes
NORTH SAM HOUSTON TOLLWAY Eastbound At T C JESTER BLVDLeft Lane
SH-6 Northbound At PARK ROW to CLAY RDAll Mainlanes (Closed Continuous from Thursday, April 21 to Thursday, May 26)
SH-6 Southbound At CLAY RD to PARK ROWAll Mainlanes (Closed Continuous from Thursday, April 21 to Thursday, May 26)
Power Outages
About 124,000 people lost electricity when the storms hit, according to Center Point Energy. Most of the power outages were reported in Montgomery County near The Woodlands and Porter as well as in some spots in northern Harris County. Crews were scrambling to restore power but it was unknown how long repairs would take. By 1 p.m. Wednesday, power was back on for all but about 22,000 customers.
Storm track
The fast-moving thunderstorms began hammering downtown Houston area about 5:30 a.m. Forecasters said some of the storms could be severe, packing powerful winds. But scant rainfall is expected as the storms pushed quickly through the area, said Brian Kyle, a weather service meteorologist . Kyle said most spots will likely record about three-quarters of an inch of rain.
"We'll get some brief heavy rain," Kyle said, "but it's moving so fast we won't have a lot of accumulation."
Kyle said residents in Livingston reported high winds shattered windows and snapped tree branches about 4:30 a.m. Wednesday as the storms rumbled through their area.
By 9 a.m., much of the rain was expected to move out of the area.
A flood warning remains in effect until 4:45 p.m. Friday for west central Harris County and areas surrounding Addicks Reservoir, according to the weather service. An area flood warning for Barker Reservoir was discontinued Tuesday.
With an "active weather pattern," widespread showers and thunderstorms are possible Friday and Saturday for much of southeast Texas, according to the weather service.
"Models are indicating favorable conditions for locally heavy rains these days," the weather service said in a hazardous weather outlook statement Tuesday afternoon. "Due to recent flooding issues, it is recommended to keep a close eye on the forecast the rest of this week."
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Fresh off the heels of a night of resounding victories, Donald Trump sought to banish the notion that Ted Cruz could unite GOP voters and claim a primary win a last hope scenario for many leading profiles who are anxious of nominating Trump.
When Trump was asked by hosts on Fox and Friends Wednesday if he could bring the "Cruz Republicans" over to his side in the general election, he tossed in a jab at his primary opponent.
"My supporters will never cast a vote for him," Trump said Wednesday morning by phone on Fox and Friends. "But I do believe his supporters will cast a vote for me."
That comment reinforces the historic divisiveness of this race, and it exudes nervousness about a possible contested convention the only scenario in which Cruz could end up seeking the support of Trump voters.
RELATED: Divisive GOP presidential race ventures into unknown territory
Even Trump's five-state sweep on Tuesday night didn't settle the race. If Trump clinches the nomination before the convention, he'll do it by a razor-thin margin, and probably not until the nation's last primary contest in California.
If he doesn't, the party will hold a contested convention, in which the delegates will hold a series of re-votes until a nominee emerges. Unlike the Trump campaign, the Cruz campaign has been preparing for that situation for months, and has a solid shot at an upset win if it happens.
That prospect clearly disgruntles Trump, who has routinely taken to television to denounce as "rigged" and "totally corrupt" the system that allows for a roundabout win at a rare contested convention.
"It's just a horrible system, this whole delegate system," he said Wednesday on Fox.
RELATED: Once again, Ted Cruz crushes Trump in delegate game
Party leaders contend that the rules have long been in place, but only come to light if no candidate can claim the outright majority needed to win the nomination without a contested convention. So far, Trump hasn't been able to do that.
Yet his charges against his party apparently resonate with his fans; Reuters reported Wednesday that 51 percent of the 1,582 Americans it polled agreed that the system was "rigged."
That figure also shines a spotlight on political division in this election cycle, where voters rallied around self-proclaimed outsider candidates have turned their fury on the so-called establishment.
There is plenty of reason to believe Trump when he says his voters won't show up in November to vote for Cruz, or anyone else on a GOP ticket. And that puts high pressure on the party.
Politico reported Tuesday that Trump is well on track to break the record for most votes won in a Republican primary, near nearly 10 million. That's a lot of voters that the GOP would hate to lose.
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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The employee vs. contractor debate has the potential to have a major impact on the insurance industry, according to a pair of experts speaking on the topic on last week at the annual Risk Management Society conference held in San Diego, Calif.
Its estimated there are 10 million independent contractors in the U.S. and that 10 percent of those people are misclassified, according to John Zeigler, an attorney with Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin.
Thats a huge number of people out there who are working as independent contractors but likely are misclassified, he said, noting that federal and state governments could swoop in with new rules and regulations. The reality is the pressure on the government is becoming that much greater.
Zeigler and Stephanie Watts, resolution manager at Gallagher Bassett, held an education session titled The War on Employee Misclassification: Risks and Costs to Employers and Insurers, at the annual RIMS conference for risk management and insurance professionals.
Planners of this years conference said more than 10,000 people are in attendance at the conference, with more expected to register in coming days. That would make it the largest conference since 2003, they say.
In the session held by Zeigler and Watts, the employer vs. contractor cloud that has arisen by way of the gig economy explosion has created an uneven playing field where one company does things one way and the other company another way.
Its also made protections for benefits, including workers compensation, uneven for workers, and has created uncertain risks and exposures for insurers, they said.
They also outlined several tests federal and state governments are using to determine whether a worker is an employee or a contractor.
One such test was the U.S. Department of Labors economic realities test, which includes the consideration of the following factors:
The extent to which the work performed is integral to the employers business;
Whether the workers managerial skills affect his or her opportunity for loss;
The relative investments in facilities and equipment by the worker and employer;
The workers skill and initiative;
The permanency of the workers relationship with the employer;
The nature and degree of control by the employer.
The last one has been key in many legal battles that unfolded in many states.
Ultimately when the courts are looking at this they are looking at the right to control and the actual control exercise, Zeigler said. That really, in many respects, is the absolute key factor.
Other federal government entities with independent contractor tests include the Internal Revenue Service, which includes behavior control, financial control and the relationship of the parties, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Many states have their own tests.
A popular test for many states uses three factors:
Is the employee free from directions and controls?
Is the work performed outside the usual course of business?
Is the individual customarily engaged in independently established trade, occupation, profession or business as the involved service performed?
The presenters cited Alexander Vs. FedEx Ground in which the California 9th Circuit Court ruled in 2014 that drivers were not independent contractors despite drivers owning their own vans and being allowed to set their own routes.
The court in its ruling used several factors, most notably control.
The drivers must wear FedEx uniforms, drive FedEx-approved vehicles, and groom themselves according to FedExs appearance standards, the ruling states. FedEx tells its drivers what packages to deliver, on what days, and at what times. Although drivers may operate multiple delivery routes and hire third parties to help perform their work, they may do so only with FedExs consent.
At the end of the day FedEx took a big hit here, Zeigler said.
With decisions like this being made all over the U.S., vigilance is becoming increasingly important, Watts said.
It starts at the bottom, Watts said. It starts with the agents and brokers writing these policies incorrectly.
Zeigler advised paying close attention to a topic that he believes will only become more important to businesses and insurance professionals in the future.
The best you can say is you need to be on top of it, Zeigler said. You can look at the patterns, you can look at the trends, you need to look and see where its going.
At the conference RIMS and American International Group Inc. announced that William H. McGannon and David Mikulina are the 2016 inductees to the Risk Management Hall of Fame.
The hall of fame serves as a means to maintain the history of the field of risk management and recognizes risk practitioners who have made significant contributions to advancing the discipline, according to RIMS.
McGannon was considered a risk management pioneer, according to those who bestowed the award on him.
He is considered one of the first Canadian risk managers to establish a full-service risk management department that included loss prevention and statistical support at NOVA Chemical Corp. in Alberta. McGannon frequently lectured at the University of Calgary, where he was instrumental in setting up the Chair of Risk Management position and served as executive in residence from 1998 to 2000. He died in 2015.
Mikulina is a retired vice president of risk management for Hyatt Hotels Corp., and was a member of the risk management profession for nearly 35 years. He headed the risk management department at Hyatt for 23 years as the organization grew from 130 hotels to 350 hotels worldwide
The first time Jason Ebert needed an air ambulance, it saved his life. The second time, it nearly broke the bank.
Both times, Montana doctors ordered Ebert flown 150 miles from Bozeman to Billings for treatment. But while insurance covered the first flight, the hospital called a for-profit service the second time, and Ebert got stuck with a more than $27,000 bill.
I cant even fathom the difference in price, said Eberts wife, Mandy.
As the air ambulance industry has grown, so too have complaints about costs and the lack of regulations. States that try to set rules are met with lawsuits that argue air ambulances specially equipped aircraft, usually helicopters, used to ferry sick or injured people in emergencies fall under the Airline Deregulation Act, which prevents states from interfering with fares, routes and services.
Last year, North Dakota lawmakers passed legislation that required air ambulance services to be participating providers with insurance companies that cover at least 75 percent of the states population for inclusion on a primary call list. But last month, a federal judge ruled the Airline Deregulation Act preempted North Dakotas law.
The 1978 act was meant to increase competition, reduce rates and improve airline passenger service. But competition among air ambulance providers has the opposite effect. The industry has high fixed costs, including aircraft, pilots and trained medical staff. With increased competition, those costs must be recouped from among a smaller number of flights, leading to higher prices.
In Jason Eberts case, his first trip for treatment involved a torn aorta, and he took the flight in a hospital-based air ambulance. Insurance picked up the entire $12,000 tab.
The second trip came months later when Ebert felt dizzy, and the Bozeman hospital called a for-profit air ambulance service. That bill came to nearly $40,000, and the Eberts were left responsible for more than half of it.
Earlier this month, U.S. Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and John Hoeven of North Dakota sought to amend the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization legislation to allow states to decide if they want to create rules governing air ambulance rates and services.
That effort failed, but Tester will continue to work on the issue, his spokeswoman Marnee Banks said.
Patients sometimes dont realize they should ask or might not be capable of asking whether their transportation is in network or how much their insurance will cover. The result can be whopping bills. Some Montana residents have received balance bills of up to $90,000, said Jesse Laslovich, chief counsel for the Montana Auditor and Insurance Commissioners Office.
Don Wharton, director of business development for REACH Medical Services, said the large bills are a product of commercial insurance carriers and payers being unwilling to pay the fair market value for the service.
Insurance companies and employee benefit managers say air ambulance companies wont reveal actual costs, preventing them from determining a fair payment.
Affordability has a huge role in patient access to health care services, said Clare Krusing, spokeswoman for the Washington, D.C.-based Americas Health Insurance Plans. There needs to be much greater focus on whether the charges for these services are fair and appropriate.
Some private air ambulance companies are offering annual memberships for their services for as little as $65. But critics note theres no guarantee the company that sells the membership will be the one that actually transports the covered patient.
For-profit companies argue the federal governments Medicare reimbursements are woefully lacking and state Medicaid reimbursements can be even less, meaning they have to charge some patients more to stay in business.
The companies say they respond to calls without regard to whether the patient has insurance and write off millions of dollars yearly as uncollectable
Rick Sherlock, CEO of the Virginia-based Association of Air Medical Services, said his group supports bills introduced in Congress last year that would require Medicare to pay closer attention to the actual cost of services. The bill also would require companies to disclose their costs.
Montana is among the states seeking its own solution.
The Montana Legislatures economic affairs interim committee is studying the issue and intends to introduce a bill during its 2017 session. But state legislation likely will be limited in its effectiveness, Laslovich said.
We can teeter around the edges, but in dealing with the substance of the problem, were going to need an act of Congress to say air ambulances dont fall under the aviation deregulation act, Laslovich said.
Meanwhile, consumers are urged to educate themselves. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners recently issued a statement advising people to make sure they understand what, if any, air ambulance coverage they have.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thanks to an arcane state law, Florida could enter hurricane season with no one firmly in charge of the state agency responsible for regulating the states at-times fragile insurance industry.
The reason? The two Republican elected officials responsible for picking a new commissioner are locked in a stalemate over who should be hired to replace outgoing Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty.
Gov. Rick Scott and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater have been backing rival candidates for the job, which has delayed a final decision. The governor and the three members of the Cabinet must vote on the position, but state law allows Scott and Atwater to individually veto the choice.
When you think of the consequences of this choice every Floridian would want us to be thoughtful, said Atwater. It may take a bit longer and thats ok.
The job of insurance commissioner in Florida is crucial because the person regulates an important industry in a hurricane-prone state. The selection of a new commissioner has triggered a furious behind-the-scenes lobbying effort among those aligned with various parts of the industry. The final pick could earn as much as $200,000 a year.
McCarty has been on the job for 13 years, including a time when the homeowners insurance market nearly collapsed following the state getting hit with eight storms over a two-year period. Right after being re-elected in 2014 Scott said he wanted to replace McCarty, but Atwater didnt support the move at the time.
McCarty finally announced his resignation in January of this year and was supposed to leave on May 2. But last week he offered to stay on the job until 45 days after a new commissioner is picked. Hurricane season begins June 1.
At a recent meeting of the Cabinet, Atwater suggested the state hire State Rep. Bill Hager, a GOP legislator from Boca Raton and a former Iowa insurance commissioner. But Scott refused to go along and has instead touted Jeffrey Bragg, who worked for the U.S. Treasury for 11 years as the executive director of the terrorism risk insurance program.
Jackie Schutz, a spokeswoman for Scott, said recently that Braggs public and private sector experience make him an ideal candidate to serve Floridians.
But criticism has been aimed at both candidates.
Hager sponsored legislation that would have reduced the size of Floridas state-created fund that provides financial backing to insurance companies. The bill failed amid concerns it could have resulted in rate hikes for consumers.
Braggs record, meanwhile, has also come under scrutiny after the Palm Beach Post reported that he had been accused of misleading investors in a flood insurance venture. Bragg blamed the lawsuit on investors being upset that a stock had not performed as well as they expected.
Scott and the Cabinet are expected to interview both Bragg and Hager a second time this week. Atwater also asked two other candidates, including McCartys current chief of staff, Belinda Miller, to also be considered at the same meeting.
Atwater conceded hes not sure if a new commissioner will be selected, but he added he doesnt want the process to drag out much longer.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Earlier this month Google announced that it will be testing its autonomous vehicles in Phoenix, Ariz. The California-based tech company has already tested its self-driving vehicles in California, Washington and Texas.
Varying road conditions, traffic patterns and driving environment were some of the reasons cited by the company for choosing the Valley of the Sun.
Metro Phoenix is an ideal place to expand testing, said Jennifer Haroon, head of business operations for the Google Self-Driving Car project. Arizona is known as a place where research and development is welcome, innovation can thrive, and companies can set up roots. The Phoenix area has distinct desert conditions, which will help us better understand how our sensors and cars handle extreme temperatures and dust in the air. Driving in new cities enables our engineers to further refine our software and adapt to these different environments.
Google boasts its self-driving cars have already covered 1.5 million miles. In Phoenix, four driver-equipped Lexus RX450h SUVs have already begun mapping streets. The mapping process includes identifying where traffic signals, lane markers and curb heights are located. Once completed, the autonomous cars will begin navigating the southwest citys roadways.
Sensors on the vehicles can detect a variety of objects, such as a bicyclist or crossing guard, and respond accordingly.
Googles selection of Arizona for this testing program is just another sign that Arizona is on the cutting-edge when it comes to innovation, said Governor Doug Ducey. When you think of companies changing the way we live, Google is at the top of the list, and their self-driving car technology is transformational. We welcome them to our state, and look forward to being part of this innovative project.
By statute, automobile liability insurance companies are barred from excluding coverage for personal injuries caused to a named insured under Connecticut law. See, Conn. Gen. Stat. (Rev. to 2009) 38a-335(d). However, the Connecticut statute contains an exception which permits insurers to used named insured exclusions if they are set forth in a separate endorsement to the policy.
In Dairyland Ins. Co. v. Mitchell, 320 Conn. 205, 128 A.3d 931 (2016), the issue came up as to whether a clearly written named insured exclusion would be enforceable if it was set forth in the main body of the insurance policy as opposed to being attached in a separate endorsement as indicated by 38a-335(d). The Connecticut Supreme Court said no.
The Mitchell case involved a wrongful death action where the insured was riding as a passenger in his own insured vehicle which was being driven by a permissive user. When the Estate sued the driver, Dairyland denied coverage on the basis of the policys named insured exclusion. The named insured exclusion in the Dairyland policy was set forth within the main body of the policy and was not attached by way of an amendatory endorsement. Dairyland argued that the exclusion was clear and unambiguous and that it would be illogical to conclude that the exclusion, which was specifically authorized by the statute was invalid simply because it was part of the original terms of the policy rather than being set forth in an amendatory endorsement. The Connecticut Supreme Court disagreed.
The Connecticut Supreme Court noted that when insurance companies seek to limit their liability based on a statute, the limitation sought should only be permitted to the extent that the statute expressly authorized the limitation. The policy and that statute must be in substantial congruence. This requirement pertained to matters of both substance and form. The Court found that exceptions to statutes are without effect and could be ignored where there was a violation of the statute in respect to the form required by the statute. Thus, if a policy provision violated a statute requiring a specific format, the exception which was not in compliance with the statute would render the policy meaningless and the policy would be read as if the exception were not there.
The Connecticut Supreme Court concluded that the reason 38a-335(d) required an endorsement to effectuate a named insured exclusion was so that the lay consumer of insurance would be able to see the exclusion in a conspicuous fashion. Because Dairyland had not strictly complied with the formatting required by the statute, the named insured exclusion, irrespective of its clarity, was unenforceable and void.
As more than a foot of rain deluged the nations fourth-largest city, inundating homes, shutting down major highways and leaving at least five people dead, Houstons mayor said there was no immediate solution.
Heavy flooding has become nearly an annual rite of passage in the practically sea-level city, where experts have long warned of the potential for catastrophe.
I regret anyone whose home is flooded again, said Sylvester Turner, the citys mayor, on Monday. Theres nothing I can say thats going to ease your frustration. We certainly cant control the weather.
A lot of rain coming in a very short period of time, theres nothing you can do, he added.
Scores of subdivisions flooded, schools were closed, and power was knocked out to thousands of residents who were urged to shelter in place.
In addition to its location, Houstons gumbo soft soil, fast-growing population and building boom that has turned empty pastures into housing developments all over the citys suburbs and exurbs make it vulnerable to high waters, experts say.
Harris County, where Houston and many of its suburbs are located, has seen a 30 percent jump in population since 2000. Its surrounding counties have almost grown more than 10 percent since 2000, according to the Greater Houston Partnership, a business group.
Some of the resulting developments include adequate greenspace for water runoff, but not all of them do, said Philip Bedient, an engineering professor at Rice University.
Could we have engineered our way out of this? Bedient said. Only if we started talking about alterations 35 or 40 years ago.
Samuel Brody, director of the Environmental Planning & Sustainability Research Unit at Texas A&M University, last year called Houston the No. 1 city in America to be injured and die in a flood.
Rainstorms last year over Memorial Day weekend caused major flooding that required authorities to rescue 20 people, most of them drivers, from high water. Drivers abandoned at least 2,500 vehicles, and more than 1,000 homes were damaged in the rain.
The year before, flash flooding in Houston and suburban counties left cars trapped on major highways.
Those storms still pale in comparison to the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Ike in 2008 and Tropical Storm Allison in 2001. Allison left behind $5 billion in damages and flooded parts of downtown and the Texas Medical Center, which sits near the Brays Bayou, a key watershed.
Bedient has worked with the Texas Medical Center on better preparing its facilities for massive rainfall, including the use of a sophisticated weather alert system that gives the medical center extra time to activate gates and doors that block excess rainwater.
Improving the monitoring of specific watersheds and flood-prone areas might give affected residents the extra bit of time they need to save lives and take protective measures.
We cant solve this flood problem in Houston, Bedient said. All we can do is a better job warning.
Authorities say flooding thats claimed eight lives and displaced thousands of people in the Houston area has caused more than $14 million in damage and inundated more than 1,700 homes.
They said Friday the damage figures from unincorporated areas of Harris County will increase significantly as floodwaters recede and inspectors get a closer look at ravaged neighborhoods.
The damage estimates do not include a tally for the city of Houston, which did not immediately return a message Friday seeking details.
Jeff Waters, a meteorologist and manager of Model Product Management at RMS, reported that Houston Intercontinental Airport recorded 9.92 inches of rain, the second wettest day on record in the Houston area going back to 1889.
Houston and nearby counties have been hit with more than a foot of rain since Sunday night, straining reservoirs and pushing rivers over their banks.
Southwest of Houston, the Colorado River swelled to more than 48 feet, well past the flood stage of 39 feet, before slowly starting to recede.
According to NOAA National Climatic, the April 2015-March 2016 time period ranks as the second wettest on record for the state of Texas.
Meanwhile, a tugboat that capsized and sank on the flood-swollen San Jacinto River near Houston has been located but high water from recent rains have delayed raising the vessel.
A Coast Guard spokesman said Friday that the agency has approved a salvage plan for the Ricky J Leboeuf, which flipped on Tuesday while working with some barges. One crewmember was killed while four others survived being dumped into the water.
Petty Officer 1st Class Andrew Kendrick says swift currents from recent rains have prevented divers from attaching equipment to raise the tug. An anchor has been placed on the submerged tugboat to prevent fast-moving water from sending the vessel into the Houston Ship Channel.
Kendrick says barges fitted with cranes will raise the tugboat when the water is calmer.
The Texas Department of Insurance has determined the storms that occurred between April 11, 2016, through April 13, 2016, in Bexar, Collin, Denton, Dallas, Guadalupe, Montague, Rockwall, Wise, Medina and Gonzales counties are a catastrophe for the purpose of claims processing.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Its been two months since a blown-out natural gas well was capped and officials spoke of thousands of uprooted families returning to their normal lives.
But nearly half of the 8,000 families who left home at some point have yet to return, many still worried about the possibility of another leak and potential health hazards from chemicals in the gas that spewed uncontrollably for almost four months.
Andrew Krownes family is among those whose lives remain in limbo.
Krowne, his wife, toddler and four other young children, are going into a fourth month at a hotel paid for by Southern California Gas Co. where they have celebrated four birthdays, including his wifes 40th and just last week, his daughters fourth.
Valentines Day, St. Patricks Day, birthdays, Easter, everythings been in the hotel, Krowne said. It was basically, stay away from (home) like it was the plague.
The Krownes and others packed up to escape symptoms ranging from nausea to nosebleeds, rashes to respiratory problems or to avoid breathing air they feared would cause future health problems as the SoCalGas storage facility gushed 100,000 tons of climate-changing methane.
Concerns in Porter Ranch and surrounding communities were reinforced last weekend by a small gas leak and oil spill at another company operating in the Aliso Canyon, one of the nations largest natural gas storage fields and the major supplier for Southern California.
SoCalGas points out that public health agencies have found air in the community safe, but it has been forced by courts to extend paying for temporary housing while the county health department tests homes for chemicals. The department, which initially gave the all-clear signal, has fielded 300 complaints from residents since the leak was capped Feb. 18, and a survey found more than 60 percent still reporting symptoms.
Facing a much longer haul than it expected when it offered to pay for an additional week of lodging after the leak was sealed, the company now plans to move people from hotels to what it says are high-quality, longer-term apartments with kitchens that will prevent them from having to shuffle between hotels.
SoCalGas spokesman Chris Gilbride said the county has created uncertainty for residents by continuing to push for housing extensions while performing tests for some 200 compounds, many of which are found indoors and in common household products.
The Department of Public Healths methodology appears designed to test everything that may be found in indoor air regardless of any relationship with the gas leak and we expect they will fail to produce any results that help residents understand whether the gas leak impacted their indoor air, Gilbride said.
Displaced residents, angry about the leaks effect on their lives and frustrated with lagging reimbursements for meals and mileage, are not happy about being uprooted again.
I dont want to move to downtown LA in some crappy accommodation, said Janet Terterian, who has been staying with her dogs in a Four Seasons hotel. I want to go home, but then when I was going home, I was getting sick.
Terterian is so fed up, shes selling her house and plans to leave the area. Shes having trouble finding a buyer for the spacious four-bedroom home she bought three years ago for $800,000 and listed in March for $1.1 million.
Sales of Porter Ranch homes dropped 44 percent in the three months after the foul smell of gas began wafting over the area, compared with the three months before. The median price, which was just over $700,000 in March, remained stable during the period, according to RealtyTrac.
The gas leak could have an impact on future development. The county has put a moratorium on all new residential development near the gas facility, holding up the luxury 188-home Hidden Creeks Estates, said Tony Bell, a spokesman for county Supervisor Michael Antonovich.
The gas company had estimated costs related to the leak at $250 million to $300 million, but that was before the housing period was extended several times and doesnt include dozens of lawsuits or regulatory action. It said insurance should cover most of it.
As the state investigates the cause of the blowout, the 114 other wells in the field are undergoing rigorous tests before the company can resume injecting gas into wells a mile-and-a-half underground. The company said it expects to resume operations by the end of the summer.
The facility typically supplies gas-fired power plants during summer demand spikes and energy officials have warned that blackouts are possible without the facilitys gas supplies. A consumer group and environmentalists have criticized such claims as a scare tactic to justify keeping the facility in operation.
Krowne and others who live nearby are fighting to get the facility shut down. Hes also fighting to stay in the Courtyard Marriott, where his family is packed into adjoining rooms, rather than move to an apartment.
Theyre ever so gently putting their hand on your back and forcing you to do this, Krowne said. The whole point of this process is to make it so unbelievably hard on the resident so you give up and go home.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
QBE North America Appoints Skrynecki Senior Vice President, Standard Lines Programs
QBE North America, an operating division of QBE Insurance Group, appointed Glenn Skrynecki Standard Lines Property & Casualty Program senior vice president. Based in New York, Skrynecki will report to Kathleen O. Zortman, president, Standard Lines Property & Casualty.
Skrynecki joined QBE in 2015 as vice president, Agribusiness, and quickly delivered profitable growth across the personal and commercial agribusiness segments while building strong relationships across the industry.
In this new role, he will be responsible for the continued development and execution of QBE North Americas Property & Casualty Program business strategy, while driving excellence across underwriting, operations, relationship management, policy development and risk mitigation.
Skrynecki spent the majority of his career at Firemans Fund, where he held a variety of senior positions across program, risk management, underwriting and national distribution. Prior to joining QBE in 2015, he served as vice president, Commercial Insurance executive, where he had national responsibility for developing and executing the strategy across Farm & Ranch, Admitted Excess and Umbrella, Middle Market, Property and Small Business. He also served as vice president, Special Risk Division, with a focus on Program, E&S Property & Casualty, Professional Lines and Healthcare. He began his career as a senior loss control specialist for Great American Insurance Group, and held technical and leadership roles in loss control at both Allstate and W.R. Berkley.
Brentwood Services Administrators Inc. Promotes Sparks to Senior Vice President of Claims
Brentwood Services Administrators Inc. (BSA), headquartered in Brentwood, Tenn., has promoted Mark Sparks to the position of senior vice president of claims, according to Jeff Pettus, president and chief executive officer of Brentwood Services Administrators Inc.
Sparks has relocated from Birmingham, Ala., to assume this position.
With over 32 years of experience in the insurance industry, Sparks began leading the Birmingham team as regional claim manager. Sparks career has included positions in claims management with both third party administrators and national carriers. Prior to joining BSA, he was claim director with Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services, Inc., in Birmingham.
Sparks serves on the Board of Directors of the Alabama Workers Compensation Organization (AWCO).
Fine Art Insurance Specialist Johnson Court Joins Alliant
Fine art specialist Sarah Johnson Court is bringing her distinguished collection of risk management and insurance expertise to Alliant Insurance Services.
It has been a busy week. Again, not surprisingly, my article last week entitled The Emerging Hail Risk: What The Hail Is Still Going On and Getting Worse generated a lot of discussion. Mostly positive (even Chip Merlin has nice things to say again), but also a fair amount of negative. Thats not surprising, as Im not shy in stating that my objective is to see an end to the abuses, fraud and outright illegal conduct that have sadly become the norm in the hail lawsuit feeding frenzy.
That scares some of the folks who are making a lot of money right now. So vocal opposition is not surprising.
But I did find surprising that some questioned whether the problem was as bad as I portrayed.
It is. And here are some statistics.
Between 2006 and 2011, Tarrant County (Fort Worth) saw 12 storms with hail at least 1.75 inches in diameter. But no more than 49 hail lawsuits were filed in any of those years. Compare that to 2014 in which 375 hail lawsuits were filed, and 2015 which saw 381 hail lawsuits filed. These statistics dont lie it has always hailed in Tarrant County, but only recently have we seen hail lawsuits total in the hundreds.
And things arent slowing down much. In the first three months of 2016, 73 hail damage lawsuits were filed in Tarrant County.
The onslaught of lawsuits continues in the rest of Texas as well. In the first three months of 2016, almost 1700 hail lawsuits were filed across Texas. Significant numbers of lawsuits were filed in Hidalgo, Webb, Cameron, Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Harris, Fort Bend, El Paso and Bexar counties. Many other counties are affected as well.
We are on track to see almost 7000 hail damage lawsuits in Texas this year.
Heres an interesting fact. One lawyer (in a two-lawyer firm) filed 27 hail damage lawsuits in a single day. Yes27.
And the vast majority of the 1700 lawsuits were filed by the same dozen or so law firms.
The feeding frenzy to sign up clients continues.
The Balanced Solutions
After over three years deep in the trenches dealing with all of these issues, the abuses are readily apparent. And each abuse has a readily apparent solution. These solutions to seven common abuses will help to restore balance:
1. End Lawsuits Against Individual Insurance Adjusters
Abuse: When a consumer buys a television from Best Buy that turns out not to have the features promised by the salesman, the consumer sues only Best Buy. The salesman is seldom a defendant. When a consumer hires a contractor who puts on a bad roof, the consumer sues only the contractor. The individual workmen are seldom named as defendants. Why is it then that when a consumer buys insurance and its claim is not paid, the consumer always sues the adjuster? There is only one answer to destroy diversity jurisdiction and stay out of Federal Court. The hail lawyer wants to keep the matter in state court, where it is more difficult for the insurance company to obtain dismissal of meritless lawsuits and more likely that the court will push the matter to settlement. There is no legitimate argument to the contrary. In fact, the truth is exposed by the fact that claims against the adjuster are never actively pursued in the litigation and in many cases the adjuster is dismissed in exchange for an agreement by the insurance company not to seek removal.
Solution: Claims against individual adjusters should not be allowed. To ensure that the consumer still has a right to address improper conduct by an adjuster, the Texas Insurance Code should be clarified to make it absolutely clear that an insurance carrier is responsible for the conduct of adjusters acting on its behalf in the claims process. If a case against an out of state insurance carrier is properly removable to Federal Court, then the hail lawyers will then think twice before filing boilerplate and often meritless lawsuits that they know will be heard by a federal judge. In fact, read the recent opinions being issued by Judge Alvarez in the Southern District of Texas (which includes Hidalgo County). It is apparent she is growing increasingly impatient with the hail lawsuits pending in her court.
2. Allow Insurance Companies to Obtain a Release When a Claim Is Paid
Abuse: It is presently considered a bad faith practice for an insurance company to ask for a release in resolving an undisputed claim. A release is not allowed even when the claim is paid on the building owners loss measure and resolved amicably. Without a release, a canvasser can step in long after the claim is resolved and induce the building owner to pursue litigation with promises of more money.
Solution: An insurance company should be allowed to obtain a release when it resolves an undisputed claim. A standard form release should be adopted that protects the insurance company from lawsuits drummed up by the door-to-door canvasser model, while protecting the building owner by allowing it to reopen the claim process (as opposed to filing a lawsuit, see #3 below) for additional damage components that were unknown and inherently undiscoverable at the time the release was given.
3. Lawsuits With New Damage Components Subject to Dismissal
Abuse: The traditional insurance claim adjustment model must be restored. All claim components must be included as part of the claim adjustment process. New damage components cannot be brought for the first time in litigation. The insurance company must be given an opportunity to adjust the claim before facing a lawsuit.
Solution: Existing pre-litigation notice requirements must be strengthened. Simply providing for abatement of a lawsuit filed without proper notice is meaningless. The hail lawyers just wait out the sixty day abatement and move on. Instead, lawsuits that contain new damage components not previously included within a claim submission should be subject to dismissal with a mandatory award of attorneys fees to the insurance company. As a prerequisite to litigation, the building owner must provide the insurance company with a signed statement setting forth the additional damage components and estimated claim measure. The insurance company then should be given a reasonable period of time to adjust the claim and provide a claim decision. The building owner thereafter have an opportunity to respond to the claim measure. Suit can be filed only after that this process has taken place.
4. Strengthen Waiving Deductible Law
Abuse: It is illegal for a contractor to waive, absorb, rebate or otherwise not collect a deductible from the building owner. Regardless, contractors do it all the time. They rely on an old Attorney General opinion to support their practice. The present statute needs to be strengthened to clarify this prohibition. Building owners should only file an insurance claim when they are prepared to pay their agreed deductible portion of the total damage amount. Perhaps they will then think twice about whether there is really damage to their property and an insurance claim is warranted. The days of the no cost roof replacement must come to an end.
Solution: Amend the current statute to clarify that waiving of deductibles is illegal.
5. Claim Notice Deadlines
Abuse: Public adjusters and canvassers roam neighborhoods sometimes two or three years after a storm event. Late reported claims are becoming commonplace. When a claim is reported long after the loss date, it is typically more difficult for the insurance company to establish when the reported damage actually occurred. Additional consequential damage has also often occurred.
Solution: Hail and wind damage, along with all other types of damage insured under a property damage policy, is readily discoverable after a storm event. An absolute one year claim notification deadline should be established.
6. Eliminate Duplicative Remedies
Abuse: Lawyers allege causes of action under various statutory and common law theories. Some of these result in duplicative recoveries, such as trebling of damages, interest and attorneys fees.
Solution: Chapters 541 and 542 of the Texas Insurance Code should be the exclusive statutory remedy for insurance-related claims (eliminate DTPA and Finance Code remedies).
7. Knowing Standard for Statutory Penalties
Abuse: Under the Texas common law duty of good faith and fair dealing, an insurance carrier cannot be held liable if there exists a bona fide dispute as to coverage or payment of a claim. This standard is fair. It protects the insurance carrier from bad faith exposure when there is a legitimate dispute as to whether a claim is covered or whether a payment is owed. However, Section 542 of the Texas Insurance Code creates a strict liability standard for statutory penalties. The hail damage lawyers use this as leverage in negotiating settlements.
Solution: Create a bona fide dispute exception to statutory penalties under Section 542 of the Texas Insurance Code. There can be no liability if the reason the insurance carrier failed to timely pay the claim was a bona fide dispute as to whether the claim was covered or a payment was owed.
Notably, only one of these seven targeted changes (the last one, above) impacts the rights available to consumers under the Texas Insurance Code. That single change does not take away a consumers right to file suit when faced with improper insurance company conduct. The change only modifies the standard for recovering statutory interest and attorneys fees. Independent compensatory damages, treble damages, statutory interest and attorneys fees all remain fully recoverable when an insurance company knowingly engages in improper conduct.
Finally, two more comprehensive solutions should also be considered:
1. Allow Installation of Only UL Class 4 Hail Rated Shingles
Abuse: Texas building codes contain roof design requirements for wind, rain, snow and even foot traffic. But the codes say nothing about designing for our most common peril hail. Why is that? Its because the roofing shingle manufacturers have a good gig going in Texas (and they have a strong influence over the model building code authors). The manufacturers sell a 40 Year Shingle knowing very well that most Texas homes have their roofs replaced as a result of hail damage every 10 to 15 years. Do you think these manufacturers ever receive a warranty claim in year 39? Of course not. These same manufacturers market UL Class 4 Hail Rated Shingles that are made to withstand moderate sized hail. These products are already marketed and sold in Texas.
Solution: Mandate that only UL Class 4 Hail Rated Shingles are installed on Texas homes, for both new construction and when insurance proceeds are used to replace a roof after a hail event. Yes, there will be an increased cost for these shingles. Perhaps the legislature could provide the insurance industry with additional protections from litigation in exchange for industry agreement to absorb this additional cost. A radical proposal? Yes, but these are radical times. In the long run, both homeowners and insurance companies will benefit from such a requirement. Its just plain common sense that we should design for our most common peril. Right now we dont.
2. Regulate Insurance Restoration Contractors
Abuse: Every session there is a cry to license roofing contractors. Every session it falls on deaf ears. The problem is not limited to roofing contractors; it involves all contractors who get involved in the insurance restoration business. Out-of-state storm chasers only show up after a storm. The amount of insurance money floating around after these weather events is staggering. Most stories in the media of homeowners being taken by contractors involve insurance proceeds. Texas needs to regulate contractors who work on projects involving insurance proceeds. If a contractor doesnt want to be licensed, it doesnt have to work on insurance jobs.
Solution: Texas needs a consumer protection statute regulating the conduct of all insurance restoration contractors. Any type of contractor who is being paid on a construction project with insurance proceeds must be licensed, agree to maintain liability insurance, and agree to certain guidelines of ethical conduct (including never waiving deductibles).
Concluding ThoughtsUntil I Write Again in 2018
In 1970, Hurricane Celia struck the Corpus Christi coast. Damage was catastrophic. Faced with this ongoing risk exposure, many private insurers withdrew from the coastal insurance market. The following year, in 1971, the Texas legislature created the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, known today as TWIA, to ensure adequate windstorm coverage for the Texas coastal counties. Every legislative session brings disputes as to the funding of this quasi-governmental agency. No one likes the State of Texas being in the insurance business.
Unless the Texas legislature acts in the next session to address the hail lawsuit crisis, it is predictable that in a few years Texas will also have THIA the Texas Hailstorm Insurance Association. Like what occurred after Hurricane Celia, the private insurance market will withdraw from portions (if not all) of the Texas hail insurance market. It is already happening.
Most of the abuses, fraud and other illegal conduct fueling the Texas hail claims crisis can be remedied through legislative action. Balance can be restored a balance that provides the insurance company with protection from improper conduct and that provides the building owner with protection from improper conduct.
If nothing is done, the Texas hail claims feeding frenzy will continue unchecked. In two years from now Ill be back to write another follow-up article talking about how the private insurance market has stopped writing hail policies in Texas. I will be talking about the need for THIA.
Lets end the feeding frenzy, not for the benefit of my insurance company clients, but for the sake of all Texans who are the ultimate victims of this crisis.
Steven Badger represents the commercial property insurance industry, both as a plaintiff in large loss catastrophe subrogation and as a defendant in roofing related losses. Badgers practice is presently devoted entirely to addressing the emerging hail risk, with a specific focus on the identification of fraud, barratry and other illegal conduct occurring in these matters. He can be reached at sbadger@zelle.com
'Bless Me, Ultima,' Rudolfo Anaya's Controversial Novel, to Become Opera
Rudolfo Anaya's celebrated yet controversial 1972 novel, Bless Me, Ultima, will find new life as an opera. One of the most challenged books in the U.S. and the best-selling Chicano novel of all time, it was adapted as a feature film in 2013 by director Carl Franklin.
Albuquerque's National Hispanic Cultural Center is commissioning the work with the help of Opera Southwest. Tentatively scheduled to open in 2018, the opera will be written by Mexican-American composer Hector Armienta.
The book, a coming-of-age novel set in 1940s New Mexico, is often cited as the catalyst of the Chicano literary movement. Although sometimes banned in schools for its rough language, it is often required reading for many Southwestern students.
An Associated Press report highlighted New Mexico educators who assign the reading of Bless Me, Ultima to their pupils. University of New Mexico's Irene Vasquez, chair of the institution's Chicana and Chicano Studies Department, expressed her anticipation of the opera:
"This will give our students an incredible opportunity to bring the sounds of a narrative to life," Vasquez said. "Being able to attend an opera like this will be a great experience."
The aforementioned film version was financed by Tenaja Productions, an outfit headed by Walmart heiress Christy Walton. As a fan of the book, she reportedly established the company solely to fund the publication's screen adaptation.
The movie's forenamed director, Carl Franklin, is best known for his 1995 neo-noir picture, Devil in a Blue Dress, starring Denzel Washington and Don Cheadle. The auteur has also worked with stars like Eva Mendes and Billy Bob Thornton. Bless Me, Ultima, Franklin's latest production, was filmed in New Mexico in 2010.
Famed movie critic Roger Ebert gave the film 4 out of 4 stars at the time of its release. In his review, Ebert emphasized the tome's emblematic prestige:
"Although it was published only in 1972, Rudolfo Anaya's Bless Me, Ultima has achieved the iconic stature as such novels as The Grapes of Wrath and To Kill a Mockingbird. Now comes a movie to do it justice. Carl Franklin's film is true to the tone and spirit of the book."
We want to hear from you. Let us know if you've read Bless Me, Ultima in the comments section below.
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TagsBless Me Ultima, Rudolfo Anaya, Carl Franklin, Roger Ebert, Eva Mendes
STOW, Ohio-- An Alabama truck driver was sentenced Tuesday to 500 hours of community service for the death of a tow truck driver killed while changing someone's flat tire along the Ohio Turnpike in Hudson.
David Atkinson, 44, of Foley, Alabama also had his driver's license suspended for two years. Stow Municipal Court Judge Kim Hoover also ordered him to pay a $750 fine.
His semi struck 56-year-old Michael Kennedy of Ravenna the morning of May 11.
Atkinson pleaded no contest in February to vehicular manslaughter, a second-degree misdemeanor and failing to safely approach a vehicle displaying emergency lights.
Atkinson was driving a 2015 International semi 65 miles per hour eastbound on Interstate 80 east of the Boston Heights entrance ramp when he saw Kennedy working on a car on the side of the road.
A witness at the time said that Kennedy was wearing an emergency vest and that his emergency lights were on as he helped a 24-year-old man change a flat tire. Kennedy worked for Interstate Towing and Transport Specialists of Macedonia.
Atkinson, who worked for Flowerwood Trucking of Loxley, Alabama, told State Highway Patrol troopers that he tried to get over into the middle lane, as required by Ohio law, but was unable to do so because another vehicle was in the lane.
The trailer Atkinson was towing clipped Kennedy. He died instantly.
Ashok Bandi, the motorist Kennedy was helping, said at the time that Atkinson burst into tears when he saw what happened to Kennedy. Both Bandi and Atkinson called 911.
Atkinson had no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of the crash.
Kennedy's wife, Vicki Kennedy, sued both Atkinson and Flowerwood. The lawsuit says that Atkinson negligently caused Kennedy's death by failing to obey traffic laws.
Attorneys for Flowerwood and Atkinson wrote in court filings that Kennedy acted negligently and that his conduct was more to blame than Atkinson.
If you'd like to comment on this story, visit our crime and courts comments section.
Marcus Turner
Marcus Turner, right, is on trial in Summit County Common Pleas Court.
(Adam Ferrise, cleveland.com)
AKRON, Ohio -- An Akron man accused of fatally shooting a 21-year-old man he thought burglarized his home went on trial Tuesday for the second time in three years.
Marcus Turner, 39, is charged with murder and felonious assault in the Sept. 12, 2013 shooting of Amandeep Singh, 21. The case is being heard by Retired Visiting Judge H.F. Inderlied in Summit County Common Pleas Court.
A jury in 2013 deadlocked on the murder and felonious assault charges and prosecutors elected to try the case again. The jury found Turner not guilty of aggravated murder and guilty of possessing a weapon as a felon. He was sentenced to three years in prison for the gun conviction.
Assistant Summit County Prosecutor Jon Baumoel said Tuesday during his opening statement that Turner arrived home from his job at Summit Plastics the day before the shooting and noticed that someone broke into his apartment.
A television, Nintendo Wii video game system and a computer were stolen. Turner reported the break-in to police and named Singh and another man, Carlton Smith, 30, as the people he thought robbed him.
Turner's neighbor told him that she saw Smith and Singh leave his apartment with grocery bags earlier in the day.
The case was turned over to detectives. Baumoel said Turner got angry that Smith and Singh weren't immediately arrested. He said that Turner went over to Smith's apartment later that day with a gun. Nothing happened because Smith refused to go outside.
"He was seeking vengeance," Baumoel said. "He wanted wanted revenge. And he ended up obtaining revenge."
Smith and Singh walked out of Smith's apartment about 10:45 p.m. to buy cigarettes. Smith told police he saw Turner lurking around a corner with a gun and heard gunshots as he ran back to his apartment.
Baumoel said Turner fired several gunshots at Singh. One hit him in the buttocks. A second bullet went through the left side of his lower back and out his right thigh, severing a major artery.
Singh was taken to a hospital where he died about an hour later.
Baumoel said that prosecutors have cellphone records that put Turner at the scene. He also said a man visiting a neighbor will testify that he saw someone wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with a gun standing over Singh after the initial gunshot.
Surveillance video from a motel where Turner was staying shows him leaving the motel with a black hooded sweatshirt, Baumoel said.
Smith will also testify.
Baumoel said Smith is a career criminal who is currently serving an 18-month prison sentence for burglary and receiving stolen property. Baumoel said prosecutors offered him a reduced sentence in exchange for testifying.
Defense attorney Don Hicks said Smith's testimony is the prosecutor's only real evidence. He said Smith's testimony will be suspect for several reasons: the reduced sentence, because he told police that his memory of the shooting isn't very good and because he's a career criminal.
He said Smith has convictions dating to 2004 for burglary and drug charges.
"Carlton Smith is manipulative and cunning and their only source of information against Mr. Turner," Hicks said.
He also said Singh was on post-conviction supervision by the Ohio Adult Parole Authority after he served a two-year prison sentence for robbery.
Hicks said the police investigation was too quick and that investigators rushed to judgment after learning Turner believed Singh was responsible for his apartment being burglarized.
Hicks also noted that Turner has denied involvement in the shooting since it happened.
"We really do not have good enough evidence of what occurred that evening," Hicks said.
Schools list supplies for students
Boxes of crayons fill a back-to-school display at Target in this Plain Dealer file photo. The Ohio House of Representatives on Wednesday joined the Ohio Senate in approving a proposal for another Sales Tax Holiday this Aug. 5-7, after a University of Cincinnati Economic Research Center report says last year's event generated $4.7 million and saved taxpayers $3.3 million. The measure now heads to Gov. John Kasich for his signature.
(Thomas Ondrey, Plain Dealer file)
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Ohio House of Representatives on Wednesday joined the Ohio Senate in approving another back-to-school Sales Tax Holiday this Aug. 5-7, giving taxpayers who missed out on last year's event something to look forward to this summer. The measure is now awaiting Gov. John Kasich's signature.
Ohio Sen. Kevin Bacon wants to make the Ohio Sales Tax Holiday permanent.
Senate Bill 264, sponsored by Ohio Sen. Kevin Bacon, a Columbus-area Republican, uses nearly the exact language of last year's popular Sales Tax Holiday, letting shoppers buy clothing or shoes priced at up to $75 or school supplies and instructional materials up to $20 without paying state or local sales tax.
The tax-free event will be open to everyone shopping at Ohio stores, not just families with schoolchildren.
Last year's Ohio Sales Tax Holiday, which was intended to be a one-time-only event, ended up generating $4.7 million in sales tax revenues statewide and saved taxpayers $3.3 million on $46.75 million worth of back-to-school purchases, according to a study by the University of Cincinnati Economics Center. Consumers also snapped up items that were not tax-exempt.
The study, which is posted online at FocusonOhiosfuture.com/published-research , also showed a measurable increase in "cross-border" sales from out-of-state shoppers, because Ohio was the only state in the Midwest offering a sales tax holiday on back-to-school items.
Previous Plain Dealer stories:
"Those Ohio counties that border other states experienced a 15.48 percent increase in their sales tax collections, compared to an increase of 4.56 percent in non-border counties," said Julie Heath, Alpaugh Professor of Economics and director of the Economics Center.
"The 2015 sales tax holiday triggered 'Black Friday'-style increases in consumer activity, with consumers taking advantage of this tax break on important back-to-school and clothing items," said Gordon Gough, president and chief executive of the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants, in a written statement. "This year, we hope to build on that success and make it an even better event for consumers."
"Ohio's sales tax holiday also boosted state and local government revenues... and this new revenue resulted from a reduction in taxes, not an increase," he said.
The Ohio Council of Retail Merchants, founded in 1922, is Ohio's oldest and largest advocate for the retail industry, and represents more than 8,000 retailers statewide. Ohio's retail industry accounts for $43.3 billion of Ohio's annual Gross Domestic Product and employs 1.5 million people, or 1 in 4 Ohio jobs, making it one of the state's largest industries.
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It's that time again! Jim Cramer rang the lightning round bell, which means he gave his take on caller favorite stocks at rapid speed:
Palo Alto Networks : "You have to think about 2017-18. Apple which I reiterate that you should own and not sell because I'm taking a longer term view than everyone else is going to bring down Palo Alto to a level that you might want to buy some. I like that."
General Cable Corp : "It's got a good yield and it's in a good straight forward business and it fits the pattern of what I like here. So I think you're OK."
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TG Therapeutics : "Speculative stocks aren't working. We are just putting them away if we want a little spec. We don't like to spec in a declining market like this."
Fitbit : "Fitbit is a stock that is trying to work its way back. People are going to say wait a second, Apple is going to cut the price of the watch. These are very different businesses I like Fitbit for the long term. I always like to add that I have been wrong. I think it is important when you mention you're right, you've got to mention when you're wrong."
Boston Beer : "I didn't think it was that good of a quarter, the stock is up a lot. You know I favor Constellation with Modelo and Corona."
Quintiles Transnational Holding : "You know I like Quintiles. You need them to be able to get your drugs through the FDA."
BJ's Restaurants : "It's OK. The restaurant group has been in turmoil here. We are going to have Chipotle on tomorrow, let's see what they say ... I happen to think that if you can get it closer to $40 that might be a better situation."
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Donald Trump swept the five Republican primary contests, as his GOP rivals scrambled to stop him from securing the party's presidential nomination. The businessman won majorities rather than pluralities all the contests on Tuesday: Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island, according to NBC News. The results will make it tougher for Trump's competitors to limit his delegates and prevent him from winning the nomination outright, though Trump still may not reach the needed 1,237 before the party's convention in July. Pennsylvania was the night's biggest prize, with 71 delegates in total. However, only 17 of those are awarded by statewide vote, while 54 uncommitted delegates are elected.
Trump entered the contests with a 286 delegate lead over Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, according to NBC News. Coming into Tuesday, Cruz stood little chance of reaching a majority of pledged delegates, while Ohio Gov. John Kasich was mathematically eliminated from doing so. "I consider myself the presumptive nominee, absolutely," Trump said from New York on Tuesday night, contending his competitors have "no path to victory."
An Amish buggy travels past the White Marsh Elementary School, which today is serving as a polling station, April 26, 2016 in Mechanicsville, Maryland. Getty Images
The Cruz and Kasich campaigns on Sunday night announced they would coordinate to curb Trump's votes. Cruz will focus his campaign on next Tuesday's Indiana's primary, while Kasich will channel his efforts into Oregon and New Mexico. By holding back on campaigning in certain states, they hope to consolidate the non-Trump vote. The effort was met with some skepticism. Speaking to supporters in Indiana on Tuesday night, Cruz shrugged off the losses and said the primaries would move to more "favorable terrain." "The media is going to say 'the race is over.' ... But I've got good news for you. Tonight, this campaign moves back to favorable terrain," Cruz said.
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The Colorado-based Janus Capital Group reported quarterly earnings on Tuesday and while it missed analysts expectations, its CEO says the company is "on path." "Five years ago, or a little more than that, I got here and said, 'We need to repair the firm, we need to strengthen the fundamental balance sheet, we need to strengthen the investment team by adding talent and bringing in the right people,' " Dick Weil told CNBC's "Power Lunch." "From there we really need to focus on our clients and grow the firm." The company reported earnings per share at 19 cents, which missed Reuters analysts expectations of 20 cents. Janus Capital also missed top-line estimates by nearly 2 percent at $249 million in comparison with revenue expectations of $253.8 million. Weil told CNBC that a volatile market influenced first-quarter results, but the firm has seen assets under management recover along with the broader market.
"Quarterly results will vary, they vary with a lot of things: with the markets, with investment performance, with individual client idiosyncratic decisions," he said. "I don't focus so much on that in my role, what I try to do is make sure that we are on a path." The Janus stock is down two percent in the past week, but up 8 percent in the past month. As part of his strategy to hire top talent at the firm, the former global head of Pimco Advisory brought to Janus former Pimco employee and co-founder Bill Gross, to lead its Unconstrained Bond fund. Popularly known as the "bond king," Bill Gross is outperforming his peers at Pimco, according to Morningstar. The investment research firm reported that in the past year Gross' Janus Fund is down nearly 3 percent, while Pimco's is down 6 percent. "His results are excellent," Weil said. "He's just the best in the business and there's no better unconstrained bond manager out there; he's beating now 83 percent of his peers on a one-year basis."
Locally produced, globally distributed content is the future of Netflix , the company's co-founder and CEO told CNBC on Wednesday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Pay-TV Operators (APOS) summit in Bali, Reed Hastings said the streaming service would invest heavily in international programming that would be released to all markets simultaneously, such as upcoming French television series "Marseilles" and South Korean film "Okja."
"We're just adding so much content around the world...we hope to be producing content all around the world. That's the future for Netflix: local production, global distribution."
The move appears aimed at boosting international subscriptions, often cited by analysts as a potential weak spot. Despite a growing user base, Netflix currently earns less per international subscriber than per American customer.
Last week, the firm reported first-quarter results that were double analyst expectations and announced a net gain of 6.74 million memberships2.23 million in the U.S. and 4.51 million internationallythat also beat Wall Street estimates. But Netflix's guidance of adding 500,000 net U.S. subscribers and 2 million internationally in the second quarter was lower than market expectations.
Producing more foreign-focused television and film could also appease users' complaints of limited content in overseas markets. For example, the company's most popular series, "House of Cards," isn't available in Singapore, which sparked a user backlash when the service launched in the island-state back in January.
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One start-up is taking a new-school approach to financial aid, connecting with millennials on their mobile devices. "We help them save time, get more free aid and build trust to help with all money decisions throughout college," said Kelly Peeler, founder of NextGenVest.
Learning the ropes
Peeler's idea came from studying financial crises while at Harvard College, "I believe the next financial crisis is rooted in the student loan market," she told CNBC. So Peeler founded NextGenVest in 2013 as a platform to help students navigate major financial decisions, and the company does this by engaging with teens in their own language: over texts and other mobile apps like Snapchat. Trained "Money Mentors" assist users during the often confusing financial aid application process, by identifying scholarships and helping students to develop a budget. "Students leave $2.7 billion on the table every year in free federal aid and substitute with loans because the application process is very complex, confusing and unguided, leaving the average student with a debt burden of $33,000," Peeler told CNBC. The 24/7 text-message service is free, and can be accessed by texting "I want help paying for college" to the start-up's hotline number. NextGenVest would not disclose its number of users but Peeler claims, "We help thousands of students across 40 states," adding, "to some extent, we're their sixth most texted person."
Roll call
But Angel Investor Nat Burgess questioned the start-up's profitability. According to Peeler, 17 states require high school students to take personal finance courses, so NextGenVest sells its digital financial education platform to schools nationwide. "We currently charge schools around $1,000 to $1,500, depending on the school size," said Peeler. But the start-up also said it plans to add premium services, like helping students open their first bank accounts, which Peeler said should be useful for students transitioning into a university lifestyle. "As a student goes into college, we know where they're going to college, we know, generally speaking, how much they have in student loans. And we can really curate and customize different financial products for them, to continue to save them time and nudge them so that they're on the right track," Peeler told CNBC. Nikhil Kalghatgi, a Partner at Vast Ventures, wondered how NextGenVest builds enough trust to retain its millennial user base. Peeler boiled it down to how they communicate with their young users. The start-up introduces GIFs and emojis into all text message conversations, and uses Snapchat to provide students with key financial aid deadlines. And responses are not automated. "We also start a conversation in a really personal way and introduce a real human to them," said Peeler. The New York City-based start-up is currently in its seed round of funding. Peeler told CNBC NextGenVest plans to expand its services to guide users through "all of their major money decisions through college and beyond."
In a town where proximity to power is a measure of clout, Google's ties with the Obama administration in Washington, D.C., are unrivaled among its tech and telecom peers. At least in sheer quantity. Google's head of public policy has met with White House officials 128 times over the course of the Obama administration* more visits than the telecom and cable industry combined, according to the nonpartisan watchdog group Campaign for Accountability.
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Fueled by DirecTV buy, AT&T sales top $40 billion Johanna Shelton visited with White House representatives nearly twice as often as the next most frequent visitor, Alissa Fox of Blue Cross/Blue Shield, who met with White House officials 75 times, the group found.
The information was released as part of the watchdog group's Google Transparency Project, which is intended to shed light on how the giant corporation influences government officials and public policy. The Campaign for Accountability says its has spent a year collecting and interpreting thousands of pages of public records and online documents to create this database. The nonprofit declined to share its funding source. Earlier this week, The Intercept published a report with prior figures on Google's proximity to the White House, but it did not include the chart above.
Google declined to comment, but the company did point us to an official blog post from a year ago addressing similar critiques from News Corp Chairman Rupert Murdoch. The post, a punchy number written by former policy chief Rachel Whetstone, noted that Google's visits to the White House addressed a wide range of issues, including patent reform, self-driving cars and technical assistance with the Healthcare.gov website.
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Americans are in more pain than any other population around the world. At least, that's the conclusion that can be drawn from one startling number from recent years: Approximately 80 percent of the global opioid supply is consumed in the United States. Pain drugs are the second-largest pharmaceutical class globally, after cancer medicines. "There was about 300 million pain prescriptions written in 2015," Irina Koffler, senior analyst, specialty pharma, Mizuho Securities USA, told CNBC. The 300 million pain prescriptions equal a $24 billion market, Koffler said, but it's not a market evenly divided around the globe. Rampant use of opioids in the United States, which represents only 5 percent of the global population, points to a larger divide between affluent nations and the rest of the world when it comes to prescription painkillers. "If you include Canada and Western Europe, [consumption of global opioid supply] increases to 95 percent, so the remaining countries only have access to about 5 percent of the opioid supply," said Vikesh Singh, assistant professor of medicine and director of the Pancreatitis Center at Johns Hopkins University. In most countries, the use of opioid prescriptions is limited to acute hospitalization and trauma, such as burns, surgery, childbirth and end-of-life care, including patients with cancer and terminal illnesses. But in the United States, every adult in America can have "a bottle of pills and then some," U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has said publicly.
Portland Fire Deputy Chief Terry Walsh responds to a possible heroin overdose by an 18-year-old male in Portland, ME on July 4, 2015. Linda Davidson | The Washington Post | Getty Images
Based on 2015 sales, the top five opioid products were made by Purdue Pharma, Johnson & Johnson , Insys Therapeutics , Mylan and Depomed , according to EvaluatePharma, a life sciences market intelligence firm, which tracks sales. A Purdue Pharma spokesman said its products represent only 2 percent of all opioid prescriptions, but even so, "we've led the pharmaceutical industry in developing medications with abuse-deterrent properties, and we've long supported the use of prescription-drug monitoring programs, better physician education," and law enforcement access to anti-overdose drugs.
The other pharmaceutical companies did not provide comment by press time.
The 80 percent figure for U.S. consumption has been cited in various studies, including a December 2014 Express Script report. The latest year for which fatality statistics are available is also 2014: 28,000 people died from opioid overdoses, according to the CDC the highest number on record. More than 14,000 of these deaths were linked to prescription opioids (an increase in this category of 693 since 2013), or roughly 40 deaths per day. A recent survey by the National Safety Council revealed that about 99 percent of physicians exceed the recommended three-day dosage limit, with a quarter of them writing prescriptions for a full month and thus overprescribing these types of medications. "The majority of ... these misused prescription opioids are coming from legally written prescriptions," Surgeon General Murthy has said.
When a problem is moving quickly, Congress is always going to be a little bit behind in catching up, but I feel like there's a clear awareness now of how serious this problem really is. Senator Pat Toomey, R-Penn.
The situation is causing politicians, advocacy groups and government organizations to enact stricter measures when it comes to prescribing some of these powerful painkillers. "When a problem is moving quickly, Congress is always going to be a little bit behind in catching up, but I feel like there's a clear awareness now of how serious this problem really is," said Senator Pat Toomey, R-Penn., in an interview with CNBC. Americans consume approximately 99 percent of one specific opioid, called hydrocodone, a powerful painkiller. The Drug Enforcement Agency reclassified hydrocodone from a schedule III to a schedule II drug in 2014 because of its potentially high risk for misuse and abuse. Drugs like Abbvie's Vicodin (a branded version of hydrocodone that commanded 46 percent of the nation's prescription painkiller market in 2013, according to Express Scripts), cannot be administered as freely as they were before; patients now have to bring a physical prescription to a pharmacy in order to get it filled. Abbvie did not respond to a request for comment. There was a 27 percent decline in sales for hydrocodone from 20132015, Koffler told CNBC.
Physicians and lawmakers point to several potential causes as the reasons for the current epidemic. They include doctors who prescribe these medications to patients without fully explaining side effects; payments to physicians from pharmaceutical companies; aggressive marketing by drug companies downplaying addiction risk; and patient advocate groups that insist people with chronic pain get the medications that relieve their symptoms right away. Painkiller critics have also recently been speaking out against hospital surveys they feel encourage the overprescription of opioids in the hospital and clinical settings. Doctors can receive better survey evaluations based on whether or not they gave a patient the medications they wanted, not necessarily those that suited them best. Toomey's focus had been on trying to prevent and control what is referred to as "doctor shopping," the practice of using multiple doctors to keep receiving painkiller prescriptions. "In a single year, about 170,000 Medicare beneficiaries were doctor shopping ... going to multiple doctors to get the same opioid prescriptions and then going to multiple pharmacies and getting them all filled," Toomey told CNBC. A tool called "Lock-In" is now being used by Medicaid and many private insurers. It locks the patient into a single doctor and pharmacy so that prescriptions can be tracked more easily. Legislation was recently passed to add Medicare to the Lock-In program, which would save taxpayers around $100 million per year, according to the Government Accountability Office.
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A customer compares the iPhone SE (left) and the iPhone 6S (right) at an Apple Store in Hangzhou, China.
Apple strengthened its hold on the high-end smartphone market in mainland China in the March quarter, a new report showed, just a day after the tech giant's broader Chinese sales numbers for the period sent investors into a tailspin.
The Nielsen Device Share report, released Thursday, revealed that Apple increased its on-quarter marketshare by 0.94 percent in the three months to the end of March, for smartphones priced 2,000 yuan ($308) and above.
Despite the gains in marketshare in high-end phones in the January to March quarter, Apple had said sales in mainland China fell 11 percent on a reported basis and 7 percent on a constant currency basis.
"Apple's share increase [from January to March] was much lower than Q1 2015, where Apple added more than 2 percent market share," James Gong, vice president of Nielsen China, told CNBC. "Adding less market share translates into lower sales."
Gong added that "this doesn't mean that Apple is not doing well in China, where the iPhone is still the ultimate choice for Chinese premium smartphone consumers."
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Andrew Wong | Getty Images
Stateside, shares of Apple suppliers dropped in after-hours trading, with Skyworks Solutions dropping more than 5 percent.
The Cupertino, California-based tech giant reported fiscal second-quarter revenue of $50.56 billion, down 13 percent from the $58.01 billion reported in the comparable year-ago period. Quarterly net income for the period was at $10.5 billion and earnings was at $1.90 per diluted share.
This fell short of Wall Street's expectation of earnings of about $2 a share on $51.97 billion in revenue, according to a consensus estimate from Thomson Reuters.
Apple shares fell more than 8 percent in after-hours trading stateside, erasing more than $46 billion in market capitalization. A key area of decline in Apple's quarterly numbers was from Greater China, where revenue fell by 26 percent on-year.
Apple CEO Tim Cook told analysts in an earnings call that currency headwinds hurt sales in Hong Kong. Cook also admitted in the earnings call the smartphone market was not growing, attributing it to a passing "overhang of the macroeconomic environment in many different places of the world." Second-quarter iPhone revenue dropped 36.36 percent on-quarter.
Investors may have been focused on the decline in iPhone shipments when Apple reported its latest quarterly results on Tuesday, but there was one bright spot which could be a key driver of growth for the U.S. technology giant: Services.
This section in Apple's earnings includes products like Apple Pay, Apple Music, iTunes and the App Store and is now the second biggest segment in terms of revenues, outstripping both iPad and Macs.
Revenue from services came in at $5.99 billion in the fiscal second quarter topping analyst estimates of $5.78 billion, according to StreetAccount. This was a 20 percent rise from the same period last year, highlighting the focus Apple has been putting on the segment.
As the overall smartphone market matures and users wait for a new iPhone model, focusing on services that give recurring revenues will be crucial for Apple, analysts said, especially since the company has an customer base of 1 billion across all its devices.
"Focusing on services is the best strategy and the increase is quite remarkable. They are starting to fully explore the 1 billion users in its customer base and it is one of the best customer bases a company can have," Francisco Jeronimo, research director for European mobile devices at IDC, told CNBC in a phone interview.
"If they continue through normal sales of iPhone there is not much they can do in terms of hardware and bringing something new. The next iPhone will be an incremental upgrade, not a revolution. So services are the only way they can keep momentum or revenues."
Jeronimo added that the current 13 million subscriber number for Apple Music, which chief executive Tim Cook announced yesterday, was small in comparison to the over 1 billion install base of Apple devices, so there was big room to grow.
An operator for Baker Hughes conducts a wireline survey on a Chesapeake Energy natural gas rig in the North Texas Barnett Shale near Burleson, Texas.
Baker Hughes shares have suffered mightily over the past year, plunging 33 percent, and CEO Martin Craighead said in a statement there could be more trouble ahead.
The company reported a first-quarter earnings per share loss of $1.58, much larger the expected loss of 34 cents. Revenue came in $2.67 billion, also below estimates.
Baker Hughes ' stock rose about 2.5 percent Wednesday after the oilfield services giant posted a much bigger-than-expected quarterly loss.
"In the second quarter, we forecast the North America rig count to fall 30 percent compared to the first quarter average. For the second half of the year, we project the U.S. rig count will begin to stabilize, although we do not expect activity to meaningfully increase in 2016. Conversely, the international rig count is predicted to drop steadily through the end of the year as we see limited new projects in the pipeline," he said.
The results from Baker Hughes, which is to be bought by bigger rival Halliburton , come three days ahead of a deadline set by the companies to get regulatory approval for the deal.
BHI in the last year
CNBC's Juan Aruego and Reuters contributed to this report.
Dennis Muilenburg, Chief Executive Officer of The Boeing Company Sanjeev Verma | Hindustan Times | Getty Images
Boeing on Wednesday reported earnings that missed analysts' expectations but posted better-than-expected revenues driven by higher deliveries of military aircraft.
The Dow component posted first-quarter earnings per share of $1.74, compared with $1.97 a share in the year-earlier period. Revenue for the quarter came in at $22.63 billion against the year-earlier figure of $22.15 billion. Analysts expected the airplane maker to report earnings per share of $1.82 on revenue of $21.44 billion, according to a Thomson Reuters consensus estimate.
The stock traded closed nearly 3 percent higher Wednesday.
Despite a boost from military deliveries, the company was weighed down by investments in a tanker program, which is in the midst of a transition, according to CEO Dennis Muilenburg. The company recorded a tanker charge of $156 million or 24 cents per share in the quarter, as it develops the KC-46 aerial refueling tanker for the Air Force.
BA in 2016
"Our teams are focused intensely on delivering on our existing commitments including the production ramp-up associated with our large and diverse backlog, accelerating progress on quality, safety and productivity improvements company wide, returning greater value to shareholders through profitable growth, and investing in the future as we enter our second century in business," Muilenburg said in a statement.
Commercial aircraft deliveries fell 4.3 percent to 176.
Boeing shares took a tumble in the first quarter of the year, falling 12.21 percent they have fallen nearly 7 percent year to date.
Boston Scientific rose more than 11 percent Wednesday after the firm reported better-than-expected quarterly results, boosted by a strong cardiovascular business.
The stock also hit its highest levels in almost 10 years and was on pace for its best daily performance since Feb. 18
Sales in the company's cardiovascular business, which is also its biggest and includes catheters and heart stents, rose 11 percent to $790 million in the first quarter
Boston Scientific posted earnings per share of 28 cents, excluding items, on revenue of $1.96 billion. Analysts polled by Reuters expected the firm to report earnings per share of 24 cents and revenue of $1.91 billion.
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Quitting the European Union (EU) would be a "tax" on the U.K. economy, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warned on Wednesday. "A U.K. exit (Brexit) would be a major negative shock to the U.K. economy, with an economic fallout in the rest of the OECD, particularly other European countries," the body, which represents 34 major international economies, said in a report published Wednesday. "In some respects, Brexit would be akin to a tax on GDP, imposing a persistent and rising cost on the economy that would not be incurred if the U.K.," it added.
Getty Images
Unveiling the report in London, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria told reporters that "the responsibility borne by British voters is very serious indeed. It will be an act of intergenerational responsibility." "The Brexit tax would be a pure deadweight loss. a cost incurred with no economic benefit and this tax would not be a one-off levy. Britons would be paying it for many years," he added. U.K. citizens will vote on June 23 on whether the country should remain a member of the 28-country EU or quit in a so-called Brexit. The vote is set to be a close one with both the Bank of England and the U.K. Treasury warning of the potential economic cost of leaving the union. "All the numbers under a Brexit scenario are negative," Gurria said on Wednesday. "The best outcomes under a Brexit are worse than remaining and the worst outcomes are very bad indeed."
Obama wades in
Even U.S. President Barack Obama has stepped in, telling a joint press conference with Prime Minister David Cameron last weekend that negotiating a new U.K.-U.S. trade deal might take as long as a decade if the U.K. left the EU. Gurria warned that any hopes that Britain would be in a strong position to renegotiate a trade deal with the EU was a "delusion." "The U.K. would be starting from scratch," he told reporters Wednesday. "You would be facing an embittered, freshly rejected much larger trading partner with a very clear incentive to make Brexit costly just in case somebody was thinking of following ... the same path."
Last week, the U.K. Treasury forecast U.K. households would be up to 5,200 worse off per year by 2030 in a Brexit.
The OECD on Wednesday was a little less bearish, forecasting a 3,200 hit to households. It said U.K. GDP would be more than 3 percent smaller by 2020 than if the country remained in the EU and more than 5 percent lower by 2030. "Brexit would also hold back GDP in other European economies, particularly in the near-term, resulting from (the) heightened uncertainty (it) would create about the future of Europe," the report added.
All about migration
One major catalyst for the referendum was U.K. citizens' fears that high immigration was fueled by the right to free movement of people throughout the EU, which is entrenched in European law. There are therefore concerns a Brexit vote might hit migration and the economic benefits it brings. On Wednesday, the OECD said immigration had accounted for one-half of U.K. GDP growth since 2005, resulting in a stronger labor force growth and helping ameliorate the challenge of an ageing population. It forecast a net inward annual decline of 84,000 people between 2019 and 2023 in a Brexit scenario.
Earlier on Wednesday, the U.K.'s National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) reported Brexit would have "significant and damaging" effects on British companies by restricting their ability to employ migrants. NIESR said employers found it difficult to attract British workers to low-skilled jobs, while non-EU migrants were often overqualified and recruiting them was costly and time-consuming because they needed visas.
Growth already weakening
If you need divine guidance on which way to vote in the forthcoming U.K. referendum on European Union (EU) membership, the Church of England has released a prayer to help that could help you decide.
The Church has published a "Prayer for the EU referendum campaign" on its website that can be used by churches and individuals ahead of the vote on June 23, the church said.
And here It is:
"God of truth,
give us grace to debate the issues in this referendum
with honesty and openness.
Give generosity to those who seek to form opinion
and discernment to those who vote,
that our nation may prosper
and that with all the peoples of Europe
we may work for peace and the common good;
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen."
The appeal for "honesty and openness" in the debate over a so-called "Brexit" could be good advice for campaigners for both the "Leave" and "Remain" camps, who have accused each other of fear-mongering and negative campaigning in their attempts to sway voters.
Those in the "Vote Leave" camp say Britain should leave the EU in order to regain its sovereignty, control of its borders and trade affairs. Those in the "Britain stronger in Europe" group say that the country is better-off in the EU in terms of security, the economy and political strength.
But even though Trump briefly scoffed at Clinton's gender-based campaign last night, and he doubled down on it after being goaded by Good Morning America anchor Chris Cuomo this morning, he's still curiously keeping almost all of his powder dry against his presumptive general election foe. Just look at Trump's infamous Twitter feed and you'll be hard-pressed to find any mention of Mrs. Clinton at all. When you do find one, it's almost never without it also being a part of an attack on Senator Ted Cruz or another Republican rival. We can argue about whether most voters like a really nasty campaign, but it's not debatable that if Trump wants more GOP support, he should direct that nastiness against a Democrat who makes just about every Republican's skin crawl.
We can speculate about why he hasn't made this no-brainer decision. One reason is that while born to great wealth, Trump is still such a street fighter at heart that he cannot divorce himself from any scuffle no matter what the bigger picture. As long as Cruz and Governor John Kasich are still in the race, Trump doesn't seem able to resist bashing them. Another possible reason is that Trump has famously not been advised or just hasn't been listening to true campaign professionals until recently. No one with any political campaign managing experience above a race for dog catcher would advise Trump to keep bashing his GOP rivals, but then again it seems like hardly anyone has been advising him at all.
Tech giant Facebook crushed analyst estimates when it reported first-quarter results on Wednesday.
The company reported adjusted first quarter earnings of 77 cents per share on revenue of about $5.38 billion. Analysts had expected Facebook to report earnings of about 62 cents per share on $5.26 billion in revenue, according to a consensus estimate from Thomson Reuters.
In fact, Facebook's earnings per share figure was 10 percent better than the highest estimate of 41 Wall Street analysts.
Shares in the company jumped more than 9 percent in after-hours trading following the announcement. If Facebook were to open at those levels on Thursday, it would easily exceed its all-time high share price of $117.59.
Facebook also said it was proposing the creation of new class C shares. If the proposal is approved, shareholders would get two C shares for each class A or class B share they own. This would potentially allow Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to sell some of his shares while still maintaining control of the company.
"We're focused on the long term, and that's the main reason for today's proposal," Zuckerberg said at the top of the company's earnings call. "Facebook has always been a founder-led company so we can focus on our mission and build long-term value."
Zuckerberg has previously pledged to give most of his wealth to charity largely through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
"This proposal is designed to create a capital structure that will, among other things, allow us to remain focused on Mr. Zuckerberg's long-term vision for our company and encourage Mr. Zuckerberg to remain in an active leadership role at Facebook," the company said in its earnings release.
Zuckerberg said his control over Facebook has allowed it to successful turn to mobile and make bets on acquisitions like Instagram "that were very controversial initially, but were good decisions for our community and our business."
"Facebook has been built by a series of bold moves, and when I look out at the future I see more bold moves ahead of us than behind us," he said.
The adoption of the proposal is subject to the approval of Facebook shareholders at its 2016 annual meeting of Stockholders in June, the company said.
Editor's note: Santelli Extra is a bonus segment not seen on TV featuring Rick and his guest for that day. The interviews are longer and go deeper into the topics Rick cares about. Richard Fisher, former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, told Rick Santelli that it's time for investors to pay the piper for the years of easy money that fueled a seven-year bull market. "Trees don't grow to the sky ... at some point, you have to pay that back," said Fisher. "The question is who has the bravery to at least initiate what is more normal monetary policy so we don't have this misallocation of assets." Watch the full interview below. More premium content from CNBC Pro: Top tech investor: Apple bulls better pray iPhone 7 is a hit Citi: How to play the dollar's fall Pro Talks: Strategy session with billionaire investor Howard Marks
Editor's note: Santelli Extra is a bonus segment not seen on TV featuring Rick and his guest for that day. The interviews are longer and go deeper into the topics Rick cares about.
Richard Fisher, former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, told Rick Santelli that it's time for investors to pay the piper for the years of easy money that fueled a seven-year bull market. "Trees don't grow to the sky ... at some point, you have to pay that back," said Fisher. "The question is who has the bravery to at least initiate what is more normal monetary policy so we don't have this misallocation of assets." Watch the full interview below.
Food waste is a major and growing problem in the U.S.
Americans waste up to 50 percent more food than U.S. consumers did in the 1970s, according to National Institutes of Health. And the government last year declared its first ever, national food waste reduction goals.
Now food waste and trash in general are getting to be such big problems that pockets of many U.S. cities are having a difficult time managing rubbish on trash days. (Just try to walk along narrow sidewalks in a New York City neighborhood on trash day. Add frozen mounds of snow to the mix, and forget it.) The garbage, in turn, takes more money and energy to transport to landfill space that's also limited.
This all partly explains why some U.S. cities have been trying out in-sink, electric garbage disposals as a way to reduce trash and transform food scraps into renewable sources of energy.
In the high-density Point Breeze neighborhood of south Philadelphia, for example, streets are tight. "There's very little place to store trash," said Carlton Williams, a Philadelphia city official. He made the comments in a video for the city.
After a two-year-plus pilot program between Philadelphia and InSinkErator, a business unit of Emerson , the city now requires in-sink food waste disposers in new residential construction. The regulation went into effect earlier this year. It was signed into law in late 2015.
"It's counterintuitive that using a disposer somehow is good for the environment," Michael Keleman, an environmental engineer for Emerson, tells CNBC. And yes, using garbage disposers require water and electricity.
Shares of H&R Block were the biggest laggards in the S&P 500 Wednesday, plunging because of a disappointing tax season.
H&R Block said the number of U.S. tax returns handled during this tax season fell by nearly 6 percent, prompting the company to make some structural changes to its business. H&R stock closed down 13.56 percent at $20.59 per share, near its lowest level since January 2013.
The tax preparation firm said it will lay off 250 employees as part of a cost-cutting effort. It also plans to realign its operations, with a number of leadership changes, including CFO Greg Macfarlane's move to an operational role. The company said it would give more information when it releases annual results on June 9.
Urena added that "they believe it was an isolated incident and that there is nobody else on campus or in the public that are at risk."
Sgt. Andrea Urena of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office confirmed that no other individuals were involved in the incident.
The body of a male employee was found dead at Apple 's headquarters in Cupertino, California, on Wednesday morning.
"This is currently a coroner's case, and we don't have further details at this time. It will be up to the coroner to determine the manner and cause of death," Urena said.
The sheriff's office said it was unable to provide further information on the case at the moment, but that Apple's campus is open.
Urena said that Santa Clara County Coroner's investigators would conduct an autopsy to ascertain the cause and manner of death. She said authorities were not searching for any suspects.
The San Jose Mercury News, citing emergency dispatch calls, said initial calls to police reported a man with a head wound.
Dispatch audio posted on the newspaper's website also shows that the unidentified victim was found in a conference room on the campus with a gun.
Recode and others later reported that Apple had released a statement, in which it called the death a "tragic loss of a young and talented coworker," and said Apple was working to support the man's family, friends and coworkers.
The so-called Infinite Loop campus was calm on a cold and windy day in suburban Cupertino. A vehicle for the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department could be spotted in the parking lot, as well as a handful of white Apple security vehicles with flashing yellow lights on top.
The Infinite Loop campus is the hub for Apple's vast workforce in Cupertino, which numbers 16,000 employees, according to a 2013 report on the company's economic impact. The company is constructing another campus in the city, a massive loop of glass often likened to a spaceship.
CNBC's Mary Catherine Wellons, NBC's Chiara Sottile, and Reuters contributed to this report.
NASA is looking for ideas from the U.S. space industry for an advanced Mars orbiter that the agency hopes to launch in the 2020s. Boeing , Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman are among the companies expressing initial interest.
The space agency already has a series of orbiters at Mars, although some of them are aging and need replacement. Also, older orbiters cannot handle the higher bandwidth necessary for not just data but voice, video and other critical functions that could later support human exploration of the red planet.
"The orbiters play a key role in that communication cycle and provides us a critical infrastructure that we use today and will continue to use into the future all the way through the time that humans will be exploring Mars," said Jim Green, NASA's planetary science division director.
According to a NASA statement last week, the new orbiter would provide high-resolution imaging and advanced communications capabilities. It could also offer optical communication technology, which could increase transmission speed and allow the agency to carry more data and have greater flexibility for missions. Also, the future orbiter may use high-power solar electric propulsion to improve overall performance and capabilities in deep space.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory plans to award multiple concept study subcontracts with a price of $400,000 per subcontract in June. The companies selected in the process would have four months to complete the concept studies for the spacecraft.
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Increasing sales of new products and growing demand for vaccines and consumer healthcare goods helped lift GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) 's sales figures 8 percent in the first quarter to 6.2 billion ($9.1 billion), the company announced Wednesday. The British drugmaker added that its newly launched respiratory and HIV medicines had offset falling sales of ageing lung treatment Advair. "We think this is a strong solid quarter for the company, especially because we are seeing good, healthy performance across all three of our businesses pharma, vaccine and consumer," outgoing chief executive Andrew Witty told CNBC on Wednesday.
However, net profit for the quarter was down 97 percent to 352 million pounds, with earnings per share at 5.8 pence. Both figures reflected the one-off boost last year from of the company's oncology disposal.
Future uncertain
GSK is the U.K.'s biggest pharmaceutical company, with a market capitalization of around 71 billion ($103 billion). It is a time of uncertainty for GSK, with Witty, a 31-year company veteran, set to retire in March next year.
The company's respiratory division has been under pressure, with sales of its flagship Advair drug at risk from the expected U.S. entry of generic alternatives in 2017. "When you combine Breo (GSK's newer asthma drug) with our established product, Advair, we have been able to essentially hold our position, despite all the pressure we have been under in that Advair marketplace. That's a huge improvement from the previous two years," Witty told CNBC on Wednesday.
GSK's ViiV healthcare unit, which specializes in HIV treatment, performed well. "In America alone, our HIV new products sold exactly the same amount as out Advair product in the U.S., so this shows you how quickly the replacement of Advair is taking place," Witty told CNBC. However, ongoing restructuring savings have driven earnings per share growth lower, following from the company's three-part transaction with rival Novartis last year. (GSK acquired Novartis's global vaccine business and divested its oncology division.) The company's reputation remains tarnished by a major bribery scandal in China and investors have previously complained about flagging sales and profits.
ChinaFotoPress | Getty Images
Some such as Neil Woodford, one of the U.K.'s best-known fund managers, have called for GSK's consumer health division to be spun off.
Witty was bullish on the unit's performance on Wednesday, saying it had a portfolio of "extraordinary brands." He added that GSK's three business lines functioned well together but conceded there were other ways they might be structured. "All of these businesses are getting bigger and bigger and it would be wrong to suggest there could not be alternative structures. But in my view and I think, absolutely the view of the board of GSK is that over the next few years, the right strategy is the one we are deploying," he told CNBC.
Brexit means... regulation
Witty said that from GSK's perspective, it would be better if the U.K. remained in the European Union (EU). U.K. citizens will vote on whether to leave the 28-country political union and trade zone in a referendum on June 23. Leaving the EU would fuel uncertainty and create the need for new regulation in the U.K. in place of existing EU rules, Witty said. "We can't see the value of the uncertainty that would be created from leaving and also the need to create new regulation ... In an area like ours, where we are heavily regulated, that's not necessarily something we think is massively value-added," he told CNBC.
"Certainly from a GSK perspective, we are ready for any outcome, but the best outcome is to remain," Witty later added.
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Patenting
PSA Peugeot Citroen PSA posted a 1.4 percent drop in first-quarter group sales, dragged down by negative currency effects, but the French carmaker said it was more optimistic about the European auto market this year.
Quarterly revenue reached 12.998 billion euros ($14.68 billion), Peugeot said on Wednesday, down from 13.185 billion a year ago. Sales rose 1.5 percent at constant exchange rates.
After years of central banks propping up the financial system and easing the borrowing conditions of national governments, one analyst has predicted that the next big wave of cash flooding an economy could come from increased military spending.
"Simple idea, what if (the next round of quantitative easing) shows up in the form of defense spending? And, I think we are seeing that," Pippa Malmgren, the founder of consultancy DRPM, told CNBC Wednesday.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter talks to troops from the 82nd Airborne Division at the Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq, July 23, 2015. Carolyn Kaster | Reuters
Malmgren - who served on President George W Bush's National Economic Council as an adviser on financial market issues - said that NATO, China, the U.S. and Europe had all hiked the budgets for their military. Europe, she added, had done so because of "the perception of (an) increasing threat from Russia."
"It's all occurring in sectors that have other businesses like space, cyberspace and things to do with the high seas. So we should watch those areas, it's a bit of a scary notion I realize but it's a danger that we drift into a new Cold War kind of environment and the spending comes in the form of defense," she said.
The U.S. Federal Reserve started aggressively expanding its balance sheet shortly after the global financial crash of 2008, in a program that became known as QE 1. After a short break, the Fed started a second program in 2010, before launching its third open-ended $85 billion-a-month program in late 2012.
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Malmgren didn't specify that increased military spending would be linked to any kind of central bank policy but increased investment by governments is usually facilitated by the issuing of bonds, which have been the asset of choice for many policymakers since the financial crash.
Emphasizing Malmgren's comments, a report at the end of last year by IHS Jane's detailed the extra cash that is being redirected by global governments. The analysis firm said Russia's defense spending had increased at its fastest rate in a decade in 2015. It also said that NATO will likely boost its military budget in 2016 for the first time since 2010.
SeongJoon Cho | Bloomberg | Getty Images
GE making a hot sauce from the hottest peppers on record may seem out of the company's wheelhouse. But according to Thrillist Media Group, if you look at what millennials like to read about online, hot sauce makes the perfect marketing vehicle. "A lot of publishers think that content begins and ends on the screen, but to us it goes past that," said Jody Rones, Thrillist senior vice president for advertising sales and solutions. "It's the next step in the branded content space. We deliver great content that people will enjoy consuming, therefore it will allow the advertiser's message to go through."
The 24/7 nature of digital media provides endless advertising opportunities and chances for ad overload. Millennials in particular seem to have become wary of constant bombardment from brands. According to a 2014 survey from anti-ad blocking analytics and services firm PageFair and Adobe , a little over a quarter of Americans had installed ad-blocking software. But, when it came to millennials, 41 percent used the services. Another survey found much higher rates. A July 2015 survey of 748 millennials by online marketing company Moz and content-marketing agency Fractl showed 63 percent of them used ad blockers. Yet Nielsen data showed millennials have the highest trust in online and mobile ads. If companies can send their messages in a natural way without seeming like an ad, it can be very effective. "I don't think millennials mind if there's a brand attached if they see value attached, and [the brand] is speaking to them consistently on a platform that they use," said Leif Eng, strategist for digital agency Firstborn. "As long as you're rooted in what the platform is intended to do, and in things that people who use the platform are expecting to see, it could be the right way to go."
A beaker filled with GEs 10^32 hot sauce Javier David | CNBC
Thrillist Media Group mines data from its sites to figure out what things millennials are most likely to read. When GE came to Thrillist specifically its in-house agency The CoLab wanting to promote its jet engine materials, the media company looked for topics that would appeal to its readers and reflect the product. It found that its stories on hot sauce had high levels of engagement and were more likely to be shared. GE made the packaging for the hot sauce, while Thrillist manufactured it, wrote about it and sold it on its website. "Creating a hot sauce is not to make GE cool, it's to reveal what's already cool in a consumer-friendly way, and partnering with Thrillist was the right way for GE to tell an authentic science story through the lens of food," said a spokesperson on behalf of GE. Thrillist didn't state specific stats on how many times the hot sauce was shared online, but said it had "significant buzz" from outlets including Mashable, Bloomberg , Fortune and other publications. This isn't the first time Thrillist has used its internal info to come up with a "viral" product. It helped execute GE's 2015 South-by-Southwest BBQ laboratory, where you could custom-make a sauce among other food treats. It helped GE come up with the idea to create moon boots in commemoration of the Apollo 11 mission. It worked with Hulu to fill a "party bus" of social media influencers and take them speed dating in Los Angeles bars for the series "Casual." There are also plans to roll out a "Grillist" vertical with Miller Lite in honor of summer grilling, with ideas for backyard-themed local events in the works.
Chipotle Mexican Grill shares were lower after the fast food chain reported a 30 percent sales decline and its first quarterly loss ever.
Comparable restaurant sales plunged during the first quarter of 2016 in part due to promotional offers the company has been using to entice customers to return to its restaurants after an E. coli outbreak late last year.
Chipotle attributed its decline in sales to "a decrease in the number of transactions in our restaurants, and to a lesser extent by a decline in average check, including an impact from sales promotions."
Shares of Chipotle closed down more than 6.4 percent Wednesday.
Real estate is now a prime play for sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) as equity markets remain unpredictable, said an analyst Wednesday.
The Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute president Michael Maduell said, "They are looking for long-term investments where they can lock up their capital and not have to continually reinvest that capital." The institute analyzes investments by public asset owners such as SWFs and other long-term governmental investors.
Vehicles such as pension funds and endowments are also increasing investing in real estate and infrastructure, he told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Wednesday.
For example, Norway's Government Pension Fund Global increased its allocation of real estate and was looking at core property markets in Asia, opening offices in Tokyo and Singapore, noted Maduell. The country's sovereign wealth fund is the largest in the world, with more than $830 billion in AUM.
SpaceX plans to send a Dragon spacecraft to Mars as soon as 2018.
The company announced its intentions in a tweet on Wednesday.
Planning to send Dragon to Mars as soon as 2018.
It appeared NASA will assist SpaceX with its plans, according to a statement sent to CNBC.
"Building on an existing no-funds-exchanged collaboration with SpaceX, NASA will provide technical support for the firm's plan to attempt to land an uncrewed Dragon 2 spacecraft on Mars," a NASA spokesperson said in the Wednesday statement. "This collaboration could provide valuable entry, descent and landing data to NASA for our journey to Mars, while providing support to American industry. We have similar agreements with dozens of U.S. commercial, government, and non-profit partners."
It looks peaceful and serene in the late afternoon but Elephant Pass a strategically important gateway controlling access to and from Jaffna, the captial of Sri Lanka's northern province - was the focus of bitter fighting between the separatist Tamil Tigers and the security forces.
This is where war memorials honor the soldiers that fell in the government's campaign against the Tigers. But nothing tells the story of the civilian lives lost. And those that remain say they're struggling to re-build homes, businesses and a broader self-sustaining local economy under the shadow of military occupation.
What's encouraging is that enlightened business leaders in the private sector are stepping up. Sri Lankan conglomerate Cargills Ceylon and hotel group Jetwing have made investments with an emphasis on hiring locally and empowering the local community.
We visited a fruit, vegetable and dairy processing center owned and operated by Cargills Ceylon in what was once a war zone.
"It was a jungle when I came here in 2013, thick, scrub jungle," general manager Samuel Neshakumar tells me over locally made fresh mango juice. Now it's a bustling and thriving factory that supports 450 farming families.
Farmer Ponniah Maheswarn says he gets a good price for his produce, and he's growing cash-crops with more certainty now that he has a guaranteed buyer.
"They give us good rates if we give them good produce. There is no issue in that," he says.
Rasanayagam Sarojinidevi, 64, lost both her sons during the war and is still traumatized, but says she has found a new purpose working at a food processing factory owned by Cargills Ceylon. Sri Jegarajah | CNBC
A devout Hindu, Ponniah has nothing but praise for Cargills. He calls them "second only to God," a sentiment echoed by 64-year-old Rasanayagam Sarojinidevi, who works in the staff canteen. "For me to work here is a huge blessing from God. God has shown me this place, given me this job, only He has done this for me. I am finally peaceful here." Cargills deputy chairman Ranjit Page says the battle for hearts and minds was a tough one.
"Winning them over, and for them to believe in a corporate from another part of the country is a challenge," Page recalls.
But problems persist and are limiting this region and its people from realizing their full potential. Debt levels have soared. Many cannot pay back what they owe, and that's led to reported suicides. Several families we talked to like Sivanesan Kamalarany and her family, uprooted by the war - are still waiting to be re-housed. They're frustrated by what they see as a lack of progress and it's taken a heavy emotional toll. Kamalarani and her family fled to India in 1998 after their home was destroyed by artillery shelling. They returned in 2012 and built a temporary home by themselves but are still looking for a permanent place to live
Rajeshkumar Vijayarany tells a similar story.
"We are living with hope now that they will give us a houseliving another day as a refugee doesn't help, and this is our land."
Workers bury the bodies of 41 suspected Tamil Tiger fighters recovered by the government after fighting in the northern district of Vavuniya in January 2009. STR | | AFP | Getty Images
Adrian Dennis | AFP | Getty Images
Recurring bills may represent a bigger slice of your budget than expected thankfully, it's one that's getting easier to trim down. Subscription fees on a credit card can be a surprising pain for consumers who don't keep an eagle eye on their statement, adding up to hundreds and even thousands of dollars a year. It's not just the memberships you actively use, either.
Gray-area charges including fees that kick in after a free trial, auto-renewing services and subscription fees that creep higher over time won out as consumers' top financial pet peeve in a February MyBankTracker.com survey, with 40 percent of consumers calling them out as a problem. There might also be subscriptions you weren't aware you signed up for, and so-called zombie memberships that live on after an attempt to cancel. "There's a number of ways in which consumers, to put it not so nicely, can get screwed in this situation," said Linda Sherry, director of national priorities for Consumer-Action.org.
But it's getting easier to spot and eliminate unwanted charges faster. Start-up subscription management services including Truebill and Trim offer free reviews of consumers' bank statements, specifically to flag recurring charges. Recently rebranded money management app Prosper Daily (formerly BillGuard) alerts users of its free service to potential problems, including gray charges, as they appear. (For all three, users must link those credit and bank accounts they want monitored.) At Truebill, the typical user has 11 recurring charges mostly services users know about and want, said Truebill founder and chief executive Yahya Mokhtarzada. Netflix is the most commonly found charge, per site data, with Spotify, Amazon Prime, AT&T and GoDaddy domain name hosting rounding out the top five. Among the 17 percent of site users who cancel a membership, however, the average annual savings is $512. (See chart below for some of the most-canceled charges.) "As consumers keep racking up more and more subscriptions, it becomes impossible to stay on top of them," Mokhtarzada said.
Food writer Jennifer Perillo found five subscriptions to services she wasn't using, when she went over her statements this spring in preparation for tax filing. Among them, an eFax subscription used once to send camp physicals that couldn't be emailed, and a Weight Watchers membership she thought was long-canceled. "It feels like it's a whole other job staying on top of these auto-pay charges," she said. Canceling can be a challenge in itself, one that the bill-tracking sites are happy to help with. Truebill offers cancellations for free. At Trim, most are free, although hard-to-cancel subscriptions requiring certified mail or a phone call cost $6 apiece. But there's good reason to call on your own first, unless you're pressed for time: Putting money back in your pocket. Customer service reps may be willing to refund recent charges, and may have leeway to cut rates if the reason you're canceling is a service's high price tag.
In under 10 minutes on the phone, Perillo said, she was able to reverse a recent $70 three-month membership charge for Sittercity, which she doesn't use during the school year. The rep also threw in a promo code for when Perillo signs back up again for summer babysitting. With Weight Watchers, Perillo was able to get a refund for three of the four months her subscription lived on after her initial attempt to cancel. Consumers should also take steps to better monitor their recurring charges. Check the fine print before signing up for a free trial and keep an eye on your statements even after you cancel, Sherry explained. "If you missed that cancellation deadline, you signed up for contractual terms," she said. "You really, really need to look at these things. There is no free in free trials."
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In today's world of Instagram and fast fashion, Sri Lanka's garment exporters have found a nice niche thanks to their design-to-deliver supply chain. But the industry could get caught out by challenges from a fast-changing global trade environment. With the U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact of which Sri Lanka is not a signatory on the horizon, competition from TPP signatories such as Vietnam could deal a blow to the South Asian nation's apparel export industry, which currently employs half a million Sri Lankans and provides 44 percent of all manufactured goods exported by the country. It wouldn't be the first time Sri Lanka is up against trade practices that are not in its favor. Since 2010, when the European Commission revoked Sri Lanka 's Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status as a penalty for alleged human rights abuses committed at the end of the country's civil war, the industry has suffered from the loss of preferential tax treatment.
Still, heavy investment in a value-added supply chain that enables prompt turnaround has kept the industry going in the face of unfriendly trade treatment. "How many days would it take you from design to delivery? In this industry it used to be months. [Now] a chase order [for] something that's selling in the U.S., we could produce it and ship it across to the stores in 14 days. How this is possible is that the supply chain is closer to needle point," said Sharad Amalean, deputy chairman of the country's Joint Apparel Association Forum. A design-to-delivery solution means that the design, manufacture and logistics such as delivery are all carried out in Sri Lanka. The country exports about $5 billion worth of apparel a year. Despite this innovation, growth in exports to the European Union Sri Lanka's biggest garment export market fell from 13-14 percent from 2005-2010 to about 7 percent a year after the GSP+ status was revoked, according to a report by consultancy Oxford Business Group, citing numbers from a Joint Apparel Association Forum official.
But Ashroff Omar, group chief executive of Brandix, Sri Lanka's largest apparel exporter, told CNBC he was hopeful of another about-turn. The exporter shipped $750 million worth of goods to its clients last year. "[Sri Lanka was] duty-free to the E.U., and due to various reasons, we lost [the status]," he said. "We believe we will regain it by the end of this year, so we're very bullish on the European market. Already, we [see] buyers coming in in anticipation of the GSP+ coming in by early next year." Even so, the TPP will deal a blow. Competition with Vietnam, Sri Lanka's closest garment-making competition, will be particularly stiff, but Sri Lanka may be able to buy some time while hiccups in the TPP's implementation are ironed out. "We believe if it comes, the earliest would be 2018," Omar said. "And there's a 10-year phase-out period to remove duties on most apparel products." During this decade-long run-up, costs in Vietnam will likely go up, the 40-year garment trade veteran said.
"Vietnam does not have unlimited population," he said. "I think it will suck up the available labor and the cost will keep on going up, so we believe we would be available to compete quite well, [even] with the TPP." He is aware that the trade deal may still impact Sri Lanka's share of the apparel export pie; after all, China grabbed most of Mexico's share of the global trade when the Multi-Fiber Arrangement - a deal that set quotas on the amount of textiles and clothing developing countries could export to developed countries - expired in 2004, he noted. Today, the world's second-largest economy controls almost 40 percent of the global $400 billion market. So, along with expectations Vietnam's cost base will rise while the TPP is phased in, Sri Lanka's strategy is to specialize, by focusing on providing vertically-integrated design-to-delivery solutions not just in the country but also with partners in places as farflung as China and Hong Kong. Exporters like Brandix are also teaming up with industry players in China and Hong Kong to improve overall supply chain management. "They are our joint venture partners, they run the show, but we can influence by having an equity proposition and are heavily involved with them in management," Omar said. "So on one side we have secured our raw material or fabric supplies. We have invested in printing, in laundry, in processingeverything the customer needs."
Source: World Trade Organization
Trump's performance all but fully derailed a last-ditch, apparently ineffective, "Stop Trump" deal between Kasich and Cruz to join forces to prevent the billionaire developer from winning the 1,237 delegates he needs to clinch the nomination on the first ballot.
As he has in the 46 states and territories that have voted so far, Trump turned in his strongest showing in Northeast counties that are still feeling the lingering effects of the massive job losses of the Great Recession. Some 74 of 107 counties in the five states that voted Tuesday have jobless rates above the national average of 5 percent, according to the latest data available.
To gauge how well Trump is faring with unemployed voters, CNBC has tracked GOP primary results in more than 2,200 counties in the states that have voted so far. (County-level data was not available for all states that have voted.) Of those counties, more than 1,400 had jobless rates above the national average of 5 percent.
Trump has won about three-fourths of those counties with higher-than-average unemployment. Cruz won about 20 percent of those counties, while Kasich won just 2 percent of them.
While Trump has been able to count on a big lead in the popular vote, the GOP's arcane rules of electing delegates about which he has complained loudly could work against him.
In three of the five Tuesday primaries (Maryland, Connecticut and Rhode Island), for example, the GOP rules allocate three delegates based on the winner in each Congressional district, with additional "at-large" statewide delegates. Tuesday's biggest single delegate prize was Pennsylvania, but those delegate counts are more problematic, because they're not all bound to the winning candidate.
Trump secured Pennsylvania's 17 statewide delegates party members already chosen to go to Cleveland who are bound to vote for the candidate who wins the most votes, but only on the first ballot.
The remaining 54 delegates were chosen from Pennsylvania's 18 congressional districts but they're not bound on the first vote. That means none of those delegates are reliably in Trump's camp.
"You can go in there and vote for Trump, and vote for three delegates that are three votes against Trump," said Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., a state co-chairman of Trump's campaign, told the Associated Press.
United Technologies on Wednesday posted earnings and revenue that topped analysts' expectations, and said it sees signs that the equipment market is bottoming in China.
Unit orders in China rose in the latest quarter, Chief Executive Greg Hayes said in an interview with Reuters.
The maker of aircraft engines and parts, elevators and climate controls and security systems expects activity in China to rise in the second half of the year, Hayes said.
The company reported adjusted earnings of $1.47 a share, beating the $1.39 a share forecast.
The Interpretive Center at Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum. Photo credit: www.eriecanal.org
CHITTENANGO, N.Y. Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum announced it has been awarded a $45,625 matching grant from the Environmental Protection Funds (EPF) Park and Trail Partnership Program to upgrade the position of executive director to full time to better serve the educational needs of the area and boost tourism.
Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum said in a news release that it will need to raise an additional $15,208 in matching funds, for a project total of $60,833, to make this happen.
Christine ONeil is the museums current executive director, serving in the position since January 2012, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Chittenango Landing says its mission is to preserve a rare, historic dry dock site on the Old Erie Canal, recreate a boat building and full-service repair facility, educate people about the key role the Erie Canal played in building a nation, and serve as a visitor center to tourists on the Old Erie Canal State Historic Park Canalway Trail. The museum and historic site is open daily 10-4 p.m., May 15 through Oct. 15.
The $45,000-plus grant, announced by Governor Andrew Cuomo, is one of 20 awards totaling $450,000 for organizations dedicated to the stewardship and promotion of New Yorks state parks and historic sites. The grants, funded through the EPF, will be matched by nearly $242,000 in private and local funding and will support projects to strengthen Friends groups and enhance public access and recreational opportunities at state parks and historic sites across the state, the news release stated.
The Park and Trail Partnership Program grants are administered by the State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation and Parks & Trails New York, a statewide nonprofit group that advocates for the states parks and trails.
Friends groups nonprofit organizations often made up entirely of volunteers help state parks and historic sites raise private funds for capital projects, perform maintenance tasks, provide educational programs, and promote public use through hosting special events, advocates say.
The states investment in grassroots Friends Groups will complement Governor Cuomos extraordinary commitment to the revitalization of the entire state park system, Robin Dropkin, executive director of Parks & Trails New York, said. These grant funds will enable groups to leverage more private and federal funding, marshal more volunteer power, and augment the states historic investment in parks. We look forward to seeing the transformational results from these innovative and important projects.
Chittenango Landing says it educates nearly 3,000 school children annually in a hands-on education program and welcomes tourists from all over the world on the Canalway Trail and historic site. This grant allows the museum to better serve the school, local, and tourist community.
This grant will give us the capacity to keep up with the growing education program and increasing visitation to the site. We will be able to better serve the school children and tourists who want to visit and learn more about the wonders of the Erie Canal. We are grateful to the Parks and Trails Partnership Program for this support. Ken Mangine, president of the museums board of trustees, said in the release.
Contact Rombel at arombel@cnybj.com
Photo credit: SUNY Oswego
OSWEGO, N.Y. SUNY Oswego announced it has appointed Walter Roettger as acting provost and VP for academic affairs.
As its chief academic officer, Roettger is responsible for leadership of all instructional and academic programs across the university, including Oswegos College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Education, and School of Communication, Media and the Arts.
Dr. Roettger has an outstanding record of leadership in higher education and we look forward to benefiting from his wealth of experience and insight, Deborah Stanley, president of SUNY Oswego, said in a news release.
Roettger is president emeritus of Lyon College in Arkansas, which he led to top-tier status among national liberal arts colleges, SUNY Oswego said. During his lengthy career he has worked at other colleges and universities as a VP, provost, associate provost, and dean, among other administrative positions.
Since his retirement from Lyon, he has provided interim leadership previously to three other colleges across the country. He is contributing to a book on leadership in higher education forthcoming from the Johns Hopkins University Press, the release stated.
A graduate of Stanford University, Roettger received his doctorate in political science from the University of Colorado. He served with the U.S. Air Force, leaving active duty with the rank of captain. As a professor, Roettger was first tenured at Drake University, where he received the Honor Teacher Award. He now resides in Oswego with his wife, Peggy Roettger.
Contact Rombel at arombel@cnybj.com
C# Copy Code private void liw_Source_DragDrop( object sender, DragEventArgs e) { ListView files = (ListView)e.Data.GetData( typeof (ListView)); } private void liw_Source_ItemDrag( object sender, ItemDragEventArgs e) { liw_Source.DoDragDrop(e.Item, DragDropEffects.Copy); SourceName = e.Item.ToString(); int start = SourceName.IndexOf( " {" ) + 1 ; int end = SourceName.IndexOf( " }" ); TargetName = SourceName.Substring(start, end - start); } private void liw_Target_DragEnter( object sender, DragEventArgs e) { e.Effect = DragDropEffects.Copy; } private void liw_Target_DragDrop( object sender, DragEventArgs e) { File.Copy(SourcePath + SourceName, TargetPath + SourceName, true ); }
Keep your drag and drop separate: your Drop is relying on the ItemDrag event of your Source setting up your names appropriately. Don't do that: Make the source provide the info, and the Destination accept them.
The way I accept them is like this:
C# Copy Code private void frmMusicTrackRename_DragDrop( object sender, DragEventArgs e) { string[] files = (string[])e.Data.GetData(DataFormats.FileDrop); dgvTracks.Rows.Clear(); LoadFiles(files); } (It's part of something I wrote when I realised my music collection had three different track naming styles, and wanted to unify them.)
And don't use string concatenation to assemble a full path - use Path.Combine Method (System.IO)[^] instead as it will apply the separaters intelligently.
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
Any further ideas?
Thanks
If you use the DataFormats.FileDrop Field (System.Windows)[^] it will allow you to drag them from your list box into anything which accepts files (inclding Explorer, Chrome, Word, ...)
It's not difficult!
Handle the MouseDown event for your ListView (this uses a DataGridView because I had one handy with files in a current project, and uses the right mouse button so I don't muck up my other code!)
C# Copy Code private void myDataGridView_MouseDown( object sender, MouseEventArgs e) { if (e.Button == MouseButtons.Right) { List files = new List(); foreach (DataGridViewRow row in myDataGridView.Rows) { files.Add(( string )row.Cells[ " Location" ].Value); } string[] selectedFiles = files.ToArray(); DataObject dragData = new DataObject(DataFormats.FileDrop, selectedFiles); dragData.SetData(DataFormats.StringFormat, selectedFiles[0]); DoDragDrop(dragData, DragDropEffects.Copy | DragDropEffects.Move); } }
That sets the list of files into the drag as files - you can now drop them on anything that accepts files!
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
Thanks again.
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
C# Copy Code foreach (DataRow dataRow in dt.Rows) { if (dataRow[ " Column1" ].ToString().Contains([ " ExampleString" ]) { listBox1.Items.Add(dataRow[ " Column1" ] + " " + dataRow[ " Column2" ] + " " + dataRow[ " Column3" ] + " " + dataRow[ " Column4" ]); } } string strFromCombobox = comboBox1.SelectedText; foreach (DataRow dataRow in dt.Rows) { if (dataRow[ " Column1" ].ToString().Contains(strFromCombobox) { listBox1.Items.Add(dataRow[ " Column1" ] + " " + dataRow[ " Column2" ] + " " + dataRow[ " Column3" ] + " " + dataRow[ " Column4" ]); } }
if statement and inspect the contents of the strFromCombobox varaible. The debugger is there to show you how the code actually works instead of you guessing at it.
We really can't tell you why it fails because we can't see the contents of that variable. What every it is, it's matching content in Column1 of every row.
A guide to posting questions on CodeProject
Click this:
Seriously, do it.
Dave Kreskowiak Click this: Asking questions is a skill Seriously, do it.
SelectedItem[^], although you will need to cast it to a string.
This is all I can really do, as we don't know what type of object is in the combobox. If it's a string, great. Otherwise more logic may be needed.
What do you get when you cross a joke with a rhetorical question?
The metaphorical solid rear-end expulsions have impacted the metaphorical motorized bladed rotating air movement mechanism.
Do questions with multiple question marks annoy you???
C# Copy Code SqlDataAdapter da = new SqlDataAdapter(); DataSet1 ds = new DataSet1(); DataTable dt = new DataTable(); string tm = comboBox1.SelectedItem.ToString(); da.SelectCommand = cmd; da.Fill(ds, " GameResults2015" ); dt = ds.Tables[ " GameResults2015" ]; MessageBox.Show(tm); foreach (DataRow dataRow in dt.Rows) { if (dataRow[ " Winner/tie" ].ToString().Contains(tm) || dataRow[ " Loser/tie" ].ToString().Contains(tm)) { listBox1.Items.Add(dataRow[ " Winner/tie" ] + " " + dataRow[ " PtsW" ] + " Loser " + dataRow[ " Loser/tie" ] + " " + dataRow[ " PtsL" ]); } }
Philippe Mori
So.. place a debug-breakpoint on that if-statement, hit F5 and when your program reaches that breakpoint, inspect the value of the variable(s) in question by hovering with the mouse cursor over it. That's all - neither difficult nor dangerous
If the brain were so simple we could understand it, we would be so simple we couldn't. Lyall Watson
It turns out the problem was, I copied a list of names from the web, and pasted them into the comboBox. Evidently it didnt put them in as separate strings even though it showed each one on a new line. When I went back and entered the names manually it worked perfectly.
Thanks to everyone for your assistance
I am just getting started on building a workflow engine. I know I can build tasks in DLLs using the Workflow Foundation or to trigger a stand-alone executable but I am looking to add in the ability to write the task code in a scripting language similar to JavaScript, TypeScript, or LUA. I know this is a broad question but I don't really know where to start. Is it even possible? If it is, would this be a major endeavor or something relatively simple?
if (Object.DividedByZero == true) { Universe.Implode(); }
Meus ratio ex fortis machina. Simplicitatis de formae ac munus. -Foothill, 2016
here[^]. Hopefully that will get you started.
This space for rent
if (Object.DividedByZero == true) { Universe.Implode(); }
Meus ratio ex fortis machina. Simplicitatis de formae ac munus. -Foothill, 2016
not driven by the anticipated skills of the future users then I would suggest using C# for scripting. One of the most prominent solutions is CS-Script[^]. With Roslyn there's a relatively new solution, potentially even better (I haven't used it yet): roslyn scripting - Google Search[^]
Foothill wrote: would this be a major endeavor or something relatively simple? Somewhere inbetween unless you decide to create your own DSL, which will make it a major endeavor but could potentially be the best solution if one of your goals is to make it as user-accessible as possible.
If the brain were so simple we could understand it, we would be so simple we couldn't. Lyall Watson
if (Object.DividedByZero == true) { Universe.Implode(); }
Meus ratio ex fortis machina. Simplicitatis de formae ac munus. -Foothill, 2016
What do you get when you cross a joke with a rhetorical question?
The metaphorical solid rear-end expulsions have impacted the metaphorical motorized bladed rotating air movement mechanism.
Do questions with multiple question marks annoy you???
Jint[^] is a JavaScript interpreter written in C#.
If you don't mind importing native DLLs, PythonNET[^] is quite cool.
Roslyn has been mentioned already, and the official repo is on Github[^] (Beware, the build process can be quite finicky at times, failing for no obvious reason)
NLua[^] allows .NET applications to leverage the Lua language (currently Lua 5.2).
What do you get when you cross a joke with a rhetorical question?
The metaphorical solid rear-end expulsions have impacted the metaphorical motorized bladed rotating air movement mechanism.
Do questions with multiple question marks annoy you???
Brisingr Aerowing wrote: Beware, the build process can be quite finicky at times, failing for no obvious reason
Interestingly enough, I used to work with MS System Center Orchestrator and one thing I really liked about it was that you could write actual C# code to be used anywhere in a Runbook. I don't know why I didn't think of it before because it was using Compiler Services the whole time. It too would throw some cryptic errors when I forgot to put the end quote on a string literal or a parameter was empty.
if (Object.DividedByZero == true) { Universe.Implode(); }
Meus ratio ex fortis machina. Simplicitatis de formae ac munus. -Foothill, 2016
I don't use Jint, so I can't say what it's like.
What do you get when you cross a joke with a rhetorical question?
The metaphorical solid rear-end expulsions have impacted the metaphorical motorized bladed rotating air movement mechanism.
Do questions with multiple question marks annoy you???
Defining what the facilities you need now, and in the future, seems to me the most criteria for choice of package. And, one can use T4, or .NET's compiler-services to generate code, or objects, on-the-fly, compile, run, instantiate the objects, etc.
One interesting script language for C# I have been exploring is Jing Lu's ReoScript; he used that in the ReoGrid project that he presented in an article here (just look it up); Jing made the choice to move ReoGrid from open- to closed-source some time ago, but his last open-source version is still up here. AFAIK ReoScript is still available as open-source: [^].
There is a spectrum, from "clearly desirable behaviour," to "possibly dodgy behavior that still makes some sense," to "clearly undesirable behavior." We try to make the latter into warnings or, better, errors. But stuff that is in the middle category you dont want to restrict unless there is a clear way to work around it. Eric Lippert, May 14, 2008
President Ulysses S. Grant was born on April 27, 1822, and has appeared on a multitude of American currency, notably $50 denominations like the Federal Reserve note and the gold certificate seen here.
The U.S. Army general that brought victory to the nation during the American Civil War was later elected as the nation's 18th president.
Ulysses S. Grant, American general and politician, was born April 27, 1822. He can be seen on the $50 Federal Reserve nnote, the second highest circulating paper money denomination in the United States today. Forthcoming design changes announced last week appear to leave the $50 denomination unmodified.
Grant famously led Union armies in defeating the Confederacy, for which he was hailed a tactical genius, but his tenure as president was less stellar, and he is universally ranked by scholars among the lower one-third of presidents.
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His presidency has often come under criticism for protecting corrupt associates, and in his second term, the nation fell into a severe economic depression with the Panic of 1873.
Grant led the Republicans in their effort to remove vestiges of Confederate nationalism and slavery and protect African American citizenship.
His life prior to the Civil War was one of mixed successes and failures, with multiple bankruptcies and moves in search of a better life and profitable work.
A middle-of-the-class graduate at West Point, Grant fought during the Mexican-American War before returning to civilian life, which proved challenging. Upon outbreak of the Civil War, Grant helped create a volunteer army and eventually used success with that outfit to gain wider responsibility, though his reputation (well deserved, one might add) for drinking followed him.
Grant appears on scattered issues of federal paper money as early as 1886, and though specimens of the 15-cent fractional currency show Grant and Gen. William T. Sherman were planned subjects in 1866, these were not issued, because a law was enacted outlawing the appearance of living persons on American money.
The Series 1914 $50 Federal Reserve note, however, made Grant a fixture on American paper money (he also appears on $50 notes of other types, like gold certificates), and he remains on the denomination today, in a design updated in recent years to combat counterfeiting.
In 2011, Grant was one of the year's subjects in the U.S. Mints Presidential dollar coin series.
Chart illustrates silver exchange traded products covering the period from 2006 to the present.
2016 marks the 10th anniversary of iShares Silver Trust.
With more than 330 million ounces of silver valued at over $5.5 billion in U.S. dollars held, the trust is now recognized as the world's largest investment product backed by silver, according to The Silver Institute.
According to The Silver Insitute, the trust provides exposure to the day-to-day movement of the price of silver bullion and uses the London Bullion Market Association silver pPrice as its benchmark.
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"Today, iShares Silver Trust accounts for 94 percent of silver holdings in ETPs [exchange traded products] held by U.S. investors and 52 percent of holdings in ETPs held globally," according to The Silver Insitute.
For more information, visit The Silver Institute's latest article on iShares Silver Trust here.
The Nova Nummus dinner at the Expo with writers and researchers gathered at the invitation of Wayne Homren.
The United States Mint sold Proof 2016-W American Buffalo 1-ounce gold coins at its booth at the Baltimore Expo held March 31 to April 2. The supply on hand nearly sold out on the first day.
The Whitman Coin & Collectibles Expo held at the Baltimore Convention Center from Thursday, March 31, to Sunday, April 2, was one of the best ever.
Over 1,400 dealers were here, said Mary Burleson, president of Whitman, and from the time the doors opened on Thursday morning, thousands of collectors roamed the bourse floor. This was one of our best shows ever, even better than last year!
This Expo exceeded everyones expectations, Lori Kraft, show manager, commented. Dealers are essential to any shows success, and all I talked to had smiles on their faces. Of course, collectors and their checkbooks made all of this happen.
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There was a lot going on at the expo, ranging from Kids Korner activities each day for the younger set to meetings of specialized groups including the Liberty Seated Collectors Club, Barber Coin Collectors Society, John Reich Collectors Society, Early American Coppers, and the Maryland Token & Medal Society. Leonard Augsburger gave a special presentation on the new Eric Newman Numismatic Portal, a boon for anyone interested in numismatic history and research.
In the meantime the United States Mint had a display along one convention wall. Starting as soon as the show opened, a long line formed as buyers watched the clock. At noon precisely the Proof 2016 American Buffalo 1-ounce gold coin was released in all sales channels, including in-person sales by Mint staff at the show. Excitement prevailed, and on the first day 1,865 were sold. On the next day only nine were sold. Why? The Mint had sold out its entire show allotment!
The Essence of Timeless Beauty was the backdrop for this timeless design.
We were happy to be able to offer the coins to collectors attending the Expo, said Mint spokesman Michael White. James Earle Frasers Buffalo nickel design is one of the most popular designs on American coinage, symbolic of the strength of our nation and our heritage.
Throughout the expo the Mint staff were busy selling other coins, including Proofs, sets, and commemoratives. On display for the first time and not for sale was a gold 2016 Winged Liberty Head dime a coming attraction commemorating 100 years of this motif.
There was another first day of release event at the show. At the large Whitman Publishing LLC wall display of books, the new 2017 cover-date 70th Anniversary Edition of A Guide Book of United States Coins was released with great enthusiasm. Editor Kenneth Bressett, Jeff Garrett as valuations editor, and I as research editor pre-signed 48 books and numbered them with the first day date. Each day at 2:00 in the afternoon at the show 10 copies were given away for free to attendees who filled out tickets and put the stubs in a jar. You are not allowed to sell your copies on eBay, I kidded the winners when on the first day I was the one to draw the lucky numbers.
On Thursday night Wayne Homren, editor of the popular E-Sylum e-newsletter, hosted a dinner of the Nova Nummus group, a regional society for writers and others, to which I was fortunate enough to be invited. Over the course of several hours I was reminded how many talented people are at work with research many being from the old guard active for a long time.
In the meantime, Stacks Bowers Galleries kept up a steady pace of auctions, with four separate catalogs. The total realization was over $13,500,000. The Baltimore Expos are always a highlight in our auction program, Chris Karstedt, vice president of the company stated. This was one of our best ever. Bids came from all directions from the sale gallery at the Expo, via the Internet, and on the telephone. Many record prices were set, and action was strong from start to finish.
Leading the sale was a 1799 Capped Bust gold $10 eagle, graded Mint State 66 by Professional Coin Grading Service, that attracted wide attention and kept going up and up until only one floor and three telephone bidders remained. (All prices include the buyers fee.) They dueled it out, and the coin went through the roof at $493,500. Among other gold coins, an MS-61 1808 Capped Bust $2.50 quarter eagle, the only year of the design type, was bid up to $223,250.
Among large copper cents in the Twin Leaf Collection, presented in a separate catalog, the rare 1839/6 Coronet cent in PCGS About Uncirculated 53 (PCGS), one of the finest known of this seldom-seen issue, went to a buyer attending from New England. Among the more unusual items was an original roll of 1935-D Winged Liberty Head dimes that went for $28,200. Although rolls of dimes and other coins from the mid-1930s were once bought and sold with regularity, such are seldom seen today as they have been broken up for individual sale.
Among currency a $10 Series of 1902 Date Back national bank note of the First National Bank of Horse Cave (Kentucky), a well-worn Paper Money Guaranty Very Good 10 but very rare note crossed the block at $12,337.50. A $20 national gold bank note of the First National Gold Bank of Oakland (California), PMG Fine 12 Net with repairs and a tear, sold for a strong $15,863,50. A serial number 1 Original Series $1 national bank note of the Concord National Bank (Massachusetts), PMG Very Fine 20, went to a new home for $15,275.
Rarity came to the fore in the sale, commented Stacks Bowers Galleries specialist Peter Treglia.
All too soon, the show was over. Everyone I spoke with had a nice time.
Remind everyone that the next Expo will be at the Baltimore Convention July 14 to 17, and it is not too early to make reservations, Mary Burleson suggested as she left for home. Indeed, I plan to be there and will look forward to meeting and greeting Coin World readers and others.
If You Go
The three Afro-Cuban artists presenting:
Manuel Mendive is a Santeria priest who is both a painter and sculptor. His early work and style featured browns and earthstone colors, but, after a bus accident, he began to paint in splendid colors
Eduardo Choco Roca Salazar is a painter, sculptor and master of collagraphs, a unique printmaking technique that is enriched by repurposing waste material which gives texture and a 3-D feel to his work. His themes reflect the human faces and culture for Afro-Cubans.
Santiago Rodriguez Olazabal is a priest of Ifa, an Afro-Cuban religion. He focuses more on drawing and lines in his paintings. His work can express a mysterious, profound and painful feeling with symbolic and metaphoric meanings on different aspects of life.
There will also be keynote speakers who will introduce guests to the conference and provide further panel discussion:
Nancy Morejon is a poet, author and scholar and the President of the Cuban Academy of Language. She has written many pieces about Cuban art and the position of blacks, particularly black women, in post-revolutionary Cuba.
William Luis is a Gertrude Conaway spanish professor at Spanish Professor of at Vanderbilt University. He is known for his 13 books and more than 100 scholarly articles on Cuba. He is also the editor of the Afro-Hispanic Review.
Flora Gonzales Mandri is a former professor at Emerson College who taught Latin American fiction and non-ficiton, the literatures of the Caribbean and feminist writing.
James Counts Early is the former director of cultural heritage policy at the Center for Folklife and Culture Heritage at the Smithsonian Institution.
Profits for First Interstate BancSystem Inc. dipped to $20.1 million, 45 cents per share, for the first three months of 2016 as the company continues to struggle with loans in the oil and gas industry, bank officials reported Monday.
Officials at Billings-based First Interstate said the amount of criticized loans to oil and gas companies grew to about $40 million in the first quarter, up about 10 percent from $36.4 million the previous quarter. Generally, criticized loans are defined as those that may or may not be currently accruing interest.
We are closely monitoring the entire region for softening, considering the impact from not only oil and gas, but from the most recent announcements from coal companies in the region, CEO Kevin Riley said in a conference call with investors.
Riley was referring to layoffs last month of 460 workers in Wyoming from Peabody Energy and Arch Coal, two of the nations largest coal companies.
Shares of First Interstate dipped to $28.24 Monday morning in reaction to the news, down from $29.11 at Fridays close.
Riley said First Interstate, which has 79 branches in Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota, is closely monitoring the energy sector and adjusting its portfolio. Outstanding loans to the oil and gas industry totaled $69 million the last quarter, down from $75 million at the end of 2015, he said.
Last quarters profits were down both from the the last quarter of 2015 ($23.4 million) and first quarter of 2015 ($21 million).
Nevertheless, Riley said First Interstate remains in largely good condition because of strong loan performance in other regions, including Billings, Rapid City, S.D., Gallatin Valley and Flathead Valley.
About 54 percent of the First Interstate loan portfolio is in Montana. Another 27 percent is in Wyoming, and 14 percent is from South Dakota. The remainder is from other origins, such as credit cards, according to the bank.
First Interstate is one of the two largest native banks in Montana and a top lender in Wyoming. It has about 1,700 employees in the region.
First Interstate Bank, which is wholly owned by First Interstate BancSystem, reported April 18 a dividend of 22 cents per share, payable May 13 to owners who held stock as of May 2.
Total loans increased year-over-year by 6.4 percent to $5.2 billion on March 31, the end of the quarter. Excluding acquisitions, the organic growth was 5.7 percent.
Commercial loans increased $33 million, or 4.1 percent, to $825 million over the quarter.
First Interstate also announced last quarter the $34.2 million acquisition of Flathead Bank, which would add $231.6 million in assets and seven branches to First Interstate. The deal is expected to close in mid-to-late summer.
The deal would put First Interstate at roughly $9 billion in assets and a step closer to new federal regulation under the Dodd-Frank act.
Riley said the bank has implemented new stress tests and regulatory compliance measures to meet the Dodd-Frank benchmark and continue to grow.
If a deal comes around by the end of this year, we probably will do it. ... We feel good that wed be able to digest an acquisition that would be closing in 2017.
He added that the banks overall business looks positive for 2016.
We continue to think and act like a larger financial institution, which we are destined to become. ... We feel good about where we are, Riley said.
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Types of obituaries
The Missourian publishes two types of obituaries family obituaries and life stories.
A family obituary is the version submitted by a funeral home or family. Please see the submission form for details on cost and deadlines. Family obituaries
A life story is a closer look at a person's life and involves a reporter contacting family and friends. Life stories are based on newsworthiness and consent of the family. Life stories.
The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form
Drone attacks on Kyiv rattle family of MU Ukrainian student
Iranian drones are striking Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. It's where the parents and sister of University of Missouri Ukrainian student Vlad Sazhen live.
The Shoshone National Forest will hold public meetings the week of May 16 to discuss the release of its Travel Management Proposed Action which starts a 30-day comment period.
During the meetings the public will have an opportunity to view the proposal and ask questions. Meetings will be at 5:30 p.m. at the following locations:
The public is being asked to submit comment on whether to lower the passing score for the Montana State Bar Exam.
The Montana Supreme Court is accepting public comment through May 20 on a committee report that recommends lowering the Montana State Bar Exam passing score from 270 out of 400 to 266. The committee also recommended any aspiring lawyers who had taken the exam in the past three years and scored 266 or above be allowed retroactive entrance to the Montana State Bar.
At 266, the passing score would be about 66.5 percent on a traditional 100-point grading scale. The committee said this would be adequate to protect the public by screening those deemed not yet prepared.
The committee was formed to examine a memo submitted in January by University of Montanas Alexander Blewett III School of Law Dean Paul Kirgis. The dean requested the Montana Supreme Court and Chief Justice Mike McGrath consider new data showing that from 2013 to 2015, Montana had the steepest decline in passing exams scores, with greater than 20 percent more people failing the bar exam than in previous years. Kirgis argued in the memo that the failings are the fault of a higher score standard and not a lack of qualified law students.
According to Kirgis, when Montana adopted the Uniform Bar Exam in 2013, two notable changes were made. First, the Montana Bar Exam dropped a section of questions about specific Montana law.
That change was made because a four-question essay test on limited areas of Montana law does not assure broad familiarity with Montana Law. Kirgis said dropping this portion of the test did not have a notable effect on law students ability to pass the bar.
The second change raised the bar's passing score from 260 to 270. Only six states have bar exam passing scores set at 260 or lower, with 31 states setting their passing score at 270 or higher. Washington, Wyoming, Utah and Nebraska all have passing scores set at 270.
The pass score change was made at the behest of the Montana Board of Bar Examiners. The board petitioned the Supreme Court to raise the score after it became aware there were anecdotal reports "of applicants unsuccessful in other states searching for a low-score, high-pass rate state in which to take the exam and become licensed. The board did not wish for Montana to have that reputation, they said at the time.
Since the change, UMs percentage of recent law school graduates who pass the bar exam on their first attempt went from a 10-year average of 88 percent to 69 percent in July 2014 and 68 percent in 2015.
In 2013, the year the passing score rose to 270, UM School of Law graduates performed very well, the committee stated, passing 87 percent of first-time test takers.
The president of the National Conference of Bar Examiners, Erica Moeser, has correlated the lower number of students passing the bar to the lower number of qualified candidates applying to law school.
The University of Montana School of Law admission rate went from 45 percent in 2011 to 65 percent in 2015. The school's average admission went from under 200 offers to almost 250 admission offers. At the same time, the students accepting admission offers in 2011 was close to 43 percent. In 2015, only 29 percent of students who got an offer of admission enrolled at the law school.
Kirgis disagreed that graduating law school students are less qualified than in previous years. He argued that law school precursor exam, the LSAT, has historically been a good determinant of who was going to pass the bar exam after graduating law school. The law school has not seen a significant increase in the number of students applying to the law school with low LSAT scores.
For the past three years, Montana has required a score of 270 for an aspiring lawyer to be eligible to practice law in Montana, Kirgis wrote to the Montana Supreme Court. As a result, over those three years, as many as two dozen graduates of Montanas only law school were barred or delayed in becoming lawyers in Montana for the sole reason that they graduated from law school at the wrong time.
The committee was made up of representatives from the University of Montanas School of Law, the State Bar Association and the Board of Bar Examiners. Representatives included Kirgis, Beth Brennan, Jamie Iguchi, Randy Cox, and committee chair Jim Rice.
All public comment should be filed in writing and submitted to the Montana Supreme Court Clerk of Court, Ed Smith. The court intends to hold a public meeting on May 31.
There are 3,133 active members of the Montana State Bar and a five-year average of over 50,000 case filings in Montana. Over 70 percent of those attorneys reside in only five of the 22 judicial districts. Those five districts reporting only 55 percent of Montanas total caseload.
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By Brent Snavely, Detroit Free Press
DETROIT General Motors said Wednesday it will invest $906.7 million at its plants in Spring Hill, Tenn., and Bay City, Mich., creating or retaining 904 jobs, the latest in a string of investment announcements by the Detroit Three in recent days.
GM said it will invest $788.7 million to modernize and retool its Spring Hill plant so it can build an all-new, fuel-efficient engine. That investment will create 792 new jobs and retain 16 jobs, GM said. The automaker also said it will invest $118 million at its Bay City powertrain plant, where it builds engine components. That investment will create 29 new jobs and retain 67 jobs, the company said.
The investments are part of commitments GM made as part of a new, four-year contract ratified in the fall by United Auto Workers union members to invest $8.3 billion over the next four years at its new plants.
Wednesday's GM news also comes on the heels of Ford's announcement on Tuesday that it plans to invest $1.4 billion to build new transmissions at its Livonia, Mich., plant and $200 million at its Avon Lake, Ohio, plant to build Ford Super Duty pickups. Also Tuesday, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said it will invest about $75 million to build a new four-cylinder engine line at its Trenton, Mich., plant.
The Ford and FCA announcements are also part of commitments made to the UAW to invest in U.S. and create new jobs.
And, even though the investments were promised by the automakers last year, the official announcements are important because all of the contractual commitments are dependent on economic and market conditions. That means automakers are not legally required to carry them out if industry sales decline or the economy sours.
Taken together, the investments announced this week can be viewed as vindication for the UAW, which fought hard to secure additional U.S. plant announcements in its contract talks with the Detroit Three last fall. Still, the UAW also has lost some major battles for U.S. investment with the Detroit Three as Ford and FCA announced plans to move production of small cars and SUVs to Mexico.
In Tennessee, GM has announced investments of more than $2 billion for its Spring Hill plant since 2010. This includes a $148 million investment announced in February to repurpose flexible machining and assembly equipment to build V-8 engines.
"Today's announcement reinforces our absolute faith in this facility, and our strong commitment to this community and the state of Tennessee," Arvin Jones, GM North America manufacturing manager, said in a statement.
Spring Hill is now building the Cadillac XT5 and the GMC Acadia.
"UAW members at Spring Hill and Bay City have well-earned reputations for quality work and craftsmanship," UAW Vice President Cindy Estrada said in a statement. "Since the 2015 collective bargaining agreement, GM has invested more than $1.7 billion and UAW-GM members, their families and their communities will all benefit for years to come."
GM's announcement comes on the heels of last week's news that production at the Spring Hills plant would be temporarily shut down after a pair of earthquakes in Japan disrupted the automakers supply chain. GM's facilities at Spring Hill; Oshawa, Ontario; Lordstown, Ohio; and Fairfax, Kan., were shuttered for a two-week period on Monday.
April 25, 2016 - Jerry Knauss, president and founder of LABExpress, is building the company's headquarters in Arlington and moving the business from a pair of leased buildings. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal)
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By Thomas Bailey Jr. of The Commercial Appeal
The new $1.5 million headquarters that Laboratory Express will start building next week in Arlington helps prove that less is more.
The 19-year-old courier company, which nicknames itself LabExpress, specializes in transporting blood, urine and other laboratory specimens between clinical and lab sites across the nation.
Founder and president Jerry Knauss has at his disposal a transit network of 16 full-time employees, about 1,150 independent contractors, their vehicles, and the cargo holds of commercial airlines. The company operates in 500 markets and 42 states.
"People see the word 'courier' and we get ridiculous calls to pick up widgets,'' Knauss said this week. "Widgets'' is his term for any shipments that are not medical or veterinary specimens.
Some have tried tempting him to expand the business model to include other types of shipments as a way to increase business. "I've been asked a thousand times to branch out,'' Knauss said.
But the 39-year-old Knauss has been steadfast in remaining specialized. "I learned a long time ago to be really good at one thing and not just OK at a bunch of things,'' Knauss said.
The approach has paid off. "It's going well,'' he said. "... We've really had some substantial growth over the last three years.''
Last year, LabExpress revenue reached $18 million; this year Knauss wants to have $24 million to $25 million in revenue, he said.
The shipping and handling of lab specimens requires an expertise as well as special equipment and work regimen. The specimens often must be kept at specific, cooler temperatures.
LabExpress uses insulated containers, dry ice, cool packs and other special equipment to protect the integrity of the specimens.
The company for the last four years has leased two small office buildings at 11870 Cranston just off Airline Road in Arlington, a Memphis suburb. Next week, site work should start on a new headquarters building about five miles away at 3211 Cypress Drive in Arlington's Cypress Ridge Business Park, near U.S. 64.
The UrbanArch architecture firm has designed a modern building of 10,200 square feet, substantially larger than the current headquarters.
Just as important as the added space will be how the new space is designed for work flow. The existing configuration of employee offices in two buildings is too chopped up to be as efficient as Knauss wants.
LabExpress relies heavily on commercial airlines, with couriers often driving the specimens from clinics to the airport. The company does business with 39 different laboratories across the nation.
"People think it's local labs,'' Knauss said. "But nine times out of 10 it's not... We'll pick it up from hospitals, clinics, veterinary clinics, kidney dialysis units. We keep it temperature-controlled. We'll transport it to whatever lab to test.''
Knauss went to high school at Raleigh-Egypt and graduated from Christian Brothers University. He majored in finance, intending to become an investment banker. But when the market crashed in the late 1980s, he looked for other work and landed with a truck-shipping company.
That experience gave him insight into the "major problem'' many of the national labs had with the proper handling and timing involving specimen shipments.
He first opened a specimen-shipping business in Houston, Texas, before moving back home to Memphis.
This Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015 photo shows the Verso Corp. plant at Wickliffe, Ky. Verso idled the mill last year. It was Ballard County's largest employer and had been an economic mainstay in western Kentucky for decades. (Ellen O'Nan/The Paducah Sun via AP)
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By Ted Evanoff of The Commercial Appeal
Verso Corp. could emerge from bankruptcy in July, said an executive with the Memphis-based papermaker.
Verso, spun off in 2006 by International Paper Co., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January, weighed down by $2.8 billion in debt.
Verso vice president Kathi Rowzie, in an email, wrote the process is moving ahead as expected. If all continues to go as expected we may emerge as early as late July.
IP decided to focus on corrugated packaging, pulp and some paper and sold Verso, which specializes in magazine-quality paper, to New York investor Apollo Global Management, which then took the company public.
By 2010, losses began piling up at Verso and over the next five years would reach $1 billion as paper imports and online publishing reduced demand for magazine paper. Supported by investors, Verso merged with Ohio rival NewPage Holdings and closed mills but could not manage debt payments.
In an earlier email describing the bankruptcy process, Rowzie wrote, the approval of the motion granting Verso authority to access up to $600 million in debtor-in-possession financing provides the company with significant operational flexibility and sufficient liquidity that we believe will support our ongoing operations for the foreseeable future throughout the restructuring process.
Before the bankruptcy filing, Verso employed 5,000 nationwide, including about 100 in the Memphis office. Its closest mill is an idle western Kentucky plant at Wickliffe.
The country house maid played by Martha Graber (top) is not amused by the antics of members of the Bliss family played (from left) by Lena Wallace Black, Christina Wellford Scott and Gabe Beutel-Gunn in Noel Coward's comedy "Hay Fever" at Theatre Memphis. (Photo by Skip Hooper)
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By Jon W. Sparks, Special to The Commercial Appeal
Jerry Chipman, who is directing "Hay Fever" at Theatre Memphis, promises that it will be "witty and fun, a show about a weekend of catastrophic things going haywire and not a serious moment in it."
The show, which opens this weekend, comes with a solid pedigree, both in playwright (Noel Coward) and in a talented cast that knows how to pull off not so much a comedy of manners but "a comedy about people with no manners," Chipman says.
The 1925 farce was reportedly based on an actual weekend Coward spent with a highly theatrical family who, Chipman says, managed to insult, humiliate and ignore their guests. The playwright wrote it in three days it was a smash and has turned out to be the most often revived and performed of Coward's plays.
The story takes place in an English country house presided over by matriarch Judith (Christina Wellford Scott), recently retired from the stage and terribly full of herself. Her husband, David (Greg Fletcher), is a novelist who is similarly inclined. Their two grown children (Lena Wallace Black and Gabe Beutel-Gunn) take after the folks. Each of the four has invited a guest for the weekend without consulting the others.
Chipman says the hilarity that ensues derives from the "thinly veiled romantic intentions" that precipitated the invitations, which "go haywire when no one is attracted to the person they invited."
The play "is all about style," Chipman notes, "so you need people who can handle Coward's language." The guests in the cast are Kinon Keplinger, Melissa Walker, Evan McCarley and Danielle Carr. Barely tolerating the entire event is Martha Graber as Clara, the maid.
"It's such a good ensemble," Chipman says. "And they are running in and out throughout the play."
The other stylistic aspects will be seen in the set and costumes, something that Theatre Memphis does particularly well. "There's a gorgeous two-story set," Chipman says, "and some stunning costumes. It's set in 1925, which is also the year of the last season of 'Downton Abbey,' where you saw the men in black tuxedoes and women wearing acres of chiffon. It's a handsome show to look at."
'Hay Fever' April 29-May 15 at Theatre Memphis, 630 Perkins Ext. Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $25; $15 students with valid ID and youth. Info: theatrememphis.org and 901-682-8323.
The bliss of Biss
The IRIS Orchestra again welcomes pianist Jonathan Biss, who has performed in town several times over a 20-year-plus span.
He was 14 in 1994 when he played Bach, Beethoven and Chopin in the Artists Ascending series and again in 1996 with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. In 2006, he was featured soloist with IRIS, performing the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21. In 2008, it was Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 22 with the MSO.
This weekend, he's commandeering the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, which hints at his love for Ludwig. He's working on a nine-year, nine-disc recording cycle of Beethoven's complete piano sonatas, and he wrote "Beethoven's Shadow," the first Amazon Kindle Single by a classical musician, confirming his obsession with Beethoven and his desire to get at the music from another angle while giving readers a different way to get into it as well.
Biss has been a member of the faculty of his alma mater, the Curtis Institute of Music, since 2010. There he led the school's first massive open online course to a virtual classroom of 51,000 students last season. And you complained when you had to sit in a big auditorium for lectures?
Also on the IRIS program is Prokofiev's Symphony No. 1, "Classical," an homage to Haydn and Mozart. Ending the concert, and the 2015-16 IRIS season, is Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 1, which he finished before his 16th birthday. Those crazy kids!
IRIS Orchestra with pianist Jonathan Biss 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Germantown Performing Arts Center, 1801 Exeter. Tickets: $45-$65 Saturday, $40-$60 Sunday. Info: irisorchestra.com, gpacweb.com and 901-751-7500.
The secret of Marcus
Hattiloo Theatre is staging the third of Tarrell Alvin McCraney's fascinating Brother/Sister trilogy, "Marcus: or the Secret of Sweet."
The interconnected plays, including "In the Red and Brown Water" and "The Brothers Size," vividly show McCraney's unusual storytelling style, which gets under the skins of the characters' lives. There is something impressionistic in these tales, with poetry and songs making a storyline that is often dreamlike. But they are also beautifully and carefully rendered.
In "Marcus," the young protagonist is trying to understand his sexuality and as happens with adolescents trying to figure out why everybody is reacting the way they do to someone being "sweet," a euphemism for gay.
Into the mix are dreams about his father and a looming storm all taking place in a fictional Louisiana town in, as the playwright says, the "distant present."
Cameron Yates is terrific as Marcus, capturing all the angst of a teenager trying to figure things out. The ensemble cast is strong, filling out the story with distinctive personalities who buffet Marcus along his journey.
The set is spare just some different levels to perform on, and that often is the most effective way to tell the story. Projected images didn't add much except to remind the audience that the moon was out. How much more interesting it would have been to see the faces of the actors as they told the story.
Veteran ensemble Los Lobos return to Memphis for a performance at the Beale Street Music Fest.
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By Bob Mehr of The Commercial Appeal
Far more than "just another band from East L.A.," as one collection modestly dubbed them, Los Lobos has, over the course of 40-plus years, moved from a traditional Mexican outfit to roots-punk purveyors to world music explorers.
"They've progressed from being an East Los Angeles institution to being a national and international institution," says Chris Morris, author of the recent biography of the band "Los Lobos: Dream in Blue." "They've evolved beautifully over the course of their career. They've expanded the scope of their music exponentially over time. At this point they don't have any new worlds to conquer."
Yet, Los Lobos continues to find new territory to explore. The band vocalist/guitarists David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas, bassist Conrad Lozano, drummer Enrique Gonzalez, and multi-instrumentalists Louie Perez and Steve Berlin plays the Beale Street Music Festival on Saturday.
The group recently wrapped up a long tour performing with Mexican dance company Ballet Folklorico. "That was a really amazing actually," says Berlin. "We've played folkloric music before, but never with a ballet. It was just a fantastic experience top to bottom."
Los Lobos is nominally touring in support of its most recent album, "Gates of Gold," released last fall. Though hailed critically as their work consistently has been since the start the process of making records has become considerably harder for the band.
"For us, making records is not fun. It's a combination of a colonoscopy and root canal to make a record these days," says Berlin, chuckling. "They only happen when medically necessary. None of us are A-type personalities, so the challenge has always been getting enough material written to make it viable to record in the first place. That hasn't improved over time."
Five decades and 24 albums into their career, Berlin admits the other struggle is in finding new ways to express themselves. "Once upon a time we had a rich and varied palate with which to do stuff," says Berlin. "But record after record after record, it gets harder to find something we haven't already done, at least on some level, to where you're just not repeating stuff."
In a sense, "Gates of Gold" avoids that quandary, by serving as a reaffirmation of Los Lobos' entire musical journey to this point. "That record summed up everything they do so well," says band biographer Morris.
A longtime Billboard reporter, Morris' book on Los Lobos also came out last fall, providing a critical study and narrative history of the group. Launched in the early-'70s the barrio band would share stages with Public Image Ltd., sign to Warner Bros., get shafted by fellow music fest performer Paul Simon (who's been accused of robbing them of credit for their work on multimillion selling "Graceland"), generate a massive movie hit with "La Bamba," and build one of the more revered catalogs in rock music.
Morris offers a sense of the terrain, both geographic and cultural, crucial to understanding the Los Lobos' evolution. He establishes a historical context background on Los Angeles' zoot suit riots, pachuco boogie music, and Latino garage rock before delivering an album-by-album exploration of Lobos' catalog. The book provides an insider's view of the creative process with an industry expert's understanding of how outside forces shaped each project and continues to shape Los Lobos' music today, particularly on stage.
"They still try and do unique things in the live context. They never stay in one place," says Morris. "I got a chance to see them several times [last fall] and each show was a little bit different and thrilling. They're so gifted as instrumentalists and so soulful as vocalists, they just always deliver the goods."
Saturday's show marks Los Lobos' first Memphis date since their last Beale Street Music Fest appearance in 2009. That gig saw them sharing the bill with Elvis Costello, and they were joined onstage by Attractions drummer Pete Thomas for a memorable encore.
"If our friends are there, if anybody we know is around, we're going to drag them onstage whether they like it or not," says Berlin. "That's generally how it works."
After music fest, the band will shift gears, and embark on a summer blues package. The "Wheels of Soul" tour will also feature the Tedeschi Trucks Band and the North Mississippi Allstars. "That's going to be a good time," says Berlin of the upcoming jaunt. "At this point, that's what Los Lobos is about: having a good time, and making music that still means something."
Los Lobos 7:25 p.m. Saturday on the Bud Light Stage at the Memphis in May Beale Street Music Festival.
Here's what to expect in Memphis real estate for the rest of 2022
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By Yolanda Jones of The Commercial Appeal
A former Memphis police officer accused of sexually assaulting a woman while on duty has been arrested and indicted on the charges.
Michael Smith, 39, was booked in the Shelby County Jail around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday on charges of rape, official misconduct, official oppression and sexual battery after the grand jury returned an indictment.
Smith resigned from the police department last week, days after a 26-year-old woman filed a complaint saying the on-duty officer made inappropriate sexual contact with her as she left the Purple Haze nightclub in downtown Memphis on April 16.
Smith joined the police department in 2009. He worked in the South Main precinct and resigned on April 19.
His bond has been set at $100,000.
Congressman Steve Cohen (Stan Carroll/The Commercial Appeal)
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By Michael Collins of The Commercial Appeal
WASHINGTON Researchers who develop cures or treatments for Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia would be eligible for prizes under legislation filed Wednesday by two Tennessee congressmen.
The bill, by Reps. John J. Duncan Jr., R-Knoxville, and Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, would provide $10 million to the National Institutes of Health and other agencies to create the prize competition.
"Almost everyone has a family member or friend whose family has been affected by this awful disease," Duncan said. "While we are already dedicating federal dollars toward this effort, I believe we can, and we must, do more to work to develop effective treatments and the prevention of Alzheimer's."
Funding Alzheimer's research by NIH is important to combatting the disease, Cohen said, but "it is not the only way that Congress can act to stimulate discovery and development of new treatments and cures."
The prize competition would encourage public research and "bring the best ideas and talent together to fight this horrible disease," Cohen said.
The bill is called the Eureka Act, for Ensuring Useful Research Expenditures is Key for Alzheimer's. It is the House version of bipartisan legislation that Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., has introduced in the Senate. Wicker's legislation has 40 cosponsors.
A woman on the Fort Peck Reservation pleaded not guilty to murder Tuesday in the alleged beating death of a 13-month-old relative who was under her care, court officials said.
Janelle Red Dog, 42, is accused of striking and killing Kenzley Olson, then putting her body in a dumpster before reporting the girl missing April 19.
Judge Marvin Youpee denied bond for Red Dog and ordered her back into custody pending a May hearing, according to the Fort Peck Tribal Court clerk's office.
The defendant's mother, Rhea Starr, said she believes Kenzley's death was an accident and Red Dog had been caring for the baby when no one else would.
"That baby was passed along like yesterday's gossip," Starr said. "I don't think (Kenzley's death) was intentional. I think my daughter was trying to help the baby and panicked."
The child's mother and other family members could not be immediately reached for comment.
The defendant's initial claim that Kenzley disappeared from the house where Red Dog was caring for her triggered an Amber Alert for an abducted girl that was broadcast in Montana and North Dakota. Authorities canceled the alert after Red Dog purportedly confessed a day later and drew a map that led them to the baby's body.
Red Dog also faces a misdemeanor charge of hindering law enforcement for giving a false report to police.
The Fort Peck Reservation is about 20 miles from the U.S.-Canada border and home to the Assiniboine and Sioux tribes.
Funeral services for Kenzley originally were scheduled for Sunday, but they were postponed until Wednesday. Her obituary described the girl's "tiny fingers, baby soft skin and beautiful smile."
Kenzley had been under Red Dog's care for about two weeks, after her mother dropped her off and failed to return, Red Dog's mother and her lawyer said. The tribal jail confirmed the mother was behind bars on unspecified charges when Kenzley died.
Defense attorney Mary Zemyan said told The AP that from the limited information authorities have shared with her, the cause of the baby's death is unclear.
Additional charges could be filed in tribal court later, Fort Peck Tribes Chief Prosecutor Scott Seifert said. Tribal law allows for a maximum three-year prison sentence on any one charge, with a combined maximum of nine years in prison and a $5,000 fine per charge, he said.
The severity of the crime and age of the victim merit the maximum punishment, Seifert wrote in a notice filed with the court.
Separate federal charges that could carry a more severe punishment also are expected in the case.
The child's death was the second major crime in recent weeks to hit the reservation, which has a population of about 10,000.
In late February, a man allegedly abducted a 4-year-old girl from a park in the town of Wolf Point, sexually assaulted her and tried to kill her. The girl was found alive several days later.
Zemyan has said Red Dog admitted to authorities that she struck Kenzley on three occasions. But she said it was unknown if that's what killed the girl.
"I haven't seen any autopsy so I'm not sure," Zemyan said.
Starr said Kenzley had been sick in recent weeks, coughing and throwing up, and she speculated that illness could have played a role in her death.
An investigator testified during a probable cause hearing last week that an autopsy determined Kenzley died of blunt force trauma. However, the court has not released the autopsy results or an affidavit from prosecutors that was said to have further details on the case.
Fort Peck Tribal Chairman Floyd Azure has blamed Kenzley's death and the recent kidnapping on a rising drug epidemic that he says the reservation must address.
Starr said her daughter had been addicted to painkillers "quite a few years ago" but was unsure if she had recent involvement in drugs.
"One addiction leads to another," Starr said. "There's so much drugs on this reservation it's crazy," she said.
A one-year-old is vaccinated with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. (AP Photo)
By Tom Charlier of The Commercial Appeal
People who visited any of more than a dozen sites ranging from a Millington thrift store to a Midtown pharmacy may have been exposed to the measles, Shelby County health officials said Wednesday.
Based on its investigation into a measles outbreak that so far has sickened six people, the Health Department identified locations where infected residents had visited while they were potentially contagious.
The list, posted on the website schdresponse.com, includes mostly doctors' offices, hospitals and clinics. It also includes the nursery at Collierville United Methodist Church, which disclosed Tuesday that health officials had notified the staff that a child with a suspected case of measles had attended the facility.
Measles is among the most contagious of all viruses, but according to the federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it remains an airborne threat to infect someone only for about two hours once it leaves another person's body.
The times shown for the various exposure risks date as far back as April 5, indicating the outbreak began more than three weeks ago.
The locations were released to notify residents of their potential exposure, the department said. Anyone who visited the sites during the specified times should check their immunization status and, if they have not been vaccinated, should stay home for 21 days and be vigilant for measles symptoms.
"Hundreds of people" may have visited the 14 identified sites during the periods when there was an exposure risk, Health Department Director Alisa Haushalter told reporters during a televised briefing Wednesday afternoon.
Department officials have not determined the origin of the outbreak, which accounts for 60 percent of all the confirmed measles in the U.S. so far in 2016. Haushalter said at least some of the local cases appeared to be linked, but "we can't link them all to each other."
Measles is a viral infection that begins with a fever, runny nose, cough and red eyes and progress to form a rash that spreads from the head down the body. It usually causes just a mild illness, but up to one-fourth of cases lead to hospitalization and roughly 1 in 1,000 infections results in death.
Shelley Walker, a spokeswoman for the Health Department, said local officials have been monitoring the six people with confirmed cases, and "everybody seems to be doing OK so far."
The disease is almost always preventable through the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine that typically is administered to children at around their first birthday and again before they begin kindergarten.
More than 90 percent of the county's school-age children have been vaccinated, according to the department. But officials believe the outbreak is far from over.
"It is very possible that we will have additional cases," Walker said.
Since the outbreak began, the department has been contacted by significant number of residents seeking immunization, she added.
Measles had been considered eradicated in the U.S. some 16 years ago, but the refusal of many parents to have their children vaccinated has contributed to numerous outbreaks across the nation in recent years.
Dr. Manoj Jain, a Memphis infectious disease physician, said the vaccine is extremely safe and effective. Past studies that linked the vaccine to a heightened risk of autism in children have been thoroughly repudiated, he said.
Dr. Wayland Hayes, a longtime Collierville pediatrician, said his office has been fielding "a lot of calls" from parents worried about the outbreak.
"This wouldn't be an issue at all if there weren't people who thought it was a good idea not to be vaccinated," he said.
Hayes said he's seen a common thread among people who have declined to have children vaccinated. "Usually, there has been a child with autism in the family, and they're afraid."
Echoing Jain, Hayes said "it's been quite well proven" that vaccines don't cause autism.
The 14 places, and the times of the potential exposure there, are as follows:
Michael's Craft Store, 3621 S. Houston Levee, Collierville (April 5).
Collierville United Methodist Church nursery 454 W. Poplar, Collierville (9 a.m.-noon April 17)
Goodwill, 8061 U.S. 51, Millington (9 a.m.-2 p.m. April 26)
Walgreens clinic, 1863 Union, Memphis (5:30-8 p.m. April 6)
Dr. Herman Crisler's practice, 5660 Mt. Moriah, Memphis (10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., April 8, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. April 9, 9:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. April 11)
Church Health Center clinic, 1196 Peabody, Memphis (7-11 a.m., April 11)
Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Emergency Department, 51 N. Dunlap, Memphis (11 a.m.-3 p.m. April 11)
Methodist University Hospital, 1265 Union, Memphis (11:05 a.m. April 11-1:30 a.m. April 12)
River City Pediatrics, 6401 Poplar, Memphis (April 19)
Yukon Clinic, 1355 W. Brierbrook, Germantown (9:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. April 19)
Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital Emergency Department, 7691 Poplar, Germantown (7 p.m. April 20-3 a.m. April 21)
Family Physicians Group PC, 8110 Cordova Road, Memphis (10 a.m.-2 p.m. April 20, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. April 22)
Primary Care Pediatrics, 9091 Highway 51 N., Millington (1-6 p.m. April 21)
St. Francis Hospital Bartlett Emergency Department, 2986 Kate Bond Road (any time on April 22 after 10:45 a.m.)
March 15, 2016 - City Council members Edmund Ford Jr. and Reid Hedgepeth . (Nikki Boertman/The Commercial Appeal)
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By Ryan Poe of The Commercial Appeal
Memphis City Council members sent Mayor Jim Stricklands administration a clear message in their first round of annual budget hearings Tuesday: Dont expect a rubber stamp.
In a meeting that lasted more than three hours, the councils Budget Committee voted to cut $2.5 million in spending on new police vehicles and $200,000 on railroad quiet zones, and to increase spending on new fire vehicles by $1 million and speed hump installations by $200,000.
By the end of the meeting, the committee cut a net $1.5 million from Stricklands proposed $85 million capital budget, although the final version of the budget wont be settled on until the end of June.
The most contentious vote was over reducing spending on police vehicle purchases including 90 new squad cars from $4 million to $1.5 million. The committee voted 5-2 to cut the funds for police vehicles and to increase funding to buy new fire engines or ambulances.
Along with Berlin Boyd, who proposed the change, council members Frank Colvett Jr., Edmund Ford Jr., Martavius Jones and Jamita Swearengen voted for the amendment. Worth Morgan and Philip Spinosa Jr. voted against it.
After the vote, Boyd said he thinks fire has a drastic need for new vehicles, and that hes seen a large number of police cars sitting unused in precinct parking lots. Also, the city has in the past requested police vehicles through both its General Services and the Police budgets, which he said amounted to double dipping.
The city has 810 vehicles assigned to nine precincts, and 227 that are nearing the end of their useful lives, according to information provided to the council by General Services.
Morgan said he didnt want to cut the budget for vehicles without more time to study the issue.
The committee also approved moving $200,000 for two railroad quiet zone projects on Southern Avenue, near the University of Memphis, to the citys speed hump program. With the increase, the city would have $500,000 to catch up on a backlog of 75 approved speed humps awaiting funding, and 420 others that have been requested by neighborhoods but not vetted by the city yet, said interim Engineering Director Manny Belen.
Chairman Kemp Conrad, who recommended the shift, said the speed humps were a public safety issue. Boyd, who had objected to the quiet zones, made the motion to move the funds.
By the end of the meeting, the committee approved the capital budgets for Engineering, Fire, General Services, Housing & Community Development and the Riverfront Development Corp.
Approval of the Finance departments $2 million request for improvements to the FedExForum was delayed while Finance gathers more information.
FedExForums $10 million fund for improvements is nearly depleted, and is down to about $1 million, said Chief Financial Officer Brian Collins. He said Shelby County is committed to contributing another $2 million for the arenas improvements.
The city will likely need to put $2 million into FedExForum maintenance per year, he said.
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By Erik Schelzig, Associated Press
NASHVILLE Members of a health care task force assigned with proposing alternatives to Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's Insure Tennessee plan Tuesday stressed their desire to include "circuit breakers" to prevent out-of-control costs.
The panel was appointed by Republican House Speaker Beth Harwell of Nashville earlier this month to design the plan expanding access to health coverage to present to the federal government this summer.
State Democratic Party Chairwoman Mary Mancini criticized the panel as a "political show" to give Republicans cover for voting last year to reject Haslam's plan to extend coverage to 280,000 low-income people in the state.
Harwell had also come under pressure from health care advocates who had bought space on 20 billboards across the state to draw attention to the failure of Insure Tennessee.
Martha Ingram, a Nashville philanthropist and one of the state's wealthiest citizens, said she got involved because she thought lawmakers were not fulfilling their responsibilities to citizens.
Harwell said she has been working with health care experts at Vanderbilt to develop a new plan since shortly after the Insure Tennessee proposal failed last year.
In announcing the task force, Harwell said she wants it to develop a plan including conservative ideas like encouraging greater responsibility for enrollees, creating health savings accounts and providing more support for people trying to rejoin the workforce.
While it was left unsaid at the announcement, having the plan drawn up by four conservative House members who had been critics of the Insure Tennessee proposal may also help skeptical Republicans overcome some of their queasiness about approving a program so closely tied to President Barack Obama's signature health care law.
The panel was joined Tuesday by Republican Sen. Richard Briggs of Knoxville, who voted in favor of Insure Tennessee last year, and Democratic Rep. Karen Camper of Memphis.
Rep. Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough, said he was concerned that the governor's proposal wouldn't have allowed for the program to pause and take stock of growing enrollment.
Rep. Steve McManus, R-Memphis, said in speaking with a colleague in another state that had expanded Medicaid, he was told he was "not so sure we can just walk away" if the program didn't meet expectations.
TennCare Director Darin Gordon, a chief architect of the Insure Tennessee proposal, said he was "absolutely" convinced that the state would be able to end the program whenever it sees fit.
"A state could choose not to renew it," he said. "You can't be forced to renew it."
Gordon cited the removal of 170,000 people from the TennCare rolls in 2005 to halt escalating costs for the program.
But Hill, who served in the Legislature at the time, said that was an experience he doesn't want to repeat.
"It was very awful," he said.
January 11, 2013 - Rev. Samuel Billy Kyles: Pastor (Jeff McAdory/The Commercial Appeal files)
By David Waters of The Commercial Appeal
His given name was Samuel, like the prophet. But when he was a small boy in Mississippi in the 1930s, his mother started calling him Billy, after the famous evangelist Billy Sunday.
My mother would see me having funerals for dead birds or baptizing cats and dogs, so she started calling me little Billy, Rev. Samuel Billy Kyles recalled in an interview a decade ago.
When I started school and people were calling me Samuel, I had no idea who that was. I was Billy.
For the rest of his life, he was Billy to family and friends, and Rev. Kyles to countless others around the world who were influenced by his ministry, music and witness not only to history but to the gospel.
Rev. Kyles, who saw his decades of work for civil and human rights as a logical and necessary extension of his ministry, died Tuesday after a long illness. He was 81.
Billy was the interpreter of our struggle, our witness, Jesse Jackson said at a tribute to Kyles held April 3 at Monumental Baptist Church, the South Memphis congregation he led for 55 years. He fought to change the order of things. He was a founding father of the New Memphis and the New South.
Rev. Kyles was too ill to attend the tribute, which fittingly focused as much on his lifelong ministry as his moment in history.
The lanky, soft-spoken, genial pastor was best known as the man who witnessed the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lorraine Motel.
King, Ralph Abernathy and Jesse Jackson were on their way to Kyles home for dinner. Rev. Kyles was on the balcony a few steps from King when the fateful shot was fired.
The tragic scene was recounted in a short film, The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306, which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2008.
Ive asked many, many times, Why was I there at that crucial moment in time? Rev. Kyles said many, many times as he traveled around the world every January and April to recount Kings final minutes. He didnt accept honoraria for those appearances.
Over the years, God has revealed to me why I was there. Crucifixions have to have witnesses.
They also need believers. Rev. Kyles was a true believer in the same gospel that informed, directed and motivated King.
Like King, his friend and mentor, Rev. Kyles was a preachers son and son of the Deep South. He was born in 1934 in Shelby in Mississippis Delta. When he was 6, his father, Rev. Joseph Henry Kyles, moved the family to Chicago.
He said, I need to get my boys out of Mississippi, Rev. Kyles later recalled.
Young Kyles started singing before he started preaching. By age 15, he was featured with gospel groups such as the Maceo Wood Singers.
Sam Cooke and I used to stand under a streetlight and sing together, Kyles told an interviewer for the National Visionary Leadership Project. The Staple Singers lived a block over. We were always singing.
Aretha Franklin, who was born in Memphis and whose father was a prominent preacher, said Rev. Kyles version of the gospel song Never Grow Old inspired her own hit version.
One evening when Kyles was supposed to sing in church, he got up and announced that he had been called to preach. He was 17.
There was no voice that spoke to me, but it was such an urge that it became almost like a burden, he said. His mother, Ludie Queen Kyles, wept. She said, I always knew you would, I was just waiting for you to know.
Kyles finished school, then seminary. In 1959, a clergy friend invited him to preach to a fledgling congregation in Memphis. He preached and they invited him back.
He returned to the pulpit nearly every Sunday for 55 years, becoming the founding pastor of Monumental Baptist Church.
I made a decision early on that I didnt want to be known as the singing preacher, he said. They didnt take singing preachers seriously. I wanted to be known as the preacher who could sing.
Like King, Rev. Kyles also wanted to be known as the preacher who worked for justice.
King taught us to preach to the whole person and to challenge wrong wherever you find it, not just from the pulpit but in the streets, Rev. Kyles told me in 1998.
Like King, Rev. Kyles worked both sides of the pulpit.
In Memphis, he joined the local branch of the NAACP and became one of the early leaders of the movement in Memphis.
In 1961, Rev. Kyles daughter, Dwania, was one of 13 African-American first-graders to integrate Memphis City Schools.
We did not want to make the mistake that Little Rock had made and send high schoolers, Rev. Kyles said. So we decided to send our 5-year-olds. Because high schoolers are tainted already, but a 5-year-old is going to act like a 5-year-old.
In 1964, Rev. Kyles was arrested along with six others for refusing to sit in the back of a segregated Memphis city bus. They threatened to start a Montgomery-like bus boycott. Two weeks later, city buses were quietly desegregated.
Billy was a civil-rights leader because he was a gospel preacher, said Rev. Dr. James Netters, pastor emeritus of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church-Westwood and Kyles oldest friend and colleague. He was being faithful to the gospel by standing up for his human rights and the human rights of others.
After Kings death in 1968, Rev. Kyles kept standing up. He formed the Memphis chapter of Jesse Jacksons Operation PUSH in 1974, the first one outside Chicago.
He led local efforts to desegregate all schools, register voters and elect African-Americans to public office, including Harold Ford Sr., the citys first black congressman and Willie Herenton, the citys first elected black mayor.
I can remember many an evening sitting on my fathers lap at our kitchen table listening to my Dad and Rev. Kyles strategize on important matters, said former congressman Harold Ford Jr.
Rev. Kyles was an unusual giant in spirit and faith in that he believed more in doing Gods work than just talking about the work God wanted us to do. I will miss him, and so will many, many others.
In 1994, President Bill Clinton, another friend, sent Rev. Kyles to help monitor South Africas first multirace voting. Nelson Mandela was elected South Africas president. He later hosted Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Rev. Kyles was a man who knew Kings and Presidents, but never acted like one. His church office was nondescript. He refused to get call-waiting so he could focus on one conversation at a time. He kept his car spotless in case someone needed a lift or a load toted.
He wouldnt ordain a minister who hadnt been to seminary. He wouldnt let church out before 1:30 p.m. because its the Lords Day, not a day for football or shopping.
He remained steadfastly loyal to his church and South Memphis neighborhood. He turned down suggestions to sell the property or use his fame to build a megachurch.
We could have taken the money and built a bigger place somewhere else, someplace maybe a little quieter or safer, James Short, a deacon, told me years ago. But Reverend said that if people say the neighborhood has got too bad for the church, thats an indictment of the church.
Rev. Kyles retired from the pulpit and from public life in 2014, battling age and related illnesses.
Tuesday, his wife, Aurelia, his children, and his longtime friend, Rabbi Micah Greenstein, gathered around his hospital bed to say goodbye.
When I kissed his forehead after praying and singing at his bedside, I whispered, Thank you, Billy, go with God, for you are a part of us forever, Greenstein said.
He was more than a witness to history and an icon of the civil rights movement who fought with grace for justice. He was such a sweet, gentle man. Such a lovely human being.
To watch a series of interviews with Rev. Kyles, visit visionaryproject.org.
Remembering Rev. Samuel Billy Kyles
"Rev. Kyles was a gospel preacher. His work in civil rights was just an additional part of his work as a pastor and preacher, just another part of his character. He was faithful to his congregation and served them from start to finish. Thats how he should be remembered. For being there as a witness for Dr. King on April 4, and also for being a witness for Christ wherever he was."
-- Dr. James L. Netters, Mt. Vernon Baptist Church-Westwood
"The Rev. Samuel Billy Kyles I knew was a gracious, kind man, who shared humor easily. He was connected with his humanity and that of others. Despite his known and unknown heartbreaking experiences, he continued to wear them like a loose garment, sliding off the shoulders of his joy."
--Rev. Sonia Louden Walker, First Congregational Church
"Rev. Kyles was remarkably unassuming and humble about his place in civil rights history. He may be most remembered for his presence on that balcony in April 1968, but he was quietly heroic in boarding a Memphis bus and taking a seat in the front before that. When he spoke of Dr. Kings death and the movement, it was never about him. It was all about the truths he believed in and the lessons he was meant to teach. And I sensed that he never judged harshly those whose courage failed them when the moment of decision came to board the bus or face the violence."
--Rabbi Harry Danziger, Temple Israel
"Rev. Kyles was a strategic thinker and planner. Oftentimes what many interpreted as protest or resistance was well thought out strategy on his part. He will forever be remembered as a humanitarian who inspired many. We would attend his church on Saturday mornings to play the background music for the Operation Push/Breadbasket Program where we learned that civil rights, social justice and Gods liberation were all one ministry working together for the same cause for all mankind, especially the poor and disenfranchised."
--Rev. Keith Norman, First Baptist Broad
"What a humble courageous man. Also very kind and generous with his time. On several occasions when a bishop of ours was in town, or a gathering of visitors, and I would call him for a private tour of the National Civil Rights Museum. He always honored the request. Beside being an icon of a great cause he was an ecumenical force who brought people together embracing all, as his mentor and friend, Dr. King, advocated."
--Rev. Nicholas Vieron, Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church
"Im grieving the loss of Rev. Samuel Billy Kyles. He was a pioneer of progressive and prophetic ministry in an urban context. I celebrate his life, love, legacy, and social witness. Although I, regretfully, never met him personally, Im grateful to share a bond with his nephew, Joseph, to partner with the Memphis Chapter of Rainbow PUSH, and to stand in the shadows of his contributions to social justice in this city. Rest well strong, good and faithful servant. A mighty oak has fallen.
--Rev. Earle J. Fisher, Abyssinian Baptist Church
"I had the privilege of serving on the board of directors at the National Civil Rights Museum with Rev. Kyles for seven years. I remember him telling the story of holding a meeting with over 300 pastors concerning the bus boycott in Memphis but after he informed them to be ready to go to jail the next day, only two pastors showed up. It was Rev. Kyles and Rev. James Netters. Its his courage that I will take with me as I remember that many are called but few are chosen and only a couple might show up. Thank you Rev. Kyles."
--Dr. Stacy Spencer, New Direction Christian Church
"Rev. Kyles was a pioneer, a gentleman, and a Christian statesman whose ministry spanned over extremely important decades in Memphis and in our country. We at Second Presbyterian Church thank God for his life and for the legacy of love and peace he has bequeathed to us all."
--Rev. Sandy Willson, Second Presbyterian Church
"I met Billy Kyles in 1987 when I first moved to Memphis. He was introduced to me by Rev. Frank McRae, another icon of the civil rights movement in Memphis. Billy took my hand and then pulled me close into him and called me his brother. Years later he gave me a tour of the National Civil Rights Museum as he loved to do. He brought me to tears. There was one person on the balcony that day from Memphis. Dr. King was headed to Billys house for dinner. That is who he was in my mind, a person who would gather the family together around the table for a meal, and then would get up ready to go to work for justice. I am proud to say he was my friend."
--Dr. Scott Morris, Church Health Center
"Like everyone I have many wonderful memories of Rev. Kyles, his beautiful wife Aurelia and his wonderful children. When I worked at the National Civil Rights Museum, in the early, early days, I would see him often as he proudly walked through the exhibition space bringing the history to life. When I was ordained, he was among those rare clergy men who offered me, and other young women in ministry, an opportunity to preach. The last time we were together it was at the homegoing service of one my dearest friends, and his lifelong member, Carolyn Coleman Daugherty. Despite the subtle signs of age, he was still the consummate gentleman, with a quick wit and always a word of encouragement. Like so many of our heroes, who are now among the great cloud of witnesses, we are more of who God called us to be because we were able to walk in the light of his life. Of course he will be missed still the vastness of his legacy will move us all to step out of our places of comfort in order to stand with those for whom life has robbed them of the comforts of human dignity and respect."
--Dr. Rosalyn Nichols, Freedoms Chapel Christian Church
"I first met Rev. Kyles when I was a senior at Central High School in 1970. His son Dwain invited me over to their home on several occasions and I remember many conversations with Rev. Kyles, or really more like teaching moments. I was too intimidated (in a good way) to say too much. Growing up in Memphis in Jim Crow for many of those years, my perspective on racial issues and the Civil Rights movement were largely influenced by the racist culture that nurtured me. Here was a godly man, a loving father, a gospel preacher that worshipped the same God I did, who loved the same Jesus I had been taught to love (well not really) the Jesus I was taught to love was not the Jesus of the Bible, but the Jesus of my culture. Rev. Kyles challenged me to seek the Jesus of the Scriptures and not that of my culture and there I found the Jesus who loved the poor, the alien, and the marginalized, a Jesus who cared as much about justice as He did salvation. My life would never be the same. Thank you Rev. Kyles for helping me understand the whole Gospel."
--Dr. Larry Lloyd, Memphis Leadership Foundation
"Though I am a relative newcomer to Memphis (only 15 years), when we could get together he would always treat me like a long lost friend. A civil rights icon, yes; but a truly kind, gracious gentleman."
--Dr. Steve Montgomery, Idlewild Presbyterian Church
"Many things strike me about the moment the shot fired on April 4, 1968, stealing the life from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. One of the most profound is that in this fractured scene Dr. King was accompanied by a friend and a man of God named Samuel Billy Kyles. It is one of the darkest moments for many who care about civil rights, social justice and racial reconciliation. Yet in that darkness Dr. King was not alone, abandoned, forgotten or forsaken. There, at the frontline of evil and despair, was another man of God, whose arms and heart were intertwined with Dr. Kings. The scene is a challenging call for all of us who call ourselves the people of God. A call to leave our comfort zones. A call to move to the frontlines. A call to be present with those whove taken a stand and to link arms and hearts with them. And a call to make sure that when the shots ring out our voices ring louder."
--Chris Altrock, Highland Church of Christ
"Rev. Billy Kyles graced a long career as a servant of Christ with a special way of bridging history for us. He demonstrated that Dr. Kings dream cannot be destroyed as only an eyewitness to the horror of his murder could do."
--Dr. Mark Matheny, United Methodist Church
"He really was a great man with a giant passion for equality and justice for all. He was one of the faith leaders who came to my help when I was placed under deportation and I remember him telling me "No we will not let them kick you out of this country. You are at home here with us" . I loved the way he lectures on why God chosen him to be a witness of the assassination of Dr. King adding that no one can assassinate Dr. King's character because he spent the whole day with him until his last breath.
"He was a giant man for civil rights and Memphis lost one of its best. May Allah shower His mercy on his soul."
--Dr. Nabil Bayakly, Muslims in Memphis
April 18, 2016 - A student talks on a cellphone as her classmates are dismissed for the day to load the buses at Raleigh-Egypt High School. On Tuesday, Shelby County Schools will discuss a grade reconfiguration proposal that would allow students in the Raleigh-Egypt feeder pattern of schools to bypass the middle school, which is entering the ASD next year. The change will turn an elementary school into a K-6 school and the high school into a 7-12 school. The proposal is in response to school board members asking the district to create options for students if they don't want to attend a school going into the ASD. (Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal)
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By Jennifer Pignolet of The Commercial Appeal
Students in Raleigh will have the option next year to avoid the state-run Achievement School District without leaving their neighborhood.
The Shelby County Schools board on Tuesday voted 8-0 to add grades six through eight to Raleigh-Egypt High School. Raleigh-Egypt Middle is converting into an ASD school next year with Scholar Academies charter network.
Students will still be zoned for the ASD school but could apply for a transfer into the high school for the middle school grades.
Board members said the addition of optional grades was in response to community members asking for SCS to do more when their school was going into the ASD.
A Tennessee Department of Education spokeswoman said in a statement before the vote that the state was disappointed in the proposal.
The Tennessee Department of Education has suspended the testing in grades 3-8. (Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal)
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By Jane Roberts of The Commercial Appeal
The Tennessee Department of Education terminated its contact with the vendor in charge of TNReady tests and suspended testing for grades 3-8, Commissioner of Education Candice McQueen announced in a call with superintendents Wednesday.
Testing in high schools will proceed as planned. Those tests will be scored like normal, and the results will be released in the fall.
The announcement comes after numerous failures by Measurement Incorporated, including breakdowns in shipping this week that meant no district in the state had a full complement of testing books and answer sheets.
The shipping situation is the second major problem for Measurement Inc. in what was to have been a five-year, $108 million contract to provide online testing for every student, grades 3-12, in state public schools. In February, the Department of Education had to abruptly switch from an online test to the paper-and-pencil version for the test's first phase when the company's server could not handle the volume of schools logging on to the tests.
"Not only did MI fail to deliver a reliable online platform for students across the state, they have failed to print and ship paper tests by deadlines they have set, despite the fact that paper testing has always been listed as the backup medium in our contract," McQueen said.
The state paid Measurement Inc. $1.6 million for preliminary work it invoiced last year but has paid nothing since the problems developed in February. Officials are now assessing the damages they plan to seek, McQueen said.
State test results act as the judge and jury in public education, giving the state data to assess how districts did in their state-driven annual measurable objectives. In lieu of No Child Left Behind provisions in Tennessee, the test data are also used for federal accountability measures.
"As a result, I have been in constant contact with the United States Department of Education to ensure that we are following federal law to the best of our ability and will continue to work with them on this issue to make a good-faith effort to administer the test to all Tennessee students," McQueen said.
But no more tests will be shipped for grades 3-8. Not a single district in the state received all the test booklets and answer sheets it needed to administer the test in every grade. As of Tuesday, McQueen said at least 2 million documents still had not shipped.
Districts have the option of giving the test in grades 3-8 if they have a full set of test materials for a subject and grade. The state has said it will process the tests and provide raw data on how many questions students answer correctly, but it will not be able to tell schools how they performed against others in the state.
Shelby County Schools has elected not to test. So has the Achievement School District, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown and Lakeland.
"It's a mixed emotion," said Farmington Elementary fourth-grade teacher Anna Brignole. "We worked so hard all year to prepare the kids, and we think we did a really good job. We are disappointed that we won't get to see the data, the proof of all the hard work."
But she said the fact that students were going to take them online, which introduced a new process of clicking and dragging supporting evidence into responses, was nerve-wracking. "It's nice to say we are going to start again next year and hopefully we will have a good plan and everything will work out," she said.
By Tuesday, Germantown schools had testing booklets at Farmington and Dogwood elementaries but no answer sheets. Riverdale and Houston Middle had received neither.
"We've been having testing materials showing up intermittently throughout the week," Bartlett Superintendent David Stephens said. "Our parents, teachers and principals have been extremely patient and flexible, given the situation we are in. It's been frustrating for everyone. I appreciate the commissioner pulling the plug at this point."
Tennessee, he said, has not had a true test of what students were learning for several years. Last year, the TCAP test was not aligned to the Common Core curriculum being taught. This test was aligned to the new standards.
Stephens said in his 29 years in public education, he has never seen a state test thrown out.
"The state assessment is one piece of the whole puzzle," Stephens said. "We put so much in this high-stakes testing that we lose perspective that the teacher is interacting with kids every day, moving the kids, getting kids ready for what is next. We've been having school. Teachers, kids and parents have been working all year, and we will continue that."
April 26, 2016 -- Collierville Mayor Stan Joyner Jr. (top right) and Collierville School Board member Cathy Messerly (top left), along with local educators and prominent business leaders, attend a roundtable discussion Tuesday morning. The Collierville Chamber of Commerce is launching an initiative to coordinate the local education system with the needs of businesses. (Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal)
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By Daniel Connolly of The Commercial Appeal
Which is more valuable in economic terms: a bachelor's degree or a certificate in welding?
To hear some panelists at a Tuesday morning roundtable discussion in Collierville tell it, the certificate in welding often leads to solid pay in a much shorter time.
That was one of the main ideas advanced by Glen Fenter, a panel participant who argued that as Collierville takes a hard look at its K-12 education system, it should create short-term certificate programs not just in welding, but in diesel mechanics, information technology and health care fields. He and other discussion participants argued it's time to end the old stigma that vocational courses are only for weak students.
"It's easy enough to take a welding course and still end up at Hendrix College or at Rhodes working on a degree in sociology and philosophy ... The old trap used to make you have to choose, and it doesn't have to do that anymore," Fenter said.
Collierville is an affluent community whose investment in education is evidenced by the new high school under construction. The town uses its education system as a selling point to draw new businesses and new residents.
Now, local leaders are trying to ensure that the schools provide the education that local employers will need in the future. A new initiative, called Partners in Education, is led by the Collierville Chamber of Commerce, and the 2016-2017 town budget not yet approved includes $40,000 in startup money for the project. The Economic Development Growth Engine, or EDGE, a Memphis-based organization, is contributing $53,000.
Fenter was one of the main panelists at Tuesday's meeting, held at the Collierville offices of MCR Safety, a maker of protective gloves, glasses and garments. He's former president of the West Memphis school now known as Arkansas State University Mid-South and a leader with an initiative called the Greater Memphis Alliance for a Competitive Workforce.
The event drew a cross-section of the town's political and business leadership, including schools superintendent John Aitken, Mayor Stan Joyner, several aldermen and representatives of companies such as Helena Chemical, CCL Label, FedEx and Carrier Corp.
The quality of the local workforce is an issue throughout the Memphis area, said Reid Dulberger, leader of EDGE. Other communities might want to follow Collierville's efforts to match local schools to employers' needs.
"Collierville can help illustrate a model for moving us forward that's quite useful," he said.
Tuesday's meeting marked one of the first events Partners in Education has held.
Participants filled out surveys with questions such as "How many workers did you recruit from outside the area over the last twelve months?" and "Please list specific jobs skills that are most difficult to find."
Collierville chamber president and chief executive officer Kanette Keough-Rodgers said a committee that's chaired by former Shelby County Mayor Jim Rout will review the information gathered and come up with specific steps.
She predicted that one of the earliest initiatives will focus on "soft skills," the basic behaviors people need to succeed in the workplace for instance, showing up on time and communicating well with others.
In the future, local companies will likely support the initiative through steps such as opening their doors to students and sending their employees to local schools, Keough-Rodgers said.
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By Daniel Connolly of The Commercial Appeal
Collierville students in grades 4-7 will receive an iPad next school year as part of the budget proposal presented to board members Tuesday night by Superintendent John Aitken.
The budget won't be final until the board approves it at a future meeting. None of the school board members raised any concerns about the plan Tuesday, however.
The large-scale iPad program is one step in a push by a school district committee, the Digital Learning Implementation Working Group, trying to prepare students to use technology.
Under the proposed plan, the school board would lease the iPad devices and the students would keep them for the year, Aitken said. In the following years, the school system plans to expand the program to other grade levels. High school students would likely receive laptops, he said.
The iPad lease program and related tech costs would total $1.6 million during the first year, plus additional money in subsequent years, Aitken said. The budget also calls for $1.1 million in spending in the 2016-2017 school year for additional technology upgrades in schools, such as additional wireless access points.
The technology expansion is one of the most notable elements of the 2016-2017 budget, the third in the history of the recently formed Collierville municipal school system.
Aitken's administration is proposing a $71.5 million general fund budget with most of the money coming from state and local sources. The budget also calls for small bonuses for teachers; the structure of the increase depends on various factors.
"You could say that everybody's getting close to a 2 percent raise," Aitken said.
The school system is also adding some positions, including nine special education assistants.
Aitken also announced the groundbreaking for the district's new high school will be at 10 a.m. May 13.
Gov. Phil Bryant
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By Emily Wagster Pettus, Associated Press
JACKSON, Miss. A new Mississippi law might violate a federal judge's order that blocks the state from treating same-sex couples differently from straight couples who want to marry, says an attorney who helped overturn the state's ban on gay marriage.
Roberta Kaplan said in a letter to Republican Gov. Phil Bryant and other officials that she has "serious concerns" about how the state will comply with the judge's order once a religious-objections measure, House Bill 1523, becomes law July 1.
Kaplan, based in New York, represented Campaign for Southern Equality and same-sex couples who filed a 2014 federal lawsuit challenging Mississippi's ban on gay marriage. U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves in late 2014 blocked Mississippi from enforcing the ban, but he put his ruling on hold while the state appealed his decision.
Before an appeals court could rule, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in June. Days later, Reeves issued an order permanently blocking Mississippi from enforcing its ban on gay marriage.
Kaplan says Mississippi's new law may violate that order. The law, signed April 5 by Bryant, says workers can cite their own religious objections to same-sex marriage to deny services to people.
Government clerks could recuse themselves from issuing marriage licenses to gay or lesbian couples, and judges could recuse themselves from performing same-sex weddings, under the law. Although the law says such officials must find someone else to issue the license or perform the wedding, legislators did not say what happens when every employee in a clerk's office or every judge in a county chooses not to provide the services for same-sex couples.
"HB 1523 is absolutely silent as to how the right of all Mississippians who seek to legally marry, including gay men and lesbians, will be protected under this new 'recusal' system," Kaplan wrote in the letter.
Officials who intend to recuse themselves must file a statement with the state vital statistics registrar, who works for the Health Department.
Attorney General Jim Hood received Kaplan's "letter and will respond to it at the appropriate time," said Rachael Ring, spokeswoman for the attorney general's office.
The governor's spokesman did not immediately respond.
Kaplan is asking Mississippi officials to provide copies of all recusal forms filed by government workers, and to note "whether the individual seeking recusal intends to continue issuing marriage licenses to straight couples, while at the same time refusing to participate in issuing licenses to gay and lesbian couples."
She said Tuesday that if same-sex couples are treated differently than straight couples that could prompt a court challenge.
"We will do whatever it takes, including filing action if necessary, to enforce our clients' rights that have already been litigated," Kaplan told The Associated Press.
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By Associated Press
JACKSON, Miss. Four of five University of Mississippi students accused in an alleged October hazing incident have had charges against them dropped.
An attorney for one of the students told The Clarion-Ledger newspaper of Jackson that Judge Mickey Avent ruled Monday the state did not meet its burden of proof in charging Christian Guy, Austin Rice and Kyle Hughes with larceny and James Declan Basile of assault, hazing and larceny.
The ruling came after the judge heard testimony from the alleged victim, Jeremy Boyle, a Sigma Pi fraternity member, and others.
Rice's attorney, Tony Farese, is calling the incident a fraternity prank gone bad.
"I think when it was reported, misinformation was disseminated to the press where all the young men were accused of assaulting Mr. Boyle, which wasn't true," Farese said. "We're extremely pleased with the ruling. The judge did the right thing."
According to Farese, the five accused men, Pi Kappa Alpha member James Declan Basile and four pledges Tucker Cole Steil, Austin Rice, Christian Guy and Kyle Hughes went to the Sigma Pi house to temporarily remove a concrete donkey that was on top of the fraternity house. Farese said the figurine was put there as a dare to other fraternities to try and steal it.
Farese said testimony from the investigating officer indicated that the defendants were going to take the donkey and bring it back in a few days.
Early reports said the alleged assault occurred early Oct. 6 when Boyle heard a disturbance in the backyard and was attacked by five people "when he went outside to investigate."
Boyle suffered a concussion, several broken teeth, a ruptured eardrum and had a bruised lung, the Daily Mississippian has reported. He was treated at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi in Oxford and released.
Basile was initially charged with assault against Boyle, but in court Boyle testified that he initiated the fight by putting an individual he thought to be Steil in a headlock, but it turned out to be Basile.
"We're pleased these young men were exonerated," Farese said. "My client Austin Rice has a stellar record and a great future, and we want the public to be advised he was cleared of any wrongdoing."
The five accused were disciplined by the university and kicked out of their fraternity, Farese said.
"It's been a tragic situation for everyone involved," he said.
Steil's case has been continued. He is charged with felony-level assault.
Billings high schools each got a new counselor who specializes in mental health this winter. And their caseloads are already full.
In some ways, thats a good thing, Skyview counselor Tina Boone said. It reflects that more students are willing to seek help for an often-stigmatized health problem. But one counselor per school isnt enough, she said.
Six Skyview students attempted suicide last week, according to school records. And thats only the number of students that school officials know about.
Im more worried about the kids who attempt, and then boom, they show up at our school Monday morning, said Boone, who heads Skyview's guidance department. We dont know; teachers dont know.
That was an unusually high figure for Skyview, she said. But it illustrates why School District 2 is asking for funding for two more positions as part of a levy up for a vote this spring.
Nationwide, schools provide more mental health services than any other outlet, said Billings Clinic Pediatric and Adolescent Psychiatrist Eric Arzubi. In part, its a more accessible and less obtrusive environment.
The chances of someone seeking out and getting help is much higher in a school building than in a community setting, Arzubi said.
Arzubi, whos well-versed in mental health statistics, nearly fell out of his chair when he heard Skyviews weekly suicide attempt figure.
The fact that (new counselors) filled up in four months kind of important to note, he said. This is a crisis.
District officials have said that their options are maxed out, from a budget standpoint. Without the levy they cant hire any more specialized staff. In Montana, school districts that want to increase budgets about state-mandated minimums have to ask local taxpayers to raise taxes. Maximum budgets are also capped by the state.
I guess in the end, as a community, you have to decide if you want to stay on the offensive or defensive, Arzubi said.
Wider problem
Its not just struggling students who deal with mental health problems.
Boone had a group of high-achieving students who regularly ate lunch in her office eight years ago and found conversations about school pressures "astonishing."
They always kind of forget that youre there, she said. They really had no clue how to go about relieving that stress or dealing with it.
They literally are taking all their energy, smiling and pretending that everything is fine, but then they go home and they crash.
About half of the U.S. population will develop a mental illness at some point in their lifetime, according to the CDC. About half of those cases begin by age 14. And about half of students 14 and older with a mental illness drop out of school, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
A 2015 survey of Montana high school students showed that almost 9 percent of students attempted suicide and almost 20 percent of students seriously considered it.
To think that this only is (an issue) of these clusters of suicide, no. To think that this only is (an issue) of violence, no, Arzubi said.
When problems manifest themselves in ways like anxiety causing stomach aches, students can miss class. Behavioral problems stemming from aggression can land students in detention.
On a whole, mental illness does negatively impact school performance, Arzubi said.
Specialized counselors offer more help than what a typical guidance counselor is trained to, and they typically handle a caseload of about 30 or 40 students.
Skyview mental health counselor Erin Bratsky, who was hired in January, said that she usually tries to meet with a student for a time as long as a class period.
Traditional guidance counselors are supposed to focus on things like scheduling, career planning and testing.
We can help them with some things, but we dont do therapy, Boone said.
I think that demand for mental health (resources) is beyond what one therapist can do here, Bratsky said.
Community issue
It can be more difficult for parents to accept that their kids need help than it is for kids.
I think sometimes its the adults in their lives that just tell them to suck it up, Boone said.
While many parents are proactive, some wont even take children to the hospital after a suicide attempt.
If your kid has a heart attack, do you not take them to the hospital? Arzubi said.
The Yellowstone Youth Crisis Network, a collaboration between several community groups, works to coordinate resources. A coordinator for the network, housed in SD2s administrative building, works with students and families to connect them with resources before a problem becomes a crisis.
SD2 opened its first school-based health clinic at Orchard Elementary this year, which Arzubi visits. Its a model more popular in several other states, and a host of research calls for additional mental health resources in schools.
For now, SD2s resources are tapped out, officials said.
You cant take care of everything that you need to, Boone said. You need more bodies.
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By Nassim Benchaabane, Associated Press
JACKSON, Miss. Mississippi's high school graduation rate continued its push up toward the national average in the 2014-2015 school year.
While the rate at which students graduate high school in four years is still below the national average of 82 percent, that number has increased since 2011, according to the State Department of Education.
School districts showed a statewide four-year graduation rate of 78.4 percent for the 2014-2015 school year - up from 74.5 percent in the 2013-2014, officials said. The four percent increase is the largest since 2011.
The dropout rate also decreased by about one percent from the 2013-2014 school year, down to 12.8 percent.
But the graduation rate among students with disabilities remains one of the lowest in the nation even after a five percent increase to 27.5 percent for the 2014-2015 school year. The highest graduation rate among students with disabilities in the 2014-2015 school year was 63.6 percent. More than half of school districts had graduation rates lower than 40 percent.
Associate State Superintendent Jean Massey said what determines a district's graduation rate varies between school districts across the state because of several factors that include location, community support and administrative leadership. Increases are generally a result of schools' focus on attendance and targeting students at risk of dropping out with a wide range of special services, she said.
Lundy Brantley, superintendent of Union Public Schools in Newtown County, said that emphasis needs to start as soon as students enter elementary school.
"There are a lot of indicators in those early years of students that might be at risk of dropping out," he said. "We try to identify those students early on and make sure they have the resources they need."
The relatively small school district, which enrolls about 1,300 students district wide and about 250 students at its high school, had a graduation rate of 84.8 percent. Brantley said Union schools try to offer a range of services including curriculum that matches students' college and career interests and flexible scheduling to give students time to catch up.
"If you've got kids who are behind on a subject, you might want to double block a class," he said. "You have to be creative."
Pascagoula-Gautier School District officials call students' parents or visit their homes to encourage them to take advantage of counseling and tutoring, Superintendent Wayne Rodolfich said. The district's two high schools had a total graduation rate of 81.2 percent, which was a two percent increase from the previous year, Rodolfich said.
"Parents are always receptive to their child receiving help and I think it means a lot to them," he said.
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By Jennifer Pignolet
Collierville High and Germantowns Houston High School were two of 12 Tennessee high schools to make The Washington Posts list of the countrys most challenging high schools.
The list, released this week, includes any public high school with at least a one-to-one ratio of college-level classes taken per graduating student.
The top school in the country was BASIS Oro Valley, in Oro Valley, Arizona, with over 20 advanced classes per graduating student. Houston was ranked the 953rd hardest school with a 2.435-to-one ratio, and Collierville was ranked 1,052nd with a 2.307-to-one ratio. That puts both schools in the top 5 percent in the country out of roughly 22,000 public schools.
The list included about 10 percent of all schools. Magnet and charter high schools were only included if they do not draw a high concentration of top students that skew their average ACT and SAT results above a 29 or 2000, respectively. While the data also displays each schools percentage of students who qualify for the federal free and reduced school lunch program, that did not factor into the rankings.
Only 12 schools in Tennessee out of a total of roughly 2,300 nationwide made the list. Arkansas had 74 schools on the list, but Mississippi just one, located in Biloxi.
Germantown Municipal School District Supt. Jason Manuel said the rankings are nice to see, but are not the districts focus. He said the biggest question is, Are (students) successful when they leave our campus, for whatever they choose to do?
The school boasts a 96 percent rate for students who graduate from Houston and enroll in either a two- or four-year degree program.
Houston offers 26 advanced placement or dual-enrollment classes in areas including physics, economics, government, studio art, foreign languages and history, according to the schools website. Colliervilles website lists 28 advanced placement and dual-enrollment classes, with a large focus on foreign languages and both macro and microeconomics.
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The Shelby County Office of Preparedness/Emergency Management Agency and a multitude of community partners began hosting a variety of events Monday to sharpen the public's awareness of the need to be prepared for natural disasters and their aftermath.
The Shelby County PrepareAthon, which runs through Friday, places the focus on a different natural disaster each day, with Friday's emphasis on challenging citizens to get involved by doing such things as taking a community emergency response team class or becoming a National Weather Service spotter.
Getting involved, though, goes beyond taking a weather-related safety course. It also means families making sure they have the necessary essentials packed away that will allow them to ride out the aftermath of a disaster.
Monday's emphasis was on understanding weather alerts and warnings. Local flooding risks were Tuesday's focus. Preparing for tornadoes is the target today. Earthquake awareness and response takes center stage Thursday.
PrepareAthon blitzes the public with public service announcements and events focusing on natural disaster preparedness.
Among today's events, for example, is a tornado drill at the Downtown Elementary School.
The Federal Emergency Agency is closely watching how the PrepareAthon goes in Shelby County, the first county in Tennessee to stage this kind of event.
Helen Lowman, FEMA's director of Individual and Community Preparedness, in a conference call with The Commercial Appeal's editorial board earlier this month, praised the job the county has been doing on promoting preparedness.
She pointed out that less than half of adults have participated in a preparedness drill or exercise, aside from a fire drill, at their workplace, school or home in the past two years. She added that only 39 percent of families have an emergency plan.
Lowman, who will be in Memphis today, hopes that events like Shelby County's PrepareAthon will increase those percentages.
"We're really excited to see how it (PrepareAthon) works here," she said.
How will they know if the weeklong push was effective? Lowman said her office will team with local officials to conduct annual surveys to see if the message resonated in homes and workplaces.
Dale Lane, director of Shelby County's Office of Preparedness /Emergency Management, and Steve Shular, public affairs officer for county Mayor Mark Luttrell, coordinated this week's events.
They said an impressive list of public health, business, government, education, law enforcement and other emergency responders and nonprofit relief agency officials partnered with the county to stage event.
Most people do not think about natural disasters until television weather forecasters interrupt their favorite show to warn about coming dangerous storms. Once the danger has passed their area, they want their regular programming resumed.
If the storm posed an immediate danger, would they know what to do? Would they have the necessary medical supplies, nonperishable food items, water, blankets, a hand-cranked or battery-powered radio (with extra batteries) to endure hours without lights or heat?
The PrepareAthon is designed to call residents' attention to being prepared.
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By Wayne Oliver
As we have seen since the adoption of the Affordable Care Act, health care often tends to create sharp divides. So when an idea draws so much consensus, it is time to take notice.
That issue is a proposal to reduce health care costs that was before the Tennessee General Assembly. It would eliminate wasteful, defensive medicine by repealing Tennessee's broken medical malpractice system and replace it with a no-blame, administrative model.
A new survey by Beacon Research finds that 85 percent of Tennessee doctors believe a proposed Patients' Compensation System (PCS) would reduce health costs. Another 89 percent said they would support the proposal before the Tennessee legislature.
Tennessee physicians are no different from doctors throughout the country. They use their pen to drive up health costs because they live in fear of litigation. Wasteful, defensive medicine occurs when physicians order items such as X-rays, blood work, MRIs and CT scans tests and procedures that are not clinically necessary but are ordered to protect physicians from a lawsuit.
Bioscience Valuation, a health care economics firm, reports defensive medicine cost $487 billion in the United States in 2015. In Tennessee, defensive medicine runs about $13 billion annually in wasted health care costs.
While other attempts at health cost reduction have chipped around the edges, this plan would save Tennessee significant dollars in health care more than $30 billion in public and private health plans over a decade. Florida, Georgia, Maine and Montana are considering similar plans.
Under the proposed PCS, patients who have been injured by a physician would no longer take their case to court. Instead, they would file a claim before an administrative panel of health care experts and an administrative law judge. If the PCS found an avoidable harm had occurred, the patient would be quickly compensated, unlike our current legal system that takes years and compensates very few injured patients.
Patients would be compensated in an amount similar to what they would receive after years in the legal system. This no-blame, administrative model would eliminate the adversarial relationship between patient and doctor and allow physicians to acknowledge their errors without fear of litigation.
Beacon Research also found that 85 percent of Tennessee doctors would be able to live without of fear of litigation if the PCS model were adopted. And 64 percent said they would eliminate or reduce the practice of defensive medicine.
The General Assembly tackled many issues during its just-completed session. From taxes to Internet access to education, there are many important topics our legislators tried to address. One of the most pressing issues was the continued increase in the cost of health care. Reports are that insurance rates have increased by as much as 36 percent for Tennessee families this year.
With news like this, it's no wonder Tennesseans are frustrated. The promises of the Affordable Care Act continue to disappoint, and families continue to feel the pinch with higher premiums and more out-of-pocket costs.
Wayne Oliver is the executive director of the Patients for Fair Compensation, a nonprofit seeking to implement the Patients' Compensation System.
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By Neal Devins and Saikrishna Prakash
Almost as soon as North Carolina passed House Bill 2, which pre-empted locally enacted civil rights protections for gay and transgender people, the state's attorney general, Roy Cooper, announced that his office would not defend it against the inevitable constitutional lawsuits. Cooper, who is running for governor in North Carolina, called HB2 a "national embarrassment" and insisted it was unconstitutional.
The attorney general's decision represents a trend. More and more state attorneys general are refusing to defend divisive laws, especially those championed by opposition party governors and legislatures. Many seem to have concluded that nondefense of state laws is an option to be exercised in the service of politics.
Until 2008, nondefense was almost unheard of. That year then-California Attorney General Jerry Brown refused to defend Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in the state. Since then, 16 other attorneys general have refused to defend state laws. Democrats refuse to defend gun rights legislation and anti-same-sex-marriage laws. Republicans refuse to defend campaign finance restrictions, gun control laws and protections for gays and lesbians.
In large part, refusing to defend is a byproduct of the sharp Republican-Democrat divide that pervades today's politics. Before the divide, state legislation often garnered support from both Republican and Democratic voters and politicians; in that context, attorneys general couldn't count on scoring political points by refusing to defend laws. But now refusals to defend can be a surefire means of currying favor with interest groups and voters who fiercely oppose some state laws, and attorneys general wield their control of litigation for political reasons.
Consider the 2014 race for Wisconsin attorney general. Democratic candidates pledged not to defend voter identification laws or the state's ban on same-sex marriage; the Republican candidate pledged not to defend a domestic partnership law.
In 2015, Illinois' Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced that she was defending a state labor statute by seeking to block Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of "fair share" union dues. This month, California antiabortion groups gathered outside Attorney General Kamala Harris' office demanding she resign for opening an investigation into the local activist who secretly taped meetings with Planned Parenthood.
The absence of clear state laws regarding the powers and responsibilities of attorneys general is partly to blame for these partisan squabbles. A few states require that the attorney general defend all laws; a few make clear that the decision to defend is up to the attorney general; most say nothing about the question.
Even when state law defines the attorney general's job, politics can intrude. North Carolina mandates that its attorney general "defend all actions in which the state may be a party" and "represent all state departments." Cooper has justified his refusal by saying his first obligation is to defend state agencies that do not want to abandon their anti-discrimination policies. Gov. Pat McCrory, against whom Cooper is running for the governorship, castigates the attorney general's decision as "politically expedient."
This is not the first time McCrory and Cooper have locked horns over the refusal issue. Cooper and his office defended North Carolina's voter identification law in federal court even though Cooper had publicly opposed the measure and created an online petition urging the governor to veto it. McCrory didn't pat him on the back for doing his job in that case. Instead, the governor spent state money to add other lawyers to the effort to uphold the statute. The governor's chief legal counsel claimed that Cooper could not be trusted to offer a vigorous defense of the measure.
Attorneys general have always been political creatures and so, in one sense, nothing is new here. And yet states ought not ignore the uptick in nondefenses and charges of lawlessness and bad faith that result from it. They need to reconsider the function of attorneys general and how best to defend the constitutionality of state laws. Indifference to such questions should come to an end.
Neal Devins is a professor of law at William & Mary. Saikrishna Prakash is a professor of law at the University of Virginia. They are the authors of a study of attorney general refusal published in the Yale Law Journal in 2015. They wrote this for the Los Angeles Times.
Select Commodity All Ajwan Alasande Gram Almond(Badam) Alsandikai Amaranthus Ambada Seed Amla(Nelli Kai) Amphophalus Antawala Anthorium Apple Apricot(Jardalu/Khumani) Arecanut(Betelnut/Supari) Arecanut(Betelnut/Supari) Arhar (Tur/Red Gram)(Whole) Arhar (Tur/Red Gram)(Whole) Arhar Dal(Tur Dal) Ashgourd Astera Avare Dal Bajra(Pearl Millet/Cumbu) Bajra(Pearl Millet/Cumbu) Balekai Bamboo Banana Banana - Green Barley (Jau) Bay leaf (Tejpatta) Beans Beaten Rice Beetroot Bengal Gram Dal (Chana Dal) Bengal Gram(Gram)(Whole) Ber(Zizyphus/Borehannu) Ber(Zizyphus/Borehannu) Betal Leaves Bhindi(Ladies Finger) Bitter gourd Black Gram (Urd Beans)(Whole) Black Gram Dal (Urd Dal) Black pepper BOP Bottle gourd Bran Brinjal Broken Rice Broomstick(Flower Broom) Bull Bunch Beans Cabbage Calf Capsicum Cardamoms Carnation Carrot Cashewnuts Castor Seed Cauliflower Chapparad Avare Chennangi Dal Cherry Chikoos(Sapota) Chili Red Chilly Capsicum Chow Chow Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum(Loose) Cinamon(Dalchini) Cloves Cluster beans Cock Cocoa Coconut Coconut Oil Coconut Seed Coffee Colacasia Copra Coriander(Leaves) Corriander seed Cotton Cotton Seed Cow Cowpea (Lobia/Karamani) Cowpea (Lobia/Karamani) Cowpea(Veg) Cucumbar(Kheera) Cummin Seed(Jeera) Custard Apple (Sharifa) Dalda Dhaincha Drumstick Dry Chillies Dry Fodder Dry Grapes Duck Duster Beans Egg Elephant Yam (Suran) Field Pea Firewood Fish Foxtail Millet(Navane) French Beans (Frasbean) Galgal(Lemon) Garlic Ghee Gingelly Oil Ginger(Dry) Ginger(Green) Gladiolus Cut Flower Goat Gram Raw(Chholia) Gramflour Grapes Green Avare (W) Green Chilli Green Fodder Green Gram (Moong)(Whole) Green Gram Dal (Moong Dal) Green Peas Ground Nut Oil Ground Nut Seed Groundnut Groundnut (Split) Groundnut pods (raw) Guar Guar Seed(Cluster Beans Seed) Guava Gur(Jaggery) He Buffalo Hen Hippe Seed Honge seed Hybrid Cumbu Indian Beans (Seam) Indian Colza(Sarson) Isabgul (Psyllium) Jack Fruit Jaffri Jamun(Narale Hannu) Jarbara Jasmine Jowar(Sorghum) Jute Kabuli Chana(Chickpeas-White) Kacholam Kakada Kankambra Karamani Karbuja(Musk Melon) Kartali (Kantola) Khoya Kinnow Knool Khol Kodo Millet(Varagu) Kulthi(Horse Gram) Lak(Teora) Leafy Vegetable Lemon Lentil (Masur)(Whole) Lilly Lime Linseed Lint Litchi Little gourd (Kundru) Long Melon(Kakri) Lotus Lotus Sticks Lukad Mahedi Mahua Mahua Seed(Hippe seed) Maida Atta Maize Mango Mango (Raw-Ripe) Marasebu Marget Marigold(Calcutta) Marigold(loose) Mashrooms Masur Dal Mataki Methi Seeds Methi(Leaves) Millets Mint(Pudina) Moath Dal Mousambi(Sweet Lime) Mustard Mustard Oil Myrobolan(Harad) Neem Seed Niger Seed (Ramtil) Nutmeg Onion Onion Green Orange Orchid Ox Paddy(Dhan)(Basmati) Paddy(Dhan)(Common) Papaya Papaya (Raw) Patti Calcutta Peach Pear(Marasebu) Peas cod Peas Wet Peas(Dry) Pegeon Pea (Arhar Fali) Pepper garbled Pepper ungarbled Persimon(Japani Fal) Pigs Pineapple Plum Pointed gourd (Parval) Pomegranate Potato Pumpkin Raddish Ragi (Finger Millet) Raibel Rajgir Ram Rat Tail Radish (Mogari) Raya Resinwood Rice Ridge gourd(Tori) Ridgeguard(Tori) Rose(Local) Rose(Loose) Rose(Loose)) Round gourd Rubber Sabu Dan Sabu Dana Safflower Sajje Same/Savi Season Leaves Seemebadnekai Seetafal Seetapal Sesamum(Sesame,Gingelly,Til) Sesamum(Sesame,Gingelly,Til) She Buffalo She Goat Sheep Snake gourd Snakeguard Soanf Soapnut(Antawala/Retha) Soapnut(Antawala/Retha) Soji Soyabean Spinach Sponge gourd Squash(Chappal Kadoo) Sugar Sugarcane Sunflower Sunhemp Suram Surat Beans (Papadi) Suva (Dill Seed) Suvarna Gadde Sweet Potato Sweet Pumpkin T.V. Cumbu T.V. Cumbu Tamarind Fruit Tamarind Seed Tapioca Taramira Tender Coconut Thinai (Italian Millet) Thogrikai Thondekai Tinda Tobacco Tomato Toria Tube Rose(Double) Tube Rose(Loose) Tube Rose(Single) Turmeric Turmeric (raw) Turnip Walnut Water Melon Wheat Wheat Atta White Peas White Pumpkin Wood Yam Yam (Ratalu)
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Two brothers driving through West Yellowstone on Tuesday night struck an adult bison, killing the animal and likely totaling their vehicle, according to the Montana Highway Patrol.
What happened is actually somewhat normal in this area, MHP Trooper Marcus Cook said. Theyre black on a black road, Cook said of the bison at night.
According to Cook, the brothers, 26 and 17, were northbound on US Highway 191 in a 2005 Chrysler 300 when they struck a bison near mile marker 3.8 at around 10:15 p.m.
The vehicles pretty well smashed to bits. Luckily they were wearing their seatbelts and the airbags deployed, Cook said. No injuries at all.
The brothers told Cook they believe they struck the animal in the rear, but he could not confirm it. Cook said that when bison are struck by drivers, asphalt tends to rip their hair off as they tumble down the road, making it hard to determine where the animal was struck by the vehicle.
Cook guessed that the 26-year-old driver was near the 65 mph night speed limit judging by the lack of skid marks and the fact that they were able to walk away from the incident uninjured. According to Cook, the driver was negotiating a slight left uphill curve when he struck the bison.
The vehicle came to a stop in the northbound lane, near where the bison came to rest in the southbound lane.
In the past month or two, Cook said MHP has responded to several incidents of vehicles striking bison in the area, including one instance where a semi-truck struck multiple bison.
The National Park Services Yellowstone National Park website says the bison is the largest land mammal in North America. Adult female bison can reach up to 1,000 pounds, and adult males can grow up to 2,000 pounds.
The first big update to Windows 10 will come this summer, a year after the operating system's initial launch, with the release of what Microsoft is calling the Windows 10 Anniversary Update.
The update's exact release date hasn't been set yet. Windows 10 was officially released on July 29, 2015 -- but that doesn't mean that the Anniversary Update will hit on the exact date.
When it is ready, the update will be delivered -- as usual -- via Windows Update. (For information about how Windows Update works, check out my article explaining how to handle Windows 10 updates.) That means you won't have to do anything manually -- it will install automatically on its own.
But you don't have to wait until the official release date to install and use the update. Microsoft is releasing preview builds well before then -- including one that you can install today.
As of this writing, the latest update is Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14328. What follows includes information about features that Microsoft has announced will be in the final as well as features that are implemented in some way in the most recent build.
Although the update is being called the Windows Anniversary Update, don't expect many big presents. While there are some very solid and useful additions, this isn't a big-bang change to the operating system.
But first: How to jump the update queue
To get previews, you have to join Microsoft's Windows Insider Program, and then put yourself into what's called the Fast ring for updates. Go to the Windows Insider Page and click "Get Started."
You'll have to agree to opt in. Then go to your computer's Settings / Update & Security / Windows Update / Advanced options, scroll down to the "Get Insider Preview builds" section and click Get Started. You'll get a warning that the software you're going to download might not be fully tested. If you still want to go ahead, click Next.
If you want to get the Windows 10 Anniversary Update soonest, put yourself on the Fast ring.
But before you can continue, there will be an even more dire warning that "if you ever want to stop receiving Insider Preview builds you may need to remove everything from your PC and reinstall Windows." Click Confirm if you're still interested in testing preview versions. Then restart your computer.
After the restart, click the Start button and select Settings / Update & Security / Windows Update / Advanced options. In the "Get Insider Preview builds" section you'll see that you're set to get Insider Preview builds.
You're not quite done yet, though -- at least, not if you want to get previews as soon as they're released. Microsoft offers two options for obtaining Windows previews -- what it calls the Fast ring and Slow ring. In the Slow ring, you get preview builds after they've been tested, but before their final release to the general public. That's the default for when you first sign up.
If you'd rather hope into the Fast ring -- so you'll get preview builds as soon as Microsoft releases them -- move the slider to the right (you'll see it under the sentence that indicates what your current option is). To move back to the Slow ring, move the slider to the left.
If you decide to opt out of getting Insider Preview builds, click "Stop Insider Preview builds." From the screen that appears, click "Stop receiving Insider Preview builds." If you want to stop getting them only for a few days, click the drop-down list and choose either one, three or five days, then click Apply.
Don't want to deal with the preview? No problem -- here's our own look at what's here and what's coming.
Hey, Cortana, you'll be even smarter
Cortana fans will be pleased by the Windows Anniversary Update, because the digital assistant will do more and be smarter. You'll be able to use more natural-language requests to do more things. For example, you'll be able to say, "Email Bill the Excel spreadsheet I worked on yesterday," and Cortana will be smart enough to do it, according to Microsoft.
Cortana will also be smarter about working with your calendar. For example, it will automatically add information to your calendar based on emails you receive, such as adding airline flight info if you receive a flight confirmation via email. And if you create appointments that overlap on your calendar, Cortana will ask if you want to reschedule anything.
Cortana will also integrate better across multiple devices, including Android and Windows phones (although not iPhones). Ask for directions on your computer, and the directions will be sent to your phones as well. You'll also be able to find a lost phone from your computer via geolocation. In addition, Cortana will be available on the lock screen, so you won't need to log in to your account in order to use it.
The lock screen option is baked into the current build. If you've got the preview build, you can use the new feature by clicking in the Search bar, clicking the gear icon on the left side of the Cortana panel that appears (it controls Cortana's settings) and moving the slider from Off to On under "Lock screen options."
Edge will support browser extensions
Ever since Microsoft dumped Internet Explorer for the Edge browser, the company has promised that Edge will support extensions. In the Windows 10 Anniversary Edition, that will finally happen.
Microsoft has announced five extensions so far, including Microsoft Translator for translating Web pages; OneNote Clipper for adding Web content to OneNote; Mouse Gestures, which will allow you to use mouse movements for browsing; Pin It Button for pinning Web content to Pinterest; and Reddit Enhancement Suite, which offers tools such as subscribing to comment threads and more easily keeping track of subreddits.
The new build includes all five. To use them, click the "... More" menu at the upper right of the screen, select Extensions, then click "Get extensions from the Store."
The Windows 10 Anniversary Edition will finally support extensions, although at this point theyre still a work in progress.
I found the process of installing these extensions much more complicated than installing Chrome extensions. You have to first click the Download button for the extension you want to install, and then run the file you downloaded. After that, you'll have to click the "... More" menu, select Extensions, click "Load extension," browse to the folder where you stored the downloaded extension and select it. Only then does it get added to Edge.
Making things even more complicated is that each of the extensions has a Readme.txt file that is automatically launched into Notepad after you run the downloaded file -- and you should read those files for more information about using the extensions. In addition, some extensions, such as Mouse Gestures, require that you restart Edge before they can be used.
I tried three of the extensions, with mixed success. Mouse Gestures worked as promised, allowing you to do things such as close tabs with a simple mouse gesture. But it worked only with a mouse, not with a touchpad, which is problematic for people with laptops.
Microsoft Translator worked well. When I was on a foreign language Web page, a translate icon showed up at the right of the address bar; I just had to click it to translate the page.
As for the OneNote Clipper, I tried using it on half-dozen pages and it worked with none of them. I received an error message each time: "Sorry, we aren't able to clip this page right now."
Edge should also handle Adobe Flash better when the Anniversary Update is released. Flash is a notorious battery hog, not to mention a potential vector for infection. Edge will determine whether Flash content is integral to the page you're on (it will consider ads as non-essential), and auto-pause any non-essential Flash content. (You'll be able to manually play the content if you want.) Any Flash content that is important to the page, such as videos, won't be auto-paused.
Windows 10 will play nice with Linux
For the first time, Windows will have a built-in Linux command line -- a GNU Bash shell. Most users won't care about this, but for developers it's a big deal. That's because it's the real thing -- a full-blown Ubuntu command line that is being created in partnership with Canonical. (A beta of this is available in the current preview.)
When Microsoft's Kevin Gallo announced it in his keynote speech at the Build 2016 developer's conference, he was greeted with enthusiastic applause.
Keep in mind that Bash will be a tool for developers -- not a server platform for running websites or server infrastructure.
Windows 10 will go to the dark side
Want to paint Windows 10 black? In the Anniversary Edition, you'll be able to do it. You can have Windows 10 and apps use a dark color instead of the current light one for their themes. Be aware, though, that this won't carry through to every app, because a number of third-party Windows apps control their own theme settings rather than relying on Windows to do it.
The Windows 10 Anniversary edition will include a black background theme.
This feature is already baked into the new build. If you have the preview and want to test out the dark side, go to Settings / Personalization / Colors, scroll down to "Choose your app mode" and select Dark.
Windows Ink
The Anniversary Edition will also get a new feature called Windows Ink, which will allow you to use a stylus to write on touch devices; Windows will also be able to do tasks such as create sticky notes or drawings from your stylus input.
Windows Ink lets you create sticky notes and drawings using the Windows Ink Workspace.
Windows Ink is available in the new build. In order to use it, you'll need a touchscreen and a compatible pen, like the ones that work with the Microsoft Surface. When you're ready to go, a pen icon shows up on the taskbar. Tap or click it, and what Microsoft calls the Windows Ink Workspace appears.
The Workspace offers three apps: a sketching app called Sketchpad, a sticky note app and an app for annotating screenshots. They're all simple, straightforward and workable. The Windows Ink Workspace also displays the icons of other apps that work with Windows Ink, such as OneNote. Tap any icon to launch the app.
Changes to the Start Menu
The Start menu will get a minor revamp when the Windows 10 Anniversary Edition hits -- and the new features are already in the new build. The All Apps list is permanently visible, so you don't have to click All Apps to see every app on your computer. Links to Power, File Explorer and Settings have been moved to a narrow list on the left side of the Start Menu, so they're always visible when the Start Menu is visible. Both are moderately useful improvements -- it saves you a click to see all your apps and it's nice to have access to Power, File Explorer and Settings whenever the Start Menu appears. But it's certainly not world changing.
The Start menu is getting a minor facelift: All Apps is now always visible.
The Start Menu change carries over to tablet mode as well. You can now have a full-screen All Apps view on tablets; no longer are you tied to an interface that shows pinned tiles. In addition, Power, File Explorer and Settings will have permanent links on the left side of the screen, as on the Start Menu in desktop mode.
You can now have an All Apps view of the Start Menu in tablet mode.
In addition, you can now auto-hide the taskbar in tablet mode, even if you don't auto-hide it in desktop mode. (Previously, if you hid it in one, it had to be hidden in the other.) To auto-hide it in tablet mode in the new build, go to Settings / System / Tablet Mode and switch on the setting "Automatically hide the taskbar in tablet mode."
Action Center will get an update
Action Center, which displays notifications, will get a few tweaks as well, which are available in the new build.
The Windows 10 Anniversary Update will let you customize the priority of notifications in the Action Center.
You'll be able to set priorities for which apps are more important than others and have their notifications show up at the top of your notification lists. To give it a try, go to Settings / System / Notifications & actions, then scroll down to the "Show notifications from these apps" section and click an app. At the bottom of the screen you'll see settings for three levels: Normal, High and Top, with Normal being the lowest priority and Top the highest.
You can also adjust how many notifications can be visible at any time in the Action Center for each app. The default is three. To change it, click "Number of notifications visible in action center" and select a number from the drop-down list, either 1, 3, 5, 10 or 20.
The Action Center icon on the taskbar has been moved to the far right to make it easier to see. It will display the number of notification you have.
Other changes
The Anniversary Edition will have a number of other changes as well. New emojis are on the way. Microsoft's fingerprint sensor technology Windows Hello will become more ubiquitous. You'll be able to use it not just to log into Windows itself, but also Windows apps and websites, as long as those apps and sites use the technology (and, of course, you have hardware that supports Windows Hello).
You'll also have more control over your battery use.
You'll also get more control over your battery by being able to control which apps should be allowed to run in the background -- or whether to let Windows decide based on how the operating system determines how each app will affect battery life.
This is available in the latest build. To test it out, go to Settings / System / Battery / Battery usage by app, click any app and choose whether to always let it run in the background, never let it run in the background or let Windows decide.
Bottom line
Keep in mind that we're months away from the release of Windows 10 Anniversary Update. New features may be introduced; ones already announced could be changed or deleted.
But if the changes in the latest preview build are largely what will be introduced in the Anniversary Update, the Windows 10 you see today is pretty much the Windows 10 you'll see then. The tweaks are nice and make for a marginally better operating system. But there's not a whole lot beyond that, unless Microsoft puts serious work into making excellent extensions for Edge.
We'll keep you informed as the update evolves.
Getty Images, a long-time critic of Googles image search functionality, plans on Wednesday to file a competition law complaint against the search giant with the European Commission.
The key allegation by Getty is that Google profits from scraping third-party images that it does not generate, while affecting artists whose work can as a result be easily pirated.
Google is already being investigated by the commission for allegedly favoring its own comparison shopping product in general search results. Last week the authority charged Google with forcing makers of Android smartphones to preload its search application and Chrome browser on their devices as a precondition for licenses to its proprietary apps and services.
Getty is accusing Google of making changes in the presentation of imagery in its images search since January 2013. Instead of low-resolution thumb nails, users are now presented with high-resolution, large-format images that provide little incentive for viewers to access the original websites. The current format also promotes right click piracy by making high-resolution imagery easily available, without a requirement for the user to go to the source site to find out how they can legally license or seek permission to use the images, Getty said in a statement. This has resulted in widespread copyright infringement, "turning users into accidental pirates," it said.
The complaint by Getty, which provides an image search and shopping service, follows it being granted interested party status last year in the commissions investigation into the alleged anticompetitive behavior by Google. Getty had earlier complained to the commission that Google favored its own images service in Web search results.
The commission said in April last year, when sending its official statement of objections to Google for favoring its own comparison shopping product, that it continues to investigate allegations of Googles conduct with regard to other specialized search services. It said it continues to investigate other allegations against Google, including charges of scraping of rivals Web content, advertising exclusivity and undue restrictions on advertisers.
Artists need to earn a living in order to sustain creativity and licensing is paramount to this; however, this cannot happen if Google is siphoning traffic and creating an environment where it can claim the profits from individuals creations as its own, Getty's General Counsel, Yoko Miyashita said in a statement. Google did not immediately comment.
When it comes to data breaches, what big, bad cyber-boogeyman method should you fear and point the finger of blame at this year? The biggest security concern is not IoT, not mobile, not even ransomware; its you, us, mere humans, which are the weak link being exploited and the number one problem leading to breaches. Its not some new attack attributed as the cause of most security incidents; oh no, its falling for phishing, which has been around since about the dawn of email.
Last years DBIR report indicated that 90% of security incidents trace back to PEBKAC and ID10T errors, and that hasnt really changed according to Verizon's new 2016 Data Breach Investigations Report. Phishing still works, people still click. In fact, phishing works so well that it has picked up dramatically over the prior year. Before it was the leading cyber-espionage attack pattern, but now phishing can be blamed for seven of nine security incident patterns. Verizon reported that phishing has continued to trend upward and is found in the most opportunistic attacks as well as sophisticated nation-state tomfoolery.
Open. Click. Pwned.
Users, I get it; youre choking on email, often because CYOA governs the corporate world and a single email might include CCing five or more people. Maybe each responds by tossing in their own two cents? Multiple that by a modest 10 and maybe you are drowning in email? Multiply that by 25 and its a wonder you can get any work done. Maybe that is why some users seemed to be camped inside their email and are quick to click, like Johnny-on-the-spot quick, explaining how the median time for the first user of a phishing campaign to open the malicious email is one minute, 40 seconds. Verizon also found that the median time to the first click on the attachment was three minutes, 45 seconds.
Apparently, the communication between the criminal and the victim is much more effective than the communication between employees and security staff, the report stated. We combined over eight million results of sanctioned phishing tests in 2015 from multiple security awareness vendors aiming to fix just that.
30% of phishing emails are opened by the intended target thats up from 23% cited in Verizons 2015 report and 12% of end users go the additional ID10T mile by clicking the link or opening the attachment; click the attachment and get owned as the malware drops within seconds and the cyber thugs, mostly organized crime syndicates (89%) and state-affiliated actors (9%), have their foothold. Most phishing attacks are a means to install persistent malware.
Since phishing still works, people still click, cyber crooks dont have to get slicker, but they sure have gotten quicker. The time to compromise is almost always days or less, if not minutes or less. In 93% of the cases which involved stolen data, the systems were compromised in minutes or less. Exfiltration occurred within minutes in 28% of cases. It doesnt matter if it took days for crooks to finish up, since in 83% of cases, victims didnt realize they had been breached for weeks or more.
Verizon noted there was a rise of a new three-pronged attack which involves opening a phishing email that contains a link pointing to a malicious site or a malicious attachment; malware is downloaded, cyber thugs have a foothold and then use additional malware to look for secrets and internal information to steal (cyberespionage) or encrypt files for ransom. Many times the malware steals credentials to multiple applications through key logging. In fact, 63% of confirmed data breaches involve using weak, default or stolen passwords. Those stolen credentials are used for further attacks, for example, to log into third-party websites like banking or retail sites.
But, my dear admins, you cant blame it all on your users as the DBIR explained, Most attacks exploit known vulnerabilities that have never been patched despite patches being available for months, or even years. In fact, the top 10 known vulnerabilities accounted for 85% of successful exploits.
You may patch, patch, patch until you are blue in the face as new vulnerabilities are discovered, yet overall we are still treading water. Verizon advises to tread wisely. Fixing mega-vulns is a solid first step, but dont forget that the other 15% consists of over 900 CVEs, which are also being actively exploited in the wild.
Fail to patch and more often than not, Johnny Law comes knocking to notify a company of a breach; Third Parties, such as security researchers, rank as second when it comes to external breach discovery.
Phishing isnt the only area where humans fail. Human error includes miscellaneous errors which take the No. 1 spot for security incidents in this year's report. These can include improper disposal of company information, misconfiguration of IT systems, and lost and stolen assets such as laptops and smartphones. In fact, 26% of these errors involve people mistakenly sending sensitive information to the wrong person.
You might say our findings boil down to one common theme the human element, said Bryan Sartin, executive director of global security services, Verizon Enterprise Solutions. Despite advances in information security research and cyber detection solutions and tools, we continue to see many of the same errors we've known about for more than a decade now. How do you reconcile that?
Twitter, industry analysts generally agree, is a company doing really cool things, but it continues to disappoint investors.
Tuesday, when Twitter reported its first-quarter results, was no exception. The company reported user growth, adding 5 million users for a total of 310 million, and posted $595 million in revenue.
Twitter's good news was quickly overshadowed by the fact that the company didn't meet analysts' expectations of nearly $608 million in revenue for the quarter.
The social network also lowered revenue expectations for the second quarter, forecasting between $590 million and $610 million, which is well below Wall Street estimates of $677 million.
Twitter's stock price quickly dropped 15 percent following the news. According to CNBC, the company's stock has fallen more than 70 percent in the past year.
"Twitter is a user favorite, but its stock price continues to disappoint," said Jeff Kagan, an independent industry analyst. "Twitter is a great company and a great tool for users. I would say Twitter is like a train with one wheel off the track. The whole train has not crashed, but it can't grow freely yet either."
Dan Olds, an analyst with The Gabriel Consulting Group, noted that Twitter is taking some hard knocks considering that its numbers weren't in the ditch.
"Investors have pretty big expectations for Twitter, and when they're not met, the stock is punished, as we've just seen," Olds said. "Revenue was up 36% year over year and profits doubled from 7 cents per share to 15 cents per share. Not too shabby at all, but the market expected more, so punishment needs to be dealt out. I think that while Twitter missed this quarter, it's still a pretty good performance and that they're on the right track."
While Twitter isn't losing users, the site also isn't attracting hordes of new users, and current users aren't posting to Twitter more often, Olds said.
"I think that pushing, and monetizing their Periscope streaming feature could really raise some interest in the user community and lead to higher sales," he said. "If I were them, I'd look at placing some advertising on TV to publicize this feature more widely. I think that a lot of their traditional users don't know how to use Periscope," a live-stream video app.
Each quarter that Twitter doesn't figure out how to grow at a faster rate will be a continued disappointment, said Brian Blau, an analyst with Gartner.
"Twitter is struggling to find its next pathway forward, but that should not take away from their well-known and respected brand and their ability to capture the pulse of the world," Blau said. "Twitter has tapped into and exposed a global conversation mechanism that others are having a hard time recreating, so there is value in what Twitter is offering. The worry is that if Twitter takes too long to regain its footing, then another service or app could come along and distract or even disrupt what they have built to date."
Judith Hurwitz, an analyst with Hurwitz & Associates, said Twitter isn't off track, but the company needs a strategy that finds a new way to monetize its importance as a platform.
"I think one of Twitter's problems is the company's inability to be able to become an advertising platform," Hurwitz said. "While its platform is lively and well-used, the number of people signing up and using it hasn't increased very much. A company that wants to use Twitter to market its services can do that without buying ads."
While Twitter needs to find a way to lure in more users, it also has to find a way to allow users to create communities of interest so advertisers are encouraged to spend more on specific groups, she said.
"I think Twitter needs to innovate in creating easy ways for users to find each other without having to use third-party tools that force them to segregate their followers into categories," she said. "Twitter also has to be known for something larger than the megaphone and more of a conversation. The average user doesn't understand how to take advantage and get value from Twitter. That has to change."
The use of H-1B visas has emerged as a significant issue in this presidential contest. That might be due, in part, to a Fort Worth, Texas, woman, Jennifer Wedel.
In 2012, Wedel, the wife of an unemployed semiconductor engineer who earned a patent, was selected by Google out of thousands of requests to ask President Barack Obama a question during an online town hall.
Wedel's husband, Darin Wedel, was laid off from Texas Instruments in 2009. Ms. Wedel believed H-1B visa use played a role in the layoff and in creating a difficult job market.
Wedel didn't show any anger when she asked Obama this question:
"Why does the government continue to issue and extend H-1b visas when there are tons of Americans just like my husband with no job?" (The video is on YouTube. Wedel was the first to ask a question. There were only five people picked to ask questions in that online town hall.)
Obama responded, in part: "The H-1B should be reserved only for those companies who say that cannot find somebody in that particular field."
This was the first time Obama had spoken at any length about the limits of the H-1B visa. In a subsequent phone interview, Wedel said she believes her opportunity to ask that question has left her with a responsibility.
"I have no idea why I was given this opportunity, but I was," said Wedel. Her responsibility is to inform people about the use of the visa, she explained.
"If I just sit on that information, then what kind of American does that make me?" said Wedel. "That doesn't make me a good American at all."
Wedel is now working with activists, in an ongoing effort to increase the H-1B visa's visibility.
Darin Wedel got a new job in 2012 and works today as a senior quality engineer in the medical industry. Obama offered, during the town hall, to review his resume and help him. But Wedel said the offer was a dodge to deflect the topic away from the H-1B issue. The White House offered very little help, she said.
Jennifer Wedel credits Donald Trump, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, for giving the H-1B issue visibility in the election. But Wedel is undecided about whom to support for president.
Wedel has reservations about Trump over broader issues and sees him as a little reckless with the things he says. And while she initially supported Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who is also seeking the nomination, she's concerned about his corporate connections.
Wedel describes herself as a "conservative" and not a Republican, because she feels the party itself is too aligned with corporate interests.
Although Darin Wedel didn't train a foreign replacement and was laid off with other workers, Jennifer Wedel says Texas Instruments was lobbying for increasing visa use prior to the layoffs, and she sees a connection.
She credits the recent book about the H-1B visa, Sold Out -- by co-authors John Miano, an attorney and founder of the Programmers Build, and columnist Michelle Malkin -- with detailing Texas Instrument's lobbying efforts, as well as re-fueling her desire to become more active on this issue.
Jeh Johnson, the secretary of the U.S. Deptartment of Homeland Security, last July echoed Obama's 2012 statement acknowledging the H-1B visas' supposedly limited use. Appearing at a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Johnson, in response to a question, told the committee that H-1B workers "are not supposed to replace Americans."
But since 2012, U.S. IT workers have become more vocal about displacements as offshore outsourcing reaches deeper into the U.S. economy.
One can't draw a straight line between Wedel and the increasing activism of IT workers, other than to suggest that Wedel's determined line of questioning of the president was an early signal of increasingly vocal discontent.
Affected IT workers are lobbying lawmakers, appearing at hearings and telling their stories to the news media.
Last week, for instance, IT workers at EmblemHealth went so far as to stage a protest after their employer signed a contract with a major H-1B-using IT services firm. They held a noontime protest, with signs and chants, around EmblemHealth's midtown Manhattan office.
"I have huge American pride," said Wedel. "I feel Americans should have first priority" for jobs.
Although weaker iPhone sales were certainly the biggest contributor to Apple's downturn in the March quarter, the Mac and iPad also failed to hold up their ends, an analyst contended today.
"The trend line in Mac sales has been worsening consistently over the past year, and [the growth rate] has now been below zero for the past two quarters," said Jan Dawson, principal analyst at Jackdaw Research, in an analysis posted to the firm's website Wednesday. "That's significant, because for a time the Mac was offsetting shrinkage from the iPad, such that combined revenues from the two were rising or steady. Now that this aggregate number is also in the red, the declining iPhone sales just exacerbate the problem."
Dawson blamed the Mac -- which had its worst quarter in three and a half years -- but the iPad also contributed to the weaker revenue.
iPad unit sales contracted for the ninth straight quarter, and the tenth time in the last 11, falling to 10.2 million, down from 12.6 million in same period of 2015. That was a year-over-year decline of 19%.
Revenue from the iPad was also down 19%, falling to $4.4 billion, more than $1 billion off 2015's March quarter.
The problem, as Dawson pointed out, was that the Mac had been taking up the slack from the iPad, and that that was not the case this time around.
When the revenue of iPad and Mac were combined, it was clear that the pair's production was at a near-record low.
For the March quarter, iPad + Mac revenue totaled $9.5 billion, down 14% from the year prior. More importantly, it was the smallest number in five years, when in the March quarter of 2011 -- less than a year after the iPad's introduction -- the two lines generated $7.8 billion.
Charting a rolling four-quarter average -- to smooth out seasonality spikes, particularly the large fourth-quarter the iPad traditionally enjoys -- illustrated the same downward trend. For the four quarters ending March 31, 2016, iPad + Mac averaged $11.3 billion every three months, or 10% off the four quarters that ended March 31, 2015.
The $11.3 billion in average revenue was the smallest since the March quarter of 2011, when only the Mac was bringing in dollars, and off 22% from the pair's peak of $14.6 billion in Q1 2013. Not surprisingly, that quarter was the last during which the iPad grew revenue by more than 50% over the previous year's same period.
While Dawson was cautiously optimistic that the Mac's fortunes would revive -- like Ezra Gottheil of Technology Business Research, he noted that most models have not been refreshed for a year or more -- and contended that the iPad's rate of decline had dwindled in three of the last four quarters, Apple executives gave little indication they expect a quick turnaround.
On Tuesday during Apples' earnings call with Wall Street, Luca Maestri, the company's CFO, told analysts to expect "seasonal sequential declines in ... iPad sales and a sequential increase in Mac sales," for the June quarter.
In other words, Apple believes it will sell fewer than 10.2 million iPads in the stretch ending June 30, and somewhere north of 4 million Macs. In the June 2015 quarter, Apple sold 10.9 million iPads and 4.8 million Macs.
To match the iPad + Mac revenue number for last year -- $10.6 billion in the June 2015 quarter -- Apple would have to boost the latest quarter's total by 11%.
With iPad sales expected to be down -- again -- that seems unlikely, no matter how the Mac does.
Mark Weston is the Conservative candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset
We need to protect the front line: officers on the beat, working from local police stations. The police are here to keep communities safe and it is the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) to make sure they have the resources to do that.
Since 2012 police numbers in Avon and Somerset have fallen, but the human resources team has more than doubled. Police stations have closed, yet the public relations team has grown by a quarter. Spending on agency workers more than doubled in one year and the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner now costs 100,000 more than the Police Authority it replaced. The financial climate meant tough decisions had to be made but unfortunately for people in Avon and Somerset they were the wrong ones.
Throughout the campaign I have had people from all communities tell me they rarely see the police patrolling their neighbourhood. Neighbourhood Watch Groups are being left to wither away and Speed Watch volunteers are crying out for support. This is wrong. A police presence is vital to communities feeling safe. While back office staff have a role to play it is the officers on the front line who do the job of keeping us safe and it is those I want to protect.
That is why, if elected in May, I will once again put the communitys priorities at the heart of policing. Im already campaigning to save our police stations and custody suites in Yeovil, Minehead and Burnham-on-Sea.
If elected as PCC I will ensure that the police are held to local policing priorities. The Force area is too large to adopt a one size fits all approach. That means community policing with a strong, visible presence on our streets to cut crime, reduce re-offending and reassure the public. Additionally, I will prioritise tackling rural crime. It is a serious problem for many of our communities and we must tackle the perception that this is an afterthought.
I will also work with the Crown Prosecution Service and the Courts to speed up the justice process to get criminals off our streets and before the courts. This will cut re-offending and make us all safer. In addition I will make better use of new victim support methods, such as restorative justice, to provide a victim-led system that supports the victim whilst at the same time reducing re-offending.
The incumbent PCCs slogan keep politics out of policing is a cynical attempt to distract voters from her failures. Police and Crime Commissioners are the democratic link between the police and the public. They are visible, public figures, with a popular mandate to take executive decisions to improve policing in their area. This is a political role with an elected mandate and the responsibility for setting local taxes. In the past, force priorities were set in London and the budget was set by the local non-elected Police Authority. The role of the PCC ensures peoples policing priorities are listened to, and gives power to the people to hold their PCC to account at the ballot box.
And so it should be. Thats why it is so important everyone gets out and votes on May 5th for this important role. Thats why I am standing as a Conservative candidate.
The choice is clear: vote for a candidate who cuts police numbers while fattening back office departments. Or vote for me a Conservative PCC who will work with the Government to deliver lower crime and safer communities, while providing an effective use of resources.
Davidson claims SNP have no mandate to demand second referendum
As the Scotsman reports that he will not be joining her on the campaign trail, the Scottish Conservative leader has said that David Cameron should tell Nicola Sturgeon to take a hike if she demands a second referendum during the next Scottish Parliament.
Ruth Davidson insists that the very cautious wording of the SNP manifesto will not give the First Minister a mandate for a rematch. This comes as polls registered a drop in support for independence in the event of Brexit.
The Scotsman reports that the Prime Minister will not be joining his Scottish lieutenant on the campaign trail before voters go the polls next week.
Murdo Fraser also took the fight to Labour in an increasingly close-fought contest for second place, accusing the party of misleading voters about their council tax plans.
as Dugdale hits back in the fight to be Opposition
As the Daily Record publishes another poll showing the Scottish Conservatives ahead of Labour, Kezia Dugdale has hit back at her Tory rival and set out to defend her unionist credentials.
The Scottish Labour leader landed herself in hot water by suggesting that she might vote to quit the UK in the event of Brexit which played straight into the hands of Davidson with her staunchly unionist campaign.
Dugdale has now claimed that she is a proud unionist and accused the Conservatives of pouring petrol on the constitutional issue for partisan advantage, according to the Daily Telegraph.
She has claimed to the Scotsman that she wont quit if her party does end up in third place, a position it hasnt occupied in any Scottish election since overtaking the Liberals in 1922.
Dugdales new stance was not helped by Frank Field, who opined in a TV interview that Scottish independence was inevitable because it is another country (a subjective judgement) with a soverign parliament (an objective falsehood).
Davies pushes the Tory message as polls show his party in trouble
Wales Online reports that Andrew RT Davies has given Welsh voters more details for what his party will do if they win power in next weeks elections to the National Assembly.
Despite praising the accrual of ever-more powers by the body a true Welsh Parliament now in my eyes he voiced deep concern about a crisis in political engagement in Wales, blaming a Cardiff Bubble for the fact that turnout in a devolved election has never come near to 50 per cent.
Recent polls have shown the Tories slipping back into third place behind Plaid Cymru, the relatively hapless Welsh nationalists, and Davies seems to have redoubled his media efforts to help familiarise more voters with his policies.
This week, seat-by-seat polling found the Conservatives just 0.1 per cent ahead of Plaid in Aberconwy and well behind the Liberal Democrats in Brecon and Radnorshire, whose Westminster equivalent they captured in 2015.
Indeed both the Nationalists and the Liberal Democrats appear to be clocking strong performances in a string of crucial seats.
The site also ran a biography piece on the Welsh Conservative leader, in which he emphasises the influence that his family has had on his politics.
Irish foreign minister clashes with Villiers again
The News Letter reveals that Charlie Flanagan, the Foreign Affairs Minister of the Republic of Ireland, has clashed again with the Northern Irish Secretary over the impact of Brexit.
Flanagan, who serves in Irelands lame-duck, post-election government and is of the centre-right Fine Gael party, claims that the state of the UK-Irish border would not be determined by the London and Dublin alone, but would involve the wider EU.
This is being seen as a rebuke to Theresa Villiers claims of last week that Brexit would cause minimal disruption due to the two countries deep and long-established bilateral relations.
SNP accused of hiding education record as Sturgeon promises action
The Scottish Government has been accused of suppressing a report on the attainment gap in schools until after the general election, according to The Herald.
Angela Constance MSP, the SNP education secretary, also endured a torrid hustings with teachers over the partys cuts to colleges.
The First Minister has claimed to be ready to take on the establishment to champion education reform but Labour have accused her of trying to replicate her partys controversial college reforms covertly.
Farage fends off revolt against Scottish leader
The UKIP leader has dismissed rebels against David Coburn, UKIPs Scottish MEP and leader north of the border, as totally irrelevant, The Sun reports.
Activists, including five local party chairmen, had called on him to quit because he was unsuitable to be the public face of the Brexit campaign in Scotland.
They told the Guardian they had hit a brick wall inside the party when they complained of his unsavoury, bullying, and gaffe-prone behaviour.
Jeremy Corbyn is the Pooter of politics. He possesses a touching faith in his own dignity, and a comic inability to get people to take him as seriously as he takes himself.
This week the Leader of the Opposition made the foolish error of sticking to the subject of academies, with which he had some success last week. People soon began to wonder why he was not asking about refugee children, or striking doctors, or the collapse of BHS.
For as soon as he asserted that the wheels are falling off the rocket boosters, one could tell he was going to make a hash of academies.
David Cameron is not exactly the Flashman of politics. One sees why his opponents regard him as an arrogant bully who strikes low blows at his inferiors, for he devotes a lot of care to living down to that reputation.
But to do justice to him, one would need the pen of Anthony Trollope, not George MacDonald Fraser. For Mr Cameron is a traditional Conservative leader, who seeks to unite his own fractious followers by being amazingly rude about the other lot.
So today he told Mr Corbyn that perhaps if you could deal with the anti-semitism in your own party wed be more prepared to listen to you.
Chris Bryant, the shadow Leader of the House, was dismissed with the words, If you want to be Speaker youd better stop interrupting everybody its not going to get you any votes.
And Nigel Farage, who has never actually managed to become an MP, was accused of pronouncing his surname in a poncey foreign way.
These unedifying jibes were supposed to make the Tories feel better about being led by Mr Cameron, just as a gang of yobs would prefer to be led by a more vicious figure than their rivals. Bonar Law followed the same tactics in 1912.
And just in case the Prime Minister should be accused of being a softie, he held out against the admission of unaccompanied refugee children from the continent of Europe.
Yvette Cooper made such a passionate plea on behalf of those children that some Labour and Scottish Nationalist MPs started clapping. But Mr Cameron stuck to his guns.
Let no one say (as unkind people might during this referendum campaign) that he is the kind of leader who gives in to foreigners. Here, we see, is a British Prime Minister who will not even give in to foreign children. I have yet to think of a fictional character who brings this sort of thing off quite as brilliantly as Mr Cameron does.
On 27th May last year, the Queen addressed Parliament. Among the various items of legislation she announced was the following:
My government will bring forward legislation to reform trade unions and to protect essential public services against strikes.
It wasnt a surprise after all, the first majority Conservative government in two decades had just been elected on a manifesto promising numerous trade union reforms:
We will protect you from disruptive and undemocratic strike action Strikes should only ever be the result of a clear, positive decision based on a ballot in which at least half the workforce has voted. This turnout threshold will be an important and fair step to rebalance the interests of employers, employees, the public and the rights of trade unions. We will, in addition, tackle the disproportionate impact of strikes in essential public services by introducing a tougher threshold in health, education, fire and transport. Industrial action in these essential services would require the support of at least 40 per cent of all those entitled to take part in strike ballots as well as a majority of those who actually turn out to vote. We will also repeal nonsensical restrictions banning employers from hiring agency staff to provide essential cover during strikes; and ensure strikes cannot be called on the basis of ballots conducted years before. We will tackle intimidation of non-striking workers; legislate to ensure trade unions use a transparent opt-in process for union subscriptions; tighten the rules around taxpayer-funded paid facility time for union representatives; and reform the role of the Certification Officer.
The proposals for trade union reform were clear, endorsed by a General Election, and the product of years of hard work by Ministers, MPs and civil servants.
And yet, now some of them are being watered down, delayed or ditched altogether. Its true to say they have faced opposition, both in the Lords and among the unions themselves, but that is not necessarily a sufficient reason to admit defeat on a manifesto promise. After all, in other areas, such as the seven-day NHS, the Government is evidently willing to stick out its chin and battle through far stiffer opposition in order to deliver on its manifesto.
So why is the Governments commitment to its union reforms proving to be so much softer than its other promises to the electorate? Three words: the EU referendum.
Downing Street appears to be alarmed at the distinctly lacklustre support from the Labour movement for the pro-EU campaign. All the polling suggests Labour voters will be crucial to the eventual result, and yet Alan Johnsons Labour effort was to be funded only to the tune of 75,000.
Step forward Michael Crick, who has dug up some telling information about how the weakening of trade union reforms was agreed:
Unions tell ministers theyll spend 1.7m on Labour pro-EU campaign in return for TU Bill concessions they expect Boles to announce today Michael Crick (@MichaelLCrick) 27 April 2016
Deal struck between unions & ministers explains why Labour announced last night theyd now spend some millions on pro-EU, not just 75,000 Michael Crick (@MichaelLCrick) 27 April 2016
Deal on 1.7m union funding of Labour in Europe campaign was struck in meetings between union leaders and ministers Michael Crick (@MichaelLCrick) 27 April 2016
If Crick is right (and the FT has made a similar suggestion, while Downing Street does not properly deny it) then this is quite an extraordinary situation. The Government is effectively ransoming off its manifesto commitments in return for union funding of the pro-EU campaign. Its a peculiar way to behave on policies which were just voted for by the electorate, and doubly so when the Health Secretary is simultaneously arguing to junior doctors that manifesto pledges are sacrosanct.
Worse, its a short-sighted way to govern. These reforms have been in the works for some years, they are in the national interest and this Government is a rare opportunity to enact them. Selling them off in return for some union cheerleading for Brussels is not a good look.
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The National Park Service campaign to Find Your Park is expected to bring more visitors to Americas parks this summer and fall. What will those vacationers find in Yellowstone, Glacier, Big Horn Canyon and other parks?
Were going to do everything we can do to make their visit the best that it can be, but were not going to sacrifice the resources of the park to do that, Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk said in an interview earlier this year. Wenk is back in Yellowstone after a stint as interim CEO of the National Park Foundation where he helped plan and organize the 2016 National Park Service centennial celebration. With the theme Find Your Park, centennial publicity already succeeded last year in bringing a record 4 million recreational visitors to Yellowstone.
We hope were bringing a new generation of park advocates and parks stewards to our national parks, Wenk said.
Yellowstone saw an increase in funding of about $3.5 million last year because of an increase in visitors and a boost in the entrance fees. The multiday private vehicle fee is still a bargain at $30.
Entrance fees that Yellowstone was allowed to keep for park operations totaled about $8 million last year, Wenk said. Altogether, for 2015 the park had a budget of about $70 million, including park-generated revenue (entrance fees, fishing permits, concession fees), federal funding for operations and federal funding for roads and other infrastructure. That sounds like a lot of money, but its stretched thin in a 2.2-million-acre park that is open year-round.
Wenk said the park is working to increase earned revenue for park support and also depends on private gifts for specific projects, such as cutthroat trout restoration, wolf research, youth education and scholarships for underprivileged children.
Gateway spending $16.9B
Last week, the NPS released a report on the value of park contributions to local economies: $16.9 billion was spent in 2015 in gateway communities of the 411 NPS locations. In Yellowstone gateways alone, spending was nearly $500,000, according to the NPS. Glacier generated nearly $200 million in gateway spending.
Consider another set of NPS data: Deferred maintenance in our national parks. According to information provided to Congress, as of Sept. 30, deferred maintenance totaled $11.9 billion nationwide. Fully 10 percent of that is in Wyoming and Montana.
Yellowstones deferred maintenance is among the highest of any national park: $603.5 million in Wyoming and $28 million in Montana.
The NPS reports deferred maintenance at other Wyoming units, including $207 million in Grand Teton and $3 million at Devils Tower National Monument. The Wyoming side of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area needs $5.5 million while the Montana portion is in need of $34 million.
Glaciers deferred maintenance totals $17.8 million while Little Bighorn National Battlefield needs $18.3 million.
President Barack Obama has requested an increase of $250 million for parks in his 2017 budget. Last week, the U.S. Senate included authorization for $150 million from offshore mineral leasing revenues to address the maintenance backlog.
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., cited that provision in his numerous reasons for championing the Energy Modernization Act.
This bill strikes a balance that will protect energy jobs and improve outdoor opportunities for sportsmen, as well as boost Montanas energy portfolio, invest in our outdoor economy and increase access to our public lands.
Republican Sens. Steve Daines of Montana, and Mike Enzi and John Barrasso of Wyoming all voted for the Senate energy bill. However, the park deferred maintenance measure isnt in the House version that must be reconciled with the Senate version.
Shrink the backlog
We call on Wyoming and Montana House members Ryan Zinke and Cynthia Lummis to be leaders in starting to address the park maintenance backlog through the energy bill.
Like the Land Water Conservation Fund authorization in the energy bill, the national park maintenance funding would still have to appropriated in budget bills for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1. Both states delegations should push for park repair appropriations.
We must care for the parks that boost quality of life in Montana and Wyoming. We must invest in the parks that drive our regional tourism industry.
Even if $150 million was appropriated from offshore royalties, and Congress appropriated $250 million from other funds, that wouldnt cover even 3 percent of the need. Congress should fund a plan to significantly reduce our park repair backlog while todays kids are still kids. A shrinking backlog would be a great NPS birthday gift to Americans. The NPS centennial year is the time to start.
Having breakfast as provided by the school will sometimes encounter little involvement from student population due to a hectic timetable, tardiness, inability to mingle with the student population, and the belief of humiliation that only students from low-income families are involved in the school breakfast program.
According to USDA, the School Breakfast Program is of the same kind as the National School Lunch Program which caters to qualified students by giving free or reduced priced morning meals as specified by Federal conditions.
A school breakfast consists as mentioned in the link for grades K-5, 6-8, and 9-12 should extra whole grains, no presence of trans fat per serving and a fitting amount of calories. As of the school year 2014, it was arranged that more servings of fruit should be included as well as the lessening of sodium.
It is important however that the dilemma of a student skipping school breakfast should be countered with an improved participation from the student body as this also directly benefits the teachers and the students.
What are the benefits of a School Breakfast Program to a student body as it has been linked not just to the health of a student but also to the academic and cognitive growth as well as mental health?
- It is good for the mind as students who participate in the school breakfast program can concentrate better and be more alert in class discussions. It has been noted that students who are starved prior to class have difficulty recalling academic dialogues thus promoting poor class performance.
- A school breakfast program is closely associated with the decrease in student absenteeism and tardiness as it promotes a positive behavioral pattern. Therefore creating a beneficial learning environment in the classroom.
- It has aided in the school's weight loss program as a school breakfast not only ends hunger but will also be a regular source of healthy food intake diminishing obesity.
- A family of low-income means will greatly benefit from a school breakfast program not only as in most cases the served meals are much healthier than the ones being served at home but also, it reduces the tight family food budget.
- A healthy student population would greatly mean reduced nurse visits from the unwell students.
- Providing children with breakfast at school helps to end hunger and children who eat breakfast regularly have a better quality of nutrient intake and are less likely to be overweight or obese.
Similarly, free meals for growing children have extended their scope beyond the school grounds, according to No Kid Hungry.
This time now, summer meal locations have been securely tapped by local community centers and churches in places near you wherein there is no need to apply for eligibility.
Close
Couples Sandy and Joan Weill announced a $185 million donation to the University of California in San Francisco (UCSF) for brain research hoping to remove the shame felt by the mental illness patients. They want to change the way the mental illness, sleep disorders and migraines are being approached by putting them together in one umbrella of neurosciences.
Using the donation, which is the biggest donation in the history of this field, will be used to create Weill Institute for Neurosciences at the UCSF. It will consolidate different departments in the university and will add 45 new basic research laboratories that focus on a wide variety of brain-related conditions, as reported by the Washington Post.
According to the Weills, their donation is "deeply personal" as Sandy's mother suffered with Alzheimer's disease for the last 10 years of her life. His father, on the other hand, has severe depression, while one of his best friends committed suicide. Meanwhile, Joan's mother died at the age of 100 with a sharp mind.
"There have been a lot of discoveries in cancer and cardiovascular disease that have allowed people's bodies to live longer, but there has not been nearly as much in the neurosciences," said Sandy, the former Citigroup chief executive officer who built the company into one of the world's largest financial services companies. "My wife comes from a family with very good brains. Therefore I need this developmental work so I can keep up with her," he joked.
The UCSF Weill Innovation Fund will give support for the high-risk, high-reward research projects to find new treatments for psychiatric and neurological conditions by giving the UCSF neuroscientists the freedom and flexibility to pursue their most innovative research goals, according to the UCSF's website.
The donation will also offer a financial support to PhD students in the Neuroscience Graduate Program that will allow the UCSF to pursue its success in getting the best young scientists to its doctoral program. The building will also be a great tool that can be used to recruit top scientist to the university. Funding will also be provided by the Weill Scholars program for the recruitment of the most promising junior faculty.
"We are extremely grateful to the Weill Family Foundation and Joan and Sandy, not only for the funding they've provided, but because they have challenged us to think big," UCSF Chancellor Sam Hawgood said.
The Weills are among the world's wealthiest individuals and families who are the original signatories of The Giving Pledge in 2010.
See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
Sieg Heil Israel: The Zionisation Of Western Democracies Is now Complete
By William Hanna
27 April, 2016
Countercurrents.org
During 2015 some writers understandably suggested that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) was beginning to lose its grip on the U.S. government. It was believed that AIPACS waning influence was partly due to its losing big on the Iran sanctions and failing to prevent the Iran nuclear deal. Such optimism that the American people might be getting back what Abraham Lincoln had termed as Government of the people, by the people, for the people . . . has, regrettably, proved somewhat premature with news that the U.S. at the urging of 83 of the 100 sitting senators http://www.aipac.org/-/media/website/pdfs/coons-graham-israel-mou-letter.ashx is ready to offer Israel the largest aid package in history. (http://www.timesofisrael.com/white-house-ready-to-offer-israel-largest-aid-package-in-us-history/)
A further indication that the Jewish lobby led by AIPAC is alive, well, and still in full control, comes with the passing of a Bipartisan Anti-BDS Bill by the California states Assembly Accountability Administrative Review Committee. Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach) issued the following disingenuous statement considering that Israel consistently violates every principle of democracy and human rights which the U.S. hypocritically purports to be upholding and fighting for:
It is always the right time to fight against discrimination and hate speech, and today the Republicans are honoured to stand strong in this bipartisan fight. California and Israel have historically stood together as allies due to our unique bond founded on shared values, a bilateral trade relationship, and our unwavering commitment to freedom and democracy. It is unconscionable for our state to do business with companies that play politics and boycott our critical allies.
If instead of getting his facts from The New York Times or Fox News, Assemblyman Allen would instead view some U tube video clips of racist Israeli hordes screaming death to all Arabs or of recorded barbaric crimes against humanity including extrajudicial executions of Palestinians, he would perhaps begin to realise that his conception of unwavering commitment to freedom and democracy, is irrefutably flawed.
Such developments in the U.S. were preceded in Canada earlier this year when in February the Canadian Parliament passed a historic motion formally condemning the BDS anti-Israel movement. The motion asserted:
That, given Canada and Israel share a long history of friendship as well as economic and diplomatic relations, the House reject the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which promotes the demonisation and delegitimisation of the State of Israel, and call upon the government to condemn any and all attempts by Canadian organisations, groups or individuals to promote the BDS movement, both here at home and abroad.
(http://en.cijnews.com/?p=27150)
Meanwhile in Britain, the Government has stated that it is banning public boycotts of Israeli goods because the practice undermines community cohesion and Britains international security. Ministers have issued a so-called procurement policy note notifying public authorities that they would face severe penalties if they continue procurement boycotts on ethical grounds. In keeping with the best traditions of democracy, the policy has now been implemented without any parliamentary debate or vote. This was presumably because public procurement should never be used as a tool to boycott tenders from suppliers based in other countries, except where formal legal sanctions, embargoes and restrictions have been put in place by the UK Government, as was once the case regarding Apartheid in South Africa. (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boycott-israel-ban-bds-illegal-british-government-tories-palestine-procurement-a6879421.html)
Not to be outdone by either the U.S. or Britain, France has been equally aggressive in criminalising BDS to the extent that BDS activists find themselves today having to fight both antisemitic conspiracy theories which take them to be victims, as well as the measures criminalising the BDS movement, which claim that they are antisemitic persecutors. The trap is thus set: what place is left in the debate to criticise Israel? The criminalisation of the BDS movement is essentially the criminalisation of an antiracist and anticapitalist political protest. Those who demonstrate today against the State of Emergency and the banning of demonstrations need to remind themselves that the current French government did not begin banning political demonstrations with the State of Emergency following the attacks Nov. 13, 2015, but during the Israeli assault on Gaza in July 2014. In France too, the repression of pro-Palestinian movements serves as a laboratory of political repression. (http://www.alternet.org/grayzone-project/frances-shocking-wrong-headed-repression-protests-against-israels-violent-policies)
In Germany, people tend to avoid criticising Israel a legacy from Nazi Germany for fear of being perceived as anti-Semitic. Such fear on the part of most Germans who go out of their way to portray a pro-Israel stance, makes it even more difficult for German BDS activists who are regularly accused of being anti-Semitic as well as being physically abused. Consequently, even without a great deal of help from the government, the BDS movement has not yet received recognition as a legitimate form of social protest.
(http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2016/04/germany-bds-movement-paradox-anti-semitism-160421084206294.html)
The gradual but incessant and successful criminalisation of criticism of, or opposition to Apartheid Israel initiated by Jewish lobby groups that operate throughout the world but more so in the West has without doubt not only infringed on the basic right to free speech, but has also Zionised the government perceptions of most Western democracies where the phantom of anti-Semitism has become the ultimate zionist weapon in coercing most of us to remain subservient and silent because will not be satisfied until every drop of drinkable water which it has not already stolen, becomes too contaminated for Palestinians to drink; Israel will not be satisfied until its air, land and sea blockade of the Occupied territories that prevents the import of vital food and medical supplies has induced malnutrition, disease and death amongst the imprisoned and persecuted population; Israel will not be satisfied until all Palestinian children have been traumatised by the experience of seeing their parents being hounded, humiliated, imprisoned without due process, and in many cases simply murdered; Israel will not be satisfied until those same children are further traumatised by being arbitrarily arrested, interrogated without adult or legal council support, beaten, terrorised, and forced into signing confessions (written in a language they do not understand) that incriminate parents and relatives who are then held indefinitely under the misused Administrative Detention Order; Israel will not be satisfied until every Palestinian home, hospital and school has been reduced to rubble with bombs supplied by courtesy of U.S. taxpayers; and Israel will not be satisfied until every drop of Palestinian blood has soaked into the stolen Palestinian lands on which more illegal Jewish settlements will be built.
(http://dissidentvoice.org/2014/08/anti-semitism-the-ultimate-zionist-weapon-2/)
William Hanna is a freelance writer with published books the Hiramic Brotherhood of the Third Temple and The Tragedy of Palestine and its Children. Purchase information, sample chapter, other articles, and contact details at: (http://www.hiramicbrotherhood.com/)
Electoral Politics And The Illusion Of Control
By William Hawes
27 April, 2016
Countercurrents.org
We have all been told a lie. The lie that says democracy can be maintained only through voting, through purely representative, parliamentarian means. When the founding fathers set up the Constitution and Bill of Rights, they were wary of any truly popular, working and middle class control of the United States. Our government was to be run as a republic, designed by elites, for the elites. Our three branches of government were not simply invented for checks and balances: another reason was to stymie any massively popular mandates that would go against the interests of the oligarchy.
Today, the checks and balances used ostensibly to prevent tyranny are being used against us: even though a high majority (65%) is against government surveillance which violates privacy, and 78% want Citizens United overturned, we are stuck with a broken system and statesmen bought off by corporations. Even though 80% of eligible citizens didnt vote in the 2014 elections, this year our out-of-touch pundits and mass media puppets prattle on unceasingly about our democracy, still misguidedly believing these candidates represent the will of the people.
Just sixteen years ago, our very own electoral system, in the form of a gilded cage, shut down the popular will of the people, as Al Gore won about 500,000 more votes than George W. Bush, yet still lost. Although the decision was made over 200 years ago, we have decided that the antiquated Electoral College system should still be used today.
More broadly, our never-ending election cycle serves as a palliative for ordinary Americans, but does nothing to cure the underlying disease and rot within our political system. Progressive liberals can take pleasure in Sanders statements supporting a raise in the minimum wage, debt relief for students, fighting income inequality, etc. Yet Sanders has no broad coalition in Congress to advance his agenda and to fight his revolution. Isolationist, non-interventionist conservatives can take pride in Trumps support of Russias fight against ISIS in Syria, and his token rhetoric towards re-working unfair free trade agreements and bringing back jobs. Yet Trumps pandering towards racists and xenophobes will only accelerate the descent towards fascism that the US has been slipping into for decades.
The second lie weve been told, or assumed implicitly, is that we are in control of our national destiny. Through the vote, we can supposedly make a clean slate every four years, to make up for the misdeeds of our past political leaders. The truth is much murkier. Our national security state and intelligence services have been built up to Leviathan levels, and presidential candidates are instantly discredited and marginalized for suggesting even small decreases in military spending. Corporate lobbyists and the conglomerate multinationals control the political landscape, determining the limits of discourse and shutting down anyone who exceeds the boundaries. Absurdly, third party candidates, some of the only ones with fresh ideas to invigorate our democracy, are demonized. Mainstream media coverage reinforces these imaginary limits of discussion, and Independents, Greens, Socialists, and Libertarians are relegated to the sidelines.
As the neoliberal order reinforces and deepens material poverty and intellectual ignorance, public discourse narrows without totalitarian overt manipulation. This makes issues seem as if they are progressing naturally, when public debate and consent is in actuality homogenized and conformist. This is analogous to the concept known to scientists as shifting baselines: here it applies to a public that accepts deeper cuts to social services, increases in privatizations, and increased militarization and policing of the public sphere, because the momentum seems inexorable and immutable. The establishment uses rhetorical threats and excuses to further corporate agendas and destroy civil society, all in the name of maintaining economic growth and upholding law and order.
The truth is that only by staring into the abyss can we collectively begin to dig ourselves out of our self-dug graves. The US has been in an unofficial recession since 2008. Millions of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, with minimal society safety nets, leading to insecurity, uncertainty and cynicism towards the future, and crippling anxiety. Politicians routinely show they do not care about the working class and the poor when they speak to the middle class, whatever that means anymore. Our leaders are handpicked by Wall Street billionaires, and/or defense and fossil fuel industrialists. Abroad, covert war is ongoing in a dozen or more countries in Asia and North Africa.
With so many minds confined to the hypnotic and myopic gaze focused on high technology, mass media, and our official leaders, 21st century man falls further into enslavement every day. As Fromm would say, we Escape from Freedom into self-indulgence and apathy, leaving hard decisions to technocrats and oligarchs. Control over our food, medicine, intellectual property, and basic social and environmental rights are consolidated into a handful of multinational corporations who inundate us with false needs through advertising and propaganda. Computer algorithms tell us what to buy, and social media manipulates our emotions, fulfilling the preaching of techno-dystopian prophets who warn of non-human intelligence guiding humanity towards dark futures.
Revolutionary fervor lurks under the surface, yet whether a popular progressive movement can blossom remains to be seen. Conversely, a missed revolution could easily results in an authoritarian and fascist takeover by the reactionary far-right. One thing we know for certain is that continuing under this two-party charade will only lead us to our doom.
Average citizens have never had any control of the republic since its founding. A complete constitutional overhaul is needed, and forms of direct, consensus, and deliberative democracy must be woven into a hybrid system. Elections should be funded by the public, with no corporate money allowed, shorter election cycles, and no discrimination towards third parties, unlike the current Commission on Presidential Debates. State governments should gain power, and federal programs reigned in and redefined towards streamlined regulation and oversight. Tax subsidies should be stripped from the fossil fuel industries entirely and redirected towards the best scientists and engineers in the field of renewable energy.
What is desperately needed is a shift in worldview to promote government that sees its job as not simply to tax and legislate, but to also support healthy life-world systems. Also, promoting humble and dedicated leaders who are stewards of community and the Earth, who do not insist on blatant exploitation of distant nations and pillaging resources, would go a long way. This cannot be done within the confines of the Democratic and Republican parties, who thrive on domination, coercion, control, and manipulation of public interests.
To break the cycle, we must collectively embrace our frailties and limitations. The deadly, patriarchal energy technologies such as the petrochemical industries and nuclear energy must be shut down. We must learn from the man-made tragedies of Bhopal, Katrina, Chernobyl, and Fukushima, and dismantle dangerous plants and factories, and begin to move humanity away from areas susceptible to natural disasters and coastal flooding. The US, Russia, and the nuclear nations must formally apologize for the atmospheric nuclear testing in the fifties and sixties which will kill millions from cancer, and ban nuclear weapons for good.
Learning to relinquish control and learning to keep ones ego in check are two of the ultimate tests our leaders must accept. As the Tao Te Ching says:
Therefore the sages:
Manage the work of detached actions
Conduct the teaching of no words
They work with myriad things but do not control
They create but do not possess
They act but do not presume
They succeed but do not dwell on success
It is because they do not dwell on success
That it never goes away (1)
William Hawes is a writer specializing in politics and the environment. You can find his ebook of collected essays here. His articles have appeared online at Global Research, Countercurrents, Dissident Voice, and Counterpunch. You can email him at wilhawes@gmail.com
Notes:
1.) Tao Te Ching: Annotated and Explained. Derek Lin. SkyLight Paths. 2006. http://www.taoism.net/ttc/complete.htm Translation by Derek Lin.
The Failed Cruz-Kasich Pact: Donald Trump And GOP Desperation
By Dr. Binoy Kampmark
27 April, 2016
Countercurrents.org
As far as I am concerned its over.
Donald Trump, Apr 26, 2016
Having Trump as a candidate for the GOP presidential run may look bad. Having a pact against him within the Republican movement designed to quash his chances to get the nomination looks even worse. It reeks of backroom deals, frustrated officials and failed prospects.
Most of all, it is the very sort of thing that might add fuel to the fire of Trumps campaign, which was emboldened by Tuesdays victories in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Maryland and Delaware. Trump edges ever closer to the 1,237 delegates needed for a first-ballot triumph at the July convention. Other GOP contenders continued to look on with worry
Senator Ted Cruz and Governor John Kasich of Ohio were clearly not thinking things through when they got together to announce the latest ploy from the GOP strategy room. For one, Cruz was never one to take Kasich too seriously, seeing himself as the naturally anointed, and feeling that Kasichs stubbornness simply made the case against Trump harder to make. Kasich, in turn, has essentially been pushing the line that Cruz cannot cut the American political mustard. If Hillary Clinton is to be beaten, he is the man to do it.
The announcement by the two rivals and presidential contenders took place on Sunday, ahead of the deep losses both would experience on Tuesday. In the loose alliance, the two candidates agreed to what would effectively mount to ceding the forthcoming primaries to each other, vacating ground for a greater swipe at the Trump base.
This would entail Kasich standing down in Indianas primary on May 3, something that would give Cruz a better chance, or so it is thought, of moving up on Trump. Such an approach has the hallmarks of historical folly, not to mention self-destruction.
John Kasich, announced Cruz, has decided to pull out of Indiana to give us a head-to-head contest with Donald Trump. This would enable him to focus on the evangelical population and other elements more sympathetic with his line. Cruz, in turn, would avoid Oregon and New Mexico, allowing Kasich a free hand. The idiocy of this arrangement assumes that voters will be directed, mutely following their masters instructions.
Kasich seemed to be hallucinating at one point over the nature of the arrangement, suggesting that voters should not take the agreement as having much worth. As a not so gentlemanly agreement, it did not have the legs. I dont see this, he flippantly remarked, an any big deal.
The extent of his lack of understanding could be gauged by the fact that he still, despite the arrangements, wished for the good people of Indiana to vote for him, a sentiment which can only be read at this point as voting for anybody but Trump. Ive never told [supporters] not to vote for me. They ought to vote for me.
This is all well and good, but for the fact that the Kasich campaign seems riddled with established ineptitude. In what can only be regarded as suicidal oversight, he will be starting in greater arrears in Oregon without his photo and biography in official voter pamphlets mailed to 1.8 million households in the state. According to the secretary of states office, Kasich was sent a letter on Jan. 12 explaining that he was qualified to appear on the Oregon ballot, and that he should supply them with a statement to appear on the Voters Pamphlet. We never heard anything from his campaign, explained Molly Woon, spokeswoman for Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins.
Cruz, in turn, is banking heavily on an Indiana vote that can only trim the delegate count from the Trump wagon of thundering doom. (This ignores the Real Clear Politics poll figures which show Trump leading Cruz as matters stand a comfortable 39 percent to 33 percent.) Even if Trump falls short of the 1,237 delegates, it will look a damn side bloody to deny him in what will assuredly kill off any Republican chances.
Such daft manoeuvring from these withered contenders has also had the unsettling, even unthinkable effect of making Trump sound sensible. Such collaboration, he has argued, smacks of collusion, and rather sordid collusion at that. In some industries, he observed, it would be illegal.
Despite being deeply bound to establishment principles (the business of America is business), Trump can only respond to such strategies with satisfaction by making himself sound like the outsider battling the Washington boardroom.
Wow, tweeted Trump, just announced that Lyin Ted and Kasich are going to collude in order to keep me from getting the Republican nomination. DESPERATION. And desperation it is, with neither one of the rivals having a mathematical prospect of getting the required delegates. The only pathway now is pure spoliation, harassment and tears.
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne. Email: bkampmark@gmail.com
Review: A Lover's Country By Stuart Rees Overcoming Zionist Perversion Of
The Mainstream Palestine Narrative
By Dr Gideon Polya
27 April, 2016
Countercurrents.org
A Lover's Country is an important, well-written and eminently readable novel by academic and human rights activist Stuart Rees based on the real life event of the award of the prestigious Sydney Peace Prize in 2003 to Palestinian writer, scholar, legislator and activist Hanan Ashrawi that aroused the ire of the ferocious Australian Zionist Lobby and its Mainstream journalist, politician and academic supporters that dominate media and public life in Australia (and elsewhere in the West) by lying, subversion, perversion, cajoling, censorship, threatening, defamation, litigation and intimidation. The heroes of A Lover's Country are a non-Jewish academic, his anti-racist Jewish human rights activist lover and of course the Palestinian people.
Before reviewing A Lover's Country [1] in detail, it is useful to sketch the major features of the ongoing Palestinian Genocide by US-, UK-, France-, Canada- and Australia-backed, nuclear terrorist, racist Zionist-run, democracy by genocide Apartheid Israel that can be summed up by the following appalling key statistics:
(1) The perfidious British conquered Palestine in WW2 and then offered it to Jewish colonization in 1917 via the notorious Balfour Declaration that was designed to get Russian Zionists to try to keep Russia in WW1. Since the middle 1930s there have been 2 million Palestinian deaths from Zionist violence (0.1 million) or Zionist-imposed deprivation (1.9 million) [2].
(2) There are 7 million Palestinian refugees and of the circa 13 million Palestinians all but 1.8 million Palestinian Israelis are variously excluded from all or part of Palestine [2].
(3) Of circa 13 million Palestinians (half of them children), 6.5 million are forbidden to even step foot in their own country, 4.7 million are held hostage with zero human rights under Israeli guns in the Gaza Concentration Camp (2.0 million) or in ever-dwindling West Bank Bantustan ghettoes (2.7 million), and 1.8 million live as Third Class citizens as Israeli Palestinians under Nazi-style Apartheid Israeli race laws [2, 3].
(4) In Palestine in 1880 there were circa 500,000 Palestinians and 25,000 Jews of whom half were Jewish immigrants but today 90% of Palestine has now been ethnically cleansed of Indigenous Palestinian inhabitants although Indigenous Palestinian still represent a majority (52%) of the population in Palestine that is ruled by Apartheid Israel [2].
(5) GDP per capita is US$2,900 for Occupied Palestinians as compared to US$37,700 for Apartheid Israel which practises effective slave labour and military-guarded ware-housing of millions of Palestinians in the Gaza Concentration Camp and West Bank ghettoes [4].
(6) Through imposed deprivation, each year Apartheid Israel passively murders about 2,700 under-5 year old Palestinian infants and passively murders an estimated 4,200 Occupied Palestinians who die avoidably from imposed deprivation [5] .
(7) In the 21st century Apartheid Israel has violently killed an average of about 700 Occupied Palestinians each year [6, 7].
(8) Occupied Palestinians are deprived of essentially all human rights by racist Zionist-run Israel that has been described as an Apartheid state by numerous scholars and by leaders in the fight against Apartheid in South Africa [8-13].
(9) Serial war criminal, nuclear terrorist, genocidally racist, democracy-by-genocide Apartheid Israel determines that the circa 40% of its subjects who are Occupied Palestinians cannot vote for the government ruling them, and nuclear terrorist Apartheid Israel has up to 400 nuclear bombs) [14].
(10) US-backed Apartheid Israel in its genocidal treatment of the Palestinians ignores numerous UN General Assembly Resolutions and UN Security Council Resolutions, the UN Genocide Convention, the Geneva Convention, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Rights of the Child Convention, the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and many other aspects of International Law.
(11) Apartheid Israel has attacked 12 countries and occupied 5 with 1950-2005 avoidable deaths from deprivation in countries neighbouring Apartheid Israel totalling 24 million [5].
(12) Apartheid Israel and its traitorous and genocidally racist Zionist agents have subverted and perverted democracy, media and institutions in Western and other countries, with appalling mortality consequences in the Zionist -backed US War on Terror that in horrible reality is a US War on Muslims - Muslim avoidable deaths from deprivation in countries subject to Western military intervention in 2001-2016 now total about 27 million with a further 5 million Muslims dying violently in what must be described as an ongoing Muslim Holocaust and Muslim Genocide [15, 16].
I won't give the end of the story away, but the plot involves Tom Markson (academic, convenor of a Sydney Peace Award jury and evidently based on Stuart Rees himself) whose committee decides to award the prize to outstanding Christian Palestinian human rights activist Fadeela Qubra (modelled on Hanan Ashrawi). Fervent opposition to the award comes from Jewish Zionist Marcia Raymond (a nurse, lawyer and jury member) who informs Ronald Krantzen (secretary of the Australia/Israel council) who then proceeds to activate the Zionist Lobby, pro-Zionist politicians and pro-Zionist Mainstream media into a frenzy of opposition to the award. A major Zionist- perverted Sydney university refuses to allow the award to take place on its campus. Big businesses indicate reversal of prior patronage over the issue. Elizabeth Ogilvie (chair of the peace award jury and widow of an influential Jewish businessman) is prevailed upon to lobby the jury, including Tom and his friend Mike Savos, to postpone the award. Indeed Tom himself in a drunken moment of weakness finally succumbs to this pressure, much to the intense displeasure of his lover and former student Naomi Branach (an anti-racist Jewish human rights activist and journalist who is working with Fadeela Qubra in Palestine ). Tom reverses his decision, sticks to his guns over the award and the lovers make up (there are 3 extremely graphically described sex scenes involving Tom and Naomi in the novel that rank Stuart Rees with Henry Miller in this literary respect). Even Fadeela Qubra finds travelling to Sydney at a time of fresh Israeli atrocities too difficult but Tom is able to address major obstacles. The story is interspersed with graphic descriptions of Israeli violence based on the everyday realities of Occupied Palestinians the Israeli murder in Jerusalem of a Palestinian journalist with the liberal newspaper Haaretz; life in the Gaza Concentration Camp; house demolitions; evading the system of road-blocks and Jews-only roads on the West Bank; the Jenin Massacre; an armed attack by settler fanatics; and a graphic giving birth by a Palestinian women denied entry at an Israeli road-block.
I attended the Melbourne launch of A Lover's Country at Readings Bookshop near the University of Melbourne . It was prefaced and concluded by touching Arabic songs sung by a young Palestinian Muslim woman. I understood from the proceedings that the publisher had checked with a lawyer over whether the bad guys in this work of faction (fiction based on fact) had been sufficiently disguised by name changes to avoid possible litigation under Australia 's human rights-violating libel laws. I wouldn't dare speculate about the bad guys in the novel because freedom of speech is highly constrained in Neocon American and Zionist Imperialist (NAZI)-perverted and subverted, politically correct racist (PC racist) White Australia.
Nevertheless Australian readers will have fun guessing who's who for good guys and in private for the bad guys. Thus James Brady a scholarly New South Wales premier who holds firm against Zionist pressure is evidently former long-standing New South Wales Labor Premier and Australian Foreign Minister, Bob Carr, who raised the ire of the Zionist Lobby by getting the Labor Federal Caucus to support Australia abstaining from the UN vote on Palestinian statehood against the wishes of pro-Zionist PM Julie Gillard (Gillard wanted Australia to vote no, and was installed as PM in the US approved, Mining Company-backed and pro-Zionist-led Coup against PM Kevin Rudd in 2010) [17, 18].
Isabella James is a Federal MP who raises in Federal parliament the Israeli public murder of Palestinian journalist Walid Asuri, a friend of Tom and Naomi. A very likely candidate for being Isabella James would be Federal Labor MP Julia Irwin (IJ for JI) who in 2005 caused controversy by describing Israeli policies as "ethnic cleansing", and Gaza as a "concentration camp. After criticism from the Israeli Lobby Jewish groups and by members of both the Liberal and Labor parties, she felt compelled to issued an apology for being "offensive". This decent , courageous and anti-racist Labor Member of the House of Representatives was excluded from Ministerial positions and consigned to the backbenches because of her decent views about the Palestinians, and jokingly described herself as the Minster for Lost Causes. This decent, anti-racist Labor MP, Julia Irwin, resigned in 2010 [19].
Julia Irwin on Zionist subversion of the Australian Labor Party (2010): Many members and senators from right-wing unions have had close links with the Israeli union movement over the years and have maintained entrenched views I should add that many of my colleagues these days begin a conversation with the remark, I know we don't see eye to eye on the Middle East but' [I was told I should] visit the Holocaust Museum, visit Israel and meet with members of various Jewish organisations [but] these requests have not been followed up. After one speech on Palestine , the ALP chief whip tore up my application for leave from the House when I was to attend an Inter Parliamentary Union meeting in Geneva . This was later approved but not before some emotional displays on both sides [1 have] enjoyed strong support from many rank-and-file members of the ALP There is obviously a strong groundswell of support within the ALP for a more independent position when it comes to the Israel/Palestine conflict Then, strangely, at the Caucus meeting on the Tuesday before he was deposed as Prime Minister, I had gone up to Kevin to ask him to sign a hardback edition of The True Believers which had been signed by all Party leaders from Gough Whitlam. Kevin was surprisingly friendly and inquired about the reaction of supporters of the Palestinian cause to the government's handling of the expulsion of an Israeli diplomat over the theft of Australian passports and his statement calling for an inquiry into the Mavi Marmara incident. His remarks led me to believe that there had been some change in the government's position with regard to Israel even if it was only a small step from being totally uncritical at least one ALP member receives big donations from Palestinian interests but is silent on the issue [I have never received donations from groups with] direct links to Palestinian interests support for Palestine will swiftly end any prospect of a front bench position. Even a hint of offence can result in an immediate unconditional apology For all MPs there is the desire to play it safe'. Why make enemies over an issue which does not directly affect your local community? And I have to add that many Labor members have an intense dislike of Arabic people. That's something that comes across in their less-guarded moments. They will talk about human rights abuse in every corner of the world, but not Palestine On the Labor side (and as far as I know the same applies to the Liberals), a newly selected member for a winnable seat is hosted to a private fund raising dinner. A table full of Jewish businessmen are happy to hand over $10,000 for the candidate's first campaign. That's a big bonus for a new member and many never forget the generosity. I was never afforded such an honour but I can say that I would have been suspicious of the motive a visit to Israel is almost a rite of passage for new MPs and Senators [display by hosts of ] backward Arabs threatening such an enlightened society It [the Israeli Lobby] cannot afford to snub Labor even if most Jewish voters live in blue ribbon Liberal seats I have no doubt that senior ALP figures have promised to end my career on more than one occasion. At the grass roots level, in the branches and the wider electorate, the lobby has no influence. Only at the highest levels can a member be threatened. But a party which allows that to happen is not worthy of public support [ Israel may have ] passed the point of no return There can be no ethnic cleansing of the occupied territories Despite the belief of the Israeli leadership, time is not on their side.. [I grew up shamed] at our complicity of abuse and discrimination against Jewish people now I ask, what has changed? How could such a people condone the oppression of others?... [Israel]cannot survive a cultural and academic boycott While politically Israel lurches further to the right, Israelis must come to realise that they are all judged by the actions of their leaders [20].
Virtually 100% of the Liberal Party-National Party Coalition (aka the pro-coal, coral-killing KOALition) and perhaps 90% of the right-wing Labor Party support the Zionists. The Australian Greens are totally opposed to racism and Apartheid. However, as related in A Lover's Country, there are some decent, anti-racist folk in Australian public life prepared to speak out about the genocidal racism of democracy-by-genocide Apartheid Israel and many of them are Jewish. Non-Jewish critics of Apartheid Israel are readily and falsely smeared by the Zionists as anti-Semites but this standard lying Zionist smear is less convincing when applied to outstanding , anti-racist Jewish intellectuals.
Thus, for example, 164 Australian anti-racist Jewish Australian intellectuals, academics and professionals signed an Open Letter protesting the horrific mass killing in Gaza by Israel in 2014: As Australians of Jewish identity and background, we are appalled at the current mass killing in Gaza by Israel . We reject the official mythology that Israel is under existential threat and acting in self-defence. Since 12 July, the Israeli army has killed more than 1900 people in Gaza . Hospitals, schools, beaches, playgrounds even UN shelters have been attacked. The whole world has reacted with horror and outrage. In the face of the destruction of so many lives, we cannot remain silent while the official Jewish leadership gives such active support to Israel 's attack on Gaza . Their decision to stand with the oppressor rather than the oppressed is a betrayal of our history and values, when authentic moral leadership is more important than ever. Siege, occupation, the slaughter of innocents and collective punishment of an entire people are deeply wrong and unlawful. Yet the Jewish leadership uncritically promulgates the propaganda of the Israeli government that this is self-defence. They are failing to represent and serve the Jewish community. Silence is consent and evil triumphs when good people do nothing. We call on our fellow Jews to break their silence, to take a public stand, not just for an immediate cease-fire, but for an end to the underlying conditions of siege and occupation which defy elementary morality, decency and humanity, as well as international and humanitarian law [21].
Similarly, another large group of Australian anti-racist Jewish Australian intellectuals, academics and professionals signed Petition about the infamous and racist Israeli Law of Return (2010): Petition Against the Right of Return to Israel on Behalf of Australian Jews, March 2010. We are Jews from Australia , who, like Jewish people throughout the world, have an automatic right to Israeli citizenship under Israel 's law of return. While this law may seem intended to enable a Jewish homeland, we submit that it is in fact a form of racist privilege that abets the colonial oppression of the Palestinians. Today there are more than seven million Palestinian refugees around the world. Israel denies their right to return to their homes and landa right recognized and undisputed by UN Resolution 194, the Geneva Convention, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Meanwhile, we are invited to live on that same land simply because we are Jewish, thereby potentially taking the place of Palestinians who would dearly love to return to their ancestral lands. We renounce this right to return offered to us by Israeli law. It is not right that we may return to a state that is not ours while Palestinians are excluded and continuously dispossessed [22].
It takes special courage for anti-racist non-Jewish Australians to speak out against the crimes of Apartheid Israel . Thus the Zionist Lobbies have muted the Western response to Israel war crimes, and in Australia (neo-Nazi Apartheid Israel 's best friend after the US) the vociferous and venomous Israel Lobby drove one of Australia 's top journalists, Mike Carlton, from his job with the Sydney Melbourne Herald after he forcefully criticized the latest Israeli Gaza Massacre in 2014 [23].
A shocking testament to Zionist perversion of Australian public life is the tiny list of only 23 decent, humane signatories (including 6 past or present Labor MPs, 2 Greens and the ex-Liberal PM of Australia, Malcolm Fraser) to a letter calling for Australia to vote with the overwhelming majority of nations to support Palestinian Statehood (2014): We the undersigned call on the Australian government to vote yes to a Palestinian state at the UN. Australia has consistently supported a two state solution to the Israel/Palestine conflict. Israel is an independent and sovereign state while Palestinians remain stateless.18 years of negotiations since the Oslo accords have produced no agreement while Israel has continued to build illegal settlements on Palestinian land and has subjected Palestinians to military occupation. Palestinians, like other human beings, have the right to their own state and their own nationality. Institutions such as the UN, World Bank and IMF have affirmed their readiness for statehood. Negotiations on final status issues, namely final borders with agreed land swaps, security, settlements, refugees, water and Jerusalem should resume as soon as possible between Israel and the Palestinians including both Fatah and Hamas, but the issue of statehood should not be subject to negotiation. 130 member states of the United Nations have so far committed to recognise a Palestinian state. If Australia 's long-standing commitment to a two-state solution is genuine and meaningful we should join them [24].
While the pro-Zionist, US lackey Australian Coalition Government and the pro-Zionist, US lackey, Labor Right-dominated Australian Labor Opposition are appallingly united in their support for democracy-by-genocide Apartheid Israel, 55 out of about 1,000 Australian state or Federal MPs (31Labor Left MPs, 21 Green MPs, zero Coalition MPs, the Independent Senator Nick Xenophon, the Independent MP Andrew Wilkie and the former conservative Australian Prime Minister, the late Malcolm Fraser), have signed an Open Letter condemning Israeli war crimes in Gaza. This Letter and the names of its decent signatories are reproduced below: LETTER. 25 July 2014. We the undersigned members of Australian federal and state parliaments, call on all Australian politicians to condemn the ongoing Israeli military bombardment and invasion of Gaza . We call on Australian politicians to support an immediate cessation of hostilities and a ceasefire deal which includes an end to Israel 's occupation of the Palestinian territories and to the blockade of Gaza . We call on all Australian politicians to also support the United Nations Human Rights Council's decision to launch an independent inquiry into purported violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws in the Occupied Palestinian Territory , including East Jerusalem . Over 1200* Palestinians in Gaza have been killed, since Israel started its military attack on Gaza three weeks ago. The United Nations says at least 75 percent of the dead are civilians, including an estimated 168 children. In the last two days, Palestinian children have been killed at a rate of one per hour. The rockets fired from Gaza are not in any way justified and insofar as they threaten and harm civilians are illegal under international law. However, these imprecise rockets cannot be compared with the broad-scale bombing of Gaza by Israel which has one of the world's largest military forces. Collective punishment is not permitted under the Geneva conventions and is a war crime. Hospitals, places of worship, and a centre for people with disabilities have been among the Israeli military's targets. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is providing shelter to more than 102,788 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The international community including Australia has a vital responsibility to put pressure on Israel to end its current military attack on Gaza and broker a solution of justice and peace [25, 26].
There is massive constraint on free speech in Zionist-perverted Australia that is sketched out in A Lover's Country and made clear from the rare actions of a courageous few as outlined above. However there is also massive censorship in Australia by Mainstream media. I have created websites to document censorship of reader comments by major Australian media including The Age, the ABC ( Australia 's equivalent of the BBC), the Guardian, Crikey and the universities-backed web magazine The Conversation inspection of the data indicates massive censorship of informed opinion critical of Apartheid Israel as a significant common theme [27-33]. Zionist-perverted Australian Mainstream media massively lie by omission and lie by commission, as do other Western Mainstream media [34-38], noting that lying by omission is far, far worse than lying by commission because at least the latter admits the possibility of public debate.
Of course censorship, lying by omission and lying by commission are anathema to teachers and scholars but as portrayed in A Lover's Country Elizabeth Ogilvie (a former high school head mistress) , a top Sydney university, a vice-chancellor (a grossly over-paid, parasitic refugee from scholarship) and even Tom Markson (temporarily in a moment of weakness) give in to Zionist pressure for censorship. There is massive censorship and self-censorship within Australian universities [39] and egregious censorship by the universities-backed web magazine The Conversation [33]. Many of the Australian universities linked pro-Zionist censorship by The Conversations are linked to Israeli military co-research [40]. The zero-Nobel-Laureate and Zionist-pressured University of Sydney is threatening to downgrade its prestigious Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies that was co-founded by Professor Stuart Rees who also founded the Sydney Peace Foundation, a University of Sydney foundation which promotes peace with justice and awards the Sydney Peace Prize [1]. A recent example of Zionist-backed academic censorship today is the maltreatment of Middle East scholar Dr Sandra Nasr by the London School of Economics and Notre Dame University Australia [41]. The ruling Australian Coalition Government has threatened to cut off any federal funding for academics who support Boycotts Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Apartheid Israel [42, 43]. Not content with ethnically cleaning Palestine, promoting the genocidal US War on Muslims, and assisting US-backed genocide around the world (notably in Guatemala and Sri Lanka), the racist Zionists are perverting and subverting politicians, parties, and institutions in the West, including Australia, and using the massive proceeds of commercial crime to support the ongoing Palestinian Genocide, as set out in a detailed and documented J'accuse I have sent to media, MPs and the Australian Federal Police [44].
Conclusions.
A Lover's Country takes its name from a poem by Palestinian poet Mahmood Darwish as described in the novel by Fadeela Qubra (Hanan Ashrawi): In Beirut , Darwish also described his vision of a land in which relationships might be characterized by the togetherness of people in love. He imagined that even, From a stone we'll build a lover's country ([1], page 55). This extremely well-written novel bears witness to this humane optimism and describes a wealth of characters, those involved in trying to realise justice for the Palestinian people and those supporting the obscenity of Israeli Apartheid.
One notes that A Lover's Country is accurate in revealing the significant role of anti-racist Jews in the fight against Israeli Apartheid (see [10]) e.g. activist Naomi Branath, Marcia Raymond who undergoes a conversion to anti-racism, and the numerous un-named Jewish Israeli women who try to intervene on behalf of Palestinians at army check-points. Indeed at half a dozen anti-racist Jewish human rights activists were present at the Melbourne launch of A Lover's Country. The racist Zionists are among the worst anti-Arab Semites today through their involvement in the ongoing Palestinian Genocide and the ongoing US War on Muslims (aka Muslim Holocaust and Muslim Genocide) but are also the world's worst anti-Jewish anti-Semites today by falsely identifying all Jews and hence decent, anti-racist Jews with these appalling crimes [10]. Outstanding Jewish American scholar Professor Jared Diamond in his best-selling book "Collapse (Prologue, p10, Penguin edition) enunciated the "moral principle, namely that it is morally wrong for one people to dispossess, subjugate, or exterminate another people" an injunction grossly violated by racist Zionist (RZ)-run Apartheid Israel and its racist, genocide-committing and genocide-ignoring US Alliance backers. In vain Jews in England in the 13th century denied the utterly false canard that they drank the blood of Christian children, and today decent, anti-racist Jews utterly dissociate themselves from the appalling genocidal crimes of the racist Zionists that include invasion, dispossession, subjugation, extermination, ethnic cleansing and horrendous human rights abuse of Indigenous Palestinians, half of whom are children.
As one deeply familiar with the work of Jane Austen, I was struck by similarities between A Lover's Country and a Jane Austen novel. Both are exquisitely truthful and centre on personal morality and empowerment through dignified and articulate speech; both involve a succession of scenes' that lend the works to theatrical and filmic presentation; and both deal with important minutiae - on the one hand, a Peace Prize award speech in person in Australia by a female Palestinian leader in the context of the horrendous, ongoing Palestinian Genocide and, on the other, an upper class but disempowered woman finding and realizing a life partner at the time of the Napoleonic Wars and immense social inequity. The actual language used is quite different (21st century versus circa 1800) but the commonality is the accurate and truth-telling representation of the dialogue [45].
With 90% of the land of Palestine now ethnically cleansed by the genocidally racist Zionists, a 2-state solution is effectively dead except as an ostensibly even-handed but disingenuous and dishonest ploy by racist supporters of Israeli Apartheid such as the UK, US, Australia and neo-Nazi Likudnik Zionists. However decent, anti-racist and humane people can readily envisage immediate implementation of a possibly Federal but unitary and secular Palestine in which there is abolition of racism and bigotry; peace with justice, reconciliation and return of all exiled Palestinians; equal human rights for all, notably one-person-one-vote and substantial economic equity in terms of income plus services and abolition of poverty ; free and secure access for all citizens to all parts of Palestine; airport-level security for all provided by civil police; removal and renouncing of all nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction; and international security guaranteed by comprehensive international agreement and possible EU membership, and coupled with simultaneous demilitarization and Palestinian recruitment. The fall of Nazi-style Apartheid in South Africa provides a useful precedent.
The example of peaceful multiracial Fiji is instructive the democratically-elected, Indigenous Fijian-dominated government headed by Indigenous Fijian PM Frank Bainimarama is committed to the protection of the substantial Indian minority who are vital for the Fijian economy. Indeed, as head of the Indigenous Fijian military, Commodore Bainimarama had previously intervened in a bloodless coup against corruption and to protect the Indian minority but one must note unambiguously here, however, that democracy and the rule of law are preferred over the law of the jungle [46]. One can readily imagine a presently Jewish-only IDF guaranteeing a multi-racial Palestinian democracy dominated from a purely racial perspective by Indigenous Palestinians who presently constitute 52% of the Palestine population currently ruled by Apartheid Israel, and who would constitute 68% of the Palestine population (roughly as in 1947) after return of Indigenous Palestinians from Zionist-imposed exile.
The Israelis have 3 choices, (1) repugnant continuation as a neo-Nazi-style, nuclear terrorist, race-based, democracy-by-genocide, Apartheid state; (2) a further utterly repugnant and nightmare ethnic cleansing to make 100% of Palestine free of Indigenous Palestinians (as compared to the present 90% of Palestine having already been ethnically cleansed) ; or (3) a humane solution involving peace, non-racism, justice, security and reconciliation such as that outlined above.
What can decent people do to rapidly effect justice for the Palestinians ? Decent people everywhere must (a) inform everyone they can; (b) urge and apply Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Apartheid Israel and all of its racist supporters just as the world successfully applied sanctions to bring down Nazi-style Apartheid in South Africa; and (c) counter Zionist perversion of Western democracies by urging that racist Zionists and the neo-fascist supporters of Israeli Apartheid be sidelined from public life as has already happened to like racists such as the Nazis, neo-Nazis, Apartheiders and the Ku Klux Klan.
Thus Australia is having a Federal election this year and the fundamental, necessary criterion for electability is surely unequivocal commitment to one-person-one-vote democracy. However 100% of the governing Coalition MPs and 90% of the Labor Party Opposition MPs support Apartheid Israel that excludes 73% of its Palestinian subjects from voting for the government ruling them. Australia is second only to the US in supporting Apartheid Israel . In contrast, the Australian Greens unequivocally oppose racism and Apartheid. Accordingly, decent, informed, anti-racist Jewish and non-Jewish Australian voters will utterly reject the US lackey, pro-Apartheid Israel Lib-Labs (Liberal Party-National Party Coalition and Labor Right), vote 1 Green and put the Coalition last. World-wide zero tolerance for genocidal racism and Apartheid will ensure justice and human rights for the Palestinians and A Lover's Country in the Holy Land .
References.
[1]. Stuart Rees, A Lover's Country, Austin Macaulay, London , 2016.
[2]. Palestinian Genocide : http://sites.google.com/site/palestiniangenocide/ .
[3]. UN Population Division, 2015 World Population Prospects: http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/ .
[4]. List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita .
[5]. Gideon Polya, Body Count. Global avoidable mortality since 1950, that includes an avoidable mortality-related history of every country since Neolithic times and is now available for free perusal on he web: http://globalbodycount.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/body-count-global-avoidable-mortality_05.html .
[6]. Deaths in the conflict1987-2014, ProCon: http://israelipalestinian.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000639 .
[7]. 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict , Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Israel%E2%80%93Gaza_conflict .
[8]. Boycott Apartheid Israel : https://sites.google.com/site/boycottapartheidisrael/ .
[9]. Gaza Concentration Camp: https://sites.google.com/site/palestiniangenocide/gaza-concentration .
[10]. Jews Against Racist Zionism: https://sites.google.com/site/jewsagainstracistzionism/ .
[11]. Non-Jews Against Racist Zionism: https://sites.google.com/site/nonjewsagainstracistzionism/ .
[12]. Muslim Holocaust Muslim Genocide: https://sites.google.com/site/muslimholocaustmuslimgenocide/ .
[13]. Gideon Polya, Apartheid Israel Excludes Occupied Palestinians From All Provisions Of The Universal Declaration Of Human Rights, Countercurrents, 20 May, 2012: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya200512.htm .
[14]. Nuclear weapons ban , end poverty & reverse climate change: https://sites.google.com/site/300orgsite/nuclear-weapons-ban
[15]. Gideon Polya , Paris Atrocity Context: 27 Million Muslim Avoidable Deaths From Imposed Deprivation In 20 Countries Violated By US Alliance Since 9-11 , Countercurrents, 22 November, 2015: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya221115.htm .
[16]. Muslim Holocaust Muslim Genocide: https://sites.google.com/site/muslimholocaustmuslimgenocide/ .
[17]. Gideon Polya, Pro-Zionitt-led Coup ousts Australian PM Rudd, MWC News, 29 June 2010: http://mwcnews.net/focus/politics/3488-pro-zionist-led-coup.html .
[18]. Gideon Polya, Pro-Zionist Betrayal in Australia 's 2010 Gillard Labor Coup, Countercurrents, 27 June, 2010: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya270610.htm .
[19]. Julia Irwin, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Irwin .
[20]. Antony Loewenstein, Departing ALP member tells of deep Zionist influence in party, 10 August 2010: http://antonyloewenstein.com/2010/08/10/departing-alp-member-tells-of-deep-zionist-influence-in-party/ .
[21]. An appeal from Australian Jews to the Australian Jewish community: We cannot remain silent, Green Left Weekly, 15 August 2014: https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/57093 .
[22]. Antony Loewenstein, "Prominent Australian Jews reject the Israeli "right of return", Media release, 3 March 2010: http://antonyloewenstein.com/2010/03/03/prominent-australian-jews-including-peter-singer-reject-the-israeli-right-of-return/.
[23]. Gideon Polya , Mike Carlton, Top Australian Columnist, Forced From Job For Criticizing Apartheid Israeli Gaza Massacre, Countercurrents, 8 August, 2014: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya080814.htm .
[24]. Statement on recognition of Palestinian Statehood, Australian Palestine Advocacy Network, 2014: https://apan.org.au/apan-in-the-news/statement-on-recognition-of-palestinian-statehood/ .
[25]. Lee Rhiannon, Australian MPs take action in Gaza , Greens: http://lee-rhiannon.greensmps.org.au/content/news-stories/australian-mps-take-action-gaza .
[26]. Gideon Polya, Israel 's Gaza Massacre: 55 Anti-Racist Australian MPs Condemn Israeli War Crimes And Occupation, Countercurrents, 31 July, 2014: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya310714.htm .
[27]. Censorship by The Age: https://sites.google.com/site/mainstreammediacensorship/censorship-by-the-age .
[28]. Censorship by ABC Late Night Live: https://sites.google.com/site/censorshipbyabclatenightlive/ .
[29]. "Censorship by ABC Saturday Extra": https://sites.google.com/site/censorshipbyabclatenightlive/censorship-by-abc-sat .
[30]. ABC fact-checking unit & incorrect reportage by the ABC ( Australia 's BBC): https://sites.google.com/site/mainstreammediacensorship/abc-fact-checking-unit .
[31]. "Censorship by The Guardian Australia": https://sites.google.com/site/mainstreammediacensorship/home/censorship-by-the-guardian-a .
[32]. Censorship by Crikey ( Australia ): https://sites.google.com/site/mainstreammediacensorship/censorship-by-crikey .
[33]. Censorship by The Conversation: https://sites.google.com/site/mainstreammediacensorship/censorship-by .
[34]. Boycott Murdoch media: https://sites.google.com/site/boycottmurdochmedia/ .
[35]. Censorship by the BBC: https://sites.google.com/site/censorshipbythebbc/ .
[36]. "Censorship by The Guardian UK": https://sites.google.com/site/mainstreammediacensorship/censorship-by-the-guardian-uk .
[37]. Mainstream media censorship: https://sites.google.com/site/mainstreammediacensorship/home .
[38]. Mainstream media lying: https://sites.google.com/site/mainstreammedialying/ .
[39]. Gideon Polya, Current academic censorship and self-censorship in Australian universities, Free University Education: https://sites.google.com/site/freeuniversityeducation/academic-censorship .
[40]. Gideon Polya, Australian Universities Complicit With Pro-Zionist Censorship And Genocidal Israeli Militarism, Countercurrents, 24 May, 2012: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya240512.htm .
[41]. Gideon Polya , Academic Free Speech Under Zionist Attack At Notre Dame Australia And LSE , UK , Countercurrents, 16 December, 2015: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya161215.htm
[42]. Jake Lynch, Coalition plans to punish those who boycott Israel , ABC, The Drum, 25 June 2013: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-25/lynch---bds/4778144
[43] Gideon Polya, New Pro-Zionist Australian Coalition Government Threatens Anti-racist Jewish Academics Who Support Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Against Apartheid Israel , Countercurrents, 23 October, 2013: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya231013.htm .
[44]. Gideon Polya, Racist Zionism and Israeli State Terrorism threats to Australia and Humanity, Palestinian Genocide: https://sites.google.com/site/palestiniangenocide/racist-zionism-and-israeli .
[45]. Gideon Polya, Jane Austen and the Black Hole of British History. Colonial rapacity, holocaust denial and the crisis in biological sustainability, now available for free perusal on the web: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya290911.htm .
[46]. Gideon Polya, Review: Tears In Paradise . Suffering and Struggle Of Indians In Fiji 1879-2004 by Rajendra Prasad Britain 's Indentured Indian 5 Year Slaves , Countercurrents, 4 March, 2015: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya040315.htm
Dr Gideon Polya taught science students at a major Australian university for 4 decades. He published some 130 works in a 5 decade scientific career, most recently a huge pharmacological reference text "Biochemical Targets of Plant Bioactive Compounds" (CRC Press/Taylor & Francis, New York & London , 2003). He has published Body Count. Global avoidable mortality since 1950 (G.M. Polya, Melbourne, 2007: http://globalbodycount.blogspot.com/ ); see also his contributions Australian complicity in Iraq mass mortality in Lies, Deep Fries & Statistics (edited by Robyn Williams, ABC Books, Sydney, 2007: http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/ockhamsrazor/australian-complicity-in-iraq-mass-mortality/3369002#transcript
) and Ongoing Palestinian Genocide in The Plight of the Palestinians (edited by William Cook, Palgrave Macmillan, London , 2010: http://mwcnews.net/focus/analysis/4047-the-plight-of-the-palestinians.html ). He has published a revised and updated 2008 version of his 1998 book Jane Austen and the Black Hole of British History (see: http://janeaustenand.blogspot.com/ ) as biofuel-, globalization- and climate-driven global food price increases threaten a greater famine catastrophe than the man-made famine in British-ruled India that killed 6-7 million Indians in the forgotten World War 2 Bengal Famine (see recent BBC broadcast involving Dr Polya, Economics Nobel Laureate Professor Amartya Sen and others: http://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/history/social-economic-history/listen-the-bengal-famine ; Gideon Polya: https://sites.google.com/site/drgideonpolya/home ; Gideon Polya Writing: https://sites.google.com/site/gideonpolyawriting/ ; Gideon Polya, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gideon_Polya ) . When words fail one can say it in pictures - for images of Gideon Polya's huge paintings for the Planet, Peace, Mother and Child see: http://sites.google.com/site/artforpeaceplanetmotherchild/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/gideonpolya/ .
BOULDER State officials will seek help from the Legislature to address frustrations from Boulder residents concerned about the impending closure of a residential facility for the developmentally disabled.
The Montana Developmental Center Transition Advisory Committee convening in Boulder on Wednesday considered multiple proposals offered by the governor's office. The proposals included the possibility of asking legislators for $500,000 for a development fund to help keep Boulder's economy afloat.
The Montana Developmental Center is the town's largest employer. It now has about 215 employees, about half of whom live in Boulder, to care for about 50 patients.
The Legislature last year ordered the center shuttered by 2017 after a long history of troubles, including revelations that an employee sexually assaulted a resident in 2010.
The closure has stoked concerns among residents who say it could fray the community's social and economic fabric.
The state has vowed not to issue layoff notices until July 1 and said it would give employees at least 60 days' notice before their jobs are eliminated.
Drew Dawson, who heads a panel of residents looking into ways to minimize harm to the community from the closure, wants Montana to invest in workforce retraining for employees who will be out of jobs.
The Boulder Transition Advisory Committee, he said, "is very concerned about what happens to both MDC employees and clients. Both are valued members of our community."
A key concern is the future of the facility itself, a collection of residential units and offices sprawled across 60-acre campus that dates back more than 120 years.
"We'd like a commitment you're not going to abandon those buildings," Jefferson County Commissioner Leonard Wortman told the advisory council.
The governor's budget director, Dan Villa, who chairs the center's advisory panel, said state officials will continue to examine how best to repurpose the facility with help from the townspeople.
"Repurposing is an absolutely high priority," Villa said.
The local committee has applied for a grant from the state's Big Sky Trust Fund to pay for a community master plan, part of which would look into how to transform the facility into an economic asset.
The state has made arrangements to transfer nearly all of the facility's patients, with the majority going to private, community-based facilities.
The Governor's Office wants to keep a part of the facility open as a secure unit to house about a dozen patients who can't be moved to private facilities. But that proposal, Villa said, would require legislative approval.
A man charged with killing three people in a tiny Montana town pleaded not guilty to three counts of deliberate homicide during a Wednesday court appearance.
Robert James LeCou, 39, is accused of fatally shooting his wife, her sister and a brother-in-law on April 5 in Belfry, an agricultural community of 200 people located just north of the Wyoming border.
State District Judge Blair Jones set a $3 million bond for LeCou before returning him to custody, Clerk of District Court Rochelle Loyning said.
A trial will be scheduled at a later date, Loyning said.
LeCou's lawyer, public defender Gregory Paskell, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
LeCou is being held at the Gallatin County Detention Center.
He's also charged with tampering with evidence in the case, after authorities said he tried to conceal his actions by throwing into a dumpster some shell casings from a gun allegedly used in the shootings and paper towels that appeared to be covered with blood.
He was arrested three days after the shooting in Washington state, where he had fled to his mother's house in the community of Nine Mile Falls, according to court documents.
After his arrest, LeCou told investigators that a stranger must have broken into the house he shared with the victims and shot them, according to court documents.
LeCou has an extensive criminal history, including a conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for the 1999 beating death of a homeless man in Fort Worth, Texas. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in that case and released on parole in 2009.
LeCou arrived in Belfry roughly six months ago to help care for one of the victims, a 76-year-old man who used a walker or wheelchair, according to several neighbors. The other victims were Sharon Hill-Lamb, 72, and LeCour's wife, Karen, 54.
Authorities have not speculated on a motive in the slayings.
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Crystal Buehler has opened a new business, Buehler Designs, LLC, in Huntingburg, Indiana, offering graphic design, social media management, and web development.
"I've been doing graphic design as a hobby for the past 6 years in the community, but have decided to take it up a notch and launch it as a full-time business," said Buehler in a news release. "I'm looking forward to supporting the marketing efforts of southern Indiana businesses."
Visit BuehlerDesigns.com for more information.
Guesses as to where Former President Clinton would stop during his brief jaunt through Evansville Tuesday afternoon were varied. Reports stretched from Gerst Haus to Donut Bank to the Lucky Lady.
That last one may have been wishful thinking, but let's not rule it out. Visits such as Clinton's, which didn't involve a huge rally, are unpredictable. A politician could make one stop or five stops. It depends on time how hungry the crowds are for handshakes and selfies.
He opened his visit by speaking at the Central Labor Council of Southwestern Indiana, but a president has to eat, and we wanted some extra coverage. Reports as of 1 p.m. pointed to Gerst.
"Sure," I thought, "I could drink a fish bowl and call it work."
So I drove out there and wondered how the spouse of a Democratic presidential candidate would avoid having his picture taken next to Gerst's neighbor Rajo's Guns.
Then word came down: Turoni's on Main.
Josh Pietrowski, the head brewer at Turoni's, looked disappointed when I walked in the door. Can you imagine that precipitous letdown? You expect a former president of the United States, and instead you get me: an easily sunburned newspaper columnist who was tricked into going snipe hunting. Twice.
"Is Clinton coming here?" I said.
"I don't know," he said. "We've been getting calls out the ... we've been getting calls all morning."
Restaurants all over the city had been apparently fielding those calls. I found a table near the window and waited for an ex-presidential motorcade to plow up North Main Street. I pictured armored SUVs. At least eight tanks. A giant bald eagle screeching low and scooping scooter riders into its beak.
I started a conversation with a group of folks sitting at a corner table. Were they taking a long lunch to get a glimpse of the 42nd president?
"No," one woman said. "Well, he is my favorite former president living."
C&P co-worker Cole Claybourn, there to shoot some video, turned to our waitress.
"Are you excited about potentially waiting on a former president?"
"I don't care," she said.
According to the Courier & Press live stream, Clinton ended his talk at the labor council. If our suspicions were correct, he'd head to Turoni's. I, a former grocery clerk who owns two pairs of cut-off jean shorts, would be in the same room as the man who ordered the bombing campaign of Yugoslavia. What a country.
Then word came down: Next stop, Penny Lane.
Cole rushed that way to meet with Zach Evans and Denny Simmons, who were already crammed into the coffeehouse with mobs of handshake-hungry onlookers watching as Clinton ordered a large black coffee and a vegan-something.
Selfies bounded across social media. You start to wonder: what if one of these fellas collects left ears? Or is a secret Klansman? There would be no way to know until disaster had already descended. There's Bill Clinton, revered statesman, splashed across the Internet, yukking it up with the Imperial Wizard.
But no time for that. Word came down: Mission BBQ.
In Mission's parking lot, I parked next to a gigantic combat truck labeled CATERING. Looking at the menu, I wondered what Bill would order. 1992 Bill would have double-fisted pulled-pork sandwiches and guzzled a few of those Shaq-sized Budweisers sitting by the register. But 2016 Bill? Multiple heart surgeries, man.
I nursed a turkey sandwich and ice water by the window, keeping an eye on the combat truck. It's part of Mission's mission to be the most patriotic place on Earth. The back of employees' shirts read "The American Way." POW-MIA and American flags draped from the rafters. And I swear to you, I heard that Toby Keith 9/11 song at least twice in 30 minutes. I was ready to dig up Saddam and punch him in the mustache.
Of course a former president would come to a place like this. And some people wouldn't even care. America: where it's your right not to give a (expletive) when the formerly most powerful man in the world wanders in the room and orders brisket.
Then word came down: Clinton was leaving town. The Penny Lane crowd had been too hungry.
I'd had to pee since Gerst. The walls of Mission's bathrooms were lined with photos of soldiers and USO performances.
In one, Marilyn Monroe stands on stage, grinning at a rapt audience of soldiers. Blue dress shimmering. Imagine witnessing a thing like that.
Photo courtesy Austin Kissel Austin Kissel's sauteed entree in the SkillsUSA culinary arts contest consisted of a lightly coated chicken breast served with a tarragon cream pan sauce, glazed julienne carrots and parsnips and roasted red potatoes.
SHARE Photo courtesy Austin Kissel Kissel is a student at Central High School and also attends the Southern Indiana Career and Technical Institute. The technical portion of his training this semester takes place in the kitchen of the Evansville Country Club, where he rotates through kitchen duties. Here he is forming crabcakes.
By Aimee Blume
Training to be a chef or food expert is rigorous and takes many years of dedication and hands-on learning. Beginners with a hardworking mentality and capacity to look forward, network and reach for new opportunities are the ones who stride forward in their career.
Central High senior Austin Kissel is a good example of that. The 18 year old attends Southern Indiana Career and Technical Center for culinary arts and recently won third place in the state in the high school culinary skills category through the national organization SkillsUSA. He will be attending the Culinary Institute of America this fall to pursue a bachelor's degree in culinary science.
"While I was growing up, I watched the chefs like Emeril Lagasse, and I liked all of Paula Deen's southern cooking," said Kissel. "I enjoyed all the different home-ec and consumer science-type classes, especially in high school, and my teachers pushed me toward getting a culinary degree. So my sophomore year I took a field trip to the Southern Indiana Career and Technical Center to see the culinary program and talked to Chef Ed (Ellis). That January I applied to be a student there."
This final semester, Kissel's culinary study involves a co-op with the Evansville Country Club. He attends two periods at Central, then goes to "school" at the tech center. That is, he goes to work at the Evansville Country Club where he must work at least 15 hours a week to gain credit for the 15 hours he would otherwise be spending at the Career and Technical center rotating around the kitchen to learn all aspects of the culinary field. He works closely with Chef Kyle Kellogg, a graduate of Johnson and Wales University, and has become a protege also of Chef Watez Phelps, the director of the Culinary Arts program at the Evansville campus of Ivy Tech and an alumnus of the Culinary Institute of America. Phelps helped Kissel obtain his first knife kit through Mary Beth Cieplak at Mercer Knives.
His good showing in the SkillsUSA competition both confirms the hard work he's put in so far and will give his resume a leg up as he begins his culinary journey in earnest.
SkillsUSA is a national organization that offers programs for skilled workers-in-training to help them grow in their field and become highly sought-after professionals.
The competition for culinary arts contains categories for both high school and post secondary students.
In Indiana, five regions can send up to five people each to the state level. The winner goes on to compete at the national level.
The state level competition was held at Indianapolis' Ivy Tech campus. Kissel said he found out about the competition from Ellis, who is involved in the organization and encouraged him to participate.
"We got to Ivy Tech in Indianapolis about 10:30 a.m. and had a general test about SkillsUSA," said Kissel. "Then we got assigned our room and line for the culinary portion."
The "line" was like the hotline in any restaurant, with a surface for prepping in front of the cook, and behind the cook a range, grill and so on. According to Kissel, the first portion of the test included breaking down a chicken into eight pieces, boning and skinning the breast.
Another portion of the test was knife cuts where contestants had to demonstrate their ability to correctly cut julienne and brunoise vegetables, quarter red potatoes and chop mushrooms. (Julienne means to cut into "matchsticks" 1/8 x 1/8 x 2 inches long. A brunoise is a perfect 1/8-inch cube.)
Judges wandered between the tables to judge the students' work as they progressed.
Among other dishes and skills, Kissel and the other students then had to make a fresh cream of mushroom soup, sauteed chicken breast with tarragon cream pan sauce, roasted potatoes and glazed carrots and a braised chicken leg quarter with rice pilaf and sauteed zucchini. All was on a strictly timed schedule.
"The cream of mushroom soup started with butter, mushrooms and onions, then a roux made of flour added to the butter," said Kissel. "I cooked the starch taste out of the flour for 2-3 minutes, then added the milk. I didn't want it to overcook so I just let it sit over the pilot light for about 30 minutes, and it was just right."
Because timing was everything Kissel's first sauteed entree was due 30 minutes after the soup, and the second braised entree 30 minutes after that he started both recipes and let them cook slowly while he took the soup to the tasting room, then improvised a warmer to keep his sauteed breast hot while he made the pan reduction sauce with tarragon.
"My roasted potatoes for that entree came out when I had one minute left, and they kind of scared me, but I plated it up and got it down there right on time," he said.
The braised chicken leg with mushrooms, rice pilaf and zucchini were finished in plenty of time, making for a smooth ending to Kissel's experience.
Not surprisingly, Kissel has a solid plan for getting what he wants from the future.
"I want to work in food research and development, so when I graduate I want to get a job working for Disney in their corporate culinary world." he said. "It's a broad range of different foods and cultures, so it will give me a good base for starting out and will be very good for my resume."
To learn more about SkillsUSA, visit their website at SkillsUSA.org
Below are a few of the recipes high school students had to prepare during the SkillsUSA Indiana culinary arts contest. All recipes are adapted from SkillsUSA.
Sauteed Chicken with Tarragon Cream Pan Sauce
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
1 Add enough vegetable oil to a saute pan to just cover the bottom with a thin film. Place on the range over moderate heat.
2 Place the breast in the hot pan, presentation side down.
3 Saute over moderate heat until lightly browned and about half cooked. Turn the chicken over and complete the cooking.
4 Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm.
5 Deglaze the hot saute pan with chicken stock and reduce by three quarters.
6 Add the cream and tarragon to the saute pan and reduce by half. Add lemon juice and adjust seasoning.
Sauteed Zucchini
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
1 medium zucchini
Vegetable oil as needed
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
1 Heat oil in a saute pan.
2 Add zucchini and saute until slightly browned but still somewhat crisp.
3 Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Rice Pilaf
Serves 3-4
INGREDIENTS
1 cup rice
2 tablespoons butter
cup chopped onions
1 to 2 cups stock
Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
1 Heat the butter in a sauce pan. Add the onion and saute until it begins to soften. Do not brown.
2 Add the rice, without washing. Stir over heat until the rice is completely coated with butter.
3 Pour in the boiling stock. Return the liquid to a boil with the rice. Taste and adjust seasonings; cover tightly.
4 Place in a 350 degree oven and bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is dry and fluffy. Use a fork to fluff the rice and remove from the pan.
Judy Ewing
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By Len Wells of the Courier and Press
An elderly Edwards County, Illinois woman has been jailed on charges she was dealing methamphetamine out of her apartment in Albion.
Judy K. Ewing, 72, was arrested Tuesday night by Edwards County authorities on Class-2 felony charges of conspiracy to delivery methamphetamine, delivery of methamphetamine, and unlawful use of property to deliver methamphetamine.
Ewing is accused of selling meth to a confidential source.
Edwards County State's Attorney Michael Valentine says that Ewing was arrested on warrant as she walked near her North Sixth Street home in Albion Tuesday evening. She is being held in the White County jail at Carmi for Edwards County authorities on $100,000 bond.
Taylor McKenzie
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By Len Wells of the Courier and Press
An 18-year-old Carmi, Illinois student was arrested Tuesday afternoon on charges of aggravated battery and disorderly conduct after she allegedly bit a high school teacher on the arm.
According to Carmi City Police, Taylor McKenzie bit a Carmi-White County High School teacher after being told not to leave the classroom.
According to police reports, she left anyway about 11:55 a.m. She went to the Carmi City Police Station at 1:15 p.m. and was arrested. Taylor was booked at the jail on a felony aggravated battery charge and a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge with bond being set at $2,500 cash.
The teacher suffered bruising from the alleged attack. McKenzie remains in the jail at Carmi pending the posting of bond.
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By Megan Erbacher of the Courier and Press
Since the testing window for the second part of ISTEP opened last Monday, Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. students have experienced "sporadic" issues.
Jason Woebkenberg, EVSC spokesman, said some schools have experienced more issues than others. Woebkenberg said the "aggravating" problems include students getting kicked out of the online testing system and computer screens freezing.
"There have not been mass shutdowns," he said. "We haven't had any days where we say, 'That's it. All the testing has come to a stop.' ... It's been hard to pinpoint an exact issue."
Meanwhile, Warrick County School Corp. Superintendent Brad Schneider said it "will shock you," but the school district hasn't experienced major issues either.
The testing window for the second portion of ISTEP, consisting of multiple choice and technology-enhanced questions, opened April 18 and runs through May 6. Some schools without sufficient technology could request paper and pencil tests.
The first part of ISTEP took place in late February and early March.
Indiana Department of Education spokeswoman Samantha Hart said testing has gone well across the state. On Tuesday, more than 64,000 students were simultaneously online. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 500,000 content area tests had been completed.
"There have been no widespread issues," she said.
Schneider said there have been some minor glitches in Warrick County schools, but overall no major problems.
"It's gone fairly smooth," he said. "We're pleasantly surprised."
Schneider suggested that the new testing vendor, Pearson Education, and educators staying up-to-date on procedures, have played a role in testing going well.
"I know our principals and my test coordinators in the central office said there was a lot more work upfront," he said. "Loading students in, that was a much more tedious process and time consuming. But once all the kids and their test numbers were entered, the testing itself has gone smoothly."
Woebkenberg said EVSC administrators continue to monitor the school district's network to ensure problems don't occur at the local level. He said officials have "frequently" contacted Pearson, but have had trouble getting support from the vendor.
"It's very difficult to get through to them," he said. "So we've spent a lot of time on hold."
But EVSC officials have received support from other school districts throughout the state, according to Woebkenberg.
"We have been able to continue going forward with testing," he said. "And the students seem very positive."
DENNY SIMMONS / COURIER & PRESS Former President Bill Clinton finds a portrait of Janis Joplin to his liking during a visit to Penny Lane Coffee House in Evansville, Ind., Tuesday afternoon. Clinton was in town to stump for his wife, Hillary Clinton, and her run for the White House. He also grabbed a cup of Penny Lane House Blend coffee ... black.
By Thomas B. Langhorne of the Courier and Press
Hearts pounding out of their chests in some cases, starstruck or just plain curious, local residents massed outside wherever former President Bill Clinton went in Evansville Tuesday.
Some locals, like Madeline Goebel, were among the relative few to meet and chat with the nations's 42nd president while he met with select groups of supporters before venturing outdoors.
Goebel ran outside the Central Labor Council afterward, waving her cell phone and excitedly showing friends the selfie she took with Clinton. She had never met a president before, let alone posed for a photo with one.
As the 27-year-old Evansville resident told it, she scored an invite to join about two-dozen union members for a private audience with Clinton because she is a receptionist at the labor temple.
"I was standing next to him. Everyone was taking pictures, and I finally said, 'Mr. President, let me take a selfie,'" Goebel said. "He gave me the thumbs up, so we did it."
Goebel drew up her chest in evident pride.
"I was the only one in the room that landed the selfie," she said with a smile.
Michael Reynolds met Clinton through a nifty bit of detective work. Reynolds, who said he is an advanced tech specialist for AT&T, said he was among a tiny group that greeted Clinton at Evansville Regional Airport.
How did Reynolds know when to be there?
"Just kind of followed the hints that were given on the Internet about what time he'd be arriving, and then I tracked his flight on (flight tracking service) FlightAware on the Internet," he said outside the Central Labor Council. "It was a personal jet arriving in Evansville, and you could follow its progress from the executive airport in Indianapolis down to Evansville. It kind of stuck out because it wasn't a national carrier."
At the airport, Reynolds was surprised to see so few other people waiting to greet Clinton.
"There were only three people in the parking lot," he said. "I was able to watch the motorcade vehicles arrive, the (Indiana) State Police dogs sniff the cars. That was very interesting, opening up all the doors and trunks and hoods.
"And then we waited for the arrival, and they went into action."
Clinton didn't directly acknowledge Reynolds, the Evansville resident said, but he did wave. Reynolds paused a moment to reconsider his answer.
"I'm going to say yes, he waved at me," he said.
Amy Rivers-Word showed up at the Central Labor Council full of remembrances and eager to get her first glimpse of a president.
"Clinton was the first president that I voted for," said Word, owner of two West Side businesses. "As a young woman, he kind of helped spark my entrepreneurial spirit."
Patricia Garrett's time with Clinton was brief as in, she got a handshake from the former president but she skittered off afterward in a state of euphoria.
"He walked right up to us, and he shook our hands," Garrett reported. "I met him when I was 12, when he was campaigning here the first time, and then that just started me off on politics."
Garrett paused to take a breath. Asked to assess Clinton's handshake, she giggled.
"Amazing," she said. "It was really good."
Outside Penny Lane Coffeehouse, Charity Greenwell strained from the back of a crowd to stay in prime viewing position. Clinton had not yet emerged from the coffeehouse, but he was bound to step out and into a waiting vehicle any second.
Greenwell, 41, cast her first vote presidential vote for Clinton. She hadn't seen a president with her own eyes until Tuesday. Her ambitions were relatively modest.
"I would love to be able to get a picture of him, see what I can see, and if he has anything to say, I would like to be able to hear it," Greenwell said. "I think that would be awesome for my kids."
Greenwell had an ulterior motive as well. Her oldest child will vote this year for the first time, and she said he is "in between Hillary (Clinton) and Bernie (Sanders)."
Asked about her own preference, she lowered her voice and cracked a smile.
"We want Hillary," she said.
CASPER, Wyo. The trial for a Crow tribal member charged with poaching begins Wednesday in Sheridan, Wyo.
Clayvin Herrera is charged with killing antlered game. His jury trial will take place in the Sheridan County Circuit Court.
Herrera claims an 1868 treaty with the U.S. government allows Crow to hunt on their native lands. As a result of the treaty, Crow officials say hunting by Crow members on some Wyoming public land is legal, and cant be considered poaching.
However, Game and Fish argues Wyomings statehood nullified the Crows hunting rights, and if members come into Wyoming from Montana and kill elk without a license or out of season, theyre as guilty as anyone else. Wyoming wildlife officials also say it is more difficult to manage herds if an unknown number of elk are killed each year.
Herrera pleaded not guilty to two citations he received in the fall of 2014 for killing antlered game in January of that year in the Bighorn National Forest.
Kyle Anne Gray of Billings law firm Holland & Hart is representing Herrera. Gray declined to comment on the case prior to trial.
Sheridan County Deputy Attorney Christopher LaRosa is prosecuting the case.
The 1868 treaty retained rights for members of the Crow Tribe to hunt and fish in the original unoccupied lands.
But less than 30 years after the treaty, the U.S. Supreme Court voided those rights. In the case of Ward v. Race Horse, the court said that when Wyoming became a state, tribal hunting rights outside of the reservation ended, Debra Donahue, a law professor at the University of Wyoming specializing in Indian and public land law told the Casper Star-Tribune in 2015.
A U.S. Supreme Court decision about 100 years later changed things again. The case, which came out of Minnesota, decided tribal off-reservation hunting is not incompatible with state jurisdiction.
The Crow Tribal Legislature adopted a resolution in May 2013 telling Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota that its members would exercise their off-reservation hunting privileges.
Despite the resolution and later court case, Wyoming is sticking with the original Supreme Court decision, Chief Game Warden for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department Brian Nesvik said in 2015.
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By Staff Report
A 33-year-old Evansville man was arrested Tuesday and accused of molesting a girl younger than 10.
Warrick County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested Buddy William Harris on a preliminary charge of child molestation, a level four felony, according to a department news release.
The alleged victim in the disclosed the reported abuse during an interview at Holly's House last weeks, and officers conducted the subsequent investigation with the Indiana Department of Child Services and the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's office.
Harris is already on the sex offender registry after a 2007 conviction in West Virginia. He could now face an enhanced charge that could bring as much as 18 years in prison if convicted, according to the release.
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. speaks during a rally at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., Wednesday, April 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
By Zach Osowski, zach.osowski@courierpress.com
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Despite a poor showing in Tuesday's East Coast primaries, Sen. Bernie Sanders told a rowdy crowd of supporters at Purdue University he is not backing down and is still pushing to win the Democratic nomination.
For more than an hour Sanders laid out his plan to revolutionize the current political process, from dismantling the corrupt election finance system to fixing what he calls a "rigged economy."
"Why is it, in the wealthiest country in the world's history, people are working two to three jobs, sixty hours a week just to get by?" Sanders asked. "The answer is corporate greed."
Sanders said it is unfair that the top 20 wealthiest people in America have as much money as the poorest 150 million Americans. He pledged to reform the tax system, give poorer people more of a break and called for $15 an hour to be the new minimum wage.
Sanders also took shots at the country's current stance on health insurance payments, trade agreements, environmental standards, criminal justice and student debt. He told the crowd it was time to change the way things work.
"What this campaign is about is thinking outside the status quo," Sanders said. "It's about bringing forth a political revolution. By standing up and fighting back for our country."
Sanders took only a few jabs at his opponent Hillary Clinton, knocking her on votes for "disastrous" trade agreements and criticizing her partnership with Goldman Sachs and other big corporations. He admitted the math for him to win the nomination doesn't look good, especially after losing four of five state primaries last night.
"I'm good at math," Sanders said. "And we are behind."
The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Sanders will lay off "hundreds" of campaign workers in states that have already voted. Winning campaigns normally reassign such volunteers to states with forthcoming primaries.
But Sanders promised at Purdue that he wouldn't give up and would continue to push his progressive agenda, hoping the Democratic delegates will see he is the best path forward for the party. He also touted his appeal with Independent voters, which would add to his vote total in a General Election.
Even though he is behind, Sanders' Hoosier supporters are still going to vote for him on May 3 and hope for the best.
William and Cassandra Clark are both volunteers for the Sanders campaign. William said he likes Sanders' stance on the environment and his pledge to reduce fracking.
As for who they would support in November if Sanders is gone, the Clark couple is split. William said he would probably vote for Clinton. Cassandra said she would vote Trump or whoever the GOP nominee is.
"I cannot vote for Hillary in any conscience," she said. "I'd rather vote for him (Trump) because at least I know what it would mean. It would be the end of the world as we know it."
Purdue Freshman Jessica Shallenberger, voting in her first presidential election, said Sanders' values closely mirror her own.
His call for free tuition at public colleges and universities was met with huge applause from the crowd of Purdue University students. Sanders said for young people to get jobs, more and more a college education is required, which now means being saddled with thousands of dollars in student debt.
"Why are we punishing people for getting an education?" Sanders said.
He said by taxing Wall Street speculation, which he said will cut down on the greed that has overwhelmed that sector, the country can afford free tuition for all students at public schools.
He ended his speech by pleading with people to get out an vote on May 3, saying he does better when there is high voter turnout.
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In 2002, two years before the blockbuster 9/11 Commission report provoked by the events of that day, a bipartisan congressional task force published an 838-page report on how terrorists attacked America. But the account as released wasn't complete: A 28-page passage that may describe possible Saudi Arabian official connections to the terrorists was kept secret.
President George W. Bush ordered those pages be withheld, purportedly for fear that their release could jeopardize America's intelligence sources and methods. But there probably was another reason: to preserve official Washington's relations with a longtime ally in the Middle East.
After the attacks, there was widespread suspicion that the Saudis had somehow aided al-Qaida kingpin Osama bin Laden and the plotters, possibly with financing. There were ample reasons for that suspicion. Among them: 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens. So was bin Laden.
Now, under pressure from Congress, the Obama administration says it soon may release at least part of the report. The Saudis have said they would welcome the release of the chapter because it would "allow us to respond to any allegations in a clear and credible manner."
We say, release the entire passage.
Let all the facts come out. Free of selective editing by the Obama administration.
The Saudis have long denied any involvement in 9/11. The 9/11 Commission report in 2004 did not expose any direct Saudi government links to the attackers. But check this curious passage from page 171:
"It does not appear that any government other than the Taliban financially supported al-Qaida before 9/11, although some governments may have contained al-Qaida sympathizers who turned a blind eye to al-Qaida's fundraising activities," the report said. "Saudi Arabia has long been considered the primary source of al-Qaida funding, but we have found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded the organization. (This conclusion does not exclude the likelihood that charities with significant Saudi government sponsorship diverted funds to al-Qaida.)"
That's not exactly an ringing exoneration.
Former U.S. Rep. Tim Roemer of Indiana, a Democrat who was a member of the 9/11 Commission, described the 28-page section of the earlier congressional document as a "preliminary police report": "There were clues. There were allegations. There were witness reports. There was evidence about the hijackers, about people they met with all kinds of different things that the 9/11 Commission was then tasked with reviewing and investigating."
The 28-page secret passage may not be conclusive. But it could shed more light on the Saudi government's connections, if any, to the attackers. At the very least, releasing it will dispel the notion that Riyadh and Washington have something terrible to hide.
U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, has read the secret pages and wants them declassified, even though he thinks doing so won't resolve every question: "As is often the case, the reality is less damaging than the uncertainty."
Fourteen years after the 2002 report, however, the Saudis are still on the defensive over suspicions that their country had a role in the Sept. 11 attacks.
Case in point: The New York Times reports that Saudi Arabia has warned the Obama administration that it will sell off up to $750 billion in Treasury securities and other assets in the U.S. if Congress passes a bill that would allow the Saudi government to be held responsible in American courts for any role in the 9/11 attacks. Sure sounds like someone is nervous about being sued by U.S. plaintiffs.
The release of the secret pages may or may not spur efforts by families of Sept. 11 victims to hold members of the Saudi royal family, Saudi banks and Saudi charities liable for alleged financial support of terrorism. It all depends on what's in those pages.
But that isn't our primary reason for urging release of the passage. This is:
American intelligence agencies famously failed to connect the dots to prevent the attacks. The 9/11 Commission blamed the FBI, the CIA and other federal agencies for disastrous lapses.
The missing chapter should help Americans learn if congressional investigators connected any other dots.
This editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune .
POPLAR As part of the legal process after the death of 13-month old Kenzley Olson played out here Tuesday, men on horses gathered across the street from the school in Poplar with an eagle staff.
They were waiting for Kenzleys body to be driven to town from Wolf Point so they could escort the procession to the Poplar Culture Center, where the community would gather for a wake service before Wednesdays funeral.
Among the riders who escorted the line of dozens of cars on Highway 2 was Thomas Denny, who said he echoed Tribal Chairman Floyd Azure in tying Kenzleys death to methamphetamine use on this reservation of about 10,000 in northeastern Montana.
He said drug abuse, meth specifically, has grown to be "out of control. We need to bring attention to it. We need some help."
Speakers at the evening wake cited meth and called for the community to work to address the problem.
Groups of men in the back of the gym played in a drum circle as about a hundred people gathered for the wake, which ran several hours and included singing from people who knew the family and a song composed for Kenzley and her extended family.
Janelle Red Dog, 42, pleaded not guilty in the alleged beating death of the toddler Tuesday in tribal court.
Raymond Olge, who said his grandchildren called Kenzley their half-sister, attended the wake. He said hes seen meth become more and more of a problem in town.
"You can just tell when people are on it," he said. "They're skinny, too skinny."
He said Poplar is suffering because the younger generation is spending their money on drugs and not at local restaurants and other stores.
"Used to be kids would get a dollar and go out and buy a hamburger, now they get $3, $5, and they buy drugs. Everyone knows who the dealers are, where you can get it."
Olge said drug use has been more and more common as generations age, and now you have older adults using meth.
"A lot of users are grandparents now," he said. "And grandkids think 'It must be OK because my grandpa is doing it.'"
CASPER Midwest School will likely go to a four-day academic week this fall, after the Natrona County School Board approved the calendar exception at its meeting Monday.
Proponents in the crowd, including Principal Chris Tobin and Midwest teachers, sighed with relief and joy when the decision was announced.
Tobin has said at earlier meetings that officials hope the four-day school week will raise academic performance at the rural school 40 minutes northeast of Casper.
If approved by the Wyoming State Board of Education, Midwest will have traditional academic days Monday through Thursday and use Fridays for additional small group tutoring, extra-curricular activities and sports. A final decision should be reached by mid-June.
The state grants schedule requests for a two-year period. Midwest officials will make regular reports to the Natrona County School Board on the progress of their students during those two years.
CASPER, Wyo. Eighth grade can be one of the final opportunities for students to engage in open-ended, creative writing.
For most 14-year-olds in the Casper area, their day-to-day education for the next four years is already mapped out in strict district and state standards. They will soon move on to other aspects of the written word, essays and reports.
So, for Jackie OBriants English class at Casper Classical Academy, the creative writing unit the students began Tuesday may be the last time they freely stretch their imagination and learn how to put it into words. And this time around, they will have some professional guidance.
Pam Brondos, Casper author of the young adult book series, The Fourline Trilogy, took over the class Tuesday, telling her own story of beginning numerous books and leaving them unfinished. She started writing books at their age, in Latin class, in that very building. It wasn't until two years ago that the mother and lawyer in her 40s sat down and finished one.
The author introduced the students to some of the concepts they would need for their own stories plot, character and themes.
"What else?" she asked.
Words, a red-haired boy called out in response to Brondos open invitation for suggestions.
More than words, she responded.
Brondos tasked the kids with choosing a setting. When they start with the place, ideas can come from that, she said.
Some students bowed their heads and immediately started tapping out ideas on their laptops or scribbling with pencils. Others chewed their lips and squirmed in their seats. Thats normal. Its an interesting age for creative thinking, OBriant said.
I think they are just starting to realize what an author goes through to create a book, she said. Youll always have students that have writers block others have no problem. They just are dying to write.
Bridger Cleverly, a dark haired 14-year-old, wrote down an idea pretty quick, but then whispered to his classmate.
Wait, does this have to be fantasy? he asked.
Fantasy? Do whatever you want, another boy whispered back.
For another student, Melonie Skovgard, fantasy was what she wanted to write. The setting of her story would be a separate reality, a world that only appears during the eclipse, where characters are identifiable by the smells and colors of their skin, she said.
I like writing a lot, especially when its creative, so I can, like, explore, she said.
Everyone in the story will think the main character, a teenage girl, is crazy for believing in this world, Melonie explained. But eventually shell be validated.
Whether its a student like Melonie, or one that has no interest in writing, Brondos wants these kids to remember two things from her short lesson: ignore boundaries and never give up.
The kids are at an age where they are starting to learn social norms, what can and cant be said, Brondos said. She wants them to break through that.
As for giving up, writing takes perseverance. Its never too late, she said.
When Brondos was a girl she witnessed what a writer had to do through her mothers example.
I grew up watching a woman go downstairs every day and do her quota of five pages, Brondos said. And she wrote in the laundry room, talk about not-glamourous. But I understood the reality of being a writer. She had a wall of rejection slips tacked up in front of her.
Sharon Brondos diligence resulted in some 20 Harlequin romance novels, her daughter remembered.
Its the sitting down and getting it done, she said.
In the trilogy, Brondos main character is 19, and shes not special, at least not in the way some protagonists are in fantasy books.
This isnt Harry Potter, Brondos said. There is no magic wand, or gift, theres just a young woman and her intelligence.
Brondos wrote the character with her own daughter in mind. She wanted to create a story around someone her daughter could look up to.
The class on Tuesday was a talkative one, full of jokes and exclamations.
But when Brondos walked the aisles and sat next to each student, offering advice, encouraging their fledgling stories, the kids were all business.
Melonie smiled brightly at Brondos praise, and had her plot, setting and characters ready to go when the bell rang.
Royal Commission 25 years on*
Still waiting for action
Members of the Change the Record (CTR) coalition which seeks to reduce the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in prison gathered in Canberra last Friday [April 15] to mark 25 years since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC).
CTR co-chairs Shane Duffy and Jackie Huggins said the Royal Commissions 339 recommendations were extensive and included various measures to address the systemic racism within the justice system, as well as broader actions to address Aboriginal disadvantage. But 25 years on, many of the recommendations remain unimplemented.
The handing down of the final report 25 years ago was a watershed moment in Australian history, Duffy said.
Its now a generation on and governments at all levels have still failed to act.
Strong, resilient
We know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are strong and resilient, but successive government policies have been ineffective the crisis of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment and experience of violence continues to devastate our communities.
This is a national crisis and requires an immediate response.
In 1991, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were seven times more likely to be in prison, now in 2016 that figure has risen to 13 times.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men are more likely to go to prison than university. At the same time, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are experiencing high rates of violence, being 34 times more likely to be hospitalised for family violence-related assault.
Last year the CTR coalition released Blueprint for Change which provides a critical roadmap for governments to draw upon.
The CTR coalition called on all political parties to place the wellbeing of Indigenous communities at the heart of policy decisions, and urgently prioritise imprisonment and family violence rates.
Governments at all levels can honour the findings of RCIADIC by taking immediate steps to tackle these issues head-on, Dr Huggins said.
The strength of our Blueprint for Change is that it does not try to offer a singular simplistic solution to these complex problems. Instead, it recognises that if we are truly going to change the record, we need to tackle the issue on many fronts in a coordinated and united way.
We can be the generation to change the record, but it will require concerted effort from all levels of government, driven by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led solutions and community support.
An evidence-based approach is in all of our interests smarter solutions will mean safer communities.
Vital
The Change the Record coalition believes that it is vital that governments work through COAG to urgently establish a national, holistic and whole-of-government strategy to address imprisonment and violence rates, and set national justice targets to drive coordinated action across the country.
The CTR coalition also called for immediate safeguard measures to prevent any further tragic deaths in custody, including funding of custody notification systems, or similar services.
We also need a commitment to independent investigations of police-related deaths, Dr Huggins said.
Koori Mail
*This is the first of a series of Koori Mail articles on the Royal Commission to be published in the Guardian
The Australian Building and Construction Commission Mark II
Gestapo industrial relations laws
Last week the Senate rejected the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) legislation for a second time as hoped for by the Turnbull government. The government is using it to justify a double dissolution of Parliament and an election campaign centred on union corruption and Labors links with the trade union movement. Like its predecessor introduced by the Howard Coalition government, the ABCC discriminates against workers in the building and construction industry by applying a different and harsher set of laws to workers and their unions not applied in any other industry.
Abbreviations
ABCC Australian Building and Construction Commission ABCC Mark II Abbott/Turnbull version of the ABCC BIIP Building Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013 CFMEU Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union EBA Enterprise Bargaining Agreement FWBC Fair Work Building and Construction
Photo: CFMEU photos library
In fact the Building Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013 (BIIP) is even harsher than Howards 2005 version. It increases penalties for workers and unions, widens its reach and seeks to implement a Building Code which would take away rights workers have to negotiate certain items in enterprise bargaining agreements with their employer.
Some one million workers would be affected because the new version of the Bill will extend the ABCCs reach to all workers that supply, transport building goods directly to building sites (including resource platforms) or prefabricate manufactured goods on- or off-site. This includes ships travelling to and from Australian ports.
Corruption myth
The Turnbull government claims that the ABCC is necessary to deal with alleged criminal conduct by building industry workers and their trade unions. It is manifestly untrue and completely misleading to say that a new ABCC will deal with criminal matters.
Knowing full well that the ABCC cannot deal with criminal matters, Malcolm Turnbull used it as his excuse to prorogue Parliament and in doing so mislead the Governor-General, saying, the Government regards this legislation as of great importance for promoting jobs and growth, improving productivity and also promoting workplace safety through taking strong measures to deal with widespread and systematic criminality in the building and construction industry.
Howards original ABCC and its successor, Labors Fair Work Building and Construction (FWBC), have never had any role in investigating breaches of the criminal law. Both bodies dealt with possible industrial law contraventions, which are and always have been civil, not criminal matters. This Bill would not change that situation at all.
Industrial action outlawed
Under the Fair Work Act, the only legal industrial action is protected action. This is action taken following the expiry of an EBA and during the period when a new EBA is being negotiated. There are also requirements for a ballot of those covered by the EBA and the employer being given advance notice of any action.
ABCC Mark II narrows the definition of right of protected action for building and construction workers. In addition to the provisions of the Fair Work Act which applies to all other workers, it introduces the concept of protected persons.
Protected persons are:
the trade union or officer of the union (bargaining representative) that is negotiating the proposed agreement
members of the union who are employed by the company and will be covered by the EBA
an employee who is a bargaining representative for the proposed EBA.
Action will not be protected industrial action if it is engaged in concert with one or more non-protected persons. It will be unlawful.
This seriously weakens the position of a union where there is not 100 percent membership. All an employer needs to do is plant a stooge who does not join the union and stops work with the union members for the union and members taking the action to cop the hefty fines.
No ticket, no start is outlawed. Attempts to negotiate uniform agreements across a site are outlawed, drawing similar penalties.
One of the aims is intimidation, to frighten off workers who might join a trade union, or take industrial action. Another is to bankrupt the unions.
Stiff penalties
Under the BIIP Bill unlawful industrial action and a number of other breaches of the bill carry Grade A penalties. These are a maximum of $36,000 for individuals and $180,000 for trade unions. (Grade A penalty is 1,000 penalty units, Grade B is 100 units and one penalty unit is currently $180.)
At present, the penalties are the same for all workers as specified under the Fair Work Act a maximum of $54,000 for trade unions and $10,200 to $10,800 for an individual.
Pickets unlawful
The BIIP Bill for the first time in industrial relations legislation outlaws picketing. If the motivation is for the purpose of supporting or advancing claims against the employer in respect of the employment of workers or the engagement of contractors or the objectives of a union, it is illegal.
The penalties are also Grade A $36,000 fine for individuals and $180,000 for trade unions. This extends the legislation beyond the employer-employee relationship, beyond union solidarity actions to ordinary civilians who may wish to demonstrate their support.
A court is required to consider the mental state (motivation) of participants! It applies to anyone on that picket, not just unionists or other workers. In other words, it outlaws community pickets. The onus of proof is reversed. The person facing the court must prove that their motivation had nothing to do with a dispute or other union-related matters.
Coercive powers
The Bill reinstates the coercive investigatory powers of the ABCC under the original BCII Act but with a substantial increase in penalties. Where the ABC Commissioner is investigating a matter it has the power to require a person to give information, produce documents, attend an examination (interrogation session), be required to take an oath or affirmation and answer questions.
The questions could be as simple as who said what at a union meeting or who attended a meeting, took part in an action or supported a resolution. Answers to such questions might sound innocuous on the surface but such answers could be used against workers and union officials when an alleged breach of the Fair Work Act, the ABCC bill or Building Code is suspected or being investigated. Workers would not be able to have a lawyer of their choosing.
Failure to appear, to answer questions, take an oath or affirmation, or produce documents is considered to be a criminal offence hindering Commonwealth officials under the Criminal Code punishable by six months jail.
The ALPs Act provides the option for a penalty in addition to or instead of the jail term. The Coalitions does not. Jail is the only option.
There is no right to remain silent, no privilege against self-incrimination. In addition, workers may be expected to recall details of events two or more years later!
Labor removed the powers of the ABCC to investigate any suspected breach of the law when the dispute or other issue had been resolved. The new bill restores them.
ABCC Inspectors would have the power to enter workplaces, make inspections, interview people, and require them to produce records or contacts.
The Law Council of Australia (LCA) found the ABCC legislation includes a number of features [that] are contrary to rule of law principles and traditional common law rights and privileges such as those relating to the burden of proof, the privilege against self-incrimination, the right to silence, freedom from retrospective laws and the delegation of law making power to the executive.
Safety last
Agreements which include safe working hours are prohibited. This will lead to more deaths and injuries as well as higher rates of exploitation. The industry is already one of the most dangerous.
The right to take industrial action based on a reasonable concern about imminent risk to their health or safety differs from a similar provision in the Fair Work Act in that the bill reverses the onus of proof.
Fatality rates on major construction projects are seven to ten times higher than for all workers. Infrastructure construction had the highest fatality claim rate in Australia; 13.6 deaths per 100,000. In Queensland it is 14.7 deaths per 100,000.
One construction worker dies at work in Australia every 10 days and 37 are seriously injured at work every day.
Construction workers have the highest prevalence of non-payment of wages and entitlements compared with other workers and already work more average hours per week than in any other industry.
The provisions of the BIIP bill will only worsen the situation by removing limits on working hours.
Young male tradesmen have the highest rate of injury of any worker 113.8 injuries per 1,000 workers. More tragically, 60 out of 100,000 workers aged 15-24 in the construction industry commit suicide every year.
During the period of WorkChoices and the ABCC under Howard, fatalities for all workers increased by more than 25 percent, while fatalities for construction workers almost doubled.
During the same Howard period, workplace fatalities in construction peaked at 48 deaths in 2006 and 51 deaths in 2007 per 100,000, making them the worst two years for deaths in construction in the last decade. (Work-related Traumatic Injury Fatalities Australia 2012, SafeWork Australia)
By contrast, following the replacement of the ABCC by Labors Fair Work Building and Construction (FWBC) in 2012, some 30 deaths were reported, the lowest number of deaths in the past ten years (Source as above).
International evidence shows that unionised workplaces are safer than non-unionised ones. Workers need strong rights and strong unions to protect themselves from injury and death through cost-cutting and the ever present desire of many employers to put profits ahead of safety.
The governments plan to set up aggressive anti-worker bodies like the ABCC, with coercive powers designed to intimidate safety representatives and union activists, will lead to injuries and fatalities rising as they did under the previous ABCC.
Breaches ILO Conventions
The proposed ABCC bill denies a number of civil liberty rights to workers in the construction industry, breaching the Australian governments international human rights obligations under customary international law.
The former Building and Construction Industry Improvement Act 2005 (BCII Act) of which these Bills are an extension was found by the UNs International Labour Organisation (ILO) to repeatedly and unequivocally breach Australias obligations as a member-state and as a signatory to specific Conventions, including the Freedom of Association and the Right to Organise Convention, 1947 (No. 87); the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No 98); and the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No 81).
Australia is a signatory to all of these Conventions. They are basic human rights.
The proposed ABCC legislation allows for current penalties for contravening industrial laws to be tripled for construction workers and their unions. However, maximum penalties for employers who breach awards and agreements by underpaying employees, not paying them their lawful entitlements, and breaching safety regulations will not be tripled.
As the Wilcox Report concluded, I do not see how (the history of the building and construction industry) can justify... the contravener... being subjected to a maximum penalty greater than would be faced by a person in another industry, who contravened the same provision and happened to be brought to justice. To do that would depart from the principle... of equality before the law. (Transition to Fair Work Australia for the Building and Construction Industry 2009).
Building Code
The legislation also includes a bill which relates to a new Government Building Code, which the ABCC would police. If this code were to become law it would impose new rules on all companies that wish to tender for government work.
The Code would have a severe impact on workers rights, and a unions right to negotiate with an employer.
The Code would exclude companies from tendering for government work if they had EBAs with clauses that currently exist (and would still be able to be negotiated in other industries) if they contain provisions for RDOs; shift allowances; the right to be consulted on redundancies and labour hire; and the right to be consulted on union meeting areas and publicity.
It would also prohibit any clauses that prevent unlimited ordinary hours worked per day; that guarantee the workers ability to have a day off on Christmas Day and Easter Sunday, public holidays; or include agreed stable and secure shift arrangements or rosters.
Importantly for young and older workers, it would remove any references to encouraging apprentices or discouraging discrimination against mature workers.
It would also remove the right for an equally qualified and experienced Australian worker to be retained in a redundancy situation over a temporary overseas worker. This lines up the industry for a flood of low-wage workers from overseas under the Trans Pacific Partnership and other free trade agreements.
The new Code also elevates the status and power of the proposed ABCC by making it the monitor and investigator of potential Code Breaches, at the same time as giving it the power to exclude builders from government contracts.
The priority now is to throw the Turnbull government out of office and defeat the ABCC Mark II legislation. One Law for All should mean the abolition of the ABCC and any industry specific inspectorates.
The above article draws on a briefing paper produced by the CFMEU and Parliamentary Bills Digests.
Background to ABCC
The Howard Coalition government held office from March 11, 1996 to December 3, 2007. During those years it launched an all out offensive against trade unions. There were two waves of anti-union laws courtesy Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith. Reith, as Employment and Workplace Relations Minister, established the Cole Royal Commission into the building and construction industry (29-08-2001).
The Royal Commission was a political exercise aimed at vilifying the building and construction unions, the CFMEU in particular, and setting the scene for legislation that was to follow. The Cole Royal Commission handed down an interim report a year later, which led to the establishment of a Building Industry Taskforce (BIT) to police the industry. By then Tony Abbott had become the relevant Minister.
Cole delivered his final report on February 24, 2003. The hearings and the final report were heavily biased against the unions. None-the-less it was unable to find any evidence of organised criminal activity. It did, however, assert that there were high levels of industrial action in the industry in breach of civil industrial relations law.
It recommended sweeping changes to industrial relations laws specific to the industry. The outcome was the Building and Construction Industry Improvement Act 2005 (BCII) and the establishment of the Office of the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC).
The Coalition used its control over the Senate which it gained in 2005 to push through the ABCC legislation.
In his Second Reading Speech, Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews, told Parliament: This bill comes before the parliament at a time when building industry unions in several states, in particular Victoria, are pressuring employers in the building industry to renegotiate existing agreements well in advance of their expiry dates.
The CFMEU is also threatening industrial action in support of its demands. Such action is likely to be unlawful. (09-03-2005) The bill introduced the concept of a statutory concept of unlawful industrial action for the building and construction industry.
Nowhere could there be such a clear statement of the governments aim of outlawing legitimate trade union action.
Maximum financial penalties were increased to 1,000 penalty units ($110,000) for unions compared with $33,000 under the Workplace Relations Act three times the penalties that applied to workers in other industries under the Workplace Relations Act.
For workers and union officials the maximum penalties were increased to 200 penalty units ($22,000).
The Commissioner had the powers to take court action to enforce workplace laws and to seek heavy penalties from the court for alleged breaches of these laws. It could also call in workers and officials for secret interrogation sessions with fines or up to six months jail for failure to co-operate.
The aim of the ABCC was to bust trade unions and trade union activity in the building and construction industry. It was provided with the most draconian, undemocratic powers to achieve these ends.
The bias of the ABCC is born out by the statistics. Of the 92 cases taken to court, all but a handful were directed at trade unions. Three were for sham contracting in an industry riddled with sham subcontractors who do not pay workers their sick leave, annual leave, superannuation, workers compensation and other entitlements. One was related to employer failure to adhere to statutory conditions of employment.
The ABCC was active between October 2005 and May 2012, when Labor amended the legislation.
Labors FWBC
The Gillard Labor government established its own Royal Commission headed by Justice Wilcox followed by its own legislation, which abolished the Office of the ABCC and created a new agency, the Fair Work Building and Construction (FWBC) under the Fair Work Act. The Office of the Fair Work Building Industry Inspectorate, was established for policing the industry. The Director of the Inspectorate replaced the ABCC Commissioner. The ABCCs power to commence civil penalty proceedings was transferred to the Director of the Inspectorate, under the provisions of the Fair Work Act 2009.
It removed the higher penalties for building industry participants for breaches of industrial laws and introduced some safeguards for the exercise of the Directors police powers. But it retained the interrogation sessions and criminal offences for failing to co-operate.
But, while making some improvements, the coercive, intimidatory and punitive nature of the ABCC remained. Right of entry continued to be very restricted and industrial action was still essentially outlawed.
The bias of the ABCC and the FWBC and the similar role each has played in attacking building trade unions, in particular the CFMEU, is born out in the statistics of each organisation. (See table below.)
A summary of the FWBCs court cases (current and finalised) on its website shows that little has changed in practice under the FWBC apart from the fines being lower.
Trade union officials, organisers, members and trade unions are still being fined for breaches that constitute legitimate trade union activity. It could be industrial action around safety, unpaid entitlements and other breaches of the Fair Work Act by an employer.
As recently as April 16, 2016, the Federal Court issued orders penalising the CFMEU and 15 of its officials a total of $937,100 in relation to seven cases stemming from unlawful conduct on building sites across Adelaide in 2014.
Turnbulls ABCC
The Abbott/Turnbull governments Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013 follows a similar pattern to its predecessors. There was the Heydon Royal Commission, wild allegations of union criminality and lawlessness in the industry which were used to justify the restoration of the Howard governments ABCC.
The Heydon Royal Commission into alleged trade union corruption was a political witch hunt from the beginning to the end.
Alleged breach
Attempted coup in Brazil
No-one should underestimate the stakes Dilma Rousseff is battling for in Brazil by her pledge to fight impeachment proceedings tooth and nail.
Dilma Rousseff.
There is a risk that the extreme bias of most Western media against Latin Americas left-wing governments will work to confuse the issue, jumbling the opposition bid to unseat Brazils elected president with the rumbling Petrobras corruption scandal or the Panama Papers exposure of a sleazy global elite.
Corruption certainly stalks Brazil, but its not Rousseff but her critics who are up to their necks in dirt.
More than half the congressional committee members who recommended impeachment proceedings on April 11 are under investigation on corruption charges.
Eduardo Cunha, the speaker of the lower house who has led the calls for Rousseffs head, appears to have taken bribes from offshore companies registered with Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca while there is no suggestion that the president is implicated by any of the 11.5 million documents that have been leaked.
And while Rousseff was on Petrobrass board up to 2010, no evidence that she was involved in wrongdoing has ever emerged. In fact Rousseff is not even accused of corruption.
Rather her enemies declare that she has broken fiscal rules by manipulating government finances to plug budget shortfalls and bribe the electorate with spending on social programs such as state-subsidised housing projects.
But in a democracy we elect governments to do things for us. If a government carries out policies which benefit the people, who then continue to vote for it, this is not bribery but democracy in action.
Only in the warped world of neo-liberalism, where markets are always right and sniffy voters who dont like whats on offer are dismissed as ignorant, short-sighted and out of date, can implementing popular policies be seen as a failure.
Brazils rules forcing the government to run budget surpluses even during a recession are anti-democratic and operate in the interests of the rich.
Rousseff is accused of using fiscal sleights of hand such as delaying the repayment of loans to state banks to meet these rules without cutting public services.
Its not clear that there is anything illegal about this. As she says: The acts that they accuse me of, they were practised by other presidents of the republic before me. And it wasnt characterised as being illegal acts or criminal acts. They were considered legal.
And if it were illegal, it would be an outrage like the European Unions Stability and Growth Pact, enshrining neo-liberal ideology into law: so the cost of any economic downturn must be paid by working people as the state cuts back, with socialist or social democratic alternatives outlawed.
Brazils Attorney-General Jose Eduardo Cardozo, the Workers Partys Lula and Communist Party of Brazil leader Luciana Santos have all called out this impeachment drive for what it is: an attempted coup against the elected government.
The ability to rally crowds in the street is no guarantee of majority support or democratic legitimacy. Such demonstrations preceded the far-right seizure of power in Ukraine in 2014 and the armys takeover of Thailand in the same year.
In Latin America the right which in Brazil as elsewhere has a rotten political tradition associated with dictatorship, disappearances, torture (including of Rousseff when she was younger) and murder is on the march, emboldened by the defeat of Christina Kirchners government in Argentina and advances against the revolution in Venezuela, where again opposition deputies are seeking to overthrow an elected president.
Its victory in the continents largest and most populous country would have terrible consequences for the people of Brazil and the entire region.
Rousseff is a fighter indeed a former guerrilla. Its just as well. This fight matters to us all.
Morning Star
Contrasting two systems
CPA Youth in Politics roundtable
Too often in Australia we hear that our youth are apathetic, not interested in political engagement, spending too much time on the internet and not interested in working or looking for work.
The Round Table on youth.
Challenging this the CPA Perth Branch held a Round Table on youth with a representative from the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the People, Yexenia Calzado and Edith Cowan University Guild officials Azlan Martin (Committee President of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students) and Lewis Price, the current ECU Guild President, to share their views and experiences on being engaged in politics in Australia today.
Both Guild representatives spoke about childhood experiences that guided them into politics, family background and participation in rallies against the Iraq war.
Yexenias parents grew up during the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista in the eastern Granma province of Cuba where there was much poverty and repression by the army and police. At that time the province lacked good education and health facilities. Yexenias parents were part of the popular movement led by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara to liberate the island and when the liberation triumphed her family were part of the popular support for the Revolution, which was to bring social and economic benefits to the people of Granma and all of Cuba.
The chair Fayeza Khan opened discussions with a statistic: 20% of 18-25 year olds in Australia are not registered to vote, and the question why? Aslan said that many of the policy changes by the government do not reach rural areas and especially Aboriginal youth who often felt that not only did the system not work for them, it worked against them.
Lewis reiterated the view that youth did not see any point in engaging with a system that did not work in their interest and added an aside that engaging in politics was sometimes seen as uncool; if politics raised its head in a discussion, it was, Time to change the channel.
In contrast Yexenia said talking about politics was normal in Cuba and people were engaged from a very young age. The affects of the US Blockade on everyday life also means people are acutely aware of the effects of politics. She said that with the generation who made the Revolution now getting older it was time for the younger people to step up and take responsibility for the Revolution and their society. Yexenia is one of the 300,000 members of the Young Communist League.
The chair asked What is important to youth in Australia?
The panel identified fee deregulation for universities, affordable student housing and being able to afford healthy food, access to jobs (let alone often secure and well paid jobs) and transport as major issues. In Cuba, Yexenia advised that the youth wanted greater access to recreation options. University students did not have to worry about jobs as government planning insures that graduates are guaranteed a job in their area of study.
This is a function of planning in a centralised economy whereby the government with good economic data is able to advise universities and technical colleges at what numbers of graduates it is looking for and which knowledge and skill sets are needed.
In contrast university graduates in Australia have on average to wait five years to get a job in the field of their study if at all.
Yexenia spoke about student unions in Cuba who are very much seen as part of the decision making process saying that without students universities wouldnt exist, and therefore what we want is important to the people who run the universities.
Obamas visit
Obamas speech to the Cuban people referred to the lifting of the trade embargo. Yexenia said this was a distortion of reality; an embargo is just between two countries, the US has imposed a blockade because the US punishes other countries for trading with Cuba therefore it affects third countries also!
Yexenia also talked about how in Cuba the young are respected and consulted about the society they live in and the shape it is to have which is why they feel ownership of it.
A young attendee raised the issue that the roundtable was focussed on young people in university studies but that many other young people in Australia had problems finding secure and suitable employment.
Aslan said that students and potential students were also worried about the recent suggested changes to be brought in lowering the rate of earnings at which graduates would need to start paying back their HECS.
The Turnbull government wants to lower the trigger from $50,000 to $41,000 threatening to cripple the quality of life of graduates who are also facing increased cost of living pressures on limited incomes.
Lewis spoke about the fee increases and the model that treats students as clients resulting in universities that look more like job factories.Aslan and Lewis also said they had confidence that university guilds could achieve gains and protect rights of students.
But also that this is always under threat, including new legislation currently being proposed by the Western Australian government to weaken funding arrangements for guilds.
Culture & Life
Buying the Clinton presidency
When Bill Clinton originally ran for the US presidency, his wife Hillary made some progressive speeches on his behalf, attacking his rightwing opponents. But speaking and doing are two different things, a fact that was made very clear when she later became Secretary of State, responsible for implementing the USAs extremely aggressive foreign policy. When the US followed up NATOs bombing of Libya by organising terrorist groups to attack the Libyan governments forces, murdering President Muammar Gaddafi and sinking the country into its present state of constant civil warfare, Hillary Clinton was content to cynically quip We came, we saw, he died.
Judy Woodruff, of the PBS Newshour program, said that nearly half of Clintons financial sector donations come from the [ultra right-wing] financiers George Soros and Donald Sussman.
Now she is seeking the Democratic Party nomination for President of the US, putting herself forward as the progressive choice (as opposed to the ultra-reactionaries of the Republican Party). Unfortunately, her campaign has been badly shaken by another Democrat. Bernie Sanders is a social democrat and in the context of mainstream US politics he is perceived as being far to the left of Hillary Clinton. It is largely an illusion, but his campaign has struck a chord with ordinary Americans. A succession of Sanders victories over Clinton in primary ballots has all but derailed her campaign.
Any candidate who seriously hopes to win nomination for the US presidency needs to be supported by someone with very deep pockets. Under US law, political campaigns are prohibited from taking money directly from corporations but as Nicole Colson wrote in Socialist Worker there are plenty of loopholes for companies to grease the wheels of the political machine. Candidates like Clinton who want to pretend to be independent of big business and tough on corporate greed can claim to stand above the fray because individuals and corporations from certain industries dont give money directly to them. Instead, the lobbyists that represent those industries bundle money from wealthy donors and donate it to super PACs [Political Action Committees].
Technically known as independent expenditure-only committees, super PACs cant donate to individual candidates. But they can raise unlimited sums often tens of millions of dollars from corporations, industry associations and individuals, and that money is used to advocate for or against candidates, allegedly independent of the official campaigns.
Ms Colson identifies as super PACs those innocuously named groups that pay for the attack ads that run non-stop on TV during US elections. Hilary Clintons campaign is supported by a super PAC named Priorities USA Action. The New York Times pointed out last year that Clinton was personally courting donors for Priorities USA Action. According to the paper, this was the first time a Democratic presidential candidate has fully embraced these independent groups that can accept unlimited cheques from big donors and are already playing a major role in the 2016 race.
Judy Woodruff, of the PBS Newshour program, said that nearly half of Clintons financial sector donations come from the [ultra right-wing] financiers George Soros and Donald Sussman. Sussman is the founder and chairman of the hedge fund Paloma Partners, which has invested in major energy companies. According to OpenSecrets.org, Sussman gave US$1.5 million to Priorities USA Action.
Earlier this year Greenpeace asked presidential candidates to sign what it calls the Pledge to Fix Democracy. Among other things, the pledge includes defending the right to vote, supporting public funding for elections and refusing money from fossil-fuel industry PACs and corporations, as well as energy company lobbyists, board members and executives. Bernie Sanders and the Green Partys Jill Stein are the only two candidates currently in the race who have signed the pledge says Nicole Colson.
Overall, Democrats have received just 2.3 percent of all oil and gas contributions in this election cycle, according to The Washington Post. The bulk of contributions from this sector have of course gone to the Republicans, who in Nicole Colsons words are so anti-science and pro-business that they barely admit that climate change is happening, let alone that the burning of fossil fuels is the primary cause of it.
On the surface, Clintons campaign doesnt appear to have directly received that much money from the fossil fuel industry. According to the Centre for Responsive Politics OpenSecrets.org website, as of March 21, the Clinton campaign had received US$308,000 from individuals connected to the oil and gas industry. Thats a lot of money, but not when its compared to the tens of millions her campaign has taken in overall.
But of course, the money directly donated by individuals connected to the fossil fuel industry only tells part of the story.
Greenpeace nailed down the slippery semantics around donations from PACs, corporations, lobbyists and top executives:
Fifty-eight lobbyists that work for the coal, oil and gas companies have given US$138,400 directly to the Clinton campaign. ... Eleven oil and gas industry lobbyists also bundled US$1,327,210 for Clintons campaign as of the end of 2015. Bundling is a practice in which lobbyists use their personal and professional networks to collect additional donations for campaigns.
Add it all up, says Greenpeace, and the Clinton campaign has received some US$4.5 million from lobbyists, bundlers and big donors connected the fossil fuel industry. That includes $3.25 million given to Priorities USA Action.
When people walk into a room with US$3.25 million, in a political system where you have to raise this kind of money to win, said Greenpeace researcher Jesse Coleman, youre going to have to make concessions.
Charlie Cray, a research specialist for Greenpeace, expanded on the point, in an interview with Democracy Nows Amy Goodman: Clinton has actually taken some very good positions on climate, and she has ... pledged to regulate the fracking industry ... [But] shes basically taking money from the lobbyists for those very companies who would oppose the policies that she has pledged to carry out.
Nicole Colson reminds us of something that was said by Woodrow Wilson, who was president of the USA during the First World War: Suppose you go to Washington and try to get at your government. You will always find that while you are politely listened to, the men really consulted are the men who have the big stake the big bankers, the big manufacturers and the big masters of commerce ... The masters of the government of the United States are the combined capitalists and manufacturers of the United States.
As Colson remarks, Wilsons comment remains as true today as when he said it 100 years ago.
Sussex News
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Sanford Health researchers and representatives will join other distinguished scientists and physicians from around the world to discuss breakthrough research in cell therapy at a conference Thursday through Saturday in Vatican City, Rome.
At the event, Sanford Health researchers will share their expertise and clinical work in cell therapy, immunotherapy and genomic medicine.
Dr. David Pearce, president of Sanford Research, will discuss a recently launched clinical trial to treat Type 1 diabetes using the bodys natural ability to regenerate insulin-producing cells.
Being invited to attend and present at this conference places Sanford Health among the best and brightest searching for the next generation of treatments and cures," Pearce said in a Sanford Health news release.
Nokia has today revealed that it is buying French fitness technology company, Withings, for 170 millions Euros (A$248 million) in cash.
The move, which Nokia describes in a statement as a means to accelerate entry into the digital health market, will see the French company taken under the wing of the Nokia Technology division which also includes Nokia's VR OZO camera.
We have said consistently that digital health was an area of strategic interest to Nokia, and we are now taking concrete action to tap the opportunity in this large and important market, Nokia chief executive Rajeev Suri said in a statement.
With this acquisition, Nokia is strengthening its position in the Internet of Things in a way that leverages the power of our trusted brand, fits with our company purpose of expanding the human possibilities of the connected world, and puts us at the heart of a very large addressable market where we can make a meaningful difference in peoples' lives.
Withings was founded in 2008 and today claims 200 employees across Paris, Hong Kong and Cambridge in the US. The company has created a range of fitness trackers, bio monitors and smart weighing scales.
We've been impressed with the plans the Nokia team has shared with us both for Preventive Health and Patient Care, said Withings chief executive, Cedric Hutchings, in a statement. As soon as we close the deal, we can start working together to determine our way forward as one team with a broad but focused portfolio of incredible products and innovations.
In 2014, Nokia sold its mobile phone division to Microsoft. Since then, Nokia has largely kept out of the consumer product side of things. This acquisition therefore signals an intriguing move from the Finnish company towards consumer hardware, seemingly spurred by the rising interest in wearables and the Internet of Things.
The acquisition is expected to close in Q3 2016, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
Former EMC account manager Zoe Nicholson has joined MuleSoft as channel manager for Australia and New Zealand.
Nicholson will be based in Sydney and will support the partners' go-to market strategies and sales for MuleSoft's solution Anypoint Platform.
MuleSoft's platform helps partners build networks for applications, data and devices, on-premises and in the cloud, according to the company.
Nicholson has more than 15 years' experience in the IT industry. She joined Sophos as a channel sales representative and left after 10 years with the company when she was director of channel sales for Asia Pacific. Nicholson then joined EMC where she held senior roles and was most recently channel manager for Dimension Data's account in Asia Pacific and Japan region.
MuleSoft regional vice president of Australia and New Zealand Jonathan Stern said: "Zoe's experience in working with partners and customers, coupled with her knowledge of the Asia Pacific market, will be a key asset to MuleSoft in helping our partners and customers drive competitive advantage."
Other executives have recently left EMC. Channel manager Chris Trevitt resigned in January, two months before joining HP. Anthony Wright and Mark Oakey also left EMC in the past six months to join SimpliVity, as well as former VMware Nicholas Paddon-Row.
Google on Tuesday extended the duration and scope of an aggressive program meant to lure customers to Google Apps from rival cloud-based office productivity products, primarily Microsoft Office 365.
The subsidiary of Alphabet introduced the incentive in October, which allowed midsize businesses locked in contracts with other vendors to use Google Apps at no cost until those contracts expired. The offer officially ended April 14.
But pleased with its success, Google decided to maintain the incentive until the end of 2016, while also making it easier for smaller companies to qualify, wrote Neil Delaney, sales director for Google Apps for Work, in a company blog.
The program, which also helps fund migrations to Google's cloud, "is working as intended," a spokesperson for the Mountain View-based tech giant told CRN USA.
More than 20,000 midsize companies took advantage of the offer since October, launching 200,000 new Apps seats they wouldn't have to pay for until licenses with other software vendors expired.
The original iteration of the program applied to companies with between 250 and 3,000 employees. But Delaney said Google fielded so much interest from smaller customers that it reduced the threshold to 100 employees for the extension period.
The program aims to induce companies "locked into an Enterprise Agreement (EA) to switch to Google Apps," Delaney said.
"Our EA program gives new customers the opportunity to influence the move to Apps - and gives decision makers the final incentive to make the switch," he blogged.
Google wouldn't name specific competitors from whom it sees the program siphoning customers. But the target is clear - the term "Enterprise Agreement" is widely associated in the industry with a particular form of volume license offered by Microsoft for certain products, including Office 365.
On a website promoting the program, Google mentions IBM in addition to Microsoft as a potential jump-off point.
For several years, Google enjoyed a first-mover advantage with its innovative software-as-a-service suite that includes Docs, Gmail, Hangouts and Drive. But some market researchers estimate that last year, Office 365 leapfrogged Apps in market share.
Google is introducing other perks to incentivise migrations, including funding a security workshop for midsize customers, according to Delaney.
And some Google for Work ISV partners, like AODocs, Powertools and Smartsheet, are concurrently offering their own special deals to the SMB market.
This article originally appeared at crn.com
Amazon Web Services has announced that its physical data migration device Snowball is now available in Australia.
Snowball, first debuted at the vendor's re:Invent conference last November, is a rented device that physically migrates data from on-premises hardware to the AWS public cloud.
AWS chief security information officer Stephen Schmidt said Wednesday morning at AWS Summit Sydney that Sydney, to serve the Asia-Pacific, and Dublin, to serve the European Union, have opened as the first Snowball reception centres outside North America.
The geographic expansion came simultaneously as the release of a new 80TB Snowball device, up from the 50TB capacity released last year. Sydney and Ireland will only accept the new 80TB model for processing.
Schmidt told the packed crowd at the Hordern Pavilion that his company is seeking to "increase the awareness and delivery" of Snowball internationally.
"We're committed to having Snowball available in every AWS region by the end of 2016," he said.
The 23-kg Snowball, which looks like a hard suitcase, is "rugged enough to withstand a 6G jolt" and has a 10GB network connection. The rental service includes couriering of the appliance to and from the data source.
Stephen Schmidt and Snowball at AWS Summit Sydney
Data transfer acceleration: money back guarantee
The cloud giant also launched the Amazon S3 Transfer Acceleration service. The offering attempts to speed up data uploads by utilising Amazon edge - a 50-location network that was previously reserved for the Amazon CloudFront content delivery service.
Schmidt said that even the best technology could not overcome physics and the tyranny of distance: "We've provided tools in the past to accelerate [data movement] as much as we can, through multi-part uploads. But for very large files that need to move long distances, this can still be very challenging."
However, using a reserved network - currently used primarily for downloading content - for mass data uploads resulted in a 300 percent improvement in transfer speeds "for most use-cases".
Schmidt expressed AWS' confidence in the acceleration with a satisfaction guarantee.
"If you try out our transfer acceleration service and it's not faster than your standard upload, you don't pay for it," he said at the Sydney conference.
Partners, customers and potential customers from around Australia are attending the AWS Summit Wednesday and Thursday in inner city Sydney.
Networking News
AT&T Posts Strong First-Quarter Earnings, Bolstered By New Connections And Customers, Proving Commitment To IoT
Gina Narcisi
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All eyes were on subscriber numbers as telecom giant AT&T reported its first-quarter 2016 earnings Tuesday: Connected devices helped drive net new connection adds in first-quarter 2016 as AT&T posted a 2.3 million net add increase -- the carrier's best first quarter ever for subscriber gains.
Carriers are struggling with adding new subscribers as the wireless market reaches saturation. Competitor T-Mobile threw down the gauntlet Tuesday morning when it posted 2.2 million net new customers, but thanks to its Internet of Things (IoT) strategy, Dallas-based AT&T's net connection additions are also on the rise.
"There's not a lot of net new growth, because everyone has at least one device, so this is going to be the struggle for carriers for the next decade," said Patrick Lee, business development executive for Alliant Technologies, a solution provider and AT&T Premier partner. "We think the wireless growth needs to come from things like the IoT space or wearables over the next five to 10 years."
[Related: AT&T Adds IoT Platform To Help Partners Realize Growing Mobility Opportunities]
Of the carrier's 2.3 million North American wireless net adds, 1.6 million were connected device net adds, said John Stephens, AT&T's senior executive vice president and chief financial officer, during the carrier's earnings call.
"We now have more that 28 million connected devices on our network, and we are laying the foundation for future growth," he said.
Sue Galvanek, vice president of marketing, pricing and product solutions for AT&T Partner Exchange, said that AT&T had an exciting first quarter with respect to IoT. The carrier launched its cloud-based platform AT&T Control Center to help solution providers deploy, manage and scale IoT devices. AT&T also released a mobility guide to help more solution providers learn how they can grow with wireless solutions.
"Each move we make helps solution providers increase the value they can provide to their business customers. Our reseller program is giving them access to the wireline and wireless solutions that are helping them drive the next wave of channel growth. In turn, they're helping to contribute to the quarterly growth we're seeing in strategic business services and wireless services," Galvanek said in an email to CRN.
AT&T reported a modest increase in its Business Solutions revenues, up 0.3 percent year over year, with business wireless revenues up 2.3 percent in the first quarter of 2016 when compared with the first quarter of 2015.
Strategic business services revenues were $2.8 billion in first quarter 2016, up from $2.5 billion in first quarter 2015.
AT&T is seeing a growing demand for secure, mobile business solutions, Stephens said.
"Security continues to be top of mind for our business customers, and every enterprise must rethink its place in today's connected world. Our ability to provide business solutions sets us apart, and we intend to be very active in this space," he said.
AT&T's first-quarter 2016 earnings jumped 24 percent when compared with Q1 2015. The carrier's earnings beat Wall Street expectations of 69 cents per share on revenues of $40.46 billion. AT&T reported consolidated revenues of 72 cents per share on revenues of $40.5 billion, driven largely by its DirecTV acquisition, the carrier said.
Operating expenses increased to $33.4 billion in Q1 2016, compared with $27.0 billion in Q1 2015. In Q1 2016, operating income was $7.1 billion, versus $5.6 billion in Q1 2015, and free cash flow was $3.2 billion, up 17 percent year over year, according to AT&T.
"We turned in another solid financial performance. Revenues grew, margins expanded. Growth in strategic business services, broadband and video were big factors," Stephens said.
Seattle-based competitor T-Mobile, which also posted Q1 earnings Tuesday, announced it had added 2.2 million net new customers during Q1 2016, which ended March 31. T-Mobile attributed its blooming subscriber head count to its competitively priced plans, family pricing and free video streaming options. John Legere, the carrier's vocal CEO, said AT&T and Verizon were the biggest carriers to "donate subscribers" to T-Mobile.
Unlike T-Mobile, AT&T has said it isn't chasing subscribers. However, the carrier's focus on IoT is helping to give its net new connection numbers a boost. While AT&T is making its presence known in the IoT space, it's still early days for many of its IoT solutions, Alliant's Lee said.
Morristown, N.J.-based Alliant Technologies is already supporting IoT environments for its enterprise customers through building scalable architecture that can support the rapid addition of new devices.
"I do think things like their relationships with auto manufacturers -- like Jaguar and Ford -- for connected cars will have more of an impact on earnings down the road," he said.
With solid business services revenue growth, life for partners within AT&T's Partner Exchange program remains business as usual but channel partners would like to see AT&T work on its API development, said one solution provider who asked not to be identified.
"We are trying to get them to accelerate and expand on APIs to automate more of the business between them and their partners -- they've fallen a little bit short in terms of delivering those capabilities," the solution provider said.
Danger Ahead
The annual bellwether report of the security industry -- the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report -- found that 2015 was a year in which, not surprisingly, many of the same security threats arose as did in years past. For the 2016 report, Verizon pulled data from most major security vendors and found that hackers still chose to target companies primarily for financial gains, relied on tried-and-true hacking methods like phishing, and attacked businesses with even greater frequency than before. There were also signs of rising trends in threats to security, such as ransomware and nation state attacks.
With all of those threats, said Dave Ostertag, global investigative manager, Verizon Enterprise Solutions, there is a vital role partners can play in getting their clients' security up to speed and preparing them to respond in the event of an attack. Take a look at 10 trends from 2015 that partners need to know to help take better care of their clients in the year to come.
Experts say that the digital universe will double in size every 2 years and that by 2020 will reach 44 zettabytes, or 44 trillion gigabytes, containing nearly as many digital bits as there are stars in the universe (Source: IDC). With advanced analytics, this Big Data is being transformed into smart data, revolutionizing business models across all industries, including energy. As this digital revolution magnifies, Siemens is driving pioneering new digital services and expanding its current service solutions for its global customers.
The Siemens Power Generation Services Division has been advancing the development of digital trends, building upon its more than 20 years of experience collecting and analyzing data as part of its power diagnostics services. The company is deploying projects and devoting significant resources to unlock the full potential of this transformation. Siemens has developed a number of advanced, data-driven service offerings that combine big data with the companys comprehensive domain expertise to support its industrial, oil and gas, electric utility and wind power customers. "Siemens Digital Services for Energy powered by Sinalytics," was officially unveiled this week at the Hannover Messe industrial fair in Hannover, Germany.
Siemens Digital Services for Energy are "intelligent knowledge systems" that are enabled by advanced algorithms, sophisticated data analytics and pioneering machine-learning, combined with domain know-how, to create new business models that are continuously fed by as-operated and as-maintained fleet and unit-specific data. This approach facilitates tailored service solutions designed to meet customer needs for operational flexibility, plant performance, condition-based maintenance, and more. These data analytics also contribute to the development of new and improved processes and provide valuable insights that can be used in future technology design.
"Big data is transforming our industry into a digitally driven, intelligent ecosystem," said Randy Zwirn, CEO of Siemens Power Generation Services. "Siemens is investing significant resources across its various businesses to successfully marry the physical and virtual worlds. With more than 300,000 devices already connected via our powerful Sinalytics platform architecture, we are able to put to work our vast experience and deep know-how to pioneer digital services that create game-changing value for our customers."
These advanced data-driven service solutions are enabled by Sinalytics, Siemens secure, scalable, industrial-strength analytics platform architecture, capable of integrating huge volumes of complex data. Over 300,000 devices are connected company-wide through Sinalytics. Beyond simply collecting this data or providing customers with a standalone software platform, Siemens is integrating valuable, insight-driven analytics with field service data, global fleet performance data, as well as data from other diverse sources (e.g. weather, fuel prices, etc.).
A vitally important element of Sinalytics is Siemens cyber security-by-design approach that not only allows confidential data to be collected, transmitted, and analyzed in a secure way but also means that cyber security is consistently integrated throughout all lifecycle phases. Cyber security is a critical business driver at Siemens and is thoroughly implemented into the architecture of Sinalytics. Key aspects of cyber security in Sinalytics are the provision of confidentiality and the integrity and availability of infrastructure and data as well as processes. Supporting concepts include the configuration of hardware and software systems using state-of-the-art cyber protection technologies, explicit proof of identity of all kinds of users, strong authentication, strong confidentiality protection of data at rest and data in transit, secure execution of analytical jobs, and auditing of all security-related events.
Real world outcomes with Siemens Digital Services for Energy are resulting from projects across the globe that are designed to support unique customer needs with innovative, data-supported service offerings. In South America, Profertil, an Argentine petrochemical company, operates a large and successful fertilizer plant in Bahia Blanca. To help ensure continued peak operational performance, Profertil conducts a major overhaul of its manufacturing and related components at the facility every 3 years, shutting down the entire plant to conduct repairs and maintenance. By applying advanced data-driven analytics and using Siemens condition-based monitoring, Profertil and Siemens are working together to align the required major servicing of the gas turbines to match this 3-year interval. This alignment means increased uptime of the assets, which can then translate into increased productivity for Profertil.
Digitalization projects continue to drive results for Siemens wind service customers. Remote diagnostics services are the genesis of these digital offerings as the company closely monitors more than 10,000 wind turbines globally. Advanced analytics are constantly evolving and expanding at Siemens Remote Diagnostic Center in Brande, Denmark, with new developments in areas such as vibration diagnostics and 24/7 alarms notification and management. Siemens is able to remotely address 85% of alarms coming into its Remote Diagnostic Center without the need for a visit to the turbines, which translates into higher availability and operational efficiency. Additionally, data-driven upgrades such as Siemens High Wind Ride Through, which is a software performance upgrade designed to allow turbines to continue operating at reduced power in higher wind speeds, are also providing measurable results. At the West Wind wind farm in New Zealand, the upgrade was installed on all 62 wind turbines at the site, and has resulted in a marked improvement of two percent in annual energy generation and a reduction in high-wind speed losses of 80 percent.
In the U.S. Siemens is working side-by-side with a major utility to support their initiative targeted to mitigate unplanned outage time of its steam turbines and generators when the units are required to be available to generate power. The project involves engineering evaluation of Siemens and the customers fleets and then installing special sensors on steam turbines and generators as needed to provide additional data for analysis that can then be turned into valuable insights for advance planning and avoidance of costly unplanned outages. Through advanced engineering analysis, increased data collection and analysis, and remote monitoring and diagnostics, Siemens Digital Services is providing the unique insights that will help the customer better predict operational and maintenance performance for cost-effective and flexible operations.
Original content can be found at Oil and Gas Engineering.
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A cyberespionage group active in Asia has been leveraging a Windows feature known as hotpatching in order to better hide its malware from security products.
The group, which malware researchers from Microsoft call Platinum, has been active since at least 2009 and has primarily targeted government organizations, defense institutes, intelligence agencies and telecommunications providers in South and Southeast Asia, especially from Malaysia, Indonesia and China.
So far the group has used spear phishing -- fraudulent emails that target specific organizations or individuals -- as its main attack method, often combining it with exploits for previously unknown, or zero-day, vulnerabilities that install custom malware. It places great importance on remaining undetected.
To achieve this, it only launches a small number of attack campaigns every year. Its custom malware components have self-deletion capabilities and are designed to run only during the victims' working hours, to hide their activity among regular user traffic, Microsoft's Windows Defender Advanced Threat Hunting team said in a report.
While the Microsoft researchers stopped short of saying with certainty that Platinum is a state-sponsored cyberespionage group, they said that "the group shows traits of being well funded, organized, and focused on information that would be of most use to government bodies."
One of the more interesting techniques used by the group is known as hotpatching. This leverages a somewhat obscure feature that was first introduced in Windows Server 2003 and which allows the dynamic updating of system components without the need to reboot the computer.
Hotpatching was removed in Windows 8 and later versions, because it was rarely used. During the 12 years support life of Windows Server 2003, only 10 patches used this technique.
The potential use of hotpatching as a stealth way to inject malicious code into running processes was described by security researcher Alex Ionescu at the SyScan security conference in 2013. And it is his technique that the Platinum group uses.
This is the first time that the Microsoft researchers have seen the technique used in the wild by malicious attackers.
"Using hotpatching in a malicious context is a technique that can be used to avoid being detected, as many antimalware solutions monitor non-system processes for regular injection methods, such as CreateRemoteThread," the Microsoft researchers said in a blog post. "What this means in practical terms is that PLATINUM was able to abuse this feature to hide their backdoor from the behavioral sensors of many host security products."
A 500MB file, published by Cryptome on Tuesday and said to be sourced from Qatar National Bank (QNB), contains thousands of sensitive financial records and client details.
Also included with the leak are records of high profile individuals, journalists, and some who are accused of being spies. In all, the breach exposed 1.4 GBs of data (15,460 files).
In a statement, QNB wouldn't confirm that a data breach has taken place. Instead the bank said they're investigating the "matter in coordination with all concerned parties."
Those responsible for the leaked QNB data remain unknown, as do their motives. Based on the targeted profile information, which includes passwords, pictures, banking records, and social media data the breach could be the work of a malicious insider, or a criminal who had persistent access to the bank and could take their time to target individuals.
As mentioned, there are more than a hundred records included with the leaked data containing information on high profile individuals, some who are accused of being spies. Most of the records include PIN details and passwords, as well as the security questions and answers used for banking.
The passwords, even those used by alleged spies, are weak to say the least. There were only three passwords that used special characters. The largest password of the bunch was 13 characters long (mission060612). A full breakdown of the leaked passwords is below.
As for PIN data, that breakdown is below as well. It's important to note however, that the common PINs exist for two reasons; (1) two people selected the same PIN, or (2) the same PIN was used on multiple cards issued to a single person.
Thanks to Per Thorsheim, founder of PasswordsCon, for suggesting the data breakdown. Data compiled and sorted using Pipal (created by Robin Wood) and Passpal by T. Alexander Lystad.
Joseph Misterek, 68, Lincoln, passed away April 23, 2016, at the nursing home in Killdeer, where he had been residing since January. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 28, at First Lutheran Church, Bismarck, with the Rev. Allen Wagner officiating. Burial will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan.
Visitation will be held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. today at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a prayer service will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Joe was born in Pierre, S.D., along with a twin brother, John, the third and fourth of seven children to John and Leone Misterek on April 9, 1948. He grew up with five brothers and one sister.
After graduating from Harrold High School in 1966, he and John both went to Brookings to attend South Dakota State University. He was part of the ROTC program and graduated with a degree in animal sciences. He joined the Army right after college, and was stationed first in Korea, and later in Alaska.
While home on leave, he met his future wife, Barbara Paulson. They corresponded for four years, and were married in June 1974. They made their home in Fort Wainwright, Alaska, for a year before returning home and settling down in Aberdeen, S.D. They had a son, Travis, in 1977, and a daughter, Sara, in 1982.
When Joe shifted from full-time Army life, he stayed active with the Army National Guard as a helicopter pilot, and also worked as a loan officer with the PCA and the FmHA. Later in his career, he transitioned to carpentry work; although he retired from the National Guard in 2003, he maintained an active interest in the military, joining the AMVETS in 2007.
He is survived his son, Travis (Misty) Misterek, Minneapolis; his daughter, Sara Misterek, Sioux Falls, S.D.; his granddaughter, Ansley Misterek; and his siblings, Richard Misterek, Blunt, S.D., Kathryn (Dennis) Owens, Fairfield Bay, Ark., and Timothy Misterek, Harrold, S.D.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and by his brothers, Charles, John and Thomas.
Go to www.parkwayfuneral.com to share memories of Joe and sign the online guest book.
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BRIDGEPORT - The right to openly carry a firearm in Connecticut took a dramatic turn Wednesday when officials who gathered to call for a law that would clarify the open carry rules, came face to face with the man who started the controversy.
Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, Police Chief Armando Perez and others held a press conference outside the city Police Department to lend their support to a bill that would require gun wearers to show a permit whenever police request it. The current law says police must have reasonable suspicion a criminal act is being committed to request to see a permit.
Its not unreasonable for a police officer who sees a person carrying a weapon to ask for his or her permit, Perez said.
But Dontrell Brown, who refused to show a police officer a permit for the holstered semi-automatic pistol he wore on on his hip at a Subway restaurant in January, showed up to protest at the news conference.
With this gun Im telling all the scumbags if you mess with me or my family I am well prepared to protect myself, said Brown, holding a sign that read: No Hitler you cant see my permit without (reasonable suspicion).
Brown, who was armed with a video camera as well as the pistol when confronted by Bridgeport Officer Ricardo Lopez, had a gun permit but refused to show it. Instead he taped the encounter and put the video online.
The resulting statewide debate lead to the introduction of the bill, An Act Concerning the Presentation of a Carry Permit, which is awaiting action in the General Assembly.
Redding Chief Douglas Fuchs, past president of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, supports the proposed bill.
It currently is a gray area, if you will, with too many unanswered questions, he said. Imagine being a police officer in a city environment and seeing an individual carrying a firearm and not being able to ask that individual if he's licensed. The proposed legislation, in my opinion, makes sense. It gives law enforcement officers the right to simply ask someone for their credentials to carry a firearm."
Ganim and Perez stressed they are not trying to prevent people from legally carrying guns they just want some clarity in the law so that police can continue to keep the public safe.
There has to be clear lines of direction for law enforcement, that was a very awkward situation in downtown, said the mayor.
Police Union President Charles Paris said the confrontation between Brown and Officer Lopez triggered a passionate discussion on the states open carry law in the police department.
Many commended Officer Lopez for his restraint, Paris said. Others believed Officer Lopez should have had the legal certainty to make an arrest.
Standing just a few feet from Brown, Lopez reiterated this is not about taking anyones rights away.
The issue is you can see my badge and know I am on your side, we just want to see your permit and know you are on my side also, Lopez said, looking at Brown.
But Brown said he plans to continue to oppose any efforts to make citizens legally carrying a gun show their permits.
They are just trying to bully legislators, he said.
His position may be gathering support.
Michael Picard, of Bridgeport, arrived shortly thereafter carrying a sign that read, Live Free or here, and Mike Garrett, the citys republican town chairman, said the calls for strengthening the carry law were nonsensical.
Do you believe it is better to have someone hiding their gun than to have it out in the open? Garrett asked.
The Class of 2015 remained steady in reading but lost ground in math, according to results of the so-called Nations Report Card released Wednesday.
The average 12th-grade math scores in 2015 dropped two points on the test from 2013, while the average reading score was not significantly different.
The results suggest about 37 percent of seniors in both subjects are academically prepared for entry-level, credit-bearing courses in college, as opposed to remedial-level instruction.
The test was given to a representative sample of high school seniors from across the country in public and private schools. Information was not broken down by state, largely because of funding issues, said Peggy Carr, acting commissioner of the National Center for Educational Statistics.
Math scores have declined over the last two years at grade 12, mirroring the declines we saw at grades 4 and 8, Carr said. Were seeing that while lower-performing students have score declines in both subjects, the highest performing students are making gains in reading.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress also known as The Nations Report Card is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students in the United States know in various subject areas. The test was given between January and March 2015 in math and reading to about 31,900 seniors in all 50 states, District of Columbia, and the U.S. Department of Defense. Each participant took just one of the two tests.
More Information What should 12 graders know? In math, to be proficient, 12th graders should able to recognize when particular concepts, procedures, and strategies are appropriate, and to select, integrate, and apply them to solve problems. They should also be able to test and validate geometric and algebraic conjectures using a variety of methods, including deductive reasoning and counterexamples. In reading, to be proficient, 12th graders should be able to locate and integrate information using sophisticated analyses of the meaning and form of the text. These students should be able to provide specific text support for inferences, interpretative statements, and comparisons within and across texts. For more, click here. See More Collapse
Bill Bushaw, executive director of the National Assessment Governing Board, said the one question the results dont answer is why reading scores are flat and math scores are down.
What does seem evident, Bushaw said, is that seniors who do not take math in their last year of high school tend to score lower in the subject, while students who take calculus and other high-level courses into their senior year score higher.
Mathematics Results
In 2015, the average scale score of all students who took the NAEP mathematics assessment was 152 out of a possible 300. In 2013 it was 153.
Scores for both males and females declined.
The percentage of students performing at or above proficient, which is considered solid, academic performance, has not changed since 2005. In 2015, the percentage of students scoring below basic, the lowest level, increased to 38 percent from 35 percent in 2013.
Reading Results
In 2015, 12th-grade students had an average reading score of 287 out of a possible 500, which was not significantly different from their score in 2013, but was lower than in 1992.
Six percent of students in 2015 scored at the Advanced, or top level, an increase compared to 2013 and 1992.
Thirty-seven percent of 12th-grade students scored at or above proficient in 2015, which was not significantly different from 2013, but was lower than in 1992.
There were no changes in the white-black and white-Hispanic score gaps from 2013 to 2015.
Visit here to view the report.
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Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton padded their lead in presidential delegates with help from Connecticut primary voters Tuesday, the real estate mogul in a landslide and the former secretary of state in a nail-biter.
Both party favorites racked up key victories not just here, but throughout the Northeast that could give Clinton and Trump much-needed separation against rivals Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz. Together with Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and Rhode Island, Connecticut was part of what some coined the Acela primary, a nod to Amtraks high-speed train. Turnout was heavy, but not historic, approaching 50 percent statewide.
Trumps full-court press in the state paid off for the real estate mogul, who was poised to capture the vast majority of Connecticuts 28 GOP delegates. Clinton is expected to grab at least 42 of 71 delegates, including superdelegates, a group made up of party leaders, statewide office holders and members of Congress.
The state was called for Trump almost immediately after the polls closed at 8 p.m., with Ohio Gov. John Kasich finishing a distant second and Cruz likely shut out of the delegate competition.
Theres no question that Donald Trump is the surprise of the political year, said Jim Campbell, Greenwichs former Republican Town Committee chairman and a Trump backer. But for the last six months, its also been clear that this entire presidential campaign is all about Donald Trump.
In contrast to Trumps blowout victory, the battle for the soul of the Democratic Party between Clinton and Sanders wasnt decided until after 10:30 p.m. Clinton posted victories in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware, while Sanders won Rhode Island.
Fairfield County, which is home to many wealthy financial services executives and firms, went overwhelmingly for Clinton against the anti-Wall Street, big-bank-busting Sanders. With 90 percent of the precincts reporting, Clinton led Sanders 51 percent to 47 percent statewide.
Today, Connecticut Democrats made the right choice, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said. Secretary Clinton is the right candidate to move our country forward and grow our economy from the middle out. As she has proved throughout her career, Hillary Clinton gets results, and I am proud to have endorsed her candidacy.
Clintons squeaker spared Malloy and other party elites pledged for Clinton an embarrassment in a state where the machinery was set up for the former first lady and New York senator. It also ended a losing streak for Bill and Hillary Clinton in contested Democratic primaries in the state where they met as Yale Law School students.
In 1992, Bill Clinton lost the state to Jerry Brown before going on to win the nomination and earn the nickname of the Comeback Kid. In 2008, Hillary Clinton dropped Connecticut to Barack Obama.
Democrats (757,825) make up the second-largest bloc of Connecticuts 2 million voters. Unaffiliated voters are the largest group (780,499) and Republicans (431,774) are the smallest.
George H.W. Bush, who was raised in Greenwich, was the last Republican presidential candidate to carry the state, doing so in 1988. Democrats hold every statewide office and congressional seat in the state.
State Republican Chairman, J.R. Romano, called Trumps blowout historic, and said it reflects the disenchantment with the direction of the state and the nation under Democratic rule.
I think Trump was able to capture that feeling of angst and anxiety and the desire to get the economy back on track, Romano said.
Rallying Connecticut
All but one of the candidates on each side visited the state in the frenzied final days of the primary race, with Clinton and Trump both stopping in Bridgeport over the weekend to shore up their support. Trump also visited Waterbury and Hartford, bringing his his brash brand of politics and insults aimed at Clinton and Cruz.
Sanders went for the gusto, both in the size of his rallies and his campaign-ad purchases in the state. He poured $1.3 million into television advertising, compared to $746,000 for Clinton, according to NBC News. On Sunday, 14,000 people mobbed the New Haven Green to see the progressive folk hero, a crowd 10 times the size of the one that greeted Clinton several hours earlier in Bridgeport.
Sanders supporters vowed to stand by the Democratic socialist senator from Vermont all the way to the partys convention in July.
Without a doubt, Bernie Sanders has brought in more new and enthusiastic voters into our party than Secretary Clinton has, said Douglas Sutherland, of Trumbull, Fairfield County chairman of Democracy for America, a liberal organization founded by former presidential candidate and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean. He has shown that you can run a viable campaign without depending on large, special-interest donors. Secretary Clinton needs to embrace Bernies issues if she wants to unify our party for a run in November.
Kasich visited the state three times during the past month, trying to convince establishment-minded Republicans that his credentials as a moderate governor and former House Budget Committee chairman set him up better for the general election than Trump. The strategy didnt pan out, with Kasich winning just six of 169 municipalities in the state. Trump garnered 58 percent of the vote, with 90 percent of the precincts reporting.
Certainly total domination by Donald Trump, said Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Larry Sabatos Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics. One has to wonder if theres kind of an acceptance setting in of Trump as the nominee. Its a real indictment of Kasich and Cruz that theyre performing at this level.
State Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, Kasichs Connecticut campaign chairman, congratulated Trump and his supporters, but said Kasich is the best hope for the GOP.
Governor Kasich remains the only Republican that beats Hillary Clinton in November, as shown by 16 straight national polls, Hwang said.
The only candidate to bypass Connecticut was Cruz, who has tried to position himself as the conservative alternative to Trump, but struggled to find traction in the Northeast, especially after his derisive line about New York values.
Kondik said that Trump was poised to sweep all 28 Connecticut delegates under the state GOPs formula, which becomes winner-take-all if a candidate tops 50 percent of the vote statewide.
I think its been pretty clear in the lead-up to these five primaries that Trump was gonna have a good night, Kondik said. The question was, how good? The answer is excellent.
While the razor-thin margin between Clinton and Sanders made for high drama, political analysts say that the final outcome was somewhat academic. Democrats award unpledged delegates on a proportional basis, giving Sanders 24. Many analysts say that Clintons overall delegate lead is insurmountable, however.
Whether Sanders wins by a few points or Clinton wins by a few points, it doesnt really matter in the delegate count, Kondik said.
Last-minute registrations
Known more for its abundance of campaign cash than as a bellwether, Connecticut saw a surge of new voters, 93,000 since the start of the year, according to Secretary of the State Denise Merrill. Many of them took advantage of an online registration system promoted by Merrill, the states top election official.
But Merrill said some would-be voters missed Mondays cut-off for registering in-person for the primaries, which are closed to anyone not enrolled as a Democrat or Republican. They showed up at the polls, she said, and were turned away.
Sure enough, we did have some of that, Merrill said. Thats unfortunate, because thats the way it is.
Connecticut has same-day voter registration for the general election in November.
I proposed Primary Day should be included, Merrill said. I will be bringing back that proposal next year.
Tuesdays turnout easily beat 2012, when an anemic 14 percent of registered Republicans voted in Mitt Romneys victory in a nominating contest that was all but over when it reached Connecticut.
The gold standard in turnout in the state came in 2008, when 63 percent of registered Democrats cast ballots in Obamas upset of Clinton.
neil.vigdor@scni.com; 203-625-4436; http://twitter.com/gettinviggy
FARGO -- A Fargo company says it declined to do business with a gay-friendly church because the church asked the company to design a logo that included a rainbow, a universal symbol of the gay community.
St. Mark's Lutheran Church had recently been in talks with Custom Graphics Inc., 2501 3rd Ave. N., about creating a logo for the church. But after church council members requested that the logo contain rainbow colors, Custom Graphics General Manager Zach Paxton ended the business relationship.
"The business was declined respectfully," Paxton said. "I didn't mean any offense by it or anything like that."
Ironically, Custom Graphics' own logo features rainbow colors. Nevertheless, Paxton said he wasn't comfortable with designing a logo for St. Mark's that would have advertised what he described as the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender movement.
Paxton said he would have been fine with St. Mark's asking Custom Graphics to make signs or decals, but creating a logo for the church crossed into a realm of which he didn't approve.
"If they would come with something to be manufactured or such, no problem," he said. "But this is trying to come up with a logo and help them come up with ways to promote their agenda."
Paxton said he does not believe he discriminated against the church or its members.
However, state Rep. Joshua Boschee, D-Fargo, disagrees. Boschee said this case is an example of why North Dakota needs a law banning discrimination based on sexual orientation.
"We don't allow businesses to say that they're not going to design a graphic for someone who is Muslim or someone who is disabled or someone that's a single parent because we recognize that that's just a form of discrimination that's not a North Dakota value," he said.
Boschee, the state's first openly-gay lawmaker, was a sponsor of a bill, defeated last session, that would have outlawed sexual orientation discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations such as businesses.
Paxton said the owner of Custom Graphics disapproved of the decision to decline the church's business.
"We were planning to offer our apologies to the persons involved," Paxton wrote in an email.
Phone messages left for owner Paul Paxton, a cousin of Zach Paxton, were not returned.
Adam Johnston and Tyler Schafer, both members of the St. Mark's council, said they met with Custom Graphics employees about two weeks ago for a brainstorming session, and it seemed like a logo with rainbow colors was not an issue.
"Everyone was on board. They were really excited about it," Johnston said. "And then within a week, we get an email saying, 'Nope, we're done. We're not doing it.' "
"No explanation was given," Schafer said.
When Johnston and Schafer first spoke about the issue, they said they felt discriminatory reasons were possibly behind Paxton's decision to decline the church's business, but they did not have explicit proof at that point.
Later on, after Paxton said he turned down the church's business because of the request for a rainbow logo, Johnston and Schafer declined to make additional comments. They referred questions to the Rev. Dan Heath, who also would not comment on behalf of St. Mark's, which shares space with Elim Lutheran Church at 321 9th St. N.
Even though North Dakota law does not prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, Boschee encouraged St. Mark's to file a complaint with the state Department of Labor and Human Rights, which began tracking reports of such discrimination in June 2015.
Since then, the department has received nine reports of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and four of them led to formal complaints with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which investigates such complaints, state Labor Commissioner Troy Seibel said.
STORY LINK Debt Fears Trigger Improvement for GBP AUD Exchange Rate Forecast, RBA Decisions Questioned Recently
GBP Climbs vs CAD, NOK despite Rising Crude Oil Prices
Debt Issues in Malaysia Dampen Risk Appetite, AUD and NZD Exchange Rates Forecast to Struggle
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The Pound has reached rough parity with the AUD of late; this could be shifted tomorrow when RBA Assistant Governor Guy Debelle makes a scheduled speech.Sterling has soared against the flagging 'Aussie' recently, thanks to the latter currency being heavily devalued by the falling inflation rate recently put across.Global oil prices spiked during yesterdays afternoon session, with the price of a barrel of Brent Crude Oil jumping to almost $46 as investors continued to price-in evidence that the global economy is working its way through the oil glut which it faced at the turn of the year.The news favoured the petro-currencies, with the Norwegian Krone (currency : NOK) and the Canadian Dollar (currency : CAD) outperforming most of the other sixteen most actively traded global currencies. However, the Pound Sterling (currency : GBP) still managed to record gains against the NOK and the CAD thanks to increased expectations that the UK will vote to remain part of the European Union on 23rd June.Elsewhere, the worlds stock markets endured a decidedly wobbly day, with Londons benchmark FTSE 100 closing up by 0.38%, while the bourses of Frankfurt and Paris posted small losses.Developments in Malaysia added to the flaky risk appetite on the day; the news that the 1Malaysia Development Bond (1MDB) had failed to pay its latest interest payment of $50.3m sent shock waves through the global markets. The state-backed bond missed the coupon payment thanks to a dispute between the Abu Dhabi government and Malaysias ministry of Finance over joint debt obligations to International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC).Investors are comfortable with the worlds governments owing trillions of Dollars via debt instruments, providing these governments are able to access new funding via the release of gilts on the global debt markets. Analysts forecast that if market participants begin losing faith in the ability of major administrations to revolve their sizeable debt, then the financial turmoil which follows will make the 200709 Credit Crisis seem like a minor event.FX insiders forecast that the news from Malaysia may cause investors to shift out of risk-laden assets; if they are correct, then expect the Pound Sterling to record sizeable gains against the high-beta Australian Dollar (currency : AUD), New Zealand Dollar (currency : NZD) and South African Rand (currency : ZAR).
International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements.
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Berlin, Windber and North Star bring plenty of momentum into Week 10
Check out what we learned in Week 9 of the high school football season across Somerset County.
GRAND FORKS -- A multistate federal drug conspiracy case involving meth has been linked in court documents to a March murder at a truck stop in Grand Forks.
Since last week, eight people have been indicted or formally charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance.
The defendants are accused of conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of meth in Minnesota and North Dakota, as well as Grand Forks, using actual violence or threats of violence to further the conspiracy, according to an indictment made public Tuesday in federal court records.
"This includes, but is not limited to, the murder of A.B.F. on or about March 11 in Grand Forks," the indictment states.
The reference is likely to the murder of Austin Brant Forsman of Grand Forks, who was found dead March 11 in a vehicle at the Flying J truck stop at 4401 32nd Ave. S.
Krystal Lynn Feist, 31, was charged in Grand Forks District Court with murder in connection with the death of the 24-year-old, but Feist is not listed as one of the defendants in the federal conspiracy case. She also does not face any drug charges regarding the murder case in district court.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Shasky hinted at one of the defendant's detention hearings Monday that his office was considering a superseding indictment as they look into whether a homicide is connected to the case.
How the two cases are related and each defendant's role has not been released.
Conspiracy case
The eight defendants in the federal conspiracy case include Ryan Scott Franklin, 27, Modesto Alfredo Torrez, 34, Andrew Robert Wiley, 26, Vaughn Michael Scott, 35, Andrew Neil Hills, 42, Aaron Lee Morado, 26, Christopher Alan Anderson, 36, and Darla Kay Jerome, 37. Federal court records do not list the addresses of the defendants.
At Monday's detention hearings in Grand Forks federal court, Torrez was ordered to remain in jail leading up to his trial, while Wiley was released into third-party custody of a family member.
Torrez and Wiley are scheduled to go to trial June 7, and depending on how many of the defendants join them, the prosecution estimates the trial could last four to eight days.
In the meantime, the other defendants are going through hearings to be formally charged.
Hills has a detention hearing 8:30 a.m. Thursday in Grand Forks, while Franklin makes his first appearance 3:30 p.m. the same day in federal court in Fargo. A couple of weeks later, Anderson will make his first appearance at 10:30 a.m., while Morado will make his at 1:30 p.m. May 10. Both are in federal court in Fargo.
Delorme's and Scott's next court appearances have not been scheduled, according to PACER, an online service which provides access to federal court records.
Murder case
Police began investigating Forsman's death after finding his body early in the day on March 11 at the truck stop.
Between 4 and 5 a.m. that day, Forsman was sitting in the driver's seat of a parked car with another person in the Flying J parking lot, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
The passenger exited the vehicle Forsman was in and got into a white SUV driven by Feist, according to the affidavit. Another person also was in the car with Feist.
Feist drove up behind Forsman's parked vehicle and got out of the SUV with "a long gun in her hands," according to the affidavit.
Investigators determined Feist then walked to the driver's side of Forsman's vehicle and uttered something before pointing the gun at Forsman and firing the gun, according to the affidavit.
Feist was booked the same day in Grand Forks County Correctional Center before making her first appearance March 14 in Grand Forks District Court, where a judge set a $500,000 cash bond.
Feist faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for the a Class AA felony murder charge.
Her next court appearance is 9 a.m. May 23.
Court records do not show that anyone else has been charged in the murder case.
Leesburg Electric: With prices soaring, late fees are being waived
Prices are up, so Leesburg Electric has decided that, as of Oct. 1, late fees will be waived.
The Zambezi River Hippo Camp will open at the Memphis Zoo this Friday after two years of construction. Workers were putting finishing touches on the exhibit Tuesday afternoon in preparation for Fridays opening.
BAILEY CLARK The Zambezi River Hippo Camp will open at the Memphis Zoo this Friday after two years of construction. Workers were putting finishing touches on the exhibit Tuesday afternoon in preparation for Fridays opening.
After two years of construction, the hippos of the Memphis Zoo have finally moved into their new home. The zooas Zambezi River Hippo Camp will open to the public Friday.
This is the newest exhibit to the Memphis Zoo since Teton Trek opened in the fall of 2009.
The new exhibit is near the front gate, just past animals of the night. At the exhibit, guests will feel like they are awalking along the banks of the Zambezi riverbed,a said Laura Doty, communications manager at the Memphis Zoo.
Doty said the Memphis Zoo is unique because they want their visitors to experience acultural immersion.a
She said visitors should not just learn about the animals but also about the animalsa native habitats and the people who live there.
She said when people leave the Zambezi river area; they should leave feeling as if they have traveled to Africa. The exhibit has been under construction since April 2014, Doty said.
The zoo opened in 1906 and had their first hippos eight years later.
The hippos got their own exhibit in 1916. They have had the same exhibit for the last 100 years. Doty described the new exhibit as beautiful and said there would be an underwater viewing panel for both the hippos and crocodiles similar to the viewing area for the polar bears and sea lions in the Northwest Passage exhibit.
aYou can stand nose-to-nose with a hippo or crocodilea and aview the hippos like you never have before,a Doty said.
The hippos underwater look agraceful a almost like theyare dancing.a In addition to the two female hippos the zoo already housed, they just received a male hippo from Walt Disney Worldas Animal Kingdom. Hippos live in a warm environment, so Doty said their water would be heated during the cold winter months.
aThe new exhibit provides them a more naturalistic exhibit,a Doty said.
In addition to hippos and Nile crocodiles, the four-acre exhibit will have other African animals, including the flamingo flock.
New to the zoo are the opaki, animals found in the Congo forest. They are related to giraffes.
Although, they are not as tall, they do have large tongues like giraffes. The nyala, spiral-horned antelope native to southern Africa, are also new to the zoo.
The exhibit will also feature three new kinds of birds and Pata monkeys.
Doty said zookeepers would have a scheduled feeding at least once per week for the Nile crocodiles.
They will feed the crocodiles above the exhibit, but as visitors watch, they will be able to witness how these animals would catch birds as they come up from the water in the wild.
They will also talk about the care of the animals. The finishing paint touches were being put on the buildings of the exhibit Tuesday in preparation for the grand opening later this week.
A student holds more than 14 ounces of weed in his home less than a mile from campus.
Austin Anderson A student holds more than 14 ounces of weed in his home less than a mile from campus.
For the first time in history, the public opinion on cannabis laws seems to have bridged the generational gap, with the majority of Americans in favor of reform.
The number of supporters for marijuana legalization amongst Millennials, Gen X-ers and Baby Boomers has nearly doubled since 2001, according to a series of surveys released by Gallup in October 2015.
Cecily Friday, founder of the Tennessee Cannabis Coalition, said 61 percent of Americans are in favor of legalization as of 2016.
aI think this is the year that we will reach a tipping point when it comes to the reform of cannabis laws,a Friday said. aLegislators simply will not be able to enforce these laws any longer without a significant cost socially and financially.a
Although 76 percent of Tennesseans now support legalization for medicinal purposes, Friday said the state still has a lot of work to do.
aTennessee is very conservative, so there will need to be a significant effort to educate the public on health and safety issues involving cannabis before the more rural areas become more comfortable with the idea of legalization,a Friday said. Gov. Bill Haslam signed a bill in 2014 to allow seizure patients access to cannabis oil obtained outside state lines.
However, the bill was ruled ineffective less than a year after its signing. This means cannabis patients, or any person caught with marijuana in the state, could go to prison for up to a year, in addition to being subject to a fine ranging from $250-$2,500.
Third and subsequent offenses are considered felonies and are punishable by one to six years in prison, as well as a fine of up to $3,000.
Bills proposed to eliminate the felony classification for third-time offenders and to decriminalize non-monetary exchanges of marijuana in quantities below a halfounce also recently failed to pass by Tennessee legislators.
Lyn McKinney, a representative for the Tennessee activist groups Parents 4 Pot, Grannies 4 Grass, Cannabis is Essential and Cannabis Activist and Advocate Central, also said legalization of cannabis faces many hurdles in Tennessee.
aWe canat make progress because weave got doctors in our senate that say they need more proof when there are already thousands upon thousands of studies out there,a McKinney said. aYou canat spell pharmaceutical without harm, and you canat spell healthcare without THC.a
McKinney strives to spread awareness about the benefits of medicinal marijuana as opposed to traditional pharmaceutical medications.
aWe have to have different cannabis laws,a McKinney said. aWe are putting people in prison and ripping families apart, and weare doing this over a simple medication. We try to stress that all use is medical, whether or not that is the intent.a
Aside from its utilization as a treatment for many serious and even deadly diseases, marijuana may also help with lung health, anxiety, metabolism, PTSD and appetite.
It has also been known to help to protect the brain from trauma, eliminate nightmares and help alcohol users cut back, according to Business Insider, a news site for business and technology.
A great deal of Mckinneyas activist work focuses on raising money for families with children in need of cannabis treatment.
aI think the biggest benefit of legalization will be the preservation of our children,a she said. aI want to see them thriving, not dying.a
FARGO -- The second man convicted in a crime spree around the region in 2015 has been sentenced in federal court to nine years and six months in prison.
Carlos Henry Bethel, 28, of Fargo was convicted of interfering with commerce by threats and violence and possessing a firearm in the furtherance of a crime of violence.
The charges stemmed from an armed robbery at The Spirit Shop liquor store, 1404 33rd St. S. in Fargo, on Sept. 28, and another at the Bottle Barn liquor store at 2515 S. University Drive less than an hour later.
The other man convicted in the crimes, Andrew Jerome Ford, 28, of Fargo was sentenced in federal court on April 19 to eight years and six months in prison.
Ford and Bethel admitted to being the getaway driver for one another in the liquor store robberies, according to U.S. Attorney Chris Myers.
Both men acknowledged as part of a plea deal that they either participated in or aided and abetted a number of crimes in 2015, according to Myers, including a home invasion and burglary in Hillsboro, a vehicle burglary in Fargo and a burglary of a Fargo residence in which firearms were stolen.
Bethel was also sentenced to three years of supervised release.
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FARGO -- At any hour of the night, Judge Steven Marquart could get a phone call from a police officer wanting him to sign a search warrant.
Police agencies in the Fargo area all turn to Marquart because he's the only judge in North Dakota's East Central Judicial District who handles after-hours search warrants via email, also known as electronic search warrants.
"I know the officers like them. They don't have to drive to my house," the judge said. "I like them. I don't have to stay up a long time waiting for them to get there."
Electronic search warrants figured heavily in arguments heard last week at the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Birchfield v. North Dakota, which is consolidated with a similar Minnesota case and another North Dakota one.
The cases focus on the question of whether police must obtain a search warrant before making someone take a blood or breath test to determine the person's blood-alcohol level. In North Dakota, Minnesota and several other states, it's currently a crime for suspected drunken drivers to refuse such tests even in the absence of a warrant.
Attorney Thomas McCarthy, who represented North Dakota, told the justices that requiring warrants in these situations would put states "in a terrible bind." But the justices were quick to point out that over 40 states have systems that allow police to get an electronic search warrant in a matter of minutes.
North Dakota and Minnesota don't have formal systems for issuing electronic search warrants, but the rules in both states allow police to request one by phone, fax or email. And there are judges in each state who will review and sign electronic warrants, but it's unclear how widespread the practice is.
For about a year, North Dakota judges have been able to remotely access their work computers, theoretically giving them the means to place a digital signature on a late-night search warrant, said state court administrator Sally Holewa. But as far as she knows, Marquart and District Judge Gail Hagerty in Bismarck are the only judges in the state who issue electronic warrants.
Whether a judge uses the technology, usually depends on the judge's comfort level in receiving warrant information electronically, Holewa said, adding that many judges still see value in meeting a warrant-seeking officer in person.
Holewa said there are no plans to create a statewide electronic warrant system. But she acknowledged that if the Supreme Court rules that warrants are needed for blood-alcohol tests, it may force state judges to use the electronic option more often.
"Regardless of how the case is determined, it's a discussion worth having," she said.
In Minnesota, authorities are working to develop an electronic system through which police could request search warrants and judges could review and approve them without having to exchange emails or faxes, state court spokesman Beau Berentson said in an email.
During the arguments at the Supreme Court, Justice Stephen Breyer said it takes five minutes to get a warrant in Wyoming and 15 minutes in Montana.
"How long in North Dakota?" Breyer asked.
McCarthy, North Dakota's attorney, said that in more populated jurisdictions, it takes about a half hour to an hour, but in rural areas, it's sometimes more difficult to reach someone on the phone.
"Why is it harder to get somebody on the phone in rural" areas than in cities? Justice Anthony Kennedy asked, adding playfully: "I think people in the rural areas were sitting waiting for the phone to call."
In southeast North Dakota, Sargent County has a population of less than 4,000. And the time it takes to get a late-night search warrant there depends on how quickly a sheriff's deputy can wake a sleeping judge, Sheriff Travis Paeper said. "Unfortunately, our judges aren't awake 24 hours," he said.
Paeper said there are district judges in his area who will sign electronic warrants, and when deputies need one, they phone a list of judges until one answers -- a process that can take up to an hour.
If a warrant was required for a breath or blood test, Paeper said, it would add even more time to making a drunken-driving arrest, which already takes an hour to 1 hours. For a rural county, he said, that means tying up what may be the only officer on patrol.
In Fargo, Marquart said he's been signing electronic warrants on his personal iPad for the past year or so. He said that since March 1, he's signed 17 after-hours warrants for local police.
"As soon as I get the warrant, I can get it back to them in about five minutes," the judge said.
In Minnesota, Clay County Chief Deputy Matt Siiro said local judges take turns being on call to deal with electronic search warrants late at night.
Siiro said it typically takes 30 minutes to an hour for an officer to write a warrant and wake a judge to review and sign it. "It's not quick, easy and painless by any means," he said.
A 16-year-old boy and his disabled younger brother finished a 111-mile walk Monday, reaching the steps of the Michigan Capitol after the teen carried his sibling on his back for all but the last half-mile.
It was the third and longest journey for Hunter Gandee and his nine-year-old brother Braden, who has cerebral palsy. They set out from their home town of Temperance last Wednesday to inspire people to embrace anyone with a disability.
'Not just cerebral palsy all disabilities,' Hunter told The Associated Press.
Hard work: Hunter Gandee, 16, walked 111 miles with his brother Braden, nine, strapped to his back
Loving family: The Michigan brothers pictured with sister Kerragan, 15 (left), and brother Kellen, eight (right) started the walk last Wednesday and completed it on Monday
Long distance: They walked from their hometown to the steps of the Michigan Capitol
Good message: The brothers call the walk the Cerebral Palsy Swagger and hope it will promote inclusion of people with disabilities
They call the walk the Cerebral Palsy Swagger, and it challenges people worldwide to take steps toward inclusion.
When they started their journey last week, the plan was to stop at several Michigan schools along the way to spread their message.
'He's pretty excited right now,' Hunter said before setting out. 'We've had a great time, so far.'
Then on Monday, surrounded by family, Braden walked the last half-mile to the Capitol with a walker. Lieutenant governor Brian Calley and others greeted them.
'It's hard to take just one moment,' Hunter said when asked to describe a highlight. 'A lot of memories were created. To see Braden get to the steps of the Capitol building was just amazing.'
It wasn't their first trek. Hunter was 14 in 2014 when he carried Braden for 40 miles. Last year, they made a 57-mile walk.
A crowd: Others joined them on the long walk, which saw them stopping at schools along the way
Finale: Braden weighs 70lbs, and Hunter noted that he's getting bigger so this will be their last walk
Good kid: Hunter is starting his senior year of high school in the fall
However, the dedicated big brother expects that this will be his last such walk because he will be starting his senior year of high school in the fall and will be preparing for college.
'And Braden is getting bigger,' Hunter added. The nine-year-old now weighs 70lbs, but weighed just 50lbs on their first walk.
'I'm extremely thankful for our support and that has inspired me to keep going; Hunter said.
That support has been there since the beginning. On their first walk, two years ago, Hunter thought seriously about giving up.
'Honestly, yes, there was a point that we did consider stopping,' Hunter said. 'Braden's legs the chafing was getting pretty bad. We did have to consider stopping. It was at about the 30-mile point.'
A phone call changed all that.
Starting the tradition: The pair's first Cerebral Palsy Swagger was a 40-miled journey in 2014, when Braden weighed 50lbs
Walk through the pain: During the first walk, Hunter considered stopping, but soldiered on
Getting longer: They completed a second walk, this one 57 miles, in 2015
Going far: The walks have grown steadily longer, with 111 miles being the lengthiest trek yet
Hunter reached out to a friend, who said a prayer for the brothers. That, combined with some rest and a change in how Braden was positioned on his brother's back, helped the boys make it the final 10 miles.
A year later, they took the Cerebral Palsy Swagger to the University of Michigan's Pediatric Rehabilitation Center in Ann Arbor.
The brothers set out from Lambertville, located on the border with Ohio on the state's eastern edge, with Braden secured in a harness.
'It went great we walked into a big crowd of people,' Hunter said about the finish.
It's the deceptively simple brain-teaser that has been sweeping the web in recent months - Where's Wally-style puzzles with cartoon animals hidden among throngs of creatures.
It should be easy, but recent offerings have seen people unable to locate the pesky creatures for anywhere between two seconds and 20 minutes.
In the latest Where's Wally-style puzzle, one canny artist has hidden a panda's face among a herd of elephants - and it's proving surprisingly tricky to spot.
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In the latest Where's Wally-style puzzle, created by California-based artist Matthew Merrill, a panda's face has been buried among a herd of colourful elephants - and it's proving surprisingly tricky to spot
The illustration sees dozens of elephants' heads in shades of brown, yellow, grey and white. However the black ink used to outline their eyes and ears mean that the monochrome panda (second from right, seventh row from the bottom) is all but camouflaged.
It was created by Matthew Merrill from Fresno, California, who is fast becoming known for his head-scratching puzzles.
His last creation that swept the internet saw a panda hidden among hundreds of dogs, with a few wearing bows and others with long shaggy hair, making them even more difficult to differentiate between.
Among the dogs is a cheeky-looking panda. But the black and white creature shares several similarities with its fellow hounds including jaunty ears and a black nose.
The illustration sees dozens of elephants' heads in shades of brown, yellow, grey and white. However the black ink used to outline their eyes and ears mean that the monochrome panda (circled) is all but camouflaged
With every breed represented - and a few mutts as well - it's quite a challenge to spot the bear hiding amid the giant pack of dogs.
But if you look closely you'll see it sandwiched to the middle of the right-hand side of the drawing.
The animal is far less easy to spot than the corgis pictured with giant ears, or the white hound with its hair in a pink bow.
Once you've spotted the bear, you can then see how long it takes you to find the various breeds featured.
There's a Hungarian Puli - the dreadlocked pooch owned by Mark Zuckerberg - as well as a Labrador, husky, shar pei, mastiff, doberman, a schnauzer, spaniel, pointer, great Dane, chihuahua and poodle.
The illustration, created by Matthew Merrill from California, features a number of different coloured and sized dogs, with a few wearing bows and others with long shaggy hair, making them even more difficult to differentiate between
The black and white creature is sandwiched between various pooches in the middle of the right hand side of the drawing
But the teaser proved a little too easy for the web's taste, with some commenters saying it took them a mere two seconds to find the panda.
One wrote: 'In an instant,' to describe the length of time it took her to find the animal.
This new visual game follows on from a teaser posted two weeks ago by Mashable's Watercooler, created by Max Knoblauch.
The drawing features a number of hamsters in various states of happiness, with a few dressed up in wacky costumes to throw off guesses.
Among the crowd of hamsters is a potato - which blends in surprisingly well with its furry friends. Can you spot it?
The illustration, created by Max Knoblauch, features a number of hamsters in various states of happiness, with a few dressed up in wacky costumes to throw off guesses
There's bridal hamster, complete with a veil and a smile, a rodent in a red clown nose, and one even wearing a Mets jersey.
But nestled behind two hamsters that aren't dressed up at all is the potato in the fourth row from the bottom and four spots from the right.
In another Knoblauch illustration, the reader is challenged to find Doc Brown, Christopher Lloyd's character in the Back to the Future films, amid dozens of Bernie Sanders.
But nestled behind two hamsters that aren't dressed up at all is the potato in the fourth row from the bottom and four spots from the right
In another Max Knoblauch illustration, the reader is challenged to find Doc Brown, Christopher Lloyd's character in the Back to the Future films, amid dozens of Bernie Sanders
But people may find this one a little easier, as Doc Brown's circular glasses are a dead giveaway in the sea of Sanders.
Hungarian cartoonist Gergely Dudas is to credit for the surging trend of sweet and silly illustrations sweeping the internet and asking people to find the likes of eggs, pandas and owls.
Dudas most recently released an Easter-themed image that disguised an egg among a cluster of bunnies.
The image was shared more than 7,000 times after Dudas posted it on his Facebook page last week.
People may find this one easier, as Doc Brown's circular glasses are a dead giveaway in the sea of Bernies
Hungarian cartoonist Gergely Dudas challenged fans to find the Easter egg hidden in this group of bunnies
As it typical with his drawings the cartoonist, who goes by the name of Dudolf, has thrown in a few red herrings to keep those trying to solve the puzzle distracted.
One of the rabbits wears a top hat, two others hold a tin of paint while a fourth munches on a carrot, drawing the eye away from the real prize - the elusive egg.
The peach-colored egg is actually located towards the left hand edge of the drawing, two rows up from the bottom, hiding behind a white rabbit's head.
Since being posted on hid Facebook page on Friday morning the image has attracted almost 4,000 likes and has been shared more than 2,000 times
Dudas, or Dudolf as he is known when drawing, spawned the Where's waldo-style internet puzzle craze back in December last year when he asked fans to find the panda hidden in these snowmen
Jan Josleyn wrote: 'I am always very good at these but ... I sure can't say that NOW. this one almost got the best of me!'
Meanwhile Peggy Prawdzik praised the artist, saying: 'Dudolf - You're the smile this world needs. Thanks for your posts!'
Dudolf first found fame in December last year with his drawing of a crowd of snowmen with a panda hiding in their midst that was shared hundreds of thousands of times.
The image of the panda was shared hundreds of thousands of times as it captivated internet users who eventually found him here
Capitalizing on his new-found fame, Dudolf quickly followed up with this image of wide-eyed owls, this time challenging people to find the cat concealed among them
The Where's Waldo-style cartoon was quickly followed up by another featuring cats and owls, before several imitators added their contributions.
Reddit user Oneste stuck with the panda theme, but this time drew the fuzzy creature hiding among a group of Stormtroopers to mark the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
There amongst Imperial troops including Stormtroopers, Speeder Biker riders and Snowtroopers, is a single panda with the same black and white colouring as the other figures.
Then, in February this year to mark Oscar season, illustrator Michael Rogalski hid a golden statuette among a group of C3PO droids from the Star Wars films and drove the internet mad looking for it.
The key to tracking the elusive feline down proved to be the difference between the owls' beaks and the cat's Y-shaped mouth (pictured)
The popularity of Dudolf's illustrations quickly spawned imitators, including illustrator Michael Rogalski who tasked people with finding the Oscar among these C3POs
The statuette's different facial expression turned out to be the key to finding him in this drawing
Reddit user Oneste also got in on the act by hiding another panda in among this group of Stormtroopers
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A bride-to-be has told how her fiance secretly saved 18,000 so he could wow her with the best engagement ever.
Kate Williams, 25, a nurse from Caerphilly, was stunned when her boyfriend of five years suddenly announced they were going away on holiday to Dubai.
She had no idea that romantic Gareth Billinghurst, 27, a project manager for Royal Mail, had already splashed 3,000 on a diamond ring and had planned that they would travel in a chauffeured Rolls-Royce with a wedding proposal in the Royal suite at a seven-star hotel.
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Kate and Gareth had an unforgettable trip to Dubai where they enjoyed sipping rose aboard a speedboat
Kate had no idea that Gareth had planned to get down on bended knee at the Royal Suite of the seven-star Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, where they were serenaded by guitar music and given champagne to welcome them
And she said yes! The happy toast their engagement with champagne in the lavish hotel Dubai hotel suite
Yet incredibly Gareth didn't even use a credit card to fund the luxury trip - he secretly squirrelled away money he gained from working overtime over the past two years.
Kate said: 'Gareth has always been romantic. I've often arrived home from work to find a trail of rose petals leading to the kitchen where he's cooking me a candelit dinner.
'And I regularly wake up to love notes left on my pillow. But Gareth's extraordinary proposal was amazing and took my breath away.'
Meanwhile Gareth said: 'People might think I'm mad to spend so much money on an engagement but seeing Kate's stunned and delighted face was worth it.'
The couple beam for the cameras as they pose amid opulence on their once-in-a-lifetime trip
The pair share a kiss while scuba diving in the crystal waters of the Maldives
Kate said that staying on a bungalow surrounded by crystal water made her feel like a movie star
The couple met through friends in 2010. But signs Gareth was planning something big emerged in October 2013 when he told Kate to book three weeks off for a big holiday in two years' time.
Kate recalls: 'He refused to tell me any more so I booked the time off work and thought nothing more of it. However, by the time the trip came round in October 2015 and he'd told me to pack for a beach holiday and take some glamorous dresses, I was bursting with excitement.'
As the couple travelled to Gatwick airport Gareth still hadn't revealed where they were going.
All was only revealed at the checkout desk when to Kate's delight she found it was one of her dream destinations - their tickets said Dubai.
The couple, pictured in the UK, are now saving up for a mind-blowing 35,000 wedding in 2017
Gareth practises his swing over the sea in the Maldives on the second leg of their proposal tour
The bling: Gareth had splashed out 3,000 on a diamond engagement ring (pictured) for Kate
Gareth spared no expense and booked the stunning Jumeriah Vittavelli Hotel in the Maldives where each private villa has its own pool
However, she admits as they took their seats in the business section of the plane and was handed a glass of champagne by cabin crew, she did worry about the cost.
'As we took off I did say to Gareth, 'Can we really afford this? He replied he'd been saving a while.
'However when we were met at the airport by a chauffered driver in a Rolls-Royce Phantom, I did wonder.'
She was stunned when a few minutes later it stopped at the Burj Al Arab hotel and they were led to the Royal Suite.
Gareth and Kate pose in the bar as they enjoy a business class flight on Emirates to Dubai
Kate only began to suspect their holiday was out of the ordinary as she saw that Gareth had bought them business class tickets
'A butler held out a silver tray with two glasses of champagne on it. And every table was crammed full of beautiful roses and chocolates. A man was even playing a love song on a guitar.'
In the middle of the vast lounge twinkling on a marble table was the ring.
'When Gareth picked it up, bent down on one knee and said, 'Kate, will you marry me' I was overwhelmed. Naturally I said yes!'
As they enjoyed dinner later Gareth finally admitted he'd been saving for two years.
He says: 'I just wanted to give Kate the most memorable marriage proposal ever.
The couple, who booked time off for their three-week trip two years in advance, enjoy some holiday cocktails
Kate said that returning to the UK was hard after such a dream-like getaway with her fiance
The couple intend to put money aside so that they can pay for the wedding of their dreams in 2017
I'd done a lot of overtime over the past couple of years and had quietly put the money away. So I didn't need to get a loan or put any money on a credit card.'
The next two days were a dream as the couple relaxed in the health spa, swam in the pool and enjoyed fabulous meals.
THE ENGAGEMENT BILL Burj Al Arab Hotel: 2,525 Jumeirah Vittaveli Hotel, Maldives: 6,300 Armani Hotel, Dubai: 1,400 Emirates Airline flights: 3,200 Ring: 2,500 Spending money 2,500 TOTAL: 18,425 Advertisement
But Gareth's surprise wasn't over.
Says Kate: 'After three days I had to pack my bags again. Incredibly Gareth was flying me to the Maldives. This time we stayed in a water bungalow surrounded by blue sea and white sand. It was a dream come true and I felt like a movie star.'
Over the next ten days the pair had meals cooked by a private chef swam with turtles and dolphins and went out on jet skis.
On the way back they stayed for another week in Dubai at the Armani Hotel in the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.
Kate admits coming home was hard. But the couple are now set to marry in May 2017 and have already set a budget of 35,000 for their dream wedding.
Copycat designer furniture has long been popular with those of us who want to create a stylish home on a budget.
Even Prime Minister David Cameron plumped for a 200 Arco-inspired chrome lamp, rather than splashing out 1,425 on the original.
From Downing Street to the High Street, designer lookalikes are everywhere. But as of tomorrow, anyone who wants to give their home a designer look (Sam Cam included) may have to pay up to 10 times more.
At the moment, anyone can make replicas of designer furniture as long as 25 years have passed since the design first went on sale.
An official Egg lounge chair will set you back more than 5,000 but as it was created by designer Arne Jacobsen in 1958, lookalike versions costing as little as 399 are perfectly legal.
However, all that is about to change. Tomorrow, an EU ruling comes into play in the UK that will extend the copyright period on furniture to 70 years after a designers death.
As Jacobsen died in 1971, suddenly it will be illegal to make and sell copycat Egg chairs until 2041 and anyone doing so could be fined up to 50,000 and face up to 10 years in prison.
It means only the original designer, or companies who hold official licences granted by the designers estates, can produce the chair and, of course, charge through the nose for it.
Happily for consumers there will be a grace period expected to be around six months during which time retro replica retailers will be allowed to sell off their stock without being sued.
Many are expected to slash prices drastically so if youre thinking of kitting out your home with copycat furniture, theres no time to lose.
Heres your guide to the best copies of designer classics that are still available to buy right now...
EAMES DSW CHAIR
Perhaps the best-known chair in the world, Charles and Ray Eames' design costing 340 (left, heals.com) was groundbreaking due to its fibreglass reinforced plastic seat. The lookalike (right, from cultfurniture.com) costs just 59
ARTICHOKE LIGHT BY POUL HENNINGSEN
Made of steel arches and copper 'leaves', this original (left, from nest.co.uk) was designed by Henningsen 58 years ago for Copenhagen restaurant Langelinie Pavilion, where versions still hang. It is available for 5,445. The lookalike (right) is available for just 200 from vertigo-interiors.co.uk
ARCO LAMP BY ACHILLE CASTIGLIONI
Inspired by street lights, Castiglioni's arched 1962 design (left, conranshop.co.uk) featured in the 1971 Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. The designer version can be bought for 1,425. The lookalike (right) is available for just 195 from iconiclights.co.uk
ARNE JACOBSEN EGG CHAIR
Created in 1958 in Copenhagen, this chair (left) was made famous by reality TV show Big Brother (conranshop.co.uk). It would set you back 5,004, but the lookalike (right) is available from pash-living.co.uk for just 399
FLOWERPOT LAMP BY VERNER PANTON
This fun shade (left, from cloudberryliving.co.uk) was created by the Danish designer in the Sixties and named in homage to the 'flower power' movement. While the original carries a price tag of 179, the lookalike (right) can be bought for just 39 from vita-interiors.com
HANG IT ALL COAT RACK BY CHARLES AND RAY EAMES
This fun-looking rack (johnlewis.com) was created by Charles' wife Ray in 1953 to encourage children to hang up their belongings tidily. It can be bought for 199
Meanwhile the lookalike version (pictured) can be picked up from cultfurniture.com for a snip at just 29
EILEEN GRAY E1027 SIDE TABLE
The Irish designer's work (left, from aram.co.uk) was hugely popular in stylish French homes in the early 20th century. The original design can be bought for 489, but the lookalike version (right) can be bought for just 60 from vertigo-interiors.co.uk
RAR ROCKING CHAIR BY CHARLES AND RAY EAMES
Now over 60 years old, it was created to allow parents to sit in comfort and rock their babies to sleep . The original design (left) can be bought from amara.com for 448. Meanwhile, the lookalike version (right) is available from danetti.com for just 55
HARRY BERTOIA DIAMOND CHAIR
Italian-American Bertoia said this chair, from the Fifties, looked like it was 'made of air, like sculpture'. The original (left) is available from conranshop.co.uk for 1,668, while the lookalike (right) can be picked up for just 69 from stonebutterfly.co.uk
GEORGE NELSON BENCH
With slats to let light through, this stylish bench was created by the American designer in 1946. The original (pictured) is available from nest.co.uk for 538
Meanwhile, the practically identical lookalike bench (pictured) can be bought from swiveluk.com for just 160
EAMES LOUNGE CHAIR AND OTTOMAN
Charles Eames designed this leather and plywood chair for his friend, Hollywood film director Billy Wilder, in 1956. The original design (pictured) is available from wharfside.co.uk, for 5,100
The design was intended to resemble the 'warmth, familiarity and comfort of a well-worn baseball mitt'. The lookalike (pictured) can be picked up for 749 from pash-living.co.uk
ISAMU NOGUCHI VITRA COFFEE TABLE
Invented by Japanese-American sculptor Noguchi in the Forties, the glass top balances on two solid wooden legs. The original design (pictured) is available from nest.co.uk for 1,323
While originals are still available thanks to the table's sturdy construction, a lookalike version (pictured) is also available from stonebutterfly.co.uk for just 145
VERNER PANTON S CHAIR
Created in 1960, this was the first chair made from a single piece of plastic. The original design (left), which will set you back 208, is available from amara.com. Meanwhile, the lookalike can be bought for 59 from pash-living.co.uk
COMPONIBILI STORAGE BY ANNA FERRIERI
This versatile unit from 1967 features at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The original design (left) can be bought for 110 from amara.com, while the lookalike (right) costs 85 from next.co.uk
GEORGE NELSON SUNBURST CLOCK
In the evening she gave a speech at a dinner to combat loneliness
Princess Mary has revealed that the royal family's dinners are just like those every parent with young children has to deal with: noisy, rowdy, but ultimately cherished.
The 44-year-old revealed the details in a speech at a charity dinner in Copenhagen aimed at encouraging people to share meals to stop loneliness.
She said that she her nightly meal was the family's 'focal point'. 'The meal is an opportunity to tell and to listen - there may have been an extra good play in kindergarten or a particularly difficult task in school,' she said.
'With four children there are many stories to be told, and it can be difficult to be updated all around...silence rarely lasts long.'
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Busy bee! Princess Mary has attended two events in one day, first presenting a research award, before attending a charity dinner called Denmark Eats Together
Stylish: Mary opted for black skinny jeans, a knitted top, blaser and new season boots for the dinner, where she was greeted by eight-year-old Sara Hassan (above)
Other than talking about her own family, Mary used her speech to highlight how important it is to reach out to others and her passion for fighting loneliness.
The princess also ate a communal meal with locals at the event, which was partly sponsored by her charity The Mary Foundation.
She opted to dress down for the event, wearing skinny black jeans, a knitted top and a black blaser, as well as new season Julie Fagerholt Heartmade boots, but was still her stylish self
Passionate: The princess gave a speech at the dinner, which aims to help combat loneliness by encouraging people to share meals with each other
The people's princess: The 44-year-old's charity The Mary Foundation is a sponsor of the dinner, and the royal spoke to locals at the event
Earlier in the day the accomplished Royal participated in the official opening of the Festival of Research in Copenhagen where as patron, she presented the Research Communication Award 2016 in an all-white ensemble.
The Crown Princess donned a pair of rubber gloves in order to pick up and examine a frog inside a jar during a scheduled activity.
At the opening of the Festival of Research, Mary's sartorial judgement, was, as usual, impeccable.
Princess and the frog: Princess Mary participated in the official opening of the Festival of Research in Copenhagen, where she picked up a frog with rubber gloves
Still stylish: The intelligent and accomplished Royal was a patron of the event, and she also presented the Research Communication Award 2016
Feather to her gap: For the event, the 44-year-old opted for an all-white ensemble, paired with pearl drop earrings and nude heels
The princess opted for a stylish white two piece for the event, as well as nude heels, pearl drop earrings and an eye-catching animal print belt.
She later donned a stylish woolen cape, which she wore to fend off the cold Danish spring weather, when she posed for photographs outside the National History Museum at the University of Copenhagen.
During the event, Princess Mary presented the Research Communication Award and gave a speech.
Keeping warm: HRH later donned a stylish woolen cape to fend off the cold Danish spring weather, when she posed for photographs outside the National History Museum at the University of Copenhagen
Activity time: After the award was given, the Princess toured the four communication objects with the Education and Research Minister, Ulla Trns
All white on the night: HRH looked classy in a sheer white blouse and skirt with an animal print belt
After the award was presented, the princess toured the four communication objects with the Education and Research Minister, Ulla Trns.
These included the ringing centre, fungi atlas, DNA & Life and ant hunt. It was during this tour that she pulled on a pair of rubber gloves to examine a dead frog.
12-year-old girl has gone to QLD court to get
The case of a 12-year-old in Queensland who had to go to the Supreme Court in order to obtain an abortion has reignited the debate around abortion law in Australia.
The case ended up in court because if a child under 14 falls pregnant and is in need of an abortion in the state, they have to be deemed by the courts or a clinician to be competent of understanding the procedure.
There are no federal regulations governing abortions, and each state and territory has different restrictions for women seeking a termination.
Abortion has been decriminalised in the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Tasmania. In all other states and territories access to an abortion is a crime for both doctors and patients unless strict criteria is met.
Due to differences in law and the availability of facilities providing abortion, terminations can cost between $350-$3,000 after the Medicare rebate, depending on where you live in Australia.
FEMAIL has broken down the law and explained the legalities in each state and territory:
Restrictions: Abortion law is different in every state and territory, and has only been decriminalised in the ACT, Victoria and Tasmania
QUEENSLAND
ABORTION LAW IN AUSTRALIA ACT: Legal on request
QLD: Legal if pregnancy would mean a serious danger to the women's health
NSW: Legal if pregnancy would mean a serious danger to the women's health, fetal defects or for economic or social factors
NT: Legal if pregnancy would mean a serious danger to the women's health or for fetal defects
SA: Legal if pregnancy would mean a serious danger to the women's health or for fetal defects
TAS: Legal on request
VIC: Legal on request
WA: Legal if pregnancy would mean a serious danger to the women's health, for fetal defects or for economic or social factors Advertisement
In Queensland, an abortion can be obtained up to 22 weeks into pregnancy if a doctor certifies that continuing the pregnancy would be a 'serious danger' to the woman's health, or if fetal defects mean a child would not live long after birth.
If a person under 16 is seeking an abortion in the state, in most cases they must have parental consent and be accompanied by a parent to the termination appointment. Additional requirements are in place if a child is under the age of 14 and seeking an abortion.
Queensland is the only state that sets strict age requirements on accessing abortion without parental consent. In Western Australia if a woman is under the age of 16 one of her parents must be notified unless the Children's Court rules otherwise.
In 2010 a couple in Cairns were charged with procuring an illegal abortion after they imported the termination drug RU486 and used it to end the woman's eight week pregnancy. They were ultimately found not guilty by a jury.
Legal challenge: A 12-year-old girl was forced to seek permission to have an abortion from the Queensland Supreme Court under Queensland's criminal laws (stock image)
NEW SOUTH WALES
The law in New South Wales mirrors that of Queensland, but doctors can also take into consideration a woman's economic and social status, as well as non-life threatening medical conditions.
In 2006 Dr Suman Sood was found guilty of providing an illegal abortion to a woman in Sydney because she did not adequately determine that continuing the pregnancy would provided a serious danger to the woman's health.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
In Western Australia the law allows women to access an abortion up to 20 weeks into pregnancy if a woman's health would be in danger by continuing the pregnancy or having a child. Doctors can also consider a woman's economic, social and personal situation.
After 20 weeks, two doctors from a panel of six appointed by the government must approve the termination. In addition, if the woman is under the age of 16 then one of her parents must be informed of the abortion unless a court gives permission for this requirement to be waived.
Difficult: In Queensland, Victoria, NSW, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory there are restrictions on women accessing abortion, and a doctor must certify that a woman can have a termination
TYPES OF ABORTION IN AUSTRALIA A medical abortion, also known as the RU486 pill, is available is a woman is up to nine weeks pregnant. Two tablets are taken a day apart which causes bleeding and the pregnancy to end
A surgical abortion is a day procedure where the woman is put under anesthesia and the pregnancy ended by a procedure performed by a doctor. Advertisement
NORTHERN TERRITORY
In the Northern Territory abortion is legal up to 14 weeks if two doctors certify that a woman's health would be in serious danger by continuing the pregnancy, or if fetal defects mean the child would not live long after birth.
Abortions are legal up to 23 weeks in an emergency where there is serious risk to the woman's health. All abortions in the Northern Territory must be performed in a hospital, not a clinic, which limits the availability for terminations in the state.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Abortions are legal up to 23 weeks, and two doctors must certify that a woman's health would be in danger if they continued the pregnancy, or into the future if they had a child. Abortion is also available if fetal defects mean a child would be severely disabled, either mentally or physically.
A woman must have been living in South Australia for at least two months before accessing abortion in the state, except in an emergency. Abortions must also be carried out in a hospital in most cases, meaning medical abortions usually not an option in the state.
Options: There are two types of abortion available in Australia, medical abortions and surgical abortions
TASMANIA
Abortion is legal on request in Tasmania up to 16 weeks of pregnancy. After this time two doctors must approve the request. Tasmania also prohibits abortion protesters from being within 150 metres of a termination clinic. There are only two abortion clinics in the state, both in Hobart.
VICTORIA
Abortion is legal in Victoria up to 24 weeks, after which time two doctors must approve the request on medical, psychological or social grounds. Abortion protesters are not allowed withing a 150 metre radius of an abortion provider.
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
Abortion is legal on request in the ACT with no time limits. It can be provided in a hospital or clinic, and there are laws preventing protesters from being within 50 metres of an abortion provider.
There was more bacteria found on free weights at the gym than a toilet seat
An incredible 70 per cent of the
Finding the motivation to go the gym in the first place is hard enough.
But now a new study has revealed there's more to gym equipment than meets the eye: mainly a whole lot of bacteria.
A new study revealed free weights at the gym alone can harbour 362 times the amount of germs than found on a toilet seat, and more than 70 per cent of that bacteria is potentially harmful.
Facing the facts: A study has revealed just how much bacteria is found on gym equipment
Not so clean: The study found bacteria on treadmills, exercise bikes and free weights (pictured)
Confronting: It was revealed there was 362 times the amount of germs found on free weights as there are found on a toilet seat
The study, conducted by FitRated.com, tested 27 pieces of gym equipment across three gyms.
Testing was done on free weights, an exercise bike and treadmill - and different strains of bacteria were found on each.
The study tested for four different types of bacteria, including gram-positive cocci which is a common cause of skin infections, pneumonia and septicemia.
Exercise caution: The study tested for four different types of bacteria, and 70 per cent was found to be potentially harmful
Cause for concern: The most common bacteria found was gram-positive cocci, which is a common cause of skin infections, pneumonia and septicemia
Also tested was gram-negative rods (between 90 an 95 per cent can be harmful to humans and resistant to antibiotics), gram-positive rods (that tend not to be harmful) and bacillus (which can be harmful or helpful).
The most commonly found bacteria was gram-positive cocci, followed by gram-negative rods and gram-positive rods and bacillus.
To put the findings in to perspective, the study compared the bacteria count to a toilet seat, public toilet faucet and cafeteria tray - all of which contained significantly less bacteria than the equipment.
Confronting comparison: A treadmill was found to have 74 times more bacteria than a public bathroom faucet
While the free weights had 362 times more bacteria than a toilet seat, an exercise bike had 39 times more bacteria than a cafeteria tray and a treadmill 74 times more bacteria than a public bathroom faucet.
But what does this mean for you?
Infectious disease expert Professor Allen Cheng, from Monash University, told ABC News there was little evidence that diseases could be spread through gyms.
Keeping it clean: The faucet on sinks in the bathroom were cleaner than treadmills at the gym
Peace of mind: While bacteria is present, health professionals said it unlikely disease would spread through gyms where people are fit and healthy
A healthy individual with a good immune system is unlikely to get sick from using the gym, with disease more likely to spread in somewhere like a hospital where patients can be susceptible to infections.
However, Professor Cheng said the diseases most likely to be caught from bacteria found in the gym is flu or a gastro virus.
'So if people went to the gym while they've got the flu you can leave it on surfaces and catch it that way,' Professor Cheng said.
Australasian College of Dermatologists Dr Barbara Breadon also told ABC News skin conditions such as tinea of the feet and warts could be caught in the gym if you used the pool or shower, but it was not a big risk.
Be mindful: Taking precautions, such as wiping down equipment, could minimise your contact with bacteria
So how do you avoid making contact with bacteria?
The study encouraged gym goers to wipe down their exercise machines before and after each use with a disinfectant spray, and to not walk around barefoot.,
How far would you go to banish visible panty lines?
A lingerie company has created what may be the smallest underwear ever - the Shibue: a strapless panty held in place using a soft adhesive gel.
Unlike regular g-strings or underwear that is pulled on over the legs, the Shibue simply covers your private part from front to back - and bodycon loving celebrities can't get enough.
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Barely there: The Shibue is tiny underwear worn front to back, banishing panty lines for good
Itsy bitsy: The knickers stick on with a soft adhesive gel, making them more comfortable to wear than a c-string
How to wear: Simply remove the protective liner, stick on to your skin and secure at the back
HOW DID THE SHIBUE GET ITS NAME? 'I thought I would combine the first three letters of my maiden name "Shipley" and the first three letters of my married name "Buettner", and call my company SHIBUE Couture,' the founder of the company, Jenny Buettner said. 'Once I had convinced myself that it was clever enough to start the ball rolling as the parent company, I started doing internet searches for its translation and found that it means "understated elegance" in Japanese Jackpot! As for the name of my newly redefined panty we affectionately called it the "strapless panty". However somewhere along the line we started calling it the "Shibue". Source: Shibue Advertisement
The Shibue is a continuation of the c-string: another barely there design that looks somewhat similar to a headband.
But unlike the Shibue the c-string holds its shape with a piece of plastic.
'Shibues are held in place by a washable and re-usable soft silicone gel adhesive across the top front and top back of the panty leaving nothing but a smooth, clean silhouette on your sides,' the product's website reads.
Stiff competition: The c-string is a similar design, but uses a piece of plastic to keep in place
Would you dare? The Shibue covers your private parts from front to back, unlike a regular g-string that has straps
Making it stick: A storage liner is supplied to protect the adhesive gel between wears
'Shibues are being worn in the movies, TV, red carpet and even on the runway.'
Among those embracing the trend are catwalk models, who strut the runway in the barely there designs and models Kate Upton and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Express.co.uk reported.
The Shibue Instagram page is littered with photos of women in sheer dresses, dresses that split up to the waist and curve hugging designs - their Shibue invisible beneath.
With the product available online, it seems only a matter of time before Shibue's make it in to the lingerie drawers of Australian women.
Runway ready: The design is won by celebrities, such as models Kate Upton and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
Going commando: Jesinta Campbell recently admitted she went without underwear on the red carpet because you could see her panty line
The product could be a quick fix for red-carpet regulars, such as David Joned ambassador Jesinta Campbell, who recently admitted to going 'commando' on the Logies red carpet.
'I have a story from my very first Logies: I wore this beautiful Burberry dress, it was very tightly fitted, and as I was going onto the red carpet I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror,' she told The Today Show.
It's almost five years since she walked down the aisle at Westminster Abbey and became Prince Wiliam's wife and the future Queen.
But even after half a decade to settle into her role within the Royal Family and the guidance of her loyal husband, the Duchess of Cambridge, 34, is still not feeling confident, according to royal expert Ingrid Seward.
The editor of Majesty magazine told The Mirror: 'I think she's absolutely terrified of not doing it right. I think she feels a great responsibility on her slender shoulders to do the right thing and be seen to be doing the right thing.'
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It's almost five years since she married Prince William but the Duchess of Cambridge is still not feeling confident in her public role, says Ingrid Seward of Majesty magazine
The royal couple following their wedding at Westminster Abbey on 29th April 2011
Ms Seward said she felt the Duchess had integrated 'extremely well' considering she did not come from an aristocratic background.
The Duchess who comes from an ordinary middle class family has had to learn the ropes of royal life from scratch, but crucially she's had great support from her husband.
'She hasn't made any mistakes which is extraordinary when you think of how difficult it is for her,' Ms Seward said.
'I suppose the only mistake she's made is that she's probably seen not always as particularly interesting.'
The couple, pictured with their family at Kensington Palace in October 2015, enjoyed a long run of popularity after their wedding and the births of their children George, two, and Charlotte, 11 months
Kate's voice is rarely heard in public but she contributed a single line comment to a video to support the Heads Together mental health campaign, which was released at the weekend
Kate's voice is rarely heard in public and she has only given a handful of speeches. Her first solo TV interview was for The Queen At 90, to mark the monarch's birthday.
She recently contributed a single line comment to a video to support the Heads Together mental health campaign, which was released at the weekend.
However, Ms Seward puts her reticence down to her desire not to put a foot wrong.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hike to Paro Taktsang in Bhutan. Majesty magazine editor Ingrid Seward said that William and Kate are each other's best friends and that her husband's support has been crucial to the Duchess in finding her feet
Ms Seward said that without each other the couple, pictured on Safari at Kaziranga National Park earlier this month, could feel isolated in the 'ivory tower' of royal life
And she said that there will be plenty of time for her to make speeches and make her personality and opinions a bit more known in the future.
Describing the couple as each others best friends, she said their relationship was crucial to stave off feelings of isolation in the 'ivory tower of royalty'.
Recently both the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have faced accusations of being workshy, when it emerged that Prince William had carried out far fewer royal duties than his elderly grandmother despite only working part time as an air ambulance pilot.
And Kate pulled out of presenting the shamrocks to the Irish Guards on St Patrick's Day, breaking a 115-year-old tradition to spend time at home with her children ahead of leaving them for seven days to visit India and Bhutan.
However, Ms Seward said such criticism was inevitable after enjoying a run of popularity following their wedding and the births of their children George, two, and Charlotte, 11 months.
The three remaining couples had to decide whether to stay together
After a whirlwind of romantic getaways, tears and an explosive TV breakup, viewers were unsure of what to expect during Wednesday night's dramatic finale of Married At First Sight Australia.
After their final goodbyes, the three remaining couples went their separate ways to spend two days alone to decide whether or not their relationships would last the distance.
And while Mark and Christie and Erin and Bryce decided their relationships would in fact stand the test of time... Simone decided to break up with Xavier after expressing concerns about their lack of romance.
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Final picnic: After a whirlwind of romantic getaways, tears and an explosive TV breakup, viewers were unsure of what to expect during Wednesday night's dramatic finale of Married At First Sight Australia
Will they make it? After their final goodbyes, the three remaining couples went their separate ways to spend two days alone to decide whether or not their relationships would last the distance
The series' adored farmer Mark surprised Christie with a final romantic picnic on the farm, where they discussed their relationship and how they would cope with the distance between them... both of them saying it was the only obstacle they faced.
Before their big decision, Christie, who initially felt no attraction to Mark, said if he didn't want to continue their relationship she would be 'crushed.'
'When someone's so beautiful on the inside, it just... it grows. But as I'm getting to know him, I just think he's absolutely b****y adorable,' she said.
'When someone's so beautiful on the inside, it just...it grows': Despite concerns about their long distance relationship, Mark and Christie decided to stay together
Newfound chemistry: 'You are an amazing person, but... I can't let you go, either. I want us to give it a go,' Mark said
She also revealed she may be falling in love with Mark and that he is the first man she had seen a future with.
When Mark arrived he explained how important the farm it was to him and that he was liking the direction his life was going before Christie.
'It feels like if I go one way, I lose Christie. If I go the other way, I have the life I wanted but I don't have Christie, so it's very tough,' a very teary-eyed Mark said.
Is it love? 'I just really have grown to really have this person in my life and I've just really realised how much she is a part of me now,' he said
Overcoming obstacles: Hey, he picked me!' A very smitten Christie said, 'I think I am falling in love'
But, to the excitement of viewers around the country, the loving pair decided to continue on with their relationship and keep the spark alive.
'You are an amazing person, but... I can't let you go, either. I want us to give it a go,' Mark said, after Christie revealed she was 100 percent keen to give to relationship a go.
'I just really have grown to really have this person in my life and I've just really realised how much she is a part of me now,' he said.
'He's known the farm all his life, he's known me for five weeks. I was nervous. Hey, he picked me!' A very smitten Christie said, 'I think I am falling in love.'
Still going strong: Two months on from filming, the pair admitted they went back to their 'normal lives' but they are still together and going backwards and forwards from Sydney to Melbourne
'Mark and I are still together': 'I'm at an age in my life that, if a relationship's not working, I will walk away. I will make the tough calls, and I'm not afraid to be on my own,' Christie said
Two months on from filming, the pair admitted they went back to their 'normal lives' but they are still together and going backwards and forwards between Sydney and Melbourne.
'I'm at an age in my life that, if a relationship is not working, I will walk away. I will make the tough calls, and I'm not afraid to be on my own,' Christie said.
'It hasn't always been easy, but Mark and I are still together.'
'What's next is Mark is moving to Sydney,' Christie said with a cheeky grin.
'The next one after that is you'll move back to the country,' Mark added.
Is he? 'What's next is Mark is moving to Sydney,' Christie said with a cheeky grin
Not so fast: 'The next one after that is you'll move back to the country,' a grinning Mark added
Erin and Bryce had a very stilted final dinner together - Bryce describing it as a very 'sombre' night.
'The only sort of uncertainty that Erin and I have had the whole time happened in Townsville, about where we see kids in our lives in the next few years. I've always wanted to be a dad. It's really important to me to have kids and have a family,' he said.
Erin said she was 'definitely worried' that their relationship could 'end over kids' but on decision day she said 'after a lot of reflection' that she would 'really love' to continue their relationship.
But Bryce put Erin's fears to rest immediately.
Will they make it? Erin and Bryce also had to decide whether they would keep their relationship going
Stress rash: A blotchy Erin said she was 'definitely worried' that their relationship could 'end over kids' but on decision day she said 'after a lot of reflection' that she would 'really love' to continue their relationship
'I'm glad that you say that because I want to continue, as well,' Bryce said.
'The whole kids thing, it was definitely something that flagged on my radar because family is very important for me. At the end of the day, that stuff will come when it comes... And when you moved out the other day I was so sad and that's when I knew that I wanted to still continue.'
Erin concluded their meeting by admitting she was 'definitely on the love train.'
Smitten: 'And when you moved out the other day I was so sad and that's when I knew that I wanted to still continue,' Bryce said
Giving it a go: Erin concluded their meeting by admitting she was 'definitely on the love train'
And two months on, despite their lives completely changing, they are still as happy as ever.
'Starting a new relationship on top of all that [moving and a new job] was a crazy thing to do. But sometimes crazy pays off... because Erin and I are still together,' Bryce said.
'Bryce and I are currently living in our apartment that we lived in throughout the experiment, and I'm currently paying rent on a fortnightly basis, and the bills,' a proud 'domesticated' Erin added.
She also admitted she had grown a 'fondness' for children and that is was certainly not a '100 per cent no.'
Real world: Two months on, despite their lives completely changing, they are still as happy as ever
Proud: 'Bryce and I are currently living in our apartment that we lived in throughout the experiment, and I'm currently paying rent on a fortnightly basis, and the bills,' a proud 'domesticated' Erin added
Open to children: She also admitted she had grown a 'fondness' for children and that is was certainly not a '100 per cent no'
Simone and Xavier had very unromantic final morning together, with Simone once again expressing concerns about her groom's lack of romance... despite instant chemistry on their wedding day.
Xavier admitted the relationship 'lacked intimacy' but said that's 'just who I am.'
'I think Xavier is aware that our relationship isn't perfect but I think he's oblivious to just how important some things that I've mentioned are for me in this relationship,' Simone said on her way to meet Xavier for the final time.
Xavier said Simone had helped him 'grow up' and that she was 'absolutely amazing'... but although he wanted to keep their romance going, Simone had other ideas.
No romance: Simone and Xavier had very unromantic final morning together, with Simone once again expressing concerns about her groom's lack of romance... despite instant chemistry on their wedding day
Different opinions: Xavier said Simone had helped him 'grow up' and that she was 'absolutely amazing'... but although he wanted to keep their romance going, Simone had other ideas
Walking away: 'So today, I'm so clear in my decision that I'm going to walk away from this relationship,' Simone said
'I want someone who loves to spend time with me. I want somebody who is excited when I walk in that door. And I want somebody who genuinely wants to hold me not because they feel that they have to but because they genuinely just want to hold me,' Simone said.
'So today, I'm so clear in my decision that I'm going to walk away from this relationship.
'Because I feel that you cannot give me any of those things. You're not ready to give any of those things. So thank you for the last month. And that's it,' she said.
But on Thursday, Simone revealed that the pair had agreed on the decision off camera.
Final say: Clare and Jono also made an appearance in the finale, despite their dramatic TV breakup two weeks into their 'marriage'
'My decision was not a shock to Xavier. He agreed to walk away as well. Xavier and I were definitely on the same page,' she told the Manly Daily.
'Considering the situation, Im very happy with my decision and I still stick by it today.'
My decision wasnt just based on what you saw. It was based on lots of conversations we had. Xavier and I spoke about decision day. He knew things were missing in our relationship.'
She also said she had spoken to Xavier a few times since filming the show and that she had been on a 'few dates.'
Moving on: 'I definitely still believe in love. How could you not? Love is one of the most beautiful things there is,' Clare said
'I hope she's doing well': 'She adopts these dogs that need her. She trains them up and is so caring and loving, and awesome in that aspect. But I'm not one of your dogs,' Jono said
Clare and Jono also made an appearance in the finale, despite their dramatic TV breakup two weeks into their 'marriage'.
'It did highlight the fact that, at times, I can be a bit condescending,' Clare admitted.
'It did also highlight, I think, as well, that I am someone who... can be a real know-it-all, which, ironically, I kind of already knew.'
Jono then said he felt as though he was one of Clare's rescue dogs.
'She adopts these dogs that need her. She trains them up and is so caring and loving, and awesome in that aspect. But I'm not one of your dogs,' Jono said, adding that he hopes she's 'doing well.'
A simple trip to the hairdressers can do wonders for one's appearance, as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is proving today as he shows off a new closely-cropped style.
The 66-year-old leader of the opposition, who's been famously vocal about his dislike of formal attire especially wearing ties, seems to be adopting a more statesman-like look of late, prompting observers to suggest he's had a makeover.
Corbyn arrived at the House of Commons for the weekly round of backbiting wearing a sharp grey suit with bright red tie, crisp white shirt and stylish specs.
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Suits you! Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn cut a much more sophisticated figure at PMQs today, with a sharp grey suit and red tie complementing his new haircut
The glasses and close-cropped hair meant Corbyn cut an altogether more sophisticated figure as he faced Prime Minister David Cameron this afternoon
What a difference a day makes! A more casual-looking Jeremy Corbyn as he joined junior doctors protesting yesterday at St Thomas Hospital in London
Well, it is cold out there: Although Corbyn has been looking more like his political peers recently, he proved yesterday that he's still not afraid to wear a vest under his open-necked shirt
Prime Minister's Questions this morning saw an unusually sharp-looking Corbyn sparring with David Cameron.
The new look is the latest in a serious of gradual image tweaks that have seen the Labour leader adopt a more business-like wardrobe.
While he's certainly still partial to a baggy suit, more tailored designs have started to creep into his clothing, with darker colours and brighter ties also appearing.
Fashion stylist Lucas Armitage told Femail that Corbyn's look proves how a few small changes can make a huge difference.
He said: 'Jeremy has shown what a little smartening up can do to transform your look. The hair cut makes a dramatic difference and his red tie is a sartorial way of showing his left-wing leanings.
'The facial hair has had a tidy but still keeps the overall look in keeping with his relaxed personality which I think is important.'
Armitage adds: 'It's great to see a politician with a more relaxed view on their personal presentation as I think it makes them much easier to relate to... but I feel sometimes Jeremy has crossed the relaxed line a little too much.
'This sharper look in my opinion puts him in running to become taken seriously as a candidate for the next prime minister.'
And the glasses look good too! Corbyn's delicately framed spectacles went well with his new hair and Labour-supporting tie
Politics and fashion: Corbyn, pictured in September 2015, has never subscribed to the sartorial rules of the House of Commons
While Corbyn has been persuaded to wear a tie, he's made it clear that the Commons isn't a catwalk
Corbyn's always been partial to a loose-fitting brown jacket, pictured here at last year's Labour Party Conference...but is the leader of the opposition now getting tips on how to sharpen up his look?
The leader of the opposition, a father to three sons, has often grabbed the headlines for his perceived poor sartorial choices particularly as he battled to win the Labour leadership early last year.
Corbyn's obviously not quite yet a full convert to the smart identikit suits favoured by his fellow politicians; yesterday he supported junior doctors marching in London wearing a checked blue overcoat, yellow shirt open at the collar with a white vest clearly visible underneath.
On Twitter this morning following Corbyn's appearance on PMQs and Sky News, some viewers noticed the more distinguished look. Twitter user @hansmollman wrote: '*spits coffee out of mouth* Jeremy Corbyn has had a haircut #pmqs'
Earlier this year, Corbyn poked fun at the PM for being forced to shop in 'Bond Street' while he could buy his clothes at more down-to-earth North London retailers.
Mr Cameron had previously blasted Mr Corbyn saying that his mother would demand he 'do up his tie, put on a proper suit and sing the national anthem'.
Mr Corbyn made light of the jibe as he set up an interview shot with a cameraman.
He said: 'I've gotta to do me tie up because of the Prime Minister.
'He's actually jealous of the jacket.
Her own dogs - two short-haired Jack Russells - probably wouldn't fit the bill.
But the Duchess of Cornwall still appeared fascinated as she chatted to a woman who, remarkably, spins wool from the hair of her pet Samoyed.
Camilla, 68, was speaking to Elizabeth Lee, 75, today as she launched GrandFest, a fabulous festival where the over-70s can showcase their unique talents in the hope of inspiring the younger generation.
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The Duchess of Cornwall attended GrandFest, a festival for over 70s, in London today where she met Elizabeth Lee (pictured) who spins her own wool from her dog's hair
Aside from more standard pastimes such a baking, knitting and crocheting, the royal was introduced to Mrs Lee, from Chepstow, South Wales, who took up spinning after her daughter paid for her to go on course while on holiday.
Not content with sheep or lama wool (which she brought home from a holiday in Peru), Mrs Lee decided to experiment with her pet dog Zoe.
'I have always had Samoyeds at pets and, as you can see, they are terribly fluffy,' she explained to the Duchess.
'I have to groom them most days so decided to see if I could put the fur to good use. It seemed a shame to waste it.'
Mrs Lee admitted that it wasn't the most time-efficient hobby, however.
'It takes three hours to spin one ounce of wool,' she said.
When learning that the wool, which Elizabeth spins from four-year-old Samoyed Zoe's fur, the Duchess described it as a 'wonderful hobby'
Camilla seemed in high spirits today as she joined pensioners for the festival at the The Geffrye Museum in London
'You must be very patient,' the Duchess remarked.
Turning to a toy llama Camilla enquired: 'What about this little fellow?'
'That's from when I went to Peru,' she was told.
Camilla replied: 'What a wonderful hobby! '
'It must be very therapeutic. I think I would get myself tied up in knots.'
Clothing and other items made from dog hair is sometimes referred to as chiengora (chien is French for dog).
It is a skill that has been around for centuries. The Salish, indigenous North Americans who lived in the Pacific Northwest, were known for making blankets from dog hair.
With most modern domestic pets possessing very short hair it can be tricky and time consuming to turn into yarn.
The Duchess was greeted by a decorated veteran as she arrived at the festival designer for the over 70s
Camilla met with various craftsmen and women today including a woman who uses her dogs hair to spin
Camilla also met bakers who had started from scratch late in life - 'there's hope for all of us!' remarked the Duchess - and a wonderful hat maker, who invited her to try on one of her 'Thora Hird' specials 'They'd love that,' giggled Camilla, pointing to the assembled press.
'That's so sweet,' she said, fingering a beautiful knitted child's cardigan.
'It's something I always wished I could do.'
The Duchess also gamely tried her hand at catching a ball in a cup, which had been beautifully hand carved, and managed after her second go.
'It's so simple, but maybe a bit of practice,' she remarked, Camilla was at the launch at the Geffrye Museum in Hoxton, East London, in her role as President of the Royal Voluntary Service, one of the biggest volunteer organisations in the UK.
Here Camilla plays with a handcrafted cup and ball as she meets wood turner Martin during her visit
Now in its second year, GrandFest is a one day festival, to be held in Spitalfields on June 5, that celebrates the craft skills of the older generation.
Twelve 'GrandMakers' will demonstrate their talents to a younger generation in the hope that will continue their skills.
David McCullough, chief executive of the Royal Voluntary Service, said: 'The hipsters of Hoxton...didn't invent this! We just want to demonstrate that our older generation is full of wonderful, transferable skills.
'Artisan bread making? We just call it bread making! '
The charity's ambassador, Keeping Up Appearances actress Patricia Routledge, added: 'This amazing project signifies enthusiastic practicality.
'They are keeping all of us alive longer and they don't know what to do with us. But we know exactly what to do with ourselves! '
Dancer Wayne Sleep, who will be performing at the event and has an energy that belies his 67 years, chatted with Camilla animatedly about India, which he recently visited for a television show, The Real Marigold Hotel.
The Duchess spoke of her desire to travel there herself to meet Tara the elephant, famously ridden by her late brother, conservationist Mark Shand, across the country.
'I will do it one day,' she vowed.
Young men across the country have been busy this spring planning the most romantic promposals they can think of, but one high school senior took the tradition to another level when he invited his girlfriend to the big dance by gifting her a trip to Hawaii.
After three and half years together, Thomas Maher, a senior at Marcos de Niza High School in Tempe, Arizona, and his girlfriend Annalise Wilfert have attended eight high school dances as a couple. For their ninth and final dance together, Thomas pulled out all the stops and planned a whirlwind adventure to Hawaii.
'I knew I wanted to take her on a trip, Thomas told Seventeen.com. 'Giving her only material things wouldn't fit the way our relationship is.'
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Over-the-top? Thomas Maher, a senior at Marcos de Niza High School in Tempe, Arizona, asked his girlfriend Annalise Wilfert to prom by inviting her on a trip to Hawaii and gifting her a tank top and water bottle
Looking for the perfect destination: Thomas created a poll on Twitter asking his followers to choose which vacation location they preferred
In order to find the perfect destination, Thomas created a poll on Twitter asking his followers to choose which vacation location they preferred.
Approximately 1,600 people participated in the poll, and Hawaii topped California and Mexico with a whopping 58 per cent of votes.
Thomas and his family ended up organizing a trip to Hawaii in which they invited her to come on. He also gifted her a Victoria's Secret PINK tank top and a water bottle that she can use on the trip.
'I wanted to go big we both go big for each other,' he explained.
Hawaii happens to be a special place for the couple because Annalise actually surprised Thomas with a trip there when they started dating as freshman.
Under arrest: One woman had her potential prom date put in handcuffs by the police officer as their school
He stole her heart! The officer led the teen outside where his prom date was waiting with a sign that read: 'Davyeon can I cuff you at prom?'
In a photo from the unforgettable moment, Thomas can be seen holding a sign that reads: 'Agree to go to prom with me and I will take you to the Hawaiian sea.'
Meanwhile, Annalise is pictured holding up her new water bottle and tank top as she smiles for the camera.
The image, which was shared on the Promposals Instagram page last week, has earned nearly 15,000 likes, and the two will be enjoying prom together this Saturday.
Pricey promposals have become a huge trend in recent years, with some high-schoolers looking to outdo their classmates with big, memorable gestures.
And those gestures can certainly get expensive. These elaborate initiations have become so commonplace, in fact, that Visa Inc. added the cost of promposals as part of their annual national wide survey tracking prom-related expenses last year.
The thought that counts? This guy shaved the word 'prom' into his hairy chest because his future date is a Harry Potter fan
Animated romance: Another high schooler dressed up as Elsa from the Disney flick Frozen to woo his date
The company found that the average American household that includes a teen now spends $324 on promposing alone.
That's a third of the $919 total that the average teen will spend on prom, which also includes expenses for attire, a limo, flowers, food, and after-parties.
The cost for promposals also varies by region, with families in the Northeast spending the most, $431, on a promposal (and $1169 total on prom). Families in the Midwest spend an average of $342, Southern families spend about $305, and Midwestern families spend just $218 which is still a pretty penny.
Strangely, though it seems that the families that spend the most money aren't the richest. Households with incomes over $50,000 will typically spend about $799 on the whole prom experience while families making under $25,000 spend an average of $1,393.
Dream couple: This guy dressed as Troy from the hit television film High School Musical to ask his date to prom
She's the perfect fit! Another teen was surprised with a cardboard cutout of her petite figure
Some of the over-the-top invitations seen in recent weeks, though, proved that a memorable promposal doesn't have to cost a fortune it just requires some creativity.
One tenacious young woman had the police officer at her school put her dream date in handcuffs before she asked him to prom.
The officer escorted him outside where she was waiting with a sign that read: 'Daveon can I cuff you at prom?'
Another guy turned his body into a work of art by shaving the word 'prom' into his chest.
'I know you like Harry Potter so let me be your hairy date,' he wrote on his accompanying sign.
Highlight of her day: This guy created an oversize make-up palette out of cardboard to ask his lady to prom
Getting political: This girl poked fun at Donald Trump's immigration stance when she asked her date to prom
And he wasn't the only guy to cater to his lady's pop culture interests. While one guy dressed as Elsa from the animated Disney film Frozen, another channeled his inner Zac Efron and dressed up as his High School Musical character Troy.
Some other creative young gentleman made innovative cardboard cutouts, including one guy who designed a cutout in the shape of his date.
'Looking for that perfect fit to take to the prom,' he wrote above the outline of her body.
And one high schooler got political and offered her potential date a Donald Trump 'Make America Great Again' T-shirt after poking fun at the Republican candidate's stance on immigration.
Coming home from an early summer beach holiday in Cyprus, Alice Anastasiou decided she'd had enough of the time-consuming waxing and shaving required to keep her legs hair-free. So she booked into a small hair removal clinic near her Liverpool home for a more permanent solution.
'I'd had laser hair removal there before on my underarms, so I knew what to expect,' says Alice, a 43-year-old mother-of-four, who is studying for a diploma in wine education.
'This time, from the moment the therapist put the laser near me there was a foul smell and it felt as if my skin was on fire. But I didn't want to make a fuss so I stopped myself crying out in agony.'
Alice Anastasiou, a 43-year-old mother-of-four, above, was tired of shaving her legs so she booked into a small hair removal clinic near her Liverpool home for a more permanent solution
At the end of the half-hour session, the therapist gave Alice aloe vera gel to ease the discomfort, but when she arrived home she was horrified to see circular red welts on her legs, above
At the end of the half-hour session, the therapist gave Alice aloe vera gel to ease the discomfort, but when she arrived home she was horrified to see circular red welts on her legs.
'For three days, my skin was burning,' she says. 'I lay in bed with cold flannels, ice and frozen peas - anything to relieve the discomfort.
'After a few days, I was horrified to see the burns had turned to black scabs, which then fell off, leaving white rings where the skin pigment had been damaged.'
In a society where hairlessness has become a badge of femininity, hair removal is big business. By 2019, it is set to be worth 2.19 billion.
With body hair just behind weight gain as the issue that worries women most, the promise of so-called permanent hair removal lures ever more customers into salons: 6 per cent of women in Britain - 2.2 million - have tried it.
But in the wrong hands they risk suffering serious skin damage, as well as searing pain.
This month, novelist Marian Keyes revealed she was in so much agony after treatment that she over-applied anaesthetic numbing cream and sealed her legs with cling film, risking a toxic overload that could have triggered organ failure.
Mother-of-one Bonnie, 33, from Sleaford, near Lincoln, who is married to Matthew, a construction manager, was warned by the upmarket clinic that the procedure was not pain-free
Still, she was not prepared for what happened. 'My legs were always tender and inflamed after the treatments, but after my fifth visit the pain was much more acute,' she says
There are two types of high-tech hair removal treatment: intense pulsed light (IPL) and laser. They work because the dark pigment, or melanin, in brown or black hair absorbs the high intensity heat of the light rays.
These rays of light can rise to temperatures of 100c, shrivelling the hair and zapping the cells in the root, preventing them from growing. Hair grows in cycles, so women need at least six treatments over several months.
IPL is cheaper and less effective as the light rays are more scatter-gun - for this reason it's also considered more risky - while laser hair removal, which requires more expensive machinery, produces a concentrated beam of light that can be adjusted more precisely.
However, if machines are set at the wrong frequency or directed at areas for too long, either technique can cause skin to burn, leaving patches where the pigment has been scorched.
Yet despite the risks, the laser hair removal industry is unregulated and therapists do not need a licence to practise.
No wonder almost seven out of ten skin doctors who have seen problems from non- surgical cosmetic procedures have seen damage from laser hair removal treatments, according to the British Association of Dermatologists.
Alice (pictured) said from the moment the therapist put the laser near her there was a foul smell and it felt as though her skin was 'on fire'. But as she didn't want to be a nuisance she stopped herself crying out in agony
Alice (pictured) received treatment from laser expert Andrea Mappouridis, who said it was obvious why the 50 session had gone wrong
Two years on, one in five of their patients still have visible burns or discolouration.
This was how long it took before the white patches healed on Alice's legs.
For laser expert Andrea Mappouridis, who treated Alice's burns with anti-inflammatory cream at her Wirral clinic Revitalaser, it was obvious why the 50 session had gone wrong.
Andrea said: 'It was clear the setting was too high for Alice's tanned skin, especially after she had been so recently in the sun.'
Yet when Alice complained to the salon about the burns, she was given short shrift.
'They told me I should have known not to have it done as I'd been in the sun,' she says. 'But I'd say it's the therapist's job to assess your skin.'
Though lasers will suppress hair growth, they often don't prevent it completely. Plastic surgeon David Gault
Bonnie Flower signed up for an eye-wateringly expensive course of six laser hair removal treatments on her legs, bikini line and underarms that cost 1,700.
Yet even these premium prices were not enough to protect her from burns.
Mother-of-one Bonnie, 33, from Sleaford, near Lincoln, who is married to Matthew, a construction manager, was warned by the upmarket clinic that the procedure was not pain-free
Still, she was not prepared for what happened. 'My legs were always tender and inflamed after the treatments, but after my fifth visit the pain was much more acute,' she says.
'When I got home, I noticed I had a couple of inch-wide blisters on the backs of my thighs. After a few hours, it got so bad I couldn't sit down.'
Looking back, Bonnie believes the technician, who she saw for each of her consultations three years ago, had not realised she had gone over the same areas twice, leaving two burnt patches. 'When I rang the salon the next morning, they said 'Oh, that can happen', as if it's an occupational hazard you have to accept. It shouldn't be like that.
'I smothered my legs with Germolene for three days to numb the pain. I know it sounds mad, but as I paid so much money, after three months I had the final session.
'That time there were no side effects, so they must have taken more care.'
To protect themselves, cosmetic dermatologist Dr Sarah Tonks, of West London's Chelsea Private Clinic, says women should ask about a therapist's experience, check that good notes are taken and insist on a patch test to check their skin sensitivity first
Alarmingly, anyone can buy a laser or IPL machine. Though state-of- the-art models can cost up to 30,000, second-hand machines are available on eBay, Gumtree and Amazon for as little as 500. Furthermore, anyone can 'qualify' to use them on online courses for as little as 135. Some firms selling equipment and training claim that with a 27,000 investment, a business can earn as much as 350,000 a year.
In some cases, the record keeping is also woefully inadequate, so there's no record of how a client's skin reacted in the last session. Plastic surgeon David Gault
Lawyer Julie Vallance, of Lime Personal Injury in Leicester, has been involved in 50 laser hair cases in the past five years. None have reached court.
Julie says salons settle because they usually can't produce the paperwork that proves their staff were trained properly. On average, her clients win 3,000 to 5,000 for injury and skin damage.
Plastic surgeon David Gault, who helped develop laser hair removal technology 25 years ago, acts as an expert witness for up to three cases a month where patients seek compensation for damage.
However, Mr Gault, of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, believes these are just the tip of the iceberg.
'A client may get a technician who is not familiar with the laser machine,' he says.
'In some cases, the record keeping is also woefully inadequate, so there's no record of how a client's skin reacted in the last session or what the best power or wavelength is for their skin type.'
He adds there is also a dangerous misconception it is always possible to remove hair completely.
'The public are being sold a lie that permanent hair removal is routine,' he says. 'Though lasers will suppress hair growth, they often don't prevent it completely.
When Alice (left and right) complained to the salon about the burns, however, she was given short shrift and told that she 'should have known not to have it done as I'd been in the sun'
'However, some salons turn up the power of their machines to try to improve results - and that's when you get more side effects.'
For darker-skinned women, the risks are especially high as it's not just their hair that attracts the high temperature beams or light rays. Their skin does, too. Health worker Sabina Ahmed, 33, from Bow, East London, needed hospital treatment after she had her bikini line, lower abdomen and lower back area treated.
She was left with permanent dark brown oblong marks all over her body, caused by the head of the IPL device. The intense heat stimulated her skin to produce more pigment.
The burns and pain have faded. What really distressed me is the hyper pigmentation and scarring, which I have been told is never going to go away. Health worker Sabina Ahmed
Though the treatment was three years ago, the marks still cover her lower back.
'During the treatment, I said I couldn't feel any pain, so the technician said 'Well, you're meant to feel something for it to work', and turned it up,' said Sabina, who hired Porters Solicitors to win 40,000 damages from the salon.
'The burns and pain have faded. What really distressed me is the hyper pigmentation and scarring, which I have been told is never going to go away. I have been left looking like a zebra.'
Antonia Mariconda, of the Safety In Beauty campaign, is concerned that cut-price deals are tempting ever more women to have laser hair removal without knowing the risks or what to look for in a good salon.
To protect themselves, cosmetic dermatologist Dr Sarah Tonks, of West London's Chelsea Private Clinic, says women should ask about a therapist's experience, check that good notes are taken and insist on a patch test to check their skin sensitivity first.
If they are in pain during the treatment, they should speak out. 'It should feel like getting nipped with hot tweezers. Any more than this and the therapist should re-evaluate the settings,' she says.
As Dr Gault observes, it's time salons started acting responsibly towards their clients. Unfortunately not nearly enough do.
With one rallying arm in the air and the other cradling her breastfeeding baby it is a modern twist on the classic Rosie The Riveter wartime propaganda poster.
Modeled on J. Howard Miller's 1943 poster for Westinghouse Electric intended to boost morale, the striking picture features 20-year-old mother Alex James, from Lee's Summit, Missouri, wearing a red polka-dotted head scarf, denim shirt and bright red lipstick as she feeds her son Carson.
For the first two months of his life, Alex said she did not leave the house because she was too frightened to feed Carson, who is now seven months, in public.
Encouraging: A photographer recreated J. Howard Miller's 1943 poster for Westinghouse Electric, pictured left, with breastfeeding mother Alex James, 20, and her son Carson, seven months, from Missouri, right
Initimidating: Alex, pictrued with Carson, said she did not leave the house for the first two months of her son's life because she was too frightened to feed in public
But after attending a support group she found the confidence to feed in public and is now so emboldened that she agreed to pose for this picture, created by mother, mechanic and photographer Sarah Fowler, 31.
Alex said she is happy to be a figure of encouragement for other mothers who she urges to try breastfeeding too - especially after the initial struggles she faced.
She told Daily Mail Online: 'I always try to encourage people to breastfeed because it's one of the most bonding things in the world and you shouldn't have to be afraid to go out in public, they need to eat, do what you've got to do and feed what they need to feed.'
To begin with she said she found it 'very tough' and had issues latching. She said she felt intimidated to breastfeed in public because she is a 'very private person'.
'The first two months of his life I didn't go anywhere because I was so nervous to breastfeed in public, it was really hard,' she said.
But she found confidence after seeing other mothers which she said 'helped encourage me'.
The project first came about when Alex approached her United States Air Force colleague Sarah about taking some breastfeeding photos.
Shared experiences: Photographer Sarah Fowler, 31, who took this series of pictures of Alex, pictured with Carson, said she also had problems feeding when her one-year-old daughter was first born
Support: Alex, pictured, said she found the confidence to breastfeed after attending a help group where she saw other mothers feeding which she said 'helped encourage me'
Inspiration: Sarah, who took the photographs of Alex and Carson, pictured, said she has been 'shocked and baffled' by the reaction they have got
Sarah, who also runs a photography business, Sarah Kate Photography, specializing in delivery and breastfeeding, said she had been looking to take a picture inspired by the Rosie The Riveter picture for some time.
When she mentioned it to Alex she loved the idea and they went ahead with the pictures.
She said she has been 'shocked and baffled' by the reaction the picture has got online, adding: 'I do stuff like that all the time.'
Sarah, who has a one-year-old daughter said she has seen a rise in the debate around breastfeeding in the last year alone.
She said: 'It seems in the last year that breastfeeding has become such a controversial topic. Moms have been feeding babies in public forever. If you don't like it you can look away but babies have to eat.
'Moms just want to do the best for their kids. It takes a strong woman to show their breast in public. They don't want people staring at their breasts as much as people don't want to look at them.'
She said when her daughter was born she had an unpleasant experience trying to breastfeed her four-weeks-old daughter on the floor of a bathroom when she went on her first date night after the birth with her husband.
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A film buff has imagined how top directors would celebrate their birthdays with a series of pictures packed with references to their movie hits.
New Zealand-born Henry Hargreaves and installation artist Nicole Heffron created the tableaux which all feature birthday cakes and other signs of celebration.
It is the latest project from the food photographer who recreated the last meals of prisoners on Death Row three years ago.
Photographer Henry Hargreaves and installation artist Nicole Heffron have spent the past year imaging how famous directors might celebrate their birthdays in order to recreate the scenes for a unique photo series. Pictured: The bloodied samurai sword suggests that this cake was intended for Kill Bill director Quentin Tarantino
The pair, who live in Brooklyn, New York, carefully constructed each birthday scenario filled with items hinting at whose birthday it was.
One picture features a layered white sponge cake splattered in jam, while bullet cartridges are littered on the tablecloth and a Samurai sword covered in 'jam' lies has been put down after being used to cut the cake.
With so many references to the bloody two-part epic of Kill Bill, it can only be Quentin Tarantino's cake.
A vintage-looking cake with a mind-boggling staircase picture at the centre, appears to be for a celebration held in Alfred Hitchcock's honour.
This is just reinforced by the old fashioned lace table cloth, with a lipstick-stained cigarette to one side and a shrimp cocktail to the other.
The image of the staircase on this birthday cake suggests that this birthday cake was intended for the Vertigo director Alfred Hitchcock
The bear-shaped cake here is an instant giveaway that this is the birthday cake of Ted director Seth Macfarlane
Another rather grotty-looking set features a bear-shaped confection with the body made of bread and its head constructed out of chocolate cake.
Other masculine paraphernalia littered around it include a can of beer, some lobster and a DVD of Flash Gordon. It can only be the birthday of Ted and Family Guy creator Seth Macfarlane.
Stanley Kubrick's scene features milk and a Beethoven record - a reference to A Clockwork Orange.
The glass of milk in this set up is a subtle suggestion that this sterile birthday is that of the Clockwork Orange director Stanley Kubrick
The scene at Martin Scorsese's knees-up has elements of New York's Little Italy as well as the gambling and cigars of Casino and his first hit Mean Streets
The project came about when Nicole, 36, approached Henry, 36, with the idea of celebrating directors' birthdays in some way.
The pair decided to use cakes as the focal point and they began shooting in early 2015.
Because of their varying schedules, Henry and Nicole would shoot three scenes at a time throughout the year, scouring for props in the interim. They completed the project just last month.
In total, Henry and Nicole took 14 images: a start and end shot, and one image for each month of the year.
Each month was tied to a director born within that month. Henry said: 'The story that we created was thinking about obsessive fans celebrating the birthdays of these directors.
The cherry pie and coffee stains hints at Twin Peaks director David Lynch, not to mention the photo of Laura Palmer and a tape used to record interviews with her high school boyfriend Bobby Briggs and secret biker lover, James Hurley
John Waters' identity is given away by his Pink Flamingos cake, a reference to the title of the 1972 movie starring drag queen Divine
'Here they are, they've collected all of this paraphernalia from their favourite films.
'So, we decided to create these cakes that were representative of the sets of the movies they have done as directors.
'There are all these little crumbs and clues in the image, as to what the movies are about.'
Henry, a former fashion model, adds that he wanted it to be a light hearted series rather than anything too serious. 'We don't like to take things too seriously.
'We just hope that people get a bit of a kick out of this, like the little nostalgia bomb that we got from these movies that we grew up watching and influenced us.'
This messy kitchen scene with a Disney branded television and cake mix that's about to be baked in a Mickey mould can only be Walt's
This birthday celebration thrown for George Lucas seems to have taken place on a nerd's desk covered in Moon Pie crumbs and Star Wars memorabilia including a Stormtrooper pez dispenser
Young gay and bisexual men are twice as likely to suffer from depression and anxiety than older people with same sexuality, a study has found.
Those under the age of 26 were six times more likely to attempt suicide or self harm compared to men over 45.
But living in London or with a partner were both found to boost mental health.
Researchers said the results reinforce the importance of mental health care reaching those who need them most - and not just those who actively seek help.
Gay and bisexual men under the age of 26 were six times more likely to attempt suicide or self harm compared to their counterparts who are aged over 45, according to the first study of its kind in the UK
The study, carried out at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, claims to be the first of its kind to examine the mental health differences of gay and bisexual men in the UK.
'Mental illness is one of the biggest health challenges facing the world today and can affect people from all walks of life,' said lead author, Dr Ford Hickson.
'We know minority groups are at higher risk of poor mental health than the heterosexual majority, however the mental health differences within sexual minorities is unclear.
'Our study showed that among gay and bisexual men, age and ethnicity had a significant impact on mental health, as did income and education.
This is possibly because men are better able to cope with homophobia the older they are, or if they are relatively privileged in other areas of their lives.'
The study was funded by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights charity Stonewall and analysed the responses of 5,799 gay and bisexual men aged 16 and over, to its health survey.
Depression, anxiety, attempted suicide and self-harm were examined against a range of life factors.
Age, ethnicity, income and education were all found to have a large impact on mental health.
Black gay and bisexual men were twice as likely to be depressed and five times more likely to have attempted suicide than the white majority, they found.
Gay and bisexual men who were cohabiting slashed their chances of anxiety and depression by half
Men in the lower wage bracket were more likely to be depressed, anxious, attempt suicide or self-harm as were those with lower levels of education.
The researchers suggest older men are better able to cope better with homophobia and that is more prevalent in the lives of younger men.
Men who are living with a male partner were 50 per cent less likely to suffer from depression compared to gay and bisexual men living alone.
Living in London was also shown to be advantageous with researchers suggesting this could be a result of its large population of gay men.
Isolation and discrimination could be less common there, as a consequence they said.
Dr Hickson said: 'Minority groups are usually thought to be more homogenous than they actually are, when in fact there is great variation in health and life situations among this group.
'What's clear is that health inequalities among gay and bisexual men mirror those in the broader society.
'Poor mental health is not evenly distributed across race, income or education.
'We must ensure that access to life-changing support services are targeted to where they are needed most. Everyone has the right to good mental health.'
April Guasp, head of research at Stonewall, said: 'It's known that a range of factors can increase risk of poor mental health among the population in general and the same holds true for gay and bisexual men.
'This study contributes to better understanding of the specific risks within LGBT communities and will hopefully lead to more targeted health interventions.'
Junior doctors across England are taking part in a second day of all-out strike action during which they will provide no emergency care for patients.
It comes after more than 20,000 junior doctors are estimated to have walked out yesterday as the dispute with the Government over a new contract continues.
Figures compiled by NHS England suggest 78 per cent of junior doctors (21,608) who were due to be working did not report for duty.
However, NHS England said the figures had not been fully validated and include those who may be off due to sickness or other reasons.
The two-day walk-out, the first in NHS history to withdraw emergency care, runs from 8am-5pm each day.
While there have been several recent stoppages, this one is affecting hospital emergency care including A&E and emergency and maternity units for the first time.
Senior doctors and nurses will still be on duty, however.
Thousands of junior doctors are continuing their first all-out strike in the history of the NHS after the Health Secretary made it clear a new contract will go ahead
Junior Doctors, who are striking today outside of University Hospital, Coventry. It is estimated more than 20,000 junior doctors walked out yesterday
The move comes after three years of failed negotiations over junior doctors' contracts the Government is now threatening to impose.
Patients are being advised to stay away from A&E during the walkouts unless it is a real emergency.
Consultants and nurses have been filling the gaps left by up to 45,000 striking doctors with paramedics asked to set up temporary units outside hospitals.
To cope with the lack of staff, nearly 13,000 operations and 113,000 appointments have been postponed around the period of the strike.
Figures released by NHS England estimate that 78 per cent of junior doctors did not report for work this morning.
However hospitals across England appear to have coped well, with low waiting times across A&E departments and non urgent calls for doctors to return from the picket lines.
The Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt leaving home this morning. Yesterday he warned that doctors (such as those in Coventry, right) are solely responsible for any harm that may come to patients as a result of the strike
To cope with the lack of staff, nearly 13,000 operations and 113,000 appointments have been postponed around the period of the strike. Doctors at St Ann's Hospital, Tottenham, North London, are pictured
A new poll for BBC News found 57 per cent of the public support the doctors' cause, such as these protesters outside the City Hospital. Birmingham
Despite the huge disruption to care, an Ipsos Mori poll for BBC News found 57 per cent of the public support the doctors' cause - while a quarter oppose it.
The presence of more consultants on the wards means hospitals appear to have coped well during the strike, though some said they were feeling the strain in terms of cancelled operations.
Over the last two days, hospitals have reported managing patient numbers through A&E, with some even saying it was quiet, suggesting the public has heeded the warning to stay away unless necessary.
Hospitals will now begin the work of rearranging appointments for thousands of patients who had operations and clinic visits cancelled due to the action.
HOSPITALS 'QUIETER THAN USUAL' The presence of more consultants on the wards means hospitals appear to have coped well during the strike, though some said they were feeling the strain in terms of cancelled operations. Over the last two days, hospitals have reported managing patient numbers through A&E, with some even saying it was quiet, suggesting the public has heeded the warning to stay away unless necessary. Hospitals will now begin the work of rearranging appointments for thousands of patients who had operations and clinic visits cancelled due to the action. Advertisement
Figures compiled by NHS England suggest that - for a second day - 78 per cent of junior doctors who were due to be working did not report for duty.
Around 80 per cent of all junior doctors (45,000 out of 54,000 across England) are members of the British Medical Association (BMA).
Anne Rainsberry, national incident director for NHS England, said: 'We're not going to pretend the last two days have been easy but the NHS has remained open for business for patients. We ask the public to continue to use it wisely while the action is ongoing.
'The health service has coped admirably to date thanks to extensive planning and the exhaustive efforts of other staff.
'However the strike has undoubtedly increased pressure on a service already facing increasing demand and has led to the highly regrettable cancellation of needed care for well over 100,000 patients.'
The head of the BMA's junior doctors' committee, Johann Malawana, again called for Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to lift his threat to impose the new contract on doctors.
He tweeted: 'Second day of this sad episode in NHS history. Why won't government set aside imposition & talk?'
junior doctors on the picket line at North Middlesex Hospital today. Around 80 per cent of them (45,000 out of 54,000 across England) are members of the British Medical Association (BMA)
We now have a government so far to the right that doctors can be seen as dangerous radicals Frankie Boyle (@frankieboyle) 26 April 2016
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he was proud to join junior doctors in a demonstration outside the Department of Health on Tuesday night.
He tweeted: 'Today is the second day of the juniordoctors' strike. Yesterday I was proud to join their demo.'
The strikes are the first time doctors have stopped providing emergency care in the history of the NHS.
More than 125,000 appointments and operations have been cancelled and will need to be rearranged as a result of the latest strike.
This figure is on top of almost 25,000 procedures that were cancelled during the previous walkouts.
Kevin McGee, the chief executive of East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, told the BBC the effects of the strikes were starting to be felt in terms of cancellations across all five strikes.
Public support for the all-out strike, where no emergency care is provided, appears to be higher than in January
He said; 'Over this last couple of days, we've cancelled in excess of 100 planned, elective procedures. If you put that on the back of the activity that we've already cancelled, it's getting to the point where it's becoming quite difficult going forward.
'So absolutely the strain is starting to tell with the level of activity that we've had to cancel over the previous strikes and this one.'
On Tuesday night Mr Hunt, who has admitted that being Health Secretary is probably his 'last big job in politics', said the BMA had not been prepared to negotiate.
He has said the Government will not be blackmailed over the deal. He told BBC Newsnight: 'Many doctors don't understand the contents of the new contract.'
The majority still think the Government is most at fault for the dispute - but a rising number think the Government and doctors are equally to blame.
Yesterday the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned that doctors are solely responsible for any harm that may come to patients as a result of the first all-out NHS strike.
Unions have blamed the Health Secretary, and his vision for a seven-day NHS, for forcing their hand in a move that many believe may put patients at risk.
But Mr Hunt was scathing as he spoke Eamonn Holmes on Sky News yesterday, who said to the Health Secretary: 'Somebody could die today. If so, you have to take some responsibility.'
Mr Hunt replied: 'The people who are responsible are the people who have chosen to strike,' adding that 'it is a choice,' in a debate which became quite heated.
He went on to say: 'You can disagree with the Government's vision on a seven-day NHS but is it proportionate or appropriate to withdraw emergency care on vulnerable patients, because that is what is happening today.'
PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE STRIKE IS STILL STRONG, POLL SHOWS Despite the huge disruption to care, an Ipsos Mori poll for BBC News found 57 per cent of the public support the doctors' cause - while a quarter oppose it. The majority still think the Government is most at fault for the dispute - but a rising number think the Government and doctors are equally to blame. Public support for the all-out strike, where no emergency care is provided, appears to be higher than in January. While 57 support the current walkout, the figure supporting a full strike was 44 per cent at the start of the year, the survey of 861 adults showed. Dr Anne Rainsberry, national incident director for NHS England, said: 'The NHS exists to help the sick and people in need. 'We'd like to sincerely apologise to the more than a 100,000 people facing disruption during this strike alone, as well as the thousands more affected over the last few months. 'This is an unprecedented situation and staff across the NHS have made herculean efforts to ensure continued safe services for patients, which is always our top priority. 'However the escalation of this action does bring heightened risk and we are continuing to vigilantly monitor the picture across the whole of the country.' An Ipsos Mori poll for BBC News found 57 per cent of the public support the doctors' cause - while a quarter oppose it (shown in left pie chart). Support has fallen since January, when 66 per cent supported junior doctors and 15 per cent opposed industrial action The majority - 64 per cent - still think the Government is most at fault for the dispute, while only 13 blame junior doctors. But a rising number think doctors and the Government are equally to blame (18 per cent) Advertisement
Boy with rare bone disease must spend SEVEN weeks in agony after op on his leg is cancelled
A boy with a rare bone disease which leaves him in pain every day had a major operation cancelled due to the junior doctors' strike.
George Wesolowski, of Bury, Greater Manchester, has Ollier's disease - which means his bones didn't form properly and one of his legs is 6.5cm longer than the other.
After years of daily discomfort, today he was due to undergo an operation to stretch his left leg.
But to his parents' horror the procedure was cancelled due to junior doctors going on strike.
Now, he faces at wait of at least seven weeks for surgery - which his parents say has left him confused and upset.
George Wesolowski, five (pictured right), has one leg longer than other due to a rare bone disease. An operation to stretch his left leg was cancelled due to the strike, leaving him in pain for seven more weeks
His mother Liz says he had waited a year for the appointment at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.
She said: 'I completely understand where the junior doctors are coming from and why they are striking.
'They have been absolutely great with George since he was diagnosed.
'It's just very frustrating when we've waited so long to get a date for his operation only to be told it was cancelled two weeks ago.
'We'd been counting down the days on the calendar. George was really upset when we told him.
We'd been counting down the days on the calendar. George was really upset when we told him. 'How do you explain why it was cancelled to a five-year-old? Liz Wesolowski, George's mother
'How do you explain why it was cancelled to a five-year-old?'
George was diagnosed with Olliers Disease when he was just two years old.
The disease means bones in his knee, hip, ankle, elbow, ribs and fingers are shortened on one side of his body..
He had been due to have a six-hour procedure known as distraction osteogenesis surgery - which would stretch his leg and encourage new bone to grow.
Once carried out, he will then have to metal scaffolding on his limb for six months - before being put in a cast and undergoing physiotherapy for nine weeks.
The family has been told the earliest date he will have the operation is June 15 - which they say is devastating for their son.
'It's been an added emotional stress for us as a family,'Mrs Wesolowski said.
'It was also a nightmare as my husband is self-employed so had made sure he hadn't booked any work.
'Like I said, I understand why junior doctors are striking but as a mum it's been very frustrating.'
Mother's fury after 'life-changing' knee treatment is cancelled due to striking doctors
A mother-of five will be unable to walk for another six weeks after 'life-changing' treatment on her knee and hands was cancelled due to the doctors' strike.
Jo Rimmer, 41, from Liverpool, said her knee 'feels like it is going to explode' after her treatment was cancelled because of the doctors' strike.
She has agonising arthritis in her right knee and hand which leaves her unable to walk and struggling to look after her children.
Jo Rimmer, 41, has arthritis in her knees and hands and was due to undergo physiotherapy and pain-relieving injections yesterday. She is furious her appointment was cancelled due to the doctors' strike
Scheduled to undergo occupational therapy, physiotherapy and have pain-relieving cortisone injections at Aintree Hospital, Liverpool, yesterday - she was angry when the treatment was cancelled.
She was not informed her therapy wouldn't go ahead as planned until half an hour before she was due to go in for it, she claims.
I am disabled and I cant walk or put weight on my leg and I am in constant pain - my knee feels like it is going to explode Jo Rimmer, 41
Ms Rimmer says she called the hospital at 9am yesterday morning, ahead of her therapy scheduled at 9.30am, and discovered the treatment had been put off until June 6.
She claims Aintree Hospital didn't actually phone her until 3:15pm yesterday to let her know it had been cancelled - more than six hours after she had been due to be treated.
She said: 'I am furious and so upset about it because my arthritis is spreading rapidly from my joints to my bones and it really urgently needs to be seen.
'Ive worked all my life but now it feels like just dont matter.
'I am disabled and I cant walk or put weight on my leg and I am in constant pain - my knee feels like it is going to explode.'
Ms Rimmer, who is separated, looks after their children James, 23, Eleanor, 14, Charlotte, 12, Katie, four, and Alfie, three - who has Asperger's.
Ms Rimmer says the delay in treatment will leave her in agony and unable to walk for another six weeks. She says this will leave her struggling to care for her children (from left to right) Eleanor, 14, Alfie, three, Katie four and Charlotte, 12
Ms Rimmer has urged junior doctors to consider the impact their strike is having on patients - as she says the delay in her treatment directly impacts on her being able to care for her children.
She said: 'I understand that the doctors have things that they need to sort out with the government but they need to think about the knock-on effect for people like me.
'The strikes are putting people like me in a terrible position - Ive been to A&E three times in the last 12 weeks with my knee and there is nothing they can do, they just have to refer me to a specialist.
'And what happens to my kids if something happens to me? My parents are both dead and I have no other siblings.
'I cant look after my children on my own with my knee like this.
'Ive got three months to barely manage now and I am already barely managing by the skin of my teeth as it is.'
MailOnline has contacted Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for comment.
Tea and cakes on the picket line as doctors garner support from locals and raise money for charity
We're all back on the picket line outside Churchill Hospital Oxford! Thank you for the tea and cakes! #JuniorDoctorsStrike John O'Callaghan (@johnmocallaghan) April 27, 2016
Box of traybakes delivered to the picket line! Ordered by a supporter of the #JuniorDoctorsStrike in #Bristol pic.twitter.com/hypDrkdCUZ Paradise Cakes (@paradise__cakes) April 27, 2016
We now have a government so far to the right that doctors can be seen as dangerous radicals Frankie Boyle (@frankieboyle) 26 April 2016
'THE HIJAB HAS NO PLACE IN NHS HOSPITALS'
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, a writer and commentator, argues state-run institutions like hospitals should be free from the doctrine of religion - and says hijabs are a health hazard
Recently, I went to a large NHS teaching hospital in London for a blood test. A young couple was behind me in the queue.
He was wearing a suit. She was completely covered. When I was finished and it was their turn, he started getting agitated and spoke loudly at the young man who was due to take blood from his wife.
The husband of the woman in hijab would not let a male doctor take blood. 'I need a woman to do this' he demanded angrily.
There should be an NHS-wide dress code - applying to staff of any religion - that bans veils including hijab and niqab, argues writer and commentator Yasmin Alibhai-Brown. Veils are a health hazard, she said (file photo)
When the male nurse explained that there was no one else to take blood, the husband marched his wife away. There would be no blood test for her that day.
It turned out that the morality council in Saudi Arabia had recently announced that no Muslim woman could go to a hospital without a male relative and woman had to be seen by female doctors.
These doctrines are increasingly be followed to the letter by so-called devout Muslims here too.
We are seeing the rise of Wahhabism, a 19th century Saudi Arabian invention, throughout UK society and now in our state hospitals.
Liberal muslims like myself are furious and helpless to stop this spread.
Doctors and nurses in NHS hospitals are increasingly needing to confront the issue of so-called Islamic modesty code for women head on, either because patients demand it, or their own co-workers make it an issue.
I find that white liberal apologists are becoming complicit in the slow take over of a fascist element with Islam, that seeks to impose its views on the rest of us.
Ms Alibhai-Brown says the lack of NHS-wide ruling on Islamic dress simply causes confusion
There is no NHS-wide ruling on Islamic dress in hospital wards and operating theatres.
At the moment, it is up to individual trusts to decide how they want to negotiate the matter, which just causes confusion in my opinion.
Recently, an NHS consultant anaesthetist was suspended for confronting a Muslim surgeon who refused to remove her hijab for an operation.
The Trust reinstated him when a hospital investigation found he had simply being enforcing the Trust's own strict codes to minimise infection.
It said that religious headscarves are excluded in areas such as the theatre, where they could present a health and cross-infection hazard.
In Cairo in Egypt, the President of Cairo University has expanded his ban on the niqab face covering to all nurses, staff members of the faculty of medicine and female staff in the university's teaching hospitals, citing patient rights to know who is treating them.
I'm not in favour of a hijab ban but rather an NHS-wide dress code which applies to everyone whatever background or religion they come from.
In the medical setting, it is true that there should be no compromise because of health and safety hazards.
Yes, it is important that a patient can see who the face of the person who is treating them.
In the medical setting, it is true that there should be no compromise because of health and safety hazards Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
However, my reason for instituting a dress code would not depend on these arguments, which by definition, allows some room for the idea that religious sentiment should be given any credence in the medical world.
Instead, I say that state run institutions including hospitals in a liberal society should be free from doctrine imposed by one section of society, not matter how intimidating and vocal they are.
We don't have to give reasons.
Wearing veils in hospital - the NHS view
An NHS spokesperson argues hospitals in different areas of the country already have policies in place which carefully balance people's desire to wear veils and the need to prevent infection and allow clear communication between staff and patients
The NHS has a long tradition of balancing patient safety and religious views and practices.
In 2008 there was some debate over new health guidelines introduced to stop the spread of infections such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile.
There is growing discussion on wearing full face veils, such as the burqa and the nijab.
They should not be confused with the hijab which is a headscarf that does not cover the face.
One of the stipulations in the 2008 guidelines was a 'bare below the elbow' dress code policy, which specified that arms should be bare below the elbows in clinical areas to ensure good hand and wrist washing.
An NHS spokesperson argues hospitals in different areas of the country already have policies in place which balance Muslim' right to practice their religion and the need to prevent infection and ensure clear communication between patients and staff (file photo)
Some Muslim doctors strongly objected to this, because it is regarded as immodest in Islam to expose any part of the body except the face and hands.
At the same it was argued that this was a matter of patient safety.
Alder Hey Hospital was one of many hospitals who worked with their staff to find a local solution.
In this case the trust agreed to provide facilities for them to change their outerwear and hijab for theatre scrubs.
Employers and employees have been able to find solutions to managing religious issues relating to the wearing of the veil in the workplace locally NHS spokesperson
The above example is very much in line with the Equality Human Rights Commission (EHRC) 2013 guidance 'Religion or belief in the workplace: A guide for employers' which was issued following a landmark European Court of Human Rights case.
The following is a summary of the EHRC guidance:
Employers needs to consider the cost, disruption and wider impact on business or work if the request is accommodated.
Employers need to consider whether there are health and safety implications for the proposed change.
Employers need to consider the disadvantage to the affected employee if the request is refused.
Employers need to consider the impact of any change on other employees, including on those who have a different religion or belief, or no religion or belief.
Employers needs to consider the impact of any change on customers or service users, and whether work policies and practices to ensure uniformity and consistency are justifiable.
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation trust decided that veils cannot be worn by staff in roles where clear face to face communication is essential - however they can be worn in breaks or when walking around
In the NHS many trusts have already developed policies and practices in consultation with faith groups and staff involving the wearing of the veil.
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation trust decided that, to ensure effective communication, clothing which covers the face (including a veil or niqab) would not be permitted for any staff in contact with patients, carers or visitors or for staff in other roles where clear face to face communication is essential, for example, training.
At the same time staff who wished to wear a veil when they were not working such as in breaks, or during their lunch, or walking around the buildings were allowed to do so.
However they were asked to be prepared to remove their veil if asked to check their identity against their ID badge, in line with the guidance drawn up last year.
Similarly The Royal London Hospital, St Bartholomew's Hospital and Whipps Cross University Hospital, have policies that indicate that faces must not be covered while staff are treating patients.
Employers and employees have been able to find solutions to managing religious issues relating to the wearing of the veil in the workplace locally, a spokesperson said
In addition Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS trust, have policies in place outlining that face coverings should not be worn when delivering patient care in order to aid communication and minimise infection risks.
These cases illustrate that employers and employees have been able to find solutions to managing religious issues relating to the wearing of the veil in the workplace locally.
The NHS has indicated that a general applicable ban on the wearing of full face veils in the workplace is not necessary or proportionate for any legitimate objective.
At the same time it has recognised through consultation with parties that some clearly defined restrictions on the wearing of full face veils for the purposes of public safety will be legitimate.
In doing so professional standards have been maintained and hospitals have developed appropriate policies and practices in a way that is most appropriate for them to deliver a quality service.
The granting of a visa to Dolkun Isa, the leader of the World Uyghur Congress, to attend a conference at Dharamshala would have been a salutary response to the repeated political slaps India has received recently from China.
The decision to withdraw his visa recalls Alexander Popes verse about being willing to wound, and yet afraid to strike.
There might have been good reason to reverse our decision, but we have embarrassed ourselves in the process, with a show of strength becoming a show of weakness.
Masood Azhar (left), head of the Jaish-e-Mohammed rebel group addresses a press conference in Karachi. Pakistan has detained the founder of one of the main Islamic groups fighting Indian rule in Kashmir. Dolkun Isa (right), is the leader of the World Uyghur Congress.
Sanctions
By preventing UN sanctions on Jaish-e- Mohammed chief Masood Azhar under Resolution 1267 earlier this month, China has once again provoked India on a very sensitive issue.
In the UNSC sanctions committee the other 14 members, including the US, France, the UK and Russia, supported Indias proposal, as they were satisfied with our case against Azhar, but China claimed that India had failed to provide enough information, without explaining what the deficiency was.
By stating that, it is the responsibility of all the members of the Council to make sure that each requirement (for inclusion in the sanctions list) is followed, Chinas PR to the UN was suggesting that China discharges its responsibility in the sanctions committee more punctiliously than others presumably unduly receptive to Indias unsubstantiated complaints about Pakistan whereas, China has no political bias in the matter.
China has shielded Pakistan in the UN on its terrorist affiliations with obduracy.
Indias efforts to get Jamaatud-Dawa added to the UNSCs sanctions list were stultified three times by China before success in December 2008.
China placed technical holds at Pakistans request to block UNSC sanctions against Lashkar-e-Tayyeba and Jaish-e- Mohammeds charity - the al-Akhtar Trust.
It placed a similar technical hold on Indias request to list Syed Salahuddin of the Hizbul Mujahideen.
In June 2015, China blocked Indias bid to expose Pakistans violation of Resolution 1267 involved in the court bail granted to one of the masterminds of the horrific Mumbai terror attacks, Zaki-ur-Rehman, also on the specious ground that India, failed to provide enough information. (China has never condemned the Mumbai attacks).
India had criticised China for its action, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising it personally with President Xi Jinping during his May 2015 visit to China.
Our expectation that this might make China act more prudently in the sanctions committee on well-documented cases of terrorism directed at India has been rudely belied in Azhars case.
Modis engagement of China immediately after assuming power was aimed at enhancing political trust between the two countries, apart from expanding economic ties.
If China keeps signalling, as it has been doing, that on the vital issue of terrorism emanating from Pakistani soil against India, it will keep shielding Pakistan from external pressure, Indias mistrust of Chinese intentions can only grow.
Pakistan itself now acknowledges the existence of terrorist organisations within the country and seeks international plaudits for the effort it is making to eradicate them.
Its leadership claims that it no longer makes a distinction between good and bad terrorists.
China also projects itself as a victim of terrorism and seeks the cooperation to help combat it, especially of Pakistan where Uighur separatists are sheltered.
The international community too increasingly sees terrorism as a challenge to be met by the international community collectively, without double standards and selectivity.
Terrorism
Contrary to what is said, Pakistan and China want to work together to preserve the formers margin of manoeuvre on terrorism against India.
Actually, imposing sanctions on terrorists like Masood Azhar through the international route could give Pakistan, if it wants, a political cover to act against such socalled non-state actors within.
That Pakistan should request an obliging China to prevent known terrorists like Masood Azhar and Lakhvi-ur-Rehman from being sanctioned under Resolution 1267 speaks volumes about the chicanery of both countries and their combined animus towards India.
Terrorism is an instrument that Pakistan has used effectively to impose costs on India; China evidently sees this pressure point as helpful in terms of keeping India off-balance in the region and facilitating the expansion of Chinese influence within it.
Contradictions
Chinas actions in the UN contradict squarely what it agrees with India in our joint statements.
During Modis May 2015 China visit, both sides, reiterated their strong condemnation of and resolute opposition to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and committed themselves to cooperate on counter-terrorism.
They agreed that there is no justification for terrorism and urged all countries and entities to work sincerely to disrupt terrorist networks and their financing, and stop cross-border movement of terrorists, in accordance with the relevant principles and purposes of the UN Charter and international laws.
In Azhars case, our spokesperson rightly stated that it was incomprehensible that while JeM was listed by the sanctions committee as far back as 2001 for its terror activities and links to the Al Qaeda, the designation of the groups main leader, financier and motivator has been put on a technical hold.
The Masood Azhar episode shows how deep Chinas strategic commitment to Pakistan goes.
This commitment is being expanded through initiatives such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Gwadar, which will only aggravate the two-front security challenge that we face on our borders.
The revelations were made available to India Today by Vadodara-based ethical hacker Manish Bhangale and his partner, Jayesh Shah
He is wanted in connected to the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts in which over 250 people died and more than 700 were wounded
Prominent politicians are among those who frequently received calls from fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahims Karachi residence, India Today has found.
Call details of four landline numbers registered to the mob bosss mansion in Karachi have been made available to India Today by Vadodara-based ethical hacker Manish Bhangale and his partner, Jayesh Shah.
The records are for a seven-month period from September 5, 2015 to April 5, 2016.
Prominent politicians are among those frequently receiving calls from fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahims Karachi residence
India Today cross-checked the details with senior intelligence officials who confirmed that these telephone numbers are among those Indian agencies believe are being actively used by Dawood Ibrahim and his family members.
A data analysis of the most-dialled numbers shows that sitting secure at the palatial residence in Karachi, members of the dons family have been frequently calling numbers in India.
What is most disconcerting is that well-known political leaders feature on the list.
The revelation is startling, considering that Dawood Ibrahim is Indias most wanted man for masterminding the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts in which over 250 people died and more than 700 were wounded.
All four telephone numbers belong to the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL).
PTCL was originally a state-owned corporation, but in 2006 the government of Pakistan partially divested its stake.
Bills have been generated for these numbers till as recently as March 2016. India Today analysed the 10 most frequently dialled international numbers.
This telephone number has been fairly active in the last few months.
In March 2016, a bill of Rs 5689.53 was generated on this number. Out of the 10 most dialled international numbers, five were Indian, four were from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), while the last belongs to an international bank.
One number in particular is raising eyebrows in Indias intelligence apparatus as it belongs to a senior leader from one of India's main political parties.
Dawood Ibrahim is Indias 'most wanted man' for masterminding the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts in which over 250 people died and more than 700 were wounded
India Today approached this leader for a reaction. He asked our correspondent to send him the telephone bills, which show that his number is being dialled from Dawood's residence.
So far, this prominent politician has not got back to us with a formal response. We have decided to hold back his name till we hear what he has to say about receiving multiple calls from Dawood Ibrahim's landline in Karachi.
Dawood's telephone numbers are also part of the dossier that India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval presented to his Pakistani counterpart, General Nasir Khan Janjua. However, the actual call detail records of the telephone numbers have never been in the public domain before this.
Ethical hacker Manish Bhangale who collaborated with India Today, said, "I was able to get the call detail records of the telephone numbers registered at Dawood Ibrahims address by hacking into the website of PTCL and typing in the Customer Identity and Exchange Code for the telephone numbers that were registered in Mehjabeen Shaikhs name.
"The public directories of Pakistan also show that these numbers are registered at the same Clifton address. Dawood does not have telephones in his own name. All the connections are in the name of his wife."
Bhangale, who has been working on this project for eight weeks , urged authorities to investigate the numbers of the politicians and others who are receiving calls from the gangsters home.
One of the four UAE numbers, belongs to a prominent local security firm, which would suggest that security is one of the prime concerns for the Dawood family.
Some of the numbers that have been dialled from Dawood's residence are unlisted, suggesting that the people on whose names these phones are registered have gone to great lengths to shield their identity from the public.
Security agencies have started to look at the Indian angle to the Dawood phone records.
Over a thousand specimens of flora, fauna and artifact - which had survived a millennium of human interference and natural withering - were reduced to ashes at a massive fire in Delhis National Museum of Natural History on Tuesday.
The blaze, which struck around 1.45 am at the six-storey FICCI building on Mandi House, is believed to have destroyed most of its treasures.
The blaze, which struck around 1.45 am at the six-storey FICCI building on Mandi House, is believed to have destroyed most of its treasures
This includes a 160-million-year-old dinosaur fossil, specimens of butterflies and amphibians, stuffed big cats and film rolls on evolution of natural history in the Indian subcontinent.
The museum edifice, created in 1972 as part of Indias 25th year of independence celebrations at Prime Minister Indira Gandhis behest, has survived.
Its top sixth floor was charred black by morning after window glasses burst and flames licked out of the entire building through the night.
Notably, after a parliamentary committee criticised the museums functioning in 2012, it was being relocated.
A new National Museum of Natural History is being set up behind Purana Qila on Pragati Maidan, at a staggering cost of Rs 225 crore.
Evidently, though, there wont be any collection for the museum to display after this mishap.
A release issued by the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) on Tuesday evening said, Plans to move to another area were afoot. At least, 6.5 acres of land has been allotted to MoEF, near Pragati Maidan.
"The cost of the land has already been paid and work of consultancy for preparation of detailed concept plan finalised. The proposal for land use change for the allotted plot will be considered on April 27, 2016 by the DDA, chaired by Lt. Governor, Delhi. Statutory clearances from different agencies have to be obtained thereafter.
Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar expressed grief over the incident.
This is a real loss. We will assess the damage and see how a recovery plan can be made, he said.
Among the priceless pieces believed to be lost forever are the museums iconic life-size models of a dinosaur and the Indian rhino, which were a great attraction for children.
Besides, it had a huge corpus of lizard and butterfly specimens, eggs of ostrich and the long-billed vulture as well as several taxidermied animals like cheetahs, snow leopards and lions.
Most of them were prepared by famed Mysore-based taxidermists, Van Ingen & Van Ingen.
Perhaps, its most treasured item was a fossil bone of the Indian sauropod dinosaur, Barapasaurus tagorei.
Deputy fire chief Rajesh Panwar, said: 'The blaze was huge. It is unlikely that anything would be recovered.'
It was found in the Deccan peninsulas Kota region in 1961 and named after Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore for being excavated in the centenary year of his birth.
The specimen was on loan from the Indian Statistical Institute in Kolkata.
Naaz Rizvi, a scientist at the museum, said, We were preparing to begin our summer programmes, which are very popular with schoolchildren. Our exhibits were planned in such a way that it would help them in their curriculum. We are not allowed to enter the building yet and so have no clue about the extent of the loss.
Deputy fire chief Rajesh Panwar, added, The blaze was huge. It is unlikely that anything would be recovered.
Wildlife and heritage conservation experts lamented that the mishap could mean losing a vital piece of history.
Belinda Wright, director, Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), said, This is a great tragedy for India. Delhis Natural History Museum was a repository of many old natural historical treasures such as the taxidermy of a black tiger, which was seized from Madhya Pradesh in the 1990s.
Dr Asad Rahmani, former director, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), called the incident shocking.
Belinda Wright, director, Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), said, 'This is a great tragedy for India. Delhis Natural History Museum was a repository of many old natural historical treasures such as the taxidermy of a black tiger, which was seized from Madhya Pradesh in the 1990s.'
Museums are not built in a days time. Items are gathered painstakingly from various parts of the world over centuries, to make such collections. And all is lost in an hour, he said.
An audit by a Lok Sabha Public Accounts Committee in 2011-12 had lambasted the museum management. Exhibits are frozen in time, it said.
Current issues like climate change, global warming, combating desertification, tsunami, depletion of ozone layer, etc, are not depicted in the galleries at all.
The display items were presented in an amateurish manner.
In 2013-14, the committee noted some improvements. The ministry of environment and forests had submitted that it will move to a permanent building and employ museologists and environmentalists.
Centre to carry out fire audit
After the massive fire destroyed the National Museum of Natural History, Centre said that it will undertake energy and fire audit of all its 34 museums across the country while it also plans to construct a new museum in the national capital.
Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar has ordered an energy and fire audit of all establishments of the Ministry across the country, an official statement said.
Javadekar, said that such an audit is important, as there are 34 museums including ZSI and BSI, which are visited by thousands of people daily.
Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar (middle) has ordered an energy and fire audit of all establishments of the Ministry across the country
Javadekar had earlier visited the spot in central Delhi and described the fire mishap as unfortunate.
This is a real loss. We will assess the loss and see how we can restore it and how the recovery plan can be made. There are plans to move to another area to create a new museum, Javadekar said.
The project of constructing a new museum will be done at an estimated cost is Rs 225 crores and while the conceptual work is in progress, a committee has also been formed for the purpose, the statement said.
Land has been allotted to the Ministry (Environment) behind Purana Quila near Pragati Maidan in the national Capital.
Nearly 170 firefighters braved infernal heat for over four hours to douse the massive blaze at the museum.
Initially eight fire tenders from the Connaught Place Fire Station were rushed to the spot and a team of 12 fire officials went inside the building to assess the situation.
A dozen more firefighters were rushed from Safdarjung and the headquaters fire stations, Deputy Director of Delhi Fire Services Atul Garg said, adding, 35 firefighters in total and two sky-lifts were pressed into service in the operation.
Factors, which caused the fire to spread fast included the fibre ceilings, plyboard partitions, use of plastics to cover the exhibits and the scaffolding.
The fire safety mechanism of the building was not functioning, Deputy Chief Fire Officer Rajesh Panwar said.
'Loopholes' in functioning of Delhi Fire Service
By Kumar Kunal in New Delhi
The draft report of Comptroller of Auditor General of India (CAG) pertaining to performance audit on Delhi Fire Services has exposed the preparedness of the Capital in case of any major fire.
CAG has found several loopholes in the functioning of Delhi Fire Service.
The five-year audit of the premier fire service of the country has shown that in case of fire emergency, fire service is not only ill-equipped but also well short of staff.
Interestingly, CAG in its report 2001, 2004 and 2010 had pointed out shortage of staff in DFS. In the current draft report, it has again pointed out 42.37 per cent overall shortage of staff.
Also, except training for fresh sub-officers and fire operators, DFS did not conduct any refresher course, electrical, chemical or specialised training for existing staff.
Even the safety of high rise buildings in the Capital is a concern, which has clearly been reflected in the performance audit.
The audit report says that as per rule 35, DFS should have the data of high rise buildings, who are required to obtain Fire Safety Certificates.
However, it didnt maintain such database. The audit team even visited to test and check fire systems in buildings and at eight such sites it found shortcomings.
The report further says that according to National building code, 2005, there is a provision for Helipad in buildings above 60 metres high, but DFS didnt have any such data.
The fire brigade is ill equipped to deal to with fire emergencies as it has six rescue vehicles and only one ambulance.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for the Centre, said more than the NCA which will help reduce the pendency and piling up of cases in the SC
The war over dealing with judicial backlog has continued with the Centre making it clear that it will not support setting up branches of the Supreme Court in major cities.
The branches, proposed as National Courts of Appeal (NCA) are being planned in cities like Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai to hear appeals from high courts and the Supreme Court in Delhi will only hear constitutional matters.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for the Centre, said more than the NCA which will help reduce the pendency and piling up of cases in the SC, the focus should be on bringing down the backlog of 2.2 crore in lower courts and 42 lakhs cases pending in various high courts.
What will we do about the 2.2 crore cases pending in lower courts? SC has only 50,000 odd cases, what will the NCA majorly do? Rohatgi asked the bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur.
The Modi governments senior law officers comments come two days after Thakur slammed the government for not appointing new judges and setting up new courts to help bring down the mounting pendency.
While addressing the state Chief Justices and Chief Ministers conference on Sunday, CJI even broke down several times, becoming emotional over the government blaming the judiciary for case backlogs while at the same time doing nothing to improve the judge:population ratio.
The Centre said, National Court of Appeal cannot be seen from an isolated perspective of reducing the backlog of cases. Adding one more level of adjudication will not help in decreasing litigation but would rather add to it and would be a boon only for the advocates.
Puducherry-based advocate V Vasantha Kumar, the petitioner in the PIL demanding the NCA had submitted that distance of the apex court in National Capital from other parts of the country, coupled with high travel expense and cost of litigation were coming in way of citizens from far flung areas to approach the top court of the land, which is otherwise also burdened with large scale pendency of cases.
The brutal killings in Bangladeshi of intellectuals who dont toe the hard-Islamist-line remind me of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto saying in 1971, that if Muslim Bangla was Muslim, it should remain in Pakistan; if Bengali, it should merge with West Bengal.
Neither course was acceptable to a people who were optimistic in that moment of freedom, of forging an identity that was both Bengali and Muslim.
1971: A crowd cheers a truckload of guerrillas after the revolution which made East Pakistan into Bangladesh was successful. The unresolved question of Bangladeshs identity remains as poignant as ever 45 years on, inviting West Asian terrorists to boast of being responsible for the murders that keep society on the boil.
Question
The unresolved question of Bangladeshs identity remains as poignant as ever 45 years on, inviting West Asian terrorists to boast of being responsible for the murders that keep its society on the boil.
The latest victim epitomises all that is anathema to fundamentalists - 35-year-old Xulhaz Mannan was a gay rights activist, editor of Roopbaan magazine and employed by the American embassy in Dhaka.
Bangladeshis might be better able to come to grips with the dilemma if only they can force themselves to discuss it.
But that isnt the Bengali - Hindu or Muslim - way.
Its impolite to mention religious differences. Politeness demands glossing over cultural chasms.
Xulhaz Mannan was yesterday hacked to death in Dhaka by suspected Islamic extremists
The only difference, a Bengali Muslim scholar told me once, is that Hindus hold the water glass with the right hand and Muslims with the left! Only Bengalis indulge in such a dangerous hallucination.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman held forth on Tagore when we met in London before Bangladesh was born as if Rabindra Sangeet solves all political problems.
One reason for this blind spot is that Bangladeshs leaders are not communal. But the politics of opportunism wont allow them to ignore grassroots communalism.
When my wife and I were visiting Dhaka in 1985, General HM Ershad, then president of Bangladesh, invited us to tea in his cantonment bungalow.
Conversation veered to politics and he stressed - wrongly as it happened - that Bangladeshis would never vote for the Awami Leagues Sheikh Hasina Wazed, now prime minister, because Muslims expect their head of government to lead the nation in prayers which a woman cannot do.
Apart from the political misjudgement, he was historically unaware of Razia, Sultan of Delhi from 1236 to 1240.
What embarrassed me was the presidents own obvious embarrassment at bringing up a purely Muslim situation with non-Muslims.
He kept apologising to my wife and me both for denigrating a female contender for power and for giving a sectarian reason.
Yet, only three years later Gen Ershads eighth constitutional amendment made Islam Bangladeshs state religion.
Two recent autobiographical books by senior Bangladeshi bureaucrats maintain this self-defeating silence over the communal divide.
Rehman Sobhans Untranquil Recollections: The Years of Fulfilment tells of an upper class Muslim whose world straddled all three countries of the subcontinent at the highest level.
Rehman was an internationally known economist and helped to compile the six-point programme that became the basis for Bangladeshs liberation struggle.
The much younger Kamal Siddiqui, who was the first district magistrate of Khulna after liberation (when I met him), grew up at the other end of the spectrum.
But, as described in In One Life: The Memoirs of a Third World Civil Servant, he retired as cabinet secretary under Khaleda Zia.
Challenge
Rezaul Karim Siddique, 58, was a professor of English at Rajshahi University. He was attacked with machetes as he left for work.
They do a disservice to their country by not discussing the challenge of Islamic fundamentalism or the implications of the Hindu population dwindling from 22.05 per cent in 1951 to 8.5 per cent in 2002.
While the East Bengal Evacuee Act, Defence of Pakistan Ordinance, Enemy (Custody and Registration) Order, and Vested Property Act - dispossessed wealthier Hindus, the poor suffered all manner of bullying, intimidation and other pressure tactics.
Both arose from a bed-rock of communalism in Bangladeshi society - even in the Awami League - that prevents Wazed from undoing Ziaur Rahmans constitutional changes.
These include starting parliamentary sessions with Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Rahim (In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful); Articles 8(1) and 8(1A) proclaiming absolute trust and faith in Almighty Allah; and Article 25(2) promising that the state shall endeavour to consolidate, preserve and strengthen fraternal relations among Muslim countries based on Islamic solidarity.
Secularism
Although in 2010, the Bangladesh Supreme Court restored secularism as one of the constitutions basic tenets, it didnt touch Islams official status.
Only a month ago - on March 28 this year - the high court rejected the last of many petitions against Gen Ershads amendment and confirmed Islam as state religion.
Wazed dare not change the constitution on this point. That awareness of the popular mood probably also explains her statement allowing religion-based parties.
There are many reasons for faulting this ambivalence. It encourages bigots in groups like the Jamaat-e-Islami which was the Bangladesh Nationalist Partys coalition partner during Khaleda Zias prime ministership, the Jamaat ul Mujahideen Bangladesh, and the Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh whose leader, Siddique ul-Islam, was hanged in 2007.
It invites meddling by Al Qaeda and the Islamic State which claim responsibility for some of the killings of secular thinkers and bloggers.
It permits persecution of the minority while authority seems to look away. And it makes anti-India policies politically rewarding. The combined effect is to prevent a resolution of Bangladeshs identity dilemma and keep the country in a permanent state of uncertainty and instability.
Finding a home in Delhi can be maddeningly expensive, but securing a final resting place is harder still with graveyards now running out of room.
Escalating land prices, encroachment, urbanisation and population growth are constricting the citys cemeteries and at many of these facilities auctions now decide who gets a plot.
The cost of burial at most Muslim graveyards in Delhi begins at Rs 5,000 and can go up to Rs 15,000, depending upon availability.
No more room: Escalating land prices, encroachment, urbanisation and population are constricting the citys cemeteries and at many of these facilities auctions now decide who gets a plot
At the historic Mehndiyan cemetery behind Lok Nayak Hospital in central Delhi, the cost ranges between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh.
Due to a space crunch, the prices go up and whoever is willing to pay a higher amount is allotted the burial space, said Munna Singh, a caretaker who has been looking after the Delhi Gate graveyard for 35 years.
A burial at a Christian cemetery costs between Rs 3,000 and Rs 10,000.
But the price is higher at some facilities. With a spike in complaints, the Delhi Minorities Commission will begin a survey on the citys graveyards within a month.
There is no space in our area to bury the dead. The Muslim population here is more than 50,000 and there is not even a single graveyard, said 40-year-old Abdul Wahid Qureshi, a resident of northwest Delhis Inderlok.
We have been writing to various authorities, asking for land where we can peacefully bury the bodies. Qureshi, like many others, had approached the commission.
We are working on the matter. Recently, groups of people from west and east Delhi came to us, complaining about the shortage of graveyards in their respective areas.
Residents of Aya Nagar in south Delhi have also highlighted the shortage of cemeteries in their area, Qamar Ahmad, chairman of Delhi Minorities Commission, told Mail Today.
The first-of-its-kind study will be outsourced to a private agency and will have minute details about the graveyards.
The number of graveyards or cemeteries has not increased in proportion to the population for the last three decades. So, there is a shortage for both communities, added Ahmad.
The Muslim population in Delhi is estimated to be around four million and Christians about 800,000.
Migration from other states has also spurred the citys population growth.
When there is no space, how are we going to accommodate the dead? Relatives of the dead also erect concrete structures over the burial site, said Jyotsana Thomas, a resident of east Delhis Mayur Vihar.
Apart from the space crunch, poor maintenance is adding to the woes of these graveyards.
Encroachment, construction of concrete tombs, non-allotment of land for new cemeteries and a huge demand for burial grounds attached to dargahs and mosques are the biggest problems.
There is no space left for expansion. All the nearby land has been acquired by colonies, Ahmad said.
Officials say even rural pockets in the Capital now have multi-storey buildings and offices.
Agricultural land is being turned into commercial and residential land, with scores of colonies mushrooming in the past decade, leaving no space for the dead. The commission earlier reported the matter to the Delhi government, but no action was initiated.
Sources in the government said lack of land in the city is a major roadblock.
The Muslim graveyards in the Capital are managed by a clutch of committees comprising six to 12 members each.
Incensed over the BJP dragging Congress chief Sonia Gandhis name into the AgustaWestland chopper deal, party veterans, who are rarely heard in Parliament, came out in defence of their leader.
Former defence minister AK Antony, who finalised and later cancelled the VVIP chopper deal, was the first to launch the Congress counter-attack against the BJP.
It is criminal negligence on part of the BJP government to have neglected the CBI and ED probe ordered by us in the deal. It is political conspiracy to rake it up now.
The BJP have dragged Congress chief Sonia Gandhis (pictured) name into the accusations surrounding the scrapped AgustaWestland chopper deal
I started the process of blacklisting the company and issued an order that no commercial dealings will be done with company in future, said the former defence minister.
According to Antony, the process to blacklist the company was started by him on February 10, 2014 and completed in July, after Modi government had taken power, as the procedure takes some time.
The government must explain why it removed AgustaWestland from the blacklist and why PM Modi invited parent company Finmeccanica to participate in the Make in India programme based on Attorney Generals opinion and despite objections from the CBI and ED, said Antony.
According to the former defence minister, in August 2014, the foreign investment promotion board approved Indian Rotorcraft Ltd, a joint venture between AgustaWestland and Tata Group, to manufacture upgraded versions of the AW119 reconaissance and surveillance helicopters in India.
The NDA also allowed AgustaWestland to bid for 100 naval utility helicopters in partnership with an Indian corporate, he alleged.
Congress and BJP MPs take to the Well of the Rajya Sabha to lodge their protest on the AgustaWestland copter deal case
Ahmed Patel, Sonia Gandhis political secretary for years and one who was believed to be a key player in the previous UPA regime, termed the BJPs allegations baseless.
They are levelling baseless charges. There is no truth in the allegations, said Patel adding It is a ploy to divert attention from their failures in governance. We are ready to fight it out politically.
The aggressive tone of the party was set in the morning when Sonia said she was not afraid of anyone after a strategy session with senior leaders.
Satish Acharya's cartoon on Sonia Gandhi's halo of innocence
I am not afraid of anyone. Where is the proof? This is part of character assassination conspiracy of the BJP, the Congress chief said.
Antony said no names of any Congress leaders had figured during cross examination when the previous UPA government fought the legal battle in Milan to get the bank guarantees from the company back.
Ahmed Patel, whose name allegedly figures in an Italian court order being cited by the BJP to corner the Congress over the chopper deal, said The judge merely questioned if the initials AP stood for Ahmed Patel was told that it had been searched on the internet.
"We have not received any court order. Another senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said if the Congress had done anything wrong, the UPA government would not have cancelled the deal and taken strong steps against the company.
Government seeks status report on CBI probe
by Gaurav C Sawant
The Ministry of Defence has sought a status report on the Finmeccanica probe from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) before deciding the next course of action against the arms major.
Since July 2014 all procurement and acquisitions in the pipeline with Finmeccanica group of companies were put on hold by then defence minister Arun Jaitley, top sources told Mail Today.
The government will consider the next course of action against Finmeccanica for allegedly bribing top politicians, bureaucrats and IAF personnel in the now scrapped 12 VVIP AgustaWestland copter deal after the CBI files its report.
An Italian appeals court passed an order indicting the bribe givers in the case and we want the CBI to give us details of investigations to know if the probe has revealed the role of bribe takers, sources said.
The government denied allegations of a delay in investigations by the CBI saying 90,000 pages of documents had to be translated from Italian to English and that too took time.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar took a dig at Congress chief saying:, The documents are in Italian. For the government it is a time consuming process to translate documents, may be not for the Opposition.
An aggressive Parrikar also countered Congress claims of having blacklisted AgustaWestland. Ask them to check and give the date when was the firm was blacklisted and the truth will be out, he said.
The CBI had registered a case dated 12.3.2013 to probe alleged criminal wrong-doing in the procurement of the VVIP helicopters.
The MoD put on hold until further orders all procurement and acquisitions in the pipeline with M/S AgustaWestland International Ltd UK & M/S Finmeccanica, Italy and its group of companies including subsidiaries and affiliates, sources said.
But putting on hold, blacklist or ban on Finmeccanica is not the main issue. The alleged bribe of Euro 30 million (Rs 125 crore) is the main issue. Did those named in the Italian court verdict politicians, bureaucrats and IAF personnel actually receive a bribe? That is of primary importance, the CBI needs to probe, sources added.
Parrikar has sought all details of the deal and investigations so far and is expected to make a statement in Parliament in the next eight to 10 days.
The government also defended Finmeccanica being at Defexpo claiming there was no bar on the company displaying its wares.
There is a bar on procurement. Except for an enemy country all are welcome to display their products in India, claimed an official.
A woman was allegedly drugged and gang-raped by 20 men in rural Gurugram, though she denied the incident before a magistrate, purportedly under pressure from village elders and the accuseds families.
A senior police officer told Mail Today all the accused have been named in an FIR and a medical examination confirmed rape.
The woman, reportedly in her early twenties, and her husband left the village this week and went to their native place in a nearby district.
A woman was allegedly drugged and gang-raped by 20 men in Gurugram
The incident comes against the backdrop of rising anger against sexual violence in the country since December 16, 2012, when a 23-year-old medical student was brutally gang-raped, and killed, by six men inside a private bus in south Delhi.
Cases of sexual assault were also reported from Haryana during the violent Jat protests in February.
According to the police report, the woman was asleep at home on April 23 with the door open because of the oppressive summer heat. Three of the accused entered the house around 11pm and covered her face with a handkerchief.
As she started to lose consciousness, they tied her mouth and legs and took her to an isolated place where the others were waiting. They took turns to rape her till about 4am.
After she was released, she narrated the entire incident to her husband, said a neighbour of the woman.
When they finally decided to file a complaint at the police station, villagers organised a panchayat to put pressure. But the woman and her husband went to the police.
Activists say a rape takes place every 25 minutes in India, but only 10 per cent of sexual violence cases are actually reported to police.
The mounting numbers and growing public outrage forced the central government to amend the existing law, doubling prison terms for rapists to 20 years and criminalising voyeurism, stalking and the trafficking of women.
The law, passed by Parliament in March 2013, also makes it a crime for police officers to refuse to open cases when complaints are made.
Local police conducted a medical examination of the victim, which confirmed rape. However, under what circumstances the victim became hostile before the city magistrate is yet to be ascertained, said Hawa Singh, ACP (crime) and spokesperson of Gurugram Police.
Many of the villagers, however, denied the allegations, saying the panchayat was organised over a minor incident of theft and there was no sexual assault.
Generous tipper: Matt Damon
Matt Damon stunned locals and bar staff at an English pub by giving out $100 (69) tips.
The Hollywood superstar visited the Chequers Inn in Hertfordshire, England on Saturday before flying out of nearby Luton Airport. Matt, 45, enjoyed four pints of Guinness with three friends in the understated venue before his trip.
The pubs manager Bob Morton says the actor was friendly with the locals and even gave each member of his staff a $100 (69) tip.
"He was a really nice guy," he tells The Hertfordshire Advertiser. "Lots of people came up for photos and he didn't mind one bit. He was an absolute gent. You see him on the films and you expect him to be this big film star but he's just a normal guy."
One local, Rich Cann was left out of pocket by the actor's friendliness however after offering to pay for his girlfriend's dinner if she could get a photo with the Bourne actor. He (Matt) was sat there like a normal bloke drinking Guinness with his friends, he tells the paper.
contactmusic.com
Ellis to make his directorial debut
Bret Easton Ellis is making his directorial debut with a new series for Fullscreen's forthcoming standalone video service.
The American Psycho author is attached to The Deleted, described as a thriller about the disappearance of three people in Los Angeles.
Although they seem to be unconnected to each other, the deaths trigger the collective paranoia of a group of twenty-somethings who recently escaped from a cult. Ellis, the bestselling author of The Rules of Attraction and Less Than Zero, wrote and produced 2013's Lindsay Lohan starrer The Canyons.
hollywoodreporter.com
Spanking risks confirmed
The more children are spanked, the more likely they are to defy their parents and to experience increased anti-social behaviour, aggression, mental health problems and cognitive difficulties, according to a new meta-analysis of 50 years of research on spanking by experts at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Michigan.
The study looks at five decades of research involving over 160,000 children. The researchers say it is the most complete analysis to date of the outcomes associated with spanking and more specific to the effects of spanking alone than previous papers.
India has conveyed to Pakistan that former naval officer Kulbushan Jadhav, arrested on charges of being an Indian spy across the border, was abducted and has sought immediate consular access for him claiming that he was taken to Pakistan.
Countering Pakistans claim, New Delhi asked that which spy agency would put their agent in the field with an original passport and without a visa.
Indias Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar (right) and his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry held informal talks in New Delhi on Tuesday. Chaudhry is in India to attend Heart of Asia meeting
The subject came up for discussion along with other key bilateral issues like terrorism and Kashmir on Tuesday when foreign secretaries of the two countries met in New Delhi for the first time since their scheduled talks were deferred in the wake of the Pathankot attack in January.
Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry met for nearly 90 minutes during which Pathankot terror attack probe, 26/11 trial in Pakistan and Samjhauta Express blast investigations were discussed.
The meeting between Jaishankar and Chaudhry took place as the Pakistani foreign secretary is in the country to attend the 'Heart of Asia' conference.
However, in its statement, Pakistan said it has raised Jadhav and expressed serious concern over RAWs alleged involvement in subversive activities in Balochistan and Karachi, a charge which was strongly rebutted by India.
India's Foreign Secretary emphasised the need for early and visible progress on the Pathankot terrorist attack investigation, as well as the Mumbai case trial in Pakistan.
He also brought up the listing of JeM leader Masood Azhar in the UN 1267 Sanctions Committee.
Jaishankar clearly conveyed that Pakistan cannot be in denial on the impact of terrorism on the bilateral relationship.
Terrorist groups based in Pakistan targeting India must not be allowed to operate with impunity, a statement by the External Affairs Ministry said after the talks.
The Pakistani statement said Chaudhry brought up the issue of Kashmir emphasising that it remained the core issue that requires a just solution in accordance with UNSC resolutions and wishes of Kashmiri people.
Interestingly, the Pakistani side released the talking points while the meeting between the two foreign secretaries was still on.
The statement by Pakistan also said, In line with our PMs vision of peaceful neighbourhood, the FS underscored Pakistan's commitment to have friendly relations with all its neighbours, India.
All outstanding issues including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute were discussed.
Describing the discussions as frank and constructive, India said humanitarian issues including those pertaining to fishermen and prisoners, and people to people contacts including religious tourism were also covered.
On Samjhauta Express blast, Chaudhry conveyed concerns over efforts by Indian authorities for the release of the prime suspects of the Samjhauta Express blasts.
The Foreign Secretary further pointed out that, despite repeated requests India has not shared investigation reports in which 42 Pakistanis had lost their lives.
He also conveyed concern over the environment being created in India for the release of the prime suspects of the Samjhauta Express blasts, the Pakistan High Commission said.
The Pakistan High Commission said Chaudhry expressed confidence that building on the goodwill generated by the recent high level contacts, the two countries should remain committed to a sustained, meaningful and comprehensive dialogue process.
In this spirit, the Foreign Secretary underscored the need for early commencement of comprehensive dialogue for which the Indian Foreign Secretary's visit to Pakistan is due, it said.
Farooq praises India-Pakistan dialogue
The informal foreign secretary-level talks have generated euphoria in restive Jammu and Kashmir with mainstream and separatist parties demanding consistency and political will from New Delhi and Islamabad to resolve all issues.
Both countries should show consistency, political will and positivity to engage in a sustained dialogue that aims at resolving all outstanding issues including that of Kashmir, National Conference president and former Union minister Farooq Abdullah said on Tuesday while welcoming the talks.
Abdullah described the dialogue between the two countries as a positive sign. But both the countries should not sideline Kashmiri stakeholders and leadership in any structured engagement as this would have adverse political implications in the Valley, he said.
China had blocked Indias attempt at the UN to impose sanctions on Masood Azhar
China has hinted it will not change its stance on placing a technical hold on Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions committee despite Indias objections.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that placing the hold was in line with the committee's rules of procedures.
The ministry, in a statement sent in response to questions from the media on the hold on Azhar, indicated further that China wanted India to talk directly with Pakistan to resolve the issue, rather than get the UNSC sanctions committee to act.
The likelihood of that, however, remains small, considering Pakistan's past record of failing to address India's concerns on terror emanating from its soil.
The Chinese foreign ministry statement said, In accordance with the rules of procedure of the 1267 committee, the committee encourages communication between countries that ask for the listing and countries where individuals or entities covered in the listing come from or live in.
We encourage all parties related to the listing matter of Masood Azhar to have direct communication and work out a solution through serious consultation. China is willing to continue with its communication with all relevant parties.
Separately on Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying confirmed that China had raised its concerns with India over the issuing of an electronic visa to the Uyghur exile leader Dolkun Isa. India on Monday said it cancelled the visa, citing a Red Corner Notice issued by Interpol on China's behest.
At first when we saw India planned to issue a visa to Dolkun Isa, we expressed our concerns to the Indian side immediately, Hua said.
WILLISTON Williston city leaders said Tuesday there should have been no confusion over strip club ordinances they approved earlier this year and rejected a request to give Heartbreakers more time to comply.
Members of the Williston City Commission this week reviewed audio tapes of the January meeting when commissioners unanimously approved three ordinances related to strip clubs.
A requirement to move all exotic dancing to Willistons industrial zones takes effect in one year.
Other ordinances that prevent a strip club from selling alcohol separating a cabaret license from a liquor license - were written to take effect immediately when passed.
However, representatives from Heartbreakers say the discussion during Januarys public hearing was confusing and those at the meeting left thinking the club had one year to comply with all three ordinances.
Heartbreakers LLC attorney Greg Hennessy said 18 employees of the club renewed their leases for one year based on what they heard in the January meeting.
This is 18 families who understood from the public hearing that they had one year of guaranteed income during this economic maelstrom that were suffering, Hennessy said. They thought they had a safe harbor for another year.
The business later learned in a letter from the city that it has until May 7 to either discontinue exotic dancing at the downtown location or stop serving alcohol, a move that Hennessy said would cripple the business.
Mayor Howard Klug and commissioner Tate Cymbaluk said during Tuesday nights meeting they reviewed the audio from the January hearing and they think it was clear the one-year time period was related to relocating exotic dancing to industrial zones.
Commissioner Deanette Piesik said it was stated in writing that the ordinances could take effect immediately. She added that the ordinances do not prevent Heartbreakers from operating all together.
Were not closing your business, Piesik said. You can be a cabaret or you can be a bar.
Commissioners took no action on Hennessys request to have one year to comply.
Willistons other strip club, Whispers, discontinued exotic dancing after the ordinances were approved and continues to operate downtown as a bar.
City commissioners cited a high number of police calls to the neighboring strip clubs on Willistons Main Street when they approved the ordinances in January. Between 2013 and 2015, police calls to the clubs included two homicides, 42 fights and assaults, 36 unruly patrons and numerous reports of minors being served alcohol, city officials said.
After Tuesdays meeting, Hennessy said Heartbreakers plans to continue operating downtown as a bar and may consider catering to the LGBT community.
We have to have a unique draw if were going to generate a cash flow, Hennessy said.
Heartbreakers is also reaching out to Williams County to attempt to establish a strip club outside of city limits, Hennessy said.
In addition, the business may consider legal action against the city of Williston, Hennessy said.
Theres a whole raft of litigation issues that could be explored, he said.
Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan: Backing Salman Khan
Bollywood actor Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan on Tuesday expressed her opinion on the raging controversy over Salman Khan being nominated as a goodwill ambassador of the Indian Olympic contingent.
And most of the media construed her statement as a mark of support for her ex-boyfriend.
I have to say that anyone who is doing good to represent the country or working or speaking or standing for the betterment of art, music or sports, is wonderful and the person needs to be recognised, said Aishwarya, maintaining a characteristic diplomatic tone.
Although she never directly mentioned Salmans name in the comment, or if she felt that Salman fitted such a description, the media was quick to interpret her statement as her support for Salman in the issue.
Bollywood superstar Salman has been in the eye of the storm ever since he was appointed goodwill ambassador of the Indian contingent for the upcoming Rio Olympics.
Several sporting icons including legendary athlete Milkha Singh and Olympic bronze medallist wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, besides politicians, objected to the idea that Olympics needed a Bollywood actors endorsement.
Many in the film industry, though, have supported Salman.
Meanwhile, at the same event, questions were also raised over Aishwaryas name appearing in the Panama papers.
She replied saying all essential information was being submitted to the government.
A statement has been issued and that stands true.
"A statement has already been given individually as well as by the members of the family.
"A statement has already been given to the media.
Bollywood actor Salman Khan has been announced as the Goodwill ambassador of the Indian contingent for the Rio Olympics later this year
"And rest, all the queries that need to be answered to the government of India is being done, said Aishwarya.
While most among the Bollywood lot have been blindly supporting Salman Khan as the Indian contingents Goodwill ambassador at the Olympics, a witty repartee has quite surprisingly come from the superstars rumoured ex-girlfriend Katrina Kaif.
In the line of fire: Sonia Gandhi
Marking a significant shift in its strategy, the BJP has now decided to directly target Sonia Gandhi, the Congress president, as one of the main beneficiaries in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal.
Armed with an order from an Italian court the BJP intends to go for the jugular.
This will be the first time that the BJP is going to directly charge Sonia Gandhi of wrong-doing.
The AgustaWestland issue was raised in the Lok Sabha on Monday by the BJP, but the party limited itself to calling for a probe and detailed statement from the defence minister.
The issue came up for discussion at the parliamentary party meeting of the BJP Tuesday morning. The strategy was fine-tuned later in the evening at meeting between party chief Amit Shah, and finance minister Arun Jaitley.
The ruling dispensation has been under attack from the Opposition in general, and the Congress party in particular, over a range of issues. It has now decided to aggressively hit back and try and put its opponents on the back foot.
The partys political managers believe that unlike the Vajpayee government which fought shy of directly attacking the Congress leadership, the BJP needs to not just proactively counter the Congress partys offensive but it also needs to expose the Congress leadership's wrongdoings.
The Congress party on its part has vigorously protested the party chiefs innocence. It was the UPA government that cancelled the deal, we ordered a CBI inquiry, not a penny was paid, not one chopper was bought where is the question of any wrong doing, says former defence minister AK Antony.
It was during his tenure as the defence minister that the deal was called off. The BJP nonetheless believes it has sufficient material in hand to corner the Gandhi.
An Italian court has observed that there are sufficient grounds to believe that corruption took place in the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP chopper deal.
The BJPs attack is based on a letter written by Christian Michel, the main middleman, to the head of the AgustaWestland, which describes the Congress President as one the main proponents of the deal.
The Italian courts judgment also mentions former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and Sonia Gandhi, but gives no proof of any wrongdoing on their part in the deal.
Late historian Bipan Chandras book on India's freedom struggle is caught in the political crosswinds for calling figures like Bhagat Singh and Surya Sen 'revolutionary terrorists' after nearly three decades of being in print.
The latest attack on the 'nationalist' school of historiography, accused by right-wingers to be synonymous with the 'Congress school', has been stirred by the family of Bhagat Singh.
While the issue was also raised by the BJP in Parliament on Wednesday, the co-authors of the book - Indias Struggle for Independence - have come out with a terse clarification.
The family of Bhagat Singh (pictured) have appealed to the government, claiming the references in Bipan Chandra's book are derogatory and must be dropped
The clarification pointed that Chandra, who died in 2014, had dropped the terminology from his later works due to the recent connotations of the term 'terrorism'.
They claimed Chandra intended to revise this book but died before he could and that its co-authors would do so. One of the academics alleged it was an attempt to get the book off the shelves.
Bhagat Singhs family has appealed to the government, claiming the references are derogatory and must be dropped.
The freedom fighter's family, including grandson Yadvinder Singh Sandhu (pictured) are leading the action
Singhs relatives met the vice chancellor of Delhi University Yogesh Tyagi to press their demand for the book to be dropped or the references within it changed.
The family has also written to MHRD Minister Smriti Irani, who - on Tuesday - called the text of the book an 'academic murder' of sacrifices of individuals.
Singhs grandson Yadvinder Singh Sandhu said: 'It is extremely unfortunate that martyrs and freedom fighters such as Bhagat Singh continue to be denigrated as terrorists.'
'We have come to associate the word with something which the revolutionaries were the opposite of. This is not the way to treat the nations martyrs.
'We demand an immediate removal of the book from the syllabus of the history department.
'We demand an ordinance stating that all such derogatory references to the revolutionary freedom fighters be dropped immediately.'
While BJPs Anurag Thakur raised the issue in Parliament, demanding a debate on the educational curricula across the country, DU VC Tyagi maintained that the book was taught in the history department as a 'reference book' and not as a 'textbook'.
In a rejoinder, co-authors Mridula Mukherjee, Aditya Mukherjee and Sucheta Mahajan claim that a 'deliberate misrepresentation' of Chandras views was underway.
A statement said: 'The first time the term "revolutionary terrorism" is used in the book on page 142, Chandra, who wrote two chapters on the Revolutionary Movement, clearly said it is "a term we use without any pejorative meaning and for want of a different term".'
In Bipan Chandra's book, historic figures such as Bhagat Singh are called 'revolutionary terrorists'. The author had planned to amend his work, but died in 2014 before he got the chance.
In his later writings, Chandra stopped using the word terrorism as it had acquired a negative meaning in recent years.
For example, in his introduction to Bhagat Singhs Why I am an Atheist, published in 2006, Chandra does not refer to terrorism and says: 'Singh was not only one of Indias greatest freedom fighters and revolutionary socialists, but also one of its early Marxist thinkers and ideologues.'
He had also wanted to make the change in the book Indias Struggle for Independence and had said so publicly.
However, due to ill health and failing eyesight he could not revise the book as he had planned.
BJP MP Ram Prasad Sharma rode to Parliament on a horse
The odd-even exercise in Delhi is spawning newer modes of protest by the day.
BJP MP Ram Prasad Sharma on Wednesday arrived at Parliament on a horse in protest against the odd-even rule.
Another BJP MP from Delhi Manoj Tiwari reached Parliament on a cycle.
BJP MP Vijay Goel, who had last week deliberately violated the plan, arrived in the Parliament on an SUV plastered with newspaper-cuttings against the rule stuck on.
The AAP government has launched bus service for MPs, but it has found very few takers.
District heads can brief media
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung recently said that Joint Commissioner/ Ranges and District DCsP can brief the media about their good work.
Though, District DCsP have been asked to brief the chief PRO of Delhi Police about their press relations.
When CP Delhi, Alok Verma, joined he appointed a chief PRO for Delhi Police that sparked rumours that police district heads would no longer be entertaining the media.
Vijay Goel turns Twitter teacher
MP Vijay Goels advertisement displays anti-AAP government slogans daily
MP Vijay Goels address opposite the national HQ of BJP has become a Twitter-tutorial for party workers.
A huge unipole ad inside the premises displays anti-AAP government slogans and messages - a different one almost every day.
It is used by the tech-savvy party workers to wage the political struggle against Delhi CM.
Wednesday it said the Kejriwal government had wasted crores in publicity insinuating Delhi government ads on Even-Odd scheme.
So many posts, so few officers
Several key positions in Government of India are vacant but are not being filled as there is a paucity of officers available for the job.
There are more than 30 Joint Secretary level positions up for grabs in various departments but the government is finding it difficult to post officers.
Many eligible officers are opting out for central deputation leading to a problem and in many cases several state governments are not relieving officers.
Jaya attacks DMK and Congress
Jayalalithaa brought up a host of corruption allegations yesterday
In a fierce attack on the DMK-Congress combine, Jayalalithaa Jayaram dubbed it a 'loot coalition' by raking up a host of corruption charges against the parties - and asked people to decimate them in the May 16 elections in TN.
A former top cop, who is leading the probe into the conduct of Haryana Police during a violent pro-quota movement by the Jat community in February, has said that dozens of officers deserted their posts as the protests intensified.
Former Uttar Pradesh DGP Prakash Singh told India Today that the committee will file its report within a week, identifying officers at and above the rank of inspector who rebelled during the unrest that saw widespread rioting and looting.
'Yes, there are complaints that police officers deserted their posts, which were verified. We are not probing a particular caste of community but those officials who turned cowards and did not perform their duties,' Singh said. 'Our aim is not to identify the small officers.'
Property worth crores was destroyed during the Jat agitation back in February and a dozen police officers stand accused of abandoning their posts during the protests
Members of the Jat community burnt houses and vehicles, vandalised businesses and allegedly even sexually assaulted women in Haryana as they demanded job and education quotas similar to those provided to underprivileged castes.
The role of the police department came under fire following reports that personnel, many from the same caste group as the protesters, either directly or indirectly aided and abetted the rioters. Dozens of these cops are likely to face action based on the report.
Confirming that video clips shared by complainants and found on social media were considered as evidence, Singh said the panel also received corroborating proof such as written and oral statements that will be submitted to the state government along with the findings.
Former DGP Prakash Singh said thatthe committee will file its report within a week, identifying officers at and above the rank of inspector who rebelled during the unrest that saw widespread rioting and looting
The probe, he said, was limited to eight districts - Rohtak, Jhajjar, Jind, Bhiwani, Hissar, Kaithal, Panipat and Sonipat - that were the worst affected by the movement.
The committee did not cover the alleged cases of rape that occurred during the protests in areas like Murthal. Singh rejected speculation that the report would embarrass the BJP-led state government and said it is ready to 'face the truth'.
A video clip showing protesters setting ablaze the residence of a minister in Rohtak and then distributing sweets has gone viral on social media.
In another clip, his family members - including his son and wife - can be seen fleeing the house to save their lives.
Countless telephone calls made by them to the police and fire brigade reportedly went unanswered.
The minister, Captain Abhimanyu, himself a Jat, said: 'I was not against reservation to the Jats. My house was set ablaze and there was a political conspiracy to kill my family. The video clips show Congress workers torching my house.
'We have identified a number of people. Stern action will be taken against the people after the committee submits its report.
Old Mutual boss Richard Buxton is said to be unimpressed by the Dobson reshuffle
Schroders iffy decision to shuffle patrician chief executive Michael Dobson over to chairman has attracted howls of protests in the city.
A leading critic of the move is said to be the investment firms bulbous-nosed ex-star manager Richard Buxton, now head at rivals Old Mutual.
Friends of Buxton, 51, whom Im told takes a bus to work from his Islington home, say he regards his former boss as aloof and out of touch.
Eton-educated Dobson, 63, meanwhile, is thought to consider motorcycle enthusiast Buxton as not a gentleman. Sounds like a Jeffrey Archer potboiler.
The collapse of BHS brings to light the colourful existence of its chubby-faced, twice bankrupt owner Dominic Chappell.
Even the Millfield-educated ex-racing drivers home, in the sleepy Dorset village of Winterborne Clenston, raises eyebrows.
Neighbours report he rents the 1.5m Grade II-listed house from the family of Giles Carlyle-Clarke, the wayward aristocrat jailed in the US in 2007 for his role in smuggling 60m worth of cannabis.
Giles apologised for his behaviour, saying: Ive been a disgrace. Perhaps Dominic, 49 who nonchalantly says no ones to blame for BHSs demise will eventually do the same.
Oily ex-Barclays boss Bob Diamonds perky daughter Nell has created her own luxury bed linen range.
Godolphin and Latymer-educated Nell, 26, a former analyst at Deutsche Bank, says that her designs were inspired by growing up in the worlds best hotels, such as Le Bristol in Paris, The Greenwich Hotel in New York, and Hotel du Cap Eden-Roc in South of France.
Pampered Nells no rough Diamond, thats for sure.
Tesco says it has installed defibrillator paddles in 900 stores to treat any cardiac arrests in the aisles.
Whens the ailing supermarkets under-pressure chief Drastic Dave Lewis, 51, going to provide the electric jolt to revive Tescos fortunes? Clear!
Grizzly Amstrad boss Sir Alan Sugar, 69, takes umbrage when a mischievous Twitter user suggests his 13-seat private jet which has G-SUGR emblazoned, gangster rapper-style, across its fuselage is chartered rather than owned.
Tesco Mobile is scrapping extra roaming charges for its customers travelling to any of 31 European countries from May 23, it announced today.
From April 30, mobile networks will be required to lower their overseas charges below a new cap thanks to new EU regulations (see below).
But the supermarket giant has decided to slash extra roaming charges altogether this summer, running until midnight on September 3. After this time the charges may revert again until all phone operators scrap roaming charges once and for all in July 2017.
Holidaymakers with a Tesco Mobile contract or pay-as-you-go bundle travelling to one of the 31 destination in Europe will now use their existing UK calls, data and text allowances when calling home.
Shock bill: Tesco Mobile customers won't have to pay extra for using their mobiles in Europe this summer
Customers wont need to do anything to receive the new Home from Home perk, it will be added automatically.
Call, text and data use will count towards customers' monthly allowance in Austria, Germany, Poland, Belgium, Greece, Portugal, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Ireland, Slovakia, Cyprus, Italy Slovenia, Czech Republic, Latvia, Spain including the Canary Islands, Denmark, Lithuania, Sweden,Estonia Luxembourg, Iceland,Finland, Malta, Liechtenstein,France, Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland.
If customers stray beyond their limits they will have to pay extra, the provider applies the same charges it would do for out of bundle usage in the UK.
Although charges have been cut within the EU, charges outside remain the same and some can really sting.
The cost depends on your destination but travellers heading to USA or Australia, for example, will be charged 89p per minute for calls, 40p per text and 8 per megabyte (MB) for data.
Anyone travelling to Sri Lanka or Indonesia will pay 1.49 per minute, 40p per text and 17p per MB of data.
Simon Groves, chief marketing officer at Tesco Mobile, says: This summer, millions of us will head off to Europe for our holidays, and being able to use our mobiles abroad is as important as packing a passport.
'Using our phones to share selfies on social media, keep in contact with friends and family, and navigating unknown territory, has become part and parcel of what we expect from our holiday experience.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR ROAMING CHARGES The ban on roaming charges has long been in the pipeline, but lengthy negotiations have caused delays. The new rules giving roaming charges the boot unfortunately wont come into effect until June 30 2017. In the meantime there has been a gradual scale back to the charges networks can inflict on customers. The current cap is set at 0.19 a minute to make a call, 0.06 for texts and 0.20 per MB of data, capped at 40 per month (data only). Before the charges are phased out completely From April 30 this year networks won't be able to add fees of more than 0.05 (4p) per minute for calls, 0.02 (2p) for texts and 0.05 (4p) each MB of data. Remember costs can still mount up quickly, particularly for those using data services to surf the web or use social networking sites. You will use a single megabyte of data to view five or six pages on the web on your mobile. Watch out - the changes wont extend further than the EU. If you are planning a trip further afield you will still need to be careful about using your mobile. Data in particular can be expensive, costing as much as 8 per MB.
We want our customers to enjoy their holiday without having to worry about the cost of using their phones. So we decided, why wait until 2017 to banish roaming? Lets help our customers and give them a taste of whats to come.'
Other rival offers
Three mobile already offers a similar 'Feel at Home' perk which wont charge extra to call or text the UK or for data use in 18 countries.
Anything beyond customers' contracts will cost more. The network charges 16.6p per minute for calls, texts cost 5.5p and data costs 10p per MB.
Although Three offers a smaller list of countries where you wont pay extra, it does include some popular destinations outside of Europe including Australia, New Zealand, The US, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
Carphone Warehouse-owned iD network is also worth considering for frequent travellers looking to avoid roaming charges before 2017.
It's TakeAway tariffs include free roaming in 29 countries including the whole of the EU, USA and Australia. Plans start at 12.50 a month for a SIM-only 12 month contract.
Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at uSwitch.com, says: 'It was only a matter of time before more mobile operators followed in Three and iDs footsteps to improve their roaming propositions and slash prices for using handsets abroad.
'Hats off to Tesco Mobile, which has even beaten the European Commission to ensure roaming costs no extra for Brits across the entire EU, as well as the EEA.'
How to cut your roaming costs
According to uSwitch more than a quarter of Brits believe it won't cost them any extra to use their phone when on holiday in Europe.
Here are our top tips on how to avoid bill shock before charges are scrapped in 2017.
Make the most of free wifi
The easiest way to avoid eye-wateringly high mobile bills is of course to take advantage of free WiFi wherever you can and turn your data roaming off altogether.
It is worth asking in hotels, cafes and restaurants when you are abroad.
If you have BT internet it is worth remembering that you can log in to BT Fon hotspots around the world for free if you have a @btinternet.com email address.
You can find also find apps which locate wifi hotspots nearby, but remember these may also require internet access to direct you.
Does your network offer any add-ons for use abroad
Most networks will offer the option to buy extra overseas bundles for those desperate to use their mobile abroad.
These bolt-on options will come with a set amount of minutes, calls and texts.
It is always worth ringing up your provider to check what is on offer or if there are any caps on usage before you head off.
Vodafone EuroTraveller costs 3 a day while Vodafone WorldTraveller costs 5 a day, these allow you to use your UK calls, texts and data allowances while travelling abroad without extra overseas fees.
For 1.99 O2 will give pay-monthly customers travelling in Europe unlimited data, pay-as-you-go customers will get 50MB per day for the same price.
EE customers can buy a Euro Pass for 4 a day which includes unlimited texts and calls and 100MB of data at normal speeds (after that you can still use data for free but it will limit your speeds).
Make your data smaller
Onavo Extended is a handy free app that helps you avoid going over your data limit to keep roaming costs to a minimum while you're abroad.
It works by compressing web pages and emails so that your downloads take up less data. It can also monitor your usage and show you which apps are costing the most in terms of data size.
What about buying a local SIM?
You could consider buying a local or global SIM card which offers a good pay-as-you-go rate.
This will stop you clocking up expensive calls and texts on your mobile as well as helping you decrease any data roaming costs.
Warning: So-called 'personalised pricing' is set to to revolutionise the way we pay for trips
The couple photographed in the booklet are lying on sun loungers next to a white-sand beach, with tropical cocktails in their hands.
They are enjoying the holiday of a lifetime. It's a million miles away from the stuffy exhibition hall in London where the leaflet is being handed out.
Representatives of more than 300 technology firms from everywhere from the U.S. to Finland have gathered in the hall.
Some are suited executives from giant companies; others, dressed in jeans and T-shirts, look like little more than graduates.
All have one thing in common: they are trying to work out how to use computers to squeeze more profit from holidaymakers like the couple pictured on the beach without the customer ever realising it.
Money Mail can reveal that travel firms are about to revolutionise the way we pay for trips.
Our investigation found that firms are working on a plan to usher in so-called personalised prices.
It means the cost of your holiday could soon be based on factors such as who you are, where you live even how many followers you have on Twitter.
We have uncovered how travel firms are:
Collecting vast swathes of data to work out how much to charge you
Finding out where you like to sit on a plane and hiking prices for those seats
Scanning newspaper notices about deaths, marriages and births in your family to cash in on your plans
Tracking your computer screen and bombarding you with marketing for things your mouse hovers over even if you don't click
Scouring old flight bookings for your favourite destinations
WHY TRAVEL FIRMS WANT YOUR DETAILS
Long gone are the days when holidaymakers trundled down to the travel agents and rifled through a brochure to choose a break.
Today, we're far more likely to go online: nearly half of holidays are now booked through internet travel agents such as Booking.com and Expedia. This has created an opportunity for travel firms to collect your data and use it to their advantage.
The busy trade show in London is one of a string of annual gatherings where delegates meet to discuss the latest discoveries.
The airlines and hotel firms here are paying fortunes to technology companies to crunch through complex data about your holiday habits, where you shop and which countries you like to visit.
Nearly every major travel company is now working with a data firm, say insiders. Some have even bought their own. Last year, Australian airline Qantas bought a stake in Taylor Fry, an analytics company, while Virgin Australia snapped up one called Torque Data.
Travel firms say the data helps them improve their services.
But it also helps them set prices. The holy grail they're working towards is 'personalised pricing'. This is where a travel firm changes the cost based on the information it holds specifically about you and hopes you'll never notice.
Personalised pricing is already being used in America. Now, travel firms targeting British holidaymakers are building treasure troves of information about their customers and working on computer programs to set your travel prices accordingly.
Airlines, including British Airways, are close to signing a deal that will ultimately allow them to offer personalised prices in the UK.
The agreement, called the New Distribution Capability (NDC), is being brought in by airline trade body the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
It will give airlines the flexibility to offer pricing based on data held about customers, as well as making it easier to sell extras such as insurance and the ability to choose your own seat. Airlines say it will also make it easier for customers to shop around.
Pilot programmes are already under way. Airlines taking part include BA, American Airlines, Aer Lingus, Swiss International Air Lines and United Airlines. Experts say it won't be long before other carriers join in.
Paul Tilstone, who runs a business travel consultancy and works with the IATA, says: 'There are all sorts of data that could be used to provide more personalised fares, from more obvious data such as identifying a customer's company to the more obscure, like a traveller's social media status and activity.'
But there are fears that personalised pricing could mean customers end up getting a raw deal. Usually, they will have no idea how the fare they have been offered has been worked out.
Last week, an influential group of peers in the House of Lords slammed travel firms for a 'lack of transparency' over their pricing tactics. It called on watchdog the Competition and Markets Authority to launch an urgent investigation.
Precious moments: But greedy and unscrupulous travel firms are devising ways to rinse as much money as possible from their customers
HOW THEY GET YOUR DATA
The first step to personalised pricing is to build up a picture about who you are. Travel companies may ask your permission before taking your details, but few customers have any real idea how this information is used.
One way is tracking your internet browsing. Every time you visit a website, the company behind it downloads a tracker onto your computer, known as a cookie. These monitor what pages of the website you use and how frequently you click on a page.
In the past, some travel firms used cookies to see whether customers repeatedly looked at a specific flight. Insiders say if you kept going back, the price was bumped up to panic you into booking.
But cookies can be deleted or turned off by savvy internet users. So now, travel firms are replacing the cookie trick with more sophisticated techniques to manipulate prices.
They'd rather you signed up as a member of their site. This allows them to glean and exploit far more information about your habits.
The more they know, the easier it is for a firm to work out exactly how much you'll be prepared to pay.
The array of data the firms demand can be mind-boggling.
The terms and conditions for reviews website TripAdvisor, for example, state that it collects information about 'style, and preferences, including meal requests, seat selection, frequent flyer/hotel/car rental program information, and flight class, luggage and ticketing options'.
The small print says this data can be passed on to a range of other firms. TripAdvisor says this data is not used to offer personalised pricing.
Another trick is to lure travellers into loyalty schemes. Data from credit and loyalty cards can hint at a customer's wealth.
Someone who shops in Waitrose and buys jewellery from Tiffany, for example, might be able to afford to pay more for holidays.
Firms could push expensive deals at them or even offer extra perks to keep them on board.
An industry insider explained how BA has a program called Blue Rocket, which analyses its loyalty club data to identify members who show signs of becoming more profitable customers in future.
HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON HOLIDAY SPENDING While many of us spend hours hunting down the best holiday deals, we often pay little attention to how we will spend when we get there. But choosing the right debit or credit card for your holiday spending can stop hefty fees eating into your budget. Most bank account debit cards charge both for taking money out of a cash machine and load the exchange rate against you. Credit cards are even bigger offenders, often charging a higher rate of interest on that money, plus a charge for withdrawal and loading the exchange rate. Fortunately some bank accounts and credit cards cut these charges or take them down to nothing. The recently released MBNA Everyday Plus American Express credit card comes with a low interest rate on purchases and transferred debt, plus it does not apply extra charges for overseas use. All borrowing on the card clocks up interest at 7.4 per cent, much lower than the standard 18 or 19 per cent APR of a standard credit card. It has no annual fee but one major downfall - as an Amex card it may not be accepted everywhere. Halifax's Clarity credit card has no extra charges for spending abroad anywhere or any extra fee for withdrawing cash at home and abroad. Standard interest is set at 18.9 per cent. Although this is slightly more expensive than MBNA's Everyday Plus Amex card, the Mastercard-backed Clarity Credit Card is likely to be more widely accepted. There is no annual fee - so there are zero extra costs as long as you pay off your balance in full every month. N&P's Gold Classic account offers a number of free services, helping you to save money when managing your finances. Bear in mind that you must either have 5,000 in it or pay in 500 a month to avoid a 5 monthly charge for the account. > Read This is Money's full round-up of the best cards for spending overseas
A FAVOURITE SEAT COULD COST YOU
Once travel firms have collected the data, they can work out what to advertise to you. Airlines are at the forefront of the drive to replace standard prices with ones tailored to different customers.
Mark Ross-Smith, who founded big data business Flyora, which works with major travel firms, says: 'Every airline has its own data sets and data feeds, which data scientists and business intelligence teams get to work on.
'The idea is to understand how the information can be used to drive more sales, greater credit card spend or higher seat prices. You name it, travel firms are doing it.'
Analytics firms help airlines delve into vast databases of information in some cases, dating back for decades and turn them into gold.
It might show you usually only book aisle seats at the front of the plane.
If these seats are taken, the airline could cut the cost of other tickets to make it more tempting for you to book. Or if they're not taken, it could hike the costs, believing you'll pay the higher fee for your favourite spot.
Insiders say this could pile around 10 onto a 100 ticket and could even double your costs.
When and where you travel most often counts, too.
Airlines are desperate to sniff out business travellers who'll accept higher costs because their company is paying. Computer programs look for clues such as someone making a short trip for a couple of days between two major cities.
Travellers flying on today's 7.05am flight between London and Frankfurt, a popular business route, were offered a price of 283 for the outward leg of the journey if they said they were coming back in two days' time.
But if they named a return date two weeks later, the price fell to just 128.
The danger is that ordinary travellers planning short breaks could be caught out.
The country in which you book a flight is also important. For instance, if you use a computer in Thailand which uses the Thai language, you may be offered a cheaper price for the same hotel than if you reserved it from the UK.
Firms know that customers who book from Thailand are typically able to spend less so they set prices accordingly.
Travellers are told flights closer to the day you want to fly will rise. But this is not always true. If an airline wants to shift seats on the plane and knows you are not tied to specific dates, it might cut these prices.
However, if it thinks you need to make the trip urgently (for work, perhaps), it might bump up the price.
One technology firm, SITA, has developed a program that helps an airline decide prices based on a range of factors which include their booking history and social media profile.
And some companies are understood to have programs capable of scanning newspaper notices for notices of deaths, marriages and births.
The computer then tries to match the surnames against those of the most loyal customers in its database. If it thinks there's a connection, it could target them with advertising.
One insider at a data company says: 'If it's clear you have been bereaved, you may be offered a special fare at a lower price.
'But there's also an opportunity to hit you with a higher price if the airline knows you travel with them 90 per cent of the time and need to be somewhere specific.'
Travel companies are also using technology that examines where your mouse moves on the page and how long you linger. For instance, you might briefly glance at hiring a car, but then decide against it, or look at the travel insurance policy.
The firm can see that you have considered these options even though it was only for a second or two. It can then bombard you with adverts or, in some cases, even ring you using data from other sources.
One firm, called Optilead, will track customers who use travel firm websites. If they go to buy a ticket or book a hotel, but then give up, Optilead's marketing team contacts the customer on behalf of the firm by email or over the phone to push through the sale.
Last night, an IATA spokesman said: 'Any claim that NDC will allow airlines to price discriminate is illogical. Such discrimination presumes no ability to comparison-shop among multiple airlines.
'Passengers need to be able to shop and compare the value of fares across airlines just as they do when shopping for other consumer goods. NDC is intended to give them this ability through the development of a modern, internet-based data standard.
in math and reading and two in five fourth graders did well in math and reading
A third of eighth graders were
Results from national math and reading tests show slipping or stagnant scores for the nation's schoolkids.
Math scores were down for fourth and eighth graders over the last two years and the falling mathematics scores for those grades mark the first declines in the subject since 1990.
Reading grades were not much better: flat for fourth graders and lower for eighth graders, according to 2015 results released Wednesday for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam.
The results suggest students have a ways to go to demonstrate a solid grasp or mastery in reading and math.
Students in the U.S. who took the National Assessment of Educational Progress exam showed a decline in math and reading scores, some of which slipped for the first time since 1990 (stock photo)
Only about a third of the nation's eighth-graders were at proficient or above in math and reading.
Among fourth graders, the results were slightly better in reading and in math, about two in five scored proficient or above.
The report also found a continuing achievement gap between white and black students.
There were a few bright spots: the District of Columbia and Mississippi both saw substantial reading and math gains.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan urged parents, teachers and others not to panic about the scores as states embrace higher academic standards, such as Common Core.
'We should expect scores in this period to bounce around some, and I think that 'implementation dip' is part of what we're seeing here.
'I would caution everyone to be careful about drawing conclusions,' Duncan said in a phone call with reporters.
Chris Minnich, executive director of the Council of Chief State School Officers, echoed Duncan.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan told parents not to panic and blamed the drop in scores on a learning curve as children adapt to higher education standards like Common Core (stock photo)
A third of eighth graders were proficient in math and reading and two in five fourth graders did well in math and reading (stock photo)
'One year does not make a trend. We set this new goal for the country of college and career readiness for all kids.
'Clearly, these results today show we're not quite there yet and we have some work to do,' Minnich said at a panel discussion Wednesday.
The Common Core standards were developed by the states with the support of the administration.
They spell out what students should know in English and math at each grade level, with a focus on critical thinking and less of an emphasis on memorization.
But they have become a rallying point for critics who want a smaller federal role in education and some parents confounded by some of the new concepts being taught.
The NAEP tests, also known as the 'nation's report card,' don't align completely with Common Core, but NAEP officials said there was 'quite a bit' of overlap between the tests and the college-ready standards.
Gordon will be interviewed by Dr. Phil on his TV show on Thursday and Friday
Bobbi Kristina's autopsy listed cause of death as 'undetermined,' but Gordon is still facing a civil suit brought by Bobbi Kristina's conservator
'We wanted to get clean, settle down, get married, have kids,' Gordon says as he tells the couple suffered two miscarriages
Gordon admits he and Bobbi Kristina were using drugs 'more and more'
'We made up and went upstairs and lay on the bed for about 45 minutes and did what adults do'
He says he was out with friends, got back at 4 am and 'Krissy' was already clearly 'messed up'
Gordon proclaims his innocence - but admits the couple got into a fight because Bobbi Kristina thought he was cheating
He claims that drug-addicted Bobbi Kristina almost drowned in a tub once before only to be rescued by her mom Whitney Houston
Nick Gordon, 26, tells Daily Mail Online his version of what happened in the crucial hours before Bobbi Kristina was found face down in the bathtub
For the first time since Bobbi Kristina Brown's death last July her fiance Nick Gordon is describing in detail what happened in the crucial hours before she was discovered face down and unresponsive in the bathtub of their shared home in Roswell, Georgia.
In an emotional and wide-ranging interview with Daily Mail Online Gordon has laid bare the true extent of the couple's drug use.
He has spoken of Bobbi Kristina's torment over her father Bobby Brown's 'abandonment' of her and her mother, Whitney Houston; told how she self-harmed; revealed her depression over two miscarriages and admitted his own sense of failure that he could not stop the downward spiral of addiction into which they both descended in the months leading up to the fatal incident on January 31 last year.
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Guilt: 'I blame myself for not getting to Krissy quick enough that day,' Nick Gordon, 26, tells Daily Mail Online in an emotional interview
Strikingly he has claimed that Bobbi Kristina almost drowned in a bathtub once before falling into a drunken sleep only to be rescued by her mother.
According to Gordon it happened the night before Whitney died in the very same way.
Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Online Gordon, 26, says: 'I blame myself for not getting to Krissy quick enough that day.
'I can't blame myself for another addict's addiction but I feel like I failed her. She didn't make it. I wish she got help.
'I wish she got my spot [in rehab]. I did not protect her the way that I was supposed to even if it was from herself.'
Gordon, who went into rehab following an intervention by Dr. Phil McGraw last year, return to the show in his first TV interview since his rehab on Thursday and Friday.
Bobbi Kristina, known as Krissy, was 22 years old when she was declared dead on July 26, 2015, six months after being placed in a medically induced coma. She had 'global and irreversible' brain damage.
Gordon's actions in the early hours of that January morning have been the subject of intense scrutiny, suspicion and allegation ever since.
Bobbi Kristina's autopsy listed cause of death as 'undetermined,' but Gordon is still facing a civil suit brought by Bedelia Hargreaves, Bobbi Kristina's conservator.
It alleges he stole from Bobbi Kristina, violently abused her and, on the night in question, 'injected her with a toxic cocktail' of drugs before placing her in the tub.
In her deposition as part of that suit, house guest Daniella Bradley described a vicious argument between Gordon and Bobbi Kristina during which he punched and kicked her to the ground before dragging her upstairs by her hair.
Bradley claimed that he then came into her room, lay on the bottom of her bed and said; 'Now I want a little white girl like you.'
Bobbi Kristina's father, Bobby Brown, has openly stated, 'We believe we know who harmed Bobbi Kristina Brown and his name is Nick Gordon.'
Today Gordon vehemently denies any wrongdoing, dismissed the civil suit as 'bull***t' and given his own account of what happened.
Regrets: 'We wanted to get clean, settle down, get married, have kids,' Nick Gordon tells Daily Mail Online, the first time he has spoken about the tragic death of Bobbi Kristina. Instead as she lay in a coma Gordon found himself shut out by her family - banned first from her bedside and ultimately from her graveside
Suspicion: Gordon's actions in the early hours of that January morning Bobbi Kristina was found in the bathtub of the Atlanta home they shared have been the subject of intense scrutiny, suspicion and allegation ever since
Close knit: Gordon moved in with Whitney Houston and Bobbi Kristina when he was 17 years old and had a close relationship with the two. He reveals his relationship with Bobbi Kristina went further after Whitney's death in 2012
He says: 'I went out with a couple of buddies of mine earlier that day and we were out having a good time. Krissy thought I was with some other females and that's when she got upset. She called and said I had to come home.'
Gordon claimed it was around four in the morning when he finally did and that when he arrived back home Bobbi Kristina was already clearly 'messed up.'
He adds: 'I saw a couple of bottles of wine. I thought she had just been drinking, maybe smoked a little. She was upset, we got into a little argument and then we made up and went upstairs and lay on the bed for about 45 minutes and did what adults do.'
He conceded that Bradley's version was 'half true,' admitting that he then went and lay on the bottom of her bed but that he never said anything about 'wanting a little white girl'.
He [friend Max] knocked on the door and didn't hear a call from Krissy. He knocked on the bathroom and still didn't hear a call from Krissy and that's when he found her in the bathtub. Then he calls my name.
'I don't know why she said that,' he says. 'She's said a lot of things that aren't true.'
Instead, he reveals: 'I went downstairs to go and play PS4 real quick and she [Bobbi Kristina] got up and was doing her own thing. She was getting up and getting dressed.'
There were four people in the house at that point Bobbi Kristina, Gordon, Bradley and friend Max Lomas.
Gordon's timeline is hazy but, at around 10am, he explains: 'The Xfinity [cable] guy came and had to do a bunch of stuff in the house and I had my friend Max walk round with him because he had to change all the boxes and I wanted to make sure he's not stealing anything or taking pictures.
'So he [Max] walked him into my room to show him the box in there.
'He knocked on the door and didn't hear a call from Krissy. He knocked on the bathroom and still didn't hear a call from Krissy and that's when he found her in the bathtub. Then he calls my name.'
Pausing Gordon apologizes: 'I'm sorry this is hard. I knew instantly something was wrong. You know there's a tone; you can hear it in someone's voice.
'I ran to my room and then I saw my girl on the floor. It was so traumatizing. I dropped to my knees and kept giving her chest compressions and blowing into her mouth.'
There was a moment of relief, he tells, when Bobbi Kristina spat up some water. 'I thought she was going to come round but that never happened.'
Cleaned up act: Following an intervention initiated by Dr. Phil McGraw last year Gordon checked into rehab. He now claims to be clean and sober and proud of how far he has come
Emotional: 'I ran to my room and then I saw my girl on the floor. It was so traumatizing. I dropped to my knees and kept giving her chest compressions and blowing into her mouth,' Gordon says
For Gordon, history was repeating itself in the most hideous fashion. He says: 'It was a nightmare all over again. It was the worst thing.'
In a bizarre twist of fate Gordon had been there at the Beverly Hills Hilton back in February 2012 when Whitney Houston drowned in the bathtub. She was later found to have cocaine in her system.
On that night Gordon heard screams coming down the hotel corridor and ran to Houston's room to see her, lying on the floor, her lips blue.
He has previously said that he tried giving her CPR but that it was too late.
Houston's family have issued a denial of this and stated that the police report shows that he did no such thing.
Today Gordon has amended his account slightly, stating, 'I shouldn't have said CPR. I tried a couple of chest compressions but I knew in my heart she was gone.'
For Bobbi Kristina, Gordon says, it was the beginning of a descent into drug use that spiraled out of all control. For him it was the end of a relationship that has long perplexed observers.
Never official: Despite wearing wedding rings, Nick Gordon and Bobbi Kristina were never legally married. But Gordon tells, 'We nearly got married one time. We went to the courthouse but the line was too long and we had a family reunion to get to in Florida. I said, "Baby we got to hit the road." I wish I had just waited that 30 minutes and done it'
He explains: 'Nippy [as Whitney was known to family and friends] was like a mom to me. Momma Dukes. Losing her was terrible.'
Gordon was 17 years old and Bobbi Kristina 14 when Whitney invited him to move into their home in Georgia.
He was a junior in high school but stopped going after he moved in, as did Bobbi Kristina who began being tutored at home.
Bobbi Kristina introduced her mother to her friend Gordon one day when she was dropping her daughter at school, he explains: 'It was like, 'Oh there's my friend Nick.'
'Whitney took my cell number so she could call and check up on Krissy and it evolved from there.'
Losing Whitney: 'Nippy [as Whitney was known to family and friends] was like a mom to me. Momma Dukes. Losing her was terrible,' says Gordon
Gordon can't really account for the extent to which he was adopted into the Houston household other than to suggest that both Whitney and Bobbi Kristina were reeling from Bobby Brown's departure that same year and that he was a man they felt they could trust.
He says: 'They talked about it all the time and they were upset about it all the time. It affected them both in a really negative way.'
He moved in with Whitney and Bobbi Kristina when his own mother and then stepfather decided to move back to Florida, where Gordon now lives, and he didn't want to leave Atlanta.
Looking back he believes that there was always an attraction there for Bobbi Kristina, though he regarded himself as a sort of sibling.
But then, after Whitney died, he reveals: 'It was just me and Krissy. I feel that it was like we felt we only had each other after Nip had passed away and we were with each other all the time and it went from there.'
The shift in relationship was not something with which Bobbi Kristina's family was comfortable. Gordon adds: 'I was really close with Whitney and Krissy; maybe it was jealousy that caused that [ill-feeling].
'It got to the point where I was making decisions for Whitney for a while. I got really close to them and the family didn't like it.
'Plus I came from welfare, they're like "How did this kid on welfare becomeyou know, get to here"?'
Addressing the allegations that he was in it for financial gain Gordon says: 'I never had to steal. It was given to me. I was asked if I wanted it. I'm not the guy the media portrays.'
Gordon says he never saw Houston do drugs and never saw mother and daughter do drugs together as has been claimed.
He admitted that Bobbi Kristina would 'smoke a little marijuana' while her mother was alive.
He even revealed that she nearly drowned in the bathtub once before when she fell into a drunken sleep with the water still running.
He says: 'It was in the Beverly Hills Hilton and the water overflowed out into the hallway.
'Whitney found her, pulled her out and slept in her bed that night.'
Chillingly, he says, Whitney died in the same way the very next night.
Her death was the catalyst for a disastrous change in Bobbi Kristina's drug use.
He tells Daily Mail Online: 'After her mom had passed she would use drugs to numb the pain she was feeling.'
'She started taking pain pills and Xanax and self-harming. You could see the scars on her arms,' he says.
Future: Nick now lives with his mother in Florida and plans to go to college to study business with a dream of opening a gym
Nick Gordon wheeling friend Daniella Bradley out of the hospital the morning after Bobbi Kristina was found unconscious. Other friend Max Lomas waited in the car. Both were there the night of the incident
Bobbi Kristina's family has blamed Gordon for her struggle with addiction. But, he says, 'She had problems long before I came on the scene.
'I think that family [the Houstons] has a lot of guilt of not being in her life enough. And you know it's funny, I hardly saw any of these Browns before and all of a sudden they come out of nowhere.
'They weren't in Krissy's life and I strongly believe they're looking for somebody to blame but guess what? I'm not filling the role of being the blame guy.'
In fact, Gordon portrays himself as one of the few men Bobbi Kristina could trust. He says: 'We did everything together. We were inseparable.
'We nearly got married one time. We went to the courthouse but the line was too long and we had a family reunion to get to in Florida. I said, "Baby we got to hit the road." I wish I had just waited that 30 minutes and done it.'
The drug use was becoming more and more and we were already using a lot. People started suggesting rehab but she was resistant, addicts are always resistant. She was mixing drugs.
But despite the fact that they were not legally married Gordon and Bobbi Kristina claimed publicly that they were.
It's what Bobbi Kristina wanted, Gordon explains. And though he would like to have people believe that he gave Bobbi Kristina no reason to feel insecure or jealous he admits: 'She wanted to tell people we were married. She probably would have figured I had something to hide if I was like "No let's not do that".
'She had a lot of men let her down and run out on her.'
In the month before the bathtub incident Gordon admitted he saw 'a really bad decline' in Bobbi Kristina.
Cops were called to the Rosewell house on several occasions by neighbors reporting disturbances and fights.
The last time was January 23, 2015 when they found no evidence of any fight. Gordon dismissed the visits as nothing more than neighbors complaining about loud music.
On January 27 Bobbi Kristina was involved in a car wreck that badly injured the other driver when she switched lanes unexpectedly at a reckless speed.
Her court appearance was pending when she admitted to hospital four days later.
Gordon says: 'The drug use was becoming more and more and we were already using a lot. People started suggesting rehab but she was resistant, addicts are always resistant. She was mixing drugs.'
Grief: Nick Gordon says Bobbi Kristina felt 'abandoned' by her father Bobby Brown, who blames Gordon for his daughter's death (Brown crying standing over Bobbi Kristina's casket last August)
According to Gordon, Bobbi Kristina hadn't cut herself for 'about eight months' before she was found in the bathtub.
But she was often depressed. He reveals: 'We had a couple of miscarriages. We would have loved to have a kid but we weren't planning on it yet and she was just such a young fragile person it took a toll on her.'
But he rejects any suggestion that Bobbi Kristina might have intended to take her own life with an overdose.
He says: 'We wanted to get clean, settle down, get married, have kids.'
Remembered: 'I can't move on from Krissy. She's got a super special place in my heart. I don't want to move on from that,' Gordon says
It was not to be. Instead as Bobbi Kristina lay in a coma Gordon found himself shut out by her family banned first from her bedside and ultimately from her graveside.
He lashed out against Bobby Brown on twitter on many occasions.
He says: 'I wasn't in the right state of mind but I don't regret the tweets I did about Bobby. I would do stuff differently now but the fact that Bobby didn't let me into the funeral? No. He knows I didn't do anything wrong and that still affects me today.
'I had a very, very, very hard time accepting that because Krissy, and her mom, would have wanted me there.'
Gordon visited Bobbi Kristina's grave for the first time last August and plans to return soon.
Following an intervention initiated by Dr. Phil McGraw last year Gordon checked into rehab and today claims to be clean and sober and proud of how far he has come.
He plans to go to college to study business with a dream of opening a gym.
He tells Daily Mail Online: 'I'm starting to feel like a new man and I feel like it's about time for things to be cleared up. I can't live under this [suspicion]. I was quiet for long enough.
'I can't move on from Krissy. She's got a super special place in my heart. I don't want to move on from that.
'I think she's with me every day. She's here, right now. I speak to her all the time. I have to. It keeps me sane.'
Reflecting on Whitney and Bobbi Kristina's litany of tragedy Gordon admits: 'I think we all let each other down because we were all doing the same thing.
Dorothy Van Sickle had never been to California before she joined the service. She grew up in Washington state and decided to become a nurse after high school.
Two years into working as a nurse in a doctor's office, she saw an opportunity. Everybody was getting involved in World War II in some manner, and she recognized that she was a good candidate single and free of serious responsibility.
"It was something I thought I should do," said Van Sickle, who was eager to leave home, too, so she enlisted as a nurse in the U.S. Navy Reserve.
Just after Pearl Harbor, Van Sickle was called to San Diego to serve at the naval hospital.
"That was a first," she said of the train ride south.
She was assigned to the sick officers quarters, where she treated men for injuries that couldn't be handled on hospital boats. She remembers being struck by the hierarchy among the officers, and how some seemed to get better treatment or private rooms.
The hospital received several injured men after the battle of Midway and a number from smaller battles throughout the Pacific Ocean.
She earned $75 a week, the same amount she'd paid for her nurse's training years before. It wasn't a lot, but "things didn't cost much when you couldn't find anything to buy," she joked.
"This was an exciting time, though it was awful, too. All new experiences," said Van Sickle, adding she enjoyed visiting the nearby zoo and swimming at Coronado Island.
In one six-person hospital room, she met a young Marine Bruce Van Sickle who was recovering from a nose surgery. He liked to joke that she would go in and out of the room just to check the towels. The men tended to swipe them, because supplies tended to run short.
One day, Dorothy Van Sickle was doing paperwork in the glass nurse's station when Bruce Van Sickle asked her on a date.
The two went bowling on one date and horseback riding on another. She fell off a horse during their date and ended up in the hospital. When Bruce Van Sickle sent one of his brother's to visit her there, she knew he was serious.
She decided to leave the service after nine months, when she and Bruce Van Sickle got engaged. They worried she would be assigned to a dangerous hospital ship. Four of her roommates from San Diego were shipped out just one month after she left.
"Would I have stayed longer, I would have seen the disastrous result of war," she said.
She moved from California to Oklahoma and got a job doing first aid for men working at a dynamite factory. The two got married during the war, and Bruce Van Sickle sold his car to buy her a diamond ring.
She became pregnant with her first child while her husband was in the war and moved back to Washington to stay with her parents.
Meanwhile, Bruce Van Sickle fought at the Battle of Okinawa in Japan.
She said she wasn't nervous for her husband's safety.
"He was doing his duty, as were practically all of the young men of that age," she said.
He joined her in Washington after the war, but, after his father died, the two moved to Minot, where he practiced law and later became a federal judge. Dorothy Van Sickle continued to work occasionally as a nurse.
"I couldn't imagine anything worse," she said of moving to North Dakota. "Now, I wouldn't have anything else."
Downing Street staff traded bogus secrets for sex with undercover Russian and Chinese spies, a new book has revealed.
Advisers to former prime minister Gordon Brown tricked attractive women into thinking they were stealing sensitive information by preparing fake phones and intelligence files as 'dangles' in their rooms.
It allowed them to take advantage of the 'beautiful posse of Chinese girls and Russian blondes' who seduced aides from foreign governments before stealing confidential information when they slept.
Advisers to former prime minister Gordon Brown (pictured on a trip to China during the Beijing Olympics) tricked attractive Chinese and Russian women into thinking they were stealing sensitive information by preparing fake phones and intelligence files as 'dangles' in their rooms
The details are revealed in a new book that offers a fascinating insight into the relationship between Britain's spying agencies and Downing Street.
The creative aides from Number 10 devised their plan after one of their colleagues fell victim to a honey-trap on a visit to Shanghai.
The initial incident - told by Mr Brown's spin doctor Damian McBride in his explosive memoirs three years ago - ended with the senior adviser waking up the next morning 'minus his Blackberry and half the contents of his briefcase' after being drugged by the undercover spy.
It spurred Downing Street staff into planning their amateur deception plot.
The fresh revelations about foreign trips under Mr Brown were told by the advisers to the book's authors - security academics Professor Richard Aldrich and Professor Rory Cormac.
Gordon Brown's spin doctor Damian McBride (left) revealed in his 2013 memoirs how a senior Downing Street adviser had been 'honey-trapped' by an undercover spy from a 'beautiful posse of Chinese girls and Russian blondes' who were deployed to seduce foreign government officials to steal secrets
MI6 (its headquarters pictured in Vauxhall, London) were worried that the fake deception tactics used by Downing Street aides might harm the UK's genuine deception operations and ordered them to stop
But after deploying their bogus phones and intelligence files in an effort to lure female spies on foreign trips, they were thwarted by Britain's own intelligence officials.
MI6 were worried that the fake deception tactics might harm the UK's genuine deception operations and ordered them to stop.
The bogus files used by the Downing Street staff were in fact commercially confidential but unclassified reports on the future of China by a major multinational.
The advisers created suitable covers suggesting they were secret intelligence reports on the long term future of Chinese trade.
The initial 'honey-trap' incident took place on Mr Brown's visit to China in 2008.
The prime minister was accompanied by about 20 Number 10 staff as well as 25 business leaders.
Details of how Downing St staff tricked undercover spies with bogus phones are revealed in a new book - The Black Door: Spies, Secret Intelligence and British Prime Ministers by Richard J. Aldrich and Rory Cormac
Mr McBride - who returned to work for the Labour party after quitting Downing Street in 2009 in disgrace over attempts to smear Tory opponents - explained how the travelling Downing Street team had been 'accosted on one side by a beautiful posse of Chinese girls and on the other side by an equivalent group of Russian blondes'.
He went on: 'Even before our resident security expert could warn us that their interest was not to be taken at face value, we looked up and saw one of our number disappearing up the stairs to the exit with one of the girls, beaming back at us and doing a 'Chelsea dagger' dance as though he had won the lottery'.
Mr McBride said he woke up in the morning minus his Blackberry and half the contents of his briefcase as well as a very bad headache, owning to the Mickey Finn nightcap his overnight companion had administered to him in his hotel room.
Downing Street staff travelling overseas were routinely issued with special secure phones, the book explains.
Security teams ordered them not to switch on their normal BlackBerrys due to the various hostile security agencies trying to hack them.
Staff were told that anything they left in their rooms would automatically be examined and copied especially in China.
It is not just the British intelligence agencies who are paranoid of government officials being tricked by attractive undercover foreign spies.
Last week it emerged that China had ordered its female government workers not to talk to 'handsome and romantic' Western foreigners over concerns they are spies.
The 'Dangerous Love' campaign was launched by officials who believe they need to educate members of staff on how to keep classified information confidential.
The message - told through a series of cartoon-style pictures - was released to mark China's debut National Security Education Day, which was created to increase resident's awareness about security problems.
The Black Door: Spies, Secret Intelligence and British Prime Ministers by Richard J. Aldrich and Rory Cormac is published by William Collins.
Winner: The Venceremos combines BACARDI rum, coconut liqueur, pineapple, cucumber and lime juice, finished with a dash of sesame oil and garnished with a pineapple leaf
The Mojito, the Cuba Libre and the Dark and Stormy have all earned their place in the cocktail hall of fame. And now a new creation looks set to join their ranks: the 'Venceremos' a bold new cocktail that gets its kick from a dash of sesame oil.
And it's all thanks to Gn Chan, the self-confessed 'lightweight' bartender from New York, whose most recent concoction has been named the best cocktail in the world at the 2016 BACARDI Legacy Global Cocktail Competition.
The mixture of BACARDI rum and coconut liqueur with pineapple, cucumber and lime juice (topped off with a dash of sesame oil and garnished with a pineapple leaf) is now set to grace bars, clubs, restaurants and lounges across the world.
Best of all, it's simple to make. 'Put everything together,' says Chan, 29, who currently works at a speakeasy-style bar in Manhattan. 'Shake. Strain. Done.'
Chan, who describes himself as an 'accidental bartender' explains that the Venceremos Spanish for 'we shall overcome' - is a reflection of his own journey as he hustled his way to the top of his career.
Born to strict Christian parents in rural Taiwan, Chan grew up in a household where absolutely no alcohol was allowed. Now, he admits 'I actually have a really low tolerance.'
After leaving home, Chan studied Industrial Design at university and served in the Taiwanese army before starting his own business. But when he lost all his money to a scam, Chan was desperate for cash to pay rent and he found himself at a bar asking for a job.
'At the beginning it was really hard,' he says. 'My dad and mom couldn't accept that I would make bartending my career.
The best cocktail in the world: Gn Chan pictured preparing his winning Venceremos cocktail on Monday at the 2016 BACARDI Legacy Global Cocktail Competition
'But since I was young I've always done what I wanted to do. I know what I'm good at. This is my passion.'
After seven months of working at a bar in Taiwan, Chan sold everything he had to move to New York's East Village and devote himself to bartending.
Success: Chan competed against 36 finalists from as far field as Russia, Thailand and New Zealand before taking home the BACARDI Legacy trophy
'I started all over again and everything was very up and down' he says. 'I had to go through the darkest moments to get here. But I overcame.'
The bartender, who has previously worked with magic as a street performer, likens cocktail-making to performing arts. 'When you are making drink, it is a performance,' he says. 'And the drink itself is a design. So it's perfect for me.'
Chan says his new cocktail is influenced by the Pina Colada the drink that introduced him to the world of mixology - but the cucumber and sesame oil reflect his Asian background.
Last weekend, the young bartender took on the world's best mixologists at the BACARDI Legacy competition. The 36 finalists from as far field as Russia, Thailand and New Zealand, shook, stirred, mixed and strained through several days of competition in San Francisco to present the newest and most exciting cocktails.
Because nowadays a cocktail is not just a drink, and a bartender is not just a server.
'There is artistry and craftsmanship,' explains Fabio Di Giammarco, Global Vice President for BACARDI rum. 'It's a profession that has kept evolving and it is conceived as an art.
'These people hustle and go through adversity. Many of them have come from nothing and they create a name for themselves through very hard work and that should be celebrated.'
Mr Di Giammarco explains how 'cocktail culture' is growing, in which he foresees that people will put the same love, care and passion they have for their food into what they drink.
GN CHAN'S VENCEREMOS RECIPE Modern classic: The Venceremos cocktail INGREDIENTS: 45ml BACARDI Superior White Rum
15ml Coconut liqueur
25ml Pineapple juice
15ml Cucumber juice
5ml Lime juice
1 Dash sesame oil GLASS: Hurricane or rocks METHOD: Shake and strain GARNISH: Pineapple leaves
'There is more and more interest in the general population in drinks,' he says. 'Right now, not everybody knows what to do with cocktails but the interest is there.'
Chan adds that chefs are increasingly sharing their expert knowledge and techniques to create cocktails and pair them with dishes.
'It not just wine and foods that are paired now, it's also cocktails and food,' he says. 'I'm not a heavy drinker, so I like to eat and drink together. When you have food and cocktails combined you have more opportunities and possibilities.'
Mr Di Giammarco adds: 'So far, the food industry has done a better job. It has recipes, books, and chefs who have become celebrities. Drinks have been lagging, but we're certainly catching up.'
The competition was followed by a roundtable discussion moderated by Spotify, in which New York bartender royalty Ivy Mix and Steve Schneider sat down with Jillionaire and Walshy to compare the hustle of the music and mixology worlds.
When some central Florida women wanted plastic surgery they couldn't afford, police say they turned to a 28-year-old woman who used stolen IDs to cover the expenses.
Terilyn Riggins is accused of running a crime ring, that scammed more than $50,000 worth of breast implants, tummy tucks or dental work.
Riggins was arrested on March 29 after a nine-months-long investigation.
Terilyn Riggins (left and right) is accused of running a crime ring, that scammed more than $50,000 worth of breast implants, tummy tucks or dental work
Fourteen women were arrested in total. All of them are accused of using stolen identities to get - or attempt to get - plastic surgery or dental work from legitimate offices across central Florida said the police report
Orlando police Detective Todd Herb tells the Orlando Sentinel that they've arrested 14 women - mostly Pine Hills residents- in total and identified at least 12 theft victims.
Police say the women were either friends of Riggins or met her in jail, and some of them racked up bills for more than $15,000.
Some paid her a small fee. Others offered services such as doing her hair or cooking for her in exchange for surgeries.
Officials say it was a full-time job for Riggins to set up the fraudulent accounts.
All of them are accused of using stolen identities to get - or attempt to get - plastic surgery or dental work from legitimate offices across central Florida said the police report.
From tummy tucks, to breast reductions to breast implants - whatever you could get with plastic surgery, that's what they were getting done, said Herb.
Police say the women were either friends of Riggins (left and right) or met her in jail, and some of them racked up bills for more than $15,000
Of the 14 women arrested most of them were Pine Hills (pictured) residents. Police identified at least 12 theft victims
When asked how they would pay for their elected surgery, women gave the stolen credit account information, saying that the card belonged to a sister or cousin.
And when the office verified the account, the women would be connected to it, although fraudulently.
But in some cases the surgery office would be notified of the fraud before the work started - in one case minutes before.
One woman was on the operating table 'about to go under', when doctors were called off, said Herb.
The fraud victims were generally aged between 19 and 24 years old, and when faced with the bill they either alerted their bank or ignored the bill.
Jeffrey Hawkins, who described himself as a former police officer, has been charged with murder following the shooting of his wife
A man calling himself a 'former police officer' called 911 and gave his address, and when the dispatcher asked what she could help him with, admitted: 'I just shot and killed my wife.'
Police say Jeffrey Hawkins, 57, surrendered to officers at his Colerain Township, Ohio, home after letting them know he'd leave his gun in the kitchen and wait for them on his front stoop.
He had told authorities his wife, 59-year-old Jo Ann Hawkins, cleaned out their bank account on Saturday - his birthday.
She then refused to talk to him Monday before he shot her multiple times with a .40-caliber handgun.
In the 911 audio tape, Hawkins can be heard sayin: 'I just shot and killed my wife.'
The shocked dispatcher responds: 'You said you just shot and killed your wife?'
Asked by the dispatcher if he was still armed, he replied: 'It's (the gun) on the sink. I'm not a threat to anybody. I'm a former police officer.'
Hawkins identifies himself on social media as a public safety and security professional who received police training in Chicago.
His composure cracked after the dispatcher asked him what exactly had happened.
He said he had called police Saturday when money was taken from their account while he was away. His wife wouldn't explain, he said.
'She just kept saying, "Talk to my lawyer." And I don't know, it just happened,' he said, choking up. The dispatcher urged him to stay calm.
Happier times: Hawkins told authorities his wife, 59-year-old Jo Ann Hawkins (pictured right), cleaned out their bank account on Saturday - his birthday
Family home: Hawkins, 57, surrendered to officers at his Colerain Township, Ohio, home after letting them know he'd leave his gun in the kitchen and wait for them on his front stoop
'God forgive me': Hawkins, pictured in court where he was charged with murder, has had bond set at $3million, pending grand jury action next week
'God forgive me,' he said, then said he heard sirens.
Hawkins was charged with murder. A Hamilton County judge set $3 million bond on Tuesday, pending grand jury action next week. A phone message was left for his attorney.
A neighbor, Peggy Ray, told WCPO-TV she had been in their home for a Tupperware party hosted by Jo Ann Hawkins.
A jilted former student who opened fire on students outside their school prom was shot dead after he aimed at an officer, police say.
Jakob E. Wagner, 18, arrived at Antigo High School in Antigo, Wisconsin, armed with high-powered rifle and shot two students as they left the dance on Saturday evening.
Antigo Police Patrolman Andy Hopfensperger, who had been patrolling the parking lot with two other officers, witnessed the incident and opened fire on Wagner.
The teenage gunman was pronounced dead early Sunday at a hospital after the shooting. Wagner's shooting victims, an 18-year-old male student and his date were injured but survived the attack.
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Jakob E. Wagner (pictured) arrived at Antigo High School in Wisconsin around 11pm on Saturday night and opened fire on two students before he was shot dead by police
Landglade County Coroner Larry Shadick confirmed Wagner had taken aim at Hopfensperger moments before he was shot.
He said the autopsy showed the fatal shot went in through the suspect's extended left arm and ended up in his chest, explaining that the suspect's arm would have been outstretched if he were pointing a rifle.
'The way this shootout went was just unreal,' Shadick said.
Antigo Police Capt. Nate Musolff said in the documents that Hopfensperger fired 'as the shooter was actively engaging the kids with the rifle' and that the shooter was hit 'multiple times.'
While Police Chief Eric Roller praised Hopfensperger saying his officer's quick reactions had 'saved a lot of lives' by preventing Wagner from ending up inside the dance.
Investigators have not revealed the motive for the attack, but school officials have said it appeared Wagner intended to go into the dance and start shooting randomly.
Meanwhile, friends and classmates have revealed Wagner was bullied for years by fellow students and had been dating a current student at the school, who ended their relationship last month.
Wagner's mother said that her son 'wasn't a monster' and that she hopes the tragedy 'shines light on bullying and how deeply it affects people.'
Wagner (left) died in hospital after being shot by police at the scene. He recently posted a picture of this Airsoft rifle on his Instagram page
Nikita Deep, 16, embraces a family friend at Antigo United Methodist Church following a morning service in Antigo, Wisconsin, on Sunday
Shadick, citing an ongoing state Justice Department investigation, wouldn't confirm how many times Wagner had been shot. The toxicology report was pending.
According to a search warrant and supporting affidavit, meanwhile, police seized spent ammunition, a gun sling and journals from Wagner's home.
School officials do not think Wagner targeted his victims, but believe that he had been planning to enter the prom and start shooting randomly.
Interim district administrator Donald Childs said Wagner did not graduate with his class from Antigo High School last year and was continuing to work on his diploma.
But a friend of the 18-year-old described him as a 'good kid' who loved video games, hanging out with friends and music.
Dakotta Mills said he had known Wagner since sixth grade and considered him a foster brother. He says Wagner was raised by his mother and grandparents.
Mills says Wagner was interested in guns and wanted to become a hunter, and had gone through a hunter safety course a few years ago. But he wasn't sure Wagner could afford a gun.
Antigo Police Chief Eric Roller said several police officers were at the scene providing security for the event and quickly stopped the threat
Two Antigo police department vehicles sit in front of the entrance to Antigo High School on Sunday
Dylan Dewey said Wagner had been dating a girl at the school but that she had broken up with him last month.
Dewey described Wagner as an 'all-around good guy' and said he generally seemed happy.
But on Saturday evening, Wagner arrived at the school armed with the rifle and shot two students in the leg before he was gunned down by the officer.
'Two students who were attending prom festivities were shot as they exited the building,' Roller said.
'City of Antigo officers who were patrolling the parking area heard shots fired, and one of those officers was able to fire upon the shooter stopping the threat to additional attendees.'
He added: 'The officer's immediate response prevented further injuries and possible casualties.'
The officer in question has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard protocol, as the Division of Criminal Investigates whether the use of force was justified, WSAW reports.
Police put the prom on lockdown until a search of the area could be completed and later everyone at the dance was escorted from the school and was safe.
After an initial investigation, police believe Wagner was the lone shooter and officers are conducting a search of his home seeking information, Roller said.
Sonia Reed, whose son Matthew attended the prom, said that she had been on the school's campus earlier on Saturday evening for a pre-prom procession.
A student crosses below two flags while entering Antigo High School, Monday, April 25, 2016, in Antigo, Wis. According to police Jakob E. Wagner, 18, opened fire with a high-powered rifle outside of the a prom at Antigo High School late Saturday. (Jakob E. Wagner/The Marshfield News-Herald via AP) NO SALES; MANDATORY CREDIT
She estimated that there were more than 100 students at the prom.
'I didn't see anything suspicious,' she told WSAW. 'I didn't feel any bad vibes. It seemed like it was going to be a normal prom.
She found out about the shooting when another mother called her to tell her that police were at the school and had a person 'down'.
The Unified School District of Antigo said Wagner had approached the school with a high-powered rifle and a large ammunition clip.
In a statement, the district said in a statement that 'quick actions' taken by police and district staff to secure the building 'prevented what might have otherwise been a disaster of unimaginable proportions, and we are extremely grateful for their well-rehearsed response.'
Police already were stationed to patrol the parking lot at the high school dance in Antigo, a community of about 8,000 people about 150 miles north of Milwaukee.
Wagner's family released a statement Tuesday that said his loved ones are 'filled with sorrow over the injuries caused to his victims, the position in which the police officers were placed along with the prom goers and their families.'
The statement, released by an Antigo funeral home, said Wagner's family realizes 'his actions have torn open a wound in our community. We pray for healing.'
According to the documents filed Monday in Langlade County Circuit Court, officers seized several types of spent rounds along with the strap and various journal entries, notes and drawings.
They also took electronics, including an iPod, a cellphone and video game systems. Additionally, the records show the seizure of 'Notecards Devil In Nature' and 'Teen Suicide Reading Materials.'
A railroad track crossing arm crashed through a bus window and narrowly missed impaling children after it became smashed through the glass of the vehicle taking special needs children to school.
The arm went through a passenger window of the bus and came out of the other side in the bizarre incident in Los Angeles yesterday morning.
Television footage showed a young student sitting calmly on the bus, which was stopped near to the tracks on Long Beach Avenue.
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A railroad crossing arm ended up smashing through a school bus window in Los Angeles where the children were just inches away from being impaled
The arm went through a passenger window of the bus and came out of the other side in the bizarre incident in Los Angeles yesterday morning
Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Ken Kemp told NBC LA: 'There were students in the seats where the cross arm came down, it did strike the glass, break the glass, but the students were not injured by the cross arm. It was fairly close.'
Fortunately, they fire department added that nobody was injured in the accident, which happened south east of downtown LA.
Spokesman Erik Scott confirmed that the crossing arm and some broken glass ended up in one student's lap.
The seven students, including three in wheelchairs, were put on another bus and taken to two elementary schools, Los Angeles County Fire Battalion Chief Dale Drummond said.
The seven students, including three in wheelchairs, were put on another bus and taken to two elementary schools
The accident occurred where a street crosses four sets of tracks operated by Union Pacific. The bus was making a left turn onto a street paralleling the tracks.
California Highway Patrol Officer Dion Conley explained: 'At the intersection on the other side, there's a stop sign.
'So he stopped at the stop sign, proceeded across the tracks and that's when the lights started going off.'
The accident occurred where a Long Beach Avenue, pictured, crosses four sets of tracks operated by Union Pacific. The bus was making a left turn onto a street paralleling the tracks
He added that the CHP is investigating and that they are probing whether the arm was working properly and where it was situated when the driver started making the turn.
Since the incident the crossing arm has been repaired and trains are now running to schedule.
Law enforcement has said marijuana cultivation was found at three of the four murder scenes
The first graphic witness account of one of the scenes where eight people were massacred has been given to Daily Mail Online.
Car repairman Donald Stone, 44, told how he found the body of his cousin Kenneth Rhoden lying in bed with a single bullet wound to his head.
Stone revealed that Rhoden's corpse, from its knees down, was strewn with dollar bills which may have been a sinister message from the killer, who police believe could have been a gangland member.
Police are investigating the possibility that a drugs turf war was behind the cold blooded executions and that the killings were the work of gangsters or hired hitmen.
Stone said he was due to have spent the previous evening with his cousin and slept overnight there adding: 'If I had, I would have been victim number nine. I feel lucky about that and to be alive today.'
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Victim: Kenneth Rhoden was murdered execution-style - with a single shot to the head. His cousin David Stone found his body with dollar bills strewn from his knees to his feet
Horror: Donald Stone, 44, found his cousin dead at the camper where he lived after becoming suspicious that he had not been seen
The development in the case comes after authorities revealed the area where the Rhodens were murdered has historic ties to Mexican cartels. Above, an aerial view of one of the scenes on Friday
Still under investigation: The scenes of the eight murders in Piketon, Ohio, are still being examined by law enforcement
Remembered: The road police which have closed off as they continue the forensic investigation of the crime scene has a small floral tribute to the dead
He said: 'Kenneth would normally padlock the camper where he lived from the outside when he left.
'I was supposed to meet him the night before and go to work on some cars with him in the morning.
'When I didn't hear from him I went to the camper and it was unlocked and his truck was outside and I felt there must have been something wrong.
'It was the afternoon and he would normally be out working on cars at 5.30 am.'
Fighting back tears, he said: 'There was blood everywhere man. It was something no human should see.
'A man who was good a man lying there like that, shot dead by cowards. It makes me feel ill when I think about what I saw.
'Kenneth loved me like a brother. He was always looking out for me and would take me out for food just for my company and he would give me a few dollars here and there.
'I was going to work with him repairing cars and we had been to a couple of auctions together earlier this month.'
The victim was divorced from his wife Stacie and had two children Luke and Kendra and had maintained support payments for them.
Stone, whose father was the brother of Rhoden's mother, said he did not know his cousin to ever use drugs or be involved in their production.
'I never saw him with any drugs, no weed, no nothing,' he said.
Stone revealed that his cousin owned a 'ferocious' pitball dog called Brownie and believed the killer must have been known to him.
'Brownie is a ferocious dog Kenneth had for protection. He was a guard dog.
Sentenced: Rebecca Allen, 33, was given two years probation and ordered to avoid all contact with her victim Christopher Rhoden and his mother Dana just two days before the mass murders
Victim twice over: Murder victim Christopher Roden Jr., 16, was the victim of an apparent road-rage attack for which a local woman was sentenced to probation two day before the murders. His grandfather Leonard Manley, 64, told Daily Mail Online about the attack and said law enforcement had not paid attention
AN EXTENDED FAMILY WIPED OUT Christopher Rhoden, 40 Dana Rhoden, 37 - his ex-wife Christopher Rhoden Jr., 16 - their son Hanna Rhoden, 19 - their daughter Clarence 'Frankie' Rhoden, 20 - their son Hannah Giley, 20 - Frankie's fiancee Kenneth Rhoden, 44 - Christopher Sr.'s brother Gary Rhoden, 38 - the Rhoden brothers' cousin Advertisement
'When I dialed 911 after finding him, the police couldn't go in because Brownie was barking so angry at them.
'They asked me to get him and calm him down and that to me means that the killer knew Kenneth and knew his dog, otherwise he would have barked a lot or attacked him.
'Nothing ain't going to bring him back, but he was a nice man who was good to everybody who knew him. I hope that they catch the killers soon and if anybody knows anything, they should tell the police.'
The father of Dana Rhoden and grandfather to her three murdered children believes police should examine a road rage incident involving his 16-year-old grandson.
Murdered teenager Christopher Rhoden was involved in a court case claiming he was assaulted 48 hours before he was blasted to death with seven other people, Daily Mail Online can reveal.
His grandfather has visited officers investigating the shooting of eight people urging them to assess the case.
The teenager and his slain mother complained to police after a road rage incident involving the 16-year-old and a 33-year-old woman.
Court documents obtained by Daily Mail Online show that Rebecca Allen, of Piketon, was given two years probation and 40 hours community service less than two days before Friday's massacre.
She pleaded no contest to the charge of assault on February 24 and appeared before the court last week.
Husband-to-be Frankie Rhoden and his fiancee Hannah Hazel Gilley, 20, were among those killed Friday in Piketon, Ohio, according to the Morning Ledger
Prosecutors are investigating a Facebook threat that mentioned one of the eight family members killed execution-style by a rampaging gunman in Ohio. The message was directed at Christopher Rhoden Jr, 16. He and his mother Dana Rhoden (left) were killed along with six other relatives - including her ex-husband Christopher Rhoden Sr. (right)
Gary Rhoden (pictured above in an undated photograph), 38, was named as one of eight family members killed in Pike County on Friday, as was Hanna May Rhoden (right)
The teenager's grandfather Leonard Manley,64, said the case revolved around a road rage incident involving the teenager's truck.
But be denied that his grandson and family were involved in drug production and that he had no knowledge of the illicit trade.
Police have uncovered more than 2000 cannabis plants at one of the four murder scenes and growth operations in two of the others.
Detectives said today they are following up more than 300 leads and say the investigation will be a 'lengthy process'.
Specialists are examining 79 pieces of evidence including bullet casings and blood stained items found at the scenes of the crimes.
Around 215 officers are working around the clock to trace the gunman or gang that carried out the massacre.
Autopsies have been completed on the eight Rhoden family victims and seven were shot multiple times with one receiving nine gunshot wounds.
A mumps outbreak at Harvard University has affected 40 members of the school community in the last two months threatens to jeopardize the upcoming commencement ceremony.
Nearly a dozen students were still in isolation as of Monday evening, according to Boston.com.
Harvard first announced in March there were two confirmed cases of mumps at the school. The number has continued to rise despite investigations into the infection's cause and efforts to isolate affected students.
A mumps outbreak at Harvard University has affected 40 members of the school community in the last two months threatens to jeopardize the upcoming commencement ceremony.
The public health department in Cambridge, Massachusetts where Harvard is located, determined a month ago that all infected students to that point had received a mumps vaccine prior to contracting the infection.
A department spokeswoman says she hasn't heard of any confirmed cases in the city unrelated to the Harvard community.
Mumps is a viral infection that causes swelling in the salivary glands and cheeks.
Video Courtesy OnHarvardTime
Paul J. Barreira, director of the Massachusetts university's health services, told the Harvard Crimson that the virus is beginning to seriously worry him.
'I'm actually more concerned now than I was during any time of the outbreak,' Barreira told the school's newspaper.
'I'm desperate to get students to take seriously that they shouldn't be infecting one another.'
Mumps could negatively impact the university's May 26 commencement, he said.
'If there's a spike this week, that means those students expose others, so now we're looking at a potential serious interruption to commencement for students. Students will get infected and then go into isolation,' he added.
Mumps is a viral infection that causes swelling in the salivary glands and cheeks. Pictured here is a child infected with the virus
Hillary Clinton last night picked up four primary wins Maryland, Delaware, Connecticut and the delegate-rich prize of Pennsylvania positioning her ever closer to securing the Democratic presidential nomination.
Speaking from Philadelphia, Clinton now with 340 pledged delegates than her competitor pledged to bring the party together at its convention taking place in that same Pennsylvania city in July.
'Now, with your help we are going to come back to Philadelphia for the Democratic National Convention with the most votes and the most pledged delegates and we will unify our party to win this election and build an America where can all rise together,' Clinton told her screaming crowd.
Taking into account superdelegates, Clinton now sits on 2,141, needing only 2,383 to secure the nomination.
Hillary Clinton picked up four wins on Tuesday night, including the delegate-rich state of Pennsylvania, where she held her victory rally in downtown Philadelphia
Speaking from Philadelphia, Clinton now with 340 more delegates than her competitor pledged to bring the party together at its convention taking place in that same Pennsylvania city in July
Clinton (pictured with husband Bill by her side) also seemed to put aside their differences tonight as she thanked Sanders for his contributions to the race and praised him for his efforts to get money out of politics
Clinton showed up at her victory party in Philadelphia - celebrating the three states that went her way early - with husband Bill Clinton at her side
In New England, rival Bernie Sanders scored one win tonight, grabbing up the state of Rhode Island. Connecticut was looking favorable for the Vermont senator, too, but went to Clinton in the end.
He spoke to his supporters in West Virginia before any results had been tabulated an implicit acknowledgement that the night would belong to Clinton, whom he respectfully went out of his way not to provoke as he promised to press on in the primary in order to keep the spotlight on his agenda.
Later, in a statement distributed by his campaign, Sanders said, 'The people in every state in this country should have the right to determine who they want as president and what the agenda of the Democratic Party should be.
'Thats why we are in this race until the last vote is cast.'
The progressive senator mentioned Clinton to his backers tonight as he talked about the difficulty he faced going up against the former first lady and her husband's juggernaut political operation and while contrasting their positions on trade, but he edited out several assaults on her that had become staples of his stump speech.
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Antsy to start the general election fight, Clinton also seemed to put aside their differences tonight as she thanked Sanders for his contributions to the race and praised him for his efforts to get money out of politics.
She also talked at length about the two Democrats' common ground.
'There's much more that unites us than divides us,' she said.
'We all agree that wages are too low and inequality is too high. That Wall Street can never again be allowed to threaten Main Street and we should expand Social Security not cut or privatize it,' she continued.
'We Democrats agree that college should be affordable to all and student debt shouldn't hold anyone back,' she added, purposely picking issues that Sanders had chosen last night, in a town hall on MSNBC, to show their divergent paths.
Squaring up: Clinton seemed ready to take on the general election with her jubilant but forward thinking speech
Can you believe I won by that much? Clinton looks delighted at her presidential primary rally after another strong night - and chastening one for Bernie Sanders
Adoring crowd: Bill Clinton takes a backseat as he leads the applause for his wife on her march to victory
In New England, rival Bernie Sanders scored one win tonight, grabbing up the state of Rhode Island. Connecticut was looking favorable for the Vermont senator, too, but went to Clinton in the end
Bernie Sanders took his campaign to West Virginia tonight in light of Hillary Clinton's expected series of wins in delegate-rich states like Pennsylvania and Maryland
Wrapping that part of the speech up, she then deployed some fan favorites against Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, who was having a great night of his own, having won all five Republican primaries despite a concerted effort by establishment Republicans to stop his momentum.
Clinton told the audience that Trump had called her out for using 'the woman's card.'
Ticking off a number of women's issue she advocates, she said she was fine with Trump's assessment: 'deal me in.'
The Democratic frontrunner also deployed a favorite stump speech line: 'Love TRUMPS hate.'
Meanwhile, the writing was on the wall for Sanders, who took the stage in Huntington, West Virginia, at 8:03 pm, before any tallies were announced.
Throwing up his campaign logo on a jumbo-tron in place of the live MSNBC broadcast that had been there before, Sanders began delivering a speech on the powerful influence young people can have in America if they choose to exercise their vote.
'The fight that we are waging is not an easy fight, but I know you are prepared to wage that fight against the 1%, against the billionaire class,' he said.
Interrupted by clapping, before he continued, and added to the list the 'small number of people with incredible wealth, and incredible power, who control our economic life, our political life and our media life.'
Clinton only lost to Sanders in Rhode Island, where he secured 55 per cent to her 43.3 per cent
But in Connecticut was just one of her four wins in the evening, easing home with 51.1 per cent
Rich prize: In Pennsylvania Clinton won with 55 per cent to Sanders' 43.5 per cent, giving her a heavy dose of delegates on her march to the nomination
In Maryland Clinton secured her biggest majority with a strong 66 per cent to Sanders' 33.3 per cent
Meanwhile in Delaware, Sanders trailed with 39.2 per cent, while Clinton secured 59.7 per cent
Sanders told them: 'We as the people have got to ask some very hard questions and then have the guts to take on some very powerful people.'
'A great nation is not judged by the number of billionaires it has or by the number of nuclear weapons it has, it is judged by how it treats the weakest and most vulnerable,' he declared to loud applause.
The Democratic candidate commented on the state of the race without directly addressing the coming catastrophe while hinting at new sense of purpose for his campaign.
'This campaign is going to win because we are listening to people who's voices are not often heard,' he said, making it clear he intends to stay in the race regardless of tonights results.
The 74-year-old said one of the groups of people he has been most proud to have on his side are young people.
'When we began this this campaign, the general attitude of the punditry and the political scientists were, well young people, you know, they're not really interested in government, they're not interested in politics, they're too busy with their video games and whatever else they do.'
On the contrary, he said. 'It turns out that the young people are a lot smarter than many of the pundits thought.
'It turns out that the young people understand. they are the future of this country and they want to help shape the future.'
He also told the 6,400 supporters of his - many of whom were indeed young - packed into the Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington near Marshall University, This campaign is not just about electing a president, it is about transforming our nation. It is about having the courage to demand a political revolution.
And you are the revolutionaries.
However those young people that Sanders praised didn't turn up in high enough numbers to turn things around.
The early exit polls showed just one in 10 voters in the states where polls were taken, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Connecticut, were under the age of 30, a valuable constituency Sanders needed in order to be propped up.
Clinton's supporters gathered tonight in Philadelphia and cheered for the former secretary of state's big wins
Instead, nearly half of the electorate in Maryland was African-American, helping Clinton earn her first win of the night, as the race was called as soon as the polls closed.
In Pennsylvania, Clinton's biggest delegate prize, just as many 'moderate' Democrats headed to the polls, likely voting for Clinton, as those who described themselves as 'very liberal,' Sanders' usual fans.
In Connecticut, the last state that was called for Clinton, nearly half 48 percent said they wanted someone who would continue President Obama's agenda, while around 30 percent said they wanted someone more liberal. And this sentiment carried over to Pennsylvania and Maryland too.
Back in Philadelphia, Clinton urged all the various demographic groups supporting the Democrats to come together as she extended an olive branch toward her rival of 11 months.
'I applaud Senator Sanders and his millions of supporters,' Clinton said in front of thousands of her own, with some Hillary fans even stuck outside.
'In this election, we will have to stand together and work hard to prevail over candidates on the other side,' she said.
'And I know together we will get that done.'
In the statement the Sanders campaign sent out once all five races had been called the senator likewise congratulated Clinton and said he looks forward to their 'issue-oriented campaigns in the 14 contests to come.'
But buyer will have to convert it from a hotel to a family home, which will involve stripping out an industrial kitchen
The grade-II listed house comes complete with an elegant staircase, ornate fireplaces, and a patch of woodland
Located in the ancient market town of Launceston, it was built in 1764 after a gentleman won 10,000 on the lottery
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With 15 bedrooms, glorious views, and even the praise of two famous poets, many people would be surprised that this 18th-century mansion costs just 675,000.
But Eagle House, in the ancient market town of Launceston, Cornwall, comes with a catch.
Whoever buys it will need to pay for an expensive conversion to turn this former hotel into a comfortable family home - which includes stripping out an industrial kitchen.
With 15 bedrooms, glorious views, and even the praise of two famous poets, many people would be surprised that this 18th-century mansion costs just 675,000
Built in 1764, it has kept many of its original Georgian features. This includes lavish plasterwork by craftsman who worked for the Duke of Northumberland at Lawrence House, a National Trust property just two doors down
This master bedroom, like many of the rooms in the property, looks out onto open countryside
But the rewards could be significant. The Grade-II property has its own ballroom, as well as a dining room, drawing room, cloakroom, study, sitting room and conservatory.
Built in 1764, it has kept many of its original Georgian features and the 'huge amount of space' in Cornwall is on the market for the same price as a one bedroom flat in Kensington, west London.
The historic building includes lavish plasterwork by a craftsman who worked for the Duke of Northumberland at Lawrence House, a National Trust property just two doors down.
It is located on Castle Street, which the poet John Betjeman credited with having 'the most perfect collection of 18th-century townhouses in Cornwall'.
Eagle House traces its history back to the 1760s when Britain was fighting a series of colonial wars.
To raise funds for the army, the government held a series of lotteries, one of which was entered by Corynder Carpenter, the Constable of Launceston Castle.
Eagle House traces its history back to the 1764, when it was built by local magnate Corynder Carpenter using 10,000 won on the lottery
After his death, it was used as a prison for Napoleon's naval officers. Albeit an elegant one, as this photograph of the ceiling above the main staircase shows
Planning permission has been granted to convert the property into a family home, despite complaints from some locals who wanted it to stay as a hotel
But Eagle House, in Launceston, Cornwall, comes with a catch - whoever buys it will need to pay for a costly conversion to turn this former hotel into a comfortable family home
But the rewards could be significant. The Grade-II property has its own ballroom, as well as a dining room, drawing room, cloakroom, study, sitting room and conservatory
He won the winning ticket, and spent the 10,000 jackpot on building Eagle House - which he dedicated to his fiancee.
After his death, it was used as a prison for French naval officers captured during the Napoleonic wars, and it was at this time that the Gallic eagles that adorn the front gates were added.
These were immortalised by the Cornish poet Charles Causley, who addressed them with the words, 'Your wings a-spread are made of lead; You'll never fly at all.'
Eagle House was turned into a hotel in the 1960s, but has been unused for the last two years.
It was during Eagle House's time as a prison that the French eagles that adorn the front gates were added. Appropriately, they are overlooked by a statue of Britannia at the top of the main building's facade
The eagles were immortalised by the Cornish poet Charles Causley, who addressed them with the words: 'Your wings a-spread are made of lead; You'll never fly at all'
Launceston Castle, which was begun soon after the Norman Conquest, is perched on a hill above Eagle House
Christopher Bailey, from Knight Frank Exeter, told MailOnline: 'Planning has been granted to change the property from a hotel into a house, a process which of course involves quite a lot of work.' But he added: 'It is very rare to find such a large and historic home for this price and it has great potential'
Planning permission has been granted to convert the property into a family home, despite complaints from some locals who wanted it to stay as a hotel.
Christopher Bailey, from Knight Frank Exeter, told MailOnline: 'Planning has been granted to change the property from a hotel into a house, a process which of course involves quite a lot of work.
'For example, there is an industrial kitchen on the lower floor that will likely be ripped out by the future owner if they choose to use it for residential purposes.
'This work is the reason why the property represents such excellent value for money in this location it is very rare to find such a large and historic home for this price and it has great potential. You get a huge amount of space for that price.'
A Michigan man lost both of his legs after he was dragged by a train in an attempt to flee the police.
Police said the 20-year-old Saginaw man was struck and dragged about 1,000 feet along the tracks before the train was able to stop.
The incident occurred on Monday when officers were searching for a suspect in an armed robbery at a market around 10pm, according to MLive.
Police were looking for the robber when they saw a car with an expired license plate in the area that didn't use its turn signal.
Police said a 20-year-old Michigan man was struck and dragged about 1,000 feet along the tracks before the train was able to stop while he was fleeing the police. Pictured is a worker at the scene inspecting the area
Michigan State Police Lt David Kaiser told MLive that officers attempted to stop the car but the driver pulled into a driveway and fled on foot, leading the police on a short foot chase before he was struck by the train.
'They ordered him to stop, but he got down on all fours and tried to crawl under the moving train,' Kaiser told MLive..
The man was severely injured but he was 'conscious and alert'.
Officers attempted to use a tourniquet on one of the man's legs, but the leg was too damaged.
Kaiser told MLive that one leg 'appeared to be missing, but was located under his body' when he was taken to a local hospital.
The 20-year-old suffered massive lacerations to his legs and mid-upper thigh area forcing hospital staff to amputate both of his legs.
His injuries aren't life-threatening.
Kaiser told MLive that he doesn't believe the man was involved in the robbery at the market.
'All he had to do was stop,' Kaiser said.
The man had two outstanding warrants for moving violations and the penalty for those and the expired license plate would have been relatively minor, according to to MLive.
A revolutionary drug that stops the spread of HIV is to be available to more than 2,000 men in Australia after the launch of a $6 million drug trial program.
On Tuesday the Queensland Government announced the decision to make the drug Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, also known as 'PrEP', available to gay men living in the state.
International trials have proven that when taken once a day, PrEP, manufactured by Gilead and marketed as Truvada, can reduce the risk of HIV infection by up to 90 per cent.
Queensland Aids Council executive director Michael Scott said the trials were a brave move by the Government.
'PrEP is a game changer, this decision by the Queensland Government is life-changing, he told Daily Mail Australia. 'We know PrEP works and that it prevents the HIV transmission for people who do not use a condom every time.'
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The Queensland Government announced the decision to make the drug PrEP, which stops the spread of HIV, available to 2,000 gay men living in the state
Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick (pictured) said up to 2,000 participants would be able to receive PrEP in the trial, which will be offered in locations including Cairns, Townsville, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, as well as in Brisbane
Queensland Aids Council executive director Michael Scott hopes the step by the Queensland Government will help normalise the use of PrEP and reduce fears within the LGBTI community
The Queensland Government has felt the pressure to expand its trial, which was previously offered to just 50 men, after the New South Wales Government upped their program to include 3,700 men and Victoria offered the pill to 2,600 men.
Mr Scott pointed out that there are geographical differences in the Queensland trial compared to other states: 'While the drug will be offered in major cities in Queensland, we are also focused on offering trial places to regional and remote areas of the state.'
Initially, trial places will be offered to more participants in Cairns, Townsville, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, as well as in Brisbane. The service will be led by the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service.
PrEP is not licensed in Australia by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and as a result is not available at a subsidised price through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, meaning many gay men import the drug from overseas.
'It is crucial that the Federal Government plays its part in HIV prevention by ensuring a PBS listing for this valuable medication,'The Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick said in a statement.
'The best way for PrEP to become widely available and accessible to those who need it, is through its approval by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and listing on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.'
PrEP is manufactured by Gilead and marketed as Truvada and can reduce the risk of HIV infection by up to 90 per cent
There were 203 people diagnosed with HIV in 2015. Mr Scott hopes the Queensland Government decision will put a dent in these numbers
Mr Scott hopes this step by the Queensland Government will help normalise the use of PrEP and reduce fears within the LGBTI community:
'This is a history making event by the Queensland Government, well look back at yesterdays decision in years to come, an announcement that will make a huge dent in HIV numbers.'
'Its not just about stopping the transmission of HIV, but also the mental health benefits that come along with PrEP, allowing gay men to have sex without fear of HIV.'
Mr Scott said in less than 12 hours, more than 50 people had registered interest in the trials and expects to fill the 2000 places quickly.
North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un has no intention of starting a nuclear war, but simply fires warhead missiles when he is 'angry', his former chef has revealed.
Kenji Fujimoto, former sushi chef to Kim's father Kim Jong Il, said the leader orders firing of missiles when he gets upset about U.S. military policy and international sanctions against North Korea.
His comments comes ahead of North Korea's Workers' Party's first congress in 36 years during which Kim Jong-Un's nuclear weapons policies are expected to be formally adopted.
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Explosive temper: The former sushi chef to Kim Jong-Un's father, said the leader orders firing of missiles and nuclear warheads when he gets upset about international sanctions against North Korea
Japanese Fujimoto, who recently returned to his home country after a trip to Pyongyang, told local media that Kim Jong-Un's 'military decisions are made spontaneously'
Worryingly, Fujimoto suggested that Kim's nuclear tests are less about strategy, and more about his mood swings.
The North Korean dictator 'has no mind to start a war, Fujimoto told Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun.
Fujimoto began working for Kim Jong-Il in 1982, and was his personal sushi chef for 20 years, as well as a nanny-like 'playmate' for Kim Jong-Un and his older brother Kim Jong-Chul.
He left North Korea in 2011 but has since returned several times and is often interviewed about his relationship with the secretive dictator.
Letting off steam: Kim Jong Un takes charge during a test-fire of strategic submarine ballistic missile in Pyongyang, reportedly earlier this month
Blast and bother! North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un has no intention of starting a nuclear war, but simply fires warhead missiles when he is 'angry', according to his former chef
Yesterday, North Korea announced that its ruling Workers' Party would hold a congress from May 6,ending its silence on the date of the first such conference in36 years.
Kim Jong Un is expected to use thecongress to cement his leadership and to formally adopt hispolicy, known as 'byongjin', to push simultaneously for economicdevelopment and nuclear weapons capability.
North Korea's last party congress was in 1980, before Kimwas born. Kim, the third member of his family to lead thecountry, is believed to be 33.
Byongjin follows Kim's father's Songun, or 'military first',policy and his grandfather's Juche, the North's home-grownfounding ideology that combines Marxism and extreme nationalism.
The party congress, first announced in October, will beclosely watched for any new policies and for how the countrywill present its pursuit of nuclear-weapon capability.
North Korea's drive to develop a nuclear capability hasintensified since January, when it conducted its fourth nucleartest and followed that with a string of tests of missiles thatcould deliver such a weapon.
Old rival South Korea, and others nervously watching theNorth's defiance of U.N. resolutions aimed at curbing itsnuclear and ballistic missile technologies, expect another testwithin days.
'Considering the state of readiness at the nuclear testsite, it's our view that a nuclear test can happen at any time,' South Korean Unification Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee tolda briefing on Wednesday.
South Korea's military said this week Kim's go-ahead was allthat was needed for a new test.
North Korea said this week it needed a 'powerful nucleardeterrence' to counter U.S. hostility and threats.
Jeong said South Korea expected the North's party congressto last four or five days.
Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney called out The Donald for his 'statements against women' and Islamophobic comments he's made while campaigning for president.
In an interview with the BBC on Monday, Clooney didn't hold back on her criticism for Donald Trump and his comments on banning Muslims from the United States.
Clooney thinks that the GOP front-runner should be challenged on his extreme views.
'When you listen to what the leading candidate on the Republican side has been saying about building walls, about excluding Mexicans and a complete shutdown of all Muslims entering in, and if you actually look at what he specifically said in that now infamous speech about Muslims, he kept saying, 'They only want jihad. They don't believe in our way of life. They don't respect our system,'' Clooney said.
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Against Trump: Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney (pictured) called out The Donald for the 'statements he's made against women' and Islamophobic remarks he's made while campaigning for president
Clooney, whose parents are Muslim, didn't hold back on her criticism for Trump and his comments on banning Muslims from the United States
The 38-year-old added that she is 'perplexed' that his inflammatory comments toward women and Muslims have not slowed down his popularity within the Republican party. Above Trump is pictured Saturday
'And when he says 'they' and you watch the media coverage afterwards, people, I think, should have been saying 'Do you mean the 1.5 billion people around the world who fit that description?
'Do you mean the people who are U.S. citizens who are members of your military who are, the vast majority of whom are not violent or extremists in any way?'
The 38-year-old brunette, who is married to Hollywood actor George Clooney, sat down for her first US television interview to discuss human rights issues in the Maldives and made no mention of her opinion of US politics with NBC in January.
She also told the BBC that she is 'perplexed' that the billionaire's inflammatory comments toward women and Muslims have not slowed down his popularity within the Republican party.
'I'm probably as perplexed as you are as somebody viewing these things,' Clooney, who was born in Beirut and raised in London, said.
'There's an ad on the TV in the U.S. where they went through all these statements he's made against women and you watch that and you think 'Gosh.'
'He has a really high negative rating. I don't think he's going to get much of the women's vote as a result of that.'
Clooney said of Trump: 'He has a really high negative rating. I don't think he's going to get much of the women's vote as a result of that'
Clooney, who is a Hillary Clinton supporter along with her 54-year-old husband, thinks that a win by the former first lady would send a strong and perfect message to Trump and his team.
'If, at the end of all of this, he gets beaten by the person who becomes the first female president of the United States, then I think that would send a very positive message from the electorate back to him as to what they really think of those points of view,' Clooney said.
'I don't think they are U.S. values.'
Trump didn't hold back in his comments about Clinton during his victory speech Tuesday night after he won primaries for the Republican party in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
'The only thing she's got going is the woman's card,' he said of Clinton, the former secretary of state, responding to her speech a half-hour earlier. 'And the beautiful thing is: Women don't like her.'
'Frankly, if Hillary Clinton were a man I don't think she would get 5 per cent of the vote,' Trump declared.
'We will beat Hillary so easily,' he predicted, stopping himself to insert his preferred nickname for her.
He is now using his efforts to try and help change the lives of others by running for office
In 2014, Jimmy launched Drive Clear, a nonprofit that helps victims of drunk drivers with expenses, and provides free
Despite the tragedy he went on to f
A man from Wisconsin who lost his entire family in an horrific car crash in 2010, is now running for office in a bid to improve the lives of others.
Jimmy Anderson, who is 29, and from Fitchburg near Madison, ended up being paralyzed from the chest down after the California car crash. He is now campaigning by going door-to-door in his electric wheelchair.
In the five years since the accident, Jimmy has managed to complete his law degree and start a support group, called Drive Clear, to help the victims of drink-driving accidents.
Gone but not forgotten: Jimmy Anderson on his wedding day, with brother Andrew, dad James, wife Ashley and his mom Emma who all died in a horrific car crash in 2010
Giving back to the community: Five years since the accident, Jimmy wanted to do something meaningful with his life and is now campaigning for office
On the trail: Jimmy is seen with his wife, Ashley by his side as they go from door to door
Jimmy was a 24-year-old student at the University of Wisconsin Law School and visiting his family back in Patterson, California when tragedy struck.
A van travelling at more than 60mph slammed into the side the family car, flipping them over multiple times before it was crushed as it landed on some palm trees.
Firefighters used the jaws of life to extricate Jimmy from the wreckage. But his family couldn't be saved. The drunk driver was also killed.
Jimmy wrote graphically about the moment of the crash on his website where he describes his feelings in the moment after impact.
'Things are slowly coming into focus. I am facing towards the inside of the vehicle and I see what's left of my little brother. Parts of the car are jamming through his body. There is so much blood. One of his arms is unnaturally bent. But worst of all are his eyes. I'm staring into them. They stare right back at me...'
After being in a coma for several days, it was left to his wife, Ashley, to tell him the awful news that his entire family had been killed.
'I feel so bad for my wife. She shouldn't have to say those words. I want nothing more than to hold her, to console her, but I can't. I'm trapped in my own body, pinned to the hospital bed,' Jimmy wrote soon after the tragedy.
His injuries included a collapsed lung, concussion and blood loss. A piece of the car went straight through his knee and his first four vertebrae were crushed leaving him in intensive care for three weeks.
Back in the chair: Jimmy spent almost three weeks in the Intensive Care Unit in Modesto, as doctors surgically fused numerous vertebrae located in the spinal column of his neck, which was severely broken
Meeting the voters: Jimmy graduated from law school, and started a charity to help victims of drunk driving before deciding he could help more people by trying to get elected to the State Assembly
Telling his story: Jimmy speaks to high school students, OWI offenders, and other groups to highlight the impact that drunk driving can have on individuals, families and communities. Here, pictured with wife, Ashley
Doctors told him that he would be a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the chest down for the rest of his life.
After months of intense physical therapy including having to learn how to breathe and swallow again.
Although he regained some movement below the neck, he has limited use of his arms and hands. It takes him longer to do things physically, but his mind is as sharp as ever.
Jimmy says that although time has healed many of his visible scars, the accident has given him a renewed determination to make his life a useful one, and to make a difference in the lives of others.
'I owe it to my family to prove that I can succeed,' said Jimmy. 'Because of that, I know I will be more motivated than most to do a good job.'
After completing his law degree, he was determined to use his story to try to keep others from having to suffer.
He began speaking to high school students and drunk driving offenders. It led to him setting up a non-profit group, Drive Clear, to honor the memory of his family and help the victims of drunk driving.
The group's goal is get personal breathalyzers into the hands of as many people as possible to cut down on the number of drink drive incidents.
'I wanted to do something to honor the memory of my family. If my story could save someone from being killed by a drunk driver, then I owed it to them to get my story out there,' he told MailOnline. '
My family would've wanted me to take this tragedy and try to make some good out of it.'
Love of his life: Jimmy grew up in Patterson, southwest of Modesto in the central valley. When he was 16, he met his future wife, Ashley (pictured here) while working at an ice cream shop in the next town over
Driving force: Jimmy started Drive Clear, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing drunk driving but he wanted to do more than to just ask people to drink responsibly but to give people the tools to take responsibility
'After my nonprofit was well-established. I thought to myself, how could I help more people? I saw how I benefited from good public policy, and so I wanted to pay that forward,'
Paying it forward is the reason, Jimmy says, is his reason behind his campaigning for political office.
He is running for the 47th State Assembly District seat which covers Monona, McFarland, as well as parts of Fitchburg, Madison and Cottage Grove in Wisconsin.
'I want to spend the time I have left helping others. I want the people in my district to have true progressive representation.'
Jimmy was always interested in politics, and always saw himself as a progressive, but events following the crash showed him how important decisions made by politicians are to the most vulnerable in society.
Only months before the crash Congress passed the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) and the provisions in that that stopped insurance companies having lifetime coverage limits made sure Jimmy got the care he needed without forcing him and his wife into financial ruin.
Jimmy notes, 'There were many politicians, including Wisconsin's own Russ Feingold, who took brave votes in support of that law because it was the right thing to do without politicians showing strong leadership and taking a stand for their core values my story would have been very different. Special interests have enough of a voice in our politics, I want to fight for the underdog and those who most need help.'
Law school, done! Jimmy, pictured at his swearing in ceremony when he became a lawyer, along with Ashley
Face time: Jimmy is now committing himself to politics, announcing his candidacy for the 47th State Assembly District seat which covers Monona, McFarland, Fitchburg, Madison and Cottage Grove, Wisconsin
His campaign has already attracted the support of prominent progressives in the district, including the mayor of the largest city in the district.
Jimmy told MailOnline that he is running specifically because he's convinced that he is the best person to serve the people of the 47th District which is one of the most liberal in the state, typically giving Democrats 65-70 percent of the vote in November elections.
'I know I can win this thing. I often joke, I literally have the steel in my spine to win this fight. I'm going door-to-door nearly every day meeting with hundreds of voters and plan on meeting thousands more. I really believe this district is looking for a more progressive representative who they can trust and who shares their values.
'I stumbled across an article about Robb Kahl and that he had voted for Scott Walker in 2010 - and I was kind of shocked,' said Jimmy.
Rep. Kahl (D-Monona) has represented the 47th Assembly District since 2012 and previously served as the mayor of Monona.
Jimmy believes that Rep. Kahl hasn't done enough to push forward liberal reforms, and that is giving him the motivation to run.
Asked if his disability would make it hard for him to serve in the Assembly Jimmy laughed 'If FDR could get us out of the depression and see us through World War II from a wheelchair, I don't think it'll stop me from taking on a playground bully like Scott Walker.'
'I think I'm a better fit for this district and as long as the batteries in the wheelchair hold out, I'll keep going.'
Clever couple: Ashley, earned a degree in environmental science, was headed to graduate school for cell and molecular biology while Jimmy chose law school. Ashley is now a vet while Jimmy is running for office
A man is dead and two others have been wounded in a triple shooting at a Perth house overnight.
Police were called to a home at Banksia Grove, north of Perth, on Tuesday at about 10.30pm following shootings where a man in his 20s was killed.
Two other men, aged in their 20s and 50s, were found to have suffered gunshot wounds to their arm and leg at the home on Cassia Link.
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Police were called to a home at Banksia Grove, north of Perth, on Tuesday at about 10.30pm following shootings where a man in his 20s was killed
The two surviving victims were taken to Royal Perth Hospital and are in a stable condition.
Police are still hunting for the gunman, the ABC reports.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Two other men, aged in their 20s and 50s, were found to have suffered gunshot wounds to their arm and leg at the home on Cassia Link
Thirty-three lions rescued from circuses in Peru and Colombia are set to be flown to South Africa to live out the rest of their lives in their natural habitat.
The transportation of the animals is the largest ever attempted airlift of lions and will take the rescued predators to an private sanctuary in Limpopo, north of Johannesburg.
Some of the lions have suffered greatly in captivity, with some having been de-clawed by circuses and others are in recovery from broken or rotting teeth.
Saved: A former circus lion looks from inside his cage, in the outskirts of Lima, Peru, shortly before he is due to be transported to an animal sanctuary in South Africa
The airlift of lions will take place Friday and was organized and paid for by American wildlife organisation Animal Defenders International.
The Los Angeles-based group has for years worked with lawmakers in the two South American countries to ban the use of wild animals in circuses.
The group had found the animals at circuses across Peru and Colombia, where they often are held in appalling conditions.
The King of the Jungle returns: A former circus lion who's missing an eye, rests inside a cage at a temporary refuge in the outskirts of Lima after being rescued from a circus in Peru
Heroes: Workers of Animal Defenders International, ADI, disinfect several cages which will be used to transport former circus lions to South Africa
The Los Angeles-based group has for years worked with lawmakers in Peru and Colombia to ban the use of wild animals in circuses, and have now managed to free dozens of lions
The transportation of the animals is the largest ever attempted airlift of lions and will take the rescued predators to an private sanctuary in Limpopo, north of Johannesburg
In a statement, the group said a cargo plane will pick up the first group of nine lions in the Colombian capital Bogota, after which another 24 will join them in Lima before heading to Johannesburg.
From there, they'll be transported by land to their new home at the Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary in Limpopo province, where they will enjoy large natural enclosures.
'It will be hugely satisfying to see these lions walking into the African Bush,' Tom Phillips, ADI's vice president, said Tuesday as he inspected the cages that will be used to transport the lions.
'It might be one of the finest rescues I've ever seen; it's never happened before taking lions from circuses in South America all the way to Africa,' he added. 'It's like a fairytale.'
Going home: Nine lions will be collected in the Colombian capital Bogota, after which 24 more will join them in Lima, Peru, before heading to Johannesburg
Some of the lions have suffered greatly in captivity, with some having been de-clawed by circuses and others are in recovery from broken or rotting teeth
Members of Animal Defenders International's lion rescue team transport two of the lions freed in Lima
The heartbreaking final messages between one of two teens lost at sea, and his mother, have been revealed.
Perry Cohen, who vanished while fishing off Florida's coast nine months ago along with his friend Austin Stephanos, sent a text to his mom Pamela on the morning of that fated trip, People report.
'Mom, it's Perry. My iPad is dead... I'll text you in a little. Love you,' the 14-year-old wrote at just before 10am on July 24 last year.
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Perry Cohen, who vanished while fishing off Florida's coast nine months ago along with his friend Austin Stephanos, sent a text to his mom Pamela (pictured with her son) on the morning of that fated trip
A boat on the way to Norway spotted the 19-foot Seacraft about 100miles off the coast of Bermuda, and Stephanos' iPhone was among the personal items recovered from the boat
His mom replied within a minute, telling her son she miss him.
'OK. I wanted you to sleep home tonight,' she said. 'I miss you. We leave Sunday morning for New York. What about your work?'
Cohen assured her that he's been doing his homework, 'but I was going to sleep at...'
That final message - cut off mid-sentence - was the last time Pamela would ever hear from her son.
A few hours later, Cohen and Stephanos set out on a fishing trip Jupiter Inlet, never to be seen again, despite a massive US Coast Guard search.
Cohen had sent the texts from Stephanos' phone as his own was not working that day.
That same iPhone has now been recovered after their capsized, 19-foot Seacraft boat was spotted about 100miles off the coast of Bermuda in March.
It had been severely damaged after months submerged in sea water but Stephanos' family are working with Apple to try and recover any lost messages and data it may hold.
The iPhone has been a source of tension between the families of the two boys who are both desperate to find any clues it may hold.
Friends Austin Stephanos (left) and Perry Cohen (right) went missing on July 24 last year after setting out on a fishing trip from Jupiter, Florida, but never returned
Clues? Perry's family have appealed to Austin's family to hand over their son's iPhone to investigators - who have now relented
Until recently, Blu Stephanos had refused to let state investigators inspect the phone in case it jeopardized his chance to recover the data. He cited the recent controversy over Apple's refusal to help the FBI unlock the functioning iPhone of San Bernardino terrorist Syed Farook.
The decision had infuriated Perry's family who insisted that the phone could hold vital clues as to what happened in the boys' final hours on board the boat and even filed a lawsuit in an attempt to stop officials in Florida from handing the iPhone to Austin's parents.
But yesterday, Mr Stephanos relented and agreed to share whatever information found on his son's recovered cellphone with Perry's family and law enforcement.
Mr Stephanos told the Palm Beach Post that while he is doubtful the phone has survived months of salt water damage, 'but I am not giving up hope.'
Austin and Perry's capsized boat was found 100 miles off the coast of Bermuda with an intact iPhone on board last month - nine months after the boys were last seen.
The phone was taken by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) and was due to be handed back to Mr Stephanos after he refused to sign consent forms allowing investigators to try to access its data.
The phone spent eight months submerged in seawater and does not currently work, but the father claims he has been in touch with Apple, who he says is willing to help in attempts to recover any information left on the phone, such as final messages or calls the boys tried to make.
The family of Austin Stephanos (left) were initially confident he and Cohen are still alive. The families used a GoFundMe page to raise almost $500,000 for a private search, but that was called off after it failed to yield any new evidence
Missing teen Perry Cohen, 14, embraced his mother, Pamela before going missing on a fishing trip with his pal, Austin Stephanos
Experts say the phone could contain key clues as to what happened, including the boat's location, speed and direction. It may also contain the last messages the boys may have tried to send and any pictures they may have taken.
Mr Stephanos said he had been working with Apple 'who seems willing to help us try to get the phone operational again.'
'That would be the first order of business, since Austin's phone has been submerged in salt water for over eight months,' he said.
'We've also had an IT expert access the phone's Cloud backup and, unfortunately, found that it had never been enabled.'
Mr Stephanos added that he had not wanted to scare off Apple by handing the phone over following the phone company's refusal to cooperate with the FBI over one of the San Bernadino terrorist's locked phones.
'In light of the recent San Bernardino incident involving attempts by the FBI to retrieve data from a locked iPhone, we felt that it would be best to avoid the pressures of having these efforts played out in the media,' Mr Stephanos said.
'We didn't want to do anything publicly that might jeopardize the cooperation of the manufacturer. Unfortunately, I feel that the recent publicity and wild speculation may have done just that.
'Of course, any relevant information that might be retrieved from Austin's phone will be shared with the Cohen family and the proper authorities.
'To me, this phone represents a connection with my son, so I thank you all for your continued support and understanding in this very sensitive, and very personal, matter,' he said yesterday.
Cohen (left) grew up on the water fishing and is a strong swimmer, his family said. They hope to learn more about what happened to their son through the recovered iPhon
Mr Stephanos' decision came just one day after the Cohen family filed a lawsuit against the FWC and the Stephanos family, calling for an injunction stopping the FWC from handing the phone Austin's parents.
According to the lawsuit, they feared that other family may try to access the iPhone, which they say could accidentally lead to all of it data being wiped.
'I don't know his last moments and it's haunting and it's terrifying,' Perry's mother, Pam Cohen, told WPBF. 'I miss him dearly and would do anything to get him back.'
'It's the largest search and rescue that the U.S. Coast Guard conducted in modern day time. So the fact that eight months later, two vital pieces of information and evidence has been recovered ... why the investigation wouldn't be reopened to look into that and find the answers, it doesn't make any sense,' she added.
Ms Cohen believes that Austin's phone may reveal any last calls or text messages the boys tried to make, as well as any photos or videos they took while on the fishing trips.
But she said that the FWC have asked for the consent of Mr Stephanos, Austin's father, numerous times but he will not give permission for the phone to be accessed.
'Blu Stephanos has said no he will not sign the consent form and that he is demanding the phone to be returned to his possession,' Ms Cohen said.
Austin and Perry were last seen at about 1.30pm on July 24 when they went on a fishing excursion without adult supervision.
The pair had stocked up on $110 worth of fuel for their 19-foot white single-engine boat and did not return to shore that night.
The U.S. Coast Guard first recovered the teenagers' 19-foot boat just two days after they went missing in July (pictured), but the towing company was unable to find it when they tried to bring it to shore
After just two days, the U.S. Coast Guard found the teens' 19-foot boat capsized some 67 miles off the shore of Daytona Beach.
However, the boat then drifted away and was not found until it was discovered by a boat headed to Norway. The ship's crew found the 19-foot Seacraft vessel about 100miles off the coast of Bermuda on March 18.
Personal items, including Austin's iPhone, were found and handed over to the FWC.
Family members expressed the hope that they would learn more about what happened to the two boys, who were both experienced fishermen.
Ms Cohen wrote on her Facebook: 'This is an open Missing Persons case, and we hope that FWC reopens their investigation and utilizes the expert resources of other government agencies as well as the private sector if necessary to extrapolate the data from the recovered iPhone'.
Items missing from the boat - including a white Yeti cooler and life jackets - gave the impression that the boys made improvised flotation devices, while a missing engine cover suggested they may have tried to work on the engine.
Also missing were a translucent Plano tackle box and a pair of white Royal brand fishing boots.
Two life jackets and a boat cushion were later found off the coast of Savannah, Georgia, but they could not be linked to the missing teens.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed the boat belonged to Stephanos, and his iPhone was recovered on board
The Coast Guard and volunteers called off the search after they combed through more than 25,000 square miles of ocean in one week.
The families used a GoFundMe page to raise almost $500,000 for a private search, but that was also cancelled after it failed to yield any new evidence.
The boys' families were initially very confident they would find the boys alive, with Ms Cohen saying: 'I have 100 per cent faith they'll find our boys.'
Cohen's stepfather Nick Korniloff agreed, saying the family were 'people of the water'.
He told CNN's New Day: 'I know that we've trained them correctly - we've taught them the respect of mother nature and the power of the sea.
'We've raised these kids right. Our optimism comes from the faith we have. They are strong kids. They are survivors.'
The British Medical Association used to be a serious professional organisation. But as the current junior doctors' strike so graphically proves, it is fast becoming an aggressive, reckless, irresponsible pressure group driven by a political agenda that threatens patient care and undermines the NHS.
Watching the infantile antics of the BMA members on the picket line yesterday, with their anti-Tory slogans and the smug placards, it was hard to believe they were actually well-paid doctors. They acted more like a bunch of Left-wing demonstrators at a protest organised by the National Union of Students.
As a doctor myself, I feel only despair at this escalating dispute. The full walkout, the first in the entire history of our health services, makes a mockery of the Hippocratic Oath, with its injunction on doctors to 'do no harm'.
Watching the infantile antics of the BMA members on the picket line yesterday, with their anti-Tory slogans and the smug placards, it was hard to believe they were actually well-paid doctors
They acted more like a bunch of Left-wing demonstrators at a protest organised by the National Union of Students
Whatever the strikers might tell the media, there is not a shred of justification for their selfish, dangerous industrial action. They wail that the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has refused to negotiate the terms of the new junior doctors' contract, but that is a travesty of the truth.
In fact, the contractual talks have dragged on for three years, with the Government showing remarkable patience through more than 70 meetings with the BMA.
In the end, despite a host of concessions from Mr Hunt, it is the Association which has been utterly intransigent. Even at the eleventh hour before the strike on Monday, the BMA still refused to contemplate any return to the negotiating table without pre-conditions.
So when the junior doctors bleat that Jeremy Hunt has failed 'to listen' one of their favourite picket-line mantras what they really mean is that he has not caved in to their emotional blackmail.
For all their posturing as the champions of NHS, they should remember that the Government has a clear democratic mandate to introduce seven-day-a-week working across the health service. This pledge, a central plank of the Tories' winning manifesto, can only be implemented through a new contract that removes outdated, unsustainable weekend practices.
It is not for the BMA or doctors to usurp the role of elected, accountable politicians by dictating how the NHS should be run.
All the strikers' other arguments are just as bogus. They complain that the dispute is 'not about money', but in truth the question of pay lies right at its heart. Beyond all the sentimental rhetoric about 'patient safety', the BMA is really motivated by its self-serving determination to retain lucrative weekend overtime payments.
Whatever the strikers might tell the media, there is not a shred of justification for their selfish, dangerous industrial action
It is not for the BMA or doctors to usurp the role of elected, accountable politicians by dictating how the NHS should be run, claims Russell Hopkins
I can guarantee that, if Jeremy Hunt rolled over and accepted the BMA's demands on the protection of weekend premiums, its professed concerns about 'patient safety' under Hunt's proposals would magically disappear.
In any case, it is the height of hypocrisy for the strikers to moan about safety, when they are the ones putting lives at risk with their walkout. Just as empty is their loudly trumpeted attachment to the NHS. That supposed devotion to British public healthcare is put into perspective by their continual threats to go and work in the private sector overseas if they do not get their way over this new contract.
The absurdity of this dispute is that doctors in Britain have never been better paid, nor have their hours ever been shorter. But higher salaries and improved conditions appear only to have fed a climate of relentless grievance.
What we are now witnessing is a flight from medical professionalism and an increasing loss of the spirit of service that used to prevail in this field. The eagerness to go on the picket line, in defiance of all traditional ethics, is part of a pattern where ever-greater numbers of doctors fail to develop respectful relationships with their patients.
Protesters outside St Thomas' Hospital in London, as thousands of junior doctors have begun the first all-out strike in the history of the NHS
One lady protests against the strike outside Southampton's General Hospital today
This problem has arisen for a number of reasons. One is the transformation in the nature of doctors' training.
Over the past 30 years, there has been a move away from clinical tuition, in which doctors learned their skills through direct ward experience and advice from consultants, nurses, registrars and even patients.
Instead, the emphasis now is on academic theory. So today's breed of doctors know all about social sciences, philosophy and communication, but far too little about practical medicine.
The detachment from a genuine relationship with patients is compounded by the change in the career structures. When I began, medical students were part of a team headed by a consultant who generally enjoyed teaching.
Once qualified, we lived in the doctors' mess and worked without a formal contract. Camaraderie was mixed with a sense of teamwork and a concern for the continuity of care, made so much easier by our quarters on the premises. We put in long hours for low pay, with no guarantee of a consultant job at the end of eight to ten years' training and exams.
Yet the majority of us now look back on this period as being enjoyable and stimulating. I simply do not understand how so many of today's junior doctors can be as tired as they claim while spending so much less time than we did at work.
Junior doctors might like to put themselves on a pedestal and play on the affection in which people hold the NHS. But with their strikes, they have forfeited their right to high public esteem
The picket line grows steadily outside the King's College Hospital in London yesterday afternoon
But negative attitudes have been fuelled by two other factors. One is the European Working Time Directive, which is supposed to reduce the working week to an average of around 48 hours.
Although largely ignored in French and German hospitals, it is rigidly applied in the NHS. As a result, managers are forced to use complex rotas and split up working weeks. Not only does this further limit patient exposure, but it also encourages the development of an insidious clock-watching mentality.
While this is far from universal, I have heard terrifying stories from colleagues about junior clinicians switching off their caring faculty like a light as the end of their shift approaches, because they know that the patient will soon become another doctor's problem.
The second factor was the introduction by the Labour Government in 2004 of the notorious GPs' contract. This had the disastrous consequence of increasing GPs' pay by a hefty sum, thereby imposing a new financial burden on the NHS, while at the same time reducing the hours they had to work.
So at a stroke the death knell was sounded for an effective out-of-hours and weekend service. And it has been left to Accident and Emergency Units to pick up the pieces, though they have struggled to do so, not least because of the limits on consultants and junior doctors' hours.
Just as damagingly, the GPs' contract has exacerbated the culture of entitlement that now holds sway among healthcare professionals. The junior doctors look with envy on the GPs being so well rewarded for less work, and want a piece of the same action.
A man in Georgia claims that for months he's been dealing with a huge wildlife problem within his apartment.
Jeremy Wolfe says that opossums have been creeping in and out of his apartment at The Legacy at Acworth in Cobb County.
'I have seen about 15 of them throughout the apartment running out,' Wolfe told WSB-TV.
'Who knows how many are actually in the walls at night. I hear them scratching.'
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Over it: Jeremy Wolfe says that opossums have been creeping in and out of his apartment at The Legacy at Acworth in Cobb County
Wolfe said: 'I have seen about 15 of them throughout the apartment running out. Who knows how many are actually in the walls at night. I hear them scratching.' Above is one that he captured alive
He's trapped a few of young opossums along with his roommate, but they won't stop returning.
Wolfe said that he reported the problem to the apartment staff, who he claims seemed 'hesitant to help the situation'.
During one night when he heard scratching, Wolfe saw one of the animals and followed it back to a hole in the wall.
He called the staff at his apartment to report the hole and asked for them to repair it.
He's trapped a few of young opossums along with his roommate, but they won't stop returning. Wolfe said that he reported the problem to the apartment staff, who he claims seemed 'hesitant to help the situation'
During one night when he heard scratching, Wolfe saw one of the animals and followed it back to a hole in the wall. He called the staff at his apartment to report the hole and they put duct tape over it (above)
'He put a duct tape patch over the wall just with a roll of duct tape, and we weren't getting anywhere,' Wolfe told WSB-TV.
A more permanent patch was put over the hole in his apartment on Monday and the staff at the complex has promised to 'make this right.'
'It's completely unsanitary,' Wolfe told WSB-TV. 'They have to go to the bathroom somewhere, unfortunately, I've seen it in the kitchen. I've seen it beside the water heater.'
Wolfe said he's called the health department to report the issue. WSB-TV reported that the apartment manager is willing to allow Wolfe and his roommate to break the ease.
First a news item that could have sprung from a Richard Littlejohn column. Andrew Selous, Justice Minister, was yesterday talking about education in prisons.
The Government was keen to give offenders meaningful work, intoned Mr Selous, so tall his head is often lost in clouds, like the top of the Shard. Among the skills these prisoners were being taught, he said, were scaffolding and tunnelling.
Tunnelling!
If that didnt show how daft our ruling class has become, we then had an Urgent Question about Theresa Mays announcement on Monday that she would happily flush the European Convention on Human Rights down the khazi. Lefties and lawyers are aghast.
Labour MP Frank Field spoke up for Brexit in rather a sparky way. His performance was notable not least for the fact that he had prepared a speech but ignored it
There has been more neck-clutching than at a gathering of Dracula clones.
Speaker Bercow granted an Urgent Question on the matter but Mrs May, facing a more pressing crisis over the Hillsborough verdict, did not bother to attend. Instead we had Jeremy Wright, Attorney General, a man of such urbane dullness, he makes Philip Hammond look like Ken Dodd.
Mr Wright is more pro-Europe than Theresa. Though he waffled that we will not stay in the Convention at any cost we may have no option to withdraw, no one in the House remotely believed his threat. He was laughed at.
After all, David Cameron used to say the same about the EU. On and on the wretched Wright droned, talking about the legal complexities of the matter and the Human Rights landscape. To stay awake you needed cocktail sticks between your eyelids. To understand it you needed a degree in legal-speak.
When a system has become so palpably deceitful, so knotted, so damnably bamboozling to all but the narrow elite who make a rich living out of it, the time for eviction has arrived.
The whole, foetid, foul, fat caboodle of European sovereignty needs binning, like a ball of tangled knitting. Perhaps we should join those prisoners and learn how to build a tunnel.
Labour MP Frank Field had earlier spoken up for Brexit in rather a sparky way. His performance was notable not least for the fact that he had prepared a speech but ignored it. Instead he spoke extempore about the issue, consulting his script only to reach for the occasional statistic.
As a result the message was far more convincing and easy to understand. More politicians should do this. Mr Field urged Labour supporters to ignore the Stay in Europe message of the north London intellectuals who currently run his party. If they wanted to get rid of Messrs Cameron and Osborne, they should vote Leave because the Cameroons would be toast if they lost the referendum.
Though Jeremy Wright waffled that we will not stay in the Convention at any cost we may have no option to withdraw, no one in the House remotely believed his threat
Thats another reason for the good old Labour voters to come out and give them a punch on the nose, he said.
The EU brought mass migration and that kept wages low for many workers, he argued. Jobs, housing and schools places were made harder to find for working-class voters. The EU was no friend of the traditional Labour voter.
He was puzzled that Jeremy Corbyn and other Labour frontbenchers were supporting the elite and recommending that we stay chained to Brussels. A Labour activist from Camden said the Labour party managers think they are educated people but they have complete contempt for ordinary voters.
She claimed that she had been threatened with being drummed out of the party for wanting to quit Brussels. Mr Field reckoned 40 per cent of Labour voters wanted to quit the EU.
He wanted these Labour stalwarts to know that it was totally legitimate and respectable to want to leave Brussels. He did not want them feeling unwanted by the Labour party, becoming footloose and drifting off to Ukip.
Taxpayers face a bill of more than 40million to clean up the mess caused by the collapse of BHS, including redundancy payments for thousands of staff.
The revelations will heap pressure on the companys former boss, Sir Philip Green, amid calls for him to be stripped of his knighthood.
BHS is effectively bust with debts of 1.3billion and no likelihood that anyone will buy the failed business and its 164 stores.
Headquarters: BHS's main office in Marylebone, pictured, is believed to be still owned by Sir Philip and is worth 40million
As a result, taxpayers will have to cover the statutory redundancy pay of the companys 11,000 staff. Based on previous failures, such as Comet, City experts believe the bill will top 40million.
At the same time, every worker in the UK who is a member of a company pension scheme will have to help fill a black hole estimated at 571million in the BHS pension scheme.
This is because the Pension Protection Fund, which steps in when businesses collapse, gets its money through a levy imposed on all company schemes.
Last night, Downing Street indicated that the Insolvency Service will investigate what one Tory MP has suggested could be the unacceptable face of capitalism. It has the power to prosecute and disqualify company directors found guilty of any wrongdoing.
Sir Philip is to be called to appear before MPs to face questions over the collapse of the retailer.
He will be invited to give evidence before a cross-party committee of MPs carrying out an investigation into BHSs administration, its pension liabilities and the impact it will have on the Pension Protection Fund. Asked whether Sir Philip would be called before the committee, chairman Frank Field said: I am sure hell be invited to give evidence.
Sir Philip collected dividends of more than 400million from BHS before presiding over its decline and selling it last year for 1. The self-styled king of the high street, who reportedly paid 100million for a private yacht named Lionheart, was given his honour by Tony Blairs Labour government in 2006 for services to the retail industry.
SIR PHILLIP HELPED BLEED BHS DRY - BUT HE STILL OWNS FIRM'S 40M HQ! Billionaire Sir Philip Green (pictured) still owns the 40million BHS head office in central London Billionaire Sir Philip Green still owns the 40million BHS head office in central London and could profit from a property deal if the failed firm is forced to move out, it has emerged. As the scandal over the failure of the 88-year-old department store grew, it was revealed that the tycoon was the owner of the BHS headquarters at Marylebone House. While the full extent of the property empire owned by Sir Philip remains shrouded in secrecy, the freehold of the BHS head office on Marylebone Road is owned via a company controlled by Arcadia, the firm owned by Sir Philips wife, Tina, that owns Topshop and other retail brands. The Arcadia company bought Marylebone Road in 2014 from giant insurer Prudential in a 31million deal today the site is expected to be worth up to 40million. Meanwhile, it emerged that the freehold of another BHS shop in Ealing, west London, was sold just days before BHS was sold by Sir Philip for 1 to Retail Acquisitions. The Ealing shop was bought for 7million by Thackeray Estates, a company run by Sir Philips stepson, Brett Palos. The proceeds were put into BHSs business. But within months the building was sold for a profit of 3million, as Thackeray sold it for 10million to a company called Southern Grove funded by property company Topland. A source said that properties are bought and sold all the time and that Thackeray had to sort out 250,000 of asbestos removal before being able to sell it. Brett Palos, Southern Grove and Topland were not available for comment last night. Sir Philip Green declined to comment. Advertisement
Labour MP John Mann, who is a member of the Commons Treasury Select Committee, said: Sir Philip Green and his family have made millions out of BHS and its hard-working staff.
He took over a company with a healthy pension pot, yet when he sold BHS a black hole had appeared in its fund.
He added: There is a very simple and honourable solution to this crisis repay the dividends, live up to the name he has chosen for his new yacht, Lionheart, or lose his knighthood. Sir Philip is understood to be prepared to put 40-80million in to the BHS pension fund. However, the Pensions Regulator has indicated it could use its powers to demand much more.
At the same time, the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee has announced an investigation into how the Pension Protection Fund will cope with taking on the enormous liabilities of the BHS scheme.
Mr Field said: We need as a committee to look at the Pension Protection Fund and how the receipt of pension liabilities of BHS will impact on the increases in the levy that will now be placed on all other eligible employers to finance the scheme.
We will then need to judge whether the law is strong enough to protect future pensioners contracts in occupational schemes.
BHS made losses of some 416million in the six and a half years up to the point where it was sold for 1 last year.
Critics say it was an accident waiting to happen, largely because it had been starved of investment. Business recovery expert Nick Hood, of Opus Restructuring, said taxpayers and workers in company pension schemes faced a massive bill to clean up the mess.
He added: One of the many disgraceful aspects of this failure is that the taxpayer is going to have to pick up a burden running to tens of millions of pounds in terms of redundancy payments to staff. Some would call this the cut and thrust of capitalism, but there is a higher judgment in the court of public opinion in terms of the morals of this.
My view is that the failure of BHS has been an accident waiting to happen for at least a year and probably longer.
Sir Philip has refused to comment publicly about the failure of the firm. Sources close to the tycoon blame the consortium which bought the business, Retail Acquisitions.
END OF AN ERA: AUSTIN REED COLLAPSES AFTER 116 YEARS In recent years Austin Reed has failed to keep up with fast fashion stores such as H&M and Next. Pictured, one of the chain's ads from the 1970s Suits specialist Austin Reed has gone into administration, putting 1,200 jobs at risk. The chain, which has 100 stores and franchises in 50 other outlets, blamed the move on cash-flow problems and hard times on the high street. The decision suggests the business, which began in 1900 and counted Winston Churchill as a customer, could disappear. Austin Reed started as a tailoring business in the City of London, selling off-the-rack suits which could pass muster as made to measure. It had a concession on the transatlantic liner the Queen Elizabeth, and supplied clothing for special agents and resistance fighters during the Second World War. In recent years, the company has struggled to match competition from fast fashion chains such as H&M and Primark, together with the likes of Next. It has also failed to invest in its website, where much of the growth in spending on clothes is focused. Rupert Eastell, head of retail at business advisers RSM, said: The companys offer has been inconsistent, the ranges have been poor and the stores have looked rather tired. Perhaps most disappointingly, the website is not good enough by todays standards. Austin Reed was bought just last week by Alteri Investors a firm that specialises in struggling retailers, for an undisclosed sum. The new owners had previously given the company a 6million loan. They lent the money last year so that Austin Reed could improve its online operations and purchase new stock. But on Friday the firm announced that it was intending to appoint administrators, although Austin Reed remains a going concern. Administrator Peter Saville, of Alix Partners, said he was hopeful someone would buy the business, adding: Austin Reed is a well regarded and iconic brand. We are confident that it is an attractive proposition for a range of potential buyers. Advertisement
When he sold the retailer, which has been on high streets for 88 years, he insisted there were no skeletons in the cupboard.
The pugnacious billionaire added: I feel we have done an honest deal, we have done the best we can for the business.
But the decision to sell the company to Retail Acquisitions was highly unusual, given that it is led by a former racing driver with a disastrous financial track record.
Dominic Chappell, 48, is said to have splashed out on a yacht, ski holiday and a luxury car as BHS headed for disaster.
He has been made personally insolvent three times once through an individual voluntary arrangement and twice through bankruptcy.
Mr Chappell was also investigated by the Department for Business over the collapse of a holiday home development on the Isle of Wight in which business partners lost millions.
On the failure of BHS, he said: No one is to blame. It was a combination of bad trading and not being able to raise enough money from the property portfolio.
Around 24,000 children a year are not having their MMR jab on time, Public Health England (PHE) has warned.
It is calling for parents across England to get their children vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella to close the 'immunisation gap'.
In March, doctors expressed concern they were seeing the start of a measles outbreak in London and the South East.
Around 24,000 children a year are not having their MMR jab on time, Public Health England (PHE) has warned. File photo
PHE detected 20 cases in the region over just a few weeks, compared with 91 in the whole of England last year.
MMR is given to children aged 12 months, with a second dose shortly after their third birthday.
Figures for 2014/15 have shown that too few children in England are still being vaccinated to reach a target set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The WHO says 95% of children need to be vaccinated for herd immunity.
In 2014/15, 92.3% of children were vaccinated with the first dose of MMR by their second birthday, down on the previous year.
Some 88.6% of children had received both doses of MMR by their fifth birthday, a slight increase on the previous year although still below the WHO target.
Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at PHE said: 'We're asking parents, young people and healthcare professionals to help us eradicate measles in this country.
'Back in days before a vaccine was available, hundreds of thousands caught measles and around 100 people died each year.
Doctors are calling for parents across England to get their children vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella to close the 'immunisation gap'. File photo
'But now, the whole community benefits from the herd immunity the safe and effective MMR vaccination offers. Fewer people get ill and the disease's spread is restricted.'
She added: 'This is an opportunity to consign measles to the history books. The cases we are seeing currently in England are being confirmed mainly in adolescents and young adults, and it's never too late for them to have the vaccine.
'Those who have not received two doses of the vaccine in the past - or who are unsure - should speak to their GP. There's no harm in receiving an additional dose where there is any uncertainty.'
Uptake of the MMR vaccine fell heavily in the late 1990s following the publication by Dr Andrew Wakefield of research suggesting a possible link between the vaccine and autism.
Experts have widely discredited his study and he was struck off the medical register in 2010.
Signs of measles include cold-like symptoms, sore red eyes, a high temperature and a red-brown blotchy rash.
Dr Ramsay added: 'It's crucial pregnant women have been vaccinated with MMR as rubella in particular can cause serious complications during pregnancy.
Loud conversations on telephones and emergency vehicles using their sirens after midnight should be discouraged, said Conservative Mark Pritchard
Loud conversations on telephones and emergency vehicles using their sirens after midnight should be discouraged to help create quiet towns and cities, an MP has said.
Conservative Mark Pritchard also wants 'polite notices' on public transport to suggest people set their phones on vibrate or silent, while ministers should work with manufacturers to stop doors on vehicles making a noise when they are shut.
The MP for the Wrekin, Shropshire, suggested other ways to reduce noise pollution, including Government departments working to encourage 'low noise tyres' for vehicles and 'silent road surfaces'.
He added there should be a 'national conversation about how we make this country quieter'.
Environment minister Rory Stewart said towns and cities should be encouraged to take the lead in 'creating a culture around tranquillity', as MPs debated the concept of quiet cities.
Moving the Westminster Hall debate, Mr Pritchard said: 'The right to some respite from noise, constant noise, needs to be a central feature of Government policy, part of its strategy, not a by-product of another Government policy, a consequence of that policy.
'On my own observations, I think the Government should work with motor manufacturers to encourage all cars and vehicles to have linings which stop their doors making noises when they are slammed shut.
'A simple rubber lining would make a huge difference - metal on metal makes noise.
'And even slamming doors in this own House of Commons - where the doors are lined the doors close quietly, where they're not lined they slam and they create noise pollution.
'Emergency vehicles should reduce using their very loud sirens after midnight. The blue flashing lights alert people enough of their presence in the dark and discretion should be allowed.
Environment minister Rory Stewart said towns and cities should be encouraged to take the lead in 'creating a culture around tranquillity', as MPs debated the concept of quiet cities
'Even walking down the streets here in Westminster, sometimes the ambulances that are going out to save lives - and we respect that and we recognise that and they have to get through heavy traffic - some of the sirens are so ear-piercing compared to other emergency services.
'For example, the ambulances do seem - anecdotally - to be far louder than the police and perhaps there's a reason for that but do they need to be used after midnight when the blue lights can be seen? That is a point of public debate I think we should have.'
Mr Pritchard went on: 'Perhaps on public transport systems should we set polite notices - we can't compel people to do things - but can we encourage people through polite notices asking people to set their phones on to vibrate or silent?'
He added: 'I think there needs to be a national conversation about how we make this country quieter, how we make our cities quieter and towns quieter.
'Even polite notices about loud conversations on telephones, which I'm sure has been an irritant to us all, and I confess I've probably done it myself, I need to do it less.
'Now I've made this speech I'll probably do it less.'
Replying for the Government, Mr Stewart said: 'I really would encourage cities and towns around the country to think seriously about the way in which different towns ranging from... Hertford to Brisbane have managed to really create a culture around tranquillity, the ways in which British towns and cities could take the lead in creating a culture around tranquillity.
users in total were told they could not take part
Allen Moore, 93, was taken to the dawn service at Auckland War Memorial Cenotaph on Monday by his grandson Gareth Moore (pictured)
A wheelchair-bound veteran was not allowed to join an Anzac Day parade because organisers said he would slow it down.
Allen Moore, 93, was taken to the dawn service at Auckland War Memorial Cenotaph on Monday by his grandson Gareth Moore and two other family members.
Mr Moore had served four years as a medic during World War II. He didn't wished to be pictured in the media.
Speaking to the Daily Mail Australia, Gareth said he was shocked to hear that five veterans in wheelchairs including his grandfather were told they could not take part in the parade and instead they would be met at the cenotaph.
Wheelchair users were discouraged from taking part in the march because of health and safety concerns, said the Auckland Returned and Services Association (RSA).
According to the RSA, which co-organised the event, a place of prominence was assigned for wheelchair users at the cenotaph instead. The company denied banning wheelchairs, but promised to address any concerns in future parades.
Gareth Moore said he was shocked as the organisers had made the same promise last year after his grandfather was unable to join the march.
'They told us he would be able to march in the parade this year after he was left out at the last march.'
'Last year no one gave us an explanation to why he couldn't participate in a wheelchair, I had to tell my grandfather he wasn't in the parade.'
After being questioned by Gareth on Monday, the organiser replied that he was just following orders, Gareth said: 'It's ridiculous, these men served, they deserve to be in the march.'
Gareth said that the organiser replied: 'They slowed the parade down.'
Allen Moore, 93, served four years as a medic during World War II. He was not allowed to join the Anzac Day march in Auckland due to his wheelchair, instead he was met at the cenotaph
Gareth said this year the procession route had changed and the non-participation made even less sense as provisions had been made for wheelchairs:
'These guys are all old guys, they are the last of the World War II veterans, they deserve better than this but some of them probably don't understand why they are not allowed in the parade.'
'It's not even just these old guys, what about people in wheelchairs who are 23? They're too young to be missing out'
About 10,000 people attended the dawn service at Auckland War Memorial Cenotaph on Monday
Auckland RSA president Graham Gibson promised that Allen Moore would be in the march next year if that was what he wanted, and would make sure the health and safety rules were met
Auckland RSA president Graham Gibson told the New Zealand Herald they made the decision with the veterans' best interests at heart because the road up to the cenotaph was difficult for wheelchairs and they were looking out for the veterans safety.
When asked about wheelchairs slowing the parade down, he said: 'If you have half a dozen ... wheelchairs it would make it a little bit harder and we are very conscious of their safety in the whole thing.'
Mr Gibson said he had promised Gareth that Mr Moore would be in the march next year if that was what he wanted, and would make sure the health and safety rules were met.
Auckland Council events manager David Burt told Daily Mail Australia that it was disappointing to hear that a veteran was told he would not be able to participate:
'Auckland Council strives to ensure that the Dawn Service at the Auckland War Memorial Cenotaph is easily accessible to all Aucklanders who attend and participate', he said.
Missing author Helen Bailey may have had a large sum of cash when she disappeared from her home it emerged yesterday, fuelling the theory she could have vanished deliberately.
The 51-year-old had access to a four-figure sum at her house, the chief inspector investigating the case revealed.
The money could allow Mrs Bailey to lie low for a considerable period of time if she wanted to.
Missing author Helen Bailey (pictured) may have had a large sum of cash when she disappeared from her home it emerged yesterday, fuelling the theory she could have vanished deliberately
Police who yesterday asked hotel staff and bed and breakfast owners to be particularly vigilant - have previously admitted they hadnt ruled out the possibility that Mrs Bailey went into hiding deliberately intentionally.
In her book, Bad Things Happen in Good Bikinis, which describes the loss of her husband John Sinfield in 2011 when he drowned on holiday in Barbados, she mentioned watching a programme about people who just vanish to start a new life.
She is also understood to have referred to the ease with which people can disappear on social media in the past. Officers are checking a laptop and iPad she kept at home.
Crime writer Agatha Christie went missing 90 years ago, triggering a search involving 1,000 police officers. She was found after 11 days under an assumed name in a hotel in Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
The 51-year-old had access to a four-figure sum at her house, the chief inspector investigating the case revealed
Police who yesterday asked hotel staff and bed and breakfast owners to be particularly vigilant - have previously admitted they hadnt ruled out the possibility that Mrs Bailey went into hiding deliberately intentionally. Pictured: Mrs Bailey's home
Chief Inspector Julie Wheatley, of Hertfordshire Police, told the Daily Mail: After a week you would normally expect to find something [useful in a missing persons investigation].
Chief Inspector Julie Wheatley, of Hertfordshire Police, told the Daily Mail: After a week you would normally expect to find something'
There has been no financial activity but we know she had, instantly available, quite large sums of cash. A four-figure sum.
Mrs Bailey the author of 22 childrens books including the Electra Brown series for teenagers went missing on April 11 from the detached house in Royston, Hertfordshire, she shares with her partner Ian Stewart, 55. She took her dachshund, Boris, with her.
A note was found saying she needed time alone.
She wrote a bereavement blog, Planet Grief, and neighbours and friends have suggested she was affected by the anniversary of her husbands death.
She is also said to have been having a hard time because Mr Stewart had health problems.
A lorry driver claims to have spotted someone matching Mrs Baileys description near Baldock in Hertfordshire, on April 12, although the bedraggled woman did not have a dog with her.
Ch Insp Wheatley appealed to the public yesterday to look out for Boris and to check sheds, garages, outbuildings or barns in the Royston area for any evidence of the author or her pet.
She added: Helens disappearance is still very much being treated as a missing persons enquiry at this stage and we remain open-minded about her whereabouts, given that she stated she needed some time to herself.
Venezuela has ordered its public sector employees to work a two-day week in a bid to save energy in the crisis-hit country.
President Nicolas Maduro had already given most ofVenezuela's 2.8million state staff Fridays off during Apriland May to cut down on electricity consumption.
But his socialist government has now extended the move as the water shortages and electricity cuts show no sign of abating.
'From tomorrow, for at least two weeks, we are going to haveWednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays as non-working days for thepublic sector,' Maduro said on his weekly television program.
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A man repairs a device during a power outage in San Cristobal, Venezuela. Several cities will be under state-imposed four-hour electricity blackouts as a measure to mitigate the effects of the drought in the country. The government has also ordered its public sector employees to work a two-day week in a bid to save energy
Drought has reduced water levels at Venezuela's main dam andhydroelectric plant in Guri to near-critical levels. The dam provides for about two-thirds of the nation's energy needs.
Water shortages and power cuts have added to thehardships of Venezuela's 30 million people who are already enduring abrutal recession, shortages of basics from milk to medicines,soaring prices and long lines at shops.
Maduro, 53, who succeeded the late Hugo Chavez in 2013 andis facing an opposition push to remove him through a recallreferendum, appealed for understanding and support.
'The Guri has virtually become a desert. With all thesemeasures, we are going to save it,' he said, adding that thedaily drop in water level had slowed to 10 centimetres from 20cm.
After months of unscheduled outages, the government beganprogrammed electricity rationing this week across most ofVenezuela, except the capital Caracas, prompting protests in some cities.
Desperate times: President Nicolas Maduro (pictured) had already given most of Venezuela's 2.8million state staff Fridays off during April and May to cut down on electricity consumption
Maduro has also changed the clocks so there is half an hourmore daylight in the evening, urged women to reduce use ofappliances like hairdryers and ordered malls to provide theirown generators.
Regarding the public sector measure, the government isexcluding workers in sensitive sectors such as food. Full salaries will still be paid despite the two-day week.
Critics have derided Maduro for giving state employees daysoff, arguing it would hurt national productivity and wasunlikely to save electricity because people would simply go homeand turn on appliances there instead.
'Maduro says that "we in government don't stop working for asecond".
'Of course. Except for Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays,Saturdays and Sundays!' satirised Leonardo Padron, a columnistfor pro-opposition El Nacional newspaper, via Twitter.
Officials said the El Nino weather phenomenon is responsiblefor Venezuela's electricity woes.
The boy's heartbroken family returned to the site on Wednesday morning
A picture of the fun-loving boy who died when a van mounted the footpath while his father pushed him in a stroller has emerged after the family lay flowers at the crash site.
Christopher Robertson, three, died in hospital after he was crushed against the wall of an apartment building in a two car crash in Granville in Sydneys west.
The toddlers devastated mother and father, Pitchanan and Jamie Robertson, returned to the scene on Wednesday with the boys eight-year-old brother Jonathon, who also witnessed the tragedy on Tuesday.
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Pictured: the three-year-old boy who died on Tuesday after a van mounted the footpath in a two car crash about 5.30pm
A heartbroken family have laid flowers at the site where a 'beautiful' three-year-old boy sustained fatal injures after he was hit by a van as he walked down the street with his father
'[Christopher was] just a fun-loving boy that loved everybody. He was just a beautiful little guy,' Mr Robertson told The Today Show on Wednesday.
Mr Robertson said the two-year-old was full of life and loved wearing costumes or play fighting with his friends.
Police said the young boy was crushed by a white Toyota Tarago mini-van after it collided with another car at around 5.30pm on Tuesday.
Mr Robertson said he was walking his older son to karate as Christopher sat in a stroller when the accident took place, Daily Telegraph reported.
Christopher Robertson died in Westmead Children's hospital after he was crushed against the wall of an apartment building following a two car accident in Granville, in Sydney's west, on Tuesday
'We weren't doing anything wrong, we weren't jay walking and this guy lost control,' he said.
'The driver of the Tarago clipped the other car and then floored it. I didn't even see my son get wiped out.'
He said the accident didn't seem that serious at first, but after seeing Christopher's limp body he knew his son was critical.
'It didn't look like massive injuries, but obviously it was,' he added.
We did everything we could. We did CPR, we did AR, the ambulance was here, the fire truck, everybody was here. We even had an escort to go to the hospital, but it didn't work," the father told Nine News.
Mr Robertson also urged motorists to drive carefully and responsibly.
Christopher sustained significant chest injuries and went into cardiac arrest at the scene.
He was given CPR and rushed to Westmead Children's Hospital in a critical condition but later died.
The grieving parents bowed their heads and sobbed as they lit candles and left two bouquets of bright flowers near the crash site on the corner of Lumley and Mary Street.
'[Christopher was] just a fun loving boy that loved everybody,' the boy's father Jamie Robertson said
The grieving family brought two colourful bouquets of flowers to lay at the scene of the fatal crash
They were also pictured lighting candles as a sign of respect for the three-year-old
Granville resident Souhair Alachrafi told Daily Telegraph she had just gotten home when emergency services arrived on Lumley Street
'I could see them pumping the kid, they were pumping for 10 minutes and the police were so distressed,' she said.
The 37-year-old man who drove the Tarago was taken to Westmead Hospital where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries.
The male driver and female passenger travelling in the second car were assessed by paramedics at the scene but did not require any further medical attention.
Police have taken mandatory blood and urine tests from both drivers.
A police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that they are still awaiting the test results but confirmed no charges have been laid in relation to the crash.
Any witnesses who have not yet spoken to police should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
One of the cars involved a large Toyota vehicle (pictured) hit the father and boy, crushing them against a brick fence of an apartment building
New South Wales police say the three-year-old boy was struck after a two car crash on the corner of Lumley and Mary street in Granville at about 5.30pm. Pictured: Emergency services at the scene
A grief-stricken father has spoken out about the treatment of his pregnant partner by a Queensland hospital after she woke up breathless before her death.
Christopher Baker said his partner, Gemma Rane, had trouble breathing early on Wednesday morning when she was 38 weeks pregnant and then stopped breathing.
Mr Baker, from Bribie Island in Queensland, performed CPR on his partner until an ambulance arrived to take her to Caboolture Hospital, north of Brisbane, where doctors tried to save the couple's unborn baby boy via caesarean.
Christopher Baker said his partner, Gemma Rane, had trouble breathing early on Wednesday morning when she was 38 weeks pregnant and then stopped breathing. The couple pictured with their son, Chayse
'They tried to save the baby by taking him out in the emergency department. But it was already gone,' the devastated father told 92.7 Mix FM.
Ms Rane, 31, was airlifted to Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital but she died on Monday morning after her family made the difficult decision to turn off her life support.
But Mr Baker said doctors at Caboolture Hospital had failed to take better care of Ms Rane.
The couple have another son, Chayse, and he said Ms Rane's treatment during that pregnancy was very different as she had a heart condition called atrial fibrillation that could cause shortness of breath, The Courier Mail reported.
Mr Baker (lefti with Ms Rane), from Bribie Island in Queensland, had to perform CPR on her until an ambulance arrived to take her to Caboolture Hospital
It was there doctors tried to save the couple's unborn baby boy via caesarean
'With Chayse, they took every precaution to make sure nothing went wrong,' Mr Baker said.
'This time they didn't seem to care that much.'
Mr Baker said he wanted to speak out about his partner's death because he did not want another family to suffer.
'The pain that me and the family have gone through the last week anyone shouldn't have to go through that.' he told 92.7 Mix FM.
He also asked why doctors had not performed a caesarean on Ms Rane earlier.
A spokeswoman for the hospital told Daily Mail Australia said they were providing support to Ms Rane's family.
'We extend our deepest condolences to the family for their tragic loss,' she said.
'Importantly, we are offering support to the family at this very sad time.
'As this matter is before the coroner, we are unable to comment further.'
The devastated father said Ms Rane's treatment during her pregnancy with Chayse was very different as she had a heart condition called atrial fibrillation that could cause shortness of breath
But this time, Mr Baker said doctors 'didn't seem to care that much' about her well-being. Above is Ms Rane
Mr Baker posted this tribute on Facebook following his partner's death on Monday morning
Ms Rane's death is the second baby-related death to happen in Queensland in a month
Ms Rane's death is the second baby-related death to happen in Queensland in a month.
Amanda Sheppard died earlier this month at Rockhampton Base Hospital after she underwent an elective caesarean.
She is believed to have died from an embolism.
A gofundme page has been set up for Ms Rane's family.
Vehicles with offensive slogans and explicit artworks could soon be banned from camping grounds and some areas at a popular holiday destination.
Councillor Duncan Dey has called for signs to be placed at the entrance into Byron Bay along NSW north coast in a bid to steer away vandalised vehicles, including the controversial Wicked Campers.
The Byron Shire Council's move to prohibit the vehicles could see signs erected at the entry points to warn drivers of Wicked vans they are not welcome, ABC News reported.
The ban could also forbid vans with offensive slogans from entering council-owned parks.
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Byron Shire Council are calling for signs to be placed at the entrance into Byron Bay along NSW north coast in an attempt to steer away vandalised vehicles, including the controversial Wicked Campers (stock image)
The van hire company has previously been slammed for its controversial and offensive slogans (stock image)
Byron Shire Council's move to prohibit vandalised vans could see signs warning drivers they are not welcome
Deputy Mayor Robyn Hordern - who will table the motion for the Ballina Council - has called on the NSW Government to ban vehicles with offensive slogans.
'We have no control over the state roads so therefore it will actually be a letter to the minister to encourage him to make changes in NSW,' she said.
'I want it to be clear that I see these messages as being coarse, disgusting, and simply quite offensive.'
'They're not appropriate to have parading up and down our highways.'
The proposal comes after the council heard a local grandfather had spray painted over an offensive slogan describing a sexual act on a vehicle - earlier this month - in which he deemed inappropriate.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Byron Shire Council and Wicked Campers for comment.
Last May, a New Zealand woman was left traumatised by a violent slogan (pictured). The message brought back a haunting memory for Karen Edwards, whose daughter Ashlee was murdered by her partner in 2012, when he threw her off a bridge and held her head under water until she drowned
It's not the first time the company has been slammed for its controversial and offensive slogans (stock image)
Vehicles with offensive slogans could soon be banned from camping grounds along NSW coast (stock image)
It's not the first time the company has been slammed for its controversial slogans and artworks (stock image)
Vehicles with offensive slogans could be banned in some areas in Byron Bay along NSW coast (stock image)
And it's not the first time the infamous van hire company has been slammed for its controversial slogans and explicit artworks on their vehicles.
Last May, a New Zealand woman was left traumatised by a violent slogan after seeing the painted messaged 'I've often wanted to drown my troubles but I can't get my wife to go swimming' on a van.
The message brought back a haunting memory for Karen Edwards, whose daughter Ashlee was murdered by her partner in 2012, when he threw her off a bridge and held her head under water until she drowned.
'I think the public needs to make a stand that this is not okay and this is not condoned,' Ms Edwards told NZ Herald last year.
A popular fashion label has been savaged by critics after it posted a 'patronising' message from one of its Chinese factory workers.
Designer firm Gorman has come under pressure to reveal how it treats its overseas workers, with an online petition demanding they 'be honest' about their manufacturing processes.
After mounting criticism, the label published a picture of their employee Liao to Instagram on Thursday. But the post sparked a hefty backlash on social media.
Gorman came under fire for posting the story of one of its workers, Liao, who 'loves gormans knit designs' (sic)
In the post, Gorman quoted the employee saying: 'Hi, I'm Liao, a knitter at C.Partners factory in China.
'I have been working here for 6 years. I love gormans knit designs (sic), especially the colours'.
The company was quickly deluged with negative comments, with social media users pledging a boycott and branding it 'disgusting', 'shameful' and 'unethical'.
One punter, holly_fahey, said: 'This is a terrible and embarrassing marketing stunt. If you think that this was going to help your public image you should be deeply, deeply ashamed.'
m__tinker said: 'This is the most patronising thing I've seen, seeya Gorman. I'd prefer to buy clothes that break in 2 weeks from elsewhere (thank you).'
Said another former customer: 'I was done with Gorman after the prices soared and quality dropped, now this. I will never walk into a store again. Disgusting.'
buddleandsqueak said: 'You need to become transparent about your labour conditions and not use the #whomademyclothes tag as a marketing tactic or to clutch at straws during damage control after you've been slammed.'
The brand's parent company, Factory X, flunked a Baptist World Aid labour standards report last week.
Factory X received an 'F' rating on every question in the report, including whether they pay a living wage to workers, after failing to respond to requests for information.
Baptist World Aid advocacy manager Gershon Nimbalker said their report had not examined Gorman.
He praised Gorman for pledging to tell the stories of its Chinese factory workers. But he said companies need to do more.
'We think the steps to share the stories of workers are positive and we applaud it,' Mr Nimbalker told Daily Mail Australia.
Models wearing Gorman designs are pictured strutting down the runway at the Melbourne Spring Fashion Week in 2014
Australian designer Lisa Gorman founded the brand in 1999 (file photo)
'But those things need to be coupled with disclosures of what companies and brands are doing from farm to factory.'
Famous for its loud prints and colourful sweaters, Gorman was founded by Melbourne designer Lisa Gorman in 1999.
Couple made a dash across town and an outfit change before The Donald made his victory speech at Trump Towers
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It's been a busy day for the Trumps. Not content with making a clean sweep in all five primary states, The Donald managed to squeeze in a red carpet event at the TIME Gala with birthday girl Melania, before an outfit change and a mad dash across town for his victory speech.
A confident Trump celebrated taking all five Northeastern states where GOP voters went to the polls by attending the TIME 100 Gala at New York City's Lincoln Center.
The billionaire real estate tycoon sported a tux as he strolled down the red carpet accompanied by his wife Melania, who looked stunning in a floor-length white Mugler dress, and sparkling shoes and purse, as she celebrated her 46th birthday.
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Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, left, and his wife Melania Trump attend the TIME 100 Gala, celebrating the 100 most influential people in the world
Mad dash: The power couple left the TIME Gala and rushed across Midtown, Manhattan, to make a victory speech at Trump Tower
Trump, 69, had been named by TIME magazine as one of this year's 100 most influential people in the world. The Republican front-runner was branded 'the rule breaker' by the publication.
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers, who wrote his profile, praised him as a 'force of nature in business and politics' and a 'ferocious leader' who isn't afraid to challenge the status quo.
Trump, who attended the star-studded event alongside the likes of Karlie Kloss, Aziz Ansari, and Nicki Minaj, chose to pay tribute to his wife as the possibility of her becoming the next First Lady grows more realistic.
'She's got a great heart, more importantly than anything else,' Trump told PEOPLE. 'She's beautiful, but that's the least of it. But she really does have a great heart, great compassion.'
Trump added that his ambitions if he became the next president was to 'help' and 'heal the nation.'
Trump, 69, had been named by TIME magazine as one of this year's 100 most influential people in the world. The Republican front-runner was branded 'the rule breaker' by the publication
A confident Trump celebrated taking all five Northeastern states where GOP voters went to the polls by attending the TIME 100 Gala at New York City's Lincoln Center
Melania Trump, who was celebrating her 46th birthday, looked stunning in a floor-length white Mugler dress and silver shoes and purse
Had enough yet? Donald appeared to tire of the red carpet after posing up a storm, but Melania couldn't get enough of the limelight
Trump looks on at his wife as she poses for the cameras on the red carpet at the TIME Gala for the 100 most influential people in the world
Giving the birthday girl her spotlight: The billionaire appeared to have had enough of posing for pictures and left Melania to pose alone at the gala, at the Lincoln Center in New York
Thumbs up: The Republican front-runner and his wife Melania, a Slovene-American jewelry and watch designer and former model, showed off their gleaming smiles
The Trumps were invited to attend the TIME gala after The Donald was named as one of the 100 most influential people in the world
One vote in the bag? While at the TIME 100 gala, Trump also met with Martha Stewart and the pair were pictured greeting each other and shaking hands
'There is tremendous division,' he said. 'There is tremendous unemployment. And our jobs are being taken, manufacturing is leaving the country in tremendous record numbers. We're going to do a lot of things that a lot of people are going to be very happy about.'
But the evening was not over for Trump and Melania who left the glamorous soiree and rushed across Midtown to make his victory speech at Trump Towers.
By the time Trump took the podium, he had changed out of his tuxedo and back into a suit, while Melania had also made an outfit change into a long, form-fitting black number.
He took to the stage to mark his clean sweep of all five Northeastern states as he inched closer to the Republican party's presidential nomination.
'This to me was our biggest night,' Trump said. 'I consider myself the presumptive nominee.'
He also repeatedly used the victory speech to attack Democrat front-runner Hillary Clinton.
'I think the only card she has is the women's card,' Trump said. 'She has got nothing else going. Frankly, if Hillary Clinton were a man, I don't think she would get 5% of the vote.'
A total of 172 delegates to the Republican National Convention were up for grabs in territory where Trump has led wire to wire in opinion polls.
Cheers erupted from the food court beneath the lobby of Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan, where his campaign was celebrating while reporters awaited a victory speech upstairs.
Rhode Island was added to Trump's victory column 25 minutes later, and Delaware 10 minutes after that, accompanied by more rounds of joyous shrieking.
The main event: But the evening was not over for Trump and Melania who left the glamorous soiree and rushed across Midtown to make his victory speech at his showpiece Trump Tower
By the time Trump took the podium, he had changed out of his tuxedo and back into a suit, while Melania had also made an outfit change into a long, form-fitting black number
Melania Trump listened to her husband as he spoke to supporters at his five state primary night rally held in Manhattan, New York
Melania, showing off some huge diamond rings, applauded her husband as he made his victory speech at Trump Towers
Shouts of a different kind rang out 700 miles to the west where Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was hosting an election night rally in the next big battleground state, Indiana.
'You know tonight, Donald Trump is expected to have a good night,' Cruz told the crowded gym.
'Donald Trump is likely to win some states. And the media is going to have heart palpitations this evening,' he predicted.
'They're going to be excited so very excited at Donald Trump's victories.'
Cruz claimed the fix was in.
'The network executives are they Democrats or are they Republicans?' he asked. 'Every one of them is ready for Hillary. And Donald Trump is the one man Hillary Clinton can beat in a general election.'
Discount supermarket Aldi says its massive sale and dedicated website will help it remain at the top of the mountain for ski gear in Australia.
'Out of nothing it has really become quite something,' Aldi CEO Tom Daunt told The Australian.
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Discount supermarket Aldi is set to launch its yearly ski sale for 2016, with CEO Tom Daunt calling it the 'largest in Australia'
He also said Aldi has been able to thrive in the ski industry because it does not have dedicated space for throughout the year, and is instead able to capitalise on it for six weeks while avoiding high overhead costs.
'Our approach is a little different and we reuse that space in our store again and again.' Mr Daunt said, according to the newspaper.
'We get it into our store and in 10 days we can shift volumes that other retailers wouldn't shift all year. We are very efficient... We are able to invest in very high quality and able to sell very low prices and that's the formula.'
Shoppers stocking up before hitting the slopes can buy jackets, goggles, pants, gloves, face masks and balaclavas from Aldi as part of its ski catalogue, as well as thermal underwear, beanies, and compression gear to keep warm.
Aldi CEO Tom Daunt said the company has been able to appeal to all corners of the snow market by offering a number of options at different price levels (stock level)
Shoppers stocking up before hitting the slopes can buy jackets, goggles, pants, gloves, face masks and balaclavas from Aldi as part of its ski sale
Jackets were advertised for as little at $60 in 2015, with pants and gloves sold for $40 and $40 respectively.
Despite only having a participation rate of 16 per cent among Australians, the snow industry generates more than $400 million per year, according to The Australian.
The push to the top of the ski market continues a strong period for Aldi, which has grown into a major player in the Australian supermarket war.
Aldi's 2015 snow catalogue listed helmets for less than $30 and goggles for under $15
The German brand's market share recently rose above 12 per cent, according to a new study from Roy Morgan Research.
Morgan Stanley released a report saying shoppers are spending more than $100 each time they visit, and that it predicts sales will grow to $15 billion by 2020.
Aldi has more than 400 stores across New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and the ACT.
The German giant opened its first Australian store in 2001.
'We are able to invest in very high quality and able to sell very low prices and that's the formula,' Aldi CEO Tom Daunt said about the company's ski sales
Aldi has more than 400 stores across New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and the ACT
American Greek yogurt maker Chobani has given all of its employees shares in the multi-billion-dollar company - making some of them millionaires overnight... on paper at least.
It says each of its approximately 2,000 full-time employees will receive shares based on their role and time spent with the company.
Chobani says CEO and founder Hamdi Ulukaya is meeting with employees this week to tell them about the plan in person.
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Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton praised Chobani's decision to give its employees an ownership stake in the privately held company. CEO and founder, Hamdi Ulukaya (right) met with employees on Tuesday to give them the news
'This isn't a gift. It's a mutual promise to work together with a shared purpose and responsibility,' Ulukaya wrote in a letter to employees. The plans were first reported by The New York Times.
The Greek yogurt maker says the shares being distributed would amount to 10 per cent of the company's future value in the event of a sale or initial public offering.
One employee who has gained from the decision is Rich Lake, a lead project manager who was first hired for the New Berlin plant.
Mr Lake said the decision was 'better than a bonus or a raise', adding: 'Its the best thing because youre getting a piece of this thing you helped build.'
Clinton applauded the move by CEO and founder, Hamdi Ulukaya, on Twitter as some full-time employees could possibly receive shares worth more than $1 million
But he said he was doubtful the shares would change his life overnight, stating: 'Im not one for living outside my means.'
ARE YOU ONE OF THE WORKERS? Have you benefited from the decision or do you work at Chobani? Contact lydia.willgress@mailonline.co.uk or +44203 615 0203. Advertisement
Ulukaya started Chobani in 2007 with a loan from the Small Business Administration and five employees. Today, the company produces more than $1 billion in revenue a year, company spokesman Michael Gonda said according to CNN Money.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton praised Chobani's decision to give its employees an ownership stake in the privately held company.
Clinton applauded the move by CEO and founder, Hamdi Ulukaya, on Twitter, writing: 'Love this. Great to see Chobani sharing its success with the employees who helped make it possible.'
Ulukaya added that the employees will now 'be working to build the company even more and building their future at the same time' (file photo)
Ulukaya said the goal is to pass along the wealth the company has helped build in the decade since it started. Chobani is now widely considered to be worth several billion dollars.
He told the New York Times: 'I've built something I never thought would be such a success, but I cannot think of Chobani being built without all these people.'
Employees received a white packet with information about how many Chobani shares they were given.
The number of shares given to each person is based on tenure, so the longer an employee has been at the company, the bigger the stake, according to The Times.
Chobani has helped lead the surging popularity in Greek yogurt, but has faced more competition in recent years.
It was a dark day for the Omaha police who found their beloved OPD Squirrel dead outside their department.
The death of the squirrel, who had its own Twitter page and was often fed by police, was announced by Officer Mike Bossman on social media.
Bossman posted a photo of the squirrel, dead with a chalk outline and behind police tape although police said they are 'not investigating' their tiny friend's death.
Gone too soon: Officers at the Omaha Police Department in Nebraska mourned the loss of their beloved 'office squirrel'
Pictures of the 'crime scene' were posted to Twitter, although police say they will not be investigating the death
'We are sad to announce that @OPDSquirrel has been found dead in the parking lot. We are not investigating,' Bossman wrote on Twitter.
The officer tweeted that he was mourning the squirrel's passing and had just fed him earlier that morning.
The squirrel's Twitter page now reads 'RIP OPD Squirrel'.
It's bio formerly read that he liked, 'granola bars, buffalo flavored sunflower seeds, and traffic cops,' and was, 'fostering positive Police/Squirrel relations since 2016', CBS News reported.
The squirrel was often fed by officers, including officer Mike Bossman, who said he had just seen the squirrel that morning
A message from 'Mrs OPD Squirrel' was tweeted out last week.
'This is a sad day - thanks for all the kind words. He will be sorely missed by our 35 children and I.
'Thanks to @OPDBossman and @OPDSgtMenning for all the love. Give extra goodies to your backyard squirrel friends in lieu of flowers,' the post reads.
The Twitter page also asks that donations to the Omaha Police Department be made in the squirrel's name.
The wife of a bushwalker who has been missing in dense alpine bush for three nights has rejoined the search on Wednesday morning.
Elizabeth Haigh was joined by family, friends and dozens of volunteers in the search for Taddeo Haigh, 31, who left for a walk from Victoria's Sawmill Settlement near Merrijig on Sunday night and failed to return.
The marine engineer has now been missing for three nights without food or water.
Temperatures in the area have since dropped as low as 5.2 degrees on Monday night but were a mild 11 degrees on Tuesday night.
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Taddeo Haigh's wife Elizabeth believes her husband is either lost or injured in Victorian bushland
He was on holiday with his wife and friends who said Mr Haigh was a fit man but ill-equipped for two nights in the bush
The police airwing and over 100 people from the State Emergency Service, police search and rescue teams and other organisations resumed the search for the man on Wednesday morning.
The search radius was increased to five kilometres from Sawmill Settlement and all nearby walking tracks and bicycle tracks have been searched.
Family and friends of the couple have travelled from Melbourne to help with the search, according to the Herald Sun.
Ms Haigh made a tearful plea on Tuesday and said she believes her husband is either lost or injured and urged anyone who may be able to track him down to come forward, reports 9 News.
'I feel like he is lost at this stage, or perhaps injured and can't make his way back,' Elizabeth said.
'If anyone has seen him walking or seen someone who looks like they're trying to get a ride somewhere, or any information at all, we'd be grateful for it,' she said.
Acting Sergeant Mark Helyer said he rough terrain surrounding where Mr Haigh went missing has hampered search efforts
Acting Sergeant Mark Helyer said he rough terrain surrounding where Mr Haigh went missing has hampered search efforts.
'Intelligence for the search at this stage is quite low,'
Police, the dog squad, SES personnel, national park workers, and bush search and rescue volunteers are taking part in the search to find Mr Haigh.
Taddeo Haigh, 31, left for a walk from Sawmill Settlement near Merrijig, north-east of Melbourne, on Sunday night and did not return
Mr Haigh was wearing only a hoodie and jeans when he went missing.
He was on holiday with his wife and friends who said Mr Haigh was a fit man but ill-equipped for two nights in the bush, 7News reported.
Victoria's Search and Rescue Squad is co-ordinating a full-scale search with the help of local officers, the dog squad, mounted police and a police aircraft.
The SES and Parks Victoria crew and bushwalking volunteers from Bush Search and Rescue Victoria are also involved.
Police would also like to hear from motorists who travelled through the nearby town of Mansfield in the past 36 hours.
'Police are seeking information from motorists - if they picked anyone up from the side of the road, or noticed a person who may have looked out of place,' a police spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Victoria Police have released a photo of Mr Haigh as the search intensifies.
He is described as Caucasian with a medium build and light brown hair.
The unshaven Mr Haigh was last seen wearing a grey hoodie, dark jeans and brown shoes leaving a home in Gibb Court in Sawmill Settlement on Sunday about 9.30pm.
Boss: Dominic Chappell, pictured, tried to move1.5million from BHS into an obscure account after hearing it was going to go bust, it was claimed
The controversial businessman who bought BHS for 1 a year before the High Street chain collapsed was facing bankruptcy when he set up a property company with his father, it has emerged.
Dominic Chappell took over the retailer from Sir Philip Green last year - and moved 1.5million out of the firm just last week, days before BHS went into administration.
The 49-year-old, who has been bankrupt twice, last night blamed Sir Philip for the demise of BHS, saying the tycoon's dispute with the pensions watchdog damaged his bid to turn the firm around.
He also claimed that he will launch a bid to buy back the firm alongside US investors - but the new management of BHS described the plan as 'pure fantasy'.
In 2005, Mr Chappell set up Island Harbour Holdings with his father Joseph - just a month before he was declared bankrupt in a county court.
He continued to serve as company secretary at the firm for more than six months, according to The Times, despite rules which ban bankrupts from taking the role without court permission.
Neither Mr Chappell nor the court has been able to confirm whether or not he had been given permission to continue as company secretary.
Island Harbour Holdings collapsed in 2008, leaving furious investors out of pocket after its owners took out 24million worth of loans.
Mr Chappell allegedly tried to move 1.5million of BHS funds into an obscure corporate account in Sweden when he was told at a board meeting they would need an emergency bailout to stay afloat last Monday.
BHS management noticed what he had done and demanded that he repay the money, but he handed it back 50,000 short, claiming that it was the cost of currency exchange, a source claimed.
He had moved the money into an entity called BHS Sweden, but it is not at all connected with the chain and is not registered at Companies House as a subsidiary, reports The Guardian.
Sources close to the chain say it is controlled by Lennart Henningson, a member of Mr Chappell's Retail Acquisitions group, which bought BHS for 1 from Sir Philip's Arcadia last year.
Tycoon: The news comes as Sir Philip Green (left), who pocketed more than 400million in dividends from BHS (right) before selling it for 1, faces calls for his knighthood to be stripped
When contacted, Mr Chappell claimed the money was for 'professional fees' and was 'all justifiable' after being agreed during discussions at board level.
Last night he admitted that the collapse of BHS was 'not right' but suggested that Sir Philip's Arcadia Group could have helped the firm stay afloat if the tycoon had agreed to bail out its pension fund.
'It was in Arcadia's gift that this business was carried forth,' Mr Chappell told the Financial Times.
BHS had lined up a 60million loan from Gordon Brothers, a finance company, but it fell through due to complex financial engineering involving Arcadia, he claimed.
Mr Chappell insisted that he had a plan to turn BHS around, but said it was hampered by the row between Sir Philip and the Pensions Regulator, which is demanding that the former owner contribute to workers' retirement payments.
He said: 'We didn't gather the momentum we needed to fast enough because we were completely embroiled in a bitter dispute between the Pensions Regulator, the pension protection fund, Sir Philip and ourselves.'
Yacht: Mr Chappell, pictured below the blue flag, on board his boat Maverick 5 last year
Home: The BHS boss lives in this rented manor house worth 1.5million in Dorset
The businessman also denied suggestions that he had been overpaid, saying he made 700,000 from his ownership of BHS - and said that unlike his critics he and his business partners 'had the balls to get off our backside and get out there and try to make a difference'.
Mr Chappell told the Daily Mirror that Arcadia had been neglecting BHS, saying: 'There's been no money spent on them for 12 to 15 years - just enough to keep the doors open.'
He complained that his 'professional reputation is in tatters' and claimed that there was a 'witchhunt' against him.
But Sir Philip hit back against criticism of him after critics pointed to his purchase of a brand-new 100million superyacht, the third in his collection.
'I can buy what I like with my money,' the Topshop boss told the Mirror. 'It's my money.'
He is not the only figure linked to BHS to have his own yacht collection - Mr Chappell purchased a vessel named Maverick 5 shortly after his takeover of the firm.
Some employees this week expressed fury at the role of Mr Chappell - who lives in a 1.5million rented house in Dorset, but is currently in the US for medical treatment - and blasted bosses for not telling them in advance about the administration.
'We all learned about it from reading the news on the weekend,' one worker at the company's headquarters told MailOnline.
'We've had nothing at all, not even an email. Everybody feels quite angry about it.'
Shutdown: Some BHS stores have launched clearance sales in the wake of the administration news
Mr Chappell is said to have been excluded from the BHS headquarters after it was taken over by administrators Duff & Phelps, and told he can play no part in the business as it continues trading pending a new takeover deal.
He today claimed that he was working alongside investors from the US to rescue the majority of BHS's 164 branches - without the company's pension fund.
Asked why he was unable to save the chain, the businessman said: 'You only need to look at the pension deficit when we took it over.'
He insisted that if the pension scheme is transferred into the hands of the Pension Protection Fund, BHS will be an attractive proposition and thousands of workers' jobs could be saved.
'The pension deficit was weighing us down and not allowing us to move forward,' Mr Chappell said.
'After the administration, when the pensions side of the business is sorted out, we will be able to move on. I'm working with US investors to buy a substantial majority of stores.'
But a spokesman for BHS said: 'Any suggestion Dominic Chappell could be successful in an attempt to regain control of BHS is pure fantasy.'
Questioning: Former owner Sir Philip may be hauled in front of MPs to answer questions on the matter
11,000 people face losing their jobs after the chain called in the administrators last Monday, prompting allegations of various financial scandals.
Sir Philip, the former owner, will be forced to face MPs over claims he pocketed more than 400million in dividends from the chain and left it with a pension deficit of 571million.
It was reported today that he and his family - including his wife, who owns millions in assets - collected 586million on dividends, rental payments and interest on loans in 15 years as owners.
The Work and Pensions Select Committee today confirmed that Sir Philip would be asked to give evidence to a new inquiry into the effect that BHS's collapse will have on the Pension Protection Fund.
The pensions deficit means that more than 20,000 people relying on their pension pot face uncertain futures, and the Government may have to step in and fill the shortfall.
Taxpayers face a bill of more than 40million to clean up the mess caused by the collapse of BHS, including redundancy payments for thousands of staff.
The revelations will heap pressure on the companys former boss amid calls for him to be stripped of his knighthood.
BHS is effectively bust with debts of 1.3billion and it is considered unlikely that anyone will buy the failed business and its 164 stores - although reports suggest that Philip Day, owner of the Edinburgh Woollen Mill, is interested in the firm.
As a result, taxpayers will have to cover the statutory redundancy pay of the companys 11,000 staff. Based on previous failures, such as Comet, City experts believe the bill will top 40million.
At the same time, every worker in the UK who is a member of a company pension scheme will have to help fill a black hole estimated at 571million in the BHS pension scheme.
This is because the Pension Protection Fund, which steps in when businesses collapse, gets its money through a levy imposed on all company schemes.
Last night, Downing Street indicated that the Insolvency Service will investigate what one Tory MP has suggested could be the unacceptable face of capitalism. It has the power to prosecute and disqualify company directors found guilty of any wrongdoing.
Sir Philip is to be called to appear before MPs to face questions over the collapse of the retailer.
He will be invited to give evidence before a cross-party committee of MPs carrying out an investigation into BHSs administration, its pension liabilities and the impact it will have on the Pension Protection Fund.
BHS made losses of some 416million in the six and a half years up to the point where it was sold for 1 last year.
Critics say it was an accident waiting to happen, largely because it had been starved of investment, but Mr Chappell said 'no one was to blame' after the news on Monday.
In the 13 months that Retail Acquisitions owned BHS before the collapse, it was paid 25million. This included 2.8million for 'management fees', 2.1million in salaries and wages, and 10million in interest payments.
But Mr Chappell says the fees are standard within the retail industry and insisted they were in accordance with an agreement between RA and BHS
male refugee has lit himself on fire at a settlement on Nauru
Shocking footage has emerged of the moment a refugee set himself alight on Nauru to protest against Australia's detention laws.
The 23-year-old Iranian refugee, identified only as Omid, was filmed dousing himself in petrol and bursting into flames at the Nibok settlement in Nauru after yelling 'I can't take it anymore'.
He remains in a critical condition and was filmed screaming in agony in hospital after staging the 'political protest' during a United Nations visit on Wednesday.
At least five asylum seekers detained on Nauru have attempted suicide in the past 24 hours as the UNHCR refugee agency visits the island, the Australian Refugee Action Coalition claimed.
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A 23-year-old Iranian refugee, known only as Omid, was filmed dousing himself in petrol and setting himself on fire at the Nibok settlement in Nauru following a visit from UNHCR representatives on Wednesday
The confronting footage showed the Iranian, who spent three years in detention, yelling about the conditions he and other refugees have endured on the island before setting himself alight.
'This is how tired we are, this action will prove how exhausted we are. I can not take it anymore,' a witness claimed he said just before setting himself aflame, according to Fairfax.
According to reports, witnesses rushed to the man and tried to smother the flames but by the time they reached him his clothes had burned off. He lay smouldering on the ground until medical personnel arrived and is now in a critical condition.
Footage has also emerged of the man screaming in pain as he was treated in a hospital.
The Nauru government released a statement confirming a 23-year-old man was seriously injured as he made a 'political protest to coincide with the visit by representatives from UNHCR'.
'Unfortunately we have seen protests like this during high profile visits, as some from within the refugee community try and influence the Australian government's offshore processing policies,' the statement said.
According to the ABC, the man became frustrated after engaging in conversations with UNHCR employees, with three Canberra-based staff witnessing the shocking protest.
Upsetting footage has also emerged of the man screaming in pain while being treated for the burns
The man is believed to have suffered serious burns to 80 per cent of his body and is being treated in a new hospital on the island
The dramatic protest comes as Australia's policy of detaining and settling refugees trying to reach the country in foreign nations comes under new pressure
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said an immediate medical evacuation has been requested but that the protester would be returned to Manus as soon as possible afterwards
An Iranian woman claimed they did nothing to help the man as he lay burning on the ground.
'None of them helped. None of them called an ambulance, they just called the police and ran away,' she told the ABC.
'Doctors didn't know what to do. They didn't have supplies to help him,' she added.
She said doctors told her he had suffered life-threatening burns to 50 per cent of his body, while another source told WA Today that percentage is closer to 80.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said an immediate medical evacuation has been requested but that the protester would be returned to Manus as soon as possible afterwards.
'He is in a very, very serious condition and his outlook is not good at all,' Mr Dutton said from Melbourne.
The man was heard screaming 'I can't take it anymore' before he set himself alight in front of other detainees
Peter Dutton said he sympathises with the people detained on Nauru, acknowledging they are in a 'very desperate situation', but confirmed Australia will show no leniency when it comes to border security
Refugee groups claim four other people previously tried to self-harm by swallowing washing powder over the weekend.
Iranian women, Marziyeh Faghih, 28, and Amineh Shajira, 34, have also been missing since Sunday.
It is feared that they may have disappeared at sea after trying to flee the island.
Police on Nauru also arrested a 38-year-old Iranian refugee last week after he splashed himself with petrol and tried to set himself alight.
The string of protests come as Australia's policy of detaining and settling refugees trying to reach the country in foreign nations comes under new pressure.
Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court ruled that Australia's detention of asylum seekers on that country's Manus Island was illegal on Tuesday, with the government confirming shortly after that the centre will be closed.
Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said in a statement on Wednesday that the centre is unconstitutional and would be shut down as soon as Australia makes arrangements for the refugees held there.
'Respecting this ruling, Papua New Guinea will immediately ask the Australian government to make alternative arrangements for the asylum seekers currently held at the regional processing centre,' Mr O'Neill said.
Loani Henao, counsel for the PNG opposition leader told Sky News, that the two governments will have to work together to relocate the refugees.
'It effectively means both governments must take steps to effectively shut down the Manus Island detention centre,' he said on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said in a statement on Wednesday that the centre is unconstitutional and would be shut down as soon as Australia makes arrangements for the refugees held there
Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court ruled that Australia's detention of asylum seekers on that country's Manus Island was illegal on Tuesday. Pictured Manus Island
Despite international outcry, Mr Dutton has reiterated the government's tough stance on asylum seekers who tried to enter Australia illegally.
He said that while they are in a 'very desperate situation', those who try to gain access to Australia by boat will never be allowed to settle in the country.
'The Government's policy remains absolute and that is that we are not going to allow people to settle in our country if they've sought to come here illegally by boat,' Mr Dutton said on Wednesday.
'We don't want advocates saying to people who are on Nauru or Manus... that if you don't engage somehow you'll come to Australia.'
He has urged 'well intentioned' refugee advocates not to deliver false hope to the populations detained overseas.
'It doesn't matter what others are saying to you, it doesn't matter what people from Australia who are sending you social media messages are saying, you will not ever settle in Australia,' he said.
'That has been the absolute determination of this Government from day one.'
He confirmed incident occurred while officials from the United Nations refugee agency were on the island but had no advice about whether there was a link between the two.
The man had reported facing 'intolerable mental and physical pressure' during his time as a prisoner at Nauru
The Nauruan government have warned others to 'refrain' from shocking protests of this nature, adding there is 'no value in such behaviour'
According to Fairfax, the man had reported facing 'intolerable mental and physical pressure' during his time as a prisoner at Nauru.
The Nauruan government have warned others to 'refrain' from shocking protests of this nature, adding there is 'no value in such behaviour'.
Ian Rintoul, from the Refugee Action Coalition, said Nauru was in 'complete social meltdown'.
'The protests and the attempted suicides reveal the sheer desperation of refugees and asylum seekers left in limbo for almost three years,' he said.
'Manus has to close and Nauru has to close.'
A man has been evicted from his home after the government forcibly resumed the property for road widening.
Homeowner Michael Palmos, 39, was removed by police from his home on Bundall Road on the Gold Coast on Wednesday morning.
The property is one of about a dozen homes that have been resumed to widen one of the busiest arterial roads on the Gold Coast in preparation for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Homeowner Michael Palmos told The Courier Mail that the Queensland Government was 'robbing me blind'.
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Michael Palmos, 39, was removed by police from his home on Bundall Road on the Gold Coast on Wednesday morning
The property is one of around a dozen homes that have been resumed by the Queensland Government to widen the roads in preparation for the 2018 Commonwealth Games
Mr Palmos said the Queensland Government was robbing him blind, though the 39-year-old does not dispute he was given fair warning
The house has been graffitied with slogans including 'Fk the Gov', 'Stolen Home' and 'Show Me The Money'
Mr Palmos had lived in the home for 11 years and was initially offered $800,000 by the government last year:
'It's a six-bedroom, four-bathroom waterfront home with views to Surfers Paradise and they're paying me $800,000 it has to be worth over $2 million,' he said.
'They haven't even paid me yet, I haven't got a cent, and they're evicting me.'
'They're even making me pay to remove my stuff. It's a joke, man.'
In following negotiations, Mr Palmos said he had been offered $955,000 but did not accept it.
He claimed his home was worth more and he would happily move if he was fairly compensated.
The house has been graffitied with slogans including 'Fk the Gov', 'Stolen Home' and 'Show Me The Money'.
Mr Palmos was initally offered $800,000 by the government last year. In further negotiations he had been offered $955,000 but did not accept it, claiming his house was worth more
Mr Palmos said his solicitor successfully fought for more time in the house he shared with six housemates, but the extension ran out
A government spokeswoman said Mr Palmos had been given plenty of notice to leave the home he shares with six housemates, and the 39-year-old does not dispute he was given fair warning.
Mr Palmos said his solicitor successfully fought for more time in the house but the extension ran out.
The department spokeswoman said if residents refuse to leave, they would be removed.
One of the Bali Nine members Michael Czugaj has been moved from the notorious Kerobokan prison to a jail in East Java after he was allegedly found with drugs.
Czugaj, 30, is serving a life sentence after he was caught with heroin strapped to his body at Denpasar Airport in April 2005.
The then 19-year-old was one of nine young Australians arrested and convicted.
Czugaj, was moved to Madiun Prison in East Java on Wednesday after he was allegedly found holding less than a gram of 'sabu sabu' (or ice) at Kerobokan prison, according to the Head of Bali Corrections Division Nyoman Putra Surya.
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A member of the Bali Nine, Michael Czugaj (pictured) has been moved from Bali's notorious Kerobokan prison after allegedly being found holding the drug ice
One of the Bali Nine members Michael Czugaj has been moved from Bali's notorious Kerobokan prison to a jail in East Java after he was allegedly found with drugs. This image shows him sitting in his cell in February 2006
He said Czugaj was one of 63 prisoners moved, seven of whom were foreigners with six of those from Iran.
Nyoman alleged the Australian's 'addiction was strong' and that leftover ice was 'often' found in his cell.
'He (Czugaj) said that he got it from a visitor ... that's why we need to take him out so that he would be far away from his network in Bali,' Nyoman told reporters in Bali.
It was alleged the Australian admitted to using narcotics while in the prison but never trafficked it.
'Every time we found (the drug), it was always only leftovers. We want to prove it directly,' Nyoman added.
It is understood that officials are yet to notify the Australian consulate that he has been moved to a prison some 400 kilometres away from Bali.
The Bali Nine trials began in October 2005 in Denpasar district court: Top row (from L-R) Myuran Sukumaran, Andrew Chan and Martin Eric Stephens, 2nd row (from L-R) Chen Si Yi, Tach Duc Thanh Nguyen and Matthew Norman, and 3rd row (from L-R) Scott Rush, Michael Czugaj and Renae Lawrence
Michael Czugaj was moved to Madiun Prison in East Java on Wednesday, after he was allegedly found holding less than a gram of the drug locals call 'sabu sabu'
All the Australians among inmates, including Czugaj, being held at Bali's Kerobokan prison were unhurt during the deadly December riot
Czugaj was among a group of Australian inmates inside Kerobokan who were unhurt when a deadly riot broke out in December last year.
Water canon, ambulances and the bomb squad had to be brought in and prison guards were evacuated from the jail, a 30-minute drive north of Kuta.
The fight was thought to have been between rival gangs Laskar Bali and Baladika.
Among the inmates were three members of Australia's Bali Nine; Czugaj, Si Yi Chen and Matthew Norman, who are all serving life imprisonment for the botched 2005 drug trafficking.
Accused ringleaders of the drug-smuggling operation, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, were sentenced to death and executed on April 29 last year.
The ABC has been too 'Anglo' in the past and should aim to employ more women in on-air roles, outgoing director Mark Scott says.
Mr Scott said the public broadcaster should look at diversity targets like its British counterpart, the BBC, who this week pledged that LGBT and disabled people will each make up eight per cent of all on-air and on-screen roles.
'We are pushing for more diversity in our staff [but] frankly, I don't think we do as well in that area as the BBC,' he told The Australian.
Outgoing ABC director Mark Scott says the organisation can improve on the diversity of its workforce
Mr Scott, who steps down next month, admitted the organisation had been too 'Anglo' in the past.
Diversity was a particular issue on ABC Radio, he said.
'They are looking at it and the people who are hosting on our programs and our guests, so it is an area of priority for us and I hope it is where we will change and improve in years to come,' he said.
The BBC this week announced its intention to have fifty per cent of all on-screen and broadcasting roles go to women, who already make up 48.5 per cent of the BBC's total workforce.
It also pledged to that 15 per cent of on-screen and on-air representation would be BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) by 2020.
Virginia Trioli (right) co-hosts ABC News Breakfast with Michael Rowland (left). Outgoing director Mark Scott says the ABC needs to have more women employed in on-air roles
Two of the key goals in the ABC's Equity and Diversity Plan 2012 - 2015 are to improve workplace diversity and deliver content that better reflects diversity.
As of June 30 2015, 2.28 percent of of ABC staff were Indigenous, according to the organisation's 2015 annual report.
Men in senior executive roles accounted for 54.9 percent of the workforce, but there were slightly more women employed at the ABC overall.
Eighty percent of people thought that the ABC represented Australia's cultural diversity, the annual report said.
Mr Scott said the public broadcaster should look at diversity targets like the BBC
Montana wildlife officials have confirmed that a grizzly bear known as Scarface to Yellowstone National Park biologists and visitors was shot and killed during a confrontation with a hunter north of Gardiner last fall.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating because grizzly bears are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
Scarface, or grizzly No. 211, was 25 years old and weighed 338 pounds.
Killed: A 25-year-old Yellowstone National Park grizzly bear who received his nickname from the extensive scarring on the right side of his head, Scarface the bear, has been shot dead
Snowy: Pictured in 2005, photographer Ray Paunovich shot this photo of the well-known bear
Scarface was well known in Yellowstone by biologists and photographers. He was first collared after being captured when he was 3 years old and had been recaptured 16 times after that, unprecedented for a grizzly
Yellowstone bear management biologist Kerry Gunther says in its prime the bear weighed nearly 600 pounds. No. 211 was captured by researchers 17 times over the years, unprecedented for the average grizzly.
Wildlife watchers and photographers have posted pictures of the bear online, nicknaming it Scarface because of the marks on the right side of his face.
Researchers first noticed the scars in 2000, when the bear was 11.
Wyoming photographer Sandy Sisti remembers seeing him for the first time in 2011.
Wyoming photographer Sandy Sisti, who took this picture of Scarface, remembers seeing him for the first time in 2011. After that she photographed the bear or saw him at least once a year
What happened? Scarface.No. 211 was killed in the Little Trail Creek drainage north of Gardiner on the Gallatin National Forest, an incident that is now under investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Sisti, who took this photo, was upset that Scarface had been shot instead of dying a natural death, especially since it was evident that his health was declining
After that she photographed the bear or saw him at least once a year, not surprising since male grizzlies have an average home range of 338 square miles and that Scarface spent most of his long life inside Yellowstone.
'I saw him along Yellowstone Lake in October,' she told the Billings Gazette. 'I was concerned about him. He looked terrible and was very thin.'
Sisti was upset that Scarface had been shot instead of dying a natural death, especially since it was evident that his health was declining.
'I'm just really kind of choked up,' she said. 'He was an icon in the park. There was just something about him. He had so much character and, oh my gosh, he'd been in the park since before the wolves were introduced.'
The grizzly bear is protected by both the federal government and the State of Montana as a threatened species.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service routinely investigates incidents affecting threatened and endangered species and is conducting an investigation with the assistance of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Others say it's a dragon hinting at his 'true lineage' as the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark
Some claimed it formed a dire wolf perhaps indicating that Snow as a skinchanger lives on within his animal
Fans took to social media to discuss the significance of the blood stains he left in the snow
Opened with Jon Snow who was stabbed to death at the end of season five
First episode of the new season of Game of Thrones aired on HBO Sunday
Game of Thrones fans have been sent into a frenzy of wild conspiracy theories over a mysterious pool of blood surrounding the body of Jon Snow.
Snow, played by British heartthrob Kit Harrington, had been stabbed to death by traitorous brothers in black at the end of season five. The first episode of the new season, which aired on HBO on Sunday, opens on him lying dead as his blood turns the snow around him red.
And with no signs of Snow returning from the dead in the first episode of season six, fans took to Twitter to share their own theories about his death.
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Game of Thrones fans have been sent into a frenzy of wild conspiracy theories over a mysterious pool of blood surrounding the body of Jon Snow. Some say it forms the shape of a direwolf (pictured)
Others saw a 'fire breathing' dragon in his blood (pictured) - the sigil of House Targaryen
The theories focused on the strange pattern the blood made in the snow, with some comparing the shape that of a direwolf - the sigil of the Stark house.
Current theories abound that Snow may return through his direwolf Ghost as prophecies maintain that even when a skinchanger dies, part of them lives on through his animal.
All the Stark children show skinchanger abilities, the power to enter the mind of animals, and Snow has already demonstrated those powers when he saw an approaching wildling hoard through Ghost's eyes.
Wilding Warg Varamyr Sixskins had also noted that Snow was a strong skinchanger, but was untrained.
Others saw a 'fire breathing' dragon in his blood, the sigil of House Targaryen.
The dragon ties into another theory about Snow regarding his heritage.
Many fans believe that 'the bastard' may actually been the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. Eddard Stark has always claimed Snow was his bastard but would not reveal his true mother.
Die hard viewers also think the theory explains why the always-loyal Eddard would have cheated on his wife Catelyn Stark.
Other popular fan theories included Snow being resurrected by the Red Woman's supernatural powers and the character becoming a White Walker and leading the army beyond the wall.
While no-one knows which, if any, of the theories may be true, one thing is clear - fans are not ready to let go of Jon Snow.
Whether or not Snow returned was guarded with military-like fervour, with visitors to the show's Northern Ireland set made to sign non-disclosure forms, according to The Sunday Times.
The series is no stranger to killing off its leads - Sean Bean's Ned Stark was beheaded at the end of the very first season.
And with Harrington's continued presence on set fanning the flames of those rumors, fans will be watching this season's Game of Thrones with baited breath.
Season six airs Sundays at 9pm ET on HBO.
Four men have been charged over the murder of NSW Police employee Curtis Cheng, who was shot and killed outside Parramatta station in October 2015.
Police said an 18-year-old from Guilford in Sydney's west was charged with directing the terrorist organisation and supplying the gun which 15-year-old Farhad Jabar used to kill Mr Cheng.
Jabar was fatally shot at the scene on October 2 last year.
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Four men have been charged over the terror attack during which NSW Police employee Curtis Cheng was shot and killed
Another Guilford man, 20, was charged with membership of a terrorist organisation and supporting a terrorist organisation.
He is also accused of helping gunman Jabar's sister flee to Syria the day before the shooting.
The 20-year-old is already facing a charge of knowingly make funds available to terrorist organisation.
A 23-year-old from Merrylands and a 22-year-old from Marsfield will be charged with membership of a terrorist organisation.
One of the suspects is seen here being led away by police in handcuffs
The men's charges include membership of a terrorist organisation and supporting a terror organisation
Mr Cheng was murdered in a terror attack outside Parramatta Police station on October 2, 2015
Gunman Farhad Jabar, 15, was fatally shot at the scene outside Parramatta Police station after killing Mr Cheng
Mr Cheng's children and wife are pictured here at his funeral last year
The 23-year-old is already facing charges of supply pistol to unauthorised person; acquire pistol contrary to a firearms prohibition order; hinder investigation; participate in a criminal group; and membership of a terrorist organisation.
The man from Marsfield is already facing charges of knowingly participate in a criminal group; knowingly supply a pistol to unauthorised person; and member of a terrorist organisation.
Michael Slatton (pictured), who brutally raped and kidnapped an eight-year-old girl, has been sentenced to 120 years in prison
An Oklahoma man who brutally raped and kidnapped an eight-year-old girl has been sentenced to 120 years in prison.
Michael Slatton took the unnamed schoolgirl from an apartment complex playground near Sapulpa on May 4, 2014.
The 35-year-old bound and gagged the child before raping her multiple times, prosecutors told the court.
The victim was later found in a nearby wooded area wrapped naked in a sleeping bag having been driven around in the trunk of Slatton's car, Newson6.com reported.
Slatton, from Claremore, pleaded no contest to the charges relating to the girl.
He pleaded guilty to further charges of throwing excrement at sheriff's deputies, assaulting detention officers and throwing water at a prosecutor.
He received 40 years in prison for the latter charges, which will be included in the 120-year term. He will have to serve all 120 years before being eligible for parole.
The court had heard Slatton apologize to the victim's family - but he still claimed he was 'blacked out' on pills given to him by a friend when the incident took place and said he could not remember anything.
He is believed to have been caught after he purchased girls' clothing from a Creek County Dollar General, according to KTUL.
Speaking after the case, prosecutors said they were not convinced by Slatton's apology and said he had not taken responsibility for the brutal rape.
Slatton was listed on the Sex Offender Registry prior to the case.
Malcolm Turnbull has seen the funny side in being upstaged by Michaelia Cash, after a young woman shunned the Prime Minister to call the Minister for Employment 'her idol'.
Mr Turnbull and Ms Cash were in Beenleigh, south of Brisbane on Wednesday, to launch a Master Builders' initiative aimed at encouraging more women to work in construction.
After answering questions from the crowd, Ms Cash stole the spotlight from the Prime Minister with a young worker making a comment that had both politicians cracking up.
Malcolm Turnbull (middle) has seen the funny side in being upstaged by Michaelia Cash (right), after a young woman shunned the Prime Minister to call the Minister for Employment 'her idol'
A spokeswoman for the Employment Minister told Daily Mail Australia shortly before the photos were taken a young woman construction worker told Ms Cash she was 'her idol'.
The spokeswoman added they had posed for a selfie moments before.
Ms Cash is seen hysterically laughing in the photographs, leaning forward and clapping her hands together while Mr Turnbull grinned alongside her.
Mr Turnbull and Ms Cash share a laugh with workers at a construction site near Brisbane, Queensland
Mr Turnbull and Ms Cash were in Brisbane visiting female builders working on a site on Wednesday
Mr Turnbull also had his owns fans at the event and happily posed for selfies with many of the workers.
However, it was no laughing matter earlier for the Prime Minister when he took aim at 'union thuggery'.
Mr Turnbull said it was partly to blame for the lack of women working on construction sites, and that the Advancing Women in Building and Construction Program would not only help women in a traditionally male-dominated field, but highlight other problems plaguing the industry.
A spokeswoman for the Employment Minister told Daily Mail Australia shortly before the photos were taken a young woman construction worker told Ms Cash she was 'her idol'
Mr Turnbull spruiked his desire to reinstate the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC), vowing to restore the 'strong cop on the beat' if re-elected
'One of the important elements too, is ensuring the rule of law prevails in the construction sector,' he said.
'It's important that workplaces are respectful and that there is an end to bullying and thuggery.
'Regrettably, the construction sector has not been one where the rule of law has prevailed everywhere.'
Prime Minister Turnbull poses for a selfie with female builders working on a construction site near Brisbane
Mr Turnbull took aim at 'union thuggery' in his speech, saying it was stopping more women from getting into the industry
Mr Turnbull used the opportunity to again spruik his desire to reinstate the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC), vowing to restore the 'strong cop on the beat' if re-elected.
When later asked to clarify whether the lack of an ABCC contributed to the gender imbalance on construction sites, Mr Turnbull said: 'Well, certainly it hampers everybody's access and it's clear that it does hamper women's access to the industry because (they shouldn't)... be intimidated by men.'
Paynter Dixon employee Amanda Schloss, who was in her work uniform while pregnant, welcomed the initiative, particularly given female workers were being embraced in her company.
'It's important that workplaces are respectful and that there is an end to bullying and thuggery,' the Prime Minister told builders near Brisbane
Malcolm Turnbull shakes hands with a young woman during a visit to a construction site near Brisbane
'I would definitely say don't be afraid, don't let the men intimidate you - confidence is the key,' she said.
'I'm pregnant and there was no fear in telling (my boss) I was pregnant; we've worked a strategy to return back to work.'
A man claims his dream family home was gazetted by the Queensland government to make way for a light rail extension while he was undergoing emergency surgery in hospital.
Noel Faulkner and his wife Sherrell says the State Government offered them money for their five- bedroom home at Parkwood on the Gold Coast last year in preparation for light rail extension works.
But Mr Faulkner, who claims they were still in negotiations over the price, says the government took control of their family home over the Easter long weekend while he was having surgery at Gold Coast University Hospital.
Noel Faulkner, pictured with his wife Sherrell, claims his Gold Coast home was gazetted by the Queensland government to make way for a light rail extension while he was undergoing emergency surgery in hospital
'They gave us an offer last year it wasn't a great deal. We were negotiating with them still,' Mr Faulkner told Daily Mail Australia.
'When Easter came I got sick from a hernia operation I had and went into hospital for five days. While I was in, I got word the government had gazetted my property.
'In that same week I had the health problems, I heard from my work that I was put off work until June - so it wasn't a good week.'
The couple say even though the government took over their house on March 24, they are still making mortgage repayments.
Noel Faulkner, who built the five bedroom home in 2007, want $1.21 million from the state government to sell and relocate, but he said they have only offered $975,000
Mr Faulkner said because the government had gazetted his house, no more offers could be made and he now has to put in a claim for compensation.
The couple want $1.21 million for the property given they will have to relocate but he said the government are only offering $975,000.
'I bought the land in 2003 and I built the house in 2007. We moved in in 2012 - I put everything I've got into it,' he said.
'The government are saying they want us out, they want us gone... We can't afford to move anywhere else, they haven't given us anything.
'They are being bullies... they are going to have to drag us out.
'There's another man down the road that's been going through what we have. The sherrif came today and forcibly removed them. We are probably about a month behind him.'
Mr Faulkner, who claims they were still in negotiations over the price, says the government took control of their family home over the Easter weekend while he was having surgery at Gold Coast University Hospital
Their deadline to move out of the home is on Monday.
The couple wrote to Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe asking for the process to be suspended so they could continue negotiate to get a 'fair price' but haven't heard anything.
A spokesman from the Department of Transport and Main Roads, who is in charge of the light rail works, told the Gold Coast Bulletin all property resumptions were being treated as 'compassionately as possible'.
Coles and Woolworths are not permitted to open their doors before 1pm
Coles has been dragged into the Anzac Day trading hour furore, with the supermarket admitting a manager decided to roast a batch of chickens before the store was legally allowed to open on Anzac Day.
The admission has left the company red-faced after Coles accused rival Woolworths of doing the same thing.
A customer who bought a roast chicken on Anzac Day at the Leichhardt store, in Sydney's inner-west, noticed the time stamp on the chicken was 12.50pm, ten minutes before the store was legally allowed to open due to strict restricted trading hours, according to the Daily Telegraph.
In a statement, a company spokesman said that a manager had been called in to the store in the morning due to an emergency alarm and then had 'decided to cook a batch of roast chickens'.
Woolworths (pictured) could now be facing more than $2.5 million in fines for breaching strict Anzac Day trading restrictions
The supermarket giant earlier grilled rival Woolworths over its Anzac Day trading hours, claiming they broke the law by staffing stores before opening time to cook chicken and bake bread.
The spokesman said it had been an isolated incident and the store would pay the fine under NSW Retail Trading Act 2008, which carries a maximum penalty of $11,000 per store.
'Coles provided detailed instructions to all of our 236 NSW stores that no team members were to work before 1pm on Anzac Day, as was required by the NSW government,' he reportedly said.
Coles (pictured) has grilled rival Woolworths over its Anzac Day trading hours, claiming they broke the law by staffing stores before opening time to cook chicken and bake bread
'However a single manager at one Sydney store, who had been called in early that morning to attend to an emergency alarm, decided to cook a batch of roast chickens prior to the 1pm opening.'
Woolworths could now be facing more than $2.5 million in fines for breaching strict Anzac Day trading restrictions after staff attended stores as early as 10am making sushi, stocking seafood and deli counters and baking bread, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
In New South Wales Anzac Day is classified as a restricted trading day meaning large retailers such as Aldi, Coles and Woolworths are not permitted to open their doors before 1pm.
Coles staff across the state were not allowed to enter stores, prepare produce or take deliveries before 1pm but Woolworths employees were hard at work as early as 10am (stock)
Woolworths staff were making sushi, stocking seafood and deli counters and baking bread (stock)
Coles earlier demanded answers and saying Woolworths could face fines of up to $11,000 per store for breaching the trading hours restriction- and with over 250 stores in New South Wales the total penalties could be as high as $2.75 million if every store was open.
Under the NSW Retail Trading Act 2008, an outlet is in breach of restrictions if 'orders for goods were received by a person in attendance at the shop' or 'goods were received, or unpacked or otherwise prepared, at the shop for sale at the shop.'
Woolworths defended its actions and said that the store preparations were handled by volunteer salaried managers and not team members employed under enterprise agreements.
A Woolworths spokesperson told Fairfax that clear direction was given to stores that volunteer salaried managers were allowed to undertake limited preparation before opening at 1pm.
'This is in line with the NSW regulations. We were keen to ensure our customers' shopping experience today, as on all days, met their expectations,' she said.
But no AVO had been served on Mr Mehajer at time of publication
A court date has been set for a police AVO application next week
Former Auburn mayor may face an AVO from Aysha's brother-in-law
Mr Mehajer was seen 'screaming and knocking on the door' of a home
It follows an alleged incident under police investigation
Despite rumours of a split and a police investigation into 'an incident' this week, Salim Mehajer paid tribute to his wife on Wednesday.
'We will continue to breath, even in water,' the suspended deputy mayor said as he shared an old picture of him and Aysha hugging in front of their cars.
Mr Mehajer was seen 'screaming and knocking' on the door of a home where Aysha was staying with her sister in Horsely, south of Sydney, on Monday. Police have confirmed they are speaking to witnesses about the incident.
Mr Mehajer may also face an application for an apprehended violence order for a family member of Aysha's.
A court date has been set for a police application on behalf of Ben Miller, who a source said was Aysha's brother-in-law - her sister's husband.
The circumstances surrounding the application were unclear but Daily Mail Australia understands no AVO had been served on Mr Mehajer at time of publication.
Salim Mehajer posted yet another Facebook tribute to his wife, Aysha, on Wednesday, writing: 'We will continue to breath, even in water'
Responding to recent reports, Mr Mehajer has been adamant the couple (pictured) have not split. He posted this picture tribute on Tuesday with the caption: 'Our love is too great to destroy'
Aysha (foreground) did not even attend a party Mr Mehajer held on her behalf at their home last month
Police confirmed on Wednesday they were investigating an alleged incident involving a 29-year-old man.
'Police have spoken to witnesses and they are assisting with inquiries,' the spokesperson said.
The duty officer at the Lake Illawarra LAC said inquiries into the incident were 'ongoing' and declined to comment further.
The Daily Telegraph reported the incident unfolded when Mr Mehajer turned up at the home where Aysha was staying with her sister.
He reportedly demanded the keys to the Mercedes she has been driving, which she returned on Monday.
But the newspaper said Mr Mehajer left another car behind which had to be taken away by a local towing company.
Aysha is believed to have moved out eight months after their multimillion-dollar wedding
When asked why he was being investigated over the incident, Mehajer said: 'Once I find out I will inform you'
Aysha reportedly packed her bags and left the couple's mansion in Lidcombe, western Sydney, in March to stay with family in the NSW Illawarra region.
She's believed to have moved out eight months after their multimillion-dollar wedding, and did not turn up at the party he threw for her 30th birthday earlier this month.
However, Mr Mehajer has posted almost daily photos of himself and his wife on social media claiming the pair's relationship is 'unbreakable' following rumours about their marriage.
In April, he posted the words: 'Our love. True love. One love separated by a heart and crown emoji.'
Mr Mehajer has posted numerous photos of himself and his wife on social media claiming the pair's relationship is 'unbreakable' following rumours about their marriage
He shared another snap of his wife, Aysha, later, captioned: 'my best friend, my soul mate, my love of my life.'
A Current Affair said friends of the couple claim the property developer and suspended Auburn deputy mayor had been constantly phoning and texting his wife in an attempt to get her back.
When contacted by the Daily Telegraph this week, Mr Mehajer claimed he was still 'living happily' with his wife.
Socrates Tamvakis, 44, was arrested in suburb close to his mother's home
Police have arrested the son of a 75-year-old woman found dead in her home after neighbours heard 'hysterical crying.'
Police were called to the Melbourne suburb of Bentleigh about 4pm on Tuesday, where they found Violet Tamvakis's body.
Police arrested her 44-year-old son, Socrates Tamvakis, just after 4pm on Wednesday near Hampton, around 12 minutes from his mother's home.
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Victoria police are hunting for Socrates Tamvakis, 44, the son of a grandmother found dead in her home
Homicide are investigating after a 75-year-old woman was found dead in her Melbourne home on Tuesday
Ms Tamvakis appears to be the victim of a violent assault but police are yet to confirm whether a knife was used as a weapon as they wait for the results of a post-mortem examination.
Ms Tamvakis's family arrived at the property on Wednesday afternoon and are yet to comment.
'The family are obviously distressed, it was quite a traumatic experience,' said Detective Senior Sergeant Stephen McIntyre
Concerns first arose when Ms Tamvakis' eldest daughter was contacted by her children's school because her mother had failed to pick them up in the afternoon.
Ms Tamvakis' eldest daughter reportedly found her mother fatally injured after rushing to her home.
Detectives are keeping an 'open mind' as to how Violet Tamvakis was fatally injured.
Police were called to the home in Bentleigh on Tuesday and neighbours reported hearing crying from inside
One neighbour, who had lived on the same street as the woman for two decades, said she heard screams coming from inside the house around the time the elderly woman's body was discovered.
She told the Herald Sun she heard: 'hysterical crying and a woman saying "oh my God, oh my God".'
The woman described the 75-year-old as 'very friendly', and said the event was 'really quite shocking'.
Kat Maraventano, who also lives nearby, told the publication it was scary to think something could happen in the 'family-oriented neighbourhood'.
Victoria Police are continuing their investigation into the woman's death.
Air strikes have destroyed around $800million (550m) in cash held by ISIS, it has emerged.
The coalition has carried out 20 raids on cash depots including a house where some $150million was stashed away.
The figures were revealed by U.S. Air Force Major General Peter Gersten, who said the terror group's declining finances had contributed to a rise in defections and a fall in new recruits.
Gersten, deputy commander for operations and intelligence for the U.S.-led coalition, said: 'We're seeing a fracture in their morale.
'We're seeing their inability to pay, we're seeing the inability to fight, we're watching them try to leave Daesh (ISIS) in every single way.'
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Money to burn: Video released by the Department of Defense in January shows the moment U.S. airstrikes blow up an ISIS cash stockpile in Mosul, Iraq, with two 2,000lb bombs. What appears to be clouds of pape, presumably some form of foreign currency, can be seen floating above the site
The number of foreign fighters joining ISIS in Iraq and Syria has decreased sharply in the past year to about 200 a month from between 1,500 and 2,000, he added.
Earlier this month, the State Department said the number of ISIS fighters in Iraq and Syria was lower than at any time in the past two years.
Gersten added that the number of fighters defecting from ISIS was increasing as well, but he did not give a specific number.
Gersten said one of the biggest blows to the jihadist cash hoard came with a strike on a facility in Mosul on April 5 which the United States believed to contain about $150million.
U.S. Air Force Major General Peter Gersten (pictured) said the terror group's declining finances had contributed to a rise in defections and a fall in new recruits in Iraq and Syria
It was the first time the Pentagon conducted a 'knock operation' in Iraq and Syria, which came after watching the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) pioneer the controversial tactic in Gaza.
The US military warned bystanders of an impending strike by using a Hellfire missile to deliver the wartime equivalent of a door knock.
The Baghdad-based commander told Pentagon reporters that the military learned that a woman, children and other 'non-combatants' also were using the building.
He said the United States aims to avoid civilian casualties and in this instance decided to warn occupants by exploding a missile just above the roof.
'We went as far as actually to put a Hellfire on top of the building and air burst it so it wouldn't destroy the building, simply knock on the roof to ensure that she and the children were out of the building,' he said.
'Then we proceeded with our operations.'
Ultimately, the woman died anyway because she ran back just after US forces launched bombs to blow it up.
'Much as we tried to do exactly what we wanted to do and minimize civilian casualties, post-weapons release, she actually ran back into the building,' Gersten said. 'That's... very difficult for us to watch.'
Gersten said several men had also fled the building. He did not say if they were ISIS jihadists.
A police drill which was intended to show how prepared French police are for a terrorist attack on next month's Cannes film festival has backfired dramatically with dozens of stars planning to cancel because they are now too terrified.
The exercise, which involved armed police, bomb disposal squad officers, paramedics and firefighters, was filmed and the footage was shown extensively on French television.
But Yuhka Matoi, an executive with Japan's Tokyo Broadcasting System, said: 'I only found out we might be in danger when I saw that video. I wasn't thinking about it until then.
French firemen evacuate a 'victim' during a mock terrorist attack exercise in front of the Palais des Festivals in Cannes. A video of the drill has terrified many people who were planning to attend the festival
'Maybe I'll stay away from the red carpet this year.'
Hundreds of Hollywood stars, directors, producers and film industry executives visit the Croisette every year and mingle with thousands of journalists and movie fans.
Among those expected to attend this year are Woody Allen, Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg, whose film Cafe Society is expected to open the festival.
With memories of the terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels fresh in the mind, the French authorities sought to reassure the film industry with the televised show of force.
A member of the bomb disposal squad of the French gendarmerie works on a fake car bomb during the mock terrorist attack in Cannes. Some cynics suggested the exercise was just a PR stunt but it appears to have backfired
But a video of the drill has hit the internet and has gone viral among people planning to attend the festival.
Claire-Anne Reix, the president of the festival, defended the drill and said it was designed to show 'that we are training, that we are preparing, that we are ready.
'It's not frightening. What should be frightening is all the videos you see on the Internet, not the coverage of an exercise.'
French firearms officers take part in the drill in which a group of 'terrorists' attack the Cannes film festival. Footage of the incident has been shown on French television and is all over the internet
But the images of a shootout between police and men in balaclavas and the sound of car bombs exploding has had the reverse effect.
Some in the industry are also doubting whether the drill was actually of any use to the security services.
German film executive Alexander van Dulmen said: 'Anyone who goes to Cannes knows the French are good at putting on a show. I hope the security video wasn't just a performance to convince us they are prepared.'
The Palais des Festivals in Cannes is the hub of the festival. The venue is said to be covered by 465 CCTV cameras and the exercise was partly designed to scare off any potential attackers
Russian film buyer Sam Klebanov said: 'The main point of these drills is to repel the potential terrorists by showing that Cannes is not going to be such a soft target.'
Security consultant Nitzan Nuriel told the Hollywood Reporter: 'You have to be prepared for what we consider a multi-terror event, not only in one place and not only in one hour but in a few places over a few hours.'
Last year's festival was held only four months after the massacre at the Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris and security was beefed up to unprecedented levels.
The French police have had plenty of experience of fighting terrorists. Last year armed police killed several terrorists after the Charlie Hebdo attacks in January and the Paris attacks in November
It was reported at the time that there were 465 CCTV cameras monitoring the festival, meaning one camera for every 152 residents of the city on the Cote d'Azur.
Despite fears of another ISIS attack many people remain phlegmatic.
Russian films sales agent Raise Fomina said: 'We hear about plane crashes almost every day but we don't stop flying.
'There is no safe place in Europe and everyone risks his life, whether in France, Belgium, the UK, anywhere. I do not think I shall change my habits.'
The 69th Cannes Film Festival runs for 10 days from May 11.
Family decided to name baby 'Saw Jet Star' after the care they
A pregnant mother who unexpectedly went into labour on a flight from Singapore decided to name her baby boy 'Jet Star' after airline crew helped her safely deliver the infant on board.
Three doctors happened to be on Friday's three-hour flight to Myanmar and assisted the women in delivering the baby as the plane taxied at Yangon airport.
The mother's family name is Star and she decided to name her son 'Saw Jet Star,' because of the 'care she received from the airline'.
A pregnant mother who unexpectedly went into labour on a Jetstar flight from Singapore decided to name her baby boy 'Jet Star' (pictured) after airline crew helped her safely deliver the infant on board
Three doctors happened to be on Friday's three-hour flight to Myanmar and assisted the women in delivering the baby as the plane taxied at Yangon airport
It appears the baby's first name is a tribute to the on board Customer Service Manager who helped the mother on board the flight, Saw Ler Htu.
Both mother and son have since been discharged from a local hospital in Yangon and are in good health.
The baby boy weighed just over three kilograms and is the first baby to be delivered on a Jetstar Asia flight.
The airline offered the mother $1,000 worth of baby supplies and the three off-duty doctors were provided with flight vouchers.
The mother's family name is Star and she decided to name her son 'Saw Jet Star,' because of the 'care she received from the airline' (pictured)
It appears the baby's first name is a tribute to the on board Customer Service Manager who helped the mother on board the flight, Saw Ler Htu
A spokerperson for Jestar said they were 'proud of the way [the crew] assisted with the help of generous doctors on board to ensure the safe delivery of our youngest ever passenger on a flight'.
'The happy arrival of baby Jet Star was met with a round of applause from other passengers on the plane, so were sure its not a moment theyll ever forget either!' the spokesperson said.
For a flight less than four hours, Jetstar allow women to travel up to the end of their 40th week, but must bring specific documentation from a doctor if choosing to fly at 28 weeks or more.
Australia's detention centre on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island is set to close - forcing the government to re-house as many as 900 refugees and asylum seekers.
The decision followed a ruling by Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court that the detention of asylum seekers on the island is illegal.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has insisted the 900 men held on Manus Island would not be brought to Australia.
But PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said that they will immediately ask the Australian government to make 'alternative arrangements'.
Australia's detention centre on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island is set to close - forcing the government to re-house as many as 900 refugees and asylum seekers.
'Respecting this ruling, Papua New Guinea will immediately ask the Australian government to make alternative arrangements for the asylum seekers currently held at the regional processing centre,' Mr O'Neill said.
Mr O'Neill said his government had never expected the asylum seekers to be kept for so long on Manus Island.
'For those that have been deemed to be legitimate refugees, we invite them to live in Papua New Guinea only if they want to be part of our society and make a contribution to our community,' he said.
The closure would be carefully managed in conjunction with local businesses and the Australian government.
The negotiations with Australia would focus on a timeframe for closing the facility and managing the resettlement of people at the centre.
The PNG leader said he was proud his country had been able to stop the loss of life due to people-smuggling.
Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court has deemed Australia's detention of asylum seekers on Manus Island illegal
There are currently 850 men in the detention centre on Manus island, about half who have been found to be refugees
About 500 of the men on Manus Island have been found to be refugees.
Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul said the government had no choice now but to bring the men to Australia.
'The clear message to Peter Dutton is people from Manus Island are not going to be staying in PNG, so there will be no other third country to take these people who are Australia's responsibility,' he told AAP.
'There is nowhere else for them to go.'
Australian National University professor of international law Don Rothwell said the PNG government would need to be mindful of the political difficulty for Australia, settling the issue so close to a federal election.
The Turnbull government could be in caretaker mode by the end of next week and that would place limitations on the decisions it can make.
Manus Islandc is located north of Papua New Guinea. The detention centre located there has been deemed illegal
The Supreme Court decision means that both refugees and asylum-seekers are being illegally detained
'This has now thrown the onus back onto Australia,' he told Sky News.
Prof Rothwell said there was no legal reason why the asylum seekers couldn't be brought back to Christmas Island.
Nauru was also an option, but it was full, he said.
Cabinet is expected to discuss the government's options on Wednesday night.
PNG's Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that the detention breached the right to personal liberty in the Papua New Guinea constitution, theABC reports.
There are currently around 900 men in the detention centre on the island, about half who are refugees.
Asylum seekers on the island whose applications have not succeeded are unable to leave detention and are being told they must go back to their country of origin.
The Supreme Court decision means that both groups refugees and asylum-seekers are being illegally detained, because their freedom of movement is diminished.
The five-man bench ruled the detention breached the right to personal liberty in the Papua New Guinea constitution
The Papua New Guinea and Australian governments have been ordered to immediately take steps to end the detention of asylum seekers in Papua New Guinea
See more of the latest news from Germany at www.dailymail.co.uk/germany
is not known and keepers aren't sure yet whether it is fertilised
A pair of gay vultures have adopted an egg abandoned by its mother at a zoo and are trying to incubate it themselves in a nest they have built.
Animal keepers had collected the egg in the muddy ground under a tree where it had been dropped by a griffon vulture called Lisa at Nordhorn zoo in Germany.
Zoo spokeswoman Ina Deiting said Lisa had made no attempt to build a nest.
Birds of a feather: Gay vultures ISIS and Nordham are seen in their compound at Nordham Zoo where they have adopted an egg abandoned by its mother in the hope of incubating the chick and raising it themselves
Incubation period: The egg was temporarily placed in an incubator before being entrusted to the male couple who 'promptly sat on it' in a nest they have built. However, it is not known whether the egg is fertilised
The egg was temporarily placed in an incubator before being entrusted to the male couple, named ISIS and Nordhorn, it was reported by national news agency DPA.
Deiting said the couple 'promptly sat on it' in the hope of incubating the egg.
The biological parentage of the egg is unclear and zoo keepers also don't know yet whether it is fertilised.
The story of ISIS and Nordhorn is the second involving gay birds to make news in Germany this month.
Several days ago, newspapers reported that the gay king penguin couple Stan and Olli had been moved from a Berlin zoo to an all-male enclosure in Hamburg.
Zoo keepers were intrigued by the lack of fertilised eggs after Stan and Olli joined the breeding programme.
Animal keepers had collected the egg in the muddy ground under a tree where it had been dropped by a griffon vulture called Lisa at Nordhorn zoo (above) in Germany
The birds were chosen specifically to participate in the programme to ensure the survival of the species, but their lack of interest in the opposite sex proved a major problem.
Speaking earlier this month, Berlin Zoo spokeswoman Christiane Reiss told The Local.de: 'They're gay, as far as we know.
'They never bred. And when it came to courtship, they only mated with one another.'
Previously, it was reported that two male lions were seen mating in a Botswana game reserve.
The two adult lions were photographed becoming more than affectionate in the Lagoon area of the Kwando Concession.
Lawyer Nicole Cambre, who took the pictures during a safari trip, said she saw the two male lions 'mating' and was told by her guide that this behaviour had been evident for a week.
OECD secretary general Angel Gurria
George Osborne has been embarrassed after a respected think-tank insisted Britain will be able to cut immigration if it leaves the EU.
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) predicted numbers would fall by 84,000 a year.
But the international body also warned that Brexit would have a devastating impact on the economy, costing the equivalent of a month's salary for every worker by the end of the decade.
The findings differ from an assessment published by the Treasury earlier this month, which insisted leaving would have 'no effect' on immigration because we would still need to accept free movement rules.
The OECD's report is the latest in a string of interventions as the pro-EU campaign mobilises allies ahead of the crucial referendum on June 23.
Barack Obama used a state visit last week to warn that the UK would go to the 'back of the queue' for negotiating a trade deal if it left union.
The US President said the process could take up to 10 years.
The Bank of England and the International Monetary Fund have also issued apocalyptic predictions about the impacts of Brexit on jobs, tax rates and house prices.
The OECD said the effects of leaving would be 'akin to a tax on GDP', and would impose a 'persistent and rising cost on the economy'.
'In the near term, the UK economy would be hit by tighter financial conditions and weaker confidence and, after formal exit from the EU, higher trade barriers and an early impact of restrictions on labour mobility,' the report said.
By 2020, GDP would be over 3 per cent smaller than if we stayed in, equivalent to a cost per household of 2,200.
The think-tank said its 'central forecast' was for GDP to be 5 per cent lower by 2030, the same as a 3,200 loss for every household.
'The effects would be larger in a more pessimistic scenario and remain negative even in the optimistic scenario,' the report said.
However, underlying the document is an assumption that immigration will fall after Brexit due to tighter border controls and the country being less attractive to workers.
'Withdrawal from the EU could also provide scope for the imposition of tighter controls on inward migration,' the OECD said. 'Net inward migration is assumed to decline by 84 000 per year over 2019-2023, with around 75 per cent of this reflected in the labour force.'
That finding contrasted sharply with the Treasury's insistence that there would be 'no additional effect from net migration'.
The findings differ from an assessment published by the Treasury earlier this month, which insisted leaving would have 'no effect' on immigration because we would still need to accept free movement rules
Chancellor George Osborne highlighted the OECD's warning on Twitter as he responded to figures showing a dip in economic growth today
OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria said: 'Brexit is like a tax. It is the equivalent to roughly missing out on about one month's income within four years but then it carries on to 2030.
'That tax is going to be continued to be paid by Britons over time.'
The forecast is based on lower-than-expected growth rates outside the EU.
'In comparison with a baseline scenario they would otherwise have had in their pocket, in hand, to spend, they will not have - therefore it is as powerful, as real, as a tax or as if you would just give it over to somebody,' Mr Gurria said.
'We have done the comparisons, we have done the simulations. In the end we come out and say: why are we spending so much time, so much effort and so much talent in trying to find ways to compensate for a bad decision when you do not necessarily have to take the bad decision?
'This is not wishful thinking - which we believe that the Brexit camp in many cases has been assuming. There is absolutely no reason why you would get a sweeter trade deal than you already have, no reason why you would have a sweeter investment deal.'
Chancellor George Osborne seized on the OECD's report as he responded to official figures showing the economy slowed down in the first quarter of this year.
GDP growth dipped to 0.4 per cent from 0.6 per cent in the previous three months.
'UK continues to grow but OECD warns today that threat of a vote to Leave the EU is weighing on economy,' Mr Osborne wrote on Twitter.
President Barack Obama warned that Britain would go to the 'back of the queue' for a trade deal with the US if it chooses to leave the EU on June 23
Leave supporters immediately dismissed Mr Gurria's comments as part of 'Project Fear', pointing out that the think-tank received funding from Brussels.
Ukip leader Nigel Farage said: 'Yeah, yeah, yeah - IMF, OECD, a whole series of international organisations stuffed full of overpaid people who failed in politics mostly,' he said.
Asked to name organisations that backed Brexit, he said: 'They are called markets, they are called consumers, they are called people and they are called the real world.
'The professor of economics at Cardiff University, Patrick Minford, said very clearly that outside the European Union the average British family would be 40 a week better off.
Ukip leader Nigel Farage said people in the 'real world' supported Brexit
'These international bodies - there is virtually nobody working for any of them that has manufactured a good or traded a product globally. I did that for 20 years before getting into politics.
'Ultimately markets aren't created by politicians; it's about consumers making choices.'
Mr Farage said the UK would forge a 'bespoke' deal better than those obtained by 'little countries like Norway and Switzerland' where people had been 'betrayed by their politicians'.
Robert Oxley, a spokesman for the official Vote Leave campaign, said: The OECD is in the pay of the EU. Jose Angel Gurria is part of a global bureaucracy that feathers its nest with vast expenses claims paid for by taxpayers. OECD officials themselves avoid paying tax in most countries - he is in no place to lecture us about taxes.
The OECD said that the UK would receive great benefits from joining the ERM. It recommended that we should join the euro. So why should we listen to their doom-laden predictions about leaving the EU?
A Belgian woman who converted to Islam and moved to Syria after falling in love with a man she met in a supermarket has warned other women about making the same mistake.
Laura Passoni, 30, returned disillusioned last year but was only recently reunited with her children after an exhaustive inquiry by Belgian social workers.
She was working in a supermarket in the Belgian city of Charleroi when she met her future husband Osama Rayan, who was of Tunisian origin.
Laura Passoni (pictured) took her four-year-old son to Syria as well as a younger child, the product of her marriage to Osama Rayan. The children were taken from her by social services when she arrived back in Belgium but they have since been handed over to her grandparents
She said that it was only when she moved to Syria that she realised the promises from ISIS were a lie.
Miss Passoni said: 'I was not forced to become a Muslim, I was persuaded. You just get washed away, like trying to stand against a waterfall.'
The mother-of-two said she fell in love with him and agreed to move with him back to Tunisia, and eventually to Syria.
I decided I wanted to escape when I realised there was a very real risk my son might end up a terrorist Laura Passoni
They lived in al-Bab, near the city of Aleppo between 2014 and March 2015.
She said: 'I went there voluntarily and willingly, I converted to become a Muslim and then I was radicalised, and I became convinced that the caliphate was only place for me and my family to live.
'Once I got there though I really got to know the meaning of terror.'
She said she was confined to the house where all she could do was the cleaning and cooking, and was only allowed to leave when she was dressed in a burka and with her husband.
Miss Passoni took her four-year-old son from a previous relationship with her as well as the child she had with her new husband.
Laura Passoni returned to Belgium in March 2015 and underwent police and social services enquiries before finally being reunited with her children
But she quickly became convinced it was not a place she wanted to raise her children.
Speaking about life under ISIS, she said: 'There were no taxes to pay, health care was free and they used a lot of alternative medicine, cures never seen in European health care.
'But life there was very expensive, and the money were not enough.'
She said she was never treated violently but she felt like a prisoner.
Miss Passoni said: 'I was forbidden to do anything, I just had to take care of the home and children. I could not leave the house or use the internet without the presence of a man.
'I started to become very afraid that they might take my children away. It was just the opposite of what they promised in the propaganda of the Caliphate. I decided I wanted to escape when I realised there was a very real risk my son might end up a terrorist.'
She managed to get a mobile phone and was able to communicate secretly with her parents, Pascal and Antoinette, by text message.
She managed to escape, via Turkey, but has refused to give details for fear of putting others in danger.
Some Belgian media reports suggest there was a negotiation between the authorities in Brussels and jihadists in Turkey who acted as intermediaries.
After returning from Syria she was arrested by police but when she persuaded them her remorse was genuine she was given five years' probation and fined 15,000 euros (11,800).
She was also banned from using all social media networks.
Belgian social workers removed her children from her for three months, before eventually handing them to their grandparents.
She said: 'I accepted the punishment. To be honest it was a relief compared to the hell that I went through in Syria.'
An ISIS fighter waves a flag while standing in the cockpit of a captured Syrian government jet in Raqqa. Miss Passoni said there were no taxes to pay in ISIS territory but life was hell and she felt like a prisoner
Now she is able to see her children again.
Miss Passoni is now campaigning against ISIS and she recently addressed a public meeting in the notorious Molenbeek district of Brussels when she said: 'My advice to young women is if you are considering it, don't do it.'
These are the four men charged over the murder of police accountant Curtis Cheng who was shot and killed last year.
Police allege Raban Alou, 18, Milad Atai, 20, Mustafa Dirani, 23 and Talal Alameddine, 22, planned a terror attack outside police headquarters in Parramatta, Sydney, in October last year.
Dressed in orange jumpsuits, the men, who face life in jail, were led by guards as they were transferred from Goulburn Supermax prison on Wednesday.
One of the accused stuck his tongue out and smiled for the camera, reported Yahoo.
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One of four men charged over the murder of NSW Police employee Curtis Cheng is pictured sticking his tongue out
Dressed in orange jumpsuits, the men, who face life in jail, were led by guards as they were transferred from Goulburn Supermax prison on Wednesday
One of the suspects is seen here being led away by police in handcuffs
Schoolboy Farhad Jabar, 15, shot Mr Cheng in the back of the head outside the police station in October 2 last year before he was gunned down by a guard.
NSW Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn said all four men accused of plotting the attack are facing the serious charge of conspiracy to prepare for and commit a terrorist act.
Alou, 18, from Guildford, stands accused of directing the terrorist organisation - and of supplying the pistol used to kill Mr Cheng.
The three other men are charged with being members of that terrorist organisation.
Police allege 20-year-old Milad Atai - also from Guildford - helped Jabar's sister travel to Syria the day before the Parramatta attack.
The 20-year-old alleged Islamic State terrorist is already facing a charge of knowingly making funds available to terrorist organisation.
Schoolboy Farhad Jabar, 15, shot Mr Cheng (pictured left with his family) in the back of the head outside the police station in October 2 last year before he was gunned down by a guard
NSW Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn said all four men were facing the serious charge of conspiracy to prepare for and commit a terrorist act, which carries a sentence of life in prison
The men's charges include membership of a terrorist organisation and supporting a terror organisation
Mr Cheng was murdered in a terror attack outside Parramatta Police station on October 2, 2015
Gunman Farhad Jabar, 15, was fatally shot at the scene outside Parramatta Police station after killing Mr Cheng
Police allege 20-year-old Milad Atai (pictured) - also from Guildford - helped Jabar's sister travel to Syria the day before the Parramatta attack
Mustafa Dirani, 23, from Merrylands, and Talal Alameddine, 22, from Marsfield are facing charges of supplying the gun and having links to a terrorist organisation.
All four men will appear before Golburn Local court via videolink on Thursday.
Following the announcement, Mr Cheng's son Alpha told 9 News he was relieved.
'It's good to see the legal system addressing that. But it's heartbreakung to hear and to be continuously reminded that hate and intolerance has led to dad's death.'
Mr Cheng's children and wife are pictured here at his funeral last year
Tasmanian patients with serious illnesses should have access to medical marijuana as early as next year.
General practitioners will not be able to prescribe the drug, with only medical specialist doctors who seek approval to prescribe cannabis - with a panel of clinicians to assess applications.
The move was announced in a joint statement on Saturday by Premier Will Hodgman and Minister for Health Michael Ferguson.
The drug will be prescribed to qualifying patients through a Controlled Access Scheme which does not change laws prohibiting the drug.
Medical marijuana will be prescribed to qualifying patients through a Controlled Access Scheme which does not change laws prohibiting the drug
'It needs to be a medical specialist with expertise in that particular area of disease,' Mr Ferguson said, ABC reported.
He said there will also be ample work opportunities for prospective growers in the future.
Medical marijuana crops will be grown under federal licences, while the state government will work to maximise opportunities to cultivate medical cannabis and manufacture products.
'Tasmanian is well placed, I would suggest, given our experience in the cultivation and processing of poppies, to also be a leader in this space.'
The statement on Saturday acknowledged the move is 'not full decriminalisation', but said it 'will allow broader application of medical cannabis than that proposed by Victoria, which is limited to a single class of patient.'
Epilepsy Tasmania chairman Ian Sauer said the move is an exciting development for the management of severe cases of the disease.
'People need to realise that medical cannabis will be one of many tools in the toolbox to help control epilepsy.'
Trade union funding reforms are being watered down again after David Cameron was warned they threatened his campaign to keep Britain in the EU.
In a major climbdown the government conceded that unions will only have to get new members' consent to fund Labour.
There will be a 12-month 'transitional' period before the opt-in rules apply - potentially protecting the Opposition's revenue streams until after the next general election.
Ministers have also given ground by allowing electronic strike ballots to be piloted, making it easier for them to achieve the new 50 per cent threshold for taking action.
The concessions were agreed after unions reportedly raised the issue of whether they would spend 1.7million on Labour's campaign to keep Britain in the EU.
According to Channel 4 News, a deal was struck during meetings between union bosses and ministers. Business minister Nick Boles has been leading for the government on the issue.
Prime Minister David Cameron has made fresh concessions on reforms to trade union funding, which are being debated in the Commons today
But a Downing Street spokesman dismissed suggestions that funding for the referendum campaign was linked to the retreat.
'This is about getting the Trade Unions Bill through,' the spokesman insisted.
Labour had stood to lose up to 8 million a year from the political funding changes, and party and union activists are considered crucial to securing a Remain vote in the June 23 referendum.
Shadow business secretary Angela Eagle said: 'After months of campaigning by the Labour Party and trade unions, it is welcome that the Government have thought again on changes to political funds and taken account of the proposals from peers of all parties and none in the report of the House of Lords committee, which was initiated by a motion from Labours Lords.
'Despite the concessions from the Government, Labour remains opposed to the Trade Union Bill. It is entirely unnecessary and is bad for workers and businesses.'
Ministers have already executed embarrassing retreats over the flagship trade union reforms.
They had tried to scrap the 'check off' system which means many trade union members have their subscription deducted from their salaries.
Instead, members would have to sign up separately via a direct debit.
Unite general secretary Len McCluskey
Union leaders including Unite boss Len McCluskey had warned the change would mean moderate members would disappear - losing them individual benefits of membership and costing the unions millions in subscription fees.
And earlier this month a Conservative peer tabled an amendment to the legislation in the House of Lords prompting the Government to abandon the plan altogether.
Before Easter ministers had to union contributions to the Labour Party, before Easter.
The Government faces a race against time to get a version of the new laws agreed by Parliament before the end of the session - expected no later than May 12 - or risk losing the flagship Bill altogether.
Prime Minister David Cameron's official spokeswoman said last night: "The Bill is going through the usual parliamentary process in the House where Members of Parliament have the opportunity to voice views and raise concerns and the Government can look at those and respond appropriately.
"We have always been clear that our objective here is about getting the balance right between the ability to strike, the interests of unions and the interests of the majority of people who rely on the services they provide.
"That's what has been driving the Government's approach behind the Bill.
"There are a lot of specifics within that and these are some of the details that are being worked through and discussed in Parliament."
She added: "We want to get this Bill through the House and onto the statute book, and as part of that we are engaging with Members of Parliament on their views."
A butcher selling purple sausages in honour of Prince has been criticised by animal rights campaigners because the pop star was a vegan.
Paul Kenyon, 45, created the novelty bangers in tribute to the music legend after his death last week at the age of 57.
The colourful meat was given pride of place in the window of his Palace Premier Meats store in Paignton, Devon, and decorated with a purple feather next to the musician's Purple Rain CD.
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Paul Kenyon, 45, created the novelty purple sausages in tribute to the late music legend Prince and placed them in the window of his Palace Premier Meats store in Paignton, Devon, next to the star's Purple Rain CD
But after an online backlash from angry vegans, the world's leading animal rights group urged Mr Kenyon to 'make amends'.
Butcher Paul Kenyon apologised for the confusion
PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) sent him a letter, suggesting his apology should come in the form of a meat-free sausage.
Dawn Carr, manager of special projects, said: 'Prince was an outspoken vegan who would never have gone near a butcher's shop and he certainly wouldn't have wanted his name exploited to sell novelty sausages.
'Offering a vegan sausage is a way for the company to meet the ever-growing demand for meat-free meals while winning back some of the customers they may have lost with this disrespectful stunt.'
Mr Kenyon has now apologised and said the idea had created a real stir. He admitted he had sold about 20lbs worth of the sausages and had seen a higher footfall of customers through the door.
He said: 'It's a traditional pork sausage with purple food colouring which won't affect the taste.
'I think Prince would have liked it.'
But although popular in store, the idea was blasted by some online commentators who called the idea 'disgusting and disrespectful'.
Mr Kenyon, who runs Palace Premier Meats in Paignton, Devon (pictured), has now apologised and said the idea had created a real stir. He said he hadnt' realised Prince was a vegan and had not meant to cause offence
Following the backlash, Mr Kenyon claimed he was 'unaware' Prince was a vegan.
He said: 'We were only doing the purple sausages on Saturday.
'Afterwards we put out a message saying that we were unaware Prince was a vegan at the time and we apologised to anybody who took offence.
'I don't want to grovel but we didn't think it that far through. It wasn't meant to be disrespectful.'
A big supporter of PETA, Prince donated the song 'Animal Kingdom' to the animal welfare group to use as a musical invitation to the group's 20th anniversary party in New York.
She has been forced to relaunch her business under new Fox & Field name
A mother has been forced to rebrand her high-end clothing business after she gave the countrywear store the same name as global fashion brand Zara in honour of her nine-year-old daughter.
Donna Dobson, 44, was shocked to be threatened with 40 pages of legal documents by Zara demanding that she change the name of her Zara Countrywear shop in County Durham.
She named the retail business, which she opened nine years ago, after her then-newborn Zara.
Donna Dobson, 44, was shocked to be threatened with legal action by high street chain Zara demanding that she change the name of her Zara Countrywear shop in County Durham. She claims the Spanish-based firm threatened to sue her for some of her profits, unless she rebranded, which she did to Fox & Field (pictured)
Ms Dobson had named her high-end clothing business, Zara Countrywear (pictured), after her daughter, called Zara. However, after nine years of trading in County Durham, she was threatened with legal action by the chain
The documents also told her to take down her website and Facebook page and destroy everything bearing the 'Zara' name, from bags to business cards.
The Spanish-based company threatened to sue her for a percentage of the profits she has made since opening the shop in 2007 unless she rebranded.
The demand came just weeks after the shop in the Barnard Castle area of County Durham was burgled and thousands of pounds worth of stock was stolen.
After taking legal advice, Ms Dobson said she had no option other than to make the changes and has now re-launched the business as Fox & Field, with new signage and branding.
Zara, which is owned by multi-national company Inditex and has its UK headquarters in London, also sent Ms Dobson a bill for 800 to cover its legal costs, which she was advised to pay to settle the matter.
Her shop sells high quality country boots, tweed coats and clothing by independent British and Irish brands including Hunter, Seasalt and Jack Murphy to customers who typically own horses and dogs and enjoy country pursuits.
She said: 'As distraught and upset as I was about the injustice of it, I had no choice. I'm a small, sole trader and if I tried to fight the case and didn't win I could have lost not only my business but also my farm.
Zara, which is owned by multi-national company Inditex and has its UK headquarters in London, threatened to sue Ms Dobson for a percentage of the profits she has made since opening the shop unless she rebranded
'After getting over the shock, I'm being positive now and see it as an opportunity.
'Friends and customers have been really supportive and everyone likes the new Fox & Field brand.
'Although I've rarely had anyone confuse us with Zara, I hope we might actually attract some new customers who could have been put off thinking we were connected with them.
'I've heard of cases before where these big multinational corporates bully small businesses into submission and giving up everything they've worked for.
'I still don't understand why corporate giants can be allowed to stamp on the kind of local enterprises that this country was built on.
'I would like to warn anyone else thinking of naming a business. For us, we will not just carry on under a new name but we'll become even better.'
A Zara spokesman said: 'This matter has been resolved with the owner, who has agreed to change the name of her shop.
'The aim was to avoid confusing customers who may have believed that it was the same brand.
The Lindt Cafe siege was not like a 'Hollywood movie' where gunman Man Haron Monis could be shot between the eyes and all hostages could walk out safely, a high-ranking police officer has said.
NSW police Assistant Commissioner Michael Fuller, who was in command for the first two hours of the Sydney siege, said sending in armed officers early on would probably not have ended well.
He took charge at 9.50am, just as the 17-hour ordeal in December 2014 was beginning, but decided to pursue a 'contain and negotiate' policy because of how little was known.
'My fear was any action, deliberate action, would certainly have caused a loss of life and I'm not talking about the perpetrator,' he told the coronial inquest.
The Lindt Cafe siege was not like a 'Hollywood movie' where gunman Man Haron Monis could be shot between the eyes and all hostages could walk out safely, a high-ranking police officer has said
The negotiation policy focused on gathering information and liaising with Monis (pictured both) - who they believed could have had a bomb in his backpack
NSW police Assistant Commissioner Michael Fuller, who was in command for the first two hours of the Sydney siege, said sending in armed officers early on would probably not have ended well
Assistant Commissioner Fuller revealed that during the first two hours of the siege, police knew little about the inside layout of Martin Place cafe, except what they could see through the glass doors.
He said the negotiation policy focused on gathering information and liaising with Monis - who they feared could have had a bomb in his backpack.
Under this approach, police would have to be convinced there was the imminent or immediate threat of death or serious injury to have stormed the building.
The barrister for siege victim Katrina Dawson's family asked whether police did the right thing in not entering the cafe after five hostages escaped and Monis fired shots at them around 2am.
Mr Fuller said it was the right decision because police could not be sure if Monis was trying to warn the hostages or kill them.
Police only initiated the Emergency Action Plan and stormed the cafe after Tori Johnson (left) was shot dead in the back of the head at 2.13am on December 16. Barrister Katrina Dawson (right) was hit by a police bullet
The force is expected to make an application to the State Coroner on Tuesday for all evidence from senior officers and those who stormed the Lindt cafe to be heard in secret
The barrister for siege victim Katrina Dawson's family asked whether police did the right thing in not entering the cafe after five hostages escaped and Monis fired shots at them around 2am
Police eventually stormed the cafe after Monis had killed cafe manager Tori Johnson at point blank range.
The Assistant Commissioner's fears were fulfilled when mother-of-three Katrina Dawson died after being hit by shrapnel from police rounds.
Before Monis had shot Johnson, Mr Fuller said not enough was known to order a forceful response even after a warning shot had been fired, contradicting UK terror experts.
A report prepared for the coroner by British counter-terrorism experts stated police should have immediately entered the building after Monis first fired his shotgun, at 2.03am.
Ten minutes and 37 seconds later, Monis forced Mr Johnson to his knees and executed him with a point-blank shot to the head.
A report prepared for the coroner by British counter-terrorism experts stated police should have immediately entered the building after Monis first fired his shotgun, at 2.03am
During his second day of questioning, Mr Fuller disagreed with the report, saying community expectations in that country were different and led to different police orders and responses.
'Strong action by police after a warning shot would likely cause someone's death,' he said.
Under Mr Fuller's command, snipers moved into place and negotiators were brought in.
But he has told the inquest a plan to smash the bullet-proof glass to provide a clear shot for the snipers, was too risky to be considered.
'It gave the target time to move,' he said.
The siege reached its deadly conclusion after Monis' execution of Mr Johnson caused police to storm the building.
Monis was gunned down, while Ms Dawson also died.
A Taliban suicide bomber accidentally killed himself and eight fellow militants after triggering his explosives vest by mistake.
The jihadist fighters had been ordered to carry out an attack in Kunduz city, Afghanistan, but all died before their got there.
However, one of the militants detonated his vest shortly after leaving a Taliban base in Dasht-e-Archi, triggering everyone elses explosives, the Afghan Interior Ministry said.
Deadly fail: A Taliban suicide bomber detonated his vest by accident triggering everyone else's explosives, and killing all nine fighters (pictured are Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan)
The Taliban fighters had been part of a group operating under commander Mullah Wali, the MoI statement said.
The Taliban have been trying to recapture Kunduz, a city which they held for just 14 days after months of fighting with government forces.
The fall of Kunduz, if only for a few days, was a symbolic triumph for the Taliban, who have just launched a spring offensive in Afghanistan.
The Taliban say they stalled their Kunduz assault thismonth, because they had captured four 'important points' outsidethe city and wanted to avoid harming civilians.
'Local residents are now gradually leaving for safer placesand the moment our fighters get approval from centralleadership, they will start (the) advance,' said the group'smain spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
Busted plan: The Taliban fighters had been ordered to carry out an attack in Kunduz city (pictured) but all died before their got there.
Uncertainty over which side has the upper hand lingers inthe streets of Kunduz, where memories of last year's deadly routare fresh.
Nearly 300 civilians were killed in the mainfighting, which lasted from April to October, according to the most conservative estimates.
'This is not how normal life should be,' said Jawad Azadzoy,whose cousin was wounded when a makeshift bomb went off outsidehis shop in downtown Kunduz on Monday.
'Life has not been normal for a long time.'
Masoom Baha, a senior doctor at the city's public hospital,said medical staff were barely able to keep up with casualtiesof the fighting, mainly from rockets and artillery fire.
Adding to the strain on emergency services, a U.S. airstrike in Kunduz on Oct. 3 killed 42 people and destroyed ahospital run by Medecins Sans Frontieres, in what the U.S.military has since called a 'tragic mistake'.
To prevent the city from falling again, Afghan troops havetried to secure main roads leading into Kunduz, includingHighway 3 to the east, after supply lines were cut during the2015 siege, slowing efforts to regain control.
North Korea has built a half-size mock-up of the South's presidential palace at a firing range and is apparently planning to blow it up in a live firing drill.
It comes after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un referred to South Korea's President Park Geun-hye as an 'old, insane bitch' in February and threatened to bomb her.
The official KCNA news agency followed that up by describing her as an 'ugly female bat'.
A South Korean satellite took pictures from space of the Daiwonri artillery range north of the border which appeared to have a mock-up of the presidential residence in it.
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A South Korean satellite took this image shows what they believe is a half-size replica of the Blue House, the official residence of South Korean President Park Geun-hye. In February Kim Jong-un referred to her as an 'old, insane bitch' and threatened to bomb her
A South Korean Defence Ministry official said: 'The North is apparently preparing to showcase a mock attack on the Blue House using the replica as a target.'
North Korea is believed to have the world's largest artillery force and experts claim that in the event of hostilities it could rain down 500,000 rounds in the first hour.
Seoul is only 35 miles from the border and the Blue House would probably the first building to be targeted by Pyongyang in the event of war.
The Blue House in Seoul is the South Korean equivalent of the White House in Washington. It is built on the site of a royal villa from the 10th century Koryo dynasty
In recent weeks an increasingly belligerent Kim Jong-un has repeatedly threatened to strike the presidential palace and government buildings in Seoul.
He has been angered by joint military drills between the US and South Korea and increased UN economic sanctions which followed the nuclear test carried out by the North.
Among the unprecedented measures were a new requirement that all countries must inspect cargo destined for and coming from North Korea, in all airports and sea ports.
The hawkish President Park Geun-hye (pictured, with President Obama) was elected in 2013. Months of tension with the North followed her election, including the first ever closure of the unique inter-Korean Kaesong industrial zone
The UN resolution bans or restricts exports of coal, iron and iron ore and other minerals from North Korea, and prohibits the supply of aviation fuel including rocket fuel.
The satellite images appear to show the around 30 artillery pieces, hidden under coverings, a few miles from the mocked-up Blue House.
The defence ministry official said: 'The exercise is believed to be aimed at stirring up hostility against the South, summoning up loyalty (to Kim Jong-un) and fuelling security concerns in the South.'
A South Korean satellite took this image showing a North Korean artillery range. They believe one of the buildings on the left is a half-size replica of the Blue House, the official residence of South Korean President Park Geun-hye
North Korea is currently stoking nationalist sentiment as it gears up for a landmark ruling party congress, the first of its kind for nearly 40 years.
The gathering will open on May 6 and there is concern in Washington that it may be preceded by a fresh nuclear test.
Tensions have been running high on the divided Korean peninsula since the North's last nuclear test in January.
Earlier this month an official North Korean website released a propaganda video portraying multiple rocket attacks on the Blue House and other government buildings in Seoul.
British girls are being targeted in Magaluf by hardcore porn bosses who are offering them 500 to take part in X-rated films, it was claimed today.
Directors from Holland, Germany and eastern Europe are said to have been spotted outside bars looking for drunk girls on the party island of Majorca, according to reports.
It is claimed they are also tempting them with hundreds of pounds in cash as well as free food, accommodation and nights out.
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British girls are reportedly being targeted in Magaluf by hardcore porn bosses who are offering them 500 to take part in X-rated films (file picture of unconnected partygoers in the Spanish resort)
According to The Daily Mirror, a German website has advertised that it is 'looking for pretty, young and natural actresses for our high-class erotic productions in Majorca'.
The website has not been named and no further details are given on the source of the claims.
Bosses also try to convince the girls to take part in sex scenes by claiming the film will appear on subscription-only foreign sites that can't be accessed in Britain.
However, the Mirror claims films such as Fresh Air Makes Me Horny and Magaluf Teens have been uploaded onto free porn sites that can be viewed by anyone.
Directors from Holland, Germany and eastern Europe are said to have been spotted outside bars looking for drunk girls on the party island to take part in sex scenes (file picture of unconnected partygoers in Magaluf)
Better known by its nickname 'Shagaluf', the Spanish resort has long held the unsavoury reputation as the destination of choice for British holidaymakers looking to get drunk and have sex.
The debauchery got so bad last year it led to a crackdown after a video emerged showing an Northern Irish teenage girl performing sex acts on men in exchange for cocktails.
The shocking footage sparked widespread calls for new rules targeting anti-social and disorderly behaviour in Magaluf.
The rules state that partygoers are no longer allowed to consume alcohol on the streets between the hours of 12pm and 8am.
British police officers Martina Anderson and Sergeant Brett Williams who were sent to help authorities in Spanish resorts came under fire after they pictured swimming, sunbathing and taking selfies with tourists
Other measures have also supposedly been introduced to halt the number of bar crawls, with tour organisers required to obtain a permit in advance.
However, little has been done to enforce the restrictions, allowing the usual carnage to take place.
In August, two British police officers sent to help authorities in Spanish resorts including Magaluf were slammed after they pictured swimming, sunbathing and taking selfies with tourists.
Sgt Brett Williams and Pc Martina Anderson took part in a trial scheme working alongside colleagues from the Guardia Civil.
Jeremy Corbyn today finally suspended Labour MP Naz Shah who said Israel should be 'relocated' to the United States hours after he accepted an apology without imposing a punishment.
Mr Corbyn's U-turn on suspension came less than four hours after David Cameron hammered him at Prime Minister's Questions for not suspending Ms Shah as soon as the accusations emerged.
Ms Shah had a second meeting with Mr Corbyn this afternoon after which Labour said she would be suspended with 'mutual agreement' as the row over her Facebook posts grew.
The Bradford West MP has now made four apologies over the row, including one to the House of Commons, since her anti-Semitic posts became public yesterday.
The headline on the image shared by Ms Shah in 2014 said 'Solution for Israel-Palestine Conflict - Relocate Israel into United States' and she added: 'problem solved.'
Naz Shah issued her fourth apology for her Facebook posts in the House of Commons today, pictured, after she was condemned by Prime Minister David Cameron
A Labour spokesman said: 'Jeremy Corbyn and Naz Shah have mutually agreed that she is administratively suspended from the Labour Party by the General Secretary.
'Pending investigation, she is unable to take part in any party activity and the whip is removed.'
Speaking in the Commons, Ms Shah today said: 'I fully acknowledge I have made mistakes and I wholeheartedly apologise to this House for the words I used before I became a member.
'I accept and understand the words I used caused upset and hurt to the Jewish community and I deeply regret that.
'Anti-Semitism is racism, full stop.'
Mr Corbyn earlier met with Ms Shah for a first time before issuing his initial statement on the affair.
His spokesman later admitted Mr Corbyn did consider the comments made to be anti-Semitic but said the Labour leader did not think the MP was herself anti-Semitic.
Mr Corbyn said: 'What Naz Shah did was offensive and unacceptable. I have spoken to her and made this clear.
'These are historic social media posts made before she was a Member of Parliament.
'Naz has issued a fulsome apology. She does not hold these views and accepts she was completely wrong to have made these posts.
'The Labour Party is implacably opposed to anti-Semitism and all forms of racism.'
Mr Corbyn was blasted today by Mr Cameron for failing to immediately kick Ms Shah out of the party.
Ms Shah shared the graphic, pictured left, in August 2014 on Facebook. She added comments underneath, pictured right, suggesting she would lobby Barack Obama and David Cameron over the idea
Speaking at PMQs, Mr Cameron said: 'I think it is very simple: Anti-Semitism is effectively racism and we should call it out and fight it wherever we see it.
'And the fact that frankly we've got a Labour Member of Parliament with the Labour whip who made remarks about the transportation of people from Israel to America and talked about a solution and is still in receipt of the Labour whip is quite extraordinary.'
Mr Cameron quoted shadow chancellor John McDonnell as warning people who express anti-Semitic views should be kicked out of Labour.
He added: 'Frankly it'll be too many hours in a day before that happens to the MP in question.'
A Downing Street spokesman added Ms Shah would be suspended 'if Labour has a shred of decency'.
'Those sort of comments are beyond the pale. They are absolutely indefensible,' the spokesman said. 'Jeremy Corbyn should be ashamed of himself.'
The spokesman said it was a 'rare moment when we would agree with John McDonnell'.
'It is absolutely essential that Labour get a grip on this,' he added.
Mr Cameron, pictured today at Prime Minister's Questions, said it was 'extraordinary' that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had refused to withdraw the whip from Ms Shah
In a third apology to Jewish News earlier today, Ms Shah said: 'For someone who knows the scourge of oppression and racism all too well, it is important that I make an unequivocal apology for statements and ideas that I have foolishly endorsed in the past.'
NAZ SHAH'S FOURTH APOLOGY OVER ANTI-SEMITISM ROW IN FULL In a point of order in the House of Commons, Naz Shah said: 'Mr Speaker, can I seek your advice on how I can express my deep sorrow for something the Prime Minister referred to earlier? 'As you know, if a Government minister makes a mistake, they can correct the record. I hope you will allow me to say I fully acknowledge that I have made mistakes and I wholeheartedly apologise to this House for the words I used before I became a member. 'I accept and understand the words I used caused upset and hurt to the Jewish community and I deeply regret that. 'Anti-Semitism is racism. Full stop. As an MP, I will do everything in my power to build relations between Muslims, Jews and people of different faiths and none. 'I am grateful and very thankful for the support and advice I have received from many Jewish friends and colleagues - advice I intend to act upon. 'I truly regret what I did and I sincerely hope this House will accept my profound apology.' Speaker John Bercow thanked Ms Shah for the apology and said it will have been 'noted' by the House. Advertisement
The MP added: 'With the understanding of the issues I have now I would never have posted them. I have to own up to the fact that ignorance is not a defence.'
Ms Shah said she had tried since her election last year to build bridges between Muslim and Jewish communities in her city of Bradford.
Ms Shah added: 'If politicians put their hands up when they get something wrong it would help to restore faith in politics. I hope that by writing to those who I have hurt, I am practising as I preach and calling myself out.
'For those that I have caused hurt to, particularly the Jewish community, my constituents, friends and family, I sincerely hope my intentions and actions from here on in will win back your trust and faith in me.'
Buzzfeed today reported the apology was edited by the 'Labour press office' to remove an apology for promoting 'anti-Semitic tropes'.
Another reference telling the left to stop 'procrastinating' over tackling anti-Semitism was also removed from Ms Shah's draft, as was a further mention of anti-Semitism itself.
A Labour spokeswoman said: 'This claim is completely inaccurate. This article was not seen, written, edited or approved by Labour HQ so to suggest we changed it is completely wrong.'
Mr Corbyn has his own team of staff based at the Leader of the Opposition's office in Parliament, working separately to Labour head office.
A spokesman in Mr Corbyn's office said: 'We categorically deny any such edits.'
Buzzfeed later admitted the story was wring, issuing a correction which which said its story was based on a draft in Ms Shah's office and not one sent to Labour officials.
Mr Corbyn was rebuked by his shadow energy secretary Lisa Nandy, who told the BBC's Daily Politics Ms Shah should be suspended and investigated.
Ms Nandy was live on the BBC when Mr Corbyn's statement was released.
She said Mr Corbyn had told her he was 'handling it personally'.
Speaker John Bercow, pictured today, said the Commons would have 'noted' Ms Shah's apology as he thanked her for the remarks today
But Ms Nandy said the party's policy was to suspend MPs accused of anti-Semitism pending an investigation.
LABOUR LEADER FACES RISING DEMANDS TO ACT OVER ANTI-SEMITISM Jeremy Corbyn has faced rising demands to do more on anti-Semitism after Labour expelled and suspended a series of members over the issue. Labour peer Baroness Royall is already leading an inquiry after Oxford University Labour Club's co-chairman resigned, claiming a 'large proportion' of its members had 'some kind of problem with Jews'. It was reported today the group includes Mohammad Shabbir, a staff member of Ms Shah who repeatedly used the racial epithet 'zio' in social media posts about Israelis. Earlier this month, a Labour councillor in Luton Aysegul Gurbuz was suspended after she was alleged to have called Adolf Hitler the 'greatest man in history'. She said she hoped Iran would use a nuclear weapon to 'wipe Israel off the map'. In the past weeks, Labour has also twice suspended the deputy chairman of its Woking branch, Vicki Byrne, for posting anti-Semitic tweets. And the party suspended councillor Khadim Hussain, former Lord Mayor of Bradford, for sharing a Facebook post that said: 'Your school education system only tells you about Anne Frank and the six million Zionists that were killed by Hitler.' Last month, Labour kicked out Gerry Downing for a second time over allegations he had written blogs including about the 'Jewish question' and made statements seen by some as apologising for the 9/11 terrorists. Advertisement
'I have made clear that that policy ought to be followed without exception,' she said.
Informed that Mr Corbyn had not suspended Ms Shah she said: 'I don't want to pre-emt an investigation.'
After Prime Minister's Questions, a spokesman for Mr Corbyn said Ms Shah had made clear that her comments were 'offensive and unacceptable'.
The spokesman said Mr Corbyn did view the remarks as 'anti-Semitic' - but he insisted the party leader would not currently be withdrawing the party whip.
'Since she has been an MP she has worked very hard with the Jewish community,' the spokesman said. 'She made remarks that she doesn't agree with.
'She says she shocked herself with those statements, and that she doesn't agree with them.'
At the time, the spokesman said Mr Corbyn was not calling for Ms Shah to be suspended from the party, but the ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) could consider any allegations.
'If there are other posts then obviously they will be looked at,' he said.
'We have made it clear we will not tolerate anti-Semitism or any form of racism.'
The spokesman also endorsed shadow chancellor's insistence that anti-Semites should be 'out out out' of the Labour Party.
'John McDonnell made his comments and he was right and he reflects the views of the Labour Party.'
Asked what made someone anti-Semitic, the spokesman said: 'An anti-Semitic person who is anti-Semitic and makes remarks and behaves n that way.
'Naz has made clear that she made remarks that she now says she doesn't believe in or agree with.'
Ms Shah is a member of the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, which is conducting an inquiry into the rise of anti-Semitism
Labour MP Kate Hoey said Ms Shah should resign from the home affairs select committee 'right away' and called for the party to hold an investigation.
TIMELINE: HOW NAZ SHAH WAS SUSPENDED BY LABOUR TUESDAY APRIL 26 7:53am: The Guido Fawkes website publishes a story revealing that in August 2014, Naz Shah shared a graphic on Facebook which offered a 'solution for Israel-Palestine conflict' that would be 'relocate Israel into United States'. The website said Ms Shah confirmed she was responsible for the post. 11.00am: Ms Shah issues an apology via the website, in which she said 'This post from two years ago was made before I was an MP, does not reflect my views and I apologise for any offence it has caused'. 1.20pm: Ms Shah quits as PPS to shadow chancellor John McDonnell and apologises again, confessing she 'made these posts at the heigh of the Gaza conflict when emotions were running high' but admitting 'that is no excuse'. WEDNESDAY APRIL 27 11.35am: Shadow energy secretary Lisa Nandy said Ms Shah should be suspended and investigated in line with normal Labour Party rules on anti-Semitism allegations. 11.37am: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn makes his first intervention, describing the remarks as 'offensive and unacceptable' but accepting a 'fulsome apology'. 12.00pm: Ms Shah's third apology emerges on the Jewish News website, admitting the language used was 'wrong' and 'hurtful' and offering an 'unequivocal apology'. 12.27pm: David Cameron uses Prime Minister's Questions to slam Mr Corbyn for failing to suspend Ms Shah's Labour Party whip. 12.45pm: Labour spokesman says Mr Corbyn believes the remarks were themselves anti-Semitic but that Ms Shah is not anti-Semitic. 2.35pm: Ms Shah appears in the House of Commons to raise a point of order and make a fourth apology for her remarks. She tells MPs 'anti-Semitism is racism' and promises to help build relations between different faiths. 4.07pm: Labour release a statement claiming Mr Corbyn and Ms Shah have agreed 'mutually' the MP will be 'administratively suspended'. Advertisement
She told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme: 'It may well be that she should be suspended from the whip immediately with then a view to an investigation into looking into and seeing whether she genuinely accepts that she does not believe what she said and would make an apology to the people of Israel ...who she really was saying some dreadful things about.'
Nusrat Ghani, a member of the home affairs committee, said Ms Shah was no longer able to sit on its inquiry as a 'neutral individual'.
She told the programme: 'She should excuse herself from the inquiry that is looking into the rise of anti-Semitism.'
Labour's David Winnick, who is understood to have asked the committee to launch the inquiry into anti-Semitism, said he did not believe Ms Shah should step aside from the inquiry.
He said: 'She has apologised.
'It would be useful for her to listen to the witnesses from the Jewish community about growing anti-Semitism.'
Ms Shah yesterday resigned as an aide to Mr McDonnell after it emerged she had shared the graphic on social media in 2014.
The headline on the image said: 'Solution for Israel-Palestine Conflict - Relocate Israel into United States.'
Ms Shah then wrote with the post: 'problem solved.'
Further allegations emerged today that Ms Shah had employed a man who used the racial epithet 'zios'.
After the story broke, the Muslim MP apologised for 'offence caused' before quitting as the shadow chancellor's PPS.
The Guido Fawkes website also pointed to another post made before Ms Shah was an MP which used the hashtag #IsraelApartheid above a quote saying 'Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal'.
Tory MPs led calls for Ms Shah to be suspended from the Labour Party over the incident.
Questions have also been raised about Ms Shah's membership of the Home Affairs Select Committee, which is research anti-Semitism currently.
Her post will not be discussed by the committee before its next meeting on Tuesday.
The Facebook post, shared by Ms Shah in 2014 before she became an MP, suggested the US has 'plenty of land' to accommodate Israel as a 51st state, allowing Palestinians to 'get their life and their land back'.
It added that Israeli people would be welcome and safe in the US while the 'transportation cost' would be less than three years' worth of Washington's support for Israeli defence spending.
David Cameron, pictured leaving No 10 ahead of today's Prime Minister's Questions, condemned Mr Corbyn's failure to suspend Ms Shah from the Labour Party
Ms Shah added a note suggesting the plan might 'save them some pocket money'.
After the posting was highlighted, Ms Shah released a first apology in which she said: 'This post from two years ago was made before I was an MP, does not reflect my views and I apologise for any offence it has caused.'
In a second statement, she added later: 'I deeply regret the hurt I have caused by comments made on social media before I was elected as an MP.
'I made these posts at the height of the Gaza conflict in 2014, when emotions were running high around the Middle East conflict. But that is no excuse for the offence I have given, for which I unreservedly apologise.
'In recognition of that offence, I have stepped down from my role as PPS to the shadow chancellor John McDonnell.
'I will be seeking to expand my existing engagement and dialogue with Jewish community organisations and will be stepping up my efforts to combat all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism.'
Ms Shah is a member of the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, which is conducting an inquiry into the rise of anti-Semitism.
A Catholic priest working at a notorious boarding college enticed a Year 7 student into his office with computer games then raped him on the floor.
Michael Scott Aulsebrook, 60, of Traralgon, was found guilty of one count of rape after he fought the charge in the Victorian County Court. He has also admitted to sexually assaulting two other children.
During his trial, the jury heard Mr Aulsebrook invited the boy into his office at Salesian College Rupertswood after lights-out with an offer to play on his computer, then gave his victim a soft drink that had been spiked with a sedative.
Michael Aulsebrook, 60, has pleaded not guilty to raping a year 7 boarding student in 1988 during his time as a boarding co-ordinator at Salesian College Rupertswood in the Victorian County Court
The boy woke up on the floor while Mr Aulsebrook was raping him and pushing his face into the floor.
'He felt a large amount of pain,' prosecutor Andrew Grant said during the trial.
Afterwards, Aulsebrook said to the boy: 'Get out of my sight. You disgust me'.
The now-unemployed man invited the boy to play computer games several more times, but the student refused.
Mr Aulsebrook also pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent assault relating to the sexual assault of a boy and a girl in separate incidents in the late 1980s and 1990s, reports The Age.
One of these was also committed while he was employed at Salesian College Rupertswood in Sunbury in 1988.
Prosecutor Andrew Grant told the court on Tuesday that the victim woke up on the floor of an office at Salesian College Rupertwood (pictured) while Aulsebrook was raping him
The boarding school's reputation has been blackened by some of Victoria's most notorious paedophile priests, including Frank Klep and David Rapson.
In 2014, a judge broke down while describing the campaign of abuse Klep exacted against vulnerable boys who were students at the school.
Klep was jailed for 10 and six months after he pleaded guilty to 15 counts of indecent assault, buggery, attempted buggery and rape committed between 1974 and 1983.
Last May, former Catholic priest David Edwin Rapson was jailed for 12 years and six months for sexually abusing six boys at two Victorian boarding schools, one of which was Salesian College Rupertswood, in the 1970s and 1980s.
The Victorian County Court (pictured) heard the priest invited the young student to play video games in his office after lights out when he allegedly gave him a soft drink laced with sedatives
He lured schoolboys to his office with video games, cigarettes and alcohol before sexually abusing them.
Aulsebrook will face a plea hearing next month over the rape, and three counts of indecent assault which he'd pleaded guilty to, and which occurred between 1987 and 1995.
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This adorable baby bear came narrowly close to getting a whiff of more than he bargained for - when he tried to play chase with a skunk.
Mother-of-two Laurie Hernandez, 53, visited a wildlife photography event in St Paul, Minnesota, and was eagerly snapping the playful bear cub frolicking on the grass.
However, rather than posing for photographers, the cub decided to wander over to another area of the event where a skunk was also acting as model, embarking on a cheeky game of chase.
This is the moment the skunk attempted to hit the bear with its notoriously odorous spray, which is ejected from its anal scent glands
Ignoring photographers, the tiny bear cub took an immediate interest in the skunk when he spotted him in a park
The adorable creature then bounded over to the skunk in an attempt to play with him - though it only served to annoy the animal
The bear cub appeared to be looking for a playmate. Fortunately, the skunk had been de-scented and was unable to give him a face full of spray
Photographer Laurie Hernandez managed to capture the exact moment the bear came face-to-face with the skunk's tail raised behind
The skunk didn't take kindly to the cub's bid to play and attempted to spray the bear in the face with its pungent scent gland, which luckily for the bear had been de-scented.
To Laurie's delight, she captured the exact moment the bear came face-to-face with the skunk's tail-raised behind - and even the moment the bear cub made a swift getaway as he was chased off by the skunk.
Ms Hernandez, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, said: 'The baby bear was a real character and didn't want to stay in one place for us to take pictures. Rather than hang around where he should off, he made off towards where a skunk was positioned for pictures, creating a bizarre double act.
'He was very cute and inquisitive. He was really curious about the skunk and wanted to play but the skunk wanted nothing to do with him.
'The skunk had its tail in the air and the bear cub's face went right where it shouldn't have - he was very lucky the skunk was de-scented or it would have been awful for the poor thing. He put himself in position to get a faceful of something awful from the skunk.
'I'm thankful he didn't as the skunk's spray is so strong it is almost impossible to get rid of. If you're driving down the road and you come across an area where as skunk was hit, it will still smell, it's that bad.
'It was the first time I have ever seen a bear cub so it was amazing to be able to photograph him not only playing so closely but interacting with another animal in such a funny way.'
Ms Hernandez said: 'He was really curious about the skunk and wanted to play but the skunk wanted nothing to do with him'
The animal bounds away from the skunk with its nose turned up despite having avoided receiving a face full of spray
withdrawn report and are reviewing it following backlash from parents who called the moved 'politically correct nonsense'
Angry parents have slammed Ofsted for downgrading an 'outstanding' rural nursery to just 'good' because it does not teach toddlers about ethnic diversity.
The education watchdog even penalised Town and Country Kiddies Nursery in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, for not having enough pictures of black and Asian people on the walls.
In their report inspectors criticised the nursery - which caters for children aged from just eight weeks to 11 years as it also offers a kids' club - for failing to teach youngsters about other cultures.
Parents have today blasted Ofsted, branding the decision to mark Town and Country Kiddies Nursery in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, (pictured) down to just 'good' as 'politically correct nonsense'
It stated: 'Staff do not provide enough opportunities for children to develop a strong sense of belonging at the nursery and to learn about people who are different to themselves.'
As a result, the nursery was stripped of the 'outstanding' status it was given in 2012 and is now rated as just 'good'.
Around 97 per cent of the population in the town to which the nursery belongs are white.
Parents today blasted Ofsted, branding the decision to mark the nursery down as 'politically correct nonsense'.
One mother, who did not want to be named, said: 'Just because the majority of the kids are white shouldn't be used as a stick to beat the nursery with.
In a report, inspectors criticised the nursery - which caters for children aged from just eight weeks to 11 years as it also offers a kids' club - for failing to teach youngsters about other cultures
'The nursery does an excellent job, the atmosphere is inclusive and the staff break their backs to help every kid. This Ofsted report is a kick in the face for them and is yet another example of political correct nonsense.'
Clare Worrell, 36, who sends her 16-month-old twins Henry and Grace to the nursery, said: 'Ofsted have nothing to base this report on.
'I do not know one ethnic minority family in Market Rasen.
Clare Worrell, 36, sends her 16-month-old twins Henry and Grace to the nursery
'How can the school be classed as not ethnically diverse when there's no call for it?
'There's only white people around here. It's a great nursery and they shouldn't be penalised for this.'
A father added: 'One word can be used to describe that report - wrong. What planet do these Ofsted inspectors live on? How can you teach two or three year olds about racism?
'Kids that young treat each other the same whatever their skin colour. They just see kids as kids and that's as it should be.'
Another mother, whose two-year-old daughter has been attending the nursery for a month, added: 'I wanted my daughter to come here as I had heard amazing things from other parents.
'The nursery has a brilliant reputation. I think Ofsted's comment that the nursery isn't ethnically diverse enough is pathetic.
'How can the nursery be ethnically diverse when there are hardly any ethnic minority families in the area?
'My daughter has lived her time at the nursery so far and I'm so pleased with the staff.
'Ofsted are being totally unfair. This is a brilliant nursery - I haven't got a bad word to say about it.'
Louise Davies, who owns the nursery, has also expressed her concerns over the Ofsted rating system.
She said: 'There are things they'd like us to do over and above - children having understanding of other people and different cultures.
'It comes with living in a community where there isn't a great deal of cultural and ethnic diversity.
'They're not seeing that on a day to day basis, unlike nurseries in London where they do.
'One of the things the inspectors said was that we needed to put more pictures of people from ethnic cultures on the walls of the nursery.'
Around 97 per cent of the population in the town of Market Rasen, where the nursery is located, are white
Ofsted changed the rules on grading schools and nurseries last September meaning they now have to meet additional criteria to get an 'outstanding' rating.
Ms Davies added: 'There's a really strong focus in the new criteria that the whole workforce needs to be delivering exceptional practice. But it's unrealistic.
'It's an ideological view, and it is not commercially viable. We can't operate a team that's without exception.
'For us to continually strive towards the 'outstanding' would become more and more commercially unviable. At the end of the day it's all very well chasing something but it's an unrealistic criteria.
'We need to provide childcare for people to go to work and not worry about an ideology that Ofsted have.
'If anything, we're in a stronger position now than in the last inspection in 2012.'
Ofsted initially published their report from the inspection this week on their website - but bosses have now temporarily withdrawn it following a backlash from furious parents.
An Ofsted spokesman said today: 'The regional director is seeking to speak to the owner about her concerns, and we have withdrawn the report while we review the case.
'Following this a decision will be taken about next steps.'
The row comes 18 months after Middle Rasen Primary School, which is a mile away from the nursery, was penalised by Ofsted for effectively being too English (pictured: Headteacher Melonie Brunton with pupils)
The row comes 18 months after Middle Rasen Primary School, which is a mile away from the nursery, was penalised by Ofsted for effectively being too English.
Inspectors said the school was 'not yet outstanding' because pupils' cultural development was limited by a 'lack of first-hand experience of the diverse make up of modern British society'.
Pupils at the rural primary lacked 'first-hand experience of the diverse make-up of modern British society', declared the watchdog.
Patrick Ryan, 68, made residents' lives a misery at their sheltered accommodation flats in in Droitwich, Worcestershire, by playing loud music all night long
A former RAF serviceman who terrorised his neighbours by blasting out 1960s music throughout the night and putting up pictures of Miss Piggy to taunt an overweight resident has been jailed.
Patrick Ryan, 68, made his neighbours lives a misery at their sheltered accommodation flats in Droitwich, Worcestershire, by playing loud music and making 'banging noises' all night long.
Worcester Magistrates' Court heard the pensioner would blast out tunes - including 1960s hit 'We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place' by The Animals - at all times of the day, leaving his fellow residents unable to sleep.
He also wrote abusive signs and notes and put them on doors at the three-storey apartment block, and posted images in public areas, including one of The Muppets character Miss Piggy in an attempt to distress a neighbour about her weight.
The court heard Ryan also put up an additional picture of a police officer on a horse swinging a bat at another man - aimed at another neighbour, former policeman Steven Murch.
Ryan has now been jailed for two months, fined 100 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of 20 after admitting to not complying with a community protection order issued by police.
He was also given a three-year criminal behaviour order, which prohibits him from contacting his neighbours, cause noise nuisance or display images around the apartment block.
Prosecutor Adrian Jones said Ryan's neighbours had regularly complained about his behaviour.
The court heard that when a police officer spoke to him following complaints, the OAP was drunk and used abusive language when talking about his neighbours.
Mr Jones added that after police searched his property, they found evidence proving Ryan had put the images of Miss Piggy up.
Ryan wrote abusive signs and put them on people's doors at the apartment block and posted images in public areas, including one of Muppets' character Miss Piggy in an attempt to distress a neighbour about her weight
He was handed a community protection notice on March 8, but was arrested six days later for breaching the order.
Paul Stanley, defending, said: 'He accepts what he had done is wrong - his problem is alcohol.'
Mr Stanley said Ryan had been going through an acrimonious divorce which had caused him a great deal of distress, and led to his drinking.
PC Rich Rees, from West Mercia Police, said after the case: 'Ryan has deliberately gone out of his way to make his neighbours lives a misery.
'His behaviour has had a significant impact on their quality of life. I am pleased the courts have recognised this and granted this criminal behaviour order.
'It will offer his neighbours considerable protection in the future.
The court heard the pensioner would blast out tunes - including 1960s hit 'We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place' by The Animals - at all times of the day, leaving residents in Droitwich, Worcestershire (above) unable to sleep
'When I started the role as safer neighbourhood officer in Droitwich I said I wanted to focus on reducing antisocial behaviour.
'Typically issues can be resolved long before it escalates to this stage.
'However, Ryan seemed to believe that he could behave as he pleased without consequences.
'I am grateful for the patience and co-operation of the victims.
'The community have stood together and worked with police which has enabled us to get this order.
Her husband Neil described her as being 'happy, charming and beautiful'
Her father Richard Barraclough, 61, became concerned after using app
Mrs Sturman, from Wokingham, was then struck by an oncoming train
Jennifer Sturman, 28, jumped down onto a railway line near her home
Jennifer Sturman, 28, photographed on her wedding day next to her husband Neil. An inquest heard she jumped down onto a railway line and was crushed by an oncoming train
The devastated father of a young woman who deliberately walked into the path of a high-speed train was alerted to her death by a mobile phone app that warns of rail delays, an inquest heard.
Jennifer Sturman, 28, could no longer cope with the constant pain caused by her gastro-intestinal illnesses when she jumped down onto a railway line and was crushed by an oncoming train.
Her father Richard Barraclough, 61, became worried when he returned to his home in Henley, Oxfordshire, on the morning of December 19 last year to find his gates wide open.
His daughter's car was missing, which made him more concerned as she was not allowed to drive due to her deteriorating physical health.
A single note left on the table read: 'Gone shopping to get presents, I will be careful.'
After using an app to check train times and find out when his wife would be returning from London, Mr Barraclough grew increasingly anxious when he read that there were severe delays on the line between Twyford in Berkshire and London.
An inquest into Mrs Sturman's death at Reading Town Hall in Berkshire heard how she had threatened suicide just six months earlier when she went missing and messaged her husband Neil - a British Army officer - to say she intended to jump in front of a train.
As a result of this earlier incident, alarm bells began ringing and Mr Barraclough drove to Twyford station where he found his daughter's vehicle in the car park surrounded by emergency services personnel.
He spoke with an officer to say he believed his daughter may have been involved in the incident before he was delivered the heart-breaking news that she had been killed on the line.
Mrs Sturman left a single note on her father's table, which read: 'Gone shopping to get presents, I will be careful.' Her father was later notified by emergency services personnel that she had been killed on the line
Giving evidence at the inquest, Detective Constable Mathew Harvey, from the British Transport Police, said: 'Jennifer had experienced a significant decline in her physical health in the six months before her death.
'She was suffering from gastro-intestinal illnesses, her health was deteriorating and because of her constantly changing symptoms she was given no clear diagnosis.
'She began suffering from depression as a result of her physical problems. She complained of constant pain in her abdomen, stomach and in her muscles.
'There was an incident in June 2015 when her husband, Neil, received a message which indicated that she wanted to harm herself. However, she was located safely and returned home.
'In the week leading up to her death Jennifer attended a number of medical and therapeutic assessments where she appeared more positive and it was deemed she was at no risk or heightened cause for concern.'
The coroner heard that on the morning of her death, Mrs Sturman, of Wokingham, Berkshire, had been staying with her parents in Henley, Oxfordshire, while her husband was abroad.
Her father Richard Barraclough, 61, (pictured) became worried when he returned to his home in Henley, Oxfordshire, on the morning of December 19 last year to find his gates wide open
Her mother left the house to go to London, while her father went into Henley to pick up his daughter's prescription.
It was agreed that when he returned home, Mr Barraclough, a company director and member of the board of trustees at Taylor Wimpey and Galliford Try Pensions, would go shopping with his daughter.
Tragically, when she was left alone, Mrs Sturman took the opportunity to drive to Twyford railway station with no intention of going home again.
Eye-witnesses said they spotted a woman, who they later learned to be Mrs Sturman, climbing down onto the tracks at the station, leaving only her blue handbag behind.
Stuart Cook had been driving the Great Western train when he approached Twyford at around 11:30am, the coroner heard.
In a statement read at the inquest, Mr Cook said: 'I could see a female standing on the platform, so I sounded the horn to warn the female to keep away.
'She then placed her bag on the floor and began to walk slowly towards the platform edge. I could not avoid striking her.'
The coroner heard that in the 26-hour period before her death, Mrs Sturman had made 595 web searches on her phone which were related to suicide.
Mrs Sturman's GP, Dr Stephanie Goodwin, told the coroner that she had become 'obsessed' with her condition and was pre-occupied with her health 'every waking minute.'
Dr Goodwin said: 'Her weight was extremely low and I was really shocked when I saw her again in December.
'She complained of feeling pins and needles in her legs and she thought her intestinal problems were worsening.
'Her psychological problems were secondary to her intestinal problems.'
The inquest was told Mrs Sturman's mental health began to worsen along with her physical health and she was later diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Despite seeing a number of psychiatrists and psychologists, Mrs Sturman did not benefit from the help and was reluctant to 'relinquish full control to her GP.'
An inquest into Mrs Sturman's death at Reading Town Hall (pictured) heard how she had threatened suicide just six months earlier when she went missing
In a statement read at the inquest, her husband Neil Sturman said: 'There were two Jennifers. The first was a happy, charming and beautiful young lady.
'The second was incessantly introspective with mental health problems brought on by her physical problems.'
Recording a verdict of suicide, Berkshire coroner Peter Bedford, said: 'Jennifer was receiving extensive and high quality care and treatment, and was being told what her conditions were.
'What she must have found hugely frustrating was her inability to receive treatment that was effective in eradicating the pain, the suffering, and the weight loss.
'The word 'obsessed' is a very credible word. Analysis of her phone usage showed web browses of suicide and searches of her medical symptoms, her condition and nutrition.
'She became obsessed by these matters and it seems clear to me that she formulated a plan. She picked a time when her mother and father were away and her husband was abroad.
'Whether she had been planning for a long time or acted on the spur of the moment we will never know.
'Despite her debilitating condition she drove to Twyford station and was struck by the train.
'From the evidence I have no doubt that Jennifer acted deliberately with the sole intention of ending her suffering.
'The conclusion I will record is that she took her own life while suffering from depression, secondary to chronic physical health problems.'
Donald Trump outlined a series of foreign policy proposals Wednesday in Washington, pledging that putting Americans' needs above those of foreign nations and alliances 'will be the foundation of every single decision that I will make' as president.
He summed it up as 'America First'. But the slogan was seized on by critics as an inappropriate link back to the movement to keep the United States out of World War II on the grounds that the Nazis were not a threat.
Its most prominent spokesman was Charles Lindbergh, the aviator who had been a frequent guest of Hitler and who used a speech to claim that 'the Jews' were among the forces dragging the US into the war.
Trump hammered an 'Obama-Clinton' foreign policy legacy characterized by 'no vision, no purpose, no direction, no strategy,' the Republican front-runner sketched out abroad range of goals targeting Russia, China, the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
'America First will be the major and overriding theme of my administration,' he vowed.
Trump read from a teleprompter, an unusual but not unprecedented step for the man accustomed to shooting from the hip.
The prepared text tripped him up only once, when he mispronounced the name of the African nation of Tanzania.
READ THE WORDS: Donald Trump sounded rehearsed but confident as he read a foreign policy speech off a teleprompter on Wednesday in Washington
NAZI? As protesters outside compared Trump to Hitler, he was arguing inside the Mayflower Hotel for a stronger Israel buoyed by a more steadfast U.S. friendship
ALMOST LIKE MAR-A-LAGO: Wednesday's speech was moved from the dowdy National Pres Club to the ornate Mayflower Hotel ballroom with less than 24 hours' notice
WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL 'AMERICA FIRST COMMITTEE?' The America First Committee was formed in 1940 and went on to become the largest group 800,000 strong at its peak that pressured the United States government from going to war in Europe. Its chief surrogate was the aviator Charles Lindbergh, who had been entertained by Adolf Hitler in the 1930s and was critical of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's moves against the Germans by giving the English aid. Lindbergh was viewed to be sympathetic to the Germans and less so toward the Jews. In one speech, Lindbergh memorably claimed 'the Jews' and other groups were trying to drag the United States into war. 'Instead of agitating for war the Jewish groups in this country should be opposing it in every possible way, for they will be among the first to feel its consequences,' Lindbergh argued. The America First movement quickly disbanded on the heels of the Japanese attack against Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. 'Our principles were right. Had they been followed, war could have been avoided. No good purpose can now be served by considering what might have been, had our objectives been attained,' said a statement released by the group. 'We are at war. Today, though there may be many important subsidiary considerations, the primary objective is not difficult to state. It can be completely defined in one word: Victory,' it said. Advertisement
he called for a movement 'to change our trade, immigration and economic policies to make our economy strong again and to put Americans first again.'
'This will ensure that our own workers, right here in America, get the jobs and higher pay that will grow our tax revenue and increase our economic might as a nation.'
Later he pledged that Americans living in a Trump-led nation would 'know that we are putting the American people first again. On trade, on immigration, on foreign policy the jobs, incomes and security of the American worker will always be my first priority.'
'No country has ever prospered that failed to put its own interests first. Both our friends and enemies put their countries above ours and we, while being fair to them, must do the same. We will no longer surrender this country, or its people, to the false song of globalism.'
The real estate billionaire promised an easing of tensions with Russia 'from a position of strength only' along with the swift destruction of the ISIS terror army and a reset-button approach to NATO and other multinational alliances.
He called for a 'rebalancing of financial commitments' among NATO members to ensure fairer treatment for America, which foots the lion's share of the bills.
'Our allies are not paying their fair share ... the U.S. must be prepared to let these countries defend themselves,' he said. 'We have no choice.'
Trump cast out-of-kilter cost sharing arrangements as a symptom of larger economic pitfalls that the Obama administration has fallen into, including trade deficits, low growth and government spending triggered by open borders.
And with protesters marching outside the stately Mayflower Hotel carrying signs likening him to a Nazi, he complained that Israel 'has been snubbed and criticized by an administration that lacks moral clarity.'
President Obama, he said, 'has not been a friend to Israel' but has 'treated Iran with great tender loving care.'
OFF-SCRIPT: Trump departed from his prepared remarks to complain that 'we have done nothing to help the Christians' in the Middle East. 'Nothing. And we should always be ashamed for hat lack of action'
BIG BOOST: Zalmay Khalilzad, the highest ranking Muslim-American in the George W. Bush administration and a former U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Afghanistan and the United Nations,introduced Trump
TRUMP'S FOREIGN POLICY: THE CLIFFS NOTES VERSION Donald Trump outlined his foreign policy priorities Wednesday in a 38-minute speech, pledging to return America to a position of global respect if he's elected president. He painted his priorities in broad strokes that will leave policy wonks wanting details, but gave fans of Ronald Reagan's 'peace through strength' era plenty to be happy about. 'AMERICA FIRST': Trump's central theme is the need for 'a foreign policy based on American interests,' not aimed at satisfying the desire to integrate the U.S. into a global community. 'Under a Trump Administration, no American citizen will ever again feel that their needs come second to the citizens of foreign countries,' he said. GIVE PUTIN AND XI A CHANCE: He said Washington can ease tensions with Russia and China, but only if they agree to improve relations without taking advantage of the U.S. NEW BLOOD: Trump emphasized that he will rely on a different group of policy experts from the ones he said were more often wrong than right, emphasizing the need to bring 'new voices and new visions into the fold.' OVEREXTENDED RESOURCES: President Obama, he said, has weakened America's military through an economy marked by wasteful spending, spiraling debts, low growth, a 'huge trade deficit' and open borders. DEADBEAT ALLIES: He insisted that friendly nations who participate in NATO and other alliances need to pay their fair share instead of depending on the U.S. to foot the bill. HESITANT FRIENDS AND CAVALIER ENEMIES: In a familiar refrain, Trump argued that America's allies including Israel can no longer count on American consistency, while its adversaries neither respect nor fear Washington. MIDDLE-EAST TURMOIL: Trump blamed the Obama administration's well publicized withdrawal from Iraq for creating a vacuum that the ISIS terror army and Iran have been quick to fill. HILLARY THE WEAKLING: He claimed Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton failed to protect America's interests as secretary of state in Iraq, Libya, and elsewhere because of a fear of offending Muslim nations CLOBBERING RADICAL ISLAMISTS: Trump pledged to crush ISIS and close America's borders to terrorists who might infiltrate groups of Syrian refugees. REBUILDING THE MILITARY: He promised to spend what's necessary for a sensible military buildup, calling it 'the cheapest investment we can make,' and to take better care of America's veterans. Advertisement
'We pick fights with our oldest friends, and now they're starting to look elsewhere for help,' he said, straying off script momentarily.
'Remember that. Not good.'
In addition to allies who are losing faith in America, Trump's 38-minute speech painted a picture of foes who have lost respect for a once-mighty United States.
'We let our rivals and our challengers think they can get away with anything. And they do,' he said.
'If President Obama's goal had been to weaken America, he could not have done a better job.'
In another moment of straying from the prepared text that coursed through his teleprompter's glass screens, he expanded on a point about militant Islamists persecuting Christians overseas.
'We've made the Middle East more unstable and chaotic than ever before,' he read. 'We've left Christians subject to intense persecution and even genocide.'
But then Trump stared away and spoke plainly.
'We have done nothing to help the Christians. Nothing,' he said. 'And we should always be ashamed for hat lack of action.'
BREXIT DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT: Trump said nothing on Wednesday about the United Kingdom's upcoming vote on whether to leave the European Union, something both U.S. President Barack Obama and UK Prime Minister David Cameron have strenuously argued against
ALL ACCORDING TO PLAN: Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski inspected the podium before Trump took the stage on Wednesday in Washington
Trump also hurled a raft of criticism at Hillary Clinton, the Democratic front-runner whom he hopes to face in the November general election.
Clinton, he said in his discussion of Middle Eastern terrorism, 'refuses to say the words 'radical Islam,' even as she pushes for a massive increase in refugees' from Syria.
'After Secretary Clintons failed intervention in Libya, Islamic terrorists in Benghazi took down our consulate and killed our ambassador and three brave Americans,' he said.
'Then, instead of taking charge that night, Hillary Clinton decided to go home and sleep! Incredible.'
'Clinton blames it all on a video, an excuse that was proven to be a total lie,' he said.
'Our ambassador was murdered and our secretary of state misled the nation and by the way, she was not awake to take that call at 3 o'clock in the morning.'
One subject that Trump never mentioned is the upcoming 'Brexit' vote in the United Kingdom, a referendum on whether Britain should pull out of the European Union.
President Obama made a plea for a 'no' vote this month during a visit to London, appearing alongside an equally emphatic British Prime Minister David Cameron.
Dr. Walid Phares, one of Trump's close advisers, told reporters before Wednesday's speech that there would be 'no details' offered in what Trump saw as a collection of goals.
Phares, who also counseled 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, said Russia, the ISIS terror army and nuclear proliferation were topics Trump discusses often.
But he warned against expecting a tremendous amount of meat on the bone as Trump finds his foreign policy footing.
'He's not going to say, "We're going to send three brigades to do the job," he said, using the fight against the ISIS terror army as an example.
'No. He's going to confirm the principle that ISIS should be destroyed so that the other political settlements can work.'
A group of campaign surrogates including Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions and former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore entered the hotel ballroom before Trump intoned that 'it's time to shake the rust off of America's foreign policy. It's time to invite new voices and new visions into the fold.'
Other guests included former Secretary of State James Baker and former U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica Curtin Winsor Jr.
The GOP's presumptive nominee was introduced by a gravitas-lending special guest.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the highest ranking Muslim-American in the George W. Bush administration and a former U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Afghanistan and the United Nations, did the honors.
Khalilzad told his story of 'coming from Afghanistan to the United States legally as a teenager,' drawing chuckles at his emphasis on the word 'legal.'
'The world has become more complex, unstable, and dangerous,' he warned, citing a range of threats including terrorism, long-range missiles and cyber-weapons.
Institutional Washington held its breath in anticipation of Trump's speech, and some were left shaking their heads.
NOT IMPRESSED: South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of the 14 former Republican presidential candidates bobbing in Trump's wake, lashed out at him on Twitter for what he saw as a naive presentation
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a onetime presidential candidate who started and finished near the back of the pack, unleashed a hail of arrows at Trump on Twitter as he spoke.
'Question #1 for Trump: Are we sure the guy running the teleprompter has the pages in the right order?' he tweeted.
'Question #2 -- Did teleprompter guy actually write the speech? #notmakinganysense'
'Trump's FP speech not conservative,' Graham declared later. 'It's isolationism surrounded by disconnected thought, demonstrates lack of understanding threats we face.'
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, thought to be on Hillary Clinton's vice presidential list, had a field day with the speech on a call this afternoon with reporters courtesy of the Clinton campaign.
'I've got to say, I've listened to a lot of foreign policy speeches over the years and I've actually given a few myself and I was hoping to hear something that made sense,' Albright said.
'But I've got to tell you that I've never seen such a combination of simplistic slogans and contradictions and misstatements in one speech,' she said right out of the gate.
Both Albright and Kaine ridiculed Trump for using the 'America First' slogan.
'Maybe he never read history or he doesn't understand it,' Albright mused.
'If you don't know enough history to know that, that's almost a disqualifier right there,' Kaine chimed in.
Albright also called the speech 'incoherent' and said it was 'riddled with contradictions.'
'His main message is that we need to be more unpredictable as a nation,' she said. 'Now perhaps unpredictability is the only thing we can count on if Donald Trump is our commander-in-chief, but do you actually want somebody unpredictable with the nuclear codes?'
The former secretary of state to Bill Clinton also did her part as campaign surrogate to Hillary Clinton, touting the Democratic frontrunner's own use of 'smart power' as secretary of state, contrasting it with Trump's vision.
'It doesn't come from a world of reality television or entertainment,' she said of Clinton's approach.
'And today's speech was anything but smart, maybe it really was just supposed to be entertainment,' Albright said of Trump's address.
ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER WIN: Trump crushed the field Tuesday night in a five-state Republican primary sweep
ON MESSAGE: Trump first experimented with a teleprompter last month in a speech to the pro-Israel lobby
Trump's central foreign policy ideas have drawn furrowed brows among Washington intellectuals.
But the 69-year-old tycoon insisted Tuesday night that there would be no official Trump Doctrine etched in stone during his campaign and a future presidency.
'It won't be the Trump Doctrine. Because in life you have to be flexible. You have to have flexibility. You have to change,' he said in the lobby of his gleaming Trump Tower skyscraper.
'You may say one thing and then the following year you want to change it because circumstances are different.'
'You can't say "This is my doctrine; I will not move"; because the world changes,' Trump hedged. 'Countries change. Leaders change. Lots of things happen.'
If there is a thread running through Trump's foreign policy proposals so far, it's equal parts isolationism and protectionism predicated on a demand for U.S. allies to pay more for their defense and a proposal to impose tariffs on goods imported from countries with whom the U.S. has overwhelming trade deficits.
'Too many people are getting a free ride,' he said, explaining after he swept Republican presidential primaries in five Northeastern states.that 'we're funding 72, 73 per cent of NATO.'
'You have 28 countries, and many of these countries are just taking advantage of the United States. And you have to pay up. Because we don't have a country, with 19 trillion in debt, that can afford this anymore.'
ALL THE WINNING WORDS: A teleprompter awaited the arrival of Donald Trump at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. before his foreign policy speech on Wednesday
HE'S FLEXIBLE: Trump said last year that ''if you're running for president you shouldn't be allowed to use a teleprompter'
LARGE AND IN CHARGE: Trump spoke Tuesday night about how he could 'handle' diplomacy with countries such as China if he were elected president
'Part of what I'm saying is we love our country and we love our allies, but our allies can no longer be taking advantage of this country,' Trump told reporters.
He said he would focus on nuclear weapons as the single biggest threat in the world today.
'It's our biggest risk. The power of weaponry. And we have to be unbelievably careful,' Trump said.
'President Obama said the biggest threat to our country is global warming. That's called give me a break, okay?' he mocked.
'The biggest threat to our country is nuclear. and we cannot let Iran get a nuclear weapon. We're going to do something about it.'
'I'm probably the last on the trigger,' Trump told ABC's 'Good Morning America' on Wednesday, citing his early and steadfast opposition to the Iraq war.
He also said Tuesday night that as president he would push China to keep a tighter rein on North Korean strongman Kim-Jong Il.
'We have to be very vigilant on North Korea. We cannot let this guy go much further, and China should handle that problem,' he declared.
'China can handle that problem very easily. They say they can't, but they're toying with us.'
NO DEADBEATS: Trump has insisted that if he wins the White House NATO will be reformed beginning with demanding back payments from free-rider countries
The billionaire businessman promises to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States and to build a wall to block off Mexico.
His policies are popular with many voters who want change, but foreign policy elites are concerned.
Driving much of Trump's rhetoric is what he feels is the need to ease the U.S. financial burden overseas, focus more on nation-building at home and make sure American companies pay a price for outsourcing jobs to countries where labor is cheaper.
Obama has for years urged Europeans to bolster their defense spending to help NATO, but unlike Trump has never said the alliance needs to be reconfigured.
Trump has mocked the use of teleprompters throughout his campaign as an Obama-esque affectation that's out of step with his sense of authenticity.
Los Angeles police have identified the body of a woman found stabbed 150 times in 1969 near the site of the Manson family killings as a 19-year-old from Montreal.
Police have identified the woman as Reet Jurvetson, who moved to Los Angeles from Montreal the year she was killed, according to People.
Los Angeles police Detective Luis Rivera told the magazine that investigators can't rule out that the Manson family was involved in the killing.
He said the best lead police have is a man known as 'John', whom Jurvetson met in Toronto before flying to Los Angeles to see him in the summer of 1969.
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Los Angeles police have identified the body of a woman found stabbed 150 times in 1969 near the site of the Manson family killings as 19-year-old Reet Jurvetson (pictured), of Montreal. Police said they used DNA to identify Jurvetson after her sister, Anne, recognized a photo posted of the young woman's body online (right)
Jurvetson's body was found November 16, 1969, by a birdwatcher in dense brush off Mulholland Drive. She had been stabbed 150 times and didn't have identification.
'It was personal,' Rivera told People. 'It was a maniac... or love gone wrong.'
After going unidentified for years, Jurvetson eventually became known Jane Doe No. 59.
The location and timing of her killing, just a few miles away from several Manson family murders, has long fueled speculation that Jurvetson's case was connected.
Police are working to solve the murder, with Rivera saying, 'No one deserves what happened to her'.
'It's our job to find out who's responsible and bring them to justice,' he said.
'Manson claims there are other victims,' retired LAPD detective Cliff Shepard, who reopened the case in 2003, told People. 'She could have been someone who was at Spahn Ranch.'
Rivera and his partner, detective Veronica Conrado, interviewed Manson at Cocoran State Prison in October to see if he recognized Reet Jurvetson's photo.
Los Angeles police said that investigators can't rule out that the Manson family was involved in the killing. Pictured above is Charles Manson in 1070
Police interviewed Manson at Cocoran State Prison in October to see if he recognized Reet Jurvetson's photo, but they said 'no new leads were learned'. Pictured left is a 1969 photo of Mason and right is Manson in 2009
'No new leads were learned,' he said, added that the police force 'can't rule out that the Manson family was involved'.
Police said they used DNA to identify Jurvetson after her sister recognized a photo posted of the young woman's body online.
The sister, Anne Jurvetson, told People that the 'free-spirited and happy' teen who had a 'taste for adventure and freedom' went to Los Angeles after meeting and becoming smitten with 'John'.
Anne Jurvetson said her sister sent her family a postcard saying she had found an apartment and was happy but that they never heard from her again after that. Her parents never reported her missing.
'As incredible as it seems, my parents never thought to report Reet missing to the police,' her sister Anne Jurvetson wrote in a family statement. 'They thought that she was just living her life somewhere and that eventually news from her would turn up.'
Eventually, she said she came to realize that her sister was probably dead.
THE MANSON FAMILY'S CHILLING MURDERS IN THE SUMMER OF 1969 Victim: Sharon Tate, the pregnant wife of Roman Polanski (both pictured), was stabbed 16 times by members of the Manson Family in August 1969 Manson and his 'Family' became some of the 20th century's most infamous criminals in the summer of 1969, when he directed his mostly young, female followers to murder seven people in what prosecutors said was part of a plan to incite a race war between whites and blacks. In July 1969, the Manson family planned to rob musician Gary Hinman, a friend, but killed him after holding him two days because he said he didn't have money. Manson follower Bruce Davis held Hinman at gunpoint while Manson sliced his face open with a sword. A month later, Davis stabbed stuntman Donald 'Shorty' Shea, who worked at Spahn Ranch where the family lived. His body was found buried on the property years later Also among the victims was actress Sharon Tate, the pregnant wife of filmmaker Roman Polanski. She was stabbed 16 times by members of the cult in the early morning hours of August 9, 1969. Four other people were also stabbed or shot to death at Tate's home that night by the Manson followers, who scrawled the word 'Pig' in blood on the front door before leaving. The following night, Manson's group stabbed Leno and Rosemary LaBianca to death, using their blood to write 'Rise,' 'Death to Pigs' and 'Healter Skelter' - a misspelled reference to the Beatles song 'Helter Skelter' - on the walls and refrigerator door. During the killings, follower Leslie Van Houten held a pillow over Rosemary LaBianca's face as the Manson murderers stabbed her and her husband, Leno, to death before carving the word 'WAR' in his stomach. Advertisement
'Although our family continuously hoped that one day Reet would return home, I eventually came to the conclusion that she had probably passed away,' Anne wrote.
'It is such a sad, helpless kind of feeling to always question, to never know,' she added. 'After all these years, we are faced with hard facts. My little sister was savagely killed.'
Manson became notorious in 1969 as the leader of a 'family' of young killers that terrified Los Angeles.
In July 1969, the Manson family planned to rob musician Gary Hinman, a friend, but killed him after holding him two days because he said he didn't have money.
Manson follower Bruce Davis held Hinman at gunpoint while Manson sliced his face open with a sword.
A month later, Davis stabbed stuntman Donald 'Shorty' Shea, who worked at Spahn Ranch where the family lived. His body was found buried on the property years later.
Actress Sharon Tate was stabbed 16 times by members of the cult in the early morning hours of August 9, 1969 at the Benedict Canyon estate, sheltered in the hills of Los Angeles. She was eight and a half months pregnant.
Tate, the actress wife of Roman Polanski, was killed alongside three of her friends at her home above Beverly Hills.
Spahn Ranch, where the Manson Family lived, was less than 30 miles from locations of the Tate and LaBianca killings as well as where Jane Doe No. 59 was found
Manson and his followers lived at the Spahn Ranch in Los Angeles from mid 1968 until their arrest in October 1969
Sharon Tate and four others were shot or stabbed to death and her Benedict Canyon estate, sheltered in the hills of Los Angeles on Cielo Drive
Three of the victims killed alongside Tate at her estate (pictured) were her friends, while a fourth man who was shot had driven to the property to see if caretaker William Garreston wanted to buy his AM/FM Clock radio and had stayed on for a beer at the guest house
Stephen Parent was a fifth victim that night - he had driven to the property to see if caretaker William Garreston wanted to buy his AM/FM Clock radio and had stayed on for a beer at the guest house.
He was shot multiple times when he wound down the window at the electric gate as he left.
The following night, Manson's group stabbed Leno and Rosemary LaBianca to death, using their blood to write 'Rise,' 'Death to Pigs' and 'Helter Skelter' - a misspelled reference to the Beatles song - on the walls and refrigerator door.
Suitable candidate: Leslie Van Houten (pictured in 2015) was recommended for parole earlier this month after undergoing counselling
The killings were the start of what Manson believed was a coming race war. He dubbed it 'Helter Skelter' after a Beatles song.
During the killings, follower Leslie Van Houten held a pillow over Rosemary LaBianca's face as the Manson murderers stabbed her and her husband, Leno, to death before carving the word 'WAR' in his stomach.
Leslie Van Houten, a former homecoming queen who became a follower of Manson and confessed to helping murder Leno La Bianca and his wife Rosemary in 1969, was recommended for parole earlier this month after undergoing counselling.
Van Houten, the youngest member of the Manson cult, was deemed 'suitable for parole' by a two-person review board at the California Institution for Women in Chino.
Luis Patino, spokesman for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said she had taken 'self-help programs, classes and counselling' and provided an 'insight why she committed the crimes.'
Van Houten, who was briefly released from jail on bond during her retrial in 1978 and even attended the Oscars that year, denounced Mansion and his teachings soon after she was first convicted of murder.
Manson, 81, and other followers involved in the killings are still jailed.
Patricia Krenwinkel and Charles 'Tex' Watson have each been denied parole multiple times, while fellow defendant Susan Atkins died in prison in 2009.
Former Manson follower Davis was approved for parole but Gov Jerry Brown blocked his release in 2014, citing the gravity of his offenses and his refusal to fully accept responsibility for his role in the murders of a stunt man and a musician.
Davis was not involved in the Tate-La Bianca murders.
A finance boss stole more than 150,000 from his client's pension funds before spending it on IVF treatment for twin boys after struggling to have children with his wife for 10 years.
Adrian Galliers, 50, a director of Guernsey Financial Consultants Ltd, systematically defrauded clients who trusted him as a friend after becoming desperate for cash to fund he and wife Carol's IVF treatment.
A court heard how three of his victims were 'long-term friends who trusted him implicitly' and that he turned to crime after becoming depressed over the struggle to conceive.
Adrian Galliers, pictured right, from Guernsey, was jailed for three years after he stole more than 150,000 from his clients to fund IVF treatment for his wife Carole, left, who went on to have twins who are now four
Adrian Galliers, 50 (pictured outside court), a director of Guernsey Financial Consultants Ltd, systematically defrauded clients after becoming desperate for cash to fund his IVF treatment
Galliers is now the father of four-year-old twins but has been torn away from his young family after being sent to prison for three years for abusing his position as a company boss.
Guernsey Royal Court heard the huge expense of paying for IVF treatment prompted Galliers to commit the fraud, and was told how one of his victims had known him for around 20 years.
Sam Maindonald, mitigating, said the offences were out of character and her client could not explain why he had done it.
He had started to suffer from depression, she said, and was unable to motivate himself at work.
She said this was coupled with the cost of paying for IVF treatment as he and his wife struggled to conceive for 10 years.
She said: 'The couple were involved in expensive IVF treatment having failed to have children for 10 years.
'The offences were carried out over a four-and-a-half year period of time. The money was used to fund IVF treatment.
'He always intended to pay the money back but it spiralled out of control.'
The court heard that Galliers was a director and sole signatory to a number of Rats (Retirement Annuity Trust Schemes).
He was working for Guernsey Financial Consultants Ltd when he fraudulently transferred a total of 157,150 from the funds.
Galliers, of Guernsey, was jailed for three years afer pleading guilty to 10 counts of abusing his position
Some 136,550 went to his own account while the rest was taken from one fund to help pay off some of what he owed to another.
Police arrested him last October and he gave open interviews with officers saying he had moved money from Rats schemes.
Galliers, of Guernsey, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of abusing his position as a trustee from April 2010 to November 2014.
Judge Russell Finch told him his crimes were 'wholly despicable'.
He said: 'When all is said, this is no excuse for this type of activity. In effect, you stole their retirement monies.
'We will do all we can to ensure your victims are repaid.'
The court heard Galliers had been supported by his family and had paid 28,000 back before he was arrested.
She said his life would now change and while he accepted it was due to his stupidity, his wife and children would have to cope on their own until he was released from prison.
His business, Guernsey Financial Consultants Ltd, has since gone into liquidation after a compulsory winding up order was issued by the Royal Court on April 5.
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An irate farmer sprayed raw sewage at Oscar winning star Emma Thompson and her sister Sophie after they flouted a court injunction protecting a fracking site.
The stars were filming a Great British Bake Off parody for Greenpeace when the owner of the field they trespassed on drove his muck spreader in circles around the demonstrators.
A group of protesters were hit by the manure but the actresses remained dry in their tent, complete with Bake Off-inspired bunting.
Police were also called and also spoke to the actresses, who climbed over a gate and set up camp on land earmarked for gas exploration in Fylde, Lancashire.
Emma and Sophie, who won Celebrity Masterchef, filmed a pastiche episode of the Great British Bake Off called Frack Free Bake Off to voice their opposition to the fracking plans.
Angry: An irate farmer sprayed muck at Emma Thompson and her Greenpeace friends after they trespassed on land earmarked for fracking
Lucky: The actress, pictured, was baking as the angry land owner circled her tent firing raw sewage in her direction
But this afternoon the landowner, who leases the contested patch of land to fracking company Cuadrilla, drove his muck spreader in circles around the demonstrating group.
After a couple of circles around the group, who were shouting for him to stop it, the farmer drove off.
Protesters are banned from the site, near Preston, after company Cuadrilla applied for an injunction in 2014. It is not clear if the fracking company will now take civil action - but it appears unlikely.
The sisters, who are also Greenpeace supporters, baked a wind turbine cake and a solar lemon cake in a white marquee complete with vintage utensils and bunting.
Soon afterwards at least five police officers arrived - Lancashire Police said they were there for safety reasons and made no arrests.
Explaining the stunt Emma Thompson said: 'My sister has won Celebrity Masterchef and is viciously competitive. She might have planned to do away with me while we are doing this.
'I have a feeling she's been up all night practising and I haven't been because I'm lazy.'
She added she does not fancy her chances in the competition, saying: 'I'm not a good baker, I don't have a great deal of skill so I'm fairly sure it won't go in my favour but we are all winning because we are protesting these fracking plans.'
Splashed: A Greenpeace protester turns as they are splashed with slurry - while another campaigner holds up their hands
Dirty protest: After a couple of circles around the group, who were shouting for him to stop it, the landowner drove off
Police interview: Earlier officers spoke to Emma Thompson who today carried out a Great British Bake Off stunt on Lancashire land set aside for fracking
Court order: Emma and Sophie Thompson scale a gate next to a sign showing that they have breached an injunction by entering the site near Fylde
She continued: 'I've been aware of this issue for a while with my work with Greenpeace and it came to a head for me when David Cameron went to the Paris Climate Conference and signed on to the protocol and then on the sly at Christmas, when nobody was looking, gave the nod to 200 fracking sites in Britain.
'It proved to me our Government is saying one thing and doing the opposite.'
The sisters' efforts will be judged by cake shop owner Kate Styles, from near Blackpool.
The local community will be able to taste the cakes at a tea party after filming and people can cast their votes on Twitter to persuade the judge to pick their favourite.
Ms Styles said: 'We are angry that we won't get the final say over whether there is fracking in our community or not.
'Local residents and their councillors have played by the rules of our planning and democratic process in rejecting Cuadrilla's drilling plan.
'The Government didn't like the outcome and appointed itself as the ultimate judge.
'It doesn't seem right that the only decision we will get to make is which is the best cake made on the site where Cuadrilla want to frack.
'But we are thrilled that Emma and Sophie Thompson have come here to support us.'
Cuadrilla's application to drill on the site was rejected by Lancashire County Council last year amid strong public opposition and was appealed by the company.
Communities and Local Government Secretary Greg Clark has announced he will have the final say on the application, with his decision expected in coming months.
In trouble: The star looked serious as police spoke to her today - she could face civil action for trespassing on private land
Stunt: The Thompson sisters baked cakes in a Bake Off style tent as part of their support of Greenpeace and their opposition to fracking
Famous: The actress was there to film a pastiche episode of the Great British Bake Off called Frack Free Bake Off
Sophie Thompson said: 'There's nothing like food to bring people together, and nothing like fracking to pull them apart.
'For years, to oppose fracking, this community has played by the rules of our democracy.
'Yet the Government has rigged the competition undemocratically to favour the fracking industry.
'If our Government energy policy were a cake, it would probably be a crossover between a crumble and an Eton mess.'
The government backs fracking and developing shale oil and gas in the UK, claiming it has the potential to: 'provide the UK with greater energy security, growth and jobs.'
In 2014, Prime Minister David Cameron described fracking - short for hydraulic fracturing' - as 'good for our country'.
In January, a leaked Governmental 10-page plan set out a timeline for the expansion of the shale gas industry in Britain.
It could see wells classified as 'nationally significant infrastructures' - meaning drilling permission is taken away from councils.
Friends of the Earth, which obtained the leaked letter, branded the proposed changes 'an attack on democracy'.
Greenpeace's Hannah Martin said: 'We don't need fracked gas to keep Britain baking.
'We need renewable energy, like wind and solar. We are fighting for this land to remain frack free.'
A police spokesman added: 'We were this morning made aware of a protest on land at Plumpton Hall Farm at Little Plumpton.
'A local neighbourhood patrol attended and spoke to a representative of the protestors to establish their intentions.
'It was not felt necessary or proportionate to maintain a police presence at the site but resources are available to attend again if necessary.'
Sonata Sliuzaite, 38, (pictured) of Romford, east London, was caught foraging for mushrooms in Epping Forest in September last year but claimed she did not know she was committing an offence
A Lithuanian nurse has been prosecuted and fined for foraging three bags of wild mushrooms from a wood despite claiming hunting for the fungi is a childhood pastime in her home country.
Sonata Sliuzaite, 38, of Romford, east London, was caught foraging for mushrooms in Epping Forest in September last year but claimed she did not know she was committing an offence.
Forest bylaws prohibit taking anything from the woodland except small pieces of dead wood without the consent of authorities.
In the last five years alone 80 people have received police warnings and two were prosecuted for the offence in London's Royal Parks.
Chelmsford Magistrates' Court heard Sliuzaite was confronted by forest keeper Glen Mulleady who is employed by the City of London Corporation, which manages the 6,118-acre forest, on September 21 last year.
She told him that picking mushrooms was allowed in her home country of Lithuania and that it was common for 'children to go foraging for mushrooms with their parents'.
When Sliuzaite's rucksack was searched it was found to contain three carrier bags full of fungi - but she claimed she was planning on cooking them at home and said she was not going to sell them to restaurants.
With the rising trend for 'foraged food', top restaurants regularly pay up to 50-per-kilo for wild mushrooms - and 1,600 varieties of the fungi grow in Epping Forest.
In recent years forest keepers have taken to stopping and searching walkers in a bid to snare foragers.
Signs in the protected areas of the forest, which gets nearly five million visitors a year, warn that mushroom picking is illegal and that bylaws prohibit anything being taken from the woodland.
Stripping mushrooms from ancient trees, some of which are nearly 1,000 years old, can harm them as the fungi help protect the roots.
Chelmsford Magistrates' Court heard Sliuzaite was confronted by forest warden who is employed by the City of London Corporation, which manages the 6,118-acre Epping Forest (pictured) on September 21 last year
The court was handed a letter from Sliuzaite which stated that she did not know it was illegal to pick mushrooms. She also claimed she did not see any signs warning her that it was not allowed.
The letter stated that 'children in Lithuania commonly go foraging with their parents', adding: 'I didn't know I was doing anything wrong.
'We were going to eat them ourselves. I now have a criminal record for an innocent mistake.'
FOREST KEEPERS USING STOP AND SEARCH POWERS By-laws prohibit taking anything from forests without the consent of the authorities responsible for managing it. Forest keepers are attested constables, and so are using Police and Criminal Evidence Act legislation, which allows them to stop and search anyone who they suspect is carrying anything illegal. The Epping Forest Act 1878, which passed control of the forest from the Royal family to the City of London Corporation, also allows forest keepers to stop and detain anyone they suspect of breaching by-laws. Advertisement
Sliuzaite pleaded guilty to breaking a bylaw by removing the fungi and was fined 80 and ordered to pay court costs of 284.
Epping Forest, which is around 6,000 years old, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and used to be a Royal hunting ground before it was passed to the City of London corporation in 1878.
Paul Thomson, the City of London Corporation's forest superintendent, said: 'The large-scale commercial and personal foraging of fungi from London's heavily visited green spaces is now unsustainable.
'Epping Forest has 55,000 ancient trees, each centuries old, and like many plants they have a mutually beneficial relationship with fungi, which cover the roots and exchange minerals in return for nutrients.
'One of our roles is to protect the ecology of Epping Forest. Concentrated foraging of fungi is disadvantaging our trees and microhabitats, depriving deer and other woodland species of food, and reducing the chances of fungi reproduction and survival.
'On such a large scale foraging is spoiling the experience of visitors wishing to explore the forest in its natural state.
'Fungi are there to be enjoyed by everybody for their beauty and variety, not picked indiscriminately, en masse, for personal consumption or for commercial exploitation.'
the Theft Act 1968 makes it illegal to pick wild mushrooms for commercial gain by selling them to restaurants
In 2010, top chef Rene Redzepi, who runs the two-Michelin starred restaurant Noma in Copenhagen, was accused of breaking the law after taking a troop of other chefs on a mushroom hunt on Hampstead Heath in north London.
The chef organised the foraging trip to the famous 800-acre park before the launch of his new cookbook in November 2010, scouring the heath with other chefs for prize mushrooms to add to their dishes.
Bosses at The Heath and Hampstead Society said the stunt was against the law, saying that the Theft Act 1968 makes it illegal to pick wild mushrooms for commercial gain.
In October the National Trust said it will no longer allow foragers to pick mushrooms in five areas of the northern commons after declaring it impossible to police the amounts taken.
Currently it is legal to take 1.5kg of mushrooms per person per day from the New Forest National Park provided it is for personal use.
Jessica Alba's Honest Co. has been hit with a new lawsuit over claims that its infant baby formula is not in fact organic
The Honest Co. has been accused of being not-so-honest yet again.
The company co-founded by actress Jessica Alba - which brands itself as a safer alternative to household products - is facing a new lawsuit over claims the company's organic infant formula includes synthetic ingredients.
This comes just a little more than a month after the company had to defend itself against reports that its laundry detergent uses a skin irritant that they promised not to use in their products.
The company is also facing a class action lawsuit from customers who say the company's sunscreen failed to protect them, causing sunburn.
The latest hit at the company comes from the Organic Consumers Association, which filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court, saying that Honest Co.'s Organic Infant Formula contains 11 'synthetic ingredients not allowed in organic food by federal law' and that therefore 'is in fact not organic'.
The suit, obtained by the New York Post, reads: 'Of the 40 ingredients . . . more than a quarter are synthetic substances that are not allowed in organic products . . . some . . . are federally regulated as hazardous compounds. At least one of these ingredients is irradiated . . . some have not been assessed as safe for human foods, much less for infant formulas.'
Among the ingredients the OCA takes issue with are sodium selenite, an 'extremely hazardous and toxic synthetic compound'; cholecalciferol, 'an irradiated substance'; and calcium pantothenate, a product 'produced from formaldehyde'.
The Organic Consumers Association has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court, saying that Honest Co.'s Organic Infant Formula contains 11 'synthetic ingredients not allowed in organic food by federal law'
The lawsuit comes just a month after the Wall Street Journal published a report that it found sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in the company's detergent, an ingredient that causes skin irritation that the company had specifically pledged not to use in its products.
The company hit back at the report, saying that it does not use SLS in its products but a similar ingredient called sodium coco sulfate, which they say is a 'gentler alternative'.
The company said it conducted 'rigorous testing' and said the Journal's article is wrong and 'reckless.'
'I am extremely disappointed by the recent Wall Street Journal article full of misrepresentations,' Alba said in a blog post last month.
The Journal responded by saying its report 'is accurate, fair and meets' its standards.
Privately-held Honest Co., based in Los Angeles, sells its products online and at discount retailer Target, grocery chain Whole Foods and other major stores around the country.
Malcolm Turnbull has confessed that he convinced a vicar to allow him to marry his wife in an Anglican Church by saying they were 'sorely tempted' and that the union would prevent 'fornication'.
The Prime Minister was surprisingly candid when he told the story of how he married his wife Lucy in a beautiful old church in a small village just outside Oxford in the UK.
He told 97.3FM radio that the vicar initially denied the young couple's request to marry in church in his church because neither of them were of the Anglican faith.
But Mr Turnbull, then a 25-year-old student, argued that the vicar's role was similar to that of a public servant because one of his jobs was to 'prevent fornication in this parish'.
Malcolm Turnbull has confessed that he convinced a vicar to allow him to marry his wife Lucy (pictured) in an Anglican Church by saying they were 'sorely tempted' and that the union would prevent 'fornication'
'He said: 'Get out of here, what are you talking about, you're not part of my flock go to the registry office',' Mr Turnbull said.
'We said 'we really want to get married here'...I said: 'And the Church of England is an established Church in the United Kingdom'. 'Yes' he said. So I said: 'You are kind of like a public servant'.
'He said 'yes'. I said: 'Well one of your jobs is to prevent fornication in this Parish. And he said 'yeah'.
'I said 'well look', Ms Hughes and I are not making any admissions but we are young and in excellent health and sorely tempted.'
'If you marry us you will eliminate the risk of fornication in the cottage where we are living down the road. And he thought that was so funny that he said 'done'. And we got married.'
He later said that marrying Mrs Turnbull was 'the best call I ever made bar none.'
The Prime Minister was surprisingly candid when he told the story of how he married his wife Lucy in a beautiful old church in a small village just outside Oxford in the UK
Mr Turnbull, then a 25-year-old student, argued that the vicar's role was similar to that of a public servant because one of his jobs was to 'prevent fornication in this parish'
In the interview he also admitted that he bought his wife an expensive Cartier watch for her birthday last month.
'It was just a new watch a new Cartier watch actually,' he said.
It came just hours after a car-crash interview on ABC's 7.30 which saw the Prime Minister stumble his way through questions about his election policies - including negative gearing.
He became flustered when asked by Leigh Sales to explain the modelling behind the policy.
When asked what evidence he had to support his claims that Labor's police would 'take a sledgehammer' to property prices, the prime minister said it was a 'matter of common sense'.
'Around a third of the buyers for residential property currently are investors. What Labor is proposing will take all or almost all of them out of the market.
'If you take a third of the buyers out of the market, prices, values will fall. That's common sense,' he said.
Kaysen Latham will likely never get on a roller coaster again - and after seeing this video, it's not hard to see why.
The six-year-old from Texas had a terrifying experience during a ride at Wonderland amusement park in Amarillo, after his seat belt suddenly released while the roller coaster was only halfway through.
Kaysen's father, Delbert Latham, took his son on the 'Mouse Trap' and recorded the moment on his cell phone, not knowing what was about to transpire.
As seen in the video, a smiling Kaysen excitedly approaches a big dip on the roller coaster, only for his face to turn to horror as he slips from his seat.
Before: In a video taken by his father, Kaysen is seen smiling and excited while on the roller coaster, seconds before his seat belt just suddenly released
Terror: This is the moment Kaysen's belt comes loose during a big dip on the roller coaster, causing him to slide down the seat to the floor (right)
Dad to the rescue: Mr Latham is seen in the video quickly picking his son up and holding him in his place for the remainder of the ride
Kaysen can be seen falling to the floor of the cart in the footage, as his father scrambles to pick him up.
'My seatbelt!' Kaysen can be heard saying.
Mr Latham then puts his arm around his son, firmly holding him in place, while saying: 'I got you. You're fine, I promise. I got you.'
Kaysen quietly says 'help', while his father reassures him everything is fine.
The video rolls a few more seconds before stopping.
Mr Latham posted the clip to his Facebook this week, garnering over 150,000 views, and later explained how he didn't realize he had recorded what happened.
'As we were going down, it threw him into the bottom of the cart and that's when you see me reach over to grab him and honestly when all of that started to happen, I didn't even realize I was video-ing it anymore,' Mr Latham told KFDA.
'I had to grab him and pull him back up and hold him for the rest of the ride': Mr Latham explained what happened afterwards in a post on Facebook, which has since gone viral
Latham said that he told the ride operator what had happened, and that the attendant admitted that he had heard of such malfunctions happening before.
'That made me more angry obviously. I told him that's not acceptable to know that something is messing up and still let people on a ride,' Latham said.
Wonderland has since released a statement about the incident, acknowledging what happened, and said that the cart that Mr Latham and Kaysen were in was removed from the ride.
'Wonderland Amusement Park has taken great strides over the past 65 years to ensure the safety of our visitors at all times, therefore we were extremely concerned to hear about the experience of Mr. Latham and his six-year-old son over the weekend,' the statement said.
'The seatbelt in the last car on the Mouse Trap roller coaster reportedly came loose creating a very scary situation for the family. Mr. Latham immediately informed the ride operator, found a member of management and reached out through a private social media message.
The amusement park in Amarillo, Texas, released a statement after the incident involving their roller coast, the Mouse Trap (pictured), saying the cart involved was removed from the ride and has since been fixed
The statement continued: 'We appreciate his diligence in quickly bringing this to our attention. Wonderland immediately reached back out to Mr. Latham the evening it happened and promptly removed the back cart from the ride and ensured all other seatbelts were in proper working order.
'The Mouse Trap was back in full operation on Saturday. This particular ride was originally built without seatbelts, but Wonderland later added belts as an extra safety measure.
'The Park's Safety and Maintenance Team is tasked with conducting daily inspections on every Park ride to ensure the safety of Park goers.'
Mr Latham said that Kaysen was not hurt and that he was not interested in suing, but is glad that some attention has been brought to the issue.
Viral: The Facebook video posted by Delbert Latham has amassed over 150,000 views
Mr Latham's original Facebook post explains how the ride operator reacted afterwards.
'Scary moment for the Latham family tonight at #Wonderland our seatbelt came apart on the mousetrap and Kaysen slid to the bottom of the floor board and I had to grab him and pull him back up and hold him for the rest of the ride,' the post said.
It continued: 'What makes it worse is when I told the guy at the end of the ride he stated that he knew that had happened sometimes!! Really it's already happens and you continue to let people ride??!! And after this they continued to let people ride they just didn't let anyone in the back seat! Please feel free to share and let people know how this place is being ran(sic)!'
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Migrants hurled rocks at police and set rubbish ablaze as a riot broke out in a detention centre on the Greek Island of Lesbos.
Inmates also tore down fences, banged metal objects and shouted 'freedom and 'open the borders' amid claims they briefly took control of the camp yesterday.
Riot police fired tear gas as they fought to suppress the trouble, injuring several of those held in the Moria Camp.
Aid workers said tensions had been building in the centre for days following the recent deal to send all new arrivals to Lesbos back to Turkey.
Heated protest: Migrants hurled rocks at police and set rubbish ablaze as a riot broke out at a holding centre on the Greek island of Lesbos
Up in arms: Tensions had been building in the centre for days following the recent deal to send all new arrivals to Lesbos back to Turkey
Migrants show an injury to one of the refugees which they claim was caused when riot police fired tear gas to break up the protests
Trouble flared during a visit by the Dutch and Greek migration ministers, Klaas Dijkhoff and Yiannis Mouzalas after rumours spread that police had struck a child.
Journalist Daphne Tolis, who is based on the island, tweeted: 'The protest began because the police hit the child in the minor section, according to a refugee inside (the camp).'
Migrants shouted abuse and hurled plastic water bottles at Mr Mouzalas, according to local reports.
As the riot engulfed the camp, younger detainees set alight rubbish bins which sent plumes of smoke billowed from the compound in a village outside the island's capital.
Crackdown: Riot police line up outside the camp. Trouble flared during a visit by the Dutch and Greek migration ministers, Klaas Dijkhoff and Yiannis Mouzalas after rumours spread that police had struck a child
More than 4,000 refugees and migrants, including women and children, are kept in the camp, which is guarded by Greek police and soldiers
NGOs and officials were evacuated from the razor topped compound as police battled to retain control of it.
More than 4,000 refugees and migrants, including women and children, are kept in the camp, which is guarded by Greek police and soldiers.
The riot broke out after ferries deported migrants from Lesbos, Kos, Chios to the Turkish port towns of Gulluk, Cesme and Dikili.
According to the deal, Turkey is to take back migrants who reached Greece after March 20.
For every Syrian returned, Europe has pledged to take a Syrian refugee directly from Turkey to be resettled in an EU country.
As the riot engulfed the camp, younger detainees set alight rubbish bins which sent plumes of smoke billowed from the compound
Riot police fired tear gas as they fought to suppress the trouble, injuring several of those held in the Moria Camp
Riots broke out at the Moria migrant camp during the visit by the Dutch and Greek migration ministers, Klaas Dijkhoff and Yiannis Mouzalas
The Moria camp was converted into a closed detention centre after the EU-Turkey deal was announced.
The group of 49 migrants from Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and Myanmar, was the third wave of migrants to be returned to Turkey but represents just a fraction of those who are held on the island.
Queen Rania of Jordan visited refugees and migrants on Lesbos on Monday, following in the footsteps of Pope Francis, who flew to the island for a one-day visit on April 16.
She said many refugees had 'seen unspeakable horror and experienced unthinkable tragedy', adding: 'It is impossible to really understand the magnitude of the crisis until you come face to face with it.'
The pontiff took 12 Syrian refugees, who were living at another open-air camp on Lesbos back to Rome on his aircraft after his visit.
Penned in: NGOs and officials were evacuated from the razor topped compound as police battled to retain control of it
A University of Vermont student had a blood-alcohol level that was nearly three times the adult legal limit for driving when he crashed a car and killed his childhood friend, prosecutors said.
Joseph Castano, 20, arrived for his arraignment at Salem District Court on Tuesday wearing a neck brace and with his arm in a sling.
He was released on $25,000 bail after pleading not guilty to motor vehicle homicide by negligence, possession of liquor by an underaged person, a marked lanes violation and speeding, according to the Boston Herald.
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Joseph Castano (pictured arriving at court with his parents) had a blood-alcohol level that was nearly three times the adult legal limit for driving when he crashed a car and killed his friend, prosecutors said
Craig Sampson (left) died after the crash in Beverly, Massachusetts. Castano (right) was released on $25,000 bail after pleading not guilty to multiple charges, including motor vehicle homicide by negligence
Castano, of Williston, Vermont, was visiting his friend Craig Sampson, a sophomore at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts, at the weekend.
He crashed his fathers BMW into a telephone pole on Hale Street near the college at around 12.15am on Saturday. Sampson, 19, also of Williston, died at the scene.
Castanos gray vehicle was speeding down Hale Street, which has a 30mph speed limit, at 40mph and swerved across the center line before breaking through a fence near Endicott Colleges entrance, the Herald reports, and hitting the pole.
His blood alcohol level was 0.22 per cent and he was showing signs of acute alcohol intoxication, with delirium, a police report said.
The legal limit for driving for someone under 21 is 0.02 per cent. The limit is 0.08 per cent for someone over 21.
Police also found a backpack inside the car containing a nearly empty bottle of apple-flavored vodka and a small amount of marijuana.
Friends gathered to pay tribute to Sampson, a 19-year-old who was a sophomore at Endicott Collge
Video courtesy: Conner Grant
Castano was taken to Lahey Hospital in Burlington after the crash, CBS Boston reports, and treated for a broken neck and concussion.
His lawyer Randy Chapman said he is devastated by the death of his childhood best friend.
He is devastated by what has happened, Chapman said.
Craig was somebody who was very, very close to [the Castano family], he told the news station. They considered him almost like a son.
Castano was allowed to return to his home in Vermont on bail, on the condition that he does not drive, remains sober and has no contact with the family of the victim.
His next court hearing is scheduled for June 7.
A substitute teacher has claimed she was fired for saying the word 'vagina' 10 times during an eighth grade art lesson.
Allison Wint was teaching an art class at Harper Creek Middle School in Battle Creek, Michigan, on Thursday when she used the word while discussing a set of paintings that look like the female anatomy.
Ms Wint, 24, claims she used the word around 10 times during the class on the work of Georgia O'Keeffe, whose work has been described by some as erotic.
Substitute teacher Allison Wint (left and right) claims she was fired for saying the word 'vagina' 10 times during an eighth grade art lesson
The teacher told the Detroit Free Press that she remembers saying: 'Imagine walking into a gallery when she was first showing her pieces, and thinking, "Am I actually seeing vaginas here, am I a pervert? I'm either a pervert or this woman was a pervert".'
Ms Wint said the class of around 25 eighth graders laughed when she used the term but that the lesson went by without any problems.
'It was never in a vulgar capacity,' she said.
'I thought if I used a euphemism, that would make it into a joke. And I don't think that's a word you should be afraid of.
'Being afraid of the word creates an aura of shame around the body part,' Ms Wint added.
Principal Kim Thayer told Ms Wint the next day that she used the word 'vagina without previous approval' and that she had breached school policy on sex education.
Ms Wint claims she used during the class on the work of Georgia O'Keeffe (left and right), whose work has been described by some as erotic
Ms Wint claims Harper Creek Middle School sacked her for saying the word 'vagina' during the art class
'I did not know about this policy, they were entirely within their right to remove me, however I was not aware of this policy beforehand,' the teacher told WWMT.
'If I had known about this policy, I would have never done it without approval.'
The substitute teacher was asked to collect her things and leave within an hour.
'[Ms Thayer] said there are a thousand other ways to teach controversy, and that it was inappropriate,' Ms Wint said.
'I was really invested in those kids and I miss them a lot,' she added.
The teacher said the only time she has been warned before was when she hung up a sign made by one of her students, which read: 'Marriage is about love, not gender.' The principal told her to take the sign down.
Ms Wint said she had been teaching at the school since January and her LinkedIn page suggests she has been teaching at schools in Detroit since 2014.
A 20-year-old who is on the run after he allegedly killed another man outside a casino has updated his Facebook profile claiming he acted in self defense.
Jared Jerome Stone is wanted for first degree murder after Baptiste Paul WhiteEyes, 27, was shot in the head outside Lucky Lady Casino in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Friday night.
Stone fled the scene with 26-year-old Lachara Bordeaux, who claimed he held her at gunpoint, and drove 80 miles away to Le Mars, Iowa, where she managed to escape outside at a truck stop, police said.
Authorities are still on the hunt for Stone, who updated his Facebook page on Tuesday night writing, 'Sorry to all of you...If anything it's self defense f**k all of you who doubt me', the Argus Leader reported.
Jared Jerome Stone, 20, (pictured in surveillance video at Lucky Lady Casino) is on the run after allegedly shooting Baptiste Paul WhiteEyes in the head in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Friday night
WhiteEyes (left) had children with Stone's girlfriend, family told police. Stone then fled the casino with 26-year-old Lachara Bordeaux (right), who later notified the police and said she was being held at gunpoint
The two men got into a fight in the parking lot outside the casino after surveillance video showed them approaching a clerk together, the Argus Leader reported.
According to the local news site, family members told police Stone, a felony drug offender, was dating the mother of WhiteEyes' children.
Stone shot WhiteEyes in the head with a handgun and fired a second time after the victim fell to the ground, according to an arrest warrant cited by KSFY.
Police arrived just before 7pm on Friday and the 27-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
Stone then texted another girlfriend and the mother of his child, 'I jus killed someone I'm sorry,' which she showed the police when they questioned her.
He left the scene with Bordeaux, who police believe was driving the stolen getaway car.
The car was recovered less than two miles away from the casino after midnight on Saturday, KDLT reported.
On Tuesday morning, the 26-year-old woman notified the police at a truck stop 80 miles away in Le Mars, Iowa.
'She had an opportunity to flee from the vehicle and approached a citizen who was able to make a phone call to law enforcement,' said Lieutenant Robert Bendlin.
When authorities showed up, Stone was gone, and Bordeaux was arrested in connection to the shooting.
The getaway car, which police believe was driven by Bordeaux, was found hours later less than two miles away from the casino (left). Four days later, Bordeaux and Stone were in Le Mars, Iowa 80 miles from Sioux Falls (right)
In two Facebook posts made on Tuesday night, the 20-year-old made posts under 'Jay Stone' on Facebook apologizing, claiming it was self defense, and saying he was going to vanish
Bordeaux is held at the Plymouth County Jail in Iowa, and faces extradition to South Dakota where she faces two felony counts of acting as an accessory.
Bordeaux filed a report that she was held against her will at gunpoint and Le Mars Police Lt. Robert Bendlin told KDLT she is considered a victim in Iowa.
Around 9pm Tuesday, Stone made two posts to his Facebook under 'Jay Stone' alluding to the shooting, the Argus Leader reported.
In the first, he wrote: 'I can't change what happened but I'm sorry for the hurt I caused. Everyone know I will defend myself, not run.
'I didn't want to fight over childish reasons. This isn't my fault, I defended myself [and] just because I got a felony on my record don't mean I'm going to give my guns up.
The two men got into a fight in the parking lot outside the casino (pictured) after surveillance video showed them approaching a clerk together. WhiteEyes died at the scene
'About to vanish I love my fam and the real friends...No matter what happens let my baby girl remember the father I was.'
In a second post, he wrote: 'Sorry to all you I know who he was and nobody knows what happened, only me and him...
'He wouldn't stop with the bull**** and if anything it's self defense, f*** all of you who doubt me.'
Police do not think Stone stayed in Le Mars, but have asked residents in the area to take precautions and stay vigilant.
Stone was convicted twice for the possession of methamphetamine. He told a judge in March 2015 he had taken parenting classes and gotten his GED in an effort to have the felony removed from his record, according to the Argus Leader.
Stone is 5'7", 160 pounds and considered armed and dangerous.
US intelligence says China wants the ability to send its weapons through missile defence systems
China has reportedly tested a new hypersonic glide vehicle capable of travelling at up to 7,000mph and designed to deliver nuclear weapons through missile defence shields.
The DF-ZF glider was fixed to a ballistic missile and launched from Wuzhai missile launch centre in central China, it has been reported.
It comes after Russia staged similar tests in Orenburg, near the border with Kazakhstan on Tuesday.
China has reportedly tested a new hypersonic glide vehicle capable of travelling at up to 7,000mph and designed to deliver nuclear weapons through missile defence shields. A military parade is shown in Tiananmen Square last year
Free Beacon cites Pentagon officials as saying China successfully tested a flight of its new high-speed manoeuvring warhead last week.
It was reportedly the seventh test of the glider which was flown at thousands of miles an hour and west by the edge of the atmosphere.
US intelligence chiefs fear China plans to have the capability to send weapons through sophisticated missile defences.
Details of China's DF_ZF programme have been kept under wraps but a defence spokesman did confirm one of its previous hypersonic missile tests in March last year - apparently under the banner of scientific research, Free Beacon reports.
The DF-ZF glider was fixed to a ballistic missile and launched from Wuzhai missile launch centre in central China, it has been reported. File picture
The website says tests have taken place on a number of times in 2014. The congressional U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission is reported to have said the hypersonic glide vehicle program could be deployed by 2020.
Last week Russian state media said the country had tested its own new hypersonic glide vehicle designed to breach missile defences and deliver nuclear warheads beyond enemy lines.
The hypersonic glide vehicle would be able to get past missile defences as they make it impossible to calculate the warhead's ballistic trajectory,
A government-funded news website reported that Russian Strategic Missile Forces's test of the hypersonic cruise vehicle was successful.
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The hotel that inspired the classic TV sitcom Fawlty Towers has been knocked down and reduced to rubble to make way for 36 retirement flats.
Bulldozers have now demolished the Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay, Devon, which was where comedian John Cleese, 76, stayed with the Monty Python team in 1973.
The British star was fascinated with the behaviour of the then-owner Donald Sinclair, who unwittingly became the inspiration for Basil Fawlty.
The hotel that inspired the classic TV sitcom Fawlty Towers (pictured) has been knocked down and reduced to rubble to make way for 36 retirement flats.
Cleese, 76, was fascinated by the behaviour of the owner Donald Sinclair who unwittingly became the inspiration for Basil Fawlty
The Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay, Devon, (pictured) was the inspiration behind the hit TV sitcom Fawlty Towers. It has now been demolished to make way for 36 retirement flats
Cleese then began penning the first Fawlty Towers script with his then-wife Connie Booth and decided he wanted to set the show in the seaside resort.
But the hotel where he stayed and met Mr Sinclair has now been knocked down and is being replaced with retirement flats just 1,000ft from the coast.
Speaking last year about the show, Cleese said: 'I chose Torquay when I was writing Fawlty Towers with Connie because there is something really rather exotic about Torquay, with the palm trees - the English Riviera as Basil referred to it once.'
After meeting the then-owner in 1973, Cleese then began penning the first Fawlty Towers script with his then-wife Connie Booth and decided he wanted to set the show in Torquay
The 41-bedroom three-star hotel ceased trading early this year and Churchill Retirement Living flattened it to convert it into apartments for the elderly
Cleese added: 'There is something comical about dumping this horrendous little English hotel in slightly swell surroundings.'
The 41-bedroom three-star hotel ceased trading early this year and Churchill Retirement Living flattened it to convert it into apartments for the elderly.
Locals said at the time they were sorry to see the demolition of the world-famous hotel.
Mother-of-two Nicola Hearn said: 'Torquay is known around the world because of Fawlty Towers. And it all started with the Gleneagles Hotel.
'It was a local landmark and I knew people that worked there after Mr Sinclair sold it. So it is sad to see it finally demolished - it's the end of an era.'
Fawlty Towers was first broadcast on BBC2 in 1975 and 1979 (pictured). It consisted of two series and 12 episodes
Cleese as Basil Fawlty and his wife Sybil, played by Prunella Scales (left). Cleese pictured right with co-stars Connie Booth, Andrew Sachs and Prunella Scales
Ray Johnson, 57, added: 'I'm a huge fan of Fawlty Towers and am really sad to see the old Gleneagles building go.
'My wife and I would often visit the hotel to meet up with friends for coffee. We used to enjoy looking at the Fawlty Towers memorabilia in the reception area.'
Cleese stayed at the Gleneagles Hotel while filming scenes for Monty Python's Flying Circus.
At the time, the business was owned by Donald and Beatrice Sinclair and the Pythons were reportedly seen by Mr Sinclair as a 'colossal inconvenience' during their visit.
Cleese said: 'We never shot Fawlty Towers in Torbay.
'I came to Torquay with the producer, the child-star John Howard Davis, and the set designer and we visited the Gleneagles Hotel in 1975, when we met the very charming and efficient fellow who bought it from Mr Sinclair, but it was very disappointing not to meet and experience Mr Sinclair.'
This is the heart-warming moment a dog was reunited with his owner after seven months apart - and was unable to contain his sheer delight.
Golden retriever Sandy was born in Mexico, where he was adopted by Maria Maciocia on the San Diego border, before being raised in California.
Maria, who is originally from Scotland, said she named the dog for his golden coat, which reminded her of the beaches in both Hawaii and San Diego.
Golden retriever Sandy was born in Mexico, where he was adopted by Maria Maciocia on the San Diego border
After seven months apart Maria went back to Scotland for a spell and was reunited with her beloved dog
Writing on her Facebook page, she said: 'He's been to hell and back with me. Gave me reason to get out of bed during my darkest moments.'
Maria, who now resides in New York, added she feels indebted to the dog but because of her new living arrangements, and other personal reasons, was unable to give him the home he deserved.
She decided it would be best if Sandy went to live away from her and stay with her parents in Fife, and was heart-broken when she had to leave him behind in the UK and head back to the States.
But seven months down the line and it was time for Maria to go home to Scotland for a spell and be reunited with her beloved golden retriever.
She arranged for the dog to be out of the house when she got there so she could go and hide upstairs to surprise him.
A video showed Sandy entering the house and picking up Maria's scent before fanatically running between rooms to look for her.
Maria, who now resides in New York, said she feels indebted to the dog who has 'been to hell and back with her'
In the clip, the dog can be heard barking with excitement and running around the hallway in circles before heading upstairs and finding Maria
Puppy love: Maria raised Sandy in California before he went to live with her parents in Fife, Scotland
In the clip, the dog can be heard barking with excitement and running around the hallway in circles before heading upstairs.
After looking in a couple of rooms and not having much luck, Sandy arrives at a bedroom and tentatively bows his head when entering.
He then runs around the bed and spots Maria - immediately his tail begins to wag frenetically as he leaps onto the bed and then dives at his owner.
The pair greet each other for around a minute while the dog spins in circles, shakes his whole body and squealing with delight.
The video was posted to Facebook where it received more than 35,000 views.
Writing alongside the clip, Maria said: 'I was reunited with my best friend after seven months. Been through thick and thin with this boy.'
The golden retriever wags his tail frenetically as he leaps onto the bed and then dives at his owner
An unlicensed teenage driver charged with killing his younger brother after flipping a car onto its roof has been granted bail to attend the 13-year-old's funeral.
Stephen Rushby, 13, was killed after the car his brother Jake, 19, was driving rolled over at The Rock near Wagga Wagga, west of Canberra, on April 17.
Rushby appeared via video link in Wagga Local Court on Wednesday and his lawyer David Barron told the court he 'really needs his family' as he has been assaulted twice in jail.
Stephen Rushby, 13, (pictured) was killed after the car his brother Jake, 19, was driving rolled over at The Rock near Wagga Wagga, west of Canberra, on Sunday
'I am instructed two people have attempted to (stab) him with some sort of implement,' Mr Barron said.
Magistrate Erin Kennedy granted Rushby bail with conditions he remain on house arrest until his court appearance on June 8, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Mr Barron said there is no risk Rushby will flee as he wishes to grieve the death of his brother with his immediate family.
'He doesn't want to be anywhere else,' Mr Barron told the court.
Rushby is allowed to be out of his mother's home from 10am and 5pm on Friday for the funeral. He will also be able to leave the house for medical and legal appointments.
Police said the car 'lost control' and that a 13-year-old passenger was thrown from the car.
Rushby was treated for minor injuries at the scene before he was taken to Wagga Wagga Base Hospital where he underwent mandatory testing.
Friends and family members have also left tributes for the 13-year-old at the skate park
The older brother was treated for minor injuries at the scene before he was taken to Wagga Wagga Base Hospital (pictured)
The 19-year-old was then arrested and charged with negligent driving cause death, aggravated burnout, driving unlicensed, driving unregistered and driving uninsured.
The boys' sister said she last saw her brothers before they left for the drive and revealed that her last words for them was to 'be careful'.
'They were just doing what brothers do,' she said, the ABC reported.
She described her younger brother as a 'beautiful kid with a heart of gold' who would do 'anything for anyone'.
'He was popular, well liked, and from a very tight-knit family,' she said.
Friends and family members have also left tributes for the 13-year-old at the skate park.
One said: 'RIP, you will be missed'.
A federal judge in New Orleans has approved a plea agreement for real estate heir Robert Durst to serve seven years and one month in prison on a weapons charge.
Judge Kurt Engelhardt approved the sentence after the 72-year-old agreed to the term as part of a guilty plea in February.
But the millionaire still faces a separate murder charge in California.
He is accused of killing female friend Susan Berman in 2000 to keep her from talking to prosecutors about the disappearance of Durst's first wife Kathie in 1982.
There are also suspicions that he dismembered his neighbor Morris Black in 2001.
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A federal judge in New Orleans has approved a plea agreement for real estate heir Robert Durst to serve seven years and one month in prison on a weapons charge. He is pictured in custody in March 2015
Judge Kurt Engelhardt approved the sentence after the 72-year-old (pictured in 2014) agreed to the term as part of a guilty plea in February. He is till facing a murder charge in California
Durst has steadfastly maintained his innocence.
Engelhardt also fined Durst $5,000 and said that his sentence, once served, would be followed by three years of supervised release.
Ten years and a $250,000 fine would have been the maximum sentence that Durst
His attorneys have said repeatedly that he is innocent, does not know who killed Berman, and wants to prove it.
'I have been waiting to get to California about a year so I can state my not guilty plea,' Durst told the court. 'I truly, truly want to express my statement that I am not guilty in the death of Susan Berman.'
While federal guidelines recommended a sentence of between 12 and 18 months, Engelhardt said the sentence was 'reasonable' since it included agreements in three jurisdictions.
Under the deal, the U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York; the U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of Texas; and the Orleans Parish agreed not to prosecute Durst on a variety of offenses.
Durst's attorneys and prosecutors in Los Angeles have agreed that he will be in Los Angeles by mid-August. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McMahon says it is likely he will leave Louisiana must sooner than that.
'He'll be out of here pretty quickly,' McMahon said, noting that timing and the specific prison that Durst goes to is up to the federal Bureau of Prisons.
The millionaire (right) still faces a separate murder charge in California. He is accused of killing female friend Susan Berman (left) in 2000 to keep her from talking to prosecutors about the disappearance of Durst's first wife Kathie in 1982
Durst was arrested on the eve of the finale of the documentary series, The Jinx, which described the disappearance of Kathleen Durst (pictured), the death and dismemberment of a neighbor in Galveston, Texas, and Berman's death
Attorneys for Durst filed a motion Monday to ask Engelhardt to recommend that Durst serve his time at FCI Terminal Island, California, about 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles.
The location is near the trial venue and has medical facilities Durst needs because of his 'advanced age and serious health considerations, including mobility challenges.'
An estranged member of the wealthy New York real estate family that runs 1 World Trade Center, Durst was tracked to New Orleans in March 2015 by FBI agents worried that he was about to flee to Cuba.
He was detained at a hotel on the eve of the finale of a six-part documentary about him, and was arrested early on the morning of the show.
'The Jinx' described the disappearance of Kathleen Durst, the death and dismemberment of a neighbor in Galveston, Texas, and Berman's death.
At the end of the show, Durst is heard muttering, 'What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course.'
It was supposed to be the holiday of the lifetime in Sin City, famed for its 24-hour casinos, bright lights and luxury resorts.
But it turned into a nightmare before it had even begun for Richella Heekin and Ben Marlow.
The couple had arrived at Birmingham Airport, in the West Midlands, only to be informed the flights they had booked were in fact departing from Birmingham Alabama, in the United States.
Despite forking out 1,200 for the flights, they were told no refund was available and had to go to Amsterdam instead.
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Disgruntled: Ben Marlow and Richella Heekin, from Sutton Coldfield in Birmingham, were unable to jet off on their dream holiday booked to Las Vegas - as their flight was from Birmingham in the United States
Distraught: Miss Heekin was left devastated after they were unable to go to Vegas despite spending 1,200
Contrast: This graphic shows the varying distances to Las Vegas from Birmingham in the US and the UK
Miss Heekin, 26, a speech and language therapist, had booked the trip through lastminute.com as a 30th birthday surprise for her boyfriend of four years.
She kept details of the trip secret for more than a year before finally revealing the present at a party in front of all their family and friends.
Recalling the unfortunate mishap, Mr Marlow, a care worker, said: 'When we turned up at the airport we couldn't find the flight details anywhere.
'We approached one of the desks and they told us our holiday was booked from Alabama.
'I was gutted - more for my partner than for me. She had told everyone and she was really upset.
'She was distraught and we didn't know what to do.'
He added: 'It's a common mistake apparently - but if that's the case the company's website should make it more clear.
'It's embarrassing because everyone was really happy for us. We are just going to have to start saving from scratch again.'
Dream trip: The couple had booked flights to Las Vegas (pictured) but had to make do with Amsterdam
Hometown airport: The couple thought they had booked flights from Birmingham Airport in the West Midlands
Wrong airport: In fact, the couple had booked flights from Birmingham Alabama Airport (pictured)
NOT THE FIRST TIME: BIRMINGHAM COUNCIL USED PICTURE OF CITY SKYLINE TO ENCOURAGE CIVIC PRIDE.. BUT IT WAS BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA This is not the first time the two Birmingham airports have caused confusion. In 2008, Birmingham City Council admitted sending out thousands of leaflets bearing the US city's skyline. Around 720,000 pamphlets praising residents for their recycling were sent out at a cost of 16,000. Prior to that, West Midlands' Conservative MEPs made the same mistake on their website. On that occasion they were swift to replace the image - within 24 hours - to one of Selfridges' distinctive discs and the spire of St Martin's in the Bull Ring. In 2014, the City Council plugged a bridal fair in Birmingham, Alabama, on the events section of its website. Like its Midland namesake, Birmingham, Alabama, is a city built on industry and manufacturing but has a smaller population of about 210,000, compared with the million-plus residents who live in the UK city. Advertisement
Lastminute.com said its website made a clear distinction between the two airports.
A spokesman said: 'While not an error on our behalf, we do feel very sorry that Richella and Ben only realised this choice of departure was incorrect once at the airport.
'This is when they contacted our customer service team, who did their best to assist on the day of travel.
'However there were no other flights available which could have been booked as an alternative.
'We take customer satisfaction very seriously and are committed to always finding the best possible solution.
'We have since contacted the airline and the hotel to ask whether any refund would be available.
'Unfortunately, as per the terms of conditions of the booking, this is not something that can be provided.
'Such cases are extremely rare.'
Despite the 4,200-mile distance between them, the two airports have some surprising similarities.
They are a similar size and both went into service around the same time - the UK's version was commissioned in 1928, while flights began at the U.S. version in the same year.
Waleed Aly has torn apart Malcolm Turnbulls support for negative gearing just days after the television host claimed he couldnt afford to buy a property in Melbourne.
In his Something We Should Talk About segment on Wednesday night, Aly likened Bill Shorten to a 'party pooper' phoning police to make a noise complaint.
But, he said, 'it's time to shut this party down' so houses can be less of an 'investment for the rich, and a bit more of a, you know, a home'.
The takedown on Channel Tens The Project comes just days after Aly's wife said the couple couldnt afford a home for their family of four in Melbourne's Richmond, 10 kilometres east of central Melbourne .
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Waleed Aly has torn Malcolm Turnbull's support for negative gearing to shreds just days after the television host claimed he couldn't afford to buy a property in Melbourne
Aly criticised the claim that all walks of life use the tax avoidance measures to invest in properties, providing a list of the top ten electorates that claim the highest average losses through negative gearing.
Up the top there is Wentworth. The Prime Minister's own electorate, Aly said. All ten electorates were Liberal Party seats.
The cost of the average house is roughly 4.3 times household income, the host added. Which is amazing considering so many more houses have two incomes now. So good luck if youre single.
In 1960, the average house cost roughly 1.6 times a household income, according to the figures referenced.
Malcolm Turnbull (right) and Bill Shorten (left) have clashed over property policy in recent weeks as the unofficial election campaign continues
Aly provided a list of the top ten electorates that claim the highest average losses through negative gearing - which showed Malcolm Turnbull's electorate of Wentworth gained the most
Economists agree, negative gearing pushes house prices up, [and] contributes to making our houses some of the most expensive in the world Aly said.
Aly referenced modelling from the Australian National Universitys Centre for Social Research and Methods, which called Labors policy the biggest housing affordability policy the country has seen.
It found Labor's proposition would slow the growth of house prices, increase new construction and raise billions each year for the budget.
[Shorten is] saying things have got out of control, and he's selling us common sense. Moderation. Tax reform. All really boring things, which is a problem, Aly said.
Bill's saying shut the party down, and we all know, no real Aussie likes a party pooper.
That's until you realise that unless you're a baby boomer, or apparently an actual baby, you're not invited to this party.
It's time we shut the party down, he said.
Aly referenced modelling from the Australian National Universitys Centre for Social Research and Methods, which called Labors policy the biggest housing affordability policy the country has seen
The cost of the average house is roughly 4.3 times household income, the host said. Which is amazing considering so many more houses have two incomes now. So good luck if youre single'
#ShutThisPartyDown began trending in Australia on Wednesday night following the segment.
Mr Turnbull on Sunday stood alongside Julian and Kim Mignacca, who used negative gearing to buy a house in south Sydneys Penshurst for their one-year-old daughter Addison.
WHAT IS NEGATIVE GEARING? Negative gearing is when an investor has a taxable loss from owning property. The investor's costs are greater than the income generated from the investment, and the loss can be offset against other income such as a wage. This provides tax savings, as it reduces taxable income. Advertisement
The Prime Minister and Bill Shorten have clashed over property policy in recent weeks as the unofficial election campaign continues.
Mr Turnbull was lambasted on Tuesday night for his interview with ABCs Leigh Sales on 7.30 when he stumbled over his words as he defended his policy to keep negative gearing.
Just days prior, Aly, 37, revealed he and his wife Susan Carland rent a property in Richmond for them and their two children because it is too expensive to buy, The Australian reported.
The median price for a three-bedroom home in Richmond is $1.28 million, according to Domain.
Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull stood outside the Mignacca's home in Penshurst, a southern suburb of Sydney, on Sunday as he criticised Labor's plan to restrict negative gearing to new houses if elected
A man is being investigated after posting a picture of an Islamic State magazine, jihadi manuals and an AK-47 on the same day that a 16-year-old boy was arrested over an Anzac Day terror plot.
The Sydney man, who uses the name Abu Zakariyah on social media, also uploaded a picture of his cat playing with the weapon on Facebook earlier this month.
Counter-terrorism police are now probing the man after he shared a range of extremist material on Sunday, according to the Daily Telegraph.
He posted a photograph showing The Book of Jihad and the new issue of Dabiq, an ISIS-published magazine, on the same day that police foiled a planned attack targeting a memorial service.
A man is being investigated after posting a picture of an Islamic State magazine, jihadi manuals and an AK-47 on the same day that a 16-year-old boy was arrested over an Anzac Day terror plot
Police arrested a 16-year-old boy near his Auburn home on Sunday, hours after officers allegedly intercepted an online chat where he mentioned buying a firearm and targeting an Anzac Day event.
Zakariyah reportedly has links to a number of extremists including controversial Islamic fundamentalist Wisam Haddad.
The former owner of the hardline Al Risalah book store avoided jail last year after a raid on his western Sydney home uncovered weapons, an Islamic State flag and a stash of extremist DVDs.
His book store was allegedly thought by counter-terror police to be a hub for radical preaching.
The Daily Telegraph reported that Zakariyah also knew a 20-year-old Parramatta man who was arrested and had his passport confiscated under Operation Appleby.
He also has links to convicted Belgium terrorist Michael 'Younes' Delefortrie.
The Sydney man, who uses the name Abu Zakariyah on social media, also uploaded a picture of his cat playing with the weapon on Facebook earlier this month
Police arrested a 16-year-old boy near his Auburn home on Sunday, hours after officers allegedly intercepted an online chat where he mentioned buying a firearm and targeting an Anzac Day event
In his post on Sunday, Zakariyah shared an issue of Dabiq which calls for readers to murder 21 'disbelievers' on a hit-list.
The list includes a number of moderate western Muslim leaders.
The 16-year-old apprentice electrician arrested on Sunday had reportedly been on the counter-terrorism team's radar for more than a year.
The boy was observed talking online with ISIS recruiter Neil Prakash, who was alleged to have had contact with some of those accused of plotting an Anzac Day terror attack in Melbourne last year.
He was signed up to a government-funded deradicalisation program when he was arrested.
Police presence has been increased across the state following the arrest of the teenager. Above are officers at Martin Place in central Sydney
Actor Jake Gyllenhaal believes Donald Trump 'could be dangerous' if voted into power and says he doesn't like it when he feels he is being lied to by politicians.
The 35-year-old, famous for roles in Donnie Darko, Jarhead and Brokeback Mountain, also said the billionaire Republican candidate appeals to frustrated voters.
Trump has made numerous controversial statements during his run for the Republican nomination, including that he will ban all Muslims from the U.S. and build a wall along the border with Mexico.
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Jake Gyllenhaal (pictured) said he believed Donald Trump 'could be dangerous' for the U.S. if he is elected
Trump (pictured giving a victory speech yesterday) has made numerous controversial statements during his run for the Republican nomination, including promising to ban all Muslims from the U.S.
Gyllenhaal, currently publicizing his new film Demolition, told Sky News Trump 'excites the pre-adolescent in me'.
He added: 'There's an anger and a frustration and an understanding that we're in a place that we want to move from.
Courtesy Sky News
'But... I want an adult in that position. So as it is relatable I don't necessarily fully agree with it, and I think it could be dangerous.
'I just don't like it when I feel like someone is being dishonest.'
His comments come as Trump swept all five presidential races held yesterday, strengthening his grip on the Republican race.
He demolished his rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island - a stunning show of force by a candidate seen as a populist political savior by millions despite being loathed by the party establishment.
'I consider myself the presumptive nominee,' the real estate mogul told a crowd at Trump Tower in New York, despite still being short of the 1,237 delegates required to win the nomination outright.
'As far as I'm concerned, it's over.'
The 69-year-old billionaire extended his lead in the delegates who will officially choose the Republican nominee at the party's convention in July.
'For weeks, the stop Trump, dump Trump movement has tried to puncture' his rise, James Morone, a political science professor at Brown University, told AFP.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has warned workers at the country's botched spaceport they will be jailed after he flew thousands of miles to watch the inaugural rocket launch for it to be cancelled at the last minute.
With moments to go before the launch of the unmanned Soyuz rocket at the Vostochny Cosmodrome near Siberia, staff postponed lift-off after a fault was uncovered.
It came after Putin travelled to the spaceport for the first ever launch from the new site, which has been beset by problems.
A stern-looking Vladimir Putin has warned he will jail any workers on the Vostochny Cosmodrome project who engaged in any illegal activity
A prestige project for the Russian leader, the facility is intended to phase out Russia's reliance on the Baikonur cosmodrome, in ex-Soviet Kazakhstan, for launching its rockets into space.
Several people involved in building the spaceport are under criminal investigation for embezzlement, workers went on strike over pay arrears, there were cost overruns, and the project missed its scheduled completion date last year.
And now Putin has warned those responsible for committing crimes during the construction of the cosmodrome they will not escape justice and they will be jailed.
He was cited by the Interfax agency as saying: 'Six criminal cases had to be launched, in which four people weere arrested. Two of them, however, are under house arrest, while the other two are in pre-trial detention.
The Russian leader was left humiliated when the inaugural launch from the spaceport was postponed today. Pictured is the rocket on the launch pad
'But if their guilt of the suspected crimes is proven, they'll have to swap their warm beds at home for prison bunks.
Meanwhile a stern-looking Russian predsident also told industry officials at Vostochny Cosmodrome: 'Without any doubt we will have to draw conclusions.
'Yes, of course, despite the shortcomings Russia is a leader in the number of launches. That is good.
'But the fact is there is a large number of hitches. That is bad. There should be an appropriate reaction.'
Meanwhile space agency chiefs put a brave face on today's failure, saying they were working on identifying the cause of the glitch and expressing confidence that the launch would go ahead on Thursday.
The new spaceport has been hailed by Putin as the country's biggest current building project with a budget estimated at between 300 billion and 400 billion rubles ($4.5 billion and $6 billion)
A prestige project for the Russian leader, the facility is intended to phase out Russia's reliance on the Baikonur cosmodrome, in ex-Soviet Kazakhstan, for launching its rockets into space
Several people involved in building the spaceport are under criminal investigation for embezzlement
'We have managed to locate the problem spot fairly precisely,' Roscosmos general director Igor Komarov said in televised comments.
'I think there is every reason to consider that this can be cleared up within 24 hours.'
However a space industry source told Interfax news agency that space chiefs could opt to postpone the launch further.
Independent expert Vadim Lukashevich said the delay was not out of the ordinary, but that the presence of Putin could have made the organisers nervous.
'Nothing abnormal has happened,' Lukashevich added, saying the cut-off was triggered by safety systems.
'This is the first launch from a new cosmodrome and naturally there is a lot of attention devoted to safety.
'It's much better if there is any hint of an unfavourable outcome to stop and work out what's going on.'
Putin visiting the cosmodrome last year. He is due to stay at the facility until a second attempted launch tomorrow
But, he added, Putin's presence could have had an effect.
'The military and everyone who launches rockets have a concept of 'visit effect'. When top authorities come, there is nervousness and greater possibility of error."
The new spaceport has been hailed by Putin as the country's biggest current building project with a budget estimated at between 300 billion and 400 billion rubles ($4.5 billion and $6 billion).
Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in televised comments that the president would stay at the cosmodrome until it was clear whether the launch would go ahead on Thursday.
A man has survived a 135ft plunge from the Brooklyn Bridge after jumping off in an apparent suicide attempt.
The 31-year-old man, who has not been identified, threw himself off the historic bridge on Tuesday morning but miraculously survived.
Police believe the mentally troubled man was on the pedestrian walkway when he scaled a girder and clambered over the busy road before leaping into the water.
A man has survived a 135ft plunge from the Brooklyn Bridge after jumping off in an apparent suicide attempt. Pictured, emergency responders wheel him to an ambulance
The 31-year-old man, who has not been identified, threw himself off the historic bridge on Tuesday morning but miraculously survived
Two NYPD harbor cops saw the man jump from the bridge and raced over to save him.
Officers Eugene Bebenista and Rosario Roccasalvo were in their patrol boat near the bridge and told the New York Daily News that they saw him 'pencil diving' into the 40F water.
'He was going straight down, hands at his side. I couldn't believe it,' Roccasalvo said.
'It freaked me out, but we do a lot of training and it comes ... naturally,' he added.
Roccasalvo sped through the water as Bebenista directed him towards where the jumper plummeted into the East River.
'You just get goosebumps seeing someone like that jump from the bridge,' Bebenista said. 'You just want to get there and render assistance.'
Two NYPD harbor cops saw the man jump from the Brooklyn Bridge (file picture) and raced over to save him
OTHERS WHO SURVIVED JUMPING OFF THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE 2013: A 39-year-old homeless man jumped and was pulled alive from the water by harbor cops. 2010: A 41-year-old homeless woman jumped from the bridge and survived - just a day after she had been stopped from making the same leap. 2009: A woman wearing only her pajamas jumped from the bridge and was found treading water on the Manhattan side unscathed. 2008: A 34-year-old survived the jump. 2004: A 16-year-old girl was plucked from the water alive after leaping off the bridge. 2004: A 24-year-old man survived jumping from the middle of the bridge 1886: Steve Brodie became the first to man to survive the jump, leaping off the bridge to win a $200 bet. Advertisement
The man was struggling in the water shouting 'help me, help me' as the cops threw a life ring to him.
Roccasalvo told the New York Post that the man was 'a little reluctant to grab the line' at first but eventually climbed on board.
The officers took him to a dock next to Brooklyn Bridge Park, where an ambulance was waiting to take the man to hospital.
He was in a serious but stable condition after suffering non-life-threatening injuries.
'The current is notoriously horrendous here, it's very strong. He is lucky that we were there,' Roccasalvo said.
Despite the jump taking place at around 9.15am yesterday - in the middle of rush hour - it took seven minutes for a 911 call to be made, meaning the man may not have survived if it was not for the eagle-eyed police officers.
The man is believed to be mentally disturbed and a source told the Daily News that he had recently claimed to have invented the cell phone and to be the author of the Harry Potter books and The Matrix.
At least six people have survived jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge in the last 12 years.
In 2013, a 39-year-old homeless man jumped and was pulled alive from the water by harbor cops.
A 41-year-old homeless woman jumped from the bridge in 2010 and survived - just a day after she had been stopped from making the same leap.
In 2009, a woman wearing only her pajamas jumped from the bridge and was found treading water on the Manhattan side, apparently unscathed.
A year earlier, a 34-year-old survived the jump and was not injured.
Two people jumped in 2004. A 24-year-old man survived jumping from the middle of the bridge, while a 16-year-old girl was plucked from the water alive after leaping off the structure later in the year.
Steve Brodie was the first to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge and survive, leaping into the water to win a $200 bet.
For confidential support in the United States, call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255.
Politician said: 'I saw the joy in his eyes. He will surely become useful for the island once again'
Disgraced tycoon Asil Nadir has returned to a 'hero's welcome' in his homeland of Cyprus
Disgraced tycoon Asil Nadir has returned to a 'hero's welcome' in his homeland of Cyprus - just days after being released from a UK prison to serve the rest of his sentence in Turkey.
Convicted fraudster Nadir, 74, was jailed for ten years in 2012 for stealing 29million from his textiles company Polly Peck.
But he has now been accused of 'buying his way to freedom' after handing over 5million to the investors he swindled, and 2million to the legal aid agency, in return for a transfer to prison in Turkey.
He was flown from London to Istanbul last Thursday evening, where he spent just one night in custody before being allowed to return to his sprawling 3million villa in Northern Cyprus.
He was greeted at Ercan airport by the state's deputy prime minister Serdar Denktash, who told reporters later: 'I saw the joy in his eyes. He will surely become useful for the island once again.'
The Mediterranean island's English language newspaper Cyprus Today - which Nadir owns - announced his return with the headline 'Free at Last!'.
His sister Bilge Nevzat, the paper's managing editor, was quoted as saying: 'We are so happy that he has been released.
'The first thing the police said to him when he got to Turkey was, 'Mr Nadir, welcome to your homeland'.
'It was very important for my brother to return to his country. We have been fighting for it for years.'
In a grovelling front page story, the paper said Nadir was now looking forward to celebrating his 75th birthday with family and friends on Sunday May 1.
The report said his return to the island came exactly 23 years after he 'fled injustice at the hands of the UK legal system' and made a 'daring escape' to Northern Cyprus.
Nadir returned to the UK voluntarily in 2010 to face trial, and was jailed for a decade two years later.
But the Cyprus Today paper told readers: 'Several key pieces of evidence that he had unearthed for his defence were not allowed to be put before the court on 'national security' grounds.'
Nadir was flown from London to Istanbul last Thursday evening, where he spent just one night in custody before being allowed to return to his sprawling 3million villa in Northern Cyprus
His release has provoked anger among some of the tens of thousands of investors he cheated in 1990.
A retired police officer involved in the original inquiry said: 'People will say he has bought his way to freedom. It was always on the cards.
'I don't think he has ever been truly sorry for what he did. His behaviour has disgusted those who have seen first-hand the misery he left behind.'
A British government source this week defended his release to reporters, saying it would mean a saving to taxpayers of 40,000 a year it costs to keep a prisoner behind bars.
The source added: 'Rather than having him squandering UK taxpayers' money, we would sooner have him off our books.
An Iraqi asylum seeker has admitted to raping a 10-year-old boy at a public swimming pool because he was having a 'sexual emergency' after being separated from his wife for four months.
The 20-year-old, who has a child of his own, reportedly grabbed the youngster and dragged him into a changing cabin before assaulting him at the pools in Vienna.
Afterwards, the man identified only by his first name and initial, Amir A, had carried on with his swim and was practising on the diving board as if nothing had happened when police arrived.
The Iraqi man admitted in court to raping the 10-year-old boy at the swimming pool (pictured) in Vienna
The badly injured youngster however had raised the alarm with a lifeguard, who had in turn called the police and the boy's mother.
After he was arrested, he initially claimed that the teenager who had been acting as a translator for him had encouraged him to have sex with the boy and had told him it was okay.
He also claimed not to know how old his victim really was, Kurier reported.
He reportedly faces 10 years in jail, but the court case was adjourned after it was revealed that the schoolboy was suffering serious psychological problems.
The psychiatric report is now being prepared, and if the serious psychological consequences are confirmed, then the possible jail sentence could be increased to 15 years on a charge of aggravated GBH.
During the court hearing the man said that he still wanted to bring his young wife and child to Austria, even though he was now facing jail and his asylum application had not been granted.
Asked why he had come to Vienna, he admitted it was because he wanted to improve his economic situation.
When the case reopens after the reports have been prepared, it will take place behind closed doors after a request from both the prosecution and the defence.
Prosecutors said they wanted to spare details being revealed that might embarrass the victim, while the defence said they wanted to avoid a public debate over their clients sexual orientation.
He attacked the boy in a swimming pool cubicle in the Theresienbad (pictured) pool before telling police it was a 'sexual emergency' because he had not seen his wife for four months
Since his arrest, Amir A. has been held in solitary confinement and under tight security in Viennas Josefstadt jail, so as to protect him from other prisoners.
Local media have also reported police looked into his asylum claim and discovered he was the son of a wealthy businessman who had come to Europe because he had heard there was a better life in Sweden.
However, he was unable to get any further than Munich, and after deciding that the conditions in Austria were better, he returned and applied for asylum once he arrived in Vienna.
The court heard his father had booked him a flight from Baghdad to Istanbul, and he had then boarded a ship from Turkey to Greece.
Upon arriving, he had taken a taxi to a refugee centre and then followed the masses heading northwards into Europe.
He said that on the entire journey to Austria he had not been stopped or checked once, even on the Austrian Hungarian border.
Dental nurse Ashleigh Bannatyne (pictured) faces being struck off after pulling an off-duty officer's hair and calling her a skinny b**** in a motorway road rage row
A dental nurse faces being struck off after pulling an off-duty officer's hair and calling her a skinny b**** in a motorway road rage row.
Ashleigh Bannatyne, 22, ran Jacqueline Curson off the road and attacked her on the shoulder of the M876 near Larbert, Stirlingshire, only to discover she was a police officer on the way to a funeral.
Bannatyne, who was suspended from her job, managed to avoid jail but could be permanently banned from her the industry for her attack on Sergeant Curson.
The nurse, from Wishaw, Lanarkshire, had pleaded not guilty to assault and dangerous driving but was found guilty in March and appeared for sentence today.
Defence agent Murray Aitken said Bannatyne had resigned as a dental nurse knowing that her conviction would have meant losing her job.
But he said the professional regulator was investigating whether she might be able to work again as a dental nurse at any point in the future.
She was now working as a volunteer in a charity shop, he said.
Bannatyne is now considering an appeal after the court heard that she was not the instigator and was a 'victim of road rage'.
Sheriff Linda Smith told Bannatyne's lawyer that she had read 'comprehensive' social background reports in which Bannatyne continued to protest her innocence.
Delivering the sentence at at Falkirk Sheriff Court, she said: 'I must say it's not my impression that she was the instigator in this.
'I'm not saying that Jacqueline Curson was, but your client found herself in a situation where she felt that she was the victim of road rage.
'This was not something she set out to do.'
Outside court, Bannatyne commented: 'I don't want to say too much, but I am pleased that the sheriff said I wasn't the instigator.
'I'd like to clear my name and we're going to decide if there are grounds to appeal the conviction.'
The court previously heard that she had apparently become frustrated by Sgt Curson's driving, and swerved in front of her and braked simultaneously.
She said Sgt Curson had pulled in front of her in her black Mercedes and started 'point and laughing at her' before the incident in December 2014.
The manoeuvre forced the Mercedes off the road, onto the hard shoulder and motorway embankment.
On the hard shoulder Bannatyne got out and stormed up to the officer, pulled her hair and punched and kicked her. She only stopped when she noticed Sgt Curson's police ID.
Sgt Curson, 49, told an earlier hearing that she had been travelling at 50 to 60 miles per hour when Bannatyne overtook.
She said: 'She moved sharply from the outside lane to the nearside lane into my path and slammed her brakes on.
The 22-year-old (left and right) ran a driver off the road and attacked her on the shoulder of the M876 near Larbert, Stirlingshire, only to discover she was a police officer on the way to a funeral
'I manoeuvred into the outside lane away from her vehicle - I was trying to avoid whatever situation she was trying to entice me into.
'She moved into the outside lane and back and I manoeuvred over the the hard shoulder - I had nowhere else to go - and she collided with me. She just ran me off the road.'
Sgt Curson, who described the incident as 'terrifying', said: 'She came over, there was an exchange of words, then she was pulling me out of the door, and standing in the door punching me and kicking me.
'I was shouting at her to stop punching me. She was shouting at me saying I was to blame for running into the back of her, and I was saying 'How can I have run into the back of you when the relative positions of the vehicles showed that you collided with me?'
'That's when she grabbed my hair.'
Sgt Curson said her police lanyard 'fell forward' and Bannatyne saw it.
She told Bannatyne she had committed an assault and Bannatyne replied: 'It's your f****** word against mine, you big skinny b****.'
She ended up with bruising round her nose and eye, finger marks on her arm where Bannatyne had grabbed her, and bruises on her arms and legs where the younger woman had kicked her.
By chance the incident was seen by another off-duty cop, PC Ian Kyle, who was driving to work.
He said his main concern was that Bannatyne's swerving while there was an articulated lorry behind.
The court heard that both women were detained afterwards and Motherwell-based Sgt Curson was released without charge. Neither woman knew the other beforehand.
Airport customs and immigration staff, who have been banned from taking industrial action for three months, have rejected claims that airport strikes put the community at risk.
Border Force officers and immigration department staff lost their right to strike for 90 days at airports under a Fair Work Commission ruling released on Wednesday.
'We agree our members' industrial action was designed to have a significant impact on ... the government, but categorically reject that this action would have posed a risk to the Australian community,' said Community and Public Sector Union secretary Nadine Flood.
Airport customs and immigration staff, who have been banned from taking industrial action for three months (stock image)
Earlier this month customs and immigration had planned a walk-out at a number of Australia's international airports before the strikes were called off.
The Fair Work Commission ordered that the strike be suspended pending its decision on a government bid for a three-month halt on strikes on national security grounds.
The planned action was set to take place at Sydney international, Perth international as well as Darwin and Adelaide airports and continue until April 12.
The action was suspended on national security grounds after an application from the Immigration Department.
The strikes had initially been planned for the Easter long weekend but were suspended in the wake of the Belgium terror attacks so as not to compromise Australia's national security.
Travellers pictured at Sydney International Airport in September last year. The Community and Public Sector Union earlier said the strikes will not compromise Australia's national security
Ken Livingstone has been condemned after denying it was anti-Semitic for an MP to say Israel should be 'relocated' to the US.
The former London Mayor defended Naz Shah less than an hour after she was suspended by his close ally Jeremy Corbyn over controversial Facebook posts.
The Bradford West MP has now made four separate apologies for the comments, including one to the House of Commons.
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Former London Mayor Ken Livingstone defended Naz Shah less than an hour after she was finally suspended by his ally Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn
The Labour leader sparked fury by resisting removing the party whip for more than a day, with aides bizarrely insisting Ms Shah had not agreed with her own words.
Appearing on LBC Radio today, Mr Livingstone said the remarks were 'over the top' and 'offensive' but it had been a mistake to suspend her.
'What we have at the moment is a lot of people making a big issue about anti-Semitism in the Labour Party. In 47 years I have never heard anyone say anything anti-Semitic.
'We expelled a couple of people from the Labour Party early on for saying things that could clearly be interpreted as anti-Semitic.
'This is not that; this is an over-the-top comment about the horrendous conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians.'
Labour backbencher John Woodcock posted on Twitter: 'Listening to Ken Livingstone on LBC who won't go further than saying Naz Shah's comments were 'over the top'. Hard to believe.'
Mr Livingstone - known as 'Red Ken' - was previously suspended as London Mayor in 2006 after comparing a Jewish journalist to a concentration camp guard.
An adjudication panel said Mr Livingstone had brought his office into disrepute with his unnecessarily insensitive remark.
The Labour Mayor dismissed the row at the time as a huge fuss over nothing.
The decision to suspend Ms Shah came after David Cameron hammered the Labour leader for failing to take action against the MP and shadow energy secretary Lisa Nandy rebuked Mr Corbyn for failing to follow Labour rules.
The headline on the image shared by Ms Shah in 2014 said 'Solution for Israel-Palestine Conflict - Relocate Israel into United States' and she added: 'problem solved.'
A Labour spokesman said: 'Jeremy Corbyn and Naz Shah have mutually agreed that she is administratively suspended from the Labour Party by the General Secretary.
'Pending investigation, she is unable to take part in any party activity and the whip is removed.'
Speaking in the Commons, Ms Shah today said: 'I fully acknowledge I have made mistakes and I wholeheartedly apologise to this House for the words I used before I became a member.
'I accept and understand the words I used caused upset and hurt to the Jewish community and I deeply regret that.
Bradford West MP Naz Shah apologises for her Facebook posts in the House of Commons today
'Anti-Semitism is racism, full stop.'
Mr Corbyn earlier met with Ms Shah for a first time before issuing his initial statement on the affair.
His spokesman later admitted Mr Corbyn did consider the comments made to be anti-Semitic but said the Labour leader did not think the MP was herself anti-Semitic.
Mr Corbyn also faced the prospect of the row exploding onto a new front as it was reported Labour's press office watered down Ms Shah's third apology, made in a letter to the Jewish News, removing a reference to 'anti-Semitic tropes'.
Writing in Commentary, Jonathan Tobin provides some background about the newspaper that allegedly is causing a decline in press freedom in Israel:
Israel Hayom happens to be Israels largest circulation newspaper. Newspapers are not always profitable businesses. But its owner, American casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, is acting like the press barons of an earlier era in the United States when newspapers were mission-oriented rather than profit machines to be milked. He is determined to provide an alternative to most of the mainstream Israeli media that are as left wing as its American counterparts. In that sense, Israel Hayom is playing much the same role in the Jewish state as Fox News has done in the U.S. Like Rupert Murdoch and Rogers Ailes, who found an underserved niche of the American media market that just happened to consist of about half of the American people, the same is true of Adelsons efforts in Israel. In a country that has overwhelming rejected the politics of the left in three consecutive elections has few media outlets that are not at odds with the views of the majority of voters. Israel Hayom filled that void and, not unsurprisingly, has been rewarded with a greater readership than those that tilt to the left.
Tobin also reports that when confronted with the Israel Hayoms success, some elected officials worked to promote legislation that would effectively ban free circulation papers like Israel Hayom.
Does Freedom House want free circulation newspapers banned so that they will not endanger the stability of other media outlets? Thats what its report would suggest.
By portraying the owner-subsidized business model as a threat to free press, Freedom House is entering into an absurd realm where publishers who keep non-profitable publications afloat are seen as a threat to a free press.
In fact, owner-subsidized publications are a fact of life in journalism and have been for a long time.
A few years ago, when Chris Hughes attempted to make The New Republic a profitable magazine, John B. Judis, (a former staffer who quit in protest at the departure of Franklin Foer from the magazine) reported that non-profitable publications such as The New Republic, The Nation and The Weekly Standard contributed to the intellectual life of American society. Such magazines, Judis wrote, wont make a profit, but with the right owner or owners, they can operate with acceptable losses and play a significant role in American democracy.
Why cant Adelson do the same thing in Israel?
Writing at The Washington Post, Jennifer Rubin highlights the stupidity of Freedom Houses decision to punish Israel for the success of Israel Hayom:
Robert Ruby, director of communications for Freedom House, insisted, Israel, like some other democracies, has hovered on the line between Free and Partly Free for several years. He struggled to explain the two rationales for the change. The first is the growing economic influence of Israel Hayom, which is distributed free of charge, he said. It has affected the economic model and stability of other publications. In other words, if you are successful, you create an unfree press. Maybe the invention of the free Internet or the success of free Twitter and Facebook have made the United States unfree since so many publications have gone belly-up. He could not explain why that phenomenon does not affect the U.S. rating as free, but Israel Hayoms success makes Israel partly free. (Previous reports noted the instability in the U.S. media market, but the United States did not lose its free rating.)
Freedom House blundered and blundered badly. By portraying the decision of a publisher to subsidize (translation: spend money on) a newspaper as a threat to press freedom, the institution revealed an ignorance about the history and business of journalism.
The fact that newspapers are having a tough time turning a profit in Israel, as they are in the United States, does not mean that press freedom is under assault in the Jewish state, as Freedom House would have us believe.
Rabia has now been referred to Equality and Human Rights Commission
The school also invited speakers who seemed to be terror sympathisers
Inspectors found that male and female teachers were segregated on site
A Muslim faith school has failed its Ofsted inspection because it 'undermines British values' by segregating male and female staff.
The Rabia Girls' and Boys' School in Luton, Bedfordshire also came under fire from inspectors for inviting extremist speakers to speak to pupils.
Ofsted ruled that the private school was inadequate, while the Department for Education has referred the institution to the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Inspectors recorded in their report today that Rabia bosses placed a screen between male and female staff to keep them apart.
Inadequate: Rabia Girls' and Boys' School in Luton has been criticised for segregating men and women
Male and female staff are kept separate during training sessions across the school's two sites, one for boys and one for girls - the training takes place at one site and is streamed online to the other.
The measures, which Rabia's governors admitted were routine practice, undermine the school's work to promote fundamental British values, Ofsted said.
A report on the visit added: 'These practices... do not demonstrate equality and respect.'
Chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw wrote that inspectors 'expressed their concern when, at the initial meeting with inspectors, the school insisted on segregating men and women through the use of a dividing screen across the middle of the room.'
Letter: Sir Michael Wilshaw has written to the Education Secretary setting out inspectors' concerns
He added: 'This meeting was not carried out in a religious setting but in a classroom.
'HMI also gathered evidence that male and female staff are segregated during whole school staff training sessions. Male staff sit in one room and the session is simultaneously broadcast to female staff in another part of the school.
'This sort of behaviour manifested by the leaders of this school clearly does not conform to the spirit of the equalities legislation which underpins the spiritual, moral, social and cultural standard.'
The report also found that the school had not properly vetted some guest speakers 'with sufficient rigour'.
A scholar who had previously addressed fighters of proscribed terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed in Pakistan was a guest at the school in 2013..
Qari Hanif Jallundari has said: 'We have to maintain a united front and frustrate the efforts of those who want to divide on the lines of jihadi and non-jihadi factions. In my view every Muslim is a mujahid.'
Rabia also invited Maulana Taqi Usmani, a scholar who reportedly issued a fatwa against Western forces fighting in Afghanistan soon after 9/11, to its graduation ceremony in 2013.
Ofsted said that the school had since tightened up its vetting of guests and 'now checks the credentials and backgrounds of all speakers'.
The report comes nearly two years after the school's last full inspection, in which it was failed for providing a curriculum which 'only scrapes the surface of what it means to be a good citizen in Britain today'.
At that time inspectors found severe inequalities between boys and girls and the Department for Education promised 'tough action' if improvements were not made.
After a follow-up visit in January 2015 Rabia was slammed by inspectors for design and technology teaching which limited girls to knitting and sewing.
The DfE said today that the school would be investigated by the EHRC, adding: 'It is completely unacceptable for women to be treated less favourably than men, and the advice note we have received from Ofsted on Rabia Girls' and Boys' School is extremely concerning.
A two-year-old Virginia girl who police believe was killed by her stepmother died from dehydration, Richmond officials said.
The medical examiner's office ruled Ariellisa Simmons' death as homicide by dehydration as results of the autopsy were released on Tuesday.
Her stepmother, 35-year-old Andrea Watkins-Simmons, has been charged with first-degree murder, felony murder and child neglect in the girl's death.
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Richmond officials ruled two-year-old Ariellisa Simmons' death as homicide by dehydration as results of the autopsy were released on Tuesday (Ariellisa pictured left). Her stepmother, Andrea Watkins-Simmons (right), has been charged with first-degree murder, felony murder and child neglect in the girl's death
Police sources have said Ariellisa's body was found on January 16 in an unoccupied apartment off Chamberlayne Avenue (pictured)
Police sources have said Ariellisa's body was found on January 16 in the attic of an unoccupied apartment off Chamberlayne Avenue.
Last November, Watkins-Simmons was reported missing and police said at the time that they believed Ariellisa was with her.
The stepmother was then arrested in New York in late January on a charge of felony abduction and was returned to Virginia last week, according to police.
Watkins-Simmons is being held at Richmond City Jail without bond and is set to appear in court on May 2, WTVR reported.
A school in Austin was trolled after it decided to take open nominations when trying to change its name from Robert E Lee Elementary School.
After voting on March 28 to remove the confederate generals name from the school in the Austin Independent School District, the board asked for suggestions from the community for new names.
Top nominations included Donald J Trump Elementary and Adolf Hitler School for Friendship and Tolerance, and many even re-nominated Robert E Lee Elementary, suggesting the school should keep its name, according to KXAN.
The Austin Independent School District's board voted to remove Robert E Lee's name from an elementary school (pictured) on March 28 and took open suggestions from the public for new names
TOP RENAMING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ROBERT E LEE ELEMENTARY Donald J Trump Elementary: 45 nominations Robert E Lee Elementary: 34 nominations Russell Lee Elementary: 32 nominations Harper Lee Elementary: 30 nominations Elisabet Ney Elementary: 15 nominations Lee Elementary: 13 nominations Adolf Hitler School for Friendship and Tolerance: 8 nominations Waller Creek Elementary: 8 nominations Dr Frances J Nesmith Elementary School: 7 nominations Guy Bizzell Elementary: 6 nominations Advertisement
Other suggestions included Adam Lanzas School of Fun, referring to the Sandy Hook mass shooter, Bleeding Heart Liberal Elementary and Forgetting the Past Dooms You to Repeat It Elementary.
Also suggested was Schooly McScholersoon, likely referencing an open vote that took place in the UK for a boat which was nominated to be named Boaty McBoatface.
Robert E Lee was the commander of the Confederate Army during the Civi lWar
Some suggested the school should be named after professional athletes and celebrities, like John Cena and Kanye West.
The schools name was brought into question after the mass shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina where nine black parishioners were killed by white supremacist Dylann Roof in June 2015.
The shooting prompted a national conversation about Confederate memorials and symbols in the United States.
Several state governors supported the removal of Confederate flags and memorials from Capitol grounds.
Universities across the United States also removed statues relating to the Confederation.
Parents, school alumni community members are split over General Lees role in history and whether the school should carry his name.
Lee took command of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the Civil War in 1862 and surrendered in 1865.
Just last month, an American Airlines co-pilot John Maguire was arrested after he blew 0.081 before flight from Detroit to Philadelphia
Pilots are banned from drinking 8 hours before flight, and blood alcohol content is capped at 0.04
An average of one US pilot a month violated the alcohol and drug regulations between 2010 and 2015, and 38 tested positive for illegal drugs in 2015 alone, according to Fox News.
While the vast majority of pilots abide by the rules, the figures documented by the Federal Aviation Administration only add to the mounting list of frequent flier fears.
Just last month, an American Airlines co-pilot was arrested in front of shocked passengers for failing a breathalyzer test at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
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American Airlines co-pilot John Maguire, 50, (left) was arrested at Detroit Metropolitan Airport after a TSA employee reported him for smelling of liquor and walking unsteadily (right). He blew a 0.081, double the 0.04 limit for pilots
An average of one pilot a month violated the alcohol and drug regulations between 2010 and 2015 (pictured, a photo posted on Twitter with the caption:'@AmericanAir pilot arrested, spring break busted'
The overwhelming majority of pilots abide by rules forbidding alcohol eight hours before a flight, according to figures obtained by Fox through a Freedom of Information request.
The blood alcohol content for pilots is also capped at 0.04.
Among more than 56,000 alcohol screening tests conducted in 2015, 119 were at or above the legal limit, representing 0.2per cent of the total.
The figures included pilots along with mechanics, dispatchers, traffic controllers and other safety personnel.
Drug tests clocked in much higher numbers, with 1,546 testing positive for at least one of five illegal drugs in 2015. Among the 1,546 included 38 pilots.
Between 2010 and 2015, 64 pilots failed the alcohol and drug tests, averaging just slightly more than one a month over five years.
Retired military pilot Peter Bartos told Fox the numbers were 'mind-boggling', adding: 'It also means that others aren't caught, since it is not a mandatory test for all pilots on every flight.'
In late March, a TSA employee reported pilot John Maguire, 50, when he went through security at Detroit Metropolitan Airport smelling of liquor.
According to a police report, Maguire boarded the aircraft headed to Philadelphia and was seen having trouble with his seat. Officers arrived to find him sitting sideways, according to the arrest report.
Maguire failed the breathalyzer test at 0.081, double the limit of 0.04 for pilots, and was charged with operating an aircraft under the influence of alcohol.
In January, retired Alaska Airlines captain David Hans Arnston, 60, was charged with flying under the influence on two flights, from San Diego to Portland, Oregon, and back, on June 20, 2014
In January, retired Alaska Airlines captain David Hans Arnston, 60, was charged with flying under the influence on two flights, from San Diego to Portland, Oregon, and back, on June 20, 2014.
Arnston, who was a captain for 31 years, blew a 0.134 and 0.142, but claimed he was sober and taking medication.
Fox also reported that the FAA revoked 38 pilot licenses and suspended 46 in 2015.
In certain offenses, such as using an aircraft to transport drugs, the revocation (of the pilots certification) can be permanent, Lunsford said.
Some offenses, like using aircraft to transport drugs, can result in the permanent revocation, although many can reapply after one year to start their training all over again, according to a FAA spokesperson.
She said she is now focused on raising their two children, Joe, seven, and daughter Lola, six
That is when she decided to take a step back from work and move to her husband Joe Burkett's hometown
Her cancer went into remission, but in early 2015 she began to suffer frequent health problems
, where a mob of hundreds stripped and violated her, she was diagnosed with breast cancer
Lara Logan has opened up about her painful past and health problems that resulted in her stepping back from work so she could move to Texas with her family.
The 60 Minutes correspondent was at the peak of her career in 2011 when she was the victim of a brutal sexual assault while covering the Arab Spring demonstrations from Egypt's Tahrir Square.
Then while recovering from the incident, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
On top of that, when she returned to work, she was forced to take a leave of absence from the show after a report on Benghazi that contained a number of inaccuracies.
'It was one thing after another. It was really hard,' Logan told People.
'But if you can take that many knocks and stay on your feet, you know that you can take just about anything.'
Now, Logan has made a new life for herself and her family while cutting down on work.
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Ne wlife: Lara Logan is speaking about her painful past and her decision to take a step back from her work and move to Texas with her family
Up and gone: Logan moved to her husband Joe Burkett's hometown where she is now focused on raising their two children, Joe, seven, and daughter Lola, six (family above in 2011)
Horrific: Logan at the peak of her career in 2011 when she was the victim of a brutal sexual assault while covering the Arab Spring demonstrations from Egypt's Tahrir Square (above moments before attacks)
Logan revealed just this past December that her young daughter begged to come with her when she returned to work after the the brutal attack in Egypt.
Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations, Logan recalled: 'My daughter asked if she could come with me. She's five.
'She said: "Mommy, can I come with you?" I had to say: "Sweetheart, no."
'She said: "But I want to come with you." (I said) "It's not safe for little kids, there's some bad guys and it's not safe for children to go."
'She said: "Then why are you going?" I said: "There's good guys even when there's bad guys and I'm going to be with the good guys."
'She said: "If you don't come back that means the bad guys got you." And I said: "I'll come back, I always come back."'
Logan managed to survive the attack in Egypt thanks to a group of women who saved her from the mob, and her cancer is in remission following a lumpectomy and six weeks of radiation.
'I felt like someone had pushed me off the top of a building,' said Logan to People of the cancer diagnosis.
'Cancer is betrayal and uncertainty, everything beyond your control.'
She returned to work however to face another seemingly insurmountable challenge however when it was revealed that a 2013 report she did about attack on Benghazi had a number of inaccuracies.
That was due to one of her interview subjects lying to her, which he admitted to, but Logan was forced to take a leave of absence from 60 Minutes.
'No one had to push me to take responsibility,' said Logan.
Other half: Logan and Burkett have been married since 2008 and he is a retired Army master sergeant (left 2011, right 2013)
Day job: Logan continues to work for 60 Minutes, where in 2013 she was forced to take a leave of absence following inaccuracies in her report on Benghazi (above interview Justin Trudeau for the program)
She eventually returned to work after seven months, but suffered from frequent health problems that landed her in the hospital four times in the first four months of 2015, leading Logan to make a change.
So she and her husband, retired Army master sergeant Joe Burkett, moved to his hometown just outside of Austin with their son Joe, seven, and daughter Lola, six.
Burkett's 11-year-old daughter Ashley also lives with the family.
Logan, who was born in South Africa, continues to do segments for 60 Minutes, but is now more focused on tasks like trying to help her son, who has severe learning disabilities, read and write.
Joe has dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and AD/HD. Dysgraphia is a condition where indivuiduals have trouble writing and dyscalculia is the difficulty to calculate numbers.
'I was like, "Where did this come from,"' said Logan.
'I had no idea that my husband was also dyslexic. It was just terrible because you know they are going to struggle, and you don't wish that on them.'
She said of her new life; 'In many ways, especially after everything that happened, it's good to be wrapped up in your family.'
She then added; 'It's a homey felling. Very comforting.'
That homey feeling includes rodeos on the weekend, margaritas on the porch and on the night she was interviewed making waffles for her children's dinner.
'I needed to be a mom, and I needed to be the kind of mom that I wanted to be. I'm all in,' said Logan.
A witness who saw a British couple and their son beaten unconscious has described how he tried to help them but was attacked so violently he now needs surgery.
CCTV footage captured the attack at around 2am in the popular tourist resort of Hua Hin, where the elderly couple and their middle-aged son were celebrating Thai New Year.
The row appears to escalate from nowhere as the woman is punched to the ground while the men are being overwhelmed by punches and kicks in the background.
A witness, calling himself 'Usual Suspect' on the Hua Hin internet forum, said a group of Thai youths had been looking for trouble in the area during the Songkran New Year water splashing holiday.
Beaten: Three British holidaymakers were left knocked out cold and lying in the street during Thai New Year festivities in the popular resort of Hua Hin, after being attacked by a gang of local youths
Shocking CCTV footage shows the fight escalate, as the elderly couple and their grown up son were assaulted. The couple's grown up son can be seen clutching his head in agony in the left of this image, after he was pushed to the ground at the beginning of the assault
He claims he was walking with his wife and tried to intervene, pushing a youth away who was beating the woman, but was himself attacked and he now needs dental surgery due to his injuries.
'The girls in the bar I was in all night waved goodbye to two elderly customers and their son and my wife and I followed only seconds after them.
'Within 20-30 metres of leaving the bar the Thais were punching the 65-year-old lady in the face!!
'The elderly gentleman was down on the floor and their son was beaten very badly!
'At this point I caught up to the scene and pushed one of the youths away from the woman. I got severely punched and kicked for my troubles, but felt the need to protect this frail lady.'
He continued: 'Not one person (other than myself) came to aid these old folk and they ended up laid in the road bleeding..so if you're still out in the wee hours tonight please be alert.
'These pockets of youths were intent on causing harm, and did blend in with all others beforehand.
'The three of them are still hospitalised, and I will need cosmetic dental work done.'
The small street lined with cafes and shops was full of people, out to celebrate the New Year Songkran festivities. In the left of this image, the father is seen helping son back to his feet
All three victims had to be taken to hospital for treatment after the violent attack. Police are using the horrific footage to trace the gang members. In this image, the British woman can be seen standing in a dark shirt in the left of the image, as the fight grows in violence around her
The attack is believed to have happened outside Tina Bar and Mama Mia Bar along a bustling street called Soi Bintabaht, close to the Tourist Police Station.
It is not clear in the clip what is being said to provoke the outbreak of violence.
But a melee ensues between the tourists and the gang members, with the British woman, who is believed to be in her 60s, approaching one of the gang and speaking to him.
The man then punches her in the face and knocks her to the ground, while both men are being kicked and punched in the uproar.
As she tries to sit back up, one of the gang kicks her violently in the jaw and knocks her out.
The three holidaymakers were left knocked out cold and lying in the street as their attackers disappear into the crowds of passersby during the Songkran festivities.
Police are using the CCTV footage from a camera at the entrance to a small street of bars called Soi Bintabaht in front of Wat Hua Hin to trace the attackers.
They say they have arrested four suspects and are confident of arresting others.
This horrific image shows the moment the elderly woman was punched in the face (circled) during the fight, after she approached one of the gang members and appeared to try to reason with him
As the stunned woman tried to sit back up after being punched in the face, one of the attackers kicks her hard on the jaw knocking her unconscious (circled)
Anyone who has information about the attackers or who witnessed the incident, which took place in the early hours of April 13, is urged to contact officers at Hua Hin police station.
It is not known who provoked the attack, but there were suggestions the fight was started by the Britons.
According to British people living abroad, the CCTV footage of events leading up to the incident shows the English woman striking a Thai man in the face.
The footage is said to show the woman engaged in a discussion with a Thai man who was passing her by.
Then, after 57 seconds, the 'English lady hits the Thai man in the face', one ex-patriate said on a forum's discussion page.
But the writer adds that even if the woman had hit the man 'it is not an excuse for a mob to kick the daylight out of others'.
But he added: 'After looking several times, I cannot agree that the tourists were passive and just passing.'
A witness reported seeing a gang of local youths who had been looking for trouble in the area during the Songkran New Year holiday, before they attacked the British family
Police reportedly have two suspects in custody, according to Thai news sites, but are asking for information to trace the remaining attackers. In this image, the father (in a purple shirt) can be seen trying to stand back up, while both his wife and son are laid out on the floor around him
After the outbreak of violence, passersby help the victims as they lay unconscious in the middle of the street. All three had to be taken to hospital following the assault, after the attackers disappeared into the crowd
Another writer, a Thai, took the same view that the Britons has sparked the incident, commenting: 'Yep they are lucky they didn't get stabbed or shot. Will probably teach them a lesson.'
Another writer said: 'Maybe they should have stayed in England? Maybe they deserved what they got?'
But the general opinion expressed on Thai ex-patriate forums was that incidents such as this will shame Thailand, with one commenting: 'Another day in paradise. Welcome to Thailand, the land of smiles.
'A Buddhist country full of peaceful people who welcome tourists.
'People might be naive when they come here, but they often go home with a more realistic viewpoint.
A Russian secret services operation has exposed a gang of alleged jihadist recruiters including a woman who is said to work for an intelligence agency and her sister who is believed to be employed at a Moscow airport.
Four people - the women and two men - were detained on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities, along with associates, it was reported today.
A Federal Security Service (FSB) and police operation detained the group plus an alleged male 'leader'. They were identified as recruiters for the Islamic State working in the Russian capital, it was claimed.
Arrests: Four people were detained on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities during a Russian secret services operation. It is not known whether the women pictured were arrested
Grenades and explosives were found in a flat in the Moscow suburb of Khimki, close to the major international airport, Sheremetyevo
A Russian secret services operation has exposed a gang of alleged jihadist recruiters. It is not known whether the woman in this picture is one of the sisters
A source cited by pro-Kremlin media outlet LifeNews stated: 'According to information from the secret service, all are active ISIS recruiters.'
A woman named only as Saida K was reported to be working at Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, used by major airlines but also VIPs including President Vladimir Putin and senior officials as well as visiting foreign dignitaries.
Her sister was reported to 'serve in the FSB', although it was unclear in what capacity she was employed by the powerful intelligence agency once headed by Putin - an ex-KGB spy.
A criminal probe has been launched into the group under an article of the Russian criminal code involving 'assisting in terrorist activity'.
Images emerged of a 'massive FSB operation' centred on Partizanskaya Street in Moscow.
The two women had been under surveillance and the operation led to the identification of two male suspects, it was reported.
A Federal Security Service (FSB) and police operation detained the group plus an alleged male 'leader'
Explosives were found in an flat in the suburb of Khimki, close to the international airport, Sheremetyevo
'The men are also suspected of links to ISIS rebels,' said the LifeNews report. 'When their car was searched, a hand gun was found.'
The operation began at 6am on Tuesday but was only reported by Russian media a day later.
'One of the women was detained when she left her block of flats and headed to work. The second woman was detained inside the flat,' the report explained.
A law enforcement source said: 'FSB officers detained the girls and after that they had been waiting for two hours in the flat until the accomplices came.
'They were also detained and the gun was found when they were searched.'
It was also reported that another male suspect, aged 23, had been detained in the Moscow suburb of Khimki, close to another major international airport, Sheremetyevo.
Radical literature was allegedly found in the flat where he was detained. Sources indicated he was the leader of the alleged gang.
Two men are pictured being detained. They are thought to be recruiters for the Islamic State working in the Russian capital
Radical literature was allegedly found in the flat where a 23-year-old man was detained in the Moscow suburb of Khimki
Irina Volk, spokeswoman for the Russian Interior Ministry, said a 23-year-old Asian man who is not a Russian citizen was arrested.
'The detained man was previously convicted of stealing and robbery,' she said.
'He is suspected in recruiting the migrants from the Northern Caucasus and Central Asian countries on behalf of of international radical and extremist organisations.
'During the operation in the Khimki district of Moscow region banned extremist religious books, explosives, hand grenades and other supplies were found.
'Other members of the organised group who took part in the illegal activities were also detained.
Ducks are usually thought of as peaceful creatures that enjoy leisurely swims and slices of bread thrown from old men and women.
But the scenes from this shocking video appeared to prove otherwise as a gang of ducks brutally attempted to 'kill' one of their own in Hradec Kralove in the Czech Republic.
Or at least that is what one man thought, as he hilariously failed to notice the birds were only attempting to mate.
What the duck! A man thinks that a female duck is being attacked by a group of savage mallards
In the video the man zoomed into a flock of male ducks who were surrounding a female.
Their actions appeared to be rather brutal it is commonly how the birds mate in the wild.
Yet the man thought the female was suffering from a savage gang attack.
Gang attack: In the video he zooms in to the group of birds in Hradec Kralove in the Czech Republic
'Stay away, bullies': The man interrupts the mallards going about their business and tries to scare them off
He yelled: 'What the f*** they're trying to kill a duck man,' mistaking a mallard's mating actions for assault.
'Oh my god' he screamed repeatedly interrupting the birds midway through mating.
He then chased them off with a tirade of swearing, met with angry quacks from the mallards.
Lucky ducky: But the male ducks are persistent and repeatedly attempt to get back to the female to mate
The man then finally chases them off with a tirade of swearing, met with angry quacks from the mallards
'They don't want to see you alive and happy, so I'm going to make sure you're alive,' he comically said to the female.
It is not clear how successful the man was in the end as the ducks were persistent in trying to get back to their business.
Kayla Moore (pictured) admitted to kicking her daughter, 2, in the head and torso several times
A 23-year-old mother admitted to kicking her two-year-old daughter in the head and torso before the toddler died from blunt force trauma, authorities said.
Kayla Moore, of Morrisville, Pennsylvania, called 911 on Sunday saying her child Athena Wolfe was in cardiac arrest, although doctors noted she was 'terribly battered' with extensive bruising on her face, back and chest according to police.
Athena died Monday morning and Moore was charged today with criminal homicide, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
Moore called an ambulance around 1.15pm on Sunday, saying her daughter appeared to be in cardiac arrest, according to the criminal complaint.
The two-year-old was hospitalized with respiratory distress and suspected bleeding in the brain, according to Philly.com, and police said Athena suffered extensive bruising on her face, back and chest.
She also appeared to be malnourished.
She was airlifted to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for emergency surgery and died before 7am on Monday, according to FOX29.
Medical examiners concluded the two-year-old died from blunt force trauma and ruled it a homicide.
Doctors noted she looked 'terribly battered and injured', and Moore admitted to kicking her daughter several times before she called for an ambulance, according to the criminal complaint.
Moore is held at Bucks County Correctional Facility without bail and charged on Wednesday.
Athena lived with Moore and her boyfriend Anthony Herrera, 23, with neighbors saying there was another child in the household, FOX29 reported. Herrera has not been charged.
They found each other in 2000 after both losing their spouses and quickly became known for tearing up dance floors together across the Midwest.
But an elderly couple in Iowa have been tragically torn apart, after one half was killed in a car accident at the weekend.
John Kirsch, 77, and Wanda Finley, 81, knew no bounds when it came to their dancing abilities, able to bust out some moves to anything from country to rap.
However Kirsch is in mourning this week after his beloved partner died in Stewartsville, Missouri, on Saturday.
Torn apart: John Kirsch, 77, and Wanda Finley, 81, were an inseparable dancing duo known all over the Midwest for their amazing dance movies. Tragically, Finley was killed on Saturday in a car crash
Madly in love: Finley and Kirsch met each other after both their spouses passed away. That's when they started dancing
Rockstars: While normally out tearing up the dancefloor, Kirsch is in mourning this week after his beloved partner died in Stewartsville, Missouri, on Saturday
Finley was the passenger in a car driven by a friend, Peggy Rinehart, 86, when the two were rear-ended by a tractor-trailer around 8.10 a.m.
Both women were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the semi was not injured.
The news has rocked the town of St. Charles, Iowa, where the couple lived, but has hit Kirsch the hardest.
'When you think of one, your memory comes with the other. That's what people fell in love with,' Derek Knudsen, a DJ who often played for the couple, told WHO TV.
'It's one of those things, you see it and you kind of comprehend it but you think, that couldn't happen.'
Scene: Wanda Finley was driving with a friend when their car was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer Saturday morning in Stewartsville, Missouri
Mary Little, general manager of Avenue of Saints Amphitheatre in St. Charles, said that Kirsch and Finley were not just inseparable, but exceptionally talented.
'It didn't matter if it was rap, country, rock - as long as there was a crowd, they were putting on a show,' Little said.
'The love in their eyes for each other was almost like they were in sync.'
Little said that it was actually Kirsch who told her about the accident.
'It's really sad. It's heartbreaking.'
Disco: John Kirsch, 77, and Wanda Finley, 81, were known as the best dancing elderly couple
Kirsch's daughter, Terrie Kirsch-Severin, said it was some time after he met Finley that she found out about the pair's nights out dancing together.
'One of my friends brought a video to me and showed it and said, oh you have to see this couple. And I looked at it and said, 'That's my dad. What is he doing?'
'One thing dad told me is, you can be really angry about something and we'd just go dancing and it all disappeared,' Kirsch-Severin said.
A memorial benefit will take place May 13 at Avenue of Saints Amphitheater in St. Charles.
One-half of the proceeds will go to benefit the Harrison County Senior Center and the other half will help Kirsch.
A GoFundMe page has also been set up to assist Kirsch, with the aim of raising $5,000.
The wife of MSNBC host Chris Matthews lost her bid for Congress on Tuesday night in what was the most expensive primary race in the country.
Kathleen Matthews was defeated by State Senator Jamie B. Raskin in her bid to secure the Democratic nomination for Maryland's 8th Congressional District.
She was also beaten into third place by David Trone, a Potomac wine dealer, who spent $12million of his own money. Matthews spent $2.5million in her attempt to win.
Over $79,000 of that money came from guests who donated to her campaign before of after appearing on her husband's show Hardball.
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Done: Kathleen Matthews (above in April 2015 with husband Chris Matthews) was defeated in her bid to secure the Democratic nomination for Maryland's 8th Congressional District
Opponents: State Senator Jamie B. Raskin (left) won the race while David Trone (right), who spent $12million of his own money, came in second
'Thank you to my countless volunteers, supporters, and family. You energized my campaign,' wrote Matthews on Twitter Wednesday afternoon.
'I look fwd 2 working w/ @VanHollenForMD & @jamie_raskin to fight for an equal opportunity economy, tougher gun safety laws, & climate action.
'I am also determined to inspire & recruit women to run, as I did, to bring more women's voices to Congress and the national dialogue.'
Chris Matthews did not appear on MSNBC last night when his wife lost the race, which the network made absolutely no mention of the entire evening.
That could have something to do however with the report by The Intercept in early March that revealed the politicians who were supporting Matthews around the time they appeared on her husband's show.
The site reported that 48 frequent guests of the show, their spouses or their PACs donated a total of $79,050 to Kathleen's campaign as of December 31, 2015.
Although 11 guests appeared on the show after Kathleen announced her run without any acknowledgement of their donations, they did not violate Federal Communications Commission guidelines.
In a couple of cases, the donations occurred within days of the guests' Hardball appearances.
New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's PAC contributed $10,000 on June 20, 2015, just two days before the Democrat appeared on the MSNBC show to address sexual assault on college campuses.
A spokesperson for the PAC said Gillibrand had already been asked to appear on the show before the donation was made, the Intercept reported.
The day before California Senator Barbara Boxer was interviewed on Hardball in January, she gave $1,000 to Kathleen's campaign.
Trouble: Over $79,000 of tMatthews' camapaign donations came from guests who donated to her campaign before of after appearing on her husband's show Hardball (above)
The FCC prohibits program hosts from exchanging money for appearances on broadcast stations, which does not apply to MSNBC, a cable channel. The money was also given to Kathleen's campaign, and not Chris Matthews himself.
MSNBC issued a statement that said booking guests on the basis of political contributions 'would violate not only our ethical obligation as journalists, but also violate the standards of NBC News.'
Brian Williams, another embattled news anchor, filled in for Chris Matthews on Tuesday night and said that he was away 'attending to family business.'
The women's deaths came after Flint water plant foreman was found dead
A man has been charged with double murder after allegedly killing a young mom who was among the first to file a lawsuit in connection to the Flint, Michigan water crisis and her friend.
Malek Thornton, 18, is accused of fatally shooting Sasha Avona Bell, 19, while her 16-month-old son, Matthew was in the apartment on April 19. She was found dead along with another victim, Sacorya Renee Reed.
It is believed that Thornton and Bell used to be in a relationship for an unknown amount of time.
Bell filed a lawsuit that alleged her son suffers from the effects of lead poisoning as a result of contaminated water in Flint.
Malek Thornton (left), 18, was charged with double murder in the April 19 deaths of Sasha Avona Bell (right) and Sacorya Renee Reed in Flint, Michigan. Bell was among the first to file a lawsuit in connection to the Flint, Michigan water crisis and claims her son suffers the effects of lead poisoning
'They used to have a dating relationship,' Capt Leigh Golden of the Flint Police Department told NBC News. 'They had broken up.'
It is unknown if Thornton is the father of Bell's young son.
Thornton was arrested shortly after the bodies were found last week. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of open murder and a felony firearm charge, police said.
Bell's attorney described her as a 'lovely young woman' who cared 'deeply' for her family and child.
'Her tragic and senseless death has created a void in the lives of so many people that loved her. Hopefully, her child will be lifted up by the love and support from everyone who cared deeply for Sasha,' said Corey M. Stern to MLive.
Reed, pictured left, was found dead along with Sasha Avonna Bell on April 19. Matthew McFarland, pictured right, was a foreman at the Flint Water Treatment plant who was found dead in an unrelated incident April 16
Stern's New York-based law firm Levy Koningsberg is handling 64 lawsuits filed on behalf of 144 children, along with Flint-based firm Robinson Carter & Crawford.
Bell's lawsuit named six companies and three current and former government employees, accusing them of shirking their responsibilities for the safety of the water in Flint.
'I've gotten to know a lot of the people who live in Flint and she was just a sweet young girl,' Stern later told NBC News. 'She loved her son very, very much and she was one of the first to make the decision to pursue a case for her child. Her death was tragic.'
Stern said Bell had dreamed of becoming a pediatric nurse and work with children with special needs.
Bell was killed several days after the death of Flint Water Treatment Plant foreman who was wanted for questioning in connection to the crisis.
Bell's lawsuit named six companies and three current and former government employees, accusing them of shirking their responsibilities for the safety of the water in Flint
Matthew McFarland, 43, was found dead in his home on April 16. There was no sign of foul play.
His death came after co-worker Michael Glasgow, who ran Flint's water treatment plant, was charged in connection to the crisis.
He was charged with tampering with evidence and willful neglect of duty for allegedly filing false reports about water quality to the state.
State environmental officials Stephen Busch and Michael Prysby were charged with misconduct, evidence tampering, conspiracy and violations of the Safe Water Drinking Act for allegedly altering water test results.
Hillary supporters have been accused of overloading pro-Bernie Sanders Facebook pages with porn.
Cyberattackers are believed to have flooded social media accounts such as Bernie or Bust, Bernie Believers and Bernie Sanders is my HERO with x-rated images in a coordinated attack.
The groups were then flagged for obscene content and then taken down.
However a thread on Reddit with a screenshot of a message sent by Sanders' social media manager Aidan King seemed to suggest the pages were deleted because of a bug.
Hillary supporters have been accused of overloading pro-Bernie Sanders Facebook pages with porn. Cyberattackers are believed to have flooded social media accounts such as Bernie or Bust, Bernie Believers and Bernie Sanders is my HERO with x-rated images in a coordinated attack
A Facebook spokesman told Daily Mail Online: 'A number of groups were inaccessible for a brief period after one of our automated policies was applied incorrectly. We corrected the problem within hours and are working to improve our tools.'
Erica Libenow, a member of a Bernie group, told Heavy.com: 'We had what looked like a kiddie porn posted in one of our groups today. I reported that one. Seriously made me want to vomit.'
According to The Hill, the trolling started at 9pm on Monday and ended at midnight.
The groups, some of which have more than 50,000 members, were eventually put back online.
Admins of the group removed the troll posters and all the pornographic-related posts.
One of those who allegedly uploaded obscene content was a member of Bros4Hillary, Casey Champagne.
One of those who allegedly uploaded obscene content was a member of Bros4Hillary, Casey Champagne
He posted a screenshot after he was informed he had been removed from a group.
According to the Daily Beast, a pro-Hillary Clinton Super PAC has planned to spend $1 million to 'push back against' users on Twitter, Facebook, Reddit and Instagram.
He posted a screenshot after he was informed he had been removed from a group
Barrier Breakers have said they will share positive content and 'push back' against opponents.
Theres no proof of any connection between that PAC and this attack.
Bros4Hillary political director Alex Mohajer released a statement saying: 'Bros4Hillary (B4H) was created as a way to provide a positive and supportive community for supporters of Hillary Clinton to gather, and as a direct response to the hateful and divisive rhetoric used by other campaigns during this election cycle.
'Our mission statement is about inclusiveness and tolerance, and we pride ourselves on our diverse membership and the unity through diversity we aim to achieve.
'We have not and do not approve of or condone harmful or offensive rhetoric or harassing behavior targeting supporters of any other candidate in the race.
'We have repeatedly and officially condemned such words and behaviors.
'Last night, a former member by the name of Casey Champagne decided to engage in harassing behavior toward Facebook groups of Bernie Sanders and posted about it in the B4H Facebook group.
'As stated above, this was not promoted or supported by the leadership of B4H, nor were we immediately aware of this conduct.
'We removed the offending posts and member as soon as possible. While our leadership team of administrators tries to catch every questionable post and comment, with over 7,000 members and on a 24-hour posting cycle, some fall through the cracks.
'We rely on members to flag and report harmful, offensive, or trolling behavior, and apologize to the groups that were affected. This member acted on his own authority, is not a part of our leadership team, and does not represent our ideals or our opinions.'
One Twitter user listed some of the groups who had been targeted, but Facebook insisted it was a glitch
A young man in North Carolina has found his prom date, and he couldn't be happier.
Actually, the prom date found him.
When Lillie Wright realized she wanted to ask her family friend, Trevor Jefferson, to the annual and all-important dance, she decided asking wasn't simply enough.
So she made a sign and went down to Beau's Coffee, the shop where Trevor works in Wilmington, prepared to make a touching promposal.
Adorable: Lillie Wright went to great lengths to ask her family friend, Trevor Jefferson, to prom, presenting him with this sign on Monday at Beau's Coffee in Wilmington, North Carolina
Overwhelmed: After reading the sign, it didn't take Trevor long to shout out 'yes' to the promposal
Lillie and Trevor have known each other since they were children. The prom is on May 7
As seen in a video of the moment loaded to Live Leak, the sign read: 'I like coffee, I like tea, will you go to prom with me?'
Trevor, who has Down syndrome, took a second to read out what the sign said, but quickly responded with a massive 'yes!'.
According to Star News Online, Lillie managed the promposal during her lunch break from Coastal Christian High School.
Lillie is the daughter of Amy Wright, the owner of Beau's Coffee and Trevor's boss.
She says that Lillie since they were children.
She's a special young lady,' Wright told the publication of her daughter.
Touching: Lilie Wright, daughter of Beau's Coffee owner Amy Wright, surprised employee Trevor Johnson with an invitation to her prom
Mrs Wright continued: 'She has a younger brother and sister with Down syndrome, and she just accepts people for who they are. I'm just so proud of her.'
However Mrs Wright also had some words of warning for her daughter.
'Trevor has some great moves on the dance floor,' she said.
The Wall Street Journal ran an ad that downplayed the Armenian genocide on April 20
Kim Kardashian has slammed the Wall Street Journal after the newspaper ran a full-page ad that downplayed the Armenian genocide, in which as many as 1.5million Armenians were killed by the Ottoman Empire in 1915.
The ad, printed in the April 20 edition of the paper and paid for by Turkic Platform, reads Truth = Peace and features the genocide-denial website, FactCheckArmenia.com, which claims the Armenians started the conflict and that fewer than 1.5million Armenians were killed.
For the Wall Street Journal to publish something like this is reckless, upsetting and dangerous, Kim wrote in a blog post.
She added: It's one thing when a s***ty tabloid profits from a made-up scandal, but for a trusted publication like WSJ to profit from genocide it's shameful and unacceptable.
'Why is it that every time we take one step forward, we take two steps back?
The Wall Street Journal told Gawker that the paper accepts many types of advertisements.
We accept a wide range of advertisements, including those with provocative viewpoints, a spokesperson said. While we review ad copy for issues of taste, the varied and divergent views expressed belong to the advertisers.
Still, Kim questioned why the paper would accept the advertisement and run it in their paper.
She wrote: Advocating the denial of a genocide by the country responsible for itthat's not publishing a "provocative viewpoint," that's spreading lies.
It's totally morally irresponsible and, most of all, it's dangerous.
'If this had been an ad denying the Holocaust, or pushing some 9/11 conspiracy theory, would it have made it to print?
Kim also stressed in her blog post that the Armenian genocide should be talked about until it is recognized by our government.
As of February 2015, 44 of the United States have recognized the Armenian genocide, according to the ANI. The country as a whole, however, has not given it recognition.
She wrote: Many historians believe that if Turkey had been held responsible for the Armenian genocide, and reprimanded for what they did, the Holocaust may not have happened.
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Kim and her sister Khloe visited eternal flame of the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex on the outskirts of Yerevan, Armenia, last year to commemorate the 100th anniversary since the genocide
Khloe was seen wiping a tear from her eye after the sisters visited the memorial. The Armenian ancestors are on the Kardashian familys father's side - his family emigrated from an area that now lies in Turkey
In 1939, a week before the Nazi invasion of Poland, Hitler said, "Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?" We do. We must.
We must talk about it until it is recognized by our government because when we deny our past, we endanger our future.
When we allow ourselves to be silenced by money, by fear and by power, we teach our children that truth is irrelevant.
We have to be responsible for the message we pass on to our children. We have to honor the TRUTH in our history so that we protect their future. We have to do better than this.
Kim and her sister Khloe visited eternal flame of the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex on the outskirts of Yerevan, Armenia, last year to commemorate the 100th anniversary since the genocide.
The Armenian ancestors are on the Kardashian familys father's side - his family emigrated to the United States from an area that now lies in Turkey.
Kim and Khloe made the trip to Armenia last year with Kim's husband, Kanye West, and the couple's young daughter, North
Khloe and Kim walk out of the Mother Armenia monument while sightseeing in Yerevan in April, 2015. The sisters also met with Armenian Prime Minister during the visit and dug into their family history
THE KARDASHIAN FAMILY'S CONNECTION TO ARMENIA Kim Kardashian and her family travelled to Armenia as the country prepared to mark the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on April 24. During the eight-day trip, the family group and a film crew visted Yerevan's genocide memorial and Armenia's National Archives to see documents about the Kardashian family ancestors. Robert Kardashian, father of Kim, Kourtney, Khloe and Robert Jr, was a third-generation Armenian American. The celebrity lawyer, who passed away in 2003 just eight weeks after being diagnosed with oesophageal cancer, passed on his pride in his heritage to his family, who have been vocal about their Armenian roots. Robert's ancestors fled the Armenian Genocide in the early 20th century, thanks to a 'prophet' who urged them to uproot to America. Known at the time as the Kardaschoffs, in Russian style, the family made their way from their home village of Karakale in the late 19th Century to German ports. From there, they travelled to a new life in America on the passenger vessels SS Brandenberg and SS Koln. By doing so, they escaped the triple horror of the First World War from 1914-18, the 'Armenian Genocide' starting in 1915 - exactly a century ago this year - and the Russian Revolution in 1917. Among those fleeing Erzurum - then in Armenia, and ruled by last Russian Tsar Nicholas II was family patriarch Hovhannes Miroyan and Kim's great great grandfather, born in 1844. He married Luciag Chorbajian, born in 1853. The couple wed in Erzurum, which is now in Turkey, in 1867 but escaped along with their daughter Vartanoosh Mironyan, born in 1886, in the early 20th century. Vartanoosh's distinctly blonde daughter Haigoohi Arakelian - known as Helen, born in America in 1917, the year the Bolshevik Revolution rocked the Russian Empire - was Kim's grandmother, who later married into the Kardashian clan. The glamorous and 'dynamic' Helen wed Arthur who ran the largest meat-packing business in southern California. Helen's son Robert married Kris Houghton and fathered the 21st Century's biggest reality TV stars Kourtney, Khloe, Robert Jr and most famous of all - Kim. Their mother Kris eventually married Olympic gold medalist Bruce Jenner and together they raised two more TV personalities, Kendall and Kylie. Advertisement
Robert Kardashian, father of Kim, Kourtney, Khloe and Robert Jr, was a third-generation Armenian American.
During Kims eight-day trip at the beginning of April of last year, Kim and her family and film crew visited Yerevan's genocide memorial and Armenia's National Archives to see documents about her ancestors.
At the memorial, the sisters, and at one point Khloe was seen wiping tears away as she stood in silence with her two Armenian cousins.
The Kardashians also met the Armenian Prime Minister during the visit and she dug deeper into her family roots.
Kim then took time to visit the overgrown ruins of her modest ancestral family home, complete with rusted sheet metal walls, no roof, and piles of rubble and debris littering the site.
Turkey denies the killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians, in what is now Turkey, in 1915 at the height of World War One.
Turkey contends those who died were victims of civil war and unrest. Turkey also insists the death toll has been inflated. Relations with Armenia are still blighted by the dispute.
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Air strikes destroyed a hospital and killed dozens of people in rebel-held areas of Syria's Aleppo including children and doctors as the United Nations called on Moscow and Washington to salvage a 'barely-alive' ceasefire.
Monitors and activists say at least 60 people have been killed in the last 24 hours, including doctors and sick children at a hospital. The UN have declared the situation as 'catastrophic'.
The bombed Al Quds hospital was supported by international medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), which said it was destroyed after being hit by a direct air strike that killed at least three doctors, including the city's last pediatrician Dr Wassim.
'This devastating attack has destroyed a vital hospital in Aleppo, and the main referral centre for paediatric care in the area,' said Muskilda Zancada, MSF head of mission, Syria. 'Where is the outrage among those with the power and obligation to stop this carnage?'
Six days of bombings and rebel shelling in Aleppo, which is split between government forces and rebels, have killed some 200 people in the city, two-thirds of them on the opposition side, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says.
An injured woman covered in blood and dust staggers to safety after an air strike hits a rebel-held area of Aleppo
Obliterated: Children walk amid the rubble of destroyed buildings after air strikes on the rebel-held neighbourhood of al-Kalasa in Aleppo
A Syrian family walks amid the rubble of destroyed buildings after a reported airstrike in the Bustan al-Qasr rebel-held district of Aleppo
Distraught: Syrians walk amid the rubble of destroyed buildings after air strikes on the rebel-held neighbourhood of al-Kalasa in Aleppo
International Committee of the Red Cross spokesman Ewan Watson said: 'It is unacceptable, any attack on hospitals is a war crime. But it is up to an investigator and it is for a court to take that decision on whether it is a war crime or not.'
The city of Aleppo is at the epicentre of a military escalation that has undermined peace talks in Geneva to end the five-year-old war and UN envoy Stefan de Mistura appealed to the presidents of the United States and Russia to intervene.
'The catastrophic deterioration in Aleppo over the last 24-48 hours' has jeopardised the aid lifeline that delivers supplies to millions of Syrians, said Jan Egeland, chairman of the UN humanitarian task force.
'I could not in any way express how high the stakes are for the next hours and days.'
The Geneva talks aim to end a war that has killed more than 250,000 people, created the world's worst refugee crisis, allowed for the rise of Islamic State and drawn in regional and major powers but the negotiations have all but failed and a truce to allow them to take place has collapsed.
A badly wounded man is loaded on to a vehicle so he can be taken to hospital for treatment for his injuries
A man carries a child after airstrikes destroy a rebel-held area of Aleppo. The violence brings the death toll over 24 hours to at least 61
The White Helmets have been braving the continued bombing in an effort to drag people from the rubble
The Syrian regime has been pounding rebel-held areas in Aleppo since the weekend including the hospital
Winding up the Geneva talks, de Mistura said he aimed to resume them in May, but gave no date.
'Wherever you are, you hear explosions of mortars, shelling and planes flying over,' Valter Gros, who heads the International Committee of the Red Cross Aleppo office, said.
'There is no neighbourhood of the city that hasn't been hit. People are living on the edge. Everyone here fears for their lives and nobody knows what is coming next,' he said.
A Syrian military source said government planes had not been in areas where air raids were reported. Syria's army denied reports that the Syrian air force targeted the hospital.
The Russian defence ministry, whose air strikes have swung the war in favour of President Bashar al-Assad, could not immediately be reached for comment. Russia has previously denied hitting civilian targets in Syria where it launched air raids late last year to bolster its ally.
The British-based Observatory said 31 people were killed as a result of air strikes on several areas of opposition-held Aleppo on Thursday.
Syrian civil defence volunteers evacuate a baby from a destroyed building in the rebel-held neighbourhood of al-Kalasa in Aleppo
Six days of air strikes and rebel shelling in Aleppo, which is split between government forces and rebels, have killed some 200 people in the city, two-thirds of them on the opposition side, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says
A Civil Defence worker carries a child through the rubble-strewn streets of Aleppo after airstrikes by suspected government forces
A civil defence member carries a child to safety after she is pulled from the rubble in Aleppo
In addition, it said at least 27 people were killed in the air strike on the hospital that was struck late on Wednesday. Rescue workers put the toll higher.
In government-held areas, rebel mortar shelling killed at least 14 people, the Observatory and Syria's state news agency SANA reported.
Peace talks, which have been deeply divided on the future of Assad, looked to be over last week when the opposition walked out.
They said the Syrian government was stalling for time to advance on the ground and calling for implementation of a UN resolution requiring full humanitarian access to besieged areas.
De Mistura voiced deep concern at the truce unravelling in Aleppo and at least three other places, but also said he saw some narrowing of positions between the government and opposition visions of political transition.
'Hence my appeal for a U.S.-Russian urgent initiative at the highest level, because the legacy of both President Obama and President Putin is linked to the success of what has been a unique initiative,' de Mistura told a news conference.
Dr Wassim (left), described as the last paediatrician in Aleppo, was among dozens killed when jets attacked the Al Quds hospital (right)
The damage at the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)-backed Al Quds hospital after it was hit by airstrikes in a rebel-held area of Aleppo
They should 'be able to revitalise what they have created and which is still alive but barely'.
The United States and Russia must convene a ministerial meeting of major and regional powers who compose the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), he said.
Egeland said: 'So the appeal of Staffan de Mistura to the United States, to Russia and to the other powers in the ISSG is 'you did it once, you can do it again.''
Bashar Ja'afari, who led the government delegation, said on Tuesday the round had been 'useful and constructive'. But he gave no sign of ceding to the opposition HNC's central demand for a political transition without Assad. The government has said the future of Assad is non-negotiable.
De Mistura, asked whether Assad's fate was discussed, replied: 'We didn't get into names of people ... but actually how to change the current governance.'
More than 100 people have been killed in airstrikes in Aleppo with scores injured since Friday afternoon
The state run media service has blamed many of the deaths on the Al Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front
The UN envoy said the two sides remained far apart in their vision of a political transition, but shared some 'commonalities', including the view 'that the transitional governance could include members of the present government and the opposition, independents and others'.
Giving a chilling statistic about the backdrop of violence against which the talks played out, de Mistura said that in the past 48 hours there had been an average of one Syrian civilian killed every 25 minutes and one wounded every 13 minutes.
Hossam Abu Ghayth, 29, a documentary film-maker living in the rebel-held area of Kalasa in Aleppo which was bombed on Thursday, said by WhatsApp: 'There are still planes (flying)... they're hitting everything, mosques, markets, residential buildings, field hospitals.
'Dozens of people are under the rubble and the Civil Defence cannot dig out the bodies because of the intensity' of the bombardments.
Tony Ishak, 26, a resident of the government-held area of Suleimaniya in Aleppo and a politics student, said via WhatsApp:
Martin was wanted for stealing cash and jewelry in the Bronx last August
A 21-year-old robber has died falling from a sixth story apartment building while fleeing from police during a gang raid in New York this morning.
Geovanni Martin, who was wanted for a string of armed robberies, climbed out the window of a Bronx apartment building as cops raided it at 6am before slipping and falling to his death.
But police sources told the New York Daily News they were actually there to arrest another person living in the apartment, and had no plans to arrest Martin.
Geovanni Martin, 21, fell to his death from a sixth story window of this apartment block in the Bronx after mistakenly thinking police had come to arrest him during a gang bust this morning
It was only after Martin was taken to hospital and pronounced dead that officers connected him to a string of Bronx robberies back in August.
According to the New York Post, Martin stole cash and jewelry from at least five victims aged between 43 and 62, using a knife on at least one of those occasions.
Martin is believed to have been visiting the apartment at the time, and police say they arrested another man who lives there. His relationship to Martin is not clear.
Officers say they carried out a successful raid on the apartment, arrested the man they were looking for, and then left.
It was only when they got outside the building that they noticed Martin hiding outside on a fire escape and told him to go back inside.
Suspicious cops returned to the apartment to find Martin had climbed out another window and was hanging from the concrete ledge outside.
Cops carried out a series of dawn raids in the Bronx today, arresting more than 120 suspected members of two gangs, the Big Money Bosses and 2Fly
Officers say collectively the men are wanted in connection with 39 homicides, including that of a 92-year-old woman who died after being hit by a stray bullet as she watched TV in her home
Despite officers' attempts to get Martin back inside his grip eventually weakened and he slipped to his death.
Officers carried out a series of raids across The Bronx this morning that led to the arrest of 120 alleged gang members in what police chiefs called the biggest takedown in New York history.
Authorities swooped in the early hours on dozens of members of two rival gangs, the 'Big Money Bosses,' or BMB gang, and its rival '2Fly'.
Gang members are accused of as many as 39 homicides, use of firearms, robbery, bank fraud, racketeering and drug dealing.
Members of the gangs are also accused of use of firearms, robbery, bank fraud, racketeering and drug dealing
A decade-long turf war between the two groups triggered a cycle of violence, some of it deadly, prosecutors say, with innocent bystanders also caught up in the bloodshed.
One such victim was a 92-year-old woman killed by a stray bullet in her own home.
Sadie Mitchell had been watching television in her living room in 2009 when the bullet came in through her window and hit her in the hip before puncturing her lung.
Today Show host Karl Stefanovic has slammed Peter Dutton after he admitted he had no idea what would happen to the 850 asylum seekers on Manus Island despite knowing for months the detention centre would close.
The decision followed Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court ruled that Australia's detention of asylum seekers on the island is illegal forcing the government to re-house the men.
On Thursday, the Immigration Minister insisted the refugees and asylum seekers being held on PNG Island would not be brought to Australia as it emerged he had known about the ruling for months.
In a fiery exchange, Mr Dutton said the decision of the facility's closure 'hasn't taken us by surprise' but struggled to explain what would happen over the fate of the asylum seekers on the island.
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Today Show host Karl Stefanovic has slammed Peter Dutton who revealed he had no idea what will happened to those left on Manus Island despite knowing for months that the detention centre is set to close
Australia's detention centre on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island is set to close - forcing the government to re-house as many as 850 refugees and asylum seekers
'Gee, I tell you what, when the Prime Minister finds out that you've said that you've known for months this was coming and made the announcement that you had no road map - it doesnt say much about your planning does it, doesnt say much about his planning,' Stefanovic said.
Mr Dutton responded: 'Well Karl, I just don't know how you can draw that conclusion though.'
Stefanovic quickly fired back: 'Well, because you say youve known for months this ruling was coming and yesterday he said we have no road map. How long does it take the Prime Minister does to come up with a road map?'
'Well the Prime Minister has been part of these discussions for a long period of time,' Mr Dutton said.
'Well, the point that we were making yesterday was that the PNG Government itself had said that they hadn't yet had time to contemplate the individual judgements that were made.'
On Thursday, the Immigration Minister insisted the refugees and asylum seekers held on PNG Island would not be brought to Australia as it emerged he had known about the ruling for months
The Immigration Minister insisted the refugees and asylum seekers being held on PNG Island would not be brought to Australia as it emerged he had known about the ruling for months
Stefanovic hit back at the minister, accusing Mr Dutton for not answering his questions when he asked what would happen to the men when the centre is closed
Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court deemed Australia's detention of asylum seekers on Manus Island illegal
However, Stefanovic hit back at the minister, accusing Mr Dutton for not answering his questions when he asked what would happen to the men when the centre is closed.
'Well Karl, I've been very clear. Some of them will return back to their country origin because they're not owed protection,' Mr Dutton said, in which Stefanovic asks: 'When?'
'Well as soon as that's possible. That's an issue for the PNG government in relation to those that have been found with owed protection then PNG is able to provide settlement to those people.
'Those people won't be coming to Australia.'
On Tuesday, PNG's Supreme Court ruled that the detention breached the right to personal liberty in the Papua New Guinea constitution.
Asylum seekers on the island whose applications have not succeeded are unable to leave detention and are being told they must go back to their country of origin.
Casualty units are braced for a five-day onslaught from the sick in the wake of the doctors strike.
Most patients heeded warnings to avoid A&E during this weeks two-day industrial action.
But those who stayed away are now expected to seek treatment and the surge is likely to last until Monday.
Hospitals will be under extra pressure because of the closure of GP surgeries over the bank holiday. Staff must also rearrange 125,000 appointments and operations lost as a result of the all-out strike.
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More than 21,000 junior doctors walked out of hospitals yesterday and on Tuesday, the first time they have ever abandoned emergency posts
Jeremy Hunt leaves his home on the morning of the second day of junior doctors strikes - The chair of the BMA junior doctors committee has written to Mr Hunt urging him to lift his threat to impose the contract
More than 21,000 junior doctors walked out of hospitals yesterday and on Tuesday, the first time they have ever abandoned emergency posts.
With their contract row showing no signs of ending:
More strikes are likely to be announced within weeks;
Jeremy Hunt said doctors did not understand the issues;
Support for the strike showed no sign of wavering;
An Olympic hopeful had a vital operation postponed.
Joyce Robins, of the pressure group Patient Concern, said the situation was very dangerous.
With a bank holiday coming up, and GPs closed for three days, Im really fearful that this backlog could prove lethal, she added. Patients will suffer and in the end patients will die. The situation is disastrous and I am appalled that it has come to this.
Health chiefs were last night drafting in extra staff to cover the next five days.
The bitter row between ministers and the British Medical Association over the junior doctor contracts rages on
A spokesman for NHS England said: There is likely to be a knock-on effect from the strike as hospitals get back to normal working, and this could add to the pressures this May bank holiday weekend.
But the NHS has been working to ensure sufficient out-of-hospital capacity is in place to meet predicted levels of demand.
Its important the public know how to play their part over the bank holiday in an emergency they should of course dial 999 or go to A&E.
But we would also ask them to make use of NHS Choices and NHS 111 for urgent advice and access to out-of-hours GPs.
They should also stock up on their regular medicines and seek advice from their local pharmacist.
Kevin McGee, chief executive of East Lancashire Hospitals Trust, admitted the effects of the strikes were starting to be felt.
This is the fifth action that weve seen, he told the BBC. Over this last couple of days, weve cancelled in excess of 100 planned, elective procedures.
If you put that on the back of the activity that weve already cancelled, its getting to the point where its becoming quite difficult going forward. So absolutely the strain is starting to tell with the level of activity that weve had to cancel over the previous strikes and this one.
Hospitals will be under extra pressure because of the closure of GP surgeries over the bank holiday. Staff must also rearrange 125,000 appointments and operations lost as a result of the all-out strike
Casualty units are braced for a five-day onslaught from the sick in the wake of the doctors strike
A spokesman for Croydon Health Services NHS Trust said staff were trying to discharge healthy patients quickly to make way for admissions.
She added: As we look forward to the weekend ahead, and conscious of the bank holiday on Monday, we have plans in place to manage the coming five days.
A spokesman for Rotherham Hospital said: We are planning to have some additional medical staff in over the weekend to deal with extra demand.
The bitter row between ministers and the British Medical Association over the junior doctor contracts, which will see them working more weekends, for less money, continues.
Insulting and patronising
Health Secretary Mr Hunt said: The problem we had is that the BMA are not prepared to sit round and discuss this in a reasonable way.
Many doctors dont actually understand the contents of the new contract and nor do they understand how hard the Government has worked to try to reach an accommodation and that is a great tragedy.
A BMA spokesman said in reply: The suggestion that tens of thousands of junior doctors are misinformed is insulting and patronising, but junior doctors have come to expect nothing less from the Health Secretary.
Johann Malawana, who chairs the BMA junior doctors committee, last night wrote to Mr Hunt urging him to lift his threat to impose the contract.
He said: What happens next is in the Governments hands. It cannot continue to ignore the tens of thousands of junior doctors opposed to this contract and who want to end this dispute through talks.
The strike had 78 per cent support. Casualty admissions fell by around 20 per cent.
The hunt is on for a man who carried out four sexual assaults by breaking into women's homes and raping them.
The first attack happened in 2008 and the latest one took place this year, with assaults spanning across the Gold Coast, Logan and Brisbane in southeast Queensland.
In October 2008, a man broke into a woman's home at Coombabah, on the Gold Coast, just after midnight and sexually assaulted her before he fled through the back door.
The hunt is on for a man who carried out four sexual assaults across southeast Queensland
At the time of the attack, the woman was aged in her 50s.
Seven years later in November 2015, a woman in her 60s found the same man in the kitchen of her home in Springwood, a suburb of Logan, about midnight.
He restrained the woman and made threats to rape her but for an unknown reason he released her and fled.
A similar incident happened again in January this year when a woman in her 20s was asleep in her room in Sunnybank, in Brisbane's south, where she was woken up by a man with his hands around her neck.
He sexually assaulted her and ran off.
The fourth incident occurred in February at a home in Southport, on the Gold Coast, about 3am.
Queensland Police have established Operation Melya to investigate the four sexual assaults.
A man entered the bedroom of a woman in her 30s through a window and sexually assaulted her.
Queensland Police have established Operation Melya to investigate the four cases.
Detective Superintendent Dave Hutchinson said police believed the incidents were linked.
'We have four confirmed linked cases of sexual assaults of women in their homes spanning from 2008,' he said.
'This is very concerning and we are putting a lot of resources into finding this man.
'We're also appealing for public assistance. If anyone has seen any suspicious behaviour - for example an unknown person loitering or been subject to incidents of wilful exposure - we would urge them to come forward with this information and contact Crime Stoppers.'
Detective Superintendent Cheryl Scanlon, from the Child Safety and Sexual Crime Group, said police had a dedicated team of officers working on this investigation - including examining recent historical reports of sexual assaults in Brisbane, Logan and the Gold Coast.
'All four assaults have occurred at night time, two around midnight and two around 3am,' she said.
'The age of the women assaulted has ranged from in their 20s, 30s, 50s and 60s.
The first trailer for Oliver Stone's upcoming political thriller 'Snowden' has arrived.
The film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the spy-program whistle-blower Edward Snowden, who risks his own life to challenge the complacency of shadowy government bureaucrats, pervy computer programmers - and Nicholas Cage.
The movie, which will be in theaters September 16, follows the career of real-life Snowden, 32, who leaked troves of documents in 2013 showing the U.S. government spies on its own citizens through secret surveillance programs.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Edward Snowden, who joined the U.S. Intelligence Community after failing to get admitted to the Special Forces
Working for the National Security Agency, Gordon-Levitt's character is faced with moral and ethical challenges as he watches his colleagues spy on ordinary Americans
While working as a contractor for NSA, the movie's Snowden downloads a trove of classified documents onto a micro memory card
Gordon-Levitt's character then hides the memory card in a modified Rubik's cube
The movie's Snowden then uses the toy to smuggle the data. There have been reports the real-life Snowden used ordinary thumb drives to escape with the information
Snowden leaked the documents after quitting his job as a contractor for the National Security Agency and preemptively fleeing to Hong Kong. He subsequently fled to Russia, where he is currently living in an undisclosed location while seeking asylum in other countries.
The trailer, released Wednesday, starts off with Snowden's failed Special Forces application and shows him turning to intelligence work, where he discovers infuriating overreach on behalf of federal intelligence agencies.
Prior to his admission to the Central Intelligence Agency, the movie's Snowden exhibits his extraordinary intelligence in what the A.V. Club called 'an obligatory completing a four hour test in minutes scene.'
Gordon-Levitt, left, stars in Oliver Stone's new biopic based on the story of whistle-blower Edward Snowden, right
Shailene Woodley, left, of Divergent fame, portrays Snowden's girlfriend, Lindsay Mills, pictured right
Nicholas Cage appears in the trailer as a yet-unnamed government agent who urges Gordon-Levitt's character to 'Find the terrorists... In the internet haystack'
Gordon-Levitt's character is then introduced to his new mission by an official, played by Cage, who urges him to 'Find the terrorists... In the internet haystack.'
But instead of terrorists, the movie's Snowden finds himself looking at authentic sex scenes secretly recorded in American bedrooms, alongside a young colleague who remarks with voyeuristic glee that the government is capable of spying on people across 'the whole kingdom.'
A few moments later, Gordon-Levitt's character appears struck by a terrifying insight as he is in bed with his girlfriend, portrayed by 'Divergent' star Shailene Woodley, and gazes into the prying eye of his own webcam.
And so, the movie's protagonist does what any conscientious hero would do - he downloads incriminating data onto a micro memory card, hides it in a specially modified Rubik's cube, and uses the toy to escape with the information.
It is unclear how close to the truth this depiction is - 2013 reports claimed Snowden smuggled the information on ordinary thumb drives - but a Rubik's cube did play a role in the real-life Snowden saga.
Director Laura Poitras, journalist Glenn Greenwald, and Snowden's girlfriend Lindsay Mills accept an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for 'Citizenfour' in 2015
Glenn Greenwald, a Guardian reporter, and Laura Poitrass, a documentary filmmaker - whom Snowden singled out to help him publicize the leaks, and who are played by Zachary Quinto and Melissa Leo, respectively - have told how Snowden arranged a top-secret meeting where he identified himself by carrying a Rubik's cube.
As for the casual viewing of intimate scenes from the private lives of U.S. citizens, Snowden has said such things happened on average every two months, and that the privacy infringements went unreported: 'These are seen as sort of the fringe benefits of surveillance positions,' he told the Guardian in 2014.
On Wednesday, the real-life Snowden shared the movie trailer on his Twitter account with the words:
'For two minutes and thirty nine seconds, everybody at NSA just stopped working.'
For two minutes and thirty nine seconds, everybody at NSA just stopped working. https://t.co/OLjCV6wkGp Edward Snowden (@Snowden) April 27, 2016
Police who turned up to a domestic violence call were given a shock when they discovered 37 endangered animals in their house in China.
On April 24, a woman gave a call to police in Dongxing City, Guangxi Autonomous Region, to tell them that her husband was on drugs and had brought a mistress home, the People's Daily Online reports.
When the officers arrived at her apartment, they accidentally found the man were keeping 37 loris and macaques at his home, which were thought to be smuggled into the country.
Up for sale: The primates were in a bad condition and had been kept in cages at Mr Jiang's house in China
Shocking: When searching through one of the rooms officers found 20 red slender loris and 17 macaques
Tragic: Officers say the monkeys were set to be sold for thousands of yuan by the illegal smuggler
Local police arrived at the couple's house at around 3am after they were called by the wife.
According to local media, the husband, surnamed Jiang, threatened officers with a knife upon their arrival.
It's reported that he was under the influence of drugs at the time.
Officers later found a small amount of methamphetamine on him and decided to search the apartment for any more drugs.
When searching through one of the rooms they found 20 red slender loris and 17 macaques in cages.
The police also found notebooks showing that wild animals had been arranged to be sold by Mr Jiang.
The notebooks show that the wild animals had been sold to provinces around China for several thousand Yuan each.
The man claimed he had no idea where the monkeys came from.
Police have detained the man for questioning.
The case is being investigated by the local forest police.
China is a hub of illegal animal smuggling rings.
In 2015, a haul of more than 1,500 animals and their body parts was discovered including rare and protected wildlife such as leopard cats and salamander.
Police had been investigating the ring for a year before making arrests of 65 people.
Illegal smuggler: Police decided to search the apartment after methamphetamines were found on the man
37 primates found in apartment: The man claimed he had no idea where the monkeys came from
Whether or not you would want to travel to Mars is one question, but you may not have considered whether you are the kind of person who would survive there.
Only people with a very particular personality and relevant skills will be able to make it in the Martian environment.
Dr Jonathan Clarke, president of Mars Society Australia, told MailOnline what skills you would need to survive on the planet and what life might be like there.
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Whether or not you would want to travel to Mars is one question, but you may not have considered whether you are the kind of person who would survive there. Only people with a very particular personality and relevant skills will be able to make it in the Martian environment. Analog Mars mission in Utah shown
Dr Clarke is one of the few people on Earth who have experienced what it might be like to live on another planet, as he has been involved in analog missions - activities undertaken on Earth in various environments to simulate aspects of human missions to other worlds.
His first analog mission was in central Australia and since then he has been on a couple in Utah, and will be going back to Utah and to the Canadian arctic.
WHAT KIND OF PERSON WOULD SURVIVE ON MARS? To survive on Mars, according to Dr Clarke, you'd need to be self-motivated and have high leadership. You would also need to be able to work with other people and let them lead as well in areas of their expertise. The group would end up more like a family, a group of very, very close friends, or a very tightly-knit team of colleagues rather than just a bunch of workmates. But at the same time it would be challenging. To be able to go to Mars people would have to know their own jobs but possibly two or three more on top of that, he continued. They would also need to be able to deal with problems as they arose - not just technical problems, but human problems, social problems, psychological problems. That means they would have to be a very emotionally-intelligent person. Advertisement
Living on Mars would be very different.
Due to the weaker gravity, people would be able to lift heavier objects, more massive objects, which would weigh a lot less on Mars than they would on Earth.
'Life would be familiar, but through a looking glass,' said Dr Clarke.
'It would be also slightly warped, slightly different.
'It might take a little getting used to doing that.
'We have learned to live in all sorts of strange environments, and people live quite happily on the International Space Station and the depths of the Antarctic winter.
'I'm sure people will learn to live on Mars quite happily there and enjoy the experience.'
But he said that people would only survive with a particular personality type.
'Think about how you would live on Mars,' said Dr Clarke. 'You would be living in a small space, the size of a small three-bedroom house, with several colleagues - perhaps five or six fellow astronauts.'
He said anyone who could survive in this environment would need great people skills.
'You'd need a group of people that you'd get on with not just for a few days or a few months, but for years on end. '
Living on Mars (shown) would be very different. Because of the weaker gravity, people would be able to lift heavier objects, more massive objects, which would weigh a lot less on Mars than they would on Earth. 'Life would be familiar, but through a looking glass,' said Dr Clarke, president of the Mars Society Australia
Dr Clarke is one of the few people on Earth who have experienced what it might be like to live on another planet, as he has been involved in analog missions (pictured), activities undertaken on Earth in various environments to simulate aspects of human missions to other worlds
During analog missions, like the one pictured in Utah, people wear spacesuits and use the same equipment they would if they were in another world, such as the moon or Mars. The team has the same constraints as it would on Mars, apart from the gravity
THE 160 MISSION Dr Clarke is one of seven people across the world that have been chosen for a special Mars 160 day twin desert-arctic mission run by the Mars Society. 'For the Mars 160 programme, which is two expeditions, I will be the crew geologist,' he said. There are seven people set to go on the expedition including engineers, a biologist, a journalist and a medical doctor. The team will be wearing simulation space suits, collecting data and using handheld instruments that will have the same constraints as they would on Mars, apart from the gravity. Advertisement
The group would end up more like a family, a group of very, very close friends, or a very tightly-knit team of colleagues rather than just a bunch of workmates.
But at the same time it would be challenging, he said.
'It would be work that pushed you to the limit. But it would be also an immensely fulfilling time for the people who go.'
To be able to go to Mars people would have to know their own jobs but possibly two or three more on top of that, he said.
'You'd have to know probably two or three other jobs so you could do them in an emergency.
'You could do first aid, nursing. You could pilot a spacecraft when it lands or you could drive the rovers.
'You'd be able to deal with problems as they arose - not just technical problems, but human problems, social problems, psychological problems.'
That means you would have to be a very emotionally-intelligent person.
You'd need to be self-motivated and have high leadership, but also be able to work with other people and let them lead as well in areas of their expertise.
Dr Clarke (pictured) is one of seven people across the world that have been chosen for a special Mars 160 day twin desert-arctic mission run by the Mars Society. There will be two 80-day missions, the first in Utah and the second in the Canadian Arctic
'If you want to go to Mars, work on your relevant technical skills; work on your people skills,' continued Dr Clarke.
'Work on being the best sort of person you can possibly be. You might get selected one day.'
Dr Clarke and his colleagues during the first of his analog missions, in Arkaroola, central Australia
Dr Clarke is one of seven people across the world that have been chosen for a special Mars 160 day twin desert-arctic mission run by the Mars Society.
'For the Mars 160 programme, which is two expeditions, I will be the crew geologist,' he said.
There are seven people set to go on the expedition including engineers, a biologist, a journalist and a medical doctor.
'My role will be, at the first expedition to Utah for 80 days and the second expedition to Devon Island in the Canadian Arctic also for 80 days, to look at the rocks in these areas and compare them to features that we see on Mars, and to carry out the kinds of field studies that astronauts would do on Mars.'
The team will be wearing simulation space suits, collecting data and using handheld instruments that will have the same constraints as they would on Mars, apart from the gravity.
'My role will be, at the first expedition to Utah for 80 days and the second expedition to Devon Island in the Canadian Arctic also for 80 days, to look at the rocks in these areas and compare them to features that we see on Mars, and to carry out the kinds of field studies that astronauts would do on Mars.'
For those who are not prepared to venture to the planet in person, a new video game will be released on 13 May by id Software.
A new version of an old video game Doom, a 1993 science fiction first-person shooter video game, has been redesigned and set in Mars.
Nestled in the rainforests of Panama is a bird that is unlike any other found in the South American region.
In fact, the sapayoa's closest relatives are found around the Indian Ocean in parts of Africa and Asia.
The sapayoa's similarity to birds in those distant parts of the world has long been noticed, and different species often evolve to become similar to each other because they of similar lifestyles.
But now scientists have confirmed this really is a lost bird, the only example of its genetic family to be found for thousands of miles in any direction.
The sapayoa's (pictured) similarity to birds in distant parts of the world has long been noticed, and different species often evolve to become similar to each other because they of similar lifestyles. But now scientists have confirmed is the only example of its genetic family to be found for thousands of miles in any direction
Quite how it ended up so far from other members of its lineage remains a mystery, and researchers are still baffled about its reproductive biology and social behaviour.
Sarah Dzielski and Benjamin Van Doren of Cornell University discovered that sapayoas build their nests hanging over the water along ravine-bottom streams in the jungles of eastern Panama.
OLD WORLD BIRDS Many Old World birds of the sub-order Eurylaimides are cooperative breeders like this, with family groups helping to raise young. This sub-order is also noted for building pear-shaped hanging nests, just like the sapayoa. But Eurylaimides are confined to tropical regions around the Indian Ocean, and no other group member has been found elsewhere. In fact, the sapayoa is so different from other birds that it is currently placed in its own family, called Sapayoidae. Advertisement
They describe their observations, made in the remote Darien National Park, in the journal The Auk: Ornithological Advances.
One nest was occupied by a family group with an adult male and female, plus two immature males and two chicks - which were fed by all four other family members.
This unusual behaviour was one of the clues to the birds' mysterious history.
Many Old World birds of the sub-order Eurylaimides are cooperative breeders like this, with family groups helping to raise young.
This sub-order is also noted for building pear-shaped hanging nests, just like the sapayoa.
But Eurylaimides are confined to tropical regions around the Indian Ocean, and no other member of the group has been found elsewhere.
Many Old World birds of the sub-order Eurylaimides build pear-shaped hanging nests, like the sapayoa. But Eurylaimides (Long-tailed broadbill pictured) are confined to tropical regions around the Indian Ocean, and no other group member has been found elsewhere
In fact, the sapayoa is so different from other birds that it is currently placed in its own family, called Sapayoidae.
Even its scientific name hints at the mystery: Sapayoa aenigma, being Latin for enigma.
'The sapayoa has long been a mystery bird,' said Jon Fjeldsa of the University of Copenhagen, who first identified the bird's unusual origins in 2003.
It is the one of the world's least populated areas with nearly three quarters of its land covered with a permanent ice sheet.
But changes taking place in Greenland, the world's largest island after Australia, are having a dramatic impact that stretches far beyond its shores, according to a new study.
Researchers have found that shifts in the weather systems above the Danish territory are leading to increasingly unsettled and unseasonable weather over northwest Europe, including the UK.
Scientists have found that since the 1980s there has been an increase in the occurrence of high pressure systems 'blocking' the weather over Greenland (southern Greenland pictured), bringing unsettled and unseasonable conditions to northwest Europe. They say this may be partly due to melting of Arctic sea ice
They have found that in recent years there has been an increase in the incidence of high pressure systems that remain stationary over Greenland, dragging warm air over the ice sheet.
GLOBAL WARMING IS CHANGING THE WORLD'S WOBBLE Global warming is shifting the way the Earth wobbles on its polar axis, a new Nasa study has concluded. Melting ice sheets - especially in Greenland - are changing the distribution of weight on Earth. That has caused both the North Pole and the wobble, which is called polar motion, to change course, according to a study published Friday in the journal Science Advances. Scientists and navigators have been accurately measuring the true pole and polar motion since 1899 and for almost the entire 20th century they migrated a bit toward Canada. But that has changed with this century and now it's moving toward England, said study lead author Surendra Adhikari at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab. Advertisement
This, scientists say, appears to be driven by changes in the atmosphere due to global warming.
When in place, these 'blocking systems', as they are known, brings wetter and often extreme weather during the summer to Europe, like those seen in the summers of 2007 and 2012.
Professor Edward Hanna, from a climate scientist at the University of Sheffield who has been leading the work, said: 'Our research has found an increase in the incidence of high pressure weather systems remaining stationary over Greenland since the 1980s, which is having a significant impact on extreme weather and climate change in the region.
'These weather systems are occurring in the area more often because of strong Arctic warming and changes in the atmospheric jet stream in recent years.
'This is resulting in an increase in the occurrence of warm air in the region and it is also affecting weather systems downstream of Greenland, such as over the UK.
'The unusually wet weather seen in the UK in the summers of 2007 and 2012, for instance, is linked to these stationary high pressure systems over Greenland.'
High pressure weather systems over Greenland (pictured) are thought to be linked to the atmospheric jet stream wandering northwards, causing warmer air to move into the Arctic
The study looked at the changes in the weather systems over Greenland since 1851 and found there had been an increase in high pressure systems since the 1980s (illustrated)
The researchers examined the changes in the weather systems over Greenland since 1851 by looking at the occurrence and strength of atmospheric high pressure systems over the island.
Greenland is thought to be one of the fastest warming regions in the world and its enormous ice sheets, the only permanent ice sheets outside of Antarctica, are retreating.
This has led many to warn that the influx of cold fresh water from Greenland's glaciers will have a dramatic impact on the ocean currents and sea level rise.
But the new research, which is published in the International Journal of Climatology, also suggests the atmospheric changes that appear to be warming Greenland in the first place are also having impacts further south.
They found that since the 1980s there has been an increase in the occurrence of blocking systems over Greenland.
These are thought to be linked to the atmospheric jet stream wandering northwards, causing warmer air to move into the Arctic.
Greenland (pictured) is one of the fastest warming regions in the world as warm air helps to drive the melting of its ice sheets. New research suggests this may be detabilising the weather further south too
Scientists say the blocking systems over Greenland are linked to unsettled weather that brought unseasonably wet conditions to the UK in the summers of 2007 and 2012 when flooding hit many areas including the historic town of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire (pictured)
Professor Hanna and his colleagues believe this may be caused by a destabilisation of the weather systems in late autumn and early winter.
The team, which include climate scientist John Cappelen from the Danish Meteorological Institute in Copenhagen, believe this may be related to the declines in sea ice cover reported in the Arctic region.
Professor Hanna said: 'Sea-ice coverage throughout the Arctic has significantly reduced in recent years, which we already know is having an amplifying effect on warming in the region.
'What this study now tells us is that changes in stationary high pressure over Greenland are adding to the change in polar climate.'
A Japanese amusement park is turning the fears of a robot-run world into a family friendly attraction.
Guests at Huis Ten Bosch will soon be able to enjoy okyonomiyaki prepared by a robotic chef, cocktails made by an autonomous bartender and a complete staff of serving cyborgs.
This 'robotic kingdom' will feature over 200 androids that attendees can touch and interact with while spending the day at the park.
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Guests at Huis Ten Bosch will soon be able to enjoy okyonomiyaki prepared by a robotic chef, cocktails made by an autonomous bartender and a complete staff of serving cyborgs. This 'robotic kingdom' will feature over 200 androids. A robot prepares dumplings in the restaurant kitchen of a Robot Restaurant in Harbin, China
IS YOUR JOB AT THREAT FROM ROBOTS? Claims made by an expert in artificial intelligence predict that in less than five years, office jobs will disappear completely to the point where machines will replace humans. The idea that robots will one day be able to do all low-skilled jobs is not new, but Andrew Anderson from UK artificial intelligence company, Celaton, said the pace of advance is much faster than originally thought. AI, for example, can carry out labour intensive clerical tasks quickly and automatically, while the latest models are also capable of making decisions traditionally made by humans. The fact that a machine can not only carry out these tasks, but constantly learn how to do it better and faster, means clerical workers are no longer needed in the vast quantities they once were,' Mr Anderson said. For example, a machine can recognise duplicate insurance claims by knowing it has seen a phone number or an address before. Advertisement
The Dutch-theme amusement park, located in Nagasaki, Japan, plans to add the futuristic world to the attraction this coming July.
'Robots will arrive in this kingdom one after another, and the time will come when those technologies will be in use worldwide,' Hideo Sawada, president of the park's operator, told Nikkei Asian Review.
Admission to the robot kingdom is expected to cost $59.33 for adults and there is no sign of it increasing.
Not only will this be a robot-themed park, but developers can use the facility to test their own innovations and gain more experience.
This new attraction is building off of Huis Ten Bosch's smart hotel, which opened up last year.
The futuristic resort features 72 rooms, three customer-service robots, one 'service bot' that serves guests coffee and others that perform different tasks.
When the first guests check into at Henn-na Hotel they are greeted by 10 lifelike robots - and the mechanical service does not stop there.
The robots check-in new guests before carrying their luggage and cleaning their rooms and all with a smile.
They come from a company called Kokoro, which has been developing 'actroid' or human-seeking robots, for just over a decade, The Telegraph reported.
Guests staying at the hotel won't need any room keys, because the doors will be fitted with face recognition technology, allowing them to access their rooms using their appearance alone.
The Dutch-theme amusement park, located in Nagasaki, Japan, plans to add the futuristic world to the attraction this coming July. Admission into the park for the day will costs $59.33 for adults and there is no sign of it increasing. It will have robots doing task like those at China's themed restaurant (pictured) in Yiwu
This new part of the park is building off of Huis Ten Bosch's smart hotel (pictured), which opened up last year. The futuristic resort features 72 rooms, three customer-service robots, one 'service bot' that serves guests coffee and others that perform different tasks
And the room's temperature is monitored by detecting body heat and guests can summon a service robot via a tablet, instead of the traditional phone.
The hotel, which means 'change' or 'strange' in Japanese cost from $62.00 per night and a twin room will cost from $80 per night.
There are about 10 human staff members working at the hotel that observe the robots working, company president Hideo Sawada said that he hopes the robots will carry out 90 per cent of tasks in the hotel.
It is, according to Egyptian legend, a fearsome beast with the body of a bird, and the head of a black cat.
A new study has shown the terrifying animal is over 4,000 years old - and was what Egyptians thought was a demon.
The same symbol has been spotted on two coffins, and on a leather manuscript, and it is believed the demons gripped their victims using large talons, and then cut off their heads.
A depiction of a demon functioning as a dangerous guardian of fiery gate as attested on a Middle Kingdom coffin (1870-1830 BC). The demon here takes the form of a large bird with a black feline head. The same demon in a slightly different, but highly intriguing, form is attested in the Cairo leather roll- with the kind permission of Dr. Wael Sherbiny.
THE THREE ICONS Two of the demons, called In-tep, pictured as a dog-like baboon, and Chery-benut, depicted as unspecified figure with human head, appear as guardians at the entrance of a complex building, possibly a kind of temple, that contains several chambers guarded by other demonic entities. The third demon, Ikenty, was the guardian of a fiery gate that led to a restricted area concealing a divine image. It was previously portrayed on a Middle Kingdom coffin (1870-1830 BC) in the form of a large bird with a black feline head. Advertisement
The research was revealed by Wael Sherbiny, an independent scholar who specializes in the ancient Egyptian religious texts, who found it on two coffins and an ancient leather manuscript.
The Belgium-based Egyptologist recently revealed his find at the International Conference on Ancient Egyptian Demonology.
Two of the demons were found two demons on two Middle Kingdom coffins about 4,000 years old.
The third was portrayed in a 4,000-year-old leather roll the researcher had previously discovered in the shelves of the Egyptian museum in Cairo, where it was stored and forgotten for more than 70 years.
'Although textual descriptions of all sorts of supernatural entities are attested in the religious texts as early as the Pyramid Texts, if not earlier, the visual expressions about these entities are scarce,' he wrote in an abstract of his work.
One of the major texts covering the finds omitted the iconography, he found.
'During my intensive research on the composition of the so-called Book of Two Ways which has been going on for the past seventeen years, I discovered, to my surprise, a large number of iconographic details in the supposedly-published material that were simply skipped by the Coffin Texts editors.
'These include a number of new pictorial renderings of various supernatural entities.'
'These three demons are already familiar to scholars from ancient texts. However, the depiction of two of them was unknown until now,' Sherbiny told Discovery News.
Two of the demons, called In-tep, pictured as a dog-like baboon, and Chery-benut, depicted as unspecified figure with human head, appear as guardians at the entrance of a complex building, possibly a kind of temple, that contains several chambers guarded by other demonic entities.
One of the demons was found as part of the Coffin Texts, a collection of ancient Egyptian funerary spells written on coffins beginning in the First Intermediate Period. They are partially derived from the earlier Pyramid Texts, reserved for royal use only, but contain substantial new material related to everyday desires, indicating a new target audience of common people.
'The texts link this building to the moon god Thoth and the bark of the sun god,' Sherbiny said.
The third demon, Ikenty, was the guardian of a fiery gate that led to a restricted area concealing a divine image.
It was previously portrayed on a Middle Kingdom coffin (1870-1830 BC) in the form of a large bird with a black feline head.
'The texts indicate that this demon has a swift attack with inescapably powerful grip on whomever he sees,' Sherbiny said.
The ancient Egyptian world of belief was inhabited by a huge number of entities with super powers.
Plants have memories of past events that they can pass onto their offspring.
For instance, 'mother' plants can sense temperature changes and use that information to form long-term memories that help future generation flower at the right time.
Now, new research has found a prions, a protein linked to mad cow disease, could be responsible for how plants form memories.
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Plants have memories of past events that they can pass onto their offspring. Now, new research has found a prions (left), a protein linked to mad cow disease, could be responsible for how plants form memories
WHAT ARE PRIONS? Prions are a type of protein that fold under certain conditions. They can also trigger other proteins around them to fold as well. They can cause Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans, scrapie in sheep and BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease) in cattle. But in plants, the same effect can help form memories. Advertisement
Prions are a type of protein that fold under certain conditions.
They can also trigger other proteins around them to fold as well.
This folding damage can lead to mad cow disease, but in plants, the same effect can help form memories.
Scientists have previously found that when the Arabidopsis thaliana plant experiences warmer temperatures, it produced more of a protein called Flowering Locus T (FT).
This suppresses the production of tannins in its fruit, making seed coats thinner and more permeable.
This means they germinate more quickly. Conversely, if the mother plant experiences cooler temperatures before flowering, it produces less FT protein and more tannins.
Seed coats will be thicker, less permeable and will germinate later.
In this way, the mother plant can manipulate seed germination to be optimal for the time of year.
'Plants have lots of states that they self-perpetuate,' Susan Lindquist of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology told the New Scientist. 'They have memory in some ways.'
The researchers knew that yeasts use prions as a form of memory, and they wanted to test whether the same was true for plants.
Scientists have previously found that when the Arabidopsis thaliana plant experiences warmer temperatures, it produced more of a protein called Flowering Locus T (FT). This suppresses the production of tannins in its fruit, making seed coats thinner and more permeable
In yeast, prions allow the organism to use a variety of nutrients and grow in new places and the ability continues over several generations.
'It could be state that only lasts for 50 generations, or it could last for thousands and thousands of generations,' said Lindquist.
The team using algorithms to search the proteins expressed to in Arabidopsis thaliana, a flowering mustard plant.
They found around 500 possible candidates, before narrowing the list down to four in further analysis.
They found four proteins that were involved in flowering which had similarities to prion-specific changes in yeast.
Researchers then replaced the prions in yeast cells with the prion-like protein sequences from Arabidopsis.
This showed that three of the four plant protein fragments behaved like prions.
The researchers say they don't yet know what the protein fragments are doing in the plants, and more research is needed to confirm the results.
PLANTS HAVE EVOLVED TO FORGET STRESSFUL MEMORIES Scientists claim plants can edit the 'long-term memory' they use to store information to forget stressful events such as drought While most of us would love to be able to forget about the stressful and unpleasant moments in our lives, it appears plants have already evolved a way of doing so. Scientists claim plants can edit the 'long-term memory' they use to store information about their surrounding environment and pass down through generations. Many grasses and weeds have been found to use a type of genetic memory known as epigenetics, which attaches chemical groups to DNA to switch genes on and off. These can be passed down through the generations, but can also be altered depending on changes in the environment. Scientists have found plants use this form of genetic memory to help prime them to deal with difficult situations like a drought or attack by a pest. This can help them defend against it better in the future, and also recover more quickly. But in a new scientific review, scientists claim plants have the ability to 'forget' memories of certain stressful events if it is likely to hinder their growth in the future. Dr Peter Crisp, a botanist at the Australian National University in Canberra, and his colleagues who conducted research on plant memory, said: 'Stress memories may be maladaptive, hindering recovery and affecting development and potential yield. 'In some circumstances, it may be advantageous for plants to learn to forget. Advertisement
A pill that slashes the risk of dying from heart failure is today given the green light for use on the NHS.
Thousands of patients are expected to benefit from the 3-a-day treatment, which experts describe as the biggest step forward in 15 years.
Sacubitril valsartan cuts death rates by a fifth when compared with enalapril the current gold standard treatment and will be rolled out to hospitals in the next month.
A pill that slashes the risk of dying from heart failure is today given the green light for use on the NHS (stock photo)
The twice-daily pill, sold under the name Entresto, works by widening the blood vessels which reduces blood pressure and takes the strain off the heart. It is the first of a new kind of drug called angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors.
NICE the medicine rationing body today publishes guidance approving use of the pill for those with moderate to severe symptoms, who have already tried a different drug called an ACE inhibitor. Many of these patients are confined to their beds, their hearts too weak to support an active lifestyle.
The watchdog says it will enable 100,000 people in England to access the drug.
Professor Carole Longson, director of the health technology evaluation centre at NICE, said: We are pleased to be able to recommend this treatment for those with a severely reduced ejection fraction [how much blood is pumped] and whose symptoms can mean they are almost bedbound.
Thousands of patients are expected to benefit from the 3-a-day treatment, which experts describe as the biggest step forward in 15 years (stock photo)
This recommendation will help ease the symptoms of very ill people and improve their quality of life. It should also reduce their need for hospital treatment.
Heart failure is thought to affect around 900,000 people in Britain, some 550,000 of whom have been diagnosed. It is caused when the heart becomes weak and struggles to pump blood round the body, often after a heart attack. Around a third of patients die within a year of diagnosis, and 30,000 people are admitted to hospital in England each year with the condition.
In clinical trials, the results of which were published in the New England Journal of Medicine, sacubitril valsartan reduced deaths by 20 per cent and hospitalisations by 21 per cent compared with enalapril. It also decreased patients symptoms and their physical limitations.
The Department of Health was so impressed it labelled the drug a promising innovative medicine meaning hospitals have to make the pill available in just 30 days rather than the usual 90.
Nick Hartshorne-Evans, of heart failure charity the Pumping Marvellous Foundation, said the new drug promised to reduce symptoms, improve quality of life and decrease the rate of hospitalisation.
He added: We are pleased to see that sacubitril valsartan should be available to NHS patients in as little as 30 days.
Speaking when trial results were published in January, Dr Simon Williams, a cardiologist at the Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester, said: In terms of drug treatment for heart failure this is the biggest step forward in ten to 15 years.
Professor Peter Weissberg, from the British Heart Foundation, said: There is currently no cure for heart failure we welcome news that this drug will now be available to help manage the condition.
A tablet made from compressed bacteria is being developed to fight cholesterol.
The treatment created by York-based company OptiBiotix is said to be as good at clearing arteries as statins, which are taken by up to seven million people in the UK.
When a woman's partner cheats on her, the betrayal and grief she experiences afterwards can be difficult to get over.
But researchers have found that women who lose their unfaithful man to another women may actually be winners in the long run.
They say the experience she gains from the infidelity of their partner helps them make better mate choices in the future.
While women can suffer short-term grief and a sense of betrayal when they discover their partner has been cheating on them (stock image), they ultimately benefit in the long run as they learn from the experience to make better choices about their partners while also undergoing some personal growth
And perhaps most gratifyingly of all, their partner's new woman is actually the ultimate loser.
Dr Craig Morris, an evolutionary biologist at Binghamton University in New York, who led the study, said: 'If we have evolved to seek out and maintain relationships, then it seems logical that there would be evolved mechanisms and responses to relationship termination.
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'Over 85 per cent of individuals will experience at least one (break up) in their lifetime.
CAN ADULTERY LEAD TO A HAPPY MARRIAGE? Sleeping with other people could be the key to a happy marriage, previous research has claimed. Scientists said 'outsourcing' areas of the relationship - including sex - can make couples happier. They also claimed we increasingly expect our spouses to be best friends, counsellors and career coaches. But despite the long list of demands, we are spending less time with them than before. As a result, our complex psychological needs arent satisfied and most marriages of today are worse than those of the past. Professor Eli Finkel, a psychologist at Northwestern University, reviewed existing research on the psychology, history and sociology of relationships. He said an agreed, non-monogamous relationship would, in some cases, work best. Advertisement
'Our thesis is that the woman who "loses" her mate to another woman will go through a period of post-relationship grief and betrayal, but come out of the experience with higher mating intelligence that allows her to better detect cues in future mates that may indicate low mate value.
'Hence, in the long-term, she "wins". The "other woman", conversely, is now in a relationship with a partner who has a demonstrated history of deception and, likely, infidelity.
'Thus, in the long-term, she "loses".'
Working with colleagues at University College London, Dr Morris conducted an online survey of 5,705 people in 96 different countries about their relationship breakups.
Their findings showed that while discovering an unfaithful partner could have negative short-term effects, in the long run it actually benefited women.
They said women who had been cheated on tended to be more psychologically attuned to making better choices about partners in the future.
Writing in the Oxford Handbook of Women and Competition, Dr Morris and his colleagues said this may have evolved to help women cope with competition for partners.
'Female competition for male attention is multifaceted,' the researchers said.
'Typically psychological and relational in nature, this competition may be no less damaging than physical violence more commonly used between males.
Researchers said around 85 per cent of us will experience some sort of relationship breakdown, but those whose partners are unfaithful can come out as winners, while the new women in the adulterous men's lives (stock picture) tend to be the ultimate losers in the long run
'If negative emotions exist because they provide an evolutionary advantage then emotions arising from the loss of a mate to a sexual rival may potentially motivate actions that could make one avoid this scenario in the future.'
The experts added that as well as helping women make better choices about their future partners, it may also aid their personal development in other areas of their life.
Dr Morris said the findings could also help women cope better with the emotional trauma that follows a relationship breakup.
He said: 'They can learn that they are not alone - that virtually everyone goes through this, that it's okay to seek help if needed and that they will get through it.'
goal and humans will go further
The European Space Agency's plans to build a village on the moon are part of a much wider scheme to explore the far-flung regions of our solar system.
Speaking at a recent conference, Esa boss Jan Woerner said: 'I think we should go first to the moon and then further on.'
He added that Mars should not be our ultimate goal and said he is 'quite sure humans will go further.'
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The European Space Agency's plans to build a village on the moon (concept pictured) are part of a much wider scheme to explore the far-flung regions of our solar system. Speaking at a recent conference, Esa boss Jan Woerner said: 'I think we should go first to the moon and then further on'
EXPLORE FAR SIDE OF THE MOON Woerner said the project could allow exploration of the far side of the moon. 'No human has ever visited the far side of the Moon,' he wrote. 'Astronomers want to set up radio telescopes there because it is shaded from Earth's radio pollution. Building a telescope with innovative techniques like 3Dprinting, perhaps using lunar soil, would enable us to look much deeper into the Universe. 'No human has ever visited the lunar pole regions, where unmanned missions found water ice. 'Water is an important resource, because you can produce rocket propellant and oxygen from it. 'Both lunar regions are scientifically very promising places.' Advertisement
The comments were made at the New Generation Space Leaders Panel: The Future of Human Spaceflight and reported by Space.com.
'The future of space travel needs a new vision,' Woerner previously said.
'Right now we have the Space Station as a common international project, but it won't last forever.'
'If I say Moon Village, it does not mean single houses, a church, a town hall and so on. No, that would be misleading.
'My idea only deals with the core of the concept of a village: people working and living together in the same place.
'And this place would be on the moon.
'In the Moon Village we would like to combine the capabilities of different spacefaring nations, with the help of robots and astronauts.
'The participants can work in different fields, perhaps they will conduct pure science and perhaps there will even be business ventures like mining or tourism.'
Woerner added that the Moon Village would act as a 'pit stop' for the further exploration of the universe.
'Esa is eager to fly to Mars as well.
'For more than a decade, we have had a very successful spacecraft orbiting there. And now, with ExoMars, two unmanned missions are aiming at martian orbit and the surface.
'Yes, the Americans want to send astronauts to Mars one day, but today's technology isn't prepared for this trip yet.
'For example, we must develop countermeasures against the cosmic radiation that endangers the health of humans on long space trips. And we have to learn how to endure longer periods of time in space, not only in low orbit as on the Space Station.
Esa scientists have been testing 3D-printing technology they say could be used on the moon. It was one of a number of proposals discussed at an international conference organised by Esa about returning humans to the lunar surface. A proposed lunar base is illustrated
'This is where our moon comes into play it is the perfect stepping stone to Mars.
'Recently, I talked to Charlie Bolden, the administrator of Nasa. He endorsed the idea of a moon Village.
'He said to me, 'We will go together.'
It could also help defend the Earth.
'It helps with planetary defence, which means protecting Earth from the hazards of impacting asteroids or comets.
'To venture into the unknown is in our genes, curiosity has always been a very strong driver for humankind. And exploration is especially part of the European heritage.'
The village would be manned by humans and robots, with rovers able to traverse the planet on their own.
'I can imagine astronauts on the Moon along with robots and unmanned rovers. Or the robots and rovers could be remotely controlled from a manned lunar space station.
Esa's D-Shape printer has been used to create prototype structures that could be used in a lunar base (pictured). It uses a mobile array of printing nozzles that spray a binding solution onto a sand-like material
'Yes, in principle the Moon Village could be robots only, but the idea is to bring together the whole diversity of spacefaring nations.
'Therefore, I am quite sure that some nations would send astronauts, cosmonauts or taikonauts as well.
Woerner also said the project could even bring the US and China together.
'It is true that currently the US Congress doesn't want to cooperate with China in a common project like the International Space Station, but the situation with the Moon Village would be different.
'I think we should bridge these earthly problems, and I'm sure that it can be achieved in the end.'
The project could take the place of the ISS.
All members but the European Union have agreed to operate and finance the ISS to at least 2024.
Woerner insisted today the ISS 'has its value' and said he hoped to convince member states that 'Esa should continue' its involvement in the project.
Europe is currently committed until 2020.
As for the future, 'I see the Moon Village as the ideal successor of the International Space Station for... exploration,' said Woerner in a previous interview about the project.
Structures for a lunar base could be built by robots sent ahead of human astronauts. Experts said 3D printing technology can currently construct an entire building in around a week
CHINA'S MISSION TO THE MOON DISCOVERS NEW TYPE OF ROCK A type of titanium-rich rock, never before seen by researchers, has been discovered on the surface of the moon. Samples of the unique basalt were gathered by the Chinese rover Jade-Rabbit and researchers have now studied the rock to learn more about the moon's volcanic surface. In particular, the rock contains a unique mixture of titanium dioxide and olivine, which makes it different from any of the samples returned by the Nasa Apollo missions. The unmanned Chang'e-3 probe and the Jade Rabbit rover touched down on a vast flat flood plain formed of a unique type of volcanic basalt. Analysis of the measurements the rover took while exploring the site have revealed the area formed surprisingly recently and may be among the youngest areas on the lunar surface. While the surface of the moon is largely thought to have been shaped by volcanic eruptions that took place some 3 to 4 billion years ago. But the unusual volcanic basalt rock discovered by the Chinese rover appears to be just 2.96 billion years old. It has been found to contain a unique mixture of minerals that has high levels of titanium dioxide and also another green mineral called olivine. Advertisement
'So far, there is no competitive proposal on the table.'
Unlike the ISS, he explained, a lunar village required no 'formal decision' among countries.
'It is more an understanding of many nations to go together to the Moon.'
What is important, however, is a discussion on the best location to settle. 'Is it the far side? Is it the near side? Is it the poles?'
Once a spot is chosen, said Woerner, individual countries or space agencies will decide how they want to take part in the project.
But who would take part?
'Russia has some lunar missions planned, so why not have them as part of the Moon Village?' asked Woerner, noting also that 'the Chinese are planning some lunar missions.'
He also said he did not mind that some think his idea hare-brained.
'The word 'crazy' is exactly something I would like,' he said. 'We have to think out of the box. That means new ideas.'
Woerner said he had mooted his idea at two space gatherings last year, in the US and in Israel, and 'I've had several organisations worldwide saying to me: 'How can we participate?'.'
The scheme will come up in talks with the space agencies of the US, Japan, Canada and Russia in the coming weeks, on the future of the ISS.
'And we will have discussions with other countries and states worldwide,' said Woerner.
'We need an idea of where to go and what to do.'
Earlier this month, Esa proposed using 3D printing technology to create a series of permanent structures using the lunar soil, known as regolith, which could used to house astronauts by 2030.
Esa has begun to take a lead role in the push to establish a base on the moon after Nasa said it does not intend to be the lead in future manned missions on the lunar surface.
Instead, the American space agency is focusing on sending humans to an asteroid and then on to the surface of Mars.
This 1.5 tonne building block was produced as a demonstration of 3D printing techniques using lunar soil
Space exploration experts from around the world met in Noorwijk, the Netherlands, last month for the Esa-led international symposium entitled Moon 2020-2030: A New Era of Coordinated Human and Robotic Exploration.
They discussed new technologies that could help to support human life on the moon including new space suits, habitats and ways of producing food.
Some of these technologies, such as greenhouses being used to grow salad and other planets, are already being tested on the International Space Station.
Laurent Pambaguian, from Esa's materials technology section, outlined technology his team have been testing to print construction blocks out of the lunar regolith.
He added that 3D printers can produce between 6.5ft and 11ft (2 metres and 3.5 metres) of material an hour, meaning an entire structure could be produced in a week.
By sending a robot capable of building structures from the lunar soil, it may be possible to have these in place in time for a manned mission to the moon.
Speaking in the past about the 3D printing technology, Mr Pambaguian said: 'Terrestrial 3D printing technology has produced entire structures.
Scientists also discussed a possible location for a base with astronomers favouring the far side of the moon as it would allow radio telescopes to peer into space without being effected by transmissions from Earth. A false colour image of the lunar surface is pictured
'Our industrial team investigated if it could similarly be employed to build a lunar habitat.'
Artist's impressions of such a lunar base released by Esa have been compared to the underground buildings inhabited by the children's TV characters the Teletubbies.
Scientists also discussed a possible location for a base with astronomers favouring the far side of the moon as it would allow radio telescopes to peer into space without being effected by transmissions from Earth.
However, according to Space.com, Europe now appears to be leading the international efforts to put humans back on the moon.
Kathy Laurini, Nasa's co-chair for the exploration roadmap working group who attended the symposium, said: 'The Esa space-exploration strategy sets the moon as a priority destination for humans on the way to Mars.
'The recent talk of a 'Moon Village' certainly has generated a lot of positive energy in Europe.
'The timing is right to get started on the capabilities which allow Europe to meet its exploration objectives and ensure it remains a strong partner as humans begin to explore the solar system.'
You have ten seconds to comply, or you're in for a shock.
Rolling straight out of a dystopian future where robots keep humans in check, a Chinese university has developed a riot control machine to keep the peace.
The robot, which resembles one of Dr Who's infamous Daleks, can keep rioters in check with a nifty electric shock and could enable people to call for help or press an SOS button to call for police.
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Robotics experts from Beijing's National Defense University unveiled their crime fighting creation at the Chongqing Hi-Tech Fair (pictured). The team claims the robot is is a breakthrough and could play a key role in the future of China's attempts to crush terrorism and public dissent
Its makers said the AnBot is a breakthrough in low cost robotics and surveillance and could play a key role in the future of China's attempts to crush terrorism and public dissent.
Robotics researchers at Beijing's National University of Defense Technology recently unveiled their crime fighting creation at the Chongqing Hi-Tech Fair, where they demonstrated its abilities.
At just under 4.9ft-tall (1.5 metres), it weighs in at 172lbs (78kg).
And while its cruising speed is a leisurely 1km per hour, for those perpetrators thinking of making a break for it, the robot can give chase at top speeds of 11 mph (18km/h)
AnBot (pictured right) resembles one of Dr Who's infamous Daleks (right). Its makers claim that can it could be used to patrol streets and keep people in check with a remotely activated 'riot control tool' and could enable people to call for help or press an SOS button to call for police
MEET THE ANBOT AnBot has been designed by Chinese robotics researchers to help keep the peace. Its creators say it can work for eight hours without before needing a charge and could patrol the streets. It is equipped with non-lethal weapons for riot control and could also be used as a contact point to call for help. At just under 4.9ft-tall (1.5 metres), it weighs in at 172lbs (78kg). And while its cruising speed is a leisurely 1km per hour, for those perpetrators thinking of making a break for it, the robot can give chase at top speeds of 11 mph (18km/h). Advertisement
According to Chinese news source People's Daily, the police bot has sensors which mimic human eyes and ears.
Unlike its human counterparts, the robot has no need for rest and is capable of pulling an eight hour continuous shift before it needs a recharge.
It can be controlled remotely, but most intriguing of all are the maker's claims of an 'electrically charged riot control tool', which can be deployed remotely by the robot's controllers.
Xiao Xiangjiang, one of the researchers from the National University of Defense Technology, told New China TV: 'AnBot has a high degree of autonomy. It could patrol, avoid obstacles, identify and charge all on its own.
'He is equipped with non-lethal weapons to prevent and control violence by remote control. Moreover, he could be a service provider, which makes him more practical.'
The Chinese are not the only nation looking to robots to maintain public order.
AnBot could be controlled remotely, with non-lethal weapons deployed to keep rioters in check. Its makers say it could play a key role in the future of China's attempts to crush terrorism and public dissent, such as the protest in Hong Kong in which pro-democracy demonstrators clashed with police (pictured)
AnBot was revealed at a tech fair in China earlier this month, where its makers demonstrated its abilities
In the US, researchers at the University of Florida have been working on a police robot which could carry at everyday law enforcement tasks.
According to the Florida team, TeleBot will be able to do simple police tasks like handing out parking tickets.
It is designed to be controlled remotely, and its multiple sensors and cameras mean its operator can use it to patrol the streets from anywhere.
They would later go on to dominate the planet, sitting at the very top of the food chain.
But it seems our early human ancestors were not so lucky and may have provided a tasty, if somewhat bony, snack for large prehistoric carnivores.
Archaeologists have discovered bones from an early species of human who lived in North Africa 500,000 years ago that show signs of having been eaten by a hyena or another predator.
Tooth marks found on the femur of an early human found in Morocco (pictured) may be one of the earliest pieces of evidence that our hominin ancestors were eaten by predators. The tooth marks, on each end of the bone, may have been made by a preshistoric hyena that either hunted or scavenged on the early human
Large tooth marks in the femur, which was found in a cave in Morocco, suggest the early human, or hominin, had been eaten shortly after death.
It is one of the earliest pieces of evidence that our hominin ancestors were eaten by predators.
Analysis of the bite marks suggests they were most likely made by hyenas, but it was not possible to tell if the animals had killed the individual or were scavenging.
DID GIANT HYENAS STOP EARLY HUMANS FROM SPREADING? Early humans are thought to have first ventured into Europe around 1.4 million years ago, but failed to spread far across the continent. Exactly why these first members of the Homo family to arrive in Europe were unable to press home their advantage while later members of the family like the Neanderthals and modern man did, has puzzled anthropologists for decades. Now paleontologists claim to have identified a possible cause for this early failure - a giant prehistoric hyena called Pachycrocouta brevirostris. They claim to have found evidence this ferocious creature, which was more than twice the size of modern spotted hyenas in Africa, would have dominated Western Europe at the time. It would have directly competed with early humans like Homo antecessor, which were the first Hominids believed to arrive in Europe, for food left behind by predators. Advertisement
It is thought the bones belonged to an early human species called Homo rhodesiensis, although it has yet to be conclusively attributed to an individual human species.
At the time there would have been several large predators including bears, prehistoric lions, leopards and sabre-toothed tigers living in that part of Africa.
Dr Camille Daujeard, from the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France, who led the work, said: 'Encounters and confrontations between archaic humans and large predators of this time period in North Africa must have been common.
'This discovery is one of the few examples where hominin consumption by carnivores is proven.'
'Whether predated or scavenged, this chewed femur indicates humans were a resource for carnivores, underlining their close relationships during the Middle Pleistocene in Atlantic Morocco.'
The femur was discovered in a cave known as Grotte a Hominides in Thomas Quarry I, on the outskirts of Casablanca on the Moroccan coast.
It was found alongside several fossilised teeth, pieces of skull, vertebrate and the mandibles of an adult and a young child during excavations between 1994 and 2011.
The cave is thought to have been inhabited by an early species of human that was identified as Homo rhodesiensis, and some of the bones found there have been attributed to them.
The researchers believe the tooth marks were made by a large carnivore like a hyena (spotted hyena), although they are unable to tell if the early human had been killed by the carnivore or was being scavenged
The femur was discovered in a cave known as Grotte a Hominides in Thomas Quarry I, on the outskirts of Casablanca on the coast of Morocco (marked). It was found alongside several fossilised teeth, pieces of skull, vertebrate and the mandibles of an adult and a young child during excavations between 1994 and 2011
WHO WAS THE 'HUNTED' HOMININ? The femur was discovered in a cave known as Grotte a Hominides in Thomas Quarry I, on the outskirts of Casablanca. It was found alongside several fossilised teeth, pieces of skull, vertebrate and the mandibles of an adult and a young child during excavations between 1994 and 2011. The cave is thought to have been inhabited by an early species of human that was identified as Homo rhodesiensis, and some of the bones found there have been attributed to them. However, many anthropologists believe Homo rhodesiensis is actually the African variant of a more widespread species of early human called Homo heidelbergensis. Anthropologists believe these early humans, which are thought to have later given rise to Neanderthals, had complex social behaviour. Advertisement
However, many anthropologists believe Homo rhodesiensis is actually the African variant of a more widespread species of early human called Homo heidelbergensis.
Anthropologists believe these early humans, which are thought to have later given rise to Neanderthals, had complex social behaviour.
Spear points used for hunting alongside other wooden tools have also been found at a site in Germany thought to have been used by Homo heidelbergensis.
But the new study suggests that although early humans at the time may have been hunters, they were also often the hunted themselves.
The researchers examined the tooth marks in the femur, which are clustered at the two ends of the bone.
The softer parts of the bone appear to have been completely crushed.
By comparing them to marks made by other carnivores, the researchers concluded it could have been made by a hyena, such as the spotted hyena or the striped hyena.
Bones found in the cave alongside the femur have been identified as being from the early human species Homo rhodesiensis (artist's impression pictured). There is some evidence that they hunted smaller animals but the new findings suggest they could also have fallen prey to larger predators themselves
Writing in the journal Public Library of Science One, Dr Daujeard and her colleagues said another nearby cave Grotte des Rhinoceros showed clear signs of hunting by early humans from the time.
They said: 'During the Middle Pleistocene of North Africa, humans and carnivores competed for the same prey and natural shelters, resulting in a close proximity that could lead to many forms of interactions.
The ancient skeleton known as Kennewick Man is related to modern Native American tribes, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Wednesday.
The long awaited decision opens the process for returning to a tribe for burial one of the oldest and most complete set of bones ever found in North America.
The Northwestern Division of the corps said its decision was based on a review of new information, particularly recently published DNA and skeletal analyses.
Aplastic casting of the skull from the bones known as Kennewick Man, is shown in in Richland, Wash. A bill has been introduced in the U.S. Senate to require the federal government to give the bones of the Kennewick Man back to the Indian tribes from which he descended.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? The bones will remain at the Burke Museum in Seattle until the corps determines which tribe will receive them. The next step is for interested tribes to submit a claim to acquire the skeleton for burial, said Michael Coffey, a spokeswoman for the corps in Portland, Oregon. Determining which tribe receives the bones is likely to be a lengthy process, Coffey said. In the past, the Colville, Yakama, Umatilla, Nez Perce and Wanapum Indians have claimed a connection to them. 'We still have a lot of work to do,' Coffey said. The tribes call the remains the Ancient One and visit the skeleton to hold religious services Advertisement
The corps, which owns the remains, said the skeleton is now covered by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.
The 8,500-year-old remains were discovered in 1996 in southeastern Washington near the Columbia River in Kennewick, triggering a lengthy legal fight between tribes and scientists over whether the bones should be buried immediately or studied.
The bones will remain at the Burke Museum in Seattle until the corps determines which tribe will receive them.
The next step is for interested tribes to submit a claim to acquire the skeleton for burial, said Michael Coffey, a spokeswoman for the corps in Portland, Oregon.
Determining which tribe receives the bones is likely to be a lengthy process, Coffey said. In the past, the Colville, Yakama, Umatilla, Nez Perce and Wanapum Indians have claimed a connection to them.
'We still have a lot of work to do,' Coffey said.
The tribes call the remains the Ancient One and visit the skeleton to hold religious services.
'Obviously we are hearing an acknowledgment from the corps of what we have been saying for 20 years,' JoDe Goudy, chairman of the Yakama Nation, told The Seattle Times.
'Now we want to collectively do what is right, and bring our relative back for reburial.'
New genetic evidence determined the remains were closer to modern Native Americans than any other population in the world.
Another attempt to recreate the face of Kennewick man
Following that, the corps began to re-examine Kennewick Man's status.
'I am confident that our review and analysis of new skeletal, statistical, and genetic evidence have convincingly led to a Native American Determination,' said Brig. Gen. Scott A. Spellmon, commander of the corps' Northwestern Division.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT KENNEWICK MAN Kennewick Man was about 40 years old at the time of his death, the cause of which remains a mystery. He lived among big-game animals such as deer, pronghorn antelope and bighorn sheep but primarily consumed fish and marine mammals and relied on glacial meltwater in rivers. His wide-bodied frame helped him navigate the steppe-like habitat of his surroundings along the northwest coast of North America where he hunted and fished. His hand, arm and shoulder bones suggest that he was right handed and was adept at flint knapping and throwing spears. It has been 18 years since two men sneaking into the races in Washington stumbled on an ancient skeleton in the shallows of the Columbia River near the city of Kennewick in southern Washington. Kennewick Man survived two major injuries during his life, including six broken ribs from blunt-force trauma to the chest and an adversarial encounter with a spear. The skeleton is stored at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle. The researchers compared DNA extracted from a hand bone ofthe skeleton to that of modern Native American tribes and otherworld populations and concluded the Kennewick man was onlydistantly related to populations other than Native Americans,such as the Ainu of Japan or peoples from Polynesia, rejectingthe earlier hypothesis. Advertisement
Most scientists trace modern native groups to Siberian ancestors who arrived by way of a land bridge that used to extend to Alaska.
But features of Kennewick Man's skull led some scientists to suggest the man's ancestors came from elsewhere.
Researchers turned to DNA analysis to try to clarify the skeleton's ancestry.
They recovered DNA from a fragment of hand bone, mapped its genetic code and compared that to modern DNA from native peoples of the Americas and populations around the world.
The results showed a greater similarity to DNA from the Americas than from anywhere else, with a close relationship to at least one Native American population, the Colvilles, in Washington state.
An 'impossible' fuel-free engine, that could take humans to Mars in just 10 weeks, has been shown to work - but no one knows why.
The so-called EmDrive creates thrust by bouncing microwaves around in an enclosed chamber, and uses only solar power.
Many argue the concept is simply hype, pointing out that the design goes against the known laws of physics.
Now, one scientists claims he has a new theory that could explain exactly how the EmDrive would work.
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A prototype of the 'impossible' fuel-free engine that some say power a spacecraft to Mars in just 10 weeks. The design is now set to undergo peer-review. Many maintain the system goes against the laws of physics
WHAT IS AN EM DRIVE? The concept of an EM Drive engine is relatively simple. It provides thrust to a spacecraft by bouncing microwaves around in a closed container. Solar energy provides the electricity to power the microwaves, which means that no propellant is needed. The implications for this could be huge. For instance, current satellites could be half the size they are today without the need to carry fuel. Humans could also travel further into space, generating their own propulsion on the way. But when the concept was first proposed it was considered implausible because it went against the laws of physics. Its allegedly fuel-free nature also means that the drive may directly contradict the law of conservation of momentum. It suggests it would produce a forward-facing force without an equal and opposite force acting in the other direction. Advertisement
The idea for an EmDrive was proposed in 2000 by a researcher named Roger Shawyer.
Since then four independent labs, including one at Nasa, have recreated the drive.
They still, however, have no idea how it creates thrust.
The system is based on electromagnetic drive, or EM Drive, which converts electrical energy into thrust without the need for rocket fuel.
According to classical physics, the EM Drive should be impossible because it seems to violate the law of conservation of momentum.
The law states that the momentum of a system is constant if there are no external forces acting on the system which is why propellant is required in traditional rockets.
But Dr Mike McCulloch of Plymouth University believes he has possible explanation for its behaviour.
His hypothesis is based on a new theory of inertia.
This describes the resistance of all massive objects to changes in motion or accelerations.
Why inertia exists at all has puzzled scientists for centuries.
McCulloch's suggests inertia arises from an effect predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity called 'Unruh radiation'.
The Unruh radiation effect states that if you're accelerating in a vacuum, empty space will contain a gas of particles at a temperature proportional to the acceleration.
The concept of an EM Drive engine is relatively simple. It provides thrust to a spacecraft by bouncing microwaves around in a closed container. Dr Mike McCulloch, a scientist at Plymouth University, says something known as 'Unruh radiation' may be behind the bizarre performance of drive
One of the images from an as-yet unpublished paper on the EMDrive, revealing the magnetic fields of the device. The concept has generated widespread excitement about its potential to be used in deep space travel. But many argue this is simply hype. Now a new theory aims to show exactly how it could work
In other words, the universe heats up as objects accelerate.
According to McCulloch, inertia is the pressure that the Unruh radiation exerts on an accelerating body.
When the accelerations involved are smaller, such as is the case with the EmDrive, the wavelength of Unruh radiation gets larger.
At extremely small accelerations, the wavelengths become too large to fit in the observable universe.
As a result, inertia may only take on whole-wavelength units over time, causing it to become 'quantized.'
HOW THE EMDRIVE PRODUCE THRUST WITHOUT AN EXTERNAL FORCE Dr Mike McCulloch of Plymouth University has a new explanation about how the EmDrive works The EmDrive creates thrust by bouncing microwaves around in an enclosed chamber, and uses only solar power. According to classical physics, the EM Drive should be impossible because it seems to violate the law of conservation of momentum. The law states that the momentum of a system is constant if there are no external forces acting on the system which is why propellant is required in traditional rockets. But Mike McCulloch of Plymouth University has a possible explanation based on a new theory of inertia. McCulloch's suggests inertia arises from an effect predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity called 'Unruh radiation'. The Unruh radiation effect states that if you're accelerating in a vacuum, empty space will contain a gas of particles at a temperature proportional to the acceleration. According to McCulloch, inertia is the pressure that the Unruh radiation exerts on an accelerating body. When the accelerations involved are smaller, such as is the case with the EmDrive, the wavelength of Unruh radiation gets larger. At extremely small accelerations, the wavelengths become too large to fit in the observable universe. As a result, inertia may only take on whole-wavelength units over time, causing it to become 'quantized.' This means it can only in some multiple of a unit of measure, causing sudden jumps in acceleration. But because of the EmDrive's truncated cone, the Unruh radiation in tiny. The cone allows Unruh radiation of a certain size at the large end but only a smaller wavelength at the other end, according to an in-depth report by MIT. This means the inertia of photons inside the cavity change as they bounce back and forth. To conserve momentum, they are forced to generate thrust. Advertisement
This means it can only in some multiple of a unit of measure.
At very low accelerations, inertia jumps unexpectedly in value an effect already seen when spacecraft perform a flyby of Earth, causing them to move faster than scientists calculate they should.
The same effect could be happening in the EmDrive by reducing the size of allowed wavelengths of Unruh radiation.
McCulloch says because photons have an inertial mass, they must experience inertia when they reflect.
But because of the EmDrive's truncated cone, the Unruh radiation in tiny.
The concept of an EmDrive engine is relatively simple. It provides thrust to a spacecraft by bouncing microwaves around in a closed container. Solar energy provides the electricity to power the microwaves, which means that no propellant is needed
The propulsion system may make deep space travel as in Star Trek a realistic possibility. However, Nasa's official site said earlier this year: 'There are many 'absurd' theories that have become reality over the years of scientific research. 'But for the near future, warp drive remains a dream'
The cone allows Unruh radiation of a certain size at the large end but only a smaller wavelength at the other end, according to an in-depth report by MIT.
This means the inertia of photons inside the cavity change as they bounce back and forth. To conserve momentum, they are forced to generate thrust.
McCulloch says there is some evidence that exactly this happens. 'This thrust reversal may have been seen in recent Nasa experiments,' he says.
If the EmDrive works on a large-scale, researchers say the new drive could carry passengers and their equipment to the moon in as little as four hours, or to Mars in 10 weeks.
A trip to Alpha Centauri, which would take tens of thousands of years to reach under current methods, could be reached in just 100 years. And as the thrusters are solar powered, propulsion would be generated along the way.
WHAT IS THE LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM? The basic laws that are applied in the theory of the EmDrive include Newton's laws including the law of conservation of momentum and the law of conservation of energy. At its most simple, the law of conservation of momentum can be explained by studying collisions. During a collision between two objects - object 1 and object 2 - the forces acting on and between the two objects are equal, and opposite in direction. These forces act for a set amount of time depending on the strength of the force and the shape and size of the objects, but regardless of how long this lasts, the time on each object is the same. The EmDrive appears to violate this law because it seemingly produces a forward-facing force that powers it through space without an equal and opposite force acting in the other direction. However, the electromagnetic wave momentum that is created in the resonating cavity travels to the end walls. At this point, the momentum gained and the momentum lost by the electromagnetic wave is equal, which suggests it complies with the law. Advertisement
When London-based Sawyer came up with concept in, the only team that took him seriously was a group of Chinese scientists.
In 2009, the team allegedly produced 720 millinewton (or 72g) of thrust, enough to build a satellite thruster. But still, nobody believed they had achieved this.
Last year, Pennsylvania-based scientist Guido Fetta and his team at Nasa Eagleworks published a paper that demonstrates that a similar engine works on the same principles.
Their model, dubbed Cannae Drive, produces much less thrust at 30 to 50 micronewtons - less than a thousandth of the output of some relatively low-powered ion thrusters used today.
On the NasaSpaceFlight.com, those allegedly involved in the project claim that the reason previous EM Drive models were criticised were that none of the tests had been carried out in a vacuum.
Physics says particles in the quantum vacuum cannot be ionised, so therefore you cannot push against it. But Nasa's latest test claims to have shown otherwise.
Nasa's test set-up for the futuristic EM Drive in its 'Eagleworks' lab. The system is based on electromagnetic drive, or EM Drive, which converts electrical energy into thrust without the need for rocket fuel
'Nasa has successfully tested their EmDrive in a hard vacuum the first time any organisation has reported such a successful test,' the researchers wrote.
'To this end, Nasa Eagleworks has now nullified the prevailing hypothesis that thrust measurements were due to thermal convection.'
However, Nasa's official site said earlier this year: 'There are many 'absurd' theories that have become reality over the years of scientific research.
'But for the near future, warp drive remains a dream.'
But not everyone agrees. The engine is due to undergo peer review soon.
The International Business Times last month spotted a comment on the that Nasa Spaceflight forum which suggests more testing is set to be done on the engine.
One member of the EmDrive team, Paul March, wrote: 'The Eagleworks Lab is NOT dead and we continue down the path set by our Nasa management.
'Past that I can't say more other than to listen to Dr Rodal on this topic, and please have patience about when our next EW paper is going to be published. Peer reviews are glacially slow,'
While there has been some scepticism around the EMDrive, in April Nasa released results of its own test which showed that the EMDrive did in fact create thrust. Pictured is an experimental set-up to test the system
Eagleworks is an experimental lab at Johnson Space Center that was created to explore alternative propulsion technologies.
In November, the EMDrive team posted their first update on the engine in months, and it seems to suggest that the futuristic engine does, in fact, work.
At the time, March said Nasa has managed to remove some of the errors from earlier tests - but still found signals of unexplained thrust.
Among the criticisms of previous experiments were that the tests were not carried out in a vacuum.
March posted on the Nasa Spaceflight forum in reply to an unpublished paper that claims the unaccounted thrust is generated by something known as the Lorentz force.
The Lorentz force is the force that is exerted by a magnetic field on a moving electric charge.
But March says his tests prove this is not true.
'I will tell you that we first built and installed a second generation, closed face magnetic damper that reduced the stray magnetic fields in the vacuum chamber by at least an order of magnitude and any Lorentz force interactions it could produce,' he said
'And yet the anomalous thrust signals remain.'
March also says that in the latest developments, thermal expansion of the thruster is taken into account to reduce all possible sources of error.
But the thrust can still be seen, and engineers still can't explain what's causing it.
hey say DNA might reveal new details about the evolution of hominids
Scientists have extracted DNA that has confirmed bones are Neanderthal
It was a gruesome death that is the stuff of most people's nightmares.
Now scientists have for the first time revealed the face of Altamura Man, whose bones were found fused to the walls of a cave in Lamalunga, near Altamura, in southern Italy.
With a short and stocky body, the Altamura Man had a jutting brow, an elongated cranium and a very big nose, the researchers say.
Analysis of the bones (left) of 'Altamura Man', found entombed in limestone in a cave in Altamura, Italy, have led to a reconstruction of his face (right) showing a jutting brow, an elongated cranium and a very big nose, the researchers say.
HOW DID ALTAMURA MAN DIE? Wedged in the narrow space and probably badly injured, he is thought to have starved to death. Over the thousands of years that followed, the body decayed and the remaining bones gradually became incorporated into the stalactites left behind by water dribbling down the cave walls. Advertisement
'To me he looks beautiful,' David Caramelli, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Florence, told Discovery News.
To create the hyper-realistic model, Manzi and Caramelli used photogrammetry and laser scanning of the encrusted skeleton combined with data from the DNA analysis.
The Altamura Man was then reconstructed by Dutch brothers and paleo-artists Alfons and Adrie Kennis, who also produced the hyper-realistic model of Otzi the Iceman.
The model offered new insights into the skeleton. It emerged that while the body has the typical Neanderthal features, the skull is more peculiar.
'It shows archaic traits, making the Altamura Man a sort of morphological bridge between the previous human species such as Homo hedelbergensis and the Neanderthals,' Manzi said.
Found wedged in the narrow space and probably badly injured, he is thought to have starved to death.
Over the thousands of years that followed, the body decayed and the remaining bones gradually became incorporated into the stalactites left behind by water dribbling down the cave walls.
NEANDERTHAL MASTERCHEFS They have a reputation as rather brutish creatures who chomped their way through huge hunks of meat, but it seems Neanderthals may actually have been the first masterchefs. New research is suggesting that these extinct early humans may have used wild herbs to flavour their food. Scientists have found traces of compounds found in camomile and yarrow in the hardened plaque of 50,000 year old Neanderthal teeth found in El Sidron, Spain. At first researchers thought they might have been using these plants as a form of self-medication, but now new findings have presented a different theory. Dr Sabrina Krief, a lecturer at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, and her colleagues suggests they may have used them to make food more palatable. Advertisement
The DNA is the oldest to ever be extracted from a Neanderthal and the researchers now hope to further analyse the genetic information from the skeleton.
First discovered in 1993, the skeleton - nicknamed 'Altamura Man' - has provoked debate among anthropologists partly due to the difficulties in studying the skeleton as it had become part of the cave walls.
Examination of those bones that were exposed suggested they belonged to an adult male.
However, few could agree on whether the skeleton belonged to a Neanderthal or a modern human, or how long it had been down there.
But after taking a tiny part of the skeleton's shoulder bone, researchers at the Sapienza University of Rome, University of Firenze and Newcastle University have been able to answer the questions.
They found mitochondrial DNA they extracted from the shoulder bone matched that of other Neanderthal skeletons.
A life-size version of what a Neanderthal man whose fossilized skeleton was discovered in a cave near the city of Altamura in the southern Puglia region in 1993. A pair of Dutch artists specializing in paleontological reconstructions on Tuesday presented their life-size version of what a Neanderthal man that was discovered. The so-called Man of Altamura was of stocky build, about 1.65 meters tall, had a jutting brow, a wide pelvis, an elongated cranium and a very big nose, according to the reconstruction by Adrie and Alfons Kennis.
Uranium-thorium dating techniques has also revealed that the skeleton appeared there between 172,000 and 130,000 years ago, during a period when ice sheets were expanding significantly from out of Antarctica and Greenland.
Giorgio Manzi, one of the palaeoanthropologists leading the study from the Sapienza University of Rome, said: 'Altamura Man is an incredible treasure for the Alta Murgia territory.
'We hope that this fossil skeleton will become a key for a virtuous combination of scientific research, protection of our heritage and its promotion and development.'
The Lamalunga cave where the uniquely preserved Neanderthal skeleton was found is close to Altamura, Italy
Researchers have, up until now, held off from excavating the remains (above) as they believed it would cause irreparable damage to the skeleton but an early studies had suggested it had some Neanderthal features
The researchers now hope that further analysis of the DNA might reveal new insights into Neanderthal evolution.
It is nearly 100,000 years older than other previously sequenced Neanderthal DNA.
The Altamura Neanderthal is thought to have come to rest in its unusual tomb after an adult male fell down a sinkhole into a limestone karst system.
Wedged in the narrow rocks, he were unable to move and probably starved to death. However, it also means no predators were able to reach his body.
Over time, his bones fell where had died, with some still lodged in the cave gap and were eventually absorbed into the walls of the cave itself.
Cave explorers then stumbled across the bones in 1993. Researchers eventually obtained permission to take a fragment of the shoulder bone in 2009 and have spent six years studying it.
Writing in the Journal of Human Evolution, the research team said: 'Even though a number of Neanderthal traits can be seenparticularly in the face and in the occipital bonethere are features that distinguish this specimen from the more typical morphology of, such as the shape of the brow ridges, the relative dimension of the mastoids, and the general architecture of the cranial vault.
'Overall, our results concur in indicating that it belongs to Homo neanderthalensis, with some phenetic peculiarities that appear consistent with a chronology ranging from 172 15 ka to 130.1 1.9 ka.
'Thus, the skeleton from Altamura represents the most ancient Neanderthal from which endogenous DNA has ever been extracted.'
ARE NEANDERTHALS TO BLAME FOR OUR MODERN DISEASES? It has been around 30,000 years since the ancestors of modern-day humans are thought to have wiped out the ancient Neanderthals. But the extinct species could be taking revenge on us from beyond the grave by making us more vulnerable to potentially killer diseases such as cancer and diabetes. Neanderthals and modern humans are thought to have co-existed for thousands of years and interbred, meaning Europeans now have roughly two per cent Neanderthal DNA. These 'legacy' genes have been linked to an increased risk from cancer and diabetes by new studies looking at our evolutionary history. However, some genes we inherited could have also improved our immunity to other diseases. Scientists have found that part of our HLA system, which helps white blood cells to identify and destroy foreign material in the body, could have come from Neanderthals. Other researchers have suggested that humans outside Africa are more vulnerable to Type 2 Diabetes because they interbred with Neanderthals. Researchers from Oxford and Plymouth universities have also found that genes thought to be risk factors in cancer were present in the Neanderthal genome. Advertisement
If they manage to sequence the DNA, they hope it might reveal new details about the evolution of hominids in general and the early history of the Neanderthal.
It could also help shed new light on their relationship with modern humans analysis of other Neanderthal DNA has shown they interbred with our own species.
Recent research has shown that Neanderthals suffered from a wide range of diseases that still plague us today - and this may be what killed them off.
They have found evidence that suggests our prehistoric cousins would have been infected by diseases such as tuberculosis, typhoid, whooping cough, encephalitis and the common cold.
A distraught couple looked on in tears as a cruise ship sailed away with their young children on board after they missed the departure time.
The woman had reportedly been late to arrive at the port in Nassau, Bahamas, and her husband disembarked the ship - leaving the children in the care of relatives - to look for her.
The cruise ship broke with protocol and waited an additional half an hour for the guests and left after consultation with the family.
Dramatic footage recorded by passengers on board the Norwegian Breakaway shows the parents, from the US, racing to catch the ship as it set off on its three-day journey back to its home port in New York.
Footage shows the woman waving her arms in the air and clasping her hands as the cruise ship sails away
In this image, the father (pictured in a black T-shirt) stands with a staff member as he waits for his wife
The father leaps from a buggy after picking up his wife and attempts to flag down the departing ship
The cruise ship was on a seven-night cruise from New York to Nassau, Bahamas, and back
DO YOU KNOW THE WOMAN? Do you know the woman in the video? Email chris.kitching@mailonline.co.uk. Advertisement
In one clip, the father jumps off a buggy and waves his arms, while his wife drops her bags, falls to her knees and clasps her hands in front of her chest as she begs the crew to stop, but by then it was too late.
Norwegian Cruise Line said that the mother had been late for the cruise ship's departure.
It said: 'The onboard team located her husband and children on board but the family was not able to reach her, nor did they know when she would be returning.
'Due to the circumstances, the ship went beyond normal protocol and waited an additional half an hour for the guest.
'When she had still not returned and following consultation with the family, it was decided that the husband would disembark with their travel documents to wait for his wife while the children would stay with their uncle and his family on the ship for the remainder of the voyage.
'The company offered travel and lodging assistance to the couple and arrangements were made for them to reunite with the ship upon her return to New York on April 24.'
Passenger Brady Forbes told MailOnline Travel that the parents had at least two children - a boy aged around nine and a girl aged around 12 - on board when the 4,000-passenger ship left Nassau without them on 21 April.
Forbes said the father and children were on the ship as it prepared to leave, but the mother had not returned from a land excursion.
He said: After that, the husband went out to look for the wife and the ship gave them more time than normal.
After leaping from the buggy, the mother runs to the edge of the dock, as her husband (left) approaches her
The mother gestures towards the ship before dropping to her knees and pleading for the crew to stop
The mother was left on land when the Norwegian Breakaway set off from the Bahamas for New York
HOW OFTEN ARE CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS LEFT BEHIND? Raphael Giacardi, Travelzoo's cruise expert, said passengers almost missing their ships after a day at port are a more common sight than most people might think. He said they even have a name: pier runners. Giacardi told MailOnline Travel: 'These are generally a source of amusement for people already on board who cheer them on as they sweat their way back to the ship. 'For the few who do arrive too late, however, its hardly a laughing matter. All cruise lines apply the same rule: if you miss the ship, the jokes on you. 'You will have to cover the cost to re-join the ship - or even return home if getting back on board isnt an option.' He said cruise lines run on tight schedules and a ship might not always be able to make up lost time. He added: 'Any delay leaving one port might reduce the time you can spend at the next one, affecting the holidays of the thousands who made it back on board in good time. 'Allocated time slots in ports also dictate when a ship has to leave - because another one is coming. 'As a result, its very important you check carefully whens the latest time to come back on board this can change from day to day, so dont assume its the same every time. Additionally, when youre sailing across time zones, make sure your watch is on local time.' People who miss the boat should contact the port agent, who can contact the ship and cruise line. They can make necessary arrangements to get back on board, if possible, at the passenger's expense, said Giacardi. Failing that, people should contact the travel agent they booked with or, as a last port of call, their country's local embassy or consulate, he said. Advertisement
They found the wife but obviously not in time as the ship sailed away.
'Both husband and wife were not able to make the ship in time after they missed it. The kids stayed on the ship with supervision.'
Forbes said he doesnt know the family, but he shared an elevator with two of the children after the incident and they told him what had happened.
He said: 'The children seemed really upset that their parents had missed the boat, but when we talked this was a few days after the incident.'
He said he didn't see the parents again until the ship docked in New York on April 24, but he doesn't know how they travelled back to the US.
A man who uploaded a video on YouTube said it was believed the children had other relatives on board.
It is not known why the mother arrived late, but viewers offered little sympathy.
One woman wrote on YouTube: 'You are told again and again what time to be back on the boat, generally an hour before the ship leaves port. You can't blame the ship's captain for keeping to a schedule.
'How they did not stick together as a family boggles my mind. What nitwits.'
YouTube viewers had little sympathy for the mother (left), who was comforted by her husband (right)
The Norwegian Breakaway was on a seven-night cruise to the Bahamas and Bermuda from New York (file photo)
In this video grab, the Norwegian Breakaway cruise ship departs New York for the Bahamas on 17 April
Another viewer added: And thats why you get back to the ship early and dont leave your kids on board.
A four-and-a-half minute YouTube clip uploaded by passenger Jaron Frieden shows the husband waiting for his wife with a staff member before picking her up in a buggy on the other side of the port and racing back towards Norwegian Breakaway.
A man tells the camera: This gentleman appears to be distraught that his family is not around and its 10 minutes past departure.
In the clip, the man says the couple has three children.
Frieden wrote on YouTube: 'We saw several people running late and started taping. This couple was the latest and we later found out that their kids were not with them on shore, but on the boat with relatives.
'We followed up with the crew and they said they were all safe. We really were hoping they made it or they turned around for them. Posting this so others can see how important is to be back to the ship on time. Just terrible.'
In a two-minute video posted online by passenger Scott Thomas, a man tells the camera: You see that right there? That is someone that has missed the boat and apparently she has her kids on the boat and shes not on there. That right there is not cool. She was yelling, My kids are on there.
A woman adds: I didnt think they would do that. I guess I was wrong.
The man responds: I told you theyd do that. When its 5:30 its 5:30, not 5:31.
BRITISH WOMAN SWAM AFTER CRUISE SHIP WHICH LEFT WITHOUT HER Susan Brown was pictured at Easter Mass on the island of Madeira before she was rescued By Gerard Couzens and Euan McLelland In March, a British holidaymaker was rescued from the Atlantic after she apparently tried to swim to a cruise ship. Susan Brown, 65, was pulled from the frigid waters off the Portuguese island of Madeira, after swimming a third of a mile out to sea. She told rescuers she jumped into the water from beside the islands airport believing her husband Michael had got back on board the Marco Polo cruise ship after both had disembarked earlier in the day following a blazing row. The pair cut short a 32-day tour with only four days left, booking easyJet flights to get them back to Bristol after arriving on Madeira from the West Indies. After losing sight of her husband some time before boarding the jet home, Mrs Brown is said to have become convinced he had returned to the vessel. When the ship then passed the airport's coastal runway, she is reported to have taken to the water to make chase. Gripping her handbag, Mrs Brown, from Shaftesbury, Dorset, made it more than 1,600ft before struggling. Her life was eventually saved by passing fishermen who heard her panicked screams for help shortly after midnight. She and her husband, Michael, 69, parted company after cutting their cruise short when Marco Polo docked in the island capital Funchal on its way back to Bristol. They took a taxi to the airport together before Mrs Brown jumped in the Atlantic in what she told police officers after her rescue was a desperate bid to swim to the ship because she mistakenly believed her husband had returned to the vessel. Brothers Leonardo and Carlos Correia and fellow fisherman Marildo Freitas claimed that they were the ones who had rescued Mrs Brown and said she was just half an hour from death when they pulled her from the chilly water. 'I just saw her pale white face bobbing in the water,' Marildo told MailOnline. 'She was barely conscious she's lucky to be alive I don't think she would have lasted another 30 minutes. 'At first we thought she had fallen from the cruise ship. 'She just said thank god, oh thank god when we found her she was so cold she could hardly say anything, we just wrapped her up and phoned for help. 'It was very scary seeing this white face bobbing above the water it reminded me of the film Titanic at the end where people were drowning.' The three men said her small handbag probably saved her life as it had filled with air and acted as a buoyancy aid. According to Marildo, she was lucky that the sea was calm and that she was able to be seen thanks to the full moon. Mrs Brown was rescued after she swam out to sea towards the Marco Polo cruise ship Advertisement
Some passengers are overheard saying the ship should return and pick up the couple so they can be reunited with her children.
One says: Go back and get them. I would have run to the end and jumped in.
The Norwegian Breakaway was on a seven-night cruise to the Bahamas after departing from New York with thousands of tourists, mostly from the US.
It sailed to Port Canaveral, Florida, and Great Stirrup Cay and Nassau in the Bahamas before heading up the Atlantic coast to New York.
Molly McIntyre, a cruise consultant with Cruise.co.uk, said: 'Some cruise lines do allow children to stay on board without their parents in the kids clubs if the parents want to go ashore without them.
'Personally as a mother of four I do use the kids club but would never leave them on board alone.
Shocking footage shows the moment a Russian passenger plane is ripped to pieces by a large digger.
The 30-second-long clip shows the UTair Yak-40 aeroplane being wrecked by machinery, which leaves a gaping hole by the cockpit.
A story circulated on the internet that the plane was being wrecked by a disgruntled airport worker, but a consensus has emerged that it was actually a disused jet being scrapped.
The digger's claw drives down behind the cockpit of the aircraft and creates a gaping hole
At the beginning of the clip, which was uploaded to ViralHog, the arm of the digger can be seen raised above the jet, which reportedly has a value of $6.6million (4.5million), before it comes down and pierce's its fuselage.
The digger's claw drives down behind the cockpit of the aircraft and creates a gaping hole.
After a few moments the operator of the machinery reverses to face the camera.
Many online commenters remain sceptical about the rumours of an angry worker being behind the destruction.
Some have claimed that the plane in the video is a 'defunct aircraft' and that the airline no longer has any active Yak-40s in its fleet.
Many online commenters remain sceptical about the rumours of an angry worker being behind the destruction
One online commenter said: 'It doesn't look like there are windows in the cockpit. I'd be willing to bet it's a plane bound for the scrap yard'
One user told Liveleak: 'UTair doesn't currently have any active Yak-40's in their fleet. I'm guessing these are defunct aircraft.
'The Yak-40 resale price is less than five million so maybe they aren't worth selling or nobody wants to purchase them. Besides, looks like the engines have already been re-purposed.'
Another told the site: 'It doesn't look like there are windows in the cockpit. I'd be willing to bet it's a plane bound for the scrap yard.'
MailOnline Travel has approached UTair for comment.
At the end of the clip the digger turns around to face the camera
CCTV footage has revealed how an unaccompanied 11-year-old girl was able to sneak past airline employees before boarding a flight across western Russia without a ticket or identification.
Video from Moscows Vnukovo airport shows the schoolgirl, wearing a backpack, approaching gate agents and ducking under a barrier before stopping and waiting for the perfect moment to sneak through.
She queues behind other travellers as their boarding passes and documents are checked and then casually slips past staff while they are distracted.
CCTV footage shows the 11-year-old girl (in the white top at left) ducking under a barrier
The girl hesitates and waits for the perfect moment to sneak past staff as they check boarding passes
Russian authorities launched an investigation into security procedures to find out how the girl was able to get past airport and airline staff before boarding the Rossiya Airlines flight to St Petersburg.
She decided to sneak onto the plane in Moscow because she had never flown before and was eager to experience it for the first time, Russian media reported.
No one at the check-in desk asked whether the girl had a boarding pass or identification because she attached herself to a large group of family members and staff thought she was with them, Russian state broadcaster RT reported.
She managed to go through security and gate checks without being found out until she arrived in St Petersburg on Monday.
No one seems to notice the 11-year-old as she gathers behind a queue of Rossiya Airlines passengers
With staff distracted, the schoolgirl (at right) makes her move by sneaking past the gate behind two men
Local media said the girl blended in with a large family and no one bothered to ask her for documents
After the 90-minute flight landed she stayed at the airport and soon received a mobile phone call from her frantic parents, who were trying to locate her after she failed to return from school, RT reported.
Her parents were stunned when they learned she was at St Petersburgs Pulkovo airport.
They called airport staff, who located the girl and handed her over to social workers so she could be flown back to Moscow.
In 2013, a similar incident occurred when an unaccompanied nine-year-old boy made it through security without a boarding pass or identification at Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport, in Minnesota, and flew on a Delta Air Lines plane to Las Vegas.
Crew members became suspicious on the flight to Las Vegas and turned the boy over to police when it landed.
In 2012, an 11-year-old boy managed to sneak onto a Jet2 flight at Manchester Airport without a ticket or passport and fly to Rome.
Concerned passengers alerted cabin crew during the flight and the boy was flown back to Manchester on the return flight.
The heart-stopping moment that an elephant charged towards a safari truck and began rummaging through the vehicle for food was caught on camera.
Met by screaming holidaymakers, the enormous bull elephant's tusk even spears through a seat as he frantically raids the van.
During the three-minute-long clip, shot in Sri Lanka the hungry creature searches the open truck with his trunk.
The elephant was caught on camera rummaging through a truck of petrified tourists in a search for food
The three-minute-long clip begins with the enormous bull elephant charging towards the safari vehicle in Sri Lanka
The video, which was filmed by a spectator inside the car, shows how close the several-ton mammal came to tourists with its tusks.
At one point, one of the tusks even appears to pierce through a chair in the vehicle.
Women at the back of the truck can be heard begging the guide to drive, with one tourists screaming: 'Drive, please drive, please, please'.
At one point, one of the tusks even appears to pierce through a chair in the vehicle, much to the tourists' shock
The clip, which was filmed by a spectator inside the car, shows how close the several-ton mammal came to tourists with its tusks
During its search for food, the elephant grabs on to the cameraman's rucksack before it smashes its tusks against the bars on the outside of the truck.
It later re-enters the vehicle with its head and uses its trunk to feel around near three women.
The tour guide can be heard warning the trio not to touch the animal.
As the elephant backs away from the truck, the tourists scream at the driver to move as he starts up the engine.
Met by screaming holidaymakers, the hungry creature begins searching through the open truck with its trunk
As the elephant backs away from the truck, the tourists scream at the driver to move as he starts up the engine
One hysterical woman shouts: 'It's coming, it's coming. Go, oh my god, go!'
The video concludes with the elephant chasing the vehicle before giving up and grazing on nearby bushes.
Since being uploaded to LiveLeak, the footage has been viewed more than 1,000 times.
One hysterical woman shouts: 'It's coming, it's coming. Go, oh my god, go' as the guide begins driving away
She's known for swathing her hourglass figure in retro 1950s-style outfits.
But Daisy Lowe proved she can just as easily nail '90s grunge as she slipped into an edgy double denim ensemble during a dog walk on Tuesday.
The model, 27, flaunted her pert posterior and shapely pins in skintight indigo jeans as she strolled along in London's exclusive Primrose Hill.
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Legs for days: Daisy Lowe proved she can nail '90s grunge as she slipped into an edgy double denim ensemble during a dog walk on Tuesday
The daughter of fashion designer Pearl Lowe was the epitome of dressed-down chic as she layered a simple blue sweater under her denim jacket.
Adding a touch of flair with her footwear, the brunette beauty rocked some cult Minna Parikka bunny ear sneakers - the high-tops also loved by fellow model Cara Delevingne.
Wearing her straight raven tresses in a loosely tousled style, Daisy appeared to go make-up free for the outing.
She hid her model features with some orange-tinted sunnies and rocked a vintage looking pendant.
Cheeky! The model, 27, flaunted her pert posterior and shapely pins in skintight indigo jeans as she strolled along in London's exclusive Primrose Hill
Hot to trot: Adding a touch of flair with her footwear, the brunette beauty rocked some cult Minna Parikka bunny ear sneakers
And on Monday the model showed she's not afraid of showing off her incredible body in a saucy Instagram snap.
Daisy posed nude for the picture, which she captioned: 'Monday... I'm ready for you.'
Although she was wearing nothing, the model posed in 1960s style smoky eye make up, while her voluminous, bedhead hair added to the retro vibe.
Saucy snap: Daisy Lowe shared a cheeky nude picture of herself on Instagram to banish the Monday blues
Daisy was last spotted out and about at the Kate Spade New York flagship store launch in London on Thursday night, looking fabulous in a nautical-themed dress.
The brunette beauty teamed her Kate Spade dress with a leather jacket, red Christian Louboutin heels and a 'Flavour Of The Month Admit One' ticket clutch bag.
She shared a photo of herself reclining on one of the loungers in the store on her Instagram, writing: 'Sunning myself in the gorgeous bright new @katespadeny store #ukxokatespadeny.'
Seeing stripes: The brunette beauty teamed her Kate Spade dress with a leather jacket and red Christian Louboutin heels at the Kate Spade New York flagship store launch in London on Thursday night
She may have been portrayed as one of the shows villains.
But on Tuesday night Zana Pali showed her softer side as she congratulated My Kitchen Rules winners Tasia and Gracia Seger.
After attending the sister's viewing party in Melbourne, the 25-year-old legal eagle gushed about their success and friendship on social media.
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Caring: Zana Pali (M) showed off her softer side on Tuesday night as she congratulated the latest My Kitchen Rules winners, Tasia (L) and Gracia (R) Seger on social media
Sharing an image of herself and husband Gianni Romano standing with the proud winners, Zana wrote: 'Congratulations to our beautiful friends Tasia and Gracia.
'We are so proud with everything you have achieved and wish you all the best in your future endeavours.'
She concluded: 'You're both so gorgeous inside and out and feel privileged to have you as our friends.'
The waiting game: The 25-year-old also uploaded an image of herself in a flawless black and white lace dress as she cradled a bunch of pink lilies while telling her fans she was 'nervous' as she waited for the results
Class: She also shared a shot of herself in her luxury car as she arrived at the Melbourne-based viewing party
In the happy snap, the foursome beamed as they wrapped their arms around each other, demonstrating their now-close bond.
Earlier in the night, Zana told her Instagram followers that she was 'nervous' as she waited to hear the verdict for the grand finale from the Melbourne-based party.
She also uploaded an image of herself in a flawless black and white lace dress as she cradled a bunch of pink lilies.
The ASILIO garment highlighted the reality television stars slender frame as it hugged tightly around her body while featuring long flared sleeves.
Jubilant: Tasia and Gracia were crowned the winners of My Kitchen Rules 2016 on Tuesday night
'It was perfect!' Tough judge Pete awarded the girls a ten out of ten
Alongside the image, she captioned: 'Heading to Tasia and Gracia's party tonight for the celebration of the grand finals. Good luck to both teams!!! Your hard work and passion is undeniable! Xoxo.'
Tasia and Gracia were rewarded the My Kitchen Rules champion title on Tuesday after serving a delicious five-course menu.
During a tense judging round, Pete Evans awarded the girls, dubbed the Spice Sisters, a mighty 10 out of 10, saying: 'It was perfect' before declaring them the winners.
Shocked: The two siblings appeared in shock when they were announced victors of the show
Following the verdict Gracia took to social media to thank fans for their ongoing support.
'Wow. What an honour. When we entered this competition we never thought we would end up here. I feel so blessed to have shared this journey with my beautiful Sister, I still can't believe we are My Kitchen Rules Champions ,' she wrote.
'Thank you everyone for all the amazing support! We are so blessed we can't wait to share our food journey with you .'
At the age of 19, he was told after a tragic car accident he would never again be able to breathe on his own, let alone walk.
But Barney Miller, a fellow surfer Mick Fanning calls inspirational, has made a miraculous recovery, having made it his mission to be able to get down on one knee and propose to his now-wife Kate.
For the release of You And Me, a documentary based on the aftermath of Barney's accident, the 37-year-old and his partner shared a kiss on the red carpet of the world premiere in Sydney on Tuesday.
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Smiles all round: Quadriplegic surfer Barney Miller and his wife Kate attended the world premiere of You And Me in Sydney on Tuesday
Barney looked sharp in an all-black ensemble, with an open-collar short, a velure blazer and black suede lace-up shoes.
Kate meanwhile looked chic in a plunging black jumpsuit with sheer lace sleeves and simple black pointed-toe pumps.
The film, which hits Australian cinemas on Thursday in a limited release, tells the story of Barney's potential as a promising young surfer, only to have his life turned upside down in 1998.
Loved up: The couple, who have been married for a year, shared a loving kiss on the red carpet
Inspirational: Barney was told in 1998 he would never breathe on his own let alone walk after being in a tragic car accident
Bonding: Mick has helped his best friend back on the waves with a specially-designed board
He was a passenger in a car which was travelling at 120km per hour before it smashed into a tree, and when he arrived at a Sydney hospital he was pronounced dead on arrival.
After surviving the ordeal, he went on a ventilator as the damage to his spine cut his breathing, and was told he'd be on it for the rest of his life.
'I told 'em to take [the ventilator] out,' he told MPORA in 2014.
Tragic: Barney was a passenger in a car travelling at 120km when it crashed into a tree, rendering him a quadriplegic
Best mates: Three-time surfing champion Mick has known Barney for over ten years now
'Hes definitely a huge inspiration': Mick, who narrowly escaped a shark attack last year, says Barney is a huge inspiration to him
'They then said they wouldnt until I could prove I was able to breathe. I just said "let me prove it then".'
Three-time surfing champion Mick has known Barney for over ten years now, and in the film he tells of how strongly he's been impacted by Barney's tenacity.
'Hes definitely a huge inspiration in my life,' he said, having dedicated his 2013 world title to Barney.
Through Mick's help in the water and specially designed board, Barney has been able to return to his passion for surfing.
They made several Booking.com commercials joking about how elaborate their wedding was going to be.
And Jordan Peele and Chelsea Peretti just trolled everybody by having a tiny secret marriage instead.
The comedian let the news slip during a skit on Monday's Late Night With Seth Meyers.
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Eloped: Jordan Peele let slip he secretly married actress Chelsea Peretti during skit on Late Night with Seth Meyers on Monday night
Peele and his Keanu co-star Keegan-Michael Key complained about the one frustration of having a comedy partner: nobody could ever tell which was which.
The pair then engaged in their usual farce of confusing things for the audience even more, before they settled on a way to distinguish themselves once and for all.
'I am married to actress Chelsea Peretti,' Peele stated, to cheers from the handful of sharp fans who immediately realised this had never been announced.
'I am not married to actress Chelsea Peretti,' Key responded before the news could settle in. 'We're just dating,' he added, prompting a dirty look from his co-star.
Sneaky: Peele and his Keanu co-star Keegan-Michael Key complained about the one frustration of having a comedy partner: nobody could ever tell which was which, before Peele revealed he was the one that was married
His new bride confirmed the news on Instagram on Tuesday.
'Eloped a bit ago - our only witness was this lil guy,' she posted with a photo of her dog wearing a Hawaiian shirt, sitting on a bed beside her wedding ring and bouquet.
The couple had starred in a series of ads for Booking.com, in which they hinted at a super-elaborate wedding.
Official: His new bride confirmed the news on Instagram on Tuesday
In one they tried to decide on a ceremony location between an Earthy, rustic yurt or an Island getaway; while in another they put in some trampoline cardio in an attempt to get their 'beach bootys' in shape for the beach wedding.
The hints were there however - the only other attendee in their imagined fantasy weddings was her eventual little pet witness.
The pair had been dating since 2013, and became engaged only last November.
Fake out: The couple had starred in a series of ads for Booking.com, in which they hinted at a super-elaborate wedding
Location location: In one they tried to decide on a ceremony location between an Earthy, rustic yurt or an Island getaway
With a gentle kiss on the cheek, it is a touching image of sisterly love.
And posing together for a magazine shoot, Stella and Mary McCartneys bond is clear to see.
Speaking of her photographer sister, who took the picture for Vanity Fair, fashion designer Stella, 44, said: Between her and me, we make 100 percent of our mum, and that makes my heart warm.'
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Touching: Stella McCartney, 44, spoke about how her bond with her sister Mary (left), 46, 'makes her heart warm' as it keeps the memory of their late mother, Linda, alive
Two of Sir Paul McCartneys four children with his first wife Linda he also has 12-year-old Beatrice with second wife Heather Mills they star in a special edition of the magazine about sisters and their relationships.
Sir Paul, along with his third wife Nancy Shevell, is worth 760million but the two Miss McCartneys have gone on to forge successful careers of their own.
Stellas clothes have been worn by celebrities including Amal Clooney, Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Watson.
Tribute: The sisters say their bond was made stronger by the death of their mother, Linda (pictured above with father Paul in 1991)
Family ties: The siblings are two of Paul's four children with late wife Linda. He also has a daughter, Beatrice, with second wife Heather Mills
Meanwhile Mary, 46, has exhibited her work around the world and taken portraits of stars such as Sam Taylor-Wood, Ralph Fiennes, Jude Law.
The Vanity Fair issue also includes interviews with celebrity sisters Rumer, Scout and Tallulah Willis, Sienna and Savannah Miller
She can trace her love of photography back to their mother, who died in 1998, and has recalled how she and Stella would sit in their parents room and take photographs as children.
She once said: I was quite a late blossomer. Stella was always sketching designs in bed, obsessed with fashion. But I was, like, "I dont really know what to do".
'And I think it was partly because everyone in my family could take pictures, so I just presumed everyone could do that.
'And I grew up watching mum taking them, and it seemed quite natural to her.
Both now mothers of four, Mary is married to her second husband, director Sam Aboud, while Stella is wed to Alasdhair Willis, a boss at Hunters boots and recently voted one of Britains best dressed men.
The Vanity Fair issue also includes interviews with celebrity sisters Rumer, Scout and Tallulah Willis, Sienna and Savannah Miller, Lola, Domino and Jemima Kirke and Maddi, Suki and Imogen Waterhouse.
The magazines editor Graydon Carter said: Sisters. Many of us have one, and a large proportion of the people on the planet are one.
'They can be the loves of our lives and the banes of our existence often in the same time it takes to boil an egg.
The May issue of Vanity Fair is on newsstands on April 29.
Her mum is a veteran actress who shot to fame in the iconic film Working Girl.
So it's no wonder Dakota Johnson seemed pleased to have Melanie Griffith around for moral support on the Vancouver set of her new film Fifty Shades Darker on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old beamed as she greeted her mother - before filming an emotional scene with her hunky co-star Jamie Dornan.
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Family affair: Dakota Johnson beamed as her mum Melanie Griffith visited the set of her new film Fifty Shades Darker on Tuesday in Vancouver, Canada
Dakota, who plays Anastasia Steele in the racy drama, looked chic in a silky stone-hued trench coat layered over tights and a black skirt.
Reverting back to the hairstyle of the first Fifty Shades of Grey film, she wore her raven tresses in a straight blunt fringe.
Meanwhile Melanie, 58, donned a matching white coat to her daughter's - albeit in a furry, boxy shape - and wore her blonde hair swept up in a glamorous up-do.
Chic: Dakota, who plays Anastasia Steele in the racy drama, looked chic in a silky stone-hued trench coat
Incognito: Melanie, who shares Dakota with her actor ex-husband Don Johnson - hid her peepers behind some quirky sunglasses
She hid her peepers behind some quirky sunglasses and was spotted puffing on a cheeky cigarette as she made her way onto the set.
Melanie, who shares Dakota with her actor ex-husband Don Johnson, was shielded from the Canadian rain by several crew members with umbrellas.
Wrapping up warm, the movie veteran appeared to have an intense exchange at one point with Dakota - as she no doubt offered her words of advice before a scene.
Like mother like daughter! Melanie, 58, donned a matching white coat to her daughter's and wore her blonde hair swept up in a glamorous up-do
Getting into character: Reverting back to the hairstyle of the first Fifty Shades of Grey film, Dakota wore her raven tresses in a straight blunt fringe
Cheeky! The Working Girl star was spotted puffing on a cigarette as she made her way onto the set
Dakota was then spotted filming with Jamie, who plays Christian Grey, and was dressed casually in a navy jacket, blue sweater and indigo jeans.
The 33-year-old was spotted filming the emotionally wrought scene in which Christian visits the grave of his birth mother with Anastasia.
Meanwhile, Dakota recently revealed there is nothing sexy about filming simulated sex scenes for seven hours straight.
The Social Network star told Interview Magazine: 'It's not... comfortable. It's pretty tedious.
'Well, we're not having actual sex. But I've been simulating sex for seven hours straight right now, and I'm over it. '
No shades of grey here: Jamie, 33, who plays Christian Grey, was dressed casually in a navy jacket, blue sweater and indigo jeans
Behind the scenes: The 33-year-old was spotted filming the emotional scene in which Christian Grey visits the grave of his birth mother with Anastasia by his side
While the How To Be Single star may have grown a little blase about the films that saw her be on Hollywood's radar for more than just who her parents are, Dakota is not blase when it comes to understanding that these days fame can be fleeting.
The 26-year-old said: 'It is a bizarre time right now, though. It seems like the world is so fast to move its interest to someone else.
'When I think about filmmakers and actresses that I have admired my whole life, I've admired their entire body of work. I have admired what they began with and what they're doing now.
'And now I feel like there's such a weird pressure to find the new face. I don't get it at all. I want to see women evolve. I want to see a body of work. I want to see all of it.'
A-list treatment: Melanie was shielded from the Vancouver rain by several crew members with umbrellas
Blase: Dakota recently revealed there is nothing sexy about filming simulated sex scenes for seven hours straight, adding that she is 'over it'
They have been front and centre of the My Kitchen Rules series since its launch in 2010.
And on Wednesday judge Pete Evans confirmed he and co-star Manu Feildel would return to the show next year.
Taking to social media, the 42-year-old chef wrote: 'Manu and I are proud to be back for the next couple of years on the number 1 tv series in Oz.
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Coming back: Pete Evans confirmed he and co-star Manu Feildel would return to My Kitchen Rules next year on Wednesday
'Home cooking on prime time television, now that is something to smile about, and we can't wait to see the younger generation embrace food and nutrition, and lead us to a healthier nation by getting into the kitchen and cooking up a storm.'
The news came moments after it was revealed 1.969 million viewers tuned in to watch the My Kitchen Rules grand finale winner's announcement on Tuesday night.
According to the latest ratings report the Sydney was the largest capital watching the finale with 590,000 tuning it, followed by Melbourne with 586,000.
Happy days: The 42-year-old chef wrote on social media: 'Manu and I are proud to be back for the next couple of years on the number 1 tv series in Oz'
Comfort zone: The pair have been judges on the hit show since it launched on Channel Seven in 2010
MKR ratings per state Sydney: 590,000 Melbourne: 586,000 Brisbane: 326,000 Perth: 262,000 Adelaide: 206,000 Advertisement
Despite finalists Carmine and Lauren originating from Adelaide, only a few 206,000 stopped to watch them compete against Victorians Tasia and Gracia.
During Tuesday night's episode Tasia and Gracia were rewarded the My Kitchen Rules champion title after serving a delicious five-course menu.
Following the tense judging round, Pete Evans awarded the girls, dubbed the Spice Sisters, a mighty 10 out of 10, saying: 'It was perfect' before declaring them the winners.
Top show: The news of their return came moments after it was revealed 1.969 million viewers tuned in to watch the My Kitchen Rules grand finale winner's announcement on Tuesday night
High: During Tuesday night's episode Tasia and Gracia were rewarded the My Kitchen Rules champion title after serving a delicious five-course menu
Following the verdict Gracia took to social media to thank fans for their ongoing support.
'Wow. What an honour. When we entered this competition we never thought we would end up here. I feel so blessed to have shared this journey with my beautiful Sister, I still can't believe we are My Kitchen Rules Champions,' she wrote.
'Thank you everyone for all the amazing support! We are so blessed we can't wait to share our food journey with you.'
He's currently preparing for his swan song as grizzled anti-hero Wolverine, but if Hugh Jackman's recent social media activity is anything to go by the popular character might look rather different when he makes his final appearance on cinema screens in 2017.
In a post added to his Instagram account, the Australian actor showed off a prodigious beard during a sunny fishing expedition on Tuesday afternoon.
The impressive covering of facial hair, which has been pictured in various states of growth over recent weeks, suggests his most enduring screen character may well be bearded when Jackman finally ends his association with the Marvel franchise.
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Bushy: In a post added to his Instagram account, the Australian actor showed off a prodigious beard during a sunny fishing expedition on Tuesday afternoon
Wolverine, AKA Logan, is already famed for his trademark lamb chop sideburns, but the thick beard Jackman appears to be growing suggests a possible departure as principal photography for the forthcoming movie, directed by James Mangold, continues in earnest.
The 46-year old actor has previously underlined his desire to walk away from the X-Men franchise when work on the yet to be titled film concludes later this year.
Speaking last August, Jackman admitted he was touched by the outpouring of pleas from fans begging him to change his mind.
In progress: The impressive covering of facial hair, which has been pictured in various states of growth over recent weeks
'I must admit I was quite heartened by a number of people saying please dont make it the last,' he told Sydney Confidential.
'But Im really excited about this last one and if youre a comic book fan then the words beserker rage came up a lot. If you know Wolverine youll understand.'
The term refers to the boiling anger experienced by Wolverine when resisting the temptation to retaliate against an assailant - thus increasing his already significant body strength and pushing him into a seemingly psychopathic state of consciousness.
Let's get physical: Jackman has been getting in shape ahead of his final appearance as Wolverine. The yet to be titled film is scheduled for release in 2017
The new film, Hugh's third solo outing as the Marvel character and seventh in total, will see Wolverine reunite with X Men mentor Charles Xavier, played by British actor Patrick Stewart.
Speaking in May, the actor confirmed his next outing as the superhero will be his last, telling comicbook.com: 'It just felt like it was the right time to do it. And lets be honest, 17 years. I never thought in a million years it would last, so Im so grateful to the fans for the opportunity of playing it.
'I kind of have in my head what were going to do in this last one. It just feels like this is the perfect way to go out.'
They currently hold the position as number one album on the ARIA chart.
However, the success of American metal band Disturbed's new album Immortalized comes with a catch-22.
As well as gaining the top spot on the chart this week, their album also won the unwanted record of becoming the lowest-selling number one album in Australian chart history.
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That's Disturbing! American metal band Disturbed's album Immortalized also won the unwanted record of becoming the lowest-selling number one album in Australian chart history
Immortalized sold just 2140 copies nationally this week, but despite the low sales of the album, across the board it was enough to push them to the top of the chart.
The album debuted at number one on the Australian charts last August with a healthy 8242 sales.
Yet a slow overall week of sales in the country, with no new superstar releases, saw the band return to the number one spot for a second time.
The album's return to the top spot is largely due to the unprecedented success of the band's cover of the Simon & Garfunkel track The Sound Of Silence, which was ranked number four on the ARIA chart this month.
Immortalized is Disturbed's sixth album and only their second to debut at number one in Australia.
Despite holding the number one position, Immortalized failed to rank in the annual chart's top 100.
All time lows: Immortalized sold just 2140 copies nationally this week, but despite the low sales of the album, across the board it was enough to push them to the top of the chart, even ahead of Adele's 25
The previous holder of the undesirable title of lowest selling number one album on the ARIA chart was also held by a metal band, Bring Me The Horizon, with just 3,600 sales in 2010.
Record sales were so low across the board last week, that even Grammy Award winner Adele - who has sold over 500,000 copies of her album 25 in Australia since November - raked in just 1995 sales, seeing her sit second behind Disturbed.
Even Charlie Puth's Nine Track Mind sold just 460 copies nationally, ranking in at number 40 album on the chart.
Success: The album debuted at number one on the Australian charts last August with a healthy 8242 sales, yet a slow overall week of sales in the country saw the band return to the number one spot for a second time
Popular: Immortalized is Disturbed's sixth album and only their second to debut at number one in Australia
Fanfare: The album's return to the top spot is largely due to the success of the band's cover of the Simon & Garfunkel track The Sound Of Silence, which was ranked number four on the ARIA chart this month
Last year during a particularly slow sales week, Ed Sheeran scored a number one for his album X (5), after selling just 3777 copies.
Meghan Trainor similarly gained gained the top position with 4149 copies sold of her highly-anticipated Title album.
ARIA charts are comprised of a culmination of physical and digital sales, as well as factoring in streaming on legal sites, as a part of the sales tally.
Knocked from their spot: The previous holder of the undesirable title of lowest selling number one album on the ARIA chart was also held by a metal band, Bring Me The Horizon, with just 3,600 sales in 2010
Suprisingly: Record sales were so low across the board last week, that even Grammy Award winner Adele - who has sold over 500,000 copies of her album 25 in Australia since November - raked in just 1995 sales
Sales in the music industry have largely suffered from illegal downloads and pirated music.
However, Beyonce's surprise new album Lemonade and the tragic death of Prince may provide a boost to record sales next week.
The Very Best Of Prince has been number one on iTunes since Friday, with physical copies of his back catalogue completely sold out.
While Beyonce's Lemonade, which was released on iTunes on Monday, now sits at Number one on the chart.
All time lows: Even Charlie Puth's Nine Track Mind sold just 460 copies nationally, ranking in at number 40 album on the chart
Highly anticipated: Meghan Trainor similarly gained gained the top position on the ARIA album chart with just 4149 copies sold of her Title album
Disturbed recently announced they are headed to Australia and New Zealand in November to play some of their biggest venues Down Under to date.
The band consisting of Dan Donegan, Mike Wengren, David Draiman and John Moyer, will perform songs from Immortalized in venues across Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Aukland, in what will be their first visit to Australia since 2011.
Melbourne metal-rockers Twelve Foot Ninja will be joining them as support on the entire tour.
Much needed boost: Beyonce's surprise new album Lemonade may provide a jolt to record sales next week
The results of My Kitchen Rules were kept under lock and key for months since filming ceased in late last year, with two alternate endings shot to keep the contestants guessing.
And for 'Spice Sisters' Tasia and Gracia Seger on Tuesday night, victory tasted sweet as they were announced winners of Seven's hit cooking series, watching the results live at a special viewing party.
The eldest sister Gracia, 26, was seen carrying large bouquets of flowers as she left the venue in Melbourne, while Tasia, 24, buried her face in her hands with joy as they were mobbed by fans.
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A sweet celebration! MKR winners Tasia and Gracia Seger couldn't contain their joy as they watched the grand finale in Melbourne on Tuesday night
The youngest of the two wore a black and tan printed dress and semi-sheer stockings for the event and swept her long hair out of her face by pinning it back partially.
Her sister meanwhile opted for black skinny jeans and brightly printed floral top and allowed her long balayage locks cascade over her shoulders.
The two cheery reality stars were almost dwarfed by the large floral arrangements they were seen carrying down the street as they chatted with fellow contestants and took selfies with fans.
See more of the latest news on the My Kitchen Rules 2016 winners Tasia and Gracia Seger
Bloomin' lovely! Gracia opted for black skinny jeans and brightly printed floral top
Flower power! The youngest of the two, Tasia, wore a black and tan printed dress and semi-sheer stockings and seemed to be dwarfed by the large bouquets
Announcement! Two alternate endings were shot to keep the contestants guessing until the finale screened on Tuesday night
Finalist Zana Pali meanwhile showed off her fashion flare by once more wearing a frock that's been spotted on all the A-listers - a sheer white lace number with long flared sleeves by Asilio.
She was accompanied by her husband Gianni, who looked sharp in a pair of burgundy jeans, a V-neck white T-shirt and a black blazer.
Also in attendance were Luciano and Martino, Jessica and Harry T, and mother-son team Jordan and Anna, with Jordan placing an affectionate kiss on his mother's cheek.
So cheery! Zana Pali and her husband Gianni were there to congratulate the Spice Sisters
Fashion forward! Zana showed off her fashion flare by once more wearing a frock that's been spotted on all the A-listers - a sheer white lace number with long flared sleeves by Asilio
Happy! Jessica and psychic Harry T also joined in the celebrations
Good times all round: Martino appeared to be enjoying the party atmosphere, dancing in front of photographers
On Tuesday night's epic grand finale episode, the two remaining teams were asked to create a five-course menu, with each duo producing one hundred plates for a packed restaurant.
During a tense judging round, judge Pete Evans awarded the Spice Sisters a mighty 10 out of 10, saying: 'It was perfect' before declaring them the winners.
Both couples stuck to their roots when developing their menu, with Carmine and Lauren opting for a modern Italian theme and Tasia and Gracia opting to deliver a spicy Asian course.
Loving: Jordan planted a kiss on his mother Anna's cheek as they walked through the streets
Feisty Italian duo Carmine and Lauren faced off the sisters during the final episode, which saw tensions rise and tempers flare.
While Tasia and Gracia had a steady run throughout the competition, wildcards Carmine and Lauren had a decidedly rockier ride, having cooked in more sudden death battles than any other team.
The Indonesian-born siblings took away a large cash prize of $250,000.
Reunited! Also in attendance were Luciano and Martino (middle) who were reunited with some of their reality rivals
No bad blood: Luciano later posed with cooking partner Martino (top left) and Gianni Romano and Zana Pali (middle) who knocked him out of the competition in episode 28. They posed with medium Harry T
Joking around: The reality star looked relaxed as she partied the night away with Harry
She's one of the world's most glamorous women.
And it's no surprise that Kate Winslet lead the allure when she attended the 2016 GQ Food & Drink Awards at 100 Wardour Street in London on Tuesday evening.
The 40-year-old actress was dressed to impress at the foodie event, showing off her shapely pins in a black gown as she posed for snaps with chef and long-time friend Giorgio Locatelli.
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Stunning: Kate Winslet lead the allure when she attended the 2016 GQ Food & Drink Awards at 100 Wardour Street in London on Tuesday evening
The Titanic star looked the epitome of chic in the dark design, which boasted a number of pretty embellishments around the collar.
Creating a gorgeously hourglass silhouette, the dress nipped in at the waist before billowing out into a skater skirt style.
She ensured the look wasn't too muted by slipping her feet into glitter-coated silver stilettos, which also elongated her legs as she dazzled at the event, sponsored by Belvedere Vodka and Veuve Clicquot.
Pulling out the stops: The 40-year-old actress was dressed to impress at the foodie event, showing off her shapely pins in a black gown as she posed for snaps with chef and long-time friend Giorgio Locatelli
Gorgeous: The Titanic star looked the epitome of chic in the dark design, which boasted a number of pretty embellishments around the collar
Kate kept the rest of her look relatively minimal, incorporating only some silver encrusted earrings, which were the perfect match for the sparkler of a wedding ring she sported on the appropriate finger.
The screen siren swept her blonde locks into an easy chignon, while allowing a few wisps of hair to fall freely aorund her face, which had been given a simple make-up look.
Kate was joined by her long-time pal Giorgio inside the bash, who runs Michelin starred restaurant Locanda Locatelli, an establishment that has been awarded a number of Michellin stars since it opened in 2002.
Golden girls: Joy Desmond and Lizzie Cundy both opted for glitzy golden dresses and strappy sandals
The Reader stand-out is thought to have presented an award on the evening as she toted a glass champagne bowl that was brandished with the logo of event sponsors Veuve Clicquot, while guests were treated to Belvedere Spritz and Classic Belvedere Martinis.
Meanwhile, the British actress has been busy across the pond in New York City, where she has been filming star-studded comedy drama Collateral Beauty.
The movie boasts an all-star cast which includes Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley and Naomie Harris, while Will Smith has secured the leading part of advertising executive Howard Inlet.
The American movie tells the story of Inlet who falls into a deep depression following a personal tragedy.
Helen plays an actress hired by his colleagues as part of a plan to break him out of his dark spell while details regarding the other characters are so far unknown.
Simple attire: Celebrity chef Gizzi Erskine opted for a chic black dress and a pearl headband
Cosying up: Interior designer Tara Bernerd and restaurateur Oliver Peyton partied the night away
She's got a spring in her step after recently rekindling her romance with her ex-fiance, Johnny McDaid.
And Courteney Cox was taking life in her stride as she multi-tasked in Beverly Hills, California, on Tuesday.
The 51-year-old actress pulled a juggling act while balancing several of her personal belongings and trying to text at the same time as walking down the street.
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Busy! Courteney Cox was taking life in her stride as she multi-tasked in Beverly Hills, California, on Tuesday
The multihyphenate looked to have everything under control while running errands alone.
Her slim legs were showcased in cropped denim blue jeans.
She added a charcoal zip-up jacket and chic on-trend black loafers completed her classic styling.
Capable: The 51-year-old actress pulled a juggling act while balancing several of her personal belongings and trying to text at the same time as walking down the street
With a black leather bag over her arm, and her phone firmly in hand, she looked every inch the busy Golden Globe-nominated actress, producer and director.
The Friends star was make-up free and looked as youthful as ever.
The A-lister - who is reportedly worth an estimated $120 million - wore her shoulder-length raven locks in a centre parting and loose waves and she added a pair of lightly shaded glasses.
Stylish: The A-lister - who is reportedly worth an estimated $120 million - wore her shoulder-length raven locks in a centre parting and loose waves and she added a pair of lightly shaded glasses
Always stuck in fifth gear! The multihyphenate looked to have everything under control while running errands alone
Working it out: She's got a spring in her step after recently rekindling her romance with her ex-fiance, Johnny McDaid
The former Cougar Town starlet rounded out her laid-back look with a dainty gold necklace, a few bangle bracelets, jade ring and black leather wristwatch.
Courteney and the 39-year-old Snow Patrol rocker called off the engagement in December because their relationship was put under strain by their different approaches to fame.
The couple, who began dating in late 2013, also called off their wedding because they could not agree on where to live.
The two got engaged in June 2014, after dating for six months, with McDaid proposing with the help of Cox's daughter Coco - who she shares with her ex-husband David Arquette.
And although the pair split over the winter season, they were clearly amicable by springtime after they spent Easter together last month.
Since the holiday weekend, the pair have frequently been spotted out putting on passionate displays of affection and sizzling smoochfests.
Courteney can next be seen on screen in the drama Mothers And Daughters co-starring Christina Ricci, Sharon Stone, Susan Sarandon and Selma Blair.
The PG-13 film also starring Susan's daughter Eva Amurri is due in cinemas on May 6.
On-off: Courteney and the 39-year-old Snow Patrol rocker called off the engagement in December because their relationship was put under strain by their different approaches to fame (pictured last August)
On Tuesday she denied she was pregnant after drawing attention to her protruding stomach.
And fast forward just one day, and Imogen Anthony was back to her old tricks once more - this time focusing her efforts on highlighting a different body part.
The 25-year-old girlfriend of radio shock jock Kyle Sandilands, 44, showed off her pert posterior in a pair of cowboy chaps in a racy snap uploaded to Instagram on Wednesday.
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She's a cheeky chap! Kyle Sandilands girlfriend Imogen Anthony showed off her pert posterior in a pair of cowboy chaps in a racy snap uploaded to Instagram on Wednesday
Not one to shy away from attention, the former Maxim model had no qualms flashing her bum cheeks in the brazen snap.
Wearing just a pair of underpants and a strapless bra underneath the daring bum-less pants, the aspiring fashion designer confidently posed as she writhed her slender frame into a sultry pose.
The controversial beauty accessorised her country and western-themed look with her bright pink cotton-candy hair and a small black choker.
'When yo girl as wild as the motherf****** west,' she wrote in the caption - no doubt directed at her beau Kyle.
She added the hashtags 'coming soon,' 'Immyture' and 'White Trash Royalty' - providing a subtle hint that the revealing pants may be soon be available for purchase under her fashion label, allowing her fans to easily emulate her signature style.
Something to share? The 25-year-old sparked speculation of a pregnancy on Friday when she posed naked and pushed her tummy out to look like a baby bump
On Friday, Imogen fuelled speculation of a pregnancy as she posed side on, naked with an arm covering her breast and her stomach pushed out to look like a baby bump.
The outspoken model posted the image to her public Snapchat account, cryptically captioning it with 'Shh...' as she posed in the bathroom.
Imogen flashed some serious skin in the image, her modesty barely covered.
Her pastel pink-coloured locks were wrapped up in a towel and she held another in front of herself while making sure to lean back and push her stomach out.
Her followers immediately began speculating that she was expecting, with one even commenting: 'I have a feeling Imogen is pregnant? Nice snap and congrats if it's true'
When contacted by Daily Mail Australia, Imogen's management denied that there was any news to announce.
Questionable: Her followers immediately began speculating that she was expecting, with one even commenting: 'I have a feeling Imogen is pregnant? Nice snap and congrats if it's true'
Cheeky: Following the post, the Maxim model took to Snapchat again, confessing to her followers that she was just bloated because it was 'that time of the month' after posting a picture of herself with a flat stomach less than a week earlier
Following her post, Imogen took to Snapchat again, confessing to her followers that she was just bloated because it was 'that time of the month'.
Throughout her recent trip to Los Angeles with her beau Kyle, the beauty has shared plenty of snaps of herself on social media, including a nearly naked photograph.
In the image she was seen placing the palms of her hands over her breasts and posing in a doorway wearing only a beige pair of knickers.
She stretched her back straight and glared out into the distance while displaying some serious underboob.
No news: When contacted by Daily Mail Australia, Imogen's management denied that there was any news to announce
Britney Spears was forced to sleep in a parking lot due to her drug abuse, according to court documents.
The 34-year-old singer is said to have spent the night in the lot after she lost custody of her two sons to her ex-husband Kevin Federline in 2007.
The claims were made in court documents filed at the California Court of Appeals after her 'one-time manager' Sam Lutfi alleged he is owed 'unpaid earnings'.
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Britney Spears, pictured at Los Angeles airport in March, was forced to sleep in a parking lot due to her drug abuse, according to court documents. The claims were made in court documents filed at the California Court of Appeals after her 'one-time manager' Sam Lutfi, pictured together (right) alleged he is owed 'unpaid earnings'
The papers state she was 'struggling with abuse' at the time. The star had recently been through a messy divorce and was said to be estranged from her parents.
Ms Spears' team filed the papers detailing her struggle after Mr Lutfi alleged that he verbally agreed to manage the star if she stopped using substances in late 2007.
He is said to have then performed a variety of duties for Ms Spears - including staying at her house, arranging parties, dealing with paparazzi and buying items - until February 2008.
Court documents from 2015, which are believed to have been refiled as part of the ongoing case, state: 'On October 1, 2007, Britney lost legal custody of her infant sons.
'She spent a night in a parking lot, then called Sam and told him he was one of the few people she trusted.
'That night, he moved into her home. With the exception of a brief period in December 2007, Sam lived in Britneys home until February 1, 2008.'
The 34-year-old singer is said to have spent the night in the lot after she lost custody of her two sons to her ex-husband Kevin Federline in 2007. She is pictured in February 2007 in the LA suburb of Tarzana after shaving her head
She now shares custody of her sons Sean, 10, and Jayden, nine, with Federline. On Tuesday, she posted this pic of them on her Instagram with the caption: 'No homework! Best day ever!'
Mr Lutfi filed a breach of contract suit against his former friend following the breakdown of their relationship. His team is now preparing to depose the pop star.
He contends that he only agreed to manage Ms Spears if she got clean and granted him 15 per cent of her earnings during the time he was her manager, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He claims that this did not happen.
Appeals court judge Victoria Chavez told the jury they must determine what the agreement between the pair was.
She said: 'It is a factual question for the jury to determine whether an oral contract was formed between Sam and Britney, and if so, to interpret the material terms of that contract.'
Ms Spears' parents Jamie and Lynne, pictured in Camarillo, California last May, claimed it was Mr Lutfi who supplied their daughter with drugs. Jamie won conservatorship of his daughter in 2008
Mr Lutfi is suing Britney for money he says he is owed from the time when he was her manager. He's pictured in 2008
Meanwhile, Ms Spears' legal team has filed documents requesting Mr Lutfi himself be barred from the deposition.
It comes after Mr Lutfi took Ms Spears' mother Lynne to court for defamation following the publication of her book Through The Storm, in which she alleged Mr Lutfi had supplied her daughter with drugs.
The suit was tossed out of court in late 2012 before it could come to trial.
Since her highly publicized troubles and under the guidance of her father, Ms Spears, pictured (left) at the MTV Video Music Awards in August and (right) in Las Vegas in February, has rebuilt her career and is currently has her Piece Of Me residency in Las Vegas
But last year the California Court Of Appeals ruled that the decision to toss out his defamation lawsuit did not prevent him from seeking financial redress for money he claims he is still owed.
Ms Spears has since bounced back in her career and her personal life.
She now shares custody of her sons - Sean, 10, and Jayden, nine - with Mr Federline and has rebuilt her career.
It was revealed last Monday they'd called it quits on their relationship after 18 months.
And The Bachelor's Louise Pillidge has taken to Instagram the following Wednesday to thank her fans for their messages of support after her public breakup from 'love rat' Blake Garvey.
The 28-year-old shared her first snap to social media since the split, saying in the caption she found the countless messages 'overwhelming'.
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'I was truly overwhelmed': The Bachelor's newly-single Louise Pillidge took to Instagram on Wednesday to thank fans for their support following her split from Blake Garvey
'I would like to thank everyone for their beautiful and kind messages, comments and phone calls that I received over the last week,' she wrote.
'I was truly overwhelmed. Much love Louise,' she signed off.
The reality star donned a burgundy, high-neck blouse with white flowers on it, cracking a smile for the selfie while wearing luminous makeup.
Touched: It was the 28-year-old's first share to Instagram since the breakup
End of an era: It was revealed last Monday Blake and Louise called it quits on their relationship after 18 months
'I've been crying, numb and angry': The reality couple gave a tell-all interview with New Idea, breaking the news publicly
It's the first time Louise has also referenced the breakup outside of the glaring media coverage that ensued since announcing her split from Blake in New Idea magazine.
The 33-year-old auctioneer from Perth, who is still living with lifestyle blogger Louise, 28, told the magazine: 'We were walking on eggshells around each other, always trying to say the right thing.'
She also added: 'It feels surreal and since then I have gone through so many emotions. I've been crying, numb and angry'.
'It was suffocating,' he added.
The pair cited constant media scrutiny as one of the reasons for their split, not being able to move forward after the controversy surrounding the finale of Blake's season of the hit dating series.
Sam Frost was ultimately chosen, and Blake even proposed to her in the final episode before leaving her for Louise, who finished third, merely weeks later.
Billy Bush after nearly 15 years at Access Hollywood will be leaving for a regular role on morning network television.
The 44-year-old television personality has landed a regular role on NBC's The Today Show, according to an article on Tuesday by Us Weekly.
A source said that Billy was not renewing his contract and felt his time on the syndicated news magazine had 'run its course,' according to a source.
Network gig: Billy Bush, shown in February in New York City, will be leaving Access Hollywood for a regular role on NBC's The Today Show
Billy joined Access Hollywood in December 2001 as a correspondent, became a co-anchor in 2004 and has been lead anchor since 2009.
Another insider said Billy would not be replacing anyone on Today and he likely would appear during the 9am hour on the NBC morning show.
Billy has made numerous appearances previously on Today and also has worked with NBC on prior occasions.
He hosted a short-lived primetime version of Let's Make A Deal on NBC in 2003 and also served as a reporter for the network during the 2004 Olympics in Athens and during the 2014 Olympics in Socci.
Syndicated show: Kit Hoover and Billy Bush are shown in a 2014 promotional still for Access Hollywood
Billy Crystal famously dissed him in February 2004 when Billy while working for ABC on a pre-Oscar show was running around and aggressively yanking stars to be interviewed.
'This is the most annoying man in show business,' Crystal said while watching a monitor backstage before hosting the awards ceremony.
He also hosted the reality competition Grease: You're the One that I Want! on NBC in 2007.
On the carpet: Billy is shown interviewing Tom Hanks at the 2010 Emmy Awards in Los Angeles
Network coverage: Willie Geist, Natalie Morales and Al Roker are shown with Billy providing coverage for NBC from the 2014 Olympics in Socci
Billy is the nephew of former US President George H.W. Bush and is a cousin of former US President George W. Bush.
He began his career in radio in his early 20s in Washington DC and he's also hosted both the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants several times.
The New York City native has been living in Los Angeles with his wife Sydney Davis and their three daughters Josie, Mary and Lillie.
He is one of the hunkiest guys in Hollywood at the moment.
And earlier this month Australian actor Chris Hemsworth made hearts skip a beat as he went shirtless while out in Byron Bay, New South Wales north coast.
The 32-year-old all eyes on him as he showed off his muscular physique while performing numerous stretches on the back of his Toyota Ute.
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Where to look? Chris Hemsworth all eyes on him earlier this month as he showed off his muscular physique while performing numerous stretches on the back of his Toyota Ute in Byron Bay
While dressed in nothing but a pair of black board-shorts, the father-of-three firmly placed his hands on the back of the car's tray while arching his back outwards as he kept his feet steady on the ground.
He was later seen rested his right leg on the towbar while twisting his buff torso to the side.
Earlier that autumn day Chris enjoyed a surf alongside his father Craig.
Don't mind me: The Thor star showed off his impressive physique as he stretched
Showing off: While dressed in nothing but a pair of black board-shorts the father-of-three firmly placed his hands on the back of the car's tray while arching his back outwards as he kept his feet steady on the ground
The pair were seen leaving the popular holidaying beach with their surfboards rested underneath their arms.
Chris lives in the area with his wife Elsa Pataky and their three children.
He recently returned to Australia after promoting his newest film, The Huntsman: Winter's War, in the U.S.
It is the latest in a string of Hollywood films this year in which he appears, with In The Heart of The Sea released in December.
Bonding: Earlier in the autumn day out Chris enjoyed a surf alongside his father Craig (L)
Last year it was revealed Chris had paid off their parents' debts, with his younger brother Liam revealing in an emotional interview that the gesture moved him to tears.
He explained his parents were initially shocked and overwhelmed by the grand gesture.
'They are so happy now and able to spend more time with us, I would love to be able to do something for my parents like that,' he told The Independent.
They welcomed their newest family member into the world in late February.
And over the weekend Bert Newton's daughter Lauren stepped out with her newborn son Monty for the first time, along with her mother Patti.
During the Melbourne outing, the 36-year-old glowed with happiness as she cradled the tiny tot close to her chest.
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Baby's first outing: Bert Newton's wife Patti (right) stepped out their daughter Lauren (left) along with her son Monty in Melbourne on Friday
Doting grandmother: Patti, 74, cradled her newborn grandson Monty during their outing with her daughter Lauren
The mother-of-four showed off her post-pregnancy figure in a pair of black tights and an oversized white jumper that featured leather sleeves.
She teamed the outfit with a pair of black ankle boots while wearing her blonde hair out and straight.
Her mother Patti matched in a pair of black jeans and a T-shirt.
Adorable: The two-month-old baby was rugged up in Winter gear as he stepped out with his mother and grandmother
Family fun: Lauren and her mother Patti took turns carrying baby Monty as they strolled through the streets of Melbourne
The wife to media personality Bert added a dark grey and black pattern animal print jacket to her choice of attire.
As the mother and daughter duo strolled the streets of Melbourne they took turns in holding Monty who was also dressed in a grey jumpsuit and jacket.
After some time they placed the tiny tot inside his pram while pulling a white sheet over the opening.
Health scare: Television personality Bert revealed to New Idea magazine that Lauren had a health scare while pregnant with baby Monty
Earlier in the month, Bert revealed to New Idea magazine that his daughter Lauren had a health scare while she was pregnant.
Baby Monty had to be resuscitated at hospital after a urinary tract infection but is now well, with Bert proudly declaring: 'It's fun to have another one.'
'I think it's very clever of Lauren to have two boys and two girls, with the boys as bookends,' he told the publication.
Lucky number four: Monty is the fourth child for Lauren, who shares older children son Sam, eight, daughter Eva, six and Lola, three, with Matt Welsh
Monty was born on February 18 and is the fourth child of Lauren and her former Olympic swimmer husband, Matt Welsh, 39.
The pair also share older children son Sam, eight, daughter Eva, six and Lola, three.
According to the publication, Lauren was 15 weeks pregnant when she suffered excessive bleeding and her placenta tore.
She was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and placenta previa, which can cause premature births.
Nap time: Patti placed a blanket over Monty's pram as she pushed his stroller through Melbourne's streets
Proud grandmother: Patti wore an animal print cardigan with black tights as she accompanied her grandson during his first outing
Tuck Everlasting is a musical based upon a children's novel.
But pint-sized Tina Fey towered over her husband Jeff Richmond after wearing stilettos at the opening night on Tuesday of the Broadway show.
The 45-year-old star cut a ladylike figure in a classic A-line dress that was adorned with small daisies for a youthful touch.
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Date night! Tina Fey, 45, and her husband Jeff Richmond, 55, attended the opening night of the Broadway musical Tuck Everlasting in New York City on Tuesday
The 5ft5in SNL alum donned the chic number which hit just above the knee, showcasing her slender gams while making an appearance at the New York City event.
While her composer husband Jeff, who claims to also be 5ft5in, looked smart in a pin striped suit.
She finished off the ensemble with a simple pair of black heels and skipped the accessories, letting the dress take centre stage.
Her chestnut locks were left down in relaxed waves and she opted for her typical minimal make-up with just a touch of glossy nude lip.
Stylish: Melissa Joan Hart, 40, also attended the star-studded premiere wearing a form-fitting black dress with low-cut neckline
Tina hit the red carpet with her husband of nearly 15 years who was dressed fashionable in a navy blue pinstripe suit.
The 30 Rock producer added flare and colour to his wardrobe with a rosy button-up dress shirt and fuchsia necktie.
Melissa Joan Hart, 40, also attended the star-studded premiere wearing a form-fitting black dress with low-cut neckline.
Seeing red! The mother-of-three paired the knee-length frock with a matching blazer and added a pop of colour to her monochrome look with bright red pumps
The mother-of-three paired the knee-length frock with a matching blazer and added a pop of colour to her monochrome look with bright red pumps.
Ageless beauty Bernadette Peters made a showstopping entrance in a figure-hugging plum dress that highlighted all her best assets.
The 68-year-old stunner donned the off-the-shoulder number with black heels and matching satin clutch.
Oscar winner Ron Howard, 62, made an appearance in royal blue trousers with matching suit jacket, pale blue dress shirt and rain coat.
Showstopper! Ageless beauty Bernadette Peters donned a figure-hugging plum dress that highlighted all her best assets
Forever young! The 68-year-old looked youthful and defied her age in the off-the-shoulder number
The highly anticipated musical opened at the Broadhurst Theatre which was led by famed director Casey Nicholaw.
Nicholaw also has three other hit shows currently running on Broadway - The Book of Mormon, Aladdin and Something Rotten!
Tuck Everlasting is a musical based upon the American children's novel Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt.
Babbitt's book is about a young girl in the 1800s who befriends an immortal family.
It's been a slow going process that they've been keeping fans updated with via social media.
But on Wednesday, The Veronicas showed off their newly lightened platinum blonde locks side-by-side and appeared to be in matching navy jumpers as they posed inside their music studio in the picture posted to Instagram.
Lisa and Jessica Origliasso looked almost unrecognisable in the selfie, having sported dark and intense raven locks for their musical comeback over the past couple of years.
Out of this world! The Veronicas, Jessica (left) and Lisa (right) Origliasso, looked almost unrecognisablewith their new platinum blonde locks side-by-side on Wednesday while in the studio in Alien-inspired jumpers
Out with the old: The ARIA Award winning artists have sported raven locks during their musical comeback over the past two years
However, the 31-year-old twins appear to have wanted a new look - quite literally chopping and changing their hair.
'Blonder. Better. Faster. Stronger,' Jessica captioned a recent post to Instagram.
Sharing shots across their social media as they started bleaching their black locks to white, they flaunted the strawberry blonde look in a series of sultry snaps.
Twin-tastic! The Brisbane-born twins - Lisa (left) and Jessica (right) Origliasso - looked back to their identical selves in images on social media this month after altering their hair colour at different times over the year
Dark look: The girls have become known for their darker look, which matches their moody music
It appears that Jessica took the plunge first, sharing a shot back in January, showing off the lighter look while in Melbourne with her sister.
Lisa seemed to follow suit shortly after, sharing a shot at the salon with her hair in foils towards the end of February.
However, it's not the first time the girls have sported the lighter look, with Jessica previously sporting the platinum blonde style in early 2014.
Keeping fans abreast of the changes: The twins shared a series of racy images on their social media pages as they showed off their changing hair colour with Jessica (right) taking the plunge first
In transition: Lisa showed off the mid-way point as her dark locks turned red before lightening to blonde
Chopping and changing: Lisa was sure to show photos as her hair were bleached then cut across the process
Almost there! Earlier this month the sisters posed side-by-side as their hair almost matched again in colour
While Lisa has preferred to stay on the dark side, she briefly sported red locks and then green hair in early 2014 also.
Last month, the Brisbane sisters announced their upcoming cameo on Sesame Street while sitting alongside one of the show's puppet stars, the Cookie Monster.
Appearing on Channel Nine's Today Show in March, the musical duo revealed they're performing a song for U.S. children's television show.
They're just about a third of the way through their massive 101-date Sounds Live, Feels Live tour.
And 5 Seconds Of Summer, commonly abbreviated to 5SOS, showed no signs of slowing down as they hit Dublin on Tuesday.
The Australian pop stars showed off their endless youthful energy as they dominated the crowd at 3Arena, performing one of two nearly sold-out dates in the Irish capital.
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No rest for the wicked! 5 Seconds Of Summer took their Sounds Live, Feels Live show to Dublin on Tuesday
Wearing their typical stage attire which is generally made up of black skinny jeans and printed T-shirts, working up a sweat as they belted out hits from the Sounds Good, Feels Good album.
Meanwhile guitarist Michael Clifford opted for a thick denim jacket with distressed detailing.
Earlier this month, the pop troupe celebrated their three-year-anniversary since supporting One Direction on tour in their first ever string of international shows.
Boundless energy: The Australian pop stars showed off their endless youthful energy as they dominated the crowd at 3Arena
Massive: It was the first of two dates in the Irish capital as part of their 101-date Sounds Live, Feels Live tour
Rocking out: Rhythm guitarist Luke Hemmings worked up a sweat as the crowd cheered for the Australian pop stars
Drummer Ashton Irwin, 21, took to Instagram to share a snap taken on the tour in 2013 and placed it above a current photo with the boys striking the same pose.
The quartet, who would've still been in their mid-to-late teens at the time the first shot was taken, were shown to be remarkably baby-faced.
Rhythm guitarist Luke Hemmings is in fact the last to make the jump from being a teenager as he celebrates his 20th birthday in July.
Latest work: The band are touring the world to promote their latest album Sounds Good, Feels Good
'At the London O2, 3 years ago, tonight is a special night too (sic) us, can't believe how far we've come with you all,' wrote Ashton in the caption.
The snap shows a definite increase in the amount of tattoos among the young musicians, particularly on the arms of bassist and vocalist Calum Hood, 20.
Meanwhile guitarist Michael Clifford, 20, who had previously sported an array of rainbow hairstyles has seemingly stripped his locks of artificial hues.
Court records show that former Scandal actor Columbus Short has tested positive for cocaine and marijuana use and is facing a probation violation in a felony assault case.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Leslie E. Brown received details about the failed drug tests Thursday and ordered the actor to appear at a hearing May 9 to address them. Court officials were unable to provide a copy of Short's probation report on Tuesday.
Court records show that former Scandal actor Columbus Short has tested positive for cocaine and marijuana use and is facing a probation violation in a felony assault case (seen here in December 2014 at a Hollywood fundraiser)
Short pleaded no contest to felony assault in September and was sentenced to three years of supervised probation, two months of community labor and anger management counseling. He was charged after he delivered a running punch during a fight at a family gathering in March 2014. The blow knocked a man unconscious, gave him a concussion and fractured his eye socket.
The actor has completed anger management counseling, but has not yet completed the community labor terms of his sentence.
Short's attorney Ludlow B. Creary II said the actor has previously publicly addressed his drug use and no further comment on it was necessary. Short told Access Hollywood in 2014 that his cocaine use and drinking had caused many of the problems that led to his departure from 'Scandal.'
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Leslie E. Brown received details about the failed drug tests Thursday and ordered the actor to appear at a hearing May 9 to address them. Court officials were unable to provide a copy of Short's probation report on Tuesday (seen here at 12th Annual NAACP Hollywood Bureau Symposium hosted by Roland Martin on February 3, 2016 in Los Angeles)
Creary said he hopes Short will 'complete his probation, and get on with career.' He added that he believed Short's legal problems are overblown.
'It's our belief that Mr. Short is going to continue to make progress,' Creary said.
Short, 33, left 'Scandal' after being charged in the assault case and a separate domestic-violence case involving his estranged wife.
They both share a passion for plastic surgery.
But while they both share a love for going under the knife, it was hard to tell that Real Housewives of Melbourne (RHOM) star Gamble Breaux and her sister Tempest Waters were siblings as they stepped out on Wednesday.
The pair put on an affectionate display as they walked hand-in-hand from The Bathers Pavilion Restaurant at Balmoral Beach, in Sydney.
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Not so alike: Real Housewives of Melbourne (RHOM) star Gamble Breaux was joined by sister Tempest Waters for a swanky lunch in Sydney on Wednesday
Gamble, 44, looked relaxed in a pair of slim fit jeans teamed with a white button-up shirt which showed off her surgically enhanced assets.
The reality star towered over her sister in a pair of sky-high stilettos and styled her long blonde tresses in waves that cascaded down over her shoulders.
The beauty opted for a natural palette of makeup, and completed her off-duty look with a cropped blazer and a pair of large shades.
Affectionate display: The siblings looked to be in good spirits as they pounded the pavement in their fashionable autumn attire
Meanwhile, Tempest showed off her curves in a pair of black trousers paired with a patterned top.
The art critic accessorised her outfit with a beaded necklace and threw on a checked coat to keep warm during the cool autumn months.
The Sydney native kept comfortable in a pair of ballerina flats and completed her lunch date look with a layer of plum coloured lipstick.
In a past episode of RHOM, Gamble revealed she's spent almost $100,000 on cosmetic surgery.
Time for a selfie: The pair, who hardly look alike, took to Twitter to upload a picture of themselves beaming at the camera
Sisters in arm: The sisters pose side-by-side in a social media snap
'I've spent around $90,000 on cosmetic surgery,' she admitted in a piece to camera.
'But $20,000 of that was to fix some bad work that I had done,' she explains.
'Age does terrible things to your body, to everything ... so I think everyone can use a nip and tuck eventually, including men,' she added.
The admission was a result of Gamble advising her sister, who was planning to have some procedures done at the same clinic the RHOM star had her own breast augmentation.
Blast from the past: The Sydney sisters look more alike in an old picture of Gamble's first wedding, which featured on a past episode of RHOM
Passion for fashion and plastic surgery: The sisters love clothes, art and have a passion for plastic surgery
During the conversation she revealed more details about the work she's had done, which included an eyelift lid, procedure to smooth and tighten the neck and a boob job.
Last year the wife of Melbourne eye surgeon Dr Rick Wolfe told Daily Mail Australia that she has no hesitation recommending the cosmetic procedure Botox, and other kinds of work.
I think that if it starts to sag, fill it up! she said.
Ive had a little bit of work here and there its sort of a secret, she explained.
Botox is a really quick, fast, and cheap alternative [to plastic surgery], she enthused.
Meanwhile, Tempest had a facelift on season two of the Melbourne based reality series.
They play husband and wife in hit new TV series Billions.
So no wonder Malin Akerman and Damian Lewis have great chemistry as they enjoyed a catch-up at a screening and panel discussion on Tuesday.
The actress looked thrilled to see the English actor as they joined forces at the Showtime event in Beverly Hills.
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Malin Akerman, 37, opted for an edgy look at a conference panel for her hit Showtime series Billions in Beverly Hills on Tuesday
Hey Damo! Malin greets her co-star Damian Lewis, who plays her on-screen husband in the hit show
Malin, 37, opted for an edgier look in a harness inspired belt that criss-crossed over her chest and wrapped around her slender waistline.
The Swedish-born beauty paired the strappy number with light wash black skinny jeans that accentuated her long, slim pins.
Adding a feminine touch to her fierce ensemble she wore a multi-layered ruffled blouse with butterfly sleeves and ribbon tied neckline.
Chemistry: After filming ended several months ago, it was a good chance for a catch-up between the castmembers
Fierce fashionista! The Swedish-born beauty went rocker chic in a harness inspired belt that criss-crossed over her chest and wrapped around her slender waisline
Ladylike: The award-winning actress added a feminine touch to her edgy ensemble with a ruffled blouse and ribbon tied neckline
Her blonde locks were slicked back to showcase her flawless facial features which bared minimal make-up with the exception of thin black eyeliner.
The award-winning actress rounded out her look with simple diamond stud earrings and a few titanium rings.
Meanwhile, Golden Globe winner Damian mixed and matched his looks as he wore a fitted grey suit jacket with denim jeans and brown suede boots.
All-star lineup! The cast all posed for a snapshot on the carpet including (L-R) David Costabile, Condola Rashad, Paul Giamatti, Akerman, Damian Lewis and Maggie Siff
Hit makers! Malin paused for a photo opportunity with her co-star Paul Giamatti - who stars as US Attorney Chuck Rhoades
She teamed up with her co-stars from the hit show which was renewed for a second season in January.
The exciting announcement came just weeks after the show's premiere was the highest-rated original series debut on Showtime with 1.4 million viewers.
Akerman stars in the hit series as Lara Axelrod, the wife of an ambitious hedge fund king, Bobby Axelrod, played by actor Damian Lewis.
Suited and booted! Golden Globe winner Damian Lewis wore a fitted grey jacket and brown suede shoes
Complex: Damian said the public were 'more suspicious of wealthy people' since the 2008 financial crisis
Speaking on the panel, Damian said the public were 'more suspicious of wealthy people' since the 2008 financial crisis.
He said: 'I think it would be simplistic to say all hedge fund manager are this. I think there are certain things hedges can do which don't enamour them to the general public. I think it's a more complex issue to just say they're bad.
'Our attitude and relationship with wealth now - we've become more suspicious of wealthy people and how they made it.
Damian plays ambitious hedge fund king, Bobby Axelrod in the show, while Malin in his wife Lara
Dashing: The show is another hit for Damian, who won Golden Globe and Emmy awards for his performance in Homeland
All change: Damian switched up his look for a photoshoot on Tuesday
'I think that's also a result of what's happened over the last six, seven, eight years.'
At Tuesday's event, Malin also paused for a snapshot with her co-star Paul Giamatti - who stars as US Attorney Chuck Rhoades.
The Oscar nominated-actor went with a laid-back look in black sweater and relaxed-fitting denims as his glasses hung from the neckline of his knit.
Maggie Siff and Condola Rashad both opted for shimmering fabrics as they stunned at the panel in chic silk and satin gowns.
Lustrous ladies! Maggie and Condola both stunned at the panel in chic silk and satin gowns
Talking point: Damian's co-star Maggie, who plays Bobby's performance coach, listens intently to the actor
The hit show which was renewed for a second season in January
Dylan now lives in Florida with her husband, and as an adult changed her name to Malone
Shortly after Allen lost custody of Dylan, and went on to marry her step-sister Soon-Yi Previn, who was 35 years his junior
her in an attic when she was just seven
her adoptive father Woody Allen of sexual abuse in an interview with Vanity Fair
Mia Farrow appeared at the annual Time 100 Gala in New York City on Tuesday night, taking along daughter Dylan as her date for the evening.
It was a rare outing for the 30-year-old, who was married in 2011 and now lives in Florida with her husband.
There is also a baby on the way for Dylan, who was seen cradling her bump while posing for photos with her famous mother.
She later told People that was having a girl, but would not reveal the child's name.
Dylan has largely avoided the cameras for the past two years ever since giving an interview accusing her adoptive father Woody Allen of sexually abusing her as a child.
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Night out: Mia Farrow attended the Time 100 Gala in new York City Tuesday night with her pregnant 30-year-old daughter Dylan (above)
Difficult past: In 2013 Dylan accused her adoptive father Woody Allen of sexual abuse in an interview with Vanity Fair (Dylan and Allen above in 1989)
Happy now: Dylan (left) , who was married in 2010, cradled her baby bump as she posed for photos on the red carpet; she revealed she was having a girl but said she will not give away the name
Dylan, who changed her name to Malone as an adult, broke her silence in the November 2013 issue of Vanity Fair, alleging that Allen molested her when she was just seven, telling her it was their 'secret.'
She told her mother Mia in August 1992 that her father had been inappropriate with her in the attic and kissed her, claims that have been denied by Allen.
Dylan said the alleged abuse made her feel that she was a 'bad kid' and that she told her mother because she was 'cracking' and wanted Allen to stop.
She said in the interview; 'Theres a lot I dont remember, but what happened in the attic I remember. I remember what I was wearing and what I wasnt wearing.'
When asked if it happened on multiple occasions, Dylan said; 'That was isolated. The rest was just everyday weirdness -the weird routine I thought was normal.'
She called her fears of her father 'crippling' and said: 'Im scared of him, his image. Nobody wants to think this legendary filmmaker is my worst nightmare. Thats what scares me, when I picture things chasing me or happeningI think its him after me. Its hard to explain how terrifying that is.'
Dylan also revealed said she once went into a 'fit of vomiting' after seeing a boy in her school wearing a shirt featuring her father.
The case was dropped in 1993 but custody of Dylan was awarded to her mother and Allen was denied visitation with his daughter.
Dylan did not take the stand, and said in the interview; 'I have never been asked to testify. If I could talk to the seven-year-old Dylan, I would tell her to be brave, to testify.'
Following the molestation case, Mia moved her children from New York to Connecticut.
Things got bad again for Dylan however following the death of her adopted sister Tam in 2000 from a heart condition, causing her to sink into a deep depression.
She started cutting herself and made a 'halfhearted' attempt at suicide, admitting: 'Im not proud of it. It was very hard for me to cope. My mom was my rock, and Ronan was my best friend.'
Safe place: Dylan now lives in Florida with her husband and is expecting her first child
Complicated family: Allen (left in 1986) would go on to marry Soon-Yi Previn (right) after being accused of abusing Dylan (center in mother Mia's arms) in 1993 (Misha second from left and Moses second from right)
Then, things got much worse for Dylan she said when she was contacted by her estranged father,
The first time was in 2004, she said, when he sent her a letter saying that because she was now legally an adult he wanted to have a conversation and 'set the record straight about what your mother has told you.'
He signed off on the note; 'Love, your father.'
Allen tried once again she said three years later, when she was a senior year of college.
Dylan said at that time Allen sent her a package of pictures of the pair together, writing that Soon-Yi missed her and he wanted her to meet his new adopted daughters.
She credits her husband with helping her through the difficult times, and said of the information technology specialist; 'Hes the best thing that ever happened to me. I would not be functioning without him.'
Shortly after her interview with Vanity Fair Dylan also penned an open letter in the New York Times about her father. which Allen responded too in a rare public statement to deny the allegations being made by his daughter.
Farrow and Allen's adopted son Moses, who is closest to Dylan in age and estranged from most of his siblings and his mother, also sided with the award-winning director and said that the abuse never occurred.
Allen, 80, remains married to Dylan's step-sister Soon-Yi,45, and the couple have two adopted daughters.
She previously revealed plans to launch a hair blog after apparently being inundated with compliments about her luscious locks.
But former Bachelor contestant Lana Jeavons-Fellows came dangerously close to having to losing her precious tresses over the weekend after they caught fire in a nightclub.
The 28-year-old took to Instagram on Tuesday after recovering from the incident to warn fans of the dangers of being in crowded places with candles.
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Close call: Former Bachelor star Lana Jeavons-Fellows had her hair catch fire in a crowded bar at the weekend
Sharing a snap of herself with shorter hair, she told how she feared she would have to opt for a shorter do as a result of the incident.
'So my hair caught fire in a bar on the weekend. Just got back from the hairdressers and I thought I was going to have to cut it short like Tay Tay (and as pictured) but my hairdressers managed to cut around the burned parts so it's not too noticeable,' she said.
The former reality TV star continued that she was 'thankful' only her hair came to harm, adding: 'It could have been so much worse!
Warning: Lana had been enjoying a night out when the frightening incident occurred
'Ladies please take care around candles in crowded places. Thank you to the people who helped put my hair fire out.'
While most fans were quick to express their relief that no serious harm had been done, others commented beneath her post having found it entertaining.
Outraged at their amusement, Lana responded to one: 'Don't know what's so funny?'.
Lana had been enjoying a girls' night out at The Darlo Country Club in Sydney's Darlinghurst when the incident is believed to have taken place.
Plans: Lana revealed earlier this month that she had been putting together a hair blog for fans
At the start of her night she took to Instagram to share a snap of her look having been to the hair salon that day for a trim.
Pouting for the camera, she smouldered in a black top, her long curls falling to one side.
Earlier this year Lana told Daily Mail Australia of her hopes to get her hair blog off the ground after receiving compliments and requests for styling tips from fans of The Bachelor.
'I did notice that throughout and after the show a lot of people would write to me on Instagram about how I look after my hair,' she said.
It was a massive night for My Kitchen Rules as the winners were finally announced on Channel Seven on Tuesday.
The results were kept so secret that not even finalists Tasia and Gracia Seger and Carmine and Lauren Finelli knew who had taken won the $250,000 grand prize.
Instead, all the contestants from this series gathered at an exclusive viewing party in Melbourne to watch the entire episode unfold and celebrate into the night.
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Congratulations! The girls were the centre of attention as former contestants toasted to their victory
Tasia, 26, and Gracia, 24, were joined by their opponents Carmine and Lauren at the Bridge Hotel in Melbourne along with eliminated couples including series villains Zana Pali and Gianni Romano.
Proud winner Tasia was in great spirits as she poured champagne for guests at the party.
The show's finale was an absolute hit, with 1.9 million Australians tuning in to find out whose kitchen officially rules for 2016.
Pour it up! Tasia was surrounded by excited friends and family as well as eliminated contestants at the party
Party time! Zana, Jordan, Jessica, Luciano and Martino were all in high spirits at Tuesday night's viewing party
In the episode, the two remaining teams were asked to create a five-course menu, with each duo producing 100 plates for a packed restaurant.
During a tense judging round, judge Pete Evans awarded the 'Spice Sisters' Tasia and Gracia a mighty 10 out of 10, saying: 'It was perfect' before declaring them the winners.
Both couples stuck to their roots when developing their menu, with Carmine and Lauren opting for a modern Italian theme and Tasia and Gracia opting to deliver a spicy Asian course.
Cheers! Gracia was quick to open a bottle of champagne to celebrate her win with former rivals
Winners! The Indonesian sisters discovered at the party that they had won the series and the $250,000 prize
And on Wednesday morning the Melbourne-based siblings confirmed they will soon be releasing a bottled peanut satay sauce, which will be the first of a number of projects from the girls.
'[We're] just waiting for the right time and the website and everything, so finalising the logo and everything else,' they said on Sunrise.
Meanwhile Zana, who has been portrayed as one of the show's villains, displayed her softer side as she congratulated the winners on social media.
Swarmed: The Melbourne-based sisters were surrounded by friends and former contestants as they found out they'd won
Sharing an image of herself and husband Gianni Romano standing with the proud winners, the 25-year-old wrote: 'Congratulations to our beautiful friends Tasia and Gracia.
'We are so proud with everything you have achieved and wish you all the best in your future endeavours.'
She concluded: 'You're both so gorgeous inside and out and feel privileged to have you as our friends.'
Other projects in the pipeline: The sisters also revealed they're hoping to open a restaurant shortly but are focussing on their sauces for now
It seems Indiana was Jonesing for a tasty meal.
For Harrison Ford looked like a man on a mission as he headed to a posh eatery for lunch in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
The bearded silver screen heartthrob seemed in a hurry as he headed to a restaurant in the posh Brentwood area of the city.
Ford focus: Harrison looked like he knew exactly where he was going as he headed to lunch in Los Angeles on Tuesday
The 73-year-old was looking good for his age in a casual ensemble of grey shirt, green trousers and brown boots.
He completed his carpenter chic look by sporting a bushy white bear, trendy black sunglasses and, of course, was wearing his trademark earring.
Following his turn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Harrison has been feathering his nest by reprising some of his most famous roles.
He is set to return as replicant hunter Rick Deckard in the long-awaited sequel to Blade Runner.
The food-jative: The bearded heartthrob looked like he could hardly wait to tuck into his meal
Seeing gold glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate: Harrison is feathering his nest by appearing with Ryan Gosling in a Blade Runner sequel
The sequel, which also stars Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright and Dave Bautista, is to hit cinemas sooner than expected.
Taking place a few decades after the events of the first film, it is now set to hit theaters on October 6 2017, months ahead of its originally planned February 2018 release.
He is also set to once again pull on his stetson an grab his bullwhip to play perhaps his signature role as Dr Henry 'Indiana' Jones.
It was confirmed back in March a fifth film is currently in development, with Stephen Spielberg returning to direct, and which will be released in July 2019.
They've been hard at work filming the action flick xXx: The Return of Xander Cage.
But Ruby Rose's fans on social media have been following another storyline: her ongoing pranks with co-star Nina Dobrev.
The 30-year-old star shared a video of her latest attempt at a practical joke in between filming.
Practical joker: Ruby Rose calls an agency to hire a gorilla impersonator to scare her co-star Nina Dobrev
In the video, Ruby is seen speaking on the phone with an agency as she arranges to hire a gorilla impersonator to scare Nina.
Speaking with a man on the other line, the Australian actress first asks: 'What kind of celebrities do you have?'
The man responds by listing his available impersonators including Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and Taylor Swift, which piques Ruby's interest.
Plotting: The 30-year-old actress speaks to an agency to arrange for a gorilla man to scare her co-star Nina on set
However, after finding out that the impersonator only does 'popular' and 'nice' songs as opposed to Ruby's request of I Knew You Were Trouble, the star opts for a gorilla man instead.
Unfortunately for the Orange is the New Black actress, Nina was 'too scared' and remained in her trailer, forcing Ruby to send the gorilla home.
'When you hire a gorilla man to finish these pranks once and for all but @ninadobrev Doesn't come out of her trailer because she's too scared of the Ruby wrath,' Ruby captioned her video.
Prank fail: According to Ruby, her co-star was too scared to come out of her trailer and missed the gorilla she had arranged to give her a fright
In another video, the DJ turned actress is seen stomping on a water gun in an attempt to break it.
The toy appears to be a prop Nina planned to use to spray Ruby in the 'minus one degree' weather.
She captioned the footage: 'Thank god I found this before it was used on me.'
Unbreakable! In another video, Ruby is seen stomping on a water gun which was going to be used on her by Nina
Indestructible: Ruby admits she will have to throw the water gun in the bin after failing to break it by stomping on it
'I just missed the memo it was made out of TITANIUM STEEL FROM AN ALIEN PLANET WITH A MISSION TO BREAK MY ANKLES (sic).'
Despite jumping on the toy several times, the former MTV VJ failed at breaking the prop.
She said in the video: 'Gosh, she's not a cheap b**** that's for sure!'
The latest prank attempts come after Ruby successfully planted fart bombs in her co-star's trailer.
Prior to that, the 27-year-old star arrived in her trailer to find images of Ruby plastered all over the walls.
Being a good sport, the Vampire Diaries actress took it in her stride and was in stitches afterwards.
Joke's on her: Nina (pictured) has been going back and forth with practical jokes with her Australian co-star Ruby
Ruby captured mainstream attention last year when she joined the cast of Orange Is The New Black in season three, playing sassy Litchfield inmate Stella Carlin - a romantic interest for the critically-acclaimed Netflix series' lead Piper Chapman.
After captivating a new fan following from the American comedy-drama, the tattooed beauty secured a number of modelling gigs and roles in new movies, including Resident Evil: The Final Chapter and John Wick: Chapter Two.
She recently received a special award for her contribution to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community at the 27th annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles
She's spoken about how she has no fixed address, jumping between Sydney, Melbourne and her parents' house in Brisbane.
But now that Stephanie Rice is designing children's swimwear, RACERiCE, the three-time Olympic gold medallist's base of operations also includes India.
The 27-year-old cut a casual figure as she returned to Sydney on Wednesday, having shared a post to Instagram a few days prior about how she longed to return to South Asia.
'Please universe take me back there soon!' Three-time Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice returned to Sydney on Tuesday after a long stint overseas in India and Dubai
The brunette strutted through the taxi rank dressed in a smart-casual ensemble, made up of black skinny jeans with slashes in them.
She offset her edgy bottoms with a kaleidoscopic printed T-shirt with bell sleeves and slung a large black tote bag over her right arm while carrying an iPad in her left hand.
On Sunday, Stephanie shared a snap to her Instagram of her recent trip to India, saying how desperate she was to get back.
'I'm have serious India withdrawals': The brunette beauty said she was longing for India since returning home
Citizen of the world! Stephanie jumps between India, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane
'I'm have serious India withdrawals,' she wrote.
'Really missing the energy there and the amazing people I met. Please universe take me back there soon'.
Though she was closely followed by a male companion, Stephanie assured The Courier Mail it would be hard to maintain a relationship with her busy lifestyle.
Sports star: Stephanie is a three-time Olympic gold medallist
'I can't see how it would really work, I'm in Melbourne, or Sydney every week, I'm travelling to India, are they going to come with me?' she said.
The move back to her parent's house comes with benefits according to the swimming star who admits to lazing around the house in the pyjamas in the afternoon.
She has been back home temporarily after selling her own house in Brisbane's Paddington in February.
They have never appeared on screen together.
But Demi Moore and January Jones looked like the best of friends as they linked up at the Roger Vivier Dinner and Cocktails party in LA on Tuesday night.
The Golden Globe nominees contrasted beautifully on the night, the blonde X-Men star in white while the Striptease siren opted for all black.
Bessies: Demi Moore and January Jones contrasted as they linked up at the Roger Vivier Dinner and Cocktails party in LA on Tuesday
January complemented her white blazer and and top with faded blue turn-up jeans, with a pair of plain black pumps.
She added a touch of colour with a pastel clutch, and tied her long blonde tresses up in a tight top knot.
Demi meanwhile looked stylish in a black velvet dress with sheer black sleeves, with her famous dark locks flowing freely down her shoulders.
Also spotted at the event was actress Kelly Lynch, who split the girls' look with a white frill-sleeved top and black trousers.
Light: January complemented her white blazer and and top with faded blue turn-up jeans, with a pair of plain black pumps
Dark: Demi meanwhile looked stylish in a black velvet dress with sheer black sleeves, with her famous dark locks flowing freely down her shoulders
Pals: They have never appeared on screen together, but looked like the best of friends
Jennifer Tilly meanwhile wore a wallpaper-inspired ensemble with a postcard greeting from the Italian island of Capri.
This week it was revealed that Demi Moore had accidentally registered to become a member of a political party that opposes abortion rights and same sex marriage and calls for building a fence along the US border.
The 53-year-old was among the thousands who signed up to the conservative American Independent Party, after a mix-up over its name.
Mix: Also spotted at the event was actress Kelly Lynch, who split the girls' look with a white frill-sleeved top and black trousers
Wallflower: Jennifer Tilly meanwhile wore a wallpaper-inspired ensemble with a postcard greeting from the Italian island of Capri
In California, voters who do not want to register with any party must check a box on a registration form for 'no party preference'.
Emma Stone, Kaley Cuoco and Patrick Schwarzenegger were among the other celebs inadvertently signed up
'Demi Moore is not, nor has ever been, a member of the American Independent Party,' her representative told the LA Times.
Whoops: This week it was revealed that Demi Moore had accidentally registered to become a member of a political party that opposes abortion rights and same sex marriage and calls for building a fence along the US border
Jinger Duggar broke down in tears on Tuesday night's episode of Jill & Jessa: Counting On while talking about the hard pain caused by her brother Joshs sex scandals.
The 21-year-old was seen with tears running down her face as she discussed the devastating blow to the family.
It was very difficult and we cried a lot of tears, sister Jessa, 23, admitted.
Hard pain: Jinger Duggar cried on Tuesday's episode of Jill & Jessa: Counting On while discussing the pain her family endured following her older brother's sex scandals
Jinger initially smiled as she spoke of how attention on the family died down, allowing them to live more like a normal life, following the initial revelation that Josh had molested sisters Jill and Jessa years before as a teenager.
And then we got word that something new had came out,' she said, referring to the flow of revelations that ended with Josh confessing to being addicted to pornography and cheating on wife Anna.
It was so unreal, I still have trouble comprehending it today, she added, her emotion growing.
But just the reality of this, this person we thought we knew, the person that we loved greatly - we still love - just the hard pain that has caused, she said, the tears streaking down her face and her mouth twitching as she finished the sentence.
So unreal: The 21-year-old member of the large Duggar family said she still has trouble comprehending the actions of her brother Josh
Still love: Jinger said the family still loves Josh but the married father of four caused a lot of pain
The episode had been full of flashbacks on Jessas relationship with husband Ben Seewald, including cute moments such as their first kiss in private after their wedding and intimate footage of Jessa giving birth to baby son Spurgeon.
But the episode refused to brush over the sex scandal that hit during the later parts of Jessas pregnancy.
During my pregnancy, my family walked through some very difficult times, she admitted.
Difficult times: Jessa noted how her brother's sex scandal hit during the later part of her pregnancy
A lot of things from my oldest brother's past were brought up and it was just really difficult for us as a family to walk through that again. Relive that, she added.
Here I am, most joyful time of my life, yknow, newly married, baby on the way, then people go digging up old bones and it was really, really frustrating,' Jessa said.
But like Jinger, she insisted the real pain came not from the initial revelations of his record of molestation but from the later confessions that rocked their family.
Really frustrating: The mother of one said it was 'really, really frustrating' when Josh's molestation case as a teenager surfaced again
It was very difficult and we cried a lot of tears, she said.
I felt like it was especially difficult for me because I had spoken out in defense of Josh and had stood up for him and then there was a whole wave of things that came through,' Jessa said.
Things were exposed about his personally life currently - now - what he was involved in.
Pregnancy flashbacks: Jessa was shown pregnant in flashbacks with husband Ben Seewald
And so it was really difficult for me to just be like, ''I stood up here, I spoke out for him'' and yet there were some things that he was hiding and that he wasn't being honest about. It was very emotional through those months after that, just working through all that,' Jessa said.
Instead of her pregnancy making it harder to handle the emotion, she instead said it gave her a much-needed distraction from the events threatening their family.
The fact that I was pregnant was kind of a breath of fresh air because we had the birth of this child to look forward to, she said.
Needed distraction: The pregnancy brought Jessa a much needed distraction
It was just really exciting thinking about that. I think it really helped to get my mind off the circumstances of where we are and helped me look to the future,' Jessa added.
Her sister Jana, 26, agreed, saying: I think Jessa being pregnant helped us, just to be encouraged that even in some of the hardest times of your life there still can be joy in those moments, and in this case it was new life coming into the world.
Jessa insisted the really difficult year just left her family even closer together and were stronger than ever before.
Helped the family: Jana agreed that Jessa's pregnancy helped the whole family
And she also said the scandal helped her and husband Ben focus their own attention on where it should be in their own relationship.
I think for us as a couple it even strengthened our resolve to be true to our wedding vows and to always keep our first love, which is God, and pursue that and then pursue each other 100 percent, she said.
I feel like we as a couple even drew closer together through the difficulty, Jessa said.
Got closer: Jessa said her brother's scandal actually helped her and new husband Ben strengthen their resolve to be true to their wedding vows
The flashbacks were sparked by their decision to take Spurgeon, then four months old, on his first international trip, to meet sister Jill, her husband Derick Dillard and their toddler israel as they were off doing missionary work in Central America.
After seeing the adorable baby posing for his first passport photo - they then looked back on their lives together, including Ben asking for permission to court Jessa.
They did not have their first kiss until after their wedding - and even then did it in private, with Jessa insisting of the wedding: We wanted them to pay attention to the message afterwards and not just analyzing our first kiss.
Wedding flashback: Ben and Jessa were shown in a flashback getting married, but their first kiss was done in private
Before the kiss, Ben nervously said: Hopefully I know how to do it right - Ive seen some movies and know so I kind of have a general idea.
They also showed Jessa finally giving birth at home - and being rushed to hospital after losing lots of blood.
When i was in labor I was like, ''Oh my word, how did my mother do this 19 times.'' I told Ben, ''we are not having any more kids, Im sorry - no more kids.
First kiss: Ben said he had a 'general idea' about how to kiss
Second kiss: Jessa and Ben kissed for a second time at the urging of her younger siblings
But after the baby was born just holding him in my arms was like, ''Ok, we can have some more, hes so sweet.''
When you have your prize you forget, you really forget, about how difficult it was.'
The episode ended with the family flying to Central America so that her sister Jill, Derick and their son Israel could meet Spurgeon for the first time, although the full reunion was only teased for next week's episode.
New addition: The episode showed Jessa giving birth and then being hospitalised after losing a lot of blood
Missionary work: Jill and husband Derick Dillard looked forward to the family visiting them in Central America
The two couples were also seen touring an orphanage, with Jill telling husband Derick: Im going to carry some kids out with me.
Ben and I really want to adopt. As soon as possible, Jessa added.
Jill & Jessa: Counting on will return next week on the TLC network.
Airport arrival: Jessa and Ben and their four-month-old son Spurgeon traveled to Central America to visit her sister Jill's family
Anticipation: 'Jill and Izzy didn't come to the airport, and so we are dying to get over to the house and meet them,' Jessa said
Finally reunited: Derick gave Jessa a warm hug when he picked her and her family up from the airport
She's always impeccably dressed and looks the picture of elegance.
And Wendi Deng stole the show in a metallic lame dress as she put in an appearance at the 2016 Time 100 Gala celebrating the magazine's Most Influential People In The World at the Lincoln Center in New York City on Tuesday.
Rupert Murdorch's ex-wife stole the show in the bodycon number with gold leaf applique, which clung to every curve.
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Going for gold: Businesswoman Wendi Deng looked elegant in a gold dress as she attended the 2016 Time 100 Gala at the Lincoln Center in New York City on Tuesday
Wendi set off her glamorous gown with a pair of blue velvet heels in a peep-toe style, and accessorised with a black leather clutch bag.
The 47-year-old businesswoman styled her locks in loose waves framing her face, sweeping her tresses back into a side ponytail.
Earlier this month, reports emerged claiming she was in a relationship with Vladimir Putin.
Finishing touches: Wendi set off her glamorous gown with a pair of blue velvet heels in a peep-toe style, and accessorised with a black leather clutch bag
Glamorous: The 47-year-old styled her locks in loose waves, pulled into a side ponytail
Us Weekly reported that Deng and Putin, 63, were dating after speaking to an insider close to the Russian leader, who alleged the relationship between the two had become 'serious.'
Deng has just returned from a holiday on the Caribbean island of St Barts aboard the yacht of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich - a close friend of Putin.
The pair are both divorced, after Deng and her husband Rupert Murdoch split in 2013 and Putin separated a year later from his wife of 30 years, Lyudmila Putina.
Rumour mill: Earlier this month, reports emerged claiming she was in a relationship with Vladimir Putin
Jetsetting: Deng has just returned from a holiday on the Caribbean island of St Barts aboard the yacht of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich - a close friend of Putin
Deng and her ex have two daughters,Grace, 14, and Chloe, 12, while Putin and his wife also have two daughters, Maria, 30, and Yekaterina, 29.
Murdoch filed for divorce from Deng after 14 years of marriage citing irreconcilable differences
Earlier this year, Deng's ex-husband media mogul Rupert Murdoch married Jerry Hall in an idyllic ceremony in London's Fleet Street in front of a host of celebrity guests.
Party pals: Wendi posed up a storm with fashion designer Guo Pei as they walked the red carpet
She regularly flaunts pictures of her body on social media and Chloe Madeley has hit back at body-shamers who called her 'unfeminine' and 'disgusting'.
The 28-year-old daughter of Richard Madeley told hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday that it's unfair that people criticize her looks.
'I agree that if I posts pictures online that I have to take the rough with the smooth,' she said.
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Opinionated: She regularly flaunts pictures of her body on social media and Chloe Madeley has hit back at body-shamers who called her 'unfeminine' and 'disgusting' on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday
Ab fab: This was one of the pictures that Chloe posted which caused something of a backlash
'I don't do it to only get positive feedback, but some people frequently write negative things on a lot of my photos.
'So they find me repulsive but then they follow me and tell me all the time. It's so backwards.'
Piers chimed in: 'Some of your pictures are of you training, but some of them are deliberately provocative and trying to get a rise out of it.'
Casual cutie: Chloe was sporting a relaxed vibe for her appearance, wearing a simple grey top and black jeans
Chloe told Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid: 'But I want to stand up to anyone who says my body is wrong. What is feminine?'
Chloe replied: 'I get trolled all of the time. It is what it is. When you put yourself on social media, you are putting yourself open to it.
'But I want to stand up to anyone who says my body is wrong. What is feminine?'
Piers hit back: 'You look good. Why would you give a damn?'
She replied: 'I don't care. I love my body. I put it on social media so obviously I am a fan of how I look.
'I'm not insecure, but I'm angry that masses of people think they can say how a body should look.
Proud: She regularly posts pictures of her incredible physique on social media but not everyone is a fan
'My opinion of what I like is my opinion, they can disagree if they want to. I'm not saying they should look like me. I'm saying what I like.'
Cheeky Piers retorted: 'You're not going to stop, are you?'
'No,' Chloe replied.
'Thank God,' Piers said. 'You are an inspiration to me, when I am going to the gym.'
Here she is: Despite her serious message, Chloe was in a playful mood when she arrived at the studio earlier that day
Making an entrance: She topped up her look with a fitted leather biker jacket and sexy knee high boots
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley showed why she's one of the most famous models in the world when she stepped out on Tuesday evening.
The 29-year-old looked incredible wearing a form-fitting black dress as she went to dinner in West Hollywood with a male friend.
The very sexy number had a leather top-section which had a croc design and cross-strap design, with a lycra fabric bottom section.
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Stunner: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley showed why she's one of the most famous models in the world when she stepped out for a dinner date with a pal in West Hollywood on Tuesday evening
She wore the lovely garment with a pair of Christian Louboutin heels, flashing a hint of her red soles as she made her way out into the night.
Wearing her caramel tresses in a slicked back up do, she accentuated her look with a pair of diamond earrings and a selection of bracelets.
Showing off her long and lean golden limbs, Rosie stayed close to her pal while flashing her diamond engagement ring.
How does she do it? The 29-year-old looked incredible wearing a form-fitting black dress which had a leather cross-body section for her night out
What a treat: She wore the lovely garment with a pair of Christian Louboutin heels, flashing a hint of her red soles as she made her way out into the night
Engaged to be married to Jason Statham, no doubt the beauty has been busy planning the big day after announcing her happy news at the start of the year.
It's a busy time for Rosie who also has a lingerie and cosmetics line with high-street store Marks and Spencer.
She has been tweeting pictures of the various pieces of make-up in the range, as well as scented candles and a new summer fragrance.
Moving forwards: Engaged to be married to Jason Statham, no doubt the beauty has been busy planning the big day after announcing her happy news at the start of the year
She's the one: It's a busy time for Rosie who also has a lingerie and cosmetics line with high-street store Marks and Spencer
Speaking to Vogue about her range, she said: 'When we started we considered a capsule collection, but once we began playing around there were so many things I wanted to include.
'We wanted it to suit everybody - all ages, all skin types - and for that you obviously need to have a certain amount of product.
'That's a philosophy we've brought over from the lingerie, things being for everybody, and I hope that's what we've achieved.'
He is in Brazil to shoot a campaign for eyewear brand Vuarnet.
Yet Vincent Cassel found time to take a break, while doing so he showed off his incredibly youthful physique while lapping up the sun on a Rio De Janeiro beach.
The 49-year-old Black Swan star looked incredible as he walked the shores in a pair of grey board shorts - permitting a full look at his incredibly toned body.
Ripped: Vincent Cassel found time to take a break, while doing so he showed off his incredibly youthful physique while lapping up the sun on a Rio De Janeiro beach
Vincent, who was previously married to Bond girl Monica Bellucci, looked the image of beachside relaxation as he lay on the shores soaking up the sun.
The French actor clearly spends a mass of time in the gym as his defined abs, muscular arms and outlined calves illustrated.
Enjoying the warm climes, Vincent took a dip in the warm shores before kicking back on a beach chair and soaking up the sun on his already tanned skin.
Chilled out: The 49-year-old Black Swan star looked incredible as he walked the shores in a pair of grey board shorts - permitting a full look at his incredibly toned body
While his tresses were soaked from the water he looked even more handsome due to the smattering of designer facial hair on his chiseled face.
Earlier this month, Vincent was unveiled as Vuarnet's new face - where he has joined forces with the eyewear giant for their latest campaign.
In a statement about the campaign, he said: ' Vuarnet is an iconic brand. Their products feature top-quality lenses and embody cool style.
Silver fox: Enjoying the warm climes, Vincent took a dip in the warm shores before kicking back on a beach chair and soaking up the sun on his already tanned skin
'When I was 20, they were the must-have accessory. Back then, I had a pair of model 03 glasses, which I wore for years. Im thrilled to have been selected as Vuarnets ambassador.'
He revealed that he has a particular affinity with the brand due to its French heritage to match his own.
He said: 'The brands products are French, and I like the idea of helping Vuarnet to reclaim its rightful place and build on its excellent reputation. Im particularly fond of things that are new and unique.'
She's just returned from a 'make or break' holiday with her husband Vernon Kay in the wake of his latest sext scandal.
And Tess Daly appeared in great spirits as she treated herself to a spot of retail therapy on Oxford Street in London on Tuesday.
The 46-year-old Strictly Come Dancing presenter braved the unseasonable chill in her spring-friendly ensemble during her afternoon of shopping.
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Beaming: Tess Daly was in great spirits as she hit the shops on Oxford Street in London on Tuesday following her 'make or break' holiday with husband Vernon Kay
Tess teamed a white lace top and a pair of pink trousers, paired with a pair of matching pastel pumps from Dune.
The star covered up in a smart blazer and accessorised with a large white handbag.
The TV favourite added extra volume to her straight locks and matched her matte make-up to her attire thanks to her pale pink lipstick.
Meanwhile, Page 3 model Rhian Sugden was also brushing off the rumours, enjoying a night out at Suburbia in Manchester.
Stepping into Spring: Tess teamed a white lace top and a pair of pink trousers, paired with a pair of matching pastel Dune pumps
Out and about: This marks the first time Tess was spotted in London since news of the sext scandal emerged
The lingerie model, who is alleged to have been messaging Vernon again, slipped into a houndstooth dress, paired with hot pink stilettos and a glamorous make-up look.
Tess had so far stayed silent on her Instagram account since news of her husband's latest sext scandal broke, but took to social media on Tuesday.
Tess shared a cheery update on her page, posting a photo from her recent trip to the Bahamas with Vernon, 41.
The blonde is seen smiling for the camera, looking tanned in a pretty summer dress in the snap from the 'make or break holiday', following news of her husband's texts with Rhian.
Partying the night away: Page 3 model Rhian Sugden was also brushing off the rumours, enjoying a night out at Suburbia in Manchester
Upping the glamorous: The lingerie model slipped into a houndstooth dress, paired with hot pink stilettos
Back online: Tess, 46, broke her month-long Instagram silence as she shared a cheery update on Tuesday, with a photo from her recent trip to the Bahamas with Vernon, 41
Despite the holiday coming at a tough time in her marriage, the Strictly Come Dancing star seems to be missing the beach paradise, as she captioned her photo: 'Missing the sunshine it's waaaaay too cold! Roll on Summer....'
Tess and Vernon headed for the sunny climes of the Bahamas after it was revealed last month that Vernon was still in contact with glamour model Rhian Sugden, who he sent a string of lewd texts to in 2010.
The couple - who have been married for 13 years and share two daughters - seemed to be working through the recent revelations, as sources claimed they were keen to save their marriage.
Trouble: Tess and Vernon headed for the sunny climes of the Bahamas after it was revealed last month that Vernon was still in contact with glamour model Rhian Sugden, who he sent a string of lewd texts to in 2010
A source close to the couple told The Sun: 'The last few weeks have been a nightmare for Tess and Vern and they just want to get away from it all.
'They're hoping a break with the girls thousands of miles away from Britain will give them time to work through their problems.'
Vernon was forced to make a public apology to his wife on Radio 1 back in 2010 and promised he would no longer contact Rhian or four other women he had been caught messaging at the time.
Still in contact: Vernon was forced to make a public apology to his wife on Radio 1 back in 2010 and promised he would no longer contact Page 3 model Rhian Sugen who he had been caught messaging at the time
But the busty blonde, 29, recently revealed she was still speaking with the star, and claimed he had asked her to meet up.
Vernon claimed at the time of the allegations that the Whatsapp messages he sent to Rhian asking to meet had been taken out of context, that he had done 'nothing wrong' and that his wife was completely aware of all contact.
Speaking about their relationship, Rhian claimed the pair had got back in touch in December, after a break of six years, which felt like an 'old friendship coming back'.
She said the messages were not like the explicit texts they had exchanged in 2010, until it emerged that Vernon had 'stalked' her Instagram and labelled one of her photographs a '10/10'.
He seems to have settled back into UK life, setting up home with his wife Angelina Jolie and their six children in Surrey.
But for all its charm Brad Pitt has had to contend with England's wet and wild weather this week as he shoots scenes for his new big screen drama, Allied.
The Hollywood star was spotted filming in the countryside on Monday with his co-star Lizzie Caplan, struggling in the wet weather.
Lovely weather! Brad Pitt and Lizzie Caplan laughed their way through a wet and windy scene while shooting their new big screen drama Allied in the English countryside on Monday
The 52-year-old laughed as his huge umbrella was blown inside out as he battled to stay dry on set.
Dressed in a dark grey coat, with his hair neatly clipped in fitting with the film's World War II setting, Brad seemed to take the weather in good humour, as did his US co-star Lizzie.
The Masters of Sex star was soaked in her smart red trench coat, with dripping hair as she stood with a gun in hand for the scene set on an airfield.
Wet and wild: The US actors were soaked to the skin during the scene set on an airfield
Take cover! Lizzie laughed as Brad's huge umbrella was blown inside out as he battled to stay dry on the set
It appeared to be a tragic scene, as Brad was seen wrapping Lizzie in his coat as she lay motionless on the grass.
Brad and Lizzie are believed to play siblings in the upcoming historic thriller, which is set in 1942.
The previously untitled film sees Brad's character, Max Vatan, fall in love with French agent Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard) during a mission to kill a German ambassador holed up in Casablanca.
Get me out of here! Lizzie was soaked in her smart red trench coat, with dripping hair
Find me shelter: Brad and The Masters of Sex star were filming a dramatic moment in the drama
Getting stuck in: Lizzie laid down on the wet grass as Brad took his coat off to place over her
Dapper: The father of six was ressed in a dark grey coat, with his hair neatly clipped in fitting with the film's World War II setting
According to reports, 'the two ultimately marry and start a family but Max soon learns that Marianne is likely a Nazi spy'.
The film - which is based on a true story - is directed by Robert Zemeckis (Back To The Future) and also stars Jared Harris (Lincoln) and Matthew Goode (Downton Abbey).
While in the UK for the shoot, Brad has ensured his family is close by as he and Angelina have reportedly moved into an eight-bedroom, 14,700-per-month rental house in Surrey for the duration of filming.
He looks the part: The Hollywood star was looking super suave as he waited for the next scene to be set up
Huge production: A vintage car and plane were parked up on set as Brad and Lizzie filmed
Dramatic moment: Brad was seen placing his coat over Lizzie in the wind and rain
Big moment: Lizzie lay motionless on the grass as the rain poured down
In the zone: Brad appeared to be distraught as the scene played out
Close: Brad and Lizzie are believed to play siblings in the upcoming historic thriller, which is set in 1942
The family previously set up home in the UK when Brad shot World War Z in 2013.
It appears they have settled back in nicely with Angelina spotted enjoying a girls' day out with her daughters Vivienne, seven, and Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, nine, on Tuesday, treating them to the British capital's finest toy store, Hamley's, and lunch at suitably swanky establishment, The Delaunay.
Brad and Angelina are said to have chosen their rental in commuter's paradise' Surrey for its proximity to the capital.
Soaked! The actor got through the scene despite the dismal weather
Standing by: Another actor dressed in period costume stood to the side of Brad and Lizzie
That's better: As the scene wrapped Brad was seen drying off with a towel
That's better: The star has been shooting the movie in the UK for the past few weeks
As reported by Us Weekly, The Jolie-Pitt's new family home is described as a 'beautiful, White House-style' home in the well-heeled county.
In addition to eight-bedrooms, the spacious estate has an indoor pool and gym, and is close to the River Thames.
New reports suggest that the family have become so at home in their UK residence that they're hoping to make a permanent move to England, though Angelina's international commitments to humanitarian work and filmmaking could hold back the move.
War drama: Extras in uniform were dotted across the grass
Leading man: The previously untitled film sees Brad's character, Max Vatan, fall in love with French agent Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard) during a mission to kill a German ambassador holed up in Casablanca
A source told Us Weekly: 'The house is big, kid-friendly and has all the modern conveniences. They like that there are toy shops in town and that its not far from central London.
'Its got that peaceful, leafy suburb vibe as well. They love being in London. Angie would pick it as their permanent home if she could.'
Allied is slated for release later this year on November 23.
Talented team: The film - which is based on a true story - is directed by Robert Zemeckis (Back To The Future) and also stars Jared Harris (Lincoln) and Matthew Goode (Downton Abbey)
The heavens have opened: It's been a tough shoot thanks to the current wintery weather in the UK
She hit the headlines when she engaged in a series of texts with married television Vernon Kay - and Rhian Sugden appeared rather cheerful when she headed out on Tuesday night.
The 29-year-old put on a leggy display in a monochrome dog-tooth printed mini dress which clung to her incredible figure as she headed out to celebrate reality star Scotty T's birthday.
She added a pop of colour to her look with a pair of contrasting bright pink heels as she posed for pictures outside Suburbia nightclub in Manchester.
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Happy: She hit the headlines when swapped texts with married television Vernon Kay - and Rhian Sugden appeared rather cheerful when she headed out to Suburbia nightclub in Manchester on Tuesday night
Carrying a chic black clutch in her hand, she wore her blonde locks in a straight and sleek style as she prepared to let her hair down.
The outing comes as Tess Daly, 47, appeared to be in bright spirits on Wednesday, when she was pictured shopping in high-street store Marks and Spencer.
The model and presenter has stayed silent on social media for the past month since news of her husband's latest sext scandal broke.
Wow thing: The 29-year-old put on a leggy display in a monochrome dog-tooth printed mini dress which clung to her incredible figure as she headed out to celebrate reality star Scotty T's birthday
Rivalry? The outing comes as Tess Daly, 47, appeared to be in bright spirits on Wednesday, when she was pictured shopping in high-street store Marks and Spencer
But on Tuesday, she shared a cheery update on her page, posting a photo from her recent trip to the Bahamas with husband Vernon Kay, 41,
The blonde is seen smiling for the camera, looking tanned in a pretty summer dress in the snap from the 'make or break holiday', following news of her husband's texts with Page 3 model Rhian Sugden.
Despite the holiday coming at a tough time in her marriage, the Strictly Come Dancing star seems to be missing the beach paradise, as she captioned her photo: 'Missing the sunshine it's waaaaay too cold! Roll on Summer....'
Tess and Vernon headed for the sunny climes of the Bahamas after it was revealed last month that Vernon was still in contact with glamour model Rhian Sugden, who he sent a string of lewd texts to in 2010.
The couple- who have been married for 13 years and share two daughters - seemed to be working through the recent revelations, as sources claimed they were keen to save their marriage.
Back online: Tess Daly, 46, broke her month-long Instagram silence as she shared a cheery update on Tuesday, with a photo from her recent trip to the Bahamas with husband Vernon Kay, 41
Trouble: Tess and Vernon headed for the sunny climes of the Bahamas after it was revealed last month that Vernon was still in contact with glamour model Rhian Sugden, who he sent a string of lewd texts to in 2010
A source close to the couple told The Sun: 'The last few weeks have been a nightmare for Tess and Vern and they just want to get away from it all.
'They're hoping a break with the girls thousands of miles away from Britain will give them time to work through their problems.'
Vernon was forced to make a public apology to his wife on Radio 1 back in 2010 and promised he would no longer contact Rhian or four other women he had been caught messaging at the time.
Still in contact: Vernon was forced to make a public apology to his wife on Radio 1 back in 2010 and promised he would no longer contact Page 3 model Rhian Sugen who he had been caught messaging at the time
But the busty blonde, 29, recently revealed she was still speaking with the star, and claimed he had asked her to meet up.
Vernon claimed at the time of the allegations that the Whatsapp messages he sent to Rhian asking to meet had been taken out of context, that he had done 'nothing wrong' and that his wife was completely aware of all contact.
Speaking about their relationship, Rhian claimed the pair had got back in touch in December, after a break of six years, which felt like an 'old friendship coming back'.
She said the messages were not like the explicit texts they had exchanged in 2010, until it emerged that Vernon had 'stalked' her Instagram and labelled one of her photographs a '10/10'.
She's the glamorous model wife of Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey.
But Camila Alves displayed her off-duty look as she went make-up free while out and about with her son Livingston, three, in New York on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old flashed her legs in a slate grey tunic with a charcoal shawl wrapped around her shoulders to keep warm.
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Off duty: Camila Alves went make-up free while out with her son Livingston, three, in New York on Tuesday
The handbag designer finished off the laid-back, but chic ensemble with a light grey beanie, funky multi-coloured trainers and a tan leather purse.
Opting to go bare faced, the mother-of-three showed off her glowing skin while wearing her highlighted locks down around her face.
Meanwhile her youngest son, dressed in a hooded denim jacket and cord trousers, showed off a temporary tattoo on his forehead as he clung tightly to his mother's hand.
Earlier this month, Camila treated Livingston, along with her eldest son Levi, seven, and six-year-old daughter Vida, to a day at Disneyland in California.
Chic: The 34-year-old wore a slate grey tunic with a charcoal shawl wrapped around her shoulders
The pretty brunette and her Oscar winning husband recently enjoyed a getaway to Dubai where they attended the Global Teacher Prize ceremony alongside Salma Hayek.
Camila and Matthew, 46, met in a Los Angeles bar in 2006, and got engaged on Christmas Day in 2011, after welcoming their two eldest children.
The couple married in Austin, Texas in June 2012. Brazilian-born Camila became a US citizen in August of last year, in the same ceremony as her actress friend Emily Blunt.
Make-up free: She opted to go bare faced as she walked around with her son clinging tightly to her hand
Matthew said in 2014 that Camila put some pressure on him to get married, and he's glad that she did.
'I had to get to the point where I saw it as more than just the thing to do,' he told GQ. 'I wanted to really want to.
'You know, I didnt want it to be a destination; the fun is that were on the adventure together. And look, some of it had to do with her putting it on me.'
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- When Initiative 42 -- which would have given oversight of public school funding to the judiciary -- Republican lawmakers said that they were pleased the initiative had been defeated, but heard the voters loud and clear that they wanted better funding for Mississippi schools.
Apparently the voters weren't loud enough.
A report released Tuesday by The Parents Campaign for Education Reform shows that the four Jackson County school districts will be underfunded by more than $10 million for the 2016-17 school year.
A spreadsheet provided by The Parents Campaign shows what each school district should receive under the Mississippi Adequate Education Program -- the formula under which school funding is determined -- how much was actually allocated by the legislature, how much Gov. Phil Bryant's mid-year budget cuts will remove, total net funding for each district and the amount each district is being underfunded.
The breakdown for each of the four school districts:
Jackson County
Should receive: $41.65 million
Appropriated by legislature: $38.25 million
Governor's budget cut: $163,657
Net allocated by state: $38.08 million
Total underfunded: $3.56 million
Moss Point
Should receive: $12.30 million
Appropriated by legislature: $11.29 million
Governor's budget cut: $48,348
Net allocated by state: $11.25
Total underfunded: $1.05 million
Ocean Springs
Should receive: $28.99 million
Appropriated by legislature: $26.63 million
Governor's budget cut: $113,936
Net allocated by state: $26.52 million
Total underfunded: $2.48 million
Pascagoula-Gautier
Should receive: $34 million
Appropriated by legislature: $31.23 million
Governor's budget cut: $133,625
Net allocated by state: $31.09 million
Total underfunded: $2.91 million
In speaking with local superintendents, it's clear they've become used to legislators providing more in lip service than actual funding.
"The legislature talks about `level funding,'" said Jackson County superintendent Barry Amacker. "For us, that level funding is about $3.5 in under funding each year. We've gotten used to it."
Bonita Coleman-Potter
Ocean Springs superintendent Bonita Coleman-Potter agreed.
"Unfortunately, this has become an annual occurrence," she said. "But this additional $113,000 budget cut was really staggering for us. That's the equivalent of two teacher units.
"So not only do they continue to under fund MAEP, but now they're taking away some of what the legislature did appropriate."
Amacker noted that three years ago, his school district's ad valorem tax rate -- which determines how much local property owners pay in taxes to the district -- was at 47 mills, under the 55 mill cap set by state law.
"We've been able to increase it little by little, but after this year's budget, we'll be at the 55-mill max," he said. "We're at the breaking point. We have no more wiggle room."
Coleman-Potter's district has been at the 55-mill cap for the last several years. She said the under funding, coupled with what she called "extreme growth" in the district, has put Ocean Springs behind the 8-ball.
"We have done everything we can to find savings, but at this point I'm not sure we can continue to maintain our budget stance," she said. "There are dreams for the system and our students which will go unfulfilled. We have had to eliminate already-existing programs because we couldn't afford to fund them, much less add any new ones..
"It's staggering. It really is."
Wayne Rodolfich
Over in the Pascagoula-Gautier school district, superintendent Wayne Rodolfich noted his district enjoys the benefit of additional tax dollars provided by heavy industry such as Ingalls Shipbuilding and the Chevron Refinery.
Nevertheless, the state's continued failure to provide adequate funding is felt by his district, as well.
"We're dealing with buildings in need of repair, improvements to techology -- their are a lot of variables to indicate which should be appreciating, not depreciating, school funding," Rodolfich said.
Rodolfich also noted that taxpayers in his district are impacted by the state's failure to fully fund MAEP.
"The bottom line is every dollar counts," he said. "Yes, we are fortunate because of the industry we have here, but if we were fully funded, some of that money could go back to the community in the form of a tax cut."
The full report from The Parents Campaign can be read
.
Napoleon Perdis is one of the most recognisable Australian celebrity makeup artists in the industry, with a cosmetics range used by celebrities around the globe.
And now his eldest daughter Lianna, 16, is celebrating the launch of her own range - called Total Bae - in collaboration with her father's self-titled cosmetics company.
Lianna spoke to Daily Mail Australia about following in her father's footsteps and said despite her rising profile, she doesn't think of herself as an 'IT girl.'
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Going places: Napoleon Perdis' eldest daughter Lianna is celebrating the launch of her own makeup range - called Total Bae - with her father's self-titled cosmetics company
Down to earth: Lianna spoke to Daily Mail Australia about following in her father's footsteps and said despite her rising profile, she doesn't think of herself as an 'IT girl'
'I don't necessarily think of myself like, "hey, I'm an IT girl," Lianna said, who also models for the brand.
'I think it's a pretty exciting thing though that people are recognising me and stuff.
'For example, the other day, on the street, someone recognised me and came up to me and was like, "hey, can I get a picture with you?"
'I don't necessarily think I'm going to get so many followers and likes and stuff like that,' she said.
Family: Lianna is seen here with father Napoleon Perdis
Lianna - who is based in the US with her family - has more than 7,000 Instagram followers and is a red carpet regular.
Total Bae is a range of products that she and her father are launching featuring lip and cheek tint, concealer and mascara that she said everyone can use but is largely aimed at her generation.
The brunette said that she has always wanted to be apart of the family business saying: 'I always wanted to be apart of the business, ever since I was a little girl.
Up-and-coming: Lianna - who is based in the US with her family - has more than 7,000 Instagram followers and is a red carpet regular
Good concept: Total Bae is a range of products that she and her father are launching featuring the likes of lip and cheek tint, concealer and mascara
'I would go on shoots, I used to go behind the scenes on fashion week.
'I would watch all this beautiful make-up happen and this whole process happen and I just really wanted to be apart of it,' she said.
She described working with her father as 'very special and exciting'.
Instinct: The brunette beauty said that she has always wanted to be apart of the family business from when she was a child
Close bond: She described working with her father as 'very special and exciting'
'I always come to my dad for advice, whether it's like boys, school friends, girlfriends and stuff like that and I think I have quite a close bond with my dad.'
About her product range, she said it came about because she wanted her father's makeup to be more accessible to her generation.
'I told my dad one day, I love that our brand is in so many luxury retailers, but I feel like it should be available to everyone including my generation.'
Business-minded: About her product range, she said it came about because she wanted her father's make-up to be more accessible to her generation
About being a budding entrepreneur while being a teenager, she said make-up has always been a part of her life.
'I guess I'm young, but it's a part of my life, like everyday, we gather every night for dinner and we always talk about the business and things...it's just a part of me.
'So I don't really think of it like "oh, I'm doing work." It's something fun and something I really enjoy and love.'
The launch of the product range will be held in Sydney on Thursday, with TV personality Sophie Monk expected to attend, among others.
Natural: About being a budding entrepreneur while being a teenager, she said make-up has always been a part of her life
She's been urged by her doctor to have a baby after undergoing multiple operations for endometriosis.
But WAG and blogger Zoe Marshall has admitted she still doesn't feel completely ready motherhood yet, despite support from her husband of three years, rugby star Benji Marshall.
'My husband's ready, my body's ready, I just need to kind of get ready,' the 31-year-old told the Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday at the Culet Automatiq launch in Sydney.
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'My husband's ready, my body's ready, I just need to kind of get ready:' Zoe Marshall was open about her uncertainty regarding baby plans in an interview with Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday
Happy: Zoe has been married to rugby star Benji Marshall for three years
She went on: 'But I don't know if I'm ever going to be that woman that goes "Oh my God, I want a baby now!'''.
She explained: 'Maybe when it's too late, but I feel like all my ducks are in a row, there's no reason for me not to have a baby, so I kind of just need to get my mind into action.'
The brunette has been battling the 'excruciating' condition - when the lining cells of the uterus grow outside of it - for over three years, and has been encouraged by doctors to have 'have a baby' now, as pregnancy can temporarily suppress the symptoms of endometriosis.
Zoe has now become passionate about raising awareness and helping other women battling the disease by working alongside Endometriosis Australia.
'Do it!' The 31-year-old blogger has been urged by her doctor to have a baby, as pregnancy can temporarily suppress the symptoms of endometriosis
'Maybe when it's too late, but I feel like all my ducks are in a row, there's no reason for me not to have a baby, so I kind of just need to get my mind into action,' she admitted
WHAT IS ENDOMETRIOSIS? Endometriosis is present when the tissue that is similar to the lining of the uterus (womb) occurs outside this layer and causes pain and/or infertility. Most treatments for endometriosis will not eradicate pain. This is because even without endometriosis being present, some women will experience pain with their periods, in between periods or at other times. Source: Endometriosis Australia Advertisement
'Let's talk about it, if one conversation or one article -even if it's negative publicity- can bring a conversation about it, that's fine,' she stated.
The star then revealed that she brought a camera crew into the operating room during her second surgery - in addition to having a camera inside her internally to document the process from the inside out.
'I wanted to create a documentary... but then I got caught up in my new business so that's on the backburner for now,' she admitted.
The glamorous blogger stated that she wishes that the pricey treatment for Endometriosis was available to all the sufferers, rather than just those who can afford it.
Stunning: The brunette beauty stunned in an all black ensemble at the Culet Automatiq launch in Sydney
'To do a different kind of surgery through an Endometriosis specialist is incredibly expensive,' she explained.
'I wish there was treatment available for everybody because I know that we had to budget and we're in an okay situation, but there's lots of women that aren't and that's not an option.'
She continued: 'They recommend for young women, as young as 18 or 21 that don't even have a partner, to have a hysterectomy or to get pregnant and that doesn't seem like a rational option.'
The radio personality has previously admitted that the pain from her menstrual cycles while suffering Endometriosis has been so bad that it's caused her to black out on occasion.
She's been outspoken about the disease since 2013.
He's one of the most formidable British actors around right now thanks to powerful performances in Thor and The Night Manager.
But on Tuesday, Tom Hiddleston turned into a big softie as he was given the opportunity to cuddle a baby clouded leopard.
The 35-year-old gushed over the adorable two-month-old wild cat as he appeared on The Late Late Show with James Corden.
Melting hearts: Tom Hiddleston turned into a big softie when he cuddled a baby clouded leopard on The Late Late Show With James Corden on Tuesday
Tom, who was promoting The Night Manager in the US, was on the sofa with fellow actor Thomas Middleditch when James introduced zookeeper 'Jungle' Jack Hanna.
Carrying two baby leopards, Jungle Jack handed one each to Tom and Thomas, to their delight.
After Jack asked Silicon Valley funnyman Thomas if he was nervous, the Canadian exclaimed: 'I love cats... I'm eager. I'm so excited.'
London-born Tom couldn't take his eyes of his leopard, enthusing: 'He's so sweet,' as the creature wriggled in his hands.
This is love: Tom and fellow guest Thomas Middleditch looked thrilled by the chance to hold the cute baby leopards
Playful: The young leopards were two-months-old and originate in South East Asia
Following his appearance on the CBS show, Tom tweeted: 'Thank you @JKCorden for such a lovely time with @Middleditch on the @latelateshow. @JungleJackHanna brought baby leopards & a penguin!'
Sharing a clip of himself with the leopard, he added: 'Reminder that yesterday thanks to @JKCorden, @latelateshow & @JungleJackHanna I met a baby leopard & it was amazing.'
Meanwhile, Tom and Thomas admitted that while the talk show was the first time they had met in person, they'd actually known each other for longer.
Educational: Zookeeper 'Jungle' Jack Hanna spoke about the animals during the segment
Thomas admitted he'd accidentally ended up in a group text session with Tom and his Kong: Skull Island co-stars Brie Larson and Corey Hawkins, and the director Jordan Vogt-Roberts during filming.
Explaining the bizarre scenario, Tom said: 'We had a group text. That's how we'd work out what we're doing at the weekend.
'Suddenly there was a number saying, "This is Thomas Middleditch here." And I was like "Ha, ha, ha, thats a funny wordplay on my name."
Tom then ended up unwittingly revealing a school nickname, as he continued: 'I was like, yeah, whatever, take me back to boarding school... "Hiddle Piddle Did a Widdle in the Middle of the Night."
Excitement: Tom and Thomas looked eager as they prepared for their cuddle session with the cute creatures
'So sweet': Tom was clearly thrilled by the chance to hold the leopard
'...and then it was actually Thomas Middleditch.'
Thomas, 34, ended up explaining that he had known the director for years and must have 'accidentally included me on' the group text list.
He explained: 'When I found out who was on this text chain, I was like, "Woo, daddy gonna keep this going!"
'I would just do dumb stuff like, "Hey guys, see you in a bit... Can't wait to rage with you this weekend..."
'Then I'd let it sit for a couple of weeks then message, "Merry Christmas guys, still thinking of you."'
She recently confessed she had stopped using sunbeds after a skin cancer scare.
And Ferne McCann, 25, was putting the incident behind her, embracing a more pale and interesting look as she ventured out in Essex on Thursday.
The former TOWIE star turned heads in a wacky jacket as she sauntered down the street, displaying her toned legs in a bodycon LBD as she headed off to London.
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Eye-catching look: Ferne McCann turned heads as she strutted down the street on Thursday, sporting a vibrant textured jacket over a form-fitting black dress
Ferne ensured she was the centre of attention thanks to her colourful garment, which boasted tassel detailing in an array of pink hues.
The Essex beauty dressed her look down with simple accessories, including trainers and a small grey handbag.
She wore her brunette tresses up in a loose top knot and framed her face with a pair of cat eye shades, setting of her look with purple lipstick.
Working it: The 25-year-old This Morning presenter was in her element as she strolled along, shielding her eyes behind a pair of cat eye shades
Vibrant: Ferne ensured she was the centre of attention thanks to her colourful garment, which boasted tassel detailing in an array of pink hues
Ferne looked like she meant business as she headed off to her stage show, Gatsby.
The production, which is a a musical version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic The Great Gatsby, runs between 6 and 30 April 2016.
Ferne recently had two moles removed from her face following advice from her doctor and has decided to stop using sunbeds.
Busy schedule: Ferne looked like she meant business as she headed off to her stage show, Gatsby
Health scare: Fearne recently had two moles removed from her face upon her doctor's advice
She's now determined to fake her glow in future and has become fond of Bondi Sands tanning products.
Ferne told Now magazine: 'I used to use sunbeds all the time, but I'm totally against them now.
'I had two moles come up on my face, so I went to see a doctor who said I should get them removed as soon as possible. I'd had them for a while and they started to become more noticeable.'
Although the moles weren't cancerous, Ferne admitted: 'It took this scare to make me realise how dangerous sunbeds can be. It's not healthy at all.'
In recent weeks, the reality star has been romantically linked to Tottenham Hotspurs player Dele Alli, 20, but she has denied the rumours.
'It's not healthy at all': Ferne revealed she is now perfecting a pale and interesting look after years of using sunbeds
He's back as super sleuth Sherlock Holmes.
And it looks like the upcoming fourth series of the hit BBC show Sherlock contains plenty of action for its leading man Benedict Cumberbatch.
The actor was spotted shooting scenes on Vauxhall bridge outside the MI5 building in central London on Wednesday, running across the river Thames in his character's signature look.
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Action! Benedict Cumberbatch broke into a run on Vauxhall Bridge in London during filming for the upcoming fourth series of Sherlock on Wednesday
Benedict, 39, was dressed in a sharp suit layered under a long black coat for the scenes.
A blue scarf knotted at the neck and leather gloves completed his costume.
While earlier in the week he had been spotted shooting with his sidekick John Watson, played by Martin Freeman, Wednesday's scenes were all about Benedict.
Dashing: The 39-year-old actor was spotted shooting scenes outside the MI5 building in central London
Feeling the heat? Benedict, 39, was dressed in a sharp suit layered under a long black coat for the scenes
As action was yelled, Benedict broke into a run, dashing across the bridge.
It looked like the sunshine got the better of the star at one point, as he was spotted stripping down to his white shirt and slipping on some shades for a break between takes.
Benedict was also seen sipping on a coffee, listening to music and cheerily waving at passers-by as he got to work.
Making a run for it: The show's leading man didn't break character as he dashed over the bridge in the Spring sunshine
Winter wardrobe: The actor teamed his suit and coat with black leather gloves and a woolen blue scarf
Dapper gent: The super sleuth was shooting solo on Wednesday, after being spotted with co-star Martin Freeman earlier in the week
Sherlock co-creator Mark Gatiss was also seen on set, giving direction to Benedict in between scenes.
Gastiss gave a big hint this week that the new series will be inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1892 Sherlock story The Adventure of Silver Blaze.
The writer tweeted on Tuesday: 'The dog did nothing in the daytime #Sherlock.'
The line is from Silver Blaze, one of the most popular Sherlock stories about the disappearance of a winning race horse and the murder of his trainer, John Straker.
Action man: The star seems to have plenty of adrenaline pumping scenes in the upcoming series
Cooling off: It looked like the sunshine got the better of the star at one point, as he was spotted stripping down to his white shirt and slipping on some shades for a break between takes
In the zone: Benedict slipped on some headphones to relax on the bridge as he waited for his next call to set
Pick-me-up: He drunk from a takeout coffee as an aide held his winter coat
Sherlock co-creators Steven Moffat and Gatiss confirmed the show was returning earlier this month following the New Year's special earlier this year.
In a statement, Steven and Mark said: 'Sherlock series four - here we go again!
'Whatever else we do, wherever we all go, all roads lead back to Baker Street - and it always feels like coming home.
His vision: Sherlock co-creator Mark Gatiss, who also plays Sherlock's brother Mycroft in the series, was spotted chatting to his leading man
Talented pair: The two screen stars shared a talk as a wardrobe mistress checked over Benedict's costume
Huge production: A large crew surrounded the actor as they set up shop on one of London's famous bridges
Suave: Benedict was back in Sherlock's signature coat for the new scenes
Good to see you! The star waved to passers-by and boats on the Thames as he sipped on his coffee
Going solo: There was no sign of Martin Freeman or Amanda Abbington on Wednesday's shoot, who had been spotted shooting earlier in the week
'Ghosts of the past are rising in the lives of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson bringing adventure, romance and terror in their wake.
'This is the story we've been telling from the beginning. A story about to reach its climax.'
Benedict said he was 'thrilled' to be back as the detective.
He said: 'I can't wait for everyone to see season four. But you will have to wait... though not for long... And it will be worth it.'
Series four will return to BBC later this year with three feature length episodes.
Keeping cool: Benedict chatted on the phone as he enjoyed the Spring sunshine in his shades
All about you: Benedict was the main attraction on set as the crew surrounded him
Star spotting: The shoot took place in central London, with excited passers-by catching sight of the star
They have their own beauty empire these days.
But their love for makeup once got Kourtney and Kim Kardashian in trouble.
In the new issue of People magazine, the 37-year-old mother-of-three confessed the two would often get scolded by their Catholic teachers for wearing dark lipstick. They were only in the seventh grade at the time, which puts their age at about 12-years-old.
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So young: Kourtney Kardashian told People on Wednesday she would get in trouble from her Catholic school teachers for wearing dark lipstick in the seventh grade; here she is seen at about that age
Also an offender: Sister Kim Kardashian also got into trouble at the all girls school
A family in the limelight: When the Kardashian kids were children they were already semi famous as their stepfather was Olympic winner Bruce Jenner; here is a photo from the early Nineties
'Kim and I went to an all-girls Catholic school in seventh and eight grades, and we started wearing dark lipstick to school,' said the ex of Scott Disick (who is rumoured to be now dating Justin Bieber).
'Our teacher would get so mad.'
Also in the interview, where the star plugged her new campaign with Manuka Doctor, the siren said that she still feels like a teenager even though she just turned 37.
And they had lipstick on as children too: Kim and Kourtney with makeup on as pre teens; this photo was posted by Kris Jenner on Instagram
'It's such a weird number,' she said.
'I feel like I'm, like, 17! I have so many responsibilities but I still love going to Disneyland and watching kids' movies. My mom recently tweeted that she was watching Mary Poppins on a plane by herself and I'm like. That's so me!'
At times all the fame from Keeping Up With The Kardashians - which returns for its 12th season on May 1 - gets to her.
They started young: (from left) Kim, Khloe and Kourtney in their early twenties partying by a pool
'I don't regret anything that's happened in the past, but I think sometimes I just need to get away and love in the middle of nowhere and I think for the kids, like, it's nice to have experiences like that. So I always says I'm going to have a farm someday and move away from it all.'
When she needs to cut loose, she picks up the phone.
'I call my friends at night,' she said. 'I also take an hour every morning to work out. I need it for my mind and body.'
A busy life: 'I feel like I'm, like, 17! I have so many responsibilities but I still love going to Disneyland and watching kids' movies,' she said; here Kourtney is seen with Mason and Penelope on April 21
Also on Wednesday, Kourtney talked about rice on her website kourtneykardashian.com.
Basmati rice is grown primarily in Northern India and Pakistan. Rice has long been a symbol of fertility, health and wealth across the world. The word "Basmati" derives from the Sanskrit word meaning "fragrant," which explains its sweet aroma and nutty flavor.
'Basmati rice is packed with B vitamins like thiamin and niacin, which help with metabolism and promote healthy skin and hair. Naturally gluten-free and low in fat and cholesterol, Basmati rice also boasts a low glycemic index, which suppresses the appetite and helps maintain stable blood sugar levels.
The gals now: Kourtney and Kim with their kids leaving Miami on Sunday
'According to Ayurvedic practice, Basmati rice has the most health benefits of any rice and helps balance the body and mind. It is prized for being pure, nourishing, calming and easy to digest. Basmati rice is known to have a healing power and to be especially helpful when recovering from an illness.
Camila Alves was beaming with happiness as she spent some quality time in New York City with her tot Livingston on Wednesday.
The 34-year-old affectionately pecked her three-year-old son on the cheek as she carried him in her arms and out of their car.
Camila, who is married to Matthew McConaughey, looked every bit the doting mother as she planted a kiss on her son as he sat in his car seat.
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Her little one: Camila Alves was every inch the doting mother during an outing with her son Livingston in New York City on Wednesday
After setting him down, the mother walked hand-in-hand with her little boy.
Camila had also appeared on the Today Show, where she was booked to share with the world a family recipe from her days in Brazil.
She was spotted leaving the show, looking bohemian chic with her colourful top, tight black trousers and a pointed pair of studded heels.
The star pinned a handful of her raven black strands back away from her face, while letting the remainder of her locks flow free in loose waves.
TLC: Camila, who is married to Matthew McConaughey, planted a kiss on her son as he sat in his car seat
Follow the leader! After setting him down, the mother walked hand-in-hand with her little boy
Adding to her natural beauty was a radiant swipe of pink blush and a soft coat of smoky eye shadow which highlighted her brown eyes to perfection.
Camila also donned a gold necklace and an eye-catching ring with a ruby red stone.
The model's appearance on Today was to mark the upcoming Olympics Games in Rio, which will be taking place in just 100 days.
Morning sunshine! Alves had earlier appeared on the Today show to share a recipe from Brazil
Happy camper! Livingston had a smile on his face and a temporary tattoo on as he strolled through the city
Looking ahead: The model's appearance on Today was to mark the upcoming Olympics Games in Rio, which will be taking place in just 100 days
Camila grew up in a farming family in Belo Horizonte in Brazil, and at the age of 15 visited her aunt in California and decided she was not going back. After years of hard work she started a career on modelling and has never looked back.
The model and Matthew, 46, met in a Los Angeles bar in 2006, and got engaged on Christmas Day in 2011, after welcoming their two eldest children.
They became parents to Livingston in December 2012.
The couple married in Austin, Texas in June 2012. Brazilian-born Camila became a US citizen in August of last year.
Good morning! Alves drummed up interest for her Today Show appearance with a snap of herself drinking her cup of Joe
Domestic bliss: Camila and Matthew, 46, met in a Los Angeles bar in 2006, and got engaged on Christmas Day in 2011, after welcoming their two eldest children
The model's friend Emily Blunt became a citizen at the same ceremony Camila participated in.
Matthew said in 2014 that Camila put some pressure on him to get married, and he's glad that she did.
'I had to get to the point where I saw it as more than just the thing to do,' he told GQ. 'I wanted to really want to.
'You know, I didnt want it to be a destination; the fun is that were on the adventure together. And look, some of it had to do with her putting it on me.'
Model mom: The beauty was spotted leaving her hotel later on wearing a chic tasseled pashmina and stylish shades
Follow my lead: Camila held on tight her little boy as they crossed the sidewalk
Things are still hot and heavy between the late Michael Jackson's only daughter Paris and her 26-year-old boyfriend Michael Snoddy.
The newly 18-year-old was spotted passionately kissing the mohawked drummer following his weekend-long gig at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino.
The privileged heiress even acted as a roadie for his percussive band Street Drum Corps, loading and unloading equipment for each show.
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'My partner in crime': Things are still hot and heavy between the late Michael Jackson's only daughter Paris and her 26-year-old boyfriend Michael Snoddy
County fair cuddles: The newly 18-year-old was spotted passionately kissing the mohawked drummer following his weekend-long gig at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino
Supportive: The privileged heiress even acted as a roadie for his percussive band Street Drum Corps, loading and unloading equipment for each show
Jackson - who dutifully watched each performance - was dressed in her usual Hot Topic-heavy punk style, including a criss-crossing tank top.
According to Radar Online, her grandmother and former legal guardian Katherine Jackson is 'disgusted' at how much Paris has changed for Michael.
'He has not changed at all for her,' a family insider revealed.
'Michael's friends shamed Paris in the beginning because she has all this money and they are all normal middle-class kids. So instead of dealing with the ridicule, Paris now just pretends to be all thrifty and broke to avoid the drama.'
Head over Converse heels in love: Jackson - who dutifully watched each performance - was dressed in her usual Hot Topic-heavy punk style, including a criss-crossing tank top
'He has not changed at all for her': According to Radar Online, her grandmother and former legal guardian Katherine Jackson is 'disgusted' at how much Paris has changed for Michael
A family insider revealed: 'Michael's friends shamed Paris in the beginning because she has all this money and they are all normal middle-class kids. So instead of dealing with the ridicule, Paris now just pretends to be all thrifty and broke to avoid the drama'
The 5ft9in millennial likely met Snoddy at one of the AA meetings she confessed to attending in a since-deleted comment from her February 4 Instagram.
'Paris is still sober and so is he. And her family is proud of her for that,' the source noted.
Since turning 18 on April 3 - the blue-eyed bottle blonde has tattooed her inner-lip, her collarbone, both forearms, and several fingers.
Jackson's burning desire for body modification is likely influenced by the Virginia-born musician, whose Confederate flag tattoo reportedly worries her family.
'Paris is still sober and so is he': The 5ft9in millennial likely met Snoddy at one of the AA meetings she confessed to attending in a since-deleted comment from her February 4 Instagram
Motley Crue drummer approves! Since turning 18 on April 3 - the blue-eyed bottle blonde has tattooed her inner-lip, her collarbone, both forearms, and several fingers
Racist symbol: Jackson's burning desire for body modification is likely influenced by the Virginia-born musician, whose Confederate flag tattoo reportedly worries her family
Snoddy - who attended Full Sail University - told TMZ: 'I wouldn't be dating a black girl if I were a racist'
Snoddy - who attended Full Sail University - told TMZ: 'I wouldn't be dating a black girl if I were a racist.'
The Bernie Sanders supporter - whose mother is dermatology nurse Debbie Rowe - split with Chester Castellaw in December.
According to Page Six - Paris receives $8M annually of her estimated $100M inheritance as well as additional bonuses at ages 18, 33, and 40.
The not-so-typical teen has come along way since allegedly slashing her wrists and overdosing on pills back in 2013, which led to her enrolling in the $10M Diamond Ranch Academy in Utah.
Asserting her independence: The Bernie Sanders supporter - whose mother is dermatology nurse Debbie Rowe - split with Chester Castellaw in December
The King of Pop's princess: According to Page Six - Paris receives $8M annually of her estimated $100M inheritance as well as additional bonuses at ages 18, 33, and 40
They've remained in each other's lives even after their public split back in July.
But in a new preview clip posted to E!'s website for the upcoming premiere of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Kourtney Kardashian was firm as she expressed no interest in resuming her relationship with ex Scott Disick in the near future.
The 37-year-old even appeared strained as she was greeted by her baby daddy at a Williams-Sonoma store in Calabasas with a friendly embrace.
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Awkward! Kourtney Kardashian looked strained as her ex Scott Disick greeted her with a friendly embrace during a preview clip for Keeping Up With The Kardashians
Kourtney had dropped by to help her ex shop for new kitchen supplies, and her mother Kris Jenner was already there helping him out by the time she had arrived.
'Look who it is!' Scott said just before pulling Kourtney in for a quick side embrace.
The reality star gave an awkward smile and pulled away as her ex scrolled through his phone.
As they shopped, Kourtney had no problem giving her opinion on his decor.
Keeping her distance: The reality star kept an eye on her ex with her mother Kris Jenner in between
Decisions, decisions: The trio browsed through a shelf of fine kitchen wear
The mother-of-three nixed the blue towels that had already been selected, which prompted her ex to say, 'She's a tough cookie you're talking about here. I do trust her, she did run my life for eleven years.'
Kourtney seemed to be doing a good job at keeping her distance from Scott.
During a one-on-one segment with the camera, Kourtney was clear about how she was approaching their relationship.
Only the best: Kourtney nixed the blue towels the pair had previously selected
'When it comes to Scott, I'm not looking to get back together anytime soon,' Kourtney explained to the camera.
'I don't have specific boundaries set, but coming to help him pick out stuff for his kitchen and his new house as a friend.
'Like I'm totally okay with that, and I don't feel like I'm giving any false hope.'
Kourtney and Scott have three children together, sons Mason, six, Reign, one, and daughter Penelope, three.
'I don't feel like I'm giving any false hope': During a one-on-one segment with the camera, the mother-of-three revealed she had ruled out resuming a romance with Scott in the near future
Scott's split from Kourtney last summer was prompted by photos published showing him getting close to ex-girlfriend and stylist Chloe Bartoli.
It was the final straw for the eldest Kardshian sibling who declared she'd had enough of his ongoing cheating and partying and threw him out.
They had been together for nine years.
Since then, Kourtney has been linked to Justin Bieber, while Scott has been spotted out with several different women in recent months including with model Christine Burke, who he was seen out with in Calabasas last month.
He was recently seen hanging out with Australian model Megan Blake Irwin.
Keeping Up With The Kardashians will air its season 12 premiere this Sunday.
Diane Kruger has not always had the best experiences with actors.
And the 39-year-old German actress told Sky co-star Norman Reedus during an interview for Buzzfeed that there was one actor in particular that she did not enjoy working with.
'You know who wasnt very pleasant, was Peter OToole,' she said. The girlfriend of Joshua Jackson went on to detail how the silver screen legend - who died in 2013 at the age of 81 - was drunk on the set of their 2004 film Troy that also starred Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom.
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Not her dream co-star: Diane Kruger told Norman Reedus during an interview for Buzzfeed that Peter O'Toole was the actor she least liked working with. They both were in 2004's Troy
On the set: Kruger and O'Toole, seen here with Orlando Bloom and Eric Bana, on set for Troy
Diane played Helen and Peter had a bit part as Priam.
'It kind of sucked,' she started. 'Hes dead, so I can say that. But he wasnt the most pleasant person. He was just a drunk, and Peter OToole.'
She went on to describe his behavior.
He seemed to like the ladies: Diane and Peter with Rose Byrne and Saffron Burrows (with Sean Bean to the far left) at the NYC premiere of Troy in 2004
Not mincing words: 'It kind of sucked. Hes dead, so I can say that. But he wasnt the most pleasant person. He was just a drunk, and Peter OToole,' said the German star
'You know, he had a two-day part, and I played Helen of Troy and he was Peter OToole, and he just wanted to make sure that everybody knew that he was Peter OToole,' she stated.
'And he could barely make it up the stairs. We were on a set that was - you know, you have to climb, like, I dont know, 100 steps to go up.'
Kruger then got more specific.
Harsh words: 'You know, he had a two-day part, and I played Helen of Troy and he was Peter OToole, and he just wanted to make sure that everybody knew that he was Peter OToole,' she stated; here Peter is seen with Eric and Brad
Will he ever talk? Troy was a vehicle for the talents of Pitt
'He was just - first of all, everybody thought he was gonna die right there and then. Because it was, you know, 120 degrees, and he had to walk up 100 stairs. And he was very old, and very drunk,' Diane continued.
Filming took place in Morocco and Malta.
O'Toole did not pass away for another decade. He is considered one of the greatest actors of all time thanks to 1962's Lawrence Of Arabia, 1968's The Lion In Winter and 1969's Goodbye Mr Chips.
The lady in red: The movie star in New York City earlier this month at a Tiffany & Co event
When Reedus said: 'Its kind of like the story of Elvis on the toilet with a peanut butter sandwich, like, I dont wanna hear it,' Diane apologized and added: 'You just asked me!'
'I know but you didnt have to go, like, so far into it!' he said.
The Diane changed her tune. 'He was great. You wouldve loved him! You guys wouldve, like, been drinking together and it wouldve been great.'
PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- Around the country, April is National Donate Life Month. Tuesday signified the 11th year Singing River Health System Hospital has celebrated this occasion, encouraging residents in the community to consider becoming organ donors.
"Today, we want to celebrate the lives of donors, both living and deceased, and also people who are recipients who have been able to continue living," said Dr. Steven Demetropoulos, Chief of Staff of SRHS. "The beautiful thing about being an organ donor is the fact that you are able to continue to give even after you die."
Demetropoulos said he knows people can be hesitant to sign up to become an organ donor, but wants them to know it is bigger than just them when they pass away.
"When you donate organs, you provide sight, health, and most importantly, life," he said. "I think people have to look at it as something bigger than what you can do for yourself. This is not just about you, it is about what you can do afterwards. Personally, if I could help someone if a tragic situation befalls me, I would want to be able to do that because I see the people who are waiting for the organs so desperately. They are literally dying waiting for them and they need so we encourage people to think about becoming a donor."
National Donate Life Month (NDLM) was instituted by Donate Life America and its partnering organizations in 2003. Celebrated in April each year, NDLM features an entire month of local, regional and national activities to help encourage Americans to register as organ, eye and tissue donors and to celebrate those that have saved lives through the gift of donation.
According to Heath Thompson, Administrator for Ocean Springs Hospital and Chief Nursing Officer for SRHS, there are over 120,000 individuals waiting for an organ donation nationally. In Mississippi alone, 1,500 people are waiting.
Also according to Thompson, 51 percent of Americans have registered to become an organ donor, while more than 30,000 people have gained "new life" from organ donations.
Susan Russell, Patient Care Manager of Critical Care Services of Ocean Springs and SRHS, coordinated Tuesday's NDLM event and gave a more in-depth explanation at the type of organ donors who have contributed to the lives of others through giving.
"Most of our organ donors are Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients by their very nature and tissue patients can come from any area of the hospital, but it really does impact the area of ICU quite a bit, so it is an honor to get this program into place," Russell said.
"We are really excited to showcase the fact that there is really a great need for people to sign up to become donors," she said. "Our technology is to the point we can keep many people alive with technology, but it will not be the end-all. What is most important is the gift of life whether it is heart valves, lungs, livers, or pancreases to make those things happen and we are really delighted to have a long-term partnership with Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency (MORA) in helping to support the cause of donations."
Trisha Byrd, Community Outreach Coordinator of MORA, was on hand Tuesday and praised SRHS for their continued support in helping to sustain life for those in need.
"The support of SRHS has been amazing and they are continually supporting and helping us with actions such as encouraging donation drives," Byrd said. "Each year, we keep getting bigger and better we can always count on them doing what they need to do to support those who want to become organ donors to help us help others."
If you are interested in becoming an organ donor, you can reach out to SRHS or contact Byrd at tbyrd@msora.org.
She is a busy star who splits her time between projects, judging hopefuls on Britain's Got Talent and being a loving mother.
But Alesha Dixon was sure to carve some time out to relax as she enjoyed a magical vacation with her partner Azuka Ononye and their daughter Azura Sienna.
The former Misteeq star gave fans a glimpse of her luxurious getaway as she posted snaps from the trip on her Instagram page.
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Living the dream: Alesha Dixon was sure to carve some time out to relax as she enjoyed a magical vacation with her partner Azuka Ononye and their daughter Azura Sienna
One image taken as the trio faced out to sea said, 'Precious time with my loves', while another saw her posing alongside her dancer partner.
Alesha's slender legs drew attention in one snap which saw her sat on a boat in a flowing maxo-dress.
They enjoyed huge chart success in the early Noughties.
And Mis-Teeq could be back in a blaze of glory as reports suggest the UK garage trio, comprising of Alesha Dixon, Sabrina Washington and Su-Elise Nash, are plotting a comeback.
Sources tell The Sun, the Scandalous hitmakers have reportedly been reminiscing about the past leading to an eye to reunite - much to the joy of their fans.
'Touch the sky': The former Misteeq star gave fans a glimpse of her luxurious getaway as she posted snaps from the trip on her Instagram page
Alesha's slender legs drew attention in one snap which saw her sat on a boat in a flowing maxo-dress.
Mis-Teeq, originally a four-piece before the departure of Zena McNally in 2001, were a group for a successful six years before disbanding in 2005.
Yet things could be on the up, as an insider revealed to the publication: 'The girls have been reminiscing about the old days. They think there is a big appetite to bring back Mis-Teeq and have been discussing how.
'Su-Elise lives in Australia but is back in the UK in May for a holiday, so they plan to meet up to talk about it. Its very early days but they are definitely going to do some shows to see what the reaction is like.'
The girls are back! Mis-Teeq could be back in a blaze of glory as reports suggest the UK garage trio, comprising of Alesha Dixon, Sabrina Washington and Su-Elise Nash (left-right), are plotting a comeback
The girls together: Sources tell The Sun , the Scandalous hitmakers have reportedly been reminiscing about the past leading to an eye to reunite - much to the joy of their fans
In a 2013 interview with Metro, Alesha candidly said of a reunion: 'Never say never. We're still friends but it would have to happen organically.
'In the band, we were strong-minded women who didn't worry about what anyone else thought.'
Just one year later Su-Elise unveiled the possibility of a reunion, teasing fans with the idea a comeback was in the making.
All together: Mis-Teeq, originally a four-piece before the departure of Zena McNally in 2001, were a group for a successful six years before disbanding in 2005
Since the group split, Alesha has undoubtedly enjoyed the most stardom as she stormed the charts with a successful solo career - releasing four studio albums.
She also won Strictly Come Dancing in 2007 before going on to act as a judge on the show and later taking a place on the panel on Britain's Got Talent - where she still sits.
While Su-Elise has shied away from the public eye since the group split, Sabrina starred in I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here in 2010 and started work on a solo album in 2013.
Despite her brief appearance in the group, Zena released two solo singles in 2003 yet is mostly known for co-presenting BBC Radio 1Xtra - she now lives in the US with her husband.
She is believed to have parted ways with her millionaire boyfriend of one year, Thomas Gross.
But Paris Hilton didn't show any signs of heartbreak about the split while she was pictured enjoying a meal in London's Mayfair before party-hopping across town to the star-studded launch of Restaurant Ours in Kensington on Wednesday night.
The 35-year-old heiress even sought solace in a few fellow lonely hearts, including Ellie Goulding's ex Dougie Poynter and Millie Mackintosh's estranged husband Professor Green.
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Lonely hearts: A newly-single Paris Hilton was pictured with Ellie Goulding's ex-boyfriend Dougie Poynter at the launch of Restaurant Ours in Kensington on Wednesday night
The blonde bombshell was pictured getting cosy with McFly star Dougie, who's rarely pictured at parties, especially since parting ways with musician girlfriend Ellie for good in March.
Paris was also captured sharing a sofa with opportunist Pro Green, a star who is recently separated from his wife of two years, British former reality TV star Millie.
Lyricist Pro Green had bumped into DJ Example and his wife Erin McNaught on the night, even sharing a cuddle with former Rothschild, Kate Goldsmith.
Kate is technically part of Paris' family, after her brother James Rothschild married Paris' sister Nicky Hilton last summer.
Moving on so soon: Soon-to-be divorced Professor Green (left) introduced himself to Paris, who was sitting with Kate Rothschild and Example
An in road: Opportunist Pro Green quickly introduced himself to the blonde, who's thought to have split from millionaire boyfriend of one year, Thomas Gross
Sharing a sofa: It was an unlikely bunch, but they were no doubt helping Paris get over her reported split
Nice meeting you: Example, who was joined by wife Erin McNaught at the bash, looked delighted with the meeting
Drowning their sorrows? She sought solace in fellow singleton Dougie, who split from popstar Ellie in March
Over? Paris and her rumoured ex pictured at her sister Nicky's pre-wedding party held at Claridges hotel bar in London
Paris was certainly a sight for sore eyes, highlighting her slender frame in a gorgeous nude and black mini dress by popular LA brand, For Love And Lemons.
The blonde beauty perfectly showcased her lithe physique in the semi-sheer dress which she teamed with black heeled boots.
She accessorised with a small black handbag and a trendy black cuff while she styled her blonde locks in glamorous waves.
Paris' current trip to London comes after reports that she has parted ways with her millionaire boyfriend Thomas Gross after just one year of dating, according to TMZ.
Moving: Paris didn't show any signs of heartbreak about the split while she enjoyed a meal in London's Mayfair earlier that night
Braving the cold: The 35-year-old highlighted her slender frame in a gorgeous nude and black mini dress by popular LA brand, For Love And Lemons
Dare to bare: The blonde beauty perfectly showcased her lithe physique in the semi-sheer dress which she teamed with black heeled boots
Strike a pose: She accessorised with a small black handbag and a trendy black cuff while she styled her blonde locks in glamorous waves
Looking good: Paris' current trip to London comes after reports that she has parted ways with her millionaire boyfriend Thomas Gross after just one year of dating
Famous face: Sources close to the reality star allegedly told the outlet that the duo broke things off over a month go because they could failed to find a balance between running their own empires from one place
Party hopping: She arrived at the second venue of the night, the Restaurant Ours, in her black coat
London town: The US star looked like she was making the most of her night out in London
Sources close to the reality star allegedly told the outlet that the duo broke things off over a month go because they could failed to find a balance between running their own empires from one place.
Thomas is based in Switzerland, while Paris' fashion and DJ work insists the beauty regularly jets between Los Angeles and Ibiza, something she struggled to do from their home in the Swiss Alps.
The publication also claimed that Paris found it difficult to be away from her sister and mother, despite her ability to make the 12-hour flight between L.A. and Switzerland on Gross' private jet.
Partying her troubles away: The Simple Life star proved that single is simple enough
Hanging out: She seemed intent on making friends throughout the night
Hanging out: Paris partied with Jamie Reuben (centre) and Kate Rothschild (right)
New friends? She was also seen chatting to Portia Freeman and Jade Williams
Lots in common: Paris and Kate no doubt bonded over their famous families
It was also suggested that the TV personality missed her dogs, who were forced to remain in LA during her relationship with Thomas.
The blonde beauty started dating the Swiss businessman after meeting at the Cannes Film Festival last May, and was rumoured to have relocated to Europe to be close to him.
News of the split is likely to come as a shock since Paris previously confessed she had finally found The One.
Fancy seeing you here: Pro Green bumped into his old friend Example at the bash
Three's a crowd: Pro Green was a third wheel to Erin McNaught and husband Example
Looking on the bright side: The singleton seemed to be enjoying life without a wife
Heading home? Paris seemed to leave the venue alone later that evening
Still smiling: The blonde bombshell was seen leaving with her gal pal
'Thomas is my soulmate. I've never been happier. He doesn't like fame, he just wants me', she told Closer magazine.
'With my previous boyfriends, I felt there was always an intention, but with him I know it's all about love.' And she also spoke of her desire to marry and have children with Thomas, revealing that she would love to have a big family.
The relationship seemed more serious than others - the beauty has also dated River Viiperi and Cy Waits.
Jet-set life: Thomas is based in Switzerland, while Paris' fashion and DJ work insists the beauty regularly jets between Los Angeles and Ibiza, something she struggled to do from their home in the Swiss Alps
Tough time: The publication also claimed that Paris found it difficult to be away from her sister and mother, despite her ability to make the 12-hour flight between L.A. and Switzerland on Gross' private jet
One day you're Cinderella and the next day you're not.
A dressed down and incognito Irina Shayk showcased this point when she was spotted out and about in New York on Wednesday in casual attire.
This comes the day after the 30-year-old beauty got glammed-up for a stunning Vogue magazine photo shoot in the Big Apple.
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Who's that girl? A dressed down and incognito, Irina Shayk, showcased casual attire for an outing in New York on Wednesday
Lady in red: Irina looked glamorous as she stunned on the set of a Vogue magazine photo shoot on Tuesday in New York City's Central Park
The Russian model put off an effortlessly cool vibe as she walked down the street with her mother.
She hid her naturally flawless face under a grey hooded sweatshirt and behind a dark pair of sunglasses.
In black bold letters her top read 'IVY PARK,' which is a new active-wear brand co-founded by pop star Beyonce Knowles.
The leggy stunner wore black tights under a matching clingy skirt.
Casual outing: This comes just after the Russian model, 30, got glammed-up for a stunning Vogue magazine photo shoot in NYC's Central Park earlier in the week
Hiding: The naturally beautiful brunette put off an effortlessly cool vibe as she walked down the street with her mother. She hid her flawless face under a grey hooded sweatshirt and behind a dark pair of sunglasses
She teamed the laid-back look with leather lace-up boots and accessorized with large hoops in her ears.
Irina carried a large black bag over her left shoulder and had a cold beverage in hand as she showed off her fresh manicure from the day before.
Earlier in the week, a glamorous Irina was photographed on the set of a Vogue magazine photo shoot.
Mother-daughter day: Irina's top read 'IVY PARK,' which is a new active-wear brand co-founded by pop star Beyonce Knowles. The leggy stunner wore black tights under a matching clingy skirt
The two-day set-up took place in New York City's Central Park on Monday and Tuesday.
During which the brunette beauty was photographed donning several beautiful looks.
In one of the stunning set-ups Irina looked ravishing in red.
Laid-back look: She wore leather lace-up boots and accessorized with large hoops in her ears. Earlier in the week, Irina was photographed much more dolled up on the set of a fashion photo shoot
She may be halfway around the world while working in Rome, but Cindy Crawford made sure to post a very public declaration of love in honour of Rande Gerber's birthday.
The supermodel's husband turned 54 on Wednesday, and she marked the special occasion by sharing a sweet flashback family photo on Instagram.
'Happy birthday @RandeGerber!' the 50-year-old wrote. 'You are a wonderful husband, father and friend and you've managed to not age one day since I met you! Not fair! I [heart] you!'
Happy birthday @RandeGerber! You are a wonderful husband, father and friend and you've managed to not age one day since I met you! Not fair! I you! @brianbowensmith A photo posted by Cindy Crawford (@cindycrawford) on Apr 27, 2016 at 6:42am PDT
The black and white photo showed Cindy, Rande and their two children Presley and Kaia sitting on the floor and smiling together.
The picture was taken several years ago, as the couple's son, now 16, and daughter, now 14, are much younger.
Cindy and Rande will be celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary next month. The happy couple married on May 29, 1998.
While this is Rande's first marriage, his model wife was previously married to Richard Gere from 1991 to 1995.
'These birthdays are happening way too fast': Rande Gerber posted this old photo to mark his 54th birthday on Wednesday, after wife Cindy Crawford shared a sweet flashback family snapshot
Oceans apart: Cindy couldn't spend the day with her husband, because she is currently in Rome, Italy for work
The birthday boy also marked the special occasion on Wednesday, sharing a picture of himself as a child.
'These birthdays are happening way too fast,' the businessman and former model joked in the caption.
While Rande is at home in California with his two teenage children, Cindy is hard at work in Italy on a secret project.
'Stay tuned': The supermodel, 50, revealed that she is on set, but wouldn't reveal what her secret project is
The beauty was pictured filming for the project - which is believed to be a commercial - in a charming plaza on Tuesday.
The following day, she shared an Instagram photo which showed her huddled under an umbrella in a white dress as she said she was 'having a Roman holiday moment'.
Cindy has had a busy schedule travelling the world over the past few weeks, and last week jetted to to Bogota, Colombia as brand ambassador for Omega watches.
The hardworking mother then flew back to her home in Los Angeles for a weekend with her family before travelling to Italy.
She is known for her love of fashion.
So it is no surprise that Rosie Fortescue was dressed to impress as she attended Boux Avenues fifth birthday party in London on Wednesday evening.
The Made In Chelsea star might have made her way to the Haymarket Hotel to help celebrate with the lingerie brand but she opted to go braless on the night.
Red hot: Rosie Forstescue was dressed to impress as she attended Boux Avenues fifth birthday party in London on Wednesday evening
The brunette star stood out in an extremely plunging red dress which she teamed with magenta lace-up heels.
She wore her locks in stylish waves while she kept her make-up look fresh and flawless.
Taking to Instagram to show off her ensemble, she told fans: Slightly obsessed with my dress from @spottedonceleb tonight.
The reality star was joined by several of her co-stars as Tiffany Watson opted to show off her flat stomach in a belly-baring crop top.
Taking the plunge: The Made In Chelsea star might have made her way to the Haymarket Hotel to help celebrate with the lingerie brand but she opted to go braless on the night
Ab-fab: The reality star was joined by several of her co-stars as Tiffany Watson opted to show off her flat stomach in a belly-baring crop top
She teamed the long-sleeved top with white cropped trousers and black heels while she accessorised with a statement clutch.
Fellow blonde Toff (aka Georgie Toffolo) opted a plunging silk wrap dress while she added height to her look with strappy brown heels.
The Only Way Is Essex star Chloe Sims drew attention to her legs as she teamed a shirt dress with pointed boots.
Slim jim: She teamed the long-sleeved top with white cropped trousers and black heels while she accessorised with a statement clutch
In good company: Fellow blonde Toff (aka Georgie Toffolo) opted a plunging silk wrap dress while Jess Woodley teamed a denim dress with black boots
She slung her black leather jacket over her shoulders while she added a pop of colour to her look with a red leather shoulder bag.
Her dyed blonde locks were styled away from her face into a neat bun while she wore classic red lipstick.
Love Islands Cally Jane Beech was also in attendance at the event which saw guests enjoy a show by synchronised swimmers.
Leggy lady: The Only Way Is Essex star Chloe Sims drew attention to her legs as she teamed a shirt dress with pointed boots
Charlotte McKinney, 22, looked effortlessly chic as she arrived at LAX airport ready to jet out of LA on Wednesday.
The blonde beauty wore a pair of torn skintight white jeans, a matching white top and some white trainers. To complete her outfit she wore a denim cardigan, a pair of big black sunglasses and a black tassel bag.
This sighting comes just before she flaunted her cleavage in an Instagram snap.
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Airport chic: Charlotte looked effortless as she jetted out of LAX airport on Wednesday
The in demand model has been flaunting her figure over the past few weeks but decided to cover up for her journey.
Despite only jetting out of LA on Wednesday it was straight to work for the 22-year-old model.
She posted a photo to Instagram of her and her make-up artist, Travis Pates, as she captioned it: '@destroybycolor destroying my face'.
Supermodel frame: Despite covering up her famous assets, Charlotte still looked phenomenal in her laid back outfit
Looking all white! Charlotte looked angelic in her matching outfit as she headed to her flight
In the shot Charlotte is wearing nothing but some very skimpy lingerie as she pouts for the camera as her make-up artist, Travis, applies some foundation on her face.
Her fans were in for a treat with the flirtatious photo and many expressed their delight in the comments.
One user wrote: 'Luckiest man in the world' as another simply commented: 'That's a stunning body!'
Pleasing the fans: Charlotte's Instagram followers were over the moon with her flirtatious and racy snap
Charlotte is no stranger to a bikini picture and has been showcasing her taut tum and slender frame all over social media in recent weeks.
She is going to be stuck in a bikini for a while so it's no wonder she's been snap happy on Instagram.
The social media queen uploaded one recently wearing a very revealing turquoise triangle bikini.
The stunner captioned the shot: '@autumnschweizer @emsteel malibboozin'.
Not high maintenance! The blonde beauty was more than happy to carry her own luggage as she strolled around the airport at LAX
It's no wonder with her amazing figure that she has been asked to join the cast of the 2017 Baywatch movie.
The bar has been set pretty high as the epic cast includes the likes of Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Pamela Anderson and Kelly Rohrbach.
The big-screen version is based on the fabulously popular 1990s series that starred David Haaselhoff and Pamela Anderson.
They began shooting this movie at the end of February this year in Deerfield Beach, Florida. The film will also be shot in Savannah, Georgia and Miami.
The cast started shooting scenes in Tybee Island, Georgia last March.
You'll be able to see their buff bods in action next May, 2017.
Jennifer Garner was in great spirits while chatting with a gal pal on a Brentwood stroll Wednesday.
The 44-year-old Golden Globe winner flashed her dimpled grin while sporting a patriotic Champion 'U.S.A.' hoodie.
The Danny Collins actress - who relies on stylist duo Jill Lincoln & Jordan Johnson - paired her navy top with black leggings and colourful trainers.
All smiles! Jennifer Garner was in great spirits while chatting with a gal pal on a Brentwood stroll Wednesday
Jennifer let her natural beauty shine through and scraped her brunette locks into a fuss-free ponytail.
Garner and estranged husband Ben Affleck will soon fly to the UK with their children - Seraphina, 7, Violet, 10, and Samuel, 4.
The 43-year-old Oscar winner is reteaming with his Batman v Superman director Zack Snyder and co-star Henry Cavill for the two-part Justice League shooting at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden.
'Ben did the same thing when she was filming in Atlanta,' a source told Us Weekly.
Southern belle: The 44-year-old Golden Globe winner flashed her dimpled grin while sporting a patriotic Champion 'U.S.A.' hoodie
Dressed for action: The Danny Collins actress - who relies on stylist duo Jill Lincoln & Jordan Johnson - paired her navy top with black leggings and colourful trainers
Make-up free: Jennifer let her natural beauty shine through and scraped her brunette locks into a fuss-free ponytail
'They take turns bringing the kids to where the other is on location and just renting a house [in North London] while they are there.'
The amicable exes announced the end of their decade-long marriage back on June 30.
Part One of the DC Comics superhero flick hits theaters in 2017, while Part Two won't come out until 2019.
Attending Sunday mass together: Garner and estranged husband Ben Affleck will soon fly to the UK with their children - Seraphina, 7, Violet, 10, and Samuel, 4
Back for more! The 43-year-old Oscar winner is reteaming with his Batman v Superman director Zack Snyder (R) and co-star Henry Cavill (L) for the two-part Justice League shooting at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden
Aquaman has arrived! A source told Us, 'Ben did the same thing when she was filming. They take turns bringing the kids to where the other is on location and just renting a house [in North London] while they're there'
Chilling with some of The League @prideofgypsies @henrycavill #BORGLIFE #batmanvsuperman #justiceleague A photo posted by Ray Fisher (@rehsifyar) on Apr 9, 2016 at 2:32pm PDT
Meanwhile, the former Pi Beta Phi sorority sister currently stars as Christian mother Christy Beam in Miracles from Heaven, which finally hits UK theaters June 10.
Jennifer will next play Second Lieutenant Dana Barton in Mother's Day alongside Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Julia Roberts, and Jason Sudeikis.
The Garry Marshall dramedy hits US theaters Friday and UK theaters June 10.
Alongside Queen Latifah: Meanwhile, the former Pi Beta Phi sorority sister currently stars as Christian mother Christy Beam in Miracles from Heaven, which finally hits UK theaters June 10
Sex, spies, special effects - Edward Snowden has certainly been given the Hollywood treatment.
The first full trailer for the Snowden movie dropped on Wednesday promising an all-star cast that is there to entertain first, inform second.
Director Oliver Stone has waved his Academy Award-winning wand over the story of one of the biggest governmental leaks of all time.
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The hunt is on: The first full trailer for the Snowden movie dropped on Thursday promising an all-star cast
Snowden is Joseph Gordon-Levitt's show with the 35-year-old morphing into the currently-exiled Edward Snowden.
While the actor does not entirely look like the 32-year-old genius computer analysis - attempts were made by adding some glasses and changing his hair style - he has certainly tried to replicate the way Snowden speaks.
Joseph's voice over dominates the trailer which shows flashes of how Snowden went from solider to CIA operative to contractor for the NSA to man willing to risk it all to expose the government's information collection tactics.
Snowden remains a divisive figure in the US with some seeing him as a criminal and traitor while others see him as a hero championing the right to privacy.
Hollywood master: Director Oliver Stone has waved his Academy Award-winning wand over the story of one of the biggest governmental leaks of all time
If the film follows the trailer's feel, Snowden is set to be an exciting espionage thriller rather than just a simple retelling of the saga.
Tasked by his boss - played by fellow big name Nicholas Cage - with 'find[ing] the terrorist in the Internet haystack' Snowden at first hopes to do good by the world and stop the bad guys.
However, who exactly the bad guys are starts to change, in his mind, quickly.
Will the real Edward please stand up: While the actor does not entirely look like the 32-year-old genius computer analysis (pictured right in 2013) he has certainly tried to replicate the way Snowden speaks
A journey: Joseph's voice over dominates the trailer which shows flashes of how Snowden went from solider to CIA operative to contractor for the NSA to man willing to risk it all to expose the government's information collection tactics
The trailer shows Snowden becoming increasingly concerned at just what the government does to keep track of citizens, and his role in it.
His reason to be nervous crystallizes as a fellow worker - who is spying at a women changing by accessing her web cam - explains their job.
He says: 'Think of it as a Google search, except instead of searching everything people make public, we're also looking at everything they don't.'
Seemed simple: Tasked by his boss - played by fellow big name Nicholas Cage - with 'find[ing] the terrorist in the Internet haystack' Snowden at first hopes to do good by the world and stop the bad guys
Does not seem right: The trailer shows Snowden becoming increasingly concerned at just what the government does to keep track of citizens, and his role in it
Electronic invasion: His reason to be nervous crystallizes as a fellow worker - who is spying at a women changing by accessing her web cam - says their system is like 'a Google search, except instead of searching everything people make public, we're also looking at everything they don't'
Another character tries to explain why many are not willing to stand up against the NSA's surveillance tactics: 'Most Americans don't want freedom, they want security.'
His concerns grow and even when with his girlfriend, played by Shailene Woodley, he fears they are being watched.
Luckily for us he comes to this realization during a steamy sex scene with The Divergent star.
To love and protect: His concerns grow and even when with his girlfriend, played by Shailene Woodley, he fears they are being watched
They're watching: He comes to this realization during a steamy sex scene with The Divergent star
Proud to be involved: Shailene has previously express admiration for Snowden - who is currently in Russia where he sought asylum after America declared him a wanted man
Chemistry: The pair play a convincing couple in the Oliver Stone-directed film
Shailene has previously express admiration for Snowden - who is currently in Russia where he sought asylum after America declared him a wanted man.
The actress told E! that Snowden was 'selfless' and a 'hero': 'I define a hero as somebody, who against the judgment of other people, if they believe something will positively impact the world and they choose to do it and honor their integrity, that's what I sort of consider a hero, no matter how big or small a feat they create,.
'And in that light, absolutely I think that Edward Snowden is a hero.'
For the show: In real life, once Snowden decided to expose the NSA's tactics, he smuggled out a thumbdrive with what is believed to be 1.7 million classified documents saved on it but Joseph's Snowden does so using an elaborate ruse to get the information out using a Rubix Cube
Taking it to the masses: Snowden handed over the documents to journalist Glen Greenwald who is played by Zachary Quinto
Game on: The real excitement begins as Snowden and the US government start a cat and mouse game
In real life, once Snowden decided to expose the NSA's tactics, he smuggled out a thumbdrive with what is believed to be 1.7 million classified documents saved on it.
But Oliver Stone has made it a bit more exciting, with Joseph's Snowden using an elaborate ruse to get the information out using a Rubix Cube.
After handing over the documents to journalist Glen Greenwald who is played by Zachary Quinto, the real excitement begins as Snowden and the US government start a cat and mouse game, which continues today.
Snowden also stars Melissa Leo, Rhys Ifans, Scott Eastwood, Timothy Olyphant and Tom Wilkinson and is in theatres September 16.
In the run: Snowden remains in Russia where he sought asylum after fleeing the US
As a fashion choice one might argue that the overgrown hipster beard is slowly, and perhaps thankfully, beginning to decline but not if youre Jimmy Niggles.
The sartorially astute advertising executive showed of an impressively long growth of facial hair upon his arrival at the launch of luxury Swiss watch brand Culet Automatiq in Sydney on Wednesday evening.
But while the lengthy beard is commonly associated with tattooed hipsters, Niggles has left his razor collecting dust for reasons that have nothing whatsoever to do with alternative fashion.
Impressive: As a fashion choice one might argue that the overgrown hipster beard is slowly, and perhaps thankfully, beginning to decline but not if youre Jimmy Niggles
The New South Wales native who is based in Bondi made the decision to grow his beard in memory of close friend Wes Bonny, who tragically lost his battle with skin cancer in 2009, just three months after being diagnosed.
Speaking to news.com in 2013, he explained: My mates and I play an annual footie game in memory of Wes, and in June 2011 we decided we would grow beards in his honour through the winter, an event we dubbed Beard Season.
Our aim was to spread the word about how important it is to check your skin, and raise awareness of what to look for.
For a good cause: The New South Wales native who is based in Bondi made the decision to grow his beard in memory of close friend Wes Bonny, who tragically lost his battle with skin cancer in 2009, just three months after being diagnosed
He added: We thought there was a serious gap in knowledge, with not enough people getting checks, particularly guys like us who love playing sport and surfing.
Niggles has since set up website thisbeard.com, in which he offers dedicated beard lovers tips on how to maintain their facial hair with the use of beard oil while also paying closer attention to their skin.
The useful site also advises readers on how and when to apply the relevant products to their beards.
Looking good: Niggles has since set up website thisbeard.com, in which he offers dedicated beard lovers tips on how to maintain their facial hair with the use of beard oil while also paying closer attention to their skin
'We're getting good traffic,' he said. 'Our ultimate desire is to convert page impressions into skin checks.'
Arriving at the Sydney event on Wednesday evening, the dapper Australian looked suitably stylish in a powder blue blazer and crisp white shirt over a pair of tan coloured jeans.
A pair of chocolate coloured Chelsea boots completed the look, while his hair was neatly groomed and styled with an on-trend under-cut.
Devout Hindu women protest in India after denied holy dip
A group of devout Hindu women began burying their leader alive Tuesday in protest at being denied permission to bathe in holy waters at the Kumbh Mela festival, in the latest battle for gender equality at India's religious sites.
The female "sadhus", or holy women, dug a grave near the River Ganges after which Mahant Trikal Bhavanta, wearing a saffron robe and prayer beads, climbed in to be buried alive.
The protest was triggered after her "Pari Akhara" (Fairy Group) was prevented from taking a ritual dip in the holy waters of the River Ganges on Friday during the festival in central Ujjain city.
Devotees of Indian Hindu Akhara leader Trikal Bhawanta shower her with rose petals as she prepares to undergo a burial ritual in Ujjain on April 26, 2016, during a Kumbh Mela Str (AFP)
Supporters threw fistfuls of dirt and petals on top of Bhavanta, burying her nearly waist-deep before police and district officials intervened.
An akhara is a group of sadhus -- reclusive ascetics or wandering monks -- who renounce normal life and are widely respected for their holiness. India has more than a dozen such groups, all controlled by men.
Bhavanta has reportedly been facing discrimination since forming her all-women akhara in 2000. Believed to be the first such group in India's Hindu history, it has been criticised by male sadhus who claim it goes against age-old customs.
An AFP photographer at the scene Tuesday said the leader was demanding to be given the same facilities as men during the festival's Shahi Snan, or royal bath, a mass purification ritual.
"If a man can do something, then woman can also do it," she told the Hindustan Times newspaper last week.
"They never want an independent akhara of women. The reason behind this is their male-dominated mentality... Their view towards women is parochial."
It comes weeks after a Hindu temple in western India lifted a centuries-old ban forbidding female devotees from entering, after a court said women had a fundamental right to worship following impassioned protests by activists.
Bhavanta last week went on an indefinite fast and was admitted to a hospital after her group was denied permission for the dip on grounds that it was not officially recognised by the male-dominated akhara administration.
"We have never asked the administration to recognise us. Just provide us some facilities," she told the English daily.
The Kumbh Mela religious festival is held in Ujjain every 12 years, drawing legions of wandering holy men and women. Similar events are held every three years in other locations around India.
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- The City of Ocean Springs is looking for residents willing to donate their time to serve on several boards and commissions, including the city Planning Commission.
Other openings are on the Building Board, Historic Preservation Commission, Zoning & Adjustment Board and the Economic Development Council. All applicants must be reside inside the Ocean Springs corporate limits to be considered.
The board of aldermen are responsible for making appointments to all city boards and commissions.
Candidate profile forms may be downloaded from the city website and accessed under the Documents and Forms tab. Forms may also be obtained from the city clerk and mayor's offices at City Hall on Porter Avenue.
In addition, interested persons can call 228-875-4236 to request a form be sent by mail, email or fax.
Applications may be submitted in person at City Hall, by mail to Office of the Mayor, P.O. Box 1800, Ocean Springs, MS 39566-1800, by email to rfloyd@oceansprings-ms.gov or by fax to 228-875-9671.
The deadline to apply is June 3 at 5 p.m., with mailed applications postmarked no later than June 3.
Palestinians unveil gift of giant Mandela statue
Palestinians on Tuesday inaugurated a giant statue of Nelson Mandela donated by the South African city of Johannesburg to their political capital in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The six-metre (20-foot) two-tonne bronze statue was a gift from Johannesburg with which Ramallah is twinned.
"I think that Nelson Mandela himself would have been extremely proud of what has been done today," Parks Tau, the mayor of the South African city, told AFP.
Palestinian and South African officials pose in front of a giant statue of Nelson Mandela during its inauguration ceremony in the West Bank city of Ramallah on April 26, 2016 Abbas Momani (AFP)
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas also attended the ceremony at the renamed Nelson Mandela Square in the Al-Tireh district.
Mandela, who died in 2013, was South Africa's first president after the era of apartheid, a regime of segregation that the Palestinians accuse Israel of also imposing.
He was an ardent supporter of the Palestinian cause and a champion for Middle East peace.
Ramallah several days ago installed huge posters celebrating the South African leader bearing his comment: "We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians".
Ramallah mayor Mussa Hadid said the statue "symbolises the shared suffering" of the South African and Palestinian peoples.
During its journey to the pedestal in the West Bank, the statue was retained by Israeli customs for 30 days, as the Palestinian Authority does not control its own borders.
"Nelson Mandela, who had already spent 28 years in the jails of the apartheid regime in South Africa, was again detained for 30 days by the Israeli authorities," Hadid said.
Tau said Israeli customs had sought duty "equivalent to 10 times the price of the statue", but that this was not paid.
Google, Uber in coalition to promote self-driving cars
Google and Uber are part of a coalition unveiled on Tuesday to push for a unified US legal code on self-driving cars as part of a broader lobbying drive to promote that technology.
Car makers Ford and Volvo along with ride-sharing start-up Uber's rival Lyft rounded out a roster of five founding members of the Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets.
Former US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration administrator David Strickland was named as coalition counsel and spokesperson.
David Strickland, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on March 2, 2010 on Capitol Hill in Washington DC Tim Sloan (AFP/File)
"Self-driving vehicle technology will make America's roadways safer and less congested," Strickland said in a release.
"The best path for this innovation is to have one clear set of federal standards, and the coalition will work with policymakers to find the right solutions that will facilitate the deployment of self-driving vehicles."
The US Department of Transportation has estimated that self-driving vehicles could help significantly reduce the severity and frequency of crashes, the vast majority of which are caused by human error in this country, according to the coalition.
"Self driving cars can help save millions of lives as well as cut congestion in our cities," an Uber spokesperson said in response to an AFP inquiry.
"That's an exciting future, and one Uber intends to be a part of.
Google, Lyft and auto industry executives urged lawmakers last month to help create a regulatory fast lane to facilitate the introduction of self-driving cars.
In testimony at a Senate hearing, representatives of General Motors and auto-equipment maker Delphi touted what they said were numerous safety and environmental benefits of autonomous vehicles.
Chris Urmson, who heads the Google self-driving car project, said a consistent regulatory framework is important to deploying those technologies, and that conflicting rules in US states could limit innovation.
"The leadership of the federal government is critically important given the growing patchwork of state laws and regulations on self-driving cars," he said.
In the past two years, 23 states have introduced legislation that affect self-driving cars, "all of which include different approaches and concepts," he noted.
Five states have passed such legislation, all with different rules, Urmson said.
But the Senate panel should exercise caution, said Mary Cummings, who heads the Humans and Autonomy Laboratory at Duke University.
She said it's not yet clear that self-driving cars can operate safely in all situations.
"I am wholeheartedly in support of the research and development of self-driving cars," she said.
"But these systems will not be ready for fielding until we move away from superficial demonstrations to principled, evidenced-based tests and evaluations."
Tech industry titans urge US to better fund science ed
Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook and Mark Zuckerberg were among tech titans who joined school officials, non-profits and state leaders to urge the US government to better back teaching computer science.
The heads of Amazon, Apple and Facebook were among powerhouse names Tuesday on an open letter as well as a petition online at change.org calling for the US to become a leader in computer science education in public schools.
"Whether a student aspires to be a software engineer, or if she just wants a well-rounded education in todays changing world, access to computer science in school is an economic imperative for our nation to remain competitive," read a petition aimed at the US Congress.
The heads of Amazon, Apple and Facebook were among powerhouse names April 26, 2016 on an open letter as well as a petition online at change.org calling for the US to become a leader in computer science education in public schools dsk (AFP/File)
"And with the growing threat of cyber warfare, this is even a critical matter of national security."
The more than 5,800 names on the petition as of Tuesday included top corporate executives from an array of industries, and governors of more than two dozen US states.
Backers of the petition also stated their case in an open letter to Congress, asking for funding to provide "every student in every school the opportunity to learn computer science.
First drop in iPhone sales, Apple revenue streak ends
Apple reported its first-ever drop in iPhone sales since launching the smartphone in 2007 as the tech giant's long streak of rising revenue ended.
Apple said iPhone sales dropped year-over-year for the first time, slipping to 51.19 million units in the recently ended quarter compared with 61.17 million in the same period a year ago.
Profits fell as well: Apple reported net income of $10.5 billion in the fiscal quarter to March 26 from $13.6 billion last year.
Apple has reported its revenue fell on a year-to-year basis for the first time since 2003 John Cress (Getty/AFP/File)
With iPhones the main driver of sales for the company, revenue fell on a year-to-year basis for the first time since 2003: $50.6 billion from $58 billion a year earlier.
Apple shares dove more than eight percent to $95.90 in after-market trades that followed release of the earnings figures.
Sales of iPhones, the heart of Apple's mobile age money-making machine, were down 16 percent, according to the earnings report.
Apple chief executive Tim Cook said of the slump that "this too shall pass."
Analysts said it was not surprising to see the drop given the saturation of the global smartphone market.
"Following a rapid expansion into new markets over the years from 2007-2011, Apple was approaching saturation of the available distribution channels, and many of those already in the smartphone market who could afford to buy an iPhone had one or one of its high-end Android competitors," said Jan Dawson at Jackdaw Research.
Dawson said Apple managed to boost sales in a slow-growing market with its large-screen models, but that it is unclear if it can regain momentum.
- Boosting share buy-back -
Apple also announced that its board has authorized $35 billion more to be spent on buying back shares, along with money for the dividend to be increased to 57 cents per share.
Apple has been making inroads into wearable technology with its Apple Watch and moving into services such as music subscriptions, but remains largely dependent on the iPhone for profit and revenue.
"While Wall Street was disappointed with Apple missing core revenue and earnings numbers, we aren't talking about a company in trouble," said Patrick Moorhead, president and principal analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy.
"Apple is still driving iPhone market share in nearly every region, and we will shortly know if the iPhone SE enables continued market share gains in the mid-range."
The analyst noted that Apple rivals Samsung, LG, HTC and Huawei have "dramatically amped up their smartphone games" and the effect of that should be seen in the current quarter.
Apple last month went small, cutting prices as well as screen size with the introduction of a new iPhone and iPad aimed at first-time buyers and customers in emerging markets.
- Eye on India -
A new iPhone SE recently debuted at $399 for US customers without a contract subsidy, a significant cut from the price of Apple's larger iPhones.
The iPhone SE did not launch in time for sales to be included in the quarterly earnings, but Apple executives said demand has outpaced supply.
The new iPhone model was seen as having strong potential in international markets beyond China, particularly in India.
Even though the price tag is higher than low-cost Android handsets that dominate the market, it puts the cherished Apple brand within better reach to consumers in developing economies.
Revenue from Apple sales in China were down 26 percent to $12.5 billion in a year-over-year comparison for the quarter, but up 56 percent in India.
"China is not weak," Cook said during an earnings call.
"We may not have the wind at our backs that we want, but it is a lot more stable than what I think is the common view of it."
Cook noted that the bulk of the revenue drop for Apple in Greater China was in Hong Kong, where currency linked to the strong US dollar crimped sales while the company fared better on the mainland.
Cook saw tremendous potential for Apple in India, where he expected iPhone sales to accelerate with broader rollout of high-speed telecommunications networks.
"I think there is great opportunity there," Cook said of India.
While Apple is the world's largest company by profit and market value, it has been shifting its focus in anticipation of the slowdown.
Apple spotlighted the profit it brings in from services such as Apple Music, iTunes, Apple Pay and the App Store, saying revenue shot up to a new quarterly record high of nearly $10 billion.
"We have developed a very large and profitable business in the services area," Cook said.
There are more than a billion Apple devices being used around the world, providing a large pool of potential customers for digital content or services offered in the company's "ecosystem."
Graphic charting Apple's quarterly profit and iPhone sales since 2014 Adrian LEUNG, Gal ROMA (AFP)
Chief executive Tim Cook sees tremendous potential for Apple in India, where he expected iPhone sales to accelerate with broader rollout of high-speed telecommunications networks Sam Panthaky (AFP/File)
Apple reported that iPhone sales dropped year-over-year for the first time, slipping to 51.19 million in the recently ended quarter, on April 26, 2016 Josh Edelson (AFP/File)
US Steel files complaint against Chinese steel imports
US Steel Corporation filed a trade complaint Tuesday against big Chinese steel makers and distributors, seeking to bar allegedly unfairly traded Chinese products from the US market.
The US company, which produces and sells steel products in North America and Europe, said it had filed a complaint with the US International Trade Commission (ITC) to launch a probe under Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 against the largest Chinese steel producers and their distributors.
The complaint "alleges illegal unfair methods of competition and seeks the exclusion of all unfairly traded Chinese steel products from the US market," the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based company said in a statement.
China produces more than half of the world's steel and is accused of flooding the market with products sold below cost in violation of global trade rules Wang Zhao (AFP/File)
The complaint accuses the Chinese companies of illegally conspiring to fix prices, stealing trade secrets and false labeling to avoid duties.
"We have said that we will use every tool available to fight for fair trade," said Mario Longhi, US Steel president and chief executive, in the statement.
The ITC has 30 days to evaluate the complaint and decide whether to open an investigation.
China was on the firing line in Brussels on April 18 as ministers and top officials from steel-producing nations met to discuss cheap Chinese steel exports that are blamed for plant closures and job losses in some countries.
China produces more than half of the world's steel and is accused of flooding the market with products sold below cost in violation of global trade rules.
Angry steel manufacturers have urged the European Union, the second-biggest steel producer, to follow the United States in punishing China with harsh tariffs.
Man jumps off Brooklyn Bridge, survives
A man jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge Tuesday in an apparent suicide attempt and survived without serious injury, police said.
The 31-year-old, described as emotionally disturbed, climbed onto a beam of the mid-section of the fabled New York span and jumped, falling around 40 meters (130 feet) into the East River.
"Apparently he tried to commit suicide," a police official told AFP.
A man jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge on April 26, 2016 in an apparent suicide attempt and survived without serious injury, police said Stan Honda (AFP/File)
A Brooklyn street party for Hillary
Agence France-Presse is running a series of reporters' blogs taking readers behind the scenes of the 2016 US election for a look at the events and attitudes shaping the White House race.
The latest contribution comes from New York, where Hillary Clinton's decisive victory this month re-set the White House race, halting a multi-state winning streak by her Democratic rival Bernie Sanders.
AFP's Jennie Matthew caught up with Clinton as she campaigned on home turf ahead of the vote, and got a glimpse of a smiling, selfie-snapping candidate with her guard down, and a spring in her step.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton celebrates victory in the New York state primary on April 19, 2016 in New York City Timothy A. Clary (AFP/File)
- Brooklyn sunshine -
Hillary Clinton doesn't often look genuinely happy in public but she did standing on the back of a truck in Brooklyn. She had just lost a string of state primaries to Bernie Sanders, but New York was home, she was ahead in the polls and the crowd loved her.
It was Sunday afternoon, the sun was shining and her supporters were hosting a block party in Bedford Stuyvesant, the African American heartland of Brooklyn fast gentrifying as affluent families, many of them white, flock to snap up brownstone houses.
It was relaxed and bursting with zeal. There was a bouncy castle and face painting for children, and free popcorn handed out with a smile. Music thumped out of loudspeakers as a DJ spun some dance tracks, a welcome change from the official campaign soundtrack of Katy Perry and Rachel Platten. A middle-aged white woman danced with her child in the road, swaying her hips to the music.
Warm-up speakers treated us to rousing tales of overcoming the odds, fueled by that American combination of faith and perseverance, and why we should all be voting for Clinton to make America more fair, more liveable and safer.
As they intoned into the microphone, cries of "she's here, she's here" rippled through the relatively small gathering, many of them women, pressed up against the front perimeter.
Looking resplendent in a green coat, make-up and hair fresh despite jetting in from Los Angeles that morning and driving in from an earlier campaign stop, Clinton was mobbed as New York Mayor Bill de Blasio introduced the woman he used to work for -- but whose run for the presidency he dragged his feet in endorsing.
Then she gamely walked up the steps onto the back of the truck, gave de Blasio a quick kiss, bear hugged some of the others and launched into a pat version of her stump speech. At the end she beamed in the sunshine, sensing the victory that eventually came that Tuesday, silencing some critics and leaving Sanders to fend off calls to quit.
- 10 minutes in a cake shop -
Not only did she seem happy, it was the most relaxed Clinton event I've been to.
At a rally in New Hampshire in February, where Clinton ultimately suffered a heavy loss to Sanders, I watched her deliver pretty much the same pitch. It was a classic Clinton performance -- articulate but rather stiff.
As for atmosphere, the small crowd left lots of empty space in the hall. The most vocal supporters were a crew of retirees bussed or flown up from Arkansas.
Bill was there too, but there was no chance of getting close to the Clintons. Text reporters were seated at the back of the room, behind a bank of cameras, having braved a queue that wrapped around the building in freezing temperatures.
Another Clinton event I covered in Harlem began with a long wait on a bus -- all to drive round the corner to spend 10 minutes watching her interact with people in a cake shop.
In Brooklyn, I sauntered in as a member of public. As did everyone else. There were no scanner machines, no questions and no ID check. Sure, the ever present secret service was there, but remarkably unobtrusive.
A pre-war apartment building directly overlooked the truck. Had the building been swept, I asked myself as a bemused resident peeled back the curtain to look down below.
- Who's next for a selfie? -
When she finished, applause rang out and the selfie circus got underway.
Clinton made her way along the front perimeter to pose for photographs. I once overhead a member of her team say selfies were a gift for Clinton. Less naturally exuberant than her husband, they filled a gap that would once have been awkward without easily flowing chit chat.
Down the road Bernie Sanders had pulled in a crowd that his campaign numbered at 28,000. Without a doubt Clinton has been unable to mobilize the fervor and passion that the white-haired Vermont senator with a gruff exterior has whipped up among young people with his calls for free college, healthcare as a right and an end to billionaires' influence on American politics.
But Clinton's fan base is loyal and committed and more importantly they turned out to vote in New York, where Democrats had to register by last October -- months before Sanders's campaign took off -- and independent voters were barred from the primary.
It's also often overlooked by a media glued to the controversies of Donald Trump, the implosion of the Republican party and the revolution espoused by Sanders, that Clinton looks more assured than ever of making history as the first woman commander-in-chief, shattering the ultimate glass ceiling.
"It was so great," enthused Abbie Scott, an African American mother who waited in the hot sun with a bored six-year-old to shake hands with Clinton. Aged 25 and looking for a job, there was no doubt in her mind that Clinton should be president.
Clinton is a fighter, she said, and proof that anyone could make it if they put their head down. "I think she's a wonderful woman."
US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's supporters shout slogans outside the Brooklyn Navy Yard ahead of the CNN Democratic Debate on April 14, 2016, in New York Jewel Samad (AFP/File)
Democratic presidential candidate former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton greets supporters during a neighborhood block party on April 17, 2016 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City Justin Sullivan (Getty/AFP/File)
North Korea sets party congress date amid nuclear test fears
North Korea on Wednesday formally set May 6 for the opening of a landmark ruling party congress -- the first in nearly four decades and an event many fear will be preceded by a fifth nuclear test.
Anticipation over the congress, last held in 1980, has been mounting since the North signalled its intention to hold the gathering way back in October.
Kim Jong-Un is expected to use the event to cement his position as supreme leader and take credit for pushing his country's nuclear weapons programme to new heights.
North Korea's last ruling party congress in Pyongyang, held in 1980 KNS (KCNA/AFP/File)
No details have been provided of the agenda, but it will be scrutinised for any key policy changes or reshuffles among the elite.
The actual starting date had been a closely guarded secret before Wednesdays announcement by the politburo of the central committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.
In a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency, the politburo said the congress -- only the seventh in the party's history -- would open on May 6 but did not specify how long it would last.
The 1980 congress took four days, and South Korea's Unification Ministry said it expected next week's gathering to go on for "four or five days".
- Fifth nuclear test? -
There has been growing speculation that North Korea may carry out a fresh nuclear test just ahead of the event as a display of national pride and strength.
On Tuesday South Korean President Park Geun-Hye said the North was understood to have "completed preparations" for a test, and could press the button at any time.
Such a move would constitute a dramatic act of defiance in the face of tough UN sanctions imposed on Pyongyang after its most recent nuclear test in January.
Some analysts have suggested that, by carrying out a fifth test so soon after the fourth, the North might hope to avoid a heavy package of additional sanctions -- but Park insisted that the international community's response would be swift and severe.
"Although the current sanctions are strong, we can impose even stronger sanctions that fill up any holes," the president said.
In recent months the North has claimed a series of major technical breakthroughs in developing what it sees as the ultimate goal of its nuclear weapons programme -- an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to targets across the continental United States.
These claims have included success in miniaturising a nuclear device to fit on a missile, developing a warhead that can withstand atmospheric re-entry and building a solid-fuel missile engine.
Earlier this month Kim monitored the test of an engine specifically designed for an ICBM that he said would "guarantee" an eventual strike on the US mainland.
- Blaming the US -
In a statement carried by KCNA late Tuesday, a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman said US hostility had pushed North Korea into making "drastic progress in bolstering nuclear attack capabilities".
In the run-up to the congress, the North has also carried out a series of provocative missile launches, including the failed test on April 15 of a powerful new medium-range ballistic missile known as a Musudan.
The South's Yonhap news agency on Tuesday quoted unidentified government sources as saying the North had put another Musudan on standby for imminent testing.
Existing UN resolutions forbid North Korea from the use of any ballistic missile-related technology.
The Musudan is believed to have a range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres (1,550 to 2,500 miles). The lower range covers the whole of South Korea and Japan, while the upper range would include US military bases on Guam.
North Korea has stoked nationalist sentiment ahead of the congress and the South Korean military said Wednesday it had detected another possible propaganda exercise, with the construction of a half-size replica of South Korea's presidential Blue House on an artillery range outside Pyongyang.
"The North is apparently preparing to showcase a mock attack on the Blue House using the replica as a target," said an official with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (right) inspects an underwater test-firing of a ballistic missile at an undisclosed location on April 23, 2016 KCNA (KCNA via KNS/AFP/File)
Former North Korean leader Kim Il-Sung speaks during a ruling party congress in Pyongyang in 1980 KNS (KCNA/AFP/File)
Kim Jong-Un's nuclear ambitions John Saeki, Adrian Leung (AFP)
North Korea's military test-fires a missile at an undisclosed location on April 23, 2016 KCNA (KCNA via KNS/AFP/File)
South Koreans watch a news report on a North Korean nuclear test at a railway station in Seoul on January 6, 2016 Jung Yeon-Je (AFP/File)
AU wades into UN dispute over Western Sahara
The African Union's envoy for Western Sahara warned at the United Nations on Tuesday that the conflict in the disputed north African territory could re-ignite again unless steps are taken to find a settlement.
Mozambique's former president Joaquim Chissano spoke at a special Security Council meeting just days before the 15-member council is to vote on renewing the mandate of the UN peace mission in Western Sahara.
The council has been divided over how to salvage the MINURSO mission after Morocco expelled 84 staffers in retaliation for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's use of the term "occupation" to describe Western Sahara.
The African Union's envoy for Western Sahara warned at the United Nations on April 26, 2016 that the conflict in the disputed north African territory could re-ignite again unless steps are taken to find a settlement Farouk Batiche, Farouk Batiche (AFP/File)
"Western Sahara may be seen as a small problem, but let us not forget that a spark can put a forest on fire," Chissano told the gathering.
The former president said he was "dismayed" by the crisis that erupted over Ban's visit to the region and criticized Morocco's decision to cut staff from the UN peace mission.
MINURSO was established in 1991 after a ceasefire ended a war that broke out when Morocco sent troops to the former Spanish territory in 1975.
Chissano pushed for a greater role for the African Union in the search for a settlement, a proposal steadfastly rejected by Morocco which views the AU as partial because of its recognition of Western Sahara.
Morocco maintains that Western Sahara is an integral part of its kingdom despite a UN resolution that tasks MINURSO with organizing a referendum on the future of the territory.
Sahrawis have long campaigned for the right to self-determination and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a full member of the African Union.
"We must give the people of Western Sahara the opportunity of choosing freely their destiny. The solution to the conflict is the holding a of referendum on the self-determination for the Sahrawi people," said Chissano.
The ex-president, who has been AU envoy for Western Sahara since 2014, also warned UN member-states against signing trade agreements with Morocco that include resources in Western Sahara.
The European Court of Justice in December struck down a European Union farm deal with Morocco because it included the Western Sahara territory.
The Security Council meeting was organized by Angola and Venezuela, which have backed calls for a settlement.
Clinton all but secures White House nomination, Trump advances lead
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were a giant step closer to their parties' presidential nominations Wednesday after crushing their respective Democratic and Republican rivals in a string of presidential primaries.
Clinton has now virtually cleared the way to become the Democratic nominee in the November presidential election, the first woman in US history to reach that milestone.
The former secretary of state won four out of five primaries Tuesday in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland and the night's big prize, the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton addresses supporters in Philadelphia on April 26, 2016 after winning the Pennsilvania state primary Eduardo Munoz Alvarez (AFP)
She conceded only the small state of Rhode Island to rival Bernie Sanders in a near sweep that gives her an almost insurmountable delegate lead.
Clinton now has 2,168 delegates, including more than 500 "super-delegates," against Sanders's 1,401, with about 1,000 more to be distributed in the 14 remaining nominating races. She needs 2,383 delegates to win the nomination.
"What a great night," Clinton told a thrilled crowd of supporters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The 68-year-old former first lady telegraphed her eagerness to shift toward the general election and a showdown with Republicans.
"Let's go forward, let's win the nomination, and in July let's return as a unified party," she said.
Clinton's strong showing heaps pressure on the well-funded Sanders, a self-styled democratic socialist senator from Vermont who vowed to battle on until the California primary on June 7.
"The people in every state in this country should have the right to determine who they want as president and what the agenda of the Democratic Party should be. That's why we are in this race until the last vote is cast," Sanders said in a statement.
"That is why this campaign is going to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia with as many delegates as possible to fight for a progressive party platform."
- 'Presumptive nominee' -
Trump swept all five presidential races held Tuesday, strengthening his grip on the Republican race.
He demolished his rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island -- a stunning show of force by a candidate seen as a populist political savior by millions despite being loathed by the party establishment.
"I consider myself the presumptive nominee," the real estate mogul told a crowd at Trump Tower in New York, despite still being short of the 1,237 delegates required to win the nomination outright.
"As far as I'm concerned, it's over."
The 69-year-old billionaire extended his lead in the delegates who will officially choose the Republican nominee at the party's convention in July.
"For weeks, the stop Trump, dump Trump movement has tried to puncture" his rise, James Morone, a political science professor at Brown University, told AFP.
"Today's results overwhelmingly tell you it's not working."
- 'Very dumb!' -
Trump also offered a preview Wednesday of what a Trump-Clinton matchup would look like, repeating on CNN his assertion that Clinton is "playing the woman card left and right."
But at her victory party in Philadelphia, Clinton told supporters that "if fighting for women's health care and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman's card, then deal me in."
Trump's triumph comes after Cruz and Kasich teamed up to try and to block the Republican frontrunners path in several upcoming primaries.
Trump slammed the alliance as "pathetic" and ineffective.
"This joke of a deal is falling apart, not being honored and almost dead," Trump said on Twitter. "Very dumb!"
A key test will come in Indiana which votes May 3. Kasich has agreed not to campaign there, giving Cruz an opportunity to compete head to head with Trump for the state's 57 delegates.
Trump now stands at 988 delegates, according to CNN's running estimate. Cruz was a distant second with 568, while Kasich increased his numbers only slightly, to 152.
But the convoluted system of delegate allocation in some states means Trump is still a considerable way from reaching 1,237.
Out of Pennsylvania's 71 delegates, only 17 are pledged to the winner, Trump. The remaining 54 are essentially wildcards, heading unpledged to the convention where they are free to vote as they see fit.
If Trump falls short of outright victory, he runs the risk that his delegates, most of whom are bound to vote for him in only the first round, will desert him in subsequent rounds.
Cruz and Kasich have openly said they are counting on a contested convention, where they have a shot at wooing enough delegates to snatch the nomination.
Trump recently faced criticism when a top aide revealed the candidate was preparing to reshape his image, but Trump insisted Wednesday morning he was not undergoing a makeover.
"I'm not going to be changing. I'm presidential anyway," he told CNN.
Delegate count following latest US primaries
US Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump speaks at Trump Tower in New York on April 26,2016 after winning primaries in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Delaware Kena Betancur (AFP)
A police officer argues with a supporter of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders blocking a street during Pennsylvania primary on April 26, 2016 in Philadelphia Eduardo Munoz Alverez (AFP)
The race for the White House Thomas SAINT-CRICQ, Kun TIAN, Paz PIZARRO (AFP)
A woman places a Trump sign outside the Simpson Voting House, built in 1891, on April 26, 2016 in New Alexandria, Pennsylvania Jeff Swensen (Getty/AFP)
It is estimated that there are more than a quarter million street dogs and a million stray cats in Puerto Rico. Above, an adult stray dog in Dorado, Puerto Rico. Photo by Ricardo Arduengo/AP Images for The HSUS
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Last year, The HSUS and Humane Society International supercharged animal protection in Puerto Rico putting unprecedented resources on the ground to turn around the sad and overwhelming plight of animals on the island. Mired in crushing debt thats made headlines across the United States, its Puerto Ricos animals that are in the most acute need. It is estimated that there are more than a quarter million street dogs and a million stray cats; there is no commonwealth law to forbid cockfighting; shelters are overcrowded, and their directors overworked and defeated.
We aim to change all of that, with comprehensive training for every law enforcement officer in Puerto Rico, with humane education for every child in its school system, with appropriate outreach and assistance to every shelter, with spay-and-neuter programs across the island, and with a campaign to upgrade and strengthen anti-cruelty laws there.
Thus far, on this island of nearly four million people, weve trained 1,200 teachers and education workers, more than 1,200 law enforcement officers, and weve offered humane education materials, including copies of Kind News magazine, and activities programs to hundreds of thousands of K-12 students. Weve signed an executive order with the governor of Puerto Rico calling for the well-being and protection of animals. We have provided resources including computers and software and training to animal shelters, and HSI has established spay/neuter/vaccination clinics in 14 towns, with a plan to expand such services to all 78 jurisdictions in Puerto Rico.
This week, our experts are in Puerto Rico specifically to train 650 law enforcement officials on various forms of animal abuse they might encounter on the job; the curriculum includes instruction concerning dogfighting, puppy mills, investigation techniques, and more. Attendees include 60 prosecutors, and we are also making plans to train judges in animal cruelty investigations so they can work more effectively with prosecutors and law enforcement.
All law enforcement attendees will receive resources to assist them in their work against animal abuse, including an evidence kit and a digital camera. As we continue working with these officials, we will move our operations to different parts of the island to make the training more accessible for locals.
To improve the lives of Puerto Ricos animals, including street dogs and cats, we are making plans to work with the commonwealths 78 mayors to build spay/neuter clinics with money that would have otherwise been used to round up and kill street dogs. We are building a coalition with veterinarians to bring them onto the same page with us and our shelter partners on spay/neuter/vaccine efforts. And we are working with the Department of Tourism and the board of directors for the Hotel & Tourism Association to reach out and educate tourists whove felt pained and helpless after seeing injured or mange-covered street dogs.
Weve been welcomed with open arms across the island. People are hungry to make Puerto Rico far more humane and friendly to animals. At this weeks training, law enforcement officials have been packing the classes. According to The HSUSs Tara Loller, who has been working in Puerto Rico since the start of the program, attendees show an incredible enthusiasm. They ask so many questions, and are truly eager to learn more about animal cruelty investigations, and how they can play a role in the transformation of circumstances for animals in Puerto Rico, Tara says. When we discuss the link between animal crimes and human violence, they connect the dots right in front of us and say they are now more aware of what to look for on all of their cases.
Walk on the wild side in China cross-dressing contest
In a bouffant blonde wig and outsize eyelashes, Yu Xiaoyang flamboyantly parades across a Shanghai stage, his fake breasts filling his skintight golden jumpsuit.
Yu was among 20 contestants taking part in a cross-dressing competition in China's commercial hub.
"At work, I have to wear a poker face from Monday to Friday, just like a zombie," said Yu, who works in the financial industry. "But Friday nights and the weekend, I can be my real self."
Yo Xiaoyang, who uses the stage name Xiao Bai meaning 'Little White', performs during preliminary round of Big Queen, a cross-dressing contest at the Icon Club in Shanghai Johannes Eisele (AFP)
Conservative attitudes remain widespread in China, where the ruling Communist Party still dictates social norms.
The country only decriminalised homosexuality in 1997 and discrimination is common, although tolerance is greater in major cities, and the Shanghai Pride group mounts an annual series of events for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and their supporters.
For its part the transvestite contest was sponsored by Twone Information Technology Co, which offers a dating app and event ticketing platform aimed at LGBT people.
"Cross-dressing plays a very important role in the pursuit of freedom and tolerance, and is a vital channel for people to see the LGBT community," said Ding Shunfeng, one of Twone's founders.
"I want them to come out and I want to unearth them and tell society that China has cross-dressing queens and their art is beautiful."
Contestant Yu -- who finished third -- used party balloons to fill out his chest and estimated he has spent tens of thousands of dollars on outfits, wigs, cosmetics and shoes.
His favourite look is a lady in white, who wears a flowing, pale chiffon gown, and he uses "Little White", or "Xiao Bai" in Chinese, as his stage name.
"I think everyone has their own special pair of heels in their hearts and wants to dress up the way they want," he said.
Some participants donned Chinese "qipao", the high-necked dress slit far up the thigh, while others sported sequin-covered dresses and short shorts.
Besides men dressing as women, the contest included one woman and a transgender individual.
The contest organisers said authorities did not interfere with the event, despite the LGBT club venue drawing large crowds on the several Friday nights it took place.
"There has been no government interference, but there is pressure from society," said Ding of Twone. "The social pressure is being labelled as an event held by sissies and perverts."
Contestants pose for a selfie before the final of Big Queen, a cross-dressing contest at the Icon Club in Shanghai Johannes Eisele (AFP)
Fake stones threaten to undermine Sri Lanka's gem trade
From the Queen of Sheba to Britain's Duchess of Cambridge, Sri Lanka's sapphires have adorned royalty through the ages, but a flood of cheap imitations is threatening the island's reputation for the precious stones.
Ceylon sapphires, known after the island's colonial-era name, enjoyed a huge boost five years ago when it was revealed that one formed the centrepiece of the engagement ring Prince William gave Catherine Middleton.
They are renowned as the best sapphires in the world, but gem traders say artificial stones -- coloured glass that to the untrained eye are virtually indistinguishable from sapphires -- are being passed off as the real thing to unsuspecting buyers.
A Sri Lankan artisan produces jewellery at a workshop in Bentota, some 65 km south of Colombo Lakruwan Wanniarachchi (AFP)
They fear that is tarnishing the image of the gems, seen as a major potential income stream for an economy still recovering from decades of civil war.
"This is the biggest threat to our industry. Our reputation is at stake," said Nissanka Weerasena, who owns a chain of upmarket jewellery stores in Sri Lanka.
"These coloured pieces of glass imported by the kilo are killing the market for gems."
Stories of buyers getting conned into buying fakes are legion.
National Gem and Jewellery Authority chairman Asanka Welagedara recalled how one Australian buyer who spent $14,000 only discovered that nearly half the stones he had been sold were fakes when he had them tested by the state-run regulator -- by which time it was too late.
Another scam is to heat treat opaque, semi-precious stones to give them the colour and clarity of a real sapphire.
"The technique of heat treating semi-precious stones originated in Thailand, but our people have now perfected the art," Welagedara said.
"There is a 10-fold price difference between a heat-treated blue sapphire and a natural stone, so naturally there is a temptation to sell treated stones as natural ones."
Problems are particularly common along Sri Lanka's southern coast, a popular tourist draw.
"We are seeing a new trend of cheating, especially along the coastal tourist belt," said a senior Sri Lankan police officer who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity.
- Illegal miners -
Geologists say more than four-fifths of Sri Lanka's 65,000 square kilometre (25,000 square mile) land mass could contain underground gems.
The best-know mining area is Ratnapura, or the City of Gems, where a stone thought to be the largest blue star sapphire in the world was discovered last year.
Blue star sapphires, so called because they reveal a six-line star when placed under light, are particularly sought after.
The owner -- a Sri Lankan gem dealer who told AFP he wanted to remain anonymous for fear of being robbed -- has valued the stone at $300 million, although he won't disclose how much he paid for it.
On the banks of the Kalu river that flows through Ratnapura, hundreds of young men pan for gems, hoping that they too might one day strike it rich.
Officially, there are 200,000 miners employed in the industry, but another half a million are believed to be working illegally.
Eranga Kumara, 22, is an illegal prospector who dives between 10 and 15 feet (three and 4.5 metres) to the river bed to look for stones.
"Usually we get a few stones and I make about 10,000 rupees ($70) a day," Kumara told AFP on the banks of the Kalu river as his friends kept a look out for police.
"But we can only work during the dry season, from January to March."
Dulgalage Jayatillake acts as a middleman between these small-time miners and the merchants who come to Ratnapura from Colombo and elsewhere in search of gems.
At a makeshift exchange on a bridge in Ratnapura where he and dozens of others line up every morning waiting for buyers, there are concerns that artificial stones are scaring away buyers.
"I meet the miners directly and buy from them. That is to make sure I don't get caught out by fakes," Jayatillake told AFP.
"Imitation stones are giving everyone a bad name."
The Gem and Jewellery Authority says it can't stop the import of artificial stones, which are necessary for the low-end costume jewellery industry.
But it is taking steps to prevent fraud by vetting dealers and giving them a stamp of approval that buyers can trust.
For 500 rupees ($3.50) it will issue a certificate of authenticity, which its chairman Welagedara says is the "best guarantee against fraud".
Gem expert Rohan Pitigala said it was difficult for the untrained eye to spot an imitation gem stone, but not impossible.
"If you see a stone which is flawless it is too good to be true," he said.
Sri Lankan jewellery dealer Nisha Abeygunawardena poses for a photo at one of his stores in Bentota, some 65 km south of Colombo Lakruwan Wanniarachchi (AFP)
Experts say it is difficult for untrained eye to spot an imitation gem stone, but not impossible Lakruwan Wanniarachchi (AFP)
Officially, there are 200,000 gem miners employed in Sri Lanka, but another half a million are believed to be working illegally Lakruwan Wanniarachchi (AFP)
Myanmar landmine blast wounds German tourists, guide
Two German travellers and their local guide were wounded by shrapnel from a landmine in north Myanmar, close to an area of recent heavy fighting between ethnic minority rebel groups, officials said on Wednesday.
The pair, both 24, were taken to hospital in Myanmar's second largest city Mandalay late Tuesday evening after sustaining injuries earlier in the day when they triggered the mine near rural Kyaukme township in war-torn northern Shan State.
Neither were seriously wounded, according to local officials.
German tourist Wiebke Roesler (L), who was injured in a landmine explosion in Myanmar's northeastern Shan State, arrives at Mandalay hospital for treatment, on April 26, 2016 - (AFP)
"Villagers carried them to the local hospital and we took the victims from there," Tin Maung Thein, the head of a local aid group Zevita, told AFP.
An AFP photographer saw the pair arrive at Mandalay hospital late Tuesday night. The female tourist, Wiebke Rosler, was seen in a wheelchair with a small bandage on her face while her companion Felix Zimmermann was walking wounded carrying a drip.
A military source stationed in the area said that Rosler had suffered injuries to her right arm and forehead, while Zimmermann was unable to hear in his left ear after the blast.
The army source, who asked not to be named, said the guide Sai Khun Oo had suffered scattered shrapnel wounds to his legs.
Myanmar is littered with landmines as a result of decades of bitter fighting between ethnic minority armed groups and the national military, which held the country in the iron grip of dictatorship until 2011.
The country is one of only a handful of nations still laying the explosives and so far tentative peace negotiations have failed to stop the continued use of the devastating bombs, or to open the door for any significant efforts to remove them.
According to the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, about 45 people were killed and more than 200 were injured by mines in 2014, although it conceded that accurate figures were difficult to ascertain and said the real numbers may be far higher.
Heavy fighting in Shan state erupted in February between two rebel groups -- the Restoration Council for Shan State (RCSS) and the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) -- raising fears that peace efforts could be fracturing and temporarily displacing several thousand people, many in Kyaukme.
Australia says no change on borders despite PNG ruling
Australia on Wednesday insisted its controversial border protection policy remains valid despite a Papua New Guinea court ruling the detention of asylum-seekers in the country was unconstitutional and illegal.
Canberra has been criticised internationally for sending asylum-seekers who attempt to enter the country by boat to remote processing centres on Manus island or the tiny Pacific outpost of Nauru.
It says its actions deter others wanting to make the risky journey, often from Indonesia.
Pro-refugee activists demonstrate in Brisbane, Australia, in February 2016 Patrick Hamilton (AFP/File)
Papua New Guinea's former opposition leader Belden Namah challenged the Manus arrangement in court, claiming it violated the rights of asylum-seekers.
In a 34-page finding on Tuesday, the Supreme Court found that detaining them on the island was "contrary to their constitutional right of personal liberty".
Despite this, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton remained adamant that none of the 850 men held there would come to Australia and the government's policy would not change.
"We want to see people off Manus and off Nauru, but they won't be coming to Australia," he told national radio.
"The government's been very clear and consistent in that message... we'll work with PNG and provide what support is needed to them to help people return to their country of origin or to a third country," he added.
Canberra currently has an arrangement with Cambodia, along with PNG, to resettle those found to be refugees.
Australian media have reported that it is also trying to negotiate deals with Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
The court ruled that the Australian and Papua New Guinean governments must "take all steps necessary to cease and prevent" the continued detention of asylum-seekers and transferees on Manus, with refugee advocates demanding the detention centre be closed.
The Australian Lawyers Alliance has said the ruling could open the door to asylum-seekers making damages claims for alleged false imprisonment.
Although the Manus centre is funded by Australia, Dutton said Canberra did not have to bow to the court of a regional neighbour and it was Port Moresby's responsibility to decide what to do next in relation to the detention centre.
The Australian newspaper said PNG may consider passing new laws to overcome the ruling, or send detainees to a regional processing centre elsewhere in the country.
It could also adopt a similar policy to Nauru, where the government last October said the Regional Processing Centre had been converted into an "open centre", giving its inhabitants freedom of movement.
An asylum seeker is seen walking between tents at Australia's processing centre on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea Refugee Action Coalition (Refugee Action Coalition/AFP/File)
Encryption row spotlights fears on security, privacy
Has encryption technology given the bad guys a way to operate in the dark? Or has the new tech age gifted law enforcement with unprecedented surveillance powers?
A weeks-long showdown between the FBI and Apple ended last month without a clear winner, but the debate rages on over government access to encrypted data in an era of evolving mobile technology.
Some worry new forms of encryption are creating dark corners for criminals and terrorists to conspire in secret, while others contend just the opposite -- that it has led to a golden age for snooping on citizens.
A weeks-long showdown between the FBI and Apple ended last month without a clear winner, but the debate rages on over government access to encrypted data in an era of evolving mobile technology Kena Betancur (AFP/File)
On both sides, the passions run deep.
The US government dropped its legal battle to compel Apple to help unlock an iPhone used by one of the shooters in the December killing rampage in San Bernardino, California, after saying it had found a means to do so without Apple's help.
But those involved say it's only a matter of time before a new case emerges which tests the boundaries of law enforcement and data protection.
"This has created one of the most difficult policy dilemmas of the digital age, as encryption both improves security for consumers and businesses and makes it harder for governments to protect them from other threats," said a policy paper from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a Washington think tank.
"There is no way to square this circle, so any choice will come with tradeoffs."
- Going dark? -
For years the debate on encryption, privacy and security had been simmering, amid warnings from the FBI and others that law enforcement was "going dark" in an age of new mobile technology, where traditional tools like wiretaps don't always work and wrongdoers can increasingly operate unseen.
But revelations from former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden stoked fears that electronic surveillance has on the contrary become pervasive and in some cases spun out of control.
Moves by Apple and Google to step up encryption, making it impossible for the companies themselves to use "keys" to unlock data, made the debate all the more urgent.
So did reports that attackers in last November's Paris massacre may have used encrypted communications to avoid detection.
More recently, WhatsApp said it had implemented "end to end encryption" that would allow only those sending and receiving messages to view the content.
"No one can see inside that message. Not cybercriminals. Not hackers. Not oppressive regimes. Not even us," said the Facebook-owned messaging service with a billion users worldwide.
Its move has drawn fierce criticism, with US Senator Tom Cotton calling it "an open invitation to terrorists, drug dealers, and sexual predators to use WhatsApp's services to endanger the American people."
- Absolute privacy? -
David Bitkower, a senior official in the Justice Department criminal division, notes a tendency "to understate the risks to public safety from the implementation of warrant-proof encryption" -- a term cited by the FBI and others to describe encryption so tough that investigators cannot access data with a court order.
Bitkower, speaking at an ITIF forum, argued that it's not clear "end to end" encryption will make people safer than prior generations, when companies stored data that could be requested under court order.
"It's very important to recognize there are tradeoffs to be made," he told the forum.
FBI director James Comey also warned of dangers from these new tools.
"I love strong encryption. It protects us in so many ways from bad people," he told a group of students in Ohio recently.
"Many of us like the idea of a storage space in our lives that no one can get into. But it takes us to a place -- absolute privacy -- that we have not been to before... No matter how you feel about it, you have to understand there are costs to this new world."
The next key chapter in the debate is set to play out in Congress, where a proposal that would require tech firms to enable law enforcement access has been drafted. Similar measures are under consideration in Britain, France and other countries.
"No entity or individual is above the law," said Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat sponsoring the measure with Republican Richard Burr.
"Today, terrorists and criminals are increasingly using encryption to foil law enforcement efforts, even in the face of a court order. We need strong encryption to protect personal data, but we also need to know when terrorists are plotting to kill Americans."
Meanwhile a broad coalition of technology companies and activists backing Apple have argued against any rules to allow "special access" for law enforcement, claiming these would create vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers or repressive governments.
- Digital 'breadcrumb' trail -
Critics of the FBI claim the government's complaints about "going dark" are disingenuous -- saying the digital age has made more data available, but that law enforcement is failing to use its tools productively.
"We live in a 'golden age' of surveillance, more so than in any other point in history," said Amit Yoran, president of the security firm RSA, at a congressional hearing.
"In just about everything we do, we leave an incredibly insightful digital breadcrumb trail."
Yoran said law enforcement "has an overwhelming volume of information readily available to it, creating challenges to efficiently manage and fully leverage it."
Chris Calabrese of the Center for Democracy and Technology argued the smartphone has become a highly personal device that includes users' most private thoughts and conversations.
"We're not saying that the government should never be able to look at your phone," Calabrese said.
"What we're saying is that the phone is incredibly sensitive. It is perhaps one of the most private spaces that exist today and has ever existed in America.
"Therefore, it deserves a commensurate high level of security and we need really good arguments for why that security should be breached."
Australia immigration turmoil as Papua New Guinea closes camp
Australia's hardline immigration policy was thrown into turmoil Wednesday after Papua New Guinea ordered a processing camp to close, leaving the fate of hundreds of asylum-seekers hanging in the balance.
The move to shutter the Australian-funded Manus island facility follows a Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday that detaining people there was unconstitutional and illegal.
Piling further pressure on Canberra, just weeks out from an expected election campaign, an Iranian refugee set himself on fire during a visit by UN officials to Nauru, the other Pacific nation where Australia sends boatpeople.
The Supreme Court ruled that detaining people at the Manus Island facility was unconstitutional and illegal Refugee Action Coalition (Refugee Action Coalition/AFP/File)
Four others on the tiny outpost reportedly attempted suicide by drinking washing powder on Tuesday.
"Respecting this (court) ruling, Papua New Guinea will immediately ask the Australian government to make alternative arrangements for the asylum-seekers currently held at the Regional Processing Centre," Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said of the Manus camp.
Papua New Guinea's former opposition leader Belden Namah had challenged the Manus arrangement in court, claiming it violated the rights of asylum-seekers.
In a 34-page finding on Tuesday, the Supreme Court found that detaining them on the island was "contrary to their constitutional right of personal liberty".
Despite this, Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton remained adamant that none of the 850 or so men held there would come to his country and that the government's policy -- designed to deter others wanting to make the risky journey by boat -- would not change.
"As I have said, and as the Australian government has consistently acted, we will work with our PNG partners to address the issues raised by the Supreme Court of PNG," he said in a statement after O'Neill's decision.
"It is also the case that the government has not resiled from its position that people who have attempted to come illegally by boat to Australia and who are now in the Manus facility will not be settled in Australia.
"We will continue discussions with the PNG government to resolve these matters."
Canberra currently has an arrangement with Cambodia, along with Papua New Guinea, to resettle those found to be refugees, although only a handful have taken up the option.
Australian media have reported that it is also trying to negotiate deals with Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
- No timeframe -
The court ruled that Australia and Papua New Guinea must "take all steps necessary to cease and prevent" the continued detention of asylum-seekers and transferees on Manus.
O'Neill did not set a timeframe for the closure.
He said he did not anticipate asylum-seekers being kept for so long at the Manus camp, which was reopened in 2012 by Australia after being closed five years earlier when the then Labor government abandoned offshore processing.
Offshore processing, and the use of Manus, was first introduced in 2001 as a deterrent to people-smuggling by Australia's former conservative government of John Howard in a punitive scheme known as the "Pacific Solution".
"For those that have been deemed to be legitimate refugees, we invite them to live in Papua New Guinea only if they want to be a part of our society and make a contribution to our community," O'Neill said.
"It is clear that several of these refugees do not want to settle in Papua New Guinea and that is their decision."
The comments come after an Iranian man set himself on fire on Nauru Wednesday during a routine visit by a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees delegation. Dutton said the man was in a serious condition and would be air-lifted to Australia.
The Refugee Action Coalition, an activist group, said the four others who attempted suicide were treated by medical staff on the island.
Dutton made clear any asylum-seeker looking to come to Australia for medical treatment would not be allowed to stay.
"What we've been very clear about is that if people come to Australia for medical assistance they'll be returning back to Nauru once that medical assistance has been provided," he said.
Pro-refugee activists demonstrate in Brisbane, Australia, in February Patrick Hamilton (AFP/File)
Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton is adamant that none of the 850 detainees held on Manus Island will come to his country Peter Parks (AFP/File)
Iranian refugee sets himself on fire on Nauru during UN visit
An Iranian refugee set himself on fire Wednesday during a visit by UN officials to Nauru, Canberra said, with four others reportedly attempting suicide.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton revealed the 23-year-old would be air-lifted from the Pacific island to hospital in Australia, but made clear that if he survived and recovered he would be sent back.
"I can inform you that there was a 23-year-old male who had originally come from Iran, by boat, was on Nauru and outside of the detention centre, in fact in one of the settlement areas, had set himself alight, self-immolated this morning," he told a press conference.
People protest outside an immigration office in Sydney, in February 2016 William West (AFP/File)
"He's in a very serious condition and the plan is to provide an air-lift for him later tonight but he is in a very, very serious condition and his outlook is not good at all."
Officials have not said why the man set himself on fire.
Canberra sends asylum-seekers who attempt to enter the country by boat to remote processing centres in Papua New Guinea or Nauru, with no hope of being settled in Australia.
The policy has been heavily criticised internationally, including by the UN, and in October Nauru's Regional Processing Centre was converted into an "open centre", giving its inhabitants freedom of movement.
It was not clear how long the Iranian had been on Nauru, but Dutton said his self-immolation coincided with a routine visit by a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees delegation.
The Refugee Action Coalition, an activist group, said four others attempted suicide on Tuesday evening by drinking washing powder and were being treated by medical staff on the island.
"My advice is that there have been other incidents where people have self-harmed or sought to self-harm," Dutton said when asked about the four, while making clear that anyone looking to come to Australia for medical treatment would not be able to stay.
"What we've been very clear about is that if people come to Australia for medical assistance they'll be returning back to Nauru once that medical assistance has been provided," he said.
Three people were returned to Nauru by plane on Wednesday, Dutton added.
"So if people think that through action of self-harm or harming a member of their family that that is going to result in them coming to Australia and staying here permanently, that will not be the outcome."
Canberra has long defended its policy of denying asylum-seekers resettlement in Australia, saying it has prevented deaths at sea and secured the nation's borders. Rights groups have long criticised the policy and conditions in the camps.
Iran parliament in the balance in election run-offs
Nearly a quarter of Iran's parliamentary seats are at stake Friday in an election in which reformists want to consolidate their recent comeback and minimise the clout of hardline lawmakers.
The second round run-offs were triggered because no candidate in 68 constituencies managed to win 25 percent of votes cast in the initial nationwide ballot on February 26.
Reformists who backed the country's moderate President Hassan Rouhani made big gains in the first round following Iran's implementation of a nuclear deal with world powers, which lifted sanctions blamed for long hobbling the economy.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei casts his vote at a polling station in Tehran on February 26, 2016
Conservative MPs, including vehement opponents of the West who openly criticised the landmark agreement that reined in Iran's atomic programme, lost dozens of seats.
In the capital, even the head of the conservative coalition was ejected, in a wipeout that saw the reformist faction -- known as the List of Hope -- win all 30 seats.
Despite that loss, the conservatives held on nationally, winning 103 seats against 95 for their reformist and moderate rivals in the 290-member parliament.
But the split result -- other seats were won by nominally independent candidates and minorities -- meant no faction won a majority.
Friday's contest, which sees the top two candidates in initial voting stand for the remaining seats in cities such as Tabriz and Shiraz, as well as dozens of smaller towns, could change that. A run-off in the city of Isfahan has been postponed to a later date.
Mohammad Reza Aref, leader of the pro-Rouhani List of Hope, has set a target of at least another 40 seats, reiterating that February's poll showed Iranians want change and greater influence in parliament would make reforms more likely.
Unlike the vote two months ago, there has been little attention on Friday's election, which has been overshadowed by concern in Tehran that no benefits are being generated by the nuclear deal.
The agreement between Iran and six powers -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany -- became possible because supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei backed Rouhani's government.
- Nuclear deal in dispute -
However Khamenei and top officials have since warned that the United States is not keeping its side of the bargain and is instead erecting barriers for European banks seeking to work in Iran.
February's voting came less than six weeks after the nuclear deal formally came into force.
Although Rouhani's reformist and moderate allies didn't win the most seats, the president will likely be able to muster support from key backers across Iran's political spectrum and create a working majority when the new parliament is sworn in next month.
The election gave him more leverage to push for reform-minded legislation, and economic changes, including new laws to encourage foreign investment and privatisation of state industries, are expected.
The most dramatic outcome in February's election, however, was the resurgence of the reformists, a political camp largely silenced after a disputed election in 2009 saw Rouhani's hardline predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, returned to office.
That vote was followed by bloody street protests in which dozens of people were killed.
If conservatives perform more strongly on Friday amid concern over the nuclear deal -- Rouhani's main achievement since his landslide election win in June 2013 -- his hopes for a more pro-government parliament could founder.
The conservatives have not changed tack since February's voting, keeping up pressure over what they say is a silent agenda among reformists to give up the principles of the 1979 Islamic revolution.
"We hope that people in this round can have a parliament in line with the goals of Imam and the leadership by electing principlists," said Gholam-Ali Hadad Adel, head of the conservative coalition.
He was referring to revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and his successor Khamenei, who is Iran's ultimate authority.
From a population of almost 80 million -- 60 percent of whom are aged 30 or under -- 62 percent of 55 million eligible voters cast ballots in February. Around 17 million people are eligible to vote on Friday.
An Iranian woman shows her inked finger after casting her ballot at a polling station in Tehran on February 26, 2016 Atta Kenare (AFP/File)
Iran fact file Laurence SAUBADU, Kun TIAN, Colin HENRY (AFP)
Reformists who backed the country's moderate President Hassan Rouhani (C) made big gains in the first round of Iran's parliamentary election following the implementation of a nuclear deal with world powers Chavosh Homavandi (AFP/File)
Taiwan's president-elect says democracy at heart of China ties
Taiwan's president-elect said on Wednesday that democracy would be at the heart of future relations with China after they hit bumps recently over sensitive issues like the forced deportation of Taiwanese suspects from Kenya to the mainland.
Tsai Ing-wen, who will take office on May 20 as the island's first female president, repeated her vow to maintain the "status quo" across the Taiwan Strait that separates the island from the mainland.
"I have said several times in the past that the new government will do whatever we can to sustain the peace and stability of cross-strait ties and make them consistent and predictable," Tsai said.
Taiwan's President-elected Tsai Ing-wen, seen during a press conference in Taipei, on March 15, 2016 Sam Yeh (AFP/File)
"I'll abide by my promise," she said while visiting the Mainland Affairs Council, where she served as minister for four years until 2004.
But Tsai also highlighted a policy change when her China-sceptic Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) takes over the government from the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang party.
"What will be different from the past eight years is that the promotion of cross-strait ties will have to be based on the principle of democracy and people's desires" irregardless of the position of any individual political party, she said.
"Only through this can cross-strait ties be managed over a long period and the maintenance of the status quo be meaningful."
Before January's presidential vote Tsai accused the Kuomintang government of handling relations with China through an opaque process not properly overseen by parliament.
Taipei earlier this month blasted Beijing for being "rude and violent" over the deportation of 45 Taiwanese from Kenya to China, where they face investigation for fraud.
There was another bout of diplomatic sparring when Malaysia deported 20 Taiwanese fraud suspects to Taiwan, even though Chinese authorities said their offences were committed on the mainland.
Observers say China is stepping up pressure on Tsai because it does not trust her party, which has historically been pro-independence.
Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war. But Beijing still considers the island part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.
Ties improved markedly after the Kuomintang's Ma Ying-jeou came to power in 2008, pledging to strengthen trade and tourism links. He was re-elected in 2012.
But public sentiment in Taiwan has largely turned against the Beijing-friendly approach, with voters saying trade deals have been agreed in secret and not benefited ordinary citizens.
Australian police charge four over terror killing
Australian authorities on Wednesday charged four men over a 2015 attack in which a teenage boy shot dead a police employee, alleging all were members of a terror organisation.
Farhad Jabar, 15, shot senior accountant Curtis Cheng, 58, outside Sydney police headquarters where he worked last October. The teenager was killed in gunfire shortly afterwards.
New South Wales Deputy Commissioner of police Catherine Burn said the four had been charged with conspiring to carry out an act in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act.
Australian Federal Police officers exit a house as four people were arrested over the terror-linked murder of a police employee, in Sydney, in October 2015 Williams West (AFP/File)
"We do allege that these four people acted together in concert and the fifth person, the 15-year-old, was a part of that," she told a press conference.
She said the charges reflect "the criminality of all of them involved to come together to actually prepare and plan to do an absolutely heinous criminal act which resulted in the murder of a police employee".
The men, aged 18, 20, 22 and 23, have all been charged with membership of a terrorist organisation, Burn added, without revealing the name of the group or groups.
The 20-year-old is also accused of assisting the travel of the teenage gunman's sister to Syria on the day before the murder.
All four men are in custody and expected to appear in court on Thursday.
Australia has long been concerned about home-grown extremism and raised the terror threat alert level to high in September 2014.
Police have repeatedly warned about the young age of those apparently drawn to extremist ideology and incited to commit acts of terror.
On Sunday police charged a 16-year-old Sydney boy with preparing a terror attack linked to Anzac Day commemorations honouring servicemen and women. He has pleaded not guilty.
Medical and surgical residents and faculty at Easton Hospital earned recognition for research and teaching.
In the surgical residency program, Dr. B. Jakub Wilhelm, chief resident, was selected by the Drexel University College of Medicine, Class of 2017, as a Resident Physician Golden Apple Award winner for his excellence in teaching.
Dr. Wilhelm also earned the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award as awarded by Drexel students in 2014.
Dr. Raafia Mermon (Courtesy photo)
At the Endocrine Society of North America held in Boston, Mass. Dr. Raafia Memon, internal medicine resident, had four research presentations accepted and was also awarded the Helmsley Charitable Trust Research Award for the best research paper in Type 1 Diabetes.
Dr. Mermon's paper included faculty assistance and support from Drs. Varad Vyas, Rajeeve Thachil, Richard Snyder and Mahesh Krishnamurthy.
Two internal medicine residents were also on hand at the American College of Cardiology meeting in Chicago. Dr. M. Umar Farooq and his faculty mentor Dr. Daniel Mascarenhas were accepted for a podium presentation in the Highlighted Original Research session.
Dr. M. Umar Farooq (Courtesy photo)
Dr. Richie Manikat (Courtesy photo)
Easton Hospital stood alongside Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic and two international universities. They presented their work on cardiac monitors used to guide management of Atrial fibrillation and anticoagulation.
Dr. Richie Manikat had a poster presentation accepted for his work with faculty mentor, Dr. Farhad Elmi.
Chinese rights activist Harry Wu dies at 79
Longtime Chinese human rights champion and former political prisoner Harry Wu, who advocated on behalf of those in brutal forced labor camps, has died at age 79, according to his research foundation.
Wu died Tuesday morning while vacationing in Honduras with friends, the Laogai Research Foundation said in a statement.
He founded the organization in 1992 to analyze and raise awareness about China's "laogai" or forced labor detention centers, which began under Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong.
Chinese human rights activist Harry Wu, pictured in 2009, has died aged 79 on April 26, 2016 Mandel Ngan (AFP/File)
While studying at university in China, Wu was sentenced to 19 years in prison after speaking out against the Soviet Union, an ally of China.
He claimed to have spent time in 12 different labor camps, surviving a system thought to have claimed the lives of millions, including many punished for political crimes.
He was released in 1979 and in 1985 came to the United States, where he became a citizen and worked to raise awareness about the laogai.
Through his foundation, he played a prominent role in pushing the US government to address human rights issues in China, frequently speaking in front of Congressional committees and meeting with prominent American politicians, including former President George W. Bush.
Wu was arrested in China in 1995 on charges of espionage in retaliation for his human rights work.
The incident nearly derailed a trip by then US first lady Hillary Clinton to China to speak at a UN conference on women.
Beijing ultimately deported Wu after first sentencing him to 15 years in prison during a speedy trial a week before the meeting.
Wu, an author of multiple books, also founded the Laogai Museum in Washington, devoted to telling the story of those subjected to the system.
China has carried out some penal reforms, but Wu's foundation says that "the fundamental structure of the laogai system remains intact".
In 1994, he became the first recipient of the Martin Ennals Award -- known as the Nobel Prize for human rights, and continued to campaign against other human rights abuses, including China's forced organ harvesting and population control measures.
He is survived by his son Harrison and former wife Ching Lee, according to the Washington-based Laogai Research Foundation.
Chinese Human Rights Activist Harry Wu in 2009 attends a conference marking the reuniting for the first time of three prisoners jailed for their involvement in the Tiananmen protests Tim Sloan (AFP/File)
First shipment of US natural gas to EU arrives
In a move which could lead to continental price wars and reduce Russian market domination, the first shipment of US natural gas to the European Union arrived overnight Tuesday in the Portuguese port of Sines, an AFP journalist reported.
The first consignment of US gas for European distribution comes amid the shale gas revolution which Washington hopes will see it become a player in an EU market where Russia is currently the main supplier.
The Sines consignment designated for Portuguese firm Galp Energia arrived in Creole Spirit, a cargo vessel of Houston-based Cheniere Energy.
The first consignment of US gas for European distribution comes amid the shale gas revolution which Washington hopes will see it become a player in an EU market where Russia is currently the main supplier David McNew (Getty/AFP/File)
Galp said it had bought one terawatt hour, enough for a week of Portuguese consumption or two percent of annual demand, of gas from Cheniere's Sabine Pass gas terminal in Louisiana.
With the development of shale the United States has become the world's biggest gas producer and is set to become a net exporter this year.
US gas has already shipped to Argentina and Brazil, as well as India.
"This consignment of US gas, which represents around one percent of Galp Energia's annual buy, is destined for customers on the Iberian peninsula," a spokesman for the firm told AFP.
Cheniere Energy is the first US group to exporter natural gas liquified at its Sabine Pass installations and soon at another facility in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Europe is chasing new outlets following Russia's and Ukraine's energy supply battles of recent years. Russia supplies a third of EU natural gas supplies.
Other consignments are due to follow following US accords with EDF and Engie of France and British Gas.
France's Engie has a deal with Cheniere to buy up to 12 cargoes of LNG a year between 2018 and 2023.
In 2008 Cheniere was still banking on the opposite strategy of gas imports. But the gush of gas from shale fields, enabled by developments in hydraulic fracturing or fracking technology, turned the tables.
US natural gas production shot up nearly 43 percent between 2010 and 2014 on the surge in shale output.
Natural gas produced in Europe costs about $4.18 (3.69 euros) per million BTUs (British thermal unit), compared with roughly $2 in the United States. With a transportation cost estimated at 50 cents per million BTUs, the US price remains attractive.
Two Palestinians shot dead after checkpoint attack bid: Israel
Israeli police shot dead two Palestinians at a checkpoint between east Jerusalem and the West Bank on Wednesday after one of them threw a knife at them, a spokeswoman said.
"Officers and border policemen at the Qalandia checkpoint saw male and female (Palestinians) walking towards the passage for cars only, with the woman's hand concealed in a purse and the man's hand behind his back holding something," spokeswoman Luba Samri said.
"Police ordered them to stop a number of times without success.
Israeli paramedics wheel a Palestinian man into an ambulance after two Palestinians were shot dead at the Qalandia checkpoint in the West Bank on April 27, 2016 Ahmad Gharabli (AFP)
"The female terrorist stopped a short distance from the officers, then walked the other way with the man, when she suddenly turned around to face the officers again, pulled a knife that was in her purse and threw it at an officer near her," she said.
A second knife identical to the woman's was found in the man's belt, she said, in addition to a butterfly knife.
No Israelis were wounded.
The Palestinian health ministry identified the woman as Maram Abu Ismail, 23, from the nearby West Bank village of Beit Surik, and her brother, Ibrahim Saleh Taha, 16.
Alaa, a witness who works near the checkpoint, told AFP: "Policemen shouted at them to go back and they seemed not to know what to do any more.
"They shot the girl first and then the man looked like he didn't know what to do. He tried to go back but they shot him too."
Following the shootings, soldiers threw tear-gas canisters to disperse the crowds at the heavily fortified checkpoint on the northern outskirts of Jerusalem.
The incident is the latest in a wave of violence that has killed 203 Palestinians and 28 Israelis since last October.
Philippines' Aquino vows to 'neutralise' Abu Sayyaf kidnappers
Philippine President Benigno Aquino vowed Wednesday to launch a military assault aimed at "neutralising" Islamic militants who beheaded a Canadian hostage and are holding more than 20 other foreigners.
"Casualties are to be expected. But what has to be of utmost importance is neutralising the criminal activities of the ASG," Aquino said in a statement, referring to the Abu Sayyaf militant group by a commonly used acronym.
Aquino released the statement after the severed head of Canadian John Ridsdel, kidnapped seven months ago from aboard a yacht, was dumped Monday on a street on Jolo, a remote southern island that is one of the Abu Sayyaf's main strongholds.
A Philippine military helicopter is loaded with body bags of soldiers killed in a clash with members of the Abu Sayyaf group, in the southern island of Mindanao in 2013
"This murder was meant to terrorise our whole population. The Abu Sayyaf thought they could instill fear in us. Instead, they have galvanised us even further to ensure justice is meted out," Aquino said.
"We have always been open to talks with those who desire peace, but those who commit atrocities can expect the full might of the state."
He did not give a timeframe for the assault.
The Abu Sayyaf militants, whose leaders have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, are holding more than 20 other foreigners captive.
These include another Canadian, a Norwegian man and a Filipina who were abducted at the same time as Ridsdel at a marina near Davao, the biggest city in the southern Philippines and about 600 kilometres (370 miles) from Jolo.
The Abu Sayyaf is also believed to be holding a Dutch birdwatcher kidnapped from a southern Philippine island in 2012, as well as 18 Indonesian and Malaysian sailors abducted over the past month.
Aquino said the captives were under the control of Radullan Sahiron, one of the Abu Sayyaf's founders who is famous for losing one arm in battle against the military.
- 'Smash' the Abu Sayyaf -
He said Sahiron had consolidated his forces around himself and the captives in Sulu, a small Muslim-populated archipelago about 1,000 kilometres from Manila. Jolo is the biggest island in Sulu.
"This presents both a problem and an opportunity. It is a problem because of the sizeable force surrounding Sahiron and the captives, but it is also an opportunity because smashing these forces is within our grasp," Aquino said.
The Abu Sayyaf is a radical offshoot of a Muslim separatist insurgency in the south of the mainly Catholic Philippines that has claimed more than 100,000 lives since the 1970s.
It is believed to have just a few hundred militants but has withstood repeated US-backed military offensives against it, surviving by using the mountainous, jungle terrain of the southern islands to its advantage.
Although the Abu Sayyaf's leaders have pledged allegiance to IS, analysts say they are mainly focused on their lucrative kidnappings-for-ransom rather than setting up an Islamic caliphate.
Abu Sayyaf gangs have earned many millions of dollars from kidnapping foreigners and locals since the early 1990s.
One of the Abu Sayyaf's biggest recent windfalls is believed to have come in 2014 when it claimed to have been paid more than $5 million for the release of a German couple abducted from aboard their yacht in the southwest Philippines.
- Manny Pacquaio kidnap plot -
Aquino also revealed a series of alleged Abu Sayyaf plots to kidnap Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao and the president's younger sister, Kris, a popular television personality.
He said Isnilon Hapilon, who Islamic State has recognised as a local Filipino leader, was behind these plots.
He said Hapilon and other Abu Sayyaf leaders had wanted to conduct the kidnappings, conduct bombings in Manila and even assassinate himself so that IS would give them funds and resources.
He reassured the public that key leaders involved in these plots had been arrested and those threats had been put "to bed".
However he also said Hapilon was on Basilan island, the other key Abu Sayyaf stronghold neighbouring Jolo, and that military assaults against him were continuing.
On April 9, 18 Filipino soldiers were killed as they waged a day-long battle against Abu Sayyaf gunmen on Basilan.
Also Wednesday, the Philippines said it was considering launching joint sea patrols with Malaysia and Indonesia in the waters where the recent kidnappings of the sailors occurred.
The Abu Sayyaf group Adrian Leung, Gal Roma (AFP)
Canadian tourist John Ridsdel was beheaded after being kidnapped by gunmen on Samal island in September 2015
Philippine President Benigno Aquino (R) talks to a soldier wounded in clashes with Abu Sayyaf militants, at a military hospital in Zamboanga City, Mindanao on April 13, 2016 Benhur Arcayan (MPB/AFP/File)
Turkey PM says draft constitution will guarantee secularism
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Wednesday pledged that Turkey's draft constitution would guarantee secularism after calls for a religious charter sparked controversy in the predominantly Muslim country.
"Secularism will feature in the new constitution we draft as a principle that guarantees citizens' freedom of religion and faith and that ensures the state is at an equal distance from all faith groups," Davutoglu said in a televised speech.
He said Turkey's secular and democratic character was "not up for debate" under the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which has been in power since 2002.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has pledged that Turkey's draft constitution will guarantee secularism Adem Altan (AFP/File)
Parliament speaker Ismail Kahraman on Monday said the country "must have a religious constitution", triggering fears that that the AKP government was seeking to Islamise the traditionally secular country.
The call led to protests on Tuesday in major cities where police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators in Ankara and Istanbul.
Kahraman's comments also drew fire from opposition parties, prompting the speaker to release a statement saying he had been expressing his own opinion, not that of the AKP of which he is a member.
The separation of religion from state affairs is one of the fault lines in Turkish society.
The founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, based the post-Ottoman republic on a strict separation between religion and state.
- 'Pro-freedoms secularism' -
Opponents have voiced concerns over a rapid Islamisation of society after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a pious Muslim, won the presidency in August 2014 following over a decade as prime minister which saw a greater emphasis placed on religion in Turkish life.
Erdogan said during a visit to Zagreb on Tuesday that the state was at an equal distance between all religion groups and all beliefs.
Over the past few years, the AKP government has lifted a long-standing ban on women and girl wearing religious headscarf in schools and the civil service as part of a democratic reform package.
It has also limited alcohol sales and made efforts to ban mixed-sex dorms at state universities.
Davutoglu said on Wednesday that the new charter would refer to a "pro-freedoms secularism instead of an authoritarian one".
"I am of the opinion that the discussion is over from our perspective."
Since coming to power, the AKP has prioritised efforts to change Turkey's 1982 constitution, drafted by the military junta which took power after a 1980 coup.
But it has barely made progress over disagreements with opposition parties who opposed Erdogan's aspiration for sweeping executive powers in the basic law.
Abdulkadir Selvi, pro-government columnist in the Hurriyet newspaper, wrote that the government had refrained from any discussion over a "religious constitution" but was debating whether to make a "reference to Islamic religion and faith in Allah given 99 percent of Turkey is Muslim."
Turkish society has been divided on the subject of a religious constitution since the 1920s, when Mustafa Kemal Ataturk transformed the former Ottoman Empire into a secular nation-state, separating Islamic law from secular law BUulent Kilic (AFP/File)
American surfer injured in Bali shark attack
An American surfer has been mauled by a two-metre (six-foot) shark off the Indonesian resort island of Bali, sustaining a serious arm injury, a doctor said Wednesday.
Ryan Boarman, in his 20s, was admitted to hospital in the west of the holiday island Monday shortly after being attacked by the shark as he surfed at Balian beach.
While shark attacks are generally rare in Bali there have been several such incidents in recent years at Balian, a popular surfing spot.
In recent years there have been several shark attacks at Balian, a popular surfing spot Sonyy Tumbelaka (AFP/File)
Doctor Ni Gusti Ayu Made Sri Pujarini, who initially treated Boarman at a local hospital, said he was conscious when brought in.
"He said that he saw a two-metre shark just before he felt the pain," she told AFP. "His wounds were consistent with shark bite injuries, you could see the teeth marks."
Pujarini said he underwent emergency surgery and was then transferred to a bigger hospital in the Balinese capital Denpasar.
Twiggy Van Ryan, an Australian who lives near Balian, described how he saw Boarman shortly after the attack and helped dress his wound before he was taken to hospital.
"It was a pretty heavy wound, maybe four inches (10 centimetres) either side of the tip of the elbow, basically his whole elbow had gone into the shark's mouth and then was pretty badly damaged as the shark pulled back," he said.
A Philippine presidential frontrunner who joked about raping a 'beautiful' Australian missionary has promised to kill tens of thousands of criminals if he is elected.
Rodrigo Duterte, 71, also joked about his penis and vowed to pardon himself for mass murder as he took his profanity-laced campaign to the nation's business elite.
Duterte hit out again at key Philippine allies, the United States and Australia, after warning last week he would be prepared to sever diplomatic ties because their ambassadors spoke out against a joke he made about raping an Australian missionary who was later gang-raped and murdered.
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Presidential Candidate Rodrigo Duterte has pledged to end crime by killing tens of thousands of criminals
Last week Mr Duterte joked he had wanted to rape the 'beautiful' missionary, who was sexually assaulted and murdered by inmates in a 1989 prison riot in Davao, the biggest city in the southern Philippines.
'I was mad she [the missionary] was raped but she was so beautiful. I thought, the mayor should have been first,' he said at a rally.
After his comments were criticised, Mr Duterte told Australian and US ambassadors to 'shut their mouths'.
The missionary had been identified as Jacqueline Hamill, according to the ABC.
Ms Hamill's friend took to Facebook to 'publicly denounce' the candidate's comments, saying: 'Don't vote for people who speak vile things against women.'
Mr Duterte has shocked the political establishment in recent weeks - surging to a clear lead in opinion surveys before the May 9 presidential election with a campaign speech full of filthy language and promises to end crime by killing tens of thousands of criminals.
In an address to the nation's premier group of business figures on Wednesday, Mr Duterte defended his history of womanising with typical straight-talking and crassness.
'I was separated from my wife. I'm not impotent. What am I supposed to do? Let this hang forever?' the candidate said, referring to his penis, as people in the crowd laughed.
'When I take Viagra, it stands up.'
Mr Duterte gives a campaign T-shirt to young supporters during a campaign sortie in the town of Silang last week
Surveys have shown Duterte is particularly popular among the nation's wealthy and middle class, who fear rising crime
Earlier on the campaign trail, he said he had two mistresses but reassured taxpayers they would not cost much because he kept them at cheap boarding houses and took them to short-time hotels for sex.
Mr Duterte has also boasted about running vigilante death squads during his many years as mayor of Davao.
He once said the death squads had killed 1700 people.
But Mr Duterte has at other times denied any links to the vigilante groups, which have attracted fierce criticism from human rights groups and the United Nations.
A key part of the candidate's campaign has been a pledge to eradicate crime nationwide in the first six months of his presidency by ordering security forces to kill criminals.
In his speech to the Makati Business Club, Mr Duterte again promised his presidency would 'be a bloody one'.
He promised to pardon soldiers or police officers if they were charged with rights abuses.
A friend of the missionary identified as Jacqueline Hamill hit out at the presidential candidate for his comments. Robin Haines Merrill (on the flute inside a Filipino prison) said she 'publicly denounced' his remark
'I will issue 1000 pardons a day,' Mr Duterte said.
Mr Duterte said the constitution also allowed the president to pardon himself for crimes and he would do so at the end of his term.
'Pardon given to Rodrigo Duterte for the crime of multiple murder, signed Rodrigo Duterte,' he said as people in the crowd laughed.
Surveys have shown the candidate is particularly popular among the nation's wealthy and middle class, who fear rising crime.
On Wednesday, he criticised the United States and Australia for failing to do more as China expanded its presence in areas of the South China Sea that are also claimed by the Philippines.
'Why the hell didn't Australia, the Americans or even Japan stop it?' Mr Duterte said.
In the Philippines presidents can serve only a single six-year term.
Mr Duterte has tapped into strong sentiments among many Filipinos who are frustrated with the slow pace of reforms under current President Benigno Aquino, according to analysts.
Malaysia PM names new bank chief amid funding scandal
Malaysia's scandal-plagued prime minister on Wednesday appointed a new central bank governor, who will take over from respected longtime chief Zeti Akhtar Aziz amid a contentious financial scandal.
Prime Minister Najib Razak released a statement saying Bank Negara Malaysia's deputy governor Muhammad Ibrahim would take over from May 1.
Najib faces allegations that billions were stolen from state-owned fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which he oversees, and his acceptance of a mysterious $681 million payment. Both Najib and 1MDB have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak faces allegations that billions were stolen from state-owned fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, which he oversees, and his acceptance of a mysterious $681 million payment Mandel Ngan (AFP/File)
Zeti is respected for her steady hand during 16 years in office and is widely seen to be at odds with Najib over the allegations.
She had announced last year as the scandals escalated that she would retire when her latest five-year term expired at the end of April.
The Harvard-educated Muhammad, 56, was appointed deputy governor in 2010. He has served with the central bank since 1984.
The appointment of a career central bank official is likely to reassure markets amid worries about the transition.
Najib has been accused of blocking scrutiny of the funding allegations -- last year he sacked Malaysia's attorney general, who was investigating the affair -- and there were concerns he would appoint an ally to head Bank Negara.
"It is a pleasant surprise to the financial market. I believe he (Muhammad) will uphold and continue the central bank's policies of integrity and independence even after the 1MDB investigations," said Kenanga Research economist Wan Suhaimi Saidi.
Zeti became Malaysia's first woman central bank boss in 2000.
She has won numerous international accolades for maintaining Bank Negara's credibility and independence and for steady leadership through numerous world economic shocks. Her tenure saw foreign investment flood into Malaysia.
Najib founded state-owned 1MDB in 2009 to fund development projects.
But allegations have emerged that the now financially crippled company was used as a huge slush fund, and multiple investigations have been launched in several countries.
Zeti had become increasingly critical over 1MDB's woes and their potential adverse affects on Malaysian financial markets, but denies she was pressured to leave.
Exiled Tibetans reelect Lobsang Sangay as leader
Exiled Tibetans have reelected Lobsang Sangay as their leader, the election commission said Wednesday, five years after the Dalai Lama ceded political power in a bid to foster democracy and secure his succession.
The 48-year-old former academic won 57 percent of the vote in the second round held last month, easily retaining the role that he first took on in 2011 when the Dalai Lama announced he was stepping back from political life and devolving his responsibilities.
After the result was announced, he vowed to continue the "freedom struggle" of the Tibetan people until they won genuine autonomy.
- REMKO DE WAAL (AFP)
"We will continue as long as it takes til basic freedom is restored in Tibet. Til genuine autonomy is granted to Tibetan people inside Tibet," he told journalists in Dharamsala.
Around 90,000 Tibetans in 13 countries from Australia to the United States had registered to vote in the elections for a Sikyong, or political leader.
Sangay had been widely expected to win the elections, the second to be held among Tibetan exiles across the world.
But he took fewer votes than his rival Penpa Tsering in the northern Indian hill town of Dharamsala where his government-in-exile is based, and where some voters said he had achieved little in his first five-year term.
Both he and Tsering, 49, favour the "middle way" approach of the Dalai Lama that advocates a peaceful campaign for greater autonomy for the Tibetan people, rather than all-out independence from China.
The Tibetan spiritual leader remains revered in the exile community and many consider challenging his views to be heresy -- even though he has himself urged people to do so.
- Dalai Lama's health sparks fears -
But Lukar Jam Atsok, a third candidate who was eliminated in the first round of voting, won significant support for his argument that exiles should fight for Tibet's independence, and some were angered when his name was not included on the ballot for the second round.
Unlike his rivals the 44-year-old writer was born in China, where he was imprisoned for his political activities before he managed to escape into India.
Thousands of Tibetans have fled their Himalayan homeland since China sent in troops in 1951, and many have settled in India.
Sangay said he would create a new government after two of his ministers resigned during the lengthy and at times fractious election campaign.
"I will put extra effort to maintain and restore unity and civility among Tibetans in the light of the recent election," he added, decrying what he called "negative campaigning".
The Dalai Lama was widely reported to have been unhappy with tactics deployed during the election campaign after he used a recent speech to lament a "decline in morality" in Tibetan society, prompting the two final candidates to apologise.
Sangay said the success of the polls showed the "consolidation of democracy" among Tibetan exiles and urged the world to recognise the legitimacy of the government in exile, which is not recognised by any foreign state.
But many Tibetans still worry about what will happen to the movement after the death of the 80-year-old Dalai Lama, a Nobel peace laureate who enjoys an unparalleled status on the world stage.
The globe-trotting Buddhist monk raised concern among his millions of followers last year when he scrapped a tour of the United States for health reasons.
Tibetan Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay (R) favours the "middle way" approach of the Dalai Lama (L) that advocates a peaceful campaign for greater autonomy for the Tibetan people, rather than all-out independence from China HO (Central Tibetan Administration/AFP)
Iran's Khamenei says US lifted sanctions only on paper
Iran's supreme leader and president accused the United States of hostility and bad faith Wednesday, saying the implementation of its nuclear deal with world powers was not being honoured.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei echoed other officials in Tehran who allege that Washington is creating hurdles for European financial institutions, more than three months after the agreement came into force.
With nuclear-related sanctions lifted, US and European diplomats have said there is no bar on non-American banks doing business with Iran. But it is not happening in reality, Khamenei said.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
"On paper they say that foreign banks can do business with Iran but, in practice, they are fomenting Iranophobia to prevent relations.
"The United States creates disruptions and then asks us afterwards: 'Why are you suspicious'?" Khamenei told workers in the capital.
European officials have told AFP their bankers fear they could face fines or even criminal cases against their US subsidiaries if they rush back to Tehran.
At a separate event, President Hassan Rouhani criticised a decision by the US Supreme Court last week to make $2 billion of frozen Iranian assets available to American victims of terror attacks.
US officials blame Tehran for attacks including the bombing of a US Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983 and the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia.
Tehran threatened on Monday to take action in the International Court of Justice against the US if the $2 billion belonging to Iran's Central Bank is "diverted" to 1,000 Americans affected by the ruling.
"This is a totally illegal action and contrary to international rules and immunity of central banks," Rouhani said, calling it "a violation and open hostility by the United States against the Iranian people".
The US court verdict comes despite hopes for better relations between Tehran and Washington, foes since the Islamic revolution of 1979 ended the rule of the US-backed Shah.
That tumult was followed by students' storming the US embassy and a 444-day hostage crisis.
More than two years of talks led to the nuclear agreement between Iran and major powers led by the United States and it involved the first open direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran since the revolution.
But it has not heralded a thaw on other issues.
The Hackettstown Rotary Club will be honoring two new inductees into the Paul Harris Society at a Gala Rotary Club Dinner on May 6 at Rutherfurd Hall in Allamuchy Township.
Named after the Rotary's founder, the Paul Harris Society recognizes members who have contributed to securing and growing Rotary programs in the community and throughout the world.
Jim Sheldon (Courtesy photo)
New inductees are Edward Coyne, president of Coyne Enterprises Inc. and James Sheldon, director of the Hackettstown Business Improvement District.
Sheldon currently works for the Hackettstown BID as its executive director and has been there since 2011. He was in the retail camera business for 27 years prior to his transition into the economic development field with most of those years as the co-owner of Washington's Camera Headquarters Inc. Sheldon is the Rotary of Hackettstown president-elect for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. He has lived in the Hackettstown area his entire life and is currently a resident of Long Valley.
Edward Coyne (Courtesy photo)
Coyne is president of Coyne Enterprises Inc., an advertising and marketing company and real estate investment company. He also is co-founder and co-publisher of the trade magazine The Retail Jeweler.
Coyne been a resident of the Hackettstown area since 1970 and has been involved with charitable events including jazz concerts that benefit Rutherfurd Hall and many events at Centenary College that benefited the Centenary Stage Co.
Coyne has been a member of the Rotary Club since 2012.
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Rohingya found abandoned in forest a year on from Thai crackdown
More than a dozen Rohingya refugees abandoned by people smugglers have been found in a southern Thai forest, police said Wednesday, almost a year on from a crackdown which has forced traffickers to find new routes.
Muslim Rohingya, an ethnic minority from Myanmar's western Rakhine state who are forced to live in apartheid-like conditions, have for years fled their homeland seeking work in Muslim-majority Malaysia.
"Fourteen Rohingyas, including kids as young as a few years old, were found at around 6am (Wednesday)," police captain Panuwat Chomyong, a highway officer in central Chumpon province, told AFP.
Rohingya migrants on a boat drifting in Thai waters, pictured in May 2015 Christophe Archambault (AFP/File)
Smugglers abandoned the group ahead of a police checkpoint, Panuwat said, adding they had initially entered Thailand through Kanchanaburi province, a much more northern entry point than those usually used by traffickers.
The discovery suggests new routes are being sought by migrants and smugglers following Thailand's belated crackdown on the grim and lucrative trade last May which has seen boat crossings over the Bay of Bengal almost entirely cease.
For years Thailand turned a blind eye to well-worn trafficking routes in the deep south that carried tens of thousands Myanmar Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi migrants over the border into Malaysia.
Human rights groups said officials both ignored and benefitted from the trade.
Most victims crossed the sea in rickety boats to be held in remote jungle camps where they were beaten, raped and abused until relatives paid release ransoms. They would then be moved to Malaysia.
The Thai crackdown saw more than 90 alleged traffickers arrested -- including a senior general -- and sparked a region-wide crisis as smugglers abandoned their cargo in jungle camps and at sea.
The dangerous sea crossings have since largely stopped and are unlikely to increase over the next few months with monsoon season approaching.
The group intercepted by police Wednesday was the first major discovery of Rohingya migrants in Thailand in many months, suggesting the flow has reduced to a trickle, though investigators say new ways into Thailand are being sought.
"Navy and marine police are strict along the borders of Myanmar now -- so I've noticed that most Rohingyas are going by overland routes now," said Panuwat.
Police said the group began their journey in Mottama town in Myanmar's eastern Mon state which does not have a Rohingya population. But it is a city close to one of the main border crossings between Thailand and Myanmar and a frequent jumping off point for journeys east.
Myanmar monk builds pagodas in church and Muslim area
A Myanmar Christian leader appealed for calm Wednesday after an influential Buddhist monk built pagodas within the compound of a church and near a mosque, in a country beset with religious tensions.
The incursions began last month when supporters of the monk Myaing Kyee Ngu erected a religious statue and planted a Buddhist flag on the church's grounds in the eastern state of Karen.
They returned on Saturday to erect a pagoda, according to local Anglican Bishop Saw Stylo.
Myanmar has long bristled with religious tensions between majority Buddhists and minority groups Ye Aung Thu (AFP/File)
The supporters have since moved on to build a pagoda near a mosque in a Muslim-majority village in the same township of Hlaingbwe, he said.
"That is why I asked all local young people, whether they are Buddhist, Muslim or Christian, not to do anything wrong," said Saw Stylo, who oversees Karen state, Mon state and Tanintharyi region.
Myanmar, which was stifled for decades under military rule, has long bristled with religious tensions between majority Buddhists and minority groups.
These surged sharply after a 2012 outbreak of violence in the western state of Rakhine between Buddhists and Muslim Rohingya left scores dead. Tens of thousands of Rohingya remain trapped in bleak displacement camps.
Buddhist nationalists have grown increasingly strident since then and their influence has been credited with swaying Aung San Suu Kyi's party against fielding a single Muslim candidate in last year's election, which swept her pro-democracy movement into power.
It is not clear what is behind the recent pagoda construction in Karen state. But the office of local MP Saw Chit Khin told AFP that Buddhist authorities had already written to the monk to urge him to cease building.
Images in local media showed dozens of people praying around the newly-erected white stupa.
"We feel very worried and sensitive about it. This might be political as well as religious," said Saw Stylo.
"I am very interested in how the new government will bring Myanmar to a brighter future. That is why I requested everyone to stay calm in this case," he added.
Christian communities in ethnic minority areas have for years complained of encroachments by zealous Buddhists, particularly through the presence of the military.
27 Yemeni soldiers killed in Mukalla offensive
At least 27 Yemeni soldiers were killed in a government offensive, backed by Saudi-led forces, which drove Al-Qaeda militants out of a key southeastern city, military officials and medics said Wednesday.
Life, meanwhile, was returning to normal in the port city, residents said.
More than 60 other soldiers were wounded in the operations that began at the weekend and saw government forces recapture Mukalla, the provincial capital of Hadramawt, the officials said.
Yemeni soldiers stand guard in Sanaa on August 5, 2012 Mohammed Huwais (AFP/File)
The city had been held by Al-Qaeda militants for over a year.
Recapturing Mukalla was part of a wider counter-offensive against the Sunni extremists launched by pro-government forces last month after a year in which they had focused their firepower on Shiite Huthi rebels who control the capital.
Government troops were backed by special forces from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as coalition air strikes, the Arab coalition said, claiming 800 militants were killed in the offensive.
Life began to return to normal Wednesday in Mukalla, a city of some 200,000 people, as shops and government offices reopened, residents said.
Staff at Mukalla airport and its port also returned to work for the first time since April last year, when militants of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) took over, officials in the city said.
During its year-long rule, AQAP imposed its strict interpretation of sharia law forbidding consumption of the mild narcotic qat, a mainstay of Yemeni social life, and demolishing the tombs of revered Sufi mystics.
On Tuesday, a US drone rocketed the car of an Al-Qaeda chief in Zinjibar, in neighbouring Abyan province, Ali al-Shanna, killing his driver but he was not in the vehicle, security sources said.
Piracy falls worldwide but Nigeria is a concern: watchdog
Pirate attacks on the high seas continue to fall but a global watchdog warned Wednesday of "unacceptable violence" by seaborne bandits off West Africa.
The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said in its quarterly report that it recorded 37 incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea worldwide in the first three months of 2016, down from 54 in the same period last year.
World piracy has been on the decline since 2012 after international naval patrols were launched off East Africa in response to a spate of violent attacks by mostly Somali-based pirates.
An armed Somali pirate stands on the shore near Hobyo town in 2010 looking at the hijacked Greek cargo ship MV Filitsa anchored off the coast Mohamed Dahir (AFP/File)
But the focus of concern has shifted to the waters off oil-rich Nigeria, it said.
Between January and March 10 attacks were reported off the country's coast -- typically involving armed pirates stealing cargoes of fuel oil -- and 44 ship crew members were abducted.
"Reports in the last quarter indicate unacceptable violence against ships and crews in the Gulf of Guinea, particularly around Nigeria," said Pottengal Mukundan, director of the London-based IMB.
Incidents in Southeast Asia dropped sharply following a spike in attacks against mostly small fuel tankers last year, with the IMB crediting enforcement action by Malaysian and Indonesian authorities.
Just six incidents were reported in the region in the first quarter compared to 30 in the same period last year.
However, the IMB's Kuala-Lumpur-based Piracy Reporting Centre issued an alert advising ships to exercise extreme caution in waters between the southern Philippines and eastern Malaysia following a trio of recent attacks by heavily armed men who took several crew hostage.
Authorities have yet to say who is suspected, but Philippine-based Islamic extremists have for years periodically taken hostages from nearby Malaysian shores.
Three Egypt policemen killed in Sinai bombing
A roadside bomb in the North Sinai town of El-Arish killed three Egyptian police conscripts on Wednesday, the interior ministry said.
Jihadists have waged an insurgency in the restive peninsula that has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the army toppled Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.
The interior ministry said Monday's attack targeted a police convoy as it drove through El-Arish, the provincial capital of North Sinai.
Egyptian army special forces man a temporary checkpoint outside Sharm el-Sheikh airport on November 11, 2015 Mohamed el-Shahed (AFP/File)
The insurgency is led by the Islamic State jihadist group's Egypt affiliate.
Civilian casualties from Boko Haram suicide attacks up in 2015: charity
Suspected Boko Haram suicide bombings caused a massive increase in the number of civilian deaths and injuries in Nigeria last year, according to a new report published Wednesday.
Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) said the number of fatalities and injuries rose 190 percent in 2015 from the previous year, while the use of human bombs rose 167 percent in the same period.
The London-based non-profit group said the increase was part of a global trend that had seen a rise in civilian casualties from "explosive weapons" for the fourth consecutive year.
Nigerian soldiers inspect a burnt vehicle at the site of a suicide attack by the Boko Haram militant group in Maiduguri, northeast Nigeria on January 30, 2016
"Explosive weapons" include artillery shells, landmines, air strikes, improvised explosive devices, car bombs and suicide attacks.
The figures coincided with a warning from Nigeria's military that Boko Haram had sabotaged farmers' fields in the mainly rural northeast with landmines.
Of the 3,048 deaths recorded in 84 incidents in Nigeria in 2015, 2,920 were civilian casualties or 96 percent of the total, AOAV said in "Unacceptable Harm -- Monitoring Explosive Violence in 2015".
That made Nigeria the fourth worst-hit country in the world for deaths and injuries from conflict in 2015 behind Syria, Yemen and Iraq, with Afghanistan in fifth.
Boko Haram only rarely claims responsibility for attacks but no other group in the country is known to employ suicide bombers as a tactic.
- Boko Haram 'most prolific' -
Assuming the Islamists were behind the attacks, "then it would make them the most prolific user of suicide bombings recorded by the AOAV in 2015", the report said.
Boko Haram has increasingly used suicide bombing in the insurgency, which began in 2009 and has claimed some 20,000 lives, since the military pushed it out of captured territory.
Young women and girls in particular have become a favoured method of inflicting maximum civilian casualties in northeast Nigeria and neighbouring countries.
AOAV said 923 civilians were killed or injured in Cameroon and Chad in 18 incidents in 2015.
Boko Haram's use of guerrilla-style tactics has long made it difficult to combat, even though President Muhammadu Buhari maintains the group is "technically" defeated.
On Tuesday evening, the military warned the public in a statement that "fleeing remnant terrorists have laid landmines on stretches of farmland".
"These latest tactics of the terrorists is a grand design to cause fear and panic among the farmers as well as the local populace," it said.
Efforts were under way to "neutralise" the mines, it added, and advised people to be wary of "strange or suspicious objects" in the soil.
The warning risks complicating further the return of many of the over 2.6 million people displaced by the violence, amid concern about food shortages and post-conflict reconstruction costs.
According to the AOAV report, a total of 43,786 deaths and injuries were reported worldwide in 2015 as a result of the use of explosive weapons -- up two percent from 2014.
Civilian deaths accounted for 33,307 or 76 percent of these deaths, it added. In the past five years, it has recorded a total of 188,331 deaths and injuries across the world.
Ivory Coast counts on schools to cut child labour in cocoa sector
"At five years old, I went to work in the fields with my dad. Today, my children go to school," said Peter, a cocoa farmer in Bonikro in the centre of Ivory Coast.
Peter is one of a generation of farmers at the heart of a drive to keep the country's children in school and away from its vast plantations.
Ivory Coast, the world's largest cocoa producer, has struggled to prevent children working in the cocoa sector, long an accepted practice in the countryside.
Pupils at school in the village of Goboue, in the southwest of Ivory Coast Issouf Sanogo (AFP)
The industry, which accounts for 15 percent of GDP and more than 50 percent of export receipts as well as two-thirds of the country's jobs, is absolutely vital to the country's economic welfare, according to the World Bank.
But criticism of its record on child labour by consumers and buyers has in the past threatened to tarnish cocoa from the Ivory Coast and undermine its main export, prompting authorities to act.
The government's scheme to get children off the plantations and into school, launched in 2011, is as much about improving the country's image overseas as it is about protecting its young people.
Sylvie Patricia Yao, the leader of the campaign and chief of staff to the country's first lady, said that education would help limit child exploitation in the cocoa sector.
"(It) remains for us the alternative and the most effective response in the long-term fight against child labour," she said.
In 2011, the west African country announced plans to spend almost 20 million euros ($22.4 million) between 2015-2017 to reduce the number of minors working on plantations by 30 percent by 2017 and 70 percent by 2020.
Since 2011, 17,829 classrooms have been built or restored, according to the National Monitoring Committee (CNS), which is charged with overseeing the government's anti-child labour efforts.
It is hoped that the plan will break the cycle of children following their parents into the fields at a young age.
Djouha Gneprou, a cocoa planter in Goboue in the country's west, is involved with a school opened by global food giant Nestle in 2013.
"Once the child is in school, they won't have time to be in the field so they can't do the heavy work," he told AFP.
Despite the scheme, recent figures highlight the challenges in the battle.
- 'Slavery and exploitation' -
Between 300,000 and one million children are still estimated to work in the sector, according to a report by the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI), an organisation created by the chocolate industry to fight the exploitation of minors.
Some 4,000 child victims of "slavery and exploitation" were removed from cocoa plantations in Ivory Coast between 2012 and 2014, according to authorities.
Whether paid or unpaid, children often come from Ivory Coast's neighbour Burkina Faso, and are used to carry heavy loads, fell trees and spray crops with pesticides.
Nestle, the world's largest food company and a major consumer of Ivory Coast cocoa, has previously faced criticism from pressure groups for profiting from child labour.
In 2012 Nestle joined the fight against the problem with an information campaign and school construction programme in the areas where it works most.
The company has built 40 schools in four years, according to Nestle-Ivory Coast's sustainability projects coordinator, Omaro Kane.
In Goboue, the small Nestle-sponsored school has changed the lives of the residents in this town dependent on cocoa production.
"More and more, we send the children to school," said Gneprou.
Before 2013, the town's children walked eight kilometres (five miles) every day to reach the school in a neighbouring village.
"It was difficult. The youngest children were unable to go to school because the road is very long," said Jean Oulai, a cocoa farmer in his 60s and father of six children.
His youngest son, Oulai, 10, is now in his second year of studies at the town's school.
- 'It's finished' -
The modest building with three classrooms, located at the entrance to the village, has become a victim of its own success, struggling to accommodate its 224 students aged between six and 10.
"The first year I effectively had a record with 80 students in the first grade," said headteacher Denis Kouakou Angoua, who spoke in the school's courtyard overlooking the very cocoa fields where his pupils would once have been destined to work from a young age.
"Africans believe that a child is someone who will replace them tomorrow. So they want the child to learn the same work that they did. That's why they take their children with them to the fields," said one cocoa planter.
But now the law bans the custom and punishes offenders harshly.
As many as 23 people were convicted, of whom 18 were jailed, for child labour offences between 2012 and 2014, according to Ivorian authorities.
Cocoa farmer Peter takes the threat of imprisonment seriously.
"It's finished, we don't send children to the fields anymore. The government said that it's forbidden and that if we do it then it's prison," he said.
A child carries wood, walking back from a cocoa farm to the village of Goboue, in the southwest of Ivory Coast Issouf Sanogo (AFP)
Pupils in a maths lesson in the village of Goboue, in the southwest of Ivory Coast Issouf Sanogo (AFP)
The farmers' village of Goboue, in the southwest of Ivory Coast Issouf Sanogo (AFP)
Ivory Coast is the world's largest cocoa producer Issouf Sanogo (AFP/File)
Obama to visit water crisis-hit Flint
President Barack Obama will next week travel to Flint, Michigan, where a crisis over tainted water has become a focus of the 2016 election campaign, the White House said Wednesday.
Responding to a letter from eight-year-old Flint resident Mari Copeny, Obama said he would visit the majority African American northern city on May 4.
"I want to make sure people like you and your family are receiving the help you need and deserve," Obama wrote.
A crisis over tainted water in Flint, Michigan, has become a focus of the 2016 election campaign Brett Carlsen (Getty/AFP/File)
Republican and Democratic presidential candidates have used the Flint crisis to trade barbs about the size, role and failings of local and federal governments.
More than 8,000 children are believed to have drunk water that contained harmful levels of lead.
The tainted water stemmed from a decision to shift Flint's water source from the Detroit River to the Flint River as part of cost-cutting measures ordered by state Governor Rick Snyder, a Republican who has consistently resisted calls to quit.
Experts believe the chemical-laced Flint River water corroded lead pipes, allowing large amounts of the chemical element to leach into the city's water.
The state attorney general has filed criminal charges against a city official and two state regulators for allegedly falsifying tests and tampering with evidence.
In the heart of America's rustbelt, Flint is at the crossroads of many of the issues that have dominated the 2016 election cycle -- foreign trade, environmental standards, the economy and the gap between rich and poor.
Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders even held a presidential debate in Flint ahead of the Michigan primary in March.
Sanders' strident message on the need to address income inequality narrowly won the day in the Democratic primary.
But the state is set to be a battle ground in the general election.
Donald Trump's populist message targeting disaffected white voters propelled him to win Michigan's Republican primary.
Obama is likely to use the trip to show Flint residents that the federal government is listening to them, and implicitly or explicitly, that the fault lies elsewhere.
For battered Aleppo residents, Syria ceasefire already dead
As world powers backing peace talks continue to insist Syria's ceasefire is holding, residents of battered second city Aleppo can only express stunned disbelief.
"I don't know what truce they're talking about. There's no truce here," Abu Mohammed, a father-of-four living in the rebel-held east of the city, told AFP.
"The shelling and rocket fire don't stop, it's as if we were in a world war," the 40-year-old shop owner said.
A Syrian man carries a child as they evacuate an area following a reported airstrike on April 22, 2016 in Syria's second city Aleppo Ameer Alhalbi (AFP/File)
Two months after Moscow and Washington brokered the historic ceasefire in a bid to finally resolve Syria's five-year conflict, it has effectively collapsed in large parts of the country.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, said that by Wednesday the ceasefire was being fully respected in only about 20 percent of the area it covers.
Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said significant breaches have taken place around Damascus, in Homs and Latakia provinces and, most importantly, in and around Aleppo.
The northern city, once Syria's economic hub, has been divided between the rebel-controlled east and regime-held west since 2012.
Following a lull in fighting after the ceasefire took effect on February 27, violence has intensified in recent days, with at least 100 civilians killed in air strikes, shelling and rocket fire since Friday.
"Those killed are civilians, mostly women and children, so where is this truce?" asked Mohammed Kaheel, the head of forensic medicine in east Aleppo.
In the government-controlled west, residents are just as livid after coming under heavy rebel fire in recent days.
"Truce! Now there's an infuriating word Aleppo residents can't stand," 27-year-old taxi driver Saad Aliya said.
- 'Not ready' to bury truce -
"I don't think a single one of the fighters in Aleppo wants a truce. They're all killers and they're all killing us!"
"If this is a truce, then -- we beg you -- bring back the war."
The ceasefire was followed by the announcement of another round of UN-sponsored peace talks in Geneva between President Bashar al-Assad's regime and Syria's opposition.
But the talks, due to end on Wednesday, failed to get off the ground, with Syria's main opposition group leaving last week in protest at escalating fighting and restrictions on humanitarian access.
Still, no one has been willing to pronounce the ceasefire officially over.
State Department spokesman Mark Toner on Tuesday expressed "grave concern" over the fighting in Aleppo but said in other areas the truce was "largely holding".
"We're not ready to declare this thing dead," Toner said.
In Moscow, foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also insisted on Wednesday that it was still in effect.
"The ceasefire is holding but is seriously challenged practically on a daily basis," she said.
Even Syria's main opposition group for the Geneva talks, the High Negotiations Committee, has so far refrained from burying the ceasefire, though its chief Riad Hijab on Wednesday condemned "severe violations of the truce by the regime".
Experts say world powers are anxious to keep the ceasefire alive, and with it any hope of bringing an end to a conflict that has left 270,000 dead and forced millions from their homes.
Washington has used its influence with the Syrian opposition and Moscow its alliance with Assad to convince both sides to attend the talks.
- Keeping talks alive -
"The rebels and political opposition are endlessly denouncing ceasefire violations but cannot... formally declare an end to the ceasefire," Syria expert Thomas Pierret said.
"The Russians and the Americans are maintaining the illusion that the truce is still in place," he said.
Washington is "so desperate to keep the political process alive that they are ready to disguise the reality of the ceasefire collapsing," he said.
The United States may not even be opposed to major regime operations against Aleppo, Pierret said, as it "would have the advantage of forcing the opposition to make a concession on Assad's departure."
Assad's fate has been a major sticking point in negotiations, with the HNC insisting any peace deal must include his departure, while Damascus says his future is non-negotiable.
The peace talks are set to resume on May 10, Russian Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told the Interfax news agency on Wednesday.
In regime-controlled Damascus, residents were more optimistic the truce could last.
"Each day the truce holds gives us more hope," said Muadh Raghi, a stationary shop salesman in the city's south.
But in eastern Aleppo, Abu Mohamed was cynical, saying the only thing holding the ceasefire together was pressure from outside powers.
"If the truce holds, it's between the US and Russia, not between the opposition and the regime."
Smoke is seeing rising on a main road in the Salihin neighbourhood of Syria's northern city of Aleppo following a reported air strike on April 24, 2016 Karam al-Masri (AFP/File)
Volunteers evacuate people from a damaged building after a reported airstrike on April 23, 2016 in the rebel-held neighbourhood of Tareeq al-Bab in Aleppo Ameer Alhalbi (AFP)
A Syrian man evacuates an area following a reported airstrike on April 22, 2016 in a rebel-held neighbourhood of Aleppo Ameer Alhalbi (AFP/File)
Aid enters besieged central Syria town: Red Cross
An aid convoy for besieged civilians entered a rebel-held town in central Syria on Wednesday for the first time in a year, the Red Cross said.
In the third such aid operation in Homs province this week, the Red Crescent and International Committee of the Red Cross was delivering food parcels to 12,000 families in and around Talbisseh, ICRC spokesman Pawel Krzysiek said.
The 35 trucks will also ferry in medicines, delivery kits for pregnant women and equipment to fix water boreholes and pumping stations, he said.
The central Syrian town of Talbisseh in the Homs province has been under rebel control since 2012 and is home to some 60,000 people, half of them displaced by fighting Mahmoud Taha (AFP/File)
The delivery to the area besieged by government forces is the ICRC's first in three years and the Red Crescent's first in a year.
Talbisseh and surrounding areas -- controlled by rebels since 2012 -- are home to 60,000 people, half of them displaced by fighting.
Another 14 trucks are expected to reach the area in coming days, Krzysiek said.
The delivery follows two relief operations to the nearby town of Rastan, including a convoy last Thursday that ferried the largest aid consignment to date in war-torn Syria.
More than four million people live in besieged or hard-to-reach areas in Syria with little or no access to food or medicines.
We Persisted & Won - for Sherry Chen, Prof. Xi & our Children Our united effort succeeded AGAIN. Read this NYT front page article entitled " After Missteps, US Tightens Rules for Espionage Cases " I t will mean that the prohibition against the profiling of Chinese Americans as spies, owing to our national origin, is a law that will be ENFORCED in the field . This article begins with " The Justice Department has issued new rules that give prosecutors in Washington greater oversight and control over national security cases after the collapse of several high-profile prosecutions led to allegations that Chinese-Americans were being singled out as spies . " " The new rules are intended to prevent such missteps .... All cases affecting national security, even tangentially, now require coordination and oversight in Washington. .... Peter R. Zeidenberg, ... , who represented Dr. Xi and Ms. Chen, called the new rules "a very positive step." Does that mean "no profiling by National Origin"? Yes, but stay vigilant! Our laws have always prohibited profiling by national origin. However, lower level investigators, burning with ambition for career advancement, could choose to violate the law. Now, the national oversight and control should stop most if not all such violations. The heroes & heroines who helped in this Milestone Achievement They include: 1) Senators Carper, and Coons of Delaware, and 45 Congresspersons from many states including Ted Lieu and Judy Chu, who wrote to A.G. Lynch; & 2) 6 Nobel Laureates and a dozen winners of Presidential Medal of Science; Presidential Medal of Technology and Innovation, together with about 6000 prominent AsAm scientists and engineers who petitioned to A.G. Lynch. Next, I want to thank "60 minutes" which was planning a program; Wall Street Journal and China Press which were planning (may still be) detailed investigative articles. I also want to thank individuals like Peter Zeidenberg, Jeremy Wu, George Koo and all those who responded to appeals by 80-20 and other orgs to donate to Sherry Chen and Xiaoxing Xi. Lastly & most importantly , 80-20 wants to thank Sen. Tom Carper of DE & his capable staff who stretched their relations with DOJ to fight for the Chinese- Am. community. Senator Carper personally called Director Monty Wilkinson, Director of all United States Attorneys in the 50 states. Tens of hours of a senior staff in his office were spent helping convey 80-20's messages to DOJ. A recently email from this staff illustrates how hard Sen. Carper fought for our community: "Dr. Woo,
I spent about 45 minutes on the phone today with our Justice Department liaisons trying to convince them to put something in a letter or email that relayed my characterization of the Wilkinson call. Specifically I wanted them to send us something to articulate the process they went through to arrive at the "assurances" that race did not play a factor.
At times, our conversation was very animated , as the Justice Department feels that they have been more than accommodating. . . . Our DOJ liaisons told me that in light of our conversation and how animated I was about the matter, they would take back this request again and would try to provide me another update by the end of this week or early next week.
Thanks,
xxxxx " (a senior staff's member's name deleted. Emphasis was added by S.B. Woo) Do YOUR share to make the Asian Ams vote count on June 7th The date of the CA Democratic open presidential primary is June 7 . Be ready to fight. S. B. Woo President and a volunteer for the past 17 years 80-20 Initiative, Inc. http://www.80-20initiative.com/index.php
View a GREAT 3-part video about AsAms: http://youtu.be/h781_ECSJYM Like us on Facebook , follow us on Twitter 80-20 Mission Statement
Senegalese mayor urges Africans to learn lessons from slavery
The mayor of Dakar said Wednesday Africa should not wallow in the horror of slavery but instead draw lessons from it to build a more prosperous future.
Khalifa Sall, the socialist mayor of Senegal's capital and a possible contender for the 2019 presidential, was speaking during a national day of remembrance to mark the abolition of the slave trade in France's colonies on April 27, 1848.
Sall said other African countries had also experienced slavery but had "made those tragic times a base from which they are rebuilding".
Dakar's mayor and head of the African Unions observation team Khalifa Ababacar Sall speaks during a press conference, on March 13, 2011 in Niamey Seyllou (AFP/File)
"It's not about wallowing in these litanies, (but) to reflect and see how we can build for tomorrow. That's the best lesson that slavery tought us," he said during a ceremony at Dakar's city hall.
It is the second time that Senegal has held a national day of remembrance for the end of slave trade.
Previous unofficial commemorations have been held on Senegal's Goree Island, an important transit point for the Atlantic slave trade, four kilometres (two miles) off the Dakar coast.
Goree processed many of the estimated 12 million Africans who over three centuries crossed the Atlantic Ocean to be traded on the US slave market.
US F-22 fighter jets land in Lithuania amid Russia tensions
Two American stealth F-22 fighter jets landed in Lithuania on Wednesday in an apparent show of force, after tensions with Moscow flared this month when a Russian aircraft buzzed an American warship in the Baltic Sea.
The US air force's most advanced planes landed at the Siauliai air base which currently also hosts Spanish jets from NATO's air policing mission, created to help small Baltic members protect their borders with Russia.
Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said the planes' brief visit from their base in Britain demonstrated US commitment to defend the region, which keeps a wary eye on the Kremlin's territorial ambitions.
A Romanian army serviceman stands next to an US fight jet F-22 Raptor at the Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, near Constanta, Romania, on April 25, 2016 Daniel Mihailescu (AFP/File)
"It is a signal that the alliance is ready and capable to respond to any kind of threats," she said at the air base, standing in front of Lithuanian, US and NATO flags.
Asked if that was a message to Russia, the outspoken president responded: "Everyone should abstain from sticking his nose into things here."
Lithuania and other NATO members formerly behind the Iron Curtain have been rattled by Russia's actions in Ukraine, where it annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014 before pro-Moscow separatists began fighting Kiev's forces in the country's east.
Earlier this month, Russian warplanes flew within metres of an American missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea in what the United States called a "simulated attack".
Days later, a US reconnaissance plane was intercepted by a Russian fighter, prompting NATO to accuse Russia's military of "unprofessional and unsafe behaviour".
Constitutional change gives Jordan king more powers
Jordan's parliament passed a constitutional amendment Wednesday granting King Abdullah II the power to appoint or dismiss senior officials without consulting the government.
A paragraph added to Article 40 of the constitution, passed by 123 votes in the 142-seat parliament, allows the king to choose his successor, the judiciary's chief and the head of the constitutional council.
The king, who is commander-in-chief, also has the final say on top posts in the army, the intelligence services and the national guard.
Jordan's King Abdullah II arrives for a bilateral meeting with Japan during the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, DC, April 1, 2016 Jim Watson (AFP/File)
The monarch has previously exercised the same executive prerogatives but by passing through the government, although his appointments have rarely been vetoed.
Russia asks UN to list key Syrian rebel group as 'terrorist'
Russia has asked the United Nations to blacklist a major Syrian rebel group that is playing a key role in talks to end the conflict, its ambassador to the UN said.
Mohammed Alloush, a leading figure in Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam), is the chief negotiator for the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), the war-torn country's main opposition group, at UN-brokered peace talks in Geneva.
Russia, the key backer of President Bashar al-Assad's regime, has also asked that another Islamist rebel group, Ahrar al-Sham, be blacklisted.
Vitaly Churkin Russian Ambassador to the United Nations speaks at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on July 29, 2015 Kena Betancur (AFP/File)
"The Russian delegation submitted to the UN Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee a request" to add "two organisations: Jaish al-Islam and Ahrar al-Sham," to a blacklist that includes the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda, Russia's ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said in a statement Tuesday.
Churkin said that the two groups are "closely linked to terrorist organisations, primarily the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda."
The groups "both give (the IS and Al-Qaeda) and receive from them financial, material, technical and military support," he said.
Alloush rejected the accusation and said Russia was committing "massacres" with its air and artillery strikes in support of Assad.
"Russia supports it (the regime) with its weapons and airplanes and has committed 167 massacres in my country. The terrorist is the one who commits massacres not the one who defends himself," he told AFP.
An unprecedented ceasefire in February brokered by Moscow and Washington saw Syria's government and non-jihadist rebel groups agree to halt attacks while pursuing peace talks.
However the HNC pulled out last week from the latest round of talks that began on April 13 in frustration over a spike in violence on the ground.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov angrily accused the HNC's members of throwing "tantrums".
The Saudi-backed Jaish al-Islam rebel group is the most important in Damascus province.
Ahrar al-Sham is among the most powerful Islamist rebel groups in Syria.
Financed by Turkey and Gulf states, it is allied to Al-Nusra Front, Al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate, and fights alongside it around Aleppo and in neighbouring Idlib province.
The Damascus regime has consistently branded all its opponents -- armed or not -- "terrorists" since the outbreak of war in 2011.
Trump, Hillary clash in shifting White House race
Republican Donald Trump trained his fire on Hillary Clinton Wednesday, accusing his Democratic rival of playing "the woman card" in her White House bid, after both took a giant step towards clinching their parties' nominations.
Clinton and Trump crushed their rivals in Tuesday's latest round of primaries, leaving the former secretary of state virtually assured of the Democratic nomination and Trump in an ever more dominant position in the Republican race.
Despite unfinished business in the primary contests, both candidates turned their sights to November's general election with Trump dismissing Clinton's credentials in a frontal attack.
US Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump speaks at Trump Tower in New York on April 26, 2016 after winning primaries in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Delaware Kena Betancur (AFP/File)
"Frankly, if Hillary Clinton were a man, I don't think she'd get five percent of the vote," he told supporters at a victory press conference. "The only thing she's got going is the woman's card."
The billionaire real estate developer doubled down Wednesday on CNN, goading: "She's playing the woman card left and right... she will be called on it. Absolutely."
It wasn't the first time Trump had goaded Clinton with the accusation, and she took up the gauntlet in a victory speech late Tuesday in Philadelphia.
"Well, if fighting for women's health care and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman's card, then deal me in," she said.
If Clinton wins the presidential nomination, she would be the first woman of either party to do so.
Though longtime frontrunners, both candidates until now have been more preoccupied fighting off rivals for their parties' nomination than with each other.
But with the latest primary results, the curtain is lifting on what promises to be a fierce Clinton-Trump general election battle.
"I'm not going to be changing. I'm presidential anyway," Trump told CNN, assuring there will be no makeover of his mocking, insult-laden campaign style.
As Trump prepared to deliver a major speech in Washington outlining his foreign policy, the Clinton campaign pre-empted it by highlighting his many controversial proposals -- a ban on Muslims, bringing back torture, and encouragement for a nuclear armed Japan and South Korea, among others.
"As Hillary Clinton has said, loose cannons tend to misfire," her campaign said.
- Stubborn rivals -
Both candidates, meanwhile, must still contend with stubborn rivals intent on tripping them up before their parties' nominating conventions in July.
Trump's closest challenger, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, summoned media following him on the campaign trail in Indiana for what he promised would be "a major announcement" on Wednesday at 4 pm (2000 GMT).
He was widely expected to reveal his pick of running mate, with former White House contender Carly Fiorina tipped as a likely choice.
Cruz has teamed up with Ohio Governor John Kasich to try to block Trump's path, and wrest the nomination from him at the Republican convention in Cleveland.
Trump is still short of the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination outright, but his blowout wins Tuesday in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island give him momentum going forward.
"I consider myself the presumptive nominee," he told a crowd at Trump Tower in New York. "As far as I'm concerned, it's over."
A key test of the "stop Trump" strategy will come in the Indiana primary on May 3.
Kasich has agreed not to campaign there, giving Cruz an opportunity to compete head to head with Trump for the state's 57 delegates. Cruz has agreed not to compete with Kasich in New Mexico and Oregon.
Trump now stands at 988 delegates, according to CNN's running estimate. Cruz was a distant second with 568, while Kasich increased his numbers only slightly, to 152.
- Party unity -
Clinton's problem will be to mend the sharp divisions opened during her contest with Bernie Sanders, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist with an ardent following among young, independent and white blue-collar voters.
The former secretary of state won four out of five primaries Tuesday, taking Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland and the night's big prize, the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
She conceded only the small state of Rhode Island to Sanders.
"What a great night," Clinton told a thrilled crowd of supporters in Philadelphia.
"Let's go forward, let's win the nomination, and in July let's return as a unified party," she said.
The Vermont senator, however, has refused to concede the race, vowing to take his campaign to the Democratic convention "with as many delegates as possible to fight for a progressive party platform."
"The people in every state in this country should have the right to determine who they want as president and what the agenda of the Democratic Party should be. That's why we are in this race until the last vote is cast," Sanders said in a statement.
Clinton needs 2,383 delegates to win the nomination, and now has 2,168 delegates, including more than 500 "super-delegates," against Sanders's 1,401. Fourteen nominating races remain, with about 1,000 more delegates to be distributed.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton addresses supporters during a primary night event on April 26, 2016 in Philadelphia after winning the Pennsilvania state primary Eduardo Munoz Alvarez (AFP/File)
US election: Clinton vs Trump? John Saeki, Gal Roma, Adrian Leung (AFP)
Pfizer to pay $785 mn for overcharging US government on drugs
US authorities said Wednesday that drug giant Pfizer had agreed to pay nearly $785 million to settle allegations that one of its units overcharged the government for anti-acid drugs.
Wyeth, the unit, was accused of knowingly reporting to the government false and fraudulent prices for two forms of Protonix, a drug notably used to treat symptoms of acid reflux, from 2001 at 2006, before it was acquired by Pfizer in 2009, the Justice Department said.
Wyeth failed to report deep discounts on the two drugs it made available to thousands of hospitals nationwide, and as a result wrongfully avoided paying "hundreds of millions of dollars" in rebates to Medicaid, the government health insurance provider for the poor and people with disabilities, the department said .
Wyeth, a unit of Pfizer, was accused of knowingly reporting to the government false and fraudulent prices for two forms of anti-acid drug Protonix from 2001 at 2006 Don Emmert (AFP/File)
"As part of the settlement, Wyeth and Pfizer do not deny the government's allegations," it said.
Under the Medicaid program, drug companies must report to the government the best prices they offer other customers for their brand-name drugs.
Based on those prices, the drug companies pay rebates to the state Medicaid programs so that Medicaid receives the same discounts drug companies offer to other large customers.
Under the terms of the settlement, Wyeth will pay $413.2 million to the federal government and $371.4 million to state Medicaid programs.
Pfizer had disclosed the pending $784.6 million settlement in February and booked a charge for it in the fourth quarter of 2015.
"We are pleased to have finalized the agreement to resolve these cases, which involve historic conduct that occurred at least 10 years ago, before we acquired Wyeth," said Doug Lankler, Pfizer's general counsel, in an emailed statement.
Cape Verde arrests soldier suspected of killing 11 in shooting spree
A young soldier suspected of shooting dead 11 people, including eight of his fellow troops, at a telecommunications centre in Cape Verde was arrested on Wednesday, the government said.
The 23-year-old was captured in the early afternoon in the archipelago's capital Praia, media said. State broadcaster RTCV published pictures of the arrest on its website, showing the suspect bare-chested with a bloodied nose.
"The suspect in this odious crime committed in Monte Tchota has been arrested," Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva said in a statement that gave the names of the men killed at the centre north of Praia, which was guarded by the army.
A soldier suspected of shooting dead 11 people, including eight of his fellow troops, at a military telecommunications centre in Cape Verde was arrested on Wednesday, local media reported Daniel Slim (AFP/File)
Among the 11 men killed -- all aged between 20 and 51 -- were two Spanish technicians and a local civilian.
The prime minister hailed security forces' "rapid intervention and capture of the suspect", as two days of national mourning began on Wednesday.
Media said the suspect was apprehended while trying to steal a taxi. The driver managed to overpower him with the help of several passers-by.
The soldier was armed but did not resist security forces upon his arrest, media said.
Following the killings, the government was quick to stress there was "no link between these events and drug-trafficking", in response to media reports raising the possibility of an attack in retaliation for recent major drug seizures.
"According to preliminary information, the motivations for these events were personal," the government said in a statement on Tuesday.
Nine guns, along with ammunition, were recovered several hours after the shooting in a car parked in a residential area of Praia, according to Tuesday's statement.
New Syria fighting leaves 12 dead despite truce
Air strikes and clashes in Syria's second city Aleppo killed at least 12 people Wednesday, state media and emergency workers said, part of a surge in violence straining a two-month-old ceasefire.
State news agency SANA said that seven people were killed and 35 wounded by rocket and gunfire in several neighbourhoods that it blamed on Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front and its allies.
In rebel-held eastern Aleppo, five civilians were killed in two neighbourhoods, according to the civil defence, known as White Helmets.
Syrian civil defence volunteers evacuate wounded people following a reported airstrike on April 22, 2016 in the rebel-held neighbourhood of Hayy Aqyul in Syria's second city Aleppo Amer Alhaibi (AFP/File)
An AFP correspondent said that regime aircraft targeted one area with barrel bombs and another with missiles.
Following a lull in fighting after the ceasefire took effect on February 27, violence has intensified in recent days, with more than 100 civilians reported dead in air strikes, shelling and rocket fire since Friday.
Once Syria's commercial hub, Aleppo has been divided between rebel control in the east and government forces in the west since 2012.
The fighting has put the ceasefire in jeopardy and overshadowed a new round of UN-brokered peace talks in Geneva that were entering a recess on Wednesday.
Egypt policeman referred to court for 'killing man over tea'
An Egyptian policeman who shot dead a vendor over the price of a cup of tea will stand trial, a prosecution official said, amid growing outrage at police abuses.
The prosecution has referred Zeinhom Abdel-Razzek to a criminal court on charges of murder and attempted murder, the official said.
The low-ranking policeman had also wounded two passersby in the incident in a Cairo suburb on April 19.
An Egyptian policeman who shot dead a vendor over the price of a cup of tea will stand trial, a prosecution official said on April 27, 2016, amid growing outrage at police abuses Mohamed El-Shahed (AFP/File)
The referral came amid a public outcry over incidents of police abuse in recent months.
In the incident's aftermath, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called for police who make mistakes to "immediately" be held responsible, and he had promised to toughen laws against police abuses.
Another policeman had shot dead a driver on February 19 using his official firearm following an argument over the price of ferrying goods, setting off protests in a Cairo neighbourhood.
Trump vows 'America First' foreign policy
Republican White House hopeful Donald Trump promised Wednesday a top-to-bottom overhaul of US foreign policy to put "America First" and make its allies pay up.
In a speech short on specifics that left Washington policy experts scratching their heads, Trump warned that Europe and Asia may have to defend themselves.
He vowed to tear up trade deals, re-tool NATO to oppose migration and "radical Islam" and put US national interests ahead of all other considerations.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivers a foreign policy speech at the Mayflower Hotel April 27, 2016 in Washington, DC Brendan Smialowski (AFP)
"'America First' will be the major and overriding theme of my administration," he said, co-opting the slogan of America's pre-World War II isolationists.
The speech had been billed to give Trump, the clear frontrunner for the Republican nomination, a chance to win over a skeptical foreign policy establishment.
But many were quick to point out the contradictions in a strategy of restoring US strength and crushing the Islamic State group while cutting allies loose.
"Our foreign policy is a complete disaster," he said, dismissing all presidents to have served since the Cold War, both Republicans and Democrats.
"We're rebuilding other countries while weakening our own," he said, decrying nation-building missions in the Middle East and the US trade deficit with China.
"Our allies are not paying their fair share," he said, pointing the finger at both NATO and close Asian allies such as Japan and South Korea.
"The countries we are defending must pay for the cost of this defense. And if not, the US must be prepared to let these countries defend themselves.
"We have no choice," he warned, complaining of the "trillions of dollars" he claimed have been wasted shoring up Cold War-era defenses.
- 'Not good' -
Despite this, he quickly pivoted to an attack on President Barack Obama -- accusing him of abandoning US allies like Israel while reaching out to Iran.
"We picked fights with our oldest friends and now they're starting to look elsewhere for help. Remember that. Not good," Trump declared.
He was clear, however, on where the greatest threat to the United States now lies, accusing Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton of a refusal to name it.
"Containing the spread of radical Islam must be a major foreign policy goal of the United States and, indeed, the world," he said.
David Pollock, a former senior State Department advisor and now Washington Institute fellow, said the speech would help Trump with Washington experts.
"It seemed to be a more appealing presentation and Trump themes in a softer and smarter way, but left many questions unanswered," he told AFP
"So people are probably kind of taking a skeptical stance but then see what he follows up with," he said.
"And a key test of that will be what kind of new advisors he can find who will publicly side with him and join the team."
Trump has been widely mocked for failing to secure big-name foreign policy endorsements and relying on a coterie of right-wing fringe figures.
But he defended his team, slamming the available talent in Washington circles as tainted by the chaos unleashed under President George W. Bush.
"My goal is to establish a foreign policy that will endure for several generations," he said.
"That's why I also look and have to look for talented experts with approaches and practical ideas rather than surrounding myself with those who have perfect resumes but very little to brag about except responsibility for a long history of failed policies and continued losses at war."
- Confronting allies -
But many experts noted that Trump was announced at the podium by one of Bush's closest advisors on the Middle East, former ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad.
This, observers said, was a sign that as Trump's nomination appears more and more likely, more leading Republicans would come to his side.
Michael Pregent, former intelligence advisor to Iraq war commander general David Petraeus and a fellow of the Hudson Institute, called the speech "disjointed."
"He said to our allies 'we'll be there to help you' but then he says earlier in the speech that they'll have to pay for themselves and do more," he said.
This view was echoed by former Virgina governor and former Trump rival for the Republican ticket Jim Gilmore, who attended the speech.
"There was a lot in the talk that I would absolutely agree with," he admitted.
"On the other hand there is a lot in this speech that contradicts that, that talks about pulling back, confronting if you will our allies much more."
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally in a hangar at Rider Jet Center on April 24, 2016, in Hagerstown, Md Molly Riley (AFP/File)
US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton addresses supporters during a primary night event on April 26, 2016 in Philadelphia after winning the Pennsilvania state primary Eduardo Munoz Alvarez (AFP/File)
Military force battling Boko Haram needs more resources: commander
The head of an African regional military force battling Boko Haram insurgents urged the international community on Wednesday to deliver promised support for the mission.
General Lamidi Adeosun, head of the coalition which includes troops from five countries -- Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin -- said the force was doing its best but needed "extra resources" to improve its performance.
Donors at an African Union summit in February pledged $250 million for the fight against Boko Haram, which under pressure in its native Nigeria has extended attacks in Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
Soldiers patrol in the streets of Niamey, Niger on March 19, 2016 Issouf Sanogo (AFP/File)
Adeosun said the commitments had yet to translate into tangible support for the force's efforts.
"In concrete terms the pledges are there but on the ground not much has been achieved -- we have pledges of people to give some amount of money for specific assistance but they remain pledges, they are still in the works," he said at a news conference in Niger's capital Niamey.
"If anything has been given at all, it's a measure of communication equipment and some 11 vehicles -- that is what assistance so far we have received in concrete terms."
Adeosun, who arrived in Niamey on Monday, said he had met Niger's army chiefs to update them on the fight against Boko Haram, which launched an insurgency in Nigeria in 2009 seeking to form a hardline Islamic state.
With 8,500 soldiers, the regional force has managed to reduce Boko Haram's military activities without being able to put them completely out of action.
World Bank keeps its distance from Iran, despite lifted sanctions
The World Bank aims to eradicate global poverty, but its push stops at the Iranian border despite the easing of sanctions against Tehran and the country's pressing economic needs.
The Washington-based development bank seems reluctant to reengage in a country where it stopped all new projects in 2005 in compliance with the international sanctions imposed over Iran's nuclear program.
But since those sanctions were removed in January in the wake of a nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, the World Bank has not shifted.
World Bank President Jim Young Kim speaks during a news conference April 14, 2016 in Washington, DC Alex Wong (Getty/AFP/File)
"We're following the situation very closely ... we don't have any specific plans yet," said World Bank President Jim Yong Kim.
Iranian authorities haven't made any requests to the Bank for help.
But the reasons for the Bank's reticence can be found elsewhere -- at the intersection of the economy and geopolitics and the desire not to offend the United States.
The United States, the largest World Bank shareholder, and the primary supporter of Kim, an American, sends mixed signals on just what is acceptable in doing business with Iran.
Crucially, while sanctions tied to Iran's nuclear program were lifted, US sanctions applied for Tehran's alleged support for terrorism and human rights violations remain in place.
- Political risk -
In theory, those remaining sanctions don't prevent the World Bank or other international financial institutions to engage with Iran, a spokeswoman for the US Treasury told AFP.
But, she added, the US representative at the Bank has other constraints.
"Current legislative mandates direct the United States executive director to vote against World Bank loans to Iran," she said.
Theoretically the Bank could work around the problem and finance development projects -- in the areas of transportation, energy and infrastructure, for example -- in a country where poverty has soared as a result of the economic embargo.
But the fact is, a frown on the face of the world's top power and the Bank's largest shareholder cannot be ignored.
"There's certainly a political risk for the World Bank to be associated with Iran, as Congress could respond very negatively, said Jacob Kirkegaard, an expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
Controlled by Republicans opposed to the Iran nuclear agreement, Congress has powerful leverage: it could block the release of funds the US has promised the World Bank for helping the poorest of countries.
The sanctions still in place constitute another sizeable obstacle.
"In a situation where you're going to finance projects that will be open to international competitive bidding, the fact that there are still US sanctions is clearly a complication," said former World Bank official Paul Cadario.
On the one hand, the Bank has to make sure that its projects are in no way associated with Iranian individuals and companies on the US blacklist.
Companies, on the other hand, could be deterred from bidding on a World Bank-financed project in Iran "because payments could go through the US (financial) system and expose them to the American sanctions," said Cadario, now at the University of Toronto.
The World Bank has been in that situation before. In 2007, it had to suspend payment of $5.4 million linked to a pre-2005 Iran project after discovering that the funds passed through Iran's Melli Bank, which was targeted by US sanctions.
- Seeking alternatives -
Beyond the World Bank, the return of international financial institutions to Iran after the nuclear sanctions were dropped is also uncertain, to the great displeasure of officials in Tehran.
Iran's central bank governor recently pointed to the reticence of European banks to engage with the country in fear of falling afoul of US sanctions.
"They have been asked not to work with Iranian banks, and they're afraid," Valiollah Seif said at a forum in Washington.
One consequence is that Iran has started turning away from the West-dominated World Bank toward alternatives.
Iran is one of the founding members of the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and is seeking to join the New Development Bank backed by the BRICS nations of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
A picture taken on February 3, 2014 shows low-income Iranians lining up to receive food supplies in southern Tehran Davoud Ghahrdar (ISNA/AFP/File)
Court appoints administrator for Prince estate
A judge on Wednesday appointed a special administrator to oversee Prince's estate, accepting a request from the sister of the pop star who died without leaving a will.
Kevin Eide, a district judge in suburban Carver County in Minnesota, said he heard no objections during a conference call with parties of interest and ordered a more formal hearing on Monday.
He appointed Bremer Trust -- whose parent, Minnesota-based Bremer Bank, long helped Prince handle his finances -- to serve as the administrator of Prince's estate for six months or until a personal representative is appointed.
The star of music legend Prince, who died suddenly at the age of 57, is seen at the First Avenue club where he started his music career in Minneapolis, Minnesota on April 23, 2016 Mark Ralston (AFP/File)
Prince, one of his generation's most influential and prolific musicians, died suddenly on April 21 at the age of 57 at his Paisley Park estate outside Minneapolis. He left no will, no children and no living parents.
His sister, Tyka Nelson, sought Bremer Trust as the special administrator and was named as an heir along with five living half-siblings of the "Purple Rain" star.
Bremer Trust will be tasked with managing Prince's estate as well as determining if there are additional heirs.
The extent of Prince's fortune is unclear, with the website Celebrity Net Worth estimating he was worth $300 million.
Prince's heirs will also have power over the pop star's vast vaults of unreleased material, which is said to include entirely unheard albums that were shelved away.
Burundi govt won't join crisis talks unless consulted
Burundi's government on Wednesday refused to participate in stalled talks to end months of political crisis unless it was first consulted on who else was taking part.
As Washington urged the authorities to defuse a year-long crisis, a presidential statement, broadcast on national radio and monitored in Nairobi, issued a set of conditions to the government joining the so-called Burundi "dialogue".
"The Burundi government must be consulted (as) we must be in agreement on the persons who should be invited, the dates and the place," said Willy Nyamitwe, communications officer for the presidency.
Burundi policemen patrol the street on February 15, 2016 following a grenade attack in Bujumbura, Burundi
The authorities also were awaiting "an official invitation", he added.
He later told AFP the government had just received its invite to fresh crisis talks Monday and was "analysing" it. "It will reply at any moment through the required channels," he said.
Burundi has been in political strife for a year, with 270,000 people fleeing into exile and more than 500 killed.
A regionally-mediated dialogue between all Burundians is being pushed by the international community as the best way to avoid civil war and former Tanzania president Benjamin Mkapa last weekend announced new talks from May 2 to 6 in Arusha.
The resumption of the dialogue was welcomed by the US state department in a statement late Tuesday "as the best means to restoring peace and stability to Burundi."
(We) "strongly urge all stakeholders to fully participate without preconditions or red lines," it said.
"The sooner this crisis is resolved, the sooner we can help Burundi realise greater development and prosperity."
- Human rights jeopardised -
But the government has repeatedly refused to sit at the same table as the main umbrella opposition group CNARED, including domestic and exiled leaders, accusing them of fomenting trouble.
Nyamitwe said on radio that "those who have attacked the lives of citizens, who hoped to overthrow institutions that were democratically elected, and others who are involved in armed insurrection in our country, cannot be summoned to this dialogue."
CNARED meanwhile said it was prepared to take part in Monday's talks in Arusha, though it had not yet received an official invitation.
The government ought to be aware that "it's not part of the mediation but is a party to the conflict, just like CNARED," said its communications officer Jeremie Minani.
"It's not up to them to draw up the list of participants or to set the agenda for the talks."
Burundi's current troubles began after President Pierre Nkurunziza's controversial decision last April to run for a third term, a vote he won amid opposition boycotts in July.
The decision was followed by a failed coup and almost daily protests that have become increasingly violent.
In a statement Wednesday, Amnesty International said the human rights situation in the country continues to deteriorate, and that it remains unclear who is to blame for violence.
This week a top general was gunned down in Burundi with his wife while dropping off their daughter at school, as the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced its prosecutors were launching a preliminary probe into a litany of atrocities.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein condemned Wednesday the increasing number of attacks against high-level officials in Burundi.
"They must be properly investigated and the killers must be arrested and brought before the law," he said.
The ICC's chief prosecutor said her office had reviewed reports "detailing acts of killing, imprisonment, torture, rape and other forms of sexual violence, as well as cases of enforced disappearances".
"All these acts appear to fall within the jurisdiction of the ICC," said Fatou Bensouda.
A year of unrest in Burundi Paul Defosseux, Jean-Michel Cornu (AFP)
UN condemns killing of 12 Egyptians, 3 others in Libya
The United Nations' Libya envoy on Wednesday condemned the killing of 12 Egyptians and three Libyan nationals in a string of incidents in the central town of Bani Walid.
"I strongly deplore these terrible killings and call on those with authority on the ground in Bani Walid to ensure that the incidents are investigated and to prevent any further killings," Martin Kobler said in a statement.
He said the incidents took place on Tuesday and Wednesday but gave no details and there was no further information from sources in the region, which is controlled by militias loyal to a new unity government.
United Nations' envoy to Libya Martin Kobler attends a meeting with members of the internationally-recognised Libyan parliament in the eastern city of Tobruk on April 18, 2016 STRINGER (AFP/File)
Thousands of Egyptians live and work in neighbouring Libya.
Sudan student killed during university protest
A student was shot dead on Wednesday during clashes between Sudanese security forces and protesters at a university in the capital's twin city of Omdurman, officials said.
Violence erupted when security forces confronted angry students who spilled out of the campus of Ahaliya university in Omdurman, which lies on the western banks of the Nile opposite Khartoum.
The protesters were demanding the release of fellow students arrested in previous demonstrations at Sudanese universities.
Sudanese riot police stand guard outside the University of Khartoum on March 12, 2014 Ian Timberlake (AFP/File)
"Students clashed with plain-clothed policemen when they stepped out of the university gate," a protester said.
A doctor at Omdurman hospital told AFP the student was already dead when he was brought to the facility.
Late on Wednesday President Omar al-Bashir's National Congress Party said in a statement that the student was "shot dead with a pistol outside the campus".
Hundreds of students carried his body from the hospital covered in a white shroud to his home in an impoverished neighbourhood of the city, an AFP correspondent reported.
"Killing of student means killing of nation!" angry students chanted as they marched in a procession.
Riot police and plain-clothed officers were deployed around the hospital and also walked along with the procession.
Omdurman's Ahaliya university condemned the killing and ordered the institution to be closed for an indefinite period.
Wednesday's incident came a day after police used tear gas to disperse a protest at Khartoum university over what students said was a government plan -- denied by the authorities -- to sell iconic Khartoum university buildings.
'Up to 16 Egyptians' feared killed in clashes with smugglers in Libya
Egypt's foreign ministry said on Wednesday that up to 16 Egyptian migrants may have been killed in Libya in a clash with people smugglers.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) put the toll at 12 Egyptians and three Libyans.
Libya, which borders Egypt to the west, has slided into chaos and has become a launching pad for illegal migrants who cross the Mediterranean to Europe.
United Nations' envoy to Libya Martin Kobler (L) shake hands with the head of the internationally-recognised Libyan parliament, Aguila Saleh, in the eastern city of Tobruk on April 18, 2016 STRINGER (AFP/File)
"Preliminary information points to between 12 and 16 Egyptian illegal migrants having been killed in clashes with smuggler gangs," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said the incident took place in the town of Bani Walid, a transit point for migrants heading north to the capital Tripoli.
In a statement, UNSMIL Martin Kobler condemned the violence.
"I strongly deplore these terrible killings and call on those with authority on the ground in Bani Walid to ensure that the incidents are investigated and to prevent any further killings," he said.
Officials in Bani Walid, which is controlled by several groups, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Libya has been contested between three governments and several militias, while the Islamic State group's affiliate in the North African country has taken over the port city of Sirte.
An estimated 350,00 people have set sail to Italy from Libya since the start of 2014.
20 killed in Syrian regime strikes on Aleppo: civil defence group
At least 20 civilians were killed late Wednesday in regime strikes on a hospital and nearby residential building in the Syrian city of Aleppo, civil defence volunteers known as the White Helmets said.
A dentist and five members of a family, including two children, were among those killed "by airstrikes targeting al Quds Hospital and a nearby residential building in al Sukkari neighbourhood in eastern Aleppo," the volunteers told AFP.
A doctor who was the only paediatrician in the rebel-held eastern neighbourhoods of Aleppo was also among the dead, an AFP correspondent on the ground said.
Syrian men walk a wounded man into a hospital following clashes in the government-controlled side of the northern city of Aleppo, on April 27, 2016 George Ourfalian (AFP)
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group confirmed the raids were carried out by "regime airplanes" and said two hospital guards and a doctor were among the dead.
Video footage filmed by AFP showed images of the badly damaged hospital, aid workers transporting the victims in ambulances and a weeping man holding a child.
Rescuers were at the scene searching for victims trapped under the rubble, the AFP correspondent said.
Separately, 11 people were killed in western parts of Aleppo earlier on Wednesday, according to the Syrian Observatory. State news agency SANA blamed the rocket and gunfire on Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front and its allies.
Also earlier in the day, five civilians were killed in two neighbourhoods in eastern Aleppo, according to the White Helmets. An AFP correspondent said that regime aircraft targeted one area with barrel bombs and another with missiles.
Following a lull in fighting after the ceasefire took effect on February 27, violence has intensified in recent days, with more than 100 civilians reported dead in air strikes, shelling and rocket fire since Friday.
Once Syria's commercial hub, northwestern Aleppo has been divided between rebel control in the east and government forces in the west since 2012.
The fighting has put the ceasefire in jeopardy and overshadowed a new round of UN-brokered peace talks in Geneva that were entering a recess on Wednesday.
UN council weighs measure to restore Western Sahara mission
The United States on Wednesday circulated a draft UN resolution that stresses the "urgent need" to restore the UN mission in Western Sahara after Morocco expelled dozens of staff, leaving peace operations hanging by a thread.
The Security Council is set to vote Friday on the draft text on renewing the MINURSO mission's mandate for a year amid sharp divisions on the council on the way forward.
The vote was postponed by a day to allow for more discussion. Russia's Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said talks were "not going to be easy."
An UN vehicle drives past the headquarters of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), in Laayoune, the largest city of the disputed territory Fadel Senna (AFP/File)
The draft resolution, obtained by AFP, calls on UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to report back to the council in four months on whether the MINURSO mission has been restored to "full functionality."
An earlier text provided for a two-month deadline for the report.
That provision is expected to raise concerns among some council members who fear that Morocco, backed by France and Senegal, is seeking to delay action on re-establishing the full strength of the mission.
Morocco last month expelled 75 staffers in angry retaliation over Ban's use of the term "occupation" to describe the status of Western Sahara.
Rabat maintains that Western Sahara is an integral part of the kingdom and has long resisted UN efforts to resolve the decades-old conflict. It pits Morocco against independence-seeking Sahrawi rebels of the Polisario Front.
The draft resolution expressed concern that "MINURSO's ability to fully carry out its mandate has been affected as the majority of its civilian component, including political personnel, cannot perform their duties within MINURSO's area of operations."
- Watered down draft -
Under the proposed measure, the 15-member council will "consider how best to facilitate" the mission's return to full capacity if the crisis over the peace mission is unresolved in four months.
A previous text contained stronger language, calling on the council to "take immediate measures" to restore the full functionality.
Churkin told reporters after a closed-door council meeting to discuss the draft that there was "room for improvement" and suggested that some council members were looking to strengthen the text.
Venezuela, Uruguay and New Zealand have argued strongly that Morocco should not be allowed to downsize MINURSO and that failure to take strong action would send a signal to other governemnts unhappy with a UN presence to do the same.
MINURSO was established in 1991 after a ceasefire ended a war that broke out when Morocco sent troops to the former Spanish territory in 1975.
The mission was tasked with organizing a referendum on the future of the territory that never materialized.
The Algerian-backed Polisario Front, which has long campaigned for a referendum on self-rule, has called on the council to impose sanctions on Morocco if it refuses to allow the peace mission to operate fully.
"This is unprecedented, this kind of challenge to the Security Council," said Emhamed Khadad, the coordinator from the Polisario Front.
Khadad said the crisis over MINURSO was "manufactured by Morocco to distract from its unwillingness to engage in meaningful negotiations" on a final settlement for the territory.
Ban has warned that a weakened peace mission in Western Sahara will likely open up an opportunity for extremists to move in and could lead to a return to full-scale conflict.
US condemns strike on Syrian rescue group
The United States on Wednesday condemned an alleged deadly strike by Syrian regime forces on a renowned rescue team, but refused to say why it had denied the group's leader a visa.
State Department spokesman Mark Toner expressed horror at what he said were "multiple aerial strikes" on a Syrian Civil Defense station Monday in the northern town of Al-Tarab near Aleppo.
"At least five members of the civil defense are believed to have been killed and many more innocent people were injured," he said.
Syrian civil defence volunteers rest following a reported airstrike on April 23, 2016 in the rebel-held neighbourhood of Tareeq al-Bab in the northern city of Aleppo Thaer Mohammed (AFP/File)
Toner said the strikes reflect an "abhorrent pattern" in the tactics of Bashar al-Assad's regime, in which rescue and medical workers in rebel-held areas have been deliberately targeted.
The spokesman also paid tribute to the Civil Defense group, better known as the "White Helmets," for the work they have done during Syria's five-year-old civil war to save civilian victims of the fighting.
But he would not say why, earlier this month, US officials had barred the volunteer group's leader Raed Saleh from entering the United States when he arrived to collect a major humanitarian award.
Toner said US law prevents him from discussing individual visa cases, but seemed to suggest that security considerations could have been in play.
"Broadly speaking ... on any visa case, we are constantly looking at new information," he said.
"And if we do have new information that we believe this individual ... would pose a security risk, we'll certainly act on that."
Panama signs bank account info sharing deal with US
Panama and the United States on Wednesday signed an agreement on sharing of back account information in a step Panama's finance minister hailed as proof of his country's cooperation in fighting tax evasion.
The bilateral agreement comes weeks after the Panama Papers, a series of reports around the world revealing how one Panamanian law firm set up offshore entities to help the world's wealthy stash their assets.
Following the revelations, Panama has come under intense international pressure to open its financial sector to greater transparency or risk being put back on an global "tax haven" blacklist.
A police car outside the Mossack-Fonseca law firm offices in Panama City during a raid on April 12, 2016 Ed Grimaldo (AFP/File)
While the government has long said it is committed to that goal and has made some reforms in that direction, it has so far not signed up to an international standard on automatic sharing of tax information set by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Wednesday's signing formalized an arrangement on exchanging bank account details already observed between the two countries. The US and Panama also already have a separate agreement in force on sharing tax information.
"Panama continues to advance in the area of financial and fiscal transparency," Panamanian Finance Minister Dulcidio De La Guardia said in a statement after signing the accord with US ambassador John Feeley.
He emphasized that it showed Panama was cooperating in "the fight against tax evasion, money laundering and terrorist financing."
Uber prepares to launch in Puerto Rico, recruits drivers
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Ride-booking service Uber expects to arrive in Puerto Rico this summer, a welcome addition for many in a U.S. territory known for expensive cab rides and spotty public transportation services that have worsened amid a dire economic crisis.
Government officials said Tuesday they are requesting public comments on a proposed measure that would allow for creation of ride-hailing apps such as San Francisco-based Uber. In the meantime, Uber will reach out in upcoming weeks to Puerto Ricans interested in becoming drivers, said spokesman Luis De Uriarte.
"We want to be in Puerto Rico as soon as possible," he said. "They can transform their cars into small enterprises."
Uber already operates in more than 400 cities including Mexico City, Paris and Sao Paulo, where the company has faced angry protests organized by taxi drivers.
It might be no different in the U.S. territory.
Otoniel Adorno, president of a taxi driver union, said drivers already are suffering under a 10-year economic slump that is worsening.
"We are already forcing ourselves to work 14, 16 hours a day so we can break even," he said, adding that Uber would kill them financially. "That would be devastating for us."
But Puerto Ricans are celebrating Uber on social media, noting there are few affordable or reliable alternatives for people without cars.
"It's the best thing that could happen," said Jimmy Diaz, a 30-year-old entrepreneur. "It's a company that's going to help the island as well. It will create simple and flexible jobs for a lot of people."
The island of 3.5 million people has a nearly 12 percent unemployment rate, higher than any U.S. state. It also faces a $70 billion public debt load that the governor has said is unpayable and needs restructuring.
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NY judge rejects Cosby's request to get journalists' notes
NEW YORK (AP) A judge on Tuesday rejected what he called Bill Cosby's "fishing expedition" to get journalists' notes, film and audio to fight a defamation lawsuit filed against him by seven women.
U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe in Manhattan ruled against the 78-year-old comedian, finding his request for notes, unedited scripts, video and audio from interviews that New York Magazine conducted with six women bordered on the frivolous.
The interviews came as the magazine was preparing a July 2015 award-winning piece titled "I'm No Longer Afraid." The article featured 35 women who described being sexually assaulted over the years by Cosby, who denies the allegations. The comic, who became known as "America's Dad" with his work on "The Cosby Show," has been married to his wife, Camille, for more than 50 years.
Cosby's lawyers were planning to use the material to find inconsistencies in statements by six of seven women who filed a defamation lawsuit against him in Boston. The women claim Cosby tainted their reputations when he allowed his representatives to brand them as liars after they went public with their allegations.
Gardephe said the arguments by Cosby's lawyers were "wildly inconsistent with the law in my judgment" and acted as if the New York Shield Law protecting journalists did not exist.
"The subpoena is, in my judgment, a fishing expedition," the judge said. "Cosby has no notion, really, whether anything is in the files of New York Magazine that might be useful in this litigation."
Cosby's lawyer, Marshall Searcy, had argued that the materials sought from the magazine went to the central issue of whether the women were telling the truth.
He said video would help Cosby's lawyers ascertain whether the women changed their stories or were prompted by questions to answer a certain way.
"These recordings are singular and unique, and we don't have access to them," Searcy said.
Gardephe was critical of the request, saying Cosby's lawyers sought access to media materials without trying to question the women, ignoring a "quite demanding" standard of law protecting journalists.
If media materials were easily obtained, lawyers would routinely demand them and it "would become standard operating procedure," Gardephe said. He added: "That, we cannot permit."
"Our society made the decision long ago ... that that was not the standard our society was going to adopt," he said.
Searcy declined to comment afterward.
David Korzenik, an attorney for New York Magazine, said Gardephe got it right.
"I never felt this was a close call," he said.
There were other developments Tuesday in cases across the country involving Cosby.
In Pennsylvania, a judge scheduled a preliminary hearing for May 24 in a criminal sex assault case around a 2004 encounter at Cosby's suburban Philadelphia home. The move came a day after an appeals court rejected Cosby's attempt to throw out the case because of what he called a decade-old deal not to prosecute him.
Onlookers marvel at size, stench of dead whale in California
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. (AP) The massive, reeking carcass of a 40-foot gray whale rotted Tuesday at a popular California surfing spot, luring dozens of gawkers while authorities decided whether to tow it out to sea or cut it into pieces and load them on trucks.
Its enormous tongue was so swollen that it bulged out of its mouth like a giant black balloon. Seaweed still dangled from its mouth, and only a few patches of grey-black skin were left on the body, which was a light beige color from the fat underneath.
Curious onlookers positioned themselves upwind to avoid the overpowering stench of the decomposing carcass that may weigh up to 30 tons and towered over them as they took selfies and knelt to examine the animal.
A girl calls to her mom as she stands near a dead whale on the shore Monday morning, April 25, 2016, on the cobblestone beach at Lower Trestles on San Onofre State Beach, just south of San Clemente, Calif. (Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register via AP) MAGAZINES OUT; LOS ANGELES TIMES OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT LA TIMES OUT, MAGS OUT. JEFF GRITCHEN, ORNAGE COUNTY REGISTER
Cynthia Stern of Santa Monica drove 75 miles with her friend to place a pink and white orchid by the whale and press homeopathic remedies onto its rotting blubber. The orchid was a gift from her son last Mother's Day and bloomed only a few days ago.
"You should be paying homage to such creatures that are so intelligent and so wonderful," she said. "You could start to feel the positive energy as you walked down the beach. Even though it's a carcass, it's profoundly positive and anyone who went there is blessed."
Removal will be a difficult, messy process whether the carcass is towed out to sea or cut up and hauled away on trucks, said Rich Haydon, superintendent at San Onofre State Beach.
"I don't think the carcass could have landed on a worse stretch of beach," he said, citing its limited access for vehicles and the popularity of the beach known as Lower Trestles south of San Clemente.
Burial on the beach isn't feasible because the stretch is mostly cobblestones, Haydon said.
Heraclio Belmontes of Newport Beach went to see the whale with his two brothers.
"It's at least twice my height," he said. "I was a chef . for a while, so I've seen all sorts of dead fish. But never like this."
Monica Perez brought her three children, ages 7 to 11, to see the unusual sight. They made observations about the texture of the whale's skin and talked about decomposition with their mother as they circled the carcass.
They counted nine footsteps as they measured the whale's tail from end to end where it lay on the sand.
"It's very scientific. It's not every day that you have a whale that washes up onto your beach, and there's a lot that we can learn from these majestic creatures," Perez said. "We did miss the end of school, but I figure that this is school in action."
The whale likely died of natural causes and was discovered Sunday on the beach. A decision on what to do with the carcass isn't expected for a day or two.
A second whale about the same size was spotted over the weekend floating off shore. That carcass is breaking apart in the water.
Karime Quets runs from a wave after taking a picture of a dead whale on the shore Monday, April 25, 2016, on the cobblestone beach at Lower Trestles on San Onofre State Beach, just south of San Clemente, Calif. (Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register via AP) MAGAZINES OUT; LOS ANGELES TIMES OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT JEFF GRITCHEN, ORNAGE COUNTY REGISTER
Chelsea Brown reacts to the smell of a dead whale on the shore, Monday, April 25, 2016, on the cobblestone beach at Lower Trestles on San Onofre State Beach, just south of San Clemente, Calif. (Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register via AP) MAGAZINES OUT; LOS ANGELES TIMES OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT JEFF GRITCHEN, ORNAGE COUNTY REGISTER
In this photo taken, Sunday, April 24, 2016, Berkeley Harris, 14, left, of San Clemente, and his brother Isaac, 6, hold their noses as their aunt, Traci Garff, looks at a dead whale that washed up along the shore at Lower Trestles, a popular surf spot, a mile south of San Clemente, Calif. (Fred Swegles/The Orange County Register via AP) MAGS OUT; LOS ANGELES TIMES OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT
In this photo taken, Sunday, April 24, 2016, Kirk Lindahl, of San Clemente, snaps a selfie with a dead whale that washed up along the shore at Lower Trestles, a popular surf spot, a mile south of San Clemente, Calif. (Fred Swegles/The Orange County Register via AP) MAGS OUT; LOS ANGELES TIMES OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT
In this photo taken, Sunday, April 24, 2016, beachgoers stop and look at a dead whale that washed up along the shore at Lower Trestles, a popular surf spot, a mile south of San Clemente, Calif. (Fred Swegles/The Orange County Register via AP) MAGS OUT; LOS ANGELES TIMES OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT
2 baby bald eagles get new names _ Freedom and Liberty
WASHINGTON (AP) Two baby bald eagles at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington have been officially named "Freedom and "Liberty" following a "Name the Nestlings" social media campaign.
News media outlets quote the American Eagle Foundation as saying that more than 36,000 people voted on five different name pairings selected on the Friends of the National Arboretum Facebook page: Stars and Stripes, Freedom and Liberty, Anacostia and Potomac, Honor and Glory, and Cherry and Blossom. Voting was held from April 19 through April 24.
Following the vote, eagle experts with several private groups and government agencies picked the names and made the announcement Tuesday.
Woman to be charged with murder in baby's death
POPLAR, Mont. (AP) The Latest on the death of a baby on a Montana Indian Reservation who authorities say was beaten to death by a caregiver (all times local):
12:05 p.m.
A prosecutor says a woman on a Montana American Indian reservation will be charged with murder in the beating death of a 13-month-old girl.
A memorial is placed in front of the house for 1-year-old Kenzley Olson on Friday, April 22, 2016, in Poplar, Mont. A federal investigator says a woman beat to death the girl on a Montana Indian reservation and threw the baby's body into a dumpster. Janelle Red Dog appeared in Fort Peck Tribal Court on Friday in the death of Olson after she reportedly confessed and drew a map of where the body was located. (AP Photo/Richard Peterson)
Fort Peck Tribes Chief Prosecutor Scott Seifert said Tuesday that 42-year-old Janelle Red Dog could face additional charges at a later date.
Red Dog's attorney, Mary Zemyan, says her client will plead not guilty during a court appearance scheduled for Tuesday. Zemyan has noted the baby's cause of death is unclear.
Red Dog is accused of beating to death Kenzley Olson while the girl was under her care, then putting the body into a dumpster and reporting Kenzley missing.
Tribal law allows for a maximum three-year prison sentence on any one charge. Separate federal charges also are expected in the case.
The baby's mother was in jail on unspecified allegations when she died.
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10:30 a.m.
A woman is due in a tribal court in Montana on Tuesday to face charges in the alleged beating death of a 13-month-old girl under her care on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation.
Investigators say 42-year-old Janelle Red Dog killed Kenzley Olson and put her body in a dumpster before reporting her missing April 19.
That triggered an Amber alert for Kenzley in Montana and North Dakota. It was canceled after Red Dog purportedly confessed and led authorities to the girl's body.
Red Dog's lawyer has said she admitted to authorities that she struck Kenzley on three occasions. But defense attorney Mary Zemyan said it was uncertain if that's what killed the girl.
The baby's mother was in jail on unspecified allegations when she died.
Tribal officials haven't disclosed what charges Red Dog will face. Federal officials expect to file separate charges.
Preliminary hearing date set for Bill Cosby in Pennsylvania
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) A date has been set for a preliminary hearing in the criminal sex assault case against Bill Cosby.
The married comedian will appear May 24 in a Pennsylvania courthouse to face charges over a 2004 encounter at his home with a then-Temple University employee. The woman says she was drugged and molested. Cosby says they engaged in consensual sex acts.
Tuesday's hearing announcement comes a day after an appeals court rejected Cosby's attempt to throw out his case because of what he called a decade-old deal not to prosecute him.
FILE - In this Feb. 3, 2016, file photo, actor and comedian Bill Cosby is assisted as he leaves after a court appearance in Norristown, Pa. A Pennsylvania appeals court on Monday, April 25, 2016, has rejected Cosby's attempt to halt his criminal case because of what he called a decade-old deal not to prosecute him. The 78-year-old Cosby is facing trial over a 2004 encounter at his home with a then-Temple University employee. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File)
A former prosecutor has said he promised to never prosecute Cosby and urged him to testify in the woman's lawsuit.
Israel probes school visit by Palestinian attacker's father
JERUSALEM (AP) Israel's prime minister has ordered an investigation after a Palestinian school in east Jerusalem invited the father of a Palestinian who killed civilians to speak to students.
Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday asked Israel's attorney general to look into whether the visit constituted incitement.
Mohammed Allyan says the school invited him to speak and that he told the children to read books. He denied inciting violence.
His son shot and stabbed passengers on a bus in October, killing Israeli-American Richard Lakin, 76, and two Israelis, before being shot dead. Lakin was an educator who worked for peace and coexistence.
Man plans horseback trip from Washington to Michigan reunion
HOWELL, Mich. (AP) A cancer survivor has embarked on a roughly 2,200-mile journey on horseback from Washington to his 50th high school reunion in Michigan.
Vern Herrst, 67, began his trip Friday from the Methow Valley in northern Washington in hopes of reaching Howell before the reunion in August, the Livingston Daily Press & Argus of Howell (http://bit.ly/1XTGjpW ) reported. He plans to ride his 12-year-old horse, Nikki, through Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
"I always wanted to do something like this and who knows how many more chances I'll have," he said.
The trip is also a fundraiser to support agencies that helped in Herrst's fight against myeloproliferative disease, a blood disorder similar to leukemia. Herrst hopes to bring in $1 or more per mile on behalf of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Washington/Alaska Chapter.
"They were great to me, and I wanted to do something for them," he said.
Herrst expects to travel between 20 and 25 miles per day until he enters Michigan sometime in July at a point near Iron Mountain in the western Upper Peninsula. But he's still not quite sure how he'll make it across the Mackinac Bridge to get to the Lower Peninsula.
As a former long-haul trucker, Herrst has seen thousands of miles of countryside, but he's is looking seeing the country from a different perspective as he passes through mountains, plains, and farmlands on horseback. At night, he plans to roll out a sleeping bag and sleep under the stars or climb into a tent if it's raining.
Herrst will post updates from the road on his Facebook page, 2016 Great Northern Horse Adventure, so friends, family and anyone else who's interested can keep up with his adventure.
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Online : http://bit.ly/1YSgqqC
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Chilean poet Neruda reburied at his coastal home
ISLA NEGRA, Chile (AP) The remains of Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda were reburied on Tuesday at his favorite home in a Chilean town overlooking the Pacific Ocean, despite lingering questions surrounding his mysterious death.
The writer died in the chaos following Chile's 1973 right-wing military coup, and some have speculated he was poisoned. His body was exhumed in 2013 to determine the cause of his death. Forensic tests showed no toxic agents in his bones. But Chile's government said in 2015 that it's "highly probable that a third party" was responsible for his death. Other tests are still being carried out by an international team of genomics experts and forensic specialists.
This week, Neruda's family members, politicians and fans paid homage to the beloved poet at Chile's Congress. His remains were then taken to his home built on a rocky cliff over the Pacific Ocean in the coastal town of Isla Negra, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) northwest of Santiago.
Workers place a portrait of Chile's late Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda with former President Salvador Allende at Neruda's tomb after he was reburied io Isla Negra, Chile, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Neruda's body was exhumed in 2013 for a fourth time in an effort to clear up four decades of suspicion about how the poet died in the days after Chile's military coup. The results of the analysis will be delivered on May 5. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
"Returning him to Isla Negra is allowing him to look at the sea again, and looking at the sea is not dying - it's coming to life, and that's everything for a poet," said Raul Bulnes of the Neruda Foundation, which runs the poet's three nautical-themed museum homes, which draw thousands of visitors from around the world each year.
Neruda was fascinated by the ocean but preferred to remain a "sailor on land." He is globally known for his love poems, but he was also a diplomat, a left-leaning politician and friend of President Salvador Allende, who killed himself during the 1973 military coup that ousted his government.
At age 69 and suffering from prostate cancer, Neruda became traumatized by the persecution of his friends. He planned to go into exile, where he would have been an influential voice against the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet. But he died under suspicious circumstances 12 days after the coup.
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Associated Press writer Eva Vergara contributed to this report from Santiago, Chile.
A collection of glass bottles that belonged to Chile's Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda are displayed on the bar of his former home, now a museum, on the day he was reburied here on Isla Negra, Chile, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Neruda's body was exhumed in 2013 for a fourth time in an effort to clear up four decades of suspicion about how the poet died in the days after Chile's military coup. The results of the analysis will be delivered on May 5. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
Journalists are reflected on the tombstone of Chile's Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda after he was reburied at his home, now a museum, on Isla Negra, Chile, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Neruda's body was exhumed in 2013 for a fourth time in an effort to clear up four decades of suspicion about how the poet died in the days after Chile's military coup. The results of the analysis will be delivered on May 5. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
A woman places a flower on the grave of Chile's Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda after he was reburied at his home, now a museum, on Isla Negra, Chile, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Neruda's body was exhumed in 2013 for a fourth time in an effort to clear up four decades of suspicion about how the poet died in the days after Chile's military coup. The results of the analysis will be delivered on May 5. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
A poet watches Forensic Institute workers rebury the remains of Chile's Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda at Neruda's home on Isla Negra, Chile, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Neruda's body was exhumed in 2013 for a fourth time in an effort to clear up four decades of suspicion about how the poet died in the days after Chile's military coup. The results of the analysis will be delivered on May 5. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
Forensic Institute workers rebury the remains of Chile's Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda at his home on Isla Negra, Chile, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Neruda's body was exhumed in 2013 for a fourth time in an effort to clear up four decades of suspicion about how the poet died in the days after Chile's military coup. The results of the analysis will be delivered on May 5. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
Forensic Institute workers rebury the remains of Chile's Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda at his home on Isla Negra, Chile, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Neruda's body was exhumed in 2013 for a fourth time in an effort to clear up four decades of suspicion about how the poet died in the days after Chile's military coup. The results of the analysis will be delivered on May 5. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
Coppola, eternal film student, on his robust life in cinema
NEW YORK (AP) Francis Ford Coppola will press his hands and feet into the cement outside the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on Friday, but his imprint on Hollywood, the movies and American culture has long been set in stone, even if the chameleonic writer-director remains perpetually in flux.
The ceremony will be part of the TCM Classic Movie Film Festival, which kicks off Thursday in Los Angeles and runs through Sunday. The festival, put on by that great cable outpost of commercial-less cinema, Turner Classic Movies, will fill four days with screenings of classic films, including Coppola's own "The Conversation."
Such honors are self-evident for Coppola, the director of "The Godfather" trilogy and "Apocalypse Now." But the 77-year-old Coppola doesn't often pause for tributes; he's too busy working.
FILE - In this Oct. 23, 2015 file photo, filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola acknowledges applause after receiving the Princess of Asturias Arts award award from Spain's King Felipe VI at a ceremony in Oviedo, northern Spain. Coppola will be honored Friday, April 29, 2016, at the TCM Classic Film Festival. (AP Photo/Jose Vicente, File)
After a long break from the director's chair, he's made three idiosyncratic and exploratory films in the last decade ("Youth Without Youth," ''Tetro," ''Twixt"), none which are the kind of films expected of filmmakers in their later years.
He's also for several years been working on an even more experimental and ambitious film, "Distant Vision," a multi-generation saga about an Italian American family. Ring a bell? But Coppola, more interested in the future than the past, wants to make it in what he calls "live cinema."
That was one of things Coppola discussed in a recent interview where the director assessed the current state of movies, his penchant for re-cutting his films (including a new version of "The Cotton Club" he's just finished) and, above all, his robust life in cinema as an eternal student. "For me now, I have no motive other than to enjoy the thrill of learning about the cinema," he says, "and being able to participate in it."
AP: Are you a fan of TCM?
COPPOLA: I love TCM. It's an oasis on television. For one thing, it's uninterrupted and no commercials and they bring some of the greatest movies ever made to your screen. TCM has a lot of devotees, so of course it's an honor for them to single me out.
AP: When you reflect on your career, one of such chapters, what do you see?
COPPOLA: I always thought of myself, or charged myself, to be searching and to be somewhat experimental. I didn't just make one style of movie and then just stick with that. Every film I made I approached differently according its theme. Whereas the "Godfather" films that I'm probably best known for had a certain classic, Shakespearean style, "Apocalypse Now" was totally different. Almost a different person made it. "One From the Heart" was yet another experiment and "Rumble Fish" was another. I always was trying to learn about cinema by approaching it experimentally and trying to uncover what it was that really connected with me. And I'm still doing it at age 77. I'm still trying to look at it from the standpoint of: What can I learn?
AP: You've frequently gone back and tweaked your films, like "One From the Heart" and "The Outsiders."
COPPOLA: I recently did that with "The Cotton Club." ''The Cotton Club" was sort of made on the battlefield between the various people who put up the money and the producer (Robert Evans). At the time, they looked at it and said, "Oh, there's too many black people in it. Can we cut out some of the tap dancing and put the emphasis less on the black people in the story?" I happened to have a Betamax very rough copy of what the movie had been before all that happened. I realized the movie had been 35 minutes longer. Much of the film had been lost, but through hook and crook, I was able to put it back together.
AP: Are you finding any more freedom today?
COPPOLA: It's a tough time for more elderly film directors who don't necessarily want to just do an HBO film on some historical subject and certainly they're not going to do a Marvel Comics film. So I'm thrilled that I'm in a position to search for what the possibilities are. I do feel it's a pity that the concept of performance has been lost. That basically since the invention of the phonograph and the cinema that all our art forms are canned. By live cinema, I don't mean like in the form of a television version of a play. I mean cinema, still, with the rules and language of cinema but performed live. That could be very thrilling.
AP: Do you consider television and film separate mediums?
COPPOLA: Cinema is cinema. It can be a minute or less, or it can be 90 hours or more like "The Sopranos." It can be shown in theaters and at the same time you can see it in your living room. It's true you could see it on your iPhone. I'm not sure you would want to, but you could.
AP: You famously risked just about everything you had on "Apocalypse Now." Do you lament today's risk-adverse Hollywood?
COPPOLA: You can neither make beautiful, great movies without risk as you can make babies without sex. Risk is part of the artistic process. That's why I like performance, because performance is walking a high wire.
AP: You've said "Distant Vision" might be your last film. Is that true?
COPPOLA: Only because it's so long. The script of the overall project is over 500 pages now, so that's like six movies. But I want to do it live, maybe quarterly, maybe every three months do another hour and a half of it in theaters, at home, anywhere, everywhere.
AP: What recent films have inspired you?
COPPOLA: Mostly it's in the independent field because the films with the budgets are pretty much all remakes of themselves. There was a film out of Canada I saw called "Mommy" I thought was great. There was a film, "Tangerine," that was a beautiful film. So moving and funny and alive. I loved Sarah Polley's documentary called "Stories We Tell."
AP: Your films are so varied. Is there one you feel is the truest reflection of you as a filmmaker?
COPPOLA: I would reach out to "The Conversation" or something that I had written because deep down in my heart I always wanted to be a writer. You don't get that opportunity so much. Of course, I always wrote the screenplays but the heavy lifting is to write the whole thing, and I've only done that a few times. My heart is more in that kind of work.
AP: Is there a film you've seen more than any other?
COPPOLA: The thing about the cinema that's amazing to me is that there are so many absolute masterpieces in such a short time, 100 years. There are 100 masterpieces beyond description. Kurosawa alone made nine or 10 of them. "The Best Years of Our Lives" is a gorgeous movie. "Ashes and Diamond," beautiful. There are so many. In the silent era alone: Murnau and his films and Pabst. It's a riches that we almost need to scratch our heads and ask: How come in such a short time so many brilliant films? I theorize that the work was waiting for the technology to enable people to make films, so it was all saved up.
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Harry Reid says Sanders has no path to the nomination
WASHINGTON (AP) Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday he does not think Bernie Sanders has a path to winning the Democratic presidential nomination.
Responding to questions at his weekly news conference Reid declined to suggest Sanders should drop out or cede the ground to Hillary Clinton, who's expected to post a strong showing in primaries Tuesday in Maryland, Pennsylvania and elsewhere.
The Nevada Democrat said Sanders is a good person who "has run a campaign that I think we've all recognized has been unique and powerful, and I think Bernie should do what he wants to do."
But asked whether Sanders has a path to the nomination Reid did not equivocate. "No, I do not," he said.
"Bernie is going to do what he feels is appropriate and I have every confidence that Bernie, his No. 1 issue is not him, it's the country," Reid added.
The Vermont independent senator has energized young people but lags in the delegate count behind Clinton, herself a former senator from New York. Still most leading Democrats have avoided suggesting Sanders consider ending his candidacy so the party can unite. Doing so could alienate Sanders' legions of supporters.
Chobani giving employees shares in company
NEW YORK (AP) Chobani says it is giving its employees an ownership stake in the privately held company.
The Greek yogurt maker says the shares being distributed would amount to 10 percent of the company's future value in the event of a sale or initial public offering. It says each of its approximately 2,000 full-time employees will receive shares based on their role and time spent with the company.
Chobani says CEO and founder Hamdi Ulukaya is meeting with employees this week to tell about the plan in person.
FILE - In this Jan. 21, 2014, file photo, yogurt containers run along a conveyer at the Chobani plant near Twin Falls, Idaho. Greek yogurt maker Chobani said it is giving its employees an ownership stake in the privately held company. The shares being distributed would amount to 10 percent of the companys future value in the event of a sale or initial public offering. Chobani said each of its approximately 2,000 full-time employees will receive shares based on their role and time spent with the company. (Drew Nash/The Times-News via AP, File) MANDATORY CREDIT
"This isn't a gift. It's a mutual promise to work together with a shared purpose and responsibility," Ulukaya wrote in a letter to employees. The plans were first reported by The New York Times.
Clinton surges to nomination with 4 more Northeast wins
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Hillary Clinton rolled to victory in four more states Tuesday, putting her 90 percent of the way toward clinching the Democratic presidential nomination.
The Democratic front-runner expanded her all-but-unstoppable march with wins in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Delaware. But Bernie Sanders stopped her from sweeping the night with a win in Rhode Island.
Already, Clinton can lose every remaining primary by a wide margin and still capture her party's nomination, according to an Associated Press analysis.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton moves to the stage at her presidential primary election night rally, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Still, the Vermont senator continues to attract tens of thousands to his rallies and raise millions of dollars online. He's vowing to stay in the race through the last primary contest in June.
"We have a very narrow path and we're going to have to win some big victories," Sanders said in an interview with The Associated Press after an evening rally in West Virginia.
Sanders would need to win more than 81 percent of the remaining delegates and uncommitted superdelegates. He's only been winning 38 percent.
Clinton spent Tuesday in Pennsylvania and Indiana two states her campaign believes could be critical in the fall election. After exchanging sharp barbs with Sanders earlier this month, she barely mentioned him in the run-up to Tuesday's contests, underscoring her campaign's turn to the general election.
"We will unify our party to win this election and build an America where we can all rise together," she told boisterous supporters at a rally in Philadelphia.
Along with focusing more of her fire on GOP front-runner Donald Trump, Clinton has also begun broadening her message beyond the primary. Her remarks Tuesday night included an explicit appeal to not just Democrats but independents and "thoughtful" Republicans.
Her wins Tuesday put her fewer than 250 delegates away from the Democratic nomination. She can reach that goal by winning less than 19 percent of the remaining delegates and uncommitted superdelegates.
In exit polls conducted in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Maryland, less than a fifth of Democratic voters said they would not support Clinton if she gets the nomination.
In a town hall on MSNBC on Monday night, Clinton questioned the idea that she would need to adopt parts of Sanders' platform to win over his supporters, saying that she did not make demands when she lost the primary to President Barack Obama eight years ago.
Sanders said he has no plans to stop his attacks on Clinton. "Trust me, the Republicans have a very good research team," he told the AP. "They will go and take on Clinton in a way that I have chosen not, in areas I have chosen not to go."
But there were signs that some of his supporters were beginning to accept that he might not make it all the way to the White House.
Charles Chamberlain, head of a liberal group backing Sanders, said the question isn't whether the senator would win delegates. "It's whether the Democratic establishment is going to bring our party together by embracing our fight," Chamberlain said.
Democratic voters say the closely contested primary has excited the party. In Pennsylvania, about seven in 10 voters in Pennsylvania said the primary has energized the party rather than divided it, according to exit polls.
Among Democrats, Clinton has 2,141 delegates to Sanders' 1,321. Those totals include both pledged delegates from primaries and caucuses and superdelegates, the party insiders who can back the candidate of their choice. It takes 2,383 to win the Democratic nomination.
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Lerer reported from Washington. Ken Thomas and Hope Yen contributed to this report from Washington.
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during an election night campaign event at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Huntington, W.Va. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Feds update strategy to keep Asian carp from Great Lakes
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) Federal agencies plan to spend $57.3 million this year on preventing invasive Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes, where scientists say they could disrupt food chains and out-compete native fish.
The Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee released its 2016 action plan Tuesday.
It includes stepped-up efforts to detect the presence of the aggressive fish at various life stages and development of technologies that could limit their migration to new areas.
A special focus will be the Brandon Road Lock and Dam area near Joliet, Illinois, which officials describe as a key choke point where the carp could be blocked from reaching upstream waters around Chicago that lead to Lake Michigan.
Jury deadlocks on key charges against state auditor
TACOMA, Wash. (AP) The first Washington state official indicted in 35 years won at least partial vindication on Tuesday, as jurors in his federal fraud trial failed to reach a verdict on the key charges against him and cleared him of lying to the IRS on the one count where they could agree.
State Auditor Troy Kelley hugged and kissed his quietly weeping wife after U.S. District Judge Ronald Leighton announced the results on the fourth day of deliberations after a trial that spanned more than five weeks.
"This is a case that should never have been brought," said one of Kelley's attorneys, Angelo Calfo. "The jury's inability to come to a verdict ... shows to us Troy is on the right path to vindication."
Washington State Auditor Troy Kelley can be seen in the background at far right rushing to an exit staircase as his attorney, Angelo Calfo, center, talks to reporters following the conclusion of Kelley's federal fraud trial Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Tacoma, Wash. A jury on Tuesday failed to reach a verdict on key charges against Kelley, and acquitted him on the single count where they could agree. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Prosecutors accused Kelley of pocketing $3 million in fees that they said he should have refunded to homeowners when he ran a real-estate services business during the height of last decade's real-estate boom, before he was elected auditor in 2012.
The jury failed to reach a decision on 14 counts, including whether Kelley possessed stolen money, laundered money, lied under oath in civil litigation or filed false income tax returns.
Kelley's attorneys insisted he was entitled to keep the money, and foreman Mike Lowey said the jury was never close to agreement on that key point. The government had to prove that Kelley knew the money was stolen to convict him of possessing and concealing stolen property.
Calfo said he hoped prosecutors would not seek a retrial. Seattle U.S. Attorney Annette Hayes promised a thorough review of the deadlocked counts before her office decides.
Kelley, a Democrat from Tacoma, is tasked in his position with rooting out waste and fraud in government operations. He took a seven-month leave following the indictment but returned to work in December and has refused to resign, despite calls from Gov. Jay Inslee and others. His lawyers said he does not plan to seek reelection.
"Unfortunately, the people of Washington state do not yet have much-needed closure to Troy Kelley's ongoing legal battles," the governor said in a written statement. "Regardless of the outcome in court today, serious questions remain about Troy Kelley's ability to successfully fulfill his role as state auditor."
Kelley did not comment after the verdict.
Rep. Drew Stokesbary, a Republican from Auburn who co-sponsored an impeachment resolution that the Legislature never took action on, said he was "glad the justice system was given a chance to work."
"But my position has never been that Troy Kelley was guilty (or innocent)," Stokesbary wrote to The Associated Press. "What I have said, and still believe, is that public servants especially one tasked with rooting out fraud and corruption in state government should hold themselves to a higher standard than merely 'not guilty.'"
The charges against Kelley stemmed from his operation of a business called Post Closing Department, which tracked escrow paperwork for title companies.
Prosecutors said that to obtain business from the title companies and get access to vast sums of money from homeowners Kelley promised that Post Closing Department would collect $100 to $150 for each transaction it tracked; keep $15 or $20 for itself; use some of the money to pay county recording and other fees if necessary; and refund the customer any remaining money.
In tens of thousands of cases, the additional fees were not needed, but Kelley retained the money anyway. He refunded the balance only in a relatively few instances when title companies began asking uncomfortable questions or when homeowners were savvy enough to demand it, prosecutors said.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katheryn Kim Frierson and Andrew Friedman told jurors the case wasn't as complicated as it sounds. They said Kelley lied to get the money then kept it, and his actions included moving money among various accounts to hide the proceeds, trying to pay off a homeowner who filed a lawsuit over the retained fees, and lying in civil litigation as well as on his taxes.
The trial featured testimony from a former employee, Jason Jerue, who told jurors that Kelley ordered him to falsify documents to hide that he wasn't paying the refunds.
Kelley's attorneys insisted that the homeowners were never promised refunds, and therefore no one was harmed by Kelley's actions even if they might have been unethical business practices.
Calfo sought to dismantle the government's case point-by-point in his closing argument, saying that because of Kelley's high political profile, investigators set out from the beginning to win a conviction not to find the truth and as a result ignored evidence of his client's innocence.
The case is "based on a fundamental premise, a fundamental misconception, and that is that Troy Kelley was dealing with other people's money," Calfo said. "He wasn't."
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AP Correspondent Rachel La Corte contributed from Olympia.
Mike Lowey, center, a juror in the federal trial of Washington State Auditor Troy Kelley, talks to reporters following the conclusion of the trial Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Tacoma, Wash. A jury on Tuesday failed to reach a verdict on key charges against Kelley, and acquitted him on the single count where they could agree. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Mike Lowey, a juror in the federal trial of Washington State Auditor Troy Kelley, talks to reporters following the conclusion of the trial Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Tacoma, Wash. A jury on Tuesday failed to reach a verdict on key charges against Kelley, and acquitted him on the single count where they could agree. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Diane Kelley, right, the wife of Washington State Auditor Troy Kelley, leaves the federal courthouse in Tacoma, Wash., with an unidentified person, following the conclusion of Troy Kelley's federal fraud trial, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Tacoma, Wash. A jury on Tuesday failed to reach a verdict on key charges against Troy Kelley, and acquitted him on the single count where they could agree. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Angelo Calfo, the attorney for Washington State Auditor Troy Kelley, talks to reporters following the conclusion of Kelley's federal fraud trial Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Tacoma, Wash. A jury on Tuesday failed to reach a verdict on key charges against Kelley, and acquitted him on the single count where they could agree. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Regulators relax monitoring of decade-old Gulf oil leak
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Federal regulators have relaxed a pollution monitoring requirement for a company responsible for a decade-old oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, a slow-motion spill that could last another century.
In 2008, the Coast Guard ordered Taylor Energy Company to conduct daily flights over the site of its leak to visually monitor chronic oil sheens that often stretch for miles off Louisiana's coast.
That requirement remained in effect until December, when the Coast Guard amended the order to reduce the minimum number of required overflights to twice a week.
FILE - This March 31, 2015, file photo shows an oil sheen drifting from the site of the former Taylor Energy oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Louisiana. In 2008, the Coast Guard ordered Taylor Energy to conduct daily flights over the leak site. In December, federal regulators relaxed the pollution monitoring requirement and the Coast Guard amended the order of flights to twice a week. The Coast Guard confirmed the new order Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in response to an Associated Press inquiry. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
Regulators didn't announce the change at the time. The Coast Guard confirmed details of its new order on Tuesday in response to an Associated Press inquiry.
Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Bobby Nash said flights are often cancelled due to weather and "other safety issues," and they rarely detect the presence of oil that could be recovered from the water's surface.
"Based on this historical knowledge and consistent patterns of sheening near the site, the new overflight frequency will target calm days when there is greater likelihood to observe dark, recoverable product on the water's surface," Nash said in a statement he attributed to "Unified Command," which includes federal regulators and Taylor Energy itself.
Government experts believe oil is still leaking at the site where waves whipped up by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 triggered an underwater mudslide, which toppled a Taylor Energy-owned platform and buried a cluster of its oil wells under mounds of sediment. Last year, regulators estimated the leak could last a century or more if left unchecked.
Taylor Energy has said nothing can be done to completely eliminate the persistent slicks. The New Orleans-based company claims the sheens are coming from residual oil oozing from sediment on the seafloor.
In 2008, the Coast Guard initially ordered the company to fly over the leak site twice a day but reduced the requirement to once a day in 2009.
"The frequency of overflights has historically been reviewed and revised where conditions warrant modification," Nash said.
Environmental groups led by the New York City-based Waterkeeper Alliance sued Taylor Energy in 2012, accusing the company of withholding information about its government-supervised efforts to stop the leak. The company pledged to share more information with the public when it reached a settlement with the groups last year.
"The government making this change without notifying the public is on par with its complete lack of transparency from the beginning," said Waterkeeper Alliance staff attorney Larissa Liebmann.
When slicks are visible during flights, a Taylor Energy contractor submits a pollution report to the Coast Guard's National Response Center. Last year, an Associated Press analysis of data identified roughly 2,300 pollution reports on the Taylor Energy site since the leak began.
SkyTruth, a West Virginia-based environmental watchdog group, has used satellite images and Coast Guard reports to track the leak since 2010. The group counts only 40 Coast Guard reports for Taylor Energy's leak site since Jan. 1.
The AP's investigation last year revealed evidence that the leak is worse than the company, or government, reported. Presented with AP's findings, the Coast Guard provided a new leak estimate that's about 20 times larger than one cited by the company in a court filing last year.
SkyTruth estimated last year that between 300,000 and 1.4 million gallons of oil spilled from the site between 2004 and 2015 and it sees no end in sight. Satellite images from April 23 show a slick measuring 27 miles long and 3,500 feet wide and at its widest point, the group noted Monday in a Facebook post.
John Amos, SkyTruth's president, questioned why regulators would ease the company's monitoring obligations.
"Why would we drop our vigilance about what's happening at the site knowing that the job isn't done?" he said. "As shoddy and as demonstrably inaccurate as these (company-submitted pollution) reports are, they're the only public record of what's been happening out there since the leak began in 2004."
107-year-old woman who danced with Obama gets new ID card
WASHINGTON (AP) A 107-year-old woman who gained Internet fame for her impromptu dance with President Barack Obama has received a temporary photo identification card after her lack of a birth certificate stymied her earlier efforts to get one.
Virginia McLaurin could not obtain a replacement for a photo ID that was stolen years ago because she lacks a birth certificate, The Washington Post reported on Saturday. McLaurin, who is black and was born in segregated South Carolina in 1909, told the Post she was birthed by a midwife and her birth date was written in a Bible.
On Tuesday, District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser presented McLaurin with a new temporary card and announced regulations giving city residents 70 and older more options to obtain identification. New federal regulations have made it harder to get the ID required to board airplanes.
FILE - In this Feb. 22, 2016, file frame grab from video shows Virginia McLaurin, left, in Washington. McLaurin, who gained Internet fame for her impromptu dance with President Barack Obama has received a temporary photo identification card after her lack of a birth certificate stymied her earlier efforts to get one. (AP Photo/Rick Gentilo, File)
Without the new ID, McLaurin couldn't fly to New York or Los Angeles for interviews about her videotaped meeting with Obama that went viral online.
"I am especially happy to know that now all seniors in D.C. will be able to get an ID more easily," McLaurin said in a statement released by the mayor's office.
Judge rejects Cosby's bid to dismiss underage sex abuse case
LOS ANGELES (AP) A sexual battery lawsuit filed by a woman who accuses Bill Cosby of sexually abusing her at the Playboy Mansion when she was underage will proceed, a judge has ruled.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Craig Karlan's ruling Thursday allows most of Judy Huth's lawsuit against Cosby to proceed while dismissing a negligent infliction of emotional distress claim. Huth will still be able to argue that Cosby intentionally inflicted emotional distress on her.
Huth sued Cosby in December 2014, saying that he forced her to perform a sex act on him in a bedroom of the Playboy Mansion around 1974 when she was 15 years old.
FILE - In this Feb. 2, 2016 file photo, actor and comedian Bill Cosby arrives for a court appearance in Norristown, Pa. A judge has dismissed an inflectional of emotional distress claim filed against Bill Cosby by a woman who claims the comedian sexually abused her when she was underage. The ruling Thursday by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Craig Karlan allows most of Judy Huth's lawsuit against Cosby to proceed. Cosbys lawyers had challenged the case on various procedural grounds, including that Huth had waited too long to sue the comedian. Huth sued Cosby in December 2014, alleging he forced her to perform a sex act on him at the Playboy Mansion around 1974 when she was 15 years old. (Clem Murray/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, Pool, File)
Cosby's lawyers had challenged the case on various procedural grounds, including that Huth had waited too long to sue the comedian.
Cosby's lawyers had also argued that Huth's claims should be dismissed because her former attorney did not follow the proper procedure for filing a lawsuit alleging underage sexual abuse.
"The court is not, at this time, willing to dismiss plaintiff's potentially meritorious claims against defendant based upon mistakes attributable to her former counsel," Karlan wrote.
"The decision is a vindication of our position that this lawsuit should be permitted to proceed to trial and should not be dismissed," Huth's attorney Gloria Allred wrote in a statement. "We did not believe that there was a valid basis for denying Ms. Huth her day in court. We are very happy that the Court agreed and we will continue to vigorously fight for a just result for our client."
An email sent to Cosby's spokeswoman Monique Pressley was not immediately returned. Cosby's former attorney has accused Huth's former lawyer of attempting to extort Cosby for $250,000 before filing her lawsuit.
Cosby's attorneys will have other chances to seek the case's dismissal before trial.
Karlan has ruled that Cosby and Huth do not have to give additional sworn testimony to give the comedian more time to resolve a sexual assault case filed in Pennsylvania.
Dozens of women have accused Cosby of sex abuse, but most of the claims are barred by the statute of limitations. Several women, including model Janice Dickinson, have sued Cosby for defamation over his lawyers' denials that he abused them.
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Coroner: Most Ohio victims shot many times, some bruised
CINCINNATI (AP) A coroner's report released Tuesday showed new details of vicious violence in the shooting deaths of eight members of a rural southern Ohio family, finding most victims were shot three to nine times each and some of them were bruised. Meanwhile, the hunt for whoever is responsible continued to expand, with more than 200 law enforcement officials involved.
A 911 caller on Friday said the bodies of two people found in one home looked to be beaten up. Attorney General Mike DeWine has called the slayings a carefully planned and "sophisticated operation" carried out against eight members of the Rhoden family by one or more killers.
The Hamilton County coroner said the victims three women, four men and a 16-year-old boy had wounds to their heads, torso and other parts of the body. Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco said one victim had a single wound, one had two wounds, and the rest had three or more. The report didn't specify which victim had which number of wounds.
FILE - In this Friday, April 22, 2016 file photo, authorities set up road blocks at the intersection of Union Hill Road and Route 32 at the perimeter of a crime scene, in Pike County, Ohio. As the investigation into the killings of eight family members in rural Ohio enters its fifth day, more details are being released. Pike County Prosecutor Rob Junk told The Columbus Dispatch Monday, April 25, 2016, that the marijuana operations discovered at three of the four crime scenes included a grow-house sheltering hundreds of plants. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
Some victims showed "signs of soft tissue bruising," her report stated. Sammarco's office declined to discuss its findings, citing the ongoing investigation. Funeral arrangements for the victims hadn't yet been announced.
Authorities haven't suggested a motive or suspects. DeWine has said there were marijuana-growing operations found at three of the four places where bodies were found in Pike County, a rural Appalachian Mountain region roughly 80 miles east of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.
DeWine said Tuesday that investigators have received more than 300 tips and are still serving search warrants. He said 79 pieces of evidence have been sent to a state crime lab for testing and analysis, including for DNA and fingerprints.
Ohio and Pike County authorities are leading the investigation, with help from some two dozen other agencies including other county sheriffs. The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration are also offering assistance.
A woman who called 911 on Friday morning to report finding two of the bodies said that she saw "blood all over the house" and that the two looked like they had been badly beaten.
The victims are 40-year-old Christopher Rhoden Sr.; his ex-wife, 37-year-old Dana Rhoden; their three children, 16-year-old Christopher Rhoden Jr., 19-year-old Hanna Rhoden and 20-year-old Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden; Christopher Rhoden Sr.'s brother, 44-year-old Kenneth Rhoden; their cousin, 38-year-old Gary Rhoden, and 20-year-old Hannah Gilley, whose 6-month old son with Frankie was unharmed.
Two other children, Hanna Rhoden's 4-day-old daughter and Frankie Rhoden's 3-year-old son, also were unharmed.
Leonard Manley, father of Dana Rhoden, told The Cincinnati Enquirer that he first learned about the marijuana operations from news reports. Manley, 64, said he's sure his daughter couldn't have been involved in anything illegal.
"They are trying to drag my daughter through the mud, and I don't appreciate that," said Manley, whose three grandchildren Dana's children were also among the dead.
Manley also found it suspicious that any assailants were able to get by his daughter's two dogs.
"Whoever done it knows the family," Manley said. "There were two dogs there that would eat you up."
DeWine said Monday there was also possible evidence of cockfighting at one of the properties, but he didn't know if it was relevant to the investigation.
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Associated Press writers Kantele Franko, Ann Sanner and Andrew Welsh-Huggins in Columbus and Lisa Cornwell in Cincinnati contributed to this report.
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Aside from some hearings and the confirmation of Secretary of Education John B. King Jr., Congress has not been particularly busy on the K-12 front since it passed the Every Student Succeeds Act late last year. But there are congressional elections this year, and some of them could have a notable impact on the two committees that deal with K-12 policy.
Lets look at the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee first.
There are eight senators on the committee whose seats are up this year and are seeking re-election: Sens. Michael Bennet, D-Colo,; Richard Burr, R-N.C.; Johnny Isakson, R-Ga.; Mark Kirk, R-Ill.; Lisa. Murkowski, R-Alaska; Patty Murray, D-Wash.; Rand Paul, R-Ky.; and Tim Scott, R-S.C. Murray is the ranking member of the committee. Another member is retiring: Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md. CORRECTION: I initially listed Isakson as retiring, but in fact he is seeking re-election this year .
Probably the most-endangered member of the Senate HELP committee is Kirk, who is facing a general election fight with another member of the Illinois congressional delegation, Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth. The University of Virginias Center for Politics currently says the Duckworth-Kirk race leans Democratic. However, the Cook Political Report says the race is a toss-up . Kirk is a fan of charter schools , although he wasnt particularly active publicly in debates about ESSA before it passed Congress.
Bennets seat is rated likely to stay Democratic, although theres a relatively large number of Republicans interested in getting their partys nomination to oppose him.
All of the other seats held by HELP members are rated safe bets to stay with the party that currently holds them, according to the Center for Politics. That includes the seats being vacated by Isakson and Mikulski.
Now lets turn to the Committee on Education and the Workforce in the House of Representatives.
You might already know that committee chairman Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., is retiring this year. The Republican most-often mentioned as his successor to lead the committee, assuming that the GOP continues to control the House of Representatives, is Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C.. And there isnt really a whole lot of scuttlebutt connecting anyone else strongly to the job on the Republican side.
However, Klines seat in Minnesotas second congressional district is rated as a toss-up by the Center for Politics, as are the seats now held by committee members Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., and Rep. Joseph Heck, R-Nev. (Heck is running to replace Democratic Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, whos retiring.)
In slightly safer territory for the GOP, the seat held by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Minn., is rated as leans Republican.
Meanwhile, the seats now held by committee members Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Rep. Mike Bishop, R-Mich., are rated to likely remain Republican. The Cook Report puts identical ratings on the six seats held by Bishop, Curbelo, Heck, Kline, Stefanik, and Walberg.
In addition, Rep. Ruben Hinojosa, D-Texas, is retiring from Congress.
File photo: U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., speaks during an interview at his office in Chicago. Kirk, a member of the Senate HELP Committee, is facing a tough re-election battle against Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)
Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 .
Mother of defendant in baby's death says it was accidental
POPLAR, Mont. (AP) The Latest on a criminal charge in the death of a baby on a Montana Indian Reservation who authorities say was killed by a caregiver (all times local):
4 p.m.
The mother of a woman charged with killing a 13-month old girl on a Montana American Indian reservation says she believes the death was accidental.
A memorial is placed in front of the house for 1-year-old Kenzley Olson on Friday, April 22, 2016, in Poplar, Mont. A federal investigator says a woman beat to death the girl on a Montana Indian reservation and threw the baby's body into a dumpster. Janelle Red Dog appeared in Fort Peck Tribal Court on Friday in the death of Olson after she reportedly confessed and drew a map of where the body was located. (AP Photo/Richard Peterson)
Rhea Starr told The Associated Press on Tuesday that her daughter, Janelle Red Dog, had cared for young Kenzley Olson when no one else would.
Authorities say Red Dog struck and killed the girl last week on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, then reported her as missing before confessing in her death a day later.
Red Dog pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and hindering law enforcement during a court appearance.
Starr says Kenzley was Red Dog's niece and had been sick in recent weeks, coughing and throwing up.
Kenzley's body was found in a dumpster in Poplar.
The girl's mother was in jail at the time on unspecified charges.
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1:45 p.m.
A woman has been charged with murder in the beating death of a 13-month-old girl under her care on an American Indian reservation in Montana.
The Fort Peck Tribal Court clerk's office says Janelle Red Dog pleaded not guilty during a Tuesday court appearance in Poplar.
Judge Marvin Youpee denied bond and ordered Red Dog back into custody pending a May hearing.
Authorities say the 42-year-old woman beat to death Kenzley Olson on April 19, put the body into a dumpster and reported Kenzley missing.
Defense attorney Mary Zemyan says she's uncertain what killed Kenzley.
Tribal law allows for a maximum three-year prison sentence on any one charge. Separate federal charges also are expected in the case.
The baby's mother was in jail on unspecified allegations when she died.
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This item has been corrected to show that Judge Marvin Youpee presided over Tuesday's hearing
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12:05 p.m.
A prosecutor says a woman on a Montana American Indian reservation will be charged with murder in the beating death of a 13-month-old girl.
Fort Peck Tribes Chief Prosecutor Scott Seifert said Tuesday that 42-year-old Janelle Red Dog could face additional charges at a later date.
Red Dog's attorney, Mary Zemyan, says her client will plead not guilty during a court appearance scheduled for Tuesday. Zemyan has noted the baby's cause of death is unclear.
Red Dog is accused of beating to death Kenzley Olson while the girl was under her care, then putting the body into a dumpster and reporting Kenzley missing.
Tribal law allows for a maximum three-year prison sentence on any one charge. Separate federal charges also are expected in the case.
The baby's mother was in jail on unspecified allegations when she died.
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10:30 a.m.
A woman is due in a tribal court in Montana on Tuesday to face charges in the alleged beating death of a 13-month-old girl under her care on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation.
Investigators say 42-year-old Janelle Red Dog killed Kenzley Olson and put her body in a dumpster before reporting her missing April 19.
That triggered an Amber alert for Kenzley in Montana and North Dakota. It was canceled after Red Dog purportedly confessed and led authorities to the girl's body.
Red Dog's lawyer has said she admitted to authorities that she struck Kenzley on three occasions. But defense attorney Mary Zemyan said it was uncertain if that's what killed the girl.
The baby's mother was in jail on unspecified allegations when she died.
Tribal officials haven't disclosed what charges Red Dog will face. Federal officials expect to file separate charges.
Man arrested in 2003 Philadelphia firebombing that killed 5
PHILADELPHIA (AP) A man who got into a fight with a boxer outside a club went to the boxer's home later that night with friends and threw Molotov cocktails at the windows, igniting a fire that killed him and four relatives, police said Tuesday in announcing an arrest in the 2003 cold case.
Abdu Rivera, 32, was arrested Monday on five counts of murder, arson and related offenses in the November 2003 fire, Homicide Capt. James Clark said.
Clark said boxer John David Santiago had gotten into a fight with Rivera and a couple of his friends earlier in the evening, but because Santiago was a skilled boxer, he beat two or three of them up. Rivera and his friends tracked down Santiago's address and used accelerants to set fire to the home in the Olney neighborhood later that night, he said.
"This is over a bar fight and pride," Clark said. "Because of their pride being hurt, they found out where he lived, came to the house and set the house on fire."
Santiago, 23, was killed along with his 41-year-old mother, Francisca DeJesus; his 17-year-old brother, Alex; his 17-year-old girlfriend, Clarissa Davila; and their 3-month-old daughter, Jacquelyn Enid Santiago. Three other family members escaped.
John Santiago was a four-time Pennsylvania Golden Gloves state champion, first as a 119-pounder and then in the 125-pound weight class. He scored a second-round knockout in his only professional fight in January 2003.
Clark said two detectives reopened the case in 2014 and persuaded witnesses to come forward.
The perpetrators threw a couple of Molotov cocktails at the front windows of the home, Clark said. Most of the occupants were unable to get out of the bolted back door and were trapped and died, he said.
Rivera, whom Clark described as "extremely well-known to police" with a lengthy criminal record, was taken into custody in the Upper Kensington neighborhood.
"He was very surprised to see us," Clark said.
One or two other people might be arrested, but Rivera "is the main person involved so we're very happy to get him off the streets," he said.
Relatives of the victims were "extremely happy" about the news, Clark said.
"We talked to the mother of one of the decedents she lives in Florida now. She was ecstatic how we were able to bring this case to a close even after 13 years," he said.
Democrats dispute claim that shielding birds hurts military
WASHINGTON (AP) House Democrats on Tuesday released letters from Pentagon officials that they said should put an end to "silly speculation" generated by Republicans that protecting a bird known as the greater sage-grouse could hamstring the U.S. military.
They're hoping the new information persuades lawmakers to oppose a GOP provision in the annual defense policy bill that would block the Obama administration from protecting the sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act for 10 years. The measure also would prevent implementation of land-use plans by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to conserve the sage-grouse and its habitat.
The letters show those plans are working, don't interfere with military readiness, and help ensure the sage-grouse does not have to be listed under the act, said Democratic Reps. Adam Smith of Washington state, Raul Grijalva of Arizona and Niki Tsongas of Massachusetts.
The letters from the defense officials, Tsongas said, "demonstrate that arguments to halt this progress are not actually about military readiness but instead are an attempt to interfere with management of our nation's public lands and undermine the Endangered Species Act."
GOP lawmakers have argued that protection plans for the sage-grouse will restrict the availability of swaths of training grounds in Western states where there are large populations of the birds. About half of the sage-grouse's habitat is on federal lands, most of it managed by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.
Claude Chafin, the spokesman for House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, said the provision is essential to ensuring that critical military training isn't interrupted by "environmental extremism."
"While Obama officials at the Department of Defense are happy to push a political agenda, the fact remains that listing the sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act comes at a high cost to military readiness," Chafin said. "Our forces are already struggling to meet their training requirements before they deploy. Listing the sage-grouse would clearly impact our training ranges and make an already bad situation worse."
But Grijalva said the "letters put to bed once and for all the silly speculation that a few birds could hamstring the greatest fighting force in the history of the world."
Murray Energy continues fight against EPA's emissions rules
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) Coal producer Murray Energy Corp. is challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's final rule that targets mercury pollution from power plants.
St. Clairsville, Ohio-based Murray Energy filed a brief with the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on Monday, challenging the EPA's supplemental finding published earlier in the day.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that the EPA should have considered the costs and benefits before imposing limits on mercury and other air pollutants from coal- and oil-fired power plants. The high court let the rule stay in effect and sent it back to the federal appeals court in Washington to decide how a cost-benefits analysis should be conducted.
The EPA heard public comments and said it determined after considering costs that the regulation of emissions is appropriate and necessary, and that those power plants were properly included for regulation under the Clean Air Act.
Twenty states had urged the Supreme Court to block the rule while the government decided how to account for its costs. In December a three-judge panel unanimously rejected the states' request to postpone the rule.
The states, led by Michigan, argued that leaving the rule in place had already imposed billions of dollars of compliance costs on utility companies. They said it was unfair to keep it intact even after the Supreme Court said the EPA ignored the cost to power plants.
Governments struggle to enforce "living wage" laws
SEATTLE (AP) States and cities whose lawmakers proudly passed "living wage" laws are finding it difficult to make sure employers actually pay their workers accordingly.
Seattle and San Francisco, and the states of Oregon, California and New York are phasing in wage increases that will grow to $15 an hour or more.
Evidence of compliance is plain to see in the hours-worked total on most pay stubs, but state and federal laws don't require employers to routinely provide this crucial detail to the government. Without this data, wage enforcers who are empowered to investigate generally wait until a worker complains.
FILE - In this June 2, 2014, file photo, a sign that reads "15 Good Work Seattle" is displayed below Seattle City Hall, right, and the Columbia Center building, left, after the Seattle City Council passed a $15 minimum wage measure. As states and cities gradually implement new laws to raise wages to at least $15 an hour, they are confronting a challenge experts say has long bedeviled the nations municipalities: policing tens of thousands of businesses to obey wage laws. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
And many workers especially those in precarious situations fear they'll be fired if they speak up.
"It's pretty shocking how common the violations are," said Donna Levitt, director of the labor enforcement office in San Francisco, which began ramping up to $15 an hour last year. Her office has recovered more than $10 million in back wages since 2004.
The new laws are meaningless without proactive enforcement, labor advocates say, citing research that shows roughly one in four businesses nationwide already cheat their workers out of minimum wages.
"It's just so pervasive and so rampant," said Haeyoung Yoon of the National Employment Law Project.
Her group advocates higher fines to give employers more incentives to follow the laws, along with tougher enforcement nationwide.
"There's just not enough boots on the ground to wipe it out, because the problem is so enormous," Yoon said.
Without a proactive approach, officials aren't even sure how many violators are out there.
"We often get the question: What's the compliance rate?" Levitt said. "We have no idea."
Enforcement is expensive, but some state and local officials and advocates envision recovering the costs of investigations through higher fines, or anticipating more revenue as more people are paid their legal wages.
Some employers simply ignore or misunderstand these minimum wage laws. Others deliberately underestimate the hours their employees work, or require them to work unpaid and off-the-clock.
Tiny SeaTac, Washington, has effectively outsourced enforcement to the courts since it became the nation's first city to require wages of $15 an hour or more in 2014.
More than a dozen class actions were filed this year on behalf of workers in and around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Attorney Duncan Turner estimates the total owed them in back wages, overtime, related benefits and potential penalties could add up to $62.5 million.
"We want to see justice for all of the workers," he said.
In Seattle and San Francisco, most violators have come to the cities' attention through employee complaints.
Investigators then examine pay records for all employees at the business, to protect the complainant and because they assume the problem affects more than one worker, said Dylan Orr, director of Seattle's labor standards office.
In the past year alone, Seattle has investigated 106 businesses and completed cases against 23 others, levying fines and payment of back wages totaling more than $172,000. They ranged from restaurants to retail stores to larger companies providing cleaning services.
Many weren't aware of the wage law's details, but others were simply taking advantage of their employees, many of whom are immigrant workers, Orr said.
A strip club called Pandora's Adult Cabaret became one of the first businesses in Seattle forced to pay thousands of dollars in back wages to employees under the new law. Owner Joe Walker blamed the $3,200 mistake on his payroll company, which he said was "out of touch with the real world."
San Francisco has examined 40 complaints during the same time period a much smaller caseload in a city with more businesses. Officials suspect that's because San Francisco has long had its own minimum wage requirements and Seattle has not.
Authorities are moving to a more proactive enforcement posture in some places.
Seattle is adding five investigators to its enforcement team and looking at ways to find violators before employees turn them in. Oregon lawmakers have allocated money for three investigators, who will likely focus on any industry showing a pattern of wage violations, Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian said.
The enforcement of California's new minimum wage law, meanwhile, is provided for under an existing state law authorizing proactive investigations of industries with a history of breaking labor laws.
New York's Labor Department plans to wait for workers to turn in their employers, and will represent the employees in court if the department can't persuade the businesses to pay up.
Some worry such passive approaches won't reach all workers.
"It's hard to stand up to someone who has power against you," said Nicole Keenan, who directs the Fair Work Center, a nonprofit Seattle hired to educate people about the new wage requirements. "When we give a presentation, about half the people in the room say their rights have been violated."
Apple reports iPhone sales down, 1st revenue drop since 2003
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Apple sold more than 51 million iPhones in the first three months of this year and that's the problem.
That's 10 million fewer iPhones than the tech giant sold during the same quarter a year ago. As a result, Apple on Tuesday reported its first drop in quarterly revenue in 13 years and the first-ever year-over-year decline in iPhone sales.
The slide is putting more pressure on Apple and CEO Tim Cook to come up with its next big product.
FILE - In this March 21, 2016, file photo, Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks at an event to announce new products at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. On Tuesday, April 26, 2016, Apple reported that quarterly revenue fell for the first time in more than a decade, as iPhone sales fell compared with a year ago. That's putting more pressure on the world's most valuable public company to come up with its next big product. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)
Cook, of course, has problems many corporate bosses would kill to have. Despite the decline in sales, Apple managed to rack up $10.5 billion in profit for the quarter.
"The future of Apple is very bright," Cook told analysts on a conference call Tuesday.
But Apple is battling perceptions that its latest iPhones aren't that different from previous models, at a time when overall smartphone sales are slowing around the world. Apple also sells iPads, Mac computers and other gadgets, but nearly two-thirds of its $50.6 billion in quarterly revenue came from iPhones.
"They need to come out with that next great product," said Angelo Zino, a financial analyst with S&P Global Market Intelligence. Zino said that while he is optimistic about the company's future, "Apple absolutely needs to start diversifying their revenue base."
Overall, the company's revenue in the January-March quarter was down 13 percent from a year earlier. And the company surprised analysts by forecasting another revenue drop of 13 percent or more in the current quarter.
The forecast, which was announced after Apple had closed for the day at $104.35 a share, drove its stock price down 8 percent in extended trading.
Apple hasn't reported a year-over-year sales decline since 2003, when the iPod was still relatively new and the iPhone didn't exist. Since then, the iPhone and other products have propelled the company's stock value from $5 billion to $579 billion, making it the most valuable public company in the world.
Despite the quarterly decline, Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri defended the iPhone business in an interview with The Associated Press.
"We think we can continue to bring a lot of innovation to the market," he said of future models, while adding that Apple is working to expand other lines of business.
Apple's revenue for the quarter included $6 billion from online services, apps and other software, he noted. That's up 20 percent from a year earlier. Analysts agree the figure could rise further, given that there are more than 500 million iPhones in use.
Many were hoping the Apple Watch would be the company's next big hit when it went on sale a year ago. Apple hasn't revealed sales figures for the watch, but most analysts estimate the company has sold 12 million or more, producing well over $5 billion in revenue. That's more than twice the number of iPhones sold in the first year after the product's introduction in 2007.
While some owners say they're delighted with the Apple Watch, others have voiced disappointment that it doesn't do more. And critics say it hasn't ignited consumer passions in the way the iPhone became a must-have product.
Apple said iPad and Mac sales both fell in the quarter. Meanwhile, the company is also widely believed to be working on other new products, such as virtual reality headsets and even electric cars.
But Apple hasn't officially confirmed any plans, and Cook recently signaled that a car isn't coming soon.
"Do you remember when you were a kid and Christmas Eve, it was so exciting you weren't sure what was going to be downstairs? Well, it's going to be Christmas Eve for a while," he cautioned when asked about an Apple car in February.
Analysts are expecting Apple's performance to improve in the fall, when it's expected to release the next generation of iPhones with as-yet undisclosed new features.
For now, Apple is finding it difficult to match the blockbuster sales it racked up last year, when shoppers flocked to buy the first iPhones with larger screens similar to the 5- and 6-inch models that Samsung and other competitors were already selling.
"I think what we're seeing here is those tough comparisons" to last year's sales figures, Zino said. "We're also seeing a lot of consumers holding onto their old phones, until the iPhone 7 launch this fall."
Colin Gillis, an investment analyst with BGC Financial, said smartphone sales are likely to level off rather than grow. As with PCs and tablets in recent years, he said, it's becoming more difficult for manufacturers to come up with dramatic improvements that get shoppers excited.
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You can follow Brandon Bailey at https://Twitter.com/BrandonBailey or find his reporting at http://www.bigstory.ap.org/journalist/brandon-bailey
New York bakery recalls some 7-Eleven cookies over peanuts
BOHEMIA, N.Y. (AP) A suburban New York bakery has recalled several lots of cookies sold at 7-Eleven stores across the state because they may contain undeclared peanuts.
Glenn Wayne Wholesale Bakery said Tuesday the 7-Eleven Fresh to Go brand cookies are from batches potentially contaminated with peanuts and aren't labeled with allergy warnings. No illnesses have been reported.
The recalled packages are clear, plastic film with two cookies in each. They're labeled as weighing 4 ounces and have best by date codes of Friday 0422, Saturday 0423 and Sunday 0424. The cookies are Chocolate Chunk, Oatmeal Raisin and Sugar Cookie with M&M Chocolate Candy.
The Bohemia bakery says consumers can return the cookies to the stores for refunds.
Another patient accuses former VA employee of sex abuse
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) Another patient has filed a lawsuit accusing a former physician assistant at the Veteran's Administration hospital in Kansas of sexual abuse.
The complaint filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court of Kansas brings to at least four the number of civil lawsuits filed against Mark E. Wisner, and the federal government. Wisner also faces criminal charges of aggravated criminal sodomy, solicitation and sexual battery.
Wisner did not return a phone message. The hospital in Leavenworth, Kansas, reiterated that once accusations were brought to the attention of its leadership Wisner was immediately removed from patient care and an investigation initiated.
Trump's big night: Front-runner sweeps 5 states in Northeast
NEW YORK (AP) Donald Trump rolled up victories in five more states on Tuesday, amassing a Northeastern sweep that gives the Republican front-runner important momentum in his push for the presidential nomination even if his pathway has little room for error.
The New York billionaire scored wins in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island all five states that held GOP primary contests Tuesday. It was a dominant performance fueled by support from nearly all ages and education levels.
In a victory speech at Trump Tower, Trump likened the victories to a boxing ring knockout and suggested it was time for his Republican rivals to drop out.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a primary night news conference, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in New York. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is at back left. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
"I consider myself the presumptive nominee," he declared as he pivoted toward a potential general election matchup against Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.
"She's going to be easy to beat," Trump said, suggesting Clinton's political appeal is based on "the woman card."
"If Hillary Clinton were a man, I don't think she'd get 5 percent of the vote," Trump said.
Anticipating a big night for Trump, chief rival Ted Cruz retreated to next-up Indiana days ago. The Texas senator and Ohio Gov. John Kasich are fighting to deny Trump the delegate majority and force a contested national convention.
"I got good news for you," Cruz told cheering supporters at an Indianapolis rally. "Tonight this campaign moves back to more favorable terrain."
Tuesday's outcome marked a setback for the GOP's vocal anti-Trump movement, which is skeptical about his commitment to conservative values and electability in the general election.
Overall, exit polls found that a large majority of Republican voters in Connecticut, Maryland and Pennsylvania want the candidate with the most votes in the primaries to prevail at the party convention in Cleveland and most of them supported Trump. He won across nearly all demographic groups in the three states.
About 6 in 10 Republican voters in Pennsylvania also say the GOP campaign this year has divided the party. While 7 in 10 Democrats in the state say they've been energized by the campaign, only 4 in 10 Republican voters say the same.
Trump remains the only Republican who has a chance to reach the 1,237-delegate majority needed to clinch the nomination before the convention. But any major setbacks in the contests ahead could lead him to fall sort of that magic number.
Adding a wrinkle to Trump's efforts, Cruz and Kasich announced a tentative alliance aimed at undermining him. Under the deal, Kasich will forgo campaigning in Indiana, while Cruz will do the same for Kasich in Oregon and New Mexico.
With Tuesday's sweep, Trump remains on his narrow path to win the Republican nomination by the end of the primaries on June 7.
He claimed at least 105 of the 118 delegates up for grabs Tuesday. With 950 delegates overall, Trump is more than three-quarters of the way toward the delegate majority, compared with Cruz's 560 and Kasich's 153.
In Pennsylvania, Trump collected 17 delegates for winning the state. An additional 54 delegates are elected directly by voters three in each congressional district. However, their names are listed on the ballot with no information about which presidential candidate they support.
Pennsylvania voter Laura Seyler described herself as "a very solid Cruz fan," but favored Trump because he's "a bigger bully."
"That may sound strange, but I think that's kind of what we need," Seyler, 63, a senior buyer for a direct marketer, said Tuesday at a polling place in Hamburg, Pennsylvania.
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Peoples reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Stephen Ohlemacher in Washington contributed to this report.
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during a rally at the Hoosier Gym in Knightstown, Ind., Tuesday, April 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Combat pilot nominated for Air Force Chief
WASHINGTON (AP) Defense Secretary Ash Carter is nominating Gen. David Goldfein to become the next Air Force chief of staff.
Goldfein, a combat pilot with more than 4,200 hours in the air, has been serving as the vice chief of staff of the Air Force since last August.
He flew combat missions in Afghanistan as well as the first Gulf war in the early 1990s. He has piloted the MQ-9 Reaper drone, the MC-12W Liberty surveillance aircraft and various fighter jets.
Goldfein's F-16 fighter jet was shot down over Serbia in 1999 during the Kosovo war, but he safely ejected and was found and rescued.
Watson and Elmo are joining forces.
Computing giant IBM and the nonprofit organization behind popular childrens television show Sesame Street announced Wednesday a new partnership to bring so-called cognitive computing to early childhood education. The idea is to develop products featuring Sesame characters and content that are capable of responding in personalized ways to individual students based on their skills, interests, and developmental trajectories. Key to the effort will be the technology behind IBMs Watson, which takes a big data approach to understanding and responding to human language.
Were in the anything is possible research-and-development stage, said Steve Youngwood, Sesame Workshop chief operating officer, in an interview.
If we can take our learning and creative expertise, and combine that with IBMs [technological] expertise, we hope to come out with products that are very personalized for kids and teachers and caregivers.
Possible applications include apps and toys that are capable of processing childrens natural language to detect patterns in their vocabulary or speech development, for example. Watson would then compare the resulting information against its massive store of data on human language development, enabling the app or toy to identify the response that would best help that individual child learn. Other possibilities include reading apps that customize content to individual students interests and skill levels and tools that provide teachers with better information about each students strengths and weaknesses, Youngwood said.
Cognitive Computing
Technologies that adapt to individual users in limited ways have long been available, even for young children.
But Watson and its cognitive computing approach is different, said Satya Nitta, IBMs program director of cognitive sciences and education technology, in an interview. Rather than following a decision tree made up of if-then type statements that have been programmed in advance, Nitta said, Watson is able to search for patterns among massive amounts of unstructured data, identify trends and categories on the fly, and vary its responses based on what it learns.
Once you marry that with the ability to interpret natural language, things become really interesting, Nitta said. If Watson poses a question to a student, and the student answers in their own words, the computer is able to gauge whether they get the concept or not, if the likelihood is high or low, and what else they are likely to be struggling with.
Early applications of the technology are currently in the prototype stage, with plans to pilot some products in classrooms and possibly begin bringing tools to market as soon as the end of 2016. Long term, the partnership could result in a platform that would be open to other educators and entrepreneurs seeking to develop personalized learning tools for young children.
Watson first came to public prominence in 2011, when it successfully defeated human experts on the popular television game show Jeopardy! The technology is already in use in other sectors, including healthcare, where Watson is helping doctors to more effectively diagnose and respond to the needs of patients, according to Stanley Litow, IBMs vice president of corporate citizenship and corporate affairs.
The new announcement comes at a time of increased focus on the idea of bringing personalized learning into K-12 and higher education. Philanthropists such as Microsofts Bill Gates and Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg , for example, have committed huge sums to help spur the development of new technologies and school models aimed at providing students with a more customized educational experience.
But the research base around the impact of technology-enabled personalized learning on student outcomes remains thin, at best.
Watson vs. Human Interaction?
And the move to target such approaches at infants, toddlers, and preschoolers is sure to cause some unease among parents and early childhood experts, many of whom remain focused on the importance of high-quality human interactions between young children and adults as the key to language acquisition, emotional and social growth, and brain development.
Its always going to be contingent on when and how [the technology] is used, said Kathy Hirsch-Pasek, a psychology professor at Temple University in Philadelphia. Little people really like and benefit from human interaction. While we can mimic that digitally, its not the same thing.
On one hand, Hirsch-Pasek expressed hope that the new IBM-Sesame partnership might lead to the development of products and tools capable of responding in ways that are socially responsive to childrens own language, attention, and actions. She gave the example of Skyping with her 1-year-old granddaughter while using puppets: When the girl looks at a ball and verbalizes, Hirsch-Pasek said, she is able to direct the puppets to immediately say Thats right! Its a ball, following the childs lead and responding in a way that is timely, relevant to the childs own intent, and helpful in advancing the childs ability and understanding.
Theres a whole literature to suggest that children learn language when you follow them, Hirsch-Pasek said. But that kind of adaptive contingency is something the technology hasnt cracked yet.
Much less exciting, however, would be interactive technologies focused on delivering customized content information, Hirsch-Pasek said.
Dont make an Elmo doll that is going to spit forth knowledge to somehow fill the empty head of a child, she said.
Data Privacy, Security Questions
Also a potential concern: data privacy and security.
Nitta and Litow of IBM said that many of the products under consideration are not dependent on collecting large quantities of data from an individual child or school, although they acknowledged that such collection will be extremely helpful to development of the technology. The intent is to make such data collection opt-in, and both IBM and Sesame Workshop are committed to implementing appropriate safeguards, officials said.
Ultimately, it seems likely that the groups will hope to strike a bargain with parents and schools in which it is allowed to collect and store data so long as such information is anonymized (to limit the possibility of being tied back to a specific child) and used only to improve educational products and services. The K-12 sector is currently working through similar issues , with both district-vendor contracts and state laws evolving to reflect various concerns and tensions.
Youngwood of Sesame Workshop stressed that their work is in its early stages, with much yet to be worked out.
The new partnership is ripe with both potential and pitfalls, said Temples Hirsch-Pasek.
This is absolutely where we need to go next, and if they can do this, it will make for wonderful advances in our understanding of human social behavior and learning, she said.
I very much hope that Sesame Workshop will continue to be a trusted source for all of us.
Photo: Sesame Street puppets are seen in Hamburg, northern Germany, Jan. 22, 2003. Christof Stache/AP-File
See also:
FBI: Body found after Kansas shootout was robbery suspect
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) A body found in charred ruins of a Kansas motel room after a shootout that injured three federal agents was that of the robbery suspect they sought to arrest, the FBI said Tuesday.
Orlando Collins, 28, ultimately turned a gun on himself and took his own life after the gunfire exchange Saturday night at Topeka's Country Club Motel, the FBI said, citing a coroner's preliminary findings. Toxicology tests on samples taken from Collins are pending.
The city's fire marshal, Michael Martin, said in a statement "the fire is believed to have started as a result of actions taken by the occupant" Collins in a corner of the small room. Martin later told The Associated Press the cramped room, which included a bed and overstuffed chair, was ignited using "a common combustible" he could not readily identify.
"There's no way we'll be able to determine that," he said in concluding the probe by the Topeka Fire Department's investigation's arm and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The shootout injured two deputy federal marshals and an FBI agent, who the FBI said remained hospitalized Tuesday in good condition.
Authorities intent on arresting Collins came under fire as they closed in on him outside the motel, moments before the fire erupted and quickly consumed the rest of that building.
Collins, who was being sought on a federal robbery warrant and was believed by police to have a penchant for arson during a recent crime spree, was on the state's most wanted list and considered armed and dangerous.
Topeka police said Collins was suspected of a March 30 armed holdup and of shooting at an occupied home. Less than a week later, Collins was identified as a person of interest in connection with an attempted robbery of a grocery store and a holdup of a convenience store, police said. Unspecified evidence found in a 1996 Audi burning at a car wash linked him to those crimes, police said.
Michelle Obama encourages New York students to reach higher
NEW YORK (AP) High school seniors on their way to college were feted by U.S. first lady Michelle Obama and a host of celebrities on Tuesday as she encouraged them to make the most of their college experiences, get involved in campus life and ask for help when they need it.
"We are so proud of everything you've achieved, and we don't take the struggle for granted," Obama told a roaring crowd of young people in attendance at an event in Harlem.
Obama was marking her third and last College Signing Day, part of the Reach Higher initiative she started to encourage young people to extend their educations past high school. The events were in Detroit and San Antonio the first two years.
First lady Michelle Obama greets members of the audience while hosting the 2016 College Signing Day, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Obama told the students the goal wasn't just to get into college, but to get a degree.
"The minute you get to college this fall, I want you to get right back to work," she said. "Today is not the end of your journey. It's just the beginning."
She recounted her experience starting at Princeton University, in Princeton, New Jersey, where she initially felt out of her depth as a first-generation college attendee until she reached out for support.
"I am no different from you all," she said. "My parents didn't have money. I went to public school. We didn't have a whole lot of examples to follow. But I know that if I can do it, you can do it, too."
The event brought out numerous celebrities, who wore T-shirts from their alma maters, spoke about their college experiences and congratulated the students. Among the speakers were Academy Award-winning "Raging Bull" actor Robert De Niro, "black-ish" star Tracee Ellis Ross and "Mike & Molly" star Melissa McCarthy.
New York's public schools, which are not in session this week, are having their own signing day event on May 2.
The city Department of Education is trying to boost the number of students who attend and graduate from college through initiatives like starting college visits as early as middle school.
Alexandra Lu, an 18-year-old senior at Brooklyn Technical High School, said she will be a freshman at Stony Brook University in the fall. She said she was thrilled to be cheered on by such famous faces.
"They made it seem like it's really exciting, so I was really excited, too," she said.
Shaik Jaman, a 17-year-old who'll be in the first generation of his family to go to college when he attends Hunter College this fall, said he was inspired by Obama's words.
"It motivates me," said Jaman, who also goes to Brooklyn Tech. "Maybe I can be just as great as her or even better."
First lady Michelle Obama greets members of the audience while hosting the 2016 College Signing Day, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
First lady Michelle Obama greets members of the audience while hosting the 2016 College Signing Day, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
First lady Michelle Obama, accompanied by Jay Pharoah, left, Common, second from right, and Sway, dances on stage during the the 2016 College Signing Day, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
First lady Michelle Obama, accompanied by, from left, La La Anthony, Jay Pharoah, Common, and Sway, dances on stage during the the 2016 College Signing Day, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
First lady Michelle Obama makes a heart symbol at the audience as she hosts the 2016 College Signing Day, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Stepfather accused of toddler's murder pleads not guilty
SAN DIEGO (AP) A man has pleaded not guilty to charges that he murdered his infant stepson 14 years ago.
Tieray Jones was arraigned Tuesday on charges of homicide and felony child abuse causing death. He was ordered held without bail.
His attorney, Peter Will, says Jones has always cooperated with authorities investigating the 2002 disappearance of Jahi Turner. He says Jones looks forward to defending himself.
Jones was arrested in North Carolina about a week ago. Authorities said new evidence led to the arrest, but they have declined to give specifics.
Jones said the boy disappeared from a San Diego playground when Jones went to buy a soda.
Congress OKs bill to curb antiquities looting by militants
WASHINGTON (AP) Congress sent legislation to President Barack Obama on Tuesday that cracks down on the looting of Syrian antiquities by Islamic State militants.
By voice vote, the House passed the bill that would prevent cultural artifacts removed from Syria from being sold or imported into the United States. The Senate approved the bill earlier this month. The president is expected to sign the legislation into law, the bill's supporters said.
Rep. Eliot Engel of New York, the bill's sponsor and the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the militants have pocketed millions of dollars by selling irreplaceable artifacts on the black market.
The ransacking also wipes away centuries of Middle East history, said Engel, adding that Congress should be "seizing every available opportunity to cut off" the resources the Islamic State uses to finance its terrorism.
"They want to destroy any trace of any culture or belief system that doesn't conform to their twisted ideology and twisted way of thinking," he said.
The committee's chairman, Republican Rep. Ed Royce of California, co-sponsored the bill. Buyers in the U.S. appear to be a primary destination for many looted antiquities.
Morocco's ouster of UN staff from Western Sahara denounced
UNITED NATIONS (AP) The African Union's special envoy for the disputed Western Sahara warned Tuesday that Morocco's expulsion of most of the U.N. peacekeeping mission's civilian staff sets "a very dangerous precedent" for the U.N.'s far-flung missions and poses dangers to north Africa and the Sahel where extremist groups are operating.
Former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano, whose appointment in 2014 was rejected by Morocco, told an informal meeting of the U.N. Security Council that the U.N. mission must be fully restored and the people of Western Sahara must be given "the opportunity of choosing freely their destiny," which is the only solution.
"The Western Sahara problem may be seen as a small problem," Chisano said, "but let us not forget that a spark may put a forest into fire and we should avoid that to happen."
Morocco annexed Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, in 1975 and fought a local independence movement called the Polisario Front. The U.N. brokered a ceasefire in 1991 and established a peacekeeping mission known as MINURSO to monitor it and help organize a referendum on the territory's future that has never taken place.
Morocco considers the mineral-rich region its "southern provinces" and has proposed wide-ranging autonomy, but the Polisario Front insists on self-determination through a referendum for the local population as called for in U.N. resolutions.
Last month, Morocco expelled most U.N. civilians after U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon used the word "occupation" in talking about Western Sahara following a visit to a camp for refugees from the region who have been in Algeria for over 40 years.
The U.N. says their departure has made it impossible for MINURSO to carry out its mandate. Ban, Chissano and many others have warned that the expulsion must be reversed because otherwise it will become a precedent and other countries with Security Council-mandated peacekeeping and political missions could decide to expel U.N. troops and staff as well.
Polisario Front Secretary-General Mohammad Abdulaziz also warned recently that unless Morocco is pressured to restore the U.N. mission, it will have a green light for military aggression. If that happens, he said, the people in Western Sahara will respond with "all legitimate means, including armed struggle."
Tuesday's informal Security Council meeting took place days before the April 30 expiration of MINURSO's mandate, at a time when members are struggling to agree on details of a U.N. resolution to extend the mission. The session was held in a U.N. conference room, not in the council chamber because France, a close ally of Morocco, has opposed any official briefing by the African Union envoy.
Chissano stressed that Morocco is part of Africa even if it isn't an AU member and "Africa bears a moral and political responsibility to find a solution to problems in the continent" and should play a leading role in resolving the Western Sahara dispute.
"We would very much like to continue dialogue, even with Morocco, but Morocco may not want to dialogue with the brothers in Africa, which we think is wrong," Chissano said.
He said renewing MINURSO's mandate "is a must" and a new resolution should also set a date for holding a referendum on Western Sahara's future and include human rights monitoring, which France has blocked.
Christopher Klein, the U.S. Mission's political coordinator, said the Obama administration supports "de-escalation" of the dispute between Morocco and the U.N., "a return to full functionality of the MINURSO mission," and the continuing "integrity of peacekeeping worldwide." He did not elaborate on what "full functionality" means.
US Steel files trade complaint against big Chinese producers
WASHINGTON (AP) United States Steel Corp. has filed a complaint with U.S. regulators against the biggest Chinese steel producers, accusing them of conspiring to fix prices, stealing trade secrets and skirting duties on imports in the U.S. with false labeling.
The big steelmaker is alleging illegal unfair competition by the Chinese producers and their distributors, and is seeking "the exclusion of all unfairly traded Chinese steel products from the U.S. market."
U.S. Steel announced Tuesday that it lodged the complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission. Normally the independent federal agency decides within 30 days whether or not to act. The case would go before an administrative law judge at the agency if it decides to proceed.
Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel brought the complaint under a section of the Depression-era Tariff Act, which empowers the U.S. government to bar imports deemed to be anti-competitive. The provision has mostly been used against perceived violations of intellectual property rights.
"We have said that we will use every tool available to fight for fair trade," U.S. Steel President and CEO Mario Longhi said in a statement.
The United Steelworkers union voiced support for the company's action.
"America's steel sector is under attack by China," union President Leo Gerard said in a statement. "Repeated illegal and predatory trade practices have devastated production and employment in steel and many other sectors."
U.S. Steel and the union, though sometimes at odds on labor issues, have been united in decrying low-priced steel imports from China and elsewhere. The sharp decline in oil prices in recent months has crimped oil and gas drilling, reducing the demand for steel.
AP News Guide: Trump sweeps 5 states, Clinton wins 4
WASHINGTON (AP) Donald Trump scored a five-state East Coast sweep Tuesday to embolden his hopes of clinching the Republican presidential nomination without a catfight at the convention. Democrat Hillary Clinton, on the cusp of closing down Bernie Sanders' remaining presidential hopes, advanced toward that goal with wins in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
Trump was assured of collecting more than 100 delegates after winning Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Delaware. It will still be a struggle for him to seal his victory in the remaining primaries and avoid a convention fight despite branding himself, prematurely, the "presumptive nominee."
But his odds of accomplishing that improved with his convincing performance as the presidential contest switches gears to Indiana next week.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at her presidential primary election night rally, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Clinton is in a stronger position, now about 90 percent of the way to the nomination. Sanders, who denied his rival a clean sweep Tuesday with his win in Rhode Island, is down to needing a miracle.
BULLY FOR THE 'BULLY'
Said the voters:
"I think Cruz would do an excellent job. But I think Trump is a bigger bully. That may sound strange, but I think that's kind of what we need." Laura Seyler, 63, on why she voted for Trump in Hamburg, Pennsylvania, despite being a fan of his leading rival, Ted Cruz.
"His slurs, his negativity, his racism, the comments that he makes about different ethnic groups I just find it appalling." Loretta Becker, a pharmaceutical sales representative, explaining how the desire to stop Trump motivated her to vote for Clinton in Warwick, Rhode Island. Another motivation: "I really loved having Obama for president and now having Hillary as a president, feeling like she'll do a great job and knowing that she's the best candidate and wanting to vote for her and support her."
"I've been feeling the Bern about six months. I initially was not so certain, thinking oh, great, another old white guy, but his message has really been resonating with me. It's consistent and I have a little Clinton fatigue." Jessica Archer, an artist from Pawtucket, Rhode Island, on why she voted for Sanders.
"I believe he is the most level-headed one of the candidates in this scary, scary bunch of candidates that we have." Kelley Carey, 48, a nurse from Glastonbury, Connecticut, on why she chose Ohio Gov. John Kasich in the Republican field.
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STATE OF PLAY
Of the three Republicans left, only Trump has a hope of clinching the nomination during the remainder of the primary season. It's a tough road for him, though one made easier after he scored the "knockout" he hoped for Tuesday.
Everyone has been readying for the prospect of a contested convention, the likes of which have not been seen in decades. A leading scenario: Trump comes into the convention with a delegate lead, but short of the needed majority, forcing more than one ballot. Delegates who had been divvied up according to the results of primaries and caucuses start becoming free to side with another candidate. That's when the claws come out.
As he has for so many months, Sanders attracts the large crowds, the passion, the vigor and commitment of youthful supporters pretty much everything a candidate dreams of except the most important thing: a collection of delegates who can take him over the top. He has an almost impossible path to victory against a front-runner who's had far more of a fight on her hands than anyone who isn't named Sanders saw coming.
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CURVEBALLS
The Tuesday contests were closed to Democrats and Republicans, meaning no flood of independents, and that was a particular concern for Sanders he called it a handicap. He is also more apt to thrive in caucuses, which require a commitment of time from supporters and a level of organization that play to his strengths, and these were primaries.
The Pennsylvania race was an enigma wrapped in the chaos of the GOP contest. Most of the GOP delegates 54 are being directly elected by voters, with their names listed on the ballot but no information about which candidate they support and no obligation for them to have to line up with one of them. Trump won 17 delegates allocated to the statewide winner of the popular vote, leaving the rest a mystery.
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THE SCORECARD
Clinton now has at least 2,141 delegates to Sanders' 1,321, with 2,383 needed to win.
Those totals include both pledged delegates from primaries and caucuses and superdelegates, the party insiders who can back the candidate of their choice regardless of how their state votes.
She won at least 194 delegates Tuesday, and Sanders 129, with many still to be allocated.
Trump beefed up his delegate numbers at least to 950, with 1,237 the magic number to clinch, so he needs as many as 287 in remaining contests. Cruz had at least 560 delegates; Kasich, 153.
In short, Trump has a distinct path to winning the nomination before July but little room for error.
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SENATE SCRAMBLE
It's not all about the White House.
Rep. Chris Van Hollen won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Maryland after a long and heated primary against Rep. Donna Edwards for the seat opening due to Sen. Barbara Mikulski's retirement at the end of her term.
The campaign became a polarizing battle over race, gender and personality as the two candidates sought to succeed Mikulski, the nation's longest-serving female senator. Van Hollen ran on his record as a pragmatic progressive who can work with Republicans to get things done. Edwards campaigned as a candidate more committed to holding liberal principles without settling for political deals.
In Pennsylvania, Democrats backed their party establishment's choice for a U.S. Senate candidate and rejected an ex-congressman who nearly won the office six years ago.
Katie McGinty, a former state and federal environmental policy official who got millions in dollars from the party to run her campaign, received the endorsements of top Democrats from President Barack Obama on down. She defeated second-time candidate Joe Sestak, a retired Navy admiral the party didn't consider a team player. Two other candidates finished far behind.
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DEMS ENERGIZED
In early surveys of Pennsylvania voters, Democratic voters whether they're Feeling the Bern or not are feeling the energy. About seven in 10 Democratic voters in Pennsylvania said the campaign has energized their party rather than divided it. Not so among Republicans 6 in 10 GOP voters said the Republican campaign has divided the party; only 4 in 10 said it has been energizing for the party.
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YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT POLITICS
It makes strange bedfellows. After Tuesday, a new alliance will make its debut as Kasich steps back in the May 3 Indiana primary to let Cruz soak up the anti-Trump vote. In return, Cruz will essentially let Kasich have at Trump in New Mexico and Oregon later in the calendar. It's a late-in-the-game compact to crystalize anti-Trump sentiment instead of having the voters who don't like him split between two other choices.
It's unclear how far each partner in the arrangement will go to clear the path for the other. They are both pulling back on campaign events in the states they are supposedly ceding to the other. But Kasich said people in Indiana who like him ought to vote for him anyway.
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Associated Press writers Michael Rubinkam in Hamburg, Pennsylvania; Rodrique Ngowi in Warwick, Rhode Island; Matt O'Brien in Pawtucket, Rhode Island; and Dave Collins in Glastonbury, Connecticut, contributed to this report.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a primary night news conference, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
A woman casts her vote at a polling place inside Winfield Elementary School's gym in Windsor Mill, Md., Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Maryland voters have many choices and deeper impact than in recent elections as they make their choices about who should run for president and pick candidates for an open U.S. Senate seat. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Voters line up to enter at the Hanover Market House polling station in the 2nd ward Tuesday morning April 26, 2016 in Hanover, Pa., borough. Pennsylvania voters went to the polls Tuesday with strong views about who should be president. Voters will also decide hotly contested Democratic primary races for U.S. Senate and state attorney general. (Shane Dunlap/The Evening Sun via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton waves during a campaign stop, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, at Munster Steel in Hammond, Ind. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
A man, center, sprays Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump supporters with pepper spray during a rally in front of the Anaheim City Hall on Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Anaheim, Calif. (Leonard Ortiz/The Orange County Register via AP) MAGS OUT; LOS ANGELES TIMES OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT
Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump and wife Melania Trump attend the TIME 100 Gala, celebrating the 100 most influential people in the world, at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Exit poll: Trump, Clinton draw support of broad coalitions
WASHINGTON (AP) Donald Trump attracted a broad coalition of Republican voters as he won presidential primary elections in Connecticut, Maryland and Pennsylvania on Tuesday, pulling in support across income groups, from men and women and from those who want a candidate who will shake things up.
Trump also won the GOP primaries in Delaware and Rhode Island, two states where exit polls were not conducted.
On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton drew overwhelming support from women and black voters as she beat Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Maryland, Connecticut and Pennsylvania primaries. Clinton also won in Delaware, while Sanders took Rhode Island.
In Pennsylvania, most Democratic voters in the state said they've been energized by the primary battle between Clinton and Sanders. But most GOP voters believe the heated contest among Trump, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich has divided their party.
Those were among the findings from exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research.
Other highlights from the exit polls:
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TRUMP'S COALITION
Trump won across nearly all demographic groups gender, education and income levels alike in Connecticut, Maryland and Pennsylvania. With the exception of the youngest voters in Maryland, he won all age groups in each state.
The billionaire businessman also did well with those most concerned about the state of the U.S. economy, and he bested Cruz and Kasich with voters who want the next president to tell it like it is or bring needed change to the country.
Overall, a large majority of Republican voters in all three states want the candidate with the most votes in the primaries to prevail at the party convention in Cleveland and most of them supported Trump.
Republican voters who think Wall Street hurts the economy were especially likely to support Trump in all three states. And in Pennsylvania, two-thirds of GOP voters who said that trade with other countries takes jobs from American workers voted for Trump.
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CLINTON'S VICTORIES
In Maryland, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, Clinton was supported by large majorities of black voters, most women and those looking for an experienced candidate. Democratic voters in all three states also saw her as the best candidate to beat Trump.
In Connecticut, where 20 children and six adults were killed in a 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, 6 in 10 Democratic voters said they thought Clinton would do a better job handling gun policy.
Clinton eked out a victory in the state, taking voters 45 and older and those living in households making more than $100,000 per year. More than 4 in 10 Connecticut Democrats fell into that category. Among those in households making more than $200,000 per year, two-thirds supported Clinton.
Sanders won a majority of men and drew the support of younger voters.
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ANTI-CRUZ VOTERS
For Cruz, it was a rough night. Four in 10 in Connecticut, a third in Pennsylvania and three in 10 in Maryland said they wouldn't vote for Cruz if he was the GOP nominee. And in Pennsylvania, nearly 6 in 10 said they would be either concerned or scared about a Cruz presidency.
Still, most Republicans in Connecticut, Maryland and Pennsylvania said they are voting for their candidate, rather than against his opponents.
Only a quarter of voters in Connecticut and Maryland said they voted for someone because they opposed the other candidates. And in Pennsylvania, just one in five said they were casting a negative vote.
In Pennsylvania, Trump was more polarizing than either of the other candidates. While over a third of GOP voters said they would be excited by a Trump administration, nearly 4 in 10 said they would be scared or concerned.
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ENERGY FOR DEMS, DIVISION FOR GOP
Most Democratic voters in Pennsylvania say they've been energized by the closely contested primary between Clinton and Sanders.
But Pennsylvania Republicans say the opposite about the heated contest among Trump, Cruz and Kasich.
About seven in 10 voters in Pennsylvania say the Democratic campaign has energized the party rather than divided it, while about 6 in 10 GOP voters say the Republican campaign this year has divided the party. Only 4 in 10 Republican voters say they've been energized.
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The surveys were conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research as voters left their polling places at 25 to 35 randomly selected sites in Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Maryland.
Results include interviews with 1,234 to 1,425 Democratic primary voters and 835 to 1,351 Republican primary voters in each state. The results among all those voting in each contest have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus either 4 or 5 percentage points.
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Hawaii bill bans discrimination against transgender patients
HONOLULU (AP) Insurance companies would not be allowed to discriminate against transgender patients under a bill passed by the Hawaii Legislature.
The bill passed Tuesday by the House of Representatives prohibits denying, canceling or limiting coverage based on a person's gender identity.
"That's something that's really critical, especially now when you have states around the country moving the other direction, explicitly placing into law the ability to discriminate based on who people perceive themselves to be," said Democratic Rep. Chris Lee, who introduced the bill. "Here in Hawaii where we treat everyone with respect and aloha. We think everyone is created equal and ought to be treated the same."
The bill was already passed by the Senate, so it now goes to Gov. David Ige.
People in Hawaii have been denied coverage for essential medical checks like mammograms or screenings for prostate cancer because of the gender on their driver's license, said Kaleo Ramos, a transgender teacher. Ramos hopes the bill will expand access to hormone treatments.
"We're talking about people's existence, their lives," Ramos said. "This is necessary to their living, because we have so many trans deaths just because they cannot access hormones, or they can't afford hormones."
Republican state Rep. Bob McDermott, one of three representatives who opposed the bill, said he finds the social aspects troubling. McDermott said he is concerned that the bill would mandate insurance coverage of gender-reassignment surgeries, which he said would increase costs for everyone.
"This bill would be much more compassionate if we offered them free psychiatric care ... instead of trying to address a psychological disorder with a physical solution," McDermott said.
In response, Lee said the bill doesn't mandate coverage of surgeries; it bans discrimination based on gender identity for services already offered by insurance plans. "A good portion of what he said was inaccurate, and more in line with what we're hearing on the national level, targeting and perhaps even demonizing a group of citizens," Lee said.
Mississippi recently passed a law allowing churches and some private businesses to refuse service to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Supporters said it's about protecting religious freedom of those who, for example, don't want to perform same-sex weddings.
The North Carolina law, which has drawn thousands to demonstrations for and against the law, prevents specific anti-discrimination rules for gay and transgender people using public restrooms. Religious leaders said the law protects women and children from men who use the law as a pretense to enter the wrong restroom.
Around the country, 10 jurisdictions, including Washington, D.C. have laws or policies banning discriminatory exclusions and denials of treatment based on gender identity, according to Equality Hawaii, a nonprofit organization.
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Amid data breaches , cyberattacks that have affected statewide tests , and loud calls for legislation to protect student data , a Missouri state auditor has initiated a review of the cybersecurity measures in place at a sampling of five districts across the state.
The first of those reviews, known as Cyber Aware Schools Audits , which focused on the 1,500-student Boonville R-1 district, was released late last month. Nicole Galloway, the Missouri state auditor, said that while she gave the district credit for their full cooperation with her office, there were some significant areas of concern.
Specifically, the auditors report found that the district lacked a data governance plan, a dedicated IT security administrator, procedures for preventing simultaneous logins and password changes, a security awareness program for its staff, adequate monitoring of the practices of its vendors, and a written plan of action for how the district would handle a major data breach or crippling cyber-attack.
It is a very comprehensive report, said Doug Levin, the president of EdTech Strategies LLC, a consulting group. Clearly the auditor has developed a framework for best practices.
While Levin applauded the interest taken by the state auditor, he argued that in a perfect world state departments of education would be doing much more to come up with rules for K-12 systems data security, and enforcing them, up front.
Part of the challenge, said Levin, citing a recent report by the U.S. Department of Education, is that nearly half of districts nationally dont have a full-time IT specialist on staff, and those that do typically face budget constraints. Another audit of local districts in Wyoming found similar flaws in district data management to those in Missouri.
Some national groups have stepped in to try to develop resources to help schools develop effective student data-privacy policies, such as CoSNs Trusted Learning Environment Seal , and Common Sense Medias guidelines for schools to test vendors security practices . But many privacy advocates are convinced that more comprehensive and sustained efforts at the state and local level are needed.
In Missouri, Galloway says that the decision to audit five of the states districts was inspired in part by a review of the student data practices by the states education department. That audit found that state officials were gathering student social security numbers despite not needing them, and that they were also underprepared to address a major data breach.
In an interview, Kevin Carpenter, the Boonville official in charge of the districts technology, said he sees value in the state audit and that a critical report like the one his district received can spur a district to take the steps it needs to make its systems more secure.
Among the many changes Galloways office suggested: The district was urged to formally appoint a security administrator, to periodically review the distribution of privileges on digital accounts, to train its staff in cybersecurity, and to install a better system of vendor monitoring.
Carpenter suggested that some districts might need additional prodding to overcome resistance from fellow K-12 officials concerned about costs, or from staff annoyed at extra security measures.
Sometimes making things more secure makes them less easy, Carpenter explained. He said he expects to address every issue raised in the report with new policies and procedures by the end of July.
Carpenter also emphasized that he had planned for the possibility of a cyberattack and put safeguards in place, but said many were not written or formalized, because his is a small office in a relatively small district.
The good news for the Boonville district, said Carpenter, is that the cost of addressing the concerns raised by the audit will not be significant. He plans to start by researching measures taken by other districts, then refining his districts data breach response and disaster continuity plan.
EdWeek recently published a special report on data privacy that included a story on how one district responded to a security breach, as well as articles on districts purchases of cyber insurance, and their efforts to create professional development around data privacy.
In addition to districts making big changes in their privacy policies, K-12 officials can help secure data through more modest steps, Galloway said. Those steps include regularly changing passwords and training teachers on best practices for managing student data.
See also:
Attorneys ask to unseal records in Phoenix freeway shooting
PHOENIX (AP) A day after a judge dismissed charges against the man arrested for last summer's freeway shootings, his attorneys are calling on the court to release all previously sealed documents.
Attorneys for Leslie Merritt Jr. say that opening the documents to the public will further prove that their client is not the person accused of the shootings that caused panic on Phoenix-area freeways, where 11 vehicles were hit in August and September of 2015.
"I think it will open the public's eyes to what the I-10 freeway shooter case, as well as the prosecution of Leslie Merritt Jr., is all about," attorney Jason Lamm said Tuesday.
FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2015 file photo, accused freeway shooter Leslie Allen Merritt, Jr., appears in Maricopa County Superior Court for his arraignment in Phoenix. A judge has dismissed a criminal case against Merritt, who had been accused of carrying out freeway shootings in Phoenix last summer that put drivers on edge. The ruling came Monday, April 25, after prosecutors had asked for charges against Merritt to be dismissed amid undisclosed questions about evidence. (Tom Tingle/The Arizona Republic via AP, Pool, File)
The motion states the documents should be unsealed to prevent prosecutors from making false claims about why the case was dismissed. It cited a statement from spokesman Jerry Cobb at the Maricopa County Attorney's Office saying the case's latest developments are the result of evidence uncovered by prosecutors.
"Nothing could be further from the truth," the motion states. "Allowing MCAO's statements to stand would constitute a tacit endorsement of the State's misleading the public with utter impunity."
Cobb declined to comment for the story. "We respond to motions in court not in the media," he said.
It's not immediately clear what's in the sealed documents.
Merritt's lawyers have contended that ballistic tests cast doubt on the claim by authorities that Merritt was behind four of the freeway shootings.
Merritt, who spent those seven months in jail before his release last week, has maintained he is innocent and that authorities arrested the wrong person.
He filed a legal claim a precursor to a lawsuit a month ago demanding $10 million from the state and county. Merritt alleged that authorities rushed to judgment and failed to provide evidence that he was present at any of the shootings.
Lamm said the case is still in its infancy, but Merritt could seek additional recourse if his arrest is found to be arbitrary or punitive.
In the wake of last summer's shootings, the head of the Arizona Department of Public Safety said they were the work of a domestic terrorist, and authorities heightened patrols and surveillance in pursuit of a suspect.
Detectives took Merritt into custody on Sept. 18, prompting Gov. Doug Ducey to declare "We got him!" on Twitter five minutes after the arrest.
In court the next day, Merritt adamantly denied shooting any cars, telling the judge, "I'm the wrong guy."
His lawyers immediately began raising questions about the evidence, citing ballistics information and phone records they say provided an alibi for their client.
The decision to throw out the case leaves unanswered questions of who might be responsible for the shootings.
Judge dismisses challenge to Arizona presidential primary
PHOENIX (AP) A judge on Tuesday threw out a challenge to the results of Arizona's problematic presidential primary despite evidence that there were glitches in the election.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge David Gass ruled that a Tucson man challenging the results hadn't proven fraud and hadn't shown long lines in Maricopa County or registration problems statewide with the election would have changed the results.
"I'm going to find that as a matter of law ... plaintiff just hasn't met their burden," Gass said. "To prove fraud, it's clear and convincing evidence. It's an incredibly high burden. And it's a burden that's very difficult to prove."
The ruling came at the close of two days of testimony. Gass noted that while there were problems with the election, throwing out the results would mean that more than 1 million people who voted in the March 22 primary would be disenfranchised.
"I can't find that one, there were illegal votes and two ... I can't find it would have made a difference in the outcome of the election," he said. "The election would have been the same."
Hillary Clinton won the Democratic primary over Bernie Sanders, and Donald Trump beat John Kasich and Ted Cruz for the Republican win.
John Brakey sued, saying long lines caused by cutting the number of polling places in Maricopa County and registration problems statewide merited throwing out the results. Attorneys for the state and counties argued the problems didn't rise to the level of misconduct needed to discount the results.
Gass heard testimony from voters frustrated by the long lines and registration issues during the two-day hearing. In the end, the evidence Brakey's attorney, Michael Kielsky, was able to present wasn't enough to convince the judge.
"I was hoping that the judge would see the evidence for what it was, that there were serious issues, primarily with Maricopa, but throughout Arizona involving election integrity," Kielsky said. "We presented as much evidence as we were able to muster on short notice."
Gass promised to issue a formal written ruling Wednesday.
A separate lawsuit was filed in federal court by the state and national Democratic parties and presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. It seeks greater court oversight of voting location choices in Maricopa County and a ban on failing to count otherwise-valid ballots cast in an incorrect precinct.
The county has acknowledged it made mistakes in operating the primary by dramatically cutting the number of polling places and widely underestimating Election Day turnout.
US Pacific Fleet expands use of 3rd Fleet commanders
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) The U.S. Pacific Fleet commander said he plans to expand the role of the U.S. 3rd Fleet commander and her staff in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Pacific Fleet consists of the 3rd Fleet headquartered in San Diego and the 7th Fleet headquartered in Yokosuka, Japan. For decades, the 7th Fleet has taken command of 3rd Fleet ships when they crossed the international dateline.
But Adm. Scott Swift said Tuesday he plans to have 3rd Fleet commander Vice Adm. Nora Tyson and her staff maintain operational control of some of these ships when they travel west. For example, he says the 3rd Fleet could lead the Navy's response to a tsunami while the 7th Fleet focuses on Japanese earthquake relief.
U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Scott Swift, right, talks to sailors on board the USS Momsen in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on Tuesday, April 26, 2016. The U.S. Pacific Fleet commander says he plans to expand the role of the U.S. 3rd Fleet commander and her staff. (AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy)
The Navy hasn't been taking full advantage of 3rd Fleet capacity and capability, Swift said.
The first sailors to deploy under this arrangement are scheduled to leave Pearl Harbor on Wednesday. Their ships the USS Momsen, based in Everett, Washington, and the USS Decatur and USS Spruance based in San Diego, California are deploying together as a surface action group.
The 3rd Fleet leaders can help out the 7th Fleet, which is already busy in the Asia-Pacific region, Swift said.
"The future is very unpredictable. If we hit that capacity point, we don't want to find ourselves for the first time asking the question, well let's see what we can do with 3rd Fleet. We need to start those actions now," Swift told reporters after speaking to sailors on the Momsen.
Swift said Tyson has already taken on more duties in the region, for example representing him at a review of Japanese naval forces in October. The 7th Fleet commander was unable to be there because he was supporting an exercise in South Korea.
Tyson also recently met with Australian and New Zealand navy leaders during visits to those countries. Swift said he plans to have the 3rd Fleet take an active role in Talisman Sabre, a U.S.-Australian exercise that takes place every other year.
Swift said the shift won't mean more 3rd Fleet ships will be deploying to the region. The number of ships deploying should stay the same.
Capt. Charles Johnson, the commodore of the three-destroyer surface action group leaving Hawaii on Wednesday, said sailors on the ships won't notice any difference in the deployment with the 3rd Fleet maintaining operational control.
Lawyer for Phil Spector's wife calls divorce heartbreaking
LOS ANGELES (AP) An attorney for Phil Spector's wife called a divorce filing by the imprisoned music producer heartbreakingly bizarre and said she has provided the best possible care for him.
Attorney Aaron Abramowitz wrote in a statement Tuesday that Rachelle Spector has been devoted to her husband and has been providing him support and the best possible care while he is incarcerated.
"This whole situation is heartbreakingly bizarre," Abramowitz wrote. "It is regrettable that Mr. Spector has failed to recognize the efforts made by Rachelle in spending tens of thousands of dollars on his medical and dental costs while incarcerated."
FILE - In this March 28, 2008 file photo, music producer Phil Spector and his wife Rachelle Spector, arrive at the Los Angeles County Superior Court for a discovery hearing in downtown Los Angeles. An attorney for Spector's wife Rachelle wrote in a statement issued Tuesday, April 26, 2016, that the producer's divorce filing is "heartbreakingly bizarre" and that she has been a devoted wife who has given him the best possible care while he is imprisoned for the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File)
Court records in Stockton, California, show Spector filed for divorce on March 18. A copy of his filing, which was first reported by celebrity website TMZ, was not immediately available.
Spector, 75, is housed at a prison facility in Stockton that provides medical and mental health care to the state's sickest inmates, including those with chronic conditions.
He is famous for revolutionizing rock music with his "Wall of Sound" that merged beautiful vocal harmonies with lavish orchestral arrangements to produce such pop hits as "Da Doo Ron Ron," ''Be My Baby," ''He's a Rebel" and the Righteous Brothers' version of "You've Lost that Loving Feeling."
Abramowitz said Rachelle Spector obtained her pilots license to make it easier to visit her husband.
The Spectors met at a Hollywood restaurant in 2003, shortly after he was arrested in the shooting death of Lana Clarkson. The producer was later convicted of killing Clarkson and is serving sentence of 19 years to life.
The pair married in 2006, and Rachelle Spector has been running her husband's businesses while he is imprisoned. She also obtained a private investigator license to assist with her husband's appeal of the conviction.
Phil Spector's attorney, John H. McKinley, had no immediate comment on Abramowitz's statement Tuesday.
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Pennsylvania Democrats pick establishment's Senate candidate
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) Democrats in Pennsylvania have gone with their party establishment's choice for a U.S. Senate candidate and rejected an ex-congressman who six years ago nearly won the office.
Katie McGinty, who spent more than a decade as a state and federal environmental policy official and has ties to Al Gore and Bill Clinton, will challenge Republican incumbent Pat Toomey in a November election.
The fall contest could tilt control of the Senate.
Katie McGinty addresses a reporter's question after casting her vote Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Wayne, Pa. Former Congressman Joe Sestak looks to hold off McGinty, the party-endorsed candidate, and win the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, setting up a rematch with the Republican incumbent Pat Toomey. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma)
McGinty got millions of dollars from the party and its allies to help her side heavily outspend her rivals, and the money seemed to help erase a significant polling gap in the final weeks of the race. She also received the endorsements of top Democrats from President Barack Obama on down.
She defeated second-time candidate Joe Sestak, a retired Navy rear admiral party leaders didn't consider a team player. John Fetterman, the mayor of an impoverished Pittsburgh-area steel town, finished third. A fourth candidate finished far behind in Tuesday's voting.
With almost all precincts reporting, McGinty had 42 percent, compared with 32 percent for Sestak and 19 percent for Fetterman.
In her comments to supporters in Philadelphia, McGinty complimented her competitors and turned quickly to attacking Toomey tying him to GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump as an enemy of the middle class and women's issues and eager to reverse Obama's achievements.
"Are we eager to bring the fight forward to November?" she shouted at supporters.
Sestak, speaking in Media, in suburban Philadelphia, smiled broadly and congratulated McGinty, asked his supporters to congratulate her and did not raise the subject of his feud with party leaders.
Toomey was unopposed for the Republican nomination, and in comments to supporters in Pittsburgh he kidded that it wasn't "the most suspenseful" night. But, he criticized McGinty as being unable to point to a policy area where she would separate from the "left-wing orthodoxy" of the Democratic Party.
This is McGinty's second run for statewide office, after she finished last in a four-way gubernatorial primary in 2014.
McGinty's side was outspending Sestak's 2-1 in the late stages of the campaign thanks to more than $4 million in outside support, primarily from the party and from Washington-based Emily's List, which backs female candidates who support abortion rights.
She was a member of Gov. Tom Wolf's administration when party leaders recruited her last summer and has close ties to many top Democrats. She had worked for Al Gore, Bill Clinton and former Gov. Ed Rendell.
She beat back sustained criticism from her rivals that she had taken advantage of a revolving door and benefited from energy companies she once regulated.
Sestak, reinforcing his image as a shoe-leather campaigner, walked across the state last year after he formally announced his second candidacy for Senate.
While spurned by the party hierarchy, he was a regular on the local party event circuit around Pennsylvania, and he earned loyalty from rank-and-file activists.
In 2010, Sestak earned the enmity of party leaders by running in the primary and beating party-endorsed candidate Arlen Specter after the longtime Republican U.S. senator switched his registration.
Party leaders complained that Sestak had lost a winnable seat, but his supporters said he had earned another chance to run after doing so well in a strong Republican election year without party leaders' support.
This year, they were determined again to find a candidate to their liking.
As McGinty leaned heavily on Obama's support in her campaign ads, running TV and radio ads featuring the president in Philadelphia, Sestak bashed party leaders. He said he was in a fight "for the soul of the Democratic Party."
Fetterman, the third-term mayor of Braddock, made a splash in his first statewide race. At 6-foot-8, scowling, bald and tattooed, the plainspoken Fetterman touted himself as the most progressive candidate in the race and ran an unconventional campaign, greeting voters in bars, rock music venues and hookah lounges.
Little-known candidate Joe Vodvarka, a semiretired owner of a Pittsburgh-area spring manufacturing shop, had been tossed from the ballot but added back on late in the campaign.
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Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/timelywriter. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/author/marc-levy.
Katie McGinty, left, exits a polling station with her husband Karl Hausker and daughter Tara after casting her vote Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Wayne, Pa. Former Congressman Joe Sestak looks to hold off McGinty, the party-endorsed candidate, and win the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, setting up a rematch with the Republican incumbent Pat Toomey. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma)
Katie McGinty greets supporters with high-fives as she arrives at her polling station to cast her vote Tuesday, April 26, 2016 in Wayne, Pa. Former Congressman Joe Sestak looks to hold off McGinty, the party-endorsed candidate, and win the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, setting up a rematch with the Republican incumbent Pat Toomey. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma)
Katie McGinty greets a poll worker before casting her vote Tuesday, April 26, 2016 in Wayne, Pa. Former Congressman Joe Sestak looks to hold off McGinty, the party-endorsed candidate, and win the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, setting up a rematch with the Republican incumbent, Sen. Pat Toomey. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma)
Katie McGinty, left, who is running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate seat, laughs with Ronald Armour, right, who was standing outside the Relish Diner and using his bullhorn to tell passers-by to vote in the Primary, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Philadelphia. (Michael Bryant/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP) PHIX OUT; TV OUT; MAGS OUT; NEWARK OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT
Katie McGinty, left, who is running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate seat, shares the bullhorn of Ronald Armour, right, who was standing outside the Relish Diner and using his bullhorn to tell passers-by to vote in the Primary, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Philadelphia. (Michael Bryant/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP) PHIX OUT; TV OUT; MAGS OUT; NEWARK OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT
Katie McGinty, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, right, campaigns with Gov. Tom Wolf, left, in Philadelphia, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. (Tom Gralish/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP) PHIX OUT; TV OUT; MAGS OUT; NEWARK OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT
China human rights campaigner Harry Wu dies
BEIJING (AP) Harry Wu, a former political prisoner who dedicated his later life to exposing abuses in China's brutal prison labor camp system, has died. He was 79.
Wu died Tuesday morning while on vacation in Honduras, Ann Noonan, administrator with Wu's Laogai Human Rights Organization, told The Associated Press. The cause of death wasn't immediately known, and Wu's son Harrison and former wife China Lee were traveling to the Central American nation to bring home Wu's remains, Noonan said.
"He was a real hero," Noonan said by phone from New York. "Harry's work will continue, it will not stop."
FILE - In this March 7, 2011 file photo, Harry Wu speaks to reporters during a news conference to criticise on China's one-child rule at the Capitol in Washington. Wu, a longtime Chinese human rights campaigner, and author and founder of the Laogai Research Foundation, died Tuesday morning, April 26, 2016. He was 79. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
Wu was born into a prosperous family in Shanghai that saw most of its property confiscated following the civil war victory of Mao Zedong's communists in 1949. He studied geology at university but fell afoul of the authorities for his criticism of the Soviet Union, China's then-ally, and was sentenced in 1960 at age 23 to China's prison camp system known as laogai, or "reform through labor."
Laogai was notorious for punishing intellectuals and political prisoners with long sentences and brutal conditions and the camps were blamed by some for causing millions of deaths. According to his autobiography, Wu spent various terms in 12 different camps, experiencing harsh work regimens on farms, coal mines and work sites, along with beatings, torture and near starvation.
Released in 1979 following Mao's death three years earlier, Wu moved to the United States in 1985. He taught, wrote and founded the Laogai Research Foundation while returning frequently to China to conduct research on the labor camp system.
Having become a U.S. citizen, Wu was arrested during a visit to China in 1995 and sentenced to 15 years on espionage charges. He was immediately deported to the U.S. where he continued his work documenting Chinese human rights abuses and was a frequent speaker before Congress and at academic events.
The Washington, D.C.-based foundation established the Laogai Museum in 2008 to "preserve the memory of the laogai's many victims and serve to educate the public about the atrocities committed by China's communist regime," according to the foundation's website.
China has since formally eliminated laogai along with a milder version known as laojiao, or "reform through education," although penal labor remains a key feature of the Chinese prison system.
Wu was the author of books about his prison experience and later advocacy, including "The Chinese Gulag," ''Bitter Winds," and "Troublemaker."
A Catholic, he campaigned for other causes, including international labor rights, religious freedom, and an end to the death penalty, forced organ harvesting and China's often coercive population control policies.
He was a strong backer of other political prisoners and critics denounced by Beijing, including exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, who is serving a prison sentence in China for advocating political reforms.
Math scores slip, reading flat for nation's 12th-graders
WASHINGTON (AP) It's not a promising picture for the nation's high school seniors they are slipping in math, not making strides in reading and only about one-third are prepared for the academic challenges of entry-level college courses.
Scores released Wednesday from the so-called Nation's Report Card show one-quarter of 12th-graders taking the test performed proficiently or better in math. Only 37 percent of the students were proficient or above in reading.
The average score for math in 2015 declined one point from 2013, marking the first drop in a decade. For reading, scores were flat over the same period of time, and down five points from more than two decades ago when the test was first given to students in 1992.
FILE - In this June 7, 2014, file photo, Odessa High School graduates pose for a group portrait prior to the start of the commencement ceremony in Odessa, Texas. Its not a promising picture for the nations high school seniors, they are slipping in math, not making strides in reading and only about one-third are prepared for the academic challenges of entry-level college courses. Scores released April 27, 2016, from the so-called Nations Report Card show one-quarter of 12th graders taking the test performed proficiently or better in math. Only 37 percent of the students were proficient or above in reading. (Edyta Blaszczyk/Odessa American via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
The Education Department's Peggy Carr said the report suggests a pattern in scores for reading that needs a deeper look.
"There is a gap, a widening of a gap of higher and lower ability students, and I think that's something we need to think about," said Carr, acting commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, which administers the test.
Reading scores increased for the highest-performing students last year, up two points for the highest group of performers on the test; and down six points from 2013 for the lowest-performing seniors. Math scores saw no significant difference over two years for the highest group of test-takers, but declined four points for the group of students at the bottom.
Bill Bushaw, executive director of the National Assessment Governing Board, said the latest scores are disappointing.
"We're not making the academic progress that we need to so that there's greater preparedness for post-secondary, for work, for military participation. These numbers aren't going the way we want," Bushaw said.
The report estimates about 37 percent of students, for both reading and math, scored well enough to be considered likely to possess the knowledge and skills to be academically prepared for college-level work. That is not much different than how well-prepared seniors were in 2013, the last time the tests were given.
Other findings:
The average math score was 152, on a 300-point scale. The average score for reading was 287 on a 500-point scale.
No significant change was seen from 2013 in the average math score for any racial and ethnic groups. And it was the same for reading, with no real change seen from 2013 for any groups.
In math, the average score for English language learners was higher last year, up six points compared to 2013.
Australia's refugee camp in Papua New Guinea to close
SYDNEY (AP) The fate of hundreds of asylum seekers being held in a detention center in Papua New Guinea was in limbo on Wednesday as the country's prime minister announced the facility would close in response to a court ruling that Australia's detention of the men on the island nation is illegal.
Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said he would immediately ask Australia to come up with alternative arrangements for the 900 asylum seekers and refugees currently held on the Pacific nation's Manus Island.
The decision prompted fresh questions about the future of Australia's divisive policy of refusing to accept asylum seekers who try to reach its shores by boat. Australia pays Papua New Guinea and Nauru to hold them in detention camps instead.
"We did not anticipate the asylum seekers to be kept as long as they have at the Manus Center," O'Neill said in a statement.
He said that those deemed to be legitimate refugees could resettle in Papua New Guinea "if they wish to be a part of our society and make a contribution to our community."
"It is clear that several of these refugees do not want to settle in Papua New Guinea and that is their decision," he said.
O'Neill's announcement, which gave no timeframe for the facility's closure, follows a ruling by the nation's Supreme Court on Tuesday that said the detention of the men at Manus was a violation of their constitutional right to personal liberty. Australian officials have been scrambling to respond to the decision, with Immigration Minister Peter Dutton saying none of the men will be resettled in Australia despite the pleas of human rights groups.
The chaos came as an Iranian refugee at Australia's detention center on Nauru set himself on fire in an apparent protest over Australia's strict asylum seeker policies. Dutton said the man would be airlifted off the island for medical treatment on Wednesday night.
"He is in a very, very serious condition and his outlook is not good at all," Dutton told reporters.
Dutton insisted the court ruling would not change Australia's policy. Australian officials were in talks with other countries that could potentially take detainees who had been declared genuine refugees, Dutton said. Australia already has a deal with Cambodia that allows refugees held on Nauru to settle there, though only five people have taken up that option.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the government had no immediate plan to contend with Tuesday's court ruling, which ordered both countries' governments to quickly end the detention of the men held at the facility.
"We were not a party to the litigation as you know, but this is something that's under consideration," Turnbull told reporters in Brisbane. "I can't provide a definitive road map from here."
The 23-year-old Iranian refugee on Nauru set himself on fire in a protest intended to coincide with a visit to the island by representatives of the U.N. refugee agency, Nauru's government said in a statement.
Self-harming incidents do happen on occasion at Australia's immigration detention camps, with asylum seekers cutting themselves, swallowing chemicals or sewing their mouths shut as a form of protest. But Wednesday's incident was particularly serious.
Ohio man shoots, wounds own son, mistakes him for intruder
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Police say an Ohio man shot and wounded his own son after mistaking him for an intruder.
Officers responded to a Columbus home Tuesday morning for an unknown complaint.
When they arrived they say 51-year-old Biyaga Ceesay told them that a stranger had shot his son. Later, the man said he accidentally shot his son because he thought he was an intruder trying to rob the family.
The boy is hospitalized in stable condition and is expected to recover.
Undercover squad may mean more covering up for Tehran women
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Tehran resident Sousan Heidari has stopped letting her headscarf slip casually down over her neck and shoulders while driving in the Iranian capital. These days, the 22-year-old with a taste for bold makeup makes sure to pull it tightly over her dark hair, fearful of running afoul of a newly established undercover division of the morality police.
"Every single man or woman could be a member of the unit," she cautioned. "I don't know. Maybe some plainclothes have already reported me because of heavy makeup."
Tehran police chief Gen. Hossein Sajedinia recently announced his department had deployed 7,000 male and female officers for a new plainclothes division the largest such undercover assignment in memory. Authorities say the division, which started work last week, will patrol major Tehran streets and intersections, policing transgressions including harassment against women and excessive car honking and engine noise.
An Iranian woman adjusts her head scarf while crossing a street in downtown Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Tehran police chief Gen. Hossein Sajedinia recently announced his department had deployed 7,000 male and female officers for a new plainclothes division _ the largest such undercover assignment in memory. Critics fear the units main focus will be enforcing the government-mandated Islamic dress code, which requires women be modestly covered from head to toe. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Critics fear the unit's main focus, however, will be enforcing the government-mandated Islamic dress code, which requires women be modestly covered from head to toe. They see it as the latest flashpoint in the struggle between relative moderates such as President Hassan Rouhani and establishment hard-liners who fear looser social norms will weaken the Islamic Republic's values and priciples.
Iranian women these days, particularly younger ones, often forego the traditional long black long veil known as the chador and opt instead for trendy dresses and fashionable headscarves. More and more, they are daring to let their scarves slip down to their shoulders while driving.
Influential ayatollah Mohammad Ali Movahedi Kermani alluded to those concerns about moral erosion during a recent Friday sermon in Tehran, saying that a woman driving without a veil, "cannot be called freedom."
Avoiding sartorial trouble in Iran has been fairly straightforward up until now. Police assigned to the morality-enforcement beat normally wore the same dark green uniform of regular Iranian police, and were stationed out in the open at major squares and crossroads.
They would take a range of approaches to enforcing dress codes, including handing out scarves as gifts, giving verbal warnings or having female officers physically remove excessive makeup.
At worst, offenders would be sent to court and face fines of up to $250 or hauled to the local police station until their family members gave a written promise that they would never commit the same offense again.
Azizeh Shirazi, a mother of two college-aged daughters, said last week's announcement of the new force has left her worried that something might happen to them on the way to university. "When the girls do not answer my phone calls during the day, my heart beats faster," she said.
The outcry over the new undercover police force extends to senior officials.
Shahindokht Molaverdi, vice president for women and family affairs, criticized the decision and expressed concern that it would be "limited to giving warnings to women over improper attire," according to local media reports.
Molaverdi said many citizens have complained to her about the police decision, and she vowed that the Rouhani administration will review the proposed force.
Even the popular Hamshahri daily, which is linked to conservative opponents of Rouhani's government, raised questions about the plan in an editorial, asking why it was necessary now and whether there would be any way to verify the unit's reports.
Police responded to the criticism by saying that "demands by the people" led to the creation of the new unit and that concerned citizens could contact police about any ambiguities.
They have found support from hard-liners, including female parliamentarian Fatemeh Rahbar who said the previous practice of uniformed morality police was too easy for violators to spot and evade.
"The police are thinking about a more precise, more effective and more functional method since the previous open method did not bear fruit," she said.
On Sunday, the spokesman of the hard-line dominated judiciary, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi, added his voice of support, saying the "judiciary definitely supports the police plan to confront open social corruption."
Tehran-based political analyst Saeed Leilaz believes the new unit is a reaction to the resounding defeat of hard-line and conservative candidates in Tehran during recent parliamentary elections. A bloc led by moderates and reformists won a majority of seats around the country, but captured all 30 seats representing the capital in the 290-seat parliament. A runoff election for 68 remaining undecided seats will be held Friday.
Leilaz noted that these new plainclothes units have only been announced for Tehran, not for any other major Iranian city.
"This is part of the establishment's reaction toward Tehran residents' attitude in the election," he said. "It's an expression of discontent and taking revenge, as well as applying efforts in restricting President Rouhani."
Leilaz said the new initiative suggests previous hard-line dress code policies have failed. And he questioned how effective the new division would be.
"The plan, as usual will have a short-term limited impact. Soon people will return to their routines," he said.
Iranian youngsters play music at a sidewalk in downtown Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Tehran police chief Gen. Hossein Sajedinia recently announced his department had deployed 7,000 male and female officers for a new plainclothes division _ the largest such undercover assignment in memory. Critics fear the units main focus will be enforcing the government-mandated Islamic dress code, which requires women be modestly covered from head to toe. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Iranian women make their way down a sidewalk in downtown Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Tehran police chief Gen. Hossein Sajedinia recently announced his department had deployed 7,000 male and female officers for a new plainclothes division _ the largest such undercover assignment in memory. Critics fear the units main focus will be enforcing the government-mandated Islamic dress code, which requires women be modestly covered from head to toe. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Iranian women make their way along a sidewalk in downtown Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Tehran police chief Gen. Hossein Sajedinia recently announced his department had deployed 7,000 male and female officers for a new plainclothes division _ the largest such undercover assignment in memory. Critics fear the units main focus will be enforcing the government-mandated Islamic dress code, which requires women be modestly covered from head to toe. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
An Iranian woman walks past a mural in a sidewalk in downtown Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Tehran police chief Gen. Hossein Sajedinia recently announced his department had deployed 7,000 male and female officers for a new plainclothes division _ the largest such undercover assignment in memory. Critics fear the units main focus will be enforcing the government-mandated Islamic dress code, which requires women be modestly covered from head to toe. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Iranians walk in downtown Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Tehran police chief Gen. Hossein Sajedinia recently announced his department had deployed 7,000 male and female officers for a new plainclothes division _ the largest such undercover assignment in memory. Critics fear the units main focus will be enforcing the government-mandated Islamic dress code, which requires women be modestly covered from head to toe. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
President Barack Obama will visit Flint, Mich., next week amidst the citys ongoing drinking water contamination crisis, which could have lifelong consequences for the citys children.
Obama announced his May 4 visit in a letter to 8-year-old Mari Copeny , a Flint resident who wrote to him about the crisis. During his time in the city, federal workers will brief Obama on the crisis response. The president also plans to speak with residents.
I want to make sure people like you and your family are receiving the help you need and deserve, Obama wrote. Like you, Ill use my voice to call for change and help lift up your community. Letters from kids like you are what make me so optimistic for the future.
As my colleague Denisa R. Superville reported in March, the Flint crisis has thrust lead poisoning back into the national spotlight, with schools across the nation discovering that water with higher-than-acceptable lead levels flows from their faucets and drinking fountains.
This week marks two years since Flint, under the control of an emergency manager appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder, switched its water source to the Flint River to save money.
That set off numerous contamination problems, the most significant of which was lead, caused by the corrosive water that lacked proper treatment. State officials repeatedly downplayed residents concerns about the water.
Flint city and school officials are dealing with the fallout from the crisis, after it was discovered that hundreds of children there have high levels of lead in their blood, in part because of the states decision to switch Flints water supply. Millions of dollars in emergency federal aid has flowed to the city to expand Head Start and Early Head Start services for young children affected by crisis.
School Superintendent Bilal Tawwab testified before a congressional committee in February, telling members that, Across the city, the threat of significant disability is even more serious for Flints youngest students, those not yet in school, or the unborn.
The city and state have returned Flint to its former water source, and while the water quality is improving, it still has not been deemed safe to drink.
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Pakistani Sikhs open temple after 73 years, risking attacks
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) An armed policeman stood guard outside the 300-year-old Sikh temple, known as a gurdwara, in northwest Pakistan. He kept a watchful eye on everyone who passed him on the narrow street, looking for a suspicious gesture, or a bulge beneath the clothes that hints at a hidden gun or a bomb.
Earlier this month, the gurdwara in Peshawar's crowded Old City opened its doors to worshippers for the first time in 73 years. The reopening was celebrated by Pakistan's tiny Sikh minority, but security is a constant concern.
On Friday, a Sikh leader and provincial lawmaker was shot and killed outside his home in a remote area in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province, some 140 kilometers (86 miles) from Peshawar. The murder of Sardar Suran Singh devastated the Sikh community and heightened their fears of militant attacks.
In this Monday, April 25, 2016 photo, a Pakistani policeman stands guard outside the 300-year-old gurdwara or place of worship for Pakistan's Sikh minority, in Peshawar. While Sikhs celebrated the opening of their gurdwara, its neighbors all of whom are Muslim told The Associated Press that they either didn't want them there or were worried that an attack by militants was certain to happen. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)
It also added to human rights activists' despair over rising violence against religious minorities in Pakistan.
"It is tragic, but this is the trend in Pakistan right now. It is increasingly intolerant," said Zohra Yusuf, chairwoman of the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the shooting of Sardar Suran Singh, but police disputed their claim, blaming the shooting on political rivalry and saying they had arrested the culprit. There was no response from the Taliban, who often make unsubstantiated claims.
Peshawar is a deeply conservative city at the foot of the mountainous Khyber Pass once a popular route for traders and tourists travelling to nearby Afghanistan, now the focus of an extremist insurgency. Militants have attacked Peshawar schools, killing children as they studied, bombed buses of government workers and attacked Christians in their churches.
The newly-opened gurdwara has a 24-hour Sikh Security detail as well as police guards, but their Muslim neighbors believe an attack is inevitable.
"Security is very necessary ... for the people who want to come here for prayers without any fear," said Gurpal Singh, security chief for Peshawar's Sikh community.
Gohar Iqbal, a bookseller who works at a busy stall opposite the temple was certain the building would be targeted by militants. "We are worrying because of the children if something happens," he said, gesturing to the white cement building that houses a girls' high school, which abuts the gurdwara.
Few in this overwhelmingly Muslim neighborhood welcomed the gurdwara's opening. Apart from the security risks, many simply don't want Sikhs in their midst. The Sikhs that lived in the area and attended the gurdwara left when it closed in the 1940s.
It is not known how many Sikhs live in Pakistan today. The vast majority migrated to India in 1947, the year Pakistan was created as a homeland for Muslims of the subcontinent. The CIA Factbook estimates that 3.6 percent of Pakistan's 180 million people are non-Muslims, including Sikhs, Christians and Hindus.
Sikhs are among the smallest minorities. They are easily identifiable because of their tightly wound and often colorful turbans, and because they share the surname Singh.
Many of the Sikhs living in Pakistan are internally displaced, having fled their traditional homes in Pakistan's tribal regions as the threat posed by militants increased.
As the Taliban grew in strength in tribal regions such as Orazkai and Bajour, Sikhs were forced to pay protection money to local militant leaders or were killed, Yusuf at HRCP said.
Two years ago, extremists in the area swore allegiance to the Islamic State group. IS militants routinely video the brutal killings of non-Muslims in their territory.
Charanjeet Singh, a volunteer at the gurdwara and a community spokesman, fled his home in Orazkai several years ago.
He spoke to The Associated Press from inside the cavernous prayer hall of the gurdwara. Inside the sprawling compound, most of the buildings are crumbling only the ornately carved prayer hall has been renovated.
Still, remnants of its former glory are visible a small arch made up of odd-shaped blocks of stone, known as Waziri bricks, remains from the original structure laid around 300 years ago.
Charanjeet Singh said the community had been battling government intransigence and local resistance since 2012 to reopen the gurdwara.
In the 73 years it stood empty, the gurdwara was administered by the government's Evacuee Trust, an organization that looks after properties vacated by those who left for India during partition in 1947. Sometimes the buildings are returned to their original owners as happened with the gurdwara and at other times they are given to those who migrated from India to Pakistan, provided they can prove they owned property of a similar value in India.
Under the Pakistani government's guardianship, the gurdwara went through many incarnations. At one point, it housed a vocational school and it has been used for private homes. Several members of the Evacuee Trust still work and live there.
Despite receiving a chilly reception from their Muslim neighbors, the Sikhs of the gurdwara are giving shelter to an elderly Muslim woman.
In one of the ramshackle buildings lives Begum Shafqat Ara, a diminutive old woman who believes her age to be around 90. She has lived in the gurdwara for some 60 years. She never married and taught at the vocational school, where she continued to live after she retired.
"I didn't have anywhere to go, no family. This is my home," she told AP, sitting on the purple carpeted floor of the gurdwara's prayer hall.
Charanjeet Singh says Ara will stay. The Sikh community takes care of her and has promised to continue to do so for as long as she lives. Ara smiled a mostly toothless grin as she heard this and affectionately rested her hand on the knee of a nearby Sikh volunteer who had helped her to the prayer hall.
Despite the dangers they face, Charanjeet Singh said they will not capitulate to the militants. "If we do, they win," he said. "We are fully determined we will keep our holy places open."
In this Saturday, April 23, 2016 photo, People carry the coffin of slain Pakistani Sikh lawmaker Sardar Suran Singh in Buner, Pakistan. The assassination last week of Singh, a member of the Khyber Pukhtunkhwa provincial legislature has shattered the community, heightened their fears and added to the despair felt by human rights groups over the growing intolerance of minority religions in Pakistan. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)
In this Thursday, April 14, 2016 photo, Pakistani Sikh women wait at a police barrier to attend a religious festival known as Beshakhi in Hasan Abdal, Pakistan. Earlier this month, the gurdwara in Peshawar's crowded Old City opened its doors to worshippers for the first time in 73 years. The reopening was celebrated by Pakistan's tiny Sikh minority, but security is a constant concern. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)
In this Sunday, April 24, 2016 photo, a Pakistani Sikh priest leads prayers at the 300-year-old gurdwara or place of worship, in Peshawar. While Sikhs celebrated the opening of their gurdwara, its neighbors all of whom are Muslim told The Associated Press that they either didn't want them there or were worried that an attack by militants was certain to happen. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)
In this Saturday, April 23, 2016 photo, men attend the cremation ceremony of Pakistani Sikh lawmaker Sardar Suran Singh in Buner, Pakistan. The assassination last week of Singh, a member of the Khyber Pukhtunkhwa provincial legislature has shattered the community, heightened their fears and added to the despair felt by human rights groups over the growing intolerance of minority religions in Pakistan. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)
In this Saturday, April 23, 2016 photo, men attend the cremation ceremony of Pakistani Sikh lawmaker Sardar Suran Singh in Buner, Pakistan. The assassination last week of Singh, a member of the Khyber Pukhtunkhwa provincial legislature has shattered the community, heightened their fears and added to the despair felt by human rights groups over the growing intolerance of minority religions in Pakistan. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)
In this Sunday, April 24, 2016 photo, Pakistani Sikh receive parshad or holy food distributed by a man, at the 300-year-old gurdwara or place of worship in Peshawar, Pakistan. Earlier this month, the gurdwara in Peshawar's crowded Old City opened its doors to worshippers for the first time in 73 years. The reopening was celebrated by Pakistan's tiny Sikh minority, but security is a constant concern. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)
NASA astronauts prepare for flight on commercial spacecraft
ST. LOUIS (AP) Five years after the last NASA astronauts flew from Cape Canaveral, Florida, to the International Space Station, a new group is preparing for a trip, this time on a private spacecraft.
On Tuesday, veteran astronauts Eric Boe and Sunita Williams used touch-screen simulators to practice docking Boeing Co.'s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft with the space station during a training session near Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. The simulator, called the Crew Part-Task Trainer, helps prepare astronauts and flight controllers for missions, flight conditions and situations including the rendezvous and docking with the space station.
"This is the next really exciting chapter for our country and our space program," Williams said. "It refocuses on what I think is really important planning for the next generations and thinking of their future."
NASA astronaut Eric Boe uses the Crew Part-Task Trainer, a touch-screen simulator, during a training session at The Boeing Companys Defense, Space & Security division in St. Louis, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Boeing is one of two private U.S. companies contracted by NASA to transport astronauts from Cape Canaveral, Florida, to the International Space Station. Its spacecraft, the CST-100 Starliner, is expected to have its first test flight to the space station by the end of 2017. (AP Photo/Alex Sanz)
The United States hasn't seen a manned launch since Atlantis blasted off on the final space shuttle mission in 2011. NASA currently is hiring out its supply runs and paying Russia to ferry astronauts to the space station.
The space agency wants to continue outsourcing those tasks so it can focus on getting astronauts out of low-Earth orbit and on to Mars and other destinations. NASA is developing the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System for those longer journeys and has contracted with Boeing and another U.S. company, SpaceX, to transport astronauts to the space station.
"If you think of Mars as the pinnacle of Everest (and) low-Earth orbit as base camp, the commercial companies that service low-Earth orbit are the sherpas that take things back and forth," said Chris Ferguson, deputy program manager and director of crew and mission operations for Boeing's commercial crew program. "It enables NASA to go and perform their exploration mission."
The cost for a ride on a private, American-operated spacecraft will be $58 million, cheaper than Russia's $76 million per ride, according to NASA.
Boeing's role in space exploration began in the 1960s. The McDonnell Aircraft Corporation, which later merged with McDonnell Douglas before its merger with Boeing developed the Mercury and Gemini space capsules.
In 2014, NASA awarded Boeing up to $4.2 billion to develop the Starliner, its launch vehicle and mission operations and ground systems. The contracts with Boeing and SpaceX, which is developing a next-generation crew capsule, total $6.8 billion and require at least one test flight with at least one NASA astronaut on board. Boeing's contract includes up to six missions to the space station.
Boeing's Defense, Space & Security division is building several training devices in St. Louis, including the Crew Part-Task Trainer and a full-scale mission simulator that will run astronauts through dress rehearsals, from problems during launch to the recovery of the spacecraft. The simulator and other training devices will be delivered to the Johnson Space Center in Houston over the next year.
Boeing and SpaceX are aiming for test flights to the space station by the end of 2017.
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Online:
More about the Boeing CST-100 Starliner: http://www.boeing.com/cst100
More about the NASA Commercial Crew Program: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial/crew/index.html
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Follow Alex Sanz on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/alexsanz
NASA astronaut Eric Boe uses the Crew Part-Task Trainer, a touch-screen simulator, during a training session at The Boeing Companys Defense, Space & Security division in St. Louis, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Boeing is one of two private U.S. companies contracted by NASA to transport astronauts from Cape Canaveral, Florida, to the International Space Station. Its spacecraft, the CST-100 Starliner, is expected to have its first test flight to the space station by the end of 2017. (AP Photo/Alex Sanz)
NASA astronaut Eric Boe uses the Crew Part-Task Trainer, a touch-screen simulator, during a training session at The Boeing Companys Defense, Space & Security division in St. Louis, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Boeing is one of two private U.S. companies contracted by NASA to transport astronauts from Cape Canaveral, Florida, to the International Space Station. Its spacecraft, the CST-100 Starliner, is expected to have its first test flight to the space station by the end of 2017. (AP Photo/Alex Sanz)
NASA astronaut Eric Boe uses the Crew Part-Task Trainer, a touch-screen simulator, during a training session at The Boeing Companys Defense, Space & Security division in St. Louis, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Boeing is one of two private U.S. companies contracted by NASA to transport astronauts from Cape Canaveral, Florida, to the International Space Station. Its spacecraft, the CST-100 Starliner, is expected to have its first test flight to the space station by the end of 2017. (AP Photo/Alex Sanz)
Taiwan fishermen protest Japan's seizure of boat
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) Scores of Taiwanese fishermen protested Wednesday outside Japan's representative office in Taiwan to demand an apology over the seizure of one of their fishing boats by the Japanese coast guard.
The fishermen lobbed eggs and clashed briefly with police while delivering a petition at the Interchange Association, which handles relations between the two in the absence of formal diplomatic ties.
Taiwan's government has called the boat's seizure Monday about 150 nautical miles (278 kilometers) southeast of Japan's Okinotori islands an illegal act, saying it was fishing in international waters at the time. The uninhabited islands, located more than 1,700 kilometers (1,000 miles) south of Tokyo, consist mostly of partially submerged coral reefs.
In protest of the Japanese coast guard recently detaining a Taiwanese fishing boat, fishermen hurl eggs outside of the Japan representative office in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Scores of Taiwanese fishermen protested Wednesday outside Japans representative office in Taiwan to demand an apology over the seizure of one of their fishing boats by the Japanese coast guard. (AP Photo/ Chiang Ying-ying)
The boat owner, Pan Chung-chiu, said he paid a $54,442 bond to secure the release of the Tung Sheng Chi No. 16 and its 10 crew members.
"As a fisherman of (Taiwan) I didn't do anything wrong," said Pan.
At Wednesday's protest, chairman of the National Fishermen's Association Lin Chi-tsang compared the seizure to "pirates asking for a large ransom."
Japan considers the surrounding waters to be its exclusive economic zone, give it rights to fish stocks and other resources in the area. To help maintain that status, it has been shoring up structures built on the reefs.
Pan Chiu-chung, left, father of detained Taiwanese fishing boat captain Pan Chien-peng, hands over a protest letter to a Japanese officer outside of the Japan representative office in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Scores of Taiwanese fishermen protested Wednesday outside Japans representative office in Taiwan to demand an apology over the seizure of one of their fishing boats by the Japanese coast guard. (AP Photo/ Chiang Ying-ying)
Pan Chiu-chung, center, father of a detained Taiwanese fishing boat captain Pan Chien-peng, condemns Japan during an anti-Japan protest, Wednesday, April 27, 2016 in Taipei, Taiwan. Scores of Taiwanese fishermen protested Wednesday outside Japans representative office in Taiwan to demand an apology over the seizure of one of their fishing boats by the Japanese coast guard. (AP Photo/ Chiang Ying-ying)
Midwest sees 2nd day of storms but no major damage
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) Springtime storms lashed parts of the Midwest and South on Wednesday, but on a smaller scale than the night before when tornadoes in Oklahoma and Texas injured more than a dozen people and damaged homes.
Gusts up to 75 mph were expected near Louisiana's Gulf coast during the latest round of storms, and forecasters said 15 million people along the Mississippi River between Iowa and New Orleans had at least a slight chance to see severe weather at some point.
Tornadoes touched down Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
Stephen Goldstein, left, helps other volunteers pick up debris on Stark Lane in Sherman, Texas on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. A tornado touched down and caused major damage to homes and business late Tuesday night. (David Woo/The Dallas Morning News via AP)
Expectations for Wednesday weren't as dire as they had been for Tuesday, when meteorologists warned that conditions were ripe for a severe weather outbreak.
In Texas, a 62-year-old woman was killed early Wednesday after a tree fell on her home in the Tomball area northwest of Houston, the Harris County Sheriff's Office said. Forecasters also confirmed that three tornadoes struck areas north of Dallas near the Red River late Tuesday, shredding roofs, uprooting trees and overturning vehicles. Five people were hospitalized after their vehicles were caught up in an apparent tornado, Howe Police Chief Carl Hudman said.
The National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado touched down Tuesday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where storms uprooted trees, snapped power poles and damaged roofs. In a preliminary assessment, the agency determined the damage less than a mile from where Interstate 44 crosses the Arkansas River was consistent with that of an EF1 tornado.
It also confirmed two more relatively weak tornadoes within 30 miles of Oklahoma City: an EF1 tornado near Luther and an EF0 tornado near Mustang.
Oklahoma hospitals said 12 injuries were linked to Tuesday's storms.
An estimated 6 to 8 inches of rain fell Tuesday evening and overnight near Deshler, Nebraska, prompting officials to evacuate a nursing home and assisted living facility. About 45 patients and residents from Parkview Haven Nursing Home and Meadowlark Heights Assisted Living spent the night at Deshler High School because of high-water worries. They returned Wednesday.
The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, said last week the nation could have seen significant tornadoes Tuesday, but it turned out as the weather developed that conditions weren't right for the biggest storms.
The core of the bad weather forecast shifts back to Oklahoma and Texas on Thursday and Friday, then to Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas on Saturday.
Wednesday's unsettled weather comes on the five-year anniversary of a tornado outbreak that killed more than 300 people in the South, mostly in Alabama.
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Associated Press writers Jill Bleed in Little Rock, Arkansas; Daniel C. Houston in Oklahoma City; Jim Salter in St. Louis; and Bill Draper in Kansas City, Missouri, contributed to this report.
Averie Young surveys the damage to her grandparents' home in Sherman, Texas on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Terri and Terry Calhoun said they were in bed when high winds tore off their roof and caused major damage to their property. (David Woo/The Dallas Morning News via AP)
Lightning strikes along Interstate 70 near Junction City, Kan., Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Thunderstorms bearing hail as big as grapefruit and winds approaching hurricane strength lashed portions of the Great Plains on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
Rod Hawkins, left, a neighbor, helps other volunteers pick up debris on Stark Lane in Sherman, Texas on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. A tornado touched down and caused major damage to homes and business late Tuesday night. (David Woo/The Dallas Morning News via AP)
Storm chasers photograph storm clouds near Wellington, Kan., Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Thunderstorms bearing hail as big as grapefruit and winds approaching hurricane strength lashed portions of the Great Plains on Tuesday. (Travis Heying/The Wichita Eagle via AP) LOCAL TELEVISION OUT; MAGS OUT; LOCAL RADIO OUT; LOCAL INTERNET OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT
Storm clouds hang in the sky near Wellington, Kan., Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Thunderstorms bearing hail as big as grapefruit and winds approaching hurricane strength lashed portions of the Great Plains on Tuesday. (Travis Heying/The Wichita Eagle via AP) LOCAL TELEVISION OUT; MAGS OUT; LOCAL RADIO OUT; LOCAL INTERNET OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT
Susan Goodwyn holds hail in her hand Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Wichita, Kan. The National Weather Service was warning of the possibility of hail as big as grapefruits in some areas on Tuesday amid storms in parts of the central and eastern U.S. Some smaller hail the size of quarters or smaller had been reported in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ohio and Texas as of Tuesday afternoon. (Susan Goodwyn/SMGPhotos via AP)
Storm clouds hang in the sky near Wellington, Kan., Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Thunderstorms bearing hail as big as grapefruit and winds approaching hurricane strength lashed portions of the Great Plains on Tuesday. (Travis Heying/The Wichita Eagle via AP) LOCAL TELEVISION OUT; MAGS OUT; LOCAL RADIO OUT; LOCAL INTERNET OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT
Lightning illuminates the sky over the Marion County Courthouse in Marion, Kan., Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Thunderstorms bearing hail as big as grapefruit and winds approaching hurricane strength lashed portions of the Great Plains on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
US warns citizens over possible terror threats in Turkey
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) The United States has issued a new warning to its citizens about "credible indications" of terrorist threats at tourist areas in Turkey.
In a warning posted on its website late Tuesday, the U.S. Embassy said Washington continued to receive reports that terrorist groups "are seeking opportunities to attack popular tourist destinations throughout Turkey."
Turkey has been hit by six deadly suicide bombings since July that were either claimed by Kurdish militants or blamed on the Islamic State group. Two Israeli-Americans, an Israeli and an Iranian were killed in an IS attack at Istanbul's main pedestrian street last Month. In January, 12 German tourists were killed in the city's historic district.
Exit poll: Front-runners for both parties draw broad support
WASHINGTON (AP) Donald Trump attracted a broad coalition of Republican voters as he won presidential primary elections in Connecticut, Maryland and Pennsylvania, pulling in support across income groups, from men and women and from those who want a candidate who will shake things up.
Trump also won the GOP primaries in Delaware and Rhode Island, two states where exit polls were not conducted.
On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton drew overwhelming support from women and black voters as she beat Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders Tuesday in the Maryland, Connecticut and Pennsylvania primaries. Clinton also won in Delaware, while Sanders took Rhode Island.
In Pennsylvania, most Democratic voters in the state said they've been energized by the primary battle between Clinton and Sanders. But most GOP voters believe the heated contest among Trump, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich has divided their party.
Those were among the findings from exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research.
Other highlights from the exit polls:
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TRUMP'S COALITION
Trump won across nearly all demographic groups gender, education and income levels alike in Connecticut, Maryland and Pennsylvania. With the exception of the youngest voters in Maryland, he won all age groups in each state.
The billionaire businessman also did well with those most concerned about the state of the U.S. economy, and he bested Cruz and Kasich with voters who want the next president to tell it like it is or bring needed change to the country.
Overall, a large majority of Republican voters in all three states want the candidate with the most votes in the primaries to prevail at the party convention in Cleveland and most of them supported Trump.
Republican voters who think Wall Street hurts the economy were especially likely to support Trump in all three states. And in Pennsylvania, two-thirds of GOP voters who said that trade with other countries takes jobs from American workers voted for Trump.
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CLINTON'S VICTORIES
In Maryland, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, Clinton was supported by large majorities of black voters, most women and those looking for an experienced candidate. Democratic voters in all three states also saw her as the best candidate to beat Trump.
In Connecticut, where 20 children and six adults were killed in a 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, 6 in 10 Democratic voters said they thought Clinton would do a better job handling gun policy.
Clinton eked out a victory in the state, taking voters 45 and older and those living in households making more than $100,000 per year. More than 4 in 10 Connecticut Democrats fell into that category. Among those in households making more than $200,000 per year, two-thirds supported Clinton.
Sanders won a majority of men and drew the support of younger voters.
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ANTI-CRUZ VOTERS
For Cruz, it was a rough night. Four in 10 in Connecticut, a third in Pennsylvania and three in 10 in Maryland said they wouldn't vote for Cruz if he was the GOP nominee. And in Pennsylvania, nearly 6 in 10 said they would be either concerned or scared about a Cruz presidency.
Still, most Republicans in Connecticut, Maryland and Pennsylvania said they are voting for their candidate, rather than against his opponents.
Only a quarter of voters in Connecticut and Maryland said they voted for someone because they opposed the other candidates. And in Pennsylvania, just one in five said they were casting a negative vote.
In Pennsylvania, Trump was more polarizing than either of the other candidates. While over a third of GOP voters said they would be excited by a Trump administration, nearly 4 in 10 said they would be scared or concerned.
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ENERGY FOR DEMS, DIVISION FOR GOP
Most Democratic voters in Pennsylvania say they've been energized by the closely contested primary between Clinton and Sanders.
But Pennsylvania Republicans say the opposite about the heated contest among Trump, Cruz and Kasich.
About seven in 10 voters in Pennsylvania say the Democratic campaign has energized the party rather than divided it, while about 6 in 10 GOP voters say the Republican campaign this year has divided the party. Only 4 in 10 Republican voters say they've been energized.
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The surveys were conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research as voters left their polling places at 25 to 35 randomly selected sites in Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Maryland.
Results include interviews with 1,234 to 1,425 Democratic primary voters and 835 to 1,351 Republican primary voters in each state. The results among all those voting in each contest have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus either 4 or 5 percentage points.
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On trek to Everest, a chance to push boundaries, find peace
EVEREST BASE CAMP, Nepal (AP) We reach Everest Base Camp on a sunny but chilly afternoon, after an eight-day trek that stretched our physical and mental limits.
Aching knees from steep descents and headaches from mild altitude sickness are forgotten as the yellow and orange tents for the summit-bound framed by some of Himalaya's highest snow-capped peaks come into view.
We stay for only about an hour on a hill overlooking the camp, pitched near Everest's Khumbu icefall. We take photos, along with dozens of other amateur trekkers from across the globe, before hiking to the nearest lodge, about three hours away.
This April 10, 2016 photo shows trekkers heading to Everest Base Camp, Nepal. The cone-shaped Pumo Ri peak (23,495 feet (7,161 meters) is seen in the background. A trek to Everest Base Camp along mountain paths that hug deep gorges offers renewal and a test of mental and physical limits. Along the way there are sore knees and altitude sickness, but the spectacular landscapes, friendly villagers and moments of tranquility make the journey an unforgettable experience. (AP Photo/Karin Laub)
We're proud. We reached 5,364 meters (17,598 feet). That's roughly 550 meters (1,800 feet) higher than Mount Blanc, the tallest peak in the Alps. Getting to one of Nepal's most popular trekking destination also brings home a simple truth it's the journey that matters.
The 90-kilometer (56-mile) hike to Base Camp from an airstrip in the mountain village of Lukla was a "real pain," says Wayne Pedersen, 57, a South African who works in Dubai. "But I never would have missed it because of what I got out it the scenery, the beauty, the comradeship."
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THE JOURNEY BEGINS
Our journey starts in early April, at the Shanker Hotel, a former 19th century royal palace in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu. We each get a water-resistant duffel bag, sleeping bag and down jacket.
Some of these trekkers came to Nepal last year, but abandoned their plans when an April 25, 2015 earthquake killed nearly 9,000 people and destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes.
The trekking industry a key money-maker for the country was hit hard. A year later, bookings are still down 40 percent, said Narayan Regmi of our tour company, Himalayan Glacier.
"Please come to Nepal and help the destroyed economy," he says.
Now my fellow trekkers, most in their 40s and 50s, are back for a second try.
From Kathmandu, we fly 40 minutes northeast to Lukla, where the tiny Tenzing-Hillary airstrip named after Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the first to summit Everest is considered one of the world's most dangerous. Its stunted runway is bookended by a mountain wall and steep drop.
In the mountains, the only modes of transportation are our feet, yaks, donkeys and in an emergency helicopters. We don't see a car for two weeks.
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AGONIES AND JOYS
During our first downhill hike from Lukla, my left knee starts hurting.
At the first overnight stop, I realize I've underestimated the physical challenges. In coming days, I take anti-inflammatory pills to get through steep descents.
Coping with the rising altitude is the biggest challenge. A hasty ascent into air with less oxygen can lead to mountain sickness, with headaches and vomiting. Our Nepali head guide, Tulsi Bhatta, exhorts us to "go slow and drink lots of water."
A few days into the trek, he begins measuring oxygen levels we stick a finger into a small gadget and offers those with poor readings a diuretic to alleviate symptoms.
I get a headache at around the 4,000 meter (13,000 feet) mark. By the time we reach the night's stop in the village of Dingboche, I take one of Bhatta's pills and crawl into my sleeping bag.
Unfortunately, a side effect involves frequent bathroom trips, which in our no-frills lodge means stumbling down a cold hallway with a flashlight.
I'm better the next day. Others also suffer from minor bouts, but everyone recovers.
We soon realize that pushing through exhaustion creates a special kind of satisfaction.
The scenery is truly spectacular. It includes sightings of Everest, the world's highest mountain at 8,850 meters (29,035 feet), and of Ama Dablam, a snow-topped peak flanked by long ridges that make it look like a giant ghost raising his arms.
We repeatedly cross gorges cut by roaring white-water rivers, using wobbly suspension bridges adorned with colorful Buddhist prayer flags. Rhododendron trees with bright magenta blooms, green fields of onions and low rock walls line our path.
Villagers occasionally greet us with a smile and a "Namaste." No one pushes goods on us.
"You get a culture and one of the most amazing environments at the same time," says Steven Wilson, 49, a pastor from Lexington, Massachusetts, who is trekking with a different group. "I think that's the gift."
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ETIQUETTE AND TEAHOUSES
Spring and fall are peak seasons. The trail to Base Camp is more crowded than expected.
Hikers make way for load-carrying yaks. Bells strapped around their necks announce their arrival.
Porters, some in their early teens, have right of way. Hunched forward, they carry trekkers' heavy duffel bags and goods for local communities. This includes stoves, cooking gas, Coke and plywood for construction. Loads are suspended from headbands and cushioned with foam rolls pressed against lower backs.
Bhatta, 32, who started as a porter, then learned English and became a guide, says he's been fortunate.
"I didn't have any options," Bhatta, whose home was destroyed in the earthquake, says of his load-carrying days. "In Nepal, we don't have industries, nothing."
It is always a relief to reach the teahouse simple lodges where we spend the night.
Teahouses become more basic as we push up the mountain. Prices for bottled water increases, reflecting higher transport costs at rising elevations.
Typically, a stove in the dining room burns dried yak dung for warmth and heats water in huge kettles. Weary trekkers play cards or read books as cookies are passed around.
Dinner staples include egg dishes, soups, stuffed dumplings and the local specialty, dal bhat lentil soup over rice and vegetable-potato stew.
Searching for protein, I buy cans of tuna, seek peanut butter for breakfast and eat yak steak twice. It's chewy, but edible when mixed with a sauce.
Unheated rooms have wooden bunks with thin mattresses. Communal toilets and wash basins are common. Hot showers are increasingly rare at higher elevations.
In a nightly ritual, I roll out my sleeping bag, cover a pillow with my own case and place a flashlight next to my head.
There's little to do after nightfall except read. An 8 p.m. bedtime is not unusual.
Bhatta and his assistants, always cheerful, come around with "bed tea" in the mornings, to make sure everyone is awake and ready to pack their bags.
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THE PAYOFF
The rewards of the 12-day trek become more apparent toward the end.
I'm stronger and more sure-footed. I fall into a rhythm as I plant my trekking poles on steep steps and push up without gasping for air.
The sights and sounds of the trail make up for any remaining discomfort.
Colorful prayer wheels whirl, powered by a small stream. Maroon-robed monks chant religious verses in the region's largest Buddhist monastery. A bird of prey glides above a canyon. Elsewhere, a group of Nepali men sit on the ground, gambling with dice and small shells.
We walk in silence at times, single file. There are no pinging iPhones here, no distractions. It's a chance to contemplate issues that get pushed aside in the day-to-day busy-ness of life.
In the best moments on the trail, it's peaceful.
This April 10, 2016 photo shows yellow and orange tents at Everest Base Camp, pitched on the edges of the Khumbu icefall in Nepal. A trek to Everest Base Camp along mountain paths hugging it's deep gorges offers renewal and a test of mental and physical limits. A trek to Everest Base Camp along mountain paths that hug deep gorges offers renewal and a test of mental and physical limits. Along the way there are sore knees and altitude sickness, but the spectacular landscapes, friendly villagers and moments of tranquility make the journey an unforgettable experience. (AP Photo/Karin Laub)
This April 6, 2016 photo shows trekkers at a rest stop north of the village of Namche Bazaar, Nepal. April falls into the peak season for trekking and the trail is often crowded. A trek to Everest Base Camp along mountain paths that hug deep gorges offers renewal and a test of mental and physical limits. Along the way there are sore knees and altitude sickness, but the spectacular landscapes, friendly villagers and moments of tranquility make the journey an unforgettable experience. (AP Photo/Karin Laub)
This April 5, 2016 photo shows the village of Namche Bazaar, one of the main communities in the Khumbu region surrounding Everest in Nepal. Trekkers often spend an extra day in Namche Bazaar, at an altitude of 3,440 meters ((11,287 feet), to acclimatize and stock up on supplies. A trek to Everest Base Camp along mountain paths that hug deep gorges offers renewal and a test of mental and physical limits. Along the way there are sore knees and altitude sickness, but the spectacular landscapes, friendly villagers and moments of tranquility make the journey an unforgettable experience. (AP Photo/Karin Laub)
This April 9, 2016 photo shows a solar power water heater in the foreground and a Nepali woman in the background, pouring water into a large kettle in the village of Dughla, Nepal. A trek to Everest Base Camp along mountain paths hugging it's deep gorges offers renewal and a test of mental and physical limits. A trek to Everest Base Camp along mountain paths that hug deep gorges offers renewal and a test of mental and physical limits. Along the way there are sore knees and altitude sickness, but the spectacular landscapes, friendly villagers and moments of tranquility make the journey an unforgettable experience. (AP Photo/Karin Laub)
This April 5, 2016 photo shows a Nepali builder at a construction site at a mountain viewing point on the outskirts of Namche Bazaar, Nepal. A trek to Everest Base Camp along mountain paths hugging it's deep gorges offers renewal and a test of mental and physical limits. A trek to Everest Base Camp along mountain paths that hug deep gorges offers renewal and a test of mental and physical limits. Along the way there are sore knees and altitude sickness, but the spectacular landscapes, friendly villagers and moments of tranquility make the journey an unforgettable experience. (AP Photo/Karin Laub)
This April 7, 2016 photo shows the Buddhisdt monastery gate at the entrance to the small mountain village of Tengboche, elevation 12,664 feet (3,860 meters), at sunrise. Trekkers can attend daily Buddhist chanting ceremonies in the monastery, though taking photos and videos inside the shrine is strictly prohibited. A trek to Everest Base Camp along mountain paths that hug deep gorges offers renewal and a test of mental and physical limits. Along the way there are sore knees and altitude sickness, but the spectacular landscapes, friendly villagers and moments of tranquility make the journey an unforgettable experience. (AP Photo/Karin Laub)
This April 9, 2016 photo shows a memorial stupa for U.S. mountain climber and guide Scott Fischer, on the outskirts of the village of Dughla, on the path to Everest Base Camp, Nepal. Fischer was among eight climbers who got killed during an Everest summit attempt when they were caught in a blizzard on May 10-11, 1996. A trek to Everest Base Camp along mountain paths that hug deep gorges offers renewal and a test of mental and physical limits. Along the way there are sore knees and altitude sickness, but the spectacular landscapes, friendly villagers and moments of tranquility make the journey an unforgettable experience. (AP Photo/Karin Laub)
This April 7, 2016 photo shows a Palestinian banner and an Israeli flag displayed on the wall of a dining hall in a lodge in Tengboche, Nepal. Many trekkers hang flags in tea houses to mark their journey and express national pride. A trek to Everest Base Camp along mountain paths that hug deep gorges offers renewal and a test of mental and physical limits. Along the way there are sore knees and altitude sickness, but the spectacular landscapes, friendly villagers and moments of tranquility make the journey an unforgettable experience. (AP Photo/Karin Laub)
College free speech: Hecklers on NC campuses under scrutiny
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Hecklers who shout down speakers on North Carolina's college campuses could be punished under a proposal being floated before lawmakers that would make this state the newest battleground over free speech at U.S. universities.
Lt. Gov. Dan Forest is proposing that the state's 17-campus public university system create a policy that includes punishments for "those who interrupt the free expression of others." With their annual legislative session opening this week, North Carolina lawmakers are expected to join a half-dozen states that have taken up free-speech legislation for public campuses.
Freedom of speech has become contentious on campuses nationwide. Some students have complained against free expression they say is stoking racial tensions or glossing over sexual misconduct. Others say that amounts to suppressing speech.
FILE - In a Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013 file photo, North Carolina Lt. Gov. Dan Forest takes the oath of office during the inaugural ceremony at the state Capitol in Raleigh, N.C. In a move that would make North Carolina the latest battleground over free speech on college campuses, Forest is proposing the states 17-campus public university system create a policy that includes punishments for those who interrupt the free expression of others. Lawmakers opened the legislative session on Monday, April 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)
Forest' proposal hasn't yet been presented as legislation and he declined an Associated Press request for an interview about the details. But he spent months describing his ideas on talk radio and conservative websites.
His main target: hecklers who disrupt public speakers.
Protesters have loudly opposed the North Carolina's university governing board. They have protested the board's termination of former University of North Carolina President Tom Ross last year and its hiring of former U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings as his replacement, among other issues. Three people were charged with disorderly conduct and other offenses in January after disrupting a governing board meeting to protest Spellings' selection.
"If a speaker has been invited by a student group, another in the university community does not have the right to interrupt that speech, shout over the speaker, or otherwise prevent others from listening to the speech," Forest's office said in a statement.
Protesting against speakers is nothing new on U.S. campuses.
Demonstrators prevented commencement addresses by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at Rutgers University in New Jersey and Attorney General Eric Holder at the Oklahoma Police Academy in 2014. A student group at Williams College in Massachusetts last fall canceled a speaking invitation for feminism critic Suzanne Venker. University of California-Berkeley students failed to persuade administrators to disinvite liberal comedian Bill Maher as a 2014 commencement speaker amid his complaints about Islam.
Six states have taken up campus speech legislation, but Forest's proposal would make North Carolina the first to address the so-called "heckler's veto" versus someone else's right to speak, said Joe Cohn, policy director of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. He compares the idea of curtailing campus hecklers at public meetings to calling police to remove an uninvited trespasser disrupting a wedding party.
"The concept here is if someone is shutting down an event, schools may have an affirmative duty to help protect the integrity of the event and the speakers that are there," Cohn said. But "there's some amount of heckling that doesn't cross the line of shutting something down."
Lee Rowland, a free speech attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, said it could be tricky punishing determined hecklers without violating their right to be heard. "Protecting speech sounds really good, but the text of those bills matters immensely," she noted.
Conflict over the line between free speech and censorship has also overshadowed some major campus protests. At the University of Missouri, a since-fired assistant professor was criticized for calling for "some muscle" to remove a student photographer from covering a public demonstration.
Some colleges have gone so far as to create "free speech zones" that confine expressive activity. Free speech advocates argue the zones curtail freedoms.
"When a college had a free-speech zone, what they're really saying is that the entire rest of the college is a non-free-speech zone," said executive director Frank LoMonte of the Student Press Law Center, which advocates for student First Amendment rights.
The lieutenant governor's ideas follow months of noisy protests, mainly before the state's university governing board, which oversees 16 universities and one residential math and science high school.
So far, officials with the University of North Carolina system have been shut out of shaping Forest's proposal, which he also has said should include requiring public universities to remain officially neutral on controversial issues.
Neither Forest nor his staff "have articulated to us directly why he feels such a law is needed or sought our input on a draft bill," said Joni Worthington, a spokeswoman for the public university system.
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Follow Emery P. Dalesio on Twitter at http://twitter.com/emerydalesio . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/emery-p-dalesio .
The Philippine president has said Abu Sayyaf militants that beheaded a Canadian tourist plotted to kill him and kidnap boxing star Manny Pacquiao.
President Benigno Aquino III said the Muslim extremists who murdered John Ridsdel on Monday also wanted to explode bombs in metropolitan Manila to try to get funding from ISIS.
However their plot was foiled when the plans were uncovered, while troops have also reduced the terrorists' ability to inflict harm.
Aquino, whose six-year term ends in June, vowed 'to devote all my energies' to ensure that the extremists would be 'at the very least... a very seriously degraded problem' for his successor.
The Philippine president has said Abu Sayyaf militants that beheaded Canadian tourist John Ridsdel (right) plotted to kill him and kidnap boxing star Manny Pacquiao. The Islamic extremists are still holding Robert Hall (left) hostage. The pair are seen in a video where the jihadis threatened to kill them
While he has forged a peace pact with a larger Muslim rebel group, Aquino said there is no possibility of engaging in talks with the brutal Abu Sayyaf, which is accused of beheading Ridsdel on Monday in southern Sulu province.
'We have always believed in the power of dialogue, development and positive engagement over arms,' Aquino said.
But he said of Abu Sayyaf: 'You have chosen only the language of force and we will speak to you only in that language.'
Ridsdel, 68, was beheaded after the Abu Sayyaf did not receive a large ransom it had demanded by a Monday deadline.
A fellow Canadian Robert Hall, a Norwegian and a Filipino woman who were kidnapped with Ridsdel from a southern marina in September are still being held by the militants, along with about 20 other foreign hostages.
Two men on a motorcycle left Ridsdel's head, placed inside a plastic bag, along a street in Jolo town in Sulu province and then fled.
A headless body of a Caucasian man was also found by villagers in a mountain clearing in Sulu and police forensic experts were checking Wednesday if it was that of the former mining executive.
Aquino, whose six-year term ends in June (left), and international sports star Pacquiao (right) were said to be targets of the group who wanted funding from ISIS
Aquino said he sent a letter expressing condolences to Ridsdel's family, describing his death as appalling.
In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he spoke with Aquino about possible actions against the kidnappers.
Ridsdel, 68, was beheaded after the Abu Sayyaf did not receive a large ransom. Two men on a motorcycle left Ridsdel's head, placed inside a plastic bag, along a street in Jolo town
'The discussions I had with President Aquino and are continuing to have with our allies in the Philippines is the need to bring these criminals to justice and to do whatever we can to express that we are very concerned about security of Canadians,' Trudeau said.
The Canadian leader stressed that 'we will not pay a ransom.'
A sizeable Abu Sayyaf force, led by militant commander Radulan Sahiron, is surrounding the remaining captives, Aquino said. While that is a delicate situation, 'it is also an opportunity because smashing these forces is within our grasp,' he said.
'Casualties are to be expected,' he said, but he added that troops were adequately trained and well-armed.
Aquino said the Abu Sayyaf militants have posed as Islamic freedom fighters, but 'have behaved as criminals focused on enriching themselves by taking hostages for ransom.'
'They allegedly even hatched plots to kidnap Manny Pacquiao or one of his children, as well as my sister Kris or one of her children, with the plan to use them in bargaining for the release of their cohorts,' he said, referring to his younger sister, who is a famous actress.
'Threats against my own life have been investigated,' he said, without elaborating.
The Abu Sayyaf began a series of large-scale abductions after it emerged in the early 1990s as an offshoot of a separatist rebellion by minority Muslims in the southern Philippines.
First launch from new Russian spaceport delayed
MOSCOW (AP) The launch of the first rocket from Russia's new space facility has been delayed after a last-minute problem.
The Wednesday launch of a Soyuz rocket carrying three satellites was to inaugurate space flight from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East. The facility is aimed at reducing Russia's dependence on the Baikonur complex in Kazakhstan for its major launches.
The launch was scrubbed 1 minutes before the planned liftoff. Russian space agency Roscosmos says the launch has been tentatively rescheduled to Thursday, but that a decision will be made only in the morning.
A Russian Soyuz rocket, center in the background, carrying satellites stands on the launch pad at the new Vostochny Cosmodrome near Uglegorsk, the city in eastern Siberia in the Amur region, Russia Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Russia's new space facility is to carry out its first rocket launch on Wednesday. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/Pool Photo via AP)
President Vladimir Putin was in attendance for the launch and plans to extend his stay in case the rocket takes off on Thursday from the facility some 5,500 kilometers (3,500 miles) east of Moscow.
At a meeting of a government commission discussing the launch, Putin asked why the rocket was delivered in faulty condition.
Roscosmos' deputy head Alexander Ivanov told the Tass state news agency that the space agency is working to pinpoint what went wrong, but that the launch failure was not related to the facility's infrastructure and he ruled out human factors.
Construction of the vast space complex has been troubled by delays -- the first launch had been expected about four months ago -- and dogged by corruption scandals. Workers who had complained of going unpaid for months went on strike last spring.
The directors of three project subcontractors were arrested on corruption charges.
At the launch commission meeting, Putin said: "If their guilt is proven, they will have to change their warm beds at home for plank-beds in prison," according to Tass.
Russian President Vladimir Putin heads a meeting on the development of the Amur region, in Blagoveshchensk, Russia on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Russia's space agency says it has delayed the launch of a rocket from the Vostochny air field in Russia's Far East. Putin, who went to the Vostochny site to observe the launch, will stay at the site until the rocket has been launched. (Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Seven months ago, an elite group of colleges and universities created a new application system intended to help disadvantaged students find their way to higher education. Now the group has hired its first executive director. And she faces a pile of unanswered questions and deepening criticism about the system from the college-advising community.
The Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success announced Monday that it has chosen Annie Reznik as its first executive director. She begins May 1.
Reznik has been on both sides of the college-admissions table: As a high school counselor, most recently at a private Quaker school in Providence, R.I., shes guided students as they apply to college. As an admissions officer at the University of Maryland, shes reviewed applications.
Until now, the coalitions work has been led by a governing board of representatives of its 90-plus member institutions. But college counselors have become increasingly critical of the group as they struggled to get clear information about how the system will work. Their frustration has spilled onto listservs for the profession, and into conferences where theyve had to move to bigger rooms to accommodate all the people who wanted to pepper coalition representatives with questions.
In an interview with Education Week, Reznik said she will do everything she can to make sure the Coalition helps counselors get the information they need.
I certainly feel like counselors need more information, and Im excited to help them get it, she said. I feel so confident that the intentions and goals of the Coalition are important, and ultimately, counselors are student-centered. So Im hopeful theyll start to feel more confident in the organization when we bridge those information gaps.
Education Week tried to reach three university-based leaders of the Coalition to discuss its new leadership, and counselors complaints about its transparency. One declined to be interviewed, and two didnt return calls.
Bumps in the Road
Recently, counselors learned that dozens of coalition members have decided to delay using the application system for a year. But counselors are still struggling to get a full picture of whats going on. Earlier, the coalition delayed by three months the release of a key piece of its application system.
Rafael Figueroa, the dean of college guidance at Albuquerque Academy, a private school of 1,100 students, said he learned at a counselors conference in Tucson recently that Colorado College had opted not to use the coalition system for a year. The Coalition didnt schedule a presentation for the Tucson meeting the way it had for other regional gatherings, Figueroa said. He happened to hear the news from a Colorado College official who took it upon himself to discuss the issue at the conference.
That was literally the first time I had heard that any of the [Coalition] colleges were planning to step back, Figueroa told Education Week. I was quite stunned, honestly, because I thought, well, this is a critical piece of information. How long a list is it? 40? 50 schools? When would we in the West have heard about it?
Figueroa said he was also dismayed to learn that the coalition posted new essay prompts on its website, but sent no email notification to the counseling community. He learned about it from a colleague who had scoured the website.
At the Tucson meeting, Figueroa said he also pressed for clarification on how much financial aid Coalition schools are required to provide. Thats a key idea, since the organization requires participating institutions to show that they will meet the full demonstrated financial need of students. Again, Figueroa was frustrated that he couldnt get a clear answer.
They are just really dropping the ball with communication time and time again, he said. Why should we have to dig to find these things? It feels like they have a lot to hide, that theyre unsure, that this whole platform is very unstable.
An Equity-Minded Vision of College Application
When the Coalition launched last September, it portrayed itself as a new method of connecting promising but often overlooked students with top-notch colleges and universities. Part of its system features an online locker that students can use to assemble videos, essays, projects, and other work into a multifaceted portrait of themselves, starting in 9th grade.
The digital locker part of the system was originally to be released in January, but was moved to April. With four days left in the month, theres been no word about just when that release will happen, or whether it will be delayed. The application part of the coalition system is scheduled to become available this summer.
From the beginning, the coalition hasnt emphasized its role as an alternative to the Common Application, even though that was part of the idea behind its launch. Grumbles about the Common App multiplied after it ran into online problems in 2013.
Instead, the Coalition has emphasized its mission: to reach underserved students in new ways and help them connect with institutions that will offer them good financial aid packages and a very good chance of graduating. (To belong to the group, colleges and universities must demonstrate these and other critieria.)
But some counselors and college officials have worried that starting to build an online application locker as early as 9th grade could make students nervous about college admissions two years earlier than the notorious junior year. Others have argued that the system could perpetuate inequity by allowing students with the resources to build fancy portfolios to outdo students with less access to expensive tools and guidance.
Still others have raised questions about the privacy safeguards on those lockers, wondering who would have access to students information. Theyve complained on the counselors listserv that those data privacy questions have been met with unsatisfyingly vague answers.
Welcoming New Leadership
Phillip Trout, the president of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, whose listserv has buzzed with debates about the Coalition, said all of that uncertainty and debate make it a good thing that the organization has hired a new executive director. And its fantastic that Reznik is someone who has been on both sides of the desk, in both college admissions and college advising, he said.
But God bless her, Annie Reznik is going to be one busy woman, said Trout, a college counselor at Minnetonka High School in Minnesota. College counselors have been deluging the Coalition with questions, he said, and typically, the answer is: Good question.
He acknowledged that some members of NACAC has been very unforgiving about allowing the Coalition to find its way through its startup phase. But David Hawkins, NACACs executive director for educational content and policy, said theres a reason for counselors impatience: Its because counselors work with students and families for up to two years as they approach the fall application season.
Accordingly, the profession is accustomed to a significant amount of lead time when there are changes, whether large or small, to the application process, he wrote in an email to EdWeek.
Given the prominence of the members of the Coalition, it isnt surprising that school counselors are feeling pinched if they cant get the information they need to answer students and families questions, he said. He added that getting timely information to counselors and college advisors who work with underrepresented students is particularly important.
Photo: Scheryl Duarte, a senior at Roosevelt High School, fills out a college enrollment application at her school in Washington, D.C., in 2013. The school was hosting a sit-in to get high school students who might not otherwise go to college to apply. --Susan Walsh/AP-File
Tibetans in exile re-elect Lobsang Sangay as prime minister
DHARMSALA, India (AP) Lobsang Sangay has been re-elected prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile in voting held last month, officials announced Wednesday, with Sangay saying the election shows that Tibetans in exile "are practicing democracy, whereas China is not."
Tibetan election officials announced the result in the northern Indian town of Dharmsala, the headquarters of the government-in-exile. Sangay, 47, defeated his only rival, Penpa Tsering, receiving about 58 percent of the 58,740 votes cast.
It was the second election since the Dalai Lama stepped down as head of the government-in-exile in 2011 to focus on his role as the Tibetans' spiritual leader. Tibetans living in exile cast their votes in 40 countries.
Lobsang Sangay, the incumbent prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, speaks to media after being re-elected for second term in office in Dharmsala, India, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. (AP Photo /Ashwini Bhatia)
China says Tibet has historically been part of its territory since the mid-13th century, and the Communist Party has governed the Himalayan region since 1951. But many Tibetans say that they were effectively independent for most of their history, and that the Chinese government wants to exploit their resource-rich region while crushing their cultural identity.
The Dalai Lama and his followers have been living in exile in Dharmsala since they fled Tibet after a failed 1959 uprising against Chinese rule.
China doesn't recognize the Tibetan government-in-exile, and hasn't held any dialogue with the representatives of the Dalai Lama since 2010.
"This election sends a very clear and powerful message to the Chinese government and the country, China," Sangay told reporters after the result was announced. "It is a clear statement that even exile Tibetans are practicing democracy, whereas China is not."
Sangay said his government would continue to fight for basic freedoms and genuine autonomy for Tibetans living under Chinese rule in Tibet.
Last month, he called for China to engage in dialogue on autonomy for his people's homeland. Stressing that a dialogue with China would be his main initiative, he said he hoped that Chinese President Xi Jinping would look at the Tibetan issue and take the initiative to hold talks with Tibetan exiles.
On Wednesday, Sangay called the results of the election "the consolidation of democracy" and said an increased participation of Tibetans in the voting process reflected their maturity.
"By democratic standards, the exile Tibetan democracy is now a full-fledged, consolidated democracy," he said.
The international community, he said, should look at his administration as a legitimate democratic identity. He said the exiled government "in many ways" reflected the aspirations of Tibetans inside Tibet.
Tibetan officials in exile say at least 114 monks and laypeople have set themselves on fire to protest Chinese rule over their homeland in the past five years, with most of them dying. U.S. government-backed Radio Free Asia puts the number of self-immolations at 144 since 2009.
Beijing blames the Dalai Lama and others for inciting the immolations and says it has made vast investments to develop Tibet's economy and improve the quality of life.
Dead whale brings majestic moments, big problems for beach
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. (AP) For those who could stand the smell, and stifle their gags, it was something to behold the sad but riveting sight of a 40-foot whale lying dead on its side on a Southern California beach known for its surfing.
Dozens of gawkers stood upwind of the carcass on Tuesday, examining it, marveling at it, and of course taking selfies with it.
"You should be paying homage to such creatures that are so intelligent and so wonderful," said Cynthia Stern of Santa Monica, who drove 75 miles to place an orchid by the whale and press homeopathic remedies onto its rotting blubber. "You could start to feel the positive energy as you walked down the beach. Even though it's a carcass, it's profoundly positive and anyone who went there is blessed."
Karime Quets runs from a wave after taking a picture of a dead whale on the shore Monday, April 25, 2016, on the cobblestone beach at Lower Trestles on San Onofre State Beach, just south of San Clemente, Calif. (Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register via AP) MAGAZINES OUT; LOS ANGELES TIMES OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT JEFF GRITCHEN, ORNAGE COUNTY REGISTER
Its enormous tongue was so swollen that it bulged out of its mouth like a giant black balloon. Seaweed still dangled from its mouth, and only a few patches of grey-black skin were left on the body, which was a light beige color from the fat underneath.
A big problem looms with the big beast, however. Officials must decide whether to tow the load of up to 30 tons out to sea or cut it into pieces and load them on trucks, and neither option is easy.
"I don't think the carcass could have landed on a worse stretch of beach," said Rich Haydon, the superintendent who oversees the beach, citing its limited access for vehicles and popularity.
Burial on the beach isn't feasible because the stretch is mostly cobblestones, Haydon said.
The whale likely died of natural causes and was discovered Sunday.
Heraclio Belmontes of Newport Beach went to see the whale with his two brothers.
"I was a chef for a while, so I've seen all sorts of dead fish. But never like this," he said.
Monica Perez brought her three children, ages 7 to 11, to see the unusual sight. They made observations about the texture of the whale's skin and talked about decomposition with their mother as they circled the carcass.
They counted nine footsteps as they measured the whale's tail from end to end.
"It's very scientific. It's not every day that you have a whale that washes up onto your beach, and there's a lot that we can learn from these majestic creatures," Perez said. "We did miss the end of school, but I figure that this is school in action."
The massive carcass of a whale decomposes at a popular California surfing spot Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in San Clemente, Calif. Authorities are trying to decide what to do with the massive, rotting carcass. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
A woman takes a photo while another sight seer takes a selfie in front of the massive carcass of a whale at a popular California surfing spot Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in San Clemente, Calif. Authorities are trying to decide what to do with the massive, rotting carcass. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
A woman and a young boy cover part of their noses as the walk past a massive carcass of a whale at a popular California surfing spot Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in San Clemente, Calif. Authorities are trying to decide what to do with the massive, rotting carcass. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
Chelsea Brown reacts to the smell of a dead whale on the shore, Monday, April 25, 2016, on the cobblestone beach at Lower Trestles on San Onofre State Beach, just south of San Clemente, Calif. (Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register via AP) MAGAZINES OUT; LOS ANGELES TIMES OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT JEFF GRITCHEN, ORNAGE COUNTY REGISTER
A crowd gathers around the massive carcass of a whale at a popular California surfing spot Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in San Clemente, Calif. Authorities are trying to decide what to do with the massive, rotting carcass. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
A woman covers her face while walking past a massive carcass of a whale decomposing at a popular California surfing spot Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in San Clemente, Calif. Authorities are trying to decide what to do with the massive, rotting carcass. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
A woman carrying an infant on her back looks at a massive carcass of a whale at a popular California surfing spot Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in San Clemente, Calif. Authorities are trying to decide what to do with the massive, rotting carcass. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
Tornado outbreak, 5 years later: Piecing lives back together
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) On April 27, 2011, a series of tornadoes killed hundreds of people, injured thousands and reduced countless buildings to rubble across a swath of the U.S.
More than 120 tornadoes were reported that day one of the deadliest outbreaks in the nation's history. Five years later, some survivors who are still rebuilding say their lives and towns will never be the same.
Casualties were reported in Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and Alabama which was the hardest hit, with a death toll of more than 250 in that state alone.
This Tuesday, April 19, 2016, aerial photo shows part of the damage path of a tornado from April 27, 2011, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. A series of tornadoes killed hundreds of people, injured thousands and reduced countless buildings to rubble across a swath of the U.S. Alabama was the hardest-hit state. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Survivors there say no tornado warning or emergency plan could have prepared them. Alabamians who lived in the tornadoes' path are trying to move on, but they face constant reminders of what their towns used to be. New construction is juxtaposed with grassy, wind-swept expanses. Jagged tree trunks have replaced thick woods. Cracked driveways cut through the grass and lead to bare foundations or empty lots where homes used to be.
Here are some of those survivors' stories.
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A tornado left physical scars in the town of Hackleburg, and it's still taking a psychological and social toll today.
"The sky even gets dark, and my niece goes to pieces," Deborah Purser said. "I mean, she starts shaking."
Hackleburg wouldn't have rebounded without the volunteers who poured in from across the country, said Purser's 19-year-old son, Clay Scott. The school and grocery store reopened, but the town of roughly 1,500 no longer feels like home, he said.
"It feels like we live somewhere else, like we've moved towns or something," Purser said.
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Vince Hughes is still haunted by that same tornado.
Nightmares are less frequent now, but Hughes said he can't rid himself of the memory of a crying woman who lost her daughter and was left to care for her young granddaughter. The woman is a longtime customer of Hughes, a 53-year-old pharmacist.
"That image sticks out in my mind above most all of them," he said. "And you saw it repeated over and over and over."
Hughes and his colleagues set up a temporary pharmacy in a bank lobby, using salvaged medication.
"People needed somewhere to go, and they needed faces to see that they knew," he said. "Most of my patients aren't just people that fill prescriptions they're friends."
The tornado had a peak wind speed of 210 mph and left a 25-mile long trail of damage. A separate twister hit Tuscaloosa, where Hughes' daughter was a student at the University of Alabama. She wasn't injured.
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John Nero, 58, said he lost his home of 20 years when the tornado hit his Tuscaloosa neighborhood. His wife, Pam, suffered a heart attack days later.
The couple's new home overlooks their former neighborhood. Nero sees the area whenever he opens his front door.
"It used to be an apartment complex right there," he said, nodding toward a vast overgrown area. "It was flattened, but I could hear people hollering."
A brick from the nearby College Hill Baptist Church slammed into his upper leg as debris crashed through his home. He still has the brick, as a reminder God kept him here "to get some things straight," he said. "That brick didn't just hit me for no reason."
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Michael and Flora Thomas of Tuscaloosa credit the power of prayer for keeping their home intact.
It was spared from severe damage while nearly every other house on the block in the Alberta City neighborhood was destroyed.
Michael Thomas said he saw the roof of a church hurtling toward him when he looked out the window, and he hid in the bathroom. The windows were blown out and the porch destroyed, but the church's roof narrowly missed landing on the couple's home.
"Everything was just torn apart, demolished. They found body parts everywhere," he said. "You look around and see things and know things will never be the same."
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Sonya Moore and her family were settling into their new Tuscaloosa home and hadn't even finished unpacking when the tornado came barreling toward them. She and her children hid in a closet.
"We almost lost one of them. The door flung open, and he was so tiny and frail that the wind kind of sucked him up and we had to actually pull him back down," Moore, 42, said.
Moore's family emerged uninjured but realized nearly everything around them had been destroyed. Sleepless nights followed. They lived in a temporary shelter, a hotel, a FEMA trailer, and with a relative before finally moving into a Habitat for Humanity home in January 2013.
"We slept on the floor with pillows, blankets whatever we could gather," she said. "It was just that exciting to be able to turn the key and go into your own home and know that now we're finally piecing our lives back together."
In this April 19, 2016 photo, John Nero sits on the remains of a brick fireplace in his former neighborhood in Tuscaloosa, Ala. John Nero said he lost his home April 27, 2011 when the deadly tornado hit his Tuscaloosa neighborhood. His wife, Pam, suffered a heart attack days later. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
In this April 19, 2016 photo, John Nero, right, and Pam Nero stand together at the bottom of their new home's steps during an interview with the Associated Press in Tuscaloosa, Ala. John Nero said he lost his home April 27, 2011 when a deadly tornado hit his Tuscaloosa neighborhood. His wife suffered a heart attack days later. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
FILE - In this April 27, 2011, file photo a deadly tornado moves through Tuscaloosa, Ala. On April 27, 2011, a series of tornadoes killed hundreds of people, injured thousands and reduced countless buildings to rubble across a swath of the U.S. More than 120 tornadoes were reported that day - one of the deadliest outbreaks in the nation's history. (Dusty Compton/The Tuscaloosa News, via AP, File) MANDATORY CREDIT
FILE - In this April 27, 2011 file photo, Faye Hyde, right, sits on a mattress in what was her yard as she comforts her granddaughter, Sierra Goldsmith, 2, in Concord Ala. Their home was completely destroyed. On April 27, 2011, a series of tornadoes killed hundreds of people, injured thousands and reduced countless buildings to rubble across a swath of the U.S. (Jeff Roberts/AL.com via AP, File) MAGS OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT
FILE - In this April 29, 2011 file photo, a water tower stands amid the damage in Hackleburg, Ala. On April 27, 2011, a series of tornadoes killed hundreds of people, injured thousands and reduced countless buildings to rubble across a swath of the U.S. A tornado left physical scars in the town of Hackleburg, and it???s still taking a psychological and social toll today. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
This Tuesday, April 19, 2016, aerial photo shows the damage path of a tornado from April 27, 2011, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. A series of tornadoes killed hundreds of people, injured thousands and reduced countless buildings to rubble across a swath of the U.S. Alabama was the hardest-hit state. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Military buildup, fighting spells end of Syrian cease-fire
BEIRUT (AP) A military buildup in northern Syria, coupled with heavy fighting and mounting civilian casualties, spells the end of a cease-fire that for two months brought some relief to a war-weary country. The renewed violence is ushering in what could be an even more ruinous chapter in the 5-year-old conflict.
About 200 civilians have been killed in the past week, nearly half of them around Aleppo. There has even been shelling in Damascus, along with a car bomb both rarities for the capital.
With peace talks in Geneva completely deadlocked, Syrians are regarding the escalating bloodshed with dread, fearing a return to full war and slow destruction.
FILE - In this Sunday, April 24, 2016, file photo made from video posted online by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, Civil Defense workers run after airstrikes and shelling hit Aleppo, Syria. A military buildup in northern Syria coupled with heavy fighting and mounting civilian casualties spells the end of a cease-fire that for two months brought much needed relief to war-stricken Syrians, ushering in what could be an even more ruinous chapter in the country's five-year-old conflict. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP video, File)
"There are regime attempts to advance and preparations by (rebel) forces to advance in the other direction. But the truth is that both sides have no capacity to advance," said activist Ahmad al-Ahmad, who lives in opposition-held areas outside Hama. "It is attrition, except for the planes, which can target civilians."
Aleppo is likely to be the focus of the next phase of the war, with both sides preparing for a major battle, according to senior rebel leaders and opposition activists who spokes to The Associated Press.
Government forces have been mobilizing soldiers, equipment and ammunition in preparation for a military action in Aleppo, said Maj. Jamil Saleh, leader of Tajammu Alezzah, a Free Syrian Army faction that has received U.S.-delivered TOW anti-tank missiles.
He said his group, which operates primarily in Hama and Latakia, has sent troops to Aleppo to help the rebels ward off government advances. He described the airstrikes and artillery shelling in the former commercial capital for the last week as "preparatory" work for a major campaign.
Opposition activists also said a substantial redeployment of personnel has taken place recently, as contingents of the Syrian army and allied militias have moved from Palmyra to the vicinity of Aleppo.
"The cease-fire was a cover, because the regime never committed to it since the start of the cease-fire," Saleh said in a telephone interview from Syria.
Nazeer al-Khatib, an activist who lives on the outskirts of Aleppo, said the city is being choked off by fighting. Government and allied forces are moving in on the main highway to rebel-held areas, blocking the only access to the rest of the country, he said.
Aleppo residents already are moving out of Syria's largest city to rural areas to evade violence, but also out of fear of getting trapped amid shortages of food and rising prices.
The city was the focus of government efforts that succeeded in almost completely choking off rebels holed up in some neighborhoods before the U.S. and Russia engineered the cease-fire on Feb. 27.
The truce held surprisingly well for weeks, underlining the exhaustion on all sides. Formally called a "cessation of hostilities," it was never meant to be complete because it excluded extremists such as the Islamic State group and its rival al-Qaida branch, the Nusra Front. The presence of Nusra in almost every contested area has allowed the Syrian army and its Russian allies to target opposition-held areas while also claiming not to have technically violated the cease-fire.
That has allowed the truce to gradually unravel, with both sides accusing each other of incremental violations, mainly in the crucial Aleppo area where all sides are trying to expand their presence.
With the upsurge in fighting, the U.N. envoy for Syria appealed to the U.S. and Russia to intervene to help revive the peace talks, saying the renewed violence has put an increasingly feeble truce in "great danger."
Staffan de Mistura spoke to reporters early Thursday after briefing the U.N. Security Council via videoconference about the largely stalled talks.
De Mistura said he hoped that the talks would resume in May, and he predicted the overall process would continue as previously planned through July. But stopped short of setting a specific date, pointing to recent upsurge in fighting, notably in and around Syria's largest city of Aleppo.
De Mistura lamented the worsening violence, saying that "in the last 48 hours, we have had an average of one Syrian killed every 25 minutes, one Syrian wounded every 13 minutes ... How can you have substantial talks when you have only news about bombing and shelling?"
Any move to cut off Aleppo completely and end resistance in the city is likely to be a costly and extended affair, resulting in mass casualties and more refugees fleeing the country. There is talk that Saudi Arabia and Turkey, key backers of the rebels, may renew weapons shipments as the peace talks flounder.
Firas Abi Ali, principal analyst at IHS Country Risk, said an offensive on Aleppo also risks a reunification of the Syrian opposition around groups such as Nusra. He said it also increases the likelihood of cooperation between Nusra and the Islamic State group to capture towns south of Aleppo that are crucial to supplying government forces.
The ground movements suggest that forces loyal to President Bashar Assad, which have been on the ascendancy thanks to unwavering Russian and Iranian support, are likely to try to win back Aleppo.
"The fighting is about to get worse," said Hilal Khashan, political science professor at the American University of Beirut. "I think we will see an escalation before serious (peace) talks begin."
Russia's six-month air campaign allowed Assad's forces to advance in key areas against the rebels, and the recapture of Palmyra from IS militants has won his forces praise, including from the head of the United Nations.
With Washington caught up in a presidential election, the U.S is inclined to pay even less attention to Syria, and its focus is squarely on the war with IS. This week, President Barack Obama said an additional 250 military personnel would be deployed to Syria to train and advise local units to eventually dislodge IS from its de facto capital of Raqqa.
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Associated Press writers Sarah El Deeb, Philip Issa and Maeva Bambuck contributed to this report.
FILE - In this Sunday, April 24, 2016, file photo made from video posted online by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, people stand in rubble after airstrikes and shelling hit Aleppo, Syria. A military buildup in northern Syria coupled with heavy fighting and mounting civilian casualties spells the end of a cease-fire that for two months brought much needed relief to war-stricken Syrians, ushering in what could be an even more ruinous chapter in the country's five-year-old conflict. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP video, File)
FILE-- In this Fiday April 22, 2016, file photo, UN special envoy for Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, right, and his deputy Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy attend a meeting with the Syrian government delegation during Syria peace talks at the United Nations office in Geneva, Switzerland. A military buildup in northern Syria coupled with heavy fighting and mounting civilian casualties spells the end of a cease-fire that for two months brought much needed relief to war-stricken Syrians, ushering in what could be an even more ruinous chapter in the country's five-year-old conflict. (Fabrice Coffrini/Pool Photo via AP, File)
FILE - In this Wednesday April 20, 2016, file photo, Syrian ambassador to the United Nations and Head of the government delegation Bashar al-Jaafari, right, attends a meeting next to Syrian ambassador to the U.N. Houssam-Eddin Ala during Syria peace talks at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. A military buildup in northern Syria coupled with heavy fighting and mounting civilian casualties spells the end of a cease-fire that for two months brought much needed relief to war-stricken Syrians, ushering in what could be an even more ruinous chapter in the country's five-year-old conflict. (Denis Balibouse/Pool Photo via AP, File)
Indonesia's search for mass graves met with skepticism
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) The Indonesian government's decision to investigate anti-communist massacres in 1965 is being met with wariness by rights groups, some of which are reluctant to share information about mass graves until the government shows how it will conduct the probe.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo instructed security minister Luhut Pandjaitan this week to investigate the killings by the military and religious groups and gather information about mass graves. His directive followed a conference earlier this month that broke a half-century taboo on public discussion of an atrocity that historians say killed half a million people.
But Pandjaitan, a retired army general, has not instilled confidence that a genuine investigation will take place, saying the government would never apologize and that the death toll is wildly exaggerated, and demanding that advocacy groups prove that mass graves exist.
FILE - In this Oct. 30, 1965, file photo, members of the Youth Wing of the Indonesian Communist Party (Pemuda Rakjat) are watched by soldiers as they are taken to prison in Jakarta following a crackdown on communists after an abortive coup against President Sukarno's government earlier in the month. The Indonesian government's decision to investigate massacres in 1965 is being met with wariness by rights groups, some of which are refusing to share information about mass graves until the government shows how it will conduct the probe. (AP Photo/File)
Haris Azhar of advocacy group Kontras said Wednesday he was involved in mapping 16 burial sites nearly a decade ago, mainly in central Java, and at the time had information about hundreds of other sites including on Bali, now Indonesia's top tourist island, and Sulawesi.
But he said for his group to share its information, the government must announce a clear and highly specific plan for the investigation. Thirty to 40 groups throughout Indonesia have information about graves, Azhar said.
"From our side, we decided not to give it to them if there's no clear agenda on what they will do with the data," he said.
The killings began in October 1965, shortly after an apparent failed coup in which six right-wing generals were killed. The dictator Suharto, a largely unknown major general at the time, filled the power vacuum and blamed the assassinations on Indonesia's Communist Party, which was then the largest outside the Soviet Union and China, with 3 million members.
Within Indonesia, widely accepted accounts of the era portray the events as a heroic uprising against communism and gloss over the deaths. Today, millions of descendants of Communist Party members remain stigmatized and face legal discrimination that prevents them from holding government jobs.
A four-year investigation released in 2012 by Indonesia's human rights commission described the killings as violence on a "truly massive scale" and called for the prosecution of perpetrators still living, but was ignored by the government of then President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Despite doubts over Pandjaitan's role, the government's tentative step toward a reckoning with one of the worst atrocities of the last century has been welcomed by rights groups and survivors.
"This is a very important step for the future of Indonesia," said Andreas Harsono, Indonesia researcher for Human Rights Watch. "It's just the opening battle."
Bedjo Untung, a survivor of the massacre and head of YPKP 65, or the Research Foundation for 1965 Murder Victims, said his group will soon hand over its information to the government.
"We already have evidence and records of mass graves in various places in Java and Sumatra," Bedjo said. "We will show evidence that an incredible crime against humanity occurred in 1965."
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Authorities in central Florida say a German shepherd helped firefighters locate the two young children of his owners in heavy smoke as a blaze destroyed their home.
The Seminole County Sheriff's Office said in a news release that the dog named Maxx helped firefighters find the 4-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl Monday night in their home in the Orlando suburb, Longwood.
Moments earlier, neighbors who saw the fire spreading called 911, broke windows and helped evacuate the children's mother, Margo Feaser.
Scroll down for video
Hero: In this Tuesday photo released by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, Maxx the dog, with a bandage on his paw, recuperates from smoke inhalation after it helped fire fighters save two children
Inferno: Pictured here is the home engulfed in flames; family members were hospitalized and their conditions ranged from serious to critical
Firefighters then were able to rescue Feaser's husband, as well as the two children with Maxx's help.
Feaser is an auto theft investigator with the sheriff's office who has been employed with them for 12 years. She also served with the U.S. Army for three years.
Family members were hospitalized and their conditions ranged from serious to critical, according to WFLA. The dog was treated for smoke inhalation.
'Maxx, the family dog, is credited with assisting firefighters through the heavy smoke to the location of each of the two children,' according to a GoFund Me page set up to raise money for the family's medical expenses as well as to help them recover from the damage done to their home.
So fair the crowdfunding site has raised $17,963 of its $75,000 goal.
The GoFundMe account 'will assist with medical, veterinary, and other housing expenses as the family works to get back on their feet,'says the site.
The State Fire Marshals preliminary investigation has determined that the fire was accidental, and that it originated from the back porch of the home, according to a release from the Seminole County Sheriff's Office.
Survivor: Maxx was treated for smoke inhalation. A GoFund Me site has been set up to help the family with medical expenses and to help them recover from the irreparable damage done to their home
Amid outside pressure, N. Korea sets date for key convention
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) Facing mounting international pressure over its nuclear and missile ambitions, North Korea has set a date for its biggest political convention in decades next week that is expected to bolster young dictator Kim Jong Un's grip on power.
The ruling Workers' Party, led by Kim, will open its 7th congress in Pyongyang on May 6, the official Korean Central News Agency reported Wednesday.
It will be the first time the congress, the highest-level decision-making party organ, will be held since 1980, when Kim's late father Kim Jong Il was awarded a slew of top jobs in a confirmation that he was in line to succeed his father, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung.
FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2015, file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers remarks at a military parade in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea's biggest political convention in decades opens in Pyongyang on May 6, 2016. The announcement comes amid outside speculation that North Korea will soon conduct a fifth nuclear bomb test to burnish leader Kim Jong Un's military credentials amid tough international sanctions. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File)
Since taking power upon the death of his father in late 2011, Kim Jong Un has been struggling to revive his country's troubled economy and grapple with an international standoff over its nuclear and missile programs.
The crisis deepened earlier this year when North Korea conducted a fourth nuclear test and a long-range rocket launch, which led to the U.N. slapping its toughest sanctions on Pyongyang in 20 years. South Korea and the United States also made their ongoing springtime military drills the largest ever.
In response, Kim last month ordered tests of a nuclear warhead and ballistic missiles capable of carrying warheads. That sparked outside speculation that North Korea could perform a fifth nuclear test ahead of the political convention to burnish his image as a stronger leader fighting hard against foreign aggressions.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Tuesday that the North was believed to have completed preparations for a new atomic bomb test. Park warned that such a move would result in stronger sanctions and pressure that would speed up North Korea's collapse.
The North's state media did not say what would be discussed and decided on during the congress. A previous KCNA report said the North decided to hold the convention as the country was faced with "the heavy yet sacred task" of building a "thriving" nation.
South Korea's spy service said Wednesday it expects Kim to use the congress to try to strengthen and prolong his authoritarian leadership. The National Intelligence Service said the convention would handle personnel reshuffles, review state projects and revise party regulations, according to lawmaker Lee Cheol Woo, who attended the private NIS briefing.
Kim has orchestrated a series of high-profile executions, purgings and demotions in what outside analysts say was an attempt to remove potential rivals or show he's an absolute ruler.
Among the executed were his powerful uncle, the No. 2 in North Korea before his death, and his defense chief. Some experts said repeated bloody power shifts may indicate the young leader has not established the same absolute power that his father and grandfather enjoyed.
The North's state media did not say how long the congress would last. The 1980 convention lasted five days. The NIS said this year's convention is expected to last three to four days.
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Danes face smuggling charges for giving migrants a lift
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Already under fire for ordering police to seize jewelry from asylum-seekers, Denmark is seeing its humanitarian credentials once again being questioned as it presses smuggling charges against people who gave migrants a ride to neighboring Sweden.
Denmark's public prosecutor's office says 230 people have been charged for helping people transit through the country illegally at the height of Europe's migrant crisis last fall. Prosecutors note that Danish trafficking laws don't distinguish between smuggling people for financial gain and doing it for humanitarian reasons.
But critics say it's shameful to go after Danes who were touched by images of exhausted migrants walking along Danish highways, and just wanted to lend them a hand.
FILE- In this March 11, 2016 file photo, Danish Lisbeth Zornig Andersen, right, is photographed with her husband, Michael Rauno Lindholm outside the court, in Nykobing Falster, Norway, where they received a fine of 22500 Danish Kroner ($3420) for helping people transit through Denmark illegally. Already under fire for ordering police to seize jewelry from asylum-seekers, Denmark is seeing its humanitarian credentials once again being questioned as it presses smuggling charges against people who gave migrants a ride to neighboring Sweden. (Per Rasmussen, Polfoto via AP, File) DENMARK OUT
"This is far away from the idea I had of our society, a humane society where we care about others," said Calle Vangstrup, who in September crossed the narrow strait between Denmark and Sweden four times with up to 20 Syrians.
He and three sailor friends were charged with people-smuggling and are awaiting a trial date.
Under European Union border agreements, Danish authorities were supposed to stop the migrants at the southern border with Germany and ask them to seek asylum in Denmark or turn back. At first, police did try to do that. But as the migrant numbers swelled, authorities decided to let them travel to Sweden, one of the most popular European destinations for migrants. Denmark's state railroad company even let them cross the country for free.
Danish authorities haven't explained how they tracked down individual offenders. But the bulk of those fined were people who spoke publicly about how they helped migrants.
Many of the volunteers who offered migrants a ride by car or boat feel it's unfair that they are being punished when the railroad company was essentially doing the same thing.
Lisbeth Zorning Andersen and her husband drove six Syrian migrants across Denmark and served them coffee and buns on Sept. 6.
"Those days were chaotic," she recalled. "When I stood there with a family boarding my car, there were three police officers and they didn't stop me or tell me it was against the law."
In March, Zorning Andersen and her husband were fined 22,500 kroner ($3,330) each. They have appealed the ruling.
"I believe it is good that these people got fined. They broke the law," said Peter Kofod Poulsen of the populist, anti-immigration Danish People's Party that is the country's second-largest political group in Parliament.
"It is a scandal that DSB (the state railway) didn't feel the consequences of their acts. What they did was human smuggling, no discussion. ... But there was no political will to pursue them."
Denmark's justice and integration ministers didn't respond to requests seeking comment.
Tens of thousands of migrants showed up on Denmark's southern border with Germany in September. Most of them wanted to travel through the country to Sweden to seek asylum there, or continue to Norway or Finland. More than 160,000 people applied for asylum in Sweden last year, eight times more than in Denmark.
Michela Bendixen, head of the Refugees Welcome volunteer group, said she was stunned by Denmark's crackdown on those who gave migrants a lift.
"I find authorities have taken a very stringent and much harsher approach than I ever could have imagined," Bendixen said. "We are not talking about people-smugglers who do it to make money but private people who act for humanitarian reasons."
Earlier this year, Denmark made international headlines when a law was passed requiring asylum-seekers to hand over valuables worth more than 10,000 kroner ($1,500), to help cover housing and food costs while their cases are being processed.
Although the government said it was in line with rules for unemployed Danes seeking welfare benefits, critics denounced the law as degrading and inhumane. As of mid-April, there had not been a single seizure of valuables.
Some Danes have called for changing the law to differentiate between human trafficking for profit and aiding people in need. Others, though, have no sympathy for the volunteers who are being prosecuted.
"They must take what comes when breaking the law," said Ingrid Holst, a 46-year-old office assistant in Copenhagen. "I don't feel any pity for them. I wouldn't have done it myself."
Some say the crackdown stands in contrast to how Danish citizens helped thousands of Jews escape the Nazis during World War II, by shuttling them in boats from German-occupied Denmark to neutral Sweden.
Zorning Andersen, though, said "the two things cannot be compared" because the Danes who helped Jews risked their own lives. Also, today's migrants aren't at risk of persecution in Denmark.
Leo Goldberger, a New Yorker who escaped with his family from Denmark to Sweden in a fishing boat on Oct. 2, 1943, is an outspoken critic of Denmark's approach to the migrant crisis.
In an email to The Associated Press, he said he feels strongly that it's wrong to criminalize "so many well-meaning ordinary Danes who are fined for simply offering some incidental help to an obviously needy family in despair."
Artificial limbs offer Syrians new chances at life
REYHANLI, Turkey (AP) Every time 3-year-old Seif wears his new prosthetic legs, the toddler puts up a fight. He has already made peace with walking on his stumps, but there is no dodging his daily rehabilitation session at a prosthetic clinic in southern Turkey.
In a small clinic in the dusty border town of Reyhanli, dozens of wounded Syrians come to be fitted each month with prosthetic limbs, their best shot at restoring a semblance of a normal life.
Treatment at the clinic is free and only for Syrian civilians and fighters who have lost body parts in the Syrian conflict. Workers at the clinic manufacture prosthetic body parts while patients are in therapy.
Syrian Mahmoud Shamoo, left, a technician and therapist helps a Syrian patient, who didn't want to be identified, with his first steps on his new prosthetic limb at a clinic in the Turkish border town of Reyhanli, where hundreds of wounded Syrians come in every week to receive prosthetic limbs, Wednesday, April 20, 2016. Treatment at the clinic is for free and only for Syrian civilians and fighters who lost their limbs in the war in their home country. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
Seif, whose last name wasn't disclosed, was riding in the back seat of a car in the Syrian city of Aleppo in February, when a rocket struck the car blowing off his two legs and the leg of his older brother. Their parents, who were sitting in the front, survived with minor injuries.
The family recently crossed into Turkey so that the brothers could be fitted with artificial limbs at the National Syrian Project for Prosthetic Limbs (NSPPL), a Syrian-run venture supported by three agencies: Syria Relief, SEMA, and Every Syrian.
"The number of wounded people is growing," said Raed al-Masri, who has been running the clinic since it opened in February 2013. He's unsure what is causing the spike in numbers.
"Perhaps it is the Russian bombing or maybe people have become more aware of the center," he told The Associated Press. By his count, more than 50,000 Syrians are amputees in need of treatment. The clinic works on an average of 100 cases per month.
The technicians working at the clinic are all Syrian refugees. They largely learned their craft on the go, but training has brought personnel up to European standards, al-Masri said.
It takes about five days to manufacture a limb, test it and fit it on a patient. The rehabilitation process can stretch from one week to several months depending on the condition and morale of the patient.
"People who have prosthetic limbs are in a very difficult psychological state, so what about the people who have no limbs, or have a handicap?" al-Masri said. "They are in a different category, in an even more difficult state."
Those in the clinic are the lucky ones and, generally, they know it. Ahmed Abdullah, a 30-year-old rebel who lost both legs in 2012 while fighting against Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, said his life was transformed after being fitted with artificial limbs.
"Before I had a prosthetic limb, I would get annoyed sometimes because I couldn't get things for myself," said the lightly-bearded former fighter. "I would need my brother or sister to get it for me. After ... my life became I can't say 100 percent but 90 to 95 percent good."
For Seif, who comes to the clinic dressed in prim shorts and shirt, the transition is impossible to put into words. The routine starts with tears but ends in a burst of laughter as he takes his first steps with the help of his mother. "He's happier," she said.
Prosthetic limbs are stored against a wall inside a clinic in the Turkish border town of Reyhanli, where hundreds of wounded Syrians come in every week to receive prosthetic limbs, Wednesday, April 20, 2016. First the measurements are taken from the patient and after five days the limbs are ready. Then the patient can test it and receive training and rehabilitation. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
Three-year-old Seif, last name not available, using his two new prosthetic limbs, attends a rehabilitation session at a clinic in the Turkish border town of Reyhanli, where hundreds of wounded Syrians come in every week to receive prosthetic limbs, Wednesday, April 20, 2016. Seif lost his legs after a rocket hit the car in the Syrian city of Aleppo he and his family were driving in. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
Turkish PM: new charter to stay secular; not 'authoritarian'
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has reaffirmed that Turkey's new constitution will remain secular, days after the parliament speaker sparked controversy by saying that the Muslim-majority country should have a basic charter based on religion.
Davutoglu said Wednesday that the new constitution which his ruling Islamic-rooted party is drafting would feature a freedom-oriented principle of secularism not an "authoritarian understanding of secularism."
He was referring to a strict interpretation of Turkey's secular laws under previous governments, that for example barred the wearing of Islamic-style head scarves for women in schools, parliament and government offices.
Last fall, two marches occurred within weeks of each other, and it is useful to consider both within a single frame. One included parents and community members in Chicago , who marched to protest the closing of a traditional public school--namely, the Walter H. Dyett High School. This group, which also engaged in a weeks-long hunger strike, ended their march in front of President Obamas house in Chicago. The other march, which also involved parents, occurred in New York and was in support of charter schools and more school choice. 18,000 parents, activists, and students marched across the Brooklyn Bridge to protest, essentially, Mayor DeBlasios lack of support for charter schools. Both protest groups included a high proportion of parents of color in their ranks, and allegations of racism on the part of government officials--in either selectively choosing schools to close or denying choice to poorer families of color--were not far from the surface in either context.
So heres the key question: When should we listen to parents when it comes to decisions about education policy and practice? The juxtaposition of these two marches provides an opportunity to reflect on the fact that advocates for particular policies tend to be inconsistent in their views about listening to parents. Supporters of the protest about closing schools in Chicago presumably feel strongly that parents and community members should have a say as to whether a neighborhood school should be closed for under-enrollment or poor performance. A school is an integral part of the community, these advocates would say, and the views of parents should be seriously considered if they believe the school is worth saving. Similarly, supporters of the march for charter schools would undoubtedly point to the waiting lists for charter schools in places like New York City and argue: parents are speaking, and you should listen by encouraging the creation of more charter schools.
My sense is that those who support parental voice when it comes to the closing of traditional public schools do not give much credence to parental voice when it comes to expanding the number of charter schools, and that the same is true in reverse. This may be due to the fact that those who oppose the closing of neighborhood public schools in Chicago are probably not huge fans of charter schools, and those who are fans of charter schools are not likely big supporters of keeping traditional public schools open in Chicago if they consider them to be failing.
That much is fine. One could plausibly justify closing failing public schools and opening more charter schools, and one could plausibly justify keeping open traditional public schools and limiting charter schools. That is a healthy debate, but it is not my point here.
The point is simply this: Shouldnt those who believe parents deserve serious consideration when schools are slated for closing be equally respectful of parents having a voice about charter schools and school choice, and vice-versa?
Which leads back to the basic, key question: How much voice should parents have when it comes to important education questions, like school closings and charter schools? I would think, at the very least, that the answer in both instances should be consistent. To give a concrete example: some states have enacted parent trigger laws, which vary from state to state but essentially empower parents to force managerial changes when they are dissatisfied with school performance or when certain objective benchmarks have not been met. Would supporters of such trigger laws also support anti-closure triggers, which would allow parents to force schools to stay open even though the state or district would like to close them because of poor performance? If not, why not?
As a parent, I can only say that I would hope the voices of parents are respected equally in both contexts. This does not mean that parents should be given a veto or that their demands should be always be met, but simply that their voices should be heard and seriously considered. As educators, we risk the inevitable tragedy of hubris when we privilege our own views over the views of parents.
Trump: Hillary Clinton playing woman card 'left and right'
WASHINGTON (AP) Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, buoyed by his clean sweep of Northeast primaries, is pushing forward with his charge that Democrat Hillary Clinton is "playing the woman card."
Trump tells CNN's "New Day" in a telephone interview Wednesday that "she does have the woman card" but said that "a lot of women don't like Hillary, despite the card."
Pressed on the issue, the billionaire real estate mogul said that Clinton, who won four of five primaries Tuesday and is closing in on the Democratic Party nomination, "is playing the woman card left and right."
FILE - In this Tuesday, April 26, 2016 file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a primary night news conference, in New York. Trump's highly anticipated foreign policy speech will test whether the Republican presidential front-runner known for his raucous rallies and eyebrow-raising statements can present a more presidential persona as he works to coalesce a still-weary Republican establishment around his candidacy. Trump's campaign says his speech Wednesday will focus on "several critical foreign policy issues" such as trade, the global economy and national security. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File)
He said in the interview that "she didn't play it" when she challenged Barack Obama for the party's nomination eight years ago. But he added, "She's doing it more now. She'll be called on it."
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Instructor, 2 international students survive plane crash
POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (AP) Authorities have identified the people injured when a small plane crashed as a South Florida flight instructor and his two international students.
The twin-engine plane crashed Monday and exploded in the backyard of a Pompano Beach home. The Sun Sentinel (http://bit.ly/234hEjU ) reports pilot Geoffrey White and 23-year-old Sylvia Mena and 25-year-old Fernando Diaz remain in serious condition.
Broward Sheriff's spokeswoman Joy Oglesby says they are being treated in a burn unit in Miami.
Mena is from Ecuador and Diaz is from Peru.
Five homes in the neighborhood where the crash occurred were still cordoned off with yellow tape Tuesday. No one on the ground was injured.
Officials say the aircraft is registered to Florida Aviation Academy. The students were practicing takeoffs and landings when the crash occurred.
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Before FM's arrival, China says ties with Japan improving
BEIJING (AP) With Japan's top diplomat making a rare visit to Beijing later this week, China's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that frequently tense relations with Tokyo have been getting better.
Spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters Wednesday that Fumio Kishida's visit starting Friday comes as ties "have shown signs of improvement, yet in the meantime are still facing challenges."
"We hope Japan can meet China halfway ... properly deal with the issues and make concrete contributions to the sound and steady development of the bilateral relationship," Hua said at a regularly scheduled news briefing.
Kishida is due to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other officials for talks on bilateral relations and other issues of common concern, Hua said.
Egypt official says Sinai bombing kills 3 police, wounds 8
CAIRO (AP) Egypt's state news agency says three policemen have been killed in a roadside bombing in the turbulent north of the Sinai Peninsula.
MENA quoted an unidentified security official saying that the Wednesday explosion targeted an armored personnel carrier in the city of el-Arish, wounding another 8 policemen.
The official says the wounded were taken to the military hospital in el-Arish.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack. A local affiliate of the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on security forces in Sinai since 2014.
Egyptian family seeks help for conjoined twins
SADAT CITY, Egypt (AP) The parents of conjoined twins in Egypt are calling for help to separate the girls, saying they have been unable to find treatment so far.
Mother Fatma Yousry and father Islam Hassan say their 10-month-old daughters Mai and Menna, who are joined at the head, are in poor health. They are worried that if the infants aren't separated soon, both could die.
Hassan, a farm hand who earns around $150 a month, says: "Every day I pray for god to save her, and that one day someone could separate them."
In this picture taken Friday, April 22, 2016, father Islam Hassan stands close to his wife Fatma Yousry, who holds their conjoined, 10 month old, twin daughters who are attached by the head, Mai, right, and Menna, left, at their home in Sadat city, about 94 km (58 miles) north-west of Cairo. The parents of the twins are calling for help to separate the girls, saying they have been unable to find treatment so far. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
Yousry says she has developed novel techniques for taking care of the sisters, such as always dressing them from the bottom up.
In this picture taken Friday, April 22, 2016, Egyptian 10 month old, twin girls who are attached by the head, Mai, right, and Menna, left, at their home in Sadat city, about 94 km (58 miles) north-west of Cairo, Egypt. The parents of the twins are calling for help to separate the girls, saying they have been unable to find treatment so far. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
In this picture taken Friday, April 22, 2016, father Islam Hassan stands as his wife Fatma Yousry, watches their conjoined, 10 month old, twin daughters who are attached by the head, Mai, right, and Menna, left, at their home in Sadat city, about 94 km (58 miles) north-west of Cairo. The parents of the twins are calling for help to separate the girls, saying they have been unable to find treatment so far. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
Separatists: 5 civilians killed in eastern Ukraine fighting
MOSCOW (AP) At least five people including a pregnant woman were killed and more than 10 injured early Wednesday on the front line in eastern Ukraine in the worst civilian loss of life there in months, separatist officials said.
Fighting between Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian government forces has been raging for two years, claiming more than 9,100 lives.
The hostilities have left large swathes of eastern Ukraine in rebel hands. Both the government and the rebels have set up checkpoints on the front line, leaving thousands of people queuing for hours if not days to cross from one side to the other. Travelers have to apply for permits and are subject to checks. Local residents have complained of hold-ups on both sides as well as corrupt Ukrainian officials making money on giving travelers a fast track.
Self-proclaimed officials in the east said on Wednesday the victims were spending the night in their cars at the checkpoint outside the village of Olenivka hoping to cross the line in the morning.
The rebels' Donetsk News Agency quoted defense chief Eduard Basurin saying that there was a pregnant woman among those killed. Basurin claimed the civilians were killed by artillery fire from the Ukrainian side.
Footage from the scene showed cars on the side of the road riddled with shrapnel and one of them overturned. Unidentified forensic experts were seen examining what appeared to be a crater from a mortar shell.
Ukrainian officials denied responsibility. The independent News of Donbass website on Wednesday quoted local border guard spokesman Anatoly Kotsurba as saying that there was a blast at the checkpoint but no artillery fire from their side.
International observers have decried the creation of de-facto border checks, which have left thousands of pedestrians and motorists queuing on the front line of the conflict, and warned of risks of holding civilians there.
New book examines gender's role in press freedom
NEW YORK (AP) Sexualized violence, online harassment and gender-based discrimination all play a role in inhibiting press freedom according to a new book released by the Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday.
The book is part of the organization's annual "Attacks on the Press," series. The 2016 edition brings together essays by CPJ staff and outside experts highlighting the challenges and courage of journalists facing gender-based threats.
CPJ Advocacy Director Courtney Radsch said the idea of examining gender's role in limiting press freedom Came up about five years ago when CBS correspondent Lara Logan was sexually assaulted while covering Arab Spring protests in Egypt.
"We really realized there was a lack of focus on the issue and since then we have tried to raise awareness," Radsch said in a telephone interview.
Radsch said one of the things CPJ found examining the issue is that being a woman or transgender can cut both ways. Sometimes female reporters have better access to wives and daughters in conservative societies and transgender sources can more feel more comfortable opening up to reporters who also belong to gender minorities. Other times sources may overshare with female reporters because they do not take them seriously, she said.
"Impact of gender on press freedom is not a unidirectional negative thing, but it is complicated," Radsch said.
Radsch also points out that women are underrepresented on lists of journalists who are missing and killed. In 2015, only nine women were among the 199 journalists imprisoned, according to CPJ.
Sometimes it's a case of women journalists not getting the plum assignments and at other times it's because women may be sexually assaulted rather than imprisoned or killed, Radsch said, noting that it's often very hard to get information about sexual assaults.
In an attempt to remedy that lack of information, CPJ turned to personal stories to make the issue more understandable, Radash said.
In one essay, Colombian journalist Jineth Bedoya Lima described being raped as an attempt to punish her for her reporting on arms trafficking but said she still found the strength to carry on. Another essay details the challenges faced by gay and transgender journalists who suffer discrimination both inside and out of the newsroom.
Kathleen Carroll, CPJ's vice chair and executive editor of The Associated Press, contributed an essay discussing how to help resolve some of those issues, suggesting that sometimes news managers who show a nurturing side can help staff overcome difficult situations.
"The specter of sexual assault was one reason women were kept out of the field (with a few notable exceptions) for so many decades," Carroll said. "It was a bogus excuse to hold women back. But it is a real threat, one that, like other threats to both women and men, requires training, preparation, risk assessment and tough decisions for all involved. And those newsrooms must have leaders who are knowledgeable, engaged, compassionate and tough in equal measures."
Romania: media owner questioned over massive tax evasion
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) Prosecutors in Romania say they have questioned a media owner on suspicion of tax evasion worth 8 million ($9 million).
Prosecutors took Cristian Burci, owner of Prima TV and the daily Adevarul, for questioning Wednesday after searches at his house, the newspaper offices and two other places.
The prosecutors allege that Burci and nine others set up a criminal group, and starting in 2006 embezzled funds from railway car company Romvag Caracal. A statement said the group also made fictitious transactions causing further damages of 5.7 million euros to the state budget. Burci did not comment on the probe.
Burci owned several railway car factories, which secured contracts with the state-owned railway freight carrier before being declared insolvent in 2010.
DC Metro: Recent fires at same station were unrelated
WASHINGTON (AP) A spokesman for Washington's Metro subway says a fire on the tracks that caused a station to be shut down briefly during Wednesday morning's rush hour was unrelated to a fire near the same location on Saturday.
Metro spokesman Dan Stessel says Wednesday's fire at the Friendship Heights station was caused by a problem with a component that covers the electrified third rail. When those insulating pieces are damaged or worn out, electricity can escape and cause fires.
Saturday's fire, which prompted an evacuation of the same station, was caused by a foreign object touching the third rail.
Thailand's military government cracks down on opponents
BANGKOK (AP) Thailand's military government on Wednesday turned up the pressure on its opponents, filing a legal complaint against critics of a proposed new constitution and detaining 10 people in connection with social media postings.
Election Commissioner Somchai Srisuthiyakor filed the first complaint under a new law meant to discourage campaigning against the draft charter, which will be put to a referendum on Aug. 7. The penalty for breaking the law is up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 200,000 baht ($5,715). The complaint was based on material on the Facebook page of a social group based in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen, a hotbed of dissident activity.
"We're trying to make an example of those who are explicitly and aggressively posting things about the draft constitution onto the Internet," said Somchai. "People are allowed to post opinions agreeing or disagreeing with the new draft, but we encourage that they do so in an academic fashion with reason and logic, rather than using foul and strong language."
The law prohibits acts of unrest and campaigning with a provocative, aggressive or violent manner to influence voters, but Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and other officials have made clear they disapprove of any criticism. The government insists its own ambitious plans to publicize the charter's contents are strictly educational. Prayuth seized power in May 2014 after staging a coup against an elected government.
Separately, the military detained 10 people associated with opposition to its rule. Government spokesman Col. Winthai Suvaree said the suspects, including several in Khon Kaen, were detained in connection with social media postings. Thailand's Computer Crime Act has broad definitions that are often applied to expressions of political opinions.
Those arrested were taken for detention at army bases, where they can be held for a week without any charges.
"The capture of these people is not in accordance with either international or national laws," said Poonsuk Poonsukcharoen, a member of the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights group. "The power that the army received from the new legislation to capture and detain people for expressing opinions against the draft constitution is being used in the wrong way. These arrests are creating a sense of fear among the public."
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday gave greater protection to teachers, police officers, and other public employees from adverse job actions taken on the basis of their superiors perceptions of the workers First Amendment activities.
The court ruled 6-2 that a New Jersey police officer who was demoted because of his bosses misimpression that he was backing a political rival to the incumbent mayor may challenge the demotion as a violation of his rights of free speech and association.
When an employer demotes an employee out of a desire to prevent the employee from engaging in political activity that the First Amendment protects, the employee is entitled to challenge that unlawful action ... even if, as here, the employer makes a factual mistake about the employees behavior, Justice Stephen G. Breyer wrote for the majority in Heffernan v. City of Paterson, N.J. (Case No. 14-1280).
His opinion was joined by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Anthony M. Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. dissented.
As I wrote when the case was argued in January, the Heffernan case involves the kind of patronage and political concerns that pervade not only many New Jersey municipal governments, but also the states school districts.
The case involves Jeffrey Heffernan, who was a police detective in Paterson, N.J., in 2006 when his mother asked him to get her a yard sign for her preferred candidate in the upcoming mayoral election, Lawrence Spagnola.
Heffernan went to a campaign distribution point where workers were giving out the signs. He was a friend of Spagnolas and wanted him to win, but Heffernan himself did not live in Paterson, so he stayed out of any active participation in the campaign.
While Heffernan was picking up the sign, he was observed by a Paterson police officer who served on the security detail of the incumbent mayor, Jose Torres, who was seeking re-election.
Torres and Heffernans superiors in the police department got the impression that the officer was backing Spagnola. Heffernan was demoted from detective to patrol officer, with his supervisors not even hiding the fact that they were demoting him for campaigning, even though their action was based on the misimpression.
Heffernan sued for retaliatory demotion in violation of his First Amendment rights of free speech and association. He lost in a federal district court and in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, in Philadelphia. Those courts held that 3rd Circuit precedents foreclosed a First Amendment claim based on a mere perception of his speech or association, and that he had not actually spoken or associated with anyone in a way that prompted the actions against him.
Weighing Pickering and Waters
The Supreme Court on April 26 rejected the idea that a factual mistake by a public employer could not be the basis for an employees First Amendment suit, even if the employee did not engage in protected political activity.
Justice Breyer said some of the high courts key decisions on public-employee speech did not much help resolve the case because they were not based on factual misperceptions by employers.
One such case, he said, was Pickering v. Board of Education of Township High School District No. 205 , the 1968 decision involving a high school teachers letter to a newspaper complaining about the school budget. In that case, the court held that a public employees speech is protected if it is on a matter of public concern and if the employees interest outweighs the public employers interest in an efficient workplace.
A more relevant precedent, Breyer said, was Waters v. Churchill , a splintered 1994 decision in which the court upheld a public hospitals dismissal of a nurse for making comments to another nurse about the hospitals staffing policies.
Breyer said that in Waters, the employer wrongly, though reasonably, believed that the employee had spoken only on personal matters not of public concern, and the employer dismissed the employee for having engaged in that unprotected speech.
Although the court found in that case that the employees speech actually was on a matter of public concern, it was the employers permissible motive that mattered.
In Waters, the employer reasonably but mistakenly thought that the employee had not engaged in protected speech. Here [in the Heffernan case], the employer mistakenly thought that the employee had engaged in protected speech, Breyer said.
We conclude that, as in Waters, the governments reason for demoting Heffernan is what counts here, Breyer said. The government acted upon a constitutionally harmful policy whether Heffernan did or did not in fact engage in political activity. ... And Heffernan was directly harmed, namely, demoted, through application of that policy.
The majority sent Heffernans case back to lower courts to determine whether his employer may have dismissed him under a different motivation, for violating a neutral policy prohibiting police officers from overt involvement in any political campaign.
Justice Thomas, in a dissent joined by Justice Alito, said the city of Patersons demotion of Heffernan may have been misguided or wrong, but Heffernans constitutional claim failed at the outset because he did not engage in speech on a matter of public concern.
If the employee has not spoken on a matter of public concern, the employee has no First Amendment cause of action based on his or her employers reaction to the speech, Thomas said.
Greece returns 12 Syrians to Turkey; will build 4 more camps
ATHENS, Greece (AP) Greece on Wednesday returned 12 Syrians, including a woman and her four children, to Turkey as part of a European Union-Turkey agreement aiming to stop the flow of refugees and migrants across the Aegean to Europe's more prosperous heartland.
The 12 were flown from the Greek island of Lesbos to Adana in Turkey by a plane chartered by the European border agency Frontex, Greece's citizens' protection ministry said, noting all had expressed the wish to return and none had applied for asylum in Greece.
Under last month's EU-Turkey deal, people arriving clandestinely on Greek islands from Turkey from March 20 onward face being returned unless they successfully apply for asylum in Greece. So far, 386 people have been returned under the deal, Greece says.
A wooden frame used to screen movies stands at a makeshift camp in the northern border point of Idomeni, Greece, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Greek police on Wednesday handed out flyers to migrants and refugees in Idomeni, asking them to leave the camps and use other facilities. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Nearly 54,000 people are stranded in Greece after Europe closed its land borders to the migration flow last month. Greece said Wednesday it would construct a further four camps for them, in an effort to gradually clear an impromptu camp on the border with Macedonia.
Giorgos Kyritsis, spokesman for refugee and migration affairs, said the government hoped to be able to move at least 4,500 people into newly constructed and existing camps in the next 10 days, or more than a third of those currently camped out near the village of Idomeni on the Greek-Macedonian border.
Kyritsis said four areas outside the northern city of Thessaloniki have been identified for new camps: two former factories, a former logistics company and a former warehouse.
Meanwhile, Austrian police said Wednesday they are planning three freeway checkpoints at the Brenner crossing, the major transit point to Italy, in anticipation that migrants unable to enter from the Balkans will turn their attention to that route.
Another checkpoint will be located on the two-lane highway and a 370-meter (404-yard) fence is to be put up in the area to prevent attempts at unauthorized crossing.
Police also say that trains entering Austria at the Brenner will be stopped for controls.
Italy responded warily, with Premier Matteo Renzi saying that any move to close the Brenner Pass would be "blatantly against European rules."
Austria fears that with the West Balkan route to migrants closed they will make their way to Italy and try to enter from there.
Construction of the fence and other facilities began earlier this month. Police did not give a completion date.
The speaker of Italy's lower house, Laura Boldrini, said Austria's moves are ill-considered, "because they divide."
A Greek police officer hands out flyers to migrants and refugees at a makeshift camp in the northern border point of Idomeni, Greece, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Greek police on Wednesday handed out flyers to migrants and refugees at Idomeni, asking them to leave the camps and use other facilities. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
A migrant boy pushes a stroller as a man sits next to a tent at a makeshift camp at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Greek police on Wednesday handed out flyers to migrants and refugees at Idomeni, asking them to leave the camps and use other facilities. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Russian acquitted of arson attack on Czech defense minister
PRAGUE (AP) A Prague court has acquitted a Russian student who was suspected of an arson attack against the house of Czech Defense Minister Martin Stropnicky.
Nobody was injured in the June 7 attack in which four petrol bombs were used.
Judge Blanka Bedrichova from Prague's Municipal Court said Wednesday there wasn't sufficient evidence to prove that the suspect was guilty of the arson attack. But he was found guilty of assisting a graffiti painter who wrote anarchist slogans on a jail wall in Prague and was expelled from the country for two years.
The 20-year-old student from Prague's Charles University had pleaded not guilty. He called the verdict unjust and said he would appeal.
French billionaire to create new art museum in Paris
PARIS (AP) The French billionaire and art collector Francois Pinault has announced the creation of a new contemporary art museum in central Paris.
Pinault described the project as "a dream come true" in a news conference Wednesday with Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.
The museum will open by the end of 2018 in the former Bourse du Commerce close to the Louvre museum and the newly-renovated Les Halles shopping complex. The elegant circular building from the 18th century, crowned by a dome, will be restored by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando.
In Internet age, pirate radio arises as surprising challenge
IRVINGTON, N.J. (AP) In the age of podcasts and streaming services, you might think pirate radio is low on the list of concerns of federal lawmakers and broadcasters. You'd be wrong.
They're increasingly worried about its presence in some cities as unlicensed broadcasters commandeer frequencies to play anything from Trinidadian dance music to Haitian call-in shows. And they complain the Federal Communications Commission can't keep up with the pirates, who can block listeners from favorite programs or emergency alerts for missing children and severe weather.
Helped along by cheaper technology, the rogue stations can cover several blocks or several square miles. Most broadcast to immigrant communities that pirate radio defenders say are underserved by licensed stations.
Jay Blessed, who listened to various unlicensed stations when she moved from Trinidad to Brooklyn more than a decade ago and broadcasted her own online radio show, prepare to update her blog she says will interface with her new podcast program, Sunday, April 24, 2016, in New York. Federal lawmakers and broadcasters are increasingly worried about pirate radio's presence in some cities as unlicensed broadcasters commandeer frequencies to play anything. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
"The DJs sound like you and they talk about things that you're interested in," said Jay Blessed, an online DJ who has listened to various unlicensed stations since she moved from Trinidad to Brooklyn more than a decade ago.
"You call them up and say, 'I want to hear this song,' and they play it for you," Blessed said. "It's interactive. It's engaging. It's communal."
Last year, nearly three dozen congressional members from the New York region urged the FCC to do more about what they called the "unprecedented growth of pirate radio operations." So did the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters , which said pirates undermine licensed minority stations while ignoring consumer protection laws that guard against indecency and false advertising.
The New York State Broadcasters Association estimates that 100 pirates operate in the New York City area alone, carrying programs in languages from Hebrew to Gaelic to Spanish. Many also broadcast in and around Miami and Boston; FCC enforcement data shows agents have gone after at least one pirate in nearly every state in the past decade.
The FCC has been discussing possible solutions, such as penalizing pirate radio advertisers, and last month urged landlords and government officials to look out for rogue broadcasters.
The alleged pirates include Jean Yves Tullias, a barber living in Irvington, about 15 miles from New York. The FCC claims he appropriated an unused frequency to broadcast his show, which includes church services, gospel music and a call-in program for fellow Haitians.
Tullias denies any wrongdoing. Cutting hair recently at his barbershop, he said a friend broadcast his Internet radio show without telling him he used a pirated frequency.
Tullias, 44, started his show because the local Haitian community "had no communication, nobody to help them," he said.
"When you get that radio station, that prayer line, you feel comfortable," he said of older listeners who speak little English and feel isolated. "You feel happy."
Broadcasters are increasingly concerned because the FCC has gone after fewer pirates in recent years. The commission issued more than 100 warnings and fines against alleged pirates last year, compared with more than 400 in 2010.
That number fell despite a "significant increase" in the number of pirate stations, tallied by David Donovan, president of the New York State Broadcasters Association.
Donovan said the signals interfere with the Emergency Alert System, which relies on a phone-tree-like chain of stations listening to one another. Listeners also can't hear the alerts, he said.
In his response to lawmakers' concerns , FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler cited a stagnant budget and its smallest staff in 30 years. Fines and seizures are not enough, he added, because pirates often refuse to pay and quickly replace transmitters and inexpensive antennas.
For about $750, pirates can buy equipment to broadcast at a range of at least 1 or 2 miles, experts say.
An FCC spokesman said the agency remains dedicated to combating pirate radio and has added agents to its New York office. Meanwhile, lawmakers and FCC officials continue to discuss solutions.
The FCC has tried to encourage more diverse and underrepresented groups to start community stations through its Low Power FM effort , but it has had its limits.
The program has helped spawn 1,500 stations with a reach of about 3.5 miles since 2000. But there have been fewer opportunities in crowded urban radio markets, and anyone known to have pirated the airwaves is barred.
Charles Clemons Muhammad, who started an unlicensed Boston station for black listeners in 2006, is among those banned. The commission fined him $17,000, shuttering the station in 2014. He continues to broadcast online but must work to bring his older listeners with him.
"I did this to give my community a 24-hour voice," he said.
John Nathan Anderson, director of media studies and journalism at Brooklyn College, said pirate radio remains a "medium of last resort when you have no other way to communicate broadly to a community."
"A lot of people look at radio as dead," he said. "But what we're actually seeing in many respects is a renaissance of radio as it goes into its next 100 years."
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Online: FCC enforcement data: http://fcc.us/1XWdYiH
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Contact Finley at https://www.twitter.com/Ben_Finley
Michigan governor seeks tougher lead limit for state, nation
LANSING, Mich. (AP) In proposing a tougher limit for lead in drinking water, Gov. Rick Snyder wants to lift Michigan from the depths of the Flint crisis to being a national model for lead monitoring that could help assess whether current rules are too lax.
Nearly 1,500 water systems serving 3.3 million Americans have exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency's lead cap of 15 parts per billion at least once in the past three years. If Michigan's proposed new standard of 10 ppb were applied across the country, that number jumps to more than 2,500 systems with 18.3 million customers a fivefold increase, according to an Associated Press analysis of federal data.
Reducing the limit and adopting other proposed changes would give Michigan the world's toughest protections "by far," Virginia Tech University environmental engineering professor Marc Edwards said.
FILE - In this April 18, 2016 file photo, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder fills jugs with filtered tap water at Cheryl Hill's house, in Flint, Mich. Snyder says he will drink Flint's water for roughly a month to show residents it is safe. In proposing a tougher limit for lead in drinking water, Snyder wants to lift Michigan from the depths of the Flint crisis to being a model for water safety that can help assess whether the current national rules governing lead are too lax. (Jake May/The Flint Journal-MLive.com via AP File) LOCAL TELEVISION OUT; LOCAL INTERNET OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT
"This new rule is going to be very, very tough to meet, and it's going to cost money. It's a huge step forward if we're able to pull it off," said Edwards, who helped expose the contamination in Flint and devise Snyder's plan.
Other steps would involve gradually replacing 460,000 lead service lines, strengthening sampling procedures to catch problems in the highest-risk houses and requiring testing in schools and daycare centers.
New York, Denver, Boston and Pittsburgh are among the cities that are within the current lead limit but would exceed the one proposed in Michigan. The number of violations would more than double in 19 states.
Snyder, who has apologized for his administration's failures that caused and prolonged the Flint crisis, made the proposal on April 15. He called the current national rule "dumb and dangerous."
The EPA limit has been in place since 1991 and was established based on what corrosion controls can reliably achieve, not on what is considered a safe amount of lead in water. The previous standard allowed for 50 ppb where water entered a distribution system.
If more than 10 percent of sampled high-risk homes are above the federal level, agencies must inform customers and take steps such as adding chemicals to prevent corrosion and potentially replacing underground lead pipes that connect to homes.
Supporters of a lower limit say it would bring Michigan and the U.S. in line with World Health Organization guidelines adopted by other countries, including Canada and members of the European Union. But water experts agree that the current EPA rule is more protective even though the standard is set at 15 ppb, compared with the international level of 10 ppb.
That is because the testing methods are different. The U.S. requires water samples to be taken at a time when lead is at higher levels. The international guideline allows for testing of running water that is more likely to show lower amounts of lead.
"It could miss temporary higher concentrations of lead in the water," said Mike Keegan, an analyst with the National Rural Water Association.
About 80 countries and territories follow the WHO lead guidelines, which were established in 1993, said Gregory Hartl, an agency spokesman in Geneva. Using randomly timed samples gives a more representative exposure to lead while the U.S. method provides a worst-case estimate, he said.
The EPA plans to release new regulations next year to strengthen its lead rules.
Before the Flint crisis, an advisory council last year recommended adjustments to the current regulations but did not call for changing the limit of 15 ppb. Instead, the focus was on replacing millions of lead pipes and controlling corrosion.
In a statement, the EPA said the federal lead rule is supposed to "minimize risks" from lead "but does not eliminate them." The agency said lead can still leach into water even when corrosion-control chemicals are used properly.
At a recent congressional hearing about Flint, EPA water regulator Joel Beauvais said many of the recommendations were developed before the disaster came to light. Since then, he said, the "understanding of where we need to go on this has evolved somewhat."
Edwards supports a 10 ppb limit but also said the current federal standard is "quite tough" if enforced properly. He said how and where samples are taken is more important.
Yanna Lambrinidou, a medical ethnographer and president of Parents for Nontoxic Alternatives, helped develop Michigan's proposal after writing a dissent to the advisory council recommendations.
Dropping the standard to 10 ppb, she said, would require more small- and medium-sized water systems those with fewer than 50,000 customers to do corrosion control. It would also trigger more frequent public notification about system-wide lead problems.
Other regulatory changes are more critical, she said, but the lower lead limit would be "fantastic" because "there are so many holes in this rule."
While a couple of states have tougher customer-notification requirements than required federally, Michigan is the only one to consider a comprehensive overhaul of regulations.
Members of Congress also are seeking reforms in the wake of Flint.
Bills sponsored by Reps. Tammy Duckworth and Mike Quigley, both Illinois Democrats, would trigger protection for individual households with lead levels exceeding the amount that would raise an infant's blood level above 5 micrograms per deciliter. The legislation would also spend $300 million for pipe replacement and other improvements.
Democratic Rep. Gene Green of Texas said going to a 10 ppb limit would help, as would more robust monitoring of tests to prevent water systems from cheating. He expressed concern that the EPA is taking too long to finalize its new rules.
"It's not just Flint. Human action caused Flint," Green said. "But there are systems all over the country that have high levels of lead that need to be dealt with."
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Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press writers Jamey Keaten in Geneva and Meghan Hoyer in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
FILE - This March 21, 2016 file photo shows the Flint Water Plant water tower in Flint, Mich. In proposing a tougher limit for lead in drinking water. Gov. Rick Snyder wants to lift Michigan from the depths of the Flint crisis to being a model for water safety that can help assess whether the current national rules governing lead are too lax. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio File)
FILE - In this March 15, 2016 file photo, Virginia Tech environmental engineering professor Marc Edwards, center, speaks after a Congressional hearing in Washington. to examine the ongoing lead water crisis in Flint, Mich. In proposing a tougher limit for lead in drinking water, Gov. Rick Snyder wants to lift Michigan from the depths of the Flint water crisis to being a national model for water safety that can help assess whether current lead rules are too lax. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
FILE - This Jan. 26, 2016 file photo shows a sign over the Flint River noting Flint, Mich., as Vehicle City. In proposing a tougher limit for lead in drinking water, Gov. Rick Snyder wants to lift Michigan from the depths of the Flint crisis to being a model for water safety that can help assess whether the current national rules governing lead are too lax. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)
FILE - In this March 21, 2016 file photo, a work crew digs up a street to replace lead water service lines in Flint, Mich. In proposing a tougher limit for lead in drinking water, Gov. Rick Snyder wants to lift Michigan from the depths of the Flint crisis to being a model for water safety that can help assess whether the current national rules governing lead are too lax. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)
FILE - In this Friday, Feb. 5, 2016 file photo, hundreds of cases of bottled water are stored at a church in Flint, Mich. In proposing a tougher limit for lead in drinking water, Gov. Rick Snyder wants to lift Michigan from the depths of the Flint crisis to being a model for water safety that can help assess whether the current national rules governing lead are too lax. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)
FILE - In this March 17, 2016 file photo, Flint, Mich., residents and supporters wear shirts that reads "Flint Lives Matter" as they wait outside a committee hearing on the Flint water crisis in Washington. In proposing a tougher limit for lead in drinking water, Gov. Rick Snyder wants to lift Michigan from the depths of the Flint crisis to being a model for water safety that can help assess whether the current national rules governing lead are too lax. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2016 file photo, Parents for Nontoxic Alternatives President Dr. Yanna Lambrinidou, right, listens to testimony during Congressional hearing on the Flint water crisis in Washington. In proposing a tougher limit for lead in drinking water, Gov. Rick Snyder wants to lift Michigan from the depths of the Flint crisis to being a model for water safety that can help assess whether the current national rules governing lead are too lax. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik File)
FILE - In this March 9, 2016 file photo, city officials in Galesburg, Ill., display a local example of lead pipes that deliver water to the nation's homes. In proposing a tougher limit for lead in drinking water, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder wants to lift the state from the depths of the Flint water crisis to being a model for water safety that can help assess whether the current national rules governing lead are too lax. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman, File)
The Latest: Durst forfeits $117K sent to him in New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS (AP) The Latest on the prosecution in Louisiana of property heir Robert Durst (all times local):
10:30 a.m.
Real estate heir Robert Durst was fined $5,000 as part of his sentence on a weapons charge in Louisiana, but his lawyer says that's not all the money involved.
FILE - In this Aug. 15, 2014 file photo, New York City real estate heir Robert Durst leaves a Houston courtroom. New Orleans Federal Judge Kurt Engelhardt on Wednesday, April 27, 2016, approved a plea agreement for Durst to serve 7 years, 1 month in prison on a weapons charge. Durst still faces a separate murder charge in California. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan, File)
Defense attorney Richard DeGuerin (duh-GEHR-in) says Durst will also forfeit $117,000 in cash that he asked a friend to send to New Orleans and arrived after his arrest in New Orleans. The FBI confiscated the money. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McMahon said Durst will also forfeit $44,000 that was in his hotel room when he was arrested.
He spoke outside of court after Judge Kurt Engelhardt accepted an 85-month sentence worked out in a plea agreement. Engelhardt noted that federal sentencing guidelines recommend 12 to 18 months, but three other jurisdictions agreed not to prosecute Durst on various charges that might have carried heavier sentences.
DeGuerin says the longer sentence is a great cost, but clears the decks for trial in Los Angeles, where Durst is charged with murder.
Durst told Engelhardt he is not guilty of that charge and wants to get to California as quickly as possible to say so in court.
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10 a.m.
Robert Durst will be heading from Louisiana to California soon to face a murder charge in connection with the death of a friend in 2000.
Attorneys said Durst would be in Los Angeles by mid-August. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McMahon said it is likely Durst would arrive in California well before that.
A federal judge on Wednesday approved a plea agreement for Durst to serve about 7 years on a weapons charge.
The New York property heir has steadfastly insisted that he is innocent in the death of Susan Berman. Prosecutors say Durst killed Berman to keep her from talking to prosecutors about the disappearance of Durst's first wife in 1982.
Durst's wealthy family runs 1 World Trade Center. He was tracked to New Orleans in March 2015 by FBI agents worried that he was about to flee to Cuba.
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9:15 a.m.
A federal judge in New Orleans has approved a plea agreement for real estate heir Robert Durst to serve 7 years, 1 month in prison on a weapons charge.
Judge Kurt Engelhardt approved the sentence Wednesday. The 72-year-old Durst agreed to the sentence as part of a guilty plea in February.
Durst still faces a separate murder charge in California. He is accused of killing a female friend in 2000 to keep her from talking to prosecutors about the disappearance of Durst's first wife in 1982. Durst has steadfastly maintained his innocence.
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Real estate heir Robert Durst will soon learn whether a federal judge accepts a 7-year-and-one-month sentence on a weapons charge that's kept him in Louisiana pending a murder trial in California.
Judge Kurt Engelhardt will say Wednesday whether he approves that sentence, which the 72-year-old Durst accepted as part of his guilty plea in February.
He's charged in California with killing his friend Susan Berman in 2000. His attorneys have said repeatedly that Durst is innocent, doesn't know who killed Berman, and wants to prove it.
Comcast beats forecasts, adds subscribers, unveils data plan
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Comcast Corp. on Wednesday reported first-quarter earnings that topped Wall Street's expectations with help from an increase in subscriber numbers.
The cable provider also announced a plan that will give customers in trial markets a terabyte, or 1,000 gigabytes, of data per month.
Comcast added 53,000 video subscribers during the quarter, appeasing fears about "cord-cutters" who get rid of cable subscription in favor of video streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. In all, Comcast added 269,000 subscribers during the quarter, up nearly 36 percent from the same period a year earlier.
The Philadelphia-based company said it had profit of $2.13 billion, or 87 cents a share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring gains, came to 84 cents per share.
The average estimate of 22 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 79 cents per share.
Comcast posted revenue of $18.79 billion in the period, also surpassing Street forecasts. Twenty analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $18.65 billion.
Separately, the company announced that it is giving customers in trial markets a terabyte-per-month data plan. The company said this is an "enormous" amount of data that 99 percent of customers do not even come close to using.
"Our typical customer uses only about 60 gigabytes of data in a month that's far less than a terabyte (in fact, 940 gigabytes less), or less than 6 percent of a terabyte," the company said in a blog post.
The plans in the trial markets where the company caps Internet data use will move from a 300 gigabyte plan to a terabyte on June 1, Comcast said.
Comcast's shares rose 25 cents to close at $61.30. Its shares have climbed 8 percent since the beginning of the year, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index has risen slightly more than 2 percent. The stock has risen almost 4 percent in the last 12 months.
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Elements of this story were generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CMCSA at http://www.zacks.com/ap/CMCSA
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Deal signs law allowing food stamps to freed drug offenders
ATLANTA (AP) Convicted drug offenders released from prison will become eligible for food stamps in Georgia this year under legislation signed by Republican Gov. Nathan Deal.
The provision is included in a broad criminal justice package Deal signed on Wednesday. Deal has prioritized changes to the courts and prison system during his two terms in office.
Deal said the entire package is focused on helping people obtain work and adjust to life after leaving the prison or probation system. He says changes to criminal justice during the last five years have a large effect on the lives of former inmates and their families.
'Be Here Now' film follows 'Spartacus' star's cancer fight
NEW YORK (AP) Andy Whitfield found himself on the fast track in Hollywood in 2010, thanks to a starring role in the Starz series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand." Then he was diagnosed with cancer.
He attacked the disease with the same tenacity he brought to the "Spartacus" role, ultimately undergoing 11 rounds of chemotherapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Whitfield also saw a greater opportunity. He and his wife, Vashti, allowed cameras to follow the highs and lows of what was to come.
FILE - In this April 5, 2016 file photo, Vashti Whitfield, widow of actor Andy Whitfield, poses at the premiere of the film "Be Here Now (The Andy Whitfield Story)," in Beverly Hills, Calif. Andy Whitfield died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2011. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
"It was kind of like handing it over," said Vashti Whitfield. "And so we just continued on, you know, with the journey day by day, month by month."
Whitfield died in 2011, 18 months after he was diagnosed with cancer, leaving behind his wife and two young children. He was 39.
Vashti decided to let the documentary, called "Be Here Now," move forward. A Kickstarter fundraiser to finish the film became the third most successful campaign in the crowd-sourcing site's history.
"A new beginning formed," said Vashti. "And so it felt just as appropriate and in fact even more important as Andy's legacy to share the continuum of his kids and our, I guess, healing. And moving on with life."
Vashti Whitfield, director Lilibet Foster and family friend, actor Jai Courtney ("Insurgent"), talked about "Be Here Now," playing in limited release, in recent interviews with The Associated Press.
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Associated Press: Vashti, were there any points during Andy's cancer battle that you wanted to stop filming?
Whitfield: There were moments for me where, honestly, I would've rather kind of, you know, plucked out my own eyelashes at the thought of the interview coming up. But I also knew that every time we did a one-on-one interview and all the times the cameras were with us, that it took you out of fear, it took you out of some of the thoughts that weren't necessarily supportive to being in the moment.
AP: What do you hope viewers will take away from the film besides Andy's courage in fighting cancer?
Foster: The love story. This incredible interplay that he and Vashti have with one another. They're extremely funny and I really wanted to capture that because I just thought it leapt out at me, so one of the things about the film is the story of the caregiver, and that's Vashti. And that's rarely told in stories like this, or under-told in many ways. So it's really about the two of them and this journey that they go on.
Courtney: I think what we're separating here is, you know, how he and Vashti decided to handle the circumstances. Cancer doesn't discriminate so the way they were able to create something out of a situation and do something extraordinary with it, is testament to their, you know, incredible force.
AP: Vashti, what's it like to watch the film now?
Whitfield: Look, for anybody that's been through losing somebody and understands the kind of different layers of grief, it's not linear. So, on one side, it's interesting because your whole nervous system responds to you now seeing something visually that recalls something that could almost make you feel like you literally want to burst into tears or throw up, it's so evocative, the memory. But that's actually for me subsided now, and so now when I watch the film I'm able to see all these different layers to it. You know, I'm able to enjoy hanging out with my husband and listen to his voice for two hours.
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Online:
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http://www.beherenowfilm.com/
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Follow Alicia Rancilio online at http://www.twitter.com/aliciar/
3 Flint Authorities Criminally Charged for Water Crisis: More to Come?
Politicians in Flint, Michigan are waiting and no doubt worrying. Last week criminal charges were filed against three men involved in the water crisis there. Mike Glasgow, Stephen Busch, and Mike Prysby face years in prison if convicted, according to CNN, and they are the first government workers criminally charged in relation to the water crisis.
Governor Rick Snyder responded to the move saying that due process will reveal whether anyone acted criminally. Indeed, that is the goal of the probe being led by State Attorney General Bill Schuette, who says that the charges filed last week are only the beginning of his investigation. "No one is above the law, not on my watch," Schuette said.
Notoriously Filthy
The water crisis began a couple of years ago when Flint officials decided to save money and switched the region's water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River, which is reportedly "a tribute notorious for its filth." The water in the Flint River was not treated and ate into the city's iron and lead pipes, poisoning the drinking water.
Residents have blamed lead in the pipes for recent health problems, including miscarriages for pregnant women and brain damage in young children. There are already several civil suits under way and residents hope that those who made the decisions that led to the water crisis will pay for the injuries.
Some Flint Residents expressed concern last week that the criminal charges filed against mid-ranking government officials would distract from the fact that the ultimate responsibility for these decisions should be at the top. Laura MacIntyre, a Flint resident and mother of three, told CNN she fears that "just two to three people who will take the fall for actions that have included many, many more people. It definitely goes much higher."
Governor and Residents
Meanwhile Governor Rick Snyder is playing an interesting game. He is simultaneously blaming bureaucrats for the decisions that happened in Flint but distinguishing between bad decision-making and criminality.
"What I've said consistently from the beginning is this tragic situation was the result of bad decisions by bureaucrats. Again, I always described it as people lacking common sense. This puts it in the context of criminal behavior," Snyder said. "Was it actually criminal?"
If Snyder is lucky, he will not find himself facing these questions himself over the course of this probe. But some Flint residents would like to see just that. Nakiya Wakes, who believes the contaminated water caused her to have two miscarriages, told CNN,"I won't rest until the governor is charged."
Accused?
If you have been charged with a crime, speak to an attorney today. Don't delay. Many lawyers consult for free or a minimal fee and will be happy to assess your case.
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UK Labour lawmaker suspended over anti-Israel comments
LONDON (AP) Britain's main opposition Labour Party, which has faced growing criticism over perceived anti-Semitism in its ranks, suspended a lawmaker on Wednesday for making anti-Israel posts on social media before she was elected to Parliament.
The party said Naz Shah had been barred from taking part in the party's activities or in participating in the grouping of Labour lawmakers in Parliament.
Shah was under pressure over comments including a 2014 Facebook post in which she shared a graphic that showed the outline of Israel superimposed on a map of the U.S. under the headline "Solution for Israel-Palestine Conflict - Relocate Israel into United States."
Britain's Labour MP Naz Shah makes a statement in the House of Commons, London, Wednesday April 27, 2016. Britain's main opposition Labour Party has suspended Shah for making anti-Israel posts on social media before she was elected to Parliament. (Parliament TV/ PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT - NO SALES - NO ARCHIVES
She was elected to Parliament last year for Bradford West, a northern England constituency with a large Muslim population. Her 2014 posts were re-published this week by a right-wing political blogger.
In a statement to the House of Commons on Wednesday, Shah said she "wholeheartedly" apologized.
"I accept and understand that the words I used caused upset and hurt to the Jewish community and I deeply regret that," she said. "Anti-Semitism is racism, full stop."
Shah also wrote in Jewish News that she wished to make an "unequivocal apology for statements and ideas that I have foolishly endorsed in the past."
Shah had already resigned as an aide to Labour economy spokesman John McDonnell and been reprimanded by party leader Jeremy Corbyn.
But Jewish groups and some Labour supporters say Corbyn hasn't done enough to clamp down on anti-Semitism in the party. He comes from Labour's left wing, which has strong ties to the pro-Palestinian movement.
Some Labour lawmakers also accused him of dithering for at first declining to suspend Shah, then changing his mind.
Man killed in gunfire exchange with Virginia police officers
CHESAPEAKE, Va. (AP) Police in Virginia say a man is dead after exchanging gunfire with officers and shooting a female relative.
Police said in a news release Wednesday that two officers went to 26-year-old Joshua Brooks' home in Chesapeake late Tuesday to take him into custody for a mental health evaluation and a woman answered the door.
Police say Brooks come in the back door, fired a round and then continued to fire as he came around front, where he shot the woman as she ran. Police say Brooks fired toward officers and was shot himself.
Police say Brooks later died at a hospital. The woman was treated and released.
Female suicide bomber hits Turkish city, wounds at least 13
ISTANBUL (AP) A female suicide bomber blew herself up in a historic district of Turkey's fourth largest city on Wednesday, wounding 13 people, according to officials.
The assailant was "aged about 25" and only fragments were left of her body after the attack in the city of Bursa, said Turkey's health minister, Mehmet Muezzinoglu.
He said 13 individuals were wounded in the attack but none of them were in critical condition. Another seven people sought medical attention over ear pain and hearing problems as a consequence of the blast.
An injured person sits in an ambulance after a suicide bomb attack outside the historical tourist destination at Ulu Cami in Bursa, Turkey, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The office of the governor of Bursa said in a statement carried by the state-owned Anadolu Agency that a woman believed to be a suicide bomber blew herself up. (IHA agency via AP ) TURKEY OUT
Turkey, which is facing growing blowback from the conflict in Syria and renewed conflict with Kurdish militants, has recently witnessed an uptick of such attacks. In the past year, more than 200 people across the country have been killed in seven suicide bombings, including Wednesday's.
Bursa Governor Munir Karaloglu said authorities were still trying to determine the identity and affiliation of the attacker. He denied reports that two other accomplices were seen fleeing the scene, saying they were citizens fleeing in panic and that the woman acted alone.
The explosion ripped through an area that is home to an Ottoman-era mosque and bazaar in the northwestern city, which is a popular tourist destination for both locals and foreigners. Turkish TV channels broadcast footage of people fleeing the area as police and ambulances rushed to the scene.
The attack occurred a day after the United States issued a new warning to its citizens about "credible indications" of terrorist threats against tourist areas in Turkey.
Kurdish militants, who have been fighting state security forces in a renewed conflict in the southeast, have claimed two such attacks recently.
But the main perpetrator, according to Turkish authorities, has been the Islamic State group, which controls territory in neighboring Syria and Iraq. The extremist group is known to have cells in Turkey but never claimed responsibility for any of the suicide attacks on Turkish soil.
Speaking in Ankara before traveling to Qatar, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu stressed "these terror attacks will not cause Turkey to step of back from its resolute stance to fight terrorism."
Turkey is a member of the U.S.-led coalition against IS, allowing allied jets to carry out bombing runs against the militants from its bases. Turkish tanks periodically fire at IS targets in Syria in response to cross-border missiles which have claimed 18 lives in the border town of Kilis this year.
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Fraser reported from Ankara.
Security forensic officials work after an explosion outside the historical Ulu Cami in Bursa, Turkey, Wednesday, April 27, 2016.Turkish officials say a suicide attack has hit the northwestern city of Bursa, a popular tourist destination. A security official told The Associated Press the attack Wednesday was carried out by suicide bomber. (DHA agency via AP ) TURKEY OUT
Security officials secure the area after an explosion outside the historical Ulu Cami in Bursa, Turkey, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Turkish officials say a suicide attack has hit the northwestern city of Bursa, a popular tourist destination. A security official told The Associated Press the attack Wednesday was carried out by suicide bomber. (IHA agency via AP ) TURKEY OUT
Security officials secure the area after an explosion outside the historical Ulu Cami in Bursa, Turkey, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Turkish officials say a suicide attack has hit the northwestern city of Bursa, a popular tourist destination. A security official told The Associated Press the attack Wednesday was carried out by suicide bomber. (IHA agency via AP ) TURKEY OUT
UN chief urges nuclear test ban treaty ratification
VIENNA (AP) U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged the U.S. and seven other nations to ratify the treaty banning nuclear weapons testing so that the agreement can take effect.
Ban was speaking Wednesday at 20th-anniversary commemorations of the Vienna-based CTBTO, the U.N. organization created to monitor adherence to the treaty.
But all 44 nations that participated in treaty negotiations and possess nuclear reactors must ratify the agreement before it enters into force. Besides the U.S., China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Pakistan and North Korea, which has actively resumed testing, still need to do so.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon speaks during the 20th anniversary celebration of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization, CTBTO, at the UN headquarters in Vienna, Austria, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)
Ban called on those countries "to sign and ratify the treaty without further delay."
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon speaks during the 20th anniversary celebration of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization, CTBTO, at UN headquarters in Vienna, Austria, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon speaks during a press conference as part of a meeting with Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz at the foreign ministry in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)
Maine governor apologizes for abruptly leaving ceremony
FARMINGTON, Maine (AP) Maine Gov. Paul LePage has apologized for abruptly leaving a ceremony at the University of Maine at Farmington. He also vowed Wednesday to avoid such events in the future to avoid creating a distraction.
LePage issued the statement a day after he cut short his address and called a pair of student demonstrators "idiots."
He apologized to the current university president and the former president, Theodora Kalikow, for whom a building was being dedicated.
University of Maine in Farmington students Allyson Hammond, center left, and Nickolas Bray hold up anti-LePage posters during the dedication with feature speaker Maine Gov. Paul LePage for the Theodora Kalikow Education Center in Farmington, Maine, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Republican Gov. LePage cut short an address at the university after being confronted by the two students holding signs critical of him and called the students "idiots." (David Leaming/The Central Maine Morning Sentinel via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
One of the signs held by the students read "LePage: Maine's shame." The other was fashioned as a report card that gave LePage an "F'' on environmental issues.
Ally Hammond, one of the student protesters, told the Sun Journal that the Republican governor has "a lot of pent up anger going on in there."
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Suit seeks records tied to Ike's anti-gay order
WASHINGTON (AP) A gay rights group sued the Justice Department on Wednesday for failing to produce hundreds of pages of documents related to a 1953 order signed by President Dwight Eisenhower that empowered federal agencies to investigate and fire employees thought to be gay.
The suit in U.S. District Court accuses the government of conducting an inadequate search for the material and of groundlessly withholding some records on the basis of national security.
Executive Order 10450 allowed broad categories of federal workers, including those with criminal records, drug addiction and "sexual perversion," to be singled out for scrutiny and termination as threats to national security. Suspicions of homosexuality led to between 7,000 and 10,000 workers losing their jobs in the 1950s alone, according to one estimate cited in a 2014 report from the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board.
FILE - In this Dec. 10, 1958 file photo, President Dwight Eisenhower speaks during a news conference in Washington. A gay rights group sued the Justice Department on Wednesday, April 27, 2017, for failing to produce hundreds of pages of documents related to a 1953 order signed by President Dwight Eisenhower that empowered federal agencies to investigate and fire employees thought to be gay. (AP Photo/Bill Allen, File)
"We want to know, and history needs to know, how this thing was administered and how it was enforced, and what was the dynamic inside the Justice Department and the FBI driving" it, said Charles Francis, president of the Mattachine Society. The gay rights research and education organization has sought to obtain the records since 2013.
"This is an issue of public importance how your government treats people who work for it, how your government has historically targeted people based on their LGBT status and destroyed their lives," said Paul Thompson, a partner at McDermott Will and Emery LLP, the law firm that filed the Freedom of Information Act suit. "People are paying attention to this right now."
Justice Department spokeswoman Nicole Navas declined to comment.
Eisenhower's order came at a time of widespread anti-gay discrimination authorized at the highest levels of government, including a 1950 Senate subcommittee report that concluded that gays were unsuitable as federal employees.
Under a "sex deviate program" put in place by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, agents were directed to "completely and fully" investigate anything about a prospective employee's sexual orientation developed during background checks. A May 1950 FBI bulletin to local police agencies told officers to make a notation on arrest fingerprint cards if anyone they arrested on suspicion of being a "sex deviate" worked for the federal government. The FBI collected copies of the fingerprint cards.
"In other words, by the time of Eisenhower's election in November 1952, Hoover already was amassing a cache of information to use against homosexual employees of the federal government," the lawsuit states. "And he was using state and local police as his deputies to gather it."
The executive order went a step further by effectively approving of the investigation and firing of federal workers believed to be gay.
The government now makes it explicitly illegal to discriminate against federal employees on the basis of sexual orientation. President Barack Obama in 2014 signed an executive order to prohibit federal contractors from discriminating against gay workers, though he lamented that being gay can still be a fireable offense "in too many states and too many workplaces."
While the government's position has changed dramatically since the 1950s, debate about the scope of LGBT rights persists in state legislatures and courthouses. Francis said the documents sought in the suit would help reveal early and overt anti-gay bias that lingers in some corners.
"The evidentiary history is critical to see the roots of the animus," he said.
Documents culled from the National Archives, libraries and other sources have shed light on the order, as have several hundred pages already disclosed by the Justice Department. But Francis' group believes hundreds of additional pages that have been withheld could help flesh out the portrait.
"We put the puzzle together but we're still missing an ocean of material," he said.
The organization requested documents in January 2013, including all correspondence involving Warren Burger, a senior Justice Department official tasked with helping enforce the order who later become chief justice of the Supreme Court.
The FBI has invoked multiple exemptions to the public records law, including a provision that protects against the disclosure of classified information for national security reasons an assertion Thompson said he "particularly troubling" because national security was the rationale of the order in the first place.
"What the lawsuit is for us is the final step in us saying, 'No, we really are serious'," Thompson said. "We are serious, and we're not going to stop until we feel like we have exhausted all possible avenues to obtain these records."
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Rio gets Olympic flame 100 days before games
ATHENS, Greece (AP) The Olympic flame was handed to organizers of the Rio de Janeiro Games in Athens on Wednesday, 100 days before the opening ceremony in Brazil.
Dressed as a high priestess, actress Katerina Lehou led the brief ceremony at the Panathenian Stadium, a horseshoe-shaped marble venue where the first modern Olympics were held in 1896.
Lehou, who lit the flame in Ancient Olympia last week, used a torch to light a cauldron inside the Athens stadium.
Rowing World Champion Katerina Nikolaidou of Greece lights the cauldron during the handover ceremony for the Olympic Flame at Panathinean stadium in Athens, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The flame arrives in Brazil on May 3, and will be relayed across the vast country by about 12,000 torchbearers before the Aug. 5 opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
The flame, placed in a lantern, was handed over to Greek Olympic Committee president Spyros Kapralos, who, in turn, passed it to Rio Games organizing head Carlos Nuzman.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who is fighting impeachment over allegations of erroneous budget figures, declined an invitation to visit Greece for the lighting ceremony and start of the Olympic torch's six-day journey around Greece.
During the Aug. 5-21 Games, Nuzman said, Brazilians would come together in celebration.
"Our mission, dear friends, is bigger than Brazil itself. We represent all the peoples of South America," he told a crowd of several thousand Athenians.
In a highlight of the Greek torch relay, the flame made a symbolic stop Tuesday at a United Nations-run refugee camp in Athens. The torch was carried by Syrian refugee Ibrahim Al-Hussein.
After Wednesday's ceremony, the flame will travel to Switzerland, where it will visit the United Nations building in Geneva and the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.
The flame will reach Brazil next Tuesday, starting in the capital of Brasilia. Organizers say it will reach most of the vast country's 200 million population, covering 20,000 kilometers (12,000 miles) by road and 16,000 kilometers (10,000 miles) by air to reach hundreds of cities and towns in a giant effort involving 12,000 torchbearers.
The torch will reach Rio's Maracana Stadium for the opening ceremony on Aug. 5.
"We will take the Olympic experience to every corner of our country, to every state capital," Nuzman said. "When you arrive in Rio there will plenty of music, poetry and excitement. ... Rio is ready to deliver history."
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This story has been corrected to show the name of the Greek actress who played the role of high priestess at the ceremony is Katerina Lehou, not Keterina Lechou.
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Rowing World Champion Katerina Nikolaidou of Greece pauses after lighting the cauldron during the handover ceremony for the Olympic Flame at Panathinean stadium in Athens, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The flame arrives in Brazil on May 3, and will be relayed across the vast country by about 12,000 torchbearers before the Aug. 5 opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Rio 2016 organizing committee president Carlos Nuzman, right, holds a torch with the Olympic Flame as the head of Greece's Olympic Committee, Spyros Capralos applauds during the handover ceremony at Panathinean stadium in Athens, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The flame arrives in Brazil on May 3, and will be relayed across the vast country by about 12,000 torchbearers before the Aug. 5 opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Rio 2016 organizing committee president Carlos Nuzman, right, holds a torch with the Olympic Flame as the head of Greece's Olympic Committee, Spyros Capralos applauds during the handover ceremony at Panathinean stadium in Athens, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The flame arrives in Brazil on May 3, and will be relayed across the vast country by about 12,000 torchbearers before the Aug. 5 opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Cruz' ex co-chair in Virginia heads to Syria, praises Assad
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Sen. Ted Cruz's former campaign co-chairman in Virginia has traveled to Syria and promised support for the government of President Bashar Assad, who U.S. officials have repeatedly said has lost the legitimacy to rule the war-torn country.
Virginia state Sen. Dick Black's trip to a Middle Eastern country in the midst of a civil war and his comments in the face of official U.S. foreign policy are highly unusual for a state lawmaker.
Black, an outspoken Republican, is a part-time state senator who has no role in official U.S. foreign policy. Still, he has met with Assad government officials and said he would advocate for better relationships between Assad and the U.S., according to the official Syrian news agency.
FILE - In a Nov. 10, 2007 file photo, Republican House of Representatives hopeful Dick Black speaks at a convention held by the Republican 1st District Congressional Committee in Milford, Va. The official Syrian news agency says Wednesday, April 27, 2016, that Virginia state Sen. Republican Dick Black is touring the war-torn country and meeting with officials from Syrian President Bashar Assads government. Black arrived in Syria on Tuesday for a three-day visit, according to The Syrian Arab News Agency. (Peter Cihelka/The Free Lance-Star via AP)
"I will be Syria's voice," Black said, according to the news agency.
An aide to Black said Wednesday evening that Black resigned as co-chair of the Cruz campaign in Virginia shortly before his trip. In a resignation letter dated April 21 the aide provided to The Associated Press, Black said he was resigning to "avoid any possible distraction" related to his trip.
In the letter, Black said he was traveling to Syria "in an attempt to restore peace and prevent the slaughter of Christians and other minorities at the hands of the armies of terrorists rampaging across the country."
Black has been strong advocate for Cruz and was recently elected to serve as a Cruz-supporting Virginia delegate at the Republican National Committee's convention this summer.
Unlike his GOP rivals, Cruz has been less than eager to use military force to take out the Assad government.
"If we are to defeat our enemies we need to be clear-eyed that toppling a government and allowing radical Islamic terrorists to take over a nation is not benefiting our national security interests," Cruz said at the Republican Jewish Coalition forum in December, referring to President Barack Obama's Syria policy goals. "Putting ISIS or Al Qaeda or the Muslim Brotherhood in charge of yet another state in the Middle East is not benefiting our national security."
The Cruz campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment about Black's trip to Syria.
Black is one of the most vocal social conservatives in Virginia's General Assembly, and has drawn national attention for his opposition to abortion and gay rights. The former Vietnam War veteran and military lawyer dismayed Republican leaders in 2003 by sending fellow lawmakers small, plastic likenesses of a fetus to underscore his opposition toward abortion.
The state senator raised eyebrows in 2014 when he sent a letter to Assad praising him. It was posted on the Syrian president's Facebook page.
Black is expected to meet with Assad during his visit, the Syrian newspaper Al-Watan reported.
Syria's conflict began with mostly peaceful protests in 2011, but a brutal government crackdown and the rise of an armed insurgency eventually plunged the country into a full-blown civil war. The fighting has killed more than 250,000 people, according to the United Nations, which stopped tracking casualties several months ago.
Last year, Black said the Virginia Capitol Police alerted him to a threat against him by the Islamic State for his support of Assad. The state senator was featured in a magazine published by the Islamic state.
Black posted a link on Twitter on Wednesday to article written by an Iranian state-run TV news agency, which quoted Black as saying the Syrian civil war would "come to an end if the U.S. stops training terrorist in Jordan, Saudi Arabia" and other countries.
U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Black "is entitled to his views, but they do not reflect this administration's policy on Syria."
Black met with a Lebanese Christian politician allied with the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group, which is fighting alongside Assad's forces in Syria, the TV news agency reported.
Both the Iranian state-run TV news agency and the official Syrian news agency erroneously referred to Black as a U.S. senator.
Word of Black's travels drew mockery from political opponents.
"Doesn't surprise me one bit," said Virginia Senate Minority Leader Dick Saslaw. He added that Black shouldn't be trying to meddle in foreign affairs and said Republicans "would be raising holy hell if the situation was reversed."
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Associated Press News Director Zeina Karam in Beirut and Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.
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A look at key events in Syria since March 2011
A cease-fire that for two months brought relief to war-stricken Syrians has effectively collapsed, particularly in northern Syria, which has seen intense fighting and a military buildup. Here are some of the key events in the conflict:
March 2011: Protests erupt in the city of Daraa over security forces' detention of a group of boys accused of painting anti-government graffiti on the walls of their school. On March 15, a protest is held in Damascus' Old City. On March 18, security forces open fire on a protest in Daraa, killing four people in what activists regard as the first deaths of the uprising. Demonstrations spread, as does the crackdown by President Bashar Assad's forces.
April 2011: Security forces raid a sit-in in Syria's third-largest city, Homs, where thousands of people tried to create the mood of Cairo's Tahrir Square, the epicenter of protests against Egypt's autocrat Hosni Mubarak.
FILE -- In this Sunday, April 24, 2016, file photo made from video posted online by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, a man helps an injured man as others stand in rubble after airstrikes and shelling hit Aleppo, Syria. A military buildup in northern Syria coupled with heavy fighting and mounting civilian casualties spells the end of a cease-fire that for two months brought much needed relief to war-stricken Syrians, ushering in what could be an even more ruinous chapter in the country's five-year-old conflict. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP video, File)
June 2011: Police and soldiers in Jisr al-Shughour in northeastern Syria join protesters they were ordered to shoot, and the uprising claims control of a town for the first time. Elite government troops, tanks and helicopters retake the town within days.
August 2011: President Barack Obama calls on Assad to resign and orders Syrian government assets frozen.
July 2012: A bombing at the Syrian national security building in Damascus during a high-level government crisis meeting kills four top officials, including Assad's brother-in-law and the defense minister.
Summer 2012: Fighting spreads to Aleppo, Syria's largest city and its former commercial capital.
August 2012: Kofi Annan quits as U.N.-Arab League envoy after his attempts to broker a cease-fire failed. Obama says the use of chemical weapons in Syria would be a "red line" that would change his thinking about military action.
March 2013: After advancing in the north, rebel forces capture Raqqa, a city of 500,000 people on the Euphrates River and the first major population center to be controlled by the opposition.
May-June 2013: Backed by thousands of Lebanese Hezbollah fighters, Assad's forces re-capture the strategic town of Qusair from rebels, near the border with Lebanon.
August-September 2013: A chemical weapons attack in the Damascus suburbs kills hundreds. Obama, blaming Assad's government, says the U.S. has a responsibility to respond and puts it up to a vote in Congress. Russia proposes instead that Syria give up its chemical weapons, averting military strikes.
January 2014: Infighting among rebels spreads, pitting a variety of Islamic groups and moderate factions against the al-Qaida-breakaway Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
February 2014: Two rounds of peace talks led by U.N.-Arab League mediator Lakhdar Brahimi in Geneva end without a breakthrough.
May 9, 2014: Rebels withdraw from the old quarter of the central city of Homs in a significant symbolic victory for the government.
May 13, 2014: Brahimi resigns as U.N.-Arab League envoy to Syria, marking a second failure by the United Nations and Arab League to end the civil war.
June 3, 2014: Assad re-elected to a seven-year term in elections held in government areas and condemned by the opposition.
June 2014: The Islamic State group, as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is now known, seizes large parts of northern and western Iraq. In control of around a third of Syria and Iraq, it declares a self-styled Islamic caliphate.
July 3, 2014: Islamic State group takes control of Syria's largest oil field, al-Omar, after fierce battles with the Nusra Front, al-Qaida's branch in Syria.
Aug. 19, 2014: Islamic State militants release video of the beheading of American journalist James Foley, the first of five Westerners to be beheaded by the IS group.
Mid-September 2014: IS begins offensive to take Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani, on the Turkish border.
Sept. 23, 2014: U.S.-led coalition begins airstrikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria.
January 2015: U.N. estimates Syria's conflict has killed at least 220,000 people and uprooted nearly a third of the prewar population of 23 million from their homes.
Jan. 26, 2015: With the help of U.S.-led airstrikes, Kurdish fighters take control of Kobani.
Feb. 3, 2015: IS releases a video of captured Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kaseasbeh being burned to death in a cage.
__ March 28, 2015: The northwestern city of Idlib falls to Islamist groups led by the Nusra Front.
__ May 6, 2015: President Bashar Assad acknowledges serious setbacks for his military.
__ Sept. 30, 2015: Russia begins launching airstrikes in Syria in support of Assad's forces.
__ Nov. 14, 2015: Seventeen nations meeting in Vienna adopt a timeline for a transition plan in Syria that includes a new constitution as well as U.N.-administered parliamentary and presidential elections within 18 months.
__ Dec. 18, 2015: The U.N. Security Council adopts resolution 2254 endorsing the Vienna road map.
__ Feb. 3: Indirect peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition in Geneva collapse a few days after starting, over a Russian-backed Syrian army offensive in Aleppo.
__ Feb. 27: A U.S. and Russia engineered partial cease-fire comes into effect in Syria.
__March 14: A new round of indirect peace talks resumes in Geneva and ends 10 days later with no breakthrough.
__April 13: Syria holds parliamentary elections in government-held parts of the country.
__ April 27: Another round of indirect peace talks in Geneva ends with no breakthrough. Fighting and a military buildup in the north spell the end of the cease-fire, although none of the parties formally renounce it.
Cleveland Settles With Tamir Rice's Family for $6M
Cleveland will pay Tamir Rice's family $6 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit after Rice was shot and killed by a police officer in 2014. It represents the city's largest settlement in a police-related lawsuit, but the city admitted no wrongdoing in the 12-year-old's shooting, which occurred while he was playing with a toy gun in a park.
The settlement is on par with other police misconduct claims nationwide, and was a long time coming for the Rice family.
The Cost of Police Misconduct
Cities from coast to coast have been paying seven-figures settle claims of police misconduct and wrongful death:
Baltimore paid $6.4 million after Freddie Gray died from a spinal cord injury during a "rough ride" while in police custody;
New York City paid $5.9 million after Eric Garner was choked to death by police officers attempting to arrest him;
Oakland paid $4.5 million after Occupy protestor Scott Olsen suffered a fractured skull from a bean bag projectile fired by police; and
Atlanta paid $4.9 million after 92-year-ol Kathryn Johnson was shot during a botched drug raid on her home.
Although accusations of police misconduct are not unique to Cleveland, the Department of Justice completed an investigation last year that found the Cleveland Division of Police (CDP) "engages in a pattern or practice of the use of excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution."
The Loss of a Loved One
Attorneys representing Rice's estate, Jonathan S. Abady and Earl S. Ward, released a statement saying, "no amount of money can adequately compensate" the boy's family: "In a situation like this, there's no such thing as closure or justice ... Nothing will bring Tamir back. His unnecessary and premature death leaves a gaping hole for those who knew and loved him that can never be filled."
Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson said the settlement was "not easy for me personally or the city in general," but was necessary to protect "the rights of the city and its taxpayers." "At the end of the day," he said, "a 12-year-old child lost their life, and that should not have happened in the city of Cleveland. It should not have happened."
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PICTURED: Highlights of the 2016 race for the White House
The candidates in the race for the White House are making their case to voters across the country in a fight to win the Republican and Democratic nominations. Here's a look, as seen in the images made by The Associated Press photographers on the campaign trail.
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See the latest AP photo galleries: http://apne.ws/TXeCBN
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton smiles at her presidential primary election night rally, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
The Archive: Top photo highlights from previous weeks: http://apne.ws/13QUFKJ
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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump waves after speaking during a primary night event Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., pauses as he speaks during an election night campaign event at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Huntington, W.Va. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., pauses as the crowd cheers during an election night campaign event at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Huntington, W.Va. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump makes his way along a line of supporters before speaking during a primary night news conference, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton accompanied by former President Bill Clinton walks to stage at her presidential primary election night rally, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Donnie Smith cheers as Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., soeaks during an election night campaign event at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Huntington, W.Va. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton stands with former President Bill Clinton at her presidential primary election night rally, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a primary night news conference, Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during a rally at the Hoosier Gym in Knightstown, Ind., Tuesday, April 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
China sends 4 planeloads of aid to quake-ravaged Ecuador
QUITO, Ecuador (AP) China's government has sent four plane loads of aid worth over $9 million to tens of thousands left homeless by this month's powerful earthquake in Ecuador
Ecuador's Defense and Foreign Ministers on Wednesday welcomed the arrival of the Air China cargo planes carrying 10,000 foldable beds, 5,400 tents and other supplies.
China is Ecuador's biggest creditor and last year alone lent the struggling oil-producing nation $7.5 billion.
In this Wednesday, April 20, 2016 photo, neighbors Carlos Bardales, left, and Cesar Filay, share a mattress as they sleep outside their collapsed homes damaged by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake, in Manta, Ecuador. Hundreds of aftershocks have rattled the country since last Saturday night's quake and Ecuadoreans are still sleeping outside and struggling to find food and water. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
"Before, China and Ecuador were perfect strangers, but now our relation has strengthened in cultural, social and political areas," Foreign Minister Guillaume Long said at Quito's airport surrounded by bright red Chinese flags and accompanied by China's Ambassador to the South American nation. "The Ecuadorean people will remember this show of generosity from the people and government of China."
The U.S. in contrast says it has provided $2.6 million in humanitarian assistance, including an airlift of 80 tons of supplies as well as the deployment of a team of disaster-response experts to hard-hit areas.
Sheriff: Boy used father's pistol to accidentally kill self
DALLAS, Ga. (AP) Officials say a 3-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed himself with his father's pistol.
Sgt. Ashley Henson of the Paulding County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday that forensic pathologists and detectives determined the gunshot wound to the chest was consistent with an accidental and self-inflicted wound.
Henson said in a statement that Holston Cole used his father David's semi-automatic pistol to shoot himself Tuesday.
David Cole called 911 and told a dispatcher that his son got the gun from the father's book bag.
Henson said deputies were called to the home in Dallas, Georgia, on Tuesday morning and found Holston with a gunshot wound. Henson says the deputies performed CPR and he was pronounced dead at WellStar Paulding Hospital.
Mock group becomes surprise election success in Serbian town
MLADENOVAC, Serbia (AP) A young man poses as a sleazy, bejeweled politician in a white suit, sitting atop a white horse surrounded by hordes of bodyguards while promising jobs and prosperity to the voters.
Luka Maksimovic and his friends started out to have fun, but the young pranksters have become a sensation and have been elected to office after finishing second in a local vote in a run-down industrial town in central Serbia.
The success of the rookie citizens' group at last weekend's election in Mladenovac, outside Belgrade, seems to reflect widespread disillusionment with politicians in crisis-stricken Serbia and the desire for new, young faces still untouched by the corruption that has plagued all aspects of the Balkan country's political scene.
Luka Maksimovic poses as a sleazy, bejeweled politician in a white suit, speaks with people at the green market in the town of Mladenovac, outside Belgrade, Serbia, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Maksimovic started the campaign with his a friends as a joke but now they have been elected to local government office after placing second in the local election. This is a satire, a show, but it turned out that people responded to it, Maksimovic said. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Maksimovic and his friends said the election outcome surprised them as well.
"This is quite a shock. None of us are experienced politicians," the 24-year-old media and communications student told The Associated Press. "It all started out as a joke. ... We wanted to make video clips mocking Serbia's political scene."
Maksimovic described his alter ego Ljubisa Preletacevic Beli as the worst possible version of a typical Serbian politician: He is loud and dishonest, owns a shady business and obeys no rules. He promises jobs and better lives, but never delivers.
During campaigning, Preletacevic parodied Serbia's political reality: bare-chested, he saved children from imaginary danger, posed with small animals in his arms, handed out forged university diplomas and promised healthier sandwiches than his opponents.
Even the name Preletacevic is symbolic. The English translation would be something like "Switchover" suggesting that he switches political parties easily for personal gains. His closest aide Sticker is sticking to his boss without asking questions.
"This is a satire, a show, but it turned out that people responded to it," Maksimovic said.
The group's election list, dubbed "Hit it Hard Beli," won 20 percent of the votes, or 13 out of 50 or so seats in the municipal council behind the ruling coalition of Prime Minister Aleskandar Vucic's populist Progressive Party but ahead of all the opposition parties in Mladenovac.
The future council members from the list include Preletacevic and Sticker, but also independent activists determined to help change the situation in their town and serve as a control mechanism for the work of the local authorities, Maksimovic said.
Draza Petrovic, the editor-in-chief of the liberal Danas daily and a satirical columnist, said the happenings in Mladenovac show that citizens increasingly have been turning to irony and satire as a form of opposition to the dismal reality of their everyday lives.
"People are looking for opposition leaders among the people who are not part of the political establishment and who are fun," Petrovic said. "They are definitely disappointed with official politics."
Petrovic predicted that the Mladenovac group could set an example for other Serbian towns and future elections.
Amid Serbia's recent economic crisis, Mladenovac has turned from an industrial hub into a worn-out town, where many of the 20,000 residents have been left without jobs after factories closed one after another.
The situation is similar throughout the country, even though Serbia has recently made advances in its bid to one day join the European Union.
Out in the streets, Mladenovac citizens laugh and wave as a cheerful, blue-eyed Preletacevic walks the town in his white suit, his hair bundled on top of his head.
"At least, he jokes," said 63-year-old Dusan Glisic, who is jobless. "The others pretend to be serious, but they most certainly have been kidding with us."
Emergency nurse Emilija Milosevic, 43, described Maksimovic as a "real refreshment which brings hope that people can actually use their brains."
Maksimovic and his friends said that although they started in mockery, they will take their roles seriously. Maksimovic promises to keep an eye on municipal spending and make local strongmen uneasy.
"I will be there in my white suit, to remind the others who they really are," Maksimovic said. "We are there now and that's it, like a destiny or something."
Luka Maksimovic, in white suit, walks with his associates through the Green Market posing as a sleazy, bejeweled politician in a white suit, in the town of Mladenovac, outside Belgrade, Serbia, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Maksimovic started the campaign with his a friends as a joke but now they have been elected to local government office after placing second in the local election. This is a satire, a show, but it turned out that people responded to it, Maksimovic said. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Luka Maksimovic poses for photo with sympathizers as he poses as a sleazy, bejeweled politician in a white suit, speaks with local people in the town of Mladenovac, outside Belgrade, Serbia, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Maksimovic started the campaign with his a friends as a joke but now they have been elected to local government office after placing second in the local election. This is a satire, a show, but it turned out that people responded to it, Maksimovic said. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Luka Maksimovic, centre, poses as a sleazy, bejeweled politician in a white suit with his closest fellow Stefan Gajic, known as Sticker, left, take a selfie with a sympathizer in the town of Mladenovac, outside Belgrade, Serbia, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Maksimovic started the campaign with his a friends as a joke but now they have been elected to local government office after placing second in the local election. This is a satire, a show, but it turned out that people responded to it, Maksimovic said. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
4 Germans on trial accused of plan to attack migrant shelter
BERLIN (AP) Four people have appeared in a German court accused of "forming a terrorist organization" and planning to attack a refugee shelter.
The three men and one woman were arrested last May in raids across Germany.
Prosecutors accuse them of creating a group that called itself "Oldschool Society" and planning to use improvised explosives packed with nails that could have caused deaths.
Member of the right-wing terror group Oldschool Society Markus W. (no second name given due to German law) covers his face as he is led into a courtroom in Munich, southern Germany, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. (Sven Hoppe/Pool Photo via AP)
The trial at the Munich regional court is scheduled to last until October.
Police: Officer shoots, kills man with machete or knife
DECATUR, Ga. (AP) Police in metro Atlanta say an officer shot and killed a man who appeared to have a knife or machete during a confrontation with the officer.
Deputy Chief Cornelius Yarbro of the DeKalb County police tells WSB-TV (2wsb.tv/1Wq9eTE) it happened Wednesday morning.
Police said the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating the circumstances of the shooting.
The names of the officer and the man who was killed were not immediately released, and few other details were available early Wednesday afternoon.
Advocates hold NYC protest over price of pneumonia vaccine
NEW YORK (AP) Doctors Without Borders protested the price of pneumonia vaccines Wednesday by leading a march through midtown Manhattan and delivering a crib filled with flowers to a pharmaceutical company.
About 70 people walked silently and in single file to Pfizer's headquarters, where they placed 2,500 flowers in a crib as though laying tribute on a coffin. The flowers represented the number of children who die from pneumonia every day.
The crib was inscribed with the names of more than 370,000 people from 170 countries who had signed a petition for Pfizer Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline PLC, the two companies with pneumonia vaccine patents, to reduce the price of a round of vaccination from $10 per child to $5. Organizers then hauled the crib over to Pfizer representatives instead of handing them the petition on paper. Thousands more people signed the petition later Wednesday, the group said.
Activists line up to put flowers in crib in front of Pfizer world headquarters in New York, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The crib filled with flowers, organized by Doctors Without Borders, was delivered to Pfizer with a petition demanding that the pharmaceutical company lower the cost of the pneumonia vaccine. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Advocates especially want cheaper versions to be available in poor countries and for humanitarian groups.
"Pfizer understands the importance of making vaccines available to as many people as possible," the company said in a statement. "Prevenar 13 is one of the most complex biologics ever developed and it takes 2.5 years to make a single dose."
The company said it provides the vaccine to eligible countries at a deep discount.
"We continue to help address humanitarian crises through donations of Prevenar 13 to humanitarian organizations and are in active discussions with additional humanitarian organizations to determine if more supply is needed," it said.
Fifty-four countries are currently eligible for the deep discounts, according to The Vaccine Alliance.
A plan to reduce the price in those countries to $9.30 for a 3-dose round of vaccine amounts to a "paltry" savings; and a "vast swath" of developing countries, including Syria, Libya and multiple Latin American countries, won't be eligible, said Kate Elder, Doctors Without Borders' vaccines policy adviser.
A round of pneumonia vaccinations in the U.S. costs about $465 per child, she said.
Nearly 1 million children die from pneumonia every year. That number could be reduced "significantly" by lowering the price of the vaccine, which prevents most but not all strains of the disease, Doctors Without Borders spokesman Francois Servranckx said.
"It makes me sad when children die for reasons beyond our control, and it makes me angry when they die from diseases that are treatable or preventable," said Deane Marchbein, the president of the U.S. board of directors for Doctors Without Borders.
The medical aid group said Pfizer had $6 billion in sales of the pneumonia vaccine in the last year, and the group has been trying to negotiate the vaccine price for the last six years.
Protesters converged on Pfizer headquarters a day before the drug company's shareholders meeting.
Last month, Doctors Without Borders filed a challenge to Pfizer's patent application in India, saying it would prevent companies from making more affordable pneumonia vaccines.
Activists deliver a petition in a crib filled with flowers to Pfizer world headquarters in New York, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The crib delivery, organized by Doctors Without Borders, contained a petition demanding that the pharmaceutical company lower the cost of the pneumonia vaccine. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Security personnel at Pfizer headquarter take a crib filled with flowers and a petition into the building in New York, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The crib delivery, organized by Doctors Without Borders, contained a petition demanding that the pharmaceutical company lower the cost of the pneumonia vaccine. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Activists put flowers in crib in front of Pfizer world headquarters in New York, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The crib filled with flowers, organized by Doctors Without Borders, was delivered to Pfizer with a petition demanding that the pharmaceutical company lower the cost of the pneumonia vaccine. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Activists line up to put flowers in crib in front of Pfizer world headquarters in New York, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The crib filled with flowers, organized by Doctors Without Borders, was delivered to Pfizer with a petition demanding that the pharmaceutical company lower the cost of the pneumonia vaccine. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Activists line up to put flowers in crib in front of Pfizer world headquarters in New York, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The crib filled with flowers, organized by Doctors Without Borders, was delivered to Pfizer with a petition demanding that the pharmaceutical company lower the cost of the pneumonia vaccine. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Several Egyptians killed in clashes with smugglers in Libya
CAIRO (AP) At least a dozen Egyptians have been killed in clashes with smugglers in central Libya, Egypt's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
Spokesman Ahmed Abu-Zeid said in a statement that 12 to 16 Egyptian illegal migrants were killed in clashes in the town of Beni Walid. He said Egyptian officials are communicating with Libyan authorities in the area to identify those who were killed and repatriate their bodies. The statement did not provide further details.
Egyptian state-run newspaper el-Ahram el-Arabi quoted eyewitnesses as saying a dispute broke out between the Egyptian migrants and the Libyan smugglers, leading to the killing of three smugglers. The witnesses said relatives of the slain smugglers opened fire on the Egyptian migrants, killing 16 of them.
The U.N envoy to Libya, Martin Kobler, expressed his condolences and called for calm. "Local authorities should investigate and provide justice," he tweeted Wednesday.
Libya has become a major conduit for migration from Africa and the Middle East toward Europe as traffickers have exploited the country's chaos. Libya has mostly been ruled by militias since the 2011 uprising that toppled Moammar Gadhafi, and has been split between rival governments since 2014.
Man sentenced to life in prison for deadly Ohio crime spree
PAINESVILLE, Ohio (AP) A man who tried to rape a teenager then fatally shot a woman during a crime spree east of Cleveland has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Thirty-six-year-old Mexican national Juan Razo was sentenced Wednesday in Lake County. Razo pleaded guilty last month to aggravated murder, rape and kidnapping to avoid the death penalty.
His attorney calls the sentence "appropriate."
Authorities say Razo bound, raped and fatally shot 60-year-old Margaret Kostelnik last July inside her Concord Township home, about 30 miles east of Cleveland.
UN to meet on May 6 on protection of Palestinian civilians
UNITED NATIONS (AP) The U.N. Security Council will hold an informal meeting on May 6 on the protection of Palestinian civilians, an issue the Palestinians have pressed for decades and say is more needed now than ever.
Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour said four council members Egypt, Senegal, Venezuela and Malaysia are organizing the meeting which will hear briefings from a legal scholar, an Amnesty International representative and others.
Last October, the U.N. sent the council a study on precedents in addressing the protection of civilians in conflicts around the world.
Mansour told reporters Wednesday that the meeting is a first step toward action that the Security Council must take.
"Our desire is to find any form of protection to protect our people from the brutality of this occupation," he said.
The 62 refugees, the entire population of Maung Hnama Village in Ponnyakyun Township, fled their homes in the third week of April and have been taking temporary shelter at an elementary school in the village of Pyinnyarwa in the Thaluchaung Village Group of Kyauktaw Township.
There are 34 male refugees and 28 female refugees including children and elders. As aid groups have been unable to reach them local villagers are providing them with food.
One of the refugees, Ko Win Tun, said to Narinjara News: From our village we could hear a lot of gunfire. We heard it continuously for two or three days. We also heard the sound of heavy weapons being fired. The sounds were so overwhelming that we couldnt stay. We heard them in the daytime and also at night. We got scared. Thats why we have run away,
Refugees from Maung Hnama Village in Pyinnyarwa Village
Pyinnyarwa Village is located above Thaluchaung Village, also in Kyauktaw Township. According to local residents aid relief groups have not yet been able to reach the refugees because of communication problems and bad road conditions.
Another refugee, Daw Ma Saw May, said: We were hiding because of the battles and we fled from our hiding place as we were scared, so we didnt bring anything with us. We had to leave our clothes and pots and dishes behind. We are just eating the food given to us by this village. No group has come to help us yet.
The Thaluchaung Village Group Administrator, U Aung Sein Hla, told Narinjara News that he has submitted an application to the township administrator asking for aid for the refugees.
Local residents said that they have also been providing aid to more than 20 other refugees who came to Thaluchaung Village after they had to flee from Natthayway and Awyama villages located in the area of Lawyama Mountain due to ongoing fighting in the region.
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
The Latest: Phoenix freeway shootings prosecutor pressing on
PHOENIX (AP) The Latest on charges being dropped in last summer's freeway shootings in Phoenix (all times local):
11:25 a.m.
The prosecutor in the Phoenix freeway shootings investigation says he'll press ahead with the case despite dropping the charges against the suspect.
FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2015, file photo, traffic zips along the I-10 in Phoenix, as traffic signs no longer warn motorists about calling in on the I-10 freeway shooting tip line. Gov. Doug Ducey has been criticized for sending out a "We got him!" tweet just minutes after a state police SWAT team arrested Leslie Allen Merritt Jr., the 21-year-old father of two, implying that Merritt was guilty of the shootings before he had even been booked into jail or appeared in court. A judge has dismissed a criminal case against Merritt, who had been accused of carrying out freeway shootings. The ruling came Monday, April 25, after prosecutors had asked for charges against Merritt to be dismissed amid undisclosed questions about evidence. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery refused to get into specifics at a Wednesday news conference when asked basic questions about the investigation. He declined to comment on numerous occasions, and said he has an ethical obligation to withhold key information about the case.
Lawyers for Leslie Merritt Jr. have called for the release of all previously sealed documents in the case.
Montgomery acknowledged intense public interest in the case but said that would not dictate a timeline in the ongoing investigation.
Prosecutors could refile charges against Merritt.
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1:23 a.m.
An Arizona prosecutor is expected to talk about last summer's freeway shootings in the Phoenix area at a news conference Wednesday.
Now that a judge has dismissed charges against the man who had been arrested, his attorneys are calling on the court to release all previously sealed documents.
Lawyers for Leslie Merritt Jr. said opening the documents to the public will further prove that their client is not the person accused of the shootings that caused panic on Phoenix-area freeways, where 11 vehicles were hit in August and September of 2015.
It's not clear what's in the sealed documents.
County Attorney Bill Montgomery was expected to discuss issues surrounding the case at a regularly scheduled morning news conference.
Police: Man killed in Virginia standoff threatened suicide
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) A man who was fatally shot by snipers during a standoff last week said he was going to kill himself, threatened to kill police officers and fired eight rifle shots at an armored police vehicle, authorities said.
Eric Wakup, 30, of Norfolk fired an "assault-style weapon" early Saturday at officers from inside a Norfolk home, The Virginian-Pilot (http://bit.ly/1VCtOkQ ) quoted state police spokeswoman Sgt. Michelle Anaya as saying.
Snipers shot back, killing Wakup, state police said in court documents. Investigators said they recovered 14 guns and hundreds of bullets inside the home.
Two officers are on paid administrative duty following the shooting. Court records show Wakup was white. Police have not released the officers' races.
The standoff happened about 6 p.m. Friday after Kenneth Bryant, who identified himself as Wakup's brother, called police upon escaping from the home, said Norfolk police spokeswoman Cpl. Melinda Wray. Bryant said he had been "held against his will" by a man inside who possibly had firearms.
According to the Norfolk assessor's records, Bryant bought the house in March 2015.
Wakup and Bryant's neighbor, Albert Seda, said the brothers had moved into the house together and spent nearly all of their time inside.
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Rights group says Egypt arrested nearly 400 over protests
CAIRO (AP) An international rights group says Egyptian police arrested at least 382 people in the days leading up to and during April 25 protests in Cairo against a government decision to hand over control of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.
Human Rights Watch, citing witnesses and media reports, said Wednesday that Egyptian police arrested lawyers and activists.
It cited the Front for the Defense of Egyptian Protesters, an independent rights group, as saying that police arrested at least 286 people on Monday, the day of the protests.
Egyptians demonstrate against President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in Mesaha square in Cairo's Dokki district, Monday, April 25, 2016. Police fired tear gas and birdshot on Monday to disperse hundreds of demonstrators calling on el-Sissi to step down over his government's decision to surrender control over two strategic Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo/Mostafa Darwish)
HRW said six foreign journalists were among those detained, but were later released.
Marijuana legalization clears hurdle to Maine ballot
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) A referendum proposal to legalize marijuana for recreational use in Maine has met the threshold to appear on the November ballot, Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap said Wednesday.
The announcement means the citizen initiative will be forwarded Friday to state lawmakers, who can either enact it now or put it before voters in the fall.
David Boyer from the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol said he looks forward to educating Maine voters as to why ending marijuana prohibition makes sense.
"We think that regulation and controlling marijuana and putting it behind the counter is a far better approach than giving drug dealers a monopoly," Boyer said.
Scott Gagnon, who opposes marijuana legalization, said the effort would make Maine "the weed basket of the East" and bring along with it a variety of societal ills.
"We are confident that when Mainers see the full story of marijuana and what it would mean to have pot dispensaries in their community, they will rise up to reject the marijuana industry agenda, to protect the health of their communities and the futures of their children," he said.
The measure would legalize marijuana for recreational use for adults 21 and older, allowing them to possess up to 2.5 ounces. It also would regulate and tax marijuana. Maine already legalized marijuana for medical use in 1999.
Earlier Wednesday, Maine's chief justice removed a legal hurdle to allow the review of referendum petitions to resume.
Election officials certified an additional 11,305 signatures, enough to surpass the necessary 61,123 signatures of registered voters, Dunlap said. There was no need to continue the process since the legal threshold had been cleared, he said.
The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol originally submitted 99,229 signatures on Feb. 1, but only 51,543 of the signatures were deemed to be valid.
A review was ordered after a judge set aside Dunlap's decision to reject thousands of signatures because the notary's signature didn't match the signature on file in Augusta.
The review resumed Wednesday after Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Leigh Saufley denied an individual's request to intervene that had stalled the process.
Dunlap said Wednesday that seven circulators whose petitions containing 11,305 signatures were originally invalidated have sworn under oath that they signed their petitions in front of notary Stavros Mendros.
Maine will be one of several states considering marijuana legalization proposals. Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Washington, D.C., already have made recreational use of marijuana legal for adults.
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Follow David Sharp on Twitter at https://twitter.com/David_Sharp_AP. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/david-sharp.
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Willie Williams, trailblazing top cop for 2 cities, dies
ATLANTA (AP) Willie L. Williams, who was the first black police chief in Philadelphia and in Los Angeles, where he took over in the wake of the Rodney King riots, has died. He was 72.
His daughter-in-law Valerie Williams told The Associated Press that he died Tuesday evening at his home in Fayetteville, Georgia. She said he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
In Los Angeles, Williams was selected in April 1992 to succeed police Chief Daryl Gates, whose lengthy tenure had been shaken when four white officers were accused of beating King, a black motorist. Gates was still in charge when the officers were acquitted, resulting in a riot that left parts of the city in ashes.
FILE - In this Jan. 17, 1997, file photo, Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams discusses the fatal shooting of comedian Bill Cosby's son Ennis Cosby during a news conference in Los Angeles. Williams, the first black police chief in Philadelphia and in Los Angeles, died Tuesday, April 26, 2016, at the age of 72 and had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, according to his daughter-in-law Valerie Williams. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File)
An outsider chosen over a field of insiders, Williams was given a mandate to restore public confidence and department morale. Critically, the following month voters amended the city charter to remove civil service protection for the chief's job and limit the position to a five-year term, renewable once by the Police Commission, the department's board of civilian overseers.
Williams' term was marked by the O.J. Simpson murder case, which spotlighted sloppy evidence handling and racism in the department; resentment from within the ranks; and an investigation into whether he improperly accepted perks including Las Vegas accommodations.
In 1997, the commission exercised its new power and unanimously denied Williams a second five-year contract. The commission president said that Williams had become a symbol of positive change but had failed to become a respected leader.
Williams fought to remain chief but ultimately accepted a severance package and left, saying the 1992 reform measure had unintentionally allowed politics to intrude into the department's management.
Williams started his career as a cop in Philadelphia in 1962. He moved up the ranks over the following two decades before then-Mayor W. Wilson Goode Sr. appointed him commissioner in 1988. He ran the Philadelphia Police Department until 1992.
In 2002, Williams was appointed federal security director at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest airport.
In a statement Wednesday, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said Williams "served this city with greatness, improving community police relations."
Williams' son, Willie Williams Jr., is a police officer in Philadelphia and now works in security for Kenney.
One of Williams Jr.'s partners was Philadelphia's current police commissioner, Richard Ross.
Ross said the elder Williams was firm, fair, charismatic and committed to community policing. Williams' role as the city's first African-American police chief was an inspiration to Ross and a sign that the profession was becoming more progressive.
"I'd seen that someone else had reached that pinnacle," said Ross, who is also black and was sworn in as commissioner in January. "It was possible for me and others to do it as well. When you reach a milestone like that ... that just makes the barriers crumble for others as well."
FILE - In the May 11, 1992, file photo, President George H.W. Bush, right, and Philadelphia Police Commissioner Willie L. Williams, left, sit in front of a poster for the group United Neighbors Against Drugs while meeting with community leaders at St. Boniface Church in Philadelphia. Williams, the first black police chief in Philadelphia and in Los Angeles, died Tuesday, April 26, 2016, at the age of 72 and had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, according to his daughter-in-law Valerie Williams. (AP Photo/Barry Thumma, File)
FILE - In this Sept. 6, 1995 file photo, then-Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams speaks at a news conference to launch the TV series "L.A.P.D." in Santa Monica, Calif. Williams, the first black police chief in Philadelphia and in Los Angeles, died Tuesday, April 26, 2016, at the age of 72 and had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, according to his daughter-in-law Valerie Williams. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill. File)
Lille falters in bid for 5th place after draw with Angers
PARIS (AP) Lille dropped points in its quest for a top-five place after drawing 0-0 at home to Angers in the French league on Wednesday.
Led by the inspired form of highly-rated winger Sofiane Boufal, who has scored 11 league goals this season, Lille had won its previous six league games to shoot up the table.
But its players looked jaded after losing 2-1 to Paris Saint-Germain in a hard-fought League Cup final last weekend, struggling to break down a gritty Angers side that kept Boufal quiet and had four players booked in the second half.
The draw leaves sixth-place Lille four points behind Saint-Etienne and Nice with only three games remaining as they battle for a Europa League spot.
Religion news in brief
Church shooting suspect's friend to plead
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) A friend of the white man accused of fatally shooting nine black church members in South Carolina last year is set to plead guilty to two federal charges, according to an agreement signed by federal prosecutors and filed online Monday.
Joey Meek, 21, has agreed to plead guilty to lying to authorities and failure to report a crime, according to the agreement, with a hearing set for Friday in Charleston. He could face up to eight years in prison on those charges, although prosecutors note in the agreement that they will argue he deserves less time if he's helpful in their ongoing case.
FILE - In this June 18, 2015, file frame from video, Joey Meek, friend of Dylann Roof who is accused of killing nine black church members during Bible study on June 17 in Charleston , S.C., speaks to The Associated Press. Meek is set to plead guilty to two federal charges, according to an agreement signed by federal prosecutors and filed online Monday, April 25, 2016. Meek has agreed to plead guilty to lying to authorities and failure to report a crime, according to the agreement, and a hearing is set for 1 p.m. Friday in Charleston. (APTN via AP, File)
Authorities have said that Meek failed to tell investigators all he knew about Dylann Roof's plans to shoot members of Emanuel AME Church last June.
Roof, 22, is charged with nine counts of murder in state court and with hate crimes and other charges in federal court. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in his state trial, which has been delayed until next year, and federal authorities haven't said if they will also seek a death sentence for Roof. No trial date has been set on those charges.
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Archbishop of Havana, key figure in US detente, steps down
HAVANA (AP) The Vatican says Cardinal Jaime Ortega, who oversaw a warming of relations with the Communist government and played a role in the secret negotiations that led to U.S.-Cuba detente, has stepped down.
He is being replaced as archbishop of Havana by Juan de la Caridad Garcia Rodriguez, the archbishop of the eastern city of Camaguey (KA'-muh-gway). Church statements Tuesday did not say if Garcia will be appointed cardinal.
The church said Pope Francis accepted Ortega's resignation, which was presented in 2011 under a church rule requiring archbishops to offer their resignation when they are 75. Ortega was named Archbishop of Havana in 1981 and oversaw three papal trips to Communist Cuba. He was so trusted by Cuba that he ferried messages between Presidents Raul Castro and Barack Obama during detente negotiations.
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Seattle police investigating racist graffiti found at church
SEATTLE (AP) Seattle police are investigating after vandals broke into a church and spray painted racist messages on the walls.
KOMO-TV reports the Curry Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church was preparing to celebrate its 66th anniversary when church members discovered the vandalism Sunday morning.
Church members found a Swastika and racist insults in black spray paint on the walls inside the church. One message told the congregation to "go back" to Africa.
Church elder Charles Eakers says he doesn't understand who would want to harm a church.
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Colorado court: Ruling stands that baker can't cite religion
DENVER (AP) Colorado's Supreme Court has refused to take up the case of a suburban Denver baker who would not make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, letting stand a lower court's ruling that the Masterpiece Cakeshop owner cannot cite his Christian beliefs in refusing service.
The American Civil Liberties Union applauded today's development, saying it affirmed that no one should be turned away from a business serving the public because of who they are or who they love.
Baker Jack Phillips has said he has no problem serving gay people at his store, but that making a wedding cake for a same-sex wedding would violate his Christian beliefs.
His attorney, Nicolle Martin, says Phillips should have the same conscience rights as artists like Bruce Springsteen who has refused to perform in North Carolina to protest a law limiting LGBT rights.
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3rd man charged in Christmas Eve slaying of musician
DETROIT (AP) A third man has been charged in the fatal shooting of a Detroit musician who was killed after performing at a Christmas Eve church service.
An ex-convict, 28-year-old Devan Williams, was arraigned Monday on charges of murder and carjacking, among other crimes. He was returned to jail without bond. A lawyer will be assigned.
Police say Anthony Tolson was ordered out of his Chevy Trailblazer on Dec. 24 and was shot on Detroit's east side. He had played bass guitar at a Christmas Eve service and was heading to his mother's home with gifts for his three children.
Police say the 33-year-old Tolson was killed over the expensive rims on his car.
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Indians take to Buddhist chanting to alleviate urban stress
NEW DELHI (AP) A growing number of executives and professionals in India's hectic capital of New Delhi are chanting Buddhist mantras in search of calm.
Most of those picking up the practice are Hindu, but say they see no conflict between their religion and Buddhist chanting. Some say it is soothing, others invigorating.
While Buddhism began on the Indian subcontinent around the 5th century BC, it has waned in both India and Nepal while flourishing in different forms in Japan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and other countries. With its easy rituals and lack of dogma, Buddhism has also drawn supporters from afar, including agnostics and Hollywood celebrities.
The practice of repeating a mantra is not exclusive to Buddhism. Many across Hindu-dominated India include chanting as part of their yoga.
But New Delhi-based sociologist Abhilasha Kumari says Buddhist chanting is seen as less dogmatic, aimed at calming the nerves or creating a sense of wellbeing.
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FILE - In this May 20, 2010 file photo, Cuba's Roman Catholic Cardinal Jaime Ortega speaks during a press conference in Havana. Ortega, who oversaw a warming of relations with the Communist government and played a role in the secret negotiations that led to U.S.-Cuba detente, has stepped down, the Vatican said on Tuesday, April 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano, File)
FILE - In this March 10, 2014, file photo, Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips decorates a cake inside his store in Lakewood, Colo. Colorado's Supreme Court has refused to take up the case of Phillips, who would not make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, letting stand a lower court's ruling that the Masterpiece Cakeshop owner cannot cite his Christian beliefs in refusing service. The American Civil Liberties Union applauded the Monday, April 25, 2016 development, saying it affirmed that no one should be turned away from a business serving the public because of who they are or who they love. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley, File)
Hurdles exist using CO2 to boost oil output in North Dakota.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) Significant barriers exist in using carbon dioxide to enhance oil recovery in North Dakota but the "long-term prize" could be billions of extra barrels of oil, a consultant told lawmakers Wednesday.
Curtis Smith, a geologist with Houston-based IHS Inc., told the North Dakota Legislature's interim Taxation Committee that the technology to pump CO2 underground to bring more oil to the surface in North Dakota is presently unproven and expensive. There also may not be enough CO2 available in the state to be used for all oil wells, he said.
The price of oil also would have to be more than $80 a barrel about twice what North Dakota sweet crude was fetching Wednesday "for this to work," he said.
The commission is considering tax breaks for companies that develop technology to enhance oil recovery from existing wells in North Dakota. Providing tax incentives to exploit more oil from western North Dakota's oil patch has taken on new urgency with the downturn in oil prices and drilling activity.
The Legislature paid $395,000 for the study, a draft of which was presented Wednesday. A full report is due in July.
"There are still a lot of hurdles and lot of unknowns," committee chairwoman Sen. Jessica Unruh, R-Beulah, told The Associated Press. The committee will draft a report on its findings this fall, along with any proposed legislation.
Carbon dioxide, which is widely blamed for global warming, has been injected successfully in other oil-bearing formations below ground to help recover more oil, though it has not been done successfully at a commercial scale in shale formations like North Dakota's rich Bakken and Three Forks formations, Smith said.
"There are some uncertainties in the rock itself," Smith said.
Coal powers seven of the state's electric power plants, which also produce carbon dioxide. At Basin Electric Power Cooperative's Great Plains Synfuels plant, CO2 has been captured since 2000 and piped 205 miles to oil fields in southern Saskatchewan, where it's sold to companies that pump it underground to force oil to the surface.
Scientists at the University of North Dakota's Energy and Environmental Research Center have been studying enhanced oil recovery in the Bakken shale using CO2 at two sites in North Dakota and one in Montana, said John Harju, an EERC vice president.
"They weren't economical but they were instructive," Harju said of the tests.
Besides enhanced oil recovery, capturing CO2 has the environmental benefit of taking it out of the atmosphere, researchers say.
"I'm confident we'll crack this nut someday," Harju said. "It's not if, it's when and where."
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Asked about grim GOP race, Ryan talks policy, not candidates
WASHINGTON (AP) In a less than rousing defense of his party's two leading presidential contenders, House Speaker Paul Ryan urged a young Republican seeking solace Wednesday about the GOP race to focus on ideas instead of the candidates.
"Look at the policies, not the person," Ryan, R-Wis., said during a 70-minute session with students at Georgetown University's ornate Gaston Hall.
Ryan's meeting with students, in which he described his conservative philosophy and answered over a dozen questions, came the day after decisive primary victories in five East Coast states gave front-runner Donald Trump a commanding lead in the race to sew up the GOP nomination.
House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. smiles during a town hall at Gaston Hall at Georgetown University in Washington, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
One junior told Ryan that he is a Republican but has been "dismayed" by the election.
"Why is that?" Ryan jumped in, drawing laughter.
The student said he was not backing Trump or his top challenger, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. He asked Ryan for "advice or reasons for optimism" for young Republicans finding it hard to back either candidate.
"Unfortunately, this is not the first time I've had this question," Ryan said, again prompting laughs.
Saying he is "very neutral" in the race, Ryan described proposals on economic growth, taxes, poverty and other issues that House Republicans will unveil early this summer, before the party's national convention in Cleveland. He also suggested studying the policy platform the party will craft at that July gathering.
"Republicans lose personality contests anyway. We always do. We've learned that lesson the hard way," Ryan said, without specifying to whom he was referring. "But we win ideas contests."
Ryan, his party's 2012 vice presidential nominee, has insisted he is not available to become presidential candidate this year, despite calls by some Republicans to find an alternative to Trump and Cruz.
The speaker also voiced support for a decision by House Republicans last week to defuse a contentious fight by plans to replace displays of the Confederate battle flag at the U.S. Capitol with state coins instead.
"This symbol does insult," Ryan said of the Confederate flag that has been part of some Southern states' flags. "This symbol I think does more to divide this country than to unify this country."
He said that while he backs letting states make some decisions, "If in the Capitol we're going to have symbols, we're going to have symbols that unify people, that don't divide people. And that's just the way we think," drawing sustained applause.
House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. greets members of the audience on stage following a town hall at Gaston Hall at Georgetown University in Washington, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
UN urged to restore Western Sahara peacekeeping mission
UNITED NATIONS (AP) A proposed Security Council resolution calls for the urgent return of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in the disputed Western Sahara to its full operation, in a strong rebuke to Morocco's expulsion of most of its civilian staff.
The U.S.-drafted resolution, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, expresses concern at the U.N. mission's inability to fully carry out its mandate of monitoring a 1991 cease-fire and organizing a referendum on the future of Western Sahara following Morocco's action last month.
It also expresses concern at Morocco's violation of agreements with the United Nations on the operation of the mission, known as MINURSO.
The draft resolution would extend the mandate of the mission until April 30, 2017 and "emphasize the urgent need for MINURSO to return to full functionality."
It asks Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to report within 120 days on whether the mission's full operations have been restored, and if not "to consider how best to facilitate achievement of this goal."
MINURSO's current mandate expires on Saturday and the Security Council was scheduled to vote on the draft resolution on Thursday. But all 15 members only received the draft Wednesday afternoon, and Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said after closed consultations that "some council members did not feel it was strong enough."
He said council experts will meet Thursday to go over the text, and from the tone of Wednesday's consultations "these discussions are not going to be easy." But the council is under time pressure, he said, and members agreed to try to adopt the resolution on Friday.
Morocco annexed Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, in 1975 and fought a local independence movement called the Polisario Front. The U.N. brokered a ceasefire in 1991 and established MINURSO to monitor it and help prepare a referendum, which has never taken place.
Morocco considers the mineral-rich region its "southern provinces" and has proposed wide-ranging autonomy, but the Polisario Front insists on self-determination through a referendum for the local population as called for in U.N. resolutions, all of which are reaffirmed in the current draft.
Last month, Morocco expelled over 70 U.N. civilians carrying out political activities, de-mining operations and other activities after secretary-general Ban used the word "occupation" in talking about Western Sahara following a visit to a camp for refugees from the region who have been in Algeria for over 40 years.
Ban and many council members have warned that the expulsion must be reversed because otherwise it will become a precedent and other countries with Security Council-mandated peacekeeping and political missions could decide to expel U.N. troops and staff as well.
An Apple employee was found dead in a conference room at One Infinite Loop in Cupertino on Wednesday morning. Early reports indicate the victim was carrying a gun. The name of the deceased has not been released at the time of this blog post.
The call to authorities was registered just after 8:30AM California time.
You can listen to the Santa Clara County Sheriff Dispatch recording here.
NBC Bay Area:
Audio from the Santa Clara County Sheriff's dispatch recorded at 8:38 a.m. indicates that a female employee on the Apple campus was escorted out of a building by security Wednesday morning, and had sustained an injury to the head, possibly from a gun. Two minutes later the dispatcher talks about a dead body found in one of the conference rooms, with a gun nearby. How the woman is related to the man's death is not clear.
No suspects are being sought, and no one is in danger, sheriff's officials report. 1 Infinite Loop is open.
"Through further investigation, they determined there was no other individuals involved and they believe it was an isolated incident. There was no one else on campus or in the public at risk," Sgt. Andrea Urena with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department told reporters.
San Jose Mercury News was the first to report this news, around 12:15PM California time:
Sgt. Andrea Urena of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, which provides police services in Cupertino, described the death of a male employee as an "isolated incident" and that "nobody else on campus or in the public at risk." Urena said sheriff's deputies were called for a report of "a person down" and found a man dead. She added that no one else is believed to have been involved and no suspects are being sought. The Santa Clara County Medical-Examiner Coroner's Office has been brought into the case and will determine how the person died, Urena said.
Another early report from Reuters relies on the SJ Merc story.
No comment yet from Apple.
South Carolina body camera law not exactly as Haley suggests
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley told a prison inmate this week that state law requires every police officer to wear a body camera, "so if something happens we can see it."
But it doesn't.
The law she signed last June neither mandated a camera on every officer nor provided for the cameras' widespread use.
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley talks to inmates at Manning Correctional institution Monday, April 25, 2016, in Columbia, S.C., who are scheduled to be released. Haley told prisoners Monday a better life beyond the barbed-wire fencing starts with a legal job, and it's her job to help them find one. (AP Photo/Seanna Adcox)
That could be years away.
If an agency ignores the law entirely, it provides no penalty.
And when officers do wear body cameras, the law sharply restricts who gets to view the video.
The Republican governor, who visited a pre-release prison in Columbia on Monday, was trying to assure a soon-to-be-released inmate that police aren't "out to get you."
Their exchange comes amid national calls for police body cameras, to bring transparency to violent encounters between officers and suspects.
"What we're trying to do is have a culture in South Carolina that says, 'We're going to play fair. We're going to play by the rules, and we're going to start to make some changes,'" Haley said. Because of the law, she said, "every one of those officers has to wear a body camera, and the reason is, that way it's fair to them and it's fair to you. So if something happens, we can see it."
Asked about Haley's statement, spokeswoman Chaney Adams said Wednesday, "The governor was proud to sign the first of its kind body camera bill in the country because, as she shared with inmates, it protects the people of our state and those in law enforcement."
Legislators passed the law two months after a bystander's video showed a white North Charleston police officer shooting a fleeing, unarmed black man to death. The officer was swiftly fired and charged with murder. Earlier this month, a white North Augusta officer was sentenced to three years of probation for fatally shooting an unarmed black driver following a police chase in 2014. A police dashcam video captured the encounter but the angle doesn't show what occurred inside the car.
South Carolina's new law requires state and local law enforcement agencies to adopt policies on body cameras including which officers should wear them and when but it specifies they don't have to follow them until the agencies receive "full funding."
Under model guidelines issued by the Law Enforcement Training Council in December, that would mean enough money to equip all of an agency's uniformed officers whose primary duty is to respond to calls and "interact with the public."
Departments won't see any state money for the body cameras until at least June.
Agencies with approved policies have until Friday to apply for some of the $3.4 million legislators designated in this year's budget for body cameras. The Legislature could provide an additional $2.4 million in the 2016-17 budget.
Still, that won't be nearly enough to fully fund the roughly 300 agencies statewide. How much it will take is unknown, said Department of Public Safety Director Leroy Smith.
As of Tuesday, 145 agencies, including DPS, had applied for more than $9 million. Smith expects the tally to be much higher by Friday's deadline.
"We will look at every request and try to spread the money as equitably and fairly as we can, knowing there's not enough money to go around," State Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel said Wednesday at a training council meeting.
York County Sheriff Bruce Bryant suggested that none of it be distributed until lawmakers provide sufficient funds.
"Go back before the General Assembly and let them know, 'You passed a law we can't fulfill,'" said Bryant, a training council member. "How do you provide body-worn cameras to one agency and not another? There's not an officer in this state that's not as important as another officer."
He predicted the use of police body cameras will be as random as dashboard cameras.
Eighteen years after lawmakers required the videotaping of drunken driving arrests, many patrol cars still have no video capabilities. How many is unclear. The 1998 law made the Department of Public Safety responsible for equipping vehicles though collected fees, but there's never been enough.
"There are agencies that never got a dash camera," Bryant said. "That's going to be the same way as this."
Even if an officer wears a body camera, the video it captures is exempt from the state's Freedom of Information Act. So when Haley says "we" will be able to see an incident, that may not include the public.
Iowa simplifies voting rights restoration form for felons
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) The application form that convicted felons in Iowa must complete to seek restoration of their voting rights in Iowa has been made simpler, Gov. Terry Branstad said Wednesday, but voting rights advocates argue the process is still one of the most burdensome in the country.
The streamlined, one-page form reduces the number of questions an applicant must answer from 29 to 13, Branstad said, which makes the process more efficient and convenient.
"When individuals commit felonies, it is important that they demonstrate that they have fully satisfied their sentences and have paid their court-imposed financial obligations and be current on restitution if it's required before receiving their voting rights back," Branstad said in a statement.
Iowa is one of only three states along with Kentucky and Florida that disenfranchise convicted felons for life unless their rights are restored. In Iowa and Kentucky the governor may restore rights. Florida requires approval of the governor and two other Cabinet members. But restoration of voting rights has surfaced as an important issue due to it being a presidential election year, and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe issued an executive order last week restoring the voting rights for 200,000 convicted felons before the November election.
In Iowa, about 57,000 felons have been disqualified from participating in elections or running for office in Iowa.
The changes to the application form still require people to spend money and time acquiring a criminal history check and other information to send to the governor's office, said Jeremy Rosen, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa. It makes the process "only slightly less onerous, although even modest progress is welcome in that regard."
Documents obtained by The Associated Press through an open records request indicate 25 people applied for restoration of voting rights in the first 3 months of this year. Just 17 applications were completed in all of 2015.
"More people tend to apply in election years than in non-election years," said Colin Smith, Branstad's deputy legal counsel. He added that the applications are given high priority and all eligible felons who apply get their voting rights back.
The Iowa Supreme Court is currently considering a case that voting rights advocates hope will narrow disenfranchisement in the state to only people convicted of bribery of a public official, corruption and crimes that would be an affront to governance.
Last month, justices heard arguments in the case of Kelli Jo Griffin, a woman who lost her voting rights after being convicted of a drug offense. She is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, which argues the Iowa Constitution's definition of infamous crimes has been construed much too broadly.
State prosecutors argue all felonies are infamous crimes and should continue to result in revocation of voting rights. An opinion is expected before the court's term ends June 30.
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2 Malaysians plead guilty to wildlife smuggling
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Two Malaysian nationals pleaded guilty to smuggling wildlife into the United States and were sentenced by a judge in Portland, Oregon, to six months in federal prison.
The investigation began three years ago, when authorities found a helmeted hornbill mandible while searching an international package headed to Forest Grove, Oregon. Undercover agents then purchased orangutan skulls, bear claws, a wild pig skull and other parts.
Prosecutors said the men 35-year-old Eoin Ling Churn Yeng and 33-year-old Galvin Yeo Siang Ann owned an online business that was responsible for smuggling $95,000 worth of endangered wildlife parts into the U.S. since 2004.
Ancient Buddhist sculpture returned to Pakistani government
NEW YORK (AP) An ancient stone sculpture of Buddha's footprints that was smuggled into the United States and had been expected to sell for more than $1 million was returned to the government of Pakistan on Wednesday.
The piece, called a Buddhapada, was taken from a Pakistani region rich in Buddhist history decades ago. It was returned by New York prosecutors to Pakistani Deputy Chief of Mission Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, who said it will remain in the city for the time being and may be exhibited at a museum.
Sheikh said the Buddhapada, weighing nearly 500 pounds, was "an important element of the cultural history of Pakistan" and he was relieved to have it returned.
A second century C.E. Buddhist sculpture is displayed during a news conference in the office of the Manhattan District Attorney, in New York, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Prosecutors returned the sculpture to the government of Pakistan after a Japanese antiquities dealer pleaded guilty to smuggling it into the U.S. The 70-year-old art dealer said he was motivated partly by a desire to protect Buddhist art from being neglected or destroyed in Pakistan. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
A Japanese antiquities dealer pleaded guilty last month to criminal possession of stolen property in a scheme to smuggle it into the U.S.
Tatsuzo Kaku made the plea in exchange for a $5,000 fine and a sentence of time served and left the country voluntarily. He said he shipped the 2nd-century Buddhapada from Tokyo to New York to sell it at a gallery, where it was expected to fetch $1.1 million.
He said he knew it had been excavated and removed from the Swat River valley, a mountainous region of northern Pakistan, in 1982. He said in court that, while he stood to benefit financially, he also was motivated by a lifelong desire to preserve such works for fear they would fall into disrepair or be destroyed if they remained in Pakistan.
Scholars and art historians say there's little truth to the argument. UNESCO initiated a program more than a decade ago with funds from the U.S. to preserve images of Buddha and other works found in the region.
During the time the Buddhapada was stolen, there were no major threats to any archaeological sites, said Muhammad Zahir, an assistant professor at Hazara University in Pakistan who works in the Swat valley.
Even when the Taliban was present in 2009, the government of Pakistan had plans to protect or remove ancient Buddhist art from the valley and safely moved museum artifacts during military operations to combat the Taliban, he said.
Zahir said in an email from Pakistan that a far more realistic reason for the looting was the demand in the Western and Southeast Asian markets for Buddhist art from the region.
The repatriated piece is a large stone slab with columns and two large footprints. Within the footprints are symbols, including a swastika, a 5,000-year-old Sanskrit symbol that denotes auspiciousness and was co-opted by Nazi Germany.
Prosecutors said the Buddhapada is "so much more than a piece of property."
"It's an ancient piece that speaks to the history and culture of Pakistan that should be celebrated and protected," Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. said.
Kaku, who's 70 years old, was arrested in mid-March after a rival art dealer cooperated with authorities. Prosecutors said he was spared prison time in part because he cooperated with an ongoing larger investigation. The district attorney's office and federal agents have been looking into the illegal sale of other antiquities from the same part of the world.
Just days before Kaku's arrest, two ancient Indian statues that had been smuggled out of that country and made their way to New York were seized from an auction house.
Pakistan's U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, center, accompanied by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., left, and Assistant District Attorney Matthew Bogdanos, speaks during a news conference in the office of the Manhattan District Attorney, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The prosecutors returned an ancient Buddhist sculpture, right, to the government of Pakistan after a Japanese antiquities dealer pleaded guilty to smuggling it into the U.S. The 70-year-old art dealer said he was motivated partly by a desire to protect Buddhist art from being neglected or destroyed in Pakistan. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., talks during a a news conference in his offices, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The prosecutor returned an ancient Buddhist sculpture, right, to the government of Pakistan after a Japanese antiquities dealer pleaded guilty to smuggling it into the U.S. The 70-year-old art dealer said he was motivated partly by a desire to protect Buddhist art from being neglected or destroyed in Pakistan. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Homeland Security Investigations New York Special Agent in Charge Angel Melendez, left, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.,, center, and Pakistan's U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, pose an ancient Buddhist sculpture during a news conference in Vance's offices, in New York, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Prosecutors returned the sculpture to the government of Pakistan after a Japanese antiquities dealer pleaded guilty to smuggling it into the U.S. The 70-year-old art dealer said he was motivated partly by a desire to protect Buddhist art from being neglected or destroyed in Pakistan. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Michael Douglas set for Megyn Kelly's Fox TV special
LOS ANGELES (AP) Michael Douglas will be among Megyn Kelly's guests on a prime-time Fox TV special.
Fox said Wednesday that interviews with the actor and former O.J. Simpson attorney Robert Shapiro will be part of "Megyn Kelly Presents."
The network previously announced that Kelly's special will include Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump.
FILE - In this April 6, 2016 file photo, Megyn Kelly attends The Hollywood Reporter's "35 Most Powerful People in Media" celebration in New York. Kelly will interview Donald Trump for a Fox TV special. It will mark Kelly's first interview with Trump since their encounter during a Fox News Channel debate last August. The GOP presidential contender will be a guest on "Megyn Kelly Presents," a prime-time special airing May 17 on Fox TV, the network said Monday. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File)
It will be Kelly's first interview with Trump since the fallout from their encounter during a GOP presidential debate last summer. The candidate took exception to some questions posed by the Fox News Channel anchor.
"Megyn Kelly Presents" will air May 17 on Fox TV. Portions of the Trump interview will air on Fox News' "The Kelly File" beginning May 18.
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Jeremy Corbyn joins junior doctors on Whitehall protest march
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn joined thousands of junior doctors as they marched through Whitehall following a day of strikes.
Leading the march from St Thomas' Hospital and flanked by shadow chancellor John McDonnell, he said: "The Government has an opportunity to settle this, they should get on and do so."
Mr McDonnell said Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt would eventually have to back down amid sustained pressure from junior doctors.
John McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn with protesters outside the Department of Health in Whitehall
Supported by teachers' unions and the BMA, thousands of junior doctors marched to the Department of Health to make their anger known, chanting: "Where are you Jeremy?"
Mr Corbyn was roundly cheered as he took to a stage to address the protesters outside the Department of Health.
He told them the NHS was not safe in the hands of a Government more interested in attacking the junior doctors at its core than supporting it, selling off its assets and destroying its "very principles".
Mr Corbyn said it was "utterly contemptible" that Mr Hunt had failed to reach an agreement with junior doctors, despite having "every conceivable opportunity".
He said: "They are the ones who have behaved in the responsible manner of saying they are there to defend the NHS. His response is to try and impose a contract and impose something on them.
"That is no way for a secretary of state to behave towards one of the most crucial elements of the NHS workforce."
Hillsborough unlawful killing ruling ends 'greatest miscarriage of justice'
Families of the 96 Liverpool fans who died in the Hillsborough disaster declared that justice had finally been done as an inquest jury ruled the victims had been unlawfully killed in a tragedy caused by police blunders.
Lawyers acting for the families said the conclusions, at the end of the longest jury case in British legal history, had completely vindicated their tireless 27-year battle for the truth.
The deaths were ruled accidental at the end of the original 1991 inquest.
Margaret Aspinall, chair of the Hillsborough Families Support Group, addressed the media after the verdict
But those verdicts were quashed following the 2012 Hillsborough Independent Panel report, which concluded that a major cover-up had taken place in an effort by police and others to avoid the blame for what happened.
The new jury concluded that blunders by the police and ambulance service on the day had "caused or contributed" to the disaster and that the victims had been unlawfully killed.
The jury forewoman wiped away tears and had a catch in her voice as she confirmed the answers to 14 questions about the disaster to coroner Sir John Goldring.
Leading Hillsborough campaigner Margaret Aspinall, whose 18-year-old son James died in the disaster, said afterwards: "Let's be honest about this - people were against us. We had the media against us, as well as the establishment.
"Everything was against us. The only people that weren't against us was our own city. That's why I am so grateful to my city and so proud of my city.
"They always believed in us."
Surrounded by a sea of camera crews and reporters outside the court, she added: "I think we have changed a part of history now - I think that's the legacy the 96 have left."
Labour MP Andy Burnham, who has supported the campaign, said: "This has been the greatest miscarriage of justice of our times.
"But, finally, it is over."
The jurors were told they could only reach the unlawful killing determination if they were sure of four "essential" matters concerning the deaths at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final.
They had to be convinced match commander Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield owed a duty of care to those who died, and that he was in breach of that duty of care.
Thirdly, they would need to be satisfied that his breach of duty caused the deaths and, fourthly, that it amounted to "gross negligence".
They concluded it was unlawful killing by a 7-2 majority.
The jury also ruled that fan behaviour did not cause or contribute to the tragedy.
The Hillsborough disaster unfolded during Liverpool's cup tie against Nottingham Forest on April 15 as thousands of fans were crushed at Sheffield Wednesday's ground.
Mr Duckenfield gave the order at 2.52pm to open exit Gate C in Leppings Lane, allowing around 2,000 fans to flood into the already packed central pens behind the goal.
The jury found that:
:: Both the police and the ambulance service caused or contributed to the loss of lives in the disaster by an error or omission after the terrace crush had begun to develop;
:: Policing of the match caused or contributed to a dangerous situation developing at the Leppings Lane turnstiles;
:: Commanding officers caused or contributed to the crush on the terrace, as did those senior officers in the police control box when the order was given to open the exit gates at Leppings Lane;
:: Features of the design, construction and layout of the stadium considered to be dangerous or defective caused or contributed to the disaster;
:: Sheffield Wednesday's then consultant engineers, Eastwood & Partners, should have done more to detect and advise on any unsafe or unsatisfactory features of the stadium.
On the question of the role of South Yorkshire Police in the emergency response, the jury said: "The police delayed calling a major incident so the appropriate emergency response was delayed.
"There was a lack of co-ordination, command and control which delayed or prevented appropriate responses."
On the role of former South Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service (Symas), the jury said: "Symas officers at the scene failed to ascertain the nature of the problem at Leppings Lane.
"The failure to recognise and call a major incident led to delays in the responses to the emergency."
Criminal investigations into the disaster and claims of corruption in its aftermath could finish by the end of the year, when prosecutors will decide whether to charge any individual or organisation.
The officer leading the police inquiry, Assistant Commissioner Jon Stoddart, said: "Now that the inquests have concluded, my sole focus is on completing the criminal investigation which I expect will be finished by the turn of the year.
"It will then be for the Crown Prosecution Service to consider the evidence and decide whether any individual or organisation should face criminal prosecution."
The Independent Police Complaints Commission, the official police watchdog, also expects its investigation - the biggest in its history - to finish in December or January.
The jury of six women and three men gave their decisions on an emotionally charged day for relatives of the 96, many of whom were in court.
The fresh inquests began on March 31, 2014 in a specially-built courtroom in Warrington, Cheshire.
After the key conclusions were delivered on Tuesday, someone in court shouted "God bless the jury".
The jurors were given a round of applause as they left the courtroom.
Dozens of relatives of the victims have attended each of the more than 300 days the court has sat.
As families left the building they were met with applause from crowds who had gathered outside the court in support.
Spider-Man's 'baggy' suit not so amazing, says Tom Holland
Spider-Man actor Tom Holland has said he was "disappointed" the first time he tried on the costume as he made his debut as the superhero in Captain America: Civil War.
The 19-year-old had to put up with a second-hand suit when he began filming.
Speaking at the European premiere of the film in London's Westfield, he said: "I have to say it was a little disappointing, because my stunt double at the time was a little taller than I am, and I had to wear his suit because they didn't have one for me.
The cast of Captain America: Civil War on stage at the European premiere at Vue Westfield in Shepherd's Bush, London.
"So it was kind of baggy the first time I tried it on. It wasn't as cool as I'd hoped.
"But then obviously once they'd fixed it up it looked incredible, it was amazing."
London-born Holland, who was cast as Spider-Man in 2015, told the Press Association on the red carpet: "There are no words that can describe how I feel right now.
"To be here and to be surrounded by this wonderful cast is just incredible, and I'm so proud of this movie, and just, everything's amazing."
Looking ahead to filming his own standalone film, he said: " I was unbelievably excited about it anyway, but this just raises it to a new level.
"To know that I have more of this to come, and this is not just a one-off, is one of the most amazing things to me."
His co-star Robert Downey Jr, who stars as Iron Man, congratulated Holland on his first time in the role.
He said: "Spider-Man is English again, congratulations... I'm just going to give it up to the home team and say, England it is again."
Spider-Man was previously played by British-American actor Andrew Garfield, who grew up in England.
Downey and Holland were joined on the red carpet by co-stars including Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Jeremy Renner, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Emily Vancamp and Daniel Bruhl.
The film sees the Avengers split into two opposing camps, with Captain America and Iron Man facing off over their future as an autonomous team of superheroes.
After a disastrous incident in which Scarlet Witch (Olsen) causes collateral damage and the death of innocent civilians, the Avengers are told to submit to government oversight and a system of accountability.
This divisive move fractures the team of superheroes. Captain America rebels against government interference, joined by the Winter Soldier (Stan), Falcon (Mackie), Hawkeye (Renner) and Scarlet Witch.
But ranged against him are Iron Man, War Machine (Don Cheadle), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Vision (Bettany).
On whether he sided with his character Tony Stark - aka Iron Man - in the battle, Downey joked: "Chr is Evans is such a righteous guy, you've got to wonder: is there something wrong with me for going against him?"
But he added: "I can honestly say, I kind of get Tony's point of view."
His co-stars Evans and Rudd both sported full beards for the premiere, with the Ant-Man actor joking the two were involved in a "beard-off".
He suggested they were engaged in a "battle of the beards", adding: " We call each other - I said: 'You should go with the premiere beard.'"
Ant-Man's appearance in the film adds "a lot of levity," Rudd explained.
He said: "There are some pretty epic battles in this movie, and there is a lot of drama and tension, and I think that apart from contributing to some of that as well, Ant-Man is a little overwhelmed by the situation and feels the need to comment on that. So that allows room for some jokes, I think."
Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr at the Captain America: Civil War premiere in London
Tom Holland poses with fans during the Captain America: Civil War premiere in London (PA)
Robert Downey Jr is one of the stars of Captain America: Civil War
Ant-Man star Paul Rudd appears in Captain America: Civil War
Elizabeth Olsen appears as Scarlet Witch in Captain America: Civil War
Samuel L Jackson attended the Captain America: Civil War European premiere
Fans got in to the spirit at the Captain America: Civil War European premiere
A Captain America balloon floats above fans gathered at the Captain America: Civil War European premiere
Paul Bettany meets fans at the Captain America: Civil War European premiere
Elizabeth Olsen meets seven-year-old Ethan Miller, from Southend, Essex, who suffers from the rare blood disease ITP as well as type 1 diabetes during the Captain America: Civil War European premiere
Agent 13 Emily Vancamp meets the fans
Brexit poses 'triple threat' to jobs, wages and prices, PM and ex-TUC chief warn
The UK's workers would be hit by a "triple threat" to jobs, wages and prices in shops if the country votes to leave the European Union, David Cameron and former trade union leader Sir Brendan Barber have warned.
The Prime Minister and the ex-TUC general secretary acknowledged they were unlikely allies but the "special circumstances" of the EU referendum meant the "rules of conventional politics" could be temporarily set aside.
They warned that Brexit would leave the UK "a poorer country in every sense" but a vote to remain in the EU on June 23 would result in a "bright future" with more jobs, higher pay and lower prices.
The head of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development expressed bemusement that Britain is considering divorce with Brussels
In a joint article in The Guardian, the pair highlighted analysis by accountancy giant PwC which suggested unemployment could rise to 8% if there was a Brexit, compared to 5% if the country stays in the EU.
Even if people kept their jobs "their wages will be lower than they would otherwise have been" because of the damage to productivity, while workers' rights would also be jeopardised.
They wrote that "wh ile the two of us may disagree about quite how far this process should go, being in Europe has helped to deliver many of the crucial rights that underpin fairness at work".
"Paid holidays, maternity rights, equal treatment for the millions of people working part-time, protections for agency workers, even equal pay for women at work: all are guaranteed by Europe and all could be at risk if we left."
Brexit would also weaken the pound meaning "more expensive goods and higher inflation", they said.
" So we are likely to see the cost of living going up, just as wages are being squeezed and jobs lost. That is the threat for families already struggling to make ends meet - and a risk that working people and the poorest in our country simply cannot afford."
The pair took a swipe at Vote Leave figurehead Michael Gove, who has suggested the UK could enjoy a trading relationship with Europe similar to that of Albania, and mocked Brexit campaigners' "conspiracy" theories.
They wrote: "The choice before us is becoming clearer each day. We can risk jobs, hold down wages and pay higher prices. We can be the first major economy in history to deliberately choose a second-rate trading arrangement for our biggest market. We can take needless risks with our economy that would unleash a triple threat to working people - and become a poorer country in every sense.
"Or, if we choose to stay in the EU, we can protect working people and the poorest families. We can choose stability and economic security - a bright future with more jobs, higher pay and lower prices."
The Leave campaign had "a real lack of credible experts to support their case" and there was a "troubling dogma" that the risk of Brexit will be worth the pain.
"The leavers now say they want the UK to be like Albania, which even the Albanian prime minister says is "weird", because his country wants to be more like us," they said.
"On our side, however, we have a collection of independent experts, trustworthy organisations and friends of Britain from around the world. Whether it is the Bank of England, our universities, the trade unions, employers large and small in every part of our economy, the IMF, President Obama, our allies in Nato or the Commonwealth, the message is the same: Britain is better off in Europe.
"Of course, the leavers say this must be some sort of conspiracy masterminded by shadowy international elites. All we have to say is: to have been able to bring even the two of us together today, these evil geniuses must be very good."
The intervention by the former TUC leader came amid claims that the Government had watered down its crackdown on trade unions in order to secure support in the referendum battle.
Downing Street insisted the EU referendum is a "separate issue" to the Trade Union Bill but Labour MPs suggested Mr Cameron was backing down in his battle with the unions over issues including e-balloting and political funding to ensure their support for remaining in the EU.
Former minister Kevan Jones said: "The climbdown has got nothing to do with the Trade Union Bill, it's to do with the realisation on behalf of the Prime Minister that he wants millions of trade unionists to vote yes in the EU referendum, he's going to have to keep them onside."
A Vote Leave spokesman said: "Two members of the political establishment doing down the British economy is nothing to be proud of.
Sir Lenny Henry to receive Alan Clarke special award at Bafta TV ceremony
Sir Lenny Henry will be presented with a Bafta special award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to television.
The British stand-up comedian, actor and writer is best known for his work on Comic Relief and as a presenter of TV programmes including The Magicians, The Lenny Henry Show and Three of a Kind.
He will be presented with the special award in honour of film director and producer Alan Clarke at the Bafta TV Awards at the Royal Festival Hall in London on May 8.
Sir Lenny Henry will be presented with the special award in honour of film director and producer Alan Clarke at the Bafta TV Awards at the Royal Festival Hall in London on May 8
Sir Lenny said: "This is fantastic! I am truly humbled and truly hopeful that this award is a pan-industry acknowledgement that diversity must be at the heart of our industry if we are to reflect British society now and, most importantly, in the future."
Previous recipients of the Alan Clarke award include TV producer and writer Jeff Pope in 2015, TV executive Jane Tranter in 2009, documentary film-maker Paul Watson in 2008, and screenwriter Paul Greengrass in 2005.
Krishnendu Majumdar, chair of Bafta's television committee, said: "There is no-one more deserving of the Special Award this year than Lenny Henry. He has enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a performer and writer, appearing in dozens of shows from Tiswas to the hugely popular Lenny Henry Show and most recently in the drama, The Syndicate; proving his appeal spans all generations and genres.
"Lenny's recent groundbreaking Bafta lecture has helped to reframe and reignite the discussion about diversity in British television, with the conversations he has sparked already leading to positive changes. This, coupled with his incredible contribution to the industry, makes him the perfect choice for the special award."
The Dudley-born star got his first television break on the 1975 ITV talent show New Faces. In the late 70s he appeared as a contributor on the children's show Tiswas, where he regularly worked with Chris Tarrant and Bob Carolgees.
Sir Lenny is one of the founding members of Comic Relief and since he started it alongside Richard Curtis in 1985 it has gone on to raise over 1 billion through its various campaigns.
He has previously received two Bafta nominations for The Lenny Henry Show and has been awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Comedy Awards in 2003.
Douglas County, Colorado, is to arm its security guards with Bushmaster rifles, reports the Denver Post, at a cost of more than $12,000 to the 67,000-student district.
"We want to make sure they have the same tools as law enforcement," Payne said Monday of his eight armed officers. The first few rifles should be ready for use within a month's time once officers have gone through a 20-hour training course, the same one that commissioned police officers take. The rest of the guns will be deployed in August, he said.
South Yorkshire Police chief suspended following Hillsborough verdicts
The chief constable of South Yorkshire Police has been suspended in the wake of the Hillsborough inquest findings.
South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Alan Billings said he felt he had no choice but to suspend David Crompton, 52, due to his concerns "about the way public trust and confidence was beginning to drain away".
Mr Crompton's suspension came just as thousands of people, including f amilies of the 96 victims of the 1989 disaster, gathered in Liverpool for an emotional commemorative service to reflect on their 27-year quest for justice.
Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police David Crompton who has been suspended in the wake of the Hillsborough inquest findings
At St George's Hall in the city, crowds applauded the families as they made their way down the steps following the jury's conclusion that fans had been unlawfully killed.
As they walked hand-in-hand, the sea of people chanted: "Justice for the 96."
Many bowed their heads as prayers were said for those who had died, as well as the families, campaigners and the jury, who had "put their lives on hold" for two years.
Margaret Aspinall, who lost her son James, was met with rapturous applause when she took to the stand to thank everyone.
Mr Crompton's suspension, after a four-year tenure, came just a day after he admitted the force got the policing of the match in Sheffield between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest ''catastrophically wrong'' and ''unequivocally'' accepted the inquest jury's landmark verdict of unlawful killing.
But Dr Billings acted after a day of strident criticism of the South Yorkshire force, especially from shadow home secretary Andy Burnham, including some calls for the whole organisation to be disbanded.
The PCC said: " My decision is based on the erosion of public trust and confidence referenced in statements and comments in the House of Commons this lunchtime, along with public calls for the chief constable's resignation from a number of quarters."
Dr Billings said: "We had a very brief conversation and all I could do was say to the chief constable that I was suspending him because I was getting increasingly anxious about the way public trust and confidence was beginning to drain away today, so we had to stop that."
Mr Burnham, who has long campaigned for justice for the Hillsborough victims, had earlier asked for the chief constable's resignation in the Commons as he called for all those responsible to be held to account for the 96 unlawful deaths and a "27-year cover-up".
Mr Burnham said the jury's conclusions had finally brought justice and there were three reasons why "something so obvious" took 27 years to establish.
He said: "First, a police force (South Yorkshire) which has consistently put protecting itself above protecting people harmed by Hillsborough.
"Second, collusion between that force and complicit print media.
"Third, a flawed judicial system that gives the upper hand to those in authority over and above ordinary people."
He said that South Yorkshire Police had gone back on its 2012 public apology following the release of the Hillsborough Independent Panel report and engaged in an "adversarial battle" at the fresh inquests.
Home Secretary Theresa May repeated the jury's determinations to a hushed House and outlined the criminal charges that are being investigated.
After sitting for more than two years, the jury found that blunders by South Yorkshire's police and ambulance services "caused or contributed to" the deaths as a result of the disaster at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final.
The jury also concluded that Liverpool fans were not to blame for what happened.
Replying to Mr Burnham, the Home Secretary said: "What the families faced was a combination of the state in all its various forms not believing them and all the various, as you said, the various attempts to cover up what really happened, together with other agencies, the media and others and indeed, dare I say it, most of the general public, who believed the stories that they read about the fans.
"To have stood against that for so long shows a steel and determination but also an affection for their lost loved ones and passionate desire for justice on behalf of those who died.
"That is, as I said, extraordinary, and I think we will rarely see the like again."
Dianne Matthews, the sister of victim Brian Matthews, 38, welcomed the suspension.
She told the BBC: "It is the right decision that he (Mr Crompton) has been suspended, because after having such a momentous day yesterday - and we have got the right decision - I think his actions deserve to have a suspension."
South Yorkshire's Deputy Chief Constable Dawn Copley confirmed she will become the acting chief constable.
She said: "The Police and Crime Commissioner has taken the decision today to suspend Chief Constable David Crompton and has asked that I act as Temporary Chief Constable at this time, which I have agreed to do.
"This is a significant day for South Yorkshire Police. However, we are absolutely determined to maintain our focus on delivering the best possible policing services to the communities of South Yorkshire."
A giant banner has been unveiled at St George's Hall in Liverpool after an inquest jury ruled the 96 victims in the Hillsborough disaster had been unlawfully killed
The solemn memorial emblazoned with the words Truth and Justice towers above one lantern for each of the lives lost in the 1989 tragedy
Each candle outside St George's Hall has been lit, and later the names and ages of all of the victims will be read out
Trevor Hicks, whose daughters Sarah and Vicki died in the disaster, sits on the steps of St George's Hall
A poignant message is left with floral tributes at the Hillsborough memorial following the outcome of the inquest
The memorial in Old Haymarket, Liverpool, has been surrounded by tributes to the 96 Liverpool fans who the jury found were unlawfully killed at Hillsborough
South Yorkshire Police, its match commander David Duckenfield, South Yorkshire Ambulance Service and a number of other individuals could now face prosecution
Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain to explore culinary roots in Bangladesh for BBC
Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain has landed her own cookery show in which she explores her culinary roots in Bangladesh.
Hussain, who recently made the Queen's 90th birthday cake, will star in a two-part travel food programme for the BBC.
The show, with a working title The Chronicles Of Nadiya, will start in the baker's home town of Luton and chronicle her heritage as she travels to her family village in the north east of Bangladesh.
Nadiya Hussain with the Queen and her 90th birthday cake
The BBC describes the spin-off show, made by Love Productions, which also makes Bake Off, as an "exuberant" food-inspired journey.
It will see Hussain cook dishes from her childhood, share favourite meals with family and friends, learn new recipes and explore the changes in food in the country in the decade since she last visited for her wedding.
Professors lose High Court challenge over Israel conference at university
Two professors have lost their High Court challenge over the way Southampton University has handled their bid to stage a controversial conference on Israel.
The professors challenged decisions that have effectively blocked the conference being held for two years running amid fears that it could lead to disorder on campus.
Professor Oren Ben-Dor was born in Israel and teaches philosophy and law, while Professor Suleiman Sharkh grew up in Gaza and lectures in engineering.
The professors had argued at the High Court that "academic freedom" was at stake
They argued that "academic freedom" was at stake.
But Mrs Justice Whipple, sitting in London, rejected their challenges and declared: "There is no large principle at stake here."
The judge said: "From all that I have seen in this case, I believe that freedom of expression and freedom of assembly are alive and well at Southampton University."
The judge said the decisions taken by the university "were motivated by well-founded concerns for the safety of people and property, and exemplify good and responsible decision-making by the (university's) officers".
In 2015 permission for the conference, entitled International Law and the State of Israel: Legitimacy, Responsibility and Exceptionalism, was given, then withdrawn on the grounds that there was "an unacceptably high risk of disorder" and insufficient time to take preventive measures.
The proposed conference had been criticised by the Jewish Board of Deputies as "partisan" and protests were expected.
This year plans were made for the event to take place in April, but the professors were asked by the university to foot the estimated 24,000 bill for security costs.
The conference was again postponed with proposals to stage it in April next year.
Labour donor urges party to 'stop the rot' amid anti-Semitism row
The Labour leadership has faced a backlash over the latest anti-Semitism row to hit the party, with a major donor claiming a greater effort was needed to "stop the rot" in the party.
The party has suspended MP Naz Shah pending an investigation over offensive messages on social media.
The West Bradford MP was stripped of the parliamentary whip and barred from party activity pending an investigation of her behaviour - which David Cameron branded racist.
Naz Shah apologises to the House of Commons for her social media posts about Israel
Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn had initially delivered only a reprimand, arguing that while the comments - made before Ms Shah was an MP - were "offensive and unacceptable", Ms Shah did not hold discriminatory views.
But under pressure from senior Labour figures to take disciplinary action amid mounting concern about anti-Semitism within the ranks - and with the Prime Minister joining calls for her suspension - it was announced Ms Shah had been excluded.
Ms Shah, who quit her role as a parliamentary assistant to shadow chancellor John McDonnell on Tuesday, told MPs she deeply regretted the hurt caused by the posts and wanted to work with Jewish groups to bolster understanding.
In a 2014 Facebook post, she shared a graphic of Israel's outline superimposed onto a map of the US under the headline "Solution for Israel-Palestine Conflict - Relocate Israel into United States", with the comment: "Problem solved".
The Guido Fawkes website - which published the post - also pointed to another made before Ms Shah was an MP, which used the hashtag #IsraelApartheid above a quote saying "Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal".
Labour donor David Abrahams told Jewish News: "I have been appalled by the growth of anti-Semitism in the party. This is a plague that has to be stamped out. Jews and others with values and principles need to work together within the movement to stop the rot."
Labour peer Lord Levy, a former fundraiser for the party, told BBC's Newsnight: "Unfortunately I have to say that I do think that it's a serious problem. The lack of sensitivity when an MP talks about transportation of the largest Jewish community in the world, I think it just shows such ignorance.
"The tweets and comments that she made on Hitler, I just begin to scratch my head in despair as to how people like this can enter our Parliament with such a lack of knowledge, such a lack of discretion and such a lack of sensitivity."
He added that it had "taken too long" for the leadership to act in Ms Shah's case and Mr Corbyn's team had "dithered".
He said "every party needs to look very carefully in their cupboards as to what is going on on anti-Semitism at the moment".
Rabbi Baroness Neuberger, a crossbench peer, told Newsnight: "I think Labour does have a problem with anti-Semitism. That's not to say that other parties haven't got problems with anti-Semitism, or that it isn't elsewhere.
"But Labour has a very particular problem, and a particular problem at the moment.
"I think the Naz Shah case illustrates that, but more than anything else, Oxford University Labour Club."
The chairman of the Oxford University Labour Club recently resigned, saying a "large proportion" of its members had "some kind of problem with Jews" and the party has launched an investigation.
Lady Neuberger added: "I was brought up in the Labour Party, my parents would be turning in their graves."
Labour MP Ian Austin, whose Czech Jewish father fled Nazi persecution, said: " What a mess. Aged 16, I joined the Labour Party to fight racism. I would never have thought we'd have ended up here."
Ms Shah's suspension was confirmed by Labour shortly after she apologised to MPs for her posts.
"Jeremy Corbyn and Naz Shah have mutually agreed that she is administratively suspended from the Labour Party by the general secretary," a party spokesman said.
"Pending investigation, she is unable to take part in any party activity and the whip is removed."
Ms Shah told the Commons: "Anti-Semitism is racism, full stop. As an MP I will do everything in my power to build relations between Muslims, Jews and people of different faiths and none."
Ms Shah wrote in Jewish News that she wished to make an "unequivocal apology for statements and ideas that I have foolishly endorsed in the past".
"The manner and tone of what I wrote in haste is not excusable. With the understanding of the issues I have now I would never have posted them. I have to own up to the fact that ignorance is not a defence."
But Ken Livingstone - the former London Mayor who is a close ally of Mr Corbyn - said Ms Shah's remarks were not anti-Semitic and the suspension was unnecessary.
He told LBC Radio: "What we have at the moment is a lot of people making a big issue about anti-Semitism in the Labour Party. In 47 years I have never heard anyone say anything anti-Semitic.
"We expelled a couple of people from the Labour Party early on for saying things that could clearly be interpreted as anti-Semitic.
Faith schools accused of 'actively undermining' British values
Some independent faith schools are "flouting British values" by continuing to enforce gender segregation, Government inspectors have found.
A report by Ofsted on Rabia Girls' and Boys' School in Luton found staff insisted on using a dividing screen across the middle of the room to separate men and women during a meeting with inspectors.
Senior inspectors visiting the Muslim faith school also gathered evidence that male and female staff are regularly segregated during whole-school staff training sessions. It meant male staff would sit in one room while the session was simultaneously broadcast to females in another part of the school.
Sir Michael Wilshaw said standards were being 'actively undermined' by some school leaders, governors and proprietors
The findings were revealed in a letter from Ofsted Chief Inspector for England and Wales Sir Michael Wilshaw to Education Secretary Nicky Morgan relating to inspections carried out earlier in April.
In his report to the Secretary of State, also the Equalities Minister, Sir Michael said: "Despite the changes introduced in 2014 by the Department for Education (DfE) to strengthen the independent school standards in relation to fundamental British values, it is clear that these are not being followed by some independent schools. Indeed, it is my view that these revised standards are being actively undermined by some leaders, governors and proprietors.
"Inspectors will remain vigilant in ensuring that such behaviour, which clearly flouts the requirement to promote British values, is identified and reported. Any form of segregation, without a good educational reason, is likely to lead to an inadequate inspection judgment for leadership and management."
Sir Michael s aid inspectors were so concerned about the behaviours modelled by leaders at Rabia school that they informed the proprietor it would remain in the "inadequate" category despite improvements being made elsewhere.
He said: "This sort of behaviour manifested by the leaders of this school clearly does not conform to the spirit of the equalities legislation which underpins the spiritual, moral, social and cultural standard."
The report is the latest to highlight inequalities in some faith schools.
In November, Sir Michael wrote to Ms Morgan with concerns about nine inadequate schools, including the Darul Uloom Islamic High School in Birmingham, after inspectors found the only way a woman governor could contribute to meetings was through a doorway.
At the Al-Ameen Primary School, also in Birmingham, pupils were not protected from "reading inappropriate literature about extremist, sexist or partisan views", the report found.
And pupils at the Christian faith Cornerstone School in Epsom said they had "a limited view of the world because their education was not providing them with sufficient opportunities to learn about people with differing backgrounds and perspectives to their own".
A DfE spokesman said the school has been referred to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission to decide whether it breached equalities legislation.
He said: "It is completely unacceptable for women to be treated less favourably than men, and the advice note we have received from Ofsted on Rabia Girls' and Boys' School is extremely concerning.
David Cameron accused of 'walking on by' over child refugees
David Cameron has insisted the UK is not "walking on by" by refusing to take in unaccompanied refugee children from Europe.
SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson criticised the Prime Minister for failing to see the comparison between the children at risk in Europe and the Kindertransport scheme, which helped rescue nearly 10,000 mainly Jewish children from Nazi-occupied territories in 1938/39.
It comes after the Government was last night defeated again in the House of Lords on the issue of unaccompanied refugee children in Europe being given refuge in the United Kingdom.
SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson criticised the Prime Minister over the problem of unaccompanied child refugees in Europe
Mr Robertson said: "There are many members of that house as their are many members of this house, in all parties, including the Prime Minister's own side, who would wish us to do much much more in helping providing refuge for unaccompanied children in Europe at the present time.
"Will the Prime Minister please reconsider his opposition and stop walking on by on the other side?"
Mr Cameron said the Government has committed to taking 20,000 refugees and a further 3,000, mainly unaccompanied children, from outside of Europe.
He said: "I don't think anyone can accuse this country of walking on by in terms of this refugee crisis.
He added: "But where I disagree, respectfully with the House of Lords, is those people who are in European countries are in safe European countries.
"To compare somehow children or adults who are in France or Germany or Italy or Spain or Portugal or Greece, to compare that with children stuck in Nazi Germany I think is deeply wrong and we'll continue with our approach which includes, by the way, of being the second largest donor of any country anywhere in the world in to those refugee camps."
Mr Robertson said: "Just as in the 1930s there are thousands ... there's no comparison apparently, apparently there's no comparison between thousands of children needing refuge in the 1930s and thousands of children in Europe at the present time.
LitterGram developer in plea to Facebook supremo Zuckerberg over name row
A British app developer has issued a personal plea to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg after the social network's lawyers threatened legal action over his app's name: LitterGram.
Kent businessman Danny Lucas took to YouTube to share a video plea in which he asks Mr Zuckerberg not to force LitterGram to change its name, which Facebook argues is too similar to Instagram, the photo-sharing service owned by the site.
LitterGram is a free app that asks users to photograph, share and geo-tag litter they see on the streets in an effort to raise awareness and discourage litterers.
The app developer has issued a personal plea to Mark Zuckerberg
The app currently has a partnership in place with a local council which can locate and remove the litter, a scheme Mr Lucas hopes to extend.
Facebook argues that use of the word "gram" along with the photography and social aspects of the app are too similar to that of Instagram, which has more than 400 million users.
The social network has asked for a response by April 28, leading to the businessman issuing the online plea to reach a compromise.
"We never intended to get into a fight with a giant, we were just trying to come up with a way to make Britain tidier," Mr Lucas told the Press Association.
"We didn't think the word 'gram' was a problem. The app isn't about photos, it's about cleaning up litter, and I remember things like GorillaGram from when I was younger."
In a written response alongside the video, the app's creator said: "This is not a money-making exercise, the app is free to the public, and our portal is free to the councils. We have never set out to be Facebook or Instagram.
"Social media in today's world is a human right, and for that reason should not be exclusive to global giants like Facebook who for sure have deep pockets to engage the best available lawyers. But to attempt to stop a much needed problem solver like LitterGram I find an extremely hard pill to swallow, as it goes completely against what you are about."
He added that Facebook's active support of several charitable causes meant that he hoped an agreement could be reached.
"I wanted to get his (Zuckerberg's) attention because I've read in the last few months that he is a believer in good causes and that's what we're doing. I hope the appeal reaches them and has an effect on hearts and minds."
The businessman also said that while they would have no choice to change the name if legal action was pursued, the damage to the app's brand could slow its campaign significantly.
"We don't want to lose the name and everything we've managed to achieve with it - the traction we've gained with local authorities and the trust we've built up," he said.
"Of course, compared to them we don't have the money to fight this, so we would have to change it, but we don't want to lose everything and have to start from scratch. We hope to carry on, but will have no choice to change if they force the law on us.
"There's a big risk we'll lose the trust that we've built up, but can only hope everyone understands."
Education Secretary reveals 'many emails of support' for academies plan
Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said she is "surprised" by the "many emails" and private messages she has received in support of the Government's radical academies plan during a grilling by a panel of MPs.
The secretary of state said she was fully committed to the Government's plan to force around 17,000 mainstream schools in England to be stripped from local authority control and become privatised by 2022, meaning they will be run by trusts rather than councils.
The academies plan, set out in last month's Budget, has drawn criticism from teachers, parents and unions over concerns about quality and cost.
Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said she had received plenty of support for academisation in private
The ATL, NUT and NASUWT unions have all opposed academisation, while teachers and supporters have marched in cities across the country in protest.
Appearing before the Commons education committee, Ms Morgan acknowledged the considerable weight of opposition to the education white paper, but said she had received plenty of support in private.
She joked: "We haven't had the pitchforks yet, but perhaps I should look outside the committee room when I leave."
The minister told MPs: "Any changes, any clear vision, is going to be met with some challenges.
"I do, surprisingly, get many emails of support from people and conversations saying: 'You're doing the right thing, keep going'.
"As always, as we know, those who are against something find it very easy to be vocal."
She said others "rushed after" her during a recent public appearance to say "we agree with you", but that they preferred to do so "privately".
Two petitions against academisation have attracted around 300,000 signatures since the Budget was announced.
Asked if she was "fully committed" to the plan, a cornerstone of the Conservative education reforms, Ms Morgan replied: "Yes. That is the Government's position."
It came amid further signs of a climbdown by David Cameron at Prime Minister's Questions when he confirmed academies would still be able to "work with councils".
Appearing before the committee, Ms Morgan denied an accusation from Labour MP for Gateshead Ian Mearns that the Government would be "inflicting" change on state-run schools which were already successful.
She said: "I don't think it's a question of inflicting anything on anybody.
"I think it is a question of offering people the opportunity to be autonomous and run themselves."
Asked by Mr Mearns whether schools could opt-out of the change - something there has been no scope for during previous discussions - Ms Morgan replied: " If a school is good or outstanding, we want to support other schools.
"Just because schools in Gateshead are very good, there may be other schools in the area that could benefit from having the support of a good or outstanding school."
Asked three times by Dudley North Labour MP Ian Austin why academisation did not feature in the Conservative election manifesto last year, t he secretary of state replied: "We've looked at the failing and coastal schools, looked at the numbers, looked at the finances.
"This is an opportunity to build a stronger system."
Wladimir Klitschko hits out at Tyson Fury over comments
Wladimir Klitschko hit out at Tyson Fury over his remarks about homosexuals and women at a lively press conference on Wednesday that also saw the British fighter strip off his shirt and taunt his opponent for losing to a "fat man".
Fury, who beat Ukrainian veteran Klitschko on points last November in Germany to become world heavyweight champion, has provoked outrage by equating homosexuality and abortion with paedophilia and saying a woman's "best place is in the kitchen and on her back''.
The two men meet again in a July 9 rematch at Manchester Arena, with the WBO and WBA belts Fury claimed from Klitschko back on the line.
Wladimir Klitschko (right) is not happy with what Tyson Fury (left) has said
And at Wednesday's press conference at the venue, Klitschko said of his revenge mission that he looked forward to there being "a champion that represents the sport in a good way and can be looked up to".
The 40-year-old then said: "I'm not okay with what comes out of Fury's mouth, his statements.
"For example - that all homosexual men and women and paedophiles belong in the same place, in jail basically. That all women belong in the kitchen and on their back.
"So that is basically where he sees Elton John and the Queen.
"To all people who say the same and think the same way out there, and to you Fury - I want to say f*** off."
Fury, 27, responded by drawing attention to the fact that Klitschko had sworn - and then throwing foul-mouthed insults back at him, including branding him a "hall of dogs**t fighter".
The Manchester native, who memorably turned up to a press conference in the build-up to the original fight dressed as Batman, was on colourful form in general on Wednesday.
He was accompanied by a posse of cheerleaders as he arrived, danced behind the top table before sitting down, then later stood up, removed his t-shirt to show his bare top half and grabbed at his quite considerable gut as he mocked Klitschko.
"I don't live a strict lifestyle - I don't even live an athlete's lifestyle. It is an absolute disgrace to call me an athlete," Fury said.
He then stripped off his shirt and shouted to Klitschko: "Shame on you - you let a fat man beat you!
"Fat as a pig, 30 stone - I could beat him here and now."
Fury also insisted he hates boxing.
"Boxing doesn't mean a lot to me. If it did, I wouldn't have gone into camp four stone over weight and eaten every pie in Lancashire and drunk every pint of beer in the UK," he said.
"I hate every second of it, and I wish I wasn't a boxer, but I'm in this position.
"I hate the training, the boxing, speaking to you all you idiots, the whole lot. I'd rather be at home with the kids watching television.
"I hate boxing, but I'm just too f****** good at it and making too much money to stop."
The unbeaten Fury (25-0, 18 KOs) told Klitschko he "got whupped" in their original fight, and added: "You will need to be about 1,000 times better. You landed about four shots in 12 rounds.
"You might be going down as a Hall of Fame fighter, but you are hall of dogs**t fighter in my eyes.
"If the super champion can't land on a big, fat, lazy gypsy with a loud mouth, what kind of super champion is he? He must be a s**t one.
"I'm going to knock him out inside a round, just to show how s**t he really is."
Russia, Australia await the big "if" of China ban on North Korean coal: Russell
By Clyde Russell
LAUNCESTON, Australia, April 26 (Reuters) - Australia and Russia could emerge the relative winners if China does restrict imports of North Korean coal, as it has pledged to do.
However, any time the word "if" appears in a sentence, it usually is the most important word.
The big "if" is whether China will act to decisively choke off one its nuclear-armed neighbour's biggest export earners, or whether Beijing will tolerate massive smuggling across the border, as has happened during previous sanctions-related trade bans.
China banned the importation of several minerals from North Korea on April 5, including coal, as part of new United Nations sanctions on Pyongyang aimed at curbing the rogue state's nuclear weapons programme.
Certainly, the North Koreans were maximising coal exports to China ahead of the ban, with Chinese customs data showing the country became the second-biggest supplier in March.
China imported 2.35 million tonnes from North Korea in March, an 80.6 percent leap from the same month in 2015, taking imports in the first quarter to 5.53 million tonnes, up 45.2 percent from the first quarter last year.
Imports from Australia rose 7.9 percent in March to 5.76 million tonnes, while those from third-ranked Indonesia dropped 12.1 percent to 2.33 million.
The breakdown of the import figures shows where winners and losers are likely to be found, assuming North Korea's exports drop dramatically from April onwards.
Virtually all of the coal North Korea supplies is anthracite, which is a higher-quality grade mainly used for power generation.
North Korea's share of China's anthracite's imports was 89 percent in March, and 88.6 percent for the first quarter, meaning it dominates this grade of coal.
The next biggest supplier was Russia, followed by Australia, with shares of 6.4 percent and 2.9 percent respectively.
Russia's first quarter exports of anthracite to China of 373,423 tonnes are 27.9 percent lower than for the same period last year, while Australia's are down by 49.6 percent.
This would imply that there is significant scope for those two countries to increase their anthracite exports to China if North Korea is knocked out of the market.
Russia would most likely be better placed, given it can ship more easily than Australia to northeast China, the destination of the bulk of North Korean coal exports.
It's not a given that the Chinese will simply replace North Korean anthracite with supplies from Russia and Australia.
Russian anthracite had a landed cost of $71.72 a tonne in March, while Australian supplies were $75, both of which are substantially more expensive than the $45.13 for North Korean coal.
This means it is also possible that Chinese customers will seek different grades of coal from anthracite to replace what they had been getting from North Korea.
But even if this is the case, assuming that Chinese buyers can't find suitable domestic coal, Russia and Australia are still better placed to supply higher quality coal than other competitors.
CHINA LOOKS FOR COAL QUALITY
Moving to higher quality does appear to be a theme in Chinese coal imports, with purchases of low-rank lignite dropping 14.8 percent to 4.56 million tonnes in March.
This is bad news for Indonesia, given its dominance in mining lower quality coal, with China importing 18.3 percent less from the Southeast Asian nation in the first quarter, compared with a year earlier.
China's ongoing efforts to restrict the use of polluting coal means this is a trend likely to continue.
This means that China is likely to lose its position as the world's top coal importer, and what imports it does buy will tend to be of higher quality.
China's National Energy Administration said on Monday that it would halt the construction of new coal-fired plants until 2018 in 15 regions, even for projects that have already been approved.
It also said that it will target for closure older, smaller power plants that don't meet efficiency and environmental standards.
This is further bad news for low-rank coal producers, as these smaller plants are more likely to use poorer quality fuels.
The other development worth noting in China's imports is the resurgence of coking coal, with Australia the main beneficiary.
Coking coal imports jumped 73.6 percent in March from the same month in 2015 to 5.09 million tonnes, and are now up 4.9 percent for the first quarter.
Australia's share of coking coal imports was almost 50 percent, and March saw a 66.3 percent jump, taking the gain to 12.9 percent for the first quarter.
Given China's steel output reached a record high in March, a boost to coking coal imports was expected, but perhaps the extent of the increase was a surprise, given that it was several times the magnitude of the 2.9 percent gain in March steel output.
It's likely re-stocking played some part in the leap in coking coal imports, which means the March jump was more than likely a one-off event.
However, if China's steel mills continue to produce at record levels, it does bode well for coking coal imports.
An "elite FBI forensic unit" admitted that for two decades, nearly every examiner "gave flawed testimony" (aka lied) about hair sample evidence in criminal trials. And geepers, they sure feel bad about all those people who were executed in prison because of it.
Washington Post:
Of 28 examiners with the FBI Laboratory's microscopic hair comparison unit, 26 overstated forensic matches in ways that favored prosecutors in more than 95 percent of the 268 trials reviewed so far, according to the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) and the Innocence Project, which are assisting the government with the country's largest post-conviction review of questioned forensic evidence.
The cases include those of 32 defendants sentenced to death. Of those, 14 have been executed or died in prison, the groups said under an agreement with the government to release results after the review of the first 200 convictions.
University of Virginia law professor Brandon L. Garrett said the results reveal a "mass disaster" inside the criminal justice system.
Chinese firms scrap 99.5 bln yuan of bond issuance in April
SHANGHAI, April 26 (Reuters) - Chinese firms have cancelled or delayed at least 99.5 billion yuan ($15.32 billion) of planned bond issuance so far this month, as investor concerns over debt defaults mount.
More than 100 firms have delayed or cancelled issues, according to data compiled from China's two main clearinghouses for the interbank market and the interbank market operator. The state and private firms are from a broad range of sectors including cement, automobile and local government financing platforms, among others.
As of last Monday, data showed that only around 70 billion yuan of bonds had been cancelled in April so far, implying a substantial increase over the past week as bond yields have kept moving higher.
After China Shanshui Cement's default in November, which helped push low-rated bond yields higher, firms cancelled or postponed more than 40 billion yuan of bond issuance.
Chinese bond yields, however, have risen sharply this month, as rising worries about corporate creditworthiness and a less aggressive easing stance by the central bank drained liquidity from the fixed income market.
Speculative capital now appears to be flowing into commodities instruments instead, as investors bet on rising prices driven by the nascent recovery in Chinese construction. Chinese steel prices are up sharply in 2016, and trading volumes for Chinese commodity futures have spiked in recent days.
Benchmark treasury three- and five-year treasury yields are now up more than 25 basis points since the beginning of April. Corporate spreads have also risen following several high profile defaults, including that of Dongbei Special Steel Group Co Ltd, a state-owned steelmaker located in the northeastern city of Dalian.
Rising yields make bond issuance more expensive for firms. Cancellations also tend to rise along with stress in the fixed income market.
MIDEAST STOCKS-Saudi falls as reform euphoria fades, rest of region mixed
By Celine Aswad
DUBAI, April 26 (Reuters) - Shares in Saudi Arabia pulled back on Tuesday as local short-term investors booked profits in stocks that had jumped when Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced economic reforms on Monday.
Riyadh's stock index, which had gained 2.5 percent on Monday mainly from banks that could win business handling the government's privatisation plans, dropped 1.6 percent. Trading volume shrank by almost one-third.
Samba Financial Group, lead underwriter of the recent initial public offer of Middle East Healthcare, dropped 5.3 percent after rocketing 9.3 percent on Monday.
Because the reforms will take years, most fund managers do not expect any immediate, extended rally of the overall stock market.
"The implications for Saudi non-oil growth would provide a meaningful uplift to Saudi earnings in the medium to long term," said Mohamed Eljamal, head of asset management at Abu Dhabi-based Waha Capital.
Khaled Abdel Majeed, managing partner at London-based asset manager MENA Capital, said his fund might conceivably put more money into Saudi Arabia in the wake of the reform announcement, but would do so very selectively.
"At the moment the Saudi market is 15 times trailing earnings for 2015, but earnings in the first quarter of 2016 were flat, so zero growth, so if you annualise that and assume there will be no growth in 2016, then you are talking forward earnings of 15 times," he said.
"At that price, I don't think I am being paid enough to take that risk. If it was trading at 10 times, then yes, maybe."
However, some stocks gained on Tuesday on the belief their industries would benefit from the reforms.
Saudi Arabian Mining Co (Ma'aden) rose 0.6 percent. One target of the economic plan is to raise the mining industry's contribution to gross domestic product to 97 billion riyals ($25.9 billion) and increase the number of jobs in the sector by 90,000 by 2020.
Builder Abdullah Al Khodari Sons climbed 2.0 percent after Prince Mohammed said on Monday that all state infrastructure projects were continuing.
Khodari earns a major part of its revenue from government contracts and last year was awarded a contract from Ma'aden for work on a phosphate complex.
Al Khaleej Training climbed 0.4 percent and Mouwasat, which runs and manages medical centres across the kingdom, rose 0.2 percent. Education and training are expected to be central to the effort to modernise the Saudi economy.
UAE, EGYPT
Elsewhere in the Gulf, earnings determined market performance with Dubai's Emaar Malls, a unit of Emaar Properties, jumping 4.2 percent after it reported a 22 percent rise in first-quarter net profit as rental income grew.
The commercial real estate operator made a net profit of 529 million dirhams ($144.03 million), beating EFG Hermes' forecast of 451.9 million dirhams.
Emaar Properties, which has not yet reported earnings, rose 1.2 percent.
But telecommunications operator du edged down 0.6 percent after it reported a 1.4 percent fall in first-quarter net profit because it paid a higher rate of tax than a year earlier.
The firm made a net profit of 480.1 million dirhams; analysts at EFG Hermes and SICO Bahrain had forecast 480.7 million dirhams and 501.6 million dirhams respectively.
Dubai's main index added 0.2 percent, but neighbouring Abu Dhabi's index dropped 1.1 percent, weighed down by blue chips.
The emirate's largest listed stock, telecommunications operator Etisalat, retreated 2.1 percent after it reported an 8 percent fall in first-quarter net profit.
Etisalat made a net profit of 2.00 billion dirhams, after analysts at EFG Hermes and SICO Bahrain forecast 1.93 billion dirhams and 1.99 billion dirhams respectively.
Dana Gas tumbled 3.5 percent after chief executive Patrick Allman-Ward said it had not been able to reach an acceptable deal with Iran on natural gas imports into the United Arab Emirates, and that an arbitration process would continue.
In Egypt, which was closed on Monday for a public holiday, the main index climbed 1.9 percent to 7,889 points, its highest close since mid-August last year.
Foreign investors were aggressive buyers of Egyptian shares, bourse data showed, with some of their top picks leading gains. Commercial International Bank surged 7.1 percent.
But Orascom Construction fell 2.5 percent after it reported a 2015 net loss of $334.4 million, though it predicted a return to profitability in the first quarter of this year.
TUESDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
SAUDI ARABIA
* The index fell 1.6 percent to 6,757 points.
DUBAI
* The index added 0.2 percent to 3,563 points.
ABU DHABI
* The index dropped 1.1 percent to 4,585 points.
EGYPT
* The index gained 1.9 percent to 7,887 points.
QATAR
* The index edged down 0.1 percent to 10,178 points.
KUWAIT
* The index rose 0.8 percent to 5,403 points.
OMAN
* The index added 0.6 percent to 5,961 points.
BAHRAIN
* The index declined 0.4 percent to 1,112 points.
Venezuela decrees two-day week for public sector to save energy
CARACAS, April 26 (Reuters) - Venezuela's socialist government ordered public workers on Tuesday to work a two-day week as an energy-saving measure in the crisis-hit South American OPEC country.
President Nicolas Maduro had already given most of Venezuela's 2.8 million state employees Fridays off during April and May to cut down on electricity consumption.
"We have decided to add Wednesdays and Thursdays as non-working days off for the public sector," Vice President Aristobulo Isturiz told state TV during a visit to the Guri dam and hydroelectric plant in south Venezuela.
Workers will be paid for the days they are not on the job because of the government action.
The government is excluding workers in sensitive sectors, such as food. Schools will also close on Fridays.
Critics have derided Maduro for reducing the public sector's working week, and argued that it would hurt national productivity at a time of recession and shortages. Opponents also have said the move was unlikely to save electricity because employees would go home and turn on appliances there.
Drought has affected water levels at the Guri dam, which serves two-thirds of national power needs.
U.N. council set to lift Ivory Coast arms embargo: France
UNITED NATIONS, April 26 (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council is set to lift a 12-year-old arms embargo on Ivory Coast on Thursday and renew the U.N. peacekeeping mission for a final year, France's U.N. envoy said.
The West African state - the world's top cocoa grower - has emerged from a decade-long crisis that culminated in a brief 2011 war to become a rising economic star. The U.N. arms embargo was imposed in 2004 after an initial 2002-2003 civil war.
A French-drafted resolution will remove the arms embargo and an asset freeze and travel ban on six people, including former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo who is on trial before the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.
U.N. peacekeepers have been deployed in Ivory Coast since 2004 and a second draft resolution will renew the U.N. mission for a final time until April 30, 2017. There are currently some 6,900 U.N. troops and police in Ivory Coast, according to the U.N. website.
French U.N. Ambassador Francois Delattre described Ivory Coast as a U.N. "success story" and said both resolutions are due to be adopted by the 15-member Security Council on Thursday.
"This is proof that this council's toolbox, whether we are talking about peacekeeping operations or a sanctions regime, can indeed work, can indeed be decisive ... in helping a country firmly get back on its feet after a crisis," he said.
In 2014, the Security Council partially eased the arms embargo on Ivory Coast and removed a ban on its diamond exports, a measure that U.N. experts said had failed to stop illicit trafficking.
Those U.N. experts, who monitor the arms embargo, said earlier this year that Ivory Coast rebel leader-turned-parliament speaker Guillaume Soro used the 2011 civil war and its aftermath to acquire hundreds of tons of weapons, many of which remain under the control of his loyalists in the army.
Pentagon aims to curb tobacco use by military -memo
By Jilian Mincer and Phil Stewart
WASHINGTON, April 26 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter has issued new policy guidelines aimed at curbing tobacco use within America's military that include raising the prices of tobacco on military bases to match local market prices.
The policy, which also includes widening smoke-free zones in areas frequented by children, was detailed in an April 8 memo seen by Reuters on Tuesday.
A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the U.S. military would raise the price to take into account taxes charged in local communities, which are not charged on-base.
Officials within the U.S. military were now meeting to discuss ways to implement the policy guidelines describe by Carter in his memo, the defense official told Reuters.
R.J.Reynolds Tobacco Company declined to comment, but Harold P. Wimmer, National President and CEO of the American Lung Association said in a statement that this is "an important step in the right direction."
"The American Lung Association urges the DOD to follow all of the steps outlined in the Institute of Medicine's Combatting Tobacco Use in Military and Veterans Populations to ultimately phase out tobacco use in the military, which will be a win-win for health and spending," he said.
The military once tolerated and even encouraged tobacco use because people incorrectly thought it calmed soldiers as they dealt with both the dangers and the boredom experienced during a tour of duty. Cigarettes were distributed in field rations as late as the mid-1970s.
Tobacco use costs the military about $1.6 billion annually in lost productivity and healthcare expenses tied to respiratory problems, cardiovascular disease and slower healing, according to the Department of Defense data. That's expected to climb to $19 billion during the next 10 years and result in 175,000 premature deaths.
Soldiers are prohibited from using tobacco during basic training, but the military still provides smoking pits or designated ship decks where they can light up.
Parents lead protest of probe into missing 43 students in Mexico
By Lizbeth Diaz
MEXICO CITY, April 26 (Reuters) - Thousands of protesters gathered in Mexico City on Tuesday, angered by the government's handling of an investigation into 43 students who apparently were massacred in 2014 and the government's alleged treatment of international experts who have cast doubt on the official account.
The case of the 43 trainee teachers, who were abducted in September 2014 in the violent southwestern state of Guerrero, has tarnished the reputation of President Enrique Pena Nieto and highlighted the scale of human rights abuses in Mexico.
The parents and relatives of the abducted students led what appeared to be more than 2,000 protesters along the main thoroughfare of the Mexican capital, Paseo de la Reforma, carrying small torches along with large black and white photographs of the missing students.
Blanca Luz, the mother of one of the 43, said she wants to meet with Pena Nieto to discuss the investigation, a request frequently echoed by the parents.
"My heart can't take anymore," she said, standing near the main building of Mexico's attorney general's office. "I want my son back by my side."
The government has repeatedly said the students were abducted by corrupt police in the town of Iguala on the night of Sept. 26, 2014, who handed them over to a drug gang. The cartel then burned the students in a nearby dump, a government investigation concluded.
But an international panel of experts, commissioned by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), has published a series of reports casting serious doubt on that account.
In its final report published on Sunday the panel said the government had undermined its probe and accused it of stonewalling efforts to uncover the truth.
The panel, known as the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (IGIE), said it had been repeatedly blocked in efforts to obtain evidence from Mexican authorities and said the attorney general's office did not let its members re-interview detainees accused of the crime.
Prosecutors did not pursue investigative angles that the experts suggested, the panel added.
Speaking in Geneva on Tuesday, United Nations human rights spokesman Rupert Colville expressed concern about the experts' claims and urged Mexican authorities to explore the lines of enquiry they suggested.
"The main concern at present is that with the departure of the IGIE, there's unfinished business," he said. "There's clearly much more to be done and the final resolution of the case doesn't appear to be that close."
At a press briefing on Monday, U.S. Department of State spokesman John Kirby commended the experts for their work on the investigation and said he hoped the government would incorporate their suggestions into its investigation.
TABLE-Japanese insurers' investment plans for fiscal year through March 2017
TOKYO, April 27 (Reuters) - Japanese life insurers, which have combined assets of roughly 200 trillion yen ($1.80 trillion) under management, are planning to keep increasing their foreign bond holdings in the fiscal year through March 2017.
Following is a summary of the investment plans of Japan's biggest life insurance companies for the financial year through March 2017, based on interviews with Reuters and news conferences this month.
For a story summarizing the expected investment trends, see FOREIGN BONDS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nippon Life to raise holdings, diversify from US Treasuries to credit products/European bonds Dai-ichi to increase FX-hedged bond holdings, to buy unhedged bonds if yen rises Meiji Yasuda to increase holding of both FX-hedged and unhedged bonds by Y200 bln each Sumitomo to increase FX-hedged, unhedged foreign bond holdings, to buy from more countries Mitsui to increase holdings of FX-hedged and unhedged bonds by about Y100 bln each Taiyo to invest in corporate bonds, slightly increase investment in FX-hedged bonds Daido to further increase holdings after buying Y180 bln last FY Fukoku to increase foreign bonds investment by Y30 bln vs Y550 bln increase last FY Asahi to increase foreign bond holdings by Y50 bln yen vs Y200 bln increase last FY Japan Post to increase FX-hedged bonds, keep unhedged bond holdings depending on yen levels JAPAN BONDS --------------------------------------------------------------- Nippon Life to decrease holdings, keep fresh JGB investment to a minimum Dai-ichi to reduce JGBs holding, increase credit products and infrastructure finance Meiji Yasuda to keep holdings flat, no plan to buy govt bonds at current yield levels Sumitomo to slightly decrease holdings Mitsui to decrease holdings by about Y100 bln Taiyo to refrain from fresh investment Daido to maintain holdings after selling Y30 bln last FY Fukoku to stop investing in 10-year JGBs, may invest in super long bonds Asahi holdings to decrease, mostly through maturing bonds Japan Post to decrease holdings, keep fresh JGB investment to a minimum
JAPAN STOCKS --------------------------------------------------------------- Nippon Life to modestly increase holdings, with a renewed focus on shareholder returns/growth Dai-ichi to control holdings flexibly depending on market levels Meiji Yasuda to keep holdings steady Sumitomo to keep holdings steady Mitsui to keep holdings steady Taiyo to invest in high dividend yield stocks Daido to maintain holdings or increase, depending on market; increased Y65 bln last FY Fukoku to invest Y15 bln in equities with high dividend yields Asahi to keep holdings steady Japan Post to increase holdings, focusing on high dividend stocks FOREIGN SHARES, ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS --------------------------------------------------------------- Nippon Life to buy foreign stocks with high growth potential Dai-ichi to increase foreign stocks; alternatives, properties portfolio to be flat Meiji Yasuda to increase investment in foreign shares, cut real estate Sumitomo to maintain foreign stocks holdings steady Mitsui to keep real estate investment flat Taiyo to maintain alternatives flat Daido to maintain or increase foreign stocks; increased Y10 bln last FY Fukoku to invest Y50 bln in foreign stocks Asahi to keep foreign stock holdings steady, to increase investment in "middle risk" assets like subordinated debt Japan Post to increase foreign stocks, to buy hybrid securities and alternative assets EXPECTED MARKET RANGES ---------------------------------------------------------------
USD/JPY EUR/JPY NIKKEI JGB 10-yr US 10-yr
Hit by housing glut, China's Heilongjiang province cuts land sales, hands out subsidies
HONG KONG, April 27 (Reuters) - The government of China's northernmost province Heilongjiang said it aims to reduce a housing glut to a "reasonable level" by 2018 through restricting land sales and offering subsidies to rural folk looking to buy homes in urban areas.
Heilongjiang, a traditional heavy industry powerhouse that shares a border with Russia, is one of the many Chinese provinces hit by huge housing overhangs as economic growth slows. China's government has set destocking its main goal for the real estate sector this year.
Cities in Heilongjiang that take more than 24 months to clear their housing inventories will not be given new land in the next two years for residential development, the provincial government said in a statement dated April 21.
To spur demand, Heilongjiang will offer tax breaks of 1 to 1.5 percent to both first- and second-time home buyers, and remove home purchase restrictions on foreigners.
It also encourages cities with high inventory levels to offer subsidies to first-time home buyers, especially villagers and farmers.
Harbin, Heilongjiang's capital, would need 25.88 months to clear all its inventory, according to Shanghai-based data provider CRIC.
China has introduced measures to encourage property purchases outside big cities, including cutting minimum down payments and taxes for first- and second-time home buyers.
Glitch postpones first space flight from Russia's new launch-pad
MOSCOW, April 27 (Reuters) - A technical fault forced Russia's space agency on Wednesday to postpone at the last minute the inaugural launch of a rocket into space from its new Vostochny launch-pad, Russian media reported.
An unmanned Soyuz rocket carrying three satellites had been scheduled to fire off into orbit from the Vostochny site, which was built to end Russia's reliance on the Baikonur cosmodrome in neighbouring Kazakhstan.
A Harvard University survey found that among adults between 18 and 29 years of age, 51 percent "do not support capitalism." 42 support it, reports The Washington Post. A third say they support socialism as an alternative.
The survey is "difficult to interpret" due to the simplicity of choices and their lack of definition, say pollsters.
Traffic to Wikipedia terrorism entries plunged after Snowden revelations, study finds
By Joseph Menn
SAN FRANCISCO, April 27 (Reuters) - Internet traffic to Wikipedia pages summarizing knowledge about terror groups and their tools plunged nearly 30 percent after revelations of widespread Web monitoring by the U.S. National Security Agency, suggesting that concerns about government snooping are hurting the ordinary pursuit of information.
A forthcoming paper in the Berkeley Technology Law Journal analyzes the fall in traffic, arguing that it provides the most direct evidence to date of a so-called "chilling effect," or negative impact on legal conduct, from the intelligence practices disclosed by fugitive former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
Author Jonathon Penney, a fellow at the University of Toronto's interdisciplinary Citizen Lab, examined monthly views of Wikipedia articles on 48 topics identified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as subjects that they track on social media, including Al Qaeda, dirty bombs and jihad.
In the 16 months prior to the first major Snowden stories in June 2013, the articles drew a variable but an increasing audience, with a low point of about 2.2 million per month rising to 3.0 million just before disclosures of the NSA's Internet spying programs. Views of the sensitive pages rapidly fell back to 2.2 million a month in the next two months and later dipped under 2.0 million before stabilizing below 2.5 million 14 months later, Penney found.
The traffic dropped even more to topics that survey respondents deemed especially privacy-sensitive. Viewership of a presumably "safer" group of articles about U.S. government security forces decreased much less in the same period.
Penney's results, subjected to peer-review, offer a deeper dive into an issue investigated by previous researchers, including some who found a 5.0 percent drop in Google searches for sensitive terms immediately after June 2013. Other surveys have found sharply increased use of privacy-protecting Web browsers and communications tools.
Penney's work may provide fodder for technology companies and others arguing for greater restraint and disclosure about intelligence-gathering. Chilling effects are notoriously difficult to document and so have limited impact on laws and court rulings.
More immediately, the research could aid a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of Wikipedia's nonprofit parent organization and other groups against the NSA and the Justice Department.
China stocks flat after industrial profit data; Hong Kong mixed
SHANGHAI, April 27 (Reuters) - China stocks were flat on Wednesday morning, with investors hugging the sidelines despite stronger industrial profits on doubts over the sustainability of the recovery and concerns about a government crackdown in the commodities market.
Hong Kong shares were mixed, with market sentiment cautious ahead of U.S. and Japanese central bank policy decisions.
Both China's blue-chip CSI300 index and the Shanghai Composite Index ended morning trading flat, at 3,180.12 points and 2,965.61 points, respectively.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index dropped 0.2 percent, but the Hong Kong China Enterprises Index gained 0.2 percent.
Investors had a lukewarm response to news that profits earned by Chinese industrial companies rose 11.1 percent in March from a year earlier, as the market has already priced in a tentative economic recovery in the first quarter.
The focus has now shifted to whether the debt-fuelled recovery is sustainable.
The International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday that China's massive corporate debt problem could be eased through debt-to-equity conversions or securitisation of non-performing loans, but only if these apply to viable firms that undergo restructuring.
Reflecting investor caution, trading volume in Shanghai on Tuesday shrank to a four-month low and remained thin on Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, outstanding margin loans - money investors borrow to buy stocks - have shrunk for five consecutive sessions.
Resource shares remained weak, as China imposed fresh curbs on commodities, triggering continued correction in materials such as iron ore and steel.
In Hong Kong, shares of GOME Electrical Appliances Holding Ltd slumped after the home appliance retailer issued profit-warnings.
Australia rules out settling 800 asylum seekers as PNG says it will close camp
By Colin Packham
SYDNEY, April 27 (Reuters) - Papua New Guinea said on Wednesday it will close an Australian immigration centre on a northern island after its Supreme Court ruled it unlawful, but Australia ruled out accepting more than 800 asylum seekers detained there.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton stressed the success of Australia's hard-line policy that has been strongly criticised by the United Nations and human rights agencies.
Under Australian law, anyone intercepted trying to reach the country by boat is sent for processing to camps on the tiny Pacific island of Nauru or to Manus Island off Papua New Guinea. They are never eligible to be resettled in Australia.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said the detention centre would close after Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that the detentions breached the country's constitution and would have to stop.
Dutton said that it was still government policy that asylum seekers sent to offshore detention centres would never be resettled in Australia.
"As I have said, and as the Australian government has consistently acted, we will work with our PNG partners to address the issues raised by the Supreme Court of PNG," Dutton said in a statement after the announcement.
O'Neill said he would ask Australia to make arrangements for the asylum seekers held on Manus Island, adding that they would be able to stay in Papua New Guinea if they wanted.
A spokesperson for Dutton did not immediately respond for requests for comment on the closure but Dutton said in Melbourne that the Manus detainees could return home or go to another country willing to accept them.
The detainees on Manus and Nauru are mostly refugees fleeing violence in the Middle East, Afghanistan and South Asia.
While Australia maintains its hard-line stance, a second case concerning the fate of the detainees on Manus is set to be heard by the Papua New Guinea Supreme Court later this week.
Lawyers acting on behalf of nearly all the Manus Island detainees will argue that they should be taken to Australia and be compensated for being held in custody.
The detention centre on Nauru houses about 500 people and has been widely criticised by the United Nations and human rights agencies for harsh conditions and reports of systemic child abuse.
Against such a backdrop, many of the detainees have self-harmed, with Dutton on Wednesday confirming that a 23-year-old man from Iran had set himself on fire on Nauru.
Dutton said the man would be evacuated from Nauru later on Wednesday.
Santander defies Brazil gloom, beats capital and profit forecasts
By Jesus Aguado and Angus Berwick
MADRID, April 27 (Reuters) - Banco Santander answered long-standing investor questions with an improved capital ratio on Wednesday, which combined with an above forecast profit pushed its shares higher.
Overall group profit at the euro zone's biggest bank beat average analyst forecasts, despite it reporting a near 5 percent slide in net profit in the first quarter due to a deepening recession and falling currency in Brazil, its second-biggest market.
Once converted into euros, profit also dipped in Britain, the Spanish bank's largest market and where Chairwoman Ana Botin has said the bank has contingency plans in case voters support a British exit from the European Union at a referendum in June.
However, Santander shares were up 1.2 percent at 1045 GMT, one of the leaders on Spain's blue-chip Ibex index and outperforming domestic peers as investors and analysts welcomed a rise in its capital ratio under the strictest criteria to 10.27 percent from 10.05 percent in December.
The bank has long been under scrutiny over its capital buffers since it lags behind its European peers in a key measure of a bank's financial strength known as its "fully-loaded" Common Equity Tier 1 ratio (CET1).
Europe's 23 largest banks have an average fully loaded CET1 ratio of 12.7 percent, Deutsche Bank said in a report last month. Santander said on Wednesday it was on track to lift its ratio above 11 percent by 2018.
However, analysts at UBS said they now expected Santander to meet the 2018 target a year ahead of schedule. "This is a welcome development, given Santander's core solvency still fares badly within a European perspective," they wrote.
The lender achieved the capital increase through a mix of organic improvement, a regulatory one-off lift and a rise in assets available for sale.
PROFIT PRESSURE
Santander reported a net profit of 1.63 billion euros ($1.8 billion) for the three months through March, down from 1.72 billion euros in the same quarter last year, but it beat analysts' forecasts of 1.5 billion euros in a Reuters poll.
In Brazil, its profit slumped by 25 percent from a year ago and was also down on the previous three months. Revenues and profit also fell in other markets such as Argentina and Mexico.
Brazil's economic gloom threatens to hamper Chairwoman Ana Botin's strategy of organic growth for the bank, which under her father and predecessor expanded rapidly through acquisitions.
Growth in Brazil and other emerging markets largely compensated for the collapse of the bank's domestic market during Spain's financial crisis.
However, despite Brazil's economy contracting by 3.8 percent last year, non-performing loans there fell from the last quarter, as they did across all of Santander's main markets apart from Portugal. Overall, provisions on bad loans were down 6 percent when converted into euros.
Profit in Britain was down almost 4 percent on the quarter and Santander's CEO Jose Antonio Alvarez said on Wednesday a so-called Brexit would have a short term impact on the bank's finances due to the potential fall in the value of sterling.
"In the long term, Britain's exit would be bad for the British economy and for the euro zone," he told a news conference, adding that the bank's contingency plan did not involve transferring employees abroad.
At a group level, Santander's net interest income, a measure of earnings on loans minus deposit costs, was 7.62 billion euros, down 5.2 percent from a year ago.
This mirrors the margin-squeezing effect of low interest rates experienced by other Spanish banks and increased competition for lending that has seen it roll out a new current account scheme which offers generous cashbacks.
Germany to introduce e-car incentives of 4,000 euros, govt sources
BERLIN, April 27 (Reuters) - Germany's government and the auto industry have agreed on introducing an incentive of 4,000 euros ($4,518) for electric car buyers and 3,000 euros for those purchasing a plug-in hybrid vehicle, government sources told Reuters on Wednesday.
The ministers for transport, economy and finance will present the details of the agreement at a news conference in Berlin on Wednesday at 0900 GMT, a government official said.
Another government official said the overall volume of the scheme was 1.2 billion euros and this will be shared equally between the government and the private sector.
The scheme will run on a first-come first-served basis and could start as early as mid-May, the official said, adding that incentives should not apply to luxury cars costing more than 60,000 euros.
UK regulator criticises Asda over promotion tactics
LONDON, April 27 (Reuters) - Wal Mart's British supermarket Asda has agreed to change the way it operates promotions after being singled out for criticism by the competition regulator.
Britain's competition body investigated the country's supermarkets and the way they ran special offer promotions following a so-called super-complaint from the consumer watchdog Which?.
Which? said it had identified misleading and confusing pricing tactics in areas such as multi-buy offers at the likes of Asda and market leader Tesco.
On Wednesday the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it had worked with a number of supermarkets but had particularly engaged with Asda in relation to specific areas of concern.
"We welcome the commitment we have received from Asda as well as the engagement from other supermarkets, and expect them all to ensure that their practices are not misleading and that shoppers are better informed," said Michael Grenfell, CMA executive director of enforcement.
Slovak Republic - Factors To Watch on April 27
BRATISLAVA, April 27 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial markets on Wednesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Slovak Republic: GMT + 1 hours) =========================ECONOMIC DATA======================== Real-time economic data releases................... Previous stories on Slovak data............ Overview of economic data and forecasts......... ==========================NEWS================================ NEW GOVERNMENT: Slovakia's newly formed government won a parliamentary confidence vote on Tuesday as the legislature approved its programme manifesto including a relaxation of budget targets and moderate cuts in taxes for companies and small businessmen. Story: Related stories: CURRENT ACCOUNT: Slovakia's current account showed a deficit of 26 million euros ($29.37 million) in February after a revised deficit of 75 million euros in January, the central bank said on Tuesday. Story: Related stories: BANKS: The Slovak central bank (NBS) voted on Tuesday to leave its countercyclical capital buffer for banks at zero, in line with most European central banks. Story: Related stories: EQUITY: Czech energy company EPH will not go ahead with a planned initial public offering of a minority stake in its EP Infrastructure (EPIF) business and will consider a deal with global infrastructure investors, EPIF said on Wednesday. Story: Related stories: ======================PRESS DIGEST============================== GAS TRANSIT: The volume of natural gas transiting through Slovakia rose to 56 billion cubic metres (bcm) last year from 46.5 bcm in 2014, the Slovak Gas and Oil Association said. http://spravy.pravda.sk/ekonomika/clanok/391180-cez-slovensko-vlani-pretieklo-viac-plynu/ Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it vouch for their accuracy. For Instant Views of key economic data click on For summary of economic data and forecasts For diary of forthcoming Slovak events For calendar of east European economic indicators TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets TOP NEWS -- Convergence watch For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX News editor of the day: Jan Lopatka on +420 224 190 474 E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (Reporting by Prague Newsroom)
Argos owner faces wait for regulator's view on Sainsbury's takeover
By James Davey
LONDON, April 27 (Reuters) - Argos-owner Home Retail , which agreed last month to be taken over by British supermarket Sainsbury's, said on Wednesday it did not expect to hear what the competition regulator thinks of the deal until August.
The home and general merchandise retailer's board recommended a 1.4 billion pound ($2.04 bln) cash and shares bid from Sainsbury's last month. The deal is expected to complete in the third quarter of this year, assuming there is no major intervention from the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA).
Some analysts fear the deal could yet be delayed by a long wait for regulatory approval.
"The likely timetable for us for having any feedback, at the very earliest it's going to be some time in the summer ... probably August would be our best guess," Home Retail's Finance Director Richard Ashton told reporters.
"We would think that we wouldn't have issues over time but it's too early to tell," Chief Executive John Walden added.
A spokeswoman for the CMA said Home Retail and Sainsbury's were currently in an informal pre-notification phase with the parties voluntarily providing information.
After that process concludes the regulator will launch a formal "Phase 1" up to 40 working days inquiry, after which it can either clear the deal, seek remedies or move to a "Phase 2" 24-week investigation.
Sainsbury's wants Argos to accelerate its growth by creating Britain's largest general merchandise retail business and by expanding its online presence.
On Wednesday Home Retail reported a 28 percent fall in annual profit, reflecting tough markets and increased investment.
It made an underlying pretax profit of 94.7 million pounds for the year to Feb. 27, down from the 132.1 million pounds made in 2014-15. However, it beat analysts' average forecast of 93 million pounds.
Sainsbury's would have been well aware of market expectations for Home Retail's profit.
Group sales fell 1 percent to 5.67 billion pounds. They were flat at Argos and down 3 percent at home improvement retailer Homebase.
Shares in Home Retail, up 71 percent so far this year, were down 0.6 percent at 169.3 pence at 0939 GMT.
In February Home Retail sold Homebase to Australian group Wesfarmers for 340 million pounds. Wesfarmers intends to rebrand the chain as Bunnings and invest 500 million pounds refurbishing its 265 stores.
Home Retail said recommendation of Sainsbury's offer resulted in an exceptional goodwill impairment charge of 852 million pounds, leading to a total loss after tax for the 2015-16 year of 808 million pounds.
The goodwill, which has remained unchanged for decades, had to be aligned to the value of Sainsbury's offer.
Saudis open new phase in Asia oil market turf war with China spot sale
By Henning Gloystein and Florence Tan
SINGAPORE, April 27 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's sale of a spot crude cargo to an independent Chinese refiner marks a new phase in the turf war for dominance over Asia's oil market and sends a strong message to its rivals Russia and Iran: the fight for market share is on.
State-owned Saudi Aramco, the world's biggest oil exporter, this month sold 730,000 barrels of crude for June-loading to Chinese refinery Shandong Chambroad Petrochemicals, one of about 20 independent refineries nicknamed "teapots." This is Aramco's first spot sale to a teapot.
Aramco typically sells its crude through contracts of one year or longer, and under an Official Selling Price (OSP), rather than in spot trades.
While it has occasionally sold spot cargoes, for instance to European and Indian refiners, this is the first time it sold on a spot basis to a non-state Chinese refiner, demonstrating new sales nimbleness.
"The Saudis are essentially showing more flexibility in order to tap into that market as it fights for market share. It points to a more creative and less rigid marketing strategy," said Virendra Chauhan, analyst at Energy Aspects in Singapore.
Aramco sold Shandong Chambroad a cargo, including Arab Heavy crude, at a differential to the Oman/Dubai benchmark price, said an industry source familiar with the matter.
The Arab Heavy May OSP was set at a $3.65 per barrel discount to Oman/Dubai.
The shipment moved out of Aramco's storage site on the Japanese island of Okinawa that it operates as protection against supply disruptions and to react quickly to short-term demand.
Russia has filled most of the surging demand from China's teapots, most of which were only allowed last year to import crude, pushing it to China's biggest oil supplier in March and in four separate months in 2015, nudging aside the Saudis.
"For the Saudis, offering a spot cargo to a teapot signals they want to bite back at the Russians, who have supplied most of the demand by the rising teapots," said a senior trader who has done deals with Saudis and Chinese importers.
"And it tells other producers, Iran in particular, that the Saudis are willing to play hard ball in the rush for Asia's market share."
KNIGHTHOOD FOR TEAPOT
Iran, freed from crippling sanctions in January, boosted exports in February to Asia's four biggest oil buyers by 24.6 percent from a year ago to 1.28 million barrels per day (bpd), government and tanker-tracking data showed.
Iran has increased its exports to 1.9 million bpd, up from just over 1 million bpd in January, and plans to raise production to reach the pre-sanction level of 4 million bpd, from around 3.23 million bpd as soon as possible.
Other sources said Aramco's move was a test to explore whether it could start a long-term relationship with China's teapots.
"This for now is a one-off test of the teapot's interest and its technical ability to process Saudi oil," said a Beijing-based trading official with knowledge of Aramco's marketing.
Neither Saudi Aramco nor Shandong Chambroad Petrochemicals were available for comment.
Chambroad's deal with Aramco is a major win for a teapot, which usually lack the credit ratings needed to sign long-term international contracts.
Major oil producers have shunned teapots after several deals fell through within months of them entering the market.
"The deal gives them access to Aramco supplies," said a person familiar with the deal. "That's like a knighthood for the teapot."
Oil producers are scrambling to find buyers as supplies still outstrip demand, causing prices to drop 70 percent between mid-2014 and early 2016.
"It is obvious that there is a major turf war going on in the crude market," said an oil tanker broker.
Philippines finds headless body near site where militants executed Canadian
MANILA, April 27 (Reuters) - Villagers in the southern Philippines found a headless body on Wednesday, an army spokesman said, two days after the execution of a Canadian captive by Islamist militants, condemned as a "cold-blooded murder" by Canada's prime minister.
Security is precarious in the southern Philippines, despite a 2014 peace pact between the government and the largest Muslim rebel group that ended 45 years of conflict.
Canadian John Ridsdel, 68, a former mining executive, was captured by Islamist militants along with three other people in September 2015 while on vacation on a Philippine island.
This week, the Philippine army said a severed head had been found on a remote island on Monday, five hours after the expiry of a ransom deadline set by the militants, who had threatened to execute one of four captives.
Residents found the head in the centre of Jolo town. An army spokesman said two men on a motorcycle were seen dropping a plastic bag containing the severed head. Police confirmed the head to be that of Ridsdel.
On Wednesday, army spokesman Major Filemon Tan said a headless body was found in a dried creek, near the jungles where Ridsdel was believed to have been beheaded by militants belonging to the Abu Sayyaf group.
"We are still verifying if the body is that of John Ridsdel," Tan told reporters, adding that a police forensics team was conducting tests. "There were no blood stains in the area, suggesting the body was not beheaded in the area."
Abu Sayyaf is a small but brutal militant group known for beheading, kidnapping, bombing and extortion in the south of the mainly Catholic country.
Ridsdel, 68, and three others, including a Norwegian and another Canadian, were abducted seven months ago in the southern Philippines. They had appealed in a March video for their families and governments to secure their release.
In the video, they said the militants had threatened to behead one of them if the 300 million pesos ($6.4 million) ransom for each of them was not paid by Monday. The initial demand was one billion pesos each.
Hours after Abu Sayyaf carried out its threat, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the execution as "an act of cold-blooded murder."
Other foreigners held by Abu Sayyaf include one from the Netherlands, one from Japan, four Malaysians and 14 Indonesians.
Reason posted a transcript of Nick Gillespie's satellite link interview with national security whistleblower Edward Snowden, still exiled in Russia. Gillespie asked Snowden, "What would be the conditions under which you would voluntarily return to the United States?"
Snowden: It's evolved quite a bit. Originally, I volunteered myself for prison, but I said that I wouldn't allow myself to be held up as a deterrent to other people who are trying to do the right thing.
And that was fundamentally contrary to what the government wanted to do. They wanted to nail a scalp on the wall as a warning to the others. It was Daniel Ellsbergwho leaked the Pentagon Papers, the secret classified history of the war in Vietnam in 1971 that showed the government had not only lied us into the war, but they kept lying to us to keep us in it despite the fact that they knew there was no way to winhe told me that this was a mistake. Eventually he convinced me. To what do we owe our first loyalty? To law or to justice? To submit ourselves to a government that is intentionally trying to deter the political beliefs and political acts of other people merely on the basis of law, as though that were a substitute for morality or superior to morality, is a very dangerous precedent to set.
Most people might be surprised by this, but I'm still fairly more trusting in the value of government and institutions than Daniel Ellsberg, who has just been an extraordinary crusader and a true radical in the best way for more than a generation now.
I've told the government that I will return if they guarantee a fair trial where I can make a public-interest defense of why this was done, and allow the jury to decide if it was right or wrong in the context of both legality and morality. And the United States responded with a letter from the attorney general saying they promise they would not torture me. I'm not kidding. So it's still kind of a work-in-progress, but we'll see where it goes.
Taiwan's Tsai says democratic principles will rule ties with China
TAIPEI, April 27 (Reuters) - Taiwan President-elect Tsai Ing-wen said she will maintain the status quo in the island's relationship with China, but that her policy will be based on democratic principles and transcend party politics, a nuance likely to be lost on Communist Party leaders in Beijing.
China regards self-ruled Taiwan as a wayward province to be taken back by force if necessary and wants the new government to stick to the "one China" policy agreed upon with the outgoing China-friendly Nationalist government.
Beijing distrusts Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which it believes supports formal independence for Taiwan.
"Only in this way, can the cross-Strait relationship last and give 'maintaining the status quo' real meaning," Tsai, referring to the body of water separating the two sides, said in a speech.
"In these 10 years or so, the rise of China's economy and its increasing overall influence has changed the structure of the cross-Strait relationship," Tsai said. "It has also resulted in far-reaching impact in all aspects of interaction."
Her comments come less than a month before she takes power amid keen interest in what she will say during her inauguration speech on May 20.
Tsai has always said she will maintain the status quo but has not elaborated on how she will engage Beijing beyond broad principles.
Tsai and her independence-leaning DPP were voted into power in January on growing concern, particularly among younger citizens, that the island was not benefiting from its economic ties with China.
China has been stepping up pressure on Taiwan. In the past few weeks, China has established ties with former Taiwan ally Gambia, sent a top general to inspect troops based in a frontline province and scooped up dozens of Taiwanese from Kenya wanted in China for fraud - a move denounced by Taipei as being more about politics than crime.
Only 22 countries recognise Taiwan as the "Republic of China", with most having diplomatic relations with the "People's Republic of China", with its leaders in Beijing.
Ties warmed considerably when Ma Ying-jeou of the Nationalists was elected Taiwan president in 2008, ushering in regular high-level exchanges and overseeing the signing of a series of landmark economic deals.
China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since 1949, when Mao Zedong's forces won the Chinese civil war and Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists fled to the island.
Tsai reiterated that the new government would maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and forge a consistent, predictable and sustainable relationship with China.
Syria opposition: Setting date for next round in peace talks is up to UN
BEIRUT, April 27 (Reuters) - A Syrian opposition official said on Wednesday it was up to the United Nations to say when peace talks would resume, after a Russian official said they would restart on May 10, adding that the opposition would not take part until its demands were met.
George Sabra of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) was responding to comments earlier on Wednesday by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov of Russia, a major ally of President Bashar al-Assad.
"All the while real steps aren't taken on the ground in Syria, the participation of the delegation of the HNC will remain suspended," Sabra told Reuters.
Iran's Supreme Leader says U.S. lifted sanctions only on paper
DUBAI, April 27 (Reuters) - The United States has only lifted Iranian sanctions on paper and in practice is scaring businesses away from the country, its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday.
"On paper the United States allows foreign banks to deal with Iran, but in practice they create Iranophobia so no one does business with Iran," Khamenei was quoted as saying by his official website, addressing hundreds of workers in Tehran.
"The U.S. official says the sanctions regime is still in place to scare away the foreign investment from Iran."
Parties in struggling Syria talks unclear on date of next round
MOSCOW/GENEVA, April 27 (Reuters) - The United Nations said on Wednesday no date had been set for the next round of Syria peace talks, contradicting a report quoting Russia's deputy foreign minister as saying talks would resume in Geneva on May 10.
U.N. Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura is struggling to keep the peace process alive after the main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) left formal talks last week.
The HNC said on Wednesday that it was up to the United Nations to say when peace talks would resume, but that it would not take part until its demands were met.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov's comments were reported but RIA news agency on Wednesday, but a spokeswoman for de Mistura said in an email that May 10 was speculation.
Later, HNC chief coordinator Riad Hijab, a former prime minister, called in a statement for an extraordinary meeting in Paris of the "Friends of Syria" group of countries in order to contain the worsening violence and grave humanitarian situation on the ground.
A meeting of the group - which excludes Russia - should aim to "put an end to the hostilities against the Syrian people and put pressure on the regime and its allies to abide by the international resolutions and put an end to their severe violations against the Syrian people", the statement said.
De Mistura was due to address the U.N. Security Council by video-link on Wednesday night from Geneva at the end of a two-week round which began on April 13.
He is expected to speak beforehand with both U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the co-sponsors of the fragile two-month ceasefire who are steering the talks.
"With the whole thing falling apart, it is going to require some high-level inspiration to get it started again," a Western diplomat told Reuters.
De Mistura is talking about May 14-15 for starting the next round, a second Western diplomat said.
"But it is very, very theoretical," that diplomat said. "It is not at all a given that the two parties will return to Geneva. De Mistura feels that ending the round without giving a date for the next one would not be a good sign."
The Syrian government said on Tuesday it had held a final session of talks with de Mistura in a "useful and constructive round", but diplomats warned that an escalation of fighting around Aleppo threatened the shaky peace process.
George Sabra of the HNC said on Wednesday his group would not attend talks unless the situation on the ground improved.
"All the while real steps aren't taken on the ground in Syria, the participation of the delegation of the HNC will remain suspended," Sabra said.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday that the HNC's conduct was "worrying" and that the group had failed to make constructive proposals at the talks.
De Mistura still aims to convene a ministerial meeting of major and regional powers under the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), before the next round is held, the second Western diplomat said.
China Everbright, HK's Friedman buy Albania's airport operator
SHANGHAI, April 27 (Reuters) - China Everbright Group, a state-backed financial firm, has bought into Albania's international airport in partnership with a Hong Kong-based investment firm, the latest deal highlighting China's ambition to rebuild Silk Road trade links with Europe and Asia.
Beijing has estimated its much-hyped "One Belt, One Road" initiative will add $2.5 trillion to China's trade over 10 years and Chinese firms are increasingly lending their support with aggressive investment in overseas infrastructure projects.
China Everbright Ltd, a unit of the group, said it would acquire the airport's developer and operator, Tirana International Airport, taking over the concession until 2025.
Passenger numbers at the airport jumped to 2 million in 2015, up from 600,000 ten years earlier, making it one of Europe's fastest growing airports, it said in a statement.
The concession can also be extended by two years if the Albanian government approves.
It will complete the deal through a venture with Friedmann Pacific Asset Management Ltd, which specialises in aviation and airport-related projects.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. A spokesman for China Everbright Ltd said it owns 75 percent of the venture with Friedman Pacific holding the rest. He added that China Everbright will continue to look at opportunities to acquire quality assets in Europe.
Friedmann Pacific, which manages about HK$15 billion ($1.9 billion), was part of a consortium that agreed in December to buy a 49.99 percent stake in France's Toulouse Blagnac airport.
Recent overseas infrastructure deals made by Chinese firms include the 67 percent stake purchase of Greece's Piraeus Port by China Cosco Shipping Corporation.
A China Railway Engineering Corp joint venture also bought a majority stake in a Malaysian development project.
GRAINS-Soybean prices fall as Argentina crop concerns ease
By Nigel Hunt
LONDON, April 27 (Reuters) - U.S. soybean futures were lower on Wednesday as drier weather in Argentina helped to curb crop concerns following heavy flooding and corn prices also eased slightly.
The Chicago Board of Trade most-active July soybean contract was off 0.3 percent to $10.23-3/4 a bushel at 1033 GMT.
"Soybeans have had such an incredible run-up and it looked like bit of an over reaction, given the outlook on supplies," said Phin Ziebell, agribusiness economist at National Australia Bank in Sydney. "The rally was mainly driven by weather concerns in Argentina which are easing now."
Argentina's soybean crop has taken a hit with heavy rains at the time of harvest curbing yields. The Buenos Aires Grains Exchange has dropped its 2015-16 soybean crop estimate to 56 million tonnes from a previous forecast of 60 million tonnes.
But the weather conditions in Argentina are now improving.
CBOT July corn was off 0.1 percent at $3.86-3/4 a bushel.
In the United States, there are forecasts of rains moving through much of the Midwest in the coming days. This could slow the current pace of corn planting in the region.
"The U.S. is looking at a week long storm system that will track across the Midwest, Delta and parts of the central Plains," analyst Tobin Gorey of Commonwealth Bank of Australia said in a market note.
"The rain will be helpful for those areas that need a top up to soil moisture, but parts of the Corn Belt and Delta will likely become too wet."
U.S. corn plantings have been running well above the five-year average pace.
Dealers also noted some rains were forecast in Brazil this week although crop losses from recent dry weather are still widely anticipated.
"The (corn) market is torn between a bullish dryness story in Brazil and bearish pressure from a large U.S. acreage," Rabobank said in a market update.
CBOT July wheat was off 0.4 percent at $4.85-3/4 a bushel while May wheat in Paris rose 0.3 percent to 152.00 euros a tonne.
Dealers said EU wheat prices were underpinned by the prospect of less competition from key rival Ukraine where grain exports are expected to fall in the 2016/17 (July/June) season due to a smaller harvest.
Jakarta to sink without scandal-mired construction project, says president
By Eveline Danubrata and Gayatri Suroyo
JAKARTA, April 27 (Reuters) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Wednesday that large parts of the nation's capital will sink below sea level if a $40 billion construction project, mired by accusations of corruption, does not go ahead.
A major bribery scandal and bureaucratic clashes prompted authorities last week to suspend work on a key phase of the "Great Garuda" project, which aims to shore up northern Jakarta while revamping the capital's image into a Singapore-like waterfront city.
"It is estimated that all of North Jakarta will sink below sea level by 2030," Widodo said at a cabinet meeting. "Because of that, the development of the capital's seaside, which has been delayed for so long, is the answer for Jakarta."
Greater Jakarta, one of the world's most densely populated cities, sits on a swampy plain and is sinking at a faster rate than any other city in the world. (http://reut.rs/1WeSQ8u)
Unable to stop the sinking, Jakarta has focused its attention on bolstering its defences with a 15-mile seawall and refurbishing the crumbling flood canal system.
The plan is known as the "Giant Sea Wall" or "Great Garuda", for its resemblance from the air to the bird-god of Hindu mythology that is Indonesia's national symbol.
"The point the president wants to make is the project is needed to save Jakarta," said city Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama. "But the national interest shouldn't be entangled in the legal cases."
Included in the master plan is the building of 17 artificial islands off Jakarta's northern coast, where property developers plan to build shopping malls and attractions similar to Singapore's Sentosa Island.
But work on these islands will be suspended for six months, said Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, after officials named the president director of property developer PT Agung Podomoro Tbk a suspect in allegedly bribing a city council member to influence the regulation for a land reclamation.
Authorities have also imposed a travel ban on the head of another property company, Agung Sedayu Group, and could soon name more suspects.
"We see this as a big case because it involves a Jakarta programme that is quite huge and that has become the object of the world's attention," Saut Situmorang, one of the key anti-graft investigators, told Reuters.
Widodo has backed the investigation and ordered his ministers to oversee every facet of the project.
Vietnam media ties massive fish kill to Formosa Plastics steel unit
By Ho Binh Minh
HANOI, April 27 (Reuters) - Vietnam is investigating a massive fish kill at aquatic farms and in waters off the country's central provinces that state media reports have tied to alleged toxic discharges coming from a steel complex built by Taiwan's Formosa Plastics.
The Taiwan's company local unit Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corp, however, said in a statement this week via its parent company that there is no evidence that wastewater from its steel plant was responsible for the fish deaths.
Fish raised in farms near Vung Ang port in Ha Tinh province, about 400 km (250 miles) south of Hanoi, began dying on April 6, with more dead fish subsequently washing up on nearby beaches, the Vietnamese government said in a report.
The fish deaths in Ha Tinh and now other provinces have raised concerns about food security and domestic seafood markets have been deserted. There are also worries that the fish kill could threaten Vietnam's $7 billion in annual seafood exports.
"I've been doing this job for 19 years but I've never seen such a phenomenon," clam farmer Nguyen Xuan Phuong in Ha Tinh province told state-run Vietnam Television (VTV) on Tuesday.
Fish and shellfish deaths have now also been reported in the provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue along a stretch of some 200 km (124 miles) on Vietnam's central coast.
Several media reports have said a drainage pipe operated by Formosa's Vietnam unit in Ha Tinh province is behind the water pollution that has killed the fish.
Tests of seawater taken from Thua Thien-Hue province showed higher-than-normal contents of ammonium - a nitrogen compound - and chromium, deputy head Nguyen Huu Quyet of the provincial environment department said on Wednesday in a VTV broadcast.
Formosa Ha Tinh is building a $10.6 billion steel complex in the Vung Ang economic zone, and the first phase of the steel plant began operating in December 2015.
Controversy over the plant and the fish kill was exacerbated when Chu Xuan Pham, a Hanoi-based representative of Formosa's local unit, said in comments reported on Monday that Vietnam has to choose between "catching fish and shrimp and building a modern steel industry."
Chu apologised for his comments at a news conference on Tuesday in Ha Tinh province, and Formosa Ha Tinh said in the statement via its parent: "We are deeply shocked and sorry. We cannot understand why so many fish have died."
Vietnamese newspapers reported on Wednesday that Chu has since been fired, although this could not be confirmed with the company and Chu could not be reached for comment.
The wastewater discharged by Formosa Ha Tinh has undergone proper treatment and meets with Vietnam's standards, the local company's director of environmental hygiene and safety, Khau Nhan Kiet, said at Tuesday's news conference.
Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who took office early this month, has ordered a thorough inspection of the fish deaths, the government said on Tuesday without naming any suspects. The findings are expected out later this week.
Turkey's Cengiz in talks with Russia's Rosatom to buy nuclear plant stake - source
ANKARA, April 27 (Reuters) - Turkish construction firm Cengiz is in talks about buying up to 49 percent of the $20 billion Akkuyu nuclear power plant being built by Russia's Rosatom, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
The Russian-owned project, Turkey's first nuclear power plant, has been complicated by the deterioration in ties between the two countries after Turkey shot down a Russian warplane over the Turkey-Syria border in November.
In December, Turkish energy officials said state-owned Rosatom had stopped construction work on the project. President Vladimir Putin subsequently said the decision on the future of the plant would be purely commercial.
"Talks have been continuing for some time with Cengiz Construction on the sale of up to 49 percent of Akkuyu," the source told Reuters.
Cengiz last year won a tender to build some of the Akkuyu plant's structures.
Rosatom declined to comment on the issue.
The sale of a 49 percent stake is a provision of the inter-government agreement to build the plant signed by the two countries in 2010. Talks on the sale have been held with other investors previously and could be held again, the source said.
He said there was no timescale for the sale and there was no foreign investor interest at the moment, adding that there was no political dimension to the sale.
"The sale of the shares has nothing to do with the political process between Turkey and Russia following the downing of the plane," he said.
Keen to wean itself off an almost complete dependence on imported energy, Turkey in 2013 commissioned Rosatom to build four-1,200 megawatt (MW) reactors at Akkuyu, near Mersin on the Mediterranean coast.
The Akkuyu plant is not scheduled to come on online before 2022 and has faced delays due to regulatory hurdles and Moscow's financial woes.
Nearly two dozen U.S.-led strikes hit Islamic State in Iraq -statement
WASHINGTON, April 27 (Reuters) - The United States and its allies conducted 23 strikes against Islamic State in Iraq on Tuesday, the coalition leading the operations said in a statement on its latest round of daily strikes against the militant group.
The strikes were concentrated near Falluja, Mosul, Qayyarah and Tal Afar, the Combined Joint Task Force said in the statement released on Wednesday.
The coalition is working to retake Mosul, the largest Iraqi city still under the control of Islamic State. In addition to Mosul, the militants also control Raqqa and swathe of territory in between the two cities.
The five strikes there on Tuesday hit three of the militants' tactical units and destroyed one of its vehicles and a fighting position, among other targets, according to the task force.
[My friend Peter Sheridan is a Los Angeles-based correspondent for British national newspapers. He has covered revolutions, civil wars, riots, wildfires, and Hollywood celebrity misdeeds for longer than he cares to remember. As part of his job, he must read all the weekly tabloids. For the past couple of years, he's been posting terrific weekly tabloid recaps on Facebook and has graciously given us permission to run them on Boing Boing. Enjoy! Mark]
Earthquakes, floods, fire, nuclear war and the promise that "the world as we know it will end" in the next 100 days is the cheering news from this week's National Examiner. You'd think this might warrant the front cover, but buried on page 42 is the news that "Torrents of lava will gush across the Western United States," and "an earthquake off the coast of Hawaii . . . triggers a tsunami that lashes both sides of the Pacific." This naturally unleashes "flooding and mudslides" that rupture the San Andreas fault and ignite volcanos at Mount St Helens and Yellowstone Park, igniting a "lake of fire" across Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. And that's just by June. By August expect "a civil uprising" leading to "nuclear holocaust" that "devastates entire countries." Definitely a good time to stock up on sunscreen, sturdy shoes and an ample supply of burgers.
That's the optimistic forecast from "the country's most trusted psychic consultants and religious scholars." Well, that's good enough for me. I'm cancelling my Hawaiian vacation and perhaps I'll spend the summer building an underground shelter. Just because it's in a tabloid, that doesn't mean it isn't the truth, does it?
Well, there's "the real truth," and then there's "what really happened."
Both are apparently quite different when it comes to the death of pop icon Prince, if this week's tabloids are to be believed.
"Aids Killed Prince!" screams the National Enquirer, offering "the real truth" that the Purple Jehovah's Witness "tried to beat Aids through prayer" only to spend his "agonizing final days" suffering "seizures, chronic pain & addicted to opiates."
The Enquirer trots out two of its favorite lines: Prince "didn't have to die," and "slowly wasted away to a skeletal 80 pounds."
Offering "what really happened," however, the Globe magazine alleges: "Pigheaded pop superstar Prince killed himself by ignoring doctors' warnings!"
Far from spending his final days in agony, the Globe claims "he stubbornly continued his partying ways just a day after undergoing emergency medical treatment" having fallen ill days before his demise.
People magazine quotes unnamed sources claiming that the entertainer had been battling an "ongoing illness" and "undergoing treatments that made his immune system weak" suggesting that he was relying on medical science and not just prayer.
At least Us magazine has it right when it reports: "It is still unclear why the star passed away so suddenly."
Tabloid headlines continue their misleading bait-and-switch as the Globe devotes its cover to a topic that has intrigued its readers for two decades: the murder of former child pageant queen JonBenet Ramsey. "JonBenet Mom's Confession To Police!" yells the cover, proffering "the real story." Hang on where have I heard that before . . ? The cover promises: "What she did, how she did it and why cops hid the evidence!"
But if you search the mag for Patsy Ramsey's "confession" you will be disappointed. In a lengthy interview with investigators in 1998 JonBenet's mother allegedly admitted that she had been having emotional problems before her daughter's death, that she had no idea if her daughter had been sexually abused before her murder, and that the handwriting in a note left by the killer looked "familiar." That may have been mildly interesting in 1998, but today it is hardly a "confession." And what about "how she did it"? Since Patsy Ramsey admitted doing nothing, we will never know how she achieved such a feat. But that's what passes as a blockbuster revelation in the tabloids. Why did the police "hide" this "evidence"? Probably because it wasn't evidence of anything, and detectives were determined to conduct their investigation outside the wildly speculative sensationalized world of the tabloids. Speaking of which . . .
The Globe claims that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas "is a kinky swinger" who liked porn videos and "threesomes" according to an alleged former mistress, that Julia Roberts and Jennifer Aniston had the "mother of all catfights" while filming their new movie 'Mother's Day,' and brings us a ten-page special tribute for the Queen's 90th birthday and momentarily forgets its usual obsession that she's allegedly at death's door. The Enquirer continues waving the flag for Donald Trump by attacking Ted Cruz's preacher father Rafael alleging he runs "shady ministries" as a tax dodge, having previously linked him with JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. And after dozens of stories branding renown record producer Phil Spector a murdering monster, the Enquirer this week declares "Phil Spector Innocent," according to new forensic analysis.
Fortunately we have Us magazine's crack investigative team to tell us that La La Anthony (Who she, Ed?) wore it best, that Mischa Barton carries sunglasses, chewing gum and lollipops swiped from a local bank in her 3.1 Phillip Lim bucket bag (whatever that is), that David Hasselhoff has sold more records than Michael Jackson (in Switzerland), and that the stars are just like us: they try on shoes, they devour burgers and they apply sunscreen. Someone must have tipped off the stars that armageddon is coming.
Onwards and downwards . . .
Baker Hughes expects U.S. rig count to stabilize later in 2016
By Amrutha Gayathri
April 27 (Reuters) - Oilfield services provider Baker Hughes Inc said on Wednesday it expects U.S. rig count will begin to stabilize in the second half of 2016, while the rig count globally will drop steadily through the end of the year due to fewer new projects.
However, the company, which also reported a bigger first-quarter loss, said it does not expect drilling activity in the United States to increase meaningfully this year, even if the rig count steadies.
Baker Hughes, whose acquisition by bigger rival Halliburton Co is pending regulatory approval, said the terms of the merger agreement required it to retain certain expenses, which limited its ability to cut costs, and hurt operating margins.
"If the deal breaks, we can see those costs going away soon," Cowen & Company analysts wrote in a note.
Baker Hughes shares rose as much as 4 percent on Wednesday. They had fallen nearly 4 percent in premarket trading after the company reported results.
If the deal is not cleared by regulators, Halliburton will have to pay Baker Hughes $3.5 billion in termination fees.
Edward Jones analyst Rob Desai said the company could use the money to buy back shares or even make acquisitions to boost its business.
Baker Hughes reiterated that the merger agreement would not terminate automatically if regulatory reviews extended beyond the April 30 deadline.
Since being announced in November 2014, the deal has faced stiff regulatory uncertainty, with the U.S. Department of Justice suing to block the deal earlier this month.
Baker Hughes said it recorded merger-retained costs of $110 million, after tax, in the first quarter. That helped widen its attributable net loss for the period to $981 million from $589 million a year earlier.
"During the quarter, the industry faced another precipitous decline in activity, exceeding even the most pessimistic predictions," Chief Executive Martin Craighead said.
Baker Hughes said it expects the industry-wide rig count in North American to fall 30 percent in the current quarter from the previous quarter.
Cowen & Company analysts said the company limiting its exposure to the unprofitable onshore pressure pumping business in North America confirmed it was losing market share in the region.
Baker Hughes North America revenue declined 59 percent in the quarter, accounting for 30 percent of its total revenue. Overall revenue fell a steeper-than-expected 41.9 percent, to $2.67 billion.
Halliburton's revenue in the quarter slumped 40.4 percent.
Austria plans fence at Italian border -police chief to paper
VIENNA, April 27 (Reuters) - Austria may build a 400-metre border fence at its Brenner crossing with Italy, the police chief for the province of Tyrol said on Wednesday, according to the Tiroler Tageszeitung newspaper.
Whether the fence is built would depend on Italy's willingness to cooperate, Helmut Tomac told a news conference, the newspaper reported. A spokesman for Tyrol's police said he could not immediately confirm the report.
Austria has already started building work at the border to enable controls to be implemented if numbers of migrants arriving there make it necessary.
Saudi Arabia will struggle to kick its addiction to oil: Kemp
By John Kemp
LONDON, April 27 (Reuters) - "King Abdulaziz and the men who worked with him for the establishment of the state did not depend on oil and they established the kingdom without oil, and they ran this state without oil, and they lived in this state without oil," Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in an televised interview on Monday.
The deputy crown prince criticised the kingdom's subsequent "addiction" to oil which has "disrupted the development of many sectors in the past years" implying this was a relatively recent problem.
The prince claimed his national transformation programme would enable the kingdom to "live without oil" as early as 2020 ("Transcript of Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Interview", Al Arabiya, April 25).
But if modern Saudi Arabia was founded by conquest and the skilful statesmanship of Abdulaziz, it has been held together by the revenue from oil, even more than conservative religion.
Distribution of oil revenue to client groups has formed the foundation of the state from its earliest years and shaped the contours of the economy and society.
Sharing oil wealth in exchange for popular submission to absolute monarchical rule has always been central to the social contract between the ruling Al Saud and the kingdom's population.
Transforming that contract so that it does not centre on oil is an enormously ambitious undertaking fraught with considerable risks and with an uncertain chance of success.
OIL AND ARABIA
Before the discovery of oil, Saudi Arabia was a desperately poor country, with a largely subsistence economy and depending on the annual pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina.
The modern state was assembled through a series of conquests between 1902 and 1926 and proclaimed as the unified Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932.
At the time, the only government revenue came from customs duties, pilgrimage taxes and tithes. From the start, the state was short of money and desperately looking for additional sources of income.
One reason the kingdom granted a concession in 1933 to prospect for oil to the U.S. company Socal rather than Britain's Iraq Petroleum Company was that Socal was prepared to offer more cash up front and loans to be repaid from future production ("A king and a concession", Aramco, 1984).
In 1938, the government's revenue amounted to just $7 million, according to Arthur Young, the U.S. financial expert sent out after World War Two to help set up the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency.
The first commercial oil discovery was made the same year and the kingdom received $340,000 in oil royalties ("Saudi Arabia: the making of a financial giant", Young, 1983).
Hopes of an immediate bonanza were delayed by the world war, which led to the postponement of exploration and development work. But once the war ended, production and oil revenue began to ramp up.
The kingdom's annual oil revenue surged from $340,000 in 1938 to $10 million in 1946, $57 million in 1950, $334 in 1960, $1.2 billion in 1970 and $84 billion in 1980.
MONEY AND POWER
Even before oil, gift-giving was an important element of the compact between the ruler and his subjects, and the need to demonstrate generosity frequently strained royal finances ("Two kings in Arabia", Bullard, 1993).
Once the gusher of oil revenue arrived, it provided the scope to co-opt almost all social groups and make them clients of the state.
Tribal groups were granted generous state subsidies and recruited into the national guard. Hundreds of thousands of other citizens have been put on the payrolls of the armed forces and various ministries.
Money could also be used to settle tensions within the royal family by allowing each senior prince to be given their own vast and essentially autonomous bureaucratic fiefdom.
Oil wealth enabled the state to avoid levying income and other taxes and to subsidise the provision of basic services including water, electricity and gasoline.
Oil wealth enables Saudi Arabia to maintain more than 250,000 men under arms and run the world's third-largest defence budget ("Princes, brokers and bureaucrats: oil and the state in Saudi Arabia", Hertog, 2010).
More or less everything in modern Saudi Arabia depends directly or indirectly on oil.
BUDGET PROBLEMS
From the very beginning, however, expenditure tended to run ahead of receipts. "When oil production and spending grew after the war, spending grew even faster", according to Young.
"Governments, like individuals, have the urge to spend more whenever income suddenly increases."
In 1949, despite oil revenue amounting to $39 million, the government was struggling to pay its bills, the first of several budget crises in the subsequent decades.
The kingdom's history from the 1950s to the 2010s has been a series of oil-fuelled booms followed by painful adjustments when oil prices fell and revenue shrank.
ADDICTED TO OIL
Periodic crashes in the oil price and state revenue have brought periodic calls to adjust the social compact between the state and its citizens.
Prince Mohammed, effectively the kingdom's top economic policymaker, is not the first ruler to complain about the country's addiction to oil ("Saudi reform efforts wax and wane with oil prices," Reuters, February 2016).
"The GCC governments and peoples should realise that the boom period is over. We must all get used to a certain type of lifestyle that does not rely entirely on the state," then-Crown Prince Abdullah warned back in 1998.
"The upcoming period needs the private sector to assume part of the responsibility which has up until now been carried by the state."
Abdullah was speaking at the GCC summit in Abu Dhabi in December 1998, just as oil prices were hitting rock bottom at the end of a long period of stagnation through the late 1980s and 1990s.
But the impetus to reform was lost as oil prices and revenue soared again in the 2000s.
The problem is that when oil prices are low the revenue needed to accomplish the transition are scarce and the difficulties can appear daunting. When oil prices rise, it has been easier to postpone difficult decisions.
TRANSFORMATION
Prince Mohammed's "SaudiVision2030", adopted by the cabinet and published on Monday, is essentially a diversification strategy which aims to move the kingdom away from dependence on oil revenue (April 2016).
It is closely modelled on an earlier and even more comprehensive study by the McKinsey Global Institute entitled "Saudi Arabia beyond oil: the investment and productivity transformation" (December 2015).
The aim is to shift the economy away from an almost exclusive reliance on oil (and the spending of oil revenue) to develop other sectors such as mining, manufacturing, retail, tourism, pilgrimage, and healthcare.
The strategy also envisages developing the country as a logistics hub for East-West trade, becoming a financial services centre, localising defence manufacturing, and development more small and medium-sized enterprises.
The prince has stressed that much of the transformation can be achieved through improvements in government efficiency and restructuring (termed "qawam" in the vision document).
There is no doubt Saudi Arabia needs to undertake these changes, and a younger generation of policymakers has brought an increased sense of urgency to tackling the problems.
But describing the kingdom's problem as an "addiction" to oil, as if it was incidental, rather than a fundamental part of the political, social and economic structure, risks understating the challenge involved.
External commentators have focused on the valuation likely to be realised from a part-privatisation of state-oil company Saudi Aramco but that is the least of the problems.
True diversification requires developing industries which have nothing to do with the extraction of oil and spending of oil-related revenue.
Pilgrimage is a natural choice but the business environment for other sectors such as finance, logistics and manufacturing remains forbiddingly tough.
Greece says IMF undermining bailout talks as pay day looms
By Lefteris Papadimas and Jan Strupczewski
ATHENS/BRUSSELS, April 27 (Reuters) - Greece accused the International Monetary Fund on Wednesday of undermining negotiations over the release of more bailout funds needed in the next few weeks to repay debt.
At issue is what measures Athens would take if it fails to reach fiscal targets by 2018. Creditors, including the IMF and European institutions, want those measures made law immediately.
Athens argues that its constitution precludes legislation on a hypothetical event but it has offered to discuss a mechanism of automatic cutbacks.
Government spokeswoman Olga Gerovasili told reporters that the IMF had not accepted the proposal.
"The IMF is making demands which go beyond what was agreed," Gerovasili said, referring to a 86-billion-euro ($97-billion) deal struck last year and talks to unlock more than five billion euros in bailout funds needed to pay EU and IMF debts by July.
"These demands undermine efforts by both the Greek government and European institutions," she said.
An IMF spokesman in Washington said the institution had no immediate comment on the matter.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras wants the European Union to call a summit of euro zone leaders to break the impasse. On Wednesday he communicated his "displeasure" to European Council President Donald Tusk over the IMF's behaviour, his office said.
Euro zone finance ministers had pencilled in a tentative meeting on Greece for April 28, but cancelled it after progress in talks with Athens proved insufficient, triggering a drop of 2.5 percent in Greek shares fell 2.5 percent and 50-basis-point spike in 10-year bond yields, one of the biggest for weeks.
Tusk said euro zone finance ministers should set a date for a meeting on Greece within days to avoid renewed uncertainty over its ability to finance itself. But one official close to talks said the window for action was getting narrower.
"There is a perception that if no deal is reached in the next week or two, everything will be postponed until after the Brexit vote," the official said, referring to a British referendum on whether to stay in the EU.
"The crisis of the summer of 2015 is on people's minds," Beta Securities chief trader, Takis Zamanis, said, referring to Greece almost being thrown out of the euro zone.
The Greek government is using cash surpluses deposited by public sector entities to pay its bills because of delays on a bailout review, officials told Reuters on Tuesday.
"No deal is causing uncertainty that the country could again be led to a situation where it won't be able to cover its (financial) obligations," Zamanis said.
But a jaded public shrugged off the latest twist in a convoluted and long-running drama.
U.S. F-22s land in Lithuania in show of force amid Russia tensions
By Andrius Sytas
SIAULIAI AIR BASE, Lithuania, April 27 (Reuters) - Two of the U.S. Air Force's most advanced jets landed in Lithuania for the first time on Wednesday in a show of force and support for a region worried by Russian military manoeuvres.
The Baltic states and Washington have been riled by acts by Russian warplanes in the region in recent weeks, including one making "simulated attack passes" near a U.S. warship and another passing within 50 feet of a U.S. reconnaissance plane.
The two U.S. Air Force F-22 fighters landed in Romania earlier this week and F-22s last year visited Poland and Estonia, all counties concerned about Russian military ambitions.
The jets spent 20 minutes making three low-flying passes with aerial acrobatics over Lithuania's Siauliai air base before landing to be met by President Dalia Grybauskaite.
"Without singling out any neighbour, I would like to say that no one has any right to poke their noses into here," Grybauskaite told reporters.
"This is a demonstration that the United States is honouring its commitments and is ready to protect our region with all the most modern measures."
Lithuania and its Baltic neighbours Estonia and Latvia are former parts of the Soviet Union which today are members of NATO. After Russian intervention in Ukraine, they asked the military alliance to permanently deploy up to 5,000 troops as a deterrent, a request that is still under consideration.
In April, Russia's envoy to NATO accused the United States of trying to put pressure on Moscow by sailing a warship near the Kaliningrad enclave, sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania.
Hungarian PM stands by embattled central bank chief
BUDAPEST, April 27 (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban voiced his support for central bank governor, Gyorgy Matolcsy, on Wednesday, saying he unequivocally backed him despite opposition calls for him to quit over possible misuse of public funds.
Matolcsy has come under fire from the leftist Egyutt and several other parties, including the far-right and the green liberals, over the activities of six educational foundations set up in 2014 by the central bank in what was seen as his pet project.
They have received nearly 1 billion euros of central bank funding, investing most of the money in Hungarian government bonds, whose income pays their running costs.
After a court ruling forced the foundations to publish details of hundreds of contracts, Egyutt asked prosecutors to investigate an unnamed individual on suspicion of mishandling public funds in media content deals.
It later called for Matolcsy to resign.
In an emailed response to Reuters on Wednesday, the Hungarian National Bank (HNB) said all of the foundations' contracts had been concluded lawfully and no funds had been squandered.
It said the bodies had boosted the value of their assets by 830 million forints ($3.01 million). It added that the foundations were now separate legal entities that operated independently of the bank.
The affair has become a test of transparency and of the political association between Orban and Matolcsy, an old ally, which has been key to the direction of Hungary's often unconventional economic policies.
Orban was robust in his defence of Matolcsy when asked by local newspaper Nepszabadsag whether his confidence in his ally had been shaken by the allegations.
"Heaven and earth would have to collide for that to happen," Orban, who had previously called Matolcsy his "right hand," told the paper in response.
In its response to Reuters the bank said: "Following its establishment and court registration, the foundation becomes an organisation with a separate legal identity, which is independent of its founder and is managed by a board of trustees."
No circumstance had emerged that would justify Matolcsy's resignation, it said.
PM Orban's latest comment was in line with his past praise for Matolcsy's track record.
Last year Orban said a surge by the Swiss franc, the funding unit behind hundreds of thousands of Hungarian mortgages, could have toppled his government if it had not been for a last-minute move to convert them into forints, orchestrated by the central bank.
Matolcsy has also been instrumental in a drive to lower borrowing costs to a record low, push billions of euros of cheap loans into the small business sector and other measures to bolster economic growth.
Turkish businessman pleads not guilty to U.S. charges over Iran sanctions
NEW YORK, April 27 (Reuters) - A Turkish businessman pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges that he and others conspired to conduct hundreds of millions of dollars in financial transactions for the Iranian government or other entities to evade U.S. sanctions.
Syrian Kurdish leader sees Turkish hand in border closure
By Tom Perry and Rodi Said
BEIRUT/AMUDA, Syria, April 26 (Reuters) - The Kurdish government in Iraq has dealt a blow to Kurdish-controlled areas of northern Syria by keeping the border closed for more than one month, an economic and political setback for the Syrian region as it plans for wider autonomy.
The Kurdish administration in northeastern Syria believes it is being targeted by the Kurdish government in Iraq in coordination with regional power Turkey, which is deeply concerned by growing Kurdish sway in Syria.
The move has laid bare Kurdish divisions across the frontier that could complicate the Syrian Kurds' political ambitions: Iraqi Kurds took the step the very week the Syrian Kurds and their allies announced plans for a new system of autonomous government in northern Syria.
The Iraqi Kurdish authorities gave no reason for the decision at the time the crossing was closed on March 16, Abdul Karim Saroukhan, the head of the Kurdish-led administration in northeastern Syria, told Reuters.
The crossing was closed as Syrian Kurdish and other groups met to approve plans to deepen their autonomy in northern Syria by establishing a new confederation of self-governing regions. The area is known in Kurdish as Rojava.
"It later became clear that this was to impose a complete siege on Rojava based - according to our information - on coordination between the (Iraqi) Kurdish region and the Turkish government," Saroukhan said.
A senior Turkish official denied Turkey had a hand in the decision, while reiterating Turkey's fierce opposition to any ethnically-based autonomous federation in Syria.
An Iraqi Kurdish official said the decision to close the border had nothing to do with federalism plans but was due to the "dictatorial behaviour" of the main Syrian Kurdish party, the PYD, and its treatment of other Kurdish groups.
The official, Hamid Darbandi, also said the PYD had interfered in Iraqi affairs, without giving details.
"RESISTING" THROUGH SELF-SUFFICIENCY
Syrian Kurdish officials say the aim is not separatism, but a decentralised system of government which they say must be at the heart of any solution to the Syrian conflict. The plan faced criticism, however, including from the United States.
Saroukhan, who became head of the Syrian Kurdish-led government on April 5, however, said they were "trying as much as they can so this project does not succeed". Their message was that "you are the small part of Kurdistan ... and if you don't do as we tell you, we won't let you continue", he said.
"This is their message to us. We've understood it. But we are determined to move in this approach - to resist, to be self-sufficient, to seek out other solutions," he said, speaking to Reuters from the town of Amuda in northern Syria.
Kurds live as minorities in Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran. The Iraqi Kurds have sought to maximize their autonomy in recent years, building their own oil pipeline to Turkey. The Kurds make up the biggest ethnic minority in Syria, and faced systematic discrimination until the uprising in 2011.
Kurdish groups have taken control of wide areas of northern Syria since the country's descent into war in 2011, including an uninterrupted 400 km (250 mile) stretch of the frontier with Turkey. The Kurdish YPG militia has been the most effective Syrian partner for the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State.
With the Turkish border closed, the crossing to Iraqi Kurdistan from northeastern Syria has been used to bring in foodstuffs and building materials. Dozens of vehicles were crossing every day prior to the closure.
It was also an important route out of northeastern Syria.
FIGHTING ERUPTS IN QAMISHLI
A Syrian Kurdish delegation headed to Moscow was turned back three weeks ago, according to Idris Nassan, a former official in the Syrian Kurdish administration who was himself recently turned back.
While the flow of goods has dried up, Saroukhan said the region could cope thanks to its natural resources: the area is rich in agricultural land, and rudimentary refineries are being used to make gasoline and diesel from locally extracted oil.
Kurdish-controlled areas of Syria are bordered to the north by Turkey, to the east by Iraq, and to the south and southwest by Islamic State-held territory.
Flights from Damascus still operate to the city of Qamishli, where the airport is one of the few facilities still controlled by the Damascus government and is used for travel to government-held areas of the west where many Kurds live.
Several dozen people were killed last week in fighting in Qamishli between Syrian Kurdish and Syrian government security forces. It was the bloodiest incident of its kind in the city since the start of the Syria crisis. For the most part, Damascus and the Kurds have left each other to their own devices.
The outcome of the fighting was a further weakening of the Syrian government's position in Qamishli, with Kurdish militia capturing several positions that will stay under their control according to the terms of a truce announced by the Kurdish side.
"The regime thought it could take Syria back to the way it was before 2011, but it does not realise that we have accomplished very much: military forces have been formed, and we have been able to run our society," Saroukhan said.
Austria plans fence to stop migrants at major border crossing with Italy
By Kirsti Knolle and Francois Murphy
VIENNA, April 27 (Reuters) - Austria outlined plans on Wednesday to erect a fence at a border crossing with Italy that is a vital link between northern and southern Europe, escalating a stand-off between the two states over how to handle a migration crisis.
Migrants are crossing the Mediterranean from Africa to Italy in growing numbers and Austria has said Rome must stop them travelling onwards towards northern Europe or it will have to introduce border controls at the Brenner Pass in the Alps.
But with Austrian preparations for controls already under way, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said Austria's move was "shamelessly against European rules, as well as being against history, against logic and against the future".
Austrian police in the Alpine province of Tyrol, which borders on northern Italy, presented plans for the installation of facilities at Brenner to inspect vehicles and process migrants, in the event formal controls are introduced.
Building work on some of the facilities at Brenner began two weeks ago but their scale was not immediately known.
"A security fence of 370 metres (1,220 feet) is planned," a Tyrol police spokesman said, adding that the fence was part of a system aimed at channelling migrants in the deep valley that the Brenner Pass runs through.
Whether the fence is built, however, will depend on the outcome of talks in Rome on Thursday between Austrian Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka and his Italian counterpart, the spokesman said.
Austria has taken an increasingly hard line on how to deal with the hundreds of thousands of asylum-seeking migrants, many of them fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and elsewhere, who have poured into Europe over the past year.
After throwing open its borders to the arrivals with Germany in September, Vienna has since said it cannot cope with the numbers, and it coordinated border restrictions that shut down the main Balkans migrant route from Greece to northern Europe.
Italy and Austria are part of the European Union's Schengen open-border zone, but free movement has been jeopardised by the reimposition of controls at some key crossings by countries affected by the migrant influx.
Austria's governing coalition of Social Democrats and the conservative People's Party is also under political pressure as the anti-immigration Freedom Party's candidate secured a record share of the vote in Sunday's presidential election.
The Austrian parliament on Wednesday passed tough new asylum measures - including one under which migrants could be turned away at the border within an hour - that could be activated if lawmakers determined a threat to public order.
The Brenner Pass is the busiest route through the Alps for heavy goods vehicles and any controls there will slow traffic on an important corridor to Germany, Italy's top trading partner.
Mozambique says loans to state firms necessary for security
MAPUTO, April 27 (Reuters) - Mozambique provided guarantees on loans to state firms Proindicus and Mozambique Asset Management to protect strategic national infrastructure and help maintain naval equipment, a government spokesman said.
The spokesman's comment, in a statement, followed disclosure by the International Monetary Fund last week that Mozambique had admitted to having more than $1 billion of undisclosed debt and that the two parties were evaluating the implications of the disclosure.
Earlier, a source at the Fund had told Reuters that Proindicus, owned by the interior and defence ministries and the state security services, had been lent $504 million by Credit Suisse and $118 million by Russia's VTB.
Another loan of $535 million had gone to Mozambique Asset Management, another state company set up to build a shipyard in the northern city of Pemba, that source said.
In his statement dated Tuesday but acquired by Reuters on Wednesday, spokesman Mouzinho Saide said the government had granted a $622 million loan guarantee to Proindicus in 2013, and $535 million to Mozambique Asset Management the following year.
"We faced security threats, such as piracy ... illegal immigration, drug trafficking ... and illegal fishing," Saide said after a meeting of Mozambique's cabinet.
He said the government had also been keen to ensure protection of the assets of oil and gas companies operating in Mozambique's exclusive economic zone.
The loans are in addition to an $850 million 'tuna bond' issued in 2013 and restructured last month because the southeast African nation was struggling to meet repayments.
Bulgarian town bans full-face veils worn by some Roma Muslims
SOFIA, April 27 (Reuters) - The central Bulgarian town of Pazardzhik banned the wearing of full-face veils in public on Wednesday in a move the local government said would prevent tension among communities and boost security.
The ban, the first of its kind in the Balkan country, was backed from politicians across the political spectrum in the town of some 70,000 people, where wearing full-face veils had become common among some Muslim Roma women.
"I am tired to hear that Pazardzhik is the town of the burqas. We want to say aloud that we are not that, but a town of responsible people and we will be associated with other achievements," Mayor Todor Popov told the national radio.
Muslims make up about 12 percent of Bulgaria's 7.2 million population and most belong to a centuries-old community, largely ethnic Turks, among whom full-face veils are not common.
Popov said fine would be imposed on anyone who defies the ban, which police said was needed because the veils - which cover all but the eyes - hampered quick identification.
Part of the Roma minority practices an ultra-conservative form of Islam and its women have started wearing full-face veils in recent years, angering nationalists and bewildering other residents of Pazardzhik.
Many Bulgarians are concerned that the migrant inflows into Europe may pose a threat to their predominantly Orthodox Christian culture and help radicalise part of the country's long-established Muslim minority.
In February, 13 men - most from Pazardhik's Roma minority -went on trial charged with helping people join the Islamic State group in Syria, propagating an extremist ideology and inciting to war.
Earlier this month, the nationalist Patriotic Front coalition, which backs the government, proposed a nation-wide ban on full-face veils, arguing that such clothing was not typical for Bulgarian Muslims.
Vietnam says no proof Formosa steel plant linked to mass fish deaths
By Ho Binh Minh and Mai Nguyen
HANOI, April 27 (Reuters) - The Vietnamese government said on Wednesday there was no evidence that discharge from a new Taiwanese-built steel plant was to blame for the death of huge numbers of fish in farms and coastal waters.
Farms in Ha Tinh province, 400 km (250 miles) south of Hanoi, began to see fish dying on April 6 and dead fish have washed up on nearby beaches. Media said discharge from a drainage pipe at the nearby a steel works was poisoning the water.
The local unit of Taiwan's Formosa Plastics which is building the plant whose first phase began operation in December has denied that, saying all regulations and standards had been respected.
At a news conference to announce the government's assessment, deputy environment minister Vo Tuan Nhan said: "Thus far, through testing and collecting evidence, there is no proof yet to conclude a link between Formosa and the facility to the mass fish deaths."
With fears for Vietnam's seafood industry, worth $7 billion a year in exports, there is huge public interest in the case, but Nhan declined to take questions after reading a statement.
He said there were two possible causes of the fish deaths: toxic discharge by human activities on land or at sea, or a phenomenon known as "red tide", when dangerous algae bloom at an abnormal rate and produce toxins.
"This is a complicated issue that had happened in many places around the world, requiring time to identify causes," Nhan said. "It is necessary to research the cause systematically, fundamentally and in a fact-based way."
Suspicions about a link between the fish deaths and the steel plant were exacerbated when Chu Xuan Pham, a Hanoi-based representative of Formosa's local unit, said in comments reported on Monday that Vietnam had to choose between "catching fish and shrimp and building a modern steel industry."
Taiwan is Vietnam's fourth-biggest foreign investor after South Korea, Japan and Singapore. Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corp began the first phase of the $10.6 billion steel complex in December in the Vung Ang economic zone.
Chu apologised for his comments and Formosa Ha Tinh said: "We are deeply shocked and sorry. We cannot understand why so many fish have died."
Fish and shellfish deaths have now been reported along a stretch of some 200 km (124 miles) on Vietnam's central coast, in the provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue.
"I've been doing this job for 19 years but I've never seen such a phenomenon," Ha Tinh clam farmer Nguyen Xuan Phuong told state-run Vietnam Television (VTV). He said it had caused him losses of 200 million dong ($9,000).
Tests of seawater taken from Thua Thien-Hue province showed higher-than-normal levels of ammonium and chromium, Nguyen Huu Quyet, deputy head of the provincial environment department, said on Wednesday in a VTV broadcast.
Brazil's Temer to battle fiscal crisis without tax hikes
By Alonso Soto and Anthony Boadle
BRASILIA, April 27 (Reuters) - A new government in Brazil led by Vice President Michel Temer would focus on cutting spending to close a gaping budget deficit and would only raise taxes as a last resort, the leader of his Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) said on Wednesday.
Senator Romero Juca said that Temer, who would replace President Dilma Rousseff if she is put on trial by the Senate in mid-May as expected, would prioritize reform of Brazil's overextended pension system, one of the main drains on government coffers.
Brazil spends 13 percent of its gross domestic product on a generous pension system - more than all of the G7 developed economies, except Italy.
Juca, an economist who is being considered for the post of planning minister, said a Temer government would move quickly to recover credibility in policymaking and reduce state intervention in the economy.
To rapidly revive confidence in Latin America's largest economy, Juca said the next administration has to review what he called "unsustainable" public spending and could even discuss setting limits to government debt.
"Raising taxes is not the first option," he told a meeting with the international media. "In a recession, raising taxes does not increase revenues."
Juca said a Temer administration would eliminate some of Brazil's 31 ministries to pare back administrative costs but he declined to provide further details of how it would reduce expenditures.
Temer could assume the presidency as soon as May 12 if the Senate votes to press ahead with a trial of Rousseff on charges of breaking budget rules.
A close aide to Temer said he would only increase taxes under "extreme circumstances" to shore up the public accounts.
Temer has ruled out reinstating a levy on banking operations (CPMF) but could consider raising the financial transaction tax (IOF) or the Cide fuel tax if needed later in his presidency, said the source who asked for anonymity because he was not allowed to speak publicly.
TAX RISE A LAST RESORT
Temer met with the leader of the main opposition party, the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), to secure support for a transitional government. A spokesman for party leader, Aecio Neves, said the PSDB will not officially form part of a coalition but Temer could pick members for his cabinet as the party will fully back his administration.
Juca stressed that Temer has not invited anyone to be part of a cabinet yet, and would only do so after the Senate decides to suspend Rousseff.
Temer has said former BankBoston COO Henrique Meirelles, who was central bank chief from 2003-2011, would be his pick as finance minister.
The Correio Braziliense newspaper has reported that Ilan Goldfajn, chief economist of Brazil's largest private bank Itau Unibanco, is Temer's choice for central bank governor. However, three closes close to Temer told Reuters that Goldfajn was in the race for the post with other market economists.
Juca said a Temer administration would be determined to restore the financial health of state-run oil company Petrobras , which has been hit by a massive corruption scandal and fuel prices kept low by the Rousseff government.
He also said Temer could consider giving complete independence to the central bank, which only has administrative autonomy.
However, two sources close to Temer told Reuters there is no consensus inside the ideologically diverse PMDB about giving the bank total independence.
Juca said Temer saw his as a short, two-year transitional government of national reconstruction and he would not run for re-election in 2018.
Juca said an electoral court case that could annul the 2014 election of Rousseff and her running mate Temer would take months and would not be a "factor of political instability".
Qatar National Bank investigating alleged data hack
By Tom Finn
DOHA, April 27 (Reuters) - Qatar National Bank, the largest lender in the Middle East and Africa by assets, is investigating an alleged security breach of data posted online this week that revealed the names and passwords of a large number of customers.
A 1.5GB trove of leaked documents includes the bank details, telephone numbers and dates of birth of several journalists for satellite broadcaster Al-Jazeera, supposed members of the ruling al-Thani family and government and defence officials, Doha News website reported.
Some files had pictures of account holders from Facebook and LinkedIn, according to the report on the anonymously leaked files.
QNB said it was investigating "social media speculation in regard to an alleged data breach" and would not comment on reports circulated via social media.
But it assured "all concerned that there is no financial impact on our clients or the bank."
A copy of the leaked content seen by Reuters contained transaction data of QNB customers that showed overseas remittance data from as recently as August 2015.
One file contained information on what appeared to be 465,437 QNB accounts, although only a fraction of these accounts had anything resembling full account details.
There is no way to verify the authenticity of the vast trove of information. However, several known Qatari figures in the government and media whose names appeared on the list confirmed that their account details were accurate to Reuters.
"I've been thinking about moving my deposits out of Qatar for a while and will definitely advance this more quickly now," said an expatriate banking official. "If others get the same idea, then this could be painful for the bank".
The alleged leak had little impact on QNB's share prices which dipped initially on Tuesday by about 1 percent but remained flat on Wednesday.
QNB is one of the largest banks in the Middle East. Earlier this month, it reported a seven per cent first quarter increase in profits to almost USD 800 million, despite the impact of low global oil prices.
Middle Eastern banks are attractive targets for cyber criminals because of the high levels of wealth in a region that has flourished in recent years due to buoyant hydrocarbon prices. Qatar is the richest country in the world on a per-capita basis, according to the World Bank.
The last major reported cyber attacks in the Gulf region was in 2013, when Oman's Bank Muscat and National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates had $45 million stolen by hackers who targeted details of pre-paid debit cards held by a third-party services company.
In other high-profile bank record thefts, cyber criminals typically attempt to cash in quickly by re-selling the data through secretive online criminal marketplaces, the biggest of which are said to operate out of Eastern Europe.
Iraqi army makes modest advance south of Mosul
MAKHMOUR, Iraq, April 27 (Reuters) - Iraqis armed forces backed by U.S.-led coalition air power captured a village in Nineveh province from Islamic State on Wednesday, the first advance on the northern front since the offensive was paused three weeks ago.
Mahana, sitting south of a main east-west road, became just the fourth village seized by the army in the Makhmour area, which is set to be a staging ground for a future assault on Mosul, about 60 km (40 miles) further north.
The advance brings Iraqi forces slightly closer to the oil town of Qayyara on the western banks of the Tigris River, control over which would help to isolate Mosul, the largest city held by the militants, from territory they control further south and east.
"At 0600 (0300 GMT), segments of the 15th division 72nd Brigade proceeded to clear Mahana village," a statement from the Nineveh operations command said.
The army suffered no casualties from the advance, which was backed by artillery and air strikes, it added.
The offensive's faltering start has cast renewed doubt on the capabilities of the Iraqi army, which partially collapsed when Islamic State seized around a third of the country in 2014.
It was not immediately clear what had enabled the forces to push further west, but the commander in charge of the offensive told Reuters the army was limited from advancing further on Wednesday by the lack of federal police units and additional tribal forces to hold territory after it is taken.
Iraqi officials say they will retake Mosul this year but, in private, many question whether that is possible.
Thirteen injured in blast in Turkey's Bursa -Health minister
ANKARA, April 27 (Reuters) - Thirteen people were injured, none of them critically, in a bombing in Turkey's northwestern city of Bursa on Wednesday, Turkish Health Minister Mehmet Muezzinoglu said.
Belaruskali potash exports could sink 18 pct this yr- exec
By Rod Nickel
April 27 (Reuters) - Belarussian potash producer Belaruskali may export 18 percent less of the crop nutrient in 2016 unless the global economy improves and demand revives, the head of the state-owned company's trading division said on Wednesday.
Potash exports by Belaruskali, the second-biggest global producer, will range from 7.5 million to 9.3 million tonnes this year, compared with last year's 9.2 million, said Elena Kudryavets, director general of Belarusian Potash Company (BPC).
The estimates are "very conditional" on the economy, Chinese demand and crop weather, she added.
"We have a saying in Russian, 'you can plan, but God will decide,'" she said in a phone interview from Washington, where BPC and Belaruskali were meeting U.S. legislators. "The market is not easy."
In the first quarter, Belaruskali production fell 700,000 tonnes and exports dropped 500,000, about 30 percent, she said.
Potash prices have tumbled over the past year, under pressure from bloated capacity and weak currencies in major consumers such as India and Brazil.
Belaruskali produced 10.5 million tonnes last year, said the company's director general, Ivan Golovaty, who declined to estimate 2016 production. It is capable of producing 12.6 million tonnes, he said.
Major rivals Potash Corp of Saskatchewan and Mosaic Co have cut production in the past year to support falling prices.
Belaruskali resumed U.S. potash exports last year after a six-year break, following the 2013 breakup of its sales partnership with Russia's Uralkali. Some U.S. senators lobbied last year for sanctions against certain Belarussians to apply to Belaruskali, but Kudryavets said the miner has never faced sanctions.
BPC has started talks with Chinese buyers on a 2016 supply contract and an agreement in May is possible, Kudryavets said. She declined to comment on how far apart the sides are, with analysts expecting a sharp discount from last year's $315 per tonne.
"We are discussing the positions of each party and I hope as always that we will find a compromise," she said.
China supply contracts, which include buyer Sinofert Holdings Ltd, traditionally set a global price floor. Contracts with Indian buyers usually follow, but Kudryavets said it's possible those agreements will get done first this year.
U.S. proposes restoring UN W.Sahara's mission's functionality
By Louis Charbonneau
UNITED NATIONS, April 27 (Reuters) - The United States has proposed that the U.N. Security Council demand a restoration of the full capability of a U.N. peacekeeping mission in disputed Western Sahara that has been crippled by Morocco's expulsion of civilian staff, envoy said.
The 15-nation council is due to decide this week on extending the mission's mandate, which expires on Saturday. The United States has drafted a resolution calling for immediate restoration of "full functionality" of the U.N. Western Sahara mission, diplomats said on condition of anonymity on Wednesday.
Morocco expelled dozens of international U.N. civilian staff from MINURSO after U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last month referred to the North African nation's 1975 annexation of the region from Spain as an "occupation."
The U.S. draft's proposed terminology, council diplomats said, suggests the mission, known as MINURSO, should be restored to staffing levels comparable to what they were before the Moroccans ordered civilian personnel out of the country.
"Full functionality ... means being able to fulfill the whole mandate including the civilian part of the mandate, which has at its center the preparation of an eventual referendum on the political future of the territory," a council diplomat said on condition of anonymity.
This view was echoed by Mhamed Khadad of the Sahrawi people's Polisario Front separatist movement, which wants a referendum on independence for Western Sahara. Morocco says it will only grant autonomy.
Khadad told reporters that Polisario wants the council "to demand the immediate restoration of MINURSO to its mandated status quo ante, including by use of sanctions against Morocco, if necessary."
Rabat has called its decisions, though one diplomat said the United States and Morocco were discussing MINURSO's future at the foreign minister level ahead of the council vote, tentatively scheduled for Thursday.
The U.S. draft also calls for Ban to report within 60 days on whether MINURSO has "full functionality".
Several council diplomats said Morocco's traditional ally France, a permanent veto power on the council, along with Senegal have been pushing for a simple "technical rollover" for another year without calling for "full functionality". Such a move, they said, risks making MINURSO's reductions permanent.
Russia proposes U.N. blacklist two Syrian opposition groups
By Michelle Nichols
UNITED NATIONS, April 27 (Reuters) - Russia has proposed that the United Nations Security Council blacklist Syrian rebel groups Jaish al-Islam and Ahrar al-Sham for links to Islamic State and al Qaeda militants.
If none of the council's 15-member Islamic State and al Qaeda sanctions committee blocks or puts a hold on the listing by 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT) on May 11 then the groups will be added to the U.N. sanctions list, said diplomats.
"The reason for such a move was the information that these groups, which are waging a war in Syria, are closely connected to terrorist organizations, first of all with ISIS (Islamic State) and al Qaeda," Russian U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said in a statement on Tuesday.
A senior Security Council diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the Russian move as "unhelpful."
"It's a way of trying to divide the opposition," the diplomat said on Wednesday.
Jaish al-Islam (Islam Army) is a major armed rebel group in Syria and part of the High Negotiation Committee, which was set up in Riyadh last December to negotiate on behalf of opposition groups at U.N.-brokered peace talks with the government.
The High Negotiation Committee is backed by Western nations and key Arab states.
Ahrar al-Sham withdrew from the Riyadh meeting, saying "revolutionary groups" were sidelined. But the group did attend the latest round of peace talks in Geneva.
Russia's Foreign Ministry has long said that Jaish al-Islam and Ahrar al-Sham should not be involved in Syria peace talks.
Ahrar al-Sham is an ultra-orthodox Salafist group and has fought as part of a military alliance including the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, which was not part of a cessation of hostilities agreement brokered in February.
Ahrar al-Sham, whose late leader fought alongside Osama bin Laden, last year denied sharing al Qaeda's ideology or having organizational ties to the group.
Pakistan says has taken steps to root out militants in Waziristan
ISLAMABAD, April 27 (Reuters) - Pakistan has done its best to root out militants from the Waziristan region, its foreign secretary said on Wednesday, after Afghanistan called for its neighbour to act against the Taliban and other groups aligned to the militants.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Monday that Taliban leaders were sheltering in the western Pakistani cities of Peshawar and Quetta, and he called on the government in Islamabad to wipe them out.
Afghanistan has in the past also called for Pakistan to strike against the Haqqani network, which is blamed for past attacks in Kabul.
Afghanistan has long accused Pakistan of actively harbouring the Afghan Taliban leadership on its soil, a charge Islamabad denies, saying it only has "limited influence".
Ghani made his request after a bomb set off by the Taliban last week killed at least 64 people and wounded hundreds in Kabul, the biggest single attack in the capital since 2011.
Responding to questions about Afghanistan's request for Pakistan to deal with the Haqqani militants believed to be in the north Waziristan region, Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said Islamabad had already acted.
"Pakistan has already taken all necessary action against all groups operating in north Waziristan and elsewhere," Chaudhry said in New Delhi, after meeting with his Indian counterpart.
Pakistan has previously said that the Haqqani network militants, aligned to both al Qaeda and the Taliban, now mostly operate from inside Afghanistan after the Pakistani army launched operations against the group in north Waziristan.
The Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, are seeking to topple the Western-backed government in Kabul and reimpose Islamic rule.
Burkina Faso president says criminal charges possible after audit
OUAGADOUGOU, April 27 (Reuters) - Burkina Faso's president said there may be criminal charges after an audit found the transitional government had improperly awarded land to government members and their families, and misspent $11 million.
Voters elected Roch Marc Kabore president of the landlocked West African country in November, ending a one-year transitional government that came to power after popular protests overthrew longtime ruler Blaise Compaore.
The prime minister of the transitional government, Yacouba Isaac Zida, and current prime minister Paul Kaba Thieba had both requested the audit, the report said, which was published this weekend.
In total, 18 of 52 parcels of land in the upscale neighbourhood of Ouaga 2000 were accorded to people close to the transitional government, including one plot that was given to Zida through his foundation, the audit said.
Zida wrote to the national company of urban land management to say he would return the land if the money he had paid for it was reimbursed to him, the ministry of habitat said earlier this month.
The High Authority of State Control and the Fight Against Corruption (ASCE) said that 53 percent of public commissions were obtained through opaque means and 6.4 billion CFA francs ($11 million) were misappropriated.
The audit said the discrepancies stemmed from spending on fuel and mismanagement of certain accounts.
"It is the black mark of the transition and I believe there is something that can be done," Kabore said on television late on Tuesday.
"Concerning the government, we have read the audits. We have asked everyone who has been concerned (by it) to respond and when there is a complete report, it is ASCE's responsibility to start the judicial process."
It was not immediately clear when the final report would be released.
ASCE said in the audit that the opaque manner in which land and contracts were awarded had been ripe for corruption, collusion and budgetary waste.
"Preferential treatment was given to certain authorities ... regarding plots of land in Dec. 2015," it read.
First Solar posts quarterly profit; appoints new CEO
April 27 (Reuters) - Solar panel maker First Solar Inc posted a quarterly profit, compared with a year-earlier loss, helped by higher revenue from the sale of a large California solar power plant to Southern Co.
The company said on Wednesday it appointed Chief Financial Officer Mark Widmar as its chief executive officer.
He will succeed James Hughes, who plans to step down effective June 30.
The solar panel maker reported a net profit of $170.6 million, or $1.66 per share, in the first quarter ended March 31, compared with a loss of $60.9 million, or 61 cents per share, a year earlier.
U.N. blacklists India-flagged ship carrying eastern Libya oil
By Michelle Nichols and Louis Charbonneau
UNITED NATIONS, April 27 (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council Libya sanctions committee blacklisted on Wednesday an Indian-flagged tanker carrying crude oil shipped by the rival eastern Libya government, said diplomats, which would prevent it from entering any ports.
Libyan U.N. Ambassador Ibrahim Dabbashi wrote to the 15-member sanctions committee on Monday asking for the Distya Ameya tanker to be blacklisted, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The ship left Marsa el-Hariga port late on Monday.
Diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the sanctions committee chair had informed them that there were no objections to the Dabbashi's request before a 3 p.m. (1900 GMT) Wednesday deadline so the ship was added to the sanctions list.
The eastern Libya government has set up its own National Oil Company (NOC) to act parallel to the Tripoli-based NOC, which is recognized globally as the legitimate seller of Libyan oil.
The Distya Ameya tanker is carrying 650,000 barrels of oil on behalf of Libya's eastern NOC. The ship appeared to be south east of Malta when it last reported its position through the publicly available AIS tracking system on Wednesday afternoon.
The ship is carrying oil ordered by a company called DSA Consultancy FZC, registered in the United Arab Emirates, according to Libyan authorities.
DSA Consultancy said on Wednesday it believed the shipment was legitimate. It said it had "a signed and agreed contract from the NOC dated 13th October 2015 to lift oil", and that the "ultimate beneficiary" was the Central Bank of Libya.
Diplomats said the sanctions committee had also written to the governments of India and the United Arab Emirates to remind them of the Libya sanctions and seek further clarification and relevant information on the shipment.
In March 2014, the Security Council allowed the Libyan government to request that vessels carrying oil from rebel-held ports be blacklisted by the sanctions committee and authorized states to board and inspect designated ships on the high seas.
A 2011 uprising in Libya toppled leader Muammar Gaddafi but left the country in chaos.
Two competing governments, one in Tripoli and one in the east, backed by militias scrambled for control of the oil-producing country, creating a power vacuum that allowed Islamic State militants to gain a foothold in the North African state.
World Bank delays aid to Mozambique pending debt analysis- spokesman
WASHINGTON, April 27 (Reuters) - The World Bank is delaying approval of further development loans to Mozambique pending a debt sustainability analysis to be conducted with the International Monetary Fund, a spokesman said on Wednesday.
The IMF said last week Mozambique had admitted to having more than $1 billion of undisclosed debt and that the two parties were evaluating the implications of the disclosure.
"Processing of investment lending currently continues, while further approval of development policy loans is delayed pending the DSA and the analysis of macro-economic stability by the IMF and the World Bank," the World Bank spokesman said.
"Following the DSA, a decision will be made on the volume of World Bank support to Mozambique."
Prior to last week's IMF statement, a source at the Fund had told Reuters that Mozambican firm Proindicus, owned by the interior and defence ministries and the state security services, had been lent $504 million by Credit Suisse and $118 million by Russia's VTB.
Another loan of $535 million had gone to Mozambique Asset Management, a state company set up to build a shipyard in the northern city of Pemba, that source said.
Mozambican government spokesman Mouzinho Saide said Maputo had granted a $622 million loan guarantee to Proindicus in 2013, and $535 million to Mozambique Asset Management the following year.
This was meant to protect strategic national infrastructure and help maintain naval equipment, Saide said after a cabinet meeting.
The loans are in addition to an $850 million 'tuna bond' issued in 2013 and restructured last month because the southeast African nation was struggling to meet repayments.
Iraq bans Al Jazeera network over coverage
DOHA, April 27 (Reuters) - Iraqi authorities have revoked the operating licence of the pan-Arab satellite network Al Jazeera and closed its offices in Baghdad, accusing it of violating government guidelines issued in 2014 to regulate media "during the war on terror."
Al Jazeera, based in Qatar, said it was dismayed by the action.
"We remain committed to broadcasting news on Iraq to Iraqi people, our viewers in the Arab world and across the world," the channel said in an emailed statement.
Rights groups have criticized Iraq's media guidelines, which restrict journalists from covering insurgent movements and require them to report in favorable terms on government forces.
In 2013, Iraq's government accused Al Jazeera and nine other satellite television channels of fostering sectarian sentiment that was fuelling violence.
Founded by Qatar's ruling family in 1996, Al Jazeera aggressively covered the Arab spring uprisings and has broadcast extensively on the civil war in Syria.
Ukrainian diplomat rushes to Russian border over jailed pilot's sister
By Matthias Williams
KIEV, April 28 (Reuters) - A senior Ukrainian diplomat was headed to the Russian border on Thursday morning to help the sister of jailed Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko after Kiev accused Russian border guards of seizing her passport and preventing her from leaving Russia.
Vira Savchenko was in a Ukrainian diplomatic car trying to cross back into Ukraine when she was stopped at the Russian border and guards seized her passport, Ukrainian officials said.
Savchenko had been told by a Russian border guard that she was on a federal wanted list, without giving a reason, said Yarema Dukh from Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's press service.
"Vira to stay in the car, which is Ukrainian diplomatic car, until this issue to be clarified," Dukh said.
Poroshenko has alerted Ukraine's international partners about the incident, Poroshenko's office said.
It comes hours after the Russian news agency RIA reported that a procedure to extradite Nadezhda Savchenko had begun, quoting one of her lawyers.
A Russian court sentenced Savchenko to 22 years in jail on March 22 after finding her guilty of involvement in the killing of two Russian journalists during the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine. She has denied any involvement.
"Vira Savchenko and our consul locked themselves in the diplomatic car. Russian authorities block the car ignoring its diplomatic status," Dmytro Kuleba, a spokesman for Ukraine's foreign ministry, wrote on Twitter.
"I hope the detention of Vira Savchenko doesn't mean Russia is taking a new hostage and we won't have to apply #FreeSavchenko to both sisters," Kuleba said.
Savchenko, 34, is regarded in her homeland as a national hero and symbol of resistance to Russia, which annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula in March 2014 after a Moscow-backed president was toppled during street protests in Kiev. Russia has also backed separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.
Posters demanding her release are visible in many parts of Ukraine, including at Kiev's international airport and in parliament.
But many in Russia see Savchenko as a Ukrainian nationalist with the blood of civilians on her hands. She was captured by pro-Russian forces in eastern Ukraine in June 2014 at the height of fighting there between Ukrainian forces and the separatists.
Poroshenko has said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed a framework for a deal to secure the release of Savchenko from prison.
The sentencing of two captured Russian servicemen in Ukraine earlier this month has fuelled speculation that they might be swapped for Savchenko.
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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
A visa for Dolkun Isa, a leader of the World Uyghur Congress, to attend a conference at Dharamsala could have been a salutary response to the repeated political slaps India has received from China in the relevant UN Security Council (UNSC) committee on sanctioning Pakistan-based entities and individuals involved in terrorism against India. The decision to withdraw his visa recalls Alexander Pope's verse about being "willing to wound, and yet afraid to strike".
There might have been good reasons to reverse our decision, but we have embarrassed ourselves in the process, with a show of strength becoming a show of weakness.
Sanctions
By preventing UN sanctions on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar under Resolution 1267 earlier this month, China has once again provoked India on a very sensitive issue. In the UNSC sanctions committee the other 14 members, including the US, France, the UK and Russia, supported India's proposal, as they were satisfied with our case against Azhar, but China claimed that India had "failed to provide enough information", without explaining what the deficiency was.
By stating that "it is the responsibility of all the members of the Council to make sure that each requirement (for inclusion in the sanctions list) is followed", China's PR to the UN was suggesting that the dragon discharges its responsibility in the sanctions committee more punctiliously than others presumably unduly receptive to India's unsubstantiated complaints about Pakistan whereas, China has no political bias in the matter.
China's has shielded Pakistan in the UN on its terrorist affiliations with obduracy. India's efforts to get Jamaat-ud-Dawa added to the UNSC's sanctions list were stultified three times by China before success in December 2008.
Masood Azhar.
China placed "technical holds" at Pakistan's request to block the UNSC sanctions against Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed's charity - the al-Akhtar Trust. It placed a similar "technical hold" on India's request to list Syed Salahuddin of the Hizbul Mujahideen.
In June 2015, China blocked India's bid to expose Pakistan's violation of Resolution 1267 involved in the court bail granted to one of the masterminds of the horrific Mumbai terror attacks, Zaki-ur-Rehman, also on the specious ground that India "failed to provide enough information." (China has never condemned the Mumbai attacks).
India had criticised China for its action, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising it personally with President Xi Jinping during his May 2015 visit to China. Our expectation that this might make China act more prudently in the sanctions committee on well-documented cases of terrorism directed at India has been rudely belied in Azhar's case.
Modi's engagement of China immediately after assuming power was aimed at enhancing political trust between the two countries, apart from expanding economic ties.
If China keeps signalling, as it has been doing, that on the vital issue of terrorism emanating from Pakistani soil against India, it will keep shielding Pakistan from external pressure; India's mistrust of Chinese intentions can only grow.
Pakistan itself now acknowledges the existence of terrorist organisations within the country and seeks international plaudits for the effort it is making to eradicate them. Its leadership claims that it no longer makes a distinction between good and bad terrorists.
China also projects itself as a victim of terrorism and seeks the cooperation to help combat it, especially of Pakistan where Uyghur separatists are sheltered. The international community too increasingly sees terrorism as a challenge to be met by the international community collectively, without double standards and selectivity.
Terrorism
Contrary to what is professed, Pakistan and China want to work together to preserve the former's margin of manoeuvre on terrorism against India. Actually, imposing sanctions on terrorists like Masood Azhar through the international route could give Pakistan, if it wants a political cover to act against such so-called non-state actors within.
That Pakistan should request an obliging China to prevent known terrorists like Masood Azhar and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi from being sanctioned under Resolution 1267 speaks volumes about the chicanery of both countries and their combined animus towards India.
Terrorism is an instrument that Pakistan has used effectively to impose costs on India; China evidently sees this pressure point as helpful in terms of keeping India off-balance in the region and facilitating the expansion of Chinese influence within it.
Contradictions
China's actions in the UN contradict squarely what it agrees with India in our joint statements. During Modi's May 2015 China visit, both sides "reiterated their strong condemnation of and resolute opposition to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and committed themselves to cooperate on counterterrorism. They agreed that there is no justification for terrorism and urged all countries and entities to work sincerely to disrupt terrorist networks and their financing, and stop cross-border movement of terrorists, in accordance with the relevant principles and purposes of the UN Charter and international laws".
In Azhar's case our spokesperson rightly stated that it was "incomprehensible" that while JeM was listed by the sanctions committee as far back as 2001 "for its terror activities and links to the al Qaeda, the designation of the group's main leader, financier and motivator has been put on a technical hold".
The Masood Azhar episode shows how deep is China's strategic commitment to Pakistan. This commitment is being expanded through initiatives such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Gwadar, which will only aggravate the two-front security challenge that we face on our borders.
It might seem not that obvious at the outset but Bangladeshs Xulhaz Mannan and Pakistans Sabeen Mahmud had much in common. Both were fiercest of free spirits, kindest of souls, fully immersed in keeping dialogue and debate alive at a time when democratic space in their respective countries had been shrinking to pea size. Sabeens T2F and Xulhazs Roopbaan were milestones in their own right lighting up Karachi and Dhaka, two cities at two ends of the subcontinent that is spiralling into a vortex of darkness.
But Sabeen Mahmud and Xulhaz Mannan had that commonality because we are talking about them in the past tense. They have both been slain, their murders as staggering in mercilessness as the enormity of their impact on the sociocultural skyline of Karachi and Dhaka. Exactly a year apart, their deaths on April 24, 2015 and April 25, 2016 respectively are gruesome reminders of just how entangled the subcontinent is with the politics of hate towards difference, laughter, love and humanism.
With India and Pakistan locked in an unwinnable battle of brinkmanship, the only bridge that joins the two people is an excruciating yearning for peace. And Sabeen Mahmud was exactly that a peace niche (that is what she called her non-profit organisation). Reading the obituaries that were published last year, in the wake of her murder by unidentified assassins, we are compelled to see the parallels between the situation not just in Bangladesh, but perhaps, also in India. After all, the murders of rationalists Narendra Dhabolkar, Govind Pansare and MM Kalburgi were the triggers behind 2015s yearlong intolerance debate.
Sabeen Mahmud, too, was felled for speaking her mind out. Her T2F, The Second Floor a cafe-cum-cultural venue since its inception in 2007, had quickly become Karachis countercultural hub. It was where students, academicians, intellectuals, dissidents, artists, poets, writers, activists, and citizens with modicum of conscience congregated to scrounge for democracy in a country under the thumb of an unbelievably powerful military-industrial-terrorism complex.
Sabeen Mahmud.
Also, it had free Wi-Fi. It had music from iTunes. Sabeen Mahmud was a Mac junkie in a country where YouTube was banned until about a year back.
For years, Mahmud had been brushing off death threats with one oft-repeated sentence: Fear is just a line in your forehead. But on the night she was gunned down, by clean-shaven youth on a motorbike who fired indiscriminate bullets into her car, she had crossed the Pakistani Rubicon. She discussed Balochistan.
Like Indias Kashmir, but far more oppressively silenced, Pakistans Balochistan problem is one of ruthless occupation, crushing of dissent and movement for self-determination. Both religious extremists and Pakistans supremacist military intuit that to listen to Balochistans pain, to allow in criticism, to give ear to the bloodied screams of Balochistans lost, disappeared twenty thousands, is to admit defeat and fail the hardline nationalism test that gives the military-industrial complex its terrifying legitimacy.
Mahmud hosted at T2F an erstwhile cancelled seminar called Unsilencing Balochistan: Take 2, which the Pakistani government had promptly banned at a prominent university. Mahmud, characteristically, defied the state knowing fully well that the move landed her squarely before the firing squad, literally. She paid with her life, much like the fallen stars of Pakistans civic and political resistance Rashid Rehman, Perween Rehman, Shahbaz Bhatti, Salman Taseer and innumerable others.
Cut to 2016, April 25, and global media was flooded with a familiar sounding story with that same, sickeningly same, South Asian signature inscribed all over it. This time it was in Dhaka.
Its getting difficult to keep count of secularists falling victim to Bangladeshs religious (Islamic, in this case) fanatics. Xulhaz Mannan, a US Agency for International Development (USAID) staff worker, and editor of Bangladeshs only LGBT magazine Roopbaan, was hacked to death, along with his friend Samir Mahbub Tonoy, by Dhakas ubiquitous harbingers of death the machete-wielding men. Two days back, on Saturday, April 23, Rezaul Karim Siddique, a professor of English Literature at the University of Rajshahi in northwestern part of the country, was killed in a similar manner, with 80 per cent of his throat slit.
Xulhaz Mannan.
Ansar al Islam, or Ansarullah Bangla Team, an extremist outpost with allegiance to Al Qaeda, has claimed responsibility of Mannans and Tonoys murders, for practicing and promoting homosexuality. Mannan living openly as a gay man for decades in a country that has its double whammy of Section 377 criminalising same-sex love and hardline interpretation of Shariah on the issue too had been warding off death threats. He was more interested in spreading the rainbow love than to crumple into a rag-bag of fear and hopelessness.
Interestingly, unlike the murdered atheist bloggers such as Avijit Roy, Neeloy Neel, Ananta Bijoy Das, Washiqur Rehman, Mannan and Siddique were not professed deniers of god and disavowers of religion, but were, in fact, moderates. Siddique even donated to mosques and madrassas, while Mannan's focus on LGBTQ peoples right to dignity didnt leave much scope for advocating atheism.
The spate of murders in Bangladesh the hit-list of 84 was published by the notorious Ansarullah Bangla Team few years back has left everyone benumbed. The low cost, high impact assassinations have now crossed over to that side of the fence where they fuse and blur with each other in the great forest fire of statistics. They are just figures to be cited, drily.
What were the crimes of these felled men and women, in Bangladesh and Pakistan? As Manan Ahmed Asif, a Pakistani-American historian at Columbia University, puts it: The crime of the intellectual is to create the scene of the crime. The scene of the crime is a space whether concrete or metaphoric in which dialogue can exist. Their crime is in expressing or harbouring dissent. And the punishment is always death.
Whether its a national security state fused inextricably with cultural or religious nationalism, or a terrorist organisation wielding AK-47s or just rusty machetes, the enemy is always the soothsayer. Economic prosperity and/or the sacredness of the nation-state and/or faith are weights hinged on crushing silence and deafening complicity of most. But writers and dissidents are reminders of a lost autonomy, that civic-political-intellectual autonomy at the heart of a democratic republic.
The lover of the individual, the lover of fellow human beings, cannot rest his/her love on soul-sucking mega entities like jingoistic nation-state and difference-erasing organised religion. Sabeen Mahmud and Xulhaz Mannan had become enemies of the nation-state that feeds off its own citizens, that nourishes its bloodlust with the marrow of individual spark, soul, sensibilities and sympathy.
A subjugated citizen, even if the subjugation is from ones own government, is not a citizen: he/she is a colonial subject. The premise of decolonisation was individual freedom political rights and duties that involved each and every one, equally. The postcolonial intellectual would have been the ideal citizen, not a perfect enemy. Unfortunately, the opposite is true in postcolonial nation-states such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and India.
Whether its in New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata or Hyderabad resonances with Dhaka, Karachi, Peshawar and Islamabad are getting stronger by the day. Its the cries and whispers of a subjugated people, a citizenry locked in the prison-house of their respective majoritarian, faith-encumbered nation-states. Secularism is passe even in the conceptual echelons where decisions are made. Whether its Islamism on either side, or Hindutva in the centre, their militant concoctions have poisoned the air around, snuffing out differences of any and every kind.
Exactly at a time, when Indian newschannels are showing exclusives on Balochistans horrific secret, failing to make the associations with the unrest in Kashmir, or with the witch-hunt against students and academicians in our premier universities, is equally gnawing.
How do we differentiate between them and us? Until the truth facing us all reveals itself we are not all that different after all. Sabeen Mahmud and Xulhaz Mannan gave their lives to make precisely that point.
WHITE STONE - The buzzing drone hovers 80 feet in the air and beams down a video so clear that each thread on a bolt 15 feet away is distinguishable.
With the dual blades on each of its eight arms spinning furiously while hoisting a high-tech video camera, this 25-pound flying contraption is replacing bucket trucks and helicopters for power-line inspection by Dominion Virginia Power.
And the giant utility isnt the only organization banking on small unmanned aircraft to change the way they do business.
Drones are being used across the state and nation to do routine inspections of other ungainly structures such as cellphone towers and railroad bridges, often in a cheaper, faster and safer way than traditional methods. They fly over crops to help farmers see which areas need more water or fertilizer or to detect pest infestations early. And they could soon help emergency workers as they search for missing people or fight large fires.
Youre seeing the world from a different vantage point you couldnt see before, said David Culler, CEO of the Virginia Beach drone outfit Hazon Solutions, which demonstrated on Wednesday its ability to fly with precision near live power lines for Dominion in the Northern Neck. Thats really the power.
The fledgling commercial drone industry is also finding a home in movies, real estate companies and other areas that see a benefit from overhead video, even as its limited by strict Federal Aviation Administration regulations keeping the aircraft no higher than 200 feet and within sight of the pilot.
The line-of-sight rule is the main obstacle for Dominion expanding its drone program to its emergency operations, where a drone could theoretically survey storm damage so the company would know exactly where and with what equipment to send its repairmen.
This is an excellent fit of technology for Dominion, and were excited to use it, said Steve Eisenrauch, Dominion Virginia Powers manager of electric transmission, forestry and line services. The regulations are holding us up a little bit. Well get there.
The utility could also use drones to inspect pipelines, rights-of-way and components of its power plants, Eisenrauch said.
About a thousand companies nationally have been granted the waiver that allows commercial use of drones, with a few dozen of those based in Virginia. The FAA is developing regulations, expected to be released next year, that will determine how companies can expand drone use while also ensuring safe operation in the national airspace.
Researchers at Virginia Tech are studying how to use drones for three-dimensional mapping that can identify terrain and buildings by type. Theyre also trying to use special cameras to more quickly and accurately identify radioactive sources. Eventually, they hope to create software that will allow farmers to submit drone photos of their wheat and corn fields to identify fungus or other outbreaks to catch them early and prevent spreading.
The entire highway and railway systems in Virginia could eventually be inspected by high-speed drones, said Kevin Kochersberger, director of Virginia Techs Unmanned Systems Lab.
The real advantage we see are that this could greatly speed up inspection, reduce cost and improve maintenance on the highway and transportation systems, as well as assessment of urban areas, Kochersberger said. (And) Its not invasive. Youre not going to be blocking rail traffic or highway traffic in the process of inspecting these environments.
The military has for more than a decade used drones for surveillance and bombing missions aimed at terrorists and militants on the other side of the world. But their use in the U.S. by companies and hobbyists has grown more quickly than anyone expected.
Some recreational users, who dont face the same restrictions as businesses, have become a nuisance in recent months. Firefighters in California had to halt their water-dropping flights because of interference from drones taking video, and airline pilots have reported close calls with drones in their flight paths. Another pilot crashed his drone on the White House lawn this year.
And while a Virginia company delivered medications to a rural clinic using a drone earlier this year, a personal drone in Ohio was used to smuggle drugs into a prison yard.
Amazon has announced plans to deliver packages to customers doorsteps using drones. Kochersberger, the Tech researcher, said hes more convinced than ever that precision delivery could one day be more than a dream. His lab is creating a student competition to see who can design the best doorstep delivery drone.
But the days of drones replacing mail carriers are likely a decade or more away as the industry works to develop the technology to allow drones to sense and avoid obstacles and persuades the FAA its safe, said Jon Greene, associate director of the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership.
The partnership between Virginia Tech, the University of Maryland and Rutgers University oversees one of six across the country to help test drone technology for the FAA.
And while package delivery may not be available in the near-term, Greene said he expects the various uses of drones to continue expanding.
The initial application that were going to see most frequently is an emergency response capability, Greene said. We also think theres application for the mining industry and construction industry that are going to develop as we are able to fly these things with a little bit broader capability.
As we make the tools available, people will find clever ways to apply them.
Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA)
LONDON - England - The recent publication of the report of the Public Accounts Committee on Financial management of the European Union budget in 2014 reveals the extent that the UK has been punished with fines from Brussels.
Responding to the publication of the report of the Public Accounts Committee on Financial management of the European Union budget in 2014, which was ordered to be printed by the House of Commons this year, Chief Executive of Vote Leave, Matthew Elliot said:
We hand 350 million pounds to Brussels every week. Some of that money does get sent back to the UK but it is not necessarily spent on our priorities and it is laden with strict rules and conditions. Even worse, the EU often fines us if we dont do exactly what Brussels says. The only way to get out of this racket is to Vote Leave on 23 June.
The EU is fraught with red tape, fines and ridiculous diktats that serve little or no purpose whatsoever.
The National Audit Office (NAO) revealed that EU disallowances cost Britain 642 million between 2005 and 2015.
Out of funds received from the Commission 2.7% were disallowances, and the UK is subject to disallowances to a greater extent than twenty-one other member states, including France, Italy, Poland, Spain and Germany.
Forecasts by the NAO reveal that by 2021, 370 million will have to be paid to the Commission. A ridiculous sum that can only be halted by leaving the European Union.
The EUs Common Agricultural Policy, is becoming more complex despite claims of reform, thus exposing the UK to a greater risk of fines in the years ahead. The UKs attempts at simplifying CAP have been ignored by the EU, and many member states have no way of implementing half of the new regulations.
Not only are many of the regulations unworkable within a system that is overburdened by red-tape and unnecessary over complication, the UK pays twice as much into CAP as it gets out. What the UK does receive comes with the risk of fines. In 2015 the UK received 2.9 billion in CAP funding from the EU, whilst paying 5.5 billion to CAP, which is 12.57% of overall CAP EU wide expenditure. What is the point of paying in a vast amount to CAP and getting nothing much back, which is fined anyway?
In addition, other member states receive far more funding than the UK does. In 2014, France benefited the most, receiving 15.7% of payments, followed by Spain with 11.7%, Germany with 11.3%, Italy with 10.0% and Poland with 9.1%. The UK received just 7.2%.
The skewed profligate red tape burdened EU is its own worst enemy, and logic states that leaving is the only answer to the dire EU mess. Let us use this wasted EU money on ourselves instead. Vote Leave on June 23.
LONDON - England - The upcoming EU referendum is a chance to escape the insecurity and danger of the EU, and yet there are some people who defy any logic and wish to remain in the failed project.
The evidence is clear, there is little or no security in an EU with open borders, and yet there are some people who defy logic and still wish to remain in a European Union which endangers the UKs security.
The EUs Schengen zone is the reason why there are thousands of Jihadi cells waiting to strike in Paris-style attacks and there will be more to come.
When the most senior Western official warns of the serious dangers of remaining in the EU, even if you are a staunch europhile you have to sit up and listen.
James Clapper, the US Director of National Intelligence, has warned the free movement of citizens around the EU was in conflict with the need to protect security.
He said there is evidence of fanatics from Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (Isil) in Britain, Germany and Italy secretly plotting outrages like those witnessed in France and Belgium.
Former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove also recently reinforced warnings about the grave dangers to the UKs security by remaining in the EU, and stipulated quite correctly that quitting the EU would improve Britains security.
Even the EUs own Frontex agency has acknowledged the serious flaws in EU security that endanger its citizens.
The Head of Europol, Rob Wainwright, has revealed that over 5,000 Jihadis have returned from war zones in the Middle East and swept across the EU. Many of these battle hardened operatives can move around the EU unhindered by checks, and are poised to attack at any time.
Just as in the Paris and Brussels attacks, these elements would most probably attack soft civilian targets, easy to access and prepare for, these groups are highly trained individuals with no compassion.
There is therefore no logic whatsoever in voting to remain in the EU for the UK with regards to security. If you value your own life, and that of your family, your children, your fellow countrymen you will not put yours and their life at risk by voting to remain on June 23.
Voting to leave is the only way the UK can really secure its borders, to stop this deluge and dangerous security risk coming into our borders every day.
If you vote to remain in the EU, you do NOT value your own life, and you do not value the lives of your children or your family, your friends and your countrymen.
Amy Kollar Anderson and Rob E. Boley Collaborate on Adult Coloring Book
Local artist Amy Kollar Anderson and horror author Rob E. Boley are planning a celebration for their new Kickstarter project to fund a dark fantasy coloring book, That Naughty Pipe: A Scary Tale of the Pied Piper & Gremlins. The event will be held from 6:00 to 9:00 pm on Thursday, April 28 at Toxic Brew Company, located in the historic Oregon District at 431 E 5th St, Dayton, OH 45402.
The evening will showcase Andersons art and Boleys fictionboth of which will be available for salebut it will also feature two of Daytons finest homegrown taste sensations: the gourmet hot dogs of Zombie Dogz and the craft beers of Toxic Brew Company. As well, Andersons original art will be on display. Attendees will also be treated to raffle prizes and the opportunity to pledge their support to the Kickstarter campaign for That Naughty Pipe.
Unlike other adult coloring books, That Naughty Pipe will bring to life a brand-new dark fantasy short story featuring a mash-up of the classic Pied Piper of Hamelin fairy tale and the mischievous imps known as gremlins. The story will be whimsically illustrated by Andersons surreal aesthetics. So that the text will compliment the work, rather than clutter it, the story will be printed on the left-hand page of each spread, allowing Andersons art to take up the entire right-hand page.
The Kickstarter campaign runs from Wednesday, April 20 to Friday, May 20. Event attendees who pledge support for the project prior to or during the event will receive exclusive That Naughty Pipecolorable posters suitable for framing. Other official rewards for backers include copies of the coloring book and the opportunity to have their likeness featured in the book. As well, backers can have their childs or dogs likeness drawn into the book.
Entrinsik Inc., developer of information management software, is expanding its international presence with the opening of a European office, meeting a growing need for reporting and data analysis solutions.
With strong credentials across multiple industries and an international client base, Entrinsik can now better provide European organizations with the tools necessary to help them succeed and stay competitive in a highly dynamic business environment, said Doug Leupen, president/CEO at Entrinsik.
Entrinsik opened an office in Europe with the help of Eurodev, a Netherlands-based business development company.
This global expansion will allow Entrinsik to better support its existing client base in Europe, while continuing to aggressively grow the business internationally.
The company currently works with several distributors of its Informer software in Europe, Australia, and South America, and with the opening of Entrinsik Europe the company is building a team to consolidate all European sales and marketing efforts locally.
With its Informer platform, organizations across Europe can access key information, identify trends, uncover opportunities, and make data-driven decisions with confidence.
Entrinsik Informer business intelligence software enables organizations to perform ad-hoc reporting and analysis, blending data from multiple sources to create interactive reports and visualizations.
For more information about this news, visit http://www.entrinsik.com/news/.
New Delhi: Under attack over deployment of central forces inside National Institute of Technology in Srinagar, the government on Tuesday said in Lok Sabha that it was not a suo moto or unilateral decision but it was done following requests from the institute authorities.
"It was not our decision, not a suo moto decision. There was a request from the NIT authorities and hence the decision was taken to deploy central forces in the campus. It was not a unilateral decision of the central government," Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said.
Rijiju's remarks during Question Hour came after Congress chief whip Jyotiraditya Scindia alleged that by deploying the central forces in the NIT campus, the central government had undermined the Jammu and Kashmir Police.
The NIT in Srinagar had witnessed clashes between local and outstation students after India lost to West Indies in World T-20 semi final match on March 31, following which paramilitary forces were deployed at the campus.
Scindia accused the Jammu and Kashmir Police of "brutally" attacking the protesting students of NIT, claiming that they resorted to lathicharge on those students who were shouting slogans like 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'.
The Congress leader's comments invited strong protests from treasury benches, particularly from BJP MP and former Union Home Secretary R K Singh, who said Jammu and Kashmir Police is known for its sacrifices for the country's unity and integrity and such comments are unwarranted.
Rijiju said it is a known fact that it is the state police which takes action wherever necessary and the central forces only help the local authorities. He said three companies of paramilitary personnel were deployed inside the NIT campus while outside is being guarded by the Jammu and Kashmir Police. A company of central forces comprises of around 100 personnel.
AIMIM member Asaduddin Owaisi also disapproved of Scidia's comments saying 3,000 personnel of Jammu and Kashmir Police have laid down their lives serving the nation. Owaisi said after deployment of central forces, there was a perception that non-locals can be protected only by central forces, which was not good.
"Alienation of youth has been increasing and if we do not take action to stop alienation of youth, there will be problems," he said.
Rijiju said the reports of HRD Ministry's fact-finding team, Jammu and Kashmir government-appointed Magisterial Inquiry and an internal committee were yet to come and action will be taken as per their recommendations.
Intervening in the debate, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said when the non-local students had requested to go home, the state government made all arrangements and many of them now have returned to the campus.
Singh said those students who missed their examination will now be given opportunity to appear in the tests between May 26-29.
Tension started brewing inside the NIT campus, located on the banks of Dal lake, after some local students burst crackers to celebrate Indian team's defeat in the T-20 match. This was protested by the outstation students resulting in clashes.
During the Zero Hour later, Scindia mocked at the government over the Srinagar NIT row, questioning when it would hoist the national flag there as he referred to the HRD Ministry's recent directive that central universities will fly the tricolour at 207 feet.
The former Union Minister also said that official policy is to have a majority of teachers from outside the place where such institutes are located but in NIT most of the teachers are locals.
"I will ask the HRD Minister when will you fly the national flag at the entrance of the NIT? I am sure members sitting in front of me who preach about nationalism will agree with me," he said, in a jibe at the treasury benches.
NEW DELHI: Despite admitting a rise in frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall in the past 40-50 years, minister of state for environment Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday refused to link the changing pattern to climate change.
While responding to a question raised in Parliament, the minister said: Extreme rainfall events that occurred at some isolated places (heavy rainfall over Mumbai, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Kashmir) are highly localized and are part of the natural variability of the Indian monsoon system. Although some recent studies hint at an increasing frequency and intensity of extremes in rainfall during the past 40-50 years, their attribution to global warming is yet to be established, Mr Javadekar said, adding, there is no conclusive evidence to attribute observed weather and climate variability to the increased concentrations of Green House Gases and associated global warming.
Daily mean temperature over the country is found to be increasing more or less at the same rate as the global mean (0.63 degree Celsius since 1901). Spatial pattern of trends in the mean annual temperature shows significant positive (increasing) trend over most parts of the country except over parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Bihar, where significant negative (decreasing) trends were observed, he added.
This comes about five months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his radio programme Mann ki Baat had expressed concerns over incessant rains in Tamil Nadu, that had claimed over 250 lives, in November last year.
There is continuous news of natural calamities from various parts of the world. And sometimes the news is very bizarre, never seen or never heard of, Mr Modi had said in his radio programme.
New Delhi: Rejecting the media report, quoted by senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad which suggests that the Prime Ministers of India and Italy had struck a deal over AgustaWestland case, Leader of the House and Union finance minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday took a dig at the Opposition party saying it wanted to use the media report as a possible basis of their defence in case but it does not exist. Facing heat over the Uttarakhand crisis, the ruling BJP is using an Italian courts verdict in the AugustaWestland chopper bribery case verdict to hit back at the Congress.
Claiming that the previous UPA government had not put any embargo on the scandal tainted company, the government said it will seek a report from the CBI on the deal and initiate the move to blacklist AgustaWestland and its parent company Finmeccanica.
Meanwhile, in a significant development in the case probe, the CBI has received reply of its judicial request sent to the authorities concerned in Italy. The agency has also received partial replies of its judicial requests sent to the United Kingdom, Tunisia and British Virgin Island.
Asserting that while the bribe-giver has been convicted by the Italian court in the VVIP chopper bribery case, the identity of the bribe-taker has to be established, Mr Jaitley said the report is false and untrue in its entirety. Even the MEA denied that any such meeting took place between the two PMs.
The media report had claimed that PM Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Matteo Renzi had struck a deal to free two Italian marines, who are on trial for killing Indian fishermen, in exchange for information against the Gandhi family. An Italian court had revealed names of Congress top brass including party president Sonia Gandhi in the bribery case in the chopper deal during the UPA regime. The report also claimed that middleman James Christan Michel, had written to Mr Modi denying any role in the VVIP chopper scam. Denying that AgustaWestland was blacklisted during the UPA rule, the government sources asserted that it was the NDA dispensation which had put on hold all acquisition proposals with the VVIP chopper scam-tainted firm.
Sources in the CBI also said the agency sleuths are analysing details sent by the Italian authorities. Details that have been provided by the Italian authorities are crucial to the agencys probe.
As far as execution of CBIs judicial requests by the authorities concerned of the UK, Tunisia and British Virgin Island is concerned, sources said, The agency is now preparing to send fresh reminders to these countries for providing all details sought by the agency in its judicial requests. They (these three countries) have not provided all details sought by the CBI.
The CBI had sent judicial requests or letters rogatories (LRs) to nine countries to get details about certain overseas companies as part of its investigations into the case. The agency on March 13, 2013 had booked former IAF chief S.P. Tyagi and 12 others under charges of bribery, cheating and corruption in the VVIP chopper deal.
The Congress had claimed that the chopper deal was scrapped and action was taken by the then UPA government. But government sources said, The only punitive action taken by the Congress was in January 2014, just before the Lok Sabha elections, when the UPA government encashed the bank guarantee. They never blacklisted the company as claimed.
It was on July 3, 2014 when Mr Jaitley was holding the Defence portfolio that an order was issued which put on hold all procurement and acquisition cases in the pipeline with six companies involved in the scam including AgustaWestland and Finmeccanica, the sources said. They said it was also decided that in cases where the tender process had not started, there shall be no dealing with those companies and entities till conclusion of the CBI probe and that Request for Intent/Request for Proposal shall be issued to any of them.
Chennai: Alleging that the AIADMK has hidden huge amounts of cash to be distributed among voters, a high-powered delegation of Congress and DMK on Tuesday met Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi and demanded that senior officials from other states be deputed to Tamil Nadu to prevent use of money power.
In a memorandum submitted to the Chief Election Commissioner in New Delhi, leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, DMK leader T. R. Baalu and TNCC president E. V. K. S. Elangovan demanded a CBI inquiry into the issue and also involve the enforcement directorate to conduct thorough searches in the houses of AIADMK ministers.
Speaking to reporters after submitting a memorandum to Mr Zaidi, Mr Azad said the ruling party in Tamil Nadu was misusing its powers and that the delegation told the CEC that steps should be taken to ensure free and fair elections in the state. Tamil Nadu goes to polls on May 16.
The recent instances of seizure of huge amounts of cash are example that the ruling party is trying to influence (voters), Mr Azad said and told the CEC to advise officials in the state not to turn a blind eye to such activities.
It is very unfortunate to mention that the Election Commission of India does not seem to be very concerned about the happenings in the state of Tamil Nadu. In Tamil Nadu, the fence is grazing the crop, the memorandum said.
The AIADMK is indulging in activities which are prohibited under the law. The state officials are not serious about the flow of money power, he said. The memorandum also asked the CEC to take action against the officials who have deliberately failed to discharge their legitimate duty.
DMK chief M. Karunanidhi has also demanded a CBI probe into the seizure of huge amounts of money in various parts of the state, alleging that there was no rule of law in the state.
Srinagar: Amanullah Khan, the co-founder of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and the man who introduced gun to Kashmiri youth in 1989, died at a hospital in Pakistans Rawalpindi on Tuesday. He was 82.
Amanullah Khan, the father-in-law of Kashmirs Peoples Conference president Sajad Ghani Lone, breathed his last at 8:30 am local time.
The JKLF leader, who had led a violent campaign for independent Kashmir, including the killing of an Indian diplomat in the UK in the mid-80s and hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane to Lahore, had made Pakistan his home for three decades.
Khan was born in the Astore area of Gilgit on August 24, 1934, was also the co-founder of the Kashmir Independent Committee in 1963. He was elected secretary-general of the JK Plebiscite Front (PF) in 1965 and co-founded the JK National Liberation Front (NLF) with Maqbool Bhat.
Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif condoled his death, saying that the sacrifices of Amanullah Khan for Kashmiris would be long remembered.
Khans death has been widely mourned in Kashmir and JKLF has announced to offer prayer in absentia for him at Srinagars Lal Chowk on Wednesday afternoon.
However, J&Ks social welfare minister and BJP ally Sajad Gani Lone, who is married to Khans daughter, has reportedly decided not to attend Khans jinaza (funeral prayer), which will take place in Islamabad.
A major fire that broke out at a bio-diesel manufacturing unit in Visakhapatnam Special Economic Zone (VSEZ) here last evening is still raging even as hectic efforts are on to control it, officials said today.
Visakhapatnam District Collector N Yuvaraj, who was at the accident site, told PTI that nearly 40 fire fighting engines from Navy, Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, and Port Trust were making all efforts to put out the fire, that erupted at the Bioxmax Fuels Ltd company premises in Duvvada area here at around 7.30 PM yesterday.
No casualties were reported in the incident so far, he said, adding that the blaze occurred in the storage area and no worker was present in close proximity of the mishap site.
Biomax Fuels Ltd has a manufacturing capacity of five lakh tonnes of bio-diesel from multi-feedstock at VSEZ.
The Collector said out of 18 storage tanks located at the site, 12 caught fire. It is expected to be brought under control by this evening as the entire oil in the tanks has to burn completely, he said.
The authorities are taking steps to avoid the fire from spreading to six other tanks which are there in the same area, he said.
District Fire Officer J M Rao said they were yet to ascertain the cause of the massive blaze.
As the flames spread rapidly from one tank to another within minutes, the fire tenders were unable to reach the storage area, he said.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Naval Command in a statement said that nine fire tenders of Indian Navy were deployed at the Biomax company to douse the flames.
"On getting news from the state administration, the Eastern Naval Command launched two aircraft for aerial reconnaissance and assessment of the extent of fire. Navy's Quick Reaction Team (QRT) and an ambulance with medical team were rushed to the site of the fire accident along with the fire tenders," it said.
Standby arrangements have been made at the Naval hospital, INHS Kalyani, for providing assistance in case of medical emergency, it said.
Fire tenders are being replenished and turned around. Additional fire tenders are kept on standby for deployment, the release added.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear the Centre's petition challenging the Uttarakhand High Court verdict of quashing imposition of President's rule in the state.
On April 22, the Centre had moved the apex court challenging the Uttarakhand High Court decision.
Attorney General (AG) Mukul Rohatgi had mentioned the appeal before a bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh, which asked him to approach the Registry for listing it for hearing today itself.
The bench said that the Registry will seek permission from Chief Justice of India (CJI) T S Thakur for listing of the appeal before an appropriate bench.
The AG said that the Special Leave Petition (SLP) has been filed but "we don't have the copy of the judgement" as it was not declared and only a speaking order was passed.
A bench headed by Justice Misra was sitting in the CJI's court as the CJI was at a scheduled conference of High Court Chief Justices and judges in the national capital.
Justice Misra said in view of the non-availability of the CJI, some arrangement has to be done for its listing.
The AG said there was a need for an urgent hearing in view of the apparent problem likely to occur between April 22 and 25.
"I want to press for the stay today itself," Rohatgi said. A petition was also filed by nine Congress rebel MLAs who were disqualified by the Speaker and they have challenged the HC verdict keeping them away from participating in the floor test scheduled for April 29.
The AG, who was flanked by Additional Solicitors General (ASG) Maninder Singh and Tushar Mehta and senior advocate Harish Salve who had appeared for Uttarakhand in the HC, said an SLP has been filed on April 22 morning challenging the verdict of the HC by which President's proclamation under Article 356 has been quashed.
Senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Vivek Tankha were present on behalf of the Congress party.
Coming down heavily on the Centre for the March 27 proclamation under Art 356, the High Court had quashed the imposition of President's rule in Uttarakhand and restored the dismissed Congress government while castigating the Centre for uprooting a democratically-elected government.
The HC had said the imposition of President's rule was contrary to the law laid down by the Supreme Court.
Directing revival of the Harish Rawat government, which was dismissed by the Centre on March 27, the High Court had ordered that he should seek a vote of confidence in the Assembly on April 29.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday told media that there is no case against his party in connection with the AugustaWestland chopper deal.
Singh also said his party will respond to the charges levelled by the BJP.
Opposition leader in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, said Congress is ready to discuss the issue in Parliament.
Both the BJP and the Congress today served notices for discussion on the issue in Parliament, according to media reports.
Two Hindu teachers in Bangladesh have been jailed for six months for making blasphemous comments about Islam under a colonial-era law that makes insulting any religion a crime in the Muslin-majority country.
A court in southwestern Bagerhat of Muslim sentenced the two teachers -- Krishnapada Mouli and assistant teacher Ashok Kumar -- of Hijla High School to six months over remarks that sparked anger among people in the neighbourhood, reports and officials said.
"One of the teachers made some abusive remarks about Islam in the classroom earlier this week...His remarks spread, sparking an outrage among the people in the neighbourhood," a local journalist told PTI.
The headmaster of the school, who also is a follower of Hindu faith, stood by his colleague after some parents protested against the remarks.
"At one point of altercations they virtually confined the two teachers inside the school," he said.
"Being informed about the situation, the UNO (administrative head of the sub-district) and executive magistrate rushed to the scene, freed them from the confinement and handed them down the sentence by staging a mobile court at the scene," he said.
Under a law framed during the British period, insulting any religion is treated as a criminal offence in Bangladesh.
A special PMLA court today issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Pankaj Bhujbal, son of former Maharashtra minister and senior NCP leader Chaggan Bhujbal, in a money laundering case registered against him and others in connection with construction of the new Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi and another matter.
"A NBW is issued against accused no 3 (Pankaj)," said Special Judge P R Bhavke.
Apart from the former MP, NBWs were also issued against some private persons named in the case after the court took cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate(ED) in the matter.
Later, the court also extended the judicial custody of Chaggan Bhujbal and his nephew Sameer till May 11.
Earlier, the ED had told the court it had attached properties of Bhujbals worth Rs 131.86 crore, while remaining properties worth Rs 708.30 crore were yet to be identified and attached.
Also, it had twice conducted searches at nine premises, including properties and offices, belonging to the senior Bhujbal, Pankaj, nephew Samir and few others.
Pankaj, an MLA in the Maharashtra Assembly, has been named in the FIR filed by the agency, besides his father and former State PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal, other associates and entities and Sameer, who was arrested by ED in the same case early this year.
The ED, had on March 30, filed a 11,500-page chargesheet naming Chhagan Bhujbal, his son Pankaj, nephew Sameer, corporates like D B Realty, Balwa group of companies, Neelkamal Realtors and Builders Private Limited, Neelkamal Central Apartment LLP and Kakade Infrastructure.
The agency has filed two FIRs against Bhujbals and others under the anti-money laundering laws, based on FIRs filed by the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau, to probe alleged irregularities in the construction of the state guesthouse 'Maharashtra Sadan' in Delhi and the Kalina land grabbing case here.
The High Court, in December 2014, had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising the ED and state ACB officials to conduct the inquiry against Bhujbal and others.
The ACB complaint names Pankaj and Sameer for offences such as cheating, conspiracy, criminal breach of trust under the IPC, and under the Maharashtra Ownership Flats Act.
Members in Rajya Sabha today expressed serious concern over the acute drinking water crisis and rising number of farmers' suicides in 11 drought-hit states including Maharashtra, with the Opposition accusing the government of not releasing adequate funds to these states.
Maintaining that drinking water problem has been severe this time, the members asked the government to complete 312 pending irrigation projects across the country in a timely manner to boost water supply for drinking purposes and agriculture.
They also asked the government to consider if more funds could be released to drought-hit states, saying the current allocation rate was less than half of what the states had demanded for 2015-16 to tide over the situation.
"Right now, 11 states are facing drought-like conditions. Whether in states or at the Centre, where there are different political parties, we must face the situation. We must rise above political lines and face the situation together," former Agriculture Minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar said during a short debate on drought in the Upper House.
Among 11 states, Uttar Pradesh is worst affected followed by Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Telangana, Rajasthan and Gujarat, he said and emphasised the need to provide immediate relief.
While there is no shortage of foodgrains in the country this year, the drinking water crisis is "serious", he said.
"We have to give full attention to drinking water. Why do we have this problem? We have to think of short and long term policy and serious solutions to address this issue," he said, and suggested that the government focus on water conservation and rainwater harvesting to boost groundwater level.
He also asked the government to complete 312 pending irrigation projects in India, of which 240 projects are in five states including Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
Urging the Centre to be considerate towards the states facing drought, Pawar said "every state expects the government at the centre to help them out. In 2015-16, the states made their demand for relief package. Was it met?"
"The actual release was less than 50 per cent. I think there should be some improvement (in giving funds)," he said, and asked the government to ensure that states use relief funds for water conservation.
Against the demand of Rs 3,830 crore drought relief fund, Karnataka was sanctioned only Rs 1,540 crore for losses incurred due to drought during the 2015-16 kharif season. Similarly, Chhattisgarh was given Rs 855 crore against Rs 6,093 crore, while Madhya Pradesh was given Rs 1,875 crore against requirement of Rs 4,884 crore, he said.
Narrating the severity of drinking water crisis at a village in Nashik, Pawar said people there get one water tanker in 30 days and have to wait 25 days for the next one. One tanker of water meets only 33 per cent of the requirement of this village.
"The situation is such that people gherao the tankers and ... Section 144 is imposed to prohibit assembly of more people. People's efforts are just to collect and store water," the veteran NCP leader said.
Pawar also attacked Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh for his statement yesterday that states like Maharasthra have irrigation to supply water to sugar mills.
"I don't know how the Agriculture Minister has come to this conclusion. It is true that sugarcane requires lot of water. ...The minister has impression that all water was used for cane," he said while sharing a research report on cultivating sugarcane crop in tropical areas with less water.
Stating that the drought situation was "grave and very serious", Pawar said, "in my public life, I have made attempts to mitigate impact of drought when I worked in the state and also at the Centre for 10 years. But the situation that we are witnessing today is more serious, particularly looking at the media reports."
Before the debate commenced, Opposition members including those from Congress and JD(U) took strong objection to the absence of the Agriculture Minister and Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti.
"Half of the country's population is facing water crisis. The drought issue is very serious. The concerned minister should be here. It is a very deep crisis," JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav said.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "We cannot have debate without the minister concerned. You adjourn the House. Let's start the debate when he is here."
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien tried to convince members that the subject was a serious one and the government "works on a joint responsibility. Even if concerned minister is not here, we can continue the debate."
The debate, however, started after the arrival of the concerned ministers.
Initiating the debate, A U Singh Deo (BJD) expressed concern over meagre allocation of funds and the delay in its release to drought-hit states, especially Odisha.
He also said there was a huge difference in state's and the Centre's assessment of losses due to drought, because of which states do not get full relief funds.
"Total allocation for State Disaster Relief Fund is Rs 61,000 crore for all states. Rs 20,000 crore was estimated loss for kharif season of 2015-16. Where will the money come from? Centre should provide more help," Singh Deo said, adding Odisha should not be ignored as it is the poorest state.
Blaming the government for not taking serious note of the Met Department's monsoon forecast, he said a new department should be established to look into drought, floods and other natural calamities and take mitigation measures.
Expressing concern over the serious drought situation in Maharasthra, Rajani Patil (Cong) said the NDA government should stop blaming the previous regimes for the water crisis.
"You have been in the office for two years. It is not proper to shift the responsibility. You give up this attitude fast and show results," she said.
Patil also demanded more work days under MGNREGA in drought-hit states.
Observing how transporation of water tankers to Latur was being politicised, she said "lotus adorns the tankers carrying water. There is politics in this also. Stop doing this."
To address the water crisis, she sought desilting operations in check-dams, lakes and ponds on an urgent basis and easing norms for speedy implementation of this work.
Sharing severe drought crisis in Maharasthra, she said "I come from Marathwada. We don't call Marathwada now, we call tankerwada." She also narrated a story of a farmer who committed suicide recently due to lack of funds for his daughter's marriage scheduled today.
"We collected funds for his daughter's marriage which happened today. In another taluk, a 10 year-old child who went to fetch water fell into the well and died. This is the plight of Marathwada," she said.
Sharing the data of rising farmers' suicides in Maharashtra, Patil blamed the Centre and the state government for lack of sensitivity towards people's suffering, saying there were over 2500 farmers' suicides in the state in 2015 and such cases were being reported this year as well.
Ajay Sancheti (BJP) said the Ministries of Water Resources, Agriculture, Rural Development should work together and make a long term policy to deal with the issues of drought and floods.
Criticising successive governments, Naresh Agrawal (SP) said that India does not have an effective long term policy to deal with such natural calamities and added that the current drought across the country has led to drinking water problems both for the people and the livestock.
Observing that the government's efforts in tackling drought were not enough, Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said that government should work on bringing water under the Union list so that disputes relating to rivers can be tackled and effective policies for water conservation evolved.
"Water has become a big issue of dispute today and if we do not take adequate steps to check it, the time is not far that we will have a civil war inside the country over water," the senior JD(U) leader warned.
Rajpal Singh Saini (BSP) said the Centre's work to mitigate drought relief in Bundelkhand was not enough. Farmers are distressed and are forced to commit suicide. In the last few years around 3,023 farmers have committed suicide in Bundelkhand, he added.
Raising the controversy over IPL matches in Maharashtra, Saini said such issues bring to fore the stark differences between the lives of the people "living in India and Bharat".
Tapan Kumar Sen (CPI-M) said the "deep crisis" due to drought has impacted around 33 crore people across 11 states in more that 33 districts. Delayed action has further exacerbated the situation of the people and the livestock in the affected areas.
Attacking the government over the implementation of the MGNREGA, Sen suggested that the scheme should be properly utilised as it can help alleviate some difficulties of the people. He said urban areas were also severely impacted by the drought situation.
Maintaining that the government should work to provide drinking water for the people and cattle, D Raja (CPI) attacked the Centre for failing to anticipate the severity of the drought situation in the country and its preparedness to mitigate the impact.
He said the public sector banks have distanced themselves from giving loans to the farmers forcing them to turn towards private moneylenders, which is further affecting their living condition. Raja suggested steps to strengthen MGNREGA, PDS and Food Security scheme to tackle the drought situation.
Rajiv Chandrasekhar (Ind) said "We are a mute spectator to this annual tragedy. We need to move beyond the rhetoric and politics of drought."
He suggested developing short as well as medium to long term policies to tackle drought and create a National Water Management Strategy.
Mohd Ali Khan (INC) drew the attention of the House towards the severe drought condition in Telangana, saying it has impacted 370 mandals in the state and attacked the Centre for not giving the full assistance amount as sought by the state government.
Basawaraj Patil (BJP) referred to the rising heat wave conditions in the country and said the government should address the issue as heat wave will rise in May and June which may lead to loss of human life. He suggested schemes to save river water that goes into the sea.
Chandrapal Singh Yadav (SP) said Bundelkhand was facing severe drought like situation and wanted de-silting of old ponds in the region for water conservation, provision of alternate livelihood for farmers in case of drought and flood and availability of good quality seeds.
Bhupender Yadav (BJP) said policies need to be made for conservation of above ground water resources and rejuvenation of underground aquifers.
He also suggested that the government make disaster relief norms based on different regions and not for the entire nation as a single entity.
Vishambhar Prasad Nishad (SP) said that Bundelkhand has been severely impacted by the drought and the government needs to address the issue at the earliest.
Ahmed Patel (Cong) compared the drought situation to cancer which spreads slowly but is fatal. He expressed concern at the prevailing situation and said ICUs were not getting water and fights could break out over water shortage.
Taking a jibe at the Prime Minister for his 'Mann ki Baat' radio programme, he said there is need for his government to list the pain of the drought affected people.
Emphasising on the need for government to be aware of the grave situation, Patel said the findings of Central Water Commission indicating water crisis were not paid attention to. This issue is something beyond party politics, he added.
INLD member Ram Kumar Kashyap said that there were reports that drought had forced people in Maharashtra to marry twice, with one wife looking after family and other fetching water. He emphasised on the importance of planting more trees.
Dr Sanjay Singh (Cong) spoke for creating a special ministry which could draw up long term plans and conduct research to deal with global warming and climate change.
K C Tyagi (JD-U) sought that loans extended to farmers be waived and said that "sensibilities have weakened" as people had the urge to watch IPL at such a time.
Balwinder Singh Bhunder (SAD) sought subsidy for farmers to install sprinklers and drip irrigation systems. Vijay Darda (Cong) and Sanjiv Kumar (JMM) also spoke about the problems being faced by people in Maharshtra and Jharkhand. A V Swamy (Ind) also spoke on the subject.
The President's rule will continue in Uttarakhand and the April 29 floor test in the Assembly ordered by the High Court will not take place as the Supreme Court today extended its stay on the quashing of the Central rule.
Hearing the Centre's appeal against the Uttarakhand High Court judgement revoking President's rule, the apex court framed seven tough questions and even gave liberty to the Attorney General to include other questions the government would like to be addressed.
The bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh posted the matter for further hearing on May 3 amidst indication that the verdict may be pronounced before the court breaks for summer vacation by the middle of next month.
The bench made it clear that it was extending the stay on the Uttarakhand High Court verdict till further orders on the consent of parties.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Rawat, said there was no question of opposing the bench's stand on continuing with the interim order staying the High Court's order for few more days.
During the hearing, the bench said possibly the answer to the current incident would ultimately be the floor test and asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to think over the questions and suggestions put forward by it.
"The matter has its own gravity and ultimately in such a case prima facie we have to sustain democracy and if we don't find merit with the President's rule then we will have to have a floor test.
"Therefore, as a constitutional concept unless we really vacate our order, not to say lift President's rule, we have to modify our order and have to say go for the floor test. Think over it," it said.
Attorney General said that he will think over it and inform the court.
The bench also said that this is an emergent situation.
While answering various questions Rohatgi, said President's rule will be operative for two months till May 27 and if it is upheld by the court, then to have a floor test will be the discreation of the government and if the President's rule is dismissed, it will be a case of non-existence of Central rule and in that event the direction to the governor will be to call for the floor test.
In a high-voltage hearing that commenced at 2pm in a packed court room, the bench, at the outset, took strong note of the plea of Uttarakhand Chief Secretary that he be also allowed put forth his views in the matter.
"What will the Chief Secretary do? Chief Secretary has nothing to do with the matter. What kind of affidavit he is going to file," the bench said.
The court then listed out seven questions which it wanted to deliberate upon during the course of the hearing and asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi and others to assist it.
"Whether the Governor could have sent the message in the present manner under Article 175 (2) for conducting floor test," the bench said in its first question.
Referring to constitutional scheme that the assembly proceedings are beyond the scope of judicial scrutiny, the apex court also posed the query whether the proceedings of the House can be considered for invoking President's rule.
Dealing with the claim and counter claim with regard to the fate of the Appropriation Bill in the Uttarakhand Assembly, it said that the next question is as to when the President's role comes in the picture.
"Can the delay in the floor test be a ground for proclamation of the President's rule," it asked.
The apex court, referring to defections of individual lawmakers, said that it is a matter of deliberations as to how this issue can be taken into account with regard to imposition of President's rule.
Lastly, the bench said that democracy "hinges on some stable concepts" and they may vary with a particular view point taken by rival political groups.
The court said an incident can be termed as destabilising for democracy by one political group and simultaneously, the other party can have divergent view on it.
Rohatgi, who opened arguments, said the Centre has also framed certain issues and they needed to be dealt with.
He gave accounts of events that had taken place on March 18 with BJP MLAs requesting the Governor to ask the Speaker to have a division of votes in the Assembly on the Appropriation Bill which was to be introduced in the House, later in the day.
Rohatgi said the majority of MLAs including 27 of BJP and 9 others had demanded from the Speaker for division on the Appropriation Bill but the request was denied.
The bench then asked the Attorney General as to whether the court can examine the incidents which have happened in the house and said that as per earlier judgement, unless there is "gross irregularity", the court cannot interfere.
Rohatgi said the majority rules under the Constitution and if majority of MLAs demands division, "can the Speaker say he won't allow the request, he can't under the law and that is the illegality."
"Speaker is the master of the house but he is not a king. He has to be guided by procedures," Rohatgi said.
The bench then said that the Centre has to justify the proclamation on the reasons and said that if the proceedings recorded that the Bill has been passed then who has got the right to question the contrary. It further sought response on the question as to whether the disqualification of MLAs by the Speaker is a "relevant issue" for the purposes of invoking President's rule under Article 356 of the constitution.
The Army today regretted in the Patna High Court conducting a recruitment examination at Muzaffarpur for candidates in their underwears to prevent cheating and promised to take all precaution so that such an incident does not recur.
An affidavit was submitted by Director, Army Recruitment Board, Muzaffarpur, V S Godhara and a division bench of acting Chief Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari and Justice Samrendra Pratap disposed off the PIL after it.
Central government counsel S B Sanjay submitted the affidavit on behalf of Godhara expressing regret over the incident.
"Regret such incident. What happened should not have happened. Assured that respondent will take all precaution so that no such occurance happens in future," the affidavit submitted in the HC read.
On February 28, some 1,100 candidates were made to take off their clothes first and then sit only in underwear in an open field at Muzaffarpur for examination for the post of army clerks in a bid to prevent copying.
The incident had invited angry reaction.
Reacting to the images splashed across the media, the Defence Ministry had asked Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhaag to explain.
Colonel V S Godhara of Army Regional Office had at that time defended the action citing previous instances of candidates hiding slips of paper and mobile phones in their undergarments.
The Patna High Court too had taken notice of these pictures and filed a suo motu public interest litigation.
With campaign in full swing, AIADMK supremo and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is busy criss crossing cities in planes and choppers, her party affiliated filmstars are rushing through constituencies in vans and sitting Ministers going door-to-door canvassing support.
Leading from the front, Jayalalithaa uses airplanes and chartered choppers to reach venues of her election rallies. She landed in a chartered chopper at the meeting venue in Dharmapuri.
However, her dependence on air logistics has drawn flak this time too as in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. She had then responded saying that it was only to cover all constituencies within a short duration, besides security concerns.
She began her campaign on April 9 here by addressing a mega rally at Island Grounds and later several such meetings in a host of cities in Tamil Nadu.
Kanchipuram, Cuddalore, Tiruchirappalli, Dharmapuri and Salem are among the other places she has visited and later today she is expected to address a rally in the temple city of Madurai.
She uses both airplanes and choppers, depending on the location of the venue, besides using her SUVs.
Interestingly, AIADMK has also fielded a host of popular film stars to canvass support for it and they visit constituencies in open-top campaign vans.
Leading the star pack is 'Sangamam' fame actress Vindhya and noted comedian Singamuthu. Comedians Gundu Kalyanam, Vaiyapuri, actor Thiyagu and comedy star Aarthi are also using their popularity to convince voters to again vote AIADMK to power.
In his inimitable style, Singamuthu lists several welfare measures like free mixies, grinders, Amma brand of schemes including Amma chain of low-cost eateries and pleads with them to vote for a repeat "golden rule of Amma."
Vindhya, targeting DMDK chief Vijayakanth, utters a dialogue from a foreign language film and asks people if they understood anything. When they say 'No', she replies, "How on earth will you be able to understand him, who speaks just like the characters in the foreign language movie?"
Sitting Ministers, right from former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, B Valarmathi, Mukkur Subramanian, S Gokula Indira, to R Vaithilingam make it a point to go door to door to seek votes.
They also try to strike a chord with the people by highlighting the "achievements" in their neighbourhood and make poll promises.
Social Welfare Minister Valarmathi, who is seeking re-election in Thousand Lights here, even bathed a small boy and conversed animatedly with householders as she sought votes for her party. It is being seen as the ruling party's efforts to blunt the opposition campaign that AIADMK does not make personal visits to people.
There was no bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and his Italian counterpart Matteo Renzi on the margins of the UNGA in New York last year, External Affairs Ministry said today.
The ministry was reacting to allegations by James Christian Michel, the middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper deal, on purported meeting between Modi and Renzi where the Indian leader offered to free two Italian marines, facing murder charges in India, in exchange of evidence linking Sonia Gandhi and her family to the corruption in the Rs 3600 crore deal.
"There was no meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Renzi of Italy as part of PM's bilateral meetings at the UNGA in September 2015.
"Insofar as James Christian Michel is concerned, various law enforcement authorities of India are proceeding against him in cases relating to the Prevention of Corruption Act and Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)," the ministry said.
It also noted that an open ended non-bailable arrest warrant has been issued by the special judge of CBI against Michel on September 24, 2015.
"Upon a CBI request a Red notice against him has been issued by the Interpol Headquarters on November 25, 2015. A request for provisional arrest for the purpose of extradition was made to the UK authorities on January 4, this year by the CBI.
"The Enforcement Directorate, another autonomous agency to handle private money laundering and foreign exchange irregularities, has also separately sent a Red Corner notice seeking arrest and a request for his extradition from the UK on February 29, this year," it added.
The Supreme Court today said MPs who passed the resolution condemning Justice (Retd) Markandey Katju for his blog against Mahatma Gandhi and Subhas Chandra Bose enjoyed the same freedom of speech and expression as him.
"Do you mean to say that the Members of Parliament have no right to express their views? They have simply put their views in a collective manner in condemning your viewpoint," a bench headed by Justice T S Thakur said.
It also said that prima facie the resolutions were passed to condemn the views and it was not a proceeding to "censure" Justice Katju. Senior advocate Gopal Subramanium, appearing for Justice Katju, said the MPs, like ordinary citizens, are entitled to their views on issues.
In the present case, an institution like Parliament has taken recourse to "censurial jurisdiction" without according an opportunity to Justice Katju to put forth his views before condemning his statement made in his blog.
"Leave aside the Parliament, I condemn this. Do you have a cause of action against an ordinary citizen who enjoys the fundamental right as you did," the bench asked. "No," Subramanium said, adding that in the present case, the two houses of Parliament passed the resolution without hearing Katju.
Senior advocate F S Nariman, who was appointed amicus curiae in the case, said Parliament did not respond to Justice Katju's plea of being heard as it was not exercising the "censurial jurisdiction" and merely voicing the collective view of the house.
Parliament responded by issuing the resolution because the person concerned was a high constitutional functionary and it did not want the public at large to believe him that Gandhi and Bose were British and Japanese agents.
"If you want to exercise your right as a citizen, then be a citizen and don't be a super citizen," Nariman said, adding Parliament reacted as the person concerned was a former judge of the apex court.
The court has now asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to assist it in the matter. Earlier, the apex court had said "prima facie" it did not find fault with Parliament passing resolutions condemning Justice Katju for his blog against Mahatma Gandhi and Bose.
Katju has moved the court seeking quashing of resolutions passed by both Houses of Parliament for calling Mahatama Gandhi and Subhash C Bose British and Japanese "agents" respectively.
In his Facebook post, the former judge had criticised Parliament for censuring him without even giving him a hearing. The resolutions were passed against him by Lok Sabha on March 12 and Rajya Sabha on March 11 last year.
Alternatively, Katju has sought a direction to Lok Sabha Speaker and Chairman of the Upper House that he be heard personally or through a lawyer duly appointed by him.
"It is a basic principle of natural justice that no one should be condemned unheard. But paying scant regard to this principle, the Hon'ble members of both Houses of the Indian Parliament all flocked together with one voice to condemn me, like the Queen of Hearts in 'Alice in Wonderland' who would say 'Off with his head! ' even before she would give a hearing to someone..," Justice Katju, who has created controversies with several of his comments in the past, wrote in his post. The petition claimed Parliament lacked "competence" to condemn him.
A top US official today accused Pakistan of "not taking action" against terrorist groups that threaten its neighbours and pressed it to act against all such dreaded outfits including Haqqani Network, LeT and JeM.
"We believe Pakistan has not taken action against terrorist groups that threaten its neighbours," Special US Af-Pak Representative Richard Olson told members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee during a Congressional hearing.
Olson was responding to questions from the lawmakers who expressed concern over Pakistan being "selective" in taking actions against terrorist groups.
"Their (Pakistan's) stated policy is not to discriminate against terrorists. We believe there is a considerable room for improvement," said the American diplomat, who is President Barack Obama's point person for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
He said it is the time to take action against terrorist groups "more robustly" that threaten Afghanistan.
Olson said the US has raised at the highest level the need to take action against terrorist groups that threaten its neighbours in particular the Haqqani network.
"We continue to press Pakistan to take action against all terrorist groups, including the Haqqani Network, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed," he said.
"We have repeatedly and frankly underscored with the most senior levels of the Pakistani leadership the need to target the Haqqani network as part of their wider counter-terrorism operations, in keeping with their commitment not to discriminate between terrorist organisations," he said.
The Haqqani Network has carried out a number of kidnappings and attacks against US interests in Afghanistan, as well as Afghan government and civilian targets. The group is also blamed for several deadly attacks against Indian interests in Afghanistan including the 2008 bombing of the Indian mission in Kabul that killed 58 people.
JeM and LeT have carried out multiple terror attacks in India more recently JeM attacked a key air force base in Pathankot in which seven security men were killed.
The Obama Administration shares the sub-committees' disappointment in progress against these groups and continue to voice its concerns with Pakistani leadership often, Olson said.
"We will not be satisfied until Pakistan makes a decisive shift in its policy toward these externally-focused groups, nor will Pakistan's struggle with terrorism come to an end," he said.
Responding to another question on sale of eight F-16 jets to Pakistan, Olson defended the Obama administration's decision arguing that with the aircraft Pakistan has developed "precision striking capabilities" against terrorist groups.
Olson, however, did not mention India even as several lawmakers expressed concern that F-16 jets would be used against India.
Google is a top target for European regulators and privacy watchdogs, who openly fear and distrust its dominance. The US tech giants search engine alone gobbles up roughly 90% of the European market.
But a landmark court ruling intended to rein in Google has instead put it at the forefront of Europes enforcement of Internet privacy. That has upended conventional wisdom about the company and raised questions about the role of commercial interests in protecting peoples privacy, often with little or no transparency.
In the almost 2 years since Europeans gained the right to be forgotten on the Internet, Google has passed judgment in more than 418,000 cases roughly 572 a day from people wanting links of certain search results to be removed, according to the companys records. It has approved fewer than half of those requests, all behind closed doors. Googles total number of privacy-related judgments is double those of most of Europes biggest individual national authorities over the same period, even though these public agencies address a wider range of data protection complaints.
Despite a history of animosity toward the company, national regulators have handed over the review powers to Google with few complaints, saying they are merely following Europes complex data protection rules. Other search companies, including Microsoft, have been given the same authority, though their number of judgments pale by comparison.
Some consumer groups and privacy experts are not satisfied with that arrangement. They have sounded alarm bells over a for-profit company one that relies on tapping into peoples digital lives to make billions of dollars and that is the subject of multiple privacy and anti-trust investigations playing such a central role in protecting individuals data, and doing so in such a secretive manner.
Google has not responded to requests, including an open letter last year from primarily European and US academics, to explain how its review process works. And since 2014, when right to be forgotten was enshrined, the company has declined to give any journalists access to its team of fewer than 50 employees mostly lawyers and paralegals based at its Dublin offices who review the demands.
Google also did not respond to questions for this article about the decision process.
Its a half-baked solution, said Luciano Floridi, a University of Oxford professor who previously sat on an advisory council to help Google handle its role as a de facto privacy regulator. If Europe really wanted to regain control over personal data, giving Google this type of power is an odd outcome. Less than 1% of Googles decisions are appealed to Europes privacy authorities, according to the regulators statistics, and those authorities said they generally rule in the companys favour.
But several individuals who sent requests to Google said that the lack of detail over how these decisions were made left them frustrated and, in some cases, angry that a company adjudicated on such delicate matters. These people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they did not want to publicise their own privacy cases.
If the governments were handling right to be forgotten, they would have to publish data, said Martin Husovec, a professor at the Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology, and Society in the Netherlands, and a signatory of the open letter to Google. But with Google, we cant see whats happening behind the companys closed doors.
After Europes highest court ruled in May 2014 that people with connections to the continent could ask search engines like Google and Microsofts Bing to remove links about themselves from online search results, the companies were handed the power to decide which of these requests were legitimate. Citing European privacy rules, the European Court of Justice mandated that search engines, and not a public body, should be the first port of call for the decisions. Europes top court did not require that companies make their decision-making process open to public scrutiny.
Peoples privacy requests must relate to online information, like personal circumstances or a past criminal conviction, that is no longer relevant or not in the public interest, definitions that privacy lawyers say are inherently fuzzy.
Thus far, that has mostly involved people demanding mundane information like phone numbers or addresses be removed from links to online directories (the largest collective group of affected sites). Individuals have also requested that links to references about themselves on social media, including Facebook, are taken down.
In some cases, however, newspaper articles, covering somewhat questionable business practices, have been removed from European search results. Elsewhere, a Romanian website that publishes court proceedings has been hit with complaints.
People requesting the removal of links must submit an online form, attaching an official ID. Though Google would not comment publicly about the review process, 2 company executives gave some detail on how decisions were made.
Dubious dealings
Typically, requests are sent to Googles legal team. Straightforward rulings, like those that involve a public figure who cannot legally apply for links to be removed, are handled by junior staff members. Tougher decisions are referred to senior lawyers who must weigh an individuals privacy against the publics right to information, company officials said.
When Googles team accepts a request, it informs an individual that the privacy demand has been successful, while also notifying the website that links to certain European search results have been removed. The website cannot appeal the decision. If the search giant refuses the request, the company must tell an individual that the decision can be appealed, but does not specifically explain why the submission failed.
Some European officials remain wary of handing Google the power to make privacy decisions, though they declined to comment publicly on the court-mandated privacy process. But regulators acknowledge that the companys system which has so far dealt with removal requests for 1.4 million links has proved surprisingly straightforward. Some officials also remain satisfied that Google makes these initial privacy rulings despite a lack of transparency over how decisions are made.
When it comes to appeals, we agree with Google most of the time, said Mathias Moulin, a deputy director at the Commission National de lInformatique et des Libertes, the French privacy authority. This muted official response from both European regulators and politicians is partly because agencies lack the financial, technical and human resources to handle the substantial influx of right to be forgotten requests, according to regulatory officials and legal experts.
Still, for privacy campaigners and some regulators, Googles regulatory track record remains outweighed by Europe effectively handing the policing of one of its fundamental rights to a for-profit company.
Is Google the right entity to have such power over these decisions? said Johannes Caspar, supervisor at the Hamburg data protection authority, the primary regulator in Germany that oversees US tech companies such as Alphabet, the parent company of Google, and Facebook. We have to live by European law, and that says Google must decide.
A Muslim girl or a nun can now take the All India Pre Medical and Dental Test wearing their customary and religious dresses.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has relaxed the dress codes for those reaching the examination centres in their religious or customary dresses, with a rider that such candidates will have to arrive by 8.30 am for proper frisking.
Candidates coming in customary or religious dresses should report at the centre latest by 8.30 am for proper frisking, it said in a notification.
The CBSE issued the notification late on Tuesday after a Congress MP raised the matter in the Lok Sabha earlier in the day.
Hearing a petition on Tuesday, the Kerala High Court also granted permission to Muslim girls to appear in the AIPMT wearing Hijab on the condition that they reach the examination centre half an hour in advance for frisking, if necessary. The CBSE has banned Hijab, the headscarf, veils and sleeves during the All India Pre-Medical Test.
Last year, a nun was crying and did not write the examination. She went back. Dress code is an identity of a person. So, there should not be a feeling that their religious belief is being intruded upon, Congress MO M I Shanavas said in Lok Sabha, raising the issue in Zero Hour.
The board is scheduled to hold the AIPMT on May 1. A CBSE official said that a dress code was issued and customary clothes like headscarf and Hijab were put under the list of banned items, just to ensure that a free and fair examination is held.
There was no intention to hurt religious sentiments of any community by restricting students from reaching examination hall in scarf and other religious dresses. We issued the dress code along with list of banned items because some of the candidates caught for cheating in the test last year using micro bluetooth enabled devises discreetly fitted in their clothes like undergarments. Its a big menace today, he added.
The CBSE had to re-conduct the AIPMT last year after the apex court ordered for the hearing on a petition.
A massive fire broke out at Biomax Fuels Limited, a bio-diesel manufacturing unit in the Visakhapatnam SEZ at Duvvada, late on Tuesday night .
The fire engulfed 12 bio-diesel storage tanks out of 18 even as the Navy and the Army were called to assist the local administration.
However, there were no casualties as all the 15 employees who were present at the time of the accident escaped unhurt. The fuel continued to burn on Wednesday even after a massive firefighting operation was launched by the authorities.
According to Visakhapatnam District Fire Officer (DFO) Mohan Rao, the fire broke out around 7.30 pm on Tuesday in one of the tanks, probably due to a short circuit. The fire quickly spread to five more tanks. Each one of these tanks has a storage capacity of 2,700 tonnes. While some of them contained raw material, a few tanks contained refined bio-diesel.
Around 10.30 pm, five of the tanks blew out with a deafening sound billowing thick black plumes of smoke into the air. With the heat spreading up to 500 metres from the site of the blasts, villagers panicked and spent sleepless nights, Biomax AGM Srinivas told mediapersons. The loss could be around Rs 200 crore, he added.
Residents of nearby Duvvada, Narava, Jaggayyapalem, Sheelanaagar, Kapu Jaggarajupet areas heaved a sigh of relief after 40 fire tenders and a large number of chemical foam tanks from HPCL, NTPC, the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and the Eastern Naval Command reached the site and launched a massive fire fighting operation.
HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, District Collector N Yuvaraj, Commissioner of Police Amit Garg and other senior officials also reached the spot and are supervising the operations as the SEZ is close to the HPCL refinery and other vital installations. Chief Minister Chandrababu expressed concern over the inferno.
Within days of President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurating the 1891 Anglo-Manipur war memorial in Thoubal districts of Manipur, the inaugural memorial stone inscription unveiled by the President has gone missing.
This has brought major embarrassment for the Okram Ibobi Singh led Congress government as the Khongjom War Memorial Trust has lodged a police complaint about the missing plaque indicating government negligence.
It was on April 23 last that President Mukherjee came to Manipur to attend the celebrations of the 125th Khongjom Day observation and inaugurated the Khongjom War Monument cum Tourist Complex at Khebaching Khongjom, in Thoubal districts of Manipur.
Incidentally, Thoubal is also the constituency of Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
On Wednesday, an FIR was lodged by former Manipur minister and chief of Khongjom War Memorial Trust M Hemanta at Khongjom police station.
The trust made an on-the-spot inspection of the site after seeing media report on April 24 that the plate had fallen off from its wooden structure in which it was attached to. We found that media reports were true. This shows government negligence as well, Hemanta told DH over phone from state capital Imphal.
The trust members have also found that another memorial stone plaque, inaugurated by former President V V Giri in 1972 at Khongjom, has also disappeared.
Although there was no official word from the state government on this matter, sources from Imphal hinted that the chief minister in all likelihood would order a probe.
The Anglo-Manipur War was an armed conflict between the British Empire and the Kingdom of Manipur. The war lasted between March 31 to April 27 1891, ending in a British victory.
Panic gripped the Odisha Assembly premises on Wednesday after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaiks chamber caught fire suddenly.
The Assembly is currently on its Budget session. Patnaik, however, was not in his chamber when the incident took place.
It took nearly half an hour for the firemen to douse the fire. The damages due to fire are currently being assessed. The Director General (DG) of the state police, K B Singh who immediately rushed to the spot and made an on-the-spot inquiry said, short circuit in electric wire could be the cause of the sudden fire.
There will be an inquiry into the incident. But preliminary probe suggests that a short circuit in electric wire connected to a digital clock inside the chamber could have caused the fire. The situation is under control now, Singh told reporters.
The Cabinet gave its ex-post facto approval for the memorandum of understanding between Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and the Insurance Authority of United Arab Emirates.
The MoU, which was signed in February, 2016, provides for enhanced co-operation between the two authorities in the field of insurance supervision by providing a framework for co-operation such as channels of communication, an official statement said after the meeting.
Mutual understanding
It will also result in increasing mutual understanding through the exchange of regulatory and relevant supervisory information including confidential information to enforce or ensure compliance with their respective laws and regulations.
The Cabinet also gave approval to enhance investment by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) in Bharat Oman Refineries Limited (BORL).
Benefit of move
The infusion of funds by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited will enable Bharat Oman Refineries Limitedovercome the implications on account of erosion of its net worth.
Besides, it will enhance the availability of petroleum products in the northern and central parts of the country, industrial development of Madhya Pradesh, substantial increase in employment and tax earnings in the state, the statement said.
In another decision, the Cabinet also approved for utilisation of 400 hectares of uncultivable farm land at the Central State Farm (CSF), Jetsar, in Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan, for setting up a 200 MW solar power plant.
The scam-tainted helicopter company AgustaWestland had been blacklisted by the Narendra Modi government soon after coming to power and not by the UPA government as claimed by former defence minister A K Antony and the Congress.
A list of blacklisted and banned contractors maintained by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited showed AgustaWestland International Limited, UK; its parent company Finmeccanica, Italy and IDS Tunisia, which was involved in the controversial deal, banned by a Vigilance Order of the Defence Ministry issued on July 3, 2014 a month after the Modi government came to the power.
The three companies were banned by the order (No: 31013/4/2008/D(Vig) dated 03.07.2014) signed by Atul Kumar Singh, Director Vigilance of the Defence Ministry.
On February 5, 2014, Antony told the Rajya Sabha no decision had been taken till date to debar the said company (Agusta Westland).
The senior Congress leader and his party colleagues asserted on Tuesday that the UPA government under Manmohan Singh blacklisted Agusta after allegations of corruption surfaceda claim challenged by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday.
When did they blacklist? Ask them first. Ask them what date the order was issued? Show me the copy of the order, Parrikar countered. Asked if he meant that the firm was never blacklisted, he said, I am not saying that, indicating that he was aware of the MoD Vigilance Order.
Antony on Wednesday said the blacklisting procedure was initiated during his tenure but the elections came before the process was completed. The process is believed to have been initiated in late 2013, and the order was issued in July 2014.
The former defence minister stated the contract for the supply of 12 VVIP/VIP helicopters with Agusta Westland International Ltd was terminated with effect from January 1, 2014. The termination was on the grounds of precontract integrity pact. While Agusta Westland did not participate in DefExpo 2016, its parent company Finmeccanica did. Defence Ministry officials claimed there was no bar on participation by blacklisted firms in such shows.
Parrikar said the Defence Ministry had obtained a copy of the Italian court order and is getting it translated, which would take 8-10 days. Subsequently, he is likely to speak in the Parliament. The minister took a dig at Congress president Sonia Gandhi, saying translation from Italian was not easy, At least for the ruling side. May not be a difficult task for the Opposition.
The Defence Ministry under Parrikar is working on a new policy on how to deal with blacklisted companies in future defence deals.
The scam, since 1999
Aug 1999: IAF proposed replacing Mi-8 choppers in VIP fleet
Global tender issued in 2002
Request for Proposal was issued to 11 companies
4 companies responded; three could not make the cut
Nov, 2003: PMO advised change in specifications
Dec, 2003: Letter from Brajesh Mishra, then NSA
Mar 2005-Sept 2006: Changes in specifications when S P Tyagi was IAF chief
2006: Tender was re-issued to 6 vendors
Sikorsky, AgustaWestland and Rosoboronexport responded.
Russian bid was rejected as they did not sign integrity pact; no bank guarantee
Jan-Feb 2008: Trials in UK and USA
Staff evaluation report at Air HQ recommended
Feb 8,2010: 556.26 million Euro (Rs 3,726.96 cr) contract signed
Feb 2012: Allegations of graft emerge
First batch of three copters came in Dec, 2012
3 choppers are being mothballed
The Congress is banking on the questionable stance of the Modi government to allow banned firm AgustaWestland to bid for defence projects in partnership with Indian companies to fend off the attack from an aggressive BJP.
The main opposition has also cited the sensational claims of Dubai-based middleman James Christian Michel that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attempted to cut a deal on the Italian marines issue with his Italian counterpart Matteo Renzi in exchange for information against the Gandhi family.
In the Rajya Sabha, leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad sought answers from the Modi government on allowing AgustaWestland, a blacklisted firm in India, to bid for Indian defence projects along with Indian companies.
In the Lok Sabha, Congress leaders have sought a discussion on the controversy at the earliest, seeking to send a signal that it was not shying away from a debate.
Stepping up attack, Congress chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala claimed in July 2014, the Modi government took legal opinion from Attorney General to allow Finmeccanica/AgustaWestland to become part of the Make-in-India programme as partners or sub-contractors of Indian companies.
A frontline Uyghur leader, who reached India on Wednesday, said that New Delhi should talk to the community and support their struggle against China, instead of viewing them as terrorists.
Ilshat Hassan, who lives in exile in the US now, told DH that New Delhi should open a channel of communications with the Uyghurs and support their cause for Indias own security interests. He said that although Uyghurs were Muslims by religion, they had nothing to do with the jihadi terrorism and rather belonged to a cultural and religious tradition, which had peace, tolerance and non-violence at its core.
Hassan, the president of the Uyghurs American Association, arrived in India to represent his community in conclave of pro-democracy activists and delegates of ethnic and religious minorities of China. New Delhi earlier issued visa to another Uyghur leader Dolkun Isa to visit India and attend the conference, which will be held at Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh the seat of Tibetan Government-in-Exile from Thursday. Beijing, however, cried foul, alleging that Isa, chairman of World Uyghur Congress, was a terrorist and had an Interpol Red Notice against him. New Delhi finally cancelled the visa issued to Isa, who fled his homeland in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China in 1997 and is now a citizen of Germany.
Hassan, who insists that his homeland should be called East Turkestan and not Xinxiang, said that India, being a democratic nation, should not have bowed before communist China and cancelled the visa issued to Isa. China never came up with any substantial evidence to prove its allegations against Isa. Before granting him citizenship, Germany officially asked China to share evidence about his alleged link with the terrorists.
Its become a common sight to see hordes of poor families in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region moving out of their homes, complete with their bags and baggages, in search of jobs.
Unlike the previous years, the region this time is facing one of the worst heatwaves, coupled with the prevailing drought conditions, making it difficult for the residents to make ends meet, resulting in large-scale migration.
Poverty stricken and lower middle-class families in the districts of Vijayapura, Raichur, Yadgir and Koppal have begun to move to cities like Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Pune, Mumbai and Ratnagiri.
In the last few months alone, the North East Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NEKRTC) has earned a revenue of Rs 431.24 crore.
Though the entire revenue generation cannot be attributed to the migration, officials of the corporation say that nearly 35%-40% of the revenue is being generated from such passengers.
The corporation has introduced a concession in luggage fare which has drawn flak from the Opposition parties for facilitating migration.
The corporation, which has started courtesy stops in identified villages, is also thinking of introducing door-to-door services. It is, however, yet to introduce additional bus services.
Overloaded pvt vehicles
Stating that it was the primary responsibility of the corporation to provide risk free transportation, H S Ashokananda, managing director, NEKRTC, said the criticisms were unwarranted.
The reality is that people are migrating, and they are choosing unsafe modes of transport. A large number of carriages and jeeps have now begun to encash this trend. But these are unauthorised vehicles, having no insurance cover. As many as 15 to 16 passengers are crammed in these small vehicles, which can only carry up to 8 persons. It becomes our responsibility to ensure safety to these passengers, he added.
Notwithstanding the searing temperatures, people have now begun to call NEKRTC requesting for stops at their respective villages.
Ashokananda said that drivers have been instructed to take a detour to such villages, so that people are not forced to rely on private transportation.
The officer also said that while Bengaluru is the preferred destination, most people are also seen heading towards towns and cities in Maharashtra.
While children seek jobs in hotels or work as office boys, men and women are forced to work as construction labourers.
A majority of this migrant population, however, is said to go back to their home towns once the monsoon sets in, so that they can resume their agricultural activities.
DH News Service
Breaking her silence, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday dared the Narendra Modi government to name her in the AgustaWestland deal and declared she was not afraid of being cornered on the issue.
I have not done anything wrong. I am not afraid of anyone cornering me as there is no basis for that. All the accusations they are throwing at us are false, Sonia told reporters inside Parliament complex, while replying to questions over the BJP targeting her on the deal.
As the BJP stepped up attack on Sonia, senior Congress leaders went into a huddle at 10, Janpath, the Congress chiefs residence.
Later, Congress leaders went ballistic on the BJP demanding proof to back their allegations. Leading the charge was the Congress chief herself, who said: Where is the proof? They are lying. They are part of the strategy of character assassination which we have known these people indulge in. Sonia wanted the government to complete the inquiry into the deal quickly and impartially.
The Congresss line of defence was that names of Sonia and her advisers do not figure in the judgment delivered by the Appeals Court in Milan which convicted top officials of AgustaWestland and its parent company Finmeccanica on charges of false accounting and corruption. Senior Congress leaders countered the BJP and the Centre. There is no case, my party will respond, said former prime minister Manmohan Singh.
Let them hang me if there is an iota of evidence, Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress president, told reporters. Patel is also referred to in the purported documents presented to the Italian court.
In the Rajya Sabha, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad wanted to know whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi had struck a quid pro quo deal with his Italian counterpart Matteo Renzi to get information against the Nehru-Gandhi family. Reports had it that Modi had offered the deal to free the two Italian marines on trial for killing Indian fishermen.
Former defence minister A K Antony said the UPA government became a party to the case in the Italian Court and its lawyers also cross-examined the witnesses.
None of the witnesses referred to any of these names, Antony said, adding that representatives of the CBI and the Indian Embassy attended every hearing in the Italian courts. Antony accused the Modi government of raking up the issue only to divert the attention from the crisis faced by them in handling the Uttarakhand issue and its failure to tackle the drought situation across the country.
Of the 11 hung zilla panchayats (ZPs), the Congress is warming up to the JD(S) in Tumakuru and Kolar, while the BJP is likely to join hands with the JD(S) in Mysuru, Vijayapura and Bengaluru Urban.
An independent candidate has emerged as the kingmaker in Dharwad, while both the BJP and the Congress are trying to convince a Raitha Sangha member in Bagalkot to support the party as his vote is all set to become the deciding factor in the ZP.
Elections for the post of president and vice president of the 30 ZPs in the state will be held during the first and second week of May and hectic parleys are on between the local leaders of the three major political parties. Polls held to the ZPs in February witnessed the Congress securing a majority in 10 ZPs, the BJP in 7 and the JD(S) in 2.
A hung verdict was witnessed in as many as 11 ZPs, including Vijayapura, Yadgir, Belagavi, Bagalkot, Raichur, Dharwad, Shivamogga, Tumakuru, Bengaluru (Urban) and Kolar. Elections to the posts of the president and the vice president decide the ruling party in the panchayat body.
On a tour
The BJP members elected to the Bagalkot ZP went on a tour to prevent the Congress from poaching them.
Hungund legislator Vijayanand Kashappanavars wife Veena is an aspirant to the presidents post. Sources said Kashappanavar is leaving no stone unturned to ensure his wife heads the ZP.
In Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs home turf Mysuru, the BJP and the JD(S) are likely to form a coalition despite the Congress securing the highest number of seats (22 out of 49). The move would surely embarrass the chief minister. In Shivamogga, the JD(S) is playing its cards close to its chest and keeping both the Congress and the JD(S) on tenterhooks. Local BJP leaders say they cannot trust the JD(S) as the party recently ditched the saffron party at the last minute to support the Congress in the Shivamogga city corporation.
Majority in 2 ZPs
Though the JD(S) managed to secure a majority in 2 ZPs Mandya and Hassan it will be able to hold on to power only in Mandya. The reservation for the post of the president of the Hassan ZP has been fixed for ST (woman). The JD(S) has no elected member from that community in Hassan.
Dharwad is witnessing an interesting situation. Of the 22 seats in the ZP, the BJP has won 11 and the Congress secured 10. The lone independent is in favour of the Congress. If he does vote in favour of the Congress during the elections on May 4, then there will be a tie the winner will be declared through a draw of lots.
DH News Service
Hung verdict in 21 urban local bodies
The BJP has secured a majority in 19 of the 51 upgraded Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) which went to polls recently. The Congress had won a majority in 10 ULBs and the JD(S) in one local body. As many as 21 ULBs witnessed a hung verdict.
The 19 urban local bodies in which the BJP secured a majority include 11 town panchayats and 8 town municipal councils.
6 TPs and 4 TMCs
The 10 urban local bodies in which the Congress secured a majority include 6 town panchayats and 4 town municipal councils. Counting of votes was taken up on Wednesday.
Of the total 985 seats in the 51 urban local bodies, the BJP won 415 seats, the Congress won 353 seats and the JD(S) won 57 seats, according to the information hosted on the website of the State Election Commission.
In a statement issued here, state president of the BJP B S Yeddyurappa said that the verdict proved that the people had rejected the Congress party and were making a positive choice in favour of the BJP.
Angry with Congress
Yeddyurappa said people in urban areas were angry with the Congress as infrastructure has not been improved. Roads and pavements continued to be in miserable condition.
No serious and sincere efforts had been made to mitigate the drinking water crisis, Yeddyurappa stated.
With the summer heat taking a toll on mango production this year, the Mango Development Board and growers are chalking out measures to ensure exports are not affected.
Since this year is the On Season (year of good yield), mango production was expected to be 14 lakh tonnes, compared to last year's 8-9 lakh tonnes. But rising summer heat has not only affected the size of the fruit but has also brought down production by around two lakh tonnes.
Smaller mangoes are not suitable for export. Fruit meant for exports should weigh between 200 and 450 grams and varies for alphonso, dasheri, badami and mallika. Most alphonso mangoes come from Ramanagaram, Kolar, Dharwad and Belagavi and each fruit should weigh at least 200 grams. These areas have experienced extreme heat, bringing down the size of some fruits and production in some trees, said M Kamalakshi Rajanna, chairperson of the Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation.
We do not want to cut down on exports this year, especially when the ban has been revoked and production is good. The demand for mangoes has also started. The summer heat has also ensured that the fruit is sweeter. Thus, some of the fruits which weigh less will be diverted for domestic consumption and those with proper weight and free of infection will be exported, she added.
There is a demand for dasheri, mallika and malgova in the USA. European and Gulf countries are major markets for alphonso, while alphonso and dasheri are in demand in Malaysia. Initial treatment of mangoes, based on the export destination, has already started. USA and Malaysia demand gamma irradiation treatment for mangoes while Japan demands vapour heat treatment. These special treatments are in addition to basic hot water, fruit fly disinfection, packaging, labelling and palletisation and ripening chamber treatments. In the domestic market, the mangoes are in demand for canning, pulping, pickling and slicing, she said.
Karnataka is one of the top three mango producing states after Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. In Karnataka, mango is grown on two lakh hectares and the major mango growing regions are Kolar, Ramanagaram, Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru, Dharwad, Bengaluru rural, Mandya, Belagavi, Mysuru, Davangere, Chikkamgaluru, Shivamogga and Chitradurga.
DH News service
Assurance on quality to Malaysia
Following the request from Malaysian government for import of mangoes from Karnataka, Anita Puri, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, wrote to Faridah Aini Muhammad, Director, Plant Biosecurity Division, Department of Agriculture, Malaysia on April 21, 2016, assuring that mangoes exported from India were of superior quality.
The letter, a copy of which is with Deccan Herald, states: You are aware that the import regulation of Malaysia requires additional deceleration in Phytosanitary Certificate stating that mangoes were sourced from areas free of seed weevil. I assure you that nut and pulp weevil in mango can be easily exterminated through irradiation treatment. India is exporting mangoes to USA using irradiation method. Thus, we request that mangoes sourced from Karnataka free from seed weevil be considered for import to Malaysia.
Bengaluru students have come out with flying colours to be among the toppers of the JEE (Joint Entrance Examinations) Mains. The results of the main exams were declared on Wednesday.
Milind Kumar Vaddiraju from BASE Bengaluru has scored 308 out of 360 marks and is among the toppers from Bengaluru. His preparations have been consistent - studying four to five hours every day, Vaddiraju told Deccan Herald.
A student of Sardar Patel PU College, Vaddiraju said, I will focus on preparing for the advanced examination. I hope to get a seat in IIT Mumbai in Engineering Physics and then go for higher studies abroad.
Meanwhile, about 150 students from Deeksha Network have qualified for the JEE Advanced. Rahul B S scored 303, Chinmay M Dharmendra scored 291, Abhishek S B scored 255, Preetham Venkatesh scored 254. Rahul said, My preparation was good and I was expecting to score 308. However, I am happy with my score. I want to get into the field of research in Quantum Physics. Just a week before the exam, we solved 15-20 mock papers, which were very helpful.
Dharmendra, an aspirant for a seat in IISc, said, I hope to get into research at IISc, in the field of Atomic Model.
Based on their scores in JEE Mains, students will qualify to write JEE Advanced. Should they clear the advanced exam, they will get an opportunity to join either of the IITs.
The candidates who clear JEE-Mains, but do not clear JEE Advanced can seek admission in other engineering colleges such as Indian Institute of Information Technology, National Institute of Technology and other government and private engineering colleges. Selection to other engineering colleges will be done on the basis of a cumulative score of 40% of the normalised marks a student secures in the XII Board exams and 60% of marks obtained in JEE-Mains.
The Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal headed by Justice J M Panchal on Wednesday asked Maharashtra and Goa to respond to an interim plea by Karnataka, seeking permission to utilise 7 TMC feet of water to meet irrigation and drinking water needs in Malaprabha basin area, on July 11. The tribunal gave time to Maharashtra and Goa to file their reply to Karnatakas request.
Fali S Nariman, appearing for Karnataka, pleaded with the Tribunal to take up the hearing of interim application as an urgent matter.
Karnataka, in its interim application, sought permission to lift or pump 7 TMC feet of water annually from Mahadayi basin to Malaprabha basin during the monsoon to meet irrigation and drinking water needs in the drought-hit areas in the Malaprabha basin, mainly Hubballi-Dharwad cities and nearby towns.
Simultaneously, the Tribunal also started hearing the original petition filed by Karnataka seeking 7.56 TMC feet of water from Mahadayi basin.
State reprimanded
Meanwhile, the Tribunal expressed its unhappiness over Karnatakas letter to it seeking early hearing of water-sharing dispute.
The Karnataka government, in its letter, submitted that People in the districts of Belagavi, Gadag and Dharwad have been exerting pressure on the state government for early resolution of Mahadayi water dispute.
In the letter, Karnataka advocate Nishanth Patil had enclosed the dates of sitting of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal.
Taking objection to bringing the Krishna Tribunal hearing dates to it, the bench also, comprising members Vinay Mittal and P S Narayana, told that state that it is questioning its efficiency.
At one time Vinay Mittal said, if you are not satisfied with our work you can approach appropriate court seeking justice.
Karnataka Advocate General Madhusudan Naik and Nishanth Patil have apologised for sending the letter.
DH News Service
All Congress members of Parliament from Karnataka met at former union minister Veerappa Moily's residence and discussed about the style of functioning of chief minister Siddaramaiah.
The leaders expressed their unhappiness and felt that the chief minister was ignoring senior leaders. They have decided to take up the issue with Congress President Sonia Gandhi. They would emphasise on the need to convene a meeting of senior leaders to improve the image of the government.The members felt that the chief minister should hear grievances of MPs and attend to problems in their constituencies. The chief minister has called the meeting of MPs only once in the last three years. Though several requests had been made for convening the meeting, the chief minister chose to ignore them. They felt that Siddaramaiah had not effectively tackled the drought.
At least one of the members said that he would draw the attention of the chief minister to the grievances of the MPs. Former ministers Mallikarjun Kharge, Oscar Fernandes, K H Muniyappa, former Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Rahman Khan, B K Hariprasad and others were present in the meeting.
The Congress high command has kept the state party leaders guessing on the changes it might bring in, in the wake of complaints mounting against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The Congress loyalists and old-timers hope that the high command will finally act and prevent Siddaramaiah from further damaging the partys image. However, those loyal to the chief minister are confident that their leader will once again sail through this turbulent phase.
A section of the party MLAs, who are also aspiring to become ministers, are left speculating on the much-awaited reshuffle of the Council of Ministers.
Siddaramaiah has been facing the heat from his own partymen following a series of missteps in the past few months, including accepting a diamond-studded wristwatch as a gift, setting up the Anti-Corruption Bureau and thereby weakening the Karnataka Lokayukta, and awarding a government contract to set up a superspecialty laboratory to a company owned by his younger son, Dr Yathindra.
Siddaramaiah baiters grabbed the opportunity immediately and complained to the high command. They are mounting pressure on the high command to change the leadership. Former chief minister S M Krishna has taken the lead in this regard.
Even Congress state president G Parameshwara met AICC president Sonia Gandhi a few weeks ago in Delhi and apprised her of the controversy over the chief minister favouring his son.
Though the central leadership has made it clear that the high command was upset with Siddaramaiah and that it would soon take an appropriate measure, neither the leadership nor the high command has so far given any clue as to how it would deal with the possible upheaval in Karnataka. While some believe that Siddaramaiah will be shown the door, the chief ministers staunch followers say the high command will not run the risk of antagonising the backward classes by unceremoniously removing him.
Siddaramaiahs followers are of the view that the party will pay a heavy price if it upsets the backward classes who are in sizeable numbers in Karnataka.
The backward classes used to remain scattered all these years. So, they were never considered as a vote bank. But Siddaramaiah has successfully brought them all together after becoming the chief minister, they argued. At the most, Siddaramaiah may go in for a Cabinet reshuffle, they said.
Appointment denied?
Siddaramaiah baiters are claiming that the high command has been denying appointment to him in the last few days. The chief minister had sought appointment at least thrice this month to discuss the demand made by a section of the MLAs to reshuffle the council of ministers. But the high command has refused to give him an appointment. Instead, it directed him to tour the drought-affected areas.
The high command has no time to devote to Karnataka as it is preoccupied with elections to the five state assemblies.
DH News Service
Congress high command likely to quiz CM over rows
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is expected to come to Delhi by next week to meet Congress top brass amidst speculation from some quarters whether there could be a change of guard ahead of Assembly polls in Karnataka in 2018.
This is his first visit after he got embroiled with series of controversies including luxury watch, setting up Anti- Corruption Bureau and a private company Matrix, in which his son was a director, getting contract to run a laboratory in government hospital.
While the Congress high command is likely to confront him over repeated rows and the sources close to the chief minister told Deccan Herald that he was coming to explain the steps taken to address the prevailing drought situation in the state.
Senior Congress leaders from the state including state unit president G Parameshwara, former chief minister S M Krishna and Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge met Congress president Sonia Gandhi recently apparently to update the political developments in the state.
3 leaders eyeing CMs post
Though there is a speculation that all the three leaders who were eyeing the chief ministers post, were lobbying for removal of Siddaramaiah, the only clear indication was that the Congress high command is not happy with Siddaramaiah. However, it is not yet clear whether the party top brass will give a green signal for a change of leadership immediately.
Despite pressure on the party to make a dalit as Karnataka chief minister, no such plan is ready now, said a senior party leader.
One view in the Congress is that, having lost power in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the party should be very cautious on how to go about sorting out problems in Karnataka. Moreover, the party is also keenly watching the outcome of Assembly elections in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Assam.
The party high command, which is worrying over declining popularity of the chief minister, particularly after his series of controversies, is also planning new strategies for strengthening the organisation following the appointment of former chief minister Yeddyurappa as BJP state unit president.
The University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru (UAS-B), will hold its golden jubilee convocation on Saturday at its brand new convention centre, said to be the largest in South India and the second largest in the country.
The Dr Babu Rajendra Prasad International Convention Centre, located on the Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra (GKVK) campus on Ballari Road, has been built with funding from the state government and the university.
The universitys Estate Officer, Devaraj M N, said the convention centre was built for Rs 35 crore, of which the government contributed Rs 16 crore. Governor Vajubhai Vala is expected to inaugurate it.
The convention hall can accommodate 2,000 people and will host the 13th All India Agricultural Science Congress in February 2017 which will be held in Bengaluru for the first time, UAS-B Vice-Chancellor H Shivanna said at a press conference here on Wednesday. The theme for the event is Climate Smart Agriculture.
Students and staff from 73 agricultural universities in India and scientists from abroad and public sector enterprises will be in attendance. A total of 2,000 delegates are expected to participate, he added. At the convocation, the university will award 114 gold medals and various degrees to 922 students.
Drip irrigation
Director of the Research Department at GKVK, Dr Sheshadri, said farmers could increase the yield by 30-35% by adopting drip irrigation and suggested that they grow crops like sugarcane and paddy. Drip irrigation reduces water usage by 40-45% and is essential to be adopted, especially during summer. Installation will cost Rs 65,000-Rs 70,000 per acre, he said.
Two of Bengalurus oldest theatres, Tribhuvan and Kailash at Gandhinagar, will screen movies for one last time on Thursday before shutting down for good.
While Tribhuvan will screen two Hindi movies, Santa Banta and Laal Rang, Kailash, located in the same building below, will screen Last Bus (Kannada) and Eedi Rakam Aado Rakam (Telugu).
The first movie screened by Tribhuvan was Mooruvare Vajragalu, a 1973 Kannada film starring Rajkumar, Jayanthi, Aarathi and Manjula in the lead roles. Kailash screened Shankaracharya in 1976.
Manager of the theatres, B Balachandra, said the lease term of both Kailash and Tribhuvan had ended and hence they had to shut them down, contrary to media reports that the iconic cinemas were closing because of a dip in the collection.
The present leaseholder is Prasad and he will come down to the city on Thursday from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. The keys of the theatres will be handed over to the owner of Bajaj Complex located in Gandhinagar. The future leaseholder will take a call on whether or not to screen films in future.
However, a few single-screen theatre owners feel that it is due to dip in the collection that cinemas were being shut down. B S Arun Kumar, who has leased out Nartaki, Sapna and Santosh theatres, said, There was a time when films used to celebrate golden jubilee, but now they run for just two weeks.
The maximum number of days a movie runs at a single-screen theatre is four weeks. Most of the theatres are on lease in Bengaluru, Arun Kumar said.
Minister of State for Agriculture Krishna Byre Gowda on Wednesday sought more funds for drilling borewells in Bengaluru Rural district to ensure adequate availability of drinking water in the coming weeks.
Participating in a review meeting to monitor the drought scene in Bengaluru Rural, Gowda, who is in-charge minister of the district, said at present there was no shortage of drinking water. Water was being supplied in tankers in villages which do not have any surface water source. However, a permanent solution was required by drilling more borewells. Supplying water through tankers is not accepted well by the people.We will have to go for borewells, he said.
Revenue Minister V Srinivas Prasad, who was present at the meeting, said he will take up the issue with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Bengaluru Rural was receiving below normal rainfall during monsoon for the last five years. However, there was respite as the district received good rains during November last.
He said the government will provide input subsidy to farmers of 12 districts of North Karnataka soon after it receives the promised grant of Rs 723 crore from the Centre.
A major fire broke out at one of the garbage mounds of Terra firma landfill in Doddaballapur taluk of Bengaluru Rural district on Wednesday afternoon. The fire threatens to spread to the other mounds in the vicinity.
Terra firma is the landfill on Doddaballapur Road where the waste generated from Bengaluru is dumped in hundreds of tonnes every day. Since March 31, dumping has been suspended following the state government's directions in view of the protest by the people living there. Spread over about 10 acres, the landfill has mounds of mixed waste comprising plastic and other hazardous materials.
Dangerous gases emanating from the burning mound jeopardises the lives of people in the nearby villages, especially those suffering from asthma and lung diseases. At risk are people in Gundalahalli, Doddamankalala, Tanneeranahalli, Kadu Tipturu and 10 other villages surrounding the landfill.
Senior BBMP officials have rushed to the spot from Bengaluru, while the fire brigade - in coordination with the local police and Bengaluru rural district officials - is trying to douse the fire.
BBMP Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad said, We are coordinating with the local police and the deputy commissioner of Bengaluru Rural district to handle the situation.
He said the police will investigate the incident and ascertain the role of mischievous elements, if any.
Adverse effect
The fire may have an adverse effect on garbage disposal in the city. Although dumping has been stopped at Terra firma, another garbage processing unit of a private firm is operational.
The incident might trigger a protest against it. Already, there is resentment against two waste-processing units at Seegehalli and Kannahalli on the outskirts of the city (on Magadi Road), where month-long protests had stopped dumping of waste.
Earlier also, a fire mishap had taken place at Terra firma. Four police complaints were lodged against the managers of the landfill, over poor waste management, said sources.
A senior BBMP official said the BBMP had stopped sending waste there, but the landfill operators are receiving waste from private institutions for processing.
Doctors applying to get their Karnataka Medical Council (KMC) registration numbers and hence a licence to practise are being given smart biometric cards in an attempt to eliminate quacks.
So far, over one lakh doctors have applied for the same. Started in January, these smart cards will be issued to anyone who has just completed MBBS degree and has sought registration. For the existing practitioners, the card is being issued at the time of licence renewal.
Once practitioners apply for licence renewal, their documents will be verified, photographs scanned and uploaded. Fingerprints will also be taken. This data will later be incorporated into a smart card which bears the registration number.
There are many practitioners who would have left the country. Some would have died. Once they apply for renewal, such cases can be identified, said Dr T A Veerabhadraiah, a KMC member.
When the Council members visited Udupi, they came across a case where a female staff nurse with a few years of experience claimed to be a doctor. She was caught prescribing medicines to patients. When her documents were verified, it was found that she had superimposed her photograph on the certificate of a doctor. So, the Council has been planning to introduce a fool-proof system, said Veerabhadraiah.
Should a doctor be sued or if a complaint is lodged against him with the Council, these details can also be accessed through the card. The Council can keep tabs on practitioners, having made it convenient to eliminate quacks. The Continuous Medical Education (CME) points will also be added to data on the card.
Practitioners can seek appointments online to avail the card. The cards will be handed over to them the same evening they visit the Council seeking renewal. The renewal costs Rs 1,500 and Keonics company has been roped in for the entire exercise.
KMC sources said the cost for registration is being debated as a few members have sought that the doctors be charged less.
A French court today charged Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam over his role in the November 2015 carnage that left 130 dead, just hours after his extradition from Belgium.
Abdeslam, a French national of Moroccan origin who grew up in Belgium, is believed to be the last surviving member of a terror squad that hit cafes, a concert hall and the national stadium in Paris on November 13.
More than a month after his capture in Belgium, Abdeslam was brought to France by helicopter early today where he was formally placed under arrest before being swept off to the main Paris court, where he spent several hours.
His lawyer Frank Berton said that investigating judges charged him with murder, association with a terrorist group, possession of weapons and explosives as well as sequestration over the hostage-taking at the Bataclan concert hall where 90 were killed.
Berton said his client was not interrogated at length. "He explained to judges that in light of the hour he was removed from the jail (in Belgium) this morning, he prefers to explain himself later, but insisted that he will explain himself," said Berton.
Another hearing has been set for May 20, the veteran lawyer said, adding that his client was being held in the sprawling Fleury-Merogis prison complex outside of Paris.
Justice Minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas said the suspect would be placed in isolation and monitored by "hardened guards" skilled in handling dangerous detainees.
Jean Reinhart, a lawyer for about 30 families of the attack victims, hailed the extradition, saying "justice is on its way".
Another lawyer for the victims' families, Samia Maktouf, said she hoped Abdeslam would "give elements that would allow the identification of the recruiters and financiers of the terrorist network he belonged to".
Abdeslam was arrested in Brussels on March 18 after four months on the run as Europe's most wanted man.
Prosecutors believe he was in charge of logistics for the Paris attacks, as he rented cars and hotel rooms used by the Islamic State group attackers.
His brother Brahim detonated his suicide vest in a bar, and Abdeslam himself said he had been expected to do the same outside the national stadium, but had backed out at the last minute.
After revealing that nugget of information in his first interrogation, Abdeslam has since clammed up.
Abdeslam's arrest came just days before coordinated attacks on Brussels airport and a metro station that left 32 people dead.
Probation violations Daniel R. Misner, 34 Violated Conditions of Probation 20 Days Charlie Chikoyak, 33 Violated Conditions of Probation Nellie Wassillie, 40 Violated Conditions of Probation Morgan Asicksik, 30 Violated Conditions of Probation 60 Days
Judgments Nickanoff W. Peterson, 34 1st Degree Burglary 1 Yr., 3 Yrs. Prob. Jessica R. Waska, 26 Reckless Driving, Violate 24 Hrs. CWS, Conditions of Release 5 Days, 1 Yr. Prob. Garis Kinegak, 31 4th Degree Assault 120 Days, 2 Yrs. Prob. Daniel Black, 58 2nd Degree Criminal Trespassing 10 Days Kenneth Harvey Powell, 34 3rd Degree Assault 23 Mos. Minnie Kalila, 42 Disorderly Conduct $100 Nicholai Phillips, 28 Disorderly Conduct $100 Morgan Ray Asicksik, 30 4th Degree Assault 60 Days Brian Kuzma Derendy, 48 4th Degree Assault 180 Days, 3 Yrs. Prob. Christopher Herman, 35 2nd Degree Criminal Trespassing, Violate Condition of Release 15 Days Nickolie Lott, 29 Driving Under the Influence $1500, 3 Days, 1 Yr. Prob.
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U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young, (all R-Alaska), today (July 2nd, 2019) welcomed an announcement by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that the agency approved $53.8 million to restore losses for Alaska fisheries impacted by the 2016 Gulf of Alaska pink salmon fishery disaster.
NOAA approved and transferred the funds to the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, the agency tasked with distributing the relief payments to fishermen and their deckhands, processors, and for salmon research in the affected regions.
This funding has been a long-time coming. We are pleased that Alaskans who have been waiting for this economic relief that was promised to them will finally receive it. By restoring losses incurred during the 2016 pink salmon disaster, our federal government is following through not only on the commitment we made to Alaskas commercial fisherman, but also to their families, processors, and coastal communities who were hit hard by this disaster, said the Alaska Congressional Delegation. We pushed hard to secure this relief for those whose livelihoods depend on the health of our fisheries. And we will continue to stand up for Alaskas fisheries to ensure that this industry that is so vital to our state remains strong and vibrant for generations to come.
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by Greg Lincoln
The initiative for a package liquor store in Bethel for selling beer and wine did not pass during the October 4th, 2022 municipal election. Nearly 60% of Bethels voters said that they did not want a beer/wine package store. Bethels alcohol liquor laws will remain the same.
Proposition No. 2: Shall the City of Bethel adopt a local option to prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages EXCEPT through a: Restaurant or eating place license, which authorizes the restaurant or eating place to sell beer or wine for consumption only on the licensed premises; AND -Package store license, limited to selling only beer and wine to a person present on the licensed premises did not pass 451 no to 209 yes.
Proposition No. 1: The City of Bethel shall not enact any mandates requiring masks or face coverings passed 341 yes to 319 no.
The City of Bethel also has some newly elected council members. Taking the oath of office and their new seats are incumbent Rose Sugar Henderson, and new members Patrick Snow, Sophie Swope, and write-in candidate Henry S. Batchelor Jr.
The elected officials were sworn in during the October 11th, 2022 regular council meeting. Council members Henderson, Snow, and Swope will be serving two year terms ending in 2024. Batchelor will be serving a one year term ending in 2023 the remainder of former council member Conrad McCormicks term.
McCormick is seeking a seat on the State Legislature and is currently running for Alaska House District 38.
Outgoing council members Perry Barr, Michelle DeWitt, and Conrad McCormick were given tokens of appreciation by City Clerk Lori Strickler.
We had a great turnout this election. We had just over 18% voter turnout which is really good for our municipal elections, said City clerk Lori Strickler.
There are 4,088 registered voters in Bethel and 70 voters voted via Early Voting. The Canvass Board met on October 6th, 2022 to verify the questioned, absentee, and special needs ballots. The Bethel City Council passed Resolution 21-11 certifying the results of the October 4th, 2022 regular city election.
Thank you to all who voted you are greatly appreciated.
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I agree whole heartedly with this letter. There is no real reason, or need for this mine (Donlin), other than making a lot of money for a very few people. The untold devastation of the source of life for thousands of people and millions of animals is too high a price to pay for trinkets and computer parts.
Come back to the table with a more viable alternative, and perhaps the issue can be re-addressed. At this point, with the proposal as submitted, there is no way this is a good idea.
Anne Kosacheff
Bethel, AK
Response to Speak Your Mind, May 20th, 2020
The risk of the proposed Donlin Mine far exceeds any potential benefit to the people of the region and the resources upon which they depend.
William Eggimann
Bethel, AK
Anchorage community stands together to call for the protection of Black and brown lives
Anchorage community members and organizations such as Native Movement and Native Peoples Action stand together to call for the protection of Black & Brown lives. We are calling for solidarity of our diverse communities to stand together in saying Enough is Enough, police brutality is unacceptable anywhere.
Our communities are feeling the pain and hurt of repeated violences from law enforcement and the justice system. In addition to the reality and truth that black and Indigenous communities have experienced firsthand, research studies have shown the disproportionate violence faced nationally from police brutality. A 2019 study by Northwestern University shows, Black women and men and American Indian and Alaska Native women and men are significantly more likely than white women and men to be killed by police. (1) Enough is enough. We are done dying. We ask leadership from institutions everywhere to commit to stopping this violence. We seek actionable item response from law enforcement. As Black and Indigenous communities we are asking all people to stand together in solidarity and in care.
Anchorage event: I Cant Breathe Social-Distance Rally was held 2pm Saturday, May 30, 2020.
Jasmin Smith, Charlene Apok
Native Movement
Anchorage, AK
Senator Murkowski Shares Memorial Day Message
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following message in observance of Memorial Day.
For Alaskans, Memorial Day is typically our big kick-off for summer, with sunlight nearly all day and a long weekend to enjoy the great outdoors with our friends and family. It is also a day of tradition and ceremony as we honor the fallen who have served our nation.
This year is different for us as many of our Memorial Day ceremonies are cancelled or as we follow new guidance due to the coronavirus. But it doesnt take a large gathering or multiple speeches by dignitaries to honor those who have bravely defended America and all that we hold dear.
Let each of us, and with our families, in our own way, reflect on the service and sacrifice of those in our armed services who gave their lives in defense of our great nation. Remember their children and families who loved and supported them. These heroes selflessly sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy today and we honor them.
To you and your families: Be safe. Be well.
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Washington, D.C.
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The Kuskokwim Corporation (TKC) announced today that TKC Shareholder Andrea Gusty has been selected as the corporations next President and Chief Executive Officer. Gusty will assume her new role immediately.
This was a big decision and not one that we took lightly, said Board Chair Dunia Morgan. For more than a year we have been working through the qualifications for our next President and CEO. Andreas experience and dedication to the people of the Middle Kuskokwim is just what our corporation needs.
Andrea Gusty is a TKC Class B Shareholder and a Tribal member of Aniak. She previously worked as an investigative news reporter and anchor for KTVA CBS 11 News in Anchorage and as U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowskis Alaska Communications Director.
During her nearly six years with TKC, Gusty has served as Communications and Outreach Manager, Land Manager, Vice President and Chief of Staff.
I am humbled and honored to be selected to lead our corporation into a new era, Gusty said. Quyana to the Board of Directors for their wisdom and guidance during this process. I have some big shoes to fill, but I know TKC has an incredible team working for our Shareholders every single day. I am excited to work with them in this new role.
Samuel Boyle was serving as Interim President and CEO since February 2019. Boyle will resume his previous role of CEO of TKC subsidiary Tumeq, LLC based in South Carolina and as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of TKC.
Quyana to Sam for taking the lead and supporting our staff in addition to his regular duties, said Morgan. Sam will be running the day to day operations of our subsidiaries in the Lower 48 like he has been doing for more than 15 years. We have a strong management team that will continue to do good work for our corporation.
TKC was formed in 1977 by the merger of 10 ANCSA village corporations located along the middle region of the Kuskokwim River. The villages include Lower Kalskag, Upper Kalskag, Aniak, Chuathbaluk, Napaimute, Crooked Creek, Red Devil, Georgetown, Sleetmute and Stony River. These 10 villages combined their cash resources and land entitlements, allowing TKC to pursue new opportunities that would benefit all TKC Shareholders. Today, TKC Shareholders number more than 4,200 and live across Alaska and the nation.
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Alan Patterson, EETimes
4/27/2016 08:50 AM EDT
TAIPEIUnited Microelectronics Corp. (UMC), the worlds third-largest foundry, said that by the second half of 2016, it expects business to recover from a slump that impacted demand for communications chips starting last year.
UMCs forecast matches that of its biggest rival, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), which said it expects demand to pick up during the latter half of 2016. Overall sales growth in the foundry segment slowed to 4.4% in 2015 from 16% in 2014, according to market research firm Gartner Inc.
The inventory correction has completed its course, with normal seasonal patterns resuming for the first half of 2016, UMC CEO Po-Wen Yen said in a prepared statement to announce the companys first quarter 2016 results.
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OTTAWA, CANADA -- April 27, 2016 -- Pleora Technologies, the worlds leading supplier of high-performance video interfaces, today announced that it is the first company from the machine vision industry to join the NBASE-T Alliance, a consortium collaborating on new technologies that extend the bandwidth capabilities of twisted-pair copper cabling using standard Ethernet technology.
The alliance has released the NBASE-T specification, which defines a new type of Ethernet signaling that boosts the speed of twisted-pair cabling up to 5 Gigabit per second (Gbps) well beyond its designed limit of 1 Gbps for distances up to 100 meters. Initially developed for wireless access points coping with increasing data requirements, NBASE-T technology is a natural evolution for high-performance imaging thanks to its increased bandwidth, low-cost cabling, and compatibility with existing GigE Vision software.
Pleoras GigE Vision over NBASE-T platform supports 1, 2.5, and 5 Gbps throughputs over Cat 5e copper cabling, and 10 Gbps over Cat 6a copper cabling. The companys GigE Vision over NBASE-T Development Kit provides a straightforward approach to designing NBASE-T imaging products, including cameras, scanners, and X-ray flat panel detectors. A GigE Vision over NBASE-T embedded video interface, hardware reference design, and IP core package are scheduled for release later this year. To download the GigE Vision over NBASE-T Development Kit preliminary data sheet, receive regular product updates, and register for early access to the products visit http://go.pleora.com/NBASE-T.
Joining the NBASE-T Alliance, Pleora is collaborating with technology leaders across multiple industries to solve performance and cost challenges in the imaging market, said Harry Page, president, Pleora Technologies. Our GigE Vision over NBASE-T platform helps imaging system manufacturers and designers meet increasing bandwidth requirements, while taking advantage of existing cabling in retrofit upgrades and less expensive, field-terminated cabling in new installations, without requiring modifications to GigE Vision-compliant software.
"The NBASE-T Alliance is playing a critical role in the deployment of products that extend bandwidth capabilities beyond Gigabit Ethernet," said Peter Jones, chairman of the NBASE-T Alliance. "Our work has accelerated the adoption of NBASE-T technology in traditional wired telecom applications, and the addition of new members such as Pleora enables migration of the technology into new markets.
NBASE-T Technology at Vision Show
Pleora will be demonstrating its recently announced GigE Vision over NBASE-T platform at the Vision Show in Boston (May 3-5, Hynes Convention Center, Booth #838). The company is also discussing NBASE-T technology at its presentation on New Transmission Technologies for Machine Vision on Thursday, May 5 at 1:30 p.m., room #107.
About Pleora Technologies
Pleora Technologies invented high-performance frame grabbers and embedded hardware for the delivery of video over Gigabit Ethernet, and leads the market in video interfaces for USB 3.0 and wireless. With this spirit of innovation, Pleora engineers reliable video interfaces for system manufacturers and camera companies serving the military, medical, and industrial automation sectors. Pleora provides end-to-end solutions that shorten time-to-market, reduce risk, and lower costs. We partner with customers and tailor our products to individual needs. Find out more at www.pleora.com.
Ericsson has signed an agreement with the Brazilian Government to create a Networked Society Lab in Brazil to drive Internet of Things (IoT) innovation in the country.
The Lab will test new technologies and measure the positive impact of IoT projects including smart water, agriculture, rainforest protection, disaster prevention and monitoring applications. The Networked Society Lab in Brazil will be inaugurated on April 29, with the project part of the Ericsson Innovation Centre, which works in cooperation with universities, customers, suppliers and development agencies to foster the IoT ecosystem in Brazil and Latin America.
The Internet of Things is quickly emerging as a very significant agent of transformation as it blends the physical and digital worlds. By cooperating with Ericsson's Networked Society Lab, we will better understand and be at the forefront of how we can sustainably improve agriculture, smart cities, energy and industrial production, among other areas, in Brazil, said Andre Figueiredo, Brazils Minister of Communications.
Maximiliano Martinhao, Secretary of Telecommunications, said the cooperation with European Union and European companies was an important component of the Brazilian strategy for IoT and 5G developments. Recently, we did a joint statement together with the European Commission for Digital Economy and Society about this partnership and we can already see the fruits of this initiative, he said.
The Ericsson Innovation Centre in Latin America employs 460 people and has filed 80 patents related to connected buses and bus stops in Goiania, as well as the public safety solution deployed in Sao Jose dos Campos. This Networked Society Lab illustrates our commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said Ulf Ewaldsson, chief technology officer at Ericsson.
The Lab will help bring Brazil one step closer to 5G, where new device and sensor technologies leverage network connectivity to power a variety of use cases, such as smarter solutions in agriculture and natural disaster prevention.
Millicom achieved revenues of US$1.53 billion in the first quarter of 2016, spurred by double digit growth in all but one of its African markets, while Latin American growth dwindled.
In Africa, Millicom saw organic revenue growth of 11.9 per cent to US$220 million, with service revenue growing 12.1 per cent. All its operations in Africa, with the exception of Rwanda, reported double digit growth in Q1. The operator put its African successes down to actions to improve [...] profitability, and pointed in particular to accelerated growth in Ghana - at 12 per cent -, and a recovery in Chad-based operations.
In Latin America, the company reported sluggish organic revenue growth of 0.7 per cent to US$1,308 million, which it blamed on lower handset sales. Service revenue grew 2.9 per cent in the region as data continued to grow strongly, however this was partially offset by competition on mobile pricing, and slower fixed B2B activity in Colombia. The Easter holiday also impacted the region. On the other hand, Millicom said there were also highlights in Q1 in the Latin American region, which an LTE launch in Paraguay, and DTH launch in Colombia.
We are squarely focused on improving operational leverage and delivering profitable and responsible growth [...] This quarter has seen a continuation of the macro headwinds which we forecast earlier in the year and this economic environment has continued to significantly impact our headline performance. However, it is pleasing to see greater resilience and performance improvements in our revenue mix, both by geography and by business unit, said Mauricio Ramos, chief executive officer (CEO) of Millicom.
In Millicoms mobile business, growth was driven by data uptake, with the company saying it remains committed to its commercial strategy to optimise investments in 4G. Ramos said Millicoms cable business is performing well, and the company continues with the expansion of its HFC footprint, adding 132,000 homes passed, 31,000 new homes connected and 117,000 RGUs.
Fixed B2B revenue saw a 7.3 per cent increase, although this was slower than in Q4 - largely due to slow results in Colombia. Nonetheless, Ramos said the company sees this as a very promising sector, and opened new data centres in Paraguay, Tanzania, Ghana and Chad with additional ones planned in Colombia and Senegal.
This will allow us to expand our services to more business customers and to further leverage the Tigo network, he said.
Pakistani mobile operator Zong has signed an MoU with the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology for 4G services to the university.
Zong said it will provide its fastest 4G services to more than 4,000 students and faculty members at the university. The aim is to prioritise the equipping of Pakistans youth with technical skills and abilities. Under the Zong Youth Programme, the students are provided with mobile phones, SIM cards and 4G internet services at affordable rates.
This is not enough, we have started remarkable projects that would help the students in academics and research. In this regard, we are setting up digitized research laboratories. We will help the students in pursuing and materializing their dreams, said Zongs regional director, Naeem Ahmad.
Rector of the university, Dr. Suleman Din Muhammad, said the importance of connectivity cannot be ignored in the present era, and that making fast internet connectivity available to students will enable them to interact with other educational institutions worldwide, and collaborate and share research. In present times, it has become inevitable for educational institutions to be in contact with the industry, said Muhammad.
We want that students effectively use mobile and internet for the development of education and research. This will provide an opportunity to interact with other universities worldwide and benefit from their research work.
The updated YouTube app offers a new design as well as improved recommendation. In addition, Google also announced unskippable six-second ads called Bumper ads on YouTube.
YouTube has updated its app on Android and iOS devices. The new app now has a revamped design and offers improved recommendations. The company has also announced that it will bring unskippable six-second advertisements to the video streaming service. In YouTubes official blog, the company stated that the YouTube app will now offer relevant, personalised recommendations thanks to deep neural network technology. YouTube says that this technology will find patterns automatically, thereby learning from usage and improving itself. The company stated, One of the biggest improvements is how the system suggests more recent videos and those from the creators you love. People who have tried the new system have spent more time watching fresh videos and content from their Subscriptions.
In a separate blog post, Google announced that it is introducing unskippable six-second advertisements on YouTube, called Bumper ads. The company says that these advertisements are ideal for driving incremental reach and frequency on mobile, where snackable videos perform well. Bumper ads will be available from May and will be sold through the AdWords auction on a CPM basis.
Last year, YouTube started a subscription-based service called YouTube Red that offers users an ad-free experience along with original content and the ability to save videos for offline play. The service is priced at $9.99 (approx. Rs. 660). However, YouTube Red is currently only available in the US.
The internet has gone wild because of the robot's uncanny resemblance to a Dalek from Doctor Who, and it is also said to have sensors that mimic the human brain! Is it real or fake? You decide.
According to China's People's Daily Online, the country now has its first riot control security robot - 'AnBot'. The robot reportedly has an eight hour battery life and is designed to chase perps on flat surfaces. According to reports emerging out of China, the AnBot has been developed by the National Defense University and was launched at the 12th Chongqing Hi-Tech Fair.
A Government press release goes on to say, "AnBot represents a series of breakthroughs in key technologies including low-cost autonomous navigation and intelligent video analysis, which will play an important role in enhancing the country's anti-terrorism and anti-riot measures."
While the Chinese may be comparing the AnBot to a "Russian Nesting Doll," the internet has gone wild because of its uncanny resemblence to a Dalek from popular sci-fi series, Doctor Who.
Dalek from Doctor Who
AnBot is 1.49 meters in height and weighs 78 Kgs. It can reach speeds of 18 Kmph and can patrol at a speed of 1 Kmph. The press release goes on to say that the robot has sensors that can mimic the human brain, eyes and ears (which is hard to believe and sounds completely out of whack). AnBot is also said to be equipped with an electrically charged riot control tool, which it deploys in riot conditions.
Sounds cool China, but we'll believe it when we see it.
Image Courtesy: China News
In addition to the decline in its quarterly revenue, Apple also reported its first ever decline in iPhone sales
Apple has posted its first ever quarterly decline in revenue in 13 years, in addition to its first ever decline in iPhone sales. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Apple sold 51.19 million iPhones during a quarter, a drop from the 61.17 million units that it sold in the same period last year. The company posted a quarterly revenue of $50.6 billion and a quarterly net income of 10.5 billion. In the same period last year, the company had a revenue of $58 billion and a net income of 13.6 billion.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Apple CEO, Tim Cook said that it was a challenging quarter, but dismissed concerns that Apple was in decline. He said that the slump was due to short-term factors such as a strong dollar, difficult economic conditions, and difficult comparisons for iPhone sales. Its a tough bar to hurdle, but it doesnt change the future. The future is very bright, he added.
A few days ago, analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities had predicted that the upcoming iPhone 7 may not have too many new features to excite buyers, which may lead to a decline in sales. Kuo predicted that sales of the iPhone may fall below 200 million due to the lack of new aspects on the iPhone 7. While Apple sold 232 million devices in 2015, the analyst expects the company to sell between 190 to 205 million units this year.
Microsoft's Windows devices EVP has stated commitment to Windows 10 Mobile, confirming new devices in the making
In an email sent out to major company executives and officials, Microsofts Windows & Devices Group Executive Vice-President Terry Myerson has reinstated the companys continued commitment to the Windows 10 Mobile platform. Terry has refuted talks about the mobile counterpart of Windows OS gradually fading out, stating that the company is committed to deliver Windows 10 on mobile devices with small screen running ARM processors.
Alongside, Myerson has confirmed that Microsoft is presently developing a new line of devices, bringing new light back into the path of Surface Phone hopefuls. Microsoft, though, may be looking to focus majorly on business customers, and look at other OEMs to promote consumer-oriented devices. Of late, the likes of Xiaomi and HP have worked with the Windows 10 Mobile platform. While Xiaomi introduced Windows 10 on its previous flagship, the Mi 4, HP introduced the Elite x3, a flagship device with a 5.96-inch Quad HD (1440x2560 pixels) display, Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB internal storage, 16-megapixel main camera and Bang & Olufsen-powered audio.
Microsoft has been rumoured since 2012 to be working on a Windows 10-powered flagship device, named the Surface Phone. The device is expected to take design cues from Microsofts revered Surface tablet lineup, and present flagship-class experience to users. While the company has dropped several hints about the device and its CMO has gone as far as calling it a breakthrough product, we are yet to see anything concrete from the company, as yet.
Of late, the Windows 10 Mobile platform has even been speculated to be in its last laps, deterred by the lack of apps and developer support. With this latest email, Windows Mobile fans would hope for better devices to come in the future. As of now, though, the OS falls far, far behind the two primary mobile operating systems in use - Googles Android and Apples iOS. Read the excerpt of the email below:
"I understand that you are hearing concerns from certain partners about Microsoft's commitment to the mobile space.
Let me be very clear: We are committed to deliver Windows 10 on mobile devices with small screen running ARM processors.
We are currently in development of our next generation products and I wanted to reconfirm our commitment to Windows 10 Mobile. We believe in this product's value to business customers and it is our intention to support the Windows 10 Mobile platform for many years. We have a device roadmap to support that from Microsoft as well as our OEM partners who will also be selling an expanded lineup of phone devices based on this platform."
Britains economy could be 3% lower by 2020 if the UK votes to leave the EU, according to the latest study from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
The projected hit to living standards would amount in effect to a permanent Brexit tax on households, the OECD said.
In a speech at the London School of Economics, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria said: Leaving Europe would impose a Brexit tax on generations to come. Instead of funding public services, this tax would be a pure deadweight loss, with no economic benefit.
Gurria said leaving the EU would effectively be the equivalent of missing out on one months salary within four years.
A decision to leave the EU would cause a severe negative shock to the economy, weakening gross domestic product growth for many years, equivalent to a cost per household of 3,200 per year by 2030 and as much as 5,000 in the worst-case scenario.
The longer-term effects of weaker technical progress, migration and capital caused by Brexit are projected according to three scenarios: optimistic, central and pessimistic. In the optimistic projection the negative impact on GDP is around 2.7% by 2030, but in the pessimistic scenario it would be more than 7.5%.
In the central scenario UK GDP would be more than 5% below what would be expected if the country remained in the EU. This GDP shortfall is equivalent to 3,200 per household.
The study also highlighted that the estimated costs of Brexit do not take into account the fact that remaining in the EU could prompt additional GDP growth as further development of the Single Market boosts trade and foreign direct investment.
The OECD said that concluding a free trade agreement with the EU - similar to the one between the EU and Canada - could somewhat offset the damage to UK trade by 2023, but the costs of accessing the Single Market would still be higher than they are now after that time.
Argos owner Home Retail Group reported a full pre-tax loss of 804m after taking a hit from a 852m impairment charge as a result of its 1.4bn takeover by Sainbury's.
The loss compares with a 93.8m profit in the year to February 2015. Sales fell 1% to 5.68bn, with revenues from Argos flat and the Homebase do-it-yourself chain down 3%.
Benchmark pre-tax profits, which exclude one-ff items, were 94.7m, down 28%, but ahead of the company's own forecast.
Homebase was sold to Australian retail giant Wesfarmers for 340m and will be rebranded under the Bunnings banner. Home Retail said the deal was completed in February with 337m already received and the balance coming in 2017.
Chief executive John Walden said the company finished the year with a cash balance of 623m, which was significantly stronger than previously anticipated.
Home Retail in April recommended the 171.5p a share offer by Salisbury's, which includes 0.321 in Sainsbury's shares, 55p in cash, 25p a share reflecting a 200m planned return to shareholders from the Homebase sale, and 2.8 pence in lieu of the Home Retail final dividend.
Barclays reported a dip in profit in its first quarter on Wednesday, with group profit before tax at 793m in the three months to 31 March, down from 1.06bn a year earlier.
The FTSE 100 banking group said this reflected an 18% increase in core profit before tax to 1.6bn, though that was more than offset by an increased non-core loss before tax of 815m.
Adjusted PBT, which adds back 109m of negative fair value movements on own credit, fell 44% to 902m compared to the prior year, but was 7% ahead of consensus forecasts.
This was due to total income down 11% but 3% above consensus estimates at 5.04bn, while impairments were 11% lower than expectations, only partly offset by higher than anticipated costs.
We promised to accelerate the pace of progress in reducing non-core so that our group performance converges with our core performance within a reasonable timeframe, said chief executive James Staley.
Since 1 January, we have made progress in exiting from Investment Banking in nine countries, completed the sale of our Portuguese retail, wealth and SME banking businesses, and are progressing other announced sales, including the Italian branch network, the Index business and our Asian wealth business, towards completion in 2016.
The groups return on average tangible shareholder equity was 3.8%, shrinking from 4%, though core return on tangible equity was up to 9.9% from 7.1%.
Group attributable profit decreased 7% to 433m, resulting in a basic earnings per share of 2.7p, down from 2.9p. Core attributable profit increased 53% to 950m, resulting in a basic earnings per share contribution of 5.8p.
In the UK division, Barclays delivered a return on tangible equity of 20.5%, down from24% last year. Underlying profit before tax fell 2% to 704m as lower income was partially offset by improved impairment, with underlying total operating expenses remaining broadly in line.
Net interest margins in the UK were relatively stable, rising to 3.62% from 3.6%.
Core RoTE is 9.9%, within which Barclays UK posted an impressive 20.5% return on tangible equity. We can see clear growth opportunities, such as in our Consumer, Cards and Payments business, in which we want to continue to invest, Staley explained.
The performance of our Corporate and Investment Bank was relatively resilient in a tough quarter, but there is more we must do to improve returns, and we are focused on management actions to do so.
Staley said the group was continuing to target cost reductions and is on track to meet 2016 guidance for the Core business of 12.8bn, with a longer-term target of a group cost to income ratio under 60%.
Barclays common equity tier 1 ratio declined to 11.3% during the quarter, from 11.4%, with the board blaming increased regulatory deductions and the acquisition of intangibles in relation to the US JetBlue credit card portfolio.
The leveraged ratio decreased marginally to 4.3%, from 4.5%, which was put down to seasonality. Group risk-weighted assets increased 5bn in the quarter to 363bn, and leverage exposure increased 54bn to 1.08bn.
The performance of the Core today shows the potential power of the group once it is freed from the drag of Non-Core, Staley explained.
Barclays net tangible asset value per share increased during the period to 286p, from 275p, driven by profit generation and favourable reserve movements.
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Digitimes Research: Nichia tops LED packagers in 2015 revenues
Japan-based Nichia continued to rank the number one LED packaging service provider globally in 2015 with related revenues reaching US$2.72 billion, or about 200% higher than those generated by the second to fourth largest vendors, according to Digitimes Research.
Taiwan-based Everlight Electronics ranked second with revenues totaling US$895 million in 2015, followed by Seoul Semiconductor with US$893.1 million, Osram Opto Semiconductors US$881.9 million, LG Innotek US$693.6 million and Cree US$578.2 million.
In terms of revenue growth rate, China-based Hongli Opto-Electronic and NationStar Optoelectronics led all LED packagers, with their revenues growing 60.3% and 25.5%, respectively, on year in 2015. Both companies plan to continue to ramp capacity in 2016, Digitimes Research noted.
In fact, Nichia's 2015 LED revenues were lower than those it generated a year earlier, affected mainly by lower-than-expected demand for LED backlight products in emerging markets, particularly in China, where sales shed 32.2% on year in 2015. The operating margin of Nichia's optical semiconductor business stood at 28% in 2015, down 1.5pp from a year earlier.
Hongli's high revenue growth rate recorded in 2015 was attributed to its capacity ramps and the acquisition of fellow company Smalite Optoelectronics, said Digitimes Research, adding that the company plans to ramp its capacity to 3.2 billion units a month in the first half of 2016. NationStar will also expand its LED packaging capacity in 2016.
Osram's revenue growth rate in 2015 was the third highest among all LED packagers, led by automobile-use and invisible LED products. Seoul Semiconductor also saw its revenues grow significantly in 2015 thanks to new clients from the handset sector. However, LG Innotek and Cree both suffered a decline of over 20% in 2015 revenues.
Content from this article was part of a complete Digitimes Research Chinese-language report that has not yet been translated into English. If you are interested in an English version of the report or wish to receive more information about the report, click here to contact us and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Digitimes Research also provides quarterly tracking services for market sectors such as China Smartphone, China Smartphone AP, Taiwan ICT and Taiwan FPD. Click here for more information about Digitimes Research Tracking services.
No power, no hot water, bedbugs at apartment towers near Downtown
Residents at the Latitude Five25 apartment towers on the Near East Side said they've had no hot water, no power at times. The city is going to court.
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LAS VEGAS (AP) Boyd Gaming Corp. says it has reached an agreement to buy Cannery Casino Resorts LLC's two Las Vegas properties for $230 million.
The deal will give Boyd control of the Cannery casino in North Las Vegas and the Eastside Cannery. Boyd CEO Keith Smith says in a company statement the purchases will give Boyd a strong foothold in North Las Vegas, which he says is one of the fastest-growing areas in the region.
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EUGENE, Ore. (AP) During a visit to Eugene and Springfield, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown again called on state lawmakers to approve more transportation funding.
Brown has asked the Legislature to pass a major transportation funding package in 2017. It would likely be paid for by higher gas taxes and vehicle registration and driver license fees, The Register-Guard reported.
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This years Micheal OCleirigh Summer School will be challenging as well as informative, the organisers say.
The celebrates the rich local heritage associated with the Creevy-born Franciscan friar and scribe who was the driving force behind the Annals of the Four Masters.
This years event, which takes place May 27-29 in Rossnowlagh, was launched at the Sandhouse Hotel on Friday night.
School cathaoirleach Brian McAuley revealed that this years theme is Refugees and Strangers: Being Irish in Europe. He said, This is not just an information summer school, it is a challenging summer school. The Irish were treated in a certain way in Europe throughout its history. Well be asking: how are we treating immigrants; are we treating them as well as the Irish were treated; what has been the response of the European Union over the last few years; and, should we be proud of it?
Migration crisis
Michael McLoone, who is also involved with the school, told the DD/DPP, Back 3-400 years ago, we had refugees leaving here, the ONeills and the ODonnells seeking refuge in Rome and so forth. Now, we are dealing with a migration crisis and its a major political issue. Tommie Gorman will draw out these issues on Saturday afternoon, with a panel of speakers and then open it up to the audience. We hope there will be people who either have experience of, or who are involved with, dealing with the whole issue of emigration and immigration.
MEP to open school
Marian Harkin MEP will open this years school, which will feature talks by Dr Marian Lyons of Maynooth University, Dr John McCafferty, Dr Declan Downey of UCD and Dr Paddy Fitzgerald of Queens University Belfast.
Information on mocleirigh.ie or the mocleirighschool Facebook page.
Halloween creatures owls, crows and bats all live at Crossroads, and that makes us very happy, for these scary animals make a positive contribution to the habitats of the preserve. We don't even mind black cats, IF they are kept indoors. Feral and outdoor cats are exceedingly harmful to wildlife ... and that's not a superstition! But to tamp down superstitions, we at Crossroads will spend the week demystifying Halloween creatures.
On October 28, 2022, at 6 p.m. will be our Evening with Owls. The Open Door Bird Sanctuary will be at Crossroads, offering a one-hour presentation followed by the opportunity to meet and greet live birds. Learn all about owls and the other incredible birds in the care of the Sanctuary!
Down through the centuries, in many cultures throughout the world, owls have been associated with evil and death. Truth is, owls probably are not smart enough to be evil. But researchers agree that owls are about as dim as the nighttime forests in which they hunt.
Owls don't need to be smart. They have everything else going for them. They are muscular. They fly silently. Their huge eyes enable them to see in the dark. Their beaks and talons are strong and wickedly sharp. But their sensitive ears are what make owls extraordinary hunters.
Most people assume that the plumicorns (a.k.a. "horns) of an owl are its ears. Not so.
The actual ears lie under feathers on the sides of the head, and they aren't symmetrical. Because one ear is higher than the other and the ears are unequal in size, sound is different from different directions, helping owls locate prey, which they do almost unfailingly, even in total darkness.
Owls do not smell their prey. As with most birds, the sense of smell is insignificant, if it exists are all. Great Horned Owls frequently prey on skunks. Enough said.
But well-developed intelligence? Researchers have observed owls beating their wings on bushes to try to flush out little birds. Is this learned behavior? Is it problem-solving?
Maybe.
For the most part, owls do not have a lot of problems to solve. They appropriate abandoned nests of other birds, so they don't need building skills. They are stealthy by nature, and they pounce on and usually catch anything they hear, so they don't need hunting techniques.
In spite of ghost stories, legends of American First People, and superstitions from Europe and India, hooting owls do not foretell impending death, although their nocturnal calls are spooky. We hear them now and then this time of year, but we will regularly hear those eerie calls at Crossroads in January or February.
In contrast to owls, crows are noisy all year round and they are amazingly intelligent. They can learn. They can remember. They can solve problems. They can even identify individual humans. And they detest owls, though whether this is innate or learned behavior is not clear.
Those curious about crows will want to attend the Crossroads Book Club on Wednesday, October 26, at 10:00 a.m. This month, the book Crow Planet, Essential Wisdom for the Urban Wilderness by Lyanda Lynn Haupt will explore the fascinating world of these remarkable birds. The program is free and open to all, whether or not they have read the book.
So bring the family to our program on owls, learn about crows at the Crossroads Book Club, or learn about bats at our pre-school Junior Nature Club on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. or our Family Science Saturday program at 2:00 p.m. Costumes are encouraged but not required at Junior Nature Club and Science Saturday, and adult visitors are welcome.
A job fair intended to accommodate working residents, parents and people lacking transportation during daytime hours will take place Thursday evening for as many as 60 immediate positions in housekeeping, floor maintenance or machine operation.
Manpower senior recruiter Mary Helen Daniels said the staffing agency will host a job fair from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at its Dothan location at 3245 Montgomery Hwy., Ste. 14. Daniels said as many as 60 immediate positions, as well as some ongoing job opportunities, are available in Dothan and Enterprise and the Chipley, Florida, area with hourly pay between $7.50 and $13.
Daniels said pizza and refreshments will be served during the job fair, and that children are welcome to attend with their parents if necessary.
Daniels said the jobs are considered temp-to-hire positions, which she described as jobs with a probationary period before workers are considered for permanent jobs with the companies.
While most of the jobs require a high school diploma, Daniels said any previous criminal records would be considered on a case-by-case basis.
We are trying to reach people who may be working somewhere else and want to change jobs but cant come during the day, or who may have transportation issues in the daytime, or who are hard to reach any other way, she said.
You can bring an updated resume. We will be open during our regular office hours as well.
According to its website, Manpower offers workforce solutions over multiple skill sets to industries throughout the world.
Daniels said there is no fee to apply through Manpower for jobs.
We have never charged anyone to find them a job, she said.
All of what we make comes from the companies we hire for.
OZARK -- The Dale County Commission approved a proposal on Tuesday that would allow residents to vote on a five-cent gasoline tax increase to fund road improvements.
The proposal to allow the vote must now get approval from the Legislature before Dale County voters get a chance to give it the thumbs up or down in November.
If approved, the proposal would impose a five-cent per gallon tax in Dale County, with the exception of Ozark where a 3-cent tax would be levied. Ozark passed its own four-cent gas tax increase recently, increasing the local gas tax there to six cents.
Off-road diesel fuel would be exempted from the proposed Dale County tax. Dale County Commission Chairman Mark Blankenship said the gas tax is considered a usage fee for drivers on county roads. Because vehicles powered by off-road diesel fuel typically farm equipment dont often use roads, it would be unfair to include it in the tax, Blankenship said.
The proposal might not get past the Legislature. Alabama lawmakers only have about a week left in this session and there may not be enough time to get the ballot measure approved.
Blankenship said the commission waited until now to put the measure on the ballot because the Legislature looked likely to approve a statewide gas tax increase that would provide funds to counties for road improvement. That legislation looks less likely to pass, necessitating that the county take steps to increase revenues.
If the state gas tax hike passes, any local gas tax increase approved by Dale County voters will be nullified, Blankenship said.
Blankenship said the increase is necessary to fund improvements to county roads. Blankenship said the last time the county received an increase in gas taxes was decades ago.
Were like everybody else, operating off of 1992 funds when the price of everything is going up, he said.
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It was a busy weekend for Dundalk fire crews with a firefighter being injured following a stone attack in Cox's Demesne and gorse fire along the border to contend with.
Louth County Council have not ruled out the possibility that a fire unit was purposefully lured to a fire at 'The Clump' in order for teenagers to attack it with stones.
A spokesperson for Louth County Fire service told the Democrat that the incident occured at approximately 9pm on Sunday evening.
Near Beechmount Drive there is a hill known locally as 'The Clump'. There was smoke descending from the hillto Oakland Park.
They were carrying out an assessment there at that scene and they saw a youth running towards them, who then started throwing stones.
They withdrew to the appliance. And ss they were getting back into the fire engine one of the firefighters was hit by stones.
One in the helmet and one in the shoulder.
The Gardai were then called and an ambulance was called to the station to assess him and he was taken to hospital for an assessmen,t but he was fine.
He had some bruising having been hit by the stones.
The incident was described as not being uncommon, but what marked this incident out was that stones were thrown directly at the firefighters.
They would have had missiles thrown at them when they were in the appliance before, but in this instance stones were thrown at them when they didn't even have the protection of being inside the appliance. The stones were thrown directly at them.
The likelihood is that they (the youths) were socilising up there and set the fire and didn't want to be interrupted.
Units were also called to gorse fires on Sunday night over the border in Northern Ireland too, but were stood down after the Northern Irish fire crew had taken the fires in South Armagh in the Forkill area under control.
It is believed that these gorse fires were the act of arson, and a phenomenon which could hit the Cooley Mountains in the coming weeks and months.
The Ring of Gullion AONB Officer said: This fire has destroyed important habitats, left wildlife with no homes or a food source and the damage caused, risks the economical income coming into the area. Slieve Gullion Mountain has attracted tourism from across the world. Visitors want to walk the mountain for its beauty and the unspoilt environment this is now under risk due to this fire.
Contrary to the belief that wildfires are sparked by hot, dry weather, most of them occur in the spring. Winter frost leaves undergrowth too dry, meaning the fires can start easily and spread quickly, causing widespread damage throughout the countryside, as is the case with this fire.
At times the damage is irreparable. According to fire service figures, between 2012 and 2014, there were 5,002 incidents classed as wildfires across Northern Ireland. 4,584 of these fires were deemed to have been started deliberately.
Whether started accidentally or deliberately wildfires are extremely dangerous and can spread rapidly.
Microsoft on Thursday filed suit against the U.S. Department of Justice challenging the gag orders that accompany requests to access customers private emails and other data. The orders prevent the company from notifying affected customers about the governments demands.
The case is the fourth public lawsuit it has filed against the Justice Department in three years, including a lawsuit challenging a search warrant for a customers emails in Ireland.
The orders violate customers privacy rights, the company has maintained.
Microsoft has new data on the growing problem of secrecy orders and wants to propose new Justice Department and congressional actions that could resolve the issue, according to Microsoft Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith.
We believe that with rare exceptions, consumers and businesses have the right to know when the government accesses their emails and records, Smith said. Yet its becoming routine for the U.S. government to issue orders that require email providers to keep these type of legal demands secret.
Law Lags Technology
Over the past 18 months, the U.S. government has required that Microsoft maintain secrecy regarding 2,576 legal demands, which effectively prevents the company from letting customers know about warrants seeking their data, Smith pointed out.
Most of those orders 1,752, or 68 percent of the total have no fixed end date, meaning that Microsoft can never disclose the information to its customers.
The orders raise serious questions in the age of cloud computing, Microsoft said, because data no longer is stored in file cabinets or on servers inside a companys offices. Records often are stored on remote servers that customers trust companies to keep private.
Microsoft announced a plan to increase the use of encryption three years ago. It pledged to notify customers about data demands such as the ones currently in dispute, based on the same concerns raised in the new lawsuit.
Congress should amend the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, Smith urged, to address issues of transparency, necessity, and digital neutrality which means customers shouldnt be entitled to less notice because they store their data in the cloud.
The Justice Department is reviewing the filing, said Nicole Navas, spokesperson for the DoJ. We have no further comment on this pending legislation.
Privacy vs. Security Tug of War
The suit comes during an increasingly contentious period between Silicon Valley and the federal government. The government recently dropped a suit seeking to compel Apple to help the FBI crack an encrypted iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino terrorists.
The DoJ dropped the suit after the FBI notified Apple that it found a third party to help it access the data, something that Apple previously had suggested.
The suit also comes days after Sens. Richard Burr and Dianne Feinstein, the chair and vice chair of the Select Committee on Intelligence, introduced draft legislation that would compel technology companies to cooperate with government authorities on terrorism-related cases.
Technology and privacy advocates have registered strong opposition to the proposed bill and have voiced strong support for Microsoft.
Rallying Around Microsoft
The government has an obligation to notify any citizen whose rights it infringes, ACLU Attorney Alex Abdo noted.
For years the government has skirted that obligation by seeking out sensitive data from tech companies without providing notice, even long after any legitimate need for secrecy expires, he said.
Congress has an opportunity to fix the problem, Abdo added, by updating the Electronic Communications Privacy Act: It should require government notification; impose the high standard that the Constitution requires before law enforcement can impose a gag order on a company; and limit the duration of gag orders.
If Congress fails to make these changes to the ECPA, then the courts should step in, he suggested. In the Microsoft case, they should end the unconstitutional practice of failure to provide notice.
Microsoft receives a staggering number of orders in these type of cases, noted Electronic Frontier Foundation staff attorney Andrew Crocker.
We applaud Microsoft for challenging government gag orders that prevent companies from being more transparent with their customers amount government searches of their data, he told the E-Commerce Times. In nearly all cases, indefinite gag orders and gag orders issued routinely rather than in exceptional cases are unconstitutional prior restraints on free speech and infringe on First Amendment rights.
Facebooks WhatsApp last week announced it would roll out end-to-end encryption for its users to better protect their privacy, but the move could make the service more attractive to spammers, too.
While encryption can safeguard information from data thieves, it also can block data protectors from detecting malicious activity on their networks.
WhatsApps encryption policy is a win for privacy advocates, but it will not stop the growth of spam on the platform and could make the problem worse, said Simeon Coney, chief strategy officer forAdaptiveMobile.
WhatsApp has always had limited spam control in place, he told TechNewsWorld, and encryption will make detecting spam and malicious links with malware that much more difficult.
Spam Magnet
Over the last three to four years, mobile carriers have made it harder for spammers to deliver their junk messages, Coney noted. Thats prodded them to look for greener pastures.
Weve seen spammers move from services like SMS, MMS and RCS to services like WhatsApp, he said.
Not only does it cost spammers less to spew their rubbish on WhatsApp, but its easier to find targets there.
WhatsApp is a very friendly service to spammers because it allows them to validate phone numbers to see if they have a WhatsApp account, Coney explained, so they can upload large number ranges to test who has a WhatsApp account and just send bulk messages to them.
Because end-to-end encryption prevents protection systems from seeing whats in a spam message, they cant guard against malicious activity like phishing, account hijacking, spam and malware.
Its simple economics, Coney said. As certain channels get closed off to these spammers, theyre finding other ways to reach their targets. They only make money if they get their messages through and they get a reasonable conversion rate.
Making Sense of Mossack Fonseca Data
If youre a journalist and someone drops 2.6 TB of hot data in your lap, where do you begin to make sense of it?
For theInternational Consortium of Investigative Journalists, the answer wasNuix.
Nuix provides services for turning large pots of data into searchable pools of information.
With its software, which the company donated to the ICIJ and the German newspaper Sddeutsche Zeitung, the investigative journalists were able to process, index and analyze the Panama Papers, 11.5 million documents taken from the Panama offices of Mossack Fonseca, an international law firm and a major player in the offshore asset industry.
Much of the data in the dump was scanned documents, which were turned into searchable information with Nuixs optical character recognition software. Other Nuix analytical tools helped identify and cross-reference Mossack Fonseca clients throughout the document cache.
1,500 Data Types
Nuixs search technology was developed in 2000 at the request of the Australian government. They had a huge cache of Lotus Notes emails, and they didnt have a way to tag them, format them and make them easily searchable, said Keith Lowry, Nuixs senior vice president of threat intelligence and a former chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Defense.
Over the years, we have been able to absorb a lot more types of information, he told TechNewsWorld. It has grown to the point where we can natively ingest over 1,500 different file types and flatten the data and make it presentable to whomever is analyzing the data.
Although 2.6 TB of data is immense by journalistic standards, its only a medium-sized data set compared to some Nuix has been enlisted to massage in its e-discovery and regulatory investigative work. On any given day, our software is sorting through petabytes of data, Lowry said.
Nuix gave the ICIJ and Sddeutsche Zeitung technical assistance in processing the data stolen from Mossack Fonseca, but no employees ever handled the data, the company said.
We didnt participate in the collection of the data, Lowry said. We just processed it for them.
iPhones Secure Enclave
Maybe the FBI just wanted to impress legislators of the urgency for action on the Going Dark issue or maybe it just wanted to thumb its nose at Apple, but last week it began demonstrating to lawmakers how it cracked the security on the iPhone 5c of San Bernardino, California, gunman Syed Rizwan Farook.
The first legislator on the agencys demo list was Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who, with colleague Richard Burr, R-N.C., is drafting legislation to compel companies like Apple to extract data from their products or provide technical assistance to government authorities to extract the data when ordered to do so by a judge.
Feinstein and Burrs bill is a response to a recent tussle between the FBI and Apple. The FBI wanted Apple to write code that the agency could use to brute force the lock code on Farooks phone. Apple refused to do so, saying such code could be used to undermine the security of all iPhones.
Eventually the FBI found a way to access the data on the phone, but its believed the method wont work with newer model iPhones. Thats because Apple added another chip called the Secure Enclave to the latest models of its mobiles.
What it does is lock up all the encryption keys, said Matthew Green, a professor specializing in cryptography at Johns Hopkins University.
Even if you can hack the phone itself which is what the FBI did the encryption keys will still be locked up, he told TechNewsWorld.
Panic Room in a Phone
The secure enclave where high security functions, including login, are handled is a separate environment from the iPhone as a whole, noted Georgia Weidman, founder and CTO ofShevirah.
If someone, be it a security researcher, the FBI or a malicious attacker, discovers an exploitable vulnerability that allows them to attack the latest iOS release, they will need another, likely more sophisticated exploit to take that access to the next level to also exploit the secure enclave, she told TechNewsWorld.
Think of it like a panic room at a celebritys home, Weidman continued. There are walls, security guards, and all other manner of industry standards of home security on the house. A very skilled burglar may bypass them, but they will have to work even harder, basically starting again, to get into the panic room.
It was bad form for the FBI to show legislators how it compromised Farooks iPhone while keeping Apple in the dark about it, she added.
As security researchers, when we find security issues we practice something called responsible disclosure. We inform the vendor of the issue we found so it can be fixed, Weidman said.
By refusing to share the technique they used with Apple so it can be fixed, she continued, the FBI is moving into the territory of black hat hackers, or hackers for evil, keeping the vulnerability open so they can use it again as it suits them in other cases as they arise.
Breach Diary
April 3. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists publishes first article in series on the Panama Papers, a trove of 11 million files stolen in a data breach of Mossack Fonseca, an international law firm headquartered in Panama and a major player in the offshore industry, which is used by some of the worlds rich to hide assets and facilitate a number of unsavory and illegal activities.
April 4. Ponemon Institute releases a survey that finds 37 percent of businesses do not believe their third-party vendors would notify them of a data breach; 73 percent doubted that a fourth-party vendor would alert them of such a breach.
April 4. Security blogger Brian Krebs reports banking sources are telling him that for the second time in less than a year, fraudsters have compromised the Trump Hotel Collection payment card system.
April 4. Hackers post to the Internet personal information of nearly 50 million Turkish citizens, exposing them to possible identity theft and fraud.
April 5. KSN-TV in Wichita, Kansas, reports tax information of 1,357 employees at Hutchinson Community College is at risk after their W-2 data was emailed to an unauthorized third party.
April 6. Trend Micro reports that a data breach at the Philippines Commission on Elections has exposed on the Internet personal information, including passport and fingerprint data, of 55 million voters.
April 6. U.S. District Court Judge R. Gary Klausner approves a multimillion-dollar settlement of a lawsuit against Sony Pictures Entertainment that will give some 437,000 people identity theft protection from the time a data breach was discovered in 2014 through 2017. An exact figure for the settlement cant be determined yet because the deadline hasnt passed for workers to sign up for the protection services.
April 6. Whiting-Turner, a Baltimore construction company, files breach notification letters with California and Vermont stating that tax information of its employees and their children is at risk because of a security incident at a vendor hired to provide tax services for the builder.
April 7. The National Childbirth Trust, a charity in the UK, alerts 15,085 new and expectant parents that their email addresses, usernames and passwords have been compromised by a data breach.
April 7. U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins rejects a motion by health insurer Anthem to inspect the computers of former customers in connection with a lawsuit resulting from a data breach in February that compromised the records of as many as 80 million customers.
April 7. Einstein Healthcare Network in Pennsylvania alerts some 3,000 patients their personal information is at risk because a database at the providers website inadvertently was exposed to the Internet.
April 7. The Hill publishes a discussion draft of a bill by U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Richard Burr, R-N.C., to force companies to provide information or data to the government in an intelligible format when served with a court order.
Upcoming Security Events
Federal regulators on Monday granted approval of Charter Communications US$78 billion merger with Time Warner Cable and its $10.4 billion acquisition ofBright House Networks, but with a number of tough conditions.
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit and settlement agreement in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that would block the new company, which it calls New Charter for legal purposes, from enforcing any deal that makes it harder for online video distributors to get video content from programmers.
TWC has been an industry leader in seeking such restrictions, and New Charter, with its much larger base of subscribers, would have even more to gain by frustrating competition among online video providers, the DoJs complaint alleges.
The merger would have threatened competition by increasing the merged companys leverage to demand that programmers limit their licensing to these online providers, said Renata Hesse, principal deputy assistant attorney general in charge of the antitrust division.
FCC, DoJ Conditions
The combined companies would constitute the nations second largest cable provider and third largest multichannel video programming distributor, with more than 17 million video subscribers, according to the DoJ complaint.
TWC has been the most aggressive in the industry at imposing alternative distribution means clauses into its contracts to make online video providers less competitive.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler this week began circulating the proposal among commissioners.
Conditions would be in place for seven years, creating a more level playing field for consumers by protecting competition in the video marketplace and boosting broadband access, he noted.
If approved, an additional 2 million customer locations would gain access to high-speed connections, and at least 1 million of those connections would be in competition with a rival broadband provider.
New Charter would not be allowed to impose data caps or usage-based prices. The company also would be barred from imposing interconnection fees on online video providers and others that deliver large amounts of traffic to broadband customers.
We are pleased to reach this critical step in the regulatory review of our merger with Charter and remain optimistic that the transaction will be finalized soon, said TWC CEO Rob Marcus.
Questions Remain
Despite the conditions imposed by regulators, the merged companies still could threaten competition in the broadband and video content industries, according to New America.
If approved, the deal would create a new company whose dominance over access to the Internet is rivaled only by Comcast, said Joshua Stager, policy counsel for New AmericasOpen Technology Institute. The duopoly power of both companies is a threat to consumers, small business and the Internet economy.
Charter must improve services to low-income consumers, with eligibility and pricing at least matching the FCCs recent Lifeline order, the group said.
The merged entity will have a huge pricing advantage over smaller cable companies, said Christopher Mitchell, director of the Community Broadband Networks at theInstitute for Local Self-Reliance.
Theyre basically going to win by forcing higher prices on all the smaller cable companies, he told the E-Commerce Times.
Scale and Leverage
Consumers generally benefit from the increased scale and scope, as is the case here, according to Mike Jude, program manager at Stratecast/Frost & Sullivan.
Since carriers negotiate content agreements based on their subscriber base, a larger carrier can have more leverage with content providers to increase the selection of content or reduce the cost per subscriber of the content, he told the E-Commerce Times.
Additional mergers of this size are unlikely, Jude said, as regulators are wary of the concentration of market power. Consumers should expect an increase in over-the-top content services in the TWC-Charter service area, because the removal of data caps means there are fewer barriers to entry.
While the impact on consumers has yet to be determined, the government wants to protect emerging players in the online space, said wireless industry analyst Jeff Kagan.
Companies like Comcast and new, innovative startups have given consumers access to faster Internet speeds and greater choices, while companies like Time Warner Cable have not, he told the E-Commerce Times. The question is whether the larger Charter will be a more innovative industry leader like Comcast or not.
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WELLINGTON New Zealand has this month proposed new legislation which would make use of the mulesing procedure on sheep illegal. Under proposed changes set out by New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI), the surgical removal of a sheep's breach and tail skin folds would be made a criminal conviction and carry a NZ$5000 penalty for an individual offender and NZ$25,000 for a business or organisation.
New aviation science laboratory opens
By Kesha Williams
Elizabeth City State University Aviation Science students, staff and faculty celebrated the opening of a new, two-sector, aviation laboratory in McDonald Dixon and Bishop M. Patterson Hall. One side of the room is a NASA Aerospace Education laboratory (AEL) while the other is an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) laboratory. This laboratory resulted from funding ECSU received from NASA (2015) and the Golden LEAF Foundation (2014) for enhancing Aerospace/Aviation Science education in the northeast North Carolina region. Additional funding was provided by a Department of Education-SAFRA grant.
The NASA AEL sector houses multiple desktop flight simulator stations, renewable energy station (solar panels, wind turbines) , hand-held data loggers, aircraft/rocket design stations, wind tunnel, flow-visualization tunnel, weather stations, 3D printers, mobile robotic stations (ground and aerial), and experimental setups to cover various course topics related to STEM education.
The new NASA AEL and UAS Lab marks another important step for ECSUs Aviation Science program in bringing the most advanced K-12 STEM education and UAS training capabilities to the NENC region, says Kuldeep Rawat, Technology Department Chair and Site Director of NASA Aerospace Academy program at ECSU. Over the course of three months, the former Machine Shop Technology lab has been rehabilitated into a bright, spacious, and clean laboratory, ideal for hands on STEM learning, both at K-12 level and college.
The Unmanned Aerial Systems sector of the laboratory currently houses DJI Phantom Vision 2+, DJI Inspire 1, DragonFlyer X-4, senseFly eXom, senseFly eBee Ag, Robo Flight 70, Aeromapper EV2, and QBall-X4, an aerial vehicle platform for advanced research.
In addition to conducting Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) applications research for private and public partners, the new laboratory will support five new UAS courses within the universitys Aviation Science program. Courses include: Introduction to Unmanned Aerial Systems; UAS and NAS: Laws and Regulations; UAS Sensors and Payload; UAS Lab 1: Design and Construction; and, UAS Lab 2: Applications.
The UAS option gives graduates the expertise they need for employment as operators, observers, sensor operators, and operations managers of unmanned aircraft systems. Skills covered in these courses will include flight planning, mission execution, data management and analysis, sensor and payload integration, and an overview of national airspace system restrictions and rules. Students may also be given the chance to build and fly their own aerial vehicle.
We are also developing UAS-themed outreach programs for middle and high school students in conjunction with the NASA Aerospace Academy program, said Rawat. Over 600 K-12 northeast North Carolina students will be directly impacted through 40 hours of STEM learning activities available at the AEL sector of the laboratory and many more through year round informal educational activities.
ECSU aviation major and retired USCG C-130 navigator/ former U.S. Navy UAS Mission Pilot, Aron Bechiom, who assisted Rawat adds, The state-of-the-art lab facility will provide students and professionals with the basic skills and knowledge needed to achieve FAA certification and operate small unmanned aircraft systems safely and effectively in performing civilian missions and commercial operations.
(Photo: Light Presbyterian Church)Rev. Hyeon Soo Lim the pastor from Mississauga, Ontario who was detained in North Korea during an aid trip and who made a made a televised confession July 30 admitting to treason, according to KCNA, the official news agency in the country.
Those close to the Toronto pastor who has confessed to treason in North Korea seem puzzled at what led to the detention of the preacher who had made more than 100 trip to the isolated communist country.
Rev. Hyeon Soo Lim made his first public appearance since he was detained by North Korean authorities earlier this year and confessed in Pyongyang to "indescribable treason" in a televised apology on July 30.
Reading from a statement, Lim confessed to activities aimed at toppling North Korea's government and to violating the country's Ebola quarantine policy in February by "illegally" entering the capital, the official KCNA news agency reported.
Lim traveled into North Korea from China on Jan. 30 with plans to tend to aid projects established by his church in the northeastern city of Rajin, including an orphanage, a nursery and a nursing home, CNN reported.
The pastor for the Mississauga-based Light Presbyterian Church had visited the Hermit Kingdom about 110 times before he crossed into the northeastern corner of the country on Jan. 31 and vanished, The Globe and Mail newspaper reported.
Lim's detention came as a surprise to leaders of humanitarian organizations working in the secretive country.
The 3,000-member congregation is one of Canada's largest, and has held morning prayers for the pastor since his detention.
North Korean authorities said in early March that the pastor from Canada had been detained.
"The most serious crimes I have committed are that I severely slandered and impaired the supreme dignity and system of this country and perpetrated a scheme to overthrow the State," Lim read in front of local media.
"I deeply, deeply apologize from my heart, for my indescribable treason."
Lim said in his confession he had written biblical phrases and the name of his Korean-language church on sacks of food as part of a conspiracy to overthrow the North Korean government and establish a religious State.
"The basic purpose that I was so active in the [provision of] aid to this country in the past was to remove loyalty in the hearts of the North Korean people to their authorities," he noted in his confession.
Friends and family of Lim had not heard him in seven months.
The Canadian newspaper reported that no plans for Lim's release have yet been made public.
It noted that in the past, foreigners detained and then released by North Korea have said that they were made to read scripted apologies to gain their freedom.
Lim's apology was made at the People's Palace of Culture in Pyongyang, a site of similar confessions by other foreign detainees.
"The family and church are eager to have Mr. Lim home after close to seven months in detention," said Lisa Pak, a pastor at the Light Presbyterian Church, delivering a statement from Mr. Lim's family.
"There are no comments regarding the charges and allegations made against Mr. Lim except that the humanitarian aid projects that Mr. Lim has both initiated and supported in the DPRK [North Korea] have been for the betterment of the people," said Pak.
The Mississauga church had raised $4-million annually in charitable donations and spent heavily in North Korea before the detention of the pastor.
Lim had once travelled through North Korea with relative freedom, having formed connections with highly placed officials.
A pastor close to Lim told The Globe and Mail, the pastor may have got too close to a man who fell of the supreme North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un.
Lim was said to have ties with associates of Jang Song-thaek, an uncle of Kim's.
The North Korean leader ordered Jang's execution in December, 2013.
The detention of Mr. Lim came as a surprise to leaders of humanitarian organizations working in the secretive country.
(Photo: Ecumenical News / Peter Kenny)The view of the North Korean sector of the demilitarized zone seen from the South Korean side on November 2, 2013.
The World Council of Churches has expressed disappointment to South Korean President Park Geun-hye over fines imposed on members of the National Council of Churches in (South) Korea who met with their counterparts from the divided North.
South Korea's unification ministry said April 3 it had imposed fines of 2 million won ($1,740) each on those meeting North Koreans without the Seoul government's approval.
Penalties were imposed on Dr. Noh Jungsun, Rev. Jeon Yongho, Rev. Cho Hungjung, Rev. Han Giyang and Rev. Shin Seungmin, all representatives of the South Korean churches Peace and Reunification Committee, said the WCC.
That was after they participated in a meeting with the (North) Korean Christians Federation leadership in Shenyang, China, on Feb. 28 and 29.
The fines marked the first time South Korea penalized the NCCK for breaking rules regarding the meeting of North Koreans, The Korea Herald reported.
South Korean nationals need approval of their government's when meeting North Koreans.
The government has not allowed South Koreans to visit North Korea or contact North Koreans following its response to the North's nuclear test in January and a long-range rocket launch in February.
The pastors said that they had notified the ministry of their contact with the North Koreans after reaching China, which they said had not lead to problems in the past.
In a letter to Park, WCC general secretary, Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, recalled that the world churches grouping has actively promoted peace, reconciliation and reunification on the Korean peninsula for more than 30 years, the Geneva-based world churches body said on April 21.
"Through such national, regional and international ecumenical commitment and cooperation, the ecumenical movement seeks to witness to the peace of Jesus Christ and to make visible the unity of the Church in a divided and conflicted world," he wrote.
Tveit referred to a recent escalation of tensions and confrontation on the Korean peninsula.
"It is especially in this situation that encounter and dialogue is even more urgently needed," he stressed.
CRITICISM OF FINES
Tveit criticised the fines imposed on the members of the South Korean delegation.
"We do not believe that penalizing encounter and dialogue between South Korean and North Korean Christians is a necessary or effective measure for reducing tensions and advancing the cause of peace; on the contrary," he said.
"Moreover, such a measure impedes and undermines the longstanding inter-church relationship on the Korean peninsula that the WCC has sought to encourage over more than three decades."
Tveit called on the South Korean government to revoke the penalties, and appealed to President Park "not to close channels of communication and encounter, but to intensify efforts to promote dialogue at all levels."
He expressed the hope that "the cycle of threat and counter-threat can be broken, before the threshold to catastrophic conflict is one day crossed."
The WCC head urged President Park to steer her leadership "away from this precipice, towards peaceful co-existence and an end to the suspended state of war."
South and North Korea are still technically at war with each other since the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.
Considered to be the Ten Best UFO Photos Ever Taken I am sure that we could add more pictures to this list but these are considered ten o...
Update On The Baltic Sea UFO Five Years Later
A weird A weird 'alien craft' lying at the bottom of one of the world's oceans is still baffling experts five years after it was uncovered by marine explorers.
Bearing a striking similarity to the spaceship the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars, the sunken UFO, called the 'Baltic Sea Anomaly', was discovered five years ago by Swedish treasure hunters Ocean X team
A full 91m underwater, the team, led by captain Peter Lindberg and co-researcher Dennis Asberg, spotted it using a used a side-scan sonar.
But the curiosity of extra-terrestrial enthusiasts was piqued when the crew revealed a technology malfunction on their search.
Anything electric out there, and the satellite phone as well, stopped working when we were above the object, professional diver Stefan Hogerborn, part of the Ocean X team, said.
Wales Online The Star Wars Millennium Falcon space ship which has been used as an 'anomaly' comparison
And then when we got away about 200 metres, it turned on again, and when we got back over the object it didnt work.
And the mystery deepened, as geologist Steve Weiner revealed from his tests that it was not a geological formation - revealing that the structure was created from "metals which nature could not reproduce itself.
Volker Bruchert, an associate professor of geology at Stockholm University, revealed: My hypothesis is that this object, this structure was formed during the Ice Age many thousands of years ago," reports Lifes Little Mysteries.com
sonofmabarker The Baltic Sea Anomaly has long bewitched UFO enthusiasts
Lindberg and Asberg apparently told to Open Minds.tv that the samples they gave for analysis werent from the object itself, but from the vicinity of the object.
In 2015, Lindberg wrote an update for What's Up in The Sky , saying that although they had not recently visited the 'anomaly', they had passed by with the side-sonar in the water.
However, they couldn't see anything new to report.
He added of a planned upcoming visit: "We will pretty much just be able to do the same things as we did in 2012. It is not for sure yet but since we're involved in a new TV project it might give us the opportunity."
In response to a question an answer session, he told one interested commenter what he believed it could be.
sonofmabarker Captain Lindberg who found the 'craft' says he is still unsure what it is
"I think it is something natural, however very odd in its shape. It is very difficult to give an explanation what it might be exactly since different scientists have different theories.
"For example; Kyle Kingman (marine geologist) are very certain it is a paleosol, Tom Floden (marine geologist) think it might be a Manganese nodule of tremendous size, Andreas Olsson (marine archaeologist) was quite certain it must be man made after seen the blueview sonar film and videos and all other scientists who has different theories...
"So what should I, who's a simple treasure hunter and not even an amateur within the different fields of science, think?"
But Linberg's resistance to identifying the anomaly hasn't stopped alien fans from speculating that it's tech from another planet - even after five years.
Kelina and Dante were already behind the other groups on the days task: building a parallel circuit with two light bulbs and a switch. So when their partnership devolved into name-calling, my first reaction was frustration, and my first instinct was to chastise them for wasting time. Before responding, I took a deep breath and reminded myself that project-based learning is often messy and that working with others is often difficult, even for adults. Then I approached them with the hope of starting a conversation about collaboration.
Recent research has affirmed what many educators have known for ages: social-emotional learning, or SEL, is a critical component of effective education. When classrooms address skills like collaboration, empathy, and problem-solving, researchers see improvement in students academic progress as well as long-term life outcomes (including lower rates of arrest, substance abuse, and mental health problems). In addition, social-emotional skills rank among those most prized by employers .
While welcoming the whole child into the classroom has long been a best practice among early childhood educators, I have often found it difficult to make space for SEL in my high school classrooms. In high schools, an unrealistic expectation underlies the curriculum: Students should be grown up enough to check their feelings at the door and focus solely on academics. In reality, teachers know that students feelings find their way into the classroom no matter what. So instead of sweeping them under the rug, how can we make students social and emotional challenges a focus for learning and growth?
One approach is the weekly advisory period. Many schools carve out a half hour or more each week to address topics that dont fit neatly into the academic disciplines. But trying to teach tolerance or teamwork in the absence of an authentic purpose is frustrating if not futile. Whats the point of getting 25 teenagers to participate in a team-building activity, only to send them off in different directions to their academic classes? Whats the point of team-building if you dont really need your team to get the work done? If we want SEL to be meaningful, we cant separate it from the real work of the world.
Real-World Problems
Project-based learning, or PBL, is one way that teachers integrate subject areas and connect academic work to authentic problems. For example, at my school, a small project-based high school in Philadelphia, 9th graders are working in groups to produce radio shows that investigate aspects of police brutality. This project engages students in the science of radio waves, the history of police brutality, the art of interviewing community experts, and the craft of media production. The best student work will air on a local radio station this spring. Within the context of this project, my students are encountering real challenges: interviews with unfamiliar adults, conflicts with group members, and strong emotional reactions to the subject matter. Although its easy to see these challenges as obstacles to success, my colleagues and I strive to see them as opportunities to build social-emotional skills.
Project-based learning allows teachers to break down artificial barriers between subject areas, between hard skills and soft skills, between the classroom and the real world. It offers us the opportunity to address problems as they arise, instead of pushing them to the fringes of the curriculum. Inviting the whole child (and indeed, the whole world) into the classroom is not easy, and the attempt often leaves me feeling overwhelmed and underprepared. In my moments of doubt, a few ideas help me to move forward.
1. Investigate the why
Most teachers and most students are not accustomed to addressing social and emotional needs at school. It helps us both to take time to discuss why this work is important. At the beginning of the year, my students complain about not being allowed to choose groups. But after multiple conversations about the challenges and benefits of collaboration, they begin to see managing group dynamics as an inherent part of the work we do together.
2. Forgive the mess
In project-based work, moments of frustration and conflict are inevitable. Although the traditional teacher in me still recoils at signs of distress, I am learning to see these moments not as failures but as natural parts of a messy and human process. This means accepting that progress is uneven and looks different for different students. On any given project, some students may be excelling in the academic portion of the work while struggling with the social and emotional aspects; for others, it will be the opposite. Projects are not tidy affairs, and its okay to forgiveor even embracethe mess.
3. Build in time for reflection
Integrating SEL and PBL means we are asking a lot of our students. We are asking them to take on academic challenges, social challenges, and emotional challenges, all within the space of our classroom. Reflection offers a way for students (and teachers) to translate these challenges into insights about ourselves and the people around us. Here are some of the prompts I use with students during the course of project work:
What part of this project is most difficult for you? Why is it difficult?
Describe one thing you have done during this project that makes you proud. Why does it make you proud?
Who has given you feedback so far on this project? How did you respond to the feedback?
Set a goal for tomorrow. How long do you think it will take to reach this goal?
What did you learn today? What questions do you still have?
4. Enlist student supporters
Some students bring incredible social-emotional strengths to the classroom. In a traditional classroom, these strengths are often overlooked, but in a project-based classroom, these students can help facilitate growth among their peers. By asking these students to play a leadership role (for example, by supporting a student who is struggling or helping to lead a group discussion), we honor their strengths and allow others to follow their example.
5. Give positive feedback
Whenever I start feeling overwhelmedby a challenging project or a challenging studentI try to find one reason to praise a student in my class. The reason might be smalla thoughtful question, an interesting idea, an act of kindness. The act of sharing a compliment almost always shifts my mindset. It sets me on a path of noticing progress instead of fretting over obstacles, and it reminds me to see my students (and myself), not as uni-dimensional scholars, but as unique human beings.
To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020.
Mr Werner Hoyer, EIB President.
On April 27th EIB President, Werner Hoyer participated in the European Parliament's annual debate on EIB activity, taking place during a mini-plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels. The basis for this year's debate was a report on EIB activity in 2014 prepared by Bulgarian Socialist MEP Georgi Pirinski.
The EU banks role in implementing the Investment Plan for Europe was highlighted and commended by Commissioner Moscovici. In his presentation, the Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs described the Investment Plan for Europe as more than a signal, it is a driving force. The work being done is very encouraging and the work of the EIB is exemplary.
The full speech delivered by the EIB President can be found here. The debate was recorded live and can be watched here.
An international group of investigators looking into the disappearance of 43 students is leaving Mexico without having found them.
On Sunday, the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI for its acronym in Spanish) handed in its last report. The 600-plus-page document says more about the ineffectiveness of the Mexican justice system than the suspected whereabouts of the students from a rural teachers college in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero. The students were abducted in September 2014. What happened to them is still unknown.
The GIEI came to Mexico after the government signed an agreement with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in 2014 to get technical help with the case, which has become a symbol of the thousands of unsolved disappearances in the country. At the time, it was hailed as a historic opportunity to address the broader problem.
Nonetheless, GIEI said it came across instances of misinformation, and of evidence inexplicably destroyed. For example, as part of its final report, the group included video that shows government agents searching a key site in the investigation and collecting objects in Ziploc bags. The official record, GIEIE said, makes no mention of the search, and indicates that the evidence it turned up had been found a day later.
The government also reportedly broke an agreement it had made with the group to jointly arrange an analysis of a fire at a dump where the students' bodies were allegedly incinerated; instead it unilaterally released its results. And Mexican officials launched an investigation into the executive secretary of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Emilio Alvarez Icaza, accusing him of misusing funds granted by the government to GIEI for its work. It later dropped the investigation after the commission condemned it.
It isn't believed that a potential new season of True Detective would be premiering any time soon, but could HBO have just dropped a hint that the series won't be coming back at all?
During Sunday's season 6 premiere of Game of Thrones, the cable channel ran an ad detailing some of the programs and movies available on its streaming service, noting on the shows a key difference between ones that are currently still airing and ones that are finished up on the channel.
Shows like Silicon Valley and Veep were tagged as streaming "all episodes," while series which finished up already, like Boardwalk Empire and Rome were tagged as streaming the "whole series." Similarly, True Detective was tagged as "whole series," which has some wondering if the show was secretly canceled and this was HBO's way of letting fans know.
However, according to True Detective Rumors, fans shouldn't get too worried about the show's fate yet. Though there is still nothing that is suggesting the show's actual return anytime soon, the fact that the footage used in the ad was only from the heavily discredited second season can be seen as a good sign.
According to the site, because the show is an anthology series, HBO may be considering season two as being its own series, and if HBO was trying to say the series was really over, they would have also included footage from the heavily applauded first season. Though there is still no word of an official renewal, the ad doesn't suggest a third season has been canceled and is no longer in production at HBO.
The show's first season, which aired in 2014, starred Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. Following that success, a second season was ordered, and aired in 2015. That season starred Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn, Rachel McAdams and Taylor Kitsch. It wasn't received particularly well by either critics or fans.
A recent survey of more than 300 professionals worldwide found that 22 percent of respondents whose company had experienced a data breach said the breach was due to compromised credentials.
The survey, conducted by the Cloud Security Alliance and sponsored by Centrify, also found that 65 percent of respondents said the likelihood that their company would experience a breach in the future due to compromised credentials was medium to high.
We hope that these findings will encourage organizations to leverage single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, mobile and Mac management, along with privileged access security and session monitoring, in order to minimize attack surfaces, thwart in-progress attacks and achieve continuous compliance, Centrify chief product office Bill Mann said in a statement.
Separately, a Lieberman Software survey of almost 200 attendees at the RSA Conference 2016 last month found that 55 percent of IT professionals require their users to change their passwords more frequently than they change their own admin credentials.
Ten percent of IT professionals never change their administrative passwords at all, and 74 percent change them only on a monthly or less frequest basis.
Administrative passwords are the most powerful credentials in an organization the keys to the IT kingdom, Lieberman Software president and CEO Philip Lieberman said in a statement. The fact that 10 percent of IT professionals admitted that they never change these credentials is astounding. Its almost like an open invitation to hackers to come in and stay a while. In the meantime, the intruders are nosing their way around the network.
Thirty-six percent of IT professionals said passwords are shared among their IT staff, and 15 percent said that if they left their current companies, they would still be able to gain remote access with their admin credentials.
Given that insider threats are one of the biggest concerns for CISOs, knowing that more than a third of IT professionals share privileged passwords is ludicrous, Lieberman added. The same can be said about so many ex-employees who can still access administrative credentials.
A separate SecureAuth survey, conducted in conjunction with Wakefield Research, found that 35 percent of Americans write passwords down to help remember them.
When asked whats most annoying about passwords, the leading responses were keeping up with different password requirements across accounts (29 percent), meeting complex password requirements (18 percent), needing to change passwords regularly (15 percent), and getting locked out after too many incorrect attempts (12 percent).
From email to social media to your online bank account, just about every online identity requires a password, SecureAuth CEO Craig Lund said in a statement. In this high-tech age, passwords are a way of life. Many, however, are making some low-tech choices as evidenced by the 35 percent of individuals who write down passwords.
Cyber attacks cost millions of dollars a year, hurt individuals and lead to long, drawn-out lawsuits, Lund added. Just ask the FBI, Target or IRS.
A recent eSecurity Planet article looked at the 10 top password management solutions.
Younited Italia, Nicola Manzari e il nuovo Coo, Luca Faccini e Head of Growth e Domenico Petraroli e General Counsel
MINNEAPOLIS - People who have had a traumatic brain injury (TBI) may still have sleep problems a year and a half after being injured, according to a study published in the April 27, 2016, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. In addition, people with TBI may also be unaware of just how much their sleep is disturbed.
Every year in the United States, 1.7 million people experience a TBI and there is evidence that the rate of TBI is rising worldwide.
"This is the longest prospective and most comprehensive study about sleep quality and TBI to date," said study author Lukas Imbach, MD, of the University Hospital Zurich in Zurich, Switzerland. "We found that the majority of those with TBI, no matter how severe, had long-term sleep disturbances, yet didn't know."
For the study, researchers followed 31 people who had experienced a first TBI for 18 months. The injuries ranged from mild to severe. People with TBI were then compared to a control group of 42 healthy people.
Study participants were asked to report their own sleep behavior and daytime sleepiness. They were also monitored for two weeks with a device worn on the wrist that measures body movement. They also spent a night in a sleep video lab, which measures brain activity, eye movements, muscle activity and heart rhythm. They also took a test for excessive daytime sleepiness, which measures how quickly people fall asleep in a quiet environment during the day.
Researchers found that 67 percent of those with TBI suffered from excessive daytime sleepiness compared to just 19 percent of healthy people. In addition, when they were asked how sleepy they were during the day, those with TBI didn't report feeling any sleepier than those without TBI.
"Excessive daytime sleepiness is associated with public safety hazards such as car accidents, so people with TBI and their doctors should be monitoring for this problem," Imbach said. "The study also shows us that people with TBI may not be able to accurately assess their own sleep problems. Since this is how the sleep quality of many people with TBI is assessed, this may be a concern."
People with mild TBI were just as likely to have sleep problems as people with severe TBI, and the researchers did not find any other health problems that could have contributed to the sleep problems.
Researchers found that those with TBI slept longer, an average of eight hours a night, compared with healthy people who slept an average of seven hours a night.
"This study makes a compelling case that sleep-wake disorders after TBI may represent a silent epidemic," said Imbach. "It raises the question as to whether people with TBI should be referred for sleep studies. But further study is needed before any new recommendations are made or any guidelines are changed."
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The study was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and the University of Zurich.
To learn more about sleep disorders and traumatic brain injury, please visit http://www.aan.com/patients.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of 30,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.
For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.
About one in five underage youths reported consuming alcoholic jello shots in the past 30 days, and those youths were more likely to binge drink, consume more alcohol, and to have been involved in physical fights related to their drinking than their peers who did not consume jello shots, a study led by a Boston University School of Public Health researcher shows.
In the study, published in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse, Dr. Michael Siegel, professor of community health sciences, and colleagues from Johns Hopkins University and Fiorente Media, Inc., of Boston used a national sample of 1,031 youths, ages 13 to 20, to assess past 30-day consumption of jello shots.
Jello shots are alcohol-infused gelatin that can be made at home or sold in bars. Siegel and colleagues say they may contribute to the initiation of alcohol use among novice drinkers "through use of a recognizable, widely available, appealing product such as jello as a channel for alcohol consumption."
This is the first study that sought to gauge the extent of jello shot consumption among underage youths, the authors said.
The study found the prevalence of past-month jello shot consumption among the underage drinkers sampled was 20.4 percent - slightly higher for females than males. There were no significant differences by age, race or region - but there was a trend of increasing jello shot use with lower levels of household income, as well as a higher prevalence among those without Internet access, according to the findings.
Jello shot users were "significantly more likely to drink heavily" than those who did not consume the shots, consuming alcohol 2.2 days more per week, on average, than non-users, the study found. The average number of alcoholic beverages consumed per month for jello shot users was also significantly higher, at 30.9 drinks per month, compared to an average of 18.8 drinks per month for non-users.
Jello shot consumption also was significantly associated with an increase in engaging in physical fighting when drinking, the study found. A total of 18.7 percent of jello shot users reported getting into a physical fight after consuming alcohol, compared to 9.5 percent of non-users.
The most common types of alcohol reported as being used in jello shots were bourbon and vodka. Although the survey did not specifically ask what brand of alcohol was used in the shots, the most common bourbon brand consumed among youths who reported using bourbon in their shots was Jack Daniels, and the most common vodka brands reported were Smirnoff and Absolut.
The authors said their findings have several important public health implications - namely, that national agencies and organizations should consider adding jello shot consumption to their youth alcohol use surveillance systems.
Siegel said that while the researchers could not conclude that jello shot consumption was the cause of heavier drinking among youths, such consumption "appears to be associated with riskier patterns of alcohol use and increased risk of adverse consequences, suggesting that specific interventions to address this consumption may be warranted as part of the effort to reduce risky alcohol use among youths."
He and his co-authors recommended further research to clarify the causal relationship between jello shot consumption and risky patterns of drinking, and to explore which brands are most popularly used in preparing the shots.
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The study was funded by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Besides Siegel, co-authors were: Ashley Galloway, a recent graduate of BUSPH; Craig S. Ross of Fiorente Media, Inc.; and Jane Binakonsky and David H. Jernigan of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Boston University School of Public Health, founded in 1976, offers master's- and doctoral-level education in public health. The faculty in six departments (biostatistics; community health sciences; environmental health; epidemiology; global health; and health law, policy & management) conducts policy-changing public health research around the world, with the mission of improving the health of populations--especially the disadvantaged, underserved, and vulnerable--locally, nationally, and internationally.
ESO staff were present for the event, along with senior representatives of the companies that have manufactured the different components of the new system.
The Four Laser Guide Star Facility (4LGSF) shines four 22-watt laser beams into the sky to create artificial guide stars by making sodium atoms in the upper atmosphere glow so that they look just like real stars [1]. The artificial stars allow the adaptive optics systems to compensate for the blurring caused by the Earth's atmosphere and so that the telescope can create sharp images. Using more than one laser allows the turbulence in the atmosphere to be mapped in far greater detail to significantly improve the image quality over a larger field of view.
The Four Laser Guide Star Facility is an example of how ESO enables European industry to lead complex research and development projects. The fibre laser used by the 4LGSF is also one of the most successful transfers of ESO technology to industry.
TOPTICA, the German main contractor, was responsible for the laser system and provided the oscillator, the frequency doubler, and the system control software. Wilhelm Kaenders, president of TOPTICA, said: "TOPTICA has enjoyed the collaboration with ESO tremendously. It is not only the personal thrill of being engaged with astronomy, an old passion, again, and working with very clever ESO technologists; it is also the inspiration that we have received for our own commercial product development." [2]
MPBC of Canada provided the fibre laser pumps and Raman amplifiers, which are based on an ESO licensed patent. Jane Bachynski, President of MPB Communications Inc. said: "MPBC is proud to have workedwith ESO in the development of Raman fibre amplifiers to much higher powers, allowing MPBC to bring this technology to the stars. This event marks the culmination of many years of hard work on behalf of all involved." [3]
TNO in the Netherlands manufactured the optical tube assemblies, which expand the laser beams and direct them into the sky. Paul de Krom, CEO of TNO, said: "TNO valued the cooperative working environment during the development of the optical tube assemblies and looks forward to the opportunity to work with ESO and the other partners in the 4LGSF project in the future." [4]
The 4LGSF is part of the Adaptive Optics Facility on Unit Telescope 4 of the VLT, designed specifically to provide the adaptive optics systems GALACSI / MUSE and GRAAL / HAWK-I with four sodium laser guide stars. With this new facility, Paranal Observatory continues to have the most advanced and the largest number of adaptive optics systems in operation today.
The 4LGSF lasers were developed by ESO with industry and have already been procured, among others, by the Keck Observatory (which contributed to the industrial laser development cost along with the European Commission) and the Subaru Telescope. In the future these industrial lasers will also feature on the telescopes at the Gemini Observatory and will be the preferred choice for several other observatories and extremely large telescope projects.
The new techniques developed for the Four Laser Guide Star Facility pave the way for the adaptive optics system of the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT), the world's biggest eye on the sky.
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Notes
[1] The 4LGSF is the second generation laser guide star facility, built by ESO for the Adaptive Optics Facility on the UT4 VLT telescope. The two critical long-lead items for the 4LGSF, the laser system and the optical tube assemblies for the laser launch telescope systems have been procured from industry. The fibre Raman laser technology, on which the 4LGSF laser system is based, has been developed at ESO, patented and licensed to industry.
[2] This project has allowed TOPTICA to extend its products into a new wavelength and output power regime. It now produces the SodiumStar 20/2, which is recognised as a quasi-standard for existing and planned telescopes around the world. All next generation extremely large telescope projects, for example, use the SodiumStar laser as their baseline. During the seven years of collaboration with ESO the company has grown from 80 people to more than 200 today.
[3] MPBC's collaboration with ESO has also generated an additional benefit, in the form of an offshoot product line of single frequency amplification products at virtually any wavelength, supporting novel applications for the scientific and commercial research community.
[4] The developments by TNO also involved contributions from many suppliers from the Netherlands (Vernooy, Vacutech, Rovasta, Schott Benelux, Maxon Motor Benelux, IPS technology, Sensordata and WestEnd) and other international companies (RMI, Qioptiq, Laser Components, Carl Zeiss, GLP, Faes, Farnell, Eriks and Pfeiffer). The knowledge and technologies advanced by working with ESO feed into TNO's Dutch and European partners, in fields including astronomy, communications, semiconductor manufacturing, medical devices, space science and Earth observation.
More information
ESO is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world's most productive ground-based astronomical observatory by far. It is supported by 16 countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, along with the host state of Chile. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO also plays a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope, the world's most advanced visible-light astronomical observatory and two survey telescopes. VISTA works in the infrared and is the world's largest survey telescope and the VLT Survey Telescope is the largest telescope designed to exclusively survey the skies in visible light. ESO is a major partner in ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. And on Cerro Armazones, close to Paranal, ESO is building the 39-metre European Extremely Large Telescope, the E-ELT, which will become "the world's biggest eye on the sky".
Links
* GALACSI - https://www.eso.org/sci/facilities/develop/ao/sys/galacsi.html /[MUSE] - https://www.eso.org/sci/facilities/develop/instruments/muse.html
* GRAAL - https://www.eso.org/sci/facilities/develop/ao/sys/graal.html / HAWK-I - https://www.eso.org/sci/facilities/paranal/instruments/hawki/overview.html
* MPBC - http://www.mpbcommunications.com/
* Toptica - http://www.toptica.com/
* TNO - https://www.tno.nl/en/
* Previous press releases and announcements about the Laser Guide Stars:
** First of four lasers installed - http://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann15089/
** First of four lasers operating - http://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann15034/
** ESO and Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias Sign Agreement on Adaptive Optics Collaboration - http://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann14034/
** First Light for Laser Guide Star Technology Collaboration] - http://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann15010/
** New laser tested - http://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann14020/
** Fibre laser replaces dye laser - http://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann13010/
** VLT's New Laser Launchers Arrive at ESO - http://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann12012/
** ESO's New Compact Laser Guide Star Unit Tested - http://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann11039/
** ESOcast 34: How To Stop a Star's Twinkle - http://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann11060/
** Technology transfer deal sees ESO collaborate with industry - http://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann1048/
** Contract to bring new lasers to the VLT - http://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann1045/
** First light for the original single laser unit - http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso0607/
Contacts
Domenico Bonaccini Calia
ESO
Garching bei Munchen, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6567
Cell: +49 (0) 174 5246 013
Email: Domenico.Bonaccini@eso.org
Wolfgang Hackenberg
ESO
Garching bei Munchen, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6782
Email: whackenb@eso.org
Richard Hook
ESO Public Information Officer
Garching bei Munchen, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6655
Cell: +49 151 1537 3591
Email: rhook@eso.org
INRS professor and current director of Energie Materiaux Telecommunications Research Centre, Federico Rosei, known worldwide for his research in the field of organic and inorganic nanomaterials, received the Harbin Institute of Technology's highest honour: the title of honorary professor. The university is one of China's finest and known for its teaching and research in technology, particularly in the field of aerospace. In conferring this prestigious title, the Harbin Institute of Technology has shown its interest in collaborating with Professor Rosei and, by extension, with a number of his colleagues at the research centre, especially in advanced materials and renewable energy.
This acknowledgement is another testament to Professor Rosei's enviable reputation around the world, and particularly in China. The holder of the UNESCO Chair in Materials and Technologies for Energy Conversion, Saving and Storage (MATECSS) was named an honorary fellow of the Chinese Chemical Society. What's more, the Chinese government gave Professor Rosei the prestigious Chang-Jiang Scholars Award presented to internationally renowned scientists.
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About the Harbin Institute of Technology
Founded in 1920, the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) is one of China's top universities and one of the finest engineering institutions in the world. HIT conducts cutting-edge research in space science and defence technologies. It is known for its astronautics research programs, which are unrivalled in China and make HIT one of the few universities in the world to have designed, built, and launched its own satellites. Furthermore, the institute's researchers have made significant contributions to the success of the Shenzhou series and Kuaizhou series spacecraft. The International Astronomical Union named a minor planet in HIT's honour for its achievements in science and engineering.
About INRS
Institut national de recherche scientifique (INRS) is a graduate-level research and training university and ranks first in Canada for research intensity (average funding per professor). INRS brings together some 150 professors and close to 700 students and postdoctoral fellows at its four centres in Montreal, Quebec City, Laval, and Varennes. Its basic research is essential to the advancement of science in Quebec and internationally, and its research teams play a key role in the development of concrete solutions to the problems faced by our society.
The PEARL programme, funded by Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR), provides competitive funding to attract top researchers in strategic research areas for Luxembourg. Philippe Dubois, currently full professor and director of the Center of Innovation and Research in Materials & Polymers at the Mons University, has an undisputed international reputation as research leader in the field of polymers and related materials , including composites and nanocomposites. His scientific track record is impressive, with more than 600 peer-reviewed scientific papers. He is also co-inventor of more than 65 patents, about 20% of which have led to industrial processes and/ or products, including the launch of a spin-off company in Belgium. This record, as well as the "Prix Quinquennal" in applied exact sciences recently awarded by the Belgian FNRS, attests for Prof Dubois' activities bridging academic and industrial research, making him a perfect fit with the research philosophy of LIST.
"The objective is to exploit renewable carbon, biomass that is available at the surface of the planet rather than underground and to transform this renewable carbon into bio-composites and bio-plastics. We try to get rid of fossil carbon, in favour of renewable bio-resources like plants, woods, leaves, seaweed, etc." explains Philippe Dubois.
Bio-plastics can currently already be found in low added value applications like packages or textile fibres. But this only represents less than one percent of the world production of plastic materials. "The ambition of the SUSMAT project funded by PEARL is to give added value to these materials in targeting more noble applications, for example, as multifunctional bio-composites that can be used in the automotive and aeronautical sectors, or in the field of construction and electronics. This renewable carbon can then be found in computers, car linings or planes."
In fine, it means to reuse the carbon that already exists in our atmosphere (carbon dioxide, CO2) in order to transform it into materials. Philippe Dubois has been appointed scientific director of the National Composite Centre of Luxembourg (NCC-L) in January 2016. The NCC-L has the objective to accelerate industry-oriented RDI projects, which is in perfect complementarity with the SUSMAT research unit covering lower TRL scale. Via his strong international network and involvement in both NCC-L and SUSMAT unit, Prof Dubois will catalyse fruitful synergies which will allow for largely increasing the international visibility of the RDI activities of Luxembourg in the field of materials.
In the past, Philippe Dubois declined several job offers in various international laboratories, but the perspective of working in Luxembourg is a very enticing challenge for him. "I'm looking forward to coming to Luxembourg because there I will be able to continue fundamental materials research with applications of that research in industry. Even if Luxembourg is a small country, its activities in the field of materials are internationally renowned. Nearly 30.000 jobs are directly or indirectly linked to materials, what proves Luxembourg's potential in that domain."
"I am very pleased that we could convince Prof Dubois to join LIST and take up a leading role in the new National Composite Centre. This very high-profile recruitment illustrates once more FNR's strategy to build up research excellence in key strategic areas for Luxembourg", underlines Dr Marc Schiltz, Secretary General of the FNR
"We are very honoured to welcome Prof Dr Philippe Dubois at LIST. Indeed, it is essential to attract internationally renowned high profile researchers to Luxembourg, especially in domains that are of strategic importance to the country's economy. The creation of the SUSMAT unit provides a huge potential for development and dynamism, not only at LIST, but also for industrial companies in various sectors like aeronautics, automotive, construction and others," says Professor Dr Gabriel Crean, CEO of LIST.
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EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Schools that provide each student with a laptop computer, as well as the appropriate support for both students and teachers, see significant improvement in academic achievement, a new paper indicates.
Michigan State University's Binbin Zheng and colleagues analyzed years of studies on "one-to-one" laptop programs, including Zheng's own research, and found that such programs that take a comprehensive approach were linked to higher test scores in English, math, science and writing, along with other benefits.
"In the past couple decades, one-to-one laptop programs have spread widely, but so has debate about whether they are cost-effective and beneficial to educational outcomes," said Zheng, assistant professor of educational technology and lead author on the paper. "I believe this technology, if implemented correctly, is worth the cost and effort because it lifts student achievement, enhances engagement and enthusiasm among students, improves teacher-student relationships and promotes 21st century skills such as technological proficiency and problem solving."
Some scholars at the turn of the 21st century argued computers were neutral tools that would have no measurable effect on learning and likely would play the "same marginal role in schools that earlier technologies, such as radio, film and television, did," the study says.
"Just putting a laptop before a student doesn't really help them with anything," Zheng said. "Technology should not be implemented for technology's sake."
But one-to-one laptop programs, in which each student in a class, grade level, school or district gets a computer, can improve educational outcomes when there is teacher buy-in, suitable technical support and professional development for teachers, and appropriate implementation with the curriculum.
In addition to improved scores on standardized tests, the benefits of successful laptop programs include an improved writing process. "Students received more feedback on their writing, edited and revised their papers more often, drew on a wider range of resources to write and published or shared their work with others more often," Zheng said.
The researchers reviewed nearly 100 academic studies on one-to-one laptop programs dating back to 2001, although only 10 of the studies were scientifically rigorous enough to use in a statistical "meta-analysis" in the paper. Zheng said more in-depth studies are needed to further identify what works and what doesn't with one-to-one laptop programs.
With the price of some laptops now falling below $200 and schools in the United States and other countries using more computerized assessments, a growing number of schools are considering implementing individualized laptop programs.
"Knowing the general impact of these programs," the study says, "can help school districts better shape their technology policies."
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The paper appears online in the Review of Educational Research. Zheng's co-authors are Mark Warschauer, professor at the University of California, Irvine; and Chin-Hsi Lin, assistant professor, and Chi Chang, doctoral candidate, both at MSU.
Since 2006, several published studies have associated the use of some acid suppression medications in hospitalized high-risk babies with infections, necrotizing enterocolitis and increased risk of death. Those medications - histamine-2 receptor antagonists such as ranitidine (Zantac and others), and proton pump inhibitors such as esomeprazole (Nexium and others) - were originally approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in adults and older children.
Though not approved for use in newborns, doctors prescribe the drugs to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and to help with other conditions diagnosed in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). A study out online today in The Journal of Pediatrics, led by physicians and researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital shows just how frequently the drugs have been prescribed for those newborns at 43 children's hospitals across the country.
From January 2006 through March 2013, 28,989 of 122,002 of babies, or 23.8%, received a histamine-2 receptor antagonist or proton pump inhibitor. Babies diagnosed with GERD, congenital heart disease and ear, nose and throat conditions were the most likely to be prescribed the medications.
"The number is surprising, because there are now multiple studies that say these drugs are associated with harmful effects," said Jonathan L. Slaughter, MD, MPH, lead author of the study and neonatologist at Nationwide Children's. "There's actually little evidence that acid suppression helps in the NICU at all."
Some amount of stomach acid likely protects these babies, who have compromised immune systems, from harmful bacteria, according to Dr. Slaughter, who is also a principal investigator in the Center for Perinatal Research in The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's and an assistant professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
"GERD itself is over-diagnosed without complete testing," Dr. Slaughter said. "When reflux is present, reduction of acid alone does not prevent the reflux. Many symptoms commonly associated with GERD in preterm infants, such as breathing problems, are often simply due to immaturity."
The study authors found that the percentage of babies treated with histamine-2 receptor antagonists declined from 2006 to 2013, and while the percentage of babies treated with proton pump inhibitors rose until 2010, it declined afterward.
"It's encouraging that doctors are starting to pay attention to the warnings and decrease usage," Dr. Slaughter said. "In the small premature babies who are prescribed acid suppressive medications, doctors are waiting longer, until they are a little older. That's promising. But I think the numbers should be declining faster, and the research community should continue to devote resources to study the drugs' effectiveness and safety."
Most babies who are treated with the suppressive medications in the NICU continue to take them at discharge from the hospital, the study found. Doctors should consider a plan to wean the babies before they leave, Dr. Slaughter said. Among other reasons, parents want to know that their children can eventually stop the medicine.
"Parents are right to ask questions and voice concerns about starting the drugs, or about the timetable for stopping," Dr. Slaughter said. "Parents should not be afraid to ask about evidence for the medications working or about possible side effects."
Neonatologists at Nationwide Children's use acid suppressive medications in limited circumstances only after confirmation of GERD following testing, and work with the hospital's associated NICUs to ensure that only babies who can be helped by them receive them, according to Dr. Slaughter.
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Reference:
Slaughter J, Stenger M, Reagan P, Jadcherla S. Neonatal histamine-2 receptor antagonist and proton pump inhibitor treatment at United States Children's Hospitals. The Journal of Pediatrics. 2016 April 27. [Epub ahead of print]
Multiple dispersals of penguins reached Australia after the continent split from Antarctica, including 'giant penguins' that may have lived there after they went extinct elsewhere, according to a study published April 26, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Travis Park from Monash University, Australia, and colleagues.
Penguin evolution in Australia following the continent's pre-historic split from Antarctica is not well-understood, but the fossil record shows that Australia was home to a number of penguin species. Only the little penguin remains today, and pre-Quarternary evidence of this species and its ancestors in Australia is lacking. To update our understanding of Australian penguin evolutionary history, the authors of the study analysed recently collected penguin fossils and compared them to known species, including now-extinct 'giant penguins,' and presented a new phylogenetic tree in the context of biogeographical events on the Australian continent.
The authors propose that Australia's unique biogeographical history allowed for multiple dispersals of penguins to the continent during the Cenezoic or Age of Mammals, and that ancestors of the modern little penguins arrived in Australia with the help of a strengthened Antarctic Circumpolar Current.
While evolutionary trees are constructed as best estimates based on sometimes-limited fossil records, the authors suggest these findings shed new insights into the evolutionary trajectory of penguins in Australia.
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In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper: http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0153915
Citation: Park T, Fitzgerald EMG, Gallagher SJ, Tomkins E, Allan T (2016) New Miocene Fossils and the History of Penguins in Australia. PLoS ONE 11(4): e0153915. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0153915
Funding: Grant number: DP0558150, Australian Research Council, funder's website: http://www.arc.gov.au, author who received funding: SJG and ET. Funding was for fieldwork associated with geologic data collection and subsequent stratigraphic analyses only. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Tooth-marks on a 500,000-year-old hominin femur bone found in a Moroccan cave indicate that it was consumed by large carnivores, likely hyenas, according to a study published April 27, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Camille Daujeard from the Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle, France, and colleagues.
During the Middle Pleistocene, early humans likely competed for space and resources with large carnivores, who occupied many of the same areas. However, to date, little evidence for direct interaction between them in this period has been found. The authors of the present study examined the shaft of a femur from the skeleton of a 500,000-year-old hominin, found in the Moroccan cave "Grotte a Hominides" cave near Casablanca, Morocco, and found evidence of consumption by large carnivores.
The authors' examination of the bone fragment revealed various fractures and tooth marks indicative of carnivore chewing, including tooth pits as well as other scores and notches. These were clustered at the two ends of the femur, the softer parts of the bone being completely crushed. The marks were covered with sediment, suggesting that they were very old.
While the appearance of the marks indicated that they were most likely made by hyenas shortly after death, it was not possible to conclude whether the bone had been eaten as a result of predation on the hominin or had been scavenged soon after death. Nonetheless, this is the first evidence that humans were a resource for carnivores during the Middle Pleistocene in this part of Morocco, and contrasts with evidence from nearby sites that humans themselves hunted and ate carnivores. The authors suggest that depending on circumstances, hominins at this time could have both acted as hunter or scavenger, and been targeted as carrion or prey.
Camille Daujeard notes: "Although encounters and confrontations between archaic humans and large predators of this time period in North Africa must have been common, the discovery ... is one of the few examples where hominin consumption by carnivores is proven."
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In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper: http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0152284
Citation: Daujeard C, Geraads D, Gallotti R, Lefevre D, Mohib A, Raynal J-P, et al. (2016) Pleistocene Hominins as a Resource for Carnivores: A c. 500,000-Year-Old Human Femur Bearing Tooth-Marks in North Africa (Thomas Quarry I, Morocco). PLoS ONE 11(4): e0152284. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0152284
Funding: The Morocco-France Casablanca Project was jointly funded by the Ministere de la Culture of the Kingdom of Morocco (Institut National des Sciences de l'Archeologie et du Patrimoine - INSAP), the Ministere des Affaires etrangeres et du Developpement International of France, the Funding Region Aquitaine for project Origines III (contract 20101401006) and the Department of Human Evolution of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.
Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Image segmentation, the process of separating a digital image into multiple sections for individual examination, is frequently used in medical image analysis. For example, segmentation in ultrasound footage helps identify boundaries and regions of interest (ROI) that facilitate image interpretation. Efficient segmentation of ultrasound videos, however, is often complicated by low contrast, shadow effects, and complex "noise" statistics (unexplained variations). In addition, real-time applications such as navigation during operational surgery require efficient algorithms.
In an article published this month in the SIAM Journal on Imaging Sciences, authors Jiulong Liu, Xiaoqun Zhang, Bin Dong, Zuowei Shen, and Lixu Gu propose a video segmentation model to recognize ROI in ultrasounds. "The proposed model aims to track a moving boundary in ultrasound video efficiently and robustly, with a mathematically-sound framework," says Zhang. "Specifically, we tackle the problem by using wavelet frames and incorporating the noise statistics under a variational framework. The continuity and regularity of the moving boundary is effectively incorporated via weighted regularization, without introducing a heavy computational burden. The overall method can be efficiently solved with a recently-developed fast algorithm, making it useful in real-time clinical applications."
Multiple published methods of image segmentation currently exist, but Liu et al. specifically implement variational methods, which are commonly used for motion tracking and edge detection due to their modeling flexibility. "Variational methods have been demonstrated to be robust and effective for complicated image segmentation tasks," says Dong. "The variational framework permits solid theoretical analysis of the models that can well guide the modeling itself and provide fundamental understanding of the solutions."
Liu et al. also chose to incorporate wavelet frames, which collect more detail than other variational methods and efficiently segment low-quality footage, such as ultrasound video. This is especially true when the image includes features at various scales. "Wavelet frame regularization is used because the geometric structures and singularities in different scales can be identified and extracted efficiently from complex noise environments in the wavelet domain," says Shen. "It allows us to track and sharpen geometric shapes when they are segmented automatically through sequential images in the video."
The authors designed their model to segment an ultrasound video both sequentially and collectively. The model incorporates shape priors - a type of probability distribution - in single-image segmentation and computes consecutive shape priors automatically for subsequent segmentations.
Liu et al. apply their model to two ultrasound video data sets and obtain numerical results, which confirm the model's ability to efficiently track ROI. "Ultrasound imaging is an important modality in clinical application due to its low cost and portability," says Liu. "However, its related analysis for accurate diagnosis and monitoring is still challenging due to low image quality, artifacts, and noise. The numerical results on real ultrasound data sets demonstrate that the proposed wavelet frame model with distance prior can track the regions of interest effectively, in terms of both segmentation quality and computational time." The results compare favorably with other approaches.
The model's success could improve medical approaches and technology that rely on image segmentation, and Liu et al. are looking to expand its use. "The model can be further extended to other imaging modality or to locate multi-region simultaneously," says Liu. "More geometric and prior information can be used to enhance the robustness of the method." Such advancements will continue to increase the speed, efficiency, and performance of image segmentation.
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Source Article:
A Wavelet Frame Method with Shape Prior for Ultrasound Video Segmentation SIAM Journal on Imaging Sciences, 9(2), 495-519. (Online publish date: April 7, 2016).
About the Authors:
Jiulong Liu is a Ph.D. student at in the Department of Mathematics at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. His research interests are mathematical modeling and computation in medical imaging. Xiaoqun Zhang is an associate professor in the Department of Mathematics and the Institute of Natural Sciences at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Her research interests are mathematical modeling and the use of algorithms in imaging science. Bin Dong is an associate professor of mathematics at Peking University. His research interests include mathematical modeling, computation in imaging science, and high dimensional data analysis. Zuowei Shen is Tan Chin Tuan Centennial Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the National University of Singapore. He studies approximation theory and wavelet theory; time-frequency analysis, and imaging science. Lixu Gu is a professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. His research interests are in medical image analysis, pattern recognition, and computer-aided diagnosis.
JUPITER, FL - April 27, 2016 - A group including scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) has been awarded a grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health to study the role of microRNAs in a range of physiological activities, including memory, sleep, synapse function and movement.
Ron Davis, chair of TSRI's Department of Neuroscience, will be a principal investigator of the new five-year study with David Van Vactor of Harvard University, Leslie Griffith of Brandeis University and Dennis Wall of Stanford University.
"This new collaboration with some of the best scientists at some of the best universities in the world has the potential to bring us a wealth of new and potentially groundbreaking knowledge about microRNAs," Davis said. "Because microRNAs are so critical for normal development and physiology, they are a potentially rich source of therapeutic targets. Our new collaboration will help us exploit that potential."
Scripps Florida will receive approximately $2 million for the project over the next five years.
MicroRNAs, as their name suggests, are tiny bits of genetic material. Instead of being translated into proteins like many RNAs, microRNAs act to regulate gene expression -- acting like a dimmer switch on a light.
In humans there are almost 2,000 distinct microRNAs, which collectively regulate somewhere between 30 and 80 percent of human genes.
Despite their ubiquity, their importance has become evident only in the last decade or so, and details are still emerging. Davis noted a host of critical questions remain: How complex is the microRNA regulatory landscape for neural circuits mediating essential behaviors? To what extent are microRNA mechanisms used in the brain? Do they regulate distinct sets of target genes in different cell types and/or developmental stages?
The new collaborative study will use Drosophila, the common fruit fly, which is a widely recognized substitute for human memory studies, to help answer some of these questions.
The number of the grant is 1P01NS090994.
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WASHINGTON -- Quantum mechanics, with its counter-intuitive rules for describing the behavior of tiny particles like photons and atoms, holds great promise for profound advances in the security and speed of how we communicate and compute.
Now an international team of researchers has built a chip that generates multiple frequencies from a robust quantum system that produces time-bin entangled photons. In contrast to other quantum state realizations, entangled photons don't need bulky equipment to keep them in their quantum state, and they can transmit quantum information across long distances. The new device creates entangled photons that span the traditional telecommunications spectrum, making it appealing for multi-channel quantum communication and more powerful quantum computers.
"The advantages of our chip are that it's compact and cheap. It's also unique that it operates on multiple channels," said Michael Kues, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), University of Quebec, Canada.
The researchers will present their results at the Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO), which is held June 5 -10 in San Jose, California.
The basis of quantum communications and computing lies in qubits, the quantum equivalent of classical bits. Instead of representing a one or a zero, qubits can exhibit an unusual property called superposition to represent both numbers simultaneously.
In order to take full advantage of superposition to perform difficult calculations or send information securely, another weird quantum mechanical property called entanglement enters the picture. Entanglement was famously called "spooky action at a distance" by Albert Einstein. It links particles so that measurements on one instantaneously affect the other.
Kues and his colleagues used photons to realize their qubits and entangled them by sending two short laser pulses through an interferometer, a device that directs light beams along different paths and then recombines them, to generate double pulses.
To generate multiple frequencies, Kres and his colleagues sent the pulses through a tiny ring, called a microring resonator. The resonator generates photon pairs on a series of discrete frequencies, using spontaneous form-wave mixing, thus creating a frequency comb.
The interferometer the team used has one long arm and one short arm, and when a single photon comes out of the system, it is in a superposition of time states, as if it traveled through both the long arm and the short arm simultaneously.
Time-bin entanglement is a particularly robust form of photon entanglement. Photons can also have their polarization entangled, but waveguides and other types of optical equipment may alter polarization states.
Other research groups have generated time-bin entangled photons, but Kues and his colleagues are the first to create photons with multiple frequencies using the same chip. This feature can enable multiplexed and multi-channel quantum communications and increased quantum computation information capacity.
Kues notes that the chip could improve quantum key distribution, a process that lets two parties share a secret key to encrypt messages with theoretically unbreakable security. It could also serve as a component of a future quantum computer.
"In the future you may have a computer with both quantum and classical capabilities. The quantum part would only be used to solve specific problems that are difficult for classical computers," said Roberto Morandotti, a physicist at INRS and leader of the group that developed the chip.
Before quantum computers reach a desktop near you, they need to be scaled down, in terms of size, and scaled up, in terms of computing power. Morandotti, Kues and colleagues think their chip is a step in the right direction.
The team is currently working to integrate the lasers, interferometer, and microring resonator of the device into a standard photonic chip, to build logic gates for quantum state manipulation, and to increase the degree of entanglement, which is a measure of the strength of the link between particles.
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About the Presentation
The presentation, "Integrated Quantum Frequency Comb Source of Entangled Qubits," by Christian Reimer, Michael Kues, Piotr Roztocki, Benjamin Wetzel, Yaron Bromberg, Fabio Grazioso, Brent E. Little, Sai T. Chu, David J. Moss, Lucia Caspani and Roberto Morandotti will take place from 17:00 - 17:15 on Thursday, June 9, 2016 in the Executive Ballroom 210A of the San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, California, USA.
Media Registration: A media room for credentialed press and analysts will be located on-site in the San Jose Convention Center, 5-10 June 2016. Media interested in attending the event should register on the CLEO website media center: Media Center.
About CLEO
With a distinguished history as the industry's leading event on laser science, the Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO) is the premier international forum for scientific and technical optics, uniting the fields of lasers and opto-electronics by bringing together all aspects of laser technology, from basic research to industry applications. CLEO: Expo showcases the latest products and applications from more than 300 participating companies from around the world, providing hands-on demonstrations of the latest market innovations and applications. The Expo also offers valuable on-floor programming, including Market Focus and the Technology Transfer program.
Managed by The Optical Society (OSA) and sponsored by the American Physical Society's (APS) Laser Science Division, IEEE Photonics Society and OSA, CLEO provides the full range of critical developments in the field, showcasing the most significant milestones from laboratory to marketplace. With an unparalleled breadth and depth of coverage, CLEO connects all of the critical vertical markets in lasers and electro-optics. For more information, visit the event website at http://www.cleoconference.org.
CLEO 2016 takes place 5 - 10 June 2016 at the San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, California, USA. Follow developments and updates on CLEO 2016 on Twitter @CLEOConf, #CLEO16.
New research from Denmark, Canada and the US involving more than 300,000 individuals suggests that patients do not need to check their cholesterol levels on an empty stomach. So far fasting has been required before cholesterol and triglyceride measurement in all countries except Denmark, where non-fasting blood sampling has been used since 2009.
Fasting is a problem for many patients, and the latest research shows that cholesterol and triglyceride levels are similar whether you fast or not. Therefore, it is now advised that patients no longer need to fast. "This will improve patients compliance to preventive treatment aimed at reducing number of heart attacks and strokes, the main killers in the world," says Clinical Professor Borge Nordestgaard, Department of Clinical Medicine, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen.
In Denmark, the use of random, non-fasting cholesterol testing at any time of the day irrespective of food intake has been used successfully since 2009. Patients, doctors and laboratories have all benefitted from this simplified procedure. For people at work, children, patients with diabetes and the elderly it is particularly beneficial not to have to fast before blood sampling for cholesterol and triglyceride testing.
The research has just been published in the European Heart Journal.
International recommendation
This is the first international recommendation that fasting is no longer necessary before cholesterol and triglyceride testing. For cholesterol testing after a fast, patients are often inconvenienced by having to return on a separate visit and may default on essential testing. Also, because of fasting cholesterol testing doctors are burdened by having to review cholesterol findings at a later date, additional phone calls, e-mails, or even follow-up clinic visits, placing extra workloads on busy clinical staff. These problems disappear by using non-fasting cholesterol and triglyceride testing.
"That more patients will have their cholesterol and triglycerides measured will facilitate advice from their doctors on how best to prevent heart attacks and strokes in the future. We hope that non-fasting cholesterol testing will make more patients together with their doctors implement lifestyle changes and if necessary statin treatment to reduce the global burden of cardiovascular disease and premature death," adds Nordestgaard.
These recommendations represent a joint consensus statement from the European Atherosclerosis Society and European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine involving 21 World medical experts from Europe, Australia and the US.
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URBANA, Ill. - Military veterans returning from combat situations face a higher risk--above most other populations--of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms, which may include flashbacks, night terrors, and intense emotional reactions, affect not only veterans, but also the partners of veterans. Previous studies have shown a significant association between PTSD and intimate relationship problems.
Although services exist to help veterans who are experiencing trauma symptoms, they are often underutilized. Family studies researchers at the University of Illinois would like to see that change. They recently assessed an existing weeklong, intensive retreat model for veterans and their romantic partners that includes therapeutic group and couple counseling, as well as relaxation activities. They determined that this model is successful in helping to reduce symptoms and distress for the participants.
Kale Monk, a graduate research assistant in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at the U of I and lead author of the study said that many veterans with PTSD may not seek help because of the stigma associated with mental illness.
"After veterans complete their service, they may be reluctant to report some of these symptoms because they feel a sense of shame or that others would think less of them if they sought therapy," he explains. "Many service members fear that seeking treatment will have negative consequences for their career or that their security clearance will even be revoked."
He adds that another important reason veterans may not seek treatment is that they don't want to take time away from their families for long-term counseling and most services don't incorporate the partner or family. "Therapy could take anywhere from 8 sessions to months of treatment and that takes time away from service members reuniting with their families, and most people just want to go back to their lives after a long deployment. Service members and veterans indicate that they would be more willing to engage in treatment if it was brief and family focused."
Monk says this has prompted service providers to seek out brief workshops or retreats for veterans that also include their support systems.
In a recent study, Monk and colleagues assessed what they call the Veteran Couples Integrative Retreat (VCIIR) model--seeking to evaluate a specific, inclusive treatment for those who had served and may still suffer from trauma, and their partners. The model uses a holistic treatment approach including traditional therapeutic couple sessions and group psychoeducation, as well as yoga, massage, hiking, equine-assisted therapy, and other recreational wellness activities to promote relaxation.
For the current study, veterans must have had a diagnosis of PTSD or be experiencing PTSD symptoms, as well as a referral from a physician or VA clinic staff member in order to participate in the retreat.
During the weeklong retreat, participants engage in general psychoeducation, where they are given information about trauma, how it manifests, and what it looks like. Facilitators also share coping strategies for the veteran and the partner, such as how to handle stressors or identify triggers.
"In addition to the couple sessions, participants learn as a group about these different symptoms and ways of managing stress. They break into groups and talk about issues that are really salient to them with others who will understand their situation because they are coming from similar experiences. This experience sharing and sense of camaraderie seems to be really important, validating, and normalizing. When participants are not in session, they are involved in different relaxation activities and things to get them back into nature to hopefully induce a relaxing state."
The model intentionally includes veterans from a variety of generations or combat eras to allow for interaction between older and younger veterans.
Using data collected from the National Veterans Wellness and Healing Center, a total of 149 veteran couples (298 individuals) completed assessments before and immediately after the retreat as well as assessments at a 6-month follow-up to determine the effectiveness of the model. Assessments included military and civilian versions of the PTSD checklist.
The results showed a significant reduction in trauma symptoms for veterans and a significant decrease in distress for partners after the retreat.
"Obviously we wanted trauma symptoms to decline for veterans, but what's additionally encouraging is that we also saw a reduction in distress for partners. Many times you see an initial boost or benefit from a treatment and then people go back to where they started at baseline. But this was really encouraging because at 6 months out, we noticed that these benefits seemed to be maintained for both couple members. That's one of the strengths of this retreat."
Monk stressed that not all veterans returning from combat experience PTSD symptoms and not all veteran couples experience relational difficulties. However, in the United States, the lifetime risk for all people of experiencing PTSD is 8.7 percent. Scholars estimate that the risk for veterans is 18 to 54 percent for Vietnam veterans and 16 to 30 percent for veterans of the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, which illustrates that a significant proportion struggle even if most are doing well.
Sometimes partners may notice changes right away, but not all changes are indicators of PTSD. "Flat affect and a service member wanting to sleep right when they get home might be more indicative of exhaustion after a long deployment," he adds. "It can also take some time to notice some of the effects of combat. For some in our study, they struggled with symptoms for years. One Vietnam veteran indicated that he had been struggling for 40 years, but these retreats helped him identify where the distress was coming from."
Because of the model's potential success, the researchers are now replicating the study as 4-day retreats. "We are still finding similar outcomes as we did in the weeklong retreat study," Monk says. "In the new project we are also assessing relationship functioning in those that attend. Looking at the preliminary data, we're finding that the retreats may also improve relationship quality."
The retreats are currently free to veterans through grant funding and the contributions of communities where the retreats are held.
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For more information on assisting with or attending a retreat go to http://invisiblewound.org/retreats/ or http://veteranswellnessandhealing.org/.
"Veteran couples integrative intensive retreat model: An intervention for military veterans and their relational partners," is published in the Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy and is available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15332691.2015.1089803. Co Authors include J. Kale Monk and Brian Ogolsky, of the University of Illinois, and Victoria Bruner, clinical consultant, Chicago, Ill.
A new book by a University of Kent expert on political conflict resolution provides a template for policy-makers on how to manage peace processes.
The book, entitled Designing Peace (University of Pennsylvania Press) by Dr Neophytos Loizides, of the University's School of Politics and International Relations (POLIR), makes use of case studies from nations around the world to show how conflicts can be effectively managed to ensure effective power-sharing and durable solutions for populations dispersed by war.
Dr Loizides draws on evidence from Northern Ireland, South Africa, the Balkans, Colombia, Lebanon and Iraq to demonstrate which innovations deliver results in contemporary conflict management.
He focusses particularly on Cyprus throughout the book, showing how it could inspire similar conflict resolution elsewhere and provide an inspiring model for the entire Middle East.
He identifies effective support mechanisms for victim groups, including displaced persons and relatives of missing persons which have been used in different ways in different countries.
Dr Loizides also highlights strategies to maintain grassroots support in peace processes, particularly in referendums and emphasises four critical examples of institutional innovations of relevance to Cyprus and other divided societies.
Dr Loizides is Leverhulme Trust Research Fellow and Reader in International Conflict Analysis at POLIR.
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Two University of Strathclyde Chemistry PhD students, who are part of a collaborative industrial PhD programme with global healthcare company GSK, have secured success at a UK-wide conference and awards ceremony, held at the House of Commons.
Joanna Sadler won the gold medal in the Chemistry category of the SET for Britain awards poster competition at Westminster, while Joshua Barham received the silver medal in the same category.
They presented their research to politicians and a panel of expert judges in the competition, run by the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee. The awards are presented annually to encourage, support, and promote the UK's early-stage and early-career research scientists, engineers, technologists, and mathematicians.
Joanna won the gold medal after presenting her research into the use of enzymes as catalysts.
She said: "Presenting my work to MPs was a fantastic experience. Not only was it a great opportunity to raise awareness of early career researchers' work, it was also an interesting challenge to present a technical piece of work to an audience of non-scientists. This made me look at my research from a new perspective.
"The motivation behind my research is to drive a more sustainable future for synthetic organic chemistry, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry. In the Synthetic Biochemistry team at GSK, our approach is to use enzymes in place of traditional chemical catalysis.
"My particular interest is in enzymes known as methyltransferases, which speed up carbon-to-carbon bond forming reactions. Nature provides many enzymes capable of doing this and my PhD is focused on one in particular, called NovO.
"In order to turn NovO into a useful biocatalyst for synthetic chemistry, we discovered its structure, mechanism, and scope for reactions. This foundation has given us an excellent platform on which to evolve the enzyme rationally towards non-natural but more synthetically useful compounds.
I've had invaluable support in my research from my colleagues at GSK and the Strathclyde Chemistry community. In particular my two supervisors, Dr Luke Humphreys at GSK and Dr Glenn Burley at Strathclyde, have been instrumental in supporting and guiding me throughout the programme.
Joshua received the silver medal for his research into pioneering visible light as a clean, efficient, and safe energy source for the sustainable manufacture of pharmaceuticals.
He said: "The SET for Britain event was a great networking opportunity. To be shortlisted was an achievement in itself, and I was thrilled to be awarded the silver medal.
"Visible light is one of the most abundant energy sources in the solar system. Just as the wider population aims to harness visible light as a sustainable source of power, so does the organic chemist in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals.
"In GSK's Research & Development team, visible light photocatalysis is being investigated for more efficient, safe, and sustainable routes to medicines.
"My research would not have been possible without the supportive and collaborative nature of GSK and the University of Strathclyde. As well as chemists at GSK and Professor John Murphy's Chemistry group at Strathclyde, I have received support from Professor David Birch's Physics group at Strathclyde, which has helped with an essential component of my research."
Joanna and Joshua's success marks the fourth time in five years that Strathclyde has had a winner at SET For Britain. They follow Natalie Theodoulou, winner of the Chemistry silver in 2015, Graham Robertson, winner of the Biology gold in 2014, and Jeannette Heiligers, winner of the Engineering gold in 2012.
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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (April 27, 2016)--In honor of his immeasurable contributions to the study and treatment of movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) will present renowned neuroscientist and clinician Stanley Fahn, M.D., with the 2016 Jay Van Andel Award for Outstanding Parkinson's Disease Research. The award ceremony and Fahn's accompanying lecture will kick off VARI's annual Grand Challenges in Parkinson's Disease symposium, which will be held Sept. 26-27 at the Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
"It is impossible to fully describe Dr. Fahn's vast contributions to the study and treatment of Parkinson's and other movement disorders," said Darren Moore, Ph.D., VARI associate professor and chair of the Grand Challenges scientific program committee. "His scientific and clinical achievements are matched only by his steadfast and admirable dedication to education, mentorship and partnering with the Parkinson's community. We are honored to present Dr. Fahn with this award and to have him give the opening talk for what promises to be an excellent symposium."
Fahn is one of the founders of the field of movement disorders, which encompasses Parkinson's, dystonia, tremor and other diseases that affect motor function. He played integral roles in the development of several rating scales used to determine the severity of a person's disease, including the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, the Fahn-Marsden scale for dystonia, and the Shoulson-Fahn rating scale for Huntington's disease, and the Lang-Fahn Dyskinesia ADL scale.
He is widely considered to be one of the top doctors in the U.S., and is a practicing physician at New York-Presbyterian, as well as the H. Houston Merritt Professor of Neurology and director emeritus of the Center for Parkinson's Disease at Columbia University. Fahn founded the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society and served as chairman of its steering committee for many years, in addition to many other prestigious appointments.
The award was established in 2012 in memory of Van Andel Institute Founder Jay Van Andel, who battled Parkinson's disease for a decade before his death in 2004. The honor is given to scientists who have made outstanding contributions to Parkinson's disease research and have positively impacted human health. Past winners include Maria Grazia Spillantini, FRS, FMedSci; Robert Nussbaum, M.D.; Andrew John Lees, M.D., FRCP, FMedSci; Alim-Louis Benabid, M.D., Ph.D.; and Andrew Singleton, Ph.D.
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ABOUT GRAND CHALLENGES IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE
Now in its fifth year, the annual Grand Challenges in Parkinson's Disease symposium continues to grow. Last year, it drew more than 320 scientists, clinicians, advocates and people with Parkinson's to the Institute to discuss the latest research and foster collaboration. This year's theme, Genes and Pathways, focuses on the role of genetics in Parkinson's, particularly how certain genes and pathways contribute to disease pathogenesis and how they can be targeted for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The Institute and UK-based research charity The Cure Parkinson's Trust also are pleased to host the third Rallying to the Challenge in parallel with Grand Challenges. Designed for and by people with Parkinson's, Rallying to the Challenge aims to positively impact research, treatment and the clinical trial process. For more information, visit http://www.grandchallengesinpd.org.
ABOUT VAN ANDEL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Van Andel Institute (VAI) is an independent nonprofit biomedical research and science education organization committed to improving the health and enhancing the lives of current and future generations. Established by Jay and Betty Van Andel in 1996 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, VAI has grown into a premier research and educational institution that supports the work of more than 350 scientists, educators and staff. Van Andel Research Institute (VARI), VAI's research division, is dedicated to determining the epigenetic, genetic, molecular and cellular origins of cancer, Parkinson's and other diseases and translating those findings into effective therapies. The Institute's scientists work in onsite laboratories and participate in collaborative partnerships that span the globe. Learn more about Van Andel Institute or donate by visiting http://www.vai.org. 100% To Research, Discovery & Hope
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The announcement this week of the 2016 Texas Business Hall of Fame inductees had some people scratching their heads.
Should Warren Buffett, the Oracle of Omaha, also known as one of the worlds richest people, be in the Texas Business Hall of Fame?
Buffett and the vice chairman of Buffetts investment company Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Charles Munger, will be inducted Oct. 27 during a San Antonio gala dinner to be held by the organization, along with five other Texas-based business people.
As word went out late Monday afternoon and Tuesday, questions came in.
Why is Buffett being inducted in the Texas Hall of Fame? I presumed that honor was reserved for Texans, wrote San Antonio Express-News reader Tim Swan in an email. If business interests in Texas are the criteria, then Bill Gates, Elon Musk and legions of others have been long overlooked. It sort of takes the significance out of the title, doesnt it?
Our (selection) criteria is broader than just people who live in Texas, said Kirk McDonald, board chairman for the Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation and the finance executive director for the Zachry Group in San Antonio.
Texas Business Hall of Fame inductees can be people born in Texas but who spent most of the careers outside of the state. They also can be people from outside the state whose companies have substantial anchors in Texas, McDonald explained.
Frank Bennack Jr., a 2012 inductee known mainly for his long career in New York City as CEO for the Hearst Corp., started his career rising through the ranks to publisher of the San Antonio Light. Hearst, which owned the Light, acquired the San Antonio Express-News in 1993.
In Buffetts case, his Nebraska-based investment company, Berkshire Hathaway, operates several Texas-based companies. They include the giant Fort Worth-based BNSF Railway and the McLane Co. Inc. in Tyler, a supply logistics firm, McDonald said.
Houston-based Star Furniture is a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary, too. Berkshire Hathaway also is a holding company for Dairy Queen, a Minneapolis-based restaurant chain thats popular in Texas and elsewhere. Buffetts company maintains a large holding in Coca-Cola, which operates bottling plants in Texas.
Its quite a list when you look at it, McDonald said. Our focus is to recognize the impact of investments in the Texas economy and in Texas business. We dont think Buffett takes away from the significance of the Texas Business Hall of Fame.
We look carefully at the tenor, the leadership and the long involvement of inductees, McDonald added. Texas has a huge business economy, and many people are involved.
Buffett, 85, is the third-wealthiest person in the world, according to Forbes magazine, which lists his net worth at $68.8 billion.
Buffett and Munger are scheduled to attend the Oct. 27 Texas Business Hall of Fame gala in San Antonio at the downtown Grand Hyatt Hotel, McDonald said. Former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros will be master of ceremonies.
More than 1,000 people attended the most recent Texas Business Hall of Fame gala in San Antonio, in 2013, a sellout also at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. The annual gala is held in San Antonio every three years, alternating with Houston and Dallas.
In 2013, the Texas Business Hall of Fame inducted, in another unusual move, the more than 80,000 employees, called partners, of San Antonio-based H-E-B at the grocery chains request instead of inducting H-E-B Chairman and CEO Charles Butt.
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H-E-B President and Chief Operating Officer Craig Boyan accepted on behalf of the employees.
Along with Buffett and Munger, the three 2016 inductees from San Antonio will be Broadway Bank Chairman Emeritus Charles Cheever Jr., Gordon Hartman Family Foundation founder Gordon Hartman and CeloNova BioSciences Inc. Executive Board Chairman Dennert Ware.
Two other inductees are from outside San Antonio. They are Abilene-based Mansefeldt Investment Corp. Chairwoman Dian Graves Stai and Dallas-based Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly.
Ware said he found out a few days ago of his selection into the Texas Business Hall of Fame and that he would go in with Buffett and Munger.
Thats quite an honor, Ware said. Those are some well-known names in the world. Im so humbled and appreciative.
The Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation uses gala proceeds and donations to fund more than 30 scholarships of $15,000 each annually to Texas university students statewide. The students are chosen based on their entrepreneurial pursuits and capabilities, McDonald said.
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NEW BERLIN, N.Y. The 2,000 full-time employees of Chobani were handed quite the surprise Tuesday: an ownership stake in the yogurt company that could make some of them millionaires.
Hamdi Ulukaya, the Turkish immigrant who founded Chobani in 2005, told workers at the companys plant in upstate New York that he would be giving them shares worth up to 10 percent of the company when it goes public or is sold. The goal, he said, is to pass along the wealth they have helped build in the decade since the company started. Chobani is now widely considered to be worth several billion dollars.
Ive built something I never thought would be such a success, but I cannot think of Chobani being built without all these people, Ulukaya said in an interview in his Manhattan office that was granted on the condition that no details of the program would be disclosed before the announcement. Now theyll be working to build the company even more and building their future at the same time.
Employees got the news Tuesday morning. Each worker received a white packet; inside was information about how many Chobani Shares they were given. The number of shares given to each person is based on tenure, so the longer an employee has been at the company, the bigger the stake.
Two years ago, when Chobani received a loan from TPG Capital, a private equity firm, the companys value was estimated at $3 billion to $5 billion. At the $3 billion valuation, the average employee payout would be $150,000. The earliest employees, though, will most likely be given many more shares, possibly worth over $1 million.
The shares given to employees are coming directly from Ulukaya, who owns the vast majority of the company. The shares could be sold on private markets, or the employees could wait for the company to go public or be bought by another business, neither of which seems imminent.
This sort of transfer of shares to employees is rare in the food industry. In one of the few notable examples, Bob Moore, the founder of Bobs Red Mill, a grains and cereals company, handed control of the company to its employees in 2010 with the creation of an employee stock ownership program.
The unusual announcement comes before TPG Capital, which helped bail out Chobani with a $750 million loan, can buy a stake in the company. Tension between Ulukaya and TPG about the direction of the company emerged shortly after the deal.
TPG has warrants to purchase 20 percent or more of Chobanis shares, depending on targets set in the original deal it struck. But that percentage would now be calculated from the 90 percent of the remaining shares, after the 10 percent given to the employees, essentially diluting TPGs potential stake.
In addition, a year ago, Ulukaya settled a lawsuit with his ex-wife, who was seeking a stake in the company. The terms of the settlement were not released.
Technology startups often pay employees partly in shares to help recruit them and sometimes because they do not have the cash to pay employees competitive wages. Early employees of Google and Facebook became overnight multimillionaires thanks to such compensation.
But unlike many of those tech companies, Ulukaya is giving his employees a piece of the company after its value is firmly established.
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Ulukaya has played a hands-on role in the company since 2005, when he bought a defunct Kraft yogurt plant here with an $800,000 loan from the Small Business Administration. Two years later, he began selling Greek yogurt, a largely unknown product in the United States, setting off a heated competition in what had previously been one of the sleepier refrigerated cases in grocery stores.
Chobani pays employees above the minimum wage and offers full-time employees health and other benefits. Early on, Ulukaya established a 401(k) plan for employees and pushed them to participate.
I preached and nagged and tried to force them to do it, he said. Unfortunately, not all did, and Ive continued to worry about them in retirement.
Ulukaya will still own the vast majority of the company, though his stake will be diluted as well. He said that giving his employees a stake in the companys success was among the terms he demanded when the deal with TPG was struck. The terms also included a commitment to never substitute cheaper ingredients in Chobanis products, among other things.
I want Chobani to be here for a very long time, he said. And doing this, giving my employees a chance to be part of that future, is part of that.
In the latest development in AtticReps push to extend its reach well beyond San Antonio, the company is taking its staging of The Amish Project to the Intercultural Festival Laboratory of Theatre Practices in Rome this summer.
Im still a little stunned and in shock, said actress Sarah Gise, who will be reprising her performance in the piece in Italy. It still seems like a dream, but its real.
Gise will be making the trip her first journey overseas with Roberto Prestigiacomo, AtticReps producing artistic director and a native Roman; stage manager Madeline Hull; and Tristan Harness, a Trinity University student who received a grant to make the trip and will be writing a paper about it.
Its going to be great, said Prestigiacomo, who has also worked on AtticRep projects in Taiwan and in India. Its very exciting.
Gise comprises the entire cast of The Amish Project. The piece is based on the 2006 mass shooting at an Amish schoolhouse and the response of the Amish community. Gise plays all seven roles, including two of the victims, the shooter and the wife he left behind to deal with the fallout from his actions. The piece is not so much about the crime as it is about acts of grace and forgiveness that followed it.
Its an important show that I think is really timely, Gise said.
This will be the second year that AtticRep has participated in the festival, which brings together theater artists from around the world for 12 days of workshops, performances, discussions and cultural exchanges. It takes place June 22-July 3.
The Rome festival is presented by Teatro Potlach, the Italian theater company that brought its Invisible Cities project to Trinity University last September. Invisible Cities uses all sorts of theatrical devices and visual arts elements including digital projections, lighting and performance to transform everyday spaces into something magical. The company did just that at Trinitys Ruth Taylor Theater building for a single evening last September.
Invisible Cities will be part of the festival, as well. AtticRep will be working with Teatro Potlach to transform an entire village. It is possible that The Amish Project will be worked into that.
Prestigiacomo is looking forward to working with Teatro Potlach founder and artistic director Pino Di Buduo.
Pino will be there, and to learn from the guy who creates this will be fantastic, he said.
AtticRep is raising funds for the trip through the Big Give S.A., the massive fund-raising effort that calls on donors to help all sorts of nonprofits across the region for a 24-hour period on May 3. Information on how to donate can be found at thebiggivesa.org.
dlmartin@express-news.net
Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN
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Of course, the classic margarita of tequila, lime juice and triple sec is perfect in its own right, but if youre going to make a batch of them for Cinco de Mayo, why not up your game and infuse the tequila with different flavors?
Sweet, sour, hot, herbaceous, fruity the combinations are limitless, and any good spirit can take on fun new tastes.
Infusions are really easy, said Jordan Corney of Bohanans Bar and the winner of Patron tequilas 2016 Margarita of the Year competition. You just need a cool dark place and some time.
Infusions, in fact, abound at bars throughout San Antonio.
At Cured in The Pearl, the signature cocktail stars moonshine infused with thyme, ginger and lemon. The best moonshines by far on the bar menu at Mashd at The Rim are those infused in-house, such as with watermelon, pineapple and vanilla bean and blueberry.
El Colegio bar inside the Omni La Mansion del Rio hotel features a margarita called the Mexican Firing Squad that highlights a jalapeno and strawberry-infused tequila. And at the Aldacos locations in Stone Oak and near The Dominion, the famed Martini Azteca uses tequila infused with jalapenos and guava.
But perhaps the most extensive collection of infused spirits in town belongs to The Fruteria on South Flores, which features at least six infused spirits on its cocktail menu, including a tequila blanco with berries and Mexican cinnamon; a tequila anejo with three types of dried chiles, toasted cinnamon and orange rind; a tequila blanco with six types of fresh chiles including jalapenos and habanero; mezcal with pineapple, orange and vanilla bean and a cucumber-infused vodka. And right now, assistant general manager Hilario Bautista is infusing gin with Fresno chiles.
Bautista advises would-be infusers to start with fresh produce and a decent quality spirit, but nothing too high end. You dont want the infusions to overpower the subtleties of an expensive spirit. If youre talking tequila, you usually want a good blanco, especially if youre looking at including fruits.
Typically when you have an aged tequila, you have a lot of vanilla notes, Bautista said. When you have something like strawberry, thats already sweet, you dont want to end up with something thats too sweet.
For other flavors for tequila, Corney advises trying peeled ginger, habaneros, jalapenos, prickly pear, pineapple or mango.
And how much fruit and how long to let the items infuse?
For the most part, thats up to personal preference, but its best to check on it while the flavorings steep in the spirit.
Shake it every day and taste it, Bautista said. Once youre happy with your product, strain it and store it (in the refrigerator).
At The Fruteria, most of the fruit infusions take about five days, while a batch of Aldacos jalapeno- and guava-infused tequila takes two days, or maybe a little more. Owner Blanca Aldaco said she combines fresh guava with Goya brand guava paste in the tequila before she strains it.
That tequila, when it comes out, its spicy and sweet, she said. Its really good, but really strong.
So take a clean glass container and fill it with your favorite fruits, herbs, spices, vegetables or chiles and add it to your favorite spirit. Cover the container, keep it out of direct sunlight, taste it regularly, and when youre finished, strain it and store it in the refrigerator just to be safe.
And what about the fruits and veggies that gave their essence to the infusions? If you want to munch on them, go ahead but watch out.
Some people like to eat the alcohol-soaked fruits afterward, Bohanans Corney said. But proceed with caution if you choose to, because it will be very, very strong.
etijerina@express-news.net
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AUSTIN Cecilia Abbott didnt give up her volunteer commitment to Meals on Wheels when her husband was elected governor, knowing that the program means more than food to the homebound people it serves.
We are not just providing a nutritious meal. We are also providing a human touch and a moment of conversation to feed a hungry soul, she said, expressing gratitude to her fellow volunteers for their service.
On Wednesday, Abbott launched an initiative to help spur others to give their time or money, saying it would be her priority after more than a year of meeting volunteers around the state as Texas first lady.
I believe that we are each called to service, she said, surrounded by representatives of a variety of volunteer organizations in front of the Governors Mansion.
That service may be simply sharing a warm smile a warm meal or a warm coat from our closet. That service may be giving just an hour of our time or a few dollars at a time, she said. I look forward to working with all Texans to bring together the two things that I am most passionate about: Texas and philanthropy.
With that, she launched the Texanthropy Initiative, which includes a website that will put a spotlight on volunteers and their organizations and provide information on volunteer opportunities.
Among those who joined her Wednesday were volunteers and leaders from Meals on Wheels and More of Austin, the organization for which she volunteers, and Dwayne Hopkins, executive director of Fisher House Inc. at Lackland Air Force Base in her hometown of San Antonio.
Fisher House provides a place to stay for the families of military members who are seriously ill or injured and are patients at nearby military medical facilities. There are dozens such houses across Texas, she said.
Abbott is following in the tradition of first ladies use their position to advocate for causes.
Anita Perry - the wife of Texas longest-serving governor, Rick Perry - is a former nurse who highlighted healthcare issues. She also championed the effort to raise private funds to help restore the Governors Mansion after it suffered significant arson damage.
Laura Bush, a former librarian, established the Texas Book Festival when George W. Bush was governor.
Rita Crocker Clements, wife of the late former Gov. Bill Clements, spearheaded private fund-raising efforts to help refurbish the Governors Mansion when he held office.
Rebecca E. Deen, chair of the department of political science at the University of Texas at Arlington, said Abbotts choice puts a spotlight on an area that needs attention.
I teach a class on civic engagement and weve been exploring data on volunteering at the national and state level. Texas ranks pretty low on many measures, she said.
Involvement in volunteer organizations increases the connections among people and can increase trust, she said. That can increase more explicit forms of political participation, she said, such as voting, volunteering in campaigns and writing letters to the editor.
This volunteer focus is a good fit for Texas, Deen said.
pfikac@express-news.net
Twitter: @pfikac
by Jonathan Ebanks | Wed, Apr 27th 2:42pm EDT
Chris Bosh and his wife, Adrienne Bosh, have reaffirmed Bosh's desire to play on social media after not saying anything to the public for weeks. The Miami Heat have since come out and said there are no plans for Bosh to play this season. (ESPN)
Fantasy Impact:
It's probable that over the last several weeks Bosh has been trying to find a doctor who would clear him to play. What seems to be at the core of this is a liability issue. If the Heat were to clear Bosh to play and anything else happened to him with these blood clots that caused severe and debilitating damage to him, then the Heat would be liable for that. The Heat are merely going the safe route with the superstar to avoid any liability issues. There is likely no team in the league that would clear Bosh in light of these circumstances, no matter how desperately they need him on the court. It's far too risky from a legal and financial standpoint.
COLUMBUS Ohio soybeans planted from May 1 through mid-May resulted in better yields, according to a study by researchers from Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.
Soybean yields
In the study of 2013 and 2014 planting trials at OARDCs Western Agricultural Research Station near South Charleston, Ohio, soybean yields decreased by 0.6 bushels per acre per day when planted after mid-May, according to Laura Lindsey, a soybean and small grains specialist with OSU Extension.
Soil tempertures
Those yield results held true if the soil temperatures were 50 degrees or warmer.
However, soybeans planted too early when soil conditions were not adequate resulted in bean leaf beetle defoliation and frost damage.
Planting conditions
In a recent posting in the colleges Crop Observation and Recommendation Network (C.O.R.N) newsletter, Lindsey said soybean growers need to consider planting conditions before heading to the field.
Soybean germination begins when soil temperatures reach 50 degrees and moisture is present at the planting depth of 1-1.5 inches, she said. With these conditions, emergence can typically be expected 2-3 weeks after planting.
Lindsey cautions growers not to plant early if the soil is excessively cold or wet.
Slower germination and compaction can negate the benefits of the earlier planting date, she said.
Row spacing
Seeding rates and row spacing are also important to consider to achieve optimum soybean yields, Lindsey said.
Preliminary results of another two-year study of soybean seeding rates and row spacing show fields with between 100,000-140,000 plants per acre at harvest will result in yields that generally provide the maximum economic return, she said.
The study also found that soybeans planted at 7.5- and 15-inch row widths outyielded soybeans planted at 30-inch row widths, Lindsey said.
Soybeans planted in the 30-inch rows yielded on average 15 to 20 percent lower than those planted in the narrower rows.
The study, which is funded by the Ohio Soybean Council, will also use data from this years growing season to compare to last years results.
EDISON, Ohio Try as he might, the Linder brothers could not be convinced by their father to raise livestock on their grain farm in Morrow County. But one thing did stick with John and Mike, and that was the importance of conservation on the family farm.
John, his wife, Cheryl, and brother, Mike, make up the Linder Farms partnership in Edison, Ohio. The row-crop operation consists of corn, soybeans and some wheat.
Beginnings
John and Mikes father, William, started the farm after serving in World War II. Mike joined his father after finishing school in 1972. I remember building (the farms first silos) with Dad, with just a wrench and hand ratchet, said Mike the silos are still standing proudly on the main farm.
John officially joined the operation in 79, and the Linder Farms partnership was formed between John, Mike and their father in 1980. But as John and Mike became more involved, the operation began to shift. Dad always had livestock, but try as he might, he could not convince his sons to continue with animals, said John. We would rather turn the key and pull the levers, he added.
Conservation
But there is one thing their father instilled in them: the value of water quality and conservation. William Linder was a member of the Morrow Soil and Water Conservation District and an advocate of conservation, explained John.
He put filter strips on drainage ditches and made sure his sons understood the value of grass waterways and filter strips, he said. That is why Linder Farms is predominantly a no-till operation today, although John said they did some minor tillage following heavy rains last year to offset ponding and compaction issues.
We are constantly improving waterways and filter strips. Its part of what is necessary for good stewardship, he said.
Technology
The Linders also are quick to explore advancing technologies in agriculture. Equipment is set up with GPS technologies for accuracy, and John said they have used yield mapping for years. We have always enjoyed newer technology and have seen what it has done over the years, said John.
Mike Linder is head of seed technologies, managing site-specific yield monitoring, soil testing, productivity and soil enhancements. He also develops application maps for nutrient placement.
Both John and Mike are working on further testing on variable rate populations and have recently upgraded an older model planter to the newest brand available so they could plant at variable rates, depending on the site.
Tractor pulling
And then theres the pulling team. The Linder brothers took up tractor pulling in 1980 with a restored John Deere 4320 they rescued from a bank barn that had caught fire.
And that Deere has earned them a pretty impressive resume over the years, with six national titles, various wins at Bowling Green, Ohio State Tractor Pullers Association (OSTPA) puller of the year, National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA) pro stock puller of the year and NTPA rookie of the year, as well as various OSTPA points wins.
Recently, the Linder Brothers Pro Stock joined the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League, which will mean pulling in six states Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Bigger role
While tractor pulling is a hobby for both brothers, Mike has found his way to give back by volunteering on the board for OSTPA. John, on the other hand, finds his niche in being a part of the Ohio Corn and Wheat marketing board. Mike and I have always felt there is value in anything you put in, John said about the importance of volunteering and being a part of the community.
Brazil trip
Johns recent mission trip to Brazil through Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association gave insight into the challenging corn market U.S. growers face, and explored how one of the U.S.s largest competitors is handling its corn supply. We have an enormous amount of corn in the U.S. and its a bit of a challenge in margins and export markets, said John. It helps you understand our place in the world market.
The Brazilian climate allows them to use ground for production year-round. Its amazing the amount of corn they are producing, and it seems to be a little under the radar, said John. Brazil also has high acreage in soybeans and a strong potential to have lots of acreage in cotton.
So how do they handle their growing supply? Where there is a will, there is a way, John said of what seems to be the mantra of Brazilian farmers. They farm in large groups of many families. They stay independent but, they recognize the advantages of working together, said John.
We (U.S.) need to be members of our commodity groups so we can get the benefits, he said. Weve got the tools if we use them. John also said free trade agreements, like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, are going to be beneficial to American farmers.
Family style
There is plenty of work to go around and the Linder family has jumped on board to help make it a successful operation. Johns two daughters, Joanna Gall and Katie Post, are becoming more involved in the family operation.
They always said they want to be a part of the farm at some level, said John. While John mostly handles the bookwork and marketing for the farm, Joanna, who has a full-time job off the farm as a grain merchandiser, assists. Joannas husband, Mike Gall, has found himself a position as full-time farm hand, working alongside John and Mike.
While Katie is finishing up graduate work at Ohio State University, John said he is excited to incorporating her skills into the farm. She has a background in agronomy and has worked as an intern doing crop scouting.
Our goal is to be here through the kids and into the future, said John. We are being proactive now in offering (help) at an adviser level while were are still here.
AHDB 'Activity Review'
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has published a report on the Activity Review it undertook last autumn and winter to listen to levy payers views on challenges facing their businesses and priorities for AHDB activity.
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has published a report on the Activity Review it undertook last autumn and winter to listen to levy payers views on challenges facing their businesses and priorities for AHDB activity.
AHDB staff held 15 open levy payer meetings around Britain with more than 300 attendees and also collected 670 survey forms.
AHDB is a UK-wide Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by Defra and primarily funded by farmers, growers and others in the supply chain through statutory levies.
Tom Hind, AHDBs Chief Strategy Officer, said: "The aim of the activity review was to get a root and branch perspective from farmers, growers, processors and key stakeholders on the key challenges and opportunities they face as well as the areas where they feel AHDB can make the biggest impact on their businesses.
"Above all this was a listening exercise and we are extremely grateful to all those who took the time to participate.
"Its little surprise that low profitability and volatility come through as two key challenges facing businesses.
"Levy payers want AHDB to do more to help producers cope better with global market volatility, develop the brand reputation of British food at home and overseas and grow the market.
They also want us to communicate better with them and more clearly demonstrate the value of AHDB work to levy payers.
"The report were releasing today brings together the key findings. What matters now is how AHDB and its sector boards respond to the challenges identified by levy payers.
"Were making some changes already strengthening our evaluation, reviewing our communications, improving our digital capability and adjusting our sector plans.
"Through the coming months our Boards will be reviewing their strategies to ensure they are focused on making the biggest difference for levy payers in each sector."
Changes to AHDB sector plans
AHDB Dairy has announced a significant change to its business plan (20162019).
Funding has been made available to support market development activity to the tune of 3.5 million over three years.
This will enable AHDB to extend its export market development activities to support dairy manufacturers in exploiting market opportunities overseas.
Funding is also being made available to explore opportunities jointly with Dairy UK to promote the nutritional benefits of dairy products.
AHDB Potatoes has made changes to its business plan (20162019) that signal a shift towards a greater focus on farm productivity.
This will build on the initial success of the Strategic Potato Farm concept with further sites identified in Scotland and eastern England.
Reviewing communication
AHDBs internal change programme has seen the creation of a dedicated communications team that will be reviewing all communications activities and delivery channels.
This is to ensure communications to farmers, growers, processors, key stakeholders, consumers and policymakers are relevant and targeted.
Alongside this, a review of digital and online activities aims to deliver better value for money by creating joined-up, accessible and interactive digital platforms.
Communications in Scotland will be bolstered to ensure that information is tailored to meet the needs of the audience and maximises the opportunity to communicate through the Scottish media.
Evaluation and impact assessment
AHDB is putting in place evaluation mechanisms to provide clarity on the value derived from levy-funded activity.
A more rigorous and systematic approach has started with the launch of an Investment Test for new programmes of work.
As of 1 April 2016, new programmes and projects valued over 50,000 have needed to be supported by a clear business case that demonstrates how the programme delivers economic benefits, solves a supply chain problem, improves decision-making or addresses sustainability.
Programmes will be scrutinised and scored by an AHDB panel before being recommended to boards for consideration in business plans.
At the heart of this approach is a clear focus on the outcomes that each programme seeks and how these will be monitored and evaluated.
Volatility
In order to help move the industry beyond the rhetorical debates about volatility, AHDB has created an industry-led Volatility Forum.
This brings together experts from across the food and farming industry with a remit to broaden and deepen the industrys understanding of the causes of volatility, how resilience can be built within farming businesses and the potential tools that could be deployed to better manage its effects on businesses.
The Forums first piece of work will deal with future markets and will work closely with Defra to examine the potential to extend future trading beyond the cereals sector to other parts of the food and farming industry.
Strategy review
AHDB will undertake a comprehensive review of its organisational strategy during 2016 to develop, for the first time, one clear long-term corporate strategy for AHDB based on bold ambitions for the future of agriculture and horticulture.
Supported by the Sector Strategy Directors, sector boards, who are responsible for setting sector strategy, will also be fundamentally appraising their long-term strategies, setting ambitions and identifying the areas where AHDB is uniquely or best-placed to achieve these.
The emphasis will be on what the organisation does and does not do to achieve these ambitions and will concentrate on doing a few things well to deliver outcomes that improve the performance of the industry.
Alongside the development of strategies, there will be a comprehensive assessment of how work is monitored and evaluated with clear and consistent key performance indicators to assess whether outcomes are being achieved.
Sector boards will continue to play an important role in holding the organisation to account on AHDBs performance.
The CLA, the landowner organisation, has told MPs that they can play a vital role in encouraging Ministers to undertake a radical reshaping of approaches to flood management.
CLA President Ross Murray today gave evidence to the influential Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee as part of an Inquiry into the handling of the 2015 winter floods.
The Committees report will be considered by Ministers who are currently undertaking a review of flooding policy.
Speaking to the Committee he set out the CLAs proposals for a management system that brings together local agencies and landowners to put in place catchment-wide flood management strategies.
These would include investment in flood defences and measures such as dredging of rivers, but would see greater investment in slow the flow measures such as tree planting in upland areas.
Ross Murray said: "The devastating impacts of floods in recent years have shown very clearly that the current approach to water management is just not working.
"This important Committee has a critical role to play in making sure these changes happen.
"We need a catchment-wide approach that invests not only in the traditional defences we need, but also incentivises landowners to slow the flow by changing how they use their land or sacrificing it for flood water storage when necessary.
"The time to put this new approach in place is now before homes and communities are hit by another major flood.
"Rural landowners want to be a part of the solution but the right support needs to be in place for those willing to store flood water or put in place measures designed to slow its flow.
"Government investment in water management in recent years has been frustratingly piecemeal and it is high time the resources available were deployed in a more joined up way, by looking at how best to manage the threats and benefits of a river at a catchment level."
The Committee will report the outcomes of its Inquiry in the autumn of 2016.
Around 12m was generated in sales from a series of 'mini-roast' television adverts which ran last November, AHDB Beef & Lamb have said.
Supermarkets introduced 22 new lines in the mini roast category in the last year to support the long-term sustainability of the sector, and to encourage new consumers, thanks to new product development work by AHDB Beef & Lamb.
The focus is helping to add value to the carcase while tackling faltering roast sales by encouraging a shift in consumer buying habits.
This, in turn, aims to ensure beef and lamb products remain staples of the weekly shop, demonstrating their versatility and taste.
Mini roasts have been core to the AHDB Beef & Lamb market development strategy over the last three years, with a key promotional period targeted in the autumn to make the most of plentiful availability of domestic product. The promotion is all about encouraging consumers to select a mini roast for a convenient mid-week meal.
Detailed analysis of the most recent mini roast television adverts, which ran last November, showed the short term impact of the campaign directly delivered 526,000 worth of mini roast sales, with the halo effect namely people seeing the adverts and purchasing other beef or lamb joints adding up to 11 million, or 12.7 million for the whole red meat roasting category.
Sales were up for both beef and lamb, with the adverts reaching 22 million households across Britain.
'Offers quicker, easier way to roast'
"Our analysis showed people switching from chicken to buy the beef and lamb products with a rise in the number of people saying the mini roast offered a quicker, easier way to roast than more traditional products," said Mike Whittemore, head of trade and product development for AHDB.
"We do a lot of new product development work aimed at taking beef and lamb cuts and offering practical meal solutions for modern families, who demand convenience, especially during the working week.
"We then work with the processors and retailers to highlight the cuts, recipe ideas and promotion potential, ultimately with the aim of adding value to the carcase and ensuring the new product developed is available for consumers to buy in store.
"This is long-term work but these latest results show the approach is working and resonating with shoppers."
Market is growing
The mini-roast campaign drives awareness of cuts that will improve carcase balance. The size of the market is relatively small, worth 31m, but it has grown 4.1% over the last 52 weeks.
Category development through working with the beef and lamb supply chain has played a key role with 22 new mini-roast products brought to market by the multiple retail sector over the campaign period.
Laura Ryan, sector strategy director for AHDB Beef & Lamb said: "The campaign is directly attributable to an increase in mini roast sales of 526,000 with a halo effect in the wider the roasting category of 12.7m.
"The campaign provided the best results for beef with 72 per cent of the halo effect, and 14 per cent lamb and 14 per cent pork.
"The campaign was most successful with older shoppers, so for this year we will review our approach including further engagement with multiple retailers and their convenience ranges.
"While we are delighted with the results, it is important to remember this is one element of a broad marketing strategy that covers a very wide range of activity."
AHDB Beef & Lamb plans to support mini roast promotion again this year, and will continue to work with processors and retailers to support the campaign in the autumn.
Organisations from across the farming industry are joining forces to celebrate everything thats great about quality British food.
In a concerted effort, the NFU, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), Red Tractor and Love British Food are uniting to coordinate a calendar of events for the autumn of 2016 which has been designated the 'Year of British Food' by the Government.
The campaign starts with the NFUs Back British Farming day in September, followed by an autumn of driving consumer awareness of quality, assured British food.
This activity includes Red Tractor Week, British Food Fortnight, a 12 week Red Tractor on-pack promotion across retailers and foodservice operators, supporting TV and in-store advertising campaigns and British sausage week in November.
The NFU will be helping schools integrate farming education into their harvest festivals with the addition of Why the Harvest Matters resources to supplement its existing Why Farming Matters education pack.
The plans will be unveiled at a special great British breakfast launch event today (April 27) at Farmers and Fletchers in The City, in the presence of Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss.
'Important to champion British food'
NFU Deputy President Minette Batters said: "Im pleased to see our farming organisations collaborating and coming together.
"It is important to champion great British food and the thousands of farmers and growers who produce it every day of the year.
"I hope this plan of action will help showcase British food which, as we know, is the best in the world.
"It is also so important that British farming is recognised for the key role it plays, not only in producing great food but in its contribution to the countrys economy, in creating jobs, as well as the beautiful and diverse rural landscape that attracts millions of tourists every year."
'World-leading farming industry'
Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said: "Our food industry has so much to be proud of whether it is the seafood from our spectacular coastline or the worlds most delicious beef, lamb, milk and cheese our farmers bring us from the hills and pastures around the UK.
"That is why we launched the Year of Great British Food to champion the best of British food at home and abroad.
"Im delighted to see our world-leading food and farming industry celebrating British food and drink to help grow our food industry further.
"With 3.8 million people employed in the food chain we know it is vital for our economic future we make British food and farming all it can be.
"I am determined to work closely with the farming industry to harness innovation and technology, develop new skills and promote our rich food heritage."
Mini roast food category to be promoted
Christine Watts, Chief Communications and Market Development Officer, AHDB, is ambitious for the future of British farmers and growers and is pleased to be a key partner.
She said: "Consumers are telling us they need new ideas for meals and faster cooking times.
"As we look to meet consumers changing quality, price and life-style demands we are proud this autumn to see new products promoted in the mini-roast category as part of this coordinated activity campaign.
"We will be linking levy payer funded mini roast promotion to supermarkets and consumers, encouraging shoppers to select a mini roast as a convenient mid-week meal."
Two-thirds of shoppers recognise the Red Tractor
Red Tractor Assurance Chairman Jim Moseley said: "This years coordinated campaign of consumer activity gives Red Tractor and the farming and food industry a huge opportunity to communicate the values of British, Red Tractor assured food.
"We know that over two thirds of shoppers recognise the Red Tractor logo and over half are more likely to purchase foods when they see it on-pack.
"Our activity programme will give consumers an even better understanding of the great standards to which assured food is produced and further increase consumer loyalty and purchasing of Red Tractor labelled products."
Alexia Robinson, Founder, Love British Food, said: "Love British Food is delighted that the whole farming industry is uniting to celebrate our quality British food.
"We have been doing this on our own since 2002 when British Food Fortnight was founded in response to the foot and mouth crisis that bought farming to its knees.
"It is great that the whole industry is now working together on a coordinated calendar of events to celebrate great food from Britiain this autumn."
Have you heard the one about the worlds premium lamb and the top TV comic? Well you can be assured it will be in very good taste, because this weekend PGI Welsh Lamb teams up with top TV comics at the Machynlleth Comedy Festival.
Hybu Cig Cymru, Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) has announced Welsh Lamb as an official partner of the Machynlleth Comedy Festival, which is in its seventh year and showcases some of the best of British stand-up comedy.
The well-regarded, fast growing event will fill a series of intimate local venues throughout the mid-Wales market town from Friday April 29 - Sunday May 1.
Over the three days, the Hybu Cig Cymru-Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) pop-up kitchen will give a new meaning to a comedy feed by bringing in top comics to create culinary chaos live at the festival venue, the Plas, as they whip up a fun-filled feast alongside a professional chef.
BBC Radio and TV Presenter Arthur Smith, who will be broadcasting on BBC Radio 4 Extra from the Festival over the weekend, will be one of the guest Chefs at the HCC kitchen, which opens from mid-morning to tea-time every day at the festival.
"HCC is really delighted to stand up for top quality produce from local farmers and be a memorable double act with a quality Welsh event featuring top comedians from across the UK," said Philipa Gill, HCCs Brand Marketing Executive.
"PGI Welsh Lambs growing global audience always have the last laugh because its fantastic taste just cannot be bettered."
Chefs will be hoping the audience will be tickled by the kitchens signature dish which is the freshly cooked, mouth-watering Welsh Lamb Mach Wrap.
Delicious free samples will be distributed to hungry festival-goers.
"This easy to make dish is a super swift and satisfying supper and features succulent Welsh Lamb sourced from local farms and infused with fresh herbs and flavoursome spices, served in a warmed tortilla wrap," said Mrs Gill.
"It will be available throughout the three days of the festival.
"Our Chefs will also be cooking a variety of other tasty dishes and giving away hundreds of free samples to hungry comedy fans over the weekend and its a great opportunity for us to showcase the versatility of Welsh Lamb," she said.
The Soil Association has today welcomed latest figures showing growth in sales of organic in Scotland.
In the 52 weeks to 31 Jan 2016 Kantar Worldpanel has reported growth of 2.6% and around 52.6 million spend on organic food and drink products in Scotland.
This comes at a good time for organics, with the Soil Associations 2016 Organic Market Report showing steady growth of 4.9% across the UK.
The UKs organic market is now worth 1.95 billion and the Soil Association is expecting this to break through the 2 billion mark later this year.
Figures were announced at the first organic market trade briefing in Scotland, held at the City of Edinburgh Methodist Church Hall, by Soil Association Scotland.
At the event Clare McDermott, business development director at Soil Association Certification, discussed the trends, challenges, consumer insights and opportunities for Scottish organic businesses.
Organic served here
She said: "Were excited that the organic market in Scotland is now back in growth and we want to encourage all our licensees to make the most of new opportunities across all routes to market from multiples to catering.
"Earlier this month Soil Association Scotland launched a new Organic Served Here award to celebrate organic served in restaurants, cafes and eateries, to further drive sales of organic.
"Independent retailers are another opportunity we have recognised, and are supporting through a visual merchandising guide and exciting events helping to build the market further and sell more organic through this channel."
Growth of organic sales through independent retailers in the UK has increased by 7.5% and 36% of Scottish independent retailers say sales have increased over the last 12 months.
Nearly two thirds (64%) expect this to rise in 2016, with most citing consumer demand as a reason for this.
People are changing their shopping habits, with supermarket share of organic sales dropping below 70% for the first time indicating that they are actively searching out organic products from elsewhere.
The sustained interest in organic is partially driven by an increase in young and socially conscious millennials with strong social, ethical and environmental values.
These consumers are increasingly choosing organic because they want to know the origins of their food and are willing to pay more for products with quality assurance standards supporting the environment, society and animal welfare.
In Scotland 50% of consumers would buy more organic food and drink if it were available, according to Organic Trade Board research.
Consumers are concerned about environment and welfare
Denise from Peelham Farm, who sell their own organic meat from the farm in Berwickshire, said: "Weve experienced real buoyancy in the first few months of 2016. Sales are great and theres undoubtedly a real focus on organic.
"Our customers are concerned about the environment and are asking about how our animals are reared (both through enquiries on our website and at the markets we attend).
"Our organic certification definitely attracts customers."
At the launch of Organic Ambitions: Scotland's Organic Action Plan 2016 2020 in January, the Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said he recognised "the wider benefits of organic farming, such as encouraging biodiversity, tackling climate change, improving soils and protecting our water environment."
There is strong support for organic in Scotland, including the new Organic Action Plan for organic food and farming 2016-2020 and the Scottish Government has supported a wide range of Soil Association Scotland programmes, such as Food for Life Scotland, Growing Organic Routes, Future Farming Scotland and Crofting Connections.
Prices for new season lamb fail to reflect the impact of the stronger euro, which should be delivering better returns for producers, according to Ulster Farmers' Union beef and lamb chairman, Crosby Cleland.
"Currency should be helping local processors selling lamb into the European market but farmers are not seeing any benefits," said Mr Cleland.
"This week we have seen quotes drop to 4.30/kg for spring lambs which I do not see any justification for.
"It would appear that processors are waiting in expectation of a greater volume of spring lambs to come forward in the coming weeks.
"The cool spring has meant lamb performance has not been at an optimum level and this is reflected in the lower than normal number of lambs coming forward," he said.
Mr Cleland said tighter numbers and more favourable currency should mean stronger prices, but at the minute it would appear that processors are deliberately undermining the positive impact this should be having.
The stronger euro has seen factory agents from south of the border more active in marts here since the turn of the year.
The majority of Northern Ireland lambs sold each week are now going directly for slaughter across the border.
"This is in contrast to the trading conditions last year when the majority were slaughtered in local plants.
"With prices here lagging well behind producer expectations I would encourage all farmers to consider the live market where there may be more competition," added Mr Cleland.
The UFU says that regardless of where lambs are slaughtered it is important they meet the specification set by processors to reflect what consumers want.
"It is imperative that we give consumers the best lamb eating experience every time they pick lamb off the shelves and we as farmers have an obligation to make sure lambs are sold in spec and ideally no heavier than 21kgs," said Mr Cleland.
The UK has incurred at least 650 million of penalties through poor implementation of European Union funds for farmers and only seems to have woken up to this problem recently, according to a new report.
Between 2005 and June 2015 the UK incurred the sixth-highest level of penalties relating to the Common Agricultural Policy in the EU as a proportion of funding received by the European Commission. Penalties were equivalent to 2.70 for every 100 received.
This compared with 90p for Lithuania, 20p for Ireland and just 10p for Estonia, Germany, Latvia and Austria.
In its evidence to the Public Accounts Committee the European Commission had said its funding programmes could be complex, "but UK departments sometimes add their own layer of complexity", the report said.
The report also claimed despite the ongoing cost to the taxpayer, Defra has only recently developed a joint strategy with the Treasury for reducing the penalties.
The Public Accounts Committee said: "By the end of 2016 we expect departments to have spelt out what actions they will take to reduce penalties. If necessary, a task force should be established to ensure that the action needed is delivered."
The Committee concludes the Treasury "does not sufficiently hold departments to account for spending EU funds" and calls on it to publish a strategy for using EU funds in the UK, setting out standards for performance and value for money.
It finds the private sector and UK universities "have a good success rate in securing funding from EU-wide funding competitions" and urges the Treasury to lead new work to learn from this.
The Treasury should also "press the Commission to identify actions that will ensure that a budget focused on results becomes a reality", says the Committee, concluding "the current EU budget process limits the achievement of value for money".
Chair's comments
Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the PAC, said: "Government inaction on EU penalties is costing taxpayers dear. Money intended to support projects and programmes in the UK is instead being lost.
"The apparent lack of practical concern about this fact until recently will anger many people, whatever their views on Britain's EU membership.
"As a priority the Treasury and departments must identify the reasons they keep being penalised and take whatever action is necessary to rectify their mistakes.
"Beyond that, on behalf of taxpayers our Committee will expect the announcement of a named official to take responsibility for improving performance in this area.
"What makes this doubly frustrating is departments have hindered themselves by introducing still further complexity to already complex EU programmes. As we have seen, these poor decisions can have costly repercussions.
"The experiences of EU member states, the UK private sector and UK universities point to some simple overall conclusions: the government has much to learn and the sooner it learns it, the better."
NFU Scotlands Livestock committee chairman has used European platforms to highlight the danger that a flawed trade deal with South American countries could have on Scotlands iconic beef industry.
Speaking at a Copa Cogeca meeting in Brussels today (Wednesday, 27 April), Aberdeenshire beef farmer Charlie Adam highlighted that concerns were growing that a new trade deal with the Latin American bloc Mercosur would include sensitive products like beef and that could have a serious impact on Scottish producers.
He gave his full support to last weeks call from Copa the umbrella organisation for European farming unions - for the European Commission to urgently carry out a full impact assessment on the implications of such a deal taking place.
Mr Adam will reiterate that point when he meets with European Commission officials in Brussels tomorrow (28 April).
Copa has already highlighted the level of investment that Brazil, a key Mercosur group member, was prepared to make into agriculture.
For 2015/2016, Brazils agricultural budget totalled 47 billion, around a 20 per cent increase on the last budget.
The Brazilian Minister for Agriculture has also decided to invest 68.5 billion in the livestock sector over the next five years in order to increase its economic value by 208 billion.
'Flood of cheap imports'
Mr Adam, who was representing UK unions at the meetings in Brussels, commented: "There is real concern amongst farmers that a flood of cheap imports could have a disastrous effect on farming livelihoods not just in Scotland but across the EU.
"The EU has conducted an impact assessment on all trade deals currently on the table but they have not compiled a detailed report on what could happen if a deal with the major livestock-producing nations in Mercosur trading bloc goes through.
"Agriculture must not be used as a bargaining chip to throw on the table during discussion.
"We have thousands of farming families across Scotland and the rest of the UK who are reliant on a stable market.
"With the potential for significant price disruption being driven by cheap imports that would come as a bitter blow at a time Scottish beef prices are already considerably lower than recent years.
"The level of support provided to producers through Europes Common Agricultural Policy has also been reduced and that comes at a time when assistance to the cattle sector in a key beef producing nation like Brazil has been significantly boosted.
Legal ruling set to have implications for farm inheritance rows
"Regardless of whether people are coming to the meetings or not, they're saying 'I agree if anyone is going to look at the structure of this business it should be us and not driven by an external offer'," Dr Crane said.
The gathering was testament to the strength of the people of the town which was devastated in January by a bushfire that burned across almost 70,000 hectares.
"I was extremely disappointed that the PLB was not consulted at all on the detail and intent of the amendments to the Land Administration Act, particularly since it had previously taken an active role and been regularly consulted and well informed by the DoL in the early stages of the Rangelands reform program.
"Since then, ALEC has worked to support and implement changes to better address community concerns about the welfare of exported livestock by challenging members to be more responsive to community concerns and better participate in, respond to and influence the public conversation about the industry."
"We want guarantees this is going to happen and we know from what the Treasurer has said is that there's been many analyses made about shifting the livestock loading facility to Kwinana in the past, but I don't think he can give us any guarantees.
"Luke and his family have been involved with WAFarmers for many years and Luke has recently become a very active member of AgConnectWA, so we have had the pleasure of seeing him really come into his own as an enthusiastic and passionate advocate for the dairy industry," Mr Blake said.
"So we have to air freight a sample of our milk to Melbourne for testing at the same time as we are sending the consignment to China and hope that by the time the consignment gets there the approval for it to enter the country has arrived.
Is Wawa coming to Fayetteville? Heres what we know.
Wawa, a Pennsylvania-based convenience store chain that residents have long clamored for, could be coming to the area.
1) The first pages. If the hook of the first few pages isn't sufficiently barbed, chances are the reader will drop off it and swim away. This goes for most novels, but as modern readers grow increasingly impatient it is even more relevant in crime fiction.
Peter Crawley
2) The last pages. David Mamet, the American playwright, screenwriter and director, suggested the basis for a good story is somebody wants something and has trouble getting it. He hits the nail right on the head, so make absolutely sure it - the solution, denouement, the premise - is worth getting.
3) Dashiell Hammett, author of The Maltese Falcon and The Thin Man, reckoned the good detective needed to be brave, vigorous, damnably clever, tireless-altogether a real person'. Whatever the style of your detective, real he or she must be: everything else is pastiche.
4) Build strong and colourful characters. If you need them to be pinch-faced, pallid skinned degenerates waiting on God in a gloomy tenement, that's fine as long as they are memorable. Ugly can also be attractive.
5) Fill the narrative: sell red herrings, add unexpected interventions and don't be afraid to make your players, as in point 4 above, unattractive. However, even noir novels require a dose of redemption to make them palatable - not too much, though.
6) And with point 5 in mind, Raymond Chandler proposed a good crime story must baffle a reasonably intelligent reader, but went on to add that it must have enough essential simplicity. Balance of plot and the distribution of weight within a novel - ordinary reality vs extraordinary incident - can prove tricky.
7) The magician's trick. Many crime novels contain a certain sleight of hand whereby the hero defeats the villain. This can take the form of a trail of clues followed, a piece of knowledge withheld or a devilish twist we are not permitted to see coming. And though rabbits out of the hat are all very well, your readers should not feel cheated of the time they have invested in your work.
8) Mould humour to fit the narrative; think of humour as a wardrobe and dress your characters to suit the mood, whether it is gallows, dry, wry, droll, sardonic or ironic.
9) The tastiest onions have many layers. Andrea Camilleri, the Sicilian author of amongst other works the Montelbano series, is probably the greatest exponent of this art. There's a hatful of reasons why Agatha Christie is second only to the Bard in the list of all time bestsellers and, sure, around 50% of murders are committed by someone known to the victim, but we don't always have to meet every suspect in the first chapter. Peeling back the layers of a plot keeps the pages turning.
10) Finally, whenever possible employ the geography and the sociology of the setting to influence the manner of the crime, the solving of the mystery and the style in which your story is written. No two crimes are identical and no two characters the same; wherever you choose to set out your stall, make your story unique.
Son of Saul is a movie that has already picked up an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film this year and now it is about to arrive on screens here in the UK.
Son of Saul
Son of Saul is a movie that has been winning over audiences and critics and went on to win the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival last year.
The movie sees Laszlo Nemes in the director's chair as he makes his feature film directorial debut with the project. Nemes is best known for his short work with the likes of The Gentleman Takes His Leave and The Counterpart already under his belt.
There are just a couple of days to go until Son of Saul opens here in the UK and we have a trio of great new clips for you to take a look at:
Geza Rohrig takes on the title role of Saul Auslander and is joined on the cast list by Levente Molnar, Urs Rechn, Jerzy Walczak, and Gergo Farkas.
October 1944, Auschwitz-Birkenau. Saul Auslander is a Hungarian member of the Sonderkommando, the group of Jewish prisoners isolated from the camp and forced to assist the Nazis in the machinery of large-scale extermination.
While working in one of the crematoriums, Saul discovers the body of a boy he takes for his son. As the Sonderkommando plans a rebellion, Saul decides to carry out an impossible task: save the child's body from the flames, find a rabbi to recite the mourner's Kaddish and offer the boy a proper burial.
Son of Saul is one of the most acclaimed films of 2016 so far and is set to be an emotional and powerful watch this weekend.
Son of Saul is released 29th April.
by Helen Earnshaw for www.femalefirst.co.uk
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Prince Philip made a mafia joke when he met an Italian tourist.
Prince Philip
The 94-year-old royal was chatting to a visitor at Windsor Castle last week when she told him she was from Italy and Philip couldn't resist poking fun.
He replied: "What are you running away from? Mafia?", according to the Daily Mail.
Philip is known for his quips and recently made a joke about Birmingham accents during a visit to the city.
The Duke of Edinburgh accompanied his wife Queen Elizabeth to the city to officially open the revamped 750 million New Street railway station and poked fun at the distinctive accent.
When a train announcer called out departure information he asked whether she'd said it in a local accent to which she replied, 'No'.
He replied: "I suppose you've got to announce in an English accent so everyone can understand you."
However, the exchange is said to have been light-hearted and Network Rail worker Shaun Jasper told the Birmingham Mail newspaper that the royal was "funny".
However, Philip also pokes fun at himself on occasion and previously mocked his and the rest of the royal family's regular task of unveiling plaques.
Last year he amused onlookers as he unveiled a plaque by joking: "Ladies and gentleman, you are now going to see the world's most experienced plaque unveiler."
India offers not only an increasingly maturing environment for garment production for Hong Kong companies considering relocation of their factories from Southern China, but also the opportunity of selling into a huge potential domestic market of 1.2 billion people, according to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council Research.In its latest article, the fourth of HKTDC Research's India series, it looks at the drivers of India's garment market, including the ongoing reforms to indirect tax, which have a clear bearing on domestic sales and the wider economy.The articles highlights the fact that India sells more garments inland than in overseas markets.India's textiles and apparel industry is valued at more than $100 billion. Domestic demand is the major contributor and accounts for more than 60 per cent of the industry's total output, which is expected to increase by 6 per cent during the fiscal year ending March 2016 (FY2015-16) and estimated to reach $100 billion by 2017, up from $67 billion in FY2013-2014.The growth of India's retail market, of which apparel sales are an important part, has been driven by the country 's phenomenal economic growth over the past decade or so amid a surge in business processing outsourcing (BPO) activity, which has quickly fueled a growing middle-class in India. For the apparel market, there has been an increasing penetration of apparel brands, both local and international, through traditional as well as e-commerce channels, with strong domestic sales during major Indian festivals.During an HKTDC Research trip to India, interviews with local garment manufacturers and associations invariably pointed to the importance of the domestic market in India. Meanwhile, less than one-tenth of India's retail sales are in the organised sector, which includes department and chain stores selling a lot of branded apparel from local and international fashion houses, including Raymonds, Gap and H&M. Rather, it is the thousands of micro, small and midsize enterprises (MSMEs) that have come to supply the lion's share of India's unorganised retail market with garment products.
The article says Indian apparel makers are more focused on the domestic market.
For a long time, Indian garment manufacturers have predominantly placed their attention on the domestic market, as most of the country's MSME suppliers have not acquired the sophistication and supply chain management capability to produce export-grade garments. Further, they are situated close to the small-scale weaving entities scattered over various Indian states, which makes it easier and more expedient to target local rather than export markets.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has criticised Niti Aayog CEO, Amitabh Kant for his for his comment last week that brick and mortar business will be dead by 2023.Kant had also said brick and mortar businesses will move towards ecommerce, which means companies will be increasingly driven by technology.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has criticised Niti Aayog CEO, Amitabh Kant for his for his comment last week that brick and mortar business will be dead by 2023. Kant had also said brick and mortar businesses will move towards ecommerce, which means companies will be increasingly driven by technology. CAIT did take#
CAIT did take kindly to Kant's advice.It is sad that retail trade which is called as backbone of economy has been neglected so far by one and all and circumstances and policies are being crafted in a way that it dies its natural death and market is taken over by MNCs. Such love towards MNCs is beyond any doubt speaks mindset of the policy makers, CAIT said in a press release.Creating a hype of necessity of FDI in retail trade and in e commerce is a part of sinister agenda of a particular lobby which is working against domestic trade and want to create several East India Companies once again to capture our trade. We will not let this happen at any cost and prepared to fight it out tooth and nail, it continued.The CAIT insisted that upgradation and modernisation of retail trade is all the more necessary and it was expected that government would initiate steps in this direction but it hasn't.It said that with an eye on future mode of business, it has already launched a nationwide campaign among trading community as also for adoption of digital payment in association with MasterCard and HDFC Bank.The CAIT said that support policies from the Government is the need of the hour for encouraging the brick and mortar shops for adoption of technology on one side and also an awareness drive among consumers to prefer digital payments. It will also help in curbing flow of black money in different sectors and at different levels.The CAIT also put the ball in the Niti Aayog CEO's court. Since Kant has come out with a bold statement, it is imperative upon the Niti Aayog to draw such policies especially when it's CEO is forecasting future style of business in India, it said in the release. (SH)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk - India
Trade union experts are being designated to reinforce workers' rights in the supply chain of the world's largest fashion retailer, Inditex, in an agreement signed with IndustriALL Global Union in Brussels on Monday.The groundbreaking contract, which is unique in the garment sector, was signed by Inditex Chairman and CEO, Pablo Isla, and Jyrki Raina, General Secretary of IndustriALL.The trade union experts are being brought in to better monitor and implement workers' rights in a contract which extends IndustriALL Global Union's Global Framework Agreement (GFA) with Inditex.
The GFA covers more than a million workers in around 6,000 supplier factories making clothes for the company's eight different brands, including Zara, Pull&Bear and Massimo Dutti, InsdustriAll said in a press release.
The GFA between IndustriALL and Inditex was signed in 2007 and renewed and strengthened in 2014. The GFA sets out to promote workers' rights, freedom of association, and collective bargaining at its supplier factories.
The trade union experts will be employed in different regions (or clusters) to contribute to better enforcement of the GFA and effective implementation of labour rights throughout Inditex's supply chain. The first Cluster Contract was also signed for Turkey.
The experts will also act to enforce Inditex's Code of Conduct for Manufacturers and Suppliers as well as coordinate trade unions, together with Inditex Sustainability teams located in the different regions.
IndustriALL's General Secretary, Jyrki Raina, said, This agreement shows an unprecedented and genunine commitment from Inditex to improving the rights of garment workers in its supplier factories. The contract is a significant step forward in promoting workers' rights in the Inditex supply chain, and will help to increase workers' capacity to negotiate wages and working conditions with employers. Only by empowering workers and trade unions will we see real change in global garment industry.
This new initiative marks a huge milestone in improving the global garment production chain. It should be viewed against the backdrop of the core agreement reached with IndustriALL in 2007, which has proven the most effective way of accompanying and training garment suppliers worldwide, said Inditex Chairman and CEO, Pablo Isla.
The signing took place at the High-level Conference on Responsible Management of the Supply Chain in the Garment Sector organized by the European Commission, where both Isla and Raina were key-note speakers.
IndustriALL Global Union represents 50 million workers in 140 countries in the mining, energy and manufacturing sectors and is a force in global solidarity taking up the fight for better working conditions and trade union rights around the world. (SH)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk India
Lindex, a European fashion retailer, released its sustainability report for 2015 which shows dedicated sustainable work by the retailer in many areas.
Its sustainable activities include an increase in the production of sustainable garments by 64 per cent in 2015, huge donations for fighting breast cancer and empowering women with health education.
The retailer has improved its production processes resulting in the use of less water, energy and chemicals. As a result, almost all of Lindex denim is now produced with more sustainable processes as well as of sustainable cotton.
Lindex, a European fashion retailer, released its sustainability report for 2015 which shows dedicated sustainable work by the retailer in many areas. Its sustainable activities include an increase in the production of sustainable garments by 64 per cent in 2015, huge donations for fighting breast cancer and empowering women with health education.#
The fashion company strived to empower women through Herhealth projects in Bangladesh, Pakistan and India. It educated 12,000 women - nearly 50 per cent of female workers in the supply chain in the subjects pertaining to hygiene, personal health and nutrition.
Last year was a great year for Lindex in its fight against breast cancer. It made a donation of Euro 1.3 million.
Commenting on its 11th sustainability report, Ingvar Larsson, CEO of Lindex said, We work dedicatedly towards our target that 80 per cent of our garments be made from sustainable sources by 2020, and we have already achieved 42 per cent of the target by 2015.
To act sustainable is a key value at Lindex, and it influences everything we do. I am very proud of the many great results that we have achieved so far, he said. (MCJ)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk
Sweden has pledged its maximum support to Sri Lanka to ensure the European Union's trade concession Generalized Scheme of Preferences plus (GSP+) is restored so that the island's garment sector can benefit.The visiting Foreign Minister of Sweden, Margot Wallstrom, has during a meeting assured Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena to provide her government's every possible assistance to regain the GSP+ facility, according to a statement by the Presidential Secretariat.
Sweden has pledged its maximum support to Sri Lanka to ensure the European Union's trade concession Generalized Scheme of Preferences plus (GSP+) is restored so that the island's garment sector can benefit. The visiting Foreign Minister of Sweden, Margot Wallstrom, has during a meeting assured Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena to provide#
During the meeting, Wallstrom and the President discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations.In August 2010, the European Union citing Sri Lanka's failure to meet human rights conventions relevant for benefits under the scheme, had suspended the GSP+ tariff concession for Colombo that provided tax free access to European markets for the country's products, especially for garment exports. (SH)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk India
Canada's Garmatex Technologies, Inc. a revolutionary and disruptive fabric technology company has signed a binding and definitive arrangement agreement (the Arrangement Agreement) with Oaxaca Resources Corp., a mining company listed and posted for trading on the OTC Pink operated by the OTC Markets Group Inc.Pending satisfaction of the closing conditions and the court and security holder approvals, Garmatex will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Oaxaca and the security holders of Garmatex will become security holders of Oaxaca, Garmatex said in a press release.
Canada's Garmatex Technologies, Inc. a revolutionary and disruptive fabric technology company has signed a binding and definitive arrangement agreement (the Arrangement Agreement) with Oaxaca Resources Corp., a mining company listed and posted for trading on the OTC Pink operated by the OTC Markets Group Inc. Pending satisfaction of the#
This transaction is commonly referred to as a reverse take-over (RTO) and effectively, upon closing, Garmatex shareholders will hold the majority of the post-closing outstanding shares of Oaxaca, not including the shares to be issued by Oaxaca as part of the concurrent Oaxaca financing. Upon closing of the Arrangement Agreement, Garmatex shareholders will receive one share in Oaxaca for each post-share consolidation Garmatex share (share consolidation will be on a one new share for five old shares basis).The shares of Oaxaca received by the Garmatex shareholders will be restricted securities and will be subject to a 12-month hold period from the date that Oaxaca files Form 10 information with the SEC and Oaxaca is compliant with its reporting obligations with the SEC. The purposes of the Garmatex share consolidation are to assist with increasing the initial trading price of the stock and increasing the liquidity of Oaxaca's stock.Pending certain approvals, it is expected that Oaxaca will change its name to Garmatex Technologies, Inc. or such other company name as Garmatex may determine prior to the closing of the Arrangement Agreement, as well as change its stock symbol to more closely represent the new name going forward.Garmatex anticipates completing the RTO within the next 3 to 6 months.Darren Berezowski, President and CEO of Garmatex said, With the announcement of a binding agreement with Oaxaca, we are very pleased to reach an objective of being a public company with the advantages related to such as well as providing our shareholders with liquidity. We believe with the completion of the RTO will now better position us and make us more attractive for raising capital for our business over the course of the next 24 months as we work diligently to significantly surpass a cash flow breakeven point.Garmatex will continue in the coming weeks and months to update its shareholders with information about the RTO, progress with the concurrent Oaxaca financing, and updates with respect to Garamtex's business plan going forward. (SH)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk India
As the next step in the Recron SHT Branding Programme which was launched last month, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), one of the largest manufacturers of synthetic fibre in the world, has partnered with the Bhilwara-based Star Cotspin Limited, a leading manufacturer and exporter of sewing thread in India.Star Cotspin will be the first company in North India to be certified under the Recron SHT Branding Programme, RIL said in a press release.
As the next step in the Recron SHT Branding Programme which was launched last month, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), one of the largest manufacturers of synthetic fibre in the world, has partnered with the Bhilwara-based Star Cotspin Limited, a leading manufacturer and exporter of sewing thread in India. Star Cotspin will be the first company in#
The partnership agreement was signed in New Delhi by Gunjan Sharma, Business Head, Polyester Staple Fibre Business, Reliance Industries Limited, and S K Chhajer, CEO, Star Cotspin.Star Cotspin is one of the largest grey sewing thread producers in India, having shown the fastest growth in recent years. As per the agreement, Reliance's Recron SHT, the world's best quality super high tenacity fibre, will be the basic substrate for polyester sewing threads manufactured by Star Cotspin. This yarn will then be sold, cobranded with Recron SHT. Apart from branding the products, RIL will also provide marketing and technical support to Star Cotspin.Commenting on the agreement, Gunjan Sharma of RIL, said, This step, in our endeavour towards establishing standardized high quality sewing threads, is a vital one. We are happy that Star Cotspin, the first grey sewing thread producer in India, has chosen to partner us in this initiative that will help both companies to strengthen growth and customer trust. Star Cotspin has shown considerable growth, and have ambitious plans for the future.S K Chhajer, CEO, Star Cotspin, said, We have been associated with Reliance Polyester Fibre for several years, and are pleased to enter into a co-branding partnership with Reliance Recron SHT PSF. We believe that this will accelerate our future growth through further penetration in our customer base of rewinder manufactured products.RIL and Star Cotspin will jointly conduct research and development work to further enhance Recron SHT sewing thread's quality, and will also explore new business opportunities. Reliance will also support Star Cotspin in creating awareness about standardized high quality sewing thread products among key stakeholders, especially spoolers and apparel manufacturers.Star Cotspin is planning to undertake a 12,000 spindles expansion project. Six thousand spindles each is expected to be allocated to optical white and black yarn. The company expects to double the consumption of Recron SHT fibre by the end of 2017, the release said. (SH)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk India
Yes guys! You read it right. Preity Zinta who is in India supporting her IPL team Kings XI Punjab, will soon get her hubby Gene Goodenough to fly down to Mumbai, and the couple have decided to throw a lavish wedding party to all her Bollywood friends, relatives and close one's.
Click here to view pictures of the bubbly & dimple beauty Preity Zinta!
Preity Zinta & Gene Goodenough, will come to Mumbai soon and arrange for a wedding reception at a popular South Mumbai hotel. However, the exact date of the reception is not confirmed yet. A source had informed a leading website as saying,
"Preity missed celebrating her moment of happiness with her closest industry pals. She has decided to throw a party for all the friends here in Mumbai soon. Preity is currently making all the arrangements and the reception will happen at a popular South Bombay hotel but we still don't know the exact date."
Glamorous Pictures Of Deepika Padukone & Siddharth Mallya From Their Dating Days!
The dimple girl, Preity Zinta, tied the knot to the love of her life Gene Goodenough in Los Angeles on February 29, 2016. The entire event was a private ceremony and a lot of close friends in Bollywood could not attend Preity Zinta's nupital.
Well, this is really exciting! After a lot of hush-hush by Preity Zinta regarding her wedding, it's good to see the actress deciding to come back to her home town, and throw a wedding party to all her close friends from Bollywood.
Salman Khan To Own An IPL Cricket Team Just Like Shahrukh Khan & Preity Zinta?
Apart from the IPL, Preity Zinta would also start shooting for her upcoming flick titled, Bhaiyyaji Superhit with Sunny Leone. The film, is an action comedy and would also star Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel, Evelyn Sharma and Arshad Warsi.
So Funny! 15 Pics Of Aishwarya Rai Clicked When She Was Not Ready
Priyanka Chopra, who is currently in the US for the shoot of her Hollywood debut, Baywatch, alongside Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock and Zac Efron, talks about American politics, and ended up slamming the American Presidential front-runner Donald Drump, for his comments about 'immigrants'.
The Baywatch star, Priyanka Chopra, slammed Donald Trump's decision on banning a certain section of people from entering the United States as "primitive". PeeCee, was quoted as saying, "I just think you can't put a ban on anyone. Generalising a type of people is really primitive."
Priyanka Chopra, without mincing words, said that the battle against terrorism has grown so complex that, "you can't put a face on it any more".
Glamorous Pictures Of Deepika Padukone & Siddharth Mallya From Their Dating Days!
Donald Trump, is not the one who would let go of something quite easily. We're sure, as soon as he hears what Priyanka Chopra has said against his Presidential policies, Donald Trump, would start firing from all cylinders. Donald, is known for his ferocious attacks on his opponents and he would not let this go very lightly.
Priyanka Chopra, has been featured on the Time Magazine's 'Most Influential People In The World' alongside big names such as, Leonardo DiCaprio, Nicki Manaj, Mark Zuckerberg and the mighty Donald Trump, himself.
So Funny! 15 Pics Of Aishwarya Rai Clicked When She Was Not Ready
PeeCee, attended the Time Magazine's 'Time 100 Gala' event on April 26, 2016, and shared her views on the Presidential front-runner policies.
The Republican front-runner, Donald Trump, has bombarded anybody and everybody who stands on his way to the top post, and has a history of not being afraid to speak his mind. Donald Trump, has an army of supporters, who agree to every word he speaks.
Salman Khan To Own An IPL Cricket Team Just Like Shahrukh Khan & Preity Zinta?
Vegetable wholesaler Han Chaofeng pulls up outside his local bank branch, parks his three-wheeler truck and uses his postal savings account to send money back to his family in a rural part of Anhui province, some 170 miles away.
If I want to transfer money to their accounts, they dont have to walk miles to a bigger town to withdraw it, says Han who has been using his account at the Postal Savings Bank of China (PSBC) since he moved to the more prosperous Zhejiang province for work in 2011.
Han is one of Chinas 278 million migrant workers, many of whom rely on the worlds biggest bank by number of branches to transfer money, borrow working capital for small businesses and to buy insurance.
As PSBC prepares for its $7 billion to $8 billion initial public offering in Hong Kong this year, likely in the third or fourth financial quarter, the challenges for its management are manifold, including attracting mainland investors while China is tightly regulating money flowing offshore. One option people familiar with the matter say is a dual-currency IPO in Hong Kong.
The main challenge is explaining to investors PSBCs role in Chinese society, which is mainly to help people like Han access financial services and provide liquidity in the countrys financial system with its Rmb7.3 trillion ($1.13 trillion) of assets.
Can global capital get comfortable around the reach of China Postal? China Postal represents wildly different ways of life and ways to access money, said one person working on the IPO.
They also have to overcome investors doubts about a state-controlled banks ability to lend to myriad small businesses in a profitable way and resist political pressure to act as the nations piggy bank in times of economic or financial stress.
China needs to get this IPO right. This partial privatisation is a high-profile example of the countrys drive to use private capital to help boost flagging economic growth in the worlds second largest economy.
Also, if PSBC flourishes it has the potential to considerably narrow the gaping wealth divide between Chinas richest people, mostly living in urban areas, and its rural poor. Chinas wealth gap is wider than the most recent readings for the US and Germany, according to Chinas official statistics bureau and the World Bank.
Helping the poor become middle class, that is the significance of this transaction, Jin-Yong Cai, the former head of the World Banks investment arm, the International Finance Corporation, told FinanceAsia in an interview. IFC invested in PSBC under his leadership.
Social stability is becoming an increasing challenge for the Beijing government as economic growth slows to a forecast 6.5% to 7% this year, one of the lowest rates in 25 years. In industrial areas, workers have rioted to protest steel mill and pit closures.
POSTAL NETWORK
PSBC plays a unique role in Chinese society due to the spread of its network across the country. It serves nearly 500 million clients, according to its website, more than the population of the United States at 323 million. It reaches them via more than 40,000 outlets across the country according to its website. That makes it the largest bank by number of branches in the world, according to bank data provider SNL.
Postal Savings Bank has a special purpose in China, collecting deposits from small households and putting them to in the interbank market, and being a liquidity provider in the financial system, said Cai who is now at private equity firm TPG.
PSBC owes its extensive reach to its parent, Chinas postal service. PSBC started weaning itself away from China Postal Group in 2007 but is still reliant on it in many ways. Of PSBCs 40,000 outlets, 80% are run by the group.
PSBC chairman Li Guohua said in an interview with Chinese financial magazine Caijing in December 2015 that if it did not share resources with the state-owned postal service, China Post Group Corp, it would have to hire an extra 200,000 people to run local branches. PSBC declined to answer questions from FinanceAsia.
Such an extensive network means the potential for scaling up the services it provides to Chinas citizens is immense. Its loan-to-deposit ratio is less than 40%, which means it still has plenty of room to expand its balance sheet.
PSBC also has a relatively clean balance sheet compared with its domestic peers, partly due to the short history of the bank. Its non-performing loan ratio was 0.9% of total gross loans as of end 2015, well below the sectors average 1.7% as of the end of 2015, according to the banking regulator.
People working on its IPO said this was a major selling point to international investors worried about China's economic slowdown. "Investors underweight in Asia want to invest in companies they feel are safe and stable," said one investment banker.
However the relatively young bank needs to cultivate the financial expertise to expand its services.
In a pre-IPO round of financing in December, PSBC secured Rmb45.1 billion ($6.96 billion) for a 16.92% stake from 10 investors including some of the biggest names in finance that also pledged to help it improve and expand its product offerings.
These institutions included IFC, New York-headquartered JP Morgan and e-commerce giant Alibaba.
Postal Savings Bank in my view has the best network and so the best possibility over time to improve financial inclusion. We can use it almost like a laboratory, working with the government to create the most efficient SME financing and financial inclusion institution. In doing so I believe investors will do well, as the bank will have a more profitable business, said Cai.
Investment banks Morgan Stanley and CICC arranged the fundraising.
CONUNDRUM
PSBCs reach and important function as a provider of financial products also poses a question for private investors. How can the bank cut costs if it is providing a social service? Chinas postal service historically operated at a loss subsidised by deposits.
The group charged PSBC Rmb50.3 billion in 2014 for operating the branches they share, according to Li in his interview. Thats almost a third of PSBCs reported revenue for 2014, Rmb50.3 billion.
Chen Pengjun, head of a county-level branch in Zhejiang, told FinanceAsia that a few outlets in remote villages could lose up to Rmb400,000 ($62,000) each every year.
Some remote outlets are suffering big losses every year. But what can you do? You have to keep running them, as you have to keep providing services for farmers and low-income people, he said. Its part of the government policy.
In terms of corporate governance; in September 2011 the PSBC chairman began serving as general manager of Postal Group. While the group once provided five of the banks seven directors and the Ministry of Finance two, Li said in his interview he was now the only director sent by the group on a board of eight.
I dont think its role and position will change much due to a few foreign investors or the IPO. Because of its strong network, it has many special functions that other Chinese commercial banks dont have, Wu Xiaoqiu, the director of finance and securities institute at Renmin University, told FinanceAsia on the sidelines of the Boao Forum in Hainan on March 23.
VALUATION
PSBC is looking to raise around $7 billion to $8 billion in its Hong Kong listing, making it potentially the biggest IPO in the world this year.
It has chosen investment banks: Bank of America Merrill Lynch, CICC, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley to advise on its listing. UBS is financial adviser.
One of the challenges PSBC faces is that tapping onshore money has become more difficult since China has been trying to limit capital flooding out of the country. One of the routes money flowed out of mainland China into Hong Kong IPOs was the Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor (QDII) programme and China earlier this year squeezed supply of products under the scheme. Most banks' quotas have largely been used up helping Chinese companies make investments offshore this year and borrowing other institutions' remaining quota is becoming prohibitively expensive.
One possibility is to tap into the RMB deposits already offshore by launching a dual-currency IPO. People familiar with the matter said that this was one possible scenario but is not yet part of the official execution plan.
To be sure Chinese companies have raised money in offshore bond deals and saved profits from overseas operations and bankers are keen to put this capital to work for them in IPOs such as PSBC's.
Another issue is that the valuations of Chinese banks are under pressure as they are highly leveraged against the slowdown in the Chinese economy. Many of the mainland-headquartered banks listed in Hong Kong trade below their book value, including ICBC and China Construction Bank.
The Hang Seng China H-Financials index, which tracks these banks, is down 39% from its recent high of May 26 last year and is trading at a price-to-book ratio of 0.83% estimated 2016 earnings.
At the same time, state-controlled banks are not allowed to sell stock below their last reported book value as doing so would be politically unpalatable. So if PSBC prices above book value it will look relatively expensive to potential investors.
After a month-long discussion with investors, PSBC set the final price for its pre-IPO fundraising round in December at Rmb3.89 per share, giving PBSC a price-to-book value of about 1.18 times.
Li said in his Caijing interview that the most tangled issue during the fundraising was the price setting.
The more strategic support the investors offer you, the more they will request on the price, Li said. Weve reached an ideal price, but it will pose certain pressure on our IPO price.
Bangladesh has made huge strides in expanding its power generation capacity, but needs to concentrate more on weaknesses in its transmission and distribution system.
That was the conclusion of a panel of local experts at FinanceAsia's 4th annual Bangladesh Investment Summit, held at the Ritz Carlton in Hong Kong on Tuesday.
The country's foremost power expert, Dr Tawif-e-Elahi Chowdhury said the improvement in generating capacity since 2009 had been nothing short of a 'miracle'.
Chowdhury attributed the transformation to "the audacious and visionary leadership" of Prime Minister Sheik Hasina, to whom he is an energy adviser.
Bangladesh certainly has ambitious energy targets as it tries to lift the world's eighth largest population to middle income status by 2021.
On the economic front, it has been consistently achieved high GDP growth, with rates above 6%. Some some economists believe it could achieve 8% if it can take full advantage of its demographic dividend (30% of the country's population is under the age of 24).
However, the world's 10th most densely populated country also lurks towards the bottom of the World Bank rankings for energy consumption per capita. Panel member and City Bank CEO Sohail Hussain said energy consumption per capita currently stood at 371 kWh per capita, compared to 731 kWh in India and 4,512 kWh in Malaysia.
Bangladesh will not hit its targets unless electricity supply can keep up with demand, although Finance Minister Abul Maal A Muhith told the conference that it should be recording surplus energy by 2018.
So far the country has been able to increase capacity from 4.9GW (gigawatts) in 2009 to 12.5GW in 2016. By 2021 it wants to get to 24GW according to figures Dr Chowdhury presented to the conference, then 40GW in 2031 and 60GW in 2041.
However, panel member Humayun Rashid from Energypac, said the government needed to address problems transmitting electrcity to its final destination. It is estimated that energy losses run to 10%, although that figure is down from 16% in 2010, while the transmission network has only been increased from 8,000km to 9,800km over the same period.
Future funding
The governments energy master plan has, so far, cost $21 billion according to Dr Chowdhury. He said that $13 billion had come from private sector investors and $8 billion from the public sector.
He forecast that implementing the plan over the next five years will cost $16 billion, of which $9 billion will fund generation, $4 billion will fund transmission and the remaining $3 billion to distribution projects.
The next phase through to 2031 will cost $24 billion, of which $13 billion will be for generation, $6 billion for transmission and the final $5 billion for distribution.
The final phase out until 2041 will cost $40 billion, of which $20 billion is earmarked for generation, $10 billion for transmission and $10 billion for distribution.
City Bank's Hussain spoke at length about how all of this was being funded.
Of the portion being funded by the private sector he said that roughly 60% had come from commercial banking loans and 40% from multilateral lenders like the IFC, which owns a 5% stake in the bank. City Bank has also been underwriting the implementation risk for the first eight or so years and then selling down to multi-lateral institutions.
However, the onset of much larger projects will require new ways of thinking he suggested. One solution might be to interest some of the world's big pension funds, such as the Canadians who have pioneered investments in unlisted infrastructure projects.
He also concluded that IPOs might be an option.
Energy mix
The build out is also altering the country's energy mix. At the moment 300MW is being derived from coal, 7.8GW from gas, 600MW from the regional grid and 3.8GW from other sources such as solar.
By 2021, the biggest percentage increase will come from coal, an irony that was probably not lost on the conference audience since the flood risk to Bangladesh makes it one of the world's most vulnerable countries to climate change.
Dr Chowdhury estimated that coal should account for 4.3GW of the energy mix by 2021, with gas rising to 9.8GW, the regional grid to 1.1GW and other energy sources 8.8GW. By 2031, the country also hopes to be generating 4GW in nuclear capacity.
In order to meet its growing energy needs, Dr Chowdhury said Bangladesh is about to tender for deep-sea production sharing contracts for offshore natural gas deposits. It is also doubling its energy imports from India this year from 600MW to 1,100 to 1,200MW.
But the area, which most excited panel members, was the development of renewable energy sources, particularly solar. Dr Chowdhury said Bangladesh would like to become an energy efficient nation as it develops further. He was unimpressed by Hong Kong's sea of lights, querying why major office blocks needed lights blazing on every floor all night long.
By 2021 Bangladesh hopes to be generating 10% of its energy needs from solar and has been running a programme called Infrastructure Development Co Ltd (Idcol) with World Bank funding that subsidises solar panels for low income families.
Frugal innovation
Before its recent energy infrastructure surge, only 47% of Bangladeshis had access to electricity. That figure has now risen to 76%.
But as more people connect to the grid, their consumption increases too. Once the desire for a fan and light bulb is satisfied, a TV is typically next on the list.
City Banks Hussain said one of the most exciting developments in the country has been the creation of an 8W solar-powered TV, which has a 16 inch screen and only costs $90.
It was dreamt up by a Bangladeshi entrepreneur Nessar Khan and his MAKS Group and road tested in China. Hussain says it is mainly being used by the 4.5 million Bangladeshis who have solar panels and live in areas, which have not been connected to the grid.
It underscores the successes emerging market countries have made in terms of frugal innovation, the term coined to describe the development of products suited to the bottom billion such as single sachet soap powders and the mini fridge pioneered by Indias Godrej Group.
Finance minister Muhith said this was one lesson middle income countries tended to forget, but he hoped Bangladesh would not. They stagnate because they forget their main objective should be to increase domestic demand," he commented. "You can only do this if you increase your peoples capacity to earn and to spend.
Norwegian offshore deepwater drilling contractor Seadrill divested its entire stake in Malaysias SapuraKencana Petroleum on Wednesday, netting M$775 million ($198 million) through an accelerated bookbuild after the market close.
The transaction is the first internationally marketed block trade out of Malaysia so far this year, hinting at a revival in the relatively moribund market. According to Dealogic, equity capital markets deal volumes in Malaysia totaled $154 million in the first quarter, the lowest since 2010 and less than one seventh of the activity recorded in the same quarter last year.
The backdrop to the block trade was far from ideal. Although the benchmark Kuala Lumpur Composite Index of Malaysian shares has gained ground since hitting the 1,600 mark in late January, it traded back below 1,700 points on Tuesday following news of state investment company 1Malaysia Developments default on a $1.75 billion dollar bond due 2022.
The block trade in SapuraKencana Petroleum shares should nonetheless have come as little surprise to equity investors since the deal has been sounded out to the market since early April, a source familiar with the situation told FinanceAsia.
Such sale was initiated by a different syndicate and it was unable to gather enough demand to eventually hit the market, despite being pitched with a much larger discount and a smaller deal size. That perhaps was due to the fact that the stock price was 7% above the current level at that time, which created price discrepancies between the sellers and potential buyers.
Global fluctuations in crude oil prices have swept away much interest in the oil and gas sector, but the fact that prices have rebounded significantly since early April have helped the deal. Brent crude has recovered more than 20% from $38 per barrel at the beginning of the month to around $46.5 per barrel in Asia late Wednesday.
SapuraKencana Petroleum, which engages in engineering and construction of oil and gas projects, is highly sensitive towards oil price fluctuations. Due to oil price weakness, the company recorded an impairment loss of M$2 billion last year.
Providing further security, the syndicate solicited anchor demand to ensure the order book was around 70% covered at launch, leaving approximately just $60 million for public subscription, the source familiar with the situation said, adding that a significant portion of the anchor demand originated from reverse enquiries.
Terms
Initial terms at deal launch were an offer of 490.3 million SapuraKencana Petroleum shares at between M$1.56 to M$1.66 per share, equating to a discount of 6.2% to 11.9% over the oil and gas companys M$1.77 share price close on Wednesday.
That represents a fairly sizable chunk of the $2.7 billion company, equivalent to 8.2% of its outstanding capital and 56 times the stocks average three-month volume of 14.5 million shares.
Final pricing was settled towards the bottom of the range at M$1.58, implying a final discount of 10.7% and raising $198 million for the Norwegian seller, which is controlled by local shipping tycoon John Fredriksen.
Demand was overwhelming with the order book closing multiple times oversubscribed. Majority of the orders came from local investors, including demand from soverign accounts such as Malaysia's pension fund. Allocations were made to about 60 accounts in the final book.
As such, it suggests the underlying interest in Malaysia equities at the right pricing remained unchallenged despite the current volatile markets.
This is the fourth time since 2012 that Seadrill has divested its holdings in SapuraKencana Petroleum, its Malaysian partner. The last deal was completed in 2014, when Seadrill offloaded $300 million-worth of shares.
The two companies remain in partnership on a number of projects, including the operation of their Brazilian shipping joint venture Sapura Navegacao Maritima.
Morgan Stanley was sole bookrunner on the transaction while Maybank was a co-bookrunner responsible for local distribution.
Who wouldn't want to invest like Warren Buffett? Advisors can give clients an opportunity to do so with ETFs that emulate the tactics of successful billionaire investors.
Advisors with clients interested in investing like high profile investorslike Warren Buffettshould consider ETFs based on billionaire 13Fs. Image: Bloomberg
Some ETFs attempt to clone the funds of high profile investors by mirroring the investments listed in their 13F filings with the SEC, says Justin Carbonneau, a partner at Validea Capital Management in West Hartford, Conn., the investment advisor to the Validea Market Legends ETF (VALX).
However, 13Fs can be dated. While some successful investors outperform by holding stocks for the long term, many managers and hedge funds dont, he says.
Consequently, by the time their 13Fs come out, a fund may have trimmed or completely eliminated its stake in a company.
Moreover, managers of cloning ETFs may not understand the rationale behind why successful investors buy and hold certain stocks. This could pose problems, Carbonneau says.
For example, some cloning ETFs bought Valeant before all of the news about drug price gouging, and its stock got crushed, he says.
For its ETF, Validea builds different models based on different investors' fundamental strategies and then picks stocks using computer-simulated models, Carbonneau says.
Validea has studied the stock selection strategies of successful investors: Those whose portfolios have outperformed over time or whom have written books or tested strategies in academic papers. The firms models include approaches based on Buffett, Ben Graham, Peter Lynch and other very successful investors.
The better the understanding a financial professional has about an investment strategy, such as the various cloning methodologies, the better they will be able to help clients make it through the enviable ups and downs all strategies go through, Carbonneau says.
Like any investment, the buyer should understand the ETFs characteristics, costs and how it has performed, says Claudia Mott, a planner at Epona Financial Solutions in Basking Ridge, N.J.
Just because a popular hedge fund or well-known investor is willing to take a big bet on a stock or a sector doesnt mean that same strategy is right for everyone.
Providing individual investors with the opportunity to own a portfolio that mimics those of some well-known investors certainly seems appealing. Who doesnt want to be Warren Buffett? Mott says.
But because of the risks in these ETFs, they should not be considered a core holding in a portfolio but rather a supplemental position that may or may not add value to the overall performance, she says.
Katie Kuehner-Hebert is a freelance writer in Running Springs, Calif. She has contributed to American Banker, Risk & Insurance and Human Resource Executive.
This story is part of a 30-30 series on smart ETF strategies.
An advisor embroiled in an ongoing legal spat with Raymond James & Associates over his termination from the firm committed suicide, according to police.
Mark Immel, who had been an advisor for nearly 30 years, was found dead Tuesday from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a car near Ocala, Fla., according to a spokeswoman for the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
Philip J. Snyderburn, a lawyer who represented Immel in an arbitration case against Raymond James, says his client had been depressed due in part to his termination and his ongoing dispute with the firm.
Earlier this year, it seemed the dispute was moving in Immels favor. A FINRA arbitration panel ordered Raymond James to pay him $450,000 for damages related to his termination.
Read more: Raymond James Tries to Nullify Advisor's $450K Award on Technicality.
The panel also rejected Raymond James' counterclaims for unspecified damages for breach of promissory note.
PROLONGED FIGHT
However, that arbitration victory was not the end of Immel's legal battles. Raymond James sought to have a Florida state judge vacate the award based on a technicality; the firm argued that the panel of three arbitrators had overstepped their authority by including in their ruling a matter decided previously. A hearing date had been set for May 18.
Snyderburn says he spoke with his client on Tuesday, prompted to do so because Immel's wife expressed concern that her husband was "acting strangely."
"After I spoke with her, I called him and Mark and I had a long conversation. It was more about life than anything else and that now was the time to look forward, not backward. I thought it was a really good call and I thought that everything was going to be okay," Snyderburn says. "When I got the call, he said Wednesday, I was stunned."
A spokeswoman for Raymond James declined to comment.
Immel became an advisor at Raymond James when the firm acquired Morgan Keegan, where he had been employed since 2001, according to FINRA BrokerCheck records. In 2014, Raymond James discharged Immel because management lost confidence in him, according to a note listed on his CRD. Snyderburn told On Wall Street in an earlier interview that the firm provided his client no explanation for why he was fired.
Immel has 19 client complaints on his record, his BrokerCheck record indicates. Nine have been denied or withdrawn, while the rest have been settled.
Snyderburn said Immel had four client complaints in 2013, and that his employer was defending him in those arbitration cases when, at about the same time, FINRA opened an investigation into the matter. The regulator did not ultimately bring any charges, according to Snyderburn.
'WAKEUP CALL'
Several months after leaving Raymond James, Immel was hired by G.A. Repple, a small brokerage firm, according to BrokerCheck. But his dismissal and continuing battle with his ex-employer set Immel back, Snyderburn says.
"Financially, he watched the roof cave in. He was making half a million per year and it dropped to $60,000. He was draining his retirement savings accounts. He had two girls in college. It totally overwhelmed him," Snyderburn says.
He adds: "I just think it's a wakeup call that when someone is terminated from any type of a job that there can be far reaching consequences that no one anticipates."
Immel is survived by his wife of 29 years, Kim, and four daughters.
Additional reporting by Charles Paikert.
MIAMI, FL--(Marketwired - April 26, 2016) - AMETEK Prestolite Power, a leader in industrial battery charging and fleet management solutions, presented its top dealer partners with awards on Friday, April 22, 2016, during its Annual Dealer Meeting held at the Fontainebleau Resort in Miami, Fla. The dealers included East Penn Canada, Johnson Battery Company, Electric Battery, Carolina Industrial Products and Energy Products, which were recognized for their top sales.
"AMETEK Prestolite Power values the expertise, passion and commitment to best practices that our dealer partners provide throughout North America," commented Jim Lichtenberg, Business Manager for Prestolite Power.
"This year marks 100 years since Prestolite Power industrial battery chargers first set the global industry standard, and it is evident, now more so than ever, that the longevity and success Prestolite Power has had is made possible by the solid relationships we have with customers and dealers. We are pleased to be able to honor those outstanding individuals."
Recognizing the top dealers was only one part of the AMETEK Prestolite Power 2016 Dealer Meeting. Event highlights also included product updates, future plans and valuable dealer network feedback.
"AMETEK Prestolite Power is very proud of the quality of our dealer network, which continues to deliver leading edge solutions to this very competitive market," noted Jeff Harrison, Director of Marketing and Sales for AMETEK Prestolite Power.
About AMETEK Prestolite Power
AMETEK Prestolite Power offers the industry's broadest range of industrial motive power chargers and is the only industrial battery charger provider able to custom tailor a system that combines the full range of conventional, opportunity and rapid charging solutions. It is a unit of AMETEK, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices. For more information, visit: www.prestolitepower.com.
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Manda Manning
Manda@masterplanpr.com
(850) 549-5652
Ashton Maxfield
Ashton@masterplanpr.com
(949) 289-6493
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - April 26, 2016) - ICMediaDirect, a leading reputation management agency, details how companies and individuals can use search engine optimization, or SEO, to improve their online reputation. As consumers tend to use internet search engines to gain information about products and services before making purchases, the agency is advising businesses to implement SEO to optimize their online presence. Tailored strategies will ensure that the top hits on Google and other search engines engage customers and present an uplifting presence that will improve a brand's reputation. See your Online Reputation Report now, by visiting http://www.icmediadirect.com
Fully utilizing dedicated social media accounts is a powerful way to effectively improve online reputation. Sites such as Facebook and Twitter rank well on Google; when potential customers search for a brand, service, or individual one of the top hits will likely be a focused social media account. Businesses can then push down irrelevant listings about their companies with a thoughtful and engaging social media presence, as well as provide a controlled outlet to increase interesting postings with excellent SEO. Another benefit of having a presence on these sites is being able to respond quickly to feedback, both positive and negative. Utilizing SEO within responses, social media platforms provide businesses a medium through which to efficiently respond to consumers, while also increasing their Google rankings. Companies gain from having relevant means to express the strengths of their brand and to address concerns voiced by customers. This is going to be especially important in 2016, as ICMediaDirect predicts more platforms will be indexed by Google so that individual posts will soon have the same value as standalone web pages.
Brands can create a captivating online presence by creating relevant, interesting, and shareable content. According to the firm, Google rewards brands that offer readers rich online posts. Strong content developed with expert SEO strategies has the power to go viral, reach a wide audience, and potentially draw in more customers and enhance a brand's reputation. By releasing well-developed content, companies and individuals can foster a positive online reputation. ICMediaDirect stresses the importance of regularly putting out content and implementing the latest in search engine optimization in order to successfully improve online reputation.
Founded in 1996, ICMediaDirect is a recognized leader in the public relations industry. The agency has offices in New York and Washington DC, and serves clients in 49 countries with reputation management packages tailored to the specific needs of an individual or company. The company won the New York Excellence Award from the Small Business Institute for Excellence in Commerce (SBIEC) for two years running, and brought out a well-received book on Google brand repair. ICMediaDirect is a regular sponsor and highly valued participant of industry conferences including Affiliate Summit, Leadscon, and ad:tech. To see your Online Reputation Report, visit http://www.icmediadirect.com
ICMediaDirect - PR and Marketing News: http://icmediadirectnews.com
ICMediaDirect -- Reputation Management -- Team at IC Media Direct Reveal How to Recover From Negative Reviews Online: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/icmediadirect-reputation-management-team-ic-005506087.html
ICMediaDirect -- Reputation Management -- Team at IC Media Direct Attends the Content Rising Summit in Boston: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/icmediadirect-reputation-management-team-ic-005916183.html
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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - United States Steel Corp. (X) said it filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission or ITC to initiate an investigation against the largest Chinese steel producers and their distributors. The complaint alleged illegal unfair methods of competition and seeks the exclusion of all unfairly traded Chinese steel products from the U.S. market. The complaint alleged three causes of action: the illegal conspiracy to fix prices, the theft of trade secrets and the circumvention of trade duties by false labeling. The International Trade Commission has up to 30 days to evaluate the petition for relief and decide whether to initiate the case. If the matter proceeds, an administrative law judge is then assigned to the case. During the evidentiary discovery process, the parties may seek the issuance of nationwide subpoenas and orders for the production of relevant documents. 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.
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, April 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
British expats are set to vote overwhelmingly in favour of staying in the EU with nearly three quarters in support of the 'Stay' campaign, according to new research. Just 20 per cent of British expats are currently in favour of leaving the EU. Only 7 per cent were unsure how they would vote.
The research, conducted by Angloinfo, the world's leading global expat network, asked more than 2,800 of its users how they intended to vote in the forthcoming EU referendum.
The results show that the majority (84 per cent) of 'Stay' voters believe staying in the EU will be economically better for the UK. Even if the UK did leave the EU, 73% of this group of expats believe the UK will still have to comply with lots of rules in order to trade with Europe. The majority (70 per cent) also feel the UK will be taken more seriously by the rest of the world as part of the EU. More than two thirds think that the UK's national security will be better served by being part of the EU.
The main benefit for the 'Leave' voters was the belief that leaving the EU will free the UK from the interference of Brussels bureaucrats (80 per cent). Despite President Obama's recent and widely reported "back of the queue" comment, 71% think leaving the EU will allow the UK to negotiate better relationships with other economies. A similar proportion (68%) believe that leaving the EU will be economically better for the UK. Less than a third of those voting to leave think that it will enable the UK to have a second negotiation and secure a better deal with the EU.
With an estimated 4.5 million - 5.5 million* British expats living abroad, it is a significant audience for campaigners to consider.
James Jackson, Chief Operating Officer of Angoinfo comments: "These results show just how engaged this huge, and often forgotten, audience is in this important decision. For British citizens living abroad the issues and outcomes involved in both sides of the EU referendum campaign are taken just as seriously as they are for those living in the UK. Ex-pats with voting rights can become an 'out of sight, out of mind' audience but campaigners in this issue would be wise to remember them and the influence they yield."
Angloinfo's research shows that living abroad has hardened the views on this issue on both sides. The majority agree that living abroad has affected their view of how they should vote, claiming that they are now more inclined to vote their chosen way as a result of having lived outside the UK.
Particular expat referendum concerns focus on potential changes in the healthcare and pensions provisions, that come with being a member of the EU, for example whether the state pension provisions will be 'frozen'. Visa concerns and the potential to need to apply for residency were also considerations, as were reductions in income if the exchange rate lowered. Such are the uncertainties that many expats feel they will have to leave their country of residence and return to the UK if it left the EU.
More than a third (37 per cent) of expats feel no one has properly explained the pros and cons of remaining in the EU, a view echoed by many of those living in the UK. So it is understandable that the research showed considerable uncertainty over the practical implications of leaving the EU.
Despite a very clear split in expat views on the referendum, the perception of which campaign is actually winning brings the outcome much closer. 41 per cent believe that neither campaign is in the lead so far. A quarter believe the 'Leave' campaign is winning and just over a third (34 per cent) believe the 'Stay' campaign is winning.
http://www.angloinfo.com
Issued on behalf of Angloinfo by Energy PR
Research conducted online amongst 2,819 ex-pats across the Angloinfo network, in April 2016.
*According to the World Bank Migration and Remittances Factsheet Report 2011
Aabenraa, Denmark, 2016-04-27 08:26 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Continued tight rein on costs and credit quality ensures satisfactory start to 2016Sydbank has got off to a satisfactory start in 2016: solid performance - with growth in lending for the ninth consecutive quarter. The Bank's loans and advances have risen by DKK 1.9bn and the Bank's impairment charges have fallen by 67% compared with one year ago. Moreover the financial statements show a decline in the Bank's costs (core earnings). In 2016 and 2017 Sydbank will allocate extra resources to develop customer-oriented digital solutions.CEO Karen Frsig comments:-- We have delivered a solid Q1 performance and we are pleased. We have recorded growth in lending for the ninth quarter in a row and we are particularly pleased to note that impairment charges continue the favourable trend that we have seen since the beginning of 2014 and that we have managed to lower costs.On Sydbank's Q1 result she comments:-- Core income and consequently the result are slightly below the projections presented in the 2015 financial statements. This is mainly attributable to the Group's adjustment of prices due to the market situation that arose when the Group's mortgage loan provider announced increases in administration margins on mortgage loans. The reasons why the overall decline in profit is limited to DKK 34m are a sharp decline in impairment charges of 67% as well as a drop in costs (core earnings).She elaborates:-- In 2016 Sydbank will accelerate process automation and DKK 25m will be allocated annually in 2016 and in 2017 to optimise IT systems. Clients and employees alike will experience improvements. Specifically the projects include optimisation of housing loan processes and improved integration of credit processes. Both projects will contribute to developing the Bank as well as make it possible to adjust costs.Q1 2016 - highlights-- Profit of DKK 283m, equal to a return on shareholders' equity of 10.1% p.a. after tax. -- Core income of DKK 1,050m - a decline of 6% compared to the same period in 2015 when core income was historically high. -- Total income of DKK 1,104m - a drop of 10% compared to the same period in 2015. -- Impairment charges for loans and advances represent DKK 38m and have declined by 67% compared with the same period in 2015. -- Bank loans and advances have risen by DKK 1.9bn, equal to 2.6%. -- The Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio has declined by 0.1 percentage points and constitutes 14.4%. -- A share buyback programme of DKK 350m was commenced on 29 February 2016.Outlook for 2016Sydbank projects limited positive economic growth in the Danish economy in 2016. Furthermore Sydbank expects:-- a slight decline in core income due to price adjustments as a result of the turmoil that arose following the announcement of increases in administration margins on mortgage loans. -- unchanged trading income relative to income for 2015 but dependent on financial market developments. -- a reduction in costs (core earnings) - in spite of the general pay rises agreed for the financial sector of 1.80% and a payroll tax increase of 1.40% - as a result of the measures implemented and the discontinuation of payments to the deposit guarantee scheme. -- lower impairment charges in 2016. The uncertainty surrounding price developments in the agricultural sector may however affect impairment charges.Additional informationJrn Adam Mller, CFO, tel +45 74 37 24 00Dan Prangsgaard, Head of Communications, tel +45 21 54 18 74Karen Frsig, CEO, Bjarne Larsen, Deputy Group Chief Executive, and Jrn Adam Mller, CFO, will present the Interim Report today at 10.00 (CET) at a teleconference. The teleconference will be held in Danish and may be attended via www.sydbank.dk/audiocastDanish attendees are invited to call 70 22 35 00. International attendees are invited to call +44 207 57 21 187. Please quote the following code: 73246075#Attachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=558514
Not for release, publication or distribution in Australia, Canada, Japan or the United States.
These materials are not an offer for sale of securities in the United States. Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. PJSC Magnit has not registered and does not intend to register any part of the offering in the United States or to conduct a public offering of any securities in the United States.
This document is only being distributed to and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) to investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order") or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons in (i), (ii) and (iii) above together being referred to as "relevant persons"). The securities are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.
In any EEA Member State that has implemented Directive 2003/71/EC (such Directive, together with any applicable implementing measures in the relevant home Member State under such Directive, the "Prospectus Directive") this communication is only addressed to and is only directed at qualified investors in that Member State within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive.
Securities of PJSC Magnit have not been and will not be registered under the applicable securities laws of Australia, Canada or Japan and, subject to certain exceptions, may not be offered or sold within Australia, Canada or Japan or to, or for the account or benefit of, citizens or residents of Australia, Canada or Japan except under circumstances which will result in the full compliance with the applicable laws and regulations promulgated by the relevant regulatory authorities in effect at the relevant time.
Press-release
Krasnodar
April 27, 2016
PJSC "Magnit" Announces the Decision on the Advanced Redemption of the Bonds
Krasnodar, April 27, 2016: PJSC "Magnit", Russia's largest food retailer (the "Company", the "Issuer"; MOEX and LSE: MGNT) announces the decision on the advanced redemption of the bonds of the 02, 03 series.
Please be informed that on April 26, 2016 the Sole executive body of the Issuer - the CEO - made the decision (Decision w/o No. of April 26, 2016) on the advance redemption of the PJSC "Magnit" non-convertible interest-bearing certified bonds of the 02, 03 series to the bearer with the obligatory centralized custody (state registration numbers of the securities issues 4-02-60525-P / 4-03-60525-P as of December 27, 2012) on the outstanding amount of the nominal value on the date of the 2nd coupon period termination in accordance with the procedure defined by the Resolution on the issuance of securities and the Prospectus approved by the Board of Directors on October 29, 2012 (minutes w/o No. of October 29, 2012), as amended by Resolution on the issuance of securities and the Prospectus approved by the Board of Directors on December 12, 2013 and on December 15, 2014 (minutes w/o No. of December 12, 2013 and minutes w/o No. of December 15, 2014 correspondingly).
This event may significantly affect the value of the following securities of the Issuer: PJSC "Magnit" non-convertible interest-bearing certified bonds of the 02, 03 series to the bearer with the obligatory centralized custody, state registration numbers 4-02-60525-P / 4-03-60525-P as of December 27, 2012, International Stock Identification Numbers (ISIN) RU000A0JVE99 / RU000A0JVE81.
For further information, please contact:
Timothy Post Head of Investor Relations
Email: post@magnit.ru
Office: +7-861-277-4554 x 17600
Mobile: +7-961-511-7678
Direct Line: +7-861-277-4562 Investor Relations Office MagnitIR@magnit.ru
Direct Line: +7-861-277-4562
Website: ir.magnit.com/ Media Inquiries Media Relations Department
press@magnit.ru
Company description:
Magnit is Russia's largest food retailer. Founded in 1994, the company is headquartered in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar. As of March 31, 2016, Magnit operated 34 distribution centers and about 12,434 stores (9,715 convenience, 382 hypermarkets, and 2,337 drogerie stores) in 2,385 cities and towns throughout 7 federal regions of the Russian Federation.
In accordance with the audited IFRS results for 2015, Magnit had revenues of RUB 951 billion and an EBITDA of RUB 104 billion. Magnit's local shares are traded on the Moscow Stock Exchange (MOEX: MGNT) and its GDRs on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: MGNT) and it has a credit rating from Standard & Poor's of BB+. Measured by market capitalization, Magnit is one of the largest retailers in Europe.
Stockholm, Sweden, April 27, 2016: Atlas Copco AB on Tuesday April 26 held its Annual General Meeting, chaired by Hans Straberg, Chair of the Board of Directors.
Regulatory News:
The income statements and the balance sheets of the parent company and the Group were approved, together with the Board's proposal for profit distribution. The Board of Directors and the President CEO were discharged from liability for the financial year 2015.
The proposed dividend of SEK 6.30 per share to be paid in two equal instalments of SEK 3.15 was approved. The record date for the first instalment is April 28, 2016 and for the second instalment it is October 31, 2016. The first instalment is expected to be distributed by Euroclear Sweden AB on May 3, 2016 and the second instalment on November 3, 2016.
Nine board members were elected. The following Board members were re-elected: Staffan Bohman, Johan Forssell, Ronnie Leten, Hans Straberg, Anders Ullberg, Peter Wallenberg Jr and Margareth Ovrum. Gunilla Berg and Sabine Neuss were newly elected. Hans Straberg was re-elected as Chair of the Board.
The Board of Directors' fee was approved as follows:
A fee of SEK 1,975,000 to the Chair and SEK 625,000 to each of the other Board members not employed by the Company. A fee to the members of the Audit Committee consisting of SEK 225,000 to the Chair and SEK 150,000 to the other members of this committee. To the Chair of the Remuneration Committee a fee of SEK 100,000 and fees of SEK 75,000 each to the other members of this committee. Unchanged fees of SEK 60,000 to each Board member who, in addition to the above, participates in a committee in accordance with a decision of the Board of Directors.
The Annual General Meeting approved the proposal allowing Board members to receive half of the board fee in the form of synthetic shares and the remaining part in cash. The Annual General Meeting also approved that the obligation of the Company to pay an amount corresponding to the synthetic shares shall be hedged through the purchase of own series A shares.
The Annual General Meeting re-elected Deloitte AB as the Company's auditing company.
The Annual General Meeting approved the proposal of the Board of Directors regarding guiding principles for remuneration to senior executives (CEO and other members of Group management) and a performance based personnel option plan for 2016.
The Annual General Meeting authorized the Board to decide on the purchase and transfer of own series A shares, in order to fulfill obligations related to the performance stock option plan for 2016, and to the part of the board fee that consists of synthetic shares. The Board was authorized to sell shares in order to fulfill obligations related to the performance stock option plans for 2011, 2012 and 2013, and to cover costs related to synthetic shares to the Board of Directors.
The Annual General Meeting decided that the Nomination Committee shall consist of the chairman of the Board and a representative from each of the four largest shareholders in terms of voting rights as per the last day of August each year.
A statutory Board meeting was held after the Annual General Meeting. Staffan Bohman, Chair, Gunilla Berg, Johan Forsell and Hans Straberg were elected to serve on the Audit Committee. Hans Straberg, Chair, Anders Ullberg and Peter Wallenberg Jr were re-elected as members of the Remuneration Committee.
The speech to the shareholders by Atlas Copco's President and CEO Ronnie Leten will be published on the Group's website, http://www.atlascopcogroup.com/investor-relations/corporate-governance/annual-general-meeting/agm-2016, where the minutes from the Annual General Meeting will also be published.
Atlas Copco discloses the information provided herein pursuant to the Securities Markets Act and/or the Financial Instruments Trading Act.
Atlas Copco is a world-leading provider of sustainable productivity solutions. The Group serves customers with innovative compressors, vacuum solutions and air treatment systems, construction and mining equipment, power tools and assembly systems. Atlas Copco develops products and services focused on productivity, energy efficiency, safety and ergonomics. The company was founded in 1873, is based in Stockholm, Sweden, and has a global reach spanning more than 180 countries. In 2015, Atlas Copco had revenues of BSEK 102 (BEUR 11) and more than 43 000 employees. Learn more at www.atlascopcogroup.com (http://www.atlascopco.com).
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160426007051/en/
Contacts:
Atlas Copco
Hakan Osvald, +46 8 743 8995
Senior Vice President General Counsel
or
Ola Kinnander, +46 8 743 8060, +46 70 347 2455
Media Relations Manager
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES and SON EN BREUGEL, THE NETHERLANDS -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- Promise Technology Inc., the developer of the open storage platform for IP video surveillance, is hosting its inaugural Promise Surveillance Solutions Summit at the Palace Downtown Dubai on May 12, 2016. Along with its distribution partner Musallam Trading, Promise is bringing together industry leaders, including Microsoft, Intel, Toshiba, and Axxonsoft in one event focusing specifically on the newest trends and solutions for the video surveillance market. The event provides guests with invaluable access to the latest intelligence in topics ranging from Video Management Software, Operating Systems, Processors, Server and Storage Technologies and much more. Visitors can register for the event for free by calling Musallam Trading at +971-55-3069026 or by emailing mfawzi@musallamtrading.com.
"We are really looking forward to showcasing how Promise is working together with the major companies throughout the surveillance ecosystem to develop solutions that ensure a safer future and a more efficient realization of security objectives," said John van den Elzen, General Manager, Surveillance Business Unit, Promise Technology. "The Promise partner ecosystem is a vitally important piece of our strategy in the surveillance market and we cannot wait to share more about the incredible solutions we have built together."
"Musallam has become one of the leading Value Added Distributors in the region by consistently bringing an unprecedented level of knowledge and resources to our customer base of integrators and dealers," said Eng. Mostafa Fawzi, Business Development Director, Musallam Trading. "The Promise Surveillance Solutions Summit is another example of how our understanding of the leading technologies helps Musallam offer the best solutions for our customers."
Register now for free for the Promise Surveillance Solutions Summit 2016 by calling Musallam Trading at +971-55-3069026 or by emailing mfawzi@musallamtrading.com. For more information, visit www.promise.com and follow Promise Technology on LinkedIn for updates throughout the show.
About Promise Technology Inc.
Promise Technology is a recognized global leader with 28 years of experience in the storage industry. Promise has developed its own enterprise-class hardware and software storage architecture, in addition to complete SAN, NAS and unified storage platform lines. Promise is also committed to providing dynamic software defined storage solutions for vertical markets, including cloud and IT storage solutions, video surveillance storage solutions, rich media storage solutions and much more. With industry leading technology and research and development capabilities, combined with highly experienced global sales and after sales service teams, Promise is at the forefront of the industry with the highest levels of customer satisfaction. Promise Technology is an ISO-9001:2008 and ISO-14001:2004 certified manufacturer with operations and sales and support teams throughout the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions providing unparalleled service and support to customers around the globe. For more information, visit: www.promise.com.
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CONTACTS:
Tyler Sander
tyler.sander@eu.promise.com
+31 (0) 40-205-4012
Dennis Lamers
dennis.lamers@eu.promise.com
+31 (0) 40-235-2600
Mostafa Fawzi
mfawzi@musallamtrading.com
+971-55-3069026
27 April 2016
G4S PLC
APPOINTMENT OF A NEW NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
G4S plc, the leading global, integrated security company, today announces the appointment of Steve Mogford as a non-executive director of its board with effect from 27 May 2016. Upon appointment, Mr Mogford will also become the Senior Independent Director as Mark Elliott, who currently fulfils that role, will retire from the board on 26 May.
Commenting on the new appointment, John Connolly, G4S chairman said:
'I am delighted to welcome Steve Mogford to the board. His broad experience in senior executive and non-executive board roles, including his extensive involvement with businesses in international markets, will be extremely valuable to our board and will broaden the capabilities and experience of our board of directors.'
Biography:
Steve Mogford
Steve Mogford qualified from London University in 1977 with a first class honours degree in Astrophysics, Mathematics and Physics, before joining British Aerospace. During his long career with the company, Steve held a number of senior positions before being appointed Chief Operating Officer and a member of the BAE Systems plc board between 2000 and 2007. In this role, he led BAE's major programmes businesses.
In 2007 he joined Finmeccanica, Italy's principal defence and security company, as Chief Executive of SELEX Galileo; a subsidiary with operations in several countries and providing systems to customers around the world. Steve left Finmeccanica in 2010 to join the Board of United Utilities Group PLC before becoming Chief Executive Officer in March 2011, a position he still holds.
Steve was senior independent director with Carillion plc, until December 2015 when he retired from the Carillion board after serving nine years.
No further information is required to be disclosed under paragraph 9.6.13R of the Listing Rules.
For further enquiries, please contact: Helen Parris - Director of Investor Relations +44 (0) 208 722 2125
Media enquiries: Mathew Magee Media Relations Manager +44 (0) 7841982838
Notes to Editors:
G4S is the leading global, integrated security company, specialising in the provision of security services and solutions to customers. Our mission is to create material, sustainable value for our customers and shareholders by being the supply partner of choice in all our markets.
G4S is quoted on the London Stock Exchange and has a secondary stock exchange listing in Copenhagen. G4S is active in around 100 countries and has 610,000 employees. For more information on G4S, visit www.g4s.com.
This announcement is distributed by GlobeNewswire on behalf of GlobeNewswire clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: G4S plc UK DK via GlobeNewswire [HUG#2007031]
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Key sessions include speeches from CEOs of Shell and Saudi Aramco, OPEC and UNFCCC leaders and a welcoming address from the President of Turkey
4 day programme covers key issues such as the global commodity price storm, innovative business models, energy storage, and Ministerial dialogues addressing the grand transition and regional integration
Fourth day of the Congress opens with a powerful line up of African energy leaders, looking to securing a sustainable energy future for Africa
The 23rd World Energy Congress, which is taking place in Istanbul, between 9 and 13 October 2016 has today announced the first key highlights of its official event programme. Headline sessions will include weathering the commodity price storm and the impact of the COP21 agreement on the energy industry. Prominent leaders such as Jean-Bernard Levy, Chairman and CEO of EDF; Amin H. Nasser, CEO of Saudi Aramco; Zhenya Liu, Chairman of SGCC; Johannes Teyssen, CEO of E.ON; Strive Masiyiwa, CEO of Econet as well as Ben van Beurden, CEO of Shell, will deliver speeches, in what promises to be a spectacular and thought provoking Congress.
The four day programme will address the most important energy issues facing the entire global energy leaders' community as we map the transition to a low carbon energy future. Discussions will be on a diverse range of issues from understanding how innovative business models are shaping the electricity revolution to what key actions are required to meet tomorrow's energy goals.
The Congress will run for four days, with each day dedicated to a theme: day one: Vision and scenarios for the future, day two: Identifying the business opportunities, resources and technologies, day three: The Energy Trilemma, with day four focused on Africa and its role in securing a stable energy future.
The World Energy Congress will open on Monday, 10 October with a special address from Ahmet Davutoglu, Prime Minister of Turkey, followed by the opening session with Fatih Birol, Executive Director IEA; Isabelle Kocher, Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer ENGIE and Guler Sabanci, Chairman and Managing Director of Turkish Sabanci Holding, discussing what the challenges the world will face on its grand energy transition trajectory to 2060.
Christoph Frei, Secretary General, World Energy Council commented: "We are on the frontier of a massive energy transition. As industry and governments address the impact of commodity prices, the dynamism in renewables, uncertainty in the CO2 price, the integration of China and India into international energy institutions and a new spirit of innovation, we wanted to ensure that this Congress did not shy away from the difficult decisions. This year's event is the perfect platform for the global community to come together and shape the market of the future."
Hasan Murat Mercan, President of the Turkish Member Committee, World Energy Council commented: "The calibre and experience of our key note speakers is exceptional and we are delighted to welcome Ministers and Heads of States such as Rainer Baake, State Secretary from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy who will lead proceedings on day three of the Congress; The Energy Trilemma: Policy Solutions to Secure Prosperity. This is a must attend event for the global energy community and there is something for everyone to learn and participate in at the Congress."
The 23rd World Energy Congress is under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Turkey, His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is personally looking forward to addressing and welcoming up to 10,000 of the world most influential energy sector delegates to the historic city of Istanbul.
For more information on the World Energy Congress and to see the programme, click here: http://www.wec2016istanbul.org.tr/
Notes to Editors:
About the World Energy Council
Founded in 1923, the World Energy Council is the only truly global and inclusive forum for thought-leadership and tangible engagement committed to our sustainable energy future. Our network of 93 national committees represents over 3000 member organisations including governments, industry and expert institutions. Our mission is to promote the sustainable supply and use of energy for the greatest benefit of all. The World Energy Congress is the world's premier energy gathering. More information on www.worldenergy.org; @WECouncil
About the World Energy Congress
The triennial World Energy Congress has gained recognition since the first event in 1923 as the premier global forum for leaders and thinkers to debate solutions to energy issues. In addition to the discussions, the event provides an opportunity for executives to display their technologies and explore business opportunities.
For more information about the World Energy Congress 2016 and to register, visit: http://wec2016istanbul.org.tr/
Follow the Congress at @WECongress for regular updates and use WECongress2016.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160427005108/en/
Contacts:
Grayling for World Energy Congress
Roisin Miller
roisin.miller@grayling.com
+44(0)207-592-7922
Presentation to showcase big data's impact on drug discovery & developmentBRANFORD, Conn., 2016-04-27 09:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BioXcel Corporation, a global leader in cloud-based big data platforms and developer of transformative patient treatments, today announced that Dr. Krishnan Nandabalan, Chief Scientific Officer and President, will present at the Third International Conference on the Progress of Regenerative Medicine & its Cultural Impact. The presentation will take place on April 29, 2016 at 4:05 pm CET at Aula Nuova del Sinodo in Vatican City. Dr. Nandabalan's presentation will be part of a panel entitled A New Paradigm in Drug Discovery and Health Care Delivery Using Technology and Big data. Fellow panelists include Professor Lynda Chin, Associate Vice Chancellor & Chief Innovation Officer at the University of Texas System and Robert High, VP and Chief Technology Officer at IBM Watson.The conference will feature the world's leading cellular researchers, physicians, ethicists, philanthropists, business leaders, patients and political figures discussing the importance of scientific advancements, technology and data in the evolution of regenerative medicine. BioXcel's presentation will provide a unique perspective on the challenges of real world data complexity and the adoption and implementation of big data technologies. These approaches enable researchers to decipher important patterns and trends that result in value creation through increased pharma R&D productivity and advance the industry toward its ultimate goal of bringing transformative treatments to patients with high unmet needs."There is a tremendous need to identify and apply novel big data approaches for the discovery of new drug candidates in a more effective, cost-efficient manner. The industry can't continue to spend billions of dollars and patients can't wait 15-20 years for new drugs to come forward," said Krishnan Nandabalan, Ph.D., BioXcel's Chief Scientific Officer and President. "We must rise to the challenge of satisfying this unmet need in both large and niche indications by unleashing the power of our collaborative efforts in a changing landscape where life sciences research, big data, diagnostic, and digital technologies must all converge in the interest of achieving our common goal."Eric K. Rowinsky, M.D., Clinical Oncologist for BioXcel added, "We are witnessing firsthand the impact of technology and big data on therapeutic development. This impact is becoming increasingly clear, as BioXcel's clinical pipeline holds the promise of discovering innovative treatments, such as immunotherapies, that harness the power of the immune system to fight cancer."The goal of the event, which was established by the Vatican's Pontifical Council For Culture, The Stem For Life Foundation and the STOQ Foundation, is to engage in discussions about the potential for adult stem cells, and other ethical cellular therapies, to treat cancer, diabetes and other debilitating medical conditions and diseases. This year's conference will focus on pediatric cancers, rare genetic diseases and diseases that occur with aging.Attendees who wish to meet with Dr. Nandabalan during the conference should contact: knandabalan@bioxcel.com, or call: +1 (203) 606-3000.About BioXcel BioXcel Corporation is a global leader in cloud-based big data platforms and developer of transformative patient treatments. Our first in class Big Data Innovation Lab is focused on the development of transformative patient treatments for strategic portfolio growth and leverages; PharmGPS - a live analytics platform; an Integrated Center of Xcellence housing multidisciplinary scientific, commercial and medical teams; and an executive team that offers deep domain expertise. Committed to innovation, product excellence and partner success, BioXcel's global collaborations span the biopharmaceutical ecosystem. We are headquartered in Branford, CT, USA with operations in Asia.Contact BioXcel Corporation Anita Ganjoo Corporate Communications Email: aganjoo@bioxcel.com Tel: 203 957 2487About Stem For Life Foundation The Stem For Life Foundation (SFLF) is the educational and advocacy subsidiary of The Cura Foundation and is devoted to fostering global awareness of the potential for regenerative medicine to treat and cure a range of deadly diseases and debilitating medical conditions, as opposed to merely treating their symptoms. The Foundation stands at the forefront of a fundamental shift away from traditional drug treatment in favor of amplifying the body's natural repair mechanisms to vanquish disease. For more information on The Stem For Life Foundation, please visit http://www.stemforlife.org. To follow the Vatican event on Twitter, please join the conversation @StemForLife or via the hashtag UNITETOCUREContact Stem For Life Linda Burns, Allison+Partners Phone: +1-646-428-0606 Email: Linda@allisonpr.com
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release - April 27, 2016
JSC Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant to hold Annual General Meeting on June 28, 2016
Chelyabinsk, Russia - April 26, 2016 - The Board of Directors of JSC Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant ("JSC CZP") (LSE, MOEX: CHZN) adopted a decision to hold an Annual General Shareholders' Meeting of JSC CZP on June 28, 2016.
The Board of Directors of JSC CZP has set May 20, 2016 as the record date for preparing the list of shareholders entitled to participate in the Annual General Meeting.
Shareholders can participate in the meeting personally or submit voting ballots which will be counted for the purposes of the meeting's quorum.
Completed voting ballots should be forwarded to the following addresses:
JSC Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant, 24 Sverdlovsky Trakt, Chelyabinsk 454008, Russian Federation .
. JSC "VRK", 16 Dobrolyubova Street, 5th floor, Yekaterinburg, 620014, Russian Federation .
The deadline for submission of completed voting ballots: June 26, 2016.
The Annual General Meeting will be held at the following venue: The Conference Hall of the plant administration building (bldg. 4), situated at: 24 Sverdlovsky Trakt, Chelyabinsk, Russian Federation.
The Annual General Meeting will start at 10:00AM (local time), with the registration of meeting participants beginning at 09:00AM (local time).
The Annual General Meeting will address the following agenda items:
The adoption of the annual report and annual financial statements, including the profit and loss account of JSC CZP based on the results of the 2015 year. Distribution of profits and losses of JSC CZP based on the results of the 2015 year. The election of the Board of Directors of JSC CZP. The election of the Audit Commission of JSC CZP. The appointment of the external auditors of JSC CZP. The approval of an interested party transaction in relation to the obtaining of directors and officers liability insurance for JSC CZP. The determination of the cost for the provision of directors and officers liability insurance for JSC CZP. The adoption of redrafted Charter of JSC CZP. The adoption of redrafted Regulations on the Board of Directors of JSC CZP.
The Board of Directors of JSC CZP has decided to recommend to the Annual General Shareholders' Meeting of JSC CZP not to declare or pay annual dividends based on the results of the 2015 year. Retained earnings at the amount of RUB 2,336,276 thousand based on 2015 results to allocate to finance investment activity of the Company.
The information (materials) that must be provided to shareholders in preparation for the Annual General Shareholders' Meeting will be on display from June 08, 2016 (on business days during business hours from 10:00AM to 04:00PM) at the Department of corporate and property relations of JSC CZP: 24 Sverdlovsky Trakt, Chelyabinsk, Russia, 454008.
About Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant
Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant is the leading Russian zinc and zinc alloys producer. In 2015 the plant produced 171,002 tonnes of salable SHG zinc.
According to consolidated IFRS accounts, revenue in 2014 was RUB 16,508 mln and EBITDA was RUB 3,825 mln.
Ordinary shares of CZP are traded on the Moscow exchange under ticker CHZN and Global Depository Receipts (GDR) are traded on the London Stock Exchange under ticker CHZN.
Investor and Media Contacts:
Natalya Vasilieva, PR, ngv@zinc.ru
Tel: +7 (351) 799-01-52
Evgeny Ponomarev, IR, eyp@zinc.ru
Tel: +7(963)998-55-58
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, April 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of Fragrance Du Bois' commitment to education and sustainability, the French, luxury fragrance house hosted 45 students from Raffles College to its luxurious boutique. On 24th February 2016, at the Starhill Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, the youngsters and their tutors were treated to an informative and stimulating session on the art of perfumery and the world of fragrance.
Organised for students on the College's 'Fashion, Marketing and Merchandising' course, the session provided a fascinating insight into the many and varied aspects of the fragrance industry, with a focus on manufacturing, retail and marketing. The afternoon class was conducted by Ms Johanna Tabuyo, Sales and Operations Director of Fragrance Du Bois, and the 'hands-on', interactive format was designed to increase the knowledge of the students while allowing them to gain an alternative learning experience.
Using only Fragrance Du Bois' 100% pure, sustainable Oud oil, the students learnt about the origin of the rare and precious material, as well as the importance of sourcing and producing it in a sustainable manner. Oud oil is derived from the endangered Aquilaria tree, and is one of the world's most expensive essential oils. It is also at the heart of all Du Bois' exquisite creations, where it blends and melds with other sustainably sourced ingredients of the highest quality.
"We are very concerned about the future of the environment and the communities who live in it," said Ms Johanna Tabuyo, "and as part of our ethos of giving back to society, we believe it is imperative to educate the younger generation on sustainability and environmental awareness, especially in the luxury goods industry, where sustainability has been put on the 'back burner' for far too long. At Fragrance Du Bois, however, we practice what we preach, and we embrace our mantra of 'Luxury with a Conscience' wholeheartedly. On behalf of Fragrance Du Bois," she concluded, "I am delighted that this initiative has created a fantastic opportunity to educate and inspire the next generation in our collective efforts to secure a sustainable future."
The students were also treated to a discovery session on the various steps in the formulation of a perfume, and exploring the various olfactory groups that go together in the composition of a beautifully crafted fragrance.
Project Director of Raffles College, Travis Tan said, "I would like to thank Fragrance Du Bois for offering our students a meaningful insight into the industry. It was an eye opener for all of us, and I am certain that they enjoyed themselves thoroughly. They're probably wishing that all their classes could be as stimulating and informative," he quipped. "Most importantly though, I hope that the session will give our students a good foundation and understanding, as they pursue their future careers."
Notes for Editors:
For further information, please contact:
Zaahira Muhammad
Senior PR & Marketing Executive
Email: zaahira@asiaplantationcapital.com
Office:+60 122 035 344
Samantha Tham
PR & Marketing Executive
Email: samantha.tham@asiaplantationcapital.com
Mobile: +65 9144 0933
About Fragrance Du Bois
Fragrance Du Bois is a niche luxury perfume house born from the richest essences of nature, crafted by fifth generation perfumers from the 17th century French traditions of Grasse. Its inspiration stems from the beauty and purity of nature itself.
At the heart of all Fragrance Du Bois' creations is our signature Oud that exudes the ultimate in luxury, being both distinctive and unique. All the Oud used by Fragrance Du Bois is produced on our own sustainably managed plantations, and is guaranteed to be ethically and sustainably sourced.
The niche perfume house is currently available in Paris, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Dubai, with plans to expand in Doha, Geneva and London in the months ahead.
Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160427/8521602719-a
Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160427/8521602719-b
VIENNA, April 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
LIGHT FOR THE WORLD alerts: children with disabilities who are excluded from education are confined to a future of poverty and isolation. In order to break the cycle of poverty, the disability and development organization LIGHT FOR THE WORLD supports global efforts to ensure education for every child.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160426/360054 )
From April 24 to April 30, GLOBAL ACTION WEEK, created by the international educational movement 'Global Campaign for Education' (GCE), raises awareness about the urgent need for universal quality education. LIGHT FOR THE WORLD - a GCE partner - emphasizes that 150 million children worldwide live with a disability. Eighty percent of them live in developing countries and 9 out of 10 never have the chance to get an education.
http://www.light-for-the-world.org
Children with disabilities in developing countries are often excluded from society due to physical, attitudinal, systematic or communication barriers. The majority of disabled children remain at home, shut away, with no hope for a real childhood or a self-determined future. "Being excluded from education is devastating for these children. They lose a crucial opportunity to make friends, develop their talents, acquire knowledge and realize their full potential. Along with that, their wider community suffers too," states Benjamin Bach, LIGHT FOR THE WORLD Inclusive Education Program Coordinator. Education is the first step out of poverty and towards an active participation in society. Education gives children with disabilities the chance to become productive citizens and future contributors to the development of their country.
Learning together has lots of positive effects
"LIGHT FOR THE WORLD supports children with disabilities in more than 20 Inclusive Education programs where they learn together with kids without disabilities," explains Benjamin Bach. These programs demonstrate the success of Inclusive Education, even in remote and underprivileged regions and communities. For example, since 2009, LIGHT FOR THE WORLD has supported an Inclusive Education program in the region of Garango in Burkina Faso, involving several stakeholders and the Ministry of Education. The program strategy includes awareness-raising for disabilities, trainings for teachers on Inclusive Education, adaptations to make school buildings more accessible as well as medical support for children with disabilities. Moreover, adequate curricula and learning materials are being provided. The program has been a resounding success thus far. "Prior to the program's inception, only 5% to 6% of children with disabilities had access to education. Now, more than 60% of all children with disabilities in the region attend school," Benjamin Bach emphasizes. Due to its huge success, the program will soon be extended to other regions of the country.
The impact for each individual child is huge: Elie Bagbila, Country Representative of LIGHT FOR THE WORLD Burkina Faso, tells the story of Roukiatou, who was born with crossed legs and had great difficulty walking: "Going to school and playing with other children was impossible for the girl. The fieldworker organized surgery for her legs." He showed the girl's parents how to improve her mobility with physiotherapy exercises and helped build parallel bars so she could practice standing and walking. Today, Roukiatou walks with a colorful pair of crutches. "Most importantly, she is very much enjoying going to school. Now she is receiving an education, has made new friends and has the chance, one day, to lead an independent life," emphasizes Bagbila. Apart from the individual impact, learning together has lots of other positive social effects as prejudices and negative attitudes are reduced. "Children, who learn together, learn to live together," explains Bach. That way, Inclusive Education fosters tolerance and strengthens social cohesion within a society. Last but not least, Inclusive Education promotes active citizenship and democracy.
About LIGHT FOR THE WORLD
LIGHT FOR THE WORLD is an international disability and development organization whose vision is an inclusive society where no one is left behind. We strive for accessible eye care services and support Inclusive Education to empower persons with disabilities to participate equally in society. http://www.light-for-the-world.org
Follow us on Twitter @lftwworldwide
Visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/LFTWInternational
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - U.K Office for National Statistics will release its preliminary first quarter GDP data at 4:30 am ET Wednesday. The economy is forecast to expand 0.4 percent sequentially, slower than the 0.6 percent rise in the previous quarter. Annually, GDP is expected to grow 2 percent, slower than the 2.1 percent increase in the previous quarter. Ahead of the data, the pound retreated against its major rivals. As of 4:25 am ET, the pound was trading at 0.7781 against the euro, 1.4145 against the Swiss franc, 1.4558 against the U.S. dollar and 161.68 against the yen. 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.
BASEL, Switzerland, April 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
At the Sachs CEO forum in Zurich, Strekin AG announced the launch of a Phase 2 clinical study of its lead drug candidate, STR001, to preserve residual hearing in patients undergoing cochlear implantation (CI) surgery. This large, placebo-controlled, double-blind, phase 2 study is currently recruiting patients in Germany and France. STR001 is administered directly into the middle ear at the time of surgery. "Despite advances in cochlear implant technology, a risk of CI surgery is the loss of residual hearing. Therapies, such as STR001, that have the potential to prevent this undesired effect, could be very beneficial to patients," said Prof Arneborg Ernst (UKB Berlin), the Clinical Lead Investigator of the trial.
"We are very excited to have begun enrolling patients in our phase 2 study in CI," remarked Alexander Bausch, Strekin's Chief Executive Officer and founder. "The decision to undergo elective surgery to receive a cochlear implant is a very personal one, both for patients and their families. The fear of losing residual hearing is one that we believe we can alleviate with STR001. STR001 has shown promising results in preclinical studies, and we expect the phase 2 in CI to be a key step toward development of an important therapeutic," he added.
About STR001
The active principle of STR001 is a drug with many years of safe and effective use as an oral therapy. In preclinical studies, STR001 provided significant protection of auditory hair cells of the inner ear in models of hearing loss. Hair cells are responsible for converting airborne sound to electrical signals to the brain and are commonly lost or dysfunctional in many types of hearing loss. Strekin has obtained exclusive worldwide rights to a patent covering the use and route of administration of STR001 as a treatment for hearing loss.
About Strekin
Strekin is a privately held clinical-stage Life Sciences company located in Basel, Switzerland. Strekin aims to discover the untapped therapeutic potential of existing drugs for new indications to transform the lives of patients. Strekin is led by an experienced team with a strong track-record in research and successful clinical development of novel drugs. Strekin is sufficiently funded to complete the phase 2 study of STR001 and to prepare further clinical development with the support of investors or partners.
About hearing loss
According to the World Health Organization, 642 million people around the world today suffer from disabling hearing loss. Of these, 181 million are children. Daily activities that most people take for granted, like having a conversation, enjoying music, and advancing in the workplace, are difficult or impossible for individuals suffering from hearing loss. The occurrence of sensorineural hearing loss is predicted to rise in the future due to increasing exposure to noise and aging of populations. Hearing impairment has become a major global health issue with profound societal and economic impact. With no approved pharmaceutical therapies available today, there is renewed urgency to develop effective treatments for hearing loss.
Alexander Bausch
CEO, Strekin AG
Email: Alexander.Bausch@strekin.com
Tel: +41-6163-32971
PUNE, India, April 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Extensive use of PIR (passive infrared) sensors is set to lead occupancy sensor market growth during 2016 to 2020 as PIR is used for lighting and security applications in the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. Proliferation of IoT is one of the major trends in occupancy sensor market. The IoT is technology that connects electronic devices to the Internet, and thereby facilitates data transfer over a network. The essence of this technology is minimal human intervention. It will be mostly utilized in wearables, smart homes, industrial automation, and automated cars.
Complete report on occupancy sensor market spread across 54 pages, analyzing 4 major companies and providing 33 data exhibits is now available at http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/global-occupancy-sensor-market-2016-2020-market-report.html.
Analysts forecast global occupancy sensor market to grow at a CAGR of 11.99% during the period 2016-2020.Manufacturing sector-based countries such as China and Germany have started to automate their existing manufacturing units to stay ahead of the competition. They aim to improve communication and coordination between units, ensuring flexibility in their underlying processes. Manufacturers are automating end-to-end processes by using sensors, robots, enterprise software, wireless systems, and automation solutions. They use these systems to set the benchmark by identifying best industry practices for information sharing, data retrieval, and documentation.
Occupancy sensors play a significant role in minimizing the consumption of energy in buildings. They shut off devices, lights, and other equipment when not in use. These sensors play a big role in reducing light pollution and can be used in offices, conference rooms, restrooms, and many other spaces. A combination of occupancy sensors and scheduling devices do the job of saving energy quite efficiently. Choosing the right sensor technology is critical to designing and operating a trouble-free application.
The demand for energy is on the rise and power companies are struggling to meet consumer demand. Conserving power and turning off lights and appliances when they are not in use is a good way to reduce carbon emissions. Automation and using smart sensors is helping companies and individuals save a lot of money on their energy bills and also extend the life of their machinery and equipment. Automation is becoming quite a common feature in daily life as well with offices and homes using smart sensor technology.
Occupancy sensors use a few different technologies to detect whether a person or people are in a room with the help of passive infrared or ultrasonic sensors. Regardless of the type of sensor, lights get turned on when a person enters a room. PIR sensors detect body heat within a specific field and activate lighting. These are very effective in small spaces. The extensive use of PIR sensors for lighting and security applications in the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors will lead to its steady growth during the predicted period. PIR sensors will dominate the market by usage and account for a share of around 77% by 2020.
The Americas is the largest occupancy sensor market in every sector whether it is industrial, commercial, or residential. A significant trend driving the residential market is the IoT, which is changing the way homes are powered. Smart homes use a lot of automatic devices for lighting, appliances, and alarm systems. This occupancy sensor market in this region is expected to grow at a CAGR of just over 10% during the forecast period.
Key players in the global occupancy sensor market: Acuity Brands Inc., General Electric, Legrand, and Schneider Electric. Other prominent vendors in the market are: Eaton Corporation, Honeywell International, Hubbell Incorporated, Johnson Controls, Leviton Manufacturing, Lutron Electronics, Pepperl+Fuchs, Pammvi Group, and Texas Instruments. Order a copy of Global Occupancy Sensor Market 2016-2020 report @ http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/contacts/purchase?rname=534755.
Another related report titled Global Proximity Sensor Market 2016-2020 forecasts worldwide proximity sensor market to grow at a CAGR of 7.29% during the period 2016-2020. Proximity sensors are electronic sensors that are integrated with devices and machines for non-contact presence detection of objects or materials in close proximity. Multiple types of proximity sensors are used to sense different types of objects. The object to be sensed is known as the target. Browse complete report @ http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/global-proximity-sensor-market-2016-2020-market-report.html.
Explore other new reports on Sensors Market @ http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/reports/information-technology-telecommunication/electronics/sensors.
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A new method for making precise changes in selected genes is taking the world of biomedical research by storm. Known by the rather inelegant name of CRISPR-Cas9, it is a rapid, efficient, versatile and relatively cheap tool for dissecting the molecular pathways that are the basis of life, as well as for investigating and potentially rectifying faults in these pathways that result in disease. During this Colloque Medecine et Recherche in Neurosciences organized by the Fondation Ipsen, an international panel of speakers reviewed how this and other genome editing techniques are advancing understanding of the development and functioning of the nervous system. A special focus has been on the combination of genome editing with recent developments in stem cell technology, which is proving particularly powerful for uncovering the mechanisms of, and developing treatments for, a range of neurological disorders. The scientific committee included Rudolf Jaenisch (MIT, Cambridge, USA), Feng Zhang (MIT, Cambridge, USA), Fred Gage (Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, USA) and Yves Christen (Fondation Ipsen, Paris, France).
Genes are the blueprints for making proteins, the complex molecules that provide both the structural and functional organisation of all forms of life. A mutation in a gene may result in the protein being misshapen, shortened or absent, causing a hiccup in a biological process that may cause disease or death. The roles of healthy or mutated proteins have been investigated for many years by studying what happens in the organism when single genes are silenced or their activity enhanced. Although used extensively and productively, these methods are cumbersome, expensive and not very reliable. In the past five years, a new generation of techniques have been developed that use enzymes known as endonucleases to make precisely positioned cuts in DNA. Harnessing the natural mechanisms for repairing breaks in DNA found in every cell, these 'molecular scissors' can be used to remove, alter or replace small sequences of DNA; the changes resulting from the operation can be examined either in single cells in culture or in whole organisms. The most effective of these editing tools, known as CRISPR-Cas9, is derived from a natural immune defence mechanism found in bacteria and in the past two years has been adapted for use in a variety of organisms and with wide applications in research, medicine and crop breeding (Emmanuelle Charpentier, Max Planck Institute, Berlin, Germany). It provides a rapid way to examine the sea of variations in gene sequences between individuals and to identify those that cause problems, which will be of fundamental importance in personalised medicine (Zhang
The rest of the presentations focused on the applications of CRISPR-Cas9 and other editing methods in nervous system development, function and disease. In development, gene editing is enabling the study of the dynamics of gene regulation in real-time in single cells as they become differentiated into specific functional types (Jaenisch). Rapid genomic screening of neural stem cells is giving an insight into vulnerability to mental illness: genes associated with establishing neural connections and synaptic function contain breaking regions in the DNA that are susceptible to stress (Frederick Alt, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA). The study of fish brains is contributing to understanding how nervous systems regenerate. Because they grow throughout life, these brains contain populations of active stem cells, which can be manipulated with tools such as CRISPR-Cas9 to provide information about the conditions controlling cell division in the generation of new neurons (Jean-Stephane Joly, CNRS/INRA, University Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France).
Much has already be learned about synaptic function with the now-old-fashioned methods of gene silencing but use of CRIPSR-Cas 9 is allowing a far more refined dissection of molecular mechanisms. Molecules previously thought to be active only when synaptic function changes during memory formation are now being found also to have an essential role in the on-going maintenance of the synapses of some neurons (Salvatore Incontro,University of California, San Francisco, USA). The CRISPR-Cas 9 method is also being applied on the whole-cell level in zebra fish to study how neural circuits become hooked-up during development. Specific types of neurons can be identified by genetic targeting of protein markers, which can be visualised in real time as the fish larva are almost transparent (Filippo del Bene, Institut Curie, Paris, France).
Genome editing adds an extra layer of sophistication to another already powerful biomedical research tool, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs have been the topic of two previous Fondation Ipsen meetings: Programmed cells : from basic neuroscience to therapy, Paris, April 2012 and Stem cells in neuroendocrinology, Paris, December 2015. Skin cells taken from a patient can be made to revert to undifferentiated stem cells in vitro and now CRISPR-Cas9 is being used to correct disease-related genetic defects before the stem cells undergo differentiation into particular cell types, with the ultimate goal of replacing the patient's damaged cells. Such stem cells are being used for investigating the effects of specific, disease-related mutations by creating isogenic cell lines: colonies of cells with identical genomes except that one has the normal copy of the gene, the other the mutated one. Application include determining the effects of genes that increase the risk of developing Parkinson's disease on neuron function (Jaenisch); examining the deficits in neuronal function related to mutations linked to autism (Neville Sanjana, Broad Institute, Cambridge, USA); investigating why myelin production is disrupted by the mutation that causes the fatal congenital Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (Marius Wernig, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford, USA); and determining why only certain types of neuron are susceptible to the mutant protein that causes Huntington's disease (Lisa Ellerby, Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, USA). Genetic screens of single cells are also being used to analyse how this mutant protein affects cell function (Myriam Heiman, MIT, Cambridge, USA).
A proof-of-principle experiment to bypass the gene defect causing Duchenne muscular dystrophy is having some success in mice, using a specially designed CRISPR-Cas9 to modify the mutant gene, a taste of future therapies for presently intractable genetic diseases (Amy Wagers, Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA). Bringing animal models closer to humans, the common marmoset, a primate that is both easy to breed and has close similarities to humans than the more commonly used macaque monkeys, is now being genetically modified to mimic symptoms of various human neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases (Hideyuki Okano, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan).
The meeting provided a snapshot of this fast growing field, a taste of the wide range of creative ways in which these genome-editing tools are being applied, and a look to their future use in the development of personalised medicine.
About the Fondation Ipsen
Established in 1983 under the aegis of the Fondation de France, the mission of the Fondation Ipsen is to contribute to the development and dissemination of scientific knowledge. The long-standing action of the Fondation Ipsen aims at fostering the interaction between researchers and clinical practitioners, which is indispensable due to the extreme specialization of these professions. The ambition of the Fondation Ipsen is to initiate a reflection about the major scientific issues of the forthcoming years. It has developed an important international network of scientific experts who meet regularly at meetings known as Colloques Medecine et Recherche, dedicated to three main themes: neurosciences, endocrinology and cancer science. Moreover the Fondation Ipsen has started since 2007 several meetings in partnership with the Salk Institute, the Karolinska Institutet, the Massachusetts General Hospital, the Days of Molecular Medicine Global Foundation as well as with the science journals Nature, Cell and Science. The Fondation Ipsen produced several hundred publications; more than 250 scientists and biomedical researchers have been awarded prizes and research grants.
www.fondation-ipsen.org
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Following the general meeting, the Board of Directors constituted itself with Mr. Samuel Szteinbaum as the chairman.
Regulatory News:
Asetek A/S (OSE:ASETEK) today held the annual general meeting at its address in Aalborg, Denmark.
The general meeting took note of the report by the Board of Directors and Management and the audited annual report for 2015 was approved and carries forward the consolidated loss (USDm 1.6) to next year.
The Nomination Committee reported on its activities during last year. The committee noted that all Board of Directors members had made themselves available for re-election. The committee proposed the re-election of all board members as well as all committee members.
The following members of the Board of Directors were all re-elected:
Samuel Szteinbaum Chris J. Christopher Knut Oeversjoen Peter Gross Jim McDonnell Joergen Smidt
The following were re-elected to the Nomination Committee:
Samuel Szteinbaum Ib Soenderby Scott Pagel
Following the general meeting, the Board of Directors constituted itself with Mr. Samuel Szteinbaum as chairman. Mr. Ib Sonderby is chairman of the Nomination Committee. Mr. Knut Oeversjoen is chairman of the Audit Committee, and Mr. Samuel Szteinbaum is chairman of the Compensation Committee.
The general meeting acknowledged that the Board of Directors had decided to withdraw the proposal to amend the existing remuneration policy. All other proposals were adopted.
The general meeting authorized the Board of Directors to, until the next annual general meeting, to acquire the Company's own shares.
PricewaterhouseCoopers, State Authorized Public Accountants were re-elected as auditors.
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ASETEK
Andre S. Eriksen
Chief Executive Officer
Mobile: +45 2125 7076
e-mail: ceo@asetek.com
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Peter Madsen
Chief Financial Officer
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Regulatory News:
Vattenfall AB's 2016 Annual General Meeting was held on April 27 at Vattenfall's head office in Solna. The AGM elected Staffan Bohman and Hilde Tonne as new members of the Board and decided to not distribute any dividend for 2015.
The owner, the Swedish state, was represented at the voting by Malin Fries, Deputy Director at the Ministry for Enterprise and by Eva Lindstrom, State Secretary at the Ministry for Enterprise, who held a speech.
Annual General Meeting decisions:
Adoption of the income statement and balance sheet
The AGM adopted the income statement and balance sheet for Vattenfall AB and the Vattenfall Group.
Dividends
The Board decided that no dividend is distributed to the shareholder for the fiscal year of 2015.
Discharge of liability
The AGM decided to discharge the members of the Board and the CEO from liability.
Guidelines for remuneration
The AGM decided to retain the principles for remuneration to senior executives unchanged. The Board's proposed guidelines correspond to the government's guidelines for terms of employment for senior executives of state-owned enterprises, adopted by the government on 20 April 2009 (www.regeringen.se), with a dispensation regarding how these are to be applied in Vattenfall's subsidiaries.
Remuneration to the Board and auditors
The AGM decided that fees for the time until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting shall be payable in the amount of SEK 625,000 for the Chairman of the Board and SEK 300,000 for each of the other Board members elected by the AGM. For work in the Remuneration Committee and the Audit Committee a fee of SEK 60,000 shall be paid to the Committee Chairman and SEK 45,000 to each of the other members. No fees shall be paid to a Board member who is employed at the Swedish Government Offices or to employee representatives. The AGM decided that the fee for the auditor's work shall be paid as per approved invoice.
Election of Board members and auditors
The AGM decided that the number of AGM-elected directors shall be nine. Lars G Nordstrom (chairman since June 2011) was re-elected as Chairman of the Board until the conclusion of the next AGM. Fredrik Arp, Viktoria Bergman, Hakan Erixon, Tomas Kaberger, Jenny Lahrin and Asa Soderstrom Jerring were re-elected. Staffan Bohman and Hilde Tonne were elected new members of the Board. Gunilla Berg and Hakan Buskhe did not stand for re-election. Ernst Young AB was re-elected as auditors, with Staffan Landen as the auditor-in-charge.
More information about the AGM may be found at corporate.vattenfall.com
Vattenfall publishes the above information pursuant to the Swedish Securities Market Act.
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Vattenfall
Robert Pletzin, Media Relations Manager EU and Corporate
+46 72 516 8 606
or
Vattenfall's Press Office
+46 (0)8-739 50 10
press@vattenfall.com
VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - French shares eked out modest gains in choppy trade on Wednesday as encouraging data out of Germany and higher oil prices offset worries over a steep fall in Greek shares. Greece's benchmark ATG equity index was down almost 4 percent in the wake of reports that Eurogroup chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem has postponed a planned meeting on the country's bailout that had been provisionally scheduled for Thursday. France's benchmark CAC 40 was up 7 points or 0.16 percent at 4,540 in midday trading after losing 0.3 percent on Tuesday. Franco-Italian chipmaker STMicroelectronics soared 7.5 percent on reporting in-line results for the first quarter. Cap Gemini rallied 4 percent after confirming its 2016 outlook. Oil giant Total SA advanced 1.8 percent after its quarterly profit beat estimates. PSA Peugeot Citroen shares fell 2.5 percent as the car maker posted a 1.4 percent fall in first-quarter revenue, weighed down by negative currency effects. In economic releases, German consumer optimism improved unexpectedly heading into May as people are now less worried about slowing growth in some big emerging economies, a closely-watcher survey showed. Market research group GfK's forward-looking consumer sentiment index rose to 9.7 from 9.4 in April. Closer home, a gauge of French consumer confidence remained unchanged in April, the statistical office Insee said with the corresponding index coming in at 94, the same as in March. It was forecast to rise to 95. The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee will announce its rate decision after the close of European trade. 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.
CENTENNIAL, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- CannaGrow Holdings, Inc. (OTC PINK: CGRW), a Liaison and Consultant providing turnkey solutions to licensed growers in the legal Cannabis industry, today announced an update on the Colorado Buffalo Ranch Project located in Huerfano County, Colorado.
CannaGrow Holdings has negotiated and signed a long-term sublease agreement with state- licensed grower Category One Botanicals, LLC, for the five-phase Cannabis cultivation facility on property located at the Colorado Buffalo Ranch Filing No. 5-Lot 61. The five-phase build out encompasses the entire facility now being constructed on five (5) of the twenty (20) acres currently controlled by Cannagrow Holdings under a five-year master lease agreement with three (3) multi-year options for renewal.
Delmar Janovec, CEO, stated, "With a target of early June for the completion of the 3200-sq. ft. Head House, the 3300-sq. ft. Nexus Greenhouse, and three (3) of the six (6) planned 2880-sq. ft. Hoop Houses, we are prepared to accommodate our new tenant." Janovec went on to say, "With the entire 5-acre facility now under a sublease contract, the company can now focus on one or more of the recent inquiries about the development of an additional facility on an adjacent footprint."
CannaGrow Holdings COO, Dr. John P. Janovec, Ph.D., added, "With initial construction headed toward completion in the coming weeks and the facility now under a sublease, I will be able to direct my attention to working with the Licensed Grower to implement operations. These are exciting times for the company, as my long-term associate Jason Wells and I will now be able to carry through with what we have been working on for almost two years now toward the planning, planting, and management of one of the most large-scale, state-of-the-art Cannabis cultivation facilities in the State of Colorado."
CannaGrow Holdings, Inc., the Liaison and Representative for NuGro Industries, will continue in that capacity, working with the various Contractors and State/County Agencies to see the multi-phased project through to an operational status. The completion of this project will provide the company the basis to begin generating revenues from the Licensed Growers subleasing the turnkey facilities being built to the specifications of CannaGrow's COO, Dr. John P. Janovec, and Consultant, Jason Wells. CannaGrow has already received numerous inquiries from additional perspective tenants and is also exploring additional business ventures within this industry that could further enhance shareholder value.
The site plan, grading plan, and phasing plan that was submitted by NuGro Industries, the landowner and developer, can be viewed on our website at: http://cannagrowholdings.com.
About CannaGrow Holdings, Inc.:
CannaGrow Holdings, Inc. has entered the Medical/Recreational Cannabis Industry as a Lessor, Liaison, and Consultant to licensed Growers providing them with turnkey Growing Facilities in the State of Colorado. The Company intends to expand this business model within this industry as business opportunities evolve whereby providing for the highest return to its shareholders
CannaGrow Holdings, Inc. does not and will not, until such time as Federal law allows, grow, harvest, distribute or sell marijuana or any substance that violate the laws of the United States of America.
CannaGrow Holdings, Inc. encourages the public to read the above information in conjunction with its year-end statement for December 31, 2015, and the quarterly statements filed in calendar year 2015, at www.otcmarkets.com.
The information contained in this press release may include forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements usually contain the words "may," "could," "possibly," "feel," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "expect," or similar expressions that involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include the Company's uncertain profitability, need for significant capital, uncertainty concerning market acceptance of its services, competition, limited service facilities, dependence on technological developments and protection of its intellectual property. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed herein.
CONTACT:
CannaGrow Holdings, Inc.
Delmar Janovec
Investor Relations
info@cannagrowholdings.com
http://cannagrowholdings.com/
VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - U.K. shares fell slightly on Wednesday as bank shares succumbed to profit taking after sharp gains in the previous session and mining shares followed metal prices lower. A steep fall in Greek shares also weighed on investor sentiment.
The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 9 points or 0.14 percent at 6,275 in midday trading after gaining 0.4 percent in the previous session on the back of well-received earnings reports from BP Plc and Standard Chartered.
Elsewhere, Greece's benchmark ATG equity index was down almost 4 percent in the wake of reports that Eurogroup chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem has postponed a planned meeting on the country's bailout that had been provisionally scheduled for Thursday.
BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto fell over 1 percent each as metal prices fell on worries over demand in top consumer China.
Standard Chartered fell 3 percent after a negative broker report while HSBC Holdings dropped 1.5 percent.
Barclays shares gained 1 percent. After reporting a 25 percent drop in first-quarter profit, the lender said it's in talks to sell its French retail banking operations to financial services private equity firm AnaCap Financial Partners.
Home Retail Group shed half a percent after posting a sharp fall in annual profit ahead of its 1.4 billion takeover by Sainsbury's. Shares of the latter fell over 1 percent.
In economic releases, U.K. GDP growth slowed to 0.4 percent in the first quarter of 2016, the first estimate from the Office for National Statistics showed, matching forecasts after 0.6 percent growth in the final quarter of 2015. On an annual basis, GDP grew 2.1 percent, slightly faster than the expected 2 percent growth.
The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee will announce its rate decision after the close of European trade.
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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX) said it expects earnings on a GAAP basis to be in a range of $0.14 to $0.17 per share for the second quarter of 2016. Quarterly Adjusted earnings are estimated in a range of $0.25 to $0.27 per share. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect the company to report earnings of $0.26 per share for the second-quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.
The company estimates sales for the second quarter of 2016 to be in a range of $2.010 to $2.060 billion, which versus the prior year period represents growth of approximately 9 to 12 percent on a reported basis, growth of approximately 11 to 13 percent on an operational basis and growth of approximately 6 percent to 8 percent on an organic basis. Wall Street expect revenues of $2.01 billion for the second-quarter.
For 2016, the company now estimates income on a GAAP basis in a range of $0.64 to $0.69 per share, compared to prior guidance of $0.62 to $0.67 per share.
The company estimates annual adjusted earnings to be in a range of $1.06 to $1.10 per share, compared to the prior outlook of $1.03 to $1.07 per share. Analysts expect annual earnings of $1.05 per share.
The company now estimates revenue for the full year 2016 to be in a range of $8.075 billion to $8.225 billion (compared to prior guidance of $7.900 billion to $8.100 billion), which versus the prior year period represents growth of about 8 to 10 percent on a reported basis, growth of approximately 9 to 11 percent on an operational basis and growth of approximately 6 to 8 percent on an organic basis. Wall Street expect revenues of $8.02 billion.
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FAIRFIELD, IA--(Marketwired - April 27, 2016) - Maharishi University of Management has announced that the commencement speaker for their Class of 2016 will be acclaimed filmmaker David Lynch.
Graduation exercises will take place Saturday, June 18, at 1:00 p.m. in the Maharishi Patanjali Golden Dome on the Fairfield, Iowa campus. Mr. Lynch will be giving a spontaneous Q and A session with students instead of a traditional speech. Four students will be joining him on stage to ask him questions about life-oriented topics that commencement speakers traditionally address.
As part of the commencement ceremony, the university will present Mr. Lynch with a Doctor of World Peace honoris causa degree, "in recognition of the enormous role he has played in promoting Maharishi's knowledge throughout the world, transforming people's lives through the work of the David Lynch Foundation, and laying the foundation for a truly peaceful world," said Dr. Bevan Morris, president of Maharishi University of Management, in a statement. Mr. Lynch has also been an important member of the MUM family, as a member of the Board of Trustees and in lending his name to the David Lynch MFA in Film program (DLMFA).
As a result of the Foundation's activities, hundreds of thousands of people have learned and benefitted from the Transcendental Meditation technique. Mr. Lynch has been practicing TM since 1973, and has spent time on campus on several occasions. In 2006, he offered the first of three annual "David Lynch Weekends," which brought hundreds of visitors to campus to learn about consciousness, creativity, and the brain.
"Not only is David transforming lives through his Foundation, he has made countless people aware of the Transcendental Meditation technique throughout the U.S. and around the world," said Craig Pearson, executive vice-president of MUM. "Many well-known thought leaders in the U.S. have adopted the practice and have publicly endorsed it at events sponsored by his Foundation. He presents Maharishi's knowledge in such a clear, compelling, and heartfelt way."
Mr. Lynch has been internationally known for his highly original films and Twin Peaks television series. His David Lynch Foundation, started in 2005, raises funds to support bringing the Transcendental Meditation technique to those most in need: underserved inner-city students, veterans with PTSD and their families, and women and children who are survivors of violence and abuse.
Lynch has been nominated for an Academy Award 4 times; three times as Best Director and once for Best Screenplay. The French government awarded him the Legion of Honor, the country's top civilian honor, as a Chevalier in 2002 and then an Officier in 2007. He has won France's Cesar Award for Best Foreign Film two times, as well as the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and a Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement at the Venice Film Festival. Mr. Lynch has been described as "the most important director of this era" by The Guardian as well as "the Renaissance man of modern American filmmaking" by Allmovie.
Maharishi University of Management (MUM) in Fairfield, IA is a private university featuring Consciousness-Based Education. The accredited traditional curriculum offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in the arts, sciences, humanities, and business, but also integrates self-development programs. Innovative aspects include the Transcendental Meditation program, one course at a time, and organic vegetarian meals. Visitors' weekends are held throughout the year. For more information, call the Admissions Office at 800-369-6480 or visit http://www.mum.edu.
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Katie Kelafant
kkelafant@mum.edu
864-381-1921
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- To promote the importance of including financial literacy in the education system across the United States and in celebration of Talk With Our Kids About Money Day and Money Smart Week, Chicago students are today participating in a Money Fair competition at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Many schools across Illinois and Wisconsin will also be devoting a portion of the day to talk with their students about financial subjects.
Talk With Our Kids About Money, actively supported by BMO Harris Bank, encourages parents and teachers to have conversations with youth about money and personal finances. The annual program takes place on the last Wednesday in April with a "Home Program" for families and a "School Program" for 7th grade students and teachers. Parents and teachers are encouraged to visit www.talkwithourkidsaboutmoney.com for free access to current resources and curriculum ideas throughout the year.
Talk With Our Kids About Money Day was piloted in Chicago in 2014 and expanded across Illinois and Wisconsin last year. The program has received the Governor of Wisconsin's Financial Literacy Award, and Governor Scott Walker has proclaimed April 27, 2016 as Talk With Our Kids About Money Day across the state.
"Talk With Our Kids About Money Day program enables educators and parents to set a strong financial foundation for youth to embark on a healthy financial path," said Chris Begy, U.S. Country Head and CEO of BMO Financial Corporation. "BMO Harris Bank's partnership with CFEE will help close the gap among our youth centered on money topics."
In an effort to carry the program's mission forward, BMO Harris Bank employee volunteers will today be visiting students in grades five through seven at various schools in Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Phoenix, Seattle and Milwaukee. The volunteers will join the students for interactive financial discussions, fun skits and giveaways.
"Preparing our kids for their financial futures is a shared responsibility involving parents at home and teachers in our schools," said Gary Rabbior, President of CFEE. "TWOKAM and the Money Fair programs provide an excellent opportunity for such collaboration to make a real difference in the knowledge and skills our children will need in order to make future financial decisions with confidence and competence."
Highlights of the TWOKAM School Program:
Teachers are provided easy-to-use, complete lesson plans that are cross-curricular and make it easy to integrate money topics into a broad range of subject areas, including social studies, math, science, environmental studies, music and art. Teachers and students at all grade levels are encouraged to participate.
In addition, the program offers:
-- Group discussion and debate ideas -- Resources and interactive tools for teachers -- Links to other resources and programs -- Links to background material on financial literacy and research results
Highlights of the TWOKAM Parent Program:
The TWOKAM Parent Program provides free online access to fun, easy and engaging activities that stimulate kids' curiosity and encourage questions that lead to learning and resources that are organized by age range. The program includes a wide variety of activities, including movies, books, songs, crafts, local trips, and more. It also has helpful links and resources for parents, including a variety of articles offering different views on allowances.
About BMO Harris Bank
BMO Harris Bank provides a broad range of personal banking products and solutions through more than 600 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Arizona and Florida. BMO Harris Bank's commercial banking team provides a combination of sector expertise, local knowledge and mid-market focus throughout the U.S. For more information about BMO Harris Bank, go to the company fact sheet. Banking products and services are subject to bank or credit approval. BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a North American financial organization with approximately 1,600 branches, and CDN $699 billion in assets (as of January 31, 2016).
About CFEE
CFEE is a federally chartered, non-profit, non-partisan organization, founded in 1974, that works to improve economic and financial literacy and enterprising capability. CFEE works collaboratively with ministries and departments of education along with school boards, schools, educators, and teacher associations. Overall, CFEE aspires to help people of all ages be better prepared to undertake their economic roles, responsibilities, and decisions with confidence and competence.
Contacts:
Media Contacts:
BMO Harris Bank
Emily Penate
(312) 461-7956
Emily.Penate@bmo.com
CFEE
Jan Wishart
(847) 302-8752
jwishart@cfee.org
Internet: www.bmo.com
Twitter: @BMOmedia
Internet: www.cfee.org
Twitter: @_CFEE
Internet: www.talkwithourkidsaboutmoney.com
Twitter: @TWOKAMday
TUSCALOOSA, AL -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- Insuresoft, a leading policy administration solution provider for property and casualty insurance carriers, has recently enhanced the company's ability to communicate with clients, prospects, employees, and the insurance industry at-large by adding the expertise of marketing professional Heather Dunn to the team. The Manager of Marketing Communications is a critical role for Insuresoft, as the company is growing and expanding its reach within the property and casualty (P&C) insurer community and will proactively communicate through thought leadership to the industry.
As Marketing Communications Manager, Heather brings almost 10 years' experience in marketing with five years focused in insurance and technology. Most recently, she worked for GhostDraft as Marketing Manager. Additionally, she spent several years at Vertafore, in the Producer Lifecycle Management division.
"I'm thrilled to work with such a great group of individuals, who have built a foundation for tremendous growth and who are committed to exceed client expectations," said Dunn. "I have been impressed by the quality of the product and services Insuresoft provides, as well as the company's outstanding 100 percent implementation success rate." Dunn went on to state: "I'm excited to further develop and strengthen Insuresoft's position in the market and accelerate the company's growth and competitive edge."
"We are thrilled to welcome Heather Dunn as a member of our team," said Tony Villa, Chief Executive Officer of Insuresoft. "With her established knowledge of communications within insurance technology, Heather will help us more effectively communicate the successes our clients have been able to achieve through our expanding product and service offerings."
While Dunn is located in Denver, she will frequently travel to Insuresoft's Tuscaloosa and University Park offices, as well as industry tradeshows and events, to coordinate and collaborate with team members, industry partners, clients, and analysts.
About Insuresoft, Inc.:
Insuresoft is the developer of the Diamond System, a scalable policy administration solution for property and casualty insurers writing personal, commercial or specialty lines. Insuresoft has developed an adaptive implementation approach that quickly and seamlessly configures Diamond to fit the unique needs of insurers of all sizes, delivered either on premise or on demand via a software subscription. Diamond functionality extends beyond core administration and includes product configuration tools, business intelligence, document management, mobile, as well as agent and consumer portals. In addition, Insuresoft provides a full complement of business process and information technology outsourcing services wrapped around Diamond to deliver a managed solution that leaves nothing to chance. For more information, please visit www.insuresoft.com, email sales@insuresoft.com, or call 866-299-1314.
Media Contact:
JoAnna Bennett
860-333-5009
Email Contact
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- AlarmForce Industries Inc. ("AlarmForce") (TSX: AF) (the "Company") announced the results of the election of directors at its annual meeting of shareholders held on April 26, 2016 (the "Meeting"). The voting in relation to the election of directors was conducted by way of ballot at the Meeting and following is the results of such ballot:
Nominee Shares Voted For Shares Withheld Pavel Begun 7,633,859 (79.6%) 1,953,730 (20.4%) Tobias Behrenwaldt 7,652,909 (79.8%) 1,934,680 (20.2%) Alain Cote 9,288,867 (96.9%) 298,722 (3.1%) Richard Peddie 9,266,417 (96.7%) 321,172 (3.3%) Michael A. Brennan 7,632,859 (79.6%) 1,954,730 (20.4%) George Christopoulos 3,403,538 (35.5%) 6,184,051 (64.5%) Graham Badun 9,582,789 (99.9%) 2,050 (0.1%)
Pursuant to the Company's majority voting policy (the "Majority Voting Policy") if at the Meeting a director nominee has more votes withheld than are voted in favour of him, the nominee will be considered by the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") not to have received the support of the Company's shareholders. As a result, and pursuant to the rules of the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX"), such a nominee is required forthwith to submit his resignation to the Board, effective upon acceptance by the Board. At the Meeting, George Christopoulos received more votes withheld than votes in favour and therefore, in accordance with the Majority Voting Policy and the rules of the TSX, Mr. Christopoulos is required to submit his resignation to the Board for its consideration.
In addition, the Company reports that the shareholders voted by show of hands to appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Chartered Accountants, as the auditors of the Company.
About AlarmForce
AlarmForce provides security alarm monitoring, personal emergency response monitoring, video surveillance and related services to residential and commercial subscribers throughout Canada and in the United States. More information about the Company's products and services can be found at www.alarmforce.com.
Contacts:
AlarmForce Industries Inc.
Chris Lynch
(416) 445-2001 ext. 114
(416) 445-9381 (FAX)
clynch@alarmforce.com
www.alarmforce.com
News Media:
Hugh Mansfield/Nila Halycia
(416)-599-0024/(212)-370-5045
hugh@mansfieldinc.com
nila@mansfieldinc.com
PORTLAND, OR -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- SnappyData, developers of the world's first in-memory hybrid transactional analytics database built on Apache Spark, today announced that it has secured $3.65 million in Series A funding, led by Pivotal, GE Digital and GTD Capital.
The funding will allow the company to further invest in engineering and sales. The SnappyData leadership team includes, Richard Lamb, Jags Ramnarayanan and Sudhir Menon, who worked together during their time at Pivotal to build Pivotal GemFire into one of most widely adopted in-memory data grid products in the market.
As Spark has gained acceptance as a general purpose platform for processing large data volumes, customers are looking to extend it to solve big data problems ranging from streaming to in real time environments. SnappyData's technology provides a breakthrough alternative for customers who traditionally have used a combination of disparate products to handle their streaming, transactional and analytical data needs. All too often, these customers have to custom-stitch heterogeneous environments together, resulting in increased development complexity and total cost of ownership, as well as frustration.
"We aim to do for real time analytics what we did for in-memory transactions with Pivotal GemFire," said SnappyData President Richard Lamb. "This investment helps us address what we believe is a real pain point for customers in a wide variety of markets"
The SnappyData open source platform aims to eliminate these production woes by empowering customers to stream, transact and analyze, all in a single in-memory cluster. It achieves this via a unified engine for real-time operational analytics, wrapping stream analytics and the twin data-modeling technologies OLTP and OLAP into a single integrated cluster, coupled with breakthrough innovation in the form of approximate query processing, which offers real promise in revolutionizing big data processing. The solution fuses the big data computational muscle of Apache Spark in-memory design and unique "shared nothing" architecture that eliminates single points of failure while delivering very high performance based on Pivotal GemFire -- the most widely deployed enterprise-class in-memory data grid on the market.
"SnappyData was created in response to the continued growth and demand for mixed workloads -- and with it, the time-consuming and expensive task of stitching together multiple solutions," said Leo Spiegel, senior vice president of corporate development and strategy, Pivotal. "We are excited to support SnappyData's success."
"Hitachi is building innovative, end to end solutions for IoT, Healthcare and Energy," said Yozo Ito, president of Smart Information Systems Division, Hitachi Ltd. "SnappyData's vision for a next generation in-memory data platform combined with the ecosystem of industry-specific products and Hitachi's own capabilities that we will develop with that platform fits our SISD requirements very nicely. We see the potential to offer real-time operational analytics while lowering total cost of ownership for our customers across Japan and Asia."
"Investing in a company with a highly experienced team of engineers is always a great opportunity," said Marc-Thomas Schmidt, chief architect at GE Digital. "We look forward to working with SnappyData in their efforts to address industrial IoT real time data processing, which is very important for our Predix IIoT Platform. We are very excited to be working with a team that has been solving key problems in the real time big data area and look forward to collaborating with them to address the real time operational analytics challenge."
About SnappyData
SnappyData was built by a highly experienced team of engineers empowered to create a breakthrough open source software Big Data platform. That team spun out in January 2016 as a standalone entity. Its leadership is the original GemFire founders who previously pioneered in-memory data grid technology over a decade ago. Successfully acquired in 2010 by VMware and moved to Pivotal in 2013, Pivotal GemFire has since become the most widely deployed enterprise-class IMDG in the market with over 1,000 customers. Portland, Ore.-based, the SnappyData team is 30+ engineers strong and is currently hiring. More at www.snappydata.io
About Pivotal
Pivotal's cloud native platform drives software innovation for many of the world's most admired brands. With millions of developers in communities around the world, Pivotal technology touches billions of users every day. After shaping the software development culture of Silicon Valley's most valuable companies for over a decade, today Pivotal leads a global technology movement transforming how the world builds software.
About GE Digital
GE Digital connects streams of machine data to powerful analytics, providing Industrial companies with valuable insights to manage assets and operations more efficiently. World-class talent and software capabilities driving big gains in productivity, availability and longevity.
About GTD Capital
GTD Capital, is a Seattle based technology investment firm. Founded in 2006, GTD's investments include companies at various stages ranging from seed and early stage through later stage rounds.
CONTACT INFORMATION
David Oro
+1-707-558-8585
Email Contact
@DavidOro
VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - European shares were mixed on Wednesday as sentiment turned cautious ahead of the FOMC rate decision due after the close of European trade. While oil prices reached a fresh 2016 high, London copper prices extended losses for the third day, pushing mining stocks lower in London. A steep fall in Greek stocks and mixed earnings reports also kept investors on edge.
Greece's benchmark ATG equity index was down over 4 percent in the wake of reports that Eurogroup chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem has postponed a planned meeting on the country's bailout that had been provisionally scheduled for Thursday.
The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index was marginally higher in midday trading after closing 0.2 percent higher in the previous session. The German DAX was moving up 0.3 percent and France's CAC 40 was gaining 0.1 percent, while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was losing 0.4 percent.
Mining giants BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto fell around 2 percent in London as metal prices fell on worries over demand in top consumer China.
Standard Chartered fell almost 4 percent after a negative broker report.
Barclays' shares traded half a percent lower, reversing early gains. After reporting a 25 percent drop in first-quarter profit, the lender said it's in talks to sell its French retail banking operations to financial services private equity firm AnaCap Financial Partners.
Franco-Italian chipmaker STMicroelectronics soared 9 percent in Paris on reporting in-line results for the first quarter.
Cap Gemini rallied 4.5 percent after confirming its 2016 outlook.
Oil giant Total SA advanced 1.5 percent after its quarterly profit beat estimates.
Peugeot Citroen shares fell 2.5 percent as the car maker posted a 1.4 percent fall in first-quarter revenue, weighed down by negative currency effects.
Aluminum producer Norsk Hydro dropped 1 percent on reporting a 53 percent fall in EBIT earnings for the first quarter.
Norwegian energy firm Statoil rose more than 3 percent after it posted a surprise profit in the first quarter and maintained its payout to investors.
Banco Santander SA, Spain's biggest bank, gained 1 percent on reporting a smaller-than-expected 5 percent drop in first-quarter net profit.
Adidas shares soared over 7 percent in Frankfurt. The sportswear giant lifted its full-year profit forecast once again after reporting a 35 percent jump in first-quarter operating profit.
German reinsurer Munich Re fell over 4 percent after a profit warning.
In economic releases, U.K. GDP growth slowed to 0.4 percent in the first quarter of 2016, the first estimate from the Office for National Statistics showed, matching forecasts after 0.6 percent growth in the final quarter of 2015.
German consumer optimism improved unexpectedly heading into May as people are now less worried about slowing growth in some big emerging economies, a closely-watched survey showed. Market research group GfK's forward-looking consumer sentiment index rose to 9.7 from 9.4 in April.
A gauge of French consumer confidence remained unchanged in April, the statistical office Insee said with the corresponding index coming in at 94, the same as in March. It was forecast to rise to 95.
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Boeing Reports First-Quarter Results and Reaffirms 2016 Guidance
CHICAGO, April 27, 2016 --
Revenue increased to $22.6 billion
Solid core EPS (non-GAAP)* of $1.74 after $0.24 KC-46 charge; GAAP EPS of $1.83
Strong operating cash flow of $1.2 billion ; repurchased 28.6 million shares for $3.5 billion
Backlog remains robust at $480 billion with over 5,700 commercial airplane orders
Revenue, margins, EPS and operating cash flow guidance reaffirmed
Table 1. Summary Financial Results First Quarter (Dollars in Millions, except per share data) 2016 2015 Change Revenues $22,632 $22,149 2% Non-GAAP* Core Operating Earnings $1,694 $2,132 (21)% Core Operating Margin 7.5% 9.6% (2.1) Pts Core Earnings Per Share $1.74 $1.97 (12)% GAAP Earnings From Operations $1,788 $2,019 (11)% Operating Margin 7.9% 9.1% (1.2) Pts Net Earnings $1,219 $1,336 (9)% Earnings Per Share $1.83 $1.87 (2)% Operating Cash Flow $1,231 $88 1,299% * Non-GAAP measures. Complete definitions of Boeing's non-GAAP measures are on page 6, "Non-GAAP Measures Disclosures."
The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] reported first-quarter revenue increased 2 percent to $22.6 billion (Table 1). Core earnings per share (Non-GAAP)* of $1.74 reflect solid core operating performance that offset a $156 million after-tax charge ($0.24 per share) on the KC-46 Tanker program to maintain schedule with concurrency between late-stage development testing and the transition to initial production. GAAP earnings per share was $1.83.
The company's full year guidance is reaffirmed, primarily driven by improved performance.
"Higher year-over-year deliveries of military aircraft and continued solid operating performance on core production programs drove revenue growth and strong cash flow for Boeing in the first quarter," said Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg. "This performance enabled our ongoing investments in new product innovation and in our people, and the return of significant cash to shareholders through stock repurchases and dividends."
"Overall, we are pleased with our performance trends and our outlook for the year remains positive. On the tanker program, we are making the investments necessary to meet our customer commitments, deliver the initial production aircraft on schedule, and transition the program into full production," said Muilenburg.
"Our teams are focused intensely on delivering on our existing commitments including the production ramp-up associated with our large and diverse backlog, accelerating progress on quality, safety and productivity improvements company wide, returning greater value to shareholders through profitable growth, and investing in the future as we enter our second century in business."
Table 2. Cash Flow First Quarter (Millions) 2016 2015 Operating Cash Flow $1,231 $88 Less Additions to Property, Plant & Equipment ($748) ($574) Free Cash Flow* $483 ($486)
Operating cash flow in the quarter was $1.2 billion, reflecting commercial airplane production rates, solid core operating performance and the timing of receipts and expenditures (Table 2). During the quarter, the company repurchased 28.6 million shares for $3.5 billion, leaving $10.5 billion remaining under the current repurchase authorization which is expected to be completed over approximately the next two years. The company also paid $0.7 billion in dividends, reflecting an approximately 20 percent increase in dividends per share compared to the same period of the prior year.
Table 3. Cash, Marketable Securities and Debt Balances Quarter-End (Billions) Q1 16 Q4 15 Cash $7.9 $11.3 Marketable Securities1 $0.5 $0.8 Total $8.4 $12.1 Debt Balances: The Boeing Company, net of intercompany loans to BCC $7.6 $7.6 Boeing Capital, including intercompany loans $2.4 $2.4 Total Consolidated Debt $10.0 $10.0 1 Marketable securities consists primarily of time deposits due within one year classified as "short-term investments."
Cash and investments in marketable securities totaled $8.4 billion, down from $12.1 billion at the beginning of the quarter, primarily due to share repurchases and the timing of cash flows. Debt was $10.0 billion, unchanged from the beginning of the quarter (Table 3).
Total company backlog at quarter-end was $480 billion, down from $489 billion at the beginning of the quarter, and included net orders for the quarter of $13 billion.
Segment Results
Commercial Airplanes
Table 4. Commercial Airplanes First Quarter (Dollars in Millions) 2016 2015 Change Commercial Airplanes Deliveries 176 184 (4)% Revenues $14,399 $15,381 (6)% Earnings from Operations $1,033 $1,617 (36)% Operating Margin 7.2% 10.5% (3.3) Pts
Commercial Airplanes first-quarter revenue decreased to $14.4 billion on lower delivery volume (Table 4). First-quarter operating margin was 7.2 percent, reflecting the $162 million pre-tax charge on the KC-46 Tanker program, higher R&D, mix and a $70 million pre-tax charge on the 747 program.
During the quarter, the company completed first flight of the 737 MAX. The 737 program has captured nearly 3,100 orders for the 737 MAX since launch. Also during the quarter, the company began major assembly of the 787-10 ahead of schedule and launched the Next-Generation 737 freighter conversion program.
Commercial Airplanes booked 121 net orders during the quarter. Backlog remains strong with over 5,700 airplanes valued at $424 billion.
Defense, Space & Security
Table 5. Defense, Space & Security First Quarter (Dollars in Millions) 2016 2015 Change Revenues1 Boeing Military Aircraft $3,659 $2,726 34% Network& Space Systems $1,735 $1,732 -% Global Services& Support $2,562 $2,251 14% Total BDS Revenues $7,956 $6,709 19% Earnings from Operations1 Boeing Military Aircraft $334 $259 29% Network& Space Systems $148 $167 (11)% Global Services& Support $340 $317 7% Total BDS Earnings from Operations $822 $743 11% Operating Margin 10.3% 11.1% (0.8) Pts 1 During the first quarter of 2016, certain programs were realigned between Boeing Military Aircraft and Global Services & Support.
Defense, Space & Security's first-quarter revenue was $8.0 billion. First quarter operating margin was 10.3 percent, reflecting the $81 million pre-tax charge recorded at BMA on the KC-46 Tanker program partially offset by strong performance on production programs (Table 5).
Boeing Military Aircraft (BMA) first-quarter revenue increased to $3.7 billion, reflecting higher F-15 and C-17 deliveries. Operating margin was 9.1 percent, reflecting the KC-46 Tanker program charge partially offset by delivery mix. All four planned KC-46 test aircraft are now flying, and during the first quarter the KC-46 demonstrated its refueling capabilities with multiple other aircraft types. Also during the quarter, BMA was awarded a contract from the U.S. Navy for 20 P-8A Poseidon aircraft and a contract from the U.S. Army for 117 Apache helicopters.
Network & Space Systems (N&SS) first-quarter revenue was $1.7 billion. Operating margin was 8.5 percent, reflecting timing on United Launch Alliance launches. During the quarter, N&SS successfully launched the first of six Boeing-built Intelsat Epic satellites.
Global Services & Support (GS&S) first-quarter revenue increased to $2.6 billion, reflecting higher volume in Aircraft Modernization & Sustainment and Training Systems. Operating margin was 13.3 percent, reflecting program mix. During the quarter, GS&S was awarded a NATO contract for C-17 training.
Backlog at Defense, Space & Security was $56 billion, of which 37 percent represents orders from international customers.
Additional Financial Information
Table 6. Additional Financial Information First Quarter (Dollars in Millions) 2016 2015 Revenues Boeing Capital $64 $86 Unallocated items, eliminations and other $213 ($27) Earnings from Operations Boeing Capital $5 $20 Unallocated pension/postretirement $94 ($113) Other unallocated items and eliminations ($166) ($248) Other income/(loss), net $26 ($12) Interest and debt expense ($73) ($61) Effective tax rate 30.0% 31.3%
At quarter-end, Boeing Capital's net portfolio balance was $3.2 billion, down from the beginning of the quarter. Unallocated items and eliminations first quarter revenue reflects the payoff of two aircraft previously financed by Boeing Capital. Total pension expense for the first quarter was $629 million, down from $785 million in the same period of the prior year. Other unallocated items and eliminations decreased from the same period in the prior year primarily due to lower deferred compensation expense.
Outlook
The company's 2016 financial and delivery guidance (Table 7) is reaffirmed and reflects continued solid performance across the company.
Table 7. 2016 Financial Outlook Current (Dollars in Billions, except per share data) Guidance The Boeing Company Revenue $93.0 - 95.0 Core Earnings Per Share* $8.15 - 8.35 GAAP Earnings Per Share $8.45 - 8.65 Operating Cash Flow ~$10.0 Commercial Airplanes Deliveries 740 - 745 Revenue $64.0 - 65.0 Operating Margin ~9.0% Defense, Space & Security Revenue Boeing Military Aircraft ~$12.3 Network& Space Systems ~$7.3 Global Services& Support ~$9.4 Total BDS Revenue $28.5 - 29.5 Operating Margin Boeing Military Aircraft ~10.0% Network& Space Systems ~9.0% Global Services& Support ~11.5% Total BDS Operating Margin >10.0% Boeing Capital Portfolio Size Stable Revenue ~$0.3 Pre-Tax Earnings ~$0.05 Research& Development ~ $3.6 Capital Expenditures ~ $2.8 Pension Expense 1 ~ $2.1 Effective Tax Rate ~ 30.0% 1 Approximately ($0.1) billion is expected to be recorded in unallocated items and eliminations * Non-GAAP measures. Complete definitions of Boeing's non-GAAP measures are on page 6, "Non-GAAP Measures Disclosures."
Non-GAAP Measures Disclosures
We supplement the reporting of our financial information determined under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) with certain non-GAAP financial information. The non-GAAP financial information presented excludes certain significant items that may not be indicative of, or are unrelated to, results from our ongoing business operations. We believe that these non-GAAP measures provide investors with additional insight into the company's ongoing business performance. These non-GAAP measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the related GAAP measures, and other companies may define such measures differently. We encourage investors to review our financial statements and publicly-filed reports in their entirety and not to rely on any single financial measure. The following definitions are provided:
Core Operating Earnings, Core Operating Margin and Core Earnings Per Share
Core operating earnings is defined as GAAP earnings from operations excluding unallocated pension and post-retirement expense. Core operating margin is defined as core operating earnings expressed as a percentage of revenue. Core earnings per share is defined as GAAP diluted earnings per share excluding the net earnings per share impact of unallocated pension and post-retirement expense. Unallocated pension and post-retirement expense represents the portion of pension and other post-retirement costs that are not recognized by business segments for segment reporting purposes. Management uses core operating earnings, core operating margin and core earnings per share for purposes of evaluating and forecasting underlying business performance. Management believes these core earnings measures provide investors additional insights into operational performance as they exclude unallocated pension and post-retirement costs, which primarily represent costs driven by market factors and costs not allocable to government contracts. A reconciliation between the GAAP and non-GAAP measures is provided on page 13.
Free Cash Flow
Free cash flow is defined as GAAP operating cash flow without capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment additions. Management believes free cash flow provides investors with an important perspective on the cash available for shareholders, debt repayment, and acquisitions after making the capital investments required to support ongoing business operations and long term value creation. Free cash flow does not represent the residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures as it excludes certain mandatory expenditures such as repayment of maturing debt. Management uses free cash flow as a measure to assess both business performance and overall liquidity. Table 2 provides a reconciliation between GAAP operating cash flow and free cash flow.
Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "should," "expects," "intends," "projects," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "targets," "anticipates," and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include statements relating to our future financial condition and operating results, as well as any other statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions, which may not prove to be accurate. These statements are not guarantees and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from these forward-looking statements. Among these factors are risks related to: (1) general conditions in the economy and our industry, including those due to regulatory changes; (2) our reliance on our commercial airline customers; (3) the overall health of our aircraft production system, planned production rate increases across multiple commercial airline programs, our commercial development and derivative aircraft programs, and our aircraft being subject to stringent performance and reliability standards; (4) changing budget and appropriation levels and acquisition priorities of the U.S. government; (5) our dependence on U.S. government contracts; (6) our reliance on fixed-price contracts; (7) our reliance on cost-type contracts; (8) uncertainties concerning contracts that include in-orbit incentive payments; (9) our dependence on our subcontractors and suppliers, as well as the availability of raw materials, (10) changes in accounting estimates; (11) changes in the competitive landscape in our markets; (12) our non-U.S. operations, including sales to non-U.S. customers; (13) potential adverse developments in new or pending litigation and/or government investigations; (14) customer and aircraft concentration in Boeing Capital's customer financing portfolio; (15) changes in our ability to obtain debt on commercially reasonable terms and at competitive rates in order to fund our operations and contractual commitments; (16) realizing the anticipated benefits of mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures/strategic alliances or divestitures; (17) the adequacy of our insurance coverage to cover significant risk exposures; (18) potential business disruptions, including those related to physical security threats, information technology or cyber-attacks, epidemics, sanctions or natural disasters; (19) work stoppages or other labor disruptions; (20) significant changes in discount rates and actual investment return on pension assets; (21) potential environmental liabilities; and (22) threats to the security of our or our customers' information.
Additional information concerning these and other factors can be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.
Contact:
InvestorRelations: Troy Lahr or Ben Hackman (312) 544-2140 Communications: Bernard Choi (312)544-2002
The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) Three months ended
March 31 (Dollars in millions, except per share data) 2016 2015 Sales of products $19,885 $19,485 Sales of services 2,747 2,664 Total revenues 22,632 22,149 Cost of products (16,945) (16,380) Cost of services (2,136) (2,100) Boeing Capital interest expense (16) (16) Total costs and expenses (19,097) (18,496) 3,535 3,653 Income from operating investments, net 54 79 General and administrative expense (888) (945) Research and development expense, net (917) (769) Gain on dispositions, net 4 1 Earnings from operations 1,788 2,019 Other income/(loss), net 26 (12) Interest and debt expense (73) (61) Earnings before income taxes 1,741 1,946 Income tax expense (522) (610) Net earnings $1,219 $1,336 Basic earnings per share $1.85 $1.89 Diluted earnings per share $1.83 $1.87 Cash dividends paid per share $1.09 $0.91 Weighted average diluted shares (millions) 665.8 714.2
The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (Unaudited) (Dollars in millions, except per share data) March31
2016 December31
2015 Assets Cash and cash equivalents $7,886 $11,302 Short-term and other investments 466 750 Accounts receivable, net 9,711 8,713 Current portion of customer financing, net 258 212 Inventories, net of advances and progress billings 47,266 47,257 Total current assets 65,587 68,234 Customer financing, net 2,980 3,358 Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $16,476 and $16,286 12,269 12,076 Goodwill 5,132 5,126 Acquired intangible assets, net 2,594 2,657 Deferred income taxes 267 265 Investments 1,297 1,284 Other assets, net of accumulated amortization of $478 and $451 1,421 1,408 Total assets $91,547 $94,408 Liabilities and equity Accounts payable $11,558 $10,800 Accrued liabilities 12,790 14,014 Advances and billings in excess of related costs 23,926 24,364 Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt 1,243 1,234 Total current liabilities 49,517 50,412 Deferred income taxes 2,297 2,392 Accrued retiree health care 6,614 6,616 Accrued pension plan liability, net 18,196 17,783 Other long-term liabilities 2,096 2,078 Long-term debt 8,721 8,730 Shareholders' equity: Common stock, par value $5.00 - 1,200,000,000 shares authorized; 1,012,261,159 shares issued 5,061 5,061 Additional paid-in capital 4,784 4,834 Treasury stock, at cost - 372,446,158 and 345,637,354 shares (32,939) (29,568) Retained earnings 39,975 38,756 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (12,838) (12,748) Total shareholders' equity 4,043 6,335 Noncontrolling interests 63 62 Total equity 4,106 6,397 Total liabilities and equity $91,547 $94,408
The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) Three months ended
March 31 (Dollars in millions) 2016 2015 Cash flows-operating activities: Net earnings $1,219 $1,336 Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by operating activities: Non-cash items - Share-based plans expense 51 50 Depreciation and amortization 443 459 Investment/asset impairment charges, net 33 17 Customer financing valuation benefit (2) (2) Gain on dispositions, net (4) (1) Other charges and credits, net 84 76 Excess tax benefits from share-based payment arrangements (44) (112) Changes in assets and liabilities - Accounts receivable (1,002) (389) Inventories, net of advances and progress billings (56) (1,822) Accounts payable 960 848 Accrued liabilities (467) (900) Advances and billings in excess of related costs (435) (422) Income taxes receivable, payable and deferred 273 443 Other long-term liabilities (116) (82) Pension and other postretirement plans 79 608 Customer financing, net 276 31 Other (61) (50) Net cash provided by operating activities 1,231 88 Cash flows - investing activities: Property, plant and equipment additions (748) (574) Property, plant and equipment reductions 11 Contributions to investments (204) (807) Proceeds from investments 493 1,159 Other 10 8 Net cash used by investing activities (438) (214) Cash flows - financing activities: New borrowings 115 761 Debt repayments (128) (813) Stock options exercised 42 231 Excess tax benefits from share-based payment arrangements 44 112 Employee taxes on certain share-based payment arrangements (76) (87) Common shares repurchased (3,501) (2,500) Dividends paid (717) (639) Net cash used by financing activities (4,221) (2,935) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 12 (17) Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents (3,416) (3,078) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 11,302 11,733 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $7,886 $8,655
The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries Summary of Business Segment Data (Unaudited) Three months ended
March 31 (Dollars in millions) 2016 2015 Revenues: Commercial Airplanes $14,399 $15,381 Defense, Space& Security: Boeing Military Aircraft 3,659 2,726 Network& Space Systems 1,735 1,732 Global Services& Support 2,562 2,251 Total Defense, Space& Security 7,956 6,709 Boeing Capital 64 86 Unallocated items, eliminations and other 213 (27) Total revenues $22,632 $22,149 Earnings from operations: Commercial Airplanes $1,033 $1,617 Defense, Space& Security: Boeing Military Aircraft 334 259 Network& Space Systems 148 167 Global Services& Support 340 317 Total Defense, Space& Security 822 743 Boeing Capital 5 20 Segment operating profit 1,860 2,380 Unallocated items, eliminations and other (72) (361) Earnings from operations 1,788 2,019 Other income/(loss), net 26 (12) Interest and debt expense (73) (61) Earnings before income taxes 1,741 1,946 Income tax expense (522) (610) Net earnings $1,219 $1,336 Research and development expense, net: Commercial Airplanes $671 $543 Defense, Space& Security 258 224 Other (12) 2 Total research and development expense, net $917 $769 Unallocated items, eliminations and other: Share-based plans ($23) ($21) Deferred compensation 16 (58) Amortization of previously capitalized interest (30) (29) Eliminations and other unallocated items (129) (140) Sub-total (included in core operating earnings) (166) (248) Pension 45 (152) Postretirement 49 39 Total unallocated items, eliminations and other ($72) ($361)
The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries Operating and Financial Data (Unaudited) Deliveries Three months ended
March 31 Commercial Airplanes 2016 2015 737 121 121 747 1 4 767 1 5 777 23 24 787 30 30 Total 176 184 Note: Deliveries under operating lease are identified by parentheses. Defense, Space & Security Boeing Military Aircraft AH-64 Apache (New) 7 6 AH-64 Apache (Remanufactured) 11 10 C-17 Globemaster III 3 1 CH-47 Chinook (New) 3 6 CH-47 Chinook (Renewed) 9 4 F-15 Models 4 1 F/A-18 Models 8 11 P-8 Models 4 2 Global Services & Support AEW&C C-40A 1 Network & Space Systems Commercial and Civil Satellites 1 Military Satellites Contractual backlog (Dollars in billions) March31
2016 December31
2015 Commercial Airplanes $423.0 $431.4 Defense, Space & Security: Boeing Military Aircraft 22.1 19.9 Network & Space Systems 8.0 7.4 Global Services & Support 17.1 17.9 Total Defense, Space & Security 47.2 45.2 Total contractual backlog $470.2 $476.6 Unobligated backlog $9.8 $12.7 Total backlog $480.0 $489.3 Workforce 159,100 161,400
Regulatory News:
Itiviti Group Holding AB (former Orc Group Holding AB) and Itiviti Group invite you to attend an investor telephone conference (in English) on Thursday, May 12, 2016 at 3.00 p.m. CEST. CEO Torben Munch and CFO Tony Falck will present and comment on the group's interim report for January - March 2016.
Register by e-mail at ir@Itiviti.com or phone +46 8 506 477 00 no later than May 9, 2016. When registering please include your name, e-mail and phone number.
Orc Group and CameronTec Group on February 2, 2016 announced the establishment of the new combined company Itiviti. On April 1, 2016 Orc Group Holding AB announced the completion of the combination. Following that Orc Group Holding AB has changed name to Itiviti Group Holding AB.
About Itiviti
Itiviti is a world-leading technology provider for the capital markets industry. Trading firms, banks, brokers and institutional clients rely on Itiviti technology, solutions and expertise for streamlining daily operations, while gaining sustainable competitive edge in global markets.
With 13 offices and serving more than 400 customers worldwide, Itiviti was formed by uniting Orc Group, a leader in trading and electronic execution, and CameronTec Group, the global standard in financial messaging infrastructure and connectivity. From its foundation in 2016, Itiviti has a staff of 400 and an estimated annual revenue of SEK 700 million.
Itiviti is committed to continuous innovation to deliver trading infrastructure built for today's dynamic markets, offering highly adaptable platforms and solutions, enabling clients to stay ahead of competitive and regulatory challenges.
Itiviti is owned by Nordic Capital Fund VII.
www.itiviti.com
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160427005823/en/
Contacts:
Orc Group Holding AB
Christine Blinke
+46 8 506 477 00
http://www.orc-group.com
ir@orc-group.com
CHENNAI, India, April 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Edsix Brain Lab incubated by IIT Madras RTBI and supported by IIM Ahmedabad's CIIE started on 14th November and students from 24 states across India from 200+ cities had participated in the contest. Students from 2000+ schools across India had eagerly participated for competing in the brain skill contest. The contest is aimed at assessing core brain skills and has five modules to test memory, visual processing, focus and attention, problem-solving and linguistic skills - the most sought after 21st Century skills.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160427/801923 )
The Finals of the Super Brain Challenge successfully completed on 7th Feb 2016.
It's a great milestone achieved, as this is a first of a kind and India's Largest Online Brain Game Contest ,introducing children to brain stimulating games conducted across India where the Round I and the Finals were both conducted online.
The Super Brain Challenge received a great response from across India and saw participation from 200 cities across 24 states. 6500+ Students from 2000+ schools studying in Classes 1 to 12 spread across India enthusiastically participated.
The contest received overwhelming responses and many users, parents and some of the well-wishers, experts in the Field have given feedback about the contest site being World Class and the Contest games very challenging and exciting to play.
The entire Contest process has been validated by our Process advisors Ernst & Young (EY) - a multinational professional services firm & also the number one professional services brand in India.
After verification and validation process the results are announced in our website www.skillangels.com & https://thesuperbrainchallenge.com
Following are the Grand Prize winners :
Winner Trip to NASA USA - Jaya Harihara Pranav -Std XI- Bannari Amman Vidhya Niketan Sathyamangalam Tamil Nadu
Winner trip to Universal Studios Singapore - Siddarth Venkatasubramanian - Std VI - Sri Kumaran Children's Home (CBSE), Mallasandra Campus
The award ceremony was conducted in an Impressive manner on 24th April at Anna Centenary Library Auditorium in Kotturpuram Chennai. Padma Shri Dr. Mayilswamy Annadurai Director of ISRO Satellite centre graced the occasion as Chief Guest inspiring and enlightening the young minds with his speech. The children and parents were excited and happy to hear from the outstanding scientist of India.
Sri.S. Abhaya Kumar Executive Director Strides Shasun Ltd,and Dr. K.R Maalathi a renowned educationist and CEO of Auuro Educational services were invited as Guests of Honor. They encouraged the students & parents with their words and insisted on the importance of Skill development for the overall development of individuals for success in career and life and urged the importance of the Aptitude learning coming in as part of Mainstream curriculum.
Over 300+ Prize winners from the Contest had come over from all over India participated in the event and enjoyed the program\ sharing their happiness interacting with other participants from the event. The prizes ranging from ipads, Laptops, Tablets, Bi Cycles and Science Activity kits were given away to the winners. For the prize winners who were not able to attend in person the program, their prizes will be sent across to their place.
Educationist from across the states including principals of schools, management from various education institutions participated in this gala event and encouraged the students. More than 1000 people participated in the program making it a huge success.
Please check out more details on our website www.skillangels.com & https://thesuperbrainchallenge.com, www.facebook.com/skillangels
About Skill Angels
Skill Angels exists to transform the students of our classrooms into the employees of our work spaces. A team of education visionaries, development experts and clinical psychologists have come together to go that extra mile, alter the average education experience and create champions of tomorrow. Skill Angels works in the assessment and training of Aptitude skills.
So far, Skill Angels has helped students to complete more than 8 lakh minutes of Gamified Aptitude Training & Assessment and helped them solved 17 Lakh Plus Puzzles.
Media Contact
Badri Narayanan
Chief Evangelist
+91-9840264006
Personal Injury Trust Fund Valued in Excess of $3.5 Billion Established to Resolve Asbestos Claims; Company Emerges Reinvented and Built to LastPITTSBURGH, 2016-04-27 13:30 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pittsburgh Corning Corporation (www.pghcorning.com), a global manufacturer of sustainable, high performance glass based products for the building, energy and industrial markets, announces that its Modified Third Amended Plan of Reorganization ("POR" or "Plan") has become effective as of April 27, 2016, and the Company has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Pittsburgh Corning has operated under asbestos-related Chapter 11 protection since April 16, 2000.The Pittsburgh Corning Modified Third Amended POR establishes the Pittsburgh Corning Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust. Scheduled to receive assets valued in excess of $3.5 billion, the Trust will be among the largest asbestos trusts in the country. It assumes all asbestos-related liabilities related to Pittsburgh Corning and resolves all asbestos personal injury claims, including those filed in the future. The Trust is to be funded by contributions of Pittsburgh Corning, its shareholders (PPG Industries Inc. and Corning Incorporated) and participating insurance carriers. Prior to emergence from Chapter 11, Pittsburgh Corning and Pittsburgh Corning Europe were equity affiliates of PPG Industries, Inc. and Corning, Inc. Effective today, Pittsburgh Corning Corporation will be owned by the Pittsburgh Corning Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust. Pittsburgh Corning Europe was not subject to Chapter 11, but its shares will be contributed to the Trust as part of the Company's Plan of Reorganization by early June 2016.Pittsburgh Corning Corporation is the foremost global supplier of premium quality, cellular glass insulation, with a unique combination of properties that make it one of the highest performing insulations materials available. The Company's FOAMGLAS Insulation is used around the world as protection in commercial building envelopes and in critical industrial processes, including piping for oil and gas production and as the foundations for liquid natural gas storage tanks. The Company also produces glass block products and windows for the residential and architectural markets in the United States.The Company's Modified Third Amended Plan of Reorganization was confirmed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania on May 24, 2013, and affirmed by the U.S. District Court of Pennsylvania on September 30, 2014. Appeals were finally resolved on January 7, 2016, which allowed consummation of the Plan.Between 1962 and 1972, Pittsburgh Corning manufactured, marketed and sold Unibestos, an asbestos pipe insulation product it acquired from Union Asbestos and Rubber Company. The Company was named as a defendant in asbestos-related lawsuits, defending and resolving more than 200,000 claims. Pittsburgh Corning sought Chapter 11 protection in 2000, when it became apparent that defending and settling an additional 235,000 pending claims would exhaust Company resources before they could be resolved.Pittsburgh Corning emerges from Chapter 11 protection having reinvented its business. Since its inception almost 80 years ago, the privately held Pittsburgh Corning has grown to serve customers globally. Together with Pittsburgh Corning Europe, the Company operates today as a single worldwide enterprise that is the world's largest producer of environmentally advanced cellular glass insulation and systems. It operates insulation manufacturing facilities in Sedalia, Missouri; Fresno, Texas; Tessenderlo, Belgium; Klasterec, Czech Republic, and recently, began production at its new, wholly owned state-of-the-art facility in Yantai, China. Glass block products are produced in Port Allegany, Pennsylvania."During Chapter 11, Pittsburgh Corning operated with two major objectives. For the first five years, when emergence seemed to be a few years in the offing, the Company focused on protecting and preserving the assets, which would become part of the Asbestos Trust. When it became apparent that Pittsburgh Corning's time in bankruptcy was going to be extended, our focus expanded to include strategic actions designed to reinvent our business to better serve customers worldwide and create a platform for sustained profitable growth for our future shareholders," said James R. Kane, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pittsburgh Corning Corporation. "Today, Pittsburgh Corning has achieved both goals. After 16 years of operating under Chapter 11, the Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust can begin helping people and families. The Company has performed well and is eager to move past Chapter 11 and toward a promising future."Pittsburgh Corning has implemented strategic initiatives that have improved service to customers and created shareholder value. Significant capital investments have been made at plants in the United States and Europe to improve safety and productivity and reduce delivery time and costs. With the addition of the new operation in China, the Company's base of operations has expanded to be closer to its customers on three continents."Pittsburgh Corning customers, employees, shareholders, suppliers and business partners have been instrumental in keeping the Company stable, competitive and growing during the past 16 years," said Kane. "We're grateful for all of our stakeholders, whose unfaltering support has allowed Pittsburgh Corning to become a world leader in the production of high performance, sustainable, glass-based building materials that conserve energy, protect the environment and enhance safety for millions of people around the world."Pittsburgh Corning FOAMGLAS Insulation, in addition to its energy-conserving characteristics, offers exceptional strength, is waterproof and will not burn. Billions of feet of FOAMGLAS Insulation have been installed throughout the world in thousands of buildings and industrial plants. Pittsburgh Corning offers a full range of FOAMGLAS products and technical consulting services for building and industrial applications, including blocks in numerous densities, boards for various building applications, fabricated and tapered components, complex assemblies and a range of adhesives, coatings, clips and jackets that create complete insulation systems. The Company provides customer support, including technical experts and training centers, on every continent.About Pittsburgh Corning Corporation and Pittsburgh Corning Europe, N.V. Pittsburgh Corning consists of Pittsburgh Corning Corporation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Pittsburgh Corning Europe N.V. in Tessenderlo, Belgium. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; European headquarters in Tessenderlo, Belgium, and Asian headquarters in Yantai, China, the Companies operate worldwide under a global management team committed to a common set of corporate values. Pittsburgh Corning Corporation is owned by the Pittsburgh Corning Asbestos Personal Injury Trust. Pittsburgh Corning Europe will be contributed to the Trust by the current shareholders in June 2016.The companies produce sustainable, high-performance cellular glass FOAMGLAS Insulation products for commercial and residential buildings and energy and industrial applications. FOAMGLAS Insulation offers a unique combination of properties, making it one of the highest performing insulation materials available. Billions of board feet of FOAMGLAS have been installed throughout the world in thousands of buildings and industrial plants. Pittsburgh Corning also offers a wide range of complementary accessory products including sealants, adhesives, and jacketing. The Company is the only United States manufacturer of premium glass block products and specialized architectural window systems for commercial, institutional, government and residential buildings. Pittsburgh Corning's products keep people safe and provide lasting protection for homes, offices, public facilities and processing operations.Additional information about Pittsburgh Corning Corporation is available at www.pghcorning.com and www.foamglas.com.MEDIA CONTACT: Jeannine F. Addams or Kristin Wohlleben J. Addams & Partners, Inc. 404.231.1132 phone jfaddams@jaddams.com kwohlleben@jaddams.com
CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- ATCO Ltd. (TSX: ACO.X) (TSX: ACO.Y)
ATCO today announced first quarter adjusted earnings for 2016 of $121 million compared to $78 million in 2015.
Higher earnings compared to the first quarter of 2015 were mainly the result of continued capital investment and growth in rate base within the Regulated Utilities, higher occupancy levels in the Lodging business and higher Modular Structures project activity in ATCO Structures & Logistics, and business-wide cost reduction initiatives. Earnings in the first quarter of 2015 were reduced by a one-time earnings impact resulting from retroactive regulatory decisions that were received in that quarter.
ATCO invested $364 million in the first quarter of 2016, 76 per cent of which was in the Company's Regulated Utilities and in long-term contracted capital assets. These investments either earn a return under a regulatory business model or are under commercially secured long-term contracts.
On April 7, 2016, ATCO declared a second quarter dividend for 2016 of 28.50 cents per Class I Non-Voting and Class II Voting Share, a 15 per cent increase over the quarterly dividends declared in the same period of 2015. ATCO's annual dividend per share has increased for 23 consecutive years.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
-- In February 2016, ATCO Structures & Logistics completed Phase I of the Site C Clean Energy Workforce Housing Project. ATCO Structures & Logistics is installing and will operate this $470 million, 1,600-bed workforce housing facility for workers constructing BC Hydro's Site C Clean Energy Project on the Peace River in northeast British Columbia. -- In March 2016, ATCO Structures & Logistics completed the Chevron- operated Wheatstone Project in Western Australia. The total value of ATCO Structures & Logistics' scope of work was $384 million Australian. -- In April 2016, ATCO expanded its international modular structures business by acquiring 50 per cent ownership of Sabinco Soluciones Modulares S.A. (Sabinco). The transaction included the purchase of a land position and the provision of funds for a future manufacturing facility. Headquartered in Santiago, Chile, Sabinco's fleet of nearly 2,500 space rental and workforce housing units accounts for approximately 10 per cent of the Chilean market. Sabinco's established presence in Chile also provides a strong foundation upon which the partnership can expand, with potential growth opportunities identified in other South American markets.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY AND RECONCILIATION OF ADJUSTED EARNINGS
A financial summary and reconciliation of adjusted earnings to earnings attributable to Class I and Class II Shares is provided below:
For the Three Months Ended March 31 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ($ Millions except share data) 2016 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted earnings (1) 121 78 Gain on sale of joint operation (2) 7 - Rate-regulated activities (2) (19) 16 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Earnings attributable to Class I and Class II Shares 109 94 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weighted average shares outstanding (millions of shares) 114.7 114.8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Adjusted earnings are earnings attributable to Class I and Class II Shares after adjusting for the timing of revenues and expenses associated with rate-regulated activities. Adjusted earnings also exclude one-time gains and losses, significant impairments and items that are not in the normal course of business or a result of day-to-day operations. Adjusted earnings present earnings on the same basis as was used prior to adopting International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) - that basis being the U.S. accounting principles for rate- regulated entities - and they are a key measure used to assess segment performance, to reflect the economics of rate regulation and to facilitate comparability of ATCO's earnings with other Canadian rate- regulated companies. (2) Refer to Note 3 of the consolidated financial statements for detailed descriptions of the adjustments.
Earnings attributable to Class I and Class II Shares were $109 million in the first quarter of 2016 compared to $94 million in the same period of 2015.
In the first quarter of 2016, the Company recorded a gain on sale of joint operation of $7 million related to the sale of the Company's 51.3 per cent interest in the Edmonton Ethane Extraction Plant. Timing adjustments made in rate-regulated accounting lowered earnings attributable to Class I and Class II Shares by $19 million in the first quarter.
This news release should be used as a preparation for reading the full disclosure documents. ATCO's consolidated financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the first quarter ended March 31, 2016 will be available on the ATCO website (www.atco.com), via SEDAR (www.sedar.com) or can be requested from the Company.
With nearly 8,000 employees and assets of approximately $19 billion, ATCO is a diversified global corporation delivering service excellence and innovative business solutions in Structures & Logistics (workforce housing, innovative modular facilities, construction, site support services, and logistics and operations management); Electricity (power generation, distributed generation, and electricity distribution, transmission and infrastructure development); Pipelines & Liquids (natural gas transmission, distribution and infrastructure development, energy storage, and industrial water solutions); and Retail Energy (electricity and natural gas retail sales). More information can be found at www.ATCO.com.
Forward-Looking Information:
Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "should", and similar expressions.
Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information.
The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of regulatory decisions, competitive factors in the industries in which the Company operates, prevailing economic conditions, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company.
The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon.
Any forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the Company's expectations as of the date hereof, and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities legislation.
Contacts:
Media & Investor Inquiries:
B.R. (Brian) Bale
Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
403-292-7502
Enables voice support for IoT and M2M applications
Sequans Communications S.A. (NYSE: SQNS) announced that Verizon has certified the Calliope LTE Cat 1 chipset to support VoLTE applications. Verizon's IoT strategy is supported by Sequans' Calliope chipset, which was the first LTE Cat 1 chipset to come to market, the first to be certified by Verizon, and now the first to support VoLTE.
"Our Cat 1 Calliope technology has been very well-received in the IoT market," said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. "Calliope enables exciting opportunities for IoT developers as a low-cost platform designed and optimized for low power operation. The addition of VoLTE capability significantly broadens the range of applications Calliope can support."
"We are pleased to see voice enabled low-cost LTE solutions such as Calliope come to market," said Chris Schmidt, executive director of Device Technology at Verizon. "This expands the portfolio of chipset and module solutions available for customers to connect to the nation's largest, most reliable LTE network. With certified chipsets and modules, product developers can commercialize products faster and with lower certification time and cost."
Calliope's VoLTE capabilities are enabled by a fully integrated on-chip IMS stack and media processing engine. The platform supports LTE quality of service for fast call setup and low-latency voice calls. Calliope also supports advanced calling features such as conference calling, call waiting, and call forwarding; and it supports all major voice codecs including AMR-wideband for Verizon's HD Voice service.
"Voice support in M2M and IoT is increasingly a requirement for many applications," said Andrew Brown, head of IoT research at Strategy Analytics. "LTE Cat 1 chipsets, such as those from Sequans that are purpose-built for M2M and IoT and include native support for VoLTE, address the market demands of these applications. We see a meaningful role for VoLTE-enabled LTE Cat 1 solutions in enabling continued growth in this segment as a logical successor to aging 2G and 3G technologies."
See Strategy Analytics' white paper: The Role of Voice in IoT Applications
Also certified for VoLTE by Verizon Wireless at this time is the VZ120Q module based on Calliope that includes complete RF support for Verizon's LTE bands 4 and 13. Calliope is a member of Sequans' StreamliteLTE family of products for the Internet of Things.
Potential IoT applications for Cat 1 with VoLTE
Security control and alarm panels for smart homes
Connected wearables for fitness, consumer electronics and healthcare applications
In-car applications for emergency calling, concierge services and roadside assistance
People tracking monitors for children or seniors with emergency calling capability
Call boxes for elevator and roadside applications
Parking kiosks, vending machines, ATMs and package drop-off stations
Ruggedized PDAs for logistics and delivery personnel
About Sequans Communications
Sequans Communications S.A. (NYSE: SQNS) is a 4G chipmaker and leading provider of single-mode LTE chipset solutions to wireless device manufacturers worldwide. Founded in 2003, Sequans has developed and delivered six generations of 4G technology and its chips are certified and shipping in 4G networks, both LTE and WiMAX, around the world. Today, Sequans offers two LTE product lines: StreamrichLTE, optimized for feature-rich mobile computing and home/portable router devices, and StreamliteLTE, optimized for M2M devices and other connected devices for the Internet of Things. Sequans is based in Paris, France with additional offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Israel, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, and China. Visit Sequans online at www.sequans.com; www.facebook.com/sequans; www.twitter.com/sequans
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160427005369/en/
Contacts:
Sequans Communications S.A.
Media relations:
Kimberly Tassin, +1-425-736-0569
Kimberly@sequans.com
or
Investor relations:
Claudia Gatlin, +1-212-830-9080
claudia@sequans.com.
Four out of five business leaders understand the important role digital experience plays in business success but more than half aren't sure how to improve it
Business leaders looking to improve the quality of their customers' digital experience agree they do not know where to start according to research published today by Actual Experience. Four out of five C-level executives know that digital experience quality is critical to business success, but more than half (55%) do not know how to identify the issues that affect quality.
It's vital that business leaders embrace the next phase of the digital transformation if they're going to succeed. Actual Experience's research shows that business leaders both in North America, UK and Ireland appreciate the value of consistent digital experience quality (89% agree it's crucial to company success over the next two years).However, they claim their biggest barriers to improving digital experience quality are identifying the specific quality issues that need improving (49%), cost (43%) and knowing where to start to develop a strategy for improvement (34%).
In a world of constant digital transformation, customers and employees have come to demand consistent quality of digital products and services, and failure to meet this expectation results in customer churn, reduced employee productivity and lost revenue. If businesses are going to meet this demand they need to refocus their investments. Actual Experience's research found that the more digitally-savvy business leaders are already doing so, with 57% refocusing investments and resources on data and analytics and 51% investing in quality of digital experience.
According to Actual Experience CEO Dave Page, "With the proliferation of digital products and services, digital experience quality is more critical than ever to overall business success. Leaders understand there is a significant business impact and are focused on improving their digital quality, but despite their digital maturity, they just don't know how."
"But for the first time new technology is allowing organizations to see everything that impacts digital experience quality," continues Page. "By understanding the experience of the end user, be it a customer or an employee, businesses are able to focus their resources on achieving consistent quality and improving business performance."
A report summarizing the research in more detail can be viewed and downloaded here: https://www.actual-experience.com/report2016
About Actual Experience
Actual Experience's analytics provide the digital Voice of the Customer. This is an outside-in, real-time, data-driven view of what end users would say about the quality of a company's digital products and services, and why. Our customers can analyse everything that impacts the experience quality in their digital supply chains, for any service, type of user or thing. It gives them complete transparency from the point of provision to the point of use and whether inside or outside their business's control. The insights can be used to make continuous improvements to their business performance.
Actual Experience is a listed-company on the London Stock Exchange (ACT). Our development headquarters are in Bath, UK, and we have offices in London, New York and Seattle. Actual Experience's unique digital analytics as a service is founded on ten years of cutting-edge research at Queen Mary University of London.
www.actual-experience.com
Overview of key findings
This survey was conducted by Morar on behalf of Actual Experience. It was completed in March 2016. The 403 respondents are all at Director level or above, with 150 respondents being C-suite. They all work for companies with more than 500 employees and are based in the United States and Canada (200), Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom (203).
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160427005406/en/
Contacts:
Press Office (US)
SmartMark Communications LLC for Actual Experience
Lindsay Ambrose, +1-215-504-4272
lambrose@smartmarkusa.com
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- Gold Resource Corporation (NYSE MKT: GORO) (the "Company") declares its monthly instituted dividend of 1/6 of a cent per common share for April 2016 payable on May 23, 2016 to shareholders of record as of May 11, 2016. Gold Resource Corporation is a gold and silver producer with operations in Oaxaca, Mexico and exploration in Nevada, USA.
The Company has returned $108 million to shareholders in monthly dividends since commercial production commenced July 1, 2010, and offers shareholders the option to convert their cash dividends and take delivery in physical gold and silver. For more information on Gold Resource Corporation's physical dividend program, visit the Company website at http://goldresourcecorp.com/gold-silver-dividends.php.
Dividends may vary in amount and consistency or be discontinued at the Board of Directors' discretion depending on variables including but not limited to operational cash flows, Company development requirements and strategies, construction, spot gold and silver prices, taxation, general market conditions and other factors described in the Cautionary Statements below and the Company's public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
About GRC:
Gold Resource Corporation is a mining company focused on production and pursuing development of gold and silver projects that feature low operating costs and produce high returns on capital. The Company has 100% interest in six potential high-grade gold and silver properties at its producing Oaxaca, Mexico Mining Unit and exploration properties at its Nevada, USA, Mining Unit. The Company has 54,266,706 shares outstanding, no warrants, no long term debt and has returned $108 million back to shareholders since commercial production commenced July 1, 2010. Gold Resource Corporation offers shareholders the option to convert their cash dividends into physical gold and silver and take delivery. For more information, please visit GRC's website, located at www.Goldresourcecorp.com and read the Company's 10-K for an understanding of the risk factors involved.
Cautionary Statements:
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. When used in this press release, the words "plan", "target", "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the statements regarding Gold Resource Corporation's strategy, future plans for production, future expenses and costs, future liquidity and capital resources, and estimates of mineralized material. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to Gold Resource Corporation on the date of this press release, and the company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed in this press release. In particular, there can be no assurance that production will continue at any specific rate. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in the Company's 10-K filed with the SEC.
Contacts:
Corporate Development
Greg Patterson
303-320-7708
www.Goldresourcecorp.com
Patented payment method secures payment card data and personally identifiable information (PII), defends against growing card-not-present (CNP) fraud while ensuring positive customer experience
Protects organizations from brand damage and loss of customer trust due to data breaches
Semafone, who provides secure payment software for contact centers, today announced its continued expansion into North America with the opening of a new regional headquarters in Boston. Located in Boston's downtown business district, the new office will be the center of operations for Semafone's North American sales efforts. The company's technology helps to reduce the burden of PCI compliance for North American companies while simultaneously protecting them against the potential reputational damages resulting from data breaches and payment fraud.
Maintaining compliance with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) while providing a positive customer experience is a complex challenge facing businesses across the globe. With a client base already spanning 14 countries on five continents, Semafone brings extensive experience in helping companies solve this challenge to a growing number of U.S., Canadian and Mexican companies.
Semafone doubled international sales in 2015 and was named on The Sunday Times' SME Export Track 100 list, recognizing British companies with the fastest growing international sales. The company already boasts several North American enterprise clients including: Aimia, Amica, Aviva, Consolidated Communications Canada, Rogers Communications and TVG among others, and is on track to vastly expand its North American client list by the end of 2016. With the opening of the new headquarters, Semafone aims to accelerate its business and service more customers by hiring project managers, technical architects and engineers, creating highly skilled jobs in the Boston area.
"Semafone has been growing strongly both at home and overseas, and our decision to expand in the U.S. is based upon the success we have already had in North America," said Tim Critchley, Semafone CEO. "We have already landed some of the continent's largest telecommunications and wireless companies as clients and signed strong partnership agreements with a number of leading global contact center solution providers. The time is right to expand our operations in North America and Boston's bustling technology sector and top talent make it the perfect location to propel our innovation and sales throughout the continent."
Semafone's patented payment method enables call centers to secure customers' sensitive payment card data to comply with PCI DSS while at the same time maintaining a convenient and positive experience for customers. Semafone's software allows calls and call recording to continue as normal while customers enter their payment card number or other PII using their telephone keypad. For complete security, Semafone's technology masks the Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF or "keypad") tones from the cardholder's telephone so the tones cannot be recognized by the contact center agent or recorded on the call recording system. The solution dramatically reduces the risk of both payment fraud and payment card data breaches as well as the traditional fallout that occurs after a security incident, such as declining market value and litigation.
By reducing the scope of the card data environment (CDE) immediately upon implementation, Semafone's technology not only brings contact centers into continuous PCI compliance, but also provides real security without the need for burdensome controls, such as the need to establish "clean rooms" that can affect employee morale.
Semafone's award-winning technology is not just for call centers. Reducing the scope of CDE is so valuable to organizations today that Semafone is increasingly collaborating with large enterprises wanting to consolidate payment channels and improve security with Semafone's technology. At one large North American cellular and communications company, the Semafone solution was such an immediate success when deployed in the contact center that the company deployed Semafone as a payment gateway proxy for its entire CDE.
As the United States moves towards chip technology in payment cards, Semafone sees an opportunity to help companies prevent card-not-present (CNP) fraud as criminals shift their attention from point of sale terminals to telephone and online channels. Such a trend was witnessed in the United Kingdom, Australia, France and other countries, which all experienced a surge in CNP fraud after switching to EMV chip standards.
"With the switch to EMV chip cards, some analysts are predicting losses from card-not-present fraud to top more than $6.5 billion in the U.S. by 2018," said Critchley. "By expanding Semafone's presence in the U.S., we can help more North American businesses not only achieve PCI compliance but also better protect themselves from the increasing CNP fraud attempts targeting their call centers. Semafone helps our customers minimize fraud while also reducing the likelihood of payment card data breaches, which has a huge negative impact on the reputation and customer trust in affected brands."
For more information about Semafone, please visit: www.semafone.com
About Semafone
Semafone provides software to contact centers so they can take personal data securely over the telephone. Semafone's patented data capture method collects sensitive information such as payment card or bank details and social security numbers directly from the customer's telephone keypad for processing. This prevents personal data from entering the contact center, which protects against the risk of fraud and the associated reputational damage, ensuring compliance with industry regulations such as PCI DSS.
Semafone has achieved the four leading security and payment accreditations: ISO 27001:2013, PA DSS certification for its payment solution, PCI-DSS Level 1 Service Provider and is a Visa level 1 Merchant Agent.
The company was founded in 2009 and serves a wide range of industry sectors including financial services, media, retail, utilities, travel and tourism and the public sector. Customers include Sky, Aviva Canada, TalkTalk, Nespresso, Yorkshire Water and Virgin Group. BT offers a hosted version of Semafone's technology BT Secure Contact. North American customers include Rogers Communications, Consolidated Communications, Aviva Canada, Aimia, Amica and TVG. Major investors include Octopus Investments and BGF (Business Growth Fund).
Further information about Semafone is available at www.semafone.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160427005914/en/
Contacts:
MIX PR for Semafone
Matthew Mors, 206-992-7518
semafone@mix-pr.com
CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- Gold Ridge Exploration Corp. ("Gold Ridge" or the "Corporation") (NEX: GEA.H) announces that it has entered into an asset purchase agreement dated April 26, 2016 with a privately held Alberta company in connection with the proposed purchase of wireless networks, computer equipment, remote licensing, and software development support, for an aggregate purchase price of $266,804 (plus GST). The transaction will be funded from the Corporation's existing cash on hand and the proceeds from the closing of the second tranche of the previously announced private placement, which is expected to close shortly. The transaction is arm's length and no finder's fees or commissions are payable. The transaction will not consist of the issuance of any securities and shall not constitute a reactivation transaction or re-listing on the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"). The Corporation will remain listed on the NEX until such time that it satisfies the necessary listing requirements of the TSXV. The transaction is subject to NEX approval.
The transaction will enable the Corporation to begin assembling the technical infrastructure to facilitate its transition to becoming a wireless communications technology company providing services to the oil and gas, mining, and agricultural sectors.
The Corporation is also pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Jeff Decter and Mr. Robert Thomas to its Board of Directors.
Mr. Decter brings both private and public company experience to the Corporation. He has been the President of Integrity Financial Corp. since 1998. He consolidated a suite of sales and financing strategies that continue to adapt with technology to remain relevant in that fast-changing space.
Mr. Decter initiated his career in the automotive industry and later applied his skills to the communications industry. While with a private communication firm, his skills and knowledge in sales cycles and vertical marketing created success that led to an acquisition by a national communications company with offices in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary.
Mr. Robert Thomas has served as the President of a private education company based in Western Canada since 1997. For the past 16 years he has been involved in development of "bricks and mortar" healthcare education and computer training models and transferred them into online education experiences. Utilizing the "Internet of Everything" led to a business model that increased revenues, decreased operating costs and offered high quality educational opportunities in remote areas where they could not normally be delivered in an economical setting.
Mr. Thomas has acted in both management and board capacities on a variety of private and public companies over the past 22 years. Mr. Thomas has a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Saskatchewan.
The Corporation is pleased to have these gentlemen join the Board and apply their skills in anticipation of identifying new business opportunities in the technology sector.
Furthermore, the Corporation would like to announce the resignation of Alan Chan and Rudy Cech as directors of the company. David Heighington, a director of the Corporation, comments, "On behalf of the board and myself personally having worked with Alan and Rudy for many years on numerous ventures, we wish them the very best in all their future endeavours and thank them for all their valuable contribution over the years."
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This news release contains forward-looking statements. The Corporation has provided the forward-looking statements in reliance on assumptions that it believes are reasonable at this time. The reader is cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of the forwardlooking statements may prove to be incorrect. All such forward-looking statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Corporation's control. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, delays resulting from or inability to obtain required regulatory approval. The actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forwardlooking statements and, accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what benefits, including the amount of proceeds, the Corporation will derive therefrom. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive.
Contacts:
Gold Ridge Exploration Corp.
Mr. David D. Heighington
Director
(403) 237-0018
david@hlf.ca
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- Qubole, the big data-as-a-service company, and Looker, the company that is powering data-driven businesses, today announced that they are integrating Looker's business analytics with Qubole's cloud-based big data platform, giving line of business users across organizations access to powerful, yet easy-to-use big data analytics.
Business units face an uphill battle when it comes to gleaning information from vast and disparate sources. Line of business users find it challenging to extract, shape and present the variety and volume of data to executives to help make informed business decisions. As a result, data scientists are overwhelmed with requests to access data or provide fixed reports to line of business users, diverting their attention from gathering data insights through statistics and modeling techniques. Furthermore, line of business users become frustrated when they are forced to decipher the output of SQL aggregations created by data scientists.
Qubole and Looker are addressing this issue by integrating the Qubole Data Service (QDS) and Looker's analytics data platform. The combination gives line of business users instant access to automated, scalable, self-service data analytics without having to rely on or overburden the data science team -- and without having to build and maintain on-premises infrastructure.
"Data has become essential for every business function across the enterprise, but most big data offerings are still too complicated for line of business users to use, substantially reducing the business impact data can have," said Ashish Thusoo, co-founder and CEO of Qubole. "Qubole and Looker have similar philosophies that it is essential for businesses to make insights accessible to as many people in an organization as possible to stay competitive. The integration of our offerings serves that very purpose."
"Our customers are using Looker every day to operationalize their data and make better business decisions," said Keenan Rice, vice president of alliances, Looker. "Now with our support for Qubole's automated, scalable, big data platform, businesses have greater access to their cloud-based data. At the same time, Qubole's rapidly growing list of customers utilize our data platform to find, explore and understand the data that runs their business."
QDS is a self-service platform for big data analytics that runs on the three major public clouds: Amazon AWS, Google Compute Engine and Microsoft Azure. QDS automatically provisions, manages and scales up clusters to match the needs of a particular job, and then winds down nodes when they're no longer needed. QDS is a fully managed big data offering that leverages the latest open source technologies, such as Apache Hadoop, Hive, Presto, Pig, Oozie, Sqoop and Spark, to provide the only comprehensive, "everything-as-a-service" data analytics platform, complete with enterprise security features, an easy to use UI and built-in data governance.
About Qubole
Qubole is a big data-as-a-service company that provides a fast, easy and reliable path to turn big data into valuable business insights. Qubole's cloud-based platform addresses the challenges of processing huge volumes of structured and unstructured data. It uses clouds such as Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure to help enterprises extract value out of their big data while enabling their operations teams to be nimble and adaptive to their users' needs. Qubole achieves this through features such as auto-scaled big data clusters and integrated toolsets for data analysts, developers and business users. With more than 250+ PB of data processed every month across its customer base, Qubole's platform makes enterprises agile with big data.
About Looker
Looker brings data-driven decision-making to every level of an enterprise with a data platform that creates a single source of truth so every business team can easily ask and answer their own questions. The company is powering data-driven cultures at more than 500 industry-leading companies such as Yahoo!, Gilt, Warby Parker, and Sony. The company is headquartered in Santa Cruz, California, with offices in San Francisco, New York, and London. Investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Meritech Capital Partners, Redpoint Ventures, First Round Capital, Sapphire Ventures, and PivotNorth. For more information, Connect with us on LinkedIn, on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube or visit looker.com.
PORTLAND, OR -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- Janrain, the global leader in Customer Identity Management solutions, today announced that Jim Kaskade will succeed Larry Drebes as the company's CEO, effective immediately. Kaskade joins Janrain after leaving his executive position at Computer Sciences Corporation, where he led the formation of its largest line of commercial business as vice president and general manager of digital applications. Drebes, who founded Janrain in 2002, will remain the company's CTO.
With its recent Series D funding round led by HighBar Partners in December 2015, Janrain is making significant investments in its growth, including hiring a new CFO and vice president of engineering.
"Our latest round of funding has allowed us to continue to bring in exceptional talent to Janrain and expand our vision for the future of this company," said Drebes. "Over the last quarter, Jim and I have been talking about how Janrain is perfectly positioned in the marketplace, and I'm extremely pleased he's accepted this opportunity to lead our team and serve our clients as our new CEO."
Kaskade is a serial entrepreneur who joins Janrain with more than 31 years of experience in complex enterprise technology, including 10 years as a startup CEO leading companies from their founding to acquisition. He has built multiple technology businesses in cloud computing, enterprise software, software as a service (SaaS), online and mobile digital media, online and mobile advertising, and semiconductors.
"Larry and his team are the reason why I'm here," said Kaskade. "It has been exciting and humbling to learn about the Janrain story, starting back in 1999 when Larry was still at Yahoo!, studying the huge potential of social media. He recognized early on that there would be a need to manage the growing number of user identities, which led to his work starting the OpenID protocol and eventually Janrain itself. He created the category, now coined by industry analysts as Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM). As I look forward, the opportunity to leverage the data and analytics of identity is phenomenal. I feel very fortunate to be part of the Janrain journey."
When Kaskade was at CSC, a global leader of next-generation IT services and solutions, he experienced Janrain's market potential firsthand. He ran Big Data and Analytics, CSC's fastest growing business that was responsible for integrating customer data across a hybrid on-premise and SaaS architecture, that included applications from IBM, Oracle, SAP, Microsoft, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Workday and others.
Kaskade began his career in data and analytics at Teradata, a leader in enterprise data warehousing, analytic applications, and business intelligence services designed to maximize the intrinsic value of data, servicing Fortune 1000 companies across virtually all vertical markets.
About Janrain
Janrain makes it easy to know your customers and personalize every interaction. Our Customer Identity Management Platform helps companies build a unified view of their customers across all devices by collecting accurate customer profile data to power personalized marketing. The platform encompasses social login, registration, customer profile data storage, customer segments, customer insights, single sign-on, and engagement. Janrain powers customer identity management for brands like Pfizer, Samsung, Whole Foods, Fox News, Philips, Marvel, and Dr Pepper. Founded in 2002, Janrain is based in Portland, Oregon, with offices in London, Paris, and in Silicon Valley in Redwood City, CA. For more information, please visit www.janrain.com and follow @janrain.
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ANNAPOLIS, MD -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- iJET International, Inc. (iJET), a leading integrated risk management solutions provider, announced new enhancements to Worldcue Mobile and Worldcue Companion, the next generation risk application that allows clients to quickly understand the magnitude of threats and potential impacts on their people to take appropriate action and save lives.
"Pushed alerts to the mobile app ensure that people receive critical, actionable intelligence before they need it, even when the app isn't open," said Caitlin McVeigh, Senior Product Manager of iJET International. "Our updates to Companion provide risk managers with immediate visibility into high-risk and VIP travel, alongside integrated Safety Check-ins and Crisis Signals so they can respond more quickly to assess impact and manage risk, while on-the-go."
Worldcue Enhancements Include:
Worldcue Companion
High-Risk and VIP Travel Dashboard Metrics: Provides counts of traveling VIPs and those people traveling to high-risk locations, with the ability to drill-down and obtain immediate visibility into potential threats.
Integrated Crisis Signal and Safety Check-in: Signals and check-ins initiated by individuals using the Worldcue Mobile app can be seen at a glance on the dashboard. Now, risk managers can determine the status of personnel from their smartphone or tablet at any time of the day.
My Locations Filter for Alert Feed: Quickly filter the Alert feed by selected locations.
Worldcue Mobile
Pushed Alert Notifications immediately notify app users of potentially significant incidents
Federated Single Sign On (SSO) is now enabled for iJET's entire suite of products, including the Worldcue Traveler web application. To learn how to enable Federated SSO for your organization, please contact your Account Manager.
Visit the iJET Mobile Solutions page to learn more about Worldcue Companion and Worldcue Mobile or watch the Worldcue Companion demo video. For information on iJET International and new offerings, please visit www.ijet.com.
About iJET International
iJET International (iJET) provides intelligence-driven, integrated risk management solutions that enable multinational organizations to operate globally with confidence. iJET's end-to-end, tailored solutions integrate world-class threat intelligence, innovative technology, and response services to help organizations avoid threats, mitigate risk and protect their people, assets, and reputation. Founded in 1999, iJET is a privately held company headquartered in Annapolis, U.S. with regional offices in London and Singapore and country offices in Japan, India and Germany. For more information, please visit www.iJET.com.
iJET Media Contacts:
iJET International
Amy Mininger
Email Contact
410.573.3860
DBC PR+Social Media
Ryan Vaughan
Email Contact
202.292.4575
NEW DELHI, April 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Tie-up with Government hospitals as part of CSR initiative to save newborns
Fortis La Femme, Delhi's hospital for women & newborns in collaboration with Breast Milk Foundation (BMF), a non-profit organization within the GNS Foundation has launched the first Pasteurized Human Milk Bank, 'Amaara' in Delhi-NCR today. This non-profit centre recognizes that breast milk is the best nutritional food source for infants and should be available to babies deprived of mother's milk.
This is an initiative in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) Millennium Development Goals of reducing Infant Mortality rate. The WHO and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) recommend that the best feed for a baby who cannot be breastfed, is milk expressed from own mother or from another healthy mother.
Bhavdeep Singh, CEO, Fortis Healthcare stated that, "India faces its own unique set of health challenges, one of them being the burden of low birth weight vulnerable babies. Feeding these babies with breast milk can significantly reduce the risk of infections as well as save their lives. Keeping in mind the complications associated with formula feeding and the mothers' inability to breastfeed in the initial period, there is a strong need to establish human milk banks. The Amaara Milk Bank at Fortis La Femme is Delhi-NCR's first Pasteurized Human Milk Bank, which will cater to infants hospitalized in its neonatal intensive care unit as well as other hospitals. We have tied up with government hospitals such as AIIMS and Safdarjung, where the banked milk will be provided free of cost to newborns requiring it".
Anika Parashar, COO, Fortis La Femme said, "Fortis La Femme's 'Amaara' Human Milk Bank is a landmark initiative by a corporate hospital in this region. The bioactive components of donor milk are unmatched if compared to any formula milk available commercially. Keeping this in view and general concerns which are associated with complications arising from formula milk given to sick or pre-term babies, there is a strong need to establish human milk banks."
Dedicating the centre to the public, Dr Raghuram Mallaiah, Director, Neonatology, Fortis La Femme said, "Many mothers of vulnerable, hospitalized babies are unable to breastfeed feed them. In addition, many mothers due to their own weak health or other reasons are not able to generate sufficient milk for their babies. For all of them, pasteurized donor milk is recommended as an essential alternative. The Milk Bank is a proven solution to save the lives of the most medically fragile newborns against life-threatening illnesses, serious infections and other complications related to pre-term birth."
Dr. Ankit Srivastava, Director, BMF, in a statement said, "Both BMF and Fortis La Femme have come together in this remarkable peerless initiative to lend a hand to those high risk newborns who are unable to receive the nurturing care a mother provides. It hopes to protect these preterm babies from any further harm and suffering that formula milk poses to their delicate condition. The sole purpose of this initiative is to facilitate high quality care to the early newborns along with its noble vision to grant charity with the assistance of GNS Foundation".
Although, globally human milk banking is a common practice, in India, the progress has been slow and only 14 such banks exist, as per the Indian Academy of Paediatrics. Key reasons for this are lack of awareness among the public and promotion of formula milk by the industry. At the 'Amaara' Milk Bank at Fortis La Femme, milk once donated will be tested, pasteurized and frozen (for a period of six months) at the facility and available to needy newborns. It is a public milk bank and, therefore, accessible to all mothers who need it.
The Breast Milk Foundation in collaboration with Fortis La Femme's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit also endeavours to spread awareness on the concept of Human Milk Banking through educational programs amongst potential donors as well as receivers. India has the highest number of low birth weight babies and Neo-natal Mortality Rate (NMR), during the period of 0-28 days per thousand live births. This figure stands at 28 per 1,000 live births in India as recorded in 2013, whereas Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in the age 0-1 year per thousand live births, in 2013 was 40 according to the Annual Report, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GOI. Feeding these babies with donor breast milk through human milk banks can have the single largest impact on reducing child mortality, one of the key goals of the National Health Mission, Government of India.
About Breast Milk Foundation
Breastmilk Foundation is a non-profit organization, within GNS Foundation set up in the memory of Late Dr. Govind Narain Srivastava, who endeavoured to bring major changes in the field of healthcare and education. 'Amaara', being the sole human milk bank in Delhi NCR region, will focus to provide donor milk to high risk newborns admitted in the neo-natal units and to babies whose mothers face lactation failure. BMF has come forward to address the issue in Delhi/NCR in an effort to save lives of vulnerable newborns.
About Fortis La Femme
Fortis La Femme (Centre for Women), a unique facility, is inspired by the core belief that a woman is a very special person with special needs. Medical care at the hospital includes Obstetrics (Painless Labour), Gynaecology, Neonatology (Level III NICU), Anaesthesia, General & Laparoscopic Surgery, Cosmetic Surgeries and Genetic & Foetal Medicine. The hospital facilitates care for the entire stages of woman's lifespan-birth, adolescence, motherhood, menopause and beyond. Its patient-sensitive services are provided in a world-class facility with a discreetly elegant ambience laden with value-added conveniences. In the year 2010, the hospital got NABH accreditation, and was successfully re-accredited in 2013. It was adjudged winner of Most Popular Maternity Hospital award by Child Magazine in 2013. Fortis La Femme was also ranked No. 5 in Top Gynaecological Hospitals in India (No. 1 Private Gynaecological Hospital in North India) in Nielsen Survey 2015 conducted by THE WEEK magazine.
About Fortis Healthcare Limited
Fortis Healthcare Limited is a leading integrated healthcare delivery service provider in India. The healthcare verticals of the company primarily comprise hospitals, diagnostics and day care specialty facilities. The company operates its healthcare delivery services in India, Dubai, Mauritius and Sri Lanka with 54 healthcare facilities (including projects under development), approximately 10,000 potential beds and 260 diagnostic centres. In a global study of the 30 most technologically advanced hospitals in the world, its flagship, the Fortis Memorial Research Institute' (FMRI), was ranked No.2, by 'topmastersinhealthcare.com, and placed ahead of many other outstanding medical institutions in the world.
SANTA CLARA (dpa-AFX) - Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (MRVL) said that it has entered into an agreement with Starboard Value LP, which has a beneficial ownership of approximately 6.5% of the Company's outstanding common stock, regarding the composition of Marvell's Board of Directors.
As part of the agreement, Starboard has agreed to vote all of its shares in favor of the Marvell nominees at the 2016 annual general meeting of shareholders and has entered into other customary standstill and voting commitments.
As per the terms of the agreement, Marvell's Board of Directors will elect Peter Feld, Richard Hill and Oleg Khaykin to the Board. Starboard will designate an additional independent director to be added to the Marvell Board as soon as practical, subject to the reasonable approval of the Board.
Marvell will also elect Robert Switz to the Board. Feld, Hill, Khaykin and the additional independent director named in accordance with the agreement will stand for election as nominees of Marvell at the Marvell 2016 annual meeting of shareholders, together with Switz and incumbent independent directors Juergen Gromer, John Kassakian, Arturo Krueger and Randhir Thakur.
Marvell said its board has commenced a search to identify a Chief Executive Officer. The search will be overseen by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors, which will be chaired by Mr. Feld, and of which Krueger, Thakur and Khaykin will be members. The Company has retained a leading executive search firm to assist in identifying candidates.
The Board of Directors will elect a non-executive Chairman of the Board from among the independent members of the Board. The Executive Compensation Committee will be chaired by Khaykin, and Gromer, Kassakian and Feld will be members. The Audit Committee will be chaired by Switz, and Gromer and Kassakian will be members.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
Mirabel, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - April 27, 2016) - and made it possible for businesses and entrepreneurs to own and operate their very own "forty foot farm" by placing machines in containers. In addition they provide world-class systems, processes and support. Forty Foot Farms also recently attended the Nevada Indoor Agriculture Conference in Las Vegas.
The Company has received many enquiries from entities in the European Union, South America and the United States for opportunities to establish cubic farming operations by purchasing machines.
Customer demand continues to increase for all of Urban Barns' products, including Kosher-certified lettuce and basil. The Company has expanded its varieties of microgreens it offers to clients, following requests from various chefs, to include pea shoots and additional herbs. Its lettuce, basil, and microgreens are now available in the retail market at Marche Bleuet in Montreal and Metro Glebe Market in Ottawa. Vargas Steakhouse, Hotel Bonaventure, and the Ritz-Carlton are but a few of the restaurants in Montreal that are featuring Urban Barns' products on their menus.
"I am very pleased with the partnership with Bevo Agro and Forty Foot Farms", Mr. Robyn Jackson, President and CEO of Urban Barns commented. "Creating the world's most advanced shipping container and controlled environment Cubic FarmingTM system will allow us to maintain our leadership in the CEA market."
About Urban Barns Foods Inc.
Urban Barns uses patent pending and proprietary growing equipment to produce premium quality, chemical-free and non-GMO leafy vegetables in a secure and controlled indoor environment, including lettuce and basil that is Kosher-certified.
Forward-Looking Statements
Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth above may include forward-looking statements that involve certain risks and uncertainties. Words such as "may", "could", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "plan", and similar expressions are used to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Urban Barns does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements and cautions investors to consider all other risks and uncertainties, including those disclosed in Urban Barns' filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
For further information, contact:
Urban Barns Foods Inc.
Robyn Jackson, President and CEO
rjackson@urbanbarns.com
Tel: +1 (403) 831-6720
www.urbanbarns.net
- Takes over the brands; Borastapeter, Eco Wallpaper, Cole & Son and Mr PerswallBoras, 2016-04-27 15:30 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Olle Svensk, with extensive experience from companies such as Electrolux and Sanitec Group, will take over as new CEO of WA WallVision AB from Monday, May 2nd. Ake Straberg will after five years as CEO of WA WallVision AB return to the role as chairman of the company.WallVision designs, manufactures and sells high quality wallpaper over almost the entire world through its four strong brands Borastapeter, Eco Wallpaper, Cole & Son and Mr Perswall. The company, which has its headquarter and production in Boras, Sweden, was founded in 1905 and is the Nordic market leader in the wallpaper industry, with about 60 percent market share and a turnover of some 530 million SEK.Olle Svensk, 48 years old, comes from a position as Nordic Director of the Sanitec Group. He has also a long experience from Electrolux where he had the role of VP Sales Europe, Middle East & Africa. Olle Svensk will now move from Stockholm to Boras."We are very pleased that Olle Svensk has chosen to take the role as CEO of WallVision. He has a solid background and experience that fits WallVision and the phase that the company is in", says Harold Kaiser, founder of Litorina and responsible for the WallVision investment."It is really exciting and an honour to take over after Ake. I look forward to meet with the customers and get to know my new colleagues and I will make sure that we will continue the work together to take WallVision to the next level", says Olle Svensk, new CEO of WallVision.Ake Straberg took over as chairman when Litorina bought WallVision. In May 2011, he took over as CEO of the company with the mission to lead the change process. The goal for the company, as a major player in the wallpaper industry, is to grow and to be in the forefront taking advantage of the opportunities the change that the industry and the retail sector is undergoing."Ake Straberg together with his management team developed and implemented a new business plan focusing towards growth and increased consumer focus. During Ake's time as CEO the organization has been strengthened with qualified and experienced people in important key positions, which is crucial for the company to be able to achieve on our goals. We want to thank Ake Straberg for building a good foundation for Olle Svensk and the team. At the same time we are delighted that Ake Straberg continues as chairman of the board, which guarantees continuity in the continued development ahead", concludes Harold Kaiser, Litorina.Boras, April 27, 2016.The Board of DirectorsFurther information Olle Svensk, phone: +46 (0) 768 566 093 Ake Straberg, phone: +46 (0)733 777 165WA WallVision AB Ryssnasgatan 8 PO Box 1 SE-501 13 Boras, Sweden www.wallvision.se +43 33 23 64 00Attachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=558638
The Health division of Wolters Kluwer, a leading global provider of information and point of care solutions for the healthcare industry, will announce the findings of its study on the impact of real-time clinical surveillance and data analytics on an Alabama hospital's sepsis mortality rates at the Becker's Hospital Review 7th Annual Meeting. Stephen Claypool, MD, Medical Director, Clinical Software Solutions at Wolters Kluwer, and Joycelyn Craighead, Director of Quality at Huntsville Hospital, will discuss how the hospital's use of Wolters Kluwer's POC Advisor generated a 53% reduction in sepsis-related deaths during the 10-month study period. The complete study will appear in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA) later this year.
The presentation, "Life-Saving Data: How Integrating Real-time Surveillance and Analytics in Clinical Systems Reduced Sepsis Mortality at Huntsville Hospital," will take place Friday, April 29 from 4:15-4:55 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago.
Sepsis has received increased national attention in recent months with the tragic death of actress Patty Duke and the release of new sepsis definitions and clinical criteria by the Third International Consensus Definitions Task Force. The addition of sepsis to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 2016 core measures has further increased the sense of urgency around improving early diagnosis and treatment to bring down the human and financial toll of sepsis, which claims an estimated 258,000 lives and costs more than $20 billion to treat each year in the U.S.
For "Life-Saving Data," researchers collected sepsis data over the course of 10 months at Huntsville Hospital, a 941-bed facility in Huntsville, Ala., following a five-month implementation phase in which POC Advisor was added into the clinical workflow. Prior to the study, the hospital had a sepsis mortality rate significantly higher than the national average. When re-evaluated at the end of the study, that rate had declined by 53%.
POC Advisor uses automated, real-time surveillance that aggregates, normalizes and analyzes patient data from disparate clinical systems to deliver early sepsis alerts and treatment advice to clinicians via mobile devices and clinical portals. With hundreds of rules built into the platform to account for variables specific to individual patients, including comorbidities and medication abnormalities, POC Advisor ensures that alerts are both highly sensitive and specific.
"Recent events have heightened awareness of sepsis and amplified the need for rapid diagnosis and more effective treatment," said David A. Del Toro, President CEO of Clinical Software Solutions at Wolters Kluwer. "Our clinical, informatics and programming experts have worked tirelessly developing POC Advisor into a platform that allows providers to drastically improve how they identify and manage sepsis. The results of our partnership with Huntsville Hospital stand as a testament to our commitment to revolutionize how providers in the U.S. and worldwide improve sepsis outcomes."
Follow POC Advisor on Twitter.
About Wolters Kluwer
Wolters Kluwer N.V. (AEX: WKL) is a global leader in information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services.
Wolters Kluwer reported 2015 annual revenues of 4.2 billion. The company, headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands, serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries and employs 19,000 people worldwide.
Wolters Kluwer shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices. Wolters Kluwer has a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt program. The ADRs are traded on the over-the-counter market in the U.S. (WTKWY).
Wolters Kluwer Health is a leading global provider of information and point of care solutions for the healthcare industry. For more information about our products and organization, visit http://www.wolterskluwer.com/, follow @WKHealth or @Wolters_Kluwer on Twitter, like us on Facebook, follow us on LinkedIn, or follow WoltersKluwerComms on YouTube.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160427005222/en/
Contacts:
Wolters Kluwer Health Clinical Software Solutions
Daniel Manchon
Director, Marketing POC Advisor
Daniel.Manchon@wolterskluwer.com
MIAMI, FL -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- Market volatility has investors rattled, and many are rushing to re-evaluate their investment advisors and their portfolios.
But too often, they are asking the wrong questions and focusing on the wrong metrics. They follow conventional wisdom and obsess over global trends such as China's downturn and the sharp decline in oil prices. They ask about performance against broad benchmarks like the Nikkei and the Dow.
Instead, investors should use short-term volatility as an opportunity to evaluate their advisor's long-term strategy and communications style. But to judge performance, they should stay focused on a three- to five-year time horizon, use benchmarks that reflect their personal strategy and risk tolerance, and rely on the "fee ratio" -- a comparison of costs to gains -- to determine if the advisor is producing both superior results and fair value.
The questions to ask an advisor are not "what are you doing about China?" but rather "what's your strategy, what's your approach to volatility, and what long-term results do you produce?"
That's according to Moenio, a client-advisor advocacy firm that evaluates advisors on their clients' behalf -- whether finding a new one for a client, evaluating the current advisor or providing ongoing monitoring. In a new commentary, Moenio explains what's wrong with a client's normal approach to portfolio performance evaluation, why a better approach is needed, and the steps investors should take to make better decisions about their advisors and portfolios.
"Market news and analysis obsesses over global shocks like China's downturn, emerging markets, and the impact on major indices. So it's only natural that investors think about those issues, especially in times of stress," says Kevin Neal, CFP, ChFC, CLU, founder of Moenio. "Advisors like to talk about them too. They are good storytellers and like to share compelling information about how global events and business trends might affect your environment.
"But in our experience it's far more useful to ask simpler questions," he continues. "'Is my advisor, or one that I'm considering, truly one of the best in terms of performance against my individual goals? And what will be the total net return from my relationship with this advisor?'
"We don't mean an investor should ignore volatility -- but it's best not to be distracted by it," Mr. Neal says. "The best approach is to use volatility as an opportunity to evaluate the advisor's long-term approach, and to understand how the advisor communicates with investors. What did the advisor do about the current volatility? Advisors often tell clients their portfolio is 'set up' to manage risk. Did the portfolio perform 'as advertised' against the right benchmarks? What is the advisor telling you right now that you can 'trust but verify' in six to 12 months? Or, what did he or she tell you six to 12 months ago that you can verify today?"
Investors should take objective steps to evaluate advisor performance
According to Mr. Neal, investors who want to evaluate an advisor -- current or prospective -- should:
Conduct a qualitative "gut-check" overview to confirm that the advisor behaves the way a top advisor should. "The best advisors have certain qualities in common," Mr. Neal says. "They are consistent -- their advice is focused on client needs and goals. They communicate -- they are open and patient with clients. Both sides learn from each other and investor confidence grows. And they are proactive -- they anticipate client needs. They save their clients time and money and reduce their stress. If the advisor you're considering doesn't demonstrate these qualities, move on to another that does.
"The current market environment is a perfect opportunity for clients to evaluate their current advisor," Mr. Neal says. "During times of extended volatility, meaning more than a few weeks, an advisor's communication to clients is extremely important. The advisor should be proactive in reaching out to the client to provide assurance that the individualized strategy is the right one."
"The current market environment is a perfect opportunity for clients to evaluate their current advisor," Mr. Neal says. "During times of extended volatility, meaning more than a few weeks, an advisor's communication to clients is extremely important. The advisor should be proactive in reaching out to the client to provide assurance that the individualized strategy is the right one." Review performance objectively against the investor's goals, relevant benchmarks, and risk tolerance, not against broad indices. "To their credit, advisors generally choose the right benchmarks -- but investors often don't," Mr. Neal says. "Too many investors are swayed by news reports and analysis -- they are too inclined to judge against a broad benchmark like the Dow when the advisor is trying to build a risk-adjusted portfolio. As a client, you need to be very specific about goals and risk tolerances when discussing benchmarks with advisors. Benchmarks should be calibrated for risk and should apply both to the overall portfolio and to each investment.
"Defining the investor's goals requires a long time horizon. We look at one-year, three-year, and five-year periods with greater emphasis on the three- and five-year periods. This shows that the advisor can deliver results consistently, not just under limited market conditions. Market risks can skew results in any one-year period -- as the current state of the market shows. Viewing the short term can create needless anxiety -- or conversely, unrealistic expectations."
"Defining the investor's goals requires a long time horizon. We look at one-year, three-year, and five-year periods with greater emphasis on the three- and five-year periods. This shows that the advisor can deliver results consistently, not just under limited market conditions. Market risks can skew results in any one-year period -- as the current state of the market shows. Viewing the short term can create needless anxiety -- or conversely, unrealistic expectations." Review how the advisor selects one investment vehicle over another (e.g., a mutual fund over an ETF) and product or individual manager over another (e.g., Brand X ETF over Brand Y ETF). "Knowing how an advisor makes decisions is important. You can establish a track record for each advisor through his or her past choices -- it's in the statements for current and past clients. If the advisor is choosing correctly, he or she is one of the best -- but you also want to understand his or her choices and how these impact current and future clients."
Are advisors producing results in line with the stated goals and at fair value? The "fee ratio" gives the answer:
Examine fees and the "fee ratio" to determine how much you are paying and what investment performance you are getting in return. "Advisors don't always like to talk about fees -- unless their fees are a selling point," Mr. Neal explains. "But fees are tax-relevant and advisors have to disclose them on request. Once you know the fee, you can measure it against industry averages.
"You can also use it to compute the 'fee ratio' -- that is, a calculation of your total cost (fees paid) to the net return (what you earned) over a three- and five-year period.
"The fee ratio is the final element in our evaluation process. It gets to the heart of the matter -- it tells us about value. How much are you paying for your performance?
"The fee ratio can be difficult to compute -- you need to account for compounding, the potential impact of multiple fees from different accounts, and the net and gross numbers on an extended time horizon. An accurate fee ratio is best developed with the help of a professional. But the concept is very simple -- what are you paying out of pocket for your results?
"The fee ratio is a different way to think about fees," Mr. Neal says. "Advisors like to present fees as a percentage of assets under management, and investors think about them that way as well. But that's not helpful or useful information. The fee ratio ties fees to performance and completes the total picture.
"The need for objective, investor-specific metrics and systematic evaluation is great, not only because of market conditions, but also because of the sheer number of advisors out there," Mr. Neal says. "There are more than 600,000 registered advisors in the United States. With numbers like that, how do you know the one you've chosen is truly one of the best in terms of outstanding performance and client service? Many of them are very good, but how many are at the top? And the fact is that the best of the best don't advertise. You have to seek them out, which makes the challenge even greater. But by taking a systematic approach and not getting distracted by short-term volatility, you can be highly confident that your advisor will actually produce the results you need and want."
For a copy of the Moenio commentary, an interview with Kevin Neal or a byline article, please contact Katarina Wenk-Bodenmiller of Sommerfield Communications at (212) 255-8386 or katarina@sommerfield.com.
About Moenio
Moenio is an unbiased, independent consulting firm that helps high net worth individuals, families and organizations find, evaluate and monitor investment advice. The firm is based in Miami, Florida.
Contact:
Katarina Wenk-Bodenmiller
Sommerfield Communications, Inc.
(212) 255-8386
Katarina@sommerfield.com
IRVINE, CA--(Marketwired - April 27, 2016) - LoanScoreCard, a leading provider of automated underwriting and compliance solutions, announced today that New Penn Financial, Plymouth Meeting, Penn., a leading national lender, has selected LoanScoreCard's custom underwriting engine, Custom AUS, for its non-agency loans.
LoanScoreCard's Custom AUS is an automated underwriting solution that allows lenders to customize credit decisioning and safely originate compliant assets. The system delivers an underwriting decision and provides an assessment report that includes a breakdown of every rule applied and whether the loan passed or failed a particular guideline -- creating an audit trail for underwriting and ability-to-repay decisions. It also accommodates third-party origination programs and helps ensure consistent, transparent application of credit policy.
Founded in 2008, New Penn Financial is a ShellPoint Partners Company and is licensed in 48 states. The company offers a full line of mortgage finance products including government, conforming, jumbo, non-QM and HARP loans. In 2015, New Penn originated over $7 billion.
"LoanScoreCard's Custom AUS will help us underwrite our jumbo, non-agency loans in a timely and efficient manner," said Terri Merlino, chief credit officer at New Penn. "Underwriting these loans manually meant that just one loan could take hours. We needed a solution that could keep up with the increased volume and demand, and free up our underwriters' time to focus on the more complex transactions."
"LoanScoreCard's Custom AUS is designed to increase efficiency and accelerate the origination and investment processes," said Ben Wu, executive director at LoanScoreCard. "At the same time, it helps assure compliance and creates an auditable trail of the steps that went into the underwriting and ability to repay decisions."
About New Penn Financial
New Penn Financial has become a leading nationwide lender by bringing expertise, extremely competitive rates on a broad portfolio of mortgage products, and exceptional customer service under one roof. Founded in 2008, and licensed in 48 states, the company and its reputation have grown rapidly under the guidance of a management team with years of experience in the mortgage industry. New Penn is headquartered in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania and operates offices nationwide. New Penn is a Shellpoint Partners company. More information is available at www.newpennfinancial.com.
About LoanScoreCard
LoanScoreCard is a leading provider of automated underwriting and compliance solutions, designed to meet today's regulatory challenges. LoanScoreCard provides easy-to-read Findings Reports that clearly demonstrate how a given loan meets current underwriting and compliance guidelines so that all necessary documentation is retained with the file to support lending decisions in an investor review, regulatory audit or potential claim. Our proprietary AUS engine can also be custom-tailored to capture your own particular underwriting guidelines to ensure that every loan originated adheres to the loan programs you have defined. As the industry's first engine for QM Findings, LoanScoreCard helps financial institutions address CFPB regulations regarding Ability-to-Repay and Qualified Mortgages, having rendered more than 3 million QM Findings Reports to date. Distinguished as the first vendor to integrate with FHA TOTAL Scorecard, LoanScoreCard offers FHA decisions at a fraction of the traditional cost. For more information, visit LoanScoreCard.com or call 800-617-0892.
Contact:
Campbell Lewis Communications
Jessica Ruiz-Krout
212.995.8058
jessica@campbelllewis.com
MOUNT VERNON, Ohio, April 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --Ariel Corporation, the world's leading manufacturer of reciprocating separable natural gas compressors, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
In the mid-1960s, Jim Buchwald designed a small, high-speed reciprocating gas compressor. With his partners Jim Doane and George Woodman, he incorporated Ariel in 1966 with a business plan based on manufacturing excellence, quality, and customer support. Today, Ariel has grown to be the world's largest manufacturer of reciprocating compressors and has sold over 53,000 compressors, providing gas gathering, gas processing, pipeline transport, underground storage, enhanced oil recovery, and CNG fueling services. The company is a private, family business presided over by Buchwald's daughter, Karen Buchwald Wright.
Ariel owes a great deal of its success to its remarkable workforce, which goes above and beyond every day to ensure that Ariel compressors meet stringent quality standards. Furthermore, Ariel employees provide unparalleled customer support in every capacity, from placing initial orders to supplying parts and providing field engineering support, which has directly contributed to the company's stellar reputation over the past five decades.
In addition to Ariel's workforce, the partnerships and relationships built and maintained by the company's global network of distributors are second to none. Ariel distributors represent the company to the oil and gas market and endeavor to offer the same level of lifetime support on which Ariel has built its reputation.
Karen Buchwald Wright, President and CEO, says, "Since Ariel's founding in 1966, we have not wavered from our core values. We ensure quality through innovation and tireless attention to detail; we stand behind each compressor for life; and we regard the people who build Ariel compressors with respect and gratitude. As we celebrate Ariel's 50th anniversary, we look back on the challenges, achievements, people, products, innovations, and operational developments of the past fifty years. Our commitment to ingenuity, pride, community, and longevity has defined our organization, and we believe it will continue to shape our future."
Learn more about the past 50 years of business by visiting www.ariel50.com or contact: media@arielcorp.com
Ariel Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of separable reciprocating natural gas compressors. Headquartered in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Ariel is a world-class manufacturer and sets the industry standard in research and development, design and manufacturing, and customer support. Founded in 1966, Ariel is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
NEW ORLEANS and STAMFORD, Connecticut, April 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Attendees From Companies Across United States and Canada Reflect Tagetik's Growing Market Share in North America
Tagetik , a visionary leader in global performance management software solutions, wrapped up its tenth global user conference today. Tagetik in Touch, the company's first global conference to be held in the United States, ran from April 24 - 27, at the Royal Sonesta New Orleans.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/694014 )
"Over the last year, we've significantly expanded our North American customer base, so this global conference was an opportunity to personally meet these customers and hear first-hand more about their challenges for the future," said Manuel Vellutini, Tagetik co-CEO. "We worked very hard to design a conference experience in keeping with our commitment to support the needs of progressive CFOs. We're confident attendees left with new insights and information to help them bring increased strategic value to their organizations while maintaining financial integrity and coping with increased compliance complexity."
Overall, the conference agenda encompassed 44 sessions, including panel and roundtable discussions, case studies, live demos, and partner presentations. KPMG finance leader Morris Treadway and political analyst James Carville delivered conference keynotes. The agenda covered topics critical to modern finance such as what-if modeling and scenario planning, forecasting, dashboarding, and narrative reporting, in addition to product roadmap details, the direction of the CPM market and enterprise cloud technology.
During the conference, Tagetik product experts previewed the upcoming Tagetik report gallery, which gives users the ability to subscribe to specific performance management, and financial reports for anytime, anywhere access. Sessions also covered enhancements for cash flow planning, expanded PowerPoint integrations, and new mobility capabilities released early in 2016.
"Our unified Financial Performance Platform[TM] is clearly attracting forward-thinking companies," said Marco Pierallini, Tagetik co-CEO. "One major goal for the conference is to help customers take full advantage of Tagetik's advanced features to modernize finance in their organizations and to bring more autonomy to business users. The conversations we've had this week also provide us with valuable input to ensure that our product roadmap continues to address the actual priorities of our customers."
The conference kicked off with a scavenger hunt, sponsored by KPMG, through the French Quarter. The event raised $5,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Louisiana, which provides after-school and summer programs to approximately 1,100 youths in the New Orleans area.
For more information, visit the Tagetik in Touch conference website.
About Tagetik
Tagetik understands the complex challenges that face the Office of Finance and translates that knowledge into intuitive, enterprise-scale performance management software solutions that drive business results. With Tagetik, companies get the simplicity of the Cloud and the power to unify financial and operational planning; shorten the consolidation and close process; immediately analyze results, model and compare full financial statement impact of business scenarios; adjust strategic plans; seamlessly update rolling forecasts; produce formatted and auditable financial statements and management reports; collaborate on business reviews, and automate disclosure and board reporting. Tagetik has built-in financial intelligence so that CFOs, finance managers, and operations executives can orchestrate multiple or all processes in one software solution. More than 850 customers across 35 countries count on Tagetik to improve efficiency, reduce risk, save money and deliver results. For more information, visit http://www.tagetik.com. We get Finance. You get results.
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BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The National Association of Realtors is due to release its pending home sales index for March at 10 am ET Wednesday. Economists expect the index to rise 0.5 percent month-over-month. Ahead of the data, the greenback held steady against its major rivals. The greenback was worth 1.1328 against the euro, 1.4583 against the pound, 111.13 against the yen and 0.9718 against the franc as of 9:55 am ET. 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.
COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT NO 21/2016 - 27 APRIL 2016As expected, higher Q1 earnings in 2016 than in 2015Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) for Q1 were DKK 7 million higher than in 2015 and amounted to DKK 138 million (2015: DKK 131 million). The higher earnings for Q1 2016 were due to a positive development in all segments. Net revenue for Q1 showed a 5% increase and was, as expected, positively affected by the expanded cooperation with PepsiCo in Denmark and the Baltic countries, whereas EBIT margin remained unchanged at 10.2% as in 2015. Royal Unibrew generally maintained its market shares on branded products. Free cash flow was positively affected by additional sale of the brewery site in Aarhus and amounted to DKK 5 million compared to a negative DKK 122 million in 2015. Share buy-backs of DKK 88 million were made, and, as expected, net interest-bearing debt increased in Q1 amounting to DKK 1.3 billion at quarter end. The outlook for 2016 is maintained."Q1 developments were positive and as expected. We have seen good progress in both Western Europe and within Malt Beverages and Exports, and an extraordinary campaign activity in Finland as well as the expanded cooperation with PepsiCo contributed positively to our net revenue growth. We maintain our commercial focus, including our focus on continuously launching new and interesting products, such as the organic beer Royal kologisk Classic and Hartwall Jaffa C+ with extra vitamins. Due to the positive overall development of Royal Unibrew, we launched an additional DKK 450 million share buy-back programme in March 2016. Furthermore, at the AGM dividend distribution of DKK 400 million will be proposed, corresponding to DKK 7.2 per share of DKK 2", says Henrik Brandt, CEO.Selected financial highlights and key ratios mDKK Q1 2016 Q1 2015 2015 Sales (thousand hectolitres) 2,081 1,899 9,1 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Net revenue 1,35 1,29 6,032 EBITDA 212 204 1,225 EBITDA margin (%) 15.7 15.8 20.3 Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) 138 131 917 EBIT margin (%) 10.2 10.2 15.2 Profit before tax 127 119 902 Net profit for the period 99 92 711 Free cash flow 5 -122 1,032 Net interest-bearing debt 1,269 1,71 1,184 NIBD/EBITDA (running 12 months) 1.0 1.4 1.0 Equity ratio (%) 45 43 43 ----------------------------------------------------------------OutlookThe previously announced outlook is maintained as follows: Net revenue: DKK 6,150-6,400 million EBITDA: DKK 1,190-1,290 million EBIT: DKK 885-985 millionFor further information on this Announcement:Henrik Brandt, CEO, tel +45 56 77 15 13It will be possible for investors and analysts to follow Royal Unibrew's presentation of the Interim Report on Wednesday, 28 April 2016, at 9.00 am by audiocast at one of the following dial-in numbers:Danish participants dial: +45 32 71 16 59US participants dial: +1 212 444 0481International number: +44 20 3427 1914The presentation may also be followed at Royal Unibrew's website www.royalunibrew.com.Financial Calendar201624 August 2016 Interim Report for the period 1 January - 30 June 201623 November 2016 Interim Report for the period 1 January - 30 September 2016The Interim Report has been prepared in Danish and English. In case of discrepancy the Danish version shall prevail.Forward-looking StatementsThis Interim Report contains "forward-looking statements". Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements because they relate to and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding our business, financial circumstances, strategy, results of operations, financing and other plans, objectives, assumptions, expectations, prospects, beliefs and other future events and prospects. We undertake no obligation, and do not intend to publicly update or revise any of these forward-looking statements, unless prescribed by law or by stock exchange regulations.Attachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=558697
BURBANK (dpa-AFX) - Following the huge success of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' and 'The Jungle Book,' Disney has announced its theatrical schedule through 2019 that other studios might find hard to beat. The line up of upcoming movies to be released includes a mix of animated films, reboots, superheroes and sequels.
The summer-blockbuster season kicks off with 'Captain America: Civil War.' The movie is slated to be released on May 6, 2016. Steve Rogers leads the newly formed team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity.
Unforgettable characters from Lewis Carroll's stories will return in the all-new spectacular adventure, 'Alice Through the Looking Glass.' Alice returns to the whimsical world of Underland and travels back in time to save the Mad Hatter. The film will release on May 27, 2016.
In June 2016, Disney is slated to release 'Finding Dory,' which reunites Dory, with her friends Nemo and Marlin on a search for answers about her past. The film is a long-awaited sequel to 2003's popular 'Finding Nemo'.
Roald Dahl's classic 'The BFG' will be directed by Steven Spielberg. The film, to be released on June 17, 2016, tells the imaginative story of a young girl and the Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country.
Disney is also set to release a remake of 'Pete's Dragon,' on August 12, 2016, staring Bryce Dallas Howard and Robert Redford. The film, which first came out in 1977, is the adventure about an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliot, a green dragon.
Marvel Studio's 'Doctor Strange' starring Benedict Cumberbatch is set to be released on November 4, 2016. The film is directed by Scott Derrickson.
'Moana,' which will be Disney's 56th animated movie, will see Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson star in it. The film will be released on November 23, 2016. A live-action adaption of 'Beauty and the Beast' is set for release on March 17, 2017.
Other movies in the pipeline include 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,' to be released in May 2017, 'Cars 3' for release in June 2017, and 'Toy Story 4' as well as 'Captain Marvel' for release in 2018.
'Avengers: Infinity War - Part II' and 'Star Wars: Episode IX' will be released in May 2019. A sequel of 'The Incredibles,' titled 'The Incredibles 2' will be released in June 2019.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
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NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - April 27, 2016) - Creating humanistic and emotional connections with clients must be the top priority of luxury marketing and communication, according to executives from top retailers, agencies, and major luxury brands at a recent Luxury Client Experience Board meeting in New York. The group of leading industry experts engaged in insightful and lively discussion regarding the current and future state of marketing and communications in the luxury industry. The discussion addressed an array of factors that contribute to the success of brands' efforts to achieve meaningful connections with clients, including the influence of social media, the degree of omni-channel integration, and the evolving roles of front-line sales professionals and brick-and-mortar stores.
"The most pressing challenges for luxury firms are boosting rates of customer acquisition and retention, which ultimately lead to growth in sales and profits," says Milton Pedraza, LCEB co-founder and CEO of the Luxury Institute. "Technology today presents an immense opportunity for targeting potential customers, but it is ultimately the intimate humanistic relationships that sales professionals form with customers that keep them coming back."
Reaching potential and existing customers via social media has quickly become an integral component of any successful marketing strategy, and many companies find it far more productive and measurable than traditional brand communication vehicles like advertising in print, TV, and on billboards. Best practitioners in luxury have developed competencies in social branding, which combines social media, public relations, and event marketing into a single branding strategy. The overarching benefit of social media is providing more data about customers, and allowing them to become some of the best brand proponents by sharing products with friends and followers on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Smart brands understand the role of "social influencers" who can multiply the beneficial effects of social media initiatives by luxury firms through their expansive networks of influence.
Social media marketing is extremely useful for bringing in customers, but it is the front-line sales professional who will develop enriching one-on-one relationships with customers. Front-line employees are brand ambassadors who have the opportunity to use social media to share content "from the people to the clients" and then deepen those relationships with prospects once they become clients.
"Marketing to luxury buyers is continuing to evolve under pressure from the myriad of new web and mobile channels," says Laurent Ohana, Senior Advisor at Ohana & Co. "The investment in stores and sales associates is turning out to be a major advantage and differentiator for luxury brands, provided they have the tools and training to reinforce the brand value at every customer touch point."
What's particularly compelling about employee-customer engagement is the authenticity of a post on social media from an employee, as well as the customized email communications or text messages with customers that follow over time. On social media, user generated material is generally far more attractive than brand-produced content. For example, beauty is the third most viewed category on YouTube, but only 3% of that traffic is branded content, 97% is user generated content with tutorials, product reviews, and "how-to" guides.
Smart luxury firms are using technology to help store associates improve client acquisition, retention, and relationship development. They recognize that human interaction will never be replaced by technology, which becomes a commodity that brands in all sectors of luxury will adopt in order to keep up. LCEB members and guests agreed that all points of contact with customers should be seamless, with the front-line playing the lead role in representing brand values while being able to identify customers and meet their needs in a trustworthy and generous manner.
Humans are a key differentiator for luxury brands with front-line sales associates maintaining valuable connections with clients. Those who leave a company can take hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual sales with them with their client list, one of the major reasons that companies are aggressively recruiting front-line associates from competitors. If an associate leaves, it's the brands responsibility to attempt to continue client relationship but it's ultimately the client's choice, a factor that underscores the value of human relationships.
Despite the numerous ways in which customers can interact and transact with luxury brands, the store remains central to the luxury experience. Luxury Institute research shows that nearly half (49%) of customers prefer purchasing luxury products in-store, compared to 21% who prefer purchasing online. However, it is no longer stores versus digital, the two channels work cohesively. Despite the opportunity to drive multi-channel sales, fewer than 10% of attendees in the luxury business said that they incentivize their people to sell to clients online. Internal company silos are often the culprit for preventing optimization of the front-line and the omni-channel experience.
"The journey starts with a customer's mobile phone and then providing a great app experience that can then be translated to associates in-store," says Wesley Chiang, Sales Director at GPShopper. "The store is not dead, but it needs to evolve. Brands should consider arming their associates with more tools to provide customers with the best in-store customer experience."
For more information on best practices in luxury marketing communication, and on becoming a Luxury Client Experience Board member, visit www.LuxuryInstitute.com, or contact us directly with any questions.
About the LCEB: Luxury Institute presents the Luxury Client Experience Board (LCEB), a membership association of luxury industry practitioners co-founded with The Ritz-Carlton to enhance the education and development of leading luxury brands. The LCEB provides members with ongoing education and training opportunities on industry best practices through primary research, educational events, and training across industries to deliver exceptional, seamless, and measurable omni-channel client experiences on a daily basis. The LCEB unites luxury executives from all fields and internal departments dedicated to creating these exceptional experiences and building long-term, high-performance relationships with clients.
Katherine Sousa
ksousa@luxuryinstitute.com
Skive, Denmark, 2016-04-27 17:07 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --As previously announced, the annual general meeting in Dantherm A/S was held today, 27 April 2016. Please refer to the agenda on page 2.Note was taken of the report of the Chairman of the Board of Directors. The annual report for 2015 was adopted, and the Board of Directors' proposal that no dividend be paid was passed.The general meeting re-elected the nominated candidates for the Board of Directors:-- Jrgen Mller-Rasmussen -- Nils R. OlsenFurthermore the general assembly elected Thomas R. Olsen as a new member of the Board of Directors.Ernst & Young Godkendt Revisionspartnerselskab was re-elected as the company's auditors.The Board of Directors' resolution that the company name to be changed to Dansk Industri Invest A/S was passed.The Board of Directors' resolution that the number of board members elected by the annual general meeting be between three and six members was passed.At the first meeting of the Board of Directors held subsequently, Jrgen Mller-Rasmussen was elected Chairman.Any enquiries concerning this announcement can be directed at Chairman of the Board Jrgen Mller-Rasmussen on tel.: +45 23 20 50 50.The agenda for the general meeting 27 April 20161. The Board of Directors' report on the activities of the company in the past year.2. Presentation of the annual report for 2015 for adoption.3. Resolution concerning the appropriation of profits or the cover of losses in accordance with the adopted annual report.The Board of Directors proposes that no dividend be distributed.4. The Board of Directors' report on the company's financial position, see Section 119 of the Danish Public and Private Companies Act, as it has been established that the company's equity represents less than half of the subscribed share capital.5. Election of members to the Board of Directors.In accordance with the Articles of Association, at the general meeting the Board of Directors will propose that at least three members be elected to the Board of Directors.6. Appointment of auditors:The Board of Directors proposes the re-appointment of Ernst & Young Godkendt Revisionspartnerselskab (CVR no. 30 70 02 28) as the company's auditors.7. Any proposals from the Board of Directors or from shareholders.7AFollowing the company's transfer on 15 January 2016 of the HVAC and Telecom EMEA business segments, including the right to the name Dantherm, to the private equity fund Procuritas Capital Investors V, the Board of Directors proposes that the company name be changed to: Dansk Industri Invest A/S.In consequence hereof, it is proposed that Articles 1.1 and 1.2 of the Articles of Association be amended as follows:1.1. The company's name is Dansk Industri Invest A/S.1.2.The company's secondary names are: Glent & Co. Holding A/S (Dansk Industri Invest A/S), Dansk Invertit A/S (Dansk Industri Invest A/S) and Hosby Huse A/S (Dansk Industri Invest A/S).7BUnder the current Articles of Association, the annual general meeting must elect between four and nine members to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors proposes that the number of board members elected by the annual general meeting be between three and six members.In consequence hereof, it is proposed that Article 8.2 of the Articles of Association be amended as follows:8.2. The general meeting shall elect three to six members to the Board of Directors.8. Any other business.In case of doubt the Danish version is applicableAttachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=558719
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- Note to editors: There is a photo associated with this press release.
Lumenpulse (TSX: LMP), a leading pure-play specification-grade LED lighting solutions provider, has received the Best Booth Award at Lightfair International 2016 in San Diego, CA. The Lumenpulse booth, which this year put the spotlight on the company's expanded product range, was recognized for excellence in visual display and product presentation in the 900-square-feet and up category.
"Lightfair has always been an important event for Lumenpulse, so we're very proud to have been recognized in this way by the Lightfair International judging committee," said Francois-Xavier Souvay, President and CEO of Lumenpulse. "The Lumenpulse booth was carefully designed to showcase a number of exciting new products and technologies, which will give our clients an even larger toolbox of architectural lighting options."
Lumenpulse shone the spotlight on the scope and versatility of its newly expanded portfolio at Lightfair 2016, unveiling: a new generation of Lumenalpha LED downlights and spotlights; new narrow, batwing, and asymmetric wallwash optics for the Lumenline family of linear LED systems; the first official showcase of the Lumenarea family of street, pole-top, and wall-mount LED luminaires; a sample of innovative products from Fluxwerx, including the award-winning Profile suspended LED luminaire; and a sneak peek at the Exenia brand, expected to launch in North America by the end of 2016.
Lightfair International 2016 is being held at the San Diego Convention Center until April 28th. For more information, please visit Lumenpulse.com.
About Lumenpulse Inc.
Founded in 2006, Lumenpulse designs, develops, manufactures and sells a wide range of high performance and sustainable specification-grade LED lighting solutions for commercial, institutional and urban environments. Lumenpulse is a leading pure-play specification-grade LED lighting solutions provider and has earned many awards and recognitions, including several Product Innovation Awards (PIA), three Next Generation Luminaires Design Awards, two Red Dot Product Design Awards and a Lightfair Innovation Award. Lumenpulse now has 584 employees worldwide, with corporate headquarters in Montreal, Canada, and offices in Vancouver, Quebec City, Boston, Paris, Florence, London and Manchester. Lumenpulse is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol LMP.
Additional information about Lumenpulse, including its 2015 Annual Information Form, is available at www.lumenpulse.com and on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20160427-Lumenpulse800.jpg
Contacts:
Salvatore Ciolfi
Senior PR and Communications Manager
1 (514) 937-3003 ext. 337
sciolfi@lumenpulse.com
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO, THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA OR JAPAN
BH Macro Limited (the "Company")
(an authorised closed-ended collective investment scheme established as a company with limited liability under the laws of Guernsey with registration number 46235)
27 April 2016
Tender Offer
Further to its announcement of 5 April 2016, the Company hastoday released a circular (the "Circular") containing details of the Tender Offer (as defined below) to be put forward to its shareholders, other than certain overseas shareholders (as described further in the Circular) (the "Eligible Shareholders") by J.P. Morgan Securities plc, which conducts its UK investment banking services as J.P. Morgan Cazenove ("J.P. Morgan Cazenove").
The Tender Offer is conditional upon the Company receiving the consent of its shareholders at an Extraordinary General Meeting and notice of the Extraordinary General Meeting to be held at 2.00 p.m. on 24 May 2016 at the offices of Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited, Trafalgar Court, Les Banques, St Peter Port, Guernsey GY1 3QL is also included in the Circular.
Background
The tender offer (the "Tender Offer") will be for up to 25 per cent. of each class of the Company's issued share capital (the "Shares") and is being made by J.P. Morgan Cazenove. J.P. Morgan Cazenove will, as principal, purchase the Shares tendered by means of on-market purchases and, following the completion of all those purchases, sell them to the Company.
The maximum number of Shares of each class to be acquired under the Tender Offer will be 7,812,223 Sterling denominated Shares, 861,331 Euro denominated Shares and 3,805,094 US Dollar denominated Shares, representing 25 per cent. of each class of Shares in issue (the "Available Shares") as at 25 April 2016.
Principal objectives of the Tender Offer
The principal objectives of the Company in pursuing the Tender Offer are as follows:
to provide Eligible Shareholders with an opportunity for more liquidity than is offered by on-market purchases by the Company of its own Shares;
to permit those Eligible Shareholders who wish to realise some (or possibly all) of their investment in the Company to do so, subject to the terms of the Tender Offer and the extent to which Eligible Shareholders of each class of Shares tender their Shares; and
to enhance the net asset value per Share for continuing shareholders of each class of Shares which are repurchased pursuant to the Tender Offer.
The Tender Price Increments (as defined below) have been set taking account of both the Company's probable liquidation value and the approximate discounts to NAV at which the Shares have traded in the past 12 months.
Eligible Shareholders may tender any number of their holdings of each class of Shares in the Tender Offer but the extent to which an application is successful or scaled back will depend on the number of Shares tendered at each Tender Price Increment, as described below.
Pricing of the Tender Offer
Eligible Shareholders wishing to tender their Shares in the Tender Offer can choose to tender their Shares for repurchase at one or more incremental Tender Prices (the "Tender Price Increments").
Eligible Shareholders will not be permitted to tender the same Shares at multiple Tender Price Increments but will be permitted to split their Shares and tender separate blocks of Shares at multiple Tender Price Increments.
To the extent that An Eligible Shareholder has a tender accepted for its Shares at a certain Tender Price Increment such Tender Price Increment will represent the price payable in respect of those Shares.
Eligible Shareholders will not be able to tender any Shares (their "Eligible Shares") in excess of their total shareholding as at the Record Date (as defined in the timetable below) and J.P. Morgan Cazenove will not accept any tenders in respect of Shares that are in excess of each Eligible Shareholder's Eligible Shares.
If any Eligible Shareholder tenders Shares in excess of its Eligible Shares J.P. Morgan Cazenove will only fulfil such a request up to the maximum number of that Eligible Shareholder's Eligible Shares. J.P. Morgan Cazenove will accept such tenders, in accordance with the process detailed below, taking the Shares offered at the lowest Tender Price Increment first until such time as tenders have been accepted in respect of all of the Eligible Shareholder's Eligible Shares.
The lowest Tender Price Increment represents a discount of eight per cent. to the NAV per Share of each class on the NAV Determination Date (as defined in the timetable below) (the "Base Tender Price").
The highest Tender Price represents a discount of four per cent. to the NAV per Share of each class on the NAV Determination Date (the "Maximum Tender Price").
Between the Base Tender Price Increment and the Maximum Tender Price, the Tender Price Increments increase in three steps, at a discount to the relevant NAV of seven per cent., six per cent. and five per cent. respectively.
Successful tenders will be determined as follows:
The number of tenders received in respect of the Base Tender Price for each class of Shares will be determined.
All Eligible Shareholders of the relevant class tendering up to 25 per cent. of their holding of the relevant class of Shares (the "Basic Entitlement") at the Base Tender Price will have their tender satisfied in full.
Eligible Shareholders tendering more than their Basic Entitlement ("Excess Applications") at the Base Tender Price will have their Excess Applications satisfied if there are sufficient remaining Available Shares and such Available Shares shall be apportioned to Eligible Shareholders pro rata to their Excess Applications should other Eligible Shareholders not tender the full amount of their Basic Entitlement at the Base Tender Price and as a result of certain overseas shareholders not being permitted to participate in the Tender Offer.
To the extent that the Company does not receive valid tenders for all Available Shares at the Base Tender Price, the same process (as set out above) will be followed in respect of tenders made at the next highest Tender Price Increment.
This process will be repeated at each subsequent higher Tender Price Increment until the point at which tenders have been satisfied in respect of all Available Shares or the Maximum Tender Price has been reached.
To the extent that there are insufficient Available Shares to satisfy all tenders at a particular Tender Price Increment, tenders will be satisfied as follows: first, tenders will be considered from all Eligible Shareholders that have not already had 25 per cent. of their Shares accepted for tender. Provided that sufficient Available Shares remain, all such tenders will be accepted up to such a level as would result in each such Eligible Shareholder receiving its Basic Entitlement. If there remain insufficient Available Shares for this purpose, then all such Available Shares shall be apportioned to Eligible Shareholders pro rata to their remaining Basic Entitlement; and second, the remaining Available Shares shall be apportioned to Eligible Shareholders pro rata to their Excess Applications.
An Eligible Shareholder which has already had its Basic Entitlement accepted for tender at a Tender Price Increment will only be able to participate at a higher Tender Price Increment to the extent it has tendered Shares at such Tender Price Increment and only once other Eligible Shareholders tendering at that Tender Price Increment have received all of their Basic Entitlement.
For the avoidance of doubt, an Eligible Shareholder will not have a Basic Entitlement accepted at each Tender Price Increment at which Shares are accepted for tender by J.P. Morgan Cazenove.
Basic Entitlements will be calculated by reference to registered shareholdings as at the Record Date.
Class conversion facility
As announced on 5 April 2016, in light of the Tender Offer, the Company is suspending the ability for shareholders to convert their Shares from one class to another in respect of the April and May 2016 share conversion dates. Conversions received in respect of the March 2016 share conversion date will be processed as normal.
OverseasShareholders
The Tender Offerwill notbe madeavailable to certain overseas shareholders, as described further in the Circular.
Expected Timetable
Latest time and date for receipt of Tender Forms 5.00 p.m. on 20 May 2016 Record Date for Tender Offer the close of business on 20 May 2016 Latest time and date for receipt of Forms of Proxy for the Extraordinary General Meeting 2.00 p.m. on 20 May 2016 Extraordinary General Meeting 2.00 p.m. on 24 May 2016 Results of Extraordinary General Meeting announced 24 May 2016 NAV Determination Date (being the date of the NAVs on which the Tender Prices are based) 31 May 2016 Results of Tender Offer announced 3 June 2016 Final Tender Prices for each class of Share and repurchase date for successfully tendered Shares announced Final week of June 2016 Settlement through CREST of, and despatch of cheques for, the Tender Offer consideration, as appropriate by 8 July 2016
All references are to London time.
Posting of Circular
The Circular which contains the full terms and Conditions of the Tender Offer, instructions to Eligible Shareholders on how to tender their Shares should they choose to do so, together with the relevant Tender Forms, is being posted to Eligible Shareholders.
A copy of the Circular will shortly be available to view on the Company's website at
www.bhmacro.com
Enquiries
Brevan Howard :
Dan Riggs
020 7022 6236
J.P. Morgan Cazenove :
William Simmonds
020 7742 4000
Northern Trust :
Sharon A Williams
01481 745436
Important notices
J.P. Morgan Securities plc, which conducts its UK investment banking activities as J.P. Morgan Cazenove ("J.P. Morgan Cazenove"), which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, is acting exclusively for the Company and no-one else in connection with the Tender Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to customers of J.P. Morgan Cazenove or for providing advice in relation to the Tender Offer or any matter referred to herein.
This announcement does not constitute an offer or solicitation to acquire or sell any securities in the Company. Any acceptance or other response to the Tender Offer should be made on the basis of the information contained in the Circular. The Tender Offer will not be extended into any jurisdiction where to do so may be unlawful or which may otherwise subject the Company or any other person to any unduly onerous obligation.
This announcement is not for distribution in or into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan or any other jurisdiction in which its distribution may be unlawful. This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States or elsewhere. The securities of the Company have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and may not be offered or sold in the United States unless registered under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption from such registration. The Company has not been and will not be registered under the US Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and investors are not entitled to the benefits of that Act. There has not been and there will be no public offering of the Company's securities in the United States.
This announcement includes statements that are, or may be deemed to be, 'forward-looking statements'. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms 'believes', 'estimates', 'anticipates', 'expects', 'intends', 'may', 'will' or 'should' or, in each case their negative or other variations or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include matters that are not historical facts. They appear in a number of places throughout this announcement and include statements regarding the intentions, beliefs or current expectations of the Company. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. The investment performance, financial condition and prospects of the Company may change. Except as required by law or applicable regulation, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, even though the situation of the Company may change in the future. All of the information presented in this announcement, and particularly the forward-looking statements, is qualified by these cautionary statements.
END
CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- DIRTT (TSX: DRT) announced today it was awarded a contract to build the interiors of 16 residential units for medical staff in Barrow, Alaska, providing the remote community with its first and only adaptable solution to its current housing crisis.
The Arctic Slope Native Association (ASNA) is working to attract medical staff for the recently built Samuel Simmonds Memorial Hospital, and the lack of available housing options is a serious challenge. DIRTT's pre-engineered interiors are the only cost-effective solution to meet the community's unique construction challenges and tight timeline, with a high-end level of fit and finish and built-in adaptability to accommodate the needs of rotating medical teams and their families.
"Our remote location means that until now we've had no effective approach to getting affordable and quality construction," says Marie Carroll, CEO and president of ASNA. "We get many medical professionals excited to come experience our community and learn about a different way to deliver health care. The new hospital is a draw, but it is just a building if there is nowhere for anyone to live." The facility is an integral part of the region, serving the communities of Atqasuk, Barrow, Kaktovik, Nuiqsut, Point Lay, and Wainwright, and is the main health care support for the Prudhoe Bay oil field area.
Thirteen percent of houses in Barrow are considered overcrowded and four percent are considered severely overcrowded, versus the national combined US average of 3.2%. Challenges are amplified by the community's location north of the Arctic Circle; it is the northernmost community in the United States. Building materials are barged in only once per year, tradespeople are difficult to find and the severe climate routinely compromises building integrity, leaving many structures uninhabitable. This equates to an average square-foot building price tag higher than anywhere else in the US, for even the most basic of interiors.
As a solution, DIRTT will manufacture the interiors of the 1200 sq. ft. units - 16 in total and each one unique. All units will arrive flat-packed on the one barge scheduled to depart Seattle on June 29, 2016.
DIRTT has just 48 days to produce all 16 units. In the meantime, crews in Barrow can build the base building structure while the interiors are manufactured and assembled in DIRTT's production facility in Calgary. The pre-engineered and pre-fit nature of the interiors will create minimal construction material waste. "This method also solves our very real desire to build more sustainably," says Carroll.
Once on site in Barrow, a crew of six (including four locals) will install the custom interiors, consisting of wall frames and tiles, plug-and-play electrical components, plumbing raceways, ceiling tiles and millwork cabinetry. Visual highlights include Corning Willow Glass that creates a high-end stonework look in the kitchen areas without the cost or weight of real stone. It also creates a durable and cleanable finish that doubles as a dry-erase surface.
"This opportunity for DIRTT is absolutely the wave of the future for remote construction," says Mogens Smed, CEO of DIRTT. "If organizations in easily accessible cities have a hard time getting labor, imagine what this means for these northern communities. Pre-engineered and personally-tailored solutions are the only answer for them."
DIRTT uses object-oriented, 3D software called ICE to feed design and dimensions of interiors into production. The technology virtually eliminates the possibility for human error and the manufacturing approach allows DIRTT to respond to building challenges in remote locations, with precise results. ICE, DIRTT its Middle Eastern partner, NMG, have already built over $50-million worth of healthcare projects in Saudi Arabia.
DIRTT's method means ASNA will see better quality than traditional construction could allow in their budget, and in a much faster timeframe. While traditional construction labor costs use roughly 70% of a project budget, DIRTT's fast and clean installation brings labor hours down to cost approximately 30% and the rest goes to high-quality engineered materials with built-in adaptation. The software and physical design of DIRTT's solutions will also allow ASNA to develop their design right up to four weeks before shipping, without missing the barge deadline.
"This type of project is the exact point of developing our software and designing new building solutions," says Smed. "No one else is working to add quality to the speed and certainty of prefab for this market. It doesn't just have to be housing either. This is already proven for hospitals, clinics, schools and administration environments."
As ASNA expands its role in health care, they project a significant need for additional housing units in the near future.
About DIRTT
DIRTT Environmental Solutions (Doing it Right This Time) uses its proprietary 3D software to design, manufacture and install fully customized prefabricated interiors. The Company's customers in the corporate, government, education and healthcare sectors benefit from DIRTT's precise design and costing; rapid lead times with the highest levels of customization and flexibility; and faster, cleaner construction. DIRTT's manufacturing facilities are in Phoenix, Savannah, Kelowna and Calgary. DIRTT's team supports more than 100 sales distribution partners throughout North America, the Middle East and Asia. DIRTT trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "DRT." For more information visit www.dirtt.net.
Forward-Looking Statements: DIRTT
Certain information and statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") as defined under applicable Canadian securities laws and the Company hereby cautions investors about important factors that could cause the Company's actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those projected in any Forward-Looking Information contained in this news release. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "will likely result", "are expected to", "will continue", "is anticipated", "believes", "estimated", "intends", "plans", "projection" and "outlook"), are not historical facts and may be forward-looking and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such Forward-Looking Information.
About Arctic Slope Native Association
The Arctic Slope Native Association are a tribal nonprofit health and social services organization. Our mission is to promote the health and well-being of the people of the Arctic Slope. Our vision is to see the people of the Arctic Slope are healthy and content. With guidance and support from elders, our organization will be guided by the values of the Inupiat people of the Arctic Slope. www.arcticslope.org.
Contacts:
DIRTT
Liane MacNeil
587-896-7287
LMacNeil@DIRTT.net
www.dirtt.net
Regulatory News:
Axway (Paris:AXW) announces revenue of 65.3 million for Q1 2016, an increase of 4.3% (+2.3% organic growth) compared to Q1 2015, which was also positive.
The key event at the start of the year was Axway's transformation plan, which is progressing on target with the Company's roadmap. The transformation was announced last year and impacts many of the Company's business areas including:
Strategic positioning, with a clear move to digital;
The Product portfolio and marketing associated with the new positioning;
The streamlining of the research and development (R&D) centres to ensure consistency and generate savings;
Sales focus on the Americas and on digital offerings.
In addition, the acquisition of Appcelerator in January 2016 is looking extremely promising. Customer feedback has been very positive and the synergies between mobile technology and the existing digital offering (notably APIs) show the potential for rapid sales growth.
Comments on Q1 activity
Activity in Q1 2016 was satisfactory, with organic growth of +2.3% compared to Q1 2015, which in turn saw organic growth of 2.5%.
Revenue by business line (M)
1st Quarter 2016 2015
Published 2015
Pro forma Total Growth Organic
Growth 1 Licenses 12.4 13.6 13.6 -8.6% -8.6% Maintenance 34.7 33.5 33.6 3.7% 3.5% Services 18.2 15.5 16.7 17.1% 8.8% 65.3 62.6 63.9 4.3% 2.3%
(1) at constant exchange rates and scope of consolidation
Product revenue (Licenses Maintenance) is stable over the quarter, whereas Services grew significantly. The latter included growth in revenue from Cloud subscriptions of over 20%.
Licenses amounted to 12.4 million for the quarter, with strong growth in the Americas (+24%). The slight decline of 1.2 million compared to Q1/2015 reflects the fact that the signature of a very small number of contracts was delayed and this was added to an unfavourable comparison basis in France.
Revenue by region (M)
1st Quarter 2016 2015
Published 2015
Pro forma Total
Growth Organic
Growth 1 France 20.1 22.1 22.1 -9.2% -9.2% Rest of Europe 14.6 14.3 14.2 1.6% 2.3% America's 27.5 23.2 24.6 18.5% 11.6% Asia/Pacific 3.3 3.0 2.9 7.8% 11.0% Axway 65.3 62.6 63.9 4.3% 2.3%
(1) at constant exchange rates and scope of consolidation
The Americas region confirmed the positive turnaround trend begun in Q4 2015. This growth, at more than 10%, in total revenue in the leading Axway geographical area allows us to be very confident about overall performance for the 2016 financial year. Performance in France remained conditional on the signature or otherwise of several licences that determined the final performance for the quarter. Axway's positioning on digital transformation and the expansion of its product and services portfolio should enable it to renew its growth in this region, as has been the case for the other regions.
Financial position and outlook
Axway's financial position was extremely solid at the end of March 2016, with 43.1 million in cash and bank debt of 27.5 million, enabling the Company to pursue its strategy of external growth.
The Group is paying very close attention to the progress of its transformation plan within the context of the transition begun just six months ago, and it has full confidence in the strategy taken.
Financial calendar
Monday, 25 April 2016: Publication of the 2015 Registration Document in French, Approval n D16-0393
Tuesday, 21 June 2016, 2:30 pm General Shareholders' Meeting, Hotel Le Meurice, Paris
Wednesday, 27 July 2016: Press release on the publication of 2016 half-year results
Disclaimer
This document is a free translation into English of the original French press release. It is not a binding document. In the event of a conflict in interpretation, reference should be made to the French version, which is the authentic text.
About Axway
Axway (Euronext: Axway.PA) empowers over 11,000 customers worldwide to collaborate smarter, innovate faster and engage better with their partners, developers and customers. Through integration technologies securely connecting people, processes and things, up to the digital engagement platform proposing API management, identity management, the development of mobile applications and analysis tools, Axway solutions guide companies successfully along the road to digital business. Axway's registered office is based in France, Executive Management in the United States.
More information: http://www.investors.axway.com/en
Or Axway IR mobile app, available on Apple Store Android
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160427006109/en/
Contacts:
Axway
Investor Relations:
Patrick Gouffran, +33 (0)1 40 67 29 26
pgouffran@axway.com
or
Press Relations:
Sylvie Podetti, +33 (0)1 47 17 22 40
spodetti@axway.com
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN, INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN OR THE REPUBILC OF SOUTH AFRICA NOR ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS AN ADVERTISEMENT AND IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY SECURITIES. IT IS NOT AN ADMISSION DOCUMENT OR ADMISSION DOCUMENT EQUIVALENT DOCUMENT. INVESTORS SHOULD NOT SUBSCRIBE FOR OR PURCHASE ANY SHARES REFERRED TO IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT EXCEPT SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ADMISSION DOCUMENT TO BE PUBLISHED BY ANDALAS ENERGY & POWER PLC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED CAPITAL RAISING.
27 April 2016
Andalas Energy and Power Plc
("Andalas" or the "Company")
Proposed Farm-in to the Tuba Obi East Technical Assistance Contract, Proposed Placing, Appointment of Directors, Proposed Issue of Bonus Warrants and Publication of Admission Document
Andalas Energy and Power Plc, the AIM listed Indonesian focused oil and gas exploration company (AIM: ADL), is pleased to announce the publication and despatch to Shareholders today of its admission document in connection with the Farm-in to the Tuba Obi East Technical Assistance Contract (TAC) which constitutes a reverse takeover of the Company under the AIM Rules. In conjunction with the publication of its admission document, the Company is also pleased to announce that it has raised 2.6 million through the conditional placing of 1,341,959,560 Placing Shares at an Issue Price of 0.2 pence per Placing Share.
The Company has also today appointed Mr Ross Michael Warner as an Executive Director of the Company and Mr Graham Roger Smith as a Non-Executive Director of the Company, both with immediate effect. Further, on Admission, Mr Simon George Gorringe will be appointed to the Board as Chief Operating Officer.
The Company is also proposing the issue of Bonus Warrants to Qualifying Shareholders on the basis of one Bonus Warrant for every four Ordinary Shares held as at the Record Date, being 5.00 p.m. on 13 May 2016.
The publication of the admission document today will allow for the re-admission to trading of the Company's Ordinary Shares on AIM, which the Company anticipates will commence from 7.30 a.m. on Thursday 28 April 2016.
All capitalised terms in this announcement are as defined in the admission document which is available free of charge on the Company's website: http://www.andalasenergy.co.uk/.
Highlights
As announced on 8 March 2016 , Andalas entered into a conditional agreement to Farm-in to the Tuba Obi East concession in the South Sumatra Basin, Indonesia which constitutes a reverse takeover of the Company under the AIM Rules, changing its status from an investment company to an oil and gas operating company
, Andalas entered into a conditional agreement to Farm-in to the Tuba Obi East concession in the Basin, which constitutes a reverse takeover of the Company under the AIM Rules, changing its status from an investment company to an oil and gas operating company The proceeds of the Placing will be used to fund the agreed work programme on Tuba Obi East which includes the completion of a geological, geophysical and reservoir study along with the drilling and flow testing of a single well to assess the deliverability, recoverable volumes, and gas quality in the Air Benakat Formation
The reverse takeover and Placing are subject to Shareholder approval at the General Meeting, which is to be held at 10.00 a.m. on 13 May 2016 at the offices of Watson Farley & Williams LLP at 15 Appold Street, London EC2A 2HB
Andalas CEO, Mr David Whitby, said "With our initial asset secured, funds in place to drill our first well at the Tuba Obi East concession, and a further strengthening of the Board, we now have the ingredients in place to deliver on our objective and build a profitable Indonesian gas and power business.
"We now look forward to redoubling our efforts and putting the team to work to realise value for all our investors, and we intend to achieve this by capitalising on the prolific hydrocarbon basins and highly attractive gas to power markets of Indonesia. This is an exciting time for our Company and I look forward to providing further updates on our progress as we look to transform Andalas into an important player in the Indonesian energy and power sector."
Further Information
Background
The Directors are pleased to announce that, in accordance with the Company's strategy to identify and evaluate oil and gas opportunities in Indonesia and as announced on 8 March 2016, the Company has entered into a conditional agreement to farm-in to an interest in the Tuba Obi East TAC in the South Sumatra Basin on the island of Sumatra, within the Republic of Indonesia. The farm-in will constitute a reverse takeover of the Company under the AIM Rules, changing the Company from an investment company to an operating company involved in the exploration and production of oil and gas, which has necessitated the publication of the admission document and which is also therefore subject to the approval of Shareholders at the General Meeting.
In conjunction with this, the Company has also conditionally placed 1,341,959,560 Placing Shares at the Issue Price of 0.2 pence to raise total gross proceeds of 2.6 million.
The Placing is also subject to Shareholder approval at the General Meeting which is to be held at 10.00 a.m. on 13 May 2016 at the offices of Watson Farley & Williams LLP at 15 Appold Street, London EC2A 2HB, notice of which is set out at the end of the admission document.
Further details of the Farm-in and the Placing are set out in the admission document, which also sets out the details of, and reasons for, the Proposals and explains why the Directors consider the Proposals to be in the best interests of the Company and its Shareholders as a whole, and recommend that Shareholders vote in favour of the Resolutions to be proposed at the General Meeting.
Details of the Placing
Pursuant to the Placing, Cantor Fitzgerald Cornhill Capital and Peterhouse Corporate Finance have conditionally raised 2.6 million (before expenses) for the Company though the placing of the Placing Shares with investors at an Issue Price of 0.2 pence per Placing Share conditional, inter alia, upon the Resolutions being approved by Shareholders at the General Meeting and on Admission. The net proceeds of the Placing are estimated at 2.1 million. The net proceeds will be used for the agreed work programme on Tuba Obi East in order for the Company to earn its interest under the terms of the Farm-in Agreement and for general working capital purposes.
The Placing Shares will, upon issue, rank pari passu with the Existing Ordinary Shares. The Placing is conditional upon, inter alia, Shareholders passing the Resolutions at the General Meeting and Admission becoming effective by not later than 8.00 a.m. on 16 May 2016 (or such date as Cantor Fitzgerald and Cornhill Capital may agree being not later than 31 May 2016).
Key terms of the Farm-in Agreement
Under the terms of the Farm-in, which was announced on 8 March 2016, Andalas will acquire a 30 per cent. direct working interest in the Tuba Obi East TAC through the execution of a single well work programme. The work programme includes the completion of a geological, geophysical and reservoir study along with the drilling and flow testing of a single well to assess the deliverability, recoverable volumes, and gas quality in the Air Benakat Formation. Andalas will be technical operator during the well work programme.
A report dated 22 April 2016 was prepared by Gaffney Cline & Associates which estimated the prospective resources in the Air Benakat Formation within the Tuba Obi East concession based on the historical exploration and appraisal data available. Gaffney Cline & Associates reports best estimate prospective resources of approximately 22Bcf in each of two potential reservoir zones, the ABF upper and ABF lower, within the main closed structure within the boundary of the Tuba Obi East TAC as presented in the table below.
Gross Prospective Resources (Bcf) Net Working Interest Prospective Resources (1) (Bcf) Prospect / Reservoir Low estimate Best estimate High estimate Low estimate Best estimate High estimate GCOS (2) Tuba Obi East ABF upper 6.90 22.30 54.80 2.07 6.69 16.44 60% Tuba Obi East ABF lower 3.90 21.40 59.70 1.17 6.42 17.91 60%
The net working interest is the 30% attributable to Andalas on completion of the Farm-in but does not represent Andalas' net entitlement under the terms of the Tuba Obi East TAC which would be lower Geological chance of success
The transfer of a participating interest in the Tuba Obi East TAC to the Company is subject to the consent of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and Pertamina.
The Tuba Obi East concession expires on 23 April 2017. Prior to expiry of the Tuba Obi East TAC, it is anticipated that application will be made jointly by PT Akar Golindo (the current holder of the TAC) and Andalas for a new contract to reflect the same division of participating interest as agreed by the TOE Farm-in Agreement. PT Akar Golindo and Andalas will jointly pursue the application and Andalas has agreed to pay a further sum of US$500,000 in cash (or US$1,000,000 in Ordinary Shares at the Company's election) to PT Akar Golindo if a new contract is awarded. There is no certainty at this time that a new contract will be awarded by Pertamina.
The Farm-in will constitute a reverse takeover of the Company under the AIM Rules, changing the Company from an investment company to an operating company involved in the exploration and production of oil and gas, and is therefore subject to the approval of Shareholders at the General Meeting.
Further detail regarding Tuba Obi East and the TOE Farm-in Agreement is set out in the admission document.
Participation Agreement with Northcote
On 30 April 2015, the Company entered into a Participation Agreement with Northcote in consideration for Northcote providing services and relationships in connection with procuring financing for the Company to undertake one or more projects in Indonesia. Under the terms of the Participation Agreement, Northcote is entitled to participate directly with the Company in any joint venture, partnership, concession, profit sharing contract, working interest in any well or other similar agreement, introduced by any party, relating to the exploration, development and production of hydrocarbons in Indonesia initiated prior to 30 April 2020. Northcote is entitled to a paying participation at a level equal to 12.5 per cent. of the interest of the Company (prior to Northcote's election to participate) either directly or through any partnership or joint venture agreement entered into by the Company. Northcote has notified the Company of its election to participate in the Tuba Obi East concession. Further detail regarding the Participation Agreement is set out in the admission document.
Bonus Warrant Issue
The Directors have carefully considered the best way to structure the proposed equity fundraising in order to provide existing Shareholders with some ability to subscribe should they so choose on similar terms to the Placing. On this basis, the Board proposes, subject to the passing of the Resolutions and certain regulatory considerations relating to marketing of securities in certain jurisdictions, to carry out the Bonus Warrant Issue on the terms of the Bonus Warrant Instrument.
The issue of the Bonus Warrants will be to Qualifying Shareholders on a pro rata basis of one Bonus Warrant for every four Ordinary Shares held. The Board believes that the Bonus Warrant Issue should partially alleviate the impact of dilution on Qualifying Shareholders.
The record date for the Bonus Warrant Issue is 5.00 p.m. on 13 May 2016. Accordingly, the Board proposes that the Bonus Warrants will only be issued to Shareholders of the Company entered into the register of members at that time and with a registered address outside the Prohibited Territories. As such, placees in the Placing shall not be entitled to receive Bonus Warrants in respect of their Placing Shares.
The Bonus Warrants would represent approximately 7.3 per cent. of the Enlarged Share Capital prior to exercise.
The exercise price of the Bonus Warrants will be 0.2 pence per new Ordinary Share, being the same as the Issue Price.
The Bonus Warrants, which will be unlisted and non-transferable, will be exercisable on the Bonus Warrants Exercise Date being 31 May 2016 only (although irrevocable exercise notices and subscription funds can be issued to the Company prior to that date). If any of the Bonus Warrants remain unexercised on the Exercise Date, they will expire.
The Bonus Warrant Instrument is summarised in the admission document and contains provisions typically found in such instruments, including those relating to the adjustment of the terms of the Bonus Warrants, protections for holders of Bonus Warrants and the procedures for the modification of the rights of the Bonus Warrants.
The Bonus Warrants will be subject to eligibility requirements on issue. Such requirements are resultant from pre-existing securities law restrictions applicable to certain jurisdictions such as the United States of America. The Bonus Warrant Issue will not be extended to, and the Bonus Warrants will not be issued to and may not subsequently be exercisable by, Qualifying Shareholders in a Prohibited Territory. Notwithstanding the above, the Company will reserve the right to permit any Qualifying Shareholder to take up Bonus Warrants under the Bonus Warrant Issue if the Company, in its sole and absolute discretion, is satisfied that the transaction in question is exempt from, or not subject to, the applicable restrictive legislation or regulations.
Qualifying Shareholders who are in any doubt about the implications of the Bonus Warrant Issue on their personal tax position should consult their professional adviser.
Further terms of the proposed Bonus Warrant Issue are set out in the Admission Document.
Appointment of Directors
The Company is also pleased to announce the appointment today of Mr Ross Michael Warner as an Executive Director of the Company and Mr Graham Roger Smith as a Non-Executive Director of the Company, both with immediate effect.
Ross, aged 49, is a lawyer and experienced company director of both private and public resource companies listed on AIM and the Australian Securities Exchange. He has also held senior corporate roles with Mallesons Stephen Jaques in Australia and Clifford Chance in the UK. He is currently Executive Chairman of Northcote and Executive Director of Zarmadan Gold Ltd and has previously been chairman of Uranium Resources plc. He holds a Bachelor of Laws from University of Western Australia, and Master of Laws, University of Melbourne.
Graham, aged 58, is a Chartered Accountant and an Isle of Man resident. He is currently an Executive Director of FIM Capital Limited (formerly IOMA Fund and Investment Management Limited), the administrator to the Company. He has over 30 years' financial management experience, primarily in the investment funds sector. He is also a non-executive director of AIM listed Glenwick plc and Trinity Capital plc, and of several unlisted companies.
On Admission, Mr Simon George Gorringe will be appointed to the Board as Chief Operating Officer. Simon, aged 59, began his 35-year career in the petrochemical industry moving into cryogenics and finally into the oil and gas industry in the late-1980s. He has worked for Kerr-McGee on the Gryphon field and for ConocoPhillips Ltd on its UK continental shelf developments, before moving to BHP Billiton plc. Whilst there
he developed a reputation for unlocking marginal fields by developing the Keith Field, an asset that was previously deemed to be uneconomic. ln lndonesia Simon was the development manager for Serica's Kambuna Gas Field Development and Chief Operating Officer for NuEnergy Gas Ltd. which was developing coalbed methane projects in South Sumatra. He has also held a number of senior roles including at SOCO lnternational plc and Kerr-McGee. Simon is a graduate of Chemical Engineering from University of Manchester lnstitute of Science and Technology.
Conversion of Loan Notes
On 31 March 2016, the Company raised 500,000 (gross) through its joint broker Cornhill Capital by the issue of the Loan Notes. The Loan Notes carry a zero coupon and are unsecured. The nominal amount of each Loan Note is 1,000. The issue price of each Loan Note was 833.33. On Admission, the Loan Notes will convert into 300,000,000 new Ordinary Shares at the Issue Price.
In the event that Shareholder approval of the Resolutions at the General Meeting is not obtained and the Proposals do not proceed, the Loan Notes will convert on the fifteenth business day immediately following the re-commencement of trading in the Company's Ordinary Shares on AIM at a price calculated as ninety per cent. of the volume weighted average price per Ordinary Share for the lowest successive three day trading period out of the fifteen trading days immediately following re-commencement of the Company's Ordinary Shares to trading on AIM.
In the event that conversion has not occurred by 31 July 2016, the Loan Notes will not convert and will be required to be repaid by the Company.
For every five new Ordinary Shares issued on conversion of the Loan Notes, held by investors subscribing for Loan Notes through Cornhill Capital, Cornhill Capital shall receive one warrant to subscribe for one Ordinary Share exercisable at the price at which the loan conversion occurs. As a result of conversion of the Loan Notes, Cornhill Capital will be issued 42,000,000 warrants over Ordinary Shares.
Changes to arrangements with Corsair
On 4 June 2015, the Company entered into the Assignment Agreement, which covered arrangements whereby Corsair would introduce oil and gas concessions in Indonesia to the Company and the means by which Corsair was to be remunerated for this. Pursuant to the Assignment Agreement the Company agreed to issue to Corsair (or its nominees):
31,250,000 Ordinary Shares on closing of the Assignment Agreement; up to an additional 93,750,000 Corsair Contingent Consideration Shares in three equal tranches (of 31,250,000 Ordinary Shares) on the occurrence of each of the following three milestones: (i) the acquisition by the Company of one concession in Indonesia ; (ii) the acquisition by the Company of a second concession in Indonesia ; and (iii) gross production from projects in which the Company has an economic interest exceeding 400 bopd for a period of 30 days (the "Milestones"); 34,344,865 Corsair Options which vest on closing of the Assignment Agreement; and up to an additional 103,034,596 Corsair Options which vest in three equal tranches of 34,344,865 upon the occurrence of each of the Milestones.
The Assignment Agreement also contains provisions whereby Corsair will have a carried interest in oil and gas concessions introduced by it and a share of future revenues from these concessions.
Corsair is a company in which each of David Whitby, Ross Warner and Simon Gorringe (a Proposed Director at Admission) has a 25 per cent. beneficial interest. In the opinion of the independent Directors, who in this instance are Paul Warwick, Daniel Jorgensen and Graham Smith, it will be difficult following Admission to determine which assets are originated within Andalas and which are introduced by Corsair and therefore to avoid any future conflict of interest, and to more fully align the interests of David, Ross and Simon with those of Shareholders, it has been agreed with Corsair that the arrangements between the Company and Corsair will change. In substitution of the carried interest and revenue share contemplated in the Assignment Agreement (and pursuant to a deed of termination and share issue deed summarised in the admission document), subject to the passing of the Resolutions, each of David Whitby, Ross Warner, Simon Gorringe and Christopher Newport will be issued with such number of Ordinary Shares in the Company, which will, in aggregate, represent 5 per cent. of the Enlarged Share Capital. In addition, each of David Whitby, Simon Gorringe, Ross Warner and Chris Newport will be issued with further Ordinary Shares following exercise of the Bonus Warrants which will result in their aggregate interests as contemplated under the Corsair arrangements remaining at 5 per cent. of the share capital as enlarged by the issue of Ordinary Shares on exercise of the Bonus Warrants.
These revised arrangements are summarised in the admission document.
The revision of the arrangements with Corsair is considered a related party transaction pursuant to the AIM Rules. The independent Directors, who for this purpose are Paul Warwick, Daniel Jorgensen and Graham Smith, consider, having consulted with Cantor Fitzgerald, the Company's nominated adviser, that the terms of the new Corsair arrangements are fair and reasonable insofar as Shareholders are concerned.
Directors' shareholdings
Certain of the Directors and the Proposed Director are participating in the Placing by way of a subscription for a total of 167,834,558 Placing Shares. Their subsequent beneficial holdings as a result of the Placing and the arrangements with Corsair are shown below.
Ordinary Shares held at today's date Placing Shares Corsair Settlement Shares Ordinary Shares at Admission % of Enlarged Share Capital Paul Warwick - 13,366,982 - 13,366,982 0.5% David Whitby 7,812,500 39,568,874 30,601,735 77,983,109 3.2% Daniel Jorgensen - 48,366,281 - 48,366,281 2.0% Ross Warner 7,812,500 33,071,50
3 30,601,735 71,485,738 2.9% Simon Gorringe 7,812,500 33,460,918 30,061,735 71,875,153 2.9% Graham Smith - - - -
Change of Articles
The Articles of the Company are being amended to align the Company's bylaws with those of a UK incorporated company admitted to trading on AIM. In order to affect these amendments, the Company proposes to make certain amendments to the Articles by a special resolution of the Shareholders. A copy of the Amended Articles is available for review at the Company's registered office at any time before the General Meeting. In addition, copies of the Amended Articles will be available at the General Meeting.
General Meeting
The Notice convening the General Meeting has been posted to Shareholders and is available on the Company's website at http://www.andalasenergy.co.uk/. The General Meeting has been convened for 10.00 a.m. on 13 May 2016 at the offices of Watson Farley & Williams LLP at 15 Appold Street, London EC2A 2HB where the following Resolutions will be proposed to approve:
The Farm-in, for the purposes of Rule 14 of the AIM Rules; The authorisation of the Directors to allot Ordinary Shares including the New Ordinary Shares; The authorisation of the Directors to dis-apply statutory pre-emption rights in respect of future allotments of Ordinary Shares including in respect of the New Ordinary Shares; and The amendments to the Articles.
For further information on the Company please visit www.andalasenergy.co.uk or contact:
David Whitby Andalas Energy and Power Plc Tel: +62 21 2783 2316 Sarah Wharry
Craig Francis Cantor Fitzgerald Europe
(Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker) Tel: +44 20 7894 7000 Lucy Williams
Charles Goodfellow Peterhouse Corporate Finance
Limited (Joint Broker) Tel: +44 20 7469 0930 Colin Rowbury Cornhill Capital (Joint Broker) Tel: +44 20 7710 9610 Frank Buhagiar
Susie Geliher St Brides Partners Limited Tel: +44 20 7236 1177
** ENDS **
ANNEXURE A
EXPECTED TIMETABLE OF PRINCIPAL EVENTS
Publication of the admission document 27 April 2016 Re-admission of the Ordinary Shares to trading on AIM 8:00 a.m. on 28 April 2016 Latest time and date for receipt of Forms of Proxy 10.00am on 11 May 2016 General Meeting 10.00am on 13 May 2016 Record Date for the Bonus Warrant Issue 5.00pm on 13 May 2016 Ex-entitlement date for the Bonus Warrant Issue 8.00am on 16 May 2016 Admission effective and trading expected to commence in the Enlarged Share Capital 8:00 a.m. on 16 May 2016 CREST members' accounts credited in respect of New Ordinary Shares in uncertificated form As soon as possible after 8:00 a.m. on 16 May 2016 Share certificates in respect of New Ordinary Shares in certificated form expected to be dispatched by no later than 23 May 2016 Bonus Warrant Exercise Date 5.00pm on 31 May 2016
Notes:
Each of the times and dates in the above timetable is subject to change without further notice. References to all times are to London time.
ANNEXURE b
Information that requires disclosure under Schedule Two of the AIM Rules
Ross Warner's Current Directorships
Northcote Energy Ltd
Zarmadan Resources Corporation
Zarmadan Resources Ltd
Zarmadan Gold Singapore Pte Ltd
Ross Warner's Former Directorships (held in the last 5 years)
Anglo Pacific Ventures Pty Ltd
Ascent Capital Pty Ltd
Deep Yellow (Tanzania) Ltd
Irvine Energy Ltd
Moonlake Natural Resources Ltd
Shellbright Ltd
URA (St Henri) Ltd
Uranium Resources plc
Western Metals Exploration Ltd
Western Metals Tanzania Ltd
Western Metals Uranium Ltd
WML Uranium Holding Ltd
Graham Smith's Current Directorships
Coldharbour Marine Holdings Ltd
Coldharbour International Ltd
East Balkan Properties plc
EPIC Reconstruction Property Co (IOM) Ltd
EPIC Structured Finance Ltd
FIM Capital Ltd
FIM Directors Ltd
FIM Nominees Ltd
FIM Nominees One Ltd
Glenwick plc
JMS Estates (IOM) Ltd
Treveria Asset Management Ltd
Trinity Capital plc
Trinity Capital Mauritius Ltd
Graham Smith's Former Directorships (held in the last 5 years)
Clean Energy Asia Ltd
FIM Nominees Two Ltd
Tau Capital plc
TEP Trading 2 Ltd
Simon Gorringe's Current Directorships
Field Development Specialists Ltd
Corsair Petroleum Limited
Corsair Petroleum (Holdings) Limited
Corsair Petroleum (Singapore) PTE Ltd
Corsair Petroleum (Southern North Sea) Ltd
Corsair Petroleum (Central North Sea) Ltd
CHplus Resources (Cambodia) Limited
Corvette Energy (Singapore) PTE Ltd
Gas Strategies Pte. Ltd
There are no other details regarding the appointments of Ross Warner, Graham Smith and Simon Gorringe that require disclosure under the AIM Rules.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- Eden, which offers the best platform for on-demand and scheduled office services, announced today that it has expanded its coverage area to Oakland. Eden now covers the Bay Area from Oakland to San Francisco to the Peninsula, including Palo Alto and Mountain View. Services include office cleaning, IT support, and handyman needs, provided by Eden's expert W2 workers (known as Wizards).
Eden launched its office support platform in September 2016, and has grown at a rapid clip of more than 50 percent each month since. In November, Eden decided to focus on the business market exclusively, and in December, the company expanded its coverage down the Peninsula to satisfy a wait list of customers. Eden has doubled its headcount in the past two months to keep up with customer demand, and now, with demand from companies in the East Bay, Eden has decided to expand its services to Oakland as well.
Eden's expansion was in part driven by a large influx of companies leaving San Francisco for less expensive and larger digs in Oakland. But it was also driven by a desire to be a resource for the diverse businesses in the East Bay, where many Eden Wizards live. Eden plans to hire 15 new Wizards in Oakland initially, with more to come.
Economic opportunity is core to Eden's mission. Despite ties to the on-demand economy, Eden's jobs aren't gigs -- all Eden employees are W2 and receive benefits such as healthcare and the opportunity for stock options and advancement. Combine that with a technological edge, and Eden is able to keep prices low, while delivering excellent service.
"We're seeing not only more companies using Eden, but existing customers coming to us more frequently and for a wider range of services," said Joe Du Bey, Eden's co-founder and CEO. "We know we're filling a big gap for busy companies, and we're thrilled that our customers are getting so much value out of Eden."
One of those companies is Fundbox, a leading financial services business that is headquartered in the Bay Area. "Eden is my go-to company for almost every project or problem I encounter. It's incredibly helpful to know we have someone to depend on to get things done quickly and efficiently," said Tom Gold, Fundbox's Office Manager.
Eden offers several types of services for businesses, both on demand and scheduled, including:
Office Cleaning - Regularly scheduled office cleanings.
IT Support - Network and security solutions, computer and mobile device troubleshooting, A/V installation, and technology setup for new employees Handyman Services - For office maintenance needs, Eden has the best handymen, electricians, painters, and other skilled team members.
Supply Stocking - Eden ensures that clients have all of the kitchen, cleaning and office products they need, without any stockouts.
To learn more about Eden or to book service, visit https://www.eden.io/.
About Eden
Eden offers the best platform for connecting busy office and facilities managers with the services they need most, including office cleaning, IT support, and handyman services. Staffed by W2 employees who are experienced in their fields, Eden delivers reliable, convenient, high-quality service -- making office managers look like super heroes. Based in San Francisco, Eden is venture backed and growing rapidly. Learn more at www.eden.io.
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Press Contact:
Michelle Faulkner
Big Swing Communications
Email Contact
+1 781.779.1884
SAN FRANCISCO, CA and BERLIN, GERMANY--(Marketwired - April 27, 2016) - HomeToGo, the world's largest search engine for vacation rentals and Vacatia, the resort marketplace for vacationing families announced today, the integration of Vacatia's curated resort residence listings into HomeToGo's comprehensive vacation rental search engine.
Vacatia, which publicly launched its resort rental marketplace in November 2015, offers real-time rental listings, instant booking, and guest care for resort residences at leading hospitality, vacation ownership (timeshare) and premier independent resorts. Vacatia continues to expand rapidly across popular leisure destinations, offering Hawaii (Maui, Kauai, Oahu, Big Island), Florida (Orlando, Pensacola, Panama City, Destin, Daytona Beach), Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Branson, Missouri and Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona.
"We are excited to introduce Vacatia resort rentals to HomeToGo's rapidly growing global audience," said Caroline Shin, CEO and Co-Founder of Vacatia. "The addition of our resort rentals to HomeToGo will allow vacationing families to discover and book resort residences that combine the space and utility of a home, the services of a hotel, and fun and relaxing resort amenities and locations, all supported by Vacatia Guest Care."
HomeToGo, with over six million vacation rental offers, including the world's largest selection of nearly four million directly bookable accommodations, has a sleek, user-friendly interface which makes it easy for travelers to discover and book choice accommodations from the leading global vacation rental websites, eliminating time-consuming internet research.
"We are very pleased to partner with Vacatia. Their resort rentals complement our large and expanding U.S. vacation rental offers," says Camaley Jennings, U.S. Country Manager at HomeToGo. "In addition, their 100% instantly bookable resort rentals match our progress on directly bookable accommodations."
Vacatia, which secured an $8.8 million Series A funding round last April, led by Javelin Venture Partners, is guided by a senior executive team that has created industry-leading travel, logistics, and computer e-commerce businesses, grown "sharing economy" marketplaces for event tickets and private jets, and has built multiple successful resort/vacation club businesses.
Vacatia works with carefully selected resort-condominium complexes -- where originally access was exclusive through purchase options such as whole, fractional, or timeshare ownership -- as they expand making resort residences available through vacation rental. Vacatia Guest Care is available online or over the phone, answering questions guests may have about resorts, residences, amenities, or nearby activities. Vacatia Guest Care also handles large group and special requests, as well as confirming accommodation details with resorts.
Earlier this month, HomeToGo announced a $20 million Series B investment led by New York-based Insight Venture Partners, as well as Series A investors DN Capital and Acton Capital Partners. The growth capital will be used to further international expansion and accelerate product innovation.
HomeToGo allows you to filter its comprehensive vacation rental search results by dates, location, budget, accommodation types, and amenities desired (such as family-friendliness, pool availability, or pet-friendliness).
About HomeToGo
HomeToGo (www.hometogo.com) is an independent vacation rental metasearch engine that allows you to quickly and easily search and compare listings from over 6 million offers in over 200 countries from more than 250 providers. With features such as smart filtering, users can find their ideal vacation rental by sorting according to their preferred destination, travel dates, budget and amenities. Headquartered in Berlin, the founding trio comprises of Patrick Andra, Wolfgang Heigl and Nils Regge. The company currently employs more than 70 employees and operates local sites in nine European countries and in the U.S.
About Vacatia
Vacatia is the resort marketplace for vacationing families. Our mission is to make family vacations better and to help family resorts thrive. We help families find the perfect resort residence -- their spacious home base for creating fun, shared vacation memories. Vacatia provides real-time rental listings, instant booking, and guest care for resort residences at leading hospitality, vacation ownership (timeshare) and premier independent resorts -- professionally managed and serviced resort-condominium complexes combining home-like comforts and delightful amenities. No hotels or private homes allowed! Vacatia, a member of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) and Family Travel Association, is venture-backed, was founded in 2013, and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA.
Media Contact - For additional data, images, quotes or comments please contact:
Camaley Jennings
Country Manager, U.S.
HomeToGo
Email: camaley.jennings@hometogo.com
Phone: +49 30 208 473 261
Website: www.hometogo.com
Mike Janes
Chief Marketing Officer
Vacatia
Email: mike@vacatia.com
Phone: +1 855 382 7100
Website: https://vacatia.com
Regulatory News:
Firm activity in all countries at constant scope and exchange rates except West Africa
Improvement in activity confirmed in France, Egypt and Turkey
Continued growth in India and the United States
The Vicat Group (Paris:VCT) (NYSE Euronext Paris: FR0000031775 VCT) has today reported sales for the period ended 31 March 2016 of 554 million, up +3.3% on a reported basis and up +6.5% at constant scope and exchange rates.
Consolidated sales by business segment
( millions) 31 March 2016 31 March 2015 Change (%) Reported At constant
scope and
exchange
rates Cement 291 291 +0.2% +5,0% Concrete Aggregates 198 184 +7.5% +9.1% Other Products &
Services 65 62 +5.0% +5.8% Total 554 537 +3.3% +6.5%
Commenting on these figures, the Group's CEO said: "Vicat delivered solid growth in its business in the first quarter of the year. It is important to remember that sales in France and Turkey were boosted by significantly better weather conditions than in 2015 and are not representative of what can be expected for the full year.
The first few months of the year also confirmed the strong momentum in the Turkish and US markets as well as the upturn in business in France seen since the second half of 2015. In the rest of Europe, sales were up slightly in Switzerland and stable in Italy at a historically low level. In India, the market was boosted by the start of some large infrastructure projects, supporting the Group's business in this region.
Lastly, West Africa and the Middle East delivered a contrasting performance, with a very sharp pickup in business in Egypt offsetting a decline in West Africa, in particular Mali and Mauritania.
Against this backdrop, Vicat remains focused on its targets of maximising cash flow generation and reducing its debt by leveraging the investments made in the past few years and its strong market positions."
In this press release, and unless indicated otherwise, all changes are stated on a consolidated, year-on-year basis (2016/2015), and at constant scope and exchange rates.
Consolidated sales for the first quarter of 2016 totalled 554 million, up +3.3% on a reported basis and up +6.5% at constant scope and exchange rates relative to the same period of 2015.
During the first quarter, the Cement business delivered operational sales growth of +5.9% (+5.0% on a consolidated basis), Concrete Aggregates +9.5% (+9.1% on a consolidated basis) and Other Products Services +6.5% (+5.8% on a consolidated basis).
A breakdown of first quarter operational sales between the Group's various business lines shows a slight dip in the contribution from the Cement business, which now accounts for 54.6% of operational sales compared with 55.9% at 31 March 2015. The Concrete Aggregates business accounted for 32.1% of operational sales versus 31.0% at 31 March 2015. Other Products Services remained stable at 13.3% versus 13.2% at 31 March 2015.
It should be noted that the Group's first-quarter sales performance is not representative of expectations for the full year due to the more favourable weather conditions this year compared with 2015, particularly in France and Turkey.
1. Geographical breakdown of first-quarter 2016 consolidated sales
1.1. France
( millions) 31 March 2016 31 March 2015 Change (%) Reported At constant
scope Consolidated sales 183 168 +8.9% +8.9%
Consolidated sales in France for the period ended 31 March 2016 increased by +8.9% at constant scope, to 183 million. In the first quarter, activity was driven by a continued improvement in sector momentum and by better weather conditions than in the first quarter of 2015.
By business:
In the Cement business operational sales were up +10.9% (+7.2% on a consolidated basis). In an environment of very gradual improvement in the sector, of a rapidly growing export market and favourable weather conditions, volumes were up by more than +14%. In these favourable conditions, selling prices fell slightly year-on-year due to the decrease recorded during 2015 coupled with an adverse geographical mix. However, it is important to note that prices have improved slightly compared with the fourth quarter of 2015.
operational sales were up +10.9% (+7.2% on a consolidated basis). In an environment of very gradual improvement in the sector, of a rapidly growing export market and favourable weather conditions, volumes were up by more than +14%. In these favourable conditions, selling prices fell slightly year-on-year due to the decrease recorded during 2015 coupled with an adverse geographical mix. However, it is important to note that prices have improved slightly compared with the fourth quarter of 2015. In Concrete Aggregates operational sales were up +10.3% (+9.7% on a consolidated basis). This performance was driven by an improvement in the sector environment and better weather conditions than in the previous year. As a result, Concrete volumes rose by more than +14% and Aggregates by more than +8%. Selling prices were down in Concrete compared with the first quarter of 2015 but increased in Aggregates.
operational sales were up +10.3% (+9.7% on a consolidated basis). This performance was driven by an improvement in the sector environment and better weather conditions than in the previous year. As a result, Concrete volumes rose by more than +14% and Aggregates by more than +8%. Selling prices were down in Concrete compared with the first quarter of 2015 but increased in Aggregates. In Other Products Services, operational sales advanced by +8.4% (+9.7% on a consolidated basis).
1.2. Europe (excluding France)
( millions) 31 March
2016 31 March
2015 Change (%) Reported At constant scope
and exchange rates Consolidated sales 81 80 +1.5% +3.6%
In Switzerland, sales rose by +3.8% at constant scope and exchange rates (+1.5% on a reported basis).
In Cement, operational sales were down -8.6% (-10.2% on a consolidated basis) at constant scope and exchange rates. Volumes contracted by more than -8% as some large infrastructure projects came to an end. Selling prices were down significantly compared with the first quarter of 2015 due to the decrease recorded in the third quarter of 2015. However, it is important to note that prices were almost stable compared with the fourth quarter of 2015.
operational sales were down -8.6% (-10.2% on a consolidated basis) at constant scope and exchange rates. Volumes contracted by more than -8% as some large infrastructure projects came to an end. Selling prices were down significantly compared with the first quarter of 2015 due to the decrease recorded in the third quarter of 2015. However, it is important to note that prices were almost stable compared with the fourth quarter of 2015. In Concrete Aggregates , operational sales increased by +16.7% (+17.3% on a consolidated basis) at constant scope and exchange rates. This performance stemmed from a decline of almost -5% in Concrete volumes following the completion of various projects and a delay in starting others, which was more than offset by robust growth of almost +8% in Aggregate volumes, driven by road and civil engineering projects. On this basis, selling prices slipped slightly in Concrete but rose in Aggregates.
, operational sales increased by +16.7% (+17.3% on a consolidated basis) at constant scope and exchange rates. This performance stemmed from a decline of almost -5% in Concrete volumes following the completion of various projects and a delay in starting others, which was more than offset by robust growth of almost +8% in Aggregate volumes, driven by road and civil engineering projects. On this basis, selling prices slipped slightly in Concrete but rose in Aggregates. The Precast business delivered stable operational sales (+0.1%).
In Italy, consolidated sales were stable at +0.6% thanks to volume growth of just over 1% in a domestic market that is restructuring very gradually. In this environment, selling prices were down slightly.
1.3. United States
( millions) 31 March
2016 31 March
2015 Change (%) Reported At constant scope
and exchange
rates Consolidated sales 80 73 +9.5% +7.1%
Sales in the United States saw robust growth of +7.1% relative to the first quarter of 2015, still driven by favourable macroeconomic and sector conditions.
In Cement , operational sales rose by +18.4% (+35.8% on a consolidated basis) at constant scope and exchange rates. Volumes were up significantly, by almost +14%, but with a contrasting performance according to region. The high rainfall recorded in California in the first quarter led to stable volumes in this area while volumes were up significantly in the South-East. Selling prices recorded another strong increase relative to the first quarter of 2015, more marked in California than in the South-East. On a sequential basis (Q1-2016 vs Q4-2015), prices were stable in California pending the impact of the rise announced for early April, while the benefits of price hikes introduced in the South-East in January 2016 gradually began to be felt towards the end of the quarter.
, operational sales rose by +18.4% (+35.8% on a consolidated basis) at constant scope and exchange rates. Volumes were up significantly, by almost +14%, but with a contrasting performance according to region. The high rainfall recorded in California in the first quarter led to stable volumes in this area while volumes were up significantly in the South-East. Selling prices recorded another strong increase relative to the first quarter of 2015, more marked in California than in the South-East. On a sequential basis (Q1-2016 vs Q4-2015), prices were stable in California pending the impact of the rise announced for early April, while the benefits of price hikes introduced in the South-East in January 2016 gradually began to be felt towards the end of the quarter. In Concrete, sales were down -4.3% at constant scope and exchange rates. Volumes were down by more than -11% across the region as a whole, with a sharp fall in California due to bad weather conditions partly offset by robust growth in volumes in the South-East. Selling prices were up significantly in California due to a commercial optimisation strategy, and, to a lesser extent, in the South-East.
1.4. Asia (Turkey, India and Kazakhstan)
( millions) 31 March
2016 31 March
2015 Change (%) Reported At constant scope
and exchange rates Consolidated sales 115 118 -2.4% +10.8%
In Turkey, consolidated sales amounted to 42.4 million, up +23,0% at constant scope and exchange rates. Business was boosted by better weather conditions than in the first quarter of 2015 and by a favourable sector environment.
In Cement , the Group delivered +20.4% growth in operational sales (+16.6% on a consolidated basis). Volumes were up by almost +29% thanks to better weather conditions than in 2015, with significantly higher growth in the Ankara region, boosted by the restart of kiln 1 in December 2015, after it was mothballed in early 2008 with the start of kiln 2. Selling prices were down sharply compared with the first quarter of 2015 due to the decrease recorded throughout 2015. However, they were stable on a sequential basis (Q1-2016 vs Q4-2015).
, the Group delivered +20.4% growth in operational sales (+16.6% on a consolidated basis). Volumes were up by almost +29% thanks to better weather conditions than in 2015, with significantly higher growth in the Ankara region, boosted by the restart of kiln 1 in December 2015, after it was mothballed in early 2008 with the start of kiln 2. Selling prices were down sharply compared with the first quarter of 2015 due to the decrease recorded throughout 2015. However, they were stable on a sequential basis (Q1-2016 vs Q4-2015). Operational sales in Concrete Aggregates were also up significantly, by +30.4% (+31.5% on a consolidated basis). Given the more favourable weather conditions and the ramp up of new projects, volumes were up more than +30% in Concrete and more than +41% in Aggregates. Against this background, selling prices remained stable in Concrete and were down slightly in Aggregates.
In India, the Group delivered consolidated sales of 68 million in the first quarter of 2016, up +4.8% at constant scope and exchange rates. With 1.2 million tonnes sold in the quarter, volumes rose by almost +19% reflecting the Group's aim of capitalising on the start of new infrastructure projects initiated by the Indian government. In a context marked by a stronger pricing pressure and an unfavourable geographical mix, selling prices were down sharply over the period.
In Kazakhstan, consolidated sales amounted to 4.7 million, down -46.1% due to the impact of the currency devaluation in August 2015. At constant exchange rates, sales were up +1.5%. It should be noted that there is a strong seasonal effect in this country due to weather conditions and the first quarter is not representative of expectations for the full year. Driven mainly by exports, volumes rose by almost +8% in the first quarter, offsetting the impacts of the price decreases recorded throughout 2015.
1.5. Africa and Middle East
( millions) 31 March
2016 31 March
2015 Change (%) Reported At constant scope
and exchange rates Consolidated sales 96 98 -2.9% -0.7%
In Egypt, consolidated sales totalled 33 million, up +14.5% at constant scope and exchange rates. This performance reflects the effects of almost +22% growth in volumes delivered, despite limited activity in January due to the closure of the Suez Canal tunnel. In this dynamic market environment, prices were down across the entire period due to the price pressures seen during 2015. It is important to note that selling prices were up significantly on a sequential basis (Q1-2016 vs Q4-2015), particularly since February.
In West Africa, sales were down -7.4% at constant scope and exchange rates. Cement volumes were quasi-stable over the period (just under -1%) with slight growth in Senegal fully offsetting the decline in Mali and Mauritania, as the Group put the priority on deliveries in its main domestic market. Selling prices were down in the first three months of the year compared with the first quarter of 2015. The decrease was entirely due to the price falls recorded during 2015. On a sequential basis (Q1-2016 versus Q4-2015), average selling prices were up very slightly.
2. Breakdown of first-quarter 2016 sales by business segment
2.1. Cement
( millions) 31 March
2016 31 March 2015 Change (%) Reported At constant scope and
exchange rates Volumes (thousands
of tonnes) 4,829 4,245 +13.8 Operational sales 346 341 +1.5% +5.9% Eliminations (55) (50) Consolidated sales 291 291 +0.2% +5.0%
2.2. Concrete & Aggregates
( millions) 31 March 2016 31 March 2015 Change (%) Reported At constant scope and
exchange rates Concrete volumes
(thousands of m3 1,885 1,716 +9.8% Aggregates volumes
(thousands of tonnes) 4,826 4,190 +15.2% Operational sales 204 189 +7.7% +9.5% Eliminations (6) (5) Consolidated sales 198 184 +7.5% +9.1%
2.3. Other Products Services
( millions) 31 March
2016 31 March 2015 Change (%) Reported At constant scope and
exchange rates Operational sales 84 80 +4.6% +6.5% Eliminations (19) (18) Consolidated sales 65 62 +5.0% +5.8%
3. Changes in consolidated financial position at 31 March 2016
The Group wishes to remind that historically the first quarter is not representative of the Group's full-year financial performance.
Net debt equalled 46% of consolidated shareholders' equity at 31 March 2016 versus 44% at 31 March 2015.
Given the Group's debt level, bank covenants do not pose a threat to either the Group's financial position or its balance sheet liquidity. At 31 March 2016, Vicat complied with all financial ratios required by covenants in financing agreements.
4. Outlook
In 2016, the Group expects further improvements in its performance, capitalising on continued growth in the United States and India, plus renewed growth in Egypt and, to a lesser extent, in France. In addition, the Group expects to continue to benefit from lower energy costs, particularly in Egypt. Lastly, the Group will continue in 2016 to pursue its policy of optimizing cash flows and reducing its level of debt.
For 2016, the Group provides the following guidance concerning its markets:
In France , the Group expects macroeconomic conditions to stabilize, with a slight and very gradual improvement in the industry environment. In view of these factors, volumes are likely to rise very slightly over the full year in a globally unchanged pricing environment.
, the Group expects macroeconomic conditions to stabilize, with a slight and very gradual improvement in the industry environment. In view of these factors, volumes are likely to rise very slightly over the full year in a globally unchanged pricing environment. In Switzerland , the Group's business activities will continue to be impacted by an unfavourable pricing environment given the impact of the pressures observed in 2015, with the macroeconomic and industry environment still affected by the revaluation of the Swiss franc in early 2015. Volume trends should improve very gradually during the year.
, the Group's business activities will continue to be impacted by an unfavourable pricing environment given the impact of the pressures observed in 2015, with the macroeconomic and industry environment still affected by the revaluation of the Swiss franc in early 2015. Volume trends should improve very gradually during the year. In Italy , volumes are likely to stabilize during the year at a historically low level of consumption amid a persistently challenging macroeconomic situation. Meanwhile, in light of the recent consolidation in this market and the Group's selective sales and marketing policy, the trend in selling prices could be slightly more favourable.
, volumes are likely to stabilize during the year at a historically low level of consumption amid a persistently challenging macroeconomic situation. Meanwhile, in light of the recent consolidation in this market and the Group's selective sales and marketing policy, the trend in selling prices could be slightly more favourable. In the United States , volumes are expected to rise further, in line with the rate of sector recovery in the country. Selling prices should also increase in the two regions in which the Group operates.
, volumes are expected to rise further, in line with the rate of sector recovery in the country. Selling prices should also increase in the two regions in which the Group operates. In Turkey , market trends are broadly expected to remain firm. The Group should capitalize fully on its strong positions in the Anatolian plateau and its efficient production facilities and also reap the benefit of the restart of its kiln 1 at its Bastas plant. Selling prices are expected to remain volatile amid fiercer competition.
, market trends are broadly expected to remain firm. The Group should capitalize fully on its strong positions in the Anatolian plateau and its efficient production facilities and also reap the benefit of the restart of its kiln 1 at its Bastas plant. Selling prices are expected to remain volatile amid fiercer competition. In India , the Group remains very confident about its ability to capitalize fully on the quality of its production facilities, staff and positions in a market that should benefit this year from an upturn in the macroeconomic environment and, more specifically, from the infrastructure investments that have been announced. In a context that should remain favourable for growth in cement consumption, prices although likely to remain very volatile should broadly be firm over the full year.
, the Group remains very confident about its ability to capitalize fully on the quality of its production facilities, staff and positions in a market that should benefit this year from an upturn in the macroeconomic environment and, more specifically, from the infrastructure investments that have been announced. In a context that should remain favourable for growth in cement consumption, prices although likely to remain very volatile should broadly be firm over the full year. In Kazakhstan , the Group will be able to leverage the quality of its manufacturing base and teams amid persistently tight monetary conditions. The devaluations made during 2015 will have a significant impact on the Group's financial performance in 2016. In this environment, competition is likely to remain fierce in a market that boasts real growth potential.
, the Group will be able to leverage the quality of its manufacturing base and teams amid persistently tight monetary conditions. The devaluations made during 2015 will have a significant impact on the Group's financial performance in 2016. In this environment, competition is likely to remain fierce in a market that boasts real growth potential. In West Africa , in spite of a market that is set to continue growing at a brisk pace over the year, competition may again take a toll in 2016, owing to a pricing environment offering very little visibility in the short term.
, in spite of a market that is set to continue growing at a brisk pace over the year, competition may again take a toll in 2016, owing to a pricing environment offering very little visibility in the short term. In Egypt, the gradual restoration of security should enable the Group to confirm the recovery in its business trends. The Group will reap the full benefit in 2016 of the introduction of coal following the late 2015 start-up of the two coal grinders. In view of these factors, the Group anticipates an improvement in its performance over the full year despite a pricing environment set to remain volatile.
4. Conference call
To accompany the publication of its first-quarter 2016 sales figures, the Vicat Group is organising a conference call to be held in English on Thursday, 28 April 2016 at 3pm Paris time (2pm London time and 9am New York time).
To take part live, dial one of the following numbers:
France: +33 (0)1 76 77 22 21
UK: +44 (0)20 3364 5381
USA: +1 718 354 1157
To listen to a playback of the conference call, which will be available until 7pm on 2 May 2016, dial one of the following numbers:
France: +33 (0)1 74 20 28 00
UK: +44 (0)20 3427 0598
USA: +1 347 366 9565
Access code: 7041175
Next date for shareholders:
29 April 2016 (10am): Annual General Meeting of Shareholders
Next publication:
3 August 2016 (after market close): first-half 2016 sales and results
ABOUT VICAT
The Vicat Group has close to 7,900 employees working in three core divisions, Cement, Concrete Aggregates and Other Products Services, which generated consolidated sales of 2,458 million in 2015. The Group operates in eleven countries: France, Switzerland, Italy, the United States, Turkey, Egypt, Senegal, Mali, Mauritania, Kazakhstan and India. Over 68% of its sales are generated outside France.
The Vicat Group is the heir to an industrial tradition dating back to 1817, when Louis Vicat invented artificial cement. Founded in 1853, the Vicat Group now operates three core lines of business: Cement, Ready-Mixed Concrete and Aggregates, as well as related activities.
Disclaimer:
This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements do not constitute forecasts regarding results or any other performance indicator, but rather trends or targets. These statements are by their nature subject to risks and uncertainties as described in the Company's annual report available on its website (www.vicat.fr). These statements do not reflect the future performance of the Company, which may differ significantly. The Company does not undertake to provide updates of these statements.
Further information about Vicat is available from its website www.vicat.fr.
Vicat Group Financial data Appendices
Breakdown of sales to 31 March 2016 by business segment geographical region
Cement Concrete &
Aggregates Other
Products &
Services Inter-segment
eliminations Consolidated
sales France 84 85 56 (42) 183 Europe (excl. France) 33 37 21 (11) 81 USA 41 51 (13) 80 Asia 98 23 7 (14) 115 Africa Middle East 89 6 (0) 96 Operational sales 346 204 84 (80) 554 Inter-segment
eliminations (55) (6) (19) 80 Consolidated
sales 291 198 65 554
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160427006262/en/
Contacts:
VICAT
Investor relations contact:
Stephane Bisseuil, Tel.: +33 (0) 1 58 86 86 14
stephane.bisseuil@vicat.fr
or
Press contacts:
Marion Guerin:, Tel: +33 (0)1 58 86 86 26
marion.guerin@tbwa.com
VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - The majority of the European markets ended Wednesday's session with modest gains. The markets got off to a weak start, as investors remain cautious ahead of today's announcement from the U.S. Federal Reserve. Concerns over Greece and some mixed corporate financial results also contributed to the negative mood.
However, rising crude oil prices helped the majority of the markets turn positive in the afternoon. Although crude prices began to pare their gains after the release of the U.S. crude inventory report. The U.S. EIA reported that U.S. crude inventories increased by 2 million barrels last week. Expectations had been for an increase of 2.4 million barrels.
Stocks dropped sharply in Greece as it became clear that negotiations between the country and its international creditors are not going as smoothly as hoped. The two sides have reached an impasse due to a demand for further austerity measures. Eurogroup chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem has postponed a planned meeting on the country's bailout that had been provisionally scheduled for Thursday.
A stronger euro is not a concern for the European Central Bank, ECB Executive Board member Benoit Coeure said in an interview published Wednesday.
'The euro has stabilized over the last month after a clear depreciation,' Coeure told the Italian daily Il Sole 24 in an interview, the transcript of which was published on the ECB website.
'It is not an obstacle to our monetary policy,' he said.
The Euro Stoxx 50 index of eurozone bluechip stocks increased 0.29 percent, while the Stoxx Europe 50 index, which includes some major U.K. companies, added 0.08 percent.
The DAX of Germany climbed 0.39 percent and the CAC 40 of France rose 0.58 percent. The FTSE 100 of the U.K. gained 0.56 percent and the SMI of Switzerland finished higher by 0.24 percent.
In Frankfurt, Adidas surged 5.81 percent. The sportswear giant lifted its full-year profit forecast once again after reporting a 35 percent jump in first-quarter operating profit.
German reinsurer Munich Re fell 3.71 percent after a profit warning.
RWE increased 6.29 percent and peer E.ON jumped 3.09 percent.
In Paris, chipmaker STMicroelectronics soared 9.59 percent after reporting in-line results for the first quarter.
Cap Gemini rallied 6.43 percent after confirming its 2016 outlook.
Oil giant Total SA advanced 2.81 percent after its quarterly profit beat estimates.
Peugeot Citroen fell 0.78 percent as the car maker posted a 1.4 percent fall in first-quarter revenue, weighed down by negative currency effects.
In London, Standard Chartered fell 1.12 percent after a negative broker report.
Barclays finished higher by 0.49 percent. After reporting a 25 percent drop in first-quarter profit, the lender said it's in talks to sell its French retail banking operations to financial services private equity firm AnaCap Financial Partners.
Aluminum producer Norsk Hydro gained 0.14 percent in Oslo after reporting a 53 percent fall in EBIT earnings for the first quarter.
Energy firm Statoil rose 6.08 percent after it posted a surprise profit in the first quarter and maintained its payout to investors.
Banco Santander SA, Spain's biggest bank, gained 1.57 percent in Madrid after reporting a smaller-than-expected 5 percent drop in first-quarter net profit.
German consumer optimism improved unexpectedly in May, survey data from market research group GfK showed Wednesday. The forward-looking consumer sentiment index rose to 9.7 from 9.4 in April. It was forecast to remain unchanged in May.
Germany import prices declined at the fastest pace in more than six years in March, Destatis reported Wednesday. Import prices dropped 5.9 percent year-on-year in March, following a 5.7 percent fall in February and a 3.8 percent decrease in January. This was the biggest fall since October 2009, when prices decreased 8.1 percent.
French consumer confidence remained unchanged in April, the statistical office Insee reported Wednesday. The consumer sentiment index came in at 94 in April, the same as in March. It was forecast to rise to 95.
The U.K. economy expanded at a slower pace in the first quarter of the year as the service sector alone made positive contribution to growth amid the 'Brexit' fears.
Gross domestic product grew 0.4 percent from a quarter ago, when the economy expanded 0.6 percent, preliminary data from the Office for National Statistics revealed Wednesday. The sequential growth rate came in line with economists' expectations.
U.K. retail sales declined unexpectedly in April at the fastest pace since January 2012 but a rebound is expected next month, Distributive Trends Survey from the Confederation of British Industry revealed Wednesday.
A balance of 13 percent reported a decline in sales in April, reversing a 7 percent rise in March. Economists had forecast a score of +13 percent. Nonetheless, a balance of 9 percent expect sales to improve in May.
Pending home sales in the U.S. increased by much more than expected in the month of March, according to a report released by the National Association of Realtors on Wednesday, with pending sales rising to their highest level in almost a year.
NAR said its pending home sales index climbed by 1.4 percent to 110.5 in March after jumping by 3.4 percent to a revised 109.0 in February. Economists had expected pending sales to rise by 0.5 percent.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
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Regulatory News:
Some 7,400 employees and former employees have subscribed for 998,072 shares, totalling 42.1 million, as a result of a share capital increase operation reserved for Arkema (Paris:AKE) employees, which has just closed. Setting yet another record in terms of monies invested and with a high participation rate, this fifth such operation once again reflects employees' confidence in the strategy and development of their Group.
Arkema conducted a new share capital increase reserved for employees on 26 April 2016, the fifth such operation since its stock market listing 10 years ago and the first for Bostik employees, who joined the Group in early 2015.
7,430 subscriptions were registered in 26 countries, amounting to 42.1 million. The employee participation rate exceeded that of the last operation proposed in 2014, reaching 67% in France, 21% outside France, or 40% on average, given the relative weight of the Group's non-French component.
The subscription period spanned 7 to 20 March 2016, with a price of 42.16 per share set by the Board of Directors meeting on 2 March 2016. This price corresponds to the average opening price of the Arkema share quoted on the Paris stock exchange in the last 20 trading days prior to the date of this Board of Directors meeting, minus a 20% discount.
At the close of the operation, 998,072 shares were created, taking the quota of the capital held by employees to a little over 6%.
The newly issued Arkema shares will bear rights from 1st January 2015, with entitlement to dividend payment in 2016.
A designer of materials and innovative solutions, Arkema shapes materials and creates new uses that accelerate customer performance. Our balanced business portfolio spans high-performance materials, industrial specialties and coating solutions. Our globally recognized brands are ranked among the leaders in the markets we serve. Reporting annual sales of 7.7 billion in 2015, we employ approximately 19,000 people worldwide and operate in close to 50 countries. We are committed to active engagement with all our stakeholders. Our research centers in North America, France and Asia concentrate on advances in bio-based products, new energies, water management, electronic solutions, lightweight materials and design, home efficiency and insulation. For the latest, visit www.arkema.com
Arkema
420, rue d'Estienne d'Orves F-92705 COLOMBES Cedex - France
Standard: +33 (0)1 49 00 80 80 Fax: +33 (0)1 49 00 83 96
Societe anonyme au capital de 728 226 950 euros 445 074 685 RCS Nanterre
arkema.com
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160427006313/en/
Contacts:
Arkema
PRESS CONTACTS
Gilles Galinier, +33 1 49 00 70 07
gilles.galinier@arkema.com
or
Sophie Suc, +33 6 22 02 24 64
sophie.suc@arkema.com
or
INVESTOR RELATIONS
Sophie Fouillat, +33 1 49 00 86 37
sophie.fouillat@arkema.com
or
Francois Ruas, +33 1 49 00 72 07
francois.ruas@arkema.com
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Millennials are being encouraged to become lifetime ambassadors for Canada, both at home and abroad, in the lead up to and during 2017, as we celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary.
The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Small Business and Tourism, launched the Millennial Travel Program during her keynote address at Rendez-vous Canada (RVC), the annual international tourism trade show taking place this year in Montreal. She was accompanied by the Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage.
Building on an outstanding year for Canada's tourism sector, Budget 2016 announced an additional $50 million over two years to Destination Canada to increase marketing initiatives in important international markets, which will help further boost travel and tourism to Canada.
Quotes
"I am excited about the opportunity for millennials to meet people and to experience and share the cool, fun, diverse activities to do in Canada in the lead up to and throughout 2017. I also look forward to continuing to collaborate with the provinces and territories, industry and Destination Canada to position our tourism sector to take advantage of growth opportunities. Great numbers for tourism mean more jobs and support for local economies, which will in turn benefit the Canadian economy."
- The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Small Business and Tourism
"Canada has so much to offer! Canada will mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, and celebrations will be taking place all year long to highlight this important anniversary. Together, let's celebrate our diversity and the contributions of our youth, and let's set a course for the future. In 2017, it's all happening in Canada!"
- The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage
Quick facts
-- Destination Canada is teaming up with Bell Media for the Millennial Travel Program, to showcase some of Canada's best travel experiences aimed at inspiring young Canadians (ages 18-34) to connect with and explore their country in the lead up to and throughout 2017, Canada's 150th celebration of Confederation. -- Nearly 1,700 international travel-industry professionals are attending RVC 2016. Led by Destination Canada, RVC is Canada's premier international tourism trade show. It enables international buyers to meet with Canadian sellers and learn more about Canada's tourism products. -- In 2015, the tourism industry accounted for more than 637,000 direct jobs and tourism revenues in Canada reached over $90 billion. -- In 2015, the number of international overnight visitors to Canada grew by 7.5 percent to 17.8 million, the first time in more than a decade that Canada surpassed overall international growth in tourist arrivals.
Associated link
- Millennial Travel Program
Follow Minister Chagger on social media.
Twitter: @MinofSBT
Instagram: minofsbt
Contacts:
James Fitz-Morris
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Small Business and Tourism
343-291-2700
Media Relations
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
343-291-1777
ic.mediarelations-mediasrelations.ic@canada.ca
LOS ANGELES, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- ASAP International Holdings ("ASAP") (OTCQB: ASAE) announced today that it has successfully advised on the acquisition for Urban Commons LLC of the Queen Mary, which closed on April 19, 2016.
Plans are preliminary; Urban Commons envisions a 200-room landside boutique hotel, restaurants, a marina and an amphitheater for thousands to enjoy live music and events, all linked together by jogging and bike paths near the water. A giant Ferris wheel is also a possibility.
"This is a tremendous opportunity to transform a beloved Southern California icon into a sought-after world-class destination. The Queen Mary is a true crown jewel for both Long Beach and Greater Southern California, and we are excited to step in to help shape the future of such a storied landmark that has fascinated visitors for decades," said Taylor Woods, Principal of Urban Commons. "We all want to see the best possible use of this historic icon, so we are focused on creating a careful, thoughtful plan that honors the rich history of the Queen Mary and revitalizes the surrounding 45 acres."
Mr. Frank Yuan stated, "Thanks to Urban Commons for patiently and consistently working with all parties including the City of Long Beach and others to make this transaction successful."
CEO Frank Yuan and CIO Jerome Yuan led the ASAP team on transactions. ASAP is one of the most active hotel buyers in the U.S. For the past five years, the company has constantly identified hotels and will remain active on the hospitality buy side for the foreseeable future.
About Urban Commons
Over the last several years, Urban Commons has completed a large number of commercial property acquisitions. Urban Commons targets value-add opportunities in highly populated, predictable markets where they see the greatest growth potential and upside opportunities for returns. Urban Commons continues to aggressively grow its portfolio in the hospitality sector. The Los Angeles-based real estate investment firm specializes in hospitality and residential income generating assets. With decades of cumulative real estate investment, development, and management experience, the company has proven the ability to thrive in the US market throughout all market cycles. Urban Commons owns, manages and invests in a variety of assets including land, apartment buildings, condominium projects, hotels, retail and commercial properties. Hospitality partners include names such as Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Hilton Worldwide, InterContinental Hotels Group and Wyndham Worldwide. For further information about Urban Commons, please visit www.urban-commons.com.
About ASAP
ASAP is a holding company that operates real estate, investment banking and consulting for Chinese companies. Our mission is to be the bridge between China and the Western world. Our Real Estate division assists with institutional and high net worth individuals with acquisition advisory and asset management. Corporate website www.asapholdings.com
ASAP International Holdings
Ana Gandara Morales
(213) 625 1200
info@asapholdings.com
At Ecosummit 2016, which finishes today in Berlin, German startup Mobisol received silver award as one of the best startups in Europe. This is not the first award for the company: earlier this year, Mobisol received new energy pioneers award from Bloomberg, in December 2015 - Sustainia Award at the U.N. conference in Paris. Last year, the company also won in "top business model" category of pv magazine award. Ecosummit award might be not the most impressive one on the list, but it means a lot for the company, Mobisol's corporate development manager Klaus Maier told pv magazine. "It is different from the others, here we compete with the startups that offer very impressive innovative ideas. Here it is not only working in Africa that makes us special. This award shows that our business model ...
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.
SAN JOSE, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- OneSpin Solutions, provider of innovative formal verification solutions targeting a broad range of challenging verification problems, is set to participate at events in Europe and Israel in May.
It will be an exhibitor at CDNLive EMEA Monday, May 2, through Wednesday, May 4, at the Dolce Hotel Unterschleissheim in Munich, Germany. OneSpin will demonstrate its SystemC Formal Verification Solution developed in partnership with the Cadence Stratus High Level Synthesis (HLS) group. For information about CDNLive EMEA, visit: http://bit.ly/1W759Um
Dominik Strasser, OneSpin's vice president of engineering, will give a talk on "Addressing the High-Level Synthesis Coding Barrier" during the SystemC Evolution Day 2016, a workshop on the evolution of SystemC-related standards. The workshop will be held Tuesday, May 3, at Intel in Munich. For specifics: http://bit.ly/20R1LOd
OneSpin will demonstrate its formal verification-based solutions, including the latest Safety Critical verification solution, SystemC formal verification and metric-driven formal verification with advanced observation coverage, during ChipEx 2016. The yearly international conferences of the Israeli microelectronics industry will be held Sunday, May 8, at the Tel Aviv Convention Center, Tel Aviv, Israel. The ChipEx 2016 website can be found at: http://bit.ly/1SJtM44
Rounding out the month will be a presentation during DVClub Europe Tuesday, May 24, hosted by Test and Verification Solutions (T&VS). Details on DVClub Europe are available at: http://bit.ly/1MzKpCY
To learn more about OneSpin Solutions, its demonstrated formal technology leadership and range of advanced verification solutions, go to: www.onespin.com
About OneSpin Solutions
info@onspin.com Website: www.onespin.com Follow OneSpin on Twitter @OneSpinSolution
OneSpin, OneSpin Solutions, OneSpin 360, and the OneSpin logo are trademarks of OneSpin Solutions GmbH. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
For more information, contact:
Nanette Collins
Public Relations for OneSpin Solutions
(617) 437-1822
Email Contact
Annette Bley
Public Relations for OneSpin Solutions
+44 (0)20 7482 4800
Email Contact
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Barack Obama will travel to Flint, Michigan, next week to hear from residents about the drinking water crisis, the White House revealed on Wednesday. The White House said Obama will visit Flint on May 4th to talk with residents, receive a briefing on federal efforts to help respond to the needs of the people, and deliver remarks to community members. Residents of Flint, including thousands of children, were exposed to drinking water with high levels of lead after the city changed its water source to the Flint River. Obama decided to visit the city after an eight-year-old girl from Flint named Mari Copeny requested to meet with him. In a letter to Copeny, the president said he wants to make sure the people of Flint are receiving the help they need and deserve. 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.
DW Catalyst Fund Limited
For immediate release
27 April 2016
COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT
Reminder: DW Catalyst Fund Limited - Investor Audio Web Conference
Friday, 29 April 2016 at 14:00 (BST)
Pre-registration is required in order to join the conference.
If you have not done so, please email investor.relations@dwpartners.com by close of business on 28 April 2016 to pre-register.
Participants will have the opportunity to hear a review of 2016 Q1 performance and market themes, and a discussion of 2016 outlook and upcoming opportunities from David Warren, CEO/CIO of DW Partners, LP ("DW"). DW is a specialist credit manager and the Manager of DW Catalyst Offshore Fund, Ltd. ("DWCOF").
During the call participants will be provided with the opportunity to submit questions. A space is also available on the registration page for those who would like to submit questions in advance.
A replay will be available for three business days following the conference.
Access to the conference will be restricted to persons who can make the following confirmations and agreements:
confirming that if you are in the United Kingdom you either (i) have professional experience in matters relating to investments and fall within the definition of "investment professional" in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended or (ii) fall within the description of (or are investment personnel of) high net worth companies, high net worth unincorporated associations or partnerships or trustees of high value trusts as set out in Article 49(2) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005), as amended; confirming that you are outside the US and a non-US person (as defined in Regulation S); accepting that the information disclosed in the investor call is not for public dissemination and no recordings or transcripts are permitted to be made; agreeing that you are not a member of the press; agreeing that no information and opinions conveyed in the investor call will constitute investment advice; accepting that no information or opinions conveyed in the investor call will create any warranty; confirming that you understand that the information given in the investor call and subsequent discussions (if any) are for information purposes only and are not intended to constitute an offer, solicitation of an offer, invitation or inducement to purchase or sell any shares or any other securities in any jurisdiction; undertaking that you will not base any investment decision solely on the information that you receive during the course of the investor call; confirming that, if you are outside the United Kingdom , you are entitled to join the investor call without the DW Catalyst Fund Limited (the "Company"), DW, or any other person being in breach of any laws or regulations in the jurisdiction in which you are located and without compliance by the Company, DW, or any other person with any filing, reporting or other requirements; confirming that you understand that DW receives management and performance fees as Manager to DWCOF and that accordingly the views and opinions expressed by DW should not be considered as independent.
This invitation and the information contained herein is personal and must not be forwarded and is not for publication, distribution or release in, or into, directly or indirectly, the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan or to US persons. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer of securities for sale including in the United States, Australia, Canada or Japan.
Information regarding the Company, including NAV reporting and RNS announcements is available to existing shareholders on the Company's website at http://www.dwcatalystltd.com.
End
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- The world may be getting smaller, but there are still discoveries to be made and Budapest is chief among them. Born out of the majestic Danube River, the city's two sides, Buda and Pest, are as scenic as they are dynamic. And the Budapest Marriott Hotel is the perfect place to discover it all.
Located on the banks of the river in the heart of the city, the Budapest Marriott Hotel welcomes visitors in search of everything from ancient ruins to the hottest nightlife. Some of the city's most notable attractions are just steps away, including the picturesque Chain Bridge linking the two sides of the city.
Other must-see sights are ones that define the city, including:
Buda Castle: An imposing structure that has weathered time and fortune to house several cultural institutions and museums today.
The Parliament: As the third largest parliament in the world, this iconic structure is one of Europe's oldest legislative buildings.
Gellert Hill: Overlooking the city, this landmark is crowned by the Freedom Monument.
St. Stephen's Basilica: The Classicist architecture is more than just a pretty face -- it houses Hungary's most sacred relic, the mummified right hand of St. Stephen (known as the Holy Right).
This stunning destination, however, is more than the sum of its historical attractions. Visitors also come for the shopping (which ranges from major shopping malls to local boutiques) and the Michelin-starred dining. Restaurants like Onyx at Vorosmarty Square and Borkonyha near the Basilica are just two of five in the city to have earned Michelin stars.
When the sun goes down, visitors and locals alike have plenty of options for nightlife, starting with ruin bars. Set within formerly dilapidated buildings and courtyards, the best of these bars welcome big crowds for music, dance and film.
Festivals more your thing? Budapest has plenty of them, along with concerts, exhibitions, fairs, sporting events and national celebrations. Chief among these is the Sziget Festival, which is considered one of Europe's top music and cultural events. Attracting nearly 400,000 visitors each August, the event occurs on Obudai-sziget, an island in the middle of the river, for an unforgettable experience.
Of course, no trip to Budapest is complete without a visit to one of its 118 thermal springs. Since Roman times, natives and visitors alike have taken the plunge. Today, options include the likes of Szechenyi Thermal Bath, one of the largest spa complexes in Europe, and Gellert Baths, which impress visitors with stunning Art Nouveau decor.
No matter what draws you to this exciting destination, one thing is for certain: There are many ways to love and DiscoverBudapest.
About the Budapest Marriott Hotel
Welcoming visitors with an enchanting mix of elegance and convenience, the Budapest Marriott Hotel features well-appointed accommodations and an enviable, city-center location on the banks of the Danube. Guests will enjoy modern accommodations with plush bedding, renovated bathrooms and high-speed Internet access, as well as a state-of-the-art fitness center and available spa treatments. The hotel offers three different dining options ranging from the signature Peppers! Mediterranean Grill to AQVA Lounge Bar where visitors can enjoy a sophisticated atmosphere. The hotel is also ideally suited to meetings and weddings, with more than 15,500 sq. ft. of flexible event space and tech-friendly features that distinguish it within a city of unsurpassable beauty and charm.
Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=2998802
CONTACT:
Budapest Marriott Hotel
Apaczai Csere Janos u.4.
Budapest, 1052 Hungary
36-1-486 5000
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/budhu-budapest-marriott-hotel/
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- Affinor Growers Inc. (CSE: AFI)(OTCQB: RSSFF)(FRANKFURT: 1AF) ("Affinor" or the "Corporation) is pleased to announce it has signed a non-exclusive licensing agreement with a private B.C. based company (The "Licensee"). The agreement allows the Licensee to purchase and install Affinor's growing towers in order to grow and produce strawberries and romaine lettuce in British Columbia. The facility will be built in Abbotsford, British Columbia.
The Licensee is being funded by the inventor of the equipment, Mr. Nick Brusatore, who is also providing the land which he recently purchased. The private company is controlled by a family member of Mr. Brusatore and the plan is to purchase and install 24 towers in phase one, and may install further towers at a later date. Affinor expects to receive payment for the towers during the summer. When the towers are installed and producing, under the agreement, Affinor will receive 10% of sales as a royalty up to $100,000 in royalty payments, and then a 3% of sales royalty thereafter.
Jarrett Malnarick of Affinor Comments: "By having a local partner build and demonstrate a commercial facility using Affinor's technology will not only bring short and long term revenue for the company, but continue to execute our business plan of commercializing the technology."
About Affinor Growers Inc.
Affinor Growers is a publicly traded company on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol ("AFI"). Affinor is focused on growing high quality crops such as romaine lettuce, spinach, strawberries using its vertical farming techniques. Affinor is committed to becoming a pre-eminent supplier and grower, using exclusive vertical farming techniques.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
AFFINOR GROWERS INC.
Jarrett Malnarick, President & CEO
The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
This News Release contains forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements speak only as of the date of this News Release. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks including various risk factors discussed in the Company's disclosure documents which can be found under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. This News Release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Contacts:
Affinor Growers Inc.
Jarrett Malnarick
President and CEO
604.837.8688
jarrett@affinorgrowers.com
www.affinorgrowers.com
SAINT-CLOUD, France, April 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK), April 27-30
Dassault Aviation will present its long range Falcon 900LX at the fifth International Marrakech Air Show.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120925/564526-a )
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160427/360740 )
Dassault's front line Rafale fighter will also be featured at the show, which opens today, as part of a French Air Force exhibit.
The 4,750 nm (8,800 km) Falcon 900LX is the most advanced version of the proven and highly capable Falcon 900 trijet line, which has set records for reliability, versatility and fuel economy since it was first introduced. Equipped with advanced winglets that reduce drag and optimize climb performance, the Falcon 900LX can fly non-stop from Rabat to Dubai, Delhi or Washington, or from Marrakech to Johannesburg or Rio. It is the only jet in its class capable of landing with nearly a full fuel load enabling, for example, a takeoff from Rabat with a stop in Marrakech for additional passengers before continuing to intercontinental destinations without refueling.
Since it was first introduced, the Falcon 900 family has evolved into six different versions, the latest of which is the 900LX, certified in 2010. It is equipped with the most advanced equipment on the market, including Dassault's second-generation award winning EASy II flight deck and FalconCabin HD+ cabin management system. Its three engine configuration - unique to Dassault - offers improved runway performance and added safety margin when flying over oceans and hostile terrain.
"In addition to performance and cabin comfort, aircraft efficiency has become a decisive factor in choosing an executive jet," said Gilles Gautier, Vice President, Falcon Sales for Dassault Aviation. "And the Falcon 900LX is the most efficient business jet in its class, offering 40% better fuel economy than any competing aircraft."
Qualities like this, added to the legendary robustness of Falcon jets which are designed and built to the exacting standards of Dassault fighters, make them top performers in North Africa which has more than a dozen Falcon aircraft currently in operation.
"We are extremely bullish over prospects here," said Gautier. "With its buoyant agricultural and petrochemical sectors and fast growing financial industry, the regional market appears poised for solid long term growth."
Notes for Editors
Dassault Falcon is the recognized global brand for Dassault business jets which are designed, manufactured and supported by Dassault Aviation and Dassault Falcon Jet Corp.
About Dassault Aviation
Dassault Aviation is a leading aerospace company with a presence in over 90 countries across five continents. It produces the Rafale fighter jet as well as the complete line of Falcons. The company employs a workforce of over 11,000 and has assembly and production plants in both France and the United States and service facilities around the globe. Since the rollout of the first Falcon 20 in 1963, over 2,400 Falcon jets have been delivered. Dassault offers a range of six business jets from thetwin-engine 3,350 nm large-cabin Falcon 2000S to its new flagship, the tri-engine 6,450 nm ultra-long range Falcon8X.
About Dassault Falcon Jet
Dassault Falcon Jet Corp. is a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Dassault Aviation, France. Dassault Falcon Jet markets and supports the Falcon family of business jets throughout North and South America.
Follow us on Twitter: @DassaultFalcon
Photos
Copy and paste the link into your browser to access the high resolution photos: http://www.falconphotogallery.com
For more information about Dassault Falcon business jets, visit: http://www.dassaultfalcon.com
Press Contacts
Dassault Aviation (Saint-Cloud, France)
Vadim Feldzer Tel. +33-1-47-11-44-13
vadim.feldzer@dassault-aviation.com
Marie-Alexandrine Fouillard Tel. +33-1-47-11-64-23
marie-alexandrine.fouillard@dassault-aviation.com
Dassault Falcon Jet (Teterboro Airport, USA)
Andrew Ponzoni Tel. +1-201-541-45-88
andrew.ponzoni@falconjet.com
Grant Kielczewski Tel. +1-201-541-46-79
grant.kielczewski@falconjet.com
Technavio has announced the top six leading vendors in their recentglobal sweet spreads market report. This research report also lists 20 prominent vendors that are expected to impact the market during the forecast period.
Competitive vendor landscape
"Rapidly changing consumer demands and preferences are contributing to the demand for differentiated products in the food and beverage industry, especially in the healthy lifestyle segment. Vendor performance in the global sweet spreads market may be impacted by changing consumer spending patterns due to increased disposable incomes and changing lifestyles," says Vijay Sarathy, lead analyst at Technavio for foodresearch.
Request sample report: http://goo.gl/OUJsHM
Key vendors
Andros
Andros is engaged in the production and retail of food products, which include yogurt, jam, and fruit spreads. The company is a leading vendor in Europe in the fruit processor segment. The brands of the company are Pierrot Gourmand, Chef Dessert, Solo Italia, Andros, fruitForce, and Bonne Maman.
The company functions in the global sweet spreads market through its offerings under the brands Bonne Maman and fruitForce.
Ferrero
Ferrero was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Alba, Italy. The company is a manufacturer and distributor of chocolates. The company's product portfolio includes chocolates, cream spreads, sugar confectionery, and drinks. The company is controlled by Ferrero International and operates through various subsidiaries situated worldwide.
The company functions in the global sweet spreads market through its offerings under the Nutella brand. Nutella was incorporated in 1956. The production of Nutella takes place in various facilities. In New Zealand and Australia, it is manufactured in Lithgrow, New South Wales. In North America, the company has manufacturing plants in San Jose Iturbide, Guanajuato, Mexico, and Brantford, Ontario, Canada.
Hero
Hero was founded in 1886 and is headquartered in Lenzburg, Switzerland. It distributes and manufactures consumer food products, including baby fruit drinks and food.
The company primarily focuses on the production and sale of consumer food products in the areas of infant and nutrition, fruit, and other consumer foods (cereals and decorations).
Hershey
Hershey was founded in 1894 and is headquartered in Derry Township, Pennsylvania, US. The company manufactures chocolate, sugar confectionery, baking ingredients, gum and mint refreshment products, toppings, snack items, and beverages.
It sells its products under the brands Hershey's, Kit Kat, Kisses, Reese's, Twizzlers, Ice Breakers, Jolly Rancher, Snackbarz, Heath, Bliss, Breathsavers, Twizzler, York, Whatchamacallit, Almond Joy, Pieces, Brookside, Good Plenty, Payday, Lancaster, Rolo, and Whoppers.
Hormel Foods
Hormel Foods was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Austin, Minnesota, US. The company manufactures and markets a wide range of meat and other food products. This diverse portfolio of products includes meat spreads, hams, sausages, franks, stews, bacon, canned luncheon meats, chilies, hash, shelf-stable microwaveable entrees, and salsas.
Hormel Foods' products are sold in the US through sales personnel, independent brokers, and distributors. Apart from this, the company operates 40 manufacturing and distribution facilities and 26 sales offices located across the US.
The J.M. Smucker Company (Smucker)
The J.M. Smucker Company was founded in 1897 and is headquartered in Orrville, Ohio, US. The company offers a wide variety of food products such as fruit spreads, syrups, retail packaged coffee, peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk, ice cream toppings, frozen sandwiches, shortening and oils, condiments, and health and natural foods and beverages.
The company offers a range of fruit spreads like jams, jelly, and preserves, which are available in different fruit flavors.
Browse related reports:
Global Syrups Market 2016-2020
Global Cheese Market 2016-2020
Global Sandwiches Market 2016-2020
Purchase these three reports for the price of one by becoming a Technavio subscriber. Subscribing to Technavio's reports allows you to download any three reports per month for the price of one. Contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and a link to our subscription platform.
About Technavio
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.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160427005096/en/
Contacts:
Technavio Research
Jesse Maida
Media Marketing Executive
US: +1 630 333 9501
UK: +44 208 123 1770
www.technavio.com
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - After trending lower over the past several sessions, treasuries showed a notable rebound during trading on Wednesday amid the Federal Reserve's monetary policy announcement.
Bond prices moved steadily higher in morning trading before accelerating to the upside following the release of the Fed statement. Subsequently, the yield on the benchmark ten-year note, which moves opposite of its price, slumped by 7.1 basis points to 1.860 percent.
With the significant decrease on the session, the ten-year yield pulled back well off the one-month closing high set on Tuesday.
Treasuries saw continued strength following the Fed's monetary policy announcement, which did not contain any major surprises.
As was widely expected, the Fed left its target range for the federal funds rate unchanged at 0.25 to 0.5 percent for the third straight meeting.
The central bank's accompanying statement was generally interrupted as leaving the door open for a June rate hike without making any guarantees.
Many analysts cited the Fed's decision to remove a reference to the risks posed by global economic and financial developments.
The Fed also said recent data indicates that labor market conditions have improved further even as growth in economic activity appears to have slowed.
The central bank also reiterated that the actual path of rates will depend on the economic outlook as informed by incoming data.
Paul Ashworth, Chief U.S. Economist at Capital Economics, said, 'The omission of the warning about global risks leaves the door open to a June rate hike, but whether the Fed follows through will depend on what happens in financial markets over the next six weeks.'
'It isn't our base case scenario, but one risk is that another slump in sentiment, like we saw last August or this February, could prompt the Fed to delay yet again the next rate hike,' he added.
The Fed statement largely overshadowed a report from the National Association of Realtors showing that pending home sales rose to their highest level in almost a year in March.
NAR said its pending home sales index climbed by 1.4 percent to 110.5 in March after jumping by 3.4 percent to a revised 109.0 in February. Economists had expected pending sales to rise by 0.5 percent.
With the bigger than expected increase, the index rose to its highest level since reaching 111.0 in May of last year.
A pending home sale is one in which a contract was signed but not yet closed. Normally, it takes four to six weeks to close a contracted sale.
Trading on Thursday may continue to be impacted by reaction to the Fed statement, although reports on first quarter GDP and weekly jobless claims are also likely to attract attention.
Bond traders are also likely to keep an eye on the Treasury Department's auction of $28 billion worth of seven-year notes.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
Technavio has announced the top five leading vendors in their recentlogistics market in Europe 2016-2020 report. This research report also lists 52 prominent vendors that are expected to impact the market during the forecast period.
Competitive vendor landscape
The logistics market in Europe is highly disorganized and fragmented with new players entering the market. The industry is becoming more competitive because of the disorganized nature of the market, which includes local truck and warehouse owners.
According to Sharan Raj, lead analyst at Technavio for logistics research, "The market is capital-intensive and requires advanced technologies. The key differentiating elements in the market are the value-added services (VAS) offered by logistics service providers."
Request sample report: http://goo.gl/Y0wHu3
DB Schenker
DB Schenker is headquartered in Mainz, Germany. It is an integrated logistics services provider. The company supports global industry and trade in the exchange of goods including contract logistics, global ocean and air freight, land transport, and SCM. The company is a part of Deutsche Bahn.
The company looks after the transportation and logistics activities of Deutsche Bahn. It is an integrated logistics services provider. Some of its offerings comprise the following: rail freight, land transport, air freight, ocean freight, contract logistics or SCM, etc.
Deutsche Post DHL
Deutsche Post DHL is headquartered in Bonn, Germany. It is a logistics and mail communications company. It provides integrated services and tailored solutions for the processing and transport of information and goods in the global market. The company's network spans in over 220 countries and territories worldwide. In FY2014, the company generated revenue of over 75 billion.
In Germany, the company delivers 64 million letters per working day. It provides solutions for both business and private customers, ranging from hybrid, electronic, and physical letters and merchandise to special services including registered mail, cash on delivery, and insured items. Its German network for Post-eCommerce-Parcel segment includes 33 parcel centers, 82 mail centers, 2,750 pack stations, and 29,000 points-of-sale retail outlets.
Kuehne Nagel
Kuehne Nagel is headquartered in Schindellegi, Switzerland. The company, along with its subsidiaries, provides integrated logistics services to customers in many industries worldwide. It operates through over 1,000 offices across countries such as Germany, the UK, Poland, and Switzerland. In FY2015, the company reported revenue of over USD 22 billion.
The company provides its customers with advanced logistics solutions across the globe. It provides logistics services to sectors including, aerospace, automotive, fast-moving consumer goods, high tech, industrials, oil and gas logistics, pharma and healthcare, and retail. The company provides integrated logistics services such as SCM solutions, customs clearance services, export and import documentation, door-to-door services, and logistics supply movement arrangement services. Further, it also offers risk management and insurance services for the transport and logistics industry.
SNCF
SNCF was founded in 1937 and is headquartered in Paris, France. It is France's national state-owned railway company. It provides a broad range of mobility solutions operating as one of the business segments under SNCF Group.
SNCF Logistics specializes in freight transport and logistics. Its major business areas include supply chain optimization, freight forwarding, road transport, distribution and express delivery, and contract logistics. SNCF Logistics handles different types of shipping needs across the globe in over 120 countries.
SNCF is a leading player in the transport and logistics sectors in France and number four in Europe. The company employs 43,000 people across 120 countries worldwide. Some of the partners of SNCF Logistics include Itnovem, Ermechem, Ecorail, VIIA, Naviland Cargo, VFLI, and Fret SNCF.
UPS
UPS was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, US. It is a logistics company that provides SCM and global package delivery services. The company provides logistics services to the global market, including distribution, transportation, contract logistics, ocean freight, ground freight, air freight, customs brokerage, financing, and insurance. It serves over 220 countries and territories worldwide.
In 2015, the company's international daily average delivery volume was 2.7 million packages and documents. Europe is the company's largest region outside of the US, which accounts for half of its international revenue. In Europe, the company has committed to invest USD 2 billion in expanding its infrastructure to meet the rising demand for cross-border commerce.
The company also noted an increase in its growth from European operations. Its European export volume improved in 2015, with specific strength in intra-European, Europe-to-US, and Europe-to-Americas trade lanes
Browse related reports:
Global Secure Logistics Market 2015-2019
Global BioPharma Logistics Market 2015-2019
Logistics Market in the APAC Region 2016-2020
Purchase these three reports for the price of one by becoming a Technavio subscriber. Subscribing to Technavio's reports allows you to download any three reports per month for the price of one. Contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and a link to our subscription platform.
About Technavio
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.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160427005090/en/
Contacts:
Technavio Research
Jesse Maida
Media Marketing Executive
US: +1 630 333 9501
UK: +44 208 123 1770
www.technavio.com
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- NAC Global Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: NACG) - NAC Global Technologies, Inc. today announced that it has agreed to terms and executed a Letter of Intent to acquire Swiss Heights Engineering S.A. (SHE) of Lugano, Switzerland, a holding company engaged to hold 100% of Bellelli group of companies and 100% of Petrochem Industrie group of companies The contemplated combination would vastly expand NAC's business size and its global footprint in the engineering services, energy markets, chemical processing, and petrochemical markets.
Based upon 2015 revenues of each of the constituent companies, the company projects 2016 combined revenues will exceed $30 million USD. Bellelli has physical presences in Italy, Switzerland, Colombia, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, and the USA.
Vincent Genovese, CEO of NAC, commented, "We are extremely pleased to announce our planned merger with Swiss Heights Engineering. A key component of our growth strategy has been to swiftly establish a multi-million dollar revenue base, and to expand in the energy markets, specifically in process automation controls."
Under the terms of the anticipated merger agreement, the present shareholders of SHE will, in aggregate, receive 95.75% of the combined companies. The acquired companies will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of NACG, and NACG shareholders will be entitled to hold their existing shares. Mr. Genovese will remain as CEO of the merged companies.
Antonio Monesi, president of Bellelli, commented, "By integrating the companies' abilities and experience in process controls, engineering, and precision manufacturing, it will produce powerful competitive advantages. The merger, of course, also positions the expanded group very well for capital access and much accelerated growth."
The transaction is conditioned upon mutual due diligence, negotiation and execution of definitive agreements and certain modifications to agreements with existing noteholders, as well as certain other customary conditions. The parties expect to sign a definitive agreement during Q2, 2016. Additional details of the transaction and more specific revenue guidance will be disclosed once a definitive agreement is executed.
About Bellelli Engineering
Bellelli Engineering primarily designs and supplies process plants and equipment for the Oil and Gas industry, ranging from oil and gas field production facilities to treatment/refining. Additionally, Bellelli offers consulting services, supply of individual process units and/or the renovation of old plants for upstream, midstream and downstream markets.
For more information, please visit: http://www.bellellieng.com
About Swiss Heights Engineering
Swiss Heights Engineering SA is a holding company currently engaged to wholly acquire and operate valued and synergistic oil and gas manufacturing businesses, including Petrochem Industrie S.r.l., Proteam TPS S.r.l. Lotus S.r.l. and all of Bellelli Engineering group of companies and affiliates.
For more information, please visit: http://www.petrochemindustrie.it/
About NAC Global Technologies
NAC Global Technologies is an engineering services, R&D, and manufacturing company. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, NAC Drive Systems, harmonic gearing technology is marketed to the automation, robotics, energy, and defense industries. The Company is headquartered in Jacksonville, FL.
For more information, please visit: http://www.nacglobaltechnologies.com
Forward-looking Statements
This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements, which contain words such as "expect," "believe" or "plan," by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. These uncertainties may cause actual future events to be materially different than those expressed in our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements.
Contact:
Vincent Genovese
CEO
904-493-6496
Regulatory News:
Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (ticker: PSH:NA) today held its Annual General Meeting of shareholders (AGM) in St. Peter Port, Guernsey. At the AGM, PSH shareholders passed resolutions to receive the annual report and the financial statements, re-elected the Company's five directors, re-appointed the Company's auditor, authorized the Company to buy back shares, and amended a provision of the Articles of Incorporation of the Company to provide directors located in the United Kingdom increased flexibility for participation in meetings of directors.
The specifics of those resolutions can be can be found in the Notice of Annual General Meeting available on the Company's website, www.pershingsquareholdings.com.
The results of the proxy voting are noted below:
Resolution For Against Abstain Ordinary Resolutions 1 23,647,440 0 460,714 2 23,647,440 0 460,714 3 23,647,440 0 460,714 4 23,647,440 0 460,714 5 23,647,440 0 460,714 6 23,647,440 0 460,714 7 23,647,440 0 460,714 8 23,647,440 0 460,714 Special Resolution (authorizing the Company to buy back shares) 9 23,647,440 0 460,714
The Company today also released its regular weekly Net Asset Value (NAV) on its website, www.pershingsquareholdings.com. The NAV was computed as of the close of business on Tuesday, 26 April 2016.
PSH NAV per share as of close of business on 26 April 2016 was USD17.29.
Weekly net asset value ("NAV") is calculated as of the close of business on each Tuesday and posted on the following business day. In the event that Tuesday is not a business day, the Company will calculate the close-of-business NAV as of the business day immediately preceding that Tuesday. The end-of-month NAV is calculated as of the close of business on the last day of the month and posted on the following business day. For weeks that include a month-end NAV report, PSH will provide only the month-end NAV and not report the Tuesday NAV. Monthly NAVs are published in accordance with the Decree on Conduct of Business Supervision of Financial Undertakings under the Wft (Besluit Gedragstoezicht financiele ondernemingen Wft).
About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd.
Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (PSH:NA) is an investment holding company structured as a closed end fund that makes concentrated investments principally in North American companies.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160427006719/en/
Contacts:
MEDIA:
Maitland
James Devas, +44 20 7379 5151
pershingsquareholdings@maitland.co.uk
The combination of HNA Tourism Group and Carlson Hotels to have robust presence in international hospitality, with increased ability to accelerate growth, expand key brands, and strengthen its best-in-class hospitality experience for its guests. Carlson Hotels headquarters to remain in Minnetonka, Minn.
BEIJING AND MINNEAPOLIS, April 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --HNA Tourism Group Co., Ltd. ("HNA Tourism Group"), a division of HNA Group Co., Ltd., a Fortune Global 500 company with operations across aviation, tourism, hospitality, finance, and online services among other sectors, and Carlson Hospitality Group, Inc. today announced they have entered an agreement ("Agreement"), for the acquisition of Carlson Hotels, Inc.("Carlson Hotels"), which owns the Quorvus Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson, Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM brands and the Club CarlsonSM global hotel rewards program.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160426/360661
Logo -http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160426/360315LOGO
The combination of HNA Tourism Group and Carlson Hotels will have increased ability to accelerate growth through investments in areas such as digital, owned assets in major gateway cities, building of Radisson RED and other new brands.
"Carlson Hotels own a powerful set of global brands and this historic agreement provides tremendous opportunities for growth," said David P. Berg, Carlson Hospitality Group chief executive officer. "We look forward to working within HNA Tourism Group, a greatly respected global enterprise, in what will be an exciting new chapter in the history of Carlson Hotels. As part of HNA Tourism Group, Carlson Hotels will have an opportunity to advance our commitment to providing guests with hospitality world-wide," added Mr. Berg.
"Since my grandfather, Curt Carlson, founded our company in 1938, our family has run businesses that create opportunity for people and positive change in the world," said Diana Nelson, Carlson Board chair. "Hospitality is in our hearts, which made this a difficult decision. We strongly believe that selling our hotel business to HNA Tourism Group, a company that fully recognizes its value and heritage, is the best way for us to position it for success and to be true to my grandfather's legacy in the long term."
"We have great respect for the Carlson family and a deep appreciation for its history and special culture," saidBai Haibo, HNA Tourism Group's Board Member and HNA Hospitality Group's Chairman and CEO. "Carlson Hotels' global success and strong, sustainable growth potential is a testament to their world-class brands, continuous innovation, excellent management, and unique employee-focused culture, all of which we will build upon as part of this combination to establish our presence in the U.S. market and expand our footprint in hospitality internationally. We look forward to working together with their management team, employees, franchisee partners, suppliers and customers to accelerate growth by investing substantially in the business."
Under terms of the Agreement, which were unanimously approved by the Carlson Board of Directors, HNA Tourism Group will acquire all of Carlson Hotels, including its approximately 51.3 percent majority stake in Rezidor Hotel Group AB (publ) ("Rezidor"), Carlson Hotel's master licensee based in Brussels, with hotels in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Since the closing of the Transaction will result in an indirect change of control in Rezidor, HNA Tourism Group would, under Swedish takeover rules, be obliged to launch a mandatory public tender offer for the remaining approximately 48.7 percent of Rezidor, within four weeks after the closing of the Transaction if the ownership in Rezidor is not sold down below 30 percent. Hence, HNA Tourism Group may, during these four weeks following closing of the Transaction, decide whether to launch a mandatory public tender offer for the remaining shares in Rezidor or sell down its ownership in Rezidor below 30 percent. If HNA Tourism Group decides to launch a mandatory public tender offer, according to Swedish takeover rules and as per a ruling from the Swedish Securities Council ("SSC")1, the minimum price in such mandatory tender offer would be the 20-trading day volume weighted average price (VWAP) immediately before the announcement of the signing of the Agreement to acquire Carlson Hotels dated April 27, 2016. HNA Tourism Group will give further information about such potential mandatory tender offer in due course, upon closing of the Transaction.
The Transaction is subject to receipt of regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, and is expected to close in the second half of (calendar) 2016.
Management & Governance
When the Transaction closes, David P. Berg, CEO of Carlson Hospitality Group Inc., will remain as CEO of the new organization.
Commitment to Communities
Understanding the need to preserve Carlson's values, heritage and community connections, HNA Tourism Group has pledged to maintain Minnetonka, Minn., as its headquarters for the new organization.
Advisors
Advisors for this Transaction include: Morgan Stanley and BDT & Company as financial advisors; Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, and Advokatfirman Vinge KB as legal advisors to Carlson Hotels. J.P. Morgan and Benedetto, Gartland & Company as financial advisors and Hogan Lovells and Advokatfirman Lindahl KB as legal advisors to HNA Tourism Group.
Additional materials regarding the transaction are available at www.StrongerHotelsTogether.com.
ABOUT CARLSON HOTELS, INC.
Carlson Hotels is one of the world's largest and most dynamic hotel groups and includes 1,400 hotels in operation and under development with more than 220,000 rooms and a footprint spanning 115 countries and territories. The Carlson Hotels portfolio includes a powerful set of global brands: Quorvus Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Park Plaza; Park Inn by Radisson, Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM and Club CarlsonSM, the global hotel rewards program. Carlson Hotels holds 51.3 percent ownership stake in The Rezidor Hotel Group, based in Brussels, who is the company's master licensee for its brands in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Carlson Hotels and its brands employ 90,000 people worldwide.
ABOUT HNA Tourism Group Co. Ltd.
HNA Tourism Group Co., Ltd. is a global integrated tourism conglomerate engaged in aviation, hospitality, tourism, finance and online services. Founded in Beijing in March 2007, the company owns more than 20 subsidiaries including Capital Airlines, Deer Jet, Tangla Hotels and Resorts, Caissa Touristic, etc. The company is also a majority investor in global travel and hospitality brands such as NH Hotels, Red Lion Hotels, PVCP Group, etc. HNA Tourism Group has been recognized for its commitment to corporate social responsibility and for its contributions towards improving global connectivity.
ABOUT HNA Hospitality Group Co. Ltd.
HNA Hospitality Group is the hotel management arm of HNA Tourism Group. Founded in 1997, HNA Hospitality Group boasts a global hotel network. As of March 2016, the group operates around 500 hotels with nearly 90,000 rooms, in key cities in China as well as other parts of the world, with brand portfolio ranging from luxury, upscale to budget segments, catering to both business and leisure travelers. It has been ranked as the top 300 hotel group in the world and garnered prestigious industry accolades such as the most competitive Chinese hotel brand and the best hotel management group in China.
Additional media materials regarding the transaction are available at www.StrongerHotelsTogether.com
1 Ruling AMN 2016:10.
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- AlarmForce Industries Inc. (AlarmForce or the Company) (TSX: AF) acknowledges receipt of a Statement of Claim (the Claim) made by Robert Hepburn and 1154300 Ontario Inc. (collectively, Hepburn), a former franchisee who operated an AlarmForce business in southwestern Ontario from 1995 until December 2015. Hepburn seeks total damages of $18 million for, among other claims, breach of contractual and statutory obligations. The Claim fails to describe the basis for, or the particulars of, the amounts sought.
AlarmForce is reviewing the Claim with its counsel and believes that it is without merit. AlarmForce intends to defend the claim vigorously.
As the matter of the Claim is now before the courts, the Company will have no further statement to make; unless and until a decision is reached by the court, or a settlement is reached prior to court proceedings.
About AlarmForce
AlarmForce provides security alarm monitoring, personal emergency response monitoring, video surveillance and related services to residential and commercial subscribers throughout Canada and in the United States. More information about the Company's products and services can be found at www.alarmforce.com.
This document contains certain "forward-looking information". All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that AlarmForce believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future including, without limitation, statements relating to the Claim, the Company's intention to defend itself and the expected outcome of the Claim. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of AlarmForce based on information currently available to AlarmForce. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of significant risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results of AlarmForce to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on AlarmForce. Factors that would cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, the risks associated with how a court may rule, the possibility of settlement, the ability of the Company to successfully defend itself and further action taken by Hepburn that is outside of the Company's control.
Any forward-looking statement speaks only as at the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, AlarmForce disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although AlarmForce believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.
Contacts:
Chris Lynch
(416) 445-2001 ext. 114
(416) 445-9381 (FAX)
clynch@alarmforce.com
News Media:
Hugh Mansfield/Nila Halycia
(416)-599-0024/(212)-370-5045
hugh@mansfieldinc.com
nila@mansfieldinc.com
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- Salazar Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: SRL)(FRANKFURT: CCG) (the "Company") - Mr. Fredy Salazar, President and CEO is pleased to announce that further to the Company's news release of April 6, 2016, the Company has completed a US$1,050,000 private placement (the "Private Placement") and debt settlement, two elements of its previously announced recapitalization plan.
Pursuant to the Private Placement, the Company sold 22,293,398 units ("Units") to arm's length financiers to raise US$1,050,000. The Units were sold at a price of Cdn$0.06, with each Unit being comprised of a common share of the Company (a "Unit Share") and a half warrant, with each full warrant (a "Warrant") entitling the holder to purchase an additional common share of the Company at a price of Cdn$0.12 (the "Warrant Exercise Price") for a period of two years from closing. The Private Placement was led by Resource Capital Fund VI L.P. ("RCF VI") which subscribed for US$820,000 of the Private Placement. Pursuant to the Company's subscription agreement with RCF VI, the parties are to determine a mutually-acceptable work program within three months of closing of the Private Placement and, if a work program, cannot be settled within such period, RCF VI will be issued an additional Warrant for each whole Warrant issued in the Private Placement and the Warrant Exercise Price for RCF VI's Warrants will be reduced to Cdn$0.069.
The Company has also settled certain of its outstanding debt with existing creditors by way of the issuance of 14,277,483 Units to such creditors (the "Debt Conversion Units") at a deemed price of Cdn$0.06 per Debt Conversion Unit. The debt settled by the issuance of these Debt Conversion Units were in respect of cash advances the Company received from both arm's length parties and certain insiders to assist the Company with maintaining operations and paying all core costs including prior years' tenure payments on its properties. A further 8,484,847 Debt Conversion Units are to be issued in settlement of debt concurrently with the first closing of the royalty sale referred to below. In addition, the Company has issued a further 5,600,132 common shares (the "Debt Conversion Shares") to both insiders and non-insiders in settlement of accrued and unpaid compensation of US$258,726 at a deemed price of Cdn $0.06 per share. A further US$265,783 of debt owing to such persons was also forgiven.
All of the Unit Shares comprising the Units and Debt Conversion Units, the common shares issuable upon the exercise of Warrants and all Debt Conversion Shares have a hold period expiring on August 28, 2016.
The third part of the recapitalization plan involves the sale of a 2% net smelter returns royalty ("NSR") interest in its Curipamba project to RCF VI for US$4,750,000 (the "Royalty Sale"). The Royalty Sale is to be completed in two tranches of 1% for US$2,375,000, with closing of each tranche being subject to the satisfaction of conditions precedent. The Company is to negotiate definitive documentation with RCF VI and to work towards satisfying conditions precedent with a view to closing the first tranche of the Royalty Sale in late May.
The Company and RCF VI have agreed to a cash expenditure budget for the net proceeds received from the Private Placement and to be received from the Royalty Sale.
No change of control has occurred or will occur as a result of these transactions. RCF VI has the right to nominate a representative to the Company's Board of Directors provided that RCF VI or its affiliates hold at least 5% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares or an interest in the Royalty. RCF VI also has the right to participate in future financings to maintain its equity interest. In addition, the Company will require the consent of RCF VI to raise equity or convertible debt at a price less than the Warrant Exercise Price until the Warrants expire, with such consent to not be unreasonably withheld.
About Resource Capital Funds
Resource Capital Funds ("RCF") is a group of commonly managed private equity funds, established in 1998 with a mining sector specific investment mandate spanning all hard mineral commodities and geographic regions. Since inception, RCF has supported 148 mining companies, with projects located in 47 countries and across 29 commodities. Further information about RCF can be found on its website (www.resourcecapitalfunds.com).
RCF has a strong team of investment professionals, with wide ranging industry and technical expertise and a demonstrated history of investments in mining globally. RCF's track record is based on its ability to pick technically and commercially compelling assets and support management to achieve desired outcomes whilst remaining throughout a source of patient capital. RCF aims to partner with companies to build strong, successful and sustainable businesses and in doing so strives to earn superior returns for all shareholders.
About Salazar Resources Limited
Salazar Resources Ltd. is a publicly-listed (TSX VENTURE: SRL)(FRANKFURT: CCG) mineral resource company engaged in the exploration and development of new highly-prospective areas in Ecuador. Led by a senior Ecuadorian management team and most notably by its namesake Fredy Salazar, this team has been instrumental in other major discoveries throughout Ecuador. Being based in Ecuador, thus having thorough knowledge of local human and environmental issues, gives the company a strategic advantage, enabling it to complete exploration at a rapid pace. With an excellent property portfolio (3 projects- 42,900 hectares), good geopolitical positioning and a number of strategic corporate and financial partnerships, Salazar has positioned itself to be a strategic player in Ecuador and throughout South America.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF SALAZAR RESOURCES LIMITED
Fredy Salazar, President & CEO, Salazar Resources Limited
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 news release.
This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and such information involves various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information herein includes, but is not limited to, statements that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including such things as the successful completion of the Royalty Sale. Such forward-looking information is based on a number of material factors and assumptions, including that the parties will be able to negotiate a definitive agreement in respect of the Royalty Sale, and that the Company will be able to satisfy the conditions precedent to closing of such transaction. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, 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 such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. A description of assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in the Company's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Contacts:
Salazar Resources Ltd.
ir@salazarresources.com
www.salazarresources.com
NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- Electrum Strategic Opportunities Fund L.P. ("Electrum") announces that pursuant to a private placement of Wellgreen Platinum Ltd. (the "issuer") which closed on April 27, 2016 (the "Closing"), Electrum subscribed for and purchased 36,000,000 units of the issuer (the "Units") at an aggregate subscription price of CAD$7,200,000 (the "Financing"). Each Unit is comprised of one common share in the capital of the issuer (a "Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant shall entitle the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share at a price of CAD$0.27 until the five year anniversary of the date of its issuance.
Following the Closing of the Financing, Electrum holds: (i) 50,000,000 Common Shares, or 25.52% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares (assuming that an aggregate of 70,500,000 Units are issued in the First Tranche(1) and Second Tranche(2)); and (ii) 50,000,000 Warrants. Should Electrum exercise all of the Warrants, Electrum would hold 100,000,000 Common Shares, representing approximately 40.66% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares (assuming that an aggregate of 70,500,000 Units are issued in the First Tranche and Second Tranche and assuming exercise of all of the Warrants owned by Electrum and that no other securities, including those convertible into or exercisable for the issuer's securities, are issued, converted or exercised).
The Units referred to above were acquired for investment purposes and Electrum and/or one or more of its affiliates may, depending on market and other conditions, increase or decrease its beneficial ownership of Common Shares or other securities of the issuer whether in the open market, by privately negotiated agreement or otherwise.
Electrum is an "accredited investor" (as such term is defined in National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions adopted by the Canadian Securities Administrators ("NI 45-106")) because Electrum is a "person" (as such term is defined in NI 45-106) in respect of which all of the owners of interests, direct, indirect or beneficial, except the voting securities required by law to be owned by directors, are persons that are "accredited investors".
Electrum is located at 700 Madison Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10065, USA. A copy of the early warning report to which this news release relates can be obtained from Michael Williams (646-365-1600) or on the SEDAR profile of the issuer at www.sedar.com.
(1) 'First Tranche' and 'Second Tranche' have the meaning given to them in the issuer's press release of April 11, 2016.
(2) See Note 1.
Contacts:
Michael Williams
646-365-1600
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Questar (STR) announced the company and Dominion Resources continue to make progress on the pending merger. A special meeting of shareholders has been scheduled for May 12, 2016, to consider and vote on the proposal to approve the merger. Questar and Dominion have filed for review and approval, if required, from the Utah Public Service Commission and Wyoming Public Service Commission. Hearings are expected to occur during the third quarter. Questar has made an informational filing to the Idaho Public Service Commission. Subject to the required shareholder and regulatory approvals, Questar expects the merger to be completed during 2016. 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.
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 -- North Sea Energy Inc. ("NSE" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: NUK) announces that its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2015 along with the related Management Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") have been filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). For more detailed information relating to the Company's yearend results, please refer to the financial statements along with the related MD&A files on SEDAR.
Highlights and Significant developments for the year ended December 31, 2015
-- On June 10th, 2015, the Company has been advised by Premier Oil UK Limited ("Premier"), the operator, that the joint venture were working towards a spud date for the Bagpuss Prospect well, located in block 13/24c of the UK North Sea, in H1 2016 (recently updated forecast to on or about May 15, 2016). The Company's costs pertaining to the drilling of the initial Bagpuss Prospect well are 100% funded through its farm-in agreement with Maersk, subject to a cap, as are 50% of NSE's costs of a Bagpuss subsequent well, should one be drilled. -- The Company reduced its cash used to $304,107 for operations during the year ended December 31, 2015 compared to $1,856,066 during the year ended December 31, 2014, a reduction of 84% year over year. -- NSE reduced its general and administrative (G&A) costs by 66% during the year ended December 31, 2015 compared to the year ended December 31, 2014 (2015: $318,386; 2014: $930,931) as part of its ongoing cost reduction program. -- In February 2015, the Company announced the appointment of Mr. Larry LeBlanc to the Board of Directors of NSE. Mr. LeBlanc has 41 years of diverse international, frontier and domestic energy experience. -- The $3,800,000 Convertible debenture was reclassified to contributed surplus and removed from the Company's liabilities during the year ended December 31, 2015.
Subsequent events
-- NSE announced that we have been informed by the Bagpuss Operator, Premier Oil UK Limited ("Premier") that the Ocean Valiant, a semi-submersible rig, is now forecast, subject to completion of Solan operations and DECC approval, to be on site at the Bagpuss Prospect on or about May 15th2016 with the Bagpuss well ("the Well") being spud shortly thereafter. The reason for the sooner than expected commencement of the Well is due to better that expected progress at Premier's Solan development site from where the rig is coming. The expected duration of the Well is estimated at 26 days with an additional 4 days for logging and sampling in the success case. -- NSE was reclassified as a Tier 2, TSX Venture Exchange-listed Company on March 21, 2016. SELECTED ANNUAL INFORMATION As at and for the year ended ------------------------------------------------------ December 31, 2015 December 31, 2014 December 31, 2013 CAD ($) CAD ($) CAD ($) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Assets 1,191,540 2,622,833 4,932,541 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Long-term liabilities 31,076 3,730,228 3,497,383 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shareholders' (Deficit) Equity (7,512,533) (8,168,546) (1,852,878) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Revenues 49 4,087 2,131,616 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Loss before income tax expense (1,842,549) (6,087,250) (14,456,877) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net loss (1,842,549) (6,087,250) (14,456,877) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total comprehensive loss for the period (3,298,268) (6,399,668) (14,465,923) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Basic and diluted net loss per share (0.031) (0.103) (0.247) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Year End Reserves Information
At December 31, 2015, the Company had no oil and gas reserves assigned to its assets. The Company has filed Forms 51-101F1, 51-101F2 and 51-101F3 on SEDAR.
About NSE:
The Company, founded in February 2007, is a UK focused oil and gas exploration and appraisal company quoted on the TSX-V. NSE, along with its wholly owned subsidiary, holds two high impact opportunities in the UK North Sea. These opportunities are the Bagpuss and Blofeld prospects located in blocks 13/24c and 13/25 of the UKCS.
Forward-looking statements
Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "forecast", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information.
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.
Contacts:
North Sea Energy Inc.
J. Craig Anderson
Chairman & CEO
416-366-4700
canderson@northseaenergy.ca
www.northseaenergy.ca
OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - Goldcorp Inc. (G, GG.TO) reconfirmed 2016 production guidance between 2.8 and 3.1 million ounces despite expected lower second quarter production of approximately 15% compared to the first quarter. The company said, during the second quarter, gold production will be negatively impacted by planned lower grade mining sequences in most mines and a 10-day mill shutdown for preventative maintenance at Penasquito. The company said it is on track to meet operating and capital cost guidance. First-quarter net earnings were $80 million, or $0.10 per share, compared to a net loss of $87 million, or $0.11 per share, in the first quarter of 2015. On average, 15 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report profit per share of $0.04 for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. Revenues were $944 million compared to $1.02 billion, a year ago. Analysts expected revenue of $982.81 million, for the quarter. 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.
Ant Financial Services Group, the Chinese online and mobile payment platform affiliate of Alibaba Group, raised a record $4.5 billion Series B financing.
Backers included the Chinese sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corporation and China Construction Bank.
The round reportedly valued the company at $60 billion.
The company will use the funds to improve the cloud computing and other tech infrastructure.
Led by President Eric Jing, Ant Financial Services provides small and micro enterprises and consumers with an open ecosystem of Internet technologies
including Alipay, an online payment services provider, and Sesame Credit, a credit rating system.
Businesses operated by Ant Financial Services Group also include Yue Bao, Zhao Cai Bao, Ant Fortune, Ant Check Later, Ant Financial Cloud, and MYbank.
Alibaba and Ant Financial recently made an investment in Paytm, Indias largest mobile payment & commerce platform.
FinSMEs
27/04/2016
bentekk GmbH, a Hamburg, Germany-based manufacturer of measurement instruments for toxic industrial gases, received a six-figure seed funding round.
Backers included High-Tech Grunderfonds (HTGF) and the Innovationsstarter Fonds Hamburg (IFH).
The company will use the funds to market its gas measurement technology in German-speaking countries and to develop a second product version for use in explosive atmospheres.
Co-founded by Matthias Schmittmann and Johannes Weber as a spin-off of the Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) and the NIT Northern Institute of Technology Management, bentekk develops a handheld X-PID which allows selective measurements of carcinogenic organic compounds as benzene to increase safety at work in the oil, gas and chemical industry during shutdowns and turnarounds.
FinSMEs
27/04/2016
According to new research from global management consulting firm and leading advisor on business strategy The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), corporate venture investing has become a meaningful instrument for getting access to innovations, discovering technologies, and addressing new markets.
The research, part of a new BCG report,Corporate Venturing Shifts Gears: How the Largest Companies Apply a Broad Set of Tools to Speed Innovation, says that 40% of the 30 largest companies by market capitalization in each of seven innovation-intensive industries (automotive, chemical, consumer goods, financial services, media and publishing, technology, and telecommunications)- and 57% of the top 10 are engaged in corporate venture capital (CVC) investing.
While CVC has spread across the corporate landscape, the related activities have also grown. In addition to minority equity investments, companies have launched accelerators and incubators, innovation labs, organized events, such as hackathons, startup competitions, and scouting missions to university research facilities. accelerators and incubators are the most popular among the new tools (in use at 44% of the top 30 companies) while one out of five of them operate an innovation lab.
A deep study of the top 30 companies in the above mentioned seven innovation-intensive industries reveals how the tools and search fields favored by companies vary depending upon their industry. Chemical, media, and technology companies, for example, search for innovation in their core businesses mainly using CVC. Telecommunications companies focus on core-business innovation and adjacencies using a combination of CVC and accelerators or incubators. Financial services, automotive, and consumer goods companies use mostly accelerators and incubators to search for innovations in adjacent industries.
The research identifies three factors that are critical to an effective innovation strategy. These factors apply regardless of industry or region.
Choosing an appropriate CVC model
Forming accelerator and incubator partnerships
Designing customer-centric innovation labs that speed time to market.
Choosing an Appropriate CVC Model
CVC in its nascent years was mainly invested to produce financial returns. After 2000, the focus shifted to accomplishing strategic objectives. In the past few years, CVC investing has further evolved into four distinct models:
The strategically oriented corporate-led model
The strategically oriented business-unit-led model
The financially oriented corporate-led model
The financially oriented independent model
The first two models have primarily strategic objectives, but they differ in three important respects: the unit responsible for defining the search fields, the objectives for the CVC, and the preferred approach to value creation. In contrast to the strategically oriented CVC models, the other two models focus on financially oriented objectives.
The value of CVC investments in software by the top 30 companies now surpasses the value of their investments in all other target industries combined. The value of investments in software startups has risen 24 percentage points, from 28% between 2010 and 2012 to 52% between 2013 and 2015.
Forming Accelerator and Incubator Partnerships
The current environment is marked by an increase in the use of partnership-led accelerators and incubators. In 2010, only two of the existing accelerators and incubators in the top 30 companies were partnerships, compared with one-third in 2015. Companies see these tools as the preferred means of engaging with a greater number and wider array of startups.
Successful accelerators and incubators typically form partnerships with venturing operations from other corporations or team up with an independent accelerator or incubator. Such partnerships enable companies to reach critical mass in their venturing activities and gain access to a greater number of high-quality startups than they could on their own.
Designing Customer-Centric Innovation Labs That Speed Time to Market
Corporations increasingly use innovation labs to accelerate the time to market of internal innovations. These labs are in-house units designed to complement conventional R&D and often interact closely with the outside entrepreneurial world. They take a customer-centric approach to innovation. In effect, such labs present an attempt to operate as in-house startups with all the speed and agility that characterize them.
FinSMEs
27/04/2016
HireAthena, a San Francisco, CA-based on-demand labor marketplace offering accounting, payroll and HR services, launched out of stealth.
HireAthena, a spinoff of BackOps and Scalus, is backed by Sherpa Capital, Google Ventures, e.ventures, DCVC, Crunchfund and angel investors Naval Ravikant, Max Levchin, and Mark Pincus.
Led by Founder and CEO Kristen Koh Goldstein, HireAthena offers accounting and HR services that include bookkeeping, monthly financials, finance, payroll, and tax with a remote workforce and partners.
FinSMEs
27/04/2016
Press Release
HireAthena Emerges from Stealth, Launches On-Demand Labor Marketplace
Spun Out of BackOps & Scalus, Newly Formed Company Solves Accounting, Payroll & HR Operations
Backed by Google Ventures & Sherpa Capital, Powered by Work-from-Home Talent
April 26, 2016 07:55 AM Eastern Daylight Time
SAN FRANCISCO HireAthena, an on-demand labor marketplace offering accounting, payroll and HR services, today officially launched out of stealth. HireAthena is a spinoff of BackOps and Scalus, and is backed by Sherpa Capital, Google Ventures, e.ventures, DCVC, Crunchfund and high-profile angel investors including Naval Ravikant, Max Levchin, and Mark Pincus.
They have been our partner during 600% growth and easily supported a full financial audit.
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Six years ago with a mission of bringing one-million Moms back into the labor force, former Wall Street trader turned CFO turned CEO Kristen Koh Goldstein, mom of three, realized a modern workflow platform could not only solve the time and cost issues associated with business task management, but could also bring thousands of talented Moms and Dads back to worktalented, superstar employees from top accounting firms including Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and others. The foundation for HireAthena was built, and today, a new kind of platform goes live.
HireAthena offers accounting and HR services that include bookkeeping, monthly financials, finance, payroll, and tax with a remote workforce and top-tier partners. The San Francisco-based startup provides an all-in-one platform with an executive dashboard to help run a business and keep accounting, bookkeeping, and payroll at your fingertips, all while helping entrepreneurs, non-profits, and local business owners by matching them with stay-at-home talent.
The Labor Marketplace of the Future
Technology clearly differentiates the HireAthena marketplace. Leveraging the Scalus software platform, HireAthena enables rapid on-boarding of remote employees, standardized quality, and full audit compliance. Automated services and operations that are fully compliant empower progressive thinking businesses with a cost efficient solution to what can otherwise be an expensive and opaque part of businessreconciling bills from CPAs, accountants, software vendors, and others.
When I realized the technology was finally ready to support a marketplace of remote accounting professionalswith all data in the cloud and video conference for communicationI realized we could tap into a huge labor pool of highly educated and credentialed moms who need flexibility in their life, said Founder and CEO Kristen Koh Goldstein. We rolled out this model in 2013 but quickly hit a scaling wall and doubled down our technology investment. Today HireAthena is leveraging the Scalus workflow platform to solve the labor marketplace problem in a whole new way.
Executive feedback on HireAthena
HireAthena allows us to focus on what we do best, said Naval Ravikant, CEO, AngelList. I trust them.
HireAthena has allowed our business to scale rapidly and efficiently, said Claude Calegari, Vice President of Finance at Womply. They have been our partner during 600% growth and easily supported a full financial audit.
HireAthena is a true partner to us, said Matthew Welch, COO, SASB. They provide non-profit accounting expertise and led us through several successful audits. We couldnt afford this level of talent in-house.
We take pride and care in offering best-of-breed technology solutions, best practice, and savings to our start-ups. Our partnership with HireAthena 100 percent embodies this philosophy, said Ryan Keating, Managing Partner, Keating Consulting Group. Were working closely with HireAthena to provide a technology rich back office solution that allows us to streamline monthly accounting and focus on finance, growth, and other strategic goals.
HireAthena is available todaysign up for a consultation or speak to one of our team members at (855) 223-9293.
Lendix, a Paris, France-based P2P SME marketplace, raised 12m in venture capital funding.
Backers included Partech Ventures, CNP Assurances, MatMut and ZenCap AM.
The company, which has raised 30m in total funding to date, intends to use the funds to continue to expand operations in France and internationally aiming to grant over 50m in loans over the next 12 months on the French, Spanish and Italian markets.
In addition to the funding, Lendix acquired Finsquare, a short term loan specialist platform. Founded in 2014 by Polexandre Joly and Adrien Wiart, Finsquare has a community of 3,500 active lenders who have lent more than 4m since the launch. Following the acquisition, existing lenders will migrate to the Lendix platform, where they will have access to their existing loan portfolios and to new loan offerings.
Founded in 2014 by Olivier Goy, CEO, Lendix operates a Peer-to-Peer SME lending platform that, since its first loan in April 2015, has allowed about a hundred companies of all sizes to borrow loans ranging from 30k to 1m. To date, 17 million have been lent on the platform since early 2015.
FinSMEs
27/04/2016
Loyalme, a New York-based CRM and loyalty agency for companies to increase customer engagement and retention, raised $240k in seed funding.
The round was led by industry executives and alumni of The Insead Business School.
The company intends to use the funds to enhance its technological platform.
Founded in 2010 by Konstantin Rodchenko, CEO, Loyalme is a full service agency that allows businesses to identify, retain and monetize customers by designing and implementing tailored loyalty programs and CRM solutions.
The company serves multiple global brands, including Eli Lilly, Estee Lauder, LVMH, OBI, Unilever, and Teva Pharmaceuticals.
FinSMEs
27/04/2016
The Dakar Rally, one of the toughest motorsport events in the world, had completed 38 seasons after the 2016 edition.
Now the organisers have announced the dates and route for the 2017 edition. The next Dakar Rally, which will make its way into Paraguay for the first time, will be flagged off from the capital city of Asuncion on January 2.
Paraguay will be the 29th country to host the Dakar since its inception in 1979. The rally route heads shortly into Argentina before heading to Bolivia for five stages. Following that, the participants...
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Sahara group to furnish details of all its properties in a sealed cover to ascertain the fact as to whether they are sufficient for paying back the entire amount to the investors.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur, however, refused to grant parole to Sahara chief Subrata Roy, who is in jail since 4 March, 2014, saying that so far its orders have not been complied with "substantially".
"We should know about the total assets of the Sahara group. What exactly is the extent of properties, we must know. Currently, 66 properties of the group are scheduled to go on sale which will generate around Rs 6,000 crore.
"This might be enough for securing Roy's bail but not to refund the entire money to investors. We want the rest of the properties to be brought into focus so you give us a list of properties," the bench, also comprising Justices A R Dave and A K Sikri, said.
Senior advocate Rajeev Dhawan, appearing for Sahara, sought release of Roy on the ground of his "deteriorating" health and the fact that market regulator SEBI has already been authorised to sell 66 properties.
"The court should consider granting parole to him or put his client under house arrest. I am in substantial compliance of the orders of this court. SEBI has the property and the machinery. I am required for compliance of order of this court and I am not required for any offence. At this stage please consider all the factors and grant me parole. My client's health has been deteriorating and he may not be able to survive another summer in jail," Dhawan said.
To this, the bench said,"we don't see substantial compliance unless the money is refunded to the investors. It does not give us pleasure to keep somebody in jail. See, there has to be change in circumstances and there has to be a subsantial compliance of our order."
When the bench enquired about the total assets of Sahara in India and abroad, Dhawan sought two weeks time to seek instructions and produce the list of properties in a sealed cover to the court.
The matter is listed for hearing on 11 May.
At the outset, senior advocate Arvind P Datar, appearing for SEBI, informed the court that the market regulator, in consultation with Justice B N Agrawal, has engaged services of SBI Capital Markets and HDFC Realty to sell properties of the Sahara Group.
He said the selling process of 66 properties will be completed in four months time and the first phase of the sale process would commence next week.
Datar told the court that HDFC Realty and SBI Capital would help the market regulator in valuation as well as the sale process for the selected properties through e-auction. He also filed a status report giving details of terms and conditions fixed for auctioning 66 properties of the group.
Datar said once the auction process starts we would know about the objections if any in the properties of Sahara group. The petitioner is seeking parole on health grounds but it is for this court to decide that issue.
On the last date of hearing, the apex court had asked SEBI to initiate the process of selling 87 "unencumbered" properties of Sahara group, whose title deeds are with the market regulator, to generate the bail money for release of its chief.
SEBI was asked to devise a suitable mechanism for the sale in consultation and under the supervision of Justice Agrawal, former Supreme Court Judge, and also seek help of experts or expert agencies, if required in the process.
The regulator was also asked to keep the Sahara group "duly informed about the steps taken by it in which event Sahara shall be free to provide such inputs as may be considered necessary so that the properties fetch a fair price towards sale consideration".
SEBI was also asked not to sell any property owned by the beleaguered group for a price less than 90 per cent of the circle rates for the area in question without the permission of the court, the Supreme Court had ordered on 29 March.
For the interim bail of 67-year-old Roy, the court had put conditions like depositing Rs 5,000 crore in cash and a bank guarantee of equal amount and tough terms including payment of the entire Rs 36,000 crore, which includes interest. The money will be paid back to the investors of Sahara.
WASHINGTON The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Tuesday it ordered Mitsubishi Motors Corp (7211.T) to provide additional information and conduct new tests of U.S. vehicles after the Japanese automaker's admission that it did not properly follow fuel economy test procedures in Japan since 1991.
Mitsubishi said earlier on Tuesday that it used fuel economy testing methods that did not comply with Japanese regulations for 25 years, much longer than previously known.
EPA spokeswoman Laura Allen said the agency has instructed Mitsubishi to "provide additional information regarding their U.S. vehicles. The agency will be directing the company to conduct additional coast down testing for vehicles sold in the U.S."
Mitsubishi, Japan's sixth-largest automaker, has lost half its market value, some $3.9 billion, since it admitted last week to manipulating test data for four domestic mini-vehicle models, including two it produced for Nissan Motor Co (7201.T).
An EPA spokeswoman declined to say if the agency suspects Mitsubishi of wrongdoing in the United States or if EPA plans to conduct its own testing.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said last week it is also seeking information from Mitsubishi. NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind said on Friday that the Mitsubishi issue "is brand new. So right now we're just collecting data."
In 2015, Mitsubishi sold 95,342 vehicles in the United States, up 22.8 percent, accounting for 0.5 percent of U.S. auto industry sales, according to Autodata Corp. Mitsubishi U.S. sales are up 6 percent in the first three months of 2016.
In Japan, Mitsubishi said aggressive internal targets may have put pressure on employees to overstate the fuel economy of its vehicles, and that it would set up an external committee to investigate the matter.
Mitsubishi has also said that more models may have used tests noncompliant with Japanese standards, prompting concern about ballooning potential compensation costs and fines. Japanese authorities have raided one of the company's research and development facilities.
Mitsubishi said on Tuesday it used appropriate testing methods on vehicles sold in the United States, and had no indications of data manipulation in vehicles sold in other overseas markets. A spokesman for Mitsubishi North America could not immediately be reached for comment.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Matthew Lewis)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Hours after six firemen were injured due to a massive fire that broke out at the National Museum of Natural History in New Delhi, another major fire broke out at Biomax Fuels Limited (BFL), a bio-diesel manufacturing unit in Visakhapatnam Special Economic Zone (VSEZ) in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday night.
On Sunday, six persons, including four children, died and over 700 houses were gutted in two separate incidents of fire in Bihar's Lakhisarai and Darbhanga districts.
On 12 April, a powerloom unit on the ground floor of the building in Bhiwandi, Thane had caught fire which gutted two of the building's floors and left several residents stranded for hours.
On 11 April, a fire had broken out at a dumping ground in Mulund, Mumbai.
One of the worst tragedies in the country this year took place on 10 April when fire broke out at the Puttingal Devi temple complex in Kollam, Kerala after sparks emanating from a fireworks display ignited a store room filled with crackers and pyrotechnic material. Over 100 people were killed in the tragedy.
Fires had also erupted on 28 January and 20 March at the Deonar dumping ground in Mumbai and the smoke from the fire had reached as far as Wadala.
Almost as alarming as the frequency of such incidents is the negligence behind many of them.
India seems to have a problem when it comes to implementing measures which could either prevent such mishaps from happening or minimising the damage caused by them.
For example, the fire safety mechanism of the National Museum of Natural History in the Ficci building in Delhi - which could have controlled the fire that broke out - was not functioning. "The fire safety systems were there but they were not functioning at the time when we tried to operate them. Had they been working, the fire would have been curtailed at the earliest time," Deputy Fire Chief Rajesh Panwar had said.
After the fire at the powerloom unit in Bhiwandi, Thane Police PRO Gajanan Kabdule had told PTI that the owners of the building had got the powerloom factory (ground and first floor) constructed in 1997-98, and had later built the second, third and fourth floors allegedly without taking any permission and had used it for residential purposes.
He had also said that these floors were constructed without any proper plan by an engineer, and no safety measures had been adopted by the owners.
The FIR had further stated that the owners had failed to install fire safety equipment on the ground and first floor. Also, no precautionary measures were taken for the safety of occupants on the upper floors, which had 66 houses.
But perhaps the most tragic case of negligence was that which caused the Kollam temple fire tragedy.
The Kollam District Collector A Shainamol had said that no permission had been given for the fireworks competition which caused the tragedy because of the competitive nature of the event and lack of space in the temple. Yet, the competition had still taken place.
Additional District Magistrate of Kollam Shanawaz had also said that the ban order on the fireworks competition had been violated.
The most disappointing part about the aftermath of the tragedy was that authorities were still adamant on holding such fireworks displays. The Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages about 1,255 temples in Kerala, had said on 11 April that it was not for a complete ban on such displays.
"In various temples fireworks display is part of temple rituals and we cannot ban it," Prayar Goapalakrishnan, President of TDB, had said.
As Dinesh Unnikrishnan wrote in this Firstpost article, "Competitive fireworks that are way beyond the order of a spectacle intended to entertain public but exhibition of money power, religious clout and open defiance of law, would continue to happen in Gods own country and have its share of blood (God forbid) as man must pay the price of his misadventures. (sic)"
As for the fires in the dumping grounds in Mulund and Deonar, the problem of uncontrolled dumping was only compunded by the presence of the "garbage-mafia gangs", which traded scrap obtained illegally from dumping grounds by hiring underage rag-pickers.
India needs to urgently and strictly implement policy measures and put into place safety mechanisms which will prevent loss of lives in mishaps which could have been prevented.
With inputs from agencies
New Delhi: The national executive of Aam Aadmi Party will meet in New Delhi on Wednesday when it is expected to induct new members to the committee.
The party is conducting election to the National Executive, the second highest decision making body, and counting will be done on Wednesday.
The NE, which will have representation from women, Dalits and minorities and different parts of the country, is expected to give another term to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as national convenor.
Punjab, which is going to polls next year, is also expected to have a good representation in the body.
The meeting will also see Kejriwal spelling out the party's strategy as many states are going to polls next year.
The National Executive will also choose a new Political Affairs Committee (PAC) the party's highest decision making body.
In November 2015, political hawks in Kerala were in for a surprise. In six out of nine seats in the local body polls in Idukki, Palakkad and Kollam, a hitherto alien political party had won. Neighbouring Tamil Nadus ruling party the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) now had six councillors to boast of in Kerala.
Locals say the ostentatious display by the party piqued their curiosity in the run-up to polls. We had never seen so much fanfare, so many cars and jeeps and flags and banners and whatnot, said a resident of Peerumedu ward in Idukki district in the run-up to the local body polls last year. For the first time they were offered freebies too an umbrella with a picture of Jayalalithaa on it. Such was the clamour that voters in the neighbouring wards began to ask their candidates why they did not receive such gifts.
The six winners were celebrated with fanfare after the polls, with Tamil Nadu state Law Minister SP Velumani addressing the audience at a function in Idukki. Velumani read out a letter written to the electorate who voted for her candidates, which was translated into Malayalam by a local party representative. En rathathin rathamaana begins the letter. In Tamil, this means Blood of my blood. Jayalalithaa, in the letter, goes on to say - If you want all that has been done to the people of Tamil Nadu, send the candidates from the AIADMK to the Kerala Assembly. Catcalls and applause rend the air. Buoyed by the success in the local body polls, the AIADMK is all set to contest seven Assembly seats in May 2016.
The AIADMKs success in Kerala coupled with a decade of freebie culture in neighbouring Tamil Nadus politics has had its impact on Gods Own Country. In red Kerala, material freebies are suddenly in vogue ahead of the 2016 Assembly polls. With the entry of political parties based in Tamil Nadu like Jayalalithaas AIADMK traditional Left and Congress leaders in the state are now being forced into competitive populism, manifesting in the form of freebies.
Cycles, saris and laptops and even kitchen utensils now find a place in political manifestos.
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has long been a practitioner of patronage politics. He also pioneered the mass contact programmes where assistance for various purposes was sanctioned on the spot. During the five years of his rule, Rs 798.73 crore was disbursed to 7.89 lakh applicants.
The Chief Minister admits that he might have erred in some cases by sanctioning assistance to undeserving persons. However, if he went by detailed procedure, those many people could not be helped. If mistakes are found, I am not averse to correcting him, he was wont to say.
For quite some time, governments have offered free electricity and free water to the poor. As land is the most valued asset among the poor in Kerala, the main political fronts in the state (United Democratic Front or UDF and Left Democratic Front or LDF) have been promising land to the poor. This promise has been repeated by both the fronts this time too. But shortage of available land has meant that this poll promise, though repeated, cannot be fulfilled. Both fronts also routinely promise to increase welfare pensions.
However, offering consumer goods was not a practice in Kerala so far. Now, the ruling United Democratic Front has broken that norm by offering bicycles to girl students of eighth standard, if returned to power. Dhotis and saris are offered to the differently abled and free radios to the blind in the UDF manifesto. There is also the promise of money for the marriage of girls from low income groups.
The Opposition LDF has stopped short of offering laptops to college students belonging to Scheduled Castes and Tribes. There is nothing wrong in providing freebies to the disadvantaged when the rich are cornering many benefits from the government. Items like laptops and cycles will help students with their studies. Cycles will also help them to keep fit, said former Minister Benoy Viswam of the CPI.
The LDF manifesto is a comprehensive document with a 35-point action plan and 600 proposals. The UDF manifesto has roughly only half that number of proposals. However, there is strong focus on security for the poor.
The government decided to provide free rations to the poor just before the elections were declared. It was already providing ration at Re 1 a kg to people living below the poverty line. The Election Commission initially objected to implementation of the scheme from 1 April, but subsequently reneged on its decision.
Similarly, the government had sanctioned as much as Rs 90 crore in the first two months of this year and an additional Rs 52.5 crore in the first three days of March from the Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund. The daily disbursals had jumped 52-fold against average disbursals in the past five years by the time the elections were announced on 4 March. As on that date, Rs 44.54 crore was pending disbursal to a whopping 40,000 beneficiaries. Though the Election Commission objected to disbursal of the remaining amount, the Kerala High Court permitted the payments, allowing petitions filed by beneficiaries.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is yet to announce its manifesto and it may not be offering freebies. BJP spokesman JR Padmakumar says offering of freebies is not a healthy tendency in a democracy. They will not make any significant impact on the beneficiaries. Instead of freebies, people should be provided with means for livelihood and infrastructure for overall development such as schools and transportation facilities, he stated.
Businessman Biju Ramesh, who created a storm in the state by levelling bribery charges against then Finance Minister KM Mani, Excise Minister K Babu and others leading to the resignation of Mani, has emerged as the AIADMKs candidate from Thiruvananthapuram Central. He promises Amma canteens in his constituency and laptops, study materials and uniforms for school students with the Tamil Nadu governments support. Amma (Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa) wants all homes in this constituency to have LCD televisions, washing machines and grinders, he said.
However, whether Kerala voters will be significantly influenced by offer of freebies is in doubt. Many Keralites have a psyche rooted in leftist ideals. Even if they get freebies, they take it as a right and vote for the political party or candidate of their choice.
I am dead against freebies, said former Chief Secretary CP Nair. It is a foolish and heinous act that belittles the voters. Manifestos should confine to statements of general policy. It may, however, be okay to promise specific solution to problems like distress of tribals.
Dijo Kappan, Managing Trustee of Centre for Consumer Education, Palai, says that offering of freebies amounts to bribing voters.
It may work in Tamil Nadu. But, will it work in Kerala? he asked adding that there is also the question of whether promises in the manifesto will be kept. The BJP had not kept its promise to provide 50% profit as incentive to farmers to cultivate. Prime Minister Modi had promised minimum support price to ensure 50% profit on investment to farmers during his election campaign. This has not been kept.
The Election Commission of India, Kappan says, should intervene to stop the trend. Public money should not be allowed to be squandered like that, in his opinion.
(with inputs from Ramesh Kannan in Kumuli)
Corruption is part of the collective psyche, an inbuilt incentive for development in India. Or, so we thought.
In February 2013, when the Agusta Westland scam surfaced in the media, former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi appeared on a TV channel and thus opined: Bribes are an essential part of doing business internationally. In an interview with the state-owned TV channel RAI 3, he argued giving bribes to secure international contracts could not be considered a criminal act. And that magistrates were forcing Italian companies to commit economic suicide.
The deal Berlusconi brushed away as part of international business etiquette is now threatening to explode in the face of the former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. Emboldened by a recent ruling by an Italian appeals court the Indian equivalent of a high court the BJP is keen to push an aggressive Congress on the back foot in Parliament by bringing a deal for buying choppers from Agusta to the forefront of politics.
The modus operandi is simple: Do not let the Congress occupy the moral high crowd by raising a din over the failures of the Narendra Modi government and its recent escapades in Uttarakhand.
It serves the Congress right. Such was its record during the Manmohan Singh government that even if somebody had accused the party of accepting bribes from aliens for donating land on Mars, people would have believed the allegation.
The Agusta deal was always a smoking gun. And the BJP is making the most of it.
In 2010, the Indian government agreed to buy 12 choppers for VIPs from the Italian manufacturer Finmeccanica. The deal, worth just above Rs 3,500 crore, was signed after plenty of delays, primarily because the Italian firm did not meet the selection criteria immediately. The Indian government was keen to buy choppers with the capability of flying over a certain height, but the Finmeccanica birds failed to cross the height barrier. According to reports, however, the then Air Force chief SP Tyagi allegedly relaxed the conditions and allowed Finmeccanica compete for the tender.
Italian investigators, while probing connections between the mafia, local companies and their government, stumbled upon the chopper deal in 2013 and discovered that bribes in excess of Rs 120 crore were paid to Indian middlemen to seal the aforementioned deal.
Earlier this month, Giuseppe Orsi, former chief of Finmeccanica, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison. Bruno Spagnolini who headed chopper division AgustaWestland was given a four-year jail term. The court also ordered the two executives to pay 7.5 million ($8.5 million), a sum corresponding to the amount deemed to have been allegedly paid in bribes, an agency report said. The two officials were held guilty of paying bribes to Indian officials for performing their duty.
When the allegations first surfaced, the UPA government cancelled the deal, recovered the advance paid to the chopper manufacturer and instituted a probe against the alleged middlemen and beneficiaries including Tyagi and his family. Ironically, while those guilty of paying bribes have been tried, found guilty and sentenced to jail in Italy, investigations in India are still dragging along.
In its April 2016 judgment, the Italian court trying Finmeccanica officials, alluded to a note from a middleman reportedly describing Sonia Gandhi as the "driving force" behind the deal. Enthused by the expose, the BJP has decided to make the most of it by attacking the Congress in Parliament.
Will the strategy work?
When the Italian entrepreneurs were arrested, the UPA government also accepted corruption in the deal, manifest in its decision to hand over the inquiry to the CBI. When the scam surfaced, the defence ministry went after the Italian company and recovered the payment made to Finmeccanica as advance. The Congress claims it was the whistleblower in the case and the probe has to be concluded by the BJP government.
On Tuesday, former defence minister AK Antony argued that when the allegation surfaced in the media, the UPA immediately ordered a CBI inquiry. "We cancelled the contract and fought the case in the Milan court. We won the case and got back all the money we paid in advance by bank guarantee. The Indian government has gained more (information) now. My request to the Indian government is that the probe has been going on for a long time, and so please speed up the inquiry and find the truth," he said.
The battle over the choppers has just begun.
Be prepared for a long and stormy ride.
Cuddalores Kacharaiyanatham village is full of widows thanks to alcohol addiction and these women say they will not vote at all
One day in 2014, a wine shop was removed from a small village in Cuddalore district, by the sheer determination of a group of widows, whose husbands had succumbed to alcohol addiction. These women do not want to vote this time around, because although a battle has been won, they say that it takes a lot more than closing down a standalone wine shop to win the war.
The over 100 widows of Kacharaiyanatham village, near Vriddhachalam, lost their husbands to alcoholism in one form or another. They are now unanimous in the decision to give their voting power this election a miss, saying that they do not have faith in any political partys ability to impose prohibition.
People jokingly call us the kamanati sangam (widows association). Around two years ago, we managed to move the wine shop run by the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation or TASMAC to the next village, which has made us unpopular amongst the men, Manthiri Kumari, one of the young widows says.
One striking case is that of 28-year-old Adilakshmi who blames alcohol for her family being in dire straits. This young widow was married for barely a few months, when her husband died from liver failure, her father committed suicide because of his addiction, and even her uncle died due to alcohol-related illnesses. Incidentally, it was her family that rented land to the wine shop in the village, which was run by TASMAC.
Adilakshmi explains how all of her husband's income went into feeding his alcohol addiction. I had twin elder sisters. One day, my father came home drunk and insulted them in such a way that both of them committed suicide, she explains, barely containing her tears. From here, it was a slippery slope. Her father committed suicide when he was under the influence, and her mother is depressed and refuses to meet with anyone. Today, her family has no income except for the occasional revenue that she earns from processing cashews.
Adilakshmis story is similar to many others around the village, with many families losing all the men in their families to alcoholism. We know that most parties are saying they will bring in Prohibition, but it is impossible to believe them, Manthiri Kumar says.
A grey-haired Parvati talks of her husband beating her up regularly, until one day he succumbed to alcohol and died. It is an open secret that the political parties control the TASMAC shops, so how can we believe them, she asks. Parvati adds that earlier, there was only local sarayam (arrack) available, and so the number of people addicted to alcohol was much fewer. Now there are TASMAC shops in virtually every village in the state, and the problem is growing.
Even the moving of the TASMAC to another village has not made much of an impact, the women say. The men from our village simply go to the wine shop that is two kilometers away, and buy their alcohol there, another widow Jayanthi explains. Jayanthi not only lost her husband to alcoholism, but now her 15-year-old son has been seen drinking as well.
"Unless there is widespread education about the evils of alcohol, everyone, even school children, will not be able to escape addiction. There are even a number of women whose husbands buy them alcohol so they will encourage their addictions," she adds.
All parties in the 2016 elections have taken up the issue of Prohibition. Parties like the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) have promised that imposition of Prohibition, and the abolition of the TASMAC, would be the first priority if voted to power, while the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has taken a more cautious approach, saying they would bring in Prohibition, but in a phased manner, with the government opening de-addiction centres across the state.
People across Cuddalore, however, say that there was little probability of any government actually implementing the move. The TASMAC near our village is run by a DMK functionary. If the party was serious about such a move, they would have closed the TASMAC, or at least ensured that their functionaries were not involved, Manthiri Kumari said, adding that many party functionaries were addicted to alcohol, making it even more unbelievable.
According to Poongodi from the Thazhankuda fishing hamlet near Cuddalore, alcoholism is rampant even in their area. Even school children have been known to visit TASMACs to drink, so it will be a relief when they are shut down, she said.
KV Kannan, a farmer leader from Kattumannarkoil, also agrees that the shutting down of TASMAC shops will be a good move. Earlier, agricultural labourers would drink Kallu (toddy) before they came to work. This toddy would not make them drunk. Today, when an agricultural labourer makes Rs 50, around Rs 40 goes towards the TASMAC, and the alcohol makes them highly unproductive, he said.
Agricultural labourers in the past would start working at 7 am, and bring their food from home. Today, a labourer starts work at 9 am, because of their hangovers, they are not able to work to their full potential, he added.
History of TASMAC
Tamil Nadu has had a long convoluted history with Prohibition. In 1937, the Madras Presidency implemented Prohibition. The state then decided it would grant permits to individuals to drink. Even in 1952, Tamil Nadu continued to have Prohibition.
In 1971, it was the DMK under M Karunanidhi that lifted Prohibition as a way to supplement the states income, but by 1974, Prohibition was back. It was only in 1981 that the AIADMK under former Chief Minister MG Ramachandran decided to manufacture and sell liquor through the government, and he formed TASMAC to sell alcohol, and also the Tamil Nadu Spirit Corporation (TASCO) to manufacture it.
Today, only TASMAC still exists, but in the past couple of years, the rise in alcoholism has led to serious concerns, and almost all political parties have included prohibition in their agenda.
According to Manthiri Kumari and her Kamanati Sangam, however, prohibition is a tough ask. None of the political parties have the ability to ensure that our sons are safe from the menace of alcohol. Even the pension that the state had promised us has not been paid in several months, and we have no livelihood. In such a condition, it is difficult for us to believe that any political parties have our best interests at heart, she said.
During recent election rallies in West Bengal, Narendra Modi never one to miss an opportunity to skewer the opponent when it presents itself hoisted the Marxist petard by pointing out the inherent contradiction in Left Front and Congress's position.
"Kerala mein kushti aur Bengal mein dosti," he said while accusing both parties of hypocrisy. "While they are baying for each other's blood in Kerala, they are playing a game behind the curtains in Bengal", said the Prime Minister, interpreting it as an opportunism for the sake of power.
Admittedly, these are not easy times for the Marxist cadre. The USSR has collapsed, there is no sign of a red revolution, dictatorship of the proletariat seems as near as human colony on Mars and horror of horrors, even Bengali bhadraloks have ditched the red flag after 34 years.
Still, one must believe in revolution. As Peruvian Marxist Jose Carlos Mariategui had said in 1925: "The strength of revolutionaries is not in their science; it is in their faith, their passion, in their will. It is a religious, mystical, spiritual power. It is the force of myth."
That myth, however, looked to have been busted for good when battered, decimated and on the verge of obliteration from a state which they had lorded over for 34 years, the Left Front in Bengal decided to tie up with the Congress.
In one fell swoop, puritanical communist principles were neatly bundled and dumped into the Ganga. Well may Stalin, Lenin and Mao look on forlornly from their portraits on Alimuddin Street, the proletariat joined the bourgeoisie in a steamy tango to oust their common enemy, Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress.
For their part, the Congress forgot years of witch-hunt, the betrayal at the Centre and gallons of blood that were shed in political murders. The killings of Sainbari, to give one example.
Still, what are principles when survival is at stake? What good is ideology and tactical line if the party ceases to exist?
What started as a gingerly step, however, soon became confident stride as the alliance partners looked to have grown in strength. Both aged parties look to have benefitted from the congress. The cadres look enthused and are fighting back against the ruling party in the badlands of rural Bengal.
With four phases of voting out of the way, alliance leader Surya Kanta Mishra, the state CPIM leader, has announced that they are aiming for a double century in 294 seats. Hope seems to have returned, slowly but surely, and almost simultaneously the ruling party is feeling a little hot under the collar.
The cold, mathematical exercise soon became a gravy of gooey chemistry as both parties took out joint rallies, flag in flag, hand in hand and lower-ranked CPIM leaders started appearing on Congress dais during rallies.
If top Marxist leaders in Bengal appeared a little hesitant at first in cozying up with their arch-rivals on public platforms, the last vestiges of that apprehension seems to have been washed away with the announcement on Monday that former Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya will be present at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's rally in Kolkata on Wednesday.
The significance of this cannot be overstated. Bhattacharya, all of 72 and ailing, is still CPIM's tallest leader in Bengal. He is the mastermind of the alliance and though he has so far refrained from campaigning except one road show, the former CM has strategised the entire battle from his war room in Alimuddin Street.
His public display of unity with the second-from-top Congress leader is both an indication of the growing bonhomie between the alliance partners and the confidence they feel about throwing a worthwhile challenge against TMC.
There is but one problem, however. The Assembly elections are on anvil in Kerala and as Modi pointed out, the alliance partners in Bengal are involved in a bitter 'kushti' in the southern state. The party's central leaders are having a hard time explaining the warmth in Bengal to their cadres in Kerala who are getting roasted both by the BJP and the Congress.
Under the circumstances, the CPIM seems to have decided that it will allow its state leaders in Bengal to jive with Congress but when it comes to central leadership, AK Gopalan Bhawan will maintain its distance with the Grand Old Party.
Whichever way it is presented, however, the fact remains that CPIM's relationship vis-a-vis the Congress represents an ideological and political contradiction. It has seemingly resulted in friction even with the party's central leadership.
A recent report in New Indian Express states how Sitaram Yechury was taken to task by a section of the politburo led by former general secretary Prakash Karat for 'over the top' bonhomie in Bengal with the Congress during a recent meeting.
Yechury initially tried to counter the charges saying that grassroot-level synergy had necessitated the alliance but the Karats were not in a mood to listen and insisted that what the party does in Bengal should not hurt its prospects in Kerala. And Yechury had to relent, says the report.
Machinations of the heated politburo meeting make it clear that a section of CPIM's leadership is still uncomfortable with the Congress dalliance. Well may it try to convince the public and even itself that the situation in Bengal is "extraordinary" and hence calls for an extraordinary step, jugglery with semantics is the damndest proof for lack of conviction.
In Bengali, there is an idiom which can only be poorly translated in English: Dhori maachh, na chui paani (Catching a fish without so much as touching the water). This succulently sums up the Marxist dilemma.
Sonia Signora' Gandhi is directly in the line of the BJPs fire this time and you can expect her to dominate the headlines in the coming days.
Of course, theres no proof of wrong-doing against her in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal at least not as yet but the fact that she finds mention in the Italian courts order as the driving force behind the chopper deal is good enough for the BJP to launch a fierce attack against her. In this season of no-holds-barred adversarial politics, even half a chance to nail a rival cannot be allowed to go waste; if its the Congress chief, then the sense of urgency becomes more explicit.
Thus, the ruling partys effort to cash in on the courts order comes as no surprise.
The Congress might claim that it responded swiftly when the controversy erupted in 2013 over the deal signed in 2010. True, it cancelled the deal immediately and confiscated the guarantee money besides blacklisting AgustaWestland and initiating CBI and ED probes. It also moved the judicial authorities in Italy for assistance in the case. However, now that the former chief of Finmeccanica of which AgustaWestland is a subsidiary has been convicted and the annexures to the judgment mention leaders believed to be close to the Congress president, the party has to do much more than putting up a staid, routine defence.
Why should bribe-takers go scot free when bribe-givers are convicted?
This is a valid question from the BJP. The Congress will need to come up with a convincing answer to that. It is possible as in most big-ticket scams involving political biggies, that there wont be any smoking guns evidence directly pointing to involvement of leaders. In this case too, there will be lengthy legal battles before there is any conclusion to the case, but in times when politics is all about winning the perception game, it is critical that the party produces a strong rebuttal for public consumption.
The centrality of Sonia to the survival of the Congress need not be overstated.
As the sole rallying point of the faction-ridden outfit Rahul Gandhi is yet to prove himself its critical for the party than her moral authority remains beyond question. The party has been on a political downhill journey under her in the last few years but lost political ground is less difficult to regain than the lost moral high ground of the leader. The effect would be devastating on the party rank and file. This is the reason the Congress has always been prickly about any attack on the Gandhi family and has rushed to its defence when its under attack whether perceived or real.
The BJP, out to ensure a Congress-mukt India, clearly understands the predicament of the party.
The Congress, it believes, will collapse without the Gandhis. The best way to go about it is to take the moral sheen off them through attacks big and small. The direct attack has already come in the form of the National Herald case and now the Italian court verdict provides more fodder for its cannons. Now that the irrepressible Subramanian Swamy is in the Rajya Sabha, the Congress should expect a frontal attack on its top leadership on several issues.
Will the party win the perception battle this time around? Chances are bleak, given the state of disarray in the partys response mechanism. It has been responding to all the allegations against it over the years, but the vigour is missing. Perhaps the BJPs stronger media strategy has something to with it. Whatever the case, unless the Congress comes up with emphatic answers in the chopper deal matter, the damage can be long-term.
Even before the Augusta bomb had exploded in her face via Tuesday's Italian court verdict, Sonia Gandhi was a worried woman. India's 'default operating system', as Rahul Gandhi put it in the run up to the 2014 general elections, is in danger of being replaced by a new national OS, BJP.
Among the seven states that Congress is still in power, it is in danger of being wiped out in four, barring the three north-eastern states. Narendra Modi's grand plan of 'Congress-mukt Bharat' looks a plausible reality than a pipe dream.
It is understandable, therefore, why the Grand Old Party is so desperately hoping for the alliance with Left Front in West Bengal to work. And late developments suggest that it has decided to put all its cards on the table as Assembly Polls enter Mamata Banerjee's home stretch.
At this stage, the Left Front-Congress alliance seems to be fearing the BJP more than even the ruling Trinamool Congress. It is under the impression that the BJP though in itself not strong enough in Bengal to form the principal opposing force nevertheless may queer the pitch by garnering a sizeable number of anti-incumbency votes and make it easier for the TMC to scrape through in what increasingly looks to be a very tight three-way contest.
BJP logged an unprecedented 17 percent vote share in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, a number which is widely expected to take a hit this season. A CVoter-India TV opinion poll points out that BJP's vote share may come down to around 10 percent.
If that happens, the alliance would be best placed to bag the remaining seven percent but in election, two and two rarely make four. Besides, the BJP still remains a force in pockets. In Mamata's seat Bhawanipore in Kolkata, for instance, the BJP has a substantial support base in quite a few wards. Party leaders are hopeful of winning in at least two seats in Assembly polls which may even turn out to be four if results go their way.
The unpredictability of BJP and its voter base has forced the Congress into making some late tactical moves. One, show solidarity with CPIM on a public platform. Two, create an impression that BJP has a secret understanding with TMC. Three, put pressure on BJP to withdraw its candidate from Bhawanipore seat so that Mamata can be challenged head on in a two-way fight.
The strategy became evident when Sonia Gandhi landed in the state on Tuesday for yet another round of election rallies. In a clear departure from her earlier stance, the Congress president canvassed for votes in favour of Left Front in back-to-back rallies in Serampore and Canning with top CPIM leaders by her side. In earlier rallies Malda, for instance Sonia had attacked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee but refrained from requesting voters to fly the red flag.
There were no such restrictions on Tuesday.
"Main aap logon se nivedan karti hoon sabhi umeedwaaron ko Congress aur laal jhandewali party vijayi banayein (Bring your own government to power by voting for the Congress and the party with the red flag)," the Congress president said in a rally in Hooghly's Serampore.
"In order to bring peace, prosperity and speedy development, people in Bengal must fulfil their historic responsibility by bringing the Congress-Left alliance to power," she added.
There were murmurs among state Congress circles that Sonia Gandhi wasn't personally in favour of an alliance with the Left Front given her own equation with Mamata Banerjee. She wouldn't have forgotten how the CPM left UPA government high and dry over the Indo-US nuclear deal. With alliance gathering steam in Bengal, however, Sonia sought to allay those fears and send out a message of solidarity through her rallies on Tuesday.
The second step was to suggest a collusion between TMC and BJP so that anti-incumbency votes are not split. Towards that end, Sonia spent a considerable time on Tuesday trying to convince voters that the party at the Centre and the one in Bengal are both sides of the same coin.
"Five years ago, the TMC had asked for your votes by giving you false hopes and promises. Now it is trying to take your votes by terrorising you. Just like her, Modi too had spoken of dreams two years ago, she said in Serampore.
Modiji claimed that Congress has done nothing in the last 60 years. Everything was done in the last two years. Mamata too says there was nothing in Bengal before she came to power. This Mamata-Modi collusion is a big danger for Bengal. These twin arrogant forces are a danger to democracy," thundered the Congress president.
She accused the BJP and TMC of striking a secret entente, or else "why is the investigation into the Saradha scam going slow And why does Trinamool help BJP pass all anti-national bills in Parliament," asked Sonia. The Congress had earlier raised questions over TMC's "silence" in Parliament when it had gone all guns blazing against the BJP over Uttarakhand muddle.
"When the entire country is speaking out against the Centre's arbitrary decision to topple a democratically-elected government and impose President's Rule, the TMC has maintained a stoic silence. This only proves political match fixing between the two," state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury had said recently.
The final piece of the tactical jigsaw fell in place when CPM's state secretary and the alliance's chief minister hopeful Surya Kanta Mishra urged BJP to withdraw Chandra Kumar Bose, its candidate from Bhawanipore constituency to make it a direct fight between the alliance and TMC.
"If the BJP is really serious about ousting TMC from the state, the Prime Minister should issue a handnote and withdraw Bose's candidature," Mishra said during a rally in the city on Tuesday.
BJP expectedly ridiculed the overture, but the fact that CPIM sought its cooperation to oust TMC is a pointer to how high the stakes are in Bengal.
Kolkata: As the West Bengal assembly polls move into the fifth and penultimate phase on April 30, all eyes will be on Bhabanipur where Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee is facing a challenge from Left Front-backed Congress nominee Deepa Dasmunshi and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's grandnephew Chandra Kumar Bose of the BJP.
One of the most cosmopolitan city areas with a sizable population of Sikhs, Gujaratis and Marwaris among the over 200,000 electorate, Bhabanipur has also been the abode of luminaries likes Netaji Bose, Jana Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and the legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray.
And now, the oldest neighbourhood of South Kolkata is all geared up for the mega battle that involves 11 candidates including "didi" (elder sister) as Banerjee is referred to and "boudi" (sister in-law) as Dasmunshi is called for being the wife of ailing Congress stalwart Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, besides Bose.
Regarded as Banerjee's bastion, South Kolkata had been unfailingly sending her to the Lok Sabha from 1991 before she entered the state assembly in 2011 in a by-election from Bhabanipur with a big margin.
Born and brought up in the area, Banerjee has a marked edge over her rivals in terms of the campaign. Splattered all across the constituency are her cut-outs, posters and colourful slogans with the opponents' posters and graffiti only few and far between.
However, the going is not all roses for the feisty leader this time. Besides the CPM-led Left Front and the Congress teaming up, a recent sting operation purportedly showing several Trinamool big-shots illegally accepting money has resulted in the opposition pointing their fingers at Banerjee, whose USP, many claim, lies in her clean image.
What may also be a cause of concern for her is the BJP's performance in this Trinamool bastion in both the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and the 2015 Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) polls.
Despite Trinamool's Subrata Bakshi winning the South Kolkata seat defeating BJP's Tathagata Roy by over 136,000 votes, he trailed Roy by 185 votes in the Bhabanipur assembly segment.
In the city civic polls, the Trinamool did manage to retain six of the eight wards in Bhabanipur, but lost out one to the BJP, while Left Front partner Forward Bloc held on to another.
But notwithstanding the apparent odds, Banerjee's roadshows have seen mammoth turnouts.
"I have grown up amid you and went on to become a MP and then a MLA from Bhabanipur. I belong to all of you," Banerjee has been telling her voters, playing the home-girl card.
Banking on the development plank, Banerjee claims the work carried out by her government would be a "subject of global research".
Known for her persistent and stubborn opposition to Banerjee, Dasmunshi - one of Bengal's most prominent women politicos - is unfazed by the prospect of taking on the Trinamool chief in her own bastion.
"Being a fighter, I am delighted to take on the one heading this corrupt regime. It's not about personalities; the fight is between democracy and despotism," the former minister of state at the centre told IANS.
Dasmunshi also prides in calling herself the "daughter of Bhabanipur".
"Having been born and brought up here, people know me and I know their problems and aspirations," said Dasmunshi, who too conducted several road-shows.
Dasmunshi, who lost the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Raiganj to CPM's Mohammad Salim, is this time banking on the Congress-Left Front tie-up and even went to the CPM block office before filing her nomination papers the same day as Banerjee did.
Ironically, Banerjee had in 2014 fielded Dasmunshi's brother-in-law Satya Ranjan Dasmunshi as the Trinamool nominee against her.
Notwithstanding her hostility with Dasmunshi, Banerjee shared a cordial relation with her husband "Priyoda", under whom she grew up as a Youth Congress leader.
He may appear unperturbed by the presence of his battle-hardened adversaries, but the going for political greenhorn Chandra Kumar Bose has been tough, to say the least.
Even if his posters and banners may claim some existence within Bhabanipur, otherwise resplendent with Trinamool flags and Banerjee's posters, the Netaji scion has failed to get an office on rent in the constituency.
Even a strong attack by Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the "Trinamool's terror" over the issue failed to yield results.
Compelled to use his residence as his election office, Bose - bearing a resemblance to his illustrious great granduncle - has been trying to connect with the voters through roadshows and door-to-door campaigns.
But he seems to have failed to cut much ice with masses in the constituency.
"I respect my rivals, but to be frank, Bose has remained invisible. People are hardly aware about who the BJP candidate here is," said Dasmunshi, a view shared by several of the voters.
Dhaka: A court has jailed two teachers in southern Bangladesh for making derogatory comments about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad, invoking a rare law from the British colonial era that makes insulting any religion a crime.
The case began when students at Hijla High School in Bagerhat district complained that the assistant teacher of a science class Sunday dismissed the Quran as the word of Allah and said there was no heaven, Magistrate Anwar Parvez told the Associated Press late Tuesday.
The students, aged 17 to 18, along with others from a nearby, Islamic school became incensed when the high school's head teacher backed up his colleague. A mob including students, parents and villagers attacked the teachers with sticks, forcing them to lock themselves in a room until police intervened, Parvez said.
"The situation went out of control," Parvez said, adding the mob "wanted to take law in their hands."
The magistrate of the quick-ruling court said the assistant teacher pleaded guilty to publicly insulting religion, and the two were sentenced to six months behind bars.
The law against insulting religion, imposed when Britain ruled the Indian Subcontinent, is rarely used and aimed at preventing communal clashes and inciting violence.
The Muslim-majority country politically fractured between secularists and those wanting Islamic rule has been roiled by an ongoing wave of deadly attacks on atheist writers, religious minorities and activists over the last two years.
On Monday night, a gang of young men stabbed two men to death in Dhaka, including the editor of a gay rights magazine who also worked for the US Agency for International Development.
It was the fifth such killing this year, after nine were cut down in 2015. International governments including the United States and aid groups have implored the Bangladeshi government to do more to safeguard free speech and protect members of civil society.
PRAIA Eleven men were shot dead in Cape Verde on Tuesday, including eight soldiers, a local civilian and two Spanish citizens, the minister of Internal Administration for the archipelago off the African coast said in a statement.
The men were killed at a telecommunications site at Monte Tchota, a forested area on Santiago island about 27 km (17 miles) north of the capital, Praia, Minister Paulo Rocha said.
"A soldier assigned to the military team itself is missing, and there are strong indications that he was responsible in the events," said Rocha, adding that the victims were 20 to 51 years old.
Rocha said it was assumed personal motivations were behind the killings, ruling out an attack against the government, and called for calm.
The Spaniards were telecommunications technicians working at the site and the local civilian was a co-worker, the minister said.
The minister said there were no indications of links to drug trafficking.
Cape Verde's battle against gangs smuggling Latin American cocaine to Europe has led to a series of reprisal shootings. The former Portuguese colony is an Atlantic Ocean archipelago of 500,000 people off the northwestern coast of Africa
Nine rifles were taken but were later recovered in a vehicle in Praia's Cittadella neighbourhood, Rocha said.
(Reporting by Julio Rodrigues; Writing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
PRAIA Eleven people were shot dead in Cape Verde on Tuesday including eight soldiers, a local civilian and two Spanish citizens, state TV and police sources said.
There were no immediate details of the killings, but authorities were due to hold a press conference.
Cape Verde's battle against gangs smuggling Latin American cocaine to Europe has led to a series of reprisal shootings, though it was not known whether the killings were drug-related.
The country has worked with Western law enforcement agencies in its fight, including the U.S Drug Enforcement Administration.
Authorities seized 280 kilograms of cocaine earlier this month in a bust in the Atlantic from a Brazil-registered fishing vessel as it prepared to transfer the drugs to a U.S.-flagged yacht.
Cape Verde is an Atlantic archipelago of 500,000 people.
(Reporting by Julio Rodrigues, writing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg; editing by Ralph Boulton)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
The four-day conference of a host of anti-Beijing international Chinese action groups in Dharamsala from 28 April is bound to mark a watershed in the history of India-China relations. Contrary to India's established policy of playing the underdog or a hesitant victim, New Delhi appears to be shifting to the combat mode in its dealings with Beijing.
This is first time such a big conglomeration of leaders representing various anti-Beijing Chinese action groups belonging to Tibet, Xinjiang, Mongolia, Taiwan, Hongkong and, of course, pro-democracy Chinese dissidents and leaders of oppressed religious minorities of China like Christians, Muslims and Falun Gong will be meeting together in India.
They are scheduled to exchange notes and probe common strategies on democratising China and getting justice for China's colonised nationalities like Tibet, East Turkistan and Inner Mongolia. Invited leaders include Yang Jianli, the star of 1989 Tiananmen Square democratic uprising of Chinese students.
A leading NGO, Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), will host the conference jointly with US-based group Citizen Power for China (CFC) and Initiatives For China (IFC), also US-based.
The delegates will be be addressed by Tibet's exiled ruler and supreme spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. This is first time that India is allowing almost all such groups to sit together, each of whom has its own compelling reasons, and capacity, to hit their Communist tormentors' regime at its soft belly from within.
China has repeatedly irked the Narendra Modi government since day one. Beijing's repeated use of its veto in the UN to block India's move to get Pakistani terrorist Masood Azhar's name included in the world body's official list of terrorists is only the latest one.
Many other Chinese steps like PLA soldiers intruding into Ladakh on the eve of President Xi Jinping's visit to India and a swathe of military-oriented 'developmental' projects by China in Pakisttan-occupied Kashmir have put India-China ties under severe strain of late.
Even before the conference started, Dolkun Isa, a known human rights fighter from East Turkistan, stole the limelight when New Delhi issued visa to him and his two Uyghur colleagues to attend this conference. India later withdrew Dolkun's visa, fearing that it may not be able to protect him from arrest by Interpol during his travels between Germany and India.
Dolkun Isa is the secretary of World Uyghur Congress (WUC), the umbrella organization of various Uyghur groups across the globe which are working for freedom of East Turkistan from Chinese occupation. He had been repeatedly jailed by Chinese authorities before he escaped to Germany in 1997. China has officially branded him a 'terrorist' and managed to get Interpol's red-corner notice issued against him in 2003.
Interestingly, despite protests from Beijing, New Delhi has neither withdrawn the visas of the other Uyghur leaders nor put any restrictions on the Dharamsala conference.
In an interview with me a few months ago, Dolkun strongly contested his being labeled a 'terrorist' by Beijing.
"Since China annexed our country in 1949 they were using terms like 'criminals', 'gangs' and 'thugs' for those Uyghurs like me who dared to express themselves against the colonial occupation of our country. But soon after the September 11 attack in the US, when 'terrorism' became a buzzword, the Chinese government started using terms like 'terrorism' and 'terrorists' for people like me. ..... Now they are using term 'war on terror' as a pretext to divert world attention from the colonial occupation and suppression of East Turkistan (Xinjiang)," he said.
On the possibility of a dialogue with Beijing, the Uyghur leaders refer to Chairman Mao's strange 'dialogue policy'. Mao sent invitation to various clan leaders of East Turkistan for a 'friendly dialogue' in August 1949 when he discovered that the Uyghur clans were up in arms against the invading PLA. He sent a plane to Novosibirsk in the Soviet Union to fetch the Uyghur leaders for a dialogue. But before the plane could reach Beijing, it exploded midair on August 26 and almost an entire generation of East Turkistani leadership was wiped out in a single go.
Although New Delhi has revoked Dolkun Isa's visa and India remains unhappy on China's stand on Masood Azhar, but the real issues are far deeper and more serious than what meets the eye. It would not be surprising if future developments prove that by protecting Masood Azhar, China has focused on using Pakistani terror leaders as its extended arm to neutralize the freedom struggle of Muslim Uyghurs.
But, by its unending anti-India actions, China has also compelled India to aim at the soft belly of this rogue and aggressive opponent. The Dharamsala conference appears to be beginning of a new game between the two powers.
When compared to some of the other social media platforms in the country, Twitter isnt that popular in Bangladesh. In fact, the website doesnt even have an option that allows you to select a city from Bangladesh as your prime location in the Trends section. The closest option you will get is Kolkata. However, for the last two days, #Dhaka has been trending worldwide and unfortunately, the city has been the focus of the world for all the wrong reasons. The manner in which the killings have taken place and those who were killed in the last four days have been hard to digest.
58-year-old English professor AFM Rezaul Karim Siddiquee from Rajshahi University, was merely a fan of music. He had setup his own music school and reportedly even donated to the renovation the mosque in his area. The peaceful man was slain while he was waiting to go to work on Saturday morning.
A day later, a jail-guard in Gazipur was shot down in broad daylight by bike-riding criminals. And that very evening, a gang of five to six militants made their way into a Dhaka flat and killed Xulhaz Mannan, a USAID staff who had earlier worked as a protocol officer of former US ambassador Dan Mozena and his friend Mahbub Tonoy. Mannan was also an editor of a magazine named Roopbaan, a magazine that wrote on the LGBT community in Bangladesh. He was a well-known figure in the countrys LGBT community and also had a good connection with the US Embassy. These are facts that have further intensified the impact of the killing. "If a person of his stature can be taken down, what about the rest of the community?" an LGBT activist, who preferred to be anonymous, moaned.
His death has made a number of members of the community nervous. Hours after he was killed, another member of the magazine sent out a desperate e-mail to his contacts abroad stating that his life too was in danger and asked for help. His name had apparently been mentioned in a supposed hit list created by the fundamentalists. In a bid to stay untraced, he deleted his Facebook account as well. He was later asked to contact one of the embassies in the country. According to an LGBT activist, this was something that they preferred to do instead of directly contacting the law enforcement agencies.
There are a couple of reasons for that. For one, a number of them had a bad experience during the Rainbow Rally, which was scheduled to take place on 14 April, the day of the Bengali New Year. The rally was cancelled and a few of them were arrested as well. The rally had been conducted twice before and this was the first time that it wasnt allowed to take place. And secondly, homosexuality is technically illegal in Bangladesh.
The recent killing has also compelled a number of individuals to take down their write-ups based on homosexuality and gender-based projects from the websites, in case the authors of these projects are targeted next.
No support from the government
Its not just the members of the LGBT who have become highly cautious. The killings in the last week have led to renewed fears amongst writers and publishers who were threatened in the past. One of the reasons why the militants have managed to constantly continue their attacks, according to a number of writers, is because of the encouragement they receive from confused statements made by the government. Following the killing of student activist Nazimuddin Samad in April this year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 14 April made a statement that accredited the reason of the killings to the write-ups of the victims and indicated that the government would not bear the responsibility of such killings.
This was a statement that was criticised by several writers.
Maruf Rosul, a writer and an activist, also an atheist was one of them. Maruf received his first threat back in 2013 for his blogposts. His name was in a list 84 individuals that was released back then by militants. Ever since then he has been cautious regarding his daily activities and the recent killings have only compelled him to take stronger measures. According to him, in times like these, the government needs to apply stronger measures. The rate at which all the cases of the killings since 2013 is progressing is very slow. And thats just encouraging these militants to continue with their work...there have been lots of talks about the killing of Xulhaz Mannan and how he is an LGBT activist. But if you look at the killing beyond all that, you realise that these people just entered his house and killed him. An incident like that can scare anyone, said Rosul. With a tinge of regret Rosul narrates how he has orchestrated his movements in the last three years. I get calls and threats even today. I dont receive any calls after 12 anymore because most of the calls I get are from abroad and they just call and threaten me. In a way, I have become used to this. The issue however, is that whenever I move from one place to another I am really scared. Whenever I leave the house, I call three people to come along with me. This cannot be a way to lead a life. I cant always just be scared. And these are things that have forced me to apply a bit of self censorship in my writings online as well, he added. I am used to all this right now. But what hurts the most is that even my family is not spared. There are times when I hear people talking to my father about me and telling him to be careful as well. I know writers who have been asked by their landlords to leave just because of this issue, said Rosul.
'Leaving the country is not an option'
When killings like these take place, you do feel nervous. Mr Mannan was killed in his own house and that incident can make people question every aspect of security. It makes you realise that the current situation is not good, he said. The publisher, who was first threatened back in November, has been moving with a gunman provided by the police since then. I complained to the police immediately after I was threatened and they assessed my situation. Two weeks later I was assigned someone by them. He goes with me, no matter where I go, he said. While the publisher admits that at times the current scenario can be quite intimidating, he however tries his best not to be negative.
I believe that the key is not to be nervous. I am a publisher and I have to go about following my routine normally. If I do get nervous, then theres no point of having a security, he said. He has also never thought about leaving the country. That is not an option, he exclaimed. The people who love me and those who I love, live here and leaving the country is not a solution. These are tough times and I have to deal with them over here, he added. Rosul provided a similar reply when asked if he had any alternate plans. The only alternative plan for us and my comrades is to leave the country because of these problems. Some of them have left, some of them are trying to go. I can go to Germany or England and stay there but ultimately that has no point. This is my country, and I wont leave just because of a few militants. Thats my stand.
I think what we need to do is become more unified. It has become clear now that its not just the bloggers who are being threatened. There are professors, writers, and even journalists who are being threatened. We have to be united and take a stand, he said. While there are writers like Rosul and Imran H Sarker, who represents the bloggers, who have preferred to stay in Bangladesh, there are a number of others who have preferred to leave the country. Many of them though still hope to return to the country one day. Arannya Azad is one of them. Son of an extremely popular Bangladeshi writer, Humayun Azad, threats are nothing new to Arannya. His father used to write against fundamentalists and in 2004 assailants in Dhaka University attacked him. In August that year, he went to Germany for research and was found dead in his apartment.
His son, also a writer, received similar threats and left for Germany in June 2015.
I never thought of leaving Bangladesh and coming to Germany. I always wanted to follow my fathers path and focus on my writing in Bangladesh. But honestly speaking I didnt expect my life in Bangladesh to get so dangerous so quickly. After the death of Ananta Bijoy (a blogger who was killed in May 2015) a fundamentalist group named Ansarullah Bangla Team declared on their website that I was going to be the next target. I received many threats on Facebook. And then on June 3, they uploaded my picture and marked a cross sign on my photo. They even threatened to hang me at Dhaka University. I got really scared after that. Ever since then I used to wear a helmet whenever I went outside and this was despite the fact that I didnt ride a bike. I could be attacked at any time, he recalls. On June 5, while I was talking to some of my friends I noticed that four people were staring at me and on June 6, two people followed be all the way from university to my home. I purposely took a wrong path and they still followed me. Its difficult to explain how scared I was. I even stopped writing for a bit. But now I have started writing again, he added.
Despite all this, Arannya wants to comeback to Bangladesh one day and follow in the footsteps of his father. There is a place in Dhaka where the LGBT community tends to meet and I went there once. I met Mannan there and he was an extremely vivid character, he recalls when asked about his interaction with Mannan. Because he was the editor of a magazine, I used to talk to him regarding ideas.
He was at a loss of words while speaking on Mannans death. I dont think anyone is completely safe. When they can enter your house and kill you, then theres really no point talking about safety. Some are scared and they are leaving the country, others have stopped writing. Everyone has to rise up and stand up against this militancy and if the government doesnt take an initiative then none of this can be stopped, he said. Writers and activists are worried that the militants are expanding their targets and that the recent killings are proof of that. I think this was also inevitable. Its not about the 'atheist bloggers' anymore. We have also seen murders of Sufi Muslims, Hindu priests, Christians and foreigners recently. With a self aware homosexual community in Bangladesh who have been very active with their social works during the past few years, it was just a matter of time they get targeted too, explains Parvez Alam, a Bangladeshi writer and an activist.
Any person who can be termed as a deviant in any way is at risk of such attacks right now in Bangladesh. Recent arrests of homosexual activists from the Pohela Boishakh rally also might have helped marking them as potential target for the terrorists, he added. At the moment, the scenario remains a bit tricky. As Parvez puts it, We are at a crossroads here. Theres no easy way out of this. The problem in itself has many factors to it and its so deep that it could take ages to go to the root of it.
For now those representing the safety of the writers are urging the victims to unite and stay strong. A number of them are thinking of leaving the country.
Regardless of whatever the solution may be the one thing thats certain is that the recent spate of killings have intensified the sense of uneasiness amongst them.
The author is a staff-reporter for The Daily Star, a national English daily based in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Paris: Salah Abdeslam, 26, who was handed over to French authorities on Wesdnesday, eluded police for four months until his arrest last month in Belgium.
A French national of Moroccan origin, Abdeslam lived in the Molenbeek district of Brussels near where he was detained, and is suspected of playing a key logistics role in the 13 November attacks that killed 130 people in or near Paris.
Here is a timeline of his flight:
13/14 November, 2015
Abdeslam arrives in Paris with a rented car just before 10:00 pm (9 pm GMT). Investigators suspect him of dropping off three suicide bombers near the Stade de France stadium just north of the capital.
The three blow themselves up and minutes later gunmen open fire on revellers in Paris bars and a concert hall. Abdeslam's brother Brahim blows himself up at a cafe.
Mobile phone data later puts Abdeslam in the southern suburb of Montrouge, where an abandoned belt packed with explosives was found on 23 November.
On 14 November, French police at a checkpoint in Cambrai, near the Belgian border, check the papers of a man going by the name of Salah Abdeslam. They let the car pass because his name does not figure on their list of suspects, though he is known to Belgian police.
Investigators later discover he rented three cars as well as hotel rooms for the attackers.
18-19 March, 2016
Belgian prosecutors say that Abdeslam's fingerprints have been found at a flat in the Forest district of Brussels where a shootout erupted three days earlier during a police raid of what was believed to be an empty apartment. One man is killed, while two others manage to get away.
A few hours later, a major police operation is launched in Molenbeek. Abdeslam is captured after being shot in the leg.
The ex-fugitive reportedly tells Belgian police he "wanted to blow himself up at the Stade de France" on 13 November, but then "pulled out" of the attack.
Abdeslam is charged with terror-related murder and association with a terrorist group, and held in a Belgian jail.
22 March
A triple suicide attack kills 32 people and wounds 340 in Brussels and at its airport. Abdeslam refuses to comment on the attacks, which police suspect were carried out in lieu of additional planned attacks in France because they were closing in on key suspects after Abdeslam's arrest.
Nine days later, Belgian justice officials approve Abdeslam's extradition to France under the terms of a European arrest warrant. He is also charged with attempted murder in Belgium in connection with the Forest shootout on March 15.
27 April
Abdeslam is turned over to French officials where he will be questioned by investigating magistrates and charged in relation to the Paris attacks. Abdeslam chooses Frank Berton as his French defense lawyer.
One of the reasons why India is unable to deal with the Pakistan problem is its faulty thinking. The Pakistani establishment (ISI, Army, Government) knows how to expose our fault lines because India's behaviour is so predictable. It is able to keep India on the defensive and export terror relentlessly.
Here are ten behavioural traits that have not served India in the past, which must change if it has to successfully counter Pakistan:
1. India will not capitalise on gains made by its armed forces
Under the Tashkent Agreement, India agreed to return the strategic Haji Pir Pass, which overlooks POK, to Pakistan in exchange for an undertaking by Pakistan to abjure the use of force to settle mutual disputes and adherence to the principles of non-interference. Ditto in 1972 when Mrs Gandhi returned 92,000 prisoners of war in lieu of verbal promises.
But why is Haji Pir Pass important for India?
Prakash Katoch, a former Lt Gen, Special Forces Indian Army, says, "Haji Pir Pass, at a height of 2637 metres, is located on the western fringe of the formidable Pir Panjal Range, which divides the Srinagar valley from the Jammu region. It is through this Pass that a wide, metalled highway connected Srinagar to Jammu via Uri-PoonchRajouri, over which bulk of passenger and trade traffic used to ply to and fro. This road is of strategic importance as it connects Uri with Poonch but since major portion of road is in POK, it cannot be used.
"It has been a constant source of problems for Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. Trained militants have been sneaking into Kashmir Valley, Poonch and Rajouri districts. One of the most pressing operational objectives of the Northern Command, if India were to enter into a conventional battle with Pakistan, would be the strategic pass of Haji Pir, which cuts into India by severing the Poonch-Uri route and can provide access to much of POJK."
2. Indian politicians accept concessions in private not on paper and are compassionate about internal dynamics in Pakistan
Former foreign secretary JN Dixit wrote in his book Anatomy of a Flawed Inheritance, "In the run-up to the Simla Agreement, Bhutto and Mrs Gandhi had a one-to-one meeting. Bhutto acknowledged that the Kashmir issue should be finally resolved, the Line of Control could be gradually converted into a de jure border but requested that these commitments should not be included in any formal agreement because it would endanger the emerging democratic set-up in Pakistan."
Mrs Gandhi was understanding of Bhutto's compulsions and limitations without reflecting on Pakistan's dubious track record and its potential for exporting trouble.
3. Not taking advantage of Pakistan's economic difficulties
When oil prices skyrocketed to a peak of $147, it caused havoc in Pakistan's financial markets, rupee depreciated significantly and foreign exchange reserves fell drastically.
In 2012, Pakistan had defaulted in payments to foreign Independent Power Producers. Moreover, it was moving towards cancellation of LNG contracts with Qatar because it did not have the money to pay. And IMF financing could become problematic if the Americans chose to act difficult.
At that point, India could have taken advantage of Pakistan's difficulties but did not. There are some examples of how India could have hurt Pakistan without going to war.
One, it could have stopped export of livestock. This would have increased meat prices for the Pakistani aam aadmi - caused social result and reduced beef exports from Pakistan that leapfrogged post 2005 after UPA 1 permitted export of livestock.
Two, it could have increased duty on products imported Pakistan and compound its foreign exchange difficulties.
Three, India could have undertaken short-term measures to utilise its entire share of waters under the 1960 Treaty, something it is not doing. Less water to Pakistan could hit agricultural output.
Four, India could declare Pakistan a terrorist state and snap economic ties or people-to-people contact till it stopped export of terror to India and handed over Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar and Masood Azhar.
4. Indian leaders protest loudly but lack guts to hit back
Every time there is a Pakistan-sponsored terror attack, Indian leaders make tough statements, say they will retaliate but keep on dithering and are indecisive.
Atalji spoke of zero tolerance to terrorism and, to be fair, did initiate some action like not allowing Pakistan aircraft to use Indian airspace. However, actions were not sustained and India was back to square one.
Post the 2001 Parliament attack, the Indian Army launched Operation Parakram the first full-scale mobilisation since the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Former air chief AY Tipnis said at that time: "We have shown enormous patience, now it is time to show we have resolve too. Inaction is damaging our credibility; people have begun to believe India incapable of taking any action."
Our problem is that we talk more than act.
5. After every terror attack, Indians show their anger by stopping talks only to resume them again
Here is the usual sequence of events.
Pakistan supports terror attack. Indian government talks tough, promises a befitting response. (to be fair the NDA government gave BSF a free hand in second half of 2014). Government calls off talks.
After about six to nine months, stories appear about how we cannot change our neighbours, dangers of nuclear war breaking out, US expresses concern, violence in Kashmir Valley erupts since J&K problem has not been resolved or bomb blasts in Mumbai.
Next, votaries of Aman Ki Asha and Track II diplomacy get into action. Thereafter, Foreign Secretaries establish contact, news channels create bhai-bhai atmosphere. Summit meeting on the anvil, expectations skyrocket. Before talks, India makes unilateral concessions to show its peaceful intentions. Prime Ministers meet as two long-lost brothers meet in a Manmohan Desai movie and smile. All happy. Tangible results: Zero.
6. India seldom publicly reminds Pakistan of its strategic vulnerability
Time and again, Pakistan has threatened to use nuclear weapons against India. The latest threat is the use of "low yield nuclear weapons against Indian spearheads". It is a way of telling the world community that if they fail to make India resolve the J&K dispute the way Pakistan wants it, nuclear war is a distinct possibility.
It was in the context of such threats that Col Anil Athale (retired) recently wrote, "What India must do, but seldom does, is to constantly remind Pak of its strategic vulnerability. Its crucial targets and heart that is Punjab province, is a barely 150 km deep strip of land along Indian border. Virtually every major strategic target of Pakistan is within the range of Prithvi tactical missile of which India has aplenty. From Mendhar in J&K the Kahuta nuclear installations are within the extended range of Pinaka rockets of Indian artillery.
"Peace with India is good for Pakistan and if the whole border gets activated and India also decided to employ a strategy of thousand cuts, the much smaller and economically anemic Pakistan will wither away even without a nuclear war."
If an Indian attack is accompanied by a simultaneous attack from Afghanistan by non-state actors, then what will happen to Pakistan?
Without being boisterous, you need to show your adversary the mirror - a reality check.
7. Indian politicians have outsourced the disciplining of Pakistan to the US
It is baffling why India never declared Pakistan a terrorist state but repeatedly asked the West to do so. We refuse to fight our battles, seek support from the US, because of which we are perceived to toe their line.
This is the only plausible explanation for India's repeated U-turns on Pakistan. In this respect, Modi sarkar is no different.
8. Indians forever giving Pakistan proof of its involvement in terror activities
From the times of Khalistani and Kashmiri terror movements in the 1980s, we have evidence of Pakistan's role in exporting terror. Its involvement in Mumbai bomb blasts of 1993, 2003, 2006, 2008 and 2005 Delhi blasts etc are known, yet in 2016, we want to give them proof of their involvement in Pathankot.
Indians love this paper-bazi, playing by the rules and international law. The Pakistanis know that and also how to play around the rules.
9. India is the land of Ahimsa, will not take the battle into the enemy camp
The Pakistanis are aware of India's flawed understanding of Ahimsa (non-violence), the non-aggressive nature of Hinduism (its followers do not capitalise on weaknesses in others and keep opponents under pressure) and overwhelming desire for peace.
That is why Indians rarely talk of the conditions of Shias in Gilgit and Baltistan, that were a legal and integral part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947, and the oppressed Baluchis.
Unlike J&K where elections were repeatedly held, "The regions first ever elections were held in 2009 for the local legislative assembly. It did not grant Gilgit Baltistan the right to send representatives to Pakistans National Assembly".
10. Refusal to see relations with Pakistan through the prism of Pak-China nexus
The issue of China blocking India's bid to have JeM chief and Pathankot terror attack mastermind Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist by the UN has brought out the China-Pakistan nexus in the open. What was implicit earlier is now explicit.
However, we see relations with Pakistan through emotion - we are one people forgetting that Pakistan is a Chinese-supported tool cultivated by the latter to prevent India from realising her potential and global ambitions. The nexus compels India to prepare for a multi-front theatre in the event of war with either country.
Pakistan stands on three legs, China, Saudi Arabia and US. How would Pakistan stand without its all-weather friend whose president's aircraft was escorted by eight PAF JF-17 Thunders as it entered the Pakistani Airspace?
Amongst the many teachings of The Holy Gita and Kautilya's Arthashastra, Pakistan has incorporated two into their India containment strategy.
The Gita repeatedly refers to the importance of perseverance. Pakistan has been implementing its plan to bleed India with a thousand cuts for decades.
The six methods of foreign policy enunciated by Kautilya include "Vigraha - hostilities is another instrument of foreign policy. It is classified into open war, secret war - attacking the enemy in a variety of ways, taking him by surprise; and undeclared war, clandestine attacks using secret agents and occult practices".
Since 1947, Pakistan has followed these teachings to the T.
A solution to the Pakistan problem depends on our soch - As we think, we shall become.
In the editorial cartoon published earlier this week by the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan assumes the body of an ape who crushes Europe's free speech.
Under Erdogan's weight are a piece of paper, a broken pen and a hopeless-looking woman The Washington Post speculates that she is Ebru Umar, a Dutch writer with a Turkish background. The President is perched atop a rock inscribed with the words 'Apenrots', which means 'monkey rocks' in Dutch. Googling the term would give you better enriched visuals of the cartoon.
The same Ebru Umar was arrested in Turkey last weekend for insulting Erdogan: Umar, a columnist with Metro, was detained by the authorities in the country for describing the President as a 'dictator', according to the DailyMail.
Umar says she was shown no mercy as she was "hauled out of her bed late Saturday at her home in Kusadasi, a resort town in western Turkey," reports AFP. It further adds saying that Umar spent the night at the police station.
Even as she was asked to remain in the country, Umar continued to (and still does) tweet and retweet messages from her supporters.
Thank you @abcnews for the excellent report mum has arrived. Ready to give hell to anyone who harms her daughter! https://t.co/IqKLwm6GA8 Ebru Umar (@umarebru) April 26, 2016
Flowers arrived from Holland. Lovely people supporting my parents. THANK YOU pic.twitter.com/faMj6nOdQx Ebru Umar (@umarebru) April 26, 2016
This detention, many believe, only adds to the growing list of crackdown on free speech in Turkey, reports The Independent. The website adds that "last week, the Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam came under fire after appearing to send an email that called for Turkish organizations in the Netherlands to report insults against Erdogan to it."
But what's funny is this: According to The Atlantic, Erdogan has himself been previously imprisoned for expressing his views in 1997, when he was the mayor of Istanbul. Does he perhaps indicate that only a certain few can have the privilege of speech?
(With inputs from AFP)
Vienna: UN chief Ban Ki-moon called on Wednesday for the US, China and other nuclear-armed states to end the "madness" of atomic testing by finally ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which turns 20 this year.
"I call on the eight remaining states to sign and ratify the treaty without further delay," Ban said in Vienna at an
event marking the anniversary.
"Nuclear testing poisons water, causes cancers and pollutes the area with radioactive fallout for generations and
generations to come," he said.
"We are here to honour the victims...to ban and to stop nuclear testing. First and foremost, we should teach the world to end this madness," he said.
The CTBT, which opened for signature in September 1996, bans all nuclear explosions. It has been signed by 183 states and ratified by 164 including Russia, France and Britain, three of the nine countries which have or are thought to have nuclear weapons.
But, to enter in force, the treaty needs 44 particular "nuclear technology holder" states to ratify, eight of whom have yet to do so.
These eight include the other six in the nuclear club -- the United States, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel -- as well as Iran and Egypt.
The US, China, Egypt, Iran and Israel -- the latter widely assumed to have nuclear weapons although it has never
confirmed it -- have signed but not ratified.
US President Barack Obama said in a major speech on nuclear weapons in Prague in 2009, shortly after taking office, that he would "immediately and aggressively pursue US ratification".
Seven years later and Obama leaving office in January 2017 and the opposition Republicans controlling both houses of Congress, this step still has not happened.
There has, in fact, been an effective global moratorium in place, with no country except North Korea conducting a test since India and Pakistan in 1998.
"The current voluntary moratorium against the testing will never substitute for the legally binding CTBT," Ban said however.
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by Staff Reporter
A man raped his brother's wife aged 18 on their way to South Africa late last year, has been handed an effective 15-year jail term by Beitbridge regional magistrate Joseph Mabeza.However, in court the man accused his sister-in-law of concocting the charge to cover up for her promiscuity.The court heard that sometime in November last year, the rapist, who was employed in South Africa, was on holiday in Zimbabwe when his younger brother, also working in that country, asked him to bring along his wife on his way back.He then asked his 18-year-old sister-in-law to meet him at Birchenough Bridge from where they would travel together to South Africa.On the same day at around midnight, the two arrived at Beitbridge Border Post, where the rapist booked a room and invited her inside as they awaited transport to take them to South Africa.Craving for his brother's wife, the man closed the door from inside and raped her once.The woman then reported the matter to the police, leading to his arrest.Pernson Chekeya prosecuted.
Business / Local
by Staff Reporter
POOR preparations continued to affect the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo as scores of exhibitors where by yesterday still mounting up stands.That was on the opening day of the exhibitor, which is said to be the country's top trade showcase.Exhibitors cried foul that they experienced low business on day one which is held under the theme Innovate, Integrate and IndustrialiseA total of 390 of the 401 direct exhibitors are participating.However, ZITF Company chairman Bekithemba Nkomo was upbeat saying the exhibition kicked off on a high note."As ZITF Company, we're happy that the trade fair has started on a high note."We're also happy with the quality of the exhibits and we've noted an improvement in the quality of the products they're showing," he said.
Business / Local
by Thobekile Zhou
Street vendors should not be viewed as a nuisance but must be assisted to grow their businesses, a cabinet minister has said.SME minister Sithembiso Nyoni today told a business conference at the ongoing ZITF that vendor contributions to the economy must be celebrated."We need to celebrate our vendors and must think of how best we can help them grow."Lets not look at them as litter bugs".Recently, government declared a war with vendors countrywide by vowing to get flush thousands off the streets of most cities especially in the central business districts.Nyoni said the much talked about formalisation of the Informal sector "is everyone's responsibility. SMEs ministry can not do it alone".
Business / Local
by Thobekile Zhou
Small to Medium minister Sithembiso Nyoni caused a stir when she addressed a business conference in Ndebele in Bulawayo today.Her stance prompted journalists and academics to take to twitter to debate the issue. Bulawayo based journalist Ray Ndlovu noted "Why is Sithembiso Nyoni speaking in Ndebele at the #IBC2016 at ZITF" asked Ndlovu.Public Relations expect Lennox Mhlanga responded "@fingerray what's wrong with doing salutations in the local language? We are in Bulawayo aren't we?Ndlovu said "@lenoxmhlanga That is not an issue, there must be inclusivity for delegates here & live up to its international thrust.Nt everyone from Byo".Academic Shepherd Mpofu weighed in saying "@fingerray @lenoxmhlanga No Ray. Int'l delegates have to experience and even be encouraged to do greetings in isiNdebele".The language issue is a thorny issue in Parliement as legislators who contribute in Ndebele are quickly reprimanded.
We are coming to meet you again! This time we are teaming up with the folks from Lenovo, who will be introducing their new ZUK brand of smartphones in the country soon.
The ZUK will be a sub-brand and all the smartphones in this series is said to be sold online only. However, you will know more details about the ZUK line up when you meet the team behind it and interact with them.
Whoever gets to be at the meet up will be the first bunch of people to experience and spend some time with the product! Exciting? Furthermore, we will be carrying some cool gadgets with us and well surely give you an opportunity to play with them.
We are coming to Mumbai on 2nd May, followed by Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi and Bangalore on 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th respectively. We will serve you hi-tea and its going to be a fun evening talking tech with you, our loyal readers.If you are interested in being a part of our meet up in a city near you, go ahead and RSVP in the below form. Please double check and make sure you are RSVPing for the right city!
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Note: We have limited space and we cant promise to accommodate everyone. However, we will make sure that folks who RSVP first will get a chance to be a part of our meet-up.
2 The number of Russian Grands Prix to date, both of which have been won by Mercedes Lewis Hamilton. Also the number of F1 podiums scored by Daniil Kvyat can he add a third on home soil? 100 The percentage of laps Mercedes have led in the two Russian Grands Prix to date - 100 laps for Hamilton and six laps for Nico Rosberg. The Silver Arrows have also claimed pole at both races, to add to their consecutive victories. Can anyone challenge them this year? 1:40.071 The Sochi lap record, set in 2015 by Ferraris Sebastian Vettel. The overall fastest lap for the circuit is the 1:37.113 that Rosberg clocked on his way to pole position last year.
Enlarge Sebastian Vettel (GER) Ferrari SF15-T at the Russian Grand Prix, Sochi, Sunday 11 October 2015. Sutton Motorsport Images Info Close
0.320 The amount, in seconds, that Rosberg beat Hamilton to pole by in 2015. The previous year the Briton had pipped the German by 0.200s. 100 The number of Grand Prix entries that Nico Hulkenberg will reach this weekend in Sochi. 343.1 The speed in km/h that Ferraris Kimi Raikkonen clocked through the speed trap in last years race. That was 8.7km/h faster than Felipe Massas session-best speed from qualifying. 3 The number of safety car appearances across the first two races in Russia. The safety car was deployed twice last year - for the first lap accident involving Hulkenberg and Marcus Ericsson and then for Romain Grosjeans major shunt at Turn 3.
Enlarge Late drama as Raikkonen and Bottas collide on the last lap in 2015. FOWC Ltd Info Close
30 The number of seconds Raikkonen had added to his race time last year after being found guilty of causing an avoidable accident with Valtteri Bottas on the final lap of the race. 2.21 The speed, in seconds, that it took Ferrari to change all four tyres on Vettels car in 2015 - the quickest pit stop of the race. 315 The approach speed in km/h of Turn 13 - the corner at which Toro Rossos Carlos Sainz had his enormous accident in FP3 last year (see below).
Entertainment / Music
by Divine Dube
SOUTH AFRICA-based Zimbabwean comedian 'Madlela' will this weekend launch a comic music album comprising sound tracks taken from his witty stage play Idlozi Lolaka.Speaking to Byo24 Lifestyle, Mothusi Bashimane Ndlovu the man behind hilarious character Madlela of the comic play, said "we have finally released the album due to popular demand by our fans who got a glimpse of the tracks from our popular film Madlela and stage play Idlozi Lolaka."Ndlovu rose to fame after the release of the comic film Madlela and later the stage play Idlozi Lolaka. The productions, which received rave reviews in the local arts sector, explore hardships faced by Zimbabweans south of the Limpopo River.In an interview with Byo24 Lifestyle, on Wednesday, Ndlovu said the launch will be held at Diepsloot Number 2 Park in Johannesburg this Saturday at 12pm at a free-entry event dubbed "Madlela Meets the People Tour".The album Idlozi Lolaka is a rendition of the sound tracks of the stage play Idlozi Lolaka and Madlela film produced by Ndlovu."This is the first music CD of Idlozi Lolaka stage play," Ndlovu said. "We have also taken a few songs from Madlela Skhobokhobo Power the film because our fans have been dying to listen to them after watching our productions."Quizzed about the uniqueness of the launch, Ndlovu said: "The fact that the songs have been featured in our comic productions makes this launch unique because they (songs) supports an existing project which fans have already received well hence this is merely a response to audience needs.""Since the album has been done by comedians fans must gear up for rib-tickling music."While most local artistes struggle to get dividends from their music products, Ndlovu said their intent was not necessarily to "sell" the album but to "restore the dignity of Mthwakazi art.""Yes we want money but for now our desire is to be part of the efforts to uplift the arts sector in Matabeleland where we hail from," Ndlovu said. "So we will be selling a single CD for 50 rands."The album comprises songs such as Siyabonga - which is a tribute to the late liberation hero Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, Ingilosi and Mapholisa. Fans must expect to meet and mingle with Madlela and Idlozi Lolaka cast as well as other popular celebrities at the launch.
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There is a high price for privacy, and the U.S. hotel industry to some extent is paying that price.
On Monday, television personality Erin Andrews settled her lawsuit against Windsor Capital Group and West End Hotel Partners LLC, which own and operate the Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt University. This is the hotel in which Andrews was video-taped naked and without her knowledge in 2008 by convicted stalker Michael David Barrett.
The settlement is the hotels part of the $55 million Andrews was awarded by a jury last month in the civil case against Barrett. While terms of the settlement are private, as reported by The Tennessean, the hotel operator was potentially liable for $27 million.
Since this happened [back in 2008] youve seen a heightened sense of awareness with the industry, Stephen Barth tells FOXBusiness.com. Barth is founder of HospitalityLawyer.com and professor of hospitality law at the Conrad Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, University of Houston. He was also a witness for the defense in the case and maintains that the hotel operator Windsor Capital Group and owners West End Hotel Partners did not breach their duty of care to Ms. Andrews.
However, because a jury disagreed there is now a legal debate about operational and safety responsibilities, especially with franchised hotels.
Ticker Security Last Change Change % MAR MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL INC. 153.49 +5.97 +4.05% WYN n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. HOT n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.
Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) has made it clear it is not affiliated with the Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt University via a The Facts About Marriott International and the Erin Andrews Trial posted on the corporate website.
Still, in an interview with FOXBusiness.com, California-based attorney Jeremy Tissot, of the Tissot Law Firm, stressed the franchised property still carries the Marriott name. They also face reputational problems; their name is on the door.
Tissot, who is currently handling a similar case against a major hotel chain with less notoriety, also points out many hotels are behind the curve when it comes to technology used by stalkers, whether it be a plain vanilla celebrity stalker or simply a jilted ex-spouse. Most people were unaware of this micro-technology; hotels are simply not keeping up."
Stalker Michael David Barrett testified in court how he doctored the hotel room peephole and used a camera to secretly videotape Andrews. He then posted the video on the Internet after attempting to sell it to TMZ, which declined to purchase the video. He also testified about being able to easily obtain room information on Andrews from the hotel operator.
In 2010, Barrett was sentenced to 30 months in prison, followed by several years of probation and a series of fines related to the case.
Andrews is currently co-hosting Dancing With the Stars which airs on Disneys (NYSE:DIS) ABC Network.
Emails from FOXBusiness.com to Marriott International and Starwood Hotels & Resorts (NYSE:HOT), which are merging in a $13.6 billion deal, were not returned at the time of publication. Repeated calls to Andrews attorney Randall Kinnard were not returned. Nor were calls to Marc Dedman, the attorney representing Windsor Capital Group and West End Hotel Partners.
Suzanne OHalloran is Managing Editor of FOXBusiness.com and a graduate of Boston College. Follow her @suzohalloran.
News / Africa
by Staff Reporter
A court in Nigeria has sentenced a former local MP to 154 years in jail for corruption and money laundering.Gabriel Daudu, from central Kogi State, was found guilty of 77 charges, Nigeria's anti-corruption body says.But the judge ruled that the sentences would run concurrently, meaning Dauda will only spend two years in jail.Corruption is endemic in Nigeria and so far the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has only managed to secure a handful of convictions.President Muhammadu Buhari won elections last year, promising to tackle the problem.A number of prominent officials from the previous government have been arrested and put on trial, but some accuse the president of only targeting the opposition.The EFCC says Daudu Nigeria ex-MP jailed 154 years for corruption, who was put on trial in 2010, was involved in laundering about $7m (5m).Delivering the judgement in Kogi state capital, Lokoja, Justice Inyang Ekwo said the persecution had "proved its case beyond every reasonable doubt", the EFCC said in a statement.It is not immediately clear whether Daudu will appeal against the ruling and whether any of the stolen money was recovered.
Image: FMC Technologies.
Most people are familiar with the giants of the energy industry, but there are hundreds of companies that play a supporting role in the industry but aren't household names. FMC Technologies offers drilling services both on land and under the sea, and some energy services providers have suffered as much as oil and gas exploration and production companies have. Coming into Tuesday's first-quarter financial report, FMC investors knew that the weak energy market would have a dramatic downward impact on the company's results, but even they didn't realize that FMC's actual performance wouldn't be enough to meet their lowered expectations. Let's take a closer look at the latest from FMC Technologies and whether the company sees any light ahead.
FMC Technologies continues to sagFMC Technologies' first-quarter report didn't have much for optimistic investors to cling to for support. Revenue fell 29% to $1.21 billion, which was even worse than the 24% decline that most investors were expecting FMC to post. GAAP net income plunged more than 85% to just $19.8 million, and even after taking out the impact of impairments, restructuring and severance charges, and other one-time items, adjusted earnings of $0.22 per share missed the consensus forecast by $0.08 per share.
None of FMC's major segments performed well. In the Subsea Technologies division, revenue fell 25% to $864 million, of which about five percentage points were due to the strong dollar. Operating profits fell 35% from year-ago levels, and declines in revenues were the primary culprit after taking currencies and charges into account. Inbound order activity amounted to almost $346 million, and backlogs for the segment totaled $3.4 billion.
For the Surface Technologies segment, revenue was off 41% to $265.5 million. The company blamed a huge drop in land-based activity in North America, and one-time charges sent FTI's operating results to a loss of $28.6 million. Even after adjusting for charges, adjusted operating profits fell more than 80% year-over-year, with pricing pressures adding to the overall negative environment in the North American energy industry. Inbound orders were $258.5 million, with $429.4 million in backlog.
Finally, the Energy Infrastructure division predictably suffered declines as well. Revenue fell 17% to $84.1 million, and the segment posted an operating loss of $3.3 million. Inbound orders of $73.8 million and backlog of $157.7 million showed the relatively small size of the unit.
Overall, inbound orders took a bit hit, falling more than 30% to $671.6 million. Order backlogs were down almost as much to $3.96 billion, with all of the big segments taking substantial declines.
What's ahead for FMC Technologies?CEO John Gremp didn't have many words to say about the results, but what he did say tried to put the company's situation in perspective. "We benefited from solid execution and restructuring savings" in the Subsea Technologies area, Gremp said. The CEO also noted that "while operators' reduced capital spending continues to delay large deepwater projects, we believe that our subsea service orders will remain fairly resilient in 2016."
What's equally clear is that FMC Technologies believes that the market is undervaluing the long-term value of the company. Even in an environment in which capital is growing increasingly scarce and difficult to raise, FMC spent more than $28 million on stock buybacks during the quarter. The company said it repurchased roughly 1.1 million shares at an average price of $25.58 per share. Given that the stock currently trades about $3 per share higher, the buy appears to have been well-timed.
Traders are likely to respond to FMC Technologies' poor results with an immediate share-price decline when the market opens on Wednesday. Yet in the long run, if the energy markets continue to claw their way back, demand for drilling services should return. That could help make FMC a more viable play in the energy sector going forward.
The article FMC Technologies Takes a Big Hit From Energy's Slump originally appeared on Fool.com.
Dan Caplinger has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends FMC Technologies. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Once asked how to learn about investing, Warren Buffett pointed to a pile of annual reports and suggested investors should read as much as they can. "I read 500 pages like this every day. That's how knowledge builds up, like compound interest," he said.
It's neither new nor novel advice, but Buffett's success is a function of his ability to learn from his investment experiences, good and bad. Some of his earliest investments laid the groundwork for what his sidekick, Charlie Munger, calls "mental models," or frameworks of ideas that can be translated into new areas and new investments.
Though we often think of the modern Berkshire Hathaway as being the owner of railroad BNSF, car insurer GEICO, and countless other household names, several forgotten investments shaped Buffett's thinking and ultimately crafted what Berkshire Hathaway has become today. Here are three early investments that had a major impact on Buffett's later investments.
1. An early rewards programBefore credit cards made rebates computerized and ubiquitous, rewards programs took the form of paper stamps. Retailers would give their customers a certain number of stamps based on what they purchased, and in what quantity. The stamps could be affixed to a booklet and redeemed for household goods like toasters and, later, cash.
Buffett loved the business model because retailers paid for the stamps months and years before the stamps were redeemed, if they were at all. Thus, the stamp company could invest the money and earn a return on it before it was paid back out. He ultimately bought a large share of Blue Chip Stamps for himself and Berkshire Hathaway.
Buffett wasn't new to the idea that a business could generate cash to invest. He had earlier been enamored with this model after investing in insurers, namely GEICO. But it cemented Buffett's love for businesses, non-financial or otherwise, that could finance their own growth with funds from their customers.
Modern examples come in the form of retailers like Amazon and Costco Wholesale, which turn their inventory into cash before they have to pay their suppliers. The two also generate a tremendous amount of cash by selling memberships (Prime, in the case of Amazon) on pre-paid terms. The net result is that retailers effectively fund their growth with free financing from their customers and suppliers, leaving a heftier return on less capital contributed by their investors.
2. A tiny bankIn Berkshire's earliest days, it took interest in a tiny Illinois-based bank by the name of The Illinois National Bank & Trust. Buffett knew it was "one of the most profitable banks" he had ever seen, and he wanted to have it for himself.
The Illinois Bank & Trust was already a target of another acquirer, but they began to show their unease with the bank. The would-be suitor wanted a full audit of the company, and its 71-year-old CEO, Gene Abegg, who Buffett described as being "pretty dominant," wanted nothing to do with being shaken down through an audit process.
Buffett ultimately made an offer, which admittedly came in about $1 million below what the original acquirer was willing to pay. He had few reservations, highlighted only a few things he wanted to change, but indicated he wanted Abegg to remain in his role. Abegg called another major shareholder to discuss the deal and ultimately decided to sell out to Buffett at his price.
From here, Buffett realized that executives who are excellent at their craft would prefer a friendly and easy acquisition at an OK price rather than an unfriendly takeover at a perfect price. Notably, Abegg, who rank the bank, also owned 25% of the company and would lose out on roughly $250,000 by accepting a lower bid. Still, he'd prefer to work for Buffett than leave the bank having sold at a better price.
Warren Buffett continues to use the friendly acquirer role to his advantage, once saying that being part of Berkshire is like selling art to a museum compared to private equity investors' porn shop. His hands-off approach is best exemplified by the fact that he speaks to many of his managers only once every two years by letter, reminding them about their basic role to defend Berkshire's reputation.
3. A candy cash cowThe Blue Chip Stamps business that cemented Buffett's interest in capital-light business models lead him to invest in See's Candies, a West Coast confectioner of chocolates and other premium candies. Buffett was introduced to See's by Blue Chip's then-president.
See's Candies was something new for Buffett, a company that essentially survived and thrived on the value of its brand name. Buffett believed the company had the capacity to raise prices given its premium position in the candy business and the fact that most candies are purchased as gifts -- its customers would prefer to pay more than look for alternatives.
Buffett agreed to purchase the company, believing he could increase pre-tax earnings by raising prices just $0.15 a pound. He believed the company's then-current earnings of $4 million before taxes could be closer to $7 million.Just three years later, in 1975, See's earned 2.5 times more than it had when Buffet acquired the company for Berkshire.
Buffett's fixation with brands that turned commodities into products with pricing power never really ended. Pricing power underlied part of his thesis for buying brands like Coca-Cola, Gillette, and Moody's, among countless other companies that have been part of the Berkshire stable, helped in no small part by his early success with a small candy confectioner.
The article 3 Forgotten Berkshire Businesses That Made Warren Buffett originally appeared on Fool.com.
Jordan Wathen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon.com, Coca-Cola, and Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool recommends Moody's. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Image source: Kinder Morgan.
Pipeline giant Kinder Morgan recently reported fairly solid first-quarter results, all things considered. While the weak oil market is having some impact on Kinder Morgan's financial results and its future plans, the impact isn't as great as it has been for oil and gas producers. In fact, CEO Steve Kean addressed it on the company's first-quarter conference call, focusing on three areas:
Capital projects and expected growth spending for 2016.
Its outlook for the balance of 2016.
Some thoughts on our counterparty credit risk.
Here's a closer look at what he had to say about each area.
Growth spending updateKean started off by diving into an update on the company's backlog:
Kean went on to note that Palmetto was removed because of problems with using eminent domain in Georgia, which made it virtually impossible to move forward on that project. Meanwhile, the larger NED project was removed because it simply didn't have enough customers signed up to make it economically compelling. Basically, the projects weren't worth pursuing because the economics weren't compelling given the issues the company was facing.
Kean then detailed how this would impact 2016 capex spending:
As a result of removing two major projects from its backlog, as well as other project deferrals, Kinder Morgan was able to cut its near-term capital needs by $400 million from its last update. That'll provide it with a bit more financial breathing room should the energy market worsen, as well as a bit more flexibility to improve its balance sheet.
2016 outlookKean then gave an update on the company's outlook for the balance of the year:
While Kinder Morgan's exposure to oil and gas prices is muted because of its focus on owning fee-based assets, it's not completely immune. As the chart on the slide below shows, the company's budget was based on $38 oil and $2.50 gas, which had proven to be a bit optimistic so far this year.
Source: Kinder Morgan Investor Presentation.
Given current projections for commodity prices, Kinder Morgan no longer expects to hit its budgeted targets for earnings, though it does expect to hit its leverage target because of its capital spending reduction. As a result of those spending reductions and the overall stability of its cash flow, Kinder Morgan still expects to be able to fund its current dividend and reduced capex budget while still generating excess cash flow.
Image source: Kinder Morgan.
Counterparty riskThe final area Kean addressed was the growing concern surrounding the credit of its customer base, especially given the impact the three coal customer bankruptcies have had on its Terminals segment. Kean noted:
Kean goes into great detail on the overall security of the company's customer base as well as what it's doing to try to mitigate its risks, such as asking for more collateral.
That being said, there is a portion of its revenue that's at high risk right now, with Kean noting that, "Our identified credit concern list amounts to about 5% of revenue, and about half of that is mitigated by credit support or underlying resale value of the capacity that the customers hold." Further, the other half of that total is reflected in one of the recent coal bankruptcies, so the company has very limited near-term risk due to potential customer bankruptcies.
For perspective, that's much lower than rivals like Williams Companies , which derives 20% of its gathering and processing revenue from Chesapeake Energy . That has been a huge concern for Williams Companies this year because of the increased worry that Chesapeake Energy could have to restructure in bankruptcy due to its massive debt level. Clearly, Kinder Morgan doesn't have the counterparty credit concerns of Williams Companies, but this is still an area investors need to keep an eye on, because it could cause future results to be weaker than expected if a rash of bankruptcies do hit the energy sector.
Investor takeawayKinder Morgan CEO Steve Kean wanted investors to know three things:
It's paring back its backlog and only investing capital into its best projects. It now expects to run a little behind budget this year because of weaker oil and gas prices. It's monitoring the credit concerns of its customers closely.
Kean wants investors to know the company is making changes to its business plan to reflect the weaker market outlook in order to ensure Kinder Morgan's exposure stays relatively minor.
The article 3 Things Kinder Morgan Inc's CEO Wants You to Know originally appeared on Fool.com.
Matt DiLallo owns shares of Kinder Morgan andhas the following options: short January 2018 $30 puts on Kinder Morgan and long January 2018 $30 calls on Kinder Morgan. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Kinder Morgan. The Motley Fool has the following options: short June 2016 $12 puts on Kinder Morgan. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Verizon(NYSE: VZ) increased its earnings per share from $1.02 in Q1 2015 to $1.06 in Q1 2016, while also growing its subscriber base in all of its major categories during the first quarter of this year.
That's impressive at a time when cord-cutting should be putting pressure on its pay-television business, and low-cost carriers likeT-Mobile are challenging it for its wireless customers. These factors did not stop the company from posting a gain of 640,000 retail postpaid net wireless additions, 98,000 FiOS Internet subscribers, and 36,000 new FiOS pay-TV customers.
Of course, the company was pleased with these numbers and crowed about them in its Q1 earnings release.
"Verizon's strong first-quarter results demonstrate our capacity to compete effectively, while executing on our plan of continued network leadership and seeding new growth markets in mobile video and the Internet of Things," said CEO Lowell McAdam.
For the company's post-earnings call with investors, however, McAdam ceded the spotlight to CFO Fran Shammo, who offered more in-depth analysis of the past quarter and what lies ahead.
Here are four key points Verizon's CFO wants investors to know.
The company is committed to the IoTBoth McAdam in the earnings release, and Shammo during the call cited Internet of Things (IoT) revenue. This is despite the fact that it only accounted forapproximately $195 million in first-quarter 2016 revenue, out of $32.2 billion. Shammo explained the company's plans during the call.
Shammo. Image source: Verizon.
"We remain confident in our three-tier strategy for long-term growth, which is to lead at the networkconnectivity level in the markets we serve, develop new business models through the global platforms in video and Internet of Things, and createincremental revenue opportunities in applications and content," he said, according to thetranscript provided by the company.
He went on to detail the company's IoT commitment later in the call, making it clear that Verizon has big hopes in that space.
"Within the Internet of Things ecosystem, we continue to develop platforms and our network to take advantage of the opportunities to innovate and offer solutions that address some of the more pressing social, economic, and business challenges," he said. "We have launched our own utility, transportation, and healthcare solutions with products like Networkfleet, Grid Wide, Verizon Share, hum, and one of our newest products, Intelligent Track and Trace."
Shammo noted that revenue for IoT grew by 25% for the quarter year over year, and suggested that big increases are expected going forward.
Verizon paid down debtOn April 1, Verizon completed the sale of its landline businesses in California, Florida, and Texas toFrontier Communicationsfor $10.5 billion.
"The pre-tax proceeds from the sale were used to repay outstanding debt in thecurrent quarter," Shammo said during the call. "In early April, we already executed tender offers and early redemptions to repay over $10 billion in debt to reduce our total debtbalance."
In addition to lowering debt, the sale also helped Verizon consolidate its business on its more modern FiOS platforms, leaving its older technology in Frontier's hands. That should ultimately pay off in added efficiency though it does put the company in competition with Frontier in some of those California, Florida, and Texas markets.
Shammo is happy with the wireless businessThe company added 640,000 wireless connections in a period the CFO called "a seasonally low volume quarter." Phone connections actually dropped by 8,000 for the quarter, an improvement from a drop of 138,000 during the same period last year, which Shammo said was due to "a significant improvement over the prior year, driven by customer retention."
Basically, the company has made up for a slowing phone business by adding tabletand other device connections. The CFO credits internal company efforts for the growth and minimizing losses.
"We have taken many actions to improve and simplify our customer experience and provide the best network, which have resulted in improved customer loyalty and satisfaction," he said.
The company sees FiOS expansionEven after the Frontier deal, Verizon still has landline operations in a number of states -- about $8 billion in quarterly revenue. Shammo believes the company has huge potential to migrate those customers to more modern and efficient platforms.
"We think we have tremendous opportunity to further penetrate the remaining properties from Massachusetts to Virginia with our fiber infrastructure and FiOS products," he said.
That's something the company needs to pursue, because wirelines profits have been steadily decreasing, and the markets sold to Frontier were actually more profitable than the ones the company kept.
"We have been working on our post-Frontier-transaction cost structure as part of our overall cost initiatives outlined earlier," the CFO said. "As we have stated before, we are committed to offset the financial impact of this transaction, including the stranded cost at the consolidated level." Expanding FiOS into the company's legacy landline operation is a way to improve profitability and offset some of the adverse aspects of the Frontier deal.
The article 4 Things Verizon Management Wants Investors to Know originally appeared on Fool.com.
Daniel Kline has no position in any stocks mentioned. He prefers flavored coffee creamers to flavored coffee. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Verizon Communications. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Image source: Alphabet.
Alphabet is one of the most followed companies in the stock market. The tech giant has a leading presence in online advertising because of the ubiquity of its Google business. In addition, Alphabet is investing in exciting technologies such as self-driving cars, outer space exploration, and futuristic health-care technologies in areas like genetic mapping and glucose-monitoring contact lenses, among other intriguing projects with promising potential.
However, even if Alphabet attracts lots of attention from the media, it's easy to miss the forest for the trees when you're putting too much attention on the details. Looking at the big picture, Alphabet stock seems undervalued at current price levels, and this could present a buying opportunity for investors.
A top-notch collection of businessesIn August of 2015, the company formerly known as Google changed its name and corporate structure to better reflect its current business model and strategy. Alphabet is now a collection of businesses of which Google is the largest and most important contributor in terms of sales and earnings. The "other bets" segment includes several different projects and businesses such as Fiber, Nest, self-driving cars, Google X, and health-care ventures such as Calico and Verily, among others.
Google come second to none in online advertising. The company owns one of the most valuable brands in the world, and it has seven different platforms with over 1 billion monthly users: Google Search, Android, Maps, Chrome, YouTube, Google Play, and Gmail. The bigger it gets over time, the more information Google collects from users, which allows the company to improve the quality of its services and offer more effective ads. This means a bigger Google is also a stronger one, and the company has already reached a truly gargantuan scale.
The "other bets" segment includes several different businesses with little economic visibility in the short term. However, when seen as a diversified portfolio of innovative projects, they could do wonders for investors in Alphabet over the long term. After all, YouTube seemed like a moon shot project a decade ago, and it has now grown into an incredibly valuable platform. According to management, YouTube on mobile alone now reaches more 18- to 49-year-olds in the U.S. than any TV network, including both broadcast and cable TV. Overall financial performance doesn't leave much to be desired. Total company-level revenue grew 17% during the first quarter of 2016, reaching $20.26 billion. Even better, sales in constant currency jumped 23% year over year, which is nothing short of impressive for a company that big. The business model is also remarkably profitable; Alphabet retained 26% of total revenue as operating profit last quarter.
Attractive valuationAccording to data from Morningstar, Alphabet stock is trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio in the neighborhood of 18, which is in line with the average company in the S&P 500 index. Considering that Alphabet is a market leader in the very promising online advertising industry, the company could easily justify an above-average valuation on the back of superior profitability and potential for growth.
The following table compares valuation ratios for Alphabet against other companies in online advertising, such as Facebook and Chinese search engine Baidu . The main idea is quite clear: When looking at forward price to earnings, price to earnings growth, price to sales, and price to book value, Alphabet looks conveniently priced in comparison to peers.
Company Forward P/E PEG P/S P/BV Alphabet 18.2 1.9 6.5 4.3 Facebook 26.4 2.5 17.9 7 Baidu 21.4 3.8 6.4 5.3
Data sources: SEC filings and FinViz.
Both Facebook and Baidu are much smaller than Alphabet in terms of revenue, and this could make it easier for these companies to sustain rapid growth, since performance tends to slow down as a company gains size over the years. Nevertheless, even if Facebook and Baidu could outgrow Alphabet in the middle term, Alphabet is strong enough to retain its position as the undisputed leader in online advertising for years to come.
Valuation is not just about the price tag; you need to consider valuation ratios in the context of the company's fundamental quality and long-term potential. Alphabet is a world-class business making tons of money via Google in online advertising and offering exciting opportunities for disruptive innovation in "other bets." All things considered, current valuation levels are offering an attractive entry price for investors in Alphabet.
The article Alphabet Stock Looks Undervalued: Buying Opportunity? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Andres Cardenal owns shares of Alphabet (A and C shares). The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A and C shares), Baidu, and Facebook. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
American Express pulled a rabbit out of its hat by announcing that it put 2.1 million new cards in American hands in the first quarter of 2016.
The acquisitions, as AmEx calls them, included "new cards from Costco co-brand Card Members who have signed up for another American Express product" said the company's chief financial officer, Jeffrey Campbell, in his prepared remarks on its post-earnings call with analysts. He added that Costco customers had been a significant driver of new card issuance in recent quarters.
Quantifying how many of American Express's newly issued cards can be attributed to current (soon-to-be-former) Costco card members is rather difficult. Campbell declined to put a hard number on its Costco wins, but he indicated that analysts could ballpark the figure by referring to a slide in a presentation two quarters ago.
No need to go digging -- I recreated the data from that slide, with supplementary information from AmEx's year-end call below.
Campbell's specific words were that a "good portion of the increment of the standard run rate" was driven by AmEx's ability to push new cards to Costco members. I take that to mean card issuance in excess of the 2010-2013 average, a figure that is highlighted in the original presentation. Since the second quarter of 2015, American Express has cumulatively issued 3.1 million more cards than the 2010-2013 average.
From that, we know American Express has captured no more than 31% of its 10 million Costco cards. If two-thirds of incremental cards went to Costco members, it works out to about 20% of outstanding Costco cards.
In any event, the difficult task isn't getting new cards in old hands, it's getting new cards in old hands that will use them. It might have been better news if, in fact, the increase in card acquisitions had nothing to do with Costco at all.
Curious case of spending spilloverLegal documents explain AmEx's main opportunities and challenges. Inactive card members become more active when big merchants are added to its network, as card members tend to use their cards again at nearby merchants. It calls this effect "spillover."
But where spillover can add to spending, it can also subtract from it. Another document cites an instance in which AmEx lost a deal with Continental Airlines that resulted in a "severe" loss in charge volume, again due to so-called spillover. (The severity of the loss to spending volume was unfortunately scrubbed from the public documents.)
Spillover may be an artifact of consumer behavior (once used, a card often returns to a wallet, where it's placed atop other cards) or a matter of convenience (using just one card makes bill paying easier). Who really knows?
What we do know is that American Express is winning Costco members with promotions for its Blue Cash card, a lend-centric card much like the existing Costco card. (A previous analyst day presentation revealed that users of its "EveryDay" card, a slightly lesser card than Blue Cash, were two times more likely to carry a balance.)
The downside, however, is that AmEx's Blue Cash cards may be dead on the new card's arrival. As fellow Fool, John Maxfield wrote, the new Citi Costco card adds a percentage point of rewards on top of the categories favored by the outgoing AmEx card. It also offers 1% cash back everywhere, roughly equivalent to the 1 point earned for $1 of spend on AmEx's Blue Cash, the card it is pushing to Costco customers.
AmEx's quarterly card acquisitions may be just as short-lived as they are impressive in volume. Citi's Costco Visa rolls out on June 20, at which point newly issued AmEx cards will have to win America's spend from a very capable competitor.
The article American Express: Keeping the Costco Spend? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Jordan Wathen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Costco Wholesale and Visa. The Motley Fool recommends American Express. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Image source: Getty Images.
Recently approved cancer therapies from Exelixis (NASDAQ: EXEL) and Roche (NASDAQOTH: RHHBY) have oncologists fizzing with excitement, but the two drugmakers have more differences than similarities. While Roche has been profitable for decades, Exelixis is still losing money. On the other hand, Exelixis stock has more than doubled this year, but shares of the Swiss pharma giant have given up about 10% over the same period.
EXEL data by YCharts.
Investors are right to wonder if they should dive into volatile Exelixis stock following its recent plunge or seek safety in Roche's diverse revenue streams. Let's look at some challenges and opportunities facing both companies to see which stock is the better buy.
What's new
Exelixis' lead drug, cabozantinib, chalked up a huge win this April when the FDA approved a tablet form under the brand name Cabometyx for treatment of advanced kidney cancer patients.Although cabozantinib capsules first earned approvalfor treatment of medullary thyroid cancer in 2012 under the brand nameCometriq,it generated modest sales in the limited population. When cabozantinib failed to show a survival benefit in a study with prostate cancer patients a couple of years ago,many analysts assumed its sales would remain limited.
They were wrong. Although Cabometyx launched into the larger kidney cancer population partway through the second quarter, Exelixis' net product revenue exploded from just $9.1 million in the first three months of the year to $31.6 million during the three months ended June.
Image source: Roche.
Roche also has an exciting new cancer therapy. Tecentriq binds to PD-L1 found on the surface of a variety of tumor cells, limiting their ability to suppress immune-system attacks. Two incredibly successful therapies, Opdivo from Bristol-Myers Squibband Keytruda from Merck & Co., act on the immune-cell side of the same pathway, but Tecentriq became the first of its class to earn an FDA approval in May.
What's next
At the moment, Tecentriq is limited to treatment of a relatively limited group of people with bladder cancer, but that could change soon. Any day now, the FDA is expected to announce its decision regarding an application that would expand Tecentriq's availability from bladder cancer to a much larger group of advanced lung cancer patients.
Each year, lung cancers claim the lives of 1.6 million people worldwide, making it the leading cause of cancer death. With eight phase 3 lung cancer studies evaluating Tecentriq in this enormous population showing encouraging results thus far, the therapy has a real chance of reaching peak annual sales estimates north of $3 billion.
Image source: Getty Images.
Roche has more than Tecentriq label expansions to look forward to. Its candidate Ocrevus is the first multiple sclerosis drug to slow progression of the most aggressive form of the disease in large clinical studies. Roche expects an FDA decision regarding an application to treat this underserved population, which represents about 15% of the world's 2.3 million people with multiple sclerosis, by the end of the year. If approved as expected, Ocrevus could add more than $5 billion annually to the company's top line.
For Exelixis, Cabometyx sales in the second quarter were strong enough to suggest its current role in kidney cancer has enough fuel to drive the company to profit town, but it could go much further.
A patient's disease must progress following a specific type of therapy before they become eligible for Cabometyx, butPfizer's Sutent is approved for newly diagnosed, untreated advanced kidney cancer patients. However,Exelixis announced that treatment with Cabometyx significantly slowed disease progression compared to Sutent in a 150-patient trial.We'll have a better idea of how far Cabometyx can expand into the advanced kidney cancer population when it presents results from the study on Oct. 10 at a scientific conference.
Exelixis is also running a phase 3 trial that could support an application to treat the most common form of liver cancer. It recently passed its first interim analysis,and if the trial is successful, Cabometyx could eventually generate more than $1 billion in annual sales.
In the numbers
Given Exelixis' small market cap of around $2.9 billion, a slight breeze could blast its share price in one direction or the other. If Cabometyx shows clear signs it's headed for the $1 billion mark, the stock could soar.
Unfortunately, those signs must appear sooner rather than later, because Exelixis' main cabozantinib patents are set to expire in 2024. Unlike Roche's best-selling products, Cabometyx is asmall molecule drug. Once it loses exclusivity, generic competition could quickly hammer its sales.
Image source: Getty Images.
In stark contrast to Exelixis, Roche needs fire-breathing monster trucks to move the needle. The company finished the first half on pace to generate more than $53 billion in revenue this year.Challenging growth further,biosimilarcompetitionfor two drugs that comprised 24.6% of total sales in the first half (Rituxan and Herceptin)could be on the way.
With a rock-solid dividend offering a 2.7% yield at recent prices, and 29 consecutive years of payment raises (in Swiss francs), Roche is a great stock for those in need of steadily growing income. If you're willing to take risk in hope of greater capital gains, though, Exelixis looks like the better buy.
A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, 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.
Cory Renauer has no position in any stocks mentioned. You can follow Cory on Twitter @TMFang4apples or connect with him on LinkedIn for more healthcare industry insight.
The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Exelixis. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Aerial shot of Cancun's beach. Photo credit: Flickr user dronepicr.
Mexican airport operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste SAB CV , or ASUR, continues to benefit from strong passenger traffic growth at its Cancun Airport. Not only does that airport supply half of the company's domestic passenger traffic, but it's also pretty much the sole driver of international passenger traffic. That strong growth is poised to continue because of strong travel trends as well as new terminals the company is opening up at that key airport.
ASUR's results: The raw numbers
Metric Q1 2016 Actuals Q1 2015 Actuals Growth (YOY) Total passenger traffic 7.2 million 6.6 million 8.9% Total commercial revenue per passenger $99.35 $82.59 20.3% Earnings per ADS in U.S. dollars $1.80 $1.44 24.7%
Data source: Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A.B. de C.V..
What happened with ASUR this quarter?ASUR benefited from strong growth at Cancun:
Domestic traffic grew at seven of ASUR's nine Mexican airports and was up 13% year over year to 2.75 million passengers. The Cancun airport was the big driver of that growth. Not only does it account for nearly half of ASUR's domestic traffic, but it also grew its traffic by 16.4% to 1.36 million passengers. That performance helped to offset some weakness at Veracruz and Villahermosa, which are its third and fourth largest airports by domestic traffic.
International traffic was also very solid, up 6.5% year over year. Again, this growth was primarily driven by Cancun, accounting for 93% of international passenger traffic and the bulk of international traffic growth, which rose by 6.9%. That performance helped offset weakness at its next largest international traffic destination, Cozumel, which saw its traffic slide 6.4%.
ASUR also continued the trend of capturing more revenue per passenger, as seen in the 20.3% jump in total commercial revenue per passenger. This performance was driven by a 31% increase in commercial revenue, led in turn by a 72.2% increase in car rental revenues and 30%-plus revenue growth in retail operations, duty-free, and banking and currency exchange services.
Total operating costs and expenses increased onlt 2.9% despite a 10.8% rise in cost of service because of the opening of the company's Terminal 3 expansion, as well as higher technical assistance fees paid to ITA and higher concession fees paid to the Mexican government.
What's driving this growth?Cancun continues to be Mexico's top tourist destination. That's been good news for ASUR as well as some of its rivals, which are benefiting from travelers going to Cancun. Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacfico , for example, recently noted that traffic at its key airport in Guadalajara is being partially driven by travelers going to Cancun. Groupo Aeroportuario Del Pacifico specifically noted that during the Easter holiday, travel frequencies increased to Cancun.
Travel to the Cancun area continues to be not just tourists hitting the beach, but also business groups going there for meetings. In fact, Cancun/Riviera Maya ranks as the second most popular meeting spot in Central and South America, according to a survey by American Express. That survey also projected that meeting spending in Central and South America would increase 1.4% in 2016, which should drive additional traffic to the Cancun airport.
Looking forwardThose travel trends are why ASUR recently completed the new Terminal 3, which will increase its capacity for international passenger traffic by 4 million passengers. Meanwhile, it's scheduled to open Terminal 4 next year, to further boost its capacity to handle international traffic.These expansion projects will enable the company to handle additional tourists that are projected to flock to the region in the years ahead, which should drive continued bottom-line growth as well.
https://cms.fool.com/dashboard/edit/203521/
The article Cancun Continues to Drive Growth at Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste SAB CV originally appeared on Fool.com.
Matt DiLallo has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends American Express, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico S.A.B (ADR), and Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (ADR). Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons.
If you were disappointed by Chipotle Mexican Grill's first-quarter results, which has caused its share price to fall more than 6% on Wednesday, then you're looking at the wrong thing.
There's no getting around the fact that its results were dismal, reflecting the impact from its food-borne illness crisis at the end of last year.
It reported its first quarterly loss as a publicly traded company.
Revenue fell by 23% compared to the first quarter of 2015.
Same-store sales were off by 29.7% on a year-over-year basis.
But Chipotle isn't letting this crisis go to waste. Since the beginning of the year, it has repurchased $645 million worth of common stock at an average price of $463 per share. That equates to a 40% discount to Chipotle's 52-week high.
All told, the fast-casual chain has bought back 2 million shares of stock since a spate of food-borne illness crises erupted in the second half of 2015. By doing so, it will have reduced its outstanding share count by more than 6%.
Data source: Chipotle Mexican Grill. Chart by author.
This may seem like an odd use of capital at a time when Chipotle is still reeling from the effects of these crises. But unless your strategy is to buy high and sell low, which admittedly is what most companies do when executing buyback programs, this is exactly when a company should be repurchasing stock.
If you look at the top-performing CEOs since World War II, as William Thordike does in The Outsiders, the one thing they shared was a hyper-rational approach to capital allocation. "When their stock was cheap, they bought it (often in large quantities), and when it was expensive, they used it to buy other companies or to raise inexpensive capital to fund future growth," Thorndike writes.
The eight CEOs profiled by Thorndike offer compelling proof of the virtue of this approach. On average, they outperformed the S&P 500 by more than 20 times during their respective tenures. Even the indomitable Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric and a commonly cited prototype of an extraordinary executive, paled in comparison.
To think that Chipotle's issues right now are anything but temporary is to ignore the fact that almost every other major food chain in the United States has survived a similar crisis in the past. Peoplediedfrom an E. coli outbreak atJack in the Box in 1993, yet its stock has since returned nearly 3,500%.
My point is that Chipotle will recover. It may take a year (or two). But when it does, investors who buy in now will benefit immensely from the company's unusually shrewd approach to capital allocation.
The article Chipotle Mexican Grill: The Important Story Everyone Is Missing originally appeared on Fool.com.
John Maxfield owns shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Chipotle Mexican Grill. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The chips embedded in newer credit cards make shopping safer, but they also slow down the process of buying things.
Instead of simply swiping your card, you have to leave it in the reader, which slows down the transaction. That's frustrating for consumers, but it's downright disastrous for merchants during busy times, when the added processing time leads to longer lines and dissatisfied customers.
That explains why the rollout of EMV cards -- that's short for Europay, MasterCard , and Visa -- has been moving slowly in the United States. The process began in October, at which time stores that processed EMV cards using the old magnetic stripe would take over fraud liability from MasterCard, Visa, and other providers.
In theory, that shift should have forced retailers to make the change, but only about 20% of merchants in the U.S. have adopted chip-enabled terminals, according to Visa. Larger retailers have specifically cited disrupting the checkout process as a reason to delay EMV adoption, Bankrate reported.
That's a legitimate fear, because anyone who has used an EMV-equipped Visa or MasterCard has experienced the slow process firsthand. But the days of having chip-enabled cards take longer to process may be over, now that Visa has introduced Quick Chip for EMV, a way to speed up the process and make it as fast as the traditional swipe.
What is Visa doing?The company showed off its new Quick Chip technology at the Electronic Transaction Association's Transact 16, an annual trade show and conference for all the players in the payments space. Offered free of charge "to payment processors, acquiring banks, and other payment networks to offer to merchants," according to a press release, "the upgrade streamlines the processing of chip card transactions."
Visa showed off its new software at its Transact 16 booth. Image source: author.
According to the Visa, the new technology lets shoppers "dip and remove their EMV chip card from the terminal, typically in two seconds or less, without waiting for the transaction to be finalized."
Adding Quick Chip doesn't require any new devices. It's a software upgrade to the retailer's credit card terminal or point-of-sale system.
"Visa is advancing a streamlined approach to chip transactions to make them faster and more efficient, while still providing a safe and secure experience," said Mark Nelsen, the company's senior vice president of risk products and business intelligence. "Quick Chip for EMV helps make the checkout experience comparable to the ease and speed of magnetic-stripe transactions."
This is a game-changer Visa hasnot only solved a major paint point in pushing EMV adoption, but it has also done so in a way that doesn't require retailers to buy anything. Quick Chip is not specific to Visa, either. It will work with MasterCard or other credit cards supported by the stores adopting the technology.
No merchants or consumers are against added security, but both have had problems with the generally clunky process of using chip-equipped cards. No store wants a slower process, and no consumer wants to have to leave his or her card in the reader, which comes with a possibility of leaving it behind. Quick Chip eliminates those problems and really the only major objection to EMV.
Ultimately, this will benefit not just Visa, but also MasterCard, because it will hasten the process of getting retailers to adopt this more secure technology. This is a case where one company has done something that will benefit everyone in the industry. That's ultimately going to pay off for the credit card companies in an increased volume of transactions, higher consumer confidence, and less fraud.
The article Has Visa Solved the Biggest Problem Stopping EMV Adoption? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Daniel Kline has no position in any stocks mentioned. He has two cards with chips and is annoyed at the slow processing times. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends MasterCard and Visa. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
News / International
by Thulani Nkala
Mr Bokani Vundla is not new in the information and publicity business; for the past four years he has been a leading light in the department of information and publicity working under the out-going Secretary of information.Today Mr Vundla launched his manifesto detailing his vision and aspirations for turning ZAPU into a party of choice in Zimbabwe "My vision is to help create a positive image for ZAPU by highlighting the party's key policies, local activism and able party leadership and will also help restore ZAPU's role as a national, pan-African and international player" Mr Vundla shared his vision.ZAPU Europe is going to its elective AGM this Friday on the 30th as a resurgent and vibrant party.Mr Vundla has been pivotal in the success of the ZAPU Europe province as an unelected party member who has been in a number of technical committees including chairing the Information subcommittee and the Diaspora Elections Support Network (DESN). "Our highlight in DESN was galvanising support for the Bulawayo by-elections which created the much needed publicity and visibility for the party" Mr Vundla said"If elected as Secretary for Information, Publicity and Marketing on the 30th I will further strengthen the solid foundation laid by the outgoing secretary and I will reboot the current subcommittees under this portfolio by bringing in fresh players and new ideas" Mr Vundla explainedIn a question and answer session with ZAPU officials and members, Mr Vundla was asked by the out-going Youth Front chair Cde Arnold Dube, who is now moving to the main Party wing and is also contesting for the position of Secretary for Policy and strategy, put it to Mr Vundla as follows "Cde Vundla how aggressive do think you and your team need to be, seeing that effort equals outcomes?"Mr Vundla retorted as follows "If I am elected, I guarantee appropriate aggression by surrounding myself with the right people, assertive and cool headed while being radical. I believe in the two theory i.e. a revolution within a revolution: first we need to change the party while simultaneously trying to change the country Mr Dube"For the very first time since its revival ZAPU will have a strong, knowledgeable and brave personality in its information department and surely this will help set ZAPU apart from its competitors.
Shares of Qualcomm held steady after the mobile chipmaker beat second-quarter earnings estimates on both the top and bottom lines last week. Non-GAAP revenue fell 20% annually to $5.54 billion, but beat expectations by $200 million. Net income fell 34% to $1.6 billion, while diluted earnings (boosted by buybacks) fell 26% to $1.04 per share -- which still exceeded estimates $0.08.
Image source: Qualcomm.
Chipmaking (QCT) revenue fell 19% to $3.34 billion, as the unit's operating profit plunged 77% to $170 million. That decline was mainly attributed to slowing sales of smartphones, the loss of market share to rivals like MediaTek, and OEMs like Samsung and Huawei producing their own mobile chips.
Licensing (QTL) revenue declined 12% to $2.14 billion as operating profit fell 14% to $1.86 billion. That decline was caused by lower licensing fees in China caused by underreported shipments. Let's dig beyond those numbers to understand the positive and negative aspects of Qualcomm's report, and whether investors should buy shares.
First, the good newsThe first piece of good news is that Qualcomm has dealt with its licensing disputes in a timely manner. It announced that its royalty dispute with LG, which was revealed during the first-quarter earnings call, was settled for an undisclosed amount. It also continued securing new patent licensing deals with Chinese OEMs like Xiaomi, Lenovo, and HiSense. These moves might prevent its QTL losses from accelerating, but investors should note that other licensing disputes with South Korean, Taiwanese, and European regulators remain unresolved. However, Qualcomm declared during its conference call that QTL revenues could rise to "greater than $10 billion" in fiscal 2020 -- up from a range between$7.3 billion and $8 billion this year.
MSM (mobile station modem) chip shipments fell 19% annually to 189 million, but that figure was closer to the high end of its previous guidance for 175 million to 195 million shipments, thanks to shipments of the Snapdragon 820 for Samsung's Galaxy S7. Qualcomm expects the same 175 million to 195 million shipments for the current quarter, which would represent a 13% to 22% annual decline. Those figures leave much to be desired, but they indicate that sales of new Snapdragon chips will likely prevent QCT revenue from falling off a cliff this year.
Now, the bad newsThe bad news is that total 3G/4G device sales, which already fell 8% annually to $70.1 billion, are expected to keep falling. Device sales for the current quarter are expected to fall 1% to 14% annually. For the full year, Qualcomm lowered its device shipment forecast from a 1.67-1.77 billion range to 1.625-1.725 billion -- which would represent a range between an 11% annual decline and 5% growth.
Those figures are slightly below Gartner's estimate that global smartphone sales will only rise 7% this year, compared to 14% growth in 2015. Competition from cheaper rivals and first-party chip solutions will make it even tougher for Qualcomm to keep pace with the overall market. To offset that slowdown, Qualcomm is relying on new SoCs for Internet of Things devices, connected cameras, connected cars, and drones to diversify its portfolio away from smartphones and tablets. That move, which is supported by its $2.4 billion acquisition of CSR, could crush smaller camera and drone chipmakers like Ambarella .
Qualcomm's Snapdragon Flight drone reference design. Image source: Qualcomm.
The fundamentalsI believe that three things will set a floor under Qualcomm at current prices -- its buybacks, dividends, and valuation. During the quarter, Qualcomm spent $1.5 billion to buy back shares at an average price of $49 per share. That was a refreshing change of pace from overpaying for its own shares in previous quarters, and indicates that it's willing to defend the $50 level with buybacks.
It also spent $700 million on dividends, and boosted its payout by 10% in March -- representing its 13th consecutive year of dividend increases. That translates to a forward annual yield of 4%, which is significantly higher than Intel's forward yield of 3.3%. Analysts expect Qualcomm to grow its annual earnings by 11% over the next five years, which gives it a 5-year PEG ratio of 1.1. This indicates that Qualcomm is cheaper relative to its earnings growth potential than Intel, which has a higher 5-year PEG ratio of 1.3.
So is Qualcomm stock a buy?Investors looking for rapid price growth should avoid Qualcomm, since its QTL and QCT troubles won't likely clear up anytime soon. However, investors looking for a stable income stock supported by a 4% yield and a strong track record of buybacks should take a closer look at the beaten-down chipmaker.
The article Is Qualcomm Inc. Stock a Buy After Earnings Beat? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Leo Sun owns shares of Qualcomm. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Ambarella, Gartner, and Qualcomm. The Motley Fool recommends Intel. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Image source: iStock/Thinkstock.
Banks have historically been popular dividend stocks, and Wells Fargo continues in that tradition. But is the nation's third-biggest bank by assets the best bank stock for dividend investors? There are two reasons to think that it is, and one to think that it isn't.
The main reason income-seeking investors should like Wells Fargo's stock is because of its yield, which measures how much a stock pays out via dividends relative to its share price.
As a general rule, a higher yield is better than a lower yield if the reason you're buying a stock is to generate income. That said, one that's far above comparable stock yields could mean that the underlying stock exposes investors to excessive risk, as yield and risk are positively correlated.
Wells Fargo currently yields 2.96%. While this is the highest yield among big bank stocks, it's not so far above other yields that investors need to be concerned. To this end, JPMorgan Chase ranks second in the peer group with a yield of 2.75%, and the average stock on the S&P 500 yields 2.17%.
From the perspective of yield, then, Wells Fargo seems to be the best big bank stock for dividend investors.
The California-based bank also ranks at the top of its peer group with respect to the growth rate of its dividend. Wells Fargo has increased its quarterly payout every year since 2011, growing it by a total of 207%.
WFC Dividend Per Share (Quarterly) data by YCharts.
At first glance, this ranks Wells Fargo third among the nation's biggest banks with respect to the five-year growth rate. But the two stocks that outrank it -- namely, Bank of America and Citigroup -- have each increased their dividends only once since the financial crisis.
Wells Fargo thus also comes out on topwhen it comes to a consistently increasing dividend.
The one area where Wells Fargo arguably lags its peers insofar as dividend investors are concerned is its payout ratio. This measures the percent of earnings that a bank distributes to shareholders each year.
Most banks prefer to allocate their earnings equally among dividends, share buybacks, and retained earnings. This would equate to a dividend payout ratio of 33%.
Wells Fargo has a payout ratio of 38.6%, according to data from YCharts.com. This is nothing to be concerned about, but because it's the highest ratio among its peer group, it does suggest that Wells Fargo has less room to boost its quarterly payout in the future than, say, Bank of America, which pays out only 16.1% of its earnings via dividends.
That being said, Wells Fargo's earnings are more substantial than most of its peers, and they grow at a much more consistent rate than any other big bank that comes to mind. As a result, whatever it lacks in terms of its already-high payout ratio, it makes up for with consistency and predictability.
In sum, looking at the three main metrics that investors use to assess dividend stocks, it's clear that Wells Fargo is one of the best bank stocks for dividend investors.
The article Is Wells Fargo the Best Bank Stock for Dividend Investors? originally appeared on Fool.com.
John Maxfield owns shares of Bank of America and Wells Fargo. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Wells Fargo. The Motley Fool has the following options: short May 2016 $52 puts on Wells Fargo. The Motley Fool recommends Bank of America. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
On Tuesday, JetBlue Airways reported strong earnings growth for the first quarter of 2016. Earnings per share reached $0.59: up from just $0.40 a year earlier, and well ahead of the average analyst estimate of $0.53.
Investors were less pleased about the company's outlook -- and particularly its estimate that unit revenue will decline about 12.5% year over year in April. However, this jarring statistic isn't really representative of JetBlue's revenue trajectory.
JetBlue posted a big Q1 earnings beat but a weaker outlook. Image source: JetBlue Airways.
Unit revenue deterioratesIn 2015, JetBlue dramatically outperformed the rest of the industry by growing its revenue per available seat mile (RASM) by 0.8%. While its underlying unit revenue trends weakened over the course of the year, even in Q4, RASM declined just 0.2%.
In 2016, JetBlue's unit revenue has taken a turn for the worse. RASM declined 7% in Q1, as weak demand on routes to Latin America and the Caribbean offset stronger results for business markets in the Northeast and JetBlue's transcontinental Mint service.
JetBlue made up for this unit revenue decline with even bigger cost savings. JetBlue's unit costs plummeted 12.6% year over year in Q1, due to a sharp drop in fuel prices and a 3.6% reduction in non-fuel unit costs (excluding profit sharing).
As a result, JetBlue's operating margin widened by 5 percentage points to 21.6%. That was the best operating margin of any airline, beating out even industry stalwart Southwest Airlines , despite Southwest posting a much better unit revenue result.
Headwinds coming in Q2As noted above, JetBlue expects RASM to fall 12.5% this month, dragged down by shifts in the timing of Easter and Passover relative to last year. That said, the company expects to report a Q2 RASM decline roughly in line with last quarter's 7% decrease. This implies declines in the 4%-5% range for May and June.
JetBlue estimates that non-fuel unit costs will be roughly flat (down 0.5% to up 1.5%) while its projected fuel price is $1.33/gallon, down from $2.13/gallon in Q2 2015. As a result, the company should be able to keep growing its earnings in Q2, but at a slower rate.
In total, JetBlue's guidance implies EPS of about $0.50-$0.55: up from $0.44 last year but worse than what analysts had expected. That means it won't be able to maintain its position as the most profitable airline in the country. Southwest Airlines has the inside track for taking the top spot in terms of operating margin for Q2, due to its strong unit revenue trajectory.
Southwest Airlines may have the best profit margin of any airline in Q2. Image source: The Motley Fool.
Revenue trends should strengthen going forwardJetBlue's unit revenue trajectory should strengthen in the back half of the year. First, the carrier has tweaked its capacity plans in light of recent demand trends. For example, it has cut some capacity during off-peak periods in the fall.
JetBlue has also reallocated some capacity from weaker markets like Colombia and Puerto Rico to domestic routes during the peak summer period. Recently, unit revenue trends have been much better in the domestic market than on international routes. Indeed, Southwest Airlines' domestic focus is a key driver of its strong unit revenue outperformance this year.
Second, JetBlue's capacity growth will slow in the second half of 2016. Capacity soared 14.1% in Q1 and is expected to rise 9.5%-11.5% year over year in Q2. However, its capacity growth will slow to about 7% in Q3 and even less in Q4. High capacity growth tends to put pressure on unit revenue, so slower growth should lead to better trends.
Third, JetBlue's new co-branded credit card was launched last month. While there will be a bit of a ramp-up period, it is expected to eventually drive at least $60 million of incremental annual operating income. A good chunk of that benefit should start to show up by the second half of 2016.
Finally, JetBlue will further expand its highly successful Mint service this fall. In addition to its New York routes, JetBlue offers Mint service on two daily Boston-San Francisco flights today. By mid-November, Mint will expand to three daily Boston-San Francisco roundtrips and three Boston-Los Angeles roundtrips. JetBlue is also adding more Mint service to the Caribbean.
Better unit revenue trends should help the stockJetBlue shares are down about 25% since peaking last fall. A big reason for that is the sharp deterioration of its unit revenue trajectory. If the factors mentioned above allow JetBlue to get back to flat unit revenue -- or better still, unit revenue growth -- investors should gain confidence in the sustainability of its high profitability.
JetBlue stock currently trades for less than nine times projected 2016 earnings. That's surprisingly low in light of its massive growth potential. A little boost in investor confidence could therefore drive big stock gains through multiple expansion.
The article JetBlue Airways Delivers Another Strong Quarter originally appeared on Fool.com.
Adam Levine-Weinberg owns shares of JetBlue Airways and is long January 2017 $17 calls on JetBlue Airways. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Nonresidential construction is slowly growing. That's good for Nucor. Image source: Nucor Corporation.
Dominant American steelmakerNucor Corporation announced first-quarter earnings on April 21, reporting a 15% decline in revenue but a slight increase in profits, as the company continues showing its chops at managing costs in a tough steel market.
Here's a closer look at Nucor's financial results, as well as comments from management on the state of the industry and the company's outlook.
The numbers
Metric Q1 2016 Q1 2015 Change Revenue $3,715.5 $4,399.4 (15.5%) Net earnings to Nucor shareholders $70.5 $67.8 4% Earnings per share $0.22 $0.21 5%
Revenue and net earnings to Nucor shareholders in millions. Source: Nucor.
Revenue was down 16% in the quarter, but steel mill production and shipments were up 13% and 16% from the year-ago quarter, respectively, while sales tons to outside customers (that is, excluding sales from one Nucor subsidiary to another) increased 9% from last year.
What happened in the quarterWhile the situation has finally started to improve, so-called "dumping" of imported steel into American markets remains a problem for American steelmakers. In short, foreign steelmakers, many of which are government-owned, have been selling illegally subsidized, imported steel into the country for the past several years, in violation of international trade agreements.
How severe has it become? According to Nucor CEO John Ferriola on the company's fourth-quarter earnings call earlier this year, domestic steel consumption was at its highest levels since before the Great Recession in 2015. But because of increased imports -- many getting illegal price subsidies from their country of origin -- American steel mills averaged only about 70% capacity utilization.
However, it seems that a combination of American tariffs and broad global condemnation of these illegal trade activities is starting to have an effect. Ferriola said that import volumes declined slightly in the first quarter after years of steady increases. There are also a number of active investigations into illegal trade activity that's expected to produce more tariffs against key products from certain importers.
Nucor benefited from higher operating rates and lower energy prices in the first quarter. However, as demonstrated by its higher profitability on lower revenue, even though it shipped more tons of product to customers. Lower natural gas prices and lower scrap prices both played a role in higher profits at its steel-mill and steel-products segments.
However, lower scrap prices hurt profitability at the company's direct-reduced iron business, which produces iron its steel mills to use as a feedstock. However, management was clear that this was purely a product of cheaper scrap prices that drove down the economic value of DRI, and not production issues at either the Louisiana or Trinidad DRI plants. At the same time, those lower scrap costs mean lower operating expense for the steel mills, which makes up for at least some of the losses in the raw-materials business.
Nucor added $280 million in cash and short-term investments to the balance sheet, ending the quarter with over $2.3 billion in cash and short-term investments, in addition to a $1.5 billion untapped line of credit. Long-term debt remained unchanged at $4.4 billion, with no significant maturities until $600 million in December 2017. As CFO James Frias put it on the call, Nucor is the only American steelmaker with an investment-grade credit rating, and its strong balance sheet is a big reason why.
What management saidJohn Ferriola, on the progress made to level the playing field against illegal dumping:
Ferriola on the opportunity to grow sales to automotive industry:
"[O]ur company and our products are being very well received in the marketplace, and we anticipate continuing to grow in automotive. If you look at just what we've done in Q1, our automotive volume was up about 20% compared to where we were in [Q4 of] 2015, and we anticipate it to continue to grow."
Energy and industrial machinery customers are still struggling with cyclical downturns, but Ferriola sees slow, steady improvement in one veryimportantindustry for steelmakers:"But I would suggest that one that we see to continually improve ... albeit at a very slow level is non-residential construction. And clearly, a lot of steel products go into non-residential construction."
Looking aheadOn the earnings call, management said that earnings in the second quarter are expected to "improve significantly" from the first quarter, though it didn't provide specific guidance. Nucor has historically issued guidance about two weeks before the end of the quarter, but it sounds as if management sees the benefit of tariffs, falling global production, and rebounding demand in a few key industries as helping drive the company's bottom-line results next quarter.
In summary, nothing stellar about Nucor's earnings, but no other steelmaker has proved as capable of navigating an industry downturn -- whether it's a product of economic weakness or unfair competition from overseas competitors -- as Nucor.
The article Nucor Corporation Casts Another Profitable Quarter As Steel Market Slowly Turns originally appeared on Fool.com.
Jason Hall has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Nucor. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Image source: Southern Company.
Utilities have to respond to Mother Nature, and a warm winter can pose short-term challenges for regulated utility companies. Coming into its first-quarter financial report on Wednesday, utility giant Southern Company had investors nervous about a potential drop in earnings, due in part to winter weather conditions that most people would find pleasant but that ate into demand for the services the utility provides. Southern did see a hit to revenue, but net income held up better than most had expected. Let's look more closely at how Southern Company did and what the utility sees in store for the rest of the year.
Southern Company stays warm Southern Company's first-quarter results were mixed in investors' eyes. Revenue dropped 5% to $3.97 billion, which was far worse than the roughly 2% growth that most of those following the stock had expected. Extraordinary charges for the construction of the Kemper integrated gasification combined cycle project and for proposed acquisition costs pushed GAAP net income downward, but adjusted net income of $532 million was up 3.5% from the previous year's first quarter. The resulting adjusted earnings of $0.58 per share topped the consensus forecast by a nickel per share.
A closer look at Southern Company's results shows why some of the numbers worked out the way they did. Lower non-fuel operating and maintenance costs and positive revenue effects from retail regulated-utility customers offset higher depreciation expenses and negative effects of mild weather. Lower fuel costs were the primary culprit for falling revenue, because much of Southern's business involves passing through its costs at a specified regulated rate that's tied to market conditions. Wholesale revenue also declined 15% to $396 million, contributing to the downdraft on the utility's top line.
Kilowatt-hour sales to retail customers fell 3%, but the company said that a standard weather adjustment would have resulted in growth of 0.4%. Similarly, Residential energy sales were down 7.2% on an unadjusted basis, but Southern reported a 1.4% rise in that measure after making a weather-based adjustment. Commercial and industrial energy sales also eased downward in unadjusted terms but rose slightly after adjusting for weather impacts.
Southern Company's results were pretty consistent across its subsidiaries. Operating revenues at the Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Gulf Power, Mississippi Power, and Southern Power units all fell between 5% and 10%, with Southern Power performing the worst. Earnings were weak everywhere but Georgia Power, which posted a 14% rise in segment net income.
CEO Thomas Fanning celebrated the utility's results. "Southern Company performed superbly in executing its business plan in the first quarter," Fanning said. "We saw positive customer growth, along with strong residential and commercial sales and a robust economic development pipeline." The CEO also noted the strength of the Southern Power competitive generation business in rounding out the regulated utility operations.
What's ahead for Southern?One substantial way in which investors hope Southern can grow is through acquisitions, and the pending merger with AGL Resources has gotten a lot of attention lately. In mid-April, the deal got approval by regulators in the state of Georgia, with the companies agreeing to freezing future increases in base rates through mid-2019. Yet because Southern and AGL cover multiple states, the deal will have to gain approval from a multitude of state regulatory bodies as well as federal authorities like the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Most of those following the merger believe that the AGL-Southern deal will gain approval, but the timeline could be longer than shareholders would prefer.
Southern Company shares had little response to the news, inching higher by a fraction of a percent in early morning trade following the announcement. The fickle nature of weather promises that Southern will see new conditions emerge in the months to come, and investors should prepare for volatility in short-term results while focusing on the long-term promise of growth from organic and acquisition-based sources.
The article Southern Company Delivers Energetic Earnings originally appeared on Fool.com.
Dan Caplinger has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Southern Company. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Most ordinary investors focus on stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds in building their investment portfolios. However, there are other financial markets that play a key role in the overall economy, and although many investors never participate in them, futures markets are among the most important. Let's look at what futures are and why you need to pay attention to them.
What futures contracts areThe futures market has its origins in the commodities industry. Farmers, oil and gas producers, miners, and others whose business it is to produce commodities wanted a way to manage the risk of having to accept an uncertain price for their future production. Futures contracts were the answer, and they met the needs of many market participants.
How a futures contract works is actually fairly simple. Under a futures contract, the contract seller agrees to sell a fixed amount of a certain commodity to the contract buyer on a particular day in the future. Most importantly, the price that the buyer will pay the seller is set based on the prevailing futures market price at the time the two parties enter into the contract.
Why people use futuresFutures have a useful function in managing risk. Take an example of a farmer who wants to sell this season's wheat crop to a bakery company. If the spot price of wheat falls between now and the time the farmer harvests the wheat, then without a futures contract, the farmer would take a financial hit. The futures contract provides the farmer with predictable compensation for the crop.
Conversely, the contract buyer also gets risk protection. If the spot price of wheat were to rise between now and when the bakery company needs it for its future needs, then the bakery would face an unexpected rise in expenses. Having the futures contract fixes the bakery's ingredient costs.
Of course, the downside of futures contracts is that you miss out on potential windfalls if the market moves in your favor. In the examples above, having a futures contract would cause the farmer to miss out on higher profits if wheat prices rose, or it would leave the bakery paying more than necessary for wheat if prices fell.
The breadth of the futures marketNow, futures go well beyond commodities. You can trade futures contracts based on non-physical benchmarks like stock market indexes, or you can trade financial assets like long-term Treasury bonds or foreign currencies. What these all have in common is that they allow you to predict trends well into the future, or lock in your future expectations now regardless of what actually ends up happening.
The futures market has a reputation as being risky. But understanding how futures work is important even if you never actually participate in the futures market itself, because futures have an impact on the companies whose shares millions of investors own.
This article is part of The Motley Fool's Knowledge Center, which was created based on the collected wisdom of a fantastic community of investors. We'd love to hear your questions, thoughts, and opinions on the Knowledge Center in general or this page in particular. Your input will help us help the world invest, better! Email us atknowledgecenter@fool.com. Thanks -- and Fool on!
The article What Are Futures? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
If public education is Americas great equalizer helping to level the playing field for the disadvantaged why dont all public school students receive equal funding?
Thats a question facing many local boards of education across the nation, which are increasingly adopting school choice programs but rejecting equal funding for charter school students.
Long ago, the nation, thanks to a historic Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education, dismantled equal-in-name but unequal-in-practice, racially based school segregation. The time has come to make a similar change to local school system funding formulas that allot more funds to traditional public schools than public charter schools. Most of the present formulas, of course, are not as odious as segregation, but they could be considered just as onerous to the education of children from all backgrounds.
In my home state of Colorado, the average public charter school student receives an average of 20 percent less funding than their peers in traditional public schools, largely because of the unequal distribution of local tax revenue.
The issue is now coming to a head in Colorado, one of the first states to adopt charter schools, where the state legislature is debating a bipartisan bill to remedy the situation. The proposed legislation would make the state the first in the nation to ensure local school districts share local tax revenue with public charter school students on an equal basis.
Special interest groups are loudly contesting the bill, to be sure. But their rancor stands in sharp contrast to the common sense decisions made by several leading school districts in the state, including Denver and Boulder, where local tax revenue is already shared equally with public charter school students.
The resistance of politicians is puzzling, as choice and charter schools are overwhelmingly popular. In a recent poll, more than 84 percent of Colorado voters said they support legislation that ensures taxpayer funding benefits public charter school students and traditional public school students equally.
In Colorado, charter schools are tuition-free, public schools that are open to all children. They have the flexibility to be innovative, entrepreneurial and self-governing, and are held accountable for student performance.
Charter schools in Colorado work with diverse students, who mirror the diversity of our state. Currently, 46.9 percent of Colorado charter public school students identified as students of color, compared to 45.7 percent of the states traditional public school students. Public charter schools are also posting impressive results for kids: In 2014, students in charter schools were more likely to score proficient or advanced in math, reading and writing on the state assessment than their peers in traditional public schools. This result was true across all demographic groups.
Thus, much of the opposition to equalization appears to come not from parents, but from defenders of the status quo who fear a loss of clout if charter schools continue to grow.
Unequal funding isnt the only burden charter schools face. In most states, like Colorado, public charter schools have to locate and acquire their facilities, which may require them to use part of their per-pupil funding for capital spending rather than student needs.
As a society, we have come a long way since Brown v. Board, yet high hurdles still exist. Colorados policymakers must work together to end the separate and unequal funding for public charter school students. It has become the new form of inequality and discrimination in our schools, and it is hurting kids. Taxpayers have grown tired of the ill-conceived practice and lawmakers should take swift action to reject it once and for all.
Scott Laband is president of Colorado Succeeds, a Denver-based, non-profit think tank that focuses on education and business issues.
Princes sprawling Paisley Park Mansion is now vacant. What prevents someone close to him from going in and taking his personal possessions including some of the thousands of songs hes said to have written?
A Carver County Police representative told FOX411 the estate is currently being watched under the eye of a private security company.
Paisley Park is a commercial building, it is a business, it has some quarters there are as well, he said. There is security personnel. We provided police services for the memorial and then transitioned to private security Monday morning. And so now private security is there.
Prince owned a dozen properties in and around his famous Paisley Park complex in suburban Minneapolis: mostly rural pieces of land and some houses for family members. Public records show those properties were worth about $27 million in 2016
On Saturday, some of Princes most beloved family, friends and musicians celebrated his life in a small, private service after his remains had been cremated. The location of the service was not released; however his sister, brother-in-law and catering trucks were seen on the estate grounds.
Hundreds of fans were gathered outside the estate, which is surrounded by a security fence. Since Princes death, the fence has been covered with purple balloons, flowers, signs and more honoring the music icon.
Those closest to Prince were inside the estate on Saturday, and they were seen emerging to hand out round purple boxes to some fans. Each box contained a handout with a color photo of the late musician and a black T-shirt with "3121" printed on it in white the numbers were the title of a Prince album.
It was not immediately clear if anyone in Princes closest circle has unfiltered access to the estate.
Fans took to social media to document the love and support outside Paisley Park on Saturday.
Inside the boxes being handed out at #PaisleyPark is a shirt, book. Each one appears to be a little different. pic.twitter.com/SDqBEw7Yns Jack Highberger (@JackHighberger) April 23, 2016
Family and friends of #Prince passing out purple boxes to fans outside #PaisleyPark. pic.twitter.com/cdLA7GiwwC Jack Highberger (@JackHighberger) April 23, 2016
Princes lawyer did not immediately return FOX411s request
for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned doctors against prescribing an oral yeast infection drug to pregnant women because the medication may increase the risk of miscarriage. The FDA issued the warning Tuesday following results of a Danish study that linked oral fluconazole, a drug that aims to treat yeast infections, to miscarriage. The FDA has urged caution until it can review the study results and possibly make new recommendations.
Oral fluconazole, which is sold under the brand name Diflucan and other generic names, is used to treat yeast infections of the vaginal area, mouth and esophagus. It can also be used to treat a fungal infection of the brain and spinal cord called cryptococcal meningitis, which typically affects patients with weakened immune systems.
The FDA advised pregnant patients and women who are actively trying to get pregnant should to ask their physicians about alternative treatment for yeast infections.
The FDA drug label for fluconazole states research does not suggest an increased risk of pregnancy complications or developmental abnormalities when women are exposed to a single 150 mg dose of oral fluconazole. According to the FDA safety alert, high doses of the drug taken by pregnant women for a longer period of time have resulted in birth abnormalities.
The Danish study results were based on one or two doses of 150 mg.
As many as 80 percent of parents worldwide spank their children, according to a 2014 UNICEF report. But a meta-analysis of five decades of research published Wednesday in the Journal of Family Psychology suggests the disciplinary action can pose serious, long-term harm to children.
The research, which reviewed 160,000 children overall, linked repeated spanking to an increased risk of a child being defiant to his or her parents, anti-social, aggressive, mentally ill, and cognitively challenged.
Researchers who conducted the study, from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Michigan, said their meta-analysis is the most comprehensive on spanking to date.
"Our analysis focuses on what most Americans would recognize as spanking and not on potentially abusive behaviors," study author Elizabeth Gershoff, an associate professor of human development and family sciences at The University of Texas at Austin, said in a news release. "We found that spanking was associated with unintended detrimental outcomes, and was not associated with more immediate or long-term compliance, which are parents' intended outcomes when they discipline their children."
Study authors defined spanking as an open-handed hit on the behind or extremities, and they found the disciplinary action was significantly linked with 13 of the 17 outcomes they analyzed. Researchers described all of those outcomes as detrimental.
Spanking thus does the opposite of what parents usually want it to do, co-author Grogan-Kaylor, an associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work, said in the release.
Researchers drew their results by reviewing various studies and consistently found negative behavioral associations with spanking, regardless of the research model. They wrote in their study that theres no clear evidence spanking can have a positive effect on childrens behavior and development, and that outcomes from spanking are similar to those from physical abuse.
"We as a society think of spanking and physical abuse as distinct behaviors," Gershoff said in the release. "Yet our research shows that spanking is linked with the same negative child outcomes as abuse, just to a slightly lesser degree."
In the news release, Gershoff noted that her teams results fall in line with a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that called for "public engagement and education campaigns and legislative approaches to reduce corporal punishment," including spanking, as a means of reducing physical child abuse.
"We hope that our study can help educate parents about the potential harms of spanking and prompt them to try positive and non-punitive forms of discipline, she said in the release.
News / Local
by Stephen Jakes
Harare Residents Trust has said although it does not condone illegal construction of houses by the residents it was as much concerned over the Harare City Council's recent move to destroy people's homes under such conditions."The residents of Harare lost their properties in a spree of property demolitions for allegedly building on illegal structures. The law says no property should be demolished without a court order," the trust. "The instruction to demolish came from the office of the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing."The trust said the City of Harare used its equipment and manpower to destroy houses of innocent residents whose only crime is being poor and weak."The HRT does not condone illegality, but does not accept the City of Harare to use illegal measures against the people," said the trust.
In a speech Wednesday outlining his would-be foreign policy, Donald Trump tried to sound presidential. The Republican presidential candidate succeeded in sounding tough if contradictory. But he outlined a foreign policy that isnt so different from that of Hillary Clinton.
Take ISIS for example. Trump acknowledged in his speech the jihadist army that is slipping its tentacles into the West and promised that its days are numbered. But Trump refused to provide any details of how he would fight ISISimplying he doesnt want to telegraph his brilliant strategy to the enemy.
This is too clever by half. Given that ISIS is rampaging in the Middle East and has massacred Americans there, in Europe, and right here in the United States, its insufficient for a presidential candidate effectively to say yadda, yadda Ill beat ISIS and provide no more information.
Frankly, it sounds like a teenager who has failed every quiz during the semester but implausibly promises to save the day by acing the final.
Trumps strategy to defeat ISIS is basically the same as that of President Obama and Secretary Clinton, which is to say he has no strategy at all.
The reality is Trumps strategy to defeat ISIS is basically the same as that of President Obama and Secretary Clinton, which is to say he has no strategy at all.
Earlier Wednesday Trump all but endorsed Obamas announcement that hell send 250 more troops to Syria, saying I could agree with it, but declaring he would dispatch them secretly.
Trump doesnt know how to go beyond the Obama-Clinton foreign policy of using gestures to appear be reacting to events without actually solving anything.
Evidently, Trump would also mirror Clinton on Russia. Despite promises to regard Moscow with open eyes Trump observed Wednesday, we are not bound to be adversaries, and added, I believe an easing of tensions and improved relations with Russia.
This is no different than the self-regard and conceit that led Clinton to offer the Russians a plastic reset button, believing the force of her personality would change the Russians calculation of their national interests.
Wednesday in Washington Trump laudably called for containing the spread of radical Islam while observing that is not just a military struggle but a philosophical contesta reality that has eluded much of the U.S. government since 9/11.
It seems like Trump is newly willing to borrow a few ideas from Ted Cruz and other conservatives who have been pressing these issues throughout the presidential campaign. However, the businessman undercut himself by saying he will stick with the Iran nuclear deal he allegedly disdains, promising merely to implement it strictly.
There is no way to defeat radical Islam without ceasing the grand accommodation of the Iranian regime that Obama enacted as Secretary Clinton cheered.
The biggest takeaway from Trumps foreign policy speech should be that the only remaining candidate with a conservative, Reaganesque foreign policy prepared for todays threats is Ted Cruz.
Trumps speech was helpful for that reason alone.
American manufacturingonce the pride of our nation and the envy of the worldis struggling. Foreign competition couldnt beat it, but our own domestic regulation and taxes are crushing it to death. That is something we can change. Congress has the opportunity to lighten those government burdens enough to revive this great engine of American prosperity.
American manufacturers often rely on resources and materials in short supply in the United States. That means they have to import them in order to manufacture goods for both American consumers and for export. When these resources are hit with a tariffthat is, an import taxat our border, companies have to pay more for these necessities, increasing their costs. Reducing or suspending these tariffs keeps costs down, makes American manufacturers more competitive, and may be the difference between survival and failure in todays competitive international economy.
In the past, companies have often found relief from these discriminatory taxes by marshalling lobbyists and befriending politicians to introduce special exemptions. These special bills would then be reviewed by the International Trade Commission (ITC), which would advise Congress on a package of tariff suspensions, known as the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB). However, criticisms of this process, particularly its lack of transparency and its dependence on businesses having special access to Members of Congress, have prevented Congress from considering MTB legislation since 2010. As a result, American manufacturing has experienced an effective tax hike of $748 million and the U.S. economy has seen a $1.875 billion loss, according to the National Association of Manufacturers.
Duty suspension bills got caught in the earmark ban because the process reflected many of the markers you would find in a pay-to-play scheme. But, at the core, duty suspensions help domestic manufacturers. This is tax relief, not directed spending.
We believe that the original MTB process was flawed because it forced companies to beg Congressmen to introduce bills to reduce duties for particular products, in effect giving individual congressman life or death say in the survival of these businesses. We believe that it is time for Congress to institute a more streamlined and transparent process to consider the MTB that does not depend on whether a company has political access and influence.
Thats why we are supporting H.R. 4923, which reforms the MTB process by leveling the playing field and also adhering to Congresss recent ban on special interest exemptions.
Our reform legislation will allow businesses in need of tariff relief to submit their requests directly to the ITC to be independently reviewed, without having to camp out at congressional offices. The ITC will then be able to carefully examine each request away from the highly partisan atmosphere of Congress and then present its independent recommendations, based on the facts, not politics.
As manufacturers in our districts struggle to remain viable in a global economy, we should all support streamlining Americas byzantine bureaucracy. The reformed process will ensure that small companies have equal access to tax relief.
For example, Nation Ford Chemical is a family-owned small business in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Founded in 1977, and specializing in custom, organic chemicals, Nation Fords products supply the U.S. Armed Forces and many large companies. According to Jay Dickson, President of Nation Ford, without the MTB in place, we have spent over $100,000 annually which is money that would have been reinvested in the company for growth and job creation. The additional import duties have impacted the cost of their products, and made them less competitive.
There are companies big and small that share this story. Bimax Chemicals imports a product from China, then transforms the product at their plant in Glen Rock, Pennsylvania before exporting the product back to China paying duties each way. These additional costs threaten Bimaxs competiveness and restricts its ability to reinvest and grow from its current 75 employees.
Sun Chemical has employees in Muskegon, Michigan, Cincinnati, Ohio, Amelia, Ohio, New Brunswick, New Jersey and Goose Creek, South Carolina. Access to duty suspensions could help Sun save more than $3,000,000 on raw materials.
American discontent with the federal government is well-founded, and our manufacturing sector has suffered from federal mismanagement in the form of excessive regulations and an outdated and punitive tax code. We have a chance to reverse course. Its time for leaders to side with American manufacturing and restore a degree of public trust in Americas institutions. Moving forward on an open, independent and transparent MTB process is a good start.
A revamped and renewed MTB process will make domestic manufactures more competitive in the international marketplace and help our struggling economy.
Republican Tom McClintock represents California's 4th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Republican Mark Walker represents North Carolina's 6th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Republican Mick Mulvaney represents South Carolina's 5th congressional district. Republican Jeff Duncan represents South Carolina's 3rd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.
What was important about Donald Trumps much anticipated foreign policy speech Wednesday is what he didnt say. There was no mention by the self-declared Republican Partys presumptive presidential nominee of his determination to build a wall between Mexico and the United States and get the Mexican government to pay for it.
There was only a passing reference to his frequent criticism of illegal immigrants, the theme that helped launch his presidential campaign last summer.
There was no mention of letting South Korea and Japan acquire nuclear weapons, or of walking away from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the organization which protected Europe from Soviet aggression which he said earlier had outlived its usefulness.
Though he called the Obama administrations nuclear deal with Iran a disaster, he did not say that he would tear it up on day one or insist that it be renegotiated. He simply declared that Iran would not be permitted to get a nuclear weapon, which is precisely what President Obama said prior to signing his controversial agreement with Teheran.
One of the toughest sections of Mr. Trumps speech was his withering critique of Hillary Clintons expertise and performance as Mr. Obamas secretary of state.
Mr. Trump did not say he would defend Israel at all costs, though he called the Jewish state our great friend and the one true democracy in the Middle East.
He condemned the Obama administrations abandonment of Middle Eastern Christians, but said nothing about how he would protect them from what he called the genocide being perpetrated by ISIS and other jihadi groups.
While he vowed to destroy the Islamic State very, very quickly, he gave no clue as to how he would defeat the group which now has billions of dollars in its coffers, tentacles in nine states, and tens of thousands of Arab and foreign fighters battling to build an Islamic caliphate in Syria and Iraq and spread the groups perverse interpretation of Islam throughout the world. And he did not repeat his claim that President Bush lied about Saddams having WMD to invade Iraq.
The tone of the billionaire real estate developers remarks at Washingtons Mayflower Hotel was also a departure from his often stream-of consciousness diatribes masquerading as speeches.
Mr. Trump read the carefully crafted, but still emotional 40-minute speech on a TelePrompter, inserting some of his trademark verbal grace notes on an impromptu basis.
The speech, his first serious attempt to ally foreign and American concerns about his knowledge of foreign affairs contained almost none of his earlier jaw-dropping prescriptions for restoring Americas economic and military greatness.
It is unclear whether the speech will reverse the perception abroad of Mr. Trump as a foreign policy amateur, a businessman too ignorant of world affairs and ill-disciplined to learn about them Berlusconi with nukes, as one foreign pundit called him, a reference to Italys flamboyant, controversial ex-prime minister.
Mr. Trump mainly repeated his populist themes and his determination to pivot from what he called the Obama-Clinton foreign policy, which he said had alienated traditional allies and friends and led the nations foes to loose respect for the U.S.
While many Republicans and even some Democrats would agree with his stark critique of some the administrations contradictory, sometimes too-little, too-late initiatives a complete and total disaster, Mr. Trump called Mr. Obamas foreign policy he offered few concrete remedies for restoring the economic strength which he said underpins Americas ability to project power abroad. Im on the only one, believe me, I know them all, he said of his rivals, who knows how to fix it. Or, in other words, trust me.
Again and again, he vowed to move toward an America first model in domestic and foreign policy, seemingly unaware that America First was the slogan of the isolationists who fought to prevent Roosevelt from aiding Britain and other allies threatened with Nazi and Japanese aggression prior to World War II.
His pledge to prevent American companies from moving abroad how legally he would do that he did not say and force Americas allies to pay more for their own defense by tougher negotiations with them suggested there remain similar gaps in his knowledge of American law and foreign affairs. Studies have shown that it is cheaper to base the 28,000 American troops in South Korea there than it would be to keep them at home; and South Korea already pays half of those costs.
But critics of President Obamas foreign policy are likely to dismiss Mr. Trumps gaffes and contextual omissions as quibbles, and welcome his call for a more robust military, a tougher stance against Islamic radicalism at home and abroad, and an America-centric foreign policy. Republican "realists" will also welcome his call to deploy force "when there is no alternative," a pledge which mirrors the isolationist mood of part of his party and the country.
One of the toughest sections of Mr. Trumps speech was his withering critique of Hillary Clintons expertise and performance as Mr. Obamas secretary of state.
Predictably, he criticized her record of having supported the war in Iraq and other military interventions abroad -- an implicit criticism of President George W. Bush as well. He also accused of her of having misled the nation about the attack on Americas consulate in Benghazi, where the U.S. ambassador and three brave Americans were killed. Instead of taking charge that night, he said, Hillary Clinton decided to go home and sleep. Incredible, he said. She was not awake to take that call at 3 oclock in the morning.
That was not only vintage Trump, but a precursor of what lies ahead if Mr. Trump, indeed, wins the nomination.
Presidential candidate Donald J. Trumps first foreign policy speech laid out a bold new vision for American leadership in the world.
Responding to the need to re-evaluate American foreign policy which has been adrift since the end of the Cold War twenty seven years ago, Mr. Trump has presented a plan to reassess current U.S. security arrangements around the world with the necessary goal of adapting to new developments and addressing emerging threats.
Mr. Trump makes the case that American taxpayers are spending titanic amounts defending other nations and regions which could and should be contributing more toward their own self-defense. The principle of defending friends is not in question, but our spending strategies have to be reevaluated, so that long term viability is insured. Within NATO, only four of the 28 member countries are meeting their defense commitments while the US is providing 73 percent of the overall NATO budget.
This organization should be restructured to be able to adapt to current world challenges, including countering the terror threats now crawling up from NATOs south and southeast and striking its cities, as well as to stand by its weaker members if they face pressures. Mr. Trump clearly desires to reduce tensions with Russia and China so as to better focus on containing our common enemy, Jihadism.
For Mr. Trump, the worst case scenario of nuclear terror is the first priority to be addressed before such weapons fall into the hands of jihadi terrorists who are more than willing to use them. President Trump will never allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon, and he will confront and contain Iranian expansionism.
The Obama administration has stood by helplessly as the Middle East has become increasingly engulfed in chaos. Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen are crumbling under civil wars, Hezbollah dominates Lebanon and Iran is using the unfrozen billions released by Obamas deal to purchase advanced weaponry and to destabilize the region even further. A new U.S. policy will reverse these processes as of February 2017. Although Mr. Trump would take steps to create safe zones in the region to stem the tide of refugees now pouring into Europe, he has declared that America will get out of the nation-building business and that American citizens will never again feel their interests come second to the interests of the citizens of foreign country.
While the world is concentrating on ISIS in the Levant, dozens of terrorist Jihadi enclaves are being formed by radical Islamists stretching from Afghanistan, the Sinai to Libya and progressing across Africa. They must be contained with the help of regional coalitions. Mr. Trump also understands the use of economic leverage to pressure China into reining in North Koreas nuclear ambitions.
From Paris to Brussels, from Chattanooga to San Bernardino, the urban jihadists are wreaking havoc. Stronger counter-terrorism measures and deeper international cooperation on the one hand, and new and smarter immigration strategies on the other, must be set up in order to place America on a path to greater security, not just for today, but for generations to come.
Under President Donald Trump, iihadism and Islamism will be called by their names, inasmuch as they already are in Europe and the Arab world, and with greater precision. Identifying, designating, and countering the jihadi ideology will be the central core to U.S. strategic communications in order to protect America and its allies.
Furthermore, the mother organization which has been spreading extremism and stealth indoctrination since the 1920s, i.e. the Muslim Brotherhood, will be designated as a terrorist group by President Trump in coordination with the U.S. Congress and in conjunction with a growing number of Arab countries who have already framed it as such.
Mr. Trump will bring every possible instrument of power and intelligence to bear so as to eradicate this terror scourge from the earth. But to achieve this goal, the American public must be informed and educated not dis-informed and dis-educated. A Trump administration will lead the effort to address these terror threats and will reform the engagement and strategic communication agencies of the U.S. government in such a way that this message is clearly understood by friend and foe alike and is reflective of the new national consensus between the White House and the Congress.
A new popular majority is sweeping the country during these primary elections and another greater national current will legitimize these new principles with the election of Donald Trump as president in November. These new foreign policy directions will have a deeply informed public backing them, so that President Trump can muster the energies of the American people to create a sustainable defense, encompassing clear objectives coupled with a strong international presence.
Now more than ever, confident American leadership is vital for a world in disarray.
A permit is required before students can talk about Jesus at North Carolina State University, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court.
Grace Christian Life, a registered student group at NC State, filed suit over a policy requiring a permit for any kind of student speech or communication anywhere on campus including religious speech.
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In September 2015, the student group was told that without a permit, they must stop approaching other students inside the student union to engage in religious discussions or invite them to attend group events.
Its an amazingly broad speech restriction, Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Tyson Langhofer told me. Public universities are supposed to be the marketplace of ideas, not places where students need a permit just to exercise their constitutionally protected freedoms.
Alliance Defending Freedom is a law firm that specializes in religious liberty cases. They allege the Christian group has been singled out by the university.
The University has not restricted the ability of other students and student groups to engage in expressive activity, the lawsuit states. Grace has witnessed other students, student groups and off-campus groups handing out literature either without a permit or outside of the area reserved by their table permit.
A university spokesperson did not return my calls seeking comment.
NC States rules were so draconian that the Christians were not even allowed to step from behind their table in the student union.
Colleges are supposed to be places where ideas are freely shared not gagged, Grace Christian Life President Hannalee Alrutz told me. The only permit a student needs to speak on campus is the First Amendment.
Its true that the university does regulate student speech written, oral or graphic.
ADF points to Regulation 07.25.12 that requires a permit for any form of commercial or non-commercial speech, which the policy broadly defines as any distribution of leaflets, brochures, or other written material, or oral speech to a passersby (sic)
The policy specifics that any person wishing to conduct any form of solicitation on University premises must have the written permission of the Student Involvement (Office) in advance, ADF noted.
According to the lawsuit, a university official sent an email to another official concerned about the Christian club.
There is an individual named Tommy who works for Grace who is essentially soliciting throughout the building, the email reads. He walks up to a single person or duo of persons, starts with a hello and then starts the conversation into religion, ending with giving them a card.
The email goes on to explain how theyve stopped other groups from engaging in similar behavior in order to create that inclusive, welcoming environment.
In other words, the only way to be truly inclusive and welcoming is to shut down the Christians and shove them into a closet.
The lawsuit also provides some context on the universitys attitude towards Christian ministry during the time that Grace came under attack.
Grace was a member of Chaplains Cooperative Ministry, an independent, interfaith organization that supported individual campus ministries and planned jointly sponsored interfaith programs.
In October 2015, a university official met with the CCM to advise the group on the speech restrictions imposed by the Speech Permit Policy.
Solicitation is not allowed when conversation is initiated under one pretense different from the intended purposeinviting involvement in a certain ministry, the university official said in written minutes of the meeting.
In November 2015, the university dissolved its relationship with CCM because the current environment of diversity and faith traditions within the university is not shown or mirrored well within CCM as it currently exists.
The lawsuit did not elaborate on the problematic faith traditions -- but typically that means Evangelical Christians.
ADF tried unsuccessfully to convince NC State to drop its unconstitutional speech policies but they refused hence the lawsuit.
The courts have well established that a public university cant require permits in this manner for this kind of speech and certainly cant enforce such rules selectively, ADF Senior Counsel David Hacker said. Unconstitutional censorship is bad enough, but giving university officials complete discretion to decide when and where to engage in silence students makes the violation even worse.
Kudos to Grace Christian Life for standing up to a bunch of academic bullies who want to silence Christian voices. And thank goodness for bold believers like Miss Alrutz.
I think this is an attack on my liberty as a citizen of the United States, she told me warning that every freedom-loving American should be concerned.
If they could do it to us they could do it to anybody, she said.
Donald Trump completed a five-state sweep in Tuesdays Republican presidential primaries, strengthening his shot at avoiding a contested convention while Hillary Clinton scored convincing victories but was denied the same bragging rights of a primary sweep by a surprise Bernie Sanders win in Rhode Island.
Of the two front-runners, Clinton who won four states Tuesday remains closer to clinching the nomination. She now has nearly 90 percent of the delegates needed to secure the party nod, even as Sanders vows to keep fighting.
On the Republican side, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich still can potentially hold Trump under the 1,237 delegates he needs. But the billionaire businessmans Super Tuesday III run-of-the-table reinforces his aura of invincibility going into the next round.
I consider myself the presumptive nominee, Trump said at Trump Tower, with ex-candidate and now-supporter New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie standing behind him. As far as Im concerned, its over.
Trump said he has no plans to change his approach right now.
In their victory speeches, both Trump and Clinton clearly were looking ahead to a general election contest each expects will involve the other.
We will beat Hillary so easily, Trump said, nicknaming the Democratic front-runner crooked Hillary and declaring the only card she has is the womans card. He continued to taunt his GOP rivals, blasting their alleged collusion and asking of Kasich: Why is he here?
Clinton likewise kept her remarks Tuesday focused on a general election audience, vowing to unify our party, drawing sharp contrasts with Republicans, and taking on Trump.
The other day, Mr. Trump accused me of playing the quote woman card, she said in Philadelphia, which hosts the Democratic convention. Well, if fighting for womens health care and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman card, then deal me in.
When the dust settled on Tuesdays contests, Trump was declared the winner in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island, on the heels of his victory in New York state a week ago. His dominant showing in the Northeast gives him significant momentum heading into next weeks primary in Indiana. And hes on track to win over 50 percent of the vote in Tuesdays contests, a feat he has only achieved once before, in New York.
Meanwhile, Kasich was shaping up as the second pick of Northeast Republicans so far, projected to place second in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland and Delaware leaving Cruz to finish third.
Clinton, meanwhile, was the projected winner in Connecticut, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware while Sanders won Rhode Island.
Overall, Democrats were competing for 384 delegates in Tuesday's contests, while Republicans had 118 up for grabs (not counting 54 unbound delegates in Pennsylvania).
With his five victories Tuesday, Trump will win at least 105 of the 118 delegates. And he has a chance to win a lot more. In Pennsylvania, Trump collected 17 delegates for winning the state. An additional 54 are elected directly by voters -- three in each congressional district. However, their names are listed on the ballot with no information about which presidential candidate they support.
Trump suggested they have a moral obligation to back him, though Cruz had worked hard to get allies elected in that group.
Primary front-runners Clinton and Trump both were looking to Tuesdays contests to bring them closer to clinching the respective nominations, or at least dispiriting the remaining competition.
As of early Wednesday, Clinton had 2,141 delegates to Sanders 1,321; it takes 2,383 to win. The total includes so-called superdelegates who are not bound to primary results. On the GOP side, Trump had 950 delegates, followed by Cruz at 560 and Kasich at 153.
But on the GOP side, an energized Cruz held out hope that he and Kasich can still hold Trump back from the nomination. Speaking to supporters in Indiana, Cruz claimed the campaign was moving to more favorable terrain while calling Trump the medias chosen candidate.
"Donald and Hillary, they are flip-sides of the same coin, Cruz said.
Kasichs campaign also vowed to keep going, appealing for donations online and declaring on Twitter: John Kasich will continue making his supporters proud.
Whether Cruz and Kasich can prevent Trump from clinching the nomination remains to be seen. Both were also on defense after teaming up to try and hold Trump under that magic number. Kasich agreed to stand aside in Indiana to help Cruz, while Cruz agreed to stand aside in Oregon and New Mexico to help Kasich.
As Trump accused the two of collusion, Cruz countered in a radio interview that what theyre doing is actually coalition-building.
Still, Kasich appeared Monday to undercut their arrangement by urging voters in Indiana to support him anyway. And the campaign stumbled on a procedural issue in Oregon, missing the March deadline to submit information for a voter pamphlet the state distributes ahead of the May primary.
Kasich spokesman Chris Schrimpf stressed that Kasich nevertheless is on the ballot in Oregon.
Cruzs best chances to undercut Trump might be in Indiana, which votes next week, and California, which votes in June.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., cast doubt Tuesday on whether a Cruz-Kasich alliance would do much good in his home state. Asked about their partnership, McCarthy told reporters hes not convinced it will help in California.
On the Democratic side, Sanders also vowed Tuesday night to keep fighting, casting himself as the candidate best-positioned to take on Trump or any Republican rival.
This campaign is doing as well as it is with the extraordinary energy and enthusiasm we are generating across the country, Sanders told a crowd in West Virginia, which votes May 10.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump cut short the process of re-registering his formerly grounded private airplane by selling it to himself, the New York Times reported.
The registration on Trumps 1997 eight-seat Cessna Citation jet that the billionaire had been using to shuttle between campaign stops expired January 31, leading the Federal Aviation Administration to ground the aircraft last week. It had been registered to DJT Operations CX, a Trump-owned L.L.C.
Despite the simple $5 fee to renew jet registration, getting through the application process can take a while. The FAAs backlog for re-registering stretches back to requests that were filed in early March, the agency told the paper.
To avoid the wait, Trump sold the aircraft to a newly-founded Delaware company called DT Endeavor I, which also happens to be owned by the real estate mogul. The transfer of ownership meant Trump would be able to crisscross the skies much faster than had he waited for his registration renewal to process.
The jet had been grounded since Trump returned home from a Buffalo rally prior to the New York primary. On Monday, Trump was already using the jet to fly to rallies in Rhode Island and eastern Pennsylvania.
Trump also owns his trademark Boeing 757, and its documents are up-to-date.
The White House is distancing itself from a robocall using President Barack Obama's voice and urging Pennsylvania voters to choose Rep. Chaka Fattah in Tuesday's Democratic primary.
An automated telephone call delivering a recording to Pennsylvania voters features local officials asking citizens to support Fattah. The recording also uses archival audio of Obama acknowledging Fattah at an event for his work on neuroscience research.
But White House spokeswoman Jennifer Friedman says the White House didn't approve of Obama's voice being used. She's noting that Obama hasn't endorsed a candidate in the race.
Fattah is running for a 12th term in a four-way primary. He faces trial on federal racketeering and bribery charges in May.
A Fattah campaign representative said she was seeking more information about the robocall.
News / Local
by Staff Reporter
Mashonaland East Provincial Health Service Administrator Pazwell Paziwero Mwazungunya has been convicted of criminal abuse of office but was acquitted of the main charge of fraud by a Chivhu Magistrate.Masvingo Mirror reported that Mwazungunya(42) was sentenced to perform 245 hours of community service at Marondera Police Station when he appeared in court on Friday.In passing sentence, Chivhu Resident Magistrate Archie Wochiwunga said Mwazungunya had already been found guilty during a Ministry of Health and Child Care disciplinary hearing and ordered to pay a fine of two months' salary.Mwazungunya appeared in court last year together with nine other staff members at Chivhu General Hospital facing charges of defrauding the hospital of more than $11 000. They were all found not guilty to the charge.It was the State case that on a date unknown to the prosecutor but between 2011 and January 9 2012, Mwazungunya was assigned to supervise the implementation of Targeted Rehabilitation Project by the then acting Provincial Medical Director Patience Dhliwayo.Audit investigations revealed that the accused persons used fake quotations to compete with genuine ones.Furthermore, the quoted prices were highly inflated as compared to the actual market prices.According to the investigating officer of the case, a CID member who was a State witness, the audit report was left at the CID offices anonymously.
A federal appeals court on Wednesday weighed the case of a former Marine court-martialed in part for expressing her Christian faith while on the job though the Marines lawyer faced tough questions from judges who suggested she was thumbing her nose at a superior with her actions.
Monifa Sterling, while with the Marines, had posted biblical verses at her desk, despite orders from a superior to remove them. At issue in Wednesdays case is the extent to which a federal law on religious freedom protects members of the Armed Forces like her.
The central issue of free speech on government property, especially within a military context, has made this case closely watched. But several judges hearing the case at a 45-minute oral argument seemed skeptical Sterling had done enough to assert her right to post the messages.
"The military is a structured society," said Chief Judge Charles Erdmann of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. "How can we hold the military at fault when no request for an accommodation was made?"
"They are supposed to be neutral" on matters of religion, said Judge Scott Stucky. "Does throwing a cloak of religion over this case excuse it from a court-martial?"
Sterling, who was a lance corporal stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C., was court-martialed for various offenses relating to separate incidents -- including disrespecting a superior officer, disobeying lawful orders and failing to report to an assigned duty. She was reduced in rank, was given a bad-conduct discharge, and has since left the service.
Part of the broader case against her stemmed from a personalized version of the biblical phrase from Isiah 54:17: "No weapon formed against thee shall prosper." Sterling taped the verses in three spots on her workspace, including her computer.
Court testimony said Sterling's superior ordered her on several occasions to remove the signs, saying at one point, "I don't like the tone." She refused to remove them, so her superior on two occasions took them down and put them in the trash, after Sterling had simply reprinted and reposted the messages.
Her lawyer admitted Sterling did not ask for permission to post or repost the verses, or assert her rights before the court-martial.
She did not comment on the case for Fox News, since this is an ongoing legal matter. Her lawyers say military members deserve the same First Amendment protections enjoyed by civilians.
"This is a historic moment for military religious freedom," said Mike Berry, an attorney with First Liberty Institute, a religious liberty advocacy group told Fox News. "This case will determine whether our service members constitutional right to practice their faith will be protected by the law as they serve in the Armed Forces."
A key issue for the judges will be interpreting a 1993 federal law known as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, requiring the government to seek the "least burdensome" and narrowly tailored means for any law that interferes with religious convictions.
The Supreme Court has already ruled individuals, as well as some companies, churches, and universities, are protected under RFRA, with limitations.
The appeals court considering the Sterling case is expected to issue a decision in coming months, and it then can be reviewed by the Supreme Court.
The lawyer for the military also was peppered with questions from the five-judge appeals panel.
Several judges wondered whether the military gave enough respect to Sterling's religious rights, when they were asserted at her court-martial.
Judge Kevin Ohlson on several occasions suggested Sterling -- who represented herself at the court-martial -- had properly demonstrated a "substantial burden" on her constitutional rights, an important legal hurdle to make a claim under the RFRA law.
The case is U.S. v. Sterling (15-0510/MC).
Ted Cruz, looking for a shake-up in the 2016 race as Donald Trump moves steadily closer to the Republican nomination, on Wednesday announced former GOP primary rival Carly Fiorina as his choice for running mate should he win the party nod.
The move was immediately dismissed as an act of desperation by the Trump team, but Cruz while acknowledging it is unusual to announce a running mate so early defended the decision. He claimed nobody is getting to 1,237 delegates, the number needed to clinch the nomination, and voters should know what [they] will get.
After a great deal of time and thought, after a great deal of consideration and prayer, I have come to the conclusion that if I am nominated to be president of the United States that I will run on a ticket with my vice presidential nominee, Carly Fiorina, Cruz said.
Cruz, together now with Fiorina, was trying to fight Trump's narrative that the race is effectively "over," after the front-runner swept five primary states on Tuesday. But Fiorina, in accepting Cruz's offer, said she's ready to "fight."
Ive had tough fights all my life," Fiorina said. "Tough fights dont worry me a bit.
Cruz made the announcement in the critical primary turf of Indiana, which votes next Tuesday. Speaking at an afternoon rally in Indianapolis, Cruz announced his decision to cheers and chants of Carly! Carly! while touting the former HP CEOs credentials and life story.
The theoretical pairing represents a diverse ticket offering the possibility of electing the first Hispanic president and first female vice president.
This is a choice that you are telling the American people that This is an individual that I trust and, more important, this is an individual that you can trust to lead this country, no matter what might happen, Cruz said.
But for the time being, Fiorina will hold the odd position of being a vice presidential candidate-in-waiting as Cruz continues to lag far behind Trump in the battle for the GOP nomination.
Even Fiorina would have to be elected by delegates at the convention. As for Cruz, hes already been mathematically eliminated from clinching the nomination before the convention, and is relying on the prospect of a Cleveland floor fight.
A highly visible Cruz surrogate, the former HP CEO recently handed over her tax returns to the Cruz campaign for vetting, CNN reported Tuesday, and her name immediately surfaced when Cruz teased a major announcement Wednesday morning.
Cruz said Wednesday that he and his family had grown so close to Fiorina that she often sings to his young daughters -- a skill she showed off during her speech -- and also exchanges texts with the young girls.
And Carly may be the first vice president in American history to have an impressive fluency with hearts and smiley face emoticons," Cruz said.
Trump leads Cruz in pledged delegates, 954-562, but Cruzs strong ground operation has elected many delegate allies to the Republican Convention in July. Cruz believes the battle will proceed to a contested convention, where he hopes to triumph once some pledged delegates become unbound and are free to switch their votes.
Trump on Wednesday morning dismissed the notion of Cruz tapping a running mate.
"First of all, he shouldn't be naming anybody because he doesn't even have a chance," Trump said. "Naming Carly's dumb, because Carly didn't do well. She had one good debate -- not against me by the way, because I had an unblemished record of victories during debates -- but she had one victory on the smaller stage and that was it."
In a statement later Wednesday, Trump criticized the move as Cruz "only trying to stay relevant."
While most presidential candidates wait until they have the nomination sewn up to announce a running mate, Cruz's selection of a vice presidential candidate in April while hes well behind in delegates followed a pattern of somewhat unconventional campaigning including an early embrace of Trump and kicking off his campaign without first forming an exploratory committee.
Fiorina began her career working as a secretary and receptionist but quickly rose up the business ranks and was named in 1999 as the chief executive officer for Hewlett-Packard, becoming the first woman to lead a Fortune 20 company.
"Of all the people who didn't make it far in the race, she was one of the best about laying out her plan, talking about who she is and her accomplishments," said Doug De Groote, a fundraiser for Cruz based near Los Angeles.
On her website, Fiorina describes her tenure at HP as having saved 80,000 jobs during the worst technology recession in 25 years. But her time at the helm also drew criticism for alleged deals with Iran brokered through a subsidiary and the laying off of 30,000 employees. In 2004, Fiorina left the company after the board of directors forced her resignation.
Her career as a political candidate began when Fiorina tried to unseat California Sen. Barbara Boxer during an unsuccessful 2010 bid. Boxer on Wednesday mocked the suggestion of Fiorina as Cruz's running mate.
"The best way to describe that ticket is mean and meaner," she said. "He wants to throw people out of the country and she threw thousands of jobs out of the country. Perfect match."
In May 2015, Fiorina announced her candidacy for president and quickly became known as a feisty critic of Hillary Clinton and a strong defender of the pro-life community. Planned Parenthood immediately panned Fiorina's Wednesday pairing with Cruz as "the most loathsome pair of anti-abortion extremists in America."
Her early debate performances were lauded by many critics; however, she never gained traction and suspended her campaign after single-digit finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire. She endorsed Cruz in early March and has appeared often with him on the campaign trail.
When asked about being Cruzs vice president in early March, Fiorina replied, Lets win the nomination first.
Though she eventually threw her support behind Cruz, Fiorina also attacked him when she was still a competing candidate. She termed him one of the ultimate insiders and called him too divisive in January. She also criticized Cruz for saying one thing in the drawing rooms of Manhattan and another thing in the living rooms of Iowa.
Fox News Ed Henry and Serafin Gomez and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
With an eye toward recovering lost momentum after bruising losses in the five Tuesday primaries, Ted Cruz is making what the campaign calls a major announcement in Indianapolis Wednesday afternoon.
Speculation on the 4 p.m. announcement has centered on a possible endorsement from Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, however, Pence's office told Indiana's RTV6 he would not be at the Cruz rally. A vice presidential pick is another possibility for the announcement, with pundits prominently floating Cruz surrogate Carly Fiorinas name.
Either way, the Texas senator hopes to shift the conversation away from front-runner Donald Trumps five-state sweep on Tuesday as the two rivals battle for a win in Indiana next week. Trump leads Cruz 39-33 percent in the RealClearPolitics average of polls. Ohio Gov. John Kasich has 19 percent in the polling average.
Last night was Donald Trumps night and today is Indianas day, Cruz said Wednesday morning. Indiana has a chance to speak not only for Hoosiers around the state but for people around the country.
Trump leads Cruz in pledged delegates, 950-560, but Cruzs strong ground operation has elected many delegate allies to the Republican Convention in July. Cruz, who is mathematically eliminated from winning the GOP nomination outright, is now basing his campaign on the theory that no candidate will get to the 1,237 delegates needed to secure the nomination. Cruz believes the battle will proceed to a contested convention, where he hopes to triumph once some pledged delegates become unbound and are free to switch their votes.
While most presidential candidates wait until they have the nomination sewn up to announce a running mate, if Cruz were to select a vice presidential candidate in April while hes well behind in delegates it would follow a pattern of somewhat unconventional campaigning.
The Texas senator became the first candidate to enter the 2016 race, making the announcement without employing the typical exploratory committee. Then, he kicked off his campaign at Liberty University in Virginia instead of holding the event in his home state of Texas.
Early on, while rival Republicans were distancing themselves from and attacking Trump, Cruz embraced the business mogul, even appearing at a public rally with him in Washington, D.C. While the relationship between the two soured once Cruzs standing in the polls began to threaten Trump, the initial refusal to blast the billionaire stood out as a unique strategy in the 17-person field.
Obama administration officials are declining to provide specific details about an unprecedented upcoming purchase of Iranian nuclear materials, an $8.6 million exchange that is likely to be funded using American taxpayer dollars, according to conversations with multiple administration officials and sources in Congress.
The administration is preparing to purchase from Iran 32 tons of heavy water, a key nuclear material, in a bid to keep Iran in compliance with last summers comprehensive nuclear agreement.
But administration officials have declined to provide specific details to Congress and reporters about how exactly it will pay for the purchase, as well as other information, until the deal has been completed.
The effort to withhold key information about the purchase, which is likely to be paid in some form using U.S. taxpayer dollars, is causing frustration on Capitol Hill, according to multiple sources who disclosed to the Washington Free Beaconthat the administration is rebuffing congressional attempts to discern further information about the deal.
Experts further disclosed to the Free Beacon that the exchange is likely to legitimize Irans research into plutonium, knowledge that would provide the Islamic Republic with a secondary pathway to a nuclear weapon capability.
Officials from both the Treasury and Energy departments told the Free Beacon that details about the payment are being withheld until the purchase is complete. Iran is expected to deliver the heavy water to the United States in the coming weeks, officials confirmed.
We cannot discuss details of the payment until after the purchase is complete, a Treasury Department official who was not authorized to speak on record told the Free Beacon. The Department of Energys Isotope Program plans to pay Iran approximately $8.6 million dollars for 32 metric tons of heavy water.
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The latest budget impasse in Illinois is about to hit elected officials in their wallets, with the state comptroller planning to delay their paychecks amid nearly $6.5 billion in past-due bills.
The austere measure and mounting bills are the result of a stalemate between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Democrat-controlled legislature on a tax-and-spending plan that has dragged on for nearly 10 months. Their failure to compromise already has caused cutbacks in social services and sparked concerns about cuts in education.
Were all in this together, Comptroller Leslie Munger, who called for the paycheck delay, said last week. We all have to stand and wait in line together.
Munger insists she isnt trying to be punitive toward the elected officials, who in July will have another budget due.
Im just trying to be fair, said Munger, appointed as comptroller by Rauner and sworn in last year.
Mungers measure -- which would impact her, the attorney general and the legislatures 177 members -- amounts to $1.3 million a month, or $15.6 million a year. The comptroller wants to make lawmakers wait for their paychecks just like others, hoping to motivate lawmakers to strike a deal.
The amount is relatively small, compared with the billions in unpaid bills, which are projected to reach $10 billion by July.
Still, others are skeptical or argue the Mungers decision is politically motivated, considering she is trying to get elected in November to the comptroller post.
I hope it works, but I doubt it, state Democratic Rep. La Shaw Ford told CBS Chicago TV.
Rauner, a wealthy businessman elected in 2014, does not collect a salary.
The sides essentially agree that a mix of spending cuts and tax increases will end the budget impasse. But Democrats are not on board with Rauners request for a slate of pro-business incentives and changes to collective bargaining laws.
The stalemate has resulted in a roughly two-month delay in payments to small businesses that provide services to the state and to nonprofits that provide social services across Illinois. And roughly 24,000 state workers are also reportedly owed back pay.
Former Gov. Pat Quinn tried a similar move in 2013. He vetoed state lawmakers pay to push reforms to the states employee pension plan. However, a judge ruled the move unconstitutional.
Mungers effort apparently attempts to avoid such a legal challenge because she is having the checks printed, then added to the stack of bills.
The next monthly paycheck for elected officials is scheduled to be issued on April 30.
Bernie Sanders campaign began laying off staffers Wednesday, a day after he lost four out of five primary races in the Northeast to frontrunner Hillary Clinton, Fox News confirmed.
The layoffs, first reported by Politico, were being cast by the Vermont senators campaign as part of an effort to pare back now that most of the primaries and caucuses are over.
"We're 80 percent of the way through the caucuses and primaries and we make adjustments as we go along. This is a process that weve done before of right-sizing the campaign as we move through the calendar," Sanders' campaign communications director Michael Briggs told Politico.
However, as has been visible in the Republican race, laying off staff is often one of the earliest signs of a campaign winding down as it runs out of money. Even though Sanders has outraised Clinton, the Sanders campaign has also outspent Clintons.
Briggs confirmed to Fox News that "hundreds" of field staff from the five states in Tuesday's primaries were told they are being let go.
Briggs maintained that the changes are part of "right-sizing" the campaign after the elections.
When asked if the changes were a posture of weakness, Briggs said "No, it's a posture of reality."
Politico reported that staffers working in states that voted Tuesday were told to look elsewhere for work rather than moving onto the next voting states.
Clinton won primaries Tuesday night in Connecticut, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, while Sanders was only able to win Rhode Island.
As of early Wednesday, Clinton had 2,141 delegates to Sanders 1,321; it takes 2,383 to win. The total includes so-called superdelegates who are not bound to primary results.
Sanders told supporters at a rally at Purdue University in Indiana Wednesday that he was "in this campaign to win and become the Democratic nominee," and said, "If we do not win, we intend to win every delegate that we can so that when we go to Philadelphia in July we're going to have the votes to put together the strongest progressive agenda that any political party has ever seen."
Sanders is now looking to pick up victories in next weeks primary in Indiana, as well as contests in Oregon and California. He has vowed to compete until the final District of Columbia primary in June.
Fox News Ed Henry, Lauren Blanchard and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Donald Trump, in a highly anticipated speech on the heels of his primary-contest sweep across the Northeast, called Wednesday for a drastic shake-up in Americas foreign policy including getting out of the nation-building business and demanding NATO allies pay their fair share or be left to defend themselves.
Its time to shake the rust off Americas foreign policy, the Republican presidential front-runner said.
In what was billed as a major policy speech, Trump called for an America first approach. To that theme, Trump voiced skepticism toward international deals like NAFTA and said a Trump administration would not allow the U.S. to enter agreements that reduce Americas ability to control its own affairs. He panned what he described as the false song of globalism.
The speech, read from a teleprompter and focused on policy, was also heavy on campaign-season slams against President Obama and Hillary Clintons tenure as secretary of state. He called their policies aimless and destructive, and criticized them for not using the term radical Islam.
We went from mistakes in Iraq to Egypt to Libya to President Obamas line in the sand in Syria, Trump said. He said this has allowed the Islamic State to thrive -- but said, going forward, the U.S. is out of nation-building.
Rather, he said the focus will be on restoring stability, and containing the spread of radical Islam. ISIS will be gone if Im elected president, he claimed.
Meanwhile, he stood by his controversial stance on NATO allies, complaining only four other member countries besides the U.S. spend the minimum 2 percent of GDP on defense.
The countries we are defending must pay for the cost of this defense and if not, the U.S. must be prepared to let these countries defend themselves. We have no choice.
Trump said, if elected president, he would call for a summit with NATO allies and a separate summit with Asian allies to discuss common challenges including tackling migration and Islamic terrorism. He broadly called for the U.S. to project strength and better understand who its friends and enemies are. Regarding Russia and China, he said we are not bound to be adversaries.
Rival Ted Cruz afterward panned the speech and questioned whether others in the Washington Cartels industry of foreign policy for personal gain were involved in the drafting of this address.
He is never going to fight the system, he is the system, Cruz said in a statement. He and Hillary Clinton are two sides of the same coin. She has made her millions from inside and Donald Trump has made his billions buying people like Hillary Clinton. Both are part of the culture of foreign policy for personal gain."
Trump sought to demonstrate his foreign policy chops as he tries to present a more presidential image while increasingly turning his attention on the campaign trail to a general election battle he presumes will involve him and Clinton.
The billionaire businessman declared himself the presumptive nominee Tuesday night, after winning primaries in Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Maryland. He hasnt shelved the trash talk and provocative language on the campaign, not yet anyway repeatedly accusing Clinton of playing the woman card and mocking remaining GOP rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich.
But he also has a lot to prove when it comes to calming foreign leaders and policy professionals. They've been stunned by his often brash policy proclamations, like his vow to temporarily bar foreign Muslims from entering the country, and an apparent disregard for some long-standing alliances.
Trump delivered the speech at Washington's stately Mayflower Hotel, even employing the rare use of a teleprompter.
The speech comes as Trump has been working to professionalize his campaign with the addition of several new and experienced aides who have stressed a need to expand his policy shop and offer more specifics on his plans. Senior aide Paul Manafort said last week that he'd met people at a number of think tanks and members of Congress to talk about bulking up the team's policy component, which is smaller than that of leading campaigns in the past.
While Trump's speech marks a departure from his usual rally routine of speaking off the cuff, consulting only hand-scrawled notes, his remarks in front of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee last month provided a test run of sorts, with Trump speaking from a prepared speech using a teleprompter.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Using the Hubble Space Telescope, scientists have discovered a new moon in our solar system, orbiting a distant dwarf planet called Makemake. The tiny moon is estimated to be only about 100 miles across, and Makemake, the dwarf planet it orbits, is just 870 miles wide.
For comparison, the Earths moon is more than twice as big as Makemake, at 2159 miles in diameter.
Like Pluto, Makemake is a small ice world located beyond Neptune and is considered to be a dwarf planet, not a planet proper. It is located so far from the Sun that it takes 310 Earth years for the dwarf planet to make one orbit.
Related: NASA marks Hubble's birthday with this captivating image
NASA says that previous searches around Makemake for a satellite had revealed nothing because of its glare. Studying this new little moon can help scientists understand more about Makemakes mass, the space agency says.
Makemake is in the class of rare Pluto-like objects, so finding a companion is important, Alex Parker, of Southwest Research Institute, in Boulder, Colorado, said in a statement. The discovery of this moon has given us an opportunity to study Makemake in far greater detail than we ever would have been able to without the companion.
Related: Hubble telescope captures sharpest image yet of mysterious red rectangle
Other dwarf planets besides Makemake and Pluto are Ceres, Eris, and the egg-shaped Haumea. Both Haumea and Makemakes names refer to deities of fertility; Haumea refers to a Hawaiian goddess and Makemake to an Easter Island god.
NASA says that Makemake was first discovered in 2005 and that its codename at the time was Easterbunny.
Makemakes new moon is known as M2.
A large, ribbon-shaped lake may be hiding beneath the ice that covers Antarctica, and it may contain countless life forms unlike any others on earth that have been trapped, undisturbed, in the frozen continent for millions of years.
Scientists presented radar data that suggest the presence of the lake at the European Geosciences Union meeting in Vienna last week.
The lake, presumed to be lying in a massive canyon system along the continents eastern coast in Princess Elizabeth Land, is thought to be 87 miles long and 12 miles wide much smaller than Lake Vostok, which at 160 x 30 miles is Antarcticas largest subglacial lake.
Related: March set even more global temperature records, NOAA reports
But the new lake, if confirmed, lies only 62 miles from the nearest research base, which would make it much more accessible than Vostok, which is in a very remote area of the frozen continent.
Weve seen these strange, linear channels on the surface, and are inferring these are above massive, 1000-kilometer-long channels, and theres a relatively large subglacial lake there too, Martin Siegert of Imperial College of London, a member of the team that collected the data, told New Scientist.
A group of researchers from China and the U.S. flew over the area recently to collect ice-penetrating radar images. Scientists are optimistic that a review of their data next month will confirm the existence of the lake.
Related: British officials unlikely to name new polar vessel Boaty McBoatface
Its the last un-researched part of Antarctica, so its very exciting news, but its still tentative pending full confirmation, Bryn Hubbard of the University of Aberystwyth, U.K., told New Scientist.
Other subglacial Antarctic lakes have revealed numerous life forms that have been buried, untouched, under the ice for millions of years. Scientists say the discovery of microbes and single-cell organisms frozen in ice raises the possibility that similar life may be found in ice on the moon, or in the polar ice cap of Mars, or on Jupiters moon Europa.
Siegert said the lakes proximity to the research base will make it much easier for scientists to investigate its biology.
News / Local
by Thobekile Zhou
Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has begged Zimbabweans to fiercely fight corruption in a bid to eradicate it.Mnangagwa made the appeal during an international business conference at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo today."Where ever it raises it ugly head, it must be fought" he said."We need to stop talking about it and start fighting it."If every citizen in Zimbabwe can commit to fighting corruption we will easily eradicate it. Corruption must be fought" he said.The exhibition is held under the theme innovate, integrate and industrialise. President Mugabe has over the years declared zero tolerance on corruption but top government officials continue to be implicated in corruption.
DARPA announced on Tuesday that it has awarded contracts to eight organizations to develop more intelligent, more agile ground vehicles that arent burdened by extra armor.
The problem that the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency said that it wants to address is that as weapons get better at piercing armor, adding armor to ground vehicles just makes them slower and more expensive to develop and deploy.
The initiative comes as part of the agencys Ground X-Vehicle Technology program, which has awarded contracts to Carnegie Mellon University as well as to companies like Honeywell, Pratt & Miller, and Raytheon.
Related: DARPA wants your weapon ideas, offers cash prizes
Were exploring a variety of potentially groundbreaking technologies, all of which are designed to improve vehicle mobility, vehicle survivability and crew safety and performance without piling on armor, Maj. Christopher Orlowski, DARPA program manager, said in a statement.
DARPA said that among other abilities, it wants these new ground vehicles to be capable of extreme off-roading.
Capabilities of interest include revolutionary wheel/track and suspension technologies that would enable greater terrain access and faster travel both on- and off-road compared to existing ground vehicles, the agency said.
Related: DARPA's unmanned sub-hunter set to revolutionize naval warfare
The agency also said that they are even interested in armor that can reposition itself to defeat incoming threats in real time as well as automation systems that are similar to what a commercial airplane offers.
Residents of one Mississippi town threw a birthday party for a pothole almost 5-feet-wide Friday to get local officials' attention about fixing the road hazard, WAPT.com reported.
Long-standing Mississippi pothole gets a birthday card from a resident.https://t.co/3aZRLgu8qI pic.twitter.com/zIWL4s4c8P KXAN News (@KXAN_News) April 24, 2016
People living in Jackson tied a birthday balloon to the poster that read, Happy Birthday Pothole. The residents, jokingly, thanked the pothole for hanging around since February 2015. The poster also called out two smaller potholes in the vicinity that were referred to as "little brothers."
We were driving to church and we honked our horn, We were like, Woo! Way to go! Then on the way home from church we were like, Youre kidding, right? Tracey Metcalf, a resident told the station. Maybe theyll come back and pave it. If thats the case, we are happy.
After local news outlets covered the story, crews from the city filled the potholes. WJTV.com reported that resident Eddie Prosser came up with the idea because the pothole is in a spot where it can easily be an obstacle for a passing car.
I do find our problems in the city of Jackson serious, but at the same time just one small pothole. When they fix the potholes just a block away it wouldnt of taken another 10 minutes, he said.
Authorities are in search of answers in the double murder of a Northern California couple found shot to death inside their home Sunday next to an eerie message.
San Jose Police Sgt. Enrique Garcia said Tuesday the bodies of Shamima Rabbi, 57, and Golam Rabbi, 59, were discovered at around 2 p.m. Sunday in their Quimby neighborhood home.
The Los Angeles Times reported that police were called to check out the home after relatives had tried to contact them, but couldnt get a hold of them. Police said they were both shot at least once.
According to KGO-TV, authorities found an ink-scribbled message next to the bodies that read: Sorry my first kill was clumsy.
Officer Albert Morales declined to comment on the existence of a message left at the scene.
UPDATE: #SanJose police seek adult son of couple found shot dead on Sunday, but he's not considered suspect https://t.co/xPrRr1cufc KTVU (@KTVU) April 27, 2016
San Jose police have contacted the couples juvenile son and are attempting to locate their second adult son for questioning. Detectives dont consider the Rabbis' adult son a suspect at this time, according to KTVU-TV.
The Rabbis were long-time residents of the neighborhood and were active members in the Islamic community. Their deaths have shocked the community.
Ive known him for 30 plus years, so its a loss, Hasan Rahim, of the Evergreen Islamic Center, told KTVU-TV. Rahim said they were dedicated members of the mosque and were natives of Bangladesh.
He always asked me about my family, now I cant answer him back, Faisal Yazadi, who also attends the Islamic Center, told the station.
San Jose police told the San Jose Mercury News the incident was not a random act of violence and the suspect was someone familiar to the family. A suspect or motive has not been identified as of Tuesday.
The Evergreen Islamic Center said theyre opening their doors to offer support for anyone in need as a result of the murders.
Anyone with details of the couples death is urged to call San Jose police Homicide Sgt. Pat Guire or Det. Ken Tran at 408-277-5283. Anonymous callers can contact the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 408-947-7867.
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Whats leadership? Who is an effective leader? The answers to both questions are relative to every organization out there -- whether large or small. The truth is, there is no one set of rules that makes for an effective leader: Some people have it, and some dont. Leadership encompasses a slew of characteristics, and different people embody different traits.
Related: Why Leadership Hinges Upon What You Do -- Not Who You Are
But, starting from the top: Motivation and communication are two traits every leader should have. In fact, Ill go out on a limb and say they are the two most important traits. If you cant motivate your team or cant communicate your ideas in a clear, concise manner, youre gonna stink as a leader. I mean, you may be able to lead, but who is going to follow?
When I write about social media effectiveness, I talk about the four Es (Engage, Educate, Enthusiasm, Evangelism), so let me now describe the seven key Ps for leading. You dont have to have them all, but any and all will surely help if you want to be a successful leader.
1. Personality
While leadership isnt exclusive to extroverts, a leader must have the ability to work a crowd and get some enjoyment out of engaging with a large and diverse number of people. A charismatic leader is often thought of as an effective leader. And, I wont disagree with that, but Id issue a word of caution: Theres a fine line between being charismatic and being perceived as disingenuous and phony. You have to be careful with that fine line. Develop a bit of an attitude, so people know what to expect. It works for Donald Trump. It works for Hillary Clinton. Despite whether you vote for either --- they have the P!
Another way to show personality is through humor or self-deprecation. More often than not, a sense of humor, or the tendency to poke fun at yourself, helps a leader navigate the rough patches of any crisis your company might suffer. Keeping a clear and level-headed approach can be an asset during a moment of chaos. One thing I would caution against would be that when you do try to land a joke, you do so with considerable care about the target. Jokes are all the rave when everyone finds them funny.
When the room temperature cools down a few degrees, however, all your intentions to be funny fly out the window. People will remember you, but for the wrong reasons. So, proceed cautiously but do keep your sense of humor.
2. Persuasiveness
Trying to persuade a diverse group of people can be a challenging task for any leader. At times, the effort feels like herding cats. This is where your persuasive communication skills come in handy. As the leader of a company, you'll have to deliver a few keynote addresses or other speeches -- internally and externally -- and your message needs to get across to all in attendance.
Keep in mind that youll be addressing people with varying degrees of education and with perches at every rung of the ladder -- from fellow c-suite dwellers to other types of company leaders, to the administrative team. In order for your message to reach all, communicate in the jargon of the group or organization and make sure your message fits that audience. If not, you wont be seen as an effective thought leader.
As a regular keynote speaker myself, I have given speeches to a variety of organizations. Some have been in my wheelhouse of marketing and business -- others, not so much. But the goal is the same: to reach my audience members, make an impact and be persuasive enough that they see where Im coming from.
The takeaway here is the old KISS principle. Keep it simple, stupid! And always be closing!
Related: Inspire Loyalty With Your Leadership: Here's How
3 (and 4). Patience and perception
Patience and persistence are the essential twins you need to get things done. We live in an age of instant gratification, where everything has to happen now. Despite that, patience is a virtue, and every leader needs a healthy dose of patience. If youre reading this thinking, "Sure, but that's easier said that done," I agree with you. Patience isnt something that comes easily to me; and, sometimes, I even have to keep myself in check, because self-discipline is another trait every leader should have.
Perception, on the other hand, is a bit tricky, because everyone perceives things differently. If youve seen Akira Kurosawas acclaimed film, Rashomon, you'll know what Im talking about. The film portrays an incident witnessed by multiple people, who then describe the incident in very different ways.
So, keep this in mind when you interact with your audience: Why? Because, for the most part, theres no clear-cut "right" and "wrong" here. Regardless of whether you agree with someones perception or not, you still need to remain engaged. Perception is only one part of the equation.
5. Probity
Probity is essential; I cant stress that enough! Honesty and trustworthiness are the pillars of any good leader. If your employees and colleagues cant (or dont) trust you, you have a huge problem. Not to mention that no one will want to do business with you. People will follow only those they trust, and they appreciate candor and openness.
Honesty is often the trait that is most admired, but sometimes its not practiced as often as it should be. This raises an interesting question: If people want honesty, do they want the same measure of candor? Im going to say yes! I dont believe in being two different people, one at home and one at work.
Im the same person whether I am in New York City or at home in South Dakota. Its exhausting being two people, so I dont even bother. Im honest to a fault, and if other people cant handle that level of honesty, dont ask me to tell you what I think. Id rather ruffle a few feathers and be honest than tell you what you want to hear. Whom does that benefit? No one!
6. Praise
Everyone likes praise -- especially when its earned. You dont have to have a parade for every accomplishment, but a few kind words of encouragement can go a long way to foster goodwill and let your team members know they are appreciated. A leader who gives credit will definitely attract more followers and loyalty than one who is constantly bragging about "his" or "her" accomplishments.
Alternately, while its important to praise those whove worked hard to earn it, dont point to colleagues or employees and say it was "all their fault." Good, effective leaders dont use their influence to throw someone else under the bus. On the contrary, make situations into teachable moments. I can guarantee that employees will remember how you treated them and will never make the same mistake again.
7. People
Leadership should be something that is of, by and for the people -- kind of like our elected officials. The main reason for leadership should be for the benefit of the people. And, much like those in Congress, many so-called leaders in business are distrusted because they are seen as self-serving and primarily interested in their own benefits.
A leader who forgets his/her purpose wont be a leader much longer. A leader who is secure in his or her own abilities will share the companys success with those who toil day-to-day. So, be that second kind of leader.
A good leader will also realize he or she cant please everyone all the time. Some will be pleased at certain decisions, and others wont. Thats just how life works.
However, leadership means making practical decisions that cater to the majority of the group. It means being perceptive enough to realize when the majority are right. And it means being strong enough to take action without enjoying the support of that majority -- when the majority are wrong.
Related: The Magic of Leadership: Observations From 10 of the Most Successful People in Business
At the same time, a good leader stays strong to his or her convictions and accepts criticism, whether it's valid or not. Accepting criticism doesnt mean you have to agree with everything, but learning to discern whats valid from whats bogus is crucial. What type of "P" leader are you?
Several states from the Midwest to the Gulf Coast and east to Virginia prepared for another day of dangerous weather Wednesday after a series of storms brought huge hail and high winds, reportedly killing one person and injuring four others in Texas.
Aftermath of 3" hail on chaser's windshield in Clifton, KS today. Via @carlbrakke pic.twitter.com/7BNYIhdxnC SevereStudios (@severestudios) April 27, 2016
The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center said 60 million people should watch out for strong storms. The nastiest weather was predicted for an area from Houston north into part of Iowa.
"This type of environment will support supercells capable of all hazards, although large hail appears to be the primary severe threat," forecasters said.
Powerful winds toppled trees in Harris County, Texas, northwest of Houston, killing a woman there, KHOU reported. Rescuers were said to be pulling other people in the area out of their homes to safety.
In northern Texas, four people were hospitalized after vehicles they were in were caught up in a tornado that hit Tuesday around 10 p.m., Howe Police Chief Carl Hudman said.
Hail as big as grapefruit fell in northern Kansas on Tuesday, while winds approaching hurricane force 74 mph raked communities from Nebraska and Missouri to Texas. Uprooted trees, downed power lines and roof damage were reported in parts of Texas and Oklahoma.
Forecasters said last week that the nation could have seen significant tornadoes Tuesday, but conditions weren't right for the biggest storms.
Still, the hail and high winds were frightening enough.
Hail 4 inches in diameter fell northwest of Marysville, Kansas, and residents of Topeka, Kansas, eyed the sky nervously during rush hour after forecasters warned that a supercell thunderstorm could produce a tornado at any moment.
Ryan Krysiak sent this pic to FOX 2 "Lambert airport" pic.twitter.com/MAADkBMjqL FOX2now (@FOX2now) April 26, 2016
A rope tornado brushed fields south of Wichita, Kansas, and another small twister touched down in southwestern Indiana. A storm that cleared Oklahoma City around sunset may have dropped a tornado or two during a 90-mile march to Tulsa. Power was knocked out to thousands.
Beginning last Thursday, forecasters said a severe weather outbreak was possible Tuesday and that unsettled weather could bring storms much of the rest of the week. That forecast has held.
The core of the bad weather worries shifts back to Oklahoma and Texas on Thursday and Friday, then Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas on Saturday.
Ahead of Tuesday's storms, as a precaution, some Oklahoma school districts either shuttered schools for the day or sent students home early, hoping they would remain safe.
In Fairview, George Eischen, 51, spent the morning moving Chevies into his shop and showroom to protect them from hail "the real enemy of the car dealer."
Workers at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield, Missouri, did something similar with airplanes when the skies turned a "mean green" ahead of a line of storms.
"We were able to get most of the airplanes into hangars," aviation director John Bales said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Evangelist and CEO of both the Christian relief organization Samaritans Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Franklin Graham (son of Billy Graham) has a serious message for Christians all over this country.
The message, like the man, is straightforward: It is time for Christians to get actively involved in politics.
Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association are visiting all 50 states with their Decision America 2016 tour. Theyre holding prayer rallies to challenge Christians to pray for America and its leaders, and to live and promote biblical principles at home, in public, and, very importantly, at the ballot box.
LifeZette spoke exclusively to Franklin Graham, 63, about the tour, the current spiritual state of America, the role of faith in politics and how average Americans can turn the current progressive tide and bring back traditional values.
Were living in the most dangerous period of history in our nation, said Graham, who is from Asheville, North Carolina. It wasnt the Civil or Revolutionary Wars or World War I or II that were the most dangerous that time is now. Were fighting the war within, the moral war. If Christians dont stand up now were going to lose and were going to lose big.
Graham answered LifeZettes other questions about changing America.
Q: Tell us about your Decision America 2016 Tour how is that going?
A: Its gone much better than I ever envisioned. Weve pulled permits in all 50 states for 3,500 attendees at the state capitals, thinking if we got 500 people we would have a nice crowd. Our smallest crowd has been about 1500 and our largest has been around 10,000. People get there early. Im talking hours early and they arent coming to be entertained. In Concord, New Hampshire, people stood for hours in 18-degree weather before we even began. The wind was blowing 30 miles an hour and they braved that to hear the message.
Q: Why is "Decision America" drawing such big crowds?
A: People are coming to pray. Whether they are Democrat or Republican, they're coming out because they're dissatisfied. People realize that Washington is broken, and they know that politicians will promise anything, but then when they get into office nothing happens.
I would hope that during this election cycle people get mad enough to act. I'm not backing Donald Trump by saying this, but you see it at his rallies people are mad. And they are concerned enough that they will attend our rallies. They realize that if we don't turn around, we're finished.
People sense the only hope this country has is God. I ask them to take the hand of the person next to them and it could be the hand of a stranger and I ask that we confess the sins of our nation. Let's confess it out loud to God on the Capitol steps. I offer a gospel invitation, and I ask people to surrender their lives to Christ. We have had hundreds accept Christ. Then, I encourage people to get involved.
Q: How can the average American affect change in the country?
A: We talk a lot about the presidential election on the tour, because that is what the news focuses on, but there are races that are just as important or maybe even more important and those are: Who is going to be your mayor? Who is going to be your state representative or serve on your city council? We need to get Christian men and women to run for office across this country.
To be a county commissioner or mayor in a small town is not a full-time job. Normally county commissioners meet once a month for two or three hours on an afternoon. What I say is: "Every one of you ought to be a county commissioner. Every one of you ought to sit on city council. You can do this. We can take our communities back, one city, one municipality at a time."
I encourage Christians to get on school boards, too. The filth and the trash that is being approved for kids to read and study today is pitiful, and we need to take these decisions back.
Q: Should politics be kept out of faith or vice versa?
A: Christians need to be actively involved in politics. People say, "Well, what about separation of church and state?" Well, that's a lie our forefathers never told us Christians should be silent and uninvolved. They meant that government could not set up a religion. France was Catholic back then, England had the Church of England, and Germany was Lutheran our new country could not be set up under one denomination, that's what they intended. You were never intended to be separated from your faith. Our forefathers never meant to stop us from preaching, or praying, or living out our faith.
Q: How can we use our faith to effect change?
A: As Christians, our voice needs to be heard. We need to stand up, and we don't need to worry about being politically correct if you stand for the name of Christ you won't be politically correct, so forget about that! Let's take a stand for Almighty God, and for His truth and His righteousness. Churches and pastors are frightened, afraid to speak out because they don't want to be called intolerant.
When Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes unto the Father but by me" that was intolerant. Take a stand. We can be both bold and Christian.
I don't just want to practice my faith, I want to live it. Christ called the Pharisees hypocrites and vipers. He wasn't lovey-dovey. He called it what it was. He took action. We need to do the same and take this country back.
Q: How is Americas spiritual health, in your opinion?
A: If you put it those terms, we have cancer spiritual cancer. It's eating away at us, because of compromises that churches and Christians are living in their lives. We need to get back to serving God. We need to get back on our knees, confessing our sins and turning from our sins otherwise, we're finished.
Q: What can parents do?
A: Get your kids into church, a Bible-believing church. And go with your kids don't just drop them off. You set the example for your kids. They are going to be pounded at school with things that are not true they will be told lie after lie there. If kids hear the truth at home, they'll hear the lies at school but they'll know what the truth is. Kids don't know the word of God, and their parents don't either.
Q: What about societal issues like the current wave of LGTB-focused changes?
A: The gay and lesbian movement is basically a lie itself. Less than 2 percent of the American population is gay, but they have been able to convince the vast majority largely because they've gotten into schools that the behavior is okay. They are forcing the rest of the country to accept their lifestyle, and our president is promoting that lifestyle. For us as Christians we need to stand up and push back, by getting elected locally.
Can you imagine if most of the mayors in this country were Christian? They would take our education system back.
Q: Your thoughts on living our daily lives of faith?
A: Don't be afraid to say no, and don't be afraid of being intolerant. Make your answer: "This is what the Bible says, and I'll stand on the word of God."
A group of immigrants in Georgia, who were brought into the U.S. illegally and have been granted temporary permission to stay, asked a judge Tuesday to order the states university system to allow them to pay in-state tuition.
Georgias university system requires those seeking to pay in-state tuition to provide verification of lawful presence in the U.S. However, the governing body of the university system has said students granted temporary permission to stay in the country under the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) dont meet that requirement.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, these students can attend most of Georgias public universities, but have to pay out-of-state tuition.
Georgias policies against DACA students is unjust and inhumane. I dont understand how individuals can deny higher education to students who have contributed to the state, Maria Carrillo, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said. The state is losing money by letting those students study elsewhere. The correct thing to do is to let us achieve our goals. Education is a human right.
In a Fulton County Superior Court filing, a lawyer for the 10 immigrants argues that Homeland Security has said that people who have qualified for the 2012 are lawfully present in the U.S. The young people bringing the legal action, who meet all the other requirements, should therefore be eligible for in-state tuition, attorney Charles Kuck wrote in the filing.
The Georgia Supreme Court rejected a similar request in February from some of the same immigrant students, saying it was barred by sovereign immunity, which shields the state and state agencies from being sued unless the General Assembly waives that protection.
To get around that, the court filing Tuesday names each individual member of the Board of Regents rather than naming the board, which is considered a state agency.
"Justice, common sense, and Georgia's own economic self-interest all demand in-state tuition for DACA recipients," Kuck said in a statement. "We will fight for this until we win. The hope of Georgia's children is at stake."
The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund last month filed a separate federal lawsuit on behalf of two immigrant college students who graduated from Georgia high schools and live in the state but are required to pay out-of-state tuition.
That suit says the policy is preempted by federal immigration law and therefore violates the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution. It also says the policy violates the Constitution's equal protection guarantee because it denies in-state tuition without a constitutionally valid justification.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Click for more from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Q: How do you divide the equity if two partners have money to invest, and the third has the idea and will put in the work?
A: This is a huge foundational issue that can make or break your company, as it will affect every aspect of the business and will have consequences for the entire life span of the venture. Therefore, it is important that you set yourself up for success.
The person who has the idea and is going to do the work should be the majority owner of the business with the money partners getting a small minor share. Too many founders make the mistake of giving away too much ownership, control, influence and power to the money partners.
While they should be super grateful for the offer of an investment, it is important to remember that the blood, sweat and tears, the long hours, the stress and the grind is for the founder to carry, for the most part, alone.
Related: How to Split Equity Without Giving Away the Company
That said, the money partners are super important and are major reason why your business will succeed if you dont have access to your own money. Just make sure that the terms and conditions are in the startups best interest. The money partners will not be running the business and they will have other careers and businesses to focus on besides yours. When the going gets tough, most investors will not be arm in arm with you solving and fixing the problems. Those that do are golden so try to seek them out.
The founder should be adequately taken care of with majority equity ownership percentage, stock options and a parachute should his/her employment be terminated down the road.
It is also very important that the investor is adequately compensated for their trust and belief in you. In many cases you can get a convertible loan or straight debt financing instead of giving away too much equity, as these are usually more attractive from a tax perspective to the investor.
The question of valuation and percentage ownership for the business partners is always a thorny and uncomfortable subject. Get a valuation formula or mechanism agreed to and in place up front before you take their check in order to avoid downstream problems.
Related: The ABCs of Equity Financing
Many businesses fail because the partners cannot agree on the value of the business and the ownership percentages. Most of the time this is because the founder thinks that their idea is the next billion dollar unicorn, blinding them to the reality that almost every business fails.
If your business is pre-revenue and pre-profitability it can easily be argued that the business is worth zero. So dont kill a potential financing opportunity because the investor wants to value your "idea" at $ 500,000 or $ 2 Million. Be grateful that you are one of the few that actually get financed as most start-ups never do.
Do not make the mistake of trying to own a large piece of a small pie when owning a smaller chunk of a bigger more viable business would be better for you, your partners and the company.
Try to avoid investors who are looking to control you through the legal documents. Beware of agreements that force you to give up board seats, veto rights, anti-dilution rights and approval rights. Instead you want partners that believe in you, who trust you and most importantly who empower you and support you. We call this friendly money.
You want partners who add significant value by rolling up their sleeves, working in the trenches, providing mentorship, expertise, and/or connections. These folks are called "smart money."
If you can get both friendly and smart money then accept the investment with gratitude and run hand in hand with your new money partner towards success.
Related: The Trick to Splitting Startup Equity Among Key Players
A Malian national who escaped from prison twice after being charged with killing a U.S. Defense Department official and wounding a U.S. Marine during a 2000 carjacking in Niger was sentenced on Tuesday to 25 years in prison.
Alhassane Ould Mohamed of Mali pleaded guilty in federal court in Brooklyn to a charge of conspiracy to commit murder for fatally shooting William Bultemeier, a Department of Defense attache, as Bultemeier left a restaurant in the Niger capital of Niamey on Dec. 22, 2000. He also wounded Marine Staff Sgt. Christopher McNeely, who came to Bultemeier's aid.
Mohamed was arrested in Mali two days after the killing and remained in custody there until he escaped in 2002. In late 2009, he was arrested again in Mali in the killings of four Saudi Arabian nationals in northern Niger. He was sent back to Niger, where he was convicted of the murders and sentenced to 20 years behind bars. But he escaped from prison a second time. He was extradited to the U.S in March 2014.
At the sentencing Tuesday, Bultemeier's youngest daughter, Dannie Bultemeier, told the judge that she had waited more than 15 years for a resolution to her father's murder. She said she remembered picturing her father getting struck by the bullets and thinking about the pain he must have felt.
The mother of a transgender student urged a South Carolina school district Tuesday to update its bathroom policy after her child was suspended for using the boys' bathroom.
The mother, identified by WMBF-TV as Lynne, said her transgender son has been using the boys room at Socastee High School for just over three years until October when he was ordered to use the girls restroom or go to the nurses office.
Lynne pulled her son, identified as R, out of the school and enrolled him in online school. R wont get to walk on stage at the end of his senior year to get his diploma.
Thats a huge thing for teenagers to take that walk and hes not going to get to do that, Lynne told WMBF-TV.
She said her son felt uncomfortable with using the girls room or the nurses room and was suspended in January for using the boys bathroom.
"Just let them use the bathroom and don't bother them, Lynne told the station. Don't harass them. Don't single them out. Just let them do what they do every day so they can focus on what they're in school for, which is to learn."
The woman said she was worried about other transgender students in the school district and she wants to see the district pass a policy where students can use the bathroom of the gender they identify with.
The Transgender Law Center sent a letter to Horry County Schools Thursday, warning that the district would face a lawsuit if students were barred from using the restroom of the gender students identify with.
The center said transgender students dont need special accommodations they need to be treated like all other students.
Horry County School Board Chaiman Joe DeFeo told WMBF-TV the district has handled all transgender cases appropriately.
"The truth of the matter is there's been very little conflict with it over the years, DeFeo said. We do have transgender students and I don't see it as a major problem. But somebody else might."
The Transgender Law Center said it will file a complaint Wednesday if it doesnt receive confirmation that the school allows transgender students to use the bathroom of the gender they identify with. They could file a complaint with the Department of Education under Title IX.
"The District maintains the privacy of all of its students. The District seeks to accommodate the individual needs of its transgender students in compliance with the law, including Title IX, the school district said in a statement. We will continue our efforts to ensure a welcoming school environment for all students.
Click for more from WMBF-TV.
News / Local
by Thobekile Zhou
Bulawayo based journalist Annastacia Ndlovu took vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa to task today over missing $15 billion in diamond revenue.Ndlovu, known for her bravery took Mnangagwa by surprise at the ongoing Zimbabwe International Trade Fair business conference in Bulawayo when she posed a unexpected question.Ndlovu wanted to squeeze an update on the matter.In response, Mnangagwa said "where there is an investigation, there are allegations, a prima facie that this happened".Mngangagwa said the case is under investigation to establish whether it actually happened adding that if it did vanish, its if it did its corruption".Early this year, President Mugabe stunned the nation saying a whooping $15billion was stolen.Opposition MDC-T recently stage a protest in Harare demanding answers on the missing money.
An Oregon teen found out its best to come clean about dirty deeds.
When Ethan Kwons mother returned to their Happy Valley home Sunday, she noticed $200 missing from a nightstand, KATU News reported. She checked the homes surveillance video, saw an unknown woman enter and, after about 8 minutes, leave the home. She then called police.
Kwon, 18, told investigators he was in his bedroom at the time with headphones on listening to music and didnt notice anything suspicious.
But after further investigation, Kwon was charged Monday with filing a false report and hiring a prostitute, allegedly making up the story about listening to music while a stranger came into the home.
Sheriffs deputies are looking for the unidentified woman.
According to KATU News, the case is headed to the district attorney. Kwon could face more serious criminal charges.
Thats an expensive 8 minutes.
On the site of a long-idle dairy farm, leaders of a local mosque hope to build a final resting place for about 500 Muslim families to the dismay of many residents of this quaint town in central Massachusetts.
In arguments cemetery developers and activists decry as thinly veiled bigotry, neighbors say they fear burial practices could contaminate groundwater because Muslims traditionally do not embalm bodies and bury their dead without coffins. They also cite concerns about noise, vandalism and increased traffic on the narrow road where the cemetery would be built. One resident said he worried he would have to put up with "crazy music" like the Islamic call to prayer.
Similar sentiments have been expressed by people in communities around the country where Muslim cemeteries have been proposed, including Farmervsille, Texas; Walpole, Massachusetts; Carlisle, Pennsylvania; and Farmington, Minnesota.
In some cases, opponents have succeeded in defeating the new cemetery projects, while in others, Muslim groups have appealed and judges have cleared the way.
In Farmersville, near Dallas, some residents were openly hostile during meetings on a proposal to build a Muslim cemetery on a 35-acre site just outside the city. Farmersville is not far from Garland, where police fatally shot two Islamic State followers last year after they opened fire outside a cartoon contest lampooning the Prophet Muhammad.
"People don't trust Muslims. Their goal is to populate the United States and take it over," Barbara Ashcraft said during a meeting in August.
"You're not welcome here!" another man yelled, according to news accounts.
"People don't trust Muslims." Barbara Ashcraft
City leaders were so bombarded with complaints that they published an informational guide on the city's website, assuring residents that there is "no training facility planned for this site ... no terrorist activity associated with this site ... no plans for a mosque at this site."
Diane Piwko, a Farmersville resident and business owner, said she worries the cemetery proposed for prime property overlooking a lake won't be maintained and will become an eyesore at the entrance to the city.
"I am not basing any of my decision on why I'm against the cemetery on religion," she said. "I base it on bad business practices."
Muslim leaders have been taken aback by the level of resistance.
"We were absolutely flabbergasted, to be honest, to see that kind of opposition," said Ismail Fenni, a representative of Al-Marhama Islamic Burial, which wants to build a cemetery in Walpole, south of Boston.
"All we're trying to establish is a place for a final resting place for the loved ones of the Muslim community members," he said. "No other activity is going to be happening in a cemetery except what is customary for a cemetery."
There are relatively few dedicated Muslim cemeteries around the country, so many Muslim communities use sections of other cemeteries to bury their dead.
In Dudley, the proposal from the Islamic Society of Greater Worcester has been met with angry comments at local meetings.
"You want a Muslim cemetery? Fine. Put it in your backyard, not mine," Daniel Grazulis said during a zoning meeting in February, drawing a round of applause.
Jason Talerman, a lawyer for the Islamic Society, said he believes the opposition is rooted in Islamophobia.
"They like to say it under the guise of, 'Oh, we're just trying to protect our water supply,' but it's thinly veiled," he said.
Desiree Moninski, who lives across the street from the site, once farmed by her grandparents, said she and other opponents have legitimate concerns that have nothing to do with Islam.
"I grew up here. It's farmland, and I'd like to see it stay that way," she said.
"A lot of people moved here because it's peaceful and quiet. I just don't want a cemetery here, period. Any kind of cemetery. It doesn't matter what kind."
In January, a Minnesota judge overturned a local board's denial of a permit for a cemetery near Farmington. In his written ruling, Judge David Knutson called the denial "arbitrary and capricious." The judge said the proposal was rejected despite a "lack of any justification based on the health, safety and general welfare of the local residents."
In West Pennsboro Township, Pennsylvania, a local board rejected a plan for a cemetery proposed last year by the Bosniak Islamic Cultural Center of Carlisle. A judge quickly overturned that ruling.
Douglas Cwienk, a hydrogeologist who testified for the Muslim group proposing the Pennsylvania cemetery, said that Muslim burial practices are unlikely to contaminate wells or groundwater, and that not embalming is better for local groundwater in most cases. (Jewish tradition also prohibits embalming.)
In Dudley, Muslim leaders have agreed to bury bodies in coffins or concrete vaults to appease residents on contamination concerns. Muslim families in the area currently bury their dead in a cemetery in Enfield, Connecticut about 60 miles away.
Amjad Bhatti, president of the Islamic Society, said some of the comments have hurt because he considers the U.S. his home after moving from Pakistan 20 years ago and raising his family here.
"They belong to this land now," he said. "This is our country."
An Illinois woman was arrested last week after police say she climbed into the ceiling of a Big Lots and came crashing down into the women's restroom.
The News-Leader reported that Amanda L. Chandler, 30, was allegedly spotted by officers rummaging through a cash register in the front of the store early Thursday. A responding officer reportedly shined a flashlight and the suspect ran to the back of the store and climbed into the ceiling.
The report said the suspect eventually came crashing down into the womens restroom and was arrested.
Chandler allegedly told police that she remembered her time in the ceiling but did not recall how she got there. She is being held on $15,000 bond and charged with second-degree burglary.
Real estate heir Robert Durst will serve 7 years, 1 month in prison on a weapons charge -- more than 4 1/2 times the maximum under federal guidelines.
U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt sentenced Durst, 72, on Wednesday in New Orleans, approving a sentence that Durst had accepted in February as part of a plea agreement. Engelhardt also fined Durst $5,000 and said that his sentence, once served, would be followed by three years of supervised release.
Durst will get credit for time served since his arrest in mid-March last year, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McMahon said.
"They always do that," he said.
Ten years and a $250,000 fine would have been the maximum sentence that Durst could have faced for illegally carrying a .38-caliber revolver after being convicted of a felony. However, Engelhardt noted, a presentence report recommended 12 to 18 months under federal guidelines.
Durst still faces a separate murder charge in California. Durst is charged in Los Angeles with killing a female friend, Susan Berman, in 2000 to keep her from talking to New York prosecutors about the disappearance of Durst's first wife in 1982.
His attorneys have said repeatedly that he is innocent, does not know who killed Berman, and wants to prove it.
"I have been waiting to get to California about a year so I can state my not guilty plea," Durst, looking pale in an orange jail jumpsuit, told Engelhardt. "I truly, truly want to express my statement that I am not guilty in the death of Susan Berman."
Engelhardt said the longer-than-standard sentence was reasonable because the plea deal included agreements with U.S. attorneys in Houston and Manhattan and the Orleans Parish district attorney not to prosecute Durst on a variety of offenses. Those could have carried sentences longer than 85 months, Engelhardt said.
Accepting the sentence "cleared the decks -- at a cost," defense attorney Richard DeGuerin said. "It's a great cost, but he's not facing any other prosecutions except what's in California."
"This case is and always has been about the accusation that Bob killed his best friend, Susan Berman. He did not kill Susan Berman, he doesn't know who did, and he's eager to get to California and prove that," DeGuerin said.
McMahon and DeGuerin said Durst also will forfeit more than $44,000 found in his hotel room when he was arrested and $117,000 in a package sent to Everette Ward, the name under which Durst had registered, and intercepted by the FBI after his arrest.
Durst's attorneys and prosecutors in Los Angeles have agreed that he will be in Los Angeles by mid-August.
He's likely to leave Louisiana within a couple of weeks, McMahon said.
"He'll be out of here pretty quickly," McMahon said, noting that timing and the specific prison that Durst goes to is up to the federal Bureau of Prisons.
Engelhardt recommended that Durst serve his time at FCI Terminal Island, California, about 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles. The location is near the trial venue and has medical facilities Durst needs because of his "advanced age and serious health considerations, including mobility challenges," defense lawyers wrote in a request filed Monday.
An estranged member of the wealthy New York real estate family that runs 1 World Trade Center, Durst was tracked to New Orleans in March 2015 by FBI agents worried that he was about to flee to Cuba.
He was detained at a hotel on the eve of the finale of a six-part documentary about him, and was arrested early on the morning of the show. "The Jinx" described the disappearance of Kathleen Durst, the death and dismemberment of a neighbor in Galveston, Texas, and Berman's death.
At the end of the show, Durst is heard muttering, "What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course."
Officials say a 3-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed himself with his father's pistol.
Sgt. Ashley Henson of the Paulding County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday that forensic pathologists and detectives determined the gunshot wound to the chest was consistent with an accidental and self-inflicted wound.
Henson said in a statement that Holston Cole used his father David's semi-automatic pistol to shoot himself Tuesday.
David Cole called 911 and told a dispatcher that his son got the gun from the father's book bag.
Henson said deputies were called to the home in Dallas, Georgia, on Tuesday morning and found Holston with a gunshot wound. Henson says the deputies performed CPR and he was pronounced dead at WellStar Paulding Hospital.
No charges have been filed.
One of the most common struggles for small businesses, startups and solo entrepreneurs is standing out from the competition. The good news is, there's a powerful strategy to do just that. Unfortunately, its also one of the most under-utilized: a personal story.
Related: The Strongest Connections Come From Telling Your Story
A personal story is a narrative about the origins of your business, product or service. Since it's your story, it immediately sets you apart. And, in an infinite sea of blogs, businesses and brands, that's a huge advantage. It's also one being emulated widely: Take a closer look at marketing today and youll see that the worlds largest brands are literally spending millions of dollars to sound smaller.
That means you already have the marketing advantage that your larger competitors are seeking. Heres how to take full advantage of that.
1. Select an arc from the epic story framework.
Nearly every epic tale contains most, if not all, of these story arcs:
Paradise
Disaster
Reluctant hero
Fleeting victory
Devastating defeat
Moment of grace
Ultimate victory
Consider The Lord of the Rings: Frodo Baggins lives in the Shire, a paradise graced with great beer, verdant pastures and parties galore. Yet disaster is imminent in Middle Earth: The ancient villain Sauron has arisen once more.
Our reluctant hero Frodo is, through a series of events, entrusted with the immense task of destroying the ring and defeating Sauron. As the story progresses, Frodo experiences a string of victories, but then a devastating loss occurs: the loss of a friend and mentor.
While your business may not have saved Middle Earth from certain doom, youve likely experienced at least one of those seven arcs. Whatever the situation, theres a story there to tell -- especially if you combine it with one of the following:
2. Choose a story element.
Stories often contain the following dramatic elements. Highlight just one of them for now:
Hero or heroine
Villain
Untold facts
Elephant-in-the-room
Story behind the story
Breaking news
Related: How to Tell Your Small-Business Story
In The Lord of the Rings, the villain isnt just Sauron and his minions. The unseen villain is humankinds greed and lust for power -- an infinitely more dangerous foe.
The elephant-in-the-room is the idea that of all the warriors in Middle Earth -- a deft ranger, a sharp-shooting elf, a stout dwarf and a powerful wizard, the least likely candidate -- a tiny Hobbit with little combat experience -- is the one that physically carries the ring and goes into the heart of enemy territory.
If you consider the story behind your own business or brand, its likely that at least one of these six story elements will come to mind.
3. Write your story and tie it to your brand.
Select just one component from each category above. You may well have something that resembles one of the following:
You launched your organization because of a devastating loss in your family, say, a drunk driver, and you want to help others experiencing the same kind of pain.
Youre now the reluctant hero, taking the helm of a floundering family business. The reason for the companys struggles? Everyone knew that the founder, your father, wasnt open to new or innovative ideas, but no one could broach the subject. It was the elephant-in-the-room until you stepped up.
Youve had a successful C-suite career and by all appearances live an optimal life: You have money, status and influence. But the story-behind-the-story is that you no longer find your work fulfilling; or you've tired of the corporate grind; or you long to help multiple organizations rather than just one company. This is why youre making a pivot into speaking, consulting or writing.
The beauty of a personal story is that it is unique, real and relatable. The best stories are specific enough to be believable, yet universal enough to be relevant. Once you add a few names, dates or locales to your story, you'll have a powerful, persuasive and profitable component to your marketing. Then, you can leverage the advantage you inherently have over the bigger brands you compete with.
Related: Make Your Brand Pop By Telling Your Story
So, what exactly is your story?
A substitute teacher in Michigan said she was fired Friday because she said the word vagina when discussing historical interpretations of art.
Teacher fired after she said 'vagina' says she was talking art, not sex https://t.co/NgOj5yVCFU pic.twitter.com/ZcddU7ceys MLive (@MLive) April 27, 2016
Allison Wint, who was substituting at Harper Creek Middle School in Battle Creek, said she used the word while discussing Georgia OKeefes paintings with an 8th grade class, WWMT.com reported.
I did not know about this policy, she told WWMT.com. They were entirely within their right to remove me.
She said that she used the word in the context of art and was not being vulgar.
The Harper Creek Community Schools released a statement pointing out its policy that teachers need advanced approval when discussing reproductive health.
Wint told the news station an outside agency helped her get the job at the middle school, and now she'll look for work somewhere else.
An upstate New York mayor is accused of illegally providing his village with more than 100 road signs belonging to the state Department of Transportation, police said Monday.
Frank Moracco, 66, was charged with official misconduct and petit larceny. Investigators said Moracco works as a sign shop foreman for the DOT. Both charges are misdemeanors, according to The Observer-Dispatch of Utica.
He is accused of stealing the signs and giving them to the village of Frankfort Street Department.
The arrest follows a New York State Police investigation that started in July 2015. Police said Moracco stole 111 signs.
Karlee Tamburro, a village clerk, told the newspaper that Moracco will continue to serve as mayor and the Mohawk Valley village isnt commenting on the charges.
According to Syracuse.com, Moracco has been mayor of Frankfort since June 2004 and worked for the state Department of Transportation since September 2001.
He is due in court on May 3.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The quest for answers for thousands of veterans sickened -- in some cases terminally -- by contaminated water at Camp Lejuene has been stymied by a federal agency that refuses to hand over key documents, attorneys from Yale Law School charged Wednesday.
The Veterans Legal Services Clinic at Yale Law School filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit in federal court Wednesday against the Department of Veterans Affairs for allegedly withholding information on a group of "experts" denying claims for scores of veterans exposed to cancer-causing chemicals at the North Carolina base.
The suit, which represents two veterans groups, seeks to compel the VA to respond to a December 2015 FOIA request about the SME program -- an anonymous group of "subject matter experts" who render medical opinions on the veterans exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejuene between 1953 and 1987.
"The SME program remains a black box." Rory Minnis, Yale Law student and former Marine
Since the program's launch three years ago, the rate of Camp Lejeune toxic water disability claims being approved has dropped from approximately 25 percent to 8 percent, according to VA statistics. Advocates for veterans want to know who the purported experts passing judgment on the claims are, and how they arrive at their conclusions.
"The VA has yet to provide an official response to the request or even to provide a single responsive record," Rory Minnis, a former Marine and second-year Yale law student, told reporters Wednesday.
"For several years now, Camp Lejeune advocates, individual veterans, and the media have repeatedly requested informationon the SMEs credentials, training, methodology, and programmechanics. Yet, the SME program remains a black box," said Minnis. "The VAs failure to respond to our clients FOIA request is just the latest instance in a long pattern of foot-dragging and misdirection in response to inquiries about the SME program."
Between 1953 and 1987, nearly 1 million veterans, their families and civilian employees at Camp Lejeune were exposed to drinking and bathing water contaminated with dry cleaning chemicals, degreasers and a host of other toxins. Many base residents developed illnesses -- including rare cancers -- and disabilities in the aftermath.
According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, "past exposures from the 1950s through February 1985 to trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), vinyl chloride, and other contaminants in the drinking water at the Camp Lejeune likely increased the risk of cancers (kidney, multiple myeloma, leukemias, and others), adverse birth outcomes, and other adverse health effects of residents (including infants and children), civilian workers, Marines and Naval personnel at Camp Lejeune."
Victims claim the U.S. Marine Corps hid knowledge of the problem for years and did not warn people their health might be at risk.
One SME report used to deny a Camp Lejeune veterans claim featured language cut and pasted from Wikipedia, Minnis said Wednesday. Another rejected the judgment of the veterans treating VA doctor amd a third falsely claimed against well-established medical consensus that there was no causal link between trichloroethylene, a known carcinogen, and kidney cancer, according to the legal team at Yale.
The goal of the lawsuit -- which represents The Few, The Proud, The Forgotten and Vietnam Veterans of America -- is to seek records on how the SME program is structured, staffed, and operated.
The VA told FoxNews.com in December that it established the SME program in 2012 to "complete Camp Lejeune medical opinions based on scientific studies and to bring additional occupational exposure science into the claims review process."
"The selected SMEs are clinicians trained in occupational medicine, environmental medicine, and toxicology," Walinda West, a Veterans Affairs spokeswoman, had said. "Additional training is provided following their selection as an SME at the Regional office Louisville, Ky."
West described the clinicians as "highly experienced professionals" who have been "directly or indirectly involved with care and/or assessment of our Veterans at VA Medical Centers."
The VA's response -- or lack thereof -- has sparked lawmakers, like Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., to press for greater transparency on the credentials and conclusions reached by the unidentified group of clinicians.
"The VA's lack of response to these brave men and woman is utterly irreposnable and unacceptable," Blumenthal, D-Conn., said on a conference call Wednesday with reporters.
Retired Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger, founder of The Few, The Proud, The Forgotten -- one of the groups seeking information -- lived on the base with his family in 1975. Ensminger's young daughter, Janey, was diagnosed with leukemia at age 6 and died when she was 9. After learning about the water contamination in a local news report years after Janey's death, Ensminger said he made it his mission to press the government for accountability.
On the same conference call Wednesday, Ensminger claimed Camp Lejeune veterans are the "only veterans who have been subjected to this so-called SME program."
"Their modus operandi is delay and deny until they die," added Rick Weidman, executive director for policy and government affairs for Vietnam Veterans of America.
"There is no definition of who the subject matter experts are," said Weidman. "It's absolutely unacceptable in a democracy to hide behind anonymity."
Cristina Corbin is a reporter for FoxNews.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaCorbin.
Authorities say a 26-year-old woman driving in Milwaukee was shot to death when a child in the back seat got hold of a gun.
The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office says the woman was struck once in the back as she drove south on U.S. 41/Highway 175 around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.
When deputies arrived, the woman had no pulse and was not breathing. Officers tried to revive her but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
A sheriff's spokeswoman tells the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that detectives were interviewing witnesses. The age and gender of the child were not released.
The spokeswoman did not know the relationship between the woman and the child, what type of weapon was used or how the child managed to get a gun and fire it.
News / Local
by Stephen Jakes
Residents in Old Tafara have condemned the City of Harare for perpetuating the marginalisation of the poor residents using rates discrimination as a tool.This was revealed by the Harare Residents Trust which said the residents who live in the singles quarters where each tenant occupies one room in the two-roomed houses have to fork out US$37 for that tiny room which makes the one stand pay a total of US$74 every month."This is totally opposed to the rates paid by residents who live in bigger stands in areas like Belvedere, Warren Park, Glen View or Budiriro where individual households have houses as big as seven rooms. The most painful thing about this marginalisation is that the City of Harare did not build these single housing quarters in Old Tafara," said the trust.
Islamic State militants seized five villages from Syrian rebels close to the Turkish border Wednesday, further weakening the rebels' foothold in and around the northern city of Aleppo.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a network of activists monitoring the conflict, said the extremist group took five villages in Azaz district, north of Aleppo, where a rebel enclave is home to tens of thousands of displaced civilians. ISIS' news agency also reported the advance.
Syrian rebels are anticipating a major government offensive in Aleppo, Syria's largest city and onetime commercial capital, which has been contested since 2012. Dozens of civilians have been killed in shelling and airstrikes on the city over the past week.
In another blow to the rebels, government troops repelled an attack on the western edge of Aleppo by a coalition of insurgent groups, killing at least 19 fighters, said Nazeer al-Khatib, an Aleppo-based activist who keeps close contact with the insurgents.
Al-Khatib said the rebels were ambushed by government forces near a factory, trapping nearly 600 fighters inside. Nine rebels were killed in the clashes, while another 10 died during an operation that succeeded in freeing the trapped fighters but failed to dislodge government forces from the area.
The Observatory also reported the failed attack, but put the number of rebels killed at 34.
A pro-government TV station also reported that troops had repelled an attempt by insurgents to crawl up the city's sewage system in a western neighborhood. The Sama TV station aired footage of the bodies of nearly a dozen fighters.
A government offensive backed by Russian air power and regional militias earlier this year dislodged rebels from parts of Azaz and severed their corridor between the Turkish border and Aleppo. The predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who are fighting for their autonomy in the multilayered conflict, also gained ground against the rebels.
That left the rebels in Aleppo with just one narrow corridor to the outside world, through Idlib province. Those in Azaz are now squeezed between ISIS to the east and the SDF to the west and south, while Turkey tightly restricts the flow of goods and people through the border.
Doctors Without Borders and other aid organizations warned earlier this month that the humanitarian situation for over 100,000 people trapped in the Azaz rebel-held pocket was critical.
Wednesday's advance puts ISIS in a better position to strike the towns of Marea and Azaz.
Syria's conflict began with mostly peaceful protests in 2011, but a brutal government crackdown and the rise of an armed insurgency eventually plunged the country into a full-blown civil war. The fighting has killed more than 250,000 people, according to the United Nations, which stopped tracking casualties several months ago.
Despite the wobbly cease-fire, humanitarian aid was delivered to a rebel-held area in central Syria, the third such batch since last week. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it is delivering to the besieged town of Talbiseh about 35 trucks carrying food parcels, technical equipment to repair boreholes and pumping stations, dialysis machines, school kits and other materials.
Talbiseh has seen its population nearly double since September to 60,000 because of the escalation in fighting in areas nearby.
On Friday and Monday, the ICRC, alongside the U.N. and the Syrian Red Crescent, delivered aid to another besieged town in the central Homs province.
North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un randomly fires off missiles whenever he gets upset about the United States demands, his fathers former sushi chef revealed Wednesday, as the country appeared to be gearing up for its next launch.
Kenji Fujimoto, now living in Japan, told the Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun that Kim Jong Un made the admission during a recent trip to Pyongyang.
"I have no intention of waging war," Kim said, according to Fujimoto. "It's that whenever a diplomat tries to approach the U.S., they come up with unreasonable demands. They aggravate me, so I launch missiles.
The former chef suggested that Kim was irritated by U.S. sanctions and military threats from rivals, UPI reported, citing South Korean news service News 1.
Fujimoto has worked with the Kim family since the 1980s and left North Korea in 2001. Since then, he reportedly has advised Kim on North Korea-Japan relations.
"They aggravate me, so I launch missiles." Kim Jong Un during a meeting in Pyongyang, according to Kenji Fujimoto
"[Secretary Kim] said that he thought it would be a good idea if I played a bridging role between Pyongyang and the Japanese government," he said. The dictator's father, Kim Jong Il, led North Korea from 1994 until his death in 2011.
A government official in Seoul told South Korea's Yonhap news agency on Tuesday that its military had evidence indicating North Korea could soon launch a midrange missile.
Also, South Korea said Wednesday that the North has built a half-size mock-up of the South's presidential palace at a firing range in what appears to be preparations for a live-fire drill.
An official from the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff, who didn't want to be named, citing office rules, said the information came from an analysis of South Korean satellite imagery, The Associated Press reported.
North Korea in recent weeks has repeatedly threatened to strike the presidential palace and government buildings in Seoul amid annual joint military drills between the United States and South Korea.
But a pre-emptive large-scale strike by North Korea against the South is highly unlikely, The Associated Press reported. Such a move would risk bringing down Kim's authoritarian rule given the likely military response of the U.S. and South Korea.
The crippling international sanctions imposed on North Korea for its nuclear tests have been taking its toll on the country, as Kim announced in late March that North Korea could be headed for another famine like the one that killed an estimated 3.5 million people in the 1990s.
"The road to revolution is long and arduous," an editorial in the state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper said, according to The Telegraph. "We may have to go on an arduous march, during which we will have to chew the roots of plants once again." Meanwhile, South Korean analysts said recently that Kim himself apparently gained more than 80 pounds in the last year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper warned Tuesday that Brussels-style Islamic State terror cells are operating in England.
Clapper told reporters at an event hosted by the Christian Science Monitor that ISIS militants have used Europes open borders and the refugee crisis to infiltrate the continent. He said there was a fundamental conflict between national security and free movement throughout the European Union.
He said there were also similar terror cells operating in Germany and Italy.
We continue to see evidence of plotting on the part of ISIL in the countries you name. They have ten advantage to some extent of the migrant crisis in Europe, something which nations have a growing awareness of, Clapper added.
The Telegraph reported that Clappers comments have echoed warnings issued by the head of Britains national security that the Islamic State intends to carry out mass casualty attacks throughout Britain.
The paper noted that Clapper was the most senior Western official to acknowledge publicly the terror groups extensive reach into the continent. He also said months after the attacks, a portrait of the extremists presence in Europe began to emerge.
Chairman of the commons home affairs select committee Keith Vaz said Britain needs to take Clappers warnings very seriously because his message comes from a key ally.
There are worrying concerns about free movement across the EU. Once someone passes through the external border of the EU there are simply no checks before they get to the UK, Vaz said. Even there they are not challenged robustly enough as they are EU citizens. These gaps need to be addressed.
More than 800 people are believed to have traveled to Iraq and Syria to join ISIS and more than half are believed to have returned to Britain, according to The Telegraph.
Mohamed Abrini, a key suspect in the Paris and Brussels attacks, is believed to have traveled and met with contacts in Britain last summer. At least five people were arrested in Birmingham and Gatwick earlier this month as part of wide scale anti-terror raids.
Clapper said that better intelligence sharing between European countries was an important issue that needed to be addressed to prevent future attacks.
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Fuddruckers Gears Up For May 2 Opening Of Its Sixth Virginia Restaurant Location With New Franchise Partner TravelCenters of America
ASHLAND, Va. - April 27, 2016 // PRNewswire // - Fuddruckers is rolling into Ashland next week thanks to a new franchise agreement with TravelCenters of America. On Monday, May 2, the Texas heritage brand will introduce a fast casual restaurant within a popular truck stop and convenience center at 100 North Carter Road.
Located off Interstate 95 just north of Richmond, the location will feature decor that references Fuddruckers' classic, Americana origins and offer seating for 86. The addition of a driver's lounge will offer long haul guests a welcoming and comfortable spot to recharge while refueling with the "World's Greatest Hamburgers."
Virginia is currently home to four traditional Fuddruckers, in addition to a full-service Fuddruckers Deluxe Bar & Grill in Newport News.
According to Peter Tropoli, Chief Operating Officer of Luby's, Inc., "For more than four decades, TravelCenters of America has set the bar for roadside conveniences, and we're excited about aligning our established brands through this partnership, which provides an opportunity to reach new audiences along some of the country's busiest routes."
About Fuddruckers
Since 1980, Fuddruckers has been obsessed with making the world happier, one great hamburger at a time. Grilled-to-order burgers feature always fresh and never frozen, 100% USDA premium-cut beef with no fillers or additives. Delicious, sesame-topped buns are baked from scratch on-site throughout the day to achieve the perfect combination of crisp crust and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
And while burgers are the signature, the engaging menu offers variety for many tastes with an array of sandwiches, platters and salads. No matter what they choose, customers can customize their meal with a trip to the legendary Build Your Own produce bar, which features fantastic fixings like sun-ripened tomatoes, lettuce, sliced onions, dill pickles, pico de gallo and classic cheese sauce.
About Luby's, Inc.
Luby's, Inc. (NYSE: LUB) operates restaurants under the brands Luby's Cafeteria, Fuddruckers and Cheeseburger in Paradise and provides food service management through its Luby's Culinary Services division. The company-operated restaurants include 94 Luby's Cafeterias, 76 Fuddruckers restaurants, eight Cheeseburger in Paradise full service restaurants and bars and one Bob Luby's Seafood Grill. Its Luby's Cafeterias are located primarily in Texas. In addition to the company-operated Fuddruckers locations, Luby's is the franchisor for 110 Fuddruckers franchise locations across the United States(including Puerto Rico), Canada, Mexico, Panama, Italy, Poland, Chile, Colombiaand the Dominican Republic. Luby's Culinary Services provides food service management to 21 sites consisting of healthcare, higher education and corporate dining locations.
SOURCE Fuddruckers
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MaidPro Named One of the Best Places to Work in Massachusetts
April 27, 2016 // Franchising.com // BOSTON, MA - The Boston Business Journal has named MaidPro one of the 2016 Best Places to Work in Massachusetts. Honorees were selected based on survey responses provided by employees. This year 80 Massachusetts employers will be honored during its 14th annual Best Places to Work event on June 23 at Symphony Hall in Boston. The employers were divided into five categories based on size; MaidPro will represent in the small category. Carolyn M. Jones, Boston Business Journal Market President and Publisher, stated, We are extremely pleased to recognize these companies that clearly value their employees and go the extra mile to create great workplaces. This is the 8th year MaidPro has been recognized by the Boston Business Journal for its exceptional dedication to employee prosperity.
To get a free estimate for housecleaning services from MaidPro please visithttp://www.maidpro.com.
About MaidPro
MaidPro is a Boston-based franchisor of house cleaning services with over 200 locations in 38 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. The company, which began franchising in 1997, takes pride in its strong owner community, cutting-edge technology and creative marketing. It has been honored with the Franchise Business Reviews Four-Star Rating and Franchise 50 awards every year from 2006 to 2016 for owner satisfaction. MaidPro was named one of the Top 50 Franchises for Minorities by USA Todays Franchising Today. MaidPro is also a proud member of the International Franchise Association and the New England Franchise Association. The company can be found online at http://www.maidprofranchise.com.
SOURCE MaidPro
Media Contact:
Madeleine Park
(617) 778-0374 x7040
mpark@maidpro.com
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Signs Now Greenville Under New Ownership
Local Business Under New Ownership
April 22, 2016 // Franchising.com // GREENVILLE, N.C. - Signs Now Greenville, located at 118B SE Greenville Blvd., is under new ownership. Matt Habit recently took over the local sign and graphics company, which has been serving the region for over 20 years. Since purchasing the company, Habit and his team of professionals have focused on improved production and more timely response times. They are also adding new state-of-the-art equipment, including a new HP 360 Latex printer.
We look forward to continuing our established client relationships while growing the business and providing more companies in the region with our varied products and services, remarked Habit.
Before acquiring Signs Now Greenville, Habit worked at the Signs Now in Rocky Mount for four years and holds a Digital Media and Graphic Design Degree. This combination provided for a seamless transition into ownership. With his team of seasoned professionals, the company brings a collective35 year of sign-industry experience to Signs Now Greenville.
The Signs Now Greenville service base includes business solutions for outdoor and indoor signage, banners, window and vehicle graphics, exhibit and trade show graphics, ADA signage, dimensional letters, directional systems and other visual communications tools.
Signs Now in Greenville is locally-owned and operated, and is a member of Alliance Franchise Brands franchise network, a world leader in visual and graphics communications, linking more than 600 locations in the U.S., Canada and United Kingdom. For more information, contact Signs Now at (252) 355-0768 or visit the companys website at http://www.signsnow.com/greenville.
SOURCE Signs Now
Media Inquiries:
Sarah Malpeli
(941) 993-5037
sarahm@alliancefranchisebrands.com
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Smashburger Appoints Michael J. Nolan As New President & Chief Executive Officer
Industry Veteran to lead Burger Brand's Continued Success and Rapid Growth
DENVER - April 27, 2016 // PRNewswire // - Smashburger, the nation's fastest growing "better burger" concept, today has appointed Michael Nolan as President & Chief Executive Officer to lead the concept into its next phase of growth and development. Nolan joined the Smashburger brand in February of this year as Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer, overseeing the company's Development (Real Estate, Construction, Design and Facilities), Franchise Sales, IT and Strategy Departments.
Nolan has more than 25 years of experience in restaurant development strategy and executive level management, successfully growing national and international brands. Most recently Michael served as Corner Bakery's Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer. He also has held executive level management positions at Bloomin' Brands, Inc. where he oversaw the restaurant development strategy for more than 1,500 locations across 26 countries. Nolan held several executive positions and led growth strategies for Panera Bread Company during a 12 year expansion phase that saw units grow from 250 to more than 1,500. Michael has served as a member of the Smashburger Board of Advisors since 2012.
"Michael has a great history with the Smashburger brand and a great career delivering unparalleled food and hospitality experiences for customers around the world," commented Rick Schaden, Chairman and Co-Founder of Smashburger. "At Smashburger we continue to set aggressive goals for quality, value, service and sales on an increasingly large scale. Michael's experience and perspective will be instrumental as we evolve from a regional player to a food first global brand."
This announcement follows a significant recapitalization of Smashburger completed in Q4 2015. In late 2015 Smashburger announced a new strategic partnership with Jollibee Foods Corporation (PSE: JFC), a Manilla based company operating multiple brands worldwide.
Outgoing CEO Scott Crane joined the company in 2007, when Smashburger had just two stores in Denver, CO. Under his leadership, Smashburger firmly established its place as a leader in the better burger category, growing to over 365 restaurants and consistently ranking as "best burger" in many markets. He was elevated to CEO in 2013.
"Scott is a valued leader and great friend," said Schaden. "He is an executive who has great food service embedded in his DNA. We have a deep appreciation for everything he has done for the company, our brand and, most importantly, our people."
Smashburger currently operates and is in development in more than 365 restaurants across the United States, United Kingdom, Kuwait, Canada, El Salvador, Panama, Costa Rica, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Smashburger will continue to grow at a strong pace with a mission of bringing great burgers back to Americans and sharing them with the world.
For more information on Smashburger, please visit www.smashburger.com or check us out on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
About Smashburger
Smashburger is a leading fast casual "better burger" restaurant known for its fresh never frozen, 100% Certified Angus Beef burgers that are smashed on the grill to sear in the juices, creating an upscale quality burger packed with flavor and served at a great value. In addition to burgers, Smashburger offers grilled or crispy chicken sandwiches, fresh salads, signature side items such as Haystack onions and Veggie Frites, and hand-spun Haagen-Dazs shakes. On each market menu, Smashburger offers locally inspired items like the regional burger, as well as regional sides and local craft beer. Smashburger began in 2007 with the vision of Rick Schaden and funding by Consumer Capital Partnersthe private equity firm that Rick and his father Richard own. There are currently over 365 corporate and franchise restaurants operating in 35 states and seven countries. To learn more, visit www.smashburger.com
SOURCE Smashburger
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Tariq Farid Inducted Into Junior Achievement of Southwest New England Business Hall Of Fame
April 27, 2016 // Franchising.com // WALLINGFORD, Conn. - Edible Arrangements founder and CEO Tariq Farid was inducted into the Junior Achievement of Southwest New England Business Hall of Fame during ceremonies at the Hartford Marriott in Hartford, Conn.
The Business Hall of Fame honors business and community leaders who have made significant contributions to the prosperity and quality of life in the Greater Hartford region and throughout Connecticut.
Our goal is to honor citizens who have established a standard of excellence while making a major contribution to business and to the community, said Louis J. Golden, President of Junior Achievement of Southwest New England. We want to recognize those we can hold up to young people as an example of what success looks like. Mr. Farid is a living example of this.
Junior Achievement is a global leader in providing cutting-edge, hands-on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work-readiness education. Over the past three decades, the Junior Achievement of Southwest New England Business Hall of Fame has inducted more than 135 individuals and organizations for their career achievements and contributions to the community.
Farid was recognized for both his entrepreneurial and philanthropic accomplishments. He started his first business, a flower shop, as a teenager and in 1999 he founded Edible Arrangements which has grown to become the global leader in high quality, artistically designed fresh fruit arrangements with more than 1,200 stores worldwide. He also has founded or acquired successful technology companies Netsolace, BroadPeakIT and Naranga as well as several distribution and supply chain management companies. As a philanthropist, his Tariq Farid Foundation supports causes in Connecticut and worldwide with charitable contributions that total almost $1 million annually.
I am humbled to receive this honor, Farid said. Junior Achievement is an organization whose mission is close to my heart. Today, more than ever, our young people need positive role models who help them build self-confidence and develop their skills, and who encourage them to pursue their dreams. Thats why the work of this organization is so important and I am honored that they have selected me for this recognition.
Joining Farid in being inducted into the Business Hall of Fame were John J. Patrick, Jr., Chairman, President & CEO of Farmington Bank, and Mark E. Scheinberg, President of Goodwin College. The Junior Achievement Corporate Award was presented to Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual). Master of Ceremonies was Bill Griffeth, co-anchor of CNBCs Closing Bell.
All of us at Junior Achievement would also like to recognize the incredible contributions of Edible Arrangements Vice President of Human Resources Tom Horn and his passionate team of employees and suppliers who helped make this evening so special, said Golden. Like Mr. Farid, they truly believe in the mission of Junior Achievement and worked countless hours to make sure we had an event filled with great memories."
About Edible Arrangements
With more than 1,200 independently owned and operated franchise locations open or under development worldwide, Edible Arrangements International, LLC is the world's largest franchisor of shops offering creatively designed fresh cut fruit arrangements. Select Edible Arrangements locations also carry the company's rapidly expanding Edible To Go line which features all-natural, fresh fruit smoothies, Dipped Fruit, fresh squeezed lemonade and orange juice, and fresh fruit salads, sundaes and parfaits and treats. Since its founding in 1999 in East Haven, Conn., the company has been recognized as an industry leader, ranking first in its category in Entrepreneur magazines annual "Franchise 500," Entrepreneur's Top 40 of "Fastest Growing Franchises" and "America's Top Global Franchises" as well as being included for eight consecutive years among the "Inc. 5000" list of the fastest growing privately-held companies. Edible Arrangements fresh fruit arrangements, chocolate Dipped Fruit, Fresh Fruit Smoothies and others can be enjoyed at franchise locations worldwide.Gifts can be ordered online at www.edible.com and by telephone at 1-877-DO-FRUIT.
EDIBLE, EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS and other trademarks noted are registered trademarks of Edible Arrangements, LLC.
About The Tariq Farid Foundation
Founded in 2013 by Tariq Farid, the Founder and CEO of Edible Arrangements, the mission of the Tariq Farid Foundation is to alleviate suffering by providing for the basic needs of food and healthcare, and to improve lives through the support of education and skill development opportunities that enable individuals to reach their full potential. More information on the Tariq Farid Foundation is available at tariqfaridfoundation.org.
SOURCE Edible Arrangements
Media Contacts:
Kelly Hebrank
Director, Tariq Farid Foundation
(203) 626-9851
khebrank@tariqfaridfoundation.org
Scott White
BizCom Associates
(214) 458-5751
scottwhite@bizcompr.com
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News / National
by Staff reporter
Suspected State security agents blocked opposition leader Joice Mujuru from attending a church meeting in Chinhoyi.Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operatives summoned heads of various churches gathered outside the Anglican Church's St Paul's Parish at Gadzema Township and ordered them to disperse or face unspecified punitive action.The women, clad in church garb of their respective denominations, quickly left the scene.Mujuru arrived around midday only to find the venue gates locked, while a few party members were still milling around to welcome her.ZimPF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo yesterday described the incident as "undemocratic" and "an act of desperation by the Zanu PF regime"."It is most unfortunate that CIO operatives stopped the interdenominational meeting. We don't expect this to happen in a democratic Zimbabwe. It violates the Constitution, the rights of the people as well as the churches."It is a violation of the Constitution to disrupt religious organisations from carrying out their functions," Gumbo said.A female congregant, who requested anonymity for fear of victimisation, said a known intelligence operative had threatened to harm them if they remained defiant. She said the spy agent also ordered them "not to entertain Mujuru and her Western puppets".
News / National
by Stephen Jakes
Mberengwa villagers are reportedly under police siege for operating music on their mobile phones and USB which they consider as piracy.The police operation is called 'Operation Music wakamuwanepi' and is aggravating the plight of the populace.Dr Takavafira Zhou said police in Mberengwa have launched operation Music wakamuwanepi which is pushing the hungry and starving peasants deeper into malaise and poverty."Under this operation police have targeted anyone suspected to have or playing music (be it on radio or cellphone) to provide proof of acquisition. In a world of technology where most music is on memory sticks several people have been forced to pay penalty fees ranging from $20 to $30," Zhou said. "Worse still police are also checking people's phones and anyone found with music is not spared of the admission of guilt penalty of $20."The source while piracy is surely unacceptable, the activities of police in such areas as Mataga, Msume, Danga, Chegato and other areas of Mberengwa have surely gone beyond piracy."It is apparent that police are in some form of fund raising. Many people have now parted with their goats in order to pay penalties for simply having some music on one's cellphone. Mberengwa District is facing serious drought and one would expect government to provide food assistance rather than send police to rob the poor people of the few goats they still have," Zhou said."At any rate the police cannot be the complainants, investigators and judges under their current fund raising camouflaged under the rhetoric of piracy. One wonders why such an operation has only been launched in Mberengwa.""Is it because the people of Mberengwa are far detached from the public ear and corridors of power? We remind the powers that be that we may be starving, underdeveloped and poor, but we are also human beings in Zimbabwe that do not deserve the callousness and monumental injustice currently perpetrated by the police in Mberengwa. Cry the Beloved People of Mberengwa."
Gloria Swanson Young was born in Kimball, W.Va., on Nov. 11, 1925, to the late Ruth Siddle Hogue and Burney Hogue. She was called to eternal rest on Sunday, April 17, 2016, at her residence in Albany, Calif. She will be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, sister, Christian and friend.
Gloria moved to Baltimore, Md., after graduating from Kimball High School to work for the Social Security Administration. She later relocated to New York City to attend Harlem Hospital School of Nursing. In 1950 she married her beloved late husband, John Earl Young, and they settled in Brooklyn, N.Y. Gloria became a homemaker, and she and John had two children whom they loved and whose growth and accomplishments they encouraged.
When the children reached adolescence, Gloria became a Family Assistant with the College Bound Program at Boys and Girls High School and Tilden High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. She enjoyed and excelled at visiting with families, tracking student progress and supporting students in their educational goals in the school setting.
Gloria later decided to continue her education, and while continuing to work full time, she enrolled in a bachelors degree program in Sociology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 1977.
In 1980, John retired, and he and Gloria moved to Fredericksburg. They both became members of Shiloh Baptist Church (Old Site). Gloria joined the Senior Choir and joyfully served in several ministries.
Gloria found a full-time administrative position with the U.S. Marine Corps at their offices in Crystal City. She enjoyed her work there and developed strong bonds with her colleagues. After her retirement in 1994, Gloria remained active serving as a reading volunteer to children in local schools.
In 2007, Gloria relocated to New Jersey to live with her son and later that year to the San Francisco, Calif., Bay Area to live with her daughter.
Survivors include a son, Curtis Young, of Hackensack, N.J.; and a daughter, Joyce Young, of Berkeley, Calif. Gloria lived a long and admirable life of service to family and community, and she will be greatly missed.
A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 29, at Shiloh Baptist Church (Old Site), Fredericksburg. Interment will be in Quantico National Cemetery.
For complete donation information, online condolences and guest book, please visit albennettandsonfuneralhome.com.
Editor's note: This is the first of a two-part series on metastatic cancer. Part two focuses on the biology of metastasis and what researchers dont yet understand.
The women started comparing side effects as soon as the elevator doors closed behind them on the top floor of the Public Health Sciences building.
Beth Caldwell, currently taking an oral chemo drug, talked about her horrible fatigue, neuropathy and hand-foot syndrome.
I have hillbilly feet, the 39-year-old joked. They always look dirty now. And every time I take a shower, chunks of skin come off. Its super gross.
Michelle Gherardi, a 48-year-old Seattle filmmaker who takes the same drug, Xeloda, gets severe body pain, enough that its sent her to the ER. Retired Bellevue fire captain Jeanette Woldseth was only able to take Xeloda for four days before she started having coronary artery spasms and had to stop.
The women, all metastatic breast cancer patients, came to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center recently to meet with translational researcher Dr. Kevin Cheung and talk about the disease theyre all trying to eradicate.
Unable to find a sitter, Caldwell brought along her daughter, Maggie. After a brief lab tour, the 4-year-old perched on her mothers lap in Cheungs office, learning her ABCs on a video game while her mom and the three other women calmly discussed the disease thats slowly killing them. This surreal mix of life, death and science is nothing new for the women or for Cheung, a breast cancer oncologist. Since being diagnosed with MBC, the womens lives have become a strange jumble of pain and patient advocacy, parenting and oncology appointments, social media and their own looming mortality.
But despite the fact that MBC kills 40,000 women (and men) every year, theyre not despondent. Rather, theyre encouraged by recent advances in immunotherapy and targeted treatments, and new initiatives calling for data sharing and a substantial increase in cancer research funding.
I feel like this is the year, Caldwell said. I think the vice president is right. We are at this inflection point. Theres the cancer moonshot. And doctors are talking to each other across clinics now in a way they didnt use to. And the 'metsters' are no longer being ignored. Were forcing ourselves in. Before, we just laid down and died. Now, were lying down and having die-ins.'
Matthews Plumbing Company E.R. Plumbing Services Gears Up for Summer Food Drive
Matthews plumbing company E.R. Plumbing Services partners up with Channel 9's Family Focus Food Drive (2016) in an initiative to provide assistance to local families in need.
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Channel 9 is ramping up for their 2016 summer charitable initiative, the Channel 9 Family Focus Food Drive, and E.R. Plumbing Services is partnering up with the station to supply local families with the groceries they need. The Matthews plumbing company will provide donation bins at their office and will volunteer at the station collection day on June 8, 2016.
"Approximately 18.1 percent of the Charlotte lives in poverty, and families are faced with the difficult decision of buying groceries or paying for other necessities like housing, clothing and electricity," Dave Parker, owner of E.R. Plumbing Services says. "We're not talking about whether or not to buy a new pair of Jordans or if a family can afford to go to the beach for vacation this year. These families are struggling to give their children the bare essentials."
"Of that 18.1 percent, about 188,000 are children and 41,000 are seniors. Here at E.R. Plumbing Services, we are committed to the community. We are a company that cares about our neighbors. We can't sit by and watch families go without."
Parker's company is known for its charitable giving. Over the years, the company has given away tankless and tank water heaters, water filtration systems, sponsored Steve's Coats coat drive and the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte, and volunteered hours and hours at the local Room in the Inn program to support the homeless.
"We ask you to show your support alongside us," Parker says. "The dates for this year's 9 Food Drive will be June 1-12, so come on by our office 648-C Matthews-Mint Hill Road and drop off your nonperishable food items during work hours. If you can make it to the Channel 9 station on June 8th, we'll be there supporting the community and drumming up donations. We will also be asking our clients to donate a dollar towards the Food Drive, which will translate to seven pounds of food per donation. Now that's making a difference."
The food collected will be distributed to families in need through the Second Harvest Food Bank. "Hope to see you there or to motivate you to contribute even a dollar towards this great cause," Parker says. "Find out how good it feels to give back."
To learn more about E.R. Plumbing Services, visit the company website at www.erplumbing.com.
For more information about us, please visit http://erplumbing.com/
Contact Info:
Name: David Parker
Organization: E.R. Plumbing Services
Address: 648-C Matthews Mint Hill Rd Matthews, NC 28105
Phone: 704-269-1066
Release ID: 112253
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Alternatives Insurance Group is re-branding AISTLC to MJM Insurance of St Louis
Alternatives Insurance of St Louis City is now MJM Insurance of St Louis, a regional insurance company providing auto, home, life and business insurance. Buying power will be shifting from baby boomers and MJM Insurance of St Louis is prepared to offer technology based features.
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Marc Majnerich, co-founder of Alternatives Insurance Group, is re-branding Alternatives Insurance of St Louis City to MJM Insurance of St Louis. Alternatives Insurance of St Louis City opened in 2002 as a full service independent insurance agency and a corporate location member of Alternatives Insurance Group, a group membership organization of local St Louis area insurance agencies founded in 1992. MJM Insurance as a whole, is the single largest annual net written premium volume agency of the Alternatives Insurance Group.
"Less is more" is the idea of the re-brand design concept. Less relates to narrowing down the available insurance products to a handful of key partners. More relates to reducing the number of carriers is a value-added benefit in that the agents and staff members are able to stay on top of current trends, stay educated and up to date on all represented carrier partner underwriter practices for each carrier that is represented by MJM Insurance of St Louis.
MJM Insurance of St Louis offers competitive products and solutions for business owners, including Missouri insurance products and risk management services from commercial property and casualty to insurance education and risk prevention resources. Consumer personal insurance products and risk valuation services are part of the full service solutions now offered by the MJM Insurance Group as a whole.
In addition to the new brand and eye catching design, MJM Insurance of St Louis has incorporated a customized Client Portal that allows clients to access basic policy information, quick link to the carriers and their insurance documents anytime. MJM Insurance of St Louis also offers a web based quote engine for Missouri consumers looking for instant personal lines quotes from Safeco, Travelers, The Hartford, Progressive, EMC, MetLife and several other A+ carriers. "Our use of technology allows us to have fewer staff members yet still provide the highest quality efficiency and properly service to our clients.", reports Marc Majnerich, owner of MJM Insurance of St Louis.
"Get instant quotes or policy access, anywhere, anytime, any device. Over the next few years, I plan on reaching out to strong regional insurance carriers in order to fill voids. I think offering quality products to consumers which prefer buying from local independents and regional insurance carriers will become more and more common. Buying power will be shifting from baby boomers to millennials, and our goal to be prepared to communicate and offer technology based features as well as allow clients to dial our direct extensions with the push of a button or clicking their mouse. The new world of consumers simply want direct contact immediately or elect to no contact at all.", says Marc Majnerich of MJM Insurance of St Louis.
MJM Insurance of St Louis City serves all of Saint Louis, Affton, Shrewsbury, Maplewood, Crestwood, St Louis Hills, Central West End, University City, and Clayton Missouri. MJM Insurance of St Louis is a supporting member of the Missouri Association of Insurance Agents and committed to the Trusted Choice Pledge. More information can be found on their website at http://St LouisInsurance.net.
For more information about us, please visit http://stlouis-insurance.com
Contact Info:
Name: Marc Majnerich
Organization: MJM Insurance of St Louis
Address: 5408 Hampton Avenue, Ste A, St Louis, MO 63109
Phone: 314-645-2100
Release ID: 112235
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News / National
by Stephen Jakes
Harare West MP Jessie Fungayi Majome has told the Attorney General's office to advise his clients to respect the courts, the legal processes and the constitution which dissolved the powers of the minister of local government as the stand off between Saviour Kasukuwere and the Harare City council over the suspension of mayor Bernard Manyenyeni stands."Where is the Attorney General of Zimbabwe when his client the government and its minister continually ride roughshod over not only the law but the Constitution itself?" asked majome. "The A.G. must advise his client to respect the courts, the legal process and the Constitution which dissolved the powers that a local government minister used to have and gave them to the residents of municipalities through their elected councils."She said the Minister can't suspend elected councils anymore! The High Court had said so over and over again."Please sign and share the online petition 'Hands off Harare!' on https://www.change.org/p/hands-off-harare-minister-of-local to allow the city to prosper and defend the Constitution if the A.G. won't do it," she said.
Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) Market to Grow at 5.7% CAGR Driven by Integration of PERS with Wireless Phones to 2020
ReportsnReports.com adds Global Personal Emergency Response System Market 2016-2020 latest research report, the analysts forecast global personal emergency response system market to grow at a CAGR of 5.7% during the period 2016-2020.
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The consolidation of PERS with wireless phones is one of the most noteworthy trends in personal emergency response system market. This has been achieved by the vendors with the use of session initiation protocol and voice over internet protocol technologies. It will allow caregivers to send text messages and to speak directly with patients, providing added benefits such as saving time and resulting in faster communication among patients, hospital staff, and doctors.
Complete report on personal emergency response system market spread across 54 pages, analyzing 5 major companies and providing 25 data exhibits is now available at http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/533964-global-personal-emergency-response-system-market-2016-2020.html.
Increase in the older population and associated chronic diseases are expected to drive the global personal emergency response system market during the forecast period. The older population requires care in their homes, irrespective of the care they receive in hospitals. However, staying at home carries potential risks of accidents like falls, sudden trauma, and strokes. Due to the independent lifestyles led by the older population, particularly in developed countries, they are not willing to be dependent on their families.
Overview of the personal emergency response system (PERS) market
The personal emergency response system (PERS) for hospital and at-home care is a critical device, specially designed to signal an emergency situation and the requirement of urgent attention for the older population, as well as for people with disabilities. Medical personnel are immediately dispatched by response associates to assist the affected people. With the availability of technologically advanced personal emergency response system market is expected to grow steadily during the forecast period. There have been several technological advancements in PERS devices to make them more user-friendly and efficient. There was a shift from analog equipment to digital equipment, and now the devices have moved from wired systems to wireless systems. These changes have increased the adoption of PERS devices by various healthcare organizations. Moreover, several vendors have undertaken research projects to redesign their PERS devices to enhance their efficiency. The introduction of technologically advanced PERS in the market will aid in the growth of this market in the coming years.Order a copy of Global Personal Emergency Response System Market 2016-2020 report @ http://www.reportsnreports.com/Purchase.aspx?name=533964.
Segmentation by type and analysis of the personal emergency response system market - Mobile, Landline and Stand-alone
In this personal emergency response system market research report, the analysts have estimated factors like the integration of PERS with the wireless phone to drive the market in the predicted period. With the use of session initiation protocol and voice over Internet protocol technologies, the vendors were able to integrate PERS with wireless phones. This allows caregivers to send text messages and speak directly with patients, thereby saving time and resulting in faster communication between patients, hospital staff, and doctors. Furthermore, increasing awareness of the product and telecom regulatory support will aid in the growth of this market until the end of 2020.
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In this market research report, the analysts estimated the Americas to account for the largest share of personal emergency response system market by the end of the forecast period. The PERS market in the Americas is expected to reach close to USD 3 billion by 2020. The increase in smartphones or wireless phones has led to the wider adoption wearable and sensor-based PERS among individuals. Factors like the rise in chronic disease patients, requisite healthcare facilities, and lack of disease management by doctors are expected to propel the prospects of growth in this region.
Key players in the Global Personal Emergency Response System Market: ADT LLC, Bay Alarm Medical, Life Alert Emergency Response Inc., Phillips Lifeline, and Valued Relationships Inc. (VRI).
Other prominent vendors in the market are: Alert One Services, Appello, Age UK, AT&T, Buddi Ltd, Connect America, Critical Signal Technologies, Galaxy Medical Alert Systems, GreatCall Splash, Medical Alarm Concepts Holding, Medical Guardian, MobileHelp, Tunstall Americas, Vector Security, VESAG, VNA Homecare, and Voicecare.
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Source: http://marketersmedia.com/personal-emergency-response-system-pers-market-to-grow-at-5-7-cagr-driven-by-integration-of-pers-with-wireless-phones-to-2020/112291
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Hybrid Brokers Realty Sponsors Chicks in Crisis at Grand Opening
Hybrid Brokers Realty celebrates the Grand Opening of their newest location in Gold River by continued commitment to charities through their "Give where you live," campaign. The event is Friday, April 29, 2016 at 6 PM at 11226 Gold Express Drive #208, Gold River, CA
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For immediate release:
Hybrid Brokers Realty (HBR) celebrates the Grand Opening of their 2nd office located in Gold River by their continued commitment to charitable giving through their "Give where you live," campaign. The commemorative event is scheduled for Friday, April 29, 2016 at 6 PM at 11226 Gold Express Drive #208, Gold River, CA 95670.
Here at Hybrid Brokers Realty the entire group believes in giving back so incorporated into the business model is an opportunity to contribute a portion of the profits to small local charities on a quarterly basis. The vision which enables the entire team to continuously give back to the local communities because the donations should benefit the place that the company lives, works, and plays!
Hybrid Brokers Realty's goal is to, through the help of the agents and the clients, "Give Where You Live." As the realty group grows and expands donations will also grow and expand. The idea of handing a check with 5-6 zeros is hardly beyond reach. HBR is a local brokerage, owned and operated locally,
As a part of HBR's culture this quarter's beneficiary is "Chicks in Crisis" . Chicks in Crisis is widely known throughout the Greater Sacramento area as the organization to contact for pregnant teens and young women in crisis. The organization works closely with CPS, hospitals, and foster care social workers to meet needs. As a partner with Sacramento 2-1-1, Chicks in Crisis has the most distributed number to callers looking for baby supplies in the area. The group attends health fairs and can be seen at many local events educating the community on its services.Donations will be accepted at the door to support Chicks in Crisis. Donations needed are diapers, pull-ups, baby wipes, formula, baby clothes, maternity clothes, crockpots, and gift cards up to $25.
Hybrid Brokers Realty is home to Sacramento's premier real estate professionals. The real estate group understands the direction real estate is leading the team, on both the consumer side, as well as the seller side. The team understands what it takes to be a success in the industry today. Everyone lives in a new millennium, unlike any other in the past, where information must be available with as little as a push of a button. This means two things: sellers are finding buyers faster and buyers are finding a dream home just as fast. With this in mind, every moment matters for both buyers and sellers. HBR offers state of the art solutions to surpass any challenge clients may have. Not only is the marketing platform unmatched by any other, but Hybrid Brokers Realty have exclusive internal resources not traditionally offered by any other brokerage, such as:
Residential and Commercial Resale
Development
Off-Market Inventory
Hard Money and Creative Financing
In-House Conventional Lender
and much more...
Hybrid Brokers Realty maintains its solid commitment to the local community by giving back part of profits each quarter.
For more information about us, please visit http://gohbr.com
Contact Info:
Name: Max Boyko
Organization: Hybrid Brokers Realty
Address: 1545 River Park Dr Suite 300,Sacramento,CA
Phone: 916-696-6000
Release ID: 112251
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Hyundai of Greeley Wins Top Customer Service and Sales Award
Hyundai of Greeley, the best Hyundai car dealership in Colorado is pleased to announce that the company was ranked #1 in both Sales and Customer Service in the Colorado and Wyoming district for 2015. Visit http://www.hyundaiofgreeley.com/ or call (888) 230-4581
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Hyundai of Greeley, the best Hyundai car dealership in Colorado is pleased to announce that the company was ranked #1 in both Sales and Customer Service in the Colorado and Wyoming district for 2015. This achievement cements Hyundai of Greeley's status as the top automotive dealership in the "Centennial State" for customers who favor speedy service and helpful staff.
Hyundai of Greeley prides itself on going one step and beyond when it comes to customer service. The dealership offers a bespoke experience for individuals and families looking for a Hyundai vehicle in Greeley and the surrounding area, with a fleet of cars that offer customers more choice than ever before. From Sonata to Santas Fe, Genesis Coupes to Elantra, Hyundai of Greeley offers it all -- and provides the best service to boot.
Each member of the Greeley team is dedicated to selling the best quality new and used cars and helping customers choose a vehicle that suits their lifestyle and budget. The recent award, which noted the car dealership's commitment to outstanding customer service and top-notch sales, tops a successful 2015. Hyundai of Greeley beat other customer service and sales teams in two different states. The company now looks forward to the remainder of 2016, with a number of exciting projects in the pipeline.
As well as their dynamic sales team, Hyundai of Greeley has a group of factory-trained technicians who can maintain their customers car and leave it running as good as it did the first day purchased. The company provides servicing and repairs six days a week and attracts customers from a wide area, including Greeley, Longmont, Loveland, Denver, Fort Collins, Windsor, Brighton, Evans, and Wyoming.
For more information about Hyundai of Greeley, and for all sales, media, and general inquiries, don't hesitate to contact a member of staff via the following:
Website: http://www.hyundaiofgreeley.com/
Phone: (888) 230-4581
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+Hyundaiofgreeley2/about
For more information about us, please visit http://www.hyundaiofgreeley.com/
Contact Info:
Name: Marcus Zeigler
Organization: Hyundai of Greeley
Address: 4533 W 29th St, Greeley, CO 80634
Phone: 1-888-230-4581
Release ID: 112415
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Joyflow Yoga Studio named "Best Yoga Studio in Mississippi" by The Clarion-Ledger
Joyflow Yoga of Ridgeland, Mississippi has been named "Best Yoga Studio in Mississippi" by the Clarion-Ledger, the State's largest newspaper.
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Joyflow Yoga of Ridgeland, Mississippi has been named "Best Yoga Studio in Mississippi" by the Clarion-Ledger, the state's largest newspaper.
Joyflow is dedicated to offering expert instruction, providing a supportive environment, and helping students find their joy through yoga.
Owner Debi Saraswati Lewis has been teaching the science and art of yoga for almost 30 years.
"I'm very pleased Joyflow was recognized as "Best Yoga Studio", said Lewis. "We do everything we can to provide the highest quality instruction in a safe, non-threatening environment."
Joyflow offers a variety of yoga classes ranging from beginner basics to power yoga, and other mind-body classes such as Tai Chi, and Sacred Circle Dances. Through the exploration of breath and movement, Joyflow offers classes that meet the needs of busy people--helping to energize, build strength, find relaxation, and feel more balanced.
"We focus on adapting the practice of yoga to the student's specific needs, age, body type and abilities with emphasis on the profound benefits of breath, mindfulness and relaxation techniques", said Lewis.
"We have students from all walks of life and all backgrounds. Some are very fit. Some haven't exercised in years. Yoga is great for anyone who wants to become more strong and flexible in body and mind. People who've been couch potatoes for a long time and people who are stressed out often see remarkable results."
"I love teaching yoga because regardless of your level of fitness, we'll help you get started. And if you join us on a regular basis, you'll see improvements in many areas of your life. The benefits of yoga are well-documented."
Joyflow Yoga was also the first yoga studio in Mississippi to offer a teacher training program, a 200-hour program administered by the Yoga Alliance. Students come from throughout the Southeast to Joyflow, where the training helps them deepen their own practice and find their unique voice as an instructor.
Joyflow is also host to an array of special classes and musical events that are not found anywhere else in Mississippi.
"Joyflow is my life's work and I'm grateful to play a part in bringing better physical, mental, and emotional health to Mississippians", said Lewis. "Nothing gives me more joy than seeing people regain their health and vitality and becoming more youthful and happy."
Debi Saraswati Lewis can be reached by phone at (601) 613-4317.
More information about Joyflow Yoga and upcoming classes and events can be found on the web at JoyflowYoga.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JoyflowYoga.
Company Name: Joyflow Yoga
Contact Name: Debi Saraswati Lewis
City: Ridgeland
State: Mississippi
Country: USA
Phone: (601) 613-4317
Email: deb@joyflowyoga.com
Website URL: http://www.JoyflowYoga.com
Source: http://authoritynewsnetwork.com/joyflow-yoga-named-best-yoga-studio-in-mississippi/
Release ID: 112227
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Internet Auto Brokers in Denver Colorado have received a boost in popularity
Internet Auto Brokers in Denver Colorado are becoming very popular. They save their clients time, money, find the right car, truck or SUV, take care of the paperwork, arrange financing at the best rates and can obtain deals only their clients have access to.
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Internet Auto Broker services are taking off as people realize that a car purchase is just as important as investment in real estate or stock. While many individuals prefer making all the arrangements themselves, hiring a broker to conduct research or negotiate with dealers can prove to be invaluable when it comes to saving money.
It is speculated that there is a vast majority that does not know even services like Auto Brokerage even exists, thus leading to a lack of demand for professionals. Hiring a skilled broker to buy a car can yield many benefits that are not only limited to saving time and money. For instance, brokers give their clients inside access to exclusive deals that are unavailable to the general public. If there is a car on sale that is high in demand, a professional broker has the power of influencing the dealers to get their client's name on the top of the waiting list without needing them to make any extra effort. These agents also share great relationships with an extensive network of car dealers, in and around Denver Colorado, so that their clients never run out of choices when it comes to selecting vehicles.
Some other tasks that brokers provide are handling paperwork, negotiating prices, finding the car that their client's desire, and provide secure financing options without having to go through tedious processes. An Auto broker's job is to help their client in saving a considerable amount of time, money, and effort that are all involved in the process of purchasing a new car. They also offer complete assurance that their clients will not be victims of deception or fraud by acting as their advocates.
Anyone who desires to purchase a car can approach Internet Auto Brokers in Denver Colorado as their services are now no longer limited to only luxury vehicles. People may also hire a professional regardless of the car they want is a new model or a used classic vehicle. Most of these brokers determine their fees based on charging a certain percentage on the total car value or have a predetermined rate that their potential clients need to pay upfront.
These brokers of vehicles charge an amount between $ 400-$ 800 for standard vehicles and higher for luxury cars. No matter what amount a person ends up paying as brokerage fees, they can rest easy knowing that they're still making quite a bit of saving by hiring professional Internet Auto Broker in Denver Colorado such as Cherry Creek Automotive.
For more information about us, please visit http://www.cherrycreekautomotive.com/
Contact Info:
Name: Justin Franks
Organization: Cherry Creek Automotive
Address: 3620 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80206
Phone: 1-303-388-8599
Release ID: 112452
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ESFS Launches New Massachusetts Home Extension Quote Service
ESFS is now offering a quote service for home addition and extension projects situated in Massachusetts.
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Home improvement website ESFS is now offering a quote service for home addition and extension projects situated in Massachusetts. The new service is an online system that matches the needs of homeowners with pre-approved local companies, who can then supply obligation-free quotes.
"Users of the ESFS website have their project info sent to multiple local businesses, all of whom can respond with competitive, no-obligation quotes," explained director Mr. Aird. "Using the ESFS online form system is fast and easy. Concise details about the project are entered, such as the current stage, structure of the existing building or addition, type of rooms that will be created, timeline and additional requests. These specifics give the contractors a firm grip on the client's needs and lead to more accurate quotes. Identical data being sent to each business also allows for easier comparison between quotes."
Licensing and insurance is an important factor in a large project like a home addition or remodel. Structural supports may need to be changed or added, difficult plumbing and electric wiring work may be necessary, and the new addition may need to conform to building codes or require permits, which an experienced and licensed contractor will have familiarity with. It is always ideal to look through a builder's portfolio and see if they have worked on similar jobs in the past. ESFS grants users access to an array of local companies that may perfectly suit their project.
Over 50 locations across Massachusetts have been included in the initial roll-out of the home extensions quote service, including hubs such as Boston and Cambridge, and quieter locales like Woburn. Future locations will continue to be added to the service as ESFS makes new alliances with reliable local contractors.
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: 112457
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Bankruptcy Attorney Ontario Opens New Location For Clients
Bankruptcy Attorney Ontario, opens a new location to serve the residents of Ontario, California. Excellent Team of experienced bankruptcy Lawyers to assist families or individuals looking to get debt relief.
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Ontario, California - Bankruptcy Attorney Ontario, an experienced bankruptcy law firm with extensive knowledge of the difficult and unforeseen obstacles that are common with bankruptcy, this week announced they are opening a new location in Ontario, California for widespread accessibility and easier contact for current and future clients. Founded by a team of top lawyers with decades of combined legal bankruptcy knowledge and experience, Bankruptcy Attorney Ontario is the go-to support network for anyone in the community faced with the option of filing bankruptcy.
Unfortunately, since bankruptcy has developed such a negative view over the years, many individuals avoid filing it or seeking out help when it begins to envelop their lives," said Neil Hedtke, Founder and Owner of Bankruptcy Attorney Ontario. "The truth is, bankruptcy is actually a calculated, wise move on many individual's part when they're staring down insurmountable debt and harassing creditors. We're ready to provide the free legal counsel and actionable information for every person that could use them, when navigating the process of bankruptcy."
In business to help the people of Ontario, California, understand and identify their legal rights and options in a bankruptcy scenario, Bankruptcy Attorney Ontario's number one priority is presenting all of the lawful civil liberties at individual's disposal when making sound selections that are best for them at the end of the day. The Law firm can now serve locally throughout the City of Ontario, California, will have immediate access to a Free Legal meeting or sessions with all the questions and concerns answered directly with experienced licensed Attorneys. Looking for a bankruptcy attorney near you, have never been easier.
Equipped to help clients through Chapter 7, Chapter 11, and Chapter 13 bankruptcy, Bankruptcy Attorney Ontario can identify, remediate, and guide any client's case through the most difficult cases common today.
"Our versatility as a law firm enables us to process and work any person through specific bankruptcy cases," said Neil Hedtke. "There isn't a bankruptcy scenario we haven't seen and successfully carried a client through. Whether it's full-out Chapter 7, or calculated Chapter 13, we tailor our approach to specific one-on-on communication for individualized and ensured success."
When filing Chapter 7, most financial responsibilities can be completed wiped from the filer's table. The filer can, however, continue to own their home and vehicle. With Chapter 13, individuals can establish compromising back payments on their residence without requiring a financial institution's approval.
"One thing remains constant: do not ever respond to a Notice of Default without consulting our legal experts," said Neil Hedtke. "Thousands of dollars of damaging legal boundaries can be enacted in an instant without our proper counsel. We are incredibly excited to announce we're opening a new Ontario location for greater accessibility to our clients, and are encouraging everyone to spread the word on our services for bettering the surrounding communities of greater Ontario."
Bankruptcy can promptly stop home foreclosures, stop creditors from consistent harassment, discharge most debt, supply long-term remedies, and provide the filer a chance at a fresh start.
For more information, or to peruse Bankruptcy Attorney Ontario's services today, visit: http://www.bankruptcyattorneyontario.net/ or https://business.google.com/b/106308015007295907833
For more information about us, please visit http://www.bankruptcyattorneyontario.net/
Contact Info:
Name: Neil Hedtke
Organization: Bankruptcy Attorney Ontario
Address: 337 N Vineyard Avenue, Ontario Ca 91764
Phone: 909-457-0163
Video URL: https://business.google.com/b/106308015007295907833
Source: http://marketersmedia.com/bankruptcy-attorney-ontario-opens-new-location-for-clients/111988
Release ID: 111988
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Fizelwink Photography Named Among Three Best Rated's Top Wedding Photographers
Accolade marks eight years of capturing special moments in the lives of Albuquerque's families, publishes fizelwink.com
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Fizelwink Photography was recently named among the top three wedding photographers in Albuquerque by business review website, Three Best Rated. The website focuses on small local businesses with the belief they offer superior customer service and attention as compared to national and international chains. Companies receiving this honor are chosen based on customer reviews and ratings, local service history, client satisfaction, trust, cost and overall excellence in their respective industries.
Prior to this accolade, the staff of Fizelwink Photography earned national recognition in their field from Grace Ormonde, co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of luxury wedding planning publication Grace Ormonde Wedding Style. Ormonde touted the wedding photographer Albuquerque as "one of the premier wedding and portrait photography studios in the Southwestern United States". The industry authority has also described photographer Ryan Young as having "an artistic eye for detail and storytelling".
Recognition on both local and international levels has also come from a number of other sources. Among these are New Mexico Wedding Magazine, The Perfect Wedding Guide, Destination Weddings, Wedding Wire, Borrowed & Blue, The Wedding Elite and The Knot. Examples of the team's efforts have been named Album of the Year and Wedding Image of the Year by photography organization PPANM New Mexico.
In addition to wedding photography, the company is also a well-known Engagement photographer Albuquerque catering to couples' pre-wedding portrait session needs. Couples are given the opportunity to customize their engagement portraits in a manner reflecting their interests and personalities. The Fizelwink staff likewise offers their expertise in this realm to create sessions unique to each client.As a family photographer Albuquerque, the studio also offers newborn sessions, family sittings, senior portraits and services for milestone occasions.
In regard to their latest distinction, photographer and company spokesperson Ryan Young stated, "Fizelwink Photography was born of a love of light and its ability to highlight features and aspects of an occasion in a manner to which nothing else can compare. The camera is a vessel through which we can capture those elements and preserve them for eternity. We're proud to have been given the opportunity to photograph special moments in the lives of those in our community for eight years now and are looking forward to continuing this tradition for generations to come."
About Fizelwink Photography:
Serving Albuquerque for eight years, Fizelwink Photography provides their services for weddings, engagements, family and children's portraits,quinceaneras and the full range of other special occasions and events. The studio's team believes in "Capturing the Imagination" and "High Quality...Creative Artistry".
For more information about us, please visit http://www.fizelwink.com
Contact Info:
Name: Ryan Young
Organization: Fizelwink Photography
Phone: 505-307-1383
Source: http://marketersmedia.com/fizelwink-photography-named-among-three-best-rateds-top-wedding-photographers/112481
Release ID: 112481
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Only Months Old, Ady's Army Autism Charity Reports a Number of Notable Successes
Money raised so far has provided for fences to prevent wandering, flights and hotel stays for treatment, service dogs, and more, Ady's Army reports
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Ady's Army, one of the nation's newest and most innovative autism charities, issued a report on the group's activities and successes since its founding last year. With four distinct legs helping it fulfill its founding mission of "Serving God By Serving Special Needs Families," Ady's Army has raised money and put it to productive use on a number of completed and current operations. From providing financial help with doctor's visits, fencing to prevent wandering, and autism service dogs, to the unique "Ady's Racers" stock-car experience, 501(c)(3) Ady's Army has been for a number of families a highly effective partner in the fight against the challenges autism can entail.
"With a personal understanding of just how much pain and trouble autism can cause," Ady's Army co-founder Brian Schubert said, "we were determined to make a difference for others, just as our friends and loved ones had for us. Still well under a year since founding Ady's Army, we are thrilled to report that the results are already exceeding our wildest hopes. We would like to invite all who are interested to come by the Ady's Army website to read our story, learn about our approach, and see what we have accomplished and have planned."
With around one in sixty-eight American children now diagnosed with disorders somewhere on the autism spectrum, according to the Centers for Disease Control, awareness of and experience with the associated difficulties is rising rapidly. After the founders of Ady's Army heard that their own daughter had been diagnosed at seventeen months of age as autistic, their initial shock and dismay were only compounded as they were forced to grapple with the disruption and financial stress that followed. Seeking to help the family through its difficult times, friends put on a fundraiser that produced nearly $30,000, providing crucial support and giving birth to a commitment to helping others in similar ways.
Ady's Army was therefore founded with a mission of providing specific, targeted help, a single family at a time. Toward that end, the group's activities are divided into four distinct categories, each of which targets a class of challenges commonly experienced by families affected by autism.
With nearly half of all diagnosed children being susceptible to uncontrolled, often-dangerous roving, Ady's Barracks provides funding for fencing that can safeguard against the common problem of autism wandering. As so many autistic children also suffer from seizure disorders, Ady's Paws provides financial support for highly trained service dogs that can alert parents to such events, while calming and keeping kids safe.
Ady's Wings helps defray some of the other costs commonly associated with autism, providing for cost-free travel to doctor's appointments and related financial support. Finally, the Ady's Racers program helps relieve the often-overwhelming pressure that autism can put on a family, treating kids and parents alike to exciting stock-car track-day experiences while raising money from sponsors for the group's other projects.
In the first months of operation, Ady's Army has already provided crucial, concrete support to many families, with its "80/20" promise ensuring that donations are put to productive use. Those interested will find the details of the group's completed and current projects, mission and philosophy, and other information at the Ady's Army website.
About Ady's Army:
Founded to help individual families in their struggles against the scourge of autism, Ady's Army is a 501(3)(c) nonprofit organization that provides focused, specific support through four distinct, strategically chartered programs, ensuring that donations go to good use.
For more information about us, please visit http://adysarmy.org
Contact Info:
Name: Brian Schubert
Organization: Ady's Army
Phone: 205-824-1255
Source: http://marketersmedia.com/only-months-old-adys-army-autism-charity-reports-a-number-of-notable-successes/112497
Release ID: 112497
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Sales Verification Company Launches New TPV Public Awareness Campaign
New campaign will help business leaders understand how third-party verification excellence can produce concrete competitive advantages, Sales Verification Company reports
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Sales Verification Company, a leading provider of third party verification services, launched a new public awareness campaign. With regulators across the country and in a range industries increasingly pushing for more third party verification (TPV) of sales and contracts, companies in a variety of industries face a host of associated challenges. The new Sales Verification Company initiative will help business leaders understand how best to arrange for cost-effective, reliable third party verification services and what to look for in a partner. As part of the new public awareness campaign, Sales Verification Company has recently published a number of useful new guides and informative articles on the company's website at http://www.salesverifications.com/.
"Whether to cut down on costly chargebacks or to live up to regulatory requirements, third party verification is a fact of life for many businesses today," Sales Verification Company representative Montana Spencer said. "Through our new public awareness campaign, we're going to help companies across the country understand the value of working with a truly excellent TPV partner. Far from being a commodity, top-quality TPV services cut costs, improve reliability and access to verifications, and convey real competitive advantages."
As consumers in many sectors have discovered, many transactions today are governed by regulations that require an independent party to verify the authorization of the sales contract . Third party verification services are also actively sought by businesses that benefit from the creation of reliable, independent records of their sales and new contracts. Verification recordings can be to defend a company against illegitimate claims of "slamming," that could otherwise result in expensive penalties from regulatory agencies.
Sales Verification Company is one of the world's leading providers of such services. Clients can utilize the company's live or automated TPV offerings and enjoy immediate access to recorded sessions, along with a wide range of associated services including customized reports and data management options. Innovative products like the SVC Express TPV campaign management system can even cut down on the setup work traditionally associated with the industry, lowering effective costs even more.
Above all, Sales Verification Company management team members and employees consistently deliver industry-leading value by catering specifically and flexibly to the needs of each client. As the new Sales Verification Company public awareness campaign will demonstrate, working with a TPV provider that stands out from the rest can cut costs for businesses while creating new opportunities in the process. Those interested can learn more at salesverifications.com/.
About Sales Verification Company:
Combining innovative, state-of-the-art systems with customer-focused flexibility, Sales Verification Company is one of the world's leading providers of third-party verification services.
For more information about us, please visit http://www.salesverifications.com/
Contact Info:
Name: Montana Spencer
Organization: Sales Verification Company
Address: 9701 International Court North, Suite A St. Petersburg, FL 33716
Phone: (818) 424-4641
Source: http://marketersmedia.com/sales-verification-company-launches-new-tpv-public-awareness-campaign/112507
Release ID: 112507
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News / National
by Stephen Jakes
The leader of the church denominations Shingi Munyeza has said the church and the Minister of Primary and Secondary education Lazarus Dokora have met and agreed to discuss on the concerns raised concerning the National pledge."Many of us have been confused, angered and alarmed by the Sunday Mail article which had the headline "Scripture Union Barred From Schools". I would like to put clarity to this confusion," Munyeza said."We had a very progressive and amicable meeting with Hon Minister Dokora, The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education on 15 April 2016. We met under the auspices of Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denomination and I chaired the meeting on behalf of our Chairman, Bishop Mukuwanda."He said in this meeting we agreed with the Minister on that the church and Ministry discuss the concerns around the pledge, the church and Ministry come up with an MOU that will formalize the involvement of Scripture Union in public schools, this process is going on well and we hope to finalize this with the ministry soon and the Ministry needs 2056 new schools and the church committed build as many schools as it can to meet this demand and mitigate the shortage."This again will be structured between the Ministry and the church. I therefore urge us to pray for everyone involved that there be wisdom and unity as we build the nation together in the education sector," he said.
As Irrigation-Related Water Issues Mount, Maisco Launches Public Awareness Drive
New campaign will show how appropriate deployment of water-efficient irrigation equipment can slash usage while improving yields, Maisco reports
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Maisco, Michiana's first and only full-service irrigation specialist, launched a new public awareness campaign. With farmers throughout northern Indiana and the southwestern part of Michigan increasingly feeling the pressure of tight water supplies, the new Maisco-initiated public awareness campaign aims to provide some relief. Through a focused blend of press appearances and other efforts, Maisco representatives will help spread awareness as to how the strategic use of water-conserving valley irrigation systems and other approaches can greatly improve efficiency without sacrificing crop yields. More information about the new public awareness campaign and the company's full range of products, parts, and services is available now at www.maisco.net.
"Other than sun, there's nothing more important to farms of all kinds than water," Maisco co-founder Dan Ganger said, "For nearly forty years, I've been focused on helping farms throughout Michiana make the most of the water they use, and and it has been an incredibly rewarding experience. The stakes have never been higher than they are today, though, and we hope that our new public awareness campaign is going to help even more of those in the agriculture industry understand their options."
Every five years, as a followup to the agency's regular Census of Agriculture, the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service conducts a survey focusing on irrigation. With over 35,000 producers reporting back on the latest set of questions, the NASS found that more than 55 million acres of farmland rely on irrigation at the present time, with the vast majority of the space being harvested cropland.
With 88.5 million acre-feet of water now being turned toward that purpose in the average year, wringing the greatest possible effect out of each ounce has never been more important. For over twenty years, Maisco has been a key contributor to that goal, providing farms throughout Michiana with highly efficient irrigation equipment and a full range of associated parts and services.
As a highly successful Michigan and Indiana irrigation system company for such a long time, Maisco is especially well-positioned to help spread awareness as to the importance, practicality, and rewards of making even more productive use of water. With the company's 2003 introduction to the region of the Valley system now known as the DualSpan Corner, for example, Maisco helped open up new possibilities for farmers throughout the region with regard to maximizing productive acreage while making the most of their irrigation efforts.
The company's new public awareness campaign will therefore build on its longtime mission while helping those interested come up to speed with the latest and most significant developments in the field. More information can be found at the Maisco website, along with contact information.
About Maisco:
As Michiana's only full service irrigation company, Maisco brings the best in water-efficient, yield-promoting equipment, parts, and service to clients throughout northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan.
For more information about us, please visit http://www.maisco.net/
Contact Info:
Name: Dan Ganger
Organization: Maisco
Phone: 877-825-0643
Source: http://marketersmedia.com/as-irrigation-related-water-issues-mount-maisco-launches-public-awareness-drive/112503
Release ID: 112503
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OC Lawn Wizards Celebrates The Launch Of Their New Company
The business was founded on the principals of integrity, charity, and customer satisfaction, reports http://www.oclawnwizards.com.
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OC Lawn Wizards, an Anaheim-based lawn services company, has recently celebrated the official launch of their business. The company has been built on the foundation of integrity, charity, and true customer service, and the OC Lawn Wizards team prides themselves on their many years of experience and the expertise that they have gained along the way. Those who would like to learn more about OC Lawn Wizards and experience the difference in their services can visit http://www.oclawnwizards.com/why-us for booking information.
Tyler Sass, a member of the OC Lawn Wizards team, commented "We are beyond excited to launch our lawn service to the residents of Anaheim and the surrounding areas. Our passion for nature, design, and business has led us to collectively create a company that focuses heavily upon serving customers with integrity and the utmost care. Our team of experienced lawn care experts and our 200 percent happiness guarantee are what set us apart from other lawn care service companies. We are locally owned and operated and care deeply about the community around us."
OC Lawn Wizards' passion for helping Anaheim and the surrounding areas is reflected in their commitment to giving back to the community that allows them to flourish through consistent charitable donations. They Give To Local Charity frequently, promising to donate a portion of the cost of every single lawn service to an Orange County charity. In addition, the spirit of giving extends to OC Lawn Wizards' customers. The newly-launched company will be giving away lawn-related gifts each month such as live lady bugs or Venus fly traps that have the potential to benefit and enhance a customer's landscaping. OC Lawn Wizard services can be booked in 60 seconds via their website, and the company has a 200 percent happiness guarantee that ensures total customer satisfaction on each and every job completed.
As Sass goes on to say, "No one on our team is striving to be just another lawn mowing company. We want to go above and beyond the call of duty to take care of the people of Orange County. We feel a deep sense of commitment to our community and are extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve those around us in the best way possible."
About OC Lawn Wizards:
OC Lawn wizards is a local lawn mowing service based in Anaheim, California. They provide premium customer care and donate regularly to local Orange County charities.
For more information about us, please visit http://www.oclawnwizards.com
Contact Info:
Name: Tyler Sass
Organization: OC Lawn Wizards
Phone: (714) 408-8759
Source: http://marketersmedia.com/oc-lawn-wizards-celebrates-the-launch-of-their-new-company/112493
Release ID: 112493
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Manchester Cheshire Computer Laptop & Mac Repair New Site Launched
A Manchester computer repair company has launched a new site to advertise its services in the Greater Manchester and Cheshire area, reachable on (01625) 537661. Technicians can make home visits and there is a no fix, no service fee.
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A new site has launched advertising the computer repair services of a company in Manchester, England, that serves the entire Cheshire area. Computer Repair Manchester's established and experienced technicians have over 10 years' experience in the industry, and as a mobile company they can travel out to customers' homes to fix their computers without them having to leave the house.
More information can be found on the Manchester Computer Repair website at: http://computerrepairmanchester.net.
The site explains that the company prides itself on providing competitive prices, with no callout charge and a no fix, no service fee - so if the product does not get repaired, there's no fee to pay. This allows them to offer flexible, cheap rates so customers don't have to pay extortionate fees to get their computer repaired. The experienced technicians can repair any computer problem, whether it's hardware or software based, and each of its repair products comes with a 12 month guarantee.
A full list of computer repair services is available on the Computer Repair Manchester site. The company can help people with any security issues that they may be having, whether it is with their home or business hardware office equipment. If customers are having problems understanding some of the more technical problems of IT Technology, the company can provide them with some training content or resources solutions. They can also provide them with brand new computers, computer hardware, and computer software.
Other services include screen repair, hard drive troubleshooting, diagnosis and repair, spyware and virus removal, and finding and repairing faults with the motherboard. Computer Repair Manchester can also replace damaged keyboards, replace noisy or faulty fans, fit new hard drives and replace power packs.
Anyone with concerns about their computer can contact Manchester Computer Repair directly to discuss their problem and find out the best way to get it fixed. This may involve a home visit, or the technicians may be able to fix the problem remotely. The technicians can be reached on (01625) 537661 or at Computer Repair Manchester, 22 Rainow Way, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 2PT.
For more information about us, please visit http://www.computerrepairmanchester.net/
Contact Info:
Name: Al Hemmings
Organization: Internet Business Solutions
Address: 22 Rainow Way, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 2PT
Release ID: 112587
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News / National
by Stephen Jakes
Mpilo Central Hospital is one of the exhibiting companies at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair this year.The hospital through its Facebook post said it was exhibiting at the ZITF grounds Hall number four under the theme "restoring economic value through a healthy nation.""The The physiotherapy and radiotherapy departments are representing the institution," reads the post.Melody Mzapi, Mpilo's Public Relations officer said the institution is confident to be the best exhibitor within the ministry as thorough preparations were done."We started preparing early for this year's exhibition in the hope to overcome all challenges we had from the previous years," said Mzapi. "We are very confident this year that the exhibiting departments will make us proud."Mzapi said those who will be at the stand can visit the stand as the team will awaken the public on symptoms, distribution and management of celebral palsy.Celebral palsy is a non progressive condition affecting movement and posture. Cerebral palsy results from brain damage occurring during development in the womb, during birth, shortly after birth or in early infancy.The representative from Physiotherapy, Moyo, said celebral palsy can affect fundamental body parts such as arms and legs."The arms and legs can be affected and it is up to the initiative of individual to take self introspection for a healthy nation," said the rep.The health promotions officer, Ozias Ndlovu, said cancer is one of the deadly disease encroaching the universe and it is vital for Mpilo Central Hospital to make an awareness campaign on prevention of all types of cancers."I urge all who shall be at the ZITF to restore their value to the nation of Zimbabwe by visiting our stand," said Ndlovu. the radiotherapy department is educating you in Hall number four and surely you cant afford to miss out inpreparing for your future."The radiotherapy representative said this is a must-not-miss information as it serves to restore economic value through each and every individual especially youths.
News / National
by Stephen Jakes
Mthwakazi Republic Party wishes to send a strong message to Zanu PF that they must come out openly when responding to Mthwakazi pressure which they are failing to contain due to continued unwavering continuation of the struggle.MRP secretary general Hloniphani Ncube said as a party we know that Tendai Chinembiri is one of the members of the state apparatus meant to frighten the unwavering cause of Mthwakazi restoration."This article is not merely directed to Tendai Chinembiri, but rather to the one that brings food to Tendai Chinembiri. We are very disappointed by the fact that up to this time Zanu PF think they can still kill the indestructible spirit of Mthwakazi, calling it a myth,'' said Ncube."If Mthwakazi never existed as claimed in the evil documents the 1979 grand plan and content constrained state apparatus agency articles, the latest being that of Tendai Chinembiri why did Zanu PF kill the people of Mthwakazi during the period 1980 to 1987, popularly termed the gukurahundi genocide."He said as a party they understand the ignorance of Tendai Chinembiri because his ancestors and his tribe have no traceable history, they started building their history after they were freely given independence by the British in 1980."We understand that, the people of Zimbabwe and they ignorant government they are still making history, as noted in some of their history books and they are intending to step ahead of events, which is daylight shame and public portrayal of ignorance," he said."We advise Tendai Chinembiri and the hosts of other puppets used by Zanu PF to refrain from barking unfounded sentiments about issues they are not enlightened about. As Mthwakazi Republic Party we acknowledge all organisations and Mthwakazi citizens strategising and working towards fulfilling the goal so desired by all Mthwakazi citizens, which is to do away with the brutal and aggressive government of Zimbabwe. Phambili ngenkululeko."
Henry Dixons Man GLG UK Income fund has been readmitted to the Investment Association (IA) UK Equity Income sector, two years after it was expelled for not meeting yield requirements.
The fund has returned to the sector from the IA UK All Companies peer group.
This comes as the IA consults on whether to overhaul UK Equity Income sector requirements for members to yield 10 per cent more than the FTSE All-Share over a rolling three-year period.
Since 2013 nearly 20 funds have been ejected from the sector for failing to pass this hurdle. Mr Dixons fund is the first to re-enter the sector.
The readmission comes as Man GLGs plans to merge its American Growth portfolio into the UK income product.
The company is proposing to combine its 128m American Growth fund, which invests primarily in US stocks and is managed by John Gisondi, into Mr Dixons 108m offering on June 3, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.
Mr Gisondi has been the sole manager on the American fund since December 2014, though he also runs a variety of mandates in the US.
According to FE Analytics, Man GLG American Growth has returned 36 per cent over three years, 4.9 percentage points behind the IA North America sector average.
The UK Income fund has returned 30 per cent over three years compared to a 22 per cent average for the IA UK Equity Income sector and 19 per cent for the IA UK All Companies sector.
Man GLG declined to comment on the reason for the proposed merger.
PGIM is to double the number of Ucits funds it offers to UK investors after its existing range passed $1bn (690m) in assets.
The multi-boutique fund house, formerly known as Pramerica, is the asset management arm of US insurer Prudential Financial. It has launched 10 Dublin-domiciled Ucits thus far, which are now being promoted to UK investors, and will add to this figure in the coming months.
The firms UK retail push is led by former Investec Asset Management head of UK retail Charlie Wilson. Mr Wilson joined PGIM in December after leaving Investec last April.
Its European Ucits platform, launched last year, has already seen the transfer of US-run strategies from its PGIM Fixed Income, Jennison Associates, QMA and Pramerica Real Estate Investors boutiques.
Strategies already launched include US corporate bond, European high yield and emerging market fixed income funds, alongside two quantiative equity strategies from QMA.
The $1bn of capital in the funds is a combination of institutional mandates and seed capital from other investors.
Stuart Parker, chief executive of PGIM Investments, said the firm was in the process of organising sterling share classes for its existing funds to make its Ucits platform more accessible to intermediaries.
He said the advent of the RDR in the UK and similar structural reforms across Europe enticed the firm to move over, with professional fund buyers being the target clients.
PGIM, which has $960bn in assets under management, runs around 65 strategies in the US but will limit how many transfer onto its Ucits platform.
Mr Parker said: There are a lot of similarities between US buyers and buyers in Europe, but they are not the same so we will adapt.
Pensions minister Baroness Ros Altmann is to shun questions surrounding womens state pensions in a House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee meeting this morning (27 April).
In a tweet posted this morning, ahead of todays House of Commons Work and Pensions select committee, Baroness Altmann said she will give evidence on intergenerational policy, but not womens state pensions proposals.
The state pension age is set to reach 65 for women by November 2018 and 66 by 2020.
Women born on or after 6 April 1951 now facing waiting longer than expected to draw their state pension.
Changes to the law mean their state pension age is going up faster than many women had expected all of their working lives.
As such, womens state pensions have come under the spotlight recently as a campaign group - the Women Against State Pension Inequality group - secured a parliamentary debate on the subject.
The campaigners originally called on the government to make fair transitional arrangements for all women born on or after 6 April 1951 who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the state pension age, adding that hundreds of thousands of women have had significant changes imposed on them with a lack of appropriate notification.
Subsequently, research was released which showed almost half - 46 per cent of the population - disagree with the change to the state pension age for women.
This proportion of people thought the government should stick to its original promise, according to retiresavvy.co.uk, which conducted an online poll of 2,600 adults aged 18 to 75 in March this year.
Recently FTAdviser reported government communication of changes to the state pension has been so bad neither the winners nor losers yet know who they are, in what Saga branded a shambles.
Most people retiring under the new flat-rate regime from 6 April will not receive the much publicised 155.65 weekly rate, a Work and Pensions select committee final report found at that time.
But failures of communication mean too few people understand the true amount they are likely to receive, as the government has focused on the full flat rate, the MPs said.
ruth.gillbe@ft.com
Former pensions minister Steve Webb has said fat penalties of 5 per cent on the Lifetime Isa compare uncomfortably to recent overhauls of exit charges on workplace pensions, branding it little more than a fine on savers.
The director of policy at Royal London said exit penalties on the Lifetime Isa are at odds with government pressure on product providers to cap or scrap exit charges, which many have now done after pressure from independent governance committees.
Announced at this years Budget, the Lifetime Isa has faced criticism for coming with a hefty exit penalty, and also over fears it could derail pension saving.
The Lisa offers a 25 per cent government bonus to help people under the age of 40 save for retirement or to buy their first home.
But for those who withdraw funds from the Isa before the age of 60 it also comes with a 5 per cent exit fee and loss of bonus, unless they are buying a house.
Mr Webb said: It seems weird as the FCA is consulting on exit fees, has been told by government it has to set a cap on exit fees because they stop people accessing their own money and accessing pension freedoms, for the government-created product to then have a fat exit penalty.
Some exit penalties are simply recouping costs from earlier on, he said, adding you can argue whether too high or too low, but you can argue they are there for a reason, whereas this is just a fine basically.
He said if the Lifetime Isa is designed to be used flexibly people should be able to recoup the penalties incurred if they are self employed by putting money back into the vehicle, but this is not possible.
Since last February, the Financial Conduct Authority put ensuring value for money in legacy pensions under the responsibility of independent governance committees, which became a mandatory requirement for all pension schemes from 6 April.
Many providers have come under the spotlight recently as some independent governance committees released inaugural reviews heavily criticising expensive exit fees and other product charges on workplace pensions.
The committees are also required to assess whether pension schemes could or should be offering the Lifetime Isa from April 2017.
Dan Farrow, director of Chelmsford-based SBN Wealth Management, said: Im quite comfortable with the 5 per cent charge, as the benefits still outweigh the options and this is a product that aims to stimulate longer term saving.
As long as the 5 per cent penalty isnt enjoyed by the provider and the risks are set out clearly at the start, then I dont see a problem.
ruth.gillbe@ft.com
News / National
by Freeman Razemba
Police Commissioner-General Dr Augustine Chihuri has challenged officers and the nation to take heed of President Mugabe's call to remain united and develop the country.He said there was need to continue protecting families and that the nation did not need predators that hovered around and destroyed vulnerable members of the society.Comm-Gen Chihuri said this while addressing officers who returned from a United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan.Other officers are set to leave the country on a similar mission in Liberia soon."As a nation, it is imperative that we all continue to persistently heed the message from our President, Head of State and Government, Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, His Excellency R.G. Mugabe as he stated in his address to the nation at the 36th Independence anniversary celebrations on 18 April 2016 and I quote 'Today, as we celebrate our 36th Independence Day anniversary, let us re-dedicate ourselves to serve Zimbabwe at all times, always striving for peace, respect, tolerance and goodwill towards others and to tirelessly work for the unity and development of our beloved country, Zimbabwe')," he said.Comm-Gen Chihuri said the police would take a robust stand against all those who threatened the social fibre uniting the nation."The essence of the family unit as a custodian of values and ethos should not be compromised at all costs. Our families need to be protected and the nation does not need predators that hover around the most vulnerable."When the family is destabilised, the centre of our values cannot hold. This is why as an organisation we call upon the citizenry at all levels from parents, relatives and traditional authority to come together to ensure that the same message is communicated," he said."The message is saying no to those given to perpetrating domestic violence and any other form of violence."Comm-Gen Chihuri assured the nation that the force would relentlessly pursue those fomenting domestic violence.About 40 officers recently returned into the country following a one-year international tour of peacekeeping duty in South Sudan and Liberia under the United Nations.Five more officers are expected to leave the country this month on a similar mission in South Sudan.
This week Tesco confirmed it would would be gradually removing young bulls from Tesco brand beef products.
Its processor St Merryn announced last month it would be gradually downscaling its procurement of young bulls in response to the changes, adding that increasing number of their retail customers no longer wanted to use meat from young bulls in their premium and standard ranges.
In an email to Farmers Weekly yesterday, retailer Tesco confirmed confirmed this. A spokesperson for Tesco said: We will continue to use young bulls in our mince, burgers and meatballs and Boswell Farms ranges; but will be removing them from Tesco Brand beef products by the end of 2016.
These changes are part of our continuous review to improve the quality and consistency of our products for customers.
The decision has come under attack from the National Beef Association (NBA).
Chris Mallon, chief executive of the NBA, is urging Tesco and their processors to answer key questions on the decision.
See also: Beef producers losing thousands from grading spec changes
Is the reason for not buying young bulls due to the availability of cheap Irish steer beef? Why are they penalising efficient, well-bred beef cattle? Will they be stocking their shelves with cheap imported beef? asked Mr Mallon.
Mr Mallon and Simon Marsh, beef cattle specialist at Harper Adams University, explain why they dont support the decision.
1. Lower eating quality
There is a wealth of evidence to support the rearing of young bulls, says Mr Marsh.
In fact, a recent study with Stabiliser bulls slaughtered at 14 months showed improved meat tenderness compared with extensively reared steers.
2. The environment will suffer
Not only is the entire male calf more efficient, but bull beef production systems, especially from the suckler herd, have the lowest carbon footprint and therefore the smallest effect on the environment, says Mr Marsh.
Bull beef from suckler-bred calves can efficiently produce a 350-400kg carcass at under 14 months old.
3. Beef farmers will be forced to reduce output
Last year, 20.1% of male calves were reared as bulls, so the decision taken by some abattoirs to stop procuring young beef will potentially affect a lot of beef producers.
If producers have to adopt extensive production systems this will reduce output, says Mr Marsh.
4. Suckler herds will decline further
If farmers are forced to become more extensive (by keeping cattle for longer), cow numbers will have to decline along with slaughter numbers.
If Tesco as a retailer and its processors do not use young beef bulls, it could potentially kill off 50% of the suckler herd. There is no remaining efficient way for these cattle to be finished, explains Mr Mallon.
5. It will lead to an increase in beef prices
Fewer cattle will mean less beef. Ultimately, this will result in a rise in beef prices that the British public will not appreciate, adds Mr Mallon.
More than 12m in extra sales were generated by a TV advertising campaign to promote mini-roasts of British beef and lamb.
Screened last November, the campaign directly delivered 526,000 in additional mini-roast sales, according to a detailed analysis by AHDB Beef & Lamb.
Sales were up for beef and lamb, with the adverts reaching 22m households across Britain, said the farmer-funded levy organisation.
An additional halo effect namely people seeing the adverts and purchasing other beef or lamb joints added up to 11m, or 12.7m for the whole red meat roasting category.
See also: Industry unity vital on beef and lamb promotion
The campaign provided the best results for beef with 72% of the halo effect, 14% for lamb and 14% for pork, according to AHDB figures.
Mini-roasts are small joints of meat which can be placed in the oven and are ready to eat after 30 minutes. They are promoted as a quick and easy way to cook a roast dinner.
We do a lot of new product development work aimed at taking beef and lamb cuts and offering practical meal solutions for modern families, who demand convenience, especially during the working week Mike Whittemore, AHDB
Product development work by AHDB Beef & Lamb has seen supermarkets introduce 22 new lines in the category over the past year.
Added value
The goal is to add value to beef and lamb carcasses while tackling faltering roast sales by encouraging a shift in consumer buying habits.
This, in turn, aims to ensure beef and lamb products remain staples of the weekly shop, demonstrating their versatility and taste.
Mini-roasts have been core to AHDB Beef & Lamb market development over the past three years, with promotional activity to make the most of product availability each autumn.
The aim is to encourage consumers to select a mini-roast for a convenient mid-week meal. It is a strategy which appears to be working.
Switch from poultry to red meat
AHDB head of trade and product development Mike Whittemore said more people were switching from chicken to buy the beef and lamb products.
The number of people saying the mini-roast offered a quicker, easier way to roast than more traditional products was rising, he added.
We do a lot of new product development work aimed at taking beef and lamb cuts and offering practical meal solutions for modern families, who demand convenience, especially during the working week.
We then work with the processors and retailers to highlight the cuts, recipe ideas and promotion potential, ultimately with the aim of adding value to the carcass and ensuring the new product developed is available for consumers to buy in store.
At 31m, the mini-roast market is relatively small. But AHDB Beef & Lamb figures suggest it has grown 4.1% over the past 52 weeks.
The levy board plans to promote mini-roasts again this year, and will continue working with processors and retailers to support another campaign this autumn.
Older shopper
Sector strategy director Laura Ryan said the campaign was most successful with older shoppers.
On the back of this finding, AHDB Beef & Lamb would tweak its approach to include further engagement with multiple retailers and their convenience ranges, she added.
While we are delighted with the results, it is important to remember this is one element of a broad marketing strategy that covers a very wide range of activity.
Story Highlights 49% of renters and 25% of homeowners worry about paying for housing
More renters than homeowners worry at all income levels
Gap in owner-renter worry growing for the middle- and upper-income
PRINCETON, N.J. -- Americans who rent their home are nearly twice as likely as those who own their home to say they worry about not being able to pay their housing costs. While upper-income Americans are more likely to own and lower-income Americans are more likely to rent, renters worry more than homeowners at all income levels.
Worry About Not Being Able to Pay Rent, Mortgage or Other Housing Costs, Homeowners vs. Renters % "Very" or "moderately worried" Renters % Homeowners % Difference (pct. pts.) National adults 49 25 24 Annual household income Less than $30,000 63 47 16 $30,000 to $74,999 42 27 15 $75,000 or more 29 15 14 2013-2016 Gallup Economy and Personal Finance Surveys
These results are based on more than 5,000 combined interviews from Gallup's 2013-2016 Economy and Personal Finance surveys, including 3,606 homeowners and 1,294 renters.
Overall, during this time, 33% of Americans said they were very (15%) or moderately (18%) worried about not being able to pay their "rent, mortgage or other housing costs."
As would be expected, lower-income Americans are more likely than upper-income Americans to worry about meeting their housing costs, and income is a stronger predictor of worry than homeownership status. For example, lower-income homeowners (47%) are more likely to worry about not being able to pay their housing obligations than are middle- or upper-income renters (42% and 29%, respectively). But at every income level, there is a roughly 15-percentage-point gap in worry between homeowners and renters.
Homeowners, regardless of income, may worry less than renters because they likely have more stable housing payments. Their principal and interest payments on a mortgage would be fixed in most cases, with only minor year-to-year increases in property taxes and insurance. Renters, on the other hand, probably could expect more significant year-to-year rent increases.
Also, rental payments for a given renter would mostly reflect current real estate market conditions, whereas mortgage payments for a given homeowner would mostly reflect home values at the time the home was purchased, which could be well below current home values in the area.
Finally, other financial considerations beyond household income may lead people to rent rather than own a home and to be more worried about their finances in general. These could include concerns about job security, high levels of personal debt or insufficient savings to come up with a down payment on a house.
Worry Gap for Middle- and Upper-Income Americans Widens
Gallup has consistently found that renters are more worried than homeowners about making housing payments, both overall and by household income level, in the 16 years it has conducted the Economy and Personal Finance survey. But the gap in homeowner-renter worry has increased among both middle- and upper-income owners compared with the past.
Homeowners and renters at all income levels became increasingly worried about paying housing costs from 2008 through 2012, during the recession and immediate post-recession years, compared with the 2001 through 2007 housing boom. In recent years, middle- and upper-income homeowners' worry has eased. But middle-income renters are only slightly less worried, and upper-income renters have become more likely to worry.
Trend in Worry About Not Being Able to Pay Rent, Mortgage or Other Housing Costs, Homeowners vs. Renters, by Annual Household Income % "Very" or "moderately worried" Renters % Homeowners % Difference (pct. pts.) Less than $30,000 2001-2007 47 32 15 2008-2012 66 48 18 2013-2016 63 47 16 $30,000 to $74,999 2001-2007 32 23 9 2008-2012 45 33 12 2013-2016 42 27 15 $75,000 or more 2001-2007 16 11 5 2008-2012 25 20 5 2013-2016 29 15 14 Gallup
Those trends likely follow rent costs, which have consistently increased in recent years, particularly in higher-priced markets. There are some indications these gains may be leveling off as rental supply is now catching up to, or exceeding, rental demand.
Implications
The bursting of the housing bubble helped push the economy into recession and drove Americans' homeownership rate down to 62% from 73% in 2005-2007, according to Gallup's data. That decline is a result of multiple factors, including many former homeowners losing their homes to foreclosure and tighter lending requirements for getting new mortgages. Also, potential home buyers may not be as confident that homes will hold their value after seeing prices plummet in recent years. Finally, many within the growing retiree population may be choosing to sell their homes and rent, while young adults living on their own for the first time may look to live in cities or other areas where renting is more feasible than owning.
The declining percentage of homeowners and the increasing percentage of renters in the U.S. adult population help explain why Americans today are significantly more worried about being able to pay their housing costs than they were in the past. From 2001 through 2007, before the housing market crashed, an average 24% of Americans worried about paying their housing costs. Since then, an average of 35% have. Although Americans' worry about a variety of financial matters is up since 2007, worries about making housing payments are up the most.
In an era when most Americans are seeing slow wage growth, more are renting than in the past and rental costs have been rising significantly, it is understandable that an increasing percentage of Americans are worried about meeting one of their most basic financial obligations.
Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics.
Survey Methods
Results for this Gallup poll are based on combined telephone interviews conducted from Gallup's April 2013 to 2016 Economy and Personal Finance surveys, with a random sample of 5,073 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is 2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
For results based on the total sample of 3,606 homeowners, the margin of sampling error is 2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
For results based on the total sample of 1,294 renters, the margin of sampling error is 3 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 Poll Social Series works.
Story Highlights 15% of Americans say healthcare costs are family's top financial concern
Those without money to live comfortably concerned with immediate living costs
About one in 10 Americans say their family faces no financial problems
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Fifteen percent of Americans cite healthcare costs as the most important financial problem facing their family. In addition to healthcare costs, Americans also point to low wages, debt, college expenses and housing costs as pressing financial concerns for their family. About one in 10 Americans say their family faces no financial problems.
Most Important Financial Problems Facing American Families U.S. adults % Have enough money to live comfortably % Do not have enough money to live comfortably % Healthcare costs 15 15 11 Lack of money/Low wages 13 6 17 Not enough money to pay debts 9 7 11 College expenses 9 9 6 Costs of owning/renting a home 8 6 10 High cost of living/Inflation 7 8 5 Unemployment/Loss of job 6 5 8 Taxes 5 6 3 Retirement savings 5 7 1 Lack of savings 3 3 2 Social Security 2 2 2 State of the economy 1 1 2 Controlling spending 1 1 1 Energy costs/Oil and gas prices 1 1 1 Interest rates 1 1 0 Stock market/Investments 1 1 0 None 11 13 4 Other 4 4 3 April 6-10, 2016 Gallup Poll
These results are from Gallup's annual Economy and Personal Finance poll, conducted April 6-10 this year.
While healthcare costs top the list of family financial concerns among Americans overall, the problems that Americans cite as most important differ between those with and without enough money to live comfortably. Thirteen percent of those with enough money to live comfortably say they have no important financial problems, compared with 4% among those who do not have enough to live comfortably.
Long-Term Saving Concerns Top List for Those Living Comfortably
Americans who say they have enough money to live comfortably are more likely to cite long-term saving concerns such as retirement savings and college expenses as their most pressing financial problem. Meanwhile, those without enough money to live comfortably express greater concern about more immediate financial problems, including low wages, debt payments and housing costs.
Among those living comfortably on their current income, for example, 7% mention retirement savings and 9% cite college expenses as their family's most pressing financial problem. These Americans tend to be older, more educated and wealthier: 74% of those aged 65 and older, 80% of college graduates and 88% of those living in households earning $75,000 or more per year report having enough money to live comfortably.
Financial Means to Live Comfortably -- by Income, Education and Age Have enough money to live comfortably % Do not have enough money to live comfortably % Income Less than $30,000 36 64 $30,000 to less than $75,000 67 33 $75,000 or more 88 12 Education Graduated college 80 19 Did not graduate college 61 39 Age 18 to 29 65 34 30 to 49 63 37 50 to 64 65 35 65+ 74 25 April 6-10, 2016 Gallup Poll
Alternatively, those not living comfortably on their current income are more likely to point to immediate financial concerns about low wages (17%), debt payments (11%) and housing costs (10%). Compared with those who have the financial means to live comfortably, these Americans have less income and less education. Sixty-four percent of Americans earning less than $30,000 in annual household income and 39% of those without a college degree say they do not have enough money to live comfortably.
Bottom Line
These financial problems facing U.S. families parallel Americans' unease about the economy more broadly. In the past three months, Americans have consistently cited the economy as the most important issue facing the country. However, the contrasting nature of these concerns points to a much different reality for those without the financial means to live comfortably. Americans living in financial comfort emphasize concerns about meeting long-term financial goals, while those without enough money to live comfortably must instead sacrifice future financial goals to meet the immediate costs of living.
Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics.
Survey Methods
Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted April 6-10, 2016, on the Gallup U.S. Daily survey, with a random sample of 1,015 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is 4 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.
View complete question responses and trends.
Learn more about how the Gallup U.S. Daily works.
Before Shiloh Sundstroms life was cut short by a hit-and-run accident in November, the Oregon State University Ph.D. student dedicated his life to bridging worlds.
Today, Sundstroms advisers, peers and renowned conservation experts are coming together from across the globe to finish Sundstroms work through a symposium at OSU titled The Future of Pastoralism in an Era of Rapid Change.
The symposium is a two-day collaborative effort aimed at strengthening the emerging international network of pastoralists (sheep or cattle farmers) with Maasai people, a semi-nomadic warrior tribe from southern Kenya.
It was an important topic for Sundstrom, who was killed in a hit-and-run crash on Nov. 22 just east of Corvallis on Highway 34 in Linn County.
Sundstrom based his graduate thesis on his work in southern Kenya and, at the time of his death, he was working on his doctoral dissertation in geography on rangeland management among the Maasai people.
The symposium, organized through OSUs College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, College of Forestry, College of Agricultural Sciences and the Siuslaw Institute, is dedicated to continuing Sundstroms work of bringing together pastoralists with the Maasai people to discover innovative solutions to agricultural issues.
We wanted to do something to honor Shilohs legacy and make sure his hard work gets carried on and make sure his vision gets realized, said Hannah Gosnell, Sundstroms adviser and geography professor at OSU. I keep thinking about how much he wouldve wanted to be here. His dream was to bridge the two worlds between his research in Kenya and his colleagues at home. Thats what this conference is going to do.
Pulling people in
The symposium kicks off this afternoon with a workshop for the presenters organized in the spirit of an African Baraza or informal gathering of individuals to discuss matters of public interest. Gosnell said the goal of the workshop is to allow participants in the symposium to meet each other, some for the first time. Gosnell said it reminded her of a quote from Sundstroms lifelong friend who called Sundstrom a planet with a gravity that just pulled people in.
He was a planet. Its such a great quote because Shiloh was so connected to so many people around the world and he was very good at bringing people together, Gosnell said. I think its interesting that agriculture is a big culprit in our global environmental challenges. But agriculture done right can be a major source of mitigation for climate change. Thats what this is all about.
The first public event at the symposium is the keynote address, from David Western, chairman of the African Conservation Center, at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at OSUs Learning Innovation Center at 165 S.W. Sackett Place.
He is an internationally famous wildlife ecologist and conservationist and one of the first to realize that pastorals and human wildlife could co-exist, Gosnell said. Sometimes ranchers get a bad rap, but (Western) and these ranchers coming to the symposium in particular are leading the way in being part of the solution.
Thursday features a full-day symposium at OSUs Memorial Union with presentations from more than a dozen ranchers, Maasai leadership who worked with Sundstrom and Sundstroms family and colleagues.
Memorial fund
In addition to the symposium, Sundstroms family and peers recently established the Shiloh Sundstrom Memorial Fund to raise $25,000 to start an endowment at OSU for graduate students who continue Sundstroms work.
Over the last few months, organizers have raised about $13,000 from individuals and will add to it in the coming months with fundraising done in collaboration with Sky High Brewing & Pub. Sky High started carrying its first memorial beer in March with some of the proceeds of the sales of the beer set to go toward the memorial fund.
Sky High Owner Scott McFarland said the beer, known as Shiloh IPA, has sold like hotcakes since its launch.
I think its a great thing that we were able to be a part of this, McFarland said. I think beer brings people together, and if we can do something that does that and helps the healing process or pays homage to a person who touched the community, were happy and glad to do that.
Sky High has sold about 450 gallons or about 40 kegs worth of Shiloh IPA in the last month, enough for McFarland to consider adding the beer to the restaurants menu permanently.
Were going to continue making it into the foreseeable future, McFarland said. People seem to be loving it and were going to continue carrying it.
Leading the fundraising campaign is Drew Bennett, a postdoctoral fellow at Colorado State University, who worked closely with Sundstrom while the two were doctoral students at OSU.
I think the way everyone has come together to support this has shocked everybody, Bennett said. We understood $25,000 was a large number and none of us had much fundraising experience in the past. But it was pretty amazing to see the support and love for Shiloh. Its a testament to how much he touched everyone around him.
An informal dinner and reception will follow the symposium at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Sky High Brewing & Pub.
June 10, 1919 April 25, 2016
On Monday, April 25, 2016, June Geil McCallister completed her journey here on Planet Earth and moved on to the Great Beyond.
Born June 10, 1919, in Albany to Edna Richard Geil and Louis Kieffer Geil, she was the youngest of three children. She started school at age 5 in Albany where her mother and father were teachers. Some of her favorite childhood memories involved the sleepovers at her grandmother and grandfather Richards apartment above the Lynn County Jail when he was sheriff. The family moved to Mount View in 1925, and then to Corvallis where June graduated from Corvallis High in 1936. In 1940, she graduated in the School of Business from Oregon State College. She was affiliated with Sigma Kappa sorority.
On June 7, 1941, she married Alan Finley McCallister in Corvallis. After graduation she worked as secretary to the Director of the Agriculture Extension Service at the University until 1942, when she and her husband moved to Portland. A first son, Michael, was born there in 1943. During the war while her husband was overseas, she joined the Electricians Union in Portland and worked in the electrical department of Commercial Iron Works where landing craft and troop transport ships were being built for the war effort.
Following the war, her husband was hired as an engineer with Standard Oil of California (now Chevron). They lived in Portland until 1948, when he was transferred to Honolulu, Hawaii, for nine years. A second son, Richard, was born in Honolulu in 1953. After the family was transferred to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1957, a daughter, Laurie, was born in Lafayette, California.
June was a dedicated mother and parent volunteer, whether it was Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Little League, or parent-teacher work. While the family lived in La Mirada, California, in 1960, June was presented with a life membership in the PTA and with a This Is Your Life program for her work in establishing a childrens library at the John Foster Dulles Elementary School.
In 1967, after Standard Oil changed their name to Chevron, Alan was transferred with a cadre of engineers and managers to London, England, to start a new operating company, Chevron Oil U.K. They lived in London eight years. While the family was in England, June organized family trips through England, Scotland, Ireland, and on the continent. They traveled Europe extensively as well as the Mediterranean and Africa. For years, June enjoyed walking tours of London, learning the history of Great Britain. She was an active member of the U.K. Petroleum Wives Club for several years, arranging travel tours through the U.K. When her husband retired in 1981, they returned to the United States on the QE-2, settling in Salem. For a number of years they were winter snowbirds in the Palm Springs area. They spent a good deal of time traveling abroad and touring the United States in an RV. After 60 years of marriage her husband preceded her in death in 1998. They were members of the First Presbyterian Church.
During the years in Salem, she joined the Writing Your Life Story class where she made longtime friends and chronicled the family histories. Her continuing interests included her family, traveling, reading, bridge, her daily crossword puzzles and the Oregon Coast.
Survivors include Cpt. Michael McCallister, USN (Ret.) and wife Nancy of Everett, Washington, Richard McCallister and wife Linda of Portland, and Laurie Luecker and husband Charles of Moraga, California. There are nine grandchildren and three great-grandsons.
A memorial service will be at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, May 1, at Virgil T. Golden Funeral Service.
News / National
by Melody Baya
A MAN from Cowdray Park suburb in Bulawayo has been jailed for a year for stealing his sister's household property worth $300.Caroline Ncube, 33, called the police on her brother Freeman Ncube, 31, after he stole her property including a slow cooker, toaster, an electric iron, door handles and locks.Ncube told Western Commonage magistrate, Themba Chimiso, that he stole the property to raise money to go to his rural home."I wanted to go and see where my grandfather had been laid to rest. I stole the property for resale in order to raise money for me to go to Kezi," said Ncube.He was initially sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, but three months were suspended on condition of good behaviour while the other three months were suspended on condition that he restitutes his sister."You are therefore going to save an effective 12 months in prison," said Chimiso.Prosecuting, Mufaro Mageza said on March 28, Ncube was left in Caroline's house after she went on a visit to Tsholotsho."She returned home on April 21 and found her property which includes an electrical iron, toaster, slow cooker, door handles and locks, and clothes missing. She then asked her brother who admitted that he took the property and sold it to different unknown people," said Mageza.
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
News / Regional
by Leonard Ncube
CONSTRUCTION works at the Victoria Falls International Airport were temporarily halted last week after four villagers stole a generator that is used for back up electricity.Spencer Zulu,24, Malvin Phiri, 28, Phinias Mudenda,38, and Zuze Phiri,45, were convicted on their own plea of guilty when they appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Lindiwe Maphosa.The four were each slapped with a six months jail term.The sentence was wholly suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.The 30-litre generator which was valued at $1,500 was recovered on Thursday last week after a man related to two of the thieves alerted the police.Lance Dlamini, a representative from ADB, a company providing lighting services for China Jiangsu which is carrying out refurbishment work at the airport, said work at the airport was temporarily halted last week because there was no adequate power due to the theft of the generator.Prosecuting, Takunda Ndovorwi, said the generator, a Honda EG 6500CX5, was mounted outside ADB premises within the airport when it was stolen."On April 18 at 6PM Zulu and Phiri proceeded to Victoria Falls International Airport intending to steal a generator. They failed to lift it and went to look for back up from Mudenda and Zuze," said Ndovorwi.The court heard that after stealing the generator they took it to Jordan Dube's homestead where Mudenda and Zuze reside and hid it.The generator was recovered on Thursday last week after Muchaneta Dzere, who is related to Zulu and Phiri alerted the police.
Growing traffic : Getting out of the jam
Bonn/Rhine-Sieg county Getting where you need to go can be difficult as the number of people in the region grows and capacity on roads and rails becomes strapped.
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The region is growing and with the growth comes more traffic and more congestion. Already, the infrastructure is at its limit. Major projects are initiated slowly if at all. Here is a look at some approaches, trends and strategies in coping with the growing issue.
Stop and go, stop and go. Waiting at the intersection of B56 and Arnold-Janssen-Strae in Sankt Augustin is an exercise in patience. Traffic is coming from everywhere and then there is the 66 tram which crosses every few minutes. The safety gate goes up, it goes down, up and down. Drivers look on with grim faces as they wait for the gate to open up and let them through, and for the light to turn green. People sarcastically refer to it as the Philosophy crossing as it gives drivers plenty of time to philosophize about how they can get out of the congestion.
Bonn is expected to have a population of 349,000 by 2040; this is 35,000 more than in 2014. Rhine-Sieg county is projected to grow by 29,500 for a total population of 615,000 in 2040. The number of households are growing as well as the number of jobs and commercial freight traffic. The autobahn? Since 1990, it has only been selectively enlarged is some places. Trams are running at capacity during rush hour and a system with a fast lane for bikers has failed to materialize. Altogether, the current system is overtaxed and the smallest accident leads to major delays.
The federal government has budgeted 264 billion euros to be invested in roads, rail and canals until 2030. Two-thirds of this funding will be needed just to maintain the infrastructure. This means only the real hot spots get attention, for example the A59 will be enlarged between Bonn-Ost and Cologne-Porz. No major new construction projects have been earmarked to increase the infrastructure. One area that has been debated for some time is whether to build a road to connect the A565 to the A3.
A 2008 survey showed that three out of four households in Bonn had at least one car. The big question is - will the car continue to dominate in the future? 25 percent of Bonn residents are on their bikes daily and the number is 17 percent in Rhine-Sieg county. Berlin transportation researchers Weert Canzler and Andreas Knie have found that the car has lost out in popularity, especially among the younger generation, and those living in the city. Either they choose to take a bike, or use their cell phone to see which public transportation is available near by. They take advantage of car sharing and flexible bike rentals. Bonn wants to support the biking network by increasing bike paths and initiating a public bike rental system. They want to create mobility stations offering car sharing and bike rentals at places where people can take advantage of them such as trains stations or bus and tram stops.
Cologne/Bonn Airport : Growth, expansion and renovation
Cologne Passengers came in record numbers to Cologne/Bonn airport in 2015.
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Airport chief executive Michael Garvens said it was an exceptional year. The number of passengers rose by 9.4 percent to 10.3 million. Growth came mainly from two airlines, Ryanair and Eurowings (belonging to Lufthansa). Their flights together accounted for an extra 945,500 passengers. Turkish Airlines, TUIfly, WizzAir and Turkish Onur Air brought another 220,000 flights. Air freight grew by nearly a half percent.
To accommodate the growing number of passengers, more parking spaces will be created. At the end of the year, Parkhaus 1 will be torn down and a new parking garage with more capacity built in its place. The new garage will have 3,200 spaces which is 2,000 more than the current one. It will also offer VIP parking and take advantage of the latest technological developments with ticketless entry and a search App.
In July, there are plans to begin resurfacing the principal starting and landing runway. This is the beginning of a series of refurbishment plans. Next year, the cross wind runway is targeted for renewal. According to Garvens, the estimated cost of 100 million euros could climb as work progresses. In summer, work will begin on a T-Walk to connect Terminals 1 and 2. This should make for an easier passage for guests needing to get from one terminal to the other.
Security concerns have been an issue for the airport in the past weeks. The airport emergency plan for terrorist attacks, hostage situations or natural disasters was leaked on the internet due to internal errors. Officials are now determining whether or not the emergency plans have to be changed. Additionally, Kotter Aviation which provides security personnel for the airport, has suffered a shortage of workers. Garvens said they hope to overcome this problem and he has provided the security firm with passenger numbers so they can be well-prepared in summer during peak travel periods.
Opinion / Letters
Dear Bulawayo24 News my name is Mduduzi I'm born in Tsholotsho koMakhazi in Dubani village my mom is Salu Tshuma.In 1972 my mom met with a man by the surname of Hlongwane while she was married to another man.When they met it happened that my mom became pregnant as Mr Hlongwane was a traditional healer.There after, he disappeared - up to today I don't where he is and I don't know his family as well.Now my life has never been good, nothing has been done as usiko of Hlingwane surname I'm suffering.Nothing is going well in my life. I don't know what to do. My mother died without knowing where my father is.I heard that he was staying in Mzilikazi by that time.Please help me find the Hlongwane family. I'm desperate I'm now in South Africa if anyone have information please call me on these numbers 078 512 7027 or 082 633-6854 or call my aunty Mpilo Tshuma living in Bulawayo Emakhandeni 1221.
LOS ANGELESAfter the stunning success of the first RuPaul's DragCon, the convention is once again returning to L.A., thanks to RuPaul's partnership with the Worlds of Wonder Productions crew, Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey (of Inside Deep Throat documentary fame)and it's way bigger than before.
According to the show's website, "RuPauls DragCon provides a platform for fansof all ages and backgroundsto meet and interact with world-renowned celebrities and icons in a friendly and accessible environment. The convention will feature over 100 vendors and exhibitors, panel discussions, screenings, autographs, and photo opportunities."
The promoters expect "tens of thousands" of fans to attend, and if last year's crowds are any indication, it'll probably be in the high tens. Fans of the various seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race will find plenty of their favorite contestants on hand, including Transgender Erotica Awards hostess Jujubee, plus there will be appearances by cast members from the FUSION TV series Lady of AsiaSF as well as the U.K. feature film Dressed As A Girl.
On the more mainstream side, musicians Henry Rollins, Debbie Gibson and The Supremes co-founder Mary Wilson are scheduled to attend, as well as mainstream director Gregg Araki (Mysterious Skin; The Doom Generation) and Jawbreaker director Darren Stein, who'll also appear on a panel with star Rebecca Gayheart to discuss that film. Also on hand will be top comedienne Judy Tenuta, Samantha Newark (of 2015's Jem and the Holograms), and Big Bang Theory's (and ST:TNG's) Wil Wheaton will appear on at least one panel.
Several adult performers will also be making appearances, including last year fave TS Madison, as well as other trans actresses like Love Connie and Venus D'Lite.
Some of this year's panels will include BioQueens: Women Who Love Drag; Golden Girls Forever; Legendary! Ladies of the '80s; Geeks and Glamazons: Gender Bending in Comics; Drag Is Punk; and Size Queens: Big Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.
RuPaul fans may also want to catch the "Opening Night Spectacular" on Friday, May 6, at the Belasco Theater, 1050 S. Hill St. in L.A.. Performers at that show will be a selection of former Drag Race contestants including Katya, Trixie Mattel, Gia Gunn, Lady Bunny, Jessica Wilde, Jujubee, Kennedy Davenport and more.
But according to Randy Barbato, "The biggest surprise from last years DragCon was how much of a family event this is. Whether your family is San Franciscos legendary drag queens, Sisters for Perpetual Indulgence, or youre a tween girl superfan visiting with your Mom & Dad, theres something for everybody at RuPauls DragCon."
So we're guessing that that means that mom, dad and the kids should just jump in the car and head down to the Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St. in L.A. on May 7-8 for a mind-bending/enlightening (take your choice) experience. Admission is $50 for the weekend, or $30 per day. Tickets can be purchased here.
LAS VEGASPornstar Platinum has launched ChristieStevens.com, the official site for the performer.
"I am thrilled to be launching my personal website, ChristieStevens.com, with Pornstar Platinum, Stevens said. I love all my fans and am excited to share with them this unique part of me. I poured my heart and soul and a lot of orgasms into this website to create something special for my fans that will keep them coming back for more!"
The new site will feature weekly updates, exclusive HQ photos and HD videos with a variety of solo, girl/girl, boy/girl and threeway scenes, along with her personal blog and live cam shows.
A California native, Christie was born in Orange County and grew up in Temecula before attending the University of Utah where she earned a bachelor of science degree in mass communications with an emphasis in public relations. She worked as a stripper for six years and did her first hardcore shoot in November 2011. She went on to be nominated for an AVN Award for Best New Starlet in 2013.
Not only is she stunningly sexy, she has quite the business mind and has been closely involved with the development of her site, said JC Baumgartner, Pornstar Platinums president. We are extremely lucky to have a star with Christies beauty, charm and talent as a part of the family here at Pornstar Platinum.
Members to Christies site will also receive access to the full network of Pornstar Platinums line up of official porn star sites. These sites include Brooke Wylde, Ariella Ferrera, Joslyn James, Ava Devine, Eva Notty, Alura Jenson and Claudia Valentine, as well as many others. All live cam shows are included and free to members as well.
ChristieStevens.com is the second of four new sites Pornstar Platinum is adding for new performer. The site BrookeWyldeXXX.com launched last week, while sites for Savana Styles and Courtney Taylor are in production and scheduled for release later this month.
Affiliates can sign up by going to PornstarPlatinum.com and clicking on Webmasters at the bottom of the home page.
These 7 Similar Night Photos from Galaxy S7 & Xiaomi Mi 5 Will Tell You What's the Real Difference ! Features oi -Vigneshwar
Earlier this year, the South Korean giant Samsung has finally unveiled Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge with host new features in an attempt to outdo its arch rival Apple. Despite the fact that, the Galaxy S7 has heaps of contenders including Xperia Z5, LG G5, Apple iPhone 6s, one of the commendable rivals as far as the pricing concern is the Xiaomi Mi 5.
Both the smartphones come with top notch specifications with brilliant build quality. However, it terms of pricing, the Xiaomi Mi5 holds the edge over Galaxy S7. Reiterating, the Xiaomi is known for manufacturing devices with state of art technology at an affordable price.
Talking about the specifications, the Galaxy S7 comes packed with 5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display, Exynos 8 Octa 8890 processor, 4GB RAM, 32GB/64GB inbuilt memory with the expandable option, 12MP/5MP camera, water and dust resistance, Android 6.0 and powered by a 3000mAh battery.
SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Note 6: 8 Expected Features of the Most Awaited Phablet of 2016
On the other hand, the Xiaomi Mi 5 is wrapped with 5.15-inch Full HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC, 3GB RAM, 32GB inbuilt memory with no expandable option, 16MP/4MP camera options, Android 6.0 Marshmallow on top of MIUI 7 and juiced with a 3000mAh battery.
Before getting into the comparison, we would like to clear the air regarding the Samsung's camera downgrade from 16MP to 12MP in S7. Contrary to the popular belief "bigger the pixel, better the picture quality", the sensor, pixel size, and aperture are the important factor that determines the picture quality.
In this case, Samsung has increased the pixel quality to 1.4 m along with aperture and sensor to F1.7 and 1/2.5 respectively. Today, we are pitting the latest flagship offering from Xiaomi against the Samsung Galaxy S7 in terms low light camera performance. We strolled around at night in Bangalore and took some night shots on both Galaxy S7 and Xiaomi Mi 5. Let's compare both now.
Image 1
The image took from Galaxy S7 looks a bit hazy and soft. Meanwhile, the device has managed to capture background details as well. Then again, the picture caught from Mi 5 has high green tints on the right half of the picture and the subject is hazy in a few regions. However, both the smartphones managed to capture decent images.
Image 2
This picture was caught from Galaxy S7 and it is up to the point. This picture is sharp and captured the details as it is. In this case, the water flow is sharp exposing the minute details and captures the background leaves perfectly.
When we attempted the same shot with Mi 5, it looks completely out of focus leaving the image bright and blurry. The light is scattered is uneven and scattered over the parts.
Image 3
As you can observe,the photo shot from Mi 5 produces unnatural shades leaving the subject fairly greenish. Likewise, the subject is focussed on some parts, leaving other regions foggy Moreover, we can see some noises on the picture.
Talking about the Galaxy S7's image, the subject is completely focussed, giving us a clear low light image with no obscure. However, it didn't capture the moving subject clearly on the background. Further, on the edges image tends to look brighter than other parts.
Image 4
Despite the fact that the Xiaomi Mi 5 has managed to capture the subject, the whole image seems to be blurry and noisy. Then again, the Galaxy S7 has caught more details compared to Mi 5, however, it winds up with the same result as Mi 5.
Image 5
Discussing the image, the picture from Samsung Galaxy S7 is pretty much in center, while the Xiaomi Mi 5's is totally out. Even though both the device didn't manage to capture the moving subject properly, Galaxy S7 is way better than Mi 5.
Image 6
Talking about the selfies, both the device captures more or less the same pictures. In any case, the Galaxy S7 with its wide point lens, catch more subjects than its Chinese partner.
Image 7
Here, Mi 5's image looks brighter compared to Galaxy S7. Comparatively, Mi 5 has capture better micro shots revealing minute details about the subject when compared to Galaxy S7.
While the Samsung Galaxy S7 retails at Rs. 49,000, users can get hands on Xiaomi Mi 5 with half of the price - Rs. 24,999. However, both the mobile offers decent pictures for their respective price point at low light conditions.
Best Mobiles in India
'Feels Like Home Season 2' offers something real and tangible to think about; takes home a pertinent point - if your intentions are good, there is nothing in life that isn't achievable.
ALEXANDRIA, Va.The deadline for bloggers to submit applications for scholarships to the Woodhull Freedom Foundations 2016 Sexual Freedom Summit is this Sunday, May 1.
Thanks to a grant from the Freeman Foundation, bloggers attending the Summit may apply to receive one of 10 $100 scholarships. Along with the scholarship, those selected will also receive a discount on the cost of registration. Bloggers will be selected based on criteria including readership traffic and social media followership, with special consideration given to those who represent marginalized identities and communities.
Taking place Aug. 4-7 at the Hilton Mark Center in Alexandria, Va., the Summit is a conference focused on sexual freedom as a fundamental human right in the U.S.
A single voice can fill one space. But when bloggers take that voice and share it, the message is magnified hundreds and even thousands of times over, said Ricci Levy, president and CEO of The Woodhull Freedom Foundation. Bloggers are social justice warriors and were grateful to the Freeman Foundation for giving us the means to make it easier for bloggers to be at the Summit. We look forward to receiving submissions and look forward to announcing the scholarship recipients on June 1.
Now in its seventh year, the focus of the Sexual Freedom Summit is the goal of the sexual freedom movementglobal recognition of our fundamental human right to sexual freedom. The Summit is for everyone interested in sexual freedomfrom activists, educators, students, attorneys and clinicians, to people who are simply curious about how to make the world a freer place for all.
From gender expression to reproductive justice, LGBT rights to polyamory, sex work to spirituality, and much more, the Summit welcomes attendees to bring ideas and concerns to the table, all within a human rights framework. The four-day schedule of institutes and workshops, roundtable discussions and sessions cover a gamut of topics, ranging from geriatric sexuality, abuse, sex education, religion, gender identities, mental health, condom use, policy trends, intellectual and developmental disabilities, consent, sex work, and more.
For more information on Woodhulls Sexual Freedom Summit, visit SexualFreedomSummit.org, or follow the Summit on Twitter and Facebook. Those following the conversation on Twitter may do so by using the hashtag #SFS16.
Ex-PLA spy fails appeal in Taiwan after 4-year sentence
ROC Central News Agency
2016/04/27 13:44:54
Taipei, April 27 (CNA) The Taiwan High Court upheld Wednesday a ruling by a lower court that sentenced a former Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) officer last year to four years in prison for violation of the National Security Act.
In September 2015, the Taipei District Court ruled Zhen Xiaojiang (), a retired PLA captain, guilty of setting up a spy ring in Taiwan.
Zhen, based in Xiamen, China, was found to have traveled to Taiwan frequently after he acquired Hong Kong residency in 2005.
Traveling on a tourist visa, Zhen managed to set up the spy ring by recruiting retired and active Taiwanese military officers to collect secret military intelligence, according to the district court.
Retired Taiwan Army Maj.-Gen. Hsu Nai-chuan (), who once ran unsuccessfully for the post of Kinmen magistrate, was also given a three-year jail term at the district court in relation to the case.
Hsu is the highest-ranking army officer in Taiwan to be prosecuted for an offense against national security.
On Wednesday, the Taiwan High Court reduced the penalty for Hsu to two years and 10 months.
Teng Cheng-chiou (), the presiding High Court judge, explained that although Hsu was found guilty of helping Zhen expand his spy network by introducing other retired and serving military officers, his conduct could only be determined as an "attempt" -- an offense that occurrs when a person comes dangerously close to carrying out a criminal act and intends to commit the act, but does not in fact commit it.
As for Zhen, the court found that the number of criminal acts involving the Chinese national was higher than those unearthed in the first trial, Teng said. Thanks to Zhen's confession and cooperation with the trial proceedings, the court decided to maintain the original sentence, he noted.
The trial proceedings were not open to the public because secret intelligence was involved. As a result, the High Court did not publish the ruling, but gave only an oral statement when announcing its ruling Wednesday, given that the public enjoy "the right to know," according to Teng.
The case can still be appealed.
(By Yu Kai-hsiang and Elizabeth Hsu)
ENDITEM/J
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German Spy Chief Steps Down, No Reason Given
by VOA News April 27, 2016
The head of Germany's intelligence agency is stepping down two years early, with no reason given for the sudden departure.
Chancellor Angela Merkel's office announced the replacement of Gerhard Schindler with Finance Ministry official Bruno Kahl.
Merkel's chief of staff Peter Altmaier said Wednesday the agency known as BND (Bundesnachrichtendienst) faces "major challenges" during the coming years, including the evolution of its mission in light of the changing security environment.
He also noted the agency is dealing with the legal consequences of a parliamentary investigation, after revelations BND had cooperated with the U.S. National Security Agency in spying on European allies.
European intelligence agencies are also under scrutiny following two major terrorist attacks in the past six months, Brussels on March 22, and Paris on November 13.
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US, Central American firefighters train together in Honduras
By Maria Pinel, Joint Task Force-Bravo Public Affairs / Published April 26, 2016
SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras (AFNS) -- Joint Task Force-Bravo hosted firefighters from Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama for the Central America Sharing Mutual Operational Knowledge and Experience exercise April 18-22 at Soto Cano Air Base.
The latest iteration of CENTAM SMOKE included 34 firefighters participating in strenuous and challenging firefighting activities next to their U.S. counterparts from the 612th Air Base Squadron Fire Department.
The purpose of this exercise is to conduct joint training with cross-functional development between all participating countries, to aid and improve humanitarian and civic assistance operations, promoting regional cooperation that will improve collective capabilities and strengthen partnerships.
"We have learned new things and also to coordinate between neighboring countries, so that in the future we can assist each other in any emergency and work the same way," said Alejandro Blanco, a firefighter from El Salvador.
These teamwork capabilities can be easily put to test in the wildfire-prone Central American region. Recently, Joint Task Force-Bravo was called to action when local efforts alone were unable to fight forest fires that emerged in protected and inaccessible areas of Honduras and Panama, necessitating the use of U.S. Army UH-60 Blackhawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters to help contain the blazes.
"We know there are countries that don't have the same assets that we have in the U.S., so what we do is we bring those countries in to train with our aircraft," said Master Sgt. Mario Gonzalez, the 612th ABS Fire Department assistant chief of training. "We teach them what might happen and help them improve their skills for battling fires."
CENTAM SMOKE provides hands-on training with U.S. air assets, preparing participants to act as a team and to be familiar with coordinating ground and aerial firefighting operations.
"It was very interesting to learn new things and to develop a friendship with the other countries," said Katheryn Bravo, a firefighter from Panama. "Once we finish the training we share what we learned in our own units back home."
Sharing these experiences and bringing back the acquired knowledge from exercises such as CENTAM SMOKE have helped keep firefighters in the region prepared, as was the case with the recent fires in the Darien province in Panama and Jeanette Kawas National Park in Honduras, where the U.S. and Central American countries worked together to contain large wildfires.
During the week, participants combined classroom lessons with scenarios in the field using structural, automobile and aircraft live fires, first response medical procedures, patient loading for medical evacuations, familiarization with personal protective gear and the Jaws of Life extraction tool. The lessons and scenarios demonstrated the importance of teamwork for such operations.
After graduation, Arnulfo Jimenez, of the Costa Rican Fire Brigade, said, "It is important to know that we are firefighters anywhere in the world; that we work for the same mission, which is to protect life, protect private property and protect the environment. No matter where we are, we are one, we are firefighters."
Since 2005, Soldiers and Airmen from Joint Task Force-Bravo have facilitated the training of more than 850 firefighters from across the region, providing an opportunity for U.S. and Central American firefighters to work as one, building collaborative relationships as partner nations and allowing those involved to take valuable lessons back to their countries.
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Dunford Explores Ways to Better-Integrate Counter-Extremism Efforts
By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity
ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT, April 26, 2016 The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff met with British Chief of Defense Staff Gen. Sir Nicholas Houghton and other defense leaders in London yesterday to look at broadening efforts against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and other extremist groups.
Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford said he used the meetings to initiate a conversation with partners about a transregional approach to countering violent extremism.
"I believe what we need is a common understanding of the threat so we all see it the same way," he said in an interview on the way back to the United States after a trip that took also him to Iraq and Egypt.
Counter-ISIL efforts in Iraq and Syria constitute the main focus right now, and should be, the general said. But there are other violent extremists elsewhere, and the meeting was the start of a process to frame the threat and responses properly.
ISIL is a transregional threat operating in the Middle East, Libya, West Africa and Afghanistan, Dunford said, noting the terrorist group is attempting to spread to other areas. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper recently said there are ISIL cells operating in the West, as well.
War's Changing Character
Dunford has been speaking about the changing character of war since he has taken office. He believes, given the advances in technology and capabilities, that most threats will quickly become transregional -- cutting across national boundaries and military domains.
He has been working to develop this transregional approach in the U.S. military and pointed to Special Operations Command as the example for what the rest of the military must do.
"What I wanted to do now was share [that experience] with some of our coalition partners," he said. "We had a small group, and we will expand it over time."
This was a framing meeting in that the leaders discussed confronting the core of ISIL, but also the need, over time, to use the coalition approach against ISIL.
General Approval
The proposal met with general approval, but going from the general to the specific is difficult, he said. "You've got align the political objectives of each country to the various military capabilities," Dunford said.
The United States is unique because it has the wherewithal to approach the problem of violent extremism globally, the chairman said. "Most of the nations we deal with -- for historical reasons, political reasons, and cultural reasons -- will have more focus on one or two areas," he said.
The chiefs of defense agreed that more work needs to be done on this and agreed to form a committee of general officers to delve more deeply into the ramifications of the proposal, Dunford said.
The chairman hopes to have a meeting of all coalition members in the fall, he said, "and at that point we would develop a framework for the common understanding of the threat. That common understanding would lead to planning, and then, ideally, execution."
Multiple Coalitions
Dunford said he believes the result will be multiple coalitions in each location. "But somehow, with a broader architecture, so that our efforts are linked and we can achieve an effect," he added.
One example of this understanding of the threat might be -- as the United States thinks -- that after the core of ISIL, the most prominent threat is in Libya, the general said. "We would have that conversation and then discuss what capabilities are currently there and then discuss a common strategic approach," he said.
There is no coalition for Libya right now, the general said, but there are a number of countries that have strong interests in the situation there. If, for example, the Government of National Accord in Libya were to ask for help, the group ought to be able to consider how best to provide that assistance, how would the command and control work, what countries would provide what capabilities and so on, the chairman said.
Different Alliances in Different Regions
"It sounds simple," Dunford said. "It's not. You have to work your way through it."
And, these alliances would be different in different areas of the world, the general said. It would have one cast listing in and around Libya, he said, and yet another combating Boko Haram in West Africa. It would have still another countering extremism in the Arabian Peninsula, Dunford added.
"At the very minimum, I want to enhance our collaboration and cooperation from a common understanding and then move towards a better integration of our efforts, because I believe, given the breadth and scope of the challenge, integrating our capabilities is the best way to succeed," the chairman said.
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Chairman Seeks to Solidify Military-to-Military Relations With Egypt
By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity
ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT, April 26, 2016 The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited Cairo this week for the second time in as many months to meet with senior Egyptian leaders in an effort to solidify military-to-military relations with this critical American partner in the Middle East.
Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford met April 23 with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, Egyptian Defense Chief Army Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Hegazy and U.S. embassy officials.
"The real purpose of the visit was a follow-on [to my previous trip] to develop effective military-to-military relations [with Egypt]," the chairman said to reporters traveling with him. "They can be an important partner in the region. They are dealing with significant challenges in the west with Libya and a challenge in the east with [the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] in Sinai."
U.S.-Egyptian Cooperation
It is important that the United States cooperate with Egypt in terms of the threat in the region and to look for opportunities to deal with the threats collaboratively, Dunford said.
The chairman said he talked generally with Egyptian leaders about ways to increase cooperation and that the meetings -- last month and these latest meetings -- are "door-openers" for the relationship.
"I get the sense that they welcome a better relationship with us," the chairman said. "Although we have a broader relationship between our two countries that is bigger than security, the military-to-military relationship can be a foundation."
The chairman said he has extended an invitation to his Egyptian counterpart to visit the United States and continue the conversation.
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F-35 Program Accelerating, at 'Pivot Point,' Program Chief Tells Congress
By Lisa Ferdinando DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, April 26, 2016 The program executive officer of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft program said the rapidly changing, growing, and accelerating program is at a "pivot point" as officials address a number of challenges.
The F-35 program, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter program, is of vital importance to U.S. security, Air Force Lt. Gen. Christopher C. Bogdan told the Senate Armed Services Committee today, during a hearing on the program.
Progress is being made, he said, noting development and flight tests will finish in late 2017. Efforts will then transition to a "leaner, more efficient follow-on modernization program," the general added.
Production will grow from delivering 45 aircraft in 2015 to delivering more than 100 airplanes in 2018 and up to 145 by 2020, he said. In addition, in the next four years, the program will continue a stand-up of 17 new operating F-35 bases across the world.
"However, the program is not without risks and challenges, as these come with any program of this size and complexity," Bogdan said. "But I'm confident the current risks and issues we face can be resolved, and we'll be able to overcome future problems and deliver the F-35's full combat capability."
Steady Progress
The F-35 program has made "steady progress" over the past four years under Bogdan's leadership, according to Frank Kendall, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics.
F-35 costs and development have remained within the baseline, Kendall said, noting that production costs have steadily decreased, meeting the independent cost estimate each year.
"While I do continue to monitor progress monthly and conduct annual program deep-dive reviews, the F-35 is no longer a program that keeps me up at night," Kendall told lawmakers.
According to Kendall, the F-35 is a "game-changing, state-of-the-art weapons system."
Since potential adversaries are not idly standing by, threat advances in areas like integrated air-defense systems, air-to-air weapons and electronic warfare must be continuously countered, he said.
Software, Maintenance Challenges
Both Kendall and Bogdan discussed the challenges in the F-35 program. While Kendall noted there are some design issues that need to be resolved, he said he would be surprised if a "major" design problem popped up.
The program is progressing, Bogdan said, but "sometimes slower than I'd like, but moving forward and making progress, nonetheless."
The general said risks include stability issues with the aircraft's software. Other issues, he said, include the development of the next version of the maintenance system known as the Autonomic Logistics Information System, or ALIS, version 2.02.
"However, we believe we have identified the root cause of these problems, and have tested solutions in the lab and in flight tests, and are now completing our flight test with these solutions," Bogdan said.
Bogdan said he and his team take very seriously the responsibility of delivering the best possible weapons system.
"We never forget that someday, your sons and daughters, your grandsons or granddaughters, will take an F-35 into harm's way to defend our freedom," he said.
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Deputy Defense Secretary Meets with Nordic, Baltic State Officials in Stockholm
By Cheryl Pellerin DoD News, Defense Media Activity
STOCKHOLM, April 26, 2016 Deterrence, mainly in response to ongoing Russian provocation and aggression, was the broad topic of discussion today during meetings at Karlsberg Castle here among representatives from the United States, five Nordic states and three Baltic states.
Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work arrived here yesterday as part of a weeklong trip to Sweden and Belgium to discuss regional security challenges and opportunities and to deliver remarks on the Defense Department's third offset strategy to members of the European Policy Committee.
In attendance at the main meeting were officials from the United States and Sweden, which co-hosted the gathering, and from the other Nordic states of Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway, and the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
At a news conference following the meeting, Work called the day substantive and productive.
Nordic and Baltic Perspectives
"We talked about the Nordic and the Baltic perspectives of some of the [Russian] activities as well as other security challenges we face as an alliance and as partners," he said.
Participants also discussed regional cooperation, the Nordic Defense Cooperation collaboration among the five Nordic countries, an exercise being developed by Sweden called Northern Flag, Baltic operations and their NATO air-policing effort, how the nations can strengthen deterrence, and the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Work said.
The Defense Department's third offset strategy also was discussed. The strategy is a U.S. Defense Department effort to offset the strengths of potential great-power adversaries with leap-ahead technologies and innovative ways to use them.
For Sweden, whose delegation members briefed Work today on four leading-edge technologies the country's scientists are involved in, that could mean more technological collaboration with the United States, the deputy secretary said.
Technological Exchanges
The technologies include graphene -- a carbon material that is a one-atom-thick honeycomb lattice that can be used in electronic circuits, batteries and a range of chemical, industrial and medical devices -- along with artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and nuclear detection systems.
"All of [the technologies] are areas of great interest to the United States," Work said, "and we talked about potentially having more technological exchanges to see if we would be able to move all of those areas forward."
What he heard today, the deputy secretary said, made him "more confident than ever that together we're stronger than we are alone [and] that together we are going to be able to strengthen deterrence."
"Together," he added, "we are going to be able to make sure that we have a very secure, safe Baltic and high-north region in which all the citizens of all of our countries will live prosperously and safely."
Sharing the Same View
In his remarks, Swedish State Secretary Jan Salestrand said the meeting clearly showed that the participating nations face common challenges.
"We discussed a lot about the vicinity here, but also we discussed challenges in other regions, such as [the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]. And we [reached] the same conclusion: it is of the utmost importance that we face these challenges together," he said.
Regional peace and stability in northern Europe is linked to transatlantic cooperation and unity, Salestrand added, "and this group of countries shares the same view regarding how we look upon the situation in the Baltic Sea area, how we look upon Russia [when it] sometimes behaves in a way that is not according to standard, and we see that we need to have enhanced exercises together and enhanced information exchange."
The state secretary also expressed appreciation for U.S. engagement in the region.
"We have a common strategic interest in the U.S. presence and in the transatlantic link," Salestrand noted, adding that the U.S. European Reassurance Initiative "provides important opportunities to increase cooperation."
European Reassurance Initiative
Work said the European Reassurance Initiative is designed to reassure allies and partners in the region that the United States is with them.
"We take the Article 5 responsibilities of NATO extremely seriously," the deputy secretary added, "and for Enhanced Opportunities [Program] partners such as Sweden and Finland, we hope that we will be able to expand all our activities in the future." Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, which established NATO, says an attack on one ally is considered as an attack on all.
Describing the European Reassurance Initiative, Work said that by the end of September 2017, the United States will have a full division constantly in Europe -- a Stryker brigade combat team in Germany, an airborne brigade combat team in Italy, and an armored brigade combat team on the continent 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
An Army combat team is a deployable maneuver unit that has 4,000 to 5,000 troops.
The Defense Department also will set up pre-positioned sets of warfighting equipment, Work said, "and we continue to work with Norway to make sure that the pre-positioned equipment sets in Norway are filled up and exercised."
Continued Engagement
The United States will continue to be very engaged in the area, Work said.
"I look forward to continuing this conversation, and the European Reassurance Initiative is a signal of U.S. resolve and also our intent to make sure that NATO is as strong as it can possibly be," he said, noting that he looks forward to the May 13 summit of Nordic leaders that President Barack Obama will host and the NATO summit in Warsaw, Poland, July 8-9.
Tomorrow, Work will tour Swedish military installations in the southern part of the country before heading to Brussels for meetings at NATO.
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NAVCENT Commander Concludes IMCMEX, Calls "Realistic" Training a Priority
Navy News Service
Story Number: NNS160426-05
Release Date: 4/26/2016 9:46:00 AM
By Lt. Cmdr. Matt Gill, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs
MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- Leaders of the International Mine Countermeasures Exercise (IMCMEX) brought the exercise to a close and highlighted the need to continue training with scenarios that are likely to occur in real life in order to keep waterways safe.
The exercise "raised the bar in terms of reality," said Vice Adm. Kevin Donegan, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, "not in terms of some arbitrary metric, but in terms of real-world value. You couldn't just show up and declare success. You actually had to get in the water."
IMCMEX, which ended April 26, featured international naval and civilian maritime forces from more than 30 nations spanning six continents training together across the Middle East.
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) organized and led IMCMEX. NAVCENT leads U.S. Navy and afloat Marine Corps forces across the more than 2.5 million square miles of ocean in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
Participants focused on maritime security from the port of origin to the port of arrival and included scenarios ranging from mine countermeasures, infrastructure protection and maritime security operations in support of civilian shipping.
"What's important to each of our nations is the free flow of commerce," said Donegan. "We did raise the bar, and we did it in a way that will be a springboard for next year and the years after that."
More than 4,000 civilian and military personnel, ashore and aboard more than 30 ships, participated the Fleet Tactical Exercise (FTX) portion of IMCMEX, which focused on shipboard, air, and undersea training and conducting port and maritime security operations.
FTX operations included mine countermeasures, diving operations, small-boat exercises, maritime security operations coordinated with industrial and commercial shipping, unmanned underwater vehicle operations, and port clearance.
The FTX demonstrated new technologies, such as unmanned underwater vehicles, and the sealift capabilities of the expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Choctaw County and the afloat forward staging base USS Ponce, equipped with the U.S. Navy's only operational laser weapon system.
During the FTX, 161 mine-like shapes were dropped in the water as practice aids for mine countermeasures. Using the wide array of technology and expertise among the partner nations, participants found and retrieved all of them.
Industry participation in this year's IMCMEX was the largest it has ever been, with collaboration and training between industry representatives and 11 merchant and commercial vessels, including cruise ships HMS Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth 2.
IMCMEX began April 4 with a symposium in Bahrain on Maritime Infrastructure Protection, bringing together governments, militaries and industry to discuss how to best provide the necessary foundation of security that supports unrestricted access to the vital maritime infrastructure critical to regional and global economies.
Leaders from 13 participating nations, together with the U.S. Naval War College and U.S. Joint Staff, also spent time thinking through notional threats and developing plans to counter and mitigate those notional threats during the Command Post Exercise.
"We've tried a number of things this year that we haven't tried in the past," said Commodore William Warrender, Royal Navy, Combined Maritime Forces deputy commander and leader of the exercise, as he thanked multinational partners for their robust participation and ambition in this year's IMCMEX during the exercise closing ceremony. "I hope you got as much out of this exercise as I did."
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USS Gladiator Completes IMCMEX
Navy News Service
Story Number: NNS160426-12
Release Date: 4/26/2016 1:37:00 PM
By Ensign Samuel Dodson, USS Gladiator (MCM 11) Public Affairs
GULF OF OMAN (NNS) -- Mine countermeasures ship USS Gladiator (MCM 11) is scheduled to return to homeport after participating in the International Mine Countermeasures Exercise (IMCMEX) April 4-26.
IMCMEX featured international naval and civilian maritime forces from more than 30 nations and spanning six continents.
Participants trained together across the Middle East, focused on maritime security from the port of origin to the port of arrival and included scenarios ranging from mine countermeasures, infrastructure protection and maritime security operations in support of civilian shipping.
Gladiator's contribution to IMCMEX involved surveying approximately 100 miles of ocean floor in search of training mines. These surveys were conducted with HMS Chiddingfold and HMS Penzance under a task force led by the Royal Australian Navy. Gladiator rigged and streamed two different minesweeping configurations, practiced maritime security with USCGC Maui and USS Hurricane, and replenished stores alongside RFA Cardigan Bay.
Gladiator was designed to detect and counter several types of mines in many different types of environments using a diverse set of MCM systems. During IMCMEX the ship was able to demonstrate its wide variety of capabilities.
"We truly enjoyed the opportunity to exercise our combat systems to find and neutralize mines," said Lt. Cmdr. Francisco Garza, commanding officer of Gladiator. "The practice provided by IMCMEX is crucial for seamless teamwork in the future."
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US accused of 'hyping up' military flights in South China Sea
People's Daily Online
(China Daily) 08:16, April 26, 2016
China accused the US on Monday of "hyping up" recent military flights around a Chinese island in the South China Sea.
It said Washington's motivation was questionable and urged countries concerned to show "restraint" over the territorial issue.
Observers said the US is apparently using the timing to expand military deployment in the area.
Washington's comments came ahead of a ruling by an international arbitration body in a process launched unilaterally by the Philippines against China's territorial claim in the South China Sea.
Asked about a South China Morning Post report on Monday that said China will start constructing an outpost on Huangyan Island this year, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she had not heard of the case.
"However, I saw media reports that military planes from the US and the Philippines flew over the sea around Huangyan Island," Hua said.
She said China has always respected the right to normal and legal flights.
"But such high-profile hyping (of the flights concerned) is abnormal, and the motivation questionable."
She also said that Huangyan Island is China's inherent territory, and Beijing will "take necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and justified rights and interests".
Hua said China does not want to see further provocation by the countries concerned and hopes they will show restraint.
The Defense Ministry on Monday also voiced objection to the flights, saying they were being staged under the guise of navigation and flight freedom, but they were actually pushing forward militarization in the South China Sea.
The Philippines claims Huangyan Island, which belongs to and is controlled by China.
The Japan Times reported on Saturday that six US military aircraft left Clark Air Base in the Philippines on Tuesday last week and conducted "air and maritime situational awareness flights" near Huangyan Island.
The aircraft remained in the Philippines after a recent exercise by the two countries that included island-taking scenarios that were apparently targeted at China.
The US Pacific Command said in a statement on Friday that six military planes flew last Tuesday through international airspace near Huangyan Island.
US warships have stepped up operations around Chinese islands in the South China Sea, including one in October and another in January.
Teng Jianqun, a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, said: "The US military wants to use the Philippine bases to monitor and threaten Chinese islands, including Huangyan Island. This shows that the US is updating its military deployment in the South China Sea."
Tao Wenzhao, a researcher of US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the US hyping of the flights is "definitely related to the ruling by the arbitration body", which is expected within weeks.
During a Southeast Asian tour by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, which ended on Sunday, China agreed with Brunei, Cambodia and Laos that the South China Sea territorial dispute should not affect relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The countries also called on nations outside the region to play a constructive role in the area.
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Afghan Taliban team in Pakistan to restart peace talks
Iran Press TV
Tue Apr 26, 2016 3:7PM
An Afghan Taliban delegation has arrived in Pakistan to discuss the resumption of peace talks with the Kabul government, officials and militant sources say.
The three-member delegation from the Afghan Taliban's political office in the Persian Gulf state of Qatar arrived in the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi on Tuesday.
A senior Afghan Taliban source based in Pakistan said the team would "soon begin initial contacts with Pakistani and Afghan officials."
"The main purpose of the visit is to explore ways and means to bring peace in Afghanistan," AFP quoted the source as saying. "It is an initial stage and formal peace talks have yet to begin. They have arrived on Pakistan's invitation."
Meanwhile, Dawa Khan Mina Pal, a spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, said on Tuesday that Afghan officials would not travel to neighboring Pakistan in order to meet the Taliban leaders.
This comes as senior officials in Kabul have been frustrated by what they see as Islamabad's refusal to honor a pledge to force Taliban leaders based in Pakistan to join negotiations. They have long blamed Pakistan for turning a blind eye to the Taliban militant group whose leadership is widely believed to be based in the Pakistani cities of Quetta and Peshawar, near the border.
On Monday, President Ghani deplored Pakistan to fight Taliban groups on its soil that rejected peace. The Afghan leader also angrily denounced Pakistan for failing to rein in the Taliban militancy.
"I want to make it clear that we no longer expect Pakistan to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table," Ghani said in an address to both houses of the Afghan parliament, adding, "But we want Pakistan to fulfill its promises... and take military action against their sanctuaries and leadership based on its soil. If they can't target them they should hand them over to our judiciary."
Pakistan, which wields influence on the insurgent group, mediated the first round of direct peace talks between delegates from the Afghan government and the Taliban last summer, but a planned second meeting was canceled after news broke that Taliban's founder and long-time leader Mullah Omar had died two years ago.
There have also been growing differences among Taliban elements over the negotiations, with some vowing to fight for power instead of taking part in the talks.
In recent months, a four-member group comprising Afghanistan, the United States, China and Pakistan has been attempting to revive the talks.
But the lack of progress has left many frustrated as Taliban have stepped up attacks against foreign troops and Afghan security forces since announcing the start of their spring offensive two weeks ago.
Last Tuesday, a militant assault in the heart of Kabul killed at least 64 people and wounded another 340. The bomb and gun attack, claimed by the Taliban, targeted the offices of Afghanistan's main security agency in a densely packed Kabul neighborhood during morning rush hour.
Following the deadly assault General Abdul Rahman Rahimi, Kabul's police chief said, "The initial reports show that the attack was planned outside of the borders of our country" a language that Afghan officials often use to blame neighboring Pakistan.
Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have been tense in recent years over the ongoing militancy. Senior Afghan officials blame elements inside the Pakistani spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), for supporting the Taliban militants, while Islamabad blames the Afghan government for giving shelter to the militants on its side of the border.
Afghanistan is gripped by insecurity more than 14 years after the United States and its allies attacked the country as part of Washington's so-called war on terror. The war removed the Taliban from power but insecurity is still rampant in the country despite the presence of thousands of foreign troops.
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Two Armenian troops killed in Karabakh clashes
Iran Press TV
Tue Apr 26, 2016 12:55PM
At least two ethnic Armenian military personnel have been killed in a series of fresh clashes between Azerbaijani soldiers and Armenia-backed forces in the disputed Caucasus region of Karabakh.
The defense ministry of the breakaway region said in a statement that soldiers were killed by gunfire from Azerbaijan in the early hours of Tuesday.
It also blamed Azerbaijani forces for violating ceasefire and continued bombing of the volatile region.
"On the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Karabakh forces, the enemy violated a ceasefire 80 times using all types of artillery and armored vehicles," the ministry said.
Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov during a meeting with his Brazilian counterpart Simas Magalhaes on Tuesday said that the presence of the Armenian Armed Forces in the disputed region has been hindering the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement.
Earlier this month, Azerbaijani and Armenian troops used artillery, tanks and other armaments on a scale not seen since a separatist war concluded in 1994.
According to reports, nearly 75 servicemen from both sides along with a number of civilians were killed in the latest skirmishes between the hostile neighbors.
A Moscow-mediated truce went into effect earlier this month but sporadic clashes have since continued.
The Karabakh region, which is located in the Azerbaijan Republic but is populated by Armenians, has been under the control of local ethnic Armenian militia and the Armenian troops since a three-year war, which claimed over 30,000 lives, ended between the two republics in 1994 through Russian mediation.
Azerbaijan and Armenia have not signed a peace deal despite a 1994 ceasefire.
Although the two countries are divided by a buffer zone, both sides frequently accuse each other of violating the ceasefire.
Two killed in passenger bus blast in Armenian capital
Meanwhile, at least two people were killed and several others were wounded in an explosion on a passenger bus in the Armenian capital of Yerevan on Monday evening.
Witnesses said the bus was gutted by the blast, which blew out the windows of nearby houses.
Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the deadly explosion.
The explosion happened a day after Yerevan held ceremonies commemorating the 101st anniversary of the Armenian massacre during the World War I.
Armenians claim that up to 1.5 million Armenian Christians were systematically slaughtered in eastern Turkey through mass killing, forced relocations and starvation, a process that began in 1915 and took place over several years during World War I and the breakup of the Ottoman Empire.
Ankara rejects the term "genocide" and says 300,000 to 500,000 Armenians, and at least as many Turks perished between 1915 and 1917, in what the Turkish government sees as the "casualties" of World War I.
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Venezuela top court blocks opposition bid to oust Maduro
Iran Press TV
Tue Apr 26, 2016 8:51AM
The Venezuelan Supreme Court has blocked yet another opposition bid to unseat President Nicolas Maduro before his tenure officially comes to an end in 2019.
The top court ruled on Monday that any constitutional amendment to reduce the six-year presidential term "cannot take effect retroactively or be applied immediately."
The court said in the ruling that "trying to use a constitutional amendment to cut short immediately a term of office of someone popularly elected, such as the president of the republic, is an act of fraud against the constitution."
Such an amendment would be constitutional if approved by a referendum but could not be applied to Maduro's term, according to the ruling.
However, the opposition leader in the legislature, Henry Ramos Allup, dismissed that the amendment was unconstitutional, criticizing the court for vetoing the legislation before it goes through a second reading.
"You are the ones committing constitutional fraud,' he wrote on Twitter, denouncing the Supreme Court judges as "outlaws."
The opposition which swept two thirds of the seats in the Venezuelan legislature in 2015 has vowed to oust the president. It has tried to call a direct referendum on whether to remove Maduro from office.
The president, however, has successfully blocked previous bills against him in the National Assembly by appealing to the Supreme Court.
Following the court ruling, the opposition called for a rally on Wednesday toward the National Electoral Council in Caracas to demand paperwork as the first step toward the nearly 4 million signatures needed to trigger a recall referendum.
"The recall referendum has to be this year. If it's not this year, there's no point," said opposition leader Henrique Capriles.
"It's incredible that with so many problems in this country, we have to march to get a form ... We've been asking for two months," he added.
If the president loses the referendum, there would be a new presidential election this year, a vote which gives the opposition a chance to take over the government.
Since 2014, Venezuela has been grappling with protests against Maduro who is under fire by his critics, most notably the opposition, for causing the economic recession through mismanagement.
The government of Maduro, however, has denounced the opposition's plans as a US-backed attempt to bring about a coup d'etat in the oil-rich country that is home to 29 million people.
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Obama announces 250 special operations forces to Syria
Iran Press TV
Tue Apr 26, 2016 3:40AM
US President Barack Obama has announced the biggest expansion of American ground troops in Syria since 2011, under the pretext of fighting against terrorism, despite previously ruling out sending more forces to the Arab nation.
Speaking in Hannover, Germany, on Monday, Obama announced an additional 250 US Special Operations Forces (SOF) troops will be sent to the war-torn country in the coming weeks.
"Just as I approved additional support for Iraqi forces against ISIL, I've decided to increase US support for local forces fighting ISIL in Syria, a small number of special operations forces are already on the ground in Syria and their expertise has been critical as local forces have driven ISIL out of key areas," Obama said.
The US president was referring to Daesh terrorists, who were initially trained by the CIA in Jordan in 2012 to destabilize the Syrian government. They now control large parts of Iraq and Syria.
The United States has already deployed dozens of special forces to eastern Syria in what it claims is an effort to shore up local militant groups against Daesh. The new deployment would bring to 300 the total number of American troops in Syria.
"So given their success I've approved the deployment of up to 250 additional U.S. personnel in Syria including special forces to keep up this momentum," Obama said.
"They're not going to be leading the fight on the ground, but they will be essential in providing the training and assisting local forces as they continue to drive ISIL back," he said.
Since March 2011, the United States and its regional allies, in particular Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, have been conducting a proxy war against Syria.
The years-long conflict has left more than 470,000 Syrians dead and half of the country's population of about 23 million displaced within or beyond the Arab country's borders.
"As we have noted in recent days, the President has authorized a series of steps to increase support for our partners in the region, including Iraqi security forces as well as local Syrian forces who are taking the fight to ISIL," a senior US administration official told CNN.
"The President during his remarks at the Hannover Messe fairgrounds on Monday will speak to this additional step."
In September 2014, the US and some of its allies started conducting airstrikes inside Syria against Daesh terrorists. However, observers say the attacks did little damage to the terrorists; rather, they targeted the country's infrastructure.
In September of last year, Russia launched its own air offensive against the terrorists who were still wreaking havoc in Syria. The Russian campaign, analysts say, has broken the backbone of ISIL and other militants, and has provided the government of President Bashar al-Assad an opportunity to defeat the foreign-sponsored terrorist onslaught.
In recent months, the Syrian army, backed by the Russian air power, has been making major gains against Takfiri groups, recapturing several strategic areas from their grip, particularly in the strategic northern province of Aleppo.
A temporary truce agreement engineered by Russia and the United States, which came into force across Syria on February 27, has been holding despite reports of violations by the warring sides.
Obama on Sunday called on the parties involved in the Syrian conflict to "reinstate" the faltering ceasefire.
"I spoke to (Russian) President Vladimir Putin early last week to try to make sure that we could reinstate the cessation of hostilities," Obama told a news conference in Germany.
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South Sudan Rebel Chief Machar Sworn in As Vice President in Unity Gov't
Sputnik News
19:18 26.04.2016
South Sudan's rebel leader Riek Machar was sworn in as the nation's first vice president, joining a unity government being formed to cease violence in the country, local media reported Tuesday.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, Machar returned to the African republic's capital after nearly 28 months of absence from Juba.
"Now that Dr. Riek has come and has taken the oath of office as the First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan we will immediately proceed to establish the Transitional Government of National Unity. This shall restore the confidence of our people and that of our international partners in our abilities as the leaders of this country to implement the agreement," President Salva Kiir stated after the swearing-in of Machar, as cited by Radio Tamazuj.
South Sudan has been engaged in an armed ethnic conflict since December 2013, when Kiir said that a military coup had been planned in the country, pointing the blame at Machar.
More than a million people have fled their homes in South Sudan, which descended into a civil war, a year-and-a-half after the nation gained independence from Sudan.
The United States, United Kingdom and Norway, a group often referred to as the "Troika," convinced the Sudanese president to reappoint Machar as vice president in a deal in which the latter agreed to participate in to form a government of national unity. The agreement was approved in March.
Sputnik
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US to Deploy Multiple Rocket Launchers in Turkey, Iraq for Anti-Daesh War
Sputnik News
17:45 26.04.2016(updated 18:55 26.04.2016)
Washington will deploy two multiple rocket launchers - one in Turkey and the other in Iraq - to be used against Daesh.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) A US High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) will be based in Turkey to support operations against Daesh in Syria, and another system will be used in Iraq to help local forces, a Pentagon official said during a press briefing on Tuesday.
"Those are two separate Himars systems, one is going to be used in Turkey in support of our operations in Syria, and the second one will be used in support of our operations in Iraq," deputy commander for operations and intelligence for the Combined Joint Task Force Peter Gersten said.
Gersten noted that the coalition has been working with Turkey regarding the Himars system deployment.
The US-led international coalition of more than 60 members has been carrying out airstrikes against Daesh targets in Iraq since August 2014.
In March, US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said that Washington was deploying units to the Middle East that could operate the HIMARS to aid the coalition in its fight against Daesh.
On Monday, US President Barack Obama announced that Washington would send additional 250 US personnel to Syria to help local forces in their fight against Daesh. Moreover, last week the Obama administration said it would send 217 troops to Iraq to assist the local forces in retaking Daesh stronghold of Mosul.
Sputnik
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Technology and healthcare have always gone hand in hand, and with the health of the world in crisis at the moment through the
Commentary: US attempt to isolate China in South China Sea doomed to fail
People's Daily Online
By Su Xiaohui (People's Daily Online) 10:21, April 27, 2016
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently paid visits to Brunei, Cambodia and Laos, during which he exchanged views with all parties on the situation in the South China Sea. He announced that the three countries had reached a consensus during a press conference before he wrapped up his trip.
Two months ago, the leaders of the U.S. and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) also held an unofficial conference. Before the meeting, the U.S. attempted to make a big issue of the South China Sea situation. However, even then, the U.S. failed to persuade the ASEAN countries to go against China.
The consensus reached by China, Brunei, Cambodia and Laos once again shows China succeeding where the U.S. failed. More importantly, the consensus conveys several messages to all parties trying to intervene inappropriately in the South China Sea.
One next step for China would be to implement a "dual-track approach." This option was put forward by Brunei, and is strongly supported by Chinese officials, who believe it safeguards the interests of all the countries with South China Sea coastlines. It also shows that China respects fairness, and does not simply want to impose its will on other countries.
Brunei's proposal touched on two important considerations. With regards to sovereignty, it holds that disputes related to the Nansha islands and reefs should be addressed through formal negotiations and consultations between the countries directly involved. As for security concerns, Brunei suggests that peace and stability in the South China Sea should be jointly safeguarded by China and ASEAN countries. The "dual-track approach" explicitly blocks the efforts of uninvolved countries to internationalize the South China Sea issue.
It is important to remember that China is very invested in its relations with ASEAN, both as they relate to the South China Sea issue and as they don't Wang's recent trip reflects this. This year is the first year of the establishment of the ASEAN Community, and also the 25th anniversary of the China-ASEAN dialogue relations. At this crucial stage, China will maintain its support of the ASEAN Community and of ASEAN's leading role in regional cooperation.
In addition, China has discussed cooperation with ASEAN under frameworks such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation. The big picture of China-ASEAN should not be compromised by the South China Sea issue.
ASEAN countries do not approve of the arbitration unilaterally initiated by the Philippines. China, Brunei, Cambodia and Laos all acknowledge the authority of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, as well as its stipulation that disputes should be solved through direct dialogue between the concerned countries. China and Cambodia both agree that international judicial and arbitration organizations should respect the statement of optional exception made by any country on the basis of Article 298 of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The U.S. will lose support if it goes on trying to stir up the South China Sea situation. Already the country has been showing off its military power in the region, employing strategies such as sending the USS Lassen to illegally enter the Nansha Islands, and having a B-52 bomber "accidentally" approach Chinese reefs. It was also reported that American fighter planes flew near Huangyan Island not long ago. With the U.S. doing all that it can to make trouble, ASEAN countries should worry more about potential turbulence in the region than about choosing sides between China and the U.S.
At the beginning of this year, U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said that China's new construction in the South China Sea and its strengthening of naval power would lead to "self-isolating" results, a prediction that has been proven wrong after Wang's visit. The South China Sea issue does not affect China's relations with other nations; China and ASEAN countries can have candid conversations and reach a consensus regardless of regional tensions.
The U.S. will not succeed in its conspiracy to isolate China. Further attempts to do so will only destroy the country's own image. It is time for the U.S. to rein itself in and finally acknowledge the true situation.
(The author is the Deputy Director of the Department for International and Strategic Studies at the China Institute of International Studies.)
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Afghan Taliban Confirms Delegation Visiting Pakistan
by Ayaz Gul April 27, 2016
Afghanistan's Taliban has confirmed it has sent a "high-level' delegation to Islamabad for talks with Pakistani officials, saying it hopes the visit will have "fruitful results" and "in the interest of both countries."
A spokesman for the Islamist insurgency told VOA on Wednesday the Taliban delegation has traveled from its "Political Office" in Qatar to hold the discussions in the light of "close relations, long border and commercial transactions" between the two neighboring countries.
Pakistani officials have not yet commented on the presence and purpose of the Taliban's visit.
Diplomatic sources have confirmed to VOA the Taliban delegation is on a mission for "exploratory discussions" with Pakistani interlocutors as part of Islamabad's efforts to facilitate peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.
Peace in Afghanistan
The Taliban's political office in the Qatari capital of Doha is solely authorized to conduct political talks.
"The esteemed leader of Islamic Emirate [the Taliban] has instructed the delegation to discuss issues regarding Afghan refugees, some recent problems related to [Afghan] border provinces of Helmand, Nangarhar and Paktia," Taliban's Qatar-based spokesman Mohammad Naeem told VOA, without elaborating.
Afghan media reports have recently alleged that Pakistani border forces tried to establish outposts inside the Afghan territory in Helmand, Nangarhar and Paktia, charges Islamabad denies.
Naeem said Taliban negotiators will particularly discuss with Pakistani authorities the release of Mullah Bradar and some other prisoners.
"The delegation, which is gone (to Pakistan) from here (Qatar) is holding talks on the issues that I have stated above and has no other particular item on the agenda," Naeem told VOA when asked whether reconciliation talks with the Afghan government would also be discussed.
A deputy leader of Afghanistan's High Peace Council, Mawlavi Abdul Khabeer, says Kabul is neither aware nor has it anything to do with the insurgency's delegation visiting Pakistan. The council is tasked to promote peace and reconciliation with anti-government armed opposition.
"This is an attempt by Pakistan to ease international pressure it has come under after the Kabul attack," Khabeer told VOA, referring to April 19 Taliban bomb-and-gun attack in the Afghan capital that killed nearly 70 people and wounded about 350 others.
Prisoner release
Mullah Bradar, former deputy chief of the Taliban leader, was detained by Pakistani intelligence officials in the southern city of Karachi in 2010 reportedly in a joint operation with American counterparts.
In 2013, Pakistan, at the request of the then Afghan government, freed Bradar along with dozens of other Taliban officials from its custody to boost Kabul's efforts to promote the Afghan peace and reconciliation process at the time.
But insurgent sources insisted Bradar remains in Pakistan and local authorities have placed restrictions on his movement because Pakistani authorities would need U.S. consent to set him free.
Ghani asks for Pakistani help in the peace process
The deadly Kabul assault outraged Afghans, dealing a blow to efforts a four-state group of Afghanistan, Pakistan, the United States and China has been making to organize Afghan peace.
President Ashraf Ghani on Monday urged Islamabad to honor its commitments of helping in the Afghan peace process or evict Taliban leaders using sanctuaries in Pakistan for directing attacks in across the Afghan border.
But a Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman rejected Ghani's allegations Islamabad is supporting insurgent attacks in Afghanistan and reiterated Pakistan was making "sincere efforts" to gather with other members of the four-way group to promote peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban.
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Daesh runs secret cells in UK, Germany and Italy: Clapper
Iran Press TV
Tue Apr 26, 2016 1:49PM
The Daesh (ISIL) terrorist organization is operating underground cells in Britain, Germany and Italy, and there is "evidence" they are plotting terror attacks against civilians in those countries, the US intelligence chief says.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said Monday the terror cells are similar to the groups that carried out the attacks in Paris and Brussels and are currently engaged in secret activities, The New York Times reported.
"That is a concern, obviously, of ours and our European allies" Clapper told reporters at a breakfast meeting organized by The Christian Science Monitor. "We continue to see evidence of plotting on the part of ISIL in the countries you named."
Daesh has previously threatened to attack the UK, Germany and Italy. However, Western intelligence experts say it is not known yet where the terrorists might strike next.
The deadly Paris attacks in November and the March assaults in Brussels have set off growing fears among American and European spy services, which in return have considerably ratcheted up intelligence sharing to prevent similar incidents.
The United States has also stepped up intelligence cooperation with European allies and offered long-term structural fixes to help European officials share intelligence more effectively and to tighten their borders.
Former French intelligence officer Claude Moniquet told The Times that the UK and Germany were particularly concerned about a potential attack by Daesh affiliates.
Intelligence and counter-terrorism officials in France and Belgium have also indicated that they believe their countries could be hit again.
Clapper said Monday that since the attacks in Paris and Brussels, an overall picture of the terrorists' presence in Europe has begun to emerge.
"We've learned that they are fanatic, very OPSEC conscious meaning operational security conscious they're very mindful of that," the spymaster said.
"They have taken advantage, to some extent, of the migrant crisis in Europe, something which the nations, I think, have a growing awareness of," he added.
Clapper also maintained that Daesh operatives in Europe have become "very security conscious" and mindful of the "efforts mounted to monitor them."
For example, he said the terrorists have resorted to encrypted messaging in order to avoid detection. "From our standpoint, it's not a good thing," Clapper said.
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US positioning missile systems to counter N Korea: Obama
Iran Press TV
Tue Apr 26, 2016 12:22PM
President Barack Obama says the United States is positioning missile systems and establishing a "shield" to counter threats from North Korea.
"One of the things that we have been doing is spending a lot more time positioning our missile development systems, so that even as we try to resolve the underlying problem of nuclear development inside of North Korea," Obama said in an interview with CBS News which aired on Tuesday.
"We're also setting up a shield that can at least block the relatively low-level threats that they're posing now," he added.
Pyongyang declared itself a nuclear power in 2005 and carried out four nuclear weapons tests in 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2016.
South Korea's president said Tuesday that the North is in final stages of preparations to conduct a fifth nuclear test as the country has reportedly placed a new mid-range missile on standby. The South Korean military has also said Pyongyang is technically ready for a nuclear test.
Pyongyang announced Sunday that it test-fired a ballistic missile from a submarine as a response to ongoing military drills by South Korea and the US.
A day before the test, the North Korean foreign minister proposed that the country was ready to halt its nuclear tests if the United States abandons its military exercises in the region.
Obama dismissed the offer Sunday and said North Korea would "have to do better than that."
"We don't take seriously a promise to simply halt until the next time they decide to do a test these kinds of activities," he said at a press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Hannover.
South Korea and the US are concerned that a new nuclear test could take the North a step closer toward manufacturing a warhead small enough to place on a long-range missile.
In March, the US and South Korea began massive war games involving more than 17,000 American and 300,000 South Korean troops, with warships and aircraft carrying out live-fire drills in the region.
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North Korea Preparing New Ballistic Missile Launch
Sputnik News
10:28 26.04.2016(updated 10:31 26.04.2016)
North Korea is preparing to launch another medium-range ballistic missile later in April, a South Korean government source said Tuesday.
TOKYO (Sputnik) On April 14, North Korea deployed one or two Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missiles on its eastern coast, according to the South Korea's Yonhap news agency. The following day, the South Korean military said the North appeared to have tried a missile launch, which ended in a failure.
"Signs have been detected that North Korea is trying to launch another Musudan missile after their failed launch that took place earlier on the birthday of (North Korean former president) Kim Il-sung," the source said Tuesday, as quoted by the Yonhap news agency.
According to the source, the new missile is ready to be launched from the same site where the Musudan missiles were allegedly deployed last week, an area near North Korea's eastern port city of Wonsan.
The news comes three days after Pyongyang reportedly test-fired a ballistic missile from a submarine in the Sea of Japan.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula escalated after North Korea successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test in early January and put a satellite into orbit a month later, violating UN Security Council resolutions and triggering condemnation from the international community.
Sputnik
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North Korea Sets Date for First Ruling Party Congress in 36 Years
by VOA News April 27, 2016
North Korea will convene its much-anticipated ruling Workers' Party congress on May 6.
Wednesday's announcement by the official KCNA news agency did not say how long the congress would last, nor did it provide details of the agenda. But observers believe leader Kim Jong Un will use the event to cement his hold on power by affirming claims of recent progress in the North's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Analysts will also be paying close attention for any policy changes or a reshuffling of key officials.
North Korea has been conducting a continuous series of missile launches in recent weeks, in defiance of a new, stronger set of sanctions imposed by the United Nations over its fourth nuclear test in January, and a ballistic missile test the following month. And South Korea has warned that Pyongyang will conduct a fifth nuclear test shortly before the Workers' Party congress begins.
Next month's congress -- the seventh since North Korea's founding in the late 1940s -- is the first since 1980, when Kim's late father, Kim Jong Il, emerged as the successor to his own father, North Korean founder Kim Il Sung.
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Hanging in the Balance: India-France Talks on Rafale 'Still Underway'
Sputnik News
20:35 26.04.2016
The Indian defense minister clarifies that negotiations on the purchase of the French combat aircraft Rafale are still ongoing.
Brushing aside all speculations, India's Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar has made it clear that negotiations on the much hyped Rafale deal with France is nowhere near completion and that many more things remain to be sorted out.
Replying to a query in Parliament, the Minister said, "The meetings of the Indian Negotiations Team with the French side are underway. Details regarding the terms and conditions including total cost, actual delivery timelines and guarantee period will emerge once the negotiations are completed."
This is the second clarification within a week by the Indian Defense Minister; whose own political party, the Bharatiya Janta Party, recently claimed that the Government deserved credit for saving $3.2 billion of tax payers' money by clinching the deal at a cheaper cost of $8.8 billion.
On January 26 this year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting French President Francois Hollande suggested in a joint statement that negotiations for the 36 Rafale medium multi-role combat aircraft were near completion. Manufacturer of Rafale, Dassault Aviation Ltd, also simultaneously issued a press statement claiming that deal was set to be sealed within a month. This followed speculations in the media that India would soon procure Rafale combat aircraft from France.
However, Defense Ministry sources told Sputnik, "It's still far from over. Negotiations are on track but we should wait for a final announcement."
According to sources, negotiators are finding it hard to strike a consensus on the offset clause of the Indian Defense Procurement Policy. The offset policy is a mandatory provision which requires foreign vendors to invest a portion of the deal amount in India. The rationale behind such provision is to encourage foreign companies to invest in research and development, which would eventually make India self-dependent in defense equipment manufacturing. The French side is willing to invest 50% of the amount but the areas in which they have proposed to invest are not akin to India's expectations.
The offset clause is a rule defined in India's Defense Procurement Policy, under which, sellers have to invest a portion of the amount of the deal in India. This rule has been implemented so that Indian companies get defense technologies to make India self-sufficient in defense equipment manufacturing. In the case of Rafale, the French side has agreed on 50% of the amount of the deal to be invested in India. But, the Indian negotiation team is not happy with the French side's offering. Indian Defense Ministry officials are also reluctant to go with the high maintenance cost of Rafale.
Indian defense experts are also not in favor of this deal. Former Chief Economic Adviser and Defense Analyst Mohan Guruswamy says, "Sukhoi is a far better plane than Rafale as it is far more economic. If you have a requirement for Rafale, then we should buy more Sukhoi. It can't justify a plane which costs four times more than Sukhoi. Besides, 36 planes make no sense because it will be too expensive to operate."
Sputnik
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India Urges Pakistan To Quickly Prosecute Militants For Air Base Attack
April 27, 2016
by RFE/RL
India has urged Pakistan to make "early and visible" progress in prosecuting militants responsible for an attack on an Indian air base as the two sides resumed talks on April 26.
The dialogue was interrupted in January by the attack on the Pathankot air base near Pakistan's border after being launched in December when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a surprise visit to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
India has accused the Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad of carrying out the attack, which killed seven Indian soldiers, and says it provided "actionable intelligence" to Islamabad.
Pakistan sent investigators to the scene of the attack in India last month and claims it has arrested several suspects belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammad group, including detaining its leader as part of its investigation.
India wants Pakistan to move quickly to the prosecution stage.
During his meeting with Pakistani Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry in New Delhi on April 26, Indian Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar "emphasized the need for early and visible progress" on the attack investigation, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said.
"Pakistan cannot be in denial on the impact of terrorism on the bilateral relationship. Terrorist groups based in Pakistan must not be allowed to operate with impunity," he said.
The Pakistani side described the low-key meeting as useful, with discussions touching on a wide ranges of topics including the dispute between the two countries over the divided territory of Kashmir.
Relations remain tense between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, which have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir since independence in 1947. One bone of contention has been whether to include Kashmir in the agenda for peace talks.
Pakistan's High Commission in New Delhi said the two diplomats also discussed the recent capture of an Indian spy, Kulbhushan Jadhav, in Pakistan and Chaudhry expressed serious concern over the Indian intelligence agency, called the Research and Analysis Wing, and its "involvement in subversive activities in Balochistan and Karachi."
India's External Affairs Ministry demanded immediate consular access to Jadhav, a former Indian naval officer. It accused Pakistan of abducting him without giving any details. Jadhav runs a business in Iran.
The resumption of talks between the regional rivals came on the sidelines of a conference in the Indian capital for bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan.
India, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, and Saudi Arabia are among the countries participating in the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process initiative, which was launched in 2011 to promote Afghan peace efforts.
With reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP, and dpa
Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/india-urges-pakistan-quickly- prosecute-militants-pathankot-air-base-attack-/27700501.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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The full text of Zarif's interview with The New Yorker
ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency
Tue 26 Apr 2016 - 13:59
TEHRAN (ISNA)- The full text of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif's interview with The New Yorker comes as follows.
Q: President Obama just finished meetings in the Persian Gulf with the King of Saudi Arabia and the five other sheikhdoms. He talked about opening space for peaceful coexistence between Iran and the Persian Gulf states.
Well, I guess old habits die hard.
Q: He spoke of reaching out to "the more reasonable forces in Iran, so we don't see an escalation in proxy fights across the region."
A: That's what I do not believethat dividing Iran into "reasonable" and "unreasonable" forces is either correct, conducive, or anybody's business. When the United States exercised that practice in the past, it didn't produce results.
You told me right after you took office, in 2013, that after the nuclear deal your top priority was better relations with the Persian Gulf states. What is it going to take to end those proxy fights?
The region is our No. 1 priority. We wanted to take every opportunity to work with our Persian Gulf neighbors. We have presented, both publicly and privately, proposals for engagement and dialogue. Unfortunately, they have fallen on deaf ears. Primarily by Saudi Arabia.
It's not that there needs to be tension. We started exercising restraint a long time ago, when they supported Saddam Hussein for eight years, and then he turned and attacked them. Over the past two and a half years, when we were engaged in the nuclear negotiations, the Saudis did everything to undermine those negotiations, glutting the oil markets, and we exercised restraint. There's a limit.
Q: The nuclear deal seems to be in some trouble. Can you explain the problems?
A: The most important problem is that the United States is taking a back seat after eight years of scaring everybody off, imposing heavy penalties on people who wanted to do business with Iran. Billions of dollars of penalties were imposed on various European financial institutions. The United States was supposed to go to various banks and tell them bygones are bygones.
Q: What do you expect to come out of your meetings with Secretary Kerry?
A: I want to see European banks doing business with Iran without fear of U.S. retaliation. A lot depends on it. As we implemented our obligations fully, we are entitled to benefit fully. The United States needs to do way more. They have to send a message that doing business with Iran will not cost them. Period. No ifs and buts.
International regimes, international treaties, international norms are observed not because of the goodness of anybody but because they bring benefits. If they don't, then the longevity of those agreements come into jeopardy.
Q: Is the deal in danger of collapsing?
A: No, the deal is in place. But if one side does not comply with the agreement then the agreement will start to falter.
This is the final year for President Obama and Secretary Kerry. What do you think a new President, whether a Democrat or a Republican, is likely to mean for the future of a process that was started during the Obama Administration?
I'm more interested in seeing this process come to fruition during the Obama Administration. I believe that, once it does, the future Presidents of both Iran and the United States will see it is in their interest to safeguard it and to make sure that it continues, because we believe it's a good deal. We believe it's a deal that is in the interest of both sides and in the interest of the international community. We believe that, once it is fully implemented, everybody will see the beneficial side effects or spillovers in other areas. So my focusand we have quite a bit of timeis to entrench this agreement during the months that are left of Secretary Kerry's tenure, and of my own, and make sure that everybody recognizes the benefit of being compliant with the deal.
Q: Do you think that the next President, whichever party wins, is likely to be as friendly or as interested in dialogue as the current President is?
A: Many people in Iran won't consider this government to be that friendly anyway.
Q: How often do you communicate with Secretary Kerry on average?
A: Quite often.
Q: Two or three times a week?
A: Depending on the circumstances, but it may be two or three times a day. We're dealing with a complicated agreement, and we both want to see it implemented.
I'm still trying to work with him, in order to make sure that the very serious achievement that he and I and the other participants in the negotiations were able to achieve is preserved, strengthened, and guaranteed a long life.
Q: I attended a breakfast with the governor of Iran's Central Bank last Friday, in Washington, the day after he saw Secretary Lew. How has the discussion between Tehran and Washington changed in the last two and a half years during the negotiations?
A: We had hoped that greater interaction on this issue would dent the mistrust. And I don't think it's too late. As the Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said last year, if the experience of the nuclear negotiations proves that the United States is changing its approach toward Iranis basing its approach to Iran on mutual respect and intereststhen there is a chance of change. But if the United States wants to continue with its hostile policies, then we will have to stick with the nuclear deal and try to basically keep it alive and functioning. The nuclear deal could still be the base and not the ceiling. But it requires positive political will on the side of the United States to stop this whole practice of simply repeating the old, outdated lines when it comes to Iran.
Q: A senior U.S. official said that the Administration had hoped that the nuclear deal would open the way to settle other past problems, to clear the decks, in a wayparticularly before President Obama leaves office. There is concern that Iran has been unwilling or unable to solve some of those other issues.
A: We have a saying in Farsi: "First, prove your brotherhood, and then ask for inheritance." The United States needs to first show that it is implementing the J.C.P.O.A. No one is asking whether Iran is implementing the J.C.P.O.A. And almost every Iranian official believes that the United States hasn't implemented it. So you've got to prove your brotherhood first, or sisterhood, and then we talk about the inheritance. The dividends of a successful implementation of the nuclear agreement will come, but once it is successfully implemented.
Q: The Supreme Court ruled that Iran's Central Bank has to pay two billion dollars to victims of acts linked to Iran, particularly the 1983 bombing of Marine barracks in Beirut.
A: By U.S. courts, who are also holding Iran responsible for 9/11! I have lost every respect for U.S. justice. The judgment by the Supreme Court and the other, even more absurd judgment by a New York circuit court deciding that Iran should pay damages for 9/11 are the height of absurdity. How would you explain Iran being held accountable for the damages to the victims of 9/11and others being absolved of any responsibility, those who were actually responsible for it?
These cases cannot stand in any serious civilized court of law. When a U.S. court condemns Iran for 9/11, it finishes the credibility of the U.S. justice system when it comes to Iran.
People can legislate in other countries to confiscate American assets. Would you be happy with that? The United States has committed a lot of crimes against Iranians, against the people of Vietnam, the people of Afghanistan, the people of Iraq. Can they legislate in their own countries that for every collateral damage suffered because of American bombing, for every person who was tortured by the Shah's intelligence agency Savak, which was created by the United States, those people can claim money from the United States and go confiscate it? Would you be willing to accept it? So why should we accept the Supreme Court ruling? The Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States, not the Supreme Court of the world. We're not under its jurisdiction, nor is our money.
It is a theft. Huge theft. It is highway robbery. And believe you me, we will get it back.
Q: In Congress, there is an array of proposed measures to impose new sanctions because of Iran's missile tests.
A: That's the problem with the United States. It believes it can control everybody's behavior. The missile tests are our right. We have made it very clear that these will not be used other than in self-defense. They're not designed to be capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
Q: What do you expect, Iran to lie dead? You've covered the IranIraq war, you remember missiles pouring on Iranian cities with chemical weapons. You remember that we didn't have any to defend ourselves. Let's not reopen that chapter. Everybody who is accusing Iran of provocation because of our missile tests should make the simple statement that I have made, that our Revolutionary Guard commanders have madethat Iran will never attack any other country. Pure and simple. By the way, that's the legal obligation of every country, to say that.
A: Here I think you owe us. U.S. planes were giving Saddam Hussein intelligence to hit our civilians with chemical weapons. We don't owe anybody anything on defense.
Q: Is there any potential for another round of negotiations over the missile program?
A: We had two and a half years of negotiations, and we made it very clear, time and again, that our defense is not subject to bargaining. We spend a fraction of what all your allies in the region spend on defense. We have a much bigger country and a much larger population to defend. What is the population of the United Arab Emirates? How much do they spend on defense? I mean, get real. Our entire defense budget is between ten and fifteen billion dollars.
Q: In Syria, the ceasefire, the cessation of hostilities, and the peace talks are on the verge of collapse.
A: We had every hope for the peace talks. We need to not put the cart before the horse, and we need to go ahead with the negotiations and then, in the course of the negotiations, decide the future of Syria.
Q: Including the fate of President Assad?
A: This is what we're hearing from Geneva: "O.K., if Assad doesn't go tomorrow, we'll start a war." Everybody knew that Assad won't go. Everybody knew that this was a process that would take eighteen monthsand at the end of eighteen months the Syrians would decide how to conduct the elections.
The Syrians haven't yet decided what type of constitution they will have, whether it will be a Presidential system, whether it will be a parliamentary system. If you have a parliamentary system, you're just debating an irrelevant issue, because in a parliamentary system the role of the President becomes minuscule. So why are we trying to find an excuse to continue fighting if what we're fighting over right now may become immaterial in a year's time?
Q: Have you ever talked to President Assad about his future?
A: I have presented to him our ideas about going forward with a political process, and he was for it two and a half years ago. He is for it now. We believe that his future is in the hands of the Syrian people, not in our hands. I think he's happy putting his future in the hands of the Syrian people.
Q: It concerns me that there may be no Syria left at the end of this war.
A: Yeah, if they insist on trying to resolve everything either through military conflict or to get what they want before they start negotiating.
Q: Iran held parliamentary elections in February, and the second round takes place on April 29th. The new parliament includes more supporters of President Hassan Rouhani than the last parliament. How will that affect his ability to enact or win support in parliament for the reforms he campaigned on in 2013?
A: Because we do not have a rigid party system, parliamentarians have the ability to make up their own minds based on issues and how they feel the population wants them to address particular issues. That's how the previous parliament, which was not a reformist parliament, supported our nuclear negotiations. If we cannot perform, these supporters can become our opponents. So, while this parliament has more people that have views similar to the President, it doesn't mean that the President has a guaranteed majority on any issue. Politics is politics anywhere you go.
Q: And what will be the first initiative or two that President Rouhani tries to put before the new parliament?
A: The Citizens' Bill of Rights does not require parliamentary approval. The President may want to put in place certain procedures and guarantees and mechanisms, so that may require parliamentary approval. The rest is more what parliament can do to prevent policies from being implemented. Parliament has a rather serious ability to question ministers, question policy, even impose impeachment of ministers. We'll see less of that.
Q: In June, Iran is scheduled to hold its international cartoon biennial, and the theme is the Holocaust.
A: It's not Iran. It's an N.G.O. that is not controlled by the Iranian government. Nor is it endorsed by the Iranian government.
Q: But clearly it has to get a permit to hold the function.
A: Not really. It doesn't need a permit to hold the function. We need to issue visas for people who come, and we take into consideration that people who have preached racial hatred and violence will not be invited.
Q: You and the President have both wished Jews around the world Happy New Year.
A: So we will not be going to that festival's opening.
End Item
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Iran sets up committee to follow up on US court ruling
Iran Press TV
Tue Apr 26, 2016 5:26PM
The Iranian Cabinet has tasked a working group with investigating a ruling by the US Supreme Court granting about two billion dollars in frozen Iranian assets to the families of victims of a 1983 bombing in Beirut.
During their Tuesday session, the Cabinet agreed to set up the committee, led by Iranian Minister of Economy and Finance Ali Tayyeb-Niya.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi, Justice Minister Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi and Governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Valiollah Seif are other members of the working group.
It has been assigned the task of closely examining different aspects of the US court ruling and offering proposals for the restoration of the Iranian government's rights.
On April 20, the US Supreme Court ruled that about USD 2 billion in frozen Iranian assets must be turned over to American families of people killed in the 1983 bombing of a US Marine Corps barracks in the Lebanese capital of Beirut and other attacks blamed on Iran. The Islamic Republic has denied any role in the attack.
The money confiscated under the US court ruling belongs to the CBI. The assets have been blocked under US sanctions.
Iran vows to retrieve confiscated sum
Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, on Tuesday described the seizure of Iranian assets as an "act of international robbery."
"Iran insists on the restoration of its rights and will reclaim them from the Americans," Velayati told reporters.
He added that the court decision indicated contradictory approaches by the American officials who have pledged commitment to their obligations for lifting Iran sanctions under a nuclear agreement, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), reached between the Islamic Republic and the P5+1 group of countries last July.
But they also imposed new sanctions on Iran in other forms and thrown up stumbling blocks on the way of the Islamic Republic's legal trade with other countries, Velayati said.
"The only way to counter the Americans is to resist against their excessive demands," the top Iranian official pointed out.
Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia plus Germany started implementing the JCPOA on January 16. The two sides signed the agreement on July 14, 2015 following two and a half years of intensive talks.
Under the JCPOA, all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran by the European Union, the Security Council and the US would be lifted. Iran has, in return, put some limitations on its nuclear activities.
Earlier on Tuesday, Iran's Foreign Ministry summoned the Swiss Ambassador, Giulio Haas, who represents the US interests in Tehran, to object to the controversial ruling.
It said the Supreme Court's decision was "a clear and blatant violation of mutual contractual obligations" and the US international legal obligations as well as the "immunity of jurisdiction" for properties and assets of the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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Russia Reviewing Iran's Offer to Sell 40 Tons of Nuclear Heavy Water
Sputnik News
12:13 26.04.2016(updated 12:17 26.04.2016)
Moscow is reviewing Tehran's offer to sell 40 tons of Iran's heavy water from its nuclear power facilities.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Moscow and Iran have not yet reached an agreement on the purchase of 40 tons of Iran's heavy water from its nuclear power facilities and negotiations are needed, the Russian Foreign Ministry's head of the Department of Arms Non-Proliferation and Control said Tuesday.
"No agreement on this issue has been reached, so far this issue is only being reviewed. Negotiations are needed in order to work out conditions that would be acceptable for both parties," Mikhail Ulyanov told RIA Novosti.
On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hussein Jaber Ansari said Iran was in talks with Russia on the sale of its heavy water from its nuclear power projects, adding that several countries among the six world powers have shown interest in purchasing the heavy water.
The United Nations, the European Union and the United States lifted nuclear-related sanctions from Iran following Tehran's implementation of its obligations under the nuclear deal signed last July with six world powers to ensure the peaceful nature of its nuclear program.
Sputnik
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Russia may supply Iran with arms not banned by UN
ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency
Wed 27 Apr 2016 - 12:39
TEHRAN (ISNA)- Russia is supplying S-300 air defense systems to Iran ahead of schedule and may conclude new contracts with Tehran on arms deliveries that are not banned under international law, Alexander Fomin, Head of Russia's Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation, said.
The $900-million Moscow-Tehran contract to deliver five Russian S-300 systems to Iran was signed in 2007. It was suspended after the adoption of UN Security Council sanctions on Iran in mid-2010.
In April 2015, Russia resumed the talks on S-300 deliveries following a framework agreement on the landmark deal. The first delivery under the contract took place earlier in April.
"The deliveries of S-300 to Iran are carried out according to schedule, even a bit ahead of it," Fomin told reporters in Moscow.
Fomin emphasized that the new possible arms contracts with Iran may involve weaponry that is not on the UN ban list, including air defense systems, small arms, and electronic warfare means.
End Item
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Iraq replaces 6 ministers in contested cabinet reshuffle
Iran Press TV
Tue Apr 26, 2016 3:20PM
The Iraqi parliament has finally endorsed six new ministers proposed under a cabinet reshuffle plan by Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi despite attempts by dozens of deputies opposed to changes to block the chamber meeting.
Speaker Salim al-Jabouri convened the parliament session which reached a quorum on Tuesday with 170 deputies voting on the nominees proposed by Abadi for the ministries.
Local media said the parliament approved Ala Ghani for the post of ministry of health while Hassan al-Janabi was picked to take on as minister of water. Waffa al-Mahdavi obtained enough votes to become Iraq's new labor minister while Ali Abdurazzaq Issa was endorsed as minister of higher education. Ali Ala Dashar was also endorsed to take on as minister of electricity and Aqil al-Mahdi was picked for the culture ministry portfolio.
An initial endorsement of Ali Hussain for the post of ministry of education was later challenged by lawmakers of the Ahrar bloc, which represents powerful Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Hussain along with Muhammad Nasrallah, Abadi's nominee for ministry of Justice, failed to gain votes.
Reports said Jabouri extended the vote to Wednesday as many on Abadi's third list have failed to be elected by the lawmakers. The political parties have given Abadi 48 hours to replace those candidates with new figures.
The vote was held in a second hall of the parliament as around 100 deputies, who are reportedly close to former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and have opposed Abadi and Jabouri, entered the main chamber and interrupted the session, banging their fists on tables and calling for the speaker to step down.
The vote came hours after tens of thousands of Sadr supporters took to the streets of Baghdad, urging the government to implement reforms. The protesters joined people who have been holding a sit-in in Tahrir Square in central Baghdad since two weeks ago, making the gathering the biggest in the capital in weeks. Local media said demonstrators filled a main road stretching nearly two km (1.3 miles) from Tahrir to the Green Zone, a heavily fortified area which is home to main government offices and the parliament.
Iraq has been the scene of a political turmoil in the past weeks over Abadi's efforts to form a new cabinet. A delay in the vote on a second list proposed by Abadi has also spurred a separate sit-in inside the parliament, with lawmakers close to rival parties demanding top political leadership including Abadi and parliament speaker Salim al-Jabouri, to step down. Followers of Sadr say those involved in the chamber sit-in are using the political turmoil to their benefit.
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Followers of Sadr rally in Baghdad in support of reforms
Iran Press TV
Tue Apr 26, 2016 12:22PM
Thousands of supporters of Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have taken to the streets of Baghdad, urging the government to implement reforms amid growing division among political parties.
The protesters on Tuesday joined people who have been holding a sit-in in Tahrir Square in central Baghdad since two weeks ago, in response to Sadr's call for reform in the cabinet of Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi.
Protesters waved Iraqi flags and sang songs praising al-Sadr while chanting slogans against those blocking change in the political and economic system.
Local media said the gathering was the biggest in the capital in weeks as demonstrators filled a main road stretching nearly two km (1.3 miles) from Tahrir to the Green Zone, a heavily fortified area which is home to main government offices and the parliament. Security forces blocked off all other roads leading to the square with razor wire and concrete blocks.
Iraq has been the scene of a political turmoil in the past weeks over Abadi's efforts to form a new cabinet. A delay in the vote on a second list proposed by Abadi has also spurred a separate sit-in inside the parliament, with lawmakers close to rival parties demanding top political leadership including Abadi and parliament speaker Salim al-Jabouri, to step down. Followers of Sadr say those involved in the chamber sit-down are using the political turmoil to their benefit.
Jabouri had vowed to convene a meeting on Tuesday to decide on the cabinet reshuffle. Deputies close to Sadr's bloc and Kurdish allies said they will attend the session despite the boycott by other political parties.
"We are present today at parliament to attend a session whose main goal is the cabinet overhaul," Dhiaa al-Asadi, who heads Sadr's bloc in the parliament, said, adding, "Salim al-Jabouri called for this session and he will head it. We will attend."
The parliament meeting reportedly started with Abadi present in the chamber.
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Japan Dispatches Record Number of Jets as E. China Sea Tensions Flare
Sputnik News
15:52 26.04.2016(updated 17:39 26.04.2016)
According to Japan Air-Self Defense Force (JASDF), fighter jets were dispatched 571 times in 2015 to stop Chinese military aircraft approaching or intruding into Japanese airspace in the East China Sea (Sea of Japan), according to the Japan's Defense Ministry.
The JASDF recorded the most Chinese activity in the East China Sea (Sea of Japan) near the group of uninhabited islands, known in Japan as the Senkaku and in China as the Diaoyu and claimed by both countries, according to The Japan Times.
There has reportedly been increase in the Chinese presence between the islands of Okinawa and Miyako.
Earlier, China expressed concerns over new security legislation that gives green light to Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to engage in armed conflicts overseas for the first time since the end of WWII.
"We hope the Japanese side learns from the hard lessons of history, sticks to the path of peaceful development, acts with discretion on military and security issues and does more to enhance mutual trust with neighbors and to benefit regional peace and stability," Xinhua reported the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson as saying.
There were also concerns in response to reports that Japan had switched on a radar station on Yonaguni Island in Okinawa Prefecture. The new Self Defense Force on the island is only about 150 km from the disputed islands.
"The new base can be used as a permanent intelligence gathering post as well an outlet for military operations in the region, adding to Tokyo's existing military buildup along the Yaeyama Island chain, which includes Yonaguni," Reuters reported.
As the dispute between China and Japan regarding the reclamation continues, a Japan Self Defense Force (JSDF) spokesperson said that "China is modernizing its air force and is clearly aiming to improve its air combat capability in faraway skies Concrete activities based on those targets are reflected in these numbers."
China has repeatedly denied allegations that the reclamation will be used for military purposes, while US has repeatedly condemned Beijing for "militarization in the South China Sea."
Although the number of sorties targeting Chinese aircraft has increased, the number of times Japan has had to dispatch fighter jets to intercept Russian planes has decreased.
"There have been 873 overall sorties in fiscal 2015, with 288 targeting Russian aircraft. In the previous fiscal year, Japan scrambled jets 943 times, 473 of which were in response to Russian incursions," reported the online publication The Diplomat.
Sputnik
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US Backs NATO Force Off Libya as Migrant Numbers Soar
by Henry Ridgwell April 26, 2016
A NATO-led mission aimed at stemming the flow of migrants from Libya to Europe could be up and running by July, according to the Italian government. There are fears the numbers of migrants could soar as the route through Greece and the Balkans remains blocked.
Libyan security forces detained more than 200 migrants from across Africa, and an alleged smuggler, following a raid on a safe house last week in Tripoli.
This type of enforcement is Europe's long-term hope for stemming the flow of migrants. More than 16,000 people made the crossing from North Africa to Italy in the first three months of 2016, almost double the rate last year.
The United States has offered its backing for a proposed NATO naval operation off Libya. It is not clear, however, what the patrol ships would do with the intercepted migrants, says policy analyst Riccardo Fabiani of the Eurasia Group.
"Some people are talking about flying them back to their respective countries in Africa, but it is clear that the African governments are not enthusiastic about this idea," said Fabiani. "And obviously sending them back to Libya is not really an option at the moment because the Libyan government does not have the capabilities."
The West hopes to boost those capabilities by supporting Libya's unity government, known as the Government of National Accord, which aims to bring together rival administrations in the east and west.
"They are taking over ministries and taking over departments and taking over government buildings, and there is backing at most levels for it; however, the situation in the east is very different. And that is where I think we are facing a stalemate," said Fabiani.
The Government of National Accord welcomed British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond to Tripoli last week, giving him a tour of its fledgling naval patrol force at the dockside.
Hammond said British troops could be sent to train Libyan security forces, and refused to rule out strikes against Islamic State militants. Speaking Friday during a visit to London, U.S. President Barack Obama ruled out sending American troops.
"I do not think it would be welcomed by this new government," said Obama. "It would send the wrong signal; this is a matter that Libyans come together on."
Tensions between the rival groups rose Tuesday, after the Tobruk-based eastern administration tried to make its first shipment of oil, reportedly to a company based in the United Arab Emirates, via Malta. Authorities in Tripoli said the shipment was illegal, and Malta has barred the vessel from its waters.
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Russia to Deliver 3 Yak-130 Fighter Trainers to Myanmar by Year End
Sputnik News
12:59 26.04.2016
Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport and the Irkut manufacturer plan to deliver three Yak-130 (Mitten) advanced jet trainers and light attack aircraft to Myanmar by the end of the year, Russian media reported Tuesday, citing defense cooperation sources.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Viktor Kladov, head of the International Cooperation Department of Russia's state technology corporation Rostec, told RIA Novosti last week that Myanmar and a range of Latin American and North African states expressed interest in the Yak-130 aircraft.
"The plan provides for the transfer of three aircraft to them [Myanmar] in 2016," one of the Russian Kommersant daily's two sources told the publication.
Additionally, Russian experts reportedly plan to set up a specialized combat flight simulator in Myanmar before the end of 2017.
The Defense Ministry of Myanmar signed its first Yak-130 purchase contract in June 2015, three years after the Southeast Asian republic voiced initial interest in the fighter trainer, the outlet says.
The Yak-130 lead-in fighter trainer is the world's only training aircraft with the aerodynamic configuration and subsonic flight performance characteristics of modern jet fighters. The two-seat reconnaissance and light attack jet has a combat load of up to 3,000 kilograms (about 6,600 pounds).
Sputnik
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US Missiles' Deployment to Romania, Poland Banned Under INF Treaty - Moscow
Sputnik News
18:20 26.04.2016(updated 19:08 26.04.2016)
The deployment of US missile defense systems in Romania and Poland is prohibited under the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The INF Treaty, signed between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1987 required both countries to eliminate all of their nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,500 kilometers (some 310 to 3,100 miles).
"We are deeply concerned about the deployment of US missile defense systems at a base in Romania, and in future at a base in Poland, which is prohibited under the Treaty on Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles," the ministry said in an annual report.
The ministry reiterated that Moscow would take all necessary steps to safeguard the country's security, as the deployment of US missile defense systems in Europe "is undoubtedly aimed to deter Russia."
Over the past two years, NATO has been increasing the number of military drills near Russia's borders while Washington has increased funding for the NATO Reassurance Initiative to support deploying up to 5,000 troops in Eastern Europe.
Moscow has repeatedly warned that NATO's amassing of troops and equipment on Russian borders is provocative, contrary to previously reached agreements and can destabilize the region.
Washington has repeatedly stated Moscow was not fulfilling its INF treaty obligations, claiming it tested a ground-launched cruise missile in supposed violation of the treaty's terms.
In December, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow believed the United States violated the bilateral arms control deal when it installed Mk 41 vertical launching systems in Eastern Europe. Several Mk 41s are currently stationed in Romania and were planned to be redeployed to Poland under the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA).
When installed on warships, Mk 41s can be used for launching both SM-3 interceptor missiles and medium to range Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Mikhail Ulyanov, director of the ministry's department for non-proliferation and arms control, welcomed his US counterpart Rose Gottemoeller's remarks last month on the intent to recommit to the INF at the "highest level." Ulyanov voiced hope that Washington would "more substantively" consider Moscow's concerns with the INF Treaty's implementation.
Sputnik
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Russia Destroyed 93% of Chemical Weapons, Complies With Obligations - OPCW
Sputnik News
13:08 26.04.2016(updated 13:09 26.04.2016)
Russia has already destroyed 93 percent of its chemical weapons under the Chemical Weapons Convention, as such successfully complying with its obligations, Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Ahmet Uzumcu, said Tuesday.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Chemical Weapons Convention came into effect in April 1997. The OPCW implemented the multilateral agreement, which bans chemical weapons and demands their destruction.
At present, the convention has 192 parties, including the United States, Russia, Syria and Iraq.
"Russia is among those countries which play the leading role in the implementation of its obligations under the Convention Now, concerning the disposition of chemical weapons, 93 percent has already been destructed, and we expect that in the coming years this program will be completed," Uzumcu said at a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow.
Sputnik
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Kremlin Not Optimistic About Relations With NATO, EU
April 27, 2016
by RFE/RL
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has told a security conference in Moscow that an April 20 meeting of the NATO-Russia Council -- the first in more than two years -- "did not inspire optimism" about the Kremlin's relations with NATO and the European Union.
Shoigu made the remarks on April 27 at the Fifth Moscow Conference on International Security, which was being hosted by Russia's Defense Ministry.
Shoigu said it was "not our fault that Russia's military cooperation with NATO and EU countries has been frozen."
NATO unilaterally suspended practical cooperation with Russia on April 1, 2014, in response to Russia's military intervention in Ukraine and its illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.
The NATO-Russia Council had been set up in 2002 for handling security issues and joint projects, including nuclear nonproliferation and cooperation against terrorism and international drug smuggling.
The April 20 meeting of the NATO-Russia Council was the first of its kind since April 2014.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was scheduled to meet on April 27 with Lamberto Zannier, the secretary-general of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
The two were expected to discuss the activities of the OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, which monitors the cease-fire agreement that is part of the Minsk accords.
Zannier has suggested that he and Lavrov also could discuss Russia's relations with NATO and the EU.
Meanwhile, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan was scheduled to meet with Shoigu on the sidelines of the security conference.
Reports said the two would discuss Tehran's possible purchase of warplanes and tanks from Russia.
With reporting by Interfax, TASS, and Fars
Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/osce-russia- ukraine-iran-security-conference/27700778.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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Saudi unveils ambitious plan to become arms manufacturer
Iran Press TV
Tue Apr 26, 2016 10:33AM
Saudi Arabia says it is to start steering half of its military spending toward domestic weapons manufacturers.
Defense Minister Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud said on Monday Saudi Arabia would boost its military sector dramatically so it can purchase 30-50 percent of its needs for weapons from domestic manufacturers.
The plan forms part of the so-called "Vision 2030," which would see Riyadh trying to economize on wasteful spending and reinforce other industries.
Crude oil prices have plummeted to devastating effects for Saudi Arabia, whose economy is also hemorrhaging from a costly military campaign against Yemen.
Saudi Arabia was the world's third-biggest military spender in 2015. Earlier in the month, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reported that Riyadh had spent USD 87.2 billion on weapons last year.
In an initial stage of the long-term plan, Saudi Arabia plans to bring the country's military industry under the control of a government-owned holding company by the end of 2017.
The plan may be interpreted as an attempt by Saudi Arabia to shun the United States military manufacturers, upon whom it has been heavily dependent.
"Does it make sense that we are the world's fourth-largest military spenders in 2014 and third in 2015 and we do not even have a local military industry?" the Saudi defense minister said.
"We spend more on military than the [British], more than France, and we do not even have a local military industry."
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Latest round of peace talks in Geneva constructive: Syria
Iran Press TV
Tue Apr 26, 2016 3:30PM
Syria's chief negotiator says the latest round of UN-brokered indirect peace talks in Geneva were constructive as important issues were raised during the discussions.
"I can describe this particular round as useful and productive," Bashar al-Ja'afari told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday after meeting Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations special envoy for Syria.
The remarks by Ja'afari, who also serves as the Syrian ambassador to the UN, came as the Geneva talks are due to end on Wednesday after two weeks.
The negotiations, aimed at finding a political solution to the crisis in Syria, began on April 13.
A few days later, however, the main foreign-backed opposition group, known as the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), walked out of the discussions to protest what it called the Damascus government's violation of a cessation of hostilities.
The ceasefire, which went into effect on February 27 across Syria, initially reduced violence there, but fighting has picked up again especially in Aleppo Province, leaving the truce in tatters.
Elsewhere in his comments, Ja'afari said the Syrian government delegation "engaged with responsibility and objectivity in discussions of all issues that could serve our country and people."
The government delegation also answered all the questions by the UN team, he added.
"We, for our part, raised again plenty of important points especially regarding terrorism," the Syrian official stated.
De Mistura will brief the UN Security Council on Wednesday. He is expected to appeal to major powers to convene a ministerial meeting of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), according to diplomats close to the talks.
Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. Damascus says Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar are the main supporters of the militants fighting the government forces.
According to de Mistura, some 400,000 people have lost their lives as a result of over five years of conflict in Syria.
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Russia Not Planning to Revive Contract on S-300 Deliveries to Syria
Sputnik News
16:54 26.04.2016(updated 17:54 26.04.2016)
Russia is currently not planning to revive the contract on deliveries of S-300 air defense systems to Syria, the head of Russia's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation said Tuesday.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) S-300 (NATO reporting name SA-21 Growler) is a missile defense system designed to fire surface-to-air missiles at aerial targets such as helicopters, warplanes and cruise or ballistic missiles.
"No, it is not," Alexander Fomin told reporters, answering a question on whether work was being carried out to revive the contract.
Russia and Syria signed a $1.1 billion deal on the supply of four S-300 systems in 2011, before the uprising in Syria led to a civil war in March that year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed in June 2013 that the S-300 system deal had been signed with Syria, stressing that the weapons stood undelivered so as not to disrupt the balance of powers on the ground.
Sputnik
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Hezbollah Develops New Skills in Syria, Posing Challenges for Israel
by Jamie Dettmer April 27, 2016
When Hezbollah first intervened on the side of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, Israeli defense analysts saw the foray as a blessing better to have their Lebanese arch-enemy entangled in a war in Syria. But there is increasing concern that Hezbollah is getting valuable battlefield experience in Syria, especially when it comes to large-scale, coordinated offensive operations, something the Shi'ite militia had little knowledge of before.
That practical experience could be of use in any subsequent conflict with Israel. Hezbollah commanders acknowledge the benefits.
"In some ways, Syria is a dress rehearsal for our next war with Israel," a special forces Hezbollah commander admitted to VOA recently.
Peacetime training is no substitute for wartime experience, says John Capello, a former U.S. air attache in Tel Aviv and now an analyst with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a Washington foreign policy think tank.
"NATO makes a big effort to make training as realistic as possible but it is still scripted and doesn't teach how to deal with the unexpected. It just isn't the same as the real thing."
Hezbollah has been in the vanguard of large assaults on Syrian rebels and not just along the border in Qalamoun and Quneitra but also further afield around Aleppo in northern Syria.
Anti-Assad rebel commanders estimate that 80 percent of the ground forces the Assad regime has deployed since the Russian bombing campaign was launched in September 2015 have not consisted of Syrians but are made up of Hezbollah and Iranian fighters along with Shi'ite volunteers from Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
New proficiencies
"Hezbollah has become more proficient at mass force maneuvers and of tying together different battle groups and leveraging all of that with the lessons it learned from the war with Israel in 2006, especially when it comes to defeating armor," says Aram Nerguizian, a Mideast analyst with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The Iranian revolutionary guardsmen and Hezbollah militiamen have been fighting side-by-side for months now, honing their ability to work together.
The military tie-up predates the Syrian war, says Nerguizian.
"It has always been the case that you have had a fair amount of synergy between the Iranians and Hezbollah in terms of tactics, command-and-control and training. ...the missions they are involved with in Syria are different from what they have been working on with Iranian revolutionary guards in the context of strategic competition with the Israelis. So in Syria, Hezbollah has had to become somewhat masterful in counter-insurgency. So you have an insurgent group that has become one of the most capable actors on the ground when it comes to a counter-insurgency role," he adds.
Hezbollah has also learned to coordinate with other other irregular militias that have come from as far away as Afghanistan. And Israel's arch-enemy has become used to working with the Russian military calling in airstrikes and liaising when it comes to intelligence and reconnaissance.
"Hezbollah is learning to use more sophisticated equipment, and it is getting more battlefield experience for its fighters," says Matthew Levitt, director of the Stein Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a think tank. Up to 10,000 Hezbollah militiamen are estimated to have been fighting in Syria at any one time.
"Yes, it has taken greater losses in this conflict than it has in all the wars against Israel. Some of those have been pretty important people," says Levitt, author of the book "Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon's Party of God." "But overall it is seeing higher recruitment levels and more people being drawn to the cause," he adds.
It wasn't always that way.
Doubts about Syrian involvement
Hezbollah lent support to Assad's regime from the start of the civil war with small numbers of fighters but committed heavily when the war dragged on to do all it could militarily to save Syria's strongman, a member of the Alawite minority sect, an offshoot of Shia Islam.
Hezbollah fighters have been schooled from a young age to submit to strict military discipline and are nurtured in a culture of martyrdom, believing that God sanctions their struggles.
Many have attended university or at least completed high school, and their military and ideological training is rigorous. They are lauded within the Shi'ite communities of the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon as defenders of a Muslim sect that traditionally was powerless and downtrodden in a country dominated by Christian and Sunni Muslim landlords and politicians.
Hezbollah changed all of that, shifting the pecking order when it comes to political power in Lebanon.
Even so, many Lebanese Shi'ites doubted the wisdom of the involvement in Syria. When young Lebanese Shi'ite fighters started to return in body bags in 2014, some supporters, especially those in southern Lebanon, questioned why Hezbollah was fighting in Syria, arguing the real enemy is Israel. But a series of jihadist bombings in Shi'ite strongholds of Beirut and suicide bombings in the Bekaa Valley changed that the critics fell back into line.
"The Islamic State has been a saving grace for Hezbollah's recruitment efforts," says Levitt. Until the bombings and the rise of the Islamic State, "there was a lot of backlash to Hezbollah," he adds. "Hezbollah is seen as the only one capable of defending Shi'ites from the onslaught of the radical Sunnis."
Future conflict
Other enhanced Hezbollah capabilities, say analysts, include using artillery cover more effectively, using drones skillfully in reconnaissance and surveillance operations and improving logistical operations to support big offensives. Analysts, as well as Israeli strategists, are now trying to work out the possible longer-term implications of Hezbollah's increased military capabilities as well as the deepening of its military alliance with Iran.
"Hezbollah doesn't want a war with Israel right now," says Levitt. "It is not capable of fighting a fully-fledged conventional conflict on multiple fronts. But Hezbollah has to be able to demonstrate that it remains a resistance [to Israel] organization, and they recognize it is not enough to say that the road to Jerusalem runs through Damascus, because apart from anything, that is poor geography. It is important for them to be able to open up a front from which they can do smaller things from time to time against Israel and to scratch that resistance itch."
Levitt argues Hezbollah doesn't want to do that from Lebanon, taking seriously the Israeli threat to launch a massive retaliatory strategic air campaign on the country's infrastructure. That points to the Golan Heights, a region captured from Syria and occupied by Israel during the Six-Day War, territory which Israel effectively annexed in 1981.
Nerguizian also sees the Golan as the flashpoint, one that is better terrain for Hezbollah, if it wants to use its new capabilities. The territory around the Blue Line, the border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel established by the UN, is more constraining for larger offensive operations. "They would like to maintain a stable footing in the Golan and leave troops there after the Syrian civil war is over," says Nerguizian.
And there has been considerable activity by Hezbollah and Iranian guards in Syria's Golan region, prompting a series of Israeli airstrikes since the start of last year. Israeli officials calculate much of that activity by their diehard foes has little to do with the current conflict in Syria but everything to do with planning for a future conflict with Israel. In January 2015, an Israeli airstrike in Syria's Golan targeting a two-car convoy killed six Hezbollah fighters, including two prominent commanders, and an Iranian general, Mohammad Ali Allahdadi.
There have been others, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged on April 12, when he said Israel has carried out "dozens" of air raids in Syria to prevent weapon and missile transfers to Lebanon's Hezbollah.
He chose to make his remarks while visiting a training exercise of reserve military soldiers in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. An Israeli official told VOA, Israel will not allow Hezbollah and the Iran revolutionary guards to set up bases in Syria's Quneitra province along the Golan Heights.
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Turkey FM: Ankara to station US rocket system on Syria border
Iran Press TV
Tue Apr 26, 2016 12:43PM
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says Ankara will deploy a US rocket launcher system on the border with Syria next month to allegedly combat the Takfiri Daesh terrorists.
In an interview with Turkey's Haberturk newspaper published on Tuesday, Cavusoglu said the US High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) would be "deployed on the Turkish border in May as part of an agreement" with Washington.
The system would enable Turkey to "hit ISIS (Daesh) targets more effectively," Cavusoglu claimed.
HIMARS would allow Turkey to hit Daesh positions within a 90-kilometer (56-mile) range, while Turkish artillery has a limited range of only 40 kilometers (24 miles), the minister stated.
He said the deployment is meant to seal off an area around the city of Manbij in Aleppo Province, northern Syria.
Turkey is seeking to establish a safe zone in the 98-kilometer (60-mile) stretch between Manbij and the border to shelter Syrian refugees, the Turkish foreign minister said.
Cavusoglu made the remarks during a recent trip to the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
Over the past few weeks, the southern Turkish border city of Kilis has come under frequent rocket attacks by Daesh militants, prompting the Turkish army to respond with howitzer fire.
Turkey has frequently used such rocket attacks as a pretext to shell the Syrian territory or send troops into the Arab country.
Many blame Ankara for supporting militant groups that have been fighting to topple the Syrian government since March 2011. The Turkish government also stands accused of being involved in illegal oil trade with Daesh, but it strongly rejects the allegations.
In late May 2015, Turkish-language Cumhuriyet newspaper posted on its website footage purportedly showing trucks belonging to Turkey's National Intelligence Organization, also known as the MIT, carrying weapons for militant groups in Syria.
Since late September 2014, the United States, along with some of its allies, has been conducting airstrikes against purported positions of Daesh inside Syria without any authorization from Damascus or the United Nations. Turkey permits US warplanes to use its air base in the south for the airstrikes.
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Turkey rejects plan to drop secular rule
Iran Press TV
Tue Apr 26, 2016 11:3AM
Turkey's parliament speaker says the country should have a religious constitution and drop secularism from its new charter, prompting an official to dismiss the idea.
"As a Muslim country, why should we be in a situation where we are in retreat from religion?" Ismail Kahraman said in a speech late on Monday.
"For one thing, the new constitution should not have secularism," he said, adding "We are a Muslim country. As a consequence, we must have a religious constitution."
Head of the constitutional commission on Tuesday rejected the proposal, saying the draft constitution retains secularism and the ruling AK Party has not discussed removing it.
Police later fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators who had gathered outside parliament to protest the call for the country to adopt a religious constitution.
A few protesters were reportedly detained by police while similar protests were expected in other cities.
The ruling AK Party is pushing to replace the existing constitution, which dates back to the period after a 1980 military coup.
Critics fear a new charter could concentrate too much power in the hands of President Tayyip Erdogan, who wants an executive presidency to replace the current parliamentary system.
The AKP holds 317 of the 550 seats in parliament and would need 330 votes to submit its draft constitution to a referendum.
Turkey amended its original 1924 constitution four years later to drop Islam as the official religion of the state.
The country is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim. A fifth of its population of 78 million people is estimated to be Alevi, which draws from Shia Islam.
Turkey is also home to about 100,000 Christians and 17,000 Jews.
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Military Buildup? Turkey Deploys Missile Systems on Border With Syria
Sputnik News
14:39 26.04.2016
The Turkish army has pulled additional forces to the border with Syria, placing several rocket launchers near the Turkish city of Kilis, local media reported.
According to a military source, Turkish authorities have sent 13 trailers with military equipment to the southeastern regions of the country in order to strengthen its military capacities on the Syrian border, Anadolu agency reported.
Earlier, Ankara and Washington struck a deal to deploy American light multiple rocket launchers (MRL) on the Turkish border with Syria in order to fight against Daesh, according to the head of the Turkish Foreign Ministry Mevlut Cavusoglu.
The missile systems are expected to be installed in the border area in May.
"Our artillery has a maximum range of forty kilometers, that the US MRL is ninety kilometers. Our main goal is to clean up the 98-kilometer stretch of our border from the IS [Daesh], and afterwards the security zone will form by itself," Cavusoglu told Turkish media.
In recent weeks, the Turkish city of Kilis has been shelled several times from the territory of Syria, which is currently under control of Daesh terrorist group. As a result of the bombings, ten people died, and forty were injured.
Daesh is a terrorist group outlawed in the United States and Russia among other states. The group has seized large areas in Syria and Iraq and declared a caliphate on the territories under its control.
Sputnik
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Turkey Media Crackdown Expands with Growing Security Concerns
by Dorian Jones April 26, 2016
Pressure on journalists in Turkey appears to be spreading to the foreign media. This week, four reporters were denied entry into the country.
The most recent was U.S. reporter David Lepeska, who tweeted Monday, "Was just hurried onto a flight to Chicago after being denied entry at Istanbul Ataturk."
Dutch journalist Ebru Umar was detained by police Sunday at her home in the Turkish Aegean town of Kusadasi. She tweeted, "Police at the door, no joke. "Umar, who is of Turkish origin, is a well-known feminist reporter. She was detained for a series of tweets quoting her recent article about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Umar was released later Sunday, but told not to leave the country.
Erdogan has enforced a rarely used law criminalizing insults against the president. Since his election in 2014, nearly 2,000 people have been prosecuted, many of them journalists.
"Most of the people to avoid lawsuits, they simply say, 'the Palace,' according to Turkish journalist Sevgi Akarcesme, "I have been sued not only for tweets, but for a comment left under my tweet, which I had no idea about. I received a suspended prison sentence for that."
Akarcesme was the editor of the English language Today's Zaman, until it was seized by the courts last month, along with its Turkish sister paper Zaman, one of biggest selling papers in the country, on suspicion of supporting terrorism.
Political difference or conspiracy?
The publications were critical of the government and president, and are linked to Turkish Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen. He lives in self-imposed exile in the United States and was once a close ally of Erdogan, but they became bitter rivals.
Turkish prosecutors accuses Gulen of heading a terrorist organization.
"All authoritarian governments use the same tactics and tools.In order to silence criticism and media, they refer to terrorism charges," said Akarcesme. Following the seizure of Zaman and Today's Zaman, Akarcesme said most columnists were dismissed and the editorial line was altered from critical to sympathetic coverage of the president and government.
Erdogan insists he and his ruling AKP are facing a conspiracy to overthrow them, which started back in 2013 with the revelation of corruption allegations implicating family members of the president and senior ministers.They argue Gulen is using the media as part of the conspiracy.
Turkey's broadly written anti-terror laws are also being used against two of the country's most prominent journalists, Can Dundar, editor in chief of Cumhuriyet newspaper, and his Ankara bureau chief, Erdem Gul. The men are facing double life sentences and 30 years in jail with aggravated punishment, meaning solitary confinement. They are charged with publishing a story accusing the Turkish state of arms smuggling to Syrian rebels.
"This is politically motivated by the president," argued senior Turkey researcher Emma Sinclair Webb of the U.S.-based Human Right's Watch.
"He [Erdogan] accused them of an attempted coup, aiding a terrorist organization, spying, and all these were charges that were then written down in the indictment; it's a completely politically motivated trial coming from pressure above. They did not want these journalists reporting on this issue, of trucks and weapons to Syria," Sinclair Webb said.
The journalists were held for nearly three months in pre-trial solitary confinement.Dundar says prison has always been an occupational hazard for Turkish journalists, "So it's a normal step for a journalist in Turkey if you are seeking the truth."
Dundar and Gul were released after the intervention of the country's Constitution Court, which ruled their detentions breached their personal and press freedom.Despite the ruling, the case against them continues.
Chilling effect on truth
The severity of the sentences they are facing is being widely seen as a warning.
"This aims to set up an example, to intimidate other journalists," said Erol Onderoglu, a Turkey representative of Reporters Without Borders
The government argues the country is facing unprecedented threats from the Kurdish rebel group the PKK and Islamic State.
The collapse in the cease-fire with the PKK last year is seen as a factor behind the growing crackdown.
"Certainly the situation has gotten markedly worse recently," said Turkey researcher Andrew Gardner of Amnesty international.
"Now there is unprecedented pressure on the media.Not just criminal prosecutions but also targeting the business interests behind the media companies," he added.
Dogan Media Group, the largest media organization not under direct or tacit control of the government, last year was subject to violent protests led by supporters of the ruling AKP; but, the real problems facing the group are financial investigations.In2009, the group was fined an unprecedented $3.2 billion, following a Hurriyet paper report of a German judge's accusations of corruption by senior Turkish officials.
"Dogan media group is the only remaining big media group independent of the government remaining in the country.Although they are busily self-censoring themselves, they are still on the hit list of the executive," warns political scientist Cengiz Aktar of Istanbul's Suleyman Sah University.
Concern about media freedom continues to grow among Turkey's Western allies.This month, the U.S. State Department, the European Parliament, and Council of Europe voiced concern about growing pressure on media freedom.
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Chernobyl: with disaster's effects still being felt after 30 years, UN renews commitment to a safer future
26 April 2016 Marking 30 years since the Chernobyl nuclear accident, senior United Nations officials today underlined the need to take stock of the lessons learned from the disaster and the many problems that still linger, while renewing their commitment to a safer future.
"Today, we remember the human cost of the disaster. We remember those who sacrificed their own lives to prevent this disaster from becoming even worse," Mogens Lykketoft, the President of the General Assembly, told delegates attending a commemoration at UN Headquarters in New York.
Thirty years ago, the accident widely considered one of the most severe in the history of the nuclear power industry caused a huge release of radio-nucleoids over large areas of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, devastating the region's mostly rural economy and uprooting more than 300,000 people.
"Livelihoods lost almost 30 years ago have yet to recover fully and many affected are still struggling to overcome poverty, exclusion and the stigma of contaminated regions," Mr. Lykketoft noted.
He highlighted that this year, along-side this 30th anniversary, the global community is also marking the end of the Decade of Recovery and Sustainable Development for Chernobyl-affected Regions, with a series of activities taking place in the affected countries included a high level conference in Minsk which began yesterday. A photo exhibition entitled 'Chernobyl, tragedy, lessons, hope' is also on display at the UN in New York.
New awareness of safety issues since Chernobyl
Speaking at the event on behalf of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Chef de Cabinet Edmond Mulet said the tragedy of Chernobyl will always be linked with nuclear safety.
"The accident led to a new awareness of safety issues and to major improvements in the regulation of nuclear plants around the world. The Chernobyl disaster also brought the international community together to support the enormous efforts of local, regional and national authorities," he said.
Noting that the most visible sign of current international cooperation efforts may be the New Safe Confinement structure which is now nearing completion and should make the reactor complex stable and environmentally safe for the next 100 years Mr. Mulet said the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul next month will ask leaders to consider multidisciplinary strategies that include prevention, preparedness and response.
'Complacency must be avoided at all costs'
Echoing this message in a statement issued from Vienna, Austria, the Director General of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano, said Chernobyl led to a leap forward in global cooperation on nuclear safety, including the adoption of the Convention on Nuclear Safety.
"Countries with nuclear power began sharing information and experience in a way they never had before. The IAEA's mandate on nuclear safety was enhanced. IAEA Safety Standards were expanded," stated the IAEA chief.
However, despite these improvements, he said the world was confronted with another serious accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan in 2011.
"In the five years since then, considerable improvements have been made in nuclear safety throughout the world," he added. "But the key lesson from both Chernobyl and Fukushima Daiichi for everyone involved in nuclear power plant operators, governments and regulators is that safety can never be taken for granted. Complacency must be avoided at all costs."
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Nuland: No Deadline For Ukraine Vote, Sanctions To Stay Until Minsk Fulfilled
April 27, 2016
by Eugen Tomiuc
The United States is not setting a precise deadline for Kyiv to hold disputed elections in war-wracked eastern Ukraine, a senior U.S. official on European affairs says.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland made the remark in the Ukrainian capital on April 27 at the end of a visit during which she met with President Petro Poroshenko, new Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroysman, and Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin.
Nuland's statement came after Ukrainian lawmaker Viktoria Voytsitska, a member of the reformist Samopomich (Self-Help) party, told reporters after meeting Nuland on April 25 that the U.S. diplomat was setting a July deadline for the elections as a precondition for extending sanctions imposed on Russia for its alleged involvement in the war.
"We have put no date on when elections need to happen, we've made absolutely clear that [the] Minsk [deal] requires that there be sufficient security and [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE] access and the ability of candidates to ballot and the ability of citizens to hear from candidates before you can have an election," Nuland told a press conference.
The Minsk agreements, known as Minsk II, were brokered in February 2015 by France and Germany and were signed by Ukraine, Russia, the separatists, and the OSCE.
The accords established a cease-fire and called for elections and other measures to end the conflict.
More than 9,100 people have been killed in the fighting in Ukraine's eastern and southern regions and around 21,000 others wounded since the conflict between the Ukrainian government and Russia-backed separatists broke out in 2014.
Holding elections in eastern Ukraine is seen by Kyiv's German and French partners as a way to end one of Europe's bloodiest conflicts since the 1990s Balkans wars.
Last month, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Ukraine should hold local polls in rebel-held regions by the end of June.
But the pro-Western government in Kyiv views such a time frame as unfeasible because of both the continuing violence and the separatist leadership's refusal to hold the vote under Ukrainian laws that require foreign monitoring of the polls.
Nuland on April 27 reiterated that U.S. President Barack Obama is committed to fully implementing the Minsk accords and that there is unified commitment from U.S. allies to keep sanctions in place against Russia until Moscow meets its obligations under the Minsk accords.
"We reaffirmed for President Poroshenko and Foreign Minister Klimkin President Obama's unwavering commitment to see the Minsk agreements fully implemented, restoring full Ukrainian sovereignty over the Donbas," Nuland said.
Fighting in the east has diminished under the fragile cease-fire that is part of the Minsk deal, but the separatists still control parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions and other aspects of the accord seem far from implementation.
Nuland also said punitive measures will only be dropped once Ukraine regains full territorial integrity, including Crimea, which Russia occupied and then annexed in March 2014.
"And, of course, we remain committed to retain sanctions that apply to the situation in Crimea until Crimea is returned to Ukraine," she said.
But Nuland added that financial aid from Washington was tied to Kyiv's ability to combat corruption and implement austerity measures outlined in an International Monetary Fund (IMF) rescue package, rather than its progress toward fulfilling the points outlined in the Minsk deal.
"U.S. financial assistance to Ukraine and technical assistance to Ukraine is tied to Ukraine's staying on the reform course, tied to its staying inside the IMF program, pursuing judicial reform, anticorruption reform, energy reform -- not [tied] to Minsk [accords]."
However, Nuland, who was in Kyiv for the first time since pro-European parliament speaker Volodymyr Hroysman was confirmed as prime minister earlier this month, said she was returning to Washington "optimistic that reform is back on track in Ukraine."
The IMF has said Kyiv must tackle corruption and enact economic reforms in order to receive a desperately needed $17.5 billion bailout package.
At the end of her news conference, Nuland also indicated that the U.S. secretary of state could visit Ukraine in the coming months.
"U.S. State Secretary John Kerry is very eager to come back to Ukraine. He hasn't been here in about a year. He bothers me every time I come -- why am I coming and he is not coming? And I remind him that he is working on 400 other problems. But he very much wants to come this spring," Nuland concluded.
With reporting from RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/nuland-ukraine-signs-of-reform/27701280.html
Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
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As several companies from around the world of telecoms share their Q3 results, here is a financial round-up with all of the key points.
(All amounts in US$ unless otherwise specified)
VANCOUVER, April 26, 2016 /CNW/ - Capstone Mining Corp. ("Capstone") (TSX: CS) today announced its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. Operating cash flow before changes in working capital (1) was $18.9 million or $0.05 per share, with a net loss of $12.8 million and an adjusted net loss of $1.5 million after adjusting for certain non-cash and non-recurring charges. Copper production for the quarter totalled 24,500 tonnes (23,700 tonnes of payable copper) at a C1 cash cost (1) of $1.72 per payable pound produced with copper sales for the quarter of 28,000 tonnes at a C1 cash cost (1) of $1.77 per payable pound sold.
Capstone will hold a conference call and webcast on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time (8:30 a.m. Pacific time) to discuss these results; call-in details and information on associated slides are provided at the end of this release. This release should be read in conjunction with Capstone's consolidated financial statements and management's discussion and analysis ("MD&A") for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, which are available on Capstone's website at http://capstonemining.com/investors/financial-reporting/default.aspx and on SEDAR. An updated corporate presentation, including results to March 31, 2016, in addition to the Q1 2016 webcast slides, will also be available at http://capstonemining.com/investors/events-and-presentations/default.aspx.
Overview
Q1 2016 Q1 2015 Revenue ($ millions)
126.2 102.9
Copper produced (tonnes)
24,547 23,677
Payable copper produced (tonnes)
23,694 22,853 C1 cash cost per payable pound produced (1) ($)
1.72 1.97 All-in sustaining cost per payable pound produced (1) ($/lb)
2.21 2.40 All-in cost per payable pound produced (1) ($/lb)
2.23 3.00 Fully-loaded all-in cost per payable pound produced (1) ($/lb)
2.36 3.09
Copper sold (tonnes)
27,985 20,082 Realized copper price per pound sold ($/lb)*
2.19 2.47 Adjusted realized copper price per pound sold ($/lb) **
2.35 2.47 C1 cash cost per payable pound sold (1) ($/lb)
1.77 1.89 All-in sustaining cost per payable pound sold (1) ($/lb)
2.21 2.36 All-in cost per payable pound sold (1) ($/lb)
2.22 3.05 Fully-loaded all-in cost per payable pound sold (1) ($/lb)
2.33 3.15
Net loss ($ millions)
(12.8) (17.4) Net loss per common share ($)
(0.03) (0.04)
Adjusted net (loss) income (1) ($ millions)
(1.5) (8.9) Adjusted net (loss) income per common share ($)
(0.00) (0.02)
Adjusted EBITDA (1) ($ millions)
39.3 24.3 Adjusted EBITDA (1) per common share ($)
0.10 0.06
Operating cash flow before changes in working capital (1) ($ millions)
18.9 16.5 Operating cash flow before changes in working capital per common share (1) ($)
0.05 0.04
Cash and cash equivalents ($ millions)
121.1 122.6 Net debt (1) ($ millions)
228.2 177.2
* Q1 2016 includes a negative provisional pricing adjustment of $5.6 million (2015 negative $12.7 million) related to prior shipments, equivalent to $(0.09) per pound (2015 $(0.29) per pound) of copper sold during the quarter. ** Adjusted realized copper price includes the realized gain of $9.6 million related to the put contracts the Company exercised in Q1 2016 (2015 nil).
"In the first quarter of 2016 our operating cash flow was $32.2 million. Our cash balance increased $20 million to $121.1 million, reducing our net debt to $228.2 million and our senior secured leverage ratio to 2.1 at quarter end, down from 2.6 at the end of 2015," said Darren Pylot, President and CEO of Capstone. "Our continued focus on mine site cost efficiencies and optimization were demonstrated in the first quarter with Pinto Valley posting the second straight quarter of new daily, monthly and quarterly throughput records and exceeding targeted throughput for the quarter."
"We took action in the quarter given recent commodity price volatility to preserve our financial flexibility and protect our covenant compliance for 2016," continued Mr. Pylot. "Through a combination of price fixing and hedging we have ensured covenant compliance at copper prices above approximately $1.65 per pound for the remainder of 2016, with substantially lower costs expected as we reach the higher grade portion of Minto North."
Financial Highlights for the Quarter Ended March 31, 2016
Net loss of $12.8 million or $0.03 per common share which included: Earnings from mining operations of $2.1 million, Production costs included a $1.5 million non-cash charge related to the write-down of inventory at Minto and Pinto Valley, A gain on commodity derivatives of $3.2 million, comprising $1.5 million on the January and February $2.60 copper puts and $1.7 million on new copper forward contracts, $2.9 million in current and deferred tax expense.
Working capital increased marginally to $163.4 million at March 31, 2016 from $162.4 million at December 31, 2015. More impactful was the increase of $19.5 million in cash and cash equivalents (a component of working capital) to $121.1 million, driven by proceeds of $14.0 million on the $2.60 copper put contracts combined with the reduction of finished goods inventory balances.
Production and Additional Highlights for the Quarter Ended March 31, 2016
Pinto Valley Mine:
Produced 16,365 tonnes of copper in concentrates and cathode during Q1 2016 at a C1 cash cost (1) of $1.64 per pound of payable copper produced.
of $1.64 per pound of payable copper produced. During Q1 2016 the mine achieved daily, monthly and quarterly throughput records of 62,400, 56,700 and 55,000 tonnes per day ("tpd"), respectively.
Cozamin Mine:
Produced 3,660 tonnes of copper in concentrates during Q1 2016 at a C1 cash cost (1) of $1.50 per pound of payable copper produced.
Minto Mine:
Produced 4,522 tonnes of copper in concentrates during Q1 2016 at a C1 cash cost (1) of $2.19 per pound of payable copper produced, which included $0.05 per pound of cost allocated from stockpile that was spent in prior periods, bringing the actual cash expended during Q1 2016 to $2.14 per pound of payable copper produced.
Santo Domingo:
On March 10, 2016 the Maritime Concession for the port location was granted to Minera Santo Domingo.
Operating Outlook
Capstone's 2016 production guidance for 108,000 tonnes (5%) of copper with C1 cash cost (1) of $1.45 to $1.55 per pound, and Fully-Loaded All-In Cost (1) of $2.05 to $2.15 per pound of payable copper produced, net of by-product credits and selling costs, remains unchanged.
Conference Call and Webcast Details
Date: Wednesday, April 27, 2016 Time: 11:30 am Eastern Time (8:30 am Pacific Time) Dial in: North America: 1-888-390-0546, International: +416-764-8688 Webcast: http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=1144309&s=1&k=B5BC94165864B3E62231036C08453949
North America: 1-888-390-0541, International: +416-764-8677 Replay: Replay Passcode: 982010#
The conference call replay will be available until Wednesday, May 11, 2016. The conference call audio and transcript will be available on Capstone's website within approximately 24 hours of the call at http://capstonemining.com/investors/events-and-presentations/default.aspx.
About Capstone Mining Corp.
Capstone Mining Corp. is a Canadian base metals mining company, focused on copper. We are committed to the responsible development of our assets and the environments in which we operate. Our three producing mines are the Pinto Valley copper mine located in Arizona, US, the Cozamin copper-silver mine in Zacatecas State, Mexico and the Minto copper mine in Yukon, Canada. In addition, Capstone has two development projects; the large scale 70% owned copper-iron Santo Domingo project in Region III, Chile, in partnership with Korea Resources Corporation, and the 100% owned Kutcho copper-zinc project in British Columbia, Canada, as well as exploration properties in Chile and US. Capstone's strategy is to continue to extend the lives of our current mines with mineral resource and reserve expansions, maintain the optionality on the Santo Domingo development project, prudently progress the exploration portfolio and grow through acquisitions in politically stable, mining-friendly regions. We will pace our growth with our financial capacity, to retain, as a priority, sufficient financial flexibility to meet the requirements of our existing operations and our committed development projects, while maintaining an adequate cushion to deal with market volatility and operating risks inherent in the mining industry. Our headquarters are in Vancouver, Canada and we are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). Further information is available at www.capstonemining.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This document may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this document and Capstone does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required under applicable securities legislation.
Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect our expectations or beliefs regarding future events. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the estimation of mineral resources and mineral reserves, the realization of mineral reserve estimates, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production and capital expenditures, the success of our mining operations, environmental risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses and title disputes. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words and phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative of these terms or comparable terminology. In this document certain forward-looking statements are identified by words including "guidance", "ensured" and "expected". By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, amongst others, risks related to inherent hazards associated with mining operations, assumptions related to geotechnical condition of tailings facilities, future prices of copper and other metals, compliance with financial covenants, surety bonding, our ability to raise capital, counterparty risks associated with sales of our metals, use of financial derivative instruments and associated counterparty risks, foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, changes in general economic conditions, accuracy of mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates, operating in foreign jurisdictions with risk of changes to governmental regulation, compliance with governmental regulations, compliance with environmental laws and regulations, reliance on approvals, licences and permits from governmental authorities, impact of climatic conditions on our Pinto Valley, Cozamin and Minto operations, aboriginal title claims and rights to consultation and accommodation, land reclamation and mine closure obligations, uncertainties and risks related to the potential development of the Santo Domingo Project, increased operating and capital costs, challenges to title to our mineral properties, dependence on key management personnel, potential conflicts of interest involving our directors and officers, corruption and bribery, limitations inherent in our insurance coverage, labour relations, increasing energy prices, competition in the mining industry, risks associated with joint venture partners, our ability to integrate new acquisitions into our operations, cybersecurity threats and other risks of the mining industry as well as those factors detailed from time to time in the Company's interim and annual financial statements and management's discussion and analysis of those statements, all of which are filed and available for review under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those described in our forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause our results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that our forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as our actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements.
National Instrument 43-101 Compliance
Unless otherwise indicated, Capstone has prepared the technical information in this news release ("Technical Information") based on information contained in the technical reports, news releases and MD&A's (collectively the "Disclosure Documents") available under Capstone Mining Corp.'s company profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Each Disclosure Document was prepared by, or under the supervision of, a qualified person (a "Qualified Person") as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators ("NI 43-101"). Readers are encouraged to review the full text of the Disclosure Documents which qualifies the Technical Information. Readers are advised that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The Disclosure Documents are each intended to be read as a whole, and sections should not be read or relied upon out of context. The Technical Information is subject to the assumptions and qualifications contained in the Disclosure Documents.
The technical information in this news release ("Technical Information") was prepared by, or under the supervision of, a qualified person (a "Qualified Person") as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators ("NI 43-101"). The disclosure of the Technical Information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Gregg Bush, P. Eng., Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Technical Information related to mineral exploration activities has been reviewed and approved by Brad Mercer, P. Geol., Senior Vice President, Exploration. Both are Qualified Persons under NI 43-101.
Alternative Performance Measures
The items marked with a "(1)" are alternative performance measures and readers should refer to Alternative Performance Measures in the Company's Consolidated Management's Discussion and Analysis for the quarter ended March 31, 2016 as filed on SEDAR and as available on the Company's website.
Cautionary Note to United States Investors
This news release contains disclosure that has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of Canadian securities laws, which differ from the requirements of US securities laws. Without limiting the foregoing, this news release may refer to technical reports that use the terms "indicated" and "inferred" resources. US investors are cautioned that, while such terms are recognized and required by Canadian securities laws, the SEC does not recognize them. Under US standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve" unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. US investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of indicated resources will ever be converted into reserves. US investors should also understand that "inferred resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to whether they can be mined legally or economically. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of "inferred resources" will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Therefore, US investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of inferred resources exist, or that they can be mined legally or economically. Accordingly, information concerning descriptions of mineralization and resources contained in this news release may not be comparable to information made public by US companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements of the SEC.
(1) This is an alternative performance measure; please see "Alternative Performance Measures" at the end of this release.
SOURCE Capstone Mining Corp.
OAKVILLE, Apr 26, 2016) - Saint Jean Carbon Inc. ("Saint Jean" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:SJL) with reference to the previous press release dated April 25 of this year, wishes to announce that it placed an aggregate of 5,750,000 units ("Common Units") at a price of $0.05 per Common Unit for gross proceeds of $287,500 (the "Common Unit Offering"). Each Common Unit consists of one (1) common share in the capital of the Company ("Common Share") at a price of $0.05 per Common Share and one (1) common share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one (1) additional Common Share at an exercise price of $0.06 per Common Share for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance.
In connection with the closing of the first tranche of the Common Unit Offering, the Company paid a cash finder's fee in the amount of $18,000 to one arm's length finder. In addition, the Company issued options entitling two (2) arm's length finders to each purchase 180,000 Common Units at a price of $0.05 per Common Unit.
The Company intends to use the proceeds of the Common Unit Offering for general corporate and administrative purposes.
All securities issued as part of the Common Unit Offering are subject to a four month and one (1) day hold period.
About Saint Jean
Saint Jean is a publicly traded carbon science company, with interest in graphite mining claims on the 100% Company-owned properties located in the province of Quebec in Canada. The properties include past producing mines. For information on Saint Jean's other properties and the latest news please go to the website: www.saintjeancarbon.com
On behalf of the Board of Directors
Saint Jean Carbon Inc.
Paul Ogilvie, CEO and Chairman
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS:
This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, concerning Saint Jean's business and affairs. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "intends" "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Such forward-looking statements include those with respect to the Company's intention to use the proceeds of the Common Unit Offering as working capital to fund the continued development of the Company's business.
These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and are naturally subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results to differ materially. The forward-looking statements in this news release assume, inter alia, that the conditions for completion of the Common Unit Offering, including regulatory approval will be met.
Although Saint Jean believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct. There are risks which could affect Saint Jean's ability to complete the Common Unit Offering, including that required consents and approvals from regulatory authorities will not be obtained.
Statements of past performance should not be construed as an indication of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors, including those discussed above, could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this press release, and Saint Jean assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required under applicable securities legislation.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES
Information Contact:
(905) 844-1200
info@saintjeancarbon.com
www.saintjeancarbon.com
VANCOUVER, April 27, 2016 /CNW/ - Intact Gold Corp. (TSX-V: ITG) (the "Company" or "Intact Gold"), is pleased to announce that it has appointed Greg Burns to the Company's board of directors.
Mr Burns is the Director of Mergers and Acquisitions for Capital Investment Partners, a Western Australian headquartered investment bank, with an office in Vancouver. Greg was the previous Managing Director of Xenolith, subsequently Coalspur Mines Ltd. which was taken over by Cline Group in 2015. He was also a director of White Canyon Uranium before the company was taken over by Denison Mines in 2010.
Mr Burns has held senior operational roles with Goldstream Mining, Adamus Resources Ltd. and Platinum Australia Ltd., utilising his extensive skills in all areas of exploration geology, office based management, data interpretation, and project appraisal and acquisition. Mr Burns graduated from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Geology. Greg is a member of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy & Petroleum (CIM), Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIS). Mr Burns has over 22 years of corporate and technical experience in mineral exploration and has held executive board positions with several prominent exploration and mining companies in Canada & Australia.
Anthony Jackson of Intact Gold comments: "Intact Gold is excited to have added someone with both capital market and technical experience to the Board. His appointment to our board comes at a time where Intact continues to search for advanced gold projects for development and exploration activities in Canada."
In connection with his appointment as Chairman of the Advisory Board, Intact Gold has agreed to grant Mr. Burns an option to acquire 200,000 common shares of Intact Gold at an exercise price of $0.20.
Mr Burns will replace Bob Thompson who has resigned from the board. The Company thanks Mr Thompson for his directorship and wishes him well in his future endeavors.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
INTACT GOLD CORP.
Per: Anthony Jackson, President and CEO
Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information
Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" occur. Forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding expectations of management regarding the contents of this news release. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking information is subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements including, without limitation, the risks that the Company may not have the funds necessary to make its payments pursuant to the Agreement, that the TSX-V may not approve the transaction, and other factors beyond the control of the Company. Except as required by law, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation, and does not intend, to update any forward-looking information in this news release.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
SOURCE Intact Gold Corp.
VANCOUVER, April 27, 2016 /CNW/ - Wealth Minerals Ltd. (the "Company" or "Wealth") - (TSXV: WML; OTC: WMLLF; Frankfurt: EJZ), announces that it has executed a Letter of Intent (the "LOI") to acquire an option agreement giving it the right to acquire a 100% royalty-free interest in the Puritama 1 to 8 exploration concessions located in the Salar de Aguas Calientes (the "Property"), located in Region II, northern Chile.
"This acquisition is one of several potential acquisitions that Wealth management has been negotiating in the past weeks. The acquisition of this interest in the Salar de Aguas Calientes gives Wealth a real foothold in Chile, outside of the recently announced proposed transaction with Li3 in the Salar de Maricunga." stated Henk van Alphen, Wealth's President & CEO, "Wealth's aim is to continue seeking quality acquisitions over the coming weeks."
Property Details
The Salar de Atacama is currently the only salar in Chile which produces lithium. Chile's Sernageomin (Servicio Nacional de Geologia y Mineria) has published a list of 15 other high-potential Chilean Salars, and the Aguas Calientes Norte Salar is included in this list.
Exploration concessions at the Salar de Aguas Calientes cover an area of approximately 25km2 (Figure 1) with 20km2 subject to the option agreement to be acquired by Wealth and the remaining 4km2 held by Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile ("SQM"), which is the largest lithium producer in Chile. The exploration concessions are in the process of being constituted and have preferential rights over the area that they cover. Once constituted, they will be valid for 2 years, and may be extended for an additional two years upon relinquishment of 50% of the area. Wealth anticipates that the concessions will be finally issued within the next 60 75 days.
Historical surface sampling of brines and springs on the Property was completed in 1993 and results are outlined fully in the table 1 below. Results in 1993 suggested a lithium concentration ranging up to 169 mg/l. This initial sampling is broadly in line with independent analysis published by signum BOX (June 2015), which suggests an expected lithium concentration of 205 mg/l to 290 mg/l. The exploration concessions are located 320km from the port of Antofagasta. Access to the Property is via Route 27, a highway located at the western edge of the claim block.
The Company is treating the Property as a greenfields exploration project. Although the limited earlier work noted here suggests that the Property has potential to host a lithium deposit, the Property has not, to the knowledge of the Company, yet been explored with modern lithium brine exploration methods and there has been insufficient exploration to define a lithium deposit and it is therefore uncertain if further exploration will result in a lithium deposit being delineated on the Property. Accordingly, the initial program to be carried out by the Company will consist of a program of prospecting and sampling to determine the existence, nature, extent and distribution of lithium at the Property.
Table 1: 1993 Sampling Results, Puritama Project Area
Sample Medium K (mg/l) Li (mg/l) Mg (mg/l) AC1-1 Hot Spring 185 33.0 159.0 AC1-4 Hot Spring 54 8.7 23.1 AC1-6 Lagoon 805 145.0 705.0 AC1-8 Test Pit 1180 169.0 501.0 AC1-11 Hot Spring 13 2.8 25.0
Acquisition Terms
Under the LOI, Wealth has the right to acquire all of the right, title and interest of Minera MyMinerals Limitada, a private Chilean company ("MYM") in and to an option agreement dated April 18, 2016 ("Option Agreement") between MYM and Virtud Minerals SpA, a private Chilean company, ("VMS"). Under the Option Agreement, MYM can acquire a 100% royalty-free interest in the Project by making the following payments to VMS:
Date
Payment
Upon signing
USD 150,000 (paid)
April 18, 2017
USD 500,000
April 18, 2018
USD 1,000,000
April 18, 2019
USD 1,000,000
Subject to satisfactory due diligence by Wealth, which will be completed within 60 days, Wealth and MYM will execute an assignment agreement whereby MYM will assign all of its rights under the Option Agreement in consideration of reimbursement of the USD 150,000 initial payment and issuance to MYM of 100,000 Wealth Shares. There are no work commitments under the Option Agreement. VMS has agreed to provide ongoing mining property consultancy services, in order to secure the completion of the constitution process of the concessions comprised in the Property and keep them valid and in good standing throughout the option period, for a monthly fee of USD 2,000.
The completion of the acquisition of an interest in the Option Agreement by Wealth is subject to the acceptance for filing thereof by the TSX Venture Exchange.
Qualified Person
EurGeol Keith J. Henderson, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Henderson is a consultant to Wealth, but does hold common shares and incentive stock options in the Company.
About Wealth Minerals Ltd.
Wealth is a mineral resource company with interests in Canada, Mexico, Peru and Chile. The Company's main focus is the acquisition of Lithium projects in South America, including interests in the Maricunga Salar in Chile. The Company also maintains a portfolio of precious and base metal exploration-stage projects, including Yanamina (Peru) and Valsequillo (Mexico).
For further details on the Company readers are referred to the Company's web site (www.wealthminerals.com) and its Canadian regulatory filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors of
WEALTH MINERALS LTD.
"Hendrik van Alphen"
Hendrik van Alphen
President & CEO
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 press release, which has been prepared by management.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and US securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement, timing and cost of exploration programs, anticipated exploration program results, the discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/reserves, the Company's expectation that it will be able to enter into agreements to acquire interests in additional mineral projects, including lithium projects, the proposed acquisition by the Company of Li3 and the shares of Li3, and thereby an interest in the Maricunga Lithium Project; the proposed execution of formal agreements for the acquisition of an interest in the Option Agreement and thereby the right to earn an interest in the Salar de Aguas Calientes; and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, the state of the financial markets for the Company's equity securities, the state of the commodity markets generally, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, variations in the market price of any mineral products the Company may produce or plan to produce, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required, including TSXV acceptance, for its planned activities, the inability of the Company to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's latest interim Management Discussion and Analysis and filed with certain securities commissions in Canada. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties.
Caution Regarding Adjacent or Similar Mineral Properties
This news release contains information with respect to adjacent or similar mineral properties in respect of which the Company has no interest or rights to explore or mine. Readers are cautioned that the Company has no interest in or right to acquire any interest in any such properties, and that mineral deposits, and the results of any mining thereof, on adjacent or similar properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on the Company's properties or any potential exploitation thereof.
SOURCE Wealth Minerals Ltd.
Scott Jetson and James Sharp, the duo behind The Wine Crowd. Photo: Jil Hogan
The Canberra wine scene continues to grow in leaps and bounds, and new local company The Wine Crowd hopes to boost it even more.
In this case two is a crowd, with duo Scott Jetson and James Sharp behind the venture which aims to get people more interested in wine, and help promote boutique wineries.
They have plans for wine events, dinners, education sessions, and even a Canberra wine festival for later this year.
The pair met when they were studying at university in Canberra. After long periods living interstate for work, they noticed the shift in the culture when they moved back.
"We came back to Canberra, and after being here for another year and a little bit we were like 'oh wow the culture's changed significantly'. Canberra's really defining its culture and social scene as well, so just coming back to it was quite awesome," said Jetson.
"There's some pretty exciting and special wines."
Working with wine is a natural fit for Sharp who has strong family ties to the McLaren Vale wine district and developed a love of good wine at an early age - he was raised to appreciate a heavy shiraz.
But Jetson had never been a wine drinker until much later on.
"It's never been in my family. I was born in Tassie, but never was aware of the amazing wines that come from there until quite later," he said.
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"I used to call myself a self-proclaimed beer connoisseur I had a big palate for beer, but I didn't know anything about it really. Then I got into wine, and we went on tastings, we went on tours, and I started to appreciate different flavours, different aromas. Then I did a bit of work in Sydney in the industry, putting on events and it just grew significantly in a short period of time."
Both are still working at their day jobs, but wanted to "try something else and go on a new adventure".
"We want to create this community of people that just love, were intrigued, and were curious about wine and to enhance the wine culture in Canberra," said Jetson.
As well as events for the public, Jetson and Sharp are also distributing wines with a focus on boutique wineries.
"We approached some boutique wineries and said, 'how can we support you guys because you're making amazing wines, other people need to see it'," Jetson said.
"With boutique producers, they don't always have the capacity to really do anything themselves to get their name out, cause they're busy in the winery and the vineyard."
The Wine Crowd will launch with a party at the new Bar Rochford on Thursday April 28 from 4pm. On top of tastings of wines in their portfolio, there will be cold meats and canapes from Bar Rochford's kitchen, and winemaker Adrian Brayne from Tumbarumba will be on hand to talk all things wines.
Tickets to the launch are $20 and available at thewinecrowd.com.au.
Mo Wyse and Shannon Martinez are the masterminds behind Smith & Daughters and Smith & Deli in Fitzroy. Photo: Eddie Jim
The Big Mock is a dish that will sound eerily familiar to anyone who grew up on an infamous advertising jingle of the 1970s. Namely: two non-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, Cheezly, pickled onions on a sesame-seed bun.
Unleashed on the world at Brunswick's Cornish Arms Hotel, it was put on the pub's Facebook page and picked up on Instagram before wending its way to various food blogs. The rest is vegan history.
"We had people ringing up from interstate asking about it. People drove down from Albury [320 kilometres away]. Twenty came in on a bus from Dandenong. It was total madness," says owner Anthony Foster.
In a way, the story of the Big Mock and the transformation of the Cornish Arms is emblematic of the new-vegan paradigm. When Foster took over the pub in 2009 it was just another typical pub with a uni-student-heavy population and a menu indistinguishable from any other pub in a 1000-kilometre radius. Things were pretty sleepy at this address in Sydney Road.
Then a new chef, Lloyd Kembrey, came along. He'd been working with prominent vegan-friendly chef Shannon Martinez (remember that name: she's going to figure big later in this story) and asked to trial a vegan menu one night a week. "I was unenthusiastic, let's put it that way," says Foster. But something funny happened on V-Day. The jungle drums sounded across social media. The crowds came. And a new business model was born.
Vegan mac daddy from the Cornish Arms Hotel.
These days the Cornish Arms is a purring Prius of the pub restaurant world: a hybrid vegan/omnivore where the two food tribes coexist more or less happily, one side chowing down on fish and chips or chicken parma, the other on erm fish and chips or chicken parma, only vegan versions that use all the tools of the trade including mock meat, facon (that's fake bacon), Cheezly and nut-based aioli. There are no virtuous barley stews here but you can get a BBQ Deluxe Meat Loathers pizza with mini "beef" burgers, facon, mock chicken, coal-roasted sausage and vegami (vegan pepperoni).
Not to put too fine a point on it, it's vegan junk food. Unashamedly so. "We find the junkier the better," says Foster. "We tried to go the healthy route with things like lentil curry but it doesn't get half the reaction. I guess the thing is that vegans can get their healthy fix anywhere."
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The moral of the story ought to be clear. Vegans just want to have fun. For many readers that will necessitate a mental shift from the cliched, morally righteous food ascetic (hobbies: sermonising and wearing cheesecloth). In fact, vegans have infiltrated the Celebrity-Industrial Complex, with famous converts who include Tom Hanks, a noticeably trimmed-down Bill Clinton (who, it must be said, slips in some salmon from time to time on his doctor's orders), and Beyonce (who, in an act of either sheer perversity or utter stupidity, was papped wearing a fur coat to a vegan restaurant in Los Angeles).
Anthony Bourdain memorably dismissed them as "vegetarianism's Hezbollah-like splinter faction", but statistics show vegans are a growing market force.
Research commissioned by burger chain Grill'd and released in January found 480,000 Australians now identify as vegan, and 2 million as vegetarian. Grill'd, which produces three vegan burgers, puts it down to the so-called millennials (otherwise known as Gen Y): "Millennials are increasingly interested in and critical of food brands, what is in their food, where it comes from, how it tastes and how it plays into their health."
In other words, veganism is becoming a broader church, its pews filled not only by those concerned with its traditional domain of animal cruelty, but broader issues of sustainability, including deforestation, pollution from industrial farming and the significant carbon footprint of raising livestock. "They're a generation aware that we're not going to have any fish left in the sea before too long," says Foster.
Ribs at Smith & Daughters. Photo: Eddie Jim
They're also a generation that doesn't like being preached to. Some diners at Fitzroy's Smith & Daughters don't believe it when they're told it's a vegan restaurant. The menu has items such as chilli dogs and southern fried chicken, for one. A neon sign says "eat vegan" but it's subsumed into the Mexican-styled Day of the Dead decorations. If this is a cunning plot to convert carnivores to the dark side, it's a velvet revolution.
"We wanted to make sure the space didn't have the typical vegan vibe," says chef Shannon Martinez, who opened the thumpingly busy Brunswick Street restaurant with Mo Wyse two years ago. No cheesecloth in sight: the duo is heavily tattooed and their hair changes colour with unerring regularity.
"There are plenty of vegans out there who aren't your typical health nuts. They want to come out and have a good night, drink cocktails and beer, get a bit drunk, have a party with their friends with good music. It's that whole vibe everyone else gets but vegans tend to miss out on."
Martinez isn't a vegan, the record ought to note (although Wyse has been for 17 years). She credits it with her ability to make mock-meat products that taste like the real thing. The business partners tell a story about visiting Sydney meat temple Porteno (like most smart restaurants these days, it does a vegan menu on request). "Shannon was eating blood pudding," says Wyse, "and she looked across the table and said to me, 'If only you could taste what is going on in my mouth right now'. I could tell she was thinking about it the whole way home on the plane. She didn't even drop her bags home, she just went to work. Three days later it was on the menu."
The Reuben sandwich served at Smith & Deli. Photo: Josh Robenstone
Business is booming (and that blood pudding sans blood turned out to be one of their best sellers). So much so that last year they opened nearby Smith & Deli, which takes its cues from the great New York City delis, from the vaguely institutional shade of green to the fake-pastrami Reuben sandwich and smoked salmon (made from compressed watermelon), dill and cream cheese on a rye bagel. The Egg McMartinez, a play on the McDonald's breakfast burger, typically sells out by 10am. As Wyse and Martinez plot world domination maybe a move to the US, where Wyse hails from they're also working on their first cookbook, due to be released by Hardie Grant late in the year.
Their growing empire is testament to the fact that veganism has become something of a bull market. "What shocked us the most was the support from non-vegans," says Martinez. "Around 75 to 80 per cent of our customers are non-vegans. A table of 10, one or two might be vegans and the rest meat eaters."
Cheese-free: Gigi Pizzeria in Newtown packs them in with its vegan fare. Photo: Sahlan Hayes
Sydney pizzeria Gigi also tested market forces when it went vegan last year. Owner Marco Matino, who has run the popular Newtown restaurant for the past 10 years, was prompted to adopt a "plant-based menu" (a term he prefers over "vegan") after a long and winding road-to-Damascus experience.
Further complicating his story is his rarefied status as a pizzaiolo accredited by the Naples-based Associazone Verace Pizza Napoletana for his adherence to its stringent rules on making wood-fired pizzas. Essentially, Matino forsaking meat made him an apostate in the eyes of customers who couldn't imagine life without salami and cheese. It also means he can no longer serve the AVPN-accredited margherita, thanks to its buffalo mozzarella, although the marinara (San Marzano tomato, garlic, fresh oregano and extra virgin olive oil) keeps its AVPN tick.
"It goes deeper than a business decision for me," says Matino, who nonetheless contends he's just as busy post-vegan menu. "A lot of Italian customers didn't understand it at first they thought it was something faddish but plenty of them are coming back."
"Most chefs think vegan food is a joke, which just comes down to laziness," says Martinez. "You've cooked with cheese and meat and dairy for so many years and you instinctively know how to make things taste amazing. It's like you have this crutch of throwing in a whole heap of butter at the end, but as soon as you remove those things you have to start really thinking about it."
Which brings us to the vexed issue of mock meat. Some vegans say no to faux as a matter of principle. To many others, increasingly convincing versions of mock meats typically made from either soy, wheat protein, mushrooms or a plant root known as konjac are the clincher to make them think a vegan lifestyle is possible.
"Most vegans aren't avoiding meat because they don't like the taste, it's because they don't like the cruelty and death that goes with it and the environmental side of things," says Wyse. "Most people are brought up eating their grandmother's roast and they have strong, emotional memories of it."
It seems that in this most-pragmatic of revolutions, it's now possible to be a part-time vegan. Sure, you might be derided as a midweek warrior but movements such as Meat Free Monday have plenty of people finding the middle ground between the options previously known as All or Nothing.
"As a meat eater I'm trying to convince other meat eaters you don't have to eat meat every single day," says Martinez. "Being in this business, I don't eat meat that much any more and it makes me appreciate it more when I do. That will have a massive impact on the world and the way we eat rather than trying to make everyone quit outright."
Associated Presws file Newspaper publisher Gannett said Monday it wants to buy rival Tribune Publishing in a deal giving the USA TODAY owner control of the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune.
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But Tribune says it will talk to Gannett
By The Associated Press
NEW YORK Tribune Publishing said Tuesday in a letter that USA TODAY owner Gannett was "erratic" and "unreliable" as the two newspaper companies tried to discuss a possible tie-up.
Nonetheless, Tribune said it is still considering the offer from Gannett.
Tribune's letter comes a day after Gannett made public its bid to buy the owner of the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune. Gannett Co., based in McLean, Virginia, said Monday that Tribune refused to have meaningful discussions about a possible deal.
In its letter Tuesday, Tribune said Gannett executives canceled a meeting without reason and once asked it to make a decision about the proposal within 90 minutes.
"Gannett has been playing games," Tribune said in the letter, which was signed by Tribune CEO Justin Dearborn.
Gannett responded with its own letter Tuesday, saying that the meeting was canceled because a person from Tribune's team who did not know about the offer would be there.
"Tribune was well aware of Gannett's reason for canceling the dinner," Gannett CEO Robert Dickey said in the letter. Gannett said it is "eager" to negotiate a deal with Tribune. "Please let us know when and where you would like to meet," the letter said.
Gannett said Monday that it wants to buy Chicago-based Tribune to expand its USA TODAY NETWORK, an effort launched late last year that helps it share stories between national paper USA TODAY and its more than 100 local daily newspapers. Besides the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune, buying Tribune would give Gannett control of the Hartford Courant, The Baltimore Sun and several other newspapers.
Gannett shares slipped 24 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $16.55 in morning trading Tuesday. Shares of Tribune Publishing Co. rose 5 cents to $11.55
Lester Wisbrod, a longtime Hollywood cameraman, holds up a photograph he took of himself, posing with actor Antonio Banderas, May 28, 2014, at his Hollywood home. Wisbrod has photographed himself posing with celebrities over the past three decades. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times/MCT)
SHARE Lester Wisbrod, a longtime Hollywood cameraman, pictured May 28, 2014, at his Hollywood home, has photographed himself, posing with celebrities over the past three decades, including former President Ronald Reagan, left, and actor Clint Eastwood at right. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times/MCT) Lester Wisbrod, a longtime Hollywood cameraman, holds up a photograph he took of himself, posing with film director Steven Spielberg, May 28, 2014, at his Hollywood home. Wisbrod has photographed himself posing with celebrities over the past three decades. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times/MCT)
By Daniel Miller Los Angeles Times (Mct)
LOS ANGELES ? In the photographs, Lester Wisbrod is a constant: He always appears on the right, with a big smile and a satisfied look about him. On the left, a cavalcade of famous faces flashes by: Clint Eastwood, Jennifer Aniston, Charlton Heston, Renee Zellweger.
The A-listers look perfect, captured in a single moment of stardom. But as the photos flip by, it is Wisbrod who captivates. Crow's-feet deepen. Hair turns gray. Jowls set in.
It is a portrait of a life ? an unvarnished one.
For more than two decades, the longtime Hollywood cameraman snapped photographs of himself and celebrities he'd meet on television sets. In all, Wisbrod has about 150 of the shots, most of them taken in the days before digital cameras, never mind mobile phones with front-facing lenses.
Ellen DeGeneres' famous photo of herself with several actors at the Oscars ? which was actually snapped by Bradley Cooper ? became the quintessential selfie in an Instagram world of cellphone auteurs, self-obsessed teens and celebrity culture. But Wisbrod insists he invented the celebrity selfie. And now he wants his due.
"Generally I am not that ostentatious," said Wisbrod, now 67 and semi-retired. "It just seems like it is bad form to be bragging. But what the hell."
Wisbrod began taking the photos in 1981, shortly after the introduction of Canon's Sure Shot 35-millimeter compact camera, one of the first autofocus models to hit the market. It would allow him to take a self-portrait that he could count on being in focus.
Still, his first Sure Shot selfie ? with humorist Art Buchwald ? came out blurry. But Wisbrod quickly got the hang of it, and termed the images "silly shots," though his friends would eventually call them "Lesters."
The photographs capture Hollywood in all of its mystifying allure. For every enduring star there's a has-been, and plenty of former cultural touchstones who long ago faded to obscurity. Viewing the images now makes Wisbrod wistful, and even a little bashful over having aged.
"I guess I was better-looking then than I thought I was," he deadpanned.
Wisbrod said he never harbored dreams of working in Hollywood, or cultivated a childhood interest in movie stars. He was raised in Oakland in a working-class family and joined the Air Force after high school. He served in Vietnam, working in radar operations.
In 1968, Wisbrod enrolled at Nevada Southern University (now UNLV) and, needing work, found a job listing posted by local television station KLAS-TV, which was looking for a cameraman. The gig paid $2 an hour.
He was soon hired and began work on the local broadcast of the children's show "Romper Room."
"I fell in love with it," Wisbrod said. "I could not believe my good fortune ? it was glamorous, and it was fun."
He would later work at other Las Vegas television stations over the course of a decade. In 1979, Wisbrod moved to Los Angeles. A few years later, once he'd gotten a toehold in Hollywood, Wisbrod ? who worked on shows including "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" and "A Current Affair" ? began taking selfies.
With time, Wisbrod developed a routine. First he'd "chat up" his subjects ? many of whom he'd already been working with on assignment as a cameraman ? before asking for a photo.
"That warms them up," he said, adding that celebrities nearly always obliged ? and happily. Wisbrod was turned down only once.
He said "M*A*S*H" actress Loretta Swit told him he could have a photo only if someone else shot it. "I awkwardly withdrew," he said.
Many of the women in the images have their cheeks pressed up closely to Wisbrod. Several of the men have their arms draped around him. Wisbrod believes that the physical act of holding his trusty Sure Shot with an outstretched arm ? which required he and his subject to gather closely ? disarmed the seemingly untouchable actors.
"It just puts people in a whole different mood," he said.
Steve Domier, who worked with Wisbrod on television shoots in the 1980s and 1990s, said his colleague's approach was "unusual at the time, and it was novel."
"When you want a picture, you ask someone. Not Lester, because he is a cameraman," said Domier, vice president of distribution marketing for the CW Television Network. "He wanted control. And then he'd know how it'd come out."
There were technical aspects to the Lesters. Wisbrod, who'd almost always take a photo with just one other person, knew he'd need to hold the camera at least 18 inches from his face ? the bare minimum for an auto-focusing camera. Wisbrod would also hold the camera at an angle slightly above him, "simply because it would tighten up my neck," he said, laughing.
In taking all those photos, Wisbrod documented a career spent in the shadows of stardom. But until recently, he wasn't so inclined to share his hobby.
Wisbrod's wife, Jody Wicks, said that on a mid-1990s trip to visit her family in Iowa, she brought along a secret stash of the photos so that she could show her relatives.
"I knew he didn't want me to take them," said Wicks, a dentist. "He is not the kind of guy who wants to say, ?Oh, look at me, look at what I did.' But when people in Iowa saw them, oh my God! They'd never seen anything like it."
Wisbrod may have once kept his selfies private, but that changed this year when he posted a slide show of his photos to YouTube.
In the video's voice-over, Wisbrod sounds mildly exasperated as he stakes his selfie claim, but also is almost apologetic in explaining his decision to publicize his pastime.
"Everybody's making a big fuss about selfies ? selfie this, selfie that ... give me a break. I've been doing selfies since 1981," he says. "I thought I better do something or else I'll end up as roadkill on the history highway."
On a recent afternoon, Wisbrod sat in the dining room of his woodsy Hollywood Hills home, shuffling through a file of old photos. He marveled at each, holding up the glossy 4-by-6 images and reciting the names of the celebrities. Sometimes, he couldn't remember them. Others triggered warm memories.
He flashed a picture with Steven Spielberg.
"Spielberg said: ?Are you sure you want to take it that way? You may not get another chance,'" Wisbrod recalled. The photo came out perfectly.
Admiring a picture with Anthony Hopkins, Wisbrod recounted having asked the "Silence of the Lambs" actor to autograph a bottle of Chianti ? a playful nod to his turn in that film. (Hopkins obliged.)
A photo with President Ronald Reagan, taken after he'd left office, made Wisbrod chuckle.
"That was a tough one to get, because I had to slip in between the Secret Service and the dignity of the presidency," he said.
A picture of Bill Pullman triggered an awkward memory.
"He thought I was macking on his girlfriend," Wisbrod said. "I wasn't."
But when Wisbrod came across photos of people who died before their time ? among them Gregory Hines, Robert Urich and Jim Henson ? he turned melancholy.
"They were really young, as was I," said Wisbrod, the wail of a siren on some Hollywood street far below just barely registering.
There's a sense that Wisbrod felt that by documenting his proximity to celebrity, he'd secure his reputation as a Hollywood high roller. Wisbrod, however, said he took the silly shots simply because it was something fun to do.
"It was kind of a goof," he said, fingering the stack of photos.
But he conceded that after working behind cameras all those years, he had wanted to memorialize his connection to all those beautiful faces in front of them.
"I came from East Oakland," he said. "People in East Oakland really don't get out and about into the celebrity scene much. I did it so much I really kind of took it for granted. In a way, I kind of miss it now."
photos by Michael Tercha/Chicago Tribune/TNS Bacon and butternut squash hash isn't just for the morning.
SHARE Mix toasted Brazil nuts, garlic croutons, roughly chopped green onion tops, grated lemon rind and salt to make a topping for your hash. Michael Tercha/Chicago Tribune/TNS Pair breakfast-for-dinner with a maple syrup cocktail.
Make bacon hash, maple syrup cocktail
By Jeanmarie Brownson, Chicago Tribune (TNS)
Breakfast for dinner: pancakes sweet and savory, waffles with or without chicken, omelets, frittatas and just about any egg dish. Yum. My household continues the tradition even though we no longer have young children.
These days, we even enjoy a cocktail with our breakfast. The good news when the repast is served in the evening: Cocktails happily move beyond the bloody mary. Yes, bourbon, scotch, amaros and dark bitters prove more than welcome.
A requirement: Breakfast for dinner satisfies best when embracing savory elements. Bacon and other smoked meats and fish suffice, even in small quantities. For example, I cook multigrain pancakes in bacon fat when serving them late in the day. I add chopped ham to my scrambled eggs or top omelets with slivers of smoked salmon.
Likewise, vegetables make a welcome appearance: sauteed spinach on a fried egg sandwich and caramelized onions in the frittata. Fresh herbs added to butter transform an evening waffle topped with crispy chicken.
After a day of biking in Austria, we ordered grostl, a hash made with crispy fried potatoes, sweet onions and chopped pork sausages. Topped with a fried egg, this homey, satisfying skillet of goodness made us glad we'd exercised all day. It also made me recall some excellent breakfast hash adventures.
At home, we venture beyond the standard canned corned beef hash especially when there is leftover meat in the house. Hash comes from the French verb hacher, literally to chop, which is the only requirement for hash that it be chopped. Hash on the menu provides an opportunity to rekindle your food processor romance. It makes quick work of chopping the vegetables. However, I prefer a super-sharp knife and a cutting board to dice any meats, so I have pretty, little chunks to add to the hash.
I'm a huge fan of ready-cut vegetables sold in the produce section, particularly ones difficult to manage such as butternut squash. Chopped and browned to crisp goodness with bacon fat, butternut makes a fine hash. Sweet potatoes work in the recipe that follows, as do small new potatoes. Use dark purple varieties for a dramatic flair.
Add onions, garlic and spices to hashed veggies for maximum flavor and texture. I also pair smoked meats, such as ham or smoked pork chops, with the slightly sweet butternut. Use the best bacon and smoked meats you can afford; I seek out uncured varieties, so they are free of nitrates and other additives. Boar's Head, Applegate Farms and other brands are now readily available at supermarkets and on Amazon.
I've never had a hash that wasn't improved by the addition of a fried egg. Ditto for a crunchy nut topping. Here, I toast Brazil nuts (find them shelled at Trader Joe's) and chop them with garlicky croutons, fresh lemon and green onions.
Since virtually all hash, like our Austrian grostl, is quite rich, you can easily stretch the recipe that follows to 6 servings. Simply increase the eggs to an even dozen and cook them in batches.
I serve a baby kale salad dressed with a warm vinaigrette to counter the richness. In season, sliced ripe tomatoes serve the same purpose. Offering a super-chilled maple and rye cocktail makes this quite the meal to end (or start) the day.
MAPLE AND RYE COCKTAIL
Prep: 5 minutes
Makes: 1 serving
You can multiply this recipe times your number of guests and put the whiskey, amaro, syrup and bitters into a pitcher. Refrigerate up to several hours. Shake cocktails one serving at a time using a scant cup of the mix per drink.
Ingredients
Ice cubes
1/4 cup rye whiskey, such as Templeton Rye
2 tablespoons amaro liqueur, such as Amaro Averna or Amaro Lucano
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
4-6 dashes Angostura bitters
1 thin piece grapefruit peel (yellow part only, no white pith)
Directions
1 Fill a cocktail shaker full of ice. Pour rye, amaro, maple syrup and bitters over the ice. Cover tightly and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
2 Strain into a stemmed cocktail glass. Add the grapefruit peel to the glass. Serve immediately.
Bob Fila/Chicago Tribune/TNS Serve a classic hash with wine to match. (Bob Fila/Chicago Tribune/TNS)
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Sommelier pairs hearty wines with heaping helping of hash
By Michael Austin, Chicago Tribune (TNS)
There are few things easier to make, and more delicious, than a good hash. This one will be on the table in less than 30 minutes and works for dinner just as well as it does for brunch. Which means, of course, that it's time to break out the wine. Below, three that will match beautifully including a fun, fizzy red and, surprisingly, a white that can stand up to beef.
MAKE THIS
ROAST BEEF HASH
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet until butter melts. Add 1 small onion, finely chopped; cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste; cook, 1 minute. Stir in 1 large cooked potato, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, and 2 cups cooked roast beef, cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Cook, undisturbed, over medium heat until crust has formed, about 10 minutes. Turn hash; cook until lightly browned, 5 minutes. Serve with poached eggs, if desired. Makes: 4 servings
Adapted from a recipe by James Beard
DRINK THIS
Pairings by sommelier Ryan Arnold, divisional wine director for Lettuce Entertain You restaurants, as told to Michael Austin:
2014 Monte da Ravasqueira White, Alentejo, Portugal: The heartiness of this dish begs for a white with some body and weight to it, but one that retains bright acidity and freshness. This wine, a blend of viognier, semillon and a few Portuguese varietals (including alvarinho and arinto), has nice minerality and salinity. The viognier also offers overripe, sweet tropical fruit, which will offset the heat of the paprika.
2014 Fiorini Becco Rosse Lambrusco, Emilia-Romagna, Italy: Lambruscos range in style, from bone dry to sweet. This dry one full of dried dark cherry, raspberry, plum and green herb characters has the acidity needed to work through the butter and oil. Remember: Lambrusco isn't bottled under as much pressure as Prosecco (spumante) but has a light perlage, which Italians call frizzante.
2013 Castello di Verduno Pelaverga Basadone, Piedmont, Italy: In Piedmont, the pelaverga grape is planted in the heart of Barbaresco, where most vineyards are reserved for the legendary nebbiolo variety. Full of bright red fruit such as cherries and strawberries, this pelaverga wine (best served slightly chilled) is balanced by notes of black pepper and nutmeg. It's a lighter-bodied red, which will allow the flavors of the beef, potato and paprika to shine through.
Associated Press Junior doctors hold placards Tuesday as they take part in the start of a 48-hour strike on their picket line outside St Thomas' Hospital in London.
SHARE Associated Press Junior doctors hold placards as they take part in the start of a 48-hour strike on their picket line outside St Thomas' Hospital in London, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Thousands of doctors have posted picket lines outside of hospitals around England in the first all-out strike in the history of the National Health Service. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Associated Press Junior doctors hold placards as they take part in the start of a 48-hour strike on their picket line outside St Thomas' Hospital in London, Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Thousands of doctors have posted picket lines outside of hospitals around England in the first all-out strike in the history of the National Health Service. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Dispute with government spurs historic walkout
By Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA TODAY NETWORK
LONDON Doctors in England staged a historic strike Tuesday amid a monthslong dispute over a new contract the government wants to impose on them.
The strike will last until Wednesday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day. It is the first time in the history of the National Health Service, Britain's taxpayer-funded health system, that industrial action on this scale is taking place. Junior doctors in the United Kingdom can be newly qualified or have up to 10 years' experience.
Senior doctors and other medics will provide cover. The strike is not taking place in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
The NHS said it was "pulling out all the stops" to minimize the risks to patients during the strike. It said hospitals had plans in place to provide essential services such as emergency and maternity care, but the "unprecedented situation" had led to the postponement of 12,711 elective operations.
Junior doctors get extra pay for working night and weekend shifts, but the new contract would see their Saturday daytime shifts paid at the normal rate from the summer, with a rise in basic pay.
Jeremy Hunt, Britain's health secretary, urged junior doctors not to withdraw emergency cover in a speech to the parliament Monday. The Department of Health said that if the doctors had agreed to negotiate on pay on Saturdays, there would have been an agreement.
Hunt said the underlying reason for the dispute was "this government's determination to be the first country in the world to offer a proper patient-focused 7 day health service."
"The new contract offers junior doctors who work frequently at weekends more Saturday premium pay than nurses, paramedics, than the assistants who work in their own operating theaters, more than police officers or firefighters and nearly every other worker in the public and private sectors," he said.
Johann Malawana, chairman of the British Medical Association's committee for junior doctors, a group that represents their interests, said Tuesday was "an incredibly sad day for doctors, and the rest of society."
"We deeply regret the disruption caused to patients, but we know experienced staff will be working hard to provide the emergency care they need and it is for the benefit of the same patients and people who need to use the NHS in future that we take this action," he said.
"We have made the government a clear offer as to what it will take avert industrial action," he added. "We offered a simple choice lift imposition and the strikes would be called off, but unfortunately the health secretary simply refuses to do that."
SHARE James Albert Casey James Albert Casey
By Staff Report
A Tom Green County jury found a 55-year-old San Angelo man guilty of theft after two days of trial and about an hour of deliberation.
James Albert Casey was indicted in September on an aggravated robbery charge, a first-degree felony punishable by five to 99 years in prison. However, the jury of seven women and five men Tuesday found Casey guilty of theft, a lesser included offense to aggravated robbery.
Theft is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $500 and no jail time. Casey was fined $500.
Casey was accused of threatening a woman with a box cutter after stealing from her outside of a local pawn shop in late July, according to court documents.
The woman told police she was shopping at an EZ Pawn, 2018 S. Bryant Blvd., when she saw a man, later identified as Casey, burglarize her parked car, according to court documents.
When the woman confronted Casey, she said he "held up a box cutter with the blade extended and told her to come and get the property," according to court documents.
Casey then took off in his pickup before police arrived, according to court documents. The woman told police Casey stole a pack of cigarettes, a lighter and a pair of sunglasses. Police arrested Casey later that day at Travelodge, 4205 S. Bryant Blvd., where they found a box cutter, a pair of sunglasses and one cigarette inside his car, according to court documents.
Casey told police that the woman "came out of the store and caused a scene."
He said a man who appeared to know the woman, also came out of the pawn shop with a large knife in his hand and approached him, according to court documents.
Casey told police he felt threatened, so he reached under his seat and retrieved a box cutter to defend himself, according to court documents.
Casey also told police that "he currently cannot walk around."
Casey has four misdemeanor charges pending, two assault causing bodily injury, fleeing from police and criminal trespassing. He also has an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon case filed.
Casey was taken into custody at the end of trial because of these other pending cases.
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By Staff Report
The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, 1 Love St., will host the third Annual EnPleinAirTexas from Oct. 23-30.
Professional artists will spend the week painting the city, ranchlands, river and landscapes.
Artists from San Angelo and around the world have until Sunday to apply to be one of the 35 artists competing this year.
The selected artists will live in host homes and be able to connect with the community through several events. They also will enjoy luncheons, artist talks and demos, a two-hour Paint-Out and a Collectors STAMPEDE Sale and Awards Party on Oct. 30.
Applications must be submitted online at enpleinairTEXAS.com
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The following editorial appeared in Monday's USA TODAY:
In most cases, U.S. presidents don't advise foreign countries how to vote. But President Obama urged Britons on Friday to reject a measure that would take their country out of the 28-member European Union.
In an op-ed published Friday morning, and even more forcefully in a news conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron, Obama made three points:
n Britain has more influence on world affairs in the E.U. than it would outside of it.
n The United States has a vested interest in a united Europe.
n The U.S. would naturally want one of its closest allies to remain a key player in that Europe.
Obama is right on all counts. And he is right to bring his personal popularity and prestige to bear in helping to inform voters of the consequences of approving a British exit, or Brexit, in the vote on June 23.
To have an unseemly divorce in Europe now would be a huge blow to U.S. interests on a variety of fronts.
America needs a functional, prosperous Europe. Because of threats ranging from the Islamic State terrorist group to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the NATO alliance is more important now than it has been in decades. Europe's immigrant crisis has repercussions around the world. And a moribund economy in Europe is one of the main reasons that the economy has not grown faster here.
Even more troubling, a British exit would amount to a partial unraveling of the network of institutions created after World War II including NATO, the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations, the G-20 major and emerging economic powers, the Bretton Woods banking accords and the E.U. that helped create the most peaceful and prosperous era in history in the aftermath of war and depression.
Great Britain is, of course, a free and sovereign nation. Just as it decided to join the European Union, it can decide to leave. Even so, viewed from this side of the Atlantic, it's hard to see why it would want to. It is in the highly advantageous position of being part of the E.U. without being one of the 19 nations that use the euro as its currency.
Being part of the E.U. has given Britain unfettered access to markets on the continent representing roughly 7 percent of the global population. It has made it easier for British companies to sell their products, protected their intellectual property and boosted London's financial services sector.
The prime motivation of Brexit supporters seems to be one that Americans would know well: fear of immigration. Given the flood of refugees out of Africa and the Middle East, it's not hard to see why this would be an issue. But Britain is far removed from Europe's main entry points. And it chose perhaps wisely not to join the open-borders agreement within the E.U., so its ability to turn back refugees at its border would not be significantly affected by whether it is in or out.
By withdrawing, Britain would marginalize itself in both European and world affairs. European leaders would treat its departure as an affront. And, as Obama made clear, Britain would be pushed to "the back of the queue" in its trade dealings with a United States that would naturally focus its attention on larger economies.
Without question, Britain is better off as part of a united Europe, and it's in America's interest to make that case.
Jeremy Weaver hopes that his tiny houses will start making a big impact in Chattanooga's growing housing gap.
Mr. Weaver, a fellow at Causeway, spoke to the City Council on Tuesday.
There's a lot of popular excitement, he said. It's not just a fad.
Mr. Weaver is currently trying to get a tiny house pilot community off the ground. He has been looking at 20 different lots, mainly in the MLK and Southside area. The goal is to start building by this winter or next spring.
Though tiny houses can be built on wheels, Weaver said that they differ from RVs and mobile homes because they are built explicitly as permanent residences most of the time. He said that tiny houses are built exactly like your home, whereas RVs are built to save weight. He said that in a tiny house, everything is durable.
Mr. Weaver said that there are at least 10 tiny house communities in the country, mostly aimed at the homeless. However, this particular project (in Chattanooga) is aimed at the working poor. His project is trying to attract young, entrepreneurial types, working people making less than $30,000-$40,000 a year.
For more than a year, Mr. Weaver and his wife have been living full-time in a tiny house. He said that this allowed them to start up the company without accruing debt and to pay off their student loans.
The City Council was given the opportunity to tour a newly-built tiny house. Though the houses are custom-made, Mr. Weaver estimated that the trend in size will land somewhere between 500-1000 square feet.
For the tiny house community, the project budget estimated about $40,000 per unit. The unit would include one or two bedrooms (lofted or unlofted), one bathroom, one kitchen, a washer/dryer, and a mini-split a/c and heater.
The tiny house pocket community would address the housing gap in Chattanooga's urban core. Rent or lease purchase arrangements were estimated at $400-$600 per month. The goal is to have the pilot community completed by mid-2017.
Mr. Weaver was optimistic with the plans, calling tiny houses a completely revolutionary new model of flexible, affordable housing.
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State Sen. Catherine E. Pugh narrowly defeated former Mayor Sheila Dixon in the crowded Democratic primary for Baltimore mayor -- a race many called the most important in a generation with the city still recovering from the rioting of last April.Pugh, who had twice been a runner-up in citywide races, raised her profile during the unrest that engulfed Baltimore after the death of Freddie Gray in police custody. She spent days and nights at the corner of Pennsylvania and North avenues, where looting and arson broke out, trying to calm the tensions between protesters and police."Nobody gave this campaign a chance," Pugh said to a cheering crowd at the Harbor Hotel in downtown Baltimore. "We have a lot of work to do in this city. Thank you for believing."Dixon conceded the race soon after Pugh claimed victory."We've got to build on what this campaign stood for," Dixon said. "It stood for love of the people of this city."Voters, by a narrow margin, preferred Pugh to Dixon, who is beloved in large swaths of West and East Baltimore for her performance as mayor but dogged by a scandal that forced her from office."We are seeing change come to our city," said U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, who endorsed Pugh. "We've been through a lot. We are now in the process of transformation."The two front-runners finished well ahead of their 10 other opponents in the Democratic primary. Lawyer Elizabeth Embry was a distant third.All other Democratic candidates, including businessman David L. Warnock, City Councilman Carl Stokes, and prominent Black Lives Matter activist DeRay Mckesson, registered single-digit vote percentages.Pugh still must run in the November general election for mayor. But in a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans 10 to 1, the primary has for decades decided the race for Baltimore mayor.The 30,000 early voters -- who cast ballots from April 14 to April 21 -- proved a deciding factor in the race. Dixon beat Pugh among Election Day voters, but Pugh's lead in early voting gave her the edge.On the Republican side, Alan Walden, a former WBAL radio anchor, defeated four lesser-known opponents.City Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young and Comptroller Joan M. Pratt, both Democrats, cruised to comfortable victories in their primary races.Pugh ran for mayor on the promise she would move Baltimore "forward, not backward" by uniting neighborhoods and infusing a sense of hope in the city.Dixon was seeking a chance at redemption after she was driven from office six years ago amid a misconduct scandal that centered on her embezzlement of gift cards intended for needy children.In interviews at city polling places, many voters said they saw Pugh as the best option to defeat the former mayor.Carol McCoy, a 66-year-old city worker from Morrell Park, said she voted for Pugh because she saw her as a protege of the late Mayor William Donald Schaefer.McCoy said she could not forgive Dixon."Dixon's a crook. Why would we give her another chance?" she said. "She shouldn't even have the right to run."Mary Logan, 38, of Cedonia, said she, too, was backing Pugh."I think we need change," Logan said. "I feel Sheila Dixon had her chance. It's time for someone else to have a turn."Dixon supporters argued the former mayor did much good during her tenure and deserved a second chance.In the first city election since Gray died of injuries suffered in police custody last year, voters took memories of last spring's unrest to the polls.At Cross Country Elementary in Northwest Baltimore, Democratic voter Marisha Howell, 44, called the unrest "heartbreaking.""But it's also a time for us to take a stand, it's time for us to become unified, it's time for us to be the voice for our children," said Howell, an appeals specialist for a health insurance company. "This mayoral election is a start. I just want to see peace."She said the best person to lead the city was Dixon."I think the beauty of Sheila Dixon is no matter how you fall, it's how you get back up, and you continue to fight," Howell said. "Sheila Dixon always had a heart for Baltimore. She wasn't a yes person. She stood her ground."Dixon was gracious despite the loss, working the room as a crowd followed her around. She didn't rule out running for office again.A supporter, Lenwood Johnson, said he was disappointed in the loss, but would now back Pugh."I believe what Sheila said, the people have spoken," Johnson said. "I have to accept that."Money spent on this year's mayoral race in Baltimore easily surpassed previous election-year totals. The top seven Democrats running for mayor spent more than $5.6 million during the campaign, as of the most recent campaign finance filings. Four political action committees also invested heavily in the primary politicking -- pushing the total past $6.4 million.Kenneth Davis, a 68-year-old Vietnam War veteran, said he voted for Embry over Pugh and Dixon because City Hall needed an "outsider" to restore confidence in city government. "That would be healthy for the city," Davis said. "I don't want anyone who has been in the arena, especially not Dixon. I can't trust her."Brian Schneider, a 29-year-old Patterson Park resident, said Warnock was his choice to shake things up in City Hall. Schneider said he was impressed by Warnock's philanthropy and that he founded a city charter school.The next mayor will take over in December for Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who did not seek re-election. Pugh is expected to vacate her seat in the Senate, which she was first elected to in 2007.The job pays $171,000.Pugh, who moved to Baltimore in the 1970s to attend Morgan State University, has an extensive resume that includes banker, journalist, and dean and director of Strayer's Business College, as Strayer University was then known. She co-owns 2 Chic Boutique in Pigtown.Pugh served on the City Council from 1999 to 2004 and the House of Delegates from 2005 to 2007. She came in second to Rawlings-Blake in the last mayoral race.Single with no children, Pugh regularly tells people she is "married to the city."She racked up significant endorsements, including popular Cummings, prominent attorney William H. "Billy" Murphy, the Rev. Jamal H. Bryant and former NAACP president Benjamin Jealous. Councilman Nick Mosby backed Pugh when he dropped out of the race two weeks ago.Pugh said the unrest allowed her to frame the campaign around the issues important to city residents, and raised awareness for the neglected neighborhoods, such as Sandtown-Winchester, Cherry Hill and Park Heights.She said the Democratic State Central Committee will select her replacement in the state Senate.Roger E. Hartley, dean of the University of Baltimore's College of Public Affairs, said the close race between Pugh and Dixon -- leaving other less experienced challengers in the background -- showed that voters were looking for a candidate with experience to lead change in Baltimore."Voters wanted competence and they wanted somebody who had served," Hartley said. "That was clear by the neck-and-neck race with Dixon and Pugh. There were outsiders, like Embry and Warnock, but voters want to take the city in the a new direction, and they want someone experienced to help move the city past what happened with the unrest. They were not willing to take chance on a newcomer."Hartley said Pugh was able to draw on a broader base of support, including both African-American, white and highly educated voters. Others, he said, voted against Dixon.Embry held a party inside a small ballroom in the Belvedere Hotel, saying she called Pugh to congratulate her and pledge her help."I look forward to helping the next mayor," Embry said.Warnock spoke to supporters at his watch party at Verde in Southeast Baltimore, pledging to "keep working" for the city and pushing for "great schools, great jobs."Baltimore Sun reporters Liz Bowie, Scott Dance, Michael Dresser, Doug Donovan, Andrea McDaniels, Alison Knezevich, Natalie Sherman, Jessica Anderson, Meredith Cohn, Colin Campbell, Abby Mergenmeier and Hannah Klarner contributed to this article.
Gov. Sam Brownback said Tuesday he is withdrawing Kansas from the federal government's refugee relocation program because of security concerns.Despite the state's withdrawal, refugees will continue to be resettled in Kansas, federal officials said.Brownback had already issued executive orders barring state agencies from assisting in the resettlement of refugees from Syria and other countries that posed a safety risk. The decision announced Tuesday removes the state from the program completely.But federal officials told Brownback that if the state withdrew, the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement would work directly with local refugee resettlement organizations and refugees would continue to come to the state."If the state were to cease participating in the refugee resettlement program, it would have no effect on the placement of refugees by the State Department in Kansas, or the ORR-funded benefits they can receive," wrote Mark Greenberg with the federal Administration for Children and Families in an April 13 letter to Brownback.Eileen Hawley, Brownback's spokeswoman, said the governor had made numerous attempts since November to work with the federal government on security concerns but could not get adequate assurances about its refugee vetting process."The problem is there are gaps in information," she said.States are allowed by law to withdraw from the refugee resettlement program, and Kansas is the first to withdraw for security reasons, Hawley said. Some states don't participate in the program, she said."The governor has taken the action he can to protect the security of the state," Hawley said. "It was clear we were not going to get the assurances we need to participate in the program."Micah Kubic, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, said Brownback's decision only takes the state out of the process."It's very sad and very unfortunate that the governor is allowing fear to get in the way of hospitality and traditional Kansas values," he said.Kubic said he didn't understand Brownback's concern because refugees to the United States undergo extensive security screenings. The governor's decision sends a message that the state has no interest in aiding people who face political and religious persecution, Kubic said.Earlier this year, Brownback directed state agencies to use the U.S. State Department's official list of state sponsors of terrorism to determine whether a refugee should be deemed a security risk, specifically Iran, Sudan and Syria.Brownback held meetings on April 19 with representatives of the State Department, Homeland Security and the National Counterterrorism Center about his security concerns."We have been reasonable and incredibly patient in attempting to work with the federal government on this issue," Brownback said in a statement."As governor, I must have confidence that the refugee relocation program, and particularly the vetting process, is sufficient to protect our citizens," he said. "If I have to choose between the safety and security of Kansans and the relocation of refugees, I will take action to protect Kansans."Theresa Freed, spokeswoman for the Kansas Department for Children and Families, said the state receives about $2.2 million a year in federal funds to assist refugees and refugee resettlement agencies. The state works with three resettlement agencies, including Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas. The state will hold discussions with the Office of Refugee Resettlement to phase out the state's involvement, she said.Since October, 354 refugees from all countries have been resettled in Kansas, she said, and 13 Syrian refugees have been resettled in the Wichita or Kansas City areas of the state since January 2015.Rep. Jim Ward, a Wichita Democrat, said Brownback's announcement was intended for political purposes at a time when the state is facing a $290 million budget shortfall."I think this is all about distraction," Ward said. "Withdrawing from the federal program does not actually stop refugees from being resettled in the state."
The enormousness of the task facing Terri McDonald was clear.A veteran of the state prisons, she had been brought in to turn around a Los Angeles County jail system reeling from allegations of mismanagement and abuse.Inmates were complaining of rampant brutality by guards. An FBI investigation into excessive force and corruption was underway. Outside experts were calling for extensive reforms.Three years later, McDonald, 52, is stepping down, having presided over a period of seismic change in the county jails.In a department where jailers were accused of adopting an "us versus them" attitude, McDonald brought a gentler approach, taking time to chat with inmates about their concerns. She sought to revamp a culture in which deputies viewed the jails as an unsavory assignment before moving to patrol.In 2013, the year she arrived, there were 10 jail suicides. Last year there was one.The most severe injuries caused by deputies -- resulting in broken bones or worse -- have decreased to a handful each year. Agreements McDonald helped negotiate with federal authorities and the ACLU now govern how mentally ill inmates are treated and when deputies can use physical force.But hundreds of inmates still are injured in confrontations with deputies each year -- although most incidents are minor -- and the number has been climbing. And deputies are being assaulted with increasing frequency, with some complaining that the reforms have given inmates too much power.Still, McDonald deserves credit for curtailing the worst abuses and making the jails a more humane place with her hands-on management, said Peter Eliasberg, legal director of the ACLU of Southern California and a frequent critic of the jails."I don't think everything's perfect," Eliasberg said. "But there's been a dramatic decrease in the brutal beatings that were quite commonplace prior to her arrival."In late 2012, a blue-ribbon citizens' commission placed much of the blame for the endemic violence on the Sheriff's Department's top brass -- and recommended that the jails be led by a corrections professional familiar with how facilities in the rest of the country are run.Then-Sheriff Lee Baca responded by hiring McDonald as an assistant sheriff in charge of the jails. It was a major shift for an agency that always had cycled its jailers in and out of street patrol.McDonald started her career as a California prison guard and worked her way through the ranks to become second in command at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. She oversaw attempts to improve training for guards as well as reforms aimed at reducing the inmate population.In her first days in Los Angeles, McDonald recalled in a recent interview, she found that staffers lacked basic equipment, such as shields for extracting inmates who didn't want to leave their cells. The jails were so overcrowded that some inmates slept in common areas or were stacked three to a bunk."You can't crowd the conditions and understaff the conditions and expect not to get bad outcomes," McDonald said.McDonald set new rules and enforced them, while also paying attention to less obvious details.She matched deputies with partners so they no longer had to face 100 mentally ill inmates alone. She brought in cleaning crews to reduce unpleasant smells that made coming to work an ordeal. Even changing the color of the paint from dark green to light blue went some way to "softening the environment," she said.Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter >>Bunk beds that inmates had hurled at each other during riots were bolted to the ground.McDonald encouraged deputies to talk to inmates and to take pride in working the jails, which had been considered a second-class assignment."It's not punching inmates, not engaging in hand-to-hand combat with inmates," McDonald said. "When somebody strikes an inmate, it's because the inmate encroached on them and they have no choice."Supporters credit McDonald with turning the jails around through a combination of empathy and toughness."Terri has been tremendous in her ability to reform a system under very difficult circumstances, to identify the 'A' players and to be able to manage, mentor and encourage those that needed the help," said current Sheriff Jim McDonnell, who was a member of the blue-ribbon jail violence commission when he was police chief in Long Beach.Miriam Krinsky, who served as the jail commission's executive director and then as a top aide to McDonnell, recalled her first visit to Men's Central Jail in 2011. "You could almost feel the current of tenseness in the air. It felt like a place on the verge of being set off," the former federal prosecutor said. "That is not the way the jail [feels] today."But the changes have not been well-received by some deputies, who say restrictions on the use of force have made the jails a more dangerous place. McDonald's talk-first approach is inefficient and lets inmates get away with bad behavior, some say."If it means we talk for six or seven hours to an inmate, and he gets exactly what he wants -- he gets to stay in his cell, and there's no discipline -- that's not solving the problem," said George Hofstetter, president of the Assn. for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs.Tim White, secretary of the association, said tactics that work in state prisons, such as reasoning with inmates, may not work as effectively in jails, where inmates are generally serving shorter sentences."She knows custody," White said of McDonald. "But I think it was a mistake to try to bring in state issues to a county problem."As McDonald worked to put the jails on the right path, the sprawling system remained under a microscope.In the last several years, more than a dozen sheriff's officials were successfully prosecuted for using excessive force or trying to conceal misconduct in the jails. Baca, who stepped down less than a year after McDonald started the job, recently pleaded guilty to lying to federal authorities.Statistics underscore the problems that still exist in the jails.The number of cases in which deputies injured an inmate was down from a high of 763 in 2009 to 216 five years later. Only one of the 2014 cases involved head strikes or bone fractures. The most serious injuries typically occurred as staffers tried to break up inmate riots, McDonald said.But in 2015, with figures reported through the end of November, the number of inmate injuries was up to 302. The least serious uses of force -- those not resulting in injury -- have nearly doubled, with McDonald attributing the increase in part to better reporting by deputies.Assaults by inmates on jail staff also were up significantly, from 190 in 2013 to 380 in 2015.Staffing shortages continue to be a major issue, with the court settlements mandating labor-intensive reforms such as more frequent checks on mentally ill inmates and better processing of grievances.Though the overall number of L.A. County jail inmates is down to about 17,400 from nearly 19,000 after Proposition 47 lowered the penalties for some minor drug and property crimes, there has been an increase in mentally ill inmates: from 2,500 in 2011 to nearly 4,000 in 2015.Recently, the prolonged handcuffing of inmates has emerged as a concern.Last summer, an inmate was handcuffed to a chair without food for 32 hours. After a series of cases in which inmates suspected of having contraband were chained to a wall for hours, McDonald's staff issued a policy forbidding the practice. In one case, prosecutors charged a deputy and two sergeants with inflicting cruel and unusual punishment on an inmate who was handcuffed to a wall.McDonald acknowledges that much remains to be done, including completing the court-supervised reforms on use of force and providing more educational offerings for inmates. It will be up to her successor, Kelly Harrington, who also has decades of experience in the state prisons, to "take it to the next level," she said.The increase in assaults on jail employees is "troubling," McDonald said. The causes are complex and include a changing inmate population as well as improved record keeping and the knowledge among some inmates that jail staff will not respond to violence with violence, she said.In response, sheriff's officials have increased staffing and enforced punishments for inmates who assault employees.During her time as assistant sheriff, McDonald has commuted from her home in Sacramento. She said she always viewed the job as lasting only a few years and -- while she plans to continue working, perhaps as a consultant or a teacher -- she is looking forward to spending more time with her partner and their Labrador mix, Skylie.The transformation of the Los Angeles County jails, McDonald said, is "the most substantial reform going on" in any jail or prison system in the country.When she first arrived, she asked a roomful of jail deputies if anyone preferred the jails over street patrol. Those who did were afraid to admit it, she said -- not a single hand went up.Recently, she took the same poll again."A third raised their hands, saying they valued the career and were excited about coming to work," McDonald said. "Despite the peer pressure, they weren't afraid to raise their hands and say, 'I want to stay.'"
On Tuesday, in the afternoon, at Tattersalls Club, Brisbane, Mrs Kaye de Jersey attended the Lyceum Clubs 97th Anniversary Luncheon.
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GIS 27 April 2016: The Minister of Agro-Industry And Food Security, Mr Mahen Seeruttun, who also chairs the ACP Ministerial Committee on Sugar addressed the 103 rd Session of the ACP Council of Ministers: 11 th Ministerial Consultations on Commodities, held on 25 April 2016 in Dakar.
In his speech Minister Seeruttun pointed out that, in the wake of the expiry on 30 September 2017 of the quota regime, European Union sugar and isoglucose production will henceforth be determined by market conditions, and this is likely to generate great uncertainty on the market situation in the years to come.
"Therefore, dramatic falls in the price of sugar, which means much lower earnings for our countries, aggressive competition for market share, a difficult operating environment for the sugar industry, are some of the daunting challenges confronting us", he cautioned.
EU prices are expected to continue to go down as world market prices to continue to be depressed at levels that do not cover production costs even amongst the most competitive sugar producers worldwide, he said. For our vulnerable sugar industry to survive, it is important to address third countries trade distorting measures so as to maintain a level playing field for sugar exports, Mr Seeruttun added.
With the increasing share of non-ACP sugar imports into the EU market, it is imperative to continuously call on the EU to comply with its coherence policy, otherwise what the EU gives with one hand, it takes it away with the other. This is certainly not the premise on which Economic Partnership Agreementss were negotiated, he said.
The sharp reduction in prices of raw sugar on the EU market after the abolition of EU sugar production quotas is projected in the Commissions latest publication Prospects for EU agricultural markets and income 2015-2025 issued in December 2015.
The Minister recalled that salient assumptions made in the study on the basis of the expiry of sugar and isoglucose quotas in 2017 are as follows: the EU sugar price is expected to decline and approach the world market price, forcing the sector to become more competitive and reducing the incentive for trade partners to export to the EU. Despite lower prices, production of white sugar is expected to increase to close to 18 million tonnes in 2025 in the EU as a result of a combination of factors, including the fact that 10 Member States have chosen to support sugar beet production through Voluntary Couple Support.
He also pointed out that, on the domestic market, EU sugar will have to compete with isoglucose, which is expected to become an important sweetener and to capture about 11 % of the market by 2025. Over the 2015-2025 period, the EU is expected to regain self-sufficiency and even export substantial volumes in years where the harvest is successful and therefore, by the end of 2025, the EU should become a net exporter of white sugar, mainly to nearby high-value markets.
All I can say at this stage is that we need to stay engaged internally and with the EU to ensure that our interests and the viability of our respective sugar industry are safeguarded under the extreme volatility conditions ahead of us, cautioned Minister Seeruttun.
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GIS - 27 April, 2016: Government will not tolerate any malpractice in banks and fina ncial institutions, whether or not, Government is a shareholder. We are determined to have a clean financial system and we are considering appropriate legislative amendments to plug any regulatory gaps as well as strengthening banking supervision.
The Prime Minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, made this statement in the National Assembly on April 26 in reply to a Parliamentary question relating to toxic loans and writing off debts by banks in which Government is a shareholder.
A review exercise is currently being undertaken jointly with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank based on the recent Report of the Financial Sector Assessment Programme on Mauritius, he said.
Sir Anerood Jugnauth recalled that Government will ensure that Statecontrolled banks operate as good corporate entities in full compliance with the existing prudential guidelines and upholding the highest ethical standards. In this respect, the process for appointing Chairpersons, Directors and top management has been reviewed and will be improved further. Strong measures for recovery of the toxic loans are on-going, he added.
The Prime Minister underscored that the Bank of Mauritius is finalising the setting up of an Assets Management Company which will take over Non-Performing Loans from banks and launch vigorous measures for recouping these loans. This specialised institution will thereby assist to clean up clogged balance sheets, release capital ascribed as provisions on Non-Performing Loans and address the adverse impact of such Loans on the stability of the financial system.
A significant increase from 31 percent last year to 42 percent in the proportion of Internet users who say they only use websites or apps that they have used before.
The survey found 70 percent of adults now use a smartphone, the device most used for accessing social media and the preferred device for the majority of online activities.
Mobile phones have become the media device people would miss most, overtaking the television set.
As Intels announcement of 12,000 layoffs by mid-2017 starts to sink in, many technology infrastructure analysts are pointing to the news as more evidence that the PC is dead or on life-support. Global experts are now predicting that smartphones and tablets will increasingly replace desktop and laptop PCs.And this trend is not new. Back in February 2015,magazine proclaimed that in less than two years, your smartphone could be your only computer . Heres an excerpt:With each passing season, another wave of mobile devices is released thats more capable and more powerful than the generation preceding it. Were at the point where anyone armed with a current model smartphone or tablet is able to handle almost all of their at-homeand even at-worktasks without needing anything else. Were living proof: for the last two years, WIRED has been able to cover events like CES almost exclusively using our smartphones.Only a few months earlier in late 2014, Gartner declared that smartphones would be the Internet access device of choice by 2018.No doubt, everyone offers some caveats for word processing and a few other office tasks, but the downward trend in PC sales is unmistakable. And the innovative ramifications for public- and private-sector enterprises are huge. At stake: What will the office of the future look like in the decade that begins in 2020?The answers to these mobile device questions are already shaping enterprise IT architectures, including security, storage and analytic capabilities planned. The future office is starting to look very different than the traditional office with a desktop.During its quarterly earnings call on Tuesday, Intel said it now expects the PC market to decline in the high single digits throughout all of 2016, rather than the mid-single-digit drop it previously expected. IDC and Gartner said recently that the PC market dropped between 10 and 12 percent during the first quarter. Our projection of the PC market ... is more cautious than third-party estimates, chief financial officer Stacy Smith told analysts.This video from earlier this year describes some of the reasons that the PC market is shrinking.Thethat found 16 percent of adults now only use smartphones or tablets to go online, representing a 10 percent increase over last year. Other findings include:Meanwhile, HP has also struggled in the shrinking printer and PC markets. This article from Business Insider described HPs restructuring plans with more layoffs. One leader said, We have not yet seen the anticipated Windows 10 stimulation of demand that we would have hoped for."But is the PC really dead? This blogger does not think so. At least, not yet.I still hear of cost-conscious enterprises buying lots of laptops and even desktops. Many businesses are still not ready to pay for everyone to have a smartphone, or provide a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program with the expensive monthly telecom fees.There are plenty of people who think your smartphone will never replace your PC at work. This Indian Express article , for example, points out that most of us still prefer to run to an old Windows XP PC in the office than work on a smaller touchscreen, even if it is better in more ways than one.And this eWeek article explains 10 reasons why your tablet will have trouble replacing your desktop PC. Perhaps the PC is only mostly dead. For those who enjoy the fun (and funny) movie, watch this memorable movie clip:The important questions that enterprise architects face regarding PCs and smartphones go deep and wide. As PC World accurately describe Intels move to the cloud:With the continuing decline of the PC, tablet, and smartphone businesses, Intel is coldly evaluating which products will stay, and which will fall. All in all, Intel Chief Executive Brian Krzanich described a strategy for Intel where underperforming products are abandoned and its assets repurposed away from the PC and into Intels new frontiers, including the data center (or cloud) and the Internet of Things.Timing is everything. So when should CxOs accelerate the shift away from the traditional PCs? This is an important buying decision, and I am sure that some CTOs and CIOs will get the timing wrong for their business and pay for it one way or the other. Still, this transformation has already begun for most, and most decisions are being made on a business-function-by-business-function basis.For cash-strapped governments, the move away from PCs may be slow, but for innovative startups, the opportunities to jump to new approaches will push the decline in PC sales to continue.Nevertheless, the trend is clear. Examples like these students who wrote term papers on their smartphones will only drive faster migration toward smartphones as more millennials enter the workforce.I still love my two laptops one that I use for home and other for work. I do not see a smartphone taking over all my technology duties in the next two years. I just perform too many PC functions, like writing this blog, on a laptop.At the same time, my younger children also teach me a related story. They definitely want a smartphone before a laptop. There is a message there for all of us.But as for taking sides in this current debate (which my daughter wants me to do), I have a gut feeling that the PC is only mostly dead.Like the Wesley character in, a new PC or laptop may still fight one more battle for you. So dont throw away those back-to-school PC sale flyers just yet.What are your thoughts? Will you buy another desktop or laptop PC?
(TNS) -- The public health crisis caused by high lead levels in Flints water and the toxic algae blooms in Lake Erie in recent years are among the threats being cited by federal environmental officials who called Tuesday for a comprehensive look at how to better protect the nations drinking water.In a blog post, Joel Beauvais, deputy assistant administrator for the Office of Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, announced the effort, saying: As a country, we can and must do more to make sure that every American has access to safe drinking water.Beauvais said that beginning in May, the EPA will start meeting with state officials, utility managers and others to develop what he called a national action plan on drinking water, to be released by years end. In a conversation with the Free Press, Beauvais said the plan is likely to include program changes that the EPA, states and utilities can implement on their own, as well as helping to "inform the priorities of an incoming administration."He said the effort is expected to include plans for strengthening the Safe Drinking Water Act; ensuring the federal Lead and Copper Rule is followed; prioritizing work on water infrastructure in low-income communities, and addressing threats posed by new and unregulated contaminants.While the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has taken most of the blame for the situation in Flint, which was caused by not requiring corrosion controls when the city changed water sources in 2014, the EPA also has been criticized for not moving quickly enough once it knew about the situation in Flint to ensure federal safe drinking water laws were enforced.The crisis in Flint has brought to the forefront the challenges many communities across the country are facing, including from lead pipes that carry their drinking water and uneven publicly-available information around drinking water quality, Beauvais said. At the same time, as new technology advances our detection ability, we're detecting new contaminants in our water from industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals and other sources that can pose risks to public health.He also noted the pressures brought on the nations water supply by climate change, which can lead to droughts across the country, as well as pollutants feeding into bodies of water that have led to incidents like the toxic algae blooms seen in Lake Erie the last two summers. One of those, in 2014, led to some 400,000 people in Ohio and southeastern Michigan being unable to use their tap water for two days.The situation in Flint, however, has resulted in the loudest calls for more action, especially as it regards compliance with and a long-awaited revision to the federal Lead and Copper Rule, which critics say does not go far enough in ensuring safe drinking water. In the wake of the Flint crisis, the EPA already has directed its staff to meet with officials in every state to ensure the lead rules are being followed.While Beauvais said the EPA is "pleased with the progress on that effort with states on the Lead and Copper Rule, "We really need a broader conversation on some of the drinking water challenges and opportunities that we're facing nationwide."Beauvais noted that Congress and the states will have a big role to play, too, with data showing at least $384 billion in improvements will be needed over the next 14 years to maintain, upgrade and replace thousands of miles of pipe and thousands of treatment plants, storage tanks and water distribution systems that make up our country's water infrastructure.Congress has been considering legislation that would increase funding of low-interest loans and grants for water systems, but, so far, no definitive action has been taken.Beauvais, meanwhile, also noted in his blog post on Tuesday that the President's Council of Advisers on Science and Technology also has initiated a study into the science and technology available to improve drinking water quality, with a goal of recommending actions the federal government can take in the future.
(TNS) -- The anonymity of the dark web poses challenges for law enforcement as they investigate crimes.Investigator Lonnie Bishop with the Buchanan County Sheriffs Office Cyber Crimes and Criminal Analysis Unit, said the dark web is mostly used for illegal activities, including illicit drugs, prostitution, human trafficking and gun running. The dark web is a part of the Internet where users need special software to access it.Bishop said the dark web puts people behind a cloak. And if someone doesnt understand the dark web, he or she may be less likely to go after it, Bishop said. When law enforcement needs search warrants approved, he said its imperative to explain to prosecutors and judges why people like to use the dark web.When we go in and ask for something like a search warrant on a particular person, we have very known information. And sometimes with the dark web we dont have that exact information, Bishop said.The U.S. military and government use the dark web, too, he said. Bishop isnt aware of any recent local cases involving the dark web.Weve seen some people try to dabble in it but it takes some level of sophistication to set it up and to get that software connected, Bishop said.In a 2015 Congressional Research Service report, Kristin Finklea, a specialist in domestic security, said that while tools aim to anonymize content and activity on the dark web, security experts are continuously developing new ways to identify individuals.The report also stated that law enforcement can sometimes rely upon criminal to make mistakes.Bishop describes the Internet as the ocean, and regular web browsing as a ship riding on the surface of the water. Whereas the dark web, he said, would require a scuba suit to go underneath. He said its not impossible to catch criminals on the dark web.Its difficult and it takes a little bit longer but its not impossible, Bishop said.Last month, federal authorities arrested a California man for distributing cocaine and marijuana on a drug-selling site and dark web markets, the Associated Press reported.Social media, while not as challenging as the dark web, also presents challenges for law enforcement.Most people, if they have one social media account, they have several social media accounts. Some people even have several social media accounts under several different aliases, Bishop said. The challenge for us is to find all those aliases and find out which ones theyre using.Bishop said finding those aliases takes time. Through legal action, law enforcement can get a lot of information from social media sites like Facebook, Facebook Messenger and Twitter.He encourages parents to be involved with their kids when it comes to social media and phone apps.Im not saying invade their privacy, Im just saying be involved in whats going on with your kids lives, Bishop said. Thats one of the best ways to stop those things. ... If someone sends a bomb threat or something as a prank, thats going to send us into high mode and were going to have to research all of this.
For Austin voters, an upcoming election will decide whether the city council or the ride-hailing companies has a better plan for ensuring passenger safety. For the rest of the country, the May 7 vote could have ripple effects.At issue is a city ordinance the council passed in December that requires Uber and Lyft drivers to submit fingerprints for FBI background checks, just as cab drivers already do. Appealing directly to voters, the ride-hailing companies proposed their own requirement that would block the rule, although they would still mandate national criminal background checks.Debates over fingerprinting requirements aren't unique to Austin. Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, New Jersey, St. Louis and San Francisco, to name a few, have all taken up the issue. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, for instance, failed to convince state regulators to let the city impose a fingerprinting requirement after thefound that Uber drivers who were cited for traffic violations had been arrested previously for drunk driving, manslaughter, identity theft and child exploitation.Uber recently agreed to pay at least $10 million to settle a suit brought by L.A. and San Francisco prosecutors, who said Uber misled customers by claiming its background checks were better than those used by cab companies.But what sets the Austin fight apart is the companies' direct appeal to voters. Uber and Lyft have donated $2.2 million to boost their proposal, and observers expect that number to climb as high as $5 million.The company has also used its app to build support for the ballot measure by printing promotional messages on its receipts. This comes after it offered horse-and-buggy rides last year when the city's ordinance was being discussed, to pillory the new rules and their sponsor."Austinites looking to Uber around town today will get a glimpse of what life could be like if the Austin City Council adopts Council Member Ann Kitchen's ride-sharing regulations," the company wrote at the time. "Kitchen's plan would impose 19th century regulations on 21st century technology."Both Uber and Lyft have threatened to leave Austin if they are forced to use fingerprint-based background checks. Uber has already stopped operating in three smaller Texas cities after they passed fingerprinting requirements, and it left San Antonio briefly until the city rescinded its requirement. Uber has actually agreed to use fingerprinting in Houston and New York City, but those are rare concessions.Meanwhile, Uber and Lyft's opponents in Austin have raised less than $20,000 at last count, and the city is prohibited from spending money supporting its ordinance.Kitchen, the head of the council's mobility committee, said she took up the measure to make sure the ride-hailing companies were treated like other transportation providers in the city.More important, she said, cities should be worried about Uber's approach in Austin as it could impact other regulations, such as environmental and food safety requirements."This is clearly the case of a multibillion-dollar corporation spending millions of dollars to try to write their own rules, and to try to override what the city council has done on behalf of the public," she said. "Can a company just buy whatever rule they want? That's just not good government. It is a very dangerous precedent for our democracy."For his part, Austin Mayor Steve Adler says he doesn't like either choice on the ballot, although he's come out against Uber's proposal. Mandating fingerprint-based background checks is pointless if the companies leave, he said. Without the services, Austin wouldn't benefit from their ability to reduce drunk driving and better serve areas with limited transit options. But he doesn't think the city should sit on its hands, either.Instead, Adler unsuccessfully pushed for the city to rely on voluntary fingerprint-based background checks by an outside company. The third-party verification system could have helped screen drivers, passengers and anyone using peer-to-peer applications, like rentals at Airbnb."[The ballot fight] will probably be played overly simply as yet one more place that tries to overregulate a peer-sharing economy, but it's actually just the opposite," the mayor said. "This is a city that was demonstrating advanced innovation, flexibility and creativity."
Seeking a solution
(TNS) -- Is it time for peace talks in the fight between Silicon Valley and Washington over encryption?After months in which it seemed like the two sides were talking past each other, there now might be room for discussion, according to little-noticed remarks made in recent days by top officials at Apple and the FBI. The tech company and the government have been sparring for months, mostly in tartly worded court filings, over the lengths the tech giant should go to help law enforcement unlock iPhones involved in high-profile cases.Last week, the government dropped a bid to force Apple to bypass a convicted Brooklyn drug dealers pass code so it could read data on his phone. That follows its abandonment last month of another order in a much-discussed case involving an iPhone used by San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook On Tuesday, representatives for the Department of Justice and the FBI said that there is no active case in which those agencies are seeking similar orders against Apple.In a congressional hearing last week, just days before govenment lawyers filed a request to drop the Brooklyn case, Bruce Sewell, Apples general counsel, said his company wanted to sit down with the FBI once the legal decks were cleared as they now are.If we can get out of the lawsuit world, lets start cooperating, Sewell told Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., who serves on the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Energy and Commerce Committee, which held the hearing.In remarks at an Aspen Institute event in London on Thursday, FBI Director James Comey struck a conciliatory tone, calling Apple a fine organization and said he was not questioning its motivations in its fight against the order in the San Bernardino case.In fact, Sewell said in the Tuesday hearing, around the time the government first sought an order in the San Bernardino case to compel Apple to unlock Farooks iPhone, Apple and the FBI had been working on brokering a meeting.Smart peopleHeres how Sewell described his proposal to the subcommittee: Well send some smart people to Washington, or you send some smart people to Cupertino, and what well do for that day is that well talk to you about what the world looks like from our perspective. What is this explosion of data that we can see? Why do we think its so important?And you talk to us about the world that confronts their investigators from the moment they wake up in the morning. How do they think about technology? How do they think about the problems that theyre trying to solve?That offer still exists. Thats the way were going to solve these problems."We want that to be facilitated, said Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., the subcommittees chairman. We have too many lives at stake and the concerns of many families and Americans. This is central. This is core.In both cases, law enforcement agents ended up finding ways to unlock the iPhones without Apples help. In New York, an unnamed individual came forward with the devices pass code, which yielded the data the government sought.In the California case, the FBI paid a security researcher more than $1 million to craft a tool to crack the iPhone.In court filings in both the New York and California cases, Apple has argued that law enforcement should exhaust such avenues before seeking court orders to compel it to create custom hardware or software.But a key question which Apple and the government surely would have to sort out in the kind of meeting Sewell proposed is whether such efforts can possibly scale, in Silicon Valley parlance, or prove feasible in the face of a growing number of cases that involve locked smartphones.I'm hoping that we can somehow get to a place where we have a sensible solution or set of solutions that doesn't involve hacking and doesn't involve spending tons of money in a way that's unscalable, Comey said at the London event Thursday.Senators Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Richard Burr, R.-N.C., recently proposed a bill that would require technology companies to build their products in such a way that they could decrypt data stored on devices when presented with a court order. The language of the draft bill suggests that companies like Apple that build devices that only users, not the companies themselves, can unlock are placing themselves above the law.At last weeks congressional hearing on encryption, Matt Blaze, an associate professor in the computer and information science department at the University of Pennsylvania, who has been involved in the encryption debate for decades, expressed doubts that such proposals would work technically, even if they were desirable from a public policy perspective.Its not clear whether the meeting Sewell proposed will happen. An Apple spokesman declined to expand on Sewells remarks. But if it does, both sides will have plenty to talk about.
Renault's new works team surprised the F1 world on Tuesday when it revealed the identity of its new test driver.
It was in 2013 when Sergey Sirotkin, then a teenager, was central to a so-called 'Russian rescue deal' for the struggling Sauber team that ultimately fell through.
Sirotkin is now in GP2 with the support of SMP Racing, which is linked strongly to the Russian bank SMP and also Vladimir Putin.
"I would like to thank SMP Racing for the great support given to my career, starting in Sochi, in front of my compatriots," Sirotkin, now 20, said on Tuesday.
Indeed, he has been shown the green light by the new works Renault team to drive in Kevin Magnussen's place in Friday morning practice this week ahead of the Russian grand prix.
Renault said in a statement that Sirotkin's drive is a "good start for the collaboration between Renault Sport and SMP Racing".
Sirotkin will also be a Renault test driver for the rest of 2016.
"The contract signed is until the end of 2016," his manager Nikolai Vetrov told the Russian news agency Tass.
"Then we will look at the possibility of extending it," he added.
It also seems possible that Sirotkin's Sochi outing may not be a one-off.
"If he can regularly participate in the Friday practices, it is a very good arrangement that has some promise," Igor Ermilin, the presidential advisor of the Russian automobile federation, told Rio Novosti news agency.
The news, however, had heads scratching within the specialist Danish media, as Magnussen will have to make way on Friday to someone who might be described as a 'pay driver'.
"It is very surprising," said Peter Nygaard, the respected correspondent for the BT newspaper.
"Renault should not be a team that desperately needs money, as Sauber did back then."
He said it is also surprising that it is Magnussen, and not the Briton Jolyon Palmer who finished dead last in China, who is having to vacate his Renault cockpit in Russia.
"It could imply that Palmer has a watertight contract that he must do all sessions and races, while it was Kevin who came into the team at the last minute," Nygaard speculated.
(GMM)
Sergey Sirotkin on Wednesday admitted he is targeting a full race seat at Renault for 2017.
24 hours ago, the French works team announced that the 20-year-old Russian, backed by the Vladimir Putin-supported SMP Racing, will drive in Kevin Magnussen's place at Sochi on Friday morning.
"In fact, the programme is quite extensive," Sirotkin, who had his seat fitted in Magnussen's car in the Renault team garage on Wednesday, told Russia's Championat.
"In the press release it was stated only that I will drive in Sochi, but I will be the full test driver," he explained.
"So this will be simulator, private and official tests and so on. And there could be more free practices -- it is not restricted to Sochi," said Sirotkin.
He insisted, however, that his real focus in 2016 will be on GP2.
Asked if the goal is therefore a race debut with Renault next season, he admitted: "Yes, 100 per cent.
"All of the main contenders for the title in GP2 now have similar conditions: (Pierre) Gasly with Red Bull, (Alex) Lynn with Williams. So the cooperation with Renault can help me," said Sirotkin.
"In addition, it is the factory team," he added. "At the moment they might not have the strongest performance, but we know the reasons for this, and I am sure that in the near future the situation will change.
"So it would be very good if I was to make my debut in formula one next year with Renault," said Sirotkin.
(GMM)
Body Of Woman Missing Since February Found In Lake Michigan
By Rachel Cromidas in News on Apr 26, 2016 10:14PM
Authorities say they have found the body of 21-year-old Jessica Suarez, a woman who has been missing since she went jogging on the lakefront last February.
Police pulled a body from Lake Michigan near Navy Pier Saturday afternoon that has been identified as Suarez, the Cook County Medical Examiner's office told CBS2. The cause and manner of her death are still under investigation.
Family members have been pushing police officers to find Suarez since she drove to the lakefront path and disappeared after going for a jog there on Feb. 5. Suarez, 21, was a physical therapy major at Harold Washington College and a graduate of Lane Tech High School. Her car was found parked at 5100 N. Simmons Dr.
Family members who held a meeting calling for more public support earlier this month told reporters that they believed she was still alive, and were skeptical of suggestions that she may have fallen in the water due to high winds.
"I want my sister Jessica to be back, and Jessica, if you are watching, this because I know Jessica you are alive," Suarez said. "I know people have different stories that maybe she fell in the water. I can feel it in my heart that she's not in the water. I know she's alive."
Kanela Chef, The Hero That Wicker Park Needs, Nabs Alleged Thief
By Mae Rice in News on Apr 27, 2016 5:39PM
Photo via Google Streetview
Don Penza does not wear a cape to our knowledge, but he was the Batman of Wicker Park on Sunday afternoon. Penza, the executive chef at Kanela Breakfast Club, allegedly chased down and apprehended a man who tried to break into one of Penza's employees' cars.
"I had a few things I wanted to ask the guy," Penza explained to Chicagoistso he chased the man for about a block and half, and said he "was able to get him to the ground."
"He didn't really resist much," Penza said. Asked whether he worried the man might be armed, Penza said, "I guess we would have crossed that bridge when we got there."
The man, 21-year-old Armad Jones, was arrested in the 1400 Block of North Milwaukee Ave., and charged with one count of felony burglary, according to the Chicago Police Department.
Armad Jones, 21 (photo via Chicago Police Department)
Penza said he first noticed Jones around 3:45 p.m. on Sunday. (Police confirm that, roughly; Jones was arrested at 3:50 p.m.) Penza was returning to Kanela's Wicker Park location (1408 N Milwaukee Ave.) and had pulled up behind the restaurant to park under the El tracks. He was sitting in his car with the engine running, likely finishing up a phone call, when Jones caught his eye.
Penza noticed Jones because he was "lingering," Penza said. "People walking through the alley... they walk," he explained. "Nobody wants to be in an alley." Jones was taking his time though, and walking very close to the parked cars, peering in their windows.
Ultimately, "he was brazen enough" to try the door to a car Penza knew belonged to one of his employees, which was open. (Penza advises all his Wicker Park employees who park under the train tracks to keep their valuables with them, and leave their doors unlocked. If they don't, Penza explained, thieves have been known to break car windows while the train is running overhead and no one can hear the glass shatter.)
Penza said he got out of his car and confronted Jones, saying something along the lines of "What are you doing?" According to police records, Penza called 911 while confronting Jones, who fled on foot.
Once Penza had apprehended Jones, he said a Wicker Park tattoo artist helped him handcuff the man. The artist, who WGN identified as Brian Dickie of Metamorph Tattoo Studios, works as a bouncer at night, and has a license to carry and use handcuffs.
Penza doesn't think this incident indicates that crime is on the uptick in Wicker Park, though. "[Crime] is everywhere," he said. "It's Chicago. It doesn't matter what neighborhood you live in."
You Can Now Drink Malort At O'Hare Airport
By Mae Rice in Food on Apr 27, 2016 6:48PM
Photo via star5112 on Flickr
The two most divisive symbols of Chicago have united. Malort (foul liquor that makes people make these faces, but is also served at basically every bar in town) will now served at O'Hare International Airport (which makes people make similar faces, especially when security lines are long ... but sometimes redeems itself with airport dogs).
Here's Jeppson Malort's Facebook announcement of the news:
The wormwood-based liquor's not available throughout the airport, though. According to TimeOut Chicago, Malort will only be sold in O'Hare's Terminal 2 at the Delta Sky Club across from Gate E4, so you still need a membership to sip it while you wait for your flight.
For those not in the know: Malort is a bitter type of "Swedish schnapps" that's served throughout Chicago and almost nowhere else. This is because it tastes horrendous (unless you're drinking it in the "Surprisingly Good" at Logan Square's Cafe Mustache, which is... surprisingly good). Somehow, Chicagoans have come to believe that drinking Malort shows strength and endurance, though, not deep-seated self-loathing. Malort, in other words, is a branding miracleand now it's reached the airport. Cheers!
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Three sets of coffins, believed to have been buried 3,000 years ago, were discovered in central China's Henan Province.
The coffins, believed to have been buried 3,000 years ago, are discovered in Anyang City of central China's Henan Province. [Photo: weibo.com]
They were unearthed Monday and taken to a museum in Anyang City, according to local archaeological sources Tuesday.
Last month, a villager in Anshang's Neihuang County discovered ancient tombs while digging in a brick kiln. He uncovered bronze items as well as human and animal bones ten meters deep underground.
Following a preliminary excavation, experts from the Anyang institute of cultural relics and archaeology found 22 tombs from the late Shang Dynasty (1600 B.C.-1046 B.C.), the second in China's history.
They retrieved three sets of inner and outer coffins made of cypress wood from the tombs, as well as a single coffin. In ancient times, Chinese people used an outer coffin to protect the inner coffin.
Kong Deming, head of the institute, told Xinhua that it is rare to see such well-preserved coffins from the Shang Dynasty.
"It is a family burial place," he said. "The owners were affluent people, possibly aristocrats."
He noted that the discovery might help archaeologists learn more about Shang Dynasty burial customs and understand cultural development.
The excavation could also be helpful in geological studies since the coffins were buried so deep, Kong added.
The Shang Dynasty capital was once in Shangqiu, Henan and later moved to Anyang, where ruins of the old city were discovered in the early 1900s in one of China's oldest and largest archaeological sites.
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The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is in the middle of attempting an overhaul of school performance grades. As part of that process, the department put out a survey in collaboration with EdNC, an independent news website, asking people to weigh in on the school performance grades that are issued each year.
Although left-behind children face a huge number of difficulties, their parents also struggle with the situation.
Li giving a massage to a client [Photo by Phoebe Wu/China.org.cn]
Like 277 million other Chinese migrant workers, Li and his wife left their hometown and two children to seek work in Beijing last year.
Hailing from Lijiang City, Yunnan Province a 60 hour train ride from Beijing Li and his wife now work as massage therapists. It is not an easy job. Li gets no days off and works between 12 to 17 hours a day. But the job pays well.
"I could do the same job back in Yunnan, but it pays very little, only around 1,700 yuan per month," Li said. "Here, I can make up to 7,000 yuan a month."
Li and his wife, along with other workers in the massage parlor, live in a dorm near the shop. The inconspicuous dorm, which is located underground beneath a billiard club, is owned by their boss. In addition to housing, employees are provided meals from the dorm's small dining hall.
"I don't need to pay for rent or food and have only modest expenses, so I can send most of my money back home," Li said.
Before coming to Beijing, Li considered working as a hairstylist. But, after interning in a hair salon, his attempt to open his own salon failed. Later he heard about the job as a massage therapist from a friend and decided to study massage in Jiangxi.
"To be honest, it does not matter what kind of job I do, as long as I can earn enough money to support my family," he said.
Like other parents who migrate to big cities as migrant workers, Li had no choice but to leave his two sons, Li Yong and Li Dao, aged five and three respectively, to his parents. Even though Li says his mother only turned 52 this year and is healthy enough to take care of his sons, the children don't always obey their grandparents. For absent parents, disciplining a child can be tricky since they are afraid of further estranging the relationship with their children. And for Li, scolding his sons over the phone will definitely worsen the father-son relationship, especially as his sons already refuse to talk to him on the phone.
"I call my children once a day, but sometimes they do not even want to talk to me," he said. "When they refuse to talk, I tell them that I bought them new toys," he continued. It is a difficult situation for Li and his wife. They worry that their children might grow up being rebellious, especially without proper care and guidance.
The children's growth and nutrition are Li's other source of worry. He claims that his eldest son prefers snacking to eating proper meals.
"Snacks do not have enough nutrients, I worry about his growth," Li said. Li's worry is not unfounded: According to an Economist report, 12 percent of rural children under five in China are stunted or are short for their age four times as many as in urban areas and 13 percent of rural children under five are anemic, compared with 10 percent for urban children.
Bringing their children from the village is out of the question. With China's stringent hukou or registration system, the children will be denied education and healthcare outside of the place where they are registered at. And migrant workers like Li can't afford private school's expensive tuition fee.
"Everything is about money," Li said. "Sure, I would love to bring my boys to Beijing, but even if it's only for a short vacation, it can easily cost me a thousand yuan."
When asked about the possibility of working as a tour guide in Yunnan, Li pushed the idea aside.
"It does not pay well, and there are already too many tour guides," he said. "Yunnan is a popular tourism place, but we see the number of tourists declining every year," he said. As China's tourism industry grows, regions are competing with each other to attract as many local and international tourists as possible.
However, Li is determined to go back to his hometown and his sons. He and his wife are planning to open up a massage parlor back home once they've saved up enough money.
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4/20 is like smoke -- its elusive, mysterious and ceremonial. The story of exactly how the exalted stoner holiday blazed into existence is the stuff of skunky legend.
Whether late Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia invented it, or whether its meant to commemorate Bob Marleys birthday, theres no doubt that April 20 is the day that pot smokers of the world unite to toke up and party.
We do know one thing about this latest 4/20: partakers rolled out another kind of green in celebration -- greenbacks, and a lot of them. Total U.S. cannabis retail sales on the festive occasion exceeded $37.5 million, marking an almost 30 percent spike in retail transactions since last years 4/20 bonanza. So says a comprehensive report freshly baked by MJ Freeway, a global cannabis business seed-to-sale tracking software provider.
Related: 5 Lessons Entrepreneurs Can Toke on From Tommy Chong
The Denver, Colo.-based startup, launched in 2010 by a team of veteran software and IT professionals, culled cannabis retail sales figures via data-driven analysis of what it claims to be 40 percent of the American cannabis market.
With more states allowing the recreational use of marijuana, legal retail sales of cannabis are estimated to skyrocket to $6.7 billion in sales this year alone. Last year, retail sales of the green stuff cha-chinged at approximately $5.7 billion in all. Clearly, the budding marijuana industry is on fire and not burning out any time soon.
"As the leading provider of cannabis software solutions, MJ Freeway has the largest and most representative retail data in the cannabis industry, says Jessica Billingsley, MJ Freeway's chief operating officer, in a statement accompanying the report. We have an unmatched vantage point from which to view trends and changes in the industry. This data is a powerful tool for understanding real-time cannabis industry changes and for predicting future trends.
Doug Francis, CEO of Weedmaps, a popular online community for medical marijuana patients, says the spike in 4/20 cannabis retail sales mirrors the mainstreaming of legal cannabis on the whole. "Citizens are starting to come out of the green closet and seek information about the types of products available," he told Entrepreneur today. "Patients and consumers are more informed and savvier than ever about the wide variety of products available at dispensaries across the country. We anticipate strong continued growth across the entire sector as more states come online."
Related: The 411 on 4 Smoking Hot Marijuana Startups
Here are some more April 20, 2016, cannabis sales numbers to toke on, also care of MJ Freeways number-crunching:
Individual legally-licensed cannabis retail locations -- medical and recreational and dispensaries and delivery services -- sold on average $10,822 in retail sales on April 20, $6,208 on April 19 and $5,442 on April 18.
While buyer traffic increased, buyers spent on average $20 less per transaction on April 20, 2016, vs. April 20, 2015.
The state with the largest dollar amount sold on April 20, 2016, was California.
The state with the total highest average sales per day per retail licensed location for April 20, 2016, was -- not surprisingly -- Colorado.
Related:
High and Mighty Report: U.S. Cannabis Retail Sales Exceeded $37.5 million on 4/20
The 411 on 4 Smoking Hot Marijuana Startups
8 Celebrities Getting (Financially) High Off of the Budding Legal Weed Business
Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
British Prime Minister David Cameron (L) greets US President Barack Obama as Obama arrives for talks at Downing Street in central London on April 22, 2016
David Cameron couldn't have asked for more at President Barack Obama's Brexit intervention. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Cameron, Obama vowed that Britain would stand at the end of the queue if it pulls out of the EU, meaning the special trade relationship will be all but finished.
Obama stood there and did what Cameron had tried and failed to do: to sell a Britain In campaign to the British people. The only thing missing was an In campaign sign. One can argue about Obama's policies or his foreign policy or even his timing for this intervention, but he is arguably the most gifted politician of his generation, after Bill Clinton and Tony Blair, when it comes to extempore speeches. Cameron couldn't be more relieved to have the wind back in his sails after open rebellion by his MPs, including Boris Johnson, the mayor of London.
Of course the Out campaign didn't take it too kindly. Boris Johnson said that it is hypocritical of a U.S. president to lecture another sovereign democratic country and an important ally about how they should vote; after all how would U.S. feel if another world leader wrote about how the U.S. should join the Chine-led AIIB, or have an open border treaty with Canada and Mexico or sign and ratify the UNCLOS? Nigel Farage said that Obama's Kenyan ancestry has filled him with a reflexive anti-British sentiment, due to the colonial legacy he's inherited. If Obama or American politicians will never have open borders or join financial and geo-political organizations led by other powers, why should Britain? And on authority does the U.S. president have to lecture the British populace?
Not only the right is divided, but the left as well. Moderate Labour MPs want a stronger EU, and Britain to be a part of it. In my conversation with Labour candidate Kate Godfrey, I was told that the majority of British Labour supports Obama's intervention. Obama has somewhat more credibility among the British population than even British PM David Cameron, and some people think highly of him and his opinions.
But there is a group within the left who strongly feel that this is American meddling in British politics and is unwelcome on principle. In fact there is a strong wind among a section within the Labour party to oppose what they think of as an ever growing neo-liberal, hegemonic union, which throws its weight around, intervenes in the domestic politics of smaller European states and even militarily outside Europe. They are known as the Lexit brigade.
The thing is, from an economic point of view, this is uncharted waters, and no one can confidently predict what is going to happen in the long term. There is strong data and statistical backing for arguments of both sides. If U.K. leaves the EU, there might be severe strain on London as a financial hub. On the other hand, U.K. might find its individual comparative advantage back. U.K.'s exit might even break up the EU as we know it, or it might make it stronger. If the EU breaks, that might be beneficial for China, as Chinese goods will flood the EU market after the signing of bilateral individual treaties with member countries, or perhaps not. Geopolitical U.K. might start to be self-sufficient again, build up its military and have excellent trade relations with China and India without being constrained by EU rules and quality control. Or it might fade away into oblivion.
The point is, it is impossible to predict with absolute certainty what is going to happen. That's the beauty and risk of economic predictions - because there are so many unknown variables, it is more complicated than geopolitics. The only thing that can be said with any real confidence is that Obama has tilted the play towards an In majority. Boris and his comrades from both the left and right, who want U.K. to be out of EU, need to up their game and be on the attack now if they genuinely want a Brexit. Because if Brexit doesn't happen, one thing is for certain, it is the end of the Boris Johnson's Prime Ministerial dream.
Sumantra Maitra is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:
http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SumantraMaitra.htm
Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
I pay attention to whats going on in the kitchen. Photo: Liz Clayman
Flowers used to be an important aspect of restaurant decor, but as a minimalist aesthetic has gained popularity, wallpaper and bouquets have given way to white walls and fiddle-leaf-fig plants. Now, though, elaborate flower arrangements are starting to creep back into cool restaurants. (Chalk it up to the rise of the Instagram florist?) One place where this is evident is Cafe Altro Paradiso, Ignacio Mattos and Thomas Carters follow-up restaurant to Estela.
A recent dining-room arrangement at Cafe Altro Paradiso. Photo: Melissa Hom
And a bathroom arrangement. Photo: Melissa Hom
The arrangements are the work of Mindy Cardozo, of Asphodel Floral, who actually got her start as a florist while working as a server at Estela. Carter had a planter that he needed fixed, and asked her to help. She had no prior experience (I had never really worked with my hands at all), but after a few trips to the flower market and an internship with a Saipua Cardozo started to understand the power of flowers inside a restaurant.
Cardozo at the flower market. Photo: Liz Clayman
Her whimsical arrangements stand in contrast to Paradisos handsome white-oak and marble floors and Cardozos other clients include Marlow & Sons and Semilla. Caring about flowers makes sense for this particular niche of New York restaurants, which are concerned with how theyre sourcing ingredients and are very careful with what their food looks like, Cardozo says. Flowers underline that. Im not a chef, but the process is similar. All of us florists have the same access to ingredients, and we use them in totally different ways.
Her favorite shops include Photo: Liz Clayman
At Paradiso, Cardozo does a total flower refresh once a week, but comes in daily to do touch-ups. That means, though, that she has to be smart about what she purchases. Im obsessed with azaleas because Im from Florida, but I cant use them for anything because theyll die within a day, she says. Thats the most heartbreaking part of doing flowers for restaurants, because everything has to be hearty enough to last for a week. Right now, shes gravitating toward flowering branches dogwood, cherry blossoms, and mountain laurel.
Carefully shopping. Photo: Liz Clayman
Another challenge: Cardozo has to create arrangements that are beautiful, but not distracting or ostentatious. For Paradiso, when you work with a chef like Ignacio [Mattos], who makes food that reminds you of why you like being alive deceptively simple but totally amazing the flowers are there to illustrate this very special thing thats happening in the restaurant, she explains. I pay attention to whats going on in the kitchen, and he has influenced so many of the ways that I think about how I source, or put things together.
She has a florist account, but anyone can come in and pay cash. Photo: Liz Clayman
I try to buy flowers that are local and seasonal, but my bouquets end up being a pretty global affair, like his food, she continues. He can turn a piece of celery into something delicious with two other ingredients. I would love to be able to do that with a carnation. (For contrast, at newly opened Agern, florist Emily Thompson is asked to only work with local flowers.)
Time to assemble. Photo: Liz Clayman
Cardozo is looking to expand her reach, of course, but part of what makes her stand out in the crowded flower space is her deep understanding of food. I know this doesnt sound business-savvy, but I cant imagine doing flowers for a restaurant where I dont have this kind of relationship with the chef.
A course from last nights omakase. Photo: Tom Kretchmar
Call them the disappearing Japanese restaurants of midtown. Already this year, the stalwart Sushi Zen shuttered in February after 33 years, while Saburi, which was the only Chinese-Japanese restaurant in New York and possibly the country, closed last month. Now Tsukushi one of New Yorks best spots for late-night food, but also a solid and relatively affordable omakase restaurant will close on May 27 due to the demolition of the building.
The quiet restaurant is hidden from sight, with an exterior that looks more like an old dives, and its through and through an unassuming regulars place. When it was reviewed by thenNew York Times critic Peter Meehan, chef-owner Norihiko Manabe admitted he wasnt super into it because he worried the influx of newcomers might tax his ability to serve the clientele.
The restaurant became popular among Japanese expats and chefs for its late-night menu (10 p.m. on) of Japanese home-style cooking like onigiri, curry rice, and a really good pork ramen that, at $8, is probably one of the best bang-for-your-buck bowls of noodles in town. According to a note signed by Manabe and posted to the restaurants door, he does plan to relocate Tsukushi. However, a location hasnt been secured yet, and, of course, sometimes these things dont work out. So, its definitely worth going in the meantime for the daily changing omakase or for an after-hours meal and shochu, at least to show your support for the tentative relocation.
Microsoft says will continue supporting Windows 10 Mobile "for many years," new devices coming
Microsoft's sales numbers might suggest that its Windows 10 Mobile platform is taking its last breaths, but the Redmond, Washington-based company seems to be in no mood to retreat.
In an email sent out to several company executives and partners, the executive vice president of Microsoft's Windows and Devices Group Terry Myerson has made it clear that the company is committed to the OS platform and is also working on new mobile devices.
Here's an excerpt from the email:
I understand that you are hearing concerns from certain partners about Microsoft's commitment to the mobile space.
Let me be very clear: We are committed to deliver Windows 10 on mobile devices with small screen running ARM processors.
We are currently in development of our next generation products and I wanted to reconfirm our commitment to Windows 10 Mobile. We believe in this product's value to business customers and it is our intention to support the Windows 10 Mobile platform for many years. We have a device roadmap to support that from Microsoft as well as our OEM partners who will also be selling an expanded lineup of phone devices based on this platform.
Microsoft has been long-rumored to be working on a device dubbed Surface Phone. In fact, the company has dropped several hints in the past effectively confirming a Surface branded phone is indeed in the making, with CMO Chris Capossella even calling it a "breakthrough device."
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With an average usage of 41 times per user, Samsung Pay was the top mobile payments app last month in South Korea, according to a local app ranker WiseApp.
It's worth mentioning that the research only took into account Android phone users as iOS usage is said to be pretty low in South Korea. Samsung Pay has a total of 2.59 million users in the country.
The service - which is currently available in the US, South Korea, and China, and due to arrive in Singapore this quarter - had a total of 5 million users globally in February.
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The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced Monday the start of an emergency operation to assist 260,000 vulnerable and food insecure people seriously affected by the earthquake in Ecuador and in desperate need of food and other basic necessities.
"Due to the earthquake a significant number of people no longer have access to their regular sources of income and food, and this will impact negatively their food security," said WFP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Miguel Barreto, who is in Ecuador to coordinate the agencys emergency response with WFPs Director of Emergencies, Stefano Porretti.
The earthquake, the worst in Ecuadors history, has reportedly left more than 600 people dead and over 12,000 injured mostly in coastal areas. According to estimates by Government and international agencies, 520,000 Ecuadorians were directly affected by the disaster and require food assistance. The first WFP food supplies reached the stricken area only three days after the earthquake but now the scale of the impact is becoming clearer.
Following a government request, a convoy with WFP emergency food kits reached the city of Portoviejo in Manabi province on 19 April. WFP staff supported distribution of food to the most affected families and hospitals in Manabi, reaching some 50,000 people to date.
Last Thursday, the UN Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD), managed by WFP, airlifted 40 metric tons of emergency supplies from its base in Panama including water and sanitation equipment, hygiene and kitchen kits and mobile storage units to support the humanitarian assistance effort in Ecuador. This is part of a WFP Special Operation to support logistics capacities in response to the earthquake. A $2 million operation has also just been launched.
"WFP plans to scale up to assist a quarter of a million people affected by this disaster, in close coordination with the Government," said Mr. Barreto, after visiting the devastated city of Pedernales with Ecuadors Minister of Foreign Affairs, Guillaume Long, and the Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General, Luis Almagro.
"Based on the results of upcoming field assessments, WFP will adapt its plans in coordination with the authorities who are leading this effort, and support the overall government capacity to respond," he added.
Meanwhile, WFP Representative in Ecuador Kyungnan Park said the number of institutions and individuals who are joining efforts to provide humanitarian assistance on the Ecuadorian coast is "amazing."
WFP recalled that it relies entirely on voluntary funding from governments, companies and private individuals. The cost of the three month operation designed to support the overall Government response to the earthquake is $34 million.
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China and Turkey on Wednesday pledged to strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation, such as fighting the terrorist group the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM).
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Beijing on April 27, 2016. [Photo/www.fmprc.gov.cn]
The pledge came during a meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, who is in Beijing for a foreign ministers' meeting on Asian security.
"Anti-terrorism and security cooperation are important components of China-Turkey political trust. Both sides should work closely to combat terrorist organizations including the ETIM, oppose extremism and address illegal immigration," Wang told Cavusoglu.
Cavusoglu said Turkey treats China's security concerns as its own and will take all necessary measures to enhance bilateral cooperation in this regard, echoing Wang's remarks about combating illegal immigration and the ETIM.
Turkey will continue to attach importance to China's security concerns and will never allow anybody in Turkey to engage in activities that threaten China's security, Cavusoglu said.
Cavusoglu came to attend the fifth foreign ministers' meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), on Wednesday and Thursday.
As China and Turkey are founding members of the CICA, China is willing to work with Turkey to implement the consensus reached during the fourth CICA summit in Shanghai in 2014, enhance trust among Asian countries, and adhere to resolving problems through dialogue and consultation, Wang said.
"China will work with Turkey in the direction of establishing a security structure that is accepted by all sides and represent the trend for regional development," Wang said.
Cavusoglu said Turkey will cooperate with China to promote security in Asia.
CICA was established in 1992 as a forum for dialogue and consultation on security issues in Asia. It has 26 member countries, including China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, and Thailand. It also includes other countries and international organizations as observers.
Haitis Provisional President Jocelerme Privert visited New York this past weekend to attend the Apr. 22 signing, by many heads of state and government, of the Paris Climate Agreement which was reached on Dec. 12, 2015. In addition to that ceremony at the United Nations General Assembly, President Privert held several other meetings with UN and other government officials, as well as with businessmen and Haitian doctors, among others. On Saturday, he also made a mostly unpublicized visit to Brooklyns Haitian community, where Haiti Libertes Kim Ives was granted an exclusive interview at Tonel Restaurant. The interview was conducted in Kreyol and has been translated into English. - - - - President Privert, you are now 76 days into your mandate of 120 days. The political situation is very polarized with the majority of the Haitian people and the political class asking for an electoral verification commission but with Washington and the Haitian Bald Headed Party (PHTK) opposing it. Do you think you can determine what were the irregularities of the Aug. 9 and Oct. 25 elections, take the appropriate corrective measures, which may include new elections, and have an elected government in place within the 44 days remaining in your mandate? First, I do not believe that it is my responsibility as provisional president to say if there were irregularities or not in an election. Thats the responsibility of the political actors. I will remind people that an election was held on Oct. 25. The results were published in November, and there was foreseen a second round with two clearly identified candidates. As soon as the results came out, there was much controversy around those results. The actors, the political parties, clearly showed their refusal to accept the results they were given. There were two candidates who were to go to a second round, but there was one of them, despite the election results, who said he would not go to a run-off until light was shed on the irregularities that everyone was denouncing. The second round was set for Dec. 27. It was postponed to Jan. 17. It was then postponed to Jan. 24. Have the problems which caused the run-off to be postponed three times been resolved yet? Thus, today, the actors are asking that trust be restored to the electoral process for them to return to elections. It is not the provisional president who asks it, it is the political actors. Can we have a presidential election with a single presidential candidate? We cant do that. Thus we must restore trust in the electoral process so that the actors can accept returning to participate in the elections. Thats the first element. The second element is that you said I have 44 days left since Ive been in power 76 days. The 120 days which is written into the Feb. 5 accord did not come out of thin air, it is the countrys very Constitution which says it: in the event of a presidential vacancy, elections for a new president will be organized within 60 to 120 days. What does that mean? When there is a presidential vacancy, that doesnt mean there is no government. That doesnt mean there is no electoral council. In the case of what happened on Feb. 14, when President [Michel] Martelly came to the end of his mandate [on Feb. 7], there was a government, but it didnt have any constitutional legitimacy. There was no electoral council because six of the nine members who formed the CEP [Provisional Electoral Council] had resigned. My mandate in the framework of the Feb. 5 accord was: First, enter into consultation with all the political actors, both those who had representatives in Parliament as well as those who did not. Enter into consultations with all the actors of civil society for me to form a government of consensus. I was inaugurated on Feb. 14. On Feb. 24, that is 10 days later, I had already named Fritz Jean as Prime Minister and I formed a government. Second, I had to form an Electoral Council. While simultaneously consulting people for the formation of a government, I was consulting sectors also to make an Electoral Council. And since Feb. 24, the nine people to form the Electoral Council were all already known and available. However, that accord which you refer to had three people sign it: President Martelly, the President of the Senate, which was me, and the President of the Chamber of Deputies. Each of the actors had a responsibility. The Chamber of Deputies has a responsibility. The Senate has a responsibility. When I named Fritz Jean Prime Minister on Feb. 24, it wasnt until Mar. 19 that the Chamber of Deputies rejected the choice of Fritz Jean. That means 25 days had passed. As soon as they rejected him, I returned to consultations, and on Mar. 25 I formed a government. Today, I have a government, I have an Electoral Council. Since the date of elections is never the responsibility of the president, it is the responsibility of the Electoral Council, it is only the Electoral Council which can say when elections can be done in Haiti or not. 44 days, 76 days, you have to put it all in the context of the conditions which are indispensable for elections to be held in Haiti. There is another contradiction. The accusations of fraud and violence apply to many of the parliamentary races. Are you ready to confront parliamentarians who have vowed that there will be no review of their so-called victories? In its conclusions, the Evaluation Commission which President Martelly formed last December said there were many serious irregularities, and it asked for a thorough verification of those irregularities. Today, the Electoral Council, which has a mandate to hold elections, says it is facing a political blockage. Thus, I, as the President of the Republic, respecting the Constitution which gives me the right to assure the smooth functioning of the state so that I can allow the Electoral Council to function well, and it says there is a political blockage, so I enter again into consultations with all the political actors for me to find the way to allow the Electoral Council to remove that blockage which is making it unable to organize the election. Does that mean that some of the Parliamentary seats may be challenged? Its not me who has the power to say that. Assuming that your 120 day mandate is not enough to usher in an elected government, will you seek to obtain a renewal of your mandate from this contested parliament, and do you think that this parliament, which is largely hostile to verification, would renew your mandate? What says that the Parliament is contested? That is an opinion. Presently, there are three powers constituting the State, that is the executive, the judiciary, and the legislature. We have these two institutions which are functional: the Parliament and the Executive. When you talk of May 14, I return with you to the Feb. 5 accord. It was very clear, all the signers were agreed, there might be constraints to prevent elections being held Apr. 24, there might be constraints that prevent a new president coming to power on May 14. Thats why even in the accord they say: if in the 120 days, the objectives foreseen in the framework of this accord are not achieved, it falls to the National Assembly to take the measures that are necessary. The National Assembly is a meeting of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. You think they will renew your mandate then? I dont have anything to say about that. I have one thing in mind: the political stability of this country. For almost 30 years, weve been holding elections. Every election we have always becomes an electoral crisis, and from an electoral crisis, a political crisis. Today, I am motivated to organize an election which will finally put an end to the political instability in the country, to allow at least investors who can invest in the country to finish with this question of poverty which is the principal scourge that affects the Haitian people. You have lived through coups detat before. The last time I saw you was in 2005 in the National Penitentiary where you were a political prisoner. With the situation becoming more contentious, do you think it possible that there could be another military coup detat, either by right-wing paramilitary forces, who have expressed their readiness to act, or by the UN Mission to Stabilize Haiti (MINUSTAH)? Myself, I have not lived through coups detat. As a Haitian citizen, I always see coups detat carried out. Today, is it possible for the country to return to an anachronism whose time is past? Are there people who still dream of replacing popular sovereignty? The nations Constitution says that people can come to power only through elections, and I believe that anybody who wants the well-being of the Haitian people, if he or she comes to power, he or she should come to power by way of the ballot box. In an attempt to pressure your government, Washington and its allied international institutions have begun to turn off the aid spigot to Haiti, despite the worst food crisis in decades. Were you surprised by that, and what do you intend to do about it? I wont respond to your question they way youve posed it. An International Monetary Fund delegation came to Haiti last November. It made an evaluation of the macro-economic situation of the country. It was supposed to return in January. It did not return in January. There had not been a change in government. They didnt return because the government had not made the economic reforms it had to make. So, since then, the direct financial assistance to Haiti has stopped. We call that budgetary support. Today, it is true, the country faces a serious crisis of food insecurity which threatens 3.5 million Haitian citizens. And if we do nothing, five million people can be affected by this food crisis. Every contact, every meeting, every discussion I have with Haitis partners, what they call the donors whether its the United States government, the Canadian government, the European Union all are agreed to give humanitarian assistance to Haiti to deal with this food insecurity. Aid to Haiti has never been an easy thing. Furthermore, we can say, after the earthquake, there were many people mobilized to bring humanitarian assistance to Haiti, but until today the aid which is necessary for us to repair the damage caused by the earthquake has never yet arrived. We can realize that Haiti is a country that is still in ruins because all the public buildings which were destroyed are all still on the ground. That means, Haiti needs assistance. We need assistance, we need the capacity to rebuild, to repair all the damage that all the natural catastrophes have caused in Haiti. What is your opinion of the inquiry being conducted by Sen. Youri Latortue into the corruption of previous Haitian governments, when, according to U.S. Embassy cables released by Wikileaks, Latortue is himself a poster boy for political corruption? When I arrived in power, there were many political actors who asked me to create a commission of administrative inquiry for me to shed light on the way the government was administering public funds, particularly the PetroCaribe fund. I am someone who believe in the law, I believe in the Constitution, I believe in the countrys institutions. Publicly, I have said that Im opposed to the creation of any commission of administrative inquiry for it not to be transformed into an institution of political persecution. I am not against the institutions which the law created to audit the administration of all public officials from doing their work. I say the institutions which are there to do that should do it. I am talking about the Court of Auditors, the Unit for the Struggle against Corruption (ULCC), the Central Financial Intelligence Unit (UCREF). I say it is with these three institutions that we can create a task force to evaluate how state money was spent. Every parliamentarian, whether deputy or senator, he has the purview to shed light on how any public official handles state money. What is desirable, whether it is a commission of administrative inquiry, the Court of Auditors, the ULCC, or the UCREF, I have the responsibility to prevent any action from being done outside of the law, outside of the Constitution, for it not to be perceived as a case of political persecution. The Parliament, as a sovereign entity, it can assure that public funds are well managed but it is not good for a parliamentary commission to take political revenge, for them to take their prerogative to persecute people. That is why I exhort my parliamentary colleagues to work in strict respect of the law and the Constitution.
Haiti - FLASH : Enex Jean-Charles appoints himself Minister of Defence
Following an initial Decree appointing Simon Dieuseul Desras Minister of Environment and Minister a.i. of National Defense https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16961-haiti-flash-members-of-the-ministerial-cabinet-of-enex-jean-charles.html a second decree published Monday, April 11, announced the appointment of former Colonel Antoine Atouriste, former General Director of the Unit for Combating Corruption (ULCC) as Minister of Defence. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17126-haiti-politic-rain-of-nominations-in-the-public-administration.html
On April 11, the Prime Minister had to install Colonel Antoine Atouriste, but the installation ceremony of the new Minister of Defense, Antoine Atouriste, was postponed, the Discharge of the CSC/CA not having been made available in the delay.
According to available information, it seems that behind the scenes, Dieuseul Desras Simon, who want a lot this important ministry, trying by every means to oust Atouriste from the function of Minister. Rumors suggest that the lack of availability of Discharge of Atouriste was part of a political maneuver to block his installation. Yesterday, Tuesday, the two men again had an altercation in the premises of the Ministry.
In order to put an end to this conflict of personality and this power struggle, Tuesday 26 April, a new order given to the Primature, signed by the Prime Minister himself and seen and approved by the President a.i. Jocerme Privert states "[...] Considering that it is necessary to appoint a new Minister of Defence.
Article 1.- The Citizen Enex J. Jean-Charles is appointed Minister of Defence [...]"
See also :
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17282-haiti-flash-pm-takes-care-of-demobilized-soldiers.html
SL/ HaitiLibre
Haiti - Politic : The Government Commissioner awaited to Parliament
Thursday, the Commission "Justice and Public Security" of the Chamber of Deputies convened Me Camille Edouard Jr., Minister of Justice and Public Security. Moreover the Commission would like the Minister to be accompanied of Government Commissioner of the Court of First Instance (TPI) of Port-au-Prince, Me Jean Danton Leger and by Me Jacquelin Tardeus, Government Commissioner of Cap-Haitien.
On the agenda of this meeting :
- The actions taken in the margins of the law by the government commissioner near the Prosecutorof TPI of Port-au-Prince https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17267-haiti-justice-excessive-zeal-or-political-judiciary-maneuver.html ;
- The appointment of the new Government Commissioner at the Court of First Instance of the Croix-des-Bouquets;
- The installation of the new Director General a.i. of the National Police of Haiti;
- The recent release of notorious gangsters to Pilate.
HL/ HaitiLibre
Haiti - Humanitarian : Food For the Poor relocates 76 Haitian families with dignity
76 families including 40 local displaced from Fond-Bayard and 36 others of hosting sites of Anse-a-Pitres (return from the Dominican Republic), were relocated in the new Village Alexandre Guy (3rd communal section of Labady, Artibonite), built by the organization Food For the Poor (150 house planned), on a plot of 32 ha given by the Haitian Government.
Each house has an area of 48.75 m2, and families will receive support for 6 months that will enable them to feed, educate their children and engage in income generating activities. In each new house, were placed mattresses, a table, a solar kit, hygiene kit, blankets, a gas stove and food items: bags of rice, peas and corn.
In addition, families have access to a health clinic, a community center, a leisure area and a vocational school for youth. Livestock and beekeeping projects are already underway to help householders to acquire autonomy.
The Support Group for Returnees and Refugees (GARR) and the Jesuit Service for Migrants (SJM) contributed to the relocation of 36 migrant families of Anse-a-Pitres whose 11 lived in Fond-Jeannette, 13 in Savane Galata, 6 to camp Parc Cadeau II and 6 in Tete a leau.
HL/ HaitiLibre
Haiti - Petit-Goave : The Minister deplores the subhuman conditions of detention
Monday Me Camille Junior Edouard, Minister of Justice and Michel Ange Gedeon, the Director a.i. of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) visited the police station of Petit-Goave https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-17273-icihaiti-politic-the-minister-of-justice-on-the-ground.html where the two 30m2 cells serve of prison and in which pile up more than 150 people.
The Minister interacted with the prisoners who took the opportunity to inform him of their demands and denounce their poor conditions of detention "[...] in addition to abuse, lack of care and food and diseases we suffer, most of us have never been heard by a judge since 2 or 3 years or even 8 years for minor offenses [...]" https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-15160-haiti-justice-horror-of-the-detention-in-petit-goave.html
The Minister deplored the subhuman conditions in which prisoners are, and demanded that they all undergo a health examination so that we know the real state of health of each of them, because many detainees appear to suffer from infections and other communicable diseases...
"I recommend to the Prosecutor and the Court of First Instance of Petit-Goave (which was also visited by the Minister) to work hard for those who are victims of prolonged detention be released quickly," declared the Minister Edouard on Radio Preference FM.
For his part, Michel-Ange Gedeon promised to provide the police station of human resources and materials needed to be able to fight insecurity and banditry in the region of Palmes "My field trip helped me to identify the needs of police officers in Petit-Goave. I guarantee them that they can count on my cooperation and that of the Minister of Justice..."
Before leaving for the capital, the Minister and the Director of the PNH thanked the officers of the Minustah working in Petit-Goave alongside the Haitian police officers.
See also :
https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-17273-icihaiti-politic-the-minister-of-justice-on-the-ground.html
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-15160-haiti-justice-horror-of-the-detention-in-petit-goave.html
IH/ iciHaiti / Guyto Mathieu (Correspondant Petit-Goave)
Haiti - News : Zapping politics...
Privert and political blocks, out of phase
On Wednesday, the presidents of the various political blocs at the Chamber of Deputies have been invited to meet the President a.i. Jocelerme Privert "[...] this encounter participating in the Head of State's concern to collect the opinions of different parliamentary blocs within the framework of open consultations for the finalization of the terms of reference of the electoral Verification Commission [...]" says the invitation.
In response to this invitation Cholzer Chancy indicated in a letter that the "Presidents of the various blocks believe that this meeting should rather concern the agreement of 5 February and especially the deadline of May 14, 2016 [...] it is imperative that the Presidents of the different blocks together are able to discuss the various arrangements to urgently take to ensure institutional continuity and the continuation of the electoral process begun in 2015."
The choice of international according Moise J-C
According Moise Jean-Charles of the Platform "Pitit Desalin" the international community is faced with two choices: either it accepts the Verification Commission or it will face a popular uprising. In anticipation of the second choice, Moise Jean-Charles announced the upcoming return to the streets of its activists to demand to Privert the electoral necessary corrections.
The PHTK calls for mobilization
In a note, Ann Valerie Timothee Milfort, President of PHTK notes that "the Political Agreement of 5 February 2016, designed to overcome the post-election crisis, artificially created after the 2015 elections, is systematically and unilaterally challenged by the Acting President [...] which uses all sorts of tricks to stay in power and transform the provisional in final [...]
The PHTK reaffirms its determination to continue the fight for the continuation of the electoral process between the two leading candidates in the first round [...] and launches a patriotic appeal to all democrats who believe in Republican values, beyond political divisions to mobilize to counter this threat to our democracy through the maintenance of the temporary power at the head of the country. "
The G48 rejects the invitation of the Chief of State
The Deputy Rony Celestin, President of G48 (The Parliamentary Alliance for Haiti) the majority bloc in the lower house, announced that his block will not attend the meeting on Wednesday with President Privert. According to him, the Head of State has not complied with the agreement of 5 February and has no other choice that pack up and leave the Prime Minister the opportunity to finalize the election. The Deputy Celestin is also against the idea of organizing the elections in October 2016.
Extension or not of the mandate of Privert, the Assembly will decide
For Senator Francisco De La Cruz, it is up to the National Assembly to decide on the extension or not of the mandate of interim President Privert beyond June 14. Regarding the last proposal of the President of the Republic to hold elections in late October, he believes that various sectors are expected to discuss the merits of this proposal.
HL/ HaitiLibre
Published on 2016/04/26 | Source
Korea Ginseng Corporation (KGC) chose hallyu star Lee Min-ho as their new face for Good Base, one of KGC's brands for family.
Good Base has decided to choose Lee Min-ho who is popular in Korea as well as internationally and will market their products through TV commercials, promotional events and autograph signing events for his fans.
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During the brochure photoshoot, Lee Min-ho, the leading actor of the upcoming movie "Bounty Hunters", which opens in June, embodied his trustful image, which perfectly matches the natural healthy brand image of Good Base.
Good Base team manager of KGC Lee Kang-don said, "The premium natural health product, Good Base has found a model for our new campaigns, who has the trustful and healthy image" and "Lee Min-ho is an actor who represents Korea and especially carries the healthy and trustful image ".
The Good Base campaigns starring Lee Min-ho will be revealed in the end of April. Behind-the-scenes, online footage and making films will be revealed through various platforms off and online.
Published on 2016/04/26 | Source
Young actors are coming to back with dramas later this year. Dramas are coming back with a lighter mood along with the hot summer weather.
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First, Park Shin-hye is coming back for the first time in a year with the SBS "Doctors". She's out of her teen image and is coming back as a mature doctor. From July onwards, it's a series of 'young blood'. Miss A Bae Suzy, 2PM Ok Taecyeon, Lee Jong-suk and Kim So-hyun are some examples of 'young blood'. Bae Suzy is coming back with "Uncontrollably Fond". This is her first drama in 3 years since "Gu Family Book". Ok Taecyeon and Kim So-hyun are starring in the tvN drama "Bring It On, Ghost". And Lee Jong-suk is coming back with MBC "W".
Park Bo-gum from the tvN drama "Answer Me 1988", is starring in the KBS 2TV drama "Moonlight Drawn by Clouds" based on a web-toon. His partner is seventeen year-old Kim Yoo-jung. They are the youngest couple yet.
Idol members are taking over the MBC drama "Gaia" which is being produced by SM C&C. A famous male idol and a normal woman are stranded on an island after their plane crashes. Members of EXO were the initial targets of casting, but it turns out Chanyeol and Kwon Yuri from Girls' Generation are the lead acts.
The rush of young actors is thanks to the Chinese popularity of the drama "Descendants of the Sun". China is crazy about KPOP idols and their performances in dramas. It's also summer vacation season so the 'young bloods' can appeal more to the younger viewers.
According to sources, China welcomes dramas with young acts and idols.
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.
09:00, 23 OCT 2022
gle has a new innovative plan to stop its best tech talent leaving to start their own businesses, and it could be replicated by local Australian businesses.
Google has decided to build its own in-house startup incubator called Area 120, to funnel restless entrepreneurial energy back into internal innovation.
Business incubators of which there are a growing number in Australia are services that help entrepreneurs develop their ideas to the point of success. They can help with everything from product development, platform design and testing, to entrepreneurial skills, access to capital and taking a business global.
Googles Area 120 will replicate that model internally, with the opportunity to eventually pitch Google for additional funding to create a whole new company.
The Information reports that first, teams within the organisation will be able to submit business plans and apply to join the newly created incubator.
If Google likes their idea, it will then give them permission to leave their existing positions to work full-time on the new concept for a period of months.
Eventually, Google may choose to invest in the new start-up, which could see entrepreneurs emerge out of Google with investment from the company.
The internal incubator plan follows a previous Google policy called 20 per cent time, which involved Google employees being able to work on their own projects for a portion of their time in addition to their regular projects.
Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin previously said this empowered them to be more creative and innovative, leading to significant advances in the company. Google News, Gmail, and AdSense have all been put down to this policy.
With the creation of Alphabet last year, Google continued along this course, with Larry Page writing it would be "empowering great entrepreneurs and companies to flourish" even if they didnt want to stay with Google itself.
Recently, Australian businesses have been engaging local business incubator talent to help them become more entrepreneurial in both culture and thinking.
This comes as the disruptive forces of technology threaten existing business models, and businesses need to move faster to keep up with tech trends.
tralias plan to build its next 12 submarines locally in Australia may provide lessons for HR managers looking to save on costs by offshoring jobs.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull awarded DCNS of France the contract to design the submarines, at a total estimated cost of $50 billion.
It was the culmination of a competitive tender process entered into in early 2015, after a strategic decision was made to build the next generation of submarines locally, rather than offshore the construction project to Japan.
The Federal Government - driven by both politics, and economics decided a healthy local shipbuilding industry had more benefits than offshoring.
The local build of future submarines in Australia is expected to directly create around 1100 jobs and a further 1700 jobs in the Australian supply chain.
An Australian build establishes and maintains a capable industry base and skills in Australia from day one, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said yesterday.
It means the engineers and welders who build the submarines will be the same ones who end up maintaining our future submarines, he said.
Offshoring has been a trend within the Australian economy for decades, first in the manufacturing sector, and increasingly in the local services sector. A primary force of globalisation, businesses and HR are attracted by the cost benefits of offshoring lower skilled work to places like the Philippines, rather than locally.
While technology and globalisation of business will continue to make it easier to both offshore local roles and safeguard culture at the same time, the submarine decision raises some interesting areas for consideration for HR managers.
Innovation and skills
The governments decision to keep jobs onshore is based on a detailed consideration of what skills and capabilities Australia should foster locally over the longer-term, to both take advantage of potential business opportunities, and to invest in a culture of innovation that could extend to other business areas.
Rather than cutting costs in the short-term, the government expects participation in a decades-long high technology, advanced manufacturing project locally would develop sophisticated skills, build integration into global supply chains, and create a local industry that is a regional leader in defence.
The policy asks HR managers to consider what skills they are likely to need in local offices not just in the short-term, but over the long term, as well as how keeping talent local could strategically assist with business growth in future.
Continuity and culture
Shipbuilding workers in South Australia have been given an assurance they will now have a long-term continuous build of naval surface ships and a rolling acquisition of submarines to look forward to, safeguarding careers and jobs.
This puts an end to the boom-bust cycle that is the hallmark of the industry, and has been greeted with optimism, enthusiasm and engagement from industry.
Businesses offshoring jobs risk losing the advantages that come from providing continuity and consistency to loyal employees, in terms of morale, engagement, and the fragile culture and values the organisaiton has worked hard to build.
Leadership and succession planning
The submarine decision aims to ensure a depth of talent is being created locally to fill the future requirements of the industry, which are as yet largely unknown. The policy recognizes that low-skilled workers will with training one day become higher skilled workers, some of whom will rise to leadership roles.
Businesses that offshore their workforces are making critical decisions about the leadership and succession planning options that are available to them in the future. While global talent can enrich and build a talent pool, harvesting local future leaders could end up being critical to long-term business performance.
For this years Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day), Appalachian State Universitys Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies has worked with partners throughout North Carolina to organize two events. The public is invited.
A play and educational program on Germans of Jewish ancestry in the Holocaust will be presented April 30at 7:30 p.m. in Plemmons Student Unions Blue Ridge Ballroom, Room 201 AB. Admission is free of charge. The 30-minute play is followed by a panel discussion with the artist and two Holocaust historians.
Also, a public reading of the names of European Jews murdered by the Germans during the Holocaust will be held Thursday, May 5, in front of Belk Library and Information Commons, in conjunction with Temple of the High Country and Appalachians Hillel chapter. The reading will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., when it concludes with a ceremony. To sign up to be a reader, visit
http://holocaust.appstate.edu/events/yom-hashoah-2016-public-reading-names-european-jews-murdered-germans-and-their-collaborators
The Saturday program will evolve around The Mitzvah Project, a one-person play performed by Roger Grunwald, an acclaimed actor and child of survivors who co-wrote the piece with Broadway veteran and director Annie McGreevey. The play tells the tragic story of Christoph Rosenberg, a German half-Jew who became a decorated officer in Hitlers army. A panel discussion will follow with Grunwald and Professor Thomas Pegelow Kaplan, director of Appalachians Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies, and Professor John Cox of UNC Charlotte.
This program focuses on the struggles of Germans and other Europeans of partial Jewish ancestry whom the Nazi regime persecuted along with Jewish community members across the continent. In the early stages of its assault on German Jewry, the Nazi state deprived Jewish communities of the right to determine what it means to be Jewish and imposed racialized definitions of Jewishness on the Jewish population. Among others, Nazi bureaucrats introduced the Jewish Mischling or half-breed as a new legal category and created in Nazi parlance a third race that was comprised of descendants of one or two full-Jewish grandparents. The Nazi state defined more than 100,000 women, men and children as Mischlinge. A minority of them joined the Jewish communities; most of them, however, originally belonged to one of the Christian Churches. They had Jewish ancestors and, in many cases, living Jewish relatives, including a Jewish parent. Initially, many male Mischlinge were drafted and fought in Hitlers military. Some willingly served in the hopes of being able to protect their Jewish mother or father. In the course of the 1930s and early 1940s, almost allMischlinge gradually lost their rights and were subjected to ever-increasing discrimination. Many were deported to work camps and some to death camps like Auschwitz.
Grunwald has been a professional performing artist for almost four decades. In 2013, he was honored with a grant from the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) for the development of The Mitzvah Project. He has performed the play to high acclaim in synagogues and on university campuses throughout the United States and will be heading to the U.K. in 2016. He is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He has appeared in over 70 stage productions in the United States and Europe.
Pegelow Kaplan is Appalachians Leon Levine Distinguished Professor and director of the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies. He has studied modern European history and American Studies in Tubingen, Eugene, Berlin and Chapel Hill. Before coming to Appalachian, he taught Holocaust studies at Grinnell College, Davidson College and De La Salle University in Manila, Philippines. His research focuses on histories of violence, language and culture of Nazi Germany and Nazi-occupied Europe and the 1960s global youth revolts. His books include The Language of Nazi Genocide: Linguistic Violence and the Struggle of Germans of Jewish Ancestry (Cambridge University Press, 2011).
Cox is a historian of genocide and modern world history and directs the Center for Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Studies at UNC Charlotte, where he serves as associate professor. He earned his PhD at UNC-Chapel Hill in 2005. Cox is the author of Circles of Resistance: Jewish, Leftist, and Youth Dissidence in Nazi Germany (Peter Lang Publishing, 2009). His second book, To Kill a People: Genocide in the Twentieth Century, was published by Oxford University Press in February 2016. Cox has written and lectured extensively on the Holocaust, other genocides and anti-Nazi resistance.
For more information, call 828-262-2311 or email [email protected].
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Eight Students from Avery High School and the Blue Ridge Academy recently completed The Grandfather Challenge hiking program at Grandfather Mountain in Linville.
The Grandfather Challenge program is sponsored by The Jason Project, Inc., which was formed by the parents of Jason Matthew Nipper, who passed away in June of 2014 at age 26. This private foundation provides outdoor/wilderness and hiking excursions and similar programs which are designed to build self-confidence in struggling youth, as well as trust and positive rapport with adult mentors. Because of Jasons abiding love of the outdoors and mountain hiking, James & Cheryl have established The Grandfather Challenge, through which students navigate all of the hiking trails at Grandfather Mountain. Although the program includes at-risk kids suffering from mental problems and/or drug addictions, the program also seeks to assist any special kids who are struggling with personal adversities, including family, school, or other personal problems or challenges.
The eight very special students who just completed this program are: Austin Benfield, Dustin Hatley, Aaron McKinney, Hunter Mabry, Dustin Eudy, Daniel Ambrocio, Julissa Munoz, and Kimberly Calhoun. School chaperones who accompanied these students on various hikes are: Katie Pittman, Karen Tashner, Meridith Boothe, and Susan Stelling. Each and every one of these very special students and adult chaperones did a wonderful job of accepting and completing The Grandfather Challenge course at Grandfather Mountain ! Ms. Katie Pittman of Avery High School sums up her view of the program by saying: The program seeks to assist students of multiple intellectual, behavioral and emotional levels. Through overcoming literal and emotional obstacles, these students grow with their self-advocacy, asking for assistance, becoming resourceful and developing a team mentality.
The Grandfather Challenge
These hikes were conducted and supervised by Tom Henry and Curtis Batten of Appalachian Mountain Leadership, which is a highly certified, experienced, and faith-based outfitter group headquartered in Boone, NC, which provides wilderness activities of various kinds, including extended wilderness excursions, rock climbing, overnight camping, and other experiences in which they teach servant leadership, wilderness management, discipline, and character building values and goals. (You can learn more about Appalachian Mountain Leadership by visiting their website at www.amlnc.org).
Dr. David Burleson, as superintendent of the Avery County School system, was the programs first partner to work with The Jason Project in implementing The Grandfather Challenge, and has been a primary source of support and encouragement. The non-profit organization has also formed an alliance with the Catawba and Caldwell County School systems, representing a total of 14 high schools and 9 middle schools. Also, the Grandfather Mountain State Park of North Carolina (through its Superintendent Sue McBean) has issued a Special Activity Permit to the project, and the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation (with the support and encouragement of Jesse Pope) has issued a special pass for entrance to the Grandfather Mountain attractions. Jasons parents are deeply appreciative of the community support they have received for this exciting program !
The Jason Project, Inc. provides hiking boots, backpacks, socks, raincoats, professional guides, and all other costs associated with this program. At the successful completion of each round of hikes, the youth participants are each given a Certificate Of Completion and a gift certificate at an awards ceremony in their honor. This current group just celebrated their achievements at Bellas Italian Restaurant in Banner Elk.
Once again, our deepest thanks and appreciation goes out to all of these special students and chaperones who participated in The Grandfather Challenge!
Anyone seeking further information about The Grandfather Challenge and/or who may wish to sponsor a student may contact James or Cheryl Nipper at (828) 765-6561 or (904) 354-7378, or via email at [email protected], or visit their Go Fund Me page at GoFundMe.com/TheJasonProject.
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Bethel Assembly Church, reconstructed in the community of Bhaktapur, the quake-affected area of Nepal, held the inauguration ceremony on April 13, 2016, almost one year after the April 2015 Nepal earthquake.
Aided by the Jiangsu Christian Charity Fund and the Amity Foundation, the reconstructed church also has specialized activity rooms to provide service to children in the assembly.
Just nearly one year ago, the 7.9-magnitude earthquake stroke the western part of Kathmandu, the capital of the country, resulting in over 8000 deaths and 21000 injuries. the people suffered tremendous losses of money, houses and roads.
Amity joined in the international rescue with ACT Alliance the first time. Besides, Chinese churches held prayer meetings for and raised donations to Nepal.
In addition, Amity participated in the efforts to assist the transitional arrangement in the quake areas of Nepal and post-disaster reconstruction, including providing residential tools, material and household necessities used to build temporary houses.
Moreover, there are several women development teams in the rebuilt communities Amity helps. Back to Nepal, they has made rules to discuss the following development.
Until April 22, 2016, the charitable organization has raised about 8 million yuan. It is estimated that it has paid 7.25 million yuan on the reconstruction project of the church and another post-disaster project on recovering the basic equipments and development of the livelihood of the communities in Nepal.
(Bloomberg) Investors pulled $2.9 billion from Asia-based hedge funds in the first quarter, the highest outflows in seven years, according to data from eVestment. March redemptions from managers in the region approached $2 billion, according to an e-mailed statement from the Atlanta, Georgia-based data provider. China-focused funds lost $337.5 million to withdrawals during the month, it added.
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(The Business Insider) Hedge funds are trying to halt a House bill that would create a mechanism for restructuring Puerto Ricos massive $70 billion debt. Those funds may be in for a surprise: If they kill the measure and then rely on U.S. courts to enforce the terms of their bonds, judges may not cooperate.
To read this article:
Apodaca proposes referendum on HB2
State Sen. Tom Apodaca, the second ranked Republican in the Senate, on Tuesday floated a new idea on HB2, the controversial bill that has drawn widespread protest and economic backlash. He'd put the measure on the ballot and let North Carolina voters decide.
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"If it were up to me, I'd just put it out to a vote of the people," Apodaca told a WLOS-TV reporter. "Let them decide what they want to do. Let's put it on the ballot and get it over with once and for all. If the majority wants this, fine. If they don't, fine."
There was no immediate word on whether Apodaca's idea had the support of Senate leader Phil Berger and other leaders of the House and Senate. The Legislature convened its short session on Monday amid HB2 protests inside and outside the Legislative Building. General Assembly leaders have not said whether they plan to take up any changes to the bill, although Berger told reporters last week he sees no need for changes.
Graham Smith tried to smuggle over 1m worth of cocaine through Heathrow Airport in food packages
An Irishman caught trying to smuggle more then 1m worth of cocaine from Brazil into England has been jailed.
Dubliner Graham Patrick Smith (22) was sentenced to five years by a court in England.
Smith was stopped by customs officials at Heathrow Airport in London and claimed he had travelled to Brazil for a friend's stag party.
He was found to have concealed cocaine with a street value in Britain of 864,000 (1,115,900) in his luggage.
Border Force officers stopped the Dubliner in the customs channels in the airport's Terminal 3 building on November 30 last.
Smith had arrived on a flight from Sao Paulo and told the Border Force staff that he had travelled to the South American country to attend a friend's stag party.
Baggage
During a search of his baggage, the officers found a number of sealed plastic bags that appeared to contain food.
But when one of the plastic packages was cut open, a white-coloured powder was discovered inside.
In the subsequent tests it was revealed to be cocaine.
There was a total of six kilos of the drug in Smith's luggage.
The case was referred to the National Crime Agency's (NCA) Border Policing Command and, following questioning, Smith was charged with attempting to import a Class A drug.
Forensic tests carried out on the powder inside the case showed that it was cocaine with a purity of 73pc.
Smith, with an address at Westbourne Green, Clondalkin, Dublin, was brought before Isleworth Crown Court on Friday last.
The court was told that the six kilos of the drug found in his luggage would have had a UK street value of approximately 864,000 if cut and sold. Smith pleaded guilty to the offence.
Phil Douglas, Border Force Heathrow director, said the seizure was considerable.
"This was a cynical, but unsophisticated attempt to smuggle Class A drugs into the UK," said Mr Douglas.
"The Border Force officers who foiled it prevented a sizeable quantity of cocaine from reaching our streets," he said.
"We continue to work with our colleagues from the NCA to do all we can to stamp out this despicable trade and bring those responsible to justice," he added.
Smuggle
One of the most widely known cases of an Irish person seeking to smuggle cocaine from South America was that of Michaella McCollum.
McCollum's case attracted media coverage when in August, 2013, she and Scottish woman Melissa Reid were caught trying to board a flight from Lima in Peru to Madrid in Spain carrying a total of 11kg of cocaine, valued at 1.8m.
They later pleaded guilty in a Peruvian court and received a jail sentence of six years and eight months.
McCollum was released from prison on parole last month.
Food critic Tom Doorley has told a court he suffered two broken shoulders when he was knocked down by a taxi in Dublin city centre.
Mr Doorley, who appeared as a resident critic in TV3's hit reality show The Restaurant, lives in Cork but has a flat in Dublin.
Mr Doorley told Dublin District Court that on October 17, 2014 he went into the city centre for a business meeting. He drank two average-sized glasses of red wine. Afterwards he went to Trinity College, he said.
Later, at about 6pm, he went to another restaurant for another meal, during which he drank two small bottles of water. He then decided to get a taxi home and walked along Westmoreland Street.
At the junction with Fleet Street he was on the outside flank of a number of people crossing the road, he said.
"Due to a particular childhood experience I am extremely cautious crossing the road," he told Judge Miriam Walsh.
He said that as he was about to step onto the pavement on the far side kerb he spun and ended up on a bonnet of a car. He said he then landed on the ground on his back.
The court heard he was then taken by ambulance to St James's Hospital. One shoulder was broken in three places and he also broke his other shoulder.
Surgery
His left side was immobile for six months and he just recently had surgery, he said.
In cross-examination Mr Cruikshanks' solicitor put it to him he did not mention in his statement about the drinks. He said he did not think it was relevant, but it was put to him that it was relevant if someone was drunk.
"I certainly was not drunk," Mr Doorley said.
CCTV evidence was shown and medical reports were given to the court.
Garda Declan Ryan said the taxi driver, Mark Cruikshanks, was "very shaken up by what happened".
He said the taxi man told him that he did not see the pedestrian and suddenly there was an impact on the front of his Toyota Avensis and he braked immediately.
Giving evidence yesterday, Mr Cruikshanks said he had picked up a passenger and had to make his way to Fleet Street. He was 10 to 15 metres from the corner and the road was clear.
Cross
He said a person appeared in front of his car. He claimed Mr Doorley had been in the middle or the road when he was hit and other people were still waiting to cross.
Mr Cruikshanks (38), of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, Dublin, is accused of careless driving at Fleet Street on the evening of October 17, 2014. He pleaded not guilty. He claimed Mr Doorley rushed out in front of his Toyota Avensis.
After hearing prosecution and defence witnesses, Judge Walsh granted an adjournment to consider her verdict. The case resumes next week.
Tim Cullen has had a ringside seat for Wisconsin politics for more than 50 years.
The longtime state senator from Janesville is one of the good guys a politician who plays well with others, including members of the opposing political party. He knows how to work toward compromise and solution.
Those should be useful skills.
Instead, being a moderate, a compromiser are dirty words in Madison these day, Cullen said.
While being in the middle is popular around the state, he said, its lonely in the Capitol.
Cullen is making the rounds to talk about and sign copies of his book, Ringside Seat: Wisconsin Politics, the 1970s to Scott Walker.
Its his new book, its his first book and as Cullen said with a smile it will be his only book.
Make no mistake: Cullen is a Democrat. But there was a day when a Democrat could serve in the Cabinet of a Republican governor.
The Janesville native and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater graduate was elected to the state Senate in 1974 at 30. Cullen rose in his caucus and became Senate majority leader. In 1987, he was appointed secretary of Wisconsins Department and Health and Social Services under Gov. Tommy Thompson.
Me, a Democrat, going into Tommy Thompsons cabinet, was not an unusual thing in that era, Cullen said.
Thompson even wrote a back-of-the-book note: Tim Cullen has enjoyed great success over the past half a century trying to creatively solve public policy challenges and is fearless in confronting those in politics that embrace the status quo. Hes a skilled problem-solver and someone I consider a friend.
In 1988, Cullen became an executive with Blue Cross, where he worked for the next 20 years.
In 2010, he ran for and was elected to his old seat in the Senate. He left after one term a term that included unprecedented protests on the Capitol in Madison and turmoil throughout the state. It included a trip to Illinois, too, which makes an interesting read.
During the past 60 years, Cullen says, our state has had a dozen governors six Republican, six Democrat. For the most part, he says, theyve succeeded by governing toward the middle and away from the extremes.
But Cullen said that is much less the case with Gov. Scott Walker and his partys hold on both the Senate and Assembly, plus its ability to change political boundaries to aid the party in elections, have been big factors.
The concept is known as gerrymandering the party in power drawing the electoral map to favor the party in power.
It got its name by combining the last name of Elbridge Gerry who signed the Declaration of Independence and was Massachusetts governor from 1810-1812 with a salamander, which described the shape of one of the contorted districts on his election map.
Weve criticized partisan political map-drawing in Wisconsin by both parties over the years, and we continue to favor our quaint notion that voters should pick their elected representatives rather than allowing the politicians to picking the voters.
Cullen talks at length about the problem and hes quick to point out that both parties are at fault. Democrats have gerrymandered such states as Rhode Island and even Gerrys native state.
Eventually, he believes a test case possibly from Wisconsin may go to the U.S. Supreme Court to help settle the one man, one vote concept when it comes to redistricting.
Cullen and UW-La Crosse political science guru Joe Heim have talked passionately about how gerrymandering results in safe districts where the majority has little fear of losing an election.
Those safe districts provide little incentive for a politician to worked toward the middle, toward compromise.
When youre in a safe district, Cullen said, the November general election doesnt matter nearly as much as the August primary in your own party, where youre vulnerable from an extreme wing of your party if you havent toed the party line 100 percent in your voting.
Cullen will donate proceeds of his book to the Janesville Multicultural Teachers Opportunity Fund that he launched in 2008 to raise money for college scholarships for students of color in Janeville.
There arent enough Tim Cullens on either side of the aisle these days either in Madison or in Washington.
A Dublin man caught with 1,800 worth of cocaine at his home had turned to dealing to pay off his own drug debt, a court heard.
Paul Fagan (30) had cocaine as well as weighing and bagging paraphernalia in his house when it was raided by gardai.
Judge Cormac Dunne told Fagan, an unemployed roofer, that he was "messing up other people's lives" and adjourned the case against him for the production of a pre-sentence probation report.
Shared
Dublin District Court heard gardai carried out the search at an address at Glin Park that was shared by the accused and his partner.
They found the cocaine as well as weighing scales and a number of items of bagging equipment that were used to wrap the drug.
Fagan later presented himself at Coolock Garda Station, where he made admissions.
"He's drug dealing," Judge Dunne said.
Fagan's solicitor accepted that the value of the drugs was high.
The judge pointed out there was also weighing and packing equipment found.
"If he wants to mess up his own life, that is fine, but he's messing up other people's lives," Judge Dunne said.
Fagan had an "issue with drugs", got himself into debt and the offence was committed to pay off that debt as well as feed his own habit.
The accused had left school after completing his Junior Certificate and then got a job as a roofer, but he was out of work at the moment.
The court heard he had started smoking cannabis before moving on to cocaine and had been able to keep working.
His solicitor asked the judge to take into account the accused's guilty plea .
"You can't be selling drugs at that level," Judge Dunne said. "There are victims out there that we see in this court every day in a very poor physical and mental state."
Remanded
Fagan, of Glin Park, Coolock, admitted having the drug with intent to sell or supply at an- other address on the same street. He also admitted a related charge of simple possession of cocaine in the same incident, last May 13.
The judge adjourned the case to a date in June and remanded Fagan on continuing bail.
The 'New IRA' are preparing to target the Kinahan cartel to avenge the latest killing in the bitter gangland feud in Dublin.
Senior sources revealed last night that top-level officers were "extremely concerned" that the murder of dissident republican Michael 'Mickey' Barr (34) on Monday night would lead to a further escalation of the brutal gangland war between the cartel and the Hutch gang.
There are growing fears that dissidents in the North - which have access to a large arsenal of explosives and ammunition - will become a powerful third element in the bloody feud that has claimed six lives.
"Barr was a senior member of the 'New IRA' grouping. The legitimate fear is that his associates in the North and the Republic will now feel they have to avenge his murder by striking back at the Kinahan cartel," a senior source said.
"This escalation is something that no-one is prepared for, something that is terrifying to think about when one considers the arsenal of weapons that the dissidents have.
Bloody
"If the dissidents become an active third element in this bloody feud, the body count could be in the dozens within months," the source added.
Gardai believe that Co Tyrone man Michael Barr - who was shot dead in the Sunset House in Summerhill in Dublin's north inner city at 9.30pm on Monday - became a target because of his close association with the Regency Hotel gunman nicknamed 'Flat Cap'. They are both from the same county.
Detectives also believe that the Kinahan cartel had received information that Barr had also been involved in sourcing the AK-47s used in the Regency attack from his IRA faction in the North.
Two men, described as skinny and wearing masks, burst into the Sunset House while a driver waited outside.
Barr was shot a number of times in the head and body. The two men fled in an Audi A6 - registration number 04-C-17738 - which was found burned out in Drumcondra.
It is understood that the killers had a "spotter" in the pub who was in contact with the assassination team.
Last night, it emerged gardai were investigating whether the mob suspected of murdering Eddie Hutch Snr in February, were involved in this week's shocking slaying.
The Cabra-based criminals are also the chief suspects in the shocking 2006 Baiba Saulite murder case and are being investigated for last month's feud-related murder of Noel 'Kingsize' Duggan in Ashbourne, Co Meath.
Ruthless
"They are extremely loyal to the cartel and are frankly a ruthless crowd of evil b******s," a source said last night.
Yesterday, the Herald revealed that key cartel target Ross Hutch (24) fled from the pub when Michael Barr was murdered. This paper has learned that the latest murder in the bitter feud has led to a state of crisis among senior gardai.
"What is the solution to this going to be? Where will we go from here if the IRA decide to become active participants after this murder? It is a very grim prospect," a senior source said.
"There is a lack of surveillance, a lack of intelligence, a lack of proper technology and the whole Covert Human Intelligence Sources system, which governs how gardai deal with criminal informants, is a complete failure."
"Everyone is on tenterhooks that this thing has gone out of all control and even a mass murder cannot be ruled out now," the source added.
The IRA faction, to which Barr was linked, is considered the biggest threat among the many different active dissident republican factions.
The group is an amalgamation of the Real IRA, Republican Action Against Drugs and other republicans which came together to form one group in 2012.
Sources say that their power base had continued to "slowly grow" since that time.
Barr had been living in Finglas and Ballymun and had been a major target for the garda Special Detective Unit for the past four years.
He was due to be sentenced tomorrow at the Special Criminal Court for handling stolen property. Earlier this month he pleaded guilty to handling stolen electrical equipment.
In June of last year, Barr and six other men were cleared of IRA membership charges at the Special Criminal Court.
It is understood that the murdered man leaves behind a devastated north Dublin-based partner and a number of young children.
The state elections board will ask lawmakers for $250,000 to publicize Wisconsins new voter ID requirement in the lead-up to the November election.
The co-chairman of the Legislatures budget panel, Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, said Tuesday that he expects it to seriously consider the request.
Providing $250,000, to assure every vote is counted, I dont think is a problem, Nygren told the Wisconsin State Journal.
The Government Accountability Board approved the request on a 4-2 vote at its regular meeting Tuesday. Judges Harold Froehlich and Timothy Vocke were the dissenting votes.
The vote means the board will ask the Joint Finance Committee for the funds, likely later this spring, board spokesman Reid Magney said.
The board developed an ad campaign to raise awareness of the requirement but said it doesnt have the money to put it on the airwaves.
Wisconsins requirement for voters to show photo IDs at the polls is in effect in statewide elections for the first time this year. It was approved in 2011 but largely has not been in effect since, due to a string of court challenges.
Voter ID critics have said a public awareness campaign is critical to ensuring all voters know the requirement will be in place for the high-turnout presidential election. State Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, a finance committee member, urged the board Tuesday to request money for what she described as a desperately needed campaign.
Supporters of voter ID have said the requirement has been widely publicized and debated in the five years since Gov. Scott Walker signed it into law.
The vote comes as the board nears its expiration date. New elections and ethics commissions, created by Walker and Republican lawmakers, will replace the board on June 30.
The new commissioners attended and participated in Tuesdays meeting. Election commissioner Ann Jacobs, a Democratic appointee, suggested there could be value in an education campaign for the many voters who participate only in presidential elections.
We have a surprising number of people who are four-year voters, Jacobs said.
Froehlich dismissed the notion that lawmakers, if they had $250,000 to spend, would put it toward voter ID awareness.
Were spinning our wheels asking for money, Froehlich said.
Lawmakers provided $436,000 for a public education campaign in 2011 when the voter ID law was enacted.
The board spent about $181,000 of that crafting much of the ad campaign for which it will seek funding. But a 2012 court order halted the implementation of voter ID, and what was left of that money was spent elsewhere or returned to the state treasury.
WASHINGTON Ten years after the federal government approved the first vaccines to combat the cancer-causing human papillomavirus, nine years after those vaccines were recommended for all adolescent girls, and five years after they were recommended for all adolescent boys, less than half of girls and only a fifth of boys are getting immunized.
Despite state efforts to raise vaccination rates, public health officials say that for a variety of reasons, mainly wariness over the HPVs association with sex, parents and especially doctors have not embraced the potentially life-saving vaccine.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of 2014, only 40 percent of girls ages 13 to 17 had completed the three-vaccine course of HPV immunization. (And just 22 percent of boys had done so.) Thats well short of the 80 percent goal set in 2010 by the federal government in its Healthy People 2020 report, which established health objectives for the nation.
Even states that require HPV inoculation for school admission or mandate that schools teach students about the virus have fallen far short of the federal benchmark.
We think the rates are dismally low and very alarming, said Amy Pisani, executive director of Every Child by Two, a nonprofit that aims to reduce instances of vaccine-preventable illnesses. We clamor and clamor for a vaccine to get rid of these terrible diseases and yet we arent implementing them.
Some states fare significantly worse. In Tennessee, for example, the vaccination rate for girls was 20 percent the lowest rate in the nation and 14 percent for boys. Even the best-performing state, Rhode Island, one of only two states plus the District of Columbia that require HPV inoculation for school admission, has rates well below the national goal, with 54 percent of girls and 43 percent of boys receiving all three HPV vaccinations.
Particularly vexing to public health experts is the fact that the HPV vaccination rate lags far behind that of two other vaccines recommended for the same age group. The national rate for adolescents receiving the Tdap booster (to prevent tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis) is 88 percent, and for the vaccine to prevent meningococcal diseases, the rate is 79 percent.
HPV is a group of more than 150 related viruses, which together are the most common sexually transmitted infections in the United States. According to the CDC, about 79 million Americans are now infected with HPV and 14 million people become newly infected each year.
Nine out of 10 HPV infections resolve themselves within two years, mostly with no symptoms whatsoever, but 10 percent of the infections lead to cancer, especially cervical cancer, but also cancers of the vulva, vagina, penis, anus and throat. It takes years, if not decades, for a person with HPV to develop cancer.
The vaccines are nearly a hundred percent effective in preventing precancerous tumors (tumors that are not growing aggressively, killing surrounding tissue or spreading to other parts of the body, but are considered likely to do so), according to the CDC. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which makes inoculation recommendations to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recommends the vaccine for boys and girls at 11 or 12, likely before they become sexually active and possibly exposed to HPV.
ACIP recommended the vaccine for boys in 2011. Boys were not included in ACIPs original recommendation for HPV vaccines because it took longer for medical researchers to find a reliable way to detect HPV-related precancerous tumors in males. ACIP now recommends the vaccine for women up to age 26 and males up to 21. In women older than 26 and men older than 21, the vaccine is much less effective.
That the HPV vaccine requires three inoculations over several months contributes to the low vaccination rates. CDC data show a dramatic drop-off between the first and last doses. But health policy experts also point to other factors, especially the discomfort over the association between the virus and sexual activity.
HPV is most commonly spread through sexual relations. When the vaccine was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2006 and recommended for all adolescent girls the following year, opponents argued that the vaccine would prompt young people to start engaging in sex by freeing them of the fear of contracting HPV.
At least one study shows no uptick in sexual activity in girls who have been immunized. Nevertheless, the concern prompted the Texas Legislature in 2007 to overturn the executive order issued by Republican Gov. Rick Perry, earlier that year, requiring all girls entering the sixth grade to be immunized.
The same fear doomed immunization bills in a number of other states. The exceptions were Rhode Island, where both boys and girls entering the seventh grade must be inoculated, and Virginia and the District of Columbia, where girls entering the sixth grade must be immunized but not boys. Their laws were passed when the recommendation applied only to girls and have not been altered to reflect the change.
Immunization supporters also hurt their own cause with ill-advised strategic decisions. For example, some state legislators soured on immunization requirements after Merck & Co., the manufacturer of the first HPV vaccine, mounted an aggressive lobbying campaign in favor of the vaccine, prompting a backlash among parents, doctors and consumer advocates.
Walt Orenstein, a professor of medicine at Emory University and the former director of the National Immunization Program at the CDC, said federal and state public health officials also erred by focusing the early public information campaign on the sexual transmission of the virus, rather than on the vaccines life-saving benefit.
It should have been pushed out as an anti-cancer drug, Orenstein said. People didnt understand why their children needed this drug when they were still years away from being sexually active.
Many who study immunizations think that too few doctors and nurse practitioners discuss the HPV vaccine with parents in a way that conveys its importance. Some parents and providers are reluctant to engage in conversations about sex especially when the child is a preteen.
Health care providers believe it will take a lot of time, that parents either arent interested or would give them a hard time about it, and physicians dont want to talk about sex when indeed they dont have to, said Noel Brewer, who does research on immunizations at the University of North Carolina and who has studied parental and provider attitudes toward HPV.
We clamor and clamor for a vaccine to get rid of these terrible diseases and yet we arent implementing them. Amy Pisani, executive director, Every Child by Two
LOS ANGELES (AP) Los Angeles police have identified the body of a woman found stabbed 150 times in 1969 near the site of the Manson family killings as a 19-year-old from Montreal, People magazine reported Wednesday.
Police have identified the woman as Reet Jurvetson, who moved to Los Angeles from Montreal the year she was killed, according to People.
Los Angeles police Detective Luis Rivera told the magazine that investigators can't rule out that the Manson family was involved in the killing. He said the best lead police have is a man known as "John," whom Jurvetson met in Toronto before flying to Los Angeles to see him the summer of 1969.
Jurvetson's body was found Nov. 16, 1969, by a birdwatcher in dense brush off the iconic Mulholland Drive. She had been stabbed 150 times and didn't have identification.
"It was personal," Rivera told People. "It was a maniac ... or love gone wrong."
After going unidentified for years, Jurvetson eventually became known Jane Doe No. 59. The location and timing of her killing, just a few miles away from several Manson family murders, has long fueled speculation that Jurvetson's case was connected.
Police are working to solve the murder, with Rivera saying, "No one deserves what happened to her."
"It's our job to find out who's responsible and bring them to justice," he said.
Police said they used DNA to identify Jurvetson after her sister recognized a photo posted of the young woman's body online.
The sister, Anne Jurvetson, told People that the "free-spirited and happy" teen went to Los Angeles after meeting and becoming smitten with "John."
Anne Jurvetson said her sister sent her family a postcard saying she had found an apartment and was happy but that they never heard from her again after that. Her parents never reported her missing because "they thought that she was just living her life somewhere," Anne Jurvetson said.
Eventually, she said she came to realize that her sister was probably dead.
"It is such a sad, helpless kind of feeling to always question, to never know," she said. "After all these years, we are faced with hard facts. My little sister was savagely killed."
Manson became notorious in 1969 as the leader of a "family" of young killers that terrified Los Angeles. Manson was convicted of killing seven people, including pregnant actress Sharon Tate, the wife of director Roman Polanski.
Thanks to Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.) 200,000 convicted felons in the state of Virginia may now register to vote.
Writes The Washington Post, The change applies to all felons who have completed their sentences and been released from supervised probation or parole. The Democratic governors decision particularly affects black residents of Virginia: 1 in 4 African Americans in the state has been permanently banned from voting because of laws restricting the rights of those with convictions.
McAuliffes executive order also allows felons, including rapists and murderers, to run for public office, serve on a jury and become a notary public. I can just visualize the campaign slogan now: Vote for me. Ive already done time.
Republicans are outraged, of course. Virginia House of Delegates Speaker William J. Howell said: The singular purpose of Terry McAuliffes governorship is to elect Hillary Clinton president of the United States. This office has always been a stepping stone to a job in Hillary Clintons cabinet. Its an accusation McAuliffe vehemently denies.
Hillary Clinton tweeted, Proud of my friend (at)GovernorVA for continuing to break down barriers to voting. H.
After many years as a Republican, or red state, Virginia more recently has become a swing state and important to Democrats for winning the presidency. Just as former slaves in Virginia and elsewhere were loyal to Republicans for many years after Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation it is likely that many of these felons will become reliable Democratic voters. Maybe Democrats will next figure out a way to hand illegal immigrants crossing our southern border the right to vote.
McAuliffe, a prolific fundraiser for the Clintons, appears to be as loyal to them as a familys faithful golden retriever. He has raised millions for them and for the Democratic National Committee. For a good account of McAuliffes fundraising antics and other financial dealings, visit the website counterpunch.org.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, In 38 states and the District of Columbia, most ex-felons automatically gain the right to vote upon the completion of their sentence. In liberal Maine and Vermont, convicted felons may cast their ballots while in prison and are never disenfranchised. Most states require ex-convicts to apply to have their voting rights restored. Many factors go into the decision, including the nature of the crime. It is not always automatic.
In his book The Virginia Constitution, John J. Dinan writes: Virginias felon disenfranchisement provision ... has been challenged in several cases, but sustained in each instance. In 1982, Virginia voters rejected a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would have allowed convicted felons to vote. As recently as 2004, notes Dinan, a constitutional amendment to automatically restore felons voting rights after the completion of their sentences was considered by the General Assembly, but failed to achieve a majority in either the House or Senate.
Societies going back to Greek and Roman times have disenfranchised convicted criminals, because they regarded such actions as part of their punishment. There was also a sense that not allowing convicted felons to vote might, when combined with other forms of punishment, serve as a deterrent to crime.
Republicans have long accused Democrats of election shenanigans. i.e., Mickey Mouses name showing up on registration lists, voters giving nonexistent addresses, some voting more than once. And lets not forget what I call the cemetery vote, or the ultimate absentee ballot, where the dead get to vote.
In an interview following McAuliffes announcement, Speaker Howell suggested legal action might be taken. There isnt much time between now and November and the Republican majority legislature is not even in session. Legal action would be difficult.
If Hillary Clinton wins the presidency and the votes of Virginia felons prove decisive, cheating and voter cynicism will plunge to new depths. Most people probably think politics cant get any dirtier. McAuliffes action shows they are wrong.
Harper's dramatic HR sends Phillies to first World Series since 2009
The reigning NL MVP hit a go-ahead home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Phillies a 4-3 win over the Padres
home World Noah's Ark life-sized replica to voyage from Netherlands to Brazil
A life-sized replica of Noah's Ark is set to be opened to the public in July at the Ark Encounter theme park in Kentucky, but a different one will soon be crossing the seas from the Netherlands to Brazil.
"Transportation of the Ark of Noah from The Netherlands to Brazil will be an incredible undertaking made possible by donations," says the Noah's Ark Foundation, the organization that is raising funds to make the voyage possible. "The voyage will be streamed live on the internet. People will see the barge on which the Ark of Noah will be mounted for the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean."
The replica of the famous Biblical vessel will remain in Brazil from two to four years, and will dock in different ports, including Fortaleza, Rio de Janeiro, Manaus, Belem, Recife, Salvador, Vitoria, Santos-Guaruja, Florianopolis and Porto Alegre. The decision to bring the ark there first came when Dutch carpenter, building constructor and ark builder Johan Huibers learned about the underprivileged communities in the South American country. Afters prayer and support from the local church, he felt led to bring the vessel there.
"It was decided ... this was a message from God to bring the Ark to Brazil, where these communities, as well as many others, may receive the experience of hope. ... and what better time than during the Olympics so visitors from around the world can witness this amazing vessel!" a post on the Ark of Noah website says. "Johan decided the Ark doesn't just belong in the Netherlands and Brazil, but he should bring the experience of hope through South America, Central America and North America."
After Brazil, they are hoping to take the ark to different harbors, including Montevideo, Buenos Aires, Havana, Panama, Columbia, San Diego, Long Beach, San Francisco, and Seattle.
The 450-foot-long full-sized model, with a coastal trading vessels license, is the second ark built by Huibers. It is open to the public in Dordrecht, and has reportedly already received hundreds of thousands of visitors. Previously, he made a half-sized version, which was towed by a tugboat down the Netherland canals. He first came upon the idea to construct the ark, nicknamed Johan's Ark, when he dreamed of his home province of Noord-Holland being flooded.
The ark will provide different experiences to its visitors, one of which an interactive one that would present creation until the great flood, and also the teachings of Jesus. Through the coordination with local communities, churches, social welfare groups, and other organizations, they can arrange for orphans and underpriveleged families to gain free access to the ark.
home Faith Ban abortion without exceptions, demands pro-life group in Poland
A pro-life group is seeking to remove the exceptions in the abortion ban in Poland by pushing for a citizens' bill.
The Fundacja Pro (Pro Foundation) is collecting 100,000 signatures to support the bill, which was drafted in response to a highly publicized incident about a mishandled abortion that happened last month.
A woman reportedly went to Holy Family Hospital in Warsaw to have her 24-week-old baby aborted. The baby had been diagnosed with Down Syndrome. However, after two failed attempts to abort the child, it was delivered alive and was left unattended to die.
The incident has caused an outcry from church leaders and residents in Poland, where 90 percent of the population are Roman Catholic.
Abortion is banned in Poland, but it is allowed under certain conditions: if the woman was impregnated through rape or incest; if the mother's health is at risk; and if the fetus 25 weeks or less is diagnosed with handicap. Every year, 200 abortions that fall under these categories are carried out in Poland.
Earlier this month, the Catholic bishops made a public statement regarding their stand on abortion.
"Catholics' position on this is clear, and unchangeable: one needs to protect every person's life from conception to natural death. We ask the lawmakers and the government to initiate the legislation."
Legal group Ordo luris, which drafted the citizens' bill, said that the bill will give children equal rights and protection, whether before or after birth.
"It removes the three existing circumstances under which an abortion is currently permitted. The initiative requires the state to support families raising handicapped children or children conceived in in circumstances related to the commission of an offense," the legal group said.
In the new bill, human beings will be protected by the law upon the time of conception, which starts when the sperm cell fertilizes the egg cell.
"Public administration and local self-government bodies, within the limits of their respective competences, as specified in particular regulations, shall be obliged to provide material assistance and care to families raising children who are seriously handicapped or who suffer from a life-threatening illness," the bill states.
Nothing goes right for Edgewood in long trip to East Central
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A lot of noise has been made over the nationalism of Indian Muslims who have chosen not to chant a controversial slogan on grounds of their religious sentiments. How can they be forced to chant any slogan to prove their nationalism? The Constitution does not demand this. A few extremist leaders have reacted aggressively to Muslims refusal to chant the slogans; one has even stated that if he could, he would have beheaded them for refusing to do so. As an Indian Muslim, this writer is tempted to ask by what right have these extremists raised questions about my nationalism and that of others. Are they legally, ethically, socially and politically permitted to indulge in a practice which seems hardly appropriate in the national interest?
The nationalism of Indians may be questioned if and when they engage in any activity not in keeping with their duties as citizens. The failure of citizens to abide by constitutional rules may also be termed as anti-national. The controversial slogans have not been listed in the Constitution. Then on what grounds can the refusal of Indian Muslims to chant a slogan be viewed as anti-national?
READ: BJP indulging in gundagardi in the name of Bharat Mata: Kejriwal
The aggressiveness with which Muslims have been blamed for an offence that they have not committed lacks legal support. The noise on this issue is an attempt to defame them, spread false news, malign their reputation and raise controversies about their national identity as well as the definition of nationalism. Indulging in this behaviour, when law and ethics do not command them to do so is equivalent to their carving out their own rules and laws, which they expect Indian Muslims to be subject to.
In this regard, should the keepers of Indian law and order remain silent about those showing little concern for rules that they are expected to follow, constitutionally? Each citizen has a duty towards the Constitution. While a lot of importance has been given to the refusal of Muslims to chant controversial slogans, little attention has been paid to questioning the authority of those making such a noise. Hardly anything has been said regarding the illegal nature of their behaviour.
READ: Beheading remark was in response to Owaisis statement: Ramdev
The manner in which extremists have lashed out at Muslims is not reflective of any activity in the national interest. It has to a certain degree spread tension and has also thrown a bad light on the countrys image. It would be pertinent to draw attention to freedom of speech and expression as permitted by the Indian Constitution. As per right to freedom, according to article 19, all citizens have the right to freedom of speech and expression. It is a fundamental right but with limitations. Article 19(2) highlights reasonable restrictions on the exercise of this right, in the interests of sovereignty and integrity of India. These are security of State, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence.
READ: Hindutva distorting Hinduism: Nayantara Sahgal
The extremists have abused freedom of speech and expression by making aggressive noise against Muslims refusal to chant the controversial slogan. By not following constitutional principles, the extremists have certainly raised questions about their own patriotism and nationalism!
Nilofar Suhrawardy is a senior journalist
The views expressed are personal
It is wrong to brand Kanhaiya as anti-national and slap a sedition case against him. He is not anti-national. These are not the words of some leftist or a Congressman. They were spoken by Uddhav Thackeray, chief of the Shiv Sena. He didnt stop there: When Hardik Patel, the Patel quota stir spearhead, became popular, he was charged with sedition, and now Kumar is fighting against the government, he said at a public meeting, claiming that the Narendra Modi government, instead of guiding the youth of the country, was misleading them.
Has the Sena, which never loses an opportunity to wave the flag of nationalism, developed a sudden sympathy for leftist causes? Hardly. This is Thackeray taking one more swipe at the BJP, in the ongoing war between his party and its long term ally. Both the parties have been together for over 25 years and are now allies in a coalition government in Maharashtra, but barely a day passes by without some sniping from either side. The Sena does it more often and far more directly, but the BJP is no slouch either. Last October, when both parties were fighting the municipal elections in Kalyan, outside Mumbai, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis pointedly told the Sena: You are teaching loyalty. There is no need to give us lessons of nationalism. Our birth itself is from nationalism. By disrupting a couple of meetings one does not become nationalist, which was a clear reference to the Senas habit of indulging in violent tactics.
Read | Will Uddhav show the courage Bal Thackeray did not have?
In recent weeks, the pitch has become louder, the tone stronger. For Thackeray to almost sound sympathetic towards Kanhaiya is a major step, even if tactical, towards poking at the BJP. Fully aware that it is a sore point with the BJP and conscious that it is a direct criticism of the Modi government, Thackeray chose to bring up the centres mishandling of affairs not just in JNU but also in Gujarat. In the past too such as after the Bihar electoral debacle Thackeray, through his partys newspaper Saamna, has mocked Modi, which has angered the BJP no end.
Both parties are readying themselves for battle for Mumbais cash rich Municipal Corporation elections. With an annual budget of `34,000 crore and power over the countrys commercial capital, the Corporation is as important as any state legislative assembly. The Sena has ruled over it for decades; the BJP is a relatively minor player. Political circles speculate that both parties will go it alone in the elections, which should give some sleepless nights to the Sena; losing the civic body would mean it would be out of power on its own almost everywhere.
For the BJP, control of the state and the Corporation would give it unparalleled power to push through its development agenda, which includes some big ticket projects for the city. Indeed, the Sena fears that if the BJP wins a majority, it may even spin off Mumbai into a separate administrative unit; all this talk of Smart Cities and turning Mumbai into a global financial centre is making the Sena very nervous, since it could prove dangerous to what is essentially a local, nativist party.
Read | BJP created Modi as God but bhakts will land him in spot: Shiv Sena
The schism between the two began in the aftermath of the general elections in May 2014, when a triumphant BJP decided to go it alone in the elections in Maharashtra after seat negotiations failed. It was clear that the BJP no longer wanted to stick to the old formula, which gave the Sena many more seats than its partner. The plan almost succeeded, but in the end, the BJP failed to get a majority and had to ally with the Sena; the latter too was keen to get into government. But the Senas grouse is that it was not given any important portfolio and its ministers are kept in the dark about decision making. Now it is the BJP which is the big brother.
Underlying all this tension is the fundamental cultural difference between the two parties. While they both flaunt their Hindutva and nationalist credentials, the BJP in the state has always been perceived as a party of bhatts and shetiyas (Brahmins and traders). In Mumbai, this also translates as Gujaratis and Marwaris, who control finance and trade. The Sena appeals to the Marathi manoos, which is composed of the working class and the rising middle-classes. The BJP is making a serious bid to encroach on that territory, promising economic growth and jobs; this could entice the Marathi youth.
The Sena is now making a strenuous bid to woo the youth vote the Thackeray scion Aditya Thackeray is leading that effort. It may not agree with Kanhaiya, but it does not want to be seen as attacking youngsters and college students.
Read | Uneasy allies: Now, Aaditya slams BJP
In the coming months, this animosity will only grow. The Sena will want to retain its own identity and ensure that its core constituency does not get confused or shows any inclination towards the BJP. It feels that the Narendra Modi magic has worn off and that the BJP has limited reach in the city in the tenements and the slums. The BJP on the other hand is upping its game and is trying to strengthen its grassroots network. If the two of them dont contest the elections jointly most observers are convinced they wont it is going to be a no-holds barred run up to January 2017.
Sidharth Bhatia is a senior journalist and a founder editor of Thewire.in
The views expressed are personal
It wont be easy for even veteran psephologists to predict who will emerge triumphant in the electoral fight in West Bengals Bhawanipur, the incumbent chief ministers home turf.
The BJP, TMC and Congress are leaving no stone unturned to grab eyeballs. Their festoons and banners are ubiquitous in the constituency, and it isnt any easier to say who is winning the advertising race either.
I had no interest in contesting the assembly elections. Im in the fray only because I have been asked to take on the CM, said Deepa Dasmunsi, former Union minister and the Left-supported Congress candidate.
For someone who earlier wasnt interested, Dasmunsi is doing a top-notch job crisscrossing the constituency on her campaign trail. Senior leaders of the Left-Congress alliance too have campaigned for her.
Not to be outdone, the BJP has brought out its big guns. Star campaigners, including Amit Shah, Uma Bharti and Paresh Rawal are campaigning for Chandra Kumar Bose, freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Boses grand nephew. PM Modi too shared the dais with Bose on an occasion. [But] Mamata obviously has an edge over other candidates but its difficult to simply close your eyes and predict the result this time, said Shankar Mondal, a tea stall owner at Kalighat.
Defeating Mamata in Bhawanipur would be unthinkable just a couple of years ago. Since 1991, she has won from the South Kolkata Lok Sabha seat six times on a trot and it was only in 2004 that her winning margin was less than one lakh votes. No one imagined until 2014 that of the safest seats for the TMC in Bengal could make Mamata sweat bullets.
The Lok Sabha elections have shown that people of Bhawanipur wanted change. Itll be reflected in a clearer way this elections, said Bose referring to BJPs lead of 185 votes over TMC in 2014.
However, going by last years civic polls, TMC has an edge over the opposition. It won six of eight wards with 57,888 votes in 2015.
TMCs former bastion
Total voters: 2.02 lakh
Profile of residents: Service holders and small/medium traders mostly
Communities: Bengalis, Marwaris, Gujaratis, Sikhs and Biharis
Polling stations: 269
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Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchans red carpet looks at Cannes may face scrutiny in India but that doesnt mean she spend sleepless nights wondering what she will wear this year.
When asked about her choice of outfit for the upcoming Cannes film festival, the actress, who had earlier dazzled the audience with her sartorial choices, said, I think it is a bit in advance as I would be meeting you all soon (referring to promotions of Sarbjit).
She is expected to attend the film festival on May 13 and 14. Laying out the wardrobe is too early. I am girl on the go. But I have never spent sleepless nights planning the Cannes red carpet, Aishwarya said.
Actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan at the launch of L'OREAL Cannes Collection in Mumbai on Tuesday. (PTI)
She has been attending the prestigious Cannes Film Festival for last 15 years. The experience has been different year after year. It has been 15 years, I am thankful to LOreal for this. Its a great exchange of ideas with different people you meet. I am glad I got opportunity to share my thoughts and work at this prestigious festival. I feel humbled and privileged to speak there, represent Indian cinema and be a member of film fraternity. It has been a precious experience, she said.
Read: Aishwarya defends Salman in Rio Olympics row
One of Aishwaryas winning looks at Cannes in the previous years.
She also praised actress Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone who are working in West for various ventures. Kudos to everybody (Priyanka, Deepika) for all frontiers that you wish to achieve. We have appeared on your channel (pointing towards a cameraman) so we feel grateful for that as well. We are glad that we had the opportunity to be covered by you (media), she said.
Aishwarya also said that Cannes would have been the perfect platform for Sarbjit. I do not know if the team will be able to make the opportunity possible on that platform as well because Cannes will be happening in the last week (the film releases on May 20). Given the timeline, if it is possible, the team will look for the opportunity. But, however if there are too many deadlines to match regretfully, that chance may have to be cut off, she said.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan feels that Cannes Film Festival would be the perfect platform to showcase her upcoming film Sarbjit.
The film is a biopic on Sarabjit Singh, an Indian farmer who was convicted of terrorism and spying in Pakistan and was sentenced to death.
It narrates the story from the point of view of Dalbir Kaur, Sarabjits sister played by Aishwarya, who endured severe hardships in trying to get her brother released.
After 22 years on death row, Sarabjit was attacked by fellow inmates in jail and died in a Lahore hospital in May 2013.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan during the launch of L'Oreal Paris Cannes 2016 collection in Mumbai on April 26, 2016. (IANS)
The title role is played by Randeep Hooda, while the role of his wife has been played by Richa Chadha.
There have been reports that Sarbjit will be screened at the Cannes Film Festival this year.
Its (film) releasing on May 20. I dont know if we will be able to make the opportunity possible on that (Cannes Film Festival) platform as well. In the last week (of film release) we meet you (media). So given the time line if its possible the team will use that opportunity, said Aishwarya.
Watch: Aishwarya, Randeep in Sarbjit trailer
However there are many deadlines to be met. We will wait for the team to announce if there is an opportunity. It (Cannes) would be the perfect platform to share it, but it is coinciding with the release of the film, added Aishwarya.
Read: Aishwarya defends Salman Khan: Good work should be recognised
The Omung Kumar-directed film is set to be screened in theatres on May 20.
Superstar Salman Khan and Sonam Kapoors interviews and interesting behind-the-scene moments form a mega webisode, titled Memoirs of Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, set to release online as a special treat for fans.
The webisode, by filmmaker Vidhi Kasliwal, will also see director Sooraj Barjatya, Anupam Kher and other actors along with the entire unit of the movie discuss and share their thoughts on the title, the reasons behind the title Prem Ratan Dhan Payo and the bond between Salman and Sooraj that began with Maine Pyar Kiya 25 years ago.
Read: Prem Ratan Dhan Payo review: Salman Khan is the ultimate boy scout
From the time Sooraj ji decided to make his next film, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. We shot day and night and captured very interesting footage. The icing on the cake was that he was working with the one & only Salman Khan again, said Vidhi in a statement.
Watch: Prem Ratan Dhan Payo trailer
My team canned over 250 hours of footage from which I was very keen to produce and direct the digital assets. So what started as a 10-webisode series increased to 21 webisodes as the response to each asset was phenomenal! I was very happy when Soorajji told me that my teams hardwork had contributed so much to the record breaking opening the film got.
Incidentally, a feature-length documentary on the making of PRDP, also by Vidhi, is expected to release this year.
Follow @htshowbiz for more.
India has imposed anti-dumping duty on import of telecom gear from Chinese firms Huawei, ZTE Corp and Alcatel Lucent to protect domestic industry from cheap shipments.
The restrictive duty imposed on import of Synchronous Digital Hierarchy Transmission Equipment (SDHTE) from China ranges between 9.42% and 86.59% of the landed (cost, insurance and freight or CIF) value.
India had first come out with anti-dumping duty of up to 266% on import of telecom gear from China and Israel in December 2010 for five years.
The Department of Revenue issued a notification on Tuesday, extending the anti-dumping duty for five years, up to April 25, 2021.
An anti-dumping duty of 48.42% has been slapped on import of SDHTE from ZTE Corp while it will be 54.09% on Shanghai-based Alcatel-Lucent.
Imports from Huawei Technologies Co faced an anti-dumping levy of 37.73%.
However, anti-dumping duty on import from Israels ECI Telecom has been withdrawn. The government had, in December 2010, imposed anti-dumping duty on ECI along with the Chinese firms.
In the previous notification, the anti-dumping duty ranged from 3% to 266%.
A 9.42% anti-dumping duty was imposed on import of telecom equipment from any other manufacturer from Israel.
Hit hard by the anti-dumping duty, Shenzhen-based Huawei Technologies now plans to set up a new telecom equipment manufacturing unit in the Sriperumbudur special economic zone (SEZ).
The notification said the quasi-judicial Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD), in its findings published in February this year, stated that there is continued dumping of SDHTE by Huawei China, ZTE Corporation, Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai and Bell Co.
Dumped imports were causing injury to the domestic industry in the period of investigation, it noted.
But in the case of HETC, China, there is negligible dumping in the period of investigation (POI)... Therefore, there was no likelihood of dumping, it clarified.
DGAD had concluded in its probe that the domestic industry had suffered a material injury on account of dumped imports.
Unlike safeguard duties that are levied in a uniform way, anti-dumping duties vary from product to product and country to country.
Anti-dumping probes are initiated to check if domestic industries have been hurt because of a surge in cheap imports.
Countries impose duties within the multilateral regime of WTO. Anti-dumping measures are taken to ensure fair trade and provide a level-playing field to domestic players. It is not a measure to restrict imports or cause an unjustified increase in cost of products.
Banks, including State Bank of India (SBI) and HDFC Bank, expressed concerns after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) asked lenders to provide for losses on food grain-related loans issued to the government of Punjab.
According to reports, a consortium of 30 banks extended loans of Rs 12,000 crore to fund the Punjab governments foodgrain procurement programme. However, the RBI told lenders to mark the loans as potential non-performing assets (NPAs) and make provisions for them after Rs 20,000 crore worth of foodgrain went missing from godowns. The central bank has asked lenders to set aside 7.5% of the outstanding amounts from their earnings in the March quarter, and another 7.5% in the June quarter, which could lead to total provisioning of up to Rs 3,000 crore to the account.
Banks, meanwhile, have decided to freeze loans to the state for the time being.
This should be a one-off, said Gopal Krishan Kansal, chief general manager, national banking group, SBI, the countrys largest lender. Ultimately the government is saying that there is some reconciliation issue with the FCI (Food Corporation of India) and the central government, and hopefully they will settle it in this quarter. It is unusual and so far it hasnt happened as the government always guarantees... We have to see how things pan out and you never know ,(if other states also face issues).
Historically, banks have never lost money in any component of food credit since the government always stands as the guarantor.
Indias second-largest private lender HDFC Bank has set aside provisions amounting to R150 crore during the January-March quarter and will make an equivalent provision in the April-June period for its exposure to the Punjab foodgrain loan.
Read: Banks fear agri NPAs as reservoirs dry up
Obviously if there has been a provisioning, which has been mandated by the regulator, there is some concern on that, said Paresh Sukthankar, deputy managing director of HDFC Bank. Food credit has an element of FCI and state government exposures. In no component of food credit have banks lost money ever historically.
On whether the government will pay back, he said: Thats what I think the entire system will believe.
Last week, minister of state for finance Jayant Sinha said the government was taking steps to check whether similar situation had spread to other states. We need a systemic solution to ensure that whatever needs to be resolved across various agencies, can be done in a structured and systemic way. We are working with the RBI as well as with the banks and government agencies to ensure that the matter with respect to food stocks is satisfactorily resolved.
No other state government handles as much as the Punjab government. Though other states could face similar situation, the central government will try to resolve it A freeze on lending could have further impact negatively on the rural growth after two consecutive years of droughts, a private bank executive said.
At the core of this decision was the missing stock of food grains worth Rs 20,000 crore from godowns in Punjab, which the state claims to have procured after taking loans from these banks The freeze on bank lending to the government of Punjab, has blown over with the RBI issuing an authorisation of cash credit limit of Rs 17,523 crore, towards the first instalment for the procurement of wheat during the ongoing rabi season. The liquidity crunch for the government of Punjab has become a perennial problem, according to a India Ratings and Research report.
Read: Govt will have to give PSBs funds to avoid credit downgrade: Moodys
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Axis Banks scrip fell by nearly 5% on Wednesday after the companys March quarter earnings registered a disappointing profit decline.
After a weak opening, the stock further slipped 4.67% to Rs 458 on BSE.
On NSE, it declined 4.61% to Rs 458.05.
Axis Bank, the third-largest private lender, negatively surprised markets on Tuesday with a 1% drop in March quarter profit at Rs 2,154 crore on higher provisions and set aside money in a buffer expecting deterioration in asset quality in future.
The bank had reported a net profit of Rs 2,180.59 crore in the January-March quarter of 2014-15.
For the full year, the bank reported a post-tax net profit of Rs 8,349 crore, up 12%.
On the asset quality front, the bank witnessed fresh slippages of Rs 1,474 crore as against the Rs 2,082 crore in the third quarter, when it recognised maximum stress after asset quality review as mandated by RBI.
Total slippages in 2015-16 touched Rs 7,345 crore, but the bank management declined to give a guidance on the same in 2016-17. The gross NPA ratio was almost stable at 1.68%, while during the quarter, it sold assets of Rs 349 crore to asset reconstruction companies for Rs 110 crore.
In a note, brokerage Emkay Global said the numbers are below its estimate, primarily due to lower incomes and higher operating expenses and prudential provisions.
Public sector banks (PSBs), which have started giving out agriculture loans to farmers for Kharif crops, are keeping their fingers crossed with several water reservoirs in the country drying up, and many districts experiencing drought-like situation due to lack of rains in the previous years. About 40% of the total agriculture loans go towards kharif crops.
While the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted an above-average monsoon for 2016-17, sources said the next few weeks will be crucial as the repayment of agriculture credit could be impacted even in case rains are not evenly spread. That apart, loans given under the Mudra programme, could also come under pressure in case of delayed or insufficient rains.
There is no need to press the panic button immediately, but the pattern of rains in the next few weeks will determine the overall pattern of monsoons. If we get uneven rains, it may turn out to be a big problem rains will also determine whether water reservoirs are being refilled, a senior official at a mid-sized government bank told HT.
Farm loans have been one of the main reasons for the rising non-performing assets (NPAs) loans that do not yield returns at public sector banks. NPAs are currently over 6% of total advances.
Economists, however, said it was too early to come to any conclusion. Though most of the lending for the kharif crops take place in March, the current drought-like situation will not add any further pressure to the NPA level...we will wait and watch before drawing any conclusion, said Soumya Kanti Ghosh, chief economic adviser, State Bank of India.
The RBI recently asked banks to set aside provisions for losses on `12,000-crore foodgrain-related loans issued to the government of Punjab.
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With more and more people moving towards online transaction, cyber criminals are now posing as technical support to steal your data. This fake technical support model is increasingly being used to for consumer data theft, says a report by security software firm Symantec. According to the report, thefts involving fake technical support saw a whopping 200% increase in 2015 across the world.
With close to 5 lakh attacks last year, India ranked 11 amongst countries targeted the most by tech support scams... The countries targeted the most by tech support scams were the US, the UK, France, Australia and Germany, Symantec director solution product management Asia Pacific and Japan Tarun Kaura told PTI.
It should be noted that the countries that had most reported tech support scams were the US, UK, France, Australia and Germany. In total, Symantec blocked more than 100 million tech support scams last year (globally), he added.
The report also lays out the dos and donts of cyber safety, such as using strong and unique passwords and regularly changing them, among other tips.
In an attempt to regulate the operation of unmanned flying devices such as drones, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) plans to register all civil unmanned aircraft and issue permits for operating for them.
The regulator has come out with draft guidelines for operation of civil Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). DGCA will register all civil unmanned aircraft and issue an operator permit on case to case basis. All unmanned aircraft intended to be operated in India will require a Unique Identification Number (UIN) issued from DGCA, says the draft guidelines, comments on which have been invited till May 21.
International operations of civil UAS (flying across the territory) and/or over water shall be strictly prohibited. The UA shall not be flown over the entire air space over the territory of Delhi (30km radius from Rashtrapati Bhavan) and areas falling within 50 km from the international borders. Also, UA (unmanned aircraft) shall not be flown over other sensitive locations viz. nuclear stations, military facilities and strategic locations, it said.
Civilian use of UAS includes damage assessment of property and life in areas affected with natural calamities, surveys; critical infrastructure monitoring.UA operations present problems to the regulator in terms of ensuring safety of other users of airspace and persons on the ground, the DGCA said.
However, in view of technological advancements in unmanned flying devices over the years and their increased use in everyday life, it has become necessary to develop guidance material to regulate this activity, it said.
The unique permits, the draft guidelines said, can be granted only to a citizen of India or a company that it is registered in India does its business here. The draft rules also specify that the companys chairman and at least two-thirds of its directors have to be Indian citizons.
The operating permit can also be cancelled by DGCA if it does not meet the acceptable standards set by the authorities.
Posting a huge operating loss of 3,100 million Norwegian Krone (around Rs 2,530 crore) for its Indian telecom business, Telenor on Wednesday hinted at exiting India if it fails to procure spectrum at reasonable rates.
The Indian arm of Telenor is also looking to expand its 4G footprint, and will offer the lowest tariff for these services as part of its affordable pricing strategy.
While announcing the financial results in Norway, Telenor global CEO Sigve Brekke said: Long-term presence in India is dependent on our ability to secure additional spectrum. We are not able to compete with the current spectrum portfolio we have in the growing data market...We are Looking at upcoming auctions and potential trading options.
Sigve Brekke, president and CEO of Telenor worldwide. We must find a solution sometime this year, he said about the companys India operations (REUTERS File photo)
Telenor India offer GSM-based services in six out of 22 circles in the country. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has recommended Rs 11,485 crore per Mhz base price for the auction of spectrum in the 700 Mhz band, the highest ever for any radiowave.
We are in India to make money, if we dont see return then we need to look at other alternatives, Telenor CFO Morten Karlsen Sorby said.
The operating loss of Telenor India widened to NOK 3100 million (R2,532 crore) in the January-March quarter of 2016, compared to NOK 159 million (Rs 129 crore) in the same quarter a year ago. Revenue, however, rose 11% to NOK 1306 million (R1,067 crore) during the quarter, against the year-ago period.
Operating profit was hit by NOK 2.9 billion (Rs 2,369 crore) in impairment and write-down, Telenor said.
The companys average revenue per user in local currency fell 8% to Rs 90. The decline was primarily driven by lower voice consumption.
Telenor, which has already launched 4G services in Varanasi, intends to roll out high-speed services in six to eight cities across six circles in the next 45-60 days.
Taking a grim view of rampant unauthorised construction in Sainik Farms in violation of a 2001 ban and right under the noses of the authorities, the Delhi high court on Wednesday asked the CBI if it could probe the matter.
No construction is allowed in the unauthorised south Delhi residential colony home to the citys rich and influential since the court passed the order over 15 years ago. Even the entry of construction material is banned, with the south Delhi municipal corporation (SDMC) and south Delhi police given the task of keeping a check.
Despite clear directions concerning Sainik Farms rampant unauthorised construction continues unabated. People were deployed, yet building continues without legal sanction, a bench comprising justice BD Ahmed and justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said.
Citing the SDMCs own admission that 700 properties had come up in the area since 2007, the court directed the SDMC and police to submit a list of officials deputed in the area after January 2001.
One of the petitioners suggested over 1.40 lakh trucks must have entered and exited Sainik Farms since 2007.
The court noted with irritation that the SDMC had nothing to show save for the prosecution of a few civic officials and some demolition action in a pick-and-choose manner.
The same bench had in February ordered a preliminary CBI enquiry into unauthorised construction in the Neb Sarai, Freedom Fighters Colony, Paryavaran Complex and Mehrauli areas of south Delhi.
On Tuesday, it asked the agency if a preliminary enquiry could also be made in the case of Sainik Farms, and posted the matter for hearing on May 15.
It also issued notices to the Sainik Farms Road Development Committee and two other registered associations who are allegedly collecting money from commercial vehicles carrying construction material into the area. The secretaries of each of these associations will give details of funds collected since 2007, the court ordered.
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A dagger, gifted to former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru during one of his foreign visits, was allegedly stolen from the Nehru Museum in New Delhi on Monday.
On Monday evening, a glass casket in which the dagger was kept was reportedly found broken by the private security guards. They informed the police about the incident.
A case of theft has been registered and investigation launched. The museum was closed for visitors on Monday. Sources said that since the dagger was golden in colour, made of shiny metal, the thief may have mistaken it to be made of gold. The sources said the dagger was ornamental only.
The private security guards saw the broken glass casket on Monday evening and informed the authorities. The museum officials called the police control room. The glass casket was broken in a professional manner. The casket has not been smashed. It is the job of someone who knew how the casket is opened. It may have been broken in an attempt to open it, a senior police officer said.
The police suspect the role of an insider in the case.
None of the entry doors to the lobby where the dagger was kept, were found to be broken. The entry was friendly which means that the person had the key to the gates. We have sought details of all the employees including security staff working in the museum and their entry and exit time, said a senior police officer.
We are also looking at the CCTV footage from the spot to identify who went inside the building at the time when the dagger was stolen, the officer said.
A rape accused in Indias capital has an 83% chance of being freed by a court, an HT investigation has found. Shoddy probes, poor handling of forensic evidence and the lack of an effective witness protection program contribute to Delhis low conviction rate: a mere 17%, which is 11% lower than the national average of 28%.
HT analysed 663 judgments delivered by special courts and posted on official websites between January 2014 and March 2015. Of the 665 accused, only 114 were found guilty. Of those acquitted, 87 rape accused were cleared because the complainants testified they had eloped with them.
Why is the acquittal rate so high in a city that was the epicentre of protests after the December 16 gang rape that yielded a more stringent law? Data analysis shows systemic problems in police investigations and the process of prosecution.
Read| 16-year-old raped in Delhis Sanjay Gandhi hospital by employee
After the December 16 gang rape rocked India in 2012, Delhi Police took less time in completing investigations in rape cases. The cases reached the courts within 71 days on an average, 100 days sooner than before. But HTs data analysis shows that acquittals too were fast tracked.
Exclusive: In Delhi, a rape accused has 83% chance of acquittal
Prosecutors say poor investigation is a top reason. I have understood that judges have a target to finish cases, so the moment they get to know that the prosecutrix is going to turn hostile, that case is put on priority (for disposal), says a lawyer, who works with an NGO that focuses on sexual abuse cases.
Even if there is DNA evidence glaring at you, screaming at you, nobody questions why shes (victim) changed her statement before court, the lawyer said on condition of anonymity because of the NGOs media policy.
Read | Part 2 of Rape and the City: Why most rape victims turn hostile during trial
Securing convictions need corroborative evidence apart from forensic tests and the victims testimony. In 75% of the cases, the lack of corroborative evidence proved fatal. In other cases -- reflective of the immense pressure brought upon complainants -- rape victims retracted from earlier testimonies. One judgment even noted a victim as saying she had been pressured by the police to file a case.
Fewer rape victims were put through a medical examination after the 16/12 gang rape. Data analysed by HT reveals that forensic evidence helps courts to deliver a guilty verdict. Of the 663 judgements examined, forensic evidence was mentioned in only 154 cases. Of these, 55 accused were convicted.
Shoddy investigation is the biggest reason for the failure of justice, says former Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising.
None of the 663 judgements mentioned that the courts had sought a reinvestigation. The prosecution too can seek more material from the police but seldom do.
Read | Part 3 of Rape and the City: In Delhi, only 12% convicted of raping children
At the end of the ordeal, it is the victim who continues to suffer. One victim told HT about her experience with the prosecutor who handled her case.
When I approached my public prosecutor to show him that certain aspects of my case werent included... he just said, I have no time, well find out in the court par aapne bhi mazey kiye aur usne bhi mazey kiye so whats the point? Koi baat nahin madam, aage badiye. (You had fun, he had fun, so whats the point? Never mind madam, move on), the victim said.
This is the kind of mentality which is coming, so who will fight with this?
(District courts data compiled by interns Srishti Juneja, Vidushi Gupta, Tanuj Dayal. Data checked by Avantika Mehta and Rocky Soibam Singh, calculated by Harry Stevens )
For the past three days, some Members of Parliament have been trying everything under the sun to oppose the Aam Aadmi Party governments odd-even scheme that doesnt exempt ministers and government officials.
On Monday, the matter came up for discussion in the Lok Sabha, with some saying the lack of exemption was insulting.
Despite Delhi transport minister Gopal Rai ruling out extending exemptions to them, many MPs reached the Parliament on Tuesday using an even-numbered car (it was an odd numbered day which allowed only cars with odd-numbered registration numbers).
On Wednesday, the protests got weird with BJP MP Ram Prasad Sharma riding a horse to the Parliament. The animal even had a board with the words pollution-free vehicle written on it.
Delhi: BJP MP Ram Prasad Sharma comes to Parliament on a horse in protest against #OddEven pic.twitter.com/xhtREkssk2 ANI (@ANI_news) April 27, 2016
Another BJP MP, Vijay Goel drove to the Parliament in a car which had screen-grabs of headlines from news websites pasted on the sides and the hood of the vehicle. The headlines were from stories that did not put odd-even in a positive light.
These included:
No data to suggest odd-even impact on Delhis air: Pollution panel
Odd-even formula: Not clean air, its the Rs 2000 fine that has Delhiites conforming
On April 18, Goel was fined Rs 2,000 for violating the odd-even rule, and an addition Rs 1,500 for not possessing his driving licence and insurance papers.
However, he followed the scheme on Wednesday.
Non-functional equipment, faulty building design, negligence in maintenance, and lack of strict safety laws, might have cost the country several years of research, in the fire which broke out at the National Museum of Natural History, on early Tuesday morning.
It is suspected that the fire was caused by a short circuit. There are allegations that the fire safety equipment was not functional. The exact reason, however, is being investigated.
Some employees of the museum said that there was constant pressure on them by the owners to vacate the building. They alleged that this was the reason why the fire safety equipment was not being maintained.
Media head of FICCI, Rajiv Tyagi, however said all the safety equipment was in place. He said that the compound has two water reservoirs of the capacity of 1.5 lakh litres and 50,000 litres which was used by the fire department for the rescue operation.
FICCI cant afford to be lax on security because we receive several dignitaries through the year. We have at least 20 fire hydrants inside and around the building. We also had electronic smoke detection systems in place on all the floors, Tyagi said.
Fire officials and experts are not ruling out lapse in precautions.
There were many problems in the design of the building which made the fire fighting tough. However, a major reason for such massive fires is lack of proper laws and the will to implement it, said former chief of the Delhi Fire Services, AK Sharma, who visited the building after the fire.
The NMNH building, constructed in 1972, like several other buildings in central Delhi, does not come under the 1983 building bylaws. All the pre-1983 buildings were only later covered under the Delhi Fire Prevention and Fire Safety Act (1986), with only 12 safety requirements.
At present, all the newly constructed buildings are covered under the amendment, Delhi Fire Safety Rules of 2010, where 20 areas are required to be ticked before a clearance can be attained.
Over 80% of the buildings in the area have been constructed before 83. No new buildings can be constructed around this space.
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The Delhi government scrapped on Wednesday a special bus service to take MPs to parliament during the odd-even scheme following a poor response from parliamentarians for two straight days.
The service was launched on Monday, the first day of the second half of the budget session of parliament, but the tepid response of lawmakers forced the AAP government to withdraw four of six buses a day later.
Only BJP MPs -- Ranjan Bhatt and Hari Om Singh Rathore used the special buses that were to run from 9 am to 11 am and 5.30 pm to 8 pm.
Member of parliament Ram Prasad Sharma arrives at Parliament on horseback. (Sonu Metha/ HT Photo)
BJP MP Ram Prasad Sharma came to Parliament on a horse on Wednesday to protest the traffic-rationing scheme under which license plates with even numbers and those with odd numbers are allowed on the roads on alternate days.
Sharma has been one of the most vocal critics of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwals road rationing scheme. (Sonu Metha/ HT Photo)
Read | Paresh Rawal violates odd-even, later apologises for blunder
Some MPs said on Monday the odd-even scheme prevented them from attending the session and amounted to an insult to them.
Read | We wont follow odd-even scheme, its insulting: MPs say in Lok Sabha
The government has decided to discontinue MP Special bus service as we were not getting a good response from them. If demand arises to introduce the service again, we will then come up with such buses to facilitate Parliamentarians, said Delhi transport minister Gopal Rai.
BJP MP Vijay Goel protest against odd even rule at parliament house in New Delhi, India on April 27, 2016. (Sonu Metha/ HT Photo)
The transport minister has already ruled out exempting MPs from the road-rationing plan that aims to reduce pollution in the capital but the AAP administration will try to address their issues through public conveyance.
(With inputs from agencies)
For the second consecutive year, the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main cut-offs saw a dip, the results for which were declared on Wednesday.
From last years 105, the cut-off came down to 100 this year for general students. The cut-off for Other Backward Caste (OBC) candidates remained the same at 70. However, for Scheduled Castes (SC) the cut-off increased to 52 from 50 last year and for Scheduled Tribes (ST) it increased to 48 from 44 last year.
Read more: JEE (Main) 2016 results declared, check it here
The 1,98,228 students who qualified for the JEE Main will now appear in JEE Advanced.
A total of 11,28,636 appeared for JEE (Main) this year conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
Read more: JEE (Main) 2016 results: All Super30 students clear first hurdle
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A court in Delhi on Wednesday granted two months time to the CBI to complete its probe in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which Congress leader Jagdish Tytler was given clean chit by the agency.
After the probe agency informed the court that it has approached Interpol to obtain information from the Canadian High Commission, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Shivali Sharma asked the Central Bureau of Investigation to make a written submission to the Canadian mission.
The court posted the matter for July 11 for further hearing.
The court on December 4, 2015, ordered the CBI to further investigate a riots case against Tytler, pointing to arms dealer Abhishek Vermas statement that Tytler had tried to influence a witness.
The court had said it should be found out whether Vermas statement was true or not.
Verma, in his statement, told the CBI that Tytler had tried to influence one of the witnesses by giving him a hefty sum of money and promising to settle his son abroad.
A 28-year-old police constable has written to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan seeking a hike in salary for police personnel and shared his letter on social media, prompting action against him from his department over the act.
Suraj Singh Chundawat, posted in Burhannpur, wrote to Chouhan and shared it on Facebook on April 21, asking for a raise in salaries of police personnel to an extent that they can feed their families properly.
The post, which garnered several likes and shares on Facebook also got circulated on mobile messenger WhatsApp, has invited action from the police department which will seek a reply from him for the said act.
Though Chundawat praised Chouhan for MPs development and progress, he asked, Is being a policeman a crime? We are working on very less salary, stay away from our families, half of the time are unable to eat food and despite all this whenever the issue of raising salary of police personnel comes, there is a budget constraint for the same. The amount of salary that we get is not even enough for feeding two persons, he wrote.
Chundawat could not be contacted despite attempts.
Posting such a letter on social media by Chundawat is a violation of Madhya Pradesh Civil Service Conduct Rules and we are issuing a notice to him to seek his reply on the matter, said Superintendent of Police, Burhannpur, Anil Singh Kushwaha .
Kushwaha said the constable has a right to express his feelings, but police is a disciplined force and he has to raise the matter in a proper manner and at a proper forum.
No bilateral meeting was held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Matteo Renzi on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York last year, External Affairs Ministry said on Wednesday.
Read more: Sparks fly in Rajya Sabha after BJP names Sonia in Agusta deal row
The ministry was reacting to allegations by James Christian Michel, the middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper deal, on purported meeting between Modi and Renzi where the Indian leader offered to free two Italian marines, facing murder charges in India, in exchange of evidence linking Sonia Gandhi and her family to the corruption in the Rs 3600 crore deal.
Read more: Budget session | As it happened: Show Agusta order copy, BJP asks Cong
There was no meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Renzi of Italy as part of PMs bilateral meetings at the UNGA in September 2015. Insofar as James Christian Michel is concerned, various law enforcement authorities of India are proceeding against him in cases relating to the Prevention of Corruption Act and Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ministry said.
It also noted that an open ended non-bailable arrest warrant has been issued by the special judge of CBI against Michel on September 24, 2015.
Upon a CBI request a Red notice against him has been issued by the Interpol Headquarters on November 25, 2015. A request for provisional arrest for the purpose of extradition was made to UK authorities on January 4, this year by the CBI. The Enforcement Directorate, another autonomous agency to handle private money laundering and foreign exchange irregularities, has also separately sent a Red Corner notice seeking arrest and a request for his extradition from the UK on February 29, this year, it added.
The Army on Wednesday regretted conducting a recruitment examination in Muzaffarpur for candidates in their underwear in order to prevent cheating, and promised to take all precautions to prevent its recurrence.
An affidavit was submitted in the Patna High Court by Director, Army Recruitment Board, Muzaffarpur, V S Godhara. A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari and Justice Samrendra Pratap disposed off the PIL after it.
Central government counsel S B Sanjay submitted the affidavit on behalf of Godhara, expressing regret.
We regret the incident. What happened should not have happened. Assured that the respondent will take all precaution so that no such incidents happen in future, the affidavit read.
On February 28, around 1,100 candidates appearing for the Army clerk eligibility examinations were made to take their clothes off and sit only in their underwear in an open field in Muzaffarpur, in a bid to prevent copying. This provoked anger and resentment among the candidates.
Read|Candidates asked to appear for Army recruitment exam in underwear
Reacting to images splashed across the media, the Defence Ministry asked Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhaag to explain.
Colonel V S Godhara of the Army Regional Office had, at that time, defended the action citing previous instances of candidates hiding slips of paper and mobile phones in their undergarments.
The Patna High Court too, took notice of these pictures and filed a suo motu public interest litigation.
Three days into the second budget session, the Congress and the BJPs tussle will escalate on Wednesday as the ruling side has decided to go on a counter offensive on the AgustaWestland chopper deal issue.
Both the BJP and the Congress on Wednesday served notices for discussion on the issue in Parliament.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, who became a Rajya Sabha MP on Tuesday, has served a notice on the chopper scam to the House in a bid to corner the Congress.
The BJP is trying to drag the top Congress leadership into the chopper scam that is allegedly to the tune of Rs 3600 crore.
Read | BJP goes after bribe-takers in chopper deal, Cong junks graft charges
Congress president Sonia Gandhi called a strategy meeting at her residence on Wednesday morning. Senior party leaders were asked to attend.
The main opposition party, too, served a notice for discussion on the chopper deal, according to TV reports.
Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge told media that the party is ready to discuss the issue in the House.
Read | Skeletons in closet: Five point guide to the AgustaWestland deal
We are ready to discuss #AugustaWestland issue in Parliament: Mallikarjun Kharge,Congress pic.twitter.com/E2NB50E3cA ANI (@ANI_news) April 27, 2016
The party has already indicated that it is in no mood to allow the Upper House to run. The Congress is the largest party in the Upper House where the Opposition enjoys majority.
Faced with the stiff resistance of the Congress, the Centre is already mulling options to shorten the Parliament session.
Parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu, sources added, has asked his two junior ministers, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Rajiv Pratap Rudy to talk to different parties to build a consensus to curtail the session by at least a week.
Railways minister Suresh Prabhu defended the bullet train project in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday and said it will usher in new technology and lead to enhanced railway safety.
Cooperation with Japan will help India get technological know-how as Japan runs the worlds safest train services, the minister told Lok Sabha members.
The technology to be used for bullet trains will help improve services of normal trains and the integration of signalling system, Prabhu said.
Prabhu said huge funds earmarked for the bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad in Gujarat was actually based on the financial support from Japan and will not create hurdles in the running of normal express trains in the country.
There is no conflict between the proposed launch of a bullet train and the normal functioning of the Indian Railways, the minister told parliamentarians.
The bullet train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai is only a chhota sa hissa (small part) of the India-Japan cooperation on railways.
He wondered if a deliberate misinformation campaign was going on in the country against the introduction of bullet trains.
The collaboration with the Japanese on railways has been strengthened after the present government came to power and the initiatives by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said.
The minister said since the Allahabad-Mughal Sarai route was the countrys most congested and it prevented the launch of high-speed train service between Delhi and Kolkata.
We are trying to improve the situation. At present the route is being used more than its capacity, he said.
During a debate on the demand of grants for railways in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Prabhu brushed aside criticism of the expensive bullet trains, saying the government had managed to secure a soft loan of Rs 1 lakh crore from Japan at 0.1% interest.
China said on Wednesday it has taken note of growing military cooperation between India and the US and hoped that it would be conducive to regional peace and stability.
We have noted the recent frequent military cooperation in the region between some countries, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing here, replying to a question about US officials reported comments about cooperation between India and Washington to track submarines in the Indian Ocean.
Hope relevant cooperation is conducive to peace and stability, she said.
Earlier China reacted guardedly to Indias decision to open up military bases to the US for logistics during this months visit of US Defence Secretary Ash Carter to New Delhi.
India is also an influential country in the world and India has been upholding independent diplomatic policy. India will make up its diplomatic policies based on its own interests, another Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang has said, reacting to Indias decision to sign logistic supply agreement (LSA), which enables troops of both the countries to avail their military bases for logistics.
Amid the raging row over VVIP chopper scam, the government said on Wednesday it will seek a report from the CBI on the deal and initiate the move to blacklist AgustaWestland and its parent company Finmeccanica and claimed the previous UPA dispensation had not put any embargo on the scandal-tainted company.
Top Modi government sources claimed the UPA government had not blacklisted AgustaWestland despite allegations of bribery and that it was only when the NDA came to power in 2014 all acquisition proposals with the firm were put on hold.
CBI had in 2013 registered a case in connection with alleged bribes paid by the firm to Indians to clinch the deal for 12 helicopters to ferry VVIPs including the President and Prime Minister.
Congress had yesterday claimed AgustaWestland was blacklisted under UPA rule but removed from the blacklist by the Modi government.
Congress leader and former Union Minister Anand Sharma had said, The chopper deal was scrapped. Action was taken by the UPA government. A K Antony, the then Defence Minister, had made a statement in Parliament and AgustaWestland was blacklisted.
However, the government sources said, The only punitive action taken by the Congress was in January 2014, just before the Lok Sabha elections, when the UPA govermment encashed the bank guarantee. They never blacklisted the company as claimed by them.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had earlier in the day challenged the Congress to show the order by the UPA government confirming the blacklisting.
It was on July 3, 2014 when Arun Jaitley was Defence Minister that an order was issued which put on hold all procurement and acquisition cases in the pipeline with six companies involved in the scam including AgustaWestland and Finmeccanica, the sources said.
They said it was also decided that in cases where the tender process had not started, there shall be no dealing with those companies andentities till conclusion of the CBI probe and that Request for Intent/Request for Proposal shall be issued to any of them.
The sources said the question was not about being banned or not but about who the politicians, bureaucrats and IAF officials were who took the bribes as reported by the Italian Court.
When Chief Justice of India (CJI) T.S. Thakur broke down before Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently, seeking immediate intervention to fill the vacancies of judges, surely Uttar Pradesh must have been high on his mind.
Or so it appears, as the state battles an unprecedented number of vacancies of judges in the Allahabad High Court and a long and painful backlog of cases, some dragging on for decades. Thakur, who was in the state capital for inaugurating the new and sprawling building of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court some time back, sources say, was given an earful on the subject by judicial officials.
Many feel the data and statistics they shared with the CJI must have surely weighed on his mind when he made that emotive speech at that high-profile event in New Delhi on Sunday. The statistics are, indeed, both an eye opener and a saddening commentary on the prevailing situation. Of the sanctioned 160 posts of high court judges in the state, a staggering 82 are vacant.
Hence, the pending cases before the Allahabad High Court over the past three years have hovered around 900,000 every year. The pendency on January 1, 2014, was 970,000 and is now at 913,000.
The situation in lower courts is even more frightening - 5.09 million, of which 3.82 million are criminal cases and the remaining civil and other cases.
Justice Haider Abbas Raza, who has retired from the Allahabad High Court, laments at the situation and says that it was unfortunate that cases linger on so much for want of judges.
Criminals not only brazenly flout laws but also breed contempt for the judicial system, says Kanpur-based lawyer Sheel Srivastava, adding: The situation warrants speedy trials and filling up of vacancies so that the faith of the common man in the system is restored.
At the high court inaugural, Governor Ram Naik, in fact, told the august gathering of judges that unless vacancies are filled at the earliest, justice delayed would mean justice denied.
More than 1.64 million cases have been hanging in the balance for five-ten years in UPs courts, while the number of cases pending for more than a decade stands at a staggering 655,000, official figures show.
With every passing day, the system is being seen by people seeking justice as an instrument of delay rather than of justice. Actor Sunny Deols famous one-liner - Tareek pe Tareek, Tareek pe tareek (Date after date), sure found an echo in Uttar Pradesh!
A Jet Airways plane from Dehradun to Delhi, with 45 passengers on board, made an emergency landing at Chaudhury Charan Singh (CCS) Airport in Lucknow due to fuel shortage.
The flight had emergency landing at airport here due to fuel shortage. It landed safely, CCS Airport Director Pradeep Kumar Srivastava told reporters.
All the passengers onboard are safe, he said.
The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday asked for the state governments response to a PIL which sought a ban on holding IPL matches in the pink city alleging that it will lead to wastage of thousands of litres of precious water.
Read more: SC upholds high court verdict to move IPL matches out of Maharashtra
Observing that the matter is of great significance as Rajasthan suffers from acute water shortage in summer, a bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and DC Somani issued a notice to state government asking it to file its reply by April 30.
It asked the state government to file the plan and policy for management of potable water supply to public in next two months.
The court later adjourned the hearing till May 3.
It was hearing the PIL filed by Mahesh Pareek on April 22 which said that Jaipur city has been put in dark zone by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) due to depletion of ground water and the proposed IPL match at Jaipur will lead to wastage of around 80 lakh litres of water.
A 28-year-old man from Hyderabad has appealed to Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje to help him find his wife, who was allegedly abducted by her parents.
B Vinay Babu has requested the chief minister to take immediate measures to rescue his wife Mamata and ensure their reunion. According to Babu, Mamata was allegedly taken away by her family in March.
Babu, who works in a bank, fell in love with 23-year-old Mamata when she came to Hyderabad to visit her relatives in 2013. Mamatas family opposed their wedding as Babu belonged to a different caste.
The couple, however, married in an Arya Samaj temple in February this year.
After the wedding, Mamatas parents threatened the couple with dire consequences. Mamata had even approached police seeking protection.
On March 28, after Babu left for his office at least five to six people barged into the house and forcibly took Mamata away. He was informed by his mother about the incident over the phone.
He then lodged a complaint with Alwal police station and the police booked a case of kidnapping against Mamatas parents and other relatives.
We sent a team to Rampur village of Jodhpur district of Rajasthan. It reached the village with the help of local police but did not find them, inspector of Alwal police station, Anand Reddy, told HT.
Their whereabouts are still not known. Further evidence will be collected and based on this we may send another team, the police officer said.
Babu is worried about Mamata and believes if she was fine, she would have definitely called him.
For people unfortunate enough to lose their jobs, heres a silver lining. The government plans to continue providing them life insurance as long as they get employed in three years.
The state-run Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) plans to extend life insurance cover to people out of a job at a nominal premium amount for up to three years.
The move will help thousands of organised sector workers who lose insurance cover the moment theyre unemployed, a major handicap in a country where around 3% people are insured.
The proposal comes days after the government was forced to scrap proposed changes to provident fund withdrawals following violent protests by thousands of garment workers in Bengaluru.
The decision to provide insurance cover is expected to re-build the image of the government dubbed anti-poor by the Opposition after proposed changes barred workers from withdrawing entire retirement fund if unemployed for at least two months.
Every month, employees contribute 12% of their pay to the EPF account. The employer puts in an identical sum, 0.5 % of which is earmarked for the Employees Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme.
Read | Pushing finance ministry to uphold 8.8% EPF rate: Union labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya
Under this initiative, each employee is guaranteed an insurance ranging between Rs 5,000 and Rs 6 lakh, depending upon the salary and duration of service, irrespective of the balance in the PF.
This is crucial in India where millions of lower-middle class workers depend on provident fund withdrawals in the absence of a formal social security net.
Current guidelines say that when an employee loses their job, the life insurance scheme is discontinued until they get another job.
Read | Provident fund body to enhance image with brand ambassador, tagline
By paying a small amount of premium, the EDLI scheme will cover those unemployed up to three years, an EPFO official said.
The decision is expected to be ratified by the central board of trustee (CBT) the highest decision making body of the EPFO in its next meeting. Out of employers share, 8.33% goes for pension scheme, 3.67% for provident fund and 0.5% for insurance scheme.
One of Indias most senior lawyers has been ordered to study condom and other contraceptive packets to determine if their pictures are too racy and should be banned, according to reports Wednesday.
Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh must spend six weeks poring over sexy photographs -- often of scantily clad women or couples in steamy embraces -- promoting the products after the Supreme Court said they may breach Indias tough obscenity laws.
Do you have any plan to regulate such advertisements? a Supreme Court bench was quoted by the Indian Express asking Singh, the governments third-ranked legal officer.
You also have to tell us if such advertisements may constitute a penal offence, the newspaper reported the bench as saying.
Singhs office confirmed to AFP that the court issued the order on Tuesday, but declined to comment further.
Conservatives in deeply religious India often register complaints with police under the obscenity law, which carries a maximum punishment of two years in jail and five years for repeat offenders.
Bollywood actors often find themselves slapped with such charges for their movies that some see as crossing the lines of decency. Former porn star turned actor Sunny Leone was hit with an obscenity charge last year for her online movies and photographs.
Police are obliged to register a case when complaints are made.
The latest case came after condom manufacturers appealed against an earlier High Court order banning lurid pictures from their packets on the grounds that they were obscene and an affront to Indian culture.
The High Court was responding to a petition filed against the manufacturers.
Last year, India was forced to reverse a controversial order banning hundreds of porn websites after accusations of heavy-handed censorship in the worlds largest democracy.
Indian censors also blocked the release of the erotic film Fifty Shades of Grey in cinemas last year, even though a toned-down version of the film was supposed to be screened.
Police lathicharge on students at National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, last month reverberated in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, with the Congress taking up cudgels for the latter and demanding action against the police personnel responsible for it.
Congress chief whip Jyotiraditya Scindia denounced the brutal lathicharge on students and said they dont trust the Jammu and Kashmir police. This came on a day when Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi met NIT students and assured them that his party would raise their concerns with the government.
The party has also decided to send a delegation to HRD minister Smriti Irani soon.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Scindia said suggestions that it was mild lathicharge were akin to rubbing salt on the wounds, as one student had to undergo surgery after the beating.
Students do not trust the J-K police. Insecurity continues to prevail on campus, but those giving lectures on nationalism are quiet, the MP said.
BJP MP RK Singh said it was wrong to give a bad name to the J-K police. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi also struck a discordant note, saying that 3,000 personnel of Jammu and Kashmir police have laid down their lives serving the nation.
Minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju clarified that the Union government had not made a unilateral decision to deploy three companies of the CRPF and that this had been done at the request of the NIT authorities. The outside periphery would continue to be guarded by the J-K police, he added.
The government has not seen any hints of a possible nexus between Maoists and Islamic State so far, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
A query was raised in the Upper House if it is a fact that a nexus between Islamic State and various Naxal groups of the country has come to notice, as supporters in country have been caught trying to carry out a big attack in the country by taking training and weapons from the naxalites (another word for Maoists).
The minister of state for home affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary replied in the negative, saying among the agencies probing cases related to IS, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested 25 persons, Telangana Police six, Madhya Pradesh police five, Maharashtra and Delhi Police four each, Tamil Nadu police three, Karnataka police and Rajasthan Police one each.
... no terror attack by ISIS (another acronym for IS) has been reported in the country, he said.
The minister said a few incidents of unfurling of flags of IS by some misguided youth were noticed on different occasions in Jammu and Kashmir in the recent past.
Police and public order being state subjects, the state governments concerned, have been directed to take appropriate action against such elements as per relevant provisions of law, he said.
Chaudhary said IS led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, which split from al-Qaeda in February 2014 is using both positive and negative imagery to attract the youth at a global level, including India.
However, it has influenced/attracted very few youth from India. The National Investigation Agency and the State Police in some States have registered cases and arrested some active cadres affiliated to ISIS in the recent past, he said.
He said the IS is using various internet-based platforms for propaganda and to propagate its ideology. The intelligence and security agencies monitor the cyber space closely to identify political recruits and keep them under surveillance and take further action, if necessary.
In order to assess the threat posed by ISIS/ISIL and to devise a national strategy to deal with it, meetings have been held by the ministry of home affairs with all the central agencies concerned and the state governments on August 1, 2015 and January 16, 2016 respectively. The government has taken all necessary measures including sensitisation of the states to counter the incipient threat posed by the ISIS, he said.
The minister said since 2013, nine major terrorist attacks have taken place in the hinterland. However, these do not indicate any trend of attacks on targets near the national highways.
The Indian foreign secretary on Tuesday declined to provide dates for his Islamabad visit to set a timeframe for the comprehensive bilateral dialogue and urged Pakistan to first show progress in the Pathankot attack investigation.
I am ready to give the dates now, but show the progress made on Pathankot investigation, foreign secretary S Jaishankar is learnt to have told his Pakistani counterpart, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry.
Jaishankar said the Pathankot attack was not of Indias making, and progress in the investigation was necessary before their meeting in Islamabad, sources told HT.
Chaudhry was also assured that the Indian government was keen to engage with Pakistan, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his surprise visit to Lahore in December last year too had said he would be back for talks soon.
The Pakistan government is analysing inputs from the joint investigative agency on the Pathankot attack, said Chaudhry. He also did not question the evidence shared so far by India at the meeting, sources said.
The Pathankot airbase attack of January 2 continues to cast a shadow on the peace process. India blames Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed for the attack and has stepped up efforts to impose sanctions on the outfits chief through the United Nations Sanctions Committee.
Nonetheless, Pakistan sending its foreign secretary to the meeting of regional states on Afghanistan Heart of Asia meeting reflects the neighbours interest in continuing dialogue, formally or otherwise.
After the meeting, the possibility of a joint statement was explored but ruled out in the absence of consensus, sources said. Separate statements were subsequently released.
However, both sides agreed to maintain contact and assured of their leaderships resolve to improve ties. Among other issues, the two foreign secretaries also discussed the need to expand the list of religious places the citizens of both countries can visit.
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The Supreme Court will on Wednesday resume hearing the Centres appeal against an Uttarakhand high court order revoking Presidents rule in the state.
A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra which had on Friday stayed till Wednesday the high courts verdict reinstating the Harish Rawat government will also decide whether there should be a floor test on April 29 as ordered by the high court.
The bench, also comprising justice Shiva Kirti Singh, said it was keeping the high courts verdict in abeyance in absence of a copy of the verdict.
Read | All you need to know about Presidents rule in Uttarakhand
You dont revoke Presidents rule just like that. The files should have been called for. How much deliberation has gone into the issue? This is a serious matter, the bench said.
The stay order that revived Presidents rule in Uttarakhand, came after attorney general Mukul Rohatgi gave an undertaking that the Centre will not revoke Presidents rule until April 27.
The apex court bench further indicated that the matter could be referred to a constitution bench.
An Uttarakhand high court division bench, headed by Justice KM Joseph, had revived the assembly and reinstated the Rawat Government on April 21.
The apex court had directed the high court to provide a copy of its order to all concerned by April 26. Dictated in open court, the order is yet to be signed by the judges who delivered it.
The high court however made public the 99-page ruling on Tuesday, stating the imposition of the rule was a solitary event that violated a constitutional provision.
Read | Uttarakhand High Courts verdict pushes the boundary
Rawats government plunged into crisis after nine of his MLAs revolted and sided with the opposition BJP during a debate over the state budget in March. This prompted Governor KK Paul to ask Rawat to prove his majority in the assembly.
But a day before the trust vote, the Centre imposed Presidents Rule on March 27, citing a breakdown in constitutional machinery in the state.
Attorney general Mukul Rohatgi alleged that there was a constitutional breakdown because Rawat indulged in corruption.
Horse trading creates a dent in democracy, the bench had remarked.
On behalf of Rawat, senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi denied the allegations.
Arguing for the Uttarakhand assembly speaker, senior advocate Kapil Sibal objected to the interim order, saying it would amount to allowing the Centres appeal.
The SC had, however, refused to hear the nine rebel Congress legislators plea for transfer of their cases pending before the high court where they have challenged their disqualification.
Read | The story of Uttarakhand is a failure of six institutions
The Supreme Court on Wednesday extended Presidents rule in Uttarakhand, ruling out a floor test in the state assembly that was scheduled on April 29.
The next hearing in the case will be on on May 3.
The Centre is likely to file an amended petition against Uttarakhand high courts verdict by Friday. The SC has asked former chief minister Harish Rawat to respond to Centres amended petition by Monday.
Earlier in the day, the apex court asked the Centre seven questions pertaining to the Presidents rule in Uttarakhand as it heard a petition challenging a high court order restoring the Congress government in the state.
An apex court bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra had on April 22 stayed the Uttarakhand high courts verdict reinstating the chief minister Harish Rawat in the state till Wednesday.
The seven questions posed by the apex court to the Centre were:
1. Whether governor could have sent message in present manner under Article 175 (2) to conduct floor test?
2. Whether governor can ask Assembly Speaker for division of votes as both are Constitutional authorities?
3. Can a delay in the floor test be ground for proclamation of Presidents rule in state?
4. Convention is money bill failed, government goes but who is to say money bill hasnt been passed if Speaker doesnt say so?
5. What is the stage of appropriation bill and when Presidents rule comes in the picture with regards to Appropriation bill?
6. Whether disqualification of MLAs by the Speaker is a relevant issue for the purpose of imposing Presidents rule under Article 356?
7. Can proceeding in the Uttarakhand Assembly be taken note by the President for imposing Presidents rule?
Uttarakhand chief secretary has nothing to do with the present matter, said the apex court while hearing Centres appeal against Nainital high court order.
The Speaker is the master of the Assembly, said SC.
Also Read | Solitary event cannot be ground for Prez rule: Uttarakhand HC order
The political crisis in the state emerged after nine Congress MLAs revolted and sided with the opposition BJP during a debate over the state budget in March. They were however disqualified under the anti-defection law. Following their disqualification, governor KK Paul asked Rawat to prove his majority in the assembly.
A day before the trust vote, the Centre imposed Presidents rule under Article 356 citing a constitutional breakdown in state machinery.
The ruling party and Rawat filed a petition in the Uttarakhand high court challenging the Centres imposition.
Also Read | Uttarakhand Cong rebels say speaker didnt give time to defend
Attorney general Mukul Rohtagi argued that the constitutional breakdown was because Rawat had indulged in corruption. However, Rawats counsel, Abhishek Manu Singhvi denied the allegations.
On April 21, a high court division bench headed by Justice KM Joseph quashed Presidents rule in the state and reinstated the Rawat government. But the Centre immediately challenged the high courts verdict in the Supreme Court, leading to the state government being suspended again.
With BJP, 9 rebels MLAs posed as alternative govt, Cong tells HC
The stay order on the high court verdict was given after Rohatgi gave an undertaking that the Centre would not revoke Article 356 until April 27.
With inputs from ANI tweets
The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), which has been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately, plans to get an image makeover.
In a communication issued to all its regional offices last week, the organisation invited suggestions for a catchy tagline that would help it reach out to the public.
The pension fund body is also contemplating appointing a brand ambassador who will encourage people to save the money acquired through the employees provident fund for retirement. The idea is to take the brand to the people, so that they realise why it is important save provident fund money. After all, its social security for old age, an EPFO official said.
The move comes in the wake of a violent protest by garment factory workers in Bengaluru against the EPFOs decision to restrict provident fund withdrawals.
Read: The women behind rollback of proposed changes in PF withdrawal scheme
The labour ministry in a notification issued in February had restricted 100% withdrawal by members unemployed for two months or more. It stipulated that individuals would only be able to withdraw their contribution to the fund and the interest earned on it, not the employers contribution towards the same.
Every salaried individual contributes 12% of his/her pay to the Employees Provident Fund account, and employers match it from their end. The rules also barred subscribers from claiming their provident fund before turning 57.
The Bengaluru protest, however, forced the government to take a U-turn on the matter cancelling the notification issued in February.
Labour ministry officials said that even though the move was well-intentioned, it failed to convince the people. Our records show that a majority of over five crore EPFO subscribers withdraw their money while changing jobs. That should not be the case. It should be saved for retirement, an official said.
The EPFO hopes that adopting a tagline and brand ambassador will help take its message to the people and make provident fund savings popular.
A gang of armed robbers took a family hostage, gang-raped a girl and took away valuables in the early hours on Tuesday in Dasadiya village under Bhupani police station area.
Members of the victim family were asleep when the gang of nine-ten robbers entered their house in two groups at about 1 am. The family of six, including the family head, his wife, three daughters and a son, are a native of Uttar Pradesh.
The family lives in a rented two-room house. The parents were sleeping on the ground floor and the kids were on the first floor.
The goons entered the house on the pretext of looking for someone who had attacked one of their friends. As soon as they gained entry, they locked the parents inside the room and went to the first floor where the girls were sleeping.
The robbers gang-raped the elder daughter, aged 19 years, and molested her 16-year-old sister, police said. They later searched the house and took away Rs 10,000 in cash, some silver jewellery and two buffalos. The girls later opened the door and rescued their parents.
Station house officer, Bhupani, Hemant Kumar said the police have received a complaint of gang-rape and molestation. We have registered case under Sections 395,397, 376D, Arms Act and POCSO ACT. The girl was sent for a medical examination which confirmed rape, Kumar said.
Police rejected doubts that a gang from Mewat could be involved in the crime, saying they steal cattle but do not rape women.
Police said they came to know about the rape and dacoity through the village Panchayat on Tuesday. A team was rushed to the village to verify the information. We have formed several teams to investigate the case and hopefully the accused will be arrested soon, said DCP (Central) Virender Vij.
Nobody had been arrested till Wednesday evening.
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Uttarakhand will remain under Presidents rule, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday, drawing the curtains on the April 29 test of strength in the assembly by former chief minister Harish Rawat.
A bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Shiva Kirti Singh also posed seven questions to the Centre and said that a floor test could be the best option to resolve the issue. The case will come up for hearing again on May 3.
The apex court is hearing a petition by the Centre challenging the Uttarakhand high courts verdict quashing central rule in the state and allowing the former CM Rawat to prove his governments strength in the assembly on Friday.
The matter has its own gravity and ultimately in such a case prima facie we have to sustain democracy and if we dont find merit with the Presidents Rule then we will have to have a floor test, the apex court said.
The apex court also expressed displeasure over the manner in which the state was brought under central rule.
Article 356 of the Constitution (under which the Centre notifies Presidents Rule) has to be a rare phenomena You (Centre) are venturing into an arena where you are not supposed to, the bench said.
Assuming the Rawat government had lost the majority, the SC said floor test should have been conducted in the house instead of the Presidents Rule because it creates a dent in democracy.
As it happened Uttarakhand prez rule to continue, SC asks 7 questions
Supreme Courts 7 questions Is disqualification of 9 Cong rebel MLAs relevant for imposing Presidents Rule
Whether the MLAs leaving a party to join another have a bearing on invoking Article 356
How does the Centre determine stability and whether its perception of instability is relevant for the purpose of Presidents Rule
Who determines whether the money bill is passed if not the speaker? Can the non-passage of the bill be a ground for Presidents Rule
Can delay in floor test be a ground for Presidents Rule
Can the governor ask the speaker for division of votes as both are constitutional authorities
Can assembly proceedings be taken note of by the union cabinet for decision on Presidents Rule
At the end two-hour-long hearing, the court wanted to permit the floor test but refrained from passing the order at attorney general Mukul Rohatgis request.
On March 27, the Centre brought Uttarakhand under Presidents rule citing a constitutional breakdown in the wake of a rebellion in the ruling Congress. Nine MLAs of the ruling party joined BJP legislators to claim that the Rawat government had lost majority in the assembly due to the non-passage of the money bill.
Rohatgi criticised the HC judgment on the ground that it ignored the alleged corrupt acts Rawat indulged in. He condemned the speakers conduct in refusing division of votes as demanded by the BJP and rebel Congress MLAs. That was the demand of the majority of the House, he argued.
But the court was not impressed by the argument.
(The) speaker is the master of the house. Whether there will be division or not who will decide? Can it be gone into whether a bill has been passed or not by the President and can the governor exercise his jurisdiction over the assembly?
Senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing on behalf of Rawat, asserted that a floor test was the only panacea to determine the majority of a government. He pointed out that the Centre was complaining of horse-trading but was silent on the nine Congress MLAs who defected.
Reacting to the apex courts stay on the proposed floor test, Rawat said he would abide by the order.
Read | Uttarakhand political crisis: Who are the nine rebel Congress MLAs
Jammu & Kashmir State Commission for Women (SCW) chairperson Nayeema Mehjoor will on Wednesday meet a girl who was allegedly assaulted in Handwara earlier this month, giving rise to violent protests that took five lives. The girl had reportedly written a letter alleging intimidation by police to Mehjoor on Monday.
Though protesters alleged that the girl was molested by an Army soldier, she told the chief judicial magistrate that two boys from the area were responsible. Her kin and well-wishers dismissed the statement, claiming that it had come under pressure from the police.
The girls lawyers have said she will continue to remain in police custody for the time being.
Earlier on Tuesday, a division bench of the Jammu and Kashmir high court heard a petition by the girls mother, seeking her immediate release. The plea was clubbed with a PIL filed on the same lines by the Bar Association.
Alleging that the girl was being kept under detention and her personal space was being violated, the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) which is providing legal aid to the girl and her family said in a statement, Beyond the important legal issues, the main thrust of arguments to be advanced today was that the minor girl be set free and out of oppressive police custody immediately. It was to be argued that other issues could be dealt with subsequently.
Read: Once an example of peace, Handwara erupts in blaze of disillusionment
JKCCS spokesperson Khurram Parvez said that though Parvez Imroz the girls lawyer tried submitting the letter written by her to Mehjoor, he was directed to formally file it with the registry. The court will next hear the matter on May 2.
Mehjoor told HT that she would look into the circumstances surrounding the girls detention when she meets her on Wednesday. The SCW chairperson also said she was waiting for the police to reveal who had shot the video that showed her blaming some local boys. The girls face was shown in the video.
She told me last week that the video was shot by a policeman, who told her it would not be made public. But later, the same video was released by the Army, Mehjoor said.
Last week, the high court had directed the Handwara superintendent of police to let the girl meet her mother and lawyers.
The JKCCS has also alleged that police stopped the girl from leaving Zachaldara to present herself before the high court in Srinagar. The Handwara police, however, countered the allegation. A senior officer told HT that the police were simply protecting the girl, and not restricting her from going anywhere. We dont even enter the house where she stays, he said.
The girl has been put up at an undisclosed location near Zachaldara. While the JKCCS has termed it as unlawful detention, the state continues to claim that she was staying at a relatives house without any restrictions.
Seven persons ,including five children ,were killed and eight injured in a LPG cylinder blast on Wednesday afternoon.
The incident took place while wedding preparations at the house of a man named Lallan were on in Rafipur village under Deva police station area. The small cylinder exploded injuring 15 persons, police said.
The injured were shifted to Civil Hospital in Lucknow where Sonam (3), her brother Aditya (4), Khushi (3), Golu (4), his brother Vivek (3), Gyanwati (45) and Kalawati (60) succumbed, police said.
The other injured are undergoing treatment in the hospital where the condition of two was stated to be critical, police said, adding a case has been registered.
Fresh revelations in the VVIP chopper scam have raised questions about the role of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in awarding the Rs 3,727-crore contract to UK-based AgustaWestland. The Congress is on the defensive, with the BJP seeking to discuss the controversial deal in Parliament.
So, here is a look at what the deal is all about and why it is making news now:
What is the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal?
India signed a contract with AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of Italian defence conglomerate Finmeccanica, in February 2010 for 12 AW-101 VVIP helicopters. It beat off competition from US rival Sikorsky to win the contract.
Why has the controversy resurfaced?
The deal came back in focus in early April after an Italian court of appeals reversed the verdict of a lower court that held corruption could not be proved. But the higher court in Milan found former Finmeccanica chairman Giuseppe Orsi and AgustaWestland ex-CEO Bruno Spagnolini guilty of corruption and awarded them jail terms. The court said the UPA government did little to get to the bottom of the scandal and didnt share documents with investigators.
When was the contract put on hold?
It was put on hold in February 2013 after Orsi and Spagnolini were arrested on graft charges. The UPA government terminated the contract in January 2014, invoking an integrity pact. The firm allegedly paid middlemen more than Rs 375 crore.
Who was bribed?
Guido Haschke, one of the middlemen, made references such as POL, AP and FAM in a hand-written note, ostensibly pointing to the initials of politicians and bureaucrats who allegedly had to be handled. Former IAF chief Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi and his cousins are among those accused of taking bribes.
What did the CAG have to say about the deal?
In an August 2013 report, the Comptroller and Auditor General said the revision of IAFs requirements in 2006 restricted competition and led to a single-vendor situation that benefitted AgustaWestland. It pointed out frequent deviations from rules to award the contract.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi hit back at the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government on Wednesday for linking her and other party leaders to the controversial AgustaWestland chopper deal that was scrapped in 2014.
Gandhi accused the Centre of indulging in character assassination and said she was not afraid as there was no basis to the charges levelled against her.
All the accusations they are throwing at us are false, she told reporters in the Parliament complex shortly before BJP leader Subramanian Swamy targeted her in the Rajya Sabha.
Following vociferous protests by Congress MPs, Swamys reference to her name was expunged.
The charges and counter-charges began after a Milan court convicted two Italian officials for bribing Indian officials and politicians to secure the Rs 3,727-crore contract in 2010.
AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of Italian defence giant Finmeccanica, allegedly paid more than Rs 375 crore as bribe in the deal to supply 12 VVIP helicopters to the Indian Air Force.
Although the Italian court did not indict any Indian politician, the BJP sought to corner the Congress over references in the court documents to middlemen talking about Signora Gandhi being the driving force behind the deal and referring to other Congress leaders -- Manmohan Singh, Ahmed Patel and Oscar Fernandez.
Read: No case in AgustaWestland deal: Manmohan Singh rebuts BJPs charge
Launching her counter-attack against the Narendra Modi government, Gandhi asked what it did during the last two years and why it didnt conclude the probe into the deal.
What are they doing? Inquiry is there, why dont they complete it? Complete it as soon as possible, impartially.
Attacking the BJP for dragging Congress leaders into the scandal without any proof, she said: They are lying. They are part of a strategy of character assassination which we have known these people indulge in.
Her political secretary, Ahmed Patel, also dismissed allegations labelled against him.
They (the government) are saying all these things outside and inside Parliament, why cant they investigate If there is something against me, they should find out and hang me.
Patel told HT later that he will examine the option of filing a defamation suit against people making the allegations.
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh also refuted the allegations. There is no case, my party will respond, he said.
Former National Security Advisor (NSA) MK Narayanan too said he played no role in the controversial deal and there was no talk of kickbacks till he left the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) in 2010.
Responding to a query on his alleged role as the key advisor to Gandhi, Narayanan said it was a revelation to him.
Read: No talks of kickbacks in Agusta chopper deal during my tenure: Ex-NSA
Read: AgustaWestland issue: Modi didnt meet Italian PM at UNGA, says MEA
Gandhis offensive marked the Congress strategy in Parliament as the opposition party sought discussions on the issue in both Houses. Sources said the party has given a notice seeking a discussion on the issue in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
The ruling alliance chose not to take up the issue in the Lok Sabha but the Rajya Sabha witnessed uproarious scenes after Swamy took Gandhis name while speaking on the deal.
Infuriated Congress MPs stormed the well of the house calling Swamy a CIA agent and raising objection to naming a person who is not a member of the house.
Some marshals rushed in to prevent the situation from taking an ugly turn. The house was adjourned for 10 minutes in the din that followed.
When it reassembled, deputy chairman PJ Kurien expunged Swamys reference saying that he should not name someone who cannot come and defend herself. I am not admonishing you as this is your first speech in the House. But the name is expunged, Kurien told Swamy.
Senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma met finance minister Arun Jaitley and parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu and are understood to have raised strong objections to Swamys conduct.
Azad earlier sought to corner the government by asking if PM Modi held a meeting with his Italian counterpart in September during which he offered to free two Italian marines in exchange of information on the Gandhi family.
Jaitley said the reports about the meeting were false and untrue in entirety. He said the principal issue was that there allegations of kickbacks to bag the deal.
The bribe-giver has been convicted and now bribe-taker has to be identified Investigation is underway, he said.
But, Azad said the UPA government had scrapped the deal and ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate to probe the charges.
He said the UPA government had blacklisted the firm but the Modi government had involved it in the Make in India initiative.
Read: British arms dealer offers help in AgustaWestland chopper deal probe
Read: In 5 points: All you need to know about AgustaWestland deal
A combative Sonia Gandhi tore into the BJP-led government on Wednesday, accusing it of indulging in character assassination by linking her and other Congress leaders to a controversial chopper deal that was scrapped during the previous UPA administration.
I am not afraid of anyone cornering me as there is no basis to that. All the accusations they are throwing at us are false, the Congress president Gandhi told reporters in the Parliament complex in the backdrop of a renewed debate over the 2010 AgustaWestland chopper deal.
The deal came under the spotlight after an Italian court of appeals reversed the verdict of a lower court that held that corruption charges could not be proved. The higher court found two top Italian executives guilty of corruption.
AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of Italian defence giant Finmeccanica, allegedly paid more than Rs 375 crore as bribe to secure the Rs 3,727-crore contract to supply 12 VVIP helicopters to the Indian Air Force.
Rajya Sabha was adjourned twice on Wednesday after BJP leader Subramanian Swamy mentioned Gandhis name while referring to allegations made by one of the middlemen in the deal. Her name was expunged after noisy protests by Congress MPs.
Gandhi asked the Modi government what it had done during the last two years and why it hadnt concluded the probe into the deal.
Read | AgustaWestland deal: New flashpoint between Cong, BJP in Parliament
Watch | Sonia Gandhi on Agusta Westland VVIP chopper scam
Where are the proofs. They are lying. They are part of a strategy of character assassination which we have known these people indulge in, she said referring to the BJPs allegations against Congress leaders.
Her political secretary and senior Congress leader, Ahmed Patel, also dismissed the allegations against him.
They (the government) are saying all these things outside and inside Parliament, why cant they investigateIf there is something against me, they should find out and hang me.
Read | Skeletons in closet: Five point guide to the AgustaWestland deal
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said the possibility of Sahara chief Subrata Roys release from jail would depend on the outcome of the first round of auction of Saharas assets by market regulator SEBI.
The bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur, Justice Anil R. Dave and Justice A.K. Sikri said this as it was urged to release Roy who is in jail since March 4, 2014 on parole or put under house arrest in view of his falling health and the hot summer.
Pressing for Roys release, counsel Rajeev Dhavan told the court that Roy was in substantial compliance of the order of the court.
I am required for compliance of order of this court and I am not required for any offence, Dhavan told the court.
The court in the last hearing on March 29 had asked SEBI to go ahead with the sale of Sahara properties whose unencumbered title deeds are in its possession.
Of the 60 properties of Sahara that are up for e-auction beginning next week, HDFC and SBI Cap would sell 30 properties each.
The court also asked Sahara to submit a list of its entire properties.
Noting that the sale of Saharas assets in the first round may generate enough money required for his release, the court sought details of Saharas assets to ascertain whether they were sufficient to meet his liabilities towards investors, which according to SEBI stands at Rs.38,000 crore.
Having asked SEBI in the March 29 hearing to take steps for selling Saharas properties, the court had said the properties would not be sold at a price less than 90 percent of the prevailing circle rates.
Asking the market regulator to appoint an agency to work out the mechanism for the sale of properties stated to be worth Rs40,000 crore, the court in the last hearing said the entire process would be undertaken under the supervision of former Supreme Court judge Justice BN Agrawal.
The court had said Sahara would be informed about the steps taken for the sale of its properties.
The court by its March 4, 2014, order had sent Roy and two directors -- Ravi Shankar Dubey and Ashok Roy Choudhary -- to jail for not complying with its orders.
The court on March 26, 2014 had said Sahara will deposit Rs.10,000 crore as part payment of investors Rs.24,000 crore that its two companies -- SIRECL and SHICL -- had collected through OFCD as a condition for the release of Roy and the two other directors.
The court on August 31, 2012, directed the two companies -- Sahara India Real Estate Corp Ltd. (SIRECL) and Sahara Housing Investment Corp Ltd. (SHICL) -- to return with a 15 percent interest the Rs.17,400 crore it had mopped up as debentures from investors in 2008 and 2009.
The government will consider a suggestion to bring water from the concurrent list to the central list to resolve disputes arising from water-sharing between states, Union minister for water resources, Uma Bharti, told Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Responding to the suggestion by JD(U)s Sharad Yadav, Bharti said the Centre will start work on the issue that has been informally discussed but not publicised as it is sensitive. She was speaking at a short-discussion debate in the Upper House on severe water crisis exacerbated by drought conditions across several states. Members urged the government to take long-term steps, such as bringing water to central list and giving impetus to irrigation projects.
Referring to the water crisis, Yadav said moving water to the central list would help conserve it and effectively resolve disputes related to rivers between states. He also sought a ban on dam construction in the Himalayas. Members underlined farmers suicides and migration as consequences of the crisis and stressed the need for immediate redress from the Centre, including expediting release of funds to affected states.
Initiating the short-duration discussion on the issue, BJDs AU Singh Deo said data consolidated by Centre showed that around 33 crore people in 254 districts of 10 states were affected by the drought . The number will possibly increase. Perhaps Bihar and Haryana have not yet declared drought despite shortage of rainfall, he said. Deo He added that the government should consider creating a new ministry to address problems of climate change.
NCPs Sharad Pawar criticised agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singhs comments that water was being provided to sugar mills in Maharashtra, one of the worst affected states. We must rise above political lines and face the situation together, he said .
Rajni Patil of the Congress said that Marathwada was now called tankerwada as water only came through tankers.
The worst drought in decades across several states in India is forcing tens of thousands of people to migrate from rural areas in search of water, food and jobs, simultaneously increasing the risk that they may be trafficked or exploited, activists said.
About 330 million people, almost a quarter of the countrys population, are now affected by drought, the government estimates. Destitute women, children and older family members left behind in the villages are most at risk of exploitation.
People in the rural areas have always been vulnerable because they want better jobs, better lives, said Mangala Daithankar at non-profit Social Action for Association and Development in Pune, in Maharashtra state.
The drought has aggravated the situation because they are so desperate now. They have absolutely nothing, said Daithankar, who has worked in the states drought-hit Marathwada region for about two decades.
Read: Wives take the lead in drought-hit Maharashtra
Maharashtra is one of the worst affected states, with successive years of poor rainfall ravaging crops, killing livestock, drying up reservoirs and forcing farmers into indebtedness that has led to thousands of suicides.
In the states Jalna district, scores of villages house only destitute women and children left in the care of older relatives who keep an eye on their homes and parched fields.
Theres no water, so there are no jobs to be had on the fields and no food to feed their families, said Vishwanath Todkar at non-profit Paryay in Osmanabad district, which is helping build water management systems in some villages.
Read: In times of drought: Overuse of water behind Indias dry days
The women and children are particularly vulnerable, as there is no one looking out for them, he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Massive Distress
Men and their wives have moved to cities including Mumbai and Pune in search of jobs on construction sites and as day labourers, sleeping under flyovers and on pavements. Some have been reduced to begging on the streets, activists say.
Others, with their families, have been lured to work for little money in harsh conditions in one of the hundreds of brick kilns in the state. Many single women and widows have been trafficked into prostitution in the cities.
Disasters are the ground zero for trafficking, said Dhananjay Tingal, executive director at Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood Movement), which says it has rescued more than 85,000 children from modern slavery in India.
Everyones so focussed on just getting by, that they are easy prey, he said.
Read: 116 farmers committed suicide in 2016; ten states reeling under drought
A police spokesman in Mumbai said police had not found cases of drought-related human trafficking but were aware of the rise in migration and remained vigilant.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged a nationwide drive to conserve water, but activists and economists have slammed the governments lack of compassion on the issue.
In an open letter to Modi, 170 activists, academics and economists said the drought had resulted in massive distress movement of populations, causing broken childhoods, interrupted education, life in camps, city pavements or crowded shanties.
In Maharashtra, among the wealthiest states in the country, the drought has not stemmed the flow of migrants from neighbouring Karnataka and elsewhere, seeking work. The drought has hit an estimated 10 million people in Karnataka.
In some places the drought is spurring the migration of entire families, including the elderly and children who would traditionally have been left behind, activists say.
The crisis is by far the worst the region has seen in many years. There is no fodder, no water and no agriculture in the region as of now, said Amlan Aditya Biswas, regional commissioner in Gulbarga in North Karnataka.
We are concerned about the spurt in migration, he said.
The state government is working on building farm ponds and de-silting tanks in the hope that the monsoon rains in June will fill them and provide some relief to small farmers, he said.
For now, those left behind in the villages are tending to their fields, digging wells and laying down drip irrigation systems as they await the monsoon rains - which are expected to be above average this year, easing some fears.
It all depends now on the rains, said Daithankar. People will come back to the villages if the rains are good. Otherwise there is nothing for them to come back to.
BJP sought a substantial evidence to back up a claim by two Congress MLAs that they were offered up to Rs 50 crore bribe to switch their loyalty. Rubbishing the claim, the saffron party on Saturday asked them to produce evidence to substantiate the charge or offer an unqualified apology.
Alleging that a sudden eviction from power had caused most Congress leaders to lose their mental balance, the Uttarakhand BJP president Ajay Bhatt said they are levelling wild allegations like this against the party to divert public attention from real issues.
Their own former CM was caught live on camera negotiating a money deal to buy back disgruntled party MLAs. An earlier sting CD had shown a top CMO official negotiating a bribery deal with a liquor baron. It is in a bid to divert attention from these that they (Congress MLAs) are making unfounded allegations against BJP.
It seems a sudden ouster from power has knocked them out of their senses and they are making meaningless noises to confuse people, Bhatt told PTI.
Even Harish Rawat had accused the BJP of depositing Rs 25 crore into the accounts of nine rebel MLAs which prompted Vijay Bahuguna to slap a court case against him, he said, adding it seems Congress leaders have lost their head.
Alleging that buying and selling is Congresss culture not BJPs, Bhatt said the stand is vindicated by an Italian courts latest order which has indicted top Congress leaders like Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.
Chief BJP spokesman Munna Singh Chauhan also reacted sharply to the allegations by the two Cong MLAs saying they should either come up with proof to substantiate their charge or offer an unqualified apology for making a baseless allegation against the party.
They are just hurling a wild allegation. They should produce evidence to prove the charge or offer an unqualified apology immediately, Chauhan told PTI.
Congress MLA from Badrinath Rajendra Bhandari and its MLA from Tharali Jeet Ram had yesterday alleged that they had been offered a bribe of upto Rs 50 crore, an assembly ticket to a family member and a Rajya Sabha seat by the BJP in exchange for their support.
Said to be close to BJP heavyweight Satpal Maharaj, the two legislators asserted they were devoted soldiers of the Congress party and cannot be bought.
Hitting back at BJP on the VVIP chopper deal, the Congress party on Wednesday sought to know why was Agusta Westland removed from the blacklisted category by the Modi dispensation.
Rejecting the accusations levelled against the party in the deal, Congress leader and former union minister Anand Sharma said, The chopper deal was scrapped. Action was taken by the UPA government. AK Antony, the then defence minister had made a statement in Parliament and Agusta Westland was blacklisted.
Probe was ordered by the UPA Government - both by the ED and the CBI, he told reporters.
BJP is planning to target Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other party leaders on the issue of payment of bribes in the Agusta Westland chopper deal during the UPA rule in a bid to corner the main opposition party which has been paralysing Rajya Sabha on the Uttarakhand issue.
Sharma claimed that instead of putting the probe on the fast track, the Modi government removed Agusta Westland from the blacklisted category so that it could bid for some projects of Navy as part of the Prime Ministers Make in India programme.
What prompted the BJP government to reverse the decision of blacklisting, he asked insisting that the UPA government had been proactive in the probe once it came to know that some corruption was involved.
We took the matter to the Milan court, to the Naples prosecutor, he said.
The Congress leaders reactions came following media reports that an Italian court, which has convicted Augusta Westland chief Giuseppe Orsi, has reportedly referred to how the firm paid bribes to top Congress leaders to bag the Rs 3,600 crore deal.
About allegations against Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh in the matter, Sharma said, We reject them with the contempt they deserve.
No one should be making loose comments against Congress president and Manmohan Singh whose integrity and intellect was never in question, he said.
Noting that he was not privy to the Italian courts documents, Sharma took a dig at BJP saying perhaps the ruling party has got a special interpretation and translators team at their headquarters.
BJP has been making irresponsible statements and the Congress is not going to accept this. They have been hurling wild accusations. We are not running away from debate. Why the probe is not over in the last two years, he said.
Prasad accused the UPA government of stalling the CBI probe into the chopper scam, claiming that it did not let the investigation agency examine the then national security adviser M K Narayanan and SPG chief B V Wanchoo and that they were quizzed only after the NDA came to power.
The probe by the CBI and ED has now gathered pace, he said, adding that the secrecy clause, which prevented Italian prosecutors from sharing information with the CBI, is no longer relevant following the conviction.
When asked why he was not naming Congress leaders allegedly involved in the scam, he said, It was the first chapter today, indicating that the party will escalate its attack on Congress in the coming days.
The UPA government had signed a deal with Agusta Westland for purchase of 12 helicopters to ferry VVIPs but it was scrapped after reports appeared in Italy that the firm had paid kickbacks to Indian officials to clinch the deal. CBI began probing the case in 2013.
BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said Congress chief Sonia Gandhi should come out with a clarification over the alleged mention of her name in the Italian courts order.
Her government was the champion of corruption. She must issue a clarification over the mention of her name by the court, he told the media.
Prasad also attacked former home minister P Chidambaram over the change in Ishrat Jahan affidavit. He asked the senior Congress leader if there was a political agenda in omitting reference to her LeT links in the second affidavit filed in the alleged fake encounter killing case which found mention in the first affidavit.
Did you order changing the affidavit? Did you bypass, ignore the then Home Secretary and other officials in the Ministry? he asked.
In a move that may provide relief to 21 lakh debt-ridden farmers tackling severe drought, the state government on Tuesday decided to restructure the crop loans taken by farmers in 26,670 drought-hit villages in Maharashtra. While the government said it would restructure loans amounting to Rs11,000 crore, sources said the claim might be contentious.
Restructuring a loan involves extending the duration of repayment, which, in this case, will be extended from one year to five years. This will give the farmers, especially who had taken heavy loans last year and the due date for which is May 30, time extending up to five years. It will also ensure banks dont turn away the farmers by terming them ineligible, when they apply for fresh crop loans for the sowing season starting in June.
According to government estimates, the loans to be restructured include last years crop loans amounting to Rs5,000 crore and Rs3,503 crore loans taken for the 2014 kharif sowing season.
The government also plans to ask the Reserve Bank of India to restructure Rs2,438 crore worth of outstanding loans taken by 4.4 lakh farmers from drought-hit villages in 2012-13 and 2013-14.
The state plans to pay Rs1,272 crore over the next five years as interest on last years loans, while it will pay Rs300 crore as interest towards loans taken in 2014. It hasnt yet drawn up an estimate of how much the restructuring of loans taken in 2012-13 and 2013-14 loans would cost the exchequer.
The state hopes the move, along with the good monsoon predicted this year, will help stem the agrarian crisis and kickstart the rural agriculture-based economy.
Chandrakant Patil, state cooperation minister, said, Being held ineligible for a loan jeopardises a farmers chance of being able to cultivate crops for the coming sowing season. The government will cover loans borrowed from nationalized and district co-operative banks last year and some part of the loans borrowed in 2014 too. As the drought has reduced the spending power of farmers, they would have defaulted on the loans. The restructuring will help them take fresh loans this year.
The state government will pay the first installment of these loans this year at 12% interest and will pay 6% interest from the second year, with an equal amount to be paid by the farmer.
Patil said the state was positive of waiving off farm loans, but not yet. This issue has been constantly discussed and the CM has clarified that such a step didnt help in stemming suicides in the past. We need to make the farmer self-reliant. We will waive off loans but only after putting the farmer in a better position, he said.
The immediate impact will be felt by drought-hit farmers who had taken heavy loans last year, with the government extending the duration of the repayment period, about to end by May 30, by five years. This would give farmers more time to make the repayment, as large sections of farmers have suffered crop losses due to the paucity of rainfall in these areas.
More importantly, this would ensure that banks dont turn away these farmers from fresh crop loans for the sowing season starting in June.
This will cover loans borrowed from nationalized and district co-operative banks last year and some part of the loans borrowed in 2014 as well. Since the drought has reduced the spending power of farmers, they would have defaulted on these loans. Hence, this restructuring will them take fresh loans this year, he said.
The State government will pay the first installment of these loans this year at 12 per cent interest and from the second year onwards, will pay 6 per cent interest with an equal amount to be paid by the farmer.
Patil also said that the State government was positive of waiving off farmer loans, but not yet. This issue has been constantly discussed and the CM has clarified that such a step didnt help in stemming suicides. Hence, we need to make the farmer self-reliant by being able to be independent enough to borrow again. We will waive off loans but only after enabling the farmer better, he said.
The Bombay high court on Wednesday refused to stay the trial of Samir Gaikwad, the sole accused in the murder of rationalist Govind Pansare in February 2015.
Gaikwad, an alleged member of the right-wing group Sanathan Sanstha, was arrested in September last year by the Special Investigating Team (SIT) constituted by the Maharashtra government to investigate Pansares murder.
A trial court in Kolhapur is likely to frame charges against Gaikwad on April 29.
The SIT, however, had moved the high court seeking a stay on this, saying its investigations were yet to be completed. On Wednesday, the state governments counsel advocate Sandeep Shinde told the bench the SIT had concluded there were several similarities in the murders of rationalist leaders Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar, and Kannada scholar MM Kalburgi.
Shinde said that thus, the SIT was coordinating with the CBI and the Karnataka police to determine whether the same weapon was used for all three murders. He urged the court to stay the framing of charges at least until it receives the ballistic reports on the bullets and empty cartridge shells recovered from the sites of the murders.
A bench of justice SC Dharmadhikari and justice Shalini Phansalkar Joshi, however, refused to interfere with the trial courts proceedings saying that one must repose trust in the judiciary and let the lower court follow the processes of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The bench also pulled up both the state SIT and the CBI for the meagre headway made in the Pansare and Dabholkar murders respectively.
Observing that the court did not intend to witness anniversaries after anniversaries of cases, it directed both agencies to speed up their probe. The bench has also directed both agencies to submit a status report on their probe by May 1.
In March this year, the SIT had filed an application in the high court seeking Gaikwads trial be stayed and it be permitted to carry out further investigations in the Pansare case because it was yet to get an independent opinion on the ballistic report. The state of Maharashtra and Karnataka CID had given different opinions on the ballistic report and thus, an independent .pinion was being sought.
A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act judge on Wednesday issued non-bailable warrants against Pankaj Bhujbal, son of former public works department (PWD) minister Chhagan Bhujbal, and others in connection with a money-laundering case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Special judge P R Bhavake took cognizance of a complaint filed by the ED against the Bhujbals and others in the case, which pertains to alleged corruption in the construction of the Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi and another case.
Advocate Hiten Venegaonkar, representing the ED, said that according to procedure, the court issued summons to the heads of all the firms named in the case. As the charges are non-bailable, the court has also issued non-bailable warrants against the accused, Venegaokar said.
ED officers will now collect the warrants and summons from the court and serve them to the relevant parties. A source said that the warrants will have to be executed, which means that Pankaj Bhujbal and others may face arrest.
We have submitted charge sheets in the PMLA court and arrested two of the accused. The non-bailable warrants were issued by the court sou motu (on its own). We will go through the order before taking further action. The warrants will be sent by the court, while we will execute them, said an ED officer, who did not wish to be named.
The ED alleged in its complaint, which runs into more than 11,000 pages, that from 2006 onwards, the Bhujbals and their associates laundered money to the tune of Rs 4,264.25 crore. The agency claims that Chhagan Bhujbal laundered Rs 291.71 crore, while his nephew Sameer and son Pankaj laundered Rs 359.30 crore each.
The ED believes that Chhagan Bhujbal was the mastermind of the scam, which dates back to 1998, when he was deputy chief minister. The complaint reads: He devised the entire methodology and scheme of things to defraud the state government by conceptualising and implementing a scheme where the Maharashtra Sadan/RTO project was awarded to KS Chamankar Enterprises by misusing his official position and authority.
On Wednesday, the special court also extended the judicial custody of Chhagan and Pankaj Bhujbal to May 11. While Pankaj was produced in court, Chhagan attended the hearing via video conferencing from Arthur Road jail.
Continuing their fight for womens equality in places of worship, a group of human rights activists, including Trupti Desai of the Shani Shingnapur fame, will hold a peaceful dharna outside Haji Ali Dargah on Thursday.
We will have a peaceful protest outside the dargah. We will not enter the inner sanctum of the temple but will go till where men and women are allowed to enter, said Desai. It is believed that whatever you ask for at Haji Ali dargah comes true, and we shall ask for equal treatment for women.
Desai said the Mumbai police has permitted only 100 people to be part of the protest. On April 20, a forum Haji Ali sab ke liye was formed by human right activists and non-government organisations to assert constitutional principles over customs and traditions that undermine gender justice and equality.
The forum also asserts that women have equal rights to access sacred spaces.
We will not enter the Dargah forcibly. We dont have any such intentions, said Javed Anand, another member.
The forum has about 20 members, including Hasan Kamaal, Javed Anand, Javed Siddiqui, Zeenat Shaukat Ali, Feroze Mithiborwala, Saeed Mirza, Aslam Parvez, Rahman Abbas, Shabana Khan, Nasreen Contractor, Marium Dhawale (AIDWA), Prakash Reddy (CPI), Vijay Dalvi (National Trade Union Initiative), Jyoti Badekar (Vaghini), Varsha Vidya Vilas (Sadbhavna Sangh).
Syed Abid, general secretary, Mumbai, AIMIM, said the party will oppose Desais entry to the dargah. These agitations will only spoil the communal harmony of the city. They should not interfere with our religious matters, said Abid.
A 26-year-old married woman died after being gangraped and thrown off a building at the EWS colony here on Tuesday night.
The crime was allegedly committed by her three tenants who have been arrested. The accused also slit the victims wrist before pushing her off the roof to make it look like a suicide.
The accused, all in an inebriated state, were thrashed by neighbours after being spotted with blood-stained clothes. They were later handed over to police.
Ludhiana, the prosperous industrial city, has a dark underbelly. It has witnessed 15 cases of sexual assaults on children below the age of 12 years alone in the last 45 days.
The EWS colony victim, a mother of three, hails from Bihar and was staying with her parents here for the past three years.
Her parents had gone to Jugiana village to attend a wedding when the accused assaulted her.
Police said the trio entered the womans room at 1.30 am and then took turns to rape her. The accused then took her to the roof from where they pushed her.
Hearing her screams, the neighbours gathered and took the woman to a hospital where she was declared brought dead.
The three accused, identified as Balbir, Pappu and Mohammad, are all labourers.
Victims father said his daughter was residing with him for the past three years due to marital dispute.
Autposy confirms sexual assault
Deputy commissioner of police Dhruman Nimbale said the postmortem conducted at the civil hospital has confirmed rape.
The accused have been booked under sections 302 (murder), 376 D (gangrape) and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
The Akal Takht has ordered a probe to verify reports that a Sikh religious society based in the US was violating panthic (Sikh) tenets and rules laid down by the highest temporal seat of Sikhism for amrit sanchar (baptism) ceremonies.
Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh ordered the probe after receiving reports that a society known as, Gurdwara Sikh Sangat of Virginia was violating the laid-down tenets during amrit sanchar ceremonies. The jathedar received these complaints over telephone and through e-mail from Sikhs settled in Virginia and elsewhere in the US.
Reacting to the reports here on Tuesday, the jathedar told the media that he had directed US-based Satpal Singh Khalsa to verify the facts and submit a report to his office. Khalsa is a member of US-based religious group Ambassador of Sikh Dharam. If the reports are true then a meeting of the five Singh Sahibs will be called to deliberate on the issue. Those found guilty will be punished , he said.
Welcomes amendment in Sikh Gurdwaras Act
The jathedar welcomed the smooth passage of the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill by the Lok Sabha which will debar Sehajdharis (non-Sikhs who believe in Sikhism) from voting in the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) elections.
The approval of this bill by the Lok Sabha should now clear the air on who should vote in the SGPC elections. After years of struggle by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the SGPC, the matter has now finally been decided, the Jathedar said.
HT Explainer: Whats behind excluding Sehajdharis from Sikh body polls?
Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday called for a strong and effective law against dispossessing debt-ridden farmers of their land.
He was reacting to the reports on farmers suicides in Punjab, expressing grief over a Barnala district incident in which a Jodhpur village farmer and his mother killed themselves when a commission agent brought police along to dispossess them of their land, following the court orders. Amarinder sought an all-party consensus on the matter so that the farmers were not forced to take any extreme step.
Without wasting any time in politicking, let us move fast to enact the law to save the land and the lives of our farmers, Amarinder said in his appeal to all political parties. He also sought a guarantee from the state government that the arthiyas (commission agents) also did not suffer any loss. The law is very much possible and it only needs a strong political will, he remarked.
As chief minister in 2006, he had mooted the legislation. The Congress, however, lost power and the Akalis who came to rule did not follow it up for the past nine years. Barnala legislator Kewal Singh Dhillon also expressed grief over twin suicides, demanding adequate compensation for the affected family.
If you were tortured in Punjab during the rule of Captain Amarinder Singh, contact us, was the alert on the Twitter page of US-based Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) group on April 7.
We will never forget Congress and Captain, we will follow them wherever they go, it tweeted on April 22. On April 23, in response to the SFJs filing of a case of torture in Canada, Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh had to cancel his Toronto and Vancouver visits.
Read: Amarinder Singh cancels Canada visit following torture case against him
The alert by Sikh activist group on the social media saw some Canadian Punjabis send it cases of their torture during the tenure of the former Punjab CM. One of them was filed in a Canadian court just before the Punjab Congress president could land in Canada, forcing a cautious Amarinder to cancel his Punjab election campaign in Toronto on Saturday and Sunday and Vancouver on Friday.
It is not the torture case that has the SFJ gunning for Amarinder. The group accuses him of giving a clean chit to Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, accused of instigating the 1984 riots. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal adviser to the SFJ, an attorney in New York, had filed a case against Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal during his visit to the US in 2013. The case was for shielding Punjab police officers who indulged in extra-judicial-killings during his tenure as CM, a charge it also lays against Amarinder.
Last week, Amarinder had hit back at the SFJ, saying it was playing into the hands of anti-India forces such as Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to embarrass India by projecting human rights violations as if India was not a democracy but a dictatorship. The SFJ threatened him with defamation suit and Amarinder on Wednesday beat a retreat in a statement saying, I have come to know that the SFJ has come out openly with a statement that they have nothing to do with the Pakistani intelligence agency. As the SFJ has openly disavowed any links with the ISI, I will retract my statement.
But Pannun says the damage has been done. Speaking to HT from the US, he said: Amarinder made the statement on purpose, as the western governments are extremely sensitive to the links of groups with counter-intelligence agencies of other countries. Merely retracting from the statement is not an apology. If somebody is charged with human rights violation, he needs to come clean.
Countering Amarinders assertion that he left Congress in 1984 after Operation Bluestar, Pannun asked: What really changed when he went back to the Congress? How can he say that Tytler is innocent, when the world knows and we have witnesses who have given affidavits to the commissions of inquiry? On Amarinders saying that the group is sympathising with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Pannun said the SFJ was not targeting any political party but individuals who were directly involved or shielding those involved in the killing of innocent Sikhs.
Read: Visit stalled, Amarinder goes to Canada via Skype from US!
Sonia, Manmohan, Modi earlier targets
The activist groups legal warfare includes creating legal hurdles for top Indian political leaders and personalities visiting the US and Canada, whom it accuses of involvement in anti-Sikh riots and extra-judicial killings during the days of terrorism in Punjab.
It had earlier filed complaints against Congress president Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan over 1984 riots, forcing them to hire lawyers in US and Canada over the fears of being issued summons during their visits.
Pannun, a clean-shaven Sikh, prefers to call himself legal adviser of the SFJ, saying there are others who manage the social media and other campaigns. But his team, claims Pannun, comprises more than 10-lakh people who had supported our online petition, We the People, to urge US president Barack Obama to cancel his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the perpetration of violence against Muslims, Sikhs and Christians.
Success in Portugal
This February, the SFJ had put on its social media platforms an appeal from Bhai Pamma to organise shukrana diwas (thanksgiving) in local gurdwaras after Portugal had declined the Indian request to extradite Khalistani terrorist Paramjeet Singh Pamma. SFJ legal adviser Gurpatwant Singh Pannun had stayed in the European country for several days to coordinate Pammas release. In January 2013, Pannun flew to Thailand to fight the Thai court order to extradite Jagtar Singh Tara, alleged assassin of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh.
Still streaming in
Last October, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology had put the SFJ website on blocking notice over objectionable content under Section 69-A of the Information Technology Act. The Indian government has since blocked public access to its URL in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India; this after the SFJs Facebook page was, too, was blocked at its behest. Its Twitter handle and Youtube channel are still streaming videos of parades and nagar kirtans for Sikh Referendum 2020, its campaign for Punjabs right to self-determination.
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The recovery of 4-kg smack (a drug substance) from a couple from Uttar Pradesh by Patiala police on April 22 has revealed connections of the gang from Rajasthan to Madhya Pradesh, where opium is produced legally.
The local police, on Tuesday, claimed to have busted an inter-state drug-peddling gang, which also used to transform opium into smack by adding a specific chemical into it, and arrested five persons, including a home-guard of Rajasthan and a couple.
As the matter is not limited to a single state, the police have sought help of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to investigate the matter and capture the masterminds of the gang.
Police had recovered the contraband from the possession of the Ghaziabad (UP) based couple Naem and his wife Mumtaz alias Bhuri on April 22, who was working as the courier for the gang.
Meanwhile, the arrested honme guard was identified as Sanjay Kumar, resident of Jhalawar district in Rajasthan, who was deployed as a police home-guard jawan in Rajasthan.
The other two were identified as Mohan Lal of Jhalawar and Avtar Singh of Tarn Taran, who has been named as the buyer of the consignment.
Inspector General of Police (IG), Patiala zone, Paramraj Singh Umaranangal, said that bank accounts and various other means of money transactions of arrested smugglers were being investigated.
Raids at Rajasthan, MP, UP, Delhi and other parts of the country are on to nab the mastermind and other accomplices of the gang, he said and added that further investigation was on to trace out more facts.
Police officials claimed that many members of a 350-member tribe, inhabitant of Palia Kheri village, used to steal opium from fields and stock of the neighbouring villages of Madhya Pradesh, which legally cultivated opium.
The tribe mastered the art of converting the opium into smack, which was further supplied to Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, UP, Maharashtra, Karnataka and other states.
How opium turned into smack
Residents of Palia Kheri had developed a special method to transform opium into smack by adding some chemical into it. Police officials said that there was a special process to turn the opium into smack and most of the residents of the said village were trained to replicate the process at their homes
Drug Transportation
During the preliminary investigation, police have come to know that the residents of Palia Kheri village used to trade in blankets, jackets, and other hosiery goods in north India, especially in Ludhiana. With business as a shield, they used to wrap opium and smack in these goods and deliver drug consignments in Punjab.
Involvement of cop
It has been revealed that two years ago, a home-guard jawan Sanjay Kumar was posted at Jhalawar Jail and the kingpin Mange Lal of Rajasthan was also lodged in the same jail. Due to their proximity, Sanjay joined the smuggler gang. He became the informer of the smugglers and delivered the drugs himself to various parts of Delhi and Payal, Ludhiana.
The Punjab government has told the Punjab and Haryana high court that the list of 10 politicians and other people suspected to be involved in drug trade that was provided by former director general of police (DGP, prisons) Shashi Kant never existed in the state home department records.
The reply came on a direction of the high court bench of justice RK Jain, wherein the state had been asked to file a categorical response in this regard.
Deputy inspector general (DIG, counter intelligence) Mohnish Chawla, in his affidavit to the high court, said that no such information as stated in the media by Shashi Kant has ever existed in the department records.
Following the development, the high court disposed of the petition. Petitioner Sandeep Kumar Gupta had moved the high court to challenge the information commission order that said intelligence reports could not be shared with public under the right to information (RTI) Act.
The petitioner submitted that Shashi Kant, who had also remained additional DGP (intelligence), had claimed in the media that he had left the intelligence dossier with the then DGP and the home department.
In race of getting a smart city tag, the UT administration is leaving behind a section of people on wheelchair, who are an important a part of the society.
For hundreds of such people, it is difficult to live in a city where they cant even roam around independently. The citys unfriendly approach towards people on wheelchair make them feel crippled and disabled.
A teenager Fateh Mohit Whig (18) has taken up the issue with UT adviser Parimal Rai, though he has not received any reply from him so far. Fateh has a congenital Spina Bifida (a medical condition in which one has no control over his bowel, bladder and legs), a shunt in the brain and a heart deformity. He is the son of a gallant army officer, Major Mohit Whig, who gave away his life fighting for the nation in Jammu and Kashmir in 1997.
Sharing his story, he said, Chandigarh is known for greenery and lush-green parks, but sadly these parks have no place for people on wheelchair. I have not visited any park in the city, expect one and that too when I was young.
He has stopped going to PVR at Elante Mall, as it not disabled friendly. It is a most demeaning thing to watch a movie at PVR there. Unlike other malls, there is no system at place for the convenience of disabled people. Four people have to pick me up to take me to the seat. It is so humiliating that I have stopped going to Elante mall now.
Fatehs mother, Tina M Whig said, For the last two years, we have been complaining to the Elante mall authorities but to no avail.
Not only parks or malls, but markets and restaurants are constructed in a way that theres no specific provision for wheelchair-bound people. Fateh is doing law from the PU. Even its canteen is not disabled-friendly. In the letter, Fateh has requested to make public places more accessible to the disabled.
I cant even enter any shop, and my mother has to buy things for me while I wait in the car. Besides, there is a need to construct more disabled-friendly washrooms around the city town, he wrote. He said the first step in becoming a smart city will be to have an access to the disabled everywhere. Fateh has just returned from Melbourne, Australia, after completing a three-week course at the Royal Childrens Hospital.
In Melbourne, I could go anywhere on my own, there are ramps everywhere. I did shopping on my own and travelled the place for the first time -- all alone. But Chandigarh makes you realise that you are disabled.
It seems the city has forgotten its disabled people, Fateh said.
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Abohar MLA Sunil Jakhar criticised SAD led government for failing to provide grant of Rs 3 lakh to the family of young farmer who allegedly committed suicide on Saturday at a village in his assembly constituency.
After meeting the family of deceased Gurpreet Singh (25) in Kundal village on Tuesday, former leader of opposition and Congress leader Jakhar said non-payment of ex-gratia to family of deceased was the core vio lation of orders of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh which states that it should be released within twenty four hours of the tragic step taken by any farmer.
Expressing solidarity with family, Jakhar shared the grief with Gurdev Singh, father of Gurpreet. After the attack of whitefly the economical backbone of Gurdev family was broken and now due to waterlogging, wheat crop also failed and being under pressure of debt, young farmer took the extreme step, he said.
UPA government led by Manmohan Singh had issued a special grant of Rs 2,240 crore to tackle waterlogging in Punjab but its rueful that state government failed to even manage the same which is playing havoc with the lives of farmers of more than a dozen village in this region, said Jakhar.
He also said, Its mockery on the part of state government to include more CPSs (Chief Parliamentary Secretaries) when at ground their teachers are fighting for their monthly salaries while farmers are awaiting for money in reward of sale of their hard earned crop in mandis but none care for them.
A staggering number of 83,664 civil and criminal cases are pending in various courts across Ludhiana with the district courts in the city alone accounting for over 67,679 of them.
Last Sunday, Chief Justice of India Tirath Singh Thakur broke down in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, bringing to light the grim picture of the countrys overburdened and understaffed judiciary.
A total of 40,636 civil and over 43,028 criminal cases are pending with district courts complexes in Ludhiana, Khanna, Payal, Jagraon and Samrala. On an average, each judge in the district court is saddled with 1,164 cases.
The court complex in Ludhiana houses a court of the district and sessions judge, 18 courts of the additional sessions judges and 32 courts of judicial magistrates. At present, 16,900 cases, including 9,998 civil and 6,902 criminal, are pending with the sessions courts.
When it comes to the lower courts that cater to civil cases, the number of cases pending with the civil judge senior divisions here is 22,321. Another 28,467 cases (civil and criminal) are pending with the judicial magistrates.
But even if the required judges are appointed, the existing infrastructure is grossly deficient. For the docket burden of over 80,000 pending cases is already overstretching the available infrastructure and resources.
For example, of the current 51 judges in the district courts, 10 are working from a makeshift arrangement by having converted the offices of ahlmads (clerk) into courtrooms.
In some cases, a single room has been partitioned with the help of almirahs to house two judges at a time. On an average, over 500 cases are listed for hearing in the district courts every day.
We need at least 100 more judges keeping in view the burden of cases, rising population, and pendency of cases in Ludhiana, said advocate Vijay Verma, president, District Bar Association.
Even if we get the new courts, we dont have adequate infrastructure for them. Staff shortage is another issue. The current crisis is bearing on in the judiciary for some years now. It is said that a modern society needs 50 judges per million population, though it seems impossible that such a situation will ever become a reality in Ludhiana, added Vijay Verma.
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After registering a fresh first information report (FIR) in the sensational murder case of national shooter and advocate Sukhmanpreet Singh Sippy, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has questioned then station house officer (SHO) Poonam Dilawari, investigation officer in the case, to provide the details of the progress of the investigation.
After directing the UT police to hand over all the files pertaining to the case to it, the agency has now asked her to list out the efforts done to crack the case so far.
A senior CBI official, who wished not be named, said there were several details like the call details of the mobile phones being operated in Sector 27, -- the area where the Sippy was shot dead on September 20, 2015 -- information about the girl seen running away from the crime spot, and details about a girl, reportedly Sippys close friend and a daughter of a sitting Punjab and Haryana high court, who made a call to him from a mehandi vendors shop in Sector 19. The girl was seen making a call in a close circuit television (CCTV ) camera footage recovered from Sector 19.
To carry forward the investigation, the official said, Dilawari has been asked to present all the details of the case along with the evidence.
The official added the UT police had claimed to have recorded the statements of various suspects, including the judges daughter, and his close friends, though it failed to make any headway.
Dilawari has been asked to provide the details of those questioned during the probe, and to present evidence, if any, gathered so far.
Since the primary evidence was gathered by the SHO, she was the first one to be questioned by the CBI, added the official.
SIT members also to be questioned
Sources in the CBI said that the cops who were a part of the special investigation team, including assistant superintendent of police (ASP) Guriqbal Singh Sidhu, deputy superintendent of police (crime) Jagbir Singh and others, will also be questioned.
A detailed report of the efforts made by the SIT has been sought; the details prepared by each SIT member, including the questionnaire framed to investigate the role of the judges daughter, will also be verified.
Victims kin to be summoned
Sources said the statements of Sippy Sidhus family members, including his mother Deepinder Kaur and his brother Jippy Sidhu, will also be recorded again. Since they have been targeting the judges daughter as the main suspect, all the details will be verified again, they add.
Sippy Sidhu murder: Chandigarh cops ignore victims kin
Timeline
September 20, 2015: Sippy Sidhu shot dead at a park in Sector 27, Chandigarh, on his birthday
November 30: Accusing the police of shoddy probe, a candlelight march was held outside the residence of then UT inspector general of police in Sector 5
December 12: Sippys friends and relatives paid floral tributes to him at the Sector 27 park
December 14: The UT police moved an application in a local court and sought permission to conduct brain-mapping and lie-detection tests on the judges daughter, a suspect
January 8, 2016: The suspect submitted an application in the court requesting to conduct the similar tests on the deceaseds mother and brother
January 22, 2016: UT administrator Kaptan Singh Solanki transferred the case to the CBI
April 19, 2016: The CBI registered a case against unidentified persons and started questioning the investigating officer and other cops
The upcoming Cannes Film Festival has added a few more titles to its officials sections, and this has been the practice since the past few years. Earlier, Cannes never did this, sticking to its original selection that is invariably announced 21 days before the festival begins.
One of the movies that has been added to the prestigious Competition is the renowned Iranian auteur, Asghar Farhadis The Salesman. With this addition, the Competition will have 21 titles in a festival that runs from May 11 to 22. The Salesman revolves around a couple whose relationship turns violent because of societal pressures.
Long-time Farhadi collaborators, Taraneh Alidoosti -- who played the eponymous role in About Elly -- and Shahab Hosseini -- who appeared in Farhadis Berlin Golden Bear and Oscar-winning A Separation -- co-star as the warring couple.
Read: Cannes 2016 | No Indian film makes it to the film festival
Farhadi, who last came to Cannes in 2013 with his The Past, seems to be specialising in marital rift. This writer saw A Separation thrice, and seemed never to get tired of it, primarily for two reasons. It is brilliant cinematically -- profound performances, an unobtrusive camera and splendid editing that made one just sink into the lives of the characters. Two, Farhadi is so damn critical of Iranian society, but in such a covert way that the mullahs could not just figure it out. This is what one calls a punch that lands on your face, and you do not even see it coming or even perhaps feel the hurt. That is what masterful cinema is all about, saying all you want to, but in a controlled and dignified manner.
Read: Anurag Kashyaps next on a serial killer is getting a Cannes screening
Farhadis tale of marital discord slips into the private chambers of a married couple, squabbling over their own future and that of their only daughter.
And Farhadi does this through a neat story whose dramatis personae seem to be tearing apart age-old beliefs and tradition without anybody even realising it. They appear to be writing with invisible ink, the letters waiting to emerge after a hot iron passes over them.
Farhadis tale of marital discord slips into the private chambers of a married couple, squabbling over their own future and that of their only daughter. In the film, the wife wants to divorce her husband, because he refuses to immigrate with her and their daughter to America. She says the little girl will have a bright future there, far away from Irans suffocating conservatism and religious animosity. He does not want to go, because his Alzheimers afflicted father needs his son, and more than him, his daughter-in-law. The couples daughter, aged 11 or 12, wants all of them, certainly her parents. And, when the wife leaves, the husband hires a maid, piously religiously and with a husband whose debtors are hounding him. Finally, when they all meet in court, they try taking refuge in lies and deceit.
Farhadis The Past is also beautifully written, crafted and acted out movie. The Past, much like A Separation is about family and children. Both paint wonderful portraits of how relationships among screwed-up adults affect children - and deeply.
Read: Japanese helmer Naomi Kawase to head Short Films Jury at Cannes
Farhadi, who last came to Cannes in 2013 with his The Past, seems to be specialising in marital rift.
Although The Past is not as intense or griping as A Separation, Farhadis Cannes player is nonetheless a disturbing picture of how modern families grow dysfunctional. What is also missing in The Past are the rather convoluted Iranian judicial, political and religious systems, for the film is set in Paris, unlike A Separation whose story unfolds in Tehran.
In A Certain Regard, the extremist drama, Clash, from Egyptian director Mohamed Diab, will open the section. The movie plays out against the violent demonstrations which erupted at the end of former president Mohamed Morsis reign, Diab examines extremism through an intense drama where two fiercely rival groups find themselves in the same police van!
Also part of A Certain Regard will be British helmer David Mackenzies prison drama, Starred Up -- about a divorced man and a once convict brother who resort to desperate schemes to save their family farm in Texas.
Among the additions to the Midnight and Special Screenings will be the Mel Gibson-starer, Blood Father, where an ex-convict tries to save his 16-year-old daughter from murderous drug dealers.
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Ankit Love, a young Dogra musician with roots in Jammu and Kashmir, is an unlikely candidate for the high-profile election of the next London mayor on May 5 but he insists he is a serious aspirant with definite plans for the metropolis.
Love, 32, is the son of Bhim Singh, former president of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party. Of the 12 candidates in the election, the two main ones are Zac Goldsmith (Conservative) and Sadiq Khan (Labour), but they face some challenge from the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party.
Ankit Love, the son of Bhim Singh, former president of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party, says he is a serious candidate for the high-profile election of the next London mayor. (Facebook)
Brimming with enthusiasm, Love realises the challenge he faces. He told Hindustan Times on Wednesday that even if he were to get 1 or 2% of votes, that would be a great beginning for his political party One Love Party registered last October.
I find that mainstream British and Asian news organisations dont think I am a serious candidate. Of course, I am a serious candidate. They dont understand what I represent and promise to the people of London, Love said.
His main promise is on the issue of air pollution, which causes thousands of deaths every year. As mayor, he would ban all vehicles that run on fossil fuels and offer a structured plan for the benefit of Londoners.
I come from a political family, I have experience of this. Even if I am unsuccessful, people will know me after the elections. We have plans to spread to other European countries and want Britain to stay in the EU, he said.
For India, Love a British citizen now has plans for peace in Jammu and Kashmir and reunification of India and Pakistan.
Love arrived in Britain as a six-year-old in 1989 and studied art and music in Surrey and California. Other than his political ambitions, he has worked in films, music, theatre and magazines.
He regrets that the Narendra Modi government has removed the security cover for his father and evicted him from VP House in New Delhi.
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The Afghan Taliban on Wednesday confirmed a visit of its leaders to Pakistan.
A three-member delegation had arrived in Islamabad from its Qatar-based office on Monday to discuss the possibility of the peace talks, diplomatic and official sources said.
Since the Afghan people have close relations, long border and commercial transactions with Pakistan and a large number of our countrymen are living there as refugees, therefore, the Political Office of the Islamic Emirate has decided to send a high level delegation to Islamabad, the Taliban Qatar office said.
The esteemed leader of Islamic Emirate has instructed the delegation to discuss issues regarding Afghan refugees, some problems about frontier areas and particularly to discuss the release of Mullah Bradar Akhund and some other prisoners with the officials of the government of Pakistan.
Mullah Baradar, the former second-in-command in the Taliban hierarchy, was arrested in Karachi in 2010, and the Taliban said he has not yet been freed.
Pakistan had said in 2013 that Baradar was released along with some 50 senior Taliban leaders in 2013 on the request by then Afghan president Hamid Karzai.
A Taliban statement said the visit to Pakistan would be in the interest of both countries and would have fruitful results.
Pakistan had hosted the first face-to-face meeting between the Taliban and the Afghan government in July last year near Islamabad.
The talks -- dubbed as Murree Peace Process -- broke down after the death of Mullah Omar was confirmed in late July.
Rolling out a foreign policy that he said would always put America first, Republican front-runner Donald Trump said on Wednesday that if elected president, he would make US allies in Europe and Asia take on more of the financial burden for their defense, or they would be left to defend themselves.
In a major speech, Trump delivered a withering critique of Barack Obamas foreign policy, saying the Democratic president has let China take advantage of the United States and has failed to defeat Islamic State militants.
Trump pledged to shake the rust off Americas foreign policy and said he would seek better relations with China and Russia.
The New York billionaire spoke the day after victories in five Northeastern states that moved him closer to capturing the Republican Party presidential nomination for the November 8 election.
Read: US delegate tracker: Trump, Clinton press closer to election showdown
Trump, who was also critical of policies of the last Republican US president, George W Bush, said he would use Americas strength sparingly.
He said he would build up the US military to keep pace with Chinese and Russian military programs but would use American armed forces only when absolutely necessary.
I will not hesitate to deploy military force when there is no alternative. But if America fights, it must fight to win. I will never send our finest into battle unless necessary - and will only do so if we have a plan for victory, Trump said.
With US-Russian relations strained over numerous issues including Moscows support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Trump said an easing of tensions with Russia from a position of strength is possible.
Trump, a real estate magnate, also said he would use US economic leverage to persuade China to rein in North Koreas nuclear programme.
China respects strength and by letting them take advantage of us economically we have lost all their respect, he said.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump makes his way to the podium to speak to supporters and the media at Trump Towers. (AFP)
Trump said he would call separate summits of NATO and Asian allies to discuss a rebalancing of the US financial commitment to their defense.
He was stern in charging that American allies have benefited from a US defense umbrella but have not paid their fair share.
The countries we defend must pay for the cost of this defense. If not, the US must be prepared to let these countries defend themselves. We have no choice, Trump said.
Trump, a reality TV star, has never held elected office and has built support - particularly among white working class voters - with a no-nonsense style and populist pledges to make America great again.
That message was echoed in his foreign policy speech, although he set aside his rancorous campaign rhetoric for the address on Wednesday, delivered at a downtown Washington hotel.
Trump usually speaks in an off-the-cuff manner, but he delivered the speech with the aid of a teleprompter as he sought to make himself appealing to more Republican voters.
Trump said he would develop a plan to halt the spread and reach of Islamic State militants but that more would be needed beyond the use of military force.
Events may require the use of military force. But its also a philosophical struggle, like our long struggle in the Cold War, he said.
Read: My Muslim friends think ban idea is fantastic: Donald Trump
Belgian police abandoned a probe into participants in the Paris attacks ahead of the massacre due to a lack of funds, despite flagging them as priority terror suspects, a report said on Wednesday.
The official report was submitted to a Belgian parliamentary committee tasked with investigating failings by Belgian authorities in the run-up to Novembers attacks in Paris, in which 130 people were killed.
The content of the report was leaked to Le Soir newspaper and included the revelation that federal police abandoned closer tracking of brothers Salah and Brahim Abdeslam nine months before the attacks because of a funding shortage.
Salah Abdeslam, the sole surviving suspect in the November 13 terror attacks, was arrested in Brussels on March 18 after four months on the run as Europes most wanted man.
His brother Brahim blew himself up outside a bar during the attacks, wounding one person.
Both were reported to federal authorities in January 2015 by a local police officer in Molenbeek, the rundown Brussels district that has grabbed global attention as the home of several Islamic State attackers.
After the tip-off, an anti-terror prosecutor asked federal police to take a closer look at the brothers, including by tracking their phone calls and emails.
But the police unit never followed up on the allegations, telling the reports authors that they lacked the staff and means to investigate the siblings.
Belgian authorities have faced strong criticism at home and abroad for not doing more to prevent the Paris carnage.
The criticism grew louder after the Brussels attacks on March 22, which killed 32 people. Clear links have emerged between the Brussels attackers and the jihadists behind the Paris assaults.
Salah Abdeslam is currently awaiting extradition from Belgium to France. He has denied any prior knowledge of the Brussels bombings
India and Pakistan raised their preferred topics such as terror and the Kashmir issue without conceding much to the other in their first high-level contact since the Pathankot attack, the Pakistani media reported on Wednesday.
Tuesdays talks between the foreign secretaries of the two countries on the sidelines of a Heart of Asia meeting in New Delhi made the front pages of all leading Pakistani dailies, which noted there was little movement towards resuming the bilateral dialogue process.
The influential Dawn daily headlined its report Candidness marks Delhi talks while the headline in The Nation read Pakistan, India trade concerns at Delhi meeting.
The headlines in The News and Daily Times noted that Pakistan had taken up the alleged activities of Indias external intelligence agency RAW at the talks.
Also Read | Foreign secy-level talks: India asks Pak to crack down on terror groups
The purported activities of RAW have dominated the Pakistani media since Islamabad announced last month it had arrested Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav on charges of spying. India has said the former naval officer was abducted and taken to Pakistan.
Talking past each other as they often do, the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan raised their respective preferred topics on Tuesday without apparently conceding much to the other, the Dawn reported.
If there was any agreement that could be construed as positive, it was not made public, it said.
During the talks, Indias foreign secretary S Jaishankar told his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry that Islamabad should act against terror group operating from its soil instead of being in denial about terrorism. The Indian side also sought progress in the probe into the January 2 attack on Pathankot airbase and the prosecution of the alleged perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks.
Also Read | Pakistan cooperating closely on Pathankot attack: Sartaj Aziz
Pakistan, on the other hand, described Kashmir as the core issue and expressed its concerns about Indias probe into the 2007 bombing of the Samjhauta Express cross-border train that killed 42 Pakistani nationals.
While Pakistan and India on Tuesday agreed that they would remain in touch to take the bilateral relationship forward, Islamabad called for an early commencement of the comprehensive dialogue and expressed the confidence that the goodwill generated by the recent high-level contacts will pave the way towards this end, The News reported.
It noted that India did not appear to be in a hurry to commence the dialogue process.
The report in The Nation said the top diplomats of India and Pakistan met for talks after a hiatus of several months and both raised issues of their own concern and made demands from the other side on contentious issues.
Though both sides called it a constructive session where they discussed all issues, the low-key meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two hostile neighbours did not produce any significant measure of forward movement, it said.
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The murder of prominent Pakistani Sikh leader Sardar Soran Singh has been a blow to the minority community but what is being seen as more tragic is the possibility that a man accused of killing him may be next in line for his official position.
Singh, who was an advisor to the chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa with the status of provincial minister, was gunned down in Buner last week. Gunmen riding two motorbikes intercepted his car and opened fire, killing him instantly.
The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed the killing but the provincial police arrested four people, including one who was held near the crime scene. Police believe two of the arrested individuals were directly involved in the killing, while the others facilitated the attack. A pistol was also recovered, officials said.
Read | Pakistani Sikhs open gurdwara after 73 years, risking attacks
Police also said they have evidence linking Hindu leader Baldev Kumar, one of the arrested men, to the attack.
Like Singh, Kumar belongs to Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party and is believed to have been ignored for a ticket for a reserved seat in the provincial assembly.
Ironically, Kumar is now a suspended legislator but is in line to take Singhs seat in the assembly as he is second in priority in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insafs list of minority candidates.
Read | Pak Taliban claim killing of minority minister Sardar Soran Singh
The Sikh community has demanded that the provincial government should choose another member of community to replace Singh in the assembly as this will soften the blow of losing a dedicated leader.
Singh was a popular member of the Sikh community. He was born in Pir Baba area of Buner district and studied in local schools before graduating from the Degree College Swarhi. He married an Indian national and had a son and a daughter. The couple went their separate ways and he then married a resident of Swat ten years ago. From this marriage too, he had a son and a daughter.
Five years after the last Nasa astronauts flew from Cape Canaveral, Florida, to the International Space Station, a new group is preparing for a trip, this time on a private spacecraft.
On Tuesday, veteran astronauts Eric Boe and Sunita Williams used touch-screen simulators to practice docking Boeings CST-100 Starliner spacecraft with the space station during a training session near Lambert-St Louis International Airport.
The simulator, called the Crew Part-Task Trainer, helps prepare astronauts and flight controllers for missions, flight conditions and situations including the rendezvous and docking with the space station.
This is the next really exciting chapter for our country and our space program, Williams said. It refocuses on what I think is really important planning for the next generations and thinking of their future.
The United States hasnt seen a manned launch since Atlantis blasted off on the final space shuttle mission in 2011. Nasa currently is hiring out its supply runs and paying Russia to ferry astronauts to the space station.
Astronaut Sunita Williams uses touch-screen simulators to practice docking the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft with the space station. (Picture courtesy: Nasa )
The space agency wants to continue outsourcing those tasks so it can focus on getting astronauts out of low-Earth orbit and on to Mars and other destinations. Nasa is developing the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System for those longer journeys and has contracted with Boeing and another US company, SpaceX, to transport astronauts to the space station.
If you think of Mars as the pinnacle of Everest (and) low-Earth orbit as base camp, the commercial companies that service low-Earth orbit are the sherpas that take things back and forth, said Chris Ferguson, deputy program manager and director of crew and mission operations for Boeings commercial crew program.
It enables Nasa to go and perform their exploration mission.
The cost for a ride on a private, American-operated spacecraft will be $58 million, cheaper than Russias $76 million per ride, according to Nasa.
Boeings role in space exploration began in the 1960s. The McDonnell Aircraft Corporation, which later merged with McDonnell Douglas before its merger with Boeing developed the Mercury and Gemini space capsules.
In 2014, Nasa awarded Boeing up to $4.2 billion to develop the Starliner, its launch vehicle and mission operations and ground systems. The contracts with Boeing and SpaceX, which is developing a next-generation crew capsule, total $6.8 billion and require at least one test flight with at least one Nasa astronaut on board.
Boeings contract includes up to six missions to the space station.
Boeings Defense, Space & Security division is building several training devices in St Louis, including the Crew Part-Task Trainer and a full-scale mission simulator that will run astronauts through dress rehearsals, from problems during launch to the recovery of the spacecraft.
The simulator and other training devices will be delivered to the Johnson Space Center in Houston over the next year.
Boeing and SpaceX are aiming for test flights to the space station by the end of 2017.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh, who created a flutter last year by claiming Pakistan helped the US get Osama bin Laden, has said he has seen new evidence that cemented his beliefs about how the al Qaeda leader was killed.
More than ever, Hersh told Pakistans Dawn newspaper when he was asked if he still believes Pakistan helped the US get bin Laden.
Hershs claim, in an article published last year, has already been rejected by the White House. US media outlets have also rejected his claim.
But he has repeated the claim in his book, The Killing of Osama bin Laden, published this week. Hersh told The Dawn he has seen new evidence which cemented his belief that the official US account of how bin Laden was found in his compound in Abbottabad and killed is deceptive.
He reiterated his contention that Pakistan detained bin Laden in 2006 and kept him prisoner with the backing of Saudi Arabia. The US and Pakistan then struck a deal: The US would raid bin Ladens compound but make it look as if Pakistan was unaware, Hersh was quoted as saying by Dawn.
I learned a lot more than I knew in the beginning, he said.
Pakistan is in constant alert because of India. Their radars are watching, their F-16s are up all the time, he said, arguing that it was not possible for US helicopters to enter Abbottabad without alerting the Pakistanis.
He said former Pakistan Army chief Gen Ashfaq Kayani and ISI chief Shuja Pasha made this deal with the Americans, which upset other Pakistani generals.
The then head of Pakistans Air Defence Command was very, very upset. He was ready to go public, said Hersh, claiming the disgruntled general was made chairman of Pakistan International Airlines after his retirement to compensate for his silence.
In another interview to the Democracy Now network of radio and television outlets, Hersh said the US and Pakistan jointly created the myth that we discovered where bin Laden was living.
What I know isthat in August of 2010, a Pakistani a colonelcame into our embassy, went to the then CIA station chief Jonathan Bank, and said: Weve had bin Laden for four years.
Hersh told The Dawn this colonel was moved to the US and now lives somewhere near Washington.
The Pakistani intelligence picked (bin Laden) in the Hindu Kush area, built the compound in Abbottabad and put him there, he said. Pakistani officials did so because the Saudis asked them to. The Saudis did not want Americans to interrogate (bin Laden).
According to Hersh, when the CIA asked Pakistani officials to make the May 2, 2011 operation at bin Ladens compound in Abbottabad a surprise raid, they agreed because they had kept OBL in custody without telling us.
The Americans were very upset and the Pakistanis did not want to make it worse, he added.
I wrote the name of the station chief, Jonathan Bank, something you are not supposed to do, but he did not attack me for doing this. He did not contradict my story, although if there is one guy who can end my story, it is him, Hersh said.
A banner depicting a rifle and a slogan supporting a separate Sikh nation that appeared at a Vaisakhi festival in the UK city of Birmingham has led to demands for action against those who raised the flag.
A Pakistan-origin British MP has called for action against those behind the banner showing a rifle and a slogan for a separate Sikh state with the words Khalistan Zindabad at the Vaisakhi celebrations.
The MP Khalid Mahmood said organisers of the event attended by hundreds of British Sikhs over the weekend should ensure such banners do not feature in future celebrations.
Khalistan Zindabad, as many people know, is a proscribed organisation in the European Union and the UK and therefore displaying that at a family event, and displaying those weapons openly at a family event, I think contravenes basic decency that we have, Mahmood told the BBC on Tuesday.
If the organisers didnt know about it, they should have been warned properly about it and certainly they should take action in the future to ensure this does not carry on, said the Birmingham MP.
The flag seen to represent the Khalistan Zindabad Force featured a rifle alongside the slogan, which translates as Long live Khalistan.
However, a member of Sikh Federation UK defended the flag, saying they supported an independent Sikh state and not the terrorist group.
A spokesperson for Birmingham City Council said We did not organise the weekends Vaisakhi celebrations. They took place at Handsworth Park so we are in effect the landlord for this event. If anyone had brought this terrorist flag to our attention, one of the council officers attending would have asked for it to be taken down, however nobody did. That said the event was a wonderful family celebration.
The Khalistan Zindabad Force is banned in India and was added to the European Unions list of banned terrorist groups in 2005.
The Panama Papers trove of leaked documents revealing the vast extent of global tax evasion will be made available to the public on May 9, the organization behind the leak said Wednesday.
The searchable database will include information about more than 200,000 secret companies, trusts and foundations based in 21 tax havens from Hong Kong to Nevada in the United States, said the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).
Since early April, the ICIJ-coordinated limited release through roughly 100 media outlets of the Panama Papers have become a worldwide scandal, spurring numerous investigations and the resignation of Icelands prime minister and a Spanish minister.
About 11.5 million leaked documents of the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, reveal the large-scale use of offshore entities to conceal assets from tax authorities.
In its statement, the ICIJ said that the public release next month is the next step in our ongoing year-long investigation and that it will continue to publish more stories in the coming weeks and months.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino, reacting publicly for the first time to the beheading of a Canadian hostage by Abu Sayyaf militants, vowed on Wednesday to devote all his energy to eliminating the group before he steps down in two months.
John Ridsdel, 68, a former mining executive, was executed on Monday by Abu Sayyaf, who captured him and three others in 2015 while they were on vacation on a Philippine island.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the execution as cold-blooded murder.
Security is precarious in the southern Philippines, despite a 2014 peace pact between the government and the largest Muslim rebel group that ended 45 years of conflict.
So, to the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group), and whoever may aid or abet them, you have chosen only the language of force, and we will speak to you only in that language, Aquino said in a statement.
Casualties are to be expected. But what has to be of utmost importance is neutralising the criminal activities of the ASG.
The Philippine Army said a severed head had been found on a remote island on Monday, five hours after the expiry of a ransom deadline set by the militants, who had threatened to execute one of four captives. Police confirmed the head to be that of Ridsdel.
On Wednesday, army spokesman Maj Filemon Tan said a headless body was found in a dried creek, near jungle where Ridsdel was believed to have been beheaded.
We are still verifying if the body is that of John Ridsdel, Tan told reporters.
Abu Sayyaf is a small but brutal militant group known for beheading, kidnapping, bombing and extortion in the south of the mainly Catholic country.
Ridsdel and three others, including a Norwegian and another Canadian, were abducted seven months ago in the southern Philippines and appealed in a March video for their families and governments to secure their release.
Other foreigners held by Abu Sayyaf include one from the Netherlands, one from Japan, four Malaysians and 14 Indonesians.
Canada and Britain will urge other nations not to pay ransoms to free kidnap victims, Trudeau said on Tuesday, the day after Ridsdel was found dead.
Police in London are looking for a serial puddle splasher - a person in a Toyota SUV who deliberately soaks pedestrians whenever it rains in the British capital.
The driver has struck countless times over the past few months in the Kentish Town area of north London, The Telegraph reported. The splasher is believed to have soaked scores of pedestrians, driving close to the kerb and running through puddles at speed.
A splash attack on April 15 was filmed by newsreader Zora Suleman, who handed over the footage to police.
Police officer Paul Taylor tweeted Sulemans footage, which shows the Toyotas registration number P921 LMO, in the hope that someone would identify the owner of the vehicle.
Police also ran the registration number through their system but found the vehicle had not been registered and had no insurance. The driver will be charged with careless driving if police are able to apprehend him, the report said.
Police hunt driver who 'deliberately' splashed pedestrians https://t.co/HMtrhnFD2Rhttps://t.co/UYWiWBWTQd Camden New Journal (@NewJournal) April 21, 2016
Suleman said the Toyota splashed people at a bus stop and then did a U-turn to do it again. There was a little old lady next to me and this car came up really close to the kerb, splashing everyone, she said.
Then I saw him stop and I thought: Oh my god, hes going to do this again, so I thought Id take some footage. It might be fun for the driver, but I felt bad for this old lady, who was quite upset by it.
A resident of Kentish Town said the first incident occurred in January and that the driver comes out every time it rains.
Egypts state news agency says three policemen have been killed in a roadside bombing in the turbulent north of the Sinai Peninsula.
MENA quoted an unidentified security official saying that todays explosion targeted an armoured personnel carrier in the city of el-Arish, wounding another 8 policemen.
The official says the wounded were taken to the military hospital in el-Arish.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack. A local affiliate of the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on security forces in Sinai since 2014.
Egypt has for years been fighting a Sinai-based Islamic insurgency. The attacks have grown more frequent and deadlier since 2013, when President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, then the defense minister, led the ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.
Internet traffic to Wikipedia pages summarising knowledge about terror groups and their tools plunged nearly 30% after revelations of widespread web monitoring by the US National Security Agency, suggesting that concerns about government snooping are hurting the ordinary pursuit of information.
A forthcoming paper in the Berkeley Technology Law Journal analyses the fall in traffic, arguing that it provides the most direct evidence to date of a so-called chilling effect, or negative impact on legal conduct, from the intelligence practices disclosed by fugitive former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
Author Jonathon Penney, a fellow at the University of Torontos interdisciplinary Citizen Lab, examined monthly views of Wikipedia articles on 48 topics identified by the US department of homeland security as subjects that they track on social media, including Al Qaeda, dirty bombs and jihad.
In the 16 months prior to the first major Snowden stories in June 2013, the articles drew a variable but an increasing audience, with a low point of about 2.2 million per month rising to 3.0 million just before disclosures of the NSAs internet spying programmes.
Views of the sensitive pages rapidly fell back to 2.2 million a month in the next two months and later dipped under 2.0 million before stabilising below 2.5 million 14 months later, Penney found.
The traffic dropped even more to topics that survey respondents deemed especially privacy-sensitive. Viewership of a presumably safer group of articles about US government security forces decreased much less in the same period.
Penneys results, subjected to peer-review, offer a deeper dive into an issue investigated by previous researchers, including some who found a 5% drop in Google searches for sensitive terms immediately after June 2013.
Other surveys have found sharply increased use of privacy-protecting web browsers and communications tools.
Penneys work may provide fodder for technology companies and others arguing for greater restraint and disclosure about intelligence-gathering. Chilling effects are notoriously difficult to document and so have limited impact on laws and court rulings.
More immediately, the research could aid a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of Wikipedias non-profit parent organisation and other groups against the NSA and the justice department.
The year-old suit argues that intelligence collection from backbone internet traffic carriers violated the Fourth Amendment ban on unreasonable searches.
Donald Trump declared himself the Republican partys presumptive nominee after sweeping the primaries in all five states that went to polls on Tuesday.
Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton won four of her five primaries, conceding one to Bernie Sanders. She now has 90% of the delegates she needs to secure the nomination.
Read | US elections: The final line-up is clear
Primaries for both parties were held Tuesday in Rhode Island, Maryland, Connecticut, Delaware and Pennsylvania. The next big fight is in Indiana, next Tuesday.
The Tuesday sweep took Trumps count of delegates to 950, which is 287 short of the 1,237 he needs to win the nomination. Rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich have 559 and 153 respectively.
Clinton widened her lead over Sanders to 2,137 to 1,306, including pledged and unpledged delegates, who are also called superdelegates. Their threshold is 2,383.
Though the contests not over yet, the respective front-runners appear to be gearing up for the general election, attacking each other more in remarks after the results than their party rivals.
Asked at a press conference if he now considers himself the presumptive nominee of the Republican party, Trump said, I consider myself the presumptive nominee, absolutely.
A presumptive nominee is one who has been all but officially crowned a candidate, and is most certainly going to be sooner than later.
Does that mean he will start behaving himself? If you have a football team, and youre winning, and then you get to the Super Bowl, he said, You dont change your quarterback.
He plans to start choosing his words carefully though, and will use a teleprompter after excoriating others for it to deliver a major foreign policy speech later on Wednesday.
Read | The selection of a president: US elections explained in five steps
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton arrives onstage at her victory party at the Convention Center in Philadelphia on Tuesday. (AP)
He is clearly getting ready for the general election. Its all over, he said about the Republican race, arguing Cruz and Kasich are left with no path to nomination from here on: knocked out.
But Cruz and Kasich are not leaving. They have joined hands to try and stop Trump in the nominating contests, and take the battle to the party convention in July hoping to win it there, somehow.
Read | Infographics: How the US?President in elected
Trump doesnt, of course, believe they have much of a chance at that. And he focussed on Clinton more in his remarks, slamming her for, among other things, playing the woman card.
He said if she was not a woman, she would be nowhere in the race not even get 5% votes and called her Crooked Hillary, a term he has coined, like Lyin Ted for Cruz.
Read | The US presidential primaries are turning into a bizarre show
The Clinton campaign too seemed to be focussing more on the general election. Its certainly prudent at this point and necessary to prepare for a general election, Clintons spokesperson Jennifer Palmieri said, adding, And we have been making preparations and will continue to do so as the next seven weeks wind down.
In her remarks to supporters, the former secretary of state said, Imagine a tomorrow where hard work is honoured, families are supported, streets are safe, communities are strong, and where love trumps hate.
Two pilots were found dead on Wednesday, a day after their helicopter went missing in south China.
Their bodies were found in the wreckage of the crashed helicopter that was found 24 hours later after it was reported missing in south Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The helicopter belonged to a local company that organised helicopter tours.
Guilin General Aviation Company said the helicopter took off from Guilin on Tuesday and was headed to Beihai in Guangxi.
It lost contact with the air traffic controller an hour after it took off, over Guilins Yongfu County.
The wreckage and the pilots bodies were discovered in the mountainous area of Yongfu, according to the company.
The governor of the US state of Maine has refused to apologise for commenting on hard-to-understand workers from Bulgaria or India.
Republican governor Paul LePage was chuckling on Saturday at the state party convention when he said he needed an interpreter to understand some foreign workers.
He said on Wednesday that it was meant as a joke, but he acknowledged that maybe it was a bad joke.
He told Maines WVOM-FM that hes not politically correct and that he wont apologise for that. And he said that hes had difficulty trying to give an order in a restaurant with foreign workers, period.
Read: Workers from India are hardest to understand: Republican governor
LePage made his comments on Saturday as he criticised a referendum proposal to raise Maines minimum wage to $12. LePage supports raising the wage by a lesser amount.
At another rally on Friday, Republican front-runner Donald Trump had moaned about Indians performing outsourced back-office operations for his credit card company.
Read: Donald Trump mocks Indian call centres, but says India is a great nation
He has also complained about workers form China, Mexico and other countries taking away American jobs, which he has promised voters he will bring back.
Donald Trump will set aside his bad-boy antics, and with the help of a teleprompter to keep him on message, outline on Wednesday his vision for foreign policy if elected US president in November, campaign aides say.
Governments alarmed at the prospect of a Trump presidency will be paying close attention. Critics have accused the Republican front-runner of bigotry and posing a danger to US national security.
Many foreign policy and defence advisers say his views are worrying, mingling isolationism and protectionism, with calls to force US allies to pay more for their defence and proposals to impose punitive tariffs on some imported goods.
Part of what Im saying is we love our country and we love our allies, but our allies can no longer be taking advantage of this country, Trump told reporters on Tuesday night in a speech preview.
He said he would focus on nuclear weapons as the single biggest threat in the world today.
The billionaire businessman, 69, promises to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the US and to build a wall to block off Mexico.
His policies are popular with many voters who want a change of viewpoint in Washington, but foreign policy elites are concerned.
Its a perfect storm of isolationism, muscular nationalism, with a dash of pragmatism and realism, said Aaron David Miller, a foreign policy scholar who has served in Republican and Democratic administrations.
The speech, at noon (1600 GMT) at a Washington hotel, will address several critical foreign policy issues including global trade and economic and national security policies and building up the US military, his campaign said.
It is expected to be the first in a series of policy speeches meant to show that Trump, fresh off a sweep of five northeastern state nominating contests on Tuesday, is worthy of the White House despite having never held public office.
He needs to show that he has the substance, the depth of knowledge and the vision to be the American commander-in-chief, said Steve Schmidt, who was 2008 Republican nominee John McCains campaign manager.
Trumps biggest backer in Washington, Republican Senator Jeff Sessions, said Trump would offer a more restrained foreign policy, a more realistic foreign policy that counts the cost not only now but in the months and years to come.
Views popular at home
Driving much of Trumps rhetoric is what he feels is the need to ease the US financial burden overseas, focus more on nation-building at home and make sure American companies pay a price for outsourcing jobs to countries where labour is cheaper.
His views are reckless and dangerous but that doesnt necessarily mean that theyre unpopular. Thats part of the challenge, said Lanhee Chen, who advised former 2016 Republican candidate Marco Rubio and 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney.
Trump has declared NATO obsolete and said European countries should be pulling more of their weight in the post-World War 2 alliance. Democratic President Barack Obama has for years urged Europeans to bolster their defence spending to help NATO but, unlike Trump, has never said the alliance needs to be reconfigured.
In a joint paper published this month, national security and regional experts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies rejected Trumps position on overseas bases.
The US gets the better end of the deal from its forward deterrent posture than any other nation, and its value outweighs its current costs, Kathleen Hicks, Michael Green and Heather Conley wrote in Foreign Policy magazine.
Trump says South Korea and Japan are too reliant on the US military presence there and should be paying for it, and that they might need to develop nuclear programs to counter North Koreas atomic belligerence a statement that prompted Obama to say Trump was ill-informed on international relations.
Former US Navy chief Admiral Jonathan Greenert, a former commander of the Japan-based US Seventh Fleet, said it was not accurate to suggest Japan and South Korea get a free ride from the US, since both countries are subsidising their US base presence by billions of dollars a year each.
In the Middle East, Trump has said he would use US forces to knock the hell out of ISIS, an acronym for Islamic State, and get the forces out quickly, and create safe havens for Syrian refugees so they do not come to the US.
Dennis Ross, who served as a Middle East adviser to both Democratic and Republican administrations, said Trumps rhetoric suggested his worldview was something of a throwback to political thinking that drew a significant following among Americans before the US entry into World War 2. I dont think that anyone would feel they could count on the US, Ross said.
Cape Verde police launched a manhunt Wednesday for a shooter who is believed to be responsible for killing 11 people at a military barracks on Tuesday.
Government reports indicate that a former soldier is suspected of being behind the shooting, which left eight soldiers and three civilians - including two Spanish nationals - dead.
"A soldier assigned to the military team itself is missing, and there are strong indications that he was responsible in the events," said Minister Paulo Rocha, adding that the victims were 20 to 51 years old.
Rocha stated that the shooting took place at a telecommunications site at Monte Tchota, a forested area on Santiago island about 17 miles north of the capital, Praia. The Spanish victims had been doing repairs there and were under the protection of soldiers stationed at the Monte Tchota barracks.
Authorities became aware of the shootings after a police officer found the bodies around noon local time at the barracks. Eight Kalashnikovs and ammunition were reported missing, but they were later found in an abandoned car in Praia's Cittadella neighborhood and recovered.
In light of the shooting, President Jorge Carlos Fonseca announced that he would be cancelling his trip to one of the Cape Verde's 10 islands so he could follow the investigation. He said in his statement that the investigation is proceeding "at a good and positive" rate.
This is the latest incident to occur on the former Portugese colony that has been plagued by shootings in the past. While it has been praised by international organizations for its commitment to democracy and development, it has also been targeted by international drug rings as a destination for smuggling cocaine.
Law enforcement's attempts to combat gangs smuggling Latin American cocaine to Europe has led to a series of reprisal shootings. For example, police seized 280kg of cocaine from a yacht last week, and officials have linked two recent attacks on public figures to the drugs trade.
With all this in mind, officials say that they believe this latest shooting isn't an attack against the government and is simply an isolated incident fueled by personal motivations.
@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A federal judge in New Orleans has approved a plea agreement for once-fugitive real estate heir Robert Alan Durst to serve seven years, one month in prison on a weapons charge.
U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt approved the sentence during a hearing in New Orleans on Wednesday. Durst, 72, accepted the sentence as part of his guilty plea in February, which allowed him to avoid a 10-year prison sentence and $250,000 fine.
Instead, he will serve just 85 months in prison and receive a $5,000 fine. Engelhardt said in a statement that once the prison sentence is served, Durst will be subjected to three years of supervised release.
This development finds its roots in March 2015 when the FBI arrested Durst at the J.W. Marriott Hotel on Canal Street in New Orleans due to suspicion that he was about to flee to Cuba. As authorities prepared to remove him from the premise, they discovered that he was in possession of a .38-caliber revolver, which the 72-year-old isn't supposed to have since he is a convicted felon.
On the other hand, this plea deal has no actual bearing on the murder charge that he faces in California. Rather, it simply means that he can be extradited there, where he's charged with the 2000 murder of his female friend, Susan Berman.
The alleged murder might have occurred in 2000, but the whole situation actually stems from 1982 when his first wife, Kathleen Durst, mysteriously disappeared. Prosecutors argue that Berman was murdered to keep her from talking to New York prosecutors about the disappearance, while Durst's attorneys have maintained that he didn't kill her, doesn't know who did and wants to prove it.
The most recent such statement came in a motion filed Monday asking Engelhardt to recommend that Durst serve his time at FCI Terminal Island, Calif., about 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles. The location is near the trial venue and has medical facilities that attorneys say Durst will need due to his "advanced age and serious health considerations, including mobility challenges."
Prosecutors and attorneys in Los Angeles have agreed that he will be there by mid-August.
Now, the question remains: did Durst kill Susan Berman? When Durst was detained at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in 2015, it was on the eve of the finale of a six-part documentary about him called "The Jinx," which described the disappearance of Kathleen, the death of a neighbor in Galveston, Texas, and Berman's death.
At the end of the show, a telling indication of what actually transpired can be heard when he was heard muttering, "What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course."
@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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The Chattannogan Hotel
Hotel Staff Self-Learn Instantly On-Site or Remotely from a Growing Library of Over 30 Popup Tutorials; Each Person Optimizes His or Her Own System Training for Greater Productivity
High turnover of line staff and property managers is a way of life in the hotel business. So is increased technology use. Continuous staff training is a challenge to efficient operations at many properties. Maestro PMS, with 35+ years of hotel solutions experience, created an eLearning system that helps property staff and managers quickly become experts in system use and operations.
Greg Jones, front office manager at The Chattanoogan hotel said, Training at an independent hotel is different than at a chain property. Our front office team is responsible for training new employees. We incorporated Maestros eLearning training courses into our property instruction guides to train new staff quickly and efficiently. Maestro eLearning offers 31 courses that are fully-integrated with the Maestro Front Office System and its other modules.
We developed Maestro eLearning to enable hoteliers to use our Maestro systems to its full potential, said Warren Dehan Maestro PMS President. eLearning is integrated with Maestro so staff can get quick answers to system questions while they are on the job. They can pause the training session and try out the function in a training version or on the live software. Hotel staff can also take system courses when they are off property from our eLearning website. The system tracks which courses staff members take, what lessons they complete and their scores on proficiency exams.
eLearning is part of Maestros free Diamond Plus Service and includes online webinars. Between our free Diamond Plus 24/7 support help desk, free upgrades and eLearning we help our clients get the best use of their system, Dehan said. We continuously ask our operators for insights on how we can provide more service. We created eLearning to address their staff training challenge.
Knowing how to use the Maestro PMS system is essential, Jones said. Maestro provides upgraded releases regularly and eLearning tutorials that teach our team how to set up new functionality that makes a smoother operation.
The Maestro Enterprise Property Management hotel software suite of 20+ solutions is the industrys most robust and well supported system for independent hotels, resorts, and multi-property groups. Click here for more information on how to reserve, engage and socialize with Maestro PMS.
For more information on Maestro PMS or for a demo of the Maestro Property Management Suite, please contact Maestro PMS at 1.888.667.8488 or email info@maestropms.com.
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Maestro Property Management Solution
Enhance guest service, improve efficiency, and maximize online and offline revenue with Maestro PMS, the industry's most robust and flexible resort software and boutique hotel software solution empowering leading full-service hotels, luxury resorts, multi-property groups, conference centers, and vacation rental properties. Solutions include Front Office (PMS), Accounts Receivable, Analytics and Business Intelligence, Sales and Catering, Multi-Property Management, Condo Owner Management with Owner Web Portal, Spa and Activities, Web Booking Engine, Real-Time Yield Management, Dynamic Packaging, CRM, Guest Experience Measurement, CRO, GDS/OTA Two-Way Integration, Membership, Work Orders, Fine Dining and Retail POS, and Concierge. Maestro PMS is database independent and may be deployed on-premise or in the Cloud via Windows, Linux, and Browser-based platforms.
About Maestro PMS
Maestro PMS is recognized in the hospitality industry for its standard-setting Diamond Plus Service and robust integrated Maestro resort and hotel software technology. With more than 35 years experience dedicated to developing technology solutions for the hospitality industry, Maestro PMS is a partner who understands you need a scalable, flexible PMS that works the way you do. Maestro applications are engineered for operators who need to manage their enterprise in a real-time environment for the utmost operational efficiency, productivity, control, and profitability.
About The Chattanoogan
The Chattanoogan, the recipient of numerous local, regional and national awards and accolades, has 199 upscale guest rooms and suites, three outstanding dining establishments, a rejuvenating day spa and a 25,000 square-foot conference center. The property is conveniently located within a two-hour drive from Atlanta; Nashville, Tenn.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Huntsville, Ala.; and Birmingham, Ala. It is within walking distance of the citys museums, galleries, retail stores, restaurants and The Tennessee Aquarium.
For more information about The Chattanoogan or reservations, call (423) 756-3400, toll free (877) 756-1684, or visit the hotels Website at www.chattanooganhotel.com
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Camaguey, Santa Clara and Havana, Beginning April 27th
Island Travel & Tours, Ltd. yesterday announced four new flights from Tampa to three cities in Cuba including the first flight ever from Tampa International Airport to the City of Camaguey in the center of the island; other cities include 1 flight to Santa Clara and two flights a week to Havana.
These new flights begin on Wednesday, April 27, to Santa Clara, and Friday, April 29, to Camaguey with Havana flights beginning on Thursday, May 5, just prior to Mothers Day with a second weekly flight every Monday. Seats are already sold out on the inaugural Tampa-Havana flight.
These new flights are commencing a month before the height of the travel season for Cuban-Americans visiting family members and relatives in Cuba.
The number of Americans traveling to Cuba has increased dramatically as a result of President Obamas loosening of travel restrictions and his personal visit to Cuba in March," says Bill Hauf, President, Island Travel & Tours, Ltd.
Cuba has been an unexplored destination for Americans for over 50 years, and with reestablishment of diplomatic relations, the opening of the American Embassy and President Obamas recent visit, more Americans are clamoring to see and experience this incredible island," says Hauf.
Since almost every American can now legally travel to Cuba they can discover for themselves the friendliness of the Cuban people and their history, culture, architecture, art and sculpture at this most unique and interesting travel destination.
"We are excited about these new flights that will offer more members of the Tampa community an opportunity to travel on nonstop flights to cities in Cuba never before served from Tampa.
Island Travel is a full service travel company providing complete travel service to and in Cuba including hotels, rental cars, and numerous tour programs to every city on the island of Cuba.
Compared with Q1 2015, the Canadian hotel industrys occupancy dipped 1.4% to 54.7%; average daily rate was up 3.4% to CAD136.68; and revenue per available room increased 2.0% to CAD74.79.
The Canadian hotel industry reported mixed results in the three key performance metrics for the first quarter of 2016, according to data from STR.
Compared with Q1 2015, the Canadian hotel industrys occupancy dipped 1.4% to 54.7%; average daily rate was up 3.4% to CAD136.68; and revenue per available room increased 2.0% to CAD74.79.
Among the provinces, Prince Edward Island recorded the largest year-over-year increases in occupancy (+18.1% to 36.8%) and RevPAR (+22.0% to CAD36.57).
British Columbia posted the only double-digit rise in ADR (+10.1% to CAD151.53) and was the only other province to experience a double-digit lift in RevPAR (+15.8% to CAD90.43).
Alberta experienced the steepest declines in occupancy (-16.7% to 47.6%) and RevPAR (-19.6% to CAD65.32).
Newfoundland and Labrador was the only other province to see a double-digit drop in occupancy (-11.4% to 46.8%) and RevPAR (-13.1% to CAD61.86).
About STR
STR provides clients from multiple market sectors with premium, global data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 10 countries around the world with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and an international headquarters in London, England. For more information, please visit str.com.
Aloft El Segundo - Los Angeles Airport Hotel Opens
Owned by Rubicon Companies and managed by Aimbridge Hospitality, the hotel recently completed a $20 million conversion project to reposition it as an Aloft.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced its Aloft brand has expanded its presence in California with the opening of Aloft El Segundo Los Angeles Airport, the brand's first hotel in Los Angeles County.
Owned by Rubicon Companies and managed by Aimbridge Hospitality, the hotel recently completed a $20 million conversion project to reposition it as an Aloft. Located just one mile south of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Aloft El Segundo Los Angeles Airport features 246 spacious, loft-like rooms, intuitive technologies and a buzzing social scene.
"We're thrilled to add Aloft El Segundo Los Angeles Airport to our growing California portfolio," said Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President, Specialty Select Brands for Starwood. "Designed for today's hyper-connected global traveler, Aloft has surpassed 100 hotels worldwide, propelled by the success of its innovative programming, tech-forward mindset and lively social scene."
Aloft El Segundo Los Angeles Airport is located at the heart of El Segundo's business district on the Pacific Coast Highway, close to the offices of numerous Fortune 500 corporations including Chevron, Raytheon, Boeing and Northrop Grumman. Near several beaches, the hotel is convenient to Plaza El Segundo, The Point, Manhattan Village and Loyola Marymount University.
"This Aloft hotel is a highly anticipated addition to the Manhattan Beach/South Bay hospitality market, near Los Angeles Airport, and will appeal to business and leisure travelers seeking a stylish, tech-forward experience in a great location," said Marc Gordon, Principal of The Rubicon Companies. "Our beautiful indoor/outdoor W XYZ lobby and bar overlooking the pool provides a spectacular centerpiece for our hotel guests and our local patrons."
Designed for today's hyper connected global traveler, Aloft El Segundo Los Angeles Airport features SPG KeylessStarwood's industry-first keyless entry system that enables guests to use their smartphone or Apple watch as a room keyand fast and free Wi-Fi throughout the property. The hotel features more than 1400 square feet of indoor meeting space; the outdoor Backyard; a Re:chargeSM fitness center; Re:fuelSM by Aloft a one-stop gourmet grab & go food and beverage area; and live, local music at the brand's signature W XYZ bar as part of the signature Live At Aloft Hotels music series.
Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown Hotel
Joining 23 other Sheraton Grand properties around the globe, Sheraton Grand Los Angeles recently completed an all-encompassing $75 million renovation, featuring a full refurbishment of all 496 guest rooms and suites, a complete refresh of the lobby and meeting spaces, and introduction of new dining experiences.
Sheraton Hotels & Resorts today announced the designation of Sheraton Los Angeles Hotel as a Sheraton Grand, welcoming it to the brands new premier tier of hotels recognized for their enticing destinations, distinguished designs, and excellence in service and guest experiences.
Joining 23 other Sheraton Grand properties around the globe, Sheraton Grand Los Angeles recently completed an all-encompassing $75 million renovation, featuring a full refurbishment of all 496 guest rooms and suites, a complete refresh of the lobby and meeting spaces, and introduction of new dining experiences. Sheraton Grand is one of many initiatives currently underway for Sheraton 2020, a comprehensive plan designed to solidify Sheraton as a leading global hotel brand of choice, everywhere.
Sheraton Grand Los Angeles has become a shining star and wonderful representation of not only the Sheraton Grand tier, but of the brand itself, said Dave Marr, Global Brand Leader, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts. Its exciting to see how this hotel has completely transformed, representing the Sheraton brands new elevated and customized approach to design, as well as its Sheraton 2020 efforts.
As part of the revitalization at The Bloc, a landmark mixed-use property in downtown, the Sheraton Grand Los Angeles has completed a $75M redesign, led by internationally renowned interior and product designer Colum McCartan of McCartan. With a top to bottom revitalization now complete, guests can enjoy completely updated guest rooms, featuring all of the Sheraton brands signature amenities and services, including a premium sleep experience. Glittering in golden hues with a 21st century interpretation of the local areas art deco heritage, the lobby features a coffee shop by day where guests can relax and work, turned into a lobby bar by night that offers signature cocktails and the Sheraton brands new lobby bar menu, Paired.
Guests can take in the sights of LA and enjoy the year-round warm weather on the rooftop deck, as well as dine at the hotels new restaurant District on the Bloc, featuring a menu inspired by the extraordinary sustainably-grown ingredients purveyed by local farmers. Sheraton Grand Los Angeles also offers Sheraton Club, the brands private club lounge that features exclusive amenities and personalized service.
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It goes without saying that the hotel team and management put a lot of time and passion into elevating Sheraton Grand Los Angeles to become a true flagship property for the brand, said Jonathan Litvack, General Manager of Sheraton Grand Los Angeles. Downtown Los Angeles is going through a full resurgence with businesses flocking to the neighborhood, which is buzzing with new restaurants and retailers every day. It is important more than ever for our hotel to exceed guest expectations from both a design and service culture perspective.
Sheraton Grand Los Angeles offers a total of 30,000 square feet of meeting space, equipped with the latest technology and tools to ensure an ideal gathering, whether for business or leisure. The hotel boasts 26,000 square feet of newly renovated flexible indoor event space, including the 10,000 square feet California Ballroom, accommodating up to 900 guests. The hotel also features glamorous outdoor spaces with sweeping city views, unique fire features and cabanas, accommodating up to 200 guests.
Sheraton Grand is just one of many initiatives currently underway for Sheraton 2020, a comprehensive 10-point plan revealed in June 2015 designed to put Sheraton Hotels and Resorts firmly back into the global spotlight. A nod to the plans clear five year vision, Sheraton 2020 also includes a new multi-million Sheraton-focused marketing campaign; the launch of a new elevated food and beverage lobby program, Paired; continuous innovation of the Sheraton guest experience; an unwavering commitment to service excellence; the implementation of revenue and profit-driving initiatives to benefit owners and developers; and a goal of adding more than 150 new Sheraton hotels worldwide by 2020.
Absolutely Fabulous is in cinemas July 1.
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Festival revellers can look forward to continuing the party long into the night
Acts have been revealed for the Forbidden Fruit Night parties this summer. The shows will take place in Dublin's city centre over the June Bank Holiday Weekend, Friday 3 June to Sunday 5 June.
A series of festival after-parties will take place at The Button Factory, The Grand Social, The Sugar Club and many more venues featuring a Groove Armada DJ set, Jungle DJ set, Tale Of Us, Jackmaster and Freddie Gibbs.
And many more still to be announced ...
FRIDAY
Special Guest & Bodhi @ Button Factory
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Detroit Swindle with The Malibu Club @ The Grand Social
Gerd Jansen with Telephones @ Wigwam
SATURDAY
Tale of Us @ Button Factory
Bondax & Special Guests with Hidden Agenda @ The Grand Social
Jungle DJ Set with Lumo @ Wigwam
Freddie Gibbs with Sense @ The Sugar Club
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The Rnb Club @ Tengu
SUNDAY
Groove Armada DJ Set with Curve @ Button Factory
FunkinEven with Discotekken @ The Grand Social
Ame Live with Bodytonic @ Wigwam
Jackmaster & DJ Deece @ Tengu
Tiga b2b Jori Hulkkonnen with This Greedy Pig @ The Sugar Club
James Connolly, Padraic Pearse and Joseph Plunkett are in a special series that extends to Countess Markievitcz, Roger Casement and, controversially, Michael Collins.
Legendary Irish artist Jim FitzPatrick has released a new suite of artworks dedicated to the heroes of the 1916 Rising, and the War of independence.
Among those illustrated is the Irish socialist, feminist and revolutionary, James Connolly. "He was way before his time," Jim FitzPatrick told Hot Press. "If we are looking for a symbol of Ireland, then it has to be Connolly. He was a truly remarkable character."
Fitzpatrick is best known for his iconic portrait of Che Guevara, which became one of the most resonant and widely published and used images of the last half of the 20th Century. A friend of the late Philip Lynott, he was also the man behind a series of album sleeves for Thin Lizzy.
The new images are available to purchase from the artist's website, jimfitzpatrick.com. However, for those who can't afford to purchase high quality prints, there are high res versions that can be downloaded and printed free of charge. The only stipulation is that images downloaded in this way can't subsequently be sold.
"I've always done that," Jim explained. "But I want to see these images, especially that of James Connolly, everywhere. I'd love to see them used in schoolbooks. The most important thing for me is to ensure that we remember the ideals and the values of the proclamation and that we rededicate ourselves to the objective of true equality for all.
"With that in mind, the idea was to create a new set of artworks of Irish Revolutionaries that would proliferate especially the Connolly image," he explained. "The images include the seven signatories of the Proclamation of Independence, with the addition of Countess Markievitcz and my own hero Roger Casement. There is one other rather controversial inclusion that of Michael Collins, without whom, I believe, we would never have won the War of Independence."
FitzPatrick is highly critical of the way in which the Government has approached the 1916 ceremonials, accusing them of sanitising what happened in the name of inclusion'.
"Already," he stated, "in Glasnevin Cemetery there is a wall of names of ALL the fallen of 1916 where the name of one of the murderers who took part in the North King Street Massacre is engraved right above the name of an Irish rebel fighter. In my opinion, to have the names of the British Army fatalities in Glasnevin, scrambled in amongst the people they killed, is a disgrace.
"I believe," Jim Fitzpatrick added. "that we can make these revolutionary heroes household names for the future here and in the case of James Connolly not just here in Ireland but abroad too. I did this before! I did it with the now iconic Che Guevara poster. Already on my own website, there are three images of Connolly with different slogans, free to download, print, use and proliferate, in hi-res."
It is, as they say, an offer you can't refuse.
Below is the full text of the statement issued by Jim Fitzpatrick, to mark the publication of these new portraits of Irish revolutionary heroes...
The Seven Signatories of the Irish Proclamation by Jim FitzPatrick.
THIS IS NOT THE IRELAND THEY DIED FOR.
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I was compelled to start working on Irish Revolutionaries when I saw how the government was attempting to airbrush the heroes of 1916 from history and sanitise them and their memory in the name of inclusion'.
Already in Glasnevin Cemetery there is a wall of names of ALL the fallen of 1916 where the name of one of the murderers who took part in the North King Street Massacre is engraved right above the name of an Irish rebel fighter.
We already and quite properly remember the Irish dead of the Great War in Islandbridge, in my opinion to have the names of the British Army fatalities in Glasnevin scrambeld in amongst the people they killed is a disgrace. Most of the civilian casualties of Easter week were killed by these same crown forces, including their victims in that same North King Street Massacre where they even bayoneted a child who tried to shield his own father.
I was, and remain, a great admirer of the courage of the Queen of England who came here and acknowledged the sacrifice of our rebel dead, while our own government run scared of their memory.
Perhaps they are worried we will insist they follow the words and the aspirations of our own Proclamation of Independence.
The Proclamation is inspirational.
It begins with an acknowledgement of the equality of all of us, both men and women; it declares our right to the resources of Ireland, the ideal of cherishing ALL of our children equally and ends with a clarion call for freedom.
When you read it you see how much work is yet to be done and in fact how we are being sold out.
One simple example from the Irish Proclamation: We declare the right of the Irish people to the ownership of Ireland'. Think of the Corrib gas field and it's sale to Shell, who will pocket the profit and evade all the tax they can. The list goes on and on and
Even as we live this amazing centenary of the Easter 1916 Rising there are people, Irish people, who erase our history just to get a few more Euros in their pockets. The very site of the last hours of the provisional government of 1916 and where the Rebels surrendered, the Moore Street houses, were due to be demolished. But with activists occupying the buildings and the recent High Court ruling to preserve them against the governments wishes there is now hope, despite the fact that the discredited and detested Fine Gael rump regime still wants to allow the developer to demolish most of the Moore Street battlefield and intends to challenge the High Court ruling that that the entire battlefield site be preserved.
My own answer to this forelock-tugging and craven begrudgery is to create a series that I hope will last beyond the 2016 commemorations.
I want to remind us all who these brave men and women were and the sacrifices they made so that we could live free of imperial rule.
I have done this before. The Che Guevara image is seen wherever there is a people's revolution. This is why I have created these images and especially the image of my own hero, James Connolly.
I want them to to be popular, to proliferate. Our revolutionaries died for our freedom. Let's remember them.'
The seven signatories of the Irish Proclamation were: Thomas J. Clarke, Sean Mac Diarmada, Thomas MacDonagh, Padriac Pearse, Eamonn Ceannt, James Connolly and Joseph Plunkett.
WE WILL REMEMBER.
Jim FitzPatrick. Artist. Ireland. 2016
www.jimfitzpatrick.com
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Jared Pitts was working toward a degree in mechanical engineering when the tuition became too burdensome and he had to drop out. He worked as a tutor and Waffle House cook to sock away money and return to school, but he couldnt save much while earning roughly $17,000 a year.
So the 22-year-old began a different journey that should help him earn more than $40,000 a year. Pitts enrolled in Fluor Corp.s U.S. Gulf Coast Craft Training Center to become a millwright who will install, align and maintain motors and pumps that move material through pipelines. In addition to saving for school, he wants to get a better understanding of the parts he hopes to one day design. To me, its definitely a huge stepping stone for my career, he said.
Pitts was connected to Fluor through ASPIRE, a new program that will officially launch Wednesday. ASPIRE was created by Neighborhood Centers with the help of Workforce Solutions and JPMorgan Chase & Co., and its designed to help 1,000 individuals move from low-wage jobs to living-wage, middle-skill jobs. The program connects hard workers who want to advance their career with training programs and employers. By making these connections early on, participants shouldnt have to worry about furthering their education and not finding a job afterward. The soft launch began in January, and 175 people have applied to participate in the program.
The Houston region does not have a big unemployment problem. We do have a very big underemployment problem, said Angela Blanchard, president and CEO of Neighborhood Centers, a nonprofit that helps low-income families get a foothold in the regions economy.
Middle-skill jobs require more than a high school education but less than a four-year college degree. This was the largest sector of Houstons economy in November 2014 when JPMorgan Chase released a study on the topic. It reported 1.4 million middle-skill jobs in Houston and projected 74,000 new positions to open each year through 2017.
Such jobs can more than double the paycheck of a minimum-wage worker. In the petrochemical sector, production supervisors earn a median hourly wage of $30.61. In commercial and industrial construction, electricians earn an hourly wage of $20.80, according to the report.
ASPIRE strives to help people earn at least $21 an hour. Many of the individuals applying for the program earn $13 to $15 an hour.
We can either continue to work on the issues and symptoms of very low wages, of families not earning enough, Blanchard said or we can say what would it take to move this person to a higher-wage job. That solution is permanent.
Neighborhood Centers has signed agreements with 12 employers to participate in the ASPIRE program, and its in discussions with more than 30 additional employers. Overall, these employers are identifying labor shortages among welders, electricians, pipefitters, riggers and scaffolders.
We dont want to train people for a job thats going to disappear, Blanchard said. We want to train people for the jobs that are going to be in demand in the next couple of years.
ASPIRE works with a variety of training programs that have different structures. Some have a cost for participants, though grants and scholarships can help mitigate this. Participants with ASPIRE also have access to the services provided by Neighborhood Centers and Workforce Solutions, such as daycare.
At Irving-based Fluor, a global engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction and maintenance company, entry-level training programs are free but require a time commitment of 40 hours a week for 12 weeks. Pitts was the first ASPIRE participant in its Pasadena training center that opened in December.
Its going to take resources across all industries to rebuild this workforce, said Jim Hanna, vice president of craft services and industrial relations for Fluor.
Funding ASPIRE is a $1 million grant from JPMorgan Chase. In June 2014, the banking giant pledged $5 million to workforce training in Houston as part of its $250 million initiative to end the global skills gap.
As we look at different kinds of initiatives that we want to fund, one of the things thats really important to us is who were partnering with and also scale, said Gina Luna, Houston-based managing director for JPMorgan Chase. We want to fund projects where we feel like we can have a real measurable, meaningful impact.
With the 2014 announcement, JPMorgan Chase gave $250,000 to the Greater Houston Partnership for UpSkill Houston, a business-led effort to work with various community entities to close the skills gap, and $500,000 to Lone Star College to expand its training opportunities.
The $1 million grant for ASPIRE is its largest in the Houston area, with Luna calling the nonprofit a partner who has the ability and the capacity to do something big.
Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase, will be in Houston Wednesday to help Luna give the grant to Neighborhood Centers.
In the bigger picture, ASPIRE aligns with UpSkill Houston, an initiative Luna leads as chair of the executive committee of UpSkill Houston. Luna was also the 2015 chairwoman of the Greater Houston Partnership.
Luna described UpSkill Houston as the regions overall plan for addressing the skills gap. ASPIRE, she said, is one of many programs helping achieve this plan.
UpSkill took a look at the entire region and what resources and assets existed to try to address our workforce needs in general, Blanchard said. And it brought all the elements and partners together.
Workforce Solutions, the public workforce system in the 13-county area, is helping connect ASPIRE with job seekers who visit its 24 career offices.
I think ASPIRE plays a vital role in helping a segment of our population here who want to get a better job, said Mike Temple, director of the Gulf Coast Workforce Board.
Its network of career offices can also help workers access training and determine what is best for the job theyre interested in.
Were building upon what exists, Blanchard said. So it makes every effort go much further because were linking the public system, were linking business and business leaders, and then were linking the educational elements.
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Elizabeth Torres doesn't like the way many doctors jog from one exam room to another, their eyes focused on an electronic tablet where they tick off insurance company checklists and move their patients along as quickly as possible.
She chooses to slow things down to let her patients talk about their job, children and home life. She knows that's what a good diagnosis and treatment plan requires.
"It's medicine, not whack-a-mole. We're not here just to fill in boxes," the 62-year-old said. "You've got to know what environment they are in, what are they eating, do they have stressful jobs, a stressful family situation?"
Torres' job is to keep her patients as healthy as possible, the most important job in American health care. But her industry treats primary care physicians so badly that their numbers are shrinking, and there are consequences for all of us if conditions don't improve.
Stress, bureaucracy and case load have left 64 percent of doctors with a negative view of their industry, according to a survey commissioned by the Physician's Foundation, an advocacy group for doctors. Less than 20 percent of physicians say they can accommodate more patients.
Primary care physicians are particularly unhappy, facing the heaviest paperwork burden and the lowest pay. Forty-four percent of doctors say they plan to retire early, cut back on patients or seek a job that doesn't involve patients.
"We're at the bottom of the payment totem pole, for sure," Torres said. "The amount of work we have to do is far greater than the specialist. We have to do a lot of tedious work."
Torres calculates she works about 70 hours a week, which is typical, according to the survey. More than 80 percent of Texas physicians work more than 40 hours a week, with some averaging 80 hours or more.
Torres is also one of the shrinking number of doctors who operate as small businesses. Only 29 percent of Texas doctors still own their practice, and nationwide the number has dropped to 17 percent as physicians join large partnerships or work as employees of hospitals where patients are too often seen as statistics.
"The key word right now is efficiency. But do you want someone who is going to listen to you and take care of you, or do you want someone who will be efficient?" she said when asked why she doesn't work for someone else. "I may not be doing financially the best that I can do, but I am able to pay my bills, I'm happy with how I take care of the patients, and that to me is the important part."
Torres recruited her husband to handle the billing, and they work together to pay her assistant and the other overhead costs. About 20 percent of her time is spent doing paperwork for the 22 patients she sees a day.
Not surprisingly, few new doctors want to go into primary care, also known as family medicine. Texas ranks 47th in the nation for primary care doctors per capita, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The federal Department of Health and Human Services anticipates a national shortage of 20,000 primary care physicians by 2020.
That's bad news because routine visits to a primary care doctor who knows you are the single most important factor in preventing chronic health problems. When more Americans have a so-called medical home, the less the country spends on health care, studies show.
If we want to keep people out of the hospital, we need more doctors in the community. But we've created a system that discourages doctors from taking the most important jobs of keeping people healthy, and encourages them instead to become specialists who treat people after they get sick.
Reversing this problem requires rethinking how we train and compensate doctors, said Dr. Richard Olds, who has taught at many medical schools and is currently president of St. George's University in Grenada. About 25 percent of U.S. doctors graduated from international medical schools like St. George's, and two-thirds of them provide primary care.
Olds said part of the problem is that professors at American medical schools tell students "they are too smart for family medicine."
"U.S. medical students largely want to become specialists, and we need to start addressing those kinds of issues," he said.
Medical students at St. George's perform their clinical training and residencies in primary care settings rather than in large medical centers in urban areas, Olds said.
"They go into the fields that society needs, and they are twice as likely to practice in underserved areas," Olds said of St. George's graduates.
Closing the pay gap between primary doctors and specialists is critical. The United Kingdom has plenty of primary care doctors and provides an example, he said.
"They pay their primary care doctors twice what our doctors are paid, though they also pay their specialists considerably less," Olds said.
That sounds good to Torres, who gets paid $75 to $100 per patient visit. For an additional $15, she could hire a physician's assistant to make sure patients follow treatment plans and to help analyze data generated by her electronic health record system, she said.
Despite the current working conditions, Torres said she has no plans to retire anytime soon. She simply hasn't made enough money yet, she said.
No doubt she'll have plenty of patients, because until we treat primary care doctors better, she won't face much competition.
Last week was, it's fair to say, an absolutely bonkers week for minimum wage hikes.
California decided to raise the state's floor to $15 an hour statewide by 2022. The biggest employer in Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, announced it was raising its minimum wage to $15 by 2021. Last night, New York State leaders cut a deal to get to $15 within three years in New York City and six years in Long Island and Westchester, and $12.50 within five years in the rest of the state. After a Montgomery County Council member announced a new $15 wage proposal Thursday as well, there are now about a dozen live $15 campaigns around the country.
With each new mandate, of course, come warnings of a job apocalypse.
"While raising the minimum wage sounds compassionate, it will probably hurt the very workers its advocates want to help," writes the Heritage Foundation's James Sherk, bemoaning the District of Columbia's $15 proposal.
In response, advocates for the higher wages have been careful to say that with a couple exceptions, studies show that minimum wage hikes to date have not meaningfully affected employment. Even $15 in a few years is not likely to change that, they point out. And besides, at higher wage levels, lower turnover costs would allow businesses to retain staff, and the increased income for low-wage workers would create more jobs in the community.
Of course, advocates have an incentive to make that argument: Especially in less economically dynamic places than California and New York City, even admitting that a proposal could kill jobs is politically risky.
But even defenders will admit that eventually, as the minimum wage keeps rising past its historical high-water mark, it's possible that some jobs could be lost. You hear the phrase "uncharted waters" a lot, because anything could happen. That's why some liberal economists, such as the Economic Policy Institute, have only gone so far as to endorse a national hike up to $12 an hour by 2020.
Underneath that rhetoric, however, the economic architecture that supports the Fight for $15 is built on entirely different logic. For its advocates, the question isn't whether minimum wage hikes will kill jobs, but rather how to help people who end up unemployed when they do.
The debate surfaced during a recent panel discussion in Washington D.C., where former Obama adviser Alan Krueger and UC Berkeley economist David Card were talking about the 20th anniversary of their book, "Myth and Measurement," which had kicked off a new generation of minimum wage research. Despite generally finding that minimum wage hikes don't depress employment, a few months ago Krueger had published an op-ed opposing a nationwide $15 minimum wage - later cited by Hillary Clinton - saying it could hurt job opportunities in some places with lower wages.
During the question and answer period, Mark Levinson got up to ask a question. Levinson is the chief economist for the Service Employees International Union, the labor group that made $15 a thing in the first place, and he took issue with Krueger's cautionary op-ed.
"What should be the criterion about setting a minimum wage?" he asked. "Should it be the level which produces minimal job loss? Or should it be, in the language of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the maintenance of the minimum standard of living necessary for the health, efficiency and general well-being of workers?"
If nobody knows what will happen if wages rise above where they've been historically set, Levinson argued, then surely it's worth finding out - especially if it would help millions of Americans make a living in the process.
"The minimum wage debate has been way too focused on underplaying the certain benefit, as opposed to the uncertain possible costs," he said.
Krueger responded by saying he was just making the point that going above $12 an hour requires taking a calculated risk of job loss, and that the minimum wage has to be viewed in combination with other policy tools, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit. But it appears Levinson's argument may be gaining traction: In a news conference announcing a deal between California's legislative leadership and labor unions to pass a $15 minimum wage, Gov. Jerry Brown responded to a question about imposing hardships on business by saying that this isn't just about employment levels.
"Why shouldn't we in fact accept job loss? What's so bad about getting rid of crappy jobs, forcing employers to upgrade, and having a serious program to compensate anyone who is in the slightest way harmed by that?"
"We understand that this can be difficult," Brown said. "But the fact is that there's a principle called the living family wage, which is a doctrine that has been around for a long time, since probably before the 1900s, which is that you can't expect someone to work if the wages for that work can't support a family."
Liberal economists also see a degree of hypocrisy in the idea that job losses shouldn't be tolerated when it comes to setting minimum wage policy. That wasn't the standard when we outlawed child labor or passed basic safety and health protections. It hasn't been the standard when regulating coal plants, or negotiating international trade deals, which economists figure might weaken employment in some industries, while benefiting the economy overall.
"Why shouldn't we in fact accept job loss?" asks New School economics professor David Howell, who's about to publish a white paper on the subject. "What's so bad about getting rid of crappy jobs, forcing employers to upgrade, and having a serious program to compensate anyone who is in the slightest way harmed by that?"
Howell is talking about something like the Trade Adjustment Assistance program, which assists people who lose their jobs due to international trade deals. Sure, it might be harder to prove that your job was eliminated because of a minimum wage hike, or a high minimum wage kept you from getting a job in the first place. But in principle, he says, the savings created by all the welfare benefits that won't have to be doled out to people who are now making more money could be re-invested in vocational training, subsidized jobs, and direct income supports for those who can't find work.
"The problem with having a criterion of 'no job loss' is that it guarantees that the minimum wage will always be at a level so low that it won't come close to achieving this living wage standard," Howell says.
It's also important to keep a few things in mind: Even if higher minimum wage levels result in slower employment growth, that might not all manifest in the form of fewer people having jobs at all. Low-wage workers already switch jobs a lot, so lower employment might just mean longer gaps in between jobs.
"It could be that they spend more time unemployed, but their income is higher overall," says David Cooper, an economist with the Economic Policy Institute. "If you were to tell me I could work the same number of hours, and make as much or more than i could have previously, that would be OK."
WASHINGTON - The dramatic drop in oil and natural gas prices over the past two years might be laying siege to drillers around Texas, but it's no reason to change U.S. energy policy, a panel of market experts told a Senate committee Tuesday.
From liquefied natural gas terminals to emissions standards on automobiles, the availability of cheap oil and natural gas has found its way into a number of debates of late, as lawmakers and advocates argue the merits of long-term policies aimed at expanding production and increasing conservation measures.
During a hearing before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, academics and consultants advised that decisions on environmental regulations, offshore drilling and other policy must be made independent of the price of gasoline and other fuels.
"While oil prices are low today, it is far from clear they will remain low," said Jason Bordoff, director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. "The oil industry has long known cycles of boom and bust, and there are many factors today that may combine to cause a price spike more quickly than anticipated."
What might sound like common sense to those who follow the volatile oil and gas markets does not always translate in Washington. With oil trading around $40 a barrel, politicians and lobbyists alike have been getting used to the age of cheap fuel.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., cited car manufacturers using low prices to argue for a slower rollout of higher fuel efficiency standards for new cars. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, described a lack of motivation in Washington to update outdated policies on oil and natural gas permitting caused at least in part by the current glut of cheap oil.
"We need to provide new access, we need to establish reasonable systems for leasing and development, and we need to reform what is often an overly cumbersome permitting process," Murkowski said. "We should be tackling this right now, not the next time oil is $100 a barrel."
For the next couple of years at least, the outlook for oil and natural gas prices remains shaky.
Suzanne Minter, manager of oil and gas consulting services at Platts Analytics, said while oil production in the United States has fallen in recent months, it is still rising in other countries. Nations like Saudi Arabia and Venezuela are pumping more crude into the oversupplied market because they rely on oil to fund national budgets.
"Given the fact that they are currently receiving 25 percent of the revenues per barrel of oil as they were as recently as June 2014, basic math says these countries need to create and sell more volumes at current low prices in order to keep their economies viable," she testified.
In the United States, low oil prices historically have translated into an economic boost, as consumers parlay their fuel savings into more groceries or a trip to the mall.
But not so much this time around. Part of the reason could be that the United States is producing a lot more oil than it used to - which also means a lot more lost jobs and revenues when prices go south, Bordoff said.
Unlike their counterparts abroad, where oil companies are owned by the government, U.S. officials do not have the ability to directly raise and lower oil and natural gas production. Companies rather decide individually how much to produce, based on prices, costs and the regulatory environments.
Over the last three years, the Obama administration's energy policies have largely drawn opposition from the industry.
Even as the White House lifted a decades-old ban on crude exports and approved LNG export terminals, the crackdown on everything from methane leaks to undersea well casings has drawn criticism from the industry that the United States is steadily becoming a less hospitable place in which to operate.
After the administration announced last month it would not allow drilling in the Atlantic Ocean, many politicians from states with large oil and gas industries, including Texas, have voiced concern the decision could hurt U.S. energy security in the future. They urged the administration not to further reduce offshore drilling.
"When we're thinking about the direction we take, recognizing the potential for future development is key," Murkowski said.
The more the world becomes interdependent, the more chauvinistic a portion of humanity becomes.
The phenomenon is apparent in the rise of Donald Trump as a presidential candidate, but people manifest it across the globe. In the United Kingdom, these self-proclaimed patriots are calling for Great Britain to quit the European Union, something known as Brexit.
Unlike the laughable Texas Nationalist Movement, though, Brexit presents a real and present danger to the global economy, according to a new report from the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development. And for that we should all be worried.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron was forced by the right-wing of his Conservative Party to call the referendum for June 23. Supporters complain that the EU is holding Britain back by requiring too much cooperation and collaboration, unfortunately through regulation. There's also a fair bit of chauvinism, with the Independence Party made up primarily of white residents with multi-generational ties to the nation.
Cameron won key concessions from the EU last year giving the UK greater autonomy on local issues. He says that was enough, and Cameron opposes Brexit. He even encouraged President Barack Obama to speak out against it during a recent visit to London.
Brexit supporters are not mollified. They share the same complaints as separatists and secessionists around the world and nothing short of a full break will satisfy them. They hate that the world is becoming more integrated, requiring greater cooperation and compromise. They can't accept that sometimes you have to go along to get ahead, especially in trade and economics.
Separatists often complain about the little things as examples of tyranny. Sigmund Freud coined a term for it, "the narcissism of small differences." People will always find something they don't like about someone else and use that to justify their hatred and aggression toward them.
This narcissism is so powerful that some people will ignore the benefits of cooperation. These navel-gazers are too busy feeling victimized to take advantage of the new opportunities created by working together.
In business and economics, Britain's membership in the EU, Texas' statehood in the Union and U.S. engagement in international trade have all led to an aggregate rise in living standards and income. There may be individual losers, but the societies as a whole are better for it.
The inverse is also true. The OECD estimates that a Brexit will knock 3.3 percent annually off of the GDP of Britain and the EU. That would send a shock wave across the global economy, and particularly hurt the United States, the EU's largest trading partner.
Narcissistic movements like Brexit appeal to our basest instincts, and thoughtful people will reject them.
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Developers of the new White Oak Music Hall in the up-and-coming Near Northside expect 3,000 people on Saturday for their first outdoor concert, a sold-out show by the French electronic band M83.
But neighbors already wary of the new venue, and the overflow cars and crowds likely to use their residential streets, say the operators are taking advantage of a loophole in the city's rules regarding land use by using a temporary stage and calling it a special event - one of dozens they have planned for the year, including three in May with some bigger-name bands.
Their ability to stretch the definition of "temporary" has flummoxed city officials.
"It's essentially asking for a special event three times a month," said Jennifer Ostlind of the Planning and Development Department.
Ostlind cited annual events such as the Fourth of July, Greekfest and Free Press Houston celebrations as the types of things that generally warrant the exception to parking requirements that a full-time venue would have. That said, there's nothing in existing city code that specifically precludes the use of a temporary stage on private property.
More for you City incentives approved for White Oak Music Hall
"There is no precedent for this situation," she said of the White Oak Music Hall plan. But, she added, "I will continue to argue that it's not special anymore. You are effectively changing the use of the law."
Temporary solution
More Information White Oak Music Hall The nearly 6-acre site for the White Oak Music Hall complex, 2915 N. Main will open in stages: White Oak Music Hall: Capacity 1,500. The two-story building is under construction and is scheduled to open in July for room that will have capacity for 1,200 people and 300 people. The Lawn at White Oak: The 3,000 capacity outdoor venue with a temporary stage. First show scheduled April 9 as a special event. More events are scheduled throughout the next few months. The Raven Tower: The tower itself has a capacity of approximately 50. It also includes an indoor bar with capacity for 200 people, a patio overlooking the bayou with 650-person capacity and an open-air warehouse portion with a stage for concerts. See More Collapse
Will Garwood, developer of the hall, has already opened the adjacent Raven Tower venue and bar and has a 1,500-seat indoor concert hall under construction. To get those businesses permitted, he has five parking lots under construction that will have to be open before the music hall opens.
"All is in order," Garwood said Tuesday. "The city is happy, excited and supportive."
Garwood said he and his business partners would like to eventually add a permanent outdoor stage, but in the meantime he plans to re-use the temporary stage. Upcoming acts include Sturgill Simpson, The Lumineers and Flaming Lips.
He said that even with some parking lots still under construction, the music hall will provide 352 spots, the number that would be required if the outdoor stage were permanent.
"We're building all the parking as if it's a permanent structure," he said. "That's the whole point. We tried to build a permanent stage, we invested in the land and it's part of our long-term goal."
City Councilwoman Karla Cisneros, who represents the area, said by email on Tuesday that she asked the city public works, planning and fire departments as well as the mayor's office to look into the matter after hearing from several upset constituents. She said all eventually agreed that "the White Oak Music Hall project was in fact, in compliance for the event scheduled this coming weekend."
But she also said the code might need further review.
"Current building codes, and ordinances, and permitting requirements did not anticipate this current situation and did not anticipate a business model that relies on a series of 'special events,' " Cisneros said in the email. "The City Administration recognizes that, and will need to address it. But for now, they have determined that everything is in compliance."
No 'special treatment'
Neighbor Kerry Whitehead, an architecture lecturer at Rice University, said she doesn't understand why the developers would be allowed to hold an outdoor concert without a permit. She said she realizes that developers have a lot of freedom in Houston, but she wants to make sure they follow the rules.
"They are saying, it will be just like Free Press Summer Fest, but we'll just do it 30 to 50 times a year," Whitehead said. "I don't want to change the rules on this developer. I feel like, I know where I live, I live in Houston. I bought property in Houston and I knew the rules when I signed up for this. I just want them to comply and not have special treatment."
Beth Lousteau, another resident of the neighborhood north of downtown and east of Interstate 45, has raised questions with planning officials about the White Oak Music Hall for months. She said she, too, understands the area is ripe for development, but she and her neighbors are concerned about the impact from parking and noise.
Ostlind said the developer submitted plans for an outdoor amphitheater that has not yet been approved.
She also acknowledged that putting up a temporary stage for a special event does not require a "certificate of occupancy," which essentially allows a project to open and certifies that all requirements are met.
"There are no permanent structures, no building code to review," she said. "For special events, we don't have a way to enforce parking. In this particular situation, they have a lot of parking plans for a music hall that isn't open yet."
The White Oak concert venue has stirred concerns among neighborhood groups about parking, traffic and gentrification in the historically working-class Near Northside.
The city approved an economic development agreement in December to reimburse the developer up to $1.1 million for public improvements to sidewalks, landscaping and street lighting and for an upgrade to the public sanitary-sewer line.
W2 Development Partners and other partners for the site, including Jagi Katial of Pegstar Concerts, known for Free Press Summer Fest, have worked with the neighborhood since the project was announced.
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Cleburne Cafeteria was my neighborhood place, over there on Bissonnet, between Weslayan and Buffalo Speedway. I could walk there from my house.
I knew Cleburne's menu by the days of the week. Mondays: the special was beef stew. Tuesdays: my favorite, chicken & dumplings. Sundays were fancy: prime rib.
When I reached the end of the counter on Thursdays, I always had to push the turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and spinach to the side of my tray to make space for a couple of yeast rolls (baked fresh every 30 minutes) and a piece of chocolate icebox pie.
I had never heard of chocolate icebox pie, or "chicken fried chicken," either, until I found Cleburne's.
But Cleburne Cafeteria really belonged to Houston. It was part of our history, a story that makes us special.
Original owner Nick Mickelis came to America by boat, past the Statue of Liberty, through Ellis Island, in 1948. He made his way down south by train, not speaking a word of English, a piece of paper with the word "Houston" pinned to his jacket. He had family here. Nick went to work washing dishes in his brother's small restaurant.
He saved his money, got married, and opened his own restaurant, Cleburne Cafeteria.
Cleburne's caught fire Monday night. By Tuesday morning, nothing was left but the walls, which will have to be knocked down, so the Mickelis family can rebuild. That's the plan. Too many customers need their chicken pot pie on Wednesdays.
Cleburne's was a cafeteria, but no ordinary production line of pre-portioned, pre-cooked, heated-up food slopped on small plates (to make the portions look bigger) by workers yawning, "Next!" like we're bothering them.
Shortly after I moved into the neighborhood about 20 years ago, owner George Mickelis, Nick's son, invited me to tour the restaurant. He brought me into the kitchen. I saw massive 24-pound whole turkeys coming out of the oven. Cleburne's didn't take the plastic wrap off cooked turkey breasts from prepared food wholesalers. If you wanted thighs or drumsticks, or the skin (I'm guilty), that's what you got.
There was a chilly room for fresh vegetables bought that dawn, prepared that morning for lunch, prepared fresh again for dinner. Everything on the menu was made from scratch, no cheating.
Cleburne Cafeteria was a beloved spot for after-church-goers, for grandparents and grandkids, for families celebrating birthdays and births, for newspaper people grabbing lunch, for Little Leaguers thanking Cleburne's for sponsoring their team.
My friend Mike the Comedy Cop, standup comic and real-life West U officer, moonlighted at Cleburne's. He always maneuvered to work Tuesdays - big fan of their chicken & dumplings, too. He didn't just hang outside the door and check on the parking lot. Mike would lift some older customers in wheelchairs and carry them inside the restaurant. If a napkin fell to the floor, he'd pick it up. Mike treated Cleburne's like family. That's how customers and employees felt about the place.
Cleburne's was open for lunch and dinner on weekdays. Open all day on Sundays. Always open on Christmas. Christmas dinner at Cleburne's was a local tradition, generous and sweet. That day, every penny spent at Cleburne Cafeteria - all of it, not just profits - was shared by employees as their Christmas bonus.
Cleburne Cafeteria is down, but it will be back. Until then, Houston will be missing something special - especially on Tuesdays.
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"Surprises." That is what the title of "Eat Street: The ManBQue Guide to Making Street Food at Home" should have been.
Authors John Carruthers, John Scholl and Jesse Valenciana have filled their second cookbook with surprises: a submarine sandwich that eschews meat for broccoli, lychees and pine nuts. A Buffalo-style dip concocted with a whole head of cauliflower. And Utopenci, a favorite snack of the Czech Republic that includes pickled sausage, onion and peppers.
ManBQue is a Chicago-based lifestyle organization that celebrates meat, beer and rock 'n' roll. This cookbook was my introduction, and now I am a fan of manbque.com, too.
The 328-page book has more than 200 recipes, some of which you'll find familiar. Walking Tacos - or, as we would call it, Frito Pie - gets a rich spin with the addition of duck fat, beef short rib, brown sugar and baking chocolate.
Campers will be even more happy when they pile on the pork for Bacon S'mores.
And "Eat Street" offers more than a dozen takes on the hot dog, including an Icelandic version that stars a mayo-based mixture of cornichons, capers, anchovy, chives and tarragon.
Because of the trio's love of beer, each recipe includes a pairing suggestion. The Fried Avocado Tacos recipe came with the suggestion of pairing them with a rye beer. Ronnie Crocker, the author of "Houston Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in the Bayou City" (and my colleague), pointed out two regional rye brew options: Houston-based Buffalo Bayou's Don't Fear the RIPA and Blanco-based Real Ale's Full Moon.
More Information 'Eat Street: The ManBQue Guide to Making Street Food at Home' By John Carruthers, John Scholl and Jesse Valenciana, Running Press, 328 pp., $23 See More Collapse
Eat (and drink) up.
Fried Avocado Tacos
From "Eat Street" (Running Press)
Makes 8 to 10 six-inch tacos
cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups panko
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 avocados, pitted and cut into inch cubes
1 cabbage, sliced
1 red onion, sliced and soaked in water
2 cups peanut oil, to fry
8 to 10 corn tortillas, 6 inches round
Pico de gallo, to serve
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, to serve
Tequila Lime Crema (recipe follows), to serve
Instructions: Preheat oil to 350 degrees. Place the flour, eggs and panko in three separate bowls. Mix the cumin and chili powder into the panko. In batches of 6, dredge avocado pieces in flour, dip them in the egg, shake off the excess, then coat with panko. Fry the avocados in oil for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a towel-lined plate. Work in batches until all the avocado pieces have gone to their golden-brown reward. Lay the avocado, cabbage and red onion onto their respective tortillas. Top with the pico de gallo, cheese and crema.
TEQUILA LIME CREMA
Makes 1 cups
1 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
3 tablespoons silver tequila
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 clove garlic, minced
teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
jalapeno, seeded and minced
teaspoon salt
Instructions: Mix all ingredients using a food processor or blender until smooth. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.
I used to think I had the coolest job around. Then I met D. Christopher Taylor, a faculty member at the University of Houston who earned his doctorate in - despite what it says on the parchment - The Good Life. Taylor "taught" a class this spring that entailed rounding up a dozen of his students, getting on a bus in mid-March and heading to Fredericksburg, hitting every barbecue joint on the way, then looking for the right wines to wash down all the brisket, ribs and sausage.
Oh, and they'll convene one more time Friday to revisit their discoveries. Where will this conference take place? At Killen's Barbecue in Pearland. Note, too, that everything was paid for by a grant from the Fred Parks Foundation.
I'm going back to school.
This is what happens when you land a gig at UH's Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, where Taylor is an assistant professor and overseer of the Fred Parks Wine Cellar. The latter means he can go take a selfie with a bottle of 1920 Chateau Laffite Rothschild or 1971 Domaine Romanee Conti anytime he pleases. Taylor - Chris to his friends - also has at his swirling-and-spitting beck and call a bevy of bright and passionate young people who are intensely serious about food and wine and their relation to the cosmos.
One of them, Amanda Hu, has been Taylor's graduate assistant of late and, full disclosure, my indispensable right-hand person when it comes to organizing my Chronicle tastings and cellar (which doesn't include bottles of Laffite or DRC). At 16, Hu arrived in Texas from Beijing speaking almost no English. But soon she will earn her master's degree from the Hilton College with wine-marketing research as an area of specialty. Taylor, an academic through and through, had hoped she would go on to pursue a doctorate of her own at his alma mater, Texas Tech, but she opted to throw herself into the real world, accepting a position with the wine wholesaler Glazer's last week.
That was great news for me because she's staying put. That's also great news for Glazer's, although her bosses are going to find out quickly that Amanda's favorite question is, "Why?" And kudos to Taylor for encouraging same. If she's any indication of the Hilton College collective mind-set, scholars coming out of the UH wine program aren't going to tolerate nonsense from winemakers and/or wine-sellers. That became readily evident to Taylor on the recent Hill Country road trip, which he called "eye-opening for all of us."
"I look forward to reading their final reports," Taylor said. "But what I took away from it at the time was that the wineries they most enjoyed were the most authentic ones, the ones who were really making Texas wine.
Hu concurred, saying, "The wines made from Texas-grown grapes were, to me, more appealing than those made from juice sourced from elsewhere."
The students bonded most closely with the young, forward-thinking team at Lewis Cellars - for obvious reasons, it would seem - and ultimately preferred, according to Taylor's feedback, those wines over others made at their other stops. Note that the group struggled with Grape Creek Winery's reliance on non-Texas-fruit wines and with pioneering Texas vintner Gary Gilstrap's "interventionist" wine-making style at Texas Hills Vineyard, although credit must be given to Gilstrap for being unapologetically honest about his old-school cellar tactics.
The kids also questioned Messina Hof's proud advertisement on a sign outside its Fredericksburg winery/tasting room that 27 different varietals were available, or "one to fit everyone's tastes." They felt, Taylor noted, "that (such variety) makes it harder for the hospitality industry to decide, 'What wines are we going to bring in to put on our list?' That kind of approach doesn't (give the winery) a strong identity. There's still a lot of confusion out there."
The Texas excursion was offered as an alternative to the Hilton College's "California Wine Experience," a week-long trip to Napa Valley and Sonoma County that requires an additional $2,500 to $2,800 over and above the cost of the course itself, a tariff that Taylor himself acknowledges "is cost prohibitive. We wanted to do something closer to home where it wouldn't cost the students anything but their tuition. The Parks Foundation kicked in about $10,000, which covered all the expenses: travel, hotel, food, tasting-room fees.
"We also got Chamber of Commerce in Fredericksburg to get involved, and they were very, very helpful in giving us some 'ins,' like back-of-the house tours to wineries. We were four nights out, leaving Saturday morning and returning Wednesday. We were able to visit eight wineries and a bourbon distillery. We ate at different barbecue restaurants. The idea behind it was that we're studying hospitality, not just restaurants and wine. Fredericksburg is such a great tourist destination, showing how everything fits together."
Because of his own High Plains roots, Taylor hopes to organize a more far-afield expedition to the Lubbock area in the near future, giving the students a chance to meet many of the state's best grape-growers and to visit the place where it all began for him, the Llano Estacado winery.
"First time I walked into Llano - February 1991, I still remember - and took the tour, I fell in love with their wines and in love with wine. Until then, I'd been a Miller Lite guy. That was it. But I loved everything from the barrels to the yeasts to the wines I wound up taking the first enology class that Tech offered taught with Roy Mitchell, one of the (founding fathers) with Robert Reed and Doc McPherson at Llano. I was spending all my extra money on wine."
Taylor got a real job with the Texas Attorney General's Office, spending 14 years working on child-support issues across West Texas, but wine kept calling and, when Tech offered him a grant that would allow the pursuit of a Ph.D. without undue family hardship, he readily accepted. After finishing, he wound up launching a hospitality program at Eastern New Mexico University, where he got tenure and even became a dean with a big desk.
"In other words," he admitted, laughing, "exactly the kind of job I never wanted."
So, the second time UH called, asking him to come focus on "wine marketing and consumer education, that sort of thing," he swallowed hard (he'd have to earn tenure all over again) and accepted what he calls "my retirement-career, I-won-the-lottery job" - in no small part because of inspired, and inspiring, students like Hu and adventures like the one they had over spring break.
Look around your home and take note of what you see and how it makes you feel. Is it beautiful and practical? Does it make you look good and feel happy? Are the colors and textures inviting?
Then, urges renowned interior designer Barry Dixon, look out your doors and windows. Are the colors, shapes and textures you see outdoors also inside your home?
Dixon, who collaborates with C2 Paint, Vervain, Arteriors, Avrett and Tomlinson/Erwin-Lambeth for paint colors, fabric, lighting and furniture, thinks everyone should live in surroundings that are meaningful to them.
Of course, he lives on a 300-acre Edwardian farm in Virginia and designs homes all over the world. But his approach is both organic and simple: Each home should reflect its setting and how its owners plan to use it. Their personalities should be evident; the design, classic.
Dixon will be a keynote speaker Thursday at the Decorative Center Houston's annual Spring Market. The Decorative Center - with more than 550,000 square feet and 1,200 manufacturer lines - is usually open only to trade professionals but opens to the public for this week's free event.
His approach to his projects is less as an interior designer than as a cultural historian, blending centuries of trends in fabrics, colors and textures throughout a home's furnishings.
More Information Decorative Center Houston 2016 Spring Market When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday Where: Decorative Center Houston, 5120 Woodway Highlights: 10-11 a.m. opening keynoter Barry Dixon on "Color and Material Culture"; 1-2 p.m. afternoon keynoter Stephen Viscusi on "Secrets to Becoming the Next TV Celebrity Designer" Tickets: Free See More Collapse
A multinational upbringing in India, Pakistan, New Caledonia and South Africa informs his worldview. His inspirations, however, are often rooted in the tiniest of details.
"I started in my first collaboration inspired by colors on my 380-acre farm in Virginia," Dixon said of his line with C2 Paint. "I photographed things I liked and Pantoned the colors."
The color of a darkening sky became "Storm Approaching." The pink of his favorite goat's nose became "Belle's Nose."
A pendant light was modeled after the shape of a hornet's nest, and the stilettolike legs of a mosquito inspired a table's legs.
Dixon doesn't dictate many design rules, but he does have recommendations for those wanting help at home:
Color: Moving from all-white walls to something with more color can be frightening. Dixon suggests using color in a room you don't use often, then painting other rooms after you get used to it. Not sure what to try? Green is hot right now, he says, and his yellowish-green Viburnum from C2 Paint is one of his favorites.
Opposites: Selecting and arranging everything to be alike will likely put your home in a category with matchy-matchy bridesmaids. Instead, employ the tension of opposites, pairing masculine with feminine, organic with sleek and urban; shiny with matte, he says. In his own home, Dixon positioned a boiled willow chair next to a baby grand piano to mix crafty with elegant.
Layers: Layering clothing is a current fashion trend, but it works in your home, too. "I see a big trend in mixing and layering patterns, colors and cultures and things put together," Dixon said. "It can be Bohemian or cerebral from the lowest to the highest level in pursuit of being individual. Make your home truly your own."
Metals: Gone are the days when every faucet, doorknob and switchplate have to match. Feel free to mix your minerals: copper, brass, pewter and nickel.
Updates: Buying a new mattress or sofa is different from updating an entire room. Go for timeless design and you won't feel the need for a complete overhaul so often. But if your room - or your home - feels dated, it may be time for a bigger project.
"If I walk into someone's home, and it looks like a time capsule from an '80s sitcom, it's time to change," he said. "If it looks like the set of 'Friends,' it's time to change."
Much of the rainfall that drove the Houston region to a standstill last week has finally receded. It was enough rain to force business owners to close, schools to cancel and service roads to shut down.
It also resulted in hundreds of high-water rescues and several fatalities.
Some Houston residents said they believe the city's flood conditions are worsening, concluding that a routine rainstorm shouldn't produce tropical storm-like flooding.
But last weeks storm was anything but routine.
Some parts of northwest Harris County and Houston saw up to 15 inches of rain in about 24 hours, with most of it falling in a 10-hour period.
Last year, during the Memorial Day flooding, a storm poured 12 inches in 10 hours.
According to data obtained from the National Weather Service, Houston hasn't seen rainfall like that since Tropical Storm Allison, which was on an entirely different level. Numerous factors make one storm different from another and data shows that its hard to compare.
But lets see how abnormal Houstons most recent flooding events were.
Last weeks storm and the 2015 Memorial Day flood were both severe, with significant torrents.
The following GIFs show the pattern of rainfall for each storm within a 24-hour period.
The duration of each storm is similar, with last week's storm lasting slightly longer. Last weeks rainfall lasted about 19 hours, with peak rains pounding about six hours. The 2015 Memorial Day rainfall went for approximately 13 hours, with peak rains also lasting six hours.
How unusual are those stats?
According to National Weather Service data, very.
The last time Houston saw rainfall like that was in July 2012, when 10 inches of rain fell in 12 hours. Aside from hurricanes, Houston has seen that kind of rainfall since at least the 1960s.
Next, lets compare total rainfall.
This map shows how much rain fell within the same 24-hour time frame. It's easy to see that the two storms affected different areas of the region, though there was some overlap.
The key differences between the storms were the paths and how much rain fell in 24 hours. Last weeks storm heavily impacted the northwest parts of the county.
The 2015 storm impacted more of central Houston, and the heaviest areas reported between 11 to 12 inches. Again, the only event that compares - since at least the 1960s - was the July 2012 storm.
The standard for most Houstonians when comparing floods is Tropical Storm Allison. Allison was unique because its path didn't follow the trajectory storms usually take up from the Gulf, moving either northwest toward Fort Worth and Dallas or curved to the northeast.
Allison moved from the Gulf but through Harris County, then circled back before heading toward the East Coast. The storm's movement resulted in days of rain up to 30 inches in some places.
It's almost impossible to conclude that these weather events are Houstons new normal, because data shows historically they dont occur often.
But the Memorial Day storm from 2015 and last week's pounding showed that when they do occur, Houston has a problem.
"This should not have happened like this," said Phil Bedient, a civil and environmental engineer at Rice University who heads a research collaborative focused on severe storms and their effects."There is something terribly wrong here."
John D. Harden/Houston Chronicle
One striking thing to note is that more than a quarter of the 311 calls received in response to flooding during both recent events came from areas outside the county's floodplain.
As of 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, April 27, 2016, water in the Addicks Dam is 102.17 feet deep, which is 4.67 feet more than the 97.5 foot level the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says should ever be allowed. The current master plan states that a level of 100.5 feet the highest level said to be possible will take 49 days to drain, with State Highway 6 presumably underwater during that time.
How did we get to this point? We have built whole neighborhoods in places that we know will flood, and we build whole neighborhoods in places that we know will cause other places to flood more.
While many of our older, more densely populated neighborhoods are suffering from decades of disinvestment and neglect, we are choosing to subsidize massive public spending on new roads and building of new neighborhoods that destroy the ecological resources that manage flooding in our region. This needs to stop now.
IN MARCH 2009, at a meeting of the Texas Transportation Commission, Texas Department of Transportation staff member John Barton described Segment E of the Grand Parkway State Highway 99 as an opportunity to open up areas for development in the Greater Houston area.
The result has been a toll road causing a massive loss of trees and land critical to rainwater absorption. Along with the original Segment D, which made possible hundreds of thousands of new car-dependent homes on top of the Katy Prairie, it's led to the over-filling of Addicks and Barker dams both of which are on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers list of the most endangered dams in America.
Some of us tried to stop this decision to put Houston at further risk of flooding. Local Sierra Club members scraped together enough funds to sue unsuccessfully to stop TXDOT. In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison made it clear that it was not his place to say whether this decision was wise, but wrote the following now astounding lines:
"There were at least some divisions within the [U.S. Army Corps of Engineers] who believed the additional runoff from Segment E and its associated development would affect the safety of Addicks Dam.... The court finds that the Corps acted in a manner that was arbitrary and capricious in opining on the effect that Segment E would have on Addicks without considering the cumulative impact."
Even Harris County has begun to understand the necessity of leaving behind this old paradigm of unsustainable development. This year, the county plans to petition the city of Houston to remove plans for many of the unnecessary roads called for in unpopulated prairies.
We don't need them. Yes, our population is growing: Regardless of what happens with the energy economy, our region is expected to grow by at least 3.5 million people by 2040, and by 4 million if the economy generally stays strong. But if Houstonians of 2040 maintain the current preferences with half of us seeking a large lot and home even if we have to drive everywhere, and half of us wanting a walkable urban neighborhood even if we dont have a large lot or house we already have enough large-lot sub-urban housing stock to meet 2040 demand.
Unfortunately, our area's Regional Transportation Plan assumes we should continue a dangerous pattern of development and market perversion, regardless of its impact on flooding.
WE MUST stop subsidizing the development that costs the vast majority of us so much: Houses, belongings, cars and livelihoods have all been destroyed in this flood. I believe in the power of free markets to reach optimal solutions for the most people. But a free market is something we are very, very far from in the housing, real estate, and transportation markets of the Houston region.
Jon Shapley/Staff
Anyone who chooses to pave over Texas land should pay the accurate costs of that decision; the costs for infrastructure and services need to be assigned correctly, including the infrastructure needed to prevent flooding downstream. The current, artificially cheap arrangement siphons tax money from efficient, mixed-income cities to prop up the pavement, sewage pipes, and flood control that facilitate sprawl and put everyone at risk.
Last week, as flood waters continued to rise in Addicks Dam, the Houston - Galveston Area Councils Technical Advisory Council discussed a proposal to spend $2 million to study building a proposed Prairie Parkway 20 miles west of the Grand Parkway. The Transportation Policy Council will make this decision on May 27.
We already know too well how the new development would affect on our region's dams and flooding problems. Alternatively, for $2 million, you could build about six miles of sidewalks leading to elementary schools.
Jay Blazek Crossley is executive director of Houston Tomorrow, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for all the people of the Houston region.
Bookmark Gray Matters. It will take 49 days to drain, with State Highway 6 presumably underwater during that time.
About 15 percent of elderly residents in residential care facilities nationwide have been injured in a fall, according to a new study from researchers at Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health.
The study, published recently in the Journal of Aging and Health, analyzed data from the National Center of Health Statistics. The researchers found that women who needed assistance with at least one activity of daily living, such as dressing or walking, were more likely to fall. Falls were more common in larger facilities.
"The fact that we found approximately 15 percent of people in these facilities suffering an injurious fall is a serious issue, and it is a story that needed to be told," Dr. Samuel Towne, an assistant professor of Health Promotion & Community Health Sciences at the school and lead author of the study said Wednesday in a statement. "The 15 percent who fell doesn't even account for falls that were not reported, or falls that didn't lead to injury."
More than 700,000 adults live in residential facilities, which do not provide the 24-hour care that nursing homes do, but cater to individuals who cannot live on their own. The category of housing includes arrangements known as assisted-living facilities, board and care homes, congregate care, enriched housing programs, homes for the aged, personal care homes and shared housing establishments.
Safety experts commonly cite the statistics that one in three elderly individuals will fall each year. Towne said the study is the first to calculate a rate for those in residential facilities.
The researchers found that white adults have the highest risk of fall injury at 15.5 percent, followed by Asian elders at 11 percent. African American elders has the lowest rate at 5.5 percent.
Facilities that had fewer than 25 beds had the lowest risk at 11 percent, while larger facilities had a fall injury rate of nearly 16 percent.
Towne said residential facilities could learn from fall prevention efforts in other settings, providing things like grab bars in bathrooms and better lighting, to reduce the risk.
"The take home I would hope older adults would get from this study is that falls are not inevitable," Towne said.
Montgomery County commissioners adopted an ethics code for elected officials and high-ranking employees Tuesday, three years after a concerned grand jury urged them to take action.
But the 13-point policy, taken from a boilerplate, doesn't impose any new restrictions on county leaders or establish a way to implement and enforce the ethical standards.
Despite voting for the code, county Judge Craig Doyal said the policy is "kind of overkill" because there are many state and local laws to thwart abuses in government.
"We already have rules and guidelines," Doyal said. "But we did what we were asked to do."
The move came in response to a 410th state District Court grand jury, which wrote an unusual letter in 2013 pressing for adoption of an ethics code after it concluded a lengthy investigation into possible improprieties involving $77 million in construction projects for the county.
The 12 jurors wrote that they were upset by the "pure disregard for best business practices and above-board dealing" by some officials and called for "major changes" in the way that the government operates.
No one involved with constructing the jail and mental health facility in Conroe was charged with a crime. District Attorney Brett Ligon has said that the two-year statute of limitations for conflicts of interest had expired before the grand jury's inquiry began.
When asked by the Houston Chronicle two months ago about the long delay in adopting a policy, Doyal said it simply was forgotten in all the clamor over other county issues, such as two road bond referendums during his first year in office.
The new code prohibits the county's leaders from leveraging their positions for personal gain. And it requires them to disclose any conflicts of interest, business relationships or other dealings with those providing services or goods to the county.
But the policy doesn't set any new restrictions, such as on gifts to officials. It also doesn't require an ethics training program or create a committee with the ability to investigate complaints and levy fines for violations.
Doyal and the four other commissioners approved the ethics code without any discussion.
"It's fluff, and it shouldn't have taken them as long to get to this," said Mark Bosma, the county's former infrastructure chief whose allegations of impropriety prompted the grand jury's investigation. "It's just to make people believe they have done something. But they have to live up to it."
The new policy is based on the ethics code of the Washington, D.C.-based International City/County Management Association, which advocates for good governance.
A judge has awarded the city of Conroe temporary custody of a tiger found wandering through neighborhoods last week.
After a 30-minute hearing on Tuesday, Conroe Municipal Court Judge Michael Davis issued the order with the understanding that the city will send the tiger to the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary near Fort Worth.
Harris County commissioners voted Tuesday to back a sweeping plan to reform the criminal justice system, a week after the Harris County Jail began shipping inmates to other counties to avoid reaching capacity.
Commissioners voted to accept a $2 million grant from the MacArthur Foundation and to allocate more than $3.3 million from general-fund reserves to help pay for the reforms, which were announced by District Attorney Devon Anderson earlier this month.
"I was in support of spending some money to do this, and I think it's a plan that's good," said Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack, a member of the county criminal justice coordinating council that helped develop the plan.
Radack said that in the long term, the reforms, which seek to reduce racial disparities and improve conditions in the criminal justice system, particularly at the county's massive jail, could help prevent high jail populations that have plagued the county jail for years.
"It can make our criminal justice system more effective and efficient here in Harris County," Radack said.
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the country, had issued a national challenge for jurisdictions to come up with innovative solutions to address jail overcrowding and racial disparities in the system. Harris County was awarded the grant two weeks ago.
The county's plan calls for hiring two coordinators, implementing a new case-management system, funding a new court and allowing defendants to pledge personally to appear in court without requiring them to obtain a bond.
Of the two new positions, one would be a racial and ethnic diversity coordinator who would build and maintain ties between criminal justice officials and minority communities.
The other position would be a jail coordinator who would troubleshoot problems in the jail complex to ensure that detainees are released as expeditiously as possible.
Overall, the goal is to reduce the jail's daily population by about 1,800 - or 21 percent - over three years. The jail, one of the largest in the country, typically holds 8,500 to 8,700 inmates.
On April 15, the Harris County Sheriff's Office, which runs the jail, shipped 133 inmates to private jails in Jefferson and Bowie counties to avoid overcrowding.
The transfers - which are expected to cost the county about $180,000 a month in boarding fees - mark the fourth time in the past year that the sheriff's office has had to send inmates to jails in other parts of the state.
State Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, urged Anderson and Sheriff Ron Hickman in a Monday letter to implement reforms that he said might prevent issues like jail crowding.
Ellis said the MacArthur grant plan was an "important step in the right direction." He also called for increased pre-booking and pre-trial diversion, reforming the way bail is set and assigning counsel earlier in the booking process.
Hank Griffith, the county's deputy director of grants, said different agencies in the county will work up their own more-detailed plans of how to spend the county money that's involved.
The county budget office will then transfer that money to, for example, the district attorney's office. Commissioners will have to approve those transfers as plans are finalized, Griffith said.
Jeff McShan, a spokesman for the district attorney's office, said officials will be meeting regularly in the coming weeks.
The coordinating council "is excited to get started on the plans that have been talked about for months," McShan said.
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Harris County is easing up in its effort to crack down on gang activity in the Southlawn area, agreeing to settlement talks with community leaders who had challenged a proposed ban on dozens of suspected gang members.
The negotiations could lead to special programs aimed at helping targeted gang members work their way out of a lawsuit filed by the county that is aimed at keeping them out of a swath of south Houston.
A jury trial set to begin this week has been postponed, and a special work group is being formed to devise a plan that could provide job skills, training and community investments to resolve the problems there.
Three lawyers representing defendants will participate in the group, and they pushed for community representatives to be included along with elected city and county officials to provide financial resources.
"The government came to our community fist-first," said defense attorney Monique Sparks. "They didn't come to the black community trying to provide programs, and now they're making it right."
'Think creatively'
A lawsuit filed in September by Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan and District Attorney Devon Anderson sought to ban 92 suspected gang members from a proposed "Southlawn Safety Zone" in south Houston; the 2-mile area is bounded by Loop 610, Texas 288, Old Spanish Trail and Cullen.
Critics said the lawsuit unfairly targeted young black men and used weak criteria to label some of the defendants as gang members while keeping them out of the community where they were raised and where their mothers, children and other relatives live.
The suit - which sought the largest potential gang injunction in Harris County history - combined the state's organized crime and public nuisance laws to request a protective order to provide relief to the crime-ridden community.
A revised petition filed in late March cut the number of defendants in half, to 46, and trimmed the potential banishment territory to two smaller zones to "more closely focus on areas where most of the crimes were committed," according to a summary of the changes released by the offices of Ryan and Anderson.
The 46 defendants dropped from the case were removed because they had no recent gang affiliation, no criminal activity in the zone for two years, could not be located to be served with the lawsuit, had personal circumstances such as mental health issues, or were expected to be incarcerated or paroled for a lengthy period, county officials said.
The revised petition would cap the banishment term at four years and create a procedure by which defendants could seek to be removed through a court motion or county administrative process.
As the Monday trial date approached, however, county officials stepped up their talks with community advocates. John Odam - general counsel for the Harris County Attorney's Office - organized an informal mediation Friday at the NAACP Houston headquarters that included lawyers for the remaining defendants, the county and district attorney's offices, and leaders of the civil rights organization's local branch.
"It came about over the life of the lawsuit as we studied it more and thought about it," Odam said. "The traditional way of proceeding with a case like this is with the injunction, and we're trying to think, creatively, of options other than an injunction that could be agreed to."
Challenges to zone
The work group's first brainstorming meeting is scheduled for this week.
James Douglas, president of the NAACP Houston branch, said his organization's role as a local affiliate of the nation's oldest civil rights organization is to ensure the work group makes progress for all involved.
"A lot of people are just focused on the injunction, but at the end of whatever process, there are some people who live in that area who have some real, legitimate needs and the guys who are accused have real, legitimate needs," he said. "Our overall goal is to try to find a resolution to the overall problem. The crime isn't going to stop unless there is some hope for the young men to have a decent life.
"We are trying to make sure everyone in that area ends up with some kind of future," he said.
Sparks said she hopes the program includes job training and community service for defendants and cultural sensitivity training for police who patrol the area. In addition to Sparks, defense attorneys Drew Willey and Brennen Dunn will also serve on the work group.
Group participant Belinda Hill, Anderson's first assistant, said she hopes they develop "programs, interventions and prevention measures" in response to community concerns.
"Before the case proceeds to trial ... those individuals could be non-suited [eliminated] from the lawsuit," she said, adding that the solution reached should keep community members safe while providing "redemption" for defendants "to choose a different path."
Southlawn would be the third "safety zone" created since 2010 in Harris County. Groups of defense attorneys have challenged the proposed civil action as unconstitutional.
Gang injunctions in other areas of the country have been struck down. For example, nearly 6,000 people who were subject to gang-related curfews settled their federal class-action lawsuit in March against the city of Los Angeles.
Officials there have agreed to spend up to $30 million on jobs programs and efforts to relieve those defendants of the legal consequences of being targeted. A California federal judge in 2015 determined that the city had violated the constitutional rights of the defendants.
Local social justice advocates have similar constitutional questions, and one former Southlawn defendant, DeAndre Fizer, raised potential violations of the U.S. Constitution in a Houston federal court filing last year.
In Harris County, Civil District Judge Alexandra Smoots-Hogan will consider motions Wednesday that could curb the case further. County officials have asked that the trial be postponed until June 13.
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In a city where the culinary landscape is characterized by cutting-edge cuisine, trendy restaurants and celebrity chefs championing farm-to-table fare, the Cleburne Cafeteria was increasingly an oddity. But the eatery, celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, was something those fancy-pants businesses could only aspire to.
It was, for the generations of Houstonians who lined up in droves in front of its steam tables and loaded up their trays with good, down-home cooking, a beloved institution.
So when longtime owner George Mickelis got a call around midnight Monday that his fire and burglar alarms had gone off, it was with a deep sense of dread that he rushed over to the cafeteria on Bissonnet to find his life's work, the only job he's ever had, engulfed in flames.
It was the second time in three decades the restaurant had burned. But in that first fire, in 1990, his father's oil paintings were salvaged, and they now graced the walls of the building burning down in front of him as he stood helplessly outside.
He wasn't allowed inside to see if he could save them. Forty-five minutes into battling the blaze, the roof collapsed; it took close to four hours to get the fire under control, and Mickelis still couldn't go inside to see the extent of the damage. He didn't know how many, if any, of his father's paintings would survive.
"This was my father's legacy," Mickelis said Tuesday morning.
He had been outside his restaurant for almost eight hours straight, pacing back and forth between firefighters, employees - many of whom arrived for work dressed in their Cleburne chef jackets - and well-wishing passers-by.
He walked across the ash-covered parking lot, sometimes stopping to look silently at the roofless structure with its broken windows and torn signage. A fire hose sprayed a hot spot that still sparked inside.
Father's American Dream
Mickelis' father, Nick Mickelis, emigrated from Patmos, Greece, in 1948 and worked at his brother's restaurant as a dishwasher for two years before later buying Cleburne Cafeteria, then located off Fannin and Cleburne in downtown Houston.
For Mickelis, the cafeteria is the manifestation of his father's American Dream. After Nick died in 1989, George carried on the family business along with his mother Pat, who is now 92.
"And it's all gone," he said, adding that, just as they did after the first fire, the family would rebuild.
Alex Brennan-Martin, president of Brennan's of Houston, said he understands the loss the Mickelis family is feeling - his family's restaurant, Brennan's, was gutted by a fire that swept through the historic Smith Street structure during Hurricane Ike in September 2008. (It reopened after extensive renovations in February 2010).
"It does leave you speechless," Brennan-Martin said. "Words fail. It's completely emotional. My heart goes out to them."
Many of Cleburne's oil paintings featured Patmos, a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea. Nick painted before coming to America, using a makeshift brush made out of donkey tail strands and a combination of egg wash and berry juice.
In America, he finally got to use real paint, George Mickelis said, and most of the restaurant's paintings were created in 1969.
On Tuesday morning, traffic crept along Bissonnet as drivers snapped pictures of the devastation. Family friends, suppliers and fellow restaurant owners joined Mickelis as he waited for further word. Some brought bottled water and iced tea. One woman wore a T-shirt that read "Everybody Loves George," with a picture of Mickelis on the front.
"Hey, buddy," said one man with a pause. "Unbelievable."
"It's too much for one guy," Mickelis said.
Frank Demeris, owner of Charlie's Bar-B-Que in Bellaire, grew up with Mickelis. He arrived close to 4 a.m. Tuesday to lend a hand. He'd helped out when the family rebuilt Cleburne after the 1990 blaze. Demeris has been through a couple of fires himself. Every time, the restaurant has come back bigger and stronger, he said.
That Mickelis already is thinking about rebuilding is not surprising, said Kathy Christie-Dasingenis, spokesperson for Christie's Seafood & Steaks, a Galveston institution that began in 1917 as a food and drink stand.
"There's no question that's your first response. It's that Greek can-do spirit," said Christie-Dasingenis. "Especially businesses like George's restaurant and our restaurant that were built by immigrants. You don't let something like that go overnight. So it doesn't surprise me that George is going to rebuild."
Words of encouragement
Longtime customers such as Alicia Quinn and Nadine Bay look forward to Cleburne being back in business. They've been regulars since Nick and Pat Mickelis ran the place, before its first rebirth. Bay estimates she eats there about once a week, but back when she didn't worry about weight gain or cholesterol, she ate there daily. Her favorite items - lemon pound cake, chicken and dumplings, squash casserole and the Greek salad.
"Must I go on?" she asked. It was the home cooking, quality of ingredients and good portion size that kept bringing them back.
They came by Tuesday afternoon to offer Mickelis a hug, and some words of encouragement.
"You've got your life, and it didn't happen in your home," Bay said.
Later Tuesday, Mickelis and Demeris finally walked through the property. Many of the frames remained intact, but the paintings inside had burned away.
Except for two firefighters had managed to save - paintings of Patmos at sunset featuring whispy clouds, a multicolored sky and the island Nick Mickelis left 68 years ago.
Greg Morago contributed to this report.
Speaking to a packed house at Rice University's Stude Concert Hall on Tuesday, Secretary of State John Kerry stressed the importance of galvanizing the world's religions as a force to battle bigotry, violence, poverty, corruption and degradation of the environment.
"My basic argument is straightforward," he said. "The more we understand religion, the better we are able to engage religion, the more effective our diplomacy will be. We don't make contacts for the sake of having interesting conversations, we do so to make progress on our foreign policy and security goals, to make America safer."
To that end, Kerry told the gathering sponsored by the university's Baker Institute for Public Policy, the State Department has endeavored to establish communication not only with religious leaders but with the religious rank and file.
Within his first months in office in 2013, Kerry moved to create an office of religious freedom charged with establishing thousands of contacts with world religious leaders.In U.S. embassies around the world, staff has been encouraged to understand and reach out to religious groups.
Such contacts have proved valuable in providing information on Islamic extremists, government corruption in Nigeria and the growth of anti-Semitism in Europe. Meetings with Islamic leaders have addressed economic development along with refugee welfare and human rights; those with leaders in Uganda, ways of curbing female genital mutilation.
Such emphasis on world religions - 80 percent of the world's people observe some religious faith - traditionally has been absent from U.S. diplomatic strategy, Kerry said.
"We don't advocate for a set of religious beliefs, or even belief over non-belief, but that doesn't mean that religion is irrelevant to our approach to world affairs," he said.
"Religion today remains deeply consequential, affecting values and actions of every walk of life on every continent. It's part of what drives some to initiate war, others to pursue peace, inspires some to organize change, others to cling desperately to old ways."
Kerry said it is imperative that the world's people have the right of religious freedom, and accused ISIS of "killing Yazidis because they are Yazidis, Christians because they are Christian, Shiites because they are Shia."
He denounced "rising" anti-Jewish feeling in Europe, saying that once started, prejudice is hard to contain.
"The last century saw much blood shed in the wake of demagogues," he said. "We remain inalterably opposed to bigotry in all forms, including anti-Semitism. We will never weaken, never change."
Turning to domestic politics, Kerry lambasted presidential hopefuls for "smearing" the American Muslim community with the violent actions of extremists.
"Muslims have lived with us from the founding of our country," he said. "They have fought on our side in every war, made homes in every region - proudly in Houston - and pursued a wide range of occupations. In other words, they're Americans."
In June 2013, reporters at The Washington Post and the Guardian ran a series of stories about the U.S. government's surveillance programs. According to documents leaked by Edward Snowden, the National Security Agency was harvesting huge swaths of online traffic -- far beyond what had been disclosed -- and was working directly with top Internet companies to spy on certain people.
Glenn Greenwald, one of the Guardian journalists who reported the disclosures and a surveillance skeptic, argued in a 2014 TED talk that privacy is a critical feature of open society. People act differently when they know they're being watched. "Essential to what it means to be a free and fulfilled human being is to have a place that we can go and be free of the judgmental eyes of other people," he said.
Privacy advocates have argued that widespread government surveillance has had a "chilling effect" -- it encourages meekness and conformity. If we think that authorities are watching our online actions, we might stop visiting certain websites or not say certain things just to avoid seeming suspicious.
The problem, though, is that it's difficult to judge the effect of government-spying programs. How do you collect all the utterances that people stopped themselves from saying? How do you count all the conversations that weren't had?
A new study provides some insight into the repercussions of the Snowden revelations, arguing that they happened so swiftly and were so high-profile that they triggered a measurable shift in the way people used the Internet.
Jonathon Penney, a Ph.D. candidate at Oxford, analyzed Wikipedia traffic in the months before and after the NSA's spying became big news in 2013. Penney found a 20 percent decline in page views on Wikipedia articles related to terrorism, including those that mentioned "al-Qaeda," "car bomb" or "Taliban."
"You want to have informed citizens," Penney said. "If people are spooked or deterred from learning about important policy matters like terrorism and national security, this is a real threat to proper democratic debate."
Even though the NSA was supposed to target only foreigners, the immense scale of its operations caused many to worry that innocent Americans were getting caught in the dragnet. A Pew survey in 2015 showed that about 40 percent of Americans were "very" or "somewhat" concerned that the government was spying on their online activities.
The same survey showed that about 87 percent of American adults were aware of the Snowden news stories. Of those people, about a third said they had changed their Internet or phone habits as a result. For instance, 13 percent said they "avoided using certain terms" online; and 14 percent said they were having more conversations face to face instead of over the phone. The sudden, new knowledge about the surveillance programs had increased their concerns about their privacy.
Penney's research, which is forthcoming in the Berkeley Technology Law Journal, echoes the results of a similar study conducted last year on Google Search data. Alex Marthews, a privacy activist, and Catherine Tucker, a professor at MIT's business school, found that Google activity for certain keywords fell after the Snowden stories were splashed on every front page. Both in the United States and in other countries, people became reluctant to search for terrorism-related words such as "dirty bomb" or "pandemic."
Penney focused on Wikipedia pages related to sensitive topics specifically flagged by the Department of Homeland Security. In a document provided to its analysts in 2011, the DHS listed 48 terrorism terms that they should use when "monitoring social media sites." Penney collected traffic data on the English Wikipedia pages most closely related to those terms. After the June 2013 news articles, the amount of traffic immediately dropped and stayed low for the subsequent 14 months.
To be clear, this traffic drop could have come from anywhere -- Penney did not track the country of origin -- but the United States accounts for 43 percent of English Wikipedia traffic, more than any other country.
Penney narrowed the list to the most suspicious-sounding articles, as judged by an online survey he administered. The results became even more dramatic. In the year and a half before the Snowden revelations, traffic totals were rising for the Wikipedia pages related to the 31 top words on the DHS list. After June 2013, traffic not only fell immediately, but continued to decline over the next dozen months.
The Wikipedia data suggest that the Snowden revelations had a noticeable impact on people's Wikipedia behaviors, says Penney. "I expected to find an immediate drop-off in June, and then people would slowly realize that nobody is going to jail for viewing Wikipedia articles, and the traffic would go back up," he said. "I was surprised to see what looks to be a longer-term impact from the revelations."
Penney has provided evidence that spying programs, once the public knows about them, cause collateral damage. It's unlikely, of course, that the patterns here were caused by actual terrorists changing their Internet habits.
Instead, the study suggests that the shift in Wikipedia traffic was the result of people who stifled their curious impulses because they didn't want to seem like they were doing anything wrong. "This is measuring regular people who are being spooked by the idea of government surveillance online," Penney said.
That's one plausible conclusion we could draw from the data. There is, however, an alternative explanation for these results.
The Snowden revelations ignited a huge debate about the NSA. Stories about government surveillance dominated the news cycle for months. Perhaps people stopped looking at terrorism-related Wikipedia articles not because the Snowden leaks made them paranoid, but because the news distracted them from their previous curiosity about terrorism.
In other words, maybe it wasn't a "chilling effect" that caused the dip in terrorism-related Wikipedia traffic -- but rather the short attention spans of online audiences.
It will require more research to fully understand what happened. But even if the evidence is still being examined, chilling effects continue to occupy a prominent position in privacy debates.
In March 2015, the American Civil Liberties United filed a lawsuit in federal district court challenging the NSA's surveillance practices, with Wikipedia's parent organization as one of the eight plaintiffs. Writing with his colleague Lila Tretikov in the New York Times, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales accused the NSA of tracking Wikipedia users: "So imagine, now, a Wikipedia user in Egypt who wants to edit a page about government opposition or discuss it with fellow editors. If that user knows the N.S.A. is routinely combing through her contributions to Wikipedia, and possibly sharing information with her government, she will surely be less likely to add her knowledge or have that conversation, for fear of reprisal."
The result, argued Wales and Tretikov, "represents a loss for everyone who uses Wikipedia and the Internet -- not just fellow editors, but hundreds of millions of readers in the United States and around the world."
In October, a judge threw out the case, declaring that the plaintiffs "have not alleged facts that plausibly establish an injury attributable to the NSA's Upstream surveillance." In other words, there wasn't enough evidence that anyone was harmed. The decision has been appealed.
By the time the young couple spotted the locomotive, bearing down the railroad trestle at over 30 miles an hour, they had no choice.
Facing an 8-story drop on either side, with no way to outrun the train to the trestle's end, the pair's only hope was to cling to the sides of the tracks. The engineer later told officials, as the Kentucky newspaper the Courier-Journal reports, that he blared his horn and tried to slow down. Though the man on the tracks managed to make the split-second dive to the edge, the train was traveling too fast for his companion - there simply wasn't enough time.
The train fatally struck Roquel Bain, a 26-year-old from Dayton, Ohio. She fell, some 100 feet to the ground.
Bain and her boyfriend, whose name has not yet been released by authorities, traveled to Kentucky for an innocent bit of thrill-seeking - a tour of Waverly Hills Sanatorium, a former tuberculosis clinic turned haunted house. While in Louisville, they caught wind of another occult story, one which they decided to investigate in the twilight hours before their tour: the Pope Lick Monster.
The monster
Also known as the Goatman or the Sheepman, the Pope Lick Monster isn't an icon of North American cryptozoology, lacking the national recognition of furry giants Bigfoot and Sasquatch. Still, within the confines of the woods surrounding Louisville, it has accumulated a rich history of lore and legend.
The monster's origin stories are as varied as its name. To hear the Sierra Club tell it, the Pope Lick Monster was "exhibited as a circus freak in the late 19th century, escaping captivity when lightning struck the circus train and left him the lone survivor."
In 2014, local historian David Domine described the creature as something born out of a deal with the devil.
He told Louisville's WAVE news that: "The goat man arose as a tale of a local farmer back in the day. Tortured a herd of goats for Satan and signed a contract with him and forfeited his soul." Domine depicts a muscular being that's "part goat maybe even part sheep."
In every telling, the Goatman remains fiercely attached to the trestle over Pope Lick Creek.
"The Sheepman is something only told around here; it's been around at least three generations," filmmaker Ron Schildknecht told the Louisville paper The New Voice in 1990.
Schildknecht created a 16-minute short, "The Legend of the Pope Lick Monster," that appears to come straight from the yarns a young Kentuckian might spin to impress a date - a part-sheep satyr that can hypnotize its victims, leaving them helpless in front of oncoming trains.
To a certain kind of young adventurer, the legend of the Pope Lick Monster is irresistible. Denise Harris, a Louisville local, said her nieces and nephews have climbed the trestle looking for the folkloric beast. "The Goatman, when they climb up on the trestles and they cross it," as she told WAVE 3, "he's supposed to come out."
'It's just not worth it'
And though the trestle is old - it dates back to the 1800s - it's still very much in use. When Schild-knecht's film debuted in December 1988, representatives for the Norfolk Southern train company feared it would erode the safety efforts in place to keep people off of the trestle.
Despite the warning signs and a tall fence that surrounds the trestle, Pope Creek has had several accidents and deaths, some possibly related to looking for the Goatman. Bain was pronounced dead at the scene, reports the Associated Press, with the coroner citing blunt trauma from the train strike and fall.
The incident has left the local community shaken. "I cried and I'm very upset over it," Tina Mattingly, the owner of the haunted sanatorium Waverly Hills, in an interview with WHAS11. "I really wish it just hadn't happened. It's just not worth it."
"It's just so sad - a very pretty young girl who had her life in front of her," deputy coroner Jack Arnold told the Courier-Journal. Her death, he said, is the first to be explicitly tied to the Goatman legend.
Warnings
On the Waverly Hills Facebook page, a note posted late April 24 warns that all visiting ghost enthusiasts need to "follow local laws, danger warnings and no trespassing signs."
The Louisville police will not charge Bain's boyfriend with trespassing, though simply climbing to the trestle itself is illegal, as the areas surrounding the tracks are private property.
For the Goatman, this satyr holds the tragic distinction of being one of the most dangerous mythical animals in North America.
PHILADELPHIA - After months of trying to sideline an unexpectedly deft and well-financed primary opponent, Hillary Clinton on Tuesday got the results she needed to declare a de facto victory against Sen. Bernie Sanders and shift her attention decisively toward the November election.
Clinton was dominant in four of Tuesday's five Democratic races - Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and Connecticut. She ceded only Rhode Island to Sanders.
Now all but certain to clinch the Democratic nomination, Clinton is expected to move swiftly to claim an early advantage against the leading Republican candidate, Donald Trump. Her advisers and allies say she will spend the coming weeks honing her message for the general election and stepping up fundraising efforts that have lagged in the face of Sanders' challenge.
After a landslide win in New York last week, Clinton had already begun to treat Sanders as a greatly diminished threat, concentrating her fire on Trump and, to a lesser degree, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. A powerful showing in the states that voted Tuesday will only accelerate that shift.
In recent days, she sharpened her pitch about the general election's stakes, heading off Republican attacks on her record as secretary of state under President Barack Obama and delivering a more forceful message about the economy and the need to create jobs and lift wages.
"Donald Trump actually says wages are too high in America," Clinton said at a rally in Rhode Island, on Saturday. "Honestly, I don't know who he spends his time talking to, but I recommend he get out of one of those towers and actually go down and talk to some of the folks who are working as hard as they can."
Clinton is not expected to publicly pressure Sanders to quit the race. Clinton advisers say that any efforts to muscle him out could backfire, angering his supporters and making it harder to unite the party for the fall.
But a "super PAC" supporting Clinton's candidacy, Priorities USA Action, may start running general election ads even before the nominating contest ends.
Guy Cecil, the group's chief strategist, said it might run ads against Trump or Cruz, "depending on how the Republican primary develops and whether they decide to launch attacks against Hillary."
In coming weeks, Clinton will campaign in states with looming primaries, but she will also recharge and spend time in New York plotting a general-election strategy with advisers. "She needs to be smart and calculated and prepare herself for a tough general election," said Thomas Nides, a friend who worked for Clinton at the State Department.
After months of focusing on the 2,383 delegates needed for the Democratic nomination, her campaign has begun to analyze the Electoral College, working out potential races against Trump and Cruz.
The Clinton campaign will begin polling in traditional battleground states like Ohio and Florida. But it will also pore over data in traditionally Republican states like Arizona, North Carolina and Georgia that could be in play, particularly if Trump is the nominee, and focus on demographics beyond the Democratic primary electorate.
"Realistically, the most important part in all of this are white working-class women," said Geoff Garin, a pollster and strategist on Clinton's 2008 campaign, citing Clinton's emphasis on issues like equal pay for women and an increase in the minimum wage.
Sanders' campaign vowed Tuesday to remain in the fight through the California primary June 7, and perhaps until the party's convention in July.
Clinton's aides and allies are pressuring Sanders to run on issues rather than continuing to attack Clinton's ties to Wall Street or her previous support for global trade deals - attacks that Republicans are likely to use in the fall.
It is a message Sanders' campaign has resisted. As voters went to the polls Tuesday, the campaign blasted out a fundraising email. It contained an image of Bill and Hillary Clinton at the 2005 wedding of Trump to the Slovenian model Melania Knauss, and accused Clinton's allies of being "traitors" in their treatment of Sanders.
Tad Devine, a senior aide to Sanders, played down the possibility of Sanders' withdrawal but said the campaign would not mislead voters about his chances of winning the nomination. "If we are sitting here and there's no sort of mathematical way to do it, we will be upfront about that," he said.
WASHINGTON - Senate negotiators Tuesday neared an agreement to provide at least $1.1 billion in emergency financing to combat the fast-spreading Zika virus, which public health officials say poses a serious, imminent threat in the United States.
The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, however, faces a challenge in figuring out how to package the deal so that it can win passage in the House, where hard-line conservatives have repeatedly balked at new government spending.
President Barack Obama has requested $1.9 billion to fight the mosquito-borne Zika virus, and some Senate Democrats appear to be holding out for the full amount, believing that Republicans will soon face insurmountable public pressure amid rising fears about the virus, which causes birth defects.
With congressional Republicans resisting, the administration this month deployed $589 million, including $510 million previously appropriated to fight Ebola. The additional $79 million was taken from other accounts used to fight epidemics and to stockpile vaccines.
'We must do something'
Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., who is the chairman of the appropriations subcommittee responsible for health programs, and Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the senior Democrat on that subcommittee, are leading the Senate talks.
Aides said that Blunt and Murray regarded Zika as an emergency health threat that required a swift expenditure of government resources, without the corresponding cuts to other programs that many conservative Republicans have said should be a nonnegotiable component of any new spending measure. Democrats noted that Congress had provided $5.4 billion in emergency legislation to fight Ebola in 2014, and that there was no requirement for offsets to reduce other federal spending.
Some Senate Republicans said they were prepared to act.
"More and more of us understand we need to do something to combat the virus," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. and chairman of the appropriations subcommittee on state and foreign operations, which has some jurisdiction over the effort to fight Zika internationally and could provide additional funds.
Nearly 400 American travelers have contracted the Zika virus, and public fears are rising as health officials warn that disease-carrying mosquitoes will soon arrive in the United States.
On Tuesday, Senate Democrats sought to increase pressure on Republicans to act quickly.
"We must do something to confront this scourge that's facing our country," Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, said in a speech on the Senate floor. "We have all seen the pictures of these babies with these small heads caused by a mosquito bite."
With House Republicans insisting that they were still waiting for the White House to answer questions about the president's request, House Democrats on Monday introduced their own bill, which would grant the full $1.9 billion.
'Talked a good game'
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., the majority leader, maintained Tuesday that the best way to address Zika was through the regular appropriations process. But he said Republicans needed to know more about the Obama administration's plans before they could move.
McCarthy pushed back against the idea that Republicans were waiting too long to act on a potentially serious health crisis, pointing to the $589 million the administration has already said it will devote to fighting Zika.
Democrats said Republicans were stalling.
"While the House majority wastes time and resources with sham political 'investigations,' a public health crisis is spreading at home and abroad," Rep. Nita Lowey of New York, the senior Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said in a statement.
"The majority has talked a good game about responding to the Zika virus, but all the hot air in the world does not deliver the vaccines, diagnostics, and mosquito control that is needed now to protect American communities," Lowey added.
WASHINGTON - The public health crisis caused by high lead levels in Flint's water and the toxic algae blooms in Lake Erie in recent years are among the threats being cited by federal environmental officials who called for a comprehensive look at how to better protect the nation's drinking water Tuesday.
In a blog post, Joel Beauvais, deputy assistant administrator for the Office of Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, announced the effort, saying: "As a country, we can and must do more to make sure that every American has access to safe drinking water."
Beauvais said that beginning in May, the EPA will start meeting with state officials, utility managers and others to develop what he called "a national action plan on drinking water," to be released by year's end. Beauvais said the plan is likely to include program changes that the EPA, states and utilities can implement on their own, as well as helping to "inform the priorities of an incoming administration."
He said the effort is expected to include plans for strengthening the Safe Drinking Water Act; ensuring the federal Lead and Copper Rule is followed; prioritizing work on water infrastructure in low-income communities; and addressing threats posed by new and unregulated contaminants.
More Information EPA's plan for Galesburg waterFederal regulators are recommending that an Illinois city provide bottled water or filters to residents affected by high levels of lead in their drinking water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is also urging Galesburg, Ill., to pay for additional lead testing for customers who request it and provide more public education about health risks. In addition, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has ordered the city to perform a corrosion control study to learn whether specific treatments might better prevent old pipes and plumbing from leaching lead into tap water. The actions come in response to an investigation published this month by the Associated Press, which found that Galesburg had one of the nation's most persistent problems of lead in drinking water. Associated Press See More Collapse
While the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has taken most of the blame for the situation in Flint, which was caused by not requiring corrosion controls when the city changed water sources in 2014, the EPA also has been criticized for not moving quickly enough once it knew about the situation in Flint to ensure federal safe drinking water laws were enforced.
"The crisis in Flint has brought to the forefront the challenges many communities across the country are facing, including from lead pipes that carry their drinking water and uneven publicly available information around drinking water quality," Beauvais said. "At the same time, as new technology advances our detection ability, we're detecting new contaminants in our water from industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals and other sources that can pose risks to public health."
He also noted the pressures brought on the nation's water supply by climate change, which can lead to droughts across the country, as well as pollutants feeding into bodies of water that have led to incidents like the toxic algae blooms seen in Lake Erie the last two summers. One of those, in 2014, led to 400,000 people in Ohio and southeastern Michigan being unable to use tap water for two days.
The situation in Flint has resulted in the loudest calls for more action, especially as it regards compliance with - and a long-awaited revision to - the federal Lead and Copper Rule, which critics say does not go far enough in ensuring safe drinking water. In the wake of the Flint crisis, the EPA already has directed its staff to meet with officials in every state to ensure the lead rules are being followed.
Beauvais noted that Congress and the states will have a big role to play, too, with data showing "at least" $384 billion in improvements will be needed over the next 14 years "to maintain, upgrade and replace thousands of miles of pipe and thousands of treatment plants, storage tanks and water distribution systems that make up our country's water infrastructure."
In his role, Luis Videgaray Caso proposes, directs and controls the government's economic policy. Videgaray Caso, who earned a Ph.D from MIT in economics, has extensive public and private sector experience. He visited the Chronicle's editorial board on Monday, and our wide-ranging conversation with him touched on the importance of free trade, the U.S.-Mexico relationship and efficiencies at the border. Here are some highlights.
Why visit Houston: "A lot of the capital that is moving into Mexico is driven by people who make decisions here in Houston. A purpose of the trip is to be closer to that investor community."
Trade partners: Trade between Texas and Mexico is very large. Texas runs a trade surplus with Mexico; many people don't know that. Texas exports $95 million to Mexico every year.
U.S. presidential race: "Whoever is going to be the U.S. president, that's a decision for the American people to make.Elections are a very passionate process. And what's happening in the U.S., it's happening throughout the world. There's a lot of frustration. There's a lot of anger and that is the basis for some extreme positions... ."
The proposed border wall: "We are not paying for the wall. And we will not be bullied into paying for the wall."
The future: "I strongly believe North America can be the most competitive region in the world. We have the resources. We have energy, and we have peopleand that can be the basis for prosperity and value creation for many, many years to come. That will outlast the electoral cycle."
The border: "I think that both countries need to invest more in the border to make the border more secure and also more efficient. Trade between Mexico and the U.S. in the past 20 years has grown five-fold but investment in the border has not. The long lines that you see in the border are a symptom of the lost opportunity."
Collaboration: "We have the first two pilots. One is in Laredo, Texas, and the other is in Tijuana, Mexico where we are doing joint customs reviews.Now we have customs agents - both Mexican and U.S. - working together in a single region. I expect by the end of the year to have three or four more pilots."
Mexican manufacturing: "We are an economy that is growing out of manufacturing. We export these cars, computers. People don't know this: The largest exporter of flat screens is MexicoIncreasingly manufacturing in Mexico is growing quite competitive."
Falling oil prices: "But the most important effect is perhaps on public finances. Just in 2012, oil revenues were 40 percent of government revenues. That has come down to 19 percent."
Pemex: "We are supporting Pemex in many ways. We are putting in additional capital. We are providing tax relief. We made it public a couple of weeks ago. But the thing that is most importantis to provide support for change. Pemex, as any other oil company in the world, has to adjust to reality. It has to be more efficient."
Prediction for future: "We're not betting on the price of oil rebounding any time soon. And I think nobody should."
Possible presidential bid: "This kind of job does not allow for that luxury - to be thinking about that. I've got a full plate. And I cannot afford to be distracted by that. And also you are the guy who is raising taxes. So perhaps it is not the best recommendation I can give to a candidate."
Ted Cruz needs to change the story fast today.
That mission started in earnest last night, minutes before the networks were to call several of Tuesdays GOP contests for Donald Trump. The Texas senator was at a rally in Indiana, where he repeated what hes been saying for days: the race now moves away from liberal northeastern states to more favorable ground for Cruz.
It was the most he could do just before Trump began his night of mega-wins in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. Trump did more last night, arguably, than any other time during his campaign to cast doubt on stories that the New York mogul wont be able to get enough delegates to win the nomination outright on the first ballot.
I consider myself the presumptive nominee, he said at Trump Tower, turning much of his fire to Democratic front runner Hillary Clinton. As far as Im concerned, its over.
Today, Cruz is dangling a "major announcement" above reporters heads.
Last night was Donald Trumps night and today is Indianas day, Cruz said Wednesday morning, teasing a 4 p.m. rally in Indiana, which votes on May 3 and whose contest is seen as the latest must-win for the Stop Trump alliance.
Theres no word about what he is going to talk about, but theres speculation this morning that it could include a vice presidential nomination or a major endorsement. It is incredibly early in the process to be discussing the VP race, but that wont stop Cruz if it means the media will chase a story that favors him after Trumps wins. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, a rock star among Republicans, is not scheduled to be at Cruzs rally, however. The National Review, the conservative magazine whose editors have failed to stop Trump, has pressured Pence to endorse Cruz for the good of the party.
A Ted Cruz victory could make it all but impossible for Donald Trump to secure the nomination outright, the magazines editors wrote. A Trump victory could make it all but impossible for him not to.
So what could this announcement possibly be? A BBC reporter in Washington, D.C, tweeted yesterday that former HP CEO Carly Fiorina, who dropped out of the GOP race earlier this year, was on his flight to Indiana. Considering the reports earlier this week that Cruz is considering Fiorina to be his running mate, and since Pence wont be at the rally, a vice presidential announcement seems a real possibility.
Above all, the renewed pressure heaped on Cruz and, to a lesser extent, John Kasich has intensified after Tuesdays races, which mathematically barred Cruz from winning the required 1,237 delegates before the convention in Cleveland. The alliance to split the remaining states with Kasich isnt the only thing Cruz has in common with the Ohio governor now. For both of them, the only way forward is to try to force Trump to stumble with a week to go before Indiana votes.
Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce announced Monday the state will not establish a new beef checkoff.
About 75 percent opposed it.
The news comes after the director approved a petition to conduct a referendum of Missouri cattle producers, at the request of the Missouri Beef Industry Council and pursuant to state statute, to establish a $1 per head state beef checkoff assessment on Dec. 23, 2015.
On April 4, ballots were mailed to the 8,480 Missouri beef producers who registered during the registration period. Of those, 6,568 valid ballots were returned to the Missouri Department of Agriculture postmarked no later than April 15. The tally: 1,663 producers (25.33 percent) voted for the checkoff and 4,903 producers (74.67 percent) voted against it.
Department staff counted the ballots and Williams Keepers, LLC, a CPA firm in Columbia, reviewed the tabulation of ballots for third-party verification.
Cattle producers were required to register to vote and were able to do so online or by visiting their county USDA-FSA office.
Statement from ag organizations:
We are disappointed the proposed Missouri $1 beef checkoff was not approved, because it provided additional resources for Missouri cattle producers to voluntarily work together to improve their industry. Concerns with declining beef prices and the misinformation about beef disseminated by radical animal rights groups will not go away, and we will continue to look for ways to promote Missouri beef and help educate consumers. We appreciate the Missouri Department of Agriculture continuing to conduct referendums in a transparent and professional manner.
Missouri Cattlemens Association
Missouri Farm Bureau Federation
Missouri Dairy Association
Missouri Dairy Industry Alliance
As associate circuit judge in Texas County, Doug Gaston daily encounters broken lives. Thats why he says he has become an advocate for Celebrate Recovery.
Gaston is such a believer in the program offered the past 18 months through two Houston churches he recently purchased a large banner that is displayed by the doorway to his courtroom inside the Texas County Justice Center. And when an offender requires a treatment program or a family needs counseling, he strongly suggests they consider CR.
Hopefully we care about more than if we process a case, Gaston said. Hopefully we care about peoples souls. I do.
Both Life Church and Faith Fellowship are halfway through their second years providing the CR program that addresses hurts, hang-ups and habits through biblical principles. The two churches often work together to compliment each other and meet the needs of those who attend. Life Church hosts its meetings at 7 p.m. Fridays while Faith Fellowship meets at 6 p.m. Sundays.
Gaston said he first learned about CR a few months ago when he was approached by Cheryl Thurman, one of the leaders at Faith Fellowship. He later met with Beverly Castleman Hurd, a CR state coordinator and leader at Life Church, and spent time researching the program. What he discovered was a 24-year ministry that through 27,000 churches and 44 state and federal prisons has impacted countless numbers of hurting people.
Its based on really everything that is right and can help people. We have people who have done it, and its making a big difference in their lives, Gaston said. The biggest thing is its based on eternal truths and very good concepts that are deeply rooted in scriptures. If theyll do these things, their life will be better.
CR, an extension of Saddleback Church in California, offers assistance for those battling addiction. But it also provides a safe place for co-dependents, people with eating disorders, those struggling with sexual addictions or needing financial recovery, individuals dealing with past or current physical or sexual abuse issues and many other areas.
Michael Collins, a leader in the Celebrate Recovery program at Life Church, shares his testimony during a Friday service.
Its foundations include 12 steps with accompanying scriptures and eight principles based on the Beatitudes. Participants are provided a clear path of salvation and discipleship for hope, freedom, sobriety and healing through Jesus Christ.
Hurd, who has served in CR programs for nine years, said no one has a hopeless case.
I have personally witnessed God change hundreds of lives through the program, she said. CR works by helping us to confront and address the core issues that cause us to turn to drugs or alcohol to escape from pain or reality. Or maybe its gambling, sex, perfectionism, overeating, overspending or overworking.
When the core issues are resolved in a biblical manner, our dysfunctional and compulsive behaviors are replaced by more Christ-like behaviors.
CR focuses on a spirit of celebration and moving forward. Each night includes a large group time with worship and lessons centered on Gods love. Testimonies of changed lives are regularly shared. Then there is one hour of small groups as attendees learn they are not alone in their struggles.
CR programs are always available, too. Meetings are held regardless of holidays or other events that fall on that day.
Ministry requires consistency because need and crisis never take a vacation, said Pastor Bill Villapiano of Faith Fellowship. We knew going in that recovery is not an event, its a journey. Every week well be there along with our friends at Life Church to lend a hand to those who are hurting.
Its an approach Gaston supports.
Along with criminal cases, Gaston has suggested CR to families who find themselves in his courtroom. He said he also hopes those who see the banner whether simply passing by in the hallway or coming there to support a friend or family member will take the initiative to attend CR and begin the healing process.
Gaston said he feels spiritually obligated and is well within his constitutional rights to encourage CR in his courtroom.
It doesnt mean that I cant say to someone, Heres a good option, he said. I can do that, and I should do that, so Im going to do it. Im careful not to force anyone into it. But its an option that should be made available.
Life Church begins its Friday meetings with dinner at 6 p.m. A $3 donation is suggested. Large group with worship and a lesson starts at 7 p.m., followed by small groups at 8 p.m. The church also provides Celebration Place for kids ages 5-12 and The Landing for teenagers.
On Sundays at Faith Fellowship, a free dinner is served at 5:30 p.m., followed by large group at 6 p.m. and small groups discussions at 7 p.m.
Its wonderful these churches are doing this, Gaston said. Its a fantastic thing for our community. Theyve both told me they dont care if someone goes to another church or has even been in church. They just want to help people who need help. Thats a beautiful thing.
Musicians, from left, Tim Hurd, Ashley Collins and Jamie Altman, lead worship during a Celebrate Recovery meeting at Life Church in Houston.
Two Houston area churches provide Celebrate Recovery programs each week:
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For many employers and brokers, the Affordable Care Act can feel like a moving target. However, for small groups with fewer than 50 employees who are not mandated to provide health insurance, the options for small group health insurance are clearer. In 2016, small groups have five main options for health insurance: Individual Health Insurance (with or without a defined contribution allowance) SHOP Marketplace Private Exchange Co-operative Private Small Group Plan 1) Individual Health Insurance (with or without a defined contribution allowance) The first option is a relatively simple approach, yet it achieves results: Allow employees to purchase individual health insurance coverage, either through the public marketplace or through a broker. Employees may select from any carrier and plan available, and eligible employees may access discounts on their premiums via the individual health insurance tax credits. If the small group would like to contribute to employee's premium expenses, they can use defined contribution allowances to reimburse employees for the non-subsidized portion of their premium. (This is still allowed as long as the employer goes about it the right way.) Additionally, defined contribution allowances can be allocated by job criteria (e.g. $300/month to managers and $200/month to entry-level). For many small groups, this is the most cost-effective solution because the small group can contribute any ...
le some workplaces still ban social media sites such as Facebook, an increasing amount are taking a more lenient approach but could it be to their detriment? If one new study is to be believed, that laid-back attitude could be costing businesses billions of dollars."As the CEO of a busy company, the amount of time I can visibly see being wasted as I walk around the office is a source of annoyance for me personally, said Chris Meredith of OfficeBroker.com. I doubt I'm the only boss who thinks this way.The company recently conducted a survey of 1,150 workers to determine just how widespread the online timewasting really is and find out exactly how much its costing companies the results are staggering.In the study, 72 per cent of respondents admitted to checking their Facebook while at work and 81 per cent said they try to hide their unproductive online activity from others.Even more shockingly, 35 per cent of employees confessed to spending over an hour of every workday on Facebook.Where is the business value? asked CEO Meredith. I'm not surprised so many companies choose to police internet usage so aggressively."The research also revealed that employees social media use could be costing companies the equivalent of CA $1,514 / NZ$1,742 every year.On average, employees visit the Facebook app of website 13.8 times during the workday, for two minutes and 22 seconds each time.While Facebook dominated as the main distractor, other common social media sites also featured with 12 per cent of employees admitting to checking Linkedin at work and eight per cent checking Twitter
Leave it to Amal Clooney to tear into Donald Trump's hateful statements with class.
The international human rights lawyer appeared on BBC News Monday to discuss her advocacy on behalf of Khadija Ismayilova, an Azerbaijani journalist who was thrown in jail after criticizing the government.
But the conversation eventually turned to Trump, the front-runner for the Republican nomination to run for U.S. president.
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Clooney addressed Trump's positions such as wanting to build a wall with Mexico and banning Muslims from entering the United States. And she did it with poise.
"He kept saying, 'They only want jihad,' 'They don't believe in our way of life,' 'They don't respect our system," Clooney said.
"When he says 'they' and when you watch the media coverage afterwards, people I think should have been saying, 'Do you mean the 1.5 billion people around the world who fit that description?'"
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She was then asked how she feels that Trump leads in the polls despite his statements.
"I'm probably as perplexed as you are," Clooney said.
What does George think?
The lawyer was far more diplomatic about Trump than her husband, actor George Clooney was.
In March he called the Republican candidate a "xenophobic fascist," The Guardian reported.
Both Amal and George are supporting Hillary Clinton's bid for the Democratic nomination.
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There's an upside to a low loonie and Canadian retailers are seeing it first-hand.
U.S. shoppers are stampeding north of the border at the "fastest pace in six years," according to National Bank Financial Markets, and the weak Canadian dollar has something to do with it.
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New Brunswick is seeing the highest sales growth the province draws the "largest amount of same-day U.S. travellers as a share of its population than any other province."
Sales there are likely being driven by tourism, the bank added.
Meanwhile, BMO Nesbitt Burns found that American visits to Canada have risen by 20 per cent over the past two years, said CTV News.
American visits to Canada reached 2 million for the first time in eight years in January and February, BMO added.
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But retail sales aren't just being driven by Americans coming over the border. The low loonie which was worth US$0.79 on Tuesday is also keeping Canadians at home.
Travel pattern 'favourable for Canada'
And "travel flows between the two countries should remain favourable for Canada" if the loonie stays below US$0.85, said BMO senior economist Sal Guatieri, as quoted by The Globe and Mail.
In January, The Huffington Post Canada looked at a number of products available in the U.S. and Canada, and found that some incredible deals were available up north.
At the time, a 64GB Apple iPad Air 2 cost C$659 in Canada, compared to C$848 in the United States.
A good deal on the same product is still available at the current exchange rate.
The same model of iPad would set shoppers back C$628.98 in the U.S., and $609 in Canada.
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Cross-Border Shopping: What You Need To Know See Gallery
A truck sign slamming Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley is causing people around Strathcona County, Alta. to raise their eyebrows.
The sign features photos of the premier and prime minister, as well as the words "Next Elections: Ditch the b*tch! Punt the c*nt!"
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Truck owner Andy Styles told Global News he wanted to shock people.
"I chose a message that I felt in no uncertain terms would show my absolute disgust for both the provincial and federal governments," Styles said.
He cited concerns such as the federal government's exclusion of Edmonton from extended EI benefits, and the state of Alberta's economy.
Despite the distracting nature of the sign, RCMP say they have no plans to charge Styles.
"Things that are offensive are not necessarily criminal," Strathcona County RCMP spokesperson Gibson Glavin told 660 News.
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Last year, an Edmonton man was fined $543 for posting a "F*ck Harper" sign in the back window of his hatchback.
The case was later moved to provincial court, where the judge will release a decision in July, ThinkPol reported.
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Big news, beauty and tech junkies: Dyson (yes, the makers of those fancy vacuums and fans) has launched its first-ever beauty product: a high-tech blow-dryer.
Called the Dyson Supersonic, this innovative hair dryer marks the company's first foray into the beauty market. The dryer is the result of four years of research and development (and a $100 million investment), and has been tested on over 1,010 miles of real human hair (fun fact: there was a hair extension shortage because of all the testing!) over the course of four years.
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Dyson founder James Dyson holding the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer.
So what makes this device so innovative? For one, it's much quieter than your average blow-dryer. Using knowledge and research from the company's history in vacuums and fans, developers were challenged to make the machine as silent, yet as powerful as possible.
It intelligently controls temperature to help protect your hair from extreme heat damage, and it's also much more sleek and easier to manoeuvre than regular blow-dryers, thanks to the patented Dyson digital motor V9 (Dyson's smallest, lightest and most advanced digital motor to date), housed in the handle of the dryer, as opposed to the head. This also prevents your hair from being caught in the grill and filter (which we all know is a huge pain, literally).
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"Hair dryers can be heavy, inefficient and make a racket. By looking at them further we realized that they can also cause extreme heat damage to hair. I challenged Dyson engineers to really understand the science of hair and develop our version of a hair dryer, which we think solves these problems," said Dyson founder, James Dyson, in a statement.
The Dyson Supersonic also comes with three nozzles (smoothing, styling concentrator and diffuser) which attach magnetically to the device and all remain cool to touch thanks to the Heat Shield technology.
And in case that didn't convince you, the Dyson Supersonic is backed by Jen Atkin (a.k.a. hairstylist to the Kardshian/Jenners) in the U.S. and celeb hairstylist extraordinaire, Matthew Collins, here in Canada.
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the FUTURE is now. @dyson_hair (aka :30 of the secret I kept ) A video posted by Celebrity Hairstylist (@jenatkinhair) on Apr 27, 2016 at 12:22am PDT
Secret is out . Meet the @dyson_hair blow dryer the raddest and most powerful dryer I have ever used #dysonhair #dysonsupersonic excited to be the official Canadian ambassador @bd_haircare @p1m_toronto A photo posted by Matthew Collins (@matthewstylist) on Apr 27, 2016 at 4:11am PDT
The only downfall? It retails at $500, making it one of the most expensive blow-dryers on the market.
Better start saving for its launch in August 2016 (or plan your Christmas wishlists now).
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Nail art can seem daunting especially if you are a beginner. Thankfully, you can achieve professional looking designs easily using some common household items.
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This metallic design features a gold polish and black polish with holographic glitter, creating a bold design that elongates the nail. The basic household item that you need for this design? Tape.
Tape allows you to create crisp lines without worrying about having a steady hand. This design would also be great with a negative space twist, monochromatic shades or in soft pastels.
To start, apply two coats of the first metallic shade (the one surrounding the triangle design). Allow to dry for a couple of minutes, and then apply a quick-dry top coat.
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Once the top coat has dried, take pieces of tape and apply to the nail to create the triangle design. After the tape is properly positioned, take the second metallic polish and paint within the triangle design. Do not allow this polish to dry. Remove the tape immediately after it has been applied.
Allow the entire design to dry for a few minutes, and then apply top coat.
Polishes Used: Trust Fund Beauty Black Heart and Chanel Chaine Or
Kaitlyn Delano is a beauty blogger based in Toronto. You can find all of her Mani Monday designs and more on her blog, Kaitlyn Elisabeth Beauty. Check out her new YouTube channel as well.
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A candidate for the Conservative Party leadership says she would re-criminalize recreational marijuana use if elected prime minister.
Tory MP Kellie Leitch shared her perspective on pot during a wide-ranging interview with AM980's Andrew Lawton Tuesday. She suggested her experience as a pediatric surgeon has convinced her that the Liberal government's plan to legalize the drug will put children at risk.
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"With regards to marijuana, I feel strongly about this," she said. "We know this is a dangerous drug that has a huge impact on the developing child brain and adolescent brain."
Kellie Leitch listens to a question during a news conference on Feb. 27, 2015 in Ottawa. (Photo: Adrian Wyld/CP)
Leitch said pot should be available to those who use it medicinally, but it should be "in a pharmacy and provided by a prescription." Full legalization will only make pot more accessible to young people, she suggested.
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"I don't want to see any child put in harm's way by having access to a dangerous drug," she said.
Liberals have pledged to table legislation to legalize marijuana in spring 2017. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has long argued that regulating and taxing the drug will do more to keep it away from kids.
Lawton then pressed the former cabinet minister if she would "campaign to make it criminal once again." She ducked the question by pointing out the millions of dollars Health Canada spends telling young Canadians not to smoke cigarettes despite the government saying smoking pot should be "allowable."
"I can't do the math on that very easily," Leitch said. "I think we should be talking to young Canadians about not smoking either of these things."
Lawton then said he was looking for a direct answer.
"Would you criminalize recreational marijuana once again as prime minister?" he asked.
"Yes," she said.
Listen to the full interview below. The conversation about marijuana begins at around the 7:00 mark:
In late February, Leitch rose during question period to charge that Liberals were sending mixed signals to Canadians about marijuana. Again, she pointed to the Health Canada ads encouraging Canadians to quit smoking.
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"Now, the government wants Canadian kids to have access to a drug to smoke marijuana," she said.
She called on the government to protect kids from the "mind-altering drug."
Leitch was serving as her party's health critic at the time. She has since given up the shadow cabinet role as she campaigns for the top Tory job.
Maxime Bernier not so sure
But it seems her only other declared opponent doesn't share Leitch's hardline views about marijuana.
Quebec MP Maxime Bernier, who considers himself a libertarian, told The Huffington Post Canada earlier this month that he wants to see the Liberal legislation before determining his stance on pot.
"Forbidden drugs will be forbidden, but for marijuana, I'm open to having that discussion, and I'm going to wait [to see] what the government will do," he said.
Bernier later told CBC News that he was "happy" Liberals are bringing in a bill and did not rule out supporting it.
"It depends how the government will do it," he said. "At the end I will decide whether I will vote for it or against it. But I am more toward for that."
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Turns out that if you're a black man waiting for the bus, even being a city councillor won't stop you from being carded by police.
Hamilton, Ont. city councillor Matthew Green has filed a complaint after an incident with city police on Tuesday.
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For those of you who think police carding is over. I was just arbitrarily stopped/questioned by @HamiltonPolice as a City Clr in my own city Matthew Green (@MGreenWard3) April 26, 2016
He was waiting for a bus in frigid winds at around 3 p.m. when he decided to duck under a nearby bridge, according to his complaint published online by the Hamilton Spectator.
Green said he began to read emails on his phone when two police cars pulled out of a nearby parking lot and approached him. An officer in the first car rolled down his window and immediately asked him what he was doing.
Then the exchange became more and more confrontational, he told the newspaper.
"I had no intention of leaving the area, as I was waiting for a bus."
In his complaint, Green said an officer "repeatedly questioned" his credibility and acted in "an intimidating manner and continued to harass me even though it was clear I was not a suspect in any crime nor involved in criminal activity."
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'What does a criminal look like?'
Green's family traces its roots back to the first African slaves to come to Canada.
Carding is a controversial police practice of collecting contact information by asking people to produce identification.
Matthew Green, a Hamilton city councillor, says he was carded by police on Tuesday. (Photo: Facebook)
He has spoken out about police carding, which critics say disproportionately affects black men.
He told CBC's Metro Morning the fact that the incident happened in broad daylight shows that carding doesn't just happen "at 3 a.m. in a dark alley."
He asked listeners, "So my question is, 'What does a criminal look like?'"
"There's a lot loaded in that statement in terms of what people expect."
Carding not illegal yet
In March, the Ontario government outlined "clear and consistent" rules for police interaction, one of which says an officer must tell a people they have a right to not talk to them.
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Racial identity cannot be used as a reason to collect information from someone.
However, these rules won't come into effect until Jan. 1 of next year.
"It criminalizes innocent people, dehumanizing them and making them question their own place in their community." Matthew Green, Hamilton city councillor
Green told Global News he wants anyone who has been a victim of carding to also file a complaint to police, because otherwise people will continue to suggest the practice doesn't happen.
"It criminalizes innocent people, dehumanizing them and making them question their own place in their community, he said.
Read Green's complaint to Hamilton police below:
McDonald's is rolling out a new Chicken McNugget that it says "parents can feel good about."
The fast food chain began trying a new recipe for the menu item in its Washington and Oregon locations last month, Reuters reported.
The new McNuggets are mostly the same but they don't have any artificial preservatives.
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They're "still made with 100 per cent white meat chicken, no artificial flavours or colours," a spokesman told Fortune.
It's unclear whether the new McNuggets will be made available beyond those U.S. states.
The new McNuggets come after McDonald's announced last year it would no longer sell chicken that had been treated with antibiotics, Reuters said.
And it's not the only thing the chain is doing to reinvent itself.
Bigger Mac
McDonald's is also introducing both smaller and larger versions of its Big Mac burger.
It is already serving them in Ohio and Dallas but like the new McNuggets, there's no word on when they'll be available in Canadian restaurants.
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The McDonald's Big Mac. (Photo: Barcroft/Getty Images)
McDonald's is also installing its "Create Your Taste" program in 1,000 Canadian locations.
It allows diners to customize their own burgers, as well as order food at self-serve kiosks and enjoy table service.
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There have been a total of 23 elected prime ministers in Canada. Treaty 6 was signed Aug. 23, 1876 at Fort Carlton Saskatchewan. How do you intend to honour the promises your ancestors made with mine, exactly written in all the signed treaties across Canada, to make up and pay for the acts of genocide our ancestors were subject to long before and after the signing of Treaty 6?
And how do you, Justin, with all your politicians and representatives, plan to right the wrongs? The past 22 elected prime ministers have failed.
My ancestors helped you once in your time of need when they first came to this land, now Canada. Are we not considered Canadians as well? If we are, why do you allow the first people of this land to endure and live in Third World conditions?
bizoo_n via Getty Images Color shot of a young woman looking through a cardboard, a device with which one can experience virtual reality on a mobile phone.
This is going to be the future. For a few years, rumblings of Google Cardboard have become increasingly louder to the point that the New York Times recently gave it away free in a Sunday edition. A blue-chip newspaper is casting a huge bet in predicting the next big trend and they're looking not to today but banking on the future in two, five, 10 years down the road, paved by a hopefully younger reader.
Those younger eyes will the engage across generations with legacy readers and stay within the Times family across a diverse array of platforms -- it provides fantastic content too.
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There are few barriers to the technology, anyone that can download an app and put on a headset can take advantage of the simple instructions. When I gave it a run the first time around I was laughing out loud over how simple it is to visit Italy and walk through famous historic sites while traipsing around your house in boxers and sipping wine.
Tech-heads are leading the way with this technology and making increasingly accessible and interesting apps but they're not the only ones.
After a good five hours I handed it over to a woman in her 50s, who has been around the world in the fashion industry. Watching her smile light up within 10 seconds of seeing a street she had last walked down 30 years was one of the most powerful experiences I've had in the last five years.
Virtual reality has been around for decades in various iterations but this is the first time it feels real enough to make a grown woman grimace with a memory long lost but alive again. Cardboard is so easy to figure out that its uses extend far past the daily pastiche of just hopping to Ecuador for an afternoon or cruising down to Bonnaroo in a convertible. The connection it makes to someone in her 50s is the fascination a five-year-old feels every day. This is possible now, just imagine what it will be like with smell replicators and neuroprosthetics in five -- 10 years.
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Tech-heads are leading the way with this technology and making increasingly accessible and interesting apps but they're not the only ones. Dynamic rap group Run The Jewels recently launched their new music video Crown, if you can call it that in the traditional sense, on the New York Times VR App. Ten dollars spent on a cardboard headset and pairing it with your headphones is a truly immersive experience. Aside from Android, Facebook is slowly rolling out in-browser 360 videos and photos -- Jerry Seinfeld riding around in a car was a recent hit and fantastic showing of how easy it is to adopt the technology.
There have been a few truly disruptive social changes in the last number of years -- Instagram and Facebook are two monoliths that have changed the way people communicate online while Uber and Tesla aim to rip the last 100 years of North American cultural fabric in half within a decade. Cardboard and its brethren, Oculus and Vive, are at the forefront of humanity's next great disruptive change as 360 begins to extensively modify how we communicate with media and each other.
This is the virtual reality we've all longed for since Tron in the 80s. The fanfare hasn't been huge yet but the application of immersive virtual, live and augmented realities will usher in the next human cultural shift and it will happen faster than expected -- this is here now.
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Over the years I've heard many first-hand stories about entrepreneurs -- whether from people I've met at work, in my personal life or through travel experiences. I've always been impressed by their spirit, drive and willingness to take risks. I've also taken notice of the entrepreneurial drive that newcomers to Canada have.
I recently read that immigrants are officially leading Canadians in entrepreneurship, according to a newly released StatsCan study. It's the first to look at the business-ownership activities of immigrants and, among the findings, it shows that of those who arrived to Canada in 2000, 5.3 per cent of immigrant tax-filers owned a private business by 2010, versus 4.8 per cent in the non-immigrant comparison group.
Getting a business off the ground takes many long hours and hard work -- but as any entrepreneur knows, it doesn't end there. Small business owners assume many roles -- from manager of sales and marketing to finance, HR and more.
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The challenge can be finding time to manage these day-to-day operations and grow the business. The good news is today's entrepreneur has the advantage of evolving technology to help them gain better control of their finances and improve their operational efficiency.
Technology is reshaping the way entrepreneurs can enhance productivity, interact with customers and stay on top of their finances. Access to innovative and intuitive online and mobile applications is making it easier to make, collect and reconcile payments; sell products and services both at home and abroad; and communicate with new, existing and potential customers.
Managing time
In today's digitally driven environment there's little need for paper receipts and invoices. Digital solutions are making it possible to sign, send, receive and retrieve at the click of a button, and re-focusing time on what matters -- running the business. These solutions help business owners keep pace by enabling them to act and make decisions quickly.
A good online business banking program will give you the ability to easily access and manage your business finances and cash flow 24/7. With innovations such as mobile banking, busy owners can be productive while on the go by paying vendors or employees, managing cash flow and even filing taxes right from a smart phone.
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Strategies for growth
Technology can also provide access to new sales growth opportunities. Did you know that 87 per cent of Canadians are connected to the Internet and spend more than 34 hours per month shopping online? Despite the opportunity, 58 per cent of small businesses do not have a website. The product or service may be great, but it won't sell if it isn't easy for customers to buy, or worse, find online.
With the proliferation of tablets and smartphones Canadians have embraced online shopping, and 2015 saw a record 20 per cent growth of online sales year over year.
Canadians who shop online prefer making purchases from Canadian websites rather than American ones. This is a huge benefit and opportunity for entrepreneurs, as well as businesses with bricks and mortar companies, to sell online.
A consideration when planning to promote or sell your products and services online is deciding which payment types to offer. This will strongly depend on the payment methods your target customer likes to use. In addition to knowing your customers payment preferences, it is helpful to understand the payment solutions available to help maximize cash flow.
For example, web-based solutions and apps can instantly turn your tablet or smartphone into a payment terminal. Whether you're selling from a storefront, online or on the go, making it easy for customers to pay you is critical to avoid losing sales.
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Also important is selecting an online payment gateway that will help manage your transactions and receipts, and provide easy historical search.
Finally, you may want to look at a payment terminal that integrates with other important software such as customer relationship management (CRM), inventory management and accounting.
Another strategy for growth is trading globally. Many newcomers have the benefit of ties to other countries to grow their business by expanding geographically. If you're going to do business outside Canada consider opening a U.S. deposit account to protect yourself against a fluctuating dollar. This can allow you to pay suppliers and receive payments in U.S. dollars without having to worry about currency fluctuations.
Technology enhancements and advancements are helping simplify the lives of entrepreneurs. By streamlining day-to-day operations with the right tools that process transactions faster and easier for you, your partners and your customers, you'll be giving your business the best chance for success.
Which online tools have you found most helpful to manage your finances and grow your business?
Share your comments below or on Twitter @RBC_Canada.
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moodboard via Getty Images Excited young businesswoman with arms raised standing against office building
Riding a rollercoaster is one of the best metaphors for business (and life) I can think of. Unpredictable. Scary. Exhausting. Exhilarating. Interminable (at least it feels that way during the 90 seconds or so that you are in motion).
There is one key difference that ultimately determines success or failure. When you climb into a rollercoaster car, you relinquish full control. The safety apparatus comes down across your torso and you begin your ascent up an endless incline. Then come the ups and downs that seem to go on forever as you hang on tight.
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When you are in business, you can't always control the peaks and valleys, but you have the opportunity to control how you deal with those peaks and valleys, which can determine how your ride proceeds. You have a better chance of staying grounded than when riding a real rollercoaster such as Kingda Ka in New Jersey, which stands a dizzying 456 feet (139 m) tall.
Here are seven tips for staying grounded when riding the business rollercoaster.
#1: Have a contingency plan: Ensure that you have a business plan that contains contingency strategies to factor in external events beyond your control that could put stress on your business. These contingencies would help you adapt or tweak your approach to remain competitive in the face of advances in the marketplace, increase or reduce output to meet changing consumer responses to your product category, or withdraw your product from the marketplace in the event of negative category publicity or legislation that could damage your corporate brand.
#2: Celebrate the wins, big or small: Take your wins when you can and avoid worrying about unexpected future downturns that are beyond your control. Like being on a vacation, enjoy the sunny weather and don't fret about the possibility of storm clouds rolling in at the end of the week.
#3: Know the marketplace: Stay in close touch with your customers, prospects and competitors. As the philosopher Sun Tzu wrote in "The Art of War", "Keep your friends close but your enemies closer." Competitors need not be enemies -- staying on good and trusting terms with them can lead to surprising and mutually profitable partnering opportunities during sudden industry downturns -- or upturns.
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Where clients are concerned, take on clients who understand the value you provide and willingly pay a fair price for it. Work only with those clients who will wholeheartedly commit to a partnership relationship. Communicating frequently with your clients may sound intuitive, but in fact many business owners take their best clients for granted as they devote much of their time to searching for new ones with fresh challenges and new budgets to offer. Experience has shown that it is expensive to replace a client, unless you have lineups in your virtual (or bricks and mortar) reception area.
#4: Forecasting is just an estimation tool: Forecasting is not fool proof and no amount of industry information or past customer spending patterns can spell out the future. Always leave yourself some wiggle room -- literally. For example, smart freight handlers avoid 100% occupancy in their warehouses to avoid the "blow-up" effect. This happens when there's no room to bring in new freight and it's hard to get existing freight out. They have no choice but to add extra space, usually at a premium that will eat into profits.
#5: Know your business goals: If you're going to expand your business, ensure it reflects your business plan. Before taking on new business, make sure it's the kind of business or client with which you are comfortable. Be sure to think about the long-term prospects of the company's industry and assess its past performance and ability to meet its financial obligations.
#6: Don't make knee-jerk reaction decisions: When you feel it's necessary to scale down, do it for the right reasons versus out of temporary panic. You have built your business based on your talent and passion, just like building a machine with the right parts. You don't want to dismantle it unless you've done everything you can to find other ways to profitably use it.
#7: Communicate consistently: Finally, communicate frequently with your team and let them know precisely the type of clients you want to work with. Sharing this information is essential to the success of your business but also to retaining employees. Most are more likely to remain loyal to you and your business if they experience a trusting and collaborative approach that makes them feel valued than to financial compensation, even in down times. Research confirms that the biggest reason employees will remain with you on the roller coaster ride is that they receive clarity about the future of the company.
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Konstantin Kalishko via Getty Images iranian schoolgirls
Following the most recent terrorist attacks in Allah's name in Brussels and elsewhere, the debate surfaced again on the question of whether Islam, as we hear often, is a religion of peace. To answer this question, it is necessary to clarify what is meant by a peaceful Muslim: Is it enough when a Muslim distances himself from the Islamic State, even though he or she rejects the universal human rights such as freedom of religion and belief?
I will not be discussing this question from a theological point of view. Such an approach is unproductive. We can find in the Koran and hadiths both peaceful and violence verses. Instead, I will focus on the religion in terms of its actual social practice, to try to analyze the conditions in the countries where Muslims are the majority.
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Do tolerance and social peace prevail in Muslim-majority countries which enshrine "Islam" in law? Nowadays in most such countries, atheists, apostates and those who convert to another religion are persecuted.
According to the NGO International Humanist and Ethical Union, there are 13 countries where expressing atheism is punishable by the death penalty. What these countries have in common, despite their differences: Islam is the state religion.
Islamic extremism and terrorism cannot be fought effectively without raising the discussion within Muslim societies, and calling for an Islam of tolerance towards non-believers.
In a religion of peace, freedom of conscience and belief should be guaranteed to everyone. One could, if one did not know better, argue that it is the case with Islam. One might think for example that the problem is only with the laws of those countries, which do not reflect the actual will of Muslims.
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Unfortunately, the facts speak a different language. It is not a rare occurrence that angry mobs of Muslims flock through the streets to punish, vigilante-style, or demand punishment against those who are considered apostates or blasphemers.
In Mauritania, for example, in 2015 after the Friday prayers, a group of angry protesters demanded the death penalty for blogger Mohamed Ould Cheikh Mkheitir.
His offence? He dared to criticize slavery in Mauritania in an article, and argued that the Prophet and the traditional interpretation of Islam legitimize slavery.
Or in Bangladesh in 2013, the streets of the capital Dhaka filled with angry crowds demonstrating against atheists. Since then there have been several such rallies, and five bloggers were murdered in cold blood by fundamentalist jihadi Muslims. The bloggers had advocated for science and rationality, defended various minority groups and human rights, and sometimes criticized and satirized religion.
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According to a survey of Pew Forum 2013, a majority of Muslims supported the introduction of Islamic law, Shariah, in their respective countries: 84 per cent of Muslims in Pakistan, 83 per cent in Morocco and 74 per cent in Egypt.
The survey also brought to light that 84 per cent of surveyed Palestinians and 81 per cent of surveyed Egyptians were for the death penalty by stoning for adultery, while "only" 44 per cent of Tunisians agreed with that statement.
And as for the death penalty for apostates, it was supported in Egypt by a whopping majority of 86 per cent; in Tunisia, a sizeable minority of 29 per cent.
Such statistics speak clearly about Islam and Muslim societies. These intolerant and violent views that fly in the face of internationally agreed-upon human rights standards and which are denounced in the West, quite rightly, as "medieval" are the stuff of which the Islamic State is made.
The Islamic terror in Europe is, in fact, a reflection of the current mess in many parts of the Muslim world.
Islamic extremism and terrorism cannot be fought effectively without raising the discussion within Muslim societies, and calling for an Islam of tolerance towards non-believers.
Is Islam a religion of peace? It is a cop-out to assert that it is by referring to certain verses from here and there, or by distancing yourself from terror and its perpetrators. But those who blinker themselves so often have no problem with Shariah; they do not flinch at the idea of the death penalty and barbaric corporal punishments, such as public flogging, even for innocuous "crimes" such as being gay or leaving religion. The Islamic terror in Europe is, in fact, a reflection of the current mess in many parts of the Muslim world.
While we cannot find an adequate solution to this huge problem of widespread fundamentalism, we must call it like it is without fearing the anger of fundamentalists or cowering before labels such as "Islamophobe," spouted by regressive leftists and moderate Muslims who are too ashamed to admit the problems within their own religion.
Islam today, as it is enshrined in most Muslim countries and in the minds of far too many Muslims -- a clear majority in many countries -- is not a religion of peace, but a religion of oppression and intolerance.
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The National Day of Mourning sends "a strong message to all governments of their obligation and responsibility to strongly enforce health and safety laws and regulations," says Unifor, Canada's largest private-sector union, formerly the CAW.
There's a "serious lack of commitment," Unifor says of the provincial government, "to enforce the health and safety protections that we have fought for," so "unfortunately, the suffering continues." One of the hazardous dangers flagged by the union on its website notice is noise.
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Meanwhile, a new online petition targets Unifor for its failure to comply with provincial health and safety protections, specifically noise regulations.
Unifor owns and operates the controversial CAW Wind Turbine, located on its property in Port Elgin, Ontario on the shore of Lake Huron. The turbine began operation in 2013 to generate money for the union. At the time, the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) approved the turbine on the condition that the Union would conduct noise audits within the first two years of operation and provide MOE with the results.
Now, as the turbine begins its fourth year of operation, the tests and results are, at a minimum, two years late.
140 noise complaints prompted town council to pass a motion asking the CAW to honour President Ken Lewenza's commitment to shut down the turbine if it harmed residents.
MOE knew -- as did everyone else -- how important noise monitoring would be. Unifor's turbine is located just 210 metres from the nearest home, less than half of the 550-metre distance required by provincial noise regulations. MOE approved Unifor's turbine after the union had the community's zoning changed from a rural tourist/recreational classification to city semi-urban to allow for increased noise.
To further address noise levels, the union stated that its powerful 800kw turbine would operate at just 500kw (despite reduced revenue generation) and that it would self-monitor its operation. Since its startup, Unifor and MOE have received hundreds of noise complaints, day and night, from the nearly 200 families who live within the turbine's 550-metre radius. Still, the noise testing has not been done.
Back in 2013, during the turbine's first six months of operation, 140 noise complaints prompted town council to pass a motion asking the CAW to honour President Ken Lewenza's commitment to shut down the turbine if it harmed residents. The union dismissed the request.
In the turbine's second year of operation, the district MOE office asked the union to hire an independent acoustic consultant, conduct tests to determine if the turbine is exceeding ministry standards, and provide the results to the ministry. The test results have still not been received.
In the turbine's third year of operation, town council asked Unifor and MOE to meet and discuss the community's ongoing noise problems plus documents (obtained through a Freedom of Information request) that reveal incidents where the turbine's noise exceeded government standards. Unifor declined to attend.
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Unifor's turbine is now in its fourth year of operation without the required tests showing proof of compliance. Nearby residents have even tried to conduct their own professional tests. But their efforts have been thwarted by MOE guidelines that require Unifor's participation. So, the families continue to suffer from the turbine's noise. And both Unifor and MOE are well aware.
The families hope their petition will generate enough public pressure to force Glen Murray, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, to enforce the noise tests and result in Unifor doing them. So far, nothing else has worked.
Will the union-promoted National Day of Mourning convince the provincial government to enforce legislation that protects health and safety? If so, what will it take to convince Unifor to comply?
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BerSonnE via Getty Images Vector illustration of Child head with education icons
As young people enter an increasingly over-credentialed job market, new forms of qualifications and ways of acquiring them are beginning to gain traction in an increasingly competitive environment. This not only helps candidates better market themselves, but also helps meet the emerging skills required in a vastly changing career landscape.
Recently, I worked with foresight strategists from innovation firm Idea Couture to look at some of the emerging trends in careers and learning; while many are in incubation, they have potential to augment the traditional path from postsecondary education, to job preparedness and job entry.
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Here are some of the big trends to keep an eye on:
The College Sabbatical
An extension of the traditional internship program, but applied to postsecondary education. One example is the Thiel Fellowship, created by Peter Thiel through the Thiel Foundation. This program entails a sabbatical from college for 20 bright young minds to embark on a two-year mission to solve the future. Each year the foundation selects potential candidates and awards them $100,000 to drop out of college and pursue their passion. For participants, it is an opportunity to collaborate with other entrepreneurial minds and execute on meaningful projects. Thiel is a trendsetter when it comes to questioning the education bubble resulting in a movement to explore unconventional learning paths.
Hackathons
Tech recruitment today may involve hackathons where participants are placed in an environment that fosters rapid prototyping, quick learning and iteration. Programmers can work collaboratively to build products, allowing them to show off their creativity and programming skills. Companies are discovering that not only are corporate funded hackathons a way to quickly develop new technologies, they are also a legitimate means to recruit new employees.
Digital Recognition
Much like the badges on a Girl Guide uniform, digital badges are an example of the gamification of learning, whereby game mechanics are used to help promote learning and verify your achievement story to potential employers. The Mozilla Foundation took this concept to a new level when they introduced Mozilla Open Badges. The system acts as a digital recognizer of real-world achievements and skills learned, allowing any organization to create, issue and receive digital badges. You can combine badges that build out a fuller skill competency story. This opens up opportunities to learn anywhere and receive recognition.
Personalized Learning
While not a new concept, the idea is to provide students a degree of choice about learning rather than just standard curricula. One example is iTalki; an online platform that enables language students to browse teacher profiles to find the one that best fits their needs and learning style. Students and teachers connect and discuss what their goals are which informs a highly personalized learning plan and schedule. Concepts like iTalki are breaking traditional classroom boundaries, making personalized learning more accessible.
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The referral economy
Social media is making it easier to broaden professional networks and reach out to influencers. The referral economy is a term used to describe the growing trend of strangers leveraging one another for career expertise. This 'Uber-fication' of career advice reflects the same behaviours that fuel the sharing economy -- trusting strangers to help one another in novel new ways. One example is Ten Thousand coffees. It aims to connect students, recent grads and young professionals with industry leaders over a cup of coffee.
Recognizing that there was a gap between required skills and current education curriculum, the company I work for also sponsors a nationwide competition called the CST Learning Project, encouraging innovative learning ideas. Together with the incubation of new ways of gaining skills coupled with funding innovative learning experiences, we can help our children better prepare for what is undoubtedly very exciting future landscape.
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Many of us downtown Toronto latte-drinking (or in my case, espresso or cappuccino, depending on the time of day, of course) types have been cringing about the federal NDP's Leap Manifesto.
While it is true that Starbucks and other purveyors of high-priced caffeine are as numerous in downtown Toronto as dandelions on our herbicide-free lawns, the same can be said about many big cities, including Calgary and Edmonton.
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It was hurtful when we meek downtown Toronto types were blamed by many pundits and journalists as being responsible for the tone-deaf Leap Manifesto when it was released at the recent NDP Convention in Edmonton. Oh yes, we were also called dilettantes. Ouch!
It is ridiculous to say that somehow the co-authors of the manifesto reflect the views of our city.
While I can't argue that many in Toronto don't enjoy a premium latte, I will argue that it is ridiculous to say that somehow the co-authors of the manifesto reflect the views of our city.
Author Naomi Klein (most famously for This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate) and filmmaker hubby Avi Lewis (most famously for the film documentary This Changes Everything, done in partnership with Klein, as well as much CBC work) may be dilettantes for all I know, but they speak for their own view of the world and not for the city.
In fact, despite common misconceptions by the rest of Canada, the NDP does not own Toronto.
The NDP, combining both the provincial and federal legislatures, hold just two ridings in the 416, or 'The 6' as Drake calls it (more cringingly). Voters in The 6 (ugh!) understand that dilettante policies are no replacement for jobs. Sure, we care about the environment, but we don't all ride our bikes to work. I guess if we did, the bicycle industry would applaud, but it sure wouldn't be practical for all of us.
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By the way, Klein and Lewis don't even own the NDP.
Many NDP politicos and supporters take a more balanced and job-friendly view of the world than that proposed under the "Latte" Manifesto, as I'll now refer to it. Just ask Alberta Premier Rachel Notley how she takes her coffee.
Despite common misconceptions by the rest of Canada, the NDP does not own Toronto.
Toronto is the home of the largest number of corporate head offices in Canada and is the centre of our financial industry. Yeah, yeah, I know. Those finance folks sure love their fancy coffee, not to mention bespoke suits and artisanal food. Leap Manifestos? Not so much. This is true even when the manifestos come in Chai flavour. I have to say that I rarely hear anti-capitalist Leap-type chatter as I sip my skinny grande cappuccino.
Does your local bar have a Tinder policy?
Tell the owner about Brickyard Bar in St. Albans, United Kingdom. This bar encourages women to alert bar staff if their dates make them feel unsafe or if they receive unwanted attention from other customers. The sign posted in the women's washroom reads: "Your safety and happiness is our highest priority." Not surprisingly, support for this policy has reverberated across the Atlantic.
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A social media post from YWCA Toronto, my workplace, featured an image of the policy. It went viral. Ten thousand liked and shared it on Facebook and Twitter.
Women commented: "More bars should do this."
"Where was this when I needed it?"
"Which bar was this posted at -- I would love to support them!"
My colleague had the unenviable task of informing followers that the bar is not local. But our shared hope is that this policy will be replicated by businesses in Toronto and beyond.
Consent is our law, but it is not our culture. Many hold deep-rooted attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate sexual violence.
Sexual violence and harassment -- and the misogyny that underpins them -- remain pervasive in our society. Consent is our law, but it is not our culture. Many hold deep-rooted attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate sexual violence. And there continues to be a focus on "What did she do, wear, say or act like?" rather than "What is consent and why do some men harass and assault women?"
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The Ontario government's Who Will You Help campaign on bystander intervention has strong support from all parties in the legislature and from the public.
The ad campaign is powerful because it touches on very real and recognizable scenarios where sexual harassment and violence can occur, including at bars, restaurants and clubs. It encourages individuals to intervene safely and effectively.
We all have a role in preventing sexual violence and harassment -- including businesses.
Some are already doing this work. At my local bar, the owner encourages customers to tell her if we experience harassment so she can intervene. Making that policy visible is an additional step that can -- and should -- be taken to create safer and more welcoming environments for customers, especially women.
The phenomenal support they have received should signal to Canadian counterparts that strong policies on women's safety are good for business.
And not only customers need safety and support. Equally important is the treatment of women workers who dominate the service industry. CBC Marketplace recently profiled hyper-sexualized dress codes at Canada's top restaurant chains.
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I loved the response from Union 613, a restaurant in Ottawa, which made headlines when male servers donned miniskirts and high heels to highlight the sexist double standard. Women workers should not be forced to dress provocatively at work.
Given the precarious nature of most service jobs -- temporary or part-time, no benefits or sick time -- workers are vulnerable to reprisals if they speak out or push for changes. We must all advocate for fair employment practices and strategies to end precarious employment.
Kudos to the team at Brickyard Bar for improving women's safety. The phenomenal support they have received should signal to Canadian counterparts that strong policies on women's safety are good for business. My only advice: move the sign to a location where everyone can read and heed it!
By Etana Cain, Senior Advocacy and Communications Officer at YWCA Toronto
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A matching stem cell donor has been found for the 24-year-old Londonstudent whose fight with blood cancer inspired more than 20,000 people to register to donate in just under a month.
Lara Casalotti shared her good news in a video, above, saying: "I'm very excited to tell you some great news, a well-matching donor has been found.
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"If all goes to plan I will go to transplant soon. It's amazing to think this person is the one in 25 million."
Lara announcing her matching donor had been found
She continues: "Thanks to everyone's efforts, there are lots of donor drives still planned - I urge everyone to go to these drives and sign up.
"There are still plenty of people who are waiting to find their donor."
In January, people desperately tried to find a stem cell donor to help Lara using the hashtag #Match4Lara, after she developed acute myeloid leukaemia at Christmas whilst visiting Thailand.
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Casalotti during her intensive chemotherapy
As Lara is Thai-Italian, she faced a needle in a haystack search as only three per cent of stem cell donors are mixed race.
The flood of new test subjects has also improved the chances for others awaiting matching cells.
Lara Casalotti was diagnosed with leukaemia at Christmas last year
Laras mother Supanya said: As a mum, I feel pure relief as we knew that the odds were stacked against Lara. Whoever the donor is, they will never, ever know how grateful I am. The transplant is still a few weeks away and I wish I could wrap them in cotton wool to keep them safe!
We know we have a long road ahead as a transplant is an extremely serious procedure, but knowing there is a good match for Lara is a weight off our shoulders that we desperately needed.
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The #Match4Lara appeal has been backed by thousands of friends, strangers and celebrities including J.K. Rowling, David Cameron, Gareth Bale, Stephen Fry and Mark Wahlberg.
What is a stem cell transplant? If a patient has a condition that affects their bone marrow or blood, a stem cell transplant is their best chance of survival. Doctors will give new, healthy stem cells to the patient via their bloodstream, where they begin to grow and create healthy red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
In the UK, the Anthony Nolan Trust saw an unprecedented spike of new donors from black, Asian, ethnic minority or mixed race backgrounds.
At the campaigns peak, more than 50 percent of those signing up to the register were from BAME backgrounds, the highest proportion ever seen by the charity.
Lara, who is studying for a Masters in global migration at UCL, will now proceed to the next stage of the transplant process.
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Ann OLeary, Head of Register Development at Anthony Nolan, said: Were over the moon that weve been able to find a suitable donor for Lara and that shes now able to begin her transplant journey.
The five things you need to know on Wednesday April 27, 2016
1) JUSTICE FOR THE 96
There will be a sombre mood at PMQs today, ahead of the Hillsborough statement by Theresa May at 12.30pm. Junior doctors, Brexit and other issues may of course crop up but the historic jury verdict will overshadow proceedings.
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The Home Secretary will be careful to warn that there is a current investigation into the polices conduct and we may not get anything concrete in terms of Government policy as a result. Yet it will still be a big Parliamentary moment, and a chance for MPs who have fought for so long to air the families case once more.
In the Lords, which will also have a Hillsborough statement, keep an eye on ex-Sheffield MP David Blunkett and on Michael Wills, who has been pushing a Private Members Bill on the need for a public advocate in future similar cases. Michael Gove is said to be receptive.
Hillsborough dominates the front pages of most national newspapers, although it is the Sheffield Stars blacked out front page (Sheffield in the Dock ) that moves the story on to the next battle for the police to answer for their actions. The Liverpool Echos Angels and Demons was yet more proof of how vibrant our local papers can be, despite years of shrinkage.
Only the Sun and the Times failed to put Hillsborough on their front pages, omissions which led to a backlash online (its worth pointing out the Times changed its second edition to include a picture of the families), even though both had extensive coverage on inside pages.
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On the Sky paper review, Sun political editor Tom Newton Dunn said: Every single person who works on the Sun shudders with horror and embarrassment. It was the worst thing we ever did as a newspaper, it was our worst day, our deepest shame. As for the continuing criticism of the paper, he said: Yet another story 'No apology from the Sun' - I don't think it should all be about the Sun - it was not us who committed Hillsborough..."
The Sun leader article showed how contrite it was over its infamous 'The Truth' front page. But one person who was unrepentant about his views on Hillsborough was former leading London Tory Brian Coleman. The ex London Assembly chairman and head of the London Fire Authority tweeted within minutes of the inquest that its verdict was pointless, that accidents happen and people need to move on. Coleman was kicked out of the party three years ago and a Tory source tells me his remarks are deeply offensive and disrespectful.
2) UNION DUES
Because of the obvious need to focus on Hillsborough, the first ever all-out junior doctors strike got less media coverage than it would have. That pattern will continue today too. With nearly 80% turnout, the support for the strike was clearly very strong and its difficult to see a way out of the impasse.
As one junior doctor put it on Newsnight, he was replaced by four consultants on his ward, and reports are coming back that the level of staffing was higher than its been in years in some areas. Combine that with some patients staying away and the worst-case scenarios seem to have been avoided. Yet its hard to see what the BMA does next. Another round of similar strikes? With less notice? Neither Jeremy Hunt nor No.10 (who were not exactly on the same page about the miners spin strategies yesterday) are in the mood to cave.
Politically, Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell surprised some of their MPs by appearing on the march to the Department of Health. With the Shadow Cabinet nervous about Labour being seen to explicitly back the strike, the leader and his Shadow Chancellor made a deliberate decision to back the doctors. So instead of appearing on the picket line, they joined the march - which started just after the action was suspended at 5pm.
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But union rights are in the spotlight again today after BIS yesterday published yet further concessions (on e-voting and transition times) on the Trade Union Bill. With time running out for this Parliamentary session, the changes are designed to chip away at Lords opposition (MPs vote today on Lords amendments and it will come back next week to the red benches). When I asked about more scope for concessions, No.10 pointed out the bill it is not yet on the statute book.
I understand yet more changes will take place should the Lords stick to their strongest demands next week. Government (and senior Labour) sources insist this is nothing to do with worries about union backing in the EU referendum and everything to do with facing an anti-Tory majority in the Lords.
Meanwhile, the Sun reports that Zac Goldsmith has vowed to stand up to the Tube unions (not something Boris has ever done in reality, mutter some in the Treasury). He says he will scrap a free ticket scheme for TfL staff relatives and spend it on more transport cops.
3) FALL OF THE SHAH
Naz Shahs two-year-old Facebook post calling for Israel to be relocated to the US laid bare just the kind of casual, reflexive anti-Israeli attitudes among many in her Bradford constituency. It was a direct hit for Guido Fawkes website and Labour were swift to strip her of her post of PPS to John McDonnell.
Last night Bradford Synagogue tweeted that Whatever her views in the past @NazShahBfd has been a good friend to Bradford's Jews and to the shul. But it will be hard to shrug off this row that simply.
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And theres another problem looming, which is that Shah is on the Home Affairs Committee, which is inquiring into anti-semitism. The Guardian reports Jonathan Sacerdoti, director of communications at the Campaign Against Antisemitism, saying: If Naz Shah remains on the committee it will be hard for those of us giving evidence to take the inquiry seriously. Will she recuse herself from the inquiry, a step that would be excruciatingly embarrassing, or just step down completely from the committee?
I suspect supporters of Shah, including some Corbyn supporters, will again claim that this is not about anti-Jewish conduct but anti-Zionism. Yet the problem is not just that Labour policy is to back the existence of the state of Israel, its the way anti-Israel sentiment can curdle in to a darker, more insidious suggestion that Jews are behind some kind of global media and political conspiracy. Jonathan Freedland put it well last month when he questioned why the hatred of Israel on the Left was so intense, unmatched by the animus directed at any other state.
Many in Labour are simply appalled at the trashing thats taken place of the partys record on anti-semitism. Lord Dubs, whose father was Jewish, has been leading the way on the child refugee bill this week (there was another Government defeat last night). Lord Mendelsohn has fought hard to change the trade union bill. Those are the kind of voices the party needs to reassure an increasingly worried Jewish Labour vote.
BECAUSE YOUVE READ THIS FAR
Donald Trump claimed the only thing Hillary Clinton has is the womans card. But watch Chris Christies wifes grimace as he says it.
4) GROUP TEXT SESSION
Hillsborough and the doctors strike have switched focus away from the seemingly never-ending referendum, but dont be fooled: the EU is rarely far away at Westminster. The Sun has a front page scoop on No.10 using a WhatsApp messaging system to avoid scrutiny of secret Remain campaign plans. The encrypted texts have upset the Brexiteers because they claim important decisions wont be subject to civil service transparency or record-keeping.
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Vote Leaves Matthew Elliott (who is in trouble with the Treasury select for failing to give evidence before it) says the secretive messaging may even be illegal. One intriguing line in the Sun story is that the Chancellors spokesman refused to say if he was part of the WhatsApp group. Theres also a suggestion a similar system was used before the last general election.
Meanwhile, the blue-on-blue action continues, with Michael Goves MoJ snubbing Theresa Mays call to quit the ECHR. No.10 said that no one should overstate the differences between the PM and Mrs May on this, but it did admit those difference existed. In normal times, this big split on a major policy would be bigger news.
The Be-Leavers had some more ammo on migration overnight though, with Migration Watch claiming an extra 50,000 immigrants had slipped into the UK uncounted by official figures. The ONS admitted in committee yesterday we dont know exactly how many foreign nationals Iive and work in the UK.
5) AIR WAR
A new report from the Efra Select Committee warns today that air pollution in the UK is a public health emergency. Its Tory chair Neil Parish recognises this is an issue that has rapidly risen up the political agenda, ranging from hard-edged consumer issues such as scrappage schemes for dirty diesel vehicles to the awful data showing pollution causes 40,000-50,000 early deaths a year.
The cross-party report says its time to give dozens of cities which currently suffer illegal levels of air pollution much stronger powers to deter polluting vehicles with charges. With court cases in the background, theres also a behind the scenes battle between departments like DECC and DEFRA that want to do more, and the more cautious Treasury and Cabinet Office. We have more on this today.
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And speaking of the Cabinet Office, theres one nugget in the report today: the inter-ministerial clean growth committee - chaired by Oliver Letwin and created in November at the PMs request - doesnt publish minutes, action plans or outcomes. It says he has to report to Parliament by July 21. Will he respond in Cabinet Office Questions?
Meanwhile, Adair Turner is launching a new report from the Energy Transition Commission, a gathering of politicos like Al Gore and experts like Lord Stern, as well as energy firm chiefs, to find concrete ways to hit Paris targets.
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Like the other five million listeners to BBC Radio Four's "The Archers", I am gripped by the storyline which recently saw abused wife Helen stab her husband Rob Titchener, without doubt the worst drama villain in recent years.
Once we learned that he'd survived, the next development was discovering that evil Rob had been given a stoma while he recovers from his life-saving bowel surgery. Archers' fans rejoiced; it seemed that apart from dying, being given a stoma was apparently the worst thing that could happen to this loathsome character. He is probably the first leading character in a prime show to be so afflicted.
More than 120,000 people in the UK - around 1 in 500 - have stomas, yet for a country seemingly obsessed with lavatory humour, it is something that is rarely discussed in public. Type "celebrities with colostomy bags" into a search engine and hardly any familiar name comes up. Bethany Townsend, a brave Crohn's disease sufferer posted pictures of herself in a bikini with her colostomy bag and received widespread praise, but it has not encouraged others to follow suit. Journalist George Alagiah's wife outed him as a bag wearer last month. Perhaps he would have preferred to stay in the shadows.
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Archers' listeners were quick to highlight the opportunities for misery and indignity that Rob Titchener would now endure with his stoma. The public perception of stomas is that having a bag is thoroughly life-limiting and prohibits all normal activities. And until a few months ago I shared that view - if I even thought about it at all. But then a close friend was fitted with a temporary ileostomy for their small bowel (I'd never heard the word "ileostomy" before - only "colostomy" which, it transpires, is only for the large bowel). And confiding my worries to a work colleague, she revealed that she, too, had an ileostomy for a few years. Another older friend admitted she now had a permanent "Bag for Life" after bowel cancer surgery. It's like being a member of a large club to which no-one really wants to belong.
I've since learned that people with stoma bags manage a thoroughly normal life. It certainly requires discipline and "bag management", but work, travel, sport, swimming and yes, even sex, are all possible. But unless a bag is particularly "gurgly" or "farty", everyone else will be unaware that someone is wearing one.
That brings me back to "The Archers". Fans of the programme follow it on social media as part of a giant "Tweetalong". On 19th April, while applauding the success of a Twitter campaign for Refuge, inspired by the same Helen-Rob domestic abuse storyline, another listener tweeted "if only Rob were a nice person there would be a campaign for stoma awareness". But stomas don't just happen to bad people and so I was inspired to set up a fundraising campaign for the Colostomy Association to support the other 119,999 people in the UK with stomas.
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My friends have been lucky that they have access to brilliant stoma care teams at London's Chelsea & Westminster and Kingston Hospitals. There are also stoma supply companies such as Fittleworth, whose home delivery service rivals Amazon in terms of efficiency. But for people without such easy access to specialist nurses, the Colostomy Association provides a lifeline.
The Trade Union Bill is a radically destructive piece of legislation, and should complete its progress through parliament this week. Its journey took a dramatic twist recently when the House of Lords surprisingly become a last bastion of workers' rights, with the Lords voting through some amendments which will curtail the proposed changes. Unfortunately, though, it's a case of rearranging lifeboats on the Titanic. The main body of this Bill will be a devastating blow to the bargaining power of workers, and the ability of trade unions to enforce those powers.
The Lords' amendments centred on processes: blocking the abolishment of check-off in the public sector (the process of paying union dues through your wages) and restrictions on opt-out political levies by trade unions (unsurprising that the Lords opposed this, given the number of Labour cronies in there and the fact that the party stands to lose up to 8 million per year from the changes).
They also gave firm opposition to the proposals that Government ministers will be able to interfere if they think public sector workers are allowed too much time to pursue trade union activities, for which I am eternally grateful. As the SNP's spokesperson for civil liberties, I am aghast at the thought of all public sector organisations being subject to the Tories' idea of what is enough union time. I suspect that this full-scale assault on workers' rights will not be enough for some of those on the Government benches and they have no intention of stopping until they are the masters of their own wee constituency poor houses.
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These amendments are no real buffer to the main content of the bill, even if we assume they are not overturned in the House of Commons on Wednesday. It will introduce a 50% turnout requirement for industrial action ballots, and a further 40% 'Yes' vote for public sector workers. With these sorts of requirements placed on unions it'd be unlikely that action such as this week's junior doctors' strike would be able to happen at all. The bill also puts onerous pressure on trade unions to report large amounts of information to employers, or risk losing their legal protections.
Let's be clear on this - if a trade union loses its legal protections, its workers lose their legal protections. If a worker takes part in a strike and all of these issues of minutiae are not fulfilled by their trade union, they are liable to be dismissed. I have no doubt in my mind that the entire driving force behind this bill is to make it so complicated and so risky to threaten industrial action that people will simply not dare chance it. They will not dare stand up for their rights.
Trade Union membership is positively associated with higher wages, better working conditions, and more prosperous economies. Civil liberties and human rights are threatened by this bill, and when we stop to consider for a second that there might not even be any real economic benefit to treating workers like this, what conclusion can we arrive at?
Professor Keith Ewing of Kings College London describes the bill as the Government enforcing 'a living death by a thousand cuts' to trade unions, only stopping short of banning them altogether. I'd be inclined to agree with him. When we look at the backdrop to this soon-to-be act of parliament, in a country with no written constitution, and an unelected chamber of Government, it is a particularly cynical move to threaten the politicised voices of the working class. Our only real protection from this regressive bill is the UK's commitment to human rights, which is becoming gradually weaker and may soon be threatened with extinction altogether, with the proposed scrapping of the Human Rights Act.
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Racist City Employees Are on Notice, and 9 Other Greater Cincinnati News Stories You May Have Missed This Week
Catch up on local government, politics, sports, celeb sightings and Halloween fun.
Just as Ikea has started stocking solar panels in its UK stores, Saudi Arabia has announced a modest 9.5 gigawatt renewable energy target, part of its 2030 Vision initiative to move its economy away from oil. This target is not its first. The country had mischievously announced a 74.5 billion solar investment plan in 2012 with no follow-up or deployment whatsoever.
What is likely to happen this time?
At the Paris Climate talks in November and December 2015, Saudi Arabia was quite transparent in its failed efforts to sabotage a climate agreement.
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A few months before, at a gathering in May 2015 convened by the French government ahead of the Paris climate talks, Saudi Arabia's oil minister was asked about his country's strategy after the end of the oil era. His answer: We will keep exporting energy, except it will be solar power which we will sell to the world.
The two contrasting Saudi positions make perfect sense.
In the short term, Saudi wants to block meaningful action on climate change because its oil revenues underpin its rulers' mandate to rule, via generous welfare and energy subsidies.
In the medium and long-term, however, thoughtful Saudis understand that the end of the age of oil is near - and the beginning of the end is with us now.
In the interim, Saudi acts as if it were blissfully unaware of the security threats it faces because of climate change.
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For example, according to a study in the journal Nature Climate Change, the Gulf Region (Saudi, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Yemen) will suffer greatly from global warming, with the potential for the region to sink into heatwaves that are beyond the limit of human survival.
Meanwhile, 4,000 miles away at the other end of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, something special is going on in Ouarzazate, Morocco's famed "door of the desert" berber city. Morocco is building there mega-solar plants that will play a key role in providing power to 1 million people, as well as in ensuring Morocco generates approximately 50 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
Clean Energy Century
In the MENA region, it's clear that clean energy, especially solar power, could have the same impact in the twenty first century that oil production had in the twentieth. The potential for solar power from the desert has been very well understood at least since German scientist Gerhard Knies calculated in 1986 that desert sun can easily power the world, provided the energy can be transported closer to where it's needed.
But the MENA countries with the greatest deserts of all, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Libya and others, ignored this potential.
Thirty years later, at the 2015 Paris climate talks, 195 countries (Saudi Arabia and Algeria among them) set themselves on a low-carbon path via economy-wide plans sure to be developed and strengthened every year.
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We can therefore expect solar power and other forms of clean energy to continue their onward march. These already quasi-monopolise additions to electricity supply worldwide. Order books for new clean energy power plants are up sharply in the United States, China, India, as well as in the developing economies of Africa and Latin America. And when even Ikea has joined the bandwagon, it's clear that solar power has gone mainstream for consumers as well.
Clean Energy in the Middle East
Meanwhile, the clean energy picture in MENA is appalling.
Working against their best interests, oil producing countries are perpetuating fossil fuel subsidies without developing their clean energy sector - while non-oil producing countries are not pushing hard enough, with the notable exception of Morocco. Economy-wide targets for renewables as a percent of their total electricity markets range from a high of 42 per cent in Morocco by 2020, to zero in Qatar, Kuwait and until today, Saudi Arabia.
Indeed Saudi, the region's largest economy, had 17 megawatts of installed renewables capacity in 2014, a ridiculously insignificant number. To put that in context, world solar capacity topped 200 gigawatts in 2015 and is expected to reach 321 gigawatts by the end of 2016.
Perhaps it is possible to be optimistic about a pivot to clean energy in the Middle East. The region certainly benefits from a strongly enabling environment: budgets stretched by oil and gas imports in non-oil producing countries; enormous waste of potential exports in oil-producing countries because of production diverted to subsidised domestic use (Saudi Arabia for example burned nearly 900,000 barrels of oil a month in the summer of 2014 to meet domestic electricity demand which could have easily been met with solar power, resulting in this oil being exported instead of given away domestically essentially for free); and abundant free sun and wind across the region.
CitizenM was founded by the ex-owner/CEO of fashion company MEXX, Rattan Chadha. Mr Chadha was struck by the uninspiring nature of hotel accommodation for his 150-strong design team as they travelled around the world researching fashion trends and visiting suppliers. His young dynamic design team were travelling on strict budgets and staying in traditional hotels that left them out of budget and uninspired. That's when the concept of citizenM was born. Robin Chadha explains the light bulb moment that led his father Rattan to ask himself why the hotel industry hadn't been reinvented. Why didn't it reflect global citizens who lead dynamic lives? Further inspiration for the concept of providing affordable luxury for global citizens was in the form of H&M's collaborations with luxury designers like Karl Lagerfeld.
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Karl Lagerfeld for H&M
The founder and his team came up with a list of frustrations around the hotel experience (pre 2008, when the first citizenM hotel launched in Amsterdam) which included queuing for check in and check out, filling in the same paperwork every stay, the impersonal nature of a big check-in desk, the restricted restaurant hours ... the list went on. Why wasn't the hotel experience more customer driven?
Enter CitizenM, where technology and design have facilitated a 5 star hotel model in terms of comfort (the bed and shower are second-to-none) with pruning of unnecessary costs (a streamlined 24 hour canteen in favour of a heavily staffed restaurant) and self check-in. The practical rooms, as mentioned below, are clever pods that were built modular and off-site, meaning a cost effective build and efficient use of hotel space. The pods are complimented brilliantly by the enormous and welcoming social hubs for drinking, reading, watching TV, sitting by the fire or catching up with friends.
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Arriving at CitizenM Rotterdam feels like embarking on an adventure. The wooden spiral staircase feels like a modern day entrance to the coolest cubby house you've never seen. We checked ourselves in at the landing level which welcomes in the harbour via vast glass panels. Glance left and there's a sofa-surrounded fire place. Glance right and there's a buzzing bar.
In between are some cool shelves, a red ceramic glazed gnome and few other oddities and trinkets. There's no fuss here. We're greeted in a non-pretentious and fun way - it's more of a chat than a check-in. The room's no fuss too. Our harbour view suits us just fine. Welcome Citizen Roberts indeed!
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The accommodations are like a pod. The fun cubby house vibe continues and I unpack in an instant so I can check out the tech. The blazing sun across the sofas makes breakfast a two hour affair. Yep, there's loads to see in Rotterdam. My list of must-sees is long. I'm just too relaxed to move. Faced with a book shelf full of interesting reads it's not until hours later that I venture back to my pod - where I make the mistake of launching on to the way too comfortable bed and indulging in the hundreds of channels on TV. Maybe I should watch a film? Trapped again, I'm typing away here at long after 2pm and feeling plenty chilled and comfy. Everything's at the touch of an iPad. The LED mood-coded lights, the room temperature, the curtains and blinds. It's all touch screen simple and feels like a home away from home. It suits me. It's my ideal hotel, because it feels nothing like one.
The bed dominates the room, which is a haven for intense chilling out. The button operated curtain and blind mean barely moving to get just the right amount of light and let the view in from the harbour side courtyard.
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Delving a little deeper into the tech and design behind Citizen M, Robin explains that the hotels, which are all identical in terms of IT infrastructure, have a central Dashboard at the HQ near Amsterdam powered by a piece of proprietary software collating data from all the hotels. If the lights aren't working in room 303 at the Rotterdam hotel, they - and the smartphone-enabled staff - know about it. Faults are coded according to importance. If there's a problem with a shower the hotel staff (aka Ambassadors) know about it and are probably actioning a fix before it's even registered with the guest. The iPad that is the central control panel for the room is out of battery? It's flagged on the dashboard, but not urgent - in all likelihood the guest is happy to sort this one out, but if they can't, CitizenM is informed and ready to respond. CitizenM's hotels that are customer driven and responsive and I find myself asking the same question as Rattan Chadha pre-2008 - Why hadn't the hotel industry been reinvented?
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The team behind the CitizenM hotels includes Robin Chadha, Michael Levie (COO), Nick Price (IT) and Concrete Architects, whose modular room design is shown above.
My discussion with Robin rounds off with a view into what's on the horizon. A bulging list of new CitizenM Hotel locations over the coming years includes the Tower of London (July 2016), Shoreditch (September 2016) and London St Pauls (2019). Other locations include The Bowery, New York (2017) and Taipei and Shanghai through their joint venture with Shuntak.
The fact that we citizens of the world are increasingly global is undisputed. The centrality of customers to product and service industries and their increasingly consumer-led business models is also irrefutable. CitizenM fits perfectly, as you would expect from any fashion entrepreneur worth his (sartorial) salt.
First published on Techstyler.fashion
So far the referendum campaigns seem to have focused a lot on intra-Conservative divisions, as Cameron and Osborne line up against Gove and Johnson. Veterans of Tory European fights of the last quarter century have re-emerged pitted against each other for one last EU battle. Rather less has been seen or heard of Labour. Until today. The intervention of Frank Field, one of just a handful of anti-EU Labour MPs, highlights some problems at the heart of Labour.
Traditionally the more sceptical of the two main parties, Labour underwent a damascene conversion in the late 1980s, after the 1983 'longest suicide note in history' manifesto in which the party pledged to leave the EU. The EU changed and so did the attitudes of most of the Labour Party - but not Mr Field's.
From a predominantly market-focused entity the EU began to focus on things that matter to the Left. The introduction of European social policy, enhancing the rights enjoyed by UK citizens at a time when the Labour Party could achieve nothing in Westminster, ensured newfound Labour support for the EU.
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Most of the newer intakes of Labour politicians were won over and Labour moved towards pro-Europeanism. A position the Liberal Democrats have long held as the most united party on the EU, often standing up for the EU when others step back. We know that as part of the EU, the UK is able to trade freely, benefiting from the single market, which allows workers, holidaymakers and pensions to travel freely. And this is the position that Jeremy Corbyn has now acknowledged: the UK is better in the EU where it has influence than on the outside.
Leaving the EU would be bad for workers in so many ways. The economic uncertainly that followed a Leave vote means there would undoubtedly be job losses and lower wages. This would not help traditional Labour voters or anyone else.
But, Field argues, at least leaving offers a way we can manage migration. Perhaps - up to a point. But remind us who works in our NHS? Many, many EU nationals help ensure the smooth running of it. And if we impose visas restrictions on EU nationals, do we really think our erstwhile partners would not respond in kind?
Frank Field would do well to take a leaf out of Jeremy Corbyn's book. He should look at the EU of the 21st Century not the 1970s. Corbyn has changed his position, he has come around to the ideas that the Liberal Democrats have long been extolling. The current EU is good for the UK; not only that it's good for traditional Labour voters - something Corbyn has come to realise.
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1. What vaccines are available free on the NHS?
The vaccines available depend on your child's age and are aimed at the groups that need them the most. There's a handy vaccine calculator on the NHS Choices website to help you work out which vaccinations your child should have and when.
2. Is it safe for babies and children to have several vaccines at once - do vaccines 'overload' their immune system?
Giving your child a number of vaccinations at the same time is safe and is also very effective because protecting them as soon as possible is better than waiting.
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From the moment your child is born, he/she is naturally being exposed to a huge number of bacteria and viruses every day. Your baby's immune system is able to cope with this and as a result becomes stronger. Compared with exposure to germs in the natural environment, responding to vaccines use only a tiny proportion of the infant's immune system.
Giving vaccines together is routine in most countries around the world. Studies have demonstrated that there are no harmful effects from administering these multiple vaccines in one session, and there is no evidence to support arguments of "overloading" the immune system.
3. Can I still vaccinate my child if they are feeling unwell?
If your baby has a minor illness without a fever, such as a cold, they can have their vaccinations as normal.
If your baby is ill with a fever you should put-off the vaccination until they have recovered; this is only to avoid confusion if the fever gets worse - so you can be sure it's not a response to the vaccine.
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If you're worried about other conditions your child may have please speak to your doctor, practice nurse or health visitor before your child has any immunisations.
4. Are vaccines safe?
All vaccines used in the UK are thoroughly tested, meet strict safety criteria and are carefully monitored after they are introduced into the national programme.
It's frustrating that we occasionally see misinformation circulating about side-effects from vaccinations that may dissuade people from being vaccinated or vaccinating their children.
Claims about MMR and autism have long been thoroughly discredited and I want to remind parents that the real danger to your children is from missing out on vaccination.
If, for instance, children don't receive their MMR vaccine they are at risk of getting measles, mumps or rubella. Occasionally this leads to tragedy - for instance we still see measles circulating and this disease can kill.
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5. Can I find out what ingredients are in vaccines?
If you're curious, manufacturers provide details about the ingredients of their vaccines on their websites. Just Google the name of the vaccination to learn more. If you're not sure what a vaccination is called, or have any other questions, speak to your GP, practice nurse or health visitor.
6. Are there any side-effects after immunisation?
Some babies have some swelling, redness or a small hard lump where the injection was given and it may be sore to touch. This usually only lasts two to three days and doesn't need any treatment.
Fevers are quite common in young children, but are usually mild. If your child's face feels hot to the touch and they look red or flushed, he or she may have a fever. You can check their temperature with a thermometer. If your baby has a fever you should:
make sure they don't have too much clothing or bedding on them, and
give them plenty of cool fluids, if you are breast feeding, the best fluid is breast milk
do not put them in a bath, sponge them down or put a fan on them
Fever is more common in babies when the MenB vaccine is given with other vaccines. After each of the two-month and four-month vaccinations you will need to give your baby a total of three doses of paracetamol (2.5ml of infant paracetamol 120mg/5ml suspension) to prevent and treat any potential fever. You should give the first dose of paracetamol as soon as possible after your two-month vaccination visit.
You should then give the second dose four to six hours later and the third dose four to six hours after that. You will need to follow the same steps after your four-month vaccinations. For more information a leaflet is available on what to expect after vaccinations.
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7. Is it ok for babies born prematurely to have vaccines at the recommended age?
It's especially important that premature babies get their vaccines on time, from eight weeks after birth, no matter how premature they are.
Babies who are born early can be at greater risk of catching infections because their immune systems are less developed and they don't receive as much natural immunity from their mothers.
Postponing vaccination until they're older leaves them vulnerable to diseases. If your baby was born very prematurely (before 26 weeks of pregnancy) they may still be in hospital when their first vaccinations are due. In this case, your baby will receive their first vaccines in hospital.
For more information a leaflet is available on vaccinations for premature babies.
8. Do the list of vaccines offered on the NHS change and if so why?
All our vaccine programmes are constantly monitored to ensure that they offer the best protection as safely as possible. The monitoring information is then reported to an independent group of experts who weigh up all the scientific evidence and decide how the programme should be changed to best deal with diseases affecting people in England.
New vaccinations are sometimes introduced rapidly in response to rises in disease cases - for instance a vaccine called MenACWY was introduced for adolescents in 2015 in response to an increase in a particularly aggressive strain of meningococcal disease which can cause meningitis and septicaemia.
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9. What happens if I decide not to get my child vaccinated but later change my mind?
You should take up your child's vaccinations as soon as they are offered. If you didn't, contact your GP surgery and book them in for the vaccinations that they missed out on but are still eligible to receive.
10. How long does protection from vaccines last?
It varies depending on the vaccination. Vaccinations are timed to deliver protection when it's needed most. For example, the MenB vaccine (which protects against bacteria that can cause meningitis and septicaemia) is given to children under 1 year of age - the age when the number of MenB cases peaks.
11. I've heard that vaccines are not that effective, is it worth having them?
Vaccines are highly effective. They save lives, prevent serious complications, hospitalisation and disability in people of all ages. Because of vaccinations, we no longer see serious illnesses like smallpox, and polio has almost been eradicated.
All vaccines used in the UK are thoroughly tested and have to be proven effective before they can be introduced.
12. I'm thinking of travelling abroad with my family, what vaccines should we have and do I have to pay for travel vaccines?
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You and your family should be up-to-date with all their vaccines appropriate for their age. Extra vaccines may be needed depending on which countries you are visiting. You may have to pay for some of these but it is important you and are family are properly protected before you travel. Speak to your GP for more advice about staying healthy when abroad.
13. Can I wait for an outbreak to actually occur before getting my child vaccinated?
You should get your child vaccinated at the recommended time to ensure they receive the best direct protection. Sometimes when there is an outbreak, children in the affected area may be vaccinated to boost their immunity, but this is an extra measure that may or may not be offered.
Some infections can be spread from people who don't have symptoms, other infections are spread most effectively before people have symptoms, responses to some vaccines may take a few weeks - so it's definitely not recommended to wait and see. Doing this puts your child at risk.
14. Can I make an appointment to talk to someone about vaccines before I book my child in?
You can book an appointment with your GP or practice nurse to discuss what vaccinations your child should have and to discuss any concerns.
Dr Mary Ramsey is Head of Immunisation, Hepatitis and Blood Safety at Public Health England
Following the election of Malia Bouattia for NUS president last week, controversial due to her previous anti-semitic remarks and endorsing violent resistance against Israel, there has been bit of a snowball effect. Students across the UK have been calling for disaffiliation, following the lead of a group of Oxford delegates whose motion for One Member One Vote was rejected at the NUS Conference.
It has become increasingly obvious the the NUS is no longer considered representative by many students. The undemocratic nature of NUS elections has resulted in a hijacking by the progressive left, with conferences becoming an event centred around identity politics and Tory-bashing. The focus on bettering student lives has been replaced by virtue-signalling and wider political issues, officially lending support to Jeremy Corbyn, and causes such as the Remain campaign, all the while spectacularly neglecting to accept the variation of political views within the student population.
Similarly, much criticism has been given to the censorial climate fostered by the NUS, with its no-platforming and safe space policies treating students like vulnerable children who cannot be exposed to any idea that differs from the progressive narrative. Although the NUS defends these by informing us that the no-platform policy was established in the 70s and only consists of six groups, they once again completely miss the point that even this is too much; free speech has to be absolute or it is worth nothing. Specific NUS campaigns refuse platforms or to appear in the same space as those whose views they disagree with - a notable example being feminist Julie Bindel for her allegedly transphobic remarks (made thirteen years ago). The climate has become one in which any viewpoint that strays from the progressive narrative is deemed 'offensive', and given the label of racist, homophobic, Islamophobic, transphobic - any '-phobic' you can possibly imagine.
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Yet despite these criticisms, despite the growing disaffiliation momentum, it is clear that the NUS is only half the problem. A survey produced for Victoria Derbyshire's free speech on campus debate showed that 63% of students support the NUS no-platform policy. Indeed, following his comments about Obama's half-Kenyan ancestry, and a "general tone of disrespect" towards the president, Boris Johnson was recently disinvited form an EU Referendum event by student body Kings Think Tank, of Kings College London - one of the universities seeking NUS disaffiliation. The suggestion is absurd - the most powerful man in the world now seems to be beyond criticism, a prospect that greatly resembles all manner of fascist dictatorships.
These students seem to forget that without free speech, many of the values we hold today, which were originally deemed offensive, would not have been formed. Without free speech, scientific advances would not have been allowed to occur, homosexuality would still be illegal, women would still not have the vote. It is these same people who relied upon free speech for their campaigns who now seek to limit and censor ideas and views they have decided to find offensive. The fact is lost that the best way to defeat an ideology is with speech to expose its weaknesses and bigotry, not censorship, which simply attempts to pretend that these opinions do not exist.
*Victoria Herrmann [2014] is a Gates Cambridge Scholar and Managing Director of the Arctic Institute. In 2016 she is traveling across America for a National Geographic -unded book titled America's Eroding Edges. Picture credit: Arctic Institute.
Over the past year as Arctic Council Chair, the United States has worked hard to remind the world, and itself, that America is an Arctic nation.
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President Obama's visit to Alaska last autumn marked the first time in this country's history that a sitting president ventured across the Arctic Circle. In January, the National Academy of Sciences held Arctic Matters Day, an event that explored the ways American lives are tied to what is happening in 'that "isolated" part of the world'. And throughout 2016, the State Department is publishing a series of stories that share the reasons each state contributes to America's identity as undeniably the Arctic region does.
This latest rhetoric on being an Arctic nation goes beyond performative politics.
Through executive orders and federal policies, America has made tangible achievements in both Alaska and the region to address climate change since the start of its Arctic Council Chairmanship in April 2015. President Obama has committed to bringing much needed affordable, clean energy to remote Alaska communities through competitive grants and technical assistance programmes. And the Administration has endowed the Denali Commission to lead resiliency work throughout the state supported by federal programmes and funding resources.
All of this is not without merit. Renewable energy and resiliency are important in bolstering the capabilities of a forgotten last frontier at the frontlines of climate change. But America's recent Arctic policies and proposals suffer from the idea that Alaska's experience is unique, detached from the typical challenges and opportunities of the American climate experience.
Aptly showcased in the President's budget request to Congress, Obama proposed $400 million "to cover the unique circumstances confronting vulnerable Alaskan communities, including relocation expenses for Alaska Native villages threatened by rising seas coastal erosion, and storm surges".
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But the circumstances confronting vulnerable Alaskan communities are not unique; they are being experienced throughout the United States today.
In the Chesapeake Bay, Tangier Island's shoreline recedes by about 14 feet a year. On Washington state's Olympic Peninsula, the Quinault Indian Nation relies on a 2,000-foot-long sea wall for protection until it can complete its move uphill. Over the last 10 years, the Isle de Jean Charles community in Louisiana has lost 98 percent of land and two-thirds of its residents to shoreline erosion. In 2016, they became the first federally funded community in the lower 48 to relocate due to climate change.
Beyond Arctic exceptionalism
As the United States marks the start of its second and final year as Arctic Council Chair this week, it must move beyond Arctic exceptionalism in its climate policies to create a legal and financial structure that can adequately respond to all American communities in need of relocation.
President Obama's $400 million proposal is a necessary step forward, but it falls short of any real impact. In Alaska alone, climate change flooding and shoreline erosion already affects more than 180 villages, 31 of which are in "imminent" danger of becoming uninhabitable. At an estimated cost of $100 to $200 million per relocation, Obama's proposal covers less than 15 percent of only Alaskan towns.
Across the United States, 414 towns and cities will eventually be under water no matter how much humans decrease carbon emissions. At the minimum, this equates to 4.3 million Americans displaced from their homes by 2101, according to low-end NASA sea level rise predictions. At the high-end, over 13 million people along America's coastlines will embark on a great migration inland.
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These hundreds of communities that must make the incomprehensible decision of leaving their homes, livelihoods and lives they once lived behind should be supported throughout the difficult process of voluntary relocation. And yet, as they stand today, federal programmes for disaster assistance are limited and mostly unavailable to towns that require climate-induced relocation. Relief programmes focus on sudden natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy and on rebuilding in place, not on financially supporting the relocation of towns facing gradual inundation from rising tides.
Because of this, coastal communities are burdened with not only choices of what to save but also how to pay for relocation within an inflexible, complex federal system. Across the country towns must rely on ad hoc funding, similar to those proposed by Obama under the Arctic Council Chairmanship, to rebuild and relocate in bits and pieces, in the hope that the work will be done before an emergency evacuation is needed.
Sharing experiences
These programmes must be adapted to ensure that communities making the difficult decision to voluntarily relocate from shoreline erosion can do so in the most painless way possible. As a first step, President Obama's Arctic Executive Steering Committee can use the motivation of the Arctic Council Chairmanship in 2016 to invite Alaskan local leadership from towns like Shishmaref and Kivalina to Washington, DC to share their challenges and successes in Arctic relocation to inform a national policy change. Using the Alaskan convention of relocation leaders as a catalyst, a follow-up Steering Committee meeting can convene stakeholders from across coastal America to draft a framework for relocating coastal communities in danger across the United States.
Violence and harassment, or the threat of it, is one of the most widespread and horrific abuse of human rights globally and a daily reality for millions of women and girls around the world.
Today in Westminster, MPs from across different political parties will join together to debate this issue and discuss what really needs to be done in order to bring an end to the violence that scars the lives of so many.
While some progress has been made in the fight to end this over the last four decades, it has been both too slow and too insufficient. It is not enough to simply speak out against this horrific act, when one in three women around the world will experience some form of violence in their lifetime, we need more than just words.
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Last September, world leaders came together in New York to agree the new sustainable development goals, including a stand-alone goal on gender equality and women's and girls' empowerment (the catchy-titled SDG5) and a target to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in the public and private spaces.
While this was a brilliant step forward, the existence of these targets alone will not bring about the change that is necessary. This will only work if we see a redoubling of efforts from everyone - governments, NGO's and the public - and in particular a renewed emphasis the role of women and girls themselves leading these efforts.
Today in Westminster it's our chance to take action. As parliament debates this issue we must ensure that it's the women and girls around the world who are at the forefront of our minds.
Women like Jane Onyango, Jane works with the Kibera Community Development Agenda, a women's rights group helping women and girls understand their rights and stand up against violence. She works in schools raising awareness of the issues of gender-based violence and police stations offering support to women affected and taking cases for domestic violence and rape to court. But like far too many women's rights organisations around the world her most pressing challenge is that the group she works with are chronically underfunded.
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Jane Onygano, photo credit: ActionAid
The Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening, has shown leadership in ensuring women and girls' rights feature at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals. And now, when she is making key decisions about future funding priorities for her Department, she must seize the opportunity to ensure women and girls are prioritised and resources are available to defend and sustain the progress to date, and eliminate violence against women.
Women's rights organisations have long been at the forefront of the fight to end violence - from providing life-saving services, raising women's voices, to holding governments to account for their policies and practices.
Increasingly, however, their voices are being muted and their vital work is threatened. It is vital that they play a key role in the development and implementation of any solution designed to end global violence against women and girls. And perhaps most crucially, with less than 1% of UK aid for gender equality currently going directly to grassroots women's rights organisations, they must be adequately funded.
So much is at stake. If we are serious about bringing an end to violence against women and girls by 2030 we need to act now. I hope that today, as MPs debate this issue, they remember the women and girls at the heart of it, and demand a life that is free of fear of violence for all.
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Many of us have experienced a great surge of pride and affection for the Royal Family, and in particular for the Queen in recent weeks. A recent poll has shown that belief in the monarchy as an institution has strengthened with 76% of the British public wanting the UK to continue to have a King or Queen as head of state. It was 65% in 2005.
The same week we were lighting beacons for the Queen, I went to hear a talk by Jane Beine, Head of Partner Development at John Lewis. As she is about to celebrate 30 years working at the admired retail partnership, she told us that after 25 years, John Lewis partners receive a six-month fully paid sabbatical - but pointed out that she had not managed to take advantage of hers yet.
I found myself contrasting the almost 65 years of service by the Queen, and Jane's 30 years at John Lewis, with all that we are hearing about patterns of engagement and job tenure for those entering the workforce today.
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The Deloitte Millennial Survey 2016 is absolutely clear that very few Millennial workers plan to stay with their current employer for the long haul.
"During the next year, if given the choice, one in four Millennials would quit his or her current employer to join a new organisation or to do something different" it sets out. "That figure increases to 44% when the time frame is expanded to two years. By the end of 2020, two of every three respondents hope to have moved on, while only 16% of Millennials see themselves with their current employer a decade from now." It looks like even a ten-year long service award might soon be a thing of the past!
The traditionalists would label this "job hopping". New entrants today want rapid development coupled with meaningful work, and are not prepared to sacrifice one for the other. They feel it is down to them to achieve this more than being reliant on their employer to come up with the goods. Reports suggest that Millennials will have on average 12 -15 jobs in their working lives and across multiple careers, some say as many as six.
Whilst Millennials are critical to fuelling the working ranks, we are also now in a time where careers are going to last far longer. So you find yourself asking in this setting of propensity to change will there ever be a time when the Millennial generation will consider that there is something to be said for staying with an employer?
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Research done by Mercer last year showed an emerging engagement paradox, building off the Millennial view of job mobility, that satisfaction at work was no guarantee against turnover, including those at senior levels. However, there was a difference for those in the higher age segments. Survey respondents over the age of 50 were less likely to be thinking about moving on. Is that just a remnant of the past or a pattern that we will see going into the future? It's not hard to imagine that might be the case but then it also suggests organisations are going to need to be more agile in their interpretation of both loyalty and longevity as they manage multiple generations.
Writing in the Financial Times recently, Lucy Kellaway talked about graduates being up against the widest gap between expectation and reality ever seen in the professions, blaming employers for telling Millenials they are extraordinary, promising them jobs that are amazing and then failing to deliver.
This is precisely why organisations like Enterprise Rent-A-Car, one of the largest graduate recruiters in the UK, hiring around 1,250 graduates and interns in 2015, is taking a very different approach to careers.
"We hire people with the idea that they will potentially leave," explains Donna Miller, European HR Director of Enterprise. "We used to talk about five- and ten-year horizons, but the conversation has completely changed. Now we focus training and development on the first year. We also talk about what you can expect if you decide to stay longer because Enterprise is such a great training ground - but that's not the initial focus."
Interestingly for Enterprise, retention of new entrants has not changed much in recent years. What has increased has been the number of people returning to the business two to three years down the line when the job they move on to is not what they thought.
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"We have specifically worked on keeping in touch with people when we think it's a real shame to lose them. And we find when people do return it's great to have them sharing their stories about why they are back."
Interestingly Enterprise is an organisation full of people with long service. Donna herself has been with the organisation for more than 25 years having started, like Jane Beine at John Lewis, as a graduate trainee. Perhaps with the John Lewis partnership model and the powerful family values of Enterprise, long service will continue to be a feature of these organisations.
On Monday night, 294 MPs voted against the Dubs Amendment to the Immigration bill, tabled in the House of Lords, which would have seen the UK accept 3,000 unaccompanied child refugees from Europe. Two hundred and ninety-four. That's the same number of unaccompanied minors Help Refugees found in the Calais 'Jungle' in their latest census. I have been working on the ground with Help Refugees since September. The first time we carried out a census - shortly before March's eviction of the southern part of the camp - there were 423 unaccompanied children in the camp. Since then, 129 unaccompanied minors have vanished, unaccounted for, just 20 miles from the shores of the UK. I dread to think what number we will find when we complete the next census this weekend.
I have seen the CRS - French riot police - fire tear gas indiscriminately into the family field in Calais countless times, and yet in Monday's Commons debate, 294 MPs voted against the Dubs Amendment on the basis that Europe is safe for children on their own. In Calais, less than 10% of child refugees feel safe, according to the Refugee Rights Data Project. They mainly fear state violence. France Terre D'Asile is the government-mandated organisation for child protection measures in the 'Jungle', and yet they have made zero effort to even register unaccompanied minors. Both the camp's Women and Children's Centre and Youth Centre have asked France Terre D'Asile to visit the camp for months, but so far they have managed one measly visit. The most they can provide is a five-day respite for a handful of children at any given time, before sending them back to the 'Jungle'.
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Before the latest eviction even started, I witnessed the government-employed Office for Immigration and Integration attempting to march some lone Afghan boys onto buses to accommodation centres across France. The minors didn't even have time to pack their bags.
They had been told: "Jungle finish, one hour, we go." OFII had no translators and one 14-year-old even thought he was going to England. Save the Children were there too, and have since condemned the actions of the French authorities. The incompetence of these organisations is symptomatic of a wider system that is consistently failing refugee children who have made it to Europe.
Europol conservatively estimates that at least 10,000 child refugees have gone missing since arriving in Europe last year, with many taken by criminal gangs and sexually exploited or sold into slavery. Given that 95,000 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in Europe in 2015, with some estimates suggesting up to 270,000 arrived in total, the 3,000 children suggested in the Dubs Amendment is just a drop in the ocean. But it would have been a start, and it is the bare minimum our country can do to help vulnerable children on our doorstep.
Do the 294 MPs who voted against the Dubs Amendment really believe that we should do nothing to help these unaccompanied minors in Europe? Perhaps they are afraid of seeming weak on immigration before the In/Out Referendum. On Monday's showing, the only argument they could muster against the UK taking in 3,000 child refugees was that in doing so, we would create a 'pull factor' and encourage more to come. But these children aren't being 'pulled' into Europe by the possibility of safety in the UK, or anywhere else for that matter. Rather, they are pushed across the Mediterranean by the certainty of war, terror and persecution.
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Some 45% of the child refugees in Calais have family in the UK. That is why they want to go there, and family reunification is their legal right, but they are ignored by a government that would rather smear them as a 'bunch of migrants'. The cruel truth for most of those children is that the best chance they have of reaching their families is by risking their lives attempting to enter the UK by boat, train or truck.
Between 1938 and 1939, the British government - a Conservative one, at that - took in 10,000 Jewish child refugees fleeing persecution in Europe. Nobody thought that would solve the whole problem then, but it had to be done to protect the most vulnerable. We cannot turn our back on their modern equivalents.
It's ironic that the habit of harping on about what once 'made this country great' so often characterises the same types who voted against the Dubs Amendment. It's ironic because, if anything ever 'made this country great', taking in Jewish child refugees with the Kindertransport scheme and securing rights for refugees after WWII most definitely did. If anything meant 'British values', I would like to think that did. We led the way then and we should lead the way now.
The House of Lords have voted the Dubs Amendment through again. Write to your local MP and sign the petition to make sure the House of Commons decision is different next time.
This letter was written by Nigerian journalist, Cheta Nwanze
Dear President Buhari,
On January 4, 2016, between 12 and 38 people were killed in Udeni Ruwa, in Nasarawa State. On January 10, up to 45 were killed in Agatu, Benue State. On January 17, 3 herdsmen were killed by cattle rustlers in Gareji village in Taraba State. On January 23, between 30 and 60 people were killed, including a police DPO in Demsare, Wunamokoh, Dikajam and Taboungo, all in Adamawa State.
On February 2, another 7 people were killed in yet another early morning attack in Agatu, Benue State. On February 7, ten people were killed in Tom Anyiin, in Benue State.
Four days later on February 11, two people were killed in Abbi, Enugu State, and nineteen were declared missing. They've not been found. Thirteen days after the festivities at Abbi, on February 24, somewhere between 300 and 500 Nigerians were killed in Agatu. As if that was not enough, on February 28, another nine people were killed in Agatu, including Musa Ademu, my driver's brother, who was beheaded.
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Then a few days after that, on March 7, eight people were killed in Logo, and the next day, 12 were killed in Mbaya-Tombo, both in Benue. Mbaya-Tombo suffered two more deaths on March 13, 2016, then fifteen more on March 17. On March 20, residents of Ossissa, in Ndokwa, Delta State fled their homes following attacks by cattle rearers.
Six days later, on March 26, residents of Ugwunesi in Enugu State were left wondering if they were second class citizens as they were arrested for meeting over the problem. They were granted bail on April 1, after spending a week in unlawful detention. Then the violence went far South when on March 29, between 7 and 16 people were killed in Ohali-Elu, in Rivers State, for 'stealing cows'.
Between April 3 and 4, there were violent protests in Tarka, Benue State, over the murder of an APC chieftain by Fulani herdsmen. Tarka General Hospital was also attacked during those two days.
On April 9, Olu Falae, a former SGF, was attacked for the second time in a year, and a security guard was killed. This was in Ilado, in Ondo State. Then between 15 and 44 were killed in Angai, Dashole, Dori and Mesuma villages, all in Taraba State on April 10. On April 13, a herdsman was killed in a reprisal attack in Ilara-Mokin, in Ondo State. Showing that people are now taking matters into their own hands.
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Then on April 18, we got news that another 18 people had been killed in Moor, in Benue State. Just a week ago, on April 20, soldiers were attacked in Agatu, Benue, and a policeman, Corporal Ebiakpo Akparakazi, was declared missing. To my knowledge, he still has not been found. Then yesterday, despite forewarnings, the attack at Ukpabi Nimbo, in Enugu State, which killed up to 20 souls.
To my knowledge, there have been only six arrests outside of 92 who were arrested in Abuja, 56 of who have escaped.
Your primary duty as C-in-C is to secure the lives of ALL Nigeirans. All the dead are Nigerians. People you swore to protect. That you have not said a word about their fate, is a gross dereliction of duty. It's one of two things Sir, either you let us know that you are incapable of protecting the lives of Nigerians which you swore to defend, and resign, or you kick your security team into shape. There really, are no other options.
So much of what we talk about and do about fashion - whether that's inside the industry, in magazines or in the conversations we have with our friends - is focused on buying clothes. All the stuff that goes on when we use or live with garments is well and truly below the radar. But I think this stuff really matters. And so for over five years I've been imagining and talking about fashion not from the usual point of view of creating and consuming new pieces, but from the perspective of using the things we already have. After all things need tending and wearing no less than creating...
As I set out on this task, the first things I did was to talk to the public - people like you and me - about how they use their garments. It started small, at two 'community photo-shoots' in old textile regions of the UK, and ended up with interviews being conducted in 13 countries in three continents. The result was nearly 500 stories and portrait images that set out some of the amazing, bizarre and truly innovative things that go on as we use our clothes.
Perhaps what the tales of the use of clothes show is that this is an enormous area of fashion activity - informal, everyday, costing little - but it is central to people's fashion satisfaction. Moreover the practices of using clothes typically use up few resources. In a world of scarce resources and climate change, cultivating ideas and skills of using clothes is gold dust. It is also shows us that some of the good stuff that goes with fashion happens outside of the market - in the world of the gift economy, in caring for others, in imaginative actions.
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Fashion doesn't need to be created within the formal sector or have the approval of a 'genius designer' for it to be fashion. A broader spectrum of activity than that which takes place within the market is valuable. Fashion is much more than shopping.
This journey - guided by the public's actions - has just been turned into a book featuring many stories of using clothes and exploring the 'craft' of using things. It also talks about the skills and ideas of use as part of an exciting new agenda of imagining what fashion might be like in a world that has moved beyond consumerism. An uncomfortable thought for many, a world 'post-growth' is one that we all need to grapple with.
As I recorded the interviews and later sifted through the hundreds of photos of people dressed in the pieces that feature practices of using fashion, my overwhelming response was to feel humbled. People are remarkable. They are diverse, have moments of brilliance, and they hold within them many of the answers to the collective problems we face.
Kate Fletcher's new Book Craft of Use is out now and available through Routledge
For more information, visit the Craft of Use website
I'm currently preparing to train 1000 members of the public to be undercover officers for a new immersive theatre piece: Operation Black Antler. Blast Theory, together with our collaborators Hydrocracker, have been researching the techniques used to build a new identity and a cover story. We will teach people how to infiltrate a public event and gather information. And we are setting up an event where the public can try out their new skills. Given that surveillance is always ethically dubious, there has been plenty of criticism about this idea. But as arts companies that have always been interested in making politically motivated, challenging work, we feel it's important to take a risk of this kind.
Surveillance is everywhere. From Wikileaks to Edward Snowden we have learnt about a wave of technologically-enabled mass government spying on you and me and every device we touch. And then there are the companies hoovering up our data. And it's not just data. Activists in the UK have steadily dismantled the shroud of secrecy surrounding undercover officers spying on peaceful protest groups. To achieve their goals, officers spent years undercover, forming relationships and even having children with their targets. Exposure of these abusive practices - which stretch back decades - have belatedly led to a full apology from the Metropolitan Police.
Two threads run through these diverse forms of surveillance and monitoring. One is a relaxed attitude in the UK to surveillance. According to one study for Amnesty International, Britain, France and the Philippines were the only countries more in favour of surveillance than opposed to it.
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Secondly, there is widespread evidence that elements within democratic states have little respect for the law when it suits them. The CIA has lied to Congress about the mass surveillance of citizens. And the Metropolitan Police's own report described their undercover unit as operating with "minimal organisational constraints". This unit - the Special Demonstration Squad - supposedly targeting "domestic extremism" - went so far as to infiltrate those campaigning for justice for Stephen Lawrence.
Operation Black Antler is our response to this, a groundbreaking theatre experience that puts the audience inside an undercover operation. You are invited to experience for yourself the murky world of undercover policing and the ethical quandaries that inevitably result. You visit a safehouse and build your new identity. Then you visit a pub where a fundraising gig is being held to explore whether criminal behaviour is being planned.
Since the Stanford Prison Experiment, in which a group of students were divided into prisoners and guards, psychologists have found ways to explore how power and complicity develop in groups of the public. More recently Philip Zimbardo, who led the experiment, became an expert witness in the trial of the soldiers in Abu Ghraib prison. He showed how the culture of the prison corrupted junior officers. These officers were then hung out to dry by the authorities when the scandal of torture and abuse was revealed.
Operation Black Antler draws on this work. It may sound like a game but it's a very serious kind of play. It puts you in a position of power and invites you to consider how to use it. At its heart is a simple question: if you were in charge of surveillance, what would you do?
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Dear Mr Cameron,
I'm writing to see if you will be supporting a change in legislation to address the vicious cycle of exploitation of recent graduates, disparity in the creative industries, and the block in social mobility that all this brings.
I feel compelled to share my experiences of being an unpaid intern. It all began two summers ago when I decided that I wanted to have a crack at being a professional writer. I diligently set about my new found goal with naive and boisterous enthusiasm and deluded myself that it would probably be a walk in the park. I was wrong. I could not believe what I witnessed over the next six months, it shocked me how people trying to make it in the creative industries can be treated.
After writing a couple of opinion pieces for a friend's blog I took a job as an unpaid intern at a magazine-come-events company. The job was described, by the advertisement I stumbled upon online, as unpaid so I was under no illusion what it was. It seemed like a worthwhile endeavour though: on their website it said that they "create job opportunities within the local creative industries". I'd be getting my work out there and be given opportunities, or so I thought.
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After months of drudgery I was getting things published but was also completing a whole range of menial tasks: creating seemingly pointless lists of artists and record labels, acting as an announcer at their 'film nights' and even, believe it or not, taking the owner's friend's dog for a walk.
It soon spiralled out of control. I was ordered to write last-minute marketing tenders throughout the night, go to meetings with large media companies about prospective partnerships and was asked to disseminate marketing publications to students. A far cry from the writing experience I wanted. In hindsight I don't know why I did it but a lot of pressure was applied to deliver on tasks, and once completed they were instantly replaced with new tasks and even more pressure.
Their entire workforce (writers, photographers, illustrators, PR etc.) are unpaid interns who never see a penny. "We'll all get paid one day," was their favoured rebuttal if anyone asked about money. I mean why would anyone bother paying salaries when you can just set up a free workforce? A concerning and unexpected side-effect of the recession, no wonder our generation are so desperately dependent on our parents.
Another intern, a photographer, was told that he would have his expenses covered and items to add to his portfolio in exchange for free photos that they could use for marketing purposes. After repeatedly asking for his bus fare over a period of weeks he was told that the magazine couldn't actually afford it and he had to discontinue his internship as he was on the dole.
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I was so skint one day that I was cajoled into working for 30 (the only money I ever received in 6 months of labour) to stand outside a club, crossing names off the guestlist. With me on the job was an events management intern who had just joined the magazine. She had been promised the world and was told she would be 'running the main stage'. She was left with feelings of utter disappointment after being left outside desperately trying to locate un-alphabetised names on a thick wedge of paper in the cold.
She wasn't paid a penny and after her boyfriend picked her up she disappeared and we never saw her again. The night had over 1000 in attendance, most paying 8-15, so it wasn't as if they were short of cash.
By the end I could see the whole situation for what it was: a type of conveyor belt of shattered dreams, masquerading as a media outlet, where bright young people were having their talents harnessed and used by profiteering, unscrupulous, and unethical individuals.
They had about 60 writers on their books, but they weren't all active. Let's say that half of them were: think about the free-labour they were getting from the writers alone. You'd walk in the office and three writers would be sharing one portion of chips.
Unpaid internships are not only a blight upon our community, but a cancer sweeping across the nation plaguing our youth and quickly diminishing countless opportunities of upward social mobility.
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The vast majority of creative jobs are based in our capital and a six-month unpaid internship there costs around 5,556, according to a study published by Sutton Trust. It's easy to see why it's only the rich kids that get a chance to get their privileged feet in the door of the media industry.
Last year the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission advised the Government to commit to certain objectives to avoid us "becoming a permanently divided nation"; one of their key recommendations was to "end unpaid internships".
At the time of the last general election, the Conservative Party were using unpaid interns in their efforts to be re-elected whilst simultaneously calling for them to be banned. Meanwhile a Freedom of Information request made by Business Insider at the time revealed that the UK Foreign Office is currently using "an army" of unpaid interns in its overseas embassies.
And what does all this mean for our creative industries? Will they become like our political system; full of people from the same schools and upbringings who have the same views, ideas and agendas? Are we really 'all in it together' as George Osborne famously claimed, or are the rich looking out for themselves while the rest of us are left to fight for Ian Duncan Smith's 'Workfare' schemes?
Are these issues something that you are willing to address? Any response in the form of revised legislation will be more than welcomed.
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Yours distrustfully
The South Island of New Zealand is one of the most beautiful places on earth ( or should that be Middle Earth?!). I tell people all the time! But maybe they think I'm biased? I was born in NZ after all (#halfhobbit), so I guess I'm obliged to talk it up a bit.
SO, I thought the easiest way for me to convince you, would really just be to SHOW you. Here we go.
1) Hokitika Gorge Bridge - OH hey! There I am. This place was ridiculously gorgeous, even in the rain.
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2) Well, I have 100% forgotten the name of this river. I'm not actually sure I knew it in the first place. Does anyone recognise this place?
3) Wharariki beach - Definitely do NOT apply sunscreen right before arriving at this beach. I looked like a human sand castle.
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4) Akaroa - A very FRENCH little town, just outside Christchurch.
5) Fox Glacier - Nothing like a helicopter ride over a glacier to remind you how beautiful New Zealand really is.
6) Hokitika Gorge - LOOK at that water. And this was on a MISTY day!
7) Lake Rotoiti - Hi again! Though it may be the standard New Zealand tourist picture, it's still ridiculously beautiful.
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8) Milford Sound - Generally rainy, always beautiful.
9) Lake Matheson - Mirror Lake.
10) Fiordland National Park- Driving to Milford Sound. This looks a lot like Mordor to me. #realmiddleearth
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11) Nelson
12) Lake Rotoiti - Yeah OK so MAYBE I had a bit of a photo shoot. This is from a less popular side. There was nobody there at all....... apart from a LOT of eels.
13) Rakia Gorge - That's me there, that tiny red dot!
14) Wharariki Beach - I reckon this should be the second location for Hobbiton! So green and gorgeous.
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15) Takaka Hill - Funny name, pretty place.
So what do you think? Am I just biased?
This article was originally posted on WhereIsTara.com . You can see the full, original article here.
On April 25, 2015 a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal and killed over 8,000 people, injuring more than 21,000. Almost a month later a second earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 took another 3,000 lives.
When Kayla Robertson touched down in Nepal a year ago as part of World Vision's Emergency Response Team, she said the nation's capital of Kathmandu was a broken city.
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"Emotions were raw, aftershocks were strong and a layer of debris from the broken buildings coated the streets. It was like nothing I'd seen before," she told The Huffington Post Australia.
A year on, the country is still rebuilding.
It was the cultural grief that shook her most. After all, Nepal is a country that cherishes their religious sites and they were now confronted with these very sacred sites and ancient heritage buildings that were damaged beyond repair.
"People were mourning the sites' destruction as well as the loss of their partners, children, parents, friends and loved ones," Robertson said.
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"Despite all of this, it was these regular people who were reaching out to help one another.
Robertson and Greenstein said it was impossible to film Nepal a year on without capturing their remarkable positivity.
"I saw families whose houses were damaged camping in their neighbour's backyards, hand-drawn signs appeared in shop windows offering to help make phone calls and recharge mobile batteries for survivors; it was a nation banding together."
A year on, Robertson along with her partner Max Greenstein, went back to Nepal to see where the country is now.
The filmmakers wanted to create a snapshot of everyday life in Kathmandu, and while they expected the earthquake recovery to play a significant part in that story, they were struck by the philosophical outlook people held on the disaster.
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"For instance, we met with a monk at the well-known Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling monastery, which is an ancient site that will soon be pulled down and rebuilt due to structural damage following the earthquakes," Robertson told HuffPost Australia.
"The monk said that the disaster was an opportunity for Nepal to practice compassion, and that this event was simply a lesson in life's impermanence. He had a wholly transient perspective; that life must move on."
Nepal is "a place of incredible beauty, deep culture and unrivaled hospitality," Robertson said.
Much has been said about the lack of progress made in rebuilding Nepal with the country being described as a city of tents and tarpaulins.
"Since arriving, we have worked with several NGOs in remote areas and have seen first hand how the hardest hit of the population are still suffering. Many survivors are still living in temporary shelters and there is little sign of life improving for them in the immediate future," Robertson explained.
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Despite this, the people of Nepal have shown incredible positivity and strength.
Many of the Nepalese people have chosen to take a philosophical view of life after the earthquake, the filmmakers explain.
"Whilst it's important to remember that Nepal is a country in need of support, we also wanted to remind people that Nepal is so much more than the earthquake.
"It's a place of incredible beauty, deep culture and unrivaled hospitality. Many parts of Nepal were untouched by the earthquake, and many of those areas that were badly affected are moving on. While we didn't go into making this film with a particular agenda, it was impossible to film daily life here without featuring the energy and positivity of people today."
We spoke exclusively to the wife of Adam Whittington, Karin, about her husband's situation #TheProjectTVhttps://t.co/jlzI2Gbqrn #TheProjectTV (@theprojecttv) April 27, 2016
The wife of Adam Whittington wants an apology from the Nine Network and is "disappointed" the Australian Government has not made any contact, as her husband remains in a Lebanese cell after a botched child recovery operation embroiling 60 Minutes.
Speaking to The Project on Wednesday night, Karen Whittington -- who is living in Sweden with their three sons -- said she has not heard from Foreign Minister Julie Bishop or anyone in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade despite her husband holding a dual citizenship in Australia and Britain.
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"I have been in contact with consular from the British Embassy maybe twice. I am very disappointed in how the Australian government has dealt with all of this," Whittington said.
While the 60 Minutes crew and Brisbane mum Sally Faulkner were released after two weeks in jail following the failed child recovery mission, Whittington and his British colleague remain imprisoned.
Faulkner's estranged husband, Ali Elamine filed a number of charges against the group, including kidnapping, after the child recovery workers and Faulkner attempted to get her two children back. The children have been in Lebanon since April 2014, when their father refused to let them return to their mother in Australia after they went there for a holiday.
The Australian uncovered documents last week revealing the Nine Network paid Whittington through his lawyer. However, the television network has distanced itself from the child recovery workers since the 60 Minutes crew and Faulkner were released.
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"I know that Adam has told me he is not disappointed in the crew itself -- the photographer or the journalist -- but in the management of the team just to dismiss everything and say they have no responsibility," Whittington told The Project.
"It is not very moral, in my eyes."
When Waleed Aly reiterated Adam Whittington -- who has been jailed previously on the job -- had been the one to commit the crime, Whittington defended her husband saying "none of this would have happened if the mum didn't order this".
"I think [Nine] paid themselves in. They should pay themselves out," Whittington said.
"They should have the decency at least to see how I am. The TV crew was sitting in the same cell as my husband for two weeks. Wouldn't a phone call saying 'he is okay, he misses you and I hope he will be okay' -- something? Some apologies? Not just: 'We don't have any responsibility. We haven't paid anyone. It is not the right thing to do.'
Sue Flood via Getty Images 50 years of Victory, on the way to the North Pole, Russian Arctic, July 2008.
Remember Boaty McBoatface? When the United Kingdom's Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) opened up online suggestions from the public to name a new ship, the poll was hijacked by an internet joke that got waaaay out of hand.
Well, it might happen all over again in Australia.
The Turnbull government launched its Australian Antarctic Strategy and 20 Year Action Plan on Wednesday, committing $255 million of funding over the next ten years "to enhance Australias Antarctic logistics and science capabilities."
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A big part of that funding will go toward "the acquisition of a world-class icebreaker for resupply and multi-disciplinary science," which Prime Minister Turnbull said was "the largest ever investment by Australia in our Antarctic program."
That all sounds great, right? Well, over to you, Environment Minister Greg Hunt...
Minister Hunt: There will be a public campaign for naming the new icebreaker. Antarctic Division (@AusAntarctic) April 27, 2016
A public poll! A public poll to name our new icebreaker boat! Oh Lordy Lordy Lordy... might we see 'Icy McIceFace'? 'Anty Mc AntarcticaFace'? 'Breaky McBreakFace'? Not if Greg Hunt has his way...
Minister Hunt: We will be avoiding a #BoatyMcBoatface situation with our icebreaker competition. Antarctic Division (@AusAntarctic) April 27, 2016
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We'll just see about that, won't we.
Matt King via Getty Images SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 21: The Leader of the Australian Labor Party Bill Shorten addresses the media on March 21, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull earlier announced his decision to recall parliament early to vote on industrial relation legislation. The Prime Minister said he would call a double dissolution election, to be held on July 2, if the legislation if the bills are not passed. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Labor would reintroduce an emissions trading system if it wins the July election, putting pressure on the government to match its ambitious emission reduction goals and forcing Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to revisit his controversial former support for an ETS.
The opposition on Wednesday unveiled its slate of climate change and environmental policies, including a broad emissions trading scheme and lowering caps on allowed emissions, with the target of reducing Australia's emissions by 45 percent on 2005 levels by the year 2030. It is one of Labor's biggest pitches of the campaign so far, and stands in contrast to the government's commitment to a maximum 28 percent emissions reduction. Full details of Labor's plan can be found here.
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"[Labor's plan] will deliver 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030. Our plan is underpinned by a pollution reduction target of net zero pollution by 2050," Labor leader Bill Shorten said in a statement.
"Labor's plan for an Emissions Trading Scheme with access to international carbon offsets does not and will not include a carbon tax or a fixed price on pollution."
Labor leader Bill Shorten
Labor's announcement will put the Prime Minister in a bind. It comes just days after cabinet ministers cast doubt on the notion of climate change, with George Brandis ("It doesn't seem to me that the science is settled at all") and Fiona Nash ("I think there's varying views on whether it's settled or not") publicly airing their doubts.
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It will also force Turnbull to either agree with opposition policy, or disagree with himself. In 2010, when the then-Labor government introduced an emissions trading scheme, backbencher Turnbull famously and controversially crossed the floor to vote with Labor and abandon his own party.
"The proposed ETS is a balanced, substantive and timely step forward on an issue of immense importance, and by relying so heavily on market forces to address this very severe, challenging problem, the ETS is far more in the great traditions of modern liberalism than any other available policy response," Turnbull said in parliament, explaining his motives for splitting with his own party.
Turnbull's support for greater action on climate change was one of the major factors in his toppling as Liberal leader in December 2009. Six days after he was replaced by Tony Abbott, Turnbull wrote a piece in the Sydney Morning Herald bluntly titled 'Abbott's climate change policy is bulls**t.'
While Labor's policy is more far-reaching than the government's announced policies, it has been criticised for not addressing coal mines -- such as Queensland's large, recently-approved Adani development, which impacts the Great Barrier Reef -- by the Australian Conservation Foundation.
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"ACF is disappointed Labor's policy does not rule out new coal mines. If one particular proposed coal mine Adani's massive Carmichael project proceeds, it will create billions of tonnes of pollution, contributing massively to climate change," said the ACF's CEO, Kelly O'Shanassy, in a statement.
"Cutting pollution from coal-fired power stations and coal mines, and supporting clean energy, should be key issues for all parties at this federal election."
The government has already begun to criticise the Labor policy, with Environment Minister Greg Hunt sending out two critical tweets.
Bill Shorten's #CarbonTax will be Julia Gillard's #CarbonTax on steroids... with even higher electricity prices for Australian families Greg Hunt (@GregHuntMP) April 26, 2016
When we scrapped the #CarbonTax, electricity prices had the largest fall on record. Bill Shorten wants to hike them back up again. Greg Hunt (@GregHuntMP) April 26, 2016
Fairfax Media
The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Peter ONeill, has announced the Manus Regional Processing Centre will close after his country's Supreme Court ruled the centre was illegal and unconstitutional.
The decision -- which comes just weeks from an Australian election -- has thrown the Turnbull government's offshore detention scheme into doubt.
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"I have considered the ruling of the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea and welcome this outcome," ONeill said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon.
"Respecting this ruling, Papua New Guinea will immediately ask the Australian Government to make alternative arrangements for the asylum seekers currently held at the Regional Processing Centre. As I stated recently at the at the Australian Press Club, we did not anticipate the asylum seekers to be kept as long as they have at the Manus Centre."
In a statement released on Wednesday night Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said the Federal Government would not allow detainees to resettle in Australia.
"We will continue discussions with the PNG Government to resolve these matters," Dutton said.
"The Government has not resiled from its position that people who have attempted to come illegally by boat to Australia and who are now in the Manus facility will not be settled in Australia."
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O'Neill said his government would enter negotiations with Australian officials regarding the timeframe for closing the centre, but said PNG would invite "legitimate refugees" to settle permanently in the country if they so wished. He also noted that he hoped Australia would help minimise damage to local businesses and workers who would be affected by the closure of the centre.
"These are many small and medium enterprises and their employees who will now be out of work. Our Government will work with Australia in order to transition these businesses and workers to new opportunities so that their communities do not suffer," O'Neill said.
Despite the controversial history of the detention centre, the PM said he was proud that his country had played a role in stopping arrivals of asylum seeker boats, and also called on the global community to do more to help refugees.
"Papua New Guinea offered to help when we saw thousands of children, women and men losing their lives as they attempted to make their journey between Java and Christmas Island," he said.
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"While there may be critics, we must never forget that this policy has stopped many people from losing their lives at sea. We appreciate the reasons why people might seek to make such a perilous journey to find a better life. Those deemed to be legitimate refugees are often people who are fleeing from war or disaster, and as a global community we need to step up and do more to help. But there can be no justification for the vile trade in human misery that is peddled by people smugglers."
Speaking to media earlier on Wednesday, before the PM's announcement, Australia's Immigration Minister Peter Dutton was coy when asked how Australia would respond to the court ruling.
"The Supreme Court decision obviously is an issue for the Papua New Guinea Government and there are discussions including again this afternoon between legal representatives from my department and from the immigration department of Papua New Guinea, but the court decision is binding of course on the Papua New Guinea Government but not on the Australian Government," he said.
"We will work with the Papua New Guinea Government to look at the situation, to provide what assistance we can but we are not going to let people smugglers to get back into business."
Speaking to media on Wednesday, Shadow Immigration Minister Richard Marles said Dutton should be in Papua New Guinea trying to maintain offshore processing.
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"Because it is very clear that offshore processing has been the single most important decision of any Australian Government in bringing an end to the loss of life at sea," Marles said.
Fairfax Media
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES BELOW
A 23-year-old Iranian refugee on Nauru set himself on fire during a protest on Wednesday, as representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees visited the detention facility, with graphic images capturing the incident.
UPDATE 2:30PM: The Nauruan government has announced the man is in critical condition, and an "immediate medical evacuation" has been requested.
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"Support and counselling is being offered to witnesses, service providers and those close to the man," a release from the government stated.
EARLIER: The Nauruan government announced the news through its official Twitter account.
Statement from Government of Nauru: refugee self-harm injury https://t.co/zDSkqOHPag-refugee-selfharm-injury/cjds/572027840cf26b6d6843de33 Republic of Nauru (@Republic_Nauru) April 27, 2016
"Unfortunately we have seen protests like this during high profile visits, as some from within the refugee community try and influence the Australian Governments offshore processing policies. Emergency services and medical personnel responded quickly and the person is being treated in hospital for serious burns," a release from the government read.
"Naurus new hospital is now open and the patient is receiving excellent medical care, while medical evacuation to Australia is currently being considered. The Government of Nauru continues to urge our refugee community to refrain from such protests for the protection of themselves and others."
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"Nauru has invested considerable time and money into services to assist the refugee community socially, emotionally, medically and vocationally, and to ensure all refugees are safe in our country. There is no value in such behaviour."
Fairfax Media obtained video purportedly of the incident, showing the moment the man ignited in flames.
A still from the video, obtained by Fairfax Media
Social media updates from asylum seekers on Nauru, viewed by the Huffington Post Australia, claim the injured man suffered burns to 50 percent of his body. Photos from outside the Nauru hospital show dozens of people milling about, looking worried and upset.
Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton confirmed the news in a press conference, saying medical staff were considering an airlift for the man.
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"He's in a very serious condition and the plan is to provide an air lift for him later tonight but he is in a very, very serious condition and his outlook is not good at all. I send our best wishes and condolences in the circumstances to his wife as I understand it, to family otherwise but obviously this is a very confronting situation for those people who were present," he said.
XL Catlin Seaview Survey
We use a lot of flowery words to describe the Great Barrier Reef -- beautiful, ancient, a jewel, incredible, unique -- and Sir David Attenborough's three-part documentary series 'Great Barrier Reef', which concluded on Sunday, has reminded us why they're all true. He invites us to marvel in this underwater world, from the beautiful to the outright bizarre.
But in true Sir David style, he also gives us some ground truths, and this one jumped out at me: "Coral reefs are surprisingly noisy places, the healthier the reef, the louder this chorus is." A silent reef is something I hoped to never hear again.
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My family took an ill-timed trip to Orpheus Island in the Great Barrier Reef in 1998, just after the first global coral-bleaching event. A week camping by the beach and snorkelling off the shore was highly anticipated, but when we plunged into the water we were met with stark white corals and an eerie silence. The usual sounds of fish eating were gone, along with the colours and vibrancy of the coral. Summer's hot waters hadn't just damaged the fringing reefs right off the shore but devastated them.
A similar story is playing out across the northern and central Great Barrier Reef right now. An underwater heatwave has spread across the Pacific and bleached the colour and life out of corals; the warm waters from el Nino have combined with climate change to wreck havoc on Reefs around the world and now, for the third time ever, on our very own Great Barrier Reef.
The bleaching happening right now is the worst our Reef has ever had. The pictures are devastating and listening to scientists describe what's happening is heart wrenching, but their message is loud and clear: this is climate change. And this is where we come in.
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It is a symptom of the problem of climate change fuelled, in part, by coal mining. Abutting the Reef, Queensland's coast hosts coal ports and there are coal mines further inland. We cannot keep mining and exporting coal to be burnt and expect the neighbouring Reef to survive.
Bleached coral at Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef
Australia, as the world's largest coal exporter, will export a billion tonnes of carbon dioxide in its coal this year, erasing the few benefits of meeting its weak Paris target and worsening its contribution to global climate change. Much of that coal travels through the Port of Newcastle and the three major ports on the shores of the Great Barrier Reef.
The Australian Government wants us to believe it is proactive about climate change, but in reality they're sending emissions overseas through coal exports. Australia's carbon dioxide exports through coal have increased by a massive 253 percent since 1990.
The Government wants those coal exports to keep growing and growing despite the impacts of climate change devastating the reef right now. But their plans to open up the massive galilee coal basin have been a bridge too far and generated massive public opposition. Hundreds of thousands of people across Australia and the world have put the brakes on these destructive coal projects, projects that will heat up our oceans even more if they go ahead.
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A panoramic image of the coral bleaching at Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef
People have stood up to a big, powerful industry and said they won't accept their harm to our Reef and our climate. Australians have stopped our Government and companies from dumping dredge spoil at sea, we've stopped new ports being built in pristine areas. We've taken the message from the streets to politicians' offices to boardrooms across the globe to the floor of the World Heritage Committee.
Wouldn't it be nice if we could dispense with all polling's expense, effort, and risk? Maybe there's a group of people so in-tune with the electorate that they could do the predicting for us?
That's what bellwether counties are for!
These mythical places come to prominence in every electoral cycle, most recently in On the Media's segment "Magic" Terre Haute. OtM reports on Don Campbell's investigation of Vigo County, Indiana which has "voted for the winning candidate in every presidential election except two -- 30 out of 32 elections", and has not "missed in 60 years". According to Campbell, "No other place in America comes close." According to Bob Garfield, they're "history's most reliable presidential bellwethers".
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Which are the bellwethers?
It's true that Vigo hasn't missed since 1952, but neither has Valencia County, NM. These two counties are far from outliers: fourteen other counties have only missed one of those elections.
Looking back further, on elections since 1840 Vigo County is an OK predictor but there are nine other counties that do just as well. Racine County, WI might be the single best bellwether: if it called all the elections with missing data elections correctly, it would have 86% correct.
Also, spare a thought for Webster County in Georgia. Since its founding in 1853 it has only got 13 out of the 37 extant elections right. That makes it a somewhat reliable an anti-bellwether: if you picked the opposite of Webster's vote, you'd do better than siding with 75% of other counties with as much data.
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What good are bellwethers?
Google Scholar reveals surprisingly few papers about Presidential election bellwethers. Perhaps the best is this 1975 paper by Tufte (yes, that Tufte) and Sun. It concludes that bellwether status can only reliably be assigned after the fact.
This is a common problem for predictive endeavours: it's trivial to tweak your predictive machinery to predict the something that's already happened. Once you've predicted the past, you can also easily tell yourself that you could have done so before it happened.
We can extend Tufte's analysis to our larger data set. For simplicity's sake, we'll look at counties that have had -- at any point in time -- the same 60-year/15-election streak that Vigo currently enjoys.
Take 1968, for example. Northampton, PA and Prince George's, MD (as well as four other counties) had predicted the correct result in every election in the preceding 60 years. But in the next election Northampton voted for McGovern and Prince George's voted, accurately, for Nixon. There are 90 cases where a county had a streak of 15 correct predictions going into an election year (for 43 distinct counties). But in 47% of those cases, the county failed to get the next election right. That's pretty close to a coin-toss.
This graph (click on it for a bigger image) shows the performance of the 20 counties that have ever had a streak longer than Vigo's. It's something between a fluke and a post-hoc selection that Vigo is the only county with a 60 year streak right now. But we shouldn't expect it to continue.
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What is a bellwether anyway?
So far, we've worked out that bellwethers aren't particularly great at making predictions, and Vigo isn't the only contender. But how are they supposed to be making predictions in the first place?
Bellwethers are claimed to be demographic and attitudinal microcosms of the US as a whole, meaning the majority of the their population chooses the candidate who becomes President.
This justification is suspect given the way US Presidential elections work, namely: the winner of the majority popular vote is not necessarily the winner of the election. Even if a county was a perfectly representative sample from the whole population, that's not sufficient to predict all elections, a true bellwether's majority would sometimes have to go against the popular vote.
This isn't just a specualtive question: in 2000, a majority of voters in Vigo County voted for George Bush -- but the winner of the nationwide popular vote was Al Gore. Vigo's residents somehow got the election right while getting the popular vote wrong.
Is there really a plausible mechanism which could be causing bellwether citizens to predict the distinctly non-proportional outcome of the electoral college -- taking into account Maine and Nebraska's Congressional district method, faithless electors and the Huntington-Hill method?
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Conclusion
In machine learning, best practices require strict separation of the data you predict with (the training set) from the data you evaluate with (the test set). Without this, it's easy to over-fit: to produce a model that can perfectly predict what has already happened but does not generalise to the future. When you've only got 57 observations -- and you have to wait four years to acquire another one -- maintaining that discipline is hard. That's at least part of the story with bellwethers too. They're not great predictors, except in retrospect.
But bellwethers still matter -- if we don't care solely about predictive power. We can certainly learn something by studying a small town in detail, as from the Middletown studies. However, these findings can't be generalised in the (relatively) straightforward statistical way that a random sample can be. We can learn from Vigo, Valencia, York, Racine, and Strafford. But to do so, we'll need to make use of well-informed and sensitive interpretation, which, by the way, a documentarian like Campbell is well-placed to develop.
On the Media was looking for alternative to pundits. As it turns out, bellwethers aren't a alternative to pundits. They're another talking point.
Facebook advertising is often a consistent source of confusion and frustration, especially for those wishing to get new clients from it and grow their business.
However Ben Simkin, an esteemed Australian entrepreneur, successfully cracked the code surrounding Facebook ads. This resulted in generating over $1 billion in sales from Facebook ads alone.
I recently interviewed Ben, and found some interesting insights into how he achieved such an astounding result.
How did you initially get started in Facebook advertising?
To start with, I was doing marketing for a few clients which involved renting email lists and sending out offers for them. It was going really well and was achieving great results but it wasn't that scalable. When Facebook announced their new advertising platform I realised straight away that this had potential to be huge, so I jumped right in without hesitation.
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There were no courses or programs at this time, and no mentors to offer guidance and advice. It was purely trial and error which ended up costing me tens of thousands of dollars. I saw this as paying for the education though, so I was alright with it.
So if you were losing a lot of money, what made you keep going?
I essentially just said this to myself: 'if I can crack this code, it will be worth millions of dollars'. That's what kept me going as I knew it would happen eventually.
Yes, I was initially losing money, but I was still seeing success. One week I would do very well and get a lot of leads and sales, but the next week I would see very little and basically go backwards.
Because of the successes I was seeing, I knew it had huge potential. I call it trial and error simply because I didn't quite know how to harness the potential at this point.
What types of business do Facebook ads work best for?
Over the years, I have worked with a wide variety of different industries, services and products. This has given me a huge amount of experience with many types of businesses.
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I can tell you that as long as there is a demand for it, Facebook ads will work very well regardless of whether you are targeting businesses or consumers.
We've sold pretty much everything from recipe books and yoga retreats, to business consulting and investments. Products and services have ranged from a mere $27 all the way up to $500,000, with Facebook ads working well across the board.
What is the first step that business owners can learn from your journey?
Well besides the cliche 'never give up' philosophy, from a specific Facebook point of view you need to have a very clear image of who your target market is. Before you even think about sitting down to create a Facebook ad, you need to have this image instilled in your head in a three-dimensional way.
By this, I mean you need to know their age, gender and location. But you also need to know everything from what they like reading to where they like to hang out on the weekend.
What keeps them up at night? What would they think about your product?
Getting this three-dimensional concept of your target audience is the crucial first step.
What happens next?
Ask yourself a couple of key questions: 'what am I going to put in front of my target audience to make them take the action I want them to take?', 'what is that action?'
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It could be something as simple as a phone call, or do you want them to come to your showroom? Pre-book an appointment?
Often, all you need them to do is take that first initial step. It is from there that you can successfully lead them through your entire sales process.
Your approach will highly depend on the product or service you are offering. We sold thousands of recipe books for a client online, and to successfully do this we needed to craft the perfect online process, or sales funnel, to get people to buy.
In this instance, we got them to take the first action by distinctly showing the benefits of buying the recipe book. But before we did that, we needed to figure out the right people to target. Who is most likely to want to buy this book?
This is how the two crucial steps fit together, and how I used them to achieve success.
How have Facebook ads changed since they first began?
Facebook ads have come such a long way since the very first ads started. For example, they didn't have news feed ads when it was first launched, and, from the recent announcements at F8, it is clear that they are now making things a lot more sophisticated. This gives advertisers remarkable opportunities to present their business and services to a laser targeted audience.
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Facebook are consistently in tune with what's needed and are delivering great technology. Without question, I see it as the most powerful advertising medium on the planet at the moment, and I'm sure it will be for many years to come.
I'm really excited about the direction it's taking, as its potential for us to continue generating large volumes of sales and leads is endless.
AJ Mihrzad
CEO meeting with team of business associates
Happiness at work starts from the top. This is one of the fundamental truths of happy workplaces.
In any organization where people consistently love to work, you will find a CEO and executive leadership team that places employee happiness among their top strategic priorities and act accordingly.
One of my favorite examples of a CEO who truly gets this is Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines (since retired), who put it like this:
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When I started out, business school professors liked to pose a conundrum: Which do you put first, your employees, your customers, or your shareholders? As if that were an unanswerable question. My answer was very easy: You put your employees first. If you truly treat your employees that way, they will treat your customers well, your customers will come back, and that's what makes your shareholders happy. So there is no constituency at war with any other constituency. Ultimately, it's shareholder value that you're producing.
If, on the other hand, you have top brass who don't give a damn about anything but the bottom line and their own bonuses and stock options, I can flat-out guarantee that you will create an organization with very little happiness but with a lot of fear, stress and frustration. And, ironically, with poor bottom line results.
So top executives MUST make employee happiness one of their most important goal. Both because it's the right thing to do for the sake of their people, but also because it will actually make the company more successful. Studies consistently show that happy workplaces make more money.
But how does a CEO or top executive practice this on a daily basis? What can they do to make their organization happier?
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Here are 10 great real-life examples that we've seen work really well in workplaces around the world.
10: Regular lunches with employees
During a speech in Istanbul, I met an executive of a huge Turkish organization who has had a monthly lunch with 10 randomly picked employees for years now. Every month 10 employees get a chance to have a nice lunch and over the course of a couple of hours get to ask any question they want and air any concerns or complaints.
They also get a chance to meet him in an informal setting and get a sense of who he is as a person.
9: Random acts of workplace kindness
Some CEOs enjoy doing little random things to surprise and delight their staff. Here's an example from Medis, one of our clients in Iceland, where the CEO decided to make fresh pancakes and waffles for anyone passing by.
He even had a great time himself:
I thoroughly enjoyed it - the biggest joy I actually got out of observing the reaction of the colleagues ! FYI we did not announce anything but simply showed up in the corridor without notice and took people pleasantly by surprise.
8: Celebrate accomplishments
The Danish Competition and Consumer Authority is a government agency whose 200 employees work to enforce consumer regulations and keep markets competitive.
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Every month they have a breakfast meeting where important information is shared with all employees. At this meeting, the director Agnete always shares 2-3 successes that the organization has had since the last meeting. She'll highlight how they've completed a big project or won a court case and make sure that the people who worked on that are recognized and celebrated.
7: Encourage bad news
One CEO we know had a strong desire to receive all bad news as soon as possible. He knew bad things happened (they do in all workplaces) but he also knew that some employees were to afraid of reprisals to come out and directly say that they might miss a deadline or have to disappoint a client.
So he has trained himself and his managers to always receive bad news with a smile and a phrase like "Thank you for telling me that." This took some practice.
That way bad news come out early and can be dealt with before it turns into a disaster.
6: Meet with new employees
One fast-growing company of ours has a tradition where the CEO hosts a monthly afternoon tea at his home for all new hires that month.
It's a completely informal gathering that serves two functions: He gets to meet all the new people and get a sense of who they are and he takes some time to talk about the company's history and vision which is a powerful way to show the new hires the values and purpose of the organization.
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5: Solve problems
South African social media agency Quirk has a process in place that encourages employees to bring about any problems they see to the attention of the executive team. The process gives all employees a voice and guarantees action from the executives in two weeks at the most.
4: Encourage critical questions
The former CEO of a big global logistics company had annual road shows where he went around the world to present their annual strategy to the company's locations.
He wanted to show the attendees that they could ask him anything, so he introduced an award for "most critical question." The award was a little cow statue to show that the company had no "holy cows" - any question was fair, no matter how critical.
3: Say good morning
Carsten and Karsten, two sales managers at Danish company Solar, wanted to do something nice for their employees.
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Early one Monday morning, they stood at the entrance and greeted every employee with a cheerful "good morning" and a breakfast they could take to their desks.
This is a fun example, but the simple act of acknowledging your employees in the morning by greeting them actually makes a difference and creates a better relationship between employee and manager. Conversely, ignoring your people and not greeting them in the morning has the opposite effect.
2: Celebrate mistakes
In one company, the CEO was told by a trembling employee, that the company website was down. This was a big deal - this company made most of its sales online, and downtime cost them thousands of dollars an hour. The CEO asked what had happened, and was told that John in IT had bungled a system backup, and caused the problem. "Well, then," says the CEO "Let's go see John!" When the CEO walked into the IT department everyone went quiet. They had a pretty good idea what wass coming, and were sure it wouldn't be pretty. The CEO walks up to John's desk and asks "You John?" "Yes" he says meekly. "John, " says the CEO, "I want to thank you for finding this weakness in our system. Thanks to your actions, we can now learn from this, and fix the system, so something like this can't happen in the future. Good work!" Then he left a visibly baffled John and an astounded IT department. That particular mistake never happened again.
In many workplaces, employees who do good work are rarely recognized but anyone who makes a mistake is immediately and harshly punished. This is dumb.
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When we can openly admit to screwing up without fear of reprisals, we're more likely to fess up and learn from our mistakes. And that's why top executives should help employees celebrate mistakes.
As an example, IT company Menlo Innovations in Michigan has this banner hanging in their office:
1: Walk the halls and meet people
One day, the IKEA store in Gentofte, Denmark was a hive of activity. Not only was there a European executive meeting taking place, but the company founder, Ingvar Kamprad himself, was in the house. That'll make most employees straighten up and put in a little extra effort.
The execs wrapped up at 6 in the evening and Ingvar then took a stroll through the entire store as if this was the most natural thing in the world, kindly greeting each and every employee. He encountered two female employees talking to each other and approached them with a smile and the words: "And what are you two lovely ladies talking about?" - following up with big hugs for both of them.
I love this because it shows a genuine interest in the employees and because Kamprad is clearly happy himself and not afraid to show it.
We know from psychological studies that emotions are contagious and top leaders can spread a lot of happiness simply by being happy themselves.
The point
This list is by no means exhaustive and it's definitely not meant to be prescriptive. We're not saying all executives should do these things.
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What we are saying is that top executives play a huge role in creating happy workplaces. They do this in the big stuff - by making sure that the strategies, plans, goals and values they set for the organization are defined with the employees' well-being in mind.
But they also do it in small, daily, interpersonal ways where they can show that they genuinely care about their people, can build relationships with employees and can let employees see them as real human beings.
However, this can only work under a few conditions:
It must flow from a genuine care for the employees. If the CEO doesn't honestly care about her employees, she shouldn't try to fake it. But I've always said that if you don't care about people, you have no business leading them. Executives must WANT to do things to make employees happier. It's OK to go a little outside of your comfort zone but if you do things you actively hate, that fact will shine through and it probably won't work. Actions must match words. You can't on the one hand make pancakes or hug employees and on the other hand introduce large-scale organizational changes with no regard for how employees feel. They will see right through that. Consistency over the long term is mandatory. If you do this for a short while or only do it some of the time, it will be recognized as fae.k
Understanding this and acting on it gives the executives in a workplace huge leverage to make their employees feel valued professionally and personally - thus increasing happiness, engagement and motivation as well as productivity.
Not doing this - and let's face facts, most executives don't - means failing your employees, your customers and your investors.
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Your take
Do you think executives should care about the happiness of their employees? Do the executives in your workplace honestly care about their people? How do they show it / not show it?
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About Alexander Kjerulf
Alexander is the founder and Chief Happiness Officer of Woohoo inc and one of the world's leading experts on happiness at work. He is an author and speaker, presenting and conducting workshops on happiness at work at businesses and conferences in over 30 countries. His clients include companies like Hilton, Microsoft, LEGO, IKEA, Shell, HP and IBM.
A federal judge in North Carolina showed us Monday night why the protections of the Voting Rights Act are still very much-needed.
In a 485-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Thomas D. Schroeder upheld the 2013 North Carolina law imposing a new photo ID requirement, along with other regressive moves, that will keep hundreds of thousands of voters of color from making their voices heard in this election. The behemoth opinion was heavily laden with claims about the law, few of them backed up with facts about what happens on the ground.
If the law stands -- plaintiffs have already promised to appeal -- Tar Heel voters won't get to register and vote on the same day this fall, will have fewer opportunities to vote before Election Day, and will no longer be pre-registered before turning 18. Not only that, they'll be asked to show a photo ID that thousands simply don't have, and don't have access to. End result? Over 200,000 citizens are likely to be sent home without having a say in deciding who will represent them at the local, state, and federal levels. And that doesn't even touch on the countless more who could have become a part of the political process through same day registration.
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That kind of blanket suppression leaves entire communities silent in our democracy.
Judge Schroeder, in his opinion, claimed that "North Carolina provided legitimate state interests for its voter ID requirement" and that "there is little official discrimination to consider." As such, he let all portions of the state law stand.
But what did the court mean by "official discrimination?" The thousands of Carolinians who've participated in "Moral Monday" protests for more than a year now might say "official discrimination" -- in schools, on policed streets, at the workplace -- is alive and well. But you don't have to attend a rally to appreciate that. Just 10 years ago, our elected representatives in the Congress, concluded after a detailed study, that systemic discrimination persisted at the ballot box sufficient to warrant reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act for another 25 years.
Those lawmakers did not need to uncover statements by state legislators on why they sought to keep African-Americans and Latinos from voting; such smoking guns are rare (not nonexistent) and today's discriminatory measures are generally much more sophisticated. Congress' findings of polling place closings, election postponements, gerrymandered districts, and other discriminatory actions -- including in North Carolina -- covered over 20,000 pages. Evidence of redistricting efforts in the state limiting people of color from electing their candidates of choice -- and the power of Section 5 to stop such measures - demonstrated continued need for the law.
It seems as though Judge Schroeder, in not having uncovered any "official discrimination," took a cue from the Supreme Court's 2013 decision in Shelby Co. v. Holder. There, Chief Justice John Roberts asserted that our country had "changed significantly" and that, despite the ongoing existence of racism, "extraordinary" measures were no longer necessary. The 5-4 majority in Shelby effectively threw out Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, a provision that required localities and states with a history of discrimination, including North Carolina, to submit proposed changes in their voting laws and procedures for federal review before implementation, authorizing the Justice Department to stop impermissible measures in their tracks.
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Almost immediately after Shelby, handfuls of states passed restrictive voting measures, most notably North Carolina. The sweeping new Carolina law had both a discriminatory intent and effect: we know African-American voters used the voter friendly provisions of the old law at a disproportionately high rate to the rest of the electorate and are much likelier than whites to lack government-issued ID; indeed, even though Black voters comprise 22 percent of registered voters in North Carolina, they comprise 30 percent of those without ID.
Legislators in Raleigh knew exactly what they were doing in passing this law. Judge Richard Posner, the highly respected Seventh Circuit appellate judge whose opinion formed the basis for the Supreme Court's upholding of the first photo ID law, has since denounced these sorts of laws as suppressive. As he found in a recent decision on Wisconsin's photo ID law (an issue still being litigated), "voter impersonation fraud is virtually nonexistent," such laws make it harder for people of color to vote, and fraud allegations purportedly necessitating the laws are "downright goofy, if not paranoid." That's an about-face that comes from seeing the aims and effects of such laws.
Even political admit to it. Todd Allbaugh, former chief of staff to Wisconsin State Sen. Dale Schultz (R), said Republican senators in the state were "giddy" over the prospect of photo ID laws reducing turnout among Democratic voting groups. Indeed, U.S. Rep. Grothman (R-WI) proved the point when saying, in response to the Republican party's chances in the upcoming election, that photo ID laws will "make a little bit of a difference." These signs of "official discrimination," whether in North Carolina or other parts of the country, show that voter suppression laws -- including photo ID requirements -- are aimed at keeping certain groups away from the polls.
Through 2006, the Voting Rights Act was reauthorized four times -- always by overwhelmingly bipartisan votes -- because the law worked. It stopped bad state laws from being passed or implemented, prevented discriminatory practices from taking hold, and moved the country, slowly but surely, toward equality. And some states welcomed it! It held them accountable and provided bright lines on what to do; it ensured elections systems that worked for all eligible voters.
We can't undo Shelby -- and can't undo the thousands of rights lost over the past couple years - but we can move forward with a fix. The Voting Rights Advancement Act would restore many of the former law's protections; but in response to the Supreme Court's call for a more modern, flexible approach, the law would take into account jurisdictions' present and future needs. If passed, it could block the kinds of laws North Carolina passed after Shelby, and ensure that all eligible voters retain full access to their constitutional right to vote.
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I watched "Lemonade" recently and screamed. And cried. And stared off into the distance, awestruck.
Queen Bey has pushed the boundaries of artistic expression yet again -- visually, lyrically, emotionally -- and now we can add spiritually to that list.
As a practitioner of the West African faith, Ifa, I love to point out pop culture occurrences of this ancient tradition and its pantheon, the orisha, right here in the West.
Like Ricky Ricardo's 1940s hit "Babalu," which is a detailed ritual to orisha Babaluaye, patron of sickness and infirmity.
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Or, in season two of Orange Is The New Black, we learn the detailed back story of Gloria. The jailhouse santera learned everything from a motherly figure who wore white, working in the backroom of their bodega.
Even Jay-Z nods at orisha, Shango, in a rap duet with Drake entitled "Pound Cake."
But Beyonce is a whole 'nother ball game. And I stopped breathing at her song "Denial" --
I... wore white
abstained from mirrors
abstained from sex
slowly did not speak another word.
In that time, my hair, I grew past my ankles.
I slept on a mat on the floor.
These intense steps in her detailed ritual of denial aren't erratic choosing; they are all some of the basic requirements of the year-long process for an Ifa practitioner to initiate into the priesthood -- steps that I took in 2012 when I became a priestess. And this practice is still upheld throughout America, the Caribbean, and South America.
I spent 365 consecutive days wearing white -- all white, only white -- all the way down to my underwear and socks. But that was the easy part. There was also three required months of no sex, no looking in mirrors, and taking all of my meals on a mat on a floor. And for one year, I could not cut my hair.
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I didn't commit to such terms because I was questioning infidelity from a rap god, but because I had become an Iyawo, a Nigerian Yoruba word for bride, and the title given to men and women going through the Ifa/Santeria/Candomble initiation rites to become a priest. During this year, you become in some ways a nun and are married to your orisha.
No, i'm not saying that Beyonce has become a priestess, or that she even practices Ifa (but putting Ibeyi in the video says a LOT, Bey!). But in this project, the many critics and critiques of Beyonce's African descent (as i've seen argued because of her wealth, or blonde hair) must be paused to acknowledge what is clearly there.
As we near the end of National Sexual Assault Awareness month, the importance of its message - raising public awareness and improving prevention - is underscored by the continuous stream of sexual assault cases in the news. From the fake Uber driver in Los Angeles, to the fitness club owner and former high school sport trainer, to the dropped charges of incest and gang rape in Brooklyn, the need to challenge the context and culture facilitating these crimes is undeniable.
The first step is to better understand the problem, and identify which women are most vulnerable and the least likely to seek, or be able to access, justice or assistance. And in some cases, we have yet to take this step.
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When the 18 year-old Brooklyn complainant recanted her testimony in February, the charges of gang rape against 5 teens were dropped. And while consent is no defense to incest, when she refused to co-operate with the police to testify against her father, she didn't just doom the incest case, she also became a target of public outrage and censure.
The night after the charges are dismissed, I am in an audience, listening to Farah Tanis, Executive Director of Black Women's Blueprint, speak at a benefit about her own response to the news: "When I hear this 18 year-old girl recants her story, says there was no gun, no 5 boys who seized upon her father raping her and then each took their turns . . . the girl inside me cried out."
Farah speaks with palpable sorrow, but also with anger. Because she too was a victim--of incest by an uncle and domestic violence in her childhood home--and understands all too well why a daughter will not aid the prosecution of a father. The full theatre thrums with empathy and tension, and several audience members voice their affirmations.
Farah was speaking at the Mother Tongue Monologues benefit, held to support this week's truth and reconciliation commission (TRC) on experiences of rape and sexual assault by women of African descent in the United States. The night was dedicated to both sharing stories and honoring women who support black women and girl victims of sexual violence. "As you put yourself on the line, we respond in mutuality, in community, in love, with you, in struggle until there is peace." I sat in tears, humbled, aching with compassion, and in awe. These words, spoken to each honoree, reflect sentiments I've heard across countries and cultures around the world.
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From Kenya to East Timor, Guinea to Colombia, I've witnessed women support each other to speak out about their trauma, and to challenge the stifling silence surrounding their suffering. A Kenyan woman who became a mother as a result of rape started a support network for other women survivors, which has spread across the country; a Colombian women's organization hosted a symbolic tribunal for sexual violence because of the government's systematic failure to prosecute these crimes.
As a woman of color living in the US, however, I've been shocked to see how prevalent sexual violence is here as well, in our "developed" country. Violence against black women, including sexual violence, is widespread and largely unaddressed by law enforcement. Intimate partner homicide is the number one killer of African-American females aged 15-34; and police brutality against black women is increasingly documented as pervasive.
This week, the TRC will harness the power of truth-telling to raise awareness about the systematically uninvestigated and unpunished crimes against black women, and the suffocating silence around these violations that has become the norm.
But why a truth commission in the United States? Why is it so important for women survivors of sexual violence of African descent to recount their trauma in a public forum?
Truth and reconciliation commissions, made famous in post-Apartheid South Africa, typically aim to reveal the reasons, nature and effects of large-scale human rights violations. They also offer victims a chance to overcome the fear of stigma and isolation to share their experiences and have them publicly acknowledged. This is a critical first step in identifying the facts about past violations and their enduring impact on victims, and informs the types of remedies required to respond to the violations.
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This matters in America because up to 60% of black girls will experience sexual assault before their 18th birthday. Black women are less than half as likely to report rape to the police compared to white women. As the recent trial of police officer Daniel Holtzclaw in Oklahoma City and the subsequent discovery of 1000 more instances of similar police sexual misconduct demonstrates, this is due to a well-founded distrust and fear of authorities. The harm caused to women is not just committed by men in their family, community, or even strangers on the street. It is compounded by law enforcement officers and government agents who systemically deny victims access to assistance and justice, and ignore their own institutional responsibility to restore and protect these women's security.
We are still at the start of the International Decade for People of African Descent, with building momentum for the Black Lives Matter movement and recent UN findings of structural discrimination against African Americans. Understanding the specific nature and impact of sexual violence against women of African descent is a crucial piece of this landscape; and yet, as in other societies, it is too often overlooked.
I've supported women survivors of sexual violence share their stories in defiance of the oppressive code of silence in several countries. Whether it is to better access criminal and restorative justice, or advocate for laws and policies that recognize and respond to their suffering, the need for solidarity is universal.
The Black Women's Blueprint TRC mission is as compelling as it is timely. It will examine the history (traced back to slavery), context, causes, chronology, and consequence of rape and sexual assault on women of African descent. It seeks recognition of how black women's rights are central to racial justice concerns of all people of African descent; a renewed focus on increasing resources to prevent sexual violence in the first place; and the creation of transformative processes to eradicate gender-based violence.
These goals matter because they are a strategic call for action, and because the power of a platform for truth should not be underestimated. For the young woman in Brooklyn and the women of Oklahoma City struggling to pick up the pieces and heal, it's my hope that hearing the experiences of others will give strength and prompt newfound community support. As Farah declared that night at Mother Tongue Monologues, "in both our shared agony and our shared celebration, we will not be silent and we will not be subdued."
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Unhappy woman in bathroom with pregnancy test
Another post on Facebook of a pregnancy announcement. You like and comment 'congrats!' and continue to go about your day. But you don't go about your day, you think about it and wonder how can she get pregnant, but not me?
My husband and I have been trying to have a baby for six months now. I know it is nowhere near being considered as infertile, nor is this post about that. This is about facing that disappointment, month after month, that this was not the month of conception. We waited for almost a year before getting my birth control removed. We wanted to wait because we were in college and did not have full time jobs; we knew we wanted a steadier environment before bringing in a new addition to our family. When we got news James got this job in Colorado, we immediately scheduled an appointment to get the birth control removed. (I had Nexplanon, the implant in your arm. One word, ouch!) We felt such excitement and happiness at the thought of having a baby, because everything was going the way we wanted! We were smart and waited till we had a stable household, why wouldn't it happen soon?
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We did everything right, our family was going to grow, and we were going to be parents.
But here we are six months later, still no luck. I have had a few break down moments where I just sob to James and ask, "Why not me?" One of my close friends who has been trying about the same length as I have is now pregnant and this made me realize something. I shouldn't be feeling envious of other expecting mothers, I should just let things fall into place.
I am so happy for everyone else and their pregnancies, because that is going to be such a huge change in their lives. What I realized is, I have an amazing husband that I can be selfish with. I get his full attention and we can leave and go on dates, or travel, or do anything we want without having to worry about kids right now. When we have kids, we won't get this freedom to this extent and so I am going to enjoy every moment of it. I'm not saying being a mother is terrible and makes you house bound or anything, I'm saying that this is God's way of telling us the time will come; enjoy the moment.
I shared this quote from Elder Neil. L. Andersen on my Instagram awhile back, when we had been trying for a few months. It states, "Motherhood is a calling. It is not a hobby. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for." Motherhood is a calling, something God chooses when the time is perfect for you. Don't be discouraged if you have been trying for a while. I've read several places that stressing about pregnancy, will definitely not help in getting pregnant. I advise you not to waste your time on Ovulation apps, been there, done and stressed over that.
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Trust me, it is hard not to feel a tinge of envy for those who get pregnant what seems to be quickly. Don't envy others who are soon-to-be mothers. Because in the end, any new life coming onto this earth is a joyous occasion. Congratulate that friend on Facebook, ask mothers questions for your future reference, and just keep moving forward. Enjoy your husband and your time together, because I'm sure some mothers wish to remember what a quiet house feels like! How do you deal with everyone else being pregnant, but not you? Stay positive and let it happen when it is meant to happen.
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Former Finance Minister for Nigeria and Chair of the GAVI Vaccine Alliance Board speaking at the first Forum on Mobilizing Resources for Health
On April 14 and 15 I had the pleasure to co-host, together with the World Bank, the first annual forum on Resource Mobilization for Universal Health Coverage. Even though this sounds like a mouthful I can assure you that the topic is extremely important for all of us working in global health. Put simply, Resource Mobilization is about ensuring that low- and middle-income countries are able to finance their own health targets and in so doing meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set forth by the United Nations in September 2015. Universal Health Coverage simply means ensuring that everyone has access to the quality and affordable health care they need. How countries do it, is entirely up to them and to their own citizens.
Because this forum took place just a few days ahead of the World Bank Spring Meetings, we were fortunate to have many high level delegates from ministries of finance and ministries of health from around the world in addition to representatives of bilateral donor agencies, philanthropic foundations, the private sector and prominent civil society organizations. This unique blend of perspectives, provided a rich discussion on how to leverage funding for health and reduce out-of-pocket health costs, which are a major driver of poverty for many families.
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Significant progress in global health during the last few decades, has opened the possibility of closing the gap in life expectancy between rich and poor countries in the span of one generation, a grand convergence vision that is now enshrined in the SDGs. This trend, however requires additional investments equivalent to about $70 billion a year, according to the Lancet Commission on Investing in Health. The good news is that this level of investment in the health sector has the potential to yield economic returns of 9 to 20 times its cost.
Unfortunately, despite the high projected return on investment, development assistance for health remains stagnant. Hence the need to think beyond traditional assistance and to acknowledge that countries are indeed developing and economies are growing. There is evidence in an increasing number of emerging economies that as GDP increases so does health spending but, without proper insurance mechanisms in place and weak public financing systems, the likelihood that people will face financial catastrophe remains high.
Chris Elias, President of Global Development for the Gates Foundation and one of the many illustrious Forum participants put it well when he said, "Resource Mobilization is like changing leads in the middle of a dance and we must learn to study the stars." Chris is talking about the dance of development and the stars being those countries who are fast learners and are finding innovative ways to finance their own health agenda.
One way countries can raise revenue is through taxes. But in many developing countries, where a large percentage of the population is poor, governments focus on raising import taxes or VAT. Take Ghana for instance, where 2.5 percent of their Value Added Tax (VAT) supports the health budget, as noted by Nathaniel Otoo, CEO of the National Health Insurance Agency. He added that the "Expansion of the tax base has benefitted the national insurance scheme, which is now covering 41 percent of the population." Another interesting example comes from the Philippines where taxes on tobacco have contributed to significantly raising the health budget as reported by Jeremias Paul, their former Under Secretary for Finance. Other so called "sin taxes" that have been used to finance health budgets are taxes on carbon emissions as well as sugary drinks and products.
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Forum participants also grappled with the fact that tax evasion and tax incentives (exemptions, credits and preferential treatments) are among the leading sources undermining a country's capacity to raise revenue. Hence the need to support countries in their efforts to strengthen their public finance systems and in so doing, address the issue of transparency. On this very topic, USAID sponsored a side session on approaches to strengthen governance and accountability. Central to this discussion was how decision maker's behaviors and practices can be influenced to safeguard the interests of consumers, especially the poor and marginalized.
Finance ministers often insist on evidence of efficiency and returns on investments. Participants agreed that bringing together finance and health officials is critical for making the case that investing in health makes economic sense. Isaac Folorunso Adewole, Minister of Health for Nigeria, was adamant when he said, "We must speak the dialect of finance ministers when advocating for health, use credible data and strive for efficiency." His words were echoed by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former finance minister for Nigeria and now chair of the GAVI Vaccine Alliance Board, who added that the health and education communities must combine forces in their quest for more resources.
One side session was entirely dedicated to exploring the potential of the private sector to advance the health agenda. Whether it is a matter of sharing financial risks, advancing innovation, setting quality standards or helping the public sector use its resources more efficiently, the role of the private sector remains unclear and possibly untapped. This is where civil society has a role to play: by holding both public and private sectors accountable.
"Investing in citizen movements and in democracy is critical for ensuring appropriate health budgets," said Agnes Soucat of the World Health Organization. While Ray Offenheiser, President of Oxfam America, added that having specific health targets is necessary in order to mobilize civil society around quality and equal access but also in regulating the private sector.
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Image: Armenia's Metsamor nuclear power plant. Photo by Bouarf (CC BY-SA 3.0/Wikipedia)
Armenia was supposed to have a new nuclear power plant this year that would replace one that National Geographic suggested a few years ago was the most dangerous in the world.
The new plant was to have twice the electrical-generating capacity of the current one, allowing Armenia not only to meet its own power needs but to export electricity to neighboring counties.
We're well in to 2016, and not only is the new plant not operational -- work on it hasn't even begun.
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The problem is the $5-billion cost, a staggering amount for Armenia, one of the poorest countries in the former Soviet Union. The price tag equates to double the country's budget in 2009, the year the government committed to the second plant.
Countries in the South Caucasus and beyond worry about a failure of the current nuclear facility at Metsamor, which became operational in 1976.
It was supposed to have a life span of 30 years, until 2006. Recent upgrades mean the plant can run through 2026, the government has said.
Without money for a new facility, Armenia has no choice but to continue using the old one. It contends that $200 million it has spent to upgrade the facility has made it safe.
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Some nuclear experts agree, but some don't.
Even Armenians who worry about the plant's safety don't want to return to the days between 1989 and 1995 when it was shut down after a 1988 earthquake in Gyumri, 48 miles from Metsamor. The quake devastated Armenia's second-largest city, killing 25,000 and leaving half a million homeless.
Although the plant came through the 1988 quake without a hitch, it is located in an active seismic zone -- and many Armenian nuclear officials feared a catastrophe if the next temblor involved a direct hit on Metsamor.
At the time they recommended closing it, Armenia was able to obtain oil and gas from Russia and Turkmenistan for its thermal power plants. The government decided to increase its purchase of those supplies to produce additional power from thermal plants to cover the loss of electricity from the nuclear plant.
The war between ethnic Armenians and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, which had long been Azerbaijani territory, dashed the thermal-plant plans, however.
That's because the oil and gas that Russia and Turkmenistan were sending to Armenia came through Azerbaijan, which refused to transport the fuel once the conflict started.
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With the nuclear plant shut down and thermal plants unable to be ramped up, Armenians went through the Dark Ages for several years.
Power was available only one hour a day, bringing industry to a standstill and making life at home miserable. "You can imagine--it was as cold in the apartment as it was in the street" in winter, journalist Ara Tadevosyan recalled.
Although a truce in the war was negotiated in 1994, Armenia was still unable to get oil and gas from Russia and Turkmenistan. Azerbaijan demanded nothing less than the return of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Desperate for electricity, Armenia reopened the Metsamor plant -- the first time in history that a shuttered nuclear facility had been restarted.
Russia, which had designed and built the plant, helped Armenia refurbish it to prolong its life.
Even so, it was supposed to be decommissioned this year, at the same time that the new plant was to come on line.
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The government committed to the new plant in 2009, and began casting about for financing.
At one point, Russia agreed to finance half the $5 billion cost. Talks also were held with the French, who have one of the world's biggest nuclear-power industries.
But the global financial meltdown that struck in 2008 made it difficult to obtain financing from countries besides Russia, many of whose economies were in the doldrums for years after the crisis.
Armenia had hoped to obtain financing after donor countries got back on their feet, but that hasn't happened, either.
Even Russia's help would be problematic at the moment, given plunges in the price of oil, which sustains Russia's economy, and the ruble since 2014.
So Armenia continues to make due with the Metsamor plant.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has inspected the facility, and declared it safe. But other experts are skeptical.
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The big worry is that the plant has no containment building -- a steel or concrete shell that would prevent radiation from escaping during an accident.
If a rupture developed in the reactor's skin, radiation would have to be vented into the air to prevent a build-up of pressure that could trigger a meltdown or explosion.
The longer a nuclear plant operates, the thinner its reactor skin becomes, experts say -- and thinner skins are subject to rupture.
A rupture would mean "an open reactor building, a core with no water in it (to cool the reactor) and accident progression with no mitigation at all," said Antonia Wenisch of the Vienna-based Austrian Institute of Applied Ecology in Vienna.
The stakes in Armenia's nuclear gamble are high.
An accident at Metsamor would devastate the capital of Yerevan, only 20 miles away and home to a third of Armenia's population.
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It would also render unusable the Aras River Valley, Armenia's premier agricultural area, where Metasamor is situated.
In addition, radiation would envelop Turkey, whose border is only 10 miles from the nuclear facility, and Armenian neighbors Georgia and Iran.
Despite the danger of an older nuclear plant situated in an earthquake-prone area, Armenians are unwilling to return to the days without electricity, when people died in ice-cold apartments, stripped forest land of trees they could burn, and drew down the water in Lake Sevan to dangerous levels to obtain power from the dam there.
Until the government is able to obtain the financing for a new nuclear plant, Armenia will continue to hope that Metsamor will not fail.
And the region and the world will join Armenians in holding their breath.
It is safe to say that the life of a rat is defined by fear. Just minutes ago I was sitting on a stoop in Manhattan's East Village enjoying a pink hue that was settling into the darkness of the night and was impressed by a rat's deft navigation of the shade that sits beneath the cars lined on Stuyvesant Street. Cautionary hesitation be struck the rat at each sight of light. Its fractured glide to (in a morbid sense) meet its maker - a human laid piece of cheese - marveled me. So if the life of a rat equates to the sum of fear it faces throughout its existence, which it paradoxically removes itself from in an attempt to fulfill its hunger, what defines the life of a political animal?
Holding the same imaginative properties as the arts, sports, and even love - politics enables one to live outside of himself. There is a beauty in being vicariously placed into a story or into fervent feelings of another.
I saw this beauty less than a day ago.
The tedium of college certainly wanes on the mind, and yesterday, my first day off in sometime, I decided to read something for me for a change. Essays In Love it was, Alain De Button's debut and my book of choice. Caught in a three-hour oasis of imagination, De Button took me into an orbit of love - that of my past and that I look to have. And like Junot Diaz's Oscar Wao, De Button's protagonist tapped into the hopeless romanticism that lives within. A void was filled and in turn I have been more open to the tedium that is college.
So what is it about the political sphere that rejuvenates the mind enabling one to bear the humdrum that is life? Is it perhaps the pursuit of perfection that enamors us so much?
If progress was, say, the bridge between the good and the bad; the good would thereby be placed on the horizon. With each step forward, thirst for the good traverses past the mere desirable, over the grouchiness of hunger, and enters into a famished like enchantment ("I am just so damn close!").
In America, its minorities have become its face (i.e. BARACK OBAMA). And low and behold, the nation has found itself only wanting more, birthing the anti-establishment movement into the 2016 presidential election. With progress we become beguiled by the good, obsessed with it. For most college students, Bernie Sanders is the good that sits on the horizon.
I came into contact with this good two or so weeks ago when I went to a Sander's rally in New York City. Consuming Bernie Sander's political rhetoric in the flesh bore reactions that developed with time. I found it hard from an objective - human - level to not be moved by the righteousness tethered to his ideology (Can you really look past equality?). Sanders provided me with the opportunity to see the shared, human, connective-tissue as palpable. As I moved with his words, my palate became cleansed and my body refreshed. I was, perhaps, created anew.
The dichotomized frame Sanders presents to the masses demonstrates the mutual occupation the good and the bad have within the American space. Sanders shapes his message on the grounds of economic inequality and how that in fact mutes the voice of the masses. He calls for a "political revolution" and defines it by, among other things, "a government that works for all of us, not just wealthy campaign contributors." Capitalist greed, which can be marked by Wall Street is therefore, as suggested by Sanders, the root of all evil. Sanders is the physical manifestation of the good that opposes this evil and fills out the frame.
Jettisoning through the generational threshold, Bernie Sanders attaches himself to the change enacted by the leaders of the civil rights movement. There was a subtle, yet recurring juxtaposition between Bernie Sanders and Martin Luther King, Jr. At the rally, located at Washington Square Park - the merger between Manhattan's East and West village - Rosario Dawson concluded her opening speech by emphasizing, in a tone on the verge of unnecessary and seemingly backed by an agenda, that "this man, Senator Bernie Sanders, walked with Martin Luther King, who had a dream of civil rights and then died when he tried to push that dream too much further." Sanders followed suit and mentioned more than once that he did march with King and has been on the right-side of moral history.
Dipping into the civil rights era America supplies Sander's audience with an image of an America that was torn and also of an America that is still torn. This strategic use of imagery is the fodder of Bernie Sander's appeal. His selling point is distilled through the suggestion that he, and his political revolution, will enact the same magnitude of change as Martin Luther King did with the civil rights movement.
The Sander's rally was an escape from reality. I was inundated with the good that lives within the candidate and the good that the candidate is seeking to implement. However, with time, the good that I felt waned. When I was finally able to digest the rally and all that it offered, my feelings changed.
Removed from the powerful feeling of being a member of a righteous political movement, I was able to reflect upon Sander's message and the current state of the Black community. In this reflection, I considered the fact that I am African American, with an African American president, which is a direct result of the efforts of people like my grandfather, Earl M. Johnson, Sr., who was Martin Luther King Jr's lawyer in the State of Florida in the 1960s. Things have changed.
Things are not perfect, however.
My community need not be reminded of the difficulties we face. In the Hip Hop era, there was Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, and a litany of others who have fallen through the cracks. But before those of the present day, who were cast down the hall of no return by the cold and lethal touch of racial injustice, there was Rodney King - caught in the liminal space between the post-civil rights and civil rights generation.
But as I pondered the evolution of the Black experience, I wondered with a tender curiosity what the change Bernie Sanders is looking to enact would look like. Sanders presents A: what needs to be changed (economic inequality); B: the method (break up the big banks, in effect take from the rich and give to the poor as Robin Hood did); and C: the effect of change (wealth distribution). This articulation of change is what moved me. However, while I probed the grand scheme of the minority experience, I question how filtering money into social institutions will remove deeply rooted racial hate in America. Compounding this consideration with a look to the other side - the Republican Party - who is led by a candidate that almost celebrates bigotry, I fear that Sanders notion of change has become inflated as it is not grounded in a far greater barrier - the polarization of the American psyche.
My curiosity eventually morphed into disappointment (I almost didn't vote). As I took a look at the larger political space, I can only see that this nation is in the middle of ideological civil war. The pursuit of Sanders perfection is aimed in the wrong direction.
"Hijab Day" at Sciences Po
I realize that this is a minor event that has no more importance than we are willing, here and elsewhere, to give it. And yet I cannot quite get over the "Hijab Day" staged last Wednesday by a group of students at the Institute of Political Sciences in Paris.
That things have reached this sorry pass at one of France's best schools, one where future government officials are supposed to be trained and where what is left of the spirit of republican democracy should be preserved and cultivated, that its students should descend to such an absurd and obscene provocation, that by putting on display (and thus, whether intentionally or not) celebrating a symbol so deeply inconsistent with the founding principles of democracy -- all this is nothing short of staggering.
It does not matter which way you look at the issue -- whether the veil is required or desired; a symbol of the law of one's fathers, brothers, and masters or the expression of a choice; a mark of the violence done to the one wearing it or of a submission recognized as such and willingly borne. In either case, it signifies the effacement of women, their defeat, their formal inequality. In both cases, and, come to think about it, in the second perhaps more than in the first -- that is, in situations where the abasement is premeditated and self-aware more than when it is the product of alienation but dimly perceived -- it is the visible face of an ideology and, in certain countries, of a political order being battled by women and men who reject the new form of fascism that is radical Islam.
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After Hijab Day, what next? Sharia Day? Jihad parties? Must we look forward now to Stoning 101, complete with hands-on workshops that enable us to "open up the discussion," to "better understand" the phenomenon, and to do away with the "stigmatization" attached to this fine form of punishment?
Much Ado About Nothing on French TV
Turmoil, too, though of a different sort and, this time, in the vein of pure farce, over the "affair" of the televised slap that rapper Joey Starr administered to TV personality Gilles Verdez behind the scenes of the French talent show "Nouvelle Star."
The problem is not whose side to take. That the hosts of the most idiotic shows in the French media, that those of the nation's mediacrats who thrive by commercializing unbounded vulgarity should whip up a frenzy and then put on a display either of outraged virtue or of resistance to the tyranny of the Bollore Group -- well, that is their role and in the order of things.
But that all of France should become transfixed by this manufactured nonevent to the extent of pushing everything else off the web for 24 hours; that for those 24 hours nothing should matter more than a war of hashtags and likes between those who believe that you should never violate the personal space of a resting rapper and those who respond that you should never strike a TV personality, especially when wearing rings; that debate should rage as far as the eye can see over whether said wounded TV personality has suffered "headaches" since the rapper rebuked him--this speaks volumes about the climate of the time and, sad to say, its decline.
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Watching the protesters of the Nuit Debout movement and their smug ideologists, it was tempting to think back to the comparative style and flair of the great voices of the far left of a generation ago. In the face of today's chronic hyper-excitement, where the prank of a bewigged TV personality and the somewhat exaggerated response of a show-business loudmouth can be portrayed as the apex of provocativeness and daring, it is hard not to be nostalgic for Maurice Clavel. "Messieurs les Censeurs, bonsoir," said Clavel as he stormed off the set of a 1971 television screening of one of his filmed reports in 1971 that turned out to have been censored. Other days, other ways.
The Brexit and Europe's Power to Inspire
The truly serious matter of the past week is the mounting debate over the possible exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union. Unlike many, I am not at all persuaded that such an exit would be fatal or even necessarily harmful to the EU. It is easy to imagine a scenario in which the City of London takes advantage of the new situation to break free from EU rules, gather up its financial marbles, and profit (why not?) from the windfall effect created by its former partners' rallying around the ideal (?) of universal transparency and the hunt for hidden money by becoming a gigantic pump sucking up Balzac's "soaring arch of gold" and, thanks to its incomparable technical acumen and formidable accumulated power, converting the UK into a tax haven on an unprecedented scale, a huge, unbeatable Jersey, an uninhibited and unchained Luxembourg with an unparalleled mechanical advantage.
And if this scenario were to become a reality? One hopes it will not. But one thing is sure. The result of the referendum on the Brexit will depend, first and obviously, on the voters. But the attitude of Europe, its vitality and continued ability to inspire, will not be irrelevant. Either Europe speaks up, affirming itself and demonstrating that the European project still has a future, in which case the British partisans of union will see their position strengthened; or it falls silent, allowing doubt and discouragement to creep in and, by its inertia, sending the signal that it's now every man for himself. And the chances are that it will not be the weakest but the strongest -- that is, those who have the most to lose from a slow, choreographed shipwreck -- who will be the first to jump.
More than ever, Europe is at the crossroads of its destiny.
Ahmad Abdallah, a prominent human rights defender arrested in Egypt, is being accused by the government of a series of offenses including, "Belonging to a terrorist group." He was one of those rounded up in the last week as the Egyptian authorities again showed how scared they are of peaceful dissent. Abdallah is the Head of Board of Trustees of Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF), an organization that has documented an alarming rise in enforced disappearances over the last year. He has also been providing legal advice to the family of Giulio Regeni, the Italian student murdered in Cairo earlier this year. Abdallah was arrested in the early hours of Monday April 25 when security forces broke into his home. He was taken to New Cairo police station. Like other peaceful activists in Egypt, he knows the dangers of criticizing the regime of President Sisi. I last saw him in Cairo in January, when he told me how he'd been targeted by state security and military intelligence forces since ECRF started to publicize the numbers of disappearances.
A couple of days before we met, he had narrowly escaped abduction. "Three men in civilian clothes went to a coffee shop where I often go in El Agouza," he said. "They came and asked the staff there about me and even described what I was wearing and the bag I was carrying. It was a near miss," He's one of many activists targeted in the last few weeks as repression of civil society has intensified. Secretary Kerry visited Cairo last week but failed to mention human rights in his public statement. Another activist, Sanaa Seif, was also called for questioning by the prosecutor for alleged involvement in the distribution of leaflets calling for protests. She stated that she considers the investigation against her to be a sham because the judiciary is now controlled by the executive. She now also faces charges for insulting a public official.
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"The latest wave of mass arrests in Cairo and other governorates clearly reflects the repressive systematic strategy the state is implementing .... which reflects how nervous the ruling regime is," said the ECRF. Abdallah's detention has been extended by 15 days and according to his court case file he is being accused of ten offenses, including:
Incitement for the use of force to overthrow the government and to change the state constitution and the republican system
Incitement for attacking police stations in purposes of terrorism, use of violence and threats to force the President to refrain from exercising his statutory powers and duties entrusted to him by the Egyptian constitution
Belonging to a terrorist group
The Sisi government's persecution of activists is a recipe for catastrophe. Washington needs to act decisively, publicly, and quickly to prevent Egypt's human rights crisis from deepening further. It could start by speaking out against what's happening this week.
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This should scare us: we have a chance here to begin the arduous process of dismantling the oligarchy and restoring our democracy, and we might squander it. We may not see another candidate like Bernie Sanders in our lifetimes--one who has the commitment, the political experience, and the courage to do everything within his power as President to take our country back from moneyed interests. Sanders champions countless important issues affecting ordinary Americans and our planet as a whole. But nothing else matters more than this, because it impacts everything else.
And by the way, Bernie supporters (most of us, anyway) do not believe he can come in and magically transform all this overnight. We're not idiots or starry-eyed Pollyannas. Who might be the real Pollyannas? Those who shrug with resignation because "this is just the way things work," calling those of us who believe we absolutely can and must do better unrealistic idealists, alarmists, silly children, or similar. Those who can't or won't recognize that, at best, our democracy is taking its last gasps, are the ones who really have their heads in the clouds.
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Hillary Clinton is a maintainer of the status quo. That's the bottom line. Sure, she'd do a few good things inside our current box. But we'll still be in that box, and it's rotten to the core. And along with the few good things she'll do, we'll get fracking and probably war (in other words, more death and destruction), and more pandering and caving to moneyed interests to the detriment of the rest of us, because "that's just the way things work." And we're too "pragmatic" to even try to change that.
When she leaves office, the United States will still be an oligarchy. Guaranteed. And that's if she wins the general election, of course. On April 26, Bernie Sanders won easily in Rhode Island, which just happened to be the only one out of the five voting states that day in which independents can vote in the primary. In the general election, Bernie Sanders will get the independent votes that Hillary Clinton will not. That's one reason he does better than Clinton in almost every head-to-head poll with Republican candidates.
With Bernie Sanders, we have our only real chance that our country will function more like a democracy when he leaves office than when he arrived. And we will have a new generation of mobilized, empowered, and politically engaged progressive Americans to ensure the process continues via his successors and other progressive politicians.
If we don't begin the process of dismantling the oligarchy and returning to a democracy now, when will we? If not Bernie Sanders, then who? How will we ever do it if we won't elect leaders who are wholeheartedly committed to doing everything within their power to make it happen?
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Yes, it will be difficult. Yes, it will take time. But we must begin. We have a rare and precious opportunity to do just that. Please, for the love of God, let's not piss it away.
This piece was originally published in Rooflines.
By Fredrick McKissack, Jr.
Jenean F. and her husband worked hard to achieve the increasingly elusive American Dream. She was a stay at home mom and he worked as a salesman in the auto industry, affording them a measure of middle class stability in the heart of the Midwest.
They rented their home in an upper income working-class neighborhood in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They thought the future was set for them and their children.
But they lived on a tighter margin than they realized, making them financially vulnerable to any misfortune.
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That misfortune came in the fall of 2010, when Jenean's husband lost his six-figure job.
It was the most devastating period of their lives. It also spawned a fierce advocate.
As Congress plays politics with President Obama's final budget, left waiting is a proposed $2.66 billion for the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants, an 18 percent increase from last year.
The programs made possible by the McKinney-Vento act are no stranger to housing and anti-poverty advocates and educators, but the law is hardly known to the rest of the country, even those who are directly helped by it.
So it was for Jenean. The mom of four who never had need to consider the ins and outs of federal housing policy had never heard of this Reagan-era legislation that ensures educational access and stability to homeless students.
She didn't know that the act, passed in 1987, provides emergency or transitional housing, education, counseling, and transportation to homeless students. And she most definitely didn't realize the act is the first - and only - major federal policy response to homelessness. (President Obama has proposed a plan in his final budget that calls for $11 billion in funding over the next decade to address family homelessness, but the House says it won't hear the budget.)
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Jenean didn't know any of this until her eldest school-aged daughter was one of 16,000 Indiana homeless students during the 2013 school year. The state had seen an 81 percent increase in the number of homeless students from 2008 to 2013.
Indiana's numbers mirror a staggering explosion nationwide in the number of homeless students. More than 1.3 million public school children were homeless in 2013--double the number in 2006, says the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth.
Today, Jenean (who asked that her last name and the names of her family members not be used) navigates the byzantine rules of the federal legislation like a veteran ship captain.
Her family's seemingly solid middle-class life fell apart in October 2010 after her husband suffered a mild heart attack. He returned to work a few days later, but hit his head on a piece of equipment. The injury was severe enough to cause long-term disability, and he lost his job. The family couldn't afford marketplace health insurance. The couple had two daughters, and Jenean was pregnant with twins.
State-funded insurance covered the girls and Jenean because she was pregnant. The family received food stamps to help make ends meet, but it wasn't enough. Jenean became an extreme couponer, and the family sold their clothes, jewelry, electronics, toys, books, and whatever else they could do without. They burned through retirement savings. They maxed out their credit cards.
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Not long after the twins' birth, Jenean's husband began moving around the state, chasing temp jobs that paid the state minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, and sending money home. But by August 2013, they couldn't afford to pay rent, so Jenean and the children moved into her parent's home.
Her parents lived in an affluent suburb where her oldest child would begin fifth grade, but officials at the zoned school denied her enrollment because the family was not living in the home permanently.
A state case manager who worked with the family as they navigated available government resources informed Jenean of the McKinney-Vento act. She researched it and learned that it contained provisions that allowed her daughter to attend the new school. Armed with newfound knowledge, Jenean met repeatedly with school officials to advocate for her daughter. The school relented 27 schools days after the first day of class.
Though Jenean's school battle resulted in victory, the upheaval for her daughter proved to be stressful, and she finished the first quarter with D's.
A dispute with her parents forced Jenean and the children to move out of their home and into a shelter near downtown Fort Wayne in late 2013, and McKinney-Vento continued to prove its worth. The act allowed the oldest daughter to continue attending the same school rather than switch to another district. The stability enabled her daughter to finish the school year on the honor roll, and two years later she is still there.
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The family stayed in the shelter for four months, then moved to a transitional home in southeast Fort Wayne where they still live and are regaining their footing. Jenean has a certified nursing assistant license and works as an administrative assistant at an engineering firm. Her husband found full-time work in the auto industry. They've reduced their debt--down to about $12,000 from over $20,000--paying off medical bills, credit cards, and overdue utility bills. The couple has even discussed buying a small home within two years.
Jenean now works with the local neighborhood association to address the food desert that is southeast Fort Wayne--the closest grocery stores are 2 and 3 miles away--a difficult trip without a car, and next to impossible via the limited public transportation system.
McKinney-Vento continues to provide support for their school-aged children--the second child is now attending the same school as her big sister.
It also is being called on to support more children in the U.S. than ever before, and according to staff at the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, the hope is that--given the current homelessness crisis among children and teens--the subcommittees and Congress will fully fund it.
Jenean will be watching.
In many cultures around the world, from the Fables of Aesop to the Mahabharata, there is a parable about a goose, hen, or bird that produces golden eggs or feathers. When people try to exploit the bird to reap more profits, they destroy its ability to create the gold and, ultimately, everyone loses.
As we mark World Intellectual Property Day, this parable seems especially appropriate to help underscore the importance of protecting the "gold" of any vibrant economy: the ideas, innovation, and creativity of its entrepreneurs.
Everywhere that I travel around the world, I meet entrepreneurs who are striking out on their own with creative products and new ideas. The determination and energy they put forward are inspiring, as they work to turn their dreams into reality.
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Those ideas are the difference between success and failure - not only for them individually but for the economies around them. A successful product, patent or service has the potential to generate jobs, benefit communities, and make a positive difference in many lives.
The case for protecting their innovations could not be clearer.
When I traveled across India last month, as part of the State Department's "American Innovation Roadshow" series, I led a delegation of U.S. clean energy companies to meet with entrepreneurs in three cities and learn about their innovations in solar and other renewable energies.
From a builder of affordable solar microgrids for villages in Uttar Pradesh to a biofuel research venture in Gujarat, the breadth of clean energy innovation was astounding.
Given Prime Minister Modi's ambitious target of 175 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2022, with 80% of the needed energy infrastructure to realize this goal yet to be built, India's need for innovation and investment in this area is critical.
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But if their intellectual property rights are not protected, there will be little incentive for investors and innovators to rise to this challenge and invest in clean energy.
Sadly, this situation is not unique to India. Innovators around the world are meeting with challenges in trying to attract the investment and capital they need to get started and grow. Whether in India, Senegal, Peru, or any number of places, today is a time to think about how we can spur investment in these entrepreneurs by securing their intellectual property.
Each year, our Embassies and Consulates join with other organizations around the world to celebrate World IP Day, to draw attention to the many industries for which intellectual property is crucially important.
Last year, the U.S. Embassy in Abuja drew the Nigerian public's attention to the complementary issues raised by World IP Day and World Malaria Day.
Their message was clear: protecting intellectual property is not only important for creating jobs and critical for the growth of innovative businesses, it is equally vital for public health. With a focus on Nigeria's massive counterfeit medicines challenge, participants spoke about the human health toll that malaria has taken on Nigeria, and how that toll has been made even worse by the widespread sale, distribution, and use of fake malaria medicines.
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This is just one example of the creative ways we will work to highlight the importance of intellectual property rights this year. But while it's important to take this day to raise awareness, protecting IP should not be a conversation that occurs only once a year.
Our Embassies and Consulates overseas do incredible work all year long to promote better intellectual property protections. They point out that protecting intellectual property is about more than helping entrepreneurs to succeed, it's also a way to encourage entrepreneurs to brave the risks of starting that business. And they advocate, both publicly and in private meetings, for governments to put stronger IP protections in place.
But it isn't just governments who can make a difference. At Embassy Abuja's aforementioned event, our diplomatic officers launched the "Make a Difference" program, offering up to $10,000 to anyone who reports information concerning the illegal distribution of fake medication in Nigeria.
Drawing attention to the issue is not enough. We can all do our part to guard against IP theft, for big businesses and small.
The greatest potential for entrepreneurship is for people to develop unique and marketable ideas that can help address the world's greatest challenges. With innovations - like the one in Uttar Pradesh that combats climate change and allows students to study past sunset - entrepreneurs are already changing the world, one great idea or invention at a time.
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My Twitter feed reminds me daily that I'm not in my 20s anymore, mostly through the travel articles that wistfully imply if I didn't hit the road when I was 24, I've literally missed the plane. But I am going to disagree with all of the millennials who so adamantly steal their decade for travel, and proclaim: travel is so much better in your 30s.
As someone who has done both 20s and 30s travel, I can tell you doing it later in life is far more rewarding. I will even venture to say it is far more fun. You may not be able to quit your job, or leave for months with a one-way ticket in your pocket, but you can have a hell of a time on an adventure of your choosing. So why is traveling better in your 30s?
1. You can splurge on the hotel and dinner
You have most likely been at your job for a few years now, with a little bit of padding in your bank account. Good for you. When you travel in your 20s, you are living the hostel life, capped off with $1 beers and street food for dinner. A necessary and exciting part of 20's travel, but now you don't have to do that unless you want to. You can spend the time and money to have a comfy bed and a beautiful, decadent meal. You can even splurge on one (or two, or three...) of the regions best glasses of wine. Food and travel go hand in hand, so you should enjoy every last bit(e) of it. The beauty of your 30's is that you have more financial stability, so you don't have to compromise on the things you love.
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2. You have a wide range of interests to explore
Your interests have grown and evolved since your 20s, in the same way you have. Traveling will allow you to see your hobbies in a whole new light, and maybe even gain a few new ones. When I traveled in my 20s, I was more hesitant to try something new, both because I was intimidated and because $40 at a Dublin bar sounded more interesting than $40 at a cooking class.
At home, you probably love dancing, museums, art classes, and yoga. Why not try all of these when you are in a different country? Your interests take on a whole new shape when you do them in a different language, a different environment, and in a different state of mind. You will be completely and utterly out of your comfort zone, and you can explore the things you love in an unlikely way. It can reinvigorate the love you had for the Spanish classes you took 15 years ago, or the secret passion you have for vintage shopping. You can explore them all!
3. You welcome solo travel
As you get older, you really begin to appreciate the precious alone time you have. This wasn't always the case in your 20s, when traveling consisted of meeting and interacting with your latest and greatest nomad buddy. You always had people around, and you probably liked it that way. Now, you may have kids, a spouse, or someone or something you feel like you "need" to take care of. But remember you are allowed spend dedicated time away from them. The errands, the brunches, the baby showers, and work events, they can all wait. You will welcome this time you have to yourself, with your own thoughts and ideas. Traveling solo can do this for you, and make you happy to spend time with the best person you know: you.
Mindo, Ecudaor
4. You have a greater appreciation for life
You might have a thriving career, new mortgage, or a family to support, but this is what is so beautiful (and hectic and terrifying and wonderful...) about life. As you get older, you start realizing how precious and glorious this life is. If you only get one of them, why not make it the very best it can be?
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So go. Right now. Wherever you are in life, whether you are turning 30 or pushing 60. Maybe you are in your dream job or debating a big life decision. Traveling can help you work through all of that, and help you appreciate the little things you have. It is never too late to begin an all-consuming obsession with travel. Whether it is across the state or across the world, take that trip now.
For more stories on travel and self-discovery, visit my blog aLittleBitAdrift.com
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Last month, after receiving threats for opposing a hydroelectric project, Berta Caceres, a Honduran indigenous and environmental rights campaigner, was murdered. A former winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize for her opposition to one of Central America's biggest hydropower projects, Berta was shot dead in her own home. In the same month, South African anti-mining activist, Sikhosiphi Bazooka Radebe, leader of a fiercely fought campaign to protect a pristine stretch of the Pondoland Wild Coast, was also shot dead. Across the world, civic activists are being detained, tortured and killed. The space for citizens to organise and mobilise is being shut down; dissenting voices are being shut up. In 2015, at least 156 human rights activists were murdered -- 156 that we know of. The scale of the threat cannot be underestimated. The most recent analysis by my CIVICUS colleagues shows that, in 2015, significant violations of civic space were recorded in over 100 countries, up from 96 in 2014. People living in these countries account for roughly 86% of the world's population. This means that 6 out of 7 people live in states where their basic rights to freedom of association, peaceful assembly and expression are being curtailed or denied. No single region stands out; truly, this is a worldwide trend, a global clampdown. Hostility towards civil society is becoming normalised as threats emanate from an increasing range of state and non-state actors: corrupt politicians and officials, unaccountable security forces, unscrupulous businesses and religious fundamentalists. But perhaps more worrying is the demonisation of civil society in mainstream political discourse. A recent bill in Israel, touted by its supporters as the 'Transparency Bill', places rigorous new disclosure demands on any Israeli non-profit organisation that receives more than 50% of its funding from "Foreign Political Entities', in other words from foreign governments, the EU or UN. Following an escalating global trend, the bill seeks to cast Israeli CSOs as disloyal 'foreign agents', demanding that their public communications state the source of their funding and calling for their employees to wear distinctive tags. In the UK recent government efforts to restrict the lobbying activities of civil society organisations prompted over 140 charities to express their concern. A proposed new grant agreement clause seeks to prevent UK charities from using their funds to enter into any dialogue with parliament, government or a political party. In India, Prime Minister Modi has cautioned his judiciary against being influenced by what he called, 'five-star activists'. Insinuating that the civil society sector is elitist and out of touch with realities on the ground, the comments lent renewed impetus to the country's ongoing crackdown on critical civil rights activists and NGOs. The recent proliferation of counter-terrorism measures has also served to further stigmatise and stifle the sector. By suggesting that non-profit organizations are particularly vulnerable to abuse or exploitation by terrorist groups, governments have justified new laws and regulatory restrictions on their legitimate activities and the political space they inhabit. Freedom of speech is being silenced, funding sources cut off; the effect has been debilitating. State surveillance of online activities is also on the rise as authorities note the power of the internet and social media as a tool for citizen mobilization. Governments have woken up to the power of civil society. The deepest fear of repressive regimes is no longer necessarily the rise of new political opposition parties; it is 100,000 of their citizens taking to the streets in the pursuit of change. And so a concerted push-back has begun, an effort to tame civil society, to smother its ability to catalyse social transformation. We need to push back on these incursions on civic space, urgently and across the world. We need to be challenging our governments over rights violations, about the murder of activists, about their progress in fighting poverty, climate change and inequality. There is much cause for hope. Last year, a coalition of Tunisian civil society organisations won the Nobel Peace Prize for their work in bringing a country back from the brink of civil war and laying the foundations of a pluralistic democracy. The latest innovations in protest and movement building, in technologies that can liberate and mobilise citizens, in citizen-generated data that can empower campaigners and increase transparency around the monitoring of our global goals: all of these signal a new era of dynamic civic activism. Right now more than 900 leading activists and thinkers from 109 countries are taking part in the largest and most diverse gathering of its kind International Civil Society Week 2016 in Bogota, Colombia. We have come together to plot civil society's global fight-back and it is fitting that this is taking place against the backdrop of the peace negotiations that Colombian civil society has played such a key role in making possible. Our gathering has the potential to be a defining moment for the future of democratic struggles. There will be more setbacks, low points and sacrifices to come but the demands for change won't go away. Nor will civil society's ability to affect it. A new, radically different vision for the future of civic action is being formulated. And those of us who believe in a healthy, independent civil society have more responsibility than ever before to keep on making our case. Knowing the threats she faced, Berta Caceres said, 'We must undertake the struggle in all parts of the world, wherever we may be, because we have no spare or replacement planet. We have only this one and we have to take action'. She was right.
Nearly three years ago, the European Union finally overcame its longstanding resistance and addressed the issue of adding Hezbollah to its terrorism list.
The good news is that the 28 member states, prompted by the determination of Bulgaria, which experienced a deadly Hezbollah attack the year before, and Cyprus, which arrested a Hezbollah operative scouting out sites, took action.
The bad news is that the EU opted to bifurcate Hezbollah and place the "military wing" on the terrorism list, while leaving its "political wing" off it.
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If ever there was a distinction without a difference, this was it. Don't take my word for it. None other than Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's Lebanon-based chief, said as much, stressing that no one could divide his organization.
Mocking the EU's decision, Nasrallah asserted: "A government [of Lebanon] without Hezbollah will never be formed. Just as a joke, I propose that our ministers in the next government be from the military wing of Hezbollah."
It's not often that I agree with Nasrallah, but on this occasion - give him his due - he was right about the EU illusion that there are two Hezbollahs.
The European argument focuses on the claim that Hezbollah is also a "legitimate" political party in Lebanon, runs in elections, and has members in the government. Thus, to blacklist Hezbollah in its entirety denies those who vote for its candidates their basic rights, in addition to jeopardizing the fragile stability of the Levantine country.
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Indeed, immediately following the 2013 decision, EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton explained: "We want to be clear, too, in support for political parties of Lebanon and the people of Lebanon. We've made the distinction clear."
The problem with this line of defense is that it fails to acknowledge the obvious.
First, Hezbollah may run in elections, but that is just a not-so-subtle way of taking advantage of a democratic system to gain power.
Second, Hezbollah wants it both ways - being in the political system, while maintaining its own military forces outside the system's control. As such, Hezbollah has long been a state within a state, endangering Lebanese sovereignty and security. And amazingly, until now it has succeeded with this two-pronged strategy.
Third, no matter how one slices and dices the rhetoric, Hezbollah is a terrorist organization, and all its component parts - not some, but all - lend support to the lethal ideological thrust and aims of the group.
That's precisely what a Dutch General Intelligence report concluded, when it declared: "Hezbollah's political and terrorist wings are controlled by one coordinating council." The same study added: "The Netherlands has changed its policy and no longer makes a distinction between the political and terrorist Hezbollah branches." (Alas, the EU has not followed the Dutch decision.)
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What are the group's aims? It doesn't take a secret agent to figure them out. Rather, it only requires an examination of Hezbollah's actions over the years.
From joining with Syrian President Assad and Iranian forces in perpetrating mass murder in Syria, where the death toll is reportedly approaching 500,000 after five years of conflict, to slaughtering, in earlier years, Americans and French in their embassies and military compounds; from calling for Israel's destruction to plotting attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets worldwide, including the deadly assaults on the Israeli embassy and AMIA building in Buenos Aires; and from killing opposition politicians to holding civilian populations in Lebanon as hostages, Hezbollah has not exactly been opaque about its overarching goals and preferred methods.
In fact, it's been so glaringly apparent that, in addition to the United States and Canada, the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates - and the members of the Arab League have recently labeled Hezbollah a terrorist group.
GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif al-Zayani did not mince words when he accused Hezbollah of carrying out "terrorist attacks, smuggling weapons and explosives, stirring up sedition and incitement to chaos and violence." He added that the group's actions posed a direct threat to "Arab national security."
Mind you, no false distinction was made between "military" and "political" wings.
So we have the remarkable situation that the U.S., Canada, the Netherlands, Israel, the GCC, and the Arab League all agree on the true nature of Hezbollah, yet the EU stands oddly apart, clinging to the apparent belief that it can tame Hezbollah's behavior when, in reality, no such evidence exists.
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Isn't it high time for the EU to finish the work on Hezbollah it began with its initial decision in 2013?
This important step would significantly hamper Hezbollah's ability to operate freely in Europe by empowering governments to shut down the group's organizing and fundraising efforts within EU borders.
Terrorism poses a threat to us all. In responding, we need to be clear-eyed, resolute, and unflinching. Hezbollah is what it says it is - a doctrinaire, violent group rooted in Shiite Islam. No effort to pretend otherwise will succeed. No belief that it will change its spots because we're ready to meet them halfway can work, not when it comes to non-negotiable beliefs and faith.
Again, look no further than Hassan Nasrallah's own words: "Whoever wants to forcefully disarm the Resistance--and I have said this more than once--we will chop off his hand, behead him, and get rid of his soul. We are that determined."
In the past, some European countries tried to deal with terrorists operating on European soil by appeasing them with light prison sentences and early releases from jail, pursuing shady backroom deals, pretending their motivating "grievances" were "legitimate," or simply hoping the problem would magically go away.
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In recent years, though, given the tragic events that unfolded, Europe should have understood that these strategies don't work. And with that understanding ought to come the inescapable realization that, yes, terror is terror.
Chattanooga, Tennessee is one of many small and medium size Southern cities to see an influx of international companies in the past decade. Their impact has greatly influenced the direction of the South's economy. They have generated elevated job expectations, developed new vendors, expanded exporting efforts, and are changing the local education system.The most recent meeting of the International Business Council (IBC) of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce hosted Alnoor Dhanani, President of Double Cola USA, and Nick Wilkinson, Deputy Administrator of Economic Development at the City of Chattanooga.
Nick explained how companies like Alstom, Volkswagen, and Wacker changed the local economy when they chose Chattanooga almost a decade ago. Three years ago, they chose to expand and brought many new vendors into the area, including Gestamp from Spain and Yanfeng from China. Thousands of jobs have been created and internationals working here have made a profound impact, especially on education. See my article citing the groundbreaking work of Takeo Suzuki at the University of TN at Chattanooga (UTC) and Dr. Robert Denn at Chattanooga State Community College: Globalization on Campus: A Chattanooga Case Study. The education system is still working to match the needs of these companies, but progress is being made.
The story that Alnoor Dhanani shared with the IBC is a compelling mix of the immigrant experience and international business development and is featured in my book, Going Southern: The No-Mess Guide to Success in the South. Decades ago, Alnoor and his family bought Double Cola, an old Southern company. A polyglot of cultures, the Dhanani family origins were in India, serving as cheap labor in British colonial East Africa. Alnoor attended high school in London where his grandfather opened a general store. When the family made the decision to buy Double Cola and turn it into a worldwide export company, they delegated Alnoor to head the business. Emigrating to America, Alnoor took over Double Cola's Chattanooga headquarters, grew the company nationally and globally, and fell in love with our city.
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Expecting to stay only briefly, Alnoor has lived in Chattanooga for the past thirty-five years. Deeply involved in the community, Alnoor is passionate about developing human capital. He brings interns into the company from UTC and his investment in the staff at the headquarters includes college tuition. "I'm excited by the younger generation," Alnoor explains. "They will help attract newer businesses. Many cities are competitive in this arena, so we'll have to focus on education and our technology skills."
Alnoor emphasized that exporting products and services is the wave of the future. About 70% of his company's profits comes from exports. When asked how he manages the risks of exporting, Alnoor explained, "We put into place the mechanics to get paid and it's less of a concern that it was a decade ago. Also, there are large blocks of countries that have banded together to guarantee copyright protections. Yes, there are countries that are not as strict about copyrights and caution is used, but the benefits outweigh the risks. If we can penetrate new markets, it's amazing what can be produced."
This is a Black Lives Matter Banner in Charlotte, NC, November 2015. Camera - Canon 7D Mark II, Lens - Canon EF 200mm f/2L IS USM
In 2008 President Obama inspired people from all backgrounds by his firm commitment to what Dr. King called the "fierce urgency of now". It was a young Dr. King's response to many who thought that he should wait, that his tactics were to radical, and his positions too bold.
But yesterday when addressing a group of activists in London, President Obama had the following to say about Black Lives Matter activists:
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Once you've highlighted an issue and brought it to people's attention and shined a spotlight, and elected officials or people who are in a position to start bringing about change are ready to sit down with you, then you can't just keep on yelling at them. And you can't refuse to meet because that might compromise the purity of your position. The value of social movements and activism is to get you at the table, get you in the room, and then to start trying to figure out how is this problem going to be solved. You then have a responsibility to prepare an agenda that is achievable, that can institutionalize the changes you seek, and to engage the other side, and occasionally to take half a loaf that will advance the gains that you seek, understanding that there's going to be more work to do, but this is what is achievable at this moment."
Many heard this as sound and sage advice from a seasoned president who has a background in political organizing. But what was tragic about these comments is that with them President Obama created a false dichotomy between activism and incremental policy change that not only discredits some of the good work that the Black Lives Matter Movement is doing on the ground, but also dismisses the true legacy of leaders like Dr. King, Bayard Rustin, A. Phillip Randolph, Dorothy Height, and Fannie Lou Hamer from whom he claims to gain great inspiration.
The truth is that the President knows that by supporting policy changes on the state and local level, Black Lives Matter activists have been behind the Ban the Box initiative to enable formerly incarcerated individuals to actually have a shot at employment as they re-enter society. It is also no secret that Black Lives Matter activists have been working on a local and state level to work for minimum wage increases for workers. We also know that clergy leaders have partnered with the Black Lives Matter movement and have had their participation in peace-making trainings in Oakland and in community led dialogues on improving community policing in Los Angeles. More than that, we also know that Black Lives Matter leaders like DeRay Mckesson are seeking incremental change by running for mayor in cities like Baltimore.
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So is it true that the Black Lives Matter movement is only "yelling" and is not seeking incremental change and a seat "at the table"? No, it's not.
But it is true that Hillary Clinton had a huge win in the New York primaries where it looks like she has made a Bernie Sanders nomination an impossibility. And it is true that Secretary Clinton, like all Democrats before her, will want to do all that she can to win back some of the so-called "silent majority" of working class white voters who seem to be either hypnotized by "Tumpmania" enthralled by Bernie Sanders. And with Sanders trailing, and Senator Cruz and Governor Kasich now joining forces to defeat Donald Trump, some of these voters may be looking for alternatives.
But what about millennials? Didn't millennials factor decisively in electing President Obama in 2012? Recent polls have shown that Senator Sanders has a double digit lead among millennials, they would flock to Secretary Clinton in a race against Trump.
So although I suspect the President's remarks may have been interpreted as the sage wisdom of a veteran activist turned politician, the timing of his remarks cannot be ignored. And if he intended to put black millennial voters in their place by ignoring the work that they are actually doing on the ground, Secretary Clinton may indeed still win the White House, if for no other reason than the sheer terror of the prospect of a Trump presidency.
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However, I sincerely hope that millennials, their political cohesion as a new progressive voting bloc, and the outstanding work they are beginning to do is not discounted. The future of our democracy will depend on leadership that can capture the imagination of millennials, not sell them short with condescending "advice" based on false dichotomies.
This was how a young leader named Martin Luther King, Jr. captured the imagination of an entire generation of 20 and 30 somethings of his day. They saw no lack of efficacy in both meeting with Presidents Kennedy and Johnson privately and in organizing and "yelling" for change in the streets. They did not take every meeting they were offered. They did not do everything the White House wanted them to do. Yet, they achieved what no one thought was possible. And whether you are a Tea Party Republican or a Bernie Sanders Democrat, we have all reaped the benefit of their activism.
Why do I say this? Because my sister Ann is able to celebrate another Mother's Day on this earth with her son and daughter-in-law. Of course, my husband and I will be hanging out with her too. Because that's what we do now in our family - we celebrate every occasion every chance we get. We even make up things to celebrate now. You may be asking why we do this. Well, what does it look like when tragedy strikes a family? I ask because this happened to mine when my sister was diagnosed with ALL Leukemia.
"ALL" stands for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. And before Ann was diagnosed, we had never even heard of it. We later found out it usually occurs with young children. So how did our sister get it? It all started with her feeling a little weak. Then an infection in her back. She went to the doctor, who prescribed her antibiotics; but she didn't heal and continued getting weaker and weaker. This went on for a while - too long. She continued to go to the hospital. Finally after many tests, the doctor called her and told her she needed to go to the emergency room right away. But by this time she was so weak she couldn't even find the energy. All she wanted to do was sleep. Chee, our younger sister, who wanted to help by taking Ann, told her that she was going to be too busy this coming week and they should go now. Ann acquiesced and off they went, only to find themselves a few short hours later at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY with Ann hooked up to chemo and a doctor telling her that she had an excellent chance of survival because they had thirty years of successful experience with this type of cancer. Yes, it was shocking - to put it mildly. After all, this sort of thing doesn't happen to us, not in our family. But this time it had.
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At first we didn't know if she was going to survive. She kept falling, contracting various infections, returning to the hospital, and ultimately faced the brink of death more than once - first with the Leukemia, and then with a bone marrow transplant (BMT). She had to fight - day after day, month after month, year after year. We did what we could to help, which didn't seem like much at first. We surrounded her with love and compassion. Chee took her to her appointments. We all stayed with her during the bone marrow transplant. We encouraged her on a daily basis to find what makes her happy. And thankfully, she survived.
Ann now lives in Los Angeles in the winter with her son, since the weather is too difficult for her in Buffalo. She attends a cancer support group called goes to WeSpark, where they talk about the "new normal" that she had to discover. What does she want out of life now? What are her interests? These are questions I still ask her regularly. I see her struggling to find answers. Organizational skills are a problem, because of the chemo, but it's getting better. The road has been long. But the fog is lifting. She's confronting business more now, because she knows she's going to live. She's making plans. She can travel if she wants to; she proved it by booking her timeshare and driving herself to Sedona, Arizona from Los Angeles. It was her decision. She went on her own because we were all working and she wanted a change. And she had a wonderful time! I was of course concerned, but also figured that if she thinks she can do it at this point, she must be able to. It's a really good thing!
So, what does the future hold for Ann? That's what we're all trying to figure out. Chee and I are recovering from the rollercoaster ride of not knowing what was going to happen next. Ann is still figuring out how to live again, but she's doing an amazing job of it. She's started taking friends and family on trips to her timeshare. She took her friend Susie to Hawaii; our brother Paul to Barcelona; and we're all planning to go to Tuscany when our niece graduates from high school in June 2018. Yes, we now plan ahead, so there's something to look forward to, something to live for, even something to argue about. It keeps the blood oxygenated - at least I like to think so!
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The past four years have been a journey. The first three years were the most difficult on all of us. But now there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Seeing this wasn't easy at first. It's easy to walk into a room and forget to turn on the light. But what I've learned is that a big part of it is in the decision to do so. So we need to remember to make a decision to lift the switch.
Like millions of people all over the world, I was stunned to hear about the death of Prince last week. My initial reaction was similar to my response to the deaths of legends Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, David Bowie, Maurice White, Natalie Cole, Gil Scott-Heron and Glenn Frey. Another larger-than-life figure taken away from us far too soon! To paraphrase a line from one of Prince's more popular songs -- the doves were indeed crying.
Prince was an artist who personified the word genius. In fact, in a Rolling Stone interview in 1993, that is the term that guitar legend and songwriter Eric Clapton ascribed to Prince, who was admired by many people from varied walks of life.
Prince, at one point, The Artist formerly known as Prince before reclaiming his name in 1998, was a complex human being on many levels. Like his fellow baby boomer superstar counterpart Michael Jackson (I will admit that I was more of a Michael Jackson fan yet really enjoyed Prince), Prince was an enigma of sorts. Both men were demonstrably talented human beings who at times seemed to be very lonely, socially awkward and somewhat insecure about the world around them.
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Prince was just one of a number of performers both male and female of his era who, like Boy George of Culture Club, Annie Lennox of the Eurythmics, Grace Jones, etc., had no apprehension in championing intersectionality. For Prince and a number of his contemporaries, androgyny was something to embrace, not shun. Prince's altruistic attitude was evident in the compassion and generosity he demonstrated toward fellow artists. Indeed, last week, more than a few journalists, artists, record executives and others mentioned the fact that Prince embodied a Santa Claus persona of sorts, in that he bestowed acts of kindness on many people beyond fellow musicians, including strangers, while preferring to remain under the cloak of anonymity.
Today, a growing number of men, especially millennials, have no trouble embracing gender-bending behavior. Young men such as Jaden Smith, son of actor Will Smith, Odell Beckham, Cam Newton, Russell Westbrook and others have no problem in defying or, in some cases, outright dismissing what has largely been considered "appropriate" male behavior and social norms or sentiments that were often seen as retrograde.
The fact is that long before it was hip to do so, Prince daringly and unapologetically pushed the boundaries of sexual fluidity. He wore garish clothes and explicit attire -- scarfs, wigs, high heels, eyeliner, mascara, tight pants -- as he brazenly twisted, snapped and turned in front of the camera for all to see. His language, appearance and disposition all defied standards and norms and had many people wondering and, in fact, intensely debating his racial origin, sexuality, religious beliefs and other facets of his being. He did not fall into the good guy, bad guy, straight, gay, atheist, religious mold. He could not be safely defined and neatly tucked into any one category.
In his early career, he made moves and engaged in antics that many artists of his era (especially Black male artists) would not have dared to do. By doing so, he forced his listeners to decide whether talent superseded other more largely arbitrary and subjective qualities. However, in his later years, after becoming a Jehovah's Witness in 2011, he appeared to adopt positions toward sexual pluralism that were less tolerant and more conservative.
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Truth be told, there have been few artists that have been as bold and experimental and willing to manipulate with music in the manner that Prince did, yet manage to create music that resonated with so many people across the spectrum. Integrating pop, soul, jazz, funk, R&B, and, in some cases, folk music, was like second nature to him. He, along with Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Tina Turner, were among the few Black artists who were given regular rotation on MTV, which at the time was in its infancy.
This "I did it my way" attitude was demonstrated in his business dealings. Prince waged a contentious battle with his record company and managed to emerge as the victor. Many argue that he led the movement for many future artists such as Beyonce and John Legend to assert more control over their musical careers. It was as if he had an epiphany of sorts as to what the future of the music industry was about to wrought. It was a smart move on his part.
Like many artists, Prince made some missteps. Films Under The Cherry Moon (1986) and Graffiti Bridge (1990) were less-than-fruitful efforts. Nonetheless, Prince was bold, daring, visionary and fearless, in a way that few artists past or present have dared to be. While his influence and presence may be more limited among millennials, for large segments of Generation X'ers like me and younger baby boomers, he was one of the most definitive and pioneering voices the world of music has ever produced.
Like many of the greats, he left us far too soon. May he rest in peace.
Innovation might be the buzzword word du jour but it is hardly a new concept. In fact it is as old as the human race. A Google search yields 487,000,000 results in point two seconds. Lately, the word itself has become so prevalent that it's difficult to recognize true innovation from simply an updated idea.
True innovation not only makes entrepreneurs successful but it creates products that capture the imagination of the very people who use it while solving society's greatest needs. Whatever the inspiration,, the reality is that truly innovative ideas and products have revolutionized and advanced the world we live in. From the steam engine to the telegraph, true innovations have been the catalysts of change and advancement of our society.
The myth that the only innovation worth pursuing is technological innovation is simply not true. You wouldn't want to reduce innovation to a single concept just like you would miss out if you reduced an orchestra to a single violin. Innovation can be an original design, a new marketing approach, a game-changing pricing policy, or a mix of brand-new ingredients.
All impactful innovative ideas have one thing in common: They are authentic and they combine a human need with an ambition to transform experience. Innovative ideas focus on the people who will consume the products and services in everyday life, with a desire to improve, increase, or radically simplify the consumers' experience. Steve Jobs once said that "Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things." You don't necessarily have to invent a new idea or a product but you do need to improve, simplify and advance.
Looking back at history, we know that the future needs innovation. This July in Rennes, France, {dive}, a new groundbreaking event whose main focus is "Innovation that Puts User Experience First," will draw together some of the top innovators from around globe for an 18 hour, full immersion innovation gathering. Among the guests are the top two female innovators whose stellar work is changing the way we live, work and interact with the world around us: Amber Case, a cyborg anthropologist and researcher who is considered one of the most influential women in technology and Laura Khoury, founder of Shoptelligence, a Unified Commerce engine based on artificial intelligence and consumer engagement that works to deliver the ultimate personalized shopping experience.
Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with Ivorian officers while Ivory Coast's army chief Soumaila Bakayoko (2nd L) looks on at the presidential palace in Abidjan February 29, 2016. REUTERS/Luc Gnago
Remember when the BRICS were going to power the global economy? Well, the past few years have not been kind to Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. With the exception of India, the other members of this once elite diplomatic club are struggling in many different ways. So while China and other emerging markets have pared back their investments in Africa, this has opened an opportunity for new players to step into the market.
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Although Turkey's annual trade with Africa is just about one-tenth of China's, the Turks are making a big push in the strategically important areas in North Africa. As an overwhelmingly Muslim country, Turkey also has a number of key advantages when competing in this region, particularly against the Chinese who are still relative newcomers operating in predominantly Islamic cultures.
Former U.S. Ambassador David Shinn is an expert on Sino-African relations, but recently he has turned his focus to Turkey's investment in Africa. As a former U.S. diplomat and now an adjunct professor at George Washington University in Washington, Ambassador Shinn is uniquely qualified to place Turkey's engagement in Africa in the broader context of U.S. and Chinese diplomatic and economic engagement in the region. Ambassador Shinn joins Eric & Cobus -- in the podcast above -- to discuss the changing landscape of foreign investment in Africa.
This past Sunday as most people woke up with the afterglow of Beyonce's stunning delivery that still requires many more weeks of reflection, another talented woman of color abruptly seized the headlines.
Lil' Kim -- the Brooklyn-born rapper who was famously intertwined with The Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggy Smalls posted a photo of herself on Instagram -- livin' it up in Miami.
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That wouldn't have been much of a big deal if not for the fact that she was barely recognizable.
In an interview with Newsweek some years ago -- the woman who was born Kimberly Jones confessed her insecurities about the natural born features that were causing her to lose the men in her life to women "who were European-looking."
"The long-haired types" that left her devastatingly pondering how in the world "a regular black girl" can compete with that level of perfection.
I'm sure I wasn't the only black woman who found it ironic that in the midst of being ceremoniously uplifted my Beyonce's litany of praise for the founding sisterhood that she celebrated with astute passion -- the plight of a woman who couldn't receive her blessing -- loudly resonated with unabashed concern.
It didn't take long for the web to heat up with memes, tweets and retweets -- as users expressed concern, disgust and sadness at the sight of a woman who had finally succeeded in her quest to be anything but the "regular black woman" that she still is.
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We can't fault her entirely.
When you are enslaved by the perseverance to be the very thing that represents freedom from who you are -- your search ends when you stop breathing.
Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong'o is luckily enjoying the warm embrace of a climate that has been flexed into adhering to the winning ethnic aesthetic.
Anything remotely related to Africa has the automatic stamp of approval. It's cool and funky and even futuristic to be remotely dialed into the seductive fabric of the Diaspora.
But twenty years ago -- when I arrived in this country to pursue my college education, being African, and even worse Nigerian, was not a reality that I could share with pride.
There are many legit reasons why and they still hold water today but back then they dictated the exact way in which you would be received or rejected.
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As a dark-skinned brown girl -- I was compared to my lighter-hued mother quite a bit. Mostly because we looked alike except for the fact that she was light -- and I was dark.
I never cared about my skin complexion because quite frankly, I liked what I saw when I looked in the mirror.
But I did notice that in music videos featuring my favorite artists like Bobby Brown, Boyz II Men and Jodeci -- all the girls frolicking in harmony -- were much lighter than me.
The message throughout the nineties echoed the value of pale skin.
The grunge period worshiped the effortless appeal of "heroine chic" that consisted of chalky white skin, barely-there boobs and a non-existent ass.
As for black women, we had to be clones of Vanessa Williams or Halle Berry. You couldn't be dark enough to be categorized as "just black."
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You had to have that extra "something" that elevated your ability to compete with "regular" white chicks.
Things have changed.
And with that comes the present generation of black women who can proudly inhabit their templates without the blatant threat of ignorant disruption.
At least not to the degree that I was subjected to.
But even with the societal advances that have been realized -- the thrashing of yesterday can't be downplayed.
Lil' Kim is married to that insecure young girl -- until death separates the two in one.
Her scarily pasty and plastic presentation -- that proves her selected ability to be a wondrous human torch light -- may give us sore eyes but to her optical view -- she still has a lot more work to do.
Her job will never be finished.
When you are enslaved by the perseverance to be the very thing that represents freedom from who you are -- your search ends when you stop breathing.
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As long as you know life -- the hunt for love and acceptance lives.
As it should.
We never stop seeking validation from those that wield the power that can make or break us.
Kimberly Jones tragically accepts that her darker version wasn't good enough to garner the lifestyle she deserved.
Despite all that hard work.
She was inspired to undergo extreme measures to correct nature's deficiency.
There will be more where that came from.
But for now, we are processing the look book of a black woman who transformed into a being that fits the standards she formulated.
The painful realization comes in the fact that Lil' Kim still sees what we wish we were looking at right now.
The darkest skin may cruelly amass the hatred that develops and ends with displeasure, but the lightness that takes its place reflects the beacon of hopelessness that pleasures the unworthy.
You are worthy to be black and dark and even darker.
Never succumb to the blinding light.
While I'm the first to encourage my fellow African-Americans to spread them transatlantic wings to hop across the pond and join me in Europe, there's a part that I'm always hesitant to open up about when it comes to the reality of our existence in some parts of the world.
And while I can't speak for every black woman, nor every country's views, I can share my experiences, my observations, and my discoveries, in hopes that it can prepare and even educate fellow black women as to something that is far too common, and yet, beyond our control.
Sorry to build the suspense, but I have to contextualize this, because again, I was so oblivious to it at first, that when it happened, I was so shocked, disgusted, and confused. And a bit saddened as well.
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Athens International Airport
Because when you're so used to doing everything to control the perception others have of you, and then having that "power" taken away from you for the simple fact that you're in a city or region where people that have your skin color, are usually prostitutes, it's a hard pill to swallow.
Yes, that's right.
I was mistaken for a prostitute.
Not just once. But dozens of times. And I've honestly lost count.
The first time it happened, I was in Spain.
The second time, The Czech Republic.
The third time, Albania.
And before the cynics begin to question what I was wearing, it didn't matter. I was clothed, covered, and respectable.
Whether that be in a long, flowing skirt or in jeans and a peacoat, there are just some regions of the world who see black skin on a woman, and assume that the only way I was able to afford to get there and stay there, was by way of selling my body to a local.
This way of thinking isn't born overnight. It's taught and it's engrained by what's happened in the past.
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Kyrenia, Cyprus
In Barcelona, my favorite city in Europe (and that's extremely biased as I got to call it home for a year), I soon learned that there were certain streets I just couldn't walk down at a certain hour, even as "early" as 8PM.
One time I was with my German friend leaving a restaurant, and he was walking me back to the train station on the famous La Rambla street, and one by one we're met with these strange looks that I can't quite describe. It was a mix between a look of congratulations to my friend and a look of dirtiness to me.
We pass police officers who mutter something along the lines of "good job" in Catalan, while looking towards my German friend, and seemingly scaling me up and down as if imagining what Nicki Minaj moves I had in my repertoire.
My friend and I look at each other, mutually sensing the discomfort of the situation, but still wondering why we were attracting such strange expressions.
And this was one of my closest friends while in Barcelona, strictly platonic, and now incredibly awkward.
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I start becoming self-conscious and more observant of everyone around us, wondering why we were getting so much attention.
And then I lock eyes with what looked like a West-African (specifically, Nigerian) woman.
She stares me up and down, then looks at my German friend, eyeballs his crotch area, then looks at me again and mutters something to her friend nearby.
It's now clear they were prostitutes, and they've mistaken me as their "competition" and crossing into their territory.
By now, we've made our way off the main strip of La Rambla, and off to the smaller sidewalk, because the attention became too much.
And then we notice a trend.
Every 100 feet or so, there's a new African woman.
Claiming her spot/corner.
Giving me the same "jealous" glare as if they're mad I had found a "customer" for the night, while they were still out there harassing every man that passed them by.
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The worst part is, they did look like me. And I looked like them.
You see, most African prostitutes in Europe don't exactly dress like prostitutes do. They wear coats, scarves, sweaters, and jeans. Just like me. Therefore, making us almost indistinguishable.
I was an empty corner away from looking like one of them, and the embarrassment was enough to keep me away from that street past dark for the remainder of my time in Barcelona.
I tried hard to forget about that night, and my friend and I only talked about it once over coffee, before agreeing to pretend it never happened. It was awkward. To have a friend walk down a street for 15 minutes under the assumption that you, his good friend, was purchased for the night.
I don't walk around flashing my college degree, credentials, or achievements on my arms, but the fact that I couldn't and didn't really know how to defend myself, was something new. I was embarrassed. A type of embarrassed that leaves you speechless and unsure how to vent or open up about it with friends.
Cliffs of Moher, Ireland
Another time while I was out and about exploring the city, I arrive at a small intersection where I see a car coming.
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When I'm in no hurry, I'm always very laxed about letting cars just go in front of me, and depending on where you are, most of them do anyway.
But I see him slowing down, and encourage him to press the gas again, and do a motion with my hand that waves him through to carry onwards.
But he instead brakes even harder so that his passenger window is right in front of me, winds down his window, and excitedly asks me in Spanish how much I charge, soon motioning that he didn't even care, to just hop in the car anyway, reaching over to open the door.
The shock hit me so hard again, I felt like someone just punched my gut. I *accidentally* kicked his car and walked around him and crossed the street.
My Spanish/Catalan was so bad at that time, that I hadn't taught myself how to be angry in a foreign language yet. And God knows that was probably for the best. Jesus took that wheel.
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And as much as I try to forget it happened. It soon happened again in Seville, Spain. And then in Prague, Czech Republic, and then in Gjirokastra, Albania. And several other cities, towns, and villages around Europe.
And being here now in Cyprus, I was reminded yet again, that this is just a part of my solo travel experience that I have to accept. Because it's happened again.
Chicago, IL, USA
The other day I met a lovely lady from The Philippines who's the pastor of a church here who told me about their worship service happening in a few minutes.
She wanted to prepare a few things and had her husband walk me to where the church was located.
Sidenote: After traveling for so long, you start to develop a spirit of discernment, and I knew from the sound of their voices and the joy in their heart from finding a "sister in Christ" that I was in good hands.
So her husband and I start walking down the main street and heading for the church.
He was probably in his early 60's, and since the wife was off picking up some things, there we were. An older man, with a 20-something old black woman, and immediately, the heads are turning, I'm hearing mutters, and on this narrow street lined with bars and restaurants of hundreds of people sitting outside facing towards the street, we soon become the center of attention. And by the looks of their faces, it was not for anything good.
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There is nothing more embarrassing than the thought of someone thinking you were just "purchased".
I knew what everyone thought, and my jolly new friend, oblivious to it all, is telling me about his journey of being a born again Christian, and how much God has worked miracles in his life.
And there I was, instead of rejoicing with him in his victories, allowing my human side to take over, and I put my head down, trying to avoid all the stares and mutters we were receiving.
It was different than the stares I got when I was by myself exploring Cyprus. People smiled and waved, and even chimed in a few times with, Welcome to Cyprus! It was beautiful.
But it was about 8PM this time. And all I saw were judgmental faces.
We soon arrived to the church and I'm greeted by a cheerful group of Filipinos, Sri Lankans, and Africans who are so delighted to see a new face in their church.
But the walk I made to get there was too much for me to handle at the time, and I was still trying to process it all. I honestly just wanted to break down and cry and run back to the comforts and confinements of my hotel.
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I wasn't in the mood to serve or sing, although that was probably the exact type of environment I needed to be in, but I was tired of going through that same worthless strut that had followed me in far too many cities around Europe.
But writing is my form of healing.
And just like my Prague experience, I'm slowly but surely teaching myself that I simply cannot control others' perceptions of me.
Despite my accomplishments, despite my education, despite what I've overcome to get where I am today, if they're accustomed to associating my skin color with those of prostitutes, then I simply can't let that get to me.
Limassol, Cyprus
Their ignorance is NOT my problem.
So while I want nothing more than my fellow African-American women to go out and explore this beautiful world around us, on their own if they can, please do be prepared and aware that this might be your experience too.
I've been traveling around Europe cumulatively for almost 1,000 days since 2012, and that's been filled with beautiful encounters, cultural exchanges, and inspiring conversations.
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So these moments definitely make up the minority of my experience. And it's important to remember that while we can't change the perception of black women in these countries overnight, we can do our best to increase our presence, as everyday tourists, worthy of respect and not lazy assumptions about how we afforded to get there in the first place.
Santorini, Greece
And know that these problems aren't exclusive to these cities and countries, nor is the prostitution label exclusive to black women, because it really depends on the history of foreign women in that area.
And if a fellow African-American female traveler went abroad for the first time and experienced this, I can at least feel good about letting her know that she is not alone and it's completely out of her control.
So while I wrote this as more of a therapeutic way for me to cope, I also hope it enlightened some of you all too.
Thanks for listening.
--
About the Author:
Gloria Atanmo is an American Travel Blogger and Digital Storyteller at TheBlogAbroad.com where she recounts her experiences from around the world. With over 30 countries under her belt, she hopes to continue educating, empowering, and inspiring others to start their own journeys abroad.
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Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders writes on his notes as his rival Hillary Clinton walks behind him to her podium during a commercial break at the Univision News and Washington Post Democratic U.S. presidential candidates debate in Kendall, Florida March 9, 2016. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
To the Honorable James B. Comey, Jr. and all the good people at the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
The majority of the Democratic Party does not believe there is an ongoing FBI criminal investigation regarding Hillary Clinton's emails. They believe, as the former Secretary of State has told them, that your work is merely a "security review," or as one Democratic strategist call it, "another BS scandal." Your work, thus far, has been relegated to yet another "witch hunt." In fact, Clinton and her campaign have managed to convince millions that former secretaries of state did the same thing, which of course isn't true.
Also, an interesting brand of logic has been used to rationalize ignoring your email investigation. While the number of agents working on this case is said to have been around 100, some voters have actually taken solace in the fact recent reports only list dozens. Only a dozen FBI agents, say loyal supporters, isn't that big of a deal.
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Since your investigation has taken so long, many people believe that nothing has been found, or simply that Clinton is too powerful to face any serious repercussions. Any attempt to warn people that Hillary Clinton could realistically face criminal indictments is either viewed as a Republican scare tactic, or lunacy. Even many Bernie Sanders supporters, a group that would benefit the most from the FBI recommending indictment of Clinton, feel it's either disloyal, or pointless to bring up the email controversy. The massive group think within the Democratic Party, fostered by years of circumventing political scandals, has literally altered the mindset of normally rational individuals, and voters.
To a great many people, there is simply nothing Hillary Clinton can do wrong; even FBI investigations are merged with Republican Benghazi hearings.
Ultimately, your hard work, and your investigation into Clinton's email server and correspondence, is viewed as a big, fat "nothingberger." As Esquire's Charles Pierce writes, The Great Hillary Email Nothingburger is Still on the Grill, and It's Certainly Overcooked. Sadly, the FBI has become part of a satirical narrative centered upon Clinton being the victim of never-ending Republican attacks.
It's important for everyone at the FBI to know that your investigation, and I say this with all due respect, is viewed as a source of amusement for many writers, pundits, and observers loyal to Clinton. The 22 Top Secret emails on a private server (something that should disqualify anyone running for president) are either completely ignored by party faithful, or rationalized by twisted logic. Nothing is taken seriously anymore; everything is viewed through the belief that Republicans are worse, therefore Clinton's indiscretions are meaningless.
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This should tell you something about the state of our Republic. This should also tell you something about the rule of law in our country. If anyone else in the U.S. government owned a private server storing Top Secret intelligence, for the sake of "convenience," they'd be in jail. Lt. General Michael Flynn made that case on CNN with Jake Tapper.
The mere notion that Hillary Clinton could face criminal indictments is simply unrealistic to many voters, and I explain here what the Clinton campaign and supporters think of you and your organization. There used to be a time in U.S. history when FBI investigations were bad for campaigns; now it's not even a speed bump for the former Secretary of State.
While I've stated on this CNN International appearance that Clinton could face indictment, and in a CNN New Day appearance that Clinton manages to continually circumvent scandal, only the FBI can resolve this grandiose issue.
Our country is getting closer to electing a person, under FBI investigation for potential misconduct pertaining to classified documents, that will have complete access to every single American intelligence agency.
When Univision's Jorge Ramos asked Clinton "If you get indicted, will you drop out?" the former Secretary of State's answer spoke volumes. She responded, "Oh, for goodness -- that's not going to happen." The audience then cheered, for a response that no other American citizen would give to a question regarding possible DOJ indictment.
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I'm not saying that people should fear the FBI. I'm saying people should respect the FBI. At this point, Bernie Sanders is the only Democratic candidate not linked to an FBI investigation, yet Clinton is leading in delegates. This dynamic would never take place in any other leading democracy. If David Cameron had been investigated by MI5, rest assured the British would never have allowed him to become leader of his political party, and eventually Prime Minister.
No doubt, you must perform your investigation without political pressure, but the reality is that millions of Bernie Sanders supporters are awaiting your verdict. Millions of independent voters, and millions of Democrats who aren't voting for Clinton, need to hear your verdict. Needless to say, the Republicans are waiting as well.
The entire nation is waiting for you to disclose the details of your year-long email investigation.
Whether or not you recommend indictment, and whether or not you've found criminal wrongdoing pertaining to Clinton, should be known before the end of the Democratic Primary. Democrats can't nominate a person who could potentially face indictment on November 7, 2016.
Of course, I'm a huge Bernie Sanders supporter, and while even many Bernie voters have surrendered to the myth that this investigation is purely politics, I believe otherwise. I remember a time when government officials respected the FBI, and a time when FBI investigations could never be associated with winning the presidency. In my humble view, I'd take the recent letter you received from agents who worked on ABSCAM very seriously, and I explain here why your reputation is at stake.
If Clinton wins, and if she did nothing wrong, then Americans need to know. However, if Clinton jeopardized national security, or might have jeopardized national security, then Democrats must rally around Bernie Sanders before it's too late.
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Your own website states "Every day, criminals are invading countless homes and offices across the nation--not by breaking down windows and doors, but by breaking into laptops, personal computers, and wireless devices via hacks and bits of malicious code."
America needs to know if this observation also applies to Clinton's email server.
Senator Sanders hasn't addressed the email scandal, even though Clinton would never have hesitated to do so, out of respect for your investigation. Thus, most Democrats think it's blasphemous to even mention the possibility of indictment, or criminal wrongdoing. The sooner we all know, the sooner we can address the spin, either way, from both Trump and Clinton. Both Clinton and Trump will form their own narrative, from your year-long investigation, and Democratic voters need time to process your findings.
Hopefully, this will take place before June, so that Bernie Sanders has a chance to become nominee, and so that Democrats don't attempt to further a person linked to criminal indictments into the White House. Future generations will learn about this era in American politics, and your actions will highlight a great deal about our nation's value system. Future generations will remember when you disclosed your findings, and the impact this timing had on the future of the Democratic Party.
Sincerely,
In our weekly conversation, Bridging Differences, on Education Week, Deborah Meier and I have been discussing and debating democracy and education. The issues emerged at the John Dewey Society conference in Washington earlier in April, where we both participated.
Leonard Waks, the JDS president who presided over the 100th anniversary of Dewey's classic Democracy and Education and edited the special issue of Educational Theory on the book and its impact, wrote to me that he sees our conversations as on the "cutting edge" of issues about democracy and education.
"Dewey says that the most important element of elections is that they encourage a richer communicative exchange among diverse groups," Len said, identifying Meier with the Dewey community. Len adds, "But Dewey does not have much to say about how that broadening and deepening of community is to be directly channeled into collective action, so the civic studies folk have much to contribute."
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Len Waks wants to have "deep exploration of the issues" between Civic Studies and the Dewey community. I agree that this could be highly generative.
So here let me further develop the "Civic Studies" side (or at least the public work strand -- Civic Studies may be more diverse than the Dewey community). I call this strand the politics of co-creative agency.
Power, in its root meaning, does not mean "who decides what." The Spanish form, poder, gives a more accurate rendering. It means to be able, or can. Put differently, power is the capacity to act. I agree with Deb Meier that formal decision making structures are part of the picture. But the skills, capacities, and ways of thinking -- including what she calls "trust in one's own judgement in the face of authority" -- which generate such capacity are not "indirect" power, as she proposes in her last blog, "The Roles of Direct Versus Indirect Power in School Communities." That's like calling flesh and blood secondary in the body, while the skeleton is the "real thing."
I live part of the year in South Africa. My wife, Marie-Louise Strom, was a democracy educator across Africa for two decades. We often worked together in South Africa. South Africa is usually described as having "achieved democracy" in 1994 with the famous election that ended apartheid and elected Nelson Mandela.
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The new government put in place all sorts of new participatory decision making structures, in local government, schools and the police. These have turned out to be hollow without independent centers of citizen power, people's power, where people develop skills, habits, confidence, and concepts of civic agency.
I've seen again and again how energized and hopeful people become when they come to see that they can actually make change and that democracy is an empowering way of life, not simply elections. They realize they don't have to wait for elected officials, or participate in formal structures to make change. A civic agency/public work approach reframes the 1994 election as a milestone but not achievement of "democracy." I've also seen how much the African National Congress claims to represent "democracy" because they have been elected.
In fact, Africa has rich, ancient traditions of what we call public work -- self-organized communal labors. These are crucial foundations for a democratic way of life that existed long before Europeans brought the term to the continent. But language makes a difference. Some post-colonial governments have taken them over -- arguing that formal elections are the substance of democracy.
Elites mobilize people on collective labor days, drawing on the language of tradition (as you point out, authoritarian regimes have their own version of collective labors), but changing the meaning. They displace agency into "elections."
For instance, one of Marie's long time colleagues in the Institute for Democracy in South Africa, Jacqueline Nzisabira, describes how, in her native Burundi, communal labors, known as ibikorwa rusangi, underwent radical change after independence. "When I was growing up collective work was used to cultivate land in Burundi," Nzisabira describes. "Such labors empowered people and created a stronger sense of community." In recent years, she observes, "There has been a tendency for the government to control the process. The work shifts meaning when it is state-directed, rather than coming from the community."
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In "Constructive Politics as Public Work" (Political Theory 2011), I contrast many such examples of self-organizing collective labors which cultivate civic agency, with collective labors controlled by outside elites.
So I agree with Deborah Meier that decision making is an element of democracy, but the way decisions are made is only one piece. It can't be called "real" democracy. We need to emphasize people power, capacities for collective action.
"Once I go back to America, I'm going to officially change my last name. Just imagine me working in a clinic and someone telling my patient, 'Ms. Mohammad will see you in a moment.' That parent would drag their kid right out of the clinic and never come back."
I saw my friend, Samar's name pop up in my social media inbox whilst she continued typing. I didn't click on the message indicating that I just read it. Instead, I sat there and weighed her words against what I know, what America's media is portraying, and what the 2016 United States presidency candidates are saying. I remained quiet until the next day.
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"I see" was all I could reply.
A part of me wanted to narrate the story I learned about America when I was a child in a public elementary school. This was the story of an America that was diverse and accepting. It was the story of an America that did not judge me for being an Arab or a Muslim a week after the September 11 attacks when we went back to school the way some of my friends told me they were. It was the story of an America that gave second chances.
Another part of me wanted to tell her that she should keep her last name and be proud of the fact that she is a young, Muslim American woman. I wanted to tell her that being the person she is and with her last name, she has the ability to break the stereotypes associated with it and with Islam.
But I couldn't and can't tell her any of that...not while I believe she has a point.
Candidates calling for the banning of Muslim Syrian refugees based on the fear of "radical Islam" are not helping my case. Neither are the candidates declaring the murder of Muslims with pigs' blood. The fact that flight attendants are kicking Muslims off of flights for merely speaking in Arabic would only encourage my friend to move forth with her decision.
After the Brussels attack, one of the Republican presidential candidates, Ted Cruz, suggested that Muslim neighborhoods should be patrolled and secured by extensive law enforcement for fear that "radical Islam" may be brewing among Muslim communities. However, Cruz fails to realize that with Islamophobia spreading around the West, including America, Muslim neighborhoods and communities need to be protected. What is frightening to Muslim-Americans, even ones currently half way across the globe like Samar and I, is that some Muslims, though assimilated into the American society, cannot escape the fate of discrimination, such as the fate of Deah Barakat, Yusor and Razan Abu-Salha, three young Muslim-Americans who were shot to death a little over a year ago in their North Carolina home.
It is with such unfortunate cases Muslims in America call upon the American people for their support. Muslim-Americans need to have their constitutional rights as American citizens to be protected. Their rights to exercise freedom of speech and religion need to be protected. It is with these rights that Muslims in America can continue to help others understand that Muslims can leave a positive impact in American society. What was promised for the average American was promised for all Americans, including Muslim-Americans.
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Often, Muslim-Americans I am acquainted with in the Middle East speak of raising children in the United States as opposed to the Arab world, but instead of that prospect being reassuring, it only exacerbates a concern we, Muslim-Americans, try to deny, until someone speaks of changing their last name so it would sound "less Arab/Muslim."
Communities worldwide, especially in the resource-rich Global South, have been fighting against the environmental, social, economic and political destruction inflicted by the fossil fuel industry for decades. Unfortunately many in power in developing economies still cling to the fallacy that progress is only possible by using fossil fuels, rather than taking the opportunity to leapfrog the mistakes of the Global North.
The reality is that true sustainable development is only possible by opting for economies built on renewable energy systems. Our governments should be bold and choose cutting edge renewable energy solutions that are not only cleaner and better for the environment, but also ultimately cheaper as they are fueled for free by the sun and the wind.
Faced with a vacuum of action, people worldwide are providing the much needed leadership by intensifying pressure through peaceful civil disobedience on a global scale, demanding a shift to happen.
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These efforts to mobilise are inspired by many movements, especially those in the Global South where people who have contributed the least towards the problem are suffering the most. The effects of climate change are often a matter of survival - whether it is protecting tribal lands, dealing with extreme drought, or severe flooding. Stemming the effects of catastrophic climate change is inextricably linked to the global justice movement.
Photo credit: Hoda Baraka/350.org
Thankfully we have a solid foundation to build upon. The climate movement has gone from strength to strength over the past year, and is now posing a real threat to the environmentally destructive fossil fuel industry. To make sure that we maintain momentum, this May a great wave of peaceful direct actions under the banner of Break Free will take place, targeting the world's most dangerous fossil fuel projects.
One of the most iconic fights started over two decades ago taking place in the south-eastern corner of Nigeria, in the Niger Delta region territory known as Ogoni land. Shell and the Nigerian government profited unchallenged from the oil production in the region for decades, at huge environmental costs including massive oil spills and air pollution caused by continuously burning gas flares.
In response to this, the Ogoni people began non-violent action against Shell in the early 1990s under the leadership of Ken Saro-Wiwa and his organisation Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People. Ken Saro-Wiwa, sadly paid with his life just over 20 years ago in 1995, when he was arrested and later hanged after being convicted by a civil disturbances tribunal. However with ongoing campaigning in 2009 Shell was eventually forced to pay US$15.5m (9.6m) in settlement of a legal action, in which it was accused of having collaborated in the execution of Saro-Wiwa's and eight other leaders of the Ogoni tribe.
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During the Break Free actions, the latest generation of activists, inspired by Ken Saro-Wiwa will take action in three locations in the Niger Delta. These will demonstrate that Nigeria, and the whole of Africa, is better off without the polluting activities of the fossil industry.
Other activities will be held in Brazil, also struggling to deal with the corrupting nature of the fossil fuel industry. Thousands of indigenous peoples and climate activists will join together in several different peaceful actions focussing on key parts of the country's oil and gas and coal infrastructure.
Photo credit: Nao Fracking Brasil/350.org
In Indonesia there will be a mass action involving thousands of people at the Presidential palace in Jakarta, and will include participants from many of the communities leading resistance to coal projects from around the country. A few days later there will be one or more actions at the site of coal infrastructure projects
In the Philippines demonstrators will build on the resolve from the Climate Walk last autumn, which was a 40-day, 875 KM journey from Manila to Tacloban City. This year anti-coal activists including participants from local government, the church, and affected communities will converge in another climate march that aims to mobilize 10,000 people in Batangas City.
Photo credit: AC Dimatatac
We will also continue to push in South Africa, with two actions designed to highlight the local impacts of coal and climate change. In Turkey, community leaders will head a mass action in Aliaga (near Izmir) at a coal waste site to call for a stop to four fossil fuel plant projects in the surrounding area.
Campaigners from the Global South understand after decades of battles that the economic and infrastructural transformation needed -- going from fossil fuels to 100% renewable energy -- will not happen without resistance from the powers currently benefiting from the status quo. Unfortunately some of these challenges are being met with extreme violence, as witnessed with past and recent deaths of activists.
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When violence is used to silence protest, democracy is placed under threat. However, we will not retaliate like with like, instead we will carry on building our numbers, standing strong as a unified global movement. We will also defend the defenders by building on their work - standing in solidarity - honouring their accomplishments. Intimidation will not stop the movement.
Our hope is that these peaceful mobilisations taking place in May serve as an important point in the climate movement's journey to increase pressure on the fossil fuel industry. The struggle in the Global South to finally break free from fossil fuels will continue making this a struggle the world cannot ignore.
I hear the term "Washington is broken" thrown around by politicians, citizens and journalists everyday. I've been privileged to play General Washington on the AMC show Turn for the past three years -- so immersed in the life of the man that I immediately think they are saying that "General Washington is broken." It's very painful to me. It makes me sad to think of his name being thrown around to score political points, or further partisan hardening. Washington is not just the name of the place where government is practiced. It is first the name of General George Washington, who with his selfless acts started us on the path to become the greatest country our world has ever known. What if we remembered who we were referencing when discussing our capital city? I can imagine what The General is thinking watching down from above. He can't be proud of how things are going.
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When I was first cast to play General George Washington I didn't know much beyond what I was taught in American History class. He struck me as almost a marble figure of a man who was busy, serious, and looked annoyed. I had a lot to learn about the man. General George Washington was a rock star of his time. He was a charismatic giant on the battlefield, the dance floor and on horseback, but most importantly, he was a man of great humility. On set I ask myself one question: "What would George Washington do?" Everyday I ask for his permission to stand in his boots, and that in portraying him, I might live up to his standard of excellence. What if our leaders asked themselves that same question? What if they set George Washington as their daily standard?
As a young man, George Washington was a rebel. Washington is considered to be responsible for starting the French and Indian War with his actions at the Battle of Jumonville Glen. Then, a young Lieutenant Colonel, he made a rookie mistake accepting responsibility for the assassination of a French diplomat. Washington was young, bold, and egocentric. He was 22-years-old and in far above his head.
Arrogant and with a burning desire to climb in the ranks; young brash George Washington worked hard but often battled with his superior officers. He disagreed with some of their methods and plans and he brazenly spoke up. Despite the honorable reputation he earned, he was disappointed in his desire to receive a British commission. Washington eventually chose to return to his home at Mount Vernon and with a new wife and her two children; he went about the business of becoming a farmer and over time and reflection, a wiser man.
I often think about those years at Mount Vernon as Washington's most formative. He had suffered from his impulsive early years, and decided to reshape himself into the man who would become the father of his country. He learned to listen first rather than talk, to discuss ideas instead of argue positions, and to ask questions as opposed to voicing opinions. He had seen that his audacious ways weren't getting him far in life, and thus endeavored to control his mind as well as his passions. General Washington gained true humility.
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Washington always thought of country ahead of self. Even after accepting the challenging position of general, it became clear that his reputation, his fortune, and his future would be destroyed if the army failed at their goal of achieving independence. He selflessly took that risk.
Throughout the war, enduring years of lost battles, both character and actual assassination attempts, and betrayal, Washington thought first of these United States. Without ego, he held the center while those around him panicked and fragmented. Washington's greatest wartime legacy was his decision to surrender his commission to Congress, affirming the principle of civilian control of the military in the new United States.
You see, when the war was over, Washington, whose "approval ratings" struggled during the conflict, was never more popular. He was the leader that our young nation was grateful for. There were some who suggested that Washington should take his place as King of America. He rejected that notion out of hand, making clear that the country was bigger than any one person.
Six years later he was once again called into service as the first President of the United States. During all of his years in service to the country, Washington never reached for power. He accepted the responsibilities of office, and in doing so, was given the authority and power as needed. It is a subtle but important distinction, and one that I believe is particularly apt today.
General Washington's greatest gift was the ability to bring and hold the country together. He warned in his Farewell Address against the dangers of "political parties" and "factions." Over time he feared political parties would change our vision of ourselves as Americans who are all one people, to warring enemies. Enemies don't listen to each other. They don't seek to understand each other. Enemies seek only victory over their opponents.
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It takes humility to act in concert. Washington was always looking for consensus. He was always cognizant of his responsibilities as the first President. He knew his choices would set precedents for all future generations.
What if our leaders held themselves to that standard?
I look at General Washington like an ancestor who left his descendants a great and bountiful inheritance: the peaceful transfer of power. At the end of his second term, he refused to stand for a third. He wanted the country to be self-sufficient, and not dependent on any one person.
The spirit of General George Washington is strong. It's the political process that is broken. If we were following General Washington's vision of our country we wouldn't be having these specific problems. It feels deeply unfair to use his name so thoughtlessly.
"Kisses Kisses," net art from Yael Kanarek's "Kisses Kisses"
In her outstanding new show, "Kisses Kisses," at bitforms, Yael Kanarek offers an illuminating view of her wide-ranging digital and multi-media practice. Co-curated by Kerry Doran and Dylan Kerr, and thoughtfully installed, the exhibition exists as a series of overlapping windows and screens. It begins on the street where the viewer confronts a wall of bright yellow flyers, the kind that used to be plastered all over the East Village.
Installation View, "Kisses Kisses" (photo credit: Illya Szilak)
Literally the entire glass front of the gallery is papered with a cartoon drawing that features a URL for a newly created net art piece. Amidst all these screens, only a small window remains through which the viewer can look into the gallery and into yet another window: a Polaroid encased in a glass frame, which documents the original flyer in situ on a street corner.
"Corner of 7th & A," Polaroid photograph
The inward side of the gallery front is likewise plastered with fliers, replicas of one the artist created in 1995 which include a URL that now no longer exists. Inside, much of the exhibition is devoted to never-before-shown twenty-year old mixed media paintings, which complement the multimedia narrative "World of Awe," sound pieces, sculptural objects, performance documentation and ephemera. Additional archival documentary Polaroids appear in a take-away zine that also contains "essays, conversations, lists, travelogs, love letters, puzzles, games paper sculpture, and good times for all."
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"Ready," Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
In these works, we can see now what perhaps we could not have seen then: how we communicate, how we "stay in touch," how we think of time and space and intimacy has profoundly changed. It is not so much that the content of painting and literature has altered, it is that, just as interface has supplanted "face-to-face" intercourse, the surface effects of those languages have become at least as important as the actual subject matter. Content and form here act as a unit to create digestible visual codes.
"Candy Poop," acrylic and mixed media on canvas
For instance, the lone cactus in "Candy Poop" signals the desert landscape through which the protagonist of "World of Awe" journeys. Kanarek enlivens this encoding, which anticipates the now ubiquitous use of computer icons, by invoking the lived reality of embodied existence or at least the increasingly distant memory of it. Thus, the texture of the cactus and the way the humanoid figure grips it, incites an experience of virtual tactility, though Kanarek playfully employs glitter instead of sharp spines. In some paintings, the reference to sensual experience is even more overt. Kanarek inscribes these with impossible-to-fulfill commands to "lick me," "smell me" and, anticipating Facebook by several years, "like me."
"Lick Me Bubble" Acrylic, hair, pennies, marker, and glitter on paper
Soon after these paintings were completed, the artist began her multiyear online narrative "World of Awe" which consists primarily of a series of digital love letters between "The Traveler "and his/her "Beloved," a description of navigational tools, and places. Although social media has created an environment in which intimacies now occur in the open, it is important to remember that the first chapter of "World of Awe: A Traveler's Journal, Chapter 1: Forever, 1999" was featured in the Whitney Biennial in 2002, two years before Facebook launched. In it, Kanarek's traveler journeys through a barren desert landscape, frozen in a kind of Google Earth non-time, a "forever" between night and day seeking "lost treasure." Given that funny cat videos on YouTube, garner millions of views, it is perhaps unsurprising that these treasure crumbs are not some form of enlightened knowledge, but rather "surprisingly resemble candy sprinkles."
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Screenshot, "World of Awe" (photo credit Illya Szilak)
Philosopher Villem Flusser has characterized the time we live in as a crisis in what he calls "the gesture of searching" for meaning or for knowledge. With the recognition that there is no "transcendent intellect" or "absolute knowledge," this gesture has shifted from a "digging down" for reasons and final causes characteristic of 19th and 20th century science, to a seeking of possibilities, a moving along surfaces, and an examination of the aesthetic and relational qualities of things. In such a scenario, conventional orientation in space and time is lost. Thus, it is not surprising that The Traveler carries a number of odd navigational tools with him/her including a magnifying glass and a mood ring.
Screenshot, "World of Awe"
For Flusser, with this crisis of meaning, the primary distinction we make is not between "true" and "false," but between "art" and "kitsch." Moreover, kitsch is no longer related to superficiality, for, in a virtual world, there is no true depth. Rather, it describes a situation where, although gesture is easily read ("coded"), it, like the heart symbol on Twitter, yields little information. Kanarek's use of text is critical to her art as art. The overwrought poetic language (each letter ends with "Yours forever your sunset/sunrise 4ever yours.") and the longing they convey is what makes the letters so evocative, strange and "true," especially compared to a "like" and the limited set of reaction emoticons now available on Facebook, those now ubiquitous conveyors of encoded sentiment.
"Ear Pop," Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
The tension between sensual embodiment and transcendence plays throughout the show. With an economy of means, the paintings transmit the feeling of gravity acting on a body. Many feature a solid black humanoid figure in some bent-over act--squatting to defecate, laboriously climbing up a hill. These figures which, at in an earlier time be read as "primitive," today can be seen for what they are, prototype emoji's for human gesture. This dialectic of embodiment and transcendence also operates in the sculptural piece Feedback-Loop (2004). Here, Kanarek took the Linux Kernel file source code defining schedule task and transcribed it on the verso (?), (the terms "front and back", "inside and outside" which arise from our embodied state are not so clear here) of a piece of vellum, semi-translucent calf skin parchment. On the recto, she hand drew a computer screen and wrote out the text of "The Love Letter: 69.325 from World of Awe, Chapter 2, Destruction & Mending." A candle which acts as the "heart" or kernel of the contraption illuminates the texts. There is also a pearl on a metal arm that serves as a digit-less "hand" for this fragmented, mechanical body.
"Feedback-Loop," Steel, candle, pearl, hand drawn ink and pencil on parchment
Kanarek is no Luddite. Although the sound of someone calling "hello" into the gallery as if across a vast Alpine valley is disconcerting, it also speaks to the everyday coexistence of virtual spaces and also to the human desire for connection. The call emanates from "Speaker Tree" (2001), a "tree" hung with naked audio speakers that resemble both artificial leaves and severed ears. Additionally, on a nearby computer, visitors can listen to the CD, Bit by Bit, Cell by Cell (2005), a collaboration between composer Yoav Gal and dance filmmaker Evann Siebens, consists of the love letters and travelogs from the Traveler's Journal set to music: a digitally manipulated soprano (Sarah Rivkin) and instrumental music composed for an Atari 800 XL.
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"Speaker Tree," Speakers, computer, cables, wires, soundtrack
Despite the pervasive and unavoidable (given when the pieces were made) references to obsolete computer hardware, "Kisses Kisses" is a must-see exhibition, not because it offers a nostalgic look back, but because it reveals the truth of our future.
"Kisses Kisses" runs through May 22, 2016 at bitforms gallery, 131 Allen Street New York, NY
This is a op-ed submitted to the Jackson Free Press, Clarion-Ledger, and the on-line Madison in solidarity to Mississippi's LGBTQ Community.
To Governor Phil Bryant and Every Congressman That Approved HB1523, the "Protective Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act."
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My name is J. Mercedes Cardona, citizen of your neighboring state, Louisiana. As your neighbor, I am appalled that you have allowed Jim Crow back in the law books. African Americans are still fighting for their civil rights in the Great State of Mississippi as it was just 1995 when the final slaves were emancipated via the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment; 140+ years later than the rest of America. Today in your state, the civil rights of the LGBTQ community are not being honored because of HB1523.
HB1523 is a mask in which hate is disguised. A law intended supposedly to allow Christian citizens to exercise their "beliefs" and refuse flower patrons florae for their homosexual weddings has morphed into language that reads, ". . . To provide certain protections for persons, religious organizations and private associations" to act on their ". . . sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions" to ". . . refuse services." Since when in America do we allow church and state to mingle over such a broad range of society? The very First Amendment of the Bill of Rights reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion . . ." How arrogant of you to shred our rights by egregiously acting against the spirit of the Constitution of the United States of America!
My duty as a trans woman in the Deep South is to speak out and bring visibility to this unfairness. Your demagogic rule further isolates your LGBTQ constituents. By enacting HB1523," you justify the mistreatment and exclusion of tax paying Americans giving power to the Christian majority to subjectively enact their "religious beliefs" upon everyone. I am freeing my soul for I can hold my tongue no longer. You, the governor of Mississippi have totally gone against the United States Constitution which explicitly expresses the separation of church and state. Enforcing your religious beliefs on citizens, voters and your community is a traumatic legacy to leave our descendants. Your actions similarly propagate hate using segregation. What advice would you offer a young transwoman in Mississippi? Right now LGBTQ people are the target; who is next?
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If ever there was a time that a neighbor needed to show love to the Mississippi LGBTQ community, it is now. I will not be silent while their freedoms are trampled. This is too close to home. It's an empty echo/reminder of past oppressors. The essence of HB1523 is a full-fledged fear induced witch hunt fitted with life draining prose. Using HB 1522 leaves LGBTQ folk with nowhere to go; choices are to hide or leave. However, your loss is our gain as so many of the great leaders around the country share roots in Mississippi.
Last but certainly not least, I pay homage to Mercedes Williamson. Violently murdered in the Mississippi this seventeen-year-old trans woman was found dead in a wooded area on June 2, 2015. I am only grateful that she died before this injudicious law passed and may have been denied the sale of a coffin and/or a burial plot. Do you see the nonsense in this outrageous, stupefying and dangerous law? Governor Bryant, I, J. Mercedes Cardona publicly denounced your disrespectful ways. I hope this terrifying precedent does not spread to every corner of the country; rather, I pray this letter exposes your devious pretentions for the prejudice hoaxes you really are.
With a revolutionary heart, I remain
What is it about Brooklyn street art that is so appealing that one would curate the opening exhibition of a museum with it?
Four pillars of the New York street art scene are welcoming the first guests of the new Millennium Iconoclast Museum of Art (MIMA), which opened days ago in Brussels. Attacking the cherished institutions that relegate grassroots people's art movements into the margins, MIMA intends to elevate them all and let them play together. Graphic design, illustration, comic design, tattoo design, graffiti, street art, plastic arts, wheat pasting, sculpture, text, advertising, pop, story-telling, aerosol, brushwork, and naturally, dripping paint.
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MOMO. Work in progress. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo Alice van den Abeele)
Obviously street culture has been mixing these influences together in a never-ending lust for experimentation; punk with hip-hop, skateboarding with tattoo, performance art with graffiti - for the past four decades at least. The folk tradition of cutting and pasting predates all our modern shape-shifting by centuries, but institutional/organizational curating often often has a preference for sorting street culture disciplines into separate piles.
With the inaugural exhibition "City Lights" MOMO, Swoon, Faile, and Maya Hayuk each bring what made their street practice unique, but with an added dimension of maturity and development. Without exception each of these artists have benefitted from the Internet and its ability to find audiences who respond strongly to the work with physical location a secondary consideration. Now as world travelers these four have evolved and refined their practice and MIMA gives them room to expand comfortably.
MOMO. Work in progress. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo Alice van den Abeele)
Rather than recreating the slap-dash chaos of street clash, and aside from the aforementioned drips and splatters in geometric neon hues by Hayuk, the museum setting is contained and crisply defined. Perhaps because of the cross-disciplines hinted at and welcomed, the overall effect is more contemporary than urban.
Hayuk's space, with its raised ceilings and stained glass window treatment is a hand-hewn modern chapel, borrowing a holy inflection and spreading it across to the urban art faithful who will make the pilgrimage to this new hallowed space.
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On opening day (which was delayed by weeks because of the recent airport and transit bombing here) the crowd who queued on an overcast day down the block along the Canal in Molenbeek was undaunted by the wait and expectant. Housed in a former beer factory, the greater collection includes large installations by the marquee namesin the main spaces and smaller pieces ranging from Stephen Powers and Todd James to Piet Parra and Cleon Patterson in galleries evoking whitebox galleries.
MOMO. Detail. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo Alice van den Abeele)
In precisely the ex-industrial part of town that is usually slaughtered with graffiti you can still see a variety of throwies and bubble tags floating above murky waters along the canal walls from the terrace of the 1300 square meter, 4 story MIMA. It's an oddly storied juxtaposition perhaps, yet somehow perfectly natural and modern.
If the popular imagination of "museum plus Street Art" conjures anything for you, it may present some kind of overture toward the continuation of the street into the formal space and vice-versa. Faile's two-color stencils and slaughtering of walls inside clearly connect to ones they have done over the last 15 years and that are currently on New York streets. Their huge prayer wheel assembled here was actually shown in the center of Times Square last fall with tens of thousands of tourists climbing it, sitting upon it, posing for selfies with it and spinning it, so the continuum is very much intact in that respect.
MOMO. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo Alice van den Abeele)
Similarly Swoon's wheat-pasted family of figures and her hand-cut paper patterns on mottled walls in the basement recall her work on street walls in Red Hook Brooklyn at this moment - as well as her periodic takeovers/installations inside choice areas of abandoned urban neglect through the years. To complete the dialogue at MIMA her hand-painted linotype prints are also wheat-pasted outside on Brussels walls near the museum, not slapped but placed with her customary consideration of context and proportion.
Ever the developer of new methodologies for painting, MOMO piled long strips of fabric in an overlapping circular pattern upon layered patches of color and unveiled the new work by gathering the invited artists and museum founders to watch as Faile's Patrick McNeil slowly pulled the "rope" outward, breaking sealed layers and revealing a heretofore non existent composition. To share and remember the birth process he leaves the tools of revelation in a pile before it. In this way MOMO recalls his street practice of conjuring and developing new tool-making and art-making techniques when bringing work into the public sphere.
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MOMO. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo MOMO - MIMA MUSEUM)
Aside from each evolving from the subcultures of the street in some capacity, the nature of the works transcend the partitioning that can define exhibitions, allowing the various practices to become the language of the culture. MIMA appears to have the physical space, as well as the psychological and philosophical space, to contemplate the multiplicity of voices that are flooding the streets and the Internet; forming subcultures and ultimately culture.
The City Lights in this case are as much on the various dialogues of the street as the street itself.
MIMA is the creation of four co-founders; Florence and Michel Delaunoit, Alice van den Abeele, and Raphael Cruyt. The inaugural show is curated by van den Abeele and Cruyt and many of the artists shown in the extended collection here have a history and special meaning to the two through their venture the ALICE Gallery, which has as its strength a focus on art collaborations and exhibition with sculpture and installations.
SWOON. Work in progress. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo Alice van den Abeele)
We spoke with Alice van den Abeele about the selection of these four artists for the opening, the intersection of Internet with museum curation, and the changing nature of our perceptions of culture. Here is an excerpt from our conversation
In your initial descriptions of the museum a focus is made on the uprooting of culture as it pertains to geography by way of the Internet during the last decade and a half. How do these artists represent this free-travelling cultural reality?
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This cultural reality is easy to feel when you are in the CITY LIGHTS exhibition. The installations by Swoon, Maya Hayuk, FAILE and MOMO immerse you in different artistic worlds but share an extroverted language that is direct and playful. It is a language acquired with the street and with travel - a mixture you may call a "world citizen."
SWOON. Work in progress. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo Alice van den Abeele)
The museum addresses a range of subcultures that are directly or tangentially related to the street art scene during the last decades. Why is it important for us to consider these contributors?
Because of our history. With the communication revolution and the relative low cost of Internet connectivity, the beginning of the millennium brought changes to our perception of the world. A feeling of being a citizen of the world is developing in the West - by which I mean to say there is a cosmopolitan attitude that makes us more empathetic, collaborative, and cross-cultural.
For artists this means there is a greater mobility between creative fields. The artist can easily be a skateboarder, a designer, a musician, a graffiti artist and they can also exhibit in a gallery or a museum. He or she adapts to different creative contexts and their identities are many - not limited to being a 'street artist" or "a musician". The subcultures mix easily together. Lust look at the New York art scene at the time of the Alleged Gallery for example.
On the other hand, society moves it through the prism of the Internet today and selects artists that reflect a new thinking. The values that define the artist's behavior in the street are close to those that define our behavior on the Internet: Empathy, the right of access rather than ownership, a collaborative spirit, authenticity, and a cross/hybrid culture.
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Somehow, the street work embodied physically very early this paradigm shift that was occuring in our society, this new way of perceiving the world. That's the story the MIMA wants to tell through the exhibitions and the works in the permanent collection. We are living through a revolution that is slowly rewriting the history of art "bottom up" - which may have a thousand faces.
SWOON. An assistant helps with a large wheat paste. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo Alice van den Abeele)
Is it important to examine these subcultures separately or is it more relevant to see what their combined influences are producing for the world as aesthetic movements, social movements?
Cultures are not compartmentalized. They mix to reinvent themselves. Besides, don't they all become mainstream? In a world of continuous flow of information we should beware of categories and labels - which are often more commercial than artistic. As I said earlier, subcultures today are of great interest to society because they can inspire in us a common ideal - better than our politicians.
SWOON. Detail. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo The Pickles - MIMA MUSEUM)
As a group, these inaugural artists have an association in our minds with early-mid 2000s New York street art culture. Can you talk about the significance in broad terms of your choice of these artists for your initial exhibition?
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Initially, when we visited the MIMA building in ruins, we immediately imagined an intervention by Maya Hayuk in the room called The Chapel. We know Maya really well because we have had the pleasure of working with her for such a long time. With that first intention, we thought that it would be great to have artists who know and appreciate each other, share a common history, and to create a synergy between them!
This combination of talent and affection has produced a unique exhibition, full of spirituality. More generally, the New York scene of this period is particularly rich for us and it was a good matrix to introduce the vision of the MIMA to the public!
FAILE. Work in progress. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo Alice van den Abeele)
What sort of artists or influences do you envision for near future exhibitions?
It is certain that we will continue to work with artists in the same vein as those that are present in the permanent collection. At the same time we want to leave the door open to the future for the unknown and to surprise ourselves for the fun of it.
FAILE. Work in progress. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo Alice van den Abeele)
FAILE. Work in progress. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo Alice van den Abeele)
FAILE. Work in progress. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo Alice van den Abeele)
FAILE. Detail. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo Alice van den Abeele)
FAILE. Detail. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo Pascaline Brishcoux - MIMA Museum)
Maya Hayuk. Work in progress. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo Alice van den Abeele)
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Maya Hayuk. Work in progress. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo Alice van den Abeele)
Maya Hayuk. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo The Pickles - MIMA Museum)
The artists with curators. Work in progress. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo Alice van den Abeele)
Maya Hayuk talks with Patrick Miller in the foreground and Patrick McNeil chats with MOMO in the background in Maya's installation. MIMA Museum. Brussels, Belgium. April 2016. (photo Alice van den Abeele)
The MIMA Museum "City Lights" inaugural exhibition in Brussels, Belgium is currently open to the general public and will run until August 28, 2016. Click HERE to learn more about MIMA.
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Q: How is your relationship with your family, and what does being "accepted" by your family look like for you?
My siblings and cousins have accepted me and I am happy that they don't see me as queer but just as their brother, my queerness being part of a whole, intertwining with various aspects of my personality. As for my parents and their siblings, they have understood and acknowledged my homosexuality but in their own terms. Inherently, they have accepted that their son is gay but they keep on emphasizing on the fact that they don't wish to see me acting like a "queen". Even though I have come far, striving to be accepted as gay in a traditional and Catholic family, it still does hurt to understand that my homosexuality can be accepted only if I act in the most heteronormative way.
Basically I can be gay and it's fine, as long as it is not visible. It is a bittersweet feeling but if there is something I understand with my family it's that it all takes time, especially educating them about what it means to be LGBTQ. There is definitely a generation gap between my siblings and cousins and our parents, uncles and aunts and I am blessed to have the full support of my generation. Another sad truth is that my family from the diaspora in Europe and America is more accepting of my homosexuality than my family that grew up and lived in Rwanda.
Donald Trump declared himself the Republican Party's "presumptive" presidential nominee following his sweeping victory in Tuesday's primaries. The large margin of Trump's wins not only makes it nearly impossible to stop him from receiving the GOP nomination, but it also serves as notice to Tuesday's other big winner, Democrat Hillary Clinton, that Trump will be a formidable opponent in the November election.
Trump swept every county in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware, while losing only a small handful of counties in Rhode Island and Connecticut. The demographic break down of Trump's victories is impressive according to exit polls done in three states. For instance, in Maryland Trump was the first choice for Republican women, men, conservatives, moderates and every income group. In Connecticut Trump won all income and education groups, including Republican voters with college degrees. And in Pennsylvania Trump won among Republican voters who described themselves as angry, anti-establishment and against trade deals.
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Trump has received nearly 10 million votes since February's Iowa Caucus, millions more votes than each of his remaining opponents, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Ohio Governor John Kasich. Trump needs to secure fewer than 300 delegates to reach the 1237 delegates required to win the nomination in the first ballot of the Republican convention. Cruz has put all his marbles into winning the Indiana primary next Tuesday, including coordinating with Kasich's campaign, but Trump leads in state polls taken before his blowout victories Tuesday. Trump has promised to campaign hard to win Indiana.
The fact that Trump has done so well defies conventional wisdom. His unconventional presidential campaign stands out for its lack of political correctness and detailed policy positions. But that is what appeals most to his supporters. His supporters are angry at leaders of both parties for decades of campaign promises unfulfilled, for endless gridlock and mismanagement. They have seen manufacturing jobs disappear, the nation's infrastructure crumble and growing income inequality. Many were devastated as a result of the 2008 market crash, the worst since the Great Depression, and are still struggling. Meanwhile, they fear immigrants in this country illegally will take jobs and the government will take away their rights.
Enter Donald Trump, who speaks brashly, bluntly and in a voice that resonates with millions of angry Americans. His campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again," speaks to a large faction of Republicans and independents who have had it with politics. It doesn't matter to them that Trump insults Mexicans as rapists, women, Muslims, as well as his opponents and some world leaders. It doesn't matter that he has flip-flopped on social issues, or that he doesn't seem to have a firm grasp of foreign policy. His supporters don't care because he will be different than politics as usual, they really believe in outsider Donald Trump, they trust him.
Yet, according to recent polls, more that 60 per cent of Americans have an unfavorable view of Trump, a number that would be insurmountable for any other candidate in the general election. He does a bit better among Republicans, even though his negatives are high, much to the chagrin of the GOP establishment, which has been trying to write him off for months. Last December, conservative writer Bill Kristol Tweeted, "Sticking to my prediction: Trump will win no caucuses or primaries, and will run behind Ron Paul in 2012 in IA and NH."
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Fresh from her victories in 4 of 5 states Tuesday, Hillary Clinton is reaching out to Sanders' supporters and beginning to focus her rhetoric on the national election campaign. Many Clinton supporters believe that she will easily beat Trump in the presidential election next November. But not so fast Democrats. Trump already is shrewdly trying to get Senator Bernie Sanders to run as an independent in order to divide the Democratic vote.
Clinton, an experienced but flawed candidate, is about to undergo months of relentless and scathing assaults. Trump will attack her apparent strengths as failures, including her government experience, foreign policy service, leadership on women's issues and support among minorities. He will attack President Bill Clinton's character, and mock the Clinton's mercilessly. Trump will insult and bully Hillary Clinton in speeches and political ads in an effort to discourage Democrats and independents from voting for her election day. Hillary Clinton is going to be in for the fight of her life.
When you send someone an email, more likely than not, you intend the email to be for the recipient alone. You don't routinely add language: "do not forward this email; for your eyes only." You send the email - the privacy aspect is, we all believe, understood. But as we have all experienced, I suspect both in business and in our personal lives, one emails with the indisputable risk that the email - intended only for the recipient - may be forwarded whether intentionally or by accident. How many of us have received emails with pages of earlier chains which may or may not be related to the issue at hand?
But what about when lawyers get into the act? There can be no question that it is critically important for lawyers to communicate to their clients as much information as possible concerning their dealings with adversaries. And often clients want to - and should - know what's going on in "real time." There are some lawyers (wise lawyers, I believe) who pick up the phone to establish a relationship with their adversary and sometimes even to "backchannel" candid discussions in the hopes of avoiding needless skirmishes along the path toward possible resolution. And they then call their client to let them know what transpired. But let's face it, a lot of business gets done through email. And given the way we live, it is impossible to avoid it - we communicate from different time zones, as we are heading to a meeting, maybe even from our kid's softball game. So, like it or not, lawyers have substantive, important and material "conversations" through email.
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Now let's take the following scenario: the lawyer communicates with her adversary by email (copying her law partner) and, to save time simultaneously bccs her client so that the client is immediately up to speed on what's transpiring. Ostensibly, no problem right? After all, the adversary who is the intended recipient presumably understands that the lawyer will be keeping her client in the loop and could have no gripe that the client is being sent the email. But what if the client, upon reading the email, hits "reply to all" - intending to communicate his substantive response just to his own lawyers. Believe me, you don't have to be a computer-whiz to know that that response will also go to everyone on the original email, including the adverse lawyer.
The adverse attorney will have an ethical obligation to promptly report the unintended disclosure and follow the likely instruction to delete the substantive email and promptly forget what they learned from it. But people who live in the real world know how that goes! Hard as it might be to unring a bell, it's even harder when one truly doesn't want to unring it.
But couldn't this risk of unintended disclosure by the client to the "enemy lawyer" have been easily avoided? Of course. Sure, the client could have looked at who his "reply to all" was being sent to. But more to the point, the lawyer could simply have sent the email to her adversary and partner and, when that so-simple procedure was complete, she could have kept the client in the (verbatim) loop by simply forwarding the sent email to the client (with a copy to her law partner). So, if the client wanted to respond by "replying to all" it would have just gone to his own counsel, no one else! The adverse lawyer would never have seen the client's (extremely informative) email.
These rules of the road apply to everyone who wants to preserve the confidentiality of communications with counsel. The New York State Bar Association's Committee on Professional Ethics (Op. 1076) even got involved to answer a curious inquiry from a member. There the lawyer seeking the bar's opinion wanted to know if she could bcc to her client her email to opposing counsel, even though that counsel objected to the practice (it is not clear how or why opposing counsel even knew about the bccs).
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The Committee flat out rejected the idea that an opposing counsel could veto a lawyer's ability to communicate with her client. Nonetheless, the Committee decided to go further than necessary to answer the question. It explained the practical reasons outlined above for using "forward", rather than "bcc", to correspond with the client and, citing to a Massachusetts case, noted the "foreseeable risk" that the client would respond without taking careful note of who he was replying to.
The Committee also noted another possible risk. If a client (even unintendedly) communicates with the adverse attorney by replying to all, it may encourage the adverse attorney to believe your client has initiated the communication so that he has an invitation to engage directly with the client. The Committee quickly tells us that this action by adverse counsel would not be proper under the rules of conduct, but why would we want to risk that issue, too, being introduced into the mix?
There's more bad financial news for Vancouver-based Northern Dynasty Minerals, the last remaining company in the now-depleted Pebble Partnership - the company behind the reckless scheme to build a massive open pit mine in the heart of the world's greatest wild salmon fishery, the Bristol Bay fishery of southwest Alaska.
According to Northern Dynasty's own Consolidated Financial Statements filed last month (as well as Deloitte LLP's audit and the company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ending December 31, 2015), there is now "material uncertainty that casts substantial doubt about the company's ability to continue as a going concern."
This conclusion follows inexorably from debt and deficit numbers like the following:
The company incurred a net loss of $33,829,000 (all amounts in Canadian dollars) during the year ended December 31, 2015.
It incurred a net loss of $31,347,000 during the year ended December 31, 2014.
As of December 31, 2015, it had a deficit of $379,124,000.
According to the company and its own auditors, its deficit of more than $379 million and its recent significant net losses indicates "the existence of material uncertainties that raise substantial doubt about the company's ability to continue as a going concern."
As of December 31, 2015, the company and all its subsidiaries have only $7.5 million in cash and cash equivalents to pay for its operating requirements. Northern Dynasty admits that "Additional financing will be required in order to progress any material expenditures at the Pebble Project."
If it is unable to secure financing to "generate sufficient cash flow to meet obligations as they come due," Northern Dynasty may "consider reducing or curtailing its operations."
And if you're wondering where the company's money is going, just ask the lawyers:
Since 2013, Northern Dynasty's legal costs have increased more than sixty-fold from $275,000 in 2013 to $17 million in 2015. In fact, in 2015 the company's legal costs of $17 million comprised approximately half of its net losses for the year. For these exploding legal costs the company has only itself to blame since again, according to the company, they are the direct result of three lawsuits filed by Northern Dynasty against EPA.
In the coming year, look for these kinds of expenses to multiply as the company pursues other frivolous legal claims, including apparently for financial reimbursement from U.S. taxpayers. In January, the company contacted the U.S. State Department threatening a claim for damages under the North American Free Trade Agreement ("NAFTA") Chapter 11, alleging that EPA's "decision" on the Pebble Mine "was taken in a grossly abusive, arbitrary and deliberately opaque manner, in breach of standards of due process and good administrative procedure, in violation of U.S. law, and in breach of Northern Dynasty's legitimate expectation . . . ."
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In other words, Northern Dynasty has now notified the State Department that it is considering a request for arbitration under NAFTA based on the same old claims that is has unsuccessfully pursued in U.S. courts - asking this time not for injunctive relief but for a financial bail-out! Stay tuned . . . .
While the Pebble Mine scheme may appear all but dead, Northern Dynasty's outside lawyers are alive, kicking, and doing very well indeed. As long as there is money to fund their pursuit of frivolous claims, look for this to continue - notwithstanding "substantial doubt" about the company's "ability to continue as a going concern."
Friends in the street in Barcelona
These days, it seems it seems like everyone has something to say about female friendships, doesn't it? Tribe, squad, whatever you want to call it -- we're talking about friends. I'm not sure why we've complicated it so much.
This past fall, a close friend of mine got married, and it reminded me of how interesting finding true friendship can be as an adult. The bride - we'll call her Julie - and I became friends a little over two years ago when I first moved back to California from the east coast. She had gone to high school with my best friend from college, who virtually introduced us before I had even boarded that one-way flight to SoCal. Julie welcomed me into San Diego and her life without batting an eyelash, taking me in sight unseen into her friendship circle.
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There's something to be said for someone who can open their life and heart to new people, even when we're adults and already have a complete social circle.
From our very first meeting, I knew Julie and I would be good friends (interests included wine and snacks - winning). In the short timespan leading up to her wedding, she'd transformed from a stranger in my new city to one of my very best friends.
Personally, I think that's remarkable. Being an adult is hard sometimes, and developing new friendships as adult women can often be daunting. I hear this time and again from others, especially those who've moved to new cities or started over. Without a safety net like school or childhood bonds, it can be lonely and difficult to find true friendship as a grown-up.
So perhaps that's the secret! Focusing on finding one new friend who truly gets you and speaks to your heart, whether it's from a professional organization you joined or your running club, and letting her {likely also awesome} friends eventually find their ways naturally into your life as well.
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And by the way, isn't that one of the greatest parts of having amazing women in your life? Excuse me -- I mean #squad. But seriously, I think that's just what happens - they have the opportunity to bring the extraordinary people in their lives and fold them into yours.
It's cheesy, but it's true.
We need the good vibes, and the people who perpetuate that positivity in our lives. Who see who we are and don't push us to be something else. Who think we're incredible as ourselves, even on those days when just brushing our hair feels impossible, and wants to support us in becoming even better versions.
We need to surround ourselves with people who are true and kind, and hone in on that authenticity.
Too often we feel like we have to allow negative people to take up space in our lives or in our hearts just because they've been there for a long time, or because others think they're terrific, and it's too scary to consider opening ourselves up to new relationships. If someone's not bringing out your brightest, then you don't need them.
Goodness attracts goodness. Love attracts love.
It's science.
Not science? My amazing wedding dancing skills, obviously.
Today the millennial generation, which comprises close to 90M people in NA, as well as many baby boomers, is demanding a change in the manner in which they interact with the world around them. The money they spend has to have an added benefit to their surroundings and exemplify a set of core values, which respect the vision of the world they wish to live in and help mold. There is a movement to return to the experience of community, both physical, and virtual, where shared values will be the common bond.
Small independent local businesses (98% of all North American business) have been the foundation on which their communities were built. Today these small businesses are struggling. Developers, big box and major retailers, volatile and compressed margins, unstable supply chains, lack of access to capital, lack of access to analytics and competitive on-line exponential growth being some of the main culprits.
In our evolving economy there is a growing danger within many of the large corporations, their consumer brands are under attack from the new economy. Many with their too big to fail mentality have little vision or ability to change in a world where change occurs in mille seconds. The constant need for top line growth often at the expense of human capital has increased the distance between themselves and the consumers they so desperately want to court.
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In this new evolving economy consumers will demand to understand and measure how their expenditure will impact their lives and the lives of their neighbors. These changes have created many challenges. Great opportunity comes from great challenge. The opportunities of tomorrow will appear within the historical backbone of our North American communities; small business.
The implacable need for a sense of community is growing. Moreover the physical sense of community becomes even more important. From our food supply to cafes and restaurants, as well as artisanal retailers, people need the experience of each other's lives. People's need to buy local, support local, identify local and be recognized by local is a role that large corporations find hard to fill. They can create sub-brands; however, their model of centralized management often fails to connect and create loyalty amongst consumers. Trust in our expenditures will become a critical component of the buying decision. As more and more people struggle to find meaning in their everyday lives, their own physical and virtual communities are filling their need for common values.
With all these challenges it becomes clear that there is a great opportunity to help revive the impact that small business can make in our lives. A model which helps create an eco-system that empowers local business to; flourish, regain and retain their competitiveness, help supply innovative product and sustainable and robust margins as well as create shared value by supporting local initiatives, will be delivering the recipe for all future business. What truly cements the consumer's relationship with the small business is their shared mutual investment in the community.
The Department of Good is a for-profit community focused retail, ecommerce and brick and mortar business whose purpose if to "Leverage what we do every day for good".
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DoG links small independent retail, community organizations, innovative products, local consumers and on-line consumers and creates shared value at multiple points along the supply chain.
It is time to take a nostalgic leap into the future; to embrace a time when small independent business was thriving, as did communities it derived great benefit from.
These days it appears that there are few things that bring Democrats and Republicans together, especially during a contentious presidential election year. So when members of both parties in the House and the Senate came together this week in support of making the American bison our National Mammal it came as a surprise to some.
But maybe it shouldn't have. The bison, like the bald eagle, is a quintessentially American symbol. It already appears on two state flags, on the seal of the U.S. Department of the Interior and National Park Service, and on our currency. It is the state mammal of Wyoming and the state animal of Oklahoma and Kansas. Bison can be found in all 50 states in public and private herds, tribal lands, refuges and parks.
An American bison in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Photo by Julie Larsen Maher WCS.
Passage of this legislation is the culmination of a four-year effort by the Vote Bison Coalition to officially commemorate the ecological, cultural, historical, and economic contribution of bison.
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The coalition - a group of more than 60 organizations, tribes, and businesses led by the Inter Tribal Buffalo Council, National Bison Association, and WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) - worked with members of both parties in all geographic regions, with support from members of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
The new law will recognize an animal that has a long and storied place in our nation's history and culture. Once ranging from Oregon to New Jersey and Alaska to Mexico, bison herds inspired awe in western explorers. North America's largest land mammal, the bison - also called the buffalo - once roamed the continent freely, helping sustain plains and prairie ecosystems as a keystone species through foraging, fertilization, trampling, and other activities.
Fourteen bison were placed into two steel express cars on November 24th, 1913, for shipping on the 25th from the Bronx Zoo in New York City to Hot Springs, South Dakota. Photo credit: WCS
Bison populations dwindled from tens of millions to the brink of extinction in the late 19th century - falling to approximately 1,000 individuals due to overhunting and westward expansion. Their numbers steadily rose in the 20th century, with the help of President Teddy Roosevelt; William Hornaday, the first director of the Bronx Zoo; and other conservationists. This is acknowledged as the first success story of the modern conservation movement.
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The animal was - and is -integrally linked with the economic, physical, and spiritual lives of Native Americans. Tribes are returning bison to Indian lands in order to regain lost culture, access locally-available and healthy traditional food, expand economic potential for financially challenged reservations, and to right past wrongs against the Native American people related to the historical decimation of bison herds. Recently, 87 animals were transferred from Elk Island National Park in Canada to the ancestral bison territory of the Blackfeet Nation reservation near Browning, Montana, in a spiritually and culturally meaningful homecoming.
In April 2016, 87 bison were transferred from Elk Island National Park in Alberta, Canada, to the Blackfeet Bison Ranch near Two Medicine River in Montana. Photo by Jeff Morey WCS
Besides serving as a symbol of national pride, bison also act as an economic driver. The total value of privately owned bison on more than 2,500 bison ranches in the U.S. was estimated to exceed $336 million in 2014. Additionally, bison ranches in nearly every state create jobs, provide a sustainable and healthy protein source, and contribute to our country's food security.
For several years, Americans have celebrated National Bison Day on the first Saturday of November, recognizing this iconic animal's ecological, cultural, historical and economic contribution to our nation. As our national mammal, bison will now join the oak (our national tree, designated in 2004), the rose (national floral emblem, designated in 1998) and the bald eagle (national emblem, designated in 1782) as official symbols of America.
American bison mother and calf in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Photo by Julie Larsen Maher WCS.
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On a personal note meeting our Congressional champions has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. One of the bill's longtime advocates, Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO), has said "no other indigenous species tells America's story" than the bison, an animal that is a symbol of strength and Native American culture. In fact, a member of his family actually served as a Buffalo Soldier and when he met with me to discuss the legislation I could visibly see the connection he felt to the history of this iconic species and how they had touched his family.
Similarly there is an incredible amount of pride for Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY), who represents one of the most urban and ethnically diverse congressional districts in the country and yet he was instrumental in campaigning for naming an icon from the American West as our national mammal. When you get a chance to speak with the Congressmen you quickly find out that many of those bison that went out to repopulate the West left from the Bronx Zoo which is located in his district. Other lawmakers, including Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) and Rep. Kristi Noem (R-SD), were steadfast supporters of the national mammal legislation for years.
Our Senate leaders, Senators Hoeven (R-ND) and Heinrich (D-NM) help to reinforce the fact that literally every corner of our great nation and every political viewpoint has come together to support this historic legislation.
Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND), lead sponsor of the National Bison Legacy Act, speaks at a National Bison Day event on Capitol Hill in November 2015. Photo by Chip Weiskotten WCS.
Some believe the decline of our cities started in 1939 at the World's Fair in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. The most popular exhibition was The World of Tomorrow in the General Motors Pavilion.
It featured an enormous model of a City of the Future, complete with elevated freeways, on-ramps and off-ramps and gleaming skyscrapers separated by miles and miles of asphalt.
For General Motors and for the rest of America, the vision became reality as more and more roads were built across the country and more and more families were able to purchase their own automobiles.
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Only now, almost a decade later, are we beginning to change the lens in our camera, and see the need for a new and vastly different vision of our future and the role of cities.
In a very real sense, the shift from an industrial to an information society, and now to the age of creativity and innovation is the raison d'etre for revisiting the American love affair with the automobile and asking some very tough questions about its role in the new economy. By doing so, we are beginning to open the door to new thinking about the architecture of our cities and renewing their place in our lives.
According to author Charles Handy author of The Age of Unreason, we live in a paradoxical time. The more high tech our world, the more high touch we are becoming. The more global, the more intensely local our focus needs to be. The more competitive our markets, the more cooperation is a critical element in developing our business strategies.
One of the more interesting paradoxes, particularly for cities struggling to define "smart growth" solutions, is that the more we live and work in cyberspace, the more important real place becomes.
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If the product of this new age is knowledge or ideas or technological solutions - the more people rub shoulders with one another, with people generally, the more productive they become. A cities public spaces and its cultural districts become incubators of creativity, the source of innovative products and services.
If we are to capitalize on this paradoxical shift by which telecommunications becomes a substitute for transportation, we must renew our sense of place and rethink our attitudes and our policies toward civic life, the village green, and the fundamental and historical reason for the city; to bring people together in harmony with one another and with their environment for economic gain and glory.
Fortunately, a new breed of architects, planners and developers is beginning to pencil in that new vision of America in the Information Age. It is a bold vision that deals with the crises of growth and the current development sprawl, while returning to a cherished American icon; that of a "compact, close-knit community." According to Peter Katz, author of The New Urbanism: Toward an Architecture of Community, the next paradigm could well be much more than the return to the close-knit community of small town America, with its village greens and mixed-use zoning. It could be a spiritual return to the kind of community enjoyed by the earliest Americans.
Tessie Naranjo of the Santa Clara Pueblo in New Mexico defines community as "the human dwelling place." It is where the people meet the needs of survival and where they weave their webs of connections. Native communities are about connections because relationships form the whole. Each individual becomes part of the whole community, which includes not just the human population, but also the hills, mountains, rocks, trees and clouds.
Until recently, advances in telecommunications and transportation have contributed to our disconnectedness, rather than cemented us as a people; atomized our sense of community, rather than provided us a sense of place. Yet without a cultural center, a shared history or a commitment to neutral goals and visions, there is little to cement communities together.
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As the president of a college that prides itself on high rates of study abroad, I am grateful for those occasional opportunities to visit students at our several semester-long study abroad destinations.
We aim to achieve transformative experiences on and off campus for the young men and women who come our way, and these visits give me firsthand confirmation that what we do in locations all across the world is helping prepare our students to become global citizens.
Given the positive impact I see on Centre College students, I encourage parents of college students in general to be supportive of their sons and daughters who seek to embark on similar experiences at whatever institution they attend. Why?
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The world grows ever smaller. Work and service for this current generation will increasingly be conducted on a global stage. These adventurous experiences will prepare young women and men to engage with others despite distance, language and culture in whatever profession they choose, even if they never live or work abroad.
And if your sons and daughters study abroad, what they will likely find is that beyond surface differences, everyone on this planet has more in common than not.
I speak from experience.
My wife, Susie, and I have visited our College's programs around the globe and, when appropriate, visited new and different countries that increasingly are of importance to our nation.
Last year we traveled to Asia, first visiting our students in Shanghai, China, where coursework at Tongji University includes intensive study of Mandarin. We were pleasantly surprised at how easily these young men and women had assimilated into Chinese culture, aided in part by the internship experiences included in the program.
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While in this part of the world, Susie and I also stopped to visit Centre students in Japan, where we have an exchange program with Yamaguchi Prefectural University that also brings their students to our campus in Danville. We were humbled by the sense of courtesy and kindness that permeates Japanese culture and encouraged by how firsthand experiences at Japanese temples, for instance, helped students appreciate different religious expressions, primarily Shinto and Buddhist belief.
This March, we found ourselves abroad once again, this time for eight days. We spent the first half in London, England, visiting our 30 students who are studying there, followed by a trip to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), Vietnam. Both trips were spectacular, albeit very different from each other. While the trip to London was inspiring, it was also comfortable and familiar. The trip to Vietnam, equally inspiring, was uncomfortable and unfamiliar, but in ways that were absolutely positive and life changing.
I repeat that the most important takeaway for us when we travel abroad--just as it is for our students who study abroad in Centre's remarkable programs--is not the striking differences between our nation and those we visit. Rather, being abroad always reminds me of how much alike we are.
London of course has a history and set of traditions quite like those in the U.S. People there, like here, aspire to improve their lot in life, accomplish something of note and see their nation prosper.
Vietnam, which has a history and set of traditions quite unlike ours--and is located half way around the world--is likewise filled with people who aspire to improve their lot in life, accomplish something of note and see their nations prosper.
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Susie and I left London and then Vietnam optimistic that our fellow global citizens in these countries can continue to make progress.
I am convinced that this will be achieved by focusing on the positive things that are happening in their nations, capitalizing on their many strengths, working to improve those aspects of their nations that are less than desirable and choosing hope and community over despair and division.
Of course, these are the same prescriptions I offer for our attempts at a more perfect union.
In William Shakespeare's comedy, "As You Like It, a traveler named Jaques waxes poetical in lines that have achieved literary immortality.
"All the world's a stage," he says. "And all the men and women merely players;/ They have their exits and their entrances,/And one man in his time plays many parts."
Three hundred years later, Jack London, another melancholy traveler, might well have spoken nearly the same lines and meant them to be about himself. Indeed, he once observed that he had half-a-dozen different "selves" and proved it in a short, brilliant life that spanned the end of the nineteenth and the start of twentieth century.
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A writer, vagabond, sailor, farmer, public speaker, playwright, playboy, war correspondent, and a Bernie Sanders-like socialist, Jack London was born John Griffith Chaney in San Francisco in 1876. He died in Glen Ellen, California in 1916 at the age of 40. (London ran for mayor of Oakland twice and twice lost.)
Around the world this year, theatergoers and thespians, are celebrating the 400th anniversary of the death of Shakespeare in 1616, his age unknown.
There's another big literary anniversary afoot, as well. In 2016, fans of Jack London, one of the most popular American authors of his day, are celebrating the 100th anniversary of his death.
Both anniversaries are well worth celebrating.
Indeed, if Shakespeare's plays illuminate the Elizabethan Age better than the plays of any other writer, Jack London's novels, including "The Iron Heel," illuminate the Gilded Age and its aftermath better than most of the novels of his contemporaries, including those of Henry James.
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To many, it will sound like hyperbole, but to the faithful London was the Shakespeare of his day. Like the Bard, he wrote tragedies as well as comedies.
Like the Bard, he was exceedingly prolific; in 17 years be wrote more than 50 books. Like Shakespeare, he created immortal character: Buck, the dog who devolves into a wolf; White Fang, the wolf who evolves into a dog; Wolf Larsen, the brutal sea captain who reads Shakespeare and analyzes his most famous character, Hamlet.
There's also Martin Eden, the sailor who becomes a famous writer. And perhaps London's best character of all: himself. As the literary critic, Alfred Kazin famously observed, "the greatest story Jack London ever wrote was the story he lived."
For one hundred years, biographers have tried repeatedly to capture his elusive identity and to fix the nature of his nature as well as the nature of his art. Dozens and dozens of biographies have been written about him, including "The Mystery of Jack London" by his friend Georgia Loring Bamford.
Rose Wilder Lane beat Bamford to the typewriter. "Life and Jack London," her fictionalized biography, in which she borrows from Jung and Freud, appeared in "Sunset Magazine" in eight installments in 1917 and 1918.
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More biographies are on the way; conferences are forthcoming.
Biographers know more about London than they do about Shakespeare; thousands of London's letters survive, along with voluminous documents, though as in the case of Shakespeare there's no known birth certificate. With London as with Shakespeare mysteries abound.
Fans may never know all they would like to know about London's biological father, William Henry Chaney, his mother, Flora, or what it meant to be a white boy raised as he was in the Bay Area's African American community by an African American ex-slave named Virginia Prentice.
The evidence suggests that London felt like an orphan in the world and that he also had an abiding fear of falling into a kind of abyss, both physical and psychological, that derived in part from the poverty and emotional insecurity of his early years.
London himself embraced mystery and in his best work produced poetry worthy of Shakespeare. "Men, mere motes of light and sparkle," he wrote in "The Sea-Wolf," "ride their steeds of wood and steel through the heart of the mystery, groping their way blindly through the unseen."
Like the archetypical man that Shakespeare's Jaques describes in "As You Like it," London was "Jealous in honor, /sudden and quick in quarrel,/ Seeking the bubble reputation."
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One hundred years after his death, the bubble hasn't burst yet.
A few weeks ago, the University of California announced the retirement of its venerable set of application prompts, to be replaced by eight new "personal insight questions." Before I get to those questions, let's take a moment to mourn their predecessors.
A Brief Lament
Between the uneven and ponderous Common Application prompts and the hodgepodge of supplemental school-specific prompts ranging from great (Stanford's intellectual prompt) to cloyingly atrocious (Barnard's "major in unafraid"), the UC prompts struck a rare balance between guidance and freedom.
UC's "your world" prompt, Describe the world you come from -- for example, your family, community or school -- and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations, was provocative enough to inspire thought and narration, dynamic enough to elicit both personal anecdotes and analytical observation, and broad enough to enable students to write about everything from their front yards to the global village. The "accomplishment/experience" prompt, while conventional, enabled students present their own definitions of success and discuss conventional topics with a reasonable degree of freedom.
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UC's old word limit didn't toy with applicants by ascribing vague page limits (um, what font?), nor did they constrain them with inviolable, anxiety-producing maximums. Instead, they assigned a total word limit that applicants could allocate between the two essays as they saw fit. This approach treated applicants like the adults that they are.
The new 350-word per essay limit is long enough to tell brief stories and include a little analysis, but they're too short to develop any deep ideas. But that isn't the point. UC is calling them "personal insight questions" presumably because they don't want carefully wrought arguments or intricate stories. They're probably trying to avoid the pressure that an "essay" connotes and want breezier answers. I happen to think that high school students should be capable to writing an "essay," ideally with an allocation of 1400 words among the four. But, if these prompts inspire more candid, creative answers, then UC might be on to something.
Prompt Analysis
The eight prompts are all reasonable questions. So reasonable, in fact, that I worry students might agonize over which ones to choose. They shouldn't. Most students could pick four at random and come up with fine responses. It's not as though someone who'd write a brilliant response to Question 1 would write something awful if he chose Question 7 instead.
Helpfully, UC has published its own guidelines for these prompts. Without having read those guidelines, so as to read these prompts with fresh eyes, here's my analysis:
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1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
This prompt invites a wide range of responses, but it is the most poorly phrased prompt of the eight. Influencing others, resolving disputes, and contributing to group efforts all lend themselves to interesting narratives. Period.
The prompt would have been fine without "of your leadership," which undermines the prompt in two ways. First, it implies that students need to have a formal leadership role in order to answer the question. But the substance of the question doesn't require a formal role at all -- you don't need to be class president to "help resolve a dispute."
Second, and more importantly, the prompt perpetuates the cliche of "leadership." "Leadership" has been so fetishized, meant to venerate class presidents, team captains, and corporate blowhards that it means little anymore. I've read too many essays with the phrase "because of my leadership skills...." Sorry. There's no such thing as "leadership skills." You take action. You develop ideas. You communicate and collaborate. You demonstrate real skills. You either do these things, or you don't. Students who have done should tell their stories.
2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
Like leadership, creativity is sometimes considered an unalloyed virtue. But plenty of creative work is dreadful -- you should see the poetry I wrote in high school. Moreover, some people aren't very creative. That doesn't mean that they aren't perfectly smart, interesting, and competent. This prompt extends the definition of creativity into some pretty murky waters. I'm all for problem-solving; I'm just not sure that an account "creative" problem-solving is any more interesting than one about "regular" problem-solving.
Students who are creative in the conventional sense of the word face a worthwhile challenge. The creativity expressed with a brush, guitar, whisk, or tip-toes often translates awkwardly to the written word. Students should think carefully about the formal and thematic characteristics of their work, the motivations behind it, and the verbal descriptions that will do it justice for readers who have never seen, heard, tasted, or watched their still lifes, ballads, pound cakes, and pirouettes.
3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
Even super-talented students should approach themselves objectively. They shouldn't congratulate themselves simply for having a talent. They should describe the talent, without being pedantic, and put the talent in a larger context: What is the talent good for? What are non-hedonistic reasons for pursuing it? Students should help readers understand how good they are at their chosen pursuits and why those pursuits are interesting, fun, and/or worthwhile. If a talent is commonplace, anecdotes and examples are crucial personalizing it.
Finally, students shouldn't proclaim how hard they've worked to develop their talent. Everyone works hard. In an essay, stories, results, and analysis are what matter.
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International Women's Day poster. EPS 10 vector.
This week marks three years since the most horrific tragedy in the history of the global apparel industry - the collapse of the Rana Plaza factories in Bangladesh that killed 1,134 workers and caused hundreds of others to lose a limb or suffer long-term injuries.
Much as the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York inspired labor law reforms in the United States, 105 years ago, we need to ensure the Rana Plaza collapse has the same effect on how global supply chains are regulated. While a compensation fund was secured for the victims, the right to freedom of association is far from being respected in Bangladesh.
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The Triangle fire galvanized coalitions of women suffragists to join garment workers in demanding change. Francis Perkins witnessed the tragedy in New York and dedicated her life to workers' rights, becoming the first female Secretary of Labor in the US and an iconic worker advocate.
Today, we need to build up those same kinds of coalitions so that women's rights advocates join with worker advocates to ensure the rights of workers and a more just society overall. There is no denying that the global pressures that keep wages low and working conditions often abysmal in global supply chains affect both men and women alike. But it is no coincidence that the workers in many women-dominated industries have struggled to organize and demand better wages. Just ask the fight for $15 in the United States: the National Women's Law Center reports that nearly two-thirds of minimum wage workers are women and two-thirds of tip workers are women.
The struggle for justice in the apparel industry is no different. Recent research conducted by my organization, the International Labor Rights Forum, along with the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity, documented the different ways in which women workers especially are intimidated and harassed sexually and in other violent ways in order to keep them from organizing and demanding safety and better terms of employment. Even the men we interviewed acknowledged that their female coworkers were under more duress than they were. The research, based on 70 long-form interviews with garment workers and organizers from the apparel industry in Bangladesh, explains in garment workers' own words how they are intimidated, harassed, beaten and sexually abused in order to keep them from speaking up at work. The women workers we interviewed also explained how the violence and intimidation doesn't end at work. They reported that it is very common for managers to threaten they will send thugs after them. Far from an empty threat, some of the most violent beatings of worker organizers have taken place against women workers, in their communities or when they are leaving work. Finally, women often do not have the support of their families and some reported being beaten for getting involved in union organizing.
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Sadly, this phenomenon is not unique to the apparel industry or to Bangladesh, but something that has been documented by apparel worker organizers from Cambodia to Honduras and by agricultural worker organizers as well. Women who work in U.S. agriculture refer to the fields in the US as 'the green motel' in reference to how common sexual harassment and rape are in the fields. Nearly 40 percent of California female farmworkers surveyed in a UC Santa Cruz study said they had been sexual harassed on the job.
A new congressional initiative being promoted by Representatives Speier and Schakowsky and Senators Murray, Brown, Feinstein, Markey, and Mikulski is an important step in building the kind of coalition we need to address the deep-seated problems in the much more diffuse supply chains of today, particularly in the industries where women workers make up a significant part of the workforce, such as the apparel industry, cut flowers, and tea, to name a few. This initiative has the potential to drive better U.S. development policies that invest in women workers' leadership in organizing trade unions and actively remove the particular obstacles preventing women from organizing or raising safety concerns at work.
Industry reforms need to include a new approach that empowers workers to speak out and protects their rights to organize without fear of reprisals. These reforms need to incorporate additional measures to address the particular challenges that women workers face. Businesses need to recognize how gender-based violence at work undermines all other safety and compliance initiatives. A woman who is groped or sexually harassed by a male manager is less likely to step up to be a voice for safety and dignity at work.
The cover lured me with the darkness broken by the dancing fire. Looking for a new book, and a fondness for True Crime, I bought Gitchie Girl, written by husband and wife, Phil and Sandy Hamman.
Immediately it was different. The attention to detail was vivid, but the tone wasn't typical of my usual True Crime reads. The cadence of the words seemed, perhaps lighter and then, as the story unfolded, it felt personal.
Gitchie Girl took me back to a night when the fog grew thick and ominous at Gitchie Manitou State Preserve. The night of November 17, 1973, was a last-minute gathering of five teenagers, Roger Essem 17, Mike Hadrath 15, Stu Baade 18, Dana Baade 14, and Sandra Cheskey 13, all from Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
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The four boys had been late in picking up Sandra, as they had searched for someone who'd sell them marijuana. Between them, they had come up with $2. It was all the extra money they had. Eventually, they had found someone who would sell them just $2 worth of weed. One joint. The teenagers passed it around as they sat around the campfire.
"Who are you? What do you want?" They were the last words spoken by Roger Essem. The reply to his questions was a gunshot blast that echoed through the darkness and fog and crumpled Roger to the ground.
Moments earlier, the five teenagers, had engaged in conversation and listening to music, gathered around a crackling fire. The laughter interrupted by rustling brush, snapping twigs and movement just beyond the treeline.
Each had been spooked.
Each had looked at another and then wrote it off as an active imagination set loose by the darkness and the fog moving into the area.
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Now, one lay in the darkness and four ran in search of a hiding place.
Three dark shadows yelling, "We are the police!" and "We know you have drugs!".
Before sunrise, three more would be executed.
It's a tragedy beyond imagination. A heinous crime that took lives and innocence. Four lives claimed in Gitchie Manitou State Preserve. Why one, the female, was spared, is questioned.
A crime that took place in a town so tiny that crime tape had never been needed.
A small town sheriff who followed his gut and believed the lone survivor, seems to rise from the darkness and become the unlikely hero.
Three brothers, in their twenties, all convicted felons. One on work-release from the Sioux Falls jail. A poor day of pheasant hunting, and an evening of deer poaching--still empty-handed, they made a decision to ambush a campsite filled with teenagers and a leave behind a crime scene that would be one of the midwest's most horrific mass murders.
It's a story 40-years old.
A story pitted with rumors of a drug deal gone bad, that the sole survivor knew the killers.
Perhaps, it's just that we always want things tidy.
We want to blame a murder on a scorned lover, rivalry, deals gone bad.
Could it be that sometimes, evil really does lurk in the shadows?
Or maybe it's that Gitchie Girl wraps up too tidy.
In a strange twist of events, Sandra, while riding with Sheriff Vinson, began shouting from the backseat, "That's him! That's one of them!"
Allen Fryer, the man who had raped her, had just pulled out of the farm-house they were looking for, driving the same truck she had been in the night her friends were murdered.
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From here the book changes. It morphs from a true crime story to one about the human spirit. It becomes the story of Sandra, the only survivor that night.
It's a story of courage as she is called on to testify at trials for over 1.5 years, missing school to find justice for her friends, and most likely seeking silence for the haunting memories.
It's about a victim of a horrible crime, who is told by friends that they are no longer to associate with her.
A story about a rape survivor, that shows even after forty years, society still thinks backward. Asking what she had done to deserve it. Blame is put on material things, like was she wearing something revealing? She's thought to be promiscuous, though she was a virgin the night of the rape. it's still the stigma of rape.
Sandra continued to be a victim, though not by choice. The name of the book, Gitchie Girl, originates from kids at school and people in her community pointing and whispering,
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"That's her, that Gitchi Girl who was with the boys who were murdered."
It's the book, where for the first time in four decades, the lone survivor speaks--
"I could have handled the stares and the whispers. It was being excluded, ignored and being made to feel I didn't exist that crushed me."
Sadly, it's the story of a high-school dropout. A girl whose life spiraled out of control; turning to pills and booze to cope with what had happened in that lonesome wilderness.
A girl who cried uncontrollably, begging God to let her dream about the boys so she could tell them how brave they had been. A girl thankful she had been spared and then cursing life and demanding to know why she was allowed to live when the others had died?
It's a story of survivor's guilt.
Mostly, it's a story of healing. Of finding strength within herself. Having the courage to set the rumors straight and share her story, with Phil Hamman, a close friend of one of the boys whose life was cut short by the Fryer brothers.
According to Robert Samuelson's recent Washington Post column, one of the real culprits of our country's current economic ills is the issue of low growth in productivity. Slow growth in productivity equates to slow growth in wages. In the 2016 presidential election, the candidates who are talking about stagnant wages are striking a chord with voters, even though they are providing few answers about how to fix it.
Employee productivity is the linchpin of reviving the economy, but Samuelson doesn't get to the heart of why productivity has fallen. The emerging economy is based on relationships, but employees who feel disempowered will perform minimally, leaving tremendous amounts of human capital underutilized. Productivity can't grow with a disengaged workforce. Organizations are not engaging with their workforce in a way that engenders excellence. Most employers aren't cultivating genuine leadership within the workplace.
Estimates show that businesses spend nearly $14 billion annually on leadership training, but a recent McKinsey report shows these employers have little to show for the investment. The mistake most companies make is in thinking leadership can be an "add-on." The truth is, leadership must be cultivated. Each person has a unique combination of talents, strengths and skills that when coupled with their passion becomes their greatest asset. But too few people truly understand their leadership, let alone have the clarity to bring it forward in the workplace.
As a result of a lack of clarity of one's individual leadership skills, many people are trying to do things for which they don't have the natural skill or passion. No amount of "leadership training" is going to correct the basic confusion and misalignment. The challenge for business leaders is to find the clarity within themselves and become examples to engage leadership in others. Real change happens when aligned leaders walk the walk in their organizations each day.
Leadership, like relationships, is messy. If training could manufacture leadership, the billions spent on it would show different results. But when a company has a sound approach, based on unleashing the authentic leadership of each individual, change occurs and everyone benefits. But someone in the company's leadership team must be focused on cultivating effective leadership practices so that the organizational leaders become the teachers. So if you want to increase productivity in your organization, work to ensure that the cultivation of leadership is modeled from the top level down.
businesswoman being gossiped...
People say the worst things come in threes, and relationships are no exceptions. If you're skeptical, think of the last time you grabbed a quick happy hour with a friend. How long did it take you before the conversation turned to that snarky coworker you don't like? Or the communication problems you have with your partner? Or perhaps the sobering reality that you still haven't forgiven Ben Affleck? Though we don't like to admit it, two people talking about another is a kind of verbal threesome.
In the therapy world, we don't exactly call it a threesome. This habit to gossip or complaining to a willing ear is known as an emotional triangle. You see, by nature, twosomes are unstable. Because at some point, conflict is inevitable. So what do we do when things get rough? We bond via our shared dislike of a friend's racist Facebook posts, or we pull in a listening ear when we didn't bag that promotion at work. Pretty harmless, right?
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The trouble is that if we engage in emotional threesomes too often, we forget how to have difficult conversations. We forget how to say what we think and feel to the person who needs to hear it the most. We abandon the power of the twosome, and we get lost in a maze of triangles. If you're not convinced, let's take a look at a couple common threesomes you see every day.
The Office
Office drama is ripe for triangles. If you don't believe me, what do you do the second your boss institutes a bonkers plan that doubles your workload, or when a hateful coworker sends you a AGGRESSIVE ALL CAPS EMAIL? You turn to your work husband or your cube buddy, and you bitch, right? Sure, sometimes it's fun to grab the popcorn and lean back when there's drama or gossip. But most of the time, a workplace full of triangles generates a lot of anxiety and stress. You start jumping to conclusions, you fear the chopping block, and you start updating your resume on your lunch break.
Let me fill you in on a little family therapy secret that works in the office. The more one-to-one contact you have with people, the healthier a workplace can be. So take the time to introduce yourself to the scary admin. Ask people's names again if you forget. The more people feel that you'll talk to them rather than about them, the less defensive they'll be when you approach them with a problem.
So the next time you feel the temptation to kick off a threesome at work, consider how you can talk honestly with the person who makes you all ragey. Sure, maybe you can't share every thought you have with your boss about her outdated wardrobe, but you can express some of your concerns about her latest proposal. Suggest creative alternatives, and speak up when you don't understand something.
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Your Friends
Be honest. When you catch a coffee date friend, how long does it take you to start running down the list of people you don't like? Classmates you only see on Facebook? Things your partner did to piss you off this week? How you still don't understand why Julianna Margulies and Archie Panjabi had that feud on The Good Wife set? Venting or gossiping with your friend isn't a sin, but the best friendships are built on vulnerability. I heard a therapist say once that if you can't go five minutes without talking about a third person, it's not much of a friendship. And yes, Kardashians count as third people.
If you're not talking solely about other people's drama, what else can you chat about in a friendship? As corny as it sounds, how about your hopes and dreams or your fears and anxieties? Your favorite moment of the week? The book you can't put down? Be united as insightful women, not as means girls.
Your Family
A family get together often has more triangle than that old SNL sketch with Kristin Wiig. But you don't have to be Triangle Sally at your next family reunion. Your mother may want to give you an earful about how your brother won't settle down, or you might feel tempted to roll your eyes and tell someone about your in-laws' sudden zeal for Donald Trump. But when you complain to a third, the person you're griping about will feel threatened. You'll create more distance between you. And suddenly, nobody remembers how to talk to each other anymore. They just sit and stew.
If you need a strategy for cutting back on threesomes in your family, try this. The next time someone comes up to you with a complaint about Uncle Mike's infant girlfriend, say, "That sounds like you two need to sit down and have a conversation." Or, "I really hope you both can work it out." You can acknowledge the comment without becoming an accomplice to the crime. And if you're the one who's tempted to pick up the phone and whine about your dad, why not go straight to him? If you can communicate one-to-one with your family, you can do it with anybody. It's a skill that translates into all areas of life, and it will make you a calmer, more mindful person.
Your Love Life
Watch a movie or a television show, and take note of how much of the dialogue involves women complaining about their partners. We are spoon-fed the idea that friendships are built on this kind of information exchange, and that your romantic partners should expect and accept that our friends know all the gory and sexy details about your love life. But if you start to engage in an emotional threesome every time romance gets rough, your partner will feel like they're on the outside. And guess what will happen? They'll start doing the same thing. Before long, your emotional threesome has become an emotional fourteensome.
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It's inevitable that we're going to share thoughts and feelings with our friends. But you have to create some space for thinking before you whip out your phone and text your BFF the misogynist comment your boyfriend just made. You have to consider how this conversation might be just for your twosome, and how you can prevent resentment and silence from growing between the two of you.
But most importantly, both the JICI and the 9/11 Commission provide plenty of statements, facts, and findings that show KSA aided, abetted and had roots and connections to the 9/11 hijackers. In short, there's likely a very good reason that the name "Saudi Arabia" appears more often in both reports than names like Iran, Syria, and Iraq.
The JICI Finding #15 states, "Regarding Saudi Arabia, the Committee heard testimony from U.S. government personnel that Saudi officials had been uncooperative and often did not act on information implicating Saudi nationals. According to a U.S. government official, it was clear from about 1996 that the Saudi government would not cooperate with the United States on matters relating to Osama bin Laden...a number of U.S. government officials complained to the Joint Inquiry about a lack of Saudi cooperation in terrorism investigations both before and after the September 11th attacks."
The JICI Finding #20 states, "Through its investigation, the Joint Inquiry developed information suggesting specific sources of foreign support for some of the September 11 hijackers while they were in the U.S. The Joint Inquiry's review confirmed that the Intelligence Community also has information, much of which has yet to be independently verified, concerning these potential sources of support. In their testimony, neither CIA nor FBI officials were able to address definitively the extent of such support for the hijackers globally or within the U.S. or the extent to which such support, if it exists, is knowing or inadvertent in nature...This gap in U.S. intelligence coverage is unacceptable, given the magnitude and immediacy of the potential risk to U.S. national security. The Intelligence Community needs to address this area of concern as aggressively and quickly as possible.
The JICI's Final Recommendation # 19, "The Intelligence Community and particularly the FBI and the CIA should aggressively address the possibility that foreign governments are providing support to or are involved in terrorist activity targeting the U.S. and U.S. interests. State sponsored terrorism substantially increases the likelihood of successful and more lethal attacks within the U.S. This issue must be addressed from a national standpoint and should not be limited in focus by the geographical and factual boundaries of individual cases. The FBI and CIA should aggressively and thoroughly pursue related matters developed through this Joint Inquiry that have been referred to them for further investigation by these Committees.
Commission Staff Statement #5, "Diplomacy" states, "the Saudis were reluctant or unable to provide much help." The Staff Statement concludes, "before 9/11 the Saudi and U.S. governments did not achieve full sharing of important intelligence information or develop an adequate joint effort to track and disrupt the finances of the al Qaeda organization."
Commission Staff Statement #8, "National Policy Coordination" states, "in June 1999, National Security Adviser Berger and Clarke summarized for President Clinton what had been accomplished against bin Laden. An active program to disrupt al Qaeda cells around the world was underway and recording some success. The efforts to track bin Laden's finances with help from Saudi Arabia had not yet been successful."
Bush Administration National Security Advisor, Condoleeza Rice's testimony before the commission states, "Under [Bush's] leadership, the U.S. and our allies are disrupting terrorist operations, cutting off their funding and hunting down terrorists one by one. Their world is getting smaller. The terrorists have lost a home base and training camps in Afghanistan. The governments of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia now pursue them with energy and force."
Upon questioning by 9/11 Commissioner John Lehman, Condoleeza Rice was asked, "Were you aware of the activities of the Saudi Ministry of Religious Affairs here in the United States during the transition? And Rice replied, "I believe that only after September 11th did the full extent of what was going on with the Ministry of Religious Affairs become evident."
Lehman continued, "Were you aware of the extensive activities of the Saudi government in supporting over 300 radical teaching schools and mosques around the country, including right here in the United States?" Rice replied, "I believe we've learned a great deal more about this and addressed it with the Saudi government since 9/11."
Staff Statement #9, "Law Enforcement, Counterterrorism, and Intelligence Collection in the United States Prior to 9/11" in its "Terrorist Financing" section states, "Prior to September 11, these FBI offices had been able to gain a basic understanding of some of the largest and most problematic terrorist financing conspiracies that have since been identified. The agents understood that there was a network of extremist organizations operating within the U.S. supporting a global Islamic jihad movement. They did not know the degree to which these extremist groups were associated with al Qaeda...The FBI operated a web of informants, conducted electronic surveillance, and had opened investigations in a number of field offices. Numerous field offices including New York, San Diego, Minneapolis, Chicago, and Detroit had significant intelligence investigations into groups that appeared to be raising money for Islamic extremist groups. Many of these groups appeared to the FBI to have some connection to either al Qaeda or Osama bin Laden."
The 9/11 Commission's Final Report states, "When Bin Laden arrived in Afghanistan, he relied on the Taliban until he was able to reinvigorate his fund-raising efforts drawing on ties to wealthy Saudi individuals...Al Qaeda appears to have relied on a core group of financial facilitators who raised money from a variety of donors...particularly in Saudi Arabia. Some surely knew the ultimate destination of their donations. It does not appear that any government other than the Taliban financially supported al Qaeda before 9/11, although some governments may have contained al Qaeda sympathizers who turned a blind eye to al Qaeda's fundraising activities. Saudi Arabia has long been considered the primary source of al Qaeda funding but we have found no evidence that the Saudi government individually funded the organization. This conclusion does not exclude the likelihood that charities with significant Saudi government sponsorship diverted funds to al Qaeda. Al Qaeda found fertile fund-raising ground in Saudi Arabia, where extreme religious views are common and charitable giving was both essential to the culture and subject to very limited oversight. To date, the U.S. government has not been able to determine the origin of the money used for the 9/11 attacks." (170-172)
Of particular note is footnote #86 from Chapter 6, "From Threat to Threat" that states, "CIA analytic reports, "Usama Bin Ladin: Some Saudi Financial Ties Probably Intact," OTI IR 99-005CX, Jan 11, 1999, "How Bin Ladin Commands a Global Terrorist Network," CTC 99-40003, Jan 27, 1999, "Islamic Terrorists: Using Nongovernmental Organizations Extensively," CTC 99-40007, April 9, 1999.
Also of note, footnote #29 from Chapter 7, "The Attack Looms," that details a description of the two San Diego hijackers Hazmi and al Mihdhar stating, "He recalled Hazmi and al Mihdar arriving at the mosque on their own and describing themselves as clerks employed by the Saudi Arabian government. The two said they needed help finding a school where they could study English which neither spoke well enough. The mosque administrator suspected that Mihdar might have been an intelligence agent of the Saudi government... We have no evidence contradicting the administrator's account.
From these statements, it can be seen that there was clearly a "network of extremist organizations operating within the U.S. supporting a global Islamic Jihad movement." In addition, it seems crystal clear that at least one foreign government was supporting these networks of extremist organizations. As stated by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the world's largest source of funds for Islamist militant groups is Saudi Arabia. Clinton stated, "More needs to be done since Saudi Arabia remains a critical financial support base for al Qaeda, the Taliban, and other terrorist groups."
It's my opinion that the 28 pages will clarify the network of Saudis that supported the 9/11 hijackers. This network will likely have links to the Saudi Islamic Affair Ministry--"well known in intelligence circles to be the Saudi's fifth column in support of Muslim extremists." In addition, clarification of the roles and connections to the 9/11 hijackers of several people will also likely happen with the release of the 28 pages. These people include: Fahad al Thumairy, Omar al Bayoumi, Osama Bassnan, Anwar Awlaki, and Eyad al Rababah. Go ahead and google them. The damning facts are plain to see.
More notably, the 28 pages will likely reveal that the FBI and CIA had open investigations with several of the aforementioned people both before and after the 9/11 attacks. This fact, alone, will prove to be uncomfortable since it will be difficult to explain why the 9/11 attacks were not prevented.
Vytenis Andriukaitis is the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety. Andriukaitis is the first doctor ever put in charge of EU health policy. From 2012 -2014, he was the Health Minister of the Republic of Lithuania and was the Vice-President of the 67th World Health Assembly.
Andriukaitis was active in the anti-Soviet opposition and was one of the authors of Lithuania's constitution of 1992 and a signatory to the 1990 Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania. He later became chairman of the Centre-left Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP). He chaired the Lithuanian Parliament's European affairs committee before the country joined the EU and led the Lithuanian delegation to the convention on the future of Europe.
Andriukaitis also served as a cardiovascular surgeon for almost 20 years. He has received many prestigious decorations and awards including, Commander, Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas and award of the World Health Organisation for the merits in the area of tobacco control. Lan Anh Vu sat down with Andriukaitis to learn more about his political life, the challenges that he has faced along the way and his advice for young people across the world.
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As told to Lan Anh Vu
My Career in Politics
I spent the first six years of my life in a Soviet gulag north of the Arctic Circle, where my father was an imprisoned diplomat. I have always fought for the freedom of Lithuania, which became occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940. After World War II, when Soviet occupation continued, my inspiration was to see my country become a free, responsible agent of democracy and human rights.
I hold degrees in medicine and history and started a political career just after high school, as an active participant in the anti-Soviet underground movement, and in 1976, I took part in underground social democratic activities. Due to my anticommunist political involvement, I was arrested and detained by the KGB.
Ten years later, I became the deputy chairman of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP). All the while, I developed my medical skills and even became a cardiovascular surgeon. The Velvet Revolution of 1989 in Prague inspired us to move forward. At that time, Lithuania had a one-party system, in which the party was the Soviet Communists. It was a major challenge to establish an independent, free political group, for we needed to present our views and values about changing the situation, as well as programs to accomplish that goal.
In 1989, we started to promote ideas to organize the first free election, and in 1990, people elected me to a post on the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania. I was one of the authors of Lithuania's constitution of 1992 and a signatory to the 1990 Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania. Since 2000, I have been a member of the Parliamentary Committee on European Affairs. I led Lithuanian delegation at the Convention on the Future of Europe in 2002-2003. From 2012 - 2014, I was the Minister of Health in the 16th Lithuanian Government. In September 2014, I was appointed as the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety.
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Challenges
Lifelong learning is a good ideology; education is number one in my life. There are many areas in which I lack knowledge, and of course, I know my capacity in medicine and in some areas of history. But the world is far more multifaceted, and I know how many issues surround my work and present me with challenges against which we have no tools to fight. It is very important to me to understand how to mobilize my capacity to be more effective at my job every day, to see whether I have accomplished and changed something underground, and to reflect on my years of work by asking myself, "Vytenis, are you effective and productive or not?"
Lessons Learned
I've learned how to be together with people and to stress the possibility of helping people to feel better and live healthier. For instance, to reduce the effects of tobacco use, it is important to pressure the parliament and the government to vote in favour of enacting anti-tobacco measures and to help people to stop using tobacco, to be safe, and to not be attacked by cancer. As a heart surgeon, I have seen the terrible effects of tobacco use first-hand. I also lost two of my brothers to tobacco-related diseases. I will never forget the pain that they endured.
Health Challenges Facing the EU
Among the top health challenges is the high level of chronic disease. If you look at the figures, on the one hand, there is an ageing population, which has been and will be a longstanding trend. On the other, many people are suffering from cancer, diabetes, and alcohol abuse. It is a real challenge to reduce the number of premature deaths of people aged 22-56 years.
I find it particularly painful to watch hundreds of thousands of Europeans die ahead of their time due to alcohol and tobacco use, obesity, and lack of physical exercise. The European Union remains weak on those points. In Europe, half of all adults are overweight or obese, and one third of all children are obese and thus at risk of developing diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Tobacco prematurely kills 700,000 Europeans every year.
I would like to draw attention to the three Ps: promotion, prevention, and protection. There are instruments obliged to prevent, promote, and protect people, and corresponding measures need to be taken in a variety of areas of life. It is a big disappointment to see how weak we are in coordinating common actions to reduce premature deaths and the burden of chronic disease in our economy, our lives, and our healthcare systems.
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We need to understand that the healthcare system is a precondition to help the economy. Our lack of public finances, the ageing population, the higher level of chronic disease--they all work together to create tremendous problems. They are therefore the primary challenges and the objects of top goals toward moving forward and encouraging Member States to do more to increase accessibility and improve the resilience of healthcare systems.
Growing Threat of Antibiotic Resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one the most pressing public health issues of our time. It is a problem worldwide, spread by increasing global trade and travel between countries and continents.
For more than 15 years, the European Union has been active in the fight against AMR, in bringing about behavioural change, and in tackling the pressing issue with the "One Health" approach. That means that we need to continue preventing the spread of resistance and preserve our ability to combat microbial infections by involving many different sectors: human medicine, veterinary medicine, research, animal husbandry, agriculture, environment, trade, and communication.
The fight against the threat of AMR cannot succeed without the efforts and commitment of all governments, all involved stakeholders, relevant civil society organizations, and the general public. I urge the G7 and G20 to keep AMR high on their agenda, as well as EU Member States and the World Health Organization to sign an agreement to use the same methodology, the same statistics, and the same surveillance of resistance bacteria. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to make any progress against AMR in the future.
Advice for Young People
They need to be proactive in their lives in order to realize possibilities, to use different means of study, such as the Erasmus Program and international collaboration, and to develop their skills to become knowledgeable about and active in taking advantage of new opportunities. Though it is the Digital Age, we should nevertheless draw attention to healthy lifestyles, for it is painful to see young people in depression. Instead, their skills should be used to create possibilities to cultivate a feeling of solidarity around the world. We need new cooperative approaches to speak to young people, who have tremendous opportunities before them.
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I believe that we need millions of highly educated, well-prepared young people to be leaders. One leader can influence society, but not revolutionize it. We need a broad network and campaign of leadership to encourage young people to understand that they all are leaders.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
After last night's primaries in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maryland, Hillary Clinton has racked up a commending lead of 374 pledged delegates, according to The Green Papers. Counting the publicly committed super delegates, she's 91 percent of the way towards securing the Democratic nomination. Today, there is almost certain to be an increase in calls for Democratic unity and we need to be careful how we talk about it.
Supporters of Hillary Clinton, myself among them, must recall how we felt during the 2008 campaign. The calls for unity sounded a lot like "get the heck out of this race" and felt like she was being bullied to drop out. It's very likely that Bernie supporters in 2016 feel very much the same way. It's important for us to remember and empathize.
For supporters of Bernie, it's important to correct some misconceptions that may be obstacles to achieving unity. First, there is an argument I often hear about the number of delegates that candidates had in 2008 as compared to 2016 and the possibility of a comeback. NPR had a good piece with the numbers on this:
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Clinton now has a bigger lead over Sanders than Barack Obama ever had over Clinton at any time in 2008 -- more than twice as big, in fact. When all was said and done in the 2008 primary, Obama finished just 69 pledged delegates ahead of Clinton. His biggest pledged-delegate lead was 114 after the Indiana and North Carolina primaries on May 6th. Clinton currently has a 275-pledged-delegate lead over Sanders. For perspective, that's bigger than where Obama finished over Clinton -- 238.5 ahead -- with pledged and superdelegates combined. Clinton currently has a 739-delegate lead with pledged and superdelegates.
Keep in mind that this was written before netting well over 100 additional pledged delegates last night. Another issue to dispel is a notion that Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver has been pushing. He contends that if Hillary is unable to reach the 50% + 1 threshold with only pledged delegates, then there should be an open convention. Dave Weigel at the Washington Post provided some great context on this via a Facebook post:
When Clinton conceded to Barack Obama in 2008, Obama had won just 41.8% of the total delegates. He won slightly more pledged delegates, and got to 50%+1 by adding superdelegates. At her current win rate, Clinton is going to get closer to 48% of the total before any superdelegates are counted.
Using Weaver's logic, Hillary could have and should have waged a floor fight for the nomination in 2008. That would put him squarely in the camp of the infamous PUMA crowd (Party Unity My Ass). They were an extreme minority widely viewed as extremists among Hillary supporters. It would be a huge disservice to Bernie to be associated with any similar effort.
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Finally, there is a huge misconception among some Bernie supporters, and it is often repeated in the media, that Hillary is "too cautious" or that she is an "incrementalist". That's just not true. She has put forth a bold, progressive agenda. Debt-free college, creating a solar economy, reforming our criminal justice system, providing equal pay for women, going to war with the NRA and much more are far from cautious. They would radically change our nation for the better. There is little light between Hillary's agenda and Bernie's and there is a great big chasm between the issues they care about and what the Republicans are proposing. Her honesty about the challenges of implementing an agenda we would all support does not make her "cautious" or "incrementalist." Let's remember that we are all fighting for the same things.
Today, it is reported that Bernie is huddling with his senior advisers to reassess the race. I have no insight into the nature of their discussions, but they must be feeling some pressure. The media has been increasingly asking when he plans to exit the race and whether he will enthusiastically embrace Hillary's candidacy.
Up to this point, Bernie has insisted he will be in the race to the end through California. (Note to the Sanders campaign: DC has a Primary after California.) He has also demurred on whether he will support Hillary and help bring his supporters into her camp. Getting these questions must be annoying when you've run a strong campaign and have plenty of money in the bank to continue.
Nonetheless, progressive Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio recently gave an interview to Greg Sargent at the Washington Post and telegraphed much of what may come to pass. Senator Brown has several excellent ideas at brokering a peace between Hillary and Bernie and got at the crux of the matter here:
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"In the end Bernie knows that Hillary will mean progress -- not as fast as he wanted, not as dramatic as he wanted, not as colorful as he wanted," Brown said. "But Bernie wants to move the country in this direction, and would find it abhorrent that any of these right wingers would win. I know how personally he cares about this stuff. And he's not going to let this get away."
This sentiment was echoed by former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell last night at a party in Philadelphia. It's likely that we will hear more of this from prominent surrogates as a means of calling for party unity. While this is all well and good and the tone is just right, the single greatest ingredient for unity is time.
Denise and I missed the Dawn Ceremony at the Shrine of Remembrance on ANZAC Day 2016. We needed to be up by 4:30 am and out of the house by 5:15 am because we intended to walk the 2.6 kilometres from Hardy Street in South Yarra to the Shrine. It takes about 30 minutes to get there. The Ceremony was to begin at 5:45 am and end at dawn about 45 minutes.
But we missed the Ceremony and the subsequent parade of the descendants of those who fought in the Great War along with living veterans and their families of subsequent wars in which the troops of Australia and New Zealand participated. Unfortunately, Passover weekend coincided with ANZAC Day. We didn't get home from the Seder we attended until 1:30 am, early Monday morning. It is said many younger Australians hit the bars and taverns of Melbourne the night before the Ceremony and simply stay up through the night. I don't know about Denise, but I speak for myself when I say I lost that kind of stamina decades ago.
But I am very sorry I missed the event for I've heard that one cannot really understand the Australian character without participating in an ANZAC Day event. ANZAC stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp. The ANZAC troops constituted a major part of the Western Allies that landed at Gallipoli, a peninsula on the Black Sea on April 25, 1915 in an operation as part of World War I (or "The Great War"). Many feel that the strategy to attack Ottoman Turkey (an ally of Germany in the First World War) was ill conceived. Indeed, the ANZACs were stuck on the beachhead for seven months before they were withdrawn.
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Tactically then, Gallipoli was a defeat. But more importantly, the battle signaled the beginning of horrific casualties and losses on both sides of the World War I conflict. The deaths suffered as a result of the Gallipoli campaign were as follows: Australians 8709, New Zealanders 2701, British 21,255 and Turks 86,692. By September 1915, monuments were already being erected in Australia to commemorate the battle. The first ANZAC Commemoration Day was held on April 25, 1916 and has been an annual event in Australia, New Zealand and a host of other countries since then.
To understand the impact of the Great War on Australia and New Zealand one must appreciate the overall impact it had physically and psychically on these two nations. Overall there were 214,000 Aussie casualties with around 60,000 dead by the end of the war. Approximately one of three Australian men between the ages of 18 and 45 were either wounded or killed. Among Kiwis, 58,000 were killed or wounded. The overall New Zealand population of one million was reduced by 1.6%.
More Australians were killed in World War I than in World War II (27,073 killed or missing in the Second World War). Comparisons can be made only to the number of Americans killed in the Civil War (more casualties than in all the other wars America fought combined) or to the losses suffered by the Soviet Union and Germany during World War II. But there is much, much more attached to Gallipoli and Australia's participation in the Great War than just the deaths -- making its appreciation critical to understanding the Australian mythic character. Mind you, the following is an attempt by a American living in Melbourne for only eleven months who will try to take a crack at interpreting one hundred year old actions that Australians themselves have worked on explaining continuously since.
Australia had only been an independent nation for fourteen years and was still a nation filled with ex-Britons in 1914. There was a sense of local threat from recent German incursions into South East Asia. Indeed, the first actions Australia took in World War I were to easily overpower German resistance in Nauru, the Caroline Islands and German New Guinea. Yes, that's the same Nauru that now is the infamous way station/detention camp for illegal aliens caught attempting to enter Australia proper. Australia wanted to prove itself as a nation and within the vestigial 19th century ideas of manhood (and nationhood) the best way was to participate in (and win) a war. Theodore Roosevelt (and much of the U.S.) was held sway under similar influences with his Rough Rider stint and America's participation in the Spanish-American War of 1898.
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So there was no need for conscription in Oz when the guns of August erupted in 1914 in Europe. I believe Australia's convict historical origins were an additional factor leading the nation to want to show its mettle and value to the mother country and the world. The sense of British betrayal at Gallipoli and even more so on the battlefields of Fromelles and Pozieres in France (where more Australians died than at Gallipoli) was acute and long lasting. Indeed, my only previous exposure to the Australian experience of the Great War had been through Gallipoli the 1981 tragic film by the Australian director, Peter Weir. In it an idealistic Aussie hero/protagonist, a young Mel Gibson, dies at the film's close as a consequence of unfeeling and incompetent British leadership.
The Allies did win the war, ironically aided by the great military leadership of the relatively unsung, Australian general, George Monash - who was also Jewish, by the way. A Melbourne native, he does have an important local freeway and university named after him here. But the Australians had to make sense of their willing participation in the slaughter of so many young men. Hence the ANZAC Day rituals that have honored the sacrifice of the mythic tough, independent Australian bushman devoted to his regiment, his squadron and brigade; what Damian Hall (Principal, Janet Clarke Hall; Senior Fellow, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne) refers to as the quintessence of that particular Australian notion of "mateship."
British-Australian cooperation (or lack of it) during World War II did little to improve trust between Oz and Whitehall. In fact, Australians during the Second World War moved ever closer militarily to the United States, with whom they have fought in every war that America has launched since. Finally, only in the 1990s with the beginning of Australia's still continuing economic boom, do I believe this sense of national inferiority began to wane and perhaps disappear. Aussies are realistic that they are still a relatively small country compared to the U.S. or China. But Australia operates much more independently these days, based upon a growing national self-belief and a clear memory of being exploited in the past.
ANZAC Day means many different things to Australians, young and old, native born and immigrant. In Melbourne this morning some 45,000 people awoke before dawn and attended the 5:45 am ceremony at the Shrine of Remembrance. While the numbers were down from last year's record for the centenary of Gallipoli ANZAC Day, I cannot not think of that many Americans getting up that early for anything - except to be first at the mall for the pre-Christmas sales on Black Friday after Thanksgiving. And that, I suppose, is yet another rather depressing comparison between these two countries' passions.
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And now for our regular Australian language lesson for Americans:
quokka - a small wallaby inhabiting islands and swampy areas in southwestern Australia (e.g. Rottnest Island off Perth). I thank one observant Australian reader of the Letter, Jason, who somehow was able to interpret my question on "quallas" a while back in a previous Letter as my poor memory for "quokkas" - he was absolutely right on. Thanks Jason.moggy (or moggie) -- a cat (British informal)gormless - lacking in vitality or intelligence; stupid, dull or clumsy (British informal)aerobridge -- a jet bridge, an enclosed, movable connector which most commonly extends from an airport. Americans call this an airplane ramp.relief or emergency teacher -- an itinerant teacher who fills in for another. Americans call this a substitute teacher. You might anticipate, the Aussies often abbreviate a relief or emergency teacher as an ET (I already feel sorry for them).
Rebecca Ward is President and CEO of Moxie, a leader in customer engagement solutions for online and mobile businesses. She brings a wealth of expertise in managing high growth technology companies. Prior to Moxie, Ward was the CEO of Tealeaf for eight years. She oversaw the growth and profitability of the company, even through the economic downturn, by delivering innovative customer experience management (CEM) solutions.
Before joining Tealeaf, Ward served as group president of engineering, marketing, and product development at Digex, a publicly traded company. Prior to Digex, Ward worked for BBN/GTE Internetworking, where she held the position of vice president of product management and engineering. Ward started her career at Xerox.
The tech veteran holds a bachelor of science degree in engineering technology from Northeastern University and a master of computer science from Boston University. She has also completed the MIT Sloan School of Management's executive business management program.
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How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?
As an undergraduate at Northeastern University, I majored in engineering technology, a field in which women have historically been under-represented. I went on to get a master's in computer science at Boston University. I can't emphasize enough what a great foundation this curriculum can be for women.
Throughout my career, I have made it a habit to regard challenges as opportunities. I started out at Xerox, in a technical position. After a few years, my manager suggested I try sales. I made the career switch, and I often tell people it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Technology and sales are two key parts of a tech company, and I was fortunate to gain a foundation in both of them very early.
How has your previous employment experience aided your position at Moxie?
After Xerox, I joined BBN/GTE Internetworking where I helped start a web hosting business, which taught me how to adapt quickly in a fast-paced environment. As vice president, I oversaw engineering, product management and marketing and had the opportunity to build a business from scratch. These skills translated well to my next position as group president of Digex before it was a publicly traded web-hosting provider. In this position, I learned critical lessons in how to take a company public, the importance of focusing on a specific market, and the need to develop products that are better and more innovative than competitors.
Recently, I served as chairman and CEO of Tealeaf Technology, a privately held company that was purchased by IBM. Tealeaf provided technology for what is called "Customer Experience Management." It was a great product, but product alone does not equate to success. Tealeaf became a leader in its market because the company thrived on innovation and a focus on customer success. During the 2008 economic downturn, many companies saw negative or flat growth, but Tealeaf grew by double digits and remained profitable. The experience highlighted the importance of building a sustainable business so that you are able to weather difficult times.
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What have the highlights and challenges been during your tenure at Moxie?
One of the main reasons I joined Moxie was to participate in changing the way consumers interact with businesses online and via mobile. From the beginning, our products have had the potential to translate the dynamic brick and mortar experience to web and mobile sites. A highlight for me has been capitalizing on this market opportunity with the recent launch of the Moxie Suite, an industry-first customer engagement solution to "staff the online and mobile storefront". It is exciting to see the results companies are achieving using our technology.
As for challenges, we have employees in many locations at Moxie, which can make internal communications and cross-office collaboration difficult at times. I make it a priority to promote collaboration and back that up with an open door policy as well as visits to all our offices as much as possible. We have introduced new ways to keep employees updated and connected. In addition, we have developed a set of company values to emphasize staying innovative, making the company easy to work for and with, and fostering a culture that encourages open communication.
What advice can you offer women who want to start their own business?
First, I would advise women (or anyone starting a business) to do something they feel passionate about something that gives them energy and empowers them to overcome the obstacles they will inevitably face. Verify there is a market by making sure you are solving a real problem or meeting an unmet need. Ensure you have the skillset to lead the new business, and then, go for it.
After you develop your go-to-market approach and business plan, test your idea with others who know the market you have targeted. The objective is to identify holes in your business plan and validate the concept based on their experience. It is critical to market test in order to ensure prospective customers and pundits are receptive to your business and the message. Listen and be open to embracing new ideas that may accelerate your business. Most importantly, don't be afraid of failure and don't mistake a tough time in the business for defeat. All that may be required is modifications to your plan to accommodate market change.
My own experience at Moxie is an example. I have been passionate about eCommerce and the online customer experience for a long time. I knew that many companies see eCommerce as a serious business problem with low conversion rates for online transactions. At some point, we've all had a poor online experience. When we show up at sites or use an app, there is no one there to guide us through our journey, as there would be at a brick and mortar store. Moxie gives me the opportunity to feed my passion by addressing this real business issue with innovation, vision and a highly skilled group of employees.
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How do you maintain a work/life balance?
Work is an integral part of my life and provides personal gratification. But it isn't the only thing. I try to be organized and set-aside time for other activities. It took time for me to define how to balance work and time with my family. I do find that modern technology has made this easier as it gives me the flexibility of working from almost any location. If I go home early for dinner, I can spend time afterwards wrapping up work issues from home and check emails early in the morning.
It's perfectly acceptable to lean in one direction or the other depending on individual circumstances and your professional or personal stage of life. Priorities change over time, and we don't all prioritize the same way throughout our careers. There is no one size fits all prescription. The key is to be flexible, recognizing when work needs more attention and when home should take priority.
What do you think is the biggest issue for women in the workplace?
Moving beyond the "firsts" to the "many." Women represent half the population and have a lot to contribute. But in many areas of the workplace, they still are underrepresented. I am particularly interested in seeing more women pursue engineering as a career. Today, women make up only 20 percent of engineering students, and just over 10 percent of engineering professionals. That number is low, and I believe major steps need to be taken to inspire, teach and hire more women in technology.
How has mentorship made a difference in your professional and personal life?
A great mentor is an important part of everyone's professional and personal journey and can come from all walks of life. It can be a neighbor, a friend, a colleague, a manager, and a board member, among others. The important thing is to be receptive to being mentored. At many points in my career, I was fortunate enough to encounter mentors who encouraged me to take advantage of new opportunities and trust in my ability to learn quickly. A good example was moving from a technical position at Xerox to sales. For me, the key takeaway from different mentors has been to expand on what I do well, and that's the advice I would pass on: "Think about what you are good at and do more with it."
Which other female leaders do you admire and why?
Like others, I admire leaders who break ground and achieve a "first," in their profession. It is through their hard work and willingness to take risk that they open up opportunities for younger generations of women. This is rarely an easy path as evidenced by the current presidential election.
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What do you want Moxie to accomplish in the next year?
When I joined Moxie, I saw the opportunity to fundamentally change online commerce. We have seen companies achieve outstanding results with Moxie products, yet there is still much to be done. As companies increasingly realize the importance and value of an effective customer engagement solution and the market continues to grow, this gives Moxie the opportunity to affect more change.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority safeguarded these African gray parrots before releasing them into a national park. A new study reveals that Singapore has been a major conduit for the trade in birds, especially African greys. Photograph by Edward Echwalu, Reuters
Singapore plays a key role as a major international transshipment hub for the global aviculture industry, according to a new study by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the wildlife trade monitoring organization TRAFFIC. That's especially true for trade in African grey parrots.
African greys are highly sought-after as pets because they're so smart and talkative. (Alex, who lived with scientist Irene Pepperberg for 30 years, had a vocabulary of more than a hundred words and a mind-blowing range of cognitive skills beyond.) They're native to Equatorial Africa, but populations are declining throughout their range. Although millions of African greys have been bred in captivity, demand for wild-caught birds remains high, and they're especially vulnerable because they roost in large groups and tend to concentrate around water sources or mineral licks.
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They're now so popular that some range countries have proposed that the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the body that regulates the global wildlife trade, categorize them as requiring maximum protection.
The new study, published in the journal Oryx, sheds light on the bird trade system. It reveals that Singapore has been a major conduit for birds from Africa and Europe to East Asia and the Middle East and that between 2005 and 2014 the city-state imported 212 bird species listed by CITES as needing protections, with African grey parrots the most intensively traded.
The study also uncovered discrepancies in the trade data. While Singapore imported nearly 225,600 birds during that period, just 60 percent were reexported, leaving as many as 86,000 birds unaccounted for.
From his Malaysia office, Chris Shepherd, TRAFFIC's Southeast Asia regional director and the co-author of the study with WCS's Colin Poole, explains how these inconsistencies in the trade records are an opportunity for Singapore to employ best practices in the international wildlife trade.
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Why did you undertake this study?
Singapore plays a very significant role in the international bird trade. Between 2005 and 2014, a total of 212 CITES-listed bird species have been imported to Singapore, with 29 of them assessed as vulnerable, endangered, and critically endangered by the IUCN [International Union for Conservation of Nature] Red List of Threatened Species. The vast majority of the CITES-listed birds traded in or through Singapore are parrots and cockatoos.
This study also showed that Singapore imported CITES-listed birds from 35 countries and exported to 37 during the study period. That means Singapore is well positioned to be a regional or global leader by employing best practices in the regulation, compliance, and monitoring of the international trade in wildlife.
Past studies undertaken by TRAFFIC highlighted not only the significant volume of birds traded in and through Singapore but also that large volumes were illegally sourced before being moved through Singapore. In previous studies we found thousands of parrots and cockatoos exported to Singapore from the Solomon Islands that were falsely declared as captive bred when in fact they were wild caught.
Is this still the case? Do illegal birds slip into the legal trade?
There were large discrepancies between what was imported and what was reexported--close to 86,000 birds. It's highly unlikely that this many birds remained in the country.
One of the greatest problems here is the method of reporting. We strongly recommend Singapore report the actual trade that took place--that is, the quantity of specimens that entered or left the country and not simply the number of permits issued. This would provide a much clearer and more accurate understanding of the trade.
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Singapore's authorities should also exercise greater caution in ascertaining that specimens are imported and reexported in accordance with the provisions of CITES. This includes ensuring that numbers are within permitted quotas, the legitimacy of individuals declared as captive bred, and the origin and legality of nonnative stock.
It's very likely that many of the birds traded through Singapore have been illegally sourced in their range countries. Of great concern is the number of African gray parrots involved--41,700 were recorded during this period.
Why are African grey parrots such a concern?
African grey parrots are very popular pet birds. As a result of this demand, populations in the wild have suffered greatly over recent years and have been wiped out from parts of their range.
A number of African countries, led by Gabon, are supporting the uplisting of the African grey parrot from CITES Appendix II to Appendix I, the strictest category, later this year when the CITES member governments meet in South Africa.
If actions aren't taken soon, this species could be lost entirely from many parts of its native range.
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What do you recommend for Singapore or other trade hubs?
Better regulation of the import and reexport of birds is essential. In addition to revision of CITES reporting methods, authorities in Singapore or any major trade hub should exercise far more care in ensuring that the species imported and/or reexported have been legally sourced.
Birds, and many other animals in international trade, are often harvested illegally in their countries of origin or falsely declared as being captive bred when in fact they're wild caught. They're then laundered into the international wildlife trade, often "legalized" along the way.
Traders know the loopholes well and run circles around enforcement agencies and CITES authorities. These loopholes undermine CITES and facilitate unprecedented levels of illegal trade, leading to the decline of a multitude of species in the wild.
When thinking about the giants of the high tech and conglomerate industry, the usual suspects usually always turn out to be Apple, Facebook, Google, eBay, or Amazon. Those are the brands that everyone talks about - the general public, newspapers, media, magazines, the internet. Samsung still is a big brand, although its rise seems to be happening more covert than the cometlike climb of others. Samsung is worth taking a closer look at, though.
In 2014, Samsung's revenue totalled at 305$ billion - Apple came out at 182$ billion that year. The trend continued in 2015. Profits are soaring, and that with only 14$ billion in average spent on advertising and marketing - Apple for example spent 38$ billion alone on the Apple Watch ads and its promotion. If that's not surprising enough, Samsung also adds up to 489.000 employees - which is more than Google, Apple and Microsoft combined. Samsung alone is responsible for over 17% of South Korea's entire GDP.
Samsung entered into the electronic business in the late 1960s - originally, Samsung sold groceries and noodles after being founded by Lee Byung-Chul as a small trading company. He was the richest man in South Korea for a very long time. In the late 1950s, the insurance and securities as well as the retail business were added, bringing on further growth. In the 1970s finally, the first Samsung produced Electronics (namely TVs) hit the market, and a gold mine was struck. Soon after, the first Samsung computer was released 1982, and Samsung began to conquer the international key markets outside of South Korea. In 2011, it became the world's largest smartphone manufacturer and continues to be exactly that.
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The rise of Samsung did not happen by chance or coincidence - Samsung conquered 22.4% of the 2015 smartphone market share (Apple holds 16.4%, Huawei 7.7% e.g.) by investing heavily in research and development. Where Google spent 9.8$ billion and Apple 6$ billion, Samsung put 14.1$ billion into that area. Samsung has another advantage: The CPU chips for Apple's iPhones 4, 4s, 5 and 5s are solely manufactured by Samsung, and we are talking about over 600 million chips here!
Samsung is not only dominating the smartphone market, but furthermore holds 27.5% of the global TV market share, and has done so for 10 consecutive years in 2015. Chances are, it will repeat that success this year
Since its foundation, Samsung always consisted of several different businesses in multiple industries, ranging from ship and crane building to plane manufacturing to other big engineering projects.
The forecast for 2016 and the coming years therefore looks splendid: the chip market is vastly expanding and demand is high, plus potential downturns can be balanced out by Samsung's other business ventures such as Samsung Construction, who just won a bid for the downtown tunnel system in Singapore.
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Mark your calendar for Friday, May 13, because that's when you can purchase your very own copy of Wild Ponies new album, "Radiant" out on No Evil Records. To tide you over, here is the exclusive premiere of the video for the hauntingly beautiful, "The Night We Never Met," from the new album.
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Telisha Williams, who makes up half of the duo at the heart of Wild Ponies, says, "The idea of a video of me in a slip would've terrified me a year ago, but about five months ago, I started taking burlesque dancing lessons, and my opinions of my body have completely changed. It's my body, and it's carried me through some incredibly beautiful and traumatizing moments. There's a power in me and my body that didn't recognize and appreciate before. Without my burlesque experiences and community, I don't think I would have been able to lay confidently on a bed in the middle of a snowy field in Kentucky on a 20-degree night."
While I found the whole album to be brilliant, if you're not sold on "The Night We Never Met," buy it for the single, "Love Is Not A Sin," alone. Trust me on this one.
Here's a snippet of a verse: "It doesn't matter who you love, when two lovers find each other, I'd say it's sanctioned from above ..."
The tune was written long before North Carolina's H.B.2 and similar legislation was recently enacted, but it addresses the issue head on in Wild Ponies unique rootsy, rock and oh-so eloquent way. Listen for yourself here.
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Natives Doug and Telisha Williams came full circle on Saturday night for an album's release party at The Rives Theatre in downtown Martinsville, Virginia. If you missed it, you can hear the band perform at Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival on May 26-29 in nearby Axton, Virginia. Warning: Ticket prices go up May 1 and are going fast.
"My mom started hosting house concerts in early 2001 in her basement," Doug explains. "She had Hayes Carll and The Green Cards as backup bands along with a bunch of others. We then helped start an organization called Artisan Cafe in town."
That Artisan Cafe eventually merged with another group to form ARTS at The Rives Theatre, where the couple played on Saturday to an appreciative hometown crowd including parents, cousins and longtime friends. "We knew family that owned The Rives and we helped start the nonprofit ARTS at The Rives before we moved to East Nashville. We stayed for a long time trying to turn it around and make it an artisitic place.
"We're thrilled with how it's going. They are doing just an awesome job and we're excited to have our album release party there."
The Americana, folk, alt-country group also includes Megan Jane and Fats Kaplin who produce a sound on the album that seems to radiate from a much larger, fuller band.
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"Radiant" is the sophomore album for Wild Ponies, formerly known as Doug and Telisha Williams. They decided to change the name of the group because it was more than just the husband-and-wife duo, who have been playing together since high school. Their longtime collaboration as musical partners -- Doug on guitar and Telisha on stand-up bass -- and life partners is apparent on stage and they say translates into a telepathy that other bands may not have.
"We changed over to Wild Ponies with the last record, 'Things That Used to Shine,' " Telisha explained in a recent phone interview. "When you hear two names, it's what you envision, pretty folk, acoustic and kind of not how our music was going."
Indeed. "Born With a Broken Heart" and "Unplug the Machine" from "Radiant" are perfect examples of the band's evolution to a harder-edge sound as well as "Trigger" from the aforementioned album. Doug added, "We felt like things are shifting and changing and even as a duo it didn't accurately describe who we were. Wild Ponies shifted a little more electric."
Telisha adds that she and Doug believe in building a creative community and participating in a creative community. "I feel like this is such a record of collaboration ," she said, adding they co-write with friends on a regular basis.
One of the collaborations they are most excited about is the title track they co-wrote with 12-year-old Mariah Moore, whom the Williamses met through volunteering with the Country Music Hall of Fame's Words & Music program.
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"I have to admit, there's probably a little defiance in all of this," Telisha said in release. "Bucking the way things 'should' be done. We just want to make good art, and that usually means bending some rules."
"Tower and the Wheel," partly inspired by an old tree on Doug's grandparents' farm, signifies another theme -- celebrating the past, with a few modern twists. The song includes details about the tree that's stood for generations on the family farm, but the B-sections were inspired by tarot cards. I personally hear shades of Nanci Griffith in Telisha's voice on this particular track.
"I've known that tree my whole life. It knew my mom and my grandparents even way back before that. That tree was really old before anyone in my family owned the farm. But she's still there, strong as ever," Doug said. "It's where we'd tie the horses, and where we'd pull the porch chairs around in the shade and the dirt and play songs, where Telisha and I cut our wedding cake."
But when Doug and Telisha were writing the chorus sections of the song, they took an unconventional approach "Nothing we were trying was working, so we laid out eight Tarot cards and wrote all those eight parts right from the way they fell. They lined up perfectly between our verses and finished the story for us."
For Doug, "Radiant" is about reaching out from within, looking at the world around, relating to it, and trying to find some empathy. For Telisha, it's also about standing still, tall, and true.
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"Listening to our last record, I hear the struggle. I hear the transition of a victim pushing, pulling, letting go, standing up, and shouting," she said. "This record is more stable and secure in some ways but raw and exploratory in others. There's an acceptance and love for myself. I'm feeling confident in my own skin. A skin that's full of battle scars and flaws, but that I've learned to love and appreciate, maybe for first time."
There's no slowing down Wild Ponies it appears. Doug says this summer the band plans to make an all-acoustic record at his grandfather's farm in Galax, Virginia.
Recently I've come across several articles giving the advice to get rid of unnecessary things, claiming that in such a way one can free the mind and, thus, get more productive. I decided to follow this advice and began by looking at the things I've had in my apartment. There were quite a lot of them lying in the dust as if asked to be thrown away. So, I decided to devote several hours a day to clean my apartment of the garbage. I do believe that cleaning a mess makes your thoughts and work more organized. And so I started.
I opened the sofa and began pulling out my old notebooks from the time when I was a student. The title said: "History of the English language." I suddenly remembered how I didn't learn all old English adjectives once and started making some. Everyone was laughing. I didn't get the best grade for that seminar, but it was really funny. I was nineteen, so young and full of future expectations. I've decided to keep that notebook, just in case I would need it.
Then I found teddy bear given as a present by my father. Only he knows how much I like teddy bears, even though I am not a child anymore. Afterwards, I turned my sight into the wardrobe with clothes. "It is very unlikely that I would wear this dress again," I thought. But suddenly my date became so alive. I wore that dress and he was so polite and attentive; we were watching a comedy at the cinema, walking in the park together, sharing our plans and dreams. It has disappeared so long ago, and I was about to throw all those things away, but I simply couldn't. Those things were once part of my life and those memories were so alive when I looked at that, at first sight, useless stuff. "Am I just not ready to let memories go and move forward? Am I too sentimental?" I asked myself.
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I went to another room. There I found some old jeans and would throw them away immediately. I didn't even remember when I was wearing them. Some notes from my previous job, unused paper, a broken toy - I threw them all without the slightest hesitation. That stuff was of no value for me. So what made some things so precious for me? Why wouldn't I just throw everything away? And then I suddenly realized that some of my possessions were not just old unnecessary things. They had symbolic meaning bringing certain emotions from the past and contributing to the present.
Then I opened a drawer and found my childish photos. One of them was made in the kindergarten during the times when my home country was part of the USSR. I looked at it carefully (luckily it wasn't thrown away), remembered certain moments from that time and suddenly had an idea of creating a photo essay using that picture and clearly realizing that we can't simply throw away the past. These are the memories that count, memories that make life valuable, memories that influence our presence.
I wasn't blaming myself anymore for not being able to follow the advice of throwing things away to unclutter my mind. On the contrary, I started looking for more stuff that would remind me of valuable moments in my life as those moments have shaped me as a personality and gave me an unforgettable experience. Therefore, now I more than ever value each moment and each present I am given as it provokes positive emotions and will always remind me of that precious time. I even started caring much more what present I give to my close ones, as I know that it is not the present itself that counts, but the symbolic meaning and memories it will always bring. That's why I would rarely give flowers and don't like receiving them much because they fade away too fast. I would rather give something that will last for a long time, like an eternity rose, a flower that will always be in a vase to bring special memories, be it graduation, wedding anniversary or a simple acknowledgement of friendship or love.
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As an Englishman who has lived for the last three decades in America, "The Greatest Country that Has Ever Existed Anywhere," I spend a lot of time pointing out that actually many countries do many things far better. Electing politicians is simpler, more democratic, and less corrupt in dozens of Western countries. No other civilized country on earth imprisons so many people and none have so much crime. Alternative energy has been developed and used more efficiently in other countries. Other countries are far less polluting. High school maths and science education is better in more than 20 other countries.
Michael Moore has just released a film, "Where Shall We Invade Next" that makes these kinds of points. I hope he has some success. I rarely have. The propaganda -- commercial, military, and religious -- is so overwhelming that Americans usually laugh. "America is God's own country and the greatest country on the face of this..." etc.
Perhaps the most chilling failure in America -- still, even after Obamacare -- is the healthcare system. So to be back in the UK for a few days and to hear people yet again talking about destroying or diminishing the National Health Service is simply agonizing. Just as I've advised Americans in the past to look elsewhere to learn lessons in success, I would urge the British to look to America to learn lessons in failure.
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The equation is so incredibly simple that even given all of the propaganda, Americans are looking to change it entirely and move closer to a British system, hence the surprising success, in part, of Bernie Sanders. People live less long in America. NOTHING works in the American healthcare system unless you are rich. It is more expensive and less effective than the British system. In a privately run corporation, whether it is an insurance company or a hospital, you serve two masters -- or more accurately one master and many slaves -- with completely opposite requirements. The definition of economic success is profit. Wall Street demands it. How do you make a greater profit? By bringing in more money and spending less. In the case of health insurance companies this means that a CEO who can extract as much money from the "slaves" (the policy holders) and deliver as little as possible in return is deemed a success. The executives in these companies who are best at denying healthcare to those who have paid for it are so excessively rewarded that this is in itself a drain on the whole system. Who in the NHS gets paid 40 million dollars a year and receives a 100 million dollar retirement scheme? In America, this happens. This and far worse.
Insured people who become unprofitable (because they are really sick) are purged, kicked out, their bills not paid, often on the basis of some minor inaccuracy in the lengthy and complex policy application form. There is a known policy in health insurance companies, "Delay, Deny, Defend." Delay responding to the bill, Deny it, and then if the person fights it, Defend yourself in court. Even if you don't win, and assuming the patient doesn't die before the case is ended, you break him or her through legal costs which sends a warning to anyone else who might try the same thing. A simple trip in an ambulance can cost many thousands of dollars. A stay in a hospital can result in a bill so crushing that if a health insurance company finds a way to dodge it (this is assuming you even have insurance) you become more or less instantly homeless. I do not exaggerate. According to the National Health Care for the Homeless Council (2008), half of all personal bankruptcies in the United States are caused by problems with the healthcare system -- and homelessness is a huge problem in America, despite throwing so many of the desperate into prisons. According to the US Bureau of Justice, 2,220,300 adults were incarcerated in US federal and state prisons, and county jails in 2013 - about 1 in 110 of U.S. residents.
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Important Note: many of these prisoners are mentally ill and this is the treatment they receive under a privatized system. And this system is what the British public are being told they should want?
The data for this map comes from a paper published yesterday by the National Bureau of Economic Research: What Explains the Flow of Foreign Fighters to ISIS?
As the map shows, the Muslim populations most likely to join ISIS are not in the Middle East or Africa. Rates of ISIS recruitment are highest in highly developed western countries, the ones with cultures you might least associate with radical Islam. The finding is consistent with several other studies that have found overwhelmingly negative views of ISIS is majority-Muslim countries.
The table below lists countries with the highest and lowest rates of recruitment (excludes countries having 2 or fewer ISIS fighters).
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At the top of the list is Finland. Of its Muslim population, which numbers only 42,000, 70 are estimated to have traveled to Syria or Iraq to join as ISIS fighters.
That puts Finland on a par with Pakistan, a majority-Muslim country, Taliban stronghold, and the 7th largest population in the world. Despite having a Muslim population over 4,000 times larger than Finland's, Pakistan is estimated to have an equal number ISIS fighters.
ISIS fighters tend to come from countries where Muslims are culturally isolated
What do ISIS fighters' countries of origin say about their reasons for joining?
By comparing rates of ISIS recruitment with each country's economic, political, and social conditions the paper examines whether any of these factors may explain the phenomenon of foreign ISIS fighters. Here's what they found:
Is there a relationship between a country's economic conditions and its rate of ISIS recruitment?
In contrast to what many have theorized, poor economic factors are not the root cause of ISIS recruitment. In fact, the data suggests the opposite is true. Countries with high economic development and low income inequality tend to produce more ISIS fighters.
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Is there a relationship between ISIS recruitment and cultural factors?
As the paper concludes, ISIS fighters tend to come from countries that are ethnically and linguistically homogeneous, where assimilation is more difficult for immigrants with different cultural backgrounds.
Because the analysis looks only at correlations, it does not determine conclusively whether these cultural factors are causing ISIS recruitment. However, the authors theorize it is cultural isolation that induces some Muslims to become radicalized.
If you'd like to go through the data yourself, here is a spreadsheet with the data for all countries. It includes both "official counts" and "unofficial counts" of ISIS fighters, given in tables 1 and 2 in the paper.
The data for Muslim populations is from 2010 and comes from Pew Research.
See also:
While I've never been especially fond of political correctness for its own sake, I've encountered enough well-meaning white people embarrassing themselves to know that a brief tutorial can't hurt. For those who insist that they could never say anything racist because they are not racists, I present a quick reminder: Just because you didn't intend for something to sound racist, doesn't mean it isn't, and just because you don't think you're a racist, doesn't mean you're not. I refer you to the Washington Redskins and every idiot who insists that Native Americans should be "honored" to be so warmly insulted. Newsflash: Determining whether this team's name is racist is not up to anyone but Native Americans. If you are not Native American, your opinion on the issue is at best irrelevant. I know it's hard for some to accept, but white people don't get to determine what is and isn't racist.
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As an American who reflects an increasingly common and decidedly ambiguous shade of brown, I have been questioned and "complimented" in some of the strangest ways--rarely by people intending to sound racist, but often by people who end up sounding super racist. So I present the following list as a sort of public service. While it is far from exhaustive, it represents a fair sampling of the kinds of comments that often make those of us with more melanin cringe--or just never contact you after you give us your business cards. So here goes, in no particular order:
Do not use the word "exotic" to refer to humans who do not look like you. We are not fruit, and it is not a compliment. The longer you insist on assuring us that it is a compliment, the stupider you look. Just give it up.
Do not use the word "ethnic" as though it were a distinct race or nationality.
Do not ask people where they are from more than once. Trust them the first time. No need for "Where are you really from?" or "Where are your parents from?"
Avoid statements like, "Wouldn't it be great to live during [insert any era during which the person you're talking to couldn't vote or own property]?"
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Resist the urge to ever say, "I have a lot of [fill in the blank with the racial, religious or ethnic group with which you are least familiar] friends."
Remember that reverse racism isn't a thing. Racism is about the abuse of power and privilege. If your race denies you power and privilege, then you can't be racist. Certainly, you can still be an asshole. Just not a racist.
Unless you are one of "those people" making fun of other people calling you "those people," then never say "those people."
Think before asking people to explain an entire race, religion, civilization or geographic region to you simply because they happen to identify with that background. Don't expect a 14-year-old girl who covers her hair to explain all of Islam to you in ten minutes or less simply because you're too lazy to read a book. Get a library card and let her eat her lunch in peace.
Remember, we are not all from any one place. Pretending we are just makes you look delusional. So avoid the "We're all from Africa anyway" statements.
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Unless you have achromatopsia, never say "I don't see color."
My recent trip to Washington, D.C. had me thinking about how I fit into the fabric of American life. Ever since the fatal date of September 11th, 2001 I have been at odds about whether I feel truly at home living in America. I've felt like an intruder, having to explain myself to strangers and even friends who wanted to know if I truly love the way of life that I enjoy in America.
Since the September 11th precipice, I have acquired a house, became a permanent resident (legally, Mr. Trump, if you are wondering) and I have had two children who, by default, are Americans. They, unlike me, do not know any other home. They were born here. They will forever have Connecticut, USA inscribed on their birth certificates. So, by the luck of the draw, they are for better or worse fully fledged Americans.
My husband and I were born in a different country, but if you are following my writings you already know this. We tend to be torn between the love for our birthplace, and the love for our adoptive country. I compare us to children of divorced parents who found new partners. Who is the child supposed to love better and in which way? Can a child love his stepmother or a father equally as they love their birth parents? What if the birth mother or a father were not good parents, not dedicated enough, not patient nor loving? Can a child still love them? Can a child yearn for their love, their approval?
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These are the questions that all immigrants ask themselves. How do we transcend the connection we feel for our birth country and justify, to ourselves, the connection we now feel for our new country? Just like the Irish and the Italians and the British who came to these shores in the previous century, we feel the yearning for what we left behind, but we also feel hope and love for the new found security and the beauty that we see and feel in the new land, our new adoptive parent.
Many writings, news reports, opinions and more recently the new characters at the political scene are telling my husband and me that we do not belong here. Our religion is a frequent topic in conversations. Does it matter for this piece to state what it is? It's not Christian; that much is important to mention. We are not truly religious people who follow one good book. We are spiritual, and we deeply believe that through justice, patience, love and promotion of peace we can achieve this eternal remembrance. I say remembrance, not heaven, because various depictions of heaven in all the major religions sound too human to be logical to us. So how do we, immigrants, non-Christians fit within American union? Our visit to Washington and Mr. Lincoln provided much-needed guidance.
As we were strolling down the National Mall, there, at the west end of the Mall, stood the Lincoln Memorial. I visited it before, but it's been at least fourteen years since my last visit. I was young and I still believed that America was flawless, perfect really, and I never considered the words from the speech inscribed on the massive wall where Lincoln sits, immortalized for the generations to come and observe and remember. I never thought that people who were born here perhaps did not understand the true meaning of these words. I did not expect them to turn to hatred and proclaim themselves as defenders of freedom by telling us through media that immigrants, Muslims and others who do not fit perfectly with the majority are not American-like. It is all very un-Lincoln like.
I read the words now to my seven-year-old who squirmed the whole time; he would have rather climbed and jumped the steep steps. I imagined Mr.Lincoln giving this speech to him, to me, to millions who now call America their home. The speech is appropriate certainly nowadays, with so many young soldiers dying for the freedom or greed, or domination, depending how you perceive various wars our country is waging now. Regardless, these young men are leaving their blood somewhere, far from home, believing with all their hearts that they are fighting for the justice in the world. But in the end, the internal struggle is always greater than any physical war we can wage. My hypothesis is that we are waging an internal war, on the American soil. We are fighting with our fears for the security of our children, for their future, we are waging a war with the unknown in our midst and we want to protect what is dearest to us. But I can tell you, it is not the immigrants who populate this wonderful country that we should be afraid of. We must not forget that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom in the generations to come, those who came from immigrant parents, my sons, who will love it dearly, those young descendants of Latinos, Arabs, Africans, Europeans and Asians, all who were nurtured within the borders of this free nation.
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We, the new immigrants and the descendants, together, must show unity. We must honor and respect those who died to defend the union and the freedom for which it stood. And as the late president Lincoln so eloquently put, "... from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they have the last full measure of devotion-That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - That this nation under god shall have a new birth of freedom-And that government of the people by the people for the people shall not perish from earth."
Co-authored by Hasmik Piliposyan
April 24 marked 101 years since the start of the Armenian genocide, when Ottoman Turks killed approximately 1.5 million Armenians, Assyrians, Greeks, and others. The Republic of Turkey denies that the crime was a genocide and goes through great strides to suppress genocide recognition and research through propaganda and inaccurate information taught in schools. Since this tragic crime against humanity occurred, tremendous division exists between the Armenian and Turkish communities as a result of Turkey's refusal to acknowledge fully the atrocities committed. We discuss reasons for Turkey's denial in our April 22, 2015, San Diego Union-Tribune op-ed.
The vast majority of the international community and historians recognize this calamity for what it is (Raphael Lemkin, who coined the word genocide, once said, "It happened so many times...first to the Armenians, then after the Armenians, Hitler took action"). However, a country that peculiarly joins Turkey and the United States in their refusal to stand with justice is Israel. This is ironic and unfortunate because if there is any group that understands the horror of ethnic cleansing and terror against a people, or the pain families have endured from generation to generation based on historical unspeakable acts, it is the Jewish people, founders of Israel. Remember: The world also ignored the Holocaust during World War II.
There are two primary reasons Israel refuses to stand for historical accuracy. Israel has had a strong political and military relationship with Turkey, even after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's rise to power. Like the United States, Israel's strategic relationship with the Middle Eastern nation has been more important than participating in a global effort to acknowledge the genocide.
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"I think Israel doesn't want to have another Muslim adversary state near its borders, so strategically, they are interested in [not recognizing the] Armenian genocide in order not to lose Turkey forever," stated Roman Smbatyan, an Armenian history and Middle Eastern history faculty member at UC Irvine.
The second reason is that Israel has a close economic relationship with Azerbaijan, and Armenia and Azerbaijan are in a heated dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenian-Azerbaijani contention surrounding the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh has been a hot topic in global affairs since the dawn of the protracted conflict in 1988. As Soviet states and neighbors, Armenia and Azerbaijan fell victim to Joseph Stalin's divide-and-conquer politics, igniting waves of national consciousness and hostility. In the 1920s, Stalin's attempts at appeasing Turkey--a brother state of Azerbaijan--for oil resources caused Nagorno-Karabakh to be geographically placed within Azerbaijan. Nagorno-Karabakh, a predominantly Armenian ethnic exclave, drove hundreds of thousands of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians to demand a referendum to secede from Azerbaijan in 1988 and unite with Armenia. The Azerbaijani authorities declared war on Nagorno-Karabakh, leading to a four-year bloody conflict with more than 30,000 combat and civilian deaths and more than 1 million internally displaced persons until a ceasefire agreement was signed in 1994. Armenian forces won the war, seizing seven districts between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh to connect the two pieces of land.
Israel imports roughly 40 percent of its oil from Azerbaijan and ships a significant amount of defense systems and weapons to the former Soviet Republic. Smbatyan added, "Israel has had very good relations with Azerbaijan for the past decade as they were (and perhaps are now) considering Azerbaijan as a possible ally against Iran. In case of a war against Iran, they could use the territory of Azerbaijan to bomb Iran, and this topic was actively discussed from 2010-2011 when the war between a U.S.-Israeli alliance and Iran seemed inevitable."
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"The United States prides itself in being the leading voice in the world championing value-based interest formations as the basis of a new post-World War II international political order, while Israel's creation at inception can be argued to have absolutely depended on it. Unfortunately, hypocrisy is a small price to pay in exchange for military bases and petroleum," explained Los Angeles-based attorney Edgar Martirosyan. "It is, nonetheless, shortsighted of both states to adopt policies predicated on pursuing narrow and short-term interests. It is no surprise, therefore, that both powers have squandered their moral imperative, and find themselves isolated on the global stage more frequently."
Israel must also acknowledge the history of its centuries-old Armenian quarter and church that reigns strong in Jerusalem. Just recently the Armenians of Israel protested the government for selling arms to Azerbaijan.
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Both Israel and the United States should place values and justice ahead of strategic and economic interests. It is a shame that both countries refrain from doing so when it comes to recognizing one of the 20th century's greatest atrocities.
The famous Tabernas Desert, the filming location of many feature films and TV series. Because of its similarities with the North American deserts like the Far West of the American West, northern Africa, the Arabian deserts, and its lunar landscape, served from 1950s and onwards for the shooting of many films and westerns (the spaghetti westerns) making the area famous around the world.
I am no historian but I believe it's what helped fuel America's expansion into the desert. The California gold rush of 1848 pulled folks from their comfort in search of wealth and the emerging American dream. They arrived tattered and torn, staked their land, and began to build a future for their families. It is an American ideal and part of the folklore of our beginnings.
As I hike through the desert I can almost hear the thunderous hoofs of the cattlemen chasing their steers to the watering hole. You almost expect the Duke to appear leading a band of ten-gallon white hats chasing the James Gang into the hills. Protect the women and children, circle the wagons. Transportation thrived with the expansion of the railroads. Schools and libraries were built and the settlers began to eek out an existence. Louisa May Alcott glamorized the ideal in her beloved writings.
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In spite of the glamorous look back, times were probably harder than we could even imagine. Raising cattle here must have been extremely difficult. Trolling in a stream looking for glistening rocks while fearing desperados probably wasn't very rewarding. Although men were men and women something less, they had little of the discretionary time that we now think of as our right. As the rush panned out, we began to think differently of the times. Over 10,000 Native Americans were removed from their land and over 5,000 murdered. We now speak derisively about Gold Diggers and Panhandlers. Imagine the debate in Congress today if the same occurred. But our government and our people somehow decided it was right to just take what we wanted. An American ideal gone bad.
I wonder how it might have been different if our ideals were gregarious versus greedy? If somehow we had joined forces with the Native Americans to conquer the wilderness. Incorporating all of their values into the melting pot of the time. I suspect we would be in a very different place now. But of course, in spite of our modern credo, we didn't value diversity then and barely do so now. Anyone that is following any of the current political rhetoric can confirm. We espouse that America is the land of opportunity where hard work will get you ahead. That is, as long you have a pale complexion. We don't deal well with the rainbows of the Native-American, African-American, Chinese-American or any other hyphenated American. But it was on their backs that the country we treasure was built.
The president of Liberty Counsel, the far-right law group behind the recent wave of anti-transgender bathroom bills, announced that she plans to carry a gun with her to the women's restroom.
This Liberty Counsel's tweet amounts to a call for armed bathroom vigilantism.
Anita Staver's twitter message comes in response to an announcement by Target that the company will not discriminate against transgender customers or employees.
The type of fear-mongering promoted by this is not only morally reprehensible, but it is quite literally putting lives in danger.
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I have contacted Liberty Counsel directly and hope they will accept the invitation to meet with Equality Florida and sit down with members of the transgender community to see the people who suffer most directly the consequences of their dangerous and dehumanizing rhetoric.
Opponents of LGBT equality are ratcheting up their tactics in other disturbing ways as well. A man with a hidden camera filmed himself inside a women's bathroom at a Target. It's a move that sounds like the punchline of this internet meme,
Did you hear the one about a guy who took a hidden camera into the women's bathroom to prove perverts lurk there by actually being one?
He's not the only one using this gimmick. A man went to a women's locker room to undress claiming the law allows him to. Lacking evidence of the problem they purport, opponents of equality just go and manufacture it themselves.
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Fortunately, this type of appeal to fear is being broadly denounced. Conservative commentators, law enforcement officials and those on the frontline combating sexual violence have called this misguided and dangerous; a draconian solution to a non-existent problem.
While North Carolina and the costly national backlash that state has inflicted on itself make the headlines, a pernicious tactic of Liberty Counsel is wreaking havoc beneath the radar. They are taking their fight to the school yard calling for transgender bathroom bans at public schools.
A petition is circulating calling on Liberty Counsel to repudiate this reckless strategy of inciting gun violence and stop instigating hostility toward transgender people.
China's rapid modernization is leveling off after decades of high growth. And the whole world is feeling it. The International Monetary Fund recently warned of the "chilling effect" on the global economy that is a result of China's transition to a new economic model focused on domestic consumption and services as well as the fear that slower growth cannot support the large debt buildup that has soared to 237 percent of GDP. Economists fear that the debt bubble could burst in a repeat of the kind of financial meltdown the U.S. experienced in 2008 or in decades of anemic growth and deflation such as Japan has experienced.
Meanwhile, China's Five Year Plan calls for a further reduction in poverty for those left behind in the years of rapid growth and the continued "greening" of the economy through the shift toward renewable energy resources. These infographics from China-U.S. Focus, a Hong Kong-based news site, offer a snapshot of China's situation today.
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Facing a New Normal
Reducing Poverty Further
Transitioning to Clean Energy
The economic slowdown, combined with policies to lessen dependence on coal as part of China's climate change commitment, is leading to a new surge of labor unrest in many parts of the country, which adds to further fears about political stability and the resort of China's authorities to more repressive measures to maintain control.
This strike map from China Labor Bulletin, a worker-focused organization based in Hong Kong, illustrates the extent of unrest sweeping the country. The circles show the number of strikes and worker protests over the past six months.
Growing Labor Unrest
While the 2016 presidential election has breached the $1 billion spending mark, less has been made of another, more damaging, part of our out-of-control campaign finance system: congressional "hard money" fundraising. The excerpt below, from the recently released book Nation On The Take, takes a deep dive on "dialing for dollars"--the activity that turns Members of Congress into glorified telemarketers in an endless search for campaign cash.
Nation On The Take: D.C.'s Sweatshops
By Wendell Potter and Nick Penniman
Not too far from the Capitol Hill townhouses are the call centers that both Democrats and Republicans use to dial for dollars. Endlessly.
This is how Senator Dick Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, described it: "We sit at these desks with stacks of names in front of us and short bios and histories of giving ... and we make calls to our faithful friends and ask them to give money or host a fundraiser."
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National Public Radio tried to get access to the call centers for a story on fundraising in 2012 but got no further than a description of them from members of Congress.
Former representative Dennis Cardoza, a California Democrat, compared his party's call center to a sweatshop with thirty-inch-wide cubicles set up for the sole purpose of begging for money. He said the need for constant fundraising helped push him into retirement.
Peter DeFazio, a Democrat from Oregon, told NPR, "If you walked in there, you would say, 'Boy, this is about the worst looking, most abusive looking call center situation I've seen in my life.' These people don't have any workspace, the other person is virtually touching them."
Members of both parties say the time they have to spend in the cramped call centers is humiliating. Representative John Larson, Democrat of Connecticut, likened it to "putting bamboo shoots under my fingernails." One female member of the House told us that, probably because she's a woman, when she makes her fundraising phone calls the donors are much more casual with her than she would expect--or hope. She recounted a call she made to a Hollywood mogul's home. The wife answered the phone. After the congresswoman introduced herself, "The wife launched into a tirade about some new curtains that had just arrived at her house, which were the wrong color of yellow. I had to sit and politely, sympathetically, listen to her so that I could get to the point of asking her for a twenty-five-hundred-dollar contribution to my campaign."
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How much time do our elected representatives spend trying to collect money from wealthy people? Roughly 50 percent. One former congressman, Tom Perriello (D-VA), told reporter Ryan Grim at the Huffington Post that even that may be "low-balling the figure so as not to scare the new members too much."
This feverish fundraising begins even before a freshman gets sworn in. After former representative Walt Minnick, a conservative Democrat from Iowa, won his first election to Congress in 2008, he took just five days off before heading back to the phones. He needed to raise $10,000 to $15,000 a day because his district is considered competitive and he knew he would face a tough reelection. Many freshman members get right to the townhouse circuit before they even more into a Washington apartment.
The constant need for campaign cash not only greases the wheels in Congress for the well-financed special interests but also reduces the amount of time our legislators spend considering or crafting legislation.
Dan Glickman (D-KS) has seen it all, from all angles. He served in the House for eighteen years, representing the people of Wichita, Kansas, then headed the Department of Agriculture for six years, during Bill Clinton's presidency, then became head of the Motion Picture Association of America, Hollywood's lobbying and advocacy arm in D.C. According to Glickman,
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"The sad truth is that given the frenetic search for money in federal congressional elections, there simply isn't enough time in the day to stay competitive in campaign finance and do the actual job of policy making...I remember when I was first elected to Congress, I and many other House members would often go down to the floor of the House of Representatives and just listen to the debate. I may not have had an amendment to the bill or a particular interest in the issue but I always felt that watching policy discussions and witnessing the crafting of laws was an important part of my day. It gave me the chance to educate myself and interact with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. Today most lawmakers would tell you that any free moment not used raising dollars is time wasted."
This theme of members of Congress not being able to commit time to doing the increasingly complicated job of examining then deeply understanding legislation comes up over and over again. It's not just driving them nuts, it's also driving many of them out of office, and it's deterring good people from even thinking about running.
Senator George Voinovich, an Ohio Republican, left the U.S. Senate in 2010. At the press conference announcing his retirement, he said that it would be impossible to be an effective legislator while also meeting the fundraising demands of running for another term. "You can't do both of them," he said. "You're either going to do the job or you're going to be out there raising money."
Of course, not all the fundraising occurs in dreary call center cubicles and trade-association-owned townhouses in D.C. As the New York Times investigative reporter Eric Lipton chronicles in 2014, "destination events" have become all the rage. Republicans join lobbyists and business executives for spa weekends in Las Vegas and ski trips at the Four Seasons resort in Vail. Democrats join lobbyists and business executives on the Ritz-Carlton's private beach in Puerto Rico and on quail hunts in Georgia.
Such trips are often sponsored by political campaigns or political action committees, which are funded, in part, by...you guessed it: the lobbyists or corporate executives who are attending the festivities, and who have business interests they think the members of Congress might be able to help them with.
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As Lipton reported, among those attending a Vail event in January of 2014 were:
Representative Edward Whitfield, Republican of Kentucky, and Katie Ott, a lobbyist for PPL Corporation, the single biggest contributor to Mr. Whitfield. Mr. Whitfield is chairman of the Energy and Commerce subcommittee that regulates energy utilities, making him one of the most important players in Congress for the industry. Only days after the Vail trip, he introduced legislation that would allow utilities like PPL to build new coal-burning power plants, overriding environmental restrictions recently imposed by the Obama administration.
I've seen this before. I don't want to see what happens next happen again.
In 2008, then Senator Barack Obama won the White House on a platform of "Hope" and "Change" and of bringing forth a new revolution of a progressive identity for America that would persist. And then, in the aftermath of the passage of the Affordable Care Act, he lost the House and nearly lost the Senate (which would fall a few short years later).
In 2010, the loss of the House stalled the Progressive America Obama tried to achieve. It stalled because of the rise of the Tea Party, that's true. But it also stalled because of the fall of the Obama coalition. It stalled because too many of us became disenchanted and disillusioned. Imagine what we could have achieved had we shown up for that election.
Governing is an exercise in compromise and patience, and many members of the Obama coalition grew impatient of compromise and many of us didn't vote in 2010. The result was devastating to the progressive revolution. Voter turnout drops in non-presidential years, but given the groundswell of support Obama achieved in 2008, the drop-off in 2010 was dramatic - and it ushered in years of Republican rule at the state and federal levels.
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After Secretary Clinton's sweeping wins yesterday, it appears as though Senator Sanders will not be able to win the nomination. While this may revive those same feelings of disenchantment and disillusionment from six years ago in those of us who "feel the Bern," we cannot afford another 2010.
In 2010, Republicans picked up a net of six Governorships, five Senate seats, and sixty-three House seats. Given that it was a census year, that landslide meant the in the vast majority of states, Republicans were able to redraw their state legislative districts and congressional districts to their significant advantage. Having worked in the Ohio Statehouse for four years, I can personally vouch for the deleterious effect this had on debate, policy, and general decency.
Because of the Republican Wave, in Ohio (a state known for being a 50/50 swing state), our congressional delegation went from eight Republicans and ten Democrats after the 2008 election (it was eleven Republicans and seven Democrats before 2008) to twelve Republicans and four Democrats after redistricting (also reflecting the loss of two districts). And those numbers held steady, even as President Obama cruised to re-election in the Buckeye State in 2012. The revolution stalled because of structural forces, not ideological ones.
And here we are on the precipice of another monumental election. Especially after yesterday, unless something significant happens in Cleveland, the GOP will nominate a vapid, violent, xenophobic, troglodyte lunatic to represent its party in November. And as it stands now, the Democratic Party will likely nominate Secretary Clinton who twenty-five percent of Senator Sanders' supporters say they will not vote for. What then about the revolution? Will you give up or march on?
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What about the liberals running for the US Senate? What about the progressive candidates running for the House? What about those statewide officeholders and state senators and state representatives? What about your city council? After all, most of the laws that actually affect our daily lives are written at the state and local level. Will you carry the mantle and forge forward against the conservative forces who want to pull us down with their regressive policies? Or will you relent to the external forces of obfuscation or the internal cancer of apathy?
There are twelve Governorships in the balance in 2016. Control of the Senate rests upon this election too. The ideological balance of the Supreme Court lies in waiting as the US Senate continues to equivocate on Judge Garland's nomination.
If you truly believe the rise of Senator Sanders is to be a revolution, the loss of a singular election cannot extinguish it. The fire must burn hot enough to endure the setback of any one election in order for the movement to prevail for whatever future comes. Over the last six years we have borne witness to the consequences of giving up too soon.
We can change the system, if we work together towards a common progressive goal from building up leaders from the local, state, and federal level. The Sanders Revolution has a choice to either become a liberal Tea Party, uncompromising and rash, or part of the solution.
I believe the moral arc of our country's history continues to bend toward justice because the American Progressive pushes it to do so.
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Let's push together, not against each other.
Otherwise, Trump wins.
Local people continue to be impoverished by the World Bank's Kandadji Dam
On April 6, World Bank President Jim Kim addressed the Union Theological Seminary in New York on "The Principle of Mercy." During his presentation, Jim Kim mused extensively about his philosophical upbringing and his path from a public health activist to the head of a global financial institution. Staying true to his moral foundations, the World Bank President said, he was now using "the tools of the rich to serve the poor."
In a question from the floor, Jim Kim was challenged on the impacts of large dams as evidenced by the murder of Berta Caceres in Honduras. Kim called the murder an "incredibly tragic situation," and went on to present a strong defense of the World Bank's role in financing large dams. The President said:
"If we're going to Africa and saying, ok, no hydropower, no nuclear and no coal, but we want you to have power, it's not serious, you're not being serious. We're not doing coal and we're trying like crazy to go to solar, but what these people are saying is, 'We have a right to develop too.'"
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"Our commitment is to hear the voices of the Berta Caceres of the world - we have to hear these voices. And what we've now been able to do is to say, 'Okay, in this case, instead of coal we're going to do hydro, but we'll do hydro in a way that everyone is resettled in a situation that is as good as or better than the situation they lived in.'"
"The way I approach it is this: If we're doing something that is really, really bad and that is really offending or really taking livelihoods away, tell us what it is, we'll stop it and we'll try to make it right. Because you cannot do the work we're trying to do and not have some of these incidents happen. We just have to be honest about it when it happens, admit it and then try to fix it as best as we can."
The World Bank President deserves to be set straight on his comments in at least three ways:
First, hydropower is not the first or only alternative to coal. According to a new report by UNEP and Bloomberg Energy Finance, the world added 62 Gigawatt of wind energy, 56 Gigawatt of solar energy, and a mere 22 Gigawatt of large hydropower capacity in 2015. According to a study commissioned by International Rivers, two thirds of the countries studied in Sub-Saharan Africa could cover all their projected power needs by wind and solar energy alone.
In comparison, the World Bank is far behind the curve on renewable energy. In 2014, the Bank spent no less than 56% of its power sector lending on large hydropower projects. (It lent 30% of its power sector funds for wind, solar and geothermal projects, and 14% for oil and gas. We're still waiting for the respective figures for 2015.)
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Secondly, the mega-dams funded by the World Bank are not primarily serving the poor. The Inga 3 Dam on the Congo and the Batoka Gorge and Mphanda Nkuwa dams on the Zambezi are three multi-billion-dollar hydropower projects that the Bank is currently propagating. All three prioritize the electricity demands of the mining sector at the expense of poor Africans. Local communities in Africa are better served by wind, solar and micro-hydropower projects, which don't depend on a central grid. So why does the World Bank continue to neglect these solutions?
Finally, the World Bank has still not learned its lessons on resttlement, and the people displaced by its dams continue to be impoverished. The 5,000 people displaced by the Kandadji Dam on the Niger lack access to basic necessities such as drinking water, and the Bank is only now realizing that there is no sufficient land to resettle up to 60,000 more people whom the project will displace if it's completed. Stop this project, President Kim, and do right by the people you have already displaced!
"The moral foundations are clear," Jim Kim said during his presentation to the Theological Seminary. "What's now the evidence for resolving the problem?"
Save money with stack money coin for growing your business
Coauthored by Lisa Conyers
Programs that provide help to the poor appear benign. That so many working Americans willingly pay taxes to assist those less fortunate seems to be the very essence of decency and generosity.
Yet over the years we have increasingly come to see that welfare programs can actually harm those they are supposed to help. President Franklin Roosevelt, for example, referring to the many welfare programs operating during his administration, was clearly concerned about their effects: "Continued dependence upon relief induces a spiritual and moral disintegration," he said. "To dole out relief in this way is to administer a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit."
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Former Florida Congressman Steve Southerland addressed the same issue from a different angle. "Being dependent makes you more vulnerable," he said to a welfare recipient in a 2013 Washington Post interview. "I believe that if you are going to eat, you should bring something to the table. That can be volunteering. That can be delivering Meals on Wheels, but somehow you've got to contribute."
New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof made much the same point when he wrote in 2012 that "This is painful for a liberal to admit, but America's safety net can sometimes entangle people in a soul-crushing dependency." He had recently visited a number of welfare recipients in Jackson, Kentucky and was appalled to find that some parents were pulling their young children out of literacy classes so that their families would continue to qualify for "disability" welfare. "Moms and dads fear that if their kids learn to read, they are less likely to qualify for a monthly check for having a disability," he reported. "The kids get taken out of the program because the parents are going to lose the [Supplemental Security Income] check," a literacy program teacher told him. "It's heartbreaking."
Many other people believe that welfare has undermined families. African American economics professor Walter Williams puts it starkly, asserting that the welfare state has done "what even slavery couldn't do... and that is to destroy the black family."
How do people on welfare themselves feel about this? We recently interviewed more than 100 of them around the country, and learned that most welfare recipients hate the system. They hate being poor and they feel trapped, because the current system keeps them poor. When a welfare recipient's income reaches a certain threshold, for example, the funds are cut off -- creating a frightening "benefits cliff." As a result, welfare recipients are punished -- often severely -- for getting jobs. As one mother in Georgia put it, "The minute I do any work, they say, "Oh, no, no, no. Now we have to reduce your welfare because you made a little money." Today she's afraid to earn anything at all.
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In short, our welfare system ensures that work carries financial risk instead of financial reward -- something that goes against the very core of what most Americans believe, and against the things that make us feel valued as human beings. It is hard to see this as anything but morally wrong.
After the 1996 welfare reforms which required that beneficiaries work in order to participate, two studies examined what happened to the Subjective Well Being of single mothers. It rose after they entered the workforce. "These women experienced an increase in life satisfaction, greater optimism about the future, and more financial satisfaction," noted one researcher, "and the mothers' employment after welfare reform can plausibly explain the gains." The second study concluded that "It appears...that the package of welfare and tax policy changes [requiring work] increased happiness." Even relatively menial work, in seems, made these single mothers happier.
People have an innate need to accomplish things. Our sense of self-worth requires that we contribute to society, to our families, to others. On welfare people are deprived of this opportunity. Their pride and dignity are undermined.
Work is the antidote, but our welfare system is notably bad at encouraging work and getting people into jobs. Most welfare programs have no work or work training requirements. Only one program - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families - has any training or job-placement components and that program is small, using only 2 to 3 percent of the welfare budget.
One man on welfare in the Bronx pointed out that no jobs were posted at his welfare office. "Every time you go in to an appointment they should tell you about jobs, instead of food stamps and cash assistance," he said. And a welfare recipient we met in Colorado pleaded, "Don't keep us down." Reflecting the views of many welfare recipients, she said, "Give us programs that help us get back up."
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It is time to change our welfare system with such recipients in mind instead of supporting a lifestyle of dependency and penalizing those who have the courage to try to pull themselves out of it.
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PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 25: Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks during a rally at the Fitzgerald Field House on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh on April 25, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania will hold its primary election on April 26. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
Much of my family perished in the Holocaust, so I'm well aware of the danger of repeating the terrible mistake of spending more energy fighting against each other than fighting Hitler's fascist movement. While neither Trump nor Cruz are quite as explicitly genocidal as Hitler intended to be, and made clear in his writings and public talks, I can easily understand those in the Democratic Party today who want to be assured that Bernie Sander's supporters will support a moderate pro-Wall Street, pro-militarism, pro-Netanyahu, and pro-U.S. imperialism candidate like Hillary Clinton, since she, unlike Cruz or Trump, is still likely to support basic civil liberties and human rights for the people of the U.S. and unlikely to jail her critics or incite racism, sexism or homophobia in the U.S.
I'm sure, Bernie, understanding the history of the Holocaust, that you will endorse Hillary rather than allow yourself to be targeted as the cause of her failure to win the election in November, though if she does in fact fail it will be because she was unable to break out of her identification with a status quo that many people experience as deeply oppressive, and unable to overcome her well-earned reputation for being dishonest and unreliable (this latter I personally experienced in the short while in 1993 when Hillary invited me to the White House to discuss the "politics of meaning" I had developed and she had publicly endorsed, and the ensuing media feeding frenzy in which I was repeatedly mis-described as "Hillary's guru" or "the guru of the White House"--but the story of her perfidy with me is for another time). I don't blame you for going that route--the Democrats never blame their own defeats on something wrong or lacking in their approach, but almost always blame it on the evil of the other side and, as in the case of Ted Kennedy's run against Clinton in the 1980 primaries or Ralph Nader's run for the presidency in 2000 as a candidate of the Greens, on those who dare to run against their chosen candidate ("how dare they exercise their right to use democracy to put forward different ideas than ours," the establishment Democrats seem to be saying). You don't need to go down in their history as the person who caused Hillary to lose.
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But there is something you can do, and it's not to get a few planks put on the Democratic Platform that will immediately be ignored, as all the party platforms always are, immediately after their conventions are over.
What you can do is organize a force within the Democratic Party that has the same determination to change the direction of that party as the Tea Party had within the Republican Party. The Tea Party was able to totally shift the direction of the Republicans because they were willing to build local insurgencies against fellow Republicans whom they considered "too moderate," and because they had an easy to understand set of principles, like defunding government by reducing taxes. I'd like to call the Democratic Party version the "Love and Justice" movement, but since many Dems are afraid that talking about love will be perceived as too soft or new-agey, call it the Justice and Generosity movement (though Bernie, I believe you would have been far more successful in New York and many other state primaries had you linked your powerful economic and social justice critique of the status quo with a deeper critique of capitalism's ethos of selfishness and materialism, showing as I did in my 2006 national best-seller The Left Hand of God: Taking Back Our Country from the Religious Right) that it is precisely this intrinsic aspect of capitalism that undermines the family and loving relationships and creates a society filled with people who feel deep alienation, aloneness (even in their families) and despair because they find themselves surrounded by people who have internalized this "looking out for number one" and are only caring about themselves). So build an alternative, but let it be radical, not just a yearning for an updated version of the 1930s New Deal, but rather critiquing capitalism and seeking an alternative built on love, justice and environmental sustainability (see my article on what this might look like here).
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Bernie, this is the moment to launch that movement. It must be committed to putting forward its own candidates at every level for school boards and city councils to the state houses and state legislatures to the U.S. Congress and the 2020 presidential race. Building it now by calling upon all your supporters in states that already have had their primaries to dedicate their energies to creating state conventions of this new grouping in which they can build the movement now. Now the media will help build it, because you command that media attention. And you can then use any platform you wish to develop for it, and the further development of its national structure, as the focus of your delegates' assemblies at the Democratic National Convention, making it clear that this is NOT an effort to counter Hillary in this election, but to counter all those who would have opposed your agenda had you become President, something that at this moment seems highly unlikely. Once you get to that convention and are still seeming to want to steal Hillary's show, you will be seen as a sore loser. Instead, use this time before the convention to be building the movement that will take over the Democratic Party in 2018 and 2020 and you will be seen as powerful visionary. And doing so doesn't mean that you've given up on a last minute miracle at the convention that gives you the nomination, because you had started your campaign by saying that one of the goals of your campaign was to build such a movement, but till now you haven't given that goal much serious attention. We need you to do it, now, because when left to the activists alone the in-fighting, anti-hierarchy, anti-intellectualism, and anti-structure that have bedeviled the Left for the past forty years will reappear and make it impossible for such a movement to "spontaneously" arise. This is the gift you must give to the country, by using your influence now to create it.
Without that kind of movement, willing to work both within and, if necessary at times, outside the Democratic Party, willing to defeat Democrats in primaries or even to run against them in a general election, the status quo will continue: subservience to Wall Street and the policies favored by the 1% whose money shapes elections on the national and state levels, the false belief that terrorism can be defeated by our own brand of terror (war through drones), fossil fuels will continue to be extracted from the earth and accelerate global warming, millions of people languishing in our prisons (many for nonviolent crimes), social services (child care, health care, elder care, etc.) will continue to be sacrificed on the alter of "no new taxes," the economy will continue to depend on endless "growth" with devastating consequences for the life support system of the planet, the US will continue to have the most expensive and least successful health care and pharmaceuticals in the advanced industrial countries, the values of selfishness and materialism that are the "common sense of global capitalism will continue to pollute friendships and families causing psychic pain and family instability, and cynicism toward government and despair at the possibility of fundamental change will give new opportunities for racist, sexist, xenophobic and fascistic forces to gain public credibility. Pessimistic? No, this is exactly what happened in the past seven years of the Obama presidency, and it will only worsen unless there is some ongoing political movement capable not only of speaking to the economic pain so beautifully articulated by you, Bernie, but also capable of addressing the hidden psychic injuries of the globalization of selfishness that impact not only the poor but almost everyone in the society. Such a movement would be the only there would be a chance to keep Hillary from defecting back to her friends in the ruling elites of the society, should she be elected. But if you wait till after the election, the media will largely ignore it.
So Bernie, use this moment to mobilize your activists in states that have already had their primaries, and have that movement already happening before the Democratic convention in July. You just might find that some of those "super-delegates" have second thoughts if they realize that their jobs may be at stake when a Love and Justice Party emerges in their own home districts.
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Rabbi Michael Lerner is
editor of Tikkun magazine, the voice of progressive Jews and our interfaith and secular humanist allies,
chair of the interfaith and secular-humanist welcoming Network of Spiritual Progressives
author of 11 books including 'The Left Hand of God: Taking Back our Country from the Religious Right and Embracing Israel and Palestine'
The capital city of the modern world full of all the riches that the modern man craves is New York City. One of the most important aspect of New York City is its modern subway transportation system that is unique from the rest of the world. The Subway system is an infrastructure of great engineering feat and modern technology. Often times, people from the Indian Sub-continent refer to this great city as Lanka of demon King Ravana who had a city with streets made up of gold.
Youths like me, have grown up in New York City subway system able to run errands, going to several places in a single day without much expense or the hassle of driving. On the other hand, unlike many other states of New York, the subway system is also a shelter to many homeless people. This might be a little controversial fact to some people considering the image of the city in general, but it is also a unique aspect of the city.
When friends come over from other parts of the world, I take them around several major locations in the city like Wall Street, Statue of Liberty, Time Square, St. Patrick's Cathedral, etc. To the young folks trying to get richer, Wall Street is the dream location to get inspired about accumulating greater wealth. Europeans who come to visit New York will go to completely different places than the Asian tourists. Europeans might stay at a hotel in Manhattan and visit places like Times Square, Central Park, St. Patrick's Cathedrals and locations on 5th avenue. On the other hand, Asian tourists will prefer visiting spots like World Trade Center and Wall Street while staying around hotels in Queens's area dining out around Jackson Heights.
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Walking around the water and getting the sight of the city is one of the most extra-ordinary experiences one can get. The cold wind that blows across the park from the sea is an experience of a lifetime.
Other major places to visit in NYC are the major malls like Macy's in Midtown Manhattan, the Central Park and restaurants of different ethnicity. If you are a tourist in New York, you do not want to miss visiting the empire state building.
Many immigrants in America see America only as a source of cash to fulfill their desires. Because of this, they have missed out what America is all about. They limit themselves from their living apartment to the workplace and vice versa. They never take time to check out New York City or their own town either. They think of themselves as a poor immigrant who has come to make as much money as possible as quick as possible so that they can show it to their neighbors and friends.
This attitude keeps them separate from America and Americans, from themselves in generals just like majority Americans limit themselves to their sons, daughter, husband and wife. We need to forget thinking of ourselves as parochial, as this or that and broaden our view. We need to understand the essence of our own being where we are all separate from what we view ourselves as. We are the thread that contains the entire humanity, the universe, the planets, the galaxies and the solar system.
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Immigrants in America need to forget their parochial identity at least for a few days and live in America as free beings. In this manner, they will work, learn and live better than ever. They will in essence understand that America is no strange place for them.
Similarly, Americans could have far greater experience of humanity if they forgot that they were white/black skinned Americans and lived live as it comes. They would experience a world in many different ways. Richer experience will come to us only when we learn that we are not limited beings but beings of unlimited splendor.
Thus, for some the same New York City is a slum and a hell while for others it is their home. A homeless man experiences the city very differently than a millionaire next door. But, when he forgets that what he is truly is neither homeless nor a millionaire, he will see a very different reality.
For others like me, it is a platform to experience and learn new things, perceive new ideas and make new friends. When I forget that I am this or that, sometimes, I am a Nepali, other time I am Indian and another moment a Chinese. I forget myself and sometimes, I am a Hindu, another moment a Christian. This has enriched me with an experience that is priceless.
Himalaya (1999)
World renowned "Caravan" actor Thinley used to say Eric Valli had done a great service to Nepal by taking its identity to the international arena. When asked about the Nepali cinema industry, he used to say that unfair means won't succeed. If one can't succeed the first time, they can in second and third. French Director Eric Valli helped Caravan actor Thinley for his cancer treatment. "He did for me what my own parents didn't, he gave me an identity." " I am from one corner of the world while he is from another." He took me to France for the cancer treatment.
Caravan is a history in itself in the Nepali Cinema industry and the world market. The entire credit goes to actor Thinley and French director Eric Valli. It is a movie which even the youths debasing Nepalese work long to see. Actor Thinley and film Caravan will always remain. Just his natural acting without any formal training took Nepali film industry to the international market. This is a stepping stone for Nepali Movie Industry.
Thinley Lhondup and Director Eric Valli
Thinley Londup is not just a Nepali actor but also an individual active in the social welfare of Upper Dolpa region. He became famous via his lively acting in world renowned film called "Himalayan Caravan." Based on the lifestyle of Upper Dolpa, this French film was produced under Director Eric Valli.
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Born in Upper Dolpa, Thinley acted in few music videos. Before coming to the film industry, he was elected chairman of Saldang VDC working for people. He had been travelling across capital and Dolpa suffering from stomach cancer while making a residence at Dunai. On April 24, 2016, he died. Thinley's horse was hit by another horse while travelling from Dolpa's Dunai towards Chipka. While the horse had died at the spot, Thinley was alive. Few tourists noticed the incident and brought him down to Chipka. Thinley died at around 5 pm while on the way to Kathmandu for treatment.
His film Caravan was released in 1999. The film is based on the lifestyle of Dolpa district. This film is directed by French Director Eric Valli has won many prestigious awards immediately after its release. Besides, this film has been dubbed in many different languages in different nations like Nepal, Dolpa and Germany.
The film has been nominated among the excellent films at 72nd Oscar in foreign language. This is the only Nepali film nominated at Oscar.
There are thousands of stories pertaining to Nepalese society that have great opportunity to go into the international market in the form of films. The best example of this fact is none other than "Caravan." Dolpa's local story became a household song in the global arena making Nepal famous in the world.
Nepalese films do not seem to be improving in any manner. It's really hard to find a unique Nepali film because of various exploitation, low-class stories and duplication of Hindi cinemas.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbeeEo09A5A
Sa Karnali - Official Music Video
Supporters of Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders cheer during his five state primary night rally in Huntington, West Virginia, U.S., April 26, 2016. REUTERS/Marcus Constantino
As a Hillary supporter, I think Bernie Sanders has been a delight to watch. In my opinion, he has been one of the best things to have happened to U.S. election process in the recent years. He has captivated the imaginations of millions, galvanized those who seldom vote and has propelled a left-wing agenda into the national discourse. These are by no stretch of the imagination small achievements.
Today, because of his campaign, universal health care, affordable education and the need to curb the power of Wall Street have become election issues. He has actually forced Hillary to move towards the left, a position where many Democrats think she should have been in the first place. On top of it, he has induced passion for politics in the younger voters, which in long term would be extremely beneficial for the U.S. society as a whole.
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However, as the race enters its final stretch, it is becoming clear that mathematically it is not possible for him to clinch the nomination. Although he has narrowed the gap considerably in national polls, Hillary Clinton is way ahead in total number of delegates, a lead which widened after her victories on April 26. At this moment, in my opinion Bernie Sanders should withdraw and pledge his unconditional support to the Democratic frontrunner. Persisting in the race, will only create difficulties for Hillary Clinton and will undermine the Democratic Party who need to now focus on the presidential contest.
It is becoming clearer that Trump will be the eventual nominee on the Republican side. The way he has run his entire campaign based on sexism, xenophobia and racism makes his defeat extremely important. A Trump win will spell disaster for U.S. image abroad and will undermine the very values which underpin its claim to be a great country.
There is a slight chance (as some people claim) that Trump's campaign was mere election rhetoric and once he becomes the president he will behave differently and in a more mature and statesmanlike manner. However, even if after becoming president, Trump behaves differently (which by the way is a strong assumption) his election is still an endorsement of the hate filled style of campaigning. His success will signal mainstreaming of the bigotry and will set a dangerous precedent for future. It is for these very reasons that defeating him becomes important.
This election will be the most important election of our lifetime and will determine the future trajectory of not only the U.S. but the entire globe. Considering what is at stake, it is extremely important for Bernie Sanders to come behind Hillary and to reorient the energy and passion of his millions of followers towards her.
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His supporters should also realize that although their preferred candidate is not going to be the nominee, he still has impacted the race and in fact the entire discourse in an extraordinary way. It should be remembered that Hillary is the person who is much more likely to fulfill ( at least partially) many of the visions which Sanders presented. If Trump gets elected, none of the things on which Sanders ran are likely to be implemented. In fact Trump will be the very anti thesis of Sanders.
The WHO has issued a yellow fever warning over an outbreak emerging from Angola that has killed 258 people and resulted in 1,975 suspected cases since December. The global health community needs more doses of the yellow fever vaccine, both to address the current epidemic and for regular preventative vaccination programs. But stepping up production is easier said than done for the four facilities that manufacture the vaccine. Leo Visser conducts yellow fever vaccine research at the Leiden University Medical Centre. We asked him to explain the limits production facilities face and offer suggestions for alleviating the shortage.
What is the state of the yellow fever outbreak in Angola?
Leo Visser: The outbreak in Angola started in the capital city Luanda in December, and although the number of cases seem to be going down in Luanda, the outbreak has spread to 16 out of Angola's 18 provinces. The WHO is particularly concerned about the situation in Angola, because of the risk the disease will cross the country's borders and spread internationally. Several cases have already been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which borders an affected Angolan province. This is a particularly worrying situation, since the risk of the outbreak spreading to urban areas in Africa is higher than ever. Many large West-African cities are especially at risk because they have high densities of both non-immune populations and Aedes aegyptii mosquitoes.
How did there come to be a worldwide vaccine shortage?
Visser: According to a 2015 UNICEF report, the forecasted demand for the yellow fever vaccine for preventive campaigns exceeds current availability by 42 percent. The limited global production capacity can hardly meet the demand because routine immunization programs, preventive mass vaccination campaigns, and emergency response stockpiling are all becoming more prevalent. Emergency stockpiles in Angola are completely depleted, and the WHO is negotiating for shipments of vaccines for routine vaccination programs to be diverted in order to replenish these stockpiles.
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How is the yellow fever vaccine made?
Visser: Currently, the yellow fever vaccine is produced by four manufacturers. The bulk production of the yellow fever strain used in vaccines (YFV-17D) depends on a sufficient supply of specific pathogen-free eggs with primary chick embryos. The seven- to nine-day-old chick embryos in these eggs are infected with the virus, it's allowed to incubate for three to four days, and then the infected embryos are harvested under aseptic conditions. A process involving homogenization and centrifugation produces a surface liquid that is then diluted, mixed with stabilizers, and preserved for use in vaccines. Each embryo can produce 100-300 vaccine doses. Because the eggs used in the process must come from special pathogen-free chicken flocks, their availability is limited, making it difficult to rapidly scale up vaccine production.
Has the price of vaccines risen significantly? How do you see that developing?
Visser: The weighted average price per dose of the yellow fever vaccine, as recorded by UNICEF, has increased by 30 percent per year on average since 2000, when a dose cost $0.20. By 2014, a single dose cost $0.98.
What can be done to prevent shortages like the current one? Do you see this outbreak impacting future approaches to vaccine production?
Visser: One possibility is to vaccinate more people with the same vaccine stockpile. Vaccination with a fractional dose (1/5 of the typical dose) has been shown to protect against yellow fever just as well. With proper investment, the production of the yellow fever could be scaled up further. This of course would help as well.
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There's been increasing interest in automated vaccine production. Would that be an option for the yellow fever vaccine?
Visser: The use of cell cultures to produce a yellow fever vaccine would eliminate the need for specific pathogen-free eggs. An inactivated yellow fever vaccine, grown on Vero cells rather than in eggs, has been developed and shown to be effective in a phase-1 study. However, it hasn't yet been commercialized.
Beyond the vaccine shortage, are there other obstacles to controlling the outbreak?
Visser: As with the Zika outbreak in the Americas, the high density of the vector Aedes aegyptii in the affected area contributes to the high risk of transmission. Because of this, travelers should only be allowed to leave or enter Angola if they have been adequately immunized against yellow fever.
Over the next weeks, Congress will make critical decisions impacting 3.5 million American citizens -- the people of Puerto Rico.
Mired in more than $70 billion in debt, Puerto Rico is cutting education, health care and law enforcement funding to pay its creditors. According to the religious development coalition Jubilee USA, nearly 60% of Puerto Rico's children live in poverty and 80% live in "high-poverty areas," compared to just 11% on the US mainland. The only children's hospital on the island cut its budget 14%. The debt is simply not payable but without Congressional intervention, Puerto Rico is stuck in no-man's land - unable to access bankruptcy protection because it isn't a state and unable to get emergency loans from the IMF or World Bank because it isn't a country.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus declares He has come to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, a reference to the Jubilee of the Hebrew Scriptures, a fifty-year cycle of debt forgiveness and liberation. In the Jubilee we see the Good News proclaimed in our economy, that God endowed us with a world of plenty to share with all of His children. Puerto Rico's crisis cries out for Jubilee. For solutions that lift up vulnerable families and children, that create holistic answers to problems rather than band-aids that will need to be re-applied every few years. The need for a Jubilee for Puerto Rico is dire.
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Nine Puerto Ricans leave the island every hour in search of a better life on the U.S. mainland. And one doctor leaves every day. They come to Florida, New York and Illinois, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. They leave behind brothers and sisters, husbands, wives, children, fathers, mothers and friends. Puerto Rico's population declined by 10% over the past decade. The debt crisis is tearing Puerto Rico's communities apart.
And yet faced with this catastrophe, Congress is blinking. Its members are being bombarded by misleading advertisements labeling any legislative solution "a bailout." Speaker Paul Ryan wanted legislation by March 31. Now the solution may drag into May, when Puerto Rico will miss another debt payment and slide further into the abyss. The next two weeks are critical. The Hispanic evangelicals of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition urge action now. Inaction will seep millions into deeper despair.
There are two important ways we can help.
1. Puerto Rico's religious community and religious leaders have been heroic in their efforts to end this crisis. Led by San Juan Archbishop Roberto Gonzalez Nieves and Bible Society head Reverend Heriberto Martinez Rivera, the leaders are asking us to pray with them for Congress. You can sign up to pray and get involved here.
Here's what can happen to your teeth and gums if you've missed routine dental checkups during COVID and what you can do about it.
After his mostly predictable loss Tuesday, in Pennsylvania (32 net loss of delegates, with 8% spread), Delaware (3 and 20%), Maryland (29 and 30%), Connecticut (3 and 5%), with Sanders winning only Rhode Island (+2 and 12%), the Sanders campaign issued a statement which said it "is going to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia ... to fight for a progressive party platform."
Excuse me, but did anyone who has voted for or contributed to Bernie Sanders asked him to change the Democratic Party Platform? Or is this just more evidence of the perverse incompetence of "[t]he Democratic apparatchiks who run Bernie's campaign"? Jane Sanders typically makes more sense than the well-paid Sanders campaign advisors. After running a losing campaign that they should be winning, do these apparatchiks really believe that millennials can be diverted to a project of rewriting the Democratic Party Platform as their consolation prize for a failed political revolution intended to change the corrupt political process?
A google search does not find much interest in the subject of the Democratic Party Platform except from, of course, the Democratic Party. The Democratic Platform is a piece of advertising copy. For anyone to express concern about the Platform would be to suggest that they think the Platform has some relevance to what Democrats actually do. Sanders, of all people, should know better.
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The Platform has at best only a coincidental relationship with what Democrats do. The Democratic Party, with Obama as Exhibit A, is the party that lies about what it will do, while Republicans tend to lie about what the effects will be of what they do. Therefore, like almost any statement that Obama makes, a platform would be a better guide to what Democrats will not do. If Democrats like Obama can betray campaign promises with impunity, for example about changing "business as usual in Washington," what additional value can a Platform have, which no actual politician even promises to support? If there is no relief against a politician that betrays personally-made campaign promises, who is a voter supposed to complain to when incumbent Democrats vote the opposite of what their party platform says that stand for?
There is no "Platform Court" where a case can be brought for breach of Platform. It is an entirely useless document for purposes of making political change in this systemically corrupt era. Maybe in some bygone era a platform had some significance. Now it is a symbol of the incompetence of the campaign that it would waste political capital on changing the Democratic Platform.
The concerns one does see among progressives are those who want Sanders to change the democratic process, people musing about or advocating a third party run, raising issues about or charging election fraud on the evidence of consistent exit poll disparities in New York and elsewhere, as well as evidence of other "screwups" in a broken New York election system which is also the most closed primary. Sanders' four losses on April 26 were also closed primaries, and his win was a mostly open primary.
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There is opposition to closed primaries, and more generally a privatized and corrupt election run-off process in both parties. Sanders himself did finally grumble about the New York process, including exclusion of "some three million New Yorkers unable to vote" because they were independents in a closed primary process. But when asked the follow up question whether, after New York, he was "planning to change anything about your campaign," a campaign which has sadly failed to mount an effective attack on such closed primaries, and other corrupt primary processes, Sanders said "no." He is sticking with his "message," his strategy-free menu of policy issues.
By failing to complain about the New York closed primary system before he lost four more closed primaries he no doubt should have otherwise won, he missed an opportunity to focus on the need for rule changes. Instead he maintained the false bravado that "we look forward to doing very well" in those four closed primaries ahead.
Most supporters understand that "it is the process itself that is the problem .... the shared monopoly that corporate oligarchs control with their phony two-party system." What could have a solid impact on that process is reform of the Party rules that now allow:
1) conflicts of interest by superdelegates and party committee members,
2) unlimited money in politics to support primary candidates,
3) delegations from states with corrupt and broken elections to count equally with those selected by fairly run elections or caucuses,
4) closed primaries, which exclude independent voters and punish insurgent candidates, to count equally with open primaries,
5) rotten borough red states, which will predictably have no bearing on a Democratic Party electoral college victory, to count equally with the core blue state coalition required to win.
These are the kind of process problems that keeps the Democratic Party a plutocratic party from which a Hillary Clinton can emerge a victor although she has large net negative ratings with the electorate. The duopoly can be broken up by either changing the rules of at least one party so as to be democratic. Or in theory, according to some people, it could be done by the perennially enticing prospect of a third party strategy which has never succeeded in all of American history. (The myth that the Republican Party was a third party when it won in 1860 is belied by the fact that the Republican Party was already a solid second party in its first contested national election in 1856, in which the third party Know-Nothings got less than a tenth of the Republican's electoral votes).
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In any event, editing the advertising copy of Party Platforms, one way or the other, can have no impact on such processes that keep the party under the control of plutocrats. Changes in the process requires change of the party rules which has nothing to do with the Party Platform. The Platform is intended to offer up policy wish lists that Sanders himself has clearly stated can never be achieved until the corrupt plutocratic process is changed, change that should start with the Democratic Party primary nomination rules.
Here is what the Democratic Platform says about Sanders' priority issue: "We support campaign finance reform, by constitutional amendment if necessary. We support legislation to close loopholes and require greater disclosure of campaign spending.... We support requiring groups trying to influence elections to reveal their donors so the public will know who's funding the political ads it sees. President Obama and the Democrats are fighting to reduce the influence of money in politics, and holding Congress to higher conflict-of-interest standards."
It would take a separate article to deconstruct the Democratic scam of supporting "campaign finance reform, by constitutional amendment," which being neither necessary nor sufficient to the task serves as an neverending diversion from effective strategies. But just since the time this 2012 platform language was adopted, a majority of Democrats, and Obama, as could be predicted, have done just the opposite of each other of these "promises."
When Obama and a majority of Senate Democrats had a chance to vote against legislation that clearly legalized more money in politics, they instead voted for it. When Obama had an opportunity at the stroke of his pen "to close loopholes and require greater disclosure of campaign spending" he adamantly refused to require disclosure of independent expenditures by corporate government contractors. He also refused to appoint SEC, FEC and IRS regulators who would enforce such disclosure requirements on these corporations and others so that "the public will know who's funding the political ads it sees." When Obama got tired of being lobbied to exercise his regulatory powers, he instead signed legislation revoking all those powers in 2015.
As one humorist wrote, referring to Sanders' "campaign contributions in "bundles" of $20 ... [Clinton's] lead among superdelegates (who says money doesn't buy happiness?) is 502 to 38. Case closed, unless some of them want to be paid off again, this time with $20 bills." But Sanders has yet to call for applying those "higher conflict-of-interest standards" by which the Democratic Party Platform promise to prohibit such payoffs within - perish the thought - the Democratic Party itself, especially its committees and its superdelegates. That would be too easy a solution for Democrats compared with their constitutional amendment scam.
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Since he never expected to come this far, Sanders seems to think it is his campaign that gets credit for his doing unexpectedly well. Sanders seems to equate the power of the self-organizing millennials who accept his message and provide his margin of victory with that of his own campaign staff, which consistently makes fatal blunders. Sanders thus wrongly thinks his campaign rather than millennials, is the reason "we have come a long way." It is his campaign organization, originally designed on the premise he could not win "in a million years," that should receive the blame if "we" fail to make it all the way.
The campaign's incompetence has started to attract some polite attention. Nathan Riley "a veteran of numerous New York State Campaigns" gently 1) "cast doubt over the campaign's feel good advertising strategy that ... didn't provide information on why the Bern was making serious policy proposals. Issue oriented ads might have had a greater impact." It was the campaign's responsibility to provide the evidence that there was detailed content behind the slogans Sanders used in his speeches and debates. Charges by Clinton and others that the slogans were empty of content were not adequately answered by the campaign. Polls showed from the beginning that people feel good about Sanders once they get to know him. That was never the problem. But his campaign chose to design ads for Clinton's problem, that people do not feel good about her, instead of Sanders' problem that people thought he might be making empty promises as Clinton's people alleged.
Riley also pointed out that a "missing link in the campaign is a cadre of experts explaining the commonsense of the Senator's proposals" Riley targets both generally the lack of expert economists with the Sanders' campaign, and specifically his own issue that: "Belatedly Sanders started talking about the drug war, but his understanding of the issue seems primitive. He shows little understanding of the links to crime and gun control." Again this shows a deficient campaign. I can confirm Riley's point. I was similarly unable to locate in the campaign any expertise on Sanders' primary issue of money in politics and how to solve the plutocracy problem.
Implying that the Sanders campaign already has dropped the ball, Riley exhorts progressives, "we shouldn't drop the ball," suggesting that progressives need to go forward independent of the campaign that he criticizes.
This writer has also criticized the campaign (not Sanders himself - he is understandably busy doing what he does best). Good campaign strategy requires a campaign capable of creating strategy and the Sanders campaign has never demonstrated that capacity, among other things it 1) does not have a strategy to attract black women voters 2) does not have a strategy to get the progressive judge on the court needed to overthrow the money is speech cases - the key goal of the campaign, 3) does not have a capacity to communicate a depth of knowledge to convince voters that Sanders' proposals are realistic, 4) does not have a campaign to reform the DNC rules which could ultimately be the decisive factor in the nominations, and 5) has failed to show up with effective organizing on the ground.
The two leading issues on which the campaign's strategy is missing are:
1) Advising President Obama to make a recess appointment of a progressive black woman Supreme Court Justice, rather than nominating a conventional plutocrat who would undermine the best strategy to achieve the key reform of Sanders' revolution, changing the Supreme Court's bizarre interpretation that money is speech.
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2) Instead of waiting until he loses to start trying to reform the Democratic Party's undemocratic primary process, if ever, the campaign needed to start fighting for reform of the rules from the beginning, making such change an original purpose of the campaign so it would not sound like sour grapes at the end of the campaign, or even hindsight proving a lack of preparation, knowledge or competence.
The most glaring defect of the campaign that contributed to nearly every primary loss is its failure to cut through superficial identity politics to connect with blacks, particularly black women voters. Sanders needed to act effectively, not just talk. Scalia's death provided a timely opportunity for such action. Sanders could have used his Senatorial power to advise and consent to try to prevent or reject Obama's ultimate nomination of a plutocrat to the vacant Supreme Court seat. Sanders could have, but never did, insist that this seat should be occupied by a progressive black woman who he designated. Instead we now have on the $20 bill the symbolism of a Harriet Tubman, whose power is safely frozen in the past, but not the reality of a comparably radical black woman on the Supreme Court whose power could help solve the crisis of democracy today.
How do we tackle today's diverse human rights abuses?
That answer is, of course, complex. The violence splashed across today's papers and the devastating reality of everyday life for millions is not easily explained or solved. It's an output of systemic misunderstandings, rooted in cultural rifts that extend back generations and generations. The reasons are myriad, the results atrocious and the answers, by most accounts, seemingly unattainable.
But despite untold human loss and humanitarian violations, we have hope. We maintain hope, because we know that everywhere people commit atrocities, there are also people working to stem the tide of human suffering and save lives.
We can each personally attest to this fact. One hundred and one years ago, our Armenian ancestors suffered the first modern genocide. Millions were massacred, families were torn apart and an entire cultural identity was nearly lost. But from this carnage emerged stories of astonishing human resilience and bravery.
It is our job to tell these stories.
We must remember the past injustices and recognize current suffering, but we believe even greater change will arise from memorializing and celebrating awe-inspiring acts of human courage.
Last year, we launched 100 LIVES to give the day we commemorate as the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide greater meaning. We launched 100 LIVES to remember those who perished, but more importantly, to honor and support those who fought back.
100 LIVES tells the stories of astonishing and perilous acts of human courage that made our own lives possible. It pays tribute to individuals like Bedros and Nerses Afeyan, who escaped death on several separate occasions and still continued to risk their own lives for the Armenian nation by helping clerics, educators, writers and doctors escape persecution. And to the Norwegian missionary, Bodil Bioern, who sheltered hundreds of Armenian children--even endangering herself to save them when her orphanage was set on fire.
Stories like these transcend rhetoric and remind us of the responsibility we all have to the human race. Fortunately, there are many more similar stories. So, as we recognize those who fought to preserve our cultural identity, we also recognize the humanitarians of the world's current struggles.
This weekend, we awarded the first-ever Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, a global humanitarian award to be given annually to people who put themselves at risk for others. We narrowed down a field of truly inspiring individuals to four finalists--four people who embody the spirit of our Armenian ancestors and stand testament to human resilience.
All four finalists--Marguerite Barankitse, from Maison Shalom and REMA Hospital in Burundi; Dr. Tom Catena, from Mother of Mercy Hospital in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan; Syeda Ghulam Fatima, the General Secretary of the Bonded Labor Liberation Front in Pakistan; and Father Bernard Kinvi, a Catholic priest in Bossemptele in the Central African Republic--were recognized for their selfless acts of determination and compassion.
In front of the more than 400 distinguished guests who attended Sunday's ceremony, Marguerite was ultimately named the Aurora Prize Laureate--and deservedly so for her remarkable work saving 30,000 children and opening a hospital which has treated more than 80,000 patients to date. Yet we applaud all of the finalists equally for their courage to fight injustice and violence perpetrated against the most vulnerable in their societies.
By honoring these individuals, we envision the Aurora Prize as a pathway for future altruism--a means of supporting ongoing humanitarianism by funding and nurturing self-sacrifice. We hope each year the Prize will make a real difference to the causes that motivate people to risk their health, liberty or livelihood, and will inspire a generation to fight for others to survive and thrive.
President Barack Obama's recent -- and most probably the last -- visit to Europe was a failure. It could have turned the tide of declining relationship but ended up as a lackluster goodbye toast. Multiple acts of terrorism in France and Belgium -- and their intrinsic connection with the Syrian inferno -- have threatened the very existence of the European Union. Obama's effort to stall the disintegration and urging the Brits to stay within the Union may not work. His new-found love for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and wooing of the German chancellor Angela Merkel may also fall flat in the long run. Obama played a key role in fomenting the European crisis by jettisoning the time-tested strategic partnership at a time of great need.
Fissures appeared between the US and the EU during the Crimean crisis. Insurgency in eastern Ukraine dealt another blow. Still, there was at least a semblance of uniformity of opinion. The refugee crisis triggered by the Syrian civil war emerged as the ultimate test for the relationship. Obama made his intentions clear by accepting only 2,500 of the millions of refugees who were pouring into Europe. His largely indifferent stance to the atrocities committed by Assad and his allies was another bone of contention. Rise of the Islamic State and its direct fallout on European security decimated whatever was left of the goodwill between the two power blocs.
Obama has "lost Europe" by adopting a hazy policy towards its old friends, if one is to believe the analysis of Simon Tisdall. Many were offended by his direct plea to the Brits to stay in the EU. Some even called him arrogant. Obama landed in Germany amid massive protests against the signing of the TTIP deal. Opponents failed to deter Merkel from stamping the agreement but the ruckus reflected an unusual resentment towards an old friend.
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There is a growing concern among some Europeans about the rekindling of the Cold War era hostilities. Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev also echoed the concerns earlier this year, albeit from a position of authority as compared to Europe's vulnerability. Russia is trying to undermine European solidarity to advance its expansionist agenda. US intelligence agencies are also said to be looking into the alleged funding of centrifugal forces in Europe by Moscow. Still, the US has not taken any concrete steps to allay the fears of its European allies. Leaving them at their own devices seems to be the mantra.
Last month, Arizona state police arrested Jacinta Gonzalez, a Latina activist, for participating in a Phoenix-area highway blockade held in protest of a Trump rally. Despite Gonzalez being a U.S. citizen, Arizona police took her to immigration authorities. Gonzalez is far from alone in being a Latina feeling the heat from authorities in an election year.
Local police, like all of us, are affected by what is happening on national news. And non-stop anti-immigrant rhetoric is coming 24/7 at times from some right-wing presidential candidates, including front-runners Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. I am a Latina immigrant, originally from Peru, and I grew up in an immigrant neighborhood near New York City. This rhetoric has had a disastrous effect on communities such as mine.
Immigration "reform" has been one of the hottest buttons of this year's presidential election: Trump, if elected, for instance, wants to build a wall on the Mexican-American border. The second most popular Republican candidate, and Trump's main competitor for the Republican nomination as of now, Cruz, has also proposed his share of anti-immigrant legislation: indeed, in 2015 Cruz sponsored what is the most dangerous "immigration reform" legislation before Congress.
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The bill, "Establishing Mandatory Minimums for Illegal Reentry Act of 2015", is also known as "Kate's Law." If passed, "Kate's Law" would impose a mandatory five-year minimum sentence on aliens who illegally reenter the country.
The legislation was named after Kate Steinle, a thirty-two-year-old woman who was inadvertently killed by an undocumented Mexican immigrant, Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, on a San Francisco pier in July of 2015.
According to the ballistics expert who testified in the preliminary court hearing, in August 2015 in San-Francisco courts, Lopez-Sanchez' gun was pointed towards the ground. He shot the gun-foolishly enough, trying to shoot seals-and the bullet ricocheted off the pavement, fatally wounding nearby Kate Steinle. Lopez-Sanchez, admittedly is a terrible representative of any group of people; he had been deported on five separate occasions previously, and immigration authorities had wanted him for a sixth deportation.
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Since Lopez-Sanchez was already an undocumented felon, this tragic event sparked a national debate which questioned the wisdom of the country's current immigration systems. In order to garner support for this bill, Republicans like Cruz have used stories such as this rare and odd example of Lopez-Sanchez' terrible behavior to paint all Latino immigrants - who are overwhelmingly law-abiding people - as reckless potential law-breakers.
This hate rhetoric is especially dangerous because the public perception of crime and immigration does not align with reality. According to Rasmussen Reports, fifty-three percent of voters believe that illegal immigration increases the levels of serious crime in America. But the facts run contrary to this myth: the American Immigration Council reports that immigrants are actually less likely to be criminals than are the native-born, and that higher immigration is actually associated with lower crime rates.
It is especially unfair to paint undocumented immigrants as likely criminals when we take into consideration some of the reasons why immigrants come to the United States in the first place. Many immigrants who cross the border are doing so in order to escape political instability, gang violence, and poor economies back in their home countries. These are people who are self-selecting to raise families in a peaceful, stable place.
Yes, entering the U.S. illegally is technically a crime. But there is a double standard for giving immigrants legal status as political refugees. Many groups who are fleeing violence, such as Syrian migrants, are securing refugee status; but Mexicans and other Central Americans are usually not legally considered "refugees" even though they are fleeing similar conflicts. There seems to be little clear justification for this double standard.
Few of us would wait for the United States to process a visa over the course of many years, if our families just over the border were in continual danger. One might ask, why can't Latino immigrants all just go through the process of securing citizenship? But few understand that applying for permanent residence and citizenship is a timely, expensive and arduous process, and it is out of reach for those who suffer the most economically. Sometimes, decent people feel that there is little other option for them but to live, at least for a while, under the radar.
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But "Kate's Law" addresses what is really a bureaucratic problem with a nuclear bomb. Sections of "Kate's Law" actually create stricter punishments, a legal double standard, for all undocumented immigrants. In fact, as you can see from page 3 on BillCam, the bill gives people without papers much harsher sentences for the same offense than someone with papers would receive. Surely this violates the section of the 14th Amendment that ensures due process of law for all persons, regardless of immigration status.
Additionally, critics of "Kate's Law"; point out that this bill is extremely expensive for taxpayers. Since "Kate's Law" increases mandatory minimum sentences for immigrants re-entering the country, the US Sentencing Commission estimates that, if it passes, the prison population will increase by 57,000 prisoners. That is a whopping 25% increase.
That organization also estimates that this would bring up the Federal annual prison budget from seven billion dollars to nine billion dollars to account for housing these new (not-really) criminal prisoners.
A two billion dollar annual increase in incarceration funding is a disproportionate response to a single death, however sad that event that was.
Alex Nowrasteh, an immigration policy analyst at the Cato Institute's Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, states:
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"If policies should change, it should not be in reaction to a single tragic murder. It should be in response to careful research on whether immigrants actually boost the U.S. crime rates."
This is exactly what "Kate's Law" ignores: real research.
"Kate's Law" benefits Cruz's campaign, despite being unnecessarily damaging to taxpayers and appallingly unjust to immigrants. But is it really fair to allow an irrational fear of immigrants to dictate whether we choose to criminalize the entire population? This racist overgeneralization based on one very bad apple is unjust to America's Latino population. Supporters of this bad bill--including the infamous Bill O'Reilly--should consider how substantial Latino voters have become as a bloc, and for this reason as well as moral reasons, rethink their truly un-American advocacy.
By Melissa Dahl
It is something of a cliche among runners, how the activity never fails to clear your head. Does some creative block have you feeling stuck? Go for a run. Are you deliberating between one of two potentially life-altering decisions? Go for a run. Are you feeling mildly mad, sad, or even just vaguely meh? Go for a run, go for a run, go for a run.Related: How Running and Meditation Change the Brains of the DepressedThe author Joyce Carol Oates once wrote in a column for the New York Times that "in running the mind flees with the body ... in rhythm with our feet and the swinging of our arms." Filmmaker Casey Neistat told Runner's World last fall that running is sometimes the only thing that gives him clarity of mind. "Every major decision I've made in the last eight years has been prefaced by a run," he told the magazine. But I maybe like the way a runner named Monte Davis phrased it best, as quoted in the 1976 book The Joy of Running: "It's hard to run and feel sorry for yourself at the same time," he said. "Also, there are those hours of clear-headedness that follow a long run."
A good run can sometimes make you feel like a brand-new person. And, in a way, that feeling may be literally true. About three decades of research in neuroscience have identified a robust link between aerobic exercise and subsequent cognitive clarity, and to many in this field the most exciting recent finding in this area is that of neurogenesis. Not so many years ago, the brightest minds in neuroscience thought that our brains got a set amount of neurons, and that by adulthood, no new neurons would be birthed. But this turned out not to be true. Studies in animal models have shown that new neurons are produced in the brain throughout the lifespan, and, so far, only one activity is known to trigger the birth of those new neurons: vigorous aerobic exercise, said Karen Postal, president of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology. "That's it," she said. "That's the only trigger that we know about."
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The other fascinating thing here is where these new cells pop up: in the hippocampus, a region of the brain associated with learning and memory. So this could help explain, at least partially, why so many studies have identified a link between aerobic exercise and improvement in memory. "If you are exercising so that you sweat -- about 30 to 40 minutes -- new brain cells are being born," added Postal, who herself is a runner. "And it just happens to be in that memory area."
Other post-run changes have been recorded in the brain's frontal lobe, with increased activity seen in this region after people adopt a long-term habit of physical activity. This area of the brain -- sometimes called the frontal executive network system -- is located, obviously enough, at the very front: It's right behind your forehead. After about 30 to 40 minutes of a vigorous aerobic workout - enough to make you sweat - studies have recorded increased blood flow to this region, which, incidentally, is associated with many of the attributes we associate with "clear thinking": planning ahead, focus and concentration, goal-setting, time management.
But it's this area that's also been linked to emotion regulation, which may help explain the results of one recent study conducted by Harvard psychology professor Emily E. Bernstein. Like Postal, Bernstein is also a runner, and was curious about a pattern she saw in her own mind after a run. "I notice in myself that I just feel better when I'm active," she said. She started to become really interested in the intervention studies that have popped up in recent years that suggest if you can get people who are having trouble with mood or anxiety to exercise, it helps. "But why?" she wanted to know. "What is exercise actually doing?"
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To find out, she did a version of a classic experiment among researchers who study emotion: She and her colleague -- Richard J. McNally, also of Harvard -- played a reliable tearjerker of a clip: the final scene of the 1979 film The Champ. Here, why don't you watch it for yourself and try not to cry:
Before watching the film clip, some of the 80 participants were made to jog for 30 minutes; others just stretched for the same amount of time. Afterward, all of them filled out surveys to indicate how bummed out the film had made them. Bernstein kept them busy for about 15 minutes after that, and surveyed them again about how they were feeling. Those who'd done the 30-minute run were more likely to have recovered from the emotional gut-punch than those who'd just stretched -- and, her results showed, the people who'd initially felt worse seemed to especially benefit from the run. Bernstein is currently doing a few follow-up research projects to determine exactly why this works the way it does. (In the meantime, it helps prove my poor boyfriend right, who, when I am not acting very nicely toward him, will often patiently ask me, "Hey, have you been on a run yet today?")
But there's another big mental benefit to gain from running, one that scientists haven't quiet yet managed to pin down to poke at and study: the wonderful way your mind drifts here and there as the miles go by. Mindfulness, or being here now, is a wonderful thing, and there is a seemingly ever-growing stack of scientific evidence showing the good it can bring to your life. And yet mindlessness -- daydreaming, or getting lost in your own weird thoughts -- is important, too. Consider, for example, this argument, taken from a 2013 article by a trio of psychologists in the journal Frontiers in Psychology:
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We mind wander, by choice or by accident, because it produces tangible reward when measured against goals and aspirations that are personally meaningful. Having to reread a line of text three times because our attention has drifted away matters very little if that attention shift has allowed us to access a key insight, a precious memory or make sense of a troubling event. Pausing to reflect in the middle of telling a story is inconsequential if that pause allows us to retrieve a distant memory that makes the story more evocative and compelling. Losing a couple of minutes because we drove past our off ramp is a minor inconvenience if the attention lapse allowed us to finally understand why the boss was so upset by something we said in last week's meeting. Arriving home from the store without the eggs that necessitated the trip is a mere annoyance when weighed against coming to a decision to ask for a raise, leave a job, or go back to school.
Just because the benefits of losing yourself in your own thoughts are not easily measured doesn't mean they're not of value, and there are few ways I know of that induce this state of mind more reliably than a long run. A handful of recent studies have tried to answer what every runner, whether pro or hobbyist, has no doubt been asked by friends and family: What on earth do you think about while you're out there for so many miles? This, as the writer Haruki Murakami noted in his What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, is almost beside the point. Sometimes he thinks while on the run; sometimes, he doesn't. It doesn't really matter. "I just run. I run in void," he writes. "Or maybe I should put it the other way: I run in order to acquire a void."
The transparency that the Minister of Power, Works and Housing provided in the Q&A session on the electricity industry published in Vanguard newspaper is commendable. There was a time when things happened and no one knew why or why not. We truly live in a new Nigeria. The candor shown is also worthy of commendation. Unfortunately, as I read the article I could not help but share my thoughts on some of the responses and hope to contribute my voice to this conversation, one that has never really happened regarding the moribund state of the power industry in Nigeria.
I write this from a place of hope and a desire to see things change for my family and the millions of Nigerians who have gone from a world where there was power to one where people go weeks without a blink of electricity. There are complaints from the populace but I choose to believe that these complaints come from a place that recognizes that once the power issue is solved there is no way but up for Nigeria. This is how critical power is, it drives the economy. I also write this from a place of experience having worked in every segment of the power industry from power plant operations and distribution (Barking Power Station a 1000MW Gas plant that supplied 400k homes in london), trading (Energyquote a wholesale power brokerage firm acquired by Accenture), investments and consumer services (Power2Switch in the US, serving ~40k customers with energy purchasing and management, and on the board of 2 energy technology companies) for 14+ years.
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So what parts of the Minister's response do I want to address? Unfortunately I will have to frame this from a perspective that suggests that the DISCOs, a central player in the Minister's Q&A, should not play as critical a role in the future of Nigeria's power sector. In an industry, across the world, where the incumbent utilities are all currently working on figuring out a minimized role for the DISCO it seems Nigeria is still trying to fix what was instead of recognizing and tapping into what will be. There are three main issues to focus on here
The future of the utility will be distributed and not centralized: The utility industry is made up of 3 layers. The infrastructure layer (generation plants, wires and lines, transformers, meters), a technology layer (the software that runs the operations of all the infrastructure and customer interactions) and the customer layer (metering, billing and payments). Every one of those layers used to operate on the premise that there was generation in a location that is far from the customer and the power is then transmitted to the consumer. In the future of the industry, one that was not mentioned in the Ministers response, generation of electricity will be closer to the location of the consumer. The future of the utility industry is already playing out in countries across the world in the form of incentives provided to consumers to purchase solar panels and geothermal generation at a cost that makes it lower than the cost of power obtained from the grid. Unfortunately this means that the customer is the one who enjoys the benefit and obviously (a point the Minister kept making) the DISCOs are left holding on to assets that are not as valuable as they thought they were when they got into this business of privatizing the Nigerian power market. The tariff increases compensate the DISCOs for a business model of the past when the government (and customers money) should go into building the utility industry of the future. Embracing solar generation and providing rebates and incentives to consumers will enable Nigeria meet the shortfall in power generation quicker than we would by building huge plants in remote locations to help the DISCOs. Building those solar panels in Nigeria, since we will not be reinventing the wheel on a manufacturing process that is relatively straightforward, would create thousands of technical jobs and consequently improving the lives of thousands of Nigerians creating a cycle of jobs-income-spending and a boost to the economy. The part of the Ministers response that mentioned this future reality spoke about the high cost of solar and I address this in point 2 below. Technology prices will surely drop once mass adoption takes place: The Minister talked about Solar prices being higher than the current price of electricity (N34/kWh for solar compared to tariff of N24) and I will suggest that there is no technology where this has not been the case in the early days of introducing the technology to the market. I will use an example that is familiar to almost every Nigerian; the mobile phone. When I was growing up in Nigeria in the 80's landline telephones where for the few and the management of those phones were centralized (similar to the centralized nature of the power industry of today). In the late 1990's and early 2000's when mobile phones started getting into the market it was still for the educated and slightly well off. I remember holding my fathers bulky Motorola mobile phone and wondering when I would get one of my own (and that future felt very far away). Today, April 2016, there are more mobile phones in Nigeria than there are automobiles and it has become the engine of trade empowering tens of millions of Nigerians, this at a cost that is affordable for most people. People get a phone that is most affordable for them and get credits to use as much as they can afford to. The industry is distributed and no longer centralized. That is the reality of most technologies; they are expensive at the beginning and as time goes on they become affordable to the masses. This will be the case with solar energy if we realize that it has a big role to play in the future of the power sector in this country. The price of solar will drop in the same way the price of mobile phones dropped and even right now with20M we can supply ~5000 homes with power from solar for (at least) 10 years. Considering the money we are recovering from our past 'leaders' this is a small price to pay to start to head in the direction we need to go. This decentralization of the technology addresses one of the other issues that the Minister highlighted; the issue of gas distribution across long distances and sabotage. Very few people, when they start benefiting from distributed solar on the roof of their homes, will sabotage their own electricity supply. People, for the most part, are not self destructive and this is evident as shown in the third and final point I make below. That future is already here and will cost less than fixing the mistakes of the past: Driving through Lagos and even some of the most remote locations in Nigeria what we see is generators managed by businesses and individuals who can afford them and small generators and even smaller lamps being run by individuals who have a need for power to run their lives. This is the future that we are talking about; one where power generation and management is done at the individual level. Again, this is not something that is hard to envision because it is already here and it takes away the need to buy or replace infrastructure that is best suited for the past and instead focusing on adopting technology that serves our future needs. So what is the role of the DISCOs you ask? Their role will be whatever they decide they want it to be. There will still be a need to provide infrastructure as the transition will take time and there will always be a need for some level of centralization even in a localized and distributed grid, the DISCOs can do this. There will still be a need for technology to manage this distributed grid and the DISCOs can play that role and of course there will be a need for customer billing and payments management and this also solves one of the issues the Minister mentioned of fewer users being measured than the number that actually uses the electricity currently generated. When there is a solar panel on your roof or community solar in your neighborhood there is nowhere to hide.
The real question the Minister should be helping the DISCOs answer is what role do they want to play in serving a country of consumers that are yearning for a world where the naturally abundant sources of energy that they can use is not being provided to them? Customers will always want electricity and, as technology improves and the situation continues to get worse, what customers will ask is 'who can give us power?' The role of the government should be to help customers answer that question instead of trying to help a soon to be obsolete business model to survive against the tide of change. It is what consumers and technology wants.
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Co-Authored by Jeff Game
Creativity, growing businesses, an even hotter food scene, an evolving education system and the never give up American spirit are now flooding the streets of NOLA.
New Orleans, one of the most historic cities in America was once described as a third-world country. High crimes rates, government corruption on the highest levels, a rising double-digit poverty rate and almost half of its adult population functionally were illiterate - this was New Orleans pre-hurricane Katrina. Not exactly great building blocks for the city of the future.
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The Levees broke over 10 years ago. However, today New Orleans has made a major comeback, as the new Nola 2.0 infuses the Americana spirit of innovation and Entrepreneurship. Long before Katrina came roaring ashore and eventually flooding the famed Crescent City, New Orleans was a broken city, lacking real entrepreneurial creativity and a seemingly dismal future ahead. Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before a rebirth can take place.
What emerged from the downfall of New Orleans is a new, vibrant, and alive entrepreneurial climate imagined by many, including Tim Williamson, Co-Founder and CEO of The Idea Village, and his vision to create an innovative festival dedicated to entrepreneurs, New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW). In just eight short years, NOEW has become the epicenter of a thriving entrepreneurial community in New Orleans, creating a true hub of entrepreneurs in the South. "What we're all creating is a new movement as a startup city, and NOEW has become part of our cultural calendar," says Williamson.
Traditionally, entrepreneurs have sought fame and fortune in what was thought to be the leading capital cities for entrepreneurship - Silicon Valley and New York. Competition for Venture Capital funds in these two entrepreneurial battlegrounds has long been fierce and unrelenting. Entrepreneurs from cities around the rest of the country often find themselves boxed out from essential access to funds and connections that can boost their business from a startup to a legitimate, profitable corporation.
NOEW is on a mission to change New Orleans into a formidable alternative to Silicon Valley, lead by what Williamson describes as a "deep love for the city." NOEW offers a tantalizing eight days dedicated to the advancement of entrepreneurs in a setting only New Orleans could deliver.
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Set in the revitalized Warehouse District, NOEW 2016 offered 119 content rich events including entrepreneur showcases, networking opportunities, in-depth entrepreneur workshops, and two important competitions, The Coulter Idea Pitch and The Blackstone Big Idea, to over 13,000 conference attendees. A jaw-dropping 185 New Orleans local startups were featured at NOEW 2016 from a variety of thriving industries including health care, technology, energy and education. "Our goal is to create a platform that engages all sectors of the community," says Williamson, who welcomes not only leading entrepreneurs but also members of the New Orleans government, including Mayor Mitchell J. Landrieu to be a part of this entrepreneurial uprising.
The importance of NOEW is not only a game changer for the city of New Orleans, but also for the entrepreneurs that have long felt isolated on their entrepreneurial journey elsewhere. As a result, a deluge of transplants is taking place in an extraordinary way where people are now looking to New Orleans as the place to be for entrepreneurial success. According to the Data Center, the metro New Orleans entrepreneurship rate--at 471 startups per 100,000 adults during the three year period from 2011-13--is 64 percent higher than the national average, and 40 percent higher than other fast-growing Southern metros.
"New Orleans has this contagious energy combined with amazing, genuine people," states Rupa Mohan, Creator of The Sweat Social, who moved to New Orleans in 2015 with her husband after attending NOEW and falling in love with the entrepreneur community that was alive in this city. "It's a place that we would always come and visit as a tourist, and so it seemed like a natural place for us to start The Sweat Social. Coming from NYC where no one would look you in the eye, New Orleans was a breath of fresh air."
That same sense of contagious energy also enticed KG Charles-Harris, Founder of Quarrio, to make New Orleans his new home. "I came to NOEW in 2015, pitched my business, and a woman came up to me and said that she wanted to invest. She was very persistent, introduced us to the entrepreneurial players in New Orleans, and as a result, we had a vast understanding of the ecosystem that was changing New Orleans. It was all we needed to convince us to make the move and build our business here," says Charles-Harris.
Along with NOEW, there are a few key reasons why entrepreneurs are now choosing New Orleans, including a desirable low-cost of living, a diverse culture full of world-class restaurants, premiere events and hip and modern boutique hotels along with favorable tax incentives for both investors and entrepreneurs. New Orleans currently offers a 25 percent tax credit for qualified digital media expenditures and 35 percent tax credit for qualified angel investors, which speaks loudly as to why New Orleans ranked the sixth Best City for Young Entrepreneurs by Under30CEO.com.
NOEW marks the start of the entrepreneurial calendar in New Orleans. The entrepreneurs that compete in NOEW's grand finale, the Coulter Pitch Competition, have a chance to receive $100,000 in startup funding and a chance to be featured at Collision, America's "fastest growing tech conference," which takes place April 26-28th at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Sandwiched between two weekends of Jazz Fest, Collision provides yet another critical element to the entrepreneurial development in New Orleans.
As well, the global community of business influencers is taking notice of New Orleans stellar comeback and the far-reaching significance the city will have on the future of entrepreneurialism. In his charming Irish brogue, organizer of Collision, Paddy Cosgrove raves,"There is no other city as small as this city that has made as big of a cultural impact, and I'm talking music and food and everything New Orleans has to offer. There's something in the water here, so if you add a bit of entrepreneurism, you have an explosive formula."
A Treasure of "1000 Buddha" Caves
in the Gobi Desert
Beijing's Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Terra Cotta Warriors are routine destinations for visitors to China. But an additional UNESCO World Heritage Site is considered the country's fourth great attraction: the Mogao Caves lining the wall of a cliff in Gansu. Called "an art gallery in the desert," the site is said to be among the greatest discoveries of the twentieth century. Located near one of the major stops on the Silk Route, a visit to the extraordinary site can be combined with camel rides, sand sledding, and treks over sand dunes at the edge of the Gobi desert.
Around 600 of the original 1000 Mogao Caves remain stretch along a cliff on the Silk Road
Camels and archaeology at the edge of the Gobi desert
The caves were started in 366 AD as Buddhist monk Luo Zun's response to a vision of a thousand floating Buddhas he saw in a dream. Expanded by Silk Route travelers -- pilgrims, monks, scholars, merchants-- who stopped to give thanks for successful trips or to pray for safety in their journeys to come, the site expanded through to the 14th century and eventually included over a thousand caves. The original Indian and Persian renderings of deities and animals gradually evolved toward Chinese aesthetics, and it was from here Buddhism radiated across the Chinese empire. Left undisturbed for centuries after the fall of the Yuan dynasty, partially concealed by sandstorms, they were rediscovered in 1900 by Taoist priest Wang Yuanlu who decided to restore them as his life's work.
Archeologists were only mildly interested until a few years later, when bricked-shut Cave #17 was opened and disclosed one of the greatest historical discoveries of the 20th century-- an enormous repository of ancient documents -- manuscripts, sutras, and silk paintings -- including the world's oldest complete printed book "The Diamond Sutra" dated 868 AD. Sold to early European explorers in exchange for small contributions for upkeep of the site, the precious documents now reside in museums and libraries around the world, but Cave #17, the "Library," can be seen along with a few dozen other spectacular caverns and two of the country's largest Buddhist statues.
A multi-story pavilion houses a giant Buddha statue
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Because of fragility, visits to the site and photography are strictly regulated . Of the 600 surviving grottos, 15-30 may be open for view. Visitors first see a film setting the historical period followed by an extravaganza 4-D production with mock wind and earthquakes shaking the theater. Prepped with the context, visitors then board special buses which transport them to view the wall of caves hewn from the stretch of cliff in sections up to four stories high. Exhibits in an excellent Research and Exhibition Center describe how the caves are preserved, show reproductions of some of the plundered art, and display replicas of some of the key caves for people who want a closer look.
Modern stairways provide access to the caves
Displays in the Research and Exhibition Center illuminate Magao construction and artistry
A replica cave in the Research and Exhibition Center illustrates the original artistry and detail
Besides the caves, there are many other reasons to visit the region. Now a colorful provincial city, midway along the Chinese section of the Silk Route, nearby Dunhuang was a notable oasis for caravan travelers. Modern visitors can rent camels, docile furry creatures which plod rhythmically and calmly in modern caravans through singing sand dunes towering 1000 feet overhead. Nearby Crescent Moon Lake is considered a miracle oasis, a half-moon shaped pond that has never dried up in over 2000 years.
Dunhuang is a region of sand dunes
Visitors don boots to keep sand from their shoes
Camels can be rented for traversing the dunes
Caravans lead into the dunes
Sand sledding is a popular sport
Crescent Moon Lake is an historic oasis
Local hotels follow the theme of caravansaries with embroidered trappings, wooden furnishings, and local cuisine. Visitors dining on the terrace of the Han palace style Dun Huang Hua Xia International Hotel enjoy views of the Mingsha mountains and shifting dunes.
Silk Route motifs in the lobby of the Dun Huang Hua Xia caravansary hotel
Guest rooms are furnished with Silk Route motifs
4. Leadership Matters: Leverage influential board members to rally on your behalf. First, look for connections between your board and corporate leaders.Make meaningful introductions between these two sets of key influencers so they can form a mutually beneficial partnership to create positive change. At the same time, give your board of directors attention and care by providing leadership training, learning retreats, and networking opportunities. Remember, no factor is more compelling than as an engaged CEO with a demonstrated commitment to partnership.
5. Tell the Real Stories: In today's social media-obsessed world, it is important to showcase your impact and success by communicating creatively. Collect the real stories from your program's participants. Or, better yet, invite your program's beneficiaries to tell their own stories, in their own voices, about how this work has changed their lives. Share these testimonials with corporate funders so they can share with their own communications teams. Nothing connects like a true story!
6. Build Capacity: Develop and invest in capacity building around evaluation, communications, marketing, and board engagement to help your nonprofit get the competitive advantage many others may be missing.
7. Connect with Program Officers: Program officers are your champions and they will either bat for you or boo you when the board votes on your proposal. They are also your guides as you develop the nuances of a winning proposal. It is beneficial to engage them as a thought partner for your program as they can be truthful about the real challenges your organization needs to fix. Developing an honest, two-way relationship with your program officer can help you get ahead of the pack. They can also help you attract additional funding through their network and serve as a reference for your organization.
I work for Replicon -- a Bay-Area-based company in the HR Software space. We sell HR Software to thousands of companies, which puts us in the unique position of being able to evaluate how thousands of companies manage employees - contract/full-time, or otherwise. There are obvious trends we see over time in how companies manage employees. The biggest trend we've heard from our customers over the past several years is the shift in emphasis to work-life balance.
It's easy in an up economy, especially in the Bay Area, to talk about how healthy and booming the startup ecosystem is. Companies are getting funded left and right, but there is a dark side to the startup world that not a lot of people talk about. When you join a startup, it is an all-consuming endeavor that can take years off of your life - especially when you start a company on your own. Countless articles have been written about how to mitigate stress when you work for a startup, but companies are beginning to realize that the best way to address the problem is to focus on work-life balance from day 1. Here are some policies we are seeing that companies are implementing to make things easier on employees:
More emphasis on Maternity/Paternity Leave
Companies are marketing favorable maternity/paternity leave policies as a recruitment tool. Google and Facebook in particular have led the way here by allowing for HUGE paid maternity leave minimums. At minimum, Google will pay for 22 weeks of maternity leave, which is far and away ahead of the competition. We see this trend being mirrored by many of our customers, and it's a positive one that will continue to gain traction over time.
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ROWE (Results Oriented Work Environment)
We are seeing more and more companies focus less on office hours, and a shift toward ROWE. ROWE first gained attention a few years ago after a major study by Best Buy, which got covered by Slate. The thought that employees can be empowered to decide whether they'd be more productive working from home or not was a major shift in traditional management thinking. Startups have adopted this practice a lot, and we are seeing more companies emphasize results over effort. This has in turn helped a lot of companies emphasize work life balance.
Better environment IN the office
Work life balance is not just about life - it's also about the work. What we are seeing is a dramatic shift toward making the office culture sustainable and enjoyable for employees while they are there. Gusto CEO Josh Reeves recently gave a great interview to the New York Times about how he created a culture where people want to show up every day. Similarly, we are seeing dozens of our customers adopt policies to make their work environment feel "personal" and warm.
PEARL is deeply concerned by Sri Lanka's latest arrest and detention under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) of Subramaniyam Sivakaran, a Tamil activist and journalist from the North-East. Sivakaran was arrested in Mannar by the Terrorism Investigation Department on Wednesday, April 27. The arrest came days after he publicly criticized the PTA and the continued detention of Tamils under the Act.
Abductions and arrests of many Tamils across the North-East, although commonplace for decades, have been greatly increasing in recent weeks. The Sri Lankan state continues to deploy its notorious "White Vans" to abduct Tamils, who in some cases later turn up in police or military custody. Although the current government recognized the flawed nature of the PTA and pledged to review and repeal it, the law remains in force and security forces continue to use it to detain Tamils. The existence and application of the PTA also facilitates abuses in custody, like torture and sexual violence.
By Kathleen Hou
The world's wealthiest women all have the same hairstyle. I'm observing this while sitting at the Paris Four Seasons Hotel during Fashion Week with Guido Palau, the creative director of Redken and hairstylist responsible for looks seen on the runway at Prada, Marc Jacobs, and Alexander Wang. Pharrell and his wife had just walked by, followed by a TV crew, as everyone pretended not to notice. Miniature dogs nestled in elbow crooks are the accessory of choice for the clientele here, where rooms start at 1,000 euros. And there's one thing all the women in this room have in common: simple, non-showy, natural-looking hair.
"The new rich is the natural," Palau says. "You can get all these different quirky hairstyles out of it, like you see on the runway. But women just want to wear their hair simply nowadays. You see that when you see the women gathered here." It's true. Amid the Birkins, Vetements sweatshirts, and glossy Dior sunglasses in the room, no one's hair appears "done." While it doesn't quite look like they've rolled out of bed -- everyone's hair is too polished and frizz-free for that -- there's no distinguishable style, no deep-parted ponytails or lobs. Whether it's natural, short, long, straight, or curly hair, the prevailing trend is embracing your natural texture and making it look easy.
You can see it on the runway, in an aesthetic that designers and hairstylists called "individuality" and that we called "no-hairstyle hair." And you can see it on celebrities, specifically a cluster of wealthy women who happen to share one family: the Kardashians. Save your groans and take a look at all the Ks: Kim, Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall, and Kylie. Apart from matriarchal Kris and Kylie, who gets herself in trouble by misappropriating hairstyles, these women -- who have daily hair teams -- all wear largely the same look: no-hairstyle hair reflecting their natural texture. Occasionally, a ponytail or slight differentiation in the waves will set one apart from her sisters. Jen Atkin, hairstylist-at-large to the entire Kardashian clan, once told us, "We just don't live in a world where we have time to do complicated hairstyles. I do spend most of my time making it look like nothing is done."
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From Atkin to Palau, no one is quite sure why this hair trend is suddenly ubiquitous. Palau speculates that it might make for a strong juxtaposition against this season's "quite rich" clothes. Another theory blames Instagram: Bigger, more vivid clothing textures and colors look better in photos, but that drives women to wear their hair more simply in contrast.
Turning the wind into dollars has become a welcome reprieve for many rural areas of the country slow to recover from the Great Recession.
Just ask Chris Johnson, who had to find a second career after his previous job in a newsprint factory in Colorado was outsourced. He started as a line worker in a Vestas wind turbine blade factory in Brighton. He's now a managing supervisor.
The uneven recovery has hampered U.S. manufacturing and agriculture alike. Many factories remain closed, their jobs overseas. Many family farms and ranches continue to suffer from the intersection of extreme drought and damagingly low commodity prices.
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As Jason Wilson, a fourth-generation farmer in Calhan, Colo., explained recently, "We had come to a point where it no longer made financial sense to keep the property even with its vast sentimental value."
The Wilsons were considering subdividing their farm and selling it off. Then came NextEra Energy and a lease for 36 turbines, harnessing the wind that had always blown hard across the property. It remade their financial prospects.
"The wind farm allowed us to be able to keep our family farm," Wilson said.
As well as providing farmers with a new drought-proof cash crop, wind power has become a bright spot in U.S. manufacturing.
New numbers from the industry show just how bright: wind jobs are up 20 percent in a year, and include over 21,000 factory jobs across 43 states.
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For many Americans, these jobs are a second chance after they were laid off or forced to close small businesses.
Eric Reichert, a carpenter, had to close up shop a few years ago because business was too slow. He is now five years into his new career at another Vestas factory, also in Brighton, Colo., that makes wind turbine housings. "We've got employees from all over, many different skill sets," he said. "We've got guys who used to work on airplanes, oil workers, all kinds of pretty hands-on guys. We've got lots of veterans as well."
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the fastest growing job title in America is wind turbine technician, expected to increase 108 percent in the next 10 years. This offers new chances for employment, especially in rural communities, whose young people so often feel they have to leave to find a rewarding livelihood.
Clyde Mustain, an Operations and Maintenance Manager at a wind farm in Peetz, Colo., used to struggle to support his family on a small-town police officer's salary. Since he become a wind technician, he has more resources to provide a good life for his wife and children. A native of the area, he told us similar opportunities simply weren't an option before the wind farm arrived.
As for landowners like the Wilsons, in 2015 they were paid a total of $222 million to host turbines; that figure will only grow as capacity is projected to quadruple by 2030. It's a stable source of income when the rain doesn't fall or the fields don't produce.
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These lease payments tend to go where they're needed the most; 70 percent of wind farms are in counties with incomes lower than the national median. Such payments can often be the difference between passing a farm on to the children, or having to sell off the land, as it was for the Wilson family.
The opportunities are growing because wind energy has become a big part of America's electricity mix.
Costs have fallen 66 percent in six years, which helped make wind the country's largest source of new electricity generation in 2015 - ahead of solar and natural gas. Last year, the U.S. created more electricity from wind than any other country in the world, enough to power 19 million American homes.
When it comes to upgrading its train service, India goes all out. Not only is the country prepping for its first high-speed railway, but the new bullet train will also travel underwater. The Japan International Cooperation Agency, who is funding the project, revealed that 13 miles of the 315-mile route between Mumbai and Ahmedabad will pass from Thane creek towards Virar, via a submerged corridor.
Traveling at a maximum speed of 217 mph, the whole trip is expected to take about two hours. This is especially exciting considering fastest running train between the two cities right now is the Duronto Express, which takes seven hours.
The project, which is expected to begin by the end of 2018, is similar to the new Japanese bullet train (shinkansen) running from Tokyo to Hakodate, which makes use of the undersea Seikan Tunnel, reports the Japan Times.
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The struggles to overturn colonial rule were long and often bitter. But, over time, most were inevitably successful. The proud fight against colonialism is one that should be consigned to history.
There is yet one colony that remains in the African continent. It is a crisis often forgotten, its people mostly ignored.
Western Sahara - officially considered by the UN as a 'non-self-governing-territory in the process of decolonization' - is sandwiched between Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria, and the Atlantic Ocean. I travelled to refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria in February to understand the crisis better and meet those most affected by it. And I promised the people I met that their plea will be heard.
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After Spain, the colonial power, withdrew from Western Sahara in 1975, conflict between the indigenous Sahrawi population and neighboring countries sparked the beginning of a refugee crisis that has lasted until today. In 1991, the UN managed to establish and protect a ceasefire under the UN's peacekeeping mission, MINURSO, in which parties agreed to deliver a referendum on self-determination. Twenty-five years have passed, and that referendum has still not occurred.
Already in 2016, the humanitarian and political crisis was teetering on the edge of conflict - but now there is a heightened sense of urgency. Last month Morocco withdrew support for the UN's peacekeeping mission, and expelled 73 civilian peacekeepers from Western Sahara. The UN Security Council will soon meet to decide whether to renew the annual MINURSO mandate; in doing so, it holds a key role in preventing this conflict from escalating further.
The Sahrawi people - the people of Western Sahara - have patiently borne the burden of injustice now for over 40 years. Oxfam is well-acquainted with the Sahrawi refugees--many of whom live in camps near Tindouf, Algeria--as we have worked to provide them humanitarian assistance since the start of the conflict over 40 years ago. The lack of coverage or political attention afforded to the crisis has not held us back.
The humanitarian conditions forced upon the Sahrawi refugees are bleak. Made to settle in an arid desert environment, where opportunities to be self-sufficient are all but nonexistent, Sahrawi refugees are heavily dependent on aid. Despite increased needs owing to unpredictable and extreme changes in climate, humanitarian contributions are falling as international donors are increasingly turning away - between 2012 and 2014 they fell a staggering 31%.
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The resilience of the Sahrawi refugees to cope with political deadlock and the extreme conditions is inspiring. But, 40 years on and receiving less through the arteries of aid, that resilience is eroding.
Language is hardening in the camps, anger is intensifying. The young people I met, who make up 60% of the people in camps, are increasingly connected and informed about what is happening in the world. Born in the camps and still there, they are eager to take control of their lives and have the same social, professional and economic opportunities that other young people possess.
Sahrawi elders tell them to wait for a referendum that has never arrived. I heard time and time again from the same young people in the camps that the international community only acts when violence occurs. That is precisely why Oxfam is urgently pushing for a return to negotiation and a peaceful, non-violent and lasting resolution to the crisis.
New momentum is urgently needed, and the UN, its Security Council and its individual members, can offer a solution. With parties consistently failing to deliver a political solution, they must step up and take a far more active role. This starts with reinstating the UN peacekeeping mission in full capacity. And they must deliver without compromise on the promises made to the people of Western Sahara - including the right to self-determination - and usher in the end of the decolonization process in a manner that respects international law.
The cost of continued political inaction could be a humanitarian disaster. It is time to close this long chapter in Africa's decolonization. Sahrawi refugees have waited long enough.
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ASSOCIATED PRESS All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party chief Jayalalitha gestures during a hunger strike in Chennai, India, Sunday, March. 18, 2007.Jayalalithaa Sunday went on a one-day token fast demanding notification of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's final award in the Central gazette, amidst chaos and unruly scenes around the venue here according to a news agency. (AP Photo/M. Lakshman)
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is known to inspire sycophancy among her followers who call her 'amma' and look up to her as their own mother. Jayalalithaa's face beams at her supporters from humongous posters all over the state. They bathe her posters with milk on her birthday, wear headgear with her picture printed on it on their wedding day and are even willing to get nailed to a giant cross to prove their loyalty to the woman who rules the state with an iron hand.
For former legislator of AIADMK, Rama Ramanathan, now in his early 50s, Amma is also the only person in the world who can influence his decision to get hitched. The former Kumbakonam legislator had vowed in 2001 not to marry until the party is voted back to power with Jayalalithaa as the Chief Minister, and if he himself wins his seat. But destiny, being a fickle temptress, has put many obstacles in his path to marital bliss in the last 15 years.
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Take, for example, the election of 2001. Ramanathan lost to Ko Si Mani, as the AIADMK roared to power. In 2006, the party gave him another chance. But victory in TN politics, that mainly swing between the two power players DMK and AIADMK, was elusive for both AIADMK and Ramanathan in 2006.
In 2011, though the AIADMK won, Ramanathan himself lost to Manis protege G Anbalagan. Interestingly, the former legislator's personal assistant and protege Vishnu Balaji had also vowed to marry only after he does. Balaji remains a bachelor.
The upcoming polls held a promise for the 51-year-old loyalist as Jayalalithaa announced his candidature from Kumbakonam. But on Monday, he received the heartbreaking news that the party supremo has replaced him with S Rathna, the wife of a bus fleet owner.
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Telegraph reported that Ramanathan, who was busy campaigning, broke down and wept inside his car. He switched off his mobile phone and went to a relative's farm to avoid meeting his supporters.
But the confirmed bachelor felt no bitterness towards his mentor.
"I nurture the hope that I could still get a chance to contest. Even if I do not get the MLA ticket, I will still work to ensure our party wins in Kumbakonam and Amma returns as chief minister. Who would know this Ramanathan if Amma had not made me an MLA in 1991?" Ramanathan, known to prostrate before Jayalalithaa, told the paper.
This could have been the year he tied the knot. He had even asked his relatives to look for a bride for him. But it's clearly not to be.
Amma giveth, Amma taketh away.
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The Upper House of Parliament witnessed a shouting match between members on Wednesday after new MP Subramanian Swamy brought up the issue of the alleged involvement of the Gandhi family in the AgustaWestland deal.
Swamy's referred to an Italian court's judgement that described how the the firm lobbied with Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her close aides besides the then NSA MK Narayanan and the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the 3,600-crore deal. It described Gandhi as the "driving force" behind the deal.
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Bete noire of Congress' first family, Swamy, who took oath as newly-nominated member, took up the issue in the Rajya Sabha, earning a mild rebuke from the Deputy Chairman of the House.
"The name of the member of the other house can't be taken. Since this is your first day, I am not admonishing you. But the name would be expunged," said PJ Kurien.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has geared up to corner Congress over allegations of corruption in the AgustaWestland deal. The top brass of the BJP including its President Amit Shah and parliamentary leaders including Finance Minister Arun Jaitley met yesterday to chalk out a strategy after media reports suggested that an Italian court, which has convicted AgustaWestland chief Giuseppe Orsi.
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However, a defiant Gandhi told reporters that she was not afraid.
"I am not afraid because the allegations are baseless, it's part of their strategy of character assassination," Gandhi said. "Where is the proof? Government is in power for two years. Why did they not complete the inquiry?" she said.
Where is the proof? Government is in power for two years. Why did they not complete the inquiry?
"There is no case, my party will respond," said Singh.
Attacking Congress, Environment and Forests Minister Prakash Javadekar said that what has been revealed in Agusta Westland case is "very important and very serious" and that Congress owes an explanation.
He said that instead of disrupting Parliament, Congress should introspect on what "they have done to the country and explain what is the role of their leaders" in the case.
All allegations are baseless. Govt is in power for 2 years now,why did they not complete the inquiry?-Sonia Gandhi pic.twitter.com/bggHyiNGSY ANI (@ANI_news) April 27, 2016
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also targeted Congress, saying that those accused of paying bribes are in jail, but the alleged recipients are blocking the progress of the country.
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There should be a discussion on the matter so that facts can come out in the open, he said.
"When the UPA government had blacklisted Agusta, why did the Narendra Modi government allow it to participate in Make in India?" countered Ghulam Nabi Azad.
(With PTI inputs)
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Parth Sanyal / Reuters An Indian labourer is lowered to clean a sewage hole in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata December 16, 2005. Acceleration in economic growth has made India amongst the 10 fastest growing developing countries. Yet, about 30 percent of India's more than one billion people live below the official poverty line of 2,100-2,400 calories a day. REUTERS/Parth Sanyal
One of the worst droughts to have hit the country in decades, has wrecked crops, killed livestock and rendered thousands of farmers without a livelihood. As a result farmers from drought-hit regions of Marathwada and Vidarbha, Maharashtra are being driven to cities in hordes for search of work.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now come up with a scheme to offer them jobs. However, this farmers have to learn new skills and work on cleaning sewage pipes and nullahs in Mumbai.
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A Mid-Day report explains that the BMC has entrusted the job of hiring labour for cleaning minor nullahs in the city to ward officers. And since they do not have enough labourers at their disposal, they have outsourced the work to NGOs. Thus, the farmers and their families who have approached NGOs for help, are getting these jobs.
Many farmers, who travel with their wives and children, are also taking them along for these jobs.
"We cant leave the children behind. We make them sit in shade near our work site. They play there. You just have to give them enough to eat," a farmer's wife told Mid-Day.
Earlier this month, National Award-winning actor Nana Patekar had urged the people in the cities to not treat migrant farmers as beggars.
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"A massive migration is taking place to cities. And I want to tell everyone: if someone knocks at your car window, don't treat them like beggars. They are farmers.They are helpless. They need food, water and access to toilets. Let's take responsibility for one person each. It's not hard," he had said.
"The next two months are going to be tough for the farmers in Maharashtra. And I think it is our failure, our government's failure that we haven't been able to harvest or store the rainwater properly. It's not a matter of one or two years. We've been failing our farmers since the last sixty-eight years," he told NDTV.
2015 saw the highest number of farmer suicides in Maharashtra since 2001. Around 2,590 farmers ended their lives between January to October 2015, reported The Hindu.
As of March 1 this year, as many as 57 farmers have already committed suicide in Maharashtra in 2016 due to agrarian reasons.
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But hopefully, according to the India Meteorology Department, Maharashtra is set to see above-average rainfall this year.
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Hindustan Times via Getty Images NEW DELHI, INDIA - MARCH 10: ABVP students of JNU during meeting in front of Admin Building at JNU Campus on March 10, 2016 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
In what could flare up the JNU controversy further, some teachers of the university, believed to be Right Wing sympathisers, have released a report describing the university as a den of organised sex racket.
The 200-page dossier, prepared in 2015 by eleven teachers, was recently released to a few journalists. The dossier has been submitted to the JNU administration, according to a news report.
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"Over one thousand boys and girls students have been fined from Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 for consuming alcohol, for indulging in immoral activities in their hostels. At a casual glance at the gates of the hostel one can see hundreds of empty alcohol bottles. Sex workers have been openly employed in hostel messes, where they not only lure JNU girls into their organized racket but also pollute the boys, Amita Singh, professor at the Centre for Law and Governance said.
The document, titled Jawaharlal Nehru University: The Den of Secessionism and Terrorism, talks about how a few teachers encourage a decadent culture in JNU and are legitimising separatist movements in India.
"How come big and high brand cars are moving around the hostels particularly in the night hours. Some security staff is also involved in this racket. Money, sex, drugs and alcohol are tools through which freshers are being lured into this ring," she added.
"It is a matter of serious concern that some JNU academics, masquerading as liberals and feminists, have been engaged in nefarious and anti-national activities of maligning India publically through their statements, lectures, publications and extra-academic activities of their NGOs which receive liberal funding from foreign hostile agencies," the document states.
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Assistant professor in the Special Centre for Sanskrit Studies, Hari Ram Mishra, who was part of the group which prepared the dossier, told The Wire that they want to safeguard JNU from more trouble.
"Our point is that students should be apolitical. If you want to enter politics, there is a huge field outside. But JNU Students' Union should be limited to campus work only. But unfortunately, here communists are preferred over meritorious students," Mishra said.
On Monday, the internal high level inquiry committee, set up to look into the February incident where anti-national slogans were raised by a group of Afzal Guru supporters, found a few students to be guilty and recommended penalties on some and suspended others.
For their involvement in the event, while research scholars Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya were rusticated, students union leader Kanhaiya Kumar was fined Rs 10,000.
ABVP leader Saurabh Sharma, who had complained against Kanhaiya and his comrades for their allegedly "anti-national" activities, has also been fined Rs 10,000 for the row.
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Reacting to the committees recommendations, Kanhaiya Kumar threatened to burn the report and go on an indefinite hunger strike while the ABVP alleged that the committee has failed to distinguish between nationalists and anti-nationals while deciding the punishment to students and of having criminalised patriotism.
Several students and teachers of the university held that the allegations made in the dossier were baseless and the only proof cited to back the anti-national accusation was a few pamphlets.
Many students told The Wire that pamphlets are a part of JNUs tradition of discussion and debate.
How can the pamphlets be seen as evidence for anti-national activities in the campus? All political organisations, including the ABVP, bring out pamphlets to let the students know of their political standpoints, said Om Prasad, a research scholar associated with All India Students Association (AISA).
According to Nivedita Menon, professor in the Centre for Comparative Politics & Political Theory, the dossier painstakingly puts together, as if secretly gathered through underground means, evidence of anti national activity and what is this evidence? Copies of posters advertising events that have been publicly pasted all over campus in the names of organisations, not anonymously; leaflets publicly distributed and fact-finding reports released at press conferences!
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Hindustan Times via Getty Images MUMBAI, INDIA - APRIL 23: JNU Students Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar speaks during a Joint Students Youth Assembly against discrimination and attacks on Universities, at Adarsh Vidyalaya in Tilak Nagar on April 23, 2016 in Mumbai, India. Kumar claimed that he was allegedly strangled on a Jet Airways flight to Pune on Sunday morning in Mumbai by a co-passenger but an initial police probe revealed that it was not a case of assault but the two pushed each other over a petty argument. The student leader was arrested on sedition charges on February 12 after allegedly raising anti-India slogans at the JNU campus. He was given bail after police failed to produce any evidence to back the charge. (Photo by Arijit Sen/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
NEW DELHI -- Jawaharlal Nehru University student Kanhaiya Kumar became a household name after his stirring speech about what "azadi" means to him, while mocking the Modi government for charging him with sedition.
Now the 28-year-old PhD student is writing a book From Bihar to Tihar, which will be published by Juggernaut Books, this year.
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Chiki Sarkar, head of Juggernaut Books, said that "this will be a defining book of our time."
In a press release, Juggernaut Books said that Kumar will write about his journey from his village in Bihar to JNU, his involvement in student politics, his arrest and its aftermath. The book will also be about how education empowers young people to debate and question the establishment.
Bhagat Singh had said it is easy to kill individuals, but you cannot kill ideas. I dont know where this fight of ours will take us, but I thought our ideas should be permanently etched in history as a book. I want to write about the inherent contradictions of Indian society through my personal experiences and to reveal the hopes, despair and struggles of the youth of this country, Kumar said.
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... via Getty Images Knife with blood.
When an elderly couple were murdered and their bodies were left to rot in Frazer Town, a posh part of Bengaluru, the police figured that money was the motive behind the heinous crime.
The arrest of 35-year-old electrician Premchand Jain, who had known the victims for more than 15 years, showed that while the police werent far off the mark, there was more to the case than met the eye.
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According to the Bangalore Mirror, Jain assisted in the murder of the elderly couple to help a friend cremate his relative.
The friend, identified as one Chandrashekhar, allegedly needed money to cremate his brother-in-law, who had recently committed suicide.
The victims, Parvathraj (61) and his wife Chandrakala (55), were murdered on Friday evening, and their bodies were discovered in a highly decomposed state on Sunday evening at their home.
Jain was highly regarded by the elderly couple and used to assist them with household errands, cleaning their tank, arranging for domestic help and so on. As the couple's only son had moved to the US, Parvathraj and Chandrakala relied on Jain, reported the Deccan Chronicle.
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The main accused Chandrashekhar is still absconding.
Additional commissioner of police (East) P Harisekaran told Mirror, "We have got clear leads about Chandrashekhar's whereabouts and our team is on the job to nab him."
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Suraj SIngh Chundawat/Facebook
INDORE -- A 28-year-old police constable has written to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan seeking hike in salary for police personnel and shared his letter on social media, prompting action against him from his department over the act.
Suraj Singh Chundawat, posted in Burhannpur, wrote to Chouhan and shared it on Facebook on 21 April, seeking raise in salaries of police personnel to an extent "that they can feed their families properly".
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The post, which garnered several 'likes' and shares on Facebook also got circulated on mobile messenger WhatsApp, has invited action from the police department which will seek a reply from him for the said act.
Though Chundawat praised Chouhan for MP's development and progress, he asked, "Is being a policeman a crime? We are working on very less salary, stay away from our families, half of the time are unable to eat food and despite all this whenever the issue of raising salary of police personnel comes, there is a budget constraint for the same. The amount of salary that we get is not even enough for feeding two persons," he wrote.
Chundawat could not be contacted despite attempts.
"Posting such a letter on social media by Chundawat is a violation of Madhya Pradesh Civil Service Conduct Rules and we are issuing a notice to him to seek his reply on the matter," Superintendent of Police, Burhannpur, Anil Singh Kushwaha told PTI.
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Kushwaha said the constable has a right to express his feelings, but police is a disciplined force and he has to raise the matter in a proper manner and at a proper forum.
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ASSOCIATED PRESS In this Monday, April 25, 2016 photo, a Pakistani policeman stands guard outside the 300-year-old gurdwara or place of worship for Pakistan's Sikh minority, in Peshawar. While Sikhs celebrated the opening of their gurdwara, its neighbors all of whom are Muslim told The Associated Press that they either didn't want them there or were worried that an attack by militants was certain to happen. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)
PESHAWAR -- An armed policeman stood guard outside the 300-year-old Sikh temple, known as a gurdwara, in northwest Pakistan. He kept a watchful eye on everyone who passed him on the narrow street, looking for a suspicious gesture, or a bulge beneath the clothes that hints at a hidden gun or a bomb.
Earlier this month, the gurdwara in Peshawar's crowded Old City opened its doors to worshippers for the first time in 73 years. The reopening was celebrated by Pakistan's tiny Sikh minority, but security is a constant concern.
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On Friday, a Sikh leader and provincial lawmaker was shot and killed outside his home in a remote area in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province, some 140 kilometers (86 miles) from Peshawar. The murder of Sardar Suran Singh devastated the Sikh community and heightened their fears of militant attacks.
Pakistani Sikh receive parshad or holy food distributed by a man, at the 300-year-old gurdwara in Peshawar.
It also added to human rights activists' despair over rising violence against religious minorities in Pakistan.
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"It is tragic, but this is the trend in Pakistan right now. It is increasingly intolerant," said Zohra Yusuf, chairwoman of the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the shooting of Sardar Suran Singh, but police disputed their claim, blaming the shooting on political rivalry and saying they had arrested the culprit. There was no response from the Taliban, who often make unsubstantiated claims.
Peshawar is a deeply conservative city at the foot of the mountainous Khyber Pass - once a popular route for traders and tourists travelling to nearby Afghanistan, now the focus of an extremist insurgency. Militants have attacked Peshawar schools, killing children as they studied, bombed buses of government workers and attacked Christians in their churches.
The newly-opened gurdwara has a 24-hour Sikh Security detail as well as police guards, but their Muslim neighbors believe an attack is inevitable.
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A Pakistani Sikh priest leads prayers at the 300-year-old gurdwara in Peshawar.
"Security is very necessary ... for the people who want to come here for prayers without any fear," said Gurpal Singh, security chief for Peshawar's Sikh community.
Gohar Iqbal, a bookseller who works at a busy stall opposite the temple was certain the building would be targeted by militants. "We are worrying because of the children if something happens," he said, gesturing to the white cement building that houses a girls' high school, which abuts the gurdwara.
Few in this overwhelmingly Muslim neighborhood welcomed the gurdwara's opening. Apart from the security risks, many simply don't want Sikhs in their midst. The Sikhs that lived in the area and attended the gurdwara left when it closed in the 1940s.
It is not known how many Sikhs live in Pakistan today. The vast majority migrated to India in 1947, the year Pakistan was created as a homeland for Muslims of the subcontinent. The CIA Factbook estimates that 3.6 percent of Pakistan's 180 million people are non-Muslims, including Sikhs, Christians and Hindus.
Sikhs are among the smallest minorities. They are easily identifiable because of their tightly wound and often colourful turbans, and because they share the surname Singh.
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Youngsters from the Sikh community participate in an annual religious examination at Gurudawara Bhai Joga Sikh temple in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Many of the Sikhs living in Pakistan are internally displaced, having fled their traditional homes in Pakistan's tribal regions as the threat posed by militants increased.
As the Taliban grew in strength in tribal regions such as Orazkai and Bajour, Sikhs were forced to pay protection money to local militant leaders or were killed, Yusuf at HRCP said.
Two years ago, extremists in the area swore allegiance to the Islamic State group. IS militants routinely video the brutal killings of non-Muslims in their territory.
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Charanjeet Singh, a volunteer at the gurdwara and a community spokesman, fled his home in Orazkai several years ago.
He spoke to The Associated Press from inside the cavernous prayer hall of the gurdwara. Inside the sprawling compound, most of the buildings are crumbling - only the ornately carved prayer hall has been renovated.
Still, remnants of its former glory are visible - a small arch made up of odd-shaped blocks of stone, known as Waziri bricks, remains from the original structure laid around 300 years ago.
Youngsters from the Sikh community participate in an annual religious examination at a Sikh temple Gurudawara Bhai Joga in Peshawar.
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Charanjeet Singh said the community had been battling government intransigence and local resistance since 2012 to reopen the gurdwara.
In the 73 years it stood empty, the gurdwara was administered by the government's Evacuee Trust, an organization that looks after properties vacated by those who left for India during partition in 1947. Sometimes the buildings are returned to their original owners - as happened with the gurdwara - and at other times they are given to those who migrated from India to Pakistan, provided they can prove they owned property of a similar value in India.
Under the Pakistani government's guardianship, the gurdwara went through many incarnations. At one point, it housed a vocational school and it has been used for private homes. Several members of the Evacuee Trust still work and live there.
Despite receiving a chilly reception from their Muslim neighbors, the Sikhs of the gurdwara are giving shelter to an elderly Muslim woman.
In one of the ramshackle buildings lives Begum Shafqat Ara, a diminutive old woman who believes her age to be around 90. She has lived in the gurdwara for some 60 years. She never married and taught at the vocational school, where she continued to live after she retired.
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"I didn't have anywhere to go, no family. This is my home," she told AP, sitting on the purple carpeted floor of the gurdwara's prayer hall.
Charanjeet Singh says Ara will stay. The Sikh community takes care of her and has promised to continue to do so for as long as she lives. Ara smiled a mostly toothless grin as she heard this and affectionately rested her hand on the knee of a nearby Sikh volunteer who had helped her to the prayer hall.
Despite the dangers they face, Charanjeet Singh said they will not capitulate to the militants. "If we do, they win," he said. "We are fully determined we will keep our holy places open."
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Hindustan Times via Getty Images NEW DELHI, INDIA - APRIL 26: The National Museum of Natural History is seen engulfed in fire at Mandi House on April 26, 2016 in New Delhi. The fire started in the early hours of Tuesday. As many as 25 fire tenders were pressed into service to contain the flames. Two fireman have been injured while tackling the fire. (Photo by Arvind Yadav/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
NEW DELHI -- The massive fire that gutted the National Museum of Natural History in the capital early Tuesday morning has destroyed most of the fossils and skeletal remains of rare and extinct species. Though no one besides the firefighters or structural engineers have been allowed inside the building yet, which has been declared unstable and unsafe by the local civic agency, the loss of the museum's exhibits is believed to be irreplaceable.
In some photos released by the Delhi Fire Services, which fought for several hours on Tuesday to douse the flames, the horror of the tragedy is evident. While 57 fire tenders were pressed into service yesterday to stop the fire that spread over the seven-storey building, lack of functioning fire safety devices inside the building, like the sprinkler system, made the task even more daunting. Seven fire fighters had to be hospitalised for excessive smoke inhalation.
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Photo courtesy Delhi Fire Services.
The fire, that started on the sixth floor, quickly spread to the floors underneath, melting concrete and feeding on museum exhibits. Initial fire fighters recorded the temperature inside the building to be 800 degrees celsius.
Photo courtesy Delhi Fire Services.
It burned through the concrete, exposing the iron girders and making the building structurally unsafe. Now, scaffolding has been placed outside the building as it is unstable.
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Photo courtesy Delhi Fire Services.
The galleries on the three floors of the building have been destroyed, burning most things to cinder. Only some broken pieces of some of the exhibits remain.
Photo courtesy Delhi Fire Services.
Serg Myshkovsky via Getty Images Woman using smartphone in airplane during flight
The Morning Wrap is HuffPost India's selection of interesting news and opinion from the day's newspapers. Subscribe here to receive it in your inbox each weekday morning.
Essential HuffPost
A video of a bunch of kids translating the classic The Jungle Book theme song went viral on Tuesday. From adorable dance steps to hilarious literal translation of the Hindi line, "Arre chaddi pehen ke phool khila hai..." to "A flower has bloomed wearing underwear..." produced unbearably cute results.
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JNU students who have been punished in connection with a controversial event on campus on Tuesday asserted that they will not pay the fine or vacate hostels as ordered by the university, but will go on an indefinite hunger strike from Wednesday demanding withdrawal of orders. JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar also claimed that the report was 'casteist' and that they are set to burn it at a public gathering.
The Gujarat government's idea of sending a list of 82 topics to Universities asking them to ensure that PhD students opt for at least five subjects from it, has met with criticism. There were several claims that the government was making the students do the work of government officials who are responsible for implementation and review of schemes.
Main News
The BJP on Tuesday demanded that the parties named and referred to in the AgustaWestland chopper deal own up to their roles in the transaction, especially after an Italian court named former IAF chief SP Tyagi for receiving bribes in purchase of VVIP choppers and referred to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and other top party leaders in an order.
Apple Inc on recently posted its first-ever decline in iPhone sales and its revenue drop in 13 years as the company credited with inventing the smartphone struggles with an increasingly saturated market. The company's sales dropped by more than a quarter in China and now it forecast another disappointing quarter for global revenues.
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Indian and Pakistani foreign secretaries S Jaishankar and Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry on Tuesday discussed all outstanding issues, with India keeping the focus on terrorism and Pakistan underlining Kashmir as the main concern. However, reports suggest that the fate of the comprehensive bilateral dialogue, which was launched last year in December, remained uncertain.
Off The Front Page
In a shocking factual mistake by Delhi University, Indian revolutionary Shaheed Bhagat Singh has been labelled as a 'terrorist' in the varsity's textbook. The book mentions the Chittagong movement and the killing of Saunders as 'acts of terrorism'. Several authors and renowned historians have urged the concerned officials to remove the incorrect references from the book.
A replica of the Lord Balaji Temple at Tirumala, is set to be built in Hyderabad's Banjara Hills. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams on Tuesday gave the engineering department the go ahead for its construction. The Tirupati Temple has undertaken a policy to build Lord Venkateswara temples at several important places including New Delhi.
In a shocking incident, a man in Bengaluru robbed and murdered an elderly couple because he needed money to perform the last rites of his brother-in-law who had committed suicide.
Opinion
Judiciary is part of the problem of judicial vacancy and case pendency. It must also be part of the solution, writes Shailesh Gandhi in The Indian Express. "If the judiciary fails to deliver meaningful justice in a reasonable time, we try and find reasons everywhere except within the judiciary. There is a need to look at the problem with some logical and mathematical rigour, instead of merely repeating the myth that all faults in the nation must be ascribed to the politician and government. The anguish of Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur should lead us to attempt to really understand the problem and find a solution. Instead, random statements have been made that India must have at least two to four times the current sanctioned strength of judges," he says.
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The parched town of Latur in Maharashtra has received nationwide attention because of the daily emergency water supplies being provided by train. However, its residents have decided to take matters into their own hands, so that the town is not dependent on emergency water supplies from next year, writes Niranjan Rajadhyaksha in Mint. "Social capital is more likely to be strong among smaller groups of people who interact on a daily basis. The shared experience of drought may be a catalyst for cooperation in the case of Latur. So, such crowdsourced infrastructure may be more possible in response to local challenges rather than national ones. But that does not reduce their importance as social innovations," he writes.
The fire in Delhi on Monday night that destroyed the National Museum of Natural History is tragic, but we must also learn collectively not only what went wrong but also how we should set up another museum that meets world standards, writes SD Biju in Hindustan Times. "The general state of natural history museums shows India lacks truly modern and well-maintained museums of natural history in terms of curation, infrastructure or display for scientific and public education... We do not aspire to make our museums as major centers for cutting-edge scientific research. We lack the will to channelise our resources towards preserving it," he writes.
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Hutchinson's Salvation Army started in 1894
In 1910, under Captain George Seeds, the citadel at 114 West Sherman St. was built.
Dave Dybdahl, whose company American Risk Management Resources (ARMR) is pioneering pollution coverage for farmers, said the business is new, with fewer than 100 policies in force, but that it is coverage that farmers wantwhen they understand it.Currently, he said ARMR is evaluating the effectiveness of Right-to-farm laws in various states, looking at litigation hotspots around the country and evaluating what states they want to provide coverage in.Our experience is that once farmers understand what the risk is, what is at stake, they end up buying more insurance than we proposed, which is where agents are making mistakes. We propose $1M and the farmer asks for $5 million, and the agent was worried about the premium on a million. The key is that the farmer has to understand what the risk is. If an agent says here is some pollution insurance. You dont want to buy it do you? Well, they never buy it.What is critical is that the agent has to be able to explain what the pollution exclusion does in a standard liability policy, what the risks involved with farms are, how the exclusion affects those risks, and then find insurance, if it is available, and recommend they purchase it in order to avoid professional liability.Dybdahl said most agents tell farmers there is an exclusion, but few can explain its effects, especially in regard to a growing wave of litigation related to federal environmental protection laws If you were an insurance agent working in farms you didnt know about these laws, the whole sector did not know and did not need to know until recently, he said.He said insurancethrough rate structurescan reward farming practices that reduce or eliminate the likelihood of polluted run-off. One big advantage of insurance from a regulatory standpoint, is that insurance is a financial mechanism and is the only thing that can reward good behavior and penalize bad. Regulators can punish bad behavior, but they cant reward good behavior. Insurance can actually reward good behavior.He said ARMR requires that farmers implement state-of-the-art nutrient management plans prepared by certified crop advisors, which dictates how much fertilizer a farmer can use. He said that while some farmers are certified crop advisors themselves, his company requires them to get independent plans, created by a third party.That is one of the keys to underwriting: We reward state-of-the-art nutrient management. By doing that, we can issue insurance that costs one third of traditional pollution insurance, based on that plan. Regulators cant force that. We cant force it either, but they all do it because we reward it.
In 2014, 144,723 people were employed directly by the insurance industry in Illinois. This is more than any of the surrounding states and in fact is more than twice the employment of Missouri, Indiana, or Iowa.
The median compensation of workers in insurance was about 50% higher than the average Illinois worker.
The insurance industry is one of the top industries contributing to the Illinois GDP, topping industries like construction and agriculture.
In 2015 insurers paid more than $411 million in taxes to the state of Illinois. In addition, employees working in the insurance industry in Illinois paid and estimated $1.1 billion in personal taxes.
Illinois ranks first in the nation in terms of premiums written for property/casualty and health insurance lines of business. Illinois ranks number two overall in the nation behind New York with over $190 billion written for all lines of business.
Illinois insurers paid out more than $122 billion in claims in 2015, with more than one in five property/casualty claims nationwide paid by Illinois insurers.
The insurance industry continues to significantly influence the economies of the Midwest. Weeks after a report detailing the strength of the industry in Michigan, a similar analysis finds a strong economy in Illinois thanks, in part, to insurance.Sponsored by Illinois chapters of the Big I, NAIFA and the American Insurance Association, the report shows insurance companies, agents and brokers continuing to fuel the economy with jobs, revenue and investments.Specifically, the industry as a whole provides an annual $1.1 billion in tax revenue, $306 billion in investments and 144,723 jobs in Illinois.That growth outpaces all other surrounding states as well. Most notably, Illinois is home to 146% more property/casualty companies than Indiana and Iowa, 580% more than Kentucky, 177% more than Missouri and 55% more than Wisconsin.Illinois Department of Insurance Director Anne Melissa Dowling celebrated the achievement.Home to the nations top insurers, the state of Illinois continues to benefit from the financial strength of the insurance industry, Dowling said. The department remains committed to maintaining the competitive insurance marketplace that has ultimately benefited policyholders and taxpayers as this report illustrates.Other notable highlights of the report include:The report comes on the heels of an Anderson Economic Group analysis that found that Michigans $37.1 billion economic impact could be a strong selling point to entice more insurance companies to operate in the region. The industry employs 41,000 people and supports an overall total of 114,000 jobs, directly and indirectly.The analysis additionally noted that insurance carriers in Michigan invested a total of $1.5 billion in assets in the state, through real estate, shares in state-based corporations, and municipal bonds.Wisconsin is also a major industry player in the region, representing almost 5% of gross state product, according to the US Department of Commerce.
The 21-town area delineated for the woodland partnership encompasses Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Florida, New Ashford, North Adams, Peru, Savoy, Williamstown and Windsor; and Ashfield, Buckland, Charlemont, Colrain, Conway, Hawley, Heath, Leyden, Monroe, Rowe and Shelburne in Franklin County. Tom Matuszko of the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission addresses the Board of Selectmen. PreviousNext
Williamstown Selectmen Back Mohawk Trail Partnership
Bob O'Connor of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, foreground, talks as Selectmen Andrew Hogeland and Jane Patton listen.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. The Board of Selectmen on Monday agreed to support a drive to create a 21-community economic development and conservation project stretching from the Pioneer Valley across North Berkshire.
Tom Matuszko and Bob O'Connor of the Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership Project told officials about the group's plan to seek enabling legislation in Boston to establish the partnership and open the door to federal grant money from the U.S. Forest Service.
Matuszko explained that since the woodland project began more than two years ago, its focus has changed to put more emphasis on economic development.
"When we started, we intended to have a primary focus on forest land conservation," said Matuszko, an assistant director at the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. "But committee members wanted to refocus toward economic development.
"If there was someone who wanted to start some kind of [forest-based] business, we would have some funds or a resource for business planning. We also have a program where there would be a revolving loan fund for these kinds of opportunities."
Matuszko said the businesses could be tourism related or small scale producers. The partnership also could provide guidance and possibly financial assistance for private landowners looking to responsibly manage their woodlands.
"There also is an opportunity for research and development," he said. "One of the branches of the Forest Services is a research and development branch. They're doing innovative work looking at using wood products it's the lignin [organic polymers] in the wood that has the same properties as some of the polymers that are being used. There is some effort going on in the Forest Service to look at that type of manufacturing.
"If we can entice them to work in this area, we can get some research and development out here for that kind of thing."
Matuszko asked the board to sign a letter in support of legislation being developed on Beacon Hill. He mentioned that Berkshire County Reps. Gailanne Cariddi, D-North Adams, and Paul Mark, D-Peru, already are behind the initiative.
The Selectmen were supportive but held off on a vote to sign the letter until it received a copy, which was not provided in advance of Monday's meeting.
Matuszko said that if the commonwealth creates the partnership as a legal entity, it would be coming back to the town to ask it to formally opt in as a full-fledged member.
Selectman Hugh Daley asked Matuszko and O'Connor for assurances that if the town ultimately does opt in, it would not obligate individual landowners to participate.
"It just gives more options for them," said O'Connor, the forest and land policy director for the commonwealth's Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
"The legislation says it does not grant the state or federal government or the towns any more power than they have now," Matuszko said.
Conversely, if the town chose not to join to the partnership, Williamstown landowners would not be eligible for any programs funded through the group, Matuszko said.
The Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from each town, created a draft budget that assumes $25 million in state and federal contributions over a five-year period. Under the current plan, $15 million of that would go into a trust fund.
Matuszko said the partnership would break new ground nationally, but the idea has garnered support among Forest Service officials in Washington, D.C.
"This is new to the Forest Service," he said. "They haven't done this type of program. A lot of their programs are based on lands that the federal government has acquired. Even though there is publicly-owned land in this area, we're primarily focused on privately owned land.
"The initial reaction from the Forest Service was disbelief, but as we explained it further they seemed to warm up to it."
The federal government factored into another major topic of discussion at Monday's meeting: an update from Town Manager Jason Hoch about the Spruces Mobile Home Park decommissioning project.
Hoch told the board that the town is at the point where it is about to formally take possession of the property from Morgan Management. During the park closure period, the town has managed the mobile home park, but Morgan still owns the land.
"Once we close with Morgan, there's a ticking clock of 90 days to get a clean deed from FEMA," Hoch said.
One of the conditions of the Federal Emergency Management Agency grant that funded the town's takeover of the flood-prone park and the relocation of its residents is that the land be returned to a "natural state."
Although all of the structures have been removed from the park, the utility poles remain, and their presence creates two issues for the town.
One is that National Grid's bill for removing its poles and lines came in significantly over what the town budgeted for that part of the project, according to Debra Turnbull, the town employee who has managed the park since the town assumed control.
"We had other costs with overruns, like asbestos remediations," Turnbull said. "We've had challenges in the budget. Now we're getting to the end, and our wiggle room is tighter and tighter.
"At this point, we're good, but we're tight."
Another challenge for the town's FEMA-mandated timetable: the national strike of by employees of Verizon, which needs to remove its poles and wires.
Turnbull said Verizon has assured the town that if the 90-day deadline is imminent, it will hire outside contractors to do the line work, and officials at FEMA and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency are aware that the labor situation is outside the town's control.
But the deadline still looms.
"Verizon's position, is obviously they want to see if the strike gets resolved," Turnbull said. "But I made it clear to them that they only have so much time and then we have a deadline we need to meet.
"It's nerve-wracking, but it's not insurmountable."
Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership
The MPO penciled in the Clarksburg project for now.
MPO Short On Ready Projects to Spend $2.5 Million
PITTSFIELD, Mass. The MPO isn't quite sure how to use up $2.5 million for road projects.
The money was planned to be used for a renovation of the intersections near Berkshire Medical Center. However, the state Department of Transportation and city officials say there is no chance the design will be ready in time for 2017. That delays the project to at least 2018 and leaves $2.5 million left to be programmed.
"We don't have 25 percent, we don't have the public hearing. It is a complicated project with right of ways," Mark Moore, of MassDOT District 1, said.
He said he has little confidence that the consultants the city is using to design the project will be able to deliver the plans on time. He added the same consultants are at least a year behind on other projects in the city of Pittsfield.
"We've got no confidence that they can deliver this project," Moore said.
The local Metropolitan Planning Organization prioritizes eligible projects for federal funds for MassDOT for the yearly allocations. While there are a large number of projects waiting in line for funds, none of them are at a design point to use the 2017 money caused by the delay.
"We don't have anything right now to fill this hole." MassDOT Director of Strategic Planning Steve Woeffe said.
Moore said there is a project on Route 8 in Clarksburg that may be ready in time. The MPO plugged it into the transportation plan but that plan hasn't been adopted. BRPC Executive Director Nathaniel Karns added that the Mohawk Bike Trail project could be short on funds and could help fill the gap as well.
The Transportation Advisory Council previously voted to leave those funds to the side for now and to wait to see which projects could become ready. But the MPO said that is just kicking the can down the road.
"None of these projects are ready, so what you are saying is we always find something, but we are not finding something now or else we would program it," said MPO member Jim Lovejoy.
Woeffe said he'd rather have the city push to get the BMC project ready or have MassDOT work on another design and then make a determination.
"I don't want to sit and lose a month when everyone can look to see what they can do," he said.
In other business, MassDOT will be holding a public hearing on Thursday, May 5, at City Hall for the state capital improvement plan. The early step in that process started off with an unhappy crowd because instead of a traditional hearing, MassDOT took comments individually on the plan.
"This is going to be more of a traditional [hearing]. We will have more of an open house and then a presentation," Woeffe said.
We work towards an equitable,
gender-just, self-reliant and
sustainable fisheries,
particularly in the small-scale,
artisanal sector
We work towards an equitable,
gender-just, self-reliant and
sustainable fisheries,
particularly in the small-scale,
artisanal sector
We work towards an equitable,
gender-just, self-reliant and
sustainable fisheries,
particularly in the small-scale,
artisanal sector
We work towards an equitable,
gender-just, self-reliant and
sustainable fisheries,
particularly in the small-scale,
artisanal sector
SCHUYLER Colfax County Commissioners have zero tolerance for the growing problem of some landowners and tenant farmers planting crops inside the county right of way along rural roads.
County Highway Superintendent Mark Arps told the board the practice by producers of planting inside the right of way, which raises safety issues, especially at intersections, is scattered throughout the county and getting worse.
Arps told the board Tuesday notices will be published in all newspapers in the county informing farmers that any crops planted in the right of way will be shredded or removed by the county, according to state laws.
The majority of (farmers) stay out of the right of way, but I want people to be aware of the problem, said Arps, noting that the county has had to rip out as much as four rows of corn one ag operator allowed to drift well inside the right of way.
Arps said he worries the sprouting problem could increase the liability to the county and landowner or tenant should a traffic accident occur and the cause be traced back to crops planted on the public right of way.
The highway superintendent said Colfax County's average right of way on county roads is 66 feet, but some stretch as far as 80 feet and others narrow to as little as 44 feet. The right of way is private property, but the landowner or tenant is responsible for not obstructing the road.
The intersection safety issues become most acute in the summer as crops get taller and can obstruct drivers sight lines. Safety is also an issue in the winter, when tall roadside grass, trees or shrubs can worsen drifting snow.
State law also requires farmers to mow the right of way area twice a year, Arps said.
As long as were consistent with enforcement (across the county), Commissioner Gil Wigington said.
I dont have any problem with it, board Chairman Jerry Heard said. Put it in the papers.
Arps said the newspaper ads will run for two weeks, with landowners and tenants given 10 days to remove obstructions after being notified of a problem.
In other business, the board voted 3-0 to sign a contract with Leigh to provide part-time law enforcement patrols in the community starting Sunday. Longtime Leigh Police Chief Richard Kruse, 81, announced his retirement earlier this year.
Colfax County Sheriff Paul Kruse plans to add one deputy to handle the increased workload in Leigh, which will include four hours of evening patrolling a day for a total of 28 hours per week. The sheriff said he will also promote one of his existing deputies to corporal.
The sheriffs office changes will boost staffing to six deputies, one investigator, one sergeant and one corporal.
Kruse said the new deputys annual pay will be an estimated $42,077.
In other action, the board got its third look at an architectural presentation on plans to renovate the exterior of the county courthouse.
Representatives of Omaha-based Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture followed prior presentations by Lincoln and Norfolk companies saying the courthouse face-lift could swell to as much as $500,000.
Were not going to rush into this (project), said Heard while trying to coax a preliminary cost out of the firm. (The estimate) wouldnt be totally accurate, but it should be close.
Wigington said the county has the leeway to do the project in two phases or even four phases if it proved to be more cost effective.
The board learned in early March a building masonry restoration would range from $380,000 to $500,000 for the courthouse that dates to July 22, 1921. A second estimate at the end of the month pegged the cost at $350,000 to $500,000.
Board members were told in March that moisture has penetrated the buildings exterior in spots, separating the bricks from the walls in spots and cracking and wearing away the glaze on the clay-based terracotta embellishments.
All four sides of the building, about 20,000 square feet in all, have been damaged over time. The west and north sides of the building have the most extensive damage, with the north side in the most severe shape.
Suzuki Motor Corporations bestselling compact car, the Suzuki Swift, marks a milestone for having sold 5 million units worldwide this April, 11 years since its introduction.
First launched in Japan in November 2004 as one of the automotive manufacturers world strategic models, the Suzuki Swift shows the companys quantum jump towards making cars that are sporty, stylish and fun to drive.
The Suzuki Swift instantly became a favorite among car enthusiasts throughout the world, earning high praises for its design, performance and bold style, as well as winning numerous Car of the Year Awards worldwide. It hit its one million cumulative worldwide unit sales in 2008, two million in 2011, three million in 2013, four million in 2014 and five million in 2016. It is produced in Japan, Hungary, India, China, Pakistan and Thailand, and is an easy favorite among subcompact sedans in more than 140 countries and regions around the world.
In the Philippines, Suzuki Swift was launched in 2011 and since then has been a favorite among first-time car owners and younger drivers in the local market. This subcompact car is among the top sales drivers of Suzuki Philippines for several years, and it significantly contributed to the total sales figures of the company in the first quarter of 2016.
The well-loved Suzuki Swift is a perfect subcompact car for first-time car owners. It boasts of a sporty, stylish and premium design with amazing fuel efficiency that makes it the perfect city car for the young urbanite. With its superior handling and fuel economy, the Swift makes driving a smooth yet thrilling experience.
SPH General Manager for Automobile Shuzo Hoshikura shared, We are proud of what the Suzuki Swift has achieved with five million unit sales worldwide. We have always known that this subcompact car would do well in the market due to its uniquely spirited character, and we are doubly delighted that it reached this milestone at a relatively short time. We are proud to note that it is also doing great locally. On behalf of Suzuki Philippines, we would like to thank those who supported the vehicle in our market.
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Press Release: Zambia to Implement the IMFs Enhanced General Data Dissemination System
Press Release No. 16/187
April 27, 2016
A mission of the International Monetary Fund visited Lusaka during April 48, 2016, to assist the authorities with the implementation of the Enhanced General Data Dissemination System (e-GDDS), which was endorsed by the Executive Board in May 2015. The mission supported the development of the National Summary Data Page (NSDP), which will be posted on the Central Statistical Office website, utilizing the Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX). The page aims to serve as a one-stop publication vehicle for essential macroeconomic data. This places Zambia in the first wave of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to implement the recommendations of the e-GDDS.
Publication of essential macroeconomic data through the new NSDP will provide national policy makers and domestic and international stakeholders, including investors and rating agencies, with easy access to information that the IMFs Executive Board has identified as critical for monitoring economic conditions and policies. Making this information easily accessible in both human and machine-readable formats, and according to an Advance Release Calendar, will allow all users to have simultaneous access to timely data and will bring greater data transparency.
The authorities are encouraged by the notable progress that Zambia has made to achieve this important statistical milestone. The NSDP will give users access to full information about Zambias essential macroeconomic data by June 8, 2016.
Background
The e-GDDS was established by the IMFs Executive Board in May 2015 to support improved data transparency, encourage statistical development, and help create synergies between data dissemination and surveillance. The e-GDDS supersedes the GDDS, which was established in 1997. A link to the countrys NSDP will be available on the IMFs Dissemination Standards Bulletin Board (DSBB) by June 8, 2016: at http://dsbb.imf.org.
Press Release: AFRITAC West 2 Holds the 2016 Steering Committee Meeting
Press Release No. 16/188
April 26, 2016
The IMFs African Regional Technical Assistance Center (AFRITAC West 2) held its fourth Steering Committee meeting in The Gambia on Tuesday, April 26, 2016, to assess the Centers operations over the past year and discuss next years plans. The Committee discussed strategic issues, including the Centers contribution to furthering the Sustainable Development Goals. Officials from AFW2 member countries attended, together with development partner representatives the European Union, Switzerland, Canadaand IMF staff.
Participants reaffirmed the important role of AFRITAC West 2 in assisting member countries to strengthen economic institutions and their capacity for implementing sound economic policies. They highlighted the impact of technical assistance and training provided by the Center as a basis for better economic policy decision-making.
Mr. Abdou Kolley, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs for The Gambia, chaired the meeting and welcomed the scaling-up in the Centers operations over the past year to build institutional and human capacity in the region, including strengthening member countries resilience to address economic vulnerabilities. The Minister praised the Centers use of innovative and flexible modes of delivering Technical Assistance. Such flexibility and innovation are necessary to ensure that capacity development is well-tailored to meet the varying needs of member countries he noted. He also commended the collaboration between the Center and the regional institutions (ECOWAS, WAMI and WAIFEM) which participated in the meeting.
The Center Coordinator, Mr. Lamin Leigh, summarized the progress made in the past year, highlighting a number of success stories in the Centers capacity building work in the sub-region, including with The Gambia Revenue Authority. On the Centers priorities for the coming year, Mr. Leigh noted that the will continue to support member countries in all its core areas of expertise, with additional emphasis on public financial management and revenue mobilization, including a scaling up of capacity development activities in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The Steering Committee was pleased with the progress made by AFRITAC West 2 in the past fiscal year, approved the work program for the 2017 fiscal year and urged the Center to do more on improving its execution going forward. Development partners also commented on the strategic priorities and expectations for the Center, including in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals. The Steering Committee members stressed the need for greater collaboration with regional institutions, including ECOWAS, and in that context highlighted the important role that AFW2 could play in regional integration. Committee members also agreed on the need to enhance the quality of macroeconomic statistics for better policymaking.
Background
AFRITAC West 2 has been delivering capacity development services to Cabo Verde, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia since January 2014. The Center is one of five IMF Regional Technical Assistance Centers in sub-Saharan Africa and offers capacity-building services to member countries in the areas of revenue administration, public financial management, monetary operations and payment systems, financial sector supervision and regulation, and macroeconomic statistics. Its Steering Committee, which is composed of the member countries, the IMF, and development partners, oversees and provides strategic guidance to the Center. Development partners currently financing the Center are the EU, Switzerland, Canada, the African Development Bank, Australia, China, and the European Investment Bank.
IMF Survey : Overheard at the Spring Meetings
Meetings brought together over 8,700 participants
High-level panels discussed economic, social, and political challenges
International cooperation vital in building global solutions
The worlds economic leaders and stakeholders gathered at the 2016 IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings to tackle todays global challengesa slowing economy, the refugee crisis, and other global risks to stabilityand forge the path towards more sustainable solutions.
2016 IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings
The meetings brought together a variety of stakeholders and opinionsover 8,700 this yearranging from finance ministers, central bank governors, to financial sector participants, parliamentarians, civil society organizations and journalists, representing the IMFs 189 member countries.
Leveraging these diverse perspectives, the wide-ranging program of seminars provided an opportunity for opinion makers to share their views on ways to approach and address these multifaceted challenges. Below is a glimpse of the rich discussions on some of the key topics of the day.
Conference on economic development in low-income countries #IMFonLICs
Low-income developing countries need to diversify their economies, promote inclusion, and close infrastructure gaps by tapping both domestic resources and foreign funding to sustain growth: these are the main lessons drawn from the conference on low-income countries. Panelists at the three-part session agreed that public infrastructure investments must continue in these countries for efficient growth and for reaching longer-term sustainable development goals.
The prospects of Africa becoming the largest continent in terms of population, and aspirations of the growing middle class, make us committed to find solutions to implement much needed infrastructure investment to support growth while maintaining debt sustainability, said Alamine Ousmane Mey, Cameroons Minister of Finance.
Read more in the Survey story and watch the webcast.
Panelists discuss the economic and political challenges of hosting refugees (photo: IMF)
Conflicts and the refugee crisis #IMFonRefugees
This is not just a humanitarian challenge, its a development and economic challenge. We need longer-term thinking about how to incorporate these refugees into national development plans, and how to integrate them into the long-term economic course of the host countries and communities, said Kyung-wha Kang, a UN Assistant-Secretary General at this seminar. With proper policies in place, rapid labor market integration can reduce the short-term fiscal costs associated with absorbing the influx of asylum seekers. Panelists, including Jordanian Minister of Planning Imad Fakhoury, agreed that security and hosting refugees is a public good that should be strengthened through capacity building efforts and inclusive policies.
Watch the discussion and read the Survey story.
Women, work and the global economy #IMFGender
Making the economic case for gender equality as the key to progress was the focus of this seminar on womens opportunities in the workplace. The global economy is still in many ways rigged against women, panelists said, citing access to finance, tax policy, and legal barriers to equality. Berkeley Haas Business School professor Laura Tyson emphasized that at the current rate of change it would take 85 years to eliminate the gender gap. That's progress? I don't think so. Thats too slow. I am impatient for progress, said Oxfams Winnie Byanyima. She noted that 75 percent of women in Asia and Africa work in the informal sector. We need to recalculate a new measure of economic wellbeing and progress that counts and values all this labor that is now unpaid and unmeasured.
I am delighted that much more attention is being placed on addressing gender inequality, including at the IMF, Professor Laura Tyson (photo: IMF)
The goal should be to make the economic case so convincingly that it makes sense to all involved to take action, widening opportunities to women across the spectrum, panelists said. The IMF can't change social attitudes, but we can show the benefits when countries do change and then see if others will emulate that, said IMFs First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton.
Watch the webcast and read the blog from International Womens Day. Visit the IMFs Gender page.
The role of capacity development #IMFCapDev
Panelists at this seminar, who represented donors, recipient countries, and thought leaders, saw a growing demand for capacity development for revenue mobilization across all countries, and called for enhanced partnerships through cooperative arrangements as many developing countries seek to increase their fiscal space. Panelists also noted that efficiency in tax collections through strong tax compliance promotes economic growth and equity. If developing countries across the board raise their tax income by one percent, they will raise one trillion dollars per yearten times more than global overseas development assistance, said panelist Klaus Rudischhauser from the European Commission.
Read the Survey story and watch the seminar.
Political economy of structural reforms #BoostGrowth
Panelists tackled the rigors of implementing tough reforms in the face of rising populism in a number of countries, including the United States, at this seminar. With global growth too low, commodity prices falling, monetary policy losing steam, and very few countries with ready cash lying around to spend, many have to look inward to make their economies more productive. To reinforce democracy, we need to deliver economic success, said Tunisian Member of Parliament Olfa Soukri Cherif.
You cant reap what you sow the same day; these reforms are for long-term economic development, said Tunisian parliament member Olfa Soukri Cherif. (photo: IMF)
Panelists agreed that governments should undertake structural reforms sooner rather than laterbefore they are desperately neededand to tackle the toughest ones first. Its not true that governments that implement structural reforms lose elections, said Luis de Guindos, Spains Minister of Economy and Competitiveness.
IMF Survey article on structural reforms and watch the panel.
Emerging markets at the crossroads #IMFEmergMkts
The prospects for growth in emerging and developing nations may not be as gloomy as financial markets suggest, according to participants at this seminar on emerging markets. When youre at the crossroads, and youre just looking at the intersection, it can all look pretty dark, said IMFs First Deputy Manager David Lipton. Still, theres huge potential for emerging countries to grow rapidly and be the engine of growth for the global economy, he said, adding that emerging nations need technology, investment, and better-educated populations to raise output.
The seminar also covered the outlook for oil prices, the impact of the U.S. Federal Reserve policy on emerging markets, and developments in Argentina and Russia. Argentinas Minister of Treasury and Public Finance Alfonso Prat-Gay expressed satisfaction with investor demand for the countrys debt after a U.S. appeals court cleared the way for a $15 billion bond sale to pay creditors from a 2001 default, though additional bond sales this year were unlikely. There was already a lot of interest before the appeals court decision, and theres a lot right now, Prat-Gay said.
Watch the seminar and read more in the Survey story
Fortifying the global financial safety net #IMFSafetyNet
Deputy Governor of the Bank of England Nemat Shafik moderated a discussion on the current weaknesses of the global financial safety net and possible options for strengthening it. The discussion focused on the costs and stigma associated with various layers of the safety net, the causes of liquidity shortages, opportunities for reinforcing the system, and the IMFs role in facilitating coordination between the different layers. Chilean Finance Minister Rodrigo Valdes argued that countries strong preference for accumulating reserves suggested the costs of doing so were more to the international community than the countries themselves.
India's Reserve Bank Governor Raghuram Rajan and Chileas Finance Minister Rodrigo Valdes discuss how to strengthen the international monetary system (photo: IMF)
Governor of the Reserve Bank of India Raghuram Rajan highlighted the existing gaps in the system, questioning whether small countries had quick access to liquidity if they needed it, and whether regional arrangements were sufficient, or a more global arrangement was needed.
Watch the webcast.
Sub-Saharan Africa #IMFonAfrica
The Center for Global Development President Nancy Birdsall led a discussion on whether lower growth in sub-Saharan Africaweakened by lower commodity prices, tighter global financing, and meager policy bufferssignal the end of Africa Rising. With growth at 3 percent in 2015the lowest rate in 15 yearspanelists discussed possible macroeconomic policy responses that could strengthen the regions resilience to external shocks and unlock its significant growth potential. Nigerian Minister of Finance Kemi Odeosun said, Oil is 13 percent of our GDP, but represents 70 percent of government revenue, and the real vulnerability is overdependence on oil. We need to be insulated from future oil shocks.
Rwandas Minister of Finance Claver Gatete said his country is able to grow at 6 percent thanks to heavy investments in infrastructure and education, financial reforms, an improved business environment, and inclusive growth policies after the economy declined in 199495 following the countrys genocide. Arvind Subramanian, Chief Economic Advisor to the Minister of Finance in India, said, In the long-run, there is no correlation between commodity prices and growth. He said the fundamental dynamic in Africa is very positive, with more democratization, reduced ethnic conflict, and a big demographic boom coming.
Watch the webcast.
The evolving role of China in the global economy #IMFonChina
As China transitions to a growth model driven by consumption and services, panelists at this seminar discussed its economic outlook, affected by overcapacity, regulatory frameworks, debt risks, and the wider use of renminbi internationalization. On Chinas rising debt level, Huang Haizhou, Managing Director of China International Capital Corporation, said the country has room to maneuver on debt as a net exporter of capital. He said that over the last two decades, China has built cushionsespecially in private and household sectorsto maintain its debt growth at a decent level.
IMF First Deputy Manager, David Lipton, said the decision to include the renminbi in the SDR basket is a milestone, reflecting China's growing role in international trade and finance. The greater use of the currency would allow Chinas financial integration to continue in a way that supports trade and economic growth in both China and the region. Huang echoed Liptons point, saying that renminbi internationalization can play an important role both internationally and domestically, especially in terms of pushing reforms in China.
Watch the webcast and read the Survey story on China and the SDR.
Strengthening the international tax system #FiscalForum
Oxfam Director Winnie Byanyima stresses the importance of using tax revenues to achieve development goals, as Columbia University Professor Joseph Stiglitz listens in (photo: IMF)
Panelists at the 2016 IMF Fiscal Forum agreed that reforming the international tax system is a priority. They said the international tax system is still in many ways rigged in favor of big multinational corporations, citing the creative ways in which they manage to avoid or evade paying taxes. Swedish Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson stressed the difficulty of taxing capital in a globalized world, and said companies should deploy the creativity they use to avoid paying taxes to help eradicate poverty.
The most important corporate responsibility is paying fair taxes, said Columbia University Professor Joseph Stiglitz. Oxfam Executive Director Winnie Byanyima pointed out, developing countries have no chance to meet the Sustainable Development Goals unless they can raise the necessary revenues.
Watch the forum.
Digital disruptions to the Financial System #IMFDigitalDisrupt
The rapid growth of FinTech, and increasing cyber security risks as financial institutions rely on highly-interconnected information technology and communications systems are creating challenges and opportunities to the financial system. Some disruptions include virtual currencies, peer-to-peer lending, and high frequency trading.
The IMFs First Deputy Managing Director, David Lipton, said policies will need to strike a balance between addressing risks and stifling innovation. Carolyn Wilkins, Senior Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada said, Theres a sweet point between not coming in too early with regulation, but recognizing that a lot of these technologies will not succeed or have benefits unless they figure out the governance.
The tech revolution has already fundamentally changed the global economywith M-Pesa, a popular mobile banking technology, as one example. While many opportunities and innovations have arisen from the FinTech revolution, cyber risks have also increased. Cyber security in the financial sector is seen as integral to preserving global financial stability.
Its not just risks to the contours or the fortress of the financial institution. A smart-thinking financial institution is going to also have to think about who that institution is connected tothird party vendors, said Sarah Bloom Raskin, U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary. Thats what we saw in the Target breach. It wasn't the hack of the actual Target fortress, it was a vendor that had weak defenses that created a vulnerability for Target, she added. You need to protect yourself against breaches, but you have to assume that everybody with whom youre interacting with has been breached as you create your policies, said Bradley J. Wiskirchen, CEO of Keynetics and Kount, who is also Chairman of the Board Directors for Clickbank.
Watch the seminar.
Panelists discuss increasing cyber security risks at the digital disruptions seminar (photo: IMF)
2016 Classified School Employees of the Year
Sacramento, California - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today recognized six outstanding classified school employees for their contributions and dedication to California's public school students.
"Our schools would cease to function without the classified employees who keep them clean and safe, who make sure our students get to school and receive the proper nutrition once they are there, and who contribute to an overall positive school culture and caring environment," Torlakson said. "Our 2016 Classified School Employees of the Year represent the very best of the best. I applaud them and thank them for their important service to California's children and families."
The annual program honors six outstanding classified school employees from the following categories: Child Nutrition; Maintenance, Operations, and Facilities; Office and Technical Support; Para-Educator and Instructional Assistance; Support Services and Security; and Transportation. This year's recipients were chosen from among 107 nominees.
The 2016 Classified School Employees of the Year, who will be honored by Torlakson at a luncheon May 16 in Sacramento, are: (Information contained in the following biographical sketches was excerpted from their nomination forms.)
Child Nutrition: Michelle McClain, Head Cook, Turtle Bay School, Redding School District, Redding, Shasta County (5 years in current position)
Mrs. McClain is one of the first smiling faces students see when they arrive at Turtle Bay School for breakfast in the morning. She seemingly knows every student's name. A positive, can-do attitude infuses her work and plays a significant role in keeping the school nutrition program running smoothly. Mrs. McClain and her team prepare breakfast and serve five lunch periods each school day. She is customer-service oriented, open to new menu items and to the changing needs and tastes of students. She counsels students to make healthy food choices and looks for ways to replace sugar with fruit and reduce sodium. She models life-long learning by taking classes at the local community collegebettering herself so she can better the lives of those she impacts daily.
Maintenance, Operations and Facilities: Efren Barrera, Head Custodian, College View Elementary School, Ocean View School District, Huntington Beach, Orange County (16 years in current position)
Mr. Barrera is an icon within the Ocean View School District and an integral member of the team at College View Elementary School. Despite the many challenges facing a Head Custodian, Mr. Barrera maintains his quiet demeanor, positive attitude and infectious smile that makes him a favorite of teachers, staff, and students. Mr. Barrera's influence and involvement extends well beyond his role as Head Custodian. When a series of fires were being set on campus at night, Mr. Barrera set up a surveillance system, reviewed the recordings, and worked closely with law enforcement. Suspects were identified. Arrests were made. Mr. Barrera addresses the fourth grade class each year to share his story of becoming a U.S citizen. He concludes his presentation by telling the students how proud he is to raise and lower the school's American flag each day.
Office and Technical Support: Lisa Andresen, School Secretary, Los Olivos Elementary School, Los Olivos School District, Los Olivos, Santa Barbara County (11 years in current position)
Working in a small school requires employees to be flexible and often wear a variety of "hats." Mrs. Andresen embodies these characteristics. Her official title may be School Secretary, but the scope of her job requires her to complete a variety of tasks, including acting as a nurse, registrar, handling food service duties, ordering curriculum, assisting with technology issues, and running the day-to-day office. Beyond her many daily duties, Mrs. Andresen serves on the school PTA, the School Site Council, and the Labor Collaborative Committee. She is not only an employee, but a parent. She is personally vested in the school, and her efforts to make Los Olivos a top-notch elementary school is evident in all that she does.
Para-Educator and Instructional Assistance: Gabriela "Gaby" Beas, Migrant Services Aide, Migrant Education, San Diego County Office of Education (11 years in current position)
Migrant Education is a federally-funded program designed to provide supplementary education and support services to migrant students. Ms. Beas' work in San Diego County is a model of service to students, families, the community, and her county office colleagues. She welcomes opportunities to build her knowledge of local, state, and federal initiatives so that she may better serve her students and families. She builds rapport with students and families by treating them with respect, enthusiasm, and optimism for growth and progress, both academically and socially. With her spirit of service, she recruits migrant students to volunteer on community service activities. The volunteer activities help students build their confidence and connections within the community and advance their career and college aspirations. Ms. Beas recruited and trained more than 150 student volunteers to help provide and deliver holiday gift baskets of food and toys to nearly 1,400 migrant families last December.
Support Services and Security: Debbie Raines, Campus Supervisor II, Vintage High School, Napa Valley Unified School District, Napa, Napa County (18 years in current position)
Over her 18 years at Vintage High School, Ms. Raines has grown and reshaped her position from a campus security role to becoming an adult role model for students. Administrators and staff say that's been a key transformation at the high school because students need positive adult relationshipsparticularly when being held accountable for their behavior. Students trust Ms. Raines and rely on her to be their advocate, friend, and confidante. Vintage High School staff utilize her many skills beyond supervising the campus and fostering a safe environment. Ms. Raines plays a major role in the school's conflict resolution program, especially with female students. Through her leadership, students now actively seek her expertise in order to resolve conflicts peacefully. Many of these students become vocal ambassadors of the program and the talents of Ms. Raines as a mediator.
Transportation: Kari Anderson, Driver Trainer, Oakdale Joint Unified School District, Oakdale, Stanislaus County (26 years in current position)
Ms. Anderson goes above and beyond what is expected to make sure all school bus trips and daily routes run smoothly. If she notices any overgrown trees or roads in disrepair, she will not only warn the bus drivers but also contact the necessary municipality. When she learns of road construction, she works to find the best alternative route. When she has questions, she is sure to find the answerseven if it means contacting the California Highway Patrol or the California Department of Transportation. Perhaps her most important quality is her love of children, which is her constant motivation to do a great job, keep students safe, happy, and learning. She raised her children in Oakdale and has been vested in the school system, both personally and professionally, for a very long time. She enjoys telling students that she knows their grandparents or that their mothers and fathers used to ride her bus to school.
UC San Diego Researchers Join Largest Autism Study Ever in United States
San Diego, California - Autism experts at University of California San Diego Autism Center of Excellence (ACE) at the School of Medicine will be part of the largest autism study ever undertaken in the United States an effort to collect information and DNA from 50,000 individuals, ages 3 to 100, with the neurodevelopmental disorder.
Sponsored by the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI), the study is called SPARK (Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge) and involves 21 leading research institutions across the country, each recruiting participants and collecting data.
Autism has a strong genetic component, but theres a lot of heterogeneity in the genes involved. More than 50 genes have been identified that almost certainly play a role in autism, but there may be 300 or more, said Karen Pierce, PhD, associate professor of neurosciences, co-director of ACE and a SPARK researcher.
One of the major challenges in autism genetics research is sample size. Individual projects may fail to find genetic abnormalities, not because they arent there, but because the sample size is just too small. SPARK addresses that by pulling together information and data from not just 50,000 persons with autism, but also family members, such as both parents. With such an abundance of material to study and share, researchers will be able to look more effectively for relevant biological mechanisms and how genetic and environmental factors interact to result in autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
As part of SPARK, Pierce and colleagues will seek 3,000 participants diagnosed with autism and their family members in the San Diego region and in the Phoenix, Ariz. area, where Pierce is conducting other autism-related research. The SPARK study is relatively straightforward. Participants fill out a form online, then receive a free kit containing materials and directions for returning saliva samples to scientists for analysis. Qualifying SPARK participants receive a $50 gift card and access to online resources and research news.
SPARK data is expected to fuel numerous subsequent studies targeting key questions about the genetics and biology of autism, according to organizers. Participants will have input in determining the research agenda and can join studies offered through SPARK. The effort is fully funded by SFARI, established in 2005 to promote and sustain autism research. With a budget of $60 million, SFARI currently supports 175 investigators and projects.
For more information or to enroll in the study visit SPARK or call 858-534-6906.
Pierce and colleagues at ACE have long been leaders in autism research. For example, Pierce developed the Get SET Early program for autism, which enables San Diego pediatricians to screen for early symptoms of ASD at all well-baby exams, starting at 12 months. Babies determined to be at-risk receive free early diagnostic evaluations and developmental testing at ACE. Babies exhibiting signs of autism or other signs of developmental delay enter treatment immediately.
In recent years, more than 50,000 infants and toddlers in San Diego have been screened through Get SET Early program and pediatrician network, with ASD toddlers receiving services and treatment at approximately 15 months of age, several years earlier than the national average. Pierce has expanded Get SET Early, which is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, to other cities.
When I started in the field 25 years ago, children with autism were not identified, helped and treated until they were much older, often not until they were 5 to 10 years old or even older, Pierce said. Nobody thought autism was easily treatable, let alone curable. Today, most clinicians and researchers have the opposite feeling: there is definitely a significant chance of improvement, especially with early diagnosis and treatment.
Genetics research through SPARK also complements several ongoing studies at ACE under Eric Courchesne, PhD, professor of neurosciences and co-director of ACE. Courchesne studies how specific genes and systems result in specific signs of ASD and symptoms in the first years of life. Recently, Courchesne and colleagues discovered a simple blood-based signature of autism at ages as young as 1 to 2 years. In another study, they found a brain activity signature that indicates which 1 to 2 year olds with autism are likely to have better language outcomes later in life.
Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District Becomes Affiliate of Scripps Health Network
Brawley, California - Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District is an affiliate of the Scripps Health Network. The announcement was made today at a ceremony at Pioneers Memorial Hospital in Brawley. This marks the first time a hospital has joined the Scripps network, and the first expansion of the network outside of San Diego County.
Pioneers and Scripps entered in to a two-year agreement in October 2015, with the goal of Pioneers becoming an affiliate of the Scripps Health Network. Since then, the two organizations have worked toward providing increased value to patients through enhancing the quality of care and reducing costs.
We are excited to have reached this milestone in our agreement with Scripps Health, which is helping us achieve our goal to be the premier provider of health care services in the Imperial Valley, said Pioneers CEO Larry Lewis. We have been working together during the past months to expand needed services for the Valley while improving the quality of the care we offer and now are taking the next step by becoming an affiliate of the Scripps Health Network.
Effective today, Pioneers Memorial can refer to itself as an affiliate of the Scripps Health Network in its marketing materials.
We are proud to have Pioneers as an affiliate of the Scripps Health Network, said Chris Van Gorder, Scripps president and CEO. We look forward to continuing our work together to further enhance the quality of health care offered in Imperial Valley.
Under the terms of the October 2015 agreement, Pioneers runs as an independent hospital, and retains its name and current governance structure. The agreement includes Scripps providing Pioneers with leadership training and development, process improvements and other related services.
The October agreement was reached after discussions between Scripps and Pioneers that began in April 2015 upon Pioneers decision to pursue an affiliation with Scripps, which had responded to Pioneers Request for Information. The Request for Information was sent to several major acute care providers in San Diego seeking expressions of interest in affiliating with Pioneers. The Pioneers board determined that, as part of its strategic initiative to improve access to care for Imperial Valley residents, the best choice would be an affiliation relationship with Scripps.
ABOUT PIONEERS MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE DISTRICT
Pioneers Memorial Hospital (PMH) is a highly respected 107-bed acute care facility accredited by DNV, whose mission is to provide quality healthcare and compassionate service for families of the Imperial Valley. PMH is committed to providing state-of-the-art healthcare and the highest quality community education. PMH is a level 4 trauma center and offers a modern sixteen-bed emergency facility, staffed with board-certified emergency physicians. Within the Phyllis Dillard Family Medical Center is a dual surgery suite for obstetrical and gynecological surgeries. There are fourteen LDRP (Labor and Delivery, Recovery, Postpartum) suites in our Perinatal Department within the Center and we deliver approximately 1,800 babies per year. For more information log on to: www.pmhd.org
ABOUT SCRIPPS HEALTH
Founded in 1924 by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps, Scripps Health is a nonprofit integrated health system based in San Diego, Calif. Scripps treats more than 600,000 patients annually through the dedication of 3,000 affiliated physicians and more than 15,000 employees among its five acute-care hospital campuses, hospice and home health care services, 28 outpatient centers and clinics, and hundreds of physician offices throughout the region.
Recognized as a leader in prevention, diagnosis and treatment, Scripps is also at the forefront of clinical research, genomic medicine and wireless health care. With three highly respected graduate medical education programs, Scripps is a longstanding member of the Association of American Medical Colleges. Scripps has been ranked four times as one of the nations best health care systems by Truven Health Analytics. Its hospitals are consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the nations best and Scripps is regularly recognized by Fortune, Working Mother magazine and AARP as one of the best places in the nation to work. More information can be found at www.scripps.org.
New Chip-Based Sensor Finds Power in Versatility
Boulder, Colorado - Whether youre using a landline or cell phone, theres a good chance that the signal spends at least some time traveling over fiber-optic cables. To ensure that the information gets where it needs to go, and to help researchers find better ways to ferry this information around, its necessary to reliably measure radiation power through these fibers.
But at the moment, to calibrate a radiation power meter, researchers have to use a bulky cryogenic system and transfer its measurements to at least one other go-between system. Each of these transfers increases the uncertainties in the measurements, and the cryogenic systems are relatively rare and expensive to use and maintain.
Instead, wouldnt it be nice to have a sensor that could measure laser power accurately and that calibrates itself? One that is small and cheap enough to use once and toss?
And wouldnt it be great if you could also use these sensors to settle the debate on global climate change once and for all?
When people talk about climate change, one big question is, is the Earth getting warmer or not? says John Lehman, leader of the Sources and Detectors Group for the Applied Physics Division of NISTs Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML). And you would say, Well why dont we just measure it? Why does it have to be a debate at all? And the reason is that the uncertainties are larger than the change were looking for over a ten-year period. So if we were to reduce the uncertainties, then we add value to the debate and its less speculative.
Because the sensors would be cheap to produce, and small and light as well as accurate and with a wide range, they could be deployed in bulk both on land and into space, for whole networks of small detectors working together to measure the light entering and exiting the planet particularly infrared light.
To have a primary standard that is accurate to 1% or less at a wavelength of 100 micrometers (millionths of a meter, in the infrared) or less would be totally unique and useful to addressing these questions of climate change, Lehman says.
He and his team at NISTs campus in Boulder, Colo., have recently completed an early prototype for a small, chip-based sensor that is designed to do both of these tasks. Though it specializes in detecting light power in the infrared, the sensor should be capable of measuring power across a broad range of wavelengths from visible light at about 300 nanometers to light in the far infrared at 500 micrometers. (The light at the long-wavelength end of this spectrum corresponds to terahertz [THz] radiation, currently a hot research topic for wireless communications.) The power range for these measurements includes microwatts (millionths of a watt) for fiber power measurements, and thousandths of a watt (milliwatts) for remote sensing for climate change studies.
The newly completed prototype containing a chip whose carbon nanotube (CNT)-coated surface is smaller than the diameter of a pencil eraser, and its compact cryogenic housing accompanied Lehman to the German national metrology institute, the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), last month for a series of tests. Lehman is visiting PTB and other German institutes this spring as part of a Humboldt Research Fellowship, which promotes academic cooperation between German scientists and those from other countries.
Optical radiation power is a measure of energy per unit time emitted by a source of light. Typically, sensors gauge this kind of power by measuring heat: The light comes in, the detector heats up, and the power is determined by the temperature rise, explains PMLs Malcolm White.
The primary standard for both Germany and the U.S. is the cryogenic radiometer. This device is usually a cavity that is coated very black for maximum absorption of light. The cavity and electronics are housed inside a cryostat to keep them cooled to just a few degrees above absolute zero.
But these traditional devices, though highly accurate, are large and expensive to maintain, and their accuracy only extends to a limited range of powers, White says. So in order to calibrate a detector that is sensitive to powers beyond that range, researchers need to transfer the standard through a chain of calibrations, with one type of device being used to assess the accuracy of another. Each link in the chain of calibrations adds uncertainty to the measurements.
The chip-based sensor the team is designing would potentially replace many of these devices, shortening or entirely doing away with the chain. In one fell swoop, it gives you strength, speed, and wavelength range, White says.
Like traditional cryogenic devices, the new sensors also measure power by gauging changes in heat, but they are designed to do so with high efficiency on a very small surface. The efficiency is due in part to the coating of CNTs, which are as black as any material on the planet, Lehman says, and allow the chips to absorb up to 99.98% of the light within the target wavelength range. (For comparison, the best optical cavity-based approach to power measurements would give just a hundredth of a percent better absorption.)
An optical fiber is built into the detector package with a fairly rigid and precise alignment. There is a tiny heater built into the chip that produces a predictable amount of heat, which can be compared to the optical heat that the device is designed to sense, giving the ensemble the ability to calibrate itself. The whole package would be housed in a cryostat and kept at temperatures just a kelvin or so above absolute zero.
Lehman and his German colleagues are currently putting the chip through several tests to characterize its performance, particularly at lower frequencies of light. They have a facility thats incredible for measuring specular reflectance out to a wavelength of 500 micrometers, Lehman says. Theres no place else in the world that can do that. And thats part of what we need if were going to establish the accuracy of this device.
While the researchers continue to develop their sensor for its various applications at cryogenic temperatures, the NIST team also hopes to do these kinds of chip-based optical power measurements at room temperature someday. These chips would be optimized for the remote sensing measurements that could allow them to be used for Earth- and space-based climate change applications. Lehman believes his group can shrink the uncertainties to only a tenth of their present size, though he admits thats a goal for the future.
One thing Im trying not to do this year is to be too ambitious because I want to complete it, Lehman says. So Id be very happy if we got one good measurement at one wavelength that compares well with the German standard.
Funding for this and related projects was provided by the U.S. Air Force, an Innovations in Measurement Science (IMS) grant, the NIST-on-a-Chip program, and the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
State Department Supports Climate Capacity-Building Initiative for Transparency
Washington, DC - The Department of State announces its intention to provide $15 million for the Capacity-Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) over the next three years, subject to appropriations. This initiative was first proposed by the United States and the European Union at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP-21) in December 2015 in order to ensure that all countries will be prepared to meet the new, robust transparency requirements in the Paris Agreement.
The enhanced transparency framework agreed to in Paris contains requirements that are critical to ensuring that countries are implementing the Agreement, including the emission reduction targets that they put forward last year. Countries are to provide regular updates on their progress towards reducing emissions, and on their support for others to address climate change. Countries are also encouraged to report on adaptation and climate impacts.
To meet the new reporting requirements, many developing countries will need technical and institutional capacity-building support.
CBIT was designed to address these needs, and to help developing countries begin to build over time the institutional and technical capacity they will need to prepare transparent, accurate, and timely reports. In particular, the initiative will help countries develop better quality greenhouse gas emissions tracking and other technical measurement activities.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) will administer the CBIT and the World Bank will serve as trustee. The GEF has a demonstrated track record of providing capacity-building support to assist developing countries in meeting their reporting obligations under multilateral environmental agreements. Based on this established track record, countries selected the GEF to serve to administer CBIT during the negotiations on the Paris Agreement.
NSF Awards $232K to Study Environmental Impacts on Ancient Maya Port
San Diego, California - A wide-ranging coastal research project in Mexico, co-directed by the University of California San Diegos Dominique Rissolo, was recently awarded a $232,000 grant from the National Science Foundations Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences Division to study the complex interrelationships between the ancient Maya and their dynamic coastal environment.
Rissolo, special projects coordinator for the Universitys Center of Interdisciplinary Science for Art, Architecture and Archaeology (CISA3), spent the better part of a month this past winter along the wild and largely unstudied north coast of Quintana Roo, Mexico. His teams Proyecto Costa Escondida (or Hidden Coast Project) is an investigation of environmental and ecological factors that affected ancient Maya ports in Quintana Roo, located on Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula. The ports significance stems from their erstwhile importance in a network of trade routes linking people, goods and ideas from across Mesoamerica.
Accompanying Rissolo during the fieldwork were co-Principal Investigators, Jeffrey Glover (Georgia State University) and Beverly Goodman (University of Haifa), as well as their students. Co-PIs Patricia Beddows (Northwestern University) and Derek Smith (University of Washington) will be joining the field season this spring as well.
This interdisciplinary research program involving faculty, students and staff from six universities in the U.S., Mexico and Israel is largely focused on a paleoenvironmental and paleoecological reconstruction of the key port of Vista Alegre, a mangrove-shrouded island surrounded by a mosaic of coastal ecosystems. Geoarchaeological field methods, such as sediment coring, water sampling, and micro-fossil analyses, enable Rissolo and his colleagues to better understand sea-level fluctuations as well as the way the shoreline and harboring locations have changed over time.
Changes in ecosystem biodiversity would have presented the maritime Maya with unique challenges and opportunities, says Rissolo, who is based at the UC San Diego Qualcomm Institute. He notes that coastal-inland connections served as a catalyst for creating more socially complex societies, and the scope and scale of maritime commerce and interaction was closely linked to the ever-changing political and economic landscape.
Six students and staff from UC San Diego including Sebastian Afshari (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering), Michael Hess (Structural Engineering), Aliya Hoff (alumna, Anthropology), Eric Lo (QI engineer), Dominique Meyer (Physics) and Vera Smirnova (Chemistry and Biochemistry) have also been active in shaping the course of Proyecto Costa Escondida research. Integral to the project is the characterization and modeling of the coastal landscape via aerial remote sensing techniques. Meyer recently published an article on this student-driven effort in the March issue of the SAA Archaeological Record.
The projects team from the University of Haifa wrapped up their underwater coring activities in February, with technical support from local divers Gosia Pytel and Jeff Clark. Analyses of the sediments back in Israel will give researchers a better understanding of coastal processes over time. Haifa graduate student Rohi Jaijel completed the first phase of the sub-bottom profiling sonar survey in the waters around Vista Alegre. Ultimately, the team hopes to find an intact Maya trading canoe buried beneath the sediments of the ancient harbor.
During the time of the powerful Maya center of Chichen Itza, coastal trading ports like Vista Alegre would have been visited by countless canoes carrying commodities like salt and cotton, but also more valuable cargoes such as cacao, obsidian, jade and finished prestige items. Though observed by Christopher Columbus during his forth voyage to the Americas, these massive Maya dugouts remain elusive in the archaeological record.
New discoveries at the site are beginning to tell the story of a cosmopolitan port center actively engaged in facilitating commerce during the latter part of Maya civilization. Both artifacts and architectural styles reflect a small coastal community connected to cultures far and wide. Excavations led by Mexican archaeologists Nelda Issa and Ashuni Romero, with Verna Gentil, Chrissy Phillips and Carrie Tucker have revealed an astounding density of materials beneath the surface of the site.
Vista Alegres limited space would have forced them to build up and out onto the shoreline as the center grew, says Rissolo. There are literally centuries of pottery underfoot and we are working closely with Joseph Ball and Jennifer Taschek at San Diego State University to make sense of it all.
Rissolo notes that the team has discovered the skeletal remains of the ancient residents of Vista Alegre as well.
In fact, it is difficult to excavate at the site without encountering an intact burial, or mixed human bones from a burial that was disturbed at some point in the past, he says. Such contexts require special care and Rissolo and team are collaborating with biological anthropologists at the Autonomous University of Yucatan, Vera Teisler, Andrea Cucina and Julio Chi Keb.
One of my favorite things to do while at Vista Alegre, adds Rissolo, is to sit atop the high pyramid, look out along the coast and across the maze of waterways surrounding the site, and imagine what it would have been like nearly a thousand years ago with all the trading canoes coming and going these jungle covered mounds once a bustling port.
U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue and U.S.-China Consultation on People-to-People Exchange
Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of the Treasury today announced that the eighth session of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) will be held in Beijing, China, in early June.
Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew will join their respective Chinese co-chairs, State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Vice Premier Wang Yang, along with members of the U.S. delegation and their Chinese colleagues for the Dialogue.
The Dialogue will focus on the challenges and opportunities that both countries face on a wide range of bilateral, regional, and global areas of immediate and long-term economic and strategic interest.
The U.S. Department of State also announced today that Secretary Kerry will join Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong for the seventh annual U.S.-China Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE).
The CPE will be held in early June in Beijing, China.
The CPE promotes and strengthens people-to-people ties between the United States and China in the fields of education, culture, health, science and technology, sports, and womens issues. It provides a high-level annual forum for government and private-sector representatives to discuss cooperation on exchanges in a broad, strategic manner.
Further details regarding the precise dates, open press events, credentialing for the media, and other details will be made available in the weeks ahead.
This Isnt Our Last Love Letter
Dear Don Don,
Way back in 92
I walked into the room and knew
Never felt this way before
I shook your hand while gazing into your eyes
And the feeling grew
As I took a seat I knew
A love that would have my heart
Forever
I knew
Way back in 92
They say love at first sight doesnt always last or isnt true
We were the exception to that rule
Our love had no where to hide
A spark set fire
As if this is how the universe started
I never doubted our love or what we could do
Together we grew
Forming a bond everlasting
That became our glue
My euphoria was YOU
Im eternally grateful for the love and life we shared
For how fortunate we were :
to have and to hold
through sickness and in health
Til death do us part
Until we are together again
This isnt our last love letter
I love you with all my heart and soul
Yours forever,
Deirdre (Mrs. Hank Snow)
Im fortunate to have fallen in love with, marry and make a life with the sharpest, coolest, funniest, most rare, bad ass, tender loving, loyal man on the planet, my husband Don Imus.
A True American Hero
I dont know why it has been so hard for me to write about my dear friend Don Imus.
I certainly know what he meant to me, my family, my charity, my hospital and the millions of fans that listened and loved him for so many years.
I keep reading all the beautiful condolences that people are writing about how much a part of their lives were effected by listening to him over the years.
But what most people dont talk enough about is what he did for all of us.
In every sense of the word, he was an American Hero. His work with children with so many different illnesses and his dedication to their future was unmatched by anyone I have ever known or heard about.
Besides raising over $100,000,000 for so many causes, he took care of young people for over 20 years in a state where he could not breathe. Along with his incredible wife Deirdre, he created a world where children were not defined by their disease. That was a miracle! He was a miracle.
I will miss him ever day for the rest of my life.
I was blessed to be a part of his and Deirdes life.
No one will ever do what he did.
I love you Don Imus - A TRUE AMERICAN HERO
David Jurist
IMUS IN THE MORNING
FIRST DAY BACK!
Iceland Cricket's Quirky Tweets Have an Audience of Their Own
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Penguin Random House is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its annual Design Awards this year, which provides students with an opportunity to win a year's placement at the company and get involved with design.
The Independent spoke with judges Anna Billson and Suzanne Dean to see what they look for in a cover design, and how cover art has the potential to encapsulate the words inside.
Q&A with Anna Billson, Art Director for Penguin Random House Children's:
What do you look for in a cover design?
A connection. Something that sparks an emotion powerfully and appropriately.
A clear vision that communicates the meaning of the book in an instant.
Beauty and originality.
Attention to detail and skill in execution.
How do you feel a design can impact a reader either in a good or bad way?
The moment you see anything you make a snap judgement whether you realise it or not. You cant escape the impact that physical appearance has. However visual or not you think you are you will have a gut reaction to what you see. A cover design is no different to anything else you see in the impact it can have. A good cover design is all about kick-starting the imagination of the reader. A good cover will intrigue and inspire, tap into memories or ignite new passions. A good cover will make the words inside the book speak more powerfully. A bad cover will just stop you picking up the book!
Choose 5 books that made you want to be a designer
In the chronological order that I came across them...
Mother Goose Brian Wildsmith
One of the first books I can remember owning and one that I returned to a lot when I started as a Junior Designer in childrens publishing.
The First Puffin Annual
Just a wonderful thing I find something new every time I look at it.
My parents collection of Penguin paperbacks
I cant claim to have read them all, but they had a huge impact on me visually. I spent hours looking at them, lining them up on the shelves and admiring the simplicity and gracefulness of the design.
How it works PRINTING PROCESSES [A Ladybird Book]
Never underestimate knowing about a process even if it is only not to follow it.
The Letraset Catalogue
My bible at college and I can still spend hours happily leafing through an old dog-eared copy.
Q&A with Suzanne Dean, Art Director for Penguin Random House Vintage:
What do you look for in a cover design?
Book covers can be a visual foreword for the book. They have to capture the essence of the contents.
The cover needs to catch the eye, engage the potential reader and get them to pick the novel up. (It is said you only have a couple of seconds to catch a browsers eye as they move through a bookshop.) The design has to do this in a unique, creative and striking way on a single page. It is partly this format restriction that makes cover design so interesting.
How do you feel a design can impact a reader either in a good or bad way?
We live in a visual culture and we react to what we see. It is almost impossible not to judge things based on a first impression.
The cover image can connect with your subconscious; play with visual puns, the real and imaginary. The design can be nostalgic or shocking. At its best the cover distills the essence of that book, in a way that gets you to look twice, pick it up and buy the book. We all know how difficult it is to start a book, even when it comes highly recommended, when you dont like the cover.
What are your top 5 book cover designs and why?
I find my top book cover designs vary over time. Below are my present choices:
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
Cover art for A Clockwork Orange
This iconic design by David Pelham is striking with its bold colours, thick outline and cog-eye symbol.
Albert Camus series
Helen Yentus redesigned the complete works of Camus for Vintage Books, USA. The covers stark, utilitarian type treatment contrasts with the optical illusions triggered by the interplay of the bold black and white graphics.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
Design by Jon Gray. Hand-rendered lettering enclosed within a red hand. The design is so simple and memorable. You could recognise this title across a bookshop.
America by Kafka
Cover art for Amerika
I have a great admiration for all Alvin Lustigs (1915-1955) designs, especially for the New Directions New Classics Series. America is my favourite. Lustig creates an exceptionally strong graphic abstraction with a prominent star symbol in American red white and blue. It may have been designed in 1946, but looks as fresh today as it did then.
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
Picture: (Penguin Books)
Perhaps one of Penguins most radical covers of recent years, this edition designed by David Pearson, has the title and authors name almost completely obscured by black foiling. It references the rewriting of history carried out by the novels Ministry of Truth.
Anna Billson, Art Director of Penguin Random House Children and Suzanne Dean, Art Director of Vintage (PRH) are judges at Design Award 2016. For more info and to check out this years shortlist visit the site here
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However they end up, there's always a sense of anticipation surrounding an adaptation of Stephen King's horror novels.
They are works that filmmakers will turn to time and again despite varying results over the past four decades: there's the brilliant (Carrie, The Shining); the surprising (The Mist, 1408); and the oh-God-it's-bad-stay-away (Secret Window, Maximum Overdrive).
Save for recent Fox series 11/22/63, however, they've been few and far between of late. But with promising versions of both It and The Dark Tower finally underway, a trailer for Cell has arrived, a film version of which has been in the works since the novel's release back in 2006.
The story is standard King; a pulse, sent through mobile phones the world over, turns users into frenzied killing machines.
(YouTube)
Artist Clayton Riddell (who fortunately isn't using his phone when the pulse hits), assisted by civilian Tom McCourt, must battle for survival while attempting to find his son.
That the two leads are played by John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson - who both starred in 2007 King property 1408 - is a reason for excitement, even if the former's been fairly candid about the project since filming ended in 2013.
King himself co-penned the script alongside Adam Alloca in a bid to alter the ending notoriously derided by his novel's readers.
Tod Williams (Paranormal Activity 2) directs the film which co-stars Stacy Keach and Isabelle Fuhrman (Orphan).
Cell will get a US VOD release on 10 June with a limited cinema release following in July. UK dwellers will unfortunately have to wait but, to us, it looks like B-movie gold.
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Since the release of the first Doctor Strange trailer, fans have been discussing whether Marvel should have cast Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One.
In the comics, Stephen Stranges mentor is portrayed as a male Tibetan mystic who has a vast knowledge of all things magical.
When Swinton was cast in the role, critics claimed the studio had whitewashed the role, with screenwriter C. Robert Cargill recently explaining the casting choice was made as to not upset foreign markets, such as China.
Since Cargill spoke on the matter, Marvel has issued a statement on the controversy, highlighting their strong record of diversity within their films.
Hollywood whitewashing controversies Show all 11 1 /11 Hollywood whitewashing controversies Hollywood whitewashing controversies Scarlett Johansson cast as Motoko Kusanagi in Ghost in the Shell Blonde, white US actress Scarlett Johansson was announced to be playing the clearly Japanese character Motoko Kusanagi in Hollywood's Ghost in the Shell remake, much to the dismay of Asian film fans Hollywood whitewashing controversies Tilda Swinton cast as The Ancient One in Doctor Strange Marvel sparked outrage when Anglo-Scottish actress Tilda Swinton was cast as Tibetan mystic The Ancient One alongside Benedict Cumberbatch in Doctor Strange Hollywood whitewashing controversies Zoe Saldana was criticised for 'blacking up' to play the considerably darker-skinned soul singer Nina Simone in Nina AP Hollywood whitewashing controversies Jake Gyllenhaal stars in Prince of Persia The half Jewish, quarter Swedish actor was cast to play a Middle Eastern Prince in Disney's 2010 film Hollywood whitewashing controversies Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily in forthcoming film Pan Mara was been cast in the role of American Indian Tiger Lily, sparking an online protest from angry film fans Warner Bros Hollywood whitewashing controversies Christian Bale plays Moses in Ridley Scott's Exodus: Gods and Kings Ridley Scott claimed he would never cast 'Mohammed so-and-so from such-and-such a country' in a lead role in his Biblical epic, and went on to cast an entirely white cast instead Hollywood whitewashing controversies Jim Caveziel plays Jesus in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ Catholic star Mel Gibson chose to cast a Caucasian American actor in the role of Jesus for his controversial film AP Hollywood whitewashing controversies Micky Rooney plays a Japanese neighbour in Breakfast at Tiffany's Who better to play Holly Golightly's Japanese neighbour IY Yunoishi than American actor Mick Rooney. At least Hollywood has come some way since 1961 YouTube Hollywood whitewashing controversies Ben Affleck as Tony Mendez in Argo Ben Affleck became the subject of a few editorials in Latin American newspapers for casting himself (an American with English, Irish, Scottish and Swiss ancestry) as a Mexican CIA operative Hollywood whitewashing controversies Jennifer Connelly plays Alicia Nash in A Beautiful Mind Alicia Lopez-Harrison de Larde was a naturalised US citizen from El Salvador, but was played by an actress of Jewish, Irish and Norwegian descent YouTube Hollywood whitewashing controversies Chinese actresses cast in Memoirs of a Geisha What better way to alienate Japanese cinemagoers than to cast three Chinese actresses in the lead roles in a film about Japanese culture REUTERS
"Marvel has a very strong record of diversity in its casting of films and regularly departs from stereotypes and source material to bring its MCU to life," the statement reads.
"The Ancient One is a title that is not exclusively held by any one character, but rather a moniker passed down through time, and in this particular film the embodiment is Celtic.
"We are very proud to have the enormously talented Tilda Swinton portray this unique and complex character alongside our richly diverse cast.
This isnt the first time Marvel has been accused of lacking diversity in a film. When Finn Jones was cast as Iron Fist, fans were outraged they hadnt cast an Asian actor. It has also been highlighted in the past how the studio has yet to release a solo film with a lead female superhero: the first of which will be Captain Marvel in 2019.
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It was only a matter of time until Hollywood turned Edward Snowden's life into a movie; so thanks to Oliver Stone for getting that done with, and out of the way.
The first trailer for Snowden has dropped; which sees Joseph Gordon-Levitt play the titular NSA whistleblower. Initially employed by the CIA after his discharge from the military, Snowden was later assigned to an NSA facility, leading to what's now become one of the most historically significant instances of whistleblowing ever to take place; one which blew open the doors of the US' surveillance program, and which changed our attitudes to privacy forever.
And whilst Snowden's work with the historical has thrown up some all-time classics, the director hasn't been on the hottest streak of later with the likes of Savages and Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps; with this first glimpse at Snowden doing little to raise confidence here.
Recommended Read more What to expect at Cannes 2016
Though the studio (via ScreenDaily) seem keen for an awards season campaign; all this trailer teases is gratingly on-the-nose thriller visuals and enforced paranoia - because audiences only ever understand privacy issues if you tell them the NSA is watching them have sex through their webcam. Then there's that slightly goofy, deep-toned impersonation from Gordon-Levitt going on.
Plus, Nic Cage turns up so loudly and so suddenly, it feels like one of those prank jumpscares a bad friend would think was hilarious. The film also stars Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo, Zachary Quinto, Tom Wilkinson, Rhys Ifans, Joely Richardson, Scott Eastwood, and Timothy Olyphant.
Snowden hits US theatres 16 September; with no UK release date announced.
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Next year will see a final standalone outing for X-Men mutant Wolverine that'll see Hugh Jackman reprise the role for the eighth time (well ninth, if the latest X-Men: Apocalypse trailer is anything to go by).
With shooting set to begin next month, there is currently no word on the film's plot. In fact, all that's known are a trio of actors - including Jackman - who'll appear.
Patrick Stewart will show up as chief X-man Professor X while Boyd Holbrook is on board as Wolverine's chief antagonist.
It's time to add Richard E. Grant to that list with The Hollywood Reporter announcing that the actor has signed on to play "a villainous mad scientist type."
X-Men: Apocalypse - Trailer 3
The well-known Brit - star of such films as Withnail & I and Bram Stoker's Dracula - has mustered an array of roles in popular television shows over the years including Doctor Who, Girls and Downton Abbey.
Grant will next be showing up in Game of Thrones season six although the identity of his character remains shrouded in secrecy.
Wolverine 3 - which is pushing forward with its planned R-rating following the success of Deadpool - is being lined up for a March 2017 release.
X-Men: Apocalypse hits UK cinemas on 18 May.
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AC/DC fans outraged at the thought of Axl Rose stepping in for Brian Johnson have finally been offered refunds.
UK concertgoers with tickets for the bands London and Manchester gigs in June have the opportunity to request their money back but must do so before 5pm on Friday 6 May.
See Tickets emailed ticket holders to inform them of the latest development after many expressed anger when Rose was announced to replace Johnson on medical grounds. Other ticket companies are also offering refunds.
Rose is joining AC/DC for 12 upcoming dates across Europe after Johnson was told that he risked losing his deteriorating hearing entirely if he took part in the tour.
Johnson issued an emotional statement at the time, informing fans that he had been forced to pull out on doctors orders.
I am not a quitter and I like to finish what I start, he said. Nevertheless, the doctors made it clear to me and my bandmates that I had no choice but to stop performing on stage for the remaining shows and possibly beyond. That was the darkest day of my professional life.
I am personally crushed by this development more than anyone could ever imagine. The emotional experience I feel now is worse than anything I have ever in my life felt before.
Best guitar riffs of all-time Show all 10 1 /10 Best guitar riffs of all-time Best guitar riffs of all-time 1. Led Zeppelin with Whole Lotta Love Getty Best guitar riffs of all-time 2. Guns 'N' Roses with Sweet Child O'Mine Getty Best guitar riffs of all-time 3. AC/DC with Back in Black Getty Best guitar riffs of all-time 4. Deep Purple with Smoke On The Water Getty Best guitar riffs of all-time 5. Derek and The Dominoes with Layla Getty Best guitar riffs of all-time 6. The Smiths with How Soon Is Now? Rex Best guitar riffs of all-time 7. Status Quo with Down Down Getty Best guitar riffs of all-time 8. Dire Straits with Money For Nothing Rex Best guitar riffs of all-time 9. The Kinks with You Really Got Me Getty Best guitar riffs of all-time 10. Pink Floyd with Money Getty
Fans became concerned when Johnsons bandmates wished him luck in his future ventures in their own statement, forcing the groups frontman since 1980 to clarify that he is not retiring.
My doctors have told me that I can continue to record in studios and I intend to do that, he said. For the moment, my entire focus is to continue medical treatment to improve my hearing. I am hoping that in time my hearing will improve and allow me to return to live concert performances. While the outcome is uncertain, my attitude is optimistic.
Rose will head out on his Guns N Roses summer stadium tour following the run of dates with AC/DC. Johnson has not spoken to the press about his replacement but his close comedian friend Jim Breuer recently hinted that he felt kicked to the kerb by the band.
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Led Zeppelins Stairway to Heaven copyright trial could be settled for a dollar and a writing credit, according to lawyers suing the rock band.
Robert Plant and Jimmy Page face court on 10 May over claims they stole their iconic 1971 songs intro from Spirits 1967 instrumental track Taurus but attorney Francis Alexander Malofiy has confirmed that the case has always been about credit where credit is due rather than winning damages.
Lawyers are seeking a mere $1 settlement along with a writing credit for Spirit guitarist and composer Randy California, real name Wolfe. Californias trustees would then receive future profits from Stairway to Heaven.
US District Judge Gary Klausner ruled earlier this month that Stairway to Heaven bore substantial similarities with Taurus after Michael Skidmore, a trustee for California, filed a lawsuit alleging that Page had been inspired to write his hit after touring with Spirit in the late Sixties.
Klausner has now also ruled that any testimony relating to Led Zeppelins reputation as serial plagiarists will be banned. The group have previously been ordered to pay portions of the royalties for songs like Whole Lotta Love and Boogie with Stu to other writers, and forced to add credits to several other tracks.
The plaintiff is forbidden from using band members alcohol and drug use as evidence when arguing against the defences claim that Led Zeppelin had not heard Taurus before composing Stairway to Heaven.
Klausner has also rejected the plaintiffs experts, according to The Hollywood Reporter, after the musicologists prepared their reports and opinions by relying upon sound recordings that embodied unprotected performance elements. New expert reports can be submitted within five days providing they are purged of such elements.
Best guitar riffs of all-time Show all 10 1 /10 Best guitar riffs of all-time Best guitar riffs of all-time 1. Led Zeppelin with Whole Lotta Love Getty Best guitar riffs of all-time 2. Guns 'N' Roses with Sweet Child O'Mine Getty Best guitar riffs of all-time 3. AC/DC with Back in Black Getty Best guitar riffs of all-time 4. Deep Purple with Smoke On The Water Getty Best guitar riffs of all-time 5. Derek and The Dominoes with Layla Getty Best guitar riffs of all-time 6. The Smiths with How Soon Is Now? Rex Best guitar riffs of all-time 7. Status Quo with Down Down Getty Best guitar riffs of all-time 8. Dire Straits with Money For Nothing Rex Best guitar riffs of all-time 9. The Kinks with You Really Got Me Getty Best guitar riffs of all-time 10. Pink Floyd with Money Getty
California, who tragically drowned in 1997 while trying to save his son, told Listener magazine shortly before his death that he thought Stairway to Heaven was a rip-off and still considered it a sore point.
In defence, Plant and Page are arguing that the chord progressions used in Stairway to Heaven are too widely known to be protected by copyright, which they believe California had no claim to as he was a songwriter for hire.
Page has branded Skidmores accusations ridiculous ahead of the reissue of Led Zeppelins first three albums next month.
The case continues.
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Two lost novels on a cracked hard drive spurred Ben Cooper to tell his stories through songs under the name Radical Face.
He set about writing a family saga set over centuries, inspired by the magical realism of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It was only eight years later and several albums in that he found he was writing about himself.
On the first of three sold-out nights at the Forge in London, he is improbably funny for a man who just lived through the conviction of his stepfather for sexually assaulting his niece.
Hi, I'm Ben, you probably know me from the Internet but I'm from Florida.
"The land of retired old people, Mickey Mouse and alligators, he tells the audience, who jostle for a glimpse of his green trucker cap.
Around the stage, old pictures have been strung from the walls and tables are spread with scrapbooks containing lyrics and notes.
It would take a day to dissemble the full story from his trio of Family Tree albums The Roots, The Branches and latest installment The Leaves, released in March.
But there is a simplicity to these acoustic compositions that makes them accessible despite dense imagery in the lyrics.
Cooper warms up with "Summer Skeletons", a song about lake-swimming and star-watching during a childhood spent outdoors, but he quickly switches to minor keys.
"Secrets (cellar door)", about his niece, contains lines about cracked trees, resurrected dogs, ghosts and death.
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You can imagine him toiling away on this stuff in isolation, but tonight he feeds off his band, joking with Rick on piano about him messing up the intro to "Always Gold". They play the song at the request of an audience member, for their birthday.
This is music of magic and intimacy with mass appeal the kind that appears during the denouement of indie films (final song "Welcome Home" has already appeared on Skins). It's a page-turner of a set.
Set list
1. Pound of flesh
2. Reminders
3. Summer skeletons
4. Black eyes
5. Severus and stone
6. Secrets (cellar door)
7. We're on our way
8. Always gold
9. Gilded hand
10. Welcome home
11. The mutes
12. Wrapped in piano strings
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Neil Patrick Harris is going to make one seriously scary Count Olaf if first look pictures of the actor in his new role are anything to go by.
Harris is playing the sinister villain in the upcoming Netflix adaptation of Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events, based on Daniel Handlers 13 much-loved novels.
Filming is currently underway in Vancouver, Canada, with leaked photos emerging on social media showing a barely recognisable Harris.
The 42-year-old has eccentric-looking receding grey hair, a unibrow, a fake nose, scruffy unclean clothes, no socks and an evil look of determination etched upon his face.
Fans of the books will be relieved to see that Olafs on-screen look matches Snickets descriptions of him as very tall, thin and dirty.
The story follows orphaned siblings Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire who are sent to live with Olaf, a distant cousin with dastardly plans to steal their inheritance. After losing guardianship when he tries and fails to marry 14-year-old Violet, Olaf pursues the children to their new homes in a variety of disguises, always in a bid to kidnap them, kill their new guardians and fulfil his goal. Terrifying huh?
A Series of Unfortunate Events was previously adapted for a 2004 film starring Jim Carrey as Olaf, with the new Netflix version set for release later this year.
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A quarter of TV viewers suffering from mental health problems have been prompted to seek help after following mental health storylines, according to a new poll by mental health charity Mind.
The survey asked over 2,000 British adults how soap and drama storylines affected their attitudes to mental illness, with just over half of those surveyed saying that watching a plot involving a character with mental health problems had helped improve their understanding.
One in three men with personal experience of a mental health problem were more likely to be moved to find professional help and support after watching a relatable character, compared to just 15 per cent of women.
Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind, said: These statistics show just how powerful all forms of media can be in encouraging people to go and see their GP, call a helpline or just get in touch with a friend or family member with a mental health problem.
Media portrayals and reporting, when done well, can be a lifeline. Drama storylines in particular can help people who might be struggling to feel less alone and they play a vital role in signposting to the help and support that is available.
Farmer went on to praise media coverage that offers a sensitive, compelling and realistic representation of mental health, urging journalists and programme-makers to continue showing people with mental health problems as a whole and giving them a platform to share their experiences.
Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Show all 10 1 /10 Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report 30 per cent of people deal with anxiety by talking to a friend or relative, or by going for a walk. Getty Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report Almost one in five people feel anxious all or a lot of the time. PA Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report 22 per cent of women feel anxious a lot or all of the time, compared to 15 per cent of men. Roman Levin/Flickr Creative Commons Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report 45 per cent of people who feel anxious in everyday life cite financial issues as their biggest cause of worry. Getty Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report And 26 per cent of people who feel anxious say fearing for the welfare of their children and loved ones leaves them burdened with worry. And 26 per cent of people say fearing for the welfare of their children and loved ones leaves them burdened with anxiety. Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report 27 per cent of people who suffer from anxiety say work issues, such as long hours, are the source of the problem. Getty Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report But 16 per cent use alcohol to cope, while 10 per cent turn to cigarettes in the face of anxiety. Unemployed people are more likely to resort to these harmful strategies: 27 per cent use alcohol and 23 per cent use cigarettes. AFP/Getty Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report Only seven per cent of people who say they suffer from anxiety seek help from their GP. Getty Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report People are thought to be more anxious than they were five years ago. Alessandra/Flickr Creative Commons Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report The stresses of modern life are thought to have created "The Age of Anxiety". Getty
The Mind Media Awards, which celebrate the best examples of mental health portrayal in media, opens for entries today. The judging panel is made up of media industry experts, many of whom have personal experience of mental health problems.
Maisie Williams, who starred in Mind Media Awards winner Cyberbully last year, revealed that after it aired, the anti-bullying line saw a massive influx in calls from young people who had previously been too frightened to speak out.
No one is going to judge you, there are people out there who want to help you, she said. I hope that is the message people get from a series like Cyberbully.
Winners of the Mind Media Awards will be announced at an event at the Troxy on Monday 14 November.
Mind has a confidential information and support line, Mind Infoline, available on 0300 123 3393. Lines are open from 9am to 6pm from Monday to Friday.
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First thing's first: The Host director Bong Joon-ho has a new monster movie coming out.
The Korean filmmaker is following up his most recent film Snowpiercer (which sadly didn't get a UK release after all) with Netflix production, Okja.
Joon-ho is reuniting with Tilda Swinton for the sci-fi fantasy which will also star Seohyun Anstory, Jake Gyllenhaal and Bill Nighy.
However, it's the latest cast addition that has sent tongues wagging with The Walking Dead actor Steven Yeun signed on to battle an oversized pig (really) in the new creature feature.
The most shocking Walking Dead moments Show all 10 1 /10 The most shocking Walking Dead moments The most shocking Walking Dead moments Sophie's a walker (season 2, episode 7) Much of season two's opening half is spent looking for Sophia, the missing daughter of Carol (Melissa McBride). Turns out she was locked up in Hershel's barn as a zombie all along. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Shane reanimates without being bitten (season 2, episode 12) When Carl (Chandler Riggs) guns down a deranged Shane (Jon Bernthal) to protect his father, the shock arrives when he manifests into a walker despite not being bitten; turns out everyone's infected with the virus and will turn whichever way they die. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Axel's bullet to the eye (season 3, episode 10) A character introduced in the show's prison arc, Axel is a reformed prisoner who strikes up a friendship with Carol - until he's gunned down mid-sentence. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Carl kills Lori after she gives birth (season 3, episode 4) Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) goes into labour at the very moment a zombie siege breaks out at the prison. Unfortunately, she doesn't make it through the procedure with her son Carl being the one to put a bullet to her head. The most shocking Walking Dead moments The Governor slays Hershel (season 4, episode 8) The Governor makes his dramatic return for a showdown at the prison after he captures Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Hershel (Scott Wilson). Rick reaches out, attempting to reason with him - but The Governor starts a war when he proceeds to decapitate poor old Hershel instead. The most shocking Walking Dead moments "Look at the flowers" (season 4, episode 14) In a standout episode from the show's fourth season, Carol is forced to take drastic measures when young teenager Lizzie murders her sister Mika in the belief that she'll live on as a zombie. Realising Lizzie's depraved mind would endanger those around her, Carol puts a gun to the young girl's head and, telling her to "look at the flowers," pulls the trigger, fighting back the tears. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Carl's bullet to the eye (season 6, episode 9) Season six returned from its mid-season break in typically dramatic fashion when an iconic moment from the graphic novels came to life: Carl takes a bullet to the eye. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Beth is killed (season 5, episode 8) Upon being kidnapped, Beth (Emily Kinney) is taken to Grady Memorial Hospital managed by Atlanta Law Enforcement. Forced to reside there against her will, the group - including Rick and Daryl (Norman Reedus) - eventually find her - only for her to be accidentally shot in the head by her captor. The worst thing? Her sister Maggie (Lauren Cohan) had just arrived outside. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Negan kills Abraham Season seven opened in brutal form as we discovered it was Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) at the opposite end of Negan's baseball bat. "Suck my nuts," the soldier growls as the Saviours' leader brings Lucille raining down on his head until nothing remains but a pulpy mess. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Negan kills Glenn Negan decides to punish the group once more after getting clocked round the face by Daryl. Without expectation, he thwacks Lucille round the head of poor Glenn. With his eyeball popping out of his head, he manages: "I'll find you, Maggie before Negan proceeds to finish the job ending the former pizza delivery boy's life.
As all fans of AMC's zombie drama know, season six recently ended with a controversial cliffhanger which saw new villain Negan bludgeon an unseen character to death.
Causing a whole host of abounding theories, viewers were up in arms about facing a six-month wait before discovering the identity of the unfortunate character - Yeun's character Glenn being one of 11 characters who could be dead by the time season seven begins.
Okja is now filming in Seoul which would lead to the assumption that Yeun could film his scenes and be back in Atlanta, Georgia - The Walking Dead's filming location - in time for its May shooting schedule.
But when merged with the fact he's heading up his very own action film also, it doesn't leave a lot of time aside to play Glenn. Perhaps it's time we start preaparing our goodbyes...
The film - which also stars Paul Dano and Lily Collins - is set to premiere globally in 2017; it's a co-production between Netflix and Brad Pitt's Plan B Productions, a combination that is also releasing War Machine later this year.
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Peaky Blinders feels like HBO or AMC. This isnt to disparage the BBC, its just its dramas generally have a very TV look about them that cant match the big budget, opulent cinematography being crafted on the other side of the Atlantic.
But with its billowing smokestacks, moody lighting and charred scenery, Peaky Blinders puts every penny it has to good use, and more than stands up when watched back to back with a Game of Thrones or a Mad Men.
This is particularly true of the new season, the first episode of which is a visual orgy, with its fastidious set design, immaculate costume and poised shot composition.
Im not going to spoil anything for you, but as creator Steven Knight already let on, the episode opens on Tommys wedding day following a mini time jump. It pretty much stays there, and, as youd expect, business matters seep into the reception like a noxious gas.
Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Show all 30 1 /30 Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Cillian Murphy as Peaky Blinders mob boss Tommy Shelby BBC Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Peaky Blinders is acclaimed for its stunning cinematography Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Annabelle Wallis as Tommy's new wife Grace Shelby Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Helen McCrory as the fearsome yet complicated Aunt Polly Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures The Peaky Blinders, always meaning business Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Tommy Shelby dances with his new wife Grace in the series three premiere Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby and his young son Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Cillian Murphy looking dapper as Tommy Shelby at his wedding to Grace Burgess Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Tommy's bride was finally revealed in episode one of series three Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Helen McCrory returns as Aunt Polly Gray Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Alexander Siddig plays Polly's potential new suitor Ruben Oliver Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Oh to own one of these beautiful 1920s cars Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Harry Kirton as Finn Shelby Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby meeting Gaite Jansen as Duchess Tatania Petrovna Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Tommy Shelby has moved into the higher echelons of society but the corruption continues Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Harry Kirton as Finn Shelby Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Gaite Jansen as Duchess Tatania Petrovna Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Paul Anderson as Arthur Shelby with Cillian Murphy as his younger mob boss brother Tommy Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Paul Anderson and Cillian Murphy as Arthur and Tommy Shelby Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Tommy struggles to keep Arthur under control in the first episode of Peaky Blinders series three Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Ian Peck as Curley and Ned Dennehy as Charlie Strong Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Benjamin Zephaniah as Jeremiah Jesus and Jordan Bolger as Isiah Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Paul Anderson as Arthur Shelby at Tommy's wedding Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Helen McCrory battles with self-loathing as Polly Gray Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Richard Brake as intimidating new character Anton Kaledin Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Alexander Siddig as the charming Ruben Oliver Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Tommy Shelby orders the Peaky Blinders to behave themselves on his wedding day Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Tommy Shelby's mind is elsewhere at his wedding breakfast Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Jordan Bolger as Isiah at Tommy's wedding Peaky Blinders series 3 in pictures Sophie Rundle as the strong-willed Ada Shelby
The new season has more than earned that familiar TV term highly anticipated, and you can sense it in the production, which feels ratcheted up in every respect.
The writing is stronger than ever and so are the performances, with Cillian Murphy now developing that Gandolfini-esque ability to say so much using only his eyes. Michael is becoming a very intriguing character - destined to be of vital importance as the show moves forward - and the stakes are now much higher. The Billy Kimber scuffles of season one seem a distant memory.
Intentionally or not, the first episode feels like a f*ck you to Downton Abbey. The Shelbys are now starting to match the Crawleys in terms of wealth and land, but youll find no 'hanky panky with the maid' bullsh*t here, with Peaky Blinders depicting 1920s Britain warts and all, as it should.
With a US broadcast sorted this time through Netflix, lets hope the Emmy Awards are watching.
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The amount of money the NHS spends on specialist services for rare diseases is increasing at a rate that now threatens its ability to pay for everyday care, the Governments spending watchdog has warned.
The National Audit Office (NAO) said that the budget for specialised services including rare cancers - increased from 13 billion in 2014 to 14.6 billion last year - a 6.3 per cent year on year rise. In contrast the NHS budget as a whole only rose by 3.5 per cent year on year.
Recommended Read more Government ignorant of effects of cuts on mental health services
The NAO has now warned NHS England that if it fails to control such spending then other services such as GP practices, non-specialised hospital treatment and community care could lose out.
It blamed the rise in cost on increasing number of effective but expensive new drugs available, and increasing demand for these services.
But it warned that NHS England still did not have consistent information on the costs of such treatment provided by different parts of the NHS and as a result was unable to make strategic decisions or ensure it was getting value for money.
It said that last year the price paid by NHS providers for a kidney transplant with a live donor varied from 13,000 to 42,000 across the eight centres.
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
Against a backdrop of increasing pressure on NHS finances, NHS England has not controlled the rising cost of specialised services, said the head of the NAO, Amyas Morse.
If specialised services continue to swallow up an increasing proportion of the NHS budget, other services will lose out.
But an NHS England spokesman said things had improved since the NAO examined the figures.
For the first time in three years, specialised commissioning has successfully balanced its budget this year - which is a major achievement - but the NAO rightly points to the pressure we're having to manage from rapidly rising demand for extremely expensive new treatments.
But there is no free lunch here, so continuing to balance the books will continue to require difficult choices about investment priorities.
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Young gay and bisexual men are six times more likely to attempt suicide than older men, new research has suggested.
The study, conducted by the London School of Tropical Medicine and funded by LGBT charity Stonewall, is based on analysis of 5,799 men living in the UK and has revealed a stark generational divide in the experiences of gay and bisexual men.
It found that gay or bisexual men under the age of 26 are twice as likely to suffer from depression or anxiety and six times as likely to have attempted suicide or self-harm as men over the age of 45.
This was particularly pronounced among men from low income backgrounds or ethnic minority groups. Men with low levels of education were found to be twice as likely to experience a mental health problem as those with a degree education, thought to be in part due to wider social dynamics influencing educational attainment such as class, ethnicity and income rather than education attainment in itself.
While it has long been established that LGBT communities suffer from considerably more mental health issues than other social groups, limited research has been conducted into how age affects their experiences. Indeed, it has previously been assumed that mental health issues may decrease among younger gay and bisexual men as they experience less stigma than older men due to changes in cultural attitudes and lesser discrimination.
The reports authors suggest that one element of the findings may be: older men are able to cope better with homophobia and that homophobia is more prevalent in the lives of younger men as older men are more likely to have been older and therefore more emotionally mature and well supported when they came out than men in subsequent generations who are more likely to come out at earlier ages. It is also possible that older men are more likely to be better supported or privileged in other ways including education, income and employment.
World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty
Lead author Dr Ford Hickson from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said: Mental health is one of the biggest health challenges facing the world today and can affect people from all walks of life. We know minority groups are at higher risk of poor mental health than the heterosexual majority, however the mental health differences within sexual minorities is unclear.
Our study showed that among gay and bisexual men, age and ethnicity had a significant impact on mental health, as did income education. This is possibly because men are better able to cope with homophobia the older they are, or if they are relatively privileged in other areas of their lives.
This is possibly because men are better able to cope with homophobia the older they are, or if they are relatively privileged in other areas of their lives Study lead author Dr Ford Hickson
April Guasp, Head of Research at Stonewall, said: Were really pleased to see this further in-depth analysis of mental health issues faced by gay and bisexual men. Its known that a range of factors can increase risk of poor mental health among the population in general and the same holds true for gay and bisexual men. This study contributes to better understanding of the specific risks within LGBT communities and will hopefully lead to more targeted health interventions.
Research has suggested that LGBT people are considerably more likely to have a mental health problem than cisgender or heterosexual people. Among the general population varying figures suggest that suicide attempt rates are around 4 per cent, increasing to 20 per cent for LGB people and over 40 per cent for transgender people. This is thought to be due to direct discrimination as well as indirect contributory factors such as LGBT people being more likely to be homeless, unemployed or to be victims of physical or sexual violence. It is thought that this is particularly pronounced for transgender people as they can face severe discrimination and social ostricisation due to prevailing transphobia and a number of financial barriers in accessing healthcare related to gender reassignment.
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Atlas Mara, the finance company co-founded by former Barclays Chief Executive Officer Bob Diamond, said its held talks with investors on a potential bid for the UK lenders operations in Africa to boost its presence across the continent.
Diamonds New York-based private-equity vehicle Atlas Merchant Capital and the Mara Group, founded by his partner at Atlas Mara, Ashish Thakkar, are among the group thats also exploring a combination of Atlas Mara with Barclays Africa, the London-traded company said in a statement on Tuesday. No other investors were identified. Carlyle Group is working with Diamond, people familiar with the matter said on Monday.
A combination with Barclayss Africa Group would rapidly accelerate Atlas Maras growth plans and give Diamond control of operations he championed as the CEO of the British lender before exiting after the Libor scandal. Started in 2013 by Diamond and Ugandan entrepreneur Thakkar to consolidate African financial-services firms, Atlas Mara has made acquisitions in seven sub-Saharan countries from Botswana to Nigeria, with plans to expand that to 10 to 15 markets over the next few years.
There will be some people who would be slightly nervous about selling a business to somebody who was an insider before, Piers Hillier, who helps to oversee about $123 billion of assets including Barclays shares as chief investment officer of Royal London Asset Management said in an interview with Anna Edwards on Bloomberg TV. Wed want to see not just one candidate, whos effectively a former insider, as the only available candidate to purchase. It doesnt tend to mean youre going to be able to secure the best price.
Explore Potential
Atlas Mara said its board of directors supports the exploration of the potential combination, of the company with Barclayss African operations. Diamond and Thakkar will recuse themselves from the firms internal discussions over the potential approach and remain wholly committed to Atlas Mara and the execution of its strategy.
Barclays CEO Jes Staley announced on March 1 the bank was retreating from Africa and selling down its 62 per cent holding as it seeks to boost its capital ratios and focus on US and UK operations. Staley is preparing to sell an initial 10 per cent stake in the Johannesburg-based business to several large investors, while keeping the option to divest its entire holding, people familiar with the matter have said. Officials at Barclays in London and Johannesburg declined to comment on Atlas Maras statement.
The fact that a consortium led by Atlas Mara is interested in acquiring Barclays stake does not come as a surprise to us, said Gary Greenwood, an analyst at Shore Capital in Liverpool, England with a buy rating on Barclays shares. If an agreement can be reached, this could present a relatively clean exit for Barclays that would, depending on price, be modestly capital accretive.
Staley has said Diamond lacks the financial capability to buy the whole of Barclays Africa Group. The African lender has a market value of 121 billion rand ($8.3 billion), according to data compiled by Bloomberg. South Africas Public Investment Corp., the biggest money manager on the continent, holds 5.3 per cent.
Building Blocks
Atlas Maras pretax profit was $19.2 million last year, compared with a loss of $58 million in 2014, the company said in a separate statement on Tuesday. Lending increased 15 per cent to $1.2 billion, while deposits rose 12 per cent to $1.4 billion.
The company said it was about half way through a $10 million stock repurchase program started in October after the stock almost halved last year amid a reversal of the commodities boom that made Africa the last great growth frontier.
The stock gained 15 per cent to 4.70 pence at 10:29 a.m. in London trading on Tuesday. It has fallen about 10 per cent this year.
Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.
Despite a challenging economic backdrop, we are pleased to have declared our first annual profit, Chairman Arnold Ekpe said in the statement. Strategically, the building blocks are falling into place and I fully expect that 2016 will demonstrate further progress on our journey towards building sub-Saharan Africas premier financial institution.
The firm includes several former Barclays executives, including its former Africa CEO John Vitalo, who now leads Atlas Mara for Diamond and Thakkar. Others include former head of Africa markets Michael Christelis, who joined Atlas Mara as head of treasury and markets in August, and former corporate banker and ex-UBS Group AG banks analyst John-Paul Crutchley, who runs investor relations.
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The British economy slowed down sharply in the first quarter of 2016.
GDP, which means the total value of all the goods and services produced in the UK, expanded by 0.4 per cent in the first three months of the year according to the the Office for National Statistics. That's down from 0.6 per cent growth in the final quarter of 2015.
The ONS said the latest data showed the continued heavy reliance of the UK economy on the services industry for growth, confirming that George Osborne's promises of an economic rebalancing towards manufacturing are still not being delivered.
The services sector (which accounts for almost 80 per cent of the economy) grew by 0.6 per cent but industrial production (which includes manufacturing) fell by 0.4 per cent and construction output contracted by 0.9 per cent.
That meant all the GDP growth in the first quarter came from services:
"Todays figures suggest growth has slowed as compared with the pace up to the middle of last year. Services continue to underpin the economy but other sectors have shown falling output this quarter" said the ONS chief economist Joe Grice.
The main reason for the overall GDP slowdown was a weakening in growth in "business services and finances" which slowed from a 0.7 per cent expansion in the final quarter of last year to just 0.3 per cent in the latest period. Those industries constitute 40 per cent of the services sector and 30 per cent of the overall economy.
Some economists said worse was likely to come in the second quarter of the year as concerns about the possibility of Brexit hit consumer and business confidence.
"We expect GDP growth to be limited to 0.3 per cent in the second quarter, amid heightened uncertainty in the run-up to the 23 June referendum on EU membership" said Howard Archer of IHS Global Insight.
"Referendum wobbles could make themselves felt in the coming months, highlighting the continuing downside risks for the economy this year" said Lee Hopley of EEF, the manufacturers' organisation.
In last month's Budget the Chancellor spoke of a "dangerous cocktail of risks" facing the global economy and warned that "Britain is not immune to slowdowns and shocks".
Today he said that the worsening GDP figures underlined the need for Britain to vote to remain in the EU.
"There are warnings today that the threat of leaving the EU is weighing on our economy. Investments and building are being delayed, and another group of international experts, the OECD, confirms British families would be worse off if we leave the EU. Let's not put the strong economy we're building at risk, and vote to Remain on June 23 he said.
But the ONS said that it had no evidence that the slowdown was linked to uncertainty around the referendum.
The level of output in manufacturing and construction still remains well below where it was when the UK went into recession in 2008. The latest statistics show that construction is 4 per cent lower and manufacturing is 7 per cent lower. Services output is 13 per cent higher. Overall GDP is up 7 per cent over that same period.
Last week, in part due to weaker growth, the Chancellor missed his 2015-16 borrowing target by 1.8bn, putting his plan of running an absolute Budget surplus in 2019-20 in further jeopardy.
The ONS report showed that Mr Osborne has borrowed 171bn more than he originally intended in his 2010 plans as the economy has significantly underperformed expectations six years ago:
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The Times has said it made a mistake by failing to run a story on the Hillsborough inquest verdicts on the front page of its first edition.
Every major British newspaper apart from The Times and The Sun had the jurys damning conclusion that the 96 victims of Britains worst sporting disaster were unlawfully killed as their main story.
Amid a storm of criticism, The Times released a statement on Twitter early on Wednesday afternoon responding to the criticism, but did not apologise for the omission.
The Times led with Hillsborough coverage on all our digital editions throughout the day, the newspapers editors said in a statement.
This morning we have covered it extensively in the paper with two spreads, the back page, a top leader and an interactive on the victims.
We made a mistake with the front page of our third edition, and we fixed it for the second edition.
Actor Stephen Mangan was among those expressing outrage on Twitter, where at least two of the paper's own journalists expressed their own opposition to the "unbelievable" decision.
Hillsborough families react to inquest conclusions Show all 10 1 /10 Hillsborough families react to inquest conclusions Hillsborough families react to inquest conclusions Relatives react after the jury delivered its verdict at the new inquests into the Hillsborough disaster, in Warrington Reuters Hillsborough families react to inquest conclusions Relatives of those who died in the Hillsborough disaster celebrate outside the Hillsborough Inquest in Warrington PA Hillsborough families react to inquest conclusions Margaret Aspinall holds a banner after the jury delivered its verdict at the new inquests into the Hillsborough disaster Reuters Hillsborough families react to inquest conclusions Relatives of the Hillsborough sing 'You'll never walk alone' as they depart Birchwood Park after hearing the conclusions of the Hillsborough inquest Getty Images Hillsborough families react to inquest conclusions Relatives of Hillsborough victims show their emotions as they depart Birchwood Park after hearing the conclusions of the Hillsborough inquest Getty Images Hillsborough families react to inquest conclusions Relatives of Hillsborough victims hug as they depart Birchwood Park after hearing the conclusions of the Hillsborough inquest in Warrington Getty Images Hillsborough families react to inquest conclusions Margaret Aspinall (C), whose son James died in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, makes a statement following the conclusion of the inquest into the 1989 Hillsborough disaster Getty Images Hillsborough families react to inquest conclusions Relatives sing "You'll never walk alone" after the jury delivered its verdict at the new inquests into the Hillsborough disaster Reuters Hillsborough families react to inquest conclusions Relatives of Hillsborough victims hold up banners as they depart Birchwood Park after hearing the conclusions of the Hillsborough inquest Getty Images Hillsborough families react to inquest conclusions Donna Miller (R), sister of Hillsborough victim Paul Carlile holds up a banner as relatives depart Birchwood Park after hearing the conclusions of the Hillsborough inquest in Warrington Getty Images
A photo of the families outside the Warrington court room appeared on later editions of The Times, along with a trailer for its coverage that ran into several pages, including an editorial comment.
The Sun newspaper also came under fire for not mentioning the inquest verdicts on its front page, following continued anger from victims relatives and their supporters over its now infamous The Truth front page, which claimed Liverpool fans were to blame for the deadly crush.
It featured since discredited allegations from an anonymous police officer that some fans had picked pockets of victims, urinated on cops and that some beat up a policeman giving the kiss of life.
Despite not covering the verdict of the two-year inquest on the front page, which cleared the fans of any wrondoing, the paper ran a double-page spread on the outcome, and covered it in their main leader.
Sun told to 'leave' presser
The leader within the paper states that after 27 years the Hillsborough families finally have their first measure of justice, adding: "We apologised prominently 12 years ago, again four years ago on the front page, and do so unreservedly again now.
"Further, we pay tribute to the admirable tenacity of the friends and relatives over so many years on behalf of the 96 who died.
Both The Sun and The Times are owned by Rupert Murdochs company News UK.
Additional reporting by PA
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While garnering an increasing number of supporters as he edges closer towards securing the Republican nomination, Donald Trump has also amassed his fair share of detractors.
Amal Clooney became his latest critic on Tuesday when she took a moment to highlight flaws in some of Trumps most controversial claims in recent months. Amal, a human rights lawyer who is married to George Clooney, criticised him as he prepared to outline what his principal foreign policies would be should he be elected to the White House in November.
He has pledged to temporarily ban Muslims from coming into the US and has repeatedly vowed to build a big, beautiful wall on the border with Mexico to curb illegal immigration.
Amal specialises in public international law, international criminal law and human rights at London's Doughty Street Chambers. She led an international delegation attempting to secure the release of the former president of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, stood before Europe's top human rights court to represent Armenia in their case against Dogu Perincek, the leader of the Turkish Workers Party, and she recently represented convicted Canadian Mohamed Fahmy in Egypt.
Amal called out Trump's decisive rhetoric in an interview with the BBC, where she was speaking about her latest case representing Azerbaijan reporter Khadija Ismayilova at the European Court of Human Rights.
Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Show all 14 1 /14 Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Isis: "Some of the candidates, they went in and didnt know the air conditioner didnt work and sweated like dogs, and they didnt know the room was too big because they didnt have anybody there. How are they going to beat ISIS?" Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On immigration: "I will build a great wall and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me and Ill build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Free Trade: "Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people." PAUL J. RICHARDS | AFP | Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Mexicans: "When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre sending people that have lots of problems. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists." Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On China: "I just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China. Am I supposed to dislike them?... I love China. The biggest bank in the world is from China. You know where their United States headquarters is located? In this building, in Trump Tower." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On work: "If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable." AP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On success: "What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On life: "Everything in life is luck." AFP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On ambition: "You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On his opponents: "Bush is totally in favour of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favour of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Obamacare: "You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, a tractor, to use it, because the deductibles are so high. It's virtually useless. And remember the $5 billion web site?... I have so many web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a web site. It costs me $3." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Barack Obama: "Obama is going to be out playing golf. He might be on one of my courses. I would invite him. I have the best courses in the world. I have one right next to the White House." PA Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On himself: "Love him or hate him, Trump is a man who is certain about what he wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Women find his power almost as much of a turn-on as his money." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On America: "The American Dream is dead. But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before and we will make America great again." GETTY
When you listen to what the leading candidate on the Republican side has been saying about building walls, about excluding Mexicans, and saying there has to be a complete shutdown on all Muslims coming in, she said.
If you actually look at what he specifically says in that now-infamous speech about Muslims, he kept saying, 'They only want jihad they don't believe in our way of life; they don't respect our system.' And when he says they And, you know, you watch the media coverage afterwards and people should've been saying, 'Do you mean the 1.5 billion people around the world who fit that description? Do you mean the people who are US citizens, who are members of your military, the vast majority of whom are not extremist or violent in any way?'"
The billionaire business mogul has already declared himself the presumptive Republican nominee after winning in five crucial contests, placing him well ahead of his rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich in the contest for the party's candidacy.
He courted controversy once again after Tuesdays primaries by suggesting Hillary Clinton was playing the woman card in her campaign for the Democratic nomination.
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Azealia Banks started the week being rather effusive about Beyonces new album Lemonade dubbing it what pop culture needs. But the outspoken rapper has now had a change of heart.
Famed for voicing her forthright views on fellow artists, the 24-year-old has now called out Beyonce for hypocrisy, weakness, appropriation, and capitalism in a seemingly never-ending Twitter rant. Banks rebuked her visual album for being the "antithesis of feminism", arguing that it entrenches black sufferance.
Banks also sided with Piers Morgan, the controversial Mail Online columnist who penned a scathing column about Queen Beys new album. In the piece, Morgan labels Beyonce a born-again-black woman and says he prefers the old Beyonce the less inflammatory agitating one.
Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Show all 16 1 /16 Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Tina Knowles, Beyonce's mother, and her husband Richard Lawson Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Model Winnie Harlow HBO Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon Martin's mother HBO Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Serena Williams HBO Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Oscar-nominated actor Quvenzhane Wallis HBO Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Naomi Diaz of music duo Ibeyi HBO Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Ballerina Michaela DePrince HBO Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Lisa-Kainde Diaz of music duo Ibeyi HBO Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Lesley McSpadden, Mike Brown's mother HBO Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Leah Chase, restaurant owner and Queen of Creole cuisine HBO Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Jay Z HBO Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Hattie White, Jay Z's grandmother HBO Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Gwen Carr, Eric Garner's mother HBO Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Chloe and Halle Bailey of singing duo Chloe x Halle HBO Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Singer, actor, and activist Zendaya (right) HBO Every cameo in Beyonce's Lemonade Actor and activist Amandla Stenberg HBO
While Lemonade has been hailed as a pop culture marvel and feminist emblem by fans and critics, Banks argues it propels negative stereotypes about black women.
This heartbroken black female narrative you keep trying to push is the Antithesis of what feminism is, the Harlem-born rapper wrote on Twitter. You been singing about this n**** for years and he still playing you. That's not strength that's stupidity.
And it's not what the national black women's conversation needs right now. More pain more suffering in the face of a man, she continued. You keep crying over a man and perpetuating that sad black female sufferance and it's Not good for what we're trying to accomplish here.
Here are some of the highlights of Banks twitter tangent:
Banks is currently promoting her new mixtape Slay-Z named after Beyonces husband.
Beyonces sixth solo album, Lemonade, has gained widespread critical claim and appears to have catapulted her yet further to iconic status. The politically and emotionally charged album explores black womanhood.
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Friends and family of British grime star NoLay are being called upon to pray for the MC who is currently in hospital in critical condition following a car accident.
The fast-rising South London rapper who is also known as Isabella Gotti was seriously injured in a crash abroad on Sunday night but no details of the accident have been revealed so far.
The MCs Instagram and Twitter accounts have been changed to Pray For NoLay in order to galvanise support for the musician.
Grime pays: He has a pension and worries about his mum - meet the ever-so sensible Tinie Tempah Show all 4 1 /4 Grime pays: He has a pension and worries about his mum - meet the ever-so sensible Tinie Tempah Grime pays: He has a pension and worries about his mum - meet the ever-so sensible Tinie Tempah 5652444.jpg Benjamin McMahon Grime pays: He has a pension and worries about his mum - meet the ever-so sensible Tinie Tempah 5652459.jpg Getty Images Grime pays: He has a pension and worries about his mum - meet the ever-so sensible Tinie Tempah 5652458.jpg Benjamin McMahon Grime pays: He has a pension and worries about his mum - meet the ever-so sensible Tinie Tempah 5652460.jpg Benjamin McMahon
It saddens me to have to bring this news to the light, but currently Nolay isnt in a stable condition and remains unconscious from a car crash abroad," her manager Tyler Jones told The Independent.
"I ask that you all respect Nolay & Nolays families right to privacy, the Prayers & Love is much appreciated. #PrayForNolays support and Love has been overwhelming over an icon who is a staple in UK Music & culture.
"I wont be releasing any other details or information till i have ascertained all the correct facts and Nolays condition changes, I hope you will all be as strong as we are trying to be in this tough time and continue to Pray For Nolay.
The initial news was confirmed in message posted by her management on Instagram after the crash.
We really need for all of NoLays supporters to pray for her recovery. Sadly our lovely little angel has been involved in a car accident tonight that has left her in a critical condition, it read.
In the length of her ten-year career, the musician had toured with American rappers Mobb Deep and featured on Bristol artist Trickys 2014 album Adrian Thaws. The musician also acted in Channel 4 drama Top Boy and was recently featured on BBC Radio 1Xtras Best of British.
Her management team have expressed anger at friends who have endeavoured to sell stories on her behalf.
Those that use this sad time as an opportunity to sell stories and capitalise off of this. I will see you in court.
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Robert Durst, the multi-millionaire at the centre of the hit television series The Jinx, has been sentenced to spend seven years in jail for gun crime, even as he still faces a murder charge over the death of a friend.
A judge in New Orleans on Wednesday approved a plea bargain, under which the real estate scion will serve the time in California, where he faces the murder charge over the death of a friend in 2000.
Reuters said that the 73-year-old, who entered and left the courtroom in a wheelchair, had pleaded guilty to the gun charge in February.
Robert Durst agreed to the plea deal earlier this year (Getty)
Speaking in a weak voice, he asked US District Judge Kurt Engelhardt to speed his transfer to California, so that he could defend himself over the charge relating to the death of writer Susan Berman.
I truly, truly want to express my statement that I am not guilty of killing Susan Berman, said Durst, appearing thin in his loose-fitting orange prison jumpsuit.
Durst had been held in Louisiana since his arrest in March last year for the illegal possession of a weapon, after a search of his New Orleans hotel room turned up a handgun.
His arrest came one day before the series finale of an HBO documentary entitled, The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, which detailed a number of police investigations of the multimillionaire whose family is known for its New York property portfolio.
Robert Durst charged with murder
Mr Engelhardt approved a plea agreement calling for an 85-month prison stint, followed by three years of supervised release. The judge said the deal also resolved several pending charges against Durst in New York, Texas, and Louisiana state court.
The HBO series documented investigations of Durst in connection with the dismemberment killing of a male neighbour in Texas in 2003, for which he was tried and acquitted of murder, and the 1982 disappearance in New York of his wife, Kathleen, the news agency said.
In the final episode of the series, Dursts voice was captured on a microphone after an interview as he muttered that he had killed them all.
Durst has previous convictions in Texas related to jumping bail and carrying a weapon across state lines in 2004 as he tried to flee the murder prosecution there. Durst served about three years in connection with those charges.
Prosecutors say Durst, who has long been estranged from his family, is worth around $100m.
Durst could move to California within four to six weeks, his lawyer Dick DeGuerin said before Wednesdays hearing. He was expected to be formally arraigned on the murder charge in Los Angeles on August 18
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Lawyers for David Miscavige have threatened to sue the Scientology leaders father over a memoir in which the elder Miscavige claims that, under the younger Miscavige, Church members have been subjected to deprivation and violence while detained at a punishment centre called the Hole - an accusation the Church has always denied.
Long-time Scientologist Ron Miscavige left the religion in 2012. His book, Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me, is set for publication in the US, UK and Ireland on 3 May. Journalist Tony Ortega, who has spent years investigating the Church of Scientology, published a letter from David Miscaviges lawyers to UK publishers Silvertail Books on his website.
In the letter, Johnsons Solicitors said the memoir was highly defamatory, and warned that if the publisher released it as planned, in total disregard for the truth, David Miscavige will be left with no alternative but to seek the protection of UK/Irish defamation and other laws. It is thought a similar letter was sent to St Martins Press, the books US publisher.
Among the malicious, false, misleading claims made in Ruthless, the letter said, are allegations that Mr Miscavige seized power from Scientologys founder, L Ron Hubbard, that the Churchs so-called Gold Base in California has appalling conditions and does not permit Scientology staff to leave, and that Mr Miscavige hired private detectives to monitor his father.
According to a police report uncovered by the Los Angeles Times last year, Ron Miscaviges car was tracked, his emails read and he was followed. Florida-based investigator Dwayne Powell was arrested in 2013 near Milwaukee and allegedly told police he had been paid $10,000 (6,900) through an intermediary, on behalf of the Church of Scientology, to follow Ron Miscavige full-time.
At the time, David Miscavige and the Church denied any connection with Mr Powell. The Church did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the book and its claims. In an interview with ABC News, to be broadcast in full on Friday, Ron Miscavige said his estranged son wasnt always that way He was a loveable kid, he had a great sense of humour. We got along great.
Most of the claims in Ruthless are thought to have been aired previously, including in journalist Lawrence Wrights 2013 book, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison of Belief. A bestseller in the US, Wrights book was not published in the UK.
Ron Miscavige is not even the first family member to write a Scientology tell-all. David Miscaviges niece, Jenna Miscavige Hill, left the religion in 2005 and published her critical memoir Beyond Belief in 2013. Silvertails publisher Humfrey Hunter told the Hollywood Reporter he would release the book regardless of the threat of legal action.
My plans for the book havent changed at all, he said. Full legal due diligence has been carried out on the manuscript and I am both confident in its integrity and very proud that Silvertail is publishing it. Rons story is an important one, and he is a brave man to be telling it.
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Soaring temperatures in Greenland one of the fastest-warming parts of the planet are causing storms and floods in Britain, according to a new study that provides further evidence climate change is already happening.
The west coast of the island has seen temperatures rise by up to a staggering 10 degrees Celsius during winter in just two decades.
This surge helps create static areas of high pressure that can block the jet stream which heavily influences the northern hemispheres weather. If forced to go south, the jet stream picks up warm and wet air and Britain can expect heavy rain and flooding. If forced north, the UK is likely to be hit by cold air from the Arctic.
In the summer of 2007, the jet stream split into two and the resulting effect on the British weather was dramatic.
In June of that year, five people died as parts of the country, particularly Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Worcestershire, saw record rainfall and heavy flooding. Two months later, England had its coldest August since 1993.
The new study, by researchers at Sheffield University, suggests the problems caused by Greenland are getting worse.
Professor Edward Hanna, lead author of a paper about the research published in the International Journal of Climatology, said Greenland was one of the hotspots of warming in the northern hemisphere and the rising temperatures were increasing the blocking effect on the jet stream.
And they found that seven of the strongest 11 blocking effects in the last 165 years had taken place since 2007.
This is resulting in an increase in the occurrence of warm air in the region and it is also affecting weather systems downstream of Greenland, such as over the UK, Professor Hanna said.
The unusually wet weather seen in the UK in the summers of 2007 and 2012, for instance, is linked to these stationary high pressure systems over Greenland.
He said computer models used 10 to 15 years ago to predict the extent of sea ice in the Arctic had significantly underestimated how quickly the region would warm.
Its very interesting to look at the observed changes in the Arctic the actual observations are showing far more dramatic changes than the computer models, Professor Hanna said.
You do get sudden starts and jumps. Its the sudden changes that can take us by surprise and there certainly does seem to have been an increase in extreme weather in certain places.
A firefighter directs colleagues as the River Gare floods Keswick in the Lake District (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Greenland, the majority of which is within the Arctic Circle, is an example of how quickly the climate and the weather can change.
Between 1960 and 1990, Greenland was actually cooling in contrast to many other places in the northern hemisphere, Professor Hanna said.
Since the mid-1990s, it has been warming very strongly by up to 10 degrees Celsius in the last 20 years in parts of the west coast in winter and by several degrees in summer.
White snow and ice reflects more sunlight than darker water and land, so as it melts the warming process speeds up. Sea ice also has an insulating effect on the water below that is lost when it melts.
In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Show all 17 1 /17 In Pictures: Floods hit the UK In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Floods hit the UK Members of Cleveland Mountain Rescue and soldiers from 2 Battalion The Duke of Lancasters Regiment evacuating people from the Queens Hotel in York city centre as the River Ouse floods on December 27, 2015 In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Floods hit the UK Teams in Whalley evacuate villagers from their homes In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Floods hit the UK A resident of Glenridding, which flooded for the third time this month, surveys the damage In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Floods hit the UK The River Ouse, York, has burst its banks In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Floods hit the UK A soldier from the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancasters regiment helps to sure up flood defences in Appleby, Cumbria, one of the areas worst affected by the floods In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Floods hit the UK Experts believe the cost of clearing up the most recent flooding could exceed 50m (PA) In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Floods hit the UK Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes in York In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Floods hit the UK A police helicopter photographed the extent of the flooding in York on 27 December. In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Floods hit the UK Flooding at Clifford's Tower in York on 27 December In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Floods hit the UK Flooding along York's Inner Ring Road on 27 December In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Floods hit the UK Water runs out of the Lowther pub in York on 27 December after the River Ouse bursts its banks in York city centre. In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Floods hit the UK Flooded streets in Dumfries, Scotland on 30 December Getty In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Floods hit the UK A car left submerged in floodwater in Newton Stewart, Scotland PA In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Floods hit the UK Staff at the Worlds End bar in Dumfries Scotland desperately try to pump floodwater out of the building PA In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Floods hit the UK A man stands in the doorway of his cottage in the flooded town of Straiton in Scotland PA In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Floods hit the UK Flooding in the village of Aberfeldy, Perthshire, Scotland In Pictures: Floods hit the UK Floods hit the UK Man wades through floodwater outside a fish and chip shop in Dumfries, Scotland PA
According to the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre, the extent of sea ice in the Arctic this year is tracking significantly below the average between 1981 and 2010.
In February, Dr Peter Gleick, of the Pacific Institute in California, warned the rapid warming of the Arctic could have a catastrophic effect on the planets climate.
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A family has been referred to social care after acting out a prank abduction of their son - with his involvement - in public.
Gloucestershire Police launched a "large scale response" to find the 12-year-old boy after a witness said they had spotted him being picked up off the street and bundled into the boot of a car by two adults at about 9pm.
Police carried out a two hour search for the boy owing to what they called the "seriousness of the incident", but it was soon revealed that the adults were the boy's family and he himself had known it was a prank.
Recommended Read more YouTube prankster Danh Van Le jailed over bomb hoaxes
A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Police said the family had been referred to the county council's social care team as a result. "While we were satisfied there was no criminal intent and wont be taking any police action, due to the inappropriate and potentially dangerous nature of their actions, we have referred the family to Gloucestershire County Councils social care team."
Social care teams for children and families tend to deal with adoption, reporting a child at risk and support for families, and may make care assessments of children and adults.
The family were reportedly "very apologetic" for the misunderstanding, which took place on Caernarvon Road in Cheltenham.
The police spokesperson added that "what might be a bit of fun [...] can seem very real to people witnessing it. It not only causes the witness distress, but could put others who need the assistance of the police in danger."
On another similar occasion, a police emergency response team was called out in Surrey last year to people dressed as traffic cones standing in the road for a Halloween prank, while an entire armed unit was deployed near Newcastle after two 26-year-old men were spotted with "machine guns" that turned out to be plastic toys being used as props for a YouTube video.
According to the Metropolitan Police, the UK's largest force, it received more than 28,000 hoax or misuse calls in 2013 alone.
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A woman has appeared in court in Northern Ireland charged with breaking the regions abortion ban.
The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons is accused of helping her daughter have an abortion. She faces a possible sentence of up to life in prison under Northern Irelands abortion ban. The woman is accused of supplying poison with the intent of procuring a miscarriage.
A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service told The Independent that the case has been adjourned until May 18.
Last month, a 21-year-old woman was given a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to having an abortion in Belfast. The woman told the court that she was 19 when she had an unplanned pregnancy and could not afford to travel to England for the procedure. She ordered pills online and performed an abortion on herself at her home in Belfast.
Amnesty International Northern Ireland Programme Director Patrick Corrigan attended Belfast Crown Court for the arraignment today. He said: The criminalisation of women in Northern Ireland is becoming a grim trend, with this second court case in a matter of weeks.
How many more women are we to see hauled into the dock before these archaic laws are consigned to the history books where they belong? Reproductive healthcare must be taken out of the realm of criminal justice and addressed as an issue of public health and human rights. Abortion is a matter for women and their doctors, not police and judges.
Emma Campbell, Vice-Chair of local campaign group Alliance for Choice told The Independent: Alliance for Choice are dismayed that another woman faced court today for accessing basic, safe healthcare for her child in Northern Ireland. This is an indictment on the State party with responsibility for our human rights which is Westminster. We firmly believe that women should be trusted to know what is best for themselves and their families.
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. 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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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A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. 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Unlike the rest of the UK, it is a criminal offence to have an abortion or help someone else to do so in Northern Ireland where the 1967 Abortion Act does not apply. In November, Belfast High Court ruled that the ban is a breach of international human rights law. However, in February Stormont voted to keep the ban regardless.
Last week Shadow Justice Minister Jo Stevens wrote to Westminsters human rights committee demanding urgent action to overturn the ban. The letter, co-signed by a number of Labour MPs, said: These prosecutions are continuing despite a ruling of the high court that Northern Irelands abortion laws are incompatible with the UKs Human Rights Act We appreciate that abortion is a devolved issue. However, human rights are not a devolved issue.
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The Sun newspaper has come under fire for leaving the verdict of the Hillsborough inquiry off its front page.
Four days after the disaster in 1989 that left 96 fans dead, The Sun published on its front page under the headline "The Truth" what turned out to be lies about supporters.
The article featured claims from an anonymous policeman that some fans had "picked pockets of victims", "urinated on cops" and that some beat up a policeman giving the "kiss of life".
The story did not appear on the first edition front page of its sister title, The Times, either.
A jury on Tuesday found the 96 victims of the disaster were unlawfully killed, bringing to a close a 27-year battle for justice carried out by the fans families. The verdict means former police chief David Duckenfield, who admitted to attempting to blame the fans for the disaster, could stand trial for manslaughter.
Instead of covering the verdict of the two-year inquiry on the front of the paper, The Sun ran a double-page spread on the outcome and covered it in their main leader.
Speaking on Sky News' press preview on Tuesday, The Suns political editor, Tom Newton-Dunn, dismissed questions over why the verdict was not given space on the front page when a story on the Prime Ministers aides using WhatsApp to discuss the remain campaign was.
He said: You can discuss editorial judgements about what should or shouldnt be on the front page, but in our paper tomorrow there are two extremely large pages of very significant coverage which talks about the huge importance of this day for the people who have suffered and the families who have spent so long trying to right a wrong.
Mr Newton-Dunn said The Truth front page story was the worst thing we ever did as a newspaper.
It was our worst day, our deepest shame and it is embarrassing to be reminded of it, adding that the newspaper has apologised several times in the past, citing a front page story ran in 2012 when the truth of the police cover-ups in Hillsborough were published in a revelatory report. The story ran under the headline "The Real Truth" and the newspaper announced it said it was "profoundly sorry for false reports."
The Sun's reporting of the disaster
He said the police are at the "core" of the whole story and the paper were misled by them, but added that if people are still angry over the 1989 front page he "completely understands", and said: "We deserve everything that is thrown our way."
The leader within Wednesday's The Sun states that after 27 years the "Hillsborough families finally have their first measure of justice".
It adds: "Whether they get more is in the hands of the CPS. We hope they do.
"The horror that befell Liverpool fans was, as the inquest has now found, the fault of catastrophic police blunders - specifically by former Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield - which were shamefully then covered up.
Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Hillsborough disaster: in pictures The overcrowding at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Supporters are crushed against the barrier as disaster strikes before the FA Cup semi-final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest played at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, 1989 PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Severe overcrowding resulted in 96 Liverpool fans losing their lives PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Advertising boards which were used as stretchers, are piled up following the overcrowding at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures A young Liverpool fan sat pitch side, following the events of the Hillsborough disaster, 1989 PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Liverpool memorial service was attended by 3,000 people PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Liverpool footballer Dalglish and his wife Marina at the memorial service in the catholic Metropolitan Cathedral in Liverpool, in memory of those killed in the Hillsborough disaster, 1989 PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Floral tributes are left by the goal at Hillsborough, April 1989 PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures John Aldridge laying a floral tribute, Anfield, 1989 PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures A woman being comforted as she kneels by floral tributes at the gate of the Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield, the morning after ninety six Liverpool fans died from injuries suffered in the fatal crush at the ground PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Former chief superintendent David Duckenfield in 1989 PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher tours Hillsborough stadium with David Duckenfield (on her left) after the Hillsborough football disaster Rex Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Fans gathering at Anfield for a ceremony of remembrance following the Hillsborough disaster on 22 April 1989 PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Diana Princess of Wales talks to Liverpool fan and Hillsborough survivor Ian Clarke, 16 in Sheffield Hospital PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Sadness engulfs Anfield and the Kop Stand as many hundreds of thousands of tributes are laid in memory of the 96 people who died at Hillsborough Stadium on 15 April 1989 at the FA Cup Semi Final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Liverpool Manager Kenny Dalglish watches in anguish as dead and injured Liverpool fans are carried away in ambulances (Getty Images) Getty Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Supporters pay their respects after the Hillsborough disaster at Anfield in Liverpool, 1989 Getty Hillsborough disaster: in pictures People help soccer fans at Hillsborough stadium after support railings collapsed during a match between Liverpool and Nottingham forest PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Policemen rescue soccer fans at Hillsborough stadium after support railings collapsed during a match between Liverpool and Nottingham forest Getty Hillsborough disaster: in pictures 96 victims of the Hillsborough disaster
"Failures by the ambulance service were also to blame, as was the design of the Sheffield stadium.
"The supporters were not to blame. But the police smeared them with a pack of lies which in 1989 The Sun and others in the media swallowed whole.
"We apologised prominently 12 years ago, again four years ago on the front page, and do so unreservedly again now.
What happened at Hillsborough?
"Further, we pay tribute to the admirable tenacity of the friends and relatives over so many years on behalf of the 96 who died."
But the absence of coverage of the Hillsborough inquest on its front page caused the newspaper to recieve criticism on Twitter. "The Sun" became a trending topic on Tuesday night in the UK, with more than 124,000 tweets using the term.
Impressionist and comedian Rory Bremner tweeted that the relegation of the story to pages eight and nine was "extraordinary".
Actor Stephen Mangan questioned: "Wait - neither TheSun nor thetimes mention Hillsborough on their front pages?!"
Both The Times and The Sun are owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.
The Times responded to criticism by admitting it made a mistake with the first edition of it front page, but "fixed it for the second edition".
The statement read: "The Times led iwth Hillsborough coverage on all our digital editions throughout the day. This morning we have covered it extensively in the paper with two spreads, the back page, a top leader and an interactive on the victims. We made a mistake with the front page of our first edition, and we fixed it for the second edititon."
A photo of the families outside the Warrington court room appeared on later editions of The Times, along with a trailer for its coverage that ran into several pages, including an editorial comment.
On Tuesday former editor of The Sun Kelvin MacKenzie, who oversaw the story published in 1989 blaming fans, also apologised for the "hurt" the story caused.
In a statement he said: "Today's verdicts are an important step in obtaining justice for the victims. My heart goes out to those who have waited so long for vindication.
"As I have said before, the headline I published was wrong and I am profoundly sorry for the hurt it caused."
On Tuesday, journalists from The Sun were asked to leave a press conference discussing the verdict. Marcia Willis-Stewart, a solicitor acting for a number of the victims families, said as the floor was opened up for questions: I do hope there are no members of The Sun newspaper in this room.
You can leave quietly by the back door.
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Specialists have told a High Court judge that their treatment of a "profoundly neurologically disabled" two-year-old boy who they say no longer giggles when tickled and is "largely unresponsive" should be limited to palliative care.
Doctors want a ruling that limiting treatment to palliative care would be lawful and in the boy's best interests. They say further "invasive" life-saving procedures will distress him and be of little or no therapeutic benefit.
But the youngster's parents - who say their son enjoys being cuddled - object. They disagree with the idea of providing only palliative care and implementing an "end of life plan". They say all treatment options should continue to be available.
Mrs Justice Parker is analysing the dispute at a public hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London.
She is not expected to make rulings until at least next month.
The judge has said the youngster cannot be identified and no-one involved in the case named.
Barrister Debra Powell, who is representing an NHS hospital trust which has asked for a ruling, outlined doctors' views to Mrs Justice Parker at the start of the hearing on Tuesday.
Miss Powell said the boy suffered from a neurological disorder for which there was no cure.
She said he had been under the care of a neurologist since he was a few weeks old and had spent much of his life in hospital.
"His quality of life is very poor," she said.
"Further invasive interventions are distressing, burdensome and of little or no therapeutic benefit."
Miss Powell said the boy's condition was steadily deteriorating and irreversible - and she described him as "profoundly neurologically disabled".
"He has very little if any awareness of his environment," she told the judge.
"He used to smile and giggle when played with and tickled.
"He no longer does that."
Miss Powell said the boy was "largely unresponsive" - although she said several clinicians had noticed that he appeared more relaxed when cared for by his parents.
A lawyer representing the boy's parents urged Mrs Justice Parker to rule against doctors.
"They don't agree that palliative care should be the only option available to their son or to the implementation of an end of life plan," said barrister Amanda Meusz.
"They wish for all options and treatments to remain available to him."
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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. 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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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She added: "The parents take issue with the description of their son's quality of life as described by the clinicians. They visit him on a daily basis and are clear that he responds to their presence. He enjoys being held and cuddled and bathed and massaged. He responds to and enjoys music."
The boy's mother had told the judge in a written statement: "My son does respond to stimulation through touch and greatly enjoys being held and cuddled."
She added: "He responds to my presence and enjoys my company."
The boy was represented by staff from the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) - an organisation established by MPs to safeguard the welfare of children involved in litigation. Mrs Justice Parker will analyse submissions from lawyer Penny Logan about what Cafcass thinks is in the boy's best interests before making decisions.
Press Association
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As thousands of junior doctors join picket lines nationwide for unprecedented strike action, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt believes history will judge him on his ability to deliver a seven-day health service.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4s Today programme, Mr Hunt said: Health secretaries are never popular. But what history judges is, did you take the tough and difficult decisions that enable the NHS to deliver high-quality care for patients? For me, thats what its about.
Junior doctors picketing outside Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel had little sympathy for what Mr Hunt perceives as a difficult job.
Watch the video above to see what they had to say.
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Drugs mule Melissa Reid is set to return to the UK very soon after Peruvian authorities agreed to expel her from the country.
The 22-year-old has been seeking to serve the remainder of her six-year sentence closer to home in Scotland after she was jailed in 2013 for attempting to smuggle drugs into Spain.
Reid, from Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire in Scotland, and Michaella McCollum, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, were imprisoned for six years and eight months after admitting trying to smuggle cocaine worth 1.5 million from Peru to Spain.
A spokeswoman for the British embassy in Lima said Reid had been granted expulsion back to the UK, and would be returning very soon.
McCollum, 23, was freed last month under new legislation on early prison release introduced in Peru last year, after serving two years and three months.
It is anticipated she will have to remain in Peru for a considerable period as part of her parole conditions.
World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty
The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) said it would only be notified of Reid's expulsion if she was set to serve the remainder of her sentence in Scotland.
A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said: We continue to provide consular assistance.
McCollum and Reid were caught at Lima airport on August 6 2013 while attempting to fly to Spain with 24lb (11kg) of cocaine in food packets hidden inside their luggage.
Melissa Reid, right, and Michaella McCollum arrive for their court hearing in Lima (AP)
At the time, both claimed they were forced into carrying the drugs but pleaded guilty to charges later that year.
McCollum and Reid faced a maximum 15-year prison term but struck a behind-closed-doors plea to secure a shorter sentence.
They had previously been held at Lima's Virgen de Fatima prison but were moved to the Ancon 2 prison, where McCollum was reportedly crammed into a cell with 30 other prisoners with poor sanitation and toilet facilities.
Michaella McCollum and Melissa Reid could be allowed to serve prison sentences in the UK if they plead guilty to drug trafficking (Getty Images)
The SPS agreed in principle to a transfer in 2014 and Reid has been awaiting approval from the Peruvian authorities, who need to consent to her serving the remainder of her sentence under Scottish law.
Reid's father Billy said: It's horrendous to see your daughter in handcuffs and the living conditions that she has to put up with. Melissa has spent her own 20th and 21st birthdays in prison in Peru.
She missed the significant event of her only brother's wedding. Events such as Christmas are non-existent for us. There'll be no celebrations in our house, there'll be no Christmas tree until we get her back home.
Mr Reid spoke out in a video warning of the consequences of drug offences abroad.
A spokesman for the FCO said that no decision had been reached yet but they were expecting one this week. He added: We are still waiting to hear a decision from the judge.
PA
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Unseasonably cold temperatures that have engulfed the UK are set to continue.
On Wednesday, most of the daytime showers will ease and fade away, leaving many areas dry with clear spells. However, some rain may continue into the early hours across south-eastern Britain, as well as around windward coasts.
In Scotland, there will be even more cold weather, with outbreaks of rain and hill snow arriving into the far north-west of the country by dawn. A widespread frost with some icy patches is also likely.
In pictures: April snow hits UK Show all 15 1 /15 In pictures: April snow hits UK In pictures: April snow hits UK A gritter waits in the hills of Glenshee after snowfall PA In pictures: April snow hits UK Pedestrians experience a brief snow shower on Westminster Bridge, in central London PA In pictures: April snow hits UK People walk on the street near King's College Hospital as snow fall hits London Getty Images In pictures: April snow hits UK Horses gallop in the snow on the disused Lincoln Racecourse track with Lincoln Cathedral in the background near in Lincolnshire Getty Images In pictures: April snow hits UK A snow covered car at Glenshee Ski Centre after snowfall in the North of Scotland PA In pictures: April snow hits UK The snow covered hills of Glenshee after snowfall PA In pictures: April snow hits UK Snow covered daffodils after snowfall in the North of Scotland PA In pictures: April snow hits UK Dog walkers brave the cold conditions in Lincoln after an overnight covering of snow in Lincolnshire, east England Getty Images In pictures: April snow hits UK Snow covered hills at Spittal of Glenshee after snowfall as Britons face chilly temperatures and snow, thanks to a blast of Arctic air PA In pictures: April snow hits UK Sheep forage for grass in a field near the A93 as the snow gates on the A93 at Spittal of Glenshee are closed due to snow PA In pictures: April snow hits UK The snow gates are closed on A93 at Spittal of Glenshee due to snow PA In pictures: April snow hits UK A car makes its way through blizzard snow conditions on the A93 at Spittal of Glenshee after snowfall PA In pictures: April snow hits UK Deer make their way through the snow covered hills of Glenshee PA In pictures: April snow hits UK A general view of Glenshee Ski Centre after snowfall PA In pictures: April snow hits UK A man sledges in a field near the A93 after the snow gates on the A93 at Spittal of Glenshee were closed due to snow PA
It will continue into Thursday, when outbreaks of rain and upland snow will push eastwards across Scotland and Northern Ireland, before moving into northern England and Wales during the afternoon. Some accumulations of snow are likely over the Highlands. Remaining parts of England will see some sunshine, but there will be a few scattered showers around too.
By Friday and Saturday, it will be mostly cloudy across southern England with some rain or drizzle possible for a time, otherwise a day of sunshine and showers and some heavy with hail and thunder.
The showers could also be wintry to low levels at first in Scotland, but any snow will tend to become confined to high ground. Sunny spells on Saturday with further showers in places. Central and eastern England in particular may see some heavy showers break out during the afternoon with local hail and thunder possible.
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The Government is facing calls to be investigated over claims ministers supporting the Remain campaign have used WhatsApp to discuss strategy away from official channels.
A private group on the encrypted messaging service has reportedly been used to exchange texts by people guiding the campaign to keep Britain in the EU, prompting allegations that details are being kept secret from the public.
According to The Sun, one senior Tory warned attempts to avoid transparency laws could lead to "scandal and embarrassment" for the Remain group, and Labour MPs are said to have called for the Information Commissioner to probe the claims.
WhatsApp is used by more than a billion people around the world to communicate by text and share media files, although it has come under scrutiny for its use of encryption that scrambles messages when they are sent between devices.
Eurosceptic Tory grandee David Davis told The Sun: "Attempts to avoid the Freedom of Information Act in what is supposed to be a legitimate activity will lead to scandal and embarrassment.
"This will only reinforce the public's view that the Remain campaign is prepared to cheat to win this referendum."
What to believe about the EU referendum
He warned that the claims echoed a similar scandal in the US where presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton became embroiled in a battle over the use of her private email.
The allegations against government figures supporting the Remain camp sparked concerns that the exchanges will not appear on official records that can be released to the public under the Freedom of Information Act.
What has the EU ever done for us? Show all 7 1 /7 What has the EU ever done for us? What has the EU ever done for us? 1. It gives you freedom to live, work and retire anywhere in Europe As a member of the EU, UK citizens benefit from freedom of movement across the continent. Considered one of the so-called four pillars of the European Union, this freedom allows all EU citizens to live, work and travel in other member states. What has the EU ever done for us? 2. It sustains millions of jobs A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, released in October 2015, suggested 3.1 million British jobs were linked to the UKs exports to the EU. What has the EU ever done for us? 3. Your holiday is much easier - and safer Freedom to travel is one of the most exercised benefits of EU membership, with Britons having made 31 million visits to the EU in 2014 alone. But a lot of the benefits of being an EU citizen are either taken for granted or go unnoticed. What has the EU ever done for us? 4. It means you're less likely to get ripped off Consumer protection is a key benefit of the EUs single market, and ensures members of the British public receive equal consumer rights when shopping anywhere in Europe. What has the EU ever done for us? 5. It offers greater protection from terrorists, paedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crime Another example of a lesser-known advantage of EU membership is the benefit of cross-country coordination and cooperation in the fight against crime. What has the EU ever done for us? 6. Our businesses depend on it According to 71% of all members of the Confederation of British Influence (CBI), and 67 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the EU has had an overall positive impact on their business. What has the EU ever done for us? 7. We have greater influence Robin Niblett, Director of think-tank Chatham House, stated in a report published last year: For a mid-sized country like the UK, which will never again be economically dominant either globally or regionally, and whose diplomatic and military resources are declining in relative terms, being a major player in a strong regional institution can offer a critical lever for international influence.
Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the official Brexit group Vote Leave, told The Sun: "This is potentially criminal and should be investigated by Sue Gray, the Head of Ethics at the Cabinet Office and the Information Commissioner."
Emails sent from official Government accounts are archived and can be released to the public after varying periods have elapsed, depending on the sensitivity of the information.
Louise Haigh, Labour's shadow minister for digital industries, said using messaging services like WhatsApp could have implications for the 20-year rule of release of Cabinet papers.
She said she had "written to the Information Commissioner to ask that this is urgently investigated and either banned completely or brought under the FoI legislation."
PA
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Potentially life-saving cancer research and could be hindered and patients in the UK lose out, if Britain voted to leave the EU, a group of leading scientists have said.
In the latest intervention in the referendum debate from the scientific community, the cancer specialists said that shared work and funding between the UK and other EU states was improving cancer services for British patients, and warned that Brexit could risk the breakdown of close international collaboration between scientists on vital research.
The UK is a major contributor to EU cancer research funding, while British scientists are major beneficiaries of European research grants.
Recommended Read more Cancer patients may have more chance of survival if they take aspirin
Four leading researchers - including the former Royal Society president and director of the Francis Crick Institute, Sir Paul Nurse, write in The Lancet Oncology medical journal that maintaining links with EU researchers will be vital to maintain the UKs role in cancer research and improve UK cancer services.
This alliance will be most effectively delivered by remaining in the EU and robustly supporting research and patient-focused legislation, they write.
We must continue to influence and share European policy in important domains such as clinical trials and clinical best practice, and deliver the highest quality cancer research that underpins improved cancer care for our patients. It is for these reasons that we oppose the UK leaving the EU
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
The article was co-authored by members of the European Cancer Concord, which supports the rights of cancer patients throughout Europe, including its president Professor Peter Selby who also leads the UKs Association of Cancer Physicians.
While acknowledging that some EU rules have had a negative impact on cancer research, including the 2001 Clinical Trials Directive, which they say led to increased costs and bureaucracy for the UK, they say the benefits have outweighed the costs.
The UK had been able to learn from good practice from other EU countries, including improvements in diagnosing cancer early, from Denmark, and treating elderly people with the disease, from France, they write.
Meanwhile, EU funding through the so-called Seventh Framework Programme brought more than 4bn to UK science overall from 2007 to 2014, with cancer research a major beneficiary.
Writing in the same journal, leading Italian cancer specialist Professor Fortunato Ciardiello, president of the European Society for Medical Oncology, and his planned successor Dr Josep Tabernero of Spain, also backed the UK remaining in.
With a British departure, both sides would be missing powerful and irreplaceable influencers in our unified ambitions aimed at conquering cancer, they write.
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Leaving the European Union would saddle British households with a large and recurring 'tax-like burden' costing the equivalent of a month's salary in four years, one of the worlds leading economic organisations has said.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said that UK workers would lose the equivalent of roughly a months pay before 2020 in the event of Brexit.
That penalty would continue to apply to British workers as long as the UK remained outside the bloc, it said.
Recommended Read more OECD rings alarm bell over global growth recession threat
Brexit is like a tax, equivalent to missing out on about one months income within four years, but then it carries on to 2023, 2030, Angel Gurria, the OECDs general secretary, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.
There is a consistent loss: That tax is going to be continued to be paid by Britons over time. What they would have had in their pocket to spend, they would not have. Therefore it is as real as tax.
The OECD will today publish details of how it believes slower economic growth as a result of leaving the bloc will affect household finances.
Treasury officials warned earlier this month that a voted for Brexit would do permanent damage to the British economy.
What has the EU ever done for us? Show all 7 1 /7 What has the EU ever done for us? What has the EU ever done for us? 1. It gives you freedom to live, work and retire anywhere in Europe As a member of the EU, UK citizens benefit from freedom of movement across the continent. Considered one of the so-called four pillars of the European Union, this freedom allows all EU citizens to live, work and travel in other member states. What has the EU ever done for us? 2. It sustains millions of jobs A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, released in October 2015, suggested 3.1 million British jobs were linked to the UKs exports to the EU. What has the EU ever done for us? 3. Your holiday is much easier - and safer Freedom to travel is one of the most exercised benefits of EU membership, with Britons having made 31 million visits to the EU in 2014 alone. But a lot of the benefits of being an EU citizen are either taken for granted or go unnoticed. What has the EU ever done for us? 4. It means you're less likely to get ripped off Consumer protection is a key benefit of the EUs single market, and ensures members of the British public receive equal consumer rights when shopping anywhere in Europe. What has the EU ever done for us? 5. It offers greater protection from terrorists, paedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crime Another example of a lesser-known advantage of EU membership is the benefit of cross-country coordination and cooperation in the fight against crime. What has the EU ever done for us? 6. Our businesses depend on it According to 71% of all members of the Confederation of British Influence (CBI), and 67 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the EU has had an overall positive impact on their business. What has the EU ever done for us? 7. We have greater influence Robin Niblett, Director of think-tank Chatham House, stated in a report published last year: For a mid-sized country like the UK, which will never again be economically dominant either globally or regionally, and whose diplomatic and military resources are declining in relative terms, being a major player in a strong regional institution can offer a critical lever for international influence.
George Osborne claimed that leaving EU would, by 2030, leave British households 4,300 worse off. Overall GDP would be six per cent smaller by the end of the next decade than it would otherwise be, he added.
Polls suggest that British voters are increasingly convinced by the economic arguments for remaining in the EU but are being won over to Brexit by non-economic arguments.
The stark warning by the OECD comes after the Leave camp enlisted US Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz in its campaign.
Writing in The Times newspaper Mr Cruz hit back at suggestions by Barack Obama that the UK would be at the back of the queue for a trade deal with America.
He said that if he became president the UK would be prioritised. Mr Cruz is currently trailing Donald Trump for the Republican nomination, however.
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Britain has paid back 2.70 in fines for every 100 it received from the European Union in funding for farming and rural development, according to a report by MPs.
Over the last decade, at least 650m worth of penalties have been incurred from the European Commission because Government departments wrongly spent EU funding, the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said.
Overall, the UK has sixth highest level of so-called disallowance payments of any country in the EU, as a proportion of the funding it received, their report said.
Brexit campaigners called the findings evidence of an EU funding racket, but the pro-Remain camp said the report only served to highlight the billions of pounds in support Britain receives from the EU.
Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the PAC, said that money intended to support projects and programmes in the UK was being lost.
The apparent lack of practical concern about this fact until recently will anger many people, whatever their views on Britains EU membership, she said. As a priority the Treasury and departments must identify the reasons they keep being penalised and take whatever action is necessary to rectify their mistakes.
Vote Leave chief executive, Matthew Elliott, said: We hand to 350 million pounds to Brussels every week. Some of that money does get sent back to the UK, but it is not necessarily spent on our priorities and it is laden with strict rules and conditions. Even worse, the EU often fines us if we dont do exactly what Brussels says.
James McGrory, Chief Campaign Spokesman for Stronger In, said: As this report demonstrates, the UK benefits from billions of pounds of EU funding for our farmers, universities and small businesses, which would be lost if we leave.
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Britain should leave the European Union, even if Treasury figures suggesting families will lose an average of 150 a month turn out to be true, the head of one of the Leave campaigns has said.
Arron Banks, co-founder of Leave.EU, appeared before the Treasury Select Committee yesterday to explain the economic costs and benefits of the European Union.
The millionaire businessman and former Tory-turned-Ukip donor was asked by Labour MP Rachel Reeves whether the loss of 150 per household was a price worth paying.
I think its 21p an hour, about 5 a day, 150 a month I think many of our constituents would regard 150 a month as quite a substantial amount of money money they couldnt afford to be without, she said.
But you would say to those people that 150 a month is a price worth paying for leaving the European Union?
After a minute of grilling, Mr Banks replied: This isnt about pounds and pence, this is about our democracy.
I would say the figure is massively incorrect, but if it was to be the case I would still advocate leaving.
Explaining his view on the future of the EU, he added: Economically its a disaster and I would pay almost any price to be away from it.
Mr Banks has bankrolled the Leave.EU campaign, which narrowly missed out on the designation as the official campaign to Vote Leave.
What has the EU ever done for us? Show all 7 1 /7 What has the EU ever done for us? What has the EU ever done for us? 1. It gives you freedom to live, work and retire anywhere in Europe As a member of the EU, UK citizens benefit from freedom of movement across the continent. Considered one of the so-called four pillars of the European Union, this freedom allows all EU citizens to live, work and travel in other member states. What has the EU ever done for us? 2. It sustains millions of jobs A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, released in October 2015, suggested 3.1 million British jobs were linked to the UKs exports to the EU. What has the EU ever done for us? 3. Your holiday is much easier - and safer Freedom to travel is one of the most exercised benefits of EU membership, with Britons having made 31 million visits to the EU in 2014 alone. But a lot of the benefits of being an EU citizen are either taken for granted or go unnoticed. What has the EU ever done for us? 4. It means you're less likely to get ripped off Consumer protection is a key benefit of the EUs single market, and ensures members of the British public receive equal consumer rights when shopping anywhere in Europe. What has the EU ever done for us? 5. It offers greater protection from terrorists, paedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crime Another example of a lesser-known advantage of EU membership is the benefit of cross-country coordination and cooperation in the fight against crime. What has the EU ever done for us? 6. Our businesses depend on it According to 71% of all members of the Confederation of British Influence (CBI), and 67 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the EU has had an overall positive impact on their business. What has the EU ever done for us? 7. We have greater influence Robin Niblett, Director of think-tank Chatham House, stated in a report published last year: For a mid-sized country like the UK, which will never again be economically dominant either globally or regionally, and whose diplomatic and military resources are declining in relative terms, being a major player in a strong regional institution can offer a critical lever for international influence.
His statement to the MP comes as the OECD warns that leaving the pan-European bloc would have a persistent tax-like effect on British households.
The international organisation said families would lose 2,200 by 2020 because of Brexit, if it went ahead.
Brexit is like a tax, equivalent to missing out on about one months income within four years, but then it carries on to 2023, 2030, Angel Gurria, the OECDs general secretary, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.
There is a consistent loss: that tax is going to be continued to be paid by Britons over time. What they would have had in their pocket to spend, they would not have. Therefore it is as real as tax.
Ukips Nigel Farage, however, dismissed the calculations, arguing that "markets, not failed politicians" decided trade.
Britain will vote in a referendum on whether to remain or leave the European Union on 23 June this year.
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An Imam labelled an Isis supporter by David Cameron and repellent by Conservative London mayoral Candidate Zac Goldsmith was invited to a Tory party event, it has been revealed.
Suliman Gani, a cleric in Tooting, was invited by a Conservative party candidate to attend an event encouraging more Muslims to become councillors.
Mr Goldsmith, who spoke at the event held last November in Tooting, has rejected the claims, denying Mr Gani was invited to the meeting.
But text and email conversations seen by LBC radio appear to reveal that Dan Watkins who stood as Conservative candidate for Tooting in the last election contacted Mr Gani asking him to attend the Tory forum and bring along local members of the Islamic community.
In a text message to Mr Gani, Mr Watkins wrote: I have an event for the local Islamic community arranged It is to encourage more Muslims to become councillors. Do you think you could come and invite local people you know too?
Earlier this month, Mr Goldsmith described Mr Gani as one of the most repellent figures in this country.
The Conservative London mayoral candidate has also attacked his Labour rival Sadiq Khan, who is also MP for Tooting, for sharing a platform with the Imam, saying Mr Khan is giving platform, oxygen and cover to people who are extremists.
Mr Khan is known for actively campaigning against extremism.
The Prime Minister has been under pressure to renounce claims Mr Khan is not fit to be Mayor of London because he has appeared on the same platforms as Mr Gani.
He told MPs last week: Suliman Gani the honourable member for Tooting has appeared on a platform with him nine times. This man supports IS.
Sadiq Khan, Labour London mayor candidate (Getty)
In response to claims Mr Gani was invited to the Tory event, Mr Goldsmith, MP for Richmond, said: It was a public meeting. Anyone could turn up.
A spokesperson for the Back Zac campaign said they had not invited Mr Gani to the event, the Mirror reports.
Despite supporting the establishment of a genuine Islamic state, Mr Gani insists he has always opposed terror groups, according to the Guardian.
Mr Goldsmith has previously been forced to deny his tactics in the lead up to the London mayoral election have been racist in using attack lines that seem to highlight Mr Khans Muslim faith.
Im sorry he is allowing those running his campaign to lock away the real Zac Goldsmith and put forward this person that I dont recognise, Mr Khan has said.
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Naz Shah has been suspended from the Labour Party amid controversy over a social media post appearing to endorse the relocation of Israelis to the US.
It comes as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called in Ms Shah, the Bradford West MP, for a personal reprimand a day after she quit as an aide to shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and apologised for the antisemitic comments.
Recommended Read more Corbyn faces growing calls to suspend Labour MP over Israel posts
A Labour spokesperson said: Jeremy Corbyn and Naz Shah have mutually agreed that she is administratively suspended from the Labour Party by the General Secretary.
Pending investigation, she is unable to take part in any party activity and the whip is removed.
Speaking in the Commons today the MP said she wholeheartedly apologises for the words she used in a Facebook post. Speaker John Bercow said they had been noted by the House.
Naz Shah apology
David Cameron, speaking at Prime Ministers questions, said it was quite extraordinary that Ms Shah has not already been suspended from the Labour Party.
In a Facebook post in 2014, before she became MP for Bradford West, Ms Shah shared a graphic which showed an image of Israel's outline superimposed onto a map of the US under the headline "Solution for Israel-Palestine Conflict - Relocate Israel into United States", with the comment "problem solved".
Labour MP Kate Hoey said Ms Shah should resign from the Home Affairs select committee "right away" and called for the party to hold an investigation.
She told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme: "It may well be that she should be suspended from the whip immediately with then a view to an investigation into looking into and seeing whether she genuinely accepts that she does not believe what she said and would make an apology to the people of Israel ...who she really was saying some dreadful things about."
David Cameron talks about Antisemitism in PMQs
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell told The Independent in March that if people express these views, full stop theyre out.
Asked if bans should be permanent, he said: "My own view is yes. People might be able to reform their views and the rest of it. On this? I can't see it...people might say 'I've changed my views' - well, do something in another organisation."
Ms Shah told MPs in the Commons: "I wholeheartedly apologise to this House for the words I used before I became a member. I accept and understand that the words I used caused upset and hurt to the Jewish community and I deeply regret that.
"Anti-Semitism is racism, full stop. As an MP I will do everything in my power to build relations between Muslims, Jews and people of different faiths and none."
Ms Shah wrote in Jewish News that she wished to make an "unequivocal apology for statements and ideas that I have foolishly endorsed in the past".
"The manner and tone of what I wrote in haste is not excusable. With the understanding of the issues I have now I would never have posted them. I have to own up to the fact that ignorance is not a defence."
But striking a different tone from others in Labour Ken Livingstone, the former London Mayor and close friend of Mr Corbyn, said Ms Shah's remarks were not anti-Semitic and the suspension was unnecessary.
"What we have at the moment is a lot of people making a big issue about anti-Semitism in the Labour Party. In 47 years I have never heard anyone say anything anti-Semitic, he said.
"We expelled a couple of people from the Labour Party early on for saying things that could clearly be interpreted as anti-Semitic.
"This is not that; this is an over-the-top comment about the horrendous conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians."
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Jeremy Corbyn has been forced to back down and suspend one of only nine Labour Muslim MPs as the row over anti-Semitism threatened to engulf the party.
The Labour leaders aides spent most of the day trying to defend Naz Shah arguing that the Bradford West MP had shocked herself over comments posted on Facebook before she was elected.
Mr Corbyn himself said that while the comments were offensive and unacceptable, he accepted that she no longer held those views and intended to let her off with a reprimand.
Recommended Read more Labour MP Naz Shah apologises for backing plan to move Israel
But after sustained pressure from senior figures in the shadow Cabinet, Ms Shah was called in to see Mr Corbyn and the party announced she had been suspended by mutual agreement.
The claims against her will now be investigated by Labours National Executive Committee during which time she will be banned from playing any role in party activity and the whip will be removed.
The announcement came just an hour after Ms Shah made the latest in a series of apologies over the posts - telling the House of Commons she profoundly regretted her behaviour and insisting she had since learned her lesson.
But the shadow Energy Secretary, Lisa Nandy, who is close to Mr Corbyn, was among senior Labour figures saying the party faced real problems if it was seen not to apply the same standards to MPs as to other activists.
We have a policy in the Labour party that people who make anti-Semitic remarks are suspended and an investigation carried out, she said.
Ms Nandy said she had made her view clear to the Labour leaders office.
David Cameron also piled on the pressure at Prime Ministers Questions saying it was quite extraordinary Ms Shah had been allowed to remain in the party.
The row started after a 2014 Facebook post came to light in which Ms Shah, she shared a graphic of Israel's outline superimposed onto a map of the US under the headline Solution for Israel-Palestine Conflict - Relocate Israel into United States, with the comment: Problem solved.
The Guido Fawkes website - which published the post - also pointed to another made before Ms Shah was an MP, which used the hashtag IsraelApartheid above a quote saying: Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal.
In a statement to the House of Commons, Ms Shah apologised saying she accepted and understood that the words I used caused upset and hurt to the Jewish community and I deeply regret that.
Naz Shah apology
Anti-Semitism is racism, full stop. As an MP I will do everything in my power to build relations between Muslims, Jews and people of different faiths and none, she said.
In a sign of the deep division with the party on the issue Ken Livingstone, the former London Mayor who is a close ally of Mr Corbyn, said Ms Shah remarks were not anti-Semitic and the suspension was unnecessary.
What we have at the moment is a lot of people making a big issue about anti-Semitism in the Labour Party. In 47 years I have never heard anyone say anything anti-Semitic, he said.
We expelled a couple of people from the Labour Party early on for saying things that could clearly be interpreted as anti-Semitic.
This is not that; this is an over-the-top comment about the horrendous conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians."
David Cameron talks about Antisemitism in PMQs
But at Prime Minister's Questions David Cameron tore into Mr Corbyn for his response to the crisis
Anti-Semitism is effectively racism and we should call it out and fight it wherever we see it, he said.
Perhaps if he (Mr Corbyn) could deal with the anti-Semites in their own party wed be prepared to listen to them a bit more.
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The public increasingly blame both the Government and doctors for the junior doctors' strike as the all-out stoppage goes into its second day, new polling suggests.
A survey by Ipsos MORI for the BBC released at the start of the strike found that 54 per cent of the public blame only the Government for the dispute's continuation, compared with 64 per cent in January.
The protracted row has led to both sides being increasingly seen as to blame, with the proportion who blame only doctors also falling from 13 per cent to 8 per cent.
Those who blame both sides is up sharply from 17 per cent to 35 per cent, however.
There is so far little public appetite for escalating the dispute further. A YouGov poll for The Times newspaper found that around 60 per cent of voters believe it would be wrong to strike indefinitely, with around a quarter backing the move.
Todays strike is part of the first all-out stoppage to include NHS emergency medical care previous strikes have left A&E rooms in place.
David Cameron yesterday told ITV News it was not right for junior doctors to go on strike, while Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said doctors would be responsible for any patient deaths.
The Health Secretary showed no signs of conciliatory language, describing the strike as a very, very bleak day for the NHS, as junior doctors walked out of emergency rooms for the first time in NHS history.
In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Doctor in acute medicine, Melissa Haskins, holds up a 'I ain't afraid of no Hunt' sign whilst striking with other junior doctors outside her hospital, St Thomas' Hospital in London Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Accident and emergency junior doctor, Jennifer Hulse, holds a homemade placard outside St Thomas' Hospital as she strikes with colleagues in London Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Demonstrators and Junior doctors hold placards as they protest outside the Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, in Basingstoke during a strike by junior doctors Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Demonstrators and Junior doctors hold placards as they protest outside the Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, in Basingstoke during a strike by junior doctors Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike A supporter displays a slogan on her bag during a junior doctors' strike outside St Thomas' Hospital in London Reuters In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike The picket line outside King's College Hospital in London PA In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike The picket line outside King's College Hospital in London, as thousands of junior doctors begun the first all-out strike in the history of the NHS after the Health Secretary said the Government would not be "blackmailed" into dropping its manifesto pledge for a seven-day health service PA In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Junior doctors and supporters take part in a strike outside the Royal United Hospital in Bath Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Doctor in acute medicine, Melissa Haskins, holds up a 'I ain't afraid of no Hunt' sign whilst striking with other junior doctors outside her hospital, St Thomas' Hospital in London Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Dave Prentis, UNISON general secretary visits a British Medical Association picket line at Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, to show support for striking junior doctors on the second day of the union's annual health conference PA
Mr Hunt has said he will unilaterally introduce a new contract for junior doctors. The medics say the policy will put patient safety at risk by incentivising unsafe shift patterns.
The Health Secretary says the contract will help improve NHS care at weekends. Both Mr Hunts proposals and those of the British Medical Association are cost-neutral.
Junior doctors accuse Jeremy Hunt of handling contract crisis 'absolutely abysmally'
The BMA stressed yesterday that emergency care would still be available but provided by senior doctors.
Junior doctors walked off the job at 8am on Tuesday and returned at 5pm in the evening; they have done the same on Wednesday.
Statistics from NHS England on Tuesday showed that 78 per cent of junior doctors did not attend work on the first day of the all-out stoppage.
The figures in this article have been amended.
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The Government does not have all the information or analysis it needs to be sure Saudi Arabia is not using British-made weapons for attacks on civilians that could be breach international law, ministers have admitted.
A UN report earlier this year accused Saudi Arabia of widespread and systematic attacks on civilian targets, in breach of international law, during its year-old campaign to prop up the Yemeni government in its conflict with rebels from the Houthi movement
Britain is one the main arms suppliers to Saudi Arabia, and the UN report, along with numerous other alleged incidents documented by human rights groups, have led to concerns that weapons made in the UK are being used in attacks on civilians, placing the UK in breach of arms export rules.
The Government has faced calls from Labour to suspend arms sales to the Saudis while investigations take place, but has so far refused to change its export relationship with the regime in Riyadh. Concerns around the sales led MPs to set up an inquiry, led by the Arms Export Controls Committee, which heard its first evidence from ministers on Wednesday.
Appearing before the committee, Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood said that Saudi Arabia itself had an obligation to come forward and make sure all the information is provided.
I share the frustration of this committee that that information has been slow in coming forward, he said. This is a nation that is not used to sharing information in this manner. It is not used to having to internationally expose the details of what it does. This is the first time it has had to do sustained warfare. It must look up and answer to the international standards that we expect and we will make it very clear if we feel it does not meet those standards.
But we do require time and Saudi Arabia will require time to provide the analysis that is needed to be done in all these cases, he said.
Yemen war: Residents say Houthis shell residential areas in Taiz
Responding to the committee hearing, Amnesty International UKs arms control director, Oliver Sprague, said: Saudi-led attacks on the Yemeni population have been widely-documented, with thousands of civilians killed or injured, and rather than just sitting back and letting Saudi Arabia conduct its own investigation the UK should immediately suspend arms sales before even more civilians are killed.
Why Yemen's future threatens to destroy its past Show all 4 1 /4 Why Yemen's future threatens to destroy its past Why Yemen's future threatens to destroy its past Hugh McLeod Why Yemen's future threatens to destroy its past Hugh McLeod Why Yemen's future threatens to destroy its past Hugh McLeod Why Yemen's future threatens to destroy its past Hugh McLeod
Theres strong legal evidence that the UKs weapons sales to Saudi Arabia are not just ill-advised but actually illegal.
Ministers need to stop burying their heads in the sand and immediately suspend arms sales for the Saudi war machine pending the outcome of both a UN inquiry into the bloody conflict in Yemen and the UKs own review of its arms exports to Saudi Arabia.
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Celebrating another strong night of primary victories, an ebullient Hillary Clinton sought to paper over the schisms that her rivalry with Senator Bernie Sanders has exposed in the ranks of the Democratic Party insisting that there is much more that unites us than divides us.
While Ms Clinton did not mirror Donald Trumps clean sweep of all five states voting on Tuesday - Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island - she was set to win at least three. Mr Sanders took Rhode Island; the race in Connecticut remained too close to call.
Recommended Read more Hillary Clinton says that that half of her Cabinet will be women
But Camp Clinton knew that the night was essentially theirs, not least because it will see the former first lady extend her delegate lead in the race for the Democratic nomination, which at this point more or less makes it impossible for Mr Sanders to deny her the brass ring.
She gave her victory speech in Philadelphia, the city that the United States was born in. It is also the city that will play host to the Democratic Convention in July. We are going come back to Philadelphia for the Democratic national convention with the most votes and the most pledged delegates, she declared. Well unify our party to win this election.
If she attempted to reach out to the supporters of Mr Sanders with her message of unity - repeatedly praising the campaign of the Vermont Senator - Ms Clinton was also not ignoring Donald Trump, whom she is likely to meet in the general election in November.
Mr Trump accused me of playing the woman card, she noted, before instantly barreling on with a tart riposte, her husband, former President Bill Clinton, watching from the sidelines with a wide smilie on his face: If fighting for womens health care and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman card then then deal me in!
If Ms Clinton rarely meets the standards of rhetoric and political mastery of her husband, she delivered something close to a soaring speech on Tuesday night, almost a trial run of the speech she hopes she will be able to deliver in July at the convention, when the target will not be Mr Sanders but the Republican nominee, probably Mr Trump.
Imagine a tomorrow, she told her cheering supporters, when love trumps hate. She added: Imagine a tomorrow where instead of building walls, were break down barriers.
She also acknowledged the frustration among American voters with government and Washington, which has fueled the insurgent campaigns not just of Mr Sanders but also of Mr Trump. Our campaign is about restoring peoples confidence in our ability to solve problems together by delivering results that help people follow their own dreams, Ms Clinton said. We have to be both dreamers and doers.
As for her Democratic rival, she spared little praise, a change from weeks of often toxic exchanges between them. I applaud Senator Sanders and his millions of supporters for challenging us to get unaccountable money out of our politics and giving greater emphasis to closing the gap of inequality and I know tougher we will get that done, she proclaimed.
Ms Clinton then identified may of the main themes of the Sanders campaign. We all agree that wages are too low and inequality is too high, Wall Street can never be allowed to threaten Main Street and we should expand Social Security not cut or privatise it. We Democrats agree that college should be affordable to all and student debt shouldn't hold anyone back. We Democrats agree that every single American should and must have quality affordable healthcare.
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Police have launched an inquiry after the body of an Apple employee was found in a conference room at the tech giant's headquarters.
Reports said that police were called to the campus at Cupertino, south of San Francisco, shortly after 8.30am in response to reports of a possible suicide.
A spokesperson for the Santa Clara County Sheriffs department confirmed that an investigation was underway and later said no one else was involved in the incident and that nobody else had been at risk.
The Santa Clara County Fire Department said crews were called to the scene but were then waved off and never went on campus.
Matt Keller, a reporter with ABC, said Apple was not yet not commenting on the death at its Cupertino headquarters.
The identity of the person whose body was found was not immediately clear but it was confirmed he was an Apple employee.
Anyone struggling to cope can contact The Samaritans for free on 116 123 or at samaritans.org.
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A mystery spanning almost half a century may finally be solved as Los Angeles police say they have identified the body of a woman stabbed 150 times in 1969, found near the site of the infamous Manson family killings.
Recommended Read more Manson Family killer may be set free after parole board ruling
LAPD investigators identified the former Jane Doe No 59 as Reet Jurvetson, a 19-year-old Montreal native who moved to Los Angeles the year of her death. The method and timing of her death fueled speculation that followers of Charles Manson had committed the murder. The victim did not have any identification at the time of her death.
Cold case LAPD detective Luis Rivera told People magazine that they cannot rule out that the Manson family were involved.
Ms Jurvetson was found by a birdwatcher, stabbed 150 times in the neck. Mr Rivera said the attack was personal.
It was a maniac or love gone wrong, he said.
Reet Jurvetson Coolopolis/Blogspot
According to Mr Rivera, police have a lead pointing to a man named John, who he says met Ms Jurvetson before she moved to Los Angeles that summer.
Ms Jurvetsons sister, Anne, told People that their family did not report her missing because they just assumed she was living her life.
As incredible as it seems, my parents never thought to report Reet missing to the police, Anne said in a statement. She added that they thought eventually news from her would turn up.
No one deserves what happened to her, Mr Rivera said, committed to closing the decades-long case. Its our job to find out whos responsible and bring them to justice.
The Manson family rose to infamy during 1969 when they went on a killing spree that cost the lives of many people in LA, including the wife of director Roman Polanski, model and actress Sharon Tate.
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Donald Trump addressed the nation - and the world - when he delivered his first major foreign policy address.
Mr Trump, whose speeches are characterised by their boisterous rhetorical theatrics, reined in his demeanor and, reading from a teleprompter, outlined how he plans to command the respect of the globe. He vowed to put America first when dealing with other nations if elected in his Wednesday afternoon speech in Washington, and had some rather critical words to say about the Obama administration and Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.
The speech served as a glimpse into what Mr Trumps potential presidency could mean for the rest of the world. What is Mr Trump's worldview, and how does he intend to change the role of the US abroad?
Mr Obama has weakened the economy and, thus, the military
Mr Trump accused President Barack Obama of overextending the nations resources, while also opening the doors to Isis in the Middle East.
President Obama has weakened our military by weakening our economy, he said. If President Obamas goal had been to weaken America, he could not have done a better job.
Calling current US foreign policy a complete and total disaster, Mr Trump said his global doctrine will include randomness with purpose, ideology with strategy, and chaos with peace.
Trump's first foreign policy speech
Nato allies to pay their 'fair share', or they are on their own
According to Mr Trumps figures, only four of the 28 Nato member nations are paying the required 2 per cent of the GDP. A Nato report released last summer puts that figure around five.
[Countries that do not pay] look at the United States as weak and forgiving and feel no obligation to honour their agreements with us, Mr Trump said. The countries we are defending must pay for the cost of this defence and, if not, the US must be prepared to let these countries defend themselves.
The US will make the world stronger by building itself domestically
Mr Trump asserted that the world is strong if the US is strong.
Many Americans must wonder why our politicians seem more interested in defending the borders of foreign countries than their own, he said. We will no longer surrender this country, or its people, to the false song of globalism.
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The business mogul added that the US is leaving the nation-building business and will instead focus on creating stability in the world.
I will not hesitate to deploy military force when there is no alternative, he said. But if America fights, it must fight to win. I will never send our finest into battle unless necessary - and will only do so if we have a plan for victory.
He alluded to a war strategy similar to the Powell Doctrine, which refers to then General Colin Powells overwhelming ground attack on Iraq in 1991.
Our goal is peace and prosperity, not war and destruction.
People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Show all 8 1 /8 People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Miley Cyrus 'God he thinks he is the f***ing chosen one or some shit! Honestly f*** this sh*t I am moving if this is my president! I dont say things I dont mean!' Jemal Countess/Getty Images People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Whoopi Goldberg 'I dont think thats America. I dont want it to be America. Maybe its time for me to move you know' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Samuel L. Jackson 'If that mother**er becomes president, Im moving my black ass to South Africa' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Raven Symone 'My confession for this election is, if any Republican gets nominated, Im gonna move to Canada with my entire family. Is that bad? I already have my ticket. I literally bought my ticket, I swear' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Cher 'If he were to be elected, I'm moving to Jupiter' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Neve Campbell 'Im terrified. Its really scary. My biggest fear is that Trump will triumph. I cannot believe that he is still in the game ... [I'll] move back to Canada' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Jon Stewart 'I would consider getting in a rocket and going to another planet, because clearly this planets gone bonkers' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Randy Blythe 'He could just be a clown. If he is the president, though, I am leaving America 'till he's gone'
Mr Trump still blames Hillary Clinton for Benghazi
Mr Trump criticised Hillary Clinton for her time spent as Secretary of State, attributing the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, to her negligence and misdirection.
After Secretary Clintons failed intervention in Libya, Islamic terrorists in Benghazi took down our ambassador and three brave Americans, Mr Trump said. Then, instead of taking charge that night, Hillary Clinton decided to go home and sleep! Incredible.
A GOP panel conducted an investigation and found that neither Secretary Clinton nor anyone else in the Obama Administration was guilty of wrongdoing.
Still, Mr Trump added that now Isis is making millions of dollars a week from Libyan oil.
Mr Trump plans to build a relationship China and Russia
The candidate pivoted from talking about boosting US nuclear power to compete with Russia in China to explaining how he will boost their relationship with the US.
Some say the Russians wont be reasonable. I intend to find out. If we cant make a good deal for America, then we will quickly walk from the table, he said.
Mr Trump concluded that he will be Americas greatest defender and most loyal champion, and in order for the US to promote peace across the world, he would have to make America great again.
If we do that, perhaps this century can be the most peaceful and prosperous the world has ever known.
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Donald Trump may be resisting calls for him to act more like a president, but as his primary victories continue to stack up, he is getting closer to a presidential reality.
The Republican front-runner swept the five presidential primaries on Tuesday, taking him within reach of the party's nomination and dealing a big blow to rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich. Mr Trump basked in his victories from the gilded atrium of the Trump Tower in Manhattan.
"This is a far bigger win than we even expected," Mr Trump said. "When you crack 60 (per cent of the vote) with three people, that's very hard to do."
The delegates awarded to Mr Trump in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island are still being determined, but shortly after the polls closed at 8 pm it became clear that he would win big.
With a flock of cheering supporters standing behind him, Mr Trump - who came out much later than expected - delivered a speech focused on his large delegate lead.
"I'm winning it, it's over," he said, adding that he would be a much better president than Hillary Clinton, a look toward the general election. "I think she's going to be easier to beat than the 16 people I competed with recently."
The businessman was not quite at his bombastic best, continuing his toned-down rhetoric that began in his victory speech following last week's New York primary. Reports emerged during the past week that Mr Trump may not stay so civil going forward. Politico reported that Mr Trump bristled after new adviser Paul Manafort said the candidate would start acting more like a presidential candidate. But he toed the line at his victory event.
Tuesday's speech didn't hear him refer to Mr Cruz as "Lyin' Ted", though he took shots at the Texas senator, Mr Kasich and Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, who had a good showing in her party's primaries. Mr Trump again called for both his Republican rivals to drop out of the race, saying they had no path to victory.
Just days after Mr Cruz and Mr Kasich announced they would concede certain states to each other in an apparent attempt to prevent Mr Trump from gaining the delegates necessary to win the Republican nomination outright, Mr Trump looked as strong as he has all primary season. Reports have said that the Cruz-Kasich alliance was falling apart almost as soon as it began.
"In business they put you in jail for collusion," Mr Trump said about the alliance. "The Republican Party needs something much different than that."
If Mr Trump can do as well next week in Indiana's primary, he may be able to ensure he will get the delegates necessary to be the nominee. He is also projected to do well in the upcoming California primary. But on Tuesday, from a building bearing his name, he was happy to celebrate a sweep.
"When the boxer knocks out the other boxer, you don't have to wait around for a decision," Mr Trump said about the results in the primaries.
Follow @PaytonGuion on Twitter.
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Two children were pepper-sprayed after a fracas broke out between supporters and opponents at a rally for Donald Trump.
Both sides had gathered outside the city hall in Anaheim, California, to mark a council proposal to formally denounce the Republican presidential candidate because of his divisive rhetoric.
However, tensions quickly escalated outside the venue as both sides shouted and tussled with each other. Pepper spray was discharged in the melee and injured two girls, aged eight and 11, and at least three more adults.
The children and an adult had to be treated by an ambulance. Footage shot on a mobile phone at the event also seems to show a stun gun being brandished and activated, allegedly by a Trump supporter.
Police later blamed anti-Trump activists for discharging the pepper spray and a photograph shows a man, purported to be a protester against the Republican candidate, firing pepper spray. He later ran away and is being sought by police, according to reports.
However, journalists at the scene reported witnesses on both sides blamed each other.
Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Show all 14 1 /14 Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Isis: "Some of the candidates, they went in and didnt know the air conditioner didnt work and sweated like dogs, and they didnt know the room was too big because they didnt have anybody there. How are they going to beat ISIS?" Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On immigration: "I will build a great wall and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me and Ill build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Free Trade: "Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people." PAUL J. RICHARDS | AFP | Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Mexicans: "When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre sending people that have lots of problems. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists." Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On China: "I just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China. Am I supposed to dislike them?... I love China. The biggest bank in the world is from China. You know where their United States headquarters is located? In this building, in Trump Tower." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On work: "If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable." AP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On success: "What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On life: "Everything in life is luck." AFP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On ambition: "You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On his opponents: "Bush is totally in favour of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favour of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Obamacare: "You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, a tractor, to use it, because the deductibles are so high. It's virtually useless. And remember the $5 billion web site?... I have so many web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a web site. It costs me $3." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Barack Obama: "Obama is going to be out playing golf. He might be on one of my courses. I would invite him. I have the best courses in the world. I have one right next to the White House." PA Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On himself: "Love him or hate him, Trump is a man who is certain about what he wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Women find his power almost as much of a turn-on as his money." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On America: "The American Dream is dead. But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before and we will make America great again." GETTY
I just think they're so out of control, Trump supporter Linda Reedy, who was hurt by the pepper spray, told the LA Times.
Ms Reedy blamed the anti-Trump demonstrators for goading their own group, adding: I'm so sick of the anger in this country."
The Anaheim City Council, after a heated and crowded meeting, eventually decided to reject the motion to denounce Trump by 3-2.
Councilwoman Kris Murray, who brought the proposal, argued Mr Trumps divisive rhetoric was not appropriate for Anaheim.
She was reported by the newspaper to have said: The rhetoric and the language he's using truly go against the grain of the city of Anaheim's core values as a city of kindness and as a city that's inclusive of our diverse community.
According to Ms Murray, tens of thousands of Anaheim residents have been the target of Mr Trump's campaign trail attacks.
Anaheim is the largest city in Orange County and has a majority Latino population.
Mr Trump has been widely condemned for using what critics have said are divisive and racist rhetoric and tactics. Despite this, he has proved immensely popular with many voters, who admire his call for a ban on Muslims entering the US and building a wall on the Mexican border.
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A Canadian couple who attempted to treat their baby sons meningitis with herbal remedies have been convicted over his death.
David Stephan, 32, and his wife Collet Stephan, 35, have been found guilty of failing to provide the necessaries of life to their 19-month-old son Ezekiel, who died in 2012.
The couple, from Alberta, had testified they believed their son had contracted croup or flu, CBC reports.
They treated him for two-and-a-half weeks with a mixture of home remedies, including water with maple syrup, hot peppers, garlic, onions and horseradish.
The court heard that at one point Mrs Stephan had driven Ezekiel to a naturopathic clinic in the province to pick up an Echinacea mixture, but the toddler had been too stiff to sit in his car seat and had to lie on a mattress in the car.
A family friend who is a nurse told the family they thought Ezekiel had meningitis, CTVNews reports.
Ezekiel was rushed to hospital in Cardston when he stopped breathing, before being flown to the Alberta Childrens Hospital in Calgary, where he was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and neurological dysfunction. He had been discovered to have little brain activity and died after being taken off life support.
The couple declined to comment when leaving court, but Mrs Stephan broke down in tears when the verdict was read out.
Mr Stephans brother-in-law, Eric Sveinson, told CBC outside court that were very disheartened and disappointed, and I hope the world can see that a beautiful family was unjustly charged today.
Crown prosecutor Lisa Weich said outside court that the trial shows all parents are held to a minimum standard of care for their children at all times.
They definitely, definitely loved their son, but as stated in our closing arguments, and even in our opening arguments, unfortunately, sometimes love just isnt enough, she said.
The maximum sentence for this crime is five years in prison. Mr and Mrs Stephan are to return to court on 13 June to receive a date for their sentencing.
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Carly Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard CEO whose failed White House bid burned brightest during a feud with Donald Trump, has been unveiled as the running mate to Mr Trumps main rival, Ted Cruz.
Mr Cruz announced his surprise vice presidential pick at a rally in Indianapolis, where Ms Fiorina joined him ahead of next weeks Indiana primary. The Texas Senator said Ms Fiorina was brilliant and capable and a woman of deep principle, who had over and over again shattered glass ceilings. In naming her as his running mate, he said, I am also telling you that she is someone you can be confident in if the occasion should arise to be commander in chief and keep this country safe.
The Senator revealed that Ms Fiorina had bonded with his daughters Caroline and Catherine by singing them made-up songs on the campaign bus. When she appeared on stage after him, Ms Fiorina sang a verse of one of those songs, including the lines: I know two girls that I just adore / I am so happy I get to see them more.
The businesswoman attacked both the Republican and Democratic front-runners, saying Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are two sides of the same coin, who would be disastrous for this country They are not going to challenge the system. They are the system.
Insisting that Mr Cruz was "a heck of a lot of fun", Ms Fiorina said: "I am prepared to stand by his side and give him everything I have, to restore the soul of this party, to defeat Donald Trump, to defeat Hillary Clinton and to take our country back."
Ms Fiorina has become an enthusiastic Cruz surrogate since dropping out of the Republican presidential race in February, following her poor showings in Iowa and New Hampshire. Earlier this week, she was confirmed as being among a handful of potential vice presidential candidates to have submitted tax returns to the Cruz campaign for vetting.
On Monday, Mr Cruzs campaign chairman Chad Sweet confirmed that the Senator was vetting Ms Fiorina, telling CNN that she was one of the most talented business leaders of modern times.
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The announcement could help Mr Cruz to reclaim the news cycle after his crushing loss in Tuesdays so-called Amtrak primaries in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island. Mr Trump won a clean sweep of all five states, and Mr Cruz came in third, behind Ohio Governor John Kasich, in all but one of them, Pennsylvania.
Mr Trump, who is steadily advancing on the 1,237 GOP delegates he needs to secure the Republican nomination before the partys convention in July, said he was unimpressed by the prospect of a Cruz-Fiorina ticket, describing Ms Fiorina as an insignificant player in the presidential race. Not because she's a woman, but Carly did not resonate at all with people, the property mogul told ABC, saying Ms Fiorina had only had one good debate.
That debate was in September 2015, shortly after Mr Trump had disparaged Ms Fiorinas appearance in an interview with Rolling Stone. Look at that face! he was reported to have said. Would anyone vote for that? Invited to respond to his remarks, Ms Fiorina said: I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr Trump said.
As he introduced Ms Fiorina to the crowd in Indianapolis, Mr Cruz recalled "the grace, the class, the elan with which Carly responded" to the insult.
The episode marked the first of many times during his campaign that Mr Trump has been accused of misogyny. Ms Fiorinas response was also considered a rare example of a rival scoring points against Mr Trump on the debate stage. It proved to be the high point of her short-lived White House bid.
Ms Fiorina adds not only a female face to the Cruz ticket, but also a political outsider, in a Republican presidential cycle that has punished traditional politicians. The former CEO ran a failed bid for the US Senate in California in 2010, but has never held elected office.
Yet her CV could also cause problems for the Cruz campaign in a climate where voters are deeply sceptical of corporate America. During her time as HPs chief executive, some 30,000 people were laid off by the tech firm, while some jobs were sent overseas to China. When Ms Fiorina herself was forced out in 2005, she received a $21m (14.4m) severance package.
Vice presidential picks are normally made public in the run-up to the convention, when a party has already picked its nominee. But this is no normal presidential cycle, and Mr Cruz presumably hopes to add legitimacy to his claim on the Republican nomination by announcing a running mate at this early juncture.
His pick could nevertheless prove irrelevant. The Texas Senator is behind Mr Trump in polls in Indiana, and it is already mathematically impossible for him to clinch the nomination on the first ballot. His only hope now is a contested convention, where GOP delegates will also pick the vice-presidential nominee in a separate ballot.
It is too early for Mr Cruz to name a running mate, Mr Trump said, adding: Frankly, he's wasting his time because he wont be the nominee.
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Donald Trump has vowed to crush Isis in a speech outlining his America first foreign policy stance, which he said would replace chaos with peace while transforming the US economy and investing heavily in the military.
The frontrunner for the Republican nomination used a widely anticipated speech in a Washington hotel on Wednesday - delivered, unusually for him, with the help of a Teleprompter in hopes of evincing a more presidential mien - to insist that only by rebuilding Americas strength at home, both economically and militarily, could it hope thereafter to gain respect around the globe.
Speaking in Washington, Mr Trump said under his presidency Isis would disappear very, very quickly through his long-term plan to prevent the spread of radical Islam. The billionaire failed to outline his anti-Isis strategy in detail, but said the extremist group's "days are numbered". "I wont tell them where and I wont tell them how. We must as a nation be more unpredictable. Containing the spread of radical Islam must be a major foreign policy goal of the United States and indeed the world."
We will spend what we need to rebuild our military. Our military dominance must be unquestioned, he said. We are also going to have to change our trade, immigration and economic policies to make our economy strong again and to put Americans first again.
It was a speech that sounded many of the themes Mr Trump has practised on the trail - his excoriation of the foreign policy record of President Barack Obama and of Hillary Clinton, his first Secretary of State, his disdain for the Iran nuclear deal and for some of Americas free trade deals - but also offered glimpses of moderation, for example on relations with the Muslim world.
Making no reference to his pledge to block Muslims from entering the US, he spoke for instance of cultivating Middle East allies to counter terrorism.
Were going to be working very closely with our friends in the Muslim world, which are all at risk for violent attacks, he said. He spoke in more or less unspecific terms of seeking improved relations with Russia and China.
Donald Trump gave a major foreign policy speech in Washington, AP
He also took a somewhat less belligerent tone on Nato, which he had previously termed as obsolete. That did not mean, however, that he did not take another opportunity to insist that Americas allies in Europe, and also in Asia, should take on more of the financial burden for their defense and that if they didnt then America would leave them to defend themselves.
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If Americas allies, especially those in Europe, had been hoping for some kind of comprehensive and clear vision from Mr Trump on how he would hold himself on the world stage, they may have been disappointed. At times the speech seemed incoherent and riven with contradictions.
The greatest tension was contained in the central premise of the speech: that America can draw in its horns and turn its attention to rebuilding domestically while at the same time keeping the world - and by extension itself - safe. Among his more perplexing statements: We are getting out of the nation-building business and instead focusing on creating stability in the world.
The easiest passages to follow dealt with what he said had been the failures of American foreign policy over a span that started after the fall of the Soviet system and which thus incorporated the years when Republicans were president (both named Bush).
After the cold war our foreign policy veered badly off course, Mr Trump averred. We failed to develop a new vision for a new time. In fact, as time went on, our foreign policy began to make less and less sense. Logic was replaced with foolishness and arrogance, and this led to one foreign policy disaster after another.
Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Show all 14 1 /14 Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Isis: "Some of the candidates, they went in and didnt know the air conditioner didnt work and sweated like dogs, and they didnt know the room was too big because they didnt have anybody there. How are they going to beat ISIS?" Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On immigration: "I will build a great wall and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me and Ill build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Free Trade: "Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people." PAUL J. RICHARDS | AFP | Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Mexicans: "When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre sending people that have lots of problems. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists." Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On China: "I just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China. Am I supposed to dislike them?... I love China. The biggest bank in the world is from China. You know where their United States headquarters is located? In this building, in Trump Tower." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On work: "If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable." AP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On success: "What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On life: "Everything in life is luck." AFP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On ambition: "You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On his opponents: "Bush is totally in favour of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favour of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Obamacare: "You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, a tractor, to use it, because the deductibles are so high. It's virtually useless. And remember the $5 billion web site?... I have so many web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a web site. It costs me $3." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Barack Obama: "Obama is going to be out playing golf. He might be on one of my courses. I would invite him. I have the best courses in the world. I have one right next to the White House." PA Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On himself: "Love him or hate him, Trump is a man who is certain about what he wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Women find his power almost as much of a turn-on as his money." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On America: "The American Dream is dead. But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before and we will make America great again." GETTY
Separating himself from the foreign doctrine that informed the years of the second President Bush in particular, he said: It all began with the dangerous idea that we could make Western democracies out of countries that had no experience or interest in becoming a Western Democracy. As for now he went on: Our foreign policy is a complete and total disaster.
Certainly, he envisions a less interventionist America, one less inclined to attempt to enforce solutions to crises or conflicts. I will not hesitate to deploy military force when there is no alternative, he offered. But if America fights, it must fight to win. I will never send our finest into battle unless necessary - and will only do so if we have a plan for victory.
Changes he promised included obliging nations assisted by the US to give something back, whatever that might be.This has to be a two-way street, he said. They must also be good to us. It's no longer one way, it's two way.
While he held back from threatening to undo Nato, he repeated his call on all members to fulfill their commitment to pay at least 2 per cent of GDP on defence. He said he would call for a summit of Nato countries, if he is elected, to discuss the alliances future.
He used the speech also to reiterate his willingness to reverse generations of Republican free trade doctrine. We will no longer surrender this country or its people to the false song of globalism, Mr Trump said, denouncing all agreements that tie us up and bring America down.
And in a message that is likely to appeal to Brexit campaigners in the UK, he said he would never agree to sign any international agreements that would reduce Americas ability to control our own affairs. He went further: Under a Trump administration, no American citizen will ever again feel that their needs come second to the citizens of a foreign country.
That Mr Trump spoke of improving ties with Russia while saying nothing about its incursions into eastern Ukraine may have cause some shudders in European capitals. An easing of tensions with Russia from a position of strength is possible, he offered simply. He thought a similar approach might also work magic with Beijing. China respects strength and by letting them take advantage of us economically we have lost all their respect.
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Donald Trump has declared himself the presumptive Republican nominee after securing a clean sweep in five crucial contests and edging ever closer to securing the partys candidacy.
Mr Trump appeared pugnacious but reasonably restrained when he appeared before supporters after enjoying victories in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Delaware, Maryland and Connecticut.
I just want to thank everyone, he said, speaking at Trump Tower in New York. This is a bigger win than we expected - 0-5. And not only was it 0-5, it was 60, 65, 67 [points]. When you crack 60 points when there are three people, that is a very hard thing to do. He added: I consider myself the presumptive nominee. We have millions more votes than Cruz. We have millions more votes than Kasich ... Its over. As far as Im concerned, its over.
For the Democrats, Hillary Clinton claimed victory in four of the states - Delaware, Connecticut, Maryland and Pennsylvania - that voted in the so-called Acela Primary, named after a high speed train that cuts through the states that were voting. Her rival, Bernie Sanders, won just one state, Rhode Island, the smallest state in the union.
Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Show all 14 1 /14 Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Isis: "Some of the candidates, they went in and didnt know the air conditioner didnt work and sweated like dogs, and they didnt know the room was too big because they didnt have anybody there. How are they going to beat ISIS?" Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On immigration: "I will build a great wall and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me and Ill build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Free Trade: "Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people." PAUL J. RICHARDS | AFP | Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Mexicans: "When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre sending people that have lots of problems. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists." Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On China: "I just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China. Am I supposed to dislike them?... I love China. The biggest bank in the world is from China. You know where their United States headquarters is located? In this building, in Trump Tower." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On work: "If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable." AP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On success: "What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On life: "Everything in life is luck." AFP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On ambition: "You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On his opponents: "Bush is totally in favour of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favour of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Obamacare: "You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, a tractor, to use it, because the deductibles are so high. It's virtually useless. And remember the $5 billion web site?... I have so many web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a web site. It costs me $3." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Barack Obama: "Obama is going to be out playing golf. He might be on one of my courses. I would invite him. I have the best courses in the world. I have one right next to the White House." PA Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On himself: "Love him or hate him, Trump is a man who is certain about what he wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Women find his power almost as much of a turn-on as his money." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On America: "The American Dream is dead. But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before and we will make America great again." GETTY
Mr Trump had gone into election day as the clear favourite. Yet even he may not have imagined his scale of victory he enjoyed over his rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich.
With most of the votes having been returned from the precincts, the tycoon was on 60 points in Connecticut, 61 in Delaware, 54 in Maryland, 58 in Pennsylvania and 65 points in Rhode Island.
While the division of delegates was still taking place, Mr Trumps total was set to rise to at least 926, almost 400 points clear of Mr Cruz on 543, and with Mr Kasich trailing in a distant third with 148.
Trump Mocks Cruz and Kasich for Collusion on Upcoming Primaries
While he was less bombastic that in many of his previous appearances, Mr Trump took the opportunity to jab at both Mr Cruz and Mr Kasich, who had previously agreed on an electoral pact ahead of three upcoming contests.
The Republican party needs something very different to that, he said of the Kasich-Cruz alliance.
Ms Clinton appeared to be focussing on the general election (Reuters)
Ms Clinton had also gone into Tuesday the favourite in most of the contests and she increased her haul of delegates, pushing it closer to the 2,383 needed to secure the Democratic nomination. Her total was set to have reached at least 1,596, compared to Mr Sanders' 1,281.
Speaking to her supporters in Philadelphia, the largest city in Pennsylvania, a state that held the most delegates and which she won easily, the former secretary of state delivered a speech that many said was focussed on the general election and her likely battle against Donald Trump, rather than her race with Mr Sanders.
Our campaign is about restoring peoples confidence in our ability to achieve results, she said. That is why we are setting bold, progressive goals.
Ahead of voting, Ms Clinton had led the Vermont senator in Delaware by 21 points, in Maryland by 24 points, in Rhode Island by around 3 points, in Pennsylvania by 17 points and had an advantage in Connecticut of 6 points.
There has been mounting pressure on Mr Sanders to drop out of the race and open the way for Ms Clinton to focus on the race against the Republicans. Yet the 74-year-old made clear on Tuesday night that he continued to remain in the race, even as far as the California primary in June.
He told the Associated Press he knew he had only a very narrow path and were going to have to win some big victories.
In the Republican race, Mr Cruz and Mr Kasich were trying to stop Mr Trump securing the 1,237 delegates he needs to tie up the partys nomination ahead of the convention in July.
Many believe no candidate will do so, opening the way for a so-called contested convention in which Mr Trumps opponents would seek to block him.
An average of polls collated by Real Clear Politics ahead of voting had put the tycoon 25 clear in Rhode Island, 17 points clear in Maryland, 19 points clear in Pennsylvania, 26 points clear in Connecticut and as many as 37 points ahead in Delaware
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It was Donald Trumps first outing on the foreign policy circuit and plenty of people had things to say about the tycoons vision of Americas place in the world.
Yet amid both the praise and the panning, some people could not avoid having a little fun at Mr Trumps rather strange pronunciation of "Tanzania".
Mr Trump is known for talking off the cuff. On Wednesday, delivering his speech at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, it appeared he was reading from a teleprompter; if so the teleprompter had apparently spelled the African nation as Tan-Zayneeya. He said it the way one normally pronounces the Australian island of Tasmania.
Lots of people took to social media to laugh at Mr Trump. And when he was asked whether he had heard the tycoons speech, White House spokesman Josh Earnest also had a joke with reporters
Apparently the phonetics arent included on the teleprompter, he said,
Accorrding to The Hill, Mr Earnest also pushed back against Trumps claim that Cuban President Raul Castro had snubbed Obama by not greeting him at the airport when he arrived last month for his historic trip to the island nation.
It is most common for the president to be received by a lower-level official at the airpor, so the most senior official in the country can meet with the president more formally, he said.
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Venezuelas public sector workers are being given a five-day weekend as emergency measures to combat the countrys energy crisis continue.
The government had already declared Friday a non-working day for government employees through April and May to reduce electricity consumption.
Aristobulo Isturiz, the Vice President, has now announced that civil servants should turn up for work only on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Venezuela calls for drastic measures in face of electricity crisis
There will be no work in the public sector on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, except for fundamental and necessary tasks, he said.
The measure, which will last a minimum of two weeks, affects more than two million state employees.
The socialist administration has started initiating daily four-hour electricity blackouts around the country, following previous cuts to shopping centre opening hours.
Hospital staff and those at state-run supermarkets are still working normal weeks but Friday holidays have been extended further to primary school teachers.
A family sit at a candle lit table during power outages in the state of Barinas, 600 km west of Caracas on April 25, 2016. (AFP/Getty Images)
Venezuelans reacted with disbelief to the news that most public workers would hardly be going into the office, with many pointing out the government is losing money by paying them to stay at home, where they may be using air conditioning and other electrical appliances.
President Nicolas Maduro has blamed drought for the crisis, while critics have citied government mismanagement and a lack of planning and maintenance to a crucial hydroelectric dam.
He urged his compatriots to increase efforts to save power earlier this month, suggesting cutting appliance use and raising the temperature on air conditioning units.
Recommending that women reduce hairdryer use to special occasions, the President added: I always think a woman looks better when she just runs her fingers through her hair and lets it dry naturally. It's just an idea I have.
Around 70 per cent of Venezuelas electricity comes from a hydroelectric plant at the Guri Dam, which holds back the Caroni River in the south-eastern state of Bolivar.
World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty
The water level behind it has fallen to near its minimum operating level during a severe drought, meaning it may soon have to be shut down entirely.
Mr Maduros socialist administration blames the crisis on a drought caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon and acts of sabotage by its opponents, but experts say rationing could have been prevented by investment in maintenance and in the construction of thermoelectric plants.
Venezuela has grappled with blackouts for years, including one that took Mr Maduro himself by surprise as he delivered a national address on live television.
His predecessor, Hugo Chavez, promised to solve the problem in 2010 but little has improved.
Additional reporting by AP
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A conservative lawyer has vowed to bring along her gun when she visits public bathrooms, in response to department store Targets decision to allow transgender people the right to choose which gender bathroom they use on its premises.
Anita Staver is a lawyer with the evangelical Christian legal organisation Liberty Counsel, which has also been referred to as a 'hate group' by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), who cite concerns with its attitude to LGBT people.
Ms Staver, along with numerous others, has been using the hash tag #BoycottTarget to protest the stores decision. Unlike many others, she also decided to the incorporate America's firearm tradition into her personal campaign.
Ms Staver refered to a Glock .45 handgun in a tweet and said she fears for the safety of other bathroom users.
I want protection from the perverts who will use the law to gain access to women, she said in another Twitter post.
Recommended Read more Foreign Office has new advice for British LGBT people going to the US
She said the bathroom policy would allow men to claim they are women when their real purpose is to assault women.
Bringing a handgun into a toilet would constitute self-defence, rather than aggression, Ms Staver said.
Mathew Staver, Anita Staver's husband and founder of the Liberty Counsel, told CBS News: It is only about being free to pursue your faith. We have no interest in discriminating against anyone.
Target made an announcement on 19 April which clarified its position towards transgender people. A blog post on its website said: Inclusivity is a core belief at Target We believe that everyone - every team member, every guest, and every community - deserves to be protected from discrimination, and treated equally.
The pioneers of LGBT rights in 2015 Show all 6 1 /6 The pioneers of LGBT rights in 2015 The pioneers of LGBT rights in 2015 Justice Anthony Kennedy and the other Supreme Court Justices who legalised same sex marriage in the US The US Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage is all 50 states of America in June, splitting 5-4 in favour. Writing the majority opinion, Justice Kennedy said gay people hope not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilizations oldest institutions. The pioneers of LGBT rights in 2015 Caitlyn Jenner After she revealed her new self in an interview and cover with Vanity Fair magazine in June, the former olympian quickly became the most famous trans person in the world. AFP/Getty The pioneers of LGBT rights in 2015 Cara Delevigne The former model said she identified as bisexual in an interview with Vogue in July. AFP/Getty The pioneers of LGBT rights in 2015 Ellen Page The openly gay actress confronted Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz at a campaign rally in Iowa in August over laws that discriminate against the LGBT community. AFP/Getty The pioneers of LGBT rights in 2015 iO Tillett Wright The artist and Instagram star began the Self Evident Truths project in 2015 to photograph everyone who doesnt identify as 100% straight. Famously it featured Johnny Depps teenage daughter Lily Rose who said she fell somewhere on the vast spectrum and singer Selena Gomez who addressed rumours she was dating Cara Delevigne. AFP/Getty The pioneers of LGBT rights in 2015 Ruby Rose Australian born Rose was one of the very first celebrities to come out as genderfluid. She was hailed for giving it a public platform a the MTV Europe Music Awards in October when she welcomed ladies and gentlemen, and everyone in-between in her introduction.
We welcome transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity.
A petition calling for the boycotting of Target was launched by the American Family Association (AFA) another SPLC-listed hate group in response.
A man can simply say he feels like a woman today and enter the women's restroom... even if young girls or women are already in there, said a statement on the AFA website.
Target's policy is exactly how sexual predators get access to their victims. And with Target publicly boasting that men can enter women's bathrooms, where do you think predators are going to go?
Clearly, Target's dangerous new policy poses a danger to wives and daughters.
The group suggested the introduction of unisex bathrooms which transgender customers can use.
The petition has so far received more than 600,000 signatures from people who have pledged to avoid using Target stores.
The chain introduced its policy in response to the controversial North Carolina Bathroom law. The Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, also known as HB2, barred transgender people from using bathrooms of the gender they identified with.
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Muscovites have reacted angrily after the city authorities threatened to ban kebabs.
Shawarma is a local favourite in the Russian capital, but hygiene concerns led them into the sights of Moscow's Department of Trade and Services.
We are ridding shawarma from the streets. There will be no shawarma anymore, city official Alexei Nemeryuk told local media. He vowed vendors selling the kebabs would have to cease trading after their licence expired.
Cooking in a tent where there is no water, sanitation, are not complied with conditions of storage products, is already causing rejection of the food that they prepare, Mr Nemeryuk told Komsomolskaya Pravda radio. He added that kiosk owners have declined to bear even the slightest costs of maintaining proper sanitation standards.
World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty
However, locals have responded angrily. Using the hashtag #ShuarmaZhivi (#), they have taken to social media in protest.
"Friends, we have long suffered, but it's time to burn tires," Kris Poutupchik wrote on Twitter. "Moscow authorities are going to remove from the streets of Shawarma."
"'Moscow authorities are going to remove from the streets of shawarma'", wrote user Stalin Gulag. "Never revolution was not so close!"
City authorities have been clamping down on kiosks accused of breaches in property law - for several months and demolishing and removing structures.
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The Philippine President has said "casualties are to be expected" as he vowed to devote all his energy to eliminating the Islamic militants who beheaded a Canadian hostage.
John Ridsdel, 68, was executed by Abu Sayyaf militants on Monday. He was captured along with three others in 2015 while on holiday in the Philippines.
His head, placed in a plastic bag, was dumped by motorcycle-riding gunmen in Jolo town in the southern province of Sulu, five hours after the expiry of a ransom deadline set by the militants.
John Ridsdel appears in his Twitter photo. (John Ridsdel/Twitter)
President Benigno Aquino III said in a statement: "So, to the ASG [Abu Sayyaf Group], and whoever may aid or abet them, you have chosen only the language of force, and we will speak to you only in that language.
"Casualties are to be expected. But what has to be of utmost importance is neutralising the criminal activities of the ASG."
Abu Sayyaf, which is linked to Isis, is believed to be holding 22 foreign hostages from six Western and Asian countries hostage.
The Philippine military and police said "there will be no letup" in the effort to combat the group and find the hostages.
Government troops have been ordered to carry out assaults without endangering the remaining hostages.
About 2,000 military personnel, backed by Bell UH-1 "Huey" and MG520 rocket-firing helicopters and artillery, are involved in the manhunt for the militants, who are believed to be massing in Sulu's mountainous Patikul town, military officials said.
Philippines army steps up offensive against rebels
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said his country and Britain will urge other nations not to pay ransoms to free kidnap victims.
Mr Trudeau said if Canada paid ransoms, it would put all of its all of its citizens who traveled or lived abroad at risk.
The Isis-linked Abu Sayyaf has collected tens of millions of dollars in ransoms since it was formed in the 1990s, security experts say.
While the Philippines rarely publicises payments of ransom, it is widely believed no captives are released without them.
Additional reporting by agencies
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Belgium's Justice Minister has been criticised after claiming the number of practicing Muslims would very soon overtake the number of practising Christians in Europe.
Speaking in a question and answer session at a parliamentary committee, Koen Geens said: In Europe, very shortly were going to have more practising Muslims than practising Christians.
His comments have been dismissed as misleading and irresponsible by one of the UKs leading anti-Islamophobia charities.
Mr Geens did not support his claim with evidence but his remarks were quickly seized upon by far-right groups as proof of the creeping "Islamification" of Europe.
However, Mr Geens motivation in making the comments appeared to be to highlight the general shift towards secularism on the continent.
That is not because there are too many Muslims; it is because Christians are generally less practising, he said.
We will soon have in Belgium more active practitioners of Islam than of the Catholic faith, simply because Catholics dont practice anymore.
World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty
Its not a problem," Mr Geens said, "I am only saying, and Europe must realise, because it is the reality.
His words were met with dismay by Fiyaz Mughal OBE, director of Tell Mama, a group which monitors anti-Muslim hatred.
The comments by the Belgian Justice Minister, Koen Geens, are not only misleading, they are irresponsible, given his position and given the fact that he is the Justice Minister in charge of a core ministry, Mr Mughal told The Independent.
He needs to understand that statements like this merely add fuel to the far right and to tensions.
However, a spokesperson for Mr Geens told The Independent: "Minister Koen Geens did not make an anti-Muslim statement. He just pointed out that in the future, Europe will have more practising Muslims than practising Catholics.
"Not more or less. The Justice Minister is responsible for the religions in Belgium and has a good relationship with all recognised religions in the country, including Muslims.
"Mr Geens regularly meets with the EMB (Muslim Executive of Belgium) and took legislative initiative to contribute funding to professionalize the organisation. On top of that, 80 Imams will be appointed by the EMB, and it receives extra funding for this from the Justice department."
Belgium has been struggling with problems around radicalism and its capital, Brussels, was subject to bombings in March, for which extremist group Isis claimed responsibility.
Terror attacks and the subsequent investigation of Islamist terror cells has often led police to the city's suburb of Molenbeek, sparked a national debate around the integration of ethnic and religious minorities in the country.
Christianity is widely perceived to have been in decline in Europe for many years, as fewer people identify as religious.
Catholic journalist Damian Thompson of The Spectator previously bemoaned the loss of millions of worshippers and predicted that "Anglicanism will disappear from Britain in 2033" if British Social Attitude survey trends continue.
The number of Roman Catholics has also fallen in the UK, dropping from 10 per cent of the population to eight per cent between 1983 and 2014, according to the attitude surveys.
However, Christianity has seen large gains in Asia and remains the worlds most prevalent religion.
A 2015 study by the Pew Research Center found that Islam was likely to become more prevalent worldwide due to a youthful population and high fertility rates, catching up with Christianity by around 2050.
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A Norwegian zoo has faced intense criticism after reportedly feeding an entire zebra carcass to tigers in front of visitors.
The beheaded zebra carcass was placed in Kristiansand Zoo and Amusement Parks tiger enclosure last week. Zoo officials said they had been forced to euthanize the zebra due to surplus populations at the zoo, Norwegian state broadcaster NRK reports.
Outrage erupted after a parent visiting the zoo took a picture of the slaughtered zebra and posted it to Facebook with the caption: Took a look at the tigers today. What met me was a little macabre.
The incident was described as horrid and traumatic for young children by other visitors.
One visitor said online: A little too macabre for me. Animals eat animals, but I did not think I would see that at the zoo.
The zoos veterinarian has defended the parks actions saying it is natural for animals to eat each other and visitors should not be made ignorant of this.
Rolf-Ann Olberg is quoted by CEN news agency as saying: I understand peoples reactions, but it is quite normal for a tiger or a lion to eat their prey.
With a whole animal to eat, they must spend time tearing it apart with their claws and teeth. It simulates natural behaviour.
We explained this and the guests realised that this is the way nature is. We must not avoid the fact that predators eat other animals.
In pictures: Marius the giraffe skinned and fed to lions as children watch on (Warning: graphic images) Show all 8 1 /8 In pictures: Marius the giraffe skinned and fed to lions as children watch on (Warning: graphic images) In pictures: Marius the giraffe skinned and fed to lions as children watch on (Warning: graphic images) Marius the giraffe killed Marius the giraffe before he was put down In pictures: Marius the giraffe skinned and fed to lions as children watch on (Warning: graphic images) Marius the giraffe killed A lion is fed the carcass of Marius In pictures: Marius the giraffe skinned and fed to lions as children watch on (Warning: graphic images) Marius the giraffe killed A vet holds up one of Marius' hooves while performing an autopsy on the young giraffe at Copenhagen zoo In pictures: Marius the giraffe skinned and fed to lions as children watch on (Warning: graphic images) Marius the giraffe killed A vet carries out an autopsy on Marius in front of a crowd at Copenhagen zoo In pictures: Marius the giraffe skinned and fed to lions as children watch on (Warning: graphic images) Marius the giraffe killed Children watch on and take pictures as a vet dissects Marius In pictures: Marius the giraffe skinned and fed to lions as children watch on (Warning: graphic images) Marius the giraffe killed A vet skins Marius in front of a crowd at Copenhagen zoo In pictures: Marius the giraffe skinned and fed to lions as children watch on (Warning: graphic images) Marius the giraffe killed People gather outside Copenhagen zoo to protest the slaughter of Marius the giraffe In pictures: Marius the giraffe skinned and fed to lions as children watch on (Warning: graphic images) Marius the giraffe killed Marius the giraffe before he was euthanized AFP/Getty Images
In February 2014, there was uproar when Copenhagen Zoo decided to kill Marius the giraffe because it had not been able to find an alternative home. Its remains were then fed to the zoos lions.
The decision sparked outrage after it emerged at least two wildlife parks had wanted to re-home Marus and a wealthy benefactor had put in an offer for the giraffe of 415,000.
After a bolt gun to the head, he was dissected publicly in front of a crowd of children then fed to the lions.
The Danish Odense Zoo has also been criticised for performing dissections on dead animals in front of audiences with children.
A recent BBC documentary estimates that around 3,000 to 5,000 animals are killed in European zoos each year.
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The suspected Isis militant Salah Abdeslam appeared before a judge in Paris on Wednesday afternoon where he was formally charged with murder and the attempted murder of a terrorist nature, just hours after being extradited from Brussels.
Abdeslam believed to be the only surviving member of the group that killed 130 people during the 13 November Paris attacks was remanded in provisional custody. He will be held in solitary confinement, according to reports.
A spokesperson for the Belgian federal prosecutor's office said a European arrest warrant issued by France had been executed.
Abdeslam, 26, reportedly told Belgian police he could not bring himself to blow himself up in his allotted mission at the Stade de France.
Paris attacks suspect caught
Frank Berton, a high-profile French criminal lawyer, said he would lead his defence and had visited Abdeslam at a prison in Bruges last week, along with the suspects Belgian lawyer, Sven Mary.
He told me naturally that he has things to say and he will say them. He wants to talk, Mr Berton told BFM TV.
What counts and what matters for us as his lawyers is simply that he gets a fair trial, that he is sentenced for things he did and not things that he didn't do. That's vital because he is the sole survivor.
Abdeslam, whose brother Brahim was among the suicide bombers, was on the run until he was caught hiding out in Brussels in March.
An Isis militant, Mohamed Belkaid, 35, was shot dead by police during the shoot-out at a flat in Forest on 15 March.
Three days later, Abdeslam was traced to a flat in the suburb of Molenbeek and arrested alongside an suspected accomplice known under the aliases Amine Choukri and Monir Ahmed Alaaj.
Belgian police target the flat in Molenbeek, Brussels, where Salah Abdeslam was arrested (Reuters)
His lawyer initially said his client, a French national who grew up in Belgium, would resist extradition to France but the move was agreed on 31 March.
Abdeslam is just one of several suspects held on suspicion of involvement in the Paris and Brussels attacks.
Mohamed Abrini, accused of being the surviving Brussels bomber, is in custody ahead of a pre-trial hearing scheduled for 26 May.
Police at the scene where shots were fired during a police search of a house in the suburb of Forest near Brussels, Belgium (Reuters)
He was also wanted in connection with the Paris attacks, after being seen with Abdeslam in a car used in the massacres, but evaded security services until he was arrested in Brussels on 8 April.
Victims of the Paris attacks Show all 33 1 /33 Victims of the Paris attacks Victims of the Paris attacks Nick Alexander Victims of the Paris attacks Mathias Dymarski and Maria Lausch Victims of the Paris attacks Anne Cornet Guyomard and Pierre Yves Guyomard Victims of the Paris attacks Guillaume Decherf Victims of the Paris attacks Ciprian Calciu Victims of the Paris attacks Nohemi Gonzalez Victims of the Paris attacks Elodie Breuil Victims of the Paris attacks Asta Diakite Victims of the Paris attacks Romain Didier Victims of the Paris attacks Victims of the Paris attacks Victims of the Paris attacks Halima Saadi Victims of the Paris attacks Ludovic Boumbas Victims of the Paris attacks Thomas Duperron Victims of the Paris attacks Germain Ferey Victims of the Paris attacks Marie Mosser Victims of the Paris attacks Fabrice Dubois Victims of the Paris attacks Thomas Ayad Victims of the Paris attacks Victims of the Paris attacks Djamila-Houd Victims of the Paris attacks Mathieu Hoche Victims of the Paris attacks Justine Moulin Victims of the Paris attacks Anne Guyomard Victims of the Paris attacks Anna Lieffrig-Petard Victims of the Paris attacks Victims of the Paris attacks Lacramioara Pop Victims of the Paris attacks Alberto Gonzalez Garrido Victims of the Paris attacks Mohamed Amine Ibnolmobarak Victims of the Paris attacks Cedric Mauduit Victims of the Paris attacks Matthieu Giroud Victims of the Paris attacks Michelli Gil Jaimez Victims of the Paris attacks Pierro Innocenti and Stephane Albertini Victims of the Paris attacks Nicolas Classeau
Belgian investigators said he admitted being the man in the hat wheeling a suitcase bomb in Brussels Airport minutes before the 22 March attacks.
Alleged accomplice Osama Krayem, who was driven from Germany to Belgium by Abdeslam in October, has also been charged with terrorist murder in both the Paris and Brussels attacks.
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A female suicide bomber has blown herself up outside a historical mosque in Turkey, injuring at least 13 people.
Footage showed people fleeing an explosion near the Grand Mosque of Bursa on Wednesday afternoon.
Police cordoned off the blast site by an entrance to the mosque, with extensive damage to nearby shops and cafes visible.
Initially seven people were believed to have been injured in the blast, however the Turkish Health Minister says this figure has risen to 13.
A spokesperson for the Governor of Bursas office said a female suicide bomber died in the attack outside the mosques western gate.
According to the latest information, seven injured citizens have been taken to nearest health institutions has been received, a statement said.
Our law enforcement agencies continue their investigations into the incident.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing, which comes after a spate of attacks by Isis and Kurdish rebels in Turkey.
In pictures: Istanbul suicide bombing Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Istanbul suicide bombing In pictures: Istanbul suicide bombing Istanbul bombing Medics try to help wounded people after an explosion in Istiklal Street in Istanbul, Turkey, 19 March 2016. EPA In pictures: Istanbul suicide bombing Istanbul bombing People jump a police line to flee the scene of an explosion on the pedestrian Istiklal avenue in Istanbul on March 19, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Istanbul suicide bombing Istanbul bombing People take shelter inside a shop after an explosion on the pedestrian Istiklal avenue in Istanbul on March 19, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Istanbul suicide bombing Istanbul bombing A girl cries in front of injured people on the scene of an explosion on the pedestrian Istiklal avenue in Istanbul on March 19, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Istanbul suicide bombing Istanbul bombing People flee the scene of an explosion on the pedestrian Istiklal avenue in Istanbul on March 19, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Istanbul suicide bombing Istanbul bombing Turkish police push people away after an explosion on the pedestrian Istiklal avenue in Istanbul on March 19, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Istanbul suicide bombing Istanbul bombing Police inspect the site after an explosion in Istiklal Street in Istanbul, Turkey, 19 March 2016. EPA In pictures: Istanbul suicide bombing Istanbul bombing Turkish policemen stand in a cordon off street after a suicide bomb attack at Istiklal Street in Istanbul, Turkey, 19 March 2016. EPA In pictures: Istanbul suicide bombing Istanbul bombing Emergency services inspect the area following a suicide bombing in a major shopping and tourist district in the central part of the city on March 19, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey. Getty Images In pictures: Istanbul suicide bombing Istanbul bombing Police secure the area following a suicide bombing in a major shopping and tourist district in the central part of the city on March 19, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey Getty Images
The Grand Mosque, or Ulu Cami, is considered a landmark of early Ottomoan architecture and sits in the centre of Bursa's old city, surrounded by shops and cafes.
American officials had issued a warning over credible indications of terrorist threats at tourist attractions in Turkey on Tuesday.
In a warning posted on its website, the US Embassy said Washington continued to receive reports that terrorist groups are seeking opportunities to attack popular tourist destinations throughout Turkey.
It urged American citizens to be vigilant in crowded public areas and popular tourist destinations.
The British Government's travel advice warns of the possibility of indiscriminate attacks by Kurdish separatists and Isis, as well as a heightened threat against UK interests globally.
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Turkey's parliament speaker has said the Muslim majority country needs a religious constitution, contradicting the founding principles of the modern republic.
Speaker Ismail Kahraman also said the new constitution should drop references to secularism, while lamenting the fact Allah is not mentioned in the constitution.
His comments were met by condemnation from the opposition and a brief street protest on Tuesday.
Turkish anti riot police use tear gas to disperse demonstrators during a protest against a call for the country to adopt a religious constitution on 26 April, 2016, at Kadikoy district in Istanbul (AFP/Getty Images)
In the 1920s, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk forged the secular republic of Turkey from the ruins of the theocratic Ottoman empire.
Ataturk banished Islam from the official religion of the state, replaced Arabic with Latin script and promoted Western dress and women's rights.
However, President Tayyip Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) have tried to restore the role of religion to public life.
They have expanded religious education and allowed the head scarf - once banned from state offices - to be worn in colleges and parliament.
Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Show all 11 1 /11 Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Turkey's two million Syrian refugees There are already over 2.5 million Syrian refugees in Turkey, but their current camps can only hold 200,000 people ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Turkish citizens protest a new deal, also criticised by human rights activists, which will see refugees who arrived in Greece after March 20 be sent back to Turkey AP Photo/Emre Tazegu Turkey's two million Syrian refugees An estimated 80% of Syrian refugee children already in Turkey are unable to attend school BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Refugee children beg for water near the Turkey-Syria border. Turkey has been accused of illegally deporting asylum-seekers back to Syria BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees In Turkey, no-one from outside Europe is legally recognised as a refugee, meaning the 2016 deportations may not meet international legal standards for protecting vulnerable people BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees A refugee child cries as she is searched by police at the Syria-Turkey border, where 16 refugees (including three children) have been shot dead in the last four months BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Many refugees are living rough on the streets of cities such as Istanbul or Ankara (pictured) ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Turkish soldiers use water cannon on Syrian refugees BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Syrian refugees shelter from rain in the streets of Istanbul BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees A derelict building housing Syrian refugees in Istanbul Carl Court/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Turkey houses around half of all the refugees who have currently fled Syria Carl Court/Getty Images
"For one thing, the new constitution should not have secularism," Mr Kahraman said, according to videos of his speech published by Turkish media.
"It needs to discuss religion ... It should not be irreligious, this new constitution, it should be a religious constitution."
Rockets strike Turkey's Kilis from Syria
On Tuesday, he clarified his remarks, saying secularism had been used to limit freedoms in Turkey.
A clearer definition "that does not bring the state and the people against each other" should be included in the new constitution, he added.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, head of the main opposition and secularist Republican People's Party (CHP), tweeted: "Secularism is the primary principle of social peace.
"Secularism is there to ensure that everyone has religious freedom, Ismail Kahraman!"
Reacting to Mr Kahraman's comments, President Erdogan said the speaker had been expressing his own views.
Defending Turkey's secularism, he said: "My views are known on this ... The reality is that the state should have an equal distance from all religious faiths ... This is laicism."
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has assured the parliament Turkey's new constitution will include the principle of secularism.
Turkey is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, but a fifth of its 78 million people is estimated to be Alevi, which draws from Shi'a, Sufi and Anatolian folk traditions. Turkey is also home to about 100,000 Christians and 17,000 Jews.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has become a very familiar figure to Western economists in the wake of the oil price crisis.
Son of the current king of Saudi Arabia, 30-year-old Prince Mohammed has rocked the commodities world with talk of completely reimagining the Saudi economy.
He wants to sell off infrastructure to reduce the deficit and create a $2 trillion ($1.37 trillion) megafund to make the country less dependent on oil.
So how did he get to the point of being able to make such huge decisions and command the world's ear?
We take a look back at his life to see how he rose through the ranks:
Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman was born on 31 August 1985. He is the eldest son of Salman bin Abdulaziz, the current King of Saudi Arabia.
This is his family tree. His father, Salman bin Abdulaziz, was governor of the Riyadh Province before becoming King, and his rise allowed Mohammad bin Salman to quickly climb the ranks too.
The Saudi royal family (Reuters/Saudi Press Agency)
King Salman is known for being politically conservative. He even maintained a small jail on his palace grounds where he would lock up 'wayward royals' according to the Washington Post.
Prince Mohammad studied law at King Saud University, where he graduated second in his class according to Al Arabiya News.
(Wiki Commons (Wiki Commons)
The university has about 65,000 students of both sexes. The female students have their own disciplinary panel, and supervising sessions with male tutors have to be conducted by CCTV cameras, according to its website.
In 2008, age 23, Deputy Crown Prince bin Salman joined the Saudi Cabinet. Using his background in private sector finance, he worked for the Experts Commission, which advises the government on technical financial issues.
Saudi law stipulates that every member of the Council must be a Saudi national by birth and descent; well-known for righteousness and capability and not previously convicted for a crime of immorality or dishonor.
In December 2009, age 24, the Deputy Crown Prince's political career really began.
He became a special advisor to his father, who was still the governor of the Riyadh Province. From here he quickly climbed the ladder, becoming secretary-general of the Riyadh Competitive Council and a member of the board of trustees for Albir Society in the Riyadh region within a year.
In October 2011, at 26, he became special advisor to his father Salman bin Abdulaziz, who himself was now the Deputy Crown Prince and Defence Minister. During this time Prince Mohammad also showed his philanthropic side, establishing the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Foundation to help disadvantaged youth.
(L-R) Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, Saudi King Salman, and Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stand together after Saudi Arabia's cabinet agrees to implement a broad reform plan known as Vision 2030 in Riyadh (Reuters)
He also took a number trips in the region on behalf of the Saudi regime, such as going to the kingdom of Bahrain to discuss diplomacy.
In 2012 he continued to cement his position, becoming Chief of the Crown Prince Court, and by 2014, aged 28, he became State Minister. By now he seemed destined to follow the same career trajectory as his powerful father.
In January 2015, at 29, he became Saudi Arabia's Defence Minister by appointment of his father who was now King. He remains the youngest Defence Minister in the world.
On top of this he was also named as the secretary general of the Royal Court, as well as retaining his post as the minister of the state.
In April 2015, aged 29, Prince Mohammad finally became Deputy Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, another appointment by his father and King, making him one of the most powerful men in the Middle East.
Around the same time the new Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman got embroiled in the Yemeni Civil War, launching strikes against Houthi rebels (pictured). Saudi Arabia was accused by Amnesty International of war crimes for its involvement.
Saudi Arabia declared the bombing campaign was over on 21 April this year, with Saudi officials saying they would begin Operation Restoring Hope instead, but the war continues to rage in the region.
In 2015, at only age 29, he also began meeting world leaders and diplomats, including US Secretary of State John Kerry to discuss bilateral relations.
Saudi defence minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman (Reuters)
The arms trade of Western governments into the Middle East has been criticised by humanitarian charities. Last year the US approved a $1.29 billion sale of smart bombs to Saudi Arabia.
In June 2015 he met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to discuss the ongoing crisis in Syria, a war that Saudi Arabia has been reluctant to involve itself in.
Russia soon launched an intense bombing campaign against Syrian rebels, but claimed it had withdrawn in March this year.
By January 2016 Deputy Crown Prince bin Salman courted more Western attention with an interview with The Economist, in which called Iranian protests against executions "strange" and said he wanted a "Thatcher revolution" of privatisation for Saudi Arabia.
He also said he was supporting the idea of more women in the workforce.
In March 2016 he gave another interview to Bloomberg, where he outlined his "$2 trillion megafund" plan to reduce the country's reliance on oil and fundamentally change the Saudi economy. The kingdom currently has a deficit of about $100 billion, and oil prices are still well below $50 a barrel.
Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad added that his economic restructure was at the encouragement of his father.
In the same interview, he said he would support more freedom for women, who cant drive or travel without permission from a male relative in the kingdom, and that Saudi Arabias religious police would be banned from making random arrests.
But by April 2016, not everyone was convinced. The Independent reported that German intelligence labelled him a "political gambler" who could destabilise the Arab world.Other also expressed doubt:
"There was very little that was new in the Saudi government's 'Vision 2030' and there are still several key areas that policymakers have yet to address," said Jason Tuvey, economist for Capital Economics' Middle East, in a note to clients.
The prince will also have to "address criticism over its human rights and social equality record" in order to improve the link between openness and investment, according to Andy Critchlow at Breakingviews.
Read more:
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Read the original article on Business Insider UK. 2015. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
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The US embassy has released a warning to American citizens in Turkey about credible terror threats to tourist areas of the country.
An emergency message was emailed by the embassy in capital city Ankara, informing citizens they were being explicitly targeted by groups.
The email read: The US government continues to receive credible indications that terrorist groups are seeking opportunities to attack popular tourist destinations throughout Turkey.
Recommended Read more Kurdish PKK rebels warns of escalation of violence across Turkey
Foreign tourists in Turkey have been explicitly targeted by terrorist organisations.
Turkey has been hit by four suicide bombings this year, most recently in an attack in Istanbul in March.
Five people, including the suicide bomber, were killed and 36 people were wounded after a bomb exploded in the citys main shopping street.
Those killed in the blast included three Israelis, two who had dual US citizenship, and one Iranian.
In January, 12 German tourists were killed in an attack in the historic area of Istanbul.
Two of the bombings have been blamed on Isis, while Kurdish militants have claimed responsibility for the other two.
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For most Western readers, a vacation may not be the first thing that comes to mind when they hear the words 'Saudi Arabia.' The Persian Gulf kingdom certainly doesn't exactly have the elements that most American or European holidaymakers would seek the country's harsh interpretation of Islamic law forbids alcohol and places considerable restrictions on women, for example.
Cancun, this is not.
And yet, Saudi royals are increasingly pinning their economic hopes on a tourist-friendly future. Last year one Saudi official described tourism as the country's "second most important economic sector." And now with the country's new Vision 2030 plan a remarkably ambitious economic blueprint for shaking the country's "addiction" to the oil industry Saudi Arabia is putting its money where its mouth is, with plans to increase investment in the tourism sector from $8 billion to almost $46 billion in 2020.
This investment will see large coastal areas to be given over to tourism projects and new investment in museums and historical sites to create attractions of the "highest international standards," the Vision 2030 plan says. In an interview with Al Arabiya television aired on Monday, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the 31-year-old son of King Salman leading the attempts to reinvent the Saudi economy, suggested that the country would move to "widely" open the door to tourists of all nationalities.
That's a crucial point. The Saudi Kingdom is already the home of Mecca and Medina, two of the most important sites in the Islamic faith, and it has developed a sizable and growing industry for religious visitors. According to figures from the World Bank, the total number of tourists arrivals to Saudi Arabia reached over 18 million in 2014, though the large majority of those visitors are said to be religious visitors or pilgrims.
10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Show all 10 1 /10 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In October 2014, three lawyers, Dr Abdulrahman al-Subaihi, Bander al-Nogaithan and Abdulrahman al-Rumaih , were sentenced to up to eight years in prison for using Twitter to criticize the Ministry of Justice. AFP/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2015, Yemens Sunni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi was forced into exile after a Shia-led insurgency. A Saudi Arabia-led coalition has responded with air strikes in order to reinstate Mr Hadi. It has since been accused of committing war crimes in the country. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Women who supported the Women2Drive campaign, launched in 2011 to challenge the ban on women driving vehicles, faced harassment and intimidation by the authorities. The government warned that women drivers would face arrest. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Members of the Kingdoms Shia minority, most of whom live in the oil-rich Eastern Province, continue to face discrimination that limits their access to government services and employment. Activists have received death sentences or long prison terms for their alleged participation in protests in 2011 and 2012. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses All public gatherings are prohibited under an order issued by the Interior Ministry in 2011. Those defy the ban face arrest, prosecution and imprisonment on charges such as inciting people against the authorities. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2014, the Interior Ministry stated that authorities had deported over 370,000 foreign migrants and that 18,000 others were in detention. Thousands of workers were returned to Somalia and other states where they were at risk of human rights abuses, with large numbers also returned to Yemen, in order to open more jobs to Saudi Arabians. Many migrants reported that prior to their deportation they had been packed into overcrowded makeshift detention facilities where they received little food and water and were abused by guards. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses The Saudi Arabian authorities continue to deny access to independent human rights organisations like Amnesty International, and they have been known to take punitive action, including through the courts, against activists and family members of victims who contact Amnesty. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Raif Badawi was sentenced to 1000 lashes and 10 years in prison for using his liberal blog to criticise Saudi Arabias clerics. He has already received 50 lashes, which have reportedly left him in poor health. Carsten Koall/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Dawood al-Marhoon was arrested aged 17 for participating in an anti-government protest. After refusing to spy on his fellow protestors, 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. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was arrested in 2012 aged either 16 or 17 for participating in protests during the Arab spring. His sentence includes beheading and crucifixion. The international community has spoken out against the punishment and has called on Saudi Arabia to stop. He is the nephew of a prominent government dissident. Getty
Attempts to attract a wider variety of tourists have met with limited success and outside of Mecca and Medina the country's tourism infrastructure remains weak. That isn't so profitable: Pilgrims, understandably, aren't always the biggest spenders. Estimates suggest that only 2.5 percent of Saudi Arabia's gross domestic product is currently a direct product of travel and tourism, a paltry amount when compared to the oil and gas sector which contributes around 50 percent. For comparison, travel and tourism makes a direct contribution of 5 percent of Turkey's GDP and in other countries it can go higher than 10 percent.
According to World Bank data, Saudi Arabia's tourism industry brought in less than $9.3 billion in 2014, which is less than smaller gulf states like Qatar and the United Arab Emirates received from their own tourism industries that year. It is far behind the huge numbers seen in Western Europe and the Far East.
Saudi Arabia's attempts to increase tourism revenue are not new. Toby Matthiesen, an expert on the country at the University of Oxford, notes that the idea has been mooted for years. "The realities of Saudi Arabia are, however, such that it is inconceivable that the Kingdom can really become a tourist destination without fundamentally altering the religious and social policies in place," he explains.
UK: Hundreds decry govt. support of Saudi Arabia after Sheikh Nimr's execution
Saudi royals certainly know their broader tourism appeal is lagging. In his interview with Al Arabiya, Prince Mohammed decried the country's lack of an Islamic Museum. "When a non-Muslim visits Saudi Arabia to get to know more about Islam, he or she would not find any center or museum to enrich his or her culture in Islam through the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Prince Mohammed said. The young royal also pointed to the country's considerable non-Islamic history, which includes considerable Christian and Jewish sites, which could be developed to attract a wider range of tourists.
"The European civilizations have very important sites inside Saudi Arabia, as well as an important component of civilization inside Saudi Arabia," Prince Mohammed told Al Arabiya.
The tourism drive may not all be about money. Prince Sultan bin Salman, who is head of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage and brother of Prince Mohammed, told the Associated Press this week that it was a chance to not only instill a sense of national pride among Saudi citizens and also to "show off" to foreigners about Saudi culture. At a time of intense pressure in Saudi Arabia from both regional Shiite rival Iran and extremists within the Sunni branch of Islam, tourism could serve a geopolitical purpose as well as an economic one.
However, as with many parts of Saudi Arabia's plan to wean its economy off the ever-diminishing financial rush of oil, experts have doubts that the ambitious plans for a Saudi tourism sector can really work. The problem, of course, may well be the country's conservative religious establishment. "To attract Western or Russian tourists you need to provide alcohol and bikinis," says Bruce Riedel, a senior analyst at the Brookings Institution in Washington. "The Saudi clerics will never accept that so the largest markets with the most money won't come."
Copyright Washington Post
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Canada and Britain will campaign to stop Western allies from paying ransom for hostages, with Justin Trudeau declaring that he and David Cameron have agreed to stress to international leaders how such deals empower terrorists and invite more kidnappings.
The Canadian Prime Minister spoke after one of his countrymen, John Ridsdel, was beheaded on Monday in the Philippines by the Islamist group Abu Sayyaf just a few hours after the deadline for delivering money in return for his life ran out.
Two others abducted along with 68-year-old Mr Ridsdel, fellow Canadian Robert Hall and Kjartan Sekkingstad - a Norwegian who had been living in Canada - last September are still being held by the group which wants an autonomous Muslim state in the largely Catholic Philippines.
John Ridsdel was beheaded in the Philippines by the Islamist group Abu Sayyaf (John Ridsdel/Twitter)
The issue of paying ransom is a highly emotive and controversial one for Western states and the very fact that Mr Trudeau is trying to engage with allies on this illustrates how existing agreements have failed in presenting a unified approach.
In 2012 the G8 group of countries issued a statement saying it was repugnant to reward hostage takers. But just a few months later the then French foreign and defence ministers, Laurent Fabius and Jean-Yves Le Drian, were reported to be on the tarmac in Niamey, the capital of the African state of Niger, to welcome four employees of the nuclear firm Areeva who had been captive for three years. The Elysee Palace was forced to deny repeated claims that a ransom of 30 million was paid to secure the mens release.
Mr Trudeau maintained that Canada does not pay ransom to terrorists and added that he and Mr Cameron agreed that it is something that we are going to make sure we do bring up with our friends and allies around the world.
The Isis jihadist group that murdered the American journalist Jim Foley and four others, all US and UK citizens, in 2014, had freed four French and three Spanish journalists earlier in the year as well as an Italian aid worker and a German national. John Cantlie, who is British, remains a prisoner but has been coerced into making jihadist propaganda videos.
British photojournalist John Cantlie has been coerced into making jihadist propaganda videos (AP)
There were reports of the French government paying out a sizeable sum for their nationals. Mr Le Drian, it was claimed, had personally carried $18 million to the Turkish capital, Ankara, for the transaction. The claim was denied by the French government. The Spanish government refused to comment on whether money had changed hands; a foreign ministry spokeswoman in Madrid denied claims that it had paid 6 million for their national. The Italian government denied reports in the countrys media of making an undisclosed ransom payment for the aid worker.
Sister of British hostage Cantlie calls on IS to resume contact
Speaking at the Nato summit in Newport, Wales, in 2014, Mr Cameron declared to partner states: What matters is not your signature on a declaration [G8], but not letting money be paid to terrorist kidnappers because the money goes into arms, into terror plots, more kidnappings It is actually a risk at home.
In June last year the Obama administration indicated that it will change its rules on ransom and hostages. Payment of money to terrorist and criminal groups will still remain prohibited but families of those held will no longer be threatened, as they had been in the past, with criminal prosecution. Government agencies will also be allowed to negotiate with kidnappers on behalf of families and assist family members to do so.
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The new head of the National Union of Students (NUS) has said she will always be branded an Isis sympathiser because she is a Muslim woman in a position of power.
In an interview with Channel 4 News, Malia Bouattia, who was elected the NUSs first ever female black president, addressed the mixed response surrounding her election one week ago.
Speaking about life post-election, Ms Bouattia said she had received overwhelming support, but that it had also been very, very difficult.
She said: My parents have been personally harassed in their home in Birmingham by media, and theyve had to see death and rape threats over social media.
The new president has been at the centre of controversy after an article she co-authored in 2011 surfaced and caught the attention of 300 heads of Jewish student societies and protesters who issued Ms Bouattia with an open letter.
In the article, Ms Bouatta referred to the University of Birmingham as something of a Zionist outpost in British higher education, which prompted the letter to ask her: Why do you see a large Jewish society as a problem?
Speaking to journalist Cathy Newman, Ms Bouattia also defended her decision to delay a motion condemning Isis in 2014 when she was NUS black students officer.
UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 Britain's former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Conservative MP, Rishi Sunak leaves from an office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty 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
She said there was some problematic wording in the motion which blurred the lines between condemning Isis and holding all Muslims accountable for their actions.
Having, instead, brought forward another motion which was clearer in its condemnation of the group and extended solidarity to the Kurdish people, Ms Bouattia said that motion passed through unanimously.
She said: So, really, the attacks that followed, and the total lies that have been published across the media - and social media - are totally unfounded.
I have always condemned Isis, and I will continue to.
She continued: But, being a Muslim woman, in the limelight, holding a position of power has meant that it doesnt matter that there are total untruths to it. I will still be branded as an Isis sympathiser.
Its no surprise that a Muslim woman elected into a national position will receive such extensive national attention, and quite racialised and sexist abuse over social media.
Ms Bouattia also said that while academics, trade union leaders, civil society groups, and human rights organisations are free to show opposition to the Governments controversial Prevent strategy, if she does, she bears the brunt of attacks, and is particularly targeted and seen as a national threat.
Rounding off the interview, Ms Bouattia spoke of her parents fleeing the Algerian Civil War, and said: They thought theyd left Algeria with the intention to protect us and ensure that we thrive and succeed in education here in the UK, only to be met with this when we do reach those positions of success.
Ms Bouattia is due to begin her role as NUS National President on 1 July. However, since her election last week, several students unions from across the country have announced campaigns to disaffiliate from the NUS.
Outgoing president, Megan Dunn, addressed this issue and told the NUS National Conference in Brighton in her closing remarks: To anybody here or back on campus that is whispering of disaffiliation from NUS because of this conference, know this: we are stronger when we work together.
When students unions are under attack, we are better off united than we are standing on our own, believing we can defend ourselves by standing apart.
So dont walk away. Get organised, and stand up for your beliefs. Fight for what you believe in because, when you do, win or lose, we are stronger together.
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Graduation day pictures are usually filled with students smiling, punching the air victoriously, and throwing their caps around, as they finally say goodbye to their studies and look ahead to life in the real world.
However one student from North Carolina in the US has been gathering attention online for her unique - yet somewhat accurate - vision of life after university.
Recommended Read more Student loan repayment song by US rapper goes viral
Having completed her BA in theatre performance from Meredith College, 27-year-old Maigan Kennedy decided to capture the harsh reality of debt that students are leaving the American education system with.
Taking to photo sharing site, Imgur, Ms Kennedys pictures have gathered hundreds of comments and have been viewed over 200,000 times in just a week, with many users relating to her situation.
Images taken show her leaving university with a debt trophy, lying on the ground drowning in overdue payment notices, as well as looking sad while holding a handwritten sign which reads: Will run lines 4 food.
Graduation photos show harsh reality of student debt Show all 7 1 /7 Graduation photos show harsh reality of student debt Graduation photos show harsh reality of student debt Students graduation day pictures capture the harsh reality of debt after university Maigan Kennedy, 27, from North Carolina in the US has been gathering attention online for her unique - yet somewhat accurate - vision of life after university by capturing the harsh reality of debt that students are leaving the American education system with. Ms Kennedys images have come as activists in the US mark April 2016 as being four years since the total outstanding student loan debt amount hit $1 trillion. Areon Multimedia Graduation photos show harsh reality of student debt Students graduation day pictures capture the harsh reality of debt after university 'We got artsy' Areon Multimedia Graduation photos show harsh reality of student debt Students graduation day pictures capture the harsh reality of debt after university 'I got a prize!' Areon Multimedia Graduation photos show harsh reality of student debt Students graduation day pictures capture the harsh reality of debt after university 'But I don't want it!' Areon Multimedia Graduation photos show harsh reality of student debt Students graduation day pictures capture the harsh reality of debt after university 'Sorry about the BA in Theatre, Mom and Dad' Areon Multimedia Graduation photos show harsh reality of student debt Students graduation day pictures capture the harsh reality of debt after university 'Debt is sexy' Areon Multimedia Graduation photos show harsh reality of student debt Students graduation day pictures capture the harsh reality of debt after university 'Sallie Mae centrefold' Areon Multimedia
Speaking to the Independent, Ms Kennedy said she partly wanted to have the photos taken because she wanted to have a laugh.
Although affected by the debt - somewhat admirably - it seems the graduate is continuing to look on the bright side. She said: Its taken me nine years in and out of school to complete my degree, and my family wanted photos to celebrate but, of course, I had to goof off.
Debt has become a part of the American college experience - it was certainly a part of mine - and Im choosing to laugh about it.
I wanted to do these pictures so others could laugh with me.
Were trying to laugh with you, Maigan. Really, we are
Ms Kennedys images have come as activists in the US mark this week as being four years since the total outstanding student loan debt amount hit $1 trillion.
According to MarketWatch, the problem has only continued to grow as activists continue to campaign for progress.
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The curved mountain tops, blanketed in milky green grass, gave way to infinite blue sky. Cows grazed on land speckled with wind turbines. If it wasnt for the unpaved roads and one-storey houses in pops of candyfloss pink and lime, I could easily have been in the Alps, rather than Monteverde, in northwestern Costa Rica.
It is a landscape likely far removed from the postcard pictures of beaches and rainforests that the Central American nation is famous for. And thats just the way the locals, who have long been keen to keep the fertile region secret, like it; so much so that theyve campaigned to stop developers paving the gravel roads leading here.
While access to the small community is steadily improving, reaching Costa Rica has never been easier. Thomson Airways launched direct flights to Liberia - a city three hours northwest of Monteverde - from Gatwick in November last year. And British Airways reintroduces nonstop flights to the capital, San Jose, a three-and-a-half-hour drive south, today.
Despite the rattling drive, some 250,000 visitors still make their way to Monteverde every year, mostly to admire the cloud forest. I came for a lesser-known attraction: cheese. The towns foundations are intertwined with curds and whey. It was a largely untouched patch of land until a group of American Quakers chanced upon in it in 1950. The 11 families from Alabama sought refuge from conscription, and as Costa Rica had abolished its national army in 1948 it seemed the perfect escape.
This town belongs to the Quaker families, they are the ones who named it, said my guide, Rosie, as we wandered through the factory they established in 1953, looking into labs replete with pipettes and scales and peering through windows into the production lines, where men in white suits hauled great slabs of cheese from vats.
Without any prior cheesemaking experience the families wrote to the US Department of Agriculture for guidelines. They arrived in the post and the rest is history: Monteverde Cheese Factory became the first place to pasteurise cheese in Costa Rica, and is now the second biggest producer in the country.
The factorys repertoire has swelled since the early days. I sampled a smooth manchego, a milky edam and a sharp cheddar, among others. But its signature Monte Rico that is the queen cheese. A silky, mild, melt-in-the-mouth concoction, aged for just 10 days.
Monteverde cheeses appear in numerous guises on local tables: fried strips of Montino Semiduro top breakfast plates of gallo pinto Costa Ricas national dish of rice and beans; nuggets of queso turrialba are baked until gooey inside flaky corn empanadas; and grated Monte Rico dusts tacos heavy with marinated pork.
Gallo pinto, Costa Rica's national dish (Costa Rica Tourism Board)
Those indifferent to cheese can still sample the factorys produce: I indulged in its dangerously delicious ice cream, which comes in more than a dozen flavours.
A walk to the neighbouring town of Santa Elena, cone in hand, takes you past tiny galleries, shops selling handicrafts and coffee plantations. But the owner of local roastery and coffee house Beso Espresso told me the best beans come from the regions of Alajuela and Heredia, and that barista-style coffee is hard to come by.
Ticos love coffee but they dont have the same coffee culture as Europe, she said. They dont know what a latte is.
Long a primary export, coffee propelled Costa Rica into one of the regions wealthiest countries. But before the beans were introduced the republic was famous for another crop, native to Latin America: cacao. And eastwards, beyond the sprawling cloud forests, lies a region ripe for its production.
La Fortuna, meaning the Fortune, is a cradle of fresh produce. It has a very rich soil thats good for agriculture, explained Erica, my guide on the Rainforest Chocolate Tour, as rain tapped the tin roof and dripped from the trees.
At the foothills of the towns number one calling card the mighty Arenal Volcano I marvelled at the pendulous baubles of cacao. The traffic-light-shaded pods command a lot of local significance. In 1709 the seeds became Costa Ricas first official currency. And it was here in Mesoamerica that the bean, rather than the flesh, was first used.
Ripe cacao (Chloe Cann)
It was considered the food of the gods, Erica said leading the way through thick rainforest, over muddy earth and past tree trunks wrapped in vines to see the fruit, the path lined with clusters of pepper and bunches of pink bananas.
Cacao was first used as a bitter drink in the early 1500s, she explained. The toasted, ground beans would be mixed with vanilla (for aroma), chilli (to heighten flavour), maize (for thickness) and water, to be savoured by the elite, often during religious rituals.
Today there are few cacao plantations in Costa Rica, after a fungus blighted crops in the Seventies. But thanks to the recent introduction of disease-resistant strains, cacao farms are starting to spring up across the country once again, namely in the form of small, artisanal and organic operations that focus on high-quality cacao confections, sold locally. Most Ticos, Erica explained, still consume chocolate in its liquid form with an afternoon snack of tortillas or tamales.
George Soriano, co-founder of chocolate company Sibu, based in the province of Heredia, said the cacao landscape is changing: Costa Ricas chocolate renaissance can be compared to the craft beer explosion, which is in full swing here. Cacao is being exported as a raw material; we are trying to change that. Why should Costa Rican cacao become Belgian chocolate, with no reference to the country of origin? Chocolate is part of our past, but it is also our future.
Grinding cacao beans (Chloe Cann)
In La Fortuna Erica walked me through the bean to bar process, each stage accompanied by a distinct scent: the surprisingly fruity aroma of the raw beans; the acidic whiff of them fermenting; and the rich, smoky scent when roasting. But ultimately I was holding out for the same final stage. Tasting the melted product. Armed with teaspoons I could drink as much as I wanted, the thick molten liquid coating my tongue and accompanied by sweet hits of orange essence, vanilla, sea salt, almonds, hibiscus.
Although I had sampled more than my fill, I daydreamed about what it must be like to live in a land where cacao grows on trees. Erica offered a solution: Were looking for new Oompa-Loompas.
Travel Essentials
Getting there
Return flights to San Jose from Gatwick with British Airways (ba.com) start at 591.
Return flights to Liberia from Gatwick with Thomson Airways (thomson.co.uk) start at 469.
Visiting there
A chocolate tour and tasting at Rainforest Chocolate Tour (rainforestchocolatetour.com) costs US$25 (18).
A tour and tasting at the Monteverde Cheese Factory (monteverdecheesefactory.com) costs $12 (9).
More information
visitcostarica.com
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Q Ryanair is stopping flying to Pescara in Italy at the end of October. Why? It is the only airline to fly there from the UK. Many people will lose their jobs, and the tourist industry for the area will suffer. There are many people like ourselves who have been travelling there for many years and have bought houses taking into account the distance from the airport. We have a 40-minute journey to our house, but the next nearest location is Ancona - at least a two-hour drive. Do you know if there is any discussions with other airlines to take this route over? Just wondered if you have any advice on what we can do or if you can shed any light on what's going on?
Judi Blake
A Ryanair announced in February that it would close its base in the lovely Adriatic city of Pescara, with the loss of the route from Stansted. The airline blamed: "The illogical decision of the Italian Government to again raise municipal taxes, which will damage Italian tourism, traffic and jobs." Ryanair says charges have risen from 6.50 to 9 for every passenger, and alleges that the proceeds will go to a fund set up for former pilots with the national airline, Alitalia.
As the biggest budget airline in Europe, Ryanair has huge clout. As you have found, flying a route to a city like Pescara brings huge benefits to the community and to visitors. But the carrier also has a history of dropping routes regardless of the strength of feeling in the local customer base. It will look dispassionately at the most efficient way to deploy the plane, pilots and cabin crew, and will not hesitate to deploy resources elsewhere.
Revenue on a particular route depends on what passengers are prepared to pay, which is affected by competition and fares from nearby airports. An airline's costs are, to a large extent, beyond its control: pay, aircraft leases and fuel are dependent on market conditions. One area in which there is some flexibility is airport charges. The airport operator can cut them dramatically in exchange for an undertaking to fly a specified number of passengers in and out. Or, as in this case, airlines may cut services if the authorities bring in a steep rise in taxes.
I imagine if Ryanair has decided to close its base at Pescara airport there is little anyone can do to lure the airline back - apart from the authorities offering some fresh flexibility on charges. Ryanair is the master at extracting marketing support, which others might characterise as a subsidy in return for flying a particular route. But I fear discussions on how the increased Italian taxes could be offset have already taken place with Pescara airport, and do not appear to have ended well. And if Ryanair cannot make a satisfactory profit on a specific route, then it is unlikely that another airline will try.
Pescara has not vanished entirely from the schedules; Ryanair will still be flying from Charleroi in Belgium and Milan Bergamo, so you could in theory make a connection. But given the risks associated with "self-connecting" between low-cost flights, flying to Ancona - or even Rome - probably makes more sense.
Every day, our travel correspondent Simon Calder tackles readers questions. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder
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Quick fix: Italy (average high 22C)
Cinque Terre those five exquisite medieval villages that cling to Ligurias eastern coast became a victim of their own popularity earlier this year when the authorities announced plans to limit tourist numbers this summer. But in May, the coastal footpaths linking Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore wont be teeming with summertime crowds. Youll be able to take in the spectacular views of the Apennines and the Mediterranean at a more relaxed pace.
Head to Monterosso on 21 May, when the village turns bright yellow with lemons during the annual Sagra del Limone, a celebration of the regions most plentiful and fragrant fruit. Kirker Holidays (kirkerholidays.com) offers a break at the four-star Porto Roca in the hills overlooking Monterosso. The views from the infinity pool are glorious. Three nights B&B cost from 898pp, including flights and transfers. italia.it
Time to go: Costa Rica (average high 28C)
British Airways new direct flights to San Jose make it easier to explore the dramatic volcanic landscapes, mangrove swamps and dense jungles of Costa Ricas 28 national parks. Hike through the Monteverde cloud forest to a soundtrack of howler monkeys, or take a boat ride on the strange black waters of the Tortuguero National Park. If youre lucky, you might catch leatherback turtles hatching along the Caribbean coast.
Journey Latin America (journeylatinamerica.co.uk) has a 13-day Highlights of Costa Rica tour that includes the Arenal volcano, Monteverde cloud forest and the Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean coast. Prices start at 1,744pp and include direct flights, transfers, excursions and B&B. visitcostarica.com
In the diary: Botswana safaris and Swedish summer nights
July is peak safari time in Botswana: its the dry season, and the floodwaters of the Okavango Delta have arrived in time to revitalise the lagoons and swamps. That means plenty of chances to spot elephants, hippos and other big game congregating around water sources. Aardvark Safaris (aardvarksafaris.co.uk) organises tailor-made safaris, including guided mobile safaris in the Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park. A six-night mobile safari costs from 1,575pp, based on six people travelling together, and includes meals and safari activities but excludes international and regional flights. botswanatourism.co.bw
August in Sweden means crayfish parties, or krastkiva, when everyone wolfs down the crustaceans at rambunctious, schnapps-fuelled outdoor parties. Some of the countrys best seafood is found in West Sweden, where the craggy Bohuslan coastline shelters brightly coloured fishing villages and thousands of granite islands. Fjallbacka former holiday home of Ingrid Bergman is one of the prettiest towns, with red-and-white clapboard restaurants lining the waterfront. Inntravel (inntravel.co.uk) offers an eight-night self-drive tour along Swedens west coast from 1,395pp, including B&B, six dinners, car hire and two nights in Gothenburg, Swedens second city and culinary capital. Flights extra. visitsweden.com
Mary Novakovich is editor at large at 101holidays.co.uk
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This Saturday, after the Giants Club Summit, the government of Kenya will burn 105 tonnes of ivory and 1.5 tonnes of rhino horn. The looming pyres of white and yellow already stand silently waiting on the sodden ground of Nairobi National Park. Grim, depressing, awe-inspiring, these mountains of elephant teeth, testament to the loss of thousands upon thousands of the majestic big beasts, provoke a visceral reaction.
Burning the ivory is Kenyas logical, progressive and robust approach to securing its natural heritage, led in person by the President under the watchful eye of Dr. Richard Leakey, legendary conservationist and palaeontologist and current Chair of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). For the international community, it demonstrates Kenyas commitment to put its ivory beyond economic use in line with the African-led Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI). It also embodies the growing, common and unequivocal message from across Africa: true value lies with living elephants not cold ivory.
Look a little closer, however, and you will notice that every tusk, section, statue and bangle is indelibly marked with its own code. Each piece over 25,000 of them painstakingly uniquely identified and accounted for: first KWS for Kenya then the park or port and date of registration, serial number, and weight.
Last year, KWS launched a collaborative initiative to inventory its ivory accumulated since before the 1989 international trade ban. Co-funded by Elephant Protection Initiative Secretariat Stop Ivory and Kenyan NGO Save the Elephants, this bold step applied state of the art technology developed by Stop Ivory, to identify and record each piece including photographs - onto an electronic database. It took six weeks of hard, sweaty and grizzly work carried out diligently and exactingly by government, private sector and NGO teams, including students from Nairobi Technical College.
Some pieces you will see have a neat square the size of a kitchen box of matches cut out at the base. A selection from the whole stock has had samples cut out from where the tusk was rooted in the jaw for DNA analysis. A critical new technique in law enforcement around large scale seizures of ivory (measured at over half a ton), this technique not only saves the DNA record of these ghostly herds for posterity, but will also inform government and partners on poaching and trafficking patterns.
The results were interesting. First, KWS found that it held more ivory than it thought it had: finally dispelling long-made and dogged allegations of corruption, thefts and cover-ups on a grand scale. Yes, things were not perfect: the challenge of maintaining such a haul of wildlife products had overwhelmed the outdated systems and storerooms. But strong relationships of trust were built, and a new confidence to move forward developed.
With every piece individually catalogued on a central database and a new sense of confidence, the partnership has moved all of the ivory to Nairobi from across the country; accounted for piece by piece. The inventory and new system have allowed a robust chain of custody to ensure every piece checked out in the field has been checked in in Nairobi and onto a pyre.
As the smoke clears on 1 May, and the rain washes the ash into the African soil, returning the final remnants of these elephants to the earth, we should have hope in our hearts. Kenya will look to a future with elephants, knowing that despite huge external pressures it can overcome the corruption of the illegal ivory trade. We should take her hand and follow her example.
To find out more about The Giants Club Summit go to: http://spaceforgiants.org/giantsclub/summit. To donate go to: http://spaceforgiants.org/giantsclub/donate/
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So, now we (almost) know for sure: its Hillary versus The Donald. The Establishment versus the The Outsider. The Woman versus The Man.
For that, according to Trump, is all that Hillary Clinton lawyer, public policy expert, senator, secretary of state and, let us not forget, the former First Lady has going for her. Her campaign is two dimensional. Shes playing 'the woman card'.
In his pre-victory speech at Trump Tower, the man who will surely contest the presidential election for the Republicans made explicit his trademark lack of respect for his opposite number. Frankly, if Hillary Clinton were a man, I dont think shed get 5 per cent of the vote. The only thing shes got going [for her] is the women's card, and the beautiful thing is: women dont like her, he said.
If shes playing the woman card and yet women dont respond to that, thats not much of a card at all, is it? More like a joker. But logic hasnt been much of a strong point for Trump so far, so Ill let that one slip in favour of a closer look how his comments reflect the position of women in US politics today.
The fact that being a woman is being considered as an asset or otherwise for Clinton is no surprise as a female politician in the US she is, necessarily, an outlier. In 2014, America ranked 98th in the world for the percentage of women within the national legislature, dropping from 59th in 1998. Only 11 states have ever elected both a female governor and a female senator. Importantly, there is no significant link between political leanings by state and their likeliness to have elected a women; its a problem right across the political spectrum.
So if Hillary has a gender card in her pack, why shouldnt she play it? Goodness knows American women need an advocate in high places. Though they make up almost half the workforce (47 per cent), an average salary for a woman working full time in 2014 was $39,621, compared with $50,383 for a full time man. A woman in the US is earning an average of 77 cents for every dollar that a man takes home.
Women make up 74 per cent of cashiers in the US, and 91 per cent of nurses but just 32 per cent of physicians and surgeons and 14 per cent of police officers. And how can a Western nation allow businesses to dictate that 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave unpaid! is sufficient to support half the workforce in balancing work and family life? You never see a pro-life campaigner touting a placard about that moral question, do you?
People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Show all 8 1 /8 People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Miley Cyrus 'God he thinks he is the f***ing chosen one or some shit! Honestly f*** this sh*t I am moving if this is my president! I dont say things I dont mean!' Jemal Countess/Getty Images People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Whoopi Goldberg 'I dont think thats America. I dont want it to be America. Maybe its time for me to move you know' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Samuel L. Jackson 'If that mother**er becomes president, Im moving my black ass to South Africa' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Raven Symone 'My confession for this election is, if any Republican gets nominated, Im gonna move to Canada with my entire family. Is that bad? I already have my ticket. I literally bought my ticket, I swear' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Cher 'If he were to be elected, I'm moving to Jupiter' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Neve Campbell 'Im terrified. Its really scary. My biggest fear is that Trump will triumph. I cannot believe that he is still in the game ... [I'll] move back to Canada' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Jon Stewart 'I would consider getting in a rocket and going to another planet, because clearly this planets gone bonkers' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Randy Blythe 'He could just be a clown. If he is the president, though, I am leaving America 'till he's gone'
Of course, Clintons critics among Democrat supporters those who claim they are feeling the Bern would argue that Hillary is as likely as Trump to take action on any of these points. Even if that is the case (I would personally disagree, but thats the subject of another column), it doesnt mean that there wouldnt be an inherent benefit for all women from her contesting even winning the presidency.
Trump is, of course, entirely wrong about one thing here: the claim that Clinton would not be considered a serious candidate if she were male is so ridiculous it is amusing. If she were a man, there would be no other candidate in town. A professional, experienced, polished politician with experience inside the White House? Hed be just the man to see off an ill-equipped challenger fighting the presidency on an ego ticket.
The problem that Hillary faces or the 'woman card' that Trump perceives her to be playing is the way people still feel about women and power.
As Hanna Schank wrote for Salon in her excellent essay describing why she intended to vote for Hillary: I understand what its like to be the most qualified person in the room and still be overlooked in favour of the charismatic guy just because, well, youd rather have a beer with him. And I know that until the world sees what it looks like for this country to have a female president, were going to forever be finding reasons not to vote for one.
USA: Women don't like Hillary Clinton - Trump
There is, as Schank concludes, still so much for American women to fight for. And that fight starts with a woman standing for president, facing down all the criticism levelled at her for having the audacity to do so. Ace or joker, thats the card.
Clinton, incidentally, may have tactical reasons for dealing it now: women are more likely than men to vote with an average of 43 per cent turnout, compared to 40 per cent for men.
Yes, theres a 'woman card in US politics. Clinton should be proud to play it.
Of course, the best card in Hillarys hand is also the Trump: when Americans go to the polls in November, shell be on the ballot paper as his opponent. I know who Id put my wager on to fold in the final round.
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Danes, famed for their bacon, may soon be paying more for their meat. The Danish Council of Ethics which sounds charmingly woolly but is, in fact, established by an Act of Parliament to advise MPs has suggested that food should be taxed in proportion to its impact on climate change.
With cattle responsible for an estimated 10 per cent of all global greenhouse emissions, it is hardly surprising that beef should be in the Councils immediate sights. But in pursuit of a more ethical approach to food consumption, other red meats may also take a hit, with less obvious targets perhaps to follow.
The recommendations will be considered by the Danish government perhaps cautiously. Opponents will point to food poverty and the need to preserve consumer choice. Few members of the public are likely to want to pay more for their steak or frikadeller. A spokesman for Venestre, the party currently holding power in Denmark (albeit as a minority government), noted that a beef tax in one, small European country was unlikely to have much of an effect on global emissions.
However, the proposals remind us of the bleak reality that climate change remains the greatest long-term threat to our future prosperity and security. The world may have found little common ground on how to respond thus far, but initiatives like that mooted in Denmark should be taken seriously if we are to develop a sustainable and lasting approach on the subject. Better that, than trying to combat ever more erratic climate conditions on the hoof.
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Today, as junior doctors are forced to strike, my eldest brother is in intensive care at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton. How I feel about junior doctors walking out while he needs around-the-clock care, however, may surprise you.
Of course I am profoundly worried for my brother, but the doctors who are caring for him have also been empathetic when he has been struggling to breath, coughing up blood, and knocking on deaths door. To witness their care and professionalism is deeply moving.
Yes, it is their job and, yes, they are relatively well paid for doing it. But they are remunerated for a highly-skilled, in-demand role after years of training which leads to huge debts. And they are, understandably, desperate to hold onto some control of their working lives. If you think that is unreasonable, then youve accepted the neoliberal myth that everything of quality and purpose can be delivered cheaper and then cheaper still.
There is not, as some would have believe, an infinite demand on the NHS. Most of us dont want to go near the health service. It is is something we use when it is needed and that is when we value it most.
These junior doctors are the NHS; they are part of its flesh and bone. Today, the junior doctors involved in my brothers care have coordinated a safety net and I know he is still being carefully looked after. But it is still a difficult time for all. Doctors, patients and their families like me would rather it could be avoided. Jeremy Hunt, the Health Minister, could have prevented the strike by simply restarting negotiations with the British Medical Association.
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I have only pride and respect for those young doctors forced to defend our NHS and I am bewildered by the foolishness of a government picking on this a cherished social provision.
If the Government is picking on the very people who bring our children and grandchildren into this world, who help us when our families fall ill and empathise and care for as our loved ones die, how can they be surprised at which side the public is on?
The junior doctors arent trying to topple the government, they only want to defend the NHS. A government that doesnt recognise that public support will always fall with the health service and its dedicated staff is in self-destruct mode, just like Margaret Thatcher during the Poll Tax years.
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Does it pass the smell test? The collapse of BHS into administration is a sad story on many levels. It is another example of a retailer under pressure from online sales. It is an example of the squeezed middle, a mid-market brand suffering because people either want cheap and cheerful or ultra-posh. But the element of the story that stands out is whether it is right for a flamboyant billionaire to appear to walk away from a company he recently sold, leaving tens of thousands of people worrying about their jobs and their pensions.
There are two issues here: the legal obligations on directors of limited companies, and the moral obligations on people with great wealth. They are separate, and it is important to keep them so.
The concept that the liability of the owners of a company should limited to the money they put in is a long-established one, in England going back to the Limited Liability Act of 1855. During the 19th century, nearly all other countries were much the same, with New York actually beating England with legislation as early as 1811. It is the very core of the capitalist economy. Without limited liability, every owner that is, every shareholder of every business would have to stump up if it went bust.
In exchange for this privilege, directors have obligations. They have to keep proper accounts, register their business, report those accounts, hold shareholder meetings, and so on. Crucially, you must not continue to trade if you are insolvent. This applies to every company, even if it is a one-person business.
If the company is quoted, there is a whole raft of obligations on top. There are parallel obligations on the trustees of charities, pension funds and the like. There are also regulators of many types of business, of charities and of pension funds, which apply a further set of obligations.
These obligations dont stop businesses, or indeed charities, going bust. Look at Kids Company. But they do require directors and trustees to behave in a responsible manner, given the information they have at a time, and in recent years the courts have been taking a more rigorous approach to directors actions.
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But it is complicated establishing what directors know, or should have known, about a business. Thus the shareholders action against Royal Bank of Scotland for having a rights issue shortly before it collapsed in 2008 has been delayed until March 2017.
So we should not rush to judgement about the situation at BHS. There are at least half a dozen points of concern, under both its previous ownership by Sir Philip Green and under the consortium led by Dominic Chappell to which he sold it, a year ago, for a pound.
These concerns include Sir Philips transfer of 400m out of the company in dividends to his wife, the negotiation with pension fund trustees over the actuarial deficit in the fund, the terms of the sale to the consortium, and the subsequent actions by the new owners. But each action should be judged on its merits and on the information available at the time.
We live in a society governed by law, and thankfully so. If laws have been broken then people should be punished. If laws prove inadequate, then they should be amended. It is as simple as that.
The moral issue is quite different. It is extremely fuzzy. We all have our views as to how society should best be organised but nearly all of us would accept that, as John Donne put it, no man is an island, entire of itself.
So people who own businesses and have made fortunes have only been able to do so because they live within a society of laws, of other people, of markets. Anyone who is lucky enough to live in the developed world is building on the work of millions of other people who created the infrastructure of the modern economy. The better off people become, the greater their debts to those before them.
To some extent those debts are repaid through the tax system, with in Britain the top 1 per cent of earners contributing a quarter of all income tax revenues. But most of the very rich, or at least the rich that make their money themselves, chose to do more.
That leads to the strange paradox that industrialists are remembered not for how they make their money but rather how they give it away. Think how William Morriss Nuffield College in Oxford, the Nuffield Hospitals, the Nuffield Foundation and much more all live on, while Morris Motors is just a name on a few vintage motor cars.
BHS in numbers
Now apply this thought to Sir Philip Green. In the ranks of global billionaires he comes in at number 205, according to Forbes magazine, up from 301 last year. This does of course make him immensely wealthy by British standards, and he is all the more to be admired because made the stuff himself rather than by inheriting it. But by world terms he is just another middle-ranker, and one whose reputation is being trashed.
He is to be called before the Work and Pensions Committee in the Commons, which for him is a no-win game. If he refuses to appear, he is forever condemned in the public eye; if he appears, he will be memorably kicked around by MPs. His knighthood is already under threat. Not good.
The moral obligations on the rich should not be a burden, they should be an opportunity an opportunity to do things for our imperfect society, that for whatever reason, are not being done, or at least not done well enough. Most wealthy families get it. They teach their children responsibility and philanthropy.
Lets see what comes of this sorry business and lets hope for a better outcome for Sir Philip as well as the people at BHS.
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I am not saying that Jeremy Hunt has handled the junior doctors dispute well, but there is an absurd belief among many of his opponents that he is engaged in a conspiracy to undermine public support for the NHS so that he and his Tory friends can enrich themselves in a private insurance-based system that would replace it.
Normally such conspiracy theories are not worth wasting much time on, although it is worrying that so many junior doctors themselves seem to believe it (as James Kirkup pointed out, doctors are clever people but can be quite naive about politics).
Unfortunately, the conspiracy theorists include the leader of the opposition, who said on Monday:
The NHS is underfunded. Every hospital has debts. Those debts are being met by selling assets and cutting back on services. I just sometimes wonder if there isnt a deeper agenda here to gradually reduce the efficiency and effectiveness of the National Health Service at the same time as promoting the private medical industry.
"Just wondering" is the standard device of the conspiracy theorist, as anyone who has read David Aaronovitch's Voodoo Histories will know: they retreat from assertions that cannot be substantiated to "just asking the question".
This is a particularly silly theory. The one piece of "evidence" for it, apart from the Conservative government's refusal to spend more public money on the NHS, is a pamphlet produced by Douglas Carswell, then a new Conservative MP, in 2005. Jeremy Hunt was one of the Tory MPs listed as contributing to it, although he didn't write the chapter on the NHS and disagrees with it. Even so, the chapter on the NHS talks only of an increasing role for private-sector providers of healthcare in a universal healthcare system.
The theory requires only a moment's thought to self-destruct. All you have to do is to imagine the meeting at which David Cameron, George Osborne and Jeremy Hunt discuss what to do about the British electorate's support for the NHS. "Let's spend more money on it, but not enough to satisfy everyone, so everyone will hate us and distrust us to manage public services and vote for us at the next election to replace the NHS with a private-sector free-for-all and our friends will get rich."
Not even Jeremy Corbyn thinks that, so why did he say it?
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The strikes by junior doctors in England come down to money but not, as ministers hint, because already well-paid medics seek to line their pockets further.
Nor are the striking doctors manning the picket lines out of revolutionary fervour like the 1980s miners, as suggested by Downing Street, which is clearly dictating the Governments hard line in this dispute.
Wisely, Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, has refused to demonise the doctors as latter day Arthur Scargills. It is obvious that many of them feel angry, overstretched and genuinely concerned about patient safety under the new contract being imposed upon them.
Yet after this weeks two day-long strikes, it is not easy to see where the British Medical Association (BMA) goes next. An indefinite strike, or stoppages at much shorter notice, would risk losing the public support the doctors still enjoy. The differences between the Government and the BMA are not as great as their rhetoric suggests, but neither side wants to back down.
The best course would be for an honest broker to resolve the main problem pay for Saturday working. The broker could be one or more heads of the Royal Colleges, which did not endorse this weeks action. Some supported a sensible cross-party proposal to pilot the changes and an independent study of whether they would reduce weekend death rates. Hunt was wrong to dismiss as opportunism this Labour-led initiative, which could have averted the two strikes.
But the real money problem at the heart of the dispute is that the NHS is being funded on a wing and a prayer. The Government could have ensured that no junior doctor would be worse off under the contract, but it is trying to squeeze more juice out of an already crushed lemon. The NHS must find 22bn of efficiency savings by 2020-21 but, as yet, there is no plan how to achieve them.
Last month, some light was shone on how this magic number emerged. David Laws, the former Liberal Democrat Cabinet minister, wrote in his book about the Coalition Government that Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, estimated that it would need 15-16bn a year by 2020 just to maintain current standards in the health service. Youve got to be joking, was Downing Streets reaction, according to Laws.
So, under a revised plan, the estimated 30bn funding gap would be met by 8bn of extra funding and 22bn of efficiency savings three times the long-running NHS average, requiring a continuing squeeze on pay that would lead to staff shortages.
NHS England denies it was leant on, insisting that different scenarios were modelled. But sometimes a story is so damaging that it has to be disputed. The Laws version has the ring of truth to it.
The Tory manifesto at last years election promised an extra 8bn and to bring in a seven-day NHS, which led to the new contract for junior doctors. But ministers have been slow to spell out how the seven-day pledge will be funded. Although the health budget will rise by 2bn in the current financial year, about half of that will be soaked up by extra pension costs and more will cover rising NHS deficits, leaving only a limited amount for changes such as seven-day working.
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Front-loading the extra 8bn to the early years of this parliament was a necessary move but will only postpone an inevitable financial crisis for a couple of years. An under-funded social care system will put even more pressures on hospitals.
It is an open secret at Westminster that somethings gotta give. Even some senior Conservatives admit it. We are going to have to revisit NHS funding, one minister said.
The Blair Government pumped billions into the NHS to raise health spending to the European average. Now, as the NHS faces the toughest budget squeeze in its history, we are falling behind again.
Latest OECD figures show that the UK spends 8.5 per cent of GDP on public and private health care 1.7 points less than the average of the 14 other countries who were in the EU before 10 new members joined in 2004, and 13th in the league table of 15.
Junior doctors accuse Jeremy Hunt of handling contract crisis 'absolutely abysmally'
Labour lifted the UK up the table thanks to a rare event a popular tax rise, the 2002 increase in national insurance contributions by Gordon Brown, who earmarked the proceeds for health. It showed that people are prepared to pay for the NHS they want.
There is always a risk that extra cash is swallowed up by higher pay, as Labour discovered when it made a mess of a new GPs contract. But what is needed now is an NHS tax rise earmarked for frontline services.
Instinctively, David Cameron and George Osborne will be against it as their reaction to Stevens original 15bn-16bn estimate showed. They are committed to cutting taxes. But, after undermining their much-trumpeted One Nation credentials since the election, a tax rise targeted at the better off to rescue the NHS would be the perfect way to restore them.
Alan Kelly said suspending water charges would throw Ireland back to the 19th century
Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have been accused of treason and sabotage over plans to suspend water charges in order to clear the path for a minority government.
Outgoing Environment Minister Alan Kelly launched the withering attack on his former cabinet colleagues and opposition benches as the contentious issue looks set to make or break power for acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
Fine Gael confirmed they want a nine month suspension of charges to let a special commission examine Irish Water's charging regime and its much-maligned funding model.
Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin insisted his party w as committed to the suspension of charges until the next election.
The responses came after Mr Kelly used one of his final speeches as a minister to fire broadsides at his opponents and defend the idea of asking people to pay for water from an environmental, conservation, common sense and economic point of view.
The Labour deputy leader said a deal to suspend charges or abolish Irish Water as a utility would throw Ireland back to the 19th century.
"I believe we are about to witness the triumph of mediocrity over modernism, of short-termism over common sense and immaturity over innovation," Mr Kelly said.
"If the scrapping of Irish Water goes ahead, let's call this what it is, political, economic and environmental sabotage."
Mr Kelly claimed the lifting of charges would lead to water shortages in Dublin in the future and continue the pumping of 20,000 tonnes of sewage into Cork harbour every day.
And he likened the reported deal on a minority government to the abolition of household rates in 1977 by Fianna Fail which ultimately created a massive hole in the country's finances and led to crippling income tax rates of up to 60% in the 1980s.
"We risk repeating that mistake again. Every other EU country has some type of domestic charge on water," he said.
Negotiations between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail continued while the Taoiseach put his case to parliamentary party members.
They also include an option to refund about two million payments for people who paid Irish Water bills.
Since its inception in 2013, Irish Water has overseen the building of 34 new treatment plants - 26 for sewage and eight for drinking supplies - and fixed or replaced 454km of pipes.
Some 17,300 people in Roscommon have also seen boil water notices lifted.
Mr Kelly also claimed 34 million litres of water - enough to supply Co Wicklow for one day - which was being lost through leaks was now staying in the supplies every day.
The outgoing minister also claimed Ireland could be facing millions in fines from Europe if water charges were abandoned.
A commitment to them was made by the Fianna Fail-led government in 2010 when it signed up to the Water Framework Directive as the country went bankrupt.
Mr Kelly also said water conservation was a necessity in tackling climate change.
"A former politician once stood in this house and accused Fianna Fail of economic treason - today I believe Fianna Fail are guilty of environmental treason and the Labour party stands behind the important public service of water provision," he said.
"Politics is failing the people of the country again. Utopian populism is winning again. It's Groundhog day. We will regret it, just as we did in '77."
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams backed the idea of TDs having the power to determine the future of Irish Water, claiming there were now a majority of politicians in Leinster House against the regime.
"Fianna Fail's manifesto, not once, but in three separate sections clearly calls for the abolition of Irish Water and the scrapping of water charges. It says nothing about the suspension of charges, or maintaining the mechanism for charging on the statute books," he said.
Fianna Fail leader Mr Martin said: "This is very far from being the single most important issue facing our country, however it is important and the handling of it in recent years represents a dramatic public policy fiasco."
But he added: "The policy we are committed to remains a scrapping of the commercial state firm, no charges for at least the duration of this Dail and a major national investment programme in developing this vital public service," he said.
Simon Coveney, Cabinet minister and Fine Gael negotiator, rejected allegations from some opposition figures that Irish Water was destined to be sold off by the state.
"The accusations from some of a secret agenda of privatisation is completely bogus and untrue," he said.
Wasn't it wonderful to see Michael O'Leary leading in the winner of the Grand National at Aintree?
This completed the amazing feat of three major wins for an Irish owner that included the Irish Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Capturing the biggest prizes in National Hunt racing has to be about as good as it gets.
Predictably however, instead of celebrating an Irish man's good fortune, the begrudgers and whingers were at it again the following week, complaining about how a successful man was enjoying some outstanding rewards for his efforts and the efforts of those who work for him.
Hasn't he got enough, they cried. I subsequently had at least four good arguments with people who could not see how we need hard working entrepreneurs like O'Leary who pay their taxes and spend their money here in Ireland.
Why can't we enjoy and be proud of their good fortune? Surely they are better than other multi-millionaires who choose to become tax exiles and live for much of the year outside the country of their birth? Just think of the huge spin off employment that comes from the presence of that huge string of racehorses and the benefits they bring to the rural economy.
Is this not better than some miserly individual, hoarding his wealth as so many have done in the past? Some people are seen as being exceptionally lucky but then we all get opportunities in life and only a few of us have the ability to make the most of them. I could go on because O'Leary is one of my heroes who puts his money where his mouth is and appears to fear no one.
And what a great mouth he has. He must be an interviewer's dream and can always be relied on to be vocal, entertaining and thought provoking. We need more like him.
This all reminded me of a farmer
I used to know telling me about a man who many years previously had arrived in to a small town in the West of Ireland with virtually nothing in his pockets.
As a result of hard work and business acumen, this man built up a haulage business that eventually made him very wealthy.
My farmer friend looked scornfully across the street at the large premises which now housed the entrepreneur's operation and then made the classic begrudger's comment "I remember him when he landed in this town without an arse to his trousers".
Rather than praising the man's achievements, he inferred that if you start with nothing, you have no right to succeed later in life.
This statement encapsulated scorn, envy and a total absence of admiration or charitable thinking. Weren't all these formerly considered sins of some form? Either mortal or venial it doesn't really matter. What does matter is the prevalence of this kind of thinking throughout Ireland.
We tend to heap scorn on our neighbours if they succeed where we have perhaps failed.
I don't want to describe the charitable and philanthropic work that the successful person in question subsequently undertook as it might give a hint as to who he is and probably embarrass him.
I am sure he would prefer to remain anonymous which is the hall mark of all such individuals. Enough said.
Well done Michael O'Leary and all others like you. May you continue to prosper and bring wealth and employment to your local communities. To repeat that fine old Irish saying "**** the begrudgers".
'Whingers'
Enda Kenny made some remark about "whingers" recently.
For this he was vilified and subsequently had to clarify what he meant and sanitise his statement, presumably for political reasons. Yet he was absolutely correct and to my mind, shouldn't have apologised for simply stating the truth.
Just listen to Joe Duffy's radio programme for a sample of endless whinging as one caller after another goes on and on about what are often pathetic and groundless complaints.
One of the biggest crimes you can commit in Ireland is to succeed at whatever undertaking you are involved in.
The opposite applies in America where success is praised and children are encouraged to work hard and if they fail, start again. Even bankruptcy bears no stigma in the US. You only fail there if you fail to try again.
Having completed one year in the Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef programme, it's a good time to look at the financial and physical performance of the 10 participating farmers.
In order to analyse the 2015 figures we need to firstly understand the main headings.
Gross Output
This is the difference between the amount of money received from sales of animals minus the amount of money paid out to buy in the next group of calves/animals to be finished.
There is also an account made for change in inventory. This can be a plus or minus figure, it depends on whether the farmer has more or less stock at the end of the year than at the beginning of the year.
If he/she has more animals at the end of the year than at the beginning, they are stock that potentially could have been sold and represent a plus figure.
Alternatively, if the number of animals at the end of the year is less than at the beginning there have been excess stock sold in that year and this represents a minus figure for change in inventory.
In an expanding enterprise the change in inventory will be a positive figure and will add to the Gross Output.
Variable Costs
These are the main costs associated with producing an animal for sale and they include, milk replacer, purchased and home grown feed, purchased forage, fertiliser, lime, veterinary, contractor, seed, spray, straw, silage additives, polythene, levies and transport.
Gross Margin
Gross Output minus Variable Costs gives you the Gross Margin.
The Gross Margin figure is the amount of money that is left to pay the fixed costs.
These fixed costs include land rental, hired labour, machinery running costs, machinery leasing costs, overdraft, credit and loan interest, depreciation on machinery and buildings, repairs and maintenance, insurance, professional fees, car, phone, electricity and sundry costs.
The average fixed costs on non-breeding dry stock farms will generally range from 450 -650 per hectare.
Net Margin
When this amount is subtracted from the gross margin it represents the Net Margin and this is effectively the amount of money available to live off.
In many incidences, net margin may be zero or a negative value and farmers are left to survive on the Basic Payment Scheme and GLAS payments and so on.
The clear aim would be to have a positive net margin of at least 500/ha once all costs have been taken out.
Looking at the experience of the 10 Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef farmers, we can see a range in financial and physical performances.
All farmers started from different bases and the plan is to improve gross and net margins over the next two years.
Profit drivers
The key to achieving a good gross margin on any farm is to have a good output.
There are three main drivers of profit on a farm.
Performance per livestock unit
Stocking rate
Beef/Sale Price
The first two are factors that can be controlled inside the farm gate by the farmer. They are management issues and if the farmer can get these right he/she gives themselves every chance of a good margin.
The third factor in relation to price is one that he/she can have little or no influence over, unless they have a pre-arranged contract price agreed with their processor.
As can be seen from the adjoining table, the highest gross margins come from the farms where the gross output is highest. These farms invariably have the highest stocking rates as well.
The variable costs as a percentage of output are generally higher on systems where there is a lot of meal fed in an intensive finishing system like an 18 month old bull.
A finishing system like a Friesian steer at 28-30 months and an Angus heifer system would have lower costs as per percentage of output and the target would be around 50pc versus 60pc for the bull system.
Some of the participating farmers have higher percentages than these and over the next few years as output increases this figure should come down.
A lot of the increase in output at the moment is coming from a positive change in inventory as most or all farmers are current ly increasing stock numbers.
Some gross margins may appear low at the moment.
For example, in Christy Dowd's case, he has just bought calves for the first time in the spring of 2015 and has sold none of them yet, at the moment he has an 52 extra one year old stock and an extra 55 calves on the farm that weren't previously there.
These will form a system over the next two years where he will have 50 plus stock to sell every year, increasing the output and gross margin.
Targets
The target would be to get all farmers to have a gross output of close to 2,500 per ha.
Even with average variable costs as a percentage of output as 55pc, this would be equal to variable costs of 1,375, subtracting this from 2,500 would give a gross margin of 1,125 per ha.
In order to reach a gross output of 2,500 per ha, a number of factors need to be addressed.
Stocking rates need to be increased to at least 2.2 livestock units per ha.
Performance per animal needs to be improved to around 500kgs+ per LU.
Case study - John Lalor: aiming for a gross margin of 1,000/ha
A recent Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef farm walk on the farm of John Lalor, Ballyfin, Co Laois highlighted John's position at the start of the programme and the targets to be achieved by 2018.
Traditionally being a suckler farmer, John decided to change to a dairy calf to beef production system and in early 2014 sold the last of his suckler cows.
He joined the Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef programme in 2015 and at the start of the programme he was slaughtering around 75 Angus/Hereford heifers out of the shed between Feb and May at 22 to 24 months of age. He was farming 45 hectares of grassland at a stocking rate of just under two livestock units per hectare.
As can be seen from the adjoining table, John was producing 848kgs of beef per hectare with a value of 1,521/ha. His main variable costs of production which ran to 808/ha were purchased feed, home grown feed, fertiliser, veterinary, straw, levies and transport.
As a percentage of his output, this accounted for 53pc, which meant that for every 1 John received it cost him 53 cent to produce.
All this left John with a gross margin of 713/ha, which was required to cover all his fixed costs which can range between 450 and 650 on similar non-breeding farms.
Once the fixed costs are removed the remainder is what is left to live on and re-invest!
A plan was drawn up for John to try and improve his margins. Due to the high cost of purchasing the Angus/Hereford heifer calves and the lighter carcase weight at slaughter, it was decided to reduce the number of Angus heifers reared and to bring some Friesian steers into the system.
The main thoughts on doing this were to have more beef produced per ha while still rearing the same number of calves.
The purchasing cost of calves in the spring would be reduced, therefore not tying up as much money. Also, all his eggs wouldn't be in the one basket and John now has two different products to sell at different times of the year, creating a better cash flow.
So the plan for John for 2018, is to buy in 52 Friesian bull calves in early spring and then another 52 Angus/ Hereford heifers in March, the bulls will be castrated and run as steers.
Allowing for four percent mortality, there will be 50 heifers and 50 steers to sell as beef.
To reduce the number of animals to be housed, the 20-25 best performing heifers will be sold off of grass in the October/November period at 250kg carcase weight.
The remaining 25 heifers plus the 50 steers will be housed. The heifers will be finished out of the shed at around 260kg and the steers will be returned to grass for a third grazing season.
The Friesian steers will then be slaughtered off of grass at the beginning of June at the traditionally higher beef price. The aim is to have them between 650-660kgs killing a 330kg carcase.
This system will create a gross output of 2,071/ha, variable costs will increase to 1,036/ha, but as there is more output, the variable costs as a percentage of output will decrease to 50pc.
All this should leave John with a gross margin of just over 1,000 per hectare and a 45pc increase on his 2014 figures.
Nursing a thoroughbred back from serious injury to win a Grand National was a remarkable achievement for the horse's trainer Mouse Morris.
The success of Rule The World at Aintree proved once again that not every horse that suffers a pelvic injury will face retirement from the track, or worse still, premature death.
Immense patience is what proved to be the winning formula in bringing the nine-year-old back from the brink to win the world's toughest steeplechase under rookie David Mullins against all odds.
Purchased for 90,000 as a three-year-old of behalf of owners Gigginstown House Stud at the 2010 Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale, the UK-bred Rule The World showed much promise when winning on his point-to-point debut in November 2011.
That trend continued on the track with three wins under Davy Russell before disaster struck during the Grade 1 Champion Hurdle at Punchestown in April 2013.
"He was pulled up in that race and afterwards our vet Gerry Kelly examined him. He was then sent to Troytown where he was diagnosed in a scan with a fractured pelvis on his left side," Mouse Morris explained.
Mr Kelly outlined the prognosis: "The injury was in one of the better locations in terms of recovery and so to give him every chance the horse faced several weeks on box rest before being lightly walked and then brought back into light work."
A veterinary surgeon at the Fethard Equine Hospital in Co Tipperary, Mr Kelly has seen his fair share of horse injuries over the years and says that, while pelvic fractures in National Hunt horses are extremely common, many who are given due care go on to make full a recovery.
Ciaran Murphy had taken over the rehabilitation early on, while Mary Doyle was also instrumental in his recovery.
"We had broken him initially so we had a fair idea of his action," the Mullingar-based point-to-point rider said, adding that it was the first time he had worked on a horse with such an injury. "We knew he had been riding in a shape so we did a lot of slow lunging with him. The flatwork also really paid off with a lot of leg yielding and lateral movements. Also we found the use of weight boots on his hind legs helped immensely."
It would be six months before Rule The World returned to the track, this time in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Naas where he won by two-and-a-half lengths.
After that race Mr Morris had said: "We thought he was a goner (due to injury). It's just great to have him back. He looks a chaser in the making."
However, his hurdling campaign continued on into 2014 and at Cheltenham he finished sixth in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle. As Mouse Morris and the horse's connections then made plans to send him chasing, disaster struck once again, this time at home at Everardsgrange outside Fethard. A scan had confirmed a second fractured pelvis, but this time on the right-hand side.
While others may have considered euthanising the horse, Mouse Morris was determined to do everything possible to ensure Rule The World had a good chance of recovery. "We always thought he was a good horse so we would have done anything to save him. But when you look at his rear end now you wouldn't think he'd win a Grand National," he said.
After several weeks on box rest, Ciaran Murphy brought the gelding to Co Westmeath for a second stint of intensive rehabilitation. "The first time there was muscle wastage on the left hand-side and maybe this contributed to him injuring himself on the other side. It's hard to know. Again we proceeded to do a lot of lunging and flatwork to get him back.
"I always remember taking him off the lorry and Mouse almost reduced to tears. He couldn't believe we'd gotten him back to health a second time."
Rule The World indeed made a full recovery and on his debut over fences the following November finished a creditable second in a Beginners' Chase. However, winning was never going to come easy and the son of Sulamani was to finish runner-up a further six times before breaking his duck at Aintree two weeks ago. "It just shows the talent of the trainer to get the horse back to win such a race," added Ciaran Murphy.
Farmers braving the elements on Sherkin Island are calling for their coastal enclave to be declared a special habitat for birds.
Island farmer Sean O'Neill is one of a number of farmers losing out on payments under the agri-environment scheme GLAS as they are not designated a home for the Chough species of birds.
However, they point out Cape Clear island - which lies just 6km away and can be seen from Sherkin - is declared a special protection area for birds and farmers there can apply for 365/ha per annum payments.
The ICSA's Seamus Sherlock said it would make a huge difference for farmers on the island if they could access the conservation payment.
Last year the online GLAS system was updated to recognise Cape Clear as Chough habitat.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service provided advice on the most important areas for particular habitats and species under GLAS.
However, a spokeswoman said the "targeting of areas for GLAS" was ultimately a matter for the Agriculture Department. It stated that past surveys showed there were no more than two pairs of Chough on Sherkin.
However, it stated the NPWS will be undertaking new surveys on the island this spring and summer.
"NPWS will communicate the findings of this survey, to the DAFM for DAFM to decide on whether to target GLAS payments towards the island."
While the expected battle between Don Cossack and Cue Card in tomorrow's 200,000 Gold Cup won't materialise as the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner is ruled out due to injury, punters can still look forward to a great week of racing at the Punchestown Festival with Aintree Grand National hero Rule The World now among the confirmed entries.
It was initially thought that the nine-year-old would be retired after his incredible maiden win over fences.
However, owner Michael O'Leary and trainer Mouse Morris have decided to give the gelding an end-of-season run in this afternoon's Growise Champion Novice Chase.
He will face such rivals as Ballychorus, Sub Lieutenant and Shantou Flyer.
Although disappointed that Don Cossack suffered a set-back on Sunday morning, Gigginstown Stud will still be well represented in tomorrow's feature race by Road To Riches, who finished second in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.
Cheltenham Gold Cup third
Don Poli, who finished runner-up to Cue Card at Aintree, is also a possible starter.
"It's only a small leg (injury), but with tendon injuries it may as well be a big one," commented Gigginstown manager Eddie O'Leary of Don Cossack.
"He's won us a Gold Cup, and it could have happened before that, so we've at least that to be thankful for," he added.
"Road To Riches definitely runs. That's more his trip and it's all about the ground with him.
"He'll be there all being well."
Boasting a total prize-fund of 2.6m, the four-day Festival kicks off this afternoon, with the feature race being the 200,000 BoyleSports Champion Chase.
The race will see Special Tiara now meet Simonsig and Vautour, who was only pencilled in for this race on Sunday having skipped Sandown.
After he was forced to miss the Grand National through injury, Ruby Walsh returns in time for the big end-of-season meeting and will be on board the star seven-year-old.
Melling Chase winner God's Own also travels from Britain, with Clarcam, Flemenstar, Baily Green and Twinlight completing the eight-runner field.
Super-mare Annie Power is set to defend her crown in the Grade 1 BETDAQ Punchestown Champion Hurdle on Friday. She will meet the Henry de Bromhead-trained Identity Thief amongst others.
Over 120,000 are expected to attend the festival.
THE new president of the Irish Farmers' Association has pledged that governance will be strengthened and the levels of transparency increased as he addressed farmers' for the first time.
Galway farmer Joe Healy (49), who was last week elected to the IFA following the recent pay controversy, said he was determined to lead a united and strong organisation.
"Members have been let down by failures in transparency, governance and decision making," the dairy and cattle farmer said during his address to the National Executive and outgoing members attending the AGM at the IFA headquarters in Dublin's Bluebell.
Mr Healy said a review of pay and working conditions at all levels will be undertaken.
Mr Healy said he would begin the process for the appointment of a new director general, after former general secretary Pat Smith after it emerged his pay package amounted to almost 1m over two years.
Mr Healy is filling the seat vacated by former president Eddie Downey who stepped down after the pay controversy erupted late last year.
Mr Healy said it was totally unacceptable that farmers, who do most of the work in producing high-quality food, are receiving a price below the cost of production.
"We need a rebalancing of power in the food supply chain," he said. "The aggressive behaviour of dominant retailers towards smaller suppliers, particularly vegetable, fruit and potato growers must be stopped."
Another key issue for farmers has been the cost of borrowing, Mr Healy said the new government must prioritise new sources of finance to increase competition.
Mr Healy said politicians need to "get serious" about the real income crisis on Irish farms. He called for a dedicated minister with sole responsibility for agriculture and food in the new government.
The bees are buzzing 'like mad' in Eamonn Crean's tunnels in Co Wexford and the fruits of their labours will be lifted, boxed and on the supermarket shelves over the next few weeks.
"I use an Irish breed of bumble bees and they are pollinating away in the tunnels," explains Eamonn.
Eamonn, who also runs a 165 strong herd of Jerseys on his 220ac farm at Ballinavarry near Davidstown end of the county, sees the 20ac sectioned off expanse of fruit tunnels as part of a family tradition going back three generations.
His grandfather on his mother's side, Tom English, was one of the first Wexford farmers to supply strawberries to the Chivers jam factory in Enniscorthy while his son Paddy operated a 100ac fruit farm in his time.
His company, Greenhills, now supplies strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and other berry varieties to local shops and supermarket chains in the general Leinster region.
It's a very labour intensive operation.
"Over 50pc of our costs are labour. There is no big machinery involved with the fruit tunnels and no big government grants to ease the burden of running the tunnels. Just hard work," says Eamonn.
"Not only are people buying top class fruit and berries but they can be assured that for every 20 they spend, half is going to pay for labour," he adds.
About 70 fruit pickers from Poland and Romania should be in Davidstown next week and then they will be picking flat out until October saving the various crop rotations.
The Greenhills company recruit directly. "I don't like using the recruitment agencies in England.
"I don't like the percentages they take from the fruit pickers," says Eamonn.
His company pay the national minimum wage together with the costs of transportation and accommodation for the fruit pickers.
"Irish people are not interested in this work. They used to come for a week or 10 days and then pack it in. They are just not interested in it now."
The past two growing seasons in Wexford have been good.
Yet this has to be marked against the previous two poor seasons and the level of imports into the Irish market, explains Eamonn.
He is not particularly enamoured with the Dutch who quickly export what they can't sell on their own fresh food markets to other European markets. Eamonn calls it produce dumping.
On the dairy side Eamonn employs a farm manager and a team of farm workers to produce what he likes to call "1,500 gallons per Jersey per year for Glanbia".
"We have a very good manager on the dairy farm from Donegal. The team are hard working and very reliable."
He has what he describes as a good herd and takes the available advice from the experts in Teagasc and elsewhere.
"I do what I am told and I get on with the job".
Both Eamonn and his wife Deirdre along with the girls - Annalise (16), Mairead (15), Aobhinn(12), Sadbh (9) and Abigail ( 7) are still celebrating the arrival of new baby, Edmund, just before Christmas.
"A boy for the girls and another name for the overdraft," Eamonn jokes.
So I inevitably have to ask which of the two farming enterprises is the most profitable and am answered with a typically low key quip from the multi- tasker.
"You could go broke overnight in the fruit business but then again that could happen in the dairy business the way things are going at the moment."
Have you noticed that most tractors and equipment in Irish yards are powered by something called a "common rail" engine?
While the phrase is often used by overeager salesmen or weary mechanics, very few people fully understand the operating principles of the common rail fuel system and are thereby leaving themselves open to costly repair bills.
The common rail fuel system that we know today was developed by Fiat in the early 90s. However, due to financial difficulties they sold the rights of the system to Bosch for further development. In hindsight the move would prove to be a grave error due to the huge popularity of the design in modern engines.
The basic operating principle of any diesel engine, be it the old fuel injected style, or the newer common rail, is quite simple. Diesel is stored in the tank. From here, a low pressure pump delivers it to a high pressure pump near the engine. It is then introduced into the individual cylinders, where the rising piston compresses the air within the cylinder to such pressures that sufficient heat is created to ignite the fuel.
This creates an explosion within the cylinder, driving the piston back down again. If a four cylinder engine is idling at 1,000rpm, 2,000 of these explosions take place in one minute.
As a basic analogy to understand the difference between direct fuel injected and common rail engines, imagine cows coming to a parlour for milking.
In this scenario, you have enough cows to keep you milking for the full day, let's say 500 cows. The fuel injected system delivers pressurised fuel to the cylinder only when it is required. This is similar to going to the field of 500 cows, and bringing in just 10 cows to fill one side of the parlour.
When these 10 cows are milked, you go back out and bring in 10 more. You continue to do this, but there are never cows waiting outside the parlour.
You only bring in as many as you need. Imagine the herd of cows at the field gate, waiting to come in for milking as the fuel, being sent to the parlour (the cylinder in our analogy), along the farm roadway (the injector lines) only when they are required.
The common rail system is easily understood if we imagine it to be the collecting yard at the back of the parlour. The full herd of cows are waiting in the collecting yard. As soon as you open the gate at the back of the parlour, cows come into the stalls. There is always enough cows to fill the parlour. All you need to do is open the gate at the rear of the parlour, and the 10 cows walk in to fill the stalls.
You have a constant supply of cows (fuel), waiting in the collecting yard (the common rail), ready to come into the parlour (the cylinder) when the gate (the injector) is opened.
The fundamental differences between an old fuel injected engine, and a modern common rail engine is the pressure and manner in which the fuel is delivered from the high pressure pump to the cylinder, and the sophistication of the electronic control systems governing the delivery of fuel to the cylinders.
The fuel injected engine features a pump which delivers fuel to the injectors through individual lines, at about 200 bar pressure.
Many people will be familiar with slackening these fuel lines off the injectors as a method of bleeding an engine, should it become air locked.
With this system, the pump only pressurises the one line feeding the cylinder requiring fuel at any given moment in time. The remaining fuel lines will not be fully pressurised until the individual cylinder it is feeding requires fuel.
The term common rail refers to a chamber where fuel is stored, at very high pressure, prior to entering the cylinders.
The high pressure pump delivers fuel to this rail, where it is stored at approximately 2,000 bar (29,000 PSI).
When any individual injector is opened by the ECU, some of the pressurised fuel exits the rail, and enters the cylinder via the open injector.
Meanwhile, the fuel pump is constantly working to replace the lost fuel and keep the pressure maintained in the common rail.
To learn more about the pros and cons of the system, I recently paid a visit to Hugh Collins at Atlantic Diesel Services near Tralee.
I began by asking him why there was a need for such massive operating pressures.
"It all boils down to burning fuel as cleanly and efficiently as possible," he says.
"Injecting fuel into the cylinder at a very high pressure allows it to be sprayed in as a very fine mist, leading to a hotter burn, more power and lower particulate emissions."
However, this high operating pressure brings issues of its own.
First and foremost is the safety aspect of the system. Let's be absolutely clear on this issue, an untrained professional should never tamper with an operational common rail fuel system.
Fuel escaping at 2,000 bar has the potential to sever bone. If you were to run your hand over a jet of fuel leaking from this system, it will simply sever your hand where it strikes you.
The safety issue aside, there is the problem of manufacturing components capable of generating and working with this pressure for thousands of hours.
Precision
"For a pump to generate 2,000 bar, and for an injector to hold that pressure back, all components need to be manufactured to extremely precise tolerances," explains Mr Collins.
To get the full value of the high pressure fuel, it must enter the cylinder through microscopic holes in the tips of the injectors.
The smaller the hole in the injector, the finer the mist of fuel as it is sprayed into the cylinder.
A fine mist is the name of the game.
For comparison, a human hair is about 30 microns in diameter, the holes in the injectors are approximately 60 microns.
On the day of my visit, Mr Collins was busy working on a set of injectors from an excavator which had clocked up just 4,000 hours.
The high pressure fuel pump, the common rail and all six injectors needed replacing, costing approximately 4,000 at a conservative estimate.
I asked him if there was any steps the owner could have taken to prevent these costly repairs.
"I can never stress the importance of a good filtration system enough to customers," he says. "We're dealing with a highly sophisticated fuel system, yet the fuel tank in the yard hasn't been updated within the last two decades."
While a stick under the outlet side of the tank to throw the dirt to the back might have done the job back in the eighties, it doesn't cut the cloth any more.
As a basic requirement, every bulk storage tank should have three filters.
There should be a breather filter to prevent condensation from drawing in through the lid at night, a two or three micron filter to trap dirt and crud on the outlet, and a water trap.
To set up these three filters on your tank, you're probably looking at 100.
A stitch in time saving nine comes to mind.
Aside from filtering the fuel through your fuel tank, you need to pay careful attention to filters you use on your machine. Mr Collins highly advises against the use of spurious filters.
"The price difference is very minor, but the difference in quality is massive.
As an example, the legitimate filter for a Ford Mondeo is a 2 micron filter, but the best spurious filter available for that car is a 12 micron filter".
There are plenty of places to make sensible savings around the farm, but don't try it with the integrity of your fuel system.
Atlantic Diesel Services are based in Tralee, Co Kerry and can be contacted on 066 7193200.
FUEL AND FILTER CHECKLIST
Ensure you buy your fuel from a reputable source. Poor quality fuel lacks in lubrication. Dont forget that the fuel serves the additional purpose of lubricating and cooling the injectors and pump.
Clean out all traces of debris and crud from your bulk storage fuel tank each and every year. Its a small task considering the savings it will potentially lead to.
Ensure you have the correct filtration on your bulk storage tank a breather filter on the inlet, a two micron filter on the outlet and a water trap, at a minimum.
Dont try to skimp and save on filters, buy genuine and change regularly. They are a very small cost in comparison to expensive repairs and downtime. A 20 filter doesnt look so bad now to the guy forking out 4,000 to have his entire system overhauled.
Staff at Clerys learned in June of last year that they were to lose their jobs, just hours after the store building was sold.
Workers whose jobs are wiped out without notice should get two years' pay instead, according to a report commissioned in the wake of the Clerys closure.
The report by Labour Court chairman Kevin Duffy and company law specialist Nessa Cahill found that there should be increased compensation for workers amounting to two years' pay if an existing 30-day notice and consultation period isn't respected.
The recommendations to extend the existing provisions of the Companies Act to give greater protections to workers are designed to prevent what happened to the 460 staff at the iconic Dublin department store from occurring again.
Staff at Clerys learned in June of last year that they were to lose their jobs, just hours after the store building was sold.
A liquidator was appointed and staff at the store were entitled only to statutory redundancy.
"A new Government, when it is formed, must not hesitate in enacting legislation based on this report," said Siptu services division organiser Ethel Buckley.
"Politicians from all parties condemned the treatment of the Clerys workers by Gordon Brothers and Natrium at the time of the store's closure.
"These same politicians must now legislate without delay to ensure such a scenario can never happen again."
The report also noted that while the transaction that led to the Clerys closure is lawful, "it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that it would be preferable if it were not".
And it said that in a situation where the right to a 30-day consultation is not respected, compensation for the affected staff should be increased to two years' pay.
Traders work at their desks in front of the German share price index, DAX board, at the stock exchange in Frankfurt. Photo: Reuters
European equities rose for the first time in four days yesterday, boosted by earnings results including those from oil giant BP.
Standard Chartered jumped 9.8pc to a four-month high, after reporting a surprise decline in loan impairments.
BP advanced 4.3pc after unexpectedly posting a profit, despite falling oil prices. Swedbank rose 3pc as net income beat analyst estimates.
"Earnings are doing pretty well," says Michael Woischneck, a fund manager at Lampe Asset Management in Germany. "But that's something that could change with just one word from a Fed governor. Although no changes are expected, wording at this week's meeting is key."
The US Federal Reserve holds a two-day meeting this week, which ends today.
Banks led gains in the Stoxx Europe 600 Index, which advanced 0.2pc at the close of trading and as much as 0.7pc earlier, after its first three-day drop in a month.
Despite a rally since the February low, investors have kept withdrawing money from the region's equity funds on scepticism about central bank stimulus amid analyst cuts in earnings projections.
They're now waiting for policy decisions from the Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan this week.
In Ireland, the ISEQ Overall Index closed almost 1.3pc higher yesterday at 6,226.15.
Shares in insulation maker Kingspan rose 2.4pc, or 53 cent, to 22.58.
Shares in hotel group Dalata surged 5.7pc to 4.43, while drinks maker C&C rose 1.8pc to 3.92.
The FTSE-100 was 0.38pc higher. Germany's DAX was 0.34pc lower, and France's CAC-40 shed 0.28pc.
Volkswagen advanced 1.6pc as deliveries rose in the first quarter, taking over Toyota's lead for global sales.
Bloomberg
An Airbus A380 aircraft on landing approach over a local suburban street at the worlds biggest airshow, in Farnborough
Six Irish aviation firms will be aiming to win business this summer at the world's biggest air show.
Enterprise Ireland (EI) has for the first time decided to host a stand at the event in Farnborough, outside London, in an effort to help client companies grow their export sales.
A spokeswoman for EI said that the state agency hosted an Ireland stand at the Paris Air Show last year. The success of that move prompted it to showcase the strong capability Irish companies have in the aviation sector at the Farnborough International Air Show this year.
"The biennial show is seen as a flagship event for the industry with up to 200,000 attendees expected over the course of the week," she said.
The six companies will be able to pitch directly to potential aerospace and aviation buyers at the event, which attracts delegates from the defence as well as commercial aerospace sectors, and typically showcases technology and aircraft from both.
Aircraft deals worth tens of billions of dollars are usually revealed at Farnborough by Airbus and Boeing.
"A number of Enterprise Ireland client companies will also take part in a 'Meet the Buyer' programme organised by Enterprise Ireland at the show from 12-14 July," said the spokeswoman. "The Meet the Buyer programme will consist of three days of one-to-one meetings with companies that are looking to form new business relationships with international organisations."
EI declined to reveal the identities of the companies that will be at Farnborough. The Ireland stand will be beside the Italian Trade Commission, and Gore, a US company that makes cables for the aerospace and other industries.
Meanwhile, University College Dublin and EI have launched a new 1.7m partnership to enhance food quality and safety.
The three-year programme, titled Sequencing Alliance for Food Environments (SAFE), will see the UCD Centre for Food Safety team up with six food and nutrition firms.
Dairygold, Dawn Farm Foods, Glanbia, Kerry Group, Mead Johnson Nutrition, and Nutrition Supplies are all on board with the programme that will focus on bacteria control in food production.
"It is a proactive move, rather than a reactive one and our collaborators and Enterprise Ireland are to be acknowledged for taking this step," said UCD food safety professor Seamus Fanning.
EI research director Gearoid Mooney said Ireland needs to take a global lead on quality management in food production. "By developing a state of the art safety and quality decision making toolset to mitigate the risk of contamination in the food supply chain, this project demonstrates a new level of partnership," he said.
Sales at Mothercare's Irish arm have shown the "first consistent positive trend" for a number of years, according to its directors, as the unit benefits from an improved economic environment and an exit from Examinership last year.
Turnover in the year to March 2015 fell almost 7pc to 33.2m, while the company broke even in the period, accounts for the period just filed at the Companies Registration Office show.
"The economic recession and a disproportionately high level of contracted rents, in particular legacy, upward-only leases in retail parks, high streets, and shopping centres, left the group with little or no option but to enter Examinership on July 22, 2015," the directors note.
It had incurred "significant losses" as a result of falling sales since 2008. The Irish arm exited Examinership last October, closing three stores, securing rent reductions and 250 jobs. It has about 15 outlets here.
"The underlying business remains viable and strong, with the directors anticipating a return to growth and profitability in the short to medium term," they added.
Mothercare operates as a franchise in Ireland, and that is owned by David Ward. He invested 750,000 in the franchise as part of the Examinership process. Mothercare, which is listed on the stock exchange in London, has been struggling to impress investors with a turnaround plan.
That project has seen an improvement in its UK business, but its overseas operations are still suffering. There area about 1,300 overseas outlets.
Mothercare's shares slumped 20pc in one day earlier this month after it said that sales in the 11 weeks to March 26 at its four international regions were almost 10.8pc lower on an actual currency basis. Sales at stores in the Middle East and China have been particularly hit.
But in the UK, where it generates about 60pc of its sales, underlying like-for-like sales in the same period were 5.1pc higher. It has about 190 stores in the UK.
The chain has faced stiff competition from rivals such as Primark and Amazon.
"It is still early days in our turnaround, but we are putting the foundations in place by modernising and investing in our business," said Mothercare chief executive Mark Newton-Jones this month. He has raised 100m from investors to fund the restructuring.
Dublin-headquartered drug development firm Icon has started 2016 strongly with revenue of $400.5m in the first three months of the year.
Gross business wins in the opening quarter increased to $514m while its backlog of business grew by 9pc to $3.95bn.
The company employs 1,000 people in Ireland at its global HQ in Leopardstown and in an office in Limerick.
Icon chief executive Ciaran Murray said the results represented a "solid start" to the year.
"Revenue grew by 4.9pc year on year on a constant currency basis and further margin expansion enabled us to deliver earnings per share of $1.12, a 24pc increase over last year," Mr Murray said.
Income from operations in the period jumped by 14pc to $76m. The global pharmaceuticals firm spent $7.7m in capital expenditure during the period.
The company generated $59.4m in cash from operating activities, which helped drive down its net debt to $100m.
At the end of March Icon reduced its net debt by $58m compared to the end of 2015.
However, in March 2015, net cash stood at $172m.
Last year Icon's net profits jumped by 32pc off the back of increased revenues of 1.58bn.
As a result Mr Murray found himself the best-paid chief executive of an Irish Stock Market-listed company, collecting remuneration of over 11m over the course of the year.
Mr Murray took over as chief executive five years ago and has overseen a near five-fold rise in share price. Shares stood at $73.85 yesterday and have remained relatively stable over the last number of weeks, fluctuating between $75 and $73.
At the end of 2011, shares in the company cost $17.11.
In the first quarter of the year Icon was selected by Genomics England as a data management partner for the largest genomic sequencing project of its kind.
Outside of Ireland Icon employs roughly 11,200 employees in 36 countries across the world.
The company announced last month that its chairman would step down after 22 years at the company.
Thomas Lynch, who assumed the role of chairman in 2013 said the timing was right for him to relinquish his role.
In January Icon announced the creation of 200 new jobs to develop a new global innovation hub in Dublin.
Irish energy firm Solar 21's UK-based biomass plant has accumulated 20m in private investment since January.
Solar 21 acquired the rights to build the 22MW plant in Hull earlier in the year and the company now expects to meet its 60m investment target before the September deadline.
"To date our investors have mainly been from Ireland. There have also been a lot more cash investors than we've previously experienced with other funds," said Solar 21 chief executive Michael Bradley. "I think this is largely down to the fact that there is a distinct lack of any decent deposit rates on the market at the moment and also because what we are offering is relatively short term at three years."
The plant, on a 64-acre site, has been under construction since October.
Hull has established itself as a hub for renewable energy in the UK. Siemens and Dong Energy are active in the area alongside Solar 21.
Solar 21 investors can make direct cash investments or make pension investments through self-directed structures.
The company offers investors a three-year term with the potential of a 31.5pc gross return.
The Hull project is the first of five pipeline projects that Solar 21 has agreed with UK-based Heat Recovery Solutions.
The five projects are expected to cost over 500m. Once built, the completed schemes are expected to be worth over 1bn.
The Dublin-based firm has also invested in Italy, spending 13m on a solar park in Lazio.
Independent News & Media is one of 1,000 jobseekers and employers teaming up for Job Shadow Day 2016.
The ninth annual National Supported Employment Week is running from April 24 - 30 and includes Job Shadow Day.
Job Shadow Day, the highlight of the week, will see hundreds of people with disabilities take the opportunity to shadow a workplace mentor as he or she goes about a normal working day.
The day is designed to give people with disabilities the unique opportunity to get a close up look at the world of work for one day in April each year, to discover and learn about the skills and education required to compete and succeed in the work place.
Group HR Director at INM Celine Doyle said: "We're delighted to have Rachel Creevy, Eddie Hyland and Kathleen Ward joining us at INM for Job Shadow Day 2016.
"Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is to the benefit of all.
"The participants have been assigned to different areas in our business and we hope they enjoy their day and gain an insight into our workplace.
"This is a very worthwhile initiative by IASE and we're excited to be involved".
Last year, close to 800 individuals with a disability shadowed at over 500 employment sites in Ireland, with 55 securing a permanent job placement as a direct result.
Previous high profile participants who have hosted a shadow for the day are: An Taoiseach, Norah Casey, Ray DArcy, Ryan Tubridy, Feargal Quinn, Padraig OCeidigh, Neven Maguire, Brendan OConnor, Ken Doherty.
Entrepreneur and business writer Sean Gallagher said: I would encourage all employers to get involved with IASE Job Shadow Day 2016 and to embrace a positive belief in the workplace abilities and talents of people with disabilities.
"As someone who has faced many challenges in business and life, I am very aware of the many challenges people with disabilities have to overcome.
Research continues to show that a diverse workforce leads to increased productivity, innovation and improved business performance. Supported employment only works because it makes good business sense.
Employers and job seekers interested in participating in Job Shadow Day 2016 are invited to register their interest at www.iase.ie
The Irish Association of Supported Employment is the only organisation in Ireland whose unique sole function is the promotion of employment for people with disabilities.
The new product will be underwritten by Zurich Insurance and marketed by the VHI to its one million-plus customers over the phone, it is understood.
STATE-owned health insurer VHI is set to announce that it is entering the life insurance market.
The move is expected to put further downward pressure on premiums for consumers.
It is the first expansion of the product offering from the VHI since it was authorised by the Central Bank last July.
The new product will be underwritten by Zurich Insurance and marketed by the VHI to its one million-plus customers over the phone, it is understood.
This is one of the largest customer databases in the country.
The move comes after Canadian-owned Irish Life said it was taking over both Aviva Health and GloHealth.
And the expansion move by VHI into life insurance coincides with rival Laya Healthcare planning to up the ante with its existing life insurance offering.
Consumer finance experts said the VHI move will further push down premiums for life cover.
Rates have fallen heavily in recent years due to intense competition in the life insurance market, and because fewer claims are being made due to people living longer.
Along with its core health cover, VHI already offers dental insurance and travel cover. It also has three SwiftCare emergency treatment facilities.
VHI posted a 49.8m net surplus last year on gross earned premiums of 1.46bn, but chief executive John O'Dwyer has been anxious to expand its offering and exploit its database of customers.
The insurer has a reinsurance deal with Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.
In 2014 the VHI extended a one-year deal with Berkshire to re-insure a chunk of its health insurance policies by four years. Around 60pc the company's policies will be re-insured by Berkshire. This saved the State having to put in between 200m and 300m to satisfy Central Bank rules on regulation.
The company had missed a series of deadlines that it needed to meet in order to be regulated by the Central Bank.
The European Union's highest court ruled in 2011 that the Government had breached EU rules by not requiring VHI to be subject to prudential regulation.
Last month the company said it was increasing the cost of a number of its health insurance plans by an average of 3pc from May 1.
A VHI spokeswoman had no comment when asked about the plans to sell life insurance.
There was a fall in prices outside Dublin, suggesting a softening of the recovery in the market. Stock photo: Graham Moore
Property prices rose slightly in March, but the pace of increase has slowed down.
There was a fall in prices outside Dublin, suggesting a softening of the recovery in the market.
There was a nationwide rise of 0.3pc in prices last month, and values are now up by 7.4pc in the year, according to the Central Statistics Office. This compares with no change recorded in February and a small increase in March of last year.
In Dublin, residential property prices increased by 0.9pc in March, and were 3.9pc higher than a year ago.
There was a fall in prices for properties outside the capital. They were down 0.2pc in March, according to the CSO. However, prices were 10.5pc higher outside of Dublin than in March 2015, according to the statisticians.
Experts are now predicting a modest rise of around 5pc in prices this year.
Calculations based on the CSO figures indicate that the average property is now selling for 221,000, up 15,000 from last year. In Dublin, the average price is 288,000, a rise of 11,000 on the year.
Outside the capital, the average price is 184,000, up 18,000 in a year, according to calculations by Goodbody Stockbrokers economist Juliet Tennent.
Dublin house prices increased by 1.2pc in the month and were 4.1pc higher compared with a year earlier.
Dublin apartment prices were 1.6pc higher when compared with the same month in 2015.
Ms Tennent said prices and the level of transactions in the property market had both seen their rate of growth slow in response to the introduction of the Central Bank lending limits, known as macro prudential rules, and the acute lack of supply around the country.
"We expect prices to continue to moderate as the macro prudential rules wash through. However, the fundamental lack of supply is likely to reassert upward price pressure later this year," Ms Tennent said.
Meanwhile, the Dail's new Housing and Homelessness Committee heard yesterday that getting qualilty builders back constructing homes is key to ending the homeless crisis.
Eugene Cummins, speaking for the country's city and county managers, said a mix of policy approaches was urgently needed. This included tax incentives and tax credits for social housing and more government money for infrastructure.
But Mr Cummins warned that serial objectors were also impeding progress in providing more social houses.
"There is no place in this mix for professional objectors who significantly frustrate local authorities and those engaged in the process of providing social housing," Mr Cummins said at Leinster House.
Apple's revenue has fallen for the first time in 13 years as iPhone sales decline for the first time ever, putting an end to the incredible growth streak enjoyed by the worlds biggest listed company.
The company revealed sales of $50.6bn (44.67bn) for the three months to the end of March, a decline of 13pc. It is the first time since early 2003, when the iPod was just over a year old and the iPhone was four years away from being released, that Apples sales have fallen.
The latest set of results will add to arguments that the Californian giants best days of growth are behind it, as demand for pricier smartphones flatlines and users appear unwilling to pay for increasingly marginal upgrades.
Sales of the iPhone, which accounts for two thirds of Apples revenue, fell for the first time since it was released nine years ago, down from 61 million a year ago to 51 million. Those of the iPad and Mac computers also declined, and quarterly profits were down by 23pc to $10.5bn.
Apple had previously warned that revenues will fall but the results were slightly worse than expected, and the company said it expected sales to drop again in the current quarter.
Shares fell by almost 8pc in after-hours trading, despite the company committing to returning an extra $50bn to shareholders by the end of 2018.
Before Tuesday nights results, shares had fallen by 20pc in the last year with investors anticipating the decline in iPhone sales, although Apple remains by some distance the worlds biggest listed company.
Chief executive Tim Cook partially blamed strong macroeconomic headwinds including the strong US dollar for the decline in sales, which was particularly severe in China.
However, he insisted he was optimistic about Apples future, with record numbers of people moving from Googles rival Android operating system, and that he expects sales to rebound.
Mr Cook also highlighted improving revenues in Apples services division, which includes sales of apps and music. Revenue from the services unit grew by 20pc in the quarter and now makes more money than both the iPad and Mac.
The company did not reveal sales of the Apple Watch, the smartwatch it released a year ago, but Mr Cook said the device had met expectations and sold more than the iPhone had in its first 12 months.
Last month, Apple unveiled a smaller, cheaper iPhone partially in an attempt to appeal to smartphone buyers in developing markets, and the company said it is facing an order backlog amid strong demand.
Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Captain Liz Clark and her cat are having an absolute whale of a time sailing around the world.
The captain and her first mate, named Amelia, live on a 40-foot long boat called Swell.
Clark told BuzzFeed she adopted Amelia when she was only six months old and is now giving her the adventure of her nine lives.
She said: She has adapted to living surrounded by water. Shes learned to trust that she will be safe with me.
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Liz Clark, originally from San Diego, and now from The Ocean, told the website she had been dreaming of sailing around the world since she was a child.
She worked on her boat - which was made in the 1960s - for two years to make it seaworthy and then set off on the open seas with Amelia for company.
Setting sail in 2006 from California, Amelia has now traveled along the western coast of Mexico and Central America, as well as to the South Pacific.
Captain Clark has now logged an impressive 18,000 nautical miles.
Tropicat has a reusuable shopping bag fettish... she refuses to get out!? #bringabag #refuseplasticbags #banthebag @patagonia_surf @mizulife @loveavasol @ecoflex_ A photo posted by Captain Lizzy (@captainlizclark) on Mar 16, 2016 at 2:20pm PDT
She said: I sleep on a pool mat under the stars, but I feel rich when I look up at that night sky and breathe the fresh ocean air and leap into the sea each morning.
Clark said Amelia especially enjoys fishing from the boat.
#Ameliathetropicat tells all in her freshly released short film by my friend and fellow earth and animal lover @tevaperrone!! ... link in my profile... #loveandfreedom #forallanimals #beaStevie A photo posted by Captain Lizzy (@captainlizclark) on Jan 12, 2016 at 11:09am PST
On calm nights, she fishes off of a soft top surfboard attached to the side of Swell with a small light that attracts fish, the captain explained.
Amelia also enjoys hiking and exploring new places.
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She has adapted well to the life of a travelling cat.
Liz Clark said: She has to go out of a cat comfort zone often.
But I think she now understands that I will keep her safe and she will have a lot of fun in the end. She makes Swell feel much more like a home.
Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Anthony Mackie said being cast as Falcon in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, was 'epic'
Hollywood star Anthony Mackie has revealed his love for Dublin - and Irish women.
Speaking to RTE TEN, he revealed he has holidayed in Dublin and would love to come back to shoot.
"I had so much fun. I went to a crewing [rowing] race! It was a lot of fun, man. I went to a rugby game, I took the bus. I was a local" he said.
He also pulled the obligatory pint of Guinness at the brewery and joked that it takes "15 minutes" to get a pint.
"They pour it, they let it settle - that's when they give you a cheaper beer, and you drink that until your Guinness is ready," he said.
Mackie (37), who has also starred in films including The Hurt Locker and Avengers: Age of Ultron, then praised the women of Ireland, "And the women are beautiful, I mean, stop you in your tracks!"
Mackie is back in Captain America: Civil War as superhero Sam Wilson/Falcon. The film opens in Ireland on April 29.
The first official trailer for the Absolutely Fabulous movie has landed and it's every bit as, well, fabulous as you might expect.
Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley are back as the indomitable Edina and Patsy and in their first big screen outing they're trying to woo Kate Moss in order to do her PR.
One scene in the trailer shows the duo at a glitzy celeb party where Kate is talking to Jon Hamm and they plot their attack.
"I'm going to roll away the Hamm," says Patsy, who makes her way over to the Mad Men star and says, "Hi Johnny, don't you remember me?"
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"Oh God, I can't believe you're still... alive," he replies.
As Patsy pursues him there's a bit of a melee and Edina accidentally knocks Kate Moss into the Thames.
Suddenly they're on the run and heading to the French Riviera with Edina's daughter Saffy in tow.
"I'm being trollied on Twitter. A woman told me I was a pariah," Edina tells Saffy.
"Do you know what a pariah is?" asks her daughter.
"Yeah, it's a fish."
The film, releasing on July 1, features 60 cameos including Moss, Graham Norton, Jon Hamm, Joan Collins, Jerry Hall and more, although if the trailer is anything to go by its Patsy and Edina who take centre stage.
Check out the trailer:
Elizabeth Olsen meets seven-year-old Ethan Miller, from Southend, Essex, who suffers from the rare blood disease ITP as well as type 1 diabetes during the Captain America: Civil War European premiere
Fans got in to the spirit at the Captain America: Civil War European premiere
Robert Downey Jr is one of the stars of Captain America: Civil War
The cast of Captain America: Civil War on stage at the European premiere at Vue Westfield in Shepherd's Bush, London.
Spider-Man actor Tom Holland has said he was "disappointed" the first time he tried on the costume as he made his debut as the superhero in Captain America: Civil War.
The 19-year-old had to put up with a second-hand suit when he began filming.
Speaking at the European premiere of the film in London's Westfield, he said: "I have to say it was a little disappointing, because my stunt double at the time was a little taller than I am, and I had to wear his suit because they didn't have one for me.
"So it was kind of baggy the first time I tried it on. It wasn't as cool as I'd hoped.
"But then obviously once they'd fixed it up it looked incredible, it was amazing."
London-born Holland, who was cast as Spider-Man in 2015, told the Press Association on the red carpet: "There are no words that can describe how I feel right now.
"To be here and to be surrounded by this wonderful cast is just incredible, and I'm so proud of this movie, and just, everything's amazing."
Looking ahead to filming his own standalone film, he said: " I was unbelievably excited about it anyway, but this just raises it to a new level.
"To know that I have more of this to come, and this is not just a one-off, is one of the most amazing things to me."
His co-star Robert Downey Jr, who stars as Iron Man, congratulated Holland on his first time in the role.
He said: "Spider-Man is English again, congratulations... I'm just going to give it up to the home team and say, England it is again."
Spider-Man was previously played by British-American actor Andrew Garfield, who grew up in England.
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Downey and Holland were joined on the red carpet by co-stars including Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Jeremy Renner, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Emily Vancamp and Daniel Bruhl.
The film sees the Avengers split into two opposing camps, with Captain America and Iron Man facing off over their future as an autonomous team of superheroes.
After a disastrous incident in which Scarlet Witch (Olsen) causes collateral damage and the death of innocent civilians, the Avengers are told to submit to government oversight and a system of accountability.
This divisive move fractures the team of superheroes. Captain America rebels against government interference, joined by the Winter Soldier (Stan), Falcon (Mackie), Hawkeye (Renner) and Scarlet Witch.
But ranged against him are Iron Man, War Machine (Don Cheadle), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Vision (Bettany).
On whether he sided with his character Tony Stark - aka Iron Man - in the battle, Downey joked: "Chr is Evans is such a righteous guy, you've got to wonder: is there something wrong with me for going against him?"
But he added: "I can honestly say, I kind of get Tony's point of view."
His co-stars Evans and Rudd both sported full beards for the premiere, with the Ant-Man actor joking the two were involved in a "beard-off".
He suggested they were engaged in a "battle of the beards", adding: " We call each other - I said: 'You should go with the premiere beard.'"
Ant-Man's appearance in the film adds "a lot of levity," Rudd explained.
He said: "There are some pretty epic battles in this movie, and there is a lot of drama and tension, and I think that apart from contributing to some of that as well, Ant-Man is a little overwhelmed by the situation and feels the need to comment on that. So that allows room for some jokes, I think."
MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 26: Actor David Hasselhoff and his girlfriend Hayley Roberts arrive on the Red Bull Energy Station before the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2013 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
David Hasselhoff is gracing Dublin with his presence along with celeb DJ Afrojack and rapper Eve.
The Hoff and co will arrive in town on Saturday April 30 for the official launch party of Gumball 3000 at celeb hotspot Lillies Bordello.
They will also be joined by Gumball 3000 race founder Maximillion Cooper.
The cars will be paraded in Merrion Square at noon on Saturday April 30 before the race beings on Sunday May 1.
That's when the flag will come down, setting the competitors off via Belfast to Edinburgh and beyond on a 3000 mile journey across Europe to the edge of Asia.
Thirty nationalities are represented, driving 120 cars from vintage classics to modern day hypercars including Pagani, Bugatti, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Aston Martin, Koenigsegg, Jaguar, Bentley and Rolls Royce.
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The rally is expected to draw 60 million TV viewers.
Eight writers take a Proclamation signatory as a subject for a theatrical monologue. The persona of Nurse Elizabeth O'Farrell is added in an attempt to literally put the woman back in the picture, or photograph.
It sounds like a dutiful and worthy project from UCD and Verdant Productions. But it becomes magical in this complex collection of portraits, which form a perfect whole under director Patrick Mason's carefully built emotional trajectories.
The tour opened in Kilmainham Gaol, where this reviewer saw it. Emma Donoghue's script functions as a prologue, with Barbara Brennan playing Elizabeth O'Farrell as a haunted older woman remembering her young self flitting about the bullet-ridden Dublin streets with surrender notes. The other characters do not grow old.
In capturing the moments before death, we are presented with wives, children, fathers. Sean MacDiarmada is conveyed via his fiancee Min Ryan, in a piece which bristles with Beckettian mordant wit and denial.
James Connolly is stung by accusations of inhumanity. Eamonn Ceannt is riddled with guilt. Thomas Clarke remains defiant "that blood is on English hands." Thomas MacDonagh is broken-hearted, his firing squad especially vivid. And Padraig Pearse conjures a lasting vision of a blonde boy being shot as he runs, partly haunting, partly erotic.
The emotional intensity is ratcheted up for the finale as a softly spoken Shane O'Reilly gives a career-making performance as Joseph Mary Plunkett.
Writer Joseph O'Connor shows complete theatrical command in addressing a complicated dual present, appealing to the public of both then and now. A defiant "Do not belittle these heroes in my presence" feels well earned.
In focusing so intensely on the personal, this show manages to bypass the problematic aspects of commemorative art.
It is a work about what goes through the head of a person about to be executed. It is a play about how to die, as much as it is about the Rising.
WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Mindfulness therapy may help reduce the risk of repeated bouts of depression, researchers report.
One expert not connected to the study explained the mindfulness approach.
"Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy enhances awareness of thoughts and emotions being experienced, and enables development of skills to better cope with them," said Dr. Ami Baxi, a psychiatrist who directs adult inpatient services at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
In the new study, a team led by Willem Kuyken, of the University of Oxford in England, analyzed the findings of nine published studies. The research included a total of almost 1,300 patients with a history of depression. The studies compared the effectiveness of mindfulness therapy against usual depression care and other active treatments, including antidepressants.
After 60 weeks of follow-up, those who received mindfulness therapy were less likely to have undergone a relapse of depression than those who received usual care, and had about the same risk of those who received other active treatments, the team reported.
The study authors also believe that mindfulness therapy may provide greater benefits than other treatments for patients with more severe depression.
The study was published online April 27 in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.
"Mindfulness practices were not originally developed as therapeutic treatments," Richard Davidson, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, wrote in an accompanying editorial. "They emerged originally in contemplative traditions for the purposes of cultivating well-being and virtue," he explained.
"The questions of whether and how they might be helpful in alleviating symptoms of depression and other related psychopathologies are quite new, and the evidence base is in its embryonic stage," according to Davidson.
While this review is the most comprehensive analysis of data to date, it "also raises many questions, and the limited nature of the extant evidence underscores the critical need for additional research," Davidson concluded.
However, another psychologist said she is already using mindfulness therapy in her practice.
"I have increasingly incorporated mindfulness based-interventions into my work with children, adolescents and adults, and I've seen how it has improved treatment outcome and overall well-being in my clients," said Jill Emanuele. She is senior clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute in New York City.
Emanuele said there is growing evidence that the approach brings patients "increased awareness of emotions and thoughts, and the ability to more effectively regulate and cope with them."
More information
The University of California, Los Angeles has more about mindfulness.
President Michael D Higgins pictured as he inspects the Guard of Honour from the 7th Inf Batt with Capt John Quinn [left] and Col Mick Kiernan [ADC to the President] before the President officially opened the Military Archives during a ceremony at Cathal Brugha Barracks in Rathmines. Picture Credit : Frank McGrath
President Michael D Higgins paid respect to writer and activist Francis Sheehy Skeffington as he opened the new Military Archives Buildings in Cathal Brugha Barracks.
He told the crowd that Cathal Brugha holds a "very important place" in the Irish psyche, as it is both a "site of extra-judicial executions that symbolise the worst kind of arbitrary rule; and, today, as the repository of crucial records of our past".
The Military Archives Buildings houses the records of the Irish Defence Forces, the Department of Defence and the Army Pensions Board.
Documents, witness statements and accounts of the Easter Rising fill 21.6km of shelving.
More than 5.5 million was spent on developing the building to protect the documents.
Earlier this month, the Military Archives acquired Brother Allen's Library Archival Collection - which includes an original copy of the 1916 Proclamation, as well as the letter Patrick Pearse sent to his mother before his execution.
One of the first conserved documents to be filed in the archives is a statement made by Eamon Thomas Dore in 1941, as he looked to claim a military pension for his work as a volunteer during Easter 1916. Dore told how he transported munitions from volunteers in Belfast to Dublin despite only being sent to the north as a decoy, because he was being followed by British soldiers.
He returned as the GPO was being bombarded by the "big guns" the British had deployed.
Mr Shatter was left with little option but to step aside after the Guerin Report
Former justice minister Alan Shatter has claimed the Taoiseach gave him no choice but to resign in 2014 and has called for the immediate publication of the OHiggins report.
The report is believed to clear the former Dublin South TD of any wrongdoing in his handling of allegations of corruption and malpractice within An Garda Siochana.
Speaking on RTE Radio Ones Today with Sean ORourke, Mr Shatter told host Keelin Shanley that it would be unreasonable if the publication of the report was delayed any further.
When the Guerin report was issued to the Taoiseach in 2014, Mr Shatter noted he wasnt even allowed 24 hours to read it and consider its content before effectively being required to resign.
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The O'Higgins report was handed to acting justice minister Frances Fitzgerald on Monday, and although Mr Shatter said he had no difficulty with her requiring 24 hours to read it, he said the report should be published immediately.
I dont know any reason why it should be delayed.
I think its important that people can get on with their lives and the time has come for the full truth to be known, he added.
Looking back on his own resignation, he said: Effectively the Taoiseach informed me at the time that the future of the government depended on my actions.
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He made it clear to me that if I didnt resign later that day, he wouldnt be able to express confidence (with me) in Dail Eireann.
Mr Shatter claimed that the approach the Taoiseach took left him with no choice but to resign.
When asked whether he was now anticipating an apology from the Taoiseach, he said: I have no expectations of receiving a phone call. Im certainly not going to be standing by the phone.
The last contact I had with the Taoiseach was 10 days before polling day in the General Election, he added.
Mr Shatter also discussed the current negotiations between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, and expressed his concern over the formation of a minority government.
He described the situation as extraordinarily depressing.
If a minority government is created, I personally dont believe it will last 12 months.
Insofar as this might be described as some sort of partnership arrangement, this is going to be a very uncivil partnership, he said.
He also stated that if another general election were called, it wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen.
Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan has insisted that a new Regional Support Unit (RSU) will be established in Dublin by June in response to the rise in gangland violence.
Speaking at the annual conference of the Garda Representative Association in Killarney yesterday, the Commissioner disagreed with rank and file delegates who said that it would be "optimistic" that the new heavily armed unit would not be operational by the summer.
However, she accepted that the new unit would not actually be up and running in two months' time, but would be "in training" by June.
She was responding to the double murders in Dublin on Monday night, in which senior dissident republican Michael Barr and minor criminal Thomas Farnan were gunned down in separate attacks.
Ms O'Sullivan said the gangland violence of recent months has been "traumatic" for the local community in Dublin's north inner city, which has so far witnessed three slayings connected to the feud between the Kinahan and Hutch gangs.
"This type of violence is traumatising for the communities as is the presence of armed police and we need a balance between the two," she said.
The Commissioner described the attacks as "horrific", but she defended the gardai's track record in tackling organised crime. She said: "Our approach to investigating organised crime is three-stranded; investigative, preventative and intelligence-driven.
"I am very aware of the trauma that this type of crime can have on local communities which do not support the perpetrators," she added.
"I am also very conscious of the effect of putting armed patrols on the streets of these communities and it requires a balanced approach."
The GRA's newly elected president, Ciaran O'Neill, said the two Dublin murders brought into sharp focus the problems facing gardai when trying to police the country and face down armed criminals.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that armed garda units were near the Sunset House when Barr (36) was gunned down.
Assistant Commissioner John O'Mahony said gardai were on patrol in the city centre last night, and were in the vicinity of the Summerhill premises at the time of the fatal shooting on Monday.
"I think it is important to say that there are armed patrols on a 24/7 basis in the city," he said.
"An armed patrol was only around the corner from the shooting when it took place, and I think it is indicative of the challenges that we are facing that people are willing to go and commit a crime of this nature despite the presence or close presence of armed gardai."
In addition to the national and regional units patrolling the city centre, armed detectives in the Crumlin area have also been ordered to patrol on a 24/7 basis.
Assistant Commissioner O'Mahony also revealed that gardai foiled an attempted murder last week.
"There are obviously challenges, but on a regular basis we are preventing murders, and only last week in an incident we had to take preventative measures to a person who will probably never know that they were a target on that particular night."
The six students who lost their lives in the tragic accident, top left to bottom right: Lorcan Miller, Eoghan Culligan, Nick Schuster, Ashley Donohoe, Eimear Walsh and Olivia Burke
Five contractors who worked on the Berkeley building in California where six students died face losing their state licences.
The Contractors State Licence Board found that "poor workmanship" in the waterproofing of the balcony resulted in water damage that caused it to rot and eventually collapse.
"They didn't do the work (on the balcony) to trade standards," said Dave Fogt, the board's chief of enforcement.
The collapse was caused "definitely by water incursion that caused dry rot".
Irish students Olivia Burke, Eoghan Culligan, Lorcan Miller, Niccolai (Nick) Schuster and Eimear Walsh, all 21 years old, and Ms Burke's cousin Ashley Donohoe (22), from California, were killed in the tragedy in June 2015. Seven others were seriously hurt.
Last week, state prosecutors confirmed that nobody would face criminal charges over the horror collapse.
The companies cited in this latest move include the project's main contractor, Segue Construction of Pleasanton, said Rick Lopes, a spokesman for the licence board. The others are Etter & Sons Construction in Dana Point; R Brothers Waterproofing in San Jose; North State Plastering in Fairfield; and The Energy Store of California in Sacramento.
All declined to comment.
The former CEO of Anglo Irish Bank, David Drumm, asked about bloating the bank's balance sheet with short term inter-bank loans in 2008, a court has heard.
The trial of four bankers accused of taking part in an alleged market deception scheme also heard references by one of the accused, John Bowe (52) to rinky dink deals.
Four former executives from Anglo and Irish Life & Permanent (ILP) are on trial for allegedly conspiring to mislead investors by setting up a 7.2 billion circular transaction scheme to bolster Anglo's balance sheet.
Mr Bowe from Glasnevin, Dublin, Willie McAteer (65) of Greenrath, Tipperary Town, Co. Tipperary, Denis Casey (56), from Raheny, Dublin, Peter Fitzpatrick (63) of Convent Lane, Portmarnock, Dublin have all pleaded not (NOT) guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to conspiring together and with others to mislead investors through financial transactions between March 1st and September 30th, 2008.
On day 62 the 13-strong jury listened to taped telephone calls involving Mr Drumm speaking, in what counsel called fairly colourful terms, to Mr Bowe, Anglo's head of Capital Markets at the time. The calls were played as part of the evidence of Mr Bowe's cautioned interviews made to investigators from the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation in June 2012.
In a discussion in September 2008 about the bank's upcoming end of year accounts Mr Drumm told Mr Bowe to just leave the rating agency aside for a minute because that's just a complete fucking nigger in the woodpile.
Mr Drumm asks Mr Bowe do we have to cash back that? if they got six billion from ILP? Asked about this telephone call Mr Bowe told gardai it might be a loose use of terminology and Mr Drumm may have been questioning if the bank had the money to place with ILP.
He agreed that it clearly showed a relationship between Anglo's deposits with ILP and Irish Life's deposit back with Anglo.
Elsewhere in the tapes Mr Drumm tells Mr Bowe that the bigger picture is that on September 30 even with the six billion fixes which Mr fucking Denis (Casey) confirmed for me this morning....we're fucked.
Mr Bowe replied: We're still in a hole. Mr Drumm later tells him: We have to get a get out of jail card before December 3rd. Unless we can fix the poxy balance sheet over year end, which is next weekend, which to me just does not look doable.
He adds: If we pop up with that balance sheet it's curtains.
Mr Drumm later asked Mr Bowe how Anglo would collateralise the loans from ILP and the accused replied: Its done as a cash deal. So the money just goes into him but he pays it back.
Mr Drumm then asked: Are you going to be able to bloat the balance sheet...over year end with short term inter-bank and all that sort of stuff and shove it into liquidity? He talked about the bank surviving the next few weeks.
In another taped telephone call Mr Bowe asked his Treasury colleague Ciaran McArdle in March 2008 about rinky dink deals. In interview Mr Bowe told Detective Sergeant Michael McKenna that this was a reference to transactions designed to support the customers deposit number.
He said it wasn't a financial term. Asked if he agreed the term suggested dodgy deals Mr Bowe said: No I wouldnt agree. If I wanted to convey dodgy I would have said dodgy.
He said he had heard the phrase used to describe deposits which are a little bit different.
The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
The dismembered body of Kenneth O'Brien was found in a suitcase dumped in a canal (Garda/PA)
A 48-YEAR-OLD Dublin man charged with the murder of Kenneth O'Brien, whose dismembered body was found in a suitcase in a canal, has been further remanded in custody pending the preparation of a book of evidence.
Paul Wells from Barnamore Park in Finglas will face his next hearing on May 11 at Cloverhill District Court, a judge ordered.
JCB driver Kenneth O'Brien (33) from Lealand Road in Clondalkin in Dublin was reported missing on January 15th after he had left his home telling family members he was going to work. The father-of-one had recently come back from Australia where he had been employed for three years.
The following day his torso was found in suitcase by walkers at the Grand Canal near Cellbridge in Co. Kildare. Investigating gardai carried out a search operation resulting in other body parts being found in bags in the canal. DNA tests confirmed the remains were those of Mr O'Brien.
In February, Paul Wells was charged with the murder of Kenneth O'Brien on or about January 15th and 16th. The murder is alleged to have occurred at the defendant's address.
He was remanded in custody and faced his sixth hearing yesterday/today (wed) when he appeared before Judge Victor Blake at Cloverhill District Court.
Paul Wells was further remanded in custody for another two weeks while the prosecution is preparing a book of evidence.
Due to the nature of the charge he would have to make a bail application in the High Court.
A second man arrested in connection with the investigation was released from Garda custody without charge and a file is to be sent to the DPP.
A mother who lost her only son in a hit-and-run accident has settled her High Court action against the driver.
Lucia O Farrell's law student son Shane was knocked down as he cycled near his home at Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan.
Shane (23) had just handed in his dissertation for his masters degree in law at Trinity College Dublin and was training for a triathlon when the accident happened.
Mrs O'Farrell sued the driver of the car, Lithuanian national Zigimantas Gridziuska (39), for nervous shock as a result of the accident on August 2, 2011.
She told the court the joy is gone out of her life since her son died.
"I re-live every minute of the day that it happened.I will never move on. My life is over," she said.
The 57-year old mother-of-three said she had a special bond with her only son and has not changed anything in his room since his death.
"His laptop is where he left it; his jeans that he took off still on the bed. The guitar gathers dust. I have not touched anything in his room, you think maybe he could just come back."
She added: "My son is dead and is not coming home. I lost my only son.Now I see everything as being over. There is no fixing it."
Mrs O'Farrell said she had to give up her job as a psychiatric nurse due to ill health after the accident and became quite isolated. She said she did not want to go out or meet anyone or encounter Mr Gridziuska as he was out on bail on charges relating to the accident.
Shane died after his bike was struck by a car on the N2 Dublin to Derry Road between Carrickmacross and Castleblaney sometime after 10pm.
Mr Gridziuska who lived in Carrickmacross at the time was given a suspended sentence of eight months on condition that he leave the country.
Handing down the sentence Judge Patrick McCartan described Gridziuska as a "massive liability" who "offers nothing to the community".
He had pleaded guilty to failing to stop his car at the scene of an accident and was also banned from driving for ten years.
The High Court was told today by Gabriel Gavigan SC the case had been settled and could be struck out. The terms of the settlement are confidential.
Anthony Kidney SC, for Mr Gridziuska, pointed out to the court the defendant's legal team empathised and sympathised with the O O'Farells and had defended the case on the instruction of the insurer.
Judge Raymond Fullam said it was in everyones best interests that the case had been settled.
He said the OFarrells now, with "the trauma of this litigation, both criminal and civil, behind them can face the future together and live with their great loss."
A solicitor, who took out a fraudulent mortgage in 2009 after his father's law firm got into trouble with the Law Society, has avoided a prison sentence.
Declan McEvoy (50) was principal at the criminal law firm, William Early Solicitors, in Carlow town, when his father's firm, JM McEvoy in Gorey was being investigated. His father had also previously been State Solicitor in the Wexford town.
However, Mr William Early left the practice in 1993 and had no involvement with the firm since that date.
The Law Society allowed Mr McEvoy Snr to retire from the firm on the condition that his son took it over. Declan McEvoy later used the 297,000 he fraudulently obtained from AIB in order to clear debts in his father's firm.
McEvoy, who now has an address, in Melbourne, Australia pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to dishonestly obtaining a mortgage with AIB for 297,000 on dates between May 5, 2009 and July 20, 2009. He has no previous convictions.
His defence counsel told Judge Melanie Greally that a series of skeletons started coming out of the cupboard of the Gorey practice and McEvoy obtained a mortgage fraudulently to mop it up and maintain both firms.
He made a very serious error in judgement Felix McEnroy SC said and he tried to solve problems that in many respects had not been his creation.
Judge Greally said McEvoy had brought disgrace upon himself and his position as a solicitor was an aggravating factor as it involved a breach of trust.
She said such cases would typically warrant a jail term in the public interest but that McEvoy's exceptional mitigation meant she could impose a suspended sentence.
The judge said she did not believe McEvoy would re-offend therefore the aim of sentencing was retribution, not rehabilitation or deterrence.
She noted the extreme financial pressure he was under at the time and his efforts to make a new life for himself and his family in Australia before imposing a 18 month suspended sentence.
Detective Sergeant Martin Griffin told Ronan Kennedy BL, prosecuting, that when McEvoy accepted the offer from AIB it was on the condition that he was the registered owner of the property in Castleknock, Dublin for which he was taking out the mortgage.
It later transpired that his sister was the owner of the house and McEvoy had acted as her solicitor when she later sold it for 310,000 in December 2009.
The buyer had put down a deposit on the property in August 2009, a month after McEvoy drew down his mortgage for the house.
Det Sgt Griffin said McEvoy made the monthly mortgage repayments until the High Court seized all his assets and froze his bank accounts in September 2011.
Another Carlow law firm, O'Gorman and Begley Solicitors, who signed the undertaking for McEvoy's mortgage, were ultimately sued when the fraud was discovered and McEvoy wasn't able to keep up with the repayments.
Their insurance company later paid AIB 245,000, the balance remaining on the mortgage. AIB then reported the case to the Garda fraud squad.
McEvoy had been living in Australia since 2012 with his wife and teenage sons. He returned to Ireland last January, surrendered his passport and pleaded guilty.
Murder accused David Mahon arrives in court with his wife, Audrey, who is mother of Dean Fitzpatrick, whom Mahon is alleged to have stabbed. Photo: Collins
The former girlfriend of Dean Fitzpatrick has said his stepfather threatened to stick a knife in her neck, a jury has heard.
David Mahon (46) sounded "aggressive" and "angry about something" when he rang her, Dean's former girlfriend Sarah O'Rourke told the Central Criminal Court.
The jury heard there were numerous calls made by Mr Mahon to his stepson Dean Fitzpatrick on the night he died.
Some were answered, but most were not.
Mr Mahon is alleged to have told his own father that Dean had been sending him threatening text messages in the days leading up to his death.
His long-time friend Karl O'Toole also claimed Mr Mahon told his father Mr Fitzpatrick "came at him with a knife" and "he ended up being stabbed".
The accused, of Ongar Village in Clonsilla, denies murdering 23-year-old Dean Fitzpatrick on May 26, 2013.
Mr Fitzpatrick is the brother of Amy Fitzpatrick who went missing in Spain in 2008 when she was 15.
Dean Fitzpatrick was stabbed to death outside Mahon's apartment at Burnell Square, Northern Cross in Malahide.
Sarah O'Rourke, Mr Fitzpatrick's former girlfriend and the mother of his young son, told the jury she last saw Dean on Saturday morning, May 25, 2013 as she was going to the shop with her two children.
He stopped and spoke to them, and she saw he had a black eye.
She questioned Dean about his black eye and he said he owed someone money and he cycled off.
She also said she and Dean had been fighting around the time of his death, and they weren't getting on.
Earlier in the week prior to his death, Ms O'Rourke said she had asked Dean to leave their home after she discovered he had been selling tablets.
Ms O'Rourke also told the jury she received a phone call from Mr Mahon on the Saturday night.
He sounded aggressive and angry about something, and told her to put Dean on the phone.
Ms O'Rourke explained the pair were fighting and Dean was probably in his dad's place.
She said Mr Mahon had it in his head that Dean was with her and he started getting aggressive on the phone, saying "Sarah, put him on." She told him, "He's not here, Davey".
Ms O'Rourke said Mr Mahon then threatened to "come to Lusk and stick a knife in your neck".
She thought Mr Mahon was under the influence of alcohol and hung up on him.
Ms O'Rourke said she then texted Dean, saying Mr Mahon was looking for him and he needed to "go and sort it out".
In cross-examination, Ms O'Rourke accepted she was "shocked and surprised" because she "had never seen a bad side" to Mr Mahon.
The court also heard from taxi driver Karl O'Toole who said his friend Mr Mahon called him on the Saturday night, saying he was in a bit of trouble and he and Audrey (Fitzpatrick, now his wife) had split up for good.
He said he went to Mr Mahon's apartment and was there when Dean Fitzpatrick arrived.
Mr O'Toole said the accused was drunk.
He said Mr Mahon accused Dean of stealing a part of his bike and he initially denied it, but then admitted he'd done it to annoy him.
Mr O'Toole said both men were agitated, but Dean said he'd return the part the following day and he left.
He said Mr Mahon told him: "I'll be back in a minute" and went out on to the landing.
He said Mr Mahon wasn't gone for long, maybe a minute, and when he came back he was holding a knife.
Mr O'Toole said he got "such a fright" and described the knife as "a large knife, a long knife".
He said Mr Mahon said: "You'll have to get me out of here. I have to go".
Mr Mahon was very agitated, Mr O'Toole said, so they left the apartment, got into his taxi and he was "just driving".
He drove on the back roads towards Swords, and he recalled Mr Mahon asking him to stay off the motorways due to CCTV.
Mr O'Toole said Mr Mahon told him he thought "Dean is dead" and "the knife went through him".
He said he advised him to go to the gardai, but "Dave was not really making any sense at all".
The pair then drove to Mr Mahon's father's house, arriving at 3am or 4am.
Mr O'Toole said Mr Mahon told his father that "Dean came at him with a knife and he ended up being stabbed".
Asked by Remy Farrell SC if Mr Mahon had said he had stabbed Dean, Mr O'Toole said "yeah".
Mr O'Toole said Mr Mahon also told his father that Dean had been sending him threatening text messages.
The trial continues.
Maxine Benson, 32, who has been jailed at the Old Bailey for life with the minimum of 23 years and six months for stabbing 18-year-old Alfie Stone to death in a petty row over pasta. Photo: Metropolitan Police/PA Wire
A woman has been jailed for life with the minimum of 23 years and six months for stabbing a teenager to death in a petty row over pasta.
Maxine Benson, 32, launched an attack on 18-year-old Alfie Stone after making accusations that he or his older brother had eaten her food.
Following a trial at the Old Bailey, Benson was found guilty of murdering Alfie outside a Tesco Express in High Road, Ickenham, west London, on November 9 last year.
The court had heard that Benson was captured on CCTV wielding the knife and was also witnessed by members of the public who rushed to give Alfie first aid.
Afterwards, the defendant, of no fixed address, fled the scene but handed herself in to police two days later.
Alfie died within hours and a post-mortem examination gave the cause as blood loss and a stab wound to the heart.
Detective Chief Inspector Nicky Wall, from Scotland Yard, said: "Alfie Stone was a much- loved young man who lost his life in tragic circumstances; today the court has reached a decision on Benson and we welcome the outcome."
Benson's co-defendants, Corinne Cripps, 29, of High Road, Ickenham, and her boyfriend, Steve Hawgood, 28 of Kingston Avenue, West Drayton, were cleared of murder.
The jury could not reach a verdict on a charge of manslaughter and a decision on whether both will face a retrial is awaited.
The remains of Michael 'Mickey' Barr (right) are removed from the murder scene, inset Michael Barr
A dissident republican prisoner group has paid tribute to gangland murder victim Michael 'Mickey' Barr.
The 35-year-old was gunned down as he worked in The Sunset House in Dublin's Summerhill on Monday night.
His murder is believed to be connected to the ongoing gangland feud between the rival Hutch and Kinahan mobs.
Despite his links to drugs gangs, the Irish Republican Prisoner Welfare Association (IRPWA) insisted Barr was "held in such high regards".
In a statement, released on their Facebook page, the group said: "IRPWA would like to extend our condolences to the family of former Republican Prisoner and IRPWA member Mickey Barr RIP who was tragically murdered on Monday night.
"After his release from Portlaoise Prison Mickey worked tirelessly for the IRPWA and he will be sorely missed by all those who worked alongside him and by his comrades in Portlaoise, Maghaberry and Hydebank.
"Our thoughts are with his partner, children, father and entire family circle at this difficult time and hope they find some comfort in the fact that Mickey was held in such high regard by his comrades in the IRPWA."
The statement went on to say that funeral arrangements will be announced later.
Barr was originally from Co Tyrone but had been living in north Dublin for the last number of years.
A senior republican source claimed Barr had recently left the New IRA.
The source added that Barr will not get a republican military-style funeral.
The IRPWA claim on their website to be an all Ireland body set up to look after the welfare of Republican Prisoners.
They claim that they are not aligned to any political group.
Last Saturday the group held a controversial military style parade on Dublin's O'Connell Street to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising.
New and better ways of assessing Irish students at all stages of education is the focus of a research centre at Dublin City University. Stock Image
New and better ways of assessing Irish students at all stages of education is the focus of a research centre at Dublin City University (DCU).
The new Centre for Assessment Research and Policy in Education is Ireland's first such centre of expertise and will provide a crucial voice in light of the long-running controversy over changes in how junior cycle students are assessed.
It will be located within the DCU Institute of Education, created by the coming together of St Patrick's College of Education, Mater Dei Institute and the Church of Ireland College of Education with DCU.
Prometric, the US-based testing company with 180 employees in Ireland, contributed nearly 1m to the centre, which will be headed by Professor Michael O'Leary.
ACTING Environment Minister Alan Kelly has described the decision to scrap water charges as "political, economic and environmental sabotage".
In a hard-hitting speech in the Dail, the Labour Party deputy leader questioned whether Fine Gael and Fianna Fail are acting within the law by suspending charges indefinitely.
Mr Kelly launched a strong attack on both parties, warning that the decision will plunge the country back to 1977 when Fianna Fail abolished domestic rates.
"Fianna Fail had the chance to make a stand on mental health services, on renewal of rural Ireland, to end child poverty or to institute a living wage, yet they have made a stand on an issue that costs people 3 a week. Priorities?"
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He also said Fine Gael and Fianna Fail must now tell "law abiding citizens" who have paid their bills whether they will receive refunds.
In a stark warning, Mr Kelly said the move to suspend charges will result in water shortages in Dublin in the future.
"A suspension or scrapping of charges will lose billions of potential investment in water and I believe we will have water shortages in Dublin in future years."
The Tipperary TD became angry when the acting chairperson Alan Farrell told him he had run out of time.
Mr Kelly's Labour colleague Brendan Howlin interjected, saying it is "his last sentence, show some respect."
Mr Kelly said Ireland has obligations under the EU to have a charging system in place and we risk breaking the law if the plans to suspend charges materalise.
And he took a swipe at Minister Simon Coveney, without mentioning him by name, following his appearance on Primetime on March 1 during which he opened the door to a change in policy on water.
"The people who paid of which there are approximately 950,000 households may be about to be made fools of and the 340,000 people who already paid for water are being given nothing but disregard by Fianna Fail. Whats more, Irish Water reported to me that during the election the payment rate actually increased and while not all the data was collected, it was likely that a payment rate of 70% was likely. Then Prime Time on the 1st of March happened," Mr Kelly said.
"It is my view that if the suspension/abolition goes ahead, this will cost us more in the long-run. There is one vital question and it is the following, Are Fianna Fail and Fine Gael acting within the law? Does the decision to suspend water charges run contrary to EU law and in particular article 9 of the Water Framework directive?"
In a similarly passionate speech, Fianna Fail's Environment spokesperson Barry Cowen defended his partys stance on water.
The Offaly TD, who is one of the Fianna Fail negotiators in the government formation talks, described Irish Water as a runaway train.
They rushed it, it was ill thought out, it was ill conceived. It was most expensive to put it mildly, Mr Cowen said.
It quickly ran out of control, it became a runaway train costing billions. And it has cost the taxpayer on the double, he added.
Mr Cowen said water charges were rammed down the throat of households, adding that the previous government performed 13 u-turns on the issue.
While admitting it wasnt the dominant election issue, Mr Cowen said it was clear water charges was the issue that could strangle the new Dail and cause another election.
For the early part of the debate, there was no Fine Gael TD in the chamber.
The first to eventually speak was Acting Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney, who is a Fine Gael negotiator.
Mr Coveney said he envisaged charges to be suspended for nine months.
He said Fine Gael will secure the future of Irish Water and introduce a charging system based on evidence and what is right.
Water charges are to be scrapped for the foreseeable future after Fine Gael and Fianna Fail edged towards a deal that will see Enda Kenny elected as Taoiseach.
The parties have agreed to suspend bills for all Irish Water customers and to kick the issue to a commission of independent experts.
However, households who have paid their charges up to now will not get refunds. Instead Irish Water will continue to chase those who have boycotted bills for arrears.
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The findings of the commission, which will sit for up to nine months, will be referred to a cross-party Oireachtas committee which will have the power to call witnesses.
No definitive timeline has been agreed for when the committee would finish its work, but one senior sources suggested tonight the issue should be resolved by the summer of 2017.
The committee will have full scope to advise the Dail to abolish charges, introduce a new model of charging or stick with the existing system.
The Dail's 157 TDs will then debate and vote on the issue - but sources in Fianna Fail said that given the make-up of the 32nd Dail, they do not envisage charges being reintroduced.
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A senior source told the Irish Independent: "This means the effective end of water charges for this Dail term."
From Fine Gael's perspective, the deal on water will ensure Enda Kenny is re-elected Taoiseach, possibly as early as next Wednesday.
The Irish Independent has learned that as part of the compromise Fianna Fail has accepted that Irish Water will remain in place as a public utility.
A new statutory advisory body is to be set up to monitor the company's work and "to improve transparency" at the utility.
It will operate independently of the company and report directly to an Oireachtas committee.
The commission is also likely to examine the rural-urban divide when it comes to water charges, meaning there could be some financial relief down the line for householders who are part of group water schemes.
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Fianna Fail will describe the deal as a victory as it now prepares to support a minority Fine Gael government for three budgets.
But party leader Micheal Martin is likely to still face criticism from Sinn Fein and other left-wing TDs when the Dail sits today.
Both party leaders must also persuade their respective parliamentary parties to back the deal today.
Meanwhile, a Fine Gael TD has slammed the acting Government over their inability to let rank and file members know what is going on with the negotiations
Fine Gael Wexford backbench TD Michael W. D'Arcy admitted he was in the dark regarding the Government negotiations and what is happening with the water charges.
Unfortunately Fine Gael backbenchers have in the dark for some time.
"I am hearing conversations that a deal has been done and that could be the case. As of now of I dont have information on that deal.
In an interview with Morning Ireland, Mr DArcy said that there are difficulties for the people who have already paid their water charges
If we are suspending charges, those people should get their money back. It is sending out all of the wrong signals. It is going to be very difficult to charge people for anything now. It will be difficult to get people to pay taxes.
Mr DArcy said that Fianna Gael have rolled over on water charges.
Ten days we were told in the Parliamentary Party that we werent going to accept any changes to Irish Water. We decided it was the correct thing to do. Here we are less than two weeks later doing a complete U-turn.
The two negotiating teams are due to meet again in Trinity College to finalise the detail of the minority arrangement.
There are a small number of outstanding issues still to be teased out by the two parties including rent supplement, mortgage interest relief and in education.
But a source said: "If we can crack Irish Water, we can work through those."
It is expected that it will take another two to three days for the final deal to be thrashed out, with Mr Kenny now likely to be re-elected as Taoiseach towards the middle of next week.
Fianna Fail has said it will agree to facilitate a Fine Gael-led minority government until the summer of 2018, but they are willing to extend this until the autumn so that three budgets can be passed.
Mr Kenny had earlier surprised his ministers after claiming that they had attended their last Cabinet meeting.
He told the meeting that "history will be kind" to the Fine Gael/Labour Party government and thanked his ministers for their service.
One minister present said had he interpreted Mr Kenny's remarks as meaning a second election was imminent.
NITI Aayog in collaboration with Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) and Temasek Foundation, Singapore is organizing an Urban Management Programme for Capacity Building of officials of State Governments and ULBs in implementing the Urban Rejuvenation Mission. Officials from 7 States (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh & Assam) would be participating in this Programme. The Programme would cover areas of Urban Planning & Governance, Water, Waste Water & Solid Waste Management and Public Financing (PPP) of Urban Infrastructure. The Launch of the Programme is scheduled from 10:20 A.M. on 27 April, 2016 at Hall No. 4, Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The Programme Launch would be followed by a two day Workshop on 28 & 29 April, 2016 on Urban Planning & Governance in Vigyan Bhawan.
Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, Dr Arvind Panagariya will chair the Launch Programme which will be attended by the Member NITI Aayog, Dr Bibek Debroy, High Commissioner of Singapore, the CEO of Singapore co-operation Enterprise, SCE and the CEO of Temasek Foundation and senior officials from State Governments of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Assam, the Union Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Housing and Poverty Alleviation, NITI Aayog, academic institutions like School of Planning & Architecture, Delhi etc would attend the meet. The state participation is at the level of Secretaries of Urban Development, Municipal Commissioners and other senior officials of State Government and parastatal bodies.
The Programme has been designed by NITI Aayog, Temasek Foundation and Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) under the platform of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between NITI Aayog and the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) to tap the expertise of Singapore in urban sector to build capacities in State Governments and ULBs. During the program, experts from Singapore would impart training in highly interactive workshops and share Singapore's and international experiences with the participants. The workshops and advisory sessions would be highly interactive and focus on Urban Planning & Governance, Water and Wastewater Management, Solid Waste Management and bringing in private sector efficiencies in urban infrastructure. Towards the end of the Progaramme, Strategic Base line Frameworks will be developed in this areas of Urban Management
Background:
Urbanisation offers an opportunity to India to achieve higher economic growth as cities provide economies of agglomeration. Urbanisation level in India, which was around 31 per cent in census 2011 is estimated to increase and reach 40 per cent by 2030 in percentage terms, the urbanisation level may appear to be modest, however in absolute numbers it is very large. Urban population of India is more than the entire population of United States of America or Brazil. The urban economy has also witnessed significant growth and is contributing to around 60 per cent of GDP. However, to reap the full benefits of urbanisation, it is important that it is efficient and sustainable.
Rapid urbanisation is increasing the pressure on provision of basic services to citizens like water, sanitation and mobility in the urban areas in the country. Infrastructure deficit is increasing the coping costs as well as leading to loss of productivity in the cities. It is also adversely affecting the ability of cities in attracting investment in this globalized world. Governance in urban centres is also emerging as a major challenge particularly with the increasing number of census towns. Further, with the increasing pressure on natural resources, sustainability of cities is emerging as a major concern. A deficiency in processing and scientific disposal of urban waste is resulting in a situation where Indian cities are polluting water bodies, degrading soil and environment at a much larger scale than they use these resources. Environmental sustainability of Indian cities is therefore becoming a major imperative for guiding efficient urbanisation.
Therefore it is necessary to take measures to ensure that the urbanisation is efficient. It is imperative to improve the provisioning of basic infrastructure and governance in our cities so that the cities enable better living and drive economic growth and emerge as Engines of Economic Growth and moreover do so in a sustainable manner. The urban centres have to become areas of intense mobility, socio-economic activity and hope for a large number of population. To transform the urban landscape in the country, the Government has recently launched the Urban Rejuvenation Mission (URM) comprising of Atal Mission for Urban Rejuvenation and Transformation (AMRUT), Smart Cities Mission and Housing for All.
The 74th Constitutional Amendment accorded constitutional status to the municipal bodies by initiating a process of democratic decentralisation with the objective of making urban governance more responsive. In order to meet the growing aspirations and expectations of people, and to meet the challenges of urbanisation, governance in the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) needs to become more efficient, effective, responsive, citizen friendly, transparent and accountable. Currently, many Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) do not have sufficient capacity to plan, finance and implement efficient, smart and sustainable solutions for urban problems.
In order to effectively realise the vision of urban transformation, one of the key objectives is to build sufficient capacities in the Urban Local Bodies and State Government in urban management and provide greater financial and functional autonomy to the ULBs. In this backdrop, NITI Aayog has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) to tap the expertise of Singapore in urban sector to build capacities in State Governments and ULBs to facilitate in implementation of the Urban Rejuvenation Mission.
Source:PIB
Fianna Fails Niall Collins has called on Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald to say how much of the 5m committed to tackling organised crime last February has actually been drawn down by gardai and where has it been spent. Photo: Tom Burke
Gardai must urgently be given more resources to hold back the wave of gangland crime sweeping the city, politicians have said.
Fianna Fail's Niall Collins condemned the murders of Michael Barr (35) and Thomas Farnan (38) but questioned what had happened to the 5m committed to tackle organised crime last February.
He said Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald must say how much of that money has actually been drawn down by gardai and where has it been spent.
"Since then we have seen more violent killings as the war between feuding gangs escalates. This raises serious questions about the resources promised by Minister Fitzgerald," he said.
"Fianna Fail has consistently raised concerns about garda numbers and resources. The force has been seriously depleted and starved of funding needed to ensure that it can effectively target criminal activity."
Mr Collins called for a new Serious and Organised Crime Unit to be established to fight criminal networks.
"We can't allow this gangland feud to spiral further. Efforts to defeat it must be intensified," he said.
A spokesman for the Justice Minister told the Irish Independent the murders were "shocking acts of violence" and that she shares "the widespread revulsion at such heinous crimes".
"The minister utterly condemns all such acts of violence, and reaffirms her determination to support An Garda Siochana in pursuing those responsible.
"The minister remains committed to providing the necessary legislative and financial resources to enable An Garda Siochana to oppose violent criminals and she remains in close contact with the Garda Commissioner in this regard," he said.
Independent TD Finian McGrath complained that no Dail time was set aside to debate the murders.
"Two people were gunned down on their streets in gangland murders. One happened in the Sunset House pub on the north side of Dublin, which many of us know from going to Croke Park over many years. The other murder took place in Clondalkin," he told the Dail.
"This is a major issue that should also be debated. It is a very important issue. Action should be taken by the Garda Commissioner and the Minister for Justice with people being gunned down in pubs and houses. This is not acceptable."
Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald, who represents the Dublin Central constituency where Mr Barr was targeted, described his murder as a "brazen killing".
"The reaction on the ground is one of upset, distress and anger. There is also a feeling of vulnerability," she said.
Ms McDonald said those involved in the shooting "know no fear and they seem to believe in their own invincibility".
"In the inner city, on both sides of the River Liffey, we are down substantially in garda numbers, by 100 officers. It is only a matter of time before another innocent person is injured or worse," she said.
Some 20 homes linked to gangland criminals were raided by 100 armed officers and unarmed uniformed gardai. Stock picture
Drug gangs in Limerick have been hit hard during a series of garda raids on the back of the seizure of 170,000 worth of illegal drugs.
Some 20 homes linked to gangland criminals were raided by 100 armed officers and unarmed uniformed gardai.
It follows a crackdown on the operations of the gangs in recent days, which saw gardai seize an estimated 168,500 worth of heroin, cocaine and cannabis.
Armed officers attached to the Garda Regional Support Unit swooped on the homes on the south and north of Limerick city around 7am yesterday.
The planned operation was targeting the activities of the Dundon/McCarthy and Keane/Collopy gangs.
One man in his 20s was detained by gardai, under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.
Gardai also seized laptops, mobile phones and documents during the raids.
It comes after the recent arrest of a senior member of one of the gangs.
The "leading member" was recently released from prison and arrested again for alleged criminal offences.
He is described by gardai as "extremely dangerous" and has previous convictions, including for possession of a loaded gun and ammunition.
Despite the jailing of senior players of the Dundon/McCarthy gang, and a garda crackdown on the Keane/Collopys' drug business, a younger generation of criminals, aligned to the rival factions, have now come on gardai's radar.
Shane Kirwan: Things could have been so different for me
Public patients with vague symptoms which may be a sign of cancer can be worst hit by delays in getting tests, a GP has warned.
Dr Brian Osborne, a GP in Galway, said these delays can damage patients' chances of fighting the disease.
He was commenting as a report claimed a form of "health apartheid" leaves many public patients waiting for months for a test that someone paying privately can access in days.
Women with ovarian cancer are particularly at risk of delayed diagnosis, as well as patients with other gynaecological, neurological, urological and head and neck cancers.
A postal survey of 214 GPs found some patients who are waiting for an ultrasound face delays of 480 days and they can be in a queue for 125 days for a CT scan.
Waiting times for abdominal ultrasounds can extend to up to 81 days.
He also criticised the level of information GPs are getting from hospitals about their patients who are diagnosed and in treatment.
"It is haphazard. With serious diagnosis the patient may not have taken it in. Studies show you don't take in 90pc of information you are given for the first time," he said, commenting on the report from the Irish Cancer Society.
Head of cancer services in the HSE Dr Jerome Coffey insisted yesterday the report was "flawed."
He said some of the information in it is out of date as the HSE was now providing direct access to ultrasound to all GPs for public patients along the western seaboard, although this is not fully available in Cork. Dr Mary Laffoy of the HSE cancer service said one of the problems was finding staff to provide the scans.
Dr Coffey insisted: "The report is flawed in some respects in that it did not give GPs a chance to differentiate between an urgent and routine referral.
"Urgent cancer referrals are prioritised. Our own research shows that the wait-time for a breast consultation is within 10 working days, the median wait-time for an urgent pelvic ultrasound was found to be 2.5 days, the wait time for an urgent chest X-ray is approximately two days."
Bowel cancer survivor Shane Kirwan, a shopkeeper in Drimnagh in Dublin, said he counts himself among the lucky ones.
He suffered from cramping and constipation, prompting him to go to his GP.
He was referred to St James's Hospital where he had a colonoscopy to examine his bowel within weeks.
"I ended up having surgery to have very early cancer removed and I needed no other treatment," he said.
He is grateful that the day he was discharged his daughter Heidi was born and he has the chance to see her grow up.
"I know others are not so lucky. Things could have been different for me," he said.
Marina and Alan Killoran at their home in Newbridge Credit: Kyran O'Brien
An Irish mother who made a last ditch online appeal for a life-saving operation will travel to the US in less than two months for the treatment.
Marina Jordan Killoran (45) suffers with an incurable auto-immune disease called Systemic Scleroderma and was told by medics she needed a stem cell transplant, which is not available in Ireland.
Just two weeks ago she issued a last-ditch appeal for help on Independent.ie after it emerged that the treatment would cost $125,000 (109,000), not including travel, accommodation or aftercare expenses.
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Incredibly the family have now raised 160,000. Speaking to Independent.ie Marina said she has now booked her flights and accommodation for the treatment.
It is going to be six weeks of very intense medical treatment and then we will see how I will recover from that.
We are heading out on June 12 and we are there until the 13th of August - provided I dont get an infection and Im healthy enough to fly back.
Over those six weeks Marina will have her stem cells harvested and cleaned, before undergoing five days of chemotherapy. Her clean cells are then infused back into her body.
They reinfuse me with my own stem cells so my body wont reject it because they will recognise them. At the same time they will have been cleaned of the disease in the hope then that my body will copy it.
The complex operation will be carried out Dr Richard Burt of the Northwest Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
Marina will travel to Chicago with her husband Alan but their daughters Shannon (20) and Erin (16) will remain in Ireland during the treatment.
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Unfortunately Marina will miss Shannons 21st birthday.
I never envisioned when she was born that this was the path it we would take, that I would be spending her 21st in a Chicago hospital. We will make it up to her when I get home.
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Marina explained that they intend to use any extra money raised to pay for the expensive costs of Intensive Care treatment, should she require it.
It costs $10,000 (8,840) a night for a stay at ICU in Northwest.
Marina insisted that any cash left over will go straight back into supporting others with the rare disease. Since her appeal the mum, who is originally from Tallaght, has been inundated with calls from others suffering with the same disease.
The kindness and the energy from the Irish people has given me that extra energy and boost.
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People who have lost people to the illness have called me and said that they would love for treatment to be there for the illness.
They want to see that there is hope there for the future. They want to make sure that nobody else loses a loved one to this disease, she said.
She now plans to create a foundation after hearing of a young teenager with the same illness.
We have only heard recently of a young guy who has it and he is 16.
That is tragic, that is heartbreaking. How does that happen to a young guy in his prime?
Support Marina here. You can also follow on Facebook and Twitter
Morning commuters suffering delays this morning as a result of an incident on the northbound DART line.
Trams to Howth are temporarily suspended due to a passenger taking ill on a train at Grand Canal Dock.
The incident occurred around 730am this morning on the Greystones to Malahide line.
The passenger received medical attention at the scene.
Commuters are experiencing knock on effects as a result of the incident.
A spokesperson for Irish Rail told independent.ie that the incident was not serious.
'The passenger emerged at Pearse St with the aid of someone travelling with them.
'The incident is not believed to be serious and trams are now only running 10-15 minutes behind schedule.'
An Irish mum who suffered from post natal depression after the birth of her young son has slammed the poor Dail attendance at yesterday's mental health debate.
Images of an almost empty Dail chamber were circulated online after the debate amid claims that only 10 out of 158 TDs were in attendance.
Ciara O'Brien (31) was diagnosed with PND shortly after 21-month-old Jamie was born - and has been active in raising awareness around the lack of public services for those suffering with mental health disorders on social media ever since.
"I am so frustrated at the turn-out as every party candidate that knocked on my door in the election run-up spoke about additional funding, services and support when I asked them what their stance was on mental health," she told independent.ie.
"And yet there was practically no-one there to speak on behalf on those people who really need their voice heard.
"I just felt that they didn't care, that they don't think it's important. If it's not something as contentious as the water charges, it doesn't get any attention."
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The young mother - who lives with her partner and son in the Dublin suburb of Shankill - was placed on a public waiting list in 2014 for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and still hasn't received an appointment.
Despite struggling to meet financial commitments immediately after her child's birth, Ms O'Brien and her partner have had to pay e400 a month on private therapy fees.
"My doctor stressed to me that I needed therapy urgently and suggested I go private immediately while I was waiting on a public appointment," she said.
"If I couldn't make those payments - which are a huge financial burden - I don't know what position I would be in right now.
"I feel like I could have taken my own life and they still wouldn't care.
On her doctor's advice, Ms O'Brien is still attending weekly therapy sessions for depression, which she continues to pay for privately.
I would encourage everyone to contact their local TD and see if they attended the Dail today. #IAmAReason pic.twitter.com/Lw7DC5m4je Niall Breslin (@nbrez) April 26, 2016
She wants to know exactly where the funds allocated for mental health services is going and why the government is diverting 12m of the original 35m to other areas of the health service.
"I would like to see another discussion taking place - and I would like to know exactly why certain prominent figures were not there," she said.
"I am outraged, as I'm sure any other Irish person experiencing mental health problems are."
Thousands turned to Twitter last night voicing their concerns with the hashtag IAmAReason and calling for the restoration of funding for mental health services.
Today's empty Dail giving powerful visibility to immense stigma still engulfing this aspect of the human experience pic.twitter.com/TKuKrGV6eR Conor Cusack (@Conor14Cusack) April 26, 2016
Sister Clare Theresa Crockett with a student at the school in Ecuador. Photo: PA/Home of the Mother order
Limerick nun Sr Therese Ryan survived the deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Ecuador as her colleague, Sr Clare Theresa Crockett from Derry, lost her life trying to save several children. Sr Crockett (33) has been described as a superstar, loved by everybody by her devastated family
The Home of the Mother order of a school in Playa Prieta, Ecuador. Photo: PA/Home of the Mother order
Sister Clare Theresa Crockett with a pupil at the Home of the Mother order school in Ecuador. Photo: Home of the Mother order/PA
The body of an Irish nun who died as she tried to save children during a devastating earthquake in Ecuador will be flown home to her native city in the next few days.
Sister Clare Theresa Crockett (33) was one of six people killed when a school collapsed during the disaster in Playa Prieta on April 16.
The South American country was hit by an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, bringing down buildings and damaging infrastructure, killing more than 650 people and injuring 16,000.
Sister Clare, who was from the Long Tower area of Derry, had been working at the school with the Home of the Mother order of nuns.
She was trying to lead six young Ecuadorian postulants to safety when a stairwell collapsed in the building.
Her family have faced a long wait to bring her home due to the massive devastation caused by the disaster.
But yesterday Colin Bell from the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, which has been working with the family, confirmed that her body would be brought home this week.
Mr Bell set up the trust - which has helped dozens of families hit by foreign tragedy - in memory of his own son who died in a hit-and-run in New York in 2013.
He said: "All the paperwork has been done and she will come home on the soonest available flight, which we hope will be the next day or two." The family were told at the time of Sister Clare's death that they would have to pay to repatriate the body.
As they wait to lay her to rest, her family and community have been fundraising to help cover the costs.
In a recent statement, the family said: "We will continue to fundraise, working with the Kevin Bell Trust who will provide the necessary assistance and should our fundraising yield more than is necessary to bring our beloved Clare home, the monies raised will be used by the trust to assist anyone else who may find themselves in a similar situation."
A fundraising page has been set up by local woman Sinead Johnson and has already raised almost 6,000.
She explained: "Unfortunately, at this sad time the family is faced with the ordeal of having to pay to get Clare's body home to where she belongs.
"Clare would have done anything to help anyone and we would be forever grateful if you could help Clare's family at this difficult time by making a donation to help with the costs."
Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has called on the people of the north inner city to unite in the face of the latest gangland shooting, warning "those who cultivate violence thrive on our silence".
He called for a "courageous coalition of strong people" to come together to challenge the "despicable and evil" gangland violence.
In strongly worded comments following the shooting dead of senior IRA member Michael Barr, Dr Martin said people must not close their eyes to what they know and appealed for some mechanism which would allow the substantial intelligence on the streets to be heard by the gardai.
And he said the "good honest men, women and children of parts of our inner city" must not be abandoned.
"The elderly live in fear. Their children are exposed to carnage on their streets. Their neighbourhood is being vilified; they are held to ransom by despicable people involved in the rackets of death.
"The promoters of violence think that they can impose their interests on society. We have to show them that together we are stronger than them and that we can bring them down," he said.
Responding to the Archbishop's call, the former Lord Mayor of Dublin, Christy Burke, told the Irish Independent that he is willing to mediate with others between the feuding gangs to try and bring an end to the violence.
He visited people living in the area yesterday and said some local authority tenants were looking for transfers out of the neighbourhood.
"It has really got completely out of hand. There is an atmosphere of fear," he said.
He appealed to those who are engaged in violence to "please, please, please restrain from the killings".
He said his own grandchildren have had to pass three murder scenes - Eddie Hutch's, Martin O'Rourke's and Michael Barr's - in the last nine weeks on their way to school. He said Fitzgibbon Street Garda Station must be re-opened and Cabra Garda Station to be opened on a full-time basis.
A Cork mum has described how she's working towards a positive future for her identical triplets who were born with autism and intellectual disabilities.
Avlyn McKeown explained how they were longed-for babies, born by IVF, and how she was shocked by the diagnosis.
"I cried. I always tell parents who are starting out on this journey that you grieve for the childhood you expected your children to have," she told The Ryan Tubridy Show on RTE Radio 1.
Her marriage broke down with the strain of raising three boys with such complex needs and Avlyn now bringing them up as a single mother - and she's determined to carve out a positive future for her family.
Her sons, Alex, Kyle and Rian will be six on May 6 and were diagnosed with autism three years ago.
"They're identical triplets and they have all been diagnosed with autisim," she said.
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"I struggled to conceive and underwent IVF. As a result, three beautiful little boys were born.
"I sailed through my pregnancy. They were born just under 30 weeks and were healthy boys.
"I thought life is going to start from here, a hectic life obviously but I thought 'this was it', we'll make our plans for the future," she said.
As the boys progressed, a family member noticed that they weren't hitting milestones and pulled Avlyn aside to air her concerns.
"I didn't notice it myself to be honest. Raising three boys, my first children, was a daunting task. Sleep deprivation played a huge part. Looking back, I don't even know how I managed at the time.
"I didn't want to know anything about it. They'd been born 10 weeks early and a typically developing triplet might take 18 months to catch up to a 'normal', full-term baby. I put everything down to prematurity."
However, the seeds of doubt had been planted in her mind and soon afterwards alarm bells started to ring. Avlyn raised her concerns with a public health nurse who placed the boys in early intervention.
Soon after the boys were diagnosed with autism and an intellectual disability.
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"I had suspected the diagnosis of autism but it was the intellectual disability that came as a shock," she said.
"The staff were very emotional when they broke the news. It's hard. We're the first set of triplets in Cork, and possibly Ireland, that have been diagnosed with autism."
Avlyn explained that her life would be very different without the support of Scoil Aislinn, a school in Cork that caters for children with autism and complex needs.
"The boys come home covered in make-up and smelling of perfume. The dedication and love that the staff show is just amazing," she said.
"They started in September but I can already see a change in them. Rian is my wild child, he would literally climb the walls. Kyle is a mummy's boy, he's very affectionate and cuddly. Alex is an introvert but since he's started school, particularly since Christmas, the difference in that child is amazing. He's so inquisitive. He is full of mischief and up to all sorts of divilment that he would never have engaged in previously.
"Rian has magnetic letters and is starting to spell out words that he sees in his environment or on TV. He spelled out the National Sculpture Centre because we pass by that building every day on the way to school. I didn't even notice that building had letters," said his immensely proud mum.
Despite being non-verbal, the boys can still manage to communicate with Avlyn.
"None of the boys have ever said 'mum' and that, for me, is the [one ] word that I want to hear their little voices say... but I'm not caught up in the vocal side of things. The boys are well able to communicate to me without spoken word," she explained.
Avlyn has been taking care of her children as a single mother since her marriage broke down.
"I feel that multiple births put a strain on marriage and when you have extra needs thrown in on top of that... you're just so focused on your children that the relationship suffers," she said.
Daily life can be challenging as the boys struggle to sleep - she jokes that she can survive on "one or two hours' sleep a night". They need help taking care of themselves. They know how to finger feed (breakfast is dry Cheerios and toast) and two out of three are toilet trained (she is currently working on training Alex) but "melt-downs" are a struggle.
"Melt-downs are not pretty. They completely shut down and you can't talk to them or reason with them. If you try to reassure them, they don't want you near them.
"When it happens I lay them in a beanbag so they can't hurt themselves or me. That's not a happy state and it can be quite disturbing at times. In school they're being taught to self-regulate so I'm trying that at home - you really do need to walk away when they're in that heightened state."
Avlyn's parents have moved into her home to help ease some of the strain and together they're working on creating a happy environment for the three boys but the Cobh mother said there are external issues that she wishes she could change.
"Gaining access to occupational therapies and associated services is hard. It's so expensive. Some sessions can cost about 75 an hour and if you're multiplying that by three... I just couldn't afford it.
"I also wish that there was more awareness and understanding of autism [in Ireland]. For example, if I'm out in a supermarket and one of the children has a meltdown, people aren't aware he has autism. They're looking at him thinking, 'what a pup', you know, they're so quick to judge.
Despite the enormous challenges she faces, Avlyn is determined to keep a positive outlook on life.
"At the end of the day if I'm going around with a cloud over my head or if I'm low or depressed, what good am I to my children?
"I'm a very positive person. My attitude is that I have three beautiful, happy, healthy little boys. They're physically perfect."
You might know fugu, the toxic puffer fish that was once the subject of an episode of The Simpsons.
It's considered a delicacy in Japan and China, despite containing enough poison to be fatal to 30 adults.
Chefs need a special licence to prepare it and must undergo a ten-year apprenticeship before handling the fish.
YouTube channel , Great Big Story, spoke to fugu expert Yutaka Sasaki, a chef with more than 45 years experience preparing the raw fish.
The video explains how he prepares the potentially lethal dish.
Its an indescribable taste, Sasaki explains. Its mysterious, its delicious. Really delicious.
While they may take all precautions necessary, the puffer still causes several deaths each year.
In 2015, five Japanese diners were poisoned in one sitting after allegedly eating the liver of the puffer fish.
It is the liver as well as the intestine and ovaries which are usually banned from restaurants and if eaten in any significant quantity, the poison can paralyse muscles, suffocating victims.
Renault's new mid-size SUV, the Koleos, is due in Ireland around this time next year.
But, as you would expect, there are no indications of specification, line-up or prices as yet. Shown at the Beijing Show on Monday, Renault is claiming the new SUV has a more 'premium' look.
From this remove it looks less dramatically drawn than the smaller Kadjar, for example.
One reason, I'm told, is that buyers of these larger SUV/Crossovers tend to be a little bit more conservative in how they want their cars to look. It will go on sale in China this year before getting to Europe early in 2017 and should go on sale here around May.
Its arrival into dealerships will mark more competition, and choice, for owners of the likes of the Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan X-trail and soon-to-arrive Ford Edge.
Tears for fears: Naomi and Diarmuid Lavelle with daughter Caer - who overcame her fear of mannequins through CBT with the help of her therapist dad - and sons Culann and Rohan. Photo: Andrew Downes
For years I didn't believe him. He was acting up, just trying to avoid it, being difficult.
I mean, who on earth is actually afraid of fruit? As a baby he would eat the pureed mush that they all do - bananas and berries, or carrot and mango - but gradually things changed.
There wasn't one defining moment or traumatic experience that I could put it down to - but somewhere along the line my son Baxter, now seven, developed a fear of fruit that was as real as any adult's fear of heights or spiders.
Just because I hadn't heard of it before didn't mean it wasn't real. And he wasn't the only one suffering from it either - oh no, there's even an actual term for it: carpophobia. Who knew?
In the early years, before taking it seriously, I got frustrated. It was just an apple, a nice crisp apple, couldn't he just try a bite for goodness sake? Then I got crafty. So you don't like apples, son? Well then you wouldn't be interested in this freshly-baked apple pie and ice cream then, would you? He wasn't.
Then the party invites started to come in and he begged me not to make him go. I couldn't understand it. There was seemingly no rhyme nor reason to the parties he was avoiding - even some of his best friends got rejected.
And then I realised it was the place, not the person in question. One particular local venue serves platters of fruit before the kids had their burgers and chips, so for him, it was a no-go area.
Naturally enough, as all good siblings do, his brother and sister picked up on it and began taunting him. If he started to annoy one of them, they would walk in brandishing a banana and he would literally run screaming from the room.
He won't sit at the same table as us if we are drinking orange juice and even more distressing is the fact that he won't allow me to hug or kiss him if I have eaten a piece of fruit or had a morning smoothie. Many's the day I've waved him off from the school gates after pleading unsuccessfully to let me kiss him goodbye - not a good look, I can assure you.
Almost stranger than the actual phobia itself is the levels of fear it entails. He tells me that the worst offenders are oranges and bananas, while apples are on the other end of the scale.
So where did this fear come from? David Carey, child pyschologist, explains: "Phobias can arise from a real-life event that is sudden and frightening such as seeing a mouse or a spider and feeling threatened.
"Some phobias aren't so easy to explain, such as fear of outdoor places or fear of ducks. Yes, there is a duck phobia. These often arise out of early childhood traumas and aren't so easy to discover as causal factors."
But is there a difference between a normal childhood fear of something and an actual phobia?
"A phobia is an extreme and intense reaction, accompanied by the fight or flee response and usually experienced as a terror," adds Dr Carey.
So not really a laughing matter. Other parents I spoke to have had similar experiences with different objects - balloons, feathers and even Christmas trees were mentioned.
Wexford mother Nicola Naessons has struggled to understand her 11-year-old daughter Caoimhe's deep-rooted phobia - a fear of clowns and other characters who are 'dressed up' - and where it came from.
"We are pretty certain it was triggered, or we definitely noticed, when she was only a toddler," says Nicola. "We were attending a family event in Wexford at Halloween, a parade and fireworks. As we were making our way along the street a very, very tall witch leaned over us and roared.
"The poor little thing was petrified, I was so annoyed, it was a really silly thing to do to a toddler in the first place.
"From that point on her fear has been very apparent."
Over the years things have improved somewhat, says Nicola. "The dance school she attends take part in the St Patrick's Day parade every year and the first year she was in the school, we had to bring her home again as there were too many dressed-up characters, but in the last couple of years, with the help of her friends, she has taken part and enjoyed it."
But the main fear - fear of clowns - persists. "She would never entertain the idea of going to the circus," says Nicola. "We were at a family wedding last year and a clown appeared to entertain the children. Poor Caoimhe went white as a sheet and we had to take her out of the room. She was petrified." "We just avoid putting her into situations where she might get a fright, while that may not be the best way of managing it, it certainly makes her feel better as she trusts we'd never knowingly put her in an uneasy situation."
Other odd phobias that people have are xanthophobia, fear of the colour yellow; turophobia, fear of cheese, and ombrophobia, fear of rain (not great when you live in Ireland).
So what can parents do if they notice their child has developed a phobia? Dr Carey says there are a couple of different methods that can be followed up by an expert.
"The most common treatments for phobia are two: one is behaviour, and uses what is called systematic desensitisation, a gradual exposer to the phobic object. The other is a combination of relaxation, meditation and cognitive behaviour therapy."
News from the US last month showed a more drastic breakthrough in combating the problem.
Researchers at Menzies Health Institute Queensland at Griffith University's Gold Coast are tackling children's crippling phobias by exposing them to the very things they fear the most. It is called intense exposure therapy and it is curing childhood anxiety disorders in less than a day. It uses a twin-pronged approach - play therapy, plus controversially, the use of a drug called D-Cycloserine, once used to fight tuberculosis.
However, GP Dr Ciara Kelly says that if you are looking for such treatment in Ireland you would have to wait, and that currently as it stands she certainly wouldn't recommend it.
"It's at trial stage so no one could recommend it's use until the results of that are assessed. That's not to say it may not work, it just means until the evidence is there we wouldn't take a position in it."
Although personally I would rather my child not eat fruit than take unnecessary medication, the exposure to the phobia does make sense.
Like many schools in Ireland, Baxter's school took part recently in the Food Dudes initiative. The aim is of course to encourage kids to try a variety of different fruits and vegetables over a two-week period.
Since Baxter couldn't leave school for two weeks, he was exposed to fruits every day. He began the first day close to tears, but progressed to touching and then, to everyone's surprise, actually tasting a Granny Smith.
And yes, he may have acted like Snow White choking on her poisoned apple as he did it - but he knows now that he lived to tell the tale.
Surely that apple pie isn't far away.
'Logic does not work with phobia, let the child take control of the challenge'
Naomi and Diarmuid Lavelle from Galway have seen at first-hand how upsetting having a child with a phobia can be. Their daughter Caer's problem began when she was about two, but was successfully treated by Diarmuid, who is a therapist. Caer is now 12 , and has overcome her fear.
Diarmuid says : "Caer had a fear of mannequins, in particular ones that moved, such as Halloween characters and Santa Clauses.
"It began from a young age, probably about two years old. We first noticed it at Halloween, when our local supermarket had a life-sized, dancing Frankenstein."
Then it began causing problems in their day-to-day life.
"It was impossible to get Caer into any shops that contained these types of figures, especially at Halloween. I can't say I blame her - it was a genuine fear. One day I had to return home without making it into the shops, we literally had no milk or bread. We had to wait until one of us was able to go to the shop alone.
"When Caer was older, we took a family trip to Disneyland Paris. We didn't factor in this fear. I remember one particular ride where you had to walk by a very large Buzz Lightyear while queuing, he moved as you got closer. Poor Caer was absolutely terrified and we had to abandon that ride and carry her out. After that we co-ordinated all rides so that she was not exposed to anything like that."
Diarmuid decided he needed to tackle the problem directly.
He says: "As a father, I didn't want to see my daughter stressed like that so we tended to step back from the object, get down on her level and talk to her to reassure her. When we felt it was necessary we walked away with her.
"As a therapist I have dealt with fears and phobias a lot, more so with adults, but I applied a few simple steps that I would typically recommend to clients, such as normalising the fear.
"Using a fear scale we visualised different situations and outcomes, a technique known as graded exposure from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
"After we had assessed the fear using our imagination, we then gradually began to approach real-life situations, while constantly keeping an eye on fear levels and not allowing the fear to escalate beyond an uncomfortable level (that is very important)."
"Caer is now confident around mannequins and often points them out and comments 'remember when I used to be scared of those'. The reply often being 'yes, you probably would have grown out of the fear soon enough all by yourself' to give her a sense of her own autonomy."
Diarmuid's expert advice to other parents in the same situations is this: "Don't make the fear bad or wrong. Fear is a protective mechanism and is usually unconscious.
"Comment on all the other things your child is not afraid of and normalise his/her fear as being healthy and normal.
"Logic does not work with phobias, fear is all about feeling and phobias are part of a perfectly normal brain.
"In reality, use graded exposure while the child is relaxed and feeling good and never allow too much discomfort, let the child decide and let them take control of the challenge. The change is more powerful this way, and gives more autonomy to them, a nice positive affirmation to move on with in life."
Ryanair continues to expand in Belfast with the announcement of new routes to Warsaw, Wroclaw and Gdansk.
The new Polish services are set to commence with the airline's winter 2016 schedule, which will see three aircraft based at Belfast International.
This March, Ryanair announced seven new routes to Alicante, Berlin, Krakow, Lanzarote, Malaga, Milan and Tenerife from Belfast, as well as five extra daily flights to London Gatwick - an investment it said would deliver a million customers a year.
In total, the airline will operate 11 routes and 60 weekly flights from Belfast International, where it began re-establishing a base last month.
"Our new Polish routes will be ideal for both business and leisure customers and we look forward to growing routes, traffic and jobs in Belfast in the coming months and years," said Chief Marketing Officer, Kenny Jacobs.
"This winter should be one of our busiest ever," added Belfast International Airport's Managing Director, Graham Keddie.
"Gdansk, Warsaw and Wroclaw follow Krakow and deliver a very comprehensive network to a new and important Polish market."
Sale fares are available from 19.99 on ryanair.com.
'The events of Monday night barely got a mention in our paralysed Dail'. Photo: RollingNews.ie
There is a standard approach that broadcast media take in the hours after a murder. A reporter makes their way out to the area and begins a 'vox pop', asking local residents for their reaction.
Normally the stunned neighbours tell how they live in a "quiet area" and "nothing like this has ever happened around here before".
But listening to 'Morning Ireland' yesterday, there was no sense of shock or surprise that two gunmen could charge into the well-known Sunset House pub at 9.15pm on a Monday night and blast a man to death. They told how it's always in the back of their mind that something might happen. Their children had read all about it on Facebook.
It was February 3 when Enda Kenny dissolved the Dail, shook hands with Tanaiste Joan Burton outside Government Buildings and took off on a three-week campaign that was supposed to focus on the 'Celtic comeback'.
Two days later, gunmen burst into the Regency Hotel and shot David Byrne dead. The images of the gunmen, dressed as gardai and armed with AK47s captured by this newspaper went around the world.
Mr Kenny called it an "extreme case", while his party colleague Richard Bruton said it was a "new low in that sort of criminal activity".
Sky News, BBC and other international broadcasters arrived in Dublin to report on the 'gangland culture'.
For days crime dominated the election debate, putting Fine Gael - the party of 'law and order' - on the back foot, leaving Sinn Fein with questions to answer over their plans to abolish the Special Criminal Courts and Fianna Fail rewriting history on why garda stations were closed.
But most people assumed, wrongly, that it was an isolated incident. The scenes of armed gardai on the streets of Dublin was a hyperbolic reaction to reassure people in the face of those shocking pictures published on the front page of the Irish Independent.
But then three days later came the brazen murder of innocent taxi driver Eddie Hutch at his Ballybough home.
By February 9, the Government agreed to spend an extra 5m to fund garda overtime and the Garda Commissioner insisted she had enough resources to deal with the crisis.
Since then, the election has come and gone, along with the innocence of children in parts of our capital who have become used to passing armed gardai on their way to school.
During the 11 weeks since the Regency murders, the gang bosses have proven more efficient than our political leaders.
Since Eddie Hutch's death, three more lives have been lost in the Kinahan/Hutch feud. And still last night our politicians were arguing over water charges.
Of course all parties have expressed outrage at the latest murders - but talk is cheap. We need political leadership now more than ever to turn outrage into action.
Yet the events of Monday night barely got a mention in our paralysed Dail.
Premium
Ian O'Doherty Opinion For once, the UN is right were standing on the edge of a deadly nuclear precipice
For those of us of a certain age, the last few months have felt as if we have somehow time-warped back to the 1980s. Stranger Things, which is set in that decade, has been the biggest show on TV. Kate Bush thanks, incidentally, to Stranger Things is now regularly played on the radio and she has reached number one in 2022 with the re-release of her 1985 hit, Running Up That Hill.
To tackle this problem, the State needs to marshal all resources available, including An Garda Siochana. RollingNews.ie
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin's call for a coalition of the courageous to stand up to the killers causing such misery on the streets of our capital is a laudable one.
But facing down ruthless gangs, armed to the teeth and ready to take a life without question, requires more than brave citizens willing to make a stand.
To tackle this problem, the State needs to marshal all resources available, including An Garda Siochana. There needs to be lockdown on the streets of Dublin, and more police on the ground. Known criminals must be targeted, and the State must step in and protect vulnerable communities, many of whom feel they have been abandoned.
Similar measures worked in Limerick, and there's no reason to believe they won't work in this instance. The message must be sent that gangs armed with sub-machine guns have no place in our society.
Five people have been shot dead in the last five months across the Greater Dublin area as this war has escalated. They include innocent victim Martin O'Rourke.
Now, ordinary, decent people are living in fear, with reports that some families are seeking to move out of their homes to escape the violence. Parents are fearful that their children may be caught in the cross-fire.
The primary focus for these criminals is the multi-million euro drug trade. They have no regard to what their neighbours think. They are solely concerned with proving who is the biggest player on their turf.
But tackling the gangland scourge requires more than just a short-term response. More community-based gardai are needed across parts of the city where gang violence has caused such untold misery.
Vulnerable young people, attracted by the prospect of easy money, must also be shown there is an alternative to the gangland life. That will take time, effort and resources, but unless it's tackled, the spiral of violence will continue.
Kenny agrees grubby price to cling to power
Sixty-one days and counting. Unfortunately, this isn't a countdown - more like Groundhog Day.
The nation has given up on holding its breath for the political classes to get their act together on putting a government together. Fine Gael and Fianna Fail gave up long ago on either party showing the gumption to put the country first.
The Civil War parties have found a new frontline - water charges. Enda Kenny and Micheal Martin played chicken to see who will capitulate first. How immature.
And Kenny has folded like a deck of cards. In his quest to become the first Fine Gael leader to return to power as Taoiseach in consecutive elections, Kenny has agreed his grubby price. He has surrendered on water charges, which will now be unlikely to return for years to come.
The deal will be spun as a temporary suspension pending the deliberations of a series of talking shops. But the grubby truth is Kenny is willing to do anything to cling to power, including selling out on Fine Gael's core principles and betraying those who abided by the law of the land by paying their bills.
He'll be back as Taoiseach but his days will be numbered.
I mourn the passing of James Downey; his integrity, insight and commitment to journalism has been ably lauded by the highest in the land.
I was an ardent reader of his thought-provoking columns and his inherent wisdom, but have a much more personal reason for holding him in special esteem.
I have written to this newspaper and others for many years suggesting the economic upheaval we suffer in the 21st century is due to much greater forces than 'recession'.
We will not 'recover' without recognising the enormous impact of very modern technology on the entire economy.
I suggest our unprecedented ability to overproduce, and the elimination of work by automation, creates an entirely new economic situation which cannot be reversed or countered other than by adapting economic ideology to restrain production and generate more employment from less work.
The implications of my suggestions are enormous, but they have never been answered, questioned, countered or argued against. They are ignored in every political and economic forum. The one exception was James Downey.
At least twice he suggested the opinion I expressed should be thoroughly considered, analysed and discussed. Although his field was mainly political, he saw the logic of my argument and the ethical requirement of having such radically-different thoughts considered and discussed.
I never met, spoke to or corresponded with James Downey, but I am eternally grateful for his acknowledgement of my feeble attempts to widen economic discussion on possibly the greatest challenge facing humanity.
May this honourable, thoughtful, gifted and ethical journalist rest in peace.
Padraic Neary
Tubbercurry, Co Sligo
Realism should not be feared
I would predict that every politician and pundit calling for the abolition of Irish Water and the suspension or abolition of water charges is equally adamant that we will never return to the auction politics that led to the death of the Celtic Tiger . . . but not just yet.
The division over Irish Water is really about whether you believe in 'voodoo economics', or not. This is the first real test of our troika-induced conversion to good governance and, thanks to our populist friends who are glued to the Opposition benches, it looks like we are going to fail with distinction.
A General Election fought on economic realism is something that Fine Gael should not be afraid of.
PJ O'Meara
Cahir, Co Tipperary
Time for real local powers
It was nauseating to see the photograph of Minister Simon Coveney and Fianna Fail Leader Micheal Martin as they prepared to oppose the incinerator in Cork Harbour.
Deputy Martin was a minister in a government that actually changed the law to give the city and county managers powers to impose incinerators, and Minister Coveney's colleague Phil Hogan ensured that the Poolbeg Incinerator could not be stopped.
I hope the people of Cork win their battle but perhaps both men, if they ever get to really talk about government formation, might reverse that power and restore democratic local government that they both did so much to destroy.
Councillor Dermot Lacey
Donnybrook, Dublin 4
Current impasse an insult
It's a pity President Higgins can't convene the Council of State and dismiss the two debating leaders and replace them with two statesmen. The present impasse is an insult to the electorate.
Michael O'Mara
Patrickswell, Co Limerick
Measures to protect tenants
Focus Ireland has repeatedly called for government action to allay the growing concerns of tenants whose homes have been snapped up by international investment funds.
The Irish Independent is to be commended for its on-going excellent coverage of this matter, including the article, 'Fears of large-scale evictions when investors leave Ireland' (April 25) which highlighted that over 280 homes are being bought every month by property funds.
This is one area where the caretaker government could have used its time effectively, but instead has taken no new actions to tackle the worsening housing and homeless crisis since the Dail first sat.
More than three families become homeless every single day. That is over 600 children and 300 families so far this year.
Focus Ireland manages to secure a home for one family every day, but as the crisis continues to deepen we are struggling to cope with the ever-increasing demand for our services.
Tenants in buy-to-let properties need greater security, particularly as almost 25,000 of these properties are in arrears.
The Dail can easily fast-track amendments to current legislation to provide this vital protection for tenants as we wait for a new government to be formed. Positive action such as this is the very least hard-pressed families deserve from those paid to govern but failing to do so.
Mike Allen
Director of Advocacy, Focus Ireland, Dublin
Who will remove the crown?
By this time next week we'll have Enda elected as Taoiseach. But it will be all "neck and neck" after that.
The independents who support Enda for Taoiseach will have their feet firmly on his neck. Fianna Fail, who will abstain in the vote for Enda, will also have a firm foot on his neck. Of course we will also have Prince Leo and Prince Simon, along with Princess Frances, sharpening their sabres.
So who will be first to step forward, a la Game of Thrones, and remove the crown from Enda's head?
Damien Carroll
Kingswood, Dublin 24
People power can win out
The Hillsborough Inquests show that, with perseverance, citizens still maintain their good hearts in the quest for justice.
This is largely forgotten within the corridors of power; we are always liable to be bullied into holding with the official line on everything. The families of the Liverpool deceased have shown that people-power can make justice win in the end. There is little satisfaction that this had to be so hard-fought for.
Robert Sullivan
Bantry, Co Cork
Botox might still reign supreme in the cosmetic surgery community, but thanks to our picture perfect Instagram culture and lets face it, the Kardashians procedures are on the rise in Ireland and around the world.
Classic treatments like lip fillers are still among the most popular, but these days, youre nobody one if you havent at least heard of the vampire breast lift. Or the orgasm shot. And the flab jab.
We spoke to Dr Peter Prendergast, President of the European College of Aesthetic Medicine and Medical Director of Venus Medical about the hottest trends in Hollywood and at home.
Theyre safe and some arent entirely new, Dr Prendergast told us about the increase in quirky procedures like the vampire breast lift, brought to prominence by Kim Kardashian and Katie Price.
The Flab Jab
Whats it used for?
Double chins and other small pockets of fat, such as in the knees and back.
How does it work?
"The flab jab is new in terms of some of the products, its newly approved by the FDA in America. It consists of deoxycholic acid which dissolves fat so it can be absorbed by the body - in particular, supplemental fat like the double chin area.
"Its an injectable treatment being introduced to Europe very shortly. It won't replace liposuction, its still for small areas of fat under the arms. For the abdomen, thighs and calves. We use a form of liposuction called Vaser.
Video of the Day
How popular is it?
"They are inundated with requests for this treatment in the US, Dr Prendergast said. Its the Holy Grail to try to reduce fat without having lipo or surgery its pretty painless. Many patients want a little done with more dramatic results.
The Vampire Breast Lift
Whats it used for?
To boost cleavage (not augment) by increasing volume, firmness and texture.
How does it work?
"These terms were coined by a surgeon in the US, Dr Charles Runels, who pioneered the technique of platelet rich plasma (PRP) - this is a similar concept taking place.
"You take a blood sample and spin it in a centrifuge, which separates out the blood into a platelet rich plasma. It improves healing, blood supply, tissue growth, stimulates fibroblasts which stimulates collagen and general improvement of the skin. It looks plumper and there are fewer lines."
How popular is it?
"Breast augmentation with fat is rising. That involves harvesting fat from one part of the body as you would with traditional lipo, but instead of throwing it away - you prepare it, clean it and place it in smaller syringes and inject it into the breast. Not into the breast tissue, but around the breast gland for extra augmentation.
"Injecting into the breast area has become quite popular in the States they notice the sensation is better, skin is better, a slight improvement in the contour of the breast, even the colour and sensation or the colour of the nipple is improved."
The Orgasm Shot
Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation and The Orgasm Shot
Whats it used for?
Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation is a laser used for facial resurfacing to improve sensation for collagen remodelling in the vagina. The O Shot is used to treat women with orgasm dysfunction.
How does it work?
"PRP is being used for many applications, not just in aesthetics, but also healing for joints and orthopaedics. This is something developed by Dr Charles Runels in the States, a lot of gynaecologists who perform aesthetics gynaecology also perform laser vagina rejuvenation.
"PRP is used for regeneration in the vaginal area, in the clitoris. Its injected directly into the front wall or the vagina and the clitoris as well, they report significant improvement for women who have orgasym dysfunction or some form of female sexual dysfunction.
"Other forms of therapies, such as psychological, offer an additional way to address these problems for women. Small studies show 65% reduction in distress and improved orgasms with no serious adverse side effects."
*The information contained is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor or with any questions you may have.
Donald Trump found himself in a fresh sexism storm this morning after he said that if Hillary Clinton were a man she would get hardly any support.
The Republican, who won all five north-eastern primaries voting on Tuesday, said that his Democrat rival, who he is likely to square off against in November's general election, had no qualifications to be president other than her sex.
If Hillary Clinton were a man, I dont think shed get 5 percent of the vote, he said at a press conference after his string of victories. And the beautiful thing is, women don't like her.
The only thing Mrs Clinton had going for her was the womans card, Mr Trump said.
Mrs Clinton, who was celebrating herself on Tuesday evening having won four of the five Democrat primaries, highlighted how Mr Trump had often accused her of playing the "woman card".
Meanwhile, five people, including two young girls, have been pepper-sprayed during clashes between supporters and opponents of Donald Trump.
The clashes took place outside Anaheim City Hall, where police said about 50 people confronted each other including one man who used the spray on a crowd of Trump supporters.
Police Sergeant Daron Wyatt said five people, including an 11 and eight-year-old girl, were exposed to the eye-stinging spray. Three were treated at the scene by paramedics.
Police are searching for the man who fled the scene.
The confrontation occurred before the City Council was to discuss a proposed resolution to condemn what it calls Mr Trump's divisive rhetoric.
No serious injuries or arrests were reported following the incident.
Three people were treated at the scene by paramedics.
One woman wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat comforted the girls.
Speaking minutes after she was sprayed, one woman told TV news reporters: "I can feel it now, it's pungent."
Linda Reedy of Laguna Niguel, a member of the pro-Trump group We the People Rising, pressed an ice pack to her face after being hit by the spray.
The anti-Trump group goaded her and her friends, and one man jumped on one of her friends, she said.
Linda Reedy, a member of the pro-Trump group told the Los Angeles Times: "I just think they're so out of control. I'm so sick of the anger in this country."
The council motion said Mr Trump's remarks, which have been perceived as offensive to Mexican immigrants, Muslims and other groups, are contrary to constitutional principles and do not reflect Anaheim's "guiding principles of inclusiveness and kindness".
The clash came as Mr Trump swept to victory in five state primaries, boosting his hopes of clinching the Republican presidential nomination without a battle at the party's national convention.
US PRESIDENT Barack Obama delivered a stern warning to North Korea yesterday, reminding its "erratic" and "irresponsible" leader that America's nuclear arsenal could "destroy" his country.
North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un claims to have tested a submarine-launched missile last Saturday. A photograph showed the weapon flying out of the sea, although there was no independent confirmation that it had been fired from a submarine, as opposed to a sub-surface platform.
But North Korea already has between six and eight nuclear warheads that could be mounted on a missile. If the regime does perfect a submarine-launched system then it would, in theory, be able to launch a nuclear attack on the US mainland.
This would require a submarine being able to sail within missile range of America.
Mr Obama gave warning of the possible consequences.
"We could, obviously, destroy North Korea with our arsenals," he told CBS News. "But aside from the humanitarian costs of that, they are right next door to our vital ally, (South) Korea."
He said that America was improving its own missile defences.
"One of the things that we have been doing is spending a lot more time positioning our missile defence systems, so that even as we try to resolve the underlying problem of nuclear development inside of North Korea, we're also setting up a shield that can at least block the relatively low-level threats that they're posing right now," he said.
Mr Kim, who inherited the leadership of North Korea from his father in 2011, had shown himself to be "irresponsible" and "erratic", said Mr Obama.
North Korea is believed to possess only one Sinpo-class submarine capable of launching a missile.
It would be no match for the nuclear-powered attack submarines of the US Navy.
More threatening for America is North Korea's continued development of the Taepodong-2 intercontinental ballistic missile. Once perfected, this weapon could be used to conduct a nuclear strike on the US mainland from North Korean soil.
America has responded to the build-up of Mr Kim's nuclear arsenal by opening formal talks with South Korea - the country most directly threatened - on the deployment of advanced missile defences.
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defence System (THAAD) would offer the surest protection against its neighbour, which has run four nuclear tests.
But any deployment of the missile shield in South Korea would also change the military balance in East Asia. China adamantly opposes any introduction of missile defences in the region, fearing this would reduce the potency of its own nuclear deterrent.
America is using the possible arrival of THAAD as a way of placing pressure on China to curb North Korea's ambitions. Mr Kim's regime is almost completely dependent on Chinese aid.
China has already sent signals of exasperation with North Korea, criticising the nuclear tests and allowing the passage of United Nations Resolution 2270, which imposed tougher sanctions on Mr Kim's regime last month. ( Daily Telegraph, London)
Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz has announced former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina as his running mate for vice president.
Mr Cruz announced his pick for vice president at a rally in Indianapolis, where he described Ms Fiorina as a woman who has repeatedly "shattered glass ceilings".
The Texas senator praised Ms Fiorina's journey from secretary to chief executive and her willingness to challenge Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump.
He said: "Carly isn't intimated by bullies. Over and over again, Carly has shattered glass ceilings."
The 61-year-old former technology executive has been a prominent ally of Mr Cruz since abandoning her own presidential bid earlier in the year. She was the only woman in the Republican Party's crowded 2016 field.
Mr Cruz was defeated by Mr Trump in all five state primary contests on Tuesday and has been mathematically eliminated from winning the presidential nomination before his party's national convention in July.
Mr Trump has won 77% of the delegates he needs to claim the nomination, and a win next week in Indiana will keep him on track to do so.
Ms Fiorina has ties to California, which could also prove valuable in the state's high-stakes primary on June 7.
A fundraiser for Mr Cruz, Doug De Groote, said: "Carly has incredible appeal to so many people, especially in California. She can really help him here."
Her first major foray into politics was in 2010, when she ran for Senate in California and lost to incumbent Senator Barbara Boxer by 10 percentage points. She has never held elected office.
Mr Trump described his rival's selection of Ms Fiorina as "ridiculous" and "dumb" before it was announced.
The billionaire businessman said: "First of all, he shouldn't be naming anybody because he doesn't even have a chance.
"Naming Carly's dumb, because Carly didn't do well. She had one good debate - not against me by the way, because I had an unblemished record of victories during debates - but she had one victory on the smaller stage and that was it."
He added: "She's a nice woman. I think that it's not going to help him at all."
Ms Fiorina emphasised her meteoric rise in the business world during her presidential nomination bid. A Stanford University graduate, she started her career as a secretary, earned an MBA and worked her way up at telecoms giant AT&T where she became a senior executive.
She was dogged by questions about her record at Hewlett-Packard, where she was hired as CEO in 1999. She was fired six years later, after leading a major merger with technology firm Compaq and laying off 30,000 workers.
Democrats have attacked the Cruz-Fiorina alliance.
Ms Boxer said: ""The best way to describe that ticket is mean and meaner. He wants to throw people out of the country and she threw thousands of jobs out of the country. Perfect match."
In a poll, Republican voters were more likely to say they had a favourable than unfavourable view of Ms Fiorina by a margin of 47% to 20%, with 32% saying they did not know.
Among all Americans, 45% said they did not know enough about Ms Fiorina to rate her, while 22% rated her favourably and 32% unfavourably.
Mr Cruz and Mr Trump have high negative ratings even within their own party. Among Republican voters, 52% have a favourable and 41% have an unfavourable opinion of Mr Cruz, while 53% have a favourable and 46% have an unfavourable view of Mr Trump.
Among all Americans, 59% had an unfavourable opinion of Mr Cruz and 69% said that of Mr Trump.
A man has been shot dead by his friend because he paid the restaurant bill in Istanbul, according to Turkish media reports.
Hasan Erdemir and Idris Alakus allegedly argued over who would pay the bill after the men had soup in the restaurant in the Turkish city's Bakirkoy district on Sunday morning.
Mr Alakus had been in the restaurant when Mr Erdemir entered with two friends and was soon invited to join Mr Alakus and his friend, Savc Karabulut before the attack, it was reported.
Wanting to leave the restaurant, Mr Alakus allegedly asked for the bill but found out that Mr Erdemir had paid the bill. The two men then argued and Mr Alakus left the restaurant infuriated, Milliyet newspaper reported.
It was claimed Mr Alakus returned to the restaurant with a gun and shot Mr Erdemir as well as the man's two friends. The two friends were hurt but were in a non live-threatening condition, local media reported on Monday.
After the shooting, waiters rushed to helped the seriously injured but despite medical assistance, Mr Erdemir died in hospital.
Mr Alakus fled the scene, NTV reported, but was soon caught and taken into police custody.
Turkish media shared clips and screenshots of the CCTV footage apparently showing the moment Mr Alakus shot Mr Erdemir.
Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
With flowers, candles, anger and tears, Ukraine yesterday marked the 30th anniversary of the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear plant, the world's worst nuclear accident.
Some survivors said the chaos of that time is etched in their minds forever.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko led a ceremony in Chernobyl, where work is under way to complete a 2bn long-term shelter over the building containing Chernobyl's exploded reactor. Once the structure is in place, work will begin to remove the reactor and its lava-like radioactive waste.
The disaster shone a spotlight on lax safety standards and government secrecy in the former Soviet Union. The explosion on April 26, 1986, was not reported by Soviet authorities for two days, and then only after winds had carried the fallout across Europe and Swedish experts had gone public with their concerns.
"We honour those who lost their health and require a special attention from the government and society," MrPoroshenko said.
"It's with an everlasting pain in our hearts that we remember those who lost their lives to fight nuclear death."
About 600,000 people, often referred to as Chernobyl's "liquidators," were sent in to fight the fire at the nuclear plant and clean up the worst of its contamination. Thirty workers died either from the explosion or from acute radiation sickness within several months. The accident exposed millions in the region to dangerous levels of radiation and forced a wide-scale, permanent evacuation of hundreds of towns and villages in Ukraine and Belarus.
The final death toll from Chernobyl is subject to speculation, due to the long-term effects of radiation, but it ranges from an estimate of 9,000 by the World Health Organisation to one of a possible 90,000 by the environmental group Greenpeace.
Betrayed
The Ukrainian government, however, has since scaled back benefits for Chernobyl survivors, making many feel betrayed by their own country.
"I went in there when everyone was fleeing, we were going right into the heat," said Mykola Bludchiy, who arrived in the Chernobyl exclusion zone on May 5, just days after the explosion. "And today everything is forgotten. It's a disgrace."
At midnight on Monday, a Chernobyl vigil was held in the Ukrainian town of Slavutych, where many former Chernobyl workers were relocated.
In Russia, President Vladimir Putin, in a message to the liquidators, called the Chernobyl disaster "a grave lesson for all of mankind."
Germany's spy chief is to be replaced in July, Chancellor Angela Merkel's office has announced.
Ms Merkel's chief of staff did not give a reason for Gerhard Schindler's early departure, saying only that it comes as the country's foreign intelligence agency faces "major challenges that affect all areas of work".
Mr Schindler, who has led the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) since 2012, will step down on July 1.
Bruno Kahl, a senior official in the finance ministry, has been selected to replace him.
The move came as little surprise - Mr Schindler had been caught up in a number of scandals including the revelation that his agency had for years failed to vet lists of eavesdropping targets it received from the US National Security Agency.
The targets have been reported to include European companies and government officials.
Mr Schindler acknowledged the agency's mistakes to a parliamentary intelligence oversight committee last year, but warned that dragging details of the agency's failings into the limelight could jeopardise co-operation with Germany's allies.
The 63-year-old said BND staff only informed him about the questionable targets last year, three years into his job.
In December, Mr Schindler's office took the unusual step of publishing a report on Saudi Arabia that suggested the Gulf kingdom's ties with regional allies could be endangered by the policies of its ambitious young defence minister.
The report caused a diplomatic stir, with Germany's foreign ministry publicly distancing itself from the findings.
And last month a 32-year-old former BND employee was convicted of violating the country's official secrets law and sentenced to eight years in prison for providing classified information to the CIA and the Russians.
Ms Merkel's office said the BND faces "major challenges" in cluding a parliamentary inquiry into the NSA's activities in Germany and its co-operation with the agency, new security threats, the agency's move of most operations to Berlin, and an overall restructuring.
Syrian rebels are anticipating a major government offensive against their position in Aleppo
Islamic State militants have seized five villages from Syrian rebels close to the Turkish border.
IS took five villages in Azaz district, north of Aleppo, where rebels hold an enclave which hosts tens of thousands of internally displaced civilians, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. IS's news agency also reported the advance.
Syrian rebels are anticipating a major government offensive against their position in Aleppo, Syria's largest city and once the commercial capital.
Aleppo is now divided between government and rebel control. Dozens of civilians have been killed in shelling and air strikes on the city over the past week.
A government offensive backed by Russian air power and regional militias earlier this year dislodged rebels from parts of Azaz and severed their corridor between the Turkish border and Aleppo.
The predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who are fighting for their autonomy in the multi-layered conflict, also made ground against the rebels.
That left the rebels in Aleppo with just one narrow corridor to the outside world, through Idlib province.
Those in Azaz are now squeezed between IS to the east and the SDF to the west and south, while Turkey tightly restricts the flow of goods and people through the border.
Doctors Without Borders and other aid organisations warned earlier this month that the humanitarian situation for over 100,000 people trapped in the Azaz rebel-held pocket was critical.
Wednesday's advance puts IS in a better position to strike the towns of Marea and Azaz.
Syria's conflict began with mostly peaceful protests in 2011, but a brutal government crackdown and the rise of an armed insurgency eventually plunged the country into a full-blown civil war.
The fighting has killed more than 250,000 people, according to the United Nations, which stopped tracking casualties several months ago.
Hamed Sinno, lead singer and songwriter of Mashrou' Leila, performs with the band in the ancient Roman amphitheatre in the Jordanian capital Amman (AP)
Jordan has banned a performance by a popular Lebanese band on religious grounds, leading to criticism of the kingdom which portrays itself as an island of tolerance in a turbulent region.
Mashrou' Leila (Leila's Project) is known internationally for violin-laced pop music with catchy Arabic lyrics. Songs often tackle controversial subjects such as corruption, censorship, state violence and sexual freedom.
Jordan's Antiquities Department initially said it would not permit a planned show at the Roman Theatre in the capital Amman later this week because it would contradict the "authenticity" of the ancient venue.
However, Amman district governor Khalid Abu Zeid said on Wednesday that the band's material "contradicts" the beliefs of the three Abrahamic faiths - Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Media analyst Hosni Ayesh said the decision to prevent Friday's performance at the last minute reflects a rise in religious fundamentalism in Jordan.
"The government wouldn't ban this band if the society was more open and tolerant," Mr Ayesh said.
"The government fears the society and some elements in the government are as conservative as the society."
The band is on a global tour promoting their latest album Ibn El-Leil (Son Of The Night), which boasts a cover image of a man with wings and a wolf mask.
Some local media in Jordan described the imagery as "satanic". Other Jordanians are organising a protest over the cancelled concert.
Guitarist Firas Abou Fakher, 28, said that the band was surprised to learn of the permit being denied.
He said the band had played at the same site three times before, as well as across Jordan.
The current pressure will make it "very tough for us to ever play in Jordan again", he said.
A conservative backlash against the liberal ideas of the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011 has led to a "catastrophic" rise in suppression of the arts, Mr Fakher added.
The band's "fame or notoriety" has made them a target, he said, adding: "It's really a very sad thing what is going on in the Arab world these days."
Salah Abdeslam has been handed over to French authorities (Belgium Federal Police/AP)
Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam has been hit with preliminary charges of terrorist murders and possession and use of bombs and weapons, his lawyer said.
Frank Berton said the 26-year-old will be sent to a jail outside Paris later on Wednesday.
He said Abdeslam told an investigating judge that he would explain his role in the deadly attacks in the French capital on November 13 at a later date.
Abdeslam was extradited from Belgium to France in what Mr Berton described as a "muscular operation" involving an early-morning transfer from his cell in Belgium and a cross-border police helicopter ride.
The express transfer surprised even Mr Berton, who had to rush from Lille to join his client at Paris' Palace of Justice, arriving in the early afternoon.
The Paris attacks were carried out by three teams of assailants who blew themselves up or sprayed gunfire and Abdeslam's testimony will likely prove significant to definitively linking the events that night. His brother was one of the suicide bombers.
French Justice Minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas said Abdeslam would be placed in isolation, watched by guards specially trained to deal with "people reputed to be dangerous".
Georges Salines, whose daughter Lola died at the Bataclan music hall, said Abdeslam's arrival in Paris had enormous significance for victims of the attacks.
"Up to this point, he is the key actor of the November 13 attacks to be behind bars," he told BFM television.
"I would like to look him in the eye. If I could even talk to him, it would be important to me."
Geraldine Berger-Stenger, a lawyer for several of the French victims, warned against pinning too much hope on any revelations from Abdeslam.
"I expect he will cooperate but I am very cautious," she told BFM. Abdeslam is a key witness "but we are perhaps hoping for too much."
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By Kirk Brown of the Independent Mail
Anderson County man arrested after woman is badly burned
An Anderson County man was arrested Tuesday on a charge of criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature in connection with an incident early Monday in which a woman was badly burned.
Kwan Raylee Fowler, 33, was booked into the Anderson County Detention Center on Tuesday night. He is being held without bond.
Anderson County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a call at 1:38 a.m. Monday at a residence on Turbine Court east of Anderson, sheriff's spokeswoman Lt. Sheila Cole said. A woman who had been burned on the right side of her body was taken to the emergency room at AnMed Health Medical Center in Anderson before being transferred to a burn center in Augusta, Georgia. No information was available on her condition Tuesday night.
In an email to the Independent Mail, a woman, claiming to be the victim's sister, said her sister was doused with lighter fluid and then set on fire while her children watched. The email also said the victim escaped through her children's bedroom window and ran to her mother's house.
According to court records, Fowler received a six-year prison sentence in 2000 after pleading guilty to a charge of assault of a high and aggravated nature in Anderson County.
Follow Kirk Brown on Twitter @KirkBrown_AIM
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The Hancock Fabrics retail store on Clemson Boulevard in Anderson is going out of business.
The 59-year-old retail chain will close all 255 stores in 37 states, including three in the Upstate.
The chain, which specializes in fabrics, home decor, and craft supplies, has operated in Anderson for 15 years including three at the 3420 Clemson Boulevard location.
Deborah Morris, manager of the Anderson store, said she expects the doors to close "sometime near the end of June," resulting in the loss of 10 jobs.
The Mississippi-based chain announced it February that it had filed for Chapter 11 reorganization and planned to close 70 stores. Earlier this month, it made the decision to close all its stores.
According to information from the corporate office, all stores will be closed by July 1. A 90-day liquidation sale began April 1.
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By Frances Parrish of the Independent Mail
Teachers and support staff will get salary increases and school fees and debt service taxes will be reduced, according to the first draft of the Anderson School District 1 2016-2017 budget released Tuesday.
The 2-percent salary increase plus a step increase for the teachers comes from a mandate from the South Carolina Department of Education. Bus drivers are also on the list for state-mandated salary increases.
Anderson School District 1 is giving custodial and other support staff raises without a state mandate.
The budget also predicted that debt service millage, paid by homeowners, would decrease by at least 4.1 mills. The district has received $1.2 million to reduce debt since the Anderson County 1-cent sales tax referendum, approved by voters in November 2014, was implemented in March 2015.
However, the district has the option to increase the operational tax by 2.4 mills because of a state formula based on population growth in the district and the consumer price index.
If the board decides to not raise the operational taxes, paid by business owners, the debt service tax could be reduced even more.
The district also plans to consider lowering all school instructional fees for the upcoming school year. The high school instructional fee would decrease from $55 to $45. The middle school fee would be lowered from $25 to $20, and the elementary school fee would be lowered from $20 to $15 in the proposed plan. The lunch prices would stay the same in the upcoming school year.
Overall, the budget has increased by more than 5 percent because of salary increases and the addition of eight new teaching positions within the district.
The projected balanced budget is about $66 million, with the state funding $45.8 million. With mandated salary and benefit increases as well as an increased base student cost, the state is providing the district with a $2.5 million increase in funding next year.
In the meeting before Tuesday's budget workshop, the board of trustees approved a proposed project to replace about 1,400 auditorium seats in Wren and Palmetto high schools. The project will cost about $223,000, and the work will take place over the summer.
Assistant Superintendent Jane Harrison also informed the board that the district would adopt the newly changed 10-point grading scale for third- through eighth-grade students. The state mandated all high schools to adopt the changed grading scale earlier in April, but allowed districts the option to adopt the scale in other grades.
Follow Frances Parrish on Twitter @frances_AIM
The Cabarrus County Beekeepers Association recently held their annual field day at St. Martin Lutheran Church in Concord with a cookout as well as competitions including a smoker competition in which participants tried to see how much smoke they could create in various devices. Smoke is used by beekeepers to calm bees. When bees sense smoke they fear their food source will catch fire so they gorge themselves. The bees calm down since they are busy eating when they sense smoke and fear there is a fire. More than 100 people attended the field day.
CONCORD Mrs. Rachel Smith Christy, loving wife, mother, and friend, passed away, Sunday, April 24, 2016, at CHS NorthEast. She was born July 27, 1934, to the late Rachel Cline and Willie Lequeux Smith. Along with her husband, Steve, she owned and operated Christy's Nursery, a Concord landmark for more than fifty years. Prior to joining Steve in the nursery, she owned a hair salon called Christyle Beauty Shop. In both businesses, Rachel fostered an environment of generosity, service and friendship. She graduated from Odell High School in 1952 and was a member of Gilwood Presbyterian Church, where she has served as both deacon and elder. In addition to her parents, Rachel was predeceased by seven of her eight siblings and her son-in-law, David Allen. She is survived by her husband of sixty-two years, Steve Christy; a son, Ralph S. (Chris) Christy, Jr., MD, and his wife, Kay; a daughter, Mari-Ann Allen; eight grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a brother, George H. Smith; a large extended family and many dear friends. The family wishes to especially thank Lisa Dooley, who has lovingly assisted Rachel in recent years. A service of worship and celebration of Rachel's life will be held Wednesday, April 27, at 3 p.m., at Gilwood Presbyterian Church, 2993 Odell School Road, Concord. The family will receive friends prior to the service in the church fellowship hall beginning at 1 p.m. Memorials may be directed to the Gilwood Presbyterian Church Permanent Scholarship Fund. Whitley's Funeral Home is assisting the Christy family. Online condolences may be made at whitleysfuneralhome.com.
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Kunal Kapoor is known to be one of those actors, who is super nice in real life. Recently, the 'Rang De Basanti' actor and his wife Naina had gone to the Maldives for a vacation. The adventuresome actor had escaped the country for a four days trip to Maldives to go deep sea diving.
During his vacation at the private villa, one of the staff members of the hotel who was also a big fan of Kunal Kapoor expressed her desire to meet her favorite actor. The enthusiastic fan connected with Kunal on social media platform, where the actor replied and asked her to meet at a given destination. Unfortunately for her, a situation came up and she couldn't make it. She messaged Kunal about how she felt terrible about the fact that she had lost out on her one chance to meet him. Before he left, the thoughtful actor wrote a letter for her and left it at the reception for her. Needless to say the girl was thrilled to bits and couldn't stop thanking him for his gesture.
That's really thoughtful, isn't it?
China imported 1.09 million mt of copper concentrate from Chile in January-March, up 31.5% year on year, data released Friday by the General Administration of Customs showed. Chile is the top source of imported copper concentrate for China for the first three months of the year. The country, however, lost the top spot to Peru over January-February.
The other top nine sources for January-March were: Peru, 995,399 mt; Mongolia, 393,408 mt; Mexico, 253,964 mt; Australia, 188,156 mt; Canada, 103,615 mt; Indonesia, 99,666 mt; Iran, 90,211 mt; Spain, 81,191 mt; and Laos, 79,640 mt.
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As per latest update from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Vietnams total rice production for MY 2015/2016 to reach 44.94 million tons of paddy rice, or approximately 28.09 million tons of milled rice equivalent. This is about 180,000 tons of paddy less than USDAs official number for the same Marketing Year due mainly to the impact of drought weather caused by El Nino, which lowered the Spring crop production in the Mekong River Delta. USDA estimates about 20,000 hectares increase for MY 2014/2015 harvested area compared to USDAs official number due to expansion of the Autumn crop in the Mekong River Delta.
The initial USDA forecast for MY 2016/2017 rice production is 45.77 million tons with expected higher yield in seasonal crops, and larger planted/harvested area of Winter and Autumn crops, and back to normal planted/harvested area of Spring crop in the Mekong River Delta. USDA revised total rice production for MY 2014/2015 down from 45.17 to 45.07 million tons of paddy rice. It is about 100,000 tons of paddy less than USDAs official number for the same Marketing Year due mainly to the drought weather that impacted the MY 2014/2015 Autumn and Winter crop in the Mekong River Delta. Spring Crop
The total harvested area for the MY 2015-2016 Spring crop in the Mekong River Delta (MRD), planned by MARD, is reported identically the same size for the MY 2014/2015 Spring crop. USDA estimates, however, the total Vietnam MY 2015/2016 spring crop harvested area is at 3.05 million hectares, about 50,000 hectares less than the previous estimate due to the impact of drought that caused the loss of both planted area and lower average crop yield, from 6.75 to 6.70 ton per hectare in the Mekong River Delta.
The planting progress of MY 2015/2016 Spring crop in North Vietnam was reported as the same in size compared to MY 2014/2015, due to the favorable weather allowing farmers to carry out their plantings for the main Spring crop, after the strong cold spell in early part of calendar year 2016, refraining people from early plantings. As of March 15, 2016, the Northern Spring crop planting is about completed, about 1.11 million hectares.
The autumn crop is mainly located in the southern provinces. Especially, the MRD typically accounts for more than 80 percent of the total autumn crop planting area. As of March 15, 2016, the on-going MY 2015/2016 autumn crop planted area (mainly in the MRD) totaled more than 343,000 hectares, compared to about 287,000 hectares in MY 2014/2015, year on year basis.
The Vietnam harvested area for the MY 2015/2016 autumn crop is estimated to increase about 50,000 hectares, compared to the previous estimate, or about the same with MY 2014/2015 autumn crop, 2.93 million hectares, mainly due to the GVN setting a larger planted/harvested area for the late Autumn crop in the MRD. Harvested area of MY 2016/2017 Autumn crop is forecasted unchanged at 2.95 million hectares. Winter Crop USDA estimates the harvested area for winter crop is 1.70 million hectares, in MY 2015/2016, about 70,000 hectares fewer than MY 2014/2015. The cut is going to happen mainly in the Mekong River Delta, where the Winter crop is no longer considered as one of the main crops due to its lower yield compared to other crops, and having a longer crop cycle that makes it more susceptible to pests and diseases. Harvested area of MY 2016/2017 Winter crop is forecasted unchanged at 1.70 million hectares.
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Its consolidated core operating profit of Rs. 74.50 crore for the quarter, clocked growth of 95.13% yoy and 692.55% qoq. Operating profit margin for the current quarter at 17.97% expanded by 974 bps yoy and 1512 bps qoq.
For the year ended March 31, 2016, the company reported consolidated net profit of Rs. 38.21 crore, growing by 133.84% yoy. Its consolidated revenue for the period stood at Rs. 1,285.34 crore, registering decline of 3.28% yoy.
Elecon Engineering Company's core operating profit stood at Rs. 150.01 crore, recording growth of 68.13% yoy. Operating margin for the current period at 13.21% expanded by 650 bps yoy.
On standalone basis,Elecon Engineering Company, reported standalone net profit of Rs.15.53 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, registering decline of 31.85% yoy and 9.37% qoq. The companys revenue stood at Rs. 189.53 crore, up 7.71% yoy and 57.55% qoq.
Its standalone core operating profit of Rs. 35.39 crore for the quarter, declined by 15.77% yoy but clocked growth of 90.01% qoq. Operating profit margin for the current quarter at 18.67% contracted by 521 bps yoy but expanded by 319 bps qoq.
For the year ended March 31, 2016, the company reported standalone net profit of Rs. 43.14 crore, growing by 29.99% yoy. Its standalone revenue for the period stood at Rs. 518.84 crore, registering growth of 3.11% yoy.
Elecon Engineering Company's core operating profit stood at Rs. 104.66 crore, recording decline of 1.73% yoy. Operating margin for the current period at 19.77% contracted by 140 bps yoy.
Elecon Engineering Company, largest Transmission Products manufacturer, reported consolidated net profit of Rs.28.38 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, registering decline of 10.44% yoy, but growth of 560% qoq. The companys consolidated revenue stood at Rs. 414.69 crore, down 10.63% yoy but up 25.53% qoq.Its consolidated core operating profit of Rs. 74.50 crore for the quarter, clocked growth of 95.13% yoy and 692.55% qoq. Operating profit margin for the current quarter at 17.97% expanded by 974 bps yoy and 1512 bps qoq.For the year ended March 31, 2016, the company reported consolidated net profit of Rs. 38.21 crore, growing by 133.84% yoy. Its consolidated revenue for the period stood at Rs. 1,285.34 crore, registering decline of 3.28% yoy.Elecon Engineering Company's core operating profit stood at Rs. 150.01 crore, recording growth of 68.13% yoy. Operating margin for the current period at 13.21% expanded by 650 bps yoy.On standalone basis,Elecon Engineering Company, reported standalone net profit of Rs.15.53 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, registering decline of 31.85% yoy and 9.37% qoq. The companys revenue stood at Rs. 189.53 crore, up 7.71% yoy and 57.55% qoq.Its standalone core operating profit of Rs. 35.39 crore for the quarter, declined by 15.77% yoy but clocked growth of 90.01% qoq. Operating profit margin for the current quarter at 18.67% contracted by 521 bps yoy but expanded by 319 bps qoq.For the year ended March 31, 2016, the company reported standalone net profit of Rs. 43.14 crore, growing by 29.99% yoy. Its standalone revenue for the period stood at Rs. 518.84 crore, registering growth of 3.11% yoy.Elecon Engineering Company's core operating profit stood at Rs. 104.66 crore, recording decline of 1.73% yoy. Operating margin for the current period at 19.77% contracted by 140 bps yoy.
Result Highlights: (Rs. in crore)
Reported Results IIFL Estimates Variance (%) Consolidated Revenue 414.69 515.07 [19.49] Consolidated Net Profit 28.38 31.45 [9.76]
Consolidated EPS for the quarter stood at Rs. 2.61.
Bloomberg estimated the companys standalone net profit at Rs. 8.20 crore.
Stock Commentary:
Elecon Engineering Company Ltd ended at Rs. 66.15, up by 1.15 points or 1.77% from its previous closing of Rs. 65 on the BSE.
The scrip opened at Rs. 65.3 and touched a high and low of Rs. 66.6 and Rs. 64.75 respectively. A total of 557881(NSE+BSE) shares were traded on the counter. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 708.18 crore.
The BSE group 'B' stock of face value Rs. 2 touched a 52 week high of Rs. 97 on 06-Aug-2015 and a 52 week low of Rs. 42.7 on 29-Feb-2016. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 66.35 and Rs. 62.8 respectively.
The promoters holding in the company stood at 57.34 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 9.12 % and 33.54 % respectively.
The stock traded below its 200 DMA.
Its standalone core operating profit of Rs. 132.90 crore for the quarter, clocked growth of 33.99% yoy but decline of 2.63% qoq. Operating profit margin for the current quarter at 14.91% expanded by 263 bps yoy and 81 bps qoq.
For the year ended March 31, 2016, the company reported standalone net profit of Rs. 891.10 crore, growing by 228.01% yoy. Its standalone revenue for the period stood at Rs. 3,830.22 crore, registering growth of 8.03% yoy.
Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd's core operating profit stood at Rs. 572.32 crore, recording growth of 28.47% yoy. Operating margin for the current period at 14.94% expanded by 237 bps yoy.
* Note: The results are strictly not comparable on account of one time exceptional item. The company has sold its Perungudi Fixed Assets for a consideration of Rs. 537.86 crore.
Kansai Nerolac - Q4FY16 - Strong quarter led by double digit sales growth and gross margin expansion Kansai Nerolacs net sales grew by 10.3% to Rs. 891 crore, 3.6% lower than IIFL estimate of Rs. 924 crore but 3.1% higher than BBG estimate of Rs. 864 crore for the quarter. The companys EBITDA margin improved by 264 bps to 14.9%, led by higher gross margin which increased by 708 bps to 41% led by benign input cost. However this was partially off-set by an increase in employee/other expense by 58bps/386bps, respectively. Its EBITDA grew by 34% to Rs. 133 crore, 1.5% lower than IIFL estimate of Rs. 135 crore but 2.5% higher than BBG estimate of Rs. 130 crore.
During the quarter, the company had sold its Perungudi fixed assets for Rs. 537.9 crore . The profit of Rs. 535 crore has been shown under extraordinary gain. This led an exorbitant jump in PBT by 645% to Rs. 657 crore . Excluding the impact of this, PBT would have grown by 38.4% to Rs122cr for the quarter. This extraordinary income led Reported PAT of Rs. 616 crore as against Rs. 60 crore in Q4FY15 and Rs. 84 crore in Q3FY16. Hence, the Adjusted PAT grew by 33.2% to Rs. 80 crore, 5.1% lower than IIFL estimate of Rs. 85 crore and 8.6% higher than BBG estimate of Rs. 74 crore. Kansai Nerolac Paints, a leading Indian paint company, reported standalone net profit of Rs. 615.77 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, registering growth of 919.99% * yoy and *629.41% qoq. The companys revenue stood at Rs. 891.07 crore, up 10.3% yoy but down 7.95% qoq.Its standalone core operating profit of Rs. 132.90 crore for the quarter, clocked growth of 33.99% yoy but decline of 2.63% qoq. Operating profit margin for the current quarter at 14.91% expanded by 263 bps yoy and 81 bps qoq.For the year ended March 31, 2016, the company reported standalone net profit of Rs. 891.10 crore, growing by 228.01% yoy. Its standalone revenue for the period stood at Rs. 3,830.22 crore, registering growth of 8.03% yoy.Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd's core operating profit stood at Rs. 572.32 crore, recording growth of 28.47% yoy. Operating margin for the current period at 14.94% expanded by 237 bps yoy.The results are strictly not comparable on account of one time exceptional item. The company has sold its Perungudi Fixed Assets for a consideration of Rs. 537.86 crore.Kansai Nerolacs net sales grew by 10.3% to Rs. 891 crore, 3.6% lower than IIFL estimate of Rs. 924 crore but 3.1% higher than BBG estimate of Rs. 864 crore for the quarter. The companys EBITDA margin improved by 264 bps to 14.9%, led by higher gross margin which increased by 708 bps to 41% led by benign input cost. However this was partially off-set by an increase in employee/other expense by 58bps/386bps, respectively. Its EBITDA grew by 34% to Rs. 133 crore, 1.5% lower than IIFL estimate of Rs. 135 crore but 2.5% higher than BBG estimate of Rs. 130 crore.During the quarter, the company had sold its Perungudi fixed assets for Rs. 537.9 crore . The profit of Rs. 535 crore has been shown under extraordinary gain. This led an exorbitant jump in PBT by 645% to Rs. 657 crore . Excluding the impact of this, PBT would have grown by 38.4% to Rs122cr for the quarter. This extraordinary income led Reported PAT of Rs. 616 crore as against Rs. 60 crore in Q4FY15 and Rs. 84 crore in Q3FY16. Hence, the Adjusted PAT grew by 33.2% to Rs. 80 crore, 5.1% lower than IIFL estimate of Rs. 85 crore and 8.6% higher than BBG estimate of Rs. 74 crore.
Result Highlights: (Rs. in crore)
Reported Results IIFL Estimates Variance (%) Standalone Revenue 891.07 924.25 [3.59] Standalone Net Profit 615.77 84.77 N/A
Kansai Nerolac Paints at its meeting held on April 27, 2016 recommended total dividend of305% (Rs. 3.05 per share of the face value of Re. 1 each). This dividend includes special dividend of 125% for the year. Compared to this, the total dividend for last year was 140% (Re. 1.40 per share of the face value of Re. 1 each).
Standalone EPS for the quarter stood at Rs. 11.43.Bloomberg estimated the companys standalone net profit at Rs. 77.17 crore.Kansai Nerolac Paints is currently trading at Rs. 298.4, up by 5.45 points or 1.86% from its previous closing of Rs. 292.95 on the BSE.The scrip opened at Rs. 292 and has touched a high and low of Rs. 300.1 and Rs. 292 respectively. So far 122287(NSE+BSE) shares were traded on the counter. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 15787.08 crore.The BSE group 'A' stock of face value Rs. 1 has touched a 52 week high of Rs. 316.1 on 18-Apr-2016 and a 52 week low of Rs. 196.1 on 27-Apr-2015. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 315.15 and Rs. 290 respectively.The promoters holding in the company stood at 73.12 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 13.84 % and 13.04 % respectively.The stock is currently trading below its 50 DMA.
After nearly 8 years of offeringto multiple companies across India;launched its Singapore operations, thereby introducing its popular Virtual CFO solution in Singapore and its neighbouring countries. SuperCFOs entry into the regional financial hub signals the growing trend of Indian companies registered in Singapore who are looking for seamless Virtual CFO services across different geographies. The company is looking to tap into SMEs, as well as large and mid-level multinational corporations based out of Singapore who are looking for a trusted partner to assist them with their requirements in the areas of financial planning, budgeting, fund raising, costing, M&A, IPO and other strategic business decisions.has appointedas its Managing Director andas its Director, for its Singapore Operations. Alagappan is a Chartered Accountant by profession and a qualified Management graduate from Australia. He has over 25 years of work experience wherein he has played the role of an auditor, as well as a senior finance executive across Manufacturing & Trading companies. Until recently he was the Group CFO of a French Multinational Company at their Singapore Head office with operations in 9 countries. Alagappan is currently serving as the Secretary of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Singapore Chapter and is a Member, CFO Committee of CPA Australias Singapore Division.Introducing this brand new concept in Singapore,We are delighted to introduce the concept of Virtual CFO in Singapore as part of our expansion plans and Singapore being a strategic financial hub. As a company, this was a natural progression for us given the number of enquiries we were receiving from our clients in India, as well as from Investors in Singapore for their portfolio companies. SuperCFO services would not only help in streamlining finance as a function, but also partner them to draw better future growth prospects.Speaking further on the occasion,While companies in US and India are already availing the services of a Virtual CFO, companies in Singapore are yet to explore and experience this unique and effective model. We would like to offer professional services to local as well as to Indian businesses who have set up a base in Singapore, thus providing the companies with the desired fillip. I am excited to be a part of the SuperCFO team and looking forward to grow the Singapore office, adding value and creating a niche for ourselves in this region.enables companies of all sizes to execute financial functions with utmost ease and effect. The systematic approach adopted by the SuperCFO team facilitates seamless financial operations and faster decision making, thus making complex financial proceedings look much simpler and feasible.
Indian Cellular Association (ICA) welcomed and appreciated the release of the notification culminating efforts of over 3 years to build a deeply penetrating mobile Information Technology architecture to enhance safety of women, though with a caveat. A Nirbhaya Fund was established by the Government of India following the nationwide outcry after the December 2012 brutal gang rape of a young paramedic student in New Delhi.
The Government of India after intense consultations with the Indian Cellular Association (ICA) finally decided to zero in on the role to be played by the Mobile handsets to enhance women safety from the point of view of its pervasive usage and ability of women to easily reach out for help at times of threat and distress by simply following some basic processes to activate / highlight SOS / panic situations and initiating rescue operations by the law enforcement agencies.
We all understand that mobile handsets are all pervasive and the ideal information technology device for the vast Indian population. It was extremely important that we come up with a very simple solution both for feature phones and smart phones, so simple that anyone can understand it. We are extremely thankful to officials from DOT, DEITY, mobile operators and the ICA committee who worked on this tirelessly. The final result is simple and this mobile solution will be understood by all, said Pankaj Mohindroo, National President, Indian Cellular Association (ICA).
I am thankful to my following industry colleagues Thewelcomed and appreciated the release of the notification culminating efforts of over 3 years to build a deeply penetrating mobile Information Technology architecture to enhance safety of women, though with a caveat. Awas established by the Government of India following the nationwide outcry after the December 2012 brutal gang rape of a young paramedic student in New Delhi.The Government of India after intense consultations with thefinally decided to zero in on the role to be played by the Mobile handsets to enhance women safety from the point of view of its pervasive usage and ability of women to easily reach out for help at times of threat and distress by simply following some basic processes to activate / highlight SOS / panic situations and initiating rescue operations by the law enforcement agencies.We all understand that mobile handsets are all pervasive and the ideal information technology device for the vast Indian population. It was extremely important that we come up with a very simple solution both for feature phones and smart phones, so simple that anyone can understand it. We are extremely thankful to officials from DOT, DEITY, mobile operators and the ICA committee who worked on this tirelessly. The final result is simple and this mobile solution will be understood by all,
Sunil Joon, Chief Quality Officer, Micromax
Sanjoy Dass, Head Technical Sales, Microsoft
Pallav Aggarwal, DGM, Samsung
Vinay Joshi, Product Manager / Ram Karan Singh, SW Testing Engineer, Lava
Pravin Gondane, Associate Director, ICA
Bijesh Kumar Roul, Associate Director, ICA
I am also thankful to DoT for granting sufficient time to the industry for implementing the solution on more than 2 crores handsets which are sold on a monthly basis, ensuring least disruption to legal market operations.
Regarding point no. 4 of the DoT Gazette Notification no. G.S.R. 436 (E) dated 22-04-2016 regarding implementation of Satellite based GPS on mobile handsets w.e.f. 01.01.2018, the same needs to be relooked at and ICA is requesting DOT to have a relook.
Axis Bank dropped 1.9% to Rs.471.55 on BSE. The bank reported standalone net profit of Rs.2,154.28 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, registering decline of 1.21% yoy and 0.97% qoq. The banks standalone NII stood at Rs. 4,552.59 crore, up 19.83% yoy and 9.38% qoq.
The scrip opened at Rs. 464 and has touched a high and low of Rs. 473.7 and Rs. 458 respectively. So far 11007481(NSE+BSE) shares were traded on the counter. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 114574.2 crore.
The BSE group 'A' stock of face value Rs. 2 has touched a 52 week high of Rs. 613.4 on 16-Jul-2015 and a 52 week low of Rs. 366.65 on 18-Jan-2016. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 484.6 and Rs. 444.45 respectively.
The promoters holding in the company stood at 29.73 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 56.64 % and 10.27 % respectively.
The stock is currently trading above its 200 DMA.
The Minister for Road Transport & Highways & Shipping Nitin Gadkari has emphasized that a positive attitude, transparent working system and prompt decision making are essential for the Ministry to realize its objective of facilitating safe and seamless travel across the country . He was inaugurating a conference of Regional Officers of NHAI in New Delhi today.
Gadkari said that officials should try to solve problems in a proactive and positive manner within the ambit of applicable rules and regulations, and avoid unnecessary delays. He said that negative approach only leads to delay in the completion of project, and delays cause avoidable cost overruns and harassment to all stakeholders. The Minister emphasized on cooperation, coordination and communication as the key to find solutions. He stressed that there should be proper delegation of work in conformity with management best practices and effort should be on proper utilization of resources so that both time and cost of road construction can be brought down. At the outset Shri Gadkari also thanked all the officials for having contributed immensely to the countrys progress in the last two years. He added that while it was not possible to be perfect he wanted everyone to work upon their weaknesses and move forward.
While speaking about the problem of land acquisition, he said that following the Land Acquisition Act of 2013 , though the cost of land had gone up it had made the process of acquiring land smoother due to adequate compensation. He called upon states to streamline the process of giving compensation .
With regard to managerial skills, he emphasised to need to have appropriate persons for the appropriate job. He also said that to speed up projects, it was necessary to increase the power of R.O.s and PDs. But, he added that while he was in favour of delegating powers there was an utmost need for performance audit at various levels to check delays.
The Minister for Road Transport also felt that there was a need to work on reducing accidents and road fatalities. The rectification work at identified black spots need to be done urgently. Shri Gadkari also said that he would like to speed up the work on road side amenities on waste lands.
The Minister for State Pon Radhakrishnan who also spoke during the inauguration said that roads are the second biggest infrastructure after power and that the hybrid annuity model could take development further. He also said that non-disbursement of funds and lack of updation of revenue records leads to delay in land acquisition.
The Secretary for Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Shri Sanjay Mitra while addressing the gathering said that his Ministry would work hard to achieve the steep targets set for the year 2016-17. He said that efforts would be made to delegate powers so that projects could be speeded up. Besides, attention would be given to streamlining processes but only after necessary consultation.
The Chairman for NHAI, Shri Raghav Chandra informed that during the year 2015-16, 9,285 hectares of land had been acquired. He also proposed to provide incentives to Competent Authority for Land Acquisition (CALA) and District authorities to incentivize them to speed up the process of land acquisition.
On the occasion the Minister also released an online project monitoring system. A Compendium of Land Acquisition Circulars : Provisions and Guidelines has also been prepared and was made available to all participants of the conference.
Google, Ford Motor, Uber, Volvo Cars and Uber rival Lyft said on Tuesday that they are forming a coalition to push for federal action to help speed self-driving cars to market.The coalition is called Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets (SDCSS).The group said in a statement that it will work with lawmakers, regulators and the public to realize the safety and societal benefits of self-driving vehicles.The coalition said that David Strickland, the former top official of the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will be the coalitions counsel and spokesman.NHTSA is the top US auto safety agency writing new guidance on self-driving cars.The best path for this innovation is to have one clear set of federal standards and the coalition will work with policymakers to find the right solutions that will facilitate the deployment of self-driving vehicles, Strickland said in the statement.On Wednesday, NHTSA is holding the second of two public forums on its self-driving car guidelines that will feature comments from tech companies and automakers at Stanford University.NHTSA hopes to release its guidance to states, policymakers and companies on self-driving vehicles in July.Ford said in a statement that the SDCSS group will work together to advocate for policy solutions that will support the deployment of fully autonomous vehicles.
The Government of India has distributed over 10 crore LED bulbs across the country under the UnnatJyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) scheme today. The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in January 2015.
On this occasion, Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy said, Distribution of 10 crore LED bulbs is not only our achievement, but of that the consumers as well. India has a clear vision to reduce our carbon emissions by 30-35% and energy efficiency is pivotal to achieving this target. Through the UJALA scheme, we have demonstrated our commitment to the country and the world. Taking this commitment forward, we would be procuring 20 crore bulbs this year, leading to more reduction in carbon emission.". Shri Goyal tweeted, More than 10 crore LED bulbs distributed! Reducing electricity bills &Reducing impact on environment #iLEDtheWay.
Under Indias commitment to achieving 30-35% reduced carbon emissions, the country has recognized energy efficiency as a key mitigation strategy. Therefore, the government is committed to executing schemes like UJALA. State governments are voluntarily adopting this scheme and the scheme is already present in over 13 states. EESL would be starting distribution in three more states within a month.The progress of ongoing LED distribution process can be tracked on http://www.delp.in/
The UJALA scheme has played a significant role in creating awareness about energy efficient lighting. In 2014-15, the total number of LED bulbs that were distributed was mere 30 lakhs. The number of LED bulbs distributed in 2015-16 has crossed 15 crore, where 9 crore LED bulbs were distributed under UJALA and the remaining were contributed by the industry. For this year, the Government of India is confident of distributing an additional 20 crore LED bulbs. Sustained efforts under UJALA, coupled with industry support, will help the government achieve its objective of replacing 77 crore inefficient bulbs by March 2019.
Efficient domestic lighting is one of the largest contributors to energy savings globally and the distribution of 10 crore LED bulbs in India has led to savings of over 1,298 crore kWh annually. This number has also helped the country avoid capacity of about 2,600 MW. Most importantly, the country has benefitted from reduction of CO2 emission by over 1 crore tonnes annually. The scheme is executed by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of PSUs under Ministry of Power.
LED bulbs consume half the energy as that of CFLs and one tenth as that of incandescent bulbs. UJALA is the largest non-subsidised LED programme in the world. The programme has led to significant savings to the consumers who are using these bulbs.
The BSE Sensex ended with a gain of 57 points at 26,064. The BSE Sensex opened at 25,956 touched an intra-day high of 26,093 and low of 25,885.The NSE Nifty closed with a gain of 17 points at 7,980. The NSE Nifty opened at 7,942 hitting a high of 7,991 and low of 7,941.The India VIX (Volatility) index was down 1.37% to 16.5. The BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices ended with marginal higher.On the global front, China's Shanghai Composite index and Hang Seng closed lower 0.2% each.In Europe, the FTSE 100 is trading marginally lower by 0.16%. On the other hand, DAX and the CAC 40 are marginally lower 0.2% each.The Indian Rupee was trading up 9 paise at 66.43 per US dollar.Adani Ports, Bharti Airtel, Bharti Infratel, ONGC, GAIL, M&M, IndusInd Bank, ITC and Kotak Mahindra Bank were among the gainers on NSE, whereas ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, SBI, UltraTech Cement, Tata Power, HCL Tech and Aurobindo Pharma were among the losers today.Out of 1,805 stocks traded on the NSE, 791 declined and 743 advanced today.At 2:55 PM, the S&P BSE Sensex is trading at 26,045 up 38 points, while NSE Nifty is trading at 7,968 up mere five points.The BSE Mid-cap Index is trading up 0.11% at 11,102, whereas BSE Small-cap Index is trading up 0.25% at 11,139.Bharti Airtel, ONGC, Adani Ports, Coal India, Wipro, GAIL, Asian Paints, Hero MotoCorp and HDFC Bank are among the gainers, whereas ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, SBI, Lupin, HDFC, Tata Steel and Dr Reddy's are losing sheen on BSE.Some buying activity is seen in oil and gas, telecom, energy, FMCG, industrial, consumer durables and realty sector, while power, utilities, pharma, banking and finance showing weakness on BSE.The INDIA VIX is down 1.14% at 16.3900. Out of 1,803 stocks traded on the NSE, 640 declined, 866 advanced and 297 remained unchanged today.A total of 28 stocks registered a fresh 52-week high in trades today, while 11 stocks touched a new 52-week low on the NSE.The Indian rupee opened marginally lower by 2 paise at 66.54/$ against US Dollar on Wednesday as against the previous close of 66.52/$. On Tuesday, The recovery in rupee was helped by the resilience in domestic equities. Meanwhile, market participants remain cautious ahead of US FOMC meet today and BOJ policy meeting tomorrow. In addition, the currency will also be influenced by monthend demand for the greenback from the importers.Bharti Infratel rallied 3% to Rs.375 on BSE. The stock is top Nifty gainer today. The company reported consolidated net profit of Rs. 661.70 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, registering growth of 18.69% yoy and 17.03% qoq.Axis Bank dropped 1.9% to Rs.471.55 on BSE. The bank reported standalone net profit of Rs.2,154.28 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, registering decline of 1.21% yoy and 0.97% qoq. The banks standalone NII stood at Rs. 4,552.59 crore, up 19.83% yoy and 9.38% qoq.
Mitsubishi Motors Corp's top two executives are likely to resign over the Japanese automaker's manipulation of fuel economy data, Japanese media reported on Wednesday. Corp's top two executives are likely to resign over the Japanese automaker's manipulation of fuel economy data, Japanese media reported on Wednesday.
The scandal has halved the company's market value in a week.
Chairman and CEO Osamu Masuko has already told some affiliated dealers and parts makers of his intention to resign, according to a local Japanese daily.
Separately, another daily reported that President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Tetsuro Aikawa has decided to step down.
Masuko and Aikawa are expected to resign after the committee reports the results, according to the newspapers.
Mitsubishi Motors said on Tuesday that it used fuel economy testing methods that did not comply with Japanese regulations for 25 years.
The company has said that it would set up an external committee to investigate the matter and report the results in three months.
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Thyrocare Technologies Limited (the Company or Issuer) has finalized the allocation of 3,223,411 equity shares at Rs. 446 per equity share (upper end of the Price Band) aggregating to Rs. 143.76 crore to 15 anchor investors - Anchor investors include: Nomura, Merrill Lynch Capital Markets Espana, DSP Blackrock, HDFC MF, Birla Sunlife MF, Reliance Capital, SBI MF, ICICI Prudential, Tata AIA Life Insurance, Copthall Mauritius, Spring Healthcare India Trust, FIL Investments Mauritius, L&T MF, Sundaram MF & DB International Asia. Anchor investor notice for Thyrocare Technologies Limited (IPO) has been issuedThe anchor investors include: The Nomura Trust And Banking Co., Ltd As The Trustee Of Nomura India Stock Mother Fund - 214,894 equity shares- 6.67%; DSP Blackrock Emerging Stars Fund - 214,894 equity shares- 6.67%; HDFC Trustee Company Ltd - HDFC Core And Satellite Fund - 214,894 equity shares - 6.67%; Birla Sunlife Trustee Company Private Limited A/C Birla Sunlife Small And Midcap Fund - 59,740 equity shares - 1.85%; Birla Sunlife Trustee Company Private Limited A/C Birla Sunlife India Gennext Fund - 77,008 equity shares - 2.39%; Birla Sunlife Trustee Company Private Limited A/C Birla Sunlife Emerging Leaders Fund Series 3 - 50,158 equity shares - 1.56%; Birla Sunlife Trustee Company Private Limited A/C Birla Sunlife Emerging Leaders Fund Series 4 - 27,988 equity shares 0.87%; Reliance Capital Trustee Co Ltd - A/C Reliance Mid & Small Cap Fund - 214,894 equity shares - 6.67%; SBI Magnum Multiplier Fund - 53,699 equity shares 1.67%; SBI Magnum Midcap Fund- 53,731 equity shares 1.67%; SBI Pharma Fund -53,731 equity shares 1.67%; SBI Long Term Advantage Fund-Series III - - 21,474 equity shares - 0.67%; SBI Magnum Children's Benefit Plan - 10,753 equity shares 0.33%; SBI Magnum Monthly Income Plan Floater - 10,753 equity shares 0.33%; SBI Resurgent India Opportunities Scheme - 10,753 equity shares - 0.33%; ICICI Prudential Business Cycle Fund Series 1 - 53,732 equity shares 1.67% ; ICICI Prudential Mutual Growth Fund - Series 8 - 21,505 equity shares 0.67%; ICICI Prudential India Recovery Fund - Series 1- 75,204 equity shares 2.33%; ICICI Prudential Value Fund Series 6 - 64,453 equity shares 2%; Tata AIA Life Insurance Co Ltd A/C Whole Life Mid Cap Equity Fund - 214,894 equity shares - 6.67%; Merrill Lynch Capital Markets Espana S.A.S.V. - 214,895 equity shares 6.67%; Copthall Mauritius Investment Limited - 214,894 equity shares 6.67%; Spring Healthcare India Ltd 179,452 equity shares 5.57%; FIl Investments ( Mauritius) Ltd 214921 equity shares 6.67%; L&T Mutual Fund A/C L&T Midcap Fund 112134 equity shares 3.48%; Sundaram BNP Paribas Balanced Fund 33627 equity shares 1.04%; Sundaram BNP Paribas MF AC Sundaram BNP Paribas Equity Multiplier Fund 33627 equity shares 1.04%; Sundaram Mutual Fund A/C Sundaram BNP Paribas Smile Fund -44,880 equity shares 1.39%; and DB International (Asia) Limited 455,829 equity shares - 14.14%.The Company will open on Wednesday, April 27, 2016, a Public Offer of up to 10,744,708 equity shares of face value of Rs. 10 each (the Equity Shares) for cash, at a price band of between Rs. 420 to Rs. 446 per Equity Share, (including sharepremium per Equity Share) through an offer for sale (the Offer) by the selling shareholders - as follows: (i) up to 10,207,472 Equity Shares offered by Agalia Private Limited; (ii) up to 180,000 Equity Shares offered by A. Sundararaju HUF; (iii) up to 180,000 Equity Shares offered by A. Velumani HUF; and; (iv) up to 177,236 Equity Shares offered by Anand Velumani.Bids can be made for a minimum of 33 Equity Shares and in multiples of 33 Equity Shares thereafter. The Company and the Selling Shareholders may, in consultation with the Book Running Lead Managers (the BRLMs), consider participation by Anchor Investors in accordancewith the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2009, as amended (the SEBI Regulations). The Anchor Investor Bid/Offer Period shall be one Working Day prior to the Bid/Offer Opening Date. The Bid/ Offer will close on Friday, April 29, 2016.The Equity Shares offered through the Offer are proposed to be listed on National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) and BSE Limited (BSE). For the Offer, NSE shall be the Designated Stock Exchange.The BRLMs to the Offer are JM Financial Institutional Securities Limited, Edelweiss Financial Services Limited and ICICI Securities Limited.Read More: Thyrocare Technologies IPO: Should you subscribe?
World Bank on Tuesday raised its forecast for crude oil prices by about 11%, citing expectations for a reduction in the global supply glut. Theon Tuesday raised its forecast for crude oil prices by about 11%, citing expectations for a reduction in the global supply glut.
The multi-lateral institution, which provides loans to developing countries, expects crude oil prices to average US$41 a barrel this year, compared with a previous forecast for US$37.
The estimate for this year still marks a decline of 19% from last year.
Oversupply in the global crude oil market is expected to recede, according to the quarterly Commodity Markets Outlook report.
The World Bank forecast is an average of Brent West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Dubai crudes.
The market surplus is likely to continue in the first half of the year because of weak seasonal demand, but in the second half of the year, stockpiles are set to decline as refinery demand increases and US production declines steepen, according to the World Bank.
Output from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), excluding Iran, is expected to remain flat, the World Bank said. But Iranian production is forecast higher by some 500,000 barrels per day.
In the US, output saw a year-on-year decline in December, the first material drop in nearly 10 years, the World Bank said.
They say that clothes make the man. Kevin Livingston brings that maxim to life.
When he was 15, New York City cops grabbed Livingston in Queens and arrested him for armed robbery. Thank God for the principal of my school, Livingston said. He came and showed the police that I was in school during the time of the robbery. They had to let me go.
He dropped out of high school, then learned hardcore selling in a job pitching stocks for an investment firm that the Securities and Exchange Commission eventually shuttered. Most of my co-workers are just getting out of prison now or dead, he said.
Livingston said his father taught him his most valuable lesson: My dad taught me how to keep organized, to write down your thoughts and become a people person. He told me that an entrepreneur doesnt know what 9-to-5 means, and build your own wealth, your own brand.
Livingstons brand is business. He wears dark glasses, colorful ties, matching pocket squares, and well-tailored suits. He exudes success and believes that in looking well, you feel well and you act well.
With these lessons in mind, he began to pursue his charitable vision in January 2012. He placed this flier above his first donation box, which he installed in January 2012: In an effort to promote empowerment through employment and partner within South Queens, Kevin Livingston plans to sign up and distribute 100 suits for 100 men, particularly in the age range of 15-23.
With that, Kevin Livingston founded 100 Suits for 100 Men, a non-profit that helps young gang members and ex-convicts re-establish themselves in society.
Part entrepreneur and part philanthropist, he planned to help young black men present themselves in a different light. Ultimately, he believed, they would prosper. I got tired of the community turning their backs or looking at these young men as animals.
He arranged free haircuts for these young men and encouraged them to work and become legitimate entrepreneurs. His donation boxes, meanwhile, brimmed with shoes, cufflinks and business attire.
One donor, Anthony Lolli, contributed dozens of suits, ties and shirts.
My father had done a similar program many years ago, said Lolli, owner of Brooklyn-based Rapid Realty. Learning interviewing skills and wearing a new suit is a life-changing moment for some of these people.
Livingston secured free dry cleaning for these suits. Local retailers then offered back-stocked and discontinued business apparel for men and women. So, he launched 100 Suits for 100 Women in a female shelter in July 2014. He also established a mentoring and training program for court-involved youth in Harlem.
While working full-time for a bank, raising three children and avoiding government funds, Livingston collected and distributed nearly 7,000 suits for job-seeking young New Yorkers in less than three years.
Anna Jirves decided to volunteer after watching Livingston contribute about 300 prom dresses in 15 local high schools. Theres nothing he would not do to help the community, said Jirves, who works for the New York Board of Education. She helped with pre-prom makeup, jewelry and hair-dos.
He has really done this out of his own pocket and his own sweat and equity, said Grant Collins, executive director of Manhattan-based WeCare, which assists welfare recipients. Livingstons group has served 600 WeCare clients since the two organizations began collaborating last year. Our job is to give these participants support and transform their thinking to prepare them for the workplace, Collins said. The uniqueness of [100 Suits] is the retail clothing, which is tailored, and the hair services for women and men.
Many people have been hired, thanks to this holistic approach, he said. It can help in the participants self-view or confidence, and they are able to project that to employers and ultimately get hired.
Livingstons 100 Suits for 100 Men operates from WeCares satellite offices in the Bronx and SoHo.
I dont let just anyone cut my hair, said Daren Furlonge while sitting in the SoHo offices barbers chair. Furlonge, 36, worked as a security guard from 1999 to 2008 and provided for his two daughters. But he has been homeless since 2009.
Im trying to get some work, trying to get my life back, said Furlonge, who walked out groomed, carrying a new suit and a gleam of hope.
Yet, Livingston envisions more. He will expand 100 Suits into Queens this month by opening an outreach academy.
With three offices, several employees, and volunteers, Livingston contemplates his creation.
Amazing, Livingston said. All this started from one donation box.
The Centre on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that it would soon initiate court proceedings and approach the British government to get Vijay Mallya extradited from Britain even as the controversial liquor baron said he did not plan to return soon because of the fear that he may be taken straight to Tihar Jail from Delhi airport.
huffpost
Attorney general Mukul Rohatgi slammed Mallya for "playing with the Supreme Court of India" and scripting a "cock and bull story" after deliberately failing to comply with any of the SC's three directions. He said the government had sensed his attitude and taken steps for revocation of his passport and issuance of non-bailable arrest warrant against him.
Appearing for Mallya, senior advocate C S Vaidyanathan told a bench of Justices Kurian Joseph and R F Nariman that the businessman was not coming to India at present as he was aware of the circumstances prevailing in the country. He also hinted that Mallya feared meeting the fate of Subrata Roy of Sahara, who has been in Tihar Jail for over two years over non-refund of investors' money.
BCCL
"He has no passport. It has been revoked and an NBW has been issued. The prevailing circumstances mean the moment Mallya lands in Delhi, he would be taken straight to Tihar Jail." How is it going to help negotiations with banks for recovery of the loans? Looking at what is happening in the country, Mallya feels his personal liberty is in danger," Vaidyanathan said.
Rohatgi said, "If Mallya intends to come back, he still can despite cancellation of his passport. He can move the high commission in London for a visa and buy a one-way ticket.
Since he is not willing to come back to India, the government will take whatever steps are required to be taken. Revocation of passport has happened. I am telling this appearing for the government and the banks. We will initiate proceedings in court and go to the British government to seek him."
huffpost
Stung by the AG's one-way ticket argument, Vaidyanathan said this attitude of the government was forcing Mallya to stay away. "He is a defaulter but not a wilful one. It was a genuine business mishap that sunk Kingfisher Airlines. It did not have the government's support, which has till date pumped in Rs 40,000 crore into Air India to keep it afloat. Neither did it have foreign collaborations, like Jet has with Etihad, to fly on lucrative foreign routes to overcome its Rs 4,000 crore loss.
cloudfront
"Mallya personally suffered a loss of Rs 6,100 crore in Kingfisher. That money is gone. Mallya has given up any hope of recovering it. Despite this, he has offered to pay Rs 4,400 crore. That should be accepted," Vaidyanathan said.
huffpost
The CBI had investigated Kingfisher investments since mid-2015 and not found a shred of evidence to show any misuse of loan money in purchase of personal assets by Mallya, he added.
The extradition of the alleged middleman in the 36,00 crore AgustaWestland chopper deal Christian Michel by Indian authorities from Dubai is seen a big diplomatic success by the Indian government.
A Delhi court on Wednesday sent him to five-day CBI custody. Michel's advocate asked the court to send him to judicial custody, but the CBI sought his custodial interrogation.
CBI told the court it wants to confront Michel with evidence and also unearth the money trail in the scam.
The court has allowed Michel's advocate to meet for one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening while in custody.
The 57-year-old British nation was brought to India yesterday night and is expected to be produced in court tomorrow. A team lead (SIC) by A. Sai Manohar, Joint Director in CBI has been to Dubai for the purpose, the CBI said. Under the guidance of Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor (NSA), the entire operation is being coordinated by in-charge Director CBI M Nageswara Rao, the agency spokesperson was quoted by The Indian Express.
Jagran
However, an Italian appeals court in Milan had found no evidence against Giuseppe Orsi, the former president of Finmeccanica, the parent company of AgustaWestland and Bruno Spagnolini, the former CEO of the AgustaWestland helicopter unit, of charges of corruption earlier in September this year.
For Indian Naval Chief SP Tyagi is also a co-accused in the deal as he allegedly recieved kickbacks in the 12 chopper deal worth Rs 36,00 crores.
Washington Post
Heres everything you need to know about the deal:
August 1999 The IAF which carries out VVIP transport duties, proposes replacement of Mi-8 helicopters due to operational constraints.
March 2002 - 3 years later, A global request for proposals issued.
January 2010 - 7 years after the proposal, the Cabinet Committee on Security clears proposal to acquire 12 helicopters after a long process which saw some intentional changes in some parameters, evaluations and negotiations.
Feb 8, 2010 - Ministry of Defence (MoD) concludes the contract for the supply of 12 AW-101 VVIP helicopters.
February 2012 After media reported allegations of unethical dealing, MOD demanded factual report from Indian embassy in Rome.
Feb 12, 2013 - Italian Police arrest Giuseppe Orsi, CEO of Finmeccanica, the parent company of AgustaWestland, as part of bribery investigations into the chopper deal.
Feb 15, 2013 - MOD initiates action for cancellation of the contract and puts on hold payments to the company. Issues a formal show cause notice to AgustaWestland seeking cancellation of the contract and taking other actions as per the terms of the contract and the integrity pact. Investigation handed over to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Feb 25, 2013 - CBI registers a preliminary enquiry (PE) against 11 people, including former IAF chief S.P. Tyagi, and four companies.
March 13, 2013 - CBI registers a first information report (FIR) against Tyagi and 12 others for alleged criminal conspiracy and cheating in the chopper deal.
November 2013 - AgustaWestland officials meet MoD officials to present their case. The company nominates Justice B.N. Srikrishna for arbitration. It submits its reply to final show-cause notice before Nov 26 deadline.
Jan 1, 2014 - The Indian government terminates the agreement on grounds of breach of the Pre-contract Integrity Pact (PCIP) and agreement by AgustaWestland.
April 26, 2016 - Milan Court Of Appeals releases 225-page long judgement in which top Congress leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Ahmad Patel and Oscar Fernandes are named.
Inquiry in India is still in process.
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The stand-off between the executive and the legislature over the 2016 budget seems to be over with both arms resolving that the fiscal document be signed not later than next week.
The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, made the disclosure last night while speaking to State House correspondents shortly after a meeting President Muhammadu Buhari held with the leadership of the National Assembly.
According to Saraki, the meeting agreed on the way forward to the budget impasse and that the process would be completed in few days time.
We just finished a meeting with the president and the vice president. We came to let them know some of the solutions that we found in moving the budget process forward and we are happy to say that we have agreed on the way forward and we believe that this process will be completed in matter of days rather than weeks. So it is good to Nigerians and all of us, we have found a way forward; and in a matter of days, the budget will be ready for presidents assent, he said.
On what he meant by the way forward, the Senate president, who led the legislative arm to the meeting, said: We have committed that have been set up on our side and also on the executive side, we will engage over the next few days, to just tidy up a few loose ends here and there, and the outcome will be satisfactory to everybody.
Budget and National Planning Minister, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, who was also at the meeting, said both arms of government had agreed to work together to resolve all issues in the next few days.
Our correspondent reports that the meeting was attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari; Buharis SSAs on National Assembly Matters (Senate and House of Representatives); Mr. Udoma, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Speaker Lasun Yusuf and Senate Majority Leader, Ali Ndume.
The Inspector General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase, Wednesday, ordered the detention of a policeman, who allegedly collaborated with the Fulani herdsmen during the killing of residents of Nimbo community in Enugu State.
The IGP, who visited the tension soaked community alongside the Senator representing Enugu North Senatorial zone, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, ordered that one Corporal Chukwu should be detained and investigated.
The villagers had informed him that the police officer, simply identified as Corporal Chukwu, was a known collaborator with the herdsmen.
Consequently, while addressing journalists, Arase said no policeman who collaborates with criminal elements to perpetrate crime would go unpunished, stressing that such person must be dismissed from the force.
Details later
Source:Dailypost
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonishakin and the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, to leave no stone unturned in apprehending the herdsmen that are terrorizing people in some parts of the country.
Buhari, who gave the directive Wednesday, also asked the security Chiefs to secure areas where the killer herders are operating.
Many communities, particularly in the North Central, North East and Southern states, have recently come under deadly attacks allegedly perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen.
On Monday, no fewer than five people were killed in Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State by suspected herdsmen.
In spite of the recent assurance by the Federal government that Nigerians will soon feel the impact of Buharis silent approach to resolving the incessant bloody clashes, which are usually between farming communities and the cattle rearers, a cross-section of Nigerians believe enough is not being done to put an end to the excesses of the rampaging herdsmen.
Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, spoke during a public presentation of Who will love my country: Ideas of building the Nigeria of our dreams, a book authored by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
The president condemned the attacks by the herders.
Details soon
As popular opinion tilts towards the likely conviction of Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) over allegations of false and anticipatory assets declaration, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-south Zone says that Saraki may, after all, be acquitted.
The national vice chairman of the party in the zone, Prince Hilliard Eta, said: You see, Dr Saraki can also be found innocent in all of these allegations. This is one area that Nigerians have not bothered to look at.
According to Eta, the charges against the Senate president are mere allegations until proven.
It is incumbent on the prosecution to convince the court, beyond all reasonable doubts, that they (allegations) are true.
The APC chieftain added that Saraki has his defence team led by venerable Dr Kanu Agabi, whose job is also to convince and persuade the court to believe that Saraki is innocent of all the allegations filed against him.
But what is important is what the law says. If Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki is found guilty at the end of the day by competent court of law it is as it should be.
On the call for Saraki to resign from his position, Eta said: If indeed the Senate president thinks that this court process is tempting, and that there is a moral burden for him to step aside, so that the hallowed chambers of the Senate can function in line with expectations of Nigerians, it should be within his right to do so.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered $12.9billion more arms deals fraud during the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, it was learnt yesterday.
The development has brought arms funds, which were diverted to other uses, to $15billion as the initial probe covered only $2.1billion.
As part of the ongoing investigation of the arms deals, the EFCC yesterday froze an account with $500million. The owner of the account was not immediately known.
The anti-graft commission has seized houses from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Besides, a wrist watch worth 600,000 and jewelry in gold and diamond have been confiscated from Mrs Alison-Madueke, a source said.
These details are contained in an update on the ongoing investigation of the arms deals by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under the former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
There are indications that many military officers may be questioned.
A source, who spoke in confidence on the investigation, said: From our findings so far, the amount involved in the arms deals was over $15billion. The $2.1billion which you have written so much about is just one transaction into an account in the First Bank of Nigeria in New York.
They moved the money into the FBN account from where they were disbursing and re-routing the cash. Our priority is to recover these funds but we will still prosecute the individuals and companies involved.
Most of these companies were incorporated by serving military officers and these officers were the sole signatories into the accounts of these companies.
All these suspects are not showing remorse, they think that they can go away with the fraud but we wont allow them.
Yet when we interrogate them, you see them wearing pampers and cannot stand or walk in public for a long time. Then, you are tempted to ask why they have to steal all these funds meant for public projects.
The Trauma Centre at the National Hospital with a helipad was built with N1.8billion; you can imagine how many of such centres and schools these looted funds can provide.
The source also explained that the EFCC yesterday intercepted about $500million in an account and blocked it.
The source added: Just some few hours ago, our investigators today (Tuesday) blocked an account with about $500million. We are already looking at all clues on how the cash was wired.
What we have recovered in just one year is more than the total recovery by the EFCC since inception. There was huge looting which will affect the coming generation if the funds are not recovered.
The source gave insights into the probe of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and businessman Jide Omokore.
We have seized many houses belonging to Diezani and Omokore on Banana Island and other places. Also, a wristwatch of about 1.4million was seized from Omokores wife.
From the former minister, we have retrieved a choice wrist watch worth 600,000 and jewelry in gold and diamond. We will soon show Nigerians all these items for them to appreciate what we have done and to learn some lessons.
He explained that at the time the wrist watches were seized, the price tags were there.
Source: Vanguard
Security agencies in Kaduna State yesterday received a boost as Governor Nasir El-Rufai fulfilled his promise to them with the donation of 51 patrol motorcycles to aid the fight against all forms of criminality.
Speaking during the hand-over ceremony of the motorcycles, Mr. El-Rufai said 35 of the motorcycles would go to the Nigerian Police, two to the Nigerian Army, two to the Air Force, five to Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, two to the Federal Road Safety Corps while the states security outfit, codenamed Operation Yaki, will receive the remaining five.
The governor expressed gratitude to all the security agencies for keeping the state safe from criminals, and urged them to do more in order to completely rid the state of crimes.
The governor said, We are here to hand over the patrol motorcycles that we promised Operation Yaki and other security agencies. We have taken time to procure the motorcycles because of our financial constraints, but I am happy that we are here to hand over them, it is a promised obeyed.
I hope and pray that these motorcycles will help the security agencies in carrying out their duties.
We will continue as the State government despite of our financial constraints to support our security agencies to restore law and order in Kaduna State.
I want to commend them for all the works that they have been doing, I want to thank the former Commissioner of police who had worked very hard to keep Kaduna State safer.
Responding on behalf of other security agencies, the State commissioner of Police, Adamu Ibrahim, thanked El-Rufai for the donation, promising to use the motorcycles for the purposes they were meant.
Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has said despite being the 12th largest iron ore resource country in the world and the second largest in Africa, about 70 percent of the deposits in Nigeria are yet to be proven, a pursuit the federal government declares it is now engaging in.
He said earlier today in Ilorin at the foundation laying ceremony of Kam Steel Integrated Complex at Jimba Oja, that the federal government is well aware of this issue and is currently looking at options to solve the challenge, including synergising government capacity and private sector competencies for certifying existing deposits.
Noting that steel is the world mosts important engineering material; the Vice President restated the Buhari presidencys determination to bring about a faster industrialization process in the country through the active development of the steel sector.
According to the Vice President, Nigeria has about 2 billion metric tonnes of iron ore reserve, adding we must be extremely ambitious in our industrialization efforts. He explained further that the need for increased levels of investment in Nigeria, has never been more crucial than at this period in time.
Prof. Osinbajo stated that steel plays an important part in the Buhari administrations economic agenda, and therefore called on other operators in the steel industry in the country to ensure Nigeria becomes a net exporter of steel within the shortest possible time.
The Vice President who was accompanied by the Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed and Solid Minerals Development Minister, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, among others, spoke to a gathering of captains of industries, financial experts, political leaders and stakeholders at the foundation laying ceremony, disclosing that as part of demonstrating its commitment to the industrial development of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari had directed that everything be done so that Nigeria can make progress in respect of ease of doing business ranking this year.
Prof. Osinbajo noted that the federal Government has been putting in place the right macro-economic policies and is working to ensure an enabling environment for business to grow in line with the Change Agenda of the Buhari administration.
This is why the President has given clear instructions that we must make signifiant progress in the ease of doing business ranking this year, adding diligent efforts are being undertaken to ensure this goal is achieved, including the setting up of an inter-ministerial committee, which has since commenced work with a very keen presidential oversight, Osinbajo said.
Six shekels for a pound! yells a sweaty man holding an aubergine, his voice drowned out by cries from other vendors at the fruit-and-vegetable market in downtown Ramallah. It is an unseasonably hot day, and a peddler selling bubble blowers shields himself from the sun with a piece of discarded cardboard as a colourful truck pulls up.
The vehicle immediately attracts the attention of several children who make a living helping shoppers carry their purchases. Ill take a hot dog, a boy says to the two men who just parked, noting that at first glance, he mistook their van for an ice-cream truck. Onlookers and elderly men sitting at a cafe across the street appear intrigued. What is this? someone yells. Its a food truck, shouts back owner Khaldoun Barghouti, a 43-year-old from Kobar, a village near Ramallah.
This is the first mobile kitchen in the West Bank. The truck is the brainchild of Barghouti and 35-year-old Abdel Rahman Bibi, both former political prisoners jailed by Israel for nine and eight years respectively. In the years leading up to their release, they mulled over the various ways they could make a living.
We didnt want to be a burden on society, Barghouti, a married father of six, told Al Jazeera. We wanted people to benefit from our work, to develop as individuals, and to provide a service. We didnt want to subsist on welfare. Their vision of what the truck would look like was inspired by prison life: They hated stationary spaces, so they chose a mobile kitchen. They were so repelled by blue and brown, the Israel Prison Services colours of choice, that they had the truck painted in vibrant shades of red, orange and purple.
The Igbo Youths Movement (IYM) has lamented that Fulani herdsmen have killed 710 other Nigerians excluding the 48 Agatu people in Benue State in the last 10 months without the Federal Government addressing the issue.
IYM made this known while reacting to Mondays killing of about 40 indigenes of Nimbo in Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State by Fulani herdsmen.
Between June 2015 and April 2016, Fulani herdsmen have killed over 710 Nigerians (excluding Agatu incident) in 48 recorded incidents, the highest in recent years, a statement signed by the Founder of the IYM and Leader of the South East Democratic Coalition, Evangelist Elliot Uko, entitled, Ten Months of Carnage, read.
For the first time, the nations Department of State Services, DSS, only interest in these avoidable blood baths, seems only to accuse one organization of killing five Fulani. That accusation is yet to be substantiated with photographs or at least a DSS invitation to media people to the graves in order to corroborate their allegations.
Monday morning, seven communities in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State received it hot, as usual from the rampaging Fulani warriors. Two churches, over 100 houses, dozens dead and hundreds injured with many still missing.
Nigerians do not expect any positive reaction from the Federal Government and the DSS, for obvious reasons.This bloodletting which began since the new government took over power is interestingly redefining how much faith, large sections of Nigeria should have in the ability or willingness of the Federal Government to protect them from this Fulani warriors, who clearly act as if they know that the Federal Government cannot (or is it, will not) save the helpless victims from their attacks.
But above all, the ongoing war by the Fulani herdsmen, have only confirmed Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Independent People of Biafra, IPOB, a prophet and visionary, who saw tomorrow. Mazi Kanu correctly predicted over the radio, what the Fulani would do to the Middle Belt, South East, South- South and the South West.
The serial slaughter by the Fulani, the intimidation by the security agents and the disturbing silence of the President, who incidentally is also Fulani and life Patron of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, has put Mazi Kanu in the league of avatars, who correctly predicted events before they happened.
This development has also greatly increased Kanus popularity, especially among the oppressed, suppressed and consistently attacked populations, who now see him as a hero and a legend. This has resulted in a huge sympathy towards the gospel of IPOB and its leader, the statement read.
The presiding judge in the corruption case brought against immediate past Minister for Interior, Abba Moro, has withdrawn from the case.
Mr. Moro was arraigned with Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, a former permanent secretary in the Ministry; Femi Alayebami, a deputy director in the Ministry and Drexel Global Technical Nigeria Ltd ON 11-count charge of fraud leveled against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
They were accused of defrauding 676,675 job applicants of N676,675,000 during the botched recruitment exercise into the Nigeria Immigrations Service in 2014.
The recruitment exercise claimed the lives of at least 12 job seekers while scores sustained varying degree of injuries.
Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court, Abuja, who was expected to preside over the amended charges by the EFCC, however, withdrew from the case Wednesday, citing personal reasons.
She said she will send the file back to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, for reassignment.
I am sending the file back to the Chief Judge for re-assignment for personal reasons, said Mrs. Chikere, who noted that the parties could continue, when the case is reassigned to another judge.
The prosecution counsel, Aliyu Yusuf, had told the court of his clients decision to amend the charges against Mr. Moro and his co-accused before the judge announced her decision to step down from the matter.
The amendment of the charge was suspended till a later date.
No amount of forceful protest would intimidate any legislator to resign, the Senate leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has declared.
Mr. Ndume was reacting to a protest by the Occupy National Assembly group, which called for the resignation of the embattled Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Tuesday.
The Senate leader said there is a democratic process of recalling any senator not performing up to expectations, adding that protest was not the constitutionally recognised process.
He described the protest as a wrong precedence and anti-democratic.
That is why we are not trying to say anything about them because what is happening out there is a very dangerous precedence that we are trying to set.
I contested to represent Borno South.
I did not force myself on my people and therefore somebody out there, especially the one that did not elect me cannot force me out because I didnt come in by force.
I came in by ballot not by gun, not by placard, I have posters not placards.
So, if for example, I am short of performance and my constituents feel that they do not have time to waste, there is a clear-cut process by which they can ask me to be recalled.
They will collect signatures, ask for me to be recalled, that is the democratic way, not by coming in here to stand and say you want to occupy NASS.
You occupy NASS to do what, to be leader or to be senator? It does not work that way, Ndume maintained.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protesters stormed the National Assembly to demand the resignation of Mr. Saraki.
The protesters; Occupy National Assembly also called on the legislators to conclude all issues on the 2016 budget, return their luxury cars and cut their N115 billion budget.
However, another group was also on ground to counter the call for Mr. Sarakis resignation, saying the group calling for his resignation was anti-Nigeria.
(NAN)
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 northern states and Federal Capital Territory, FCT, yesterday called for caution over calls to arrest former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The northern CAN warned that heeding such calls will set a bad precedent or even create room for mischief makers to throw the nation into turmoil.
The spokesperson of the association, Reverend John Joseph Hayab said in a statement that if the call to arrest Jonathan was meant to please the international community and prove to them that government was fighting corruption, then it must also know that the same international community is busy celebrating him as a hero of democracy.
Hayab said if arrests should become a vogue, government would have lots of people to go for, stating, Our government must know that there are individuals serving today that are also being accused of corruption but since there are claims that nothing has been established against them, they are walking and speaking like saints.
He said, We believe that former President Jonathan should receive gratitude from those in power today, not scorn. Let it not be that if this arrest is meant to distract Nigerians from speaking or complaining about the reality of what and how they are feeling since the past eleven months, we are afraid that such an action may spark a chain of reactions.
The Made In Nigeria Project, organizers of the Made In Nigeria Conference & Exhibition has officially announced the third edition of its annual Conference which returns to the Landmark Events Centre on Wednesday June 29th, 2016. The one day Conference and Exhibition seeks to redefine narratives about Nigeria from a global perspective as the National debate on Socio-economic growth advancement, nation building, national development and many more sensitive topics is one which is rather sporadic but often short lived in the lips of the debaters. The Made In Nigeria Conference seeks to harness this charter and morph it into sustainable solutions and ideas to build the Nation. We look to ignite the passion, enthusiasm of Nigerians and re-affirm their confidence in the potentials of Nigeria & Nigerians that the greatest things and feats are achievable by the Nigerian. We wish to use our annual conference to ensure that the nation does not run out of the needed steam, zeal and confidence as they take it upon themselves to build a Nigeria of Excellence.
Speaking on the third edition, Convener and Executive Director of The Made In Nigeria Project, Adedeji Alebiosu says We hope to capture the essence of the Nigerian spirit as a people and as a Nation by highlighting its growing opportunities, growth trajectory, and cultural perspectives from a global context to boost tourism and attract investment. More so, we aim to celebrate and promote the existing innovative solutions that have been deployed in Nigeria through Enterprise and Entrepreneurial machinations as synonymous with the National Identity.
The Made In Nigeria Conference and Exhibition aims to facilitate a practical exchange of ideas as speakers and panelist shall be discussing Nigeria as she stands the strength of her human capital, the prospect of her potentials, the potency of her resources and the opportunities that abound.
Director, Strategy and Operations, Adelanke Ladejobi also added; We seek to ensure balance and accuracy by speaking to a global audience using an authentic Nigerian voice, offering the countrys own perspectives. In past editions, The Made In Nigeria Conference has hosted a myriad of prominent speakers in the Nigerian space whom have commented and re-iterated the achievement, potentials for growth, development and the renewable prospects of Nigeria from a global prospective.
The Made In Nigeria conference is an initiative under the Made In Nigeria Project that seeks to initially address and proffer lasting solutions to National challenges and also make recommendation for sustainable socio-economic, political and cultural development. More so, to bring about a gathering of top professionals drawn out from the public and private sector to encourage Nigerias promising and emerging leaders on the need to believe that their dreams, goals and aspirations are valid on Nigeria soil.
The theme for this years edition is tagged POSSIBILITIES MADE IN NIGERIA A redirection towards building, economic growth and National development from a global perspective as we shall be discussing Nigeria as she stands with issues based discussions from Keynote Speakers, Guest Speakers and Panelists with different pragmatic discussions bordering on the Economy, Enterprise, Governance, Trade, Policy, Culture & Tourism. The Conference will also constitute of interactive panels on Job Creation as well on the subjects of ICT, Creative Industry, Infrastructural Development, International Relations, Youth and Social development, Etc.
We hope to create a model for Nigerias growth and development, restore and build the confidence of Nigerians given the hope in our collective future with a new set of values, cohesion, a sense of belonging with a common purpose and resolve which will further motivate and inspire Nigerians to contribute their quota to national greatness and a more united, prosperous and an enviable nation in Nigeria
For more information please visit www.madeinnigeriproject.org. For further inquiries on sponsorship, partnership and exhibition placements; please contact [email protected] or +234 (0) 811 802090
The Senate was yesterday divided along party lines over the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) as senators elected on the platform of the minority Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, opposed debate on the bill.
Following the opposition by the PDP senators, the second reading of the PIB was suspended. The bill to provide for the governance and institutional framework for the petroleum industry and other matters was sponsored by Senator Omotayo Alasoadura (APC, Ondo Central).
It was learnt that while Alasoadura was leading the debate on the bill, PDP senators mostly from South-south and South-east countered him with shouts of No, no. When the opposition persisted, the Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, raised a point of order demanding the suspension of the debate.
Wading into the matter, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said: I am sure in order to give them time to retrieve what was distributed on Thursday we would step it down so that they can go and get the document that was distributed. And also we observed that the financial compendium is not there. So, please ensure that the bill that has been distributed on Thursday is brought and we will now put it before the next debate and Senator Alasoadura to ensure that the financial compendium is attached to the bill.
Pictured above is one of the victims of the attack carried out by Fulani herdsmen in Nimbo community in Enugu state on Monday April 25th.
South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar has returned to Juba, an important step in ending South Sudans civil war. After landing at the Juba International Airport on Tuesday, Machar was inaugurated as first Vice President of South Sudan by President Salva Kiir. It marked the formation of a unity government, and a fresh chance for South Sudan to rewrite its violent history.
Our people are tired of war and they need peace, now, said Kiir. Together we can accomplish far more than when we are divided. Our strength lies only our unity. Since South Sudans war broke out in December 2013, 300,000 people have died by one estimate, and around 2.3 million South Sudaneae have become displaced. As it stands, the East African nation is in the midst of an economic and humanitarian crisis, and both sides of the civil war are accused of committing war crimes.
A deal between Kiir and Machar to end the civil war was signed in August, but fighting in some areas intensified after the agreement.
For the past eight months, Machars return has been the top priority for diplomats in Juba, as it marks the beginning of a unity government, and first substantive step in the peace deal. The war was vicious. We lost a lot of people in it, and we need to bring our people together so they can unite, reconcile, and heal the wounds, Machar said. As long as there is political will, we can overcome all of these challenges and all of these obsticles.
Aljazeera.
Students of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, Akoka, Yaba, have urged the authorities of the institution to re-instate the Students Union, suspend all requirements of oath taking and undertaking and indemnity as preconditions for their resumption scheduled for May 2, 2016.
They also want the UNILAG to shift the dates of their examinations from May 9, 2016, in order to give room for students to settle down and prepare for the said examinations.
It would be recalled that the authorities of UNILAG announced a compulsory closure and forced all students to vacate the campus and their halls of residence.
This followed the peaceful assembly of the students, to draw the authorities attention to the deplorable state of infrastructure and facilities in the university, leading to permanent blackouts and lack of water supply.
UNILAG has now imposed conditions upon the students, for their resumption, such as to subscribe to an oath of non membership of secret cults, indemnity and undertaking by their parents.
But the students, through their lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, have in turn urged UNILAG, through a letter dated April 27, 2016, to dispense with these conditions.
Adegboruwa in his letter said: First, the students were not rusticated or expelled to warrant any oath for re-admission.
Second, it is illegal to ask innocent students and their parents to subscribe to an oath not to commit a crime. Cultism is a serious crime in all statutes regulating crime and criminality.
Third, the students have already paid for their accommodation in their various halls of residence and they are thus entitled to the use and occupation of these halls for the current academic session.
They have also paid for their examinations and they are entitled to partake in the said examinations without any precondition.
The students stated that by virtue of section 40 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 10 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, they are entitled to freedom of association, to elect their leaders and to maintain a union, without any interference from the University.
Furthermore, the students maintain that they cannot be punished for the unilateral act of closure by the university, over deteriorating conditions in their campuses, that are not conducive for learning and intellectual exercise.
These issues have not been addressed by the university authorities, before announcing resumption and the students fear that gathering over 27,000 students in a situation of total darkness, absence of water, etc, may lead to the outbreak of some epidemic.
Consequently, the students have written letters to the Vice-Chancellor and the Governing Council of the University, for the following demands:
1. Suspension of ALL conditions of OATH, INDEMNITY AND UNDERTAKINGS, by students and their parents;
2. Lifting of the ban or suspension placed upon the Students Union;
3. Shifting of the examination calendar by one month, to afford the students adequate time and access to facilities and academic materials for preparation for the said examinations. Most students were forced to leave the University campus under conditions of extreme urgency, without any opportunity or access to their academic materials and facilities, making it impossible for them to prepare for the examinations.
To insist on May 9, 2016, as date for the commencement of examinations, will only be a punitive measure by the University authorities, now known to produce very brilliant materials for the growth of Nigeria. Many of the students are traveling back from their various locations across and outside Nigeria and would therefore need sufficient time to settle down, for serious academic activities.
4. Absorption of students representatives into the Council, Senate and the Congregation of the University, to afford them the opportunity of being part of the decision making process, which may affect them, their parents, their future and their careers.
5. Immediate dialogue with the Students Union, for the purpose of addressing all pending issues affecting the students and the entire university.
The students have given UNILAG management up till April 29, 2016, to address these demands or face court action.
Source:Dailypost
At least 35 people, including eight children and five rescue workers have been killed in the Syrian city of Aleppo and its outskirts in attacks carried out by the government forces and the rebels, a monitoring group said. The rebel shelling killed at least 19 people and the government air strikes killed at least 11 on Tuesday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Five civil defence workers known as White Helmets were also killed by the air strikes and a rocket attack on their centre in a separate incident in the rebel-held town of Atarib, on the outskirts of Aleppo. The observatory and civil defence officials said the attack appeared to have deliberately targeted them.
The targeting was very precise, Radi Saad, a civil defence worker, told the Reuters news agency. They were in the centre and ready to respond. When they heard warplanes in the area they did not think they would be the target. Two people were also seriously wounded and ambulances and cars belonging to doctors were destroyed, another civil defence member, Ahmad Sheikho, said.
It was unclear whether Syrian or Russian warplanes had launched the raids. There was no immediate comment from the Syrian government. It is a messy situation, Zouhir Al Shimale, a journalist, told Al Jazeera by telephone from Aleppo. From 8am, the aircraft were flying low and the sounds were very loud. They were flying over the [rebel-held area] in Aleppo. There is a feeling among most people that they should stay inside their houses right now.
A senior member of Afghan Taliban has said that the group is not interested if Afghan government officials are attending the Pakistan talks on stuttering peace process with Kabul. We dont care if Kabul participates in the meeting, as we already launched our spring offensive and are getting successes against them, Reuters news agency quoted a Taliban official as saying
The comments on Tuesday followed the arrival of a Qatari-based Taliban delegation in Pakistan to meet Pakistani officials. A senior Taliban member based in Pakistan confirmed that a delegation of leaders was in the southern port city of Karachi, holding talks with Pakistani officials. They arrived on Monday, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity, because the Taliban leadership has not authorised him to discuss the talks with the media.
Two members of the Talibans political office in Qatar, which has played a role in previous attempted peace talks, confirmed the delegations presence in Pakistan. Our people held a meeting with Pakistani officials and I am sure they may meet the Chinese on Tuesday, said one of the Qatar-based leaders, speaking on condition of anonymity, also because he is not authorised to discuss the talks.
In Kabul, the Afghan government has been frustrated by what it sees as Islamabads refusal to honour a pledge to force Taliban leaders based in Pakistan to join the talks, or face military action. We are aware that Taliban delegations are in Pakistan, but we will not go there until Pakistan fulfils the promises that they made, said Dawa Khan Mina Pal, a spokesman for Afghan president Ashraf Ghani. On Monday, Ghani said the opportunity for peace talks will not be there forever and urged Pakistan to fight Taliban groups on its soil that rejected peace.
Aljazeera.
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi State, Abdulrazaq Nuhu Zaki, has described the resignation of the immediate past Governor of the State, Malam Isa Yugudas membership of the party as a welcome development.
Zaki, a former member of the House of Representatives from the state said Yugudas exit will not affect the fortunes of the party.
He said: Yuguda leaving the PDP is a welcome development. With his exit, a huge yoke has been lifted off the neck of PDP in the state.
With God on our side, the PDP will emerge victorious in the coming elections as we are working hard to see that we reposition the party.
Yuguda had at the weekend announced his resignation from the PDP in a letter to the Bauchi PDP chairman, saying recent revelations in the $2.1 billion arms procurement scandal made him reconsider his membership of the party.
Work in IT long enough, and other people's tech mistakes start to get to you. They waste your time and energy, and they could be avoided. Ive had a couple of annoying run-ins recently, one work-related and one personal.
That wasn't meant to be a trick question
Our accounting department balances the books for several banks, as we have multiple locations in multiple states. Many of these banks have different software for accessing business functions that are not available to personal banking customers.
One of these banks mailed out a CD loaded with a program update. Of course, when our employee tried to install the program, it required an administrator to grant approval. I was dispatched.
Arriving at the users PC I supplied the required password and watched the install proceed. Toward the end of the process, a dialog box popped up to state the installation had failed to complete. Our user wrote down the error message and said she would email her contact at the bank and see what they had to say.
An email came back instructing us to uninstall the program remnants, then reinstall. We did so, and it produced the same error. This time I took a screenshot of the dialog box, which also displayed the CD files in the background. Another email went out, this time with the screenshot attached.
We received a return email from their tech department stating that when the bank had reviewed the email they noticed that our CD had an extension of .exe after the install file, while theirs did not. Ergo, our PC must be infected!
I couldnt believe it. An IT person who didnt know there is a switch to hide extensions for known file types? My confidence in getting this program updated plummeted, and of this writing is still not resolved.
Who needs quality control?
As budgets tighten, it appears quality control is one of the first items to go in website development. More and more, I notice misspellings and programming errors on sites exposed to the world. What kind of message do you send out regarding your company by offering expired or nonworking buttons on a site?
Today I got an email from the local car dealer to confirm my appointment for the following morning. I clicked on the hyperlink embedded in the email and was taken to a Web page that contained two buttons: One to reschedule my appointment, and the other to cancel my appointment. That was it.
I wasnt sure how to confirm my appointment as no link was provided, so I replied to the email in the absence of other options.
A few hours later I received an email from the local convention center (a near daily occurrence) advertising the next several events. The convention center usually hosts some band that I wouldn't walk across the street to hear, so I decided to opt out of those emails.
I clicked the unsubscribe link and was taken to a page with a button to confirm that I was sure that I wanted to unsubscribe. I clicked it and was presented with a new page that said, "You will continue to receive email messages."
That is twice in one day -- wonder how many more Ill run into before the sun sets.
I know when developing a program we can fall into a sort of tunnel vision where we visualize the user responding in only a certain manner. But whether or not you're a developer, its wise to recruit another set of eyes to view your work before sending it out to the world.
As IT pros, we can be more sensitive to such situations. But its also infuriating because there are ways to keep it from happening or at least minimizing the errors in the first place.
A bold play to shake up the North American railroad industry ran out of track on April 11, when Canadian Pacific Railway withdrew its unsolicited $28 billion bid for rival Norfolk Southern Corp. Spearheaded by CP chief executive E. Hunter Harrison and activist investor William Ackman, the planned deal would have been the first merger of two Class 1 North American freight railroads since 2001.
But the management and board of the Norfolk, Virginiabased target had refused to talk. After three rebuffs and a proxy filing aimed at forcing merger negotiations by a shareholder vote, Calgary-headquartered CP saw no clear path to a friendly merger at this time, Harrison said in a statement.
CP investors were happy with the outcome: The companys stock closed at C$187.65 ($145) on April 15, up 6.2 percent for the year. Politicians, rail customers and trade unions opposed the deal, which would have reduced the number of Class 1 railroads from seven to six, fearing job losses and higher freight costs. For its part, CP has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate what it calls anticompetitive efforts by some of its peers to block the Norfolk Southern merger.
Harrison and CP board member Ackman, founder and CEO of hedge fund firm Pershing Square Capital Management, had big dreams for the tie-up: the continents third-largest railroad, stretching from Vancouver to Miami. To fulfill its East Coast ambitions, CP could yet swallow bigger competitor CSX Corp., but the Jacksonville, Floridabased company reportedly spurned a $20 billion offer, making that prospect unlikely.
With mergers unpopular in many quarters, the North American railroad industry finds itself at a crossing, searching for new growth engines. The commodities rout, in particular the steep decline of coal, has cut deeply into traffic volume. But railroad bosses and bullish investors, including billionaire Warren Buffett see light at the end of the tunnel.
For shareholders, who had been accustomed to steady growth before it ground to a halt in the first quarter of last year, the ride may continue to be bumpy. After 15 years of relative outperformance, what we see now is a return to cyclicality with volumes but not pricing or margin improvement, says Ken Hoexter, a New Yorkbased transportation analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
The glory days are over, Hoexter warns. The new normal for railroads means earnings-per-share growth in low two digits to mid teens, versus peak returns north of 25 percent between 2003 and 2014, he says.
Until last year railroad revenue kept climbing, propelled by strong global appetite for commodities, favorable pricing and leaps in efficiency. Then growth hit a major snag. Coal shipments, which accounted for 39 percent of all U.S. carloads and 18 percent of U.S. railroad profits in 2014, according to the Washington-based Association of American Railroads (AAR), went into sharp decline.
Factors ranging from tougher environmental rules for power plants to cheap shale gas and weak Chinese demand have hammered the coal business. U.S. production will shrink to 752.5 million metric tons this year, the U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts, a 31 percent drop from 2011. On April 13, St. Louisbased Peabody Energy Corp., the top American coal miner, filed for Chapter 11, joining fellow publicly traded giants such as Alpha Natural Resources and Arch Coal in bankruptcy protection.
Railroads have felt the pinch. In the first quarter, total carloads for U.S. carriers fell 13.8 percent year-over-year, the AAR reports. Coal shipments led the way, with a 32.5 percent decline; petroleum products and ores and metals were down 20.9 percent and 9.8 percent, respectively.
We think that fossil fuels are probably dead, Harrison, a straight-talking Tennessean, said in March at a J.P. Morgan transportation conference in New York. Its going to take a long time to transition.
Still, railroads are faring better than the commodities producers whose goods they haul. Last year CPs adjusted diluted earnings per share climbed to a record C$10.10, a 19 percent increase over C$8.50 in 2014. Revenue also set a record, edging up to C$6.71 billion from C$6.62 billion in 2014. On April 15, CSX stock closed at $25.93, flat for the year and up 18 percent since May 2011. By contrast, the Market Vectors Coal ETF finished the day at $8.18, down some 80 percent during the same period.
As freight trains head into unfamiliar territory, will new sources of revenue spur growth and hike returns? Not without a fundamental, quantum shift in railway operations, CP president and COO Keith Creel tells Institutional Investor, citing precision scheduling and single tracking, whereby trains going both ways share the same track.
Different cargo will travel by rail within five years, experts say. The revenue portfolio is going to look dramatically different, predicts Frank Lonegro, CFO of CSX. Railroads are pinning their hopes on the intermodal business, the integration of trucks and trains on routes that trucks alone now dominate. The plan is for faster trains that will replace coal and other slow-moving commodities with on-time delivery of consumer goods.
From Montreal to Fort Worth, Texas, railroad executives are keeping their eyes on head count. Labor is our largest cost, Lonegro says. In five to ten years, well move to less labor intensity, from two to one person in a cab, and maybe in my lifetime to zero. In Australia some trains already run by remote control, he notes.
Before Harrison took charge in 2012, after heading Canadian National Railway Co. for seven years, CP paid too much for too little, according to Creel: People would effectively come in six hours for 12 hours of pay. After punching out theyd go to second jobs. The upshot? We dont need as many people, Creel says. In 2015, en route to a Spartan operating ratio the railway industrys proxy for operating margin CP trimmed its workforce by 12 percent, shedding 1,800 employees. Known as a ruthless cost cutter, Harrison expects to slash another 1,000 jobs this year.
In a world distracted by Facebook and iPhones, the sheer scale and power of freight trains still inspires awe. A single diesel locomotive can weigh up to 200 tons. In North Baltimore, Ohio, the CSX Northwest Ohio Intermodal Terminal spans 500 acres with some 35 miles of track. The terminal assembles 33 trains every day, using seven massive cranes that can lift 46 tons each. Its just one node in a CSX network that serves nearly two thirds of the U.S. population and 60 percent of the nations manufacturing base.
Railroads get into your blood, says CSXs Lonegro, whose company has its origins in the legendary Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which began operating in 1830.
Almost 200 years of history, and an outsize role in the shaping of a continent, help to explain that attraction. Without railroads, the United States today would, in all probability, not be radically different from the United States of a hundred years ago, wrote Edward Hungerford in The Modern Railroad. That landmark history was published in 1911, five years before North American route mileage peaked at 254,000.
For most of the 20th century, dozens of railroads crisscrossed North America. Class 1 operations had colorful nicknames describing their local provenance: The Boston & Maine was known as the Route of the Minute Man, the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis was dubbed the Dixie Line, and the Western Pacific was called the Feather River Route. Burlington Northerns moniker the Wests First Mega Railroad foreshadowed changes ahead.
In 1960, North America was home to 106 Class 1 railroads and less than 160,000 route miles of track. The Staggers Rail Act of 1980 loosened regulation of the industry, triggering a wave of consolidation. There were just seven major North American railways by 2001, when the U.S. Surface Transportation Board began requiring companies that wished to merge to prove the deal was in the public interest. This rule remains untested by players such as CP, which didnt make a formal merger application to the STB.
Three duopolies have ruled the rails in North America since 1999, when CSX and Norfolk Southern divided the assets of the Consolidated Rail Corp., better known as Conrail, a government-subsidized freight railroad formed in 1974.
East of the Mississippi River, CSX and Norfolk Southern compete. In the West the two rivals are Omaha, Nebraskabased Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway Co., headquartered in Fort Worth and wholly owned by Berkshire Hathaway. CP and Montreal-based Canadian National span Canada and own some rail assets below the 49th parallel.
Kansas City Southern Railway Co. is the only railroad that abuts six others; its routes run down the center of the U.S. and into southern Mexico. All tracks lead to Chicago, the city of big shoulders and, when bad weather or energy snafus intervene, epic train tie-ups.
In a sign of the times, train operators lack space in their rail yards to store all of the assets that have fallen into disuse. Miles of mothballed rolling stock and idle locomotives reveal an industry under stress. Iowa Pacific Holdings has invited controversy by parking hundreds of empty crude oil tankers on its rail siding in Adirondack Park, a nature preserve in upstate New York. The Chicago-based company has several other such storage sites, in locations as far-flung as Walsenberg, Colorado; Elk Grove Village, Illinois; and Watsonville, California.
Meanwhile, decisions to buy, hold or sell shares in freight railroads have reached a junction. They got a little overvalued. At some point, people expected that to continue into the sunset, says Andrew Davis, a transportation analyst with Baltimore-based asset manager T. Rowe Price. This is kind of an inflection point where investors are trying to figure out what to do with them.
This uncertainty hasnt scared off Pershing Squares Ackman and two other billionaires. Never mind a disappointing year for BNSF, the 1995 marriage of Burlington Northern with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and the biggest position in the Berkshire Hathaway portfolio. Revenue at the fifth-largest Class 1 railroad fell 5 percent in 2015, to $21.97 billion.
In his latest annual letter to shareholders, Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO Buffett singled out the Omaha-based parent companys most important development last year: almost $6 billion in BNSF capital expenditures. That sum was far and away the record for any American railroad and nearly three times our annual depreciation charge, he wrote. It was money well spent.
In 2009, asked about his motivation for ponying up $26 billion to buy the remaining 77.4 percent of BNSF parent Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., Buffett didnt hesitate. Its an all-in wager on the economic future of the United States, he said. I love those bets.
Cascade Investment, the family investment office of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, counts CN among its five largest stakes. Since Gates disclosed the investment in mid-2000, CN stock has risen 13-fold, closing at C$81.18 on April 15.
Freight revenue is captive to downturns that sap demand for raw materials. Lacking any power over economic growth, rail managers focus on a dial they can adjust: operating ratio. A 70 percent operating ratio means that a railroad spends 70 cents of every revenue dollar and keeps 30 cents; other industries would usually frame that as an operating margin of 30 percent. Operating efficiency creates capacity, says CPs Creel.
CN has led the operating efficiency sweepstakes since onetime chief executive Harrison launched major cuts last decade. During the fourth quarter of 2015, the companys operating ratio edged below 60 percent, the railroad equivalent of beating a four-minute mile. Right behind, CP chopped 470 basis points from its ratio for the previous year, hitting 61 percent for 2015, its best-ever full-year result. For 2016, it projects a ratio below 59 percent. CSX ended 2015 boasting an operating ratio below 70 percent for the first time, even allowing for an uptick in intermodal volume with narrower margins.
Compare these ratios to the 87.5 percent in 2004 at Union Pacific, North Americas biggest Class 1 railroad. Last year its operating ratio was a much trimmer 63.1 percent, and management plans to reach 60 percent by 2019. A stretch goal with no stated deadline, 55 percent is a mindset as much as a financial metric to rally the organization forward, CFO Robert Knight said at a Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. transportation conference in February.
A fourfold CSX strategy to achieve an operating ratio in the mid-60s hinges on adapting the companys rail network to the new business environment, CFO Lonegro explains. The other three legs: leveraging technology to maximize efficiencies, boosting investment in intermodal and providing excellent service.
Now that CP has backed off from the proposed merger, Norfolk Southern can roll out a strategy aimed at streamlining operations. It faces a longer climb than other railroads, with a 2015 operating ratio of 72.6 percent and headed the wrong way, up 374 basis points from 2014.
Chief executive James Squires took over a year ago with the bar set low. Norfolk Southern saw net income drop 22 percent last year, to $1.6 billion; at $5.10, earnings per share fell 20 percent. Squires, who was already president and now also serves as chairman, has promised an array of cost reductions and improved operational efficiencies that seek to lower the companys operating ratio to 65 percent by 2020.
For two men who see eye to eye when it comes to railways, Bill Ackman and Hunter Harrison couldnt be more different.
While studying business at what is now the University of Memphis in his Tennessee hometown in the early 1960s, Harrison began his railroad career as a laborer for the now defunct St. LouisSan Francisco Railway. He worked his way up, rising to vice president of transportation and vice president of service design at Burlington Northern, which acquired Frisco in 1980. Harrison, 71, has never been shy about wielding the ax. Lobbying to switch to single tracks led to differences with a more cautious Burlington Northern CEO, hastening Harrisons departure in 1988.
He moved on to Illinois Central, becoming president and CEO before Canadian National bought the company in 1998. Starting out as COO of the combined business, he went on to serve as president and CEO until his retirement in 2009. At CN, Harrison earned a reputation for pushing the limits to boost profits. His signature moves: what he calls precision railroading longer, faster trains that aim to deliver better service for less and ripping out double tracks to lower maintenance costs.
Rather than maintain parallel tracks, CP relies on single ones and sidings long enough to accommodate trains nearly two miles long. You dont need 100 miles of double track, says president and COO Creel, a Gulf War veteran who left the military to work for Burlington Northern, where Harrison noticed and promoted him. Think about all the infrastructure you can remove. Over the past three years, CP has done 65 siding conversions.
With a handpicked team that included Creel, Harrison battled costs into submission at CN. In 2002, calling him a giant of railroading, trade publication Railway Age named him Railroader of the Year, an honor he would win again in 2015.
That zeal for efficiency wasnt lost on Ackman, who had bought 14 percent of CP in 2011 through Pershing Square, the $11.6 billion New Yorkbased hedge fund firm he runs. He called Harrison and lured him out of retirement. After a fierce proxy battle that displaced CPs previous management and saw Ackman take a board seat, Harrison signed on as president and CEO in June 2012.
The son of a real estate financier, Ackman, 49, has leveraged advantages bestowed by birth. He spent his college years at Harvard University, where he earned an MBA, and launched Pershing Square in 2004 after winding down an earlier investment business.
As an activist, hes had mixed results. Ackmans Pershing Square Holdings, a $3.9 billion closed-end fund listed in Amsterdam, lost 20.5 percent in 2015 and was down by the same amount this year as of mid-April. That dramatic fall owed much to havoc at another Canadian business, top Pershing Square holding Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, which announced in March that CEO J. Michael Pearson would be leaving amid a probe by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission connected to its pricing practices. Ackman has since joined the board of the Laval, Quebecbased company.
For a while CP followed a predictable script under Harrison: Successive quarters delivered record revenue and earnings per share, along with a shrinking operating ratio. In October 2014 the companys share price peaked at C$241.67, more than triple its value when Harrison took charge. But aside from a few rallies, the stock Pershing Squares stake stood at 9.1 percent in March has been in decline ever since.
All of this may have put pressure on CP to pursue a union with Norfolk Southern. Given his recent losses, Ackman arguably had more riding on the deal than Harrison, who has claimed that a merger with CSX would suit him equally fine. Look, if nothing happens, weve got a wonderful franchise here in Canada, he said of the Norfolk Southern bid on a January earnings call. We have not fallen in love with any deal.
Through the 200809 financial crisis and other rough patches during the past decade and a half, railroads have proven resilient. Cash flow easily financed operations, capital expenditures, debt service, dividends and buybacks (see table, page 33). Now, with U.S. unemployment falling, home prices approaching precrisis levels in some areas and a service economy fueling demand for intermodal transport, trains appear poised for another growth spurt. Railroads assert that the intermodal business will pick up the slack left by the commodities crash.
At CN, intermodal furnishes the building blocks of all the initiatives that we have put together over the last five years, president and CEO Claude Mongeau recently told analysts. The vision: freight cars filled with television sets, furniture and appliances getting to retailers and consumers in timely fashion. New rolling stock will cater to this rising demand, and updated rail yards will move intermodal goods with peak efficiency.
CSX, which reported moving 2.8 million intermodal loads in 2015, sees plenty of room for growth. In the eastern U.S., trucks now carry 9 million freight loads more than 550 miles, a distance that makes those shipments good candidates for conversion to intermodal. A modest share of this additional business would multiply volume and spread fixed costs across a wider base, lifting profits. CSXs intermodal activity has doubled in the past ten years; it started from a low base, but thats five times the expansion in truck freight, CFO Lonegro says.
Structural barriers could hamper intermodal progress. The average train speed of below 25 miles an hour, subject to innumerable crossings and local speed limits, poses a challenge to swift long-distance rail delivery. At such a crawl, trains can take two days to cover 1,000 miles, a distance that trucks travel in half the time and planes in much less for high-value cargo.
In some North American rail corridors, however, intermodal trains have gained traction, validating hopes for robust growth. Big changes wont happen overnight. Managers who normally focus on the next quarter take a long view of intermodal, with Lonegro forecasting a secular shift that will happen over time.
Norfolk Southern chief marketing officer Alan Shaw is equally cautious. Our customers are committed in the intermodal network to long-term growth, and they understand that we need to be able to invest in the network to accommodate the growth, he said in January. And so were taking a long-term view of this.
As railroads vie for intermodal, the trucking industry faces its own struggles. Lower oil prices have helped trucks, which use roughly six times as much fuel as trains to carry a load the same distance. But the wear and tear from poorly kept highways has jacked up maintenance and replacement costs, and ubiquitous congestion slows trucks down. Worse still, driver turnover exceeds 75 percent a year.
I heard that one trucking company actually has more employees attempting to recruit drivers than obtain sales, says veteran rail consultant Charles Banks, president of R.L. Banks & Associates, an Arlington, Virginiabased firm that has advised global freight railroads since 1956. If that doesnt paint a picture then I dont know what does.
Its too soon to predict an intermodal outcome. Large long-haul trucking companies can still fight for business even if it means trimmer profits, and coexistence is crucial, given that freight depends on trucks for short hauls between loading docks.
Capital expenditures divert 15 to 20 percent of railroad topline revenue, largely to maintain current assets. Its a big chunk, but as a result, rail companies invested in track beds and modern facilities as taxpayer-supported highways deteriorated. With the exception of CN, capex may take a breather in 2016 to ease expected pressure on cash flow, a rich source of capital for dividends and stock buybacks.
If CPs Harrison has his way, regulatory hurdles wont stop the Class 1 railroad club from dwindling to six members or fewer. M&A is going to happen, and it should happen, he declared at the start of the year, when he had more cause for optimism. Its just a matter of time.
The bank fund is designed to help banks bolster capital and offload bad loans, but its size pales in comparison with the underlying problem.
The stock market has given a warm welcome to Italys latest effort to help its banks repair their balance sheets, but it remains unclear whether the initiative is big enough for the task.
Last week the Italian stock market regulator Consob approved the creation of a new fund financed by healthy banks and insurers to help shore up some of the countrys more-troubled institutions. Named Atlante, or Atlas in English, after the Greek god of endurance, the fund will need all the endurance it can muster.
Quaestio Capital Management, the Milan-based firm that will manage Atlante, announced that it had received more than 4 billion ($4.5 billion) from banks and insurance companies to launch the fund. Fund raising will close on April 28, and authorities hope to raise as much as 6 billion by that date. That would be a tidy sum, but it pales in comparison with the banking sectors 196 billion in nonperforming loans, the largest such pool in Europe, at the end of 2015.
Anything that is done to strike out on the path of resolving Italys very bad NPL problem is a positive, says Marc Ostwald, a strategist at broker ADM Investor Services International in London. Its going to be a very long and protracted process. Whether the fund is too small depends on what comes next.
The move has given a boost to Italian bank stocks but hasnt dispelled concerns about the threat that NPLs pose to the sector. UniCredit shares closed at 3.49 on April 26, up nearly 25 percent from its lows just before Atlante was first announced earlier this month but still down 32 percent for the year to date. Intesa Sanpaolos shares were up 14 percent from early April but down 20 percent since the end of 2015.
The launch of the fund comes as the Italian economy shows signs of recovery. Growth was 0.6 percent last year after three years of recession, and unemployment dropped to 11.9 percent from 12.7 percent still high but the first decline in a decade. The total portfolio of nonperforming loans declined by 3 percent last year.
Atlante was established after a contentious meeting between leading bankers and Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on April 11. The countrys most profitable banks, including Intesa Sanpaolo and UniCredit, were reportedly strong-armed by the government into contributing hundreds of millions of euros into the fund. Another contributor will be the government-owned Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), which uses postal savings deposits to invest in infrastructure and enterprises.
In our view, the financial profiles of the large banks will weaken, and ratings could come under further pressure, if they are called on to continue to provide extraordinary support to the banking sector, Francesca Vasciminno, analyst at Fitch Ratings in Milan, said in a research note.
Atlante is supposed to help banks offload their NPLs, and it is charged with ensuring that there is a buyer of last resort for banks that have been ordered by the European Central Bank to raise capital.
The list includes Popolare di Vicenza, which must raise 1.75 billion in May, and Veneto Banca, which is trying to raise 1 billion in a cash call in June after posting a loss of 882 million in 2015. In addition, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the troubled Tuscan lender, may need to raise a further 2 billion to 7 billion in the months ahead, according to analysts at Morgan Stanley. Those three offerings could absorb the entire amount of the fund, with nothing left over for NPLs.
UniCredit is underwriting the Popolare di Vicenza capital raising, and investors had worried it would have had to purchase the shares itself if there were insufficient market interest, hurting its own capital. The Atlante deal is good news for UniCredit, but it will drag Intesa and a number of other Italian banks into funding an investment which would normally fall outside their risk parameters, said Fitchs Vasciminno.
Still, most analysts see the funds formation as a positive step that will strengthen the countrys banking sector. We believe the Atlante fund could be effective to reduce short-term risk of bank failure, Alvaro Serrano, bank analyst at Morgan Stanley in Madrid, said in a note to customers. But it doesnt fully resolve the NPL issue in Italy and isnt enough to address concerns on Monte dei Paschi.
Renzi has been under pressure at home to resolve the bank mess, especially following the suicide of a pensioner in Rome, who lost his life savings when four small banks were merged and the resulting bail-in forced holders of the banks bonds to lose their capital. It is common practice in Italy for banks to sell their own bonds to their retail customers. Thousands of protesters took to the streets with signs reading, Give us back our money.
Renzis intervention was also key to the March merger of Banca Popolare di Milano and Banco Popolare, creating the countrys third-largest bank by assets. Renzi sees M&A by smaller banks as a way of increasing lending to small businesses in the country, which have been crippled by a shortage of capital.
David Edmonds, who leads the portfolio advisory group at Deloitte in London, says the effort to relieve the NPL problem is a positive, if incremental, step. None of them is a big bazooka that just fixes the entire problem, but these are steps that will start to assist, he says. Last year Italian banks sold 30 billion worth of NPLs, more than the 20 billion by Spanish lenders, he calculates. There is a market developing that needs a good three, if not five, years to run, he adds.
The Atlante fund will help implement a NPL disposal plan adopted in February. Known as GACS by its Italian acronym, short for Garanzia Cartolarizzazione Sofferenze, or Nonperforming Loans Securitization Guarantee, the plan envisions banks setting up their own special purpose vehicles, or bad banks, to take over some of their bad debts.
The SPVs will then securitize the bad loans, with an equity tranche, a senior tranche and a junior tranche. The senior debt will be guaranteed by the state, and Atlante will buy the riskier junior debt. The idea is that the state guarantee will make private equity firms likely to buy the riskier equity and junior debt in the marketplace, allowing Atlante to purchase more NPLs.
One complication is that the European Union bans state aid to banks, so it is unknown yet whether it will approve a deal involving money from the state-owned CDP. The Italians hope that the Atlante fund will put the CDP at sufficient distance to win approval. There probably wont be too many objections as long as they circumvent the rules in the right way, says ADMs Ostwald.
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People investing in ESG funds want their money to have an impact. They just dont have a way to ask for that information, says Jason Saul of the Center for Impact Sciences.
Two of Australias largest superannuation schemes are using their might to lower insurance premiums for members.The move comes as the retirement industry begins to question young members insurance needs and respond to the deluge in claims and premiums in recent years.SunSuper is restructuring its total and permanent disability cover to axe the majority of lump-sum pay-outs to ill or several injured policyholders who will instead receive annual support payments and rehabilitation and retaining assistance.Consequently death and TPD premiums will drop by about 15 per cent from July 1.SunSuper chief executive Scott Hartley predicted other superannuation funds will follow suit by restricting total and permanent disability policies.AustralianSuper on the other hand is about to slash life insurance premiums for all its members and materially for members under 25 and is looking to find additional cost savings by reducing the reinsurance costs.The $95 billion scheme is bringing down investment management fees by bringing certain management functions in-house. It also wants to use its scale to bring down the cost of insurance.AustralianSuper group executive for membership Paul Schroder told The Australian Financial Review it was all about using the schemes size and scale to think outside the square.If the cost of capital is falling, how are our members accessing that reduced cost of capital? Reinsurance costs are falling. Members should be able to benefit, he said.Schroder refused to hypothesise on how AustralianSuper, whose annual insurance bill is $600 million, might reorganise its insurance model to cut costs, however industry insiders have ventured that the fund could take on a greater portion of the risk itself.
Cigarette manufacturers arent immune to lawsuits by smokers who get sick, Connecticuts highest court ruled Monday in a decision that bolsters the case of a smoker who was stricken with laryngeal cancer and won a $28 million judgment against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
Justices said an exemption in liability law doesnt prohibit lawsuits in Connecticut against cigarette makers. The Connecticut Supreme Court was asked to decide the issue by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York, which is considering R.J. Reynolds appeal of the award.
Norwich resident Barbara Izzarelli sued the company, based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in federal court in 1999. She had smoked the companys Salem Kings brand cigarettes for 25 years since she was a teenager in the early 1970s before being diagnosed with cancer in 1996. She no longer has a voice box, breathes through a tracheotomy hole in her throat and can only eat soft foods, according to court documents.
In her lawsuit, Izzarelli alleged R.J. Reynolds designed and manufactured Salem Kings with increased addictive properties that delivered more carcinogens than necessary. She sued under the Connecticut Products Liability Act, which allows claims by people injured by defective or hazardous products.
At the 2010 trial in federal court in Bridgeport, Izzarellis lawyers introduced evidence that the company manipulated nicotine in Salem cigarettes to get nonsmokers addicted and to get addicted smokers to smoke more cigarettes. The company discovered ways to increase the nicotine kick including adding ammonia compounds, according to evidence at trial.
Witnesses for R.J. Reynolds testified that Izzarellis cancer was not specific to Salem Kings, that all tobacco was addictive and that any cigarettes she smoked would have had the same effect on her health.
But the jury found in favor of Izzarelli, who now lives in Daytona Beach, Florida.
R.J. Reynolds argues in its appeal that an exemption in Connecticuts law bars such lawsuits. The exemption, which dates to 1965, basically says tobacco is not unreasonably dangerous because the dangers of smoking are commonly known.
The Connecticut Supreme Court rejected the companys arguments.
It makes it clear the cigarette companies dont have immunity from the terrible injuries and disease and death that their products cause, said David Golub, Izzarellis lawyer. Golub said his clients case was the first one against a tobacco company to go to trial in Connecticut.
R.J. Reynolds officials declined to comment Monday.
The appeal before the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals remains pending.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Topics Lawsuits Connecticut Manufacturing
Kingstone Companies Inc., a multi-line regional property/casualty insurance holding company based in New York, announced that David Delaney has joined the senior management team at its subsidiary Kingstone Insurance Company as senior vice president of Business Development.
Delaney brings over 16 years of experience in the insurance industry. He spent the last seven years at the AIG leading a global team where he built the Consumer Lines catastrophe risk management practice to support over 40 countries. Delaney also led the development of automated underwriting decision systems for the personal lines admitted and non-admitted divisions to manage growth of the portfolios.
Prior to AIG, Delaney spent time in the reinsurance broker community leading analytics teams as well as working for Risk Management Solutions (RMS) and General Electric.
Kingstone is a P/C holding company whose principal operating subsidiary Kingstone Insurance Company is domiciled in New York. Kingstone writes business exclusively through independent retail and wholesale agents and brokers.
Kingstone offers P/C products for individuals and small businesses primarily in New York and is also licensed to write policies in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Texas.
Topics New York Property Casualty
UJA-Federation of New York, a philanthropic organization, announced three honorees to be recognized at this years General Insurance Annual Dinner. The event will be held on May 31 at Grand Hyatt New York in Manhattan.
This years honorees are Dominic Casserley, president of Willis Towers Watson; Charles Dangelo, president and CEO of Starr Indemnity and Liability; and Richard Hershman, senior advisor at FTI Consulting Inc. Hershman will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Maurice Greenberg, chairman of Starr Companies, and Peter Weinberg, partner at Perella Weinberg Partners, will serve as event chairs and present the honorees with their awards.
UJA-Federations Wall Street & Financial Services division hosts its General Insurance dinner each year to recognize professionals in the industry for demonstrating leadership and philanthropy, both at work and in the community.
Past honorees include Jay Fishman of The Travelers Companies; Evan Greenberg of ACE; William Heyman of The Travelers Companies; Constantine Dinos Iordanou of Arch Capital Group; Kevin Kelley of Ironshore; Donald Kramer of ILS Capital Management; Stephen McGill of Aon Risk Solutions; Pamela Newman of Aon; and Patrick Ryan of Ryan Specialty Group.
Funds raised go to UJA-Federations annual campaign to support its network of nearly 100 nonprofits.
Under Casserleys leadership, the Willis Group focused on growing its global platform and enhancing its offerings to companies to help them better quantify and manage the ever-changing set of risks they face, UJA-Federation said. Casserley joined Willis following a 30-year career at management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, where he was managing partner of its Greater China and later its U.K. operations.
As president and chief operating officer of Starr Insurance Holdings, Dangelo provides leadership for Starrs insurance companies and subsidiaries. He also serves as president and CEO of Starr Indemnity & Liability Insurance Company and Starr Surplus Lines Insurance Company, and as vice chairman of Starrs Bermuda-based insurance company, Starr Insurance and Reinsurance Limited. Prior to joining Starr, he was vice president and chief reinsurance officer for AIG.
Hershman recently retired as leader of FTI Consultings Global Insurance Services and continues as senior advisor. Hershman has 45 years of experience within the insurance industry and has been a frequent industry speaker and author. Prior to joining FTI, he provided insurance industry advisory services through a consulting firm he co-founded, and he also served as CFO of DSFX, an international intelligence-consulting firm.
Topics New York
UnitedHealth Group Inc. will drop out of government-organized health insurance markets in at least 16 states as the U.S. industry leader tries to stem losses from participating in Obamacare, the healthcare overhaul that has brought coverage to millions of people.
UnitedHealth hasnt listed the markets its leaving, and confirmations of the companys withdrawals have been trickling in from regulators in the 34 states where the company sold plans for this year. The insurer wont sell individual ACA plans for 2017 in states including Texas, North Carolina and Maryland.
UnitedHealth also is withdrawing from some related state insurance markets for small businesses.
Chief Executive Officer Stephen Hemsley said Tuesday that the company will end up selling Obamacare plans in only a handful of states next year. The exchange market is proving to be smaller and riskier than UnitedHealth expected, meaning we cannot broadly serve it on an effective and sustained basis, he told investors.
UnitedHealths reported state departure are Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, Tennessee, Colorado, Maryland, North Carolin,a Texas, Connecticut, Michigan, Oklahoma and Washington.
Its going to take a while for these markets to settle out and stabilize, said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at Georgetown Universitys Center on Health Insurance Reforms. Some carriers are going to see this as an opportunity and potentially go after business in these areas.
So far, New York and Nevada have confirmed that UnitedHealth plans to remain on their ACA exchanges next year. The company has also filed plans to participate in Virginia for 2017. Wisconsin said it hasnt received an exit notice from UnitedHealth, and that it doesnt comment on insurers business plans. A representative of Covered California said plan participation is confidential until its announced later this year.
In the states where UnitedHealth stops offering ACA plans for next year, people who are currently enrolled with the insurer will have to choose a new health plan during open enrollment. Their current coverage isnt affected.
Volatile Markets
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obamas signature domestic policy achievement, is projected to cover about 12 million people this year, according to the Congressional Budget Office, providing tax subsidies that help many afford private insurance. The program has proven volatile for health insurers selling coverage in the new markets, known as exchanges, with some reporting losses.
Insuring customers in ACA exchanges has turned out to be more costly than expected. That may be because sicker people are choosing to buy coverage, or because people buying plans deferred treatment for their medical needs until they got covered. Insurers also have said some people are buying insurance, using lots of care, and then dropping their coverage mid-year.
ACA Losses
UnitedHealth, which had about 795,000 ACA customers as of March 31, warned in November that it was posting losses on ACA policies. In December, the company said it should have stayed out of the individual exchange market longer.
The exchanges are a small part of the companys total medical membership of 47.7 million people. Yet the insurer said Tuesday that it expects to lose about $650 million on ACA plans this year.
Hemsley spoke on a conference call after the companys release of first-quarter results, which topped analysts profit estimates, thanks in part to UnitedHealths consulting, technology and services unit, Optum. The stock gained 2.1 percent to $130.50 at the New York close.
The impact of UnitedHealths decision to leave the ACA markets will vary by state. In North Carolina, a quarter of consumers will see the number of available Obamacare insurers drop to one for next year, according to an analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Many of the rest will have just two carriers to pick from.
The Kaiser analysis of UnitedHealths plans doesnt include actions by other insurers. Cigna Corp. is planning to enter a few new markets for next year, Matthew Asensio, a company spokesman, said by e-mail. The insurer offered plans on seven state exchanges for this year.
No Statewide Coverage
In Washington state, UnitedHealth was a relatively small player in the individual market, with less than 2 percent of enrollment, according to Pam MacEwan, CEO of the states health insurance marketplace. Yet the companys exit from the small business exchange would leave that market without a carrier that offers coverage across the state, MacEwan said in a memo to board members of the Washington Health Benefit Exchange.
A UnitedHealth unit called Harken Health will continue to sell in Georgia, mainly in the Atlanta area. Harken also offers plans in the Chicago area. Katherine Hempstead, who studies health insurance at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, said Harken is a sign that UnitedHealth is still trying to figure out a better approach to the new markets created by the ACA.
Theyre not totally giving up on the individual market, she said. The one piece of really good news is that they did not pull the plug on Harken. Maybe what United is really doing is reinventing itself.
Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
Topics Carriers Washington
More than 110,000 vehicles and thousands of homes in Texas regions of north San Antonio and Bexar County were pelted by large hail in what will become the costliest hailstorm in Texas history, according to the Independent Insurance Agents of San Antonio.
The storm struck on the evening of April 12, damaging roofs and knocking holes through car windows. The National Weather Service verified reports of 4 inch hail.
The storm primarily struck the northwestern portion of Bexar County moving across northern areas of San Antonio with large hail that was shaped like jagged rocks, said Robert Crosby, the groups executive director.
Estimated insured losses to vehicles are expected to reach $560 million while damage to homes and businesses is expected to reach $800 million.
The $1.36 billion total surpasses the May 5, 1995 hailstorm that struck Fort Worth causing an estimated $1.1 billion in damage.
Uninsured losses from homeowners without residential property insurance and vehicle owners without comprehensive insurance are also expected to be high.
The insured loss estimates were taken from company projected losses and verifying their percentage of the marketplace.
Topics Texas Windstorm
A 1981 Ferrari GTSI that has been missing for 21 years has been recovered, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
The car, reported stolen in 1987 from Newport Beach, Calif. while on consignment at a dealership, was recovered at the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach earlier this month.
The original owner was paid about $37,000 for the insurance theft claim in 1987 for the vehicle, one of 1,743 of that model made in 1981, NICB said
The original owner has been contacted, according to the theft bureau.
After it was stolen, the vehicle identification number (VIN) was later switched to the VIN of a 1982 Ferrari that had already been exported to Norway in 2005. When the vehicle arrived at the port, it was headed from Texas to Poland.
Working with Customs and Border Protection, the California Highway Patrol and Ferrari representatives, NICB said it was able to determine the true identity of the car and to recover the original theft report filed with Newport Beach Police in 1987.
NICB records showed only 12 stolen red Ferraris still unrecovered at this time.
The NICB is supported by property/casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations.
News and Video Source: NICB
Topics Auto Fraud
Eleven months ago, Houston had a deadly flood. This week, the city had another.
Events like these are often called 100-year floods, and that can be misleading. The U.S. government began using the term in the 1960s to describe a flood that has a 1 percent chance of happening in any given year, not a chance of happening only once a century. Its statistical probability and that can change over time.
Over the span of 30 years, which is the length of many peoples mortgages, there is a once in four chance it is going to happen, said Mari Tye, a project scientist in the mesoscale and microscale meteorological laboratory at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. Over 100 years, there is a 67 percent chance.
And that doesnt take into account other conditions that can alter the outlook, including changing climate or the effects of El Nino or La Nina.
Moving Target
Thats why the 100-year event is such a moving target, especially in an urban environment, said Chuck Watson, director of research and development at Enki Research, which develops tools to measure hazards. Someone builds a couple of parking lots, and you just turned a 100-year event into a 70-year event because of the impervious surfaces.
Asphalt doesnt soak up rain water; it just sends it somewhere else, such as into the house next door. When you add in natural climate cycles, the results are further skewed, Watson said from his office in Savannah, Georgia. One of the influences of El Nino is to send more rain across the southern U.S.. In a situation like that, the chances of a catastrophic flood might rise to one in 20.
At least seven people died in Houston in this weeks rain, according to CNN. The bulk of the downpour was Monday, when a daily record 9.92 inches (25 centimeters) fell at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, the National Weather Service said. Some areas received more. At least 100,000 customers lost power, the citys light rail was shut and water was over the banks of more than half of its 22 bayous and creeks, which help with flood control.
Even Worse
If you get that much rain, there is no place for the water to go, said Jill Hasling, who founded the Weather Research Center in the Texas city.
The current flood is worse in some ways than the one last May, Hasling said in an interview at the American Meteorological Societys Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Parts of the city that were dry a year ago are inundated now.
That flood damaged more than 2,500 homes and killed more than 30 people in Texas and Oklahoma, according to reports at the time. A little more than 35 percent of the state had been suffering some level of drought, but by the first week of June the share had dropped to less than 1 percent, the U.S. Drought Monitor reported.
This reveals another problem with trying to quantify extreme events things can always get worse, which makes it difficult to come up with a worst-case scenario.
With all our records, we dont know what the most extreme is, because they are rare, Tye said. You make an estimate of the probability and then another storm comes along that is worse.
As for Houston, Hasling has some advice: Theres more than one flood a year in Houston. If you live in Houston, buy flood insurance. If you are not in the flood zone, buy it anyway; it will just be cheaper.
Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
Topics Flood
Experts are cautioning both insurance buyers and sellers not to overreact to the recent federal court decision finding data breach defense coverage under a commercial general liability (CGL) policy.
Experts are cautioning both insurance buyers and sellers not to overreact to the recent federal court decision finding data breach defense coverage under a commercial general liability (CGL) policy.
Buyers would be mistaken to think the ruling means that they do not need a cyber policy if they have a CGL policy and insurers might want to think twice before narrowing their general liability language to guard against cyber claims when the marketplace is clamoring for broader coverage.
The April 12 decision in Travelers Indemnity vs. Portal Healthcare Solutions by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit presented a particular set of facts that may not apply to other carriers CGL policies or to other insureds situations.
Travelers had argued that its 2012 and 2013 CGL policies did not require it to defend its insured, Portal Healthcare Solutions, which was being sued over a data breach by patients of a New York hospital that had hired it to secure its data.
Defining Publication
The 2012 and 2013 policies under Coverage Part B Personal and Advertising Injury obligated Travelers to pay if Portal became legally obligated to pay damages because of an advertising or website injury arising from the electronic publication of material that gives unreasonable publicity to a persons private life or discloses information about a persons private life.
The insurer had argued that there was no personal injury or publication as defined by the policies because release of the records was not intentional and they were not viewed by a third party. But the court said an unintentional publication is still publication. The court also said the definition of publication does not hinge on third party access.
In a recent interview with Insurance Journal, Stephanie Snyder, senior vice president for Aon Risk Solutions, said that the Travelers ruling turned on defining publication in a digital age and was not all that surprising.
The private healthcare information was viewed as being published. When information is published it really does fall under a CGL advertising injury personal injury type of coverage and it really comes down to the definition of what is published information, said Snyder.
Whereas some CGL policies might have an explicit exclusion for this type of injury, this Travelers policy did not, she noted.
Snyder said the other noteworthy aspect of the decision is that it only said defense costs would be covered. So youre not talking about any of the expense costs, she said, citing public relations, notification, credit monitoring and computer forensics costs that might be picked up by a cyber policy. None of those are taken into account by this particular ruling.
She said she was not necessarily surprised by the ruling. Weve seen other litigation going back where everyones trying to force coverage into a CGL in the case where they dont buy a cyber policy, she said. But where we are starting to see cyber policies become more the norm, I think these types of cases will fall by the wayside.
Taking Notice
Christopher Keegan, cyber and technology risk practice leader with broker Beecher Carlson, agrees that whether there is coverage comes down to the particular set of facts. However, when youve got a word like publishing in the policy, if you can find some element of publishing there, then the courts are going to pick it up and interpret it in a way thats going to help the insured. Thats a good thing, I think, he said.
He said a case like this makes people take notice of an issue and forces underwriters to consider if they are covering things in a CGL, for instance, that they did not intend to cover. It highlights it for us and brings it to our attention in a way thats like, OK, we know this exists. What are we going to do about it?' he told Insurance Journal.
He said cases like this are likely to arise where insureds have not bought a cyber policy and seek to leverage whatever policies they do have to find coverage. Theyre trying to take advantage of less-clear wording in those policies. Once you get lawyers involved in the process, thats what happens, he said.
In these cases, he said, the businesses are really inviting litigation because they are going to get some pushback from underwriters who had no intention of covering what they claim.
Keegan suggests that this is when the broker has to advise his clients: Do you really want that situation? Or in the midst of a breach wouldnt you rather have an insurer thats going to be saying, Hey, were standing behind you. Were going to provide some of the services that are provided under the cyber policy, and have the underwriters be on your side rather than litigating those issues?
Keegan suggested that even this case is not yet finished because it will take some time for this to work its way through the legal system and states before everyone can understand exactly what its application is.
Beyond Data Breach
Linda Kornfeld, an insurance recovery lawyer at Kasowitz Benson Torres & Freidman in Los Angeles, put a different spin on the case, claiming it goes beyond its data breach context.
This a positive decision for policyholders in not just the data breach context, but also with respect to other claims involving privacy issues, such as blast fax and zip code cases, she said in a statement. Kornfeld said the decision is in line with other cases where courts have broadly interpreted the publication language, finding that the undefined term is ambiguous and should be interpreted in the policyholders favor.
She said that while there was no evidence that anyone actually accessed personal information in this case, the potential to do so existed had someone run the right Google search. According to the court, that possibility, even if it never became a reality, was enough to trigger the defense duty, Kornfeld said.
Marketplace Pressure
While buyers need to understand what is covered and what isnt, insurers do as well. Keegan believes the case offers a lesson for insurers to make sure that they understand what the exposures are and how to explain them for their own benefit.
That process is evolving. ISO has developed exclusions carriers can use to say, We want to take this risk or, We dont want to take this risk.
But theres a long way to go, he said, adding that many insurers are only now looking at cyber exposures and aggregations. Its not that easy, he said. Youve got to anticipate all of the things that are going to happen.
While underwriters may want to be more precise in explaining what is covered and not covered under certain policies, perhaps even insert a full exclusion in a general liability policy, carriers have other factors to weigh, including the competitive marketplace with attentive brokers and customers.
Keegan said carriers and brokers are competing with one another for clients and at some point a carrier that is pulling back on a wholesale basis is going to lose business to its competitors.
For example, putting in a full exclusion could leave a hole that even a cyber policy wont fill. You can imagine what insureds are going to think about when someone says, Were removing coverage for you and were not giving you an option to actually fill the gap,' he said.
He said brokers and others in the marketplace want to push for broader coverage and where theres some interpretation involved in policies. Keeping coverage open to certain risks is advantageous to sellers and their buyer clients.
Calling All Policies
Its not only general liability policies that are being challenged by cyber.
Any number of different policies cover cyber risk in some way, shape, or form. As a result of that, were finding situations where two or three policies may respond to a particular situation, said Keegan.
For Joshua Gold, an insurance recovery attorney with Anderson Kill in New York who specializes in cyber, Keegans point is the main takeaway from the Travelers ruling: Policyholders need to look to all of their policies for coverage, not just to general liability or even just to cyber.
The case is an important reminder that non-cyber-specific insurance policies may provide vital insurance protection for cyber-related claims, he said.
He also said the ruling offers hope that defense costs for cyber claims will be found in general liability policies and contends that could be significant.
Theres always an issue with these type of claims that you are going to attract a class action lawsuit so just getting the defense component of that can be hugely valuable, he said. This can be a big deal.
Gold agrees that the Travelers ruling is noteworthy for what it says constitutes publication of data in a breach of privacy. The court found that publication occurs upon disclosure of the medical data, does not need to be intended, and does not require proof that any actual third-party saw the data.
Its a good development for policyholders but I would not put all of my eggs in that basket, he said, stressing that most businesses need multiple policies and need to understand all of their exclusions.
Buyers should know before a claim where their coverage for cyber is, he said and this requires looking at all policies.
Gold said his firm has secured coverage for businesses for claims under various traditional policies including property, crime, general liability, business owners, errors and omissions, and directors and officers.
As for how insurers may react to the Travelers ruling, Gold agrees with Keegan that the marketplace will have its say although reactions will vary.
My guess is that underwriters will all do their own thing on this, Gold said. While some will be completely spooked by the Travelers decision and narrow their offering, other underwriters will realize its a competitive marketplace and they might be able to offer a broker and client something better. So like everything its always hard to generalize but I am quite sure there will be very different reactions, he said.
Cyber Gaps
While most businesses should buy a cyber policy, they should not assume then that they are completely covered if they do, Gold said.
A lot of cyber policies have tons and tons of exclusions and can be confusing so I dont think you can just rely n the cyber policy either, he said.
Los Angeles policyholder attorney Kornfeld wonders how long traditional policies may be of help in cyber situations.
As a policyholder, I would not rely upon this ruling as a substitute to purchasing cyber coverage because the industry is working hard, through exclusions and other language, to push data breach and cyber risks away from the traditional coverages, such as GL policies like that at issue in this decision, and toward cyber specific coverages, she wrote.
Richard Caplan, with the national law firm LeClairRyans Atlanta office, echoed the caution that cyber policies themselves are not a panacea. He said a lot can hinge on the meaning of certain key words and phrases in a policy.
Some who buy cyber insurance assume it covers all first-party costs in the event of an incident like investigation, notification and credit monitoring. But it only covers third party claims or lawsuits.
If your cyber coverage only kicks in when a third party makes a claim, then practically speaking you may not have any coverage at all, he warns. For now, perhaps the most important thing to do is make sure you do not fall into the category of someone who thinks they are covered when they are not.
Evolving Coverage
In recent testimony on Capitol Hill before a House homeland security subcommittee, Adam Hamm, North Dakota insurance commissioner, cautioned lawmakers and the public about cyber coverage.
Speaking on behalf of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) prior to the Travelers ruling, Hamm said many businesses probably do not realize that most standard commercial lines policies do not cover many cyber risks and thus they need a special cybersecurity policy. But they need to know that cyber policies differ and the market is far from being standardized, he said.
Commercial insurance policies are contracts between two or more parties, subject to a certain amount of customization, so if youve seen one cybersecurity policy, youve seen exactly one cybersecurity policy, Hamm said.
All these nuances mean securing a cybersecurity policy is not as simple as pulling something off the shelf and walking to the cash register. Insurers writing this coverage are justifiably interested in the risk management techniques applied by the policyholder to protect its network and its assets. The more an insurer knows about a businesss operations, structures, risks, history of cyber attacks, and security culture, the better it will be able to design a product that meets the clients need and satisfies regulators, Hamm said.
Topics Carriers Cyber Agencies Claims Underwriting
A man who worked as an Uber driver is charged in the sexual assault of a 16-year-old passenger in Hawaii.
Uber deactivated the driver, who was charged with two counts of first-degree sexual assault and one count of attempted sex assault.
The 24-year-old man is being held on $150,000 bond.
Police say the man dropped the girls friends off on April 16 and then took her elsewhere, where she says he sexually assaulted her.
Its unclear whether he has an attorney.
Hawaii News Now reported that minors are prohibited from using the ride-hailing service and drivers must pass background checks.
Uber spokeswoman Taylor Patterson said in a statement that the company is investigating what happened.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Topics Personal Auto
American International Group, Bermuda-based Hamilton Insurance Group and affiliates of hedge fund firm Two Sigma Investments said they have agreed to create a technology-enabled insurance platform for sales to the small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) market.
The announcement said the joint venture will combine Two Sigmas proprietary data science and technology platform, Hamiltons technology and underwriting experience in the SME market, and AIGs SME capabilities and global presence to target what they estimate is a North American SME market worth $76 billion.
The venture will offer pricing and servicing using predictive analytics and an easy-to-use customer interface, according to the founders.
Two Sigma will also develop specialized asset allocation products for the unique characteristics of insurance investment portfolios.
Completion of the joint venture is still subject to negotiating final agreements and obtaining required permits and regulatory approvals. The terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
Brian Duperreault, Hamilton chairman and CEO, will serve as chairman of the board of the joint venture. Richard Friesenhahn, currently executive vice president of U.S. Casualty Lines at AIG, will assume the position of chief executive officer.
Agents and brokers will have roles to play with the platform because they are already involved with most of this business and because SME customers want an intermediary, Duperreault told Carrier Management.
Technology Influence
Hamilton was founded on the premise that technology will redefine the manner in which insurance products are assessed, priced and distributed, particularly in the small commercial market, said Duperreault. Since establishing our partnership with Two Sigma and our start-up operations in New Jersey, our belief in this premise has been validated by the enthusiastic reception weve received from wholesale and retail partners throughout the U.S.
Hamilton and Two Sigma have been working together as the insurer has acquired other insurers and expanded its operations.
David Siegel, a Two Sigma co-founder, sees the deal providing a more convenient and systematic insurance experience for small businesses, and an opportunity to address the challenge of optimal insurance asset allocation.
With this venture, we want to revolutionize the SME market through technology that creates a more tailored and compelling value proposition for clients in this critical segment, said AIG President and CEO Peter D. Hancock.
Tech and Small Business Insurance
Interest by large insurers and technology firms in the small and medium business market is picking up steam.
A 2016 report from McKinsey & Co. said the competition in this market will intensify as more small business customers exhibit their openness to buying via direct and digital channels and as more large insurance carriers enter the field.
The report, Small Commercial Insurance: A Bright Spot in the U.S. Property-Casualty Market, said that the shifting behavior of small business owners towards online purchasing presents new challenges for carriers, particularly those that use independent agents. While a segment of small commercial insurance buyers will always value independent agents, an increasing percentage are open to the direct route and may only be using agents to close a deal because direct binding isnt readily available, according to the report.
The Hamilton/AIG/Two Sigma initiative also comes in the wake of a Novarica report last November that suggested the U.S. small commercial insurance market would likely embrace direct online sales within the next five years, though it is slow to do so right now.
Insurers are investing in digital platforms including CoverHound, 24 percent of which is now owned by ACE Ltd. (the new Chubb). CoverHound is building a small commercial insurance platform that will start by selling businessowners policies. Insureon, an online agency for small business insurance, raised more than $30 million last October. Seattle-based AssureStart, backed by the American Family Mutual Insurance Co., which sells to business with fewer than 30 employees, is backed by the American Family Mutual Insurance Co. Insurer Hiscox has been expanding its online platform for small businesses for a number of years.
Last December, Berkshire Hathaway Inc., which owns GEICO, created Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Co. to sell insurance directly to businesses over the Internet. The new insurer planned to initially focus on workers compensation and business owners package policies.
Insurance providers also have competitors from the technology world.
Next Insurance, an online shopper for small businesses, recently announced a $13 million seed investment led by investors Zeev Ventures, TLV Partners and Ribbit Capital. Next Insurance plans to launch its first product this spring.
Also, New York-based CoverWallet launched what it calls its online insurance manager, which it said received $2 million in seed funding from Two Sigma Ventures, Highland Capital Partners, Founder Collective and other angel investors. This startup promises to provide small business owners with a concierge-like service that helps them navigate the details of commercial insurance.
Earlier this month, New York-based private equity firm Aquiline Capital Partners agreed to acquire Simply Business, an online brokerage selling small business insurance policies in the United Kingdom.
Related:
Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Carriers USA Agencies InsurTech Commercial Lines Tech Business Insurance New Markets
For the second time in about a decade, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. faces a scandal that poses an existential threat.
The Japanese automaker has improperly tested the fuel economy of its cars for the past quarter century, widening the scope of misconduct that executives initially said dated back to 2002. The Mitsubishi Motors board formed a panel of three ex-prosecutors to investigate for about three months. Until then, customers, investors and minicar partner Nissan Motor Co. may be left waiting for information about the number of affected models and details of compensation.
Im taking this as a case that could affect our companys existence, President Tetsuro Aikawa told reporters during a press conference Tuesday. My mission is to solve the issue.
On Tuesday, Mitsubishi Motors shares plunged for a fifth day, slashing the companys market value by half during that span to about 427 billion yen ($3.8 billion). The deepening crisis is the worst since the automaker covered up defective axles that led wheels to detach in fatal accidents, prompting multiple bailouts from Mitsubishi group companies.
The stock climbed 1.6 percent to 441 yen in early Tokyo trading on Wednesday.
Right now, understanding which cars and how many of them are at stake is the most important thing, Koji Endo, a Tokyo-based analyst with Advanced Research Japan, said by phone. After two press conferences in the span of a week, investors are still waiting for a proper report.
Mitsubishi Motors hasnt decided how it will compensate customers, Aikawa said. The company is in discussions about reimbursing Nissan, which was supplied about three-quarters of the 625,000 minicars that were improperly tested and relied on manipulated data. Nissan has since voluntarily stopped sales of the Japan-only models, called Dayz and Dayz Roox.
Depending on how many more vehicles were improperly tested, the company will get into a situation where its survival is difficult, Endo said.
Wrongdoing by the Japanese automaker and Volkswagen AG has prompted a reckoning of the ways carmakers test for and label the fuel economy and exhaust emissions of their vehicles. Government investigators last week raided French manufacturer PSA Group as part of broader checks into vehicle emissions, while Daimler AG initiated an internal probe into its certification process at the behest of the U.S. Department of Justice.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board also announced an investigation of whether models sold in the U.S. meet fuel economy regulations.
The EPA has instructed Mitsubishi to provide additional information on vehicles sold in the U.S. and will direct the company to conduct additional testing, EPA spokeswoman Julia Valentine said in an e-mailed statement Tuesday in Washington.
Japans transport ministry asked Mitsubishi Motors to re-submit findings from its investigation of improper testing methods by May 11. An initial report that the company provided the regulator ahead of a Wednesday deadline was insufficient, a ministry official said Tuesday.
In addition to potential payouts to customers and Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors may have to pay back government tax rebates that its minicars shouldnt have been eligible for, Ryugo Nakao, an executive vice president, has said.
Nissan first uncovered fuel economy discrepancies when working on development for the next generation of the minicars. Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn said Monday that Nissan will decide on the future of the partnership after further verification.
Mitsubishi Motors had set stretch fuel economy goals for its engineers to achieve. Aikawa, 62, and other executives attended meetings where the company raised targets for the Nissan Dayz, Dayz Roox and Mitsubishi eK Wagon and eK Space minicars, Nakao said Tuesday.
We arent able to deal with customers, Aikawa told reporters Tuesday, adding that he wasnt aware of the improper testing. Were just telling them that well offer something.
Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
Topics USA Trends Pollution
Mercury Insurance is now offering ride-hailing insurance to cover Uber, Lyft and other Transportation Network Company (TNC) drivers in Illinois. This new coverage will provide drivers with insurance that will bridge the gap between their personal auto insurance and the coverage provided by their TNC.
Mercury said its ride-hailing policy will fill the gaps in coverage and provide drivers with high quality insurance that will cover them throughout the entire drive cycle. This means that if drivers get into an accident in any portion of the drive cycle and are liable they will be insured up to the limits of coverage purchased.
The ride-hailing drive cycle is divided into three periods:
Period 1: Drivers have turned on the ride-hailing app, but havent accepted a fare.
Period 2: Drivers have accepted a fare and are on their way to pick up the passenger(s).
Period 3: Drivers are transporting passenger(s) to their destinations.
Mercurys ride-hailing insurance will extend drivers personal auto policies from Period 1 through Period 3 of the drive cycle, allowing them to obtain coverage not provided by their ride-hailing companies. This means that if drivers get into an accident during any period of the drive cycle and have Mercurys ride-hailing insurance, they will have coverage above and beyond the coverage provided by their TNC.
Mercurys ride-hailing insurance will also fix the insureds vehicle in a covered loss if those coverages have been purchased from Mercury.
In addition, if the policies provided by both the TNC and Mercury include coverage for the insureds vehicle, then the Mercury policy will pay for any gap between the higher deductible on the TNC policy and the lower deductible on the Mercury policy.
Currently, Mercurys ride-hailing insurance is also available to Arizona, California, Oklahoma and Nevada ride-hailing drivers.
Source: Mercury Insurance
Topics New Markets Illinois
A northeast Ohio court is trying to track down for heirs to hundreds of rubber workers who died or became very ill because of exposure to asbestos as it looks to pay out about $2 million in legal claims.
Heirs have been found for many of the deceased workers with pending claims in the past year. The Summit County Probate Court posted a list on its website of about 850 deceased rubber workers whose heirs havent been located, The Akron Beacon Journal reported.
An $80 million fund was created in 2004 after insurance giant Travelers Cos. settled with lawyers for thousands of workers who had asbestos-related claims. A series of appeals delayed payouts until the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court in New York ordered Travelers to pay in 2014.
After a long fight, we finally created a pot of money, attorney Tom Bevan said. Unfortunately, so much time passed, we have been unable to locate heirs.
Bevan & Associates, a Boston Heights-based law firm that helped fight the asbestos litigation, filed about 1,700 cases in probate court last year involving rubber workers who died and whose heirs couldnt immediately be found. The move gave them time to try to locate surviving descendants.
If the attorneys had an address for the rubber workers or their family, they sent them a letter. They also did online searches and tried to reach them by phone.
Damage claims range from $2,100 to $23,000, based on medical diagnoses for various asbestos-related illnesses.
About 19,000 cases are being paid from the settlement across the country. Summit County has the most, with about 6,000.
Heirs have been located in about half of the countys pending probate cases.
We still have a long ways to go, Bevan said.
Related:
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Topics Ohio
For the second time in a month, Florida Gov. Rick Scott and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater could not reach an agreement over who will become the next insurance commissioner for the state.
At the April 26 Florida Cabinet Meeting, Cabinet Members Scott, Atwater, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam interviewed a total of four candidates from the 71 applicants who applied to the position. The spot will soon be vacated by current Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty, who announced his plan to resign earlier this year.
Former head of the Terrorism Insurance Program (TRIP) Jeffrey Bragg and Florida State Rep. Bill Hager were re-interviewed after failing to be appointed at last months meeting. In addition, Belinda Miller, current chief of staff for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR), and Raymond Blacklidge, EVP of American Traditions Insurance Co. and Modern USA Insurance Co., were also interviewed at Tuesdays meeting.
McCarty said back in January that he would resign effective May 2. The Cabinet then opened up an online application with the goal of appointing a successor at its March 29 meeting, before the start of hurricane season. However, at the March meeting, Scott refused to second Atwaters nomination of Hager. The Cabinet needs to reach a unanimous decision on the choice with Atwater and Scotts votes carrying the most weight.
This time it was Scotts turn to have his choice for McCartys replacement rejected. After hearing again from Bragg on Tuesday, Scott praised his experience and moved to appoint him to the position. A 22-second silence followed, to which Scott responded, It doesnt look like there will be a second. Where do we go from here?
Scott said with the June 1 start of hurricane season right around the corner, the Cabinet needs to select a permanent insurance commissioner.
He also seemed to reject current Commissioner McCartys offer to stick around a little longer than he had originally planned. McCarty notified the Cabinet April 20 he would delay his departure until 45 days after his successor was chosen. But Scott said Tuesday that he didnt know about McCartys gracious offer to postpone his resignation, despite OIR having sent letters to the offices of each Cabinet member. Bondi said she read about McCartys offer in the newspaper.
Scott reemphasized the need to appoint someone new, saying McCartys interest is in moving on and I think we need a permanent replacement.
Scott then asked the Cabinet to reconvene on Friday, April 29, in a special session that will be held via phone to discuss the matter and publicly interview two additional candidates Richard Robleto and David Altmaier, the current deputy commissioners for OIR.
Atwater responded by reiterating the relationship the Department of Financial Services and OIR have, and asked his fellow Cabinet members to offer their viewpoints of the candidates who had been interviewed so far.
Bondi and Putnam agreed if the CFO and governor can reach an agreement they would back their choice. However, both Putnam and Bondi urged Atwater and Scott to get to that point sooner rather than later.
This process needs to be thorough but we need to start eyeballing the runway here, Putnam said.
Bondi suggested that before Friday, Atwater and Scott should make a decision about Hager and Bragg.
I think, gentleman, if youre not going to budge on one of these candidates then you need to say that so we can strike them off the list and we can move on, she said. We are entering hurricane season and we need to all work together on this. This is a very important appointment, especially for our state.
Insurance groups in Florida hope a decision will be reached soon so the business of running the state Office of Insurance Regulation will continue uninterrupted.
The process to select Floridas next Insurance Commissioner appears to be at a stalemate and [Tuesdays] Cabinet meeting confirmed this, Jeff Grady, CEO of the Florida Association of Insurance Agents said in an e-mail statement to Insurance Journal. FAIA has no formal position on who should ultimately be chosen to succeed Commissioner McCarty. We can only trust that this process will result in the best qualified candidate being appointed by the Florida Cabinet.
PCI believes that its important for the Florida Office of Insurance regulation to continue to be a strong and effective advocate for state based regulation. We are hopeful whoever is appointed will continue to maintain a healthy and competitive market for insurance consumers, said Logan McFaddin the Property Casualty Insurance PCIs Regional Manager.
McCarty told Insurance Journal his successor doesnt necessarily have to be someone with experience in the Florida insurance market, though that would be an advantage for them.
I dont think anyone should be discounted, either in the state or outside of state. I think whats important is to have somebody who can strike the balance between protecting consumer issues, and understand[ing] the importance of a robust and competitive market, McCarty said. Every decision you make can affect millions of people directly or indirectly.
Update: CFO Atwater announced he would interview David Altmaier, Richard Robleto, and Eric Johnson, chief actuary and director of OIR, by phone on Wednesday.
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Topics Florida Legislation
Firefighters said Tuesday they expect another average or below-average wildfire season in Colorado in 2016, the third mild year in a row.
Thats always good news, Gov. John Hickenlooper said after announcing the outlook.
But even an average year can bring thousands of wildfires, he said, and a dry spell could make things worse.
The fire outlook is based on computer models that use weather conditions and forecasts, history and other factors.
Colorado enters this season after a wet winter, with the spring snowpack at 90 to 110 percent of average over much of the state Tuesday. South and southwest Colorado were the exception, with the snowpack at 77 to 82 percent.
About a quarter of the state is abnormally dry, but none of it is in drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, which tracks conditions nationwide.
The previous two fire seasons were comparatively easy for the state, averaging about 3,600 fires burning a total of about 39 square miles per year.
But Colorado endured more than 4,900 fires on 348 square miles in 2013. They included the Black Forest fire northeast of Colorado Springs, which destroyed 488 homes and killed two people.
In 2012, more than 6,100 fires charred about 666 square miles. The Waldo Canyon fire in Colorado Springs destroyed 344 homes that year and also killed two people.
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Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire Colorado
Un ottobre da sogno per Antonio Conte: lex ct della Nazionale italiana, attualmente alla guida del Chelsea, nelle ultime quattro gare di Premier League ha collezionato solo successi, conditi da 11 reti segnate e addirittura nessuna incassata. Numeri da record che non sono certo passati inosservati alla Federazione inglese, la quale ha conferito al tecnico leccese lambito premio di Manager del mese.
Unavventura oltremanica iniziata in sordina, quella di Conte, pur a fronte di tre vittorie nelle prime tre gare di campionato. A far vacillare, anche se solo per un momento, le certezze del patron del club londinese, Roman Abramovich, i risultati conseguiti tra la 4a e la 6a giornata, coincisi con un pareggio sul campo dello Swansea City e, soprattutto, con le due pesanti sconfitte subite dal Liverpool, sul terreno casalingo di Stamford Bridge, e dallArsenal. In particolare, la debacle interna coi Reds, aveva irritato non poco il numero uno russo, poiche occorsa proprio nel giorno della sua 250esima partita da presidente della societa.
Come detto, solo un momento. Dopo lincontro dellEmirates, il tecnico salentino cambia modulo, adottando un piu equilibrato 3-4-3 e inserendo elementi di corsa come lo spagnolo Pedro. Una svolta totale perche, di li in poi, il Chelsea inanellera solo e soltanto vittorie: 2 gol allHull City e al Southampton in trasferta, 3 ai campioni dInghilterra del Leicester e 4 allo United in casa, con un meraviglioso numero zero nella casella delle reti subite. Un fantastico poker, ottenuto tra l1 e il 29 ottobre. Un cambio di marcia sbalorditivo, confermato dal 5 a 0 rifilato ai toffees dellEverton nel primo match di novembre, e una scalata che, man mano, ha portato i blues al secondo posto in classifica, a soli 2 punti dal Liverpool capolista.
E allora, non poteva mancare il riconoscimento di migliore allenatore del mese, ottenuto surclassando tecnici del calibro di Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool), Arsene Wenger (Arsenal) e Mark Hughes (Southampton). Tanta, ovviamente, la soddisfazione: E un grande onore e voglio condividerlo con i giocatori e con la societa ha dichiarato Conte sul sito ufficiale della Premier League -. E la prima volta che lavoro in un altro Paese, con una cultura diversa, e portare la propria filosofia non e facile, ma ora sono contento di questa scelta.
A completare la festa, la premiazione del fantasista belga, Eden Hazard, come miglior giocatore di ottobre. Due risultati importanti per il club, ottimo incentivo per la rincorsa al trono dei campioni, occupato dal Leicester di Ranieri. Il prossimo appuntamento per l11 di Conte sara al Riverside Stadium, tana del Middlesborough neopromosso. Il tempo di festeggiare e gia finito.
An emerging market bond exchange-traded fund (ETF) comprises fixed income debt issues from countries with developing economies. These include government bonds and corporate bonds in Asia, Latin America, Africa and elsewhere. Emerging market bonds typically offer higher returns than traditional bonds for two primary reasons: They tend to be riskier than bonds from more developed countries, and developing countries tend to grow rapidly.
An emerging market ETF allows investors to diversify positions in emerging market bonds like a mutual fund, yet it trades like a stock. If the underlying bonds in the ETF perform well, so too does the ETF (minus the funds costs and expenses).
iShares JPMorgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF
Launched with the help of iShares in December 2007, the iShares JPMorgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF (EMB) tracks the JPMorgan EMBI Global Core Index. EMBI Global Core is a very broad, U.S.-dollar denominated, emerging-markets debt benchmark. Nearly three-quarters of the EMBI Global Core is emerging government debt, with most of the rest focused on high-yielding corporate bonds. iShares.
The iShares JPMorgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF is best suited for investors are looking for a diversified path to high-yielding fixed income. The fund has holdings in 50 countries, including in allocation in Russia, Mexico, Poland, Hungary, South Africa, and the Philippines.
SPDR Barclays Capital Emerging Markets Local Bond ETF
The SPDR Barclays Capital Emerging Markets Local Bond ETF (EBND) tracks government debt for emerging market countries. It also tracks them in their local currency, which adds volatility and arbitrage opportunities. Although the EBND has an exchange rate risk associated with it, the currency conversion can be used as a hedge against the U.S. dollar while potentially enhancing current returns in low rate environments.
The returns of EBND should generally correspond to the price and yield performance of its benchmark EM Local Currency Capped Index, minus fees and expenses. The expense ratio is 0.30%. This ETF is particularly attractive to investors who want exposure to Brazil.
Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt Portfolio
An Invesco issue, the Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt Portfolio (PCY) was established in October 2007. This ETF tracks the DB Emerging Markets USD Liquid Balance Index, which typically has 80% of its underlying assets in dollar-denominated government debt.
The tracking function of the DB Emerging Markets USD Liquid Balance Index is somewhat unique. All sovereign debt in the index is chosen through a proprietary index methodology and subsequently measured against the potential returns from a theoretical portfolio. The entire portfolio is rebalanced quarterly. The PCY ETF has bond holdings in more than 20 countries, including Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Lithuania, Colombia, Poland, and Slovenia.
The ETF expense ratio is only 0.50%. Investors should consider this fund if they want a highly diversified and actively rebalanced portfolio with exposure to emerging market fixed income returns.
Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond ETF
Vanguard created the Emerging Markets Government Bond ETF (VWOB) to mirror the performance of the Barclays Emerging Markets Government RIC Capped Index. All of the funds underlying investments are chosen through a sampling process designed to mirror the holdings and an average maturity of the benchmark.
The VWOB ETF is a U.S. dollar-denominated emerging-market debt fund, meaning it avoids any impact from exchange rate risk or currency volatility. The fund typically has debt holdings that have longer maturities and as a result, are more sensitive to changes in interest rates. The VWOB has bond holdings in Russia, Mexico, Qatar, Colombia, and Argentina.
Like many Vanguard ETF offerings, the Emerging Markets Government Bond ETF has a low expense ratio of only 0.25%. The VWOB is a good option for investors looking for passively managed exposure to emerging market government debt.
Market Vectors Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF
Van Eck issued the Market Vectors Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF (EMLC) in 2010. This ETF seeks to capture the returns, before fees and expenses, of the JPMorgan Government Bond Index Global Core.
The EMLC ETF provides investors with exposure to emerging-market government bonds denominated in local currencies. The EMLC offers diversification away from U.S. debt. However, the fund, which has nearly $3 billion in AUM, is not hedged against currency exchange risk.
The ETF's country allocation includes Brazil, Thailand, Argentina, South Africa, Dominican Republic, and Mexico. The vast majority of the allocation weightings for each country is less than 1%, and the ETF has an expense ratio of 0.36%.
The Fukushima nuclear plant incident that occurred in Japan in March 2011 caused many observers to question the use of uranium as a source of nuclear energy and perhaps cast doubts on clean energy overall. However, this may have been a premature conclusion as there are other elements that can be used in the nuclear cycle to create power. In addition, there are safer, better alternatives for nuclear power that are much less harmful to the environment. So what do we use instead of nuclear energy powered by uranium?
Some alternative energy sources have been around for generations. They include thorium, solar power, natural gas, and hydrogen. It's likely that in the modern age, increasingly government and scientists will look towards these alternatives in establishing sustainable energy supplies. In March 2019, bipartisan legislation was reintroduced under the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act to "boost nuclear energy innovation and ensure advanced reactors can provide clean, safe, affordable, and reliable power to meet national and global energy needs."
In July 2020, the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act was incorporated into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the fiscal year 2021, and the NDAA (with NELA included by amendment) was passed by the U.S. Senate. (It became law on Jan. 1, 2021).
Key Takeaways Many clean alternative sources of fuel and power exist that can be used in place of uraniumsome of which have been around for generations.
Power from the sun, harnessed through solar panels, is abundant, inexhaustible, and arguably the best known of the alternative energy sources.
Thorium is an abundant alternative to uranium, and the technology to use it has existed since the 1960s.
Natural gas is another good alternative, not just to uranium but to oil.
Hydrogen can be used in conjunction with a fuel cell to provide transport and a source of power.
Thorium
Thorium is an element that can be used as a fuel in the nuclear cycle. It is an alternative to uranium, and the technology to facilitate the use of thorium has been around since the 1960s. Many scientists and others are advocating the use of this element based on its many advantages over the current uranium fuel cycle in place at most plants worldwide.
First, thorium is a more abundant element than uranium. India, Brazil, Australia, ad the United States hold the bulk of the world's reserves of 6.4 million tons. Additionally, all the thorium mined can be used as fuel, compared to less than 1% of mined uranium. Scientists who have studied the thorium fuel cycle maintain that the process produces less waste and is safer than the uranium fuel cycle currently used at nuclear facilities.
Several countries have taken the lead in promoting the use of thorium to produce energy. China is pursuing the development of a molten salt nuclear reactor that uses thorium as a fuel. News reports from 2011, when the country first indicated its interest, quoted the Chinese Academy of Sciences as indicating the technology was environmentally safe, cost-effective, and politically palatable.
India has also identified thorium as an energy source in phase three of the Nuclear Power Program that the country adopted in the late 1960s. India is working on an advanced heavy water reactor design to implement this technology.
The United States was one of the leaders in developing this technology generations ago and was among the first countries to have small-scale thorium reactors operating. However, these have all been shut down and, because the United States lacks a cohesive energy policy, no thorium reactors are currently being considered. Most recently, 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang went on the record backing thorium reactors.
Solar Power
Solar power is abundant, inexhaustible, and arguably the best known of the alternative energy sources. The most common method of harnessing this energy is through the use of solar panels that convert sunlight to electricity that is then distributed to the end-user.
Another potential use of solar power is to create transport fuel for use in automobiles and trucks. Sundrop Fuels uses a technology called solar gasification, which involves applying concentrated solar power to heat biomass to temperatures of approximately 2,370 degrees Fahrenheit. This process creates a gas composed of carbon monoxide and hydrogen which is further processed into usable gasoline or diesel fuel.
Natural Gas
Natural gas can also be used as one of many better alternatives for nuclear power. In addition, it has several advantages over oil, which is the typical fossil fuel that is currently refined into gasoline. Natural gas emits less carbon and other harmful pollutants into the air when burned and has seen a rapid increase in supply in the United States as the industry has perfected the technology to release the huge amounts of natural gas locked up in shale rock.
Natural gas used as a transport fuel can either be compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG). It is also cheaper than gasoline, with CNG selling on average about 87 cents less than gasoline on an energy equivalent basis, and 75 cents cheaper than diesel fuel, according to the July 2021 analysis by the Department of Energy.
Hydrogen
Another alternative source of fuel is hydrogen, which can be used in conjunction with a fuel cell to provide transport. Hydrogen burns clean, it can be produced domestically, and it can be as much as three times more efficient than a typical gasoline-powered engine.
Hydrogen can be produced through many different processes including fossil fuels, biomass, or electrolyzing water. To get the most benefit from hydrogen as a fuel source, the best method would be to use renewable energy sources to produce hydrogen.
The Bottom Line
There are many cleaner and better alternatives for nuclear power or fuel that can be used instead of uranium. Some of these have been around for decades, are proven technology, and are much less harmful to the environment. The pursuit of these alternative types of energy such as thorium, solar power, natural gas, and hydrogen must continue despite the tragic accident in Japan.
The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico has made many attempts to reduce its debt burden and save its economy. However, it proved unsuccessful, and former Governor Ricardo Rossello moved the crisis to a form of bankruptcy court in 2017. With approximately $74 billion in bond obligations and $49 billion in unfunded pensions at the time, it was the largest government to seek bankruptcy in U.S. history.
To put this in perspective, the money Puerto Rico owes represents nearly 70% of the territory's gross domestic product (GDP). For comparison, the average debt-to-GDP ratio for states in the United States was 17%. The territory's escalating debt, combined with its weakening economy, caused three major credit rating agencies in 2014 to downgrade Puerto Rico's debt to non-investment grade, also known as junk status.
Puerto Rico is seeking to exit four years of bankruptcy by the end of 2021. Puerto Rico's oversight board, which was created by Congress in 2016, filed a restructuring plan in May 2021 with the goal of reducing $22 billion of debt.
Key Takeaways The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico has been plagued with recurring debt issues, which were compounded by a credit downgrade in 2012.
An aging population, high costs for social programs, and an exodus of many of its residents are also adding to Puerto Rico's debt problems.
Congress approved Promesaa law that will allow a U.S. territory to seek bankruptcyin 2016.
In 2017, Hurricane Maria devastated the island after flattening neighborhoods and taking down power grids.
In 2021, the U.S. territory proposed a restructuring plan to reduce debt by $22 billion and exit bankruptcy by the end of the year.
Origins of the Debt Crisis
The Puerto Rican debt crisis has many origins. Most notably, investors in Puerto Rican municipal bonds received favorable tax treatment for years. Bond investors from all 50 states took advantage of this benefit by purchasing Puerto Rican bonds. When a government issues bonds, it is effectively lending money, with interest, to bondholders. Prompted in large part by this tax advantage, Puerto Rico issued too much bond debt and began relying on borrowed funds from bond issuance to balance its budget.
An economic decline in Puerto Rico led to widening budget deficits over the years. The tiny island is ill-equipped for the manufacturing and production of goods. Its economy was sustained for decades by the presence of technology and service-oriented companies that were located on the island due to its favorable tax treatment. Many of Puerto Rico's tax advantages, however, were ephemeral. The U.S. tax code called for these advantages to expire over time. When that began to happen, companies fled the island, eviscerating its economy.
Hurricane Maria in 2017 delivered another blow to Puerto Rico. The island took a direct hit from the Category 4 storm: knocking out power grids, flooding streets, and flattening entire neighborhoods. Bond values plummeted amid concerns Puerto Rico will never be able to repay its debt. By 2017, bond values had mostly returned to levels seen in 2014-2015 but then fell again in 2019 under the proposal that would allow Puerto Rico to reduce debt under bankruptcy protection.
Compared to other states and territories, spending on social programs is disproportionately high in Puerto Rico. About half of the island's residents receive Medicaid or assistance through the Children Health Insurance Program (CHIP). A high poverty rate in Puerto Rico invariably means a lot of its inhabitants seek welfare and other government benefits. Compounding the issue is the fact that Puerto Rico receives far fewer federal dollars to assist with social spending than states with comparable populations.
Puerto Rico has been shedding residents since 2005. The island's population is also aging. These combined factors have reduced its tax base substantially; not only has the territory taken on increasing debt in the 21st century, but it has less revenue coming in to pay that debt.
The Puerto Rican Bond Boom
The Jones-Shafroth Act of 1917 granted U.S. citizenship to residents in Puerto Rico. It also spelled out a number of stipulations defining the territory's relationship with the U.S. mainland. One of these stipulations involved Puerto Rican municipal bonds and the ways in which they would be treated differently than bonds issued by states.
Interest income on most municipal bonds is subject to taxes by various levels of government, including federal, state, and local. The primary exception is when an investor purchases a bond issued by their state of residence, as in a Floridian buying a Florida municipal bond. Jones-Shafroth exempted Puerto Rican municipal bonds from all three levels of taxation. As a result, residents of all 50 states and other U.S. territories could invest in Puerto Rican bonds without paying interest on the income.
Unsurprisingly, investment dollars began flooding into Puerto Rican government bonds. This failed to cause major problems for many decades. During the 1970s, however, the territory's government started using bond investment money to balance its budget, despite it being borrowed funds and not actual revenue. This practice resulted in the rapid accumulation of debt, the interest payments on which Puerto Rico covered by issuing even more debt. The resulting debt snowball comprises a large part of the territory's current crisis.
Puerto Rico's Disappearing Tax Advantages
Unlike most states in the U.S., Puerto Rico has never, in its history, sustained a strong economy on the back of manufacturing or producing goods. The territory's remote island location, tiny land area, and lack of natural resources precluded it from ever developing a strong manufacturing base.
For a while, Puerto Rico had something else to drive its economy. The federal government created an incentive for companies to locate there by establishing corporate tax exemptions. This was especially attractive to technology and service-oriented companies, for which Puerto Rico's remote location and dearth of resources posed few challenges.
These tax advantages, however, were not permanent. As they expired over time, many companies elected to discontinue their Puerto Rican presence. The economic decline that resulted was tantamount to what Detroit experienced during the darkest days of the Big Three auto slump. Reduced corporate presence led to GDP declines, worsening the island's debt-to-GDP ratio and hastening its credit downgrade.
Oppressive Social Spending
Half of Puerto Ricans receive Medicaid or CHIP assistance. However, compared to other states with high percentages of poor residents, such as Mississippi, Puerto Rico receives a tiny fraction of federal funds to assist with social spending.
As a result, the territory must heavily earmark its own budget to provide money for these programs, along with welfare and other safety net initiatives to help the needy. Over the past few decades, declining tax revenues and mounting debt in other areas have forced Puerto Rico to borrow money to keep its Medicaid program solvent.
Another serious problem stems from Puerto Rico's underfunded social safety net. Because so many of the territory's residents receive government assistance to pay for healthcare, providers struggle perpetually, and their workers are underpaid compared to their peers on the mainland. As a result, many of Puerto Rico's most skilled healthcare workers have jumped ship in favor of more lucrative jobs in other parts of the U.S.
Population Decline
Puerto Rico's population peaked in 2005 at 3.91 million and has been steadily declining. It is estimated that 3.2 million residents lived on the island in 2019. Puerto Ricans are relocating to the mainland in droves due to better economic opportunities and low airfare and moving costs.
$54.5 Billion The amount of money owed by Puerto Rico's pensions in 2019.
Moreover, the population that Puerto Rico has managed to retain is aging rapidly. An aging population means less tax revenue and greater expenditures. When a Puerto Rican resident is no longer of working age, the government not only loses out on tax revenue from their income but, due to high levels of poverty among the elderly, it often must spend money on this resident in the form of social welfare.
The Bottom Line
Levels of debt in Puerto Rico became untenable, as the tax advantages of holding Puerto Rico's bonds expired, and Hurricane Maria wreaked additional havoc on the island's floundering economy. An aging population, mounting costs of social programs, and a declining population, have exacerbated debt problems as well. The territory continues to seek ways to reduce its debt and exit bankruptcy, with the goal of doing so by the end of 2021.
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1 Nyquist Doug O'Neill Uncle MoSeeking Gabrielle, by Forestry He continues to do well at Keeneland and turned in his typical Doug ONeill workout. He still, however, keeps cocking his head slightly to the right as if looking at whatever activity there is along the rail. The key has been to build up the colts foundation, having had only one two-turn race, and he should be dead-fit on May 7. This is such a wide-open year, with at least a dozen horses having a legitimate chance to win. Or is it? Perhaps it really isnt that wide open, and there is one very special horse who will be making most people smack their forehead after the race. He is definitely the horse to beat, and the pace scenario of the race seems to fit his running style, as he should be laying just off Danzing Candy and Outwork, unless theyre going guns blazing. He showed in the Breeders Cup Juvenile, he can come from farther back if need be. People dont realize just how versatile this horse is.
2 Exaggerator Keith Desormeaux CurlinDawn Raid, by Vindication Desormeaux said the colt was as confident going into the Santa Anita Derby as any horse hes ever seen, and added that he was not that way in San Felipe. If that is the case, thats definitely something you want to hear. Although Exaggerator made spectacular moves in both races, he seemed much more in control in the Santa Anita Derby and did it more on his own. I cant remember any horse who has changed his persona more than this colt has changed from his 2-year-old campaign to his last two races. He has turned from a solid runner with no definitive running style into an explosive weapon. It could very well be that of all the preps this year, the key one will turn out to be the San Vicente Stakes. Perhaps that will cause Churchill Downs to have second thoughts about not awarding any points to some of the more prestigious sprint stakes. Perhaps we can actually look to the past and the way things used to be done to set things right in the present.
3 Mor Spirit Bob Baffert EskendereyaIm a Dixie Girl, by Dixie Union When it becomes crunch time you can depend on Baffert to start using his favorite weapon speed. Baffert doesnt fool around in his serious Derby training, so it shouldnt have come as a surprise when Mor Spirit rattled off fractions of :11 2/5, :22 2/5, :34 1/5, and :46 en route to his :59 4/5 five-furlong work. This is vintage Baffert, although I would like to have seen a final eighth faster than :13 4/5, which is not what you want to see from a Derby horse. Obviously those early fractions were faster than he wants to go and he slowed down noticeably. The pace scenario should set up well for Mor Spirit, as he is one of the few horses in the race who can lay relatively close and still come home, but as mentioned before, he cannot wait until deep stretch to engage that final gear. He has to show whatever turn of foot he does possess earlier or at least steadily make his way into contention by the time they straighten for home. He can be placed anywhere from two to six lengths off the lead, depending on the pace, and if he should get sucked farther back in the field, he can adapt. But with his size and stride he cant afford to get stopped, even a little.
4 Brody's Cause Dale Romans Giants Causeway Sweet Breanna, by Sahm It is difficult separating him from the other deep closers, but I decided to go back to my first Dozen and depend on my initial gut instincts and give preference to the horses I had ranked high originally. He was ranked No. 2 and I still believe Romans or Kiaran McLaughlin are sitting on a Derby win, compliments of the Derby gods, and hes won at Churchill. Romans wasnt able to get Cherry Wine or Unbridled Outlaw to the starting gate (although there is still a very remote shot with the former), so it all falls on his original big horse, Brodys Cause, who will have to improve dramatically on his Beyer figures, if you put any stock in that. Remember, with only two starts this year, he is going to have to depend pretty much on just the Blue Grass Stakes to set him up or the Derby, as he barely picked his feet up in the Tampa Bay Derby.
5 Whitmore Ron Moquett Pleasantly PerfectMelodys Spirit, by Scat Daddy He received quite a bit of buzz last week when Victor Espinoza, winner of five of the last Triple Crown races, signed on to ride him throughout the Triple Crown. And perhaps Espinoza, despite his success the past two years, will go into the race with a chip on his shoulder, having been snubbed by the Hall of Fame voters. Many have questioned Whitmores high ranking because of his three defeats this year and always finding a way to lose, but he has the quickest and most consistent turn of foot and hasnt had a decent trip yet. If you are a trip handicapper and follow the speed sheets, you have to give this gelding a chance, based on his ground loss and troubled trips. We really have no idea what hes capable of if he should finally get a clean, ground-saving trip and one of Espinozas better rides.
6 Suddenbreakingnews Donnie Von Hemel MineshaftUchitel, by Afleet Alex Watching the Arkansas Derby, it did look as if Quinonez asked him earlier and got little response, eventually passed by Whitmore and Creator on the far turn. Once in the stretch, he finally kicked in with that explosive move, so perhaps the horse wasnt getting hold of the track, as Quinonez claimed, until he turned for home. Even with the abundance of powerful closers, I still believe he can outclose any of them. But he needs to be put in a position to win, and not just fly home late to pick up a piece of it. We saw his devastating closing power when he blew by Whitmore in the Southwest Stakes and quickly opened up to win by over two lengths. There is no way of knowing if hes going to get the right kind of trip or if he can get in a position to win, but knowing hes going to be flying home is good enough to have him ranked this high, especially having seen last year just how versatile he really is and how much speed he really has. If he can put everything together on the one day it counts he should be right there at the finish.
7 Mohaymen Kiaran McLaughlin TapitJustwhistledixie, by Dixie Union In a year like this, it doesnt take much for a horse to make a dramatic move, and considering he was No. 1 for so long, his sensational work was enough to suggest that getting to Kentucky early and flourishing over this track was just the tonic to help one forget the Florida Derby fiasco. It was important to see several things in his first work since the Florida Derby one, how he handles the track; two, how he bounced out of the Florida Derby physically and mentally and whether his energy level was high; three, how much of the work did he do on his own; and four, how he came out of the work; was he blowing hard or did it take little out of him. Mohaymen delivered big-time on all four points. When I watched him galloping out after the work, I thought at first that he was beginning his work. So because of all these factors I am giving him the benefit of the doubt and putting him back in the Top 12. I would imagine his next work will be more of a maintenance drill. If there was one thing I would have preferred, it was to see a work like this a little closer to the Florida Derby and that he would go into the Derby off three works instead of only two. But, so far so good.
8 My Man Sam Chad Brown Trappe Shot Lauren Byrd, by Arch Irad Ortiz Jr. went off Whitmore to ride for Brown, who put him on My Man Sam over once undefeated Gotham winner Shagaf, who hes ridden in all his starts. We know he can power home with the best of them, but with so many talented deep closers just like him, hes going to need a perfect ride and clean trip, which applies to all the other deep closers. He doesnt have the foundation that Suddenbreakingnews, Brodys Cause, and Creator have, so everything is going to have to go perfectly for him, and he has to be as classy and talented as his connections believe he is. Remember, only two horses I the past 98 years have won the Derby with four or fewer starts, so he does have his work cut out for him. But I have been extremely impressed with what Ive seen so far and believe that he just may be that good, especially remembering how long a sustained run he put in in his second-place finish to Matt King Coal in an Aqueduct allowance race. To run the race he did in the Blue Grass in his stakes debut and making only his fourth career start was very impressive.
9 Creator Steve Asmussen Tapit Morena, by Privately Held He has had nine races in 7 1/2 months, all of them two turns, so he has quite a bit of mileage under him. Now he comes back in three weeks and makes his fifth start this year in 2 1/2 months. This could be where all that Peruvian stamina will come in handy. He looks like a tough old school type of horse. He worked well enough at Churchill Downs, and appears ready for more action. You have to respect this horse if anything else, and you cant count him out. His ranking probably is too low for an impressive Arkansas Derby winner, and he also gets that Steve Asmussen Hall of Fame angle that has been mentioned on several occasions. Like the other deep closers hes going to have to get lucky, but he did enough broken field running in the Arkansas Derby to suggest that he can make his own luck.
10 Gun Runner Steve Asmussen Candy RideQuiet Giant, by Giant's Causeway Normally, a horse with his credentials would be ranked much higher, but there is such a log jam youre just splitting hairs once you get past the top 2. His speed figures have been slow and he is coming off a six-week layoff with only two starts this year. And the Louisiana Derby has not been a good Derby prep, in that it has never produced a horse to make a direct leap to the Kentucky Derby and come away victorious. Only two Louisiana Derby winners have captured the roses and they both had a race in between. But I have to admit I was very impressed with his last workout at Churchill Downs, in which he came home his final eighth in :11 3/5, galloped out a strong 6 furlongs in 1:13 1/5 and pulled up a mile in 1:39. More important than the time was how much smoother and more professional he was down the stretch than hes been in his races. So perhaps he has cleared a major hurdle in his career. He has the right running style and will be laying just off the pace, and if he gets as much of a dream trip as he got in the Louisiana Derby he should be right in the thick of things at the finish. But you can never count on a dream trip in the Derby.
11 Outwork Todd Pletcher Uncle MoNonna Mia, by Empire Maker He definitely would be ranked higher if he had one more start, especially with two of his starts coming in short sprints. From a pure talent standpoint he can stack up with most of them, and how dangerous he will be in the Derby could depend a great deal on whether Danzing Candy runs and if he gets speed crazy again. Just in case he does, Pletcher worked Outwork behind two horses and the colt turned in a super move, putting his two workmates away with ease and was striding out beautifully at the wire before galloping out strong. So it would seem that the pace scenario looks quite clear with Danzing Candy on the lead and Outwork tracking him, with their fate depending on how fast they go. It should be noted that Danzing Candys broodmare sire Songandaprayer set the fastest half-mile fraction in Derby history (:44 4/5), so its not going to be easy for this colt slow the pace down very much.
12 Destin Todd Pletcher Giants CausewayDream of Summer, by Siberian Summer He is another who would be ranked higher if he had one more start, meaning a race between the Tampa Bay Derby and Kentucky Derby. History is made to be broken, but hell have to do if first. It shows how much the Derby has changed when speed figures can alter a horses entire preparation. I had jumped this colt up from No. 12 to No. 2; thats how impressed I was with his Sam Davis and Tampa Bay Derby and how much progress hed made, developing into a classy and professional racehorse. Everything was moving along smoothly as he paved an impressive path to the Derby until his Ragozin number came out for the Tampa Derby and completely changed their course of action, pretty much forcing them to train up to the Derby off an eight-week layoff and never having been 1 1/8 miles, something unprecedented in Derby preparation. I will not be audacious enough to say it cannot be done, not in this day and age. But I have to remain skeptical until a horse actually does it. Perhaps with his natural ability and strong pedigree he can become a pioneer and youll have horses doing the same thing. It eventually will reach a point where the Derby horses will become complete strangers to us.
KNOCKING ON THE DOOR
A little early offbeat wagering angle for your pleasure.
OK, I have figured out how to approach this years Kentucky Derby. Remember when George Costanza came to the realization that every decision hed ever made in his life and every instinct hed ever had was wrong, so he decided to do the opposite of everything he normally would do?
When the waitress in Monks coffee shop came over and confirmed Georges regular order, Tuna on white toast, cole slaw, and a cup of coffee, he shot back, No, wait, I always have tuna on toast. Nothing has ever worked out for me with tuna on toast. I want the complete opposite chicken salad on rye, untoasted, a side of potato salad, and a cup of tea. From that point on, he did everything the opposite and his life changed dramatically for the better.
Well, I am so bewildered by this years Kentucky Derby and have discounted so many horses who are going against history and tradition, in which I believe strongly, I have decided to pull a George Constanza and go against all my instincts and do everything the opposite. I will now look at the Derby as a chicken salad sandwich on rye breadand Im a vegetarian.
Mohaymen and Shagaf, two previously unbeaten horses, running poorly in their final prep? Doesnt bother me at all. Theyre in.
Destin, coming off an eight-week layoff and never having been farther than 1 1/16 miles, something that hasnt been done in modern times? Who cares? Ill take him.
Gun Runner, trying to win the Kentucky Derby straight from the Louisiana Derby, which has never been done, and off a six-week layoff? No sweat. Throw him in there.
My Man Sam, Outwork, and Shagaf (again), trying to win the Derby off four or fewer career starts, something that has been done only twice in the past 98 years? Doesnt faze me in the slightest.
So, there you go, my George Costanza exotics box MOHAYMEN, SHAGAF, DESTIN, GUN RUNNER, MY MAN SAM, and OUTWORK. History, logic, and tradition be damned.
With that said, if anyone follows this cockamamie box and it blows up in your face, blame George Costanza, not me.
But wait a second. At one point or another this year Ive liked all these horses before they went astray. They have all been in my Top 12, and I even had Mohaymen and Destin ranked No. 1 and 2, and Gun Runner No. 4.
Maybe I should go against history and tradition to an even larger extent than that and put everything on the nose of Lani. A Japanese owned and trained winner of the UAE Derby? Now thats doing the opposite of what I, or anyone, normally would do. And how much more opposite can you get than betting on a horse who works the same day Mohaymen and Mo Tom go a half in :46 4/5 and :47, respectively, and goes his half in :52 4/5 and five furlongs in 1:06? But you know what, the Japan Racing Association was nice enough to send me video links to every one of his races, and there actually was a lot to be impressed with. And the Japanese train so differently than we do. And in my opinion, hes the best bred horse in the race.
Im even ignoring the Nyquist with only one two-turn race and one sprint obstacle, but I remember the big race Danza ran in the Derby a few years ago off the same 7-furlong sprint and 1 1/8-mile stakes victory. So Im not including him in my all-opposite box, especially with him being the favorite. But you are welcome to if you have the money to spend.
So, what all this boils down to is talent vs. tradition. All these horses should run big on their talent. But tradition and history says no, and I consider myself a traditionalist and a historian. But I also believe in talent, so Im right back where I started bewildered, confused, perplexed, puzzled, mystified, and back to tuna on white toast.
P.S. Will I use my George Costanza betting strategy in my selections column Derby week? Hey, if it worked for George...
Getting back on course, I wanted to keep MAJESTO in the Top 12, but couldnt resist putting Mohaymen back. He still, however, is my longshot sleeper for all the reasons mentioned last week. I just watched his last gallop and loved what I saw. Extremely focused, ears up and head perfectly straight, and most of he was really down into the bit. He did everything the right way and you couldn't have asked for a better gallop.
I was very impressed with SHAGAFS last work, especially after an opening eighth in :12 4/5 the way he rattled off fractions of :11 4/5, :12, and :11 4/5 before going out another eighth in :12 4/5 and pulling up 6 furlongs in 1:14 3/5 with another strong eighth in :13 2/5. I know hes never run fast and is coming off a fifth-place finish, but I still have this nagging feeling that hes going to surprise a lot of people. I see him in a perfect spot sitting behind the leaders, and I think he has the closing power to really make his presence felt as a huge huge overlay.
LANI had a nice little 3-furlong blowout Wednesday, although it was scheduled for 5 furlongs. The horse, however, had other ideas. He did come home his final quarter in :23 2/5, but was on the wrong lead and had to be hit once right-handed with the whip. But remember, he's run on left- and right-handed tracks so I can excuse him being on the left lead. We'll see how handles his lead changes over the next week. There is still something about him I find intriguing. But in this field, its easy to find a lot of intriguing horses.
Remember, next week there will be the final Derby Dozen and a selections/wagering column later in the week. Unfortunately, all my observations regarding training and overall appearance will have to be done using whatever is available on TV and the different websites and Twitter. For the first time in over 25 years I wont be there to observe all the Derby horses close up.
Notre Dame has awarded its Laetare Medal, one of the most prestigious given to Catholics in the U.S., to Vice President Joe Biden and former House Speaker John Boehner. They will receive the honor on Sunday, May 15.
Already the protests have begun, with 80 conservative Catholic students signing an op-ed in the Notre Dame newspaper The Observer calling for Biden to be banned for his espousal of same sex marriage, abortion and stem cell research.
Notre Dame has once again scandalized faithful Catholics across the country, as it did when it honored President Barack Obama with an honorary degree at commencement in 2009, the op-ed writers stated.
Not to be out-maneuvered, a liberal group of Notre Dame students took issue with Boehner for his position on immigration, the death penalty and the environment in an opposing op-ed.
On immigration the students, who referred to the need to follow Catholic social teaching, stated, In 2013, Boehner infamously refused to hold a House vote on a bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill despite it having enough votes to pass in an effort to appease his far-right colleagues.
The latter is certainly true. Boehner never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity on immigration reform when speaker.
The poisonous debate we are currently having about mass deportations and massive walls would never have happened if Boehner had stood up to his right-wingers and passed a bill that had strong Republican support in the Senate.
Even so, I think Boehner should be heard and banning him and Biden would be precisely the wrong thing to do.
In Ireland not so long ago, Sinn Fein was banned from the airwaves during the IRA campaign. It did nothing to help the cause of peace and the ban was dropped as soon as the peace process began.
So keeping people at bay by not listening to their political ideas is about as clever as shutting your ears and mind to the reality all around us.
That was recognized by Father John Jenkins, President of Notre Dame and a committed supporter of dialogue not deafness.
Civility and the ability to 'agree to disagree' has vanished off the political map, and it is all bombast all the time. Jenkins has made an effort to challenge that status quo by pitting two very different but equally devout Catholics together.
Jenkins defends Laetare Medal decision https://t.co/ea130srkbc pic.twitter.com/0ikafTC33n ND Club of FortWorth (@NDFtWorth) April 21, 2016
Public confidence in government is at historic lows, and cynicism is high. It is a good time to remind ourselves what lives dedicated to genuine public service in politics look like. We find it in the lives of Vice President Biden and Speaker Boehner, Jenkins said.
While both have been loyal and committed partisans, they were leaders who put the good of the nation ahead of partisan victory, seeking through respectful dialogue honorable compromise and progress.
It is good to see Notre Dame take a stand for civility and discourse. I know Biden to be a truly committed Catholic, and his bravery in grief when his son died from brain cancer last year was an inspiration to all.
Boehner decided to resign after hosting Pope Francis and was in tears describing the impact of that good and holy man to the media.
Indeed there is little doubt what Francis would want: not dialogue of the deaf, but a spirited debate by the honorees where honest discourse would replace platitudes and petty hatreds.
Good for Notre Dame for standing up to be counted.
Irish-American Democrats is proud to announce that Congress Member Brendan F Boyle has joined Congress Members Joseph Crowley and Richard Neal in endorsing Hillary Rodham Clinton for President of the United States. As a super delegate Boyle will cast his vote on the first ballot for Sec. Clinton and his vote is especially crucial at this time in having her come close to attaining the majority needed to secure the Democratic nomination.
Boyle is the son of a Donegal immigrant and has consistently endorsed by labor unions during his political career. He is a graduate of Notre Dame and is considered by many as a rising star in the Democratic Party both locally and nationally. His support of Hillary Clinton is especially timely given the Pennsylvania primary. Only this last weekend he was invited to speak to the Irish community in Philadelphia in commemoration of the hundred-year anniversary of the Irish uprising.
Brian ODwyer Vice president of Irish-American Democrats stated Congress Member Boyles endorsement is especially welcome at this critical time. He is a well-respected voice for progressive values and Irish American issues. We know that in the coming weeks and months ahead his support will be crucial in having Hillary Clinton become the next President of the United States.
In endorsing Sec. Clinton Congress Member Boyle stated Hillary Clinton has not only been a champion of labor and working men and women but she has been a constant advocate for Ireland and Irish America. Her work along with the work of her husband President Clinton has led to a long-standing peace in Northern Ireland imperfect as it may be. I look forward to working with her in the coming years on many issues affecting working men and women in the United States and peace with justice in Ireland.
Stella OLeary President of Irish-American Democrats also welcomed Boyles endorsement. We are pleased to see Congress member Boyle join the ranks of Irish-American Democratic leaders. His endorsement will surely help deliver Pennsylvania for Sec. Clinton not only in the primary but in the general election.
Irish-American Democrats is a political action committee that provides support to Democratic candidates for federal state and local office who support peace, justice and prosperity in Ireland.
The poor attendance in the Dail (Irelands Parliament) statements hearing on mental health, on Tuesday night, drew anger from the Irish public, who took to Twitter to show their rage.
On the evening of April 26 the Rubberbandits, a Limerick comedy duo and advocates for mental health, tweeted the photo above showing very few politicians in attendance. They wrote Heres a photo of how many politicians turned up to speak about mental health in the Dail today. There's ten people a week dying by suicide.
Niall Bressie Breslin, a musician, TV personality and advocate also tweeted the screen-grab saying This is the Dail right now for mental health debate. Remember this view if we have another election.
Although these figures were exaggerated early on, only 63 out of 158 members of the Dail (39.8%) were in attendance with 33 members making contributing statements.
The publics frustration comes after major cuts to mental health services were announced last week. The Irish government said it would be diverting 12 million to other areas of the health service. The Minister for Health Leo Varadkar was present for the start of the statements but left during the session.
According to Aware, a charity which provides depression support, more than one in 10 people in Ireland are affected by depression and the charity Pieta House has reported that 10 people in Ireland, an island of just 4.595 million people, commit suicide each week. Suicide rates among young men and women in Ireland are strikingly high when compared to international figures.
Read more: Irishmans powerful video about his fight with depression and suicide goes viral
Following the poor attendance at the Dail hearing on Tuesday night the Irish public took to Twitter with hundreds of angry tweets with the hashtag IAmAReason.
#IAmAReason because no-one should have to struggle alone, unsupported & dependent solely upon their own resilience. We can & must do better. Colm O'Gorman (@Colmogorman) April 26, 2016
DAILL-CHEO means a thick mist (lit. blinding mist), or depression of spirits. Sometimes you can't find your way out alone. #IAmAReason Dinneen's Dictionary (@AnDuinnineach) April 27, 2016
I wholeheartedly cannot express how disgusted I am at our government, or lack there of. They make me feel so ashamed and lost. #IAmAReason Leanne Woodfull (@LeanneWoodfull) April 26, 2016
Today's empty Dail giving powerful visibility to immense stigma still engulfing this aspect of the human experience pic.twitter.com/TKuKrGV6eR Conor Cusack (@Conor14Cusack) April 26, 2016
Cusack, a former Cork hurling star and mental health advocate, will be joining the Union of Students in Ireland and the Mental Health Reform at a demonstration outside the Dail on Thursday.
Read Conor Cusacks article: Dealing with depression starts with the first step, talking and reaching out for help
Illustrating the intensity of the mental health and suicide crisis in Ireland, last week, a Catholic priest, Father Paddy Byrne spoke to Irish Times about how he had become a sacramental fireman going from one crisis to another. The County Laois priest, said in a radio interview, that within a month he had presided over seven young mens funerals who had taken their own lives.
The curate, based in Portlaoise, said The whole thing is about talking and yet its so difficult to talk.
I do think people are quite alone in Irish society.
My fear would be as a pastor working on the ground that I could become desensitized to the horrific reality that people are taking their lives in such numbers.
Speaking to RTEs Liveline Byrne commented on the fact that suicide is not solely a concern for young men but also for young women and older people. He pointed out that the recent cases included people in their early 20s and 50s.
He said In the past when I was celebrating suicide Masses, the majority would be young men. Now, in terms of gender, its both male and female. Its middle-aged men and more mature women.
The priest, who is a chaplain in two secondary schools and at Portlaoise Hospital, said suicide for him is a weekly occurrence.
Byrne said Its something that we cant forget is happening in society.
Read more: Derry mother says theres no mental health outreach for teens
The priest also spoke of the the huge void in peoples lives, the huge bereavement cause by suicide.
People who carry the cross of mental illness - while we are progressing as a society there is a certain stigma to it. I would say its absolutely OK not to be OK.
He also said that while mental health support can successfully address peoples problems but that not everyone can afford a private counselor.
Speaking to the IrishIndependent.ie a mother, Ciara O'Brien, who suffered from Post Natal Depression, spoke about the disappointment she felt at the poor attendance in the Dail on Tuesday night and also divulged that she and her partner spent $452.80 (400) a month on private therapy fees.
She had been placed on a public waiting list in 2014 for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and still hasn't received an appointment.
However, as Cusack tweeted:
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and Public Prosecution Service have served a subpoena on Boston College demanding that they release further material from the controversial Belfast Project.
The Belfast Project was an oral history project that collected the testimonies of 26 republicans and 14 loyalists about their activities in Northern Ireland throughout 'the Troubles.' The recordings were made between 2001 and 2006 under the direction of lead researcher Anthony McIntyre, himself a former republican and contributor to the project. Each testimony was given on the basis that it would not be publicly released until after the interviewee's death.
Lengthy legal battles undertaken by the PSNI against Boston College have already resulted in the release of interviews with IRA members Dolours Price and Brendan Hughes as police searched for evidence in connection with the 1972 murder of widowed mother-of-ten Jean McConville.
The PSNI has now launched another bid to acquire the personal interview of lead researcher Anthony McIntyre, who gave testimony about his own activities during the 1970s and 80s.
Now an outspoken critic of the Sinn Fein leadership and the republican armed struggle, McIntyre has previously served 18 years in jail for the murder of Ulster Volunteer Force member Kenneth Lenaghan in 1976.
The latest subpoena from the PSNI claims that the McIntyre interview is needed in relation to an investigation into an attempted murder but is not related to the Jean McConville case.
It also claims that the testimony is needed in an investigation into the possession of explosives with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to cause an explosion, possession of an imitation firearm, and membership of a proscribed organization.
Since its issuance over the weekend, lawyers acting on behalf of the former IRA man claim that the subpoena is unlawful.
"I see this as an attempt by the PSNI to force me to become a witness against people that they allege I interviewed, or to reveal the contents and identities of those who I have interviewed," he told the BBC. "There are no circumstances under which I will be doing that."
McIntyre believes that he is now being targeted by the PSNI because of his resistance to the release of previous interviews and claims that he will not cooperate with police if arrested because of anything the tape reveals.
"I have spent almost two decades in jail and the British authorities are looking for me about 1970s stuff. Not one police officer has spent a day in jail for the torture of people in Castlereagh in the Seventies and Eighties, torture that has been proven by numerous human rights organizations, McIntyre told the Belfast Telegraph.
"The State is busy covering up their role in murder in the dirty war yet they are portraying themselves as the good guys coming after me in the name of justice. If it wasn't so serious, it would be farcical."
Originally from South Belfast, McIntyre now lives south of the border in Co. Louth. It is believed that the PSNI may seek his extradition from the Republic if they secure possession of his testimony. McIntyre supporters have already contacted leading Irish politicians regarding the subpoena, including acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin.
The tapes of Dolours Price, Brendan Hughes and six other IRA members have previously been handed over to Northern Ireland authorities as part of the investigation into the disappearance of Jean McConville.
Jean McConville was abducted from her west Belfast home by the IRA in front of her children over 40 years ago, in one of the most notorious murders throughout the Northern Ireland 'Troubles.'
The widowed mother of ten was accused by the IRA of being an informer the for security forces and she was killed and buried in secret. For many years she was known as one of The Disappeared, people taken by the IRA and never found, until her body was discovered in Co. Louth in 2003.
Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams was arrested in September 2015 as part of the investigation but released without charge and veteran republican Ivor Bell is currently facing charges of aiding and abetting her murder based on material discovered in the previously released testimonies.
The current case is due to go to court on May 6. The subpoena has been served under the US-UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty.
Read more: 60 Minutes exposes shameful Boston College IRA tapes project
James Connolly was born on June 5, 1868, in Edinburgh to Irish parents.
The Irish people will only be free, when they own everything from the plough to the stars.
If Pearse was the soul of the Rising, wrote Joe Good in 'Enchanted by Dreams,' James Connolly was its heart.
Connolly was born in Edinburgh on June 5, 1868, to Irish parents. He grew up in the slums and his hardscrabble beginnings turned him into a fervent socialist.
After working in Scotland and a stint in the British Army, in 1896 he came to Dublin to work for the Dublin Socialist Society. It was his first time in Dublin and he was immediately dismayed that the Dublin working class did not have the same fire in their bellies that he had. So, as he had a family to support, he moved to America in 1903.
Read more Reflections on the 1916 commemorations in Arbour Hill
Seven years later he returned to Ireland to head up the Irish Transport and General Workers Union in Belfast. After the disastrous general strike of 1913 and Jim Larkins departure for America, Connolly came to Dublin to head up the local ITGWUand its Citizen Army.
The Citizen Army became his obsession. Although only 220 in strength, he drilled them until they became, in his words, a real revolutionary army.
The boys at the Irish Volunteers kept a wary eye on Connolly and his army. They were drawing up plans for a Rising and were afraid that Connolly might preempt them. In January 1916 they decided to kidnap him. For three days he was briefed by members of the Military Council of the IRBmen like Clarke, MacDiarmada, and Plunkett. At first, Connolly was very angry, but as details of the planned Rising were made known to him he became an enthusiastic supporter.
On Easter Monday, he was named Vice-President of the Provisional Government and Commandant-General in the Army of the Irish Republic. He marched at the head of his Citizen Army to the GPO and, finding his inner-Teddy Roosevelt at San Juan Hill, commanded his troops: Left turn. CHARGE! After Pearse read the Proclamation Connolly exclaimed, Thanks be to God, Pearse, that we have lived to see this day.
Pearse may have been the titular Commander-in-Chief, but Connolly was calling the military shots from the GPO. He was fearless, venturing out into the streets to direct his men. It was on one of these sorties to Liffey Street, far away from the GPO near the Hapenny Bridge, that he was seriously wounded in the leg. He made his way back to the GPO and helped plan the evacuation to Moore Street. After the surrender, he was removed to Dublin Castle for treatment for his wound which had developed gangrene.
Read more On This Day: The first executions of 1916 Easter Rising leaders begin
His condition was such that his trial was held at Dublin Castle. After he was found guilty and condemned to death he made this statement: We went out to break the connection between this country and the British Empire and to establish the Irish Republic. We believe that the call we thus issued to the people of Ireland was a nobler call in a holier cause that [sic] any call issued to them during this war having any connection with the war. We succeeded in proving that Irishmen are ready to die endeavoring to win for Ireland their national rights which the British Government has been asking them to die to win for Belgium."
"As long as that remains the case the cause of Irish freedom is safe. Believing that the British Government has no right in Ireland, never had any right in Ireland, and never can have any right in Ireland, the presence in any one generation of even a respectable minority of Ireland ready to die to affirm that truth make sure Government forever a usurpation and a crime against human progress. I personally thank God that I have lived to see the day when thousands of Irishmen and boys, and hundreds of Irish women and girls, were equally ready to affirm that truth and seal it with their lives if necessary.
His last hours were spent with his wife Lillie and daughter Nora. My mother and I . . . were driven to Dublin Castle, Nora said. On entering we were directed to a flight of stairs. At the top of the stairs were six soldiers with fixed bayonets, and on the floor, about a dozen more were lying on mattresses.
Read more WATCH: 1916 Easter Rising footage featured in British Pathe online archives
We passed through the soldiers and entered an enclave where there were two soldiers with fixed bayonets. They stood aside to let us enter the door. When we entered my father was lying in the bed with his head turned to the door.
Well, said Connolly to his wife, I suppose you know what this means.
Lillie responded, Not that James, not that.
Nora continued: My father said, Yes, for the first time I dropped off to sleep. And they wakened me to tell me that I was to be shot at dawn.
Lillie said, Your life, James, your beautiful life.
Well, Lillie, he answered, hasnt it been a full life, and isnt this a good end?
Nora informed him of the executions of Pearse, MacDonagh, and the others. He was silent for a while. I think he thought that he was the first to be executed. Then he said, Well, I am glad that I am going with them.
He was removed to Kilmainham. There, Father Aloysius asked him to forgive the men of the firing squad. I do, Father, said Connolly. I respect every man who does his duty.
It is at this time that Connolly went from martyr to legend. Because his wounds were so severe he could not stand, so they tied him to the chair. Dominic Behan (brother of Brendan and nephew of Peadar Kearney, who wrote the Irish National Anthem, Amhran na bhFiann) remembered Connolly in his popular ballad, The Patriot Game.
They told me how Connolly was shot in his chair, His wounds from the fighting all bloody and bare. His fine body twisted, all battered and lame They soon made me part of the patriot game.
Here Liam Clancy performs the ballad:
But it may have been much more gruesome than that. The Sacristan to the Parish of St. James had this description of the execution: In giving a description of James Connollys execution Father McCarthy told me that the prisoner, who was in a bad condition, elected to stand like the rest but failed. He was then tied to a chair but slumped so much that he overbalanced. Finally, he was strapped to a stretcher and placed in a reclining position against the wallThe sight left an indelible impression on Father McCarthy.
Perhaps the greatest tribute to Connolly came from one of his officers in the GPO during Easter Week, a young Cork rebel named Michael Collins: Of Pearse and Connolly I admire the latter the most. Connolly was a realist, Pearse the direct opposite. There was an air of earthy directness from Connolly. It impressed me. I would have followed him through hell had such action been necessary.
*Dermot McEvoy is the author of "The 13th Apostle: A Novel of a Dublin Family, Michael Collins, and the Irish Uprising and Irish Miscellany" (Skyhorse Publishing). He may be reached at dermotmcevoy50@gmail.com. You can check out his website here or follow The 13th Apostle on Facebook.
*Originally published in 2016.
IrishCentral History Love Irish history? Share your favorite stories with other history buffs in the IrishCentral History Facebook group.
Author: Sherri Maret
Illustrator: Noelle Zeigler
Where the author lives: Newville (formerly of Shippensburg)
Title of the book: Help Me!
Description:
A lady who loves animals flies to Africa for an amazing animal adventure. When it is time to go home, she decides she wants to take a baby animal home with her. The lady ends up having a very different kind of adventure that wasnt at all what she had planned.
This is a picture book for ages 4-8, but the extended activities for creative writing go up to age 10. My website has multiple follow up activities for teachers and homeschooling parents to use from Pre-K to fifth grade.
I look forward to The Gingerbread Mans School Adventure coming out in August. Both of my illustrators were former high school students of mine. Noelle Zeigler graduates this year. Emily McMichael who is illustrating the gingerbread man story graduated last year.
Publisher: Sunbury Press
Date of release: April 23
Signing events: Pennsylvania School Librarians Association Conference in Hershey on May 13; Shippensburg Public Library Summer Reading Kick-off June 7; Author visits at all Shippensburg Area School District elementary schools in May
How many books have you written/released: Help Me! is my first book. My second book comes out in August. I have 20 books in various stages from rough draft to completed manuscript.
The former CEO of Anglo Irish Bank, David Drumm, asked about bloating the bank's balance sheet with short term inter-bank loans in 2008, a court has heard.
The trial of four bankers accused of taking part in an alleged market deception scheme also heard references by one of the accused, John Bowe (aged 52) to rinky dink deals.
Four former executives from Anglo and Irish Life & Permanent (ILP) are on trial for allegedly conspiring to mislead investors by setting up a 7.2bn circular transaction scheme to bolster Anglo's balance sheet.
Mr Bowe from Glasnevin, Dublin, Willie McAteer (aged 65) of Greenrath, Tipperary Town, Co Tipperary, Denis Casey (aged 56), from Raheny, Dublin, Peter Fitzpatrick (aged 63) of Convent Lane, Portmarnock, Dublin have all pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to conspiring together and with others to mislead investors through financial transactions between March 1 and September 30, 2008.
On day 62 the 13-strong jury listened to taped telephone calls involving Mr Drumm speaking, in what counsel called fairly colourful terms, to Mr Bowe, Anglo's head of Capital Markets at the time.
The calls were played as part of the evidence of Mr Bowe's cautioned interviews made to investigators from the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation in June 2012.
In a discussion in September 2008 about the bank's upcoming end of year accounts Mr Drumm told Mr Bowe to just leave the rating agency aside for a minute because that's just a complete f**king ni***r in the woodpile.
Mr Drumm asks Mr Bowe do we have to cash back that? if they got six billion from ILP? Asked about this telephone call Mr Bowe told gardai it might be a loose use of terminology and Mr Drumm may have been questioning if the bank had the money to place with ILP.
He agreed that it clearly showed a relationship between Anglo's deposits with ILP and Irish Life's deposit back with Anglo.
Elsewhere in the tapes Mr Drumm tells Mr Bowe that the bigger picture is that on September 30 even with the six billion fixes which Mr f**king Denis (Casey) confirmed for me this morning....we're f**ked.
Mr Bowe replied: We're still in a hole. Mr Drumm later tells him: We have to get a get out of jail card before December 3rd. Unless we can fix the poxy balance sheet over year end, which is next weekend, which to me just does not look doable.
He adds: If we pop up with that balance sheet it's curtains.
Mr Drumm later asked Mr Bowe how Anglo would collateralise the loans from ILP and the accused replied: Its done as a cash deal. So the money just goes into him but he pays it back.
Mr Drumm then asked: Are you going to be able to bloat the balance sheet...over year end with short term inter-bank and all that sort of stuff and shove it into liquidity? He talked about the bank surviving the next few weeks.
In another taped telephone call Mr Bowe asked his Treasury colleague Ciaran McArdle in March 2008 about rinky dink deals. In interview Mr Bowe told Detective Sergeant Michael McKenna that this was a reference to transactions designed to support the customers deposit number.
He said it wasn't a financial term. Asked if he agreed the term suggested dodgy deals Mr Bowe said: No I wouldnt agree. If I wanted to convey dodgy I would have said dodgy.
He said he had heard the phrase used to describe deposits which are a little bit different.
The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
Update 4.08pm: Water charges will be suspended for at least nine months should a deal between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney told the Dail today, writes Daniel McConnell, Irish Examiner Political Editor.
Outgoing Environment Minister Alan Kelly launched a blistering attack on the proposed Fine Gael-Fianna Fail deal to suspend water charges, describing it as economic and political sabotage.
In an impassioned address to the Dail during a debate on the future of Irish Water, Mr Kelly accused Fianna Fail of environmental treason over their call to abolish charges and he warned the proposed deal has echoes of the 1977 decision to abolish rates, which he said was a massive mistake.
Today I believe Fianna Fail are guilty of environmental treason and Labour party stands behind the important public service of water provision.
Politics is failing the people of the country again. Utopian populism is winning again. Its Groundhog day. We will regret it, just as we did in 77, he said.
Mr Kelly was speaking on behalf of the Labour Party which suffered significant losses in Februarys General Election, primarily of its stance on Irish Water. The party is livid at the proposed deal.
Mr Kelly said the proposed suspension would make fools of the 950,000 homes who have paid their water bills.
The people who paid of which there are approximately 950,000 households may be about to be made fools of and the 340,000 people who already paid for water are being given nothing but disregard by Fianna Fail, Mr Kelly said.
Suggesting that there has been a fall-off in the numbers of people paying their water bills, Mr Kelly said Irish Water reported to him that during the election the payment rate actually increased and while not all the data was collected, it was likely that a payment rate of 70% was likely.
I am concerned that the deal between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael has not been made with any kind of engineering expertise or with the knowledge of the people who have to implement water investment. Did the negotiators even engage with Irish Water management? he said.
Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney later defended the establishment of Irish Water.
He told the Dail that Fine Gael "will secure the future of Irish Water" and oversee a charging system "based on evidence and what is right."
Mr Coveney said water charges could be suspended for period of nine months while an independent Commission after which an Oireachtas Committee will look at charging mechanism.
He admitted the parties of the previous Government can no longer impose their will on the Dail.
Independent TD Clare Daly accused Fine Gael and Labour of betraying the Irish people by introducing Irish Water.
She said the two parties were hammered by the people.
You lost the election. We should not be discussing a political fudge, but abolishing water charges, she said.
Update 4pm: Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has said issues relating to Irish Water and water charges should be dealt with in the Dail, and not via a Fine Gael/Fianna Fail carve-up.
Speaking in the Dail during a debate on Irish Water this afternoon, Deputy Adams said: Every TD elected to the Dail has been elected with a mandate to fulfil the commitments they made to the electorate.
A clear majority of the Deputies elected on this occasion sought and won a mandate to abolish Irish Water and scrap water charges.
Sinn Feins view is that Irish Water should go and that water charges should be scrapped. That is our mandate. It is also Fianna Fails mandate.
Fianna Fails manifesto, not once, but in three separate sections clearly calls for the abolition of Irish Water and the scrapping of water charges.
It says nothing about the suspension of charges, or maintaining the mechanism for charging on the statue books.
If they were serious about fulfilling their election commitments, they would support a vote on a motion listed on the Order Paper thats been put forward by 39 TDs calling for an end to domestic water charges.
After that vote, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail could go back to negotiations in the knowledge that the issue of water charges has been handled in a democratic, transparent and open fashion to the satisfaction of the people who sent us all here.
Update 3pm: Acting Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly has criticised the two main parties after agreement on some kind of compromise on Irish Water was reached.
Opening Dail statements on water charges this afternoon, Alan Kelly's lashed the proposal from Fine Gael and Fianna Fail as "political, economic and environmental sabotage".
Deputy Kelly was stinging in his criticism of those who believe the company should be disbanded.
Fianna Fail had the chance to make a stand on mental health services, on renewal of rural Ireland, to end child poverty or to institute a living wage, yet they have made a stand on an issue that costs people 3 a week, he said.
Lets be clear on the decision that may be made shortly. A suspension or scrapping of charges will lose billions of potential investment in water and I believe we will have water shortages in Dublin in future years.
He added: If you dont govern by your values and govern based on public opinion alone, then you will never achieve anything.
A former politician once stood in this house and accused Fianna Fail of economic treason today I believe Fianna Fail are guilty of environmental treason and Labour party stands behind the important public service of water provision. Politics is failing the people of the country again.
Utopian populism is winning again. Its Groundhog Day.
Earlier: A senior Fine Gael TD has admitted the party made a hames of the introduction of water charges and the establishment of Irish Water, writes Elaine Loughlin, Political Reporter.
It comes as negotiations between both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael continue to finalise an agreement around water charges.
Under the deal, water charges would be put on hold and the issue would be dealt with by a commission of independent experts who would then report back with recommendations.
This morning Richard Bruton indicated that if charges are scrapped completely, those who have paid up to now may be refunded.
Although talks are still underway, senior members of both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have said they expect a Government to be formed in the coming days.
Speaking this afternoon, Regina Doherty said: We made a hames of an awful lot with regard to Irish Water over the last years and we have rued those mistakes and thats why we find ourselves in the position that we are in now.
However, she said that politically the country is in a far better position now than it was yesterday with regard to a deal on water charges.
We are still having a single authority that is going to look after the national programme of investment in water and water infrastructure thats a really good thing, she told RTEs News at One programme.
We are going to start an educational programme which we really should have started from day one.
The whole premise of starting to charge for water was so that we could educate people to the value of water, the amount of water we use so that if we use less we would have to treat less and the overall cost would come down.
The Fine Gael parliamentary party are due to meet for a what is expected to be a lengthy discussion on the deal at 4pm, while the Fianna Fail parliamentary party will meet at 6.30pm.
Fianna Fails Willie ODea described the deal which is expected to be finalised by negotiators today as a very good compromise.
There are no celebrations. Its not a question of who blinked, its not a question of one side having victory over the other. This is a very good compromise, he said.
He added that the deal which would see a commission set up to review water charges would take the issue off the agenda and allow the Dail to address other pressing issues.
I dont think we will be talking water for the next couple of months, Mr ODea said.
I think this will take the matter off the agenda to enable a Government to be put in place, albeit a minority government, that will give the country some degree of stability.
The British oil company, the first major to report on one of the weakest quarters, lowered its 2016 spending target to $17 billion (15.1bn), from $17bn to $19bn, and said the marker could fall to $15bn to $17bn next year if oil prices remain weak.
However, BP shares surged 5% at one stage in London yesterday, the second-biggest gainer in the blue-chip FTSE 100 index.
These cost reductions have enabled the oil producer to forecast it can balance its books at an oil price of $50 to $55 a barrel in 2017, it said, down from $60 previously eyed.
Chief executive Bob Dudley said he expected crude prices to recover towards the end of the year as producers halt work on fields and fuel demand remains robust.
Market fundamentals continue to suggest that the combination of robust demand and weak supply growth will move global oil markets closer into balance by the end of the year, Mr Dudley said.
The BP CEO suffered an embarrassing shareholder revolt earlier this month when investors rejected his $20 million (17.7m) remuneration package.
Faced with the worst downturn in the oil sector in at least three decades, BP reduced its capital spending three times in 2015 to $19bn, slashed nearly 10% of its workforce of about 80,000 and sharply lowered costs.
BP slipped to its biggest annual loss last year as a result of lower oil prices, costs related to the settlement of a deadly 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill and huge writedowns.
BPs first-quarter underlying replacement cost profit, its definition of net income, was $532m, down from $2.6bn a year earlier but beating forecasts for a loss of $140m, according to consensus figures provided by BP.
It said 2017 cash costs will be $7bn lower than for 2014. BPs current total charge for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has risen to $56.4bn after an additional payment of $917m in the first quarter outside a settlement reached last year, it added.
BP is the first oil major to reveal the financial impact of record-low oil prices in the first quarter, closely followed by peers Total, Statoil, and Eni later this week and Shell on May 4.
BPs refining and trading segment, known as downstream, once again came to the rescue with a quarterly profit of $1.8bn, offsetting a $747m loss in oil and gas production. BP maintained its dividend at 10 cents per share.
The global crude explorer, with sales that dwarf the economies of most nations, sought to retain the AAA rating when S&P placed it on notice in February.
It comes as Saudi Arabia said it planned a massive initial public offering of shares in its state-owned oil giant Aramco.
Citing concern credit measures would remain weak through 2018, S&P warned Exxon it was in danger of losing the top grade first bestowed on the oil giant in 1930 and shared with just two other US corporations.
The rating was lowered to AA+, S&P said in a statement yesterday.
The oil-market crash that began in late 2014 has choked crude-producing nations like Nigeria and Venezuela of cash, thrown hundreds of thousands of employees out of work, stalled drilling and pipeline investments around the world and even reverberated into ancillary industries such as steel-making and railroads.
Exxon was one of the last holdouts against the wave of credit downgrades that engulfed oil drillers with diminishing prospects of paying debts, dividends and rig fees.
The downgrade will not only raise Exxons cost to borrow money but may also erode its status among oil-rich governments as a premier partner with which to do business.
As Exxon vice president of investor relations Jeffrey Woodbury said in February, the companys AAA rating has been a key selling point when competing for drilling licenses.
Saudi Arabias Deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman said he expects the value of Saudi Arabian Oil Company to exceed $2 trillion (1.77 trillion) as the kingdom prepares to sell part of the company in what could be the worlds largest IPO.
The valuation of the oil producer known as Saudi Aramco hasnt been completed, Prince Mohammed said.
The government plans to turn Aramco into a holding company and will sell less than 5% of that entity, he said. Aramco units may be offered for sale at a second stage, he said
Only the oil reserves could be worth about $2.5 trillion at $10 oil price, so a valuation of $2 trillion for all of Saudi Aramco is quite cheap, Danilo Onorino, an energy-focused portfolio manager at Dogma Capital said.
Prince Mohammed is leading the biggest economic shakeup since the founding of Saudi Arabia in 1932.
The Insurance Compensation Fund (ICF) was set up to protect policyholders whose claims couldnt be met by their insurers in cases where the companies had become insolvent.
While insurers support the fund through payments determined by the Central Bank, in reality policyholders pick up the tab as companies tend to pass the charges onto customers.
This has been especially true since November 2011 when a 2% levy was added to all non-life insurance policies in the wake of the collapse of Quinn Insurance.
New figures released by Finance Minister Michael Noonan reveal the breakdown of payments from the fund each year between 2011 and 2015.
Payments made in 2012 were the largest during the five-year period, when ICF paid out 499.17m as a result of firms that had been placed in administration.
In comparison, 350m was paid out in 2013 and 331.17m in 2011.
Last year, the fund made payments totalling 275m.
These payments went to covering the cost of policyholders claims that their insurers couldnt meet.
The level of payments from the fund over the last five years, which were released to Sinn Fein finance spokesman Pearse Doherty, shows the scale of dysfunction in the insurance market, which has also seen premiums spiral significantly higher in the past 12 months.
The cost of motor insurance, for instance, has increased by 33% in the last year alone.
Over the last 12 months consumers have seen premiums increase substantially and when you look at this 1.4bn being paid to failed insurance companies it angers people, said Mr Doherty.
The insurance sector argues an increased number of claims, growth in the number of people going to court to seek compensation, and low levels of reserves in the industry are to blame for the hike in premiums.
The insurance levy, introduced after Quinn Insurance was placed in administration in late 2011, has been applied on top of these increases.
As of last November, 236m has been collected from consumers via the levy.
Figures released by Mr Noonan at the time showed the insurers collapse would cost another 912m, with the levy likely to remain in place for a further 14 years.
The current iteration of the levy is the second time such a charge has been introduced the first came following the collapse of PMPA in 1983.
The sector also argues that the Court of Appeals recent ruling which found the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) potentially liable for hundreds of outstanding claims following the collapse of Setanta Insurance in 2014 will drive the cost of premiums even higher.
MIBI is an independent organisation created by the insurance industry to compensate victims of uninsured or unidentified motorists.
The High Court had previously been asked to determine whether MIBI or the ICF was liable for the claims.
A review of the framework for motor insurance compensation in Ireland is due to be presented to Mr Noonan and Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe or their possible successors in the coming weeks.
He said sheep farmers producing spring lamb are increasingly frustrated by the confused market demand signals from retailers.
He said advice from Teagasc and Bord Bia was either insufficient or out of date when supermarkets are stocking hoggets rather than spring lamb.
Farmers who go to the cost of producing spring lamb are no longer in tune with market signals when we see hogget being used in supermarkets later and later into the year before they switch to lamb, said Mr Brooks.
Farmers are getting a raw deal by not receiving the proper information to make informed decisions and strategically plan for production.
This year producers of spring lamb have had to rely on butchers to recognise the premium nature of the product on offer and their willingness to pay in excess of 7.00/kg.
However, this industry cannot rely on the butcher sector alone.
The ICSA spokesman has called upon Bord Bia, processors, and retailers to issue updated advice on markets available, particularly on the optimum timing for spring lamb.
He said Teagasc needs to review its advice on the economics of early lamb production systems when hogget prices suggest that late lambing is a more profitable system.
Roscommon-Galway independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice rejected meat factory explanations that falling lamb prices were due to the weakness of Sterling and a tough French market.
The big factories are once again calling the tune, said Mr Fitzmaurice.
The fact remains there is a cartel of factories who are controlling prices and they are taking money out of the pockets of farmers who are already under pressure to make ends meat. The Minister for Agriculture needs to look into look into this situation immediately.
Meanwhile, IFA sheep chairman John Lynskey said hogget finishers should dig in hard and resist the downward pressure from factories on prices and carcase weights.
He said supply figures show that many hoggets have already been sold and remaining numbers will be tight. He also said there will be very limited volumes of spring lamb for another five to six weeks.
Mr Lynskey said an analysis of supplies shows hogget numbers are tightening rapidly and the move on price is an attempt by the factories to force out remaining numbers.
He said last year the lamb kill was up 67,000 head and so far this year the hogget kill is up 29,000 head.
With no additional ewe numbers in the system and Northern imports down last year, this means the hoggets are already slaughtered.
In addition, he said evidence and feedback from hogget finishers around the country is that numbers have already been sold and any remaining supplies will be much tighter than last year, when prices held up well.
Mr Lynskey said factories paid 5.50/5.70 for hoggets this week, but are quoting much lower prices for next week.
On spring lamb, he said factories paid 6.10/6.30/kg this week and again were trying to talk down the trade by the end of the week.
The series launches with a visit from noon to 1.30pm tomorrow, hosted by Padraig OFarrell of the Carrigaline Farmhouse, The Rock, Carrigaline, Co Cork.
Visitors will meet two working generations of this family-run business.
All the cheeses from the Carrigaline Farmhouse are handmade.
The land on this farm is limestone which brings a unique flavour to the milk of this coastal farm.
The tour will include viewing of the cheese making process and facility as well as tasting of six different flavours of artisan cheese.
Eimear ODonnell, Bord Bias consumer dairy sector manager, said: The 50 farmhouse cheesemakers throughout the country who make the cheeses do so on their own farms; the cheese speaks of their land, their milk, their labour, their passion.
"We would encourage people to go out and sample as many as they can what better way to do that than to meet the producers.
The Discover Farmhouse Cheese programme is an EU co-funded campaign run by Bord Bia.
The visits are free, but places must be booked online at www.DiscoverFarmhouseCheese.ie.
HARRISBURG The Pennsylvania State Archives will have a new home by the year 2020. A new building is slated for construction in Midtown.
The Vartan Group Inc. bought the property at North Sixth and Hamilton streets with expectations to build office space for the proposed new federal courthouse a block away.
Despite a $30 million investment to the federal courthouse project, a timeline of completion is still unknown, but by the time a judge tries one case there, people will be able to glance at Pennsylvanias most cherished documents.
I envision a beautiful building that is very, very welcoming, State Archivist David Carmichael said.
State and city officials and Vartan Group brass met with ABC27 to discuss the $24 million building that will be nestled next to the courthouse.
Julien Gaudion, Deputy Secretary of Site Acquisitions with the Department of General Services, held out a map of the states newly acquired property from The Vartan Group.
This is running Sixth Street here to Seventh Street here in Midtown Harrisburg, he said.
DGS plans to purchase bonds to fund the project. The state also purchased homes and vacant properties that stretch from North Sixth and Hamilton to North Seventh and Harris streets.
In 2013, ABC27s Dennis Owens toured the current State Archives building, which houses the Pennsylvania Charter, Milton S. Hersheys death certificate, and even a lock of Thomas Jeffersons hair. Carmichael says the 20-story stack of crumbling concrete is outdated and running out of room to hold the expanding collection of 250 million historical documents.
We have everything from parchment to pixels, I guess you could say with digital records, Carmichael said.
DGS officials said prior administrations looked outside Harrisburgs city limits to construct the new facility but found the Midtown location fit all of its needs, including being outside the 100-year flood plan.
For Ralph Vartan, keeping a state institution inside Harrisburg only bodes well for the neighborhood.
Once in every how many decades does a building like this get designed and built? he said. I think its important this project is able to stay here in the city.
Mayor Eric Papenfuse, whose father was a Maryland state archivist, has a certain passion for historical artifacts. He is ecstatic the state not only chose to remain in Harrisburg but also agreed to save the city thousands of dollars by housing Harrisburg City archives as well.
The new facility promises to boast a library where people can look at state and city archives and research personal histories.
Youre going to have records now that connect to this community in Harrisburg, Papenfuse said. People can come and do their family history, find out more about birth records, and death records, and when houses were built, and look at old atlases.
Even though the new building would eliminate roughly $2,000 in tax revenue for Harrisburg, Papenfuse said the city wins with saving upward of $300,000 to properly store its own archives.
The mayor also believes the state project will be a shot in the arm for the surrounding community by ensuring safety with Capital Police patrolling the area, encouraging private business, and erasing blight along the Sixth Street corridor.
Calob Jackson, a city resident, believes the relocation of the State Archives to a more neighborhood-centric location could only benefit the area.
Its going to add a lot to the Uptown community, Jackson said. I see it growing, I see it coming back.
DGS said 2016-2017 will be planning and design years with groundbreaking expected sometime in 2018. The project is slated to take two years to construct and should be open sometime in 2020.
The state said its transition of millions of documents would take quite some time as well. Currently, there are no plans for repurposing the current State Archives building.
Itll be a great project thatll really benefit the city, Papenfuse said.
A public meeting will take place Wednesday, May 4 at 5 p.m. at Fire Station No. 1 on North Sixth Street.
The fast-food chain is offering the securities, maturing in January 2021, November 2023 and May 2028, according to a source.
The ECBs announcement in March that it will add corporate bonds to its quantitative-easing programme has driven borrowing costs in the region toward record lows.
Qatar Air has increased the holding from the 9.99% bought in January of last year, chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said yesterday, at the Arabian Travel Market, in Dubai, adding that IAG is the most successful airline today.
Shares in the UK- and Spanish-based IAG were, at one stage, 2.5% higher in London, valuing the group at 11.1bn (14.3bn), and the 12% stake at 1.33bn.
Last month, Dublin City Council granted planning permission to Sagrada Ltd, on behalf of Tetrarch, to convert Sackville House into a 158-bedroom hotel behind the former Clerys department store.
Tetrarch Capital already owns several hotels including the Marker Hotel in Dublin and the Powerscourt Hotel in Wicklow.
However, Wynns Hotel has temporarily blocked the Sagrada plan by appealing the City Council decision to Bord Pleanala.
CIE also objected to the planning application.
However, a CIE spokesperson yesterday confirmed that it would not be appealing the city council decision.
In recommending that planning be granted, the city council said the hotel proposal will contribute to the regeneration and will have a positive impact on the surrounding area.
The planner said that this is being done by a redevelopment of a vacant under-utilised inner city site and re-instatement of the local street-scape.
The planner also said the hotel will introduce a vibrancy to an inner city street in need of regeneration as well as meeting demand for hotel accommodation.
However, in its appeal lodged with Bord Pleanala, the nearby Wynns Hotel claimed that the permitted hotel illustrates a lack of ambition for the site and for the city including OConnell Street.
The appeal said the Sagrada application is an inappropriate hotel concept and claimed the proposed hotel is intended to be a boutique hotel. Wynns said the boutique hotel description is inaccurate and that the plans submitted are more reflective of a budget hotel.
The appeal stated: A boutique hotel is a small hotel between 10 and 100 rooms with a high degree of individuality, often with individually designed rooms. The permitted hotel has 160 rooms, all laid out in a common plan. The reception, bar and buffet all occupy a single space in the lobby.
The appeal states that Wynns Hotel does not object to the principle of hotel development on the site. A decision is due in August by the appeals board. A spokesman for Tetrarch was unavailable for comment.
Shares in the Ftse-100 company, which owns Premier Inn hotels and Costa Coffee chains, rose about 1.5% in London yesterday.
Alison Brittain, who took over from previous chief executive Andy Harrison in January, voiced her support for Whitbreads previous 2020 milestones of about 85,000 Premier Inn UK rooms and about 2.5 billion (3.2bn) systems sales for Costa.
Twenty homes linked to gangland criminals were raided yesterday morning by 100 armed officers and unarmed uniformed gardai.
It follows a crackdown on the operations of the gangs in recent days, which saw gardai net an estimated 168,500 worth of heroin, cocaine and cannabis.
Armed officers from Cork and Limerick attached to the Garda Regional Support Unit swooped on the homes on the south and north of Limerick City around 7am.
The garda operation is targeting the activities of the Dundon/McCarthy and Keane/Collopy gangs.
One man in his 20s has been detained by gardai, under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. He is being held for questioning at Roxboro Road garda station.
Gardai seized laptops, mobile phones, and documents during the raids. They come after the recent arrest of a senior member of one of the gangs. The leading member was recently released from prison and arrested again for further alleged criminal offences.
The individual was described by gardai as extremely dangerous. One hundred gardai, including armed and local uniformed units, were deployed to 20 homes in a major offensive.
According to sources, the operation targeted three major gangs involved in the distribution of guns, ammunition, and drugs.
Despite the jailing of senior players of the Dundon/McCarthy gang, and a garda crackdown on the Keane/Collopys drug business, a younger generation of criminals aligned to the rival factions have since come on the garda radar.
Recent seizures include:
David Mahon, 46, denies murdering Dean Fitzpatrick, 23, at outside Mr Mahons flat at Burnell Square, Northern Cross, Malahide Road, Dublin, on May 26, 2013.
The jury yesterday heard from Karl OToole, was in Mr Mahons apartment the night Mr Fitzpatrick died.
We were friends, he said, explaining that he had known Mr Mahon since he was 18.
He said he was working as a taxi driver when he got a call from Mr Mahon around 10pm.
He told me him and Audrey had split up for good, he said, referring to Mr Fitzpatricks mother. The court heard Audrey Fitzpatrick is now Mr Mahons wife.
Mr OToole said that the accused was trying to get Mr Fitzpatrick to come to the flat due to a row over a bicycle part.
Dean admitted he did take the part but just did it to annoy him, said Mr OToole, adding that both men were agitated. Dean said hed return the part the following day. He got up then and left.
Mr OToole said that Mr Mahon then told him he would be back in a minute and also left. He was gone 30 seconds to a minute.
Everything sort of went from zero to a hundred in a short space of time, said Mr OToole. When he came back in, he was holding a knife.
David wasnt really making any sense. I was trying to find out what happened. He says to me that he thinks Dean is dead and he thinks the knife went through him.
Asked if Mr Mahon had said that he had stabbed Mr Fitzpatrick, Mr OToole replied: Yeah.
HARRISBURG After a 10-month state budget stalemate, school districts across the state will start to receive millions of dollars in additional state funding. Gov. Tom Wolf allowed the bill to go into effect without his signature.
Certainly, schools are relieved that the money is going to flow now, said Jim Buckheit, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators.
There are only a few months left in the fiscal year and talks about next years budget are just around the corner.
One of the problems that Pennsylvania has had is that every year they keep changing how they give out money to schools, so there is no predictability, Buckheit said.
Buckheit hopes lawmakers will stick with the new Basic Education Funding Appropriation which was approved in June.
Additional education funding is handed out to schools based on things like the number of students, poverty level, and the number of students who speak Spanish as a first language.
I dont think we want to abandon it. We need to let it work. The good thing about the legislation that created that formula is every five years they are to go back and revisit it to see if it needs adjusted, but they need to give it some time to work, Buckheit said.
Not everyone is happy with the formula.
The new formula came out in June and it showed the Pocono Mountain School District is underfunded by $28 million in basic education funding, said Rep. David Barker, R-Monroe.
Barker says he plans to introduce an amendment which would focus on basic education funding and school population.
The money should follow the students, as far as if this school has 100 students and that school has 100, you each get the same amount of money. If the population at one school grows to 150 and the other school population drops to 50, then that money should go to the school where the population grew, said Barker.
One thing is clear: school districts cannot afford another lengthy budget stalemate.
Last year, districts were able to survive because of using local tax revenue and using reserves. This year, a lot of those options are no longer on the table, so if we experience anything like we did this year next year, we will see schools closing down in the fall, Buckheit said.
An axe was thrown at one contractor working on the Spring Lane site in Cork City, and a pellet gun was involved in another incident, forcing contractors to withdraw.
The incidents are contained in a report compiled by Cork City Councils head of housing, Valerie OSullivan, which was discussed by councillors on Monday.
It prompted renewed calls for fresh roundtable talks involving Travellers, their representatives, and council officials in a bid to break the impasse.
Developed as a 10-bay halting site, unauthorised expansion over the years has seen it become home to some 32 family groups comprising 150 people, including more than 90 children.
Its residents have complained of overcrowding, and of various health and safety issues, including an unsafe electrical system, an unprotected lagoon of waste water, and a dangerous overhanging cliff.
In her report, Ms OSullivan states the overcrowding has led to very unsafe practices by the occupants, including ad hoc connection of electricity cables to existing power sources and the unauthorised expansion of the site into areas under or near a cliff face.
She says the council has tried to resolve the various issues but been frustrated, leading to substantial cost overruns on contracts, and the triggering of several court proceedings.
Delays caused one electrical contract to soar 98% rising from 171,820 to 340,000. Four court dates were required to secure an injunction to support contractors engaged in cliff face stabilisation works. The council has made 13 court appearances in relation to the site since December 2014.
The city fire service was called to the site 46 times last year to deal with 39 fires, and seven false alarms. The council spent 620,000 removing illegally dumped waste from nearby Elliss Yard between January 2003 and February 2015.
As well as repeat antisocial behaviour, the report cites severe and regular intimidation of contractors and council officials.
The site was the subject of a major inter-agency review last year, and a housing assessment survey by Respond, but certain recommendations cannot be implemented for planning reasons.
Ms OSullivan said the council hopes to replicate the 5m group housing scheme which was developed for Travellers in Hollyhill last year but that it will not be able to accommodate all 32 families. Until the numbers are reduced to a maximum of 15, plans for the group housing scheme cannot be advanced, she said.
The council faces a significant challenge in reducing the number of families currently on site to a level which can accommodate its future development and ensure its safety, she said.
Ms OSullivans report points out that while 54 people on site are housing applicants, 16 of 25 offers of housing made to residents on the housing list since 2010 have been rejected.
She told councillors her officials will continue to offer housing to eligible applicants but that legal action may be required to remove certain families.
Traveller advocates said the report does not present the full picture but declined to comment further.
Timeline of events at Spring Lane
December 2013 to January 2014: Halting site residents employed a plant and machinery operator to create a new area expanding the halting site northwards. Works were carried out over a weekend. The works destabilised the cliff-face, and as a result, it had to be secured, and families relocated.
February 2015: Numerous incidents of theft of materials on February 5, 9, 11, and 16 from contractors involved in cliff works. They were not serious enough to halt the works, but they were a safety hazard and hampered the completion of the works.
February 18, 2015: An axe was thrown at a contractor by a halting site resident.
March 5, 2015: A contractor was blocked from installing ducting into the power supply hut. Gardai were called to resolve a standoff after residents parked a trailer and a car to block the works.
July 15, 2015: Contractors halted work after children were found playing on construction machinery, and an attack involving a pellet gun.
September 2, 2015: Works halted after theft of materials including shovels, brushes, fencing, barriers, plywood, and concrete. Incidents of abusive and threatening behaviour from certain residents.
September 21, 2015: Works halted after threatening and abusive behaviour by residents.
December 27, 2015: Feuding on site. Four families were forced to leave the halting site.
In an emotional address to a special session of the UN General Assembly in New York convened yesterday to mark the Chernobyl disaster 30th anniversary, Ms Roche said the estimated 700,000 surviving liquidators ordered to fight the power plants radioactive fire, contain the leaking radiation, and undertake the subsequent clean-up deserve financial help as they suffer ongoing health issues.
Wearing a medal awarded to former Soviet officer and Chernobyl liquidator Valeriy Zaytsyev, Ms Roche told the UN that while many liquidators died, others have liveed with radiation-induced lifelong illnesses and almost all struggle with medical, psychological, and financial difficulties.
These noble and self-sacrificing men ought to be rightly honoured and recognised today as the heroes who saved Europe and indeed the world from even greater catastrophe, said Ms Roche. Many feel that they have not been so honoured. In fact they feel that they have been dishonoured, neglected, abandoned, and forgotten.
Nataliya Khodemchyuk, 64, widow of Chernobyl liquidator Valery Khodemchyuk, sits at his grave at the Mitino Cemetery in Moscow during a ceremony on the 30th anniversary of the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant yesterday. Picture: Pavel Golovkin/AP
Mr Zaytsyev, 64, who was serving as a Soviet army officer in May 1986, was one of those ordered to the Chernobyl exclusion zone a month after the accident to help the decontamination operation. He spent seven months burying contaminated equipment and clothes.
In Ukraine last month, Mr Zaytsyev told Ms Roche that, just days into the operation, he suffered high fever and blood poured from his mouth, nose, and ears. In the years afterwards, he lost all his teeth, had surgery for cataracts a condition common among liquidators and survived a heart attack.
When Belarussia cut its supports for liquidators in 2007, he founded an association called Dopamoga (Help) and led court cases to restore liquidators rights and recognition. However, his own medical records disappeared and, with them, his right to benefits, as part of what he thinks was an effort by authorities to harass him.
Mr Zaytsyev gave Ms Roche his Chernobyl medal and asked that their story be told at the UN. Ms Roche told the assembly: This medal has travelled from Ukraine to Ireland, Ireland to New York, so that these mens stories may be heard, so they will no longer be silenced.
During her address, Ms Roche also called for a clean food fundfor Chernobyl-affected regions, for improved food monitoring, and for the reinstatement of radiation check-ups for people living in contaminated zones. She urged the UN to ensure highly radioactive zones are not declassified for farming and repopulation, and called for April 26 to be deemed an annual Chernobyl remembrance day.
Meanwhile, Maxim Peshkov, Russian ambassador to Ireland, and Serhii Romanenko, the charges daffaires of the Ukrainian embassy, attended a Chernobyl commemorative event in Corks Bishop Lucey Park yesterday, organised by The Greater Chernobyl Cause. The charity dispatched a humanitarian aid shipment to its newly built hospice in Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan, yesterday.
Taxi-driver Mark Cruikshanks, aged 38, of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to careless driving at Fleet St on the evening of October 17, 2014. He claims Mr Doorley rushed out in front of his Toyota Avensis.
Mr Doorley yesterday told Judge Miriam Walsh at Dublin District Court that he suffered two broken shoulders when he was knocked down. He claimed he checked if any cars were coming before he crossed the Fleet St junction with Westmoreland St.
After hearing prosecution and defence witnesses, Judge Walsh granted an adjournment to consider her verdict. The case resumes next week.
Mr Doorley, who appears as a resident critic on TV3 reality show The Restaurant, told the court that he lives in Cork but also has a flat in Dublin. He said he went into the city centre on the day in question for a business meeting and lunch at the Merrion Hotel.
He drank two average-sized glasses of red wine. Afterwards he went to Trinity College Dublin to check some references for a book he was preparing, he said.
At about 6pm, he went to another restaurant for a meal, during which he drank two bottles of water. He then decided to get a taxi home and walked along Westmoreland St. At the junction with Fleet Street, he said, he was on the outside flank of a number of people crossing the road.
Due to a particular childhood experience I am extremely cautious crossing the road, he told Judge Walsh. He said he looked up Fleet St and confirmed nothing was coming. He claimed he proceeded to cross and recalled that as he was about to step on to the pavement on the far side kerb he spun and ended up on a bonnet of a car.
He said he then landed on the ground on his back.
In cross-examination, Mr Cruikshanks solicitor put it to him he did not mention in his statement about the drinks. Mr Doorley said he did not think it was relevant but it was put to him that it is relevant if someone was drunk. I certainly was not drunk, Mr Doorley replied.
CCTV evidence was shown and medical reports were furnished to the court. Garda Declan Ryan said it was extremely wet and there would have been a lot of traffic.
Mr Cruikshanks told the court that
Mr Doorley had been in the middle of the road when he was hit and other people were still waiting to cross. He said he would have braked if he had seen him but he rushed out in front of me.
The Central Statistics Office has written to the households affected but says it is unlikely the information stolen would be of interest to anyone other than census staff.
A spokesperson for the CSO said the information was contained in an Enumerator Record Book (ERB) which was stolen from a car at the Red Cow Park & Ride in Dublin, along with a high-visibility jacket; maps; and a number of blank, undelivered census forms.
The incident took place on Wednesday, April 6, when the thief broke the enumerators car window to gain access to the vehicle.
The ERB contains details of all of the dwellings/addresses in the enumerators assigned area, the CSO said.
As the enumerator delivers each form she records the householders name, and in some instances their phone number, in the ERB. She had delivered 142 census forms at the time the ERB was stolen.
The spokesperson said the CSO has reported the theft to both the gardai and Data Protection Commissioner, and has contacted all 142 households whose details were in the ERB to inform them of the theft.
The CSO has directly expressed its regrets to the householders whose details were included on the stolen ERB, it said.
The CSO is committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of the data provided to it. We will continue to work closely with the gardai in the apprehension of the perpetrators of this theft.
The commissioners office confirmed it received a breach notification from the CSO but said any investigations on foot of a breach notification or complaint to this office in respect of same are treated as confidential.
Fine Gael last night made a fresh concession to Fianna Fail over water charges in talks. The revised offer would involve the retention of the utility, while offering a suspension of water charges for at least two years. That suspension would allow an independent commission complete its work as to how a new water charges system would work.
Its work would be referred to an Oireachtas committee before going to the Dail for a vote. The move would also see water metering continue, to provide a basis for a future allowance system to be calculated.
A long day of talks finished up last night with negotiating teams from both parties returning back to their party leaders. Acting Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney insisted there had been no cave-in.
But in a surprise move, Mr Kenny yesterday thanked his Cabinet at its weekly meeting for its work. He told them history would be kind to them but that the meeting was expected to be their last.
His remarks were viewed as a sign that he is ready to cut a deal with Fianna Fail.
Earlier in the day, senior figures in both parties had remained resolutely opposed to a compromise.
Acting finance minister Michael Noonan predicted a deal may not be agreed, while Fianna Fail negotiator Barry Cowen warned that Fine Gael might have to accept the will of the Dail on water charges.
Dail statements on water charges will now be held this afternoon. While Sinn Fein will push for a vote, none is scheduled.
Fine Gael ministers held a hastily organised meeting last night ahead of the debate.
Mr Kenny and senior colleagues met to discuss the deal offered to Fianna Fail to suspend water charges for at least 18 months and possibly two years.
Such a move will be viewed as a climbdown, as Fine Gael has insisted water charges must remain. The issue may be debated at Fine Gael and Fianna Fail party meetings today.
However, after speaking to Fine Gael backbench TDs throughout yesterday, senior party figures believe opposition to such a deal to avoid a return to the ballot boxes is not as strong as first feared.
Fianna Fail sources, while conceding that a two-year suspension of charges could be agreeable, said no decision had been made.
Fianna Fail negotiator Michael McGrath said the only way to resolve the stand-off was to put the matter to the Dail and allow TDs to decide what happens next, saying the issue has reached its end game.
Any pact is now expected to see both sides conceding ground but a final deal being put on the table, possibly before the weekend.
Meanwhile, several Kenny loyalists lost their seats in the Upper House yesterday as counting continued in the Seanad elections.
News: 6
Gerard Howlin: 12
It is understood that Taoiseach Enda Kenny and his most senior party colleagues met to discuss a last-ditch deal they offered Fianna Fail to suspend water charges for at least 18 months, and possibly up to three years, in an effort to avoid a second election.
The move is believed to include the introduction of a commission and a metering system. It is seen in some party circles as a significant climbdown, as Fine Gael has previously insisted water charges must be retained and because it closely aligns with what Fianna Fail has sought.
However, after speaking to a number of Fine Gael backbench TDs yesterday, senior party figures believe opposition to such a deal to avoid a return to the ballot boxes is not as strong as first feared.
The 7pm ministerial meeting took place as Fianna Fails chief negotiator, Michael McGrath, told reporters the only way to resolve the Irish Water stand-off is to put the matter to the Dail to decide what happens next. He said the issue has reached its end game.
It came after Mr Kenny told yesterdays cabinet meeting it was very likely to be the last time they would meet.
Speaking at the weekly meeting, he said history will be kind to them, as they saved the country from an economic crisis.
A Fine Gael spokesperson last night played down the comments as that proof a deal will now happen.
Entering the talks last night, Mr McGrath said that discussions were at quite a serious stage at this point.
Repeatedly saying the Dail must be allowed decide on what happens to Irish Water if no deal could be done, he said a long-called-for Dail debate must take place as soon as today.
Clearly [talks] cant go on forever, we are at the end game, and now I think its time for people to make a decision, he said,
Asked if his party would put down any motion seeking the suspension or scrapping of water charges an issue which divides opponents of water charges Mr McGrath would only say a motion may take place.
Fine Gael negotiator and acting Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe later said Fine Gael is now seeking to find an agreement that respects the views and the mandates of both parties.
Acting Finance Minister Michael Noonan earlier said a second election cannot be ruled out, while Labours Environment Minister, Alan Kelly, said that people who paid their charges will want answers.
Last night, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams called for a Dail vote on abolishing water charges today, claiming that the two main parties have contrived to push this up the road.
Gerard Howlin: 12
The 35-year-old may have also played a role in sourcing weapons for the Hutch gang through the gunman, nicknamed Flat Cap, after he was photographed wearing the hat following the hotel assault on February 5.
Senior gardai now fear the murder of a Real IRA member in Dublins north inner city could drag the dissident group into the spiralling feud.
Mr Barrs death at Sunset House pub was one of two fatal shootings in the city on Monday night, with the unrelated murder of one-time minor criminal Tom Farnan in Clondalkin, west Dublin, two hours later.
Garda security chief, Assistant Commissioner John OMahoney, urged those involved in the feud to take stock and appealed to them to realise that taking one life after another was not going to solve anything.
Six people have so far been murdered in the Kihanan-Hutch feud, one in Spain and five in Dublin since February.
The Kinahan cartel is suspected in five of the murders and the Hutch network in one.
Assistant Commissioner OMahoney yesterday revealed there was an armed patrol around the corner from the Sunset House at the time of the murder.
He said that this was indicative of the challenge they faced in preventing attacks by determined gunmen.
Mr Barr, from Strabane, Co Tyrone, moved to Dublin a number of years ago and had addresses in Ballymun and Finglas.
He was shot dead in the Sunset House, where he worked, at around 9.30pm on Monday.
Garda Superintendent Dan Flavin of Mountjoy Garda Station who is leading the investigation yesterday said two masked men, described as skinny, entered the pub and fired a number of shots, fatally wounding Mr Barr.
He said the gunmen escaped in a silver Audi A6, registration 04C 17738, and drove north towards Drumcondra, where they abandoned the car.
They then got into another silver car.
Supt Flavin appealed for witnesses to contact gardai on 01 6668600 or the Garda confidential line on 1800 666111.
Just over two hours later, father of one Tom Farnan, aged 37, was shot up to four times in the upper body as he answered the front door of his house at Kilcrohan Close, Clondalkin.
Supt Brendan Connolly of Clondalkin Garda Station said gardai arrived within two minutes and tried to save the mans life, as did paramedics when they arrived, but to no avail.
He said a lone masked gunman appeared to have been involved, dressed all in black.
He headed for the Grand Canal and Lock View Road.
Supt Connolly appealed for witnesses to ring the station on 01 6667600 or the confidential line.
He said the victim would have been known to gardai at an earlier stage in his life and said gardai were exploring a number of possible motives for the attack.
Deputy Commissioner John Twomey expressed sympathies to families and friends of both victims.
He said that no stone will be left unturned in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
He said he was aware of the trauma and distress such incidents had on local communities.
He insisted contrary to some reports from local gardai that there has been no reduction in patrols in communities affected by the feud.
GRA members are furious with the Government for cutting new recruits pay and denying them a 4,000 a year rent allowance to which their colleagues up to the rank of chief superintendent are entitled.
Garda Michael McGrath from Killalla, Co Mayo, told the GRAs annual conference in Killarney yesterday that recruits in the Metropolitan Police get 28,209 in their first year, Scottish police earn 30,826, but Garda recruits earn just 23,171.
Garda Michael Corcoran from Cork City said this was absolutely crazy as this was just 4,000 above the minimum wage and that GRA members may have to get more militant to get pay restored to pre-recession levels: We were told before the election that the emergency was over. Were constantly being told were in a democratic country, its not.
Garda Ray Wims, from Sligo, said many gardai were postponing having families because of the pay cuts and were working longer hours to make up for the shortfall in garda numbers.
Garda Damien McCarthy, a former president of the organisation who is based in Dublin, said no other worker has suffered as much as gardai in recent years. He warned the incoming Government that their toughest challenge will be to deal with the GRA and its members should now prepare themselves to march and protest.
Wicklow-based Garda Pearse OSullivan, urged the GRA to join with other groups and unions who were also affected by wage cuts, pension levies and the universal social charge.
Garda Colin Moran, who works at Dublin Airport, said gardai wanted the draconian 25% cut in their wages restored: We are finished being treated like a Third-World police force. How can any government defend a starting salary of 23,000 and the loss of their [recruits] 4,000 rent allowance when rents are now at an all-time high?
Its sickening to hear some recruits are surviving on handouts and others getting family income supplement.
Garda Jim Mulligan, based at Blackrock, Dublin, said he came across a young lad in tears wondering how he was going to afford rent in Dundalk.
Its an absolute outrage and a scandal.
The report, which has been delivered to the Department of Justice, reserves high praise for Sergeant McCabe, saying he is a person who acted out of genuine and legitimate concern and that the commission unreservedly accepts his bona fides.
Former High Court judge Kevin OHiggins went on to state that the sergeant had shown courage and performed a genuine public service at considerable personal cost. For this, he is due the gratitude of not only the general public but An Garda Siochana.
The judge stated that Sgt McCabe was never less than truthful in his evidence even if prone to exaggeration at times.
Mr OHiggins upheld nearly all of the sergeants allegations of poor or errant investigation work in the Cavan-Monaghan region, into cases ranging from endangerment to sexual assault and serious physical assault.
The OHiggins commission of investigation was set up following the Guerin inquiry in 2014 into the sergeants allegations of serious malpractice within the force.
The most harrowing case was that of Jerry McGrath, who was released on bail for the false imprisonment of a child, while already being on bail for a serious assault in Cavan six months previously. In December 2007, 10 days after his second release, he murdered a woman in Limerick.
Mr OHiggins found that Sgt McCabes complaint in that and all but one of a dozen other instances were justified and upheld.
He also noted that Sgt McCabe had reason to believe that he was being set up and wrongly implicated in some of the cases of which he had complained.
Sgt McCabe had claimed that he was being set up by colleagues as a result of having made the complaints of malpractice. The former judge found that any such belief was unproven.
However, within the report, a copy of which has been seen by the Irish Examiner, there are five instances in which there were attempts by members of the force to blame Mr McCabe for malpractice or poor policing.
Two of those were aired for the first time at the commission, despite the cases dating back eight and nine years. In all cases, Mr OHiggins ruled that the sergeant was being wrongly blamed.
The chairman also criticised An Garda Siochana for its unhelpful and frustrating response to orders of discovery of documents to the commission.
The Irish Examiner understands that, on one occasion, the commission ordered a search for documents of the garda station in Bailieborough, Co Cavan, which was done out by two barristers.
The report is contradictory in places, as it largely exonerates all senior officers against whom allegations were made. However, in a number of instances, various senior officers are criticised for either their police work or for the manner in which Mr McCabes initial complaints were dealt with in an internal inquiry.
Most of the blame for the poor and shoddy work is apportioned to gardai and sergeants, rather than any senior officers. OHiggins exonerates former justice minister Alan Shatter and former garda commissioner Martin Callinan, both of whom resigned from office.
The report found both were entitled to rely on reports that they had been handed and that they did not act wrongly our outside their powers.
The Cork Foundation has announced details of the regeneration partnership between Reimagine Cork, which has been transforming some of the citys urban spaces, and members of the Construction Industry Federations (CIF) Cork branch.
Foundation chief executive Padraic Vallely said it is inspiring to see organisations such as CIF giving back to Cork.
We believe in the philosophy of Cork people helping Cork people, and we think CIF and Reimagine Cork are a perfect fit, utilising the skills and expertise of CIF along with the know-how and drive of Reimagine Cork, he said.
Finished before & after pics of @CorkCityETS & #reimaginecork project. A labour of love over the past year pic.twitter.com/Tg5POVNsyD Reimagine Cork (@ReimagineCork) April 22, 2016
CIF members including OShea Builders (Cork) Ltd, Sean Ahern Electrical Ltd, PJ Hegarty & Sons, Purcell Scaffolding Cork Ltd, Substruck Ltd, Edward Feehely Decorators Ltd, and MMD Construction Cork Ltd have volunteered to take part in several projects.
Among the completed schemes are a major painting project at the Grattan St carpark, by Edward Feehely and his team, and the installation of a KBC Bank-supported history-of-Cork art mural there, painted by pupils of nearby Cork Educate Together NS.
More projects are planned, including another large painting project on the side of Paul St carpark and a lighting the lanes project in Daltons Lane, Colmans Lane, Daltons Avenue off Cornmarket St, and Augustines St behind St Augustines Church.
Cormac Smith, chairman of CIFs Cork branch, said he hopes the projects return neglected and forgotten public spaces and laneways to public use.
More planting of Coleman's Lane today. More of a family atmosphere here now. @ReimagineCork @corkcitycentre pic.twitter.com/XowASn3pZ4 Alan Hurley (@AlanHurleyArt) April 23, 2016
Reimagine Corks Eoghan Ryan said they have been trying to rejuvenate the city through community-led action and were delighted when approached by CIF and the Cork Foundation.
They believe in an action, not words approach, which is in keeping with our own philosophy, he said.
Lobsang Sangey re-elected as PM of Tibetan Government-in-exile
Published: April 27, 2016
The Tibetan government-in-exile has re-elected Lobsang Sangey (48) as the Prime Minister for a second consecutive term.
The election result was announced by the Tibetan election officials in the northern Indian town of Dharmsala which is the headquarters of the government-in-exile.
Sangey secured about 58 percent of the 58,740 votes cast. He defeated his only rival Penpa Tsering, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament by 9,012 votes.
The 2016 general election was the second election since the Dalai Lama had stepped down as head of the government-in-exile in 2011 to focus on his role as the Tibetans spiritual leader. Tibetans living in exile in 40 countries had casted their votes for this election.
Sangey was born in Darjeeling, West Bengal. He had completed his studies in Delhi, before going for higher education in the US. He was a senior Fellow at the Harvard Law School.
Tibet Issue
China says Tibet has historically been part of its territory since the mid-13th century and was governed the Communist Party since 1951.
Tibetans say that they were effectively independent for most of their history, and the Chinese government wants to exploit their resource-rich region and crush their cultural identity.
China had taken whole control of Tibet in 1959 and after a failed 1959 uprising against Chinese rule Dalai Lama and his followers have been living in exile in Dharmsala.
Currently China doesnt recognize the Tibetan government-in-exile.
Month: Current Affairs - April, 2016
Topics: China Lobsang Sangey Persons in News Tibet
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The graceful interiors of a house designed around 1800 by Abraham Hargrave who came to Cork in 1791 to superintend the erection of St Patricks Bridge in the city centre have been more or less untouched since 1939.
This elegant family home on Lower Glanmire Rd has yielded treasures like a life-size portrait of James Butler, first Duke of Ormonde by Peter Lely and Studio of Peter Lely (1618-1680), and a pair of valuable oils by David de Coninck (1644-1701).
There is also a rare rosewood reclining library armchair, probably commissioned by Daniel Callaghan MP and a c.1864 collection of 90 albumen photographs of Hindustan and Kashmir by Samuel Bourne, Charles Shepherd, and Arthur Robertson.
Established in 1863, Bourne and Shepherd is the worlds oldest photographic studio.
A set of 11 walnut 19th-century side chairs bears the crest of the Barry Family of Buttevant, Co Cork. The name Buttevant is widely believed to derive from the French phrase boutez-en-avant, the warcry of the Norman Barry family who conquered the area in the late 12th century.
The 750-lot sale will include items acquired from Robert Penrose Uniacke Fitzgerald prior to the demolition of his house at Cork Beg Island and artefacts brought back from India in the early 1900s.
It is being sold by the descendants of Vincent Hart, who died in 1939, and his wife Evelyn (nee Sheedy).
Cork-born and a past pupil of Presentation College, Mr Hart was an inter- nationally renowned engineer with the Public Works Department of India.
He played a key role in infrastructural projects including the Mettur Dam in Tamil Nadu, the largest solid gravity dam in the world at the time it was built.
In 1935 he was presented with the Companionship of the Star of India by King George V. Mr Harts father, John, was manager of Corks Queens Old Castle department store.
The sale will include the collection of his brother Captain Jack Hart of the Royal Army Medical Corps who had travelled extensively in China and Japan.
Lotabeg, which has not been sold, was designed around 1800 for Richard Kellett.
It has been owned variously by Daniel Callaghan MP, Poole Hickman, the descendants of Martin Francis Mahony of Lotamore, and a New York banker named Richard Dixon. The large stone ionic arch entrance to Lotabeg, surmounted by an Irish wolfhound, is a well- known city landmark on Lower Glanmire Rd. This commemorates a hound said to have saved Mr Callaghan from drowning in the River Lee.
The auction will include paintings, furniture, Cork and Irish silver, rare books, porcelain, Oriental carpets, chandeliers, Indian and Asian art, and Irish historic collectibles. Viewing will be at the house from May 21. Entrance will be by shuttle bus from the Silver Springs Clayton Hotel, where the sale is to be held on May 24.
Local groups have formed in the towns of Lahinch, Ennistymon, and Corofin, with each group set write to Clare County Council later this week to officially begin the legal process of changing the towns names. The local authority has confirmed it is the appropriate agency to deal with this issue, and that a local vote, similar to that hosed in Dingle in 2006, may also be required.
This situation arose more than five years ago when Transport Infrastructure Ireland, formally the NRA, contracted Clare County Council to update signage on the N67 tourism route.
At this time the official legal spelling of the towns, which was derived from documentation written before the formation of the state, was used to replace the traditional local spellings which had appeared on all signage for the past 100 years.
This transformed major tourist towns such as Lahinch, Ennistymon, and Corofin to Lehinch, Ennistimon, and Corrofin.
Locals in Lahinch took matters into their own hands earlier this year and manually corrected the spelling of a number of signs a move that was later reversed by Clare County Council.
The people in Lahinch want this resolved. If youre going to be going back looking for names on maps that are more than 150 years old it is a bit ridiculous. I dont think there is anyone in Lahinch or the surrounding area who is going to spell it Lehinch, said Lahinch native Seamus Ryan.
Its important that this is resolved quickly. You have the Wild Atlantic Way taking off and lots of businesses that are relying on tourism. Do we want to confuse these tourists who are looking for Lehinch when they are driving through Lahinch? I dont think we do.
According to Patsy Ricks of the Ennistymon group, the new names are robbing these towns of their identity.
Ive been living here since 1969 and for all that time Ennistymon has been spelt with a Y, Lahinch has been spelled with an A and Corofin has been spelled with one R. Then all of a sudden all the names have changed, she said.
We want the old names back. These names are part of the place where we live and changing them is changing the identity of the place. The must have spent a fortune doing this and I cant imagine why they did it, she said.
Gerry Kennedy of the Corofin and District Development Company says he is ready to bring a proposal to Clare County Council in the coming days.
This is an incredibly confusing situation, especially for visitors, who may be using sat-navs to find their way to Corofin. We need to get this sorted and from talking to local people, 99.9% of them want the signs changed back to Corofin, which is what we all grew up with, he said.
We are ready to get the ball rolling as soon as possible. We want to use the standard spelling and we want to see everything that has two Rs in it removed. We will follow whatever procedure is required, if that means hosting a local plebiscite then thats what we will do.
A spokesperson from Clare County Council said they will outline the exact procedure for changing the legal name of a town, once an official request has been received.
Judge Gerard OBrien remanded Vincent Morey, aged 23, in custody yesterday until May 10 for sentencing at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
The judge noted from the evidence of Det Garda Mick Dolan that this latest crime represented a serious escalation in Moreys criminal behaviour.
A woman driving by Grenagh, Co Cork, came across a man standing at the side of the road and stopped to see if he needed assistance.
He produced a weapon and dragged her out of her car before driving away.
More, is from Gurranabraher and was living at an address at Bweeng in North Cork at the time of the January offence. The charges brought against Morey are that he took control of a womans car by threat of force at Grenagh village, produced a screwdriver that would intimidate a person, drove a car without permission of the owner, and stole property from four cars parked in the Grenagh/Bweeng area on January 13.
Morey was also before the court for a robbery at a shop on Blarney Rd in Cork on November 24, 2015.
Det Garda Dolan said the accused went to the Gala shop with a knife and threatened the woman who was working there.
She was six months pregnant at the time and she was very frightened. He got away with 150 in cash.
He was identified as the culprit with the help of CCTV some distance from the crime scene.
Mr OFlynn said that the accused was remorseful and apologetic to the victims of his crimes.
He said Morey was now free of drugs.
Security worker Jim McDaid alleged the gun had been put to his head at the betting shop of Boylesports in Meakstown, Finglas, in November 2013.
In a claim for a maximum of 60,000 damages, Mr McDaid, represented by John Nolan, said he was playing a game at a counter when a number of armed robbers burst into the shop.
Liam Corr, aged 21, had previously been banned by his mother from using a smartphone after she caught him accessing adult materialon it.
When gardai subsequently analysed the device they discovered 28 movie files; 13 showed under-age girls engaged in sexual activity with both adults and other children, 14 depicted similarly aged children engaging in more explicit sexual activity, and one showed a girl engaged in bestiality.
In 2006, Kieran Rose, an urban planner, was tasked by Dublin City Council with heading up a project to improve apartment standards. Until that point, the minimum space permitted for a one-bed shoe-box was, as Mr Rose put it, a cramped 38 square metres.
Interiors were often gloomy, corridors long and narrow and balconies were not a usable feature, he wrote in Work & Life, the magazine of Impact trade union, of which Mr Rose is a member. Many argued that we were allowing the tenements of tomorrow to be constructed.
Under the remit from Dublin City Council, his team held a wide-ranging consultation process, though he said there was dogged opposition from some property interests in the construction industry.
Nonetheless, the council adopted a variation to development plan which meant minimum floor areas of 55sq m for a one-bed, 80-90sq m for a two-bed, and 100sq m minimum for a three-bed.
Other improved standards included a requirement for increasing the number of dual aspect apartments, allowing for more light, in addition to usable balconies, said Mr Rose.
These improved standards were subsequently included in the Development Plans of Cork City Council and some of the other Dublin planning authorities.
However, he said the powerful opposition never went away and their efforts to reverse the guidelines bore fruit.
In December 2015, the Department of Environment published revised apartment standards that effectively directed Dublin and Cork planning authorities to reduce their apartment standards, Mr Rose said, adding that the Departments new policy states that it is specific policy requirement that the following minimum standards apply 45sq m for a one-bed, 73sq m for a two-bed, and 90sq m for a three-bed.
He said apartment standards have a huge and lasting effect on the quality of life of those who live in them, adding that the significant reduction in the quality will affect the most vulnerable, particularly the elderly. He said Alone, which represents old people has highlighted that the average 80 year old will spend 80% of their day at home and that they need a space they can live in, not somewhere they can exist.
Mr Rose said there were two very strange aspects to the reduction in apartment standards.
Firstly, he said there was no public consultation with a Freedom of Information request revealing that the consultation was private and confined to property interests and some professional bodies.
Secondly, he said the Department in the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2015 gave itself extraordinary new powers... to make its policy decision unilaterally, without having to refer it to the Dail and Seanad, as had been previously required.
She said both recent murders in Dublin were absolutely horrific, but added, while the investigations were at an early stage she did not believe the Clondalkin killing was feud-related like others which had occurred in the capital recently.
The commissioner said what people did not see was that the drugs and organised crime bureau were disrupting crime gangs and had made significant inroads into them recently, with over 30m in drugs seized, around 200 arrests, and 30 firearms taken off the streets.
We will never give up in our fight against organised crime, she said.
The GRA has said it is concerned about the lack of armed garda units based outside of Dublin.
Ms OSullivan said she would increase the number of armed response units, with the Border area being the first to benefit and was intent on focusing on providing a 24/7 armed capability around the country.
Meanwhile, the GRA members debated, without conclusion, if all officers should be armed in future.
The topic was raised by Eamonn Ward, who is based in Donegal, and when he joined the gardai in 1995 said he never envisaged the day he would think about being armed.
However, he said that the killing of colleagues, the rise of seriously armed crime gangs and international terrorism made him think again.
I dont want to set out to work every day with a firearm, but if its the difference between me coming home at night, I prepared to carry one, Garda Ward said.
Garda Keith Plunkett, who works in Blanchardstown, said he would not be a fan of having armed uniformed gardai.
He said: It could raise the level of firearms incidents between our members and the criminal fraternity.
John McCarthy, from Dunmanway in Co Cork, had sparked a huge online appeal for information when he posted about the theft on his Facebook page on Monday morning.
The C-reg black Audi A6 Estate, which had been customised for the wheelchair-user, was stolen from outside his home in Lucan on Sunday night. The thieves had entered Mr McCarthys home while he slept and taken the keys.
Good news came yesterday morning when the athlete who has already represented Ireland in three Paralympic Games, in Athens, Beijing, and London received a call from gardai saying the car had been located in nearby Adamstown and was apparently not damaged.
I got a call at 7.40 this morning to say the car was there, Mr McCarthy said.
The theft had come at the end of a run of weeks of bad luck for the Corkman, not least being hit by a serious illness which has impacted on his training regime as he vies to qualify for the Rio Paralympic Games later this year.
Mr McCarthy said that he was glad he had slept through the break-in at his house, stating: As a wheelchair user, I wouldnt have been able to jump up and check.
In a good way, I was unaware that it happened.
He is now changing the locks at his home and changing the key for his car, which he bought secondhand three years ago.
As for whether or not the thieves who stole it may have abandoned the vehicle once it became a national news story, John McCarthy said: I dont know. I would love to know.
I would hope that whoever took it saw the publicity and thought: Look, we are not going to get rid of this too easily.
To make it to the Rio Games, Mr McCarthy needs to meet the qualification standard in the 100 metres by the mid-June cut-off, and he is now considering competing at an event in England this weekend.
Hopefully it is the start of more good luck coming in, he said.
The latest residential property price index from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) shows property prices were up 7.4% in the year to March.
That compares with an increase of 8% in February and an increase of 16.8% recorded in the same period to March 2015.
Prices increased by 0.3% in March against no change in February and an increase of 0.9% recorded in March last year.
When Dublin is excluded, residential property prices increased by 10.5% in the year to March. However, prices dropped by 0.2% last month.
Overall, house prices in Dublin are 34.3% lower than at their highest level in early 2007. Apartments in the capital are 41.2% below selling prices in February 2007. Residential property prices in Dublin are 36.3% lower than at their highest level in 2007.
The price of residential properties in the rest of the country is 35.4% lower than the peak in September 2007, while the national index is 33.6% lower than its highest level in that year.
Property Industry Ireland director Peter Stafford said that the two-tier increase in house prices, in Dublin and in the rest of Ireland, is masking an ongoing crisis in the supply of new housing.
The moderation in house prices in Dublin compared to the rest of Ireland, created in part by the Central Bank mortgage lending rules, is masking a significant under-supply of new property, he said. In 2015, only 12,600 new houses were completed, against an estimated need for 21,000.
This ongoing lack of supply into the housing stock is putting huge pressure on the private rented sector and increasing demand for social housing.
Political leadership in creating a sustainable housing system for the long-term is more important than ever.
Pat Davitt, chief executive of the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers, said the combination of a lack of supply to market, the Central Bank lending restrictions and the fact CSO figures do not include cash buyers who account for about 50% of sales rendered the figures almost meaningless.
Alan McQuaid of Merrion Stockbrokers said the improved economic backdrop should see house prices rise further.
Following an average increase in house prices of 12.9% in 2014 and 10.6% in 2015, we are now looking for a more modest increase of 5% in 2016, with the biggest gains coming outside Dublin, he said.
Mr McQuaid said it was also clear that the tighter mortgage-lending restrictions imposed by the Central Bank had helped to contain house prices.
Direct access to diagnostics for all patients is number one on GPs wish-lists says the Irish Cancer Society/Irish College of General Practitioners report.
Access to 11 diagnostic tests was examined and the rates did not fall below 89% for private patients.
However, when the same tests were sought for public patients, GPs powers were limited and they had to refer their patients to consultants, outpatient departments and other services first before a decision was made whether to order the tests which greatly increased waiting times.
Around 46% of the population have private health insurance while 39% have medical cards. The remainder has neither.
Chest X-ray was the only test for which there was no difference with 99% of GPs saying they could send patients directly without going through a third party regardless of whether they were private or public. Private patients got their X-ray in one working day on average while the average for public patients was two days.
When it came to CT and MRI scans, however, the difference was vast. While 89% to 91% of GPs could send private patients directly for these tests, 16% to 24% of the same GPs had that option for their public patients.
An abdominal CT scan for a private patient took on average six working days compared to an average of 55 for a public patient.
The study surveyed 592 GPs in 214 practices with an average of just under 4,000 patients per practice. About half the practices had a minimum of 50% public patients.
Claire Collins, director of research at the society, said factors such as the rural or urban location of the practices, their distance from hospitals and the wealth or poverty in the environment in which they worked were all taken into consideration but none had as much influence on patient experiences as to whether they were private or public.
Dr Collins said the rapid access clinics set up in the past 10 years for breast, lung, prostrate, and melanoma cancers had made a big difference in speeding up tests for all patients.
The feedback from GPs in relation to those clinics is extremely positive and we would support more rapid access clinics for other cancer areas, she said.
Donal Buggy of the Irish Cancer Society said: Early diagnosis often means a cancer is more likely to be treated successfully, an intervention will be less complicated and chances of survival will be higher.
This research makes abundantly clear that doctors working across all socioeconomic areas face a struggle in securing timely tests to provide diagnoses for public patients.
Mr Buggy said the fear that GPs would order unnecessary tests if they had direct access for public patients was not borne out by the experience in other countries with one UK study showing only 12% of extra tests ordered were found to be unwarranted. The only disadvantage found for people with private health insurance was they were more likely to delay visiting their GP than medical card holders in the first place.
Union Government constitutes Shyam Benegal Committee to revamp Central Board of Film Certification
Published: January 2, 2016
The Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has constituted a committee headed by noted film-maker Shyam Benegal to look into revamp the film certification nuances by Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
The committee is tasked to suggest recommendations provide a holistic framework and interpretation of provisions of Cinematograph Act, 1952 and Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 1983.
Other Members of the Committee: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Bhawana Somaaya, Piyush Pandey, Nina Lath Gupta and Joint Secretary (Films) as Member Convenor.
Terms of reference of the Committee
The committee is expected to take note of the best practices in various parts of the world.
Recommend broad guidelines under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act, 1952 for the benefit of the chairperson and other members of the Screening Committee of CBFC.
Take into consideration that film industry is given sufficient and adequate space for creative and aesthetic expression.
Look into the staffing pattern of CBFC in an effort to recommend a framework which would provide efficient and transparent user friendly services.
The Committee has been requested to submit its recommendations within two months. Its recommendations would enable those tasked with the work of certification of films to discharge their responsibilities keeping in view the prescribed framework.
Month: Current Affairs - January, 2016
Topics: CBFC Committees Current Affairs - 2017 Current Affairs 2016 Entertainment Shyam Benegal
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Tim Marks received the letter of commendation from ICTS Ireland after spotting the ammunition in a Customs and Border Protection X-ray machine in July 2011.
The letter commended Mr Marks for his overall performance for ICTS and in particular his keen eye for detail and compliance with procedures resulting in the discovery of the bullets. It read that Mr Markss hard work and co-operation does not go unnoticed.
However, the 53-year-old was fired in October 2014 after admitting he did not have permission to take the $5.99 Time magazine from a rubbish bag on a stairwell serving a transatlantic jet on October 22, 2014.
Conor Glendon, solicitor for Mr Marks of Mountain View, Ennis, Co Clare, told the hearing yesterday that Mr Marks was highly regarded among his colleagues and after his sacking got a series of temporary posts stacking shelves for various firms. Mr Glendon said Mr Marks has recently started security work on a seasonal basis for a different security firm at Shannon Airport.
Nine years with ICTS Ireland, Mr Marks is suing for unfair dismissal and at a hearing in Ennis yesterday, station manager at Shannon for ICTS, Audrey Wilhite, said the value of the item is irrelevant as there is zero tolerance in the company towards theft.
ICTS provides security to a number of airlines operating out of Shannon and Ms Wilhite said: Mr Marks shouldnt have removed anything from the aircraft. For theft, there is a very, very clear company policy.
We are a security company and the whole basis of what we do is protecting all of the items on the aircraft. That is our purpose for being there. If we have someone who breaches that, it is serious, it is extremely serious and we cant actually proceed with that person.
Mr Glendon said Mr Marks had a nine-year unblemished record with the firm. Ms Wilhite said that, once theft happens, thats it. We cant continue with that person and the breach of trust has occurred.
Ms Wilhite said the removal of the magazine was the only reason she fired Mr Marks.
The hearing has been adjourned to June and Mr Marks is to give evidence.
Mr Guerin was asked to examine claims by Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe that crimes were not properly investigated.
His report resulted in a full inquiry being carried out by Mr Justice Kevin OHiggins.
Information obtained by the Irish Examiner reveals the barristers bill for his examination was contested by the Department of the Taoiseach and eventually whittled down.
Thescoping inquiry around Sgt McCabes claims officially began in March 2014 and was completed and submitted to the department two months later.
Mr Guerins criticism of how claims about the force were handled led to justice minister Alan Shatter quitting and later resulted in a full-blown commission of investigation being set up under Justice OHiggins.
Justice OHigginss report was given to Cabinet this week and is understood to suggest Mr Shatter, when minister, took the allegations against gardai very seriously and that his actions were justified.
Freedom of Information responses show Mr Guerin invoiced the Department of the Taoiseach 155,349 for his fees, including Vat at 23%. A junior counsel fee of 7,271 was also included in the bill as was a 6,827 bill for a stenographer and expenses submitted for room hire.
A statement by the Department of the Taoiseach to the Irish Examiner regarding the fees and work done by the senior counsel added: The department paid Mr Guerins fee, less 8% reduction for state legal fees [ie, 116,196, plus 23% Vat, equals 142, 921.08], and the other three amounts.
Mr Shatter resigned as minister in 2014 after a report by a senior barrister concluded that he had failed to take not of warnings by Sgt McCabe.
It also led to the establishment of the OHiggins Commission, which commenced in February 2015 and was initially scheduled to complete its work within one year. The Government later agreed to a request from Justice OHiggins to grant an extension to the commission to April 29.
The commissions report was submitted to the justice minister this week and, after consultation with the attorney general, it is expected to be published soon.
Mr Guerins report looked into the actions taken by gardai, Department of Justice, and Mr Shatter on the allegations by Sgt McCabe of Garda misconduct. It also concluded the effectiveness of the Garda Pulse system should be reviewed.
Mr Shatter told Taoiseach Enda Kenny in a private letter when he resigned that the Guerin report claims had reached conclusions that were catastrophically damaging to him.
He said the force is hugely under-resourced due to 3,000 retirements and also urged her to support gardai in their pay restoration claim and ensure recruits are paid the same as every other officer.
We hear all about recruitment and promotions yet hear nothing about the constant flow of retirements and the ever-dwindling resources left on the frontline.
We hear all about Operation Thor and the effect it has had on crime. What we dont hear is that Operation Thor proves that we are under-resourced and with the correct resourcing, we can tackle crime.
Garda OBrien told the commissioner the GRA has been seeking an independent optimum numbers surveyto clearly show how many gardai are required to police each district in the country.
We are under-resourced on the frontline and we require urgent recruitment well beyond the current intakes. The numbers graduating are barely meeting the promotions and retirements from the force.
He said the uniform must be changed to provide a level of safety and comfort. The boots are too cumbersome. Far lighter footwear, complying with health and safety requirements, is available. We have been asking for these changes through our uniform working group for some time now.
Garda OBrien said the Pulse computer system is collapsing at the seams.
The commissioner said she absolutely agreed the uniform needed upgrading and would make that a priority. She said she would take on board the request to look at optimum Garda numbers and acknowledged there was a need to improve IT systems.
She maintained the force was now benefitting from government investment, but admitted this was only the beginning following years of under investment. She also revealed a contract had been signed to provide 24/7 on-call counselling services for gardai, which was welcomed by Mr OBrien, who said work-related stress had led to a number of Garda suicides.
Susan McCarthy, aged 21, appeared before Limerick Circuit Court, where she admitted two counts of assault causing harm, to Leanne Delaney and Celina Daly.
McCarthy, of Astor Court, Keyes Park, Southill, also pleaded guilty to one count of production of a broken beer bottle during the assaults on October 25, 2014.
The attack took place around 3.30am on Parnell St, Limerick City. Ms Delaney was rushed from the scene by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick, where she underwent emergency surgery for a punctured lung. She remained in hospital in a serious condition for a number of days.
At a previous bail hearing at Limerick District Court, gardai described the attack as extremely violent.
Garda Tim OConnor said Ms Delaney suffered extensive injuries after she was stabbed a number of times by McCarthy with a broken glass bottle.
The court heard McCarthy continued to stab Ms Delaney after she fell to the ground.
Garda OConnor said McCarthy made no reply when charged.
Solicitor Ted McCarthy told the court Ms McCarthy was in receipt of jobseekers allowance, and the court granted her free legal aid.
At the time, Judge Aeneus McCarthy said the serious nature of the crime was, on its own, not sufficient for refusing the bail application. He imposed a number of bail conditions and McCarthy was freed on bail.
As part of her bail she is banned from Parnell St, and she must sign on daily at Roxboro Road Garda station as well as obey a curfew.
Following his transfer to London on Easter Sunday, Roger Casement was questioned by Basil Thompson, head of the Criminal Investigative Division at Scotland Yard, and Admiral William Blinker Hall, the head of Naval Intelligence.
They knew the rebellion was planned but rebuffed Casements effort to be allowed plead with those in Dublin to call off the Rising.
Hall had already withheld information from British authorities at Dublin Castle, as he wished for the Rising to go ahead so the London government could be manipulated into suppressing Irish nationalism.
It is better that a cankering sore like this should be cut out, he insisted.
Casement was charged with high treason. The British had also obtained private diaries in which he recorded details of his homosexual interests and practices.
The Attorney General, Frederick E. Smith, wished to use the diaries against Casement, but they had nothing to do with treason.
The prosecution sent a complete copy of the diaries to Casements counsel, Sergeant A.M. Sullivan, who thought this was an attempt to persuade him to use the material to argue that Casement was insane.
It was clear to me that they were anxious to persuade me, by the diary, to make that defence, Sullivan later wrote. I did not even discuss it with Casement beyond assuring him that the diary would not be alluded to during his trial. He was very nervous about it.
Casements trial began in London on June 26, 1916. Nine Irishmen exchanged by the Germans on health grounds after being held as prisoners of war testified about Casements efforts to recruit an Irish Brigade from among more than 2,200 Irish prisoners gathered at Limburg, Germany.
They testified that Casement said this brigade would land in Ireland in an attempt to expel the British if Germany gained control of the seas. If Britain won the war, on the other hand, members of the brigade would be given money and free passage to the US.
In the prison courtyard of the Bow London Court during the recess hour of the Casement Trial. On the extreme right is Roger Casement, seated with a sheet of paper in his hand. On the left, with his back to the camera, Bailey, alleged co-conspirator with Casement. In the background with his left arm behind his back is Corporal OConnor. On the top right is Mary Gorman, the Kerry Collen who aided in capturing Casement. Mid-stride directly in front of the London bobby on the right is Martin Collins.
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Casements team tried to defend him on legalistic grounds, contending that the 1351 Statue under which he was charged did not apply to acts committed outside the United Kingdom. Casement had only tried to recruit people in Germany.
But the jurors did not buy the argument and took just 55 minutes to convict him after a four-day trial. He was duly sentenced to death.
His appeal was dismissed after just two days the next month. Before he was hanged at Pentonville Prison on August 3, 1916, there were strong calls for clemency from various quarters. Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw called for Casement to be treated as a prisoner of war, and more than 30 other distinguished writers including Arthur Conan Doyle, Arnold Bennett, G.K. Chesterton, and John Galsworthy called for the reprieve of his sentence.
William Randolph Hearsts newspaper chain endorsed a US Senate resolution calling for Casements reprieve. The Senate adopted the resolution on July 29 by 49 votes to 19.
British officials sought to undermine the clemency campaign by leaking sordid extracts from Casements diaries. These extracts were photographed and circulated to influential political and religious figures, as well as selected journalists, in order to undermine sympathy for Casement by depicting him as a moral degenerate.
Cecil Spring Rice, British ambassador to the US, warned Monsignor Giovanni Bonzano, the Papal representative in Washington, that His Majestys Government were in possession of evidence which would make it extremely undesirable that priests of the Catholic Church should publicly ascribe to Casement the character of a Christian martyr, whose life should be held up as a model to the faith.
Rice admitted giving a similar hint to Cardinal Farley of New York. He contended this was to save high officials of the Church from embarrassment.
On the eve of the execution, Walter H. Page, the US ambassador, told British prime minister Herbert Asquith he had seen extracts from Casements diary.
Excellent, Asquith said, and you need not be particular about keeping it to yourself.
The British government cited the loss of life among soldiers and civilian in the Easter Rebellion as justification for the execution.
The suggestion that Casement left Germany for the purpose of trying to stop the Irish rising was not raised at the trial, and is conclusively disproved, the government added.
This was a gross distortion. Some British authorities had frustrated Casements effort to call off the Rising, because they wished it to take place. There were, therefore, even more responsible than Casement for what happened.
His diaries became an irrelevant distraction from the issues around his execution, because the controversy thereafter revolved around Casements sexuality and the authenticity of his diaries. It seemed Irish people could not accept a patriot could have traits that might be perceived as defects.
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When the First World War broke out, the British parliament passed the Defence of the Realm Act, which allowed the court martial of civilians in the event of military emergency or invasion.
The Easter Rising was the first big test of this legislation. With 450 dead and half of Dublin city centre in ruins, the circumstances were ripe for the rule of law to be compromised.
When General John Maxwell gave the order for the prisoners to be court-martialled, the rebellion had already been suppressed. The prisoners could have been tried by ordinary process of law and most would have struggled to find a defence to a charge of rebellion or riot.
It was Maxwells choice to order trial by court martial, no doubt because it was a reliable tribunal.
But Maxwell was dismayed to discover that a death sentence could only be passed by a court martial if it was proved that the prisoner had acted with the intention of assisting the enemy.
There was no proof of a German connection: A ship had been scuttled off the coast of Cork and 23 Kriegsmarine surrendered but kept their silence. In the ranks of the army there was much talk about German gold and German snipers, but nothing was found.
And although there was a fleeting reference in the Proclamation to our gallant allies in Europe, there was no firm proof about a German connection until Padraig Pearse wrote a letter home to his mother with a famous postscript about help from the German fleet.
Pearse was tried the next day on a charge of rebellion with the intention and for the purpose of assisting the enemy.
An intention to assist Germany?
At his trial, Pearse readily agreed that Germany had sent arms. There was of course, a proper, life-saving difference between an intention to assist the enemy and simply accepting help from Germany but Pearse was bent on securing a death sentence. He did not take the point. The next prisoners to be tried were Thomas MacDonagh and Thomas Clarke; they were resigned to execution and neither spoke at their trial.
Joe Plunkett hinted that the Irish Volunteers had been jockeyed into rebellion by a secret organisation but was otherwise silent. Willie Pearse pleaded guilty and uttered the word guilty with such satisfaction that it may have cost him his life. Con Colbert simply said: I have nothing to say.
It might be thought that that the officers trying these cases mistook the silence or obduracy of prisoners for a realisation that they had no defence. But there were other men among the leaders and officers who desperately wanted to live. Eamonn Ceannt, Michael Mallin, Sean MacDiarmada, and Edward Daly all fought their cases. Each denied any intention to assist Germany.
Ceannt succinctly and correctly observed: The Crown did not even tender evidence in this regard.
In none of the trials was evidence called to prove any prisoner had acted with the intention of assisting Germany. But the absence of evidence on this point does not seem to have troubled the officers who tried these cases.
In the course of 17 days, 160 prisoners were tried by field general court ,artial. The prisoners were held at Richmond Barracks, where they were lined up to be called into a dingy little office on the corner of the square. The trials took place here: None of the prisoners were allowed legal representation and most trials lasted no more than 10 or 15 minutes.
The prisoners did not have access to the rules under which these trials were conducted. Had they done so, they might have asked for the few legal entitlements that the rules allowed; free access to defence witnesses was one, time to prepare a defence was another.
Sean Heuston said little at his trial, save to ask for time to prepare a defence: I had no intimation of the nature of the charge against me until this morning.
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The role of the Judge Advocate General
The law required the judge advocate general (JAG) to provide an independent review of every capital court martial: his decision had force of law.
By Easter 1916, the JAG, Thomas Milvain, was terminally ill. The only lawyer sent with Maxwell to Ireland was Second Lieutenant Alfred Bucknill, an admiralty barrister.
The surviving correspondence suggests Bucknill regarded himself as part of the prosecution team. He was certainly not an officer of the JAGs office and did not provide the unwelcome scrutiny that came with that post.
The role of the viceroy
All prisoners were entitled to petition the viceroy to exercise the royal prerogative of mercy: By law, it was his decision. But in the days after the rebellion, Maxwell swept the civil administration to one side.
The viceroy, again and again, attempted to reassert the powers of his office. On the night of May 7, the viceroy dined with Maxwell and forcefully argued against more executions.
But later that night the firing squads were reconvened. The following morning the viceroy cleared his desk, resigned his post, and wrote a cold note to Maxwell.
After our conversation last night, I was, I must admit, dismayed to learn that three comparatively unknown insurgents were executed this morning.
The collapse of the rule of law is just one dimension to this complex event and, even now, more material is coming to light about the rank and file.
The trial of the rank and file
The defence advanced by many was I thought we were out for manoeuvres and for many, this was true.
Some prisoners asserted I was not armed or, in the case of one of the non-commissioned officers captured at Jacobs factory: It has not been proved I was armed.
A few simply said: I was a first-aider.
James Burke, of the South Dublin Union garrison, cut off his sergeants stripes while awaiting trial, but this was noticed.
Farce was never far away: John Reynolds, taken prisoner at the GPO, told the court his daughter was buying stamps when the rebels charged the building. He said he had gone in to get her but he was held prisoner all week. At the general surrender, Reynolds was not armed or in uniform and this evidential lacuna secured his acquittal.
Perhaps the most poignant trial was that of John MacBride who, for reasons of his own, courted the death penalty. When he surrendered, he handed over a note which showed he was an officer.
MacBride did not endear himself to Maxwell; the day before his trial, he gave evidence for another prisoner. In MacBrides speech at his own trial, he made no apology and told the court he had done his duty.
He called his landlady to give evidence, although she had nothing useful to say. It is likely that he just wanted to see her one last time; there is contemporary evidence of a romantic attachment. When she entered, MacBride, a ruddy and portly fifty-something, stood up and found her a chair.
People will remember the trials for different reasons. Perhaps that process might generate a wider understanding of the rule of law and how it may unravel in times of crisis.
A greater commitment to that concept is something that will strengthen our democracy and the legal institutions that support it.
Sean Enright is author of After the Rising: Soldiers, Lawyers and Trials of the Irish Revolution (due from Merrion Press, May 2016), and Easter Rising 1916: The Trials (Merrion Press, 2013).
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FIVE feud murders in less than 12 weeks. Its a death toll thought to be unprecedented in gangland in Ireland.
Now, theres the possibility of dissident republicans being dragged into the fray.
One community in the north inner city has been battered by three of the murders and its people are living in fear.
Across the River Liffey, another community is waiting for retaliation.
And despite the insistence of garda chiefs, local gardai say resources to prevent further attacks have been cut.
Its a grim picture and one about which highly experienced detectives are gravely concerned.
The two worst gangland feuds the country has seen, the Crumlin-Drimnagh feud and the Limerick feud, claimed up to 16 lives and at least 12.
However, those murders were spread out over roughly 10 years. In the Crumlin-Drimnagh feud, almost a year passed before the first murder was avenged.
In its most violent period, in three days in November 2005, three people were killed. That year was the bloodiest in the feud and four people were killed.
In the McCarthy-Dundon feud with the Keane-Collopys, the most people killed in a year was three.
In the Kinahan-Hutch feud, there have been five murders since February 5 (in addition to the murder of Gary Hutch last September in Spain).
There is a difference in the intensity of this compared to those other two [feuds], said one experienced detective.
In those past feuds, each murder was usually, though not always, in revenge for a killing by the other side.
In this feud, five of the murders (Gary Hutch, Eddie Hutch, Noel Duggan, innocent bystander Martin ORourke, and Michael Barr) are being blamed on the Kinahan cartel and one on the Hutch gang (David Byrne at the Regency Hotel).
Its possible the Kinahan cartel will keep on going.
Michael Barr, from Co Tyrone, but living in the north inner city of Dublin, is thought to be the latest victim of the Kinahan-Hutch feud.
However, there are also similarities between the Crumlin-Drimnagh feud and the Kinahan-Hutch one, apart from some of the people on the Kinahan side. In both cases, the sides were once allies, all part of one criminal network. In both cases, there are suspicions there was an informer.
In response to the initial murder in both feuds, family members were targeted, typically brothers. In the current feud, Gerry The Monk Hutchs innocent brother Eddie Hutch was murdered in revenge for Byrnes death.
In both feuds, personal grievance, and status, are the dominant forces, rather than criminality or territory.
There are other differences in that the heartland of the two sides of the current feud are in different parts of the city the Hutch gang in the north inner city and the Kinahan cartel in the south-west area of Crumlin, Drimnagh and the south inner city.
Making the feud even more worrying, is the possibility of the Real IRA becoming involved, making it a three-way feud.
Barr, from Tyrone, but living in Finglas, north Dublin, was a member of the dissident grouping. He was previously charged, along with six others, of membership of the IRA though they were subsequently acquitted.
He was suspected of playing a possible role in supplying guns to the Hutch gang through another dissident.
This dissident, also from Co Tyrone, was subsequently nicknamed Flat Cap after he was photographed with the hat and holding a handgun as he ran from the Regency Hotel. Barr was also suspected of providing Flat Cap with a safe house after the shooting.
It is not entirely clear what will be the response of the Real IRA to the murder of a member. While some gardai say the northern leadership was not happy that their weapons were used in the gang feud, other sources said this was not true.
However, all the sources are slow to predict the response of the Real IRA. However, sources seem to agree that if the dissidents do retaliate they will do so on their own and will not link up with the Hutch gang.
Gardai suspect the Hutch gang will respond and will have to in order to save face. That is why gardai on the southside are anxious, not least because of the sheer number of Kinahan associates in their area, numbering more than 40.
Some sources said that despite statements from garda management, checkpoints and patrols are not as intense as they once were and that local officers have to use their own overtime budgets, taking away from dealing with local crime.
It might sound a bit much, but keep an eye on your kids, said one garda source.
The ruling could jeopardise Australias divisive policy of refusing any asylum-seekers who reach its shores by boat.
Australia pays Papua New Guinea, and the tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru, to hold them in detention camps, instead.
The court dubbed the detention of the asylum-seekers a violation of their constitutional right to personal liberty.
The court ordered both countries governments to end the detention of the 900 men being held at the facility.
Treating those required to remain in the relocation centre as prisoners, irrespective of their circumstances or their status, save only as asylum-seekers, is to offend against their rights and freedoms, as guaranteed by the various conventions on human rights, the court wrote.
Lawyer Loani Henao, who lodged the action on behalf of Papua New Guineas former opposition leader, Belden Namah, said the centre must be shut down and the asylum seekers set free.
They were in jail against their own will, for no reason, Mr Henao said. The government of Papua New Guinea, and Australia, for that matter, were not allowed to do that, under our constitution.
Australian immigration minister, Peter Dutton, said the ruling had done nothing to change Australias stance on asylum-seekers who arrive by boat.
Those in the Manus Island Regional Processing Centre found to be refugees are able to resettle in Papua New Guinea. Those found not to be refugees should return to their country of origin.
Canada does not and will not pay ransom to terrorists, directly or indirectly, Trudeau said, vowing instead to hunt down and prosecute hostage-takers.
The Philippine military has come under increased pressure to rescue more than 20 foreign hostages after their Muslim extremist captors beheaded John Ridsdel.
Bangkoks Juvenile and Family Court ruled that Carmens legal guardian is the girls American, biological father, Gordon Lake, his lawyer, Rachapol Sirikulchit, said.
Lake and his partner, Spaniard, Manuel Santos, both 41, have been stuck in Thailand since launching their legal battle, after Carmen was born in January, 2015.
Santos emerged from the court smiling and with tears in his eyes.
He told reporters: We won. We are really happy... This nightmare is going to end soon. After 15 months, Carmen will fly to Spain, where the couple lives.
The case was complicated by the fact that Thai law does not recognise same-sex marriages and also by a new law that bans commercial surrogacy, which took effect after Carmens birth.
When Carmen was born, Thai surrogate, Patidta Kusolsang, handed over the baby to the couple, who left the hospital with the infant.
However, the mother then changed her mind and refused to sign the documents to allow Carmen to get a passport, so they could leave Thailand.
Mr Lake, who is from New Jersey, is Carmens biological father, while the egg came from an anonymous donor.
The couple were told the surrogate mother had thought they were an ordinary family and that she worried for Carmens upbringing.
The court also barred him from practising dentistry for life.
Around 100 people had issued complaints against Van Nierop, ranging from having multiple healthy teeth removed, pieces of drills left in their gums and teeth, or abscesses, broken jaws and misshapen mouths after he carried out work on patients.
Van Nierop, dubbed the horror dentist by the French media, was accused of causing mutilations or permanent disabilities to scores of patients from 2009 to 2012, of overcharging patients and billing them for imaginary procedures, and of illegally practising dentistry in France.
In their ruling, the judges convicted the Dutchman of 85 counts of assault, including 45 counts of mutilation, and of 61 counts of fraud against patients, their health insurance companies and the local social security agency.
They fined him 10,500 and said they will decide the amount of damages due to 62 plaintiffs in June. The court acquitted the defendant of six counts of assault and some counts of fraud. Van Nierop has 10 days to file an appeal. He has been detained in a French prison since January 2015.
Marie-Jo Lemoine, a victim of Van Nierop, celebrated the verdict.
She said: Its silly to say that but I say it: It feels good. He will have time to think about us. In her closing speech last month, prosecutor Lucile Jaillon-Bru said in Van Nierop there was only greed, indifference to another, even some enjoyment in making others suffer.
Delphine Morin-Meneghel, the lawyer for Van Nierop, acknowledged her client was responsible for some bad procedures but she said he committed no intentional or premeditated violence towards any of his patients.
One patient, Sylviane Boulesteix, 65, told the court she was summoned to the Dutchmans dental office in May 2012. Without warning, the dentist pulled eight of her teeth out and immediately fixed dentures on her raw gums. For hours, the woman said she sat gushing blood.
In the following days, she said Van Nierop refused to relieve her pain.
A judicial expert described the dentist as a cruel and perverse man whose incompetence made Ms Boulesteix lose several healthy teeth, go through a trauma, and suffer irreversible damage to her mouth.
In late 2013, the Dutchman fled to Canada before being extradited to the Netherlands and then deported to France. Psychiatric experts said Van Nierop shows a narcissistic pervert personality with an absence of all moral sense and that he does not feel any compassion.
During the trial, the lawyer for one patient told the dentist his client was just waiting for apologies.
Van Nierop replied: I have no feelings anymore. So, if I was offering my apologies today, I would be lying.
Jeremy Hunt appealed directly to medics not to withdraw emergency cover, which he said had particular risks for A&E departments, maternity, and intensive care.
The impasse between the Government and the British Medical Association (BMA) prompted the industrial action, from 8am to 5pm yesterday and again today.
Lawyers acting for the families said the conclusions, at the end of the longest jury case in British legal history, had completely vindicated their tireless 27-year battle for the truth.
The deaths were ruled accidental at the end of the original 1991 inquest.
But those verdicts were quashed following the 2012 Hillsborough Independent Panel report, which concluded that a major cover-up had taken place in an effort by police and others to avoid the blame for what happened.
The new jury concluded that blunders by the police and ambulance service on the day had caused or contributed to the disaster and that the victims had been unlawfully killed.
The jury forewoman wiped away tears and had a catch in her voice as she confirmed the answers to 14 questions about the disaster to coroner Sir John Goldring.
Leading Hillsborough campaigner Margaret Aspinall, whose 18-year-old son James died in the disaster, said afterwards: Lets be honest about this people were against us. We had the media against us, as well as the establishment.
Everything was against us. The only people that werent against us was our own city. Thats why I am so grateful to my city and so proud of my city. They always believed in us.
Surrounded by a sea of camera crews and reporters outside the court, she added: I think we have changed a part of history now I think thats the legacy the 96 have left.
The jurors were told they could only reach the unlawful killing determination if they were sure of four essential matters concerning the deaths at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final.
They had to be convinced match commander Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield owed a duty of care to those who died, and that he was in breach of that duty of care.
Thirdly, they would need to be satisfied that his breach of duty caused the deaths and, fourthly, that it amounted to gross negligence. They concluded it was unlawful killing by a 7-2 majority.
The jury also ruled that fan behaviour did not cause or contribute to the tragedy.
The Hillsborough disaster unfolded during Liverpools cup tie against Nottingham Forest on April 15 as thousands of fans were crushed at Sheffield Wednesdays ground.
Duckenfield gave the order at 2.52pm to open exit Gate C in Leppings Lane, allowing around 2,000 fans to flood into the already packed central pens behind the goal.
The jury found that: both the police and the ambulance service caused or contributed to the loss of lives in the disaster by an error or omission after the terrace crush had begun to develop; also, policing of the match caused or contributed to a dangerous situation developing at the Leppings Lane turnstiles; commanding officers caused or contributed to the crush on the terrace, as did those senior officers in the police control box when the order was given to open the exit gates at Leppings Lane; features of the design, construction and layout of the stadium considered to be dangerous or defective caused or contributed to the disaster; Sheffield Wednesdays then consultant engineers, Eastwood & Partners, should have done more to detect and advise on any unsafe or unsatisfactory features of the stadium.
On the question of the role of South Yorkshire Police in the emergency response, the jury said: The police delayed calling a major incident so the appropriate emergency response was delayed.
There was a lack of co-ordination, command, and control which delayed or prevented appropriate responses.
On the role of former South Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service (Symas), the jury said: Symas officers at the scene failed to ascertain the nature of the problem at Leppings Lane. The failure to recognise and call a major incident led to delays in the responses to the emergency.
Criminal investigations into the disaster and claims of corruption in its aftermath could finish by the end of the year, when prosecutors will decide whether to charge any individual or organisation.
The officer leading the police inquiry, Assistant Commissioner Jon Stoddart, said: Now that the inquests have concluded, my sole focus is on completing the criminal investigation which I expect will be finished by the turn of the year.
It will then be for the Crown Prosecution Service to consider the evidence and decide whether any individual or organisation should face criminal prosecution.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission, the official police watchdog, also expects its investigation to finish by January.
The jury of six women and three men gave their decisions on an emotionally charged day for relatives of the 96, many of whom were in court.
The fresh inquests began on March 31, 2014 in a specially-built courtroom in Warrington, Cheshire.
After the key conclusions were delivered on Tuesday, someone in court shouted God bless the jury.
As families left the building they were met with applause from crowds who had gathered outside the court in support.
Many began singing Liverpools anthem Youll Never Walk Alone.
All ages and walks of life lost their lives
Fathers and sons, mothers, sisters, and brothers were all among the 96 who had their lives crushed in the Hillsborough tragedy.
The youngest was 10-year-old Jon-Paul Gilhooley, the cousin of future England and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.
The oldest was ex-RAF war veteran and father-of-seven Gerard Baron, 67.
Each fan had a tribute paid to them by their loved ones at the start of the inquests; stories of fans who got tickets at the last minute, mothers who waved off excited young sons never to see them again, two sisters, three pairs of brothers, and a father and son. The raw pain still felt by the families was deeply moving for everyone who heard it.
Despite the passage of time, relatives were still bereft, confused, and angry.
Seventy eight of the 96 were aged under 30; 89 were men and seven were women. The children of one victim, Inger Shah, 38, were taken into care after her death.
Craig Fitzsimmons told of his father Vincent, who died aged 34. As he spoke about still missing my Dad it was as if this now middle-aged man with a family of his own had been transported back to a boy who waved his father off and was still wondering why dad had not come home from the match.
Adam Spearritt, 14, died after losing consciousness in the arms of his father, Eddie.
Mr Spearritt also passed out waking the next day to be told the son he tried desperately to save was dead. He never forgave himself.
Doting dad Thomas Howard, 39, died with son, Tommy Jr, 14. David Lackey, another Liverpool supporter, recalled the father repeatedly saying: My son, my son. Neither made it out of pen three alive.
Steven Browns wife Sarah was six months pregnant at the time. Steven, 25, had desperately wanted to be a father, but never got to hold his daughter, Samantha.
A number of the fans killed had travelled north to Sheffield on the day, Liverpudlians who had, got on their bikes and looked for work to use the language of the 80s.
Several worked on the ships as seamen or in shipping, but there were also schoolboys, students, apprentices, engineers, an accountant, salesmen, joiners and builders.
Far from layabout Scouse hooligans, if the fans who died are in any way representative of the supporters, it is difficult to see them as anything other than a random cross-section of ordinary members of the public.
Sarah Hicks, 19, who turned down a place at Oxford to study chemistry at Liverpool University, died alongside her sister, Vicki, 15, in pen three.
Her father, Trevor, was involved in desperate efforts on the pitch to save the girls.
He said: The loss of a child is one of the worst things that can happen to a loving parent. Loss of all your children is devastating.
It is not that two is twice as bad. Its that you lose everything. The present, the future, and any purpose.
Police officer in charge at risk of prosecution
Pat Hurst
Former Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield is at risk of prosecution, for the second time, for his conduct at Hillsborough.
The 71-year-old has been interviewed under caution by detectives from Operation Resolve, the police investigation into the disaster.
After decades of denial, Duckenfield told the inquest that he had been on a personal journey of depression and whisky-drinking (his own Road to Damascus) to face up to the truth.
A career high-flyer, disciplinarian, and worshipful master of his masonic lodge, Duckenfield faithfully followed the company line at the 1989 Taylor Inquiry, denying police responsibility.
A private prosecution in 2000, on charges of manslaughter and wilful malfeasance, brought by the Hillsborough Family Support Group, ended with the jury unable to reach a verdict and a retrial refused.
But during evidence at these inquests, Duckenfield, now very much older, very much wiser, for the first time admitted he was the wrong man for the job.
Amid a catalogue of admissions and repeated apologies, delivered in a gravelly Yorkshire accent, he had come finally to tell the whole truth.
That it took him 26 years to do so infuriated the families, some of whom stormed out of court in disgust.
He had steadily risen up the police ranks: he was made an inspector in 1974, chief inspector in 1977, superintendent in 1983, and chief superintendent on March 27, 1989, three weeks before the disaster. He had just 15 working days to familiarise himself with his new role, a serious mistake, he admitted later.
As police lost control at the turnstiles, the man at the top froze, overcome by the enormity of the situation. Within minutes, he had told a terrible lie that fans got in through gates or stormed them not that he ordered them opened.
The lie, blaming the fans, was on the airways and halfway around the world moments later; the truth would take 27 years to catch up.
Duckenfield had gone into denial at the enormity of his blunders.
Bradford West MP Naz Shah said she deeply regretted the hurt caused by her comments and accepted there was no excuse for the offence they caused.
In a Facebook post in 2014, before she became an MP, Ms Shah shared a graphic which showed an image of Israels outline superimposed onto a map of the US under the headline Solution for Israel-Palestine Conflict Relocate Israel into United States, with the comment problem solved.
The paper's statement came hours before a massive vigil was held outside St George's Hall in the city.
The vigil comes after strong criticism of the paper who, along with its sister paper The Sun, did not featuring on its front page the story that an inquest jury had ruled that 96 Liverpool fans who died in the 1989 tragedy were unlawfully killed.
In a statement posted on Twitter, the paper said: "The Times led with Hillsborough coverage on all our digital editions throughout the day.
"This morning we have covered it extensively in the paper with two spreads, the back page, a top leader and an interactive on the victims.
"We made a mistake with the front page of our first edition, and we fixed it for the second edition."
We've been criticised today for not having Hillsborough on our first edition front page. This is our response: pic.twitter.com/GNhBN6g3S1 The Times and The Sunday Times (@thetimes) April 27, 2016
A photo of the families outside the Warrington courtroom appeared on the front of later editions of The Times, along with a trailer for its coverage which ran to several pages, including an editorial comment.
Times editor John Witherow told the Guardian: "We made a mistake. We put it right."
The Sun came in for particular criticism, having run a front page story proclaiming to tell "The Truth" four days after the disaster.
The article featured claims from an anonymous policeman that some fans had "picked pockets of victims", "urinated on cops" and that some beat up a policeman who was giving the "kiss of life".
Despite not covering the verdict of the two-year inquest on the front page, which cleared the fans of any fault, the paper ran a double-page spread on the outcome, and covered it in its main leader.
Kelvin MacKenzie, the paper's former editor who oversaw the story published in 1989 blaming fans, insisted he had been "duped".
He told the BBC: "I was appalled to discover the police had been lying for 27 years. Absolute shock at the manner in which the evidence, when you study the evidence during the two years, it was simply appalling.
"I was completely duped - it came from an agency. They said they were senior police officers, they said it was the head of the ambulance service, they said it was a Tory MP. They all said it was the fans.
"It's quite clear today the fans had nothing to do with it. It was an absolute shocker, absolute shocker for me personally but also the only people that really matter, of course, are the victims and their families who exist today. My heart goes out to them."
Emotional relatives of #Hillsborough victims emerging from the inquiry break out into song https://t.co/T0v9gpN0qL Sky News (@SkyNews) April 26, 2016
Asked if The Sun should have run the story on Wednesday's front page, he said: "That's not a decision for me, I'm not the editor of the paper. He's a very successful guy, former editor of the Daily Telegraph.
He makes pretty good decisions but that is up to him."
The Sun's leader on Wednesday stated that, after 27 years, the "Hillsborough families finally have their first measure of justice".
It added: "Whether they get more is in the hands of the CPS. We hope they do.
"The horror that befell Liverpool fans was, as the inquest has now found, the fault of catastrophic police blunders - specifically by former Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield - which were shamefully then covered up.
"Failures by the ambulance service were also to blame, as was the design of the Sheffield stadium.
"The supporters were not to blame. But the police smeared them with a pack of lies which in 1989 The Sun and others in the media swallowed whole.
"We apologised prominently 12 years ago, again four years ago on the front page, and do so unreservedly again now.
"Further, we pay tribute to the admirable tenacity of the friends and relatives over so many years on behalf of the 96 who died."
The absence of coverage of the Hillsborough inquest on today's front page led to criticism of the paper, with many on Twitter voicing their opinions.
Impressionist and comedian Rory Bremner tweeted that the relegation of the story to pages eight and nine was "extraordinary".
On Tuesday night "The Sun" became a trending topic on Twitter in the United Kingdom, with more than 124,000 tweets using the term.
Actor Stephen Mangan described the decision as "disgraceful", adding: "Wait - neither @TheSun nor @thetimes mention Hillsborough on their front pages?!"
Wait - neither @TheSun nor @thetimes mention Hillsborough on their front pages?! Disgraceful, contemptible pricks. pic.twitter.com/9p3AApPTaW Stephen Mangan (@StephenMangan) April 26, 2016
In 2012 The Sun ran a front page called "The Real Truth" in which the paper announced they were "profoundly sorry for false reports".
On Tuesday, Mr MacKenzie said: "As I have said before, the headline I published was wrong and I am profoundly sorry for the hurt it caused."
Talking on Sky News's press preview, The Sun's political editor Tom Newton Dunn said the police are at the "core" of the whole story and the paper was misled by them.
He said if people are still angry over the 1989 front page he "completely understands", adding: "We deserve everything that is thrown our way."
Scotland Yard boss, Bernard Hogan-Howe, said investigators would be following one remaining line of inquiry, unless any new evidence emerged.
Madeleine vanished at the age of three, while on holiday with her parents in Portugal, in 2007, and, despite a high-profile hunt, no trace has ever been found of her.
Speaking on LBC, Hogan-Howe said: Theres been a lot of investigation time spent on this terrible case.
Its a child who went missing. Everybody wants to know if she is alive and, if she is, where is she, and, sadly, if shes dead then we need to give some comfort to the family.
Its needed us to carry out an investigation, together with the Portuguese, and other countries have been involved. There is a line of inquiry that remains to be concluded and its expected that, in the coming months, that will happen.
The Home Office has granted 95,000 to keep the investigation which now only has a handful of officers working on it going for another few months.
Hogan-Howe said: The size of the team has come down radically. We are now down to two or three people in that team. At one stage, there were about 30 officers in it.
There is a line of inquiry that everybody agrees is worthwhile pursuing.
When asked when the probe, called Operation Grange, would end, the Met chief added: At the moment, it would be at the conclusion of this line of inquiry, unless something else comes up.
If somebody comes forward and gives us good evidence, we will follow it. We always say that a missing child inquiry is never closed.
First of all, the line of inquiry that is being pursued, that, obviously, is important and it is important that is resolved, and I think it will be.
If something new comes forward, we will investigate it, but that line of inquiry, probably at the moment, is the conclusion of this inquiry.
Hopes were high when the UK investigation into the little girls disappearance was launched, in 2011, with Scotland Yard detectives later highlighting a sex offender who had targeted British families with young children who were staying in villas in the same area where Madeleine was last seen.
Despite no obvious progress since then, Detective Chief Superintendent Mick Duthie, who is head of the forces murder squad, last week said he remained optimistic. He said: There is ongoing work. There is always a possibility that we will find Madeleine and we hope that we will find her alive.
His own lawyer has described Abdeslam as a little jerk whos falling apart and ready to co-operate
Abdeslam, 26, was Europes most wanted fugitive, until his capture in Brussels on March 18, after a four-month manhunt. He was taken by helicopter to Paris, under armed guard, and driven to the capitals main law courts.
Asia Al-Qaida Says It Killed Bangladesh Gay Activist, Friend
The Bangladeshi branch of al-Qaida claims to have killed a gay rights activist and his friend, adding to a wave of violence against activists and writers.
NEW DELHI The Bangladeshi branch of al-Qaida claimed responsibility Tuesday for the killing of a gay rights activist and his friend, undermining the prime ministers insistence just hours earlier that her political opponents were to blame for the attack and for a rising tide of violence against secular activists and writers.
The claim by Ansar-al Islamwhich said it targeted the two men on Monday night because they were pioneers of practicing and promoting homosexualityraised doubts about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas repeated assurances that authorities have the security situation under control.
The victims of the attack were identified as Xulhaz Mannan, an activist who also worked for the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and his friend, theater actor Tanay Majumder. Mannan, a cousin of former Foreign Minister Dipu Moni of the governing party, was also an editor of Bangladeshs first gay rights magazine, Roopbaan. Majumder sometimes helped with the publishing, local media said.
At the White House, Press Secretary Josh Earnest took note of Mannans advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender causes and said there were reports that indicate that he was targeted because of his advocacy for these human rights and that makes his death even more tragic than it seems. He said the US government had been in touch with the government of Bangladesh to make clear that a thorough criminal investigation should be a priority.
At a funeral for Mannan on Tuesday, his brother said free speech was something Islam should protect.
A true Muslim will always consider that he has freedom of expression, Minhaz Mannan Emon said. We should respect that opinion. We hope particularly I, on behalf of the family, hope that no other family loses their child or brother like us in the future.
Mannan had written openly about the frustration of living in the closet as a gay man in Bangladesh, where homosexual relations are considered a crime. In a May 2014 blog, he said gays and lesbians in Bangladesh experience A country where the predominant religions say you are a sinner, the law of the land says you are a criminal, the social norms say you are a pervert, the culture considers you as imported.
He launched the magazine in 2014, giving the countrys small and secretive LGBT community its first open platform. Earlier this month, he tried to organize a Rainbow Rally in the capital, but was foiled when police briefly detained him and three others.
Ansar-al Islam, the Bangladeshi branch of al-Qaida on the Indian subcontinent, or AQIS, claimed responsibility in a Twitter message on Tuesday for what it called a blessed attack on Mannan and Majumder.
It said the two were killed because they were pioneers of practicing and promoting homosexuality in Bangladesh and were working day and night to promote homosexuality with the help of their masters, the US crusaders and its Indian allies.
State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters the United States could not confirm the claim of responsibility, but also did not have a reason to believe this was not the case.
But just hours before the claim of responsibility, the prime minister had pointed the finger at her political opponents, the fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami group and its ally, the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
Everybody knows who are behind these killings, Hasina told policymakers in her secular Awami League party Monday night, repeating her governments allegation that the opposition was orchestrating the attacks. The BNP-Jamaat clique has been involved in such secret and heinous murders to destabilize the country.
The opposition denies the allegations, saying they are being scapegoated for Hasinas failure to maintain security and placate the countrys desire for Islamic rule.
Police said no arrests have yet been made in connection with Mondays attack, which involved at least five young men who posed as courier service employees to gain access to Mannans apartment building.
A security guard working at the building said he was injured when one of the attackers hit him with a knife while fleeing.
Crime scene investigators recovered a mobile phone and bag apparently left by the attackers. The national police chief, A.K.M. Shahidul Hoque, expressed confidence the attackers would be caught and acknowledged there were similarities in how the killings were being carried out. He said authorities were making progress in cracking down on radicals hideouts and weapons caches.
We are investigating all the cases very seriously, Hoque said. Many arrests have been made involving previous killings, we have busted their dens for making bombs.
Security analysts warned that the government could lose the peoples trust if it does not act quickly to curb the attacks.
It is high time to set up special tribunals to handle these cases, suggested retired Maj. Gen. Abdur Rashid. It has to be dealt with more seriously and with a clearer and quicker process. There has been a lack of confidence among people about the investigation and justice system. We must fix these issues immediately.
US Secretary of State John Kerry condemned the barbaric murders in a statement. Earlier this month, the United States said it was considering granting refuge to a select number of secular bloggers in Bangladesh facing imminent danger. The State Department said Monday that remains an option.
Asia China Set to Pass Law Tightening Controls on Foreign NGOs
Chinas national legislature is poised to vote on a draft law criticized for clamping down on foreign NGOs by bringing them under direct police supervision.
BEIJING Chinas national legislature is poised to vote this week on a draft law criticized by overseas governments for tightening controls over foreign non-governmental groups by bringing them under direct police supervision.
The proposed law requires that such groups accept police supervision and state the sources of their funding and how their budgets are spent, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday.
Police would also be permitted to interview administrators and force Chinese partner organizations to terminate any program considered a threat to state security, Xinhua said. Groups seeking to subvert the state and split the nation would be banned, it said.
The proposed legislation has drawn criticism from US and European officials and business and academic organizations concerned it would severely restrict the operations of a wide range of groups, further limiting the growth of civil society in China and hindering non-governmental exchanges between China and the rest of the world.
Several hundred NGOs founded, run or financed by foreigners are now operating in China in fields ranging from animal protection to human rights law.
Many overseas NGOs have partnered with Chinese academic and social groups, but operate in a legal gray area that leaves them vulnerable to crackdowns by security forces.
In one recent example, China in January released and immediately deported a Swedish man it accused of training and funding unlicensed lawyers in the country.
The third and final draft of the foreign NGO law is expected to be voted on by the National Peoples Congress Standing Committee at its bi-monthly meeting this week. The committee handles the bulk of the congresss legislative work outside of the full bodys annual two-week session.
Cooperative agreements between Chinese and overseas colleges, hospitals and science and engineering research institutes will continue to be handled under separate regulations.
Responding to some criticisms, the new draft would allow foreign NGOs to set up branches in multiple locations, eliminate a five-year limit on operating in China, and remove restrictions on hiring volunteers and staff.
It says the foreign NGOs would no longer need to seek approval for occasional programs but their Chinese partners need to register with local authorities 15 days before the activities.
The draft says the foreign NGOs, whether running permanent offices or operating occasional programs in China, generally would not be allowed to recruit new members except for those sanctioned by the state council. Thats mainly because China is encouraging its scientists to join influential international organizations on science and technology.
Of greatest concern to foreign groups and governments has been the naming of the Public Security Ministry as the overall body to govern foreign NGOs, something seen as casting those groups under undo suspicion. Those critics have suggested that the Civil Affairs Ministry would be a more logical oversight body.
Critics fear the law may lead to an onerous degree of scrutiny over administrators, with Xinhua saying police could bring investigations at will and demand the termination of any cooperation program considered to undermine state security.
Overseas NGOs, which engage in illegal activities including those to subvert the state and split the nation, will be blacklisted by police and banned from operating on the mainland, Xinhua said.
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Burma New Travel Restrictions Limit Rohingya Access to Healthcare
Authorities in Arakan State require new permission procedures for members of the Rohingya minority to seek medical treatment in Rangoon.
RANGOON Authorities in Arakan State have imposed new restrictions on the Rohingya minoritys access to medical treatment in Rangoon, after local sources reported that many patients did not return to the region after traveling to hospitals in the commercial capital.
Authorities including police, immigration officers, and the border affairs minister hosted a meeting with approximately 40 Rohingya community leaders in the Arakan State capital of Sittwe on Tuesday. Chief regional immigration officer Wai Lwin reportedly informed those at the meeting of the stricter regulations to be imposed on the Muslim minority, who are denied citizenship in Burma.
According to Aung Win, a Rohingya rights activist who participated in the meeting, the new rules state that Rohingya who are sick must now first visit the public hospital in Sittwe for an assessment of their condition; if further treatment is needed, they can apply for permission to travel to Rangoon.
Patients would now be required to obtain a recommendation from the head of the Sittwe hospital in order to make such a trip.
Aung Win estimated that up to 80 percent of those who had previously traveled to Rangoon for medical care did not return to the displaced peoples camps in Arakan State where over 100,000 Rohingya have been confined since ethnoreligious violence broke out in the area in 2012.
They went to work in Ruili [on the Chinese border], Malaysia and Thailand, he said.
Before the new restrictions came into effect, community leaders said that the Rohingya had avoided going to hospitals in Sittwe, where they reported experiencing discrimination. The medical care they received, they alleged, was not equal to that provided to the local Buddhist Arakanese population.
Maung Maung Sein, another Rohingya representative present at the meeting, told The Irrawaddy that the new rules would place extra financial strain on those in the camps.
We need security to travel to the hospital in Sittwe. We have to pay at least 20,000 to 30,000 kyats (US$17 to $26) to rent a car to travel from the camp to the town, he said, adding that patients would need food and accommodation in order to be able to stay in the hospital away from their homes. Paying for this expense is made particularly difficult by limitations placed on the Rohingyas ability to seek employment in the region.
Maung Maung Sein explained that Rohingya who could afford to do so once sought treatment in Rangoon, reportedly after obtaining permission from an immigration officer for the journey; without the correct paperwork, Rohingya attempting to travel outside of the region can be imprisoned.
There were brokers who could help get recommendations from Immigration. We had to pay a lot of money to get the recommendation, he said.
Burmese government authorities have allowed some clinics to open in the displaced peoples camps, but challenges regarding staffing and patient access remain ongoing.
Doctors and nurses from the camp hospitals will not be eligible to provide the recommendation needed for travel to Rangoon to seek more advanced treatment.
Burma Parliamentary Committee: 6,000 Land Confiscation Complaints Yet to Be Addressed
Thousands of outstanding reports of farmland seizure from the previous parliamentary body are slated to be investigated by the current legislature.
RANGOON Some 6,000 outstanding complaints of farmland seizure from the previous parliamentary body are slated to be investigated by the current legislative body, the Upper Houses farmer affairs committee said on Wednesday.
About 6,000 letters of complaint [out of an estimated 18,000] are to be handled this parliamentary term, committee chair Ba Myo Thein told The Irrawaddy, adding that since early April alone, the new committee had received over 80 additional letters.
Among those accused of farmland confiscation are the Burma Army, government ministries and private development companies. According to the letters of complaint, the land was allegedly seized for the development of infrastructure and industrial zones, with most incidents occurring in Mandalay Division and Karen State, Ba Myo Thein said.
He added that the Parliaments first move will be to form a commission with relevant MPs to review the complaints and conduct field investigations. He also told The Irrawaddy that the issue of farmland confiscation could not be avoided in a country where development and infrastructure are considered essential for growth.
These complaints are a consequence of neglecting our countrys existing laws, he said. We will try to solve this problem in accordance with land use laws.
On Wednesday, the state-owned Global New Light of Myanmar said that, to date, the committee had revealed that some 200,000 acres of farmland had been confiscated nationwide, although Ba Myo Thein was unable to confirm this figure for The Irrawaddy.
From a legal standpoint, Ko Ni, a lawyer, does not think that the handling of the issue will be so straightforward.
Theres no such distinction within existing laws between military-owned land and ministry-owned land. Theres only state-owned land, he said.
He explained that under Burmas military regime, hundreds of thousands of acres of land were confiscated by the military, government ministries and private companies for multiple reasons. There is not yet a law in place to address these particular cases.
A specific law should be created that includes relevant references [to military-owned and ministry-owned land] so that there will be no controversy [going forward] in regards to how to effectively [and legally] handle land grab issues, Ko Ni said.
Burma Suu Kyi Calls for Panglong-Style Peace Summit by June
Burmas state counselor meets eight non-state armed groups and the Burma Army, calling for the convening of a Panglong-style peace conference within two months.
RANGOON Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmas state counselor and de facto leader of the new National League for Democracy (NLD) government, met with eight non-state armed groups and the Burma Army on Wednesday, calling for the convening of a Panglong-style peace conference within two months and encouraging all stakeholders to help make that happen.
Speaking in Naypyidaw at a meeting with the Joint Monitoring Committee, a body that monitors adherence to the so-called Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) inked among those present, Suu Kyi said she didnt want to take much time before holding a Panglong-style conference.
The Panglong Conference was convened by Suu Kyis father, Gen. Aung San, and leaders from three of the countrys ethnic minority groups on the eve of independence, and is widely praised for the spirit of inclusiveness and cooperation that it fostered between the dominant Burman majority and ethnic minorities at the time.
Suu Kyi on Wednesday emphasized that a lasting peace was vitally needed in Burma as civilians in conflict zones continued to suffer the daily hardships of poverty and war.
I want [all parties] to try helping to hold the peace conference in one or two months because we need peace in our country. Our people are suffering every day due to the lack of peace. It is not a small suffering for a person who suffers from dangers 24 hours [a day], said Suu Kyi.
She also said action would be more important than words in any accord to achieve a lasting peace, and urged all parties involved in the peace process to be committed to consolidating the ceasefire.
In fact, achieving a firm, lasting ceasefire is a really important task. Signing [a ceasefire] is just a first step. If there is no genuine lasting ceasefire, we cant move forward to peace, Suu Kyi said.
Burma Army representatives including Lt-Gen Yar Pyae, who chairs the Joint Monitoring Committee, joined the eight groups that signed the NCA and were present at Wednesdays meeting.
The Joint Monitoring Committee was formed last November under the administration of former President Thein Sein and includes representatives from the eight NCA armed group signatories, the military and former government, and a handful of outside civilians.
Notably absent from the Naypyidaw meeting were delegations from about a dozen other ethnic armed groups that have not signed the NCA, either due to abstention or exclusion by the previous government.
Suu Kyi, however, said the lack of inclusivity at the moment should not discourage stakeholders.
Even though they [non-NCA signatories] are not yet included, we will try to include them. We need to consider about it. There is no reason that we cant make it work if there is sincere empathy, Suu Kyi contended.
The NLD chairwoman said she recognized the importance of the work done by the Joint Monitoring Committee, but would need to review and reform it if deemed necessary. She also welcomed advice and input from the committee in order to achieve a lasting peace.
As I understand and have heard, almost 90 percent of ceasefire accords can be broken. So it shows thats how important the work of the JMC [Joint Monitoring Committee] is, said Suu Kyi.
Her coming evaluation will include an appraisal of who is best involved in the Joint Monitoring Committee, and of the pros and cons of the committee as currently constituted, with an eye toward possible reforms.
The immediate job of the JMC is to respond to any violation of the ceasefire. For long-term purposes, we want to know how the JMC will participate in helping to further peace negotiations and peace conferences. We want to get good advice from them. We welcome it, said Suu Kyi.
The challenges ahead are formidable, such as the obvious absence of a large majority of the nations myriad ethnic armed groups. The Karen National Union (KNU) and Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) are NCA signatories that sent representatives to Naypyidaw this week and wield considerable influence and manpower in their respective areas of control, but some of countrys largest non-state armies are non-signatories, including the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and United Wa State Army (UWSA).
Bertil Lintner, a Burma expert who has penned several books about the country, wrote this week that more than four-fifths of ethnic combatants nationwide owed allegiance to ethnic armed groups not signed on to the ceasefire and thus not in the room on Wednesday.
Burma Suu Kyi to Meet With Burma Army, Ethnic Armed Groups
Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmas state counselor and de facto leader, will meet the Burma Army and ethnic armed groups in Naypyidaw on Wednesday.
RANGOON A new chapter of peace talks is set to open as Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmas state counselor and de facto leader, will meet with the Burma Army and representatives of ethnic armed groups on Wednesday in Naypyidaw, according to a military officer.
Lt-Gen Ya Pyayt, chairman of the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC), a body that monitors the ceasefire process, said in a speech in Burmas capital on Tuesday that the monitoring body and ethnic representatives who signed a so-called Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in October will meet and talk with Suu Kyi, who will lead the peace process moving forward.
The parties will discuss guidelines and procedures relating to the Union-level ceasefire agreement. The meeting also focused upon the formation of Mon State- and Karen State-level ceasefire monitoring bodies, according to the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar daily.
This will mark the first time Suu Kyi has met with the army and ethnic groups after taking office on April 1. Only eight NCA signatory members will be present at the meeting, however, leaving out many ethnic armed groups who were not involved in last years agreement.
Of the eight signatories, only about half are capable of fielding a formidable fighting force. Larger groups, like the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the United Wa State Army (UWSA), withheld their signatures, and a handful of other groups in ongoing conflict with the Burma Army were effectively shut out of the NCA by the previous government.
The Joint Monitoring Committee has been holding ongoing meetings in Naypyidaw to monitor the ceasefire agreement, which was signed on Oct. 15.
As these political issues have been solved through use of arm line policy [sic], the country has been suffering for decades with officers and other ranks from both sides having sacrificed their lives and limbs, Gen. Saw Isaac Poe of the KNU, who is also vice chairman of the JMC, said to the state-run newspaper.
Hopes for a breakthrough in the peace process now largely rest on the new governments shoulders. But Suu Kyi has not given details about how she plans to proceed with negotiations, and it is unclear whether she will carry on the work of Aung Min, the previous governments top peace envoy, or design her own approach.
Wednesday, April 27th, 2016 (12:01 am) - Score 443
Manchester-based ISP Metronet UK, which builds fibre optic and wireless broadband networks for businesses across various parts of the United Kingdom, appears to have had a change of CEO with former boss Elliot Mueller being replaced through the appointment of Lee Perkins.
Apparently Lee has extensive experience within the IT industry and has for nearly 20 years worked in senior commercial roles including at Tech Data UK, Computacenter and IQ-Sys. Most recently he was also acting as EVP and Managing Director of Sage UK & Ireland.
Andy Lockwood, Chairman of Metronet UK, said: We are delighted that Lee is joining Metronet (UK). With our ambition to become the UKs leading alternative-technology network operator and ISP, securing a CEO of Lees pedigree to drive the next phase of our growth and development is a reflection both of the scale of our opportunity and of our ambition. We have a successful business here with a great future and I am looking forward to working with Lee to drive the success this company can and will achieve.
The ISPs network has only recently also been expanded to parts of Bradford, Wigan and Preston.
Wednesday, April 27th, 2016 (12:30 pm) - Score 872
Mobile giant EE (BT) has formed a new alliance with several other operators, including Verizon (USA), Telstra (Australia) and kt (South Korea), in order to facilitate the development of LTE-Broadcast (LTE-B) technology that enables operators to send a single stream of data to all mobile users in one area.
Broadcast technologies, such as LTE-B, would be an ideal solution to help mobile operators fully enter the video or TV streaming market (especially when streaming live events), not least because this type of content delivery system is much more efficient for the operators network than sending an individual stream to each user.
In fact EE and the BBC recently trialled LTE-B at the 2015 FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, which allowed an HD broadcast of multiple camera angles and replays to mobile devices in the stadium. Mind you, if youre watching a live event in person then your phone will often stay firmly attached to your pocket.
However LTE-B, which is also known as a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (eMBMS), could help with over-the-air device updates, customer weather warnings, critical communications for public safety, enterprise group communication, marketing (hurray.. more spam), digital signage, IoT (Internet of Things) connectivity and so forth.
Matt Stagg, Head of Video Strategy at EE, said: Initially we focused our LTE-B efforts on the benefits for live and linear video, and we will launch a live service in 2017. Now, as part of the LTE-B Alliance, well be focused on developing use cases for critical communications services, Internet of Things, and a 5G future. The Alliance will provide awareness of the importance of this technology, and ensure that the benefits can be realised as soon as possible.
The LTE-B Alliance now wants other mobile operators, device manufacturers and chipset makers to join up and help form the technologys future. Mind you mobile operators have tried other broadcast style video technologies before, albeit with mixed success.
Modern connectivity is of course much better than it once was and LTE-B opens up an interesting new array of service options, but its too early to know if operators will be able to deliver something that is truly compelling.
Terre Haute, IN (47809)
Today
A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High 77F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph..
Tonight
Mostly cloudy skies. Low 63F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
A nightmare has arrived to every Spotify account holder, as the popular music streaming service has been reportedly hacked. The users' credentials were believed to be breached days ago. However, the company denied all allegations and reiterated how secure their records are.
According to TechCrunch, almost all account credentials of Spotify users has been hacked. From usernames to emails to account types and passwords - all of this information appeared on the famous text storage website Pastebin.
The publication was able to confirm the breach after reaching out to some random samplings of Spotify users. In fact, the unfortunate even happened days ago without a single knowledge from the victim.
In addition to the abovementioned user credentials, the details posted on Pastebin also include information about subscription auto-renews as well as the exact country the account was created. Unfortunately, the list has not only covered the whole of the U.S., but has also reached a huge group of Spotify users from all over the globe.
It is worth nothing, though, that Spotify has encountered such event in the past. Hence it is only likely for people to assume that the said information was all but part of the previous data breach. In other words, the list could have been from previous Spotify hacked accounts, only they are still circulating.
CBC News, on the other hand, notes that people using the same Spotify login information on various sites are in deep trouble. The alleged Spotify data breach resulted to users' Uber, Skype and Facebook accounts, among others, also being compromised.
As of this writing, Spotify declined to comment further on the hacking incident. Nonetheless, they have previously stated about how secure their data security is and that Spotify users' credentials are guaranteed safe.
Are you a Spotify user too? Did you find any unusual activity in your account? What do you think about this recent hacking incident with Spotify? Be sure to let us know by using the comment section below!
Apple's next-generation iPhone 7 will offer larger screen sizes and big design changes. But the high-tech company expects that its flagship device will arrive in a "peak smartphone" market that will greatly affect sales expectations.
MacWorld reports that Apple has already confirmed slower iPhone sales. Things may get even worse for the high-tech giant. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo declared that he believes this will not be a good year for the iPhone.
According to CNET, most customers in mature markets like Europe and North America have already made the transition to smartphones. In a saturated market, all major brands are dealing with increased competition and slower sales.
Apple uses to relay on its great iPhone sales volume. Sales of its handset make almost two out of every three dollars of Apple's revenue. However, in terms of year-over-year units sold, those numbers just went in the red for the first time ever.
In the first quarter of the year, the high-tech giant sold fewer IPhones than it did a year earlier. Apple expects slow sales for the current quarter as well.
In these special circumstances, the stakes for the iPhone 7 flagship device are very high. The upcoming gadget needs to be very impressive in order to entice customers to upgrade.
Tech analysts expect that iPhone 7 will come with a faster processor, a higher-resolution screen and a better camera. But these are all the same sorts of we are used every year.
Since rarely anyone complains about the speed or screen quality of the current Apple iPhone models, the camera remains the only potential hook to attract more customers.
According to the same publication, some rumors suggest that iPhone 7 will feature a second rear camera. But both Huawei P9 and LG G5 already feature dual-camera phones, so this is nothing new.
Other rumors suggest that iPhone 7 might come with a longer battery life and shatterproof screen. A slimmer design will be possible due to the planned disappearance of the standard 3.5mm headphone jack.
Wireless charging and a water-resistant body are also among the possible upgrades to the next-gen iPhone. Apple will certainly need to come up with some new attractive features and use its marketing strategy to convince new customers to invest in an iPhone 7.
Researchers built a "shark-eye" camera that simulates how fluorescent sharks see each other.
David Gruber, a biologist at the City University of New York's Baruch College, is interested to find the reason why some species are glowing. He and his colleagues designed and built a camera that simulates shark vision.
Among the species that are glowing are catsharks that produce bright green biofluorescence. Their glowing is visible only to other catsharks.
The scientists previously assumed that this species is likely to use the contrast of the glowing patterns to communicate with one another, according to the website i4u.com. Lead author of the new study, Mr Gruber, told National Geographic that his team of researchers confirmed that sharks might use biofluorescence to communicate.
A special pigment in catsharks' skin absorbs blue light and discharges it as green light in a process called biofluorescence. To capture the shark's fluorescent light, scientists have created the "shark-eye" camera by adding filters in front of its lens.
The "shark-eye" camera helps researchers to understand how biofluorescence works. The camera simulates the way catsharks see underwater.
With the help of the special camera, researchers have understood that fluorescence makes catsharks visible only to members of their own species. According to the website phys.org, co-author John Sparks, a curator in American Museum of Natural History, explained that the new findings suggest that sharks may use their biofluerescence to communicate with each other.
Up to date, scientists have discovered many species in the oceans that can glow. But according to Mr. Spark, this is one of the first studies on biofluorescence to suggest a connection between fluorescence emission and visual capability.
In order to explore how sharks see, scientists used a technique called microspectrophotometry to examine the eyes of shellsharks and chain catsharks. Researchers found that sharks can see well in low-light environments thanks to the long rod pigments.
Sydney-based GorillaStack's new Insights tool analyses an organisation's use of AWS with the aim of identifying inefficiencies and reducing costs.
It analyses a business's system activity data, reviews CPU utilisation and hourly charges to help companies understand the elasticity and load on their cloud environment, reducing weeks of expensive manual investigation to minutes, the company said.
"There is a propensity in the market for businesses to be over-provisioned in their cloud deployment. Insights is designed to ensure companies only pay for the resources they need," said GorillaStack co-founder Oliver Berger.
"Manual investigations are costly, lengthy and do not provide an ongoing level of analysis and support - the kind required to create long term cost efficiencies. Insights offers a solution to all these challenges by continually analysing the environment and recommending optimisations."
Insights caters for companies of all sizes, he added, "from smaller organisations, which may have immature cloud setups, to larger businesses who are often prone to over-provisioning cloud services."
Insights is part of the broader GorillaStack service, which starts at $US50 a month and includes better control over AWS auto scaling, advanced scheduling for EC2 instances, alerts when billing thresholds are reached, and better control over team members' AWS permissions.
Insights is currently in beta, but is available to any GorillaStack customer on request
Berger told iTWire "As Australia's adoption of the cloud continues with great pace, it gives our great pleasure to announce the beta release of our Insights product in our home town at the Sydney AWS Summit. We're proud to be part of the growing tech community in Australia and look forward to working with more local companies on automating their DevOps processes and their cloud environments."
When it comes to current trends in Agile, "Everything is centred around Agile at a larger scale than the team," CA vice president for product management Ryan Polk told iTWire.
In some cases the methodology is being scaled to the entire business, but to be successful it's necessary to match the organisation structure to Agile, which means flattening the organisation.
Leadership and human resources practices also need to change accordingly, he said.
Don't put off organisational changes, as existing structures may work against the successful adoption of Agile practices.
But even at the IT level, Agile at scale presents some challenges. The traditional approach of introducing Agile to one team at a time doesn't work when there are say 300 teams within an organisation - the result is inconsistent practices.
So Polk recommends introducing it simultaneously to seven to ten teams that are working on the same project.
If you're about to pilot the use of Agile, do so at a higher level than you're currently considering. If you thought you'd start with one team, make it three or five. If a group, then go for the entire business unit instead.
"Think a little bit bigger," he said, adding that going straight to scaled Agile practices is advisable even if you do decide to start with a single team.
Agile should be introduced on a wholesale basis, he said, not just among the engineering teams. In some organisations that means training thousands of people.
Polk joined CA as part of the Rally acquisition, and he said that during the ten months since the acquisition the CA and Rally teams and products have been fully integrated into the company's Agile business unit.
There is "continued and growing investment in Agile Central," he said, with new features and functions on their way, along with new investment in supporting data centres around the world.
Polk noted that there was initially some concern among former Rally employees that their Agile culture was endangered by the takeover, but those fears did not come true.
The acquisition has been successful, and the Rally leaders have moved into wider leadership roles within CA where they have brought about significant change, he said.
Having Microsoft endorse a GNU/Linux distribution was once not the best advertisement for that distribution. These days, however, that has changed.
Thus when Microsoft recently endorsed Debian GNU/Linux in its Azure marketplace and later announced it would be using the same distribution to launch Linux-based tools for networking, it was taken as a compliment.
New Debian project leader Mehdi Dogguy (seen above) attributes this choice to the fact that Debian is generally a great platform for derivatives.
"It has the largest number of derivatives among popular Linux distributions," he told iTWire during an interview soon after being declared leader. "It is quite stable and integrates a lot of FOSS projects. I believe those arguments speak in favor of their choice."
Dogguy was the lone candidate who stood for the post of leader this year, an unusual situation as there is normally a contest for the post. The last time this happened was a few years ago, when an incumbent, Stefano Zacchiroli, contested.
Dogguy, who hails from Tunisia but now lives in France, is 32 and works for Electricite de France as a technical manager.
The group with which he works is dedicated to HPC-related tasks (High Performance Computing) where he gets Debian ready to use out of the box on some TOP500-ranked machines. "We focus on making sure that Debian is ready for real-world HPC environments and deploy Debian to the HPC clusters," was the way he put it in
He was interviewed by email, shortly after taking office on April 17.
iTWire: Having interviewed every DPL for the last 10 years, i have heard everyone talk of improving communication within the project. Yet, during the debates over the change of init systems, there was a lot of bitterness and hysteria. Do you agree? What can be done to improve communication and maintain civility?
Mehdi Dogguy: It is true that the init systems debate (in 2014) was not as calm as we hoped. The discussions on that subject lasted a long time and the project even lost a few contributors in the way. Eventually, the Technical Committee decided on the matter and it was implemented flawlessly (modulo a few reactions). There was some confusion until we identified the main agitators. Many were external to the project.
Project members also called for a vote on init system coupling General Resolution and there they reaffirmed their trust in the procedures for decision-making and conflict resolutions. By voting, project members showed there is a big difference between their views on the matter and the general public perception about Debian!
This was also a key point to understand general project members' position and not mix it up with the observed hysteria (globally due to some external agitators). I am quite proud the project was able to reach a conclusion and implement it in time for Debian 8.0 (Jessie). In some way, it made us stronger as a community!
We can have some heated discussions from time to time. It should not be perceived as a sign of weakness. When needed, the Code of Conduct should help us to keep discussions in a reasonable shape and tone. We've had our share of tough discussions in the past, and the global atmosphere is quite better today than it used to be. So I guess we've learned from our mistakes; we give more attention to others' opinions and are able to debate more serenely today.
iTWire: These are four points you listed in your platform statement: identifying non-trivial bottlenecks; smooth communication between teams; shared goals using a single coherent strategy; and reduction in complexity of our processes. Can you elaborate on each in simple terms, perhaps with examples from the project's past?
MD: Debian is a big project and its complexity has increased over the years. Many volunteers contribute to the project, but we feel always we are understaffed. It is undeniable that we could do more with the help of more hands. But I think that it is also possible to perform some tuning here and there. Some processes may be simplified (like handling of archives content) and other may require more advertisement or simpler documentation.
Since we are many, and organised in many teams, it is not always obvious that everyone shares a global and coherent strategy. I believe a roadmap could help to achieve that. Building a roadmap will require putting together teams' projects and discussing their coherency. It also needs project members to agree with its goal and contribute to it.
iTWire: Debian has generally been focused on releasing when it is ready, not according to some artificial deadline. Why do you need a roadmap for a dynamic project of this kind which creates its own momentum?
MD: This is a very important remark and I thank you for bringing it up! Debian has no need for a roadmap to make its releases indeed. We will continue to do date-based freezes and release when it's ready!
The roadmap described in my platform should not be confused with a release plan.
Many things are done within the project, but not properly advertised. Our new stuff and priorities are not properly communicated. We used to have a list of release goals which somehow served that purpose but the Release Team decided, rightfully, that it is not their job to set technical goals for the project. Now, we have to resume that effort and publish a roadmap that will be useful to our users and upstreams.
Contrary to our historical Release Goals, a roadmap doesn't have to be bound to a release, but should give some idea about when each item will be implemented and where the project is going.
The roadmap will hopefully also help us to attract new contributors. One recurrent issue for them is to identify a subject or an area where to contribute. We already have ways to help them find their way into the project, like using the "how-can-i-help" package, a great tool. But I believe the roadmap can be another tool for newcomers.
Last, but not least, I believe this will greatly help our ecosystem (users, upstreams, downstreams, other fellow f/oss actors, etc) to better understand our vision and priorities.
iTWire: Every DPL I interview has agreed that more interaction with media and more coverage will help the project. Yet few of them Stefano Zacchiroli and Steve McIntyre are exceptions have kept their word when the time comes. Will you promise to be accessible to media queries and respond promptly or do you think that the media is just a pain with which you have to put up?
MD: Media is important for obvious reasons. It helps us to reach out more people (not only our regular users) and give us the opportunity to better explain our philosophy and plans. I will count on the media to help convincing more people about the direction the project will be taking in the future! I will try to reply to media queries as much as possible.
iTWire: Why do you think Microsoft chose Debian as the base for its software-defined networking initiative?
MD: Debian is generally a great platform for derivatives (and has the largest number of derivatives among popular Linux distributions). It is quite stable and integrates a lot of FOSS projects. I believe those arguments speak in favor of their choice.
iTWire: You have mentioned that you will maintain a DPL journal listing current subjects and planned actions. Will this be accessible to the public as well?
MD: The journal is described here and is accessible to Debian Developers only. Eventually, all items present in the journal are published in a "Bits from the DPL" mail to debian-devel-announce mailing list. So, it is mainly a way to keep project members up-to-date with the day-to-day tasks. Its content is not meant to be kept private, but it is not written in a proper form to be published as is.
iTWire: Your comments about time commitment in your platform statement are a little confusing. What do you mean when you say that you will not be a full-time DPL?
MD: I have a full-time job. I have a family which requires my presence (and which I need for my own equilibrium). I can dedicate to Debian some amount of my spare time, and my employer allows me to dedicate 20 per cent of my work time to Debian tasks. In that sense, I will not be able to act as a full-time working DPL and people may need to wait sometimes to get a reply.
iTWire: These plans you have outlined - will they be do-able in one term, or will you be nominating again next march?
MD: Before tackling these subjects, there are some subjects that need serious care (like DebConf delegation). Some discussion has to be led with DebConf active members in order to agree on a way Debian and DebConf will be coupled.
The timing of DebConf is also perfect with respect to plans outlined in my platform. It will be a perfect opportunity to meet Debian members and work on those subjects. It is reasonable to expect a first version of the Roadmap published by the end of the year. A new tool for newcomers may also see the light in the same period.
The DPL job is very time- and energy-consuming. Before committing on nominating myself again next march, I'd like to fully enjoy this first experience as a DPL and evaluate my performance in that position. It is not a decision to be taken lightly, IMHO.
iTWire: Anything else that you would like to mention?
MD: I'd like to thank the Debian community! It is great project with fantastic welcoming people! I have the chance to check that fact each time I attend a Debian event or meet Debian friends. I'd recommend anyone interested in the subject to come and join us in Cape Town for our annual conference, DebConf. I've attended DebConf 9 as a newbie and today, I cannot imagine myself out of this extraordinary human project.
UXC Keystone, a subsidiary of global ICT services company CSC, has been selected by Federation University Australia (FedUni) to help transform its information technology (IT) infrastructure.
The contract win follows the CSC Group's completion of its acquisition of the publicly-owned UXC in March this year for around $489 million to create one of the largest IT services companies in the Australia and New Zealand region.
The regional university, headquartered in the Victorian city of Ballarat, says UXC will support the universitys transition to an institution with a global outlook by implementing its ServiceNow solution.
Under the deal, UXC Keystone has implemented the ServiceNow management software solution and says it is the only accredited ServiceNow Master Solutions Partner in Asia Pacific, introducing ServiceNow to the Australian marketplace in 2007.
UXC Keystone worked closely with Federation University Australia to ensure the ServiceNow solution met all of the institutions needs and would have a positive effect on its digital transformation journey, said Neil McKinnon, director at UXC Keystone.FedUnis executive director, Information Technology & Business Solutions, Andrew Tully, said the UXC system had given the university new insight into the institutions end-to-end technology operations, a greater ability to track IT services and priorities, and consistent deployment of IT resources providing a better end-user experience for staff and students.Tully said the ServiceNow tool was central in the technology toolkit the Information Technology Services unit was currently utilising to support its digital transformation across the University.Its already attracted positive feedback, he said.
As was widely predicted Apple sales overall did fall in its Q2 January to March, 2016 as revealed in its financial reports.
The report shows total sales for all products was US$50.6 billion in comparison to the same quarter last year when it was $58.01 billion. Net income (not profit) was $10.6 billion from $13.6 billion. Apples share price fell about 8% to $103.91 on the release of the report.
Comparisons to same quarter last year can be informative but its really the year-over-year (y-o-y) sales and units that count and that will not be known until Q4 results are released early in 2017.
Shipments (not sales) of iPhones were 51.193 million from 61.170 million same quarter last year.
Mac shipments were down to 4.034 million from 4.563 million.
iPad shipments were 10.251 million units from 12.623 million.
It does not reveal separate unit figures for Apple Watch or its various services and other revenue streams. Overall it earned $5.991 billion in services (Internet Services, AppleCare, Apple Pay, and licensing) from $4.996 billion.
It earned $2.189 billion from products (Apple TV, Apple Watch, Beats, iPod and Apple-branded and third-party accessories) from $1.689 billion.
Apple had projected Q2 revenue between $50 billion and $53 billion, with gross margins between 39 and 39.5%.
In a forward looking statement it has suggested that Q3 (April-June) revenue will be between $41 billion and $43 billion, and gross margin between 37.5 and 38%.
Apple's international business accounted for 67% of revenue in Q2.
Comment (not opinion)
Various financial analysts (and I am not one) have said that the worlds most profitable company has significant issues.
All of its hardware sales are down y-o-y. It derives 65% of its sales from iPhone, 9% from iPad, 10% from Mac, 12% from services and 4% from other products.
The iPhone sales drop is most worrying according to Wall Street analysts.
First, China its former mega-growth market appears to have lost its fascination with iPhone and according to Trendforce (and Gartner et al) iPhone sales were down 44% in Q1 (Oct-Dec 2015). The headlines will be interesting as it predicted (based on cuts to supplier orders) that sales in Q2 and Q3 would be down by 30% and a further 30%. According to Wall Street figures revenue was negative 26% in China.
Second, the move by carriers to sell the phones at full price instead of subsidise/disguise/trade them in a package.
Third, the pent up demand for a larger iPhone was satisfied with the iPhone 6. Argus Insights that tracks sentiment and buzz from analysis or social media and review sites has been amazingly accurate in correlating this to sales says the iPhone 6S/Plus lacked compelling reasons to upgrade from the 6. The 6 however presented a compelling reason to upgrade from the 4 and 5 series. It predicts lacklustre performance of the SE as it is simply an iPhone 5 with a bigger engine not a compelling reason to upgrade and people are likely to wait for the new 7 series later this year.
On a positive note some claim that CEO Cooks vision of reducing its reliance on hardware and growing the services base is the future. We also dont know what Apple has in store with its autonomous cars and other unannounced products especially in the home automation and enterprise services space.
From what I can see Apple is still doing well and increasing sales but it must be concerned at the rise of the Asian tigers in the iPhone space and the increase in popularity of the Windows 10 Hybrid space.
According to Time So are there reasons to be optimistic about Apple? Absolutely. Lets remember that the company still pulled in $50.6 billion in revenues for the quarter, which is, well, a lot of money. Theres also 20% growth in the all-important Services category, which includes revenue from offerings like movie rentals and data storage. If Apple can continue to grow that side of its business, it could help make up for falling iPhone sales. (Though software doesnt provide the huge margins that Apples hardware business does.) Expect company executives to make that case in the coming days.
You can see the sales history graphically represented at Sixcolours. (I suggest you ignore the four quarter moving average graphs and look at year-over-year and quarterly sales to get a better picture.
The Shadow Minister for Communications, Jason Clare, announced Labor's plans on Wednesday, promising a fibre-optic network would be deployed to deliver the nbn to north west communities.
Clare indicated that funding for the network to Tassies north-west would come from the nbns existing budget allocations, and that he expected the cost of rolling out fibre, as well as the access technology on the ground, would be approximately $29 million.
In 2015 nbn announced it did not plan to rollout fibre connections to the north-west region, but that the area would be serviced by satellite.
At the time residents of the area complained that satellites would not be sufficient to meet future needs.In a statement on Wednesday following Labors announcement of its Tasmanian proposed nbn fibre rollout, the Minister for Communications, Mitch Fifield, hit out at what he called Labors unfunded announcement and that it expected the nbn to provide $29 million to pay for its election promises in north west Tasmania.But, according to Clare, Labors policy to rollout its proposed fibre network is viable.Minister Fifield reacted strongly to Jason Clares statement, saying that the nbn is no ATM and that the so-called unfunded announcement sets an extraordinary precedent for the misuse of a Government Business Enterprise (GBE).The Minister pointed out that under the GBE Guidelines, the nbn is empowered to act commercially and independently when building the broadband network.Labors announcement demonstrates they have learnt nothing from the last time they messed up the nbn. Under Labor, the nbn was one of the most poorly managed infrastructure projects in the history of the Commonwealth. More than $6 billion was spent over four years to connect just 51,000 users to Labors network.According to the Minister, in North West Tasmania local calls for fixed line broadband are already being considered through nbns existing Technology Choice policy.And, he says the significant difference between the Technology Choice option and the promise made by Labor today is that it is unfunded.nbn does not have a spare $29 million available to fund Labors empty election promises. Labor must to come clean on which other towns will be disadvantaged by this intervention in Tasmania.
St. Francois County Associate Commissioner Patrick Mullins gave an update on the Bone Hole project Tuesday and confirmed a date has been set for work to start.
I asked the county clerk to put this on the agenda because I was told by Governor Jay Nixons Chief Deputy Harry Bozoian that there is a possibility that work could start as early as September, said Mullins. That is big news. Last week we put up the 'no trespassing signs' just on the dam, but I was encouraged because he actually gave us a date that it could start in September.
Mullins said on Feb. 16 he was absent from the weekly commission meeting because he was meeting with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Midwest Director Gene Gunn, Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Director Eric Gramlich, U.S. Fish and Wildlife John Weber and Bozoian.
We discussed a grant being written by MDNR to submit to the EPA for the cleanup and remediation work at the Bone Hole, said Mullins. Then on April 5, Presiding Commissioner Harold Gallaher and I met with Dennis Stenson who is the section chief and Brandon Wiles with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Superfund. We discussed the dam and lowering it. Also the possible cleanup and we discussed the ongoing grant application.
Mullins said basically what DNR did was submit a grant to the EPA for cleanup and now that has all come to fruition. It was announced last week when Nixon was in town that they would be receiving monies to the area.
MDNR has requested $250,000 from the trustee council to restore wildlife habitat at Bone Hole, said Mullins. The Department of Natural Resources was also awarded $812,286 by the EPA to remove lead contaminated soil and mine waste from the site in addition to capping and stabilizing mine waste near Owl Creek. MDNR has requested $200,000 from the trustee council for Flat River creek, stream, bank and repairing corridor restoration projects. So it looks like there is some money coming in.
Gallaher said he had a comment about the dam height. While talking to those people Mullins mentioned, Gallaher learned the dam is 44 feet tall.
The federal law says anything above 35 feet has to be a certain specification, so they want to reduce the height of this dam to 35 feet, said Gallaher. They have to get rid of all this material that is probably contaminated, its alright where it is, except for the height of the dam.
Gallaher said it was suggested to cut a very wide notch in the dam so you are actually lowering the lake and leaving the material stored where it is.
They said it doesnt fit the governments standards. You have to cut it all down, said Gallaher. A wide notch serves the same purpose, but it doesnt work that way in government circles. The dam is constructed of mine tailings left over from the chat. It will have to be taken to the repository at the landfill.
Mullins said once they lower it, from what he was told, it will not be required to do the two or three year testing where they inspect the dams.
Once the contractors move in there and start remediating the dam we might have to temporarily close access to the park, but it would just be temporary, said Mullins.
Munich, Germany, April 25, 2016 - THINO, the worlds first on-the-go smart charger is pleased to introduce a new, customized 5C battery that doubles energy storage capacity without any additional costs.
Viglo, the company revolutionizing the mobile charging industry, has reached 120% of its Indiegogo funding goal for THINO, their on-the-go smart charger. In the wake of their success, the company is announcing that their frontrunner product will be doubling its power capacity. This upgrade will be automatically applied to both past and future orders, as their campaign continues to run through to May 6, 2016.
THINO is worlds first USB charger with built-in battery and auto detection technology, says Viglo founder and CEO Tiby Suto. The batterys power capacity is increased to 1000mAh allowing it to charge devices with up to five hours of battery life. This will not affect the style or price of THINOs original design.
The smart charger features software controls for both its charging and discharging processes.
The discharge process provides rapid charging for whatever device you have. Using proprietary microchip programming, THINO can detect whether your phone is an iPhone or Samsung, or whether it uses standard battery charging protocols. The charger gives the connected device its maximum allowed power intake via a constant process, regardless of whether THINO is plugged into a power source or using its on-board battery.
THINO also charges up to three times faster when used from a USB port in your laptop or PC. This is made possible via a specialized IC which allows THINO to complete the handshake protocol between it and the power source. The combination of these processes makes THINO one of the first mobile smart chargers on the market. A high-grade aluminium body, unique locking mechanism and integrated surge protection offer a suite of safety features, protecting both itself and the users phone. Together with its compact, modern design, it blends technology and fashion into one effective device.
We would love people to think of THINO as an electronic Swiss army knife, Suto continues. The charger is built from resistant alloys and charges phones and other devices in a slick and stylish manner.
ABOUT
The THINO project is developed in Bavaria, Germany by Viglo. Led by CEO Tiby Suto, Viglo is committed to creating elegant digital accessories for iOS, Android and Windows mobile devices, with an emphasis on performance and versatility. With its state of art product design and multicultural engineering team, VIGLO merges functionality and style to cater to a modern sensibility.
CONTACT
Name: Tiby Suto
Phone: +49 152 1372 7222
Email: tiby@viglo.eu
Company website: www.viglo.eu
Indiegogo campaign: https://bit.ly/1MBEXPO
Cross-platform tools maker Xamarin is solidifying ties with its new parent company, Microsoft, while tackling app development for Apple iOS and Google Android with a series of technology rollouts today.
Xamarin Studio IDE 6 for Mac OS X, for mobile development, brings its user interface and functionality closer to those of Microsoft's own Visual Studio platform. The IDE integrates with Microsoft's Roslyn compiler platform and offers enhanced support for Microsoft's F# functional-first language, including backing for F# Portable Class Libraries.
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To help C# developers build native iOS apps, the new IDE will have mechanisms to connect Visual Studio to a developer's Mac. These include iOS Simulator Remoting, for interacting with iOS apps without leaving Visual Studio, and iOS USB Remoting, for deploying and debugging apps from Visual Studio to an iPad or iPhone plugged into a Windows PC. Xamarin also will offer Test Recorder Visual Studio Plugin for generating mobile app test scripts within Visual Studio. "Simply interact with your app on device or in the simulator, and Test Recorder generates scripts that can be run on thousands of devices with Xamarin Test Cloud's automated app testing," Xamarin said.
The Xamarin SDK, meanwhile, will be offered under an MIT license and contributed to the .Net Foundation. It features native API bindings for iOS, Android, and Mac, as well as the command-line tools necessary to build for them.
As part of the Xamarin SDK, the cross-platform UI framework Xamarin.Forms is also being open-sourced. It will include new features for building native UIs for iOS, Android, and Windows from a shared C# code base. Xamarin.Forms Previewer previews XAML source code from within the IDE, while Data Pages connects a data source to a template to automatically generate app screens. "This dramatically speeds time development time for Forms-based apps, allowing developers to create screens with just a few lines of XAML," said Xamarin.
Developers can include Xamarin.Android and Xamarin.iOS controls in Xamarin.Forms apps, increasing design choices, while a themes capability abstracts the UI from Xamarin.Forms pages, for sharing styles across multiple applications. URL navigation enables developers to link to a Forms page from within a mobile app and pull specific data.
Xamarin also will offer Xamarin Test Cloud Live, providing remote access to devices for exploratory testing and real-time debugging.
For half a decade, the federal government has operated under a policy to prioritize cloud computing as agency CIOs embark on new technology initiatives, but in such a vast and varied IT environment, its not been a quick transition.
[ Related: Government cloud adoption efforts lag as security concerns persist ]
Five years into the so-called cloud-first policy, federal CIOs say they continue to struggle with procurement and management challenges, while security concerns about the safeguards around sensitive data still linger.
Marlon Andrews, deputy CIO at the National Archives and Records Administration, described some of those obstacles during a recent panel discussion hosted by Federal News Radio.
The greatest challenge is not getting a contract in place, but what you find out is where those boundaries cross of whos now responsible because youre in a different infrastructure set-up, and what the cloud providers going to do versus the contract staff, versus the application support staff versus the infrastructure staff, Andrews says. So, thats the greatest challenge were having now is defining roles and responsibilities and whos going to do what because the world has changed as weve known it, and weve been client-server for so many years that this is truly a different environment for us.
Andrews recalls a recent meeting concerning the role of a cloud vendor and a somewhat tense discussion about what does the word manage mean in a cloud environment, and who has ownership over the systems and who bears responsibility for resolving the inevitable problems when they arise.
[ Related: U.S. CIO tells IT leaders to trust the cloud ]
Those are our challenges not so much writing a contract, but once a contracts in place, how do we move forward in a support model that satisfies the requirements, he explains. It is laid out in service-level agreements, but then when something goes wrong or you need something done, thats when the finger-pointing takes place.
The devil is in the details when it comes to cloud contracts
For cloud service providers, getting those issues hammered out from the beginning and coming to a mutual understanding with the customer is just good business, according to Rob Davies, executive vice president of operations at ViON Corporation, a cloud vendor that serves clients in the federal government.
[ Related: Federal CIOs want SLA assurances from cloud vendors ]
I think you have to specify those in your contract from the outset, Davies says. The devil is in those details. And I think when youre in negotiating the contract and those SLAs its important to define what your expectations are for both parties.
Of course, part of any sensible cloud strategy for a government agency involves an understanding that not every application might be a good fit for a cloud environment.
Mark Schwartz, CIO at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, says that his agency is pursuing what might be thought of as a cloud-native approach in determining which applications belong in the cloud and how to handle the transition.
[ Related: Cloud will make U.S. immigration agency more agile ]
We are aggressively trying to move as much as we can to the cloud, with a caveat, which is that we dont want to move things to the cloud unless we can engineer them for the cloud, Schwartz says. We dont want to just lift and shift what we have. There are ways of designing software for the cloud that really take advantage of what the cloud offers and make things perform well.
At the Food and Drug Administration, CIO Todd Simpson has helped set up a cloud advisory board that helps determine which applications belong in the cloud and aids in managing that transition.
Security concerns persist
Simpson points out that security considerations remain a top concern for IT decision-makers in the government, in part because the consequences of a data breach can be severe. Security is probably the one thing that could get me fired, he says, only half joking.
However, Simpson touts the standardized FedRAMP review process as an effective mechanism for evaluating the security posture of the applications and services that cloud vendors are pedaling to the government. FedRAMP isnt the last word on security, he acknowledges, but the vetting process is sufficiently rigorous that agency leaders can look to the vendors that have won the so-called authorization to operate with a fair degree of confidence.
Theres always going to be a security discussion, Simpson says. I believe the cloud vendors are good at security, and I believe that when they pass the FedRAMP authorization gauntlet, that theyve proven themselves and that theres a good pathway for CIOs to evaluate them as alternatives for doing business with.
In 2013, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) emerged as one of the Senate's top H-1B visa supporters, and argued for a 500% H-1B visa cap increase. But during his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, Cruz had a conversion.
Cruz's presidential platform proposed a $110,000 minimum wage for visa workers, among other restrictions, as a way ending their use as low-cost labor. The move marked a complete turnabout on the H-1B issue.
Cruz's decision Wednesday to add former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina (and one-time GOP presidential candidate herself) as his running mate if he wins the nomination, may make his newly found H-1B beliefs a hard sell.
At HP, Fiorina was a prominent supporter of the offshore outsourcing model, said Ron Hira, an associate professor of public policy at Howard University, who wrote about Fiorina's approaches in his book, Outsourcing America.
"To pump up profits, she was an early adopter of the practice, which given HP's status as a leading Silicon Valley firm, pushed other firms to adopt offshoring," said Hira. "It set a precedent that technology firms would now pursue profits through offshoring and that meant that Wall Street would hound executives in other firms to do the same."
As offshoring gained, Fiorina played a leading role in defending globalization.
To make her point, in 2004, Fiorina said: "There is no job that is America's God-given right anymore," reported the San Francisco Chronicle.
Last September, political talk show host Laura Ingraham asked Fiorina about that controversial quote; Fiorina said she stood by it. "We have to fight for every job," according to a recording posted by Ingraham.
When Ingraham brought up Disney's layoff of 200 to 300 IT employees last year, some of whom had to train their visa-hold replacements, Fiorina said "shame on them (Disney) -- we should never support that kind of policy."
Donald Trump, the billionaire businessman who is leading the Republican presidential delegate count and appears to be on track to defeat Cruz for the nomination, has proposed curbing the use of the H-1B visa.
By teaming up with Fiorina, said John Miano, the founder of the Programmers Guild and co-author of a book about the H-1B visa with columnist Michelle Malkin, Sold Out, Cruz will lose the support of visa critics with Fiorina.
"The advantage Trump has had over Cruz is that Trump is perceived as being the one more likely to cast the money-changers out of the temple," said Miano.
Samsung and Microsoft have crossed paths in the smartphone and tablet markets, and will now do battle in the cloud.
Samsung on Wednesday announced the Artik Cloud service for businesses, which the company hopes will give it a strong position in the emerging Internet of Things market. In IoT, it will take on cloud services like Microsoft's Azure and IBM's Bluemix.
Simply put, the Artik Cloud provides the tools needed for companies to securely collect, store and analyze telemetry data collected from a wide range of sensors.
The cloud service also provides software tools and connectors to link IoT data to other cloud services or silos of data that companies may have in server installations or outside sources.
Artik Cloud was announced at the Samsung Developer Conference taking place in San Francisco this week. The service is designed to help businesses deploy Internet of Things products and services quickly, the company said.
The new cloud service is one way Samsung hopes to tap into the fast-growing Internet of Things market, which is also being targeted by top companies like Microsoft, IBM and Intel. Gartner is forecasting that 6.4 billion connected devices will be used worldwide in 2016, climbing to 20.8 billion by 2020.
The service is part of a family of Artik hardware and software products. Samsung is selling Artik developer boards to make gadgets, drones, robots, wearables and home and industrial automation products.
Microsoft's Azure cloud service, meanwhile, has connectors to the Raspberry Pi 3. Samsung offers SAMI, a basic IoT cloud service for developers, and the SmartThings service to control home devices.
But Samsung's strength is in hardware, and it doesn't have the software muscle of Microsoft. So the answer was to provide an open cloud service to which IoT hardware and services can be easily added and linked.
Artik Cloud is free for hobbyists who have limited needs, but has different tiers of pricing for businesses, reaching up to $6 per device per month for a maximum of 100,000 messages. Samsung will also provide custom quotes for large IoT installations.
Artik Cloud will support a wide range of IoT and sensor devices, and provide plug-ins to support different hardware, programs and OSes, said Curtis Sasaki, vice president of ecosystems at Samsung.
For starters, the cloud service will work with Amazon Echo, FitBit, Gear smartwatches, Nest thermostats and various popular wearables. Even Raspberry Pi-developed gadgets and third-party data analysis services will be able to connect to Artik Cloud.
It will also work with Web services like Twitter and Instagram. It'll connect to home automation systems based on the simple IFTTT (If This Then That) Web service, which helps smart home devices operate on auto-pilot based on conditions and action triggers.
The goal behind Artik Cloud is to break the walls between silos that exist today between services, devices and applications, Sasaki said.
"We've made it easy to connect devices and apps," said Sasaki, who called Artik Cloud an "open-data exchange platform."
Legrand, an electrical installation company, will use the Artik Cloud to manage lighting products in building infrastructures. It will plug its own cloud service to Artik Cloud, and that will help manage smart lighting products, Sasaki said.
The service will have data visualization, device management tools, analytics capabilities and software development kits. Samsung has resolved the challenge of handshaking data sources like sensors and and third-party cloud services to Artik Cloud with a wide range of plug-ins and open APIs (application programming interfaces). The company plans to build support for more hardware and cloud connectors for transparent data exchanges.
Samsung is also working with companies to provide analytics, security and other services through Artik Cloud.
Creativity is alive and well at Samsung, which is developing several cool devices in its labs, including a home companion robot called Otto.
The multi-talented robot can answer questions and double as a part-time security system when needed. It is expected to be demonstrated at the Samsung Developer Conference this week in San Francisco.
Functionally, Otto is similar in some ways to Amazon Echo, featuring an interactive speaker that can answer questions, order products and play music. But the robot also includes a "head" that hosts a high-definition camera and a display.
You can ask questions like "What is Hillary Clinton's age?" or seek out news or weather information, and Otto will bark out the answers. The robot is a prototype, and Samsung has no plans to sell the device.
Otto's camera is especially handy for home security. The robot can broadcast live images from its integrated camera to PCs or mobile devices. Its head and camera can move with the help of servos and motors, and the head can be directed to moved up, down, left or right through a mobile app.
Like Amazon Echo, Otto can also work with smart appliances in a home. You can tell the robot to power up a smart appliance like a home air-conditioning system.
The robot is one of many prototype products being developed by a special unit at Samsung. It is based on the company's Artik development board, a Raspberry Pi-like computer that can be used with wearables, robots, gadgets, and other products.
There are many possibilities with a device like Otto, and the goal is to spur new product ideas from customers, said Curtis Sasaki, vice president of ecosystems at Samsung.
For one, the robot offers an opportunity to test technologies like image and face recognition in home environments, Sasaki said.
"This is a different way of giving an idea of where IoT (Internet of Things) can go," Sasaki said.
At the developer conference, Samsung will also show a reference design of a security system designed to differentiate between animals and humans using algorithms. Adding artificial intelligence could make security systems more effective and reduce the chances of alarms going off because of false positives.
Samsung has big plans for home automation. Starting next year, the company is equipping homes with Internet-connected appliances like refrigerators, ovens, washing machines, and light bulbs. At CES this year, Samsung showed a smart refrigerator that could identify missing items, compose a grocery list, and send it to the owner.
Samsung's Artik boards are the starting point for such gadgets, and the company is also tapping into the DIY enthusiast community to come up with new ideas. It's hard to predict where the next big IoT hit emerges from, but Samsung wants its technology to be in the product.
Samsung is also building cloud services to improve the functionality of connected devices. For example, the company's Simband cloud-based health analytics service can collect health data from wearables or health monitors.
The Artik boards can also be used for driver assistance systems, home automation, and cloud-based home security services.
Samsung will start shipping its eight-core Artik 10 board computer next month, a challenger to the Raspberry Pi 3.
The Artik 10 was first announced last year and could be a PC replacement if you don't mind building out your own system. It could also spawn the development of smart appliances, drones, robots and other gadgets. Like the Raspberry Pi, its components are crammed onto a small circuit board.
The Artik 10 will be available from online retailer Digi-Key starting in May, Samsung officials said.
Pricing wasn't immediately available, but the Artik 10 could end up being more expensive than the US$35 Raspberry Pi 3, and even the $99.99 Artik 5, a smaller Samsung board for wearables and small gadgets that started shipping in February.
The Artik 10's eight-core, 32-bit ARM CPU has some horsepower, but it still seems dated compared to the 64-bit quad-core ARM CPU on the Raspberry Pi 3. Samsung's latest smartphones have 64-bit processors, but it still opted for older technology on the Artik 10.
The CPU has four Cortex-A15 cores, which handle the most demanding tasks, and four lower-power Cortex-A7 cores for lighter use.
The Artik 10 has better graphics than the Raspberry Pi 3. Its Mali T628 MP6 graphics processor can show HD video at 120 frames per second, while the Raspberry Pi 3 can handle HD video at 60 frames per second.
The new Artik board has 16GB of flash storage and 2GB of LPDDR3 memory, both greater than on the Raspberry Pi 3. It also has USB ports.
Artik also has wireless capabilities and expansion ports to connect external sensors, cameras, displays and other components. Key features include 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Zigbee and Bluetooth. It has GPIO, UART, I2S, I2C and SPI connectors. The Raspberry Pi 3 does not have Zigbee, which is used for point-to-point communication between sensor devices.
With Artik, Samsung wants to tap into the fast-growing Internet of Things market. Gartner late last year predicted 6.4 billion connected devices will be used worldwide in 2016, and that number will reach 20.8 billion by 2020. Samsung wants to get its memory, processors and other components in more of those connected devices.
Samsung also has a grand plan to equip homes with Internet-connected appliances like refrigerators, ovens, washing machines and bulbs starting next year. The Artik boards will help enthusiasts develop and test products that could fit in such environments, said Curt Sasaki, vice president of ecosystems at Samsung, in an interview.
The Artik boards will also connect to the Artik Cloud service, an open platform through which a wide range of devices will be able to talk to each other. Artik Cloud was announced at the Samsung Developer Conference being held in San Francisco this week.
The Artik Cloud could be used for applications in security, health, driver assistance, and home and industrial automation. For example, users could store information in the Artik Cloud about the temperature at which their air-conditioner should turn on and off.
Last year, Samsung also announced a small development board called the Artik 1, but it won't be sold to enthusiasts. It'll she directly to manufacturers looking to make products such as smart bulbs, Sasaki said.
Artik will come with a version of Linux for embedded devices.
With some technical help from NASA, aerospace company SpaceX plans to launch a mission to Mars as soon as 2018.
While NASA has been sending robotic landers and orbiters to Mars and making plans to send humans to the Red Planet in the 2030s, SpaceX is planning on getting there sooner.
The company, which is headed by billionaire high-tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, tweeted today, "Planning to send Dragon to Mars as soon as 2018. Red Dragons will inform overall Mars architecture, details to come."
Musk then went on to tweet that the Dragon 2 spacecraft, known as Red Dragon, is designed to be able to land anywhere in the solar system. The Red Dragon Mars mission will be its first test flight.
"But wouldn't recommend transporting astronauts beyond Earth-moon region," he went on to tweet. "Wouldn't be fun for longer journeys. Internal volume ~size of SUV."
It's not yet clear where the spacecraft would land on Mars or what kind of payload it would carry.
Musk has said in the past that he not only wants to one day send humans to Mars but he hopes to actually build cities there.
"It would be just the greatest adventure ever," he said of the planned colonization project.
SpaceX, based in Hawthorne, California, is under contract with NASA to send unmanned spacecraft carrying supplies to the International Space Station.The cargo includes food, mechanical parts and scientific experiments.
SpaceX also has a contract with the space agency to help build the spacecraft that will launch astronauts from U.S. soil to the space station.
The company's planned Mars mission is intended to help test the technologies needed to land large payloads on Mars. The technologies also are part of what the company expects to be used in its Mars colonization plan, which is set to be announced later this year.
The Dragon 2 spacecraft is expected to be launched using SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket.
According to NASA, the unmanned SpaceX mission will be part of the many steps taken to eventually get humans to Mars.
"We are closer than ever before to sending American astronauts to Mars than anyone, anywhere, at any time has ever been," wrote NASA Deputy Administrator Dava Newman, in a blog post Wednesday. "In the international space community, gone are the days of the "space race" when the dominant theme was that of various nations racing against each other. Instead, we're increasingly running together."
She added that NASA is "particularly excited" to work with SpaceX on this mission.
In exchange for data on entry into Martian space, descent, and landing from SpaceX, NASA will offer technical support for the company's planned Mars mission.
"As the saying goes, "spaceflight is hard," Newman said. "Sending astronauts to Mars, which will be one of the greatest feats of human innovation in the history of civilization, carries with it many, many puzzles to piece together. That's why we at NASA have made it a priority to reach out to partners in boardrooms, classrooms, laboratories, space agencies and even garages across our country and around the world."
While NASA is aiding with this mission, it is not paying for it. SpaceX is financing the mission, although details on costs weren't available. < /p>
L.I.F.E., Inc., Center for Independent Living, in cooperation with an area law firm has assisted three individuals, with more approvals pending, to rid themselves of their costly Medicaid spend-down.
By using a tool called a Qualified Income Trust, also known as a Miller Trust, these residents are among the first to obtain Medicaid benefits without a spend-down for a monthly income in excess of $1,281.
According to L.I.F.E. representatives, when using the Miller Trust an individual 63 or older can set aside that excess income in a special bank account. For example, someone with a monthly income of $1,300 would have typically faced a monthly spend-down of over $400. By depositing as little as $20 in a Miller Trust bank account each month, the spend-down requirement would be eliminated. Currently, money placed in the trust must be used for medical-related expenses.
Because the program is new to elderly Missourians, the area attorney assisting L.I.F.E., Inc. anticipates changes in the policy that will allow for greater flexibility.
This recent development will potentially affect tens of thousands of people who have fallen through the cracks of the Medicaid system.
Contact the L.I.F.E. Center at 573-756-4314 for further information about a Miller Trust.
Congressman Jason Smith held a recognition ceremony on April 22 in Farmington for all high school students in Jefferson, Washington, Ste. Genevieve, St. Francois, Iron, Madison, Reynolds, and Wayne Counties who submitted artwork to Smiths Farmington office as a part of the 2016 Eighth Congressional Artwork Competition.
During this recognition ceremony, Smith presented every student who submitted an entry into the contest at the Farmington office with a certificate of recognition.
In addition, Phillip Cook of Bismarck and Emma Grace Govreau of Farmington were announced as the two best in show winners from the Farmington office. Their pieces advance to the overall District Art Competition to be juried at the Art Council of Southeast Missouri on May 2. An overall Best of Show winner will be announced May 4 and will have his or her artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year.
On May 6, the seven runners-up, as well as the overall winner, will be invited to attend a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Art Council of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau where Smith will hold a presentation recognizing all eight winners (two from each district office). Additionally, the seven runners-up will be displayed at the Art Council of Southeast Missouri for the entire month of May.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I have always felt uneasy meeting with people alone. One-on-one meetings give me anxiety. I used to have a job where people understood this, but at my new job, I am not sure how to get this message across. One of my co-workers understands and comes to meetings to sit in with me. No one really understands my anxiety toward one-on-one meetings, and the more frustrated I get with myself, the more anxious I become.
I work at a communications firm and cannot get through a meeting with my boss without needing a break. If I get fired, I'm not sure if I could say I was discriminated against. I don't want to have to think so negatively, but my anxiety is truly impacting how I do my job. Should I mention to my boss that firing me could be seen as discrimination? -- Struggling on the Job, Philadelphia
DEAR STRUGGLING ON THE JOB: I recommend that you get psychological support. If you have insurance, find a psychologist who is covered by your plan. If you don't, look for affordable professionals in your area. The point is to get help to work through your anxiety. There is likely some underlying reason for your discomfort that you may be able to work through so that you can be released from your fear.
Rather than trying to fight with your boss about discrimination, tell him about your apprehension and ask for his patience as you work through it.
DEAR HARRIETTE: After downsizing since our children moved out, my wife took it upon herself to develop her passion for interior design. I love my wife, and I love supporting her. However, she does not have the eye for design that she thinks she does. Our current home gives me the creeps. Everything is very dark, and the art is haunting. Our home has gone through minor redecorating in the past year, but my wife seems to be stuck in this haunted gothic theme.
I want to hire a new designer. I really don't like my home or feel comfortable inviting people over. I mentioned this a few weeks ago, and my wife was a bit offended. I can't continue to live in a haunted house. Should I have a designer come in and see what changes can be made? I feel like someone needs to talk some sense into my wife. -- Wanting Bright and Happy, Dallas
DEAR WANTING BRIGHT AND HAPPY: Do not hire another decorator just yet. Instead, have a direct conversation with your wife. Find out what's going on with her. The darkness is likely an indication of her state of mind. Perhaps she is sad because your children are gone, and this is a manifestation of her mourning. Get her to talk about what's going on with her. Offer to go to counseling together to work through whatever may be bothering her.
Also, let her know that the darkness in your home is making you uncomfortable, and you need to brighten up the house some. Ask her if you can work on it together. Find out if she is amenable to working with a designer to make some new touches.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I don't know if I'm going in the right direction. I hate my job, but it pays the bills. It also allows me to live comfortably. I want a job that I love that allows me to live this way.
My boss is mean and insensitive to anyone else's issues or needs. He wants things done when and how he says to do them. The opinionated don't last long here, and it's time for me to leave, but I can't. I still have bills to pay and goals to meet. I just can't take his attitudes and negative energy anymore.
Should I leave? Or should I just stick it out and wait for the right time? I know it's not the smartest thing to do so suddenly, but I've reached my limit. I want a boss who is understanding and treats his or her workers as equals. In the meantime, I deserve a boss who's respectful and positive. -- Respect Trumps Money, Newark, New Jersey
DEAR RESPECT TRUMPS MONEY: Take a deep breath, and make a plan. Start looking for another job -- and do not quit until you find one. Remain positive and friendly. Follow your boss's directions, and remember that you work for him. You may not like his ways, but he is the boss. Always speak to your boss professionally, and make sure you have outside activities to balance your day. You cannot change him, but with patience and time, you can change your job.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently opened a business with my best friend. I came up with the service, and my friend provided the funds. Last weekend, he asked me on a date. Feeling as though our relationship shouldn't go past being business-related, I declined his offer. He immediately became irritated and upset. The whole ride back to the office, he said nothing.
Yesterday, I walked in to work to find that he left for Miami. His secretary informed me that he left to sign a deal bringing another owner in to our company. How dare he bring another owner in to this company without consulting me? It's my company! Yes, he provided the funding for the company, but the idea, the layout, etc. was all me.
Due to him not consulting me about a new owner, do I have the right to sue him? The company was my idea. I don't like the thought of someone else having the ability to change it. -- Mine, Denver
DEAR MINE: You need a lawyer -- and fast! Starting a business with a friend can be tricky. Yes, it works sometimes, but it can get messy, as you are experiencing. Consult an attorney and explain everything about the setup of your business. If you have not already set up legal parameters, try to do so now.
As far as the dynamics between the two of you, schedule a meeting with your "best friend." Tell him why you declined the date. Ask him what he is up to regarding the business structure. Suggest that you refresh your agreement so that your business does not suffer.
Lifestylist and author Harriette Cole is president and creative director of Harriette Cole Media. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106
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Chartspan Medical Technologies is a known health care data company that empowers users to manage their healthcare information on their smartphones and other smart devices through their app. The company enables users to organize their medical history in one source. Medical history includes, medications, x-rays, lab results, immunization, health records, etc.
The successful startup has earned its reputation as an innovative "Engagement-as-a-Service" platform and PRNews Wire has it that it's also the #1 most downloaded medical app in the United States. Because of its accomplishments, ChartSpan is proud to have been named one of the 2015 Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in America.
Now, Chartspan is expanding and the business plans to accommodate 300 additional employees would be housed in a 100,000 sq foot office space. The lease has already been signed and the space is waiting to be filled.
The Greenville, South Carolina based company wants to bring in additional clinical support operations which will make them the largest employers in the downtown area. Business Facilities has it that a series of tax and job incentives encouraged Chartspan to stay in Greenville with the help of South Carolina Department of Commerce and the Greenville Area Development Corporation.
ChartSpan CEO and Cofounder Jon-Michial Carter announced: "This is an unbelievably exciting moment in ChartSpan's evolution. We have a deep love and affinity for Greenville. The State Department of Commerce, the Greenville Department of Economic Development, NEXT and Greenville city leaders have helped us every step of the way."
Carter is extremely proud that the collaboration between everyone is being supported and strong. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley emphasizes that the jobs the company will create a huge impact in the state.
If you're looking to have a career in clinical support operations, Chartspan welcomes Greenville residents to apply.
Mitsubishi Motors has finally admitted last week that it had intentionally falsified its fuel economy data since 1991. The Japanese car maker cheated on the fuel data on some of its models, according to the findings of its own internal investigators.
Tetsuro Aikawa, President of the company, told reporters last Tuesday that the internal probe is still ongoing, indicating that more irregularities may still be discovered.
"We don't know the whole picture and we are in the process of trying to determine that," Aikawa informed those present in a news conference at the transport ministry. "I feel a great responsibility," he added.
The executive also added that so many things are still unknown that it is still unclear what action the car maker will take. He admitted that he is clueless as to why employees have resorted to this tactics just to make it appear that their cars' mileages are better.
By admitting that Mitsubishi Motors did not comply with Japanese regulations for 25 years, the company lost half of its market value, which is around $3.9 billion.
The sixth-largest carmaker in Japan had already promised to come clean after a huge fiasco that happened 15 years ago when it was involved in a systematic cover-up of car defects.
But now, with more than 157,000 units of its eK wagon and eK Space light passenger cars, together with 468,000 DayZ and DayZ Roox vehicles built for Nissan Motor Co involved in fuel mileage cheating tests, this promise has been proven to be hollow.
These car models have been touted by Mitsubishi Motors as having great mileage since they are classified as "minicars" with small engines. But tests made by Nissan revealed inconsistencies in the data leading to the discovery of fuel and mileage falsifications.
In the ensuing drama, vehicle safety regulators in the United States are also seeking information while Japanese authorities have investigated one of Mitsubishi's facilities to find out the truth.
Airbus, the European aerospace giant, delivered on Tuesday its first ever passenger aircraft made in the United States to JetBlue. This marks a new era in its fight for the home market of Boeing, its nearest rival in the aircraft industry.
Airbus handed to JetBlue an A321 passenger aircraft made in its plant located in Mobile, Alabama. The plane was delivered three years after the facility was constructed and seven months after its inauguration.
"Going from breaking ground on this facility three years ago to handing over the first Alabama-produced A321 today is an amazing accomplishment," said John Leahy, Airbus chief operating officer in a statement.
Another nine aircrafts are currently being constructed in the single-aisle A320 lineup at the facility. The European-based company plans to ramp up production as much as four aircraft deliveries every month by the end of 2017.
One of the executives at JetBlue described the day of delivery as "a memorable event." Robin Hayes, CEO of the company received a portrait of the graceful shape of the jet streaking high over the city's downtown. The plane will be called "BluesMobile."
Although there's much affinity between Mobile and JetBlue, the fact remains there are still no flights offered by the New York-based carrier to major airports in Alabama.
"Right now, I'll be honest with you, we have no plans," said Jeff Martin, executive vice president of JetBlue, after a ceremony that honored the delivery of the first Airbus made in its new $600 million plant.
However, Martin added that "There are a lot of opportunities. ... Mobile, I'm sure like any new city, is one that we'll look at."
The Mobile, Alabama plant is the fourth facility overseas of the France-based Airbus. It is also operating aircraft manufacturing facilities in Tianjin, China, Toulouse France and Hamburg, Germany.
iFlix and Netflix battle it out to conquer the Southeast Asian market. The two streaming service giants fight to gain dominance in the area.
Inc. reported that Malaysian-based video streaming company iFlix had already started to build its empire in the Southeast Asian market. The business began making its services available in Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand.
However, earlier this year, Netflix expanded to over 130 countries globally. The news was confirmed at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last January.
Group CEO and co-founder Mark Britt denied that Netflix's entry in the continent has changed the company's business strategy. He added that "demand for iFlix has been phenomenal."
"In response to both rapid growth and customer adoption in our existing markets and strong demand from new markets, we have accelerated our expansion plans," Britt revealed. The company is said to have garnered over 2 million subscribers.
According to Telecom Paper, iFlix has recently partnered with state-owned operator Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom). The streaming service will be available in the country by June.
Initially, the service will be available exclusively to subscribers of Telkom's home broadband internet and pay-TV service IndiHome. The subscription is priced at IDR 39,000 (about $3.1) per month.
Inc. added that Netflix's presence in the region would be a good thing for customers. It is believed that competition will make the two companies improve their services and give competitive prices.
"This is very similar to the presence of Uber in the competitive ride-sharing market, which has forced players such as Grab to improve and evolve its services and rethink their pricing strategy," Yves Gonzalez, mobile solutions director and social command head at MRM//McCann-the digital marketing arm of the McCann World Group, said. iFlix is the less expensive option but it does not have the HD and Ultra HD viewing option.
It was previously reported that Netflix is planning to increase the monthly subscription cost for its grandfathered users. The new price is $2 higher than its previous price point. Since October, new customers have been charged with $9.99 for the service's most popular plan.
A report that came out recently hinted that Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is thinking of vacating its present headquarters and move to another location.
The 319,000-square-foot campus in Sunnyvale, California has been home for AMD for a number of years, but AMD may be forced to vacate its premises in the near future.
Reliable sources said that a developer, Irvine Company, is looking to buy the property. Other sources in the real estate industry say this company could build hundreds of apartments on the site.
AMD does not own the site where its campus now sits. It only leases the place from W.P. Carey, a New York-based real estate investment trust. W.P. bought the place in 1995 for $95 million. The lease of the chipmaker ends in December 2018, but it has a renewal option of two 10-year terms.
While the Irvine Company is in contract to buy the 32.5 acre site, AMD is trying to look for a space it can lease with an area from 175,000 to 225,000 square feet elsewhere in Silicon Valley. This area is approximately 30 percent to 45 percent less than the space it now occupies.
With this move to a smaller facility, the chipmaker hopes to save some cash. Based on its business license for 2016, the chipmaker employs 559 workers in its Sunnyvale headquarters where it has been since 1977.
It does not want to leave Silicon Valley so when its lease expires in 2018, it still wants to stay in the same general location it did for almost 4 decades.
The reduction in office space emphasizes the shrinking business of the once-profitable rival of Intel. Its less than 600 workers at present is a far cry from the 2,000 employees it had in its heyday.
But not all is dark though since AMD finished last week with a bang. Its stock value soared due to the news that its x86 chip technology had been licensed to a Chinese consortium of private and public companies.
As part of the government efforts with regard to the Flint water crisis, the Michigan State Police is regularly investigating and tracking social media posts that have to do with the situation.
This news came in the light just after a document was dumped by the administration of Michigan Governor Rick Snyder. However, Michigan Live talked about just recently. In the April 15 document, "the governor promised to release emails related to the lead contamination of Flint's water after the state came under intense criticism for its responsibility in the crisis," RT.com reports.
One of the more or less 127,000 emails that were released states that the Michigan State Police Intelligence Operations Center was tasked to oversee social media activities related to the water crisis. An analyst from the center even claimed that she was assigned to monitor Facebook and Twitter for discussions related to Flint's crisis.
One of the posts she monitored concerned a Copper City, Michigan man who was criticizing the government's response to Flint.
"It's time for civil unrest. Burn down the Governor mansion, [eliminate] the capitol where the legislators RE-INSTATED the emergency dictator law after the PEOPLE voted it down, and tell the Mich (sic) State Police if they use military force, we will return with same," the post reportedly read.
Such post was reported to MSP's intelligence commander and another commander in the Upper Peninsula as it could have a potential threat. After further investigations, no charges were filed against the man.
MSP spokesperson Shanon Banner said that posts, like the one revealed here, are one of the reasons why they are monitoring social media activities. These posts, Banner said, could result in "criminal activity and/or violence."
Meanwhile, it can be recalled that Gov. Rick Snyder said that Flint's water is safe for drinking after it has gone filtering process.
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The Winston-Salem metropolitan statistical area experienced another year-over-year decline in all-cash home sales during January, according to a CoreLogic report.
Among North Carolinas four largest metro areas, the Winston-Salem MSA, which includes Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Stokes and Yadkin counties, remained the second-most popular for those purchases.
About 35 percent of houses in the Winston-Salem MSA were bought with cash, unchanged from December but down from 37.9 percent a year ago.
CoreLogic, a real-estate research data company, typically issues the cash-buyers report without comment on local markets.
Cash buyers include institutional investors acquiring properties to initially rent before selling them during a future rise in housing prices.
Cash buyers represented 34.5 percent of purchases in the Greensboro-High Point MSA, down from 36.7 percent a year ago but up from 33.3 percent in December.
Cash sales in the Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord MSA dropped year over year, from 32.7 percent to 26.9 percent. The rate was 26.7 percent in December. That MSA had been among the top markets in the nation for institutional investors.
The Raleigh-Cary MSA rose year over year, from 25.3 percent to 36.7 percent.
The rate was 36.8 percent in December. It was again the only urban MSA in North Carolina to experience a year-over-year increase.
For North Carolina, the percentage was 36 percent. Nationally, it was 35.5 percent.
If the cash sales share continues to fall at the same rate it did in January 2016, the share should hit 25 percent by mid-2017, CoreLogic said of the national market. Thats the same percentage right before the housing bubble burst in 2007.
A 46.6 percent rate in January 2011 represented the high point of all-cash home purchases by private-equity groups.
CoreLogic said that nationally, real-estate-owned homes (those owned by banks and other lenders) represented 59.8 percent of all-cash sales.
One day after a federal judge upheld North Carolinas controversial election law, the N.C. NAACP announced plans to appeal the decision.
That sets up the next step in a prolonged legal fight that could land in the U.S. Supreme Court over what voting rights activists consider the nations most sweeping and restrictive election law. U.S. District Judge Thomas Schroeder upheld the state elections law in a decision issued Monday. The League of Women Voters, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice say they also filed a notice of appeal. The U.S. Department of Justice is expected to follow suit.
Any appeals will have to go first to the 4th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., which in 2014 temporarily blocked two provisions of the states election law same-day voter registration and out-of-precinct voting.
During a conference call with reporters, the Rev. William Barber, president of the state NAACP, said the decision by U.S. District Judge Thomas Schroeder was wrong.
The court in the Middle District ruled on the most sweeping, retrogressive voter suppression bill that weve seen since the 19th century and Jim Crow and the worst in the nation since the Shelby decision, Barber said
Barber was referring to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2013 that eliminated the requirement that certain states and communities, many in the South, get federal approval, known as pre-clearance, before making changes to election laws.
The GOP-led General Assembly pushed through House Bill 589 soon after the U.S. Supreme Court decision, eliminating same-day voter registration, reducing the days of early voting from 17 to 10 and other changes. Gov. Pat McCrory signed the legislation in August 2013. The state NAACP, the U.S. Department of Justice and other plaintiffs, including Emmanuel Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, filed a lawsuit soon after against McCrory and the State Board of Elections. They charged that the state elections law, known as Voter Information Verification Act, violated the U.S. Constitution and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. They alleged that Republican state legislators intentionally passed House Bill 589 to disenfranchise minority and poor voters.
In reaching his 479-page decision, Schroeder reviewed 25,000 pages of documents and testimony from 21 expert witnesses and 112 other witnesses from two different trials in January and last July. He said plaintiffs provided no compelling evidence that the law as a whole discriminated against racial minorities and made it harder for them to voter. He cited the 2014 election, in which black voter turnout was higher than it was in a similar election in 2010, as ample proof that blacks did not face hurdles to cast ballots. He also said that the recently-added reasonable impediment exception for voters without photo ID undercuts plaintiffs arguments that the photo ID requirement places undue burdens on blacks and Hispanics.
Republicans praised Schroeders decision.
Despite the small but shrill opposition who continue to abuse the courts in an attempt to overturn the will of the voters, another reasonable, commonsense law supported by a majority of North Carolinians has been upheld, state Rep. David Lewis and state Sen. Bob Rucho, chairman of the Joint Legislative Elections Oversight Committee. We are glad the court recognized the law provides all voters an equal opportunity to vote and stopped this politically-motivated overreach from the Obama Justice Department.
Penda Hair, one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs, said the evidence proved that the law would disproportionately affect racial minorities. Blacks are more likely to use same-day voter registration, early voting and out-of-precinct voting than whites, she said.
Eliminating or reducing those practices would make it much more difficult for blacks to vote, Hair said.
Michael Glick, another one of the plaintiffs attorneys, said he and other attorneys are studying Schroeders opinion and have found grounds to appeal.
The 4th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals has identified two legal standards to evaluate North Carolinas law. One is whether the state elections law imposed a discriminatory burden and less opportunity for racial minorities to participate in the political process.
The other is whether those burdens are linked to social conditions that stem from historic discrimination, Glick said.
Schroeder acknowledged in his decision that North Carolina has racial disparities and that the state has a long history of discriminating against black voters, but Schroeder said he doesnt see any official discriminatory effect in the states elections law.
Hair said the 2014 election was unique in that the U.S. Senate race between Thom Tillis, former state Speaker of the House, and then-incumbent U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan was one of the most expensive and hotly-contested races in the country. That drew a lot of turnout, she said.
The evidence from a single election cycle is not the appropriate way to evaluate the impact of the law, she said.
Hair said it is imperative that the decision is overturned before the November elections.
If this decision remains in effect, the impact of this decision could be devastating, she said.
The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board of Education is sending two large spending proposals to Forsyth County commissioners.
The school board adopted two resolutions Tuesday night one for its regular operating budget request for the 2016-17 school year and another for a $350 million bond package to be placed on the November ballot.
The bond proposal ballooned to $350 million in the adopted resolution, after earlier discussions about keeping the package around $325 million. The bulk of the additional cost comes from inflation estimates, a measure the board wants to build into the bond package to account for increasing costs that will effect projects to be completed later in the estimated six-year construction schedule. Another $944,199 has been added into the original plan for contingency costs and $900,000 for the design of a new Ashley Academy, which will be built at a later date.
The Ashley project was added at the last minute to address concerns from community members who felt the East Winston had been largely excluded from the bond package. Ashley was originally on the table, but later removed because of concerns about the timing of land acquisition.
This lets the East Winston community know that, as a board, we did hear your voice, said board vice chairman Robert Barr. We did hear your concerns. This is a real positive step toward meeting those.
Superintendent Beverly Emory has said the school district would like to move the school, possibly closer to the innovation quarter. The design plans included in Tuesdays resolution would not be for a specific location, but rather for a general plan that could be employed wherever the district ends up putting a new Ashley.
For now, the plan is to have Ashley shovel-ready so it could be one of the first projects built with a future bond referendum. Theoretically it could be built sooner, though, if an alternative funding source is identified.
Darrell Walker, assistant superintendent of operations, said this would not be the first time the district designed a school ahead of having land and money for the final project. A similar approach was used for the design of Kennedy High School, he said.
The land layout is so that it could be tweaked, but it could definitely be ready to go, he said.
The rest of the bond package remains unchanged from earlier discussions and includes two new middle schools, three replacement schools, additions at four existing schools and renovations at four others. It also sets aside $24 million for media centers and technology upgrades in every school in the district.
The proposal will now go to the county commissioners for consideration. The county has the final say over whether the bond is placed on the ballot, as is expected, and over the actual dollar amount. Then it will need to approved by voters in Novembers election.
We got to this point but making it come true depends on you, board member Elisabeth Mot-singer said. It depends on the public to turn out and vote in favor (of the bond) and support our children and staff.
The board will also send a funding request to commissioners for the countys share of the school systems operating budget for 2016-17. Budget director Kerry Crutchfield is estimating that will be $117.95 million an increase of $2.85 million from the current year, driven by increases in county revenues.
The school system is also requesting the county continue with its annual $1.5 million appropriation to support technology in the schools and provide $1.7 million for towards capital maintenance plan, both of which are agreements reached between the county and school system previously.
Land and Space Journal Sentinel business reporter Tom Daykin talks about commercial real estate and development. SHARE
By of the
A large building in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward is being sold, and could be redeveloped by its new owners.
The five-story, 49,300-square-foot building is at 338-340 N. Milwaukee St., at the southeast corner of N. Milwaukee St. and E. St. Paul Ave. Its owner is Sycamore Building and Investment Co., based in Oconomowoc.
Sycamore owner Joan Julien confirmed that she has agreed to sell the property, with a closing set for late May. She declined further comment, and said the buyer, whom she didn't identify, also had no comment.
The building's tenants include window treatment contractor Julien Shade Shop Inc. on its first floor. It has office tenants on its upper floors.
The brick building was constructed in 1907, and has an assessed value of $1.9 million, according to city records. It was originally built as a warehouse for drying and storing tobacco, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society.
By of the
Good morning, Milwaukee. If you are looking for a few fun things to do in the day ahead, we've got a few suggestions.
First, why not jump aboard a train, dine on local foods and end up at an art museum. "Dine and Dash" is part of YP Week but not necessarily for Young Professionals only. Tickets and information here.
Also, "The Other Side," a documentary that explores people on the margins in America, screens at UWM. Tickdet and information right here.
Enjoy the day!
By of the
Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. certainly had a busy time in New York last week.
Along with a controversial talk at the Waldorf Astoria and an equally provocative appearance on "Fox & Friends," Clarke made a New York gossip site for supposedly getting into a spat on Thursday with actress Lynda Carter, best known for playing Wonder Woman on TV in the '70s, over the issue of abortion.
But Clarke disputed the story on Wednesday, saying he and Carter got along quite well.
"There was no heated anything," Clarke said in an email. "In fact, I found her quite delightful. By the way, she asked for a pic with me. I was flattered."
Page Six, the gossip section of the New York Post, had quoted a source saying Carter, a political liberal, got into a heated exchange with Clarke, a conservative, backstage of Fox & Friends, the morning show on Fox News. Carter supports abortion rights while Clarke opposes them.
According to Page Six:
They got into a disagreement in the green room, said a source, over partisan issues, including reproductive health.
During the standoff, were told, Carter asked him, Have you ever had unprotected sex?! Clarke was in uniform and packing heat. But a spy added that it all ended amicably.
On air, Carter talked about her longstanding relationship with Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton, saying she is a victim of "a concentrated effort to smear her name for so many years.
Then Clarke, who is African-American, ripped into Clinton -- whom he calls Mrs. Bill Clinton -- on the show for telling a black radio host about her love of hot sauce. Clarke said the remark was as racist as telling blacks that her favorite food was watermelon.
Im surprised she didnt say watermelon, Clarke said. Just go all the way.
Clarke has declined to say whether he is backing Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump or Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for the GOP nomination.
Both Adient and Johnson Controls will be run from Milwaukee and based overseas for tax purposes. After merging with Tyco International, Johnson Controls global headquarters will be in Cork, Ireland. Credit: Mike De Sisti
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The world's largest maker of automotive seats will be run from downtown Milwaukee and offices around the world, but will be based for tax purposes in London, the company spinning off from Johnson Controls Inc. said Wednesday.
Adient Ltd. filed documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission providing details about the company that is expected to separate from Johnson Controls in October.
Adient's spinoff from Johnson Controls is taking place following the merger that is combining the building-focused fire and security systems business of Tyco International, which is based in Ireland, with Johnson Controls. The new Johnson Controls will have a global headquarters in Cork, Ireland, but its North American headquarters will be in Milwaukee.
"Today's filing signifies an important step in the spinoff of the Johnson Controls automotive seating and interiors businesses into the new, independent Adient," Bruce McDonald, who will become Adient's chairman and chief executive, said in a statement. "Adient will be the world's largest automotive seating supplier. As an independent public company, we will have the flexibility to invest in our core business and rapidly capitalize on emerging automotive trends."
In recent years, Johnson Controls has slowed its investment in the automotive business to steer its financial resources into investments in its higher-profit battery and buildings businesses, and to help fulfill the company's new goal of becoming a multi-industrial company. The company planned the spinoff as a way for the automotive company to have the ability to raise money to invest for future growth.
Adient will have annual sales of $20 billion, with 75,000 employees in more than 230 factories across the world, including a leading position in China the largest and fastest-growing market for the auto industry.
With its headquarters office in London, Adient will be organized under the laws of England and Wales. Its corporate offices will be located, in addition to Milwaukee, in Plymouth, Mich.; Burscheid, Germany; and Shanghai.
Under terms of the spinoff, Johnson Controls shareholders will receive a share of Adient for every 10 shares they own of Johnson Controls. The spinoff still needs final approval from the Johnson Controls board of directors, the company said.
The company announced Wednesday that former Johnson Controls Chairman John Barth will be the lead director on an eight-member board of directors that will also include McDonald, Johnson Controls' second-highest executive, as chairman. New board members include three currently on Johnson Controls board. Two members of the board will be announced later.
Johnson Controls had signaled last week that the automotive company would be headquartered overseas for tax purposes, saying it expected Adient would have a tax rate in the range of 10% to 12%. The company's tax rate in the most recent quarter was 26%, up from 7% in the prior year. For all of fiscal 2015, which ended Sept. 30, the automotive unit of Johnson Controls said its tax rate was 44%, in part because of the tax impact of companies it sold.
In its filing Wednesday, Adient warned that changes to U.S. taxation policies by the Obama administration and Congress could affect the company.
The Obama administration has been moving to crack down on attempts by U.S. companies to shift their corporate headquarters overseas for tax purposes, in a process known as an inversion. The issue also has garnered attention on the presidential campaign trail, with Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders criticizing Johnson Controls and Republican candidates highlighting the need for corporate tax reform.
FAQ
Johnson Controls Inc., Wisconsins largest company, is expecting savings of $150 million a year when it shifts its corporate headquarters to Cork, Ireland, this fall as a result of its merger with Tyco International.
The shift will come after Johnson Controls becomes a subsidiary of Tyco International, which will then change its name to Johnson Controls PLC.
The tax shift is controversial, as have been many of the moves by U.S. companies to shift some tax burdens offshore, and it comes after several moves in recent years by the Obama administration that sought to make the practice more difficult.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has repeatedly slammed the deal and brought it up at an earlier Town Hall meeting with her opponent, Sen. Bernie Sanders.
"Here is as direct an example of what's wrong with the thinking and acting of an American corporation that we could get," Clinton said last month.
Heres a quick look at whats going on:
The Boulevard Theatre finds comedy in Ionescos absurdest play The Bald Soprano. It continues through May 8. Credit: Troy Freund
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Eugene Ionesco always insisted that "The Bald Soprano" was a tragedy involving the death of language.
But Kenneth Tynan, the last century's greatest drama critic, was speaking for the audiences who saw it when he described it as "explosively, liberatingly funny."
To quote the most insightful character in Ionesco's play, "both are partly right."
But in Boulevard Theatre's smartly directed and strongly acted "Soprano," Mark Bucher and his cast are clearly emphasizing what Tynan rightly saw.
Unfolding over 75 intermission-free minutes, this "Soprano" plays like an old-fashioned British farce. It's delicious. And it's hilarious.
The high jinks begin before a word is spoken, as a sonorous clock chimes 17 times true to a play where time will continually play tricks.
Not that it seems to faze the smugly complacent Smiths, facing the audience and impeccably if conventionally dressed, as middle-class London suburbanites.
Hearing the malfunctioning clock, Mr. Smith (Mitch Weindorf) cocks an eyebrow and returns to the newspaper. Mrs. Smith (Zoe Schwartz) concludes that it's 9 o'clock, before launching into an inane monologue about the Smiths' just-consumed dinner, confirming that this pair has nothing to talk about.
And these two most definitely don't. They speak in tired cliches and move in straight, squared-off lines, reflecting a deadening inability to be natural or think fresh. They're clearly bored with each other and life.
All that's left to relieve that boredom is trite sexual innuendo and tepid hanky-panky; even here, rigidified ritual rules.
The Smiths got nothing on the Martins (JJ Gatesman and Sasha Katharine Sigel), their guests. The Martins don't even recognize each other until both speak of having a daughter, whom they then deduce must be the same person.
It's both crazy and a spot-on description of many couples who've become so immersed in their kids' lives that they've become strangers to each other.
Like such couples, this frustrated foursome knows itself to be unhappy; they speak emphatically and point continually, all by way of trying to convince themselves that what they say and do matters, even as every word and gesture makes clear that none of it does.
That disconnect had Tuesday's packed opening night house yours truly included in stitches. It's also deeply sad.
Both the tragedy and the farce are thrown in even sharper relief by the two remaining characters, Hannah Klapperich Mueller's maid and Hugh Blewett's fire inspector. They're also trapped; the maid serves mindless people like the Smiths and the inspector serves a mindless bureaucracy.
But Bucher ingeniously trims and reworks Ionesco's pessimistic ending to honor this play's greater truth: Much like the laughter this play unleashes, these two outsiders stoke what the inspector calls a "dream" of a new language, in which we might yet learn how to play and sing, together.
IF YOU GO
"The Bald Soprano" continues through May 8 at Plymouth Church, 2717 E. Hampshire St. For tickets, visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2539341. Read more about this production at TapMilwaukee.com.
TAKEAWAYS
The Ticking Clock: The seventeen chimes introducing this play are a harbinger of things to come. As "Soprano" progresses, that clock will intermittently interrupt proceedings, arbitrarily deciding how often to peal while altering the cadence, dynamics and pitch with which it does so. Time in Ionesco's play is continually out of joint, reflecting how readily we "lose" time when we fail to live purposefully and how, even when we live deliberately and fully, time is always running down and out, marching to its own beat and calling the tune. It's no accident that a wall clock perched behind the actors and staring balefully at the audience is set at five minutes to midnight. Or that the soprano of the play's title is bald. Or that Ionesco himself insisted that any play avoiding the topic of death couldn't possibly be true.
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie: Despite how little time they we have to live, time can't go fast enough for the Smiths and Martins. They pass time rather than inhabiting it and truly engaging each other; they also have absolutely nothing to say, as we see most clearly through desultory efforts at chitchat that will make the most boring dinner party you've ever attended seem fascinating. Even this foursome's couple swapping is fueled by boredom rather than desire; their conversation and their foreplay are sadomasochistic and borderline pornographic. And nasty. This foursome makes their mutual loathing clear, even as they form ever-shifting alliances; one is reminded of countless plays Bucher has staged over the years that skewer seemingly comfy but ultimately empty middle-class life.
Workers of the World, Unite!, Part One: The more things change, the more they remain the same: Moving from the sexual to the social, what counts here isn't mutual give-and-take exchange, but who wields power. That's what makes these two couples so class conscious; that's also why the Smiths treat their maid so poorly and why both couples later turn on the fire inspector.
Bucher is all over this often underplayed dimension to "Soprano." True to his muscularly proactive approach toward Ionesco's script something Ionesco's own stage directions invite Bucher can take an innocuous three-word line about a newspaper and transform it into a skirmish in a pitched class war involving a gripping battle of wills between Weindorf's Mr. Smith and Klapperich-Mueller's maid.
Klapperich-Mueller, incidentally, initially presents here as a stereotype of a sadistic German martinet. She's very funny, while playing with the upstairs-downstairs trope, ingrained in so much British comedy, of servants who can outdo their masters' worst traits. For all that, Klapperich-Mueller simultaneously exudes a passion and energy suggesting it's only a matter of time before she rebels. Which she does, upon the arrival of the fire inspector.
Workers of the World, Unite!, Part Two: The arrival of Blewett's fire inspector unleashes pent-up sexual energies in both of the bored, sexually frustrated housewives; Sigel is particularly amusing as she's consumed by them. But these women have little use for the man they'd like to have as a boy toy once it's clear he's got his eye on the maid. Meanwhile, each of these two outsiders will be transformed by their passion for each other. It inspires poetry from the maid; aided by a few Bucher changes to that poem's lines, Klapperich-Mueller's masterful recitation inspires a "dream" of a different and better "world" from the fire inspector.
One sees this most clearly in the way Bucher has reworked the play's ending. In Ionesco's script, an endless loop takes us from the ending back to the beginning, where the Martins now recite the deadening dialogue that we'd first heard from the Smiths underscoring how interchangeable these two couples are while emphasizing that everything within their sterile world stays the same, no matter how often it plays.
Without giving too much away, suffice it to say that Bucher dutifully reflects Ionesco's portrait of an unhappy foursome caught within a cage of their own making. But Bucher also suggests how this play's two outsiders might escape, by joining forces and thinking their way outside the box.
More optimistic? Sure. Warranted? Absolutely.
Having presented the death of language, Ionesco thereby poses the question of what comes next. Since the language we've inherited doesn't allow us to communicate as we once did, doesn't it make sense that at least some among us would go about learning a new language, together? Much as the maid and the fire inspector are clearly doing, before Ionesco pushes them off the stage? "In all of my work there is an element of hope and an appeal to others," Ionesco once said. Bucher's ending honors that impulse. I loved it.
Handle With Care: Last November, Bucher directed a Boulevard staging of Jason Odell Williams' "Handle With Care" that also featured characters struggling and initially failing to communicate not because language was dead and therefore meaningless, but rather because one of them was speaking in Hebrew and a second was speaking in English. This pair from Williams' play eventually learns to translate the shared language of the telltale heart, falling in love even though they often literally can't understand each other.
Given its parallel if nevertheless distinct preoccupation with language and communication, it's no surprise that "Handle with Care" was very much on my mind last night; for all their differences, both plays suggest why we must liberate ourselves from the dead hand of the past so that we might dream a better future.
But "Handle with Care" also sprang to mind for me because the lovebirds in the Boulevard production of Williams' play were Schwartz and Weindorf; Blewett also appeared in both Williams' play and "Soprano."
Talk about moving beyond the past and forging a different future: The appearance of this trio of actors in both productions illustrates the great care and dedication with which Bucher consistently handles young and relatively unknown actors, to whom he has spent more than three decades giving countless opportunities they may have never otherwise received. I'd never seen Schwartz, for example, before Bucher cast her in "Handle with Care"; one can only hope that after this production, some local theater artist who has now seen her play two very different characters will provide the first of a career's worth of opportunities to play many more.
Dontre Hamilton's family held a news conference about the federal civil rights lawsuit against Milwaukee. Video by Mike De Sisti.
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The family of Dontre Hamilton, who was shot and killed by a Milwaukee police officer nearly two years ago, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Wednesday, alleging the department's policies and practices led to his death.
Former officer Christopher Manney fatally shot Hamilton, 31, during a confrontation at Red Arrow Park on April 30, 2014. The lawsuit named Manney and the City of Milwaukee as defendants and detailed allegations related to the Police Department's hiring and training practices.
"At the very least this family deserves the accountability, deserves to have more information come out there," said Jonathan Safran, one of the family's attorneys.
Manney was fired for his actions leading up to the shooting, but not for his use of force. State and federal prosecutors declined to bring criminal charges against him.
The lawsuit describes how city officials delayed action on their 2004 pledge to expand Crisis Intervention Team training, an approach considered the gold standard for training officers how to respond to people in psychiatric crisis. Hamilton suffered from schizophrenia, but his family has said he was not dangerous.
That promise of more mental-health training went unfulfilled until December 2014 more than seven months after Hamilton's death when Mayor Tom Barrett announced the department's nearly 1,900 sworn officers would receive the intensive 40-hour training, partly a response to a push from the Hamilton family. All officers are expected to be trained by 2017, making Milwaukee a national leader in mental health training for its police force.
"The emphasis here is not to indict the entire police department," attorney Alex Flynn said. "Generally, they do a good job. What they do not do well is identifying the rogues and the scoundrels that every profession has."
The lawsuit also contained allegations that the Wisconsin law designed to provide improved transparency and accountability when police use deadly force was not followed.
Hamilton's death was the first subject to procedures under the new law and some, including the law's co-sponsor state Rep. Garey Bies (R-Sister Bay), have expressed frustration, saying the Justice Department did not truly lead the probe and instead reviewed reports compiled by the Milwaukee Police Department, which did the bulk of the investigation.
After the shooting, the Hamilton family and their supporters regularly rallied at Red Arrow Park, protesting the treatment of black men by police officers and joining national calls for police reform.
"I'm going to continue to fight for Dontre and all the other stolen lives that have been taken by a country that protects their officers (and does) not hold them responsible and accountable for their actions," said Maria Hamilton, Dontre's mother.
The lawsuit comes as the family and Coalition for Justice prepare for the second annual "Dontre Day" on Saturday, which will kick off at 12:30 p.m. with a march from the Center Street Library to Red Arrow Park.
Demonstrators will then stage a 14-minute "die-in" to represent the number of times Hamilton was shot, according to a news release. A rally with free food, children's activities and entertainment will follow from 2 to 8 p.m.
Veterinarian Jordan Lewis continued his practice until his final days. Credit: Family photo
Jordan Lewis couldn't imagine life without his work, and it turned out he didn't need to.
After a 60-year career as a veterinarian, Jordan died Dec. 29, two days before the retirement date he had reluctantly set because health problems were creeping up on him.
He was 86 going on middle age.
In recent years, his brother Gil urged him to retire, but his answer was always the same. "What else would I do?"
Gil, also a veterinarian, started the Lewis Animal Hospital on Main St. in Menomonee Falls in 1948, and Jordan joined the practice in 1953. Back then, Menomonee Falls was pretty much rural and the patients were mostly cows, horses and other farm animals.
Gil, who is now 90, retired in 1997, and Jordan just kept on going. Jordan's twin, Bertram, a third veterinarian in the family, worked into his 80s, too, on Long Island. The three grew up in New York City and all went to Cornell University vet school.
Jordan's wife, Betsy, said her husband ran an old-time practice, while keeping up on continuing education in the field. After Gil left, she would assist Jordan on minor surgeries.
"I was an English teacher, but I helped him. I had a new career," she said. Betsy and Jordan made their home in Bayside.
Eventually, Jordan cut back to three days a week, plus Saturday mornings. He referred out the more complex cases, but continued to serve hundreds of dog and cat owners.
One client, Glenn Eisner, told me Lewis was their vet for 40 years over two generations and truly will be missed.
"You never needed an appointment. He did most of the duties in his office himself. He did his own lab work, served as the receptionist, served as the pharmacist and did his own medical records. His fees were reasonable," Glenn said.
For years, the clinic which shared a ranch-style home with Gil's residence included boarding for 40 dogs. That part of the property later was sold.
Jordan's daughter, Amy Lewis Hammond, who lives in the Washington, D.C., area, would call her dad at work to tell him jokes. "Even in this past year when his health wasn't all that great, he just sounded always like himself when he was at the office. He just sounded so robust," she said.
He broke his leg a couple years ago, and it wasn't long before he was back at work and getting around with the help of a walker.
In the last year of his life, Jordan became the patient, battling myelodysplastic syndrome, a blood disease. But he kept going to the animal hospital, knowing his clients needed him.
He worked all day on Friday, Dec. 20. Gil stopped by to have lunch with him.
"Somebody came in and gave him a big kiss," Gil said. "They apparently knew he was retiring. I said, 'When the hell are you retiring?' 'Well,' he says, 'by the first of the year I'm going to be done.' I said, 'You never told me that.'"
The following Monday, Jordan wound up in the people hospital and doctors discovered his illness had advanced into acute leukemia. On Saturday, the last full day of his life, he and Amy talked about watching the Packers game the next day and how great it was that Randall Cobb and Aaron Rodgers were back in the lineup.
They also had harder conversations about hospice care and saying goodbye. Amy told him she always pictured that death would visit him while he was shoveling out a dog run at the office.
"That's the kind of scenario I had written, too," he said.
Jordan sold his customer list and equipment to another Menomonee Falls veterinarian he had come to know and trust, Scott Fellenz, and his business, Family Pet Clinic. They had co-written a letter to those customers saying Lewis was retiring and they should consider coming in to see Fellenz.
Days later, that letter went out with a startling companion note saying Lewis had died.
"He chose to practice veterinary medicine well into his 80s, not out of necessity," Fellenz wrote, "but out of love for his patients and the profession."
Call Jim Stingl at (414) 224-2017 or email at jstingl@jrn.com
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and former U.S. president Bill Clinton greet supporters during a primary night gathering at the Philadelphia Convention Center on Tuesday night. Credit: Getty Images
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Not the beginning of the end. But maybe the end of the beginning.
With victories in a string of Eastern states, including the industrial-and-agrarian empire of Pennsylvania, Donald J. Trump and Hillary Rodham Clinton took giant steps toward their respective presidential nominations Tuesday night. They swept away most of the uncertainty surrounding their drives to their conventions, and they did so convincingly.
They're not all the way there yet, to be sure. Clinton has a commanding lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont but cannot afford to permit the 74-year-old unlikely avatar of the Democratic youth movement to regain the momentum he had only a fortnight ago. For his part, Trump must continue his relentless push, state by state, but especially in the next six days in Indiana, where Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas may be making his last, desperate stand.
The greater drama is in the Republican Party, roiled as it has been for 13 months by a rebellion in its ranks that, now that it is in full flower, has substantially altered those ranks, changing the very definition of what it is to be a Republican and what the party, once the guardian of stability and the repository of steady habits, stands for.
Indeed, Tuesday's results in this state and across the Eastern Seaboard underscored how the American political world has turned upside down even though all five states that voted Tuesday voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election since 1992, when Clinton's husband first won the White House.
Wednesday morning, despite the continuing battle between the Sanders and Clinton loyalists, the party of stability is the Democratic Party, which only a generation ago was torn asunder by generational and cultural warfare; was suffering an identity crisis so severe it commissioned study after study to find its political gyroscope; and witnessed established political figures enduring pitiless critiques from outsiders who viewed the governing strictures and prevailing culture of the party as hopelessly outmoded and fatally corrupt.
Today that very description applies, syllable to syllable, to the Republican Party.
And, more startling still, those Democratic rebels make no mistake: Clinton was one of them, as anyone who witnessed or has read her Wellesley College commencement address will attest comprise something of an establishment of their own. Now "the Clintons" are as powerful a brand and as an important a factor in history as "the Kennedys" and "the Bushes."
It is true that the major meaning of the Sanders campaign, along with an attack on the campaign-finance system and a withering critique of the wealth gap, was an assault on the party establishment. While the campaign still rages Sanders insists he'll continue to fight the bitterness between the two camps persists. But it is friendly fire compared with the ballistics within the Republican Party.
Indeed, in a victory statement in Philadelphia, Clinton said of her rival, "There's much more that unites us than divides us," and she cited a string of issues that were more in Sanders' palette than in hers, including the sins of Wall Street.
The Republican nomination is not a settled matter, yet, even if Trump said Tuesday night, "I consider myself the presumptive nominee."
Cruz and Gov. John Kasich of Ohio have undertaken an arranged marriage that is less one of convenience than of necessity. Its honeymoon lasted less than 24 hours, and so an alliance that looked as if it were a vote- diversion agreement Kasich would ask his supporters to back Cruz in Indiana, and the Texan would ask his legions to back Kasich in Oregon and New Mexico now looks like something different entirely. It is now more akin to a no-fly zone, with Cruz agreeing not to campaign in the western states and Kasich agreeing not to campaign in Indiana.
In his victory speech Tuesday, Trump said "the Republican Party needs something much different from that." He described the alliance as "a faulty deal that was defaulted on before it even started."
The focus of the next week will be on two elements: the GOP party rules and the state of Indiana.
If nothing else, the struggle in Pennsylvania only intensified the importance of both those elements. Trump triumphed in this state, even sweeping the Philadelphia suburbs. And yet he came away with a paltry prize; more than two-thirds of the delegates distributed in this state will be unpledged the largest portion of any state to be so distributed. Trump is well-positioned to claim many of those unpledged delegates, but the gap between that harvest and his big victory only will add fuel to his fiery commentary.
Now the campaign moves to Indiana, where the Trump forces face a more congenial set of circumstances.
If Trump wins Indiana overall and prevails in each of its congressional districts, he will win every one of the 57 delegates on offer. That's the kind of delegate-distribution scheme the Manhattan businessman believes should be applied nationwide.
Moreover, the unemployment rate is at about the national average, making the state fertile territory for his criticism of trade agreements, especially the North American Free Trade Agreement. The state has lost 113,000 manufacturing jobs since 1994, when NAFTA was implemented, and though all the job losses cannot be attributed to the trade agreement, unemployment remains a sensitive issue in the state.
Other important primaries remain, especially California's, which has a prize of 172 delegates. The GOP contest almost certainly will continue until that confrontation, on June 7, but if Trump continues at this pace he may end the primary and caucus season with the delegate total he needs or well within striking distance of the 1,237 required for the nomination.
David M. Shribman is executive editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Email dshribman@post-gazette.com. Twitter: @ShribmanPG
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Harris is a man of integrity
As a lifelong Milwaukee resident and Journal Sentinel subscriber, I couldn't have been more disappointed in the April 25 front-page story by Cary Spivak and Kevin Crowe in regard to Devin Harris and his investment in our city ("Former UW star's firm racked up code violations").
The impression the story leaves about Harris' character is wildly inaccurate and misleading.
The properties referenced were purchased at a very low price and were obviously in need of rehabilitation; this is not the story of a landlord letting homes crumble. They were mismanaged, and changes have been made to further the process of having affordable housing available in Milwaukee.
I have followed Harris' career and development as a man very closely and can testify to his high integrity, his dedication to his family and friends, his faith and his love of Milwaukee. He is a person who makes good choices and gives back so much to his community, caring deeply about the youth of this city.
In a city desperate for community leadership, we need to support young men like Devin Harris, who has demonstrated nothing but class and dedication to the people of Milwaukee and Wisconsin.
Charles Grade
Milwaukee
Program reduces resources
The recent article about the proposal to implement the state of Wisconsin's mandated Opportunity Schools and Partnership Program in the city of Milwaukee contained a number of interesting new details about the latest "experiment" cooked up by suburban and outstate legislators to tinker with the education of Milwaukee's youth ("Schools plan gets rocky reception," April 24).
One particular detail should not have surprised any of us who have closely followed past state-mandated education "experiments." The article indicated that under the Opportunity Schools program, students may remain in the same building, with the same staff, but with reduced per-pupil funding.
While there may well be merit to some of the other school improvement strategies contemplated under the program, much like with the state-created voucher program, the real intent of the Opportunity Schools program appears to be to reduce the amount of resources invested in educating Wisconsin's poorest students and our students of color.
While I would prefer an approach that seeks to bolster investment in public education throughout Wisconsin, if these legislators are dead-set on continuing to experiment with school funding mechanisms to determine how to best educate students for thousands of dollars less than the state's current average per-pupil spending rate, I would encourage them to start with their own districts as opposed to the most high-needs children in the state.
Sam Leichtling
Milwaukee Public Schools
Graduate, class of 2001
Milwaukee
Elections too partisan
Wisconsin statute does not define "nonpartisan," but the Merriam-Webster Dictionary does: "not supporting one political party or group over another, not partisan."
There was a reason why the Wisconsin Legislature chose to have nonpartisan elections for judicial, educational, municipal officers and even sewerage commissioners. We want people elected to those positions to provide services based on the rule of law and not to favor any particular doctrine. We need to have confidence that those officers make decisions based on the common good and not to favor any political party's agenda.
Recent changes in Wisconsin law have blurred the boundary lines between a candidate and outside groups and individuals who provide financial support expecting, in some cases, to receive favorable attention.
All the money pouring into our elections may account for the partisan tone of our recent nonpartisan election. Nonprofit advocacy groups can now keep their donors anonymous, so no one knows who is behind the attempts to influence an election.
Let's keep our nonpartisan elections nonpartisan.
Dorothy Boyer
Cedarburg
Please email your letters to jsedit@jrn.com, or mail them to Letters to the editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, P.O. Box 371, Milwaukee, Wis. 53201-0371. Letters are generally limited to 200 words and are subject to editing.
With the abuse of heroin and opioids in Wisconsin being described as an epidemic, Robert Kraig and Erik Krikstein argue that the state needs to do more on the prevention side. Credit: Journal Sentinel files
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In modern medicine, it is only common sense that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It is well understood by patients and doctors alike that it is much more effective and cheaper to prevent a disease, or catch it in its early stages, than to treat it once it has become a serious health risk.
Although there is now an overwhelming expert consensus that drug and alcohol addiction are medical conditions, just like breast cancer or diabetes, our approach to prevention has not caught up to the medical science.
Wisconsin's response to the spread of heroin and opioid addiction is a case in point. Newspaper headlines and the state Department of Justice call the heroin and opioid crisis an "epidemic." As addiction is a medical condition, not an individual moral failing, this is appropriate. Despite this recognition in language, we have not responded the way we would if there were a serious disease sweeping the state. If there was an epidemic of flu or malaria, or any other life-threatening disease, our public health system would take dramatic action to prevent it from spreading.
Wisconsin's H.O.P.E. (Heroin, Opiate, Prevention and Education) legislation, passed in the state Legislature in several stages, has taken aim at addiction on a number of levels: expanded treatment and diversion programs, tighter monitoring of opioid prescriptions and arming more first responders with naloxone, a promising drug that can counteract an opiate overdose. The H.O.P.E. initiatives, which were approved by overwhelming margins, show bipartisan agreement that state government has a vital role to play.
What's missing from the initial response of state government to the spread of heroin and opioid addiction is a proactive approach to prevention that is up to the scale of the problem.
Large-scale prevention must start with Wisconsin's teenagers and young adults. It's well-established that substance use disorders begin during adolescent years. Research shows that nine in 10 Americans who meet the medical criteria for addiction as adults started using risky addictive substances before age 18.
Thanks to short-term grant funding, a handful of Wisconsin high schools are making early prevention a priority. These resources give each school the opportunity to partner with a local health service provider to offer SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment) to all students in at least one grade level.
Unlike invasive and ineffective drug testing, SBIRT is an evidence-based approach to identifying potential risky use early. Students begin by completing a confidential questionnaire regarding substance use. If a student shows signs of risky or dangerous levels of substance use, the program will work with the young person to get him or her back on a healthy path by providing the young person with brief counseling with a trained adult, or in rare cases, refer the person to treatment.
SBIRT helps prevent all kinds of substance addictions, including alcohol, heroin and opioid abuse, and other drug addictions. If we're going to bring early prevention programs such as SBIRT up to the scale needed to fight this epidemic, lawmakers must act boldly. Making prevention a priority means allocating the funds necessary so every high school has the resources to implement robust prevention programs.
It's time for Wisconsin to get out ahead of the crisis and ensure that more young people in the state have the opportunity to reach their full potential and realize the American dream. It is important for voters to talk to candidates about the need for funding drug and alcohol prevention in Wisconsin's schools during the elections. This is the best way to ensure that the Legislature will take bold and bipartisan action in the next state budget.
Robert Kraig is the executive director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. Erik Kirkstein is health care coordinator of Healthy Youth Bright Futures, a statewide coalition working to prevent substance use disorders among youths and young adults.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivers a speech about his vision for foreign policy at the Mayflower Hotel on Wednesday in Washington, D.C. Credit: Getty Images
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Donald Trump has decided that sexism in the quest for victory is no vice.
Trump's supporters have asked regularly why his long string of primary successes has not led his Republican opponents to accept him as "the presumptive nominee," the phrase he used about himself Tuesday night. The candidate helpfully answered the question by showing that there is nothing normal about his campaign for the presidency.
A candidate on the verge of taking it all is usually gracious about his foes inside the party and conscious of the need to broaden his appeal beyond it. But graciousness is not a Trumpian concept.
On his most glorious night so far, he again showed Republicans why choosing him would produce an avalanche of Democratic votes from American women and from many men who respect women more than Trump seems to.
"If Hillary Clinton were a man, I don't think she'd get 5 percent of the vote," Trump said of a woman who happens to have been, among other things, secretary of state and a twice-elected U.S. senator from New York. "The only thing she's got going is the woman's card. And the beautiful thing is, women don't like her."
But nothing is more likely to bring women her way than attacks from a brute, and Clinton made no effort to disguise her eagerness to join the brawl Trump started.
"If fighting for women's health care and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman card," she said with a broad smile, "then deal me in!"
Far from backing away on Wednesday from his gender war, Trump escalated it, "I haven't quite recovered it's early in the morning from her shouting that message," Trump said on "Morning Joe." And, yes, Trump said, he knew he was courting charges of sexism. "I know a lot of people would say you can't say that about a woman," he added, "because of course a woman doesn't shout."
It's helpful when your opponent underscores your own talking points.
For good measure, Trump took a pre-emptive shot on "Good Morning America" at Carly Fiorina, even before Ted Cruz announced that she would be his vice presidential running mate. Trump's criticisms of her, of course, were "not because she's a woman."
Trump is the champion of subliminal messaging. He loves to remind us that his candidacy depends on the regular mobilization of intolerance.
All this is why despite his big wins on Tuesday in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Connecticut and Rhode Island, despite his large delegate lead and despite the manifest weaknesses of his two remaining opponents Trump is still no sure thing for the GOP nomination. Next Tuesday's primary showdown in Indiana is crucial. So are the still widespread fears among Republicans that a Trump nomination would lead to a November bloodbath for their party.
For all the talk of hard feelings between Bernie Sanders and Clinton, whose four wins this week effectively sealed her nomination, the Republican Party is more divided ideologically and less sanguine about its front-runner.
An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll earlier this month found that while 78% of Democrats said they could see themselves supporting Clinton, only 61% of Republicans said this of Trump.
Trump consistently loses to Clinton in hypothetical matchups because of her 20- to 30-point margins among women. Trump seems determined to make that gap even wider.
And if Sanders' strong showing among young voters defines a Clinton problem for the fall, Trump is the obvious solution. A poll of 18- to 29-year-olds released on the eve of Tuesday's primaries by Harvard's Institute of Politics showed that among voters under 30, Clinton received 61% to 25% for Trump.
Trump has exposed the timidity of the GOP's leadership class and the bankruptcy of an old conservative ideology that can no longer rally the faithful. For their part, Ted Cruz and John Kasich aren't doing a very good job of cooperating even though their survival depends upon it.
But Trump has yet to kick his habit of reinforcing for all but his most loyal supporters how unsuitable he would be as a nominee. He made another stab Wednesday at looking presidential with an "America first" foreign policy speech offering bits of specificity that most serious candidates would have put forward months ago.
The fact that Hillary Clinton is beaming is why so many in Trump's party are frowning with apprehension. There remains one man who can beat the front-runner. His name is Donald Trump.
E.J. Dionne Jr. is a columnist for The Washington Post. Email ejdionne@washpost.com. Twitter: @EJDionne
U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan speaks to students at Georgetown University, where he urged young people to give the GOP a closer look. Credit: Win McNamee
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Washington Reaching out to a group of voters that has drifted away from his party, House Speaker Paul Ryan asked an audience of college students Wednesday to give Republicans a chance.
"I am going to assume that the thought has not been occurring to most of you recently," Ryan said at the outset of a town hall-style meeting at Georgetown University. "The America you want is the America we want open, diverse, dynamic."
This was the latest in a series of speeches heavily promoted by the speaker and aimed at publicizing his vision for the Republican Party amid the upheaval of the 2016 presidential race.
His appearance happened to fall on the same day as a big foreign policy speech in Washington by Donald Trump, the GOP front-runner who is highly unpopular with younger voters, polls show.
During the question-and-answer session at Georgetown, one self-described young Republican said he was dismayed by the party's top two presidential candidates Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and was hoping Ryan could give him and others like him some advice or reason for hope.
"Unfortunately, this is not the first time I've had this question," Ryan answered, reiterating his neutrality in the race but urging the student to "look at the policies, not the person necessarily" including the policies House Republicans will be unveiling.
In interviews before the event, Ryan said he wanted younger Americans to hear an "inclusive" and "aspirational" brand of conservatism, not what he called the "cartoonlike version" depicted by its critics.
During his talk here, he said that younger Americans are "so used to customizing your every day life" through technology that they should be drawn to GOP ideas based on personal autonomy and economic freedom.
He told students that Republicans believe it "is your money so you should decide what to do with it," and warned them of a crushing mountain of debt if entitlement programs are not reformed.
Ryan was warmly received by the audience. But he did draw challenging questions about the party's stand on immigration, taxes, health care and student debt.
More broadly, Ryan is fighting against the grain of generational politics in America. A large partisan age gap has opened since 2004 in presidential elections. Younger voters are more racially diverse and more liberal than older voters.
Trump, the probable GOP nominee who won all five states that went to the polls Tuesday, is hugely unpopular with this demographic group. In a national poll of 18 to 29 year-olds released Monday by Harvard's Institute of Politics, Trump trailed Democratic Hillary Clinton by 30 points in a fall matchup, and 74% viewed Trump unfavorably.
These younger Americans were almost twice as likely to consider themselves Democrats than Republicans, the poll reported. By larger margins than in the past, they want a Democrat to win the White House. And while they voice a lot of mistrust of the federal government, roughly two-thirds said they supported a "large" or "moderate" government role in regulating Wall Street, regulating the economy, reducing income inequality, providing access to higher education and delivering health care.
Taking questions from the audience and via Twitter, Ryan told students that both parties were to blame for the vitriolic political climate in the country and said that in the 2016 primaries, "gas is being thrown on the fire."
He answered a question about the Confederate flag by saying he supported removal of that symbol from the U.S. Capitol because "this symbol I think does more to divide this country than unite this country."
He told students he opposed mass deportation of illegal immigrants and favored giving them a chance to get right with the law, but blamed the current impasse over immigration reform on President Barack Obama's decision to change policies through executive orders.
Ryan said of GOP outreach to younger Americans, "you should want to be competed for and not taken for granted."
But the political challenge facing Ryan with this audience is reflected in polling in his own state of Wisconsin.
In a Marquette University Law School survey last month of more than 1,400 registered voters in Wisconsin, Ryan had a positive image among every age group above 30. But among voters under 30 a Democratic-leaning group he had a negative image: 25% viewed him favorably and 42% unfavorably.
Those numbers were considerably worse for other major figures in his party. About six in 10 voters under 30 viewed Gov. Scott Walker unfavorably; a similar number viewed Cruz unfavorably.
And 83% of Wisconsin voters under 30 viewed Donald Trump unfavorably.
A spokesman for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Brandon Weathersby, said in a statement about Ryan's appearance that the speaker was "desperately trying to mitigate the damage done by the divisive, offensive, and hateful rhetoric coming from his party's presidential primary front-runner, Donald Trump."
Workers of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant stand outside the plant during a ceremony in Ukraine on the 30th anniversary of the disaster. Credit: EPA
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Kiev, Ukraine As Ukraine and Belarus on Tuesday marked the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear accident with solemn words and an angry protest, some of the men who were sent to the site in the first chaotic and frightening days were gripped by painful memories.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko led a ceremony in Chernobyl, where work is underway to complete a $2.25 billion long-term shelter over the building containing Chernobyl's exploded reactor. Once the structure is in place, work will begin to remove the reactor and its lava-like radioactive waste.
The disaster shone a spotlight on lax safety standards and government secrecy in the former Soviet Union. The explosion on April 26, 1986, was not reported by Soviet authorities for two days, and then only after winds had carried the fallout across Europe and Swedish experts had gone public with their concerns.
"We honor those who lost their health and require a special attention from the government and society," Poroshenko said. "It's with an everlasting pain in our hearts that we remember those who lost their lives to fight nuclear death."
About 600,000 people, often referred to as Chernobyl's "liquidators," were sent in to fight the fire at the nuclear plant and clean up the worst of its contamination. Thirty workers died either from the explosion or from acute radiation sickness within several months.
The accident exposed millions in the region to dangerous levels of radiation and forced a wide-scale permanent evacuation of hundreds of towns and villages in Ukraine and Belarus.
At a ceremony in honor of the liquidators in Kiev, Oleg Medvedev, 65, who was sent to the Chernobyl exclusion zone on the first day of the crisis to help evacuate the workers' city of Pripyat, less than 21/2 miles from the destroyed reactor, told of his experience. After four days, "I already had to go away from the zone because I'd received the maximum allowable radiation dose. Thirty years passed, and I'm still alive, despite doctors giving me five. I'm happy about that."
"My soul hurts when I think of those days," said Dmitry Mikhailov, 56, who was on a crew sent to evacuate a village where residents knew nothing of the accident. "They smiled at us. They didn't understand what was happening. I wish I knew where and how they are now. I just can't forget them."
In Minsk, the capital of Belarus, where the government is bringing farming to long fallow lands affected by Chernobyl fallout, more than 1,000 people held a protest march through the city.
Belarus routinely cracks down on dissent, but authorities allowed the march.
"Chernobyl is continuing today. Our relatives and friends are dying of cancer," said 21-year-old protester Andrei Ostrovtsov.
The final death toll from Chernobyl is subject to speculation, due to the long-term effects of radiation, but ranges from an estimate of 9,000 by the World Health Organization to one of a possible 90,000 by the environmental group Greenpeace.
The Ukrainian government, however, has since scaled back benefits for Chernobyl survivors, making many feel betrayed by their own country.
In Russia, President Vladimir Putin, in a message to the liquidators, called the Chernobyl disaster "a grave lesson for all of mankind."
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Allison Borre stands near her Pewaukee home with her Ruger SP101 revolver. Credit: Mike De Sisti
By of the
Shamara Austin felt violated when she and her two sons, one just a few months old, came home six years ago to find their condo on Milwaukee's northwest side had been burglarized.
Someone broke in through the sliding glass patio door and ransacked the unit, flipping over mattresses, stealing televisions and a video game system.
The burglary shook her up and terrified her 7-year-old son, who began having nightmares. Austin had always been afraid of guns, and had no direct experience with them other than hearing about people hurt or killed in shootings. For the first time in her life, she considered buying one.
Allison Borre, a mother of three, grew up near Whitewater. She remembers the first time her dad took her target shooting during a family trip up north. She was 8.
Borre, who now lives in Pewaukee, was re-introduced to shooting as an adult when a post-divorce suitor took her to a shooting range for their second date. The guy didn't stick, but her interest in shooting did.
She and Austin live in distinct neighborhoods one suburban, one urban that are separated by 20 miles and vastly different experiences with gun violence.
Both have made the decision to carry a gun as a way to protect themselves and their families.
Since the state's concealed-carry law was passed in 2011, more than 300,000 permits have been issued. Last year, the Wisconsin Department of Justice reviewed more than 45,000 applications and approved 40,452 licenses. Of the applications, 667 were denied during the background-check phase.
State law forbids the department from collecting and distributing demographic data on who applies, who does or does not receive a permit, and where in the state they live. But Wisconsin Carry Inc., a gun-rights advocacy group, says its free concealed-carry classes are about an even split between men and women.
"We've got all walks of life," said Nik Clark, president of the group.
Of the 228 people who have registered for an upcoming course in Greenfield, about 60% are women and about 47% listed a Milwaukee address, he said. All told, more than 25,000 people have taken the group's three-hour class.
Anonymous surveys given at the end of the classes include a question about why a person is choosing to get licensed. Clark said many women who answer describe being a single parent and wanting a gun for home defense or having been a victim of crime.
Austin and Borre made the decision to bring a gun into their homes after wrestling with a fundamental question for any parent: How do you keep your children safe?
Their approach with their children differs Borre's oldest children have hands-on experience with guns, while Austin has only shown the weapon to her children. And both say they know about the importance of firearm safety in the home.
A recent report from the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families found the rate of children killed by firearms in the state rose 31% between 2008 and 2010 and 2012 and 2014, when it reached 1.7 deaths per 100,000. The national rate dropped by 7% over that same period.
In the 2012-'14 period, 34 Wisconsin children died from suicide with guns, compared with 29 children from homicide.
Officially, 27 children died from accidents with firearms in Wisconsin between 1999 and 2014, the report found. But the authors noted the number may be higher because reviews have shown that some deaths are coded as homicides if the shooter intentionally pulled the trigger, even if the shooter did not intend to harm the victim.
The report's authors proposed possible solutions, including investing in smart-gun technology, encouraging safe gun storage and doing a more thorough job of identifying people who are not legally allowed to buy guns and blocking their purchases.
Parents and caregivers also face possible misdemeanor charges if they leave a gun unattended and a child uses it. A Milwaukee grandmother was charged after her 4-year-old grandson found a gun and shot himself, while a Walworth County father was convicted of leaving guns accessible to his son, who was accused of fatally shooting one of his friends.
And on Tuesday, a 26-year-old woman was killed when a child in the back seat of her vehicle got ahold of a gun and fired it, striking her in the back as she drove south on Highway 175 near Vliet St., according to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office.
Feeling at ease and uneasy
Borre stopped shooting after she graduated from high school. At 19, she became a busy, single mom and didn't have the time.
She got married, had two children and later divorced. When she eventually began dating again, one of the men she met took her to the Delavan Sportsmen's Club. They shot rifles and handguns at the outdoor range.
"I really found myself liking it," she said. "I wanted to get better at it."
The hobby continued after their breakup, and trips to the range ramped up when Borre and her now-fiance, a firearms instructor, started dating. Soon she felt at ease, automatically keeping her finger along the barrel of the gun instead of on the trigger. In April 2014, she got her concealed-carry license.
Six months later, on Sweetest Day, Borre's fiance gave her a gift: a Ruger SP101 revolver with pink grips.
In Milwaukee, Austin decided to buy a .380 Ruger and to move after the burglary. But thieves struck her new house taking electronics and her gun so she moved again.
In the midst of the turmoil, she saw an ad for a concealed-carry class and got her permit in 2013.
She ended up at a modest house on N. 60th St. south of Capitol Drive. By then, she had purchased a .40-caliber slim model from Fleet Farm in Germantown. She kept the gun locked in a box, which she often stored in her car trunk as she worked to remake her rental home into a day care center.
A rash of burglaries swept through the neighborhood. Her house was hit twice. By then, Austin had stopped replacing her TV and her children's video game systems and was suspicious of everyone, including some relatives.
"Someone invaded your home, your privacy," she said. "You don't know if someone's watching you."
Her lowest point came on Dec. 24, 2014. She rarely kept anything of personal value in the house, but it was Christmas Eve and gifts for her two sons, as well as friends and family were piled high near the fireplace.
When the group returned home from visiting her son's father that evening, everything was gone.
"I had just spent all this money and my children didn't have a Christmas," she said. "I didn't want to deal with people."
Her uncle persuaded her to go to the family's Christmas dinner, despite wanting to be left alone. Her relatives brought small gifts for her sons and collected money so she could replace some of them. Austin still tears up as she describes their kindness.
After that, she kept the day care on 60th St. but rented a condo in Waukesha where she said she "felt a sense of peace."
She lived there last year, until the owner decided to sell. Austin, who gave birth to a daughter in September, couldn't buy it herself and had to move back to the same house on N. 60th St. She was afraid to keep valuables there, so she placed them in storage.
She still does not feel safe in the house, even with her gun, so she and her three children including her sons, now 13 and 6 are moving to her mother's apartment in another part of the city.
Conversations with children
Both mothers have had extensive conversations with their children about their decision to own and carry a firearm.
Borre and her children two sons, ages 18 and 8, and a 4-year-old daughter moved to Pewaukee about 18 months ago to live with her fiance and his 14-year-old son. The couple have multiple firearms stored in gun safes in their home. The teens have shot extensively with their parents as a family activity and her younger son has shot a small-caliber gun at the range once, Borre said.
"We do have a pretty extensive family safety plan, like if someone were to break in, this is what we would do," she said.
Borre says she understands people who aren't comfortable with firearms. One of them, she says, is her best friend.
For Austin, her focus is on her 13-year-old son and what happens when he goes to another person's home. Will he see a gun? Will people treat it like a status symbol, something related to "hip-hop, gangster stuff," as she put it?
"Even though my son knows I have a gun, he knows what it's for," she said. "It's nothing I show off and point around."
Austin and Borre say their decision comes down to personal safety. Not only was Austin repeatedly a burglary victim, she also hears about carjackings, gas station robberies, car thefts and shootings from her friends and family in Milwaukee whenever she logs onto social media.
Borre, who works in I.T., says she carries her weapon when she's called in to fix technology problems at her employer's Waukesha office. Problems can crop up at any time. She also carries the gun while hiking in remote areas of northern Wisconsin. Otherwise, her gun is locked up at home.
"I suppose I do feel safer in the situations that I do carry," she said.
A review of a week's worth of Milwaukee police incidents in five blocks surrounding Austin's house show a burglary and a car theft.
Meanwhile, a review of police calls for the entire village of Pewaukee during the same time period showed several traffic accident reports, including a man who wiped out a row of mailboxes, and one resident reporting that he found a toy gun and threw it into a dumpster. Police climbed into the Dumpster but did not find the gun.
Borre, now a certified instructor herself, not only thinks about when to carry, but how she would react to a situation that gave her legal cause to draw her gun.
"You can't pull it unless you think you're in clear and immediate danger," she said. "But to pull a trigger, that's a tough call, I think. Sometimes I think if it was just me, I probably wouldn't. If it was my children in danger, I would."
Austin makes her decision to carry on a day-by-day basis. Sometimes, she says, she can't help but wonder if she's attracting "negative energy" by carrying a gun.
"Should I just pray and just leave this gun home?" she said. "Is prayer going to save me if something does kick off? Am I going to regret not taking this gun with me?"
More from Precious Lives
To read past stories, and listen to podcasts in the weekly series of radio stories, including one that explores the issues in this story, go to jsonline.com/preciouslives.
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Maan News Agency |
BETHLEHEM (Maan) Palestinian youth in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank have widely disparate opinions on the ongoing wave of attacks by Palestinians, while all showed a dwindling of support for the two-states solution as a majority of youth continued to view political negotiations as an ineffective tool for resolving the conflict, a new poll revealed.
A poll recently released by the Jerusalem Media and Communication Center (JMCC) has found a discrepancy of opinions between youth in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip on a range of political and social issues.
The poll showed that 47 percent of Palestinian youth in the West Bank support knife attacks, only a 3 percent increase compared with a poll from March by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCSR).
However, the JMCC poll found that 79 percent of youth in the Gaza Strip support the continuation of the attacks, revealing a clear dissonance between the views of youth in the Palestinian territories.
The poll also found significantly more support for the current unrest among youth in Gaza than in the West Bank, with 67 percent and 40 percent of respondents respectively believing that the ongoing uprising in the occupied territory positively serves the Palestinian cause.
As for popular support for the two-state solution, the poll reveals an overall decrease in the number of youth from across the Palestinian territory who support a two-state solution, declining from 51 percent in March, as reported by PCSR, to 43 percent.
There has been a slight decrease in the percentage of Palestinian youth who believe negotiations will resolve the conflict, while the majority of youth continue to view international negotiations as fruitless and incapable of providing a solution to the decades-long occupation.
Recent weeks have seen a decrease in small-scale acts of violence by Palestinians in the occupied territory and Israel since a wave of unrest broke out in October, reflecting the decline in popular support for such attacks in the West Bank.
However, a Hamas-claimed explosion on a Jerusalem bus last week, which elicited support from several other Palestinian parties, marked the first time since 2005 that an Israeli bus has been targeted by Palestinians.
More than 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers since October, while nearly 30 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks.
Via Maan News Agency
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AFP: Israeli forces destroy home of Palestinian attacker
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |
Bernie Sanders path to the nomination as the Democratic Party standard bearer in 2016 was all but closed off by Clintons four big wins on Tuesday. His only hope had been to get close enough to her in pledged delegates to have a substantial number of super-delegates switch to him. (This kind of switch actually took place in summer of 2008 when super-delegates deserted Clinton for Obama). Sanders could not turn a string of primary wins into a victory because he went on splitting the states delegates with Clinton. His loss in New York was probably already fatal to his campaign, but the delegate count turned radically against him yesterday. If she can keep her super-delegates, which she now can, Clinton is only a couple hundred away from clinching the nomination (she has on the order of 2,168 with super-delegates, and just needs 2383). Even if she only gets half of Californias 475 Democratic pledged delegates, that would put her over (and she did defeat Barack Obama in California in 2008).
Nevertheless, Sen. Sanders will fight on till the last state and will come to Philadelphia with a substantial number of hard-won delegates. They will lose on the first ballot, but their energy and their presence in the party will shape the partys platform.
Sanders has already justified his run by having pushed Clinton substantially to the left on key issues. Here are just a few:
1. Fracking: Clintons support for the controversial method of drilling for oil and gas has turned lukewarm. She puts so many restrictions on fracking that it is hard to see it making a profit under her. Clinton almost certainly adopted this position because Sen. Sanders campaigned on the environment and pushed her to the left.
2. TTP: She now opposes the mammoth trade bill, which would certainly have strengthened elits and further weakened individual rights.
3. Clinton may not have flip-flopped on the Keystone XL pipeline, but she came to a clear and strong position against it after she began competing with Sen. Sanders.
4. She called for Michigan governor Rick Snyder to resign, after Sanders campaigned on the issue. This stance could make her more appealing to environmentalists.
5. In February, Clinton abruptly announced that she was for breaking up the big banks. Sanders on hearing her speech joked that he was looking into copyright issues.
6. She has also started coming out against the high drug prices charged by US pharmaceuticals, after Sanders campaigned on the issue.
Clinton will continue to need the left wing of the Democratic Party as she campaigns through Nov. 4. The trick for the left will be to find ways of tying her down and making sure she cant swing back to the center-right of the party after the July convention.
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Wochit News from last winter: Bernie Sanders Influences Hilary Clintons Campaign
VANCOUVER, April 27, 2016 /CNW/ - Wealth Minerals Ltd. (the "Company" or "Wealth") - (TSXV: WML; OTC: WMLLF; Frankfurt: EJZ), announces that it has executed a Letter of Intent (the "LOI") to acquire an option agreement giving it the right to acquire a 100% royalty-free interest in the Puritama 1 to 8 exploration concessions located in the Salar de Aguas Calientes (the "Property"), located in Region II, northern Chile.
"This acquisition is one of several potential acquisitions that Wealth management has been negotiating in the past weeks. The acquisition of this interest in the Salar de Aguas Calientes gives Wealth a real foothold in Chile, outside of the recently announced proposed transaction with Li3 in the Salar de Maricunga." stated Henk van Alphen, Wealth's President & CEO, "Wealth's aim is to continue seeking quality acquisitions over the coming weeks."
Property Details
The Salar de Atacama is currently the only salar in Chile which produces lithium. Chile's Sernageomin (Servicio Nacional de Geologia y Mineria) has published a list of 15 other high-potential Chilean Salars, and the Aguas Calientes Norte Salar is included in this list.
Exploration concessions at the Salar de Aguas Calientes cover an area of approximately 25km2 (Figure 1) with 20km2 subject to the option agreement to be acquired by Wealth and the remaining 4km2 held by Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile ("SQM"), which is the largest lithium producer in Chile. The exploration concessions are in the process of being constituted and have preferential rights over the area that they cover. Once constituted, they will be valid for 2 years, and may be extended for an additional two years upon relinquishment of 50% of the area. Wealth anticipates that the concessions will be finally issued within the next 60 75 days.
Historical surface sampling of brines and springs on the Property was completed in 1993 and results are outlined fully in the table 1 below. Results in 1993 suggested a lithium concentration ranging up to 169 mg/l. This initial sampling is broadly in line with independent analysis published by signum BOX (June 2015), which suggests an expected lithium concentration of 205 mg/l to 290 mg/l. The exploration concessions are located 320km from the port of Antofagasta. Access to the Property is via Route 27, a highway located at the western edge of the claim block.
The Company is treating the Property as a greenfields exploration project. Although the limited earlier work noted here suggests that the Property has potential to host a lithium deposit, the Property has not, to the knowledge of the Company, yet been explored with modern lithium brine exploration methods and there has been insufficient exploration to define a lithium deposit and it is therefore uncertain if further exploration will result in a lithium deposit being delineated on the Property. Accordingly, the initial program to be carried out by the Company will consist of a program of prospecting and sampling to determine the existence, nature, extent and distribution of lithium at the Property.
Table 1: 1993 Sampling Results, Puritama Project Area
Sample Medium K (mg/l) Li (mg/l) Mg (mg/l) AC1-1 Hot Spring 185 33.0 159.0 AC1-4 Hot Spring 54 8.7 23.1 AC1-6 Lagoon 805 145.0 705.0 AC1-8 Test Pit 1180 169.0 501.0 AC1-11 Hot Spring 13 2.8 25.0
Acquisition Terms
Under the LOI, Wealth has the right to acquire all of the right, title and interest of Minera MyMinerals Limitada, a private Chilean company ("MYM") in and to an option agreement dated April 18, 2016 ("Option Agreement") between MYM and Virtud Minerals SpA, a private Chilean company, ("VMS"). Under the Option Agreement, MYM can acquire a 100% royalty-free interest in the Project by making the following payments to VMS:
Date Payment Upon signing USD 150,000 (paid) April 18, 2017 USD 500,000 April 18, 2018 USD 1,000,000 April 18, 2019 USD 1,000,000
Subject to satisfactory due diligence by Wealth, which will be completed within 60 days, Wealth and MYM will execute an assignment agreement whereby MYM will assign all of its rights under the Option Agreement in consideration of reimbursement of the USD 150,000 initial payment and issuance to MYM of 100,000 Wealth Shares. There are no work commitments under the Option Agreement. VMS has agreed to provide ongoing mining property consultancy services, in order to secure the completion of the constitution process of the concessions comprised in the Property and keep them valid and in good standing throughout the option period, for a monthly fee of USD 2,000.
The completion of the acquisition of an interest in the Option Agreement by Wealth is subject to the acceptance for filing thereof by the TSX Venture Exchange.
Qualified Person
EurGeol Keith J. Henderson, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Henderson is a consultant to Wealth, but does hold common shares and incentive stock options in the Company.
About Wealth Minerals Ltd.
Wealth is a mineral resource company with interests in Canada, Mexico, Peru and Chile. The Company's main focus is the acquisition of Lithium projects in South America, including interests in the Maricunga Salar in Chile. The Company also maintains a portfolio of precious and base metal exploration-stage projects, including Yanamina (Peru) and Valsequillo (Mexico).
For further details on the Company readers are referred to the Company's web site (www.wealthminerals.com) and its Canadian regulatory filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors of
WEALTH MINERALS LTD.
"Hendrik van Alphen"
Hendrik van Alphen
President & CEO
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 press release, which has been prepared by management.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and US securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement, timing and cost of exploration programs, anticipated exploration program results, the discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/reserves, the Company's expectation that it will be able to enter into agreements to acquire interests in additional mineral projects, including lithium projects, the proposed acquisition by the Company of Li3 and the shares of Li3, and thereby an interest in the Maricunga Lithium Project; the proposed execution of formal agreements for the acquisition of an interest in the Option Agreement and thereby the right to earn an interest in the Salar de Aguas Calientes; and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, the state of the financial markets for the Company's equity securities, the state of the commodity markets generally, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, variations in the market price of any mineral products the Company may produce or plan to produce, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required, including TSXV acceptance, for its planned activities, the inability of the Company to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's latest interim Management Discussion and Analysis and filed with certain securities commissions in Canada. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties.
Caution Regarding Adjacent or Similar Mineral Properties
This news release contains information with respect to adjacent or similar mineral properties in respect of which the Company has no interest or rights to explore or mine. Readers are cautioned that the Company has no interest in or right to acquire any interest in any such properties, and that mineral deposits, and the results of any mining thereof, on adjacent or similar properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on the Company's properties or any potential exploitation thereof.
SOURCE Wealth Minerals Limited
Figure 1: Land Ownership at Salar de Aquas Calientes Norte and location of historical exploration sampling undertaken in 1993.
Toronto, Ontario (FSCwire) - California Gold Mining Inc. (California Gold or the Company) announces new assay results from the Companys recently completed Phase III drill program at its flagship Fremont Project (the Project) in Mariposa County, California.
Vishal Gupta, California Golds President and CEO, said, We have now almost completed reporting results for all of the infill drilling holes, which will support the maiden resource estimate. So far every drill hole has achieved its objective. The final infill assays should be received within the two weeks and we will immediately begin work on the resource estimate, which will bring California Gold to a new decisive stage in its future.
This press release discusses the assay results and corresponding geological interpretation for three holes of the Phase III drill program, namely DD-15-039, 043 and 044. Highlights from these three holes are displayed in the following table. The plan-view collar locations and interpreted geological cross-sections for all three holes can be viewed in Appendices A and B of this press release, respectively.
Hole ID # From (Metres) To (Metres) Interval Grade Metres Au (g/t) DD-15-039 74.8 79.3 4.5 5.84 Including 74.8 76.4 1.6 7.57 78.7 79.3 0.6 20.71 And 83.0 89.1 6.1 1.43 Including 85.4 86.6 1.2 3.26 And 114.1 122.4 8.3 2.47 Including 115.9 120.4 4.5 3.38 DD-15-043 82.0 86.7 4.7 2.00 Including 84.7 86.6 1.9 2.79 And 100.0 103.0 3.0 3.47 Including 100.9 101.8 0.9 7.54 DD-15-044 9.1 15.6 6.5 1.52 And 50.6 59.7 9.1 1.32 And 91.7 97.8 6.1 2.87 Including 94.8 96.3 1.5 6.58 And 145.1 163.4 18.3 2.01 Including 151.2 154.2 3.0 5.90 And 167.4 184.7 17.3 1.91 Including 172.5 175.5 3.0 3.64 And 178.8 180.1 1.3 5.70
** Notes: Composite grades are length weighted to interval width. Composite true width for DD-15-039 is estimated at 91% of the reported interval. Composite true width for DD-15-043 is estimated at 91% of the reported interval. Composite true width for DD-15-044 is estimated at 83% of the reported interval.
The Phase III drill program commenced on September 11, 2015 and concluded on March 5, 2016. It consisted of a total of 43 diamond holes, and 12,549 metres of drilling.
Todays announcement brings the total number of Phase III drill holes for which assay results have been publicly released to 23. Assay results for the previously released 20 drill holes were announced on November 9, 2015, November 23, 2015, December 15, 2015, January 18, 2016, February 17, 2016 and March 30, 2016. Further assay results will continue to be released as they become available.
The Phase III drill program is designed to achieve the following objectives:
Generation of a maiden resource estimate for the Project covering the main Pine Tree-Josephine mineralized zone
31 of the Phase III holes are infill holes in support of the resource estimate
Testing the down-dip extension of the shear zone in the main Pine Tree-Josephine mineralized zone to a depth of up to 1,000 metres below surface
Three of the Phase III holes are deep holes
Testing the mineralization potential of the newly discovered mineralized zones on surface originally discussed in the Companys December 4, 2014 press release
Nine of the Phase III holes are exploratory holes drilled in the Queen Specimen Succedo and Golden Slope mineralized zones
Discussion of the Phase III Drill Holes
The three holes discussed in this press release are part of the infill drilling segment of the Phase III drill program, focused on providing greater confidence in the geological continuity of the main Pine Tree-Josephine mineralized zone, in order to help generate a maiden resource estimate for the Project.
The results from all currently analyzed Phase III drill holes show strong correlation with the geology documented during the recent Phase I and II diamond, and historic RC, drilling campaigns, and geological analysis of the Pine Tree-Josephine deposit.
A descriptive overview of the geological setting and the various styles of mineralization prevalent at the Project is provided in the Companys news release dated November 9, 2015.
DD-15-039
Drill hole DD-15-039 was drilled with an azimuth of 260 and an inclination of -55 to a depth of 137.8m.
This hole intersected three important mineralized zones with gold values exceeding 1.4 g/t. A 4.5m interval with an average of 5.84 g/t Au was intersected between 74.8m and 79.3m. This interval is associated with shearing and sulfide replacement mineralization within massive to ribboned quartz veins including the Pine Tree Lode. This interval includes intersections of 1.6m with an average grade of 7.57 g/t Au (74.8m to 76.4m), and 0.6m with an average grade of 20.71 g/t Au (78.7m to 79.3m).
Within the serpentinite matrix a 6.1m interval with an average grade of 1.43 g/t Au was intersected between 83.0m and 89.1m. This interval is associated with quartz veins and sulfide replacement mineralization within and zone of cataclasite and boudinage development. This interval includes a 1.2m intersection with an average grade of 3.26 g/t Au (85.4m to 86.6m). Within the Mariposa Formation sedimentary rocks at the basal contact of the tectonic melange a 8.3m interval with an average grade of 2.47 g/t Au was intersected between 114.1m and 122.4m that is associated with a zone of brecciation and quartz veinlets that has been observed in a similar position in previously analyzed boreholes. This interval includes a 4.5m intersection with an average grade of 3.38 g/t Au (115.9m to 120.4m).
DD-15-043
Drill hole DD-15-043 was drilled with an azimuth of 240 and an inclination of -55 to a depth of 106.7m.
This hole intersected two important mineralized zones with gold values exceeding 1.9 g/t Au. A 4.7m interval with an average of 2.0 g/t Au was intersected between 82.0m and 86.7m. This interval is associated with sulphide replacement in the tectonic melange matrix between numerous massive quartz veins. This interval includes an intersection of 1.9m with an average grade of 2.79 g/t Au (84.7m to 86.6m). A 3.0m interval with an average of 3.47 g/t Au was intersected between 100.0m and 103.0m. This interval is associated with sulfide replacement mineralization and quartz breccia within the tectonic melange. This interval includes an intersection of 0.9m with an average grade of 7.54 g/t Au (100.9m to 101.8m).
DD-15-044
Drill hole DD-15-044 was drilled with an azimuth of 260 and an inclination of -65 to a depth of 195.4m.
This hole intersected five important mineralized zones with gold values exceeding 1.3 g/t. In the hanging wall mafic to ultramafic volcanic rocks three mineralized zones were recorded. These included a 6.5m interval with an average of 1.52 g/t Au between 9.1m and 15.6m, and a 9.1m interval with an average of 1.32 g/t Au between 50.6m and 59.7m, that are associated with massive quartz veins in quartz-albite-ankerite altered ultramafic rocks. A 6.1m interval with an average 2.87 g/t Au was intersected between 91.7m and 97.8m and is associated with quartz flooding in albite altered ultramafic rocks and up to 15% pyrite mineralization. This interval includes an intersection of 1.5m with an average grade of 6.58 g/t Au (94.8m to 96.3m).
A 18.3m interval with an average of 2.01 g/t Au was intersected between 145.1m and 163.4m. This intersection is associated with numerous massive quartz veins, quartz stockwork, and sulfide replacement mineralization in andesitic blocks within the tectonic melange. This interval includes an intersection of 3.0m with an average grade of 5.90 g/t Au (151.2m to 154.2m). Proximal to the footwall boundary of the tectonic melange a 17.3m interval with an average of 1.91 g/t Au was intersected between 167.4m and 184.7m and is associated with a zone of massive quartz veins and sulfide replacement mineralization in andesitic blocks that has been observed in a similar position in previously analyzed boreholes. This interval includes intersections of 3.0m with an average grade of 3.64 g/t Au (172.5m to 175.5m), and 1.3m with an average grade of 5.70 g/t Au (178.8m to 180.1m).
The Company has retained the services of SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc., an internationally recognized, independent resource consulting firm, to advise the Companys technical team on overall geological interpretation and to act as an independent umpire on assay results.
Description of Quality Assurance & Quality Control (QA/QC) Procedures
The laboratory being used for assay analyses is American Assay Laboratories Inc. (AAL) based in Sparks, Nevada (ISO/IEC 17025:2005 Certified).
Prior to transportation of core samples to AAL, all core processing is conducted at the Project site in an enclosed 6,000 sq. ft. office facility. All diamond drill core is logged, photographed and split using core saws. Core from entire holes is being sampled every five feet to compare with the historic RC hole assay intervals. Additionally, sub-samples are being collected within the planned five foot intervals where important geological or mineralization contacts occur to allow better discrimination within the geological model. The minimum sample interval is 1.5 feet.
One half of the split core is transported to AAL by Company employees for prep and analysis. The other half of the core is stored at the Company core storage facility for future inspection and assay verification. All gold analyses of strongly mineralized samples utilize the screened metallics fire (SMF) assay method with a gravimetric finish. At the laboratory, the entire sample is crushed to 90 percent minus ten-mesh. A rotary splitter is used to obtain a 500 gram sample for pulverising. The screened metallics are collected as the plus fraction from a 150-mesh screen at the lab. The plus 150-mesh fraction is fire assayed in its entirety. Two separate one-assay ton fire (1ATF) analyses of the minus 150-mesh fraction are performed and arithmetically averaged. The minus and plus 150-mesh results are then combined for a total screened metallics fire assay.
A full QA/QC program, involving insertion of appropriate blanks and standards is being employed with acceptable results. Generation of QA/QC control charts, and overall independent umpiring of assay results is being conducted by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc.
Mr. Vishal Gupta, the Company's President & CEO has reviewed and approved this press release. Mr. Gupta is a P.Geo. registered with the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (APGO), and a Qualified Person (QP) as defined under National Instrument 43-101. The exploration program at Fremont is being conducted under Mr. Guptas supervision.
About California Gold Mining Inc.
California Gold Mining Inc. is focused on developing its flagship Fremont gold project in Mariposa County, California. The project consists of a land package totaling 3,351 acres of historically producing gold mines. The Fremont Property lies within Californias prolific Mother Lode Gold Belt that has produced over 50 million oz of gold historically. The Company purchased the property in March 2013.
CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
This news release of California Gold contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause California Gold's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words expects, plans, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, projects, potential and similar expressions, or that events or conditions will, would, may, could or should occur. Forward-looking statements in this document include statements regarding planned exploration work on the Companys Fremont Property including the anticipated results and timing thereof. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward looking statements. Any factor could cause actual results to differ materially from California Gold's expectations. California Gold undertakes no obligation to update these forward looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change, unless otherwise required by law.
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.
For further information contact:
Vishal Gupta
President & CEO
647-977-9267 x333
Website: www.caligold.ca
Appendix A
Orthophoto of the Pine Tree-Josephine Deposit Showing Locations of Completed and Planned Phase III Drill Holes, and Historic Drill Holes
To view the graphic in its original size, please click here
Appendix B
Interpreted Geological Cross-Sections Depicting Down-Hole Traces
For Completed Phase III Drill Holes, and Historic Drill Holes
DD-15-039
To view the graphic in its original size, please click here
DD-15-043
To view the graphic in its original size, please click here
DD-15-044
To view the graphic in its original size, please click here
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Three weekday call shifts left and two more weekends. The light at the end of the tunnel is shining bright, and I am relieved to be walking towards it. The only question that remains is what will I have left of myself and my life when I get there?
I started residency with a husband who I loved more than life itself. I was codependent to a fault, never wanted to leave his side, and completely intertwined in his life. We traveled, we partied, we loved culture and we took in as much of the world together as humanly possible. Maybe the joyful times we had did not come with enough of the tough conversations that would have made getting through these long years of residency easier but it was the best time of my life.
Surgical residency is like a vacuum. It not only sucks you in but sucks the life you had out of you. The process conforms you into a new person that is able to withstand death, dying, and making incredibly tough decisions as easily as some people handle making dinner plans.
As a woman in a very male dominated program with few mentors, the training pulls your femininity right out of you. Man up: Words I and my cohorts heard a million times, in our conscious mind they seemed ridiculous and insulting but somehow still managed to changed us. The happy youthful fun girl was lost. I became a machine of the system, able to tolerate working days in a row without sleep. I learned to stop crying and continuously be strong. During my darkest days, the worst thing someone might think they noticed about me was that I may have had a cold.
Work always came before family. If I or anyone else ever wavered from that path, they were likely publicly humiliated for their misstep. We were not there for our families or possibly worse, we were there in the wrong ways.
It is hard to turn the doctor off when you go home. It was hard to see the dynamics in your household shift before it was in many cases too late. The previously loving wives, pushed their husbands aside and did not notice the change in dynamic before it was broken. The husbands at home, many professionals themselves, getting older, watching their friends make families while their lives were on hold, waiting patiently for their time once residency ended.
In a program with many women, all the married female residents filed for divorce if they entered the program with a partner. Men seemed to stay married but would commonly joke that they did not know their partners anymore.
I miss my old self. I miss being a girl; I miss feeling like a woman. Now that it is finally time to walk into the light, I walk in alone. I believe the knowledge that I have gained is invaluable. I am honored to have been given the chance to help make a difference in so many peoples lives.
However, in this process, I have hurt and lost the people that mean the most to me. I do not believe that training a person to help others should come at such a cost. The system is growing and trying to change; we just havent made it there yet.
The author is an anonymous surgical resident.
Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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I am going to confess that I am my childrens pediatrician. I have given them every vaccination they have ever had and probably would not trust another provider to do it. I endorse the vaccination schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics; I believe it is safe and prevents disease. I completed medical school and three years of pediatric training that helped shape this belief. I have seen death in children from polio, whooping cough, and pneumococcal meningitis.
However, I have chosen to use an alternative vaccination schedule when my vaccine-hesitant families request it. Mine evolved over time to complete most of the required vaccinations by the time a child is 2 years old. It is not evidence-based, the catchphrase we use to say something is scientifically proven safe and effective. However, it is rooted in something I value highly as a pediatrician: trust, open communication, and compromise.
My patients and I have a difference of opinion sometimes, whether it is about immunizations, antibiotics, or discipline. That does not mean we cannot or should not keep talking to each other. There are a lot of people out there not vaccinating their children, who may be putting others at risk of contracting disease. Guess what? They love their children as much as I love mine, and you love yours. As a pediatrician, I am going to trust you are doing what you think is best for your children, even if I do not agree with your opinion.
Physicians think that convincing parents to vaccinate their children is mostly about science. I am going to argue discussing and deciding whether to vaccinate your child is more about trust for some parents than science. Anytime we recommend treatment or perform a procedure, we are supposed to discuss the risks, benefits and, alternatives. Somehow, primary care physicians are not supposed venture off the immunization schedule recommended by the AAP and CDC and discuss alternatives. I am not sure how or why we boxed ourselves into this corner. It does not leave much room for compromise.
We are talking about someone who is hesitant to hand over their 2 month old, 2 year old, or 10 year old for an immunization. They have never seen diphtheria, tetanus, rubella, or measles. They may never have held the hand of a child dying from preventable infectious disease. Are we so far divided from these parents, we are unable to step back and see where they are coming from?
When I first went into practice, I accepted every non-vaccinating patient who walked through my door. After practicing for 15 years in my hometown, I have learned there are two types on non-vaccinating families. Those who want to build a trusting relationship with their primary care physician but are uncomfortable or hesitant to vaccinate. They are always willing to hear me out and vice versa. We have trust and rapport. Some parents eventually do vaccinate, and some do not, the point is we keep discussing it.
Then there are non-vaccinating families who want to talk at me and never with me. Their brows furrow at the mention of vaccinations and their arms cross. They call my office beforehand to remind me they do not want to discuss the subject at all during a well child exam. It causes them too much distress. I feel those individuals are not interested in a trusting relationship with me, involving give and take conversation. There is nothing I can offer them. So about five years ago, I stopped accepting non-vaccinating families into my practice unless I am able to figure out if they are interested in building a trusting relationship with me first.
Some parents trust movie stars who oppose immunizations more than they trust their family doctor or pediatrician. I know that is hard for a health care provider to accept, but it is true. Times have changed, and people do not look only to physicians for answers like they used to, nor should they. Maybe there are things we, in primary care, could do better. Maybe we could stop shoving science down parents throats and try a spoonful of compassion and communication to the help the medicine go down.
Niran S. Al-Agba is a pediatrician.
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Despite the opinions expressed in column, Heres why you cant believe top hospitals lists, Harlem Hospital richly deserved the 2015 Top Hospital distinction it earned from our nonprofit, The Leapfrog Group.
Our Top Hospitals committee sets the bar high, selecting only hospitals that perform at or above the level we would want for ourselves and our families. We used data from the annual Leapfrog Hospital Survey, calculating which hospitals across the country performed best on our rigorous standards for quality, including mortality rates, infections, outcomes and management practices that put patients first. Harlem Hospital excelled among its peers, even among hospitals with far more resources and bigger brand names.
Harlem Hospital is a public hospital; certainly not one of the elite academic medical centers New York City is known for worldwide. Given this, the column writer speculated that there must be something wrong with Leapfrogs data and offered several theories.
Theory #1: Hospitals game Leapfrog by reporting fictional data that we publish as is. Quite the contrary. Any Leapfrog-reporting hospital will tell you how tough Leapfrog is about verifying and documenting Survey submissions. Two-thirds of Surveys are sent back for further documentation and/or correction. We require CEO attestation for every section of the submitted Survey and randomly selected hospitals are assigned on-site verification.
Most importantly, its virtually impossible to game the table when your cards must face outward. Leapfrog is 100% transparent, meaning the data and methodology are made public by hospital.
Theory #2: Harlem Hospital cant be excellent because this award only compares them to 1750 other hospitals that voluntarily report to Leapfrog. The majority of the brand-name hospitals and systems nationwide report to Leapfrog, which is why our Survey accounts for the vast majority of the inpatient beds in the country. Thats an impressive peer group for Harlem Hospital to be compared to.
Unfortunately, few of those hospitals are in Harlem Hospitals own city because many New York City hospitals decline to report. Yet, Leapfrog reporting which is free to hospitals and free to the public is one of the very few mechanisms hospitals can use to reveal their performance to the public through an independent entity. Many New York City hospitals would be wise to consider how they compare to their peers nationally. New Yorkers deserve higher levels of transparency than we see from too many hospitals in their city.
Theory #3: Leapfrog is wrong about Harlem Hospital because other ratings say so. Consumer Reports gave the hospital a poor rating in 2012, the column indicated, and CMS dinged its safety record. Both of those respectable ratings looked at different data and different time periods than Leapfrog does. Indeed, Leapfrog gave the hospital a poor rating in 2012. But to its enormous credit, Harlem Hospital transformed itself since and today, its performance is outstanding. That deserves praise.
The column expressed surprise in general that different ratings differ. Yet, we expect and appreciate a variety of perspectives in other industries, from new car guides to film reviews. The unique complexity of health care requires more, not fewer, perspectives to fairly debate performance in the many dimensions of the vast health care enterprise.
In Harlem Hospital, Leapfrog sees a shining star. We are proud to call it a 2015 top hospital.
Leah Binder is president and CEO, The Leapfrog Group.
Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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Microsoft's one-hand use iPhone keyboard
With the iPhone getting ever larger, for many users actually typing on screen has become a challenge. However, Microsoft could be the unlikely saviour of Apple owners - with a new free one handed keyboard. Users can download the new Word Flow app from the iTunes Store, which has a 'fan-like' keyboard that allows users to easily access the entire keyboard. Read More...
A student from Presentation Kilkenny managed to win the overall prize at the awards night for the Kilkenny Photographic Society's Transition Year sixth annual photography competition.
The event was held in the Newpark Hotel earlier this month. This years competition attracted hundreds of photographs from TY students in Kilkenny City and county.
Their entries were judged by Bill Power FIPF and this years winner of the Irish Photographic Federations Photographer of the Year award. The top three photographs from each school and the overall five best photographs were announced on the night.
The winners were Laura Isselhorst from the Presentation (first place); Amy Lennon from Loreto (second place); Caoimhe Maher, St Brigids Callan (third place); Shauna Valentine of the Presentation (fourth); and fifth place went to Sophie Finn from Castlecomer Community School.
The five winning photographs will be on display in the window of the Book Centre over the coming weeks.
The hotel's Dunmore Suite was packed to capacity on the night with students, teachers and parents. Eugene Canning, Chairman of Kilkenny Photographic Society, welcomed everyone, particularly special Deputy Mayor Peter Cleere, and Derek Underwood representing Nikon, and Kieran White of Whites Pharmacy, who were major sponsors.
Dr John Cuddihy was MC for the night and he gave a soft critique of each of the 22 photographs that were prize winners on the night. The top three students in each school received medals gold, silver and bronze in order of merit. The medals were presented to the students by Cllr Cleere.
There was a short interval for the raffle before the top five winners were announced. The overall winner received a DSLR camera sponsored by Nikon; second place received a digital camera sponsored by Whites Chemists, and the other three winners received vouchers sponsored by Kilkenny Photographic Society. The respective sponsors presented these prizes to the winners.
All involved would like to thank all the sponsors, including Kilkenny County Council whose support, through the Arts Grant Scheme, made this years event a huge success as well as Nikon, Whites Pharmacy, Hennessy Sports, and Kilkenny Photographic Society itself.
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By Andrew Binion of the Kitsap Sun
PORT ORCHARD A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to nearly 12 years in prison after pleading guilty in two cases where he attempted to garrote a woman and in the other where he stabbed a man with a screwdriver but, to show how sorry he was, then stabbed himself in the hand.
Ryan Lee Rooney, of Port Orchard, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree assault Thursday in Kitsap Superior Court and was sentenced by Judge Jennifer Forbes to 70 months in each, and the sentences are to run consecutively.
The incidents occurred within two days in June, according to charging documents, and a man who knew Rooney said he suspected he was using meth during the period.
In the garroting case, a woman told a Kitsap County sheriff's deputy that Rooney had, without provocation, punched her in the face, choked her with his hands and choked her using a length of silver wire. The woman said she passed out during the struggle and couldn't remember details but said she was able to free herself and run away.
"She kept saying there was something wrong with Rooney and he was crazy the way he stared and smiled at her while he choked her," the deputy wrote.
In the stabbing case, Rooney apparently believed a man he was working for was negotiating to sell him to another man. The two men were actually discussing the sale of an electric generator.
Rooney stabbed the supposed "buyer" in the neck with a screwdriver. When witnesses began yelling at him, Rooney apologized then stabbed himself in the hand, the screwdriver going all the way through his hand.
"Rooney then said that this was his way of showing that he was sorry for what had happened," a deputy wrote.
The court found that Rooney was competent to stand trial, a legal distinction, which means he was found to be able to participate in his own defense and to understand the charges against him.
He has a lengthy criminal history, including 12 felony convictions in Kitsap and Mason counties, mostly for drugs and theft, according to court documents.
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By Tristan Baurick of the Kitsap Sun
PORT ORCHARD The developers of the Horstman Heights housing development were fined $53,000 for polluting a stream and Sinclair Inlet with muddy runoff.
Horstman Heights is on an 11-acre site at Horstman Road and Orlando Street. As many as 54 single-family homes had been planned there.
The state Department of Ecology inspectors determined that Gig Harbor-based Mike Paul Construction had violated six state stormwater management rules and an Ecology order from late last year to halt stormwater discharge.
"This is a steep sloping site, making it all the more important to follow the general permit requirements (to) prevent the problems we've seen at this site," said Heather Bartlett, Ecology's water-quality program manager.
Flooding from Horstman Heights caused mud to cover a nearby stream's rocky bed and pushed muddy water through adjoining Sullivan Creek and then into the inlet. Muddy stormwater can harm fish and other aquatic life.
It's not the first time the site has caused runoff problems.
Under a previous owner who had not properly secured the site for runoff, Horstman Heights let loose a torrent of mud that caused a large brown plume in the inlet. The owner, David Alan Development, was fined $76,000 in 2009.
Bartlett said the new owner had been ordered on repeated visits to curb the site's runoff.
Inspectors determined that Mike Paul Construction had failed to meet the basic requirement of developing a stormwater pollution plan. The company also failed to sample stormwater at discharge points, install and maintain stormwater control features, protect steep slopes and storm drains, and prevent construction vehicles from tracking mud on nearby roadways all of which violated Ecology rules.
Port Orchard had issued a temporary stop work order on the site in October and assisted Ecology with its investigation.
Mike Paul Construction has subsequently addressed some of the violations. It now samples its discharge, but it continues to violate Ecology's order to halt the discharge.
The company did not immediately return calls for comment.
South Kitsap School Board's Keith Garton (back left) and Josh Sewell, of the Elton Goodwin Foundation, watch a computer screen as the votes for the South Kitsap school bond come in Tuesday at McCormick Woods.
SHARE South Kitsap School Board's Keith Garton (back left) and Josh Sewell, of the Elton Goodwin Foundation, watch a computer screen as the votes for the South Kitsap school bond come in Tuesday at McCormick Woods. MEEGAN M. REID / KITSAP SUN Elections official Jeremy Minard opens and sorts South Kitsap school bond ballots for counting Tuesday at the Kitsap County Auditor's Office. MEEGAN M. REID / KITSAP SUN
By Christina Henry of the Kitsap Sun
SOUTH KITSAP For the second time this year, voters in South Kitsap appear to have turned down a $127 million bond to build a second high school off Old Clifton Road.
The bond, which includes $2 million for upgrades to South Kitsap High School, needs 60 percent to pass and got 58.8 percent approval, in preliminary results released Tuesday night by the Kitsap County auditor.
Bond supporters are holding out hope ballots not yet counted will turn the tide.
"We don't think we're out yet," said Tiffany Wilhelm, a co-chair of the Yes4SK committee.
The committee has gotten reports of many people placing ballots in drop boxes just before the 8 p.m. Tuesday deadline.
An identical 30-year bond measure narrowly failed in February, with 59.9 percent of ballots cast for the second high school. Late coming votes trended for the bond.
"We saw the numbers that came in last time really played in our favor," Wilhelm said. "We're going to hold onto that power of positive thinking and that hope."
A total of 19,860 ballots for the April election had been counted as of 8 p.m. Tuesday, when the polls closed.
Ballots postmarked April 26 or placed in ballot boxes by 8 p.m. Tuesday will be counted by the auditor's elections division in the next few days. The elections division also accepted hand-delivered ballots up to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Elections Manager Kyle Joyce roughly estimates around 1,000 more ballots will be counted. He could not say statistically whether that would be enough to swing results in favor of the bond, should results trend toward passing the measure.
"I don't think it's impossible," Joyce said. "I haven't run the numbers."
School board President Greg Wall said bond supporters are "cautiously optimistic" that the measure may yet pass. The number of "no" votes remains about the same as in preliminary results from the Feb. 9 election, Wall said. And the Yes4SK committee has worked hard on a "grass-roots" effort to get "yes" voters to the polls.
If 39 more "yes" votes had come in for the February election the bond would have passed.
Yes4SK amped up its efforts a couple of weeks before the April 26 election, instead of waiting until the Saturday before election day, as was done in February, according to Wilhelm.
"With data from the February election, we have been able to target precincts with high 'yes' counts and have spent time in those precincts doorbelling over the last two weeks," Wilhelm said.
The Auditor's Office makes precinct voting records publicly available, except in precincts of fewer than 10 people, to protect voter privacy. Information that committees like Yes4SK receive are about the precinct as a whole, but how an individual voted is protected information under state law, Joyce said.
South Kitsap School Supporters, the official name of the Yes4SK committee, raised and spent more than $40,000, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission.
The Committee Against the Measure wrote a statement against the bond for the elections website but raised no funds, according to PDC records. The pro-bond group had no other official opponents.
The last time South Kitsap School District passed a bond was in 1988 to build three elementary schools. The district made two failed bond attempts for a second high school in the 1990s. A 2007 bond failed, with 52.76 percent in favor.
Wall said the board will consider rerunning the bond in 2017, should the final result fail. A third attempt is not a foregone conclusion, however, since the district also must run a maintenance and operations levy in 2017.
The next ballot count will come from the elections office by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.
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By Kathleen Parker
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. When it comes to rhetoric, Plato was right and Aristotle not so much.
Distilled, Aristotle thought rhetoric good for democracy, though his definition of "by the people" was closer to our Founding Fathers' intent of only certain people than to today's more-the-merrier model. Given this assumption of a narrow, educated, self-governing populace, Aristotle likely envisioned that those practicing rhetoric would be guided by accepted rules of argument and engagement, emphasizing ethos (trust and credibility), pathos (appropriate use of emotion) and logos (logical argument and facts).
Plato, who was Aristotle's mentor, thought otherwise that rhetoric, or the art of persuasion, in the wrong hands was dangerous and likely to be abused to appeal to people's base motives. He foresaw the unethical, dishonest uses that a skilled but immoral speaker could put his persuasive powers to, with credulous people eager to believe or buy whatever he was selling.
Which brings us unavoidably to Donald Trump, as if you hadn't guessed.
We at least owe Trump thanks for bringing these two ancient philosophers out of history's woodwork and back into the conversation. Trump also has inspired reconsideration of rhetoric's rightful place in the classroom, where it was once considered an essential component of "a gentleman's" education.
One such classroom can be found at the University of Virginia Law School, where I was recently a guest lecturer. What better time to be reviewing rhetoric's ancient rules and modern applications than during a presidential election that features one of the most blazing examples of unsavory rhetoric since Clark Stanley boiled a live rattlesnake at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago.
It turned out that "Stanley's Snake Oil" had nary a drop of reptile adipose but was instead a mixture of beef fat, red pepper and turpentine. Even if it had contained 'huile de serpent, the liniment would have been ineffective as a curative. Rattlesnake oil contains only a third of the vital acid found in the widely popular Chinese snake oil of the time, which was made from water snakes. Thought you'd like to know.
So, the question for today's class: Is Trump the huckster that Plato predicted would someday organize an angry mob into a proud army of anti-intellectual patriots inoculated to facts and reason?
Why, yes! But don't take my word for it. Consider instead the appraisal of UVA law professor Robert Sayler, who has cowritten a book with Molly Bishop Shadel, "Tongue-Tied America," as a template for would-be high-school rhetoric teachers. Using Aristotle's aforementioned framework, Sayler divined the Greek philosopher's answer to the question: "Trump's buffoonery and unhinged chatter reduces to utter catastrophe."
Let us count the ways.
First, in the matter of ethos, or earning the trust of one's audience, Trump is as big a prevaricator as he accuses "Lyin' Ted" Cruz of being. PolitiFact gave Trump its 2015 award for the most fibs. In distrust do us part.
Second is pathos, which Sayler defines as the sparing appeal to emotions. For The Donald, another "F." Says Sayler: "Trump routinely rages, flush-faced, anger-spewing, sputtering, especially when challenged." He has spoken of people leaving his rallies "on stretchers" or deserving a "punch ... in the face," while promising to pay assailants' legal fees.
Third and last, Trump also flunks logos. Channeling Aristotle, Sayler opines that Trump's logic, common sense and factual argumentation are "a minefield of chaos." Rather than advance positive proposals, Trump spends most of his time railing against what he opposes: the Geneva Conventions, NATO, world trade, the United Nations, the president, "experts" and, of course, "the establishment."
Otherwise, he operates in a substance-free zone of narcissistic fantasy. "They love me," he insists. "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose any voters."
Sayler describes several of Trump's other anti-logos traits, with amusing categories such as "The Bonkers," which covers the mogul's remark about Hillary Clinton's "disgusting" bathroom break. Under "The Frightening," Sayler points to Trump's wish to be "unpredictable," including firing off possible nuclear attacks. Trump, concludes the professor, is a world-class demagogue and blunderbuss.
It's little wonder that the "Stop Trump" movement has gained traction, leading recently to an obstructionist partnership between Cruz and John Kasich. It is also highly unlikely that Trump supporters give a hoot. Plato, Aristotle and Sayler are all elitists, aren't they? But what should be plain to everyone else is that the study of rhetoric is essential to an educated populace, lest rising generations fall prey to future demagogues and the perilous fates that await the unwitting.
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Diana Tyree-Eddy, Hansville
Stand up for hungry kids and families
I am flumoxed that some members of Congress and presidential candidates continue to attack key programs that help our neighbors struggling with poverty. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) is helping families in our community many of them working full-time but struggling to make ends meet put food on the table.
As a special ed teacher I know that SNAP and other nutrition programs have been shown time and again to not only improve a child's short-term health, but also to have remarkable effects in the long term. Children who benefit from these programs are healthier, do better in school, achieve more, and have increased economic opportunities later in life.
With one in five American children at risk of going to bed hungry, we need to build on the success of these programs instead of dismantling them. I urge our members of Congress to stand up for hungry children and families. They should immediately reject any proposals to cut or restructure nutrition programs, and instead invest making sure no American goes hungry.
Methodist Medical Center
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By Kristi L. Nelson of the Knoxville News Sentinel
The Leapfrog Group didn't give any local hospitals low grades for patient safety in its biannual "report card," but a few area facilities saw their grades fall from surveys past.
The national nonprofit released its Spring 2016 Hospital Safety Scores this week, grading more than 2,500 hospitals nationwide on medical errors, accidents, injuries, infections and "best practices."
With the scores, it issued results of a study that looked at "avoidable deaths" in hospitals at each grade level, suggesting that more than half of the nation's annual reported 206,021 avoidable deaths in hospitals occurred in facilities that got lower than an "A" grade, and that 33,439 lives annually could be saved if all hospitals achieved "A" safety grades.
Among Knoxville-area hospitals, Leapfrog gave A's to University of Tennessee Medical Center and Covenant Health's Fort Sanders Regional, Fort Loudoun, LeConte, Roane and Methodist medical centers. All received A's last fall, and Methodist has gotten straight A's from Leapfrog since 2013.
Related: See detailed scores for local hospitals
B's went to Morristown-Hamblen Healthcare System, which had gotten a A last fall, and Parkwest and Claiborne medical centers, both of which last received C's.
Tennova Healthcare's Physicians Regional, Turkey Creek and North Knoxville medical centers all scored C's, as did with Blount Memorial Hospital. Of those, only North Knoxville Medical Center had a C last fall.
Leapfrog added some data past surveys didn't have, such as measuring MRSA bacteremia and Clostridium difficile infections.
About half the hospitals had fewer C. diff infections than the national average. But only two hospitals Parkwest, and Morristown-Hamblen had fewer methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections than the national average, although most local hospitals still had fewer than the nation's lowest-scoring hospitals, and MRSA data was unavailable for Covenant's smaller hospitals.
Blount Memorial, Physicians Regional, Turkey Creek and North Knoxville Medical Center had a MRSA rate close to the lowest-scoring hospitals nationally, which likely brought their "grades" down from last fall's.
"Tennova faces a unique challenge with regard to 'report cards' such as Leapfrog, as all three of our Metro hospitals operate under one Medicare provider number," said Jerry Askew, vice president of external relations for Tennova. "As a result, much of the data used to evaluate our hospitals are aggregated, amplifying negative results and penalizing all three hospitals.
"For example, most data reported on hospital-associated infections for any one of the three Knoxville based-hospitals actually reflect results for all three combined, yet are reported as individual results for each hospitals. On Hospital Compare, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services public website, we meet or are better than the national average in many categories, especially related to infections, surgical care and complications."
Askew said among "best practices" Tennova hospitals have instituted over the past year and a half are changes designed to reduce infections associated with urinary and central-line catheters.
Leapfrog also added "patient experience measures" to the spring 2016 scores, using patient surveys about how quickly hospital staff respond to inpatients, and how well they communicate with patients about medical issues, medication and discharge instructions. In general, patients rated local hospitals better at responding to and communicating with inpatients than at giving clear information about medication and discharge instructions.
Every hospital showed room for improvement in at least some areas patient falls, bedsores, various infections or problems after surgery. But the data has some shortcomings: UT Medical Center, for example, scored an A and was better than the national average in most areas, but ranked below average in some problems during or after surgery. However, as a regional trauma center and teaching hospital, it sees more complicated cases than the average hospital, which the data don't reflect.
Leapfrog issues the scores not only to encourage hospitals to improve by adopting "best practices," but to give consumers the ability to look at safety, broken down into certain categories, when choosing a hospital for a specific procedure or type of care. At www.hospitalsafetyscore.org, they can find how hospitals compare to the national average in different areas.
"The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Scores are one of many measurement tools that give us useful information about our hospitals' performance," said Jim VanderSteeg, president and CEO of Covenant Health. "Along with other publicly available reports, these tools can offer patients and consumers helpful information related to hospital care."
Dr. Inga Himelright, UT Medical Center's senior vice president and chief quality officer, said the hospital's A score reflects "our relentless focus on quality and safety in patient care," but "we also recognize there are areas of opportunity. We have dedicated efforts working toward those specific areas and are committed to continuous improvement."
American lotus bloom across P-1 pond's surface at Heritage Center Greenway, the former K-25 site, in Oak Ridge on Thursday, July 30, 2015 as East Tennessee Technology Park's buildings rise in the background. (ADAM LAU/NEWS SENTINEL/FILE)
SHARE The U-shaped K-25 building in Oak Ridge and its sister uranium-enrichment plant, K-27, in the foreground, are pictured in an undated photograph. Demolition of the mile-long K-25 plant is complete and K-27 is scheduled to be torn down by the end of 2016. (Bechtel Jacobs/Special to the News Sentinel) An old sign is next to an abandoned roadway that's become part of a greenway system of trails with the 1,200-acre former K-25 site where uranium was once enriched. BOB FOWLER/NEWS SENTINEL/FILE
By Bob Fowler of the Knoxville News Sentinel
OAK RIDGE The U.S. Department of Energy is on the verge of turning over 200 acres and five large buildings to the nonprofit that seeks to find new tax-generating uses for DOE facilities and land, and those transfers should help boost the organization's bottom line.
Lawrence Young, president of the Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee, said DOE and its environmental cleanup contractor, UCOR, are "working feverishly" to get the five buildings in the 1065 Complex in shape for the transfers.
In the northwest corner of the huge former uranium enrichment facility and Manhattan Project site known as K-25, there are four, 50,000 square-foot buildings and a 35,000 square-foot building on 13 acres. The buildings, constructed in the late 1980s or early 1990s, were used by UCOR and its predecessor.
Three buildings should be turned over to CROET later this year, and the remaining two structures should become available next year. The buildings are in good shape, Young said.
Once in CROET's possession, the buildings could be sold or leased as part of the nonprofit's mission to convert the former DOE property into a private industrial/business park. As part of the transition, the name of the site has been dubbed Heritage Center in East Tennessee Technology Park.
Young said with the transfer of the buildings, it could jump-start "an incredibly robust speculative building program" with proceeds that could replenish CROET's coffers.
DOE is also wrapping up plans to transfer some 200 acres on a peninsula of the K-25 complex to CROET, Young said.
That move may be put on hold until a potential client becomes available, he said.
In other matters during the CROET board of directors meeting Tuesday, Young said a shell of a speculative building that the organization constructed several years ago may finally be getting a tenant.
CROET spent $1 million to build that 16,500 square-foot structure and will likely have to take out a short-term loan to complete it.
The unnamed tenant wants a year-to-year lease. The firm intends to use the building for offices, equipment maintenance and some analysis operations, Young said after the meeting.
Members of the Honor Guard of the 79th New York Highlanders fire three shots in salute to the Union soldiers who were aboard the Sultana steamboat when it exploded April 27, 1865.
SHARE William "Dewey" Beard of Strawberry Plains, far right, sings a medley of Civil War-era songs to end a rededication ceremony Saturday for the Sultana monument in South Knoxville, which was dedicated in 1916. William "Dewey" Beard of Strawberry Plains plays "Taps" during a Saturday ceremony honoring the 100th anniversary of the Sultana monument in the Mount Olive Baptist Church Cemetery in South Knoxville. Norman Shaw, founder of the Association for Sultana Descendants and Friends, tells about a hundred onlookers Saturday about the greatest maritime disaster in U.S. history and the monument survivors erected themselves after the federal government turned them down. Shane Miles of Strawberry Plains leads local Civil War re-enactors during a re-dedication ceremony for the Sultana monument on Saturday.
High on a hill in a South Knoxville cemetery, a hundred onlookers gathered Saturday to re-enact a hundred-year-old event.
There they rededicated the Sultana monument in the Mount Olive Baptist Church Cemetery during a ceremony designed to mirror the dedication of the monument 100 years ago.
The Sultana was a Mississippi River side-wheel steamboat that exploded and sank near Memphis on April 27, 1865, explained Norman Shaw, founder of The Association of Sultana Descendants and Friends.
The Sultana was "heavily overloaded," Shaw said, with Union prisoners of war who had been released by the Confederacy. Although the Sultana had a legal capacity of only 376, the steamboat held more than 2,100 paroled prisoners, according to the 1996 book, "Disaster on the Mississippi: the Sultana Explosion, April 27, 1865" by Gene Eric Salecker, one of two Sultana authors who were present at Saturday's ceremony.
An estimated 1,800 of the Sultana's 2,427 passengers died in what is deemed the greatest maritime disaster in United States history.
"The men onboard had a decision to make: stay with the burning boat or jump into the cold waters of the Mississippi River," Shaw told those gathered for the ceremony Saturday. "Of about 400 Tennesseans on board, only about 150 survived."
A majority of the Tennesseans on board served with the 3rd Tennessee Volunteer Cavalary Regiment, Shaw added, which recruited from Knox and surrounding counties.
The Tennessee survivors later asked the federal government for a monument to the Sultana, but they were turned down, Shaw said. Being "resourceful Tennesseans," they took it upon themselves to plan a monument, he explained, with promoter J.H. (John) Simpson, a member of Mount Olive Baptist Church, securing donations, including the pink marble for the monument that was quarried in the Farragut area.
While the Sultana monument in South Knoxville notes the number of men on board from other states including Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia and Missouri, only Tennesseans' names are hand-chiseled on the monument. The names are of both those who perished and those who survived the disaster, Shaw noted.
"Some of the names got left off inadvertently," Shaw told the News Sentinel in an interview Monday. "We have added about 10 names over the years, and that makes the descendants very happy."
The monument was erected and dedicated on July 4, 1916.
"The Sultana survivors would have a thousand people at the reunions, and when we meet every year, we try to replicate that," Shaw said of the 29th annual gathering of the Association of Sultana Descendants and Friends. "Their goal was to keep the memory of the Sultana alive because it quickly became a footnote in history, overshadowed by the killing of John Wilkes Booth the day before."
Using an account that ran in the one of the Knoxville newspapers and an "iconic photograph" from the 1916 dedication, Shaw planned Saturday's rededication of the Sultana monument to follow the original ceremony as closely as possible.
Onlookers watched Saturday as the Honor Guard and Mabry Guard Fife and Drums of the 79th New York Highlanders marched from the cemetery entrance to the monument. During the ceremony, the Union re-enactors also played the national anthem, presented the colors and fired three shots from their rifles in a military salute. William "Dewey" Beard played "Taps" and sang a medley of Civil War-era songs as well.
Sultana descendants and siblings John Kerr and Linda Kerr Wells stood beside the monument during the ceremony Saturday, representing survivors' families. The widow of their great-grandfather, Samuel Pickens, was one of two Sultana survivors' widows who unveiled the monument in 1916, Shaw explained. The other woman who unveiled the monument almost 100 years ago was the widow of John Phelps, but the Phelps' ancestors were unable to attend Saturday, he said.
"Both men lost a brother on the Sultana: William Pickens and William Phelps," Shaw added, noting that Samuel Pickens and John Phelps are buried in the Mount Olive Baptist Church Cemetery, as is monument promoter Simpson and one other Sultana survivor.
Boy Scout Troop 36, which meets at Mount Olive Baptist Church, joined the Sultana ancestors by the monument Saturday to represent the Boy Scouts who were there for the dedication in 1916.
Presiding over the rededication was Camp Commander David McReynolds of the Major William A. McTeer Camp No. 39, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. He was assisted by Camp Chaplain George Lane.
"To all Sultana descendants, this memorial assures us that our dead are held in remembrance," McReynolds said. "As long as it shall endure, it shall speak to us."
The rededication of the Sultana monument Saturday was just one of many events planned for descendants over the weekend, including guest speakers, tours of Knoxville's Civil War sites, a banquet and traditional candlelight service. More than 80 people came from as far as California to participate, Shaw said, with a large representation of descendants from Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.
"Tennessee had the second most men on the Sultana," Shaw noted, with 365 to Ohio's 460.
One exciting announcement this year was that the DVD of the professional documentary "Remember the Sultana," which premiered in Memphis on the 150th anniversary of the disaster last year, will be available for purchase in about 45 days, Shaw said.
"I was very very pleased with the ceremony," said Shaw, who is not a Sultana descendant himself. "It was a lot of moving parts, but I thought it turned out wonderful."
Traffic accidents have been so prevalent on Chapman Highway that Seymour attorneys advertise on the roadside at the corner of Chapman and Sevierville Pike. (GREG JOHNSON/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS SENTINEL)
How dangerous is Chapman Highway?
Less than a mile from Valley Grove Baptist Church, the site of a Tennessee Department of Transportation meeting about the highway last week, and across Sevierville Pike from O'Reilly Auto Parts, an enterprising law firm advertises on a billboard.
"Hurt in a car wreck on Chapman Highway?" the sign reads.
The billboard shows the crumpled front end of a red sedan and gives the phone number for "Seymour's Own Law Firm."
The sign is appropriately placed, less than a mile from Simpson Road, which merges dangerously with Chapman.
Waiting in traffic between cars and a freight train a Simpson Road resident said at the TDOT meeting, "I can't count the times I've just said a prayer and held on."
TDOT regional director Steve Borden laid out the grisly statistics behind TDOT's plan to widen Chapman between Simpson to the south and Hendron Chapel Road to the north. Borden said the one-mile stretch of Chapman to be renovated has seen five fatalities and 245 crashes with injuries over the past 10 years.
The dangers of Chapman are not news. A 2012 story by WBIR-TV, Channel 10, ranked Chapman the most dangerous highway in East Tennessee, citing Tennessee Highway Patrol data that showed 24 fatalities from 2008 to 2010 on the whole of Chapman between Knoxville and Sevierville. Although TDOT plans other improvements to Chapman, road officials don't think they will be enough.
"The James White Parkway Extension project was developed in part to address safety and congestion issues along Chapman Highway," TDOT Commissioner John Schroer wrote in 2014. "TDOT remains concerned that our efforts to improve conditions along Chapman Highway will not be sufficient now, and particularly in the future."
Schroer repeated that assessment last month.
A regional transportation board killed the extension after a motion by Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero. Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett and Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters voted to extend. Rogero cited costs and a lower traffic count on Chapman as her reasons for killing the new route, but her prime concern was the James White Parkway Extension would hurt the interesting but uncongested South Knoxville Urban Wilderness.
The extension would have touched only the edge of the Urban Wilderness, inconveniencing dozens. According to Rogero's own data, more than 28,000 vehicles travel Chapman daily, making trip totals more than 10 million per year and producing plenty of potential clients for those advertising attorneys.
By News Sentinel Staff
The one-time mistress of former Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner was arrested Tuesday after she failed to appear in court on prostitution charges, authorities said.
Deena Castleman, 38, is being held in a Knox County jail on a $38,000 bond.
She was charged March 16 with promoting prostitution and impersonating a licensed professional at a motel on Merchants Drive, according to the Knox County Sheriff's Office.
Fifteen people were arrested in a sting conducted over two weeks by the Sheriff's Office Vice Unit. Authorities also reported seizing three illegal gambling devices at three businesses and seizing $1,057.66.
According to court documents, after viewing a posting on backpage.com for escorts, an undercover detective contacted Castleman and made an appointment for one hour for $175.
Castleman told him to come to the Motel 6 at Merchants Center.
"Upon arrival at the address, the defendant advised the undercover detective to come to Room 104, where he exchanged the $175 and added an additional $25 for a tip," totaling $200 for "full service sex," according to the records. "Upon detective's entry to the room, the defendant advised detectives that she was only doing massages and accepted the money for massages only."
Castleman had an additional $31 in cash and a gift card typically used for posting advertisements on the Internet, according to the records.
Knox County Criminal Court Judge Mary Beth Leibowitz in 2011 ordered Castleman to serve six years in prison for a slew of convictions, including aggravated burglary, theft, DUI and possession of prescription painkillers.
Castleman racked up those charges while engaged in a relationship with Baumgartner that included sex, procuring pills for him and using pills with him, a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe found.
She was in a Drug Court program supervised by Baumgartner, who avoided jail time when he pleaded guilty to official misconduct and was granted judicial diversion, which spared his pension. He was later convicted in federal court of misprision of a felony.
Conservation group Coast and Country said that it has filed an appeal to the Supreme Court of Queensland for a judicial review.
Melbourne: Indian mining giant Adani's 21.7 billion dollar coal mine project in Australia faced a fresh legal challenge after a green group asked the Supreme Court in Queensland to review the environmental approval to the controversy-hit venture. Conservation group Coast and Country said that it has filed an appeal to the Supreme Court of Queensland for a judicial review.Queensland's Department of Environment and Heritage Protection granted the environmental permit for the coal mine in Queensland's Galilee Basin in February this year.
"Coast and Country has taken this step because the department failed in its obligations under the Environmental Protection Act to consider Ecologically Sustainable Development," according to Derec Davies of Coast and Country.
"This principle is the community's safety net; think of it as an overarching filter used to assess a proposed development's environmental harm against its purported benefits," he said. "Our appeal to the Supreme Court is simple. We have laws to protect the environment that we rely on for our food, clean water, and the air we breathe; and that supports our unique biodiversity.
In our opinion, the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection has made an error of law. "The department cannot just ignore those laws and allow the big end of town to develop a huge, polluting coal mine that will create catastrophic environmental harm both now and into the future," he said. The green group said in its February decision, the department ignored climate change totally and failed to properly take account of the true jobs figures, 1464 net jobs not the 10,000 advocated.
An Adani spokesperson, however, said, "Notwithstanding this challenge, Adani stands ready to deliver on its plans to build a long term future with Queensland." "As it relates to Carmichael, the approvals given are the most strict and rigorous of their kind ever given for a single development. Adani has for some time warned of the threat to major, job-creating projects proceeding in Queensland being endless appeals to thorough, detailed and considered science-based approvals," Adani's spokesperson said.
"When the Queensland Government announced their strict, science-based approval had been given to the mine at Carmichael, the company noted that it's timelines assumed additional, politically-motivated challenges seeking to delay the project and deny the benefits of jobs, taxes and royalties of our state from proceeding as planned," he said.
Adani's plan to build one of the world's biggest coal mines in Australia has been hampered time and again. A federal court in August last year had revoked the original approval due to environmental concerns. In October last year, the project got a new lease of life after the Australian government gave its re-approval.
The green group also said, "...we are in the middle of a horrific coral bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef, driven by global warming. The coal from the Carmichael mine will generate 4.7 billion tonnes of carbon pollution during its lifetime. This pollution will cause our oceans to acidify and warm further, potentially destroying our precious reef".
SHARE Fashion designer Marcus Hall, left, of Marc Nelson Denim and Karen Moggle who creates custom belts for Marcus are shown on Wednesday, August 1, 2012. (Chad Greene/Special to the News Sentinel)
By Jamie Satterfield of the Knoxville News Sentinel
If a judge's questions Wednesday were any indication, Knox County could be on its way to losing round two in a battle with the federal government over property taxes owed on seized real estate.
"I'm trying to figure out if there's even a dispute here," an openly skeptical U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Guyton said as an emergency hearing in the tax war between the Knox County Law Department and the U.S. Attorney's Office began Wednesday.
The court fight began last year when the Knox County Law Director's office complained county coffers had been shorted $16,672 in lost tax revenue in the seizure and resulting forfeiture of the home of one of East Tennessee's most notorious embezzlers "party mom" Leslie Janous.
Knox County contends the federal government should continue to pay property taxes so long as it holds the deed and that refusing to do so costs local governments tens of thousands of dollars. Federal prosecutors counter the law doesn't require that, and the federal government always pays local governments the amounts to which they were legally entitled.
Senior U.S. District Judge Leon Jordan already has ruled against Knox County in Janous' case. The law department has appealed to the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. That appeal remains pending.
Wednesday's hearing centered on properties that renowned Knoxville fashion designer Marcus Hall agreed to forfeit after he admitted last year he and two others had been operating a $20 million numbers game known as a "butter and eggs" racket, in which bets were tied to winning numbers in the Illinois lottery. Such illegal gambling operations used to be centered on the prices of commodities like butter and eggs.
Knox County Deputy Law Director Daniel Sanders filed a motion in the Hall case accusing federal prosecutors of intentionally trying to cheat local governments first, by merely filing notice in the Register of Deeds office of pending government forfeitures instead of directly informing Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett and, second, by paying only taxes owed between the time of the property seizures and a court's final order forfeiting the property to the government. Sanders contends the properties can sit unoccupied with no tax-owing owner for years before the government sells the property.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne-Marie Svolto countered Wednesday the law is clear she doesn't have to notify the county mayor, and the federal government cannot be forced to pay property taxes on property awarded to it by a court.
"They do not have the right to assess taxes against property of the United States," Svolto said.
The judge noted Svolto directly notified the law department in the Hall case of the pending forfeiture, even though Svolto maintains she didn't have to under the law.
"Knox County had actual notice," Guyton said.
"That does not constitute notice," Deputy Law Director David Wigler countered. "Your Honor, this is to protect Knox County's interests."
The judge said he would issue a written ruling in the coming weeks.
By Megan Boehnke of the Knoxville News Sentinel
In the wake of gang-related shootings that killed two teenagers in five months, Knoxville leaders have largely turned to programs working with the city's young people as a solution to ending inner-city violence even announcing plans last week for a $2.9 million youth center.
While those efforts are meant to intervene with kids before they make bad decisions, another group of church and community leaders wants to reach people after they've made those mistakes and after they've returned from prison.
"Ninety-three to 97 percent of all offenders are going to be released," said Grant Standefer, executive director of Compassion Coalition, a nonprofit that helps churches work together to serve the community. "They're going to come back to towns where they were living before. So if something doesn't happen to break that cycle, they get back into the same relationships and same activities. If there's not housing available, if they can't find a job, they tend to slip back into the same patterns."
Knoxville Police Chief David Rausch and other community leaders will speak today at the Compassion Coalition's quarterly luncheon on how to help ex-offenders assimilate back into society after serving their sentence. The luncheon will be from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church on Kingston Pike.
The rehabilitation effort is part of a statewide initiative by the Tennessee Department of Correction called "Take One," which encourages organizations to agree to mentor a single returning inmate. The organization begins the relationship while the inmate is still incarcerated and helps with the transition upon release.
The initiative seemed timely for a luncheon topic, given the recent rash of violence in the community, Standefer said.
"This is a specific program that gives people something positive they can do, and you throw in all the violence that's happened and the killings, the violence in our community ... this is a very important issue not getting much attention," Standefer said.
The Compassion Coalition hosts the luncheons on various topics four times a year aimed at churches, ministries, nonprofits and local leaders, although the luncheons are open to anyone who wants to attend, Standefer said.
Other speakers at this month's meeting will include Rick Staples, vice president of 100 Black Men of Greater Knoxville and formerly with the Programs Rehabilitation Department at the Knox County Sheriff's Office; Steven Humphreys, director of FOCUS Prison Ministry; Lee Ragsdale, former community corrections program manager for the Knoxville Police Department and former director of the Tennessee Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.
A rendering shows a proposed $45.5 million mixed-use complex on Cumberland Avenue. Collegiate Development Group plans to build a 138-unit housing complex with commercial storefronts and a parking garage. The developers said they need a 15-year payment in lieu of taxes deal, or PILOT, which would save the company an estimated $6.95 million. (COLLEGIATE DEVELOPMENT GROUP/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS SENTINEL)
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By Megan Boehnke of the Knoxville News Sentinel
Knoxville's first private development project along Cumberland Avenue since passing a new form-based zoning code two years ago will receive a tax deal from the city worth about $7 million.
City Council members Tuesday voted 8-0 to approve the 15-year payment in lieu of taxes deal, or PILOT, for a $45 million mixed-use development in the 1800 block of Cumberland Avenue.
The deal, which saves the developer money by freezing property taxes, will bridge a funding gap created by the sloped landscape on the site and to build 348 parking spaces.
"Our project has 35 to 40 percent more parking per bedroom basis than any other projects previously passed," said Brandt Stiles, a principal at Collegiate Development LLC. "There's some pretty extreme topography and some soil issues on the site, and that created a financial gap that without the incentive from the PILOT, the project wouldn't have been economically feasible."
The development will include 138 apartment units, mostly four and five bedrooms marketed to students for $675 to $750 per month per bedroom. First Tennessee Bank, which has a branch on the current site, will be the anchor tenant for the building, and another 7,000 square feet of retail space will be available for restaurants and coffee shops.
The building will be six stories on the side fronting Cumberland Avenue and eight stories on the side facing Lake Avenue, which sits about 20 feet lower than "The Strip."
The St. Louis-based development firm began looking in the Knoxville area two years ago, after the form-based code was passed and the city committed to an overhaul of Cumberland Avenue. That $17 million investment to move utilities underground, widen the sidewalks and narrow the road began last year and is set to wrap up in August 2017.
"From a market perspective, it's close to the university and we believe there's a supply-and-demand imbalance from luxury student housing perspective on campus," Stiles said. "The improvements going on Cumberland Avenue only added to what we believe is the right spot, the right location for student housing."
Councilman Nick Della Volpe, who raised last-minute questions Monday about whether there should be more setbacks for tall buildings along the corridor, didn't bring up the issues at the Tuesday meeting.
Vice Mayor Duane Grieve lauded the project and said he has assured those concerned that the structure won't look as imposing as the other relatively new student housing building on Cumberland Avenue. The project, named the Evolve Apartments building, was approved before City Council members passing the new design standards for the district.
SHARE John J. Duncan Jr.
By Michael Collins of the Knoxville News Sentinel
WASHINGTON Researchers who develop cures or treatments for Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia would be eligible for prizes under legislation filed Wednesday by two Tennessee congressmen.
The bill, sponsored by U.S. Reps. John J. Duncan Jr., R-Knoxville, and Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, would provide $10 million to the National Institutes of Health and other agencies to create the prize competition.
"Almost everyone has a family member or friend whose family has been affected by this awful disease," Duncan said. "While we are already dedicating federal dollars toward this effort, I believe we can, and we must, do more to work to develop effective treatments and the prevention of Alzheimer's."
Funding Alzheimer's research by NIH is important to combatting the disease, Cohen said, but "it is not the only way that Congress can act to stimulate discovery and development of new treatments and cures."
The prize competition would encourage public research and "bring the best ideas and talent together to fight this horrible disease," Cohen said.
The bill is called the Eureka Act, for Ensuring Useful Research Expenditures is Key for Alzheimer's. It is the House version of bipartisan legislation that U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., has introduced in the Senate. Wicker's legislation has 40 cosponsors.
SHARE Chuck Fleischmann, U.S. third congressional district representative from Ooltewah.
By Michael Collins of the Knoxville News Sentinel
WASHINGTON U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann is convinced that crushing terrorist groups like the Islamic State will not only involve defeating them on the battlefield, it will mean beating them in the propaganda war, too.
"We need to use every tool in our arsenal," the Ooltewah, Tenn., Republican said.
One of the most potent tools in that arsenal, he believes, are the words of people who have been involved in these organizations, impressionable men and women who have taken up the cause, observed the groups from the inside, fought alongside the extremist fighters and then have become disillusioned by what they've seen.
Fleischmann is pushing legislation that would require the Department of Homeland Security to use testimonials from former extremists and defectors to counter-message the propaganda that groups like IS offer up in their recruitment efforts.
The legislation, which the House approved Tuesday night on a 322-79 vote, is in part a response to last summer's shootings at two military institutions in Chattanooga that killed five servicemen. The FBI has said the gunman, Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, was inspired by foreign terrorist organizations.
No one will ever know for sure what causes people like Abdulazeez, who grew up in a middle-class neighborhood just a few miles from Chattanooga and led a mostly trouble-free life, to buy into the radical ideology that groups like IS are peddling, Fleischmann said.
But, "if we can prevent one person from going down that horrific path ... by using a bill like mine and other measures that are available to us, we need to have an all-out war to combat ISIS and their horrible ideology," said Fleischmann, whose congressional district includes Chattanooga.
Such groups are "spewing a very dangerous message to some people who are sadly impressionable and have taken the bait," he said. "We want to make sure that bait is poison."
IS runs a sophisticated social media and online network to spread its message and recruit young people to its cause. Besides producing slick videos, the group has also used hip-hop music and video games as part of its recruitment tools.
Fleischmann's bill would enable Homeland Security to fight back by using TV, radio, social media any means available to circulate the firsthand accounts of former jihadists who can provide insight into "the corruption, the violence, the absolute horrific nature" of such groups, Fleischmann said.
The State Department already is doing some of that counter-messaging in foreign countries. Fleischmann's bill would permit that messaging domestically to reach young Americans who might be susceptible to the terrorists' propaganda.
In the U.S., the principal threat of terrorism comes from home-grown, extremist-inspired lone actors like Abdulazeez, counterterrorism experts told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in mid-April.
The FBI said it has opened counterterrorism investigations in all 50 states, and most of them are IS-related. More than 250 Americans also reportedly have traveled to Iraq and Syria or have at least tried to join IS fighters.
"Many of these individuals were pulled in by terrorist propaganda," Fleischmann said. The group "is luring Americans with empty and false promises that do not reflect the true reality on the ground in places like Syria and Iraq. The true reality centers on fear, suffering and the murder of innocent people throughout the region and around the world."
While Fleischmann's bill passed the House with strong bipartisan support, some Democrats objected because it did not address domestic terrorists who kill Americans and are a threat to the homeland.
"Domestic terror groups, just like foreign terrorist organizations, recruit and spread propaganda through social media and online platforms," said Rep. Bennie G. Thompson of Mississippi, the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee.
Fleischmann said there's nothing in the bill that would prevent the targeting of domestic terrorists. But he said he didn't explicitly include such language in the legislation.
The bill now heads to the Senate, where Fleischmann said he expects it to have support among Republicans and Democrats.
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By Juan Buitrago, USA TODAY NETWORK, The Tennessean
Metro Nashville police are investigating the death of a student at a dorm early Wednesday morning.
A 20-year-old student was found dead in his dorm in the 2200 block of West End Avenue, Capt. Gregory Blair said. There is no sign of foul play.
Follow this developing story at The Tennessean, a News Sentinel partner.
I remember the first Earth Day in 1970. I was sitting in a Western Civ class and my conservative professor walked over to the window, pointed at the amphitheater below and said, "There, ladies and gentlemen, is the vanguard of Soviet communism."
I looked at the five campus hippies below, wearing T-shirts with peace signs and holding signs promoting a cleaner world. I recall thinking that if that was the best the KGB could do, we didn't have much to worry about.
Earth Day came and went last week. Did you notice? I think the anniversary is a time for us to pause and remember how it was. When Tennessee Valley Authority coal plants and Pittsburgh steel mills blackened the sky. When many of our rivers and streams were open sewers and the repository of chemical waste. Cars were belching particulates into the air and smog covered our major cities.
Sort of how China is today.
We've come a long way and I don't think we appreciate it. On one side you have the environmental groups that don't seem to be willing to concede we've made progress. On the other side, we have the misguided people who, because they don't like left-wing zealots, want to gut the Environmental Protection Agency.
Can we not step back and have a little perspective? We've passed the time when companies could dump whatever they please into the waterways. I live on the Holston River, where we used to joke that we could put film in the river and get our pictures developed overnight. Eastman Chemical Company, in Kingsport, didn't like that joke. But let me tell you that the Holston is now home to a wonderful abundance of bass and growing schools of trout.
Environmentalists could get a lot more public support if they would acknowledge the progress we have made and suggest that we gradually build on it and achieve even greater things. My conservative friends, who to a person love the Smokies, hate the idea of polluted streams and are advocates for conservation, should also acknowledge that there is more that we can do.
I think any reasonable person will agree the climate is changing. But then, the climate has often changed over the millennium. The people who scream Armageddon often overstate the case. This leads to an opposite reaction denying that anything is changing.
Both sides agree that pollution is a bad thing. Can we not set aside the argument about whether man causes climate change and just agree that we all want a cleaner world? Conservative East Tennesseans are glad TVA has been forced to stop smokestack pollution at its coal-fired plants. They are just as happy about it as any environmentalist.
Why don't we stop injecting politics into an issue that we can find much to agree upon?
We have made incremental steps through the decades that have not been a major disruption to our economy. We can continue to do that. We should also be putting pressure on countries like China that continue to rape the countryside and pollute the air. Environmentalists and right-wing conservatives ought to be able to agree on one thing let's stop China from abusing the environment and gaining an unfair advantage over American industry.
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In the days following the 2001 terrorist attack on America, plenty of things were done that probably should not have been. One of these was called "rendition," the act of kidnapping suspected terrorists and those thought to be connected with them from foreign cities, spiriting them to a secret location and subjecting them to interrogation that often included torture.
The practice was carried out by the CIA despite the fact that it violated every tenet of this nation's founding charter and was morally and legally reprehensible.
In the beginning, rendition generally found a sympathetic audience among millions of Americans clearly in shock from the tragedy of 9/11.
"Whatever it takes," became the mantra of the people and their government.
As things cooled down, however, more opposition developed here and abroad and even our allies became alarmed. So much so that the agents involved in carrying out the actual events and even those at the fringes of this policy became vulnerable to prosecution from nations where the action took place.
One of these allies Italy has gone as far as to indict and convict in absentia 26 Americans that its courts say were involved in the 2003 rendition of Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, also known as Abu Omar, a cleric in Milan.
None of the convicted were expected to suffer any real prison time or other consequences because they were in the United States before the trials took place and some have been pardoned. But it now seems that one CIA employee who appears to have had little or nothing to do with the kidnapping is facing the possibility of four years in an Italian jail. Her crime, she told the Washington Post, was to have served as an interpreter a year before the kidnapping between U.S. and Italian intelligence strategists about the possibility of rendition. She said Abu Omar wasn't even mentioned. A year later when he was a victim of rendition, she was chaperoning her son's high school ski trip.
Sabrina De Sousa left the agency and moved to Portugal to be near relatives, knowing the risk. She was arrested at the Lisbon airport and is now facing the probability of extradition to Italy while so far her own government is stonewalling her pleas for intervention. Hillary Clinton, when she was Secretary of State, it seems, never answered her pleas.
Let's get one thing straight: Rendition was the policy of the highest levels of the American government, from the White House to Congress to the director of the CIA none of whom face any responsibility for their actions. Those who actually carry out these assignments at the operational level are left holding the bag if things go wrong. Even those whose participation is less than tangential are unprotected.
Italy is an ally, a member of NATO. The Italian government, which obviously had knowledge and participation through its own intelligence operations, has an obligation to advise its courts of this. But justice in a country where the Mafia is still a major factor doesn't seem to be all that important. The Washington Post was told by the prosecutor in the case that the Italian court doesn't need a smoking gun to convict.
Swell. In other words, if they just think she is guilty, complete lack of evidence makes no difference. And what about Abu Omar? He was interrogated, tortured and ultimately released.
Meanwhile, a 60-year-old American woman who apparently had nothing to do with his kidnapping is likely to be incarcerated because she wanted to be near relatives.
Dan Thomasson is a columnist for Tribune News Service and a former vice president of Scripps Howard Newspapers. He may be reached at thomassondan@aol.com.
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Andrew Jackson, the first president of the United States from Tennessee, will be bumped from the front of the $20 bill in favor of Harriet Tubman. While the change, announced by Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew on April 20, could be viewed as a blow to state pride, Tubman is a worthy replacement.
Jackson's portrait has graced the front of the $20 bill since 1928, when he replaced Grover Cleveland. He will be depicted on the reverse side of the redesigned note.
While Americans tend to venerate the Founding Fathers and other early American leaders as unblemished heroes, they were in fact complex human beings with vices as well as virtues. Jackson was no exception.
Born in North Carolina, Jackson was orphaned by age 14. He practiced law in Tennessee and went into politics, becoming the state's first member of the House of Representatives. He later was elected senator, judge and head of the state militia.
Jackson became a national hero by defeating the British at the Battle of New Orleans at the conclusion of the War of 1812. He was the first president of truly humble origins, and his populist movement became the Democratic Party. As president he preserved the Union when South Carolina first tried to defy federal law, and he drove the Cherokees from their homeland along the ghastly Trail of Tears.
Many modern Americans revile Jackson for the Trail of Tears and will not lament his replacement on the front of the $20 bill; many others who revere Old Hickory will oppose the change.
In announcing the decision, Lew said Americans by the thousands wanted Tubman's portrait on the redesigned bill. "I have been particularly struck by the many comments and reactions from children for whom Harriet Tubman is not just a historical figure, but a role model for leadership and participation in our democracy," he wrote in an open letter to the American people.
Tubman was born a slave but escaped and joined the Underground Railroad helping lead slaves to freedom. During the Civil war she was a nurse, cook, scout and spy for the Union army. In later life she was active in the suffragist movement. She died in 1913 and was buried with military honors.
The controversy over the $20 note has overshadowed other planned changes to the currency. The $5 and $10 bills are getting make-overs as well.
Portraits of Abraham Lincoln and Alexander Hamilton will remain on the fronts of the $5 bill and $10 bill, respectively. On the reverse side of the $5 bill, images of Marian Anderson, Eleanor Roosevelt and Martin Luther King Jr. will highlight historic events that have occurred at the Lincoln memorial. The reverse side of the $10 will honor leaders of the women's suffrage movement Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul, Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott.
The new bills are scheduled to be unveiled in 2020 in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote.
American history is not a zero-sum game. Jackson's place in the nation's development remains secure even as he gives way to Tubman on the front of the $20 note. The new bills will be a tribute to the rich diversity of the American experience.
Free legal clinic offered in downtown Knoxville on May 7
First Baptist Church, Knoxville is hosting a free legal clinic. Image by Jeaneane Payne.
A free legal advice clinic which will provide free legal advice for low-income residents will be held Saturday, May 7. The event is from 9:15 a.m. 12:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church, Knoxville.
The church is located at 510 W Main St. For more information, contact Katharine Heriges, Tennessee Bar Association Public Education and Young Lawyers Division Coordinator, at (615) 383-7421 or kheriges@tnbar.org.
The clinic is held in conjunction with First Baptist Church, Knoxville Bar Association Access to Justice Committee, Legal Aid of East Tennessee and The Tennessee Faith and Justice Alliance and is part of a statewide initiative from the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (TBA YLD). Tennessee young lawyers will host free legal assistance clinics and legal education events across the state through the end of May.
This Statewide Legal Clinic Initiative is the focus of TBA YLD President Rachel Moses, who has made pro bono service a key component of her platform for the year. Published April 26, 2016
New Delhi: Government on April 27 blamed the previous UPA regime for the "decline" in financial condition of BSNL and MTNL, saying the two state-run telecom companies were together suffering losses to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore in 2014 when the BJP-led dispensation took over. Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in Lok Sabha that in 2004, BSNL was incurring profits of around Rs 10,000 crore and MTNL Rs 900 crore.
However, when the NDA government took charge in 2014, the BSNL was suffering a loss of Rs 8,000 crore and MTNL Rs 2,000 crore, he said replying to questions. "We are ready for a discussion in the House on the condition of both BSNL and MTNL and how their financial condition declined between 2004 and 2014," he said.
Prasad also made it clear that as of now, the government has no plans to merge BSNL and MTNL and both the organisations were trying their best to generate maximum revenues for revival and revitalisation. The Minister said due to continuous efforts, BSNL and MTNL have shown positive signs for their revival.
In BSNL, income from services has increased by 4.16 per cent in 2014-15 as compared to 2013-14. In 2014-15, BSNL's income was Rs 27,242 crore as compared to Rs 26,153 crore in 2013-14. BSNL's income from services has increased by 2.16 per cent in 2015-16 (first nine months upto December 31, 2015) as compared to same period of previous financial year (Rs 18,508 crore in 2015-16 as compared to Rs 18,117 crore for 2014-15).
"BSNL has earned an operating profit of Rs 672 crore in 2014-15. The operating profit is likely to be much higher during 2015-16. The net losses for 2015-16 are expected to be reduced by 20 per cent as compared to 2014-15," he said. For the first time, there has been net positive addition of 2,50,666 mobile connections during 2015-16 due to Mobile Number Portability, he said.
Around 31 lakh net mobile connection increased during 2015-16, Prasad said, adding the data revenue has increased by 50 per cent in 2015-16 as compared to 2014-15. Referring to MTNL, Prasad said MTNL's revenue for the quarter ended December 31, 2015 was Rs 865.52 crore, which was an increase of Rs 25.08 crore as compared to previous quarter.
MTNL's total expenditure has decreased by Rs 6.30 crore during the said period and total subscribers of GSM have increased by 1,04,086 during the period April 2015 to December 2015 and revenue has increased by 3.3 per cent in Q3 as compared to Q2.
By Choi Sung-jin
As the government moves toward realigning troubled shipping and shipbuilding industries, a blame game has started on its sidelines.
"If you ask me to give the two biggest reasons for the ongoing industrial fiasco, I would cite management's irresponsibility and creditors' self-preservation," said an official at the Financial Services Commission Tuesday.
At center of the debate is the Korea Development Bank, a state-run financial institution that provides funds for the development of strategic industries.
The KDB has poured an enormous amount of money into ailing shipping firms and shipbuilders to keep them afloat. That makes the government-run bank play a central role in industrial restructuring but many industrial and financial experts say they doubt whether the KDB has the ability, or even intention.
A former KDB governor, pressed by the government to speed up restructuring, reportedly asked Cheong Wa Dae to assure it would "not shift political responsibility" to the KDB if things went awry, demonstrating the glaring self-protectionism within the state development agency. The government is not free of blame, either, as it has used state-run banks as pipelines of government-dictated financing, private experts said.
The KDB, run by politically appointed leaders who tend to avoid responsibility, may have to go to the operating table because of snowballing bad debts, the experts said.
The number of companies the KDB has stakes of 5 percent or more in totals 377 -- ranging from giant shipbuilders such as Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) to a small parts maker, with their combined worth 9.3 trillion won ($8.1 billion).
Behind the large number of affiliated companies is the double-bind situation facing the KDB. The state-run bank, like it or not, often has to take over ailing firms but finds it difficult to resell them at the buying price. If the bank sells its equities at low prices, it cannot avoid criticism of wasting taxpayer money. Until last year, KDB management had dragged its feet as long as possible.
That changed this year. As the number of companies that have received the KDB's support, or want it in the future, increased at an uncontrollable tempo, the bank activated a committee to manage such firms and set about to sell its shares in them. The committee is targeting venture companies and small businesses in which the KDB has 15 percent or more of equities and large companies where the bank has secured 5 percent or more through debt-for-equity swaps. Some 132 companies belong to this category and the KDB plans to sell 46 of them.
Outlooks are mixed, however. Some turnaround experts say market demands are not small while others see a bumpy road ahead if many more such companies are put up for sale as part of across-the-board restructuring amid the protracted business slump.
One of the biggest reasons the KDB cannot play its role in restructuring is the undiminished influence of the government on the financial sector, particularly state-run institutions. Few of the new KDB governor appointments have been without controversy, as the powers that be named one of their political allies for the bank's top seat, who in turn extended loans to those that carry out new leaders' pet projects.
The government-controlled financing does not stop at the KDB but expands to its affiliated companies. An opposition lawmaker said in 2008 that 12 of 18 outside directors at DSME were people parachuted into their posts because of their closeness to political power.
"As state-run banks are under the influence of politicians and bureaucrats, it can neither push for industrial restructuring nor maintain its original function of industrial support," a financial expert said.
A Korea Development Institute report indicates that state-run banks pour far more money into ailing companies than commercial banks and start their restructuring much later than their commercial counterparts.
The non-performing loan ratio of the KDB soared from 1.64 percent in 2011 to 5.68 percent now, with its bad debts exceeding 7 trillion won. The comparable ratio of the Export-Import Bank of Korea, another state-run institution, has also risen to 3.24 percent, compared with below 1.5 percent for most commercial banks.
On the other hand, the KDB's provision ratio the ratio of allowance for bad debts plunged from 120.7 percent in 2014 to 78.6 percent last year. The comparable ratio of the Exim Bank also plummeted from 124.8 percent to 79.9 percent over the period, while that for commercial banks remains at 140 percent, on average.
Comments by an association of small businesses suggest much.
"The ongoing restructuring demonstrates Korea's growth pattern focusing on large businesses in specific industries has reached its limitations," said the Korea Federation of SMEs. "Through this industrial realignment, the nation should be able to distribute its resources better and shift its industrial focus to new industries and small-and medium-sized enterprises."
By Lee Hyo-sik
Lee Seung-cheol
FKI Vice Chairman
Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) Vice Chairman Lee Seung-cheol left for the United States, Tuesday, amid an escalating scandal over allegations that FKI gave money to a right-wing civic group in return for organizing pro-government and pro-business rallies.
The lobby representing the interests of Korea's family-controlled conglomerates says Lee's trip to attend a Korea-U.S. business meeting in California on April 28 and 29 was arranged previously, adding he will return when his schedule ends.
However, critics argue that Lee, who is at the center of the growing controversy, may have left the country because the prosecution has begun investigating ties between the FKI and conservative civic group the Korea Parent Federation (KPF).
"Vice Chairman Lee left for the United States to attend the 28th Korea-U.S. Business Council meeting in Santa Clara, California," an FKI official said. "His trip was scheduled months ago. I don't know exactly when the vice chairman will return. But as soon as Lee winds up his schedule, he will come home. It is nonsense to insist that he went to the United States to evade the prosecution's probe."
But the liberal Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ), which filed the complaint on April 21 with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office to investigate the allegations, said Lee's absence could cause a setback to the investigation.
On Tuesday, the prosecution said investigators will look into the case to check whether the FKI and KPF broke the law.
"We are concerned that the FKI vice chairman may decide not to return home anytime soon," CCEJ coordinator Chung You-rim said. "We really hope that Lee comes back soon to face the prosecution's probe."
Lee, who became FKI vice chairman in 2013, has been running the organization because FKI Chairman Huh Chang-soo, who is also GS Group chairman, has largely remained on the sidelines. With more than 400 member companies, the FKI has annual revenue of more than 30 billion won ($26 million).
Since April 19, when a local TV channel reported that the lobby group transferred 120 million won to the KPF between September and December 2014, the vice chairman and other FKI officials have remained silent about its ties with the KPF.
The channel alleged that the money was offered in return for organizing pro-government and pro-business rallies by hiring North Korean defectors to participate.
A local weekly magazine also reported that the parents' group hired 1,259 North Korean defectors as participants in 39 rallies against the commemoration of the Sewol ferry victims between April and November 2014. According to the parent group's account book, 25.18 million won was used to pay 20,000 won to each participant.
GM Korea President and CEO James Kim poses with the all-new Malibu sedan during a launch event at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro, southwestern Seoul, Wednesday. / Courtesy of GM Korea
By Jhoo Dong-chan
The U.S. automaker General Motors (GM) Chevrolet Division has introduced the all-new Malibu sedan, aiming to top the sales in Korea's mid-size sedan market.
"The Malibu is all new from the ground up including its design, power train, chassis and safety systems to far exceed the expectations of midsize sedan buyers," GM Korea President and CEO James Kim said during its introduction at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro, southwestern Seoul, Wednesday. "It will change the market with its incomparable value and aggressive pricing."
A GM Korea official also expressed his confidence in the Malibu, saying it will be No. 1 in the nation's mid-sized sedan market.
"I am confident that our new Malibu will top its class in sales," said Dale Sullivan, GM Korea vice president of vehicle sales, service and marketing (VSSM). "There are strong competitors in the class such as the Hyundai Sonata and the Renault Samsung SM6. But the all-new Malibu will beat them all in sales."
Built on an entirely new body, the new Malibu is six cm longer and has a wheelbase that is 9.3 cm longer than the previous model. An official said this makes it the most spacious and longest sedan in its class.
Its sleek and sporty exterior incorporated with slim headlamps and the brand-signature dual-port grille is aimed not only at traditional customers who want a family car but also young motorists who like the new design.
"The all-new Malibu has an assertive stance with dramatic, low and sleek proportions, uniquely sculpted surfaces and contemporary technologies, creating a new paradigm for car design," said GM Korea Design Director Stuart Norris. "It advances Chevrolet's global design language and will captivate consumers across Korea."
Underneath its sleek exterior, the all new Malibu mounts two types of turbocharged engines the 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter direct-injection gasoline engines.
Generating a maximum of 166 horsepower with 25.5 kg-m torque, the 1.5-liter engine offers improved fuel efficiency of 13 kilometers per liter in combination with standard stop/start technology. This is the best fuel economy among competing turbo models, an official added.
The 2.0-liter turbo engine produces 253 horsepower and 36.0 kg-m of maximum torque. It is paired with an electronically controlled transmission that has a wider gear range and tighter gear ratios, making the Malibu the most powerful and responsive sedan in its price range.
The price for the all-new Malibu starts at 23.1 million won ($20,143).
By Kim Jae-won
Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho said Wednesday that the ministry is considering a wide range of measures to increase the capital of state-run lenders, seeking to help them push for strong corporate restructuring of debt-ridden shippers and shipbuilders.
Yoo said there are many ways to support the Korea Development Bank (KDB) and the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank), without revising the Bank of Korea (BOK) Law which allows the central bank to mint money in limited circumstances.
"We are examining various ways to do this," Yoo told reporters when he was asked about the means to increase the capital of state-run banks, which are leading corporate restructuring of shipping and shipbuilding companies. "There are many ways to do this, even if the BOK Law is not revised."
His remarks came one day after Financial Services Commission Chairman Yim Jong-yong asked the finance ministry and the BOK to inject more money into the two state-run lenders as part of the financial regulator's corporate restructuring plan.
Yim urged them to take action in helping the KDB and the Korea Eximbank as they will finance the restructuring of Hanjin Shipping, Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM), and Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) among others.
President Park Geun-hye also pressured the BOK to introduce Korean-style quantitative easing, saying she agrees with the ruling Saenuri Party's opinion that the central bank should help corporate restructuring more aggressively by buying bonds of the KDB directly.
But, the BOK was reluctant to inject more money into state-run lenders, saying it is the matter of the government in principal. "First of all, it is a matter of fiscal policy which requires a nod from the National Assembly," said a high-ranking officer of the bank, asking not to be named.
Yet, the central banker left the door open for minting more money to support the Korea Eximbank, saying it is possible only when a majority of national banks support the idea. He said that it is risky for the bank's Monetary Policy Board to decide such an important matter on its own.
Analysts said that it is inevitable that the government and the central bank inject money into the state-run lenders.
"The Korea Eximbank is in a very difficult situation. There is no choice but to support the bank because its collapse will affect the economy badly," said Lee Jong-woo, head of IBK Securities' research center. "In principal, it is right not to support the bank, but not all principals can be applied to the reality."
The BIS ratio of the Korea Eximbank, a barometer for capital soundness, dropped to 10.11 percent in December, far below the average of commercial lenders which reached 14.85 percent. The lender also posted a 41.1 billion won net profit last year, less than half from a year ago when it posted 85.3 billion won in profit.
The state-run lender's massive exposure to shipbuilders, including Sungdong Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, led the bank to suffer from a decrease in capital, raising issues of capital increase.
The KDB also has headaches in dealing with Hanjin Shipping and Hyundai Merchant Marine which are struggling to keep afloat. As of the end of 2015, Hanjin Shipping and Hyundai Merchant had 5.6 trillion won in overall debt, according to the financial regulator.
In the shipbuilding sector, the FSC demanded that DSME cut jobs and wages further and sell more non-core assets. It also asked creditors of Hyundai Heavy Industries and Samsung Heavy Industries to closely monitor their restructuring efforts.
Government plans to provide W6 mil. subsidy
By Yoon Ja-young
Young people who get a job at small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) after an internship will get up to 6 million won in cash incentives from the government. Also, women workers will be allowed to use childcare leave during pregnancy before giving birth.
These are highlights of government measures to boost employment of young people and women.
"Employment conditions are tough for young people and women. Continuous efforts should be made by all ministries to tackle this," Strategy and Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho said Wednesday.
The government announced a package of measures to increase employment, which focuses on supporting women to continue their careers without disruption and inducing young jobseekers to work at SMEs.
The most notable is the cash incentive for young workers at SMEs.
If young jobseekers work for a small company for two years after interning there, and save 3 million won from their salaries, the government will provide an additional 6 million won as an incentive while the company will also provide a 3 million won bonus.
Young workers will have 12 million won accumulated as a consequence. Around 10,000 people will benefit from the program this year, the finance ministry said, adding that it will not require an additional budget as it is being paid for from refurbishing old subsidy programs.
The measure aims at pulling down the unemployment rate among young people while filling vacancies at SMEs. The unemployment rate of young people aged between 15 and 29 stood at a record high 12.5 percent in February.
SMEs, meanwhile, are complaining that they have difficulty in recruiting. The government plans to narrow the wage gap between large businesses and SMEs, thus inducing more young jobseekers to work there.
Efficacy questioned
Some experts, however, doubt whether the measure will be effective.
"The plans announced by the government are similar to previous programs. The government took the right direction as it shifts the focus of support to workers from businesses, but it is mostly matching the jobseekers with employers rather than directly increasing employment," said Lee Jun-hyup, an economist at Hyundai Research Institute. "It won't be very effective in increasing the number of jobs for young people," he said.
Women who had to quit work due to childbirth and childcare are also a problem that the government should tackle. According to the Korea Labor Institute, the employment rate of married women with a child younger than 15 stood at 60.8 percent, which is 20th among 27 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries with relevant data. Specifically, the rate stood at a mere 35.8 percent for those with a child between three and five year old, which is the lowest among the 27 countries.
To minimize the number of females who quit work, the government plans to allow them use childcare leave during pregnancy. Currently, they can use it only after childbirth. The measure aims at lessening the risks of miscarriage or premature births, thus helping more female workers continue their careers.
The government will focus on expanding childcare leave at SMEs as statistics show that less than 0.5 percent of workers used this in 2014 in companies with less than 300 workers. Currently, the government provides up to a 100,000 won monthly subsidy for large companies and 200,000 won for SMEs for childcare leave that they allow their employees.
It will raise the subsidy for SMEs to 300,000 won while scrapping the subsidy for large businesses.
Meanwhile, it also plans to support stay-at-home moms to return to the job market.
SMEs that hire these moms will get more tax exemptions while those seeking to start their own business will get one stop support at a government-run center.
Bollywoods khiladi Akshay Kumar, found an interesting way to spend his day off. The actor, flew to Hyderabad on Tuesday morning to spend a day interacting and training with IPS officers.
Aki, who has worn the army, navy and police uniform with great pride for his movies, has always made it a point to meet the real heroes and thank them for their service. So what exactly did Akshay do at the training centre? From playing a game of volley ball, to showing off his very impressive combat skills and even sitting down for an interaction with the force, the actor did it all.
Spent my day off in Hyderabad with the new IPS officer recruits.Fun interaction,volleyball & a combat ends the day!https://t.co/N7nwvLEkca Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) April 26, 2016
Akshay, who is a martial arts expert, gave fans a glimpse of his lethal kicks and lightening fast punches by sharing a video from the camp. Thoroughly impressed with her husband, Twinkle Khanna also took to her handle to share the video saying, This is why he's my Bae! Fitness=agility+skill+discipline+spirit-puffy gym muscles.
On the work front, Akshay will b seen in the comedy Housefull 3 and will also be seen playing a Naval Commander in Rustom, and in a villainous role in Rajinikanths 2.0.
By Nam Hyun-woo
Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) and Hanjin Shipping are desperate to persuade foreign ship owners to cut charter fees, a precondition set by the government for them to avoid court ordered receivership.
The administration has demanded that they get a 20 to 30 percent reduction in the fees. The companies' main creditor is the state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB), and the government said that without the cost cut, it would virtually mean paying the ship owners from state coffers.
"Teams were dispatched to visit ship owners," said an official at HMM. "The negotiations are going well and we expect that we can wrap them up by the middle of May." The company has been trying to persuade ship owners to cut their fees since January.
For the negotiations, the company is consulting with Millstein & Company Managing Director Mark Walker, a former banker with Rothschild who helped Korea suspend repayments of short term foreign debt worth $25 billion during the 1997 Asian financial crisis.
Another key man in the negotiations is Byeon Yang-ho, the founder of Vogo Fund, said to be the trailblazer in private equity funds in Korea. The former finance ministry official was sentenced to a prison term in 2006 for breach of trust after approving the sale of the Korea Exchange Bank for an excessively low price. However, this was overturned on appeal in Oct. 2010.
Though the company refused to elaborate further about ongoing negotiations, saying it may affect other talks; about 60 percent of the owners are reportedly receptive to cutting their fees.
Hanjin Shipping, on the other hand, is making relatively slow progress. According to an official, the world's No. 8 shipping line will officially begin negotiations only after its creditors accept its application to for debt restructuring.
"The KDB demanded Hanjin come up with more details on charter fee negotiations," said the official. "The company will work on that first and then start on negotiations."
Hanjin has 151 bulk and container carriers in its fleet. Ninety-one of them are leased from England- or Greece-based owners; while the rest are owned by the company. Hanjin paid 1.1 trillion won last year for the chartered vessels, or 14.1 percent of its 7.8 trillion won in revenue last year. A 30 percent cut in the fees will allow the company to save 340 billion won annually.
Both Hyundai and Hanjin have been paying leasing fees four to five times higher than the current market price, because they signed long-term charter contracts when the shipping industry was upbeat.
HMM has been stepping up its efforts to cut fees to meet the government-set deadline of mid-May for charter cost negotiations with ship owners.
As of March, HMM had 116 bulk and container carriers in its fleet 83 of them are chartered from 22 ship owners based in Europe and Asia, and the rest are owned by the company.
For the 83 rented vessels, the company paid 900 billion won in fees last year, 16 percent of the company's 5.77 trillion won revenue. Should the company manage to cut the fees by 30 percent, it will save 270 billion won.
South Korea's top economic policymaker said Wednesday that the government will push to lift or ease all but core regulations as part of its package measures to boost employment
"All government departments will raise the effectiveness of policies to ease regulations and create more jobs," Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho said.
The remarks were made during a meeting between government officials and lawmakers of the ruling Saenuri Party at the National Assembly in Seoul to discuss the youth unemployment issue.
The government has been pressing ahead with deregulation drive in various sectors, as unnecessary regulations could place big burdens on companies on hiring more people.
The measure is part of the government-led job creation effort for the young generation.
Creating jobs is one of the main goals of the Park Geun-hye administration's labor reform drive as it seeks to increase labor flexibility in the face of a protracted economic slowdown.
The unemployment rate for people between the ages of 15 and 29 reached a record 9.2 percent in 2015, up from 9 percent tallied a year earlier and the highest level since 1999.
"The government will hold a youth job fair every month at 17 innovation centers cross the country," Yoo said.
South Korea set up 17 innovation centers across the country as part of its push for the establishment of a creative economy and to eventually create more jobs for young people. The centers are to match up local startups and venture firms with conglomerates, which can provide resources to smaller companies so that they can turn creative ideas into real business opportunities. (Yonhap)
By Choi Sung-jin
Economic sanctions on North Korea may make life even harder for most North Koreans who cannot satisfy their basic needs, a visiting German political leader said Tuesday.
"If North Koreans' lives become too difficult, that will break their spirit for freedom," said Stanislaw Tillich, president of the Bundesrat (upper house) and minister president (chancellor) of Saxony, during a lecture on his country's reunification at Seoul National University.
The German politician said the North Korean leadership is maintaining its regime with lies and propaganda. "For some democratic forces, which want freedom and can destroy such a regime, to appear in North Korea, democratic nations need to provide support and let correct information flow into that country," Tillich said.
The East German-born politician said the reason the Berlin Wall fell on Nov. 9, 1989, was it "could no longer withstand the enormous demands and aspirations of Germans who wanted reunification."
Unlike South and North Korea, East Germans could visit West Germany relatively freely and had access to the latter's media outlets, he said. "After unification, there have been huge economic sacrifices on the part of West Germany, but unification can never be calculated in terms of money," he said.
Predicting that there will be an opportunity for unification on the Korean Peninsula someday, Tillich said: "You must never abandon hopes for unification lest you should lose that opportunity when it comes.
"Even after the two Koreas are unified, South Koreans should never forget about the dignity of North Koreans who have lived under dictatorship for decades. You must never repeat what happened in Germany," he said.
By Kang Seung-woo
North Korea said Wednesday its ruling Workers' Party will hold a seventh congress on May 6 the first such event in nearly 40 years.
The announcement ignited speculation that Pyongyang may conduct a fifth nuclear test in the lead-up to the event.
"The party's political bureau has decided to open the seventh Party Congress in Pyongyang on May 6," the Korean Central TV Broadcasting Station said.
The North last held the four-day congress in 1980 under the rule of Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un.
The North did not reveal how long the event will run although the South Korean unification ministry forecast it to be four to five days.
Analysts expect that the North will take advantage of the congress to reinforce the current dictator's position as supreme leader and officially adopt his "byungjin line" the simultaneous pursuit of economic development and nuclear weapons capability. Kim took power in December 2011.
"North Korea is expected to take measures to cement the one-man leadership of Kim Jong-un," said Chang Yong-seok, a senior researcher at the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies at Seoul National University.
"In addition, it will likely place the byungjin line in the party rules, clarifying that it possesses nuclear weapons."
As part of the "simultaneous" policy, the North Korean leader is expected to unveil new economic measures in the upcoming event as well.
However, Chang said the dictator is not likely to send any reconciliatory messages to South Korea or the United States due to the current diplomatic gridlock amid strong sanctions imposed by the U.N.
There has been growing speculation that the North Korean regime may push ahead with a fifth nuclear test as a means to mark the rare national event.
On Tuesday, President Park Geun-hye said North Korea has completed its preparations for a fifth nuclear test, with the South Korean military on high alert.
"While the North is believed to be technically ready for a nuclear test, the political atmosphere there is fueling speculations," said Chang, adding that it remains to be seen what sort of nuclear test will be conducted.
On March 15, the North Korean leader ordered his military to test a nuclear warhead and ballistic missiles capable of carrying the warhead.
Unification ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee said, "We need to be open to all possibilities in regard to another North Korean nuclear test and are ready to take action against it."
Along with the nuclear test, launching a ballistic missile is said to be another option for the North. Last week, the North tested a submarine-launched ballistic missile in the East Sea.
Despite being symbolic to the North, the Congress is not expected to feature high-profile foreign guests, as most countries are believed likely to skip it amid toughened international pressure.
A total of 177 delegates from 118 countries, including China and Russia, attended the party congress in 1980, according to Seoul's unification ministry.
K-pop girl bands AOA(top) and EXID perform in front of soldiers.
/ Courtesy of online community
By Ko Dong-hwan
K-pop girl bands will be deployed on the inter-Korean border to boost soldiers' morale.
The Ministry of National Defense has selected the novel measure to lift the spirits of frontline soldiers who face repressive North Korea, according to the Hankook Ilbo.
Forces have been on high alert for the past four months after the North's repeated tests of weapons of mass destruction, including a fourth nuclear test in January and a submarine-launched ballistic missile firing on Saturday. According to the report, the strain has had a big effect on soldiers, dissipating their concentration, spiking fatigue and resulting in more accidents.
"Troop captains have been doling out vacations to those who they deemed could use one but that hasn't been enough to recover the soldiers' listlessness," the ministry said, according to the report.
The ministry's latest initiative will have 12 K-pop bands visit 12 divisions close to the border 11 Army and one Marine Corps one band for each division sometime in the next month. During performances, the stars will invite some soldiers to talk about the hardships they face while on duty.
The ministry also plans to form a cheer squad of celebrities doing mandatory military service and tour them across the 12 divisions. The defense arm will also pay 162 million won ($140,000) for movies and 200 million to install projectors at 10 of the divisions to screen the films.
Oh Seung-hoon/Courtesy of Twitter
By Lee Jin-a
Comedian and businessman Oh Seung-hoon filed for bankruptcy last month with debts of billions of won, according to media reports.
Oh served as CEO of Enter-Technology, a karaoke machine manufacturer, from 2011. The reports said the business failed after the company's president, who has not been identified, borrowed money from banks and private moneylenders using Oh's name and did not repay it.
Seoul Central District Court will question Oh and creditors on May 12 before approving the bankruptcy.
Oh gained popularity with his character "Ms. Hwang" in TV comedy program "Gag Concert" on KBS.
By Lee Kyung-min
Kim Chong-in
The main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) interim leader Kim Chong-in said Wednesday that the party would consider proposing a special law to investigate the makers of harmful humidifier disinfectants thoroughly and help the victims.
He suggested holding a hearing on involved company executives and government officials if necessary to determine the truth.
Kim's remarks come amid the prosecution's intensive probe into the scandal in which at least 146 were killed and many others have suffered from lung illnesses by inhaling disinfectants containing the toxic chemical.
"The government needs to tighten controls on these companies' immorality to protect consumers, and the National Assembly needs to prepare measures as well," Kim said.
He said that although the confirmed death toll reached 146, the government and the involved companies have dealt with the issue poorly.
Kim especially criticized Oxy Reckitt Benckiser, whose products allegedly killed more than 70 percent of the victims, for attempting to dodge responsibility.
"The ongoing investigation indicates that the company knew about the products' possible harmfulness but kept producing and selling the product anyway. This is manslaughter and professional negligence resulting in injury," he said. "Hiding or fabricating the study results, if proven true, is a criminal offense."
By Kang Seung-woo
President Park Geun-hye will be accompanied by the largest-ever business delegation on her state visit to Iran, Cheong Wa Dae said, Wednesday.
Park is scheduled to embark on a four-day trip to the Middle Eastern country, Sunday, which will include a summit with its leader Hassan Rouhani, Monday.
"The business delegation will be comprised of 236 business people and representatives of economic organizations," said Ahn Jong-beom, the senior presidential secretary for economic affairs, at a briefing. "It is the largest-ever business delegation accompanying the President to a foreign country."
The previous record is 166 representatives of public and private firms, who joined the President's trip to the United States last October.
The delegation includes representatives of 38 large groups and companies, including Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, POSCO, SK Energy and Hanwha Group and 146 small and mid-sized firms.
Iran is emerging as a land of opportunity following the Jan. 16 lifting of international sanctions on the country.
Iran holds the world's fourth-largest oil reserves and second-largest natural gas reserves. In addition, it is seeking large-scale infrastructure development projects to rebuild its economy that was hurt by the decades-long sanctions.
The business delegation will participate in a business forum and an investment fair to meet local buyers, according to the presidential office.
Park's office said it is in talks with Iranian officials about a meeting between Park and Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who is a former president and considered Iran's most powerful figure.
Park's trip to Tehran will make her the first Korean President to visit the country in its entire 54 years of bilateral diplomatic relations.
Korea reported its second confirmed case of a Zika infection on Wednesday, spawning anxiety over the virus that could cause birth defects.
A 20-year-old man, whose identity has not been disclosed, tested positive for the mosquito-borne virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
The man showed flu-like symptoms after returning from a trip to the Philippines from April 10-14. He reportedly told the health authorities that he was bitten by a mosquito while traveling the country.
This raised the number of confirmed infections in Korea to two. Last month, a 43-year-old man was confirmed to have been infected with the virus.
The virus was first discovered in Africa, and has spread to parts of Asia and Latin America. It is almost always not life threatening and only poses health concerns for pregnant women and their unborn babies, who may be born with abnormally small heads and improperly developed brains. (Yonhap)
South Korea and the United States on Wednesday signed an agreement on space cooperation, paving the way for the allies' enhanced collaboration in the exploration of outer space.
Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert signed the "Framework Agreement for Cooperation in Aeronautics and the Exploration and Use of Airspace and Outer Space for Civil and Peaceful Purposes."
With the signing, South Korea became the first Asian country to ink a pact on space cooperation with the U.S., Seoul officials explained. The signing ceremony took place during the second South Korea-U.S. Civil Space Dialogue in Seoul.
The bilateral efforts to establish a legal framework for space cooperation began in 2010. The endeavors got a boost when Presidents Park Geun-hye and Barack Obama agreed to expand space cooperation during their summit in October.
The agreement sets forth the terms and conditions for potential bilateral cooperation in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes in areas of common interest and "on the basis of equality and mutual benefit," a joint press statement read.
"The ROK (Republic of Korea) and the United States recognize the importance of civil space cooperation as a tool to make the world safer and more prosperous," the statement said.
"The agreement builds on the firm ROK-U.S. alliance, the linchpin of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and across the Asia-Pacific region, and exemplifies the evolution of the ROK-U.S. global partnership into increasingly strategic and important new frontiers of cooperation."
The agreement covers potential cooperation on various space-related topics, such as cutting edge planetary exploration, Earth observation and improved understanding of heliophysics by exchanges of scientific data, as well as scientists, engineers and other experts, officials said.
During Wednesday's space cooperation talks, the two sides are set to discuss cooperation on future exploration activities, including Korea's lunar exploration project and the exploration of Mars, the officials said. (Yonhap)
Mumbai: Bollywood filmmaker Kabir Khan, who flew to Karachi to attend a conference, was mobbed by angry protesters at the airport on Wednesday.
A large group of protesters shouted angry slogans at the Phantom director when he arrived at Karachi airport to board a flight for Lahore. While many chanted anti-India and pro-Pakistan slogans, few protesters turned on Kabir and questioned him why he never made a film depicting the role played by the Indian intelligence agency RAW in Pakistan.
In the video, we see the director stepping out from the car and heading for the gate when the protesters surround him. Shouting anti-Indian slogans and thrashing their anger on Kabir Khan, we see the men blocking filmmakers way.
You people send Jhadav and kill hundreds here. Why dont you make a movie about it? a protester asked Kabir, while another shoe-wielding protester chased him down.
However, Kabir kept his cool and kept walking towards the departure lounge. The video of the entire incident even found it's way on the internet.
Watch the video below:
Later, Kabir Khan requested media to not give the incident any more attention than it deserves. He tweeted:
To media on both sides: 12 screaming lunatics with a mobile phone camera is not news. Please don't give them the attention they want. Ignore Kabir Khan (@kabirkhankk) April 27, 2016
Kabir Khan's Phantom, which is based on a novel by S. Hussain Zaidi, was banned by the Lahore High Court. The film, which featured Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif, was about a retired Indian Army officer who leads a mission to kill Pakistani terrorist leader Hafiz Saeed.
Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, right, shakes hands with U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert after signing an agreement on joint space exploration at The Plaza Hotel Seoul, Wednesday. / Yonhap
By Yi Whan-woo
South Korea and the United States signed an agreement Wednesday to cooperate on space ventures.
Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert signed the "Framework Agreement for Cooperation in Aeronautics and the Exploration and Use of Airspace and Outer Space for Civil and Peaceful Purposes" at the Plaza Hotel in downtown Seoul.
This is the first time that the U.S. signed an agreement with an Asian country to work together on space exploration for non-military purposes, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The pact was made in line with an agreement reached between President Park Geun-hye and President Barack Obama at a bilateral summit in October 2015 during Park's visit to the U.S. The two leaders promised to expand cooperation in space exploration.
"The South Korea-U.S. alliance, which has continued to grow over the last 60 years, has gone beyond their military alliance," Yun said in a speech at the event. "And this space cooperation agreement is one of the noteworthy achievements."
Lippert said the inter-governmental treaty on space exploration "represents the very best of our relationship as two countries."
"I think this represents that the U.S.-Republic of Korea alliance remains at the cutting-edge of technology and innovation," he said. "This framework document along with the strong commitments of our two leaders and our research communities and our two peoples will help drive this forward."
The pact will take effect after the National Assembly ratifies it and the South Korean government notifies the U.S. of parliamentary endorsement, according to foreign ministry officials.
They said the treaty does not require ratification from the U.S. Congress.
Seoul will seek to implement the treaty by January next year at the latest.
On the U.S. side, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Geological Survey will implement the agreement.
The Korea Meteorological Administration, Korea Aerospace Research Institute, Korean Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology Advancement and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology are designated as partner agencies.
Scientists, engineers and other experts from the agencies will work on a wide range of fields, including cutting edge planetary exploration, earth observation, earth science and heliophysics.
Both countries will also have scientific data and expert exchanges.
Yun said the agreement will be especially meaningful, given that North Korea has been developing space technology in pursuit of nuclear weapons.
"There are, too regretfully, cases of exploiting space technology," he said, citing North Korea's satellite launch using U.N.-banned ballistic missile technology, Feb. 7 and two tests of submarine-launched ballistic missiles, April 15 and 23, respectively.
"Under such circumstances, the Seoul-Washington agreement to explore and use space for peaceful purposes is very significant.
"Cutting-edge space technology should not be used as a means for a zero-sum game. It should be used to help the international community resolve challenges together so that we can make a safer and prosperous world for future generations," Yun added.
The signing of the space pact took place on the occasion of the second U.S.-ROK Civil Space Dialogue, which started in Seoul.
The working-level dialogue began in January 2015 to discuss how to bolster joint efforts in space exploration.
Key topics in this year's dialogue include air quality, air traffic management and geostationary meteorological satellites to improve weather forecasts and warnings for the protection of lives and property.
China is unlikely to send a delegation to North Korea's rare ruling party congress early next month, diplomatic sources said Wednesday, as the North's nuclear ambition and missile launches have soured political ties between the allies.
North Korea announced earlier in the day that the Workers' Party Congress will start on May 6, the first such congress in 36 years.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is expected to use the rare congress as a venue to solidify his reign and take credentials for his policy of simultaneously pursuing economic development and nuclear weapons.
China, North Korea's diplomatic and economic lifeline, sent a vice premier to North Korea's party congress in 1980.
"So far, it has been understood that no invitation was sent to China (to attend the May 6 party congress)," a diplomatic source said on the condition of anonymity.
North Korea has been slapped with tougher international sanctions since early last month over the January nuclear test and launch of a long-range rocket in February.
Many analysts suggest that North Korea could conduct another nuclear test to bolster domestic solidarity in time for the May party congress.
Another diplomatic source said North Korea's apparent preparations for a fifth nuclear test might be a burden for China.
"If North Korea goes ahead with the fifth nuclear test, it would be difficult for China to oppose demands by the international community, including South Korea and the U.S., to take stronger actions," the second source said.
In recent months, North Korea has claimed progress in its defiant pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, including what it said was the successful launch of a ballistic missile from a submarine. (Yonhap)
/Courtesy of Twitter
By Lee Jin-a
North Korean doctors are illegally performing abortions in Angola to earn extra money, according to media reports.
"The dispatched doctors perform abortions after work or during days off at their homes because they are short of money," a source told Radio Free Asia. "Most of their salaries are taken by the state."
Nearly 300 North Korean doctors work at national or provincial hospitals in the South African country. Those who work at national hospitals earn $2,000 to $3,000 a month while those at provincial hospitals receive about $1,000.
"While the North Korean doctors mainly operate the illegal surgeries at home, some Angolan mothers lost their lives during the operations," the source said.
By Young Hoy Kim Kimaro
Two years ago, at our 50th reunion in Seoul, my Ewha Secondary School classmates raised $13,800 to support our community development work in Mwika, my husband's home village on Mount Kilimanjaro. Their contributions helped us construct a school kitchen and a music building. This March, 12 of my classmates, three with their husbands, braved the 10,245-kilometer trip from Korea to attend the opening of these two facilities in Mwika.
On March 20, the day of the opening ceremony, they were at the Uuwo parish church by 6:30 a.m. The Ewha Class of 1964 Prayer Group to which many of the 12 belong and Rev. Hyoung Hoy Kim, a brother of mine, had financed the kitchen for the Samaritan school for mentally challenged children at the Uuwo parish.
That kitchen triggered the remodeling of the adjacent parish kitchen which, in turn, inspired the Uuwo diaspora into urban areas to raise funds for completion of the parish hall which had stood as an unfinished block of cement, an eyesore for years.
A little spark, which ignited on the smallest of the three buildings, got the fire going for the rest. "A miracle," remarked Rev. John Moshi, pastor of Uuwo Church.
The group had the privilege of having breakfast with Bishop Dr. Frederick Shoo, the Lead Bishop of the Lutheran Church of Tanzania, who officiated at the opening of the newly finished parish hall. Then all rushed to Mwika Bible College for the second opening of the day.
Mwika Bible College had been the center for training Lutheran evangelists and pastors in liturgical music for more than half a century in this part of the world, but it is inadequately equipped, to say the least. Just one classroom of its own and just one piano that works. Few keyboards are used in that one classroom. Total cacophony ensues when many students are practicing with their instruments at the same time, in the same space.
Two temporary classrooms are partitioned off from the student cafeteria with plywood. There, every sound reverberates through the thin plywood partition. Often the students and teachers can't make out each other's words. The new music building should provide some relief as it adds two classrooms, properly divided, five individual practice rooms and an audio library.
As the building construction neared completion, the music department received donations of three digital pianos and an organ. In one stroke, the student-to-piano ratio dropped from 20:1 to 5:1. What an incredible impact this is bound to have on the music students.
The initial spark from Ewha, providing such a facility, undoubtedly encouraged these donations. "A miracle," remarked Rev. Obed Akyoo, the new Head of the Mwika Bible College.
Again Bishop Shoo officiated at the opening ceremony. The music students opened the event singing "Ah, ah Ewha, Ewha, a beautiful name. Let us sing together." What? Can this be? In the heart of Africa? Ewha grandmas' jaws drop. Tears formed in their eyes. Some discreetly wiped the tears from their faces.
Bishop Shoo and Chang Ye Soon cut the ribbon together. Astonished
Donor: Ewha Class of 1964, Seoul, Korea. This building was opened and blessed by Honorable Bishop Dr. Frederick O. Shoo. The Lead Bishop of the Lutheran Church of Tanzania and Bishop of the Northern Diocese on March 20, 2016.
Chang Ye Soon, the leader of Ewha's class of 1964, stood beside the bishop. In one sweep they cut the ribbon. Then off came the cloth, bearing the wall plaque. "EWHA HALL" it reads, and there was the Ewha logo. Astonished, more Ewha grandmas cry tears of joy while smiles lighten their faces.
It was the Ewha group's turn to sing Arirang. But they sneaked in a Tanzanian patriotic song in Swahili first. "Tanzania, Tanzania, nakupendakwamoyowote I love you with all my heart." What the? Now it's the Mwika people whose jaws drop.
Mischief done, the Ewha group swings into Arirang. As their singing winds down, they are jolted by a raucous rejoinder: "Ari arirang, ssrissrirang, arariga nan ne." It's the music students! More smiles, murmurs and clapping. At that moment, everyone was of one heart.
During the service, Bishop Shoo asked for a favor: He would love to hear once more the Ewha guests singing the Korean folk song together with the music students. That, to him, epitomizes how two different worlds can become one. Both groups revel at the invitation and sing their hearts out. They indeed are one.
The memory of these 15 hearty Ewha grandmas and grandpas will long be cherished here in Mwika. They were the best ambassadors Korea could have sent to this remote village Chang Ye-soon and husband Chung Kyu-chin, Hong Ki-ae and husband Kim Kyoung-wook, Park Young-kyu and husband Rhee Sue-goo, Chung Moon-hee, Hong Ki-kyung, Hwang Hae-sook, Lee Woo-kyourng, Lee Yoo-gyung, Park Chun-ae, Park Chung-oak, Woo Jong-byuk, and Yang Kyung-soon.
The story doesn't end there. The Ewha group brought a surprise addition: a contribution of $26,760 from over 100 of their classmates, Head Mistress Kang Soon-ja of Ewha Secondary School and Ewha Scholarship Foundation Chair, Kim Young-ja.
Soon more Ewha sparks will start to fly again, setting more development aflame on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro.
The government has outlined a "three-track'' industrial restructuring blueprint. The first track envisions putting top priority on restructuring industries sensitive to economic cycles such as shipping and shipbuilding. The second track is to help normalize companies in trouble based on creditors' risk assessments, while the third is to overhaul industries suffering from oversupply such as steel and petrochemicals.
To Hyundai Merchant Marine, the nation's second-largest shipper, the government issued an ultimatum that it will be put into court receivership if it fails to persuade foreign ship owners to cut charter fees drastically by mid-May. It also asked the nation's three largest shipbuilders Hyundai Heavy Industries, Daewoo Shipping and Marine Engineering and Samsung Heavy Industries to undertake stronger self-rescue measures.
During a third round of meetings on corporate restructuring held on Tuesday, Financial Services Commission Chairman Yim Jong-yong said the government will embark on restructuring with a do-or-die resolve. But the government appears to be lacking a sense of urgency, given that the blueprint is devoid of concrete plans such as how to raise funds for the government-led retooling.
The government's complacency is all the more worrisome, considering that a growing number of flagship industries have been faltering in recent years. Alarm bells began to ring in our shipping and shipbuilding industries in 2010, but the process of restructuring has dragged on.
The three shipbuilders suffered a combined loss of 8.5 trillion won last year, and each of the two shippers posted a net loss of more than 1 trillion won over the past three years. Their combined debt amounted to 78 trillion won last year.
Against this backdrop, the government's equivocal retooling moves will deal a fatal blow to Korea Inc. as a whole as well as to the relevant industries and the financial sector. What is really disappointing is that the latest restructuring scheme contains only stopgap measures such as layoffs and cost cuts. The financial regulator even said it won't force any mergers in the troubled shipping and shipbuilding industries.
If the government-led restructuring proceeds this way, it's highly likely that taxpayer money will be injected into state-run banks, which would in turn place some nonviable companies under their wings, in a repetition of past bad practices.
It's long overdue for Korea to push for the restructuring with a firm determination to sharpen our industrial competitiveness based on economic logic. The government should also do its utmost to minimize the injection of public funds that will ultimately have to be shouldered by taxpayers.
Chris Baumann
By Chung Hyun-chae
Dr. Chris Baumann, an associate professor at Macquarie University in Australia and a visiting professor at Seoul National University (SNU), says that tattoos are still a liability for service employees, somewhat in conflict with an individual's freedom of expression via body art.
"Consumers are very skeptical, if not negative, towards tattooed frontline employees," Baumann told The Korea Times in a recent e-mail interview.
In his study, titled "Taboo tattoos? A study of the gendered effects of body art on consumer attitudes toward visibly tattooed frontline staff," Baumann explored the interactions of people in job contexts, gender and the presence of tattoos.
The research was conducted in collaboration with Andrew R. Timming of the University of St Andrews in Scotland and Paul J. Gollan of the University of Queensland in Australia.
They found consumers have a negative attitude to visible body art on frontline staff, and that a tattoo could therefore be a significant liability for service employees.
"The findings indicate that there is an intersectionality of gender- and tattoo-based discrimination," Baumann said.
He drew his conclusions by examining the attitudes of 131 male and 131 female respondents toward two professions surgeons and mechanics in terms of tattoos.
According to Baumann, both surgeons and car mechanics are traditionally male-dominated fields, so they are ideal to empirically study discrimination against frontline staff.
"Not only was the tattooed female surgeon rated higher than the tattooed male surgeon, but also the presence of a tattoo on a female mechanic did not even figure into consumer perceptions," the researchers wrote in their paper.
"In other words, the data suggest that whether or not a woman mechanic displays a visible tattoo is irrelevant; consumers, both male and female, simply do not want a woman working on their cars."
That is to say that male and female consumers hold roughly the same gender views on body art in the workplace.
"Our study intentionally moved away from the traditional research with its focus on gender and race, and instead positioned our research on the under-researched area of gender and body art," Baumann added.
Citing Korea's culture grounded in Confucian principles, he pointed out that Korean employers have stricter rules and standards when it comes to visual presentation.
"What is more or less acceptable in the appearance and behavior of frontline staff (including visible tattoos) in many Western markets, would be unthinkable in Korea," Baumann said. "Confucianism provides society with a high level of harmony, respect and good manners, and that is also ever present in services."
Baumann stressed that Confucian culture is less based on individual expression such as displaying tattoos for everyone to see, and that tattoos are largely seen as taboo in the Korean service industry.
Tattoos are seen as an art form in many countries around the world. But in Korea, tattooing is, according to law, a medical practice that can be conducted legally by medical personnel only. However, there has been talk among related ministries of legalizing the country's underground tattoo industry.
Tattoos are becoming more acceptable among some Koreans, especially young adults, for their cosmetic effects and artistic value. But in many cases people who have tattoos are still stigmatized due to historic associations with organized crime.
Chae Eun-mi, managing director of FedEx Express Korea, poses at the Hapjeong-dong office in western Seoul.
/ Courtesy of FedEx Express Korea
By Kim Ji-soo
Staying at the top for a decade, especially amid the struggling economy, is a challenge; but FedEx Express Korea Managing Director Chae Eun-mi has managed to do so.
Since assuming her post in 2006, Chae, 53, has aggressively expanded FedEx's Korean unit and improved its performance. The world's largest express courier company signed a memorandum of understanding with Incheon International Airport Corp. in March for a FedEx cargo terminal at the airport.
"The new cargo terminal is scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2019. FedEx plans to deploy advanced logistics facilities, including an automated cargo sorting system, with a capacity to sort up to 9,000 packages per hour," Chae said.
The proposed cargo terminal is the latest move in Chae's expansionary plans. She said the project required massive communication with headquarters in the United States. But communication is what she does best to implement such plans.
She recalls the memorable launching of the company's Boeing 777s in 2011 from Memphis, Tennessee, where the FedEx World Hub is located, to Korea, to meet increasing demand in overseas direct purchases and exports of small- and medium-sized enterprises, thanks to the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement that eventually took effect in 2012. Under Chae's leadership, FedEx Express Korea has grown to 14 stations, 5 world service centers, 318 vehicles and 850 employees here.
Chae said the media has cited her soft leadership style, but she says that's just a part of her approach. "I am decisive. I quickly arrive at a decision after I survey the situation," she said.
She spoke at near-mach speed, such that her boss has asked her to slow down during presentations. It may well be part of her personality, which certainly suits the punctuality required in her field. She said "practice makes perfect," and she certainly applies her FedEx training, such as in rapid decision-making.
A graduate of French language education from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, she started her career with Korean Air's passenger service in 1985, before moving to special flight carrier Flying Tiger in 1987. At the time, many female graduates did not seek a career, nor was it easy for them to find employment.
"I believe I made a timely career positioning at that time by choosing a foreign carrier," she said. She became a part of FedEx in 1989, when it had just merged with Flying Tiger. Only two years later, in 1991, at 28, she became a customer services manager.
She said she did not experience any difficulties as a woman at FedEx because of the company's commitment to provide equality opportunities and "promotion from within" policy.
However, she did experience prejudice outside the company, such as when she was a customer service manager and Korean customers would bark at her and ask for a male manager. She handled such rude, overly demanding customers by taking full responsibility for the situation and asking customers about their complaints so that she could resolve them.
"I think my boss in the United States had more important things to take care of than the phones calls that I might have transferred over," Chae said, stressing how a sense of responsibility was important.
She said one of her most challenging times came when she was also managing the Japanese market.
"It meant working with people who spoke a different language and had a different culture, so even though communication was my strength, the situation posed a challenge," Chae said. She said she learned Japanese so she could better communicate with Japanese partners and clients.
Her "learning-through-succeeding" approach helped her greatly in her subsequent roles. In 2000, Chae was promoted to a senior management position overseeing ground operations. In 2004, she was appointed managing director of human resources for FedEx North Asia Pacific, overseeing 3,000 employees in Japan, Guam, Korea and Taiwan. These upper management roles provided further valuable learning experiences.
She acknowledges that her career path stands out in the still conservative Korean society.
Showing a photo of herself in which she was the sole female vice chairman at an event this year of the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM), she said while more women are now in the workforce, very few hold top management positions. Chae was appointed AMCHAM's vice chairman last November.
A mother herself she has a 27-year-old son Chae shared some advice for women in middle management and for how Korea can have more top female leaders.
"The super or alpha girls excel at work until their priorities change with marriage or childbirth and they have multiple roles to fulfill," she said. "It's a difficult task, but women still have to work twice or thrice harder than their male colleagues," she said.
She suggested that multinational firms should remain a competitive working place for women, who commit to any job or task with self-confidence and a positive mind-set. She conveys this message to her employees as well, under the company's "people-service-profit" philosophy.
"If we take care of our employees, they will provide the best service; and our customers, if they get very good service compared to our competitors, they will keep using us, and eventually, they will contribute to profits," she said.
Asked to name a particular area among multinational companies, Chae said her logistics area where the process of picking up, customs clearance, making it to final destination, delivery and proof of delivery that requires detailed personnel could be advantageous for women.
Energetic and engaging, Chae said she is looking forward to doing her part in this important phase for the company, which will determine the company's future in the next five to 15 years. FedEx started the process of acquiring Dutch company TNT Express with a strong European base in 2015, and hopes to finalize the deal in the first half of this year. That same year, it also acquired GENCO Distribution System, which is the largest third-party logistics provider in North America. Last month, FedEx re-launched Bongo International as FedEx CrossBorder, which offers upgraded e-commerce technology and shopping.
She noted the rising role of e-commerce in the company and its increasing focus on the health care industry. The managing director said FedEx's e-commerce will continue to help small- and medium-sized enterprises in Korea that don't have experience in logistics and exports clearance. In addition, the company will further focus on the health care industry a much-sought-after sector as temperature-sensitive deliveries can command higher prices given its already-existing ability to provide these requirements.
After some three decades, Chae said that she also hopes she can share her expertise to upgrade the Korean logistics sector.
Shin Dong-ik
By Kim Hyo-jin
U.S. President Barack Obama needs to clarify Japan's responsibility for World War II if he visits Hiroshima, according to Shin Dong-ik, president of the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS).
Shin said in a contribution article for a magazine published by the institute: "Obama's possible visit to Hiroshima is important for Washington to note Japan's responsibility in World War II so that it won't forget history."
There has been speculation that Obama may visit Hiroshima after attending the G7 summit, scheduled to be held in Ise-Shima next month.
The possible visit has symbolic links with Obama's agenda of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament which earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009, observers say.
Supporters of the visit say it should not be framed as the U.S. expressing remorse or apology for dropping the atomic bomb on the city, but sending the world a message of the U.S.'s commitment to non-proliferation and assurance of nuclear peace.
But opponents worry that it will help Japan's move to dilute wartime history and rekindle memories of its militaristic past.
Shin also expressed concern, noting a series of Japan's moves to highlight the horrific impact of the atomic bomb on thousands of civilians with little mention of the causes of the war. He pointed to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, which lacks such descriptions.
"Questions are raised whether Japan is doing costume play as a victim while shunning its responsibility," he said.
Mentioning the over 20,000 Koreans who were among the victims of the bombing, Shin said, "If Obama visits Hiroshima, he shouldn't forget to pay tribute to the foreign victims including Koreans as well."
He added Obama could take as reference Ban Ki-moon's visit to the Nagasaki memorial for Korean atomic bomb victims in 2010.
The Korean government has kept mum about Obama's possible visit to Hiroshima, saying that it is inappropriate to make a stance on the schedule of a leader of a foreign country.
/Screen capture from Naver
By Lee Jin-a
Naver has introduced a Korean dictionary service for Vietnamese students learning Korean, following the successful launch of the Korean-Chinese dictionary last year.
The Korean dictionary provides multiple definitions of Korean words, the meanings of which can change by time and situation. It also offers a Korean pronunciation service with the voice of a Korean news anchor and a Korean keyboard service so users can easily search for words on their devices.
Naver plans to create a project in which students from Ho Chi Minh City National University will translate 100,000 Korean sentences to Vietnamese.
"We have confirmed that 32.6 percent of mobile users in Vietnam have used our Vietnamese dictionary," said Kim Jong-hwan, Naver's dictionary department head. "We will develop more Korean dictionaries that can help foreigners learn Korean more conveniently."
Los Angeles: Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra has confirmed that she will be attending the White House Correspondents' dinner this weekend.
The 33-year-old former Miss World, whose presence was little dicey earlier, took to Twitter to share the news.
"Yes I will be attending," she wrote while replying to a fan on Twitter chat.
The gala dinner will see who's who of Hollywood including Will Smith, wife Jada Pinkett Smith, Kerry Washington, Shonda Rhimes, Kim Kardashian's model sister Kendall Jenner among others.
The 2016 White House Correspondents' dinner, which will be President Barack Obama's last in office, will be hosted by comedian Larry Wilmore. It will take place at the Washington Hilton.
The heat wave is wreaking havoc on the people of Tamil Nadu and Andhra, and it is no different for film stars. With the mercury soaring to alarming levels over the past few weeks, several films shoots starting from SS Rajamoulis Baahubali The Conclusion were either cancelled or postponed.
With temperatures touching 45 degrees in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Rajamouli and crew had to call off the schedule. Shooting is expected to resume after a month, once the intensity of summer subsides. Huge and expensive sets were erected for this schedule, but shooting under the high power HMI lights, which generate a lot of heat of their own, is impossible in this period film in which hundreds of junior artistes and technicians along with the stars take part in every scene. Baahubali 2 features Prabhas, Anushka, Tamannah, and Rana among others. The leading ladies also reported that it was an ordeal to work wearing heavily bejewelled costumes and makeup in the sweltering heat.
Vishal recently announced his next film Kaththi Sandai with director Suraj. It was to commence shooting last Friday, but was postponed. An official statement from the filmmakers says that the shooting was rescheduled due to scorching heat.
A few filmmakers have shifted location to cooler places, as in the case of the Vikram-Nayanthara-Nithya Menen film Iru Mugan. Despite the heat, the shoot was taking place at a brisk pace in a studio near Poonamallee.
On Sunday night, the unit of this Anand Shankar directed sci-fi thriller shifted to the much-cooler Kashmir for their next schedule.
For some movies like Karthis Kashmora, Prabhu Devas new film under Vijays direction and Venkat Prabhus sequel to Chennai 28, shooting is still on despite the severe summer. These units are avoiding the afternoon sun by shooting early in the morning and in the late evenings. Suriyas sequel to the Singam series, SIII, directed by Hari is in the final schedule. Reportedly, they need to wrap it up in a weeks time. The movie, being a cop story involving a lot of action, has canned many scenes on roads and outdoor locales under the hot sun, explains production assistant Raja. We somehow managed a long schedule in Vizag. Now, we have shifted to Nellore and shooting only during the nighttime, he adds.
South Indian actress Ragini Dwivedi, who acted in Nimirndhu Nil, recently went for a diving holiday to the Maldives. The actress who was the runner-up of the 2008 Femina Miss India contest says, I was diving at a site in the Maldives and we saw a turtle entangled in fishing nets. We freed it.
Ragini says that she wants to be a professional diver. I am training in deep sea diving, she says, adding, I started at the worlds biggest dive site The Great Barrier Reef. I am doing practical training in a lot of places, but will have to give a theory exam and a practical in one country to get my certification.
So that is my next plan when I get off work Ill choose a site and go there, says the actress. In her upcoming film Amma, the actress is playing TN CM Jayalalithaa. The film directed by Main Hoon Rajinikanth famed controversial director Faisal Saif, will release in all south Indian languages and in Hindi as well.
His previous venture Last Bus along with his director brother S D Aravind, made a distinctive mark in the industry. After the horror-suspense, the grandson of Sandalwoods legendary comedian Narasimharaju is on a roll with back-to-back projects, including his much awaited film Ooty, which is set for release. Avinash Narasimharaju speaks to Bengaluru Chronicle about his films, his journey so far, his plans ahead, and much more.
It has been very good ever since the release of Last Bus. The film Ooty was in fact shot even before Last Bus. Unlike the horror-suspense, Ooty is a love story with certain thrilling elements. More uniquely, the story is set in three different states Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, with the crux of the story mainly staged in Ooty. That should explain the title, says Avinash Narasimharaju.
His older brother, S D Aravind is in films too. He directed Jugari in which Avinash made his debut as an actor and they returned together with Last Bus.
Further, on Ooty, Avinash says that though the plot is set in the backdrop of 1992s Cauvery agitation, it is a love story about a guy from Karnataka who falls in love with a girl from Kerala, in Tamil Nadu. The Cauvery agitation is not the main highlight, but the story depicts the repercussion of it on the low level working class such as the labourers, their strong belief in caste and how language plays a vital role, he adds.
Though coming from the family of Kannadas legendary actor, Avinash and his brother worked very hard to prove themselves. To be very honest, the name and fame of our grandfather Narasimharaju never helped us in getting any great opportunity to work with reputed banners nor any well-known producers came in search of us.
Moreover, we neither went in search of such opportunities using our grandfathers name. We worked very hard and we earned projects only through our abilities, and have built careers by proving ourselves. Though it was very different, it has definitely been a great journey so far, says Avinash, whose latest venture Raja Tilaka was launched recently, after which offers have been flooding for him. He adds that he is here to do good projects and is picking them on merits.
Before signing off, Avinash reveals that he will return under his brothers direction in 2018 with a whole new concept which will make the industry think and change.
Uday Kiran, who is already in prison in connection with an attempt to murder case, will have to remain in jail for one additional year with the new Act invoked against him.
Hyderabad: Jubilee Hills police invoked the Goonda Act against Tollywood small time actor Uday Kiran.
The actor was earlier booked in various cases with charges including attempt to murder and misbehaving with a woman. Uday Kiran, who is already in prison in connection with an attempt to murder case, will have to remain in jail for one additional year with the new Act invoked against him.
According to police officials, there are as many as nine criminal cases against Uday Kiran in Jubilee Hills police station and town police station in Kakinada. There are cases of bodily offences, threatening and crime against a woman, against him. So, we invoked PD Act against him as per the law, said S. Venkat Reddy, Inspector of Jubilee Hills police station.
Police usually book PD Act against history sheeter to keep them inside prison to maintain law and order in the city. Jubilee Hills police had arrested him last month after he attacked a hotel staff. He damaged the property in the same hotel. Cops had booked him for attempt to murder and sent him to prison, where he is still remaining. Earlier, he had misbehaved with a woman and cops had arrested him then.
The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary
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At a time when the role of a wife and a home maker is subject to changing social mores, she is not playing coy and confining herself to her home and hearth but is giving wings to her dreams, hopes and aspirations, however, lofty they may be. Iris Maju from Kochi set free one of her dreams in the winds and it returned back to her in the form of the Mrs India World 2015 title. She went on to participate in the Mrs World contest held at China recently. The mother of a teenage son and wife of an Army Colonel, she is a teacher and Iriss main intention in participating in the event was to give a voice to the social causes she espoused.
While marriage may have clipped the wings of some women, to Iris it opened up a whole new world where she got to travel, meet and interact with a lot of people across India. She states, Army life has shortchanged me because it taught me to be more disciplined, manage pressure, be more balanced and remain like a family. I worked with the Army schools and was also involved with a lot of Army Wives Welfare Association initiatives which is where my penchant for environmental activities grew. The need to propagate her cause and take it to a wider platform made Iris decide to take a shot at the beauty pageant, she adds.
Travelling has been one of the biggest perks of her lifestyle and Iris says I have not only travelled but have also stayed and taught in some remote places in India. I remember landing in Leh in an Army chopper and all I could see was snow all around. The transportation was bad and the roads snow bound but I worked in a school there, adapted to a new culture and climate as well as made lasting relationships. Patiala and Chandigarh are like second homes to me.
Iris very strongly feels that marriage and motherhood must not be an impediment for women to pursue their goals. She says Personally I have huge respect for homemakers because they give up their passions and desires to look after their families but I also feel it is equally important for a woman to spend some time for herself doing what brings her joy. That is important for her mental and emotional wellbeing because as long as the woman of the house is happy, she will spread joy and positivity around. I have been juggling my wife, mother and career woman roles but also find time to keep my body and mind fit.
You need to take out time for that. She travels around the country taking training classes and is also a blogger. She practices yoga and as a part of her preparation of the finals held in China, also learnt Kalari a rigorous art form which was challenging. She went to the contest all alone, in the bargain coming back more confident and enriched.
PRESS RELEASE
U.S. Mayors: Cost-Cutting on Services and Infrastructure Kills People
April 26, 2016 (EIRNS)A survey of 55 U.S. mayors taken by Politico magazine in its fifth National Mayors Survey, reveals that one in three of them believes that citizens lives may have been jeopardized as a result of "cost-saving" decisions on critical infrastructure. Half of those surveyed (the majority of whom were Democrats), believe that their roads, bridges, and water pipes have deteriorated enormously over the past decade.
Related to this is the catastrophic situation facing states and municipalities which will not receive millions of dollars in promised federal funds to deal with the expected Zika virus spread, as well as any number of other public health emergencies, The Washington Post reported today. The Obama administration "redirected" $44 million in emergency preparedness grants that were to go to state and local public health departments, starting in July. Congress has yet to approve the White Houses $1.9 billion in emergency funds to combat Zika.
Over the past 11 years, federal funding to state and local public health emergencies has been cut by a thirdunder the Bush and Obama administrations. The National Association of County and City Health Officials, representing 2,800 local health departments, reports that federal allocations this fiscal year total $568 mn.; in fiscal year 2005, they amounted to $863 mn.
Nowhere is the need for an FDR economic revolution more evident than in the case of the U.S. infrastructure disaster. As one mayor put it, "We clearly, absolutely know we are so far behind the world in infrastructure quality of any kind." There is great cynicism among the mayors when it comes to the federal and even state governments.
"I once believed that when people were endangered because of public policy failures, our federal and state leaders would respond and address the problems,"
one mayor said. But the non-responses to multiple life-threatening crisese.g., Flint, Michigan"demonstrates that federal leaders will not even effectively respond when lives are at issue."
In 2013, the American Society of Civil Engineers reported there were 57,000 structurally-deficient bridges in the U.S. In the absence of funding, former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood reports, mayors struggle to find ways to keep transportation systems going, to fix bridges and "interstates [interstate highwaysed.] that are crumbling." They look for foreign or private investment, and public-private partnership opportunitieswhatever they can figure out. "Were doing our share at the local level," said one mayor. "Now its incumbent on the State Legislature and on this Congress to invest in a 21st- Century infrastructure."
PRESS RELEASE
Syria Planning Reconstruction Conference, Reaching Out to the BRICS and Other Friendly Countries
April 26, 2016 (EIRNS)The government of Syria is already moving into a reconstruction phase, especially seeking cooperation with Russia and the other countries of the BRICS. There are even plans in the making for a reconstruction conference where representatives of BRICS and other friendly countries would, hopefully, participate. Extensive discussions are also being held with various Russian authorities for aid in reconstruction of the war-torn country.
In an interview with RIA Novosti, Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi, expressed his countrys desire to expand wide-ranging cooperation with Russia in both reconstruction and long-term economic development, according to Sputnik. He revealed that Syria and Russia have signed agreements worth 850 million to restore infrastructure.
"The Russian side was receptive to the idea of restoring infrastructure; accordingly a number of deals were signed," RIA Novosti quoted al-Halqi as saying.
Al-Halqi also said Syria wants to become a hub for the promotion of Russian economic activity in the entire region.
"We would like Syria to be considered not only within its geographical boundaries of its relatively limited economic market, but as a center for the expansion and promotion of companies and industrial products in the entire Middle East region. Syria, with its geographical advantages, is capable of becoming a developed commercial and industrial center for Russian companies in the markets of the Middle East,"
the prime minister said.
Al-Halqi reminded his interviewer that since July, Moscow and Damascus have discussed the possibility of Syria forming a free trade zone with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and its customs-free zone.
While Syria will begin the process of trying to get the Western financial sanctions against it lifted, al-Halqi said, Syria is very interested in opening a joint Russian-Syrian bank with an equity participation of 50% by each side that would be controlled by each countrys central banks.
He also said Syria will prepare detailed proposals for establishing mechanisms for conducting bilateral trade in national currencies.
As for energy cooperation, al-Halqi said,
"the Petroleum Ministry has prepared strategic projects in the field of energy, gas and oil in land and sea, and it has presented proposals to companies from friendly countries, mainly Russia."
He said his government has already given approval to Russian companies to take part in setting up and developing the oil refineries in Syria in addition to building joint refineries in cooperation with Iran and Venezuela.
Another area of cooperation is the field of communications and high technology.
"We welcome this cooperation with Russian companies," al-Halqi said.
"Russian companies have the experience, knowledge and technical ability to provide these services, have channels of contact between the Ministry of Communications of Syria, its various divisions, and Russian firms. We, in turn, provide all possible support and encourage this cooperation."
The official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reports that Deputy Director General of the Syrian Investment Agency Dr. Inas al-Omawi held discussions on April 25 with the Russian Commercial Attache in Damascus, Igor Matveyev, where he revealed his agencys intention to hold a conference for reconstruction as part of seeking new partners from the BRICS and other friendly countries. The conference would discuss prospects of investment and trade exchange and ways of cooperation to implement short- and medium-term joint investment in Syria.
Apple shares ticked back up a couple of percentage points Wednesday after disappointing quarterly results sent them plunging more than 8% in late trading the day before.
Only a handful of public companies have ever reported more than $10 billion in profit in a three-month period. Apple did just that for the sixth straight time Tuesday, pushing its pile of cash and securities to $233 billion.
But investors fear Apples incredible 13-year run of value creation -- from the iPod to the iPhone to the iPad -- is over for good. With more than 1 billion users of those and other Apple products, the company is now struggling to grow hardware sales.
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Even China, where skyrocketing iPhone purchases fueled recent surges, is no longer a safe bet for Apple.
Sales in greater China, which includes Taiwan and Hong Kong, fell faster than any another region in the first quarter. The company blamed the decline in large part on a strong Hong Kong dollar, making the iPhone too expensive for tourist purchases there. Mainland China sales still sunk 11% compared to the same period a year ago, which analysts said marked the first-ever quarterly decline in the country for Apple.
Some experts maintain hope for blockbuster sales of a new iPhone model this fall.
We believe an iPhone 7 launch in late September will allow [the company] to return to growth, said Angelo Zino, equity analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence, who maintains a strong buy rating on the companys stock.
But there is increasing concern that, like last years iPhone 6s, the newest model wont be radically different from its predecessors, which could deter prospective buyers. Skeptics have pushed their predictions for a full Apple rebound to 2017.
If iPhone 7 doesnt surprise with meaningful new useful features, we worry that consumers wont upgrade, Macquarie Capital analyst Ben Schachter said in a note this week. And unfortunately, nothing that weve seen about iPhone 7 thus far strikes us as particularly innovative. Apple will be a show-me story until then.
The mixed sentiments have left Apple shares in a wobbly position, down more than 26% from their 52-week high. They closed Wednesday at $97.82, down 6.3%, or $6.53.
Several analysts said Wednesday that they were reducing earnings forecast for the rest of Apples fiscal year, which ends in September.
For instance, Zino said earnings per share for the fiscal year would hit $8.28, down from an earlier $9 estimate.
Sales and earnings are being affected in part by the popularity of more inexpensive versions of the iPhone and by the lack of profit-margin growth from Apples services business despite a double-digit sales increase.
The bottom line is that [Apple] needs new innovation either in its current categories or in entirely new products (car?) in order to drive consumer and investor excitement, Schachter wrote.
paresh.dave@latimes.com
Twitter: @peard33
UPDATES:
1:34 p.m. Updated with closing share price data.
The original version of this article was published at 10:09 a.m.
Which Harry Potter actor has graduated from the wand to his bare hands?
Josh Herdman, who played Gregory Goyle, right-hand man of the villainous Draco Malfoy in the eight Harry Potter films, won his debut MMA fight Saturday at the City Pavillion in Romford, east London.
Herdman, who beat opponent Janusz Walachowski, told Mirror that hed trained in traditional Japanese jujitsu for nearly five years and that the transition to MMA just made sense.
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The fighter hasnt given up on his primary dream of being an actor, however, adding, I havent fallen out of love with it, I still have an agent and still go for auditions. Its just a little bit like playing the lottery for a living.
Still, Herdman seems smitten with his new hobby. Its raw, exciting and unpredictable, he explained.
For those of us who werent in London over the weekend, Herdman shared lots of pictures from the fight on his Twitter feed and the MMA organization who hosted the event, Rise of Champions, has made the entirety of the fight available online. Check it out below.
Follow me @midwestspitfire
Nick Gordon, who was Bobbi Kristina Brown's boyfriend at the time of her death, has returned to "Dr. Phil" for the first time since he dissolved into hysterics on the show in March 2015 and subsequently went into rehab and his demeanor is very different. He's also spilling a few secrets about his girlfriend's drug use.
"Rehab was something I needed, and I'm thankful that I got that opportunity," he calmly told Phil McGraw, who'd arranged his guest's treatment last year after their sit-down turned into a train wreck.
Gordon, who was taken in by Whitney Houston when he was 12 and raised as a kind of brother to "Krissi" before she and he became romantically involved, admitted that he'd been using alcohol and Xanax when his sit-down with McGraw -- see a bit of it, below -- spun out of control.
"I was drinking so much at the time because I could not deal with what was happening to Krissi. It mentally broke me. That's the lowest point in my life, right there," Gordon said in one of several clips that tease to a two-part interview set to air Thursday and Friday.
The interview addresses what happened leading up to when he found Krissi unresponsive and face down in their bathtub, and McGraw also poses the direct question, "Did you murder Bobbi Kristina Brown?"
After using drugs "socially" ("smoking a little at parties") before her mother's death, his girlfriend had developed a problem with drugs, he said. Photos of Bobbi Kristina using a bong and snorting cocaine surfaced a few years ago online. Gordon told McGraw that he had smoked drugs with her. Houston and Bobby Brown, Krissi's father, both struggled with substance abuse.
"It got really bad after Nip had passed away," Gordon said, referring to Houston by her family nickname. "It's unfortunate, but at the time that's kind of the only way we knew how to deal with what had happened."
Bobbi Kristina Brown died on July 26, 2015, in hospice care nearly seven months after she was found unresponsive. She was 22.
No criminal charges have been filed against Gordon, but he does face a civil suit filed in July by a court-appointed conservator that initially alleged that he abused his girlfriend, took $11,000 from her and maneuvered himself into a position to control her and the substantial estate she inherited after her mother died.
In August, after Bobbi Kristina died, the $10-million claim was amended to include an allegation of wrongful death, accusing Gordon of injecting his girlfriend with a "toxic cocktail rendering her unconscious" and placing her in the bathtub.
In March, Bobbi Kristina's autopsy report was unsealed. Her underlying cause of death was given as "the immersion associated with drug intoxication."
"Death was clearly not due to natural causes," the report said, "but the medical examiner has not been able to determine whether death was due to intentional or accidental causes, and has therefore classified the manner of death as Undetermined."
After the autopsy report, attorneys Joe Habachy and Jose Baez issued a statement criticizing the district attorney's office in Fulton County, Ga., for helping "feed the slanderous media frenzy regarding Nick Gordon" and his possible role in her death by "failing to acknowledge that there is simply no evidence of any wrongdoing."
"Frankly," the lawyers' statement said in March, "the right thing for the District Attorney's office to do right now is to tell the public the truth ... that this was an accident ... or even a suicide, but not a murder. And the right thing for everyone to do is let Nick live his life now and let Bobbi Kristina rest in peace."
A representative for the district attorney's office did not immediately respond Wednesday to a request for a status update regarding the investigation into Bobbi Kristina Brown's death.
Follow Christie D'Zurilla on Twitter @theCDZ. Follow the Ministry of Gossip @LATcelebs.
Since the recent release of a trailer for the upcoming film Doctor Strange, controversy has erupted over a character played by Tilda Swinton known as The Ancient One. Many have accused Marvel of whitewashing the character by casting the British-born Swinton as a character who is from Tibet in the original comics. Benedict Cumberbatch stars in the title role.
Now the movies co-screenwriter C. Robert Cargill has said that the casting decision was driven in part by a need to protect the lucrative Chinese theatrical market.
In a recent interview with the pop culture podcast Double Toasted, Cargill declared there is no other character in Marvel history that is such a cultural landmine that is absolutely unwinnable.
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He called the original character of The Ancient One a racist stereotype who comes from a region of the world that is in a very weird political place. He originates from Tibet, so if you acknowledge that Tibet is a place and that hes Tibetan, you risk alienating one billion people who think that thats and risk the Chinese government going, Hey, you know one of the biggest film-watching countries in the world? Were not going to show your movie because you decided to get political.
As for whether Swintons role should nevertheless have been cast using an Asian performer such as Michelle Yeoh, a frequent suggestion online, Cargill responded, If you are telling me you think its a good idea to cast a Chinese actress as a Tibetan character, you are out of your damn fool mind and have no idea what the youre talking about.
Oh, she could be Asian! Asian? She should be Japanese, she should be Indian, really? Cargill said. The levels of cultural sensitivity around this thing is, everyone is staking out their one particular place and not realizing that every single thing here is a losing proposition.
Noting that the decision was made by director Scott Derrickson before Cargill joined the project to cast the male role with a female performer, Cargill also added, Everybody kind of pats us on the back for that and then decides to scold us for her not being Tibetan. We knew that the social justice warriors would be angry either way.
Addressing the controversy herself in a recent interview with The Times, Swinton said, There is a misunderstanding in some quarters about me being asked to play an Asian character, which Ive been grateful to put people right about, because the character that I was invited to play was absolutely not Asian.
And I think we are all looking forward to seeing that film and we will see what we will see and were all, those of us who made it, are extremely excited to show it to people. I think when they see the film they will understand where were coming from and why.
After the interview (and subsequent online uproar over the statements) Marvel released the following statement:
Marvel has a very strong record of diversity in its casting of films and regularly departs from stereotypes and source material to bring its MCU to life. The Ancient One is a title that is not exclusively held by any one character, but rather a moniker passed down through time, and in this particular film the embodiment is Celtic. We are very proud to have the enormously talented Tilda Swinton portray this unique and complex character alongside our richly diverse cast.
And Cargill added on his Twitter account that he doesnt speak for Marvel:
CLARIFICATION: that interview answer going around was to a question from a fan specifically about MY JUSTIFICATION, not Marvel's. C. Robert Cargill (@Massawyrm) April 25, 2016
FOR THE RECORD: no one at Marvel or with the film ever talked to me about China, so contrary to headlines, I didn't confirm anything. C. Robert Cargill (@Massawyrm) April 25, 2016
Follow on Twitter: @IndieFocus
Since Edward Snowden and Julian Assange came into the public eye and transformed the privacy and surveillance debate, there have been some good movies about the issue (Laura Poitras Snowden documentary, Citizenfour) and some not-so-good ones (Bill Condons Assange take, The Fifth Estate).
Where will Snowden, Oliver Stones entry into the burgeoning genre, fit on that spectrum?
On Wednesday, moviegoers received their fullest glimpse yet, as studio Open Road dropped a new trailer to the movie. In it, we get a chance to see Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the former NSA contractor, affecting glasses, pose and voice in a way that approximates (and will be closely compared to) footage of the real-life Snowden from Citizenfour and elsewhere.
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Fittingly for Stones a-thrilling-conspiracy-behind-every-corner approach, the spot features much heightened tension. Exclamations like We are running out of time and Youre looking at a possible death sentence are uttered by various characters, the score ratchets up to a nerve-fraying level and even a (not-quite-related?) murderous explosion is shown. Phrases like Run. Hide. Live. To Tell The Truth run across the screen between scenes. It all contributes to a sense of grave danger and large consequences.
That, of course, is true; there may be few policy questions with as much import as the ones pertaining to privacy and government surveillance. The bigger issue is whether a movie about these policies can be interesting to watch. Essentially, can Stone turn what was the very non-cinematic act of downloading computer files and the equally non-thriller-like activity of sitting and talking to reporters in a hotel room, as Citizenfour documents so closely into suspenseful on-screen action?
And if he does, can he also hew closely enough to the facts to avoid the pitfalls that have dogged some of his previous efforts? (Certainly the more personal details a few love scenes with girlfriend Lindsay Mills, played here by Shailene Woodley and a backstory about a man who badly wanted to serve his country, a Stone staple, will be marshaled to help.)
The film, which also stars Zachary Quinto and Melissa Leo, was postponed from December, and then again from February. Its now hitting theaters on Sept. 16, which means it wont be at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival but likely will hit the late-summer confabs.
Snowden and Stone (the two have met numerous times in Snowdens current hometown of Moscow), were in a sense tailor-made for each othera real-life whistleblower and a man who for decades has been seeking to do versions of the same on-screen. Whether its a marriage that yields a fun moviegoing experience and/or meaningful social insight remains to be seen.
Twitter: @ZeitchikLAT
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Since the San Diego-Coronado Bridge opened in 1969, the landmark two-mile span has been the site of more than 360 suicides. And the numbers have surged over the last four years.
Now, San Diego officials are moving forward with a study to determine whether suicide barriers or nets could be installed to catch jumpers on their way down.
The study would determine whether the state Department of Transportation could install nets similar to those that San Francisco plans to add to the Golden Gate Bridge to prevent suicides.
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The Coronado City Council recently made a similar endorsement, and the nonprofit Coronado Bridge Collaborative has launched an online campaign to raise the roughly $25,000 it estimates the study would cost.
This request will go a long way to informing the state Department of Transportation of our two cities interest in addressing this particular issue, San Diego Councilman Todd Gloria said Tuesday.
Gloria said he believes something similar to San Franciscos plan, which cost $76 million, might make sense in San Diego.
This has real impacts on peoples and familys lives, he said.
San Diego officials said Toronto and Washington have seen a sharp decline in bridge suicides after installing barriers.
Studies show that most people who attempt suicide dont make a subsequent attempt if they are unsuccessful.
Rhonda Haiston, founder of the Coronado Bridge Collaborative, said she plans to hire an independent engineering firm to study potential barriers or nets, and then to present those findings to the state Department of Transportation for review and analysis.
Gloria suggested that he and his colleagues make contributions so the study can be completed by next summer.
david.garrick@sduniontribune.com
Garrick writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.
A top Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department official forwarded emails with jokes containing derogatory stereotypes of Muslims, blacks, Latinos, women and others from his work account during his previous job with the Burbank Police Department, according to city records.
Tom Angel, who is Sheriff Jim McDonnells chief of staff, sent the emails in 2012 and 2013 when he was the No. 2 police official in Burbank, hired to reform a department reeling from allegations of police brutality as well as racism and sexual harassment within its ranks.
I took my Biology exam last Friday, said one of the forwarded emails, which were obtained under the states public records law. I was asked to name two things commonly found in cells. Apparently Blacks and Mexicans were NOT the correct answers.
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Another email ridiculed concerns about the racial profiling of Muslims as terrorism suspects. A third included the subject line, How dumb is dumb? and listed 20 reasons Muslim Terrorists are so quick to commit suicide, including Towels for hats, Constant wailing from some idiot in a tower and You cant wash off the smell of donkey.
In an interview, Angel told The Times he did not mean to embarrass or demean anyone and said it was unfortunate that his work emails could be obtained by the public under the states records laws. Asked about the Biology exam email, which made light of high incarceration rates in some minority communities, he described himself as Mexican.
Anybody in the workplace unfortunately forwards emails from time to time that they probably shouldnt have forwarded, Angel said. I apologize if I offended anybody, but the intent was not for the public to have seen these jokes.
A longtime sheriffs official, Angel arrived in Burbank in 2010 as part of a new leadership team consisting mostly of Los Angeles Police Department veterans. He rejoined the Sheriffs Department last year to work for McDonnell, who was elected in December 2014 on a promise to clean up the agency amid an FBI investigation into corruption and misconduct in the county jails.
McDonnell said he was disappointed by the emails but had no immediate plans to discipline Angel, since the messages predate Angels current employment with the Sheriffs Department.
Everybodys got their own take on humor. This was divisive and nonproductive, McDonnell said. Its a shame the whole thing happened at all.
After viewing the emails at the request of The Times, local Muslim civil rights advocates criticized Angel, saying the messages perpetuate dangerous biases that all Muslims are terrorists.
Its very concerning when they have such biases against the constituency that they have to police, said Haroon Manjlai, a spokesman for the greater L.A. chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
In a meeting with McDonnell and Angel on Monday, Salam Al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, sought assurances that sheriffs officials are not unfairly targeting Muslim communities. Angel should be disciplined and the Sheriffs Department should hold a meeting with community groups as well as hold cultural awareness seminars for its staff, Al-Marayati said.
------------
FOR THE RECORD
4:55 p.m.: An earlier version of this article misspelled the last name of Salam Al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, as Al-Mayarati.
------------
As a chief, Angel is an at-will employee and could be fired or demoted without the civil service protections of lower-ranking sworn personnel, a Sheriffs Department spokesman said.
Anybody in the workplace unfortunately forwards emails from time to time that they probably shouldnt have forwarded. I apologize if I offended anybody... Tom Angel, Sheriff Jim McDonnells chief of staff
The Angel emails echo recent controversies in other cities. In San Francisco and Ferguson, Mo., police officials who sent racially derogatory emails or text messages have been put on leave or fired.
Angels Burbank emails were first released in 2014 in response to records requests filed by a Los Angeles attorney on behalf of a client. The Times recently learned of the requests, which sought various records, including four years worth of emails to and from top-ranking Burbank police officials containing derogatory language about Islam, African Americans, Latinos and others. The attorney, Travis Poteat, did not return calls for comment.
The Times asked for the same records he obtained. In its response to the newspaper, the city did not initially include the emails forwarded by Angel until a reporter asked why they were missing. City officials said the emails were in a batch of records that were inadvertently overlooked.
In all but one case, the city redacted the names and addresses of Angels email correspondents. A city spokesman said the redactions applied to anyone who did not work for the city because making their identities public would amount to an invasion of privacy.
Angel said he did not recall who sent him the original messages or who received his forwarded messages.
After learning of the emails in 2014, Burbank Police Chief Scott LaChasse audited police employees emails for insensitive language, according to Interim City Manager Ron Davis, who managed the citys utility department at the time.
LaChasse did not find any problems, but he reminded all employees of the citys zero-tolerance policy for discrimination and harassment, saying more email audits would follow, Davis said. LaChasse declined to comment on whether he disciplined Angel over the emails, citing personnel privacy laws.
They were not right, not to be condoned, LaChasse said. Theres nobody more contrite about it than Tom Angel. Thats not a part of his DNA.
Angel declined to comment on whether he was disciplined but said he has never been the subject of an internal investigation for his conduct.
Ask if there has ever been any kind of issue with my dealing with any minority communities in the history of my association with law enforcement, and youll find theres been none, Angel said.
The union that represents Burbank police officers said the emails are offensive to women as well as ethnic and religious groups. In a written statement, the Burbank Police Officers Assn.'s board of directors said city officials should hold LaChasse and his top administrators accountable.
We find it extremely offensive that a high ranking member of our organization was engaging in what clearly appears to be misconduct, the board said. There is no room for racism or discrimination of any type within the ranks of our organization.
On Jan. 7, 2012, records show, Angel forwarded an email that began, Muslims, gotta love em cant punish em............? before enumerating a series of terrorist incidents attributed to devout Muslim male extremists. It then dismissed concerns about the racial profiling of Muslims.
Later that year, Angel registered for a conference hosted by the Sheriffs Department and Muslim community groups about countering violent extremism and dispelling myths about Islam, according to a city email. Three days later, Angel emailed Denis Cremins, a Burbank police captain, to ask what he called a trivia question.
How many virgins do muslims get in heaven? having a discussion with a friend and I know you know the answer " Angel wrote.
72, Cremins replied.
When asked about the exchange, Cremins told The Times he simply answered a question posed to him. He declined to comment further.
Because of a scheduling conflict, Angel did not attend the Muslim conference, according to emails.
Some terrorist groups have promoted the idea that Muslim martyrs who engage in suicide bombings and other violent attacks are given sensual rewards in paradise. But Muslim scholars have repeatedly said that suicide is forbidden in Islam and that there is nothing in the Koran promising 72 virgins.
Al-Marayati said Angels question is offensive on many fronts. Number one: Hes promoting the extremist distortion of our faith. Number two: Hes mocking our faith. Number three: Hes marginalizing the community members he pledges to serve as a public servant.
Brian Moriguchi, president of the union that represents Sheriffs Department supervisors, said McDonnell should send a clear message to the community and sheriffs employees that sending offensive, racial or derogatory emails is not appropriate and certainly not appropriate from a work computer.
McDonnell said the incident is a teaching moment, showing that pressing the send button can have unintended consequences.
If you were to ask a person, anybody whos familiar with Tom, hes professional and respectful of everyone he works with and deals with, the sheriff said. His focus is on the best interests of constitutional policing in L.A. County.
Twitter: @atchek
Twitter: @cindychangLA
Tchekmedyian writes for Times Community News.
Times staff writer Rubaina Azhar contributed to this report.
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Human milk banking is a common practice, in India, the progress has been slow and only 14 such banks exist, as per the Indian Academy of Paediatrics. (Photo: Representative image)
New Delhi: First Pasteurized Human Milk Bank, 'Amaara' is launched in Delhi-NCR by Fortis La Femme in collaboration with the Breast Milk Foundation.
This non-profit center recognises that breast milk is the best nutritional food source for infants and should be available to babies deprived of their mother's milk.
This initiative is in line with the World Health Organizations (WHO) Millennium Development Goals to reduce the Infant Mortality rate.
The WHO and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) recommend that the best feed for a baby who cannot be breastfed, is milk expressed from their own mother or from another healthy mother.
Bhavdeep Singh, CEO, Fortis Healthcare, said, "India faces its own set of unique health challenges, one of them being the high vulnerability associated with pre-term babies who are significantly under-weight. Providing human breast milk to these fragile neonates can substantially cut the risk of infection and help save their lives. Keeping in mind the physiological inability of the mother in many cases to breastfeed, human milk banks assume great importance.
"The Amaara Milk Bank at Fortis La Femme is Delhi-NCR's first Milk Bank that will make available- Pasteurized Human Milk to infants hospitalized in our neonatal intensive care units as well as those admitted in other hospitals," he added.
Although, globally, human milk banking is a common practice, in India, the progress has been slow and only 14 such banks exist, as per the Indian Academy of Paediatrics.
Key reasons for this are lack of awareness among the public and promotion of formula milk. At the 'Amaara' Milk Bank at Fortis La Femme, milk once donated will be tested, pasteurized and frozen (for a period of six months) and made available to needy newborns. It is a public milk bank and, therefore, accessible to all mothers who need it.
The Breast Milk Foundation in collaboration with Fortis La Femme's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit also endeavours to spread awareness on the concept of Human Milk Banking through educational programs amongst potential donors as well as receivers.
India has the highest number of low birth weight babies and Neo-natal Mortality Rate (NMR), stands at 28 per 1,000 live births as recorded in 2013. India also has one of the highest infant mortality rates amongst its neighbours (Sri Lanka 12 per 1000, China 31 per 1000, Nepal 31 per 1000) which is 40 per 1000 live births according to the Annual Report, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GOI.
Feeding these babies with donor breast milk through human milk banks can have significant impact on reducing neo-natal mortality, one of the key goals of the National Health Mission, Government of India.
The stepfather of Jahi Turner a 2-year-old boy who went missing in 2002 made his first court appearance Tuesday in San Diego, where he faces charges of murder and felony child abuse resulting in death.
Tieray Jones, 37, pleaded not guilty to the charges, which carry a possible sentence of 25 years to life. He was extradited to San Diego County last week after being arrested in North Carolina.
Prosecutors had asked for Jones to be held in jail in lieu of $5 million, but a judge ordered him to remain on a no-bail status, given his ties to the East Coast and the seriousness of the charges.
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He has every reason to disappear now that the investigation into Jahis disappearance has focused on him, Judge David Szumowski said during the brief hearing in San Diego County Superior Court.
Deputy Public Defender Peter Will had asked the judge to set reasonable bail, noting that Jones had cooperated with investigators 14 years ago and remained cooperative now.
When Jahi was reported missing April 25, 2002, Jones told police he had taken his stepson to a playground near Balboa Park, then left him alone for 15 minutes when he walked to get a soda from a vending machine 100 yards away.
He said the boy was gone when he returned.
San Diego police launched a massive search, but Jahi was not found. Investigators later revealed there was no evidence that Jahi was ever at the playground the day he was reported missing. Still, no one was charged.
Outside the courtroom Tuesday, prosecutors Nicole Rooney and Bill Mitchell did not reveal any new information about what led to Jones being charged with murder.
Cold cases are always an ongoing investigation, and the [San Diego police] homicide team never gave up on it, Rooney said. And we finally developed evidence sufficient to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rooney, a deputy district attorney, said Jones had not been back in San Diego since 2003. She said he has ties to Maryland and North Carolina, where his family lives. Since he left San Diego County, Jones has had convictions for assault with a firearm, trespassing and drug crimes, the prosecutor said.
He was given a five-year prison sentence.
Jahis mother, Tameka Jones, was deployed on a Navy ship at the time her child disappeared. She and Tieray Jones separated in 2004 and divorced years later.
dana.littlefield@sduniontribune.com
Littlefield writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.
A woman whose death was feared to be connected to the Manson family slayings was identified late last year as a Canadian teenager, but Los Angeles police detectives still have no concrete evidence linking the vicious stabbing death to the series of slayings carried out by Charles Manson and his followers in 1969, LAPD investigators said Wednesday.
In December 2015, police confirmed that Jane Doe #59 was Reet Jurvetson, a Montreal resident who was stabbed 150 times before her body was spotted by a child on Mulholland Drive in November 1969, according to Det. Luis Rivera, a cold case investigator with the Los Angeles Police Departments Robbery-Homicide Division.
Police began investigating the death again in 2003, after a retired LAPD cold case investigator turned up a piece of evidence connected to the womans death that contained a DNA sample, Rivera said. The detective uploaded the sample and photographs of the victim to the National Unidentified and Missing Persons System, according to Rivera, who said the case then went quiet again for 12 years.
A friend of Jurvetson noticed the photo in June 2015, and contacted the victims sister, Anne. Police then obtained a DNA sample from Anne Jurvetson, and a positive identification was made in December of last year, Rivera said.
Reet Jurvetson traveled from Montreal to Los Angeles in 1969 to meet a friend named John or Jean, according to Rivera, and kept in sporadic contact with her family. While her relatives were concerned, they never filed a missing persons report, he said.
They missed her and they wondered about her, but no official report was made, Rivera said.
While the positive identification may seem like a major revelation, police have little more than tangential links between Jurvetsons death and the Manson family murders.
Police initially considered Manson because the familys other victims had been stabbed to death, according to Rivera, and Jurvetsons death happened around the same time as the cult killings. In his 1974 book, Helter Skelter, former Manson prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi also said he believed Jane Doe #59, later identified as Jurvetson, was killed because she had witnessed another murder long believed to be linked to the Manson family, the killing of John Phillip Haught.
Investigators initially believed Haught died accidentally while playing Russian Roulette in Venice in November 1969. But Simon Wells, author of the Charles Manson biography Coming Down Fast, later found out that Manson family members were present when Haught died.
1 / 6 The five victims slain the night of Aug. 9, 1969 at the Benedict Canyon Estate of Roman Polanski. From left, Voityck Frykowski, Sharon Tate, Stephen Parent, Jay Sebring, and Abigail Folger. The next night, it happened again. Rosemary and Leno LaBianca, a wealthy couple who lived across town, were stabbed to death in their home. (Associated Press) 2 / 6 Charles Manson is led back to his cell after court appearance in 1970. (Bill Murphy / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 6 Four young female members of the Charles Manson family kneel outside the Los Angeles Hall of Justice on March 29, 1971, with their heads shaved. The women kept a vigil at the building throughout the long trial in which Manson and three others were convicted of murdering actress Sharon Tate and six others. (Wally Fong / Associated Press) 4 / 6 Charles Manson is escorted to court for preliminary hearing in 1969. (Bill Murphy / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 6 Charles Manson receives the news that he was denied parole in 1997, for the ninth time in March, 1997. (Eric Risberg / Associated Press) 6 / 6 Charles Mansion in the high security area of the Corcoran State Prison in 1998. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Rivera said he was aware of the theory, but said the LAPD has nothing to formally connect the deaths.
We have not been able to find any evidence, any link, other than the timeframe of the murders, Rivera said. Other than that theres no direct link.
Attempts to contact Jurvetsons sister, and her acquaintances in Canada, were unsuccessful.
LAPD investigators traveled to Corcoran State Prison to interview Manson last year, according to Capt. Billy Hayes, commander of the Robbery-Homicide Division, but the convicted serial killer did not provide any additional information. Hayes downplayed any connections between Jurvetsons death and the Manson slayings in an interview with The Times on Wednesday.
Talking to Charlie is like talking to a wall, Hayes said.
News of Jurvetsons identification was first reported by People magazine Wednesday morning. A caretaker at Spahn Ranch, the Manson familys main haunt, told police that Jurvetson resembled a woman named Sherry who had spent time at the ranch, according to the People report. But Rivera said the LAPD has no information linking Jurvetson to the Manson family, and detectives are not certain that she knew Manson or any of his followers.
Jurvetson was born in Sweden but grew up in Montreal, according to People.
As incredible as it seems, my parents never thought to report Reet missing to the police, Anne Jurvetson wrote in a statement provided to People. They thought that she was just living her life somewhere and that eventually news from her would turn up.
Rivera said the case is not part of a larger initiative to identify additional Manson victims.
While prosecutors initially blamed the cult for eight separate murders across Los Angeles in 1969, prosecutors and Manson scholars have always believed the group was responsible for additional slayings.
Manson once bragged to a cellmate that his followers committed as many as 35 murders, according to former L.A. County prosecutor Stephen Kay, and police had hoped a series of recorded conversations between Manson family member Charles Tex Watson and his attorney uncovered in 2012 might reveal information about additional victims.
The tapes were turned over to the LAPD in 2012, but Hayes said Wednesday that there was nothing of significance on the tapes. Nothing we didnt already know.
Still, Manson family members have long been considered suspects in a number of unsolved or suspicious deaths in 1969. Joel Pugh, the boyfriend of Manson follower Sandra Good, was found dead in a London hotel months after the Manson murders. British authorities listed his death as a suicide, but Kay previously told the Los Angeles Times that he believed Pugh was murdered.
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Manson despised him, Kay told The Times in a 2012 interview. People who Manson hated ended up dead.
Ronald Hughes, a 35-year-old attorney who was part of Mansons defense team, was also found dead in a Ventura County creek in November 1970. Some believe Mansons followers killed him because of his conduct at the trial, during which legal experts say he strongly defended Manson family member Leslie Van Houten at the expense of Manson.
The slayings that have been officially attributed to Manson and his followers all took place during a panic-inducing stretch of the summer of 1969. Gary Hinman, a 34-year-old musician, was the first victim, stabbed to death by Manson after he refused to surrender his money and property to the cult leader.
A week later, four Manson followers -- Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, Watson and Linda Kasabian -- marched through the Hollywood Hills to Benedict Canyon, where they broke into the estate rented by Sharon Tate and her husband, director Roman Polanski.
Steven Parent, Tate, Jay Sebring, Voytek Frykowski and Abigail Folger were all killed at the estate. Tates blood was used to smear the word PIG on the front door of the residence.
Later that month, Manson broke into the Los Feliz home of 44-year-old supermarket owner Leno LaBianca. The cult leader tied up LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary, and left them to be butchered by Watson, Krenwinkel and Van Houten.
Donald Shorty Shea, a hand at the Spahn Ranch in Chatsworth, was the last victim whose death resulted in a conviction against a Manson family member.
Manson remains incarcerated at Corcoran State Prison, and will not be eligible for parole until 2027. Nearly all of Mansons other followers remain jailed or dead. Lynette Squeaky Fromme was released from prison in 2009, more than 30 years after she was convicted of attempting to assassinate President Gerald Ford. Kasabian was also granted immunity for testifying against other Manson family members.
A California review board recommended parole for Van Houten earlier this month, though her release could still be blocked by Gov. Jerry Brown.
Twitter: @jamesqueallyLAT and @lacrimes
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UC Berkeley has chosen one of its most experienced administrators and scholars to serve as interim provost and help lead the campus amid turmoil over sexual harassment cases and a budget crisis.
Carol T. Christ, a scholar of Victorian literature who joined Berkeley in 1970 and served as its provost and executive vice chancellor for six years until 2000, will replace Claude Steele as the universitys chief academic officer. Steele, who was widely criticized for his handling of sexual misconduct cases, announced his resignation this month to spend more time with his ill wife.
Christ also served as president of Smith College in Massachusetts for more than a decade before returning to Berkeley. In 2015, she became director of the Center for Studies in Higher Education.
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Chancellor Nicholas Dirks hailed Christ as an energetic and innovative leader who is known as a champion of diversity and womens issues. She was Berkeleys first Title IX officer to oversee discrimination claims and also served as an assistant to the chancellor, focusing on womens issues.
Her extensive experience on this campus coupled with her significant career accomplishments position her to provide exemplary leadership for Berkeleys academic enterprise, Dirks said in a statement.
Michael Burawoy, a sociology professor and co-chair of the Berkeley Faculty Assn., said he hoped Christ would bring equilibrium to a campus he said has been struggling under Dirks administration.
Shes as good a replacement as one can possibly imagine experienced and admired as a scholar and administrator, Burawoy said. Its a brave and devoted person who is willing to be second-in-command when the captain has lost his way.
Celeste Langan, an associate professor of English who also co-chairs the Berkeley Faculty Assn., said Christs long familiarity with the campus will prove essential in helping confront key challenges, such as how to close a budget deficit estimated at $150 million this year. Many faculty members have criticized Dirks and Steele for failing to adequately include them in decision-making, with some noting that both men worked in private universities until just a few years ago and are less familiar with a public university culture.
Were lucky that Carol Christ returned to Berkeley, since part of the problem has been the failure of various administrators to know Berkeley its culture, its faculty adequately before launching initiatives, Langan said. Her historical perspective may be essential as we try to differentiate between good and bad changes.
Christ earned a doctorate at Yale University. She then joined the English department at Berkeley, serving as professor and chair. She was subsequently named dean of the Division of Humanities, as it was then called, and provost for the College of Letters and Science.
I love Berkeley, and am ready to do whatever I can at this crucial moment in the universitys life, Christ said in a statement.
A search committee for a permanent provost is being formed this week.
For more education news, follow me @TeresaWatanabe
Los Angeles police arrested a man they say is a skid row drug kingpin at his suburban home in Cerritos along with 15 others as part of an early-morning sweep targeting downtowns infamous drug market.
Authorities said the goal was to break up what officials described as a dominant ring supplying cocaine and heroin on the streets of downtown L.A. at a time when the homeless population is rising along with concerns about crime. Among the evidence seized in the investigation was $600,000 in $1 bills.
The fact it was $1 bills tells you a lot about his business on skid row, LAPD Capt. Andrew Neiman said.
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An LAPD SWAT officer prepares for a massive early-morning drug sweep. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
The sweep marks the latest in years of crackdowns targeting the drug bazaar that has long operated on the streets of skid row, preying on a homeless community where addiction is a major problem. Over the weekend, 15 people were sickened during a string of overdoses linked to sales of tainted spice, or synthetic marijuana.
Los Angeles SWAT officers rolled into a cul-de-sac in the Cerritos neighborhood shortly after 3:30 a.m. in armored vehicles to capture Derrick Turner, 48.
Clad in his pajamas, Turner finally walked out and was arrested. His children could be heard crying.
Turner was charged with three felonies including possession of narcotics for sale, receiving the proceeds of drug sales and conspiracy. In addition to Turner, three other people were charged in the same case: Chasity Jackson, Henry Walker and Louis Bernard McAdoo. Police said McAdoo, who faces five felony charges, is other principal in the Turners drug conspiracy.
Turners home on Teresa Court was one of 20 locations raided by LAPD and a regional drug task force. Police said they arrested 16 of the 20 suspects for whom they had warrants to take into custody.
Turner is an Athens Blood gang member but works with the Grape Street gang to sell drugs, according to detectives.
Crime in skid row and other parts of downtown L.A. increased last year.
For SoCal crime & investigations follow me on Twitter @lacrimes
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It is a job with scant power and no paycheck.
Yet in Studio City, the question of who will win spots on its neighborhood council has become a bitter slugfest, a political drama that has gone all the way to the Los Angeles city attorneys office.
Two candidates who edged out their rivals for spots on the San Fernando Valley neighborhood group are poised to be booted from the race over accusations of electioneering.
The rare decision would upend the election, replacing winners Patrice Berlin and Eric Preven with two other candidates who got fewer votes including an incumbent they had sharply criticized.
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The furor follows a tumultuous year for the Studio City Neighborhood Council: Heated debate over Sportsmens Landing, a planned riverfront development with upscale shops and restaurants, spurred a push to recall board member Lisa Sarkin last year.
Sarkin, who had backed the development, easily survived that attempt to eject her from the neighborhood council. But she faced a fresh challenge this spring at the ballot box, as neighborhood council seats went up for grabs.
Sarkin ran for one of two seats allocated for Studio City employees or independent contractors and came in third behind Berlin and Preven, outspoken critics of the Sportsmens Landing project.
But several voters lodged challenges over the election, including Stuart Miller, who accused Berlin and Preven of electioneering at the polls.
At a recent hearing, a panel of three people drawn from other Los Angeles neighborhood councils backed his accusations and voted 2 to 1 to disqualify Berlin and Preven.
That means their seats would go to the next-highest vote-getters, Sarkin and writer Keith Schwalenberg. In the race for those seats. Berlin and Preven got 65 and 61 votes, respectively, while Sarkin received 52 and Schwalenberg had 15, according to totals posted on the neighborhood council elections website.
Berlin said she had been told the decision was final. However, the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, which oversees neighborhood councils, has referred the matter to City Atty. Mike Feuer to review, said Jay Handal, citywide elections administrator for the neighborhood council races.
Department General Manager Grayce Liu did not respond to email and phone messages Tuesday seeking comment on whether the decision to disqualify the two candidates was still open.
Handal said that although challenges are common in neighborhood council elections, especially if there are hot button issues or hot button people, it is very rare for a candidate to be disqualified as a result.
Los Angeles has scores of neighborhood councils that weigh in on local issues. They have no power to block city decisions but can exert their influence by publicly backing or opposing local plans. Each group also received $42,000 this year to support their activities, Handal said.
Depending on who runs them, the neighborhood councils can become either a reliable source of support for City Council members or a hotbed of dissent, political consultant Dermot Givens said.
Los Angeles leaders created them as the way for more community input, Givens said. But they gave them no power purposely.
Schwalenberg, who had not heard about the election challenge until being contacted by The Times, said he had been surprised by the intense back-and-forth over the Studio City race, including at a pretty small neighborhood forum. Fewer than 400 people voted in the election, according to the online totals.
It has had a lot of drama, Schwalenberg said.
Both Miller and Sarkin declined to be interviewed, saying it was too early to discuss the issue because the Studio City election results had not yet been certified. Other challenges involving the Studio City race are still pending, according to the department elections website.
To back up his challenge, Miller supplied statements from three witnesses, two of whom said the candidates were loudly declaring their status as candidates both before and after they voted.
As a result, Miller wrote, it appeared that several stakeholders waiting in line to vote became disgusted or intimidated by the outbursts and left the building without voting.
Berlin and Preven have denied the accusations, but neither attended a city hearing on the complaint this month. At that hearing, the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment said the challenge should be dismissed, Handal said. But the panel disagreed and voted to disqualify Berlin and Preven.
Afterward, Berlin wrote in an email to city officials that no one had personally directed her to show up, and we knew we had done nothing wrong.
We were not electioneering at all, Preven said.
Preven argued that the challenge should never have been allowed because the accusation and witness statements came in after a city deadline. In emails responding to Preven, Miller has denied that his challenge was late.
Follow @latimesemily for whats happening at Los Angeles City Hall
The family of a man who died after falling out of a party bus in 2014 will receive $4 million from the company that owned the vehicle as part of a settlement reached earlier this week.
Christopher C.J. Saraceno II was riding on a party bus traveling south on the 101 Freeway near Universal Studios Boulevard on Sept. 29 when the vehicle jerked. Saraceno, 24, lost his balance and fell down the stairs. The bus door then opened and Saraceno fell into the street, where he was struck by the bus rear tires and other vehicles.
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According to a California Highway Patrol report, the bus door was equipped with a faulty air compressor and did not lock properly. Even though the bus had been ordered off the road for safety reasons, it had been used 51 times since the order was issued, the CHP found.
Saracenos family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Hyros Corp., the company that owned the van, in February 2014.
Later that year, district attorneys declined to file felony manslaughter charges against Ayrapet Kasabyan, the companys president.
Twitter: @byjsong
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A Los Angeles Unified School District police officer surrendered to federal agents Wednesday morning after he was accused of attempting to have sex with a minor, officials said.
Mauricio Edgardo Estrada, 28, was named Tuesday in a two-count indictment charging him with attempted sex trafficking of a child and use of the Internet to induce a minor to have sex with him, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office.
Estrada responded to a Craigslist advertisement promising sex with a minor on April 20, prosecutors said. He exchanged several emails and text messages with an undercover agent whom he believed to be a 15-year-old girl, and agreed to pay $150 for sex, according to the release.
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Its deeply troubling when those sworn to protect our kids are accused of an act that violates every tenet of the oath they pledged to uphold, Joseph Macias, special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Initiative in Los Angeles, said in a statement.
The reality is that the defendants in child exploitation cases come from all walks of life, and access to children is all too often the common denominator, Macias said.
Estrada is accused of purchasing condoms, then traveling to a gas station in Artesia to meet the girl, the release said. He was taken into custody by deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department and released after posting bond.
He faces a minimum of 10 years in federal prison if convicted.
Estrada has been employed by the school district since December 2013, according to a statement issued by L.A. Unified School Police Chief Steven Zipperman. He was placed on administrative leave after his arrest, and an internal investigation is ongoing, according to the statement.
The entire L.A. Unified family is deeply disappointed by these serious allegations as they do not reflect the professionalism, ethics and character of the men and women of the Los Angeles School Police Department, he said in the statement.
Zipperman said the allegations do not involve an L.A. Unified student or any of the districts campuses. A police department spokeswoman would not say in which schools Estrada had worked.
Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in Southern California.
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Newly disclosed text messages in which a trio of San Francisco Police Department officers referred to minorities as barbarians, cockroaches and other slurs should trigger an even larger review of past criminal cases for signs of racial bias, according to the citys public defender.
At a Tuesday news conference, San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi revealed details of text messages traded among three former San Francisco officers that used the N-word to refer to black people, rag heads to refer to people of Middle Eastern descent and beaners to refer to Latinos.
RELATED: Top L.A. County sheriffs official sent emails mocking Muslims, blacks, Latinos and women
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The messages were discovered during a recent internal affairs investigation and add to a growing list of racist emails and texts traded among department officers. Already, the racist communications have resulted in the dismissal of 13 pending criminal cases.
When were talking about bias policing and racial profiling, there is a direct connection to these associations being made by officers, Adachi said. Thats the kind of mentality that tells you its OK to shoot, OK to kill, OK to arrest people of color.
The department said the latest texts were uncovered during a department investigation into allegations that an officer had committed a sexual assault while off-duty. The officer, Jason Lai, has been charged with misdemeanor counts of unlawful access and use of criminal and motor vehicle databases.
Police Chief Greg Suhr said the three officers mentioned at Tuesdays news conference have left the department. A fourth officer is also facing discipline, officials said.
In addition to the other slurs, Lai also used a derogatory term in Chinese to refer to black people and followed that up with a text message referring to them as a pack of wild animals on the loose.
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Anytime an officer presents him or herself to be this way, they will be gone, Suhr said. We will not have this in the San Francisco police force.
Suhr pledged to have all officers undergo training for implicit bias -- the theory that they are unconsciously treating or viewing a certain population differently without realizing it. Adachi said that responsibility in changing the departments culture starts with its officers, not its chief.
You can have the chief say We need to clean house, but it has to come from the officers themselves, Adachi said. Im sure there are many officers that disagree with what Lai said. Lets hear from them.
The texts were the second time an investigation has unearthed blatant racism among San Francisco police officers. A court filing by federal prosecutors last year revealed that 14 other officers had either sent or received text messages in previous years.
The previous scandal led to the dismissal of 13 pending criminal cases and a review of 3,000 more. Suhr tried to fire several of the 14 officers, but a judge ruled that the department had waited too long to discipline them. That ruling is now on appeal.
Adachi said Tuesday that the recent texts will require at least 207 criminal cases to be reviewed.
For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter.
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A divided Anaheim City Council voted late Tuesday to take no action on a resolution to formally denounce Donald J. Trump, capping a heated nearly four-hour debate that followed clashes outside City Hall between supporters and opponents of the Republican presidential candidate.
Before the meeting began, the conflict turned violent as demonstrators on either side hurled obscenities at each other and fired pepper spray, witnesses said. An ambulance arrived to provide care for at least two young girls and a woman who were stung by pepper spray. Television news video of the clash appeared to show a pro-Trump demonstrator lunging with a Taser at an opponent.
The rancor could prove to be an opening skirmish as the Republican presidential campaign moves to California ahead of the June 7 primary. Several polls show Trump leading his rivals in the state. But the billionaire has also faced criticism and protests by activists in California over his inflammatory comments about people who are in the U.S. illegally.
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The billionaire is scheduled to hold a rally in Costa Mesa on Thursday night at the Pacific Ampitheatre at the Orange County Fair & Event Center, according to Trumps campaign website. The rally is set for 7 p.m., with doors opening at 4 p.m.
The unruly debate in Anaheim continued inside the council chamber, where dozens of members of the public offered their views before the city leaders discussed the resolution that would have condemned the GOP front-runners divisive rhetoric. The council voted 3-2 to take no action on the resolution.
Anaheim, the largest city in Orange County, is not the first in the country to consider denouncing Trump. Mayors from cities including Philadelphia and St. Petersburg, Fla., have condemned the billionaire developer, and former West Hollywood Mayor Lindsey Horvath has said Trump is not welcome in the city.
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FOR THE RECORD
April 27, 8:57 a.m.: An earlier version of this story referred to West Hollywood City Councilwoman Lindsey Horvath as the citys mayor. Horvath recently completed a rotating, one-year term as mayor.
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But the proposal showed just how much Anaheim once a bastion of conservatism in famously right-leaning Orange County has drifted left as its population has become more diverse, making it an unlikely battleground in a polarizing national election.
The rhetoric and the language hes using truly go against the grain of the city of Anaheims core values as a city of kindness ... and as a city thats inclusive of our diverse community, said Councilwoman Kris Murray, who proposed the motion during the last council meeting. The resolution, she said, was her bid to stand up for tens of thousands of Anaheim residents who have been the target of Mr. Trumps campaign trail attacks.
The resolution noted that Latinos make up a majority of Anaheims residents and that the city is home to one of the nations largest Muslim populations. Trump has drawn fierce criticism by claiming Mexico was sending rapists over the border. Later, he called for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the U.S.
Outside City Hall before the meeting, witnesses said pro- and anti-Trump demonstrators carried signs and yelled at each other.
Linda Reedy, a Laguna Niguel resident and member of We the People Rising, a group of Trump supporters, said anti-Trump protesters goaded her and her friends. When an unidentified man attacked a friend, Reedy said, she tried to pull the stranger off and pepper spray stung her eyes.
I just think theyre so out of control, Reedy said of Trumps opponents, later pulling out a wet cloth to wipe her eyes. Im so sick of the anger in this country, she said.
Anaheim Police Sgt. Daron Wyatt said that no arrests were made after the clash and that police believe the pepper spray was used by anti-Trump demonstrators. Two witnesses said people on both sides used pepper spray.
Once the meeting got underway, more than 55 people signed up to speak during the public comment portion, among them dozens of Trump defenders who viewed the councils proposed action as beyond the scope of its authority.
Your business is to govern Anaheim, said Treva Wishart, a teachers aide and 30-year resident of the city. Keep your noses out of the national election.
Raul Rodriguez Jr., the state coordinator of the pro-Trump group America First Latinos, also blasted the resolution and called his chosen candidate a humanitarian, adding: He cares about this great country of ours.
Mayor Tom Tait pounded his gavel again and again to try to control the increasingly angry crowd, which shrieked approval when one commenter announced that Trump had won all five states voting in Tuesdays primary.
But Ibrahem Dalati, a high school senior, said he felt compelled to tell Murray how much he appreciated her proposal as a Muslim American, telling the crowd that Trump supporters are full of hate.
If Trump has to use hate to gain votes, we cannot support him, Dalati said. A great America is where someone can walk outside and smile at everyone and be able to help one another despite race or religion.
Tait, the Republican mayor, told The Times before the meeting that he would abstain from voting and said he questions the resolutions legality.
Weve taken positions on legislation, but never on a candidate, Tait said. Certainly, privately, any council member or I could, but as an official government action its not appropriate.
However, Murray said the city attorney reviewed the resolution and it is fully authorized by state law. The motion does not cost the city any money, she added.
As the meeting neared 10 p.m., the council considered a proposal by Murray to excise Trumps name from the language in the resolution, making it a broad condemnation of inflammatory presidential candidates.
Murray said that omitting Trumps name would accommodate different sides of the issue and focus on the objective: that the city will not condone any attacks.
Tait opposed voting on the amendment and said it should go on a future meeting agenda, allowing people to weigh in on it.
Taking out Donald Trumps name makes it an entirely different resolution, Tait said.
No date has been set for the council to take up the alternative version of the resolution.
Cal State Fullerton psychology student Keith Carlson, a Trump critic, said he expected a fierce debate and chaos surrounding such a lightning rod of a candidate.
They both want to be right. What ends up happening is both sides want to speak, but no one wants to listen, he said. Thats the problem with this campaign.
For Reedy, who was hit by pepper spray outside City Hall, opposing the council resolution was a matter of free speech.
I dont think its right for a government body to denounce a citizen just because they dont like what he says, Reedy said. Its chilling. Its anti-American.
Trump is schedule to speak at the California Republican convention later this week.
Times Community News reporter Luke Money contributed to this report.
For more news in Southern California, follow @newsterrier and @MattHjourno.
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The decaying carcass of a whale that washed ashore at San Onofre State Beach recently has attracted a steady stream of lookie-loos, but a California parks official warned residents Wednesday that they might want to avoid the area very soon.
Kevin Pearsall, a public safety superintendent for California state parks, suggested that the removal process might get a little ugly.
Initially, officials considered towing the whale out to sea, but decided against it when they realized it might just drift back onto the beach. On Wednesday, Pearsall said the cetaceans remains would be removed by land -- a process that would likely involve cutting it up and carting it away piece by piece.
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If that is what ends up being done to it, its going to be very messy, Pearsall said. Its going to be probably upsetting to kids. We highly suggest, or ask, that people stay away once the removal process is in place, because you just dont know what youre going to see.
Pearsall said his agency was in the final stages of securing a contract with a vendor who has experience removing large animals, and said work could begin as early as Thursday morning.
The whale, Pearsall believes, will ultimately end up in a landfill.
Its not the greatest thing, but its unfortunately where these large animals end up at some point, due to their size and lack of space for them, he said.
The dead whale became an instant attraction after it beached itself Sunday at Lower Trestles, a popular surfing destination near the Orange County-San Diego County line.
The carcass has drawn crowds of selfie-snapping tourists, as well as the curious. Professional surfer Kelly Slater was one of those who turned up at the beach to get a look.
Im sure that #BeachedWhale oil should keep the crowds to a minimum coming into summer! Sketchy, Slater wrote on Instagram.
Another surfer, Kalani Robb, shot a short video showing a small crowd of people looking at the whale.
Guess I wont be surfing lowers right now #deadwhale, he wrote on Instagram.
Cynthia Stern told the Associated Press she drove 75 miles with a friend to see the whale.
You should be paying homage to such creatures that are so intelligent and so wonderful, she said in the interview. You could start to feel the positive energy as you walked down the beach. Even though its a carcass, its profoundly positive -- and anyone who went there is blessed.
But it wasnt as much of a blessed experience trying to determine how to remove the whale. One option was burying it, but because the beach is small and very rocky, it wasnt a feasible option to bury it where it lay, Pearsall said.
An option to pull it out to sea, as has been done in the past, was also not possible, because of tide and wind circumstances and a concern that the whale could wash up again, he said.
Theyre so majestic and so sensitive to the public, yet theyre so large, Pearsall said. They do wash up on beaches from time to time, unfortunately, and you just kind of have to look at each one and approach it in the safest and environmentally conscious way.
While the whale is large, Pearsall said it is not the largest that has washed up on a California beach. Other whales have included one over 50 feet and another one that was 48 feet.
Los Angeles Times staff writer Veronica Rocha contributed to this article.
Twitter: @brittny_mejia
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There are two ways one can deal with incompetent administration. You could either say, Thats just the way things work and continue living in desolate conditions, or you could question authority and choose to commit to a long-term yet fruitful solution to your problems.
The Greater Alwal Allied Service Association (GAASA) has been doing just that for almost 30 years now. Working with civic bodies and agencies not just to help improve the quality of citizens lives in and around Alwal. The group has made itself a powerful, transparent force to fight civic injustice.
Right from the beginning, the founding members had coined this phrase Greater Alwal so that we should merge all the gram panchayats around Alwal, which was in real life merged only in 2010 or so, says GAASA general secretary Dr G.V. Rao, adding, Residential associations look at individual problems of their areas, but we look at common problems that affect everyone.
What started with six colonies in 1987 has now grown to include 41. And the group has helped the area develop in a number of ways: Reduction in water and property tax, improved public transport, numerous parks and greenery added, and much more. In the recent GHMC elections, GAASA also held the citys first town hall, where candidates answered questions from a manifesto prepared by them. We prepared a questionnaire for the candidates what their views were about the situations, what their plans and vision were, Dr Rao says.
President and founding member K. Santokh Singh adds that GAASAs experience has been widely appreciated by the corporators: They told us that they needed our guidance and help. All has not been smooth sailing, however, and they say that a revamping of the municipal administrative system is required. Political interference is hindering the development of Alwal. Once during a meeting which we video record for the benefit of those who cant make it some local politicians had tried to rough us up. With 35 witnesses, the police registered a complaint. But three days later they closed the case citing lack of evidence, Dr Rao reveals.
The groups focus now is on getting the five lakes in the Alwal area fenced of which theyve been successful so far with four as well as getting the areas main road widened. The new government laid a foundation stone for a `324 crore project to widen a three km stretch of road. But while theyre going forward with this theyre still allowing encroachments to come up at the same time, rues Dr Rao.
GAASA also doesnt hesitate to tackle citizens who do not comply with civic rules, but they add that peoples mindsets are now changing for the better. Says Dr Rao, Those changes are coming slowly. I wouldnt say that all of them are following rules, and we have a long way to go to get that required change. But it is happening.
Having survived his own potential death as a self-taught pilot who stole airplanes and landed them in the woods, the fugitive felon known as the Barefoot Bandit has a new unconventional escape plan this one intended to save his mothers life.
Or rather, to bring his mother back to life. While shes alive at the moment, Colton Harris-Moore is seeking public donations to have his mothers body frozen after she dies and await a post-thaw cure for the cancer he says now threatens her.
Those who chip in $25 or more toward the $230,000 cost of care at an Arizona life-extension facility will be entitled to their own free cryogenic treatment at a clinic Harris-Moore intends to start next year, he said from prison.
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Cryonic preservation is the only solution to save Pam, he wrote on his GoFundMe page, where hes accepting donations.
Pam Kohler, who turned 65 this week, couldnt be reached for comment. But Harris-Moores Seattle attorney, John Henry Browne, confirmed Kohler suffers from Stage 4 lung cancer. There is no prognosis on how much time she has left, he said.
Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks one of more than a dozen prosecutors who brought cases over the years against Harris-Moore, said he understood the former fugitive wanting to help his mother, but warned against donating money to private individuals online.
Since Mr. Harris-Moores crimes were theft and burglary, would-be donors should take that into account, he added.
When Harris-Moore was on trial in 2012, Browne laid the blame for his clients criminal life at Kohlers feet. As a dirt-poor and neglected trailer-home kid in the Northwest, his abusive upbringing was worse than a dogs, Brown said then.
Now, Browne said, Colton is doing everything he can to show his love for her, despite his awful childhood.
Harris-Moore, now 25, has said his mother was never to blame: I made my own choices, he insisted, even though court records show he told a psychiatrist his mother was an abusive alcoholic. His father, Gordon Moore, was in prison for drug abuse during his sons early years.
Left largely to himself, Harris-Moore grew up to earn infamy and briefly fortune as an audacious serial burglar and teen fugitive who stayed ahead of the law using stolen pickups and SUVs and once snatching a boat and piloting it across the U.S.-Canada border. He lived in the wilds off and on starting at age 7, and was arrested for his first break-in at age 12. He would eventually be credited with burglarizing at least 100 homes.
He wound up in juvenile detention and then a Seattle-area group home, from which he escaped in 2008. Harris-Moore then launched what became a one-boy cross-county crime wave, allegedly committing more than 70 crimes in eight states and three countries. The losses in stolen or destroyed property including luxury cars and at least five light aircraft would top an estimated $3 million.
His most memorable crime was his last: On the Fourth of July, 2010, he stole a $650,000 Cessna 400 from an Indiana airport and crash-landed it in the Bahamas. Though he didnt have a pilots license, he had learned how to fly aircraft by studying manuals. Airplanes, hes said, have been his obsession since he was a child.
He was finally arrested a week later at Harbour Island, Bahamas, after police shot out the engine of a boat hed stolen. Harris-Moore, at age 19 a serial law-breaker for almost a decade who had been on the run for at least two years, seemed relieved. Having committed crimes in the U.S., Canada and now the Bahamas, he would eventually confess in a plea deal to 40 felonies some of the early ones committed while barefoot. He also signed his crime scenes drawing footprint outlines with chalk and adding a sarcastic goodbye, Cya!
Besides supplying him with a nickname, the global publicity surrounding his fugitive escapades netted the high school dropout 50,000 Facebook followers, a $1.15-million movie deal and a 61/2-year prison sentence.
Now, broke again and set to be freed this summer from state prison in Aberdeen, Wash., after serving 51/2 years, Harris-Moore claims in an open letter on his fundraising Web page that his mother deserves a life after death.
As a son, I regret that her hopes and dreams never came true.
Having turned over all of his 20th Century Fox movie-rights income to the court as compensation for his theft victims, Harris-Moore is seeking $230,000 to cover the cost of Whole-Body cryo-preservation at Alcor Life Extension Foundation in Scottsdale. The facility is probably best known as the chilly last residing place of Boston Red Sox great Ted Williams, who died in 2002 at the age of 83.
If his mother is to join Williams and others suspended at Alcor, Harris-Moore will need a burst of donations. As of now hes received $2,115 in contributions from 19 people. Sometimes it is difficult to accept what we cannot change but I salute your attempt to try, one donor wrote.
Harris-Moore doesnt explain how hell go about starting his own cryo-preservation company, but it could be a long haul. Alcor froze its first patient in 1976, but it took almost 10 years to cryo-preserve a second and third. The preservation science was in its infancy, however, and in December last year Alcor announced that, aided by technological breakthroughs, it had frozen its 142nd patient.
In an interview with ABC News, which he contacted from prison seeking publicity for his fund drive, Harris-Moore said he hoped to design and manufacture aircraft when hes a free man.
There are several industries I want to go into, but thats definitely my main goal, building airplanes, he said. Thats it.
He already has one job lined up on the outside: Hes agreed to help around the office of his Seattle attorney.
He is smart and organized, says Browne, who is currently representing accused Russian hacker Roman Seleznev and once defended serial killer Ted Bundy. We have lots of filing and organization we need help with.
Harris-Moore says that prison and his mothers faltering health have taught him to tune out the pessimists.
Its funny, he writes on his funding page, because people will say youre nuts or insane or that its unrealistic to work to save someones life with cryonic preservation. And theyll call you insane right up until the moment you accomplish exactly what you said you would.
The opinions of uninspired people dont matter for anything. Just believe in yourself!
Banks, the Island County prosecutor, looks at it from a different angle.
Are people so dazzled by fame that they will decide the best charitable use of $200,000 is to freeze a famous criminals mother based on an uncertain promise of future reanimation? he asked. Its a crazy world.
Anderson is a special correspondent.
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Trump receives a boost from famed Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight
Bobby Knight knows something about winning, having secured three national championships during his nearly three decades as head basketball coach at Indiana University.
As the presidential primaries head to the Hoosier State, Knight is urging voters to get behind the man who has been on a winning streak of his own: Donald Trump, the front-runner for the GOP nomination.
There has never been a presidential candidate prepared to the length that this man is, Knight told Trump supporters at a rally in Indianapolis on Wednesday.
Knight, who is known for his volatile coaching style (see chair-tossing incident), said that Trump would, among other things, help bolster the military and create jobs.
Trump is on a roll, having amassed decisive wins in a host of mid-Atlantic states this week.
A victory Tuesday in Indiana would increase the chances that he will win the 1,237 delegates needed to secure the nomination. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich are looking to force a contested Republican convention in Cleveland in July.
An average of several polls from Indiana show Trump with a 6-percentage-point lead.
Known for his brash style, Trump has expressed the urge to punch a protester and verbally attacked family members of his rivals. Critics say his behavior hardly befits a president.
In response to the criticism, Knight offered his assessment: They talk about [Trump] isnt presidential. I dont know what the hell that means.
For former Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon, the reversals of fortune just keep on coming.
He served as a councilman, state senator and assemblyman before being convicted in 2014 of lying to voters about where he lived when he ran for his council seat. He spent 51 days under house arrest and was barred from ever holding public office again. But then, in January, the states 2nd District Court of Appeal threw out the convictions, saying the trial judge had given an improper instruction to the jury. Two months later, Alarcon announced he would run for Congress, challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Tony Cardenas. Then, last week, Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey announced she would retry Alarcon on the same four charges the appellate court overturned.
Laceys decision was not universally praised. Alarcons allies insist that the continued prosecution is a waste of time and taxpayer money. His attorney plans to file a motion asking the court to dismiss the case, and notes that the jury dismissed 12 of the original 16 charges. Legal analysts have suggested that the appellate decision will make the charges even more difficult to prove. And if the D.A.'s office does win a conviction, Alarcon probably wouldnt serve any more time because he already did 51 days, but he probably would be barred from public office again.
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Even with those challenges, Lacey is right to pursue justice. Alarcon was charged with a serious violation of public trust. There are few requirements placed on candidates running for local office in California, but one of them is that they must live in the districts they seek to represent. Alarcon is accused of listing as his address on voter registration and candidate filing documents a run-down house in Panorama City in the 7th Council District. Prosecutors say he actually lived in his wifes new, larger Sun Valley house, outside the district. Alarcon has said that he was staying at the Sun Valley home only temporarily while renovating the other property. Prosecutors presented witness testimony that Alarcon bragged that he was elected to his council seat without living in the district and then once in office, he was gone for so long from the Panorama City house that a squatter moved in and changed all the locks.
The D.A.'s office is one of the few in the state willing to investigate and file charges against elected officials for lying about living in their districts. And it is absolutely right to do so. No politician should be allowed to play fast and loose with the rules. Lacey should get credit for keeping up the fight, and for sending a message that fraud will not be tolerated.
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How is a voter to separate the good judicial candidates from the bad ones?
Rarely are there candidate forums, so there are few chances to make comparisons or ask questions. There is little news reporting about judges or judicial races, so reliable and even-handed information is scarce.
The Times editorial page does its best to help voters make their decisions by interviewing each candidate for Los Angeles Superior Court, talking with lawyers who have worked with and against them in court, weighing their knowledge, competence, integrity, temperament and demeanor, and recommending the candidate we believe to be the best of those running for each seat.
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Read the rest of our judicial ensorsements here>>>
We divide our endorsements in the seven judicial races on the 2016 ballot in two, and focus here on the three seats in which lawyers have challenged judges who already have been sitting and serving.
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For the Record
April 27, 11:25 a.m.: An earlier version of this editorial incorrectly stated that there were six judicial races on the 2016 ballot, including three open seats. There are seven, four of which involve open seats.
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A challenger should have a good reason for seeking to oust an incumbent judge. Californias hybrid judicial selection system, in which the governor appoints most trial judges but the people can remove them in elections, strikes a delicate balance between judicial independence and public accountability. Worrying about potential challenges could easily make judges handle their rulings differently by focusing on possible voter reaction rather than the merits of the case.
About 150 Los Angeles Superior Court judges are approaching the end of their terms and are up for reelection, but most were not challenged for reelection and will automatically get another six-year term. Their names wont even appear on the ballot. James Kaddo, Ray Santana and Kathryn Ann Solorzano were not so lucky. Each drew a single challenger.
Our recommendations:
Office 60: James Kaddo
This is one of those judicial races in which the challengers explanations for running, and for targeting a particular judge, are almost funny or would be, if they didnt force Kaddo, a capable judge for more than 25 years, to raise money and campaign in order to continue serving Los Angeles.
Its not as though challenger Stepan W. Baghdassarian is qualified to replace him. Baghdassarian wasnt even an active member of the State Bar of California until late last year, having given up his law practice long ago to run a wine importing business. Now he wants to be a judge.
Why challenge Kaddo? Nothing personal, he insists. Its just that hes an immigrant from Lebanon and wants to repay his adopted nation for the opportunity it has given him. Thats nice, but it doesnt explain why out of the 150 other judges he could have challenged, or any of the three vacant seats he could have sought, he decided instead to run against L.A.'s only judge who also just happens to be an immigrant from Lebanon. Either there is a story here that neither candidate is telling us, or Baghdassarian has an odd sense of humor.
As an alternative explanation, Baghdassarian notes that he lives in the Valley, and Kaddo sits in Van Nuys, so it makes sense for him to seek that seat rather than one in Lancaster, Pomona or somewhere else. Nice try, but judicial offices are not tied to a particular courthouse, and any judge elected to this seat could be assigned to sit anywhere in the county. Baghdassarian has no business being a judge in Van Nuys, Pomona or anywhere else in Los Angeles County.
Office 120: Ray Santana
Judge Ray Santana was appointed to the bench in 2008 and was reelected without opposition to a full term in 2010. In recent months, though, illness has kept him from his duties. That may be one reason why private practitioner Eric O. Ibisi filed to run against him.
Or not. Ibisi has run a stealth campaign, or rather, no campaign at all, declining to make his case as to why he is qualified to be a judge, why Santana ought to be removed or why he believes he would do a better job. It is left to voters to ferret out that his practice includes criminal defense, that his office is near MacArthur Park and that he is a graduate of Pepperdine University Law School.
Santana is a former deputy public defender who earned his law degree from UC Berkeley. While he was presiding, he was a well-regarded judge. He told The Times that he intends to resume his duties in June.
Concern about his ability to serve might give voters some pause when deciding whether to reelect him or it would, if there were a capable challenger ready to take his place. Ibisi offers nothing to suggest that he is that capable challenger.
Office 165: Kathryn Solorzano
Some courtrooms can be described as lax, with conversations going on about the room and judges waiting patiently on the bench for lawyers who are late for their scheduled hearings. Kathryn Solorzanos criminal courtroom at the Airport Courthouse on La Cienega Boulevard is not one of those. Lawyers who arrive late, perhaps because they were completing a hearing in another courtroom, will hear about it.
Deputy Public Defender Tami L. Warren was one such lawyer. Now she has challenged Solorzano. But while Warren has some impressive credentials, she has failed to make either the case that she would be a better judge than Solorzano or that Solorzano ought to be removed.
Solorzano was a well-regarded Los Angeles deputy district attorney for 17 years and has served ably on the bench for the last decade. It would be a mistake for voters to oust her merely because she runs a tight ship.
In addition to these races, there are four open judicial seats, in which candidates are vying for positions soon to be vacated. The Times will publish its endorsement in those races later this week.
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Of the 19 hijackers who carried out the Sept. 11 attacks, 15 were citizens of Saudi Arabia. What does that fact signify?
According to senior U.S. officials, little or nothing. From the outset, they treated the national identity of the terrorists as incidental, connoting nothing of importance. It was as if the 15 murderers just happened to smoke the same brand of cigarettes or wear the same after-shave.
Had they come from somewhere other than Saudi Arabia, a different attitude would surely have prevailed. Imagine if 15 Iraqis had perpetrated the attacks. In Washingtons eyes, Saddam Husseins direct involvement would have been a given. Fifteen Iranians? U.S. officials would have unhesitatingly fingered authorities in Tehran as complicit.
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In matters relating to war and peace, U.S. officials tell us what in their judgment we need to know... Why not allow Americans to judge for themselves?
Saudi Arabia, however, got a pass. In its final report, the 9/11 Commission said it found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually had funded Al Qaeda. This artfully crafted passage was an exercise in damage control, designed to preserve the existing U.S.-Saudi relationship from critical scrutiny.
The effort never fully succeeded, skeptics suspecting that there might be more to the story. Today those doubts find expression in demands to declassify 28 pages of a congressional investigation said to detail Saudi relations with and support for the Al Qaeda terrorist network before September 2001.
According to a Monday report by the Associated Press, the Obama administration may finally do just that. Whether the 28 pages sustain or refute suspicions of Saudi involvement in the Sept. 11 attacks will remain impossible to say absent such executive action.
Yet implicit in this dispute is an issue of even greater moment: Who ultimately exercises jurisdiction over truth?
Does it fall within the exclusive province of the state? Or do judgments about truth rightfully belong to the people?
On anything that touches national security an infinitely elastic concept the state has long since staked out its position: Views expressed by government authorities are authoritative.
In matters relating to war and peace, U.S. officials tell us what in their judgment we need to know. They deny access to information that we ostensibly could misconstrue, or that they deem too dangerous for us to possess.
In effect, the state curates truth. In doling out information, curators working at the behest of the state a category that includes more than a few journalists fashion narratives that may not be entirely accurate but that have the compensatory virtue of being expedient. In some instances, the aim of the narrative might be to obfuscate past mistakes, thereby sparing policymakers embarrassment. More commonly, the purpose is to facilitate the exercise of power along certain lines.
By characterizing the events of Sept. 11 as a bolt out of the blue unrelated to past actions by the United States, the version of truth constructed in the wake of those events served both purposes. Rather than prompting a reassessment of prevailing U.S. policies the problematic U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia among them it upheld those policies, justifying their perpetuation and not incidentally affirming the wisdom of those who devised them in the first place.
No wonder the foreign policy establishment insists that the 28 pages remain secret; not only might the document challenge the states preferred Sept. 11 narrative, but the
demands for its declassification also call into question the establishments very authority to control that narrative.
Opposing the pages release, Philip Zelikow, the Washington insider who served as executive director of the 9/11 Commission, describes them as unvetted, raw material. The contents, he insists, are misleading. Besides, were they to become public, hundreds, if not thousands of pages of additional material would also need to be declassified.
Why not allow Americans to judge for themselves? Why not make available those thousands of relevant pages? The answer is self-evident: Because in the estimation of those such as Zelikow, ordinary citizens are not to be trusted in such matters; policy must remain the purview of those who possess suitable credentials and can therefore be counted on to not rock the boat.
But the boat needs rocking. In the Middle East, the foreign policy establishment has made a hash of things. Indulging that establishment further serves no purpose other than to perpetuate folly. Releasing the 28 pages just might provide a first step toward real change.
Andrew Bacevich is author of the new book Americas War for the Greater Middle East: A Military History.
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Even before most major news outlets confirmed that Prince had died, mournful posts began filling my timeline. First, there was denial: No. No. No, a friend tweeted. Not Prince, god dammit, not Prince, wrote another. The other stages of grief soon followed.
I scrolled past concert memories on Facebook. Instagram was full of stills from Purple Rain and, later, photos of Los Angeles City Hall, Niagara Falls and the Eiffel Tower lit purple. Princes actual funeral was attended by just 20 close friends and family members. Online, millions of us mourned together.
The outpouring was sincere but also eerily familiar. Princes death was a replay of David Bowies in January, with echoes of the public mourning for the victims of the November terrorist attacks in Paris. Have we made an unspoken pact? When a death is newsworthy, we must grieve collectively now.
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Because of social media, everyday people feel pressure to grapple with questions of etiquette that, in previous decades, only celebrities in the public eye and subject to public criticism for perceived insensitivity had to address.
If youve never traveled to Paris, is it necessary to denounce terrorism there? Is it enough to acknowledge the death of a well-known artist R.I.P., Prince or must you put together a heartfelt tribute?
In fact, no one would take offense if some of us decided to skip a round of grieving if we decided not to change our avatars in memoriam. Probably no one would even notice. But perhaps thats beside the point.
Thinking about how we mourn artists weve never met, tweeted one woman after David Bowie died. We dont cry because we knew them, we cry because they helped us know ourselves.
We should grant ourselves permission to stay out of the public mourning ritual... There is also comfort in silence.
In that vein, we seize upon celebrity deaths as yet another opportunity to express ourselves. The Fox sketch comedy show Party Over Here recently mocked online celebrity-death tributes as little more than self-congratulatory posturing. Let us celebrate Jackie, says comedian Alison Rich, in a skit that supposes Jackie Chan has died, but let us also remember to celebrate me.
Brief exclamations of sorrow often precede lengthy remembrances. We tell our followers how listening to a deceased artists lesser-known albums helped us survive high school, or just a rough night in high school. We expect and accept this routine, which seems more meaningful than simply saying, I was a fan. But we also have standards. While grieving publicly, we feel we must avoid the appearance of self-promotion at all costs.
Corporate marketers have learned this the hard way. After Princes death, the official Cheerios account tweeted a purple background with the words, Rest in Peace on top. The i was dotted with a Cheerio, and the hashtag was #prince. Mourning fans were outraged by the opportunism of the tweet, which was soon taken down. There was a similar incident involving Hamburger Helper.
Collective grief can be a balm. But sometimes weighing in feels more performative than personal. We need to reclaim the option of saying nothing at all to disconnect the association between remaining silent and not caring. We dont expect constant digital updates from someone who has recently lost a loved one, nor should we expect such missives from each other after a headline-grabbing tragedy or celebrity death. We should grant ourselves permission to stay out of the public mourning ritual, whether because were not personally affected, or because we are affected so deeply we cannot immediately translate our grief to words. There is also comfort in silence.
Ann Friedman is a contributing writer to Opinion.
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Over the next six weeks, Republican voters in the remaining primary states from Indiana to California face an unenviable choice.
They can vote for Donald Trump, a boastful vulgarian who hasnt thought much about how he would govern beyond building a wall on the border.
Or they can try to keep the GOP nomination open by voting for someone else which in most states means Sen. Ted Cruz, the oleaginous absolutist from Texas.
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To most Americans, including me, neither option looks very appetizing. As South Carolinas puckish Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said, its like a choice between being shot or poisoned.
My heart goes out to GOP voters who face this choice: a buffoonish megalomaniac versus a calculating zealot.
But its the dilemma millions of voters face, especially in winner-take-all states that give extra delegates to the first-place finisher. In those states, votes for Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a less angry conservative, wont do much good. Thats why so many establishment Republicans, from Mitt Romney to Jeb Bush to Graham, have sheepishly announced their support for Cruz over the last few weeks even though they dont like him.
Hes certainly not my preference, but hes a reliable Republican conservative, Graham said. I think hes the best alternative to beat Donald Trump.
Graham is right. There are two reasons voters should prefer Cruz over Trump.
First, unlike Trump, Cruz has thought seriously about the job. Hes issued coherent if bracingly conservative proposals on tax policy, healthcare, defense spending and foreign policy. In most of those areas, Trump is still improvising.
And Cruz, a Harvard-trained lawyer, is a serious student of the Constitution. (As a boy conservative, he memorized the document.) Hes a devotee of limited government. He even has a libertarian streak, and briefly allied with Rand Paul in criticizing government surveillance programs (although he backed off after rising fear of terrorism made that stance less popular).
By contrast, Trumps acquaintance with the Constitution seems tenuous. He has described the Supreme Court as signing bills and sounds impatient with the 1st Amendment; hes threatened critics with reprisals and said hed like to make it easier to sue newspapers for libel.
Second, a Cruz candidacy would be a useful experiment in American politics: It would test the conservative argument that Republicans would win more elections if they only nominated unambiguously right-wing candidates.
We need to learn from history, Cruz said in 2014. If we run another candidate in the mold of a Bob Dole or a John McCain or a Mitt Romney, we will end up with the same result, which is millions of people will stay home on election day. The only way for Republicans to win, I believe, is to run a candidate who runs as a strong conservative with a positive, optimistic, hopeful message.
Thats been an article of faith in the conservative movement since the era of Ronald Reagan. But Reagan combined rugged Republican ideology with a winning personality. Nominating Cruz, who has none of Reagans charm, would be a purer test.
If Cruz loses to Hillary conservatives will have no choice but to reassess the idea that too little conservatism has been the only problem with recent national tickets, Republican writer Dan McLaughlin wrote in National Review, referring to Hillary Clinton, while listing reasons GOP moderates should vote for Cruz.
Besides, he added, if Cruz doesnt get the nomination this time, hes sure to be back four years from now. If you think Cruz is a disaster waiting to happen, better to let him happen now and have a chance at a more moderate or at least more moderate-sounding nominee next time.
If Trump won the nomination but lost the presidential election, that would teach the GOP no lesson at all. Republicans would dismiss the campaign as an aberration as the year their party temporarily went mad.
Unlike Graham and other establishment Republicans, Im not making an argument about electability here. Im not urging GOP voters to choose Cruz because hed be a stronger candidate in the general election because I dont think we can know whether thats true.
Cruz isnt an easy candidate to love. Hes capable of breathtaking opportunism and demagoguery. He spent much of last summer praising Trump (I think Donalds terrific) when that looked like a way to attract Trumps followers; now he says Trump is a danger to the republic. He has matched Trumps hard-line stands on deporting immigrants who are in the country illegally and barring Muslim refugees from entering the United States.
Last week, he took the Republican race into the bathroom, painting transgender people as potential sexual predators. Grown adult men, strangers, should not be alone in a bathroom with little girls, he said, defending the North Carolina law that would force transgender people to use the restroom corresponding to the gender on their birth certificate. (On that controversy, Trump struck an unexpectedly sensible note; why not let people use whatever bathroom theyre comfortable in?)
So my heart goes out to GOP voters who face this choice: a buffoonish megalomaniac versus a calculating zealot. Lindsey Graham was right. Its like a choice between being shot or poisoned. So take the poison. At least it will help clarify a thing or two about the Republican Party.
doyle.mcmanus@latimes.com
Twitter: @doylemcmanus
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Despite his abysmal showing on the latest Super Tuesday he won only in Rhode Island Bernie Sanders insists that he will keep campaigning through the last contest (good news for his supporters in California, which holds its primary in June).
But political analysts already are discerning a change in Sanders rhetoric consistent with reality. One sign of that recalibration is Sanders focus on leveraging his support in the service of a progressive Democratic Party platform.
After Tuesdays voting, Sanders issued a statement saying that he would go to the national convention in July with as many delegates as possible to fight for a progressive party platform.
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Please.
Shifting attention to the platform may be a necessary waystation on the way to admitting that he has lost, but who cares about party platforms? Certainly not presidential nominees, who arent bound by them, and probably not the voters either.
Even delegates dont think its a big deal. On Tuesday night I struggled to think of a recent platform battle, and all I could come up with was a kerfuffle at the 2012 Democratic convention over the temporary omission from the platform of a boilerplate reference to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. (The Guardian reported that the dispute plunged the convention into chaos. A bit of an exaggeration.)
In the past, its true, platform fights have involved a lot of emotion and energy. I cut my teeth as a teenage political junkie following the fight over a Vietnam plank at the 1968 Democratic convention.
But in recent years platform fights have been few and far between and the platforms themselves have proved insignificant both electorally and in terms of how a successful nominee governed. President Obama, who intervened to have the Jerusalem reference restored to the 2012 platform, pointedly hasnt moved the U.S,. Embassy to that city from Tel Aviv.
Maybe it will be different this year and Sanders political revolution will result in a new prominence for a party platform and Hillary Clinton pledging loyalty to a document promising free college, Medicare for all and throwing the book at Wall Street crooks.
But dont hold your breath.
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Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has to stop the emerging Donald Trump juggernaut if hes going to have any hope of winning the Republican presidential nomination at a brokered convention this summer. That means he absolutely, positively has to prevent Trump from scoring the kind of victory in California that hes been racking up in mid-Atlantic states lately.
Perhaps thats why Cruz announced Wednesday that former Hewlett-Packard CEO and White House wannabe Carly Fiorina would be his running mate. California Republicans might remember Fiorina as the candidate they chose in 2010 to challenge Democrat Barbara Boxer. It was the tea partys breakout year, and Fiorinas outsider campaign crushed those of former Rep. Tom Campbell and state Assemblyman Chuck DeVore.
From Cruzs point of view, its more important to have a running mate that appeals to the right wing than to the middle.
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Its still a good time to be an outsider candidate, so Fiorina may indeed help Cruz in California except shes dogged by accusations that she failed at HP, which gave her the boot in 2005. That invites some unwelcome comparisons to Cruzs chief opponent, a billionaire real-estate developer whos made hay out of his image as a wildly successful businessman.
Whats most revealing about the pick, though, is that Cruz isnt trying to balance the ticket in the way candidates typically do. He didnt pick a running mate who would appeal to elements of the electorate (or even of the GOP) that he hasnt done well with. Instead, he picked a female version of Ted Cruz someone who condemns the political establishment as corrupt, who belittles the idea of finding a political middle ground and who argues that the path to victory for the GOP is to pick more conservative candidates.
Yes, Fiorina does bring an extra X chromosome to the ticket, and thats significant even if it has been done before. But given Fiorinas stance on reproductive rights (shes strongly pro-life) and how closely her views hew to Cruzs, its hard to see how shell help him in November.
After all, thats usually the calculus when picking a vice presidential nominee. Its one reason presidential candidates often pick running mates who hail from the swing states or have experience that the candidates lack (see, e.g., Joe Bidens immersion in foreign policy, Paul Ryans conservative policy chops, Dick Cheneys years of work in the federal government).
Then again, Cruz has long blamed the GOPs inability to win the White House in the past two elections on Republican candidates who havent gotten conservatives excited enough to go to the polls. So from his point of view, its more important to have a running mate who appeals to the right wing than to the middle, regardless of the growing number of independent voters.
Cruz announced his new running mate in Indiana, which is holding a key primary Tuesday. By doubling down on his anti-establishment conservatism, hes hoping to ramp up his appeal with the disaffected voters whove been flocking to Trump. That strategy may backfire in November, but with Trumps nomination seeming more inevitable by the day, Cruz doesnt have time now to worry about the long term.
Email Jon Healey
Follow Healeys intermittent Twitter feed: @jcahealey
Donald J. Trump took the oath of office and assumed the presidency of the United States on Jan. 20, 2017. In his inauguration speech, he returned to a regular theme of his campaign, referencing America First. Doyle McManus took a look at the controversial phrase last year. Heres what he had to say:
Donald Trump formally unveiled a snappy new slogan for his not-quite-isolationist foreign policy on Wednesday: America First.
America First will be the major and overriding theme of my administration, the Republican front-runner told an audience in Washington. My foreign policy will always put the interests of the American people and American security above all else.
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Sounds uncontroversial but for anyone who knows American history, the phrase comes with a dishonorable past.
Seventy-five years ago, the America First Committee was an isolationist movement that opposed U.S. entry into World War II.
Its most famous leader, aviator Charles Lindbergh, argued that Nazi Germany was certain to defeat Britain and that U.S. intervention would be useless. His followers included more than a few pro-Nazis and anti-Semites.
It seems unlikely that Trump knew that when he adopted the slogan. He appears to have heard it for the first time from a New York Times reporter who asked him if his foreign policy attitudes boiled down to America First.
Correct, Trump replied. Im not isolationist, but I am America First. So I like the expression.
From that exchange, the slogan found its way into Trumps public language and, on Wednesday, became an overriding theme. Luckily for Trump, few voters today will associate it with the discredited isolationism of 1941.
But what does it mean? Trump is right on one score: Hes not really an isolationist. Instead, his strategy is a hodgepodge organized around his argument that the United States has allowed itself to be victimized by craftier countries.
One part is economic truculence. Trump says he would force China to be more helpful in Asia by using economic leverage, presumably by threatening to restrict trade. We have the power over China, he said, and with that economic power, we can rein [them] in.
And he says he would continue existing U.S. alliances with countries in Europe and Asia but only if they agree to pay the full cost of their defense. If not, theyre on their own.
Another theme: the minimalist foreign policy doctrine often called realism. Were getting out of the nation-building business and instead focusing on creating stability in the world, he said.
But Trump says hed continue the war against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, and wage it more aggressively than President Obama although he refuses to say how.
ISIS will be gone if Im elected president, and theyll be gone quickly, he said. I wont tell them where and I wont tell them how. We must as a nation be more unpredictable.
As a foreign policy strategy, it doesnt quite hang together yet. After months of promising to make America win again, Trump still hasnt explained how.
But at least he has a memorable slogan reclaimed and rebranded from the dustbin of history.
Follow Doyle McManus on Twitter @doylemcmanus and Google+
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Kochi: A 10-year old boy was stabbed over 17 times by his neighbour, described to be mentally unstable by cops, while returning from a nearby shop after buying groceries early Tuesday, sending shock waves across the Pullepady colony and nearby areas here.
The gruesome incident happened at 7 am when Risty John, a Class IV student of St Alberts School and a resident of Parapally House, Krishna Swamy Cross Road, Pullepady, was returning to his home after buying eggs through the narrow deserted lane.
Suddenly accused Aji Devassia (40), walked in from the opposite direction and attacked the boy without any provocation. The only eyewitness Ani Jose, a middle-aged homemaker who was collecting drinking water from the public tap along the lane, made a hue and cry seeing the boy getting stabbed repeatedly.
Soon residents rushed in and chased the attacker and beat him up before handing him over to police.
At first, it seemed to me that he was embracing the boy. As the kid fell, I realised to my shock that the boy was being stabbed. I shouted at the top of my voice but he continued to stab the boy in his neck and face. The poor kid couldnt even cry, said Ms Jose, whose younger son is a close friend of the victim.
The boys parents rushed in as the news spread and it was his mother Lini who took out the knife from his neck. His father John, an autorickshaw driver, rushed his son to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead.
Later the autopsy report said the boy suffered a total of 27 injuries, including 17 stab wounds on his neck and face.
Wed earlier received complaints from Ajis mother Petrissa of him becoming violent at the house and have admitted him to a mental hospital at Thrissur. He was released only a week back after the hospital authorities said he was completely cured. Were probing the exact reason behind the attack, city police commissioner M. P. Dinesh said.
However, locals claimed that the accused was addicted to liquor and drugs. The cops too admit the accused had taken treatment for de-addiction in the past.
His mother had earlier given a complaint to the police. His brother has left the house too. He used to watch the children playing games and on many occasions we found him lying unconscious in an inebriated state. There were also reports of him throwing stones at passers-by on Monday evening. For the past ten years or so he was not going to any work, said Thomas, a resident, also an autorickshaw driver.
Ajis house was located just opposite to the victims house separated by the main railway track.
Cops booked him under IPC Sec 302 (murder) and a court remanded him to judicial custody and lodged him in Ernakulam sub-jail.
Donald Trump swept five of five primaries Tuesday night, thus making the new alliance of necessity between Ted Cruz and John Kasich look hapless, if not hopeless.
Over the weekend, the only two Republican candidates who have yet to be swept away by the Trump tide put out word that they are coordinating their efforts to keep their campaigns afloat. Cruz, the Texas senator, is ceding Oregon and New Mexico to Kasich, the Ohio governor whose less-doctrinaire conservatism might be more appealing to Republican voters in those states. For his part, Kasich pledged to back out of Indiana, where a big share of evangelical Hoosiers might be attracted to Cruzs militant social conservatism.
Given the increasing momentum of the Trump insurgency, this division of territory seems like a long shot, at best. Trump is no longer stuck with just a third of the GOP primary vote that, earlier in the campaign, appeared to be a hard ceiling of his support. He is now racking up commanding majorities in state after state. A third of the vote is now the typical margin of victory between Trump and whichever competitor is in second place.
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At this point, Trumps delegate lead appears likely to crush the schemes Republican Party leaders have for a contested convention in which the nomination could be snatched away from the New York real estate mogul. It is hard to imagine Kasich pulling off surprise wins in Oregon and New Mexico or Cruz suddenly catching fire in Indiana. Only in California might the composition of the Republican electorate and the complexities of the delegate selection mechanism divided, as it is, between the states 53 congressional districts give the Cruz-Kasich alliance a chance to pull off some surprises.
As the prospects for any alternative to Trump dim, chatterers on cable news keep predicting that Trump will switch to a more presidential demeanor to avoid sabotaging himself. Trump, though, says he is not about to change. With Kasich suddenly in his sights, thanks to the state-splitting deal with Cruz, Trump has renewed his bully-in-the-schoolyard taunts. With theatrical face contortions, he recently described the way Kasich eats food as disgusting. And Trump ridiculed Kasich for saying -- after making the compact with Cruz -- it would be fine if folks in Indiana still chose to vote for him.
Trump is simply who he is and his fans love him for it. Meanwhile, Trumps opponents have failed to match the breadth of his appeal and their weakness is a significant factor in his success. Though a third of Pennsylvania Republicans said in a new Fox News poll that a Trump presidency would be scary, more than 50% feared the results of putting either Cruz or Kasich in the White House.
In comments after his five victories Tuesday, Trump said Kasich and Cruz really, really hurt themselves with this faulty deal. His own campaign plan is more straightforward: win the nomination ahead of the convention.
When the boxer knocks out the other boxer, Trump said, you dont have to wait for a decision.
Donald Trump to Ted Cruz and John Kasich: Get out
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Donald Trump called on his rivals to drop out of the Republican primary race Tuesday night after he swept the nights five contests, saying he is the only one poised to unify the GOP.
Its over, Trump said at a victory celebration at the same gilded office and condo tower on New Yorks Fifth Avenue where he launched his campaign last summer.
Sen. Cruz and Gov. Kasich should really get out of the race, he said. We should heal the Republican Party.
Trump, whose calls for mass deportations and a temporary ban on Muslims have provoked regular protests of his rallies, said he was uniquely qualified at bring people together, and called himself a unifier.
Surrounded by his family and friends, Trump abstained from the harsh criticism of his rivals that has dominated his campaign rallies in recent days.
Speaking to thousands of supporters at a college campus in a Philadelphia suburb Monday, Trump lobbed harsh personal criticism at Lyin Ted Cruz and at Kasich, whose eating habits he mocked as disgusting.
He was responding to an announcement from his rivals that they plan to divvy up campaigning in coming states in an attempt to win delegates.
Trumps tone and persona have been closely watched in recent days after a newly installed top campaign aide suggested that Trump would be altering his self-presentation, including adding more appearances in formal settings, to appeal to more voters.
One such attempt is a foreign policy speech Trump will give in Washington on Wednesday.
But on Tuesday night, Trump told reporters he wouldnt change too much.
Why would I change? he said. If you have a football team and youre winning and you get to the Super Bowl, why would you change your quarterback?
Trump also took swings at Hillary Clinton, who after a strong showing in Tuesdays primary elections appears poised to be the Democratic nominee.
He complained that Clinton is funded by Wall Street folks and called her use of a private email server to conduct government business while she was secretary of State an outrage.
He also said he would beat Clinton among female voters.
The beautiful thing is, women dont like her, he said.
Donald Trump stacked up five more wins Tuesday, sweeping the East Coast primaries in a decisive showing that moved him significantly closer to capturing the Republican presidential nomination and avoiding a bruising fight at the partys convention this summer.
Trumps victories in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island were by commanding margins, giving him the overwhelming majority of 172 delegates at stake.
Speaking in New York City, at the gilded office and condominium tower that bears his name, Trump declared the fight for the GOP nomination ended I consider myself the presumptive nominee, absolutely and said his rivals, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, should immediately stand aside.
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As far as Im concerned, its over, he said.
We should heal the Republican Party, continued Trump, who cited his business success as proof he is the only one qualified to do so. Im a unifier.
The Manhattan real estate mogul, who won his home state of New York last week in a landslide, had been expected to do well Tuesday in the heavily urbanized Atlantic corridor.
Even so, and even if you dont like Donald Trump, its hard to deny the magnitude of his victories, said Stuart Rothenberg, an independent campaign analyst.
Trumps dominating performance was important from both practical and psychological standpoints, pushing him closer to the 1,237 delegates needed for a first-ballot victory at the partys July convention and also shaping perceptions of the race to his great advantage.
In exit poll interviews, nearly 7 in 10 Republicans who cast ballots in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Connecticut suggested the candidate who gets the most votes which has been Trump deserves to win the nomination, even if he falls short in the delegate count.
Theres kind of a growing sense of inevitability, said Rothenberg, publisher of the nonpartisan Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report. The trajectory now suggests he will be very close to 1,237 by the end of business on June 7, and probably close enough to sweep up the crumbs he needs to be the nominee.
California, with 172 delegates more than any state will be important in determining whether Trump clinches the nomination or falls just short.
He began the day with 845 pledged delegates and was on track to win at least 105 more. Cruz had 559 and Kasich 148, and picked up only half a dozen more between them, according to nearly complete returns.
The most crucial fight may come in Indiana, which votes next Tuesday.
Cruz and Kasich are both mathematically eliminated from winning the nomination outright, so their only hope is to stop Trump short of a first-ballot victory, throwing the Cleveland convention open to alternatives. Trumps two rivals forged a tenuous non-compete agreement this week as part of a last-ditch strategy to stop the front-runner, but it quickly showed signs of fraying.
Indiana, where Cruz is strongly competitive, may be their last realistic chance to stop Trumps momentum and deny him the 1,237 delegates he seeks.
Brian Howey, a longtime student of politics in the state, rated the contest a toss-up with a slight lean toward Trump, who has
enjoyed a small edge in
polls.
Its the classic ground game and political skills versus national figure and air war, said Howey, comparing the respective strengths of Cruz and Trump.
The winner will take most of Indianas 57 delegates.
Even as the Trump wave built Tuesday night, his opponents insisted they were undeterred.
The path to 1,237 remains narrow, Rory Cooper, a spokesman for the Never Trump political action committee, said in a written statement, and he just left the most favorable part of the map for him in the Northeast. Moving west, his ability to keep pace becomes more difficult.
The five states that voted Tuesday included only one pure winner-take-all contest: Delaware, which awarded all 16 delegates to Trump. The rest apportioned their delegates through a combination of statewide and congressional district-level results.
Pennsylvania was the days biggest prize and also the most complicated.
Of the 71 delegates at stake, just 17 will be required to vote for the winner on the first ballot of the Republican National Convention. The rest, elected by congressional district, can support whomever they choose, though many said before Tuesdays balloting they would support the candidate who carried their district.
Trumps commanding statewide victory he was winning 57% of the vote with nearly all the ballots counted made it all the more likely he would take most of Pennsylvanias delegates.
For his part, Cruz always faced a difficult road Tuesday, given his cultural conservatism and religiosity in a region that tends toward neither. For the last several days he has focused on Indiana, where a sizable evangelical population and buttoned-down Midwestern sensibility offer a better political fit.
Speaking even before the polls closed, in Knightstown, Ind., in the gym where part of the movie Hoosiers was filmed, Cruz minimized Trumps five-state romp.
The media is going to say the race is over, he said. But Ive got good news for you. Tonight this campaign moves on to more favorable terrain. Can the state of Indiana stop the medias chosen Republican? There is nothing Hoosiers cannot do.
On Sunday night, his campaign announced an alliance with Kasich, in which the governor would essentially cede Indiana in return for Cruz standing down in primaries in Oregon, which votes May 17, and New Mexico on June 7. Kasich made no public remarks Tuesday night.
But the accord was quickly mired in confusion, with Kasich refusing to explicitly steer his Indiana supporters to Cruz and a pro-Cruz political action committee continuing to air anti-Kasich TV ads in the state.
Howey, who publishes the nonpartisan Howey Politics Indiana newsletter, said it was unclear how the arrangement would play in his state.
Hoosier voters dont like being told what to do, so its hard to see how it plays out, Howey said.
I suspect the question will be answered late next Tuesday night. If Cruz pulls out a win, everyone will say it was a brilliant move. It not, people will say it came too late.
mark.barabak @latimes.com
Twitter: @markzbarabak
noah.bierman @latimes.com
Twitter: @Noahbierman
Barabak reported from San Francisco and Bierman from West Chester. Times staff writers Kate Linthicum in New York and Lisa Mascaro in Knightstown contributed to this report.
Momentous victories in Tuesdays primaries drove Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump ever closer to a November face-off in which the strongest argument each can make for election is the threat posed by the other.
Together, Clinton and Trump are the two most unpopular presidential candidates in memory, and both are moving to improve their images for the general election.
But they are so well-known, and operating in such a polarized political environment, that their efforts may only serve to tinker around the edges.
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Both candidates issued calls to unity within their parties in their victory speeches Tuesday night, then aimed at each other. That suggested a general election battle of brutal negativity, which threatens to alienate voters and further increase partisan polarization.
The winner may be the candidate America hates the least.
Clinton rebuked Trump throughout her speech by inference with her call to build an America where we can all rise together, an America where we lift each other up instead of tearing each other down. And she criticized Trumps denunciations of varied groups.
Trump returned the favor in his speech, declaring that Clinton will be horrible, absolutely horrible on the economy and foreign policy.
She will not be a good president. She doesnt have the strength; she doesnt have the stamina, he said.
By winning delegates resoundingly, Clinton and Trump already have demonstrated that they have substantial support in their own parties. The problem for both is they need broader backing to win in November, and reaching for different groups is significantly harder in a nation where people have surged to the ideological poles. Fewer voters remain in the middle than in the past. And persuading any of them will be tough for the two front-runners because of who they are.
In an April NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, only about a quarter of Americans had a favorable view of Trump. That would mean doom for any other candidate and may still, except that Clinton had a favorable rating among only about a third of the country. Majorities of Americans, in other words, dislike both of them.
Its going to be an extraordinary challenge for either campaign to move their numbers into positive territory, said Neil Newhouse, a Republican pollster who came up against the same difficulty in 2012 when working for GOP nominee Mitt Romney.
Absent a national crisis that illuminates an unknown facet of the candidates behavior, its going to take a hell of a lot more than millions of dollars in campaign ads to change the image of these two, he said.
To boost her image among reluctant Democrats and others considering her, Clinton has nearly stopped criticizing her challenger, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, and on Tuesday night offered her most lavish praise of him and his supporters to date.
She has also begun airing ads with more emotional punch, and she has laid out specific plans and demanded in recent speeches to be held accountable for them a way to establish a fresh base line for a candidate whose trustworthiness has been doubted even by her own party.
Her challenger, Sanders, remains in the race through the June primaries. But he suggested in a statement late Tuesday that his forces would head to the convention to influence the party platform, not battle for the nomination.
Trump on Tuesday offered his familiar two-step, insulting his adversaries while pledging to expand the nations jobs and improve its economy, still the most important topic to voters eight years after the recession.
But he, too, will seek wider appeal. On Wednesday, he will begin to fill in gaping holes in his policy proposals and political experience with a speech on foreign policy in Washington. In an olive-branch meeting scheduled for May, he will sit down for a lengthy television interview with Megyn Kelly, the Fox News broadcaster hes spent months belittling.
Trump faces continued battling with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who is fighting him not only at the ballot box but in state-by-state delegate skirmishes; and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. The GOP challengers struck a deal to allow Cruz free rein in next weeks Indiana primary and Kasich in later races in Oregon and New Mexico.
But Trumps five-of-five sweep on Tuesday was a sobering rebuke of the two other candidates that puts intense pressure on them to win bigand fast. Even then, neither can win the nomination outright before the convention.
Tuesdays results substantially extended Trumps margin among delegates, lessening the chances of a successful insurrection against him at the summer convention.
At this point in any primary campaign, where there are clear front-runners if not official nominees, a race can change its tone as primary animosities are replaced by general election fissures. The looming presence of November can also force voters into a new mindset. For both Trump and Clinton, that is their best hope for a fundamental shift in how they are viewed.
Once you have a general election contest, its very clarifying, said Democratic pollster Anna Greenberg. Many of the people lukewarm on Trump in the Republican Party and Hillary in the Democratic Party are going to be forced to decide who they support. ... It will be good versus evil on both sides.
Trump appears to have the bigger task. Clinton must draw out young voters who have flocked to Sanders and formed much of the voting base for President Obama. But she has the rest women, African American voters, Latinos. And shes not Trump, a man with whom those who have formed the winning Obama majority have little in common.
Trump, however, has to balance delivering the raw and angry diatribes that appeal to the voters he has with the more presidential advances desired by the voters he needs.
For weeks, his team has promised the arrival of a new, more presidential Trump. But the candidate himself made clear in his Tuesday night remarks that he doesnt actually want to shift personas, fearing the impact on the voters who come by the thousands to his rallies and week after week deliver him victories.
He has a bigger internal consolidation challenge than she does, and he has to rehabilitate himself more, said Greenberg. Hillary Clinton has not gone around insulting people, entire ethnicities.
The advertising that filled the airwaves in Tuesdays states spoke to another distinction between the candidates and how they seek to define themselves toward November.
In his ad, Trump stood alone in a skyscraper, the city below him, and talked about building a wall on the Mexican border, building the military, increasing jobs and fighting terrorism. The image was of straight talk and, more than that, blunt toughness meant to appeal to voters who feel their lives are increasingly frightening and unpredictable. It suggested that Trump alone was enough to reverse the bad times.
Clinton aired ads speaking of toughness, but also ones in which she high-fived crowds, embraced the sorrowful mothers of slain children and beamed as she hugged a little girl. In her closing ad, Clinton looked ebullient, but never alone.
That ad was called Love and Kindness. In the long election to come, those words may seem fleeting.
cathleen.decker@latimes.com
Follow me on Twitter: @cathleendecker. For more on politics, go to latimes.com/decker.
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When Republican leaders declared after the last losing presidential election that the party had to do more to attract female voters, this was not what they had in mind.
Before a national audience Tuesday night, Donald Trump railed at Hillary Clintons qualifications for the White House, describing her as an affirmative action hire by the Democratic Party.
The only card she has is the womans card; shes got nothing else going, Trump said Tuesday. And frankly, if Hillary Clinton were a man, I dont think shed get 5% of the vote. The beautiful thing is women dont like her, OK, and look how well I did with women tonight!
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Bluster? Yes. Reality? No.
Trump has grown increasingly popular among Republican women. But one of his biggest weaknesses as he looks toward a probable November clash with Clinton is the broader pool of female voters. They arent all rapt Clinton supporters, but they like her far better than they like him.
His routine broadsides against women mocking Carly Fiorinas face, raising the specter of Megyn Kellys menstrual cycles, passing along an unflattering picture of an opponents wife and now asserting that Clinton lacks the strength and stamina to serve as president do little to endear him.
And describing a two-term U.S. senator and former secretary of State in dismissive, gender-freighted terms plays straight into the Clinton campaigns hopes of picking up non-Democratic women in November.
At her victory rally on Tuesday, Clinton explicitly made a play for Democrats, independents and thoughtful Republicans as she brushed back against an earlier Trump broadside.
The other day, Mr. Trump accused me of playing the woman card, Clinton declared. Well, if fighting for womens healthcare and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman card, then deal me in!
If fighting for womens healthcare and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman card, then deal me in! Hillary Clinton
Gender insults are nothing new for candidate Clinton. During her 2008 run, young men in the audience chanted iron my shirts and cable pundits compared her to hectoring mothers and the deranged bunny-boiling character in the film Fatal Attraction. One entrepreneur sold the Hillary nutcracker, a plastic representation of Clinton with serrated blades lining her inner thighs.
Trump played on another stereotype, of women being too weak and soft to inhabit the White House ironic, because in the same bout of criticism he cast Clinton as a warmonger.
In her 2008 campaign, Clinton was reluctant to emphasize the historic nature of her effort to become the first woman president until it was nearly over. This time, she has been more overt, but most of the time her historic reach is most visible in that she is a candidate in a pantsuit and kitten heels, not a button-down and a tie.
It was the mere fact that she is a woman that seemed to set off Trump in recent days. Asked repeatedly in an interview with CNNs Chris Cuomo on Wednesday about how, exactly, Clinton has played the womans card, Trump had no meaningful response.
How do you call someone on being a woman? Cuomo asked.
You just tell them theyre playing the womans card, Trump replied.
But what does that mean exactly? Cuomo said.
Frankly, if she didnt she would do very poorly, Trump said. I know it because I think if she were a man and she was the way she is, she would get virtually no votes.
Trumps because-I-said-so impugning of Clintons standing runs counter to all available polls of a general-election matchup with Clinton. In two new national surveys, by Suffolk University/USA Today and by NBC News/Wall Street Journal, Clinton defeated Trump overall 50% to 39%.
Her advantage rested on women, who are just over half of the national electorate. In the Suffolk poll, men were split between the two candidates, at 45% each. Women, however, strongly sided with Clinton, 55% to 34%.
In that poll, 42% of women had a favorable view of Clinton. Only 24% of women had a favorable view of Trump. Among men, each candidate was viewed favorably by 33% of voters.
Clinton has worked to build her numbers among women of all ideological stripes with appeals that are personal and policy-oriented.
In Jenkintown, Pa., on Friday, before a group of women gathered in a restaurant, Clinton sympathized with a working mothers fear of not being able to balance the demands of her life.
I was listening to you and thinking about, you know, I had a babysitter when Chelsea was a baby and I remember I was supposed to be in court at 9 oclock, she was sick, the baby-sitter was sick
The room erupted in knowing laughter, and Clinton segued smoothly into a pitch for education and gun control measures.
In every recent speech, Clinton has raised the topics of paid family leave, equal pay and other issues that, while not only the purview of women, generally resonate more with them. She has also taken pains to tell men that they, too, should care.
The equal pay issue is not a womens issue, its a family issue, its a fairness issue. Its, frankly, an economic issue, she said Saturday in Hartford, Conn. We have to get incomes raised and we need to give more people a chance to get out into the economy and make the choices they think are best for them and their families.
Clintons pitch, which she has made for years, could have been lifted wholesale from the Republican National Committees 2013 report delving into why the party had lost two consecutive presidential elections.
Be conscious of developing a forward-leaning vision for voting Republican that appeals to women, the report said. The Republican Party needs to offer that same vision and message demonstrating that our policies, principles and vision address the concerns of female voters.
Republicans need to make a better effort at listening to female voters, directing their policy proposals at what they learn from women, and communicating that they understand what a woman who is balancing many responsibilities is going through.... Female candidates are far better at connecting with these voters because they are more likely to understand them.
Trump has blown those aspirations out of the water for his party as he marches toward the nomination. He came into the race already having, in his business career, uttered crass remarks about all manner of women. Indeed, Fox broadcaster Kellys feud with Trump began during an August debate when she accurately recounted descriptions he had leveled at women.
Youve called women you dont like fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals, she began.
Only Rosie ODonnell, Trump interjected.
For the record, it was well beyond Rosie ODonnell, Kelly replied. Trump blamed any criticism of his remarks on the countrys desire to be politically correct.
Clinton has her own problems with some women, to be sure. Her challenger, Bernie Sanders, has attracted huge majorities of young voters, including women, some of whom say they are not willing to side with her just to see a woman win the presidency. Now that Sanders has been all but denied the nomination, Clinton will have to work hard to appeal to those voters, who are both ideologically and generationally distinct from her.
She does have strong support among older women, whose life experiences dovetail more profoundly with her own. At a Manhattan rally for Clinton last week, one of the most rapturous of her campaign, hundreds of women screamed and cheered for Clinton. Many of them saw themselves in her, and many said younger women did not understand the struggles of the past decades.
The reason is the young have not lived as long and taken as much [abuse], said 58-year-old photographer Dany Johnson, blushing at her own language. Theyre in for a rude awakening. They really are.
The same rude awakening seems to await any Republicans still hoping the 2016 election will usher in a more fruitful appeal to women.
cathleen.decker@latimes.com
Follow me on Twitter: @cathleendecker. For more on politics, go to latimes.com/decker.
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On the campaign trail, Donald Trump consistently portrays illegal immigration as a mounting crisis warranting drastic measures.
Just look at the record number of people right now that are pouring across the borders of this country, Trump said to reporters Tuesday night at a party celebrating his victory in five more Republican primary states.
But Trumps claims of record levels of illegal immigration dont match the facts.
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Multiple studies show rates of illegal immigration are declining. And federal statistics show the lowest number of border apprehensions in years.
According to recent estimates by the Center for Migration Studies, the number of immigrants living in the country without authorization has fallen to the lowest level since 2003, thanks in part to a major buildup of border security started by President George W. Bush and continued by President Obama.
The decrease among Mexicans has been particularly stark, with net migration of Mexicans to the U.S. falling to lows not seen since the 1940s, according to Pew Research Center.
Which all begs a question: Why has Trump focused on illegal immigration now, given that its a less significant phenomenon than it was in the past?
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The Republican front-runner says his calls for mass deportations and an end to birthright citizenship are a response to crimes committed by immigrants in the country illegally, including the death last summer of a San Francisco woman who was allegedly shot by a man in the country without authorization. Trump says a massive wall is needed at the southern U.S. border to keep out Mexican drug dealers and rapists as well as overseas terrorists.
His message has clearly resonated with some Republican primary voters. At campaign rallies, Trump is frequently interrupted by supporters chanting: Build that wall.
Oh well build a wall, dont worry, he told a boisterous crowd in West Chester, Pa., on Monday.
But how his immigration rhetoric might play out with a broader audience in a general election is another story.
Polls show a majority of Americans support a path to citizenship for the 10 million to 11 million immigrants believed to be in the country without authorization. Mass deportations of the sort Trump has called for are not favored.
Asked Tuesday night whether he plans on recalibrating his immigration plan to appeal to a general-election audience, Trump shook his head.
Ill stick with my feelings on immigration, he said.
For more presidential campaign news, follow me on Twitter: @katelinthicum
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Were there: Lt. Gov. Newsom says he has enough signatures for gun control initiative
Citing the failure of the state Legislature to act, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday that he has collected 600,000 signatures of California voters to qualify a gun control initiative for the November ballot.
Were there. This is going to be on the November ballot, Newsom said Thursday. Over 600,000 registered voters want to take some bold action on gun safety.
Newsoms campaign plans to begin delivering signatures tomorrow to county clerks for verification. If at least 365,880 signatures are found to be valid, the measure will qualify for the ballot.
Newsom said most of the proposals in the initiative have one thing in common, that over the past number of years they have suffered the fate of either being watered down or rejected by the Legislature. Were hopeful and confident that the voters of California will overwhelmingly support the initiative.
The broad measure would require background checks for purchasers of ammunition; ban possession of ammunition magazine clips holding more than 10 rounds; provide a process for felons and other disqualified persons to relinquish firearms and require owners to report when their guns are lost or stolen.
The initiative would also address an issue caused by the previous adoption of Proposition 47, which made thefts of guns worth less than $1,000 a misdemeanor. The ballot measure would make all gun thefts a felony.
Last week, Senate President Pro Tem Kevin De Leon (D-Los Angeles) said key provisions of the initiative, including the ban on large-capacity magazines, are addressed by legislation this year, but that bills could be harmed by the initiative going forward.
A campaign committee including gun groups and law enforcement is being formed to defeat the initiative, according to one member, Sam Paredes, executive director of Gun Owners of California. He noted that the measure has already been opposed by the California State Sheriffs Assn., which said it would put restrictions on law-abiding people without taking guns from criminals.
its an initiative that carries multiple proposals that were either killed by the Legislature as not workable or vetoed by the governor, Paredes said. Newsom has collected failed policy issues from the Legislature and put them up as an initiative. Its going to be a massive effort to defeat him.
Paredes said the initiative is a cynical attempt by Newsom to gain higher office.
We know hes doing this to pump himself up for his gubernatorial run, Paredes said.
Newsom said his campaign for governor is secondary to his effort to enact gun safety laws.
He said he has been active in the gun safety movement going back 15 years when he was mayor of San Francisco and a founding member of the group Mayors Against Guns. The National Rifle Assn. was so upset, they protested at his wedding in Montana, he said.
I expect a good challenge from them, Newsom said of the NRA. They have been very aggressive to date. But we are very enthusiastic to be getting to this next phase.
He cited internal polls indicating more than 70% of California voters support the initiative, and a Field poll that found greater support for provisions of the measure, including the ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines.
Mumbai: The ATS unit of Charkop area has arrested a 52-year-old man from Nallasopara for making a hoax call to the police control room regarding a bomb placed at a Borivali court on Tuesday.
Sandip Tansukhlal Baria, a resident of Nallasopara area, in his call threatened to blow up court number 24 of the Borivali metropolitan magistrate court.
According to police sources, Baria sells blacks film tickets and a case regarding the same was registered against him in 2015 at the VP Road police station under section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code. He also had a similar case registered against him in Malad.
In the connection with the Malad cheating case, the proceedings was going on at the Borivali metropolitan magistrate court number 24, and Baria feared he would be convicted by the court; hence he made the hoax call in a fit of anger.
Baria in his threat call told the police control room that a bomb had been placed in the court and could explode any time, after which the police conducted security checks in the court. After nothing turned up in the checks, the officials termed the call hoax and launched a probe to trace the caller.
The anti-terrorism squad (ATS) traced the call to a PCO near Grant Road railway station area. During investigation in the area, officials discovered a CCTV and after checking the footage they zeroed in on Baria as the person who made the call and arrested him from Nallasopara. Baria confessed to the crime and told the police that he wanted the court proceedings to get adjourned for a day. As his hearing was on the same day, he made mischief, said an ATS official.
Baria was booked under sections 182 (false information), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) and 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication) of IPC, said an official from the Borivali police station.
The accused was later handed over to the Borivali police station where a case was registered against him.
Later on Tuesday afternoon, he was produced in Borivali metropolitan magistrate court where the court remanded him in custody till April 28. Baria has two cheating cases registered against him in Malad and VP road police station
You dont need a brain to learn something new not if youre a slime mold, anyway. Scientists who watched Physarum polycephalum search for food found that the slime mold could learn to ignore certain chemical threats.
The findings, described in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, contradict the idea that learning always requires neurons, and may shed light on the early evolution of learning in living things.
Learning and memory are essential tools in this critter-eat-critter world; they allow animals to use information from their past experiences to make better decisions in the present. And for a long time, scientists thought only creatures with nerves and noggins truly had access to these special skills.
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We usually think of learning as a trait that is limited to organisms with brains and nervous systems, the study authors wrote. Indeed, learning is often equated with neuronal changes such as synaptic plasticity, implicitly precluding its existence in non-neural organisms.
But that view has been changing in recent years as scientists have been confronted with the astounding abilities of brainless creatures. Take the slime mold, for example. Its an amoeba-like, single-celled organism filled with multiple nuclei, part of a primitive lineage thats been munching on bacteria, fungi and other forest detritus for hundreds of millions of years. And yet, this very simple living thing manages all kinds of intellectual feats.
For example, Japanese researchers have found that slime molds can accurately design an efficient rail system when yummy oats are placed where major cities would be on the map. Slime molds can also solve mazes, backing up from dead ends until they find the food at the end, and even anticipate predictable changes, such as a light turning on at regular intervals. Theyre capable of remarkable physical feats as well, able to create tubular structures called pseudopods (meaning fake foot) and crawl along until they find a more satisfactory spot. And they grow fast: Given enough food, they can double their surface area in a day.
Whats interesting about slime molds is they appear to be simple, because there is only one cell, but they are capable of amazing stuff, things that we thought were only possible with nervous systems or brains, said lead author Romain Boisseau, a masters student studying evolutionary biology at Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris. These guys are very cool.
Cunning as the slime mold may seem, can it actually learn? To find out, scientists at Toulouse University in France tested slime molds behavior in the lab, focusing on a very basic form of learning: habituation, when a living things behavioral response decreases to a repeated stimulus whether good or bad over time.
The researchers placed the slime molds near a bridge; across the bridge, they placed a delicious pile of oats. Some of the bridges were made of plain agar gel, and the slime molds crossed those with ease. But for other slime molds, the scientists left an unpleasant surprise: bitter-tasting quinine or caffeine, which in large amounts can be toxic for some creatures.
At first, there was a clear difference between the slime molds with a bitter bridge and those without. With a plain agar bridge, the slime molds sped across and pounced on the oats in about an hour. With quinine, slime molds entered the bridge only after two and a half hours, and it took them four hours in all to cross. On caffeine-covered bridges, the slime molds took almost five hours to enter the bridge but then quickly sped across.
For both bitter bridges, the slime mold didnt simply move its body across; it extended a long, thin tendril across the bridge, minimizing the area that touched the surface, as if it were trying to tiptoe over hot sand. When it reached the oats, it quickly moved the rest of its body over through that tendril and over to the oats. Once the slime mold had consumed the food source, the scientists connected it to another bridge, with a fresh food source at the other end. If the slime mold wanted its next meal, it would have to brave the bridge again.
Heres the strange thing: The slime molds dealing with the alarmingly bitter compounds seemed to get used to it, realizing that it wasnt a threat. With every bitter bridge they crossed, they moved more quickly and easily and seemed less concerned with minimizing their footprint that touched the surface. By the sixth day, Boisseau said, the slime molds were acting essentially as if the bitter compounds were not there.
So had the slime molds learned anything in the first place? Or was it simply that their receptors became dulled to the chemical onslaught, or that they grew too tired to keep their bodies away from the bitter compounds?
To make sure, the scientists took slime molds that had learned to cross a quinine bridge without flinching and exposed them to caffeine. After all, if the slime molds were simply just tired from the effort of carefully crossing the bridge, they should react to the caffeine the same way they did to the quinine, with nonchalance. But no dice: Slime molds that had been habituated to the quinine reacted with extreme prejudice to the caffeine. The slime molds, it seemed, really had learned a specific reaction to a specific chemical.
The researchers also gave the slime molds a couple of days of rest, allowing them to potentially forget this lesson. Sure enough, after a couple of days away from the bitter compounds, the slime molds reacted to a quinine or caffeine-laced bridge as if they had never touched one before. They had forgotten that the bitter bridges were safe.
They were behaving as if it was the first day they had ever encountered the bitter compound, Boisseau said.
How these critters manage this feat is still a great mystery to scientists, Boisseau said, and will have to await future study. But it does show that we may have to start thinking about the nature of this particular aspect of intelligence in a very different light.
Thats what is exciting here, because maybe this mechanism appeared really early in the history of life, Boisseau said. Probably learning abilities evolved first, before the evolution of neurons and nervous systems.
Follow @aminawrite on Twitter for more science news and like Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook.
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Students began taking state standardized exams in Burbank earlier this month, but about 40% of Burbank Highs junior class chose to opt out of the process, according to Burbank Unified Supt. Matt Hill.
There were 269 out of 656 juniors at Burbank High who opted out of taking the exam after getting a parent to sign off on the request.
For Burbank High student Sam Gorman, the choice to opt out signifies his stance against a test that is based on big data and redundant standards instead of the acquisition of long-lasting knowledge, he said in an email.
He learned he could skip the exam last summer in Switzerland, where he attended a student leader summit hosted by Education First, an international company that runs study-abroad programs.
Working with progressive education experts like Sir Ken Robinson and Nikhil Goyal helped open my eyes to the exciting possibilities of an educational system that treats students more like the individuals they are and less like the raw data theyve become, he said.
The state exam tests students on California State Standards, which until recently were called Common Core standards.
Our generation, it kind of dissolved into this mindset where everyone is so obsessed with getting the best grades. Daniel Park, junior at Burbank High School
The computerized exam made its debut in California two years ago. It replaced the STAR exam, which students took by filling in bubbles on paper tests that asked multiple-choice questions.
The new computerized exam tests students in math and language arts and is used by educators to gauge high school juniors preparedness for college. Students in third through eighth grades are also tested to give educators insight into their grasp of state standards.
Sam wrote about Common Core testing on his website, YoungchangeBestchange.org, and then in mid-March, he tweeted a link that explained how students could opt out.
Juniors needed to make the request in a letter, provide a parents signature and date, and submit it to their school principal.
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It was around mid-March, still a few weeks before testing began on April 7, when junior Daniel Park was asked by a classmate if he would opt out.
People everywhere were just asking, Are you opting out? he recalled by phone this week.
Daniel is a college-bound student who is enrolled in five AP classes U.S. history, English, calculous, psychology and physics.
Hes also president of the schools Key Club, where he oversees biweekly club meetings and helps to organize biweekly service events such as picking up trash at the beach, mentoring students or participating in walks that serve as fundraisers for national or regional organizations.
Daniel said many students like him latched onto the idea of not taking the standardized exam, in part because they knew it wouldnt affect their admission into college, and they had a lot on their plate already.
As Key Club president, hes observed fellow classmates working so hard to log volunteer hours they are sometimes more concerned about the hours they tally than the service they provide. On top of students efforts to rack up volunteer hours, they are still hungry for perfect grades.
Our generation, it kind of dissolved into this mindset where everyone is so obsessed with getting the best grades, Daniel said.
The window for students to take the standardized exams finished this week. Next month brings AP exams and finals. During the 16 hours other students have taken the standardized exam at Burbank High, Daniel studied for his upcoming AP exams and finals on campus, in a room filled with other students who opted out of the state test.
Time is so valuable for students, Daniel said.
His parents were supportive of signing the request, and so were Sams.
Parents have played an integral part in helping their children make a statement, Sam said.
Meanwhile, only four students opted out at Burbank Highs rival school, John Burroughs High.
Among Glendales four high schools, 18 students opted out of the state exam, according to Lynn Marso, assistant superintendent of Glendale Unified.
I do feel a lot more relief, Daniel said. I think the month of April is almost insane.
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Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com
Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
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Within Burbank schools, April will now be recognized as the Armenian Genocide of 1915 Commemoration Month, following a resolution that school board member Armond Aghakhanian introduced last Thursday.
The Burbank school board passed the item with a 3-2 vote, after hearing multiple students and adults encourage its passage on April 21, a few days ahead of April 24, which marked 101 years since the beginning of the genocide.
NEWSLETTER: Stay up to date with whats going on in the 818 >>
About 1.5 million Armenians were massacred by the Ottoman Turks, beginning in 1915, in events still denied by modern-day Turkey.
It is a cold hard fact that history not remembered is history repeated, said Mike Dermendjian, a junior at John Burroughs High School.
We can, together, recognize these atrocities and recognize the lives of the people killed systematically by the Turkish government, Dermendjian said, adding that the resolutions passage would entail a courageous step taken by our board to help Burbank residents understand the history of the genocide and empower educators and students to learn more about it.
Through this, we can stop the denial of the Armenian Genocide, he said.
Burbank Teachers Assn. President Lori Adams backed the resolution, and urged the board to pass it.
Please, represent your community, and let our students learn the truth of the Armenian Genocide, she said.
However, two board members President Charlene Tabet and member Larry Applebaum abstained from the vote.
Tabet said she could understand the city adopting a resolution commemorating the month, but she said she was uncertain if it should weigh on the Burbank Unified School District.
Applebaum said he took issue with commemorating a single genocide for a month.
If were going to single out one genocide, I have a problem with it being a month. I think thats excessive. Im just being honest, he said.
Aghakhanian reminded fellow members that the resolution is about showing everyone that as Burbankians, we do care about the Armenian Genocide, thus claiming this month to be the month of commemoration, he said.
School board member Roberta Reynolds supported the resolution.
I think there is some value in a supportive statement to a group of people who have felt very unsupported and for that specific nature of it, I support it, Reynolds said, followed by applause from audience members.
Board member Steve Ferguson also voted in favor of the resolution, but suggested that the district take a broader look at other genocides as well.
Im going to support this tonight. I do want to see another resolution come back about the impact of genocide in our communities, what that looks like. I would love to see students be a part of writing it from all walks of life on our campuses, he said.
After the board members cast their votes, Burbank Unified Supt. Matt Hill recalled recent discussions hes had during his doctorate degree program where he and others have discussed who gets to write history.
One thing that has been made very clear tonight is the men, women and children who have been slaughtered do not get that privilege. And often times, history has been written by those in positions of power, he said. We are only stronger if we reflect on our history the good and the bad. You have my commitment to continue to push that forward in our schools.
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Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com
Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
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Donald Trump, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, announced he will hold a rally at the Orange County fairgrounds in Costa Mesa on Thursday night.
The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Pacific Amphitheatre at the OC Fair & Event Center, according to Trumps campaign website. Doors will open at 4 p.m.
The rally is expected to kick off Trumps campaign in California. The states 172 delegates are the biggest prize in the race for the Republican nomination.
Trumps campaign said it couldnt say how large a crowd is expected Thursday. The amphitheater seats up to 8,500 people.
The Democratic Party of Orange County and Orange County Young Democrats announced Wednesday that they are coordinating a protest against Trump.
We do not believe that there is any room for racism, sexism, religious bigotry, disregard for international law, violence or any other such phenomena in our political discourse, Orange County Young Democrats said in a statement. As such, we expressly condemn Donald Trump, declare that his values are not Orange Countys values, and we urge all other citizens of Orange County to do the same.
Trump, who is coming off a sweep Tuesday of five East Coast primaries, needs to win a total of 1,237 delegates to clinch the nomination. Polls show Trump has an early lead in California over his two remaining rivals Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
Californias presidential primary election is June 7, though many voters are expected to cast their ballots by mail before then.
Tickets for Trumps Costa Mesa rally are free for those who register at www.donaldjtrump.com/schedule. No banners, posters, signs, GoPros, selfie sticks or professional cameras with detachable lenses, tripods or monopods will be permitted.
The fairgrounds are at 88 Fair Drive.
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Daily Pilot staff writer Bradley Zint and Los Angeles Times staff writer Michael Finnegan contributed to this report.
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lucas.money@latimes.com
Twitter: @LukeMMoney
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Today there is much confusion about Cinco de Mayo the battle against the French in Mexico and their victory at Puebla on May 5, 1862, the Mexican War of Independence from Spain where Independence was gained on Sept. 16, 1821, and the Mexican-American War, which was fought 1846-48.
Following the Mexican War of Independence from Spain in 1821, Mexico claimed Spains lands in the Southwest.
Mexico then invited Stephen Austin to settle in a large tract of land in Texas with the intention of strengthening its hold in the sparsely populated area. Mexico suffered through political unrest, however, and when increased tariffs and taxes were imposed on the settlers, both Mexican and American, the situation exploded into a series of battles.
Santa Ana defeated the Americans at the Alamo, but Texas soon won its independence from Mexico in 1836. Texas remained the Republic of Texas, The Lone Star State, until March, 1846, when it participated in the Mexican-American War, which had begun, in part, over the boundary dispute between Texas and Mexico. Texas had claimed its western boundary as the Rio Grande River, while Mexico claimed the boundary was the more easterly Nueces River.
Most of this area in the Southwest was uninhabited, due to the rugged terrain, no water, and fierce Indians. Westward expansion, the telegraph and the railroad began to put pressure on securing these lands for settlers. Fearing that a foreign occupation of the lands in the middle of the continent would separate the East Coast from the West Coast, Americans started talking about the concept of Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny was an expression of the idea that it was Americas destiny to reach from sea to shining sea.
Meanwhile, the United States had sent several envoys to Mexico City to negotiate the boundary dispute between Texas and the Mexican government. In addition, offers were also made to buy additional lands in the Southwest, Alta California and Santa Fe Nuevo Mexico.
John Slidell offered Mexico about $5 million for the New Mexico Territory and Alta California, but the Mexican government refused to even meet with him. An earlier envoy had been prematurely dismissed during negotiations.
Mexican forces then attacked an American military unit, which President James K. Polk had sent forth into the disputed area between the Nueces and the Rio Grande rivers. Several Americans were killed. Congress declared War in May 1846, and Mexico followed with its declaration of war in July 1846.
Lincoln famously asked, in his Spot Resolutions, exactly on which spot on American soil were these Americans killed, as Polk had proclaimed, when he asked Congress to declare war on Mexico. The question was ignored, and the war with Mexico began.
Mexico was invaded from the North, in Nuevo Mexico, and the West, in Alta California. U.S. Gen. Winfield Scott marched across Mexico from the port of Veracruz to the capital, Mexico City. His march was considered a bold tactical maneuver of his day. Most expected an embarrassing defeat, but Scott was virtually unopposed.
Gen. Santa Ana did not provide the resistance that everyone had expected. Mexico Citys governing fathers even opened the city gates for Scott, and a peaceful negotiation and treaty ensued.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed at the main altar of the old Basilica of Guadalupe at Villa Hidalgo in Mexico City on Feb. 2, 1848. The United States paid $15 million to Mexico for lands acquired and an additional $3.5 million to pay claims of American citizens against Mexico.
The Texas boundary would now be the Rio Grande River. The areas now known as California, Arizona and New Mexico were defined, as were Nevada, Utah and parts of Wyoming and Colorado.
U.S. citizenship was granted to all Mexicans living in the newly acquired territories. Over 90% chose American citizenship while the remainder relocated back into Mexicos territories. Spanish land grants were to remain valid.
In 1854, the Gadsen Purchase would expand the Arizona and New Mexico lands further.
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Newport Beach resident SHERRY NORD MARRON, who has a doctorate in American studies, taught at Orange Coast College and the University of Connecticut.
Youth members of La Canada United Methodist Church this weekend will participate in the World Vision 30 Hour Famine taking place from noon Friday until 6 p.m. Saturday. Throughout those hours, the local teens will drink only water and juice. Theyll also march in Old Pasadena carrying signs about world hunger, make sack lunches that theyll distribute to homeless individuals and volunteer at a food bank.
According to World Vision, $35 helps feed and care for a child for one month, so the LCUMC teens have set a fundraising goal of $1,260 to assist three children for a year. To make a contribution to their effort, visit youth.worldvision.org/participant/22184.
In other LCUMC activities, more than 200 people gathered on Earth Day at the local church to participate in a walk-a-thon for the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns. About $6,500 was raised during the event to help build a sustainable water system for the Lumad indigenous community of Talaingod, Mindanao, Philippines.
This Sunday, Pastor Elaine Cho will preach on the topic Guided by the Holy Spirit during the 10:30 a.m. worship service. Next Tuesday, the churchs monthly Taize meditation service will be held at 7 p.m.
La Canada United Methodist is located at 104 Berkshire Place. To learn more, call (818) 790-3605 or visit www.lcumc.com.
Congregationalists service to feature sermon, music
This Sunday, May 1, the Rev. Skip Lindeman will address Seeking Gods Direction during his sermon for the 10 a.m. worship service at La Canada Congregational Church.
Organist Joe Klice will provide special music for the morning, and the Chancel Choir, directed by Dr. Harold Daugherty, will sing the anthem, Ill Praise My Maker, by Lloyd Pfautsch.
La Canada Congregational Church, 1200 Foothill Blvd., is affiliated with the United Church of Christ. For more information, visit lacanadacongregationalchurch.org or call the church office at (818) 790-1185.
New carriers to Los Angeles International Airport are bringing routes to England, Iceland and European cities mostly at budget prices.
Thomas Cook Airlines plans to start operating nonstop service between L.A. and Manchester, England, on May 2.
Manchester isnt the most convenient destination; its about 200 miles northwest of Londons more popular Heathrow. But you can catch a cheap ticket if you book early. In a search on Thomas Cooks website, I found $559 for a round-trip fare that leaves L.A. on May 23 and returns May 30.
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Wow Air, a no-frills airline based in Iceland, will begin service from Los Angeles on June 15. Seats sold out quickly in January when the airline announced prices as low as $99 each way to Iceland and $199 each way to European destinations like London and Paris.
Wows website shows an airfare of $679 to fly round trip from L.A. to Reykjavik, Iceland. Note that connecting flights to European destinations require a stop in Iceland.
Wow also is starting service from San Francisco on June 9.
And you can expect to see more U.S. flights on budget carrier Norwegian Air International from a hub in Ireland.
In a controversial decision, the U.S. Department of Transportation gave the company which owns Norway-based Norwegian Air Shuttle a tentative OK to start transatlantic flights from Ireland.
U.S. carriers and airline workers had opposed the action, accusing the airline of skirting labor laws for workers and pilots. Norwegian disputes the claims.
Norwegian Air Shuttle already flies L.A.-U.S. routes from Norway. For example, I found a $721 round-trip airfare from L.A. to Oslo (via Copenhagen) leaving May 19 and returning June 1.
The bottom line is more options may mean more savings for fliers, especially in summer when airfares to Europe are at their highest.
Just dont wait too long to make a reservation. The lowest fares always go quickest but you know that.
Twitter and Facebook: @MaryForgione
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Bengaluru: A 26-year-old new mother accidentally slipped and plunged to her death from her flat on the eighth floor in an upscale residential complex. She was said to be drying her hair while peeping out of her bedroom window when she slipped and fell.
The deceased, Chandana Nagesh, a software engineer with Infosys, was on maternity leave and had delivered a baby boy six days ago, the police said. Her mother and mother-in-law, who had come to look after the baby, were at home when the incident occurred around 6.30 pm on Tuesday at the SNN Raj Serenity gated community on Begur Main Road, Yelenahalli, off Bannerghatta Road.
Chandana had just taken a shower and come to the bedroom to dry her hair. She had opened the sliding glass window and was peeping out when she slipped and crashed straight on the cement floor below. Chandanas mother-in-law Meenakshi and her mother Manjula Nagesh were taking care of the baby at that time.
The guards heard a loud thud from the back of the D2 Block, rushed to the spot and found Chandana lying in a pool of blood. While the guards were going up and down the floors trying to find out from which floor she had fallen from, her relatives had by then realised that it was Chandana who had slipped and fallen. The family members rushed her to a hospital nearby where she was declared brought dead, the police said.
Her body was then shifted to Victoria Hospital on Tuesday night and the postmortem was conducted on Wednesday. The body was handed over to the family members, who took it to Mandya for the final rites.
A case of unnatural death has been registered at the Electronic City police station and the cops are investigating further. Her husband Abhilash is a software engineer with Siemens.
If youve always wanted to explore Paris, but were afraid a tour would be too pricey, check out the weeklong Rendezvous in Paris tour offered by Essential Travel & Tours.
The trip, which includes international air transportation from LAX, begins with pre-trip planning meeting before leaving Los Angeles. There is also a Paris orientation and walking tours, as well as optional travel to Versailles and an evening train trip to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Chartres to watch the Chartres Light & Sound Show.
Dates: June 4-11.
Price: $1,998; single supplement $640. Included are accommodations, daily breakfast, guided activities and tours, international airfare and transfers, a Paris guide book, map and shopping discount card.
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Info: Essential Travel & Tours, (310) 544-9596
Even for Bangladesh, where gruesome killings of secular writers and liberal activists have become all too common, back-to-back slayings in recent days seemed to mark a troubling new turn.
The killings of an LGBT activist and U.S. government employee, along with a friend, in the capital on Monday were claimed by the South Asian affiliate of Al Qaeda. Two days earlier, Islamic State said it was responsible for the death of a low-key university professor who was hacked with machetes in the northern city of Rajshahi.
The claims have puzzled terrorism analysts, who say there is little concrete proof of the rival militant organizations strength in Bangladesh. But Al Qaeda and Islamic State have both sought to gain a foothold in this predominantly Muslim nation of 160 million people, and experts worry that Bangladesh is ill equipped to respond if it becomes a battleground for global jihad.
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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas government has cracked down on Islamist political parties and been accused of silencing critics in the media and civil society. The prime minister initially deflected blame for the deteriorating security situation and accused her political opposition, including the Jamaat-e-Islami party, of being behind Mondays killings.
Its not a matter of law and order. When the country is moving forward, such killings are staged in a planned way just to destabilize the country, Hasina said.
Hasina softened her rhetoric on Wednesday, saying she hoped law enforcement agencies would be able to hunt down the criminals after investigations.
But the spree of killings of writers, activists, foreign nationals and other soft targets usually by groups of machete-wielding men who manage to flee the scene have alarmed Dhaka. Four such incidents have occurred this month.
Few suspects have been arrested, and police believe many perpetrators have left the country.
Western diplomats have privately expressed outrage over the continuing violence, particularly Mondays killings of LGBT activist Xulhaz Mannan and his friend, Tanay Majumder, in what police described as a meticulously planned attack.
The pair had been surveilled for several days, according to law enforcement officials. Mannan, who worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development in addition to editing Bangladeshs only LGBT magazine, represented a ripe target for Islamist extremists.
In statements after the attack, the militant group Ansar al-Islam, the Bangladeshi branch of Al Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent, said the men were trying to promote homosexuality and vowed to target anyone who stood in the way of their goal of achieving Islamic sharia law.
The statements suggest that Islamist extremists are taking it up a notch, and you dont know where theyre going to target next, said one security analyst in Dhaka, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid antagonizing the government.
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Its still unclear whether Al Qaeda or Islamic State have any firm links to extremists in Bangladesh, but the country increasingly looks like fertile ground for fundamentalists. Hasinas secular Awami League government has banned the main Islamist party from politics and been accused of using a special court to jail and execute Islamist opponents for crimes allegedly committed during the countrys 1971 liberation war.
That has coincided with a spate of killings of secular writers and liberal voices that has gathered pace since February 2015, when Bangladeshi-born American writer Avijit Roy was hacked to death in Dhaka.
Ansar al-Islam has taken responsibility for at least six previous deaths of bloggers, activists and a publisher. It has become the most prominent regional affiliate since the terrorist organization announced in September 2014 that it wanted to raise the flag of jihad across the Indian subcontinent.
At the time, the announcement was seen as a bid by the terror network to rebrand itself in the face of Islamic States growing prominence and tap into South Asias hundreds of millions of Muslims. Ansar al-Islams Twitter statement on Tuesday referred to the U.S. crusaders and its Indian allies, a rare direct reference to India, home to a large Muslim minority that has generally not been a breeding ground for militant Islam.
Islamic State has claimed responsibility for several killings, including those of an Italian aid worker in Dhaka and a Japanese social worker in northern Bangladesh last year, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist activity online. Last November, Islamic States propaganda magazine, Dabiq, published an article titled The Revival of Jihad in Bengal, and said it had named a regional leader in the country.
The Bangladeshi government denies that global jihadist groups are active in the country, blaming homegrown radicals for the attacks. But Dhaka police commissioner Asaduzzaman Miah acknowledged Wednesday that the killings required special attention.
These planned killings are now a matter of concern, Miah said. It needs special effort.
U.S. officials have refrained from criticizing Bangladeshs response publicly. The U.S. ambassador to Dhaka, Marcia Bernicat, met Wednesday with top Bangladeshi security officials and stressed the need for the countries to fight terrorism together.
They cant do this job alone; none of us can, Bernicat said. We all have to do this together.
Times staff writer Bengali reported from Lahore, Pakistan, and special correspondent Kader from Dhaka.
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When Yu Hongna, a 24-year-old graduate student in English language and literature, told her mom she was dating a British guy, her mother was wary. She warned me not to be deceived by a foreigners honey tongue, and they can be bad guys, said Yu.
But its not just parental approval that Yu has to worry about. The Chinese government itself is cautioning young women to think twice before taking up with boyfriends from overseas.
Handsome gents from abroad, authorities say, are on the prowl for ladies with access to state secrets. To mark Chinas first annual National Security Education Day earlier this month, propaganda officials plastered certain neighborhoods of the capital with a poster campaign called Dangerous Love warning of devious Don Juans lurking in their midst.
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The 16-panel cartoon depicts a red-haired, bespectacled, pointy-nosed foreigner named David who claims to be a visiting scholar and strikes up a romance with a pretty civil servant named Little Li, whose job is to write reports for central Communist Party decision-makers.
After plying Little Li with walks in the park, flowers and dinner dates, and flattering her youre pretty, sweet and exceptional, he coos he asks her to share her reports to help him write his academic articles. Soon after she does so, David stops calling.
A woman and her daughter look at a Dangerous Love cartoon in Beijing that warns women not to date foreign men. (Julie Makinen / Los Angeles Times)
As Little Li nurses her broken heart, cops show up and inform her that David was a spy looking to steal political and military information. Little Li ends up in handcuffs, with an officer berating her for showing a very shallow understanding of secrecy for a state employee.
The campaign has drawn widespread attention among expatriates in Beijing and across China, spreading quickly on social media channels including WeChat. While many have ridiculed the posters as silly and anachronistic, others worry they will only foster deeper distrust between Chinese and foreigners at a time of growing tension between China and countries such as the United States.
The government is trying to tell its people, be suspicious of foreign people, said Deelam Davis, an American studying for a masters in economics at Peking University. Its not helpful.
Contact between Chinese and foreigners is at an all-time high. The country had 848,500 foreign residents in 2013, up from 507,000 in 2000, according to a study issued last year by the Center for China and Globalization, a Beijing think tank. And more than 300,000 Chinese students were studying in the U.S. alone during the 2014-2015 school year, a record number.
Although that explosion of foreign exchange has many benefits, it also has made Communist Party authorities nervous. China still has powerful memories of what leaders call the century of national humiliation from the 1830s to the 1940s, a long stretch of conflicts with imperialist powers ranging from Britain to Japan, and remains highly sensitive about any sign of foreign intervention.
In addition to increased vulnerability for espionage, officials are worried about ideological infiltration. The national security awareness posters come amid a wider campaign against Western values and Western influence in a variety of arenas, including universities and the court system.
For example, Zhou Qiang, chief justice of Chinas supreme court, told judges last year to stand firmly against Western concepts such as judicial independence and division of powers. Resolutely resist the influence of erroneous Western thought, he said.
The Communist Party tabloid Global Times, meanwhile, has warned that Western values may appear beautiful on the surface but are a ticket to hell that can only bring disaster to the Chinese nation.
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Codewijk Vriens, 23, a Dutch Singaporean studying international relations at Peking University, said he saw last weeks poster campaign as part of wider efforts under President Xi Jinping to emphasize nation-building, national strength and security.
This is the kind of trend of the Xi Jinping government increasingly nationalistic, he said. Still, he called the cartoon really funny. It sounds like an April Fools joke.
Guo Qi, a 20-year-old Chinese citizen studying finance at Beijing Language & Culture University, deemed the poster campaign stupid.
Its your freedom to date whoever you want, no matter where they are from, he said. But he added that he had been admonished by a professor not to make irresponsible remarks to foreigners because they could be spies.
Yu complained that the poster campaign was sexist. Its reinforcing the stereotype of Chinese women that can be easily manipulated, she said. Its very insulting.
While the Chinese poster campaign may sound odd, the U.S. government itself has produced anti-espionage warnings aimed at Americans studying in China.
In 2014, for example, the FBI released an online video called Game of Pawns, which dramatized the real case of an American studying in Shanghai. Glenn Shriver was recruited by Chinese agents and paid to try to get jobs with the State Department and CIA. He eventually was convicted of conspiracy to spy for China.
And the United States has prosecuted employees with security clearances for having secret relationships with Chinese citizens. In 2009, a Houston engineer was sentenced to six months in prison for hiding his affair with a Chinese woman while working on construction of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.
Tom Stanley, Yu Hongnas 27-year-old British boyfriend, said hes been accused of being a spy on multiple occasions.
When I speak Chinese, people sometimes get a little suspicious. People joke about it, but they were not 100% joking, said Stanley, a graduate student studying finance at Peking University. Chinese people like spy hunting.
But Yu says its Stanley not her who would be more likely to have Chinese secrets.
Im not that kind of person, interested in state secrets or military forces, she said. We were joking yesterday that [he] knew more about Chinas military than I did.
Yingzhi Yang and Nicole Liu in The Times Beijing bureau contributed to this report.
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North Koreas ruling Workers Party announced Wednesday it will hold its first Party Congress in 36 years, starting on May 6 in the capital, Pyongyang. As the high-profile gathering nears, South Korean officials say another nuclear test by the regime could be imminent.
We asked Michael Madden, editor of the website North Korea Leadership Watch and a visiting scholar at the U.S.-Korea Institute at the Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, about what to expect from the congress, how it relates to North Koreas recent nuclear test and missile tests, and what the world may learn about ruler Kim Jong Un during the gathering.
Why have this formal event now? There hasnt been once since 1980.
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Theyve had party conferences, including one in 2010, when Kim Jong Un had his big public debut to the world. They had one in 2012. Those sort of took the place of a congress.
Kim Jong Un is more of a showman than his father, Kim Jong Il. His father didnt give speeches on national television, and he certainly didnt address people attending military parades in Pyongyang. This congress fits with Kim Jong Uns style of leadership to have a big event in which hes most likely to give a speech.
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Kim Jong Un is leading North Korea with a relative degree of transparency. This doesnt mean were going to get to see pictures of him and his wife sitting by the fireplace and eating chestnuts. But we are seeing a lot of things that his father kept very secret.
Hes shown us the family jewels of the nuclear weapons program. But also, for example, when they had the recent rocket launch, they had a big banquet in Pyongyang. We saw the inside of the central committees dining hall. You didnt see that under his father. Its North Korea, so its a relative degree of transparency, but its transparency.
Is Kim Jong Uns leadership style different?
Kim Jong Un is ruling North Korea through more formal channels than his father did. His father ruled North Korea in open violation of the constitution and the Workers Party bylaws or charter. He never held central committee meetings; he held one political bureau meeting in his 17-year tenure.
Kim Jong Un has held multiple meetings of the political bureau, held a couple meetings of the central committee, hes held meetings of the central military commission, and they publicize them, show them to us through the state media. Its about showing North Koreans and outside observers how policy decisions are made. Its not just one person signing a bunch of instructions and faxing them off, which is what his father did. Its a more formal way, its more like how his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, ruled.
So does Kim Jong Un think the way his father ruled was ineffective or dangerous?
The problem with Kim Jong Ils rule, and Kim Jong Un realized this quickly, is that it was based on Kim Jong Ils personality. Whereas Kim Il Sung had bylaws and the constitution, stuff he could rule under it was organized, and based on the Soviet Union model, just tweaked here and there.
When Kim Jong Il started to accumulate political power in the 1970s, a lot of things became more informal. There were back channels.
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This way of ruling was suited to Kim Jong Ils personality. He could have 30 close aides in his office handling different policy and security related portfolios. He could keep track. He was a micromanager. There are numerous accounts of factory managers getting phone calls from Kim Jong Il in the middle of the night.
Kim Jong Un was aware that way Kim Jong Il ruled created a lot of fiefdoms a lot of subordinates had a lot more autonomy, because they were deputized by the leader to do things. Thats how you get a wayward uncle who starts accumulating power and money for himself and then disobeys the leader. Thats why Kims uncle, Jang Sung Taek, was executed in 2013.
Kim Jong Uns personality is not really suited to managing these moving parts and so hes creating more formal lines of control and authority.
North Koreans lay flowers at the base of statues of the nations founder, Kim Il Sung, and late leader Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang in December 2013 to commemorate the second anniversary of Kim Jong Ils death. (David Guttenfelder / Associated Press)
So what is the Workers Party Congress? What will happen at it?
The Party Congress is the highest power organ of the Workers Party of Korea. They are going to do two things. First, they are going to revise the party charter. The party controls the government, policymaking, appointment of officials in government and the military. They are going to revise the charter and the way that the party is organized, and how it leads the government and military.
The second thing is they are going to appoint members of power organizations, i.e., members of the party central committee, the highest authority in North Korea. They will appoint the political bureau, the secretary, and the central military commission.
Kim Jong Un will likely come out as chairman of the military commission and a member of the political bureau standing committee, and be called the first secretary, which means hes the leader of the party.
Its not going to be a huge personnel shuffle. The big personnel shuffle well probably see will occur in the central committee candidate, or alternate, members. Most likely, many of the alternate members will be millennials. There have already been a few millennial-age people appointed in North Koreas power structure and well probably see millennials starting to populate the ranks. Well see a demographic shift in terms of age.
Some of these millennials are skillful; theyve had international education, theyve studied outside the country. They might know some tricks that theyre going to try to pull off.
Kim Jong Un is a millennial supreme leader, hes a bonafide millennial.
1 / 4 Children leave after paying respect to former leaders Kim Il-sung, left, and Kim Jong-il at Mansu Hill in Pyongyang on April 15. (Franck Robichon / EPA) 2 / 4 A woman stands amid flower offerings for former leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il at Mansu Hill in Pyongyang as North Korea marks marking the Day of the Sun. (Franck Robichon / EPA) 3 / 4 People bow before large statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il at Mansu Hill in Pyongyang as North Korea celebrates the day of Kim Il-sungs birth. (Franck Robichon / EPA) 4 / 4 Young military personnel leave after paying respect to former leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il at Mansu Hill in Pyongyang. (Franck Robichon / EPA)
How do the recent nuclear tests relate to this?
The fact that they launched a rocket and they put something into space, put something into low-earth orbit, is a pretty big accomplishment for Kim Jong Un. Theyve done that twice since he became leader. Whether those satellites work or not is a different question, but they got the things up there. And theyve had two nuclear tests, possibly another one in the next 10 days. These are achievements he can talk about in his speech.
The party charter places a pseudo-religious premium on what the Workers Party stands for and how the party relates to the North Korean population, how it views its relations with South Korea and the United States. They are probably going to put in a preamble in the charter that will enshrine nuclear weapons in North Koreas nuclear policy as something thats nonnegotiable.
What might we learn about Kims plans for the government and economy?
Its going to be a tease more than anything. They are not going to say were going to let HBO and MTV be broadcast in the country. Theres not going to be Coca-Cola and McDonalds in Pyongyang, although Kim Jong Un drinks Coca-Cola. The foreign minister gave an interview to [Associated Press] last week. Theyre going to talk about the domestic economy and foreign trade.
Theyre going to reorganize the way the party does business with the government and how they set policy. Theyre going to put in a framework, in very opaque language, whereby North Korea can begin the process of reforming or modifying many of its economic policies. That will be a key thing.
They will still pursue the two-line strategy of developing nuclear weapons and domestic economy. A lot of external observers will say those are incongruous goals. But as far as North Korea is concerned, theyre going to try to do both.
Theyve already done some things. Theyve done some economic I dont want to say reform and opening up, because North Koreans hate that and its not accurate but theyve done some policy modifications, but didnt publicize them through state media. Possibly because theyre superstitious and if it was a disaster, you dont want to make an announcement if theres a huge screw up, it would look bad for Kim Jong Un.
Theyve had modest growth rates, 1%, 2%, 3%, in the last few years. Theyll pursue that more after the congress.
What would be surprising? Might we see some ghosts come back to life?
We might get confirmation about who in fact has been executed in North Korea in last three to four years. Weve heard rumors of people getting shot by anti-aircraft artillery or eaten by dogs. When we have a congress, its a major national event, and sometimes an opportunity for people who have been rumored to have be executed or incarcerated, to come back into public life.
Thats happened a couple times in the last year, when they had a major national event, like a key funeral, and they publish the names of officials, six or seven people that South Korean intelligence said were dead or had been purged they turn up at the funeral walking around. That will be something to watch for.
When Kim Jong Un took power formally in 2012, a lot of senior officials just disappeared. South Korean intelligence and other analysts were going on about these people being purged. Or in prison. But Kim Jong Un, one of the changes he made was that when his dad was in charge some of these guys had their jobs for life. That led to a bunch of problems. He couldnt get them out of their jobs. When Kim Jong Un took power, some of these senior officials, rather than letting them die in office, they got golden parachutes from the regime, they got some money and were told they could keep their nice houses, be state heroes.
Lo and behold, thats what happened to these people. They got golden parachutes. So part of next week will be tracking some of these supposedly dead or purged people and see if they show up.
How will the West interpret this event, particularly if North Korea enshrines the nuclear weapons in the party charter?
In terms of external relations, a lot is not going to change. North Korea is going to continue being North Korea. They will maintain that the U.S. needs to remove its hostile policy toward the country.
One interesting thing that was largely missed by a lot of people was about a month and a half ago, Kim Jong Un attended a mobile missile test, a SPoD test, a Sea Point of Demarcation test. Thats a fancy way of saying if North Korea should see a U.S. naval personnel carrier pulling up in the port of Busan, in South Korea, North Korea basically said, We are going to nuke that ship, because we will interpret that as an invasion of our country.
Theyve revised North Koreas nuclear doctrine from being what they used to say was a deterrent or self defense, to being something theyll consider using preemptively. Theyve continued to subtly ratchet that rhetoric up. Thats one thing we might see happen at the Party Congress, they might change their geostrategic position toward the United States.
In terms of President Obama and South Koreas President Park Geun-hye, North Korea is always happy to talk to the U.S., and they do on the record and theres a lot of interaction off the record. But North Korea is going to wait out Obama and Park. Hell be out in less than a year and shell be out in 2018.
Former NBA star Dennis Rodman gives interviews in January 2014 from a hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea. (David Guttenfelder / Associated Press)
Theyd rather deal with Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump?
I think North Korea would rather deal with Hillary Clinton and possibly Trump.
This will strike you as strange, but the North Korean elites pride themselves on whether they have a personal relationship with someone. In North Korea, everything depends on your personal relationship with the Kim family. And so theres these connections to Hillary Clinton and Trump.
With Trump, they have Dennis Rodman [who traveled to North Korea multiple times since Kim Jong Un took power]. Rodman was on the Celebrity Apprentice and endorsed Trump and referred to him as his friend.
To a certain degree, Rodman is a compromised entity. But they can say theyre 2 degrees away from President Trump.
I dont know what Trumps actual relationship is with Rodman, but the North Korean intelligence service collects this information for the leadership, and theyve definitely made that connection. People joke about Rodman being an emissary to North Korea and I dont think hes going to negotiate nuclear policy but at the same time its a personal connection that North Koreans will watch closely.
And Bill Clinton traveled in 2009 to North Korea and met with Kim Jong Il to get the two American detainees out of there. So they also again have their 2 degrees away. That means a lot to North Korea. Thats something they think they can leverage in terms of terms of establishing a rapport and interactions.
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The transfer of Salah Abdeslam, the key suspect in Novembers terrorist attacks in Paris, from a high-security prison in Belgium to France on Wednesday was so quick and secret that it even took his lawyer by surprise.
Abdeslam was given a few minutes to pack his belongings before authorities removed him from his cell and flew him by helicopter under armed guard to France.
Its obvious the transfer from Belgium to France was very rapid and relatively muscular, said lawyer Frank Berton, who rushed from the northern French city of Lille to attend Abdeslams court hearing in Paris.
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Abdeslam, 26, is believed to be the only surviving member of the terrorist teams that carried out shootings at the Bataclan concert hall and a series of suicide bombings at cafes and bars in the French capital November 13 that left 130 people dead. Authorities identified one of the suicide bombers as his brother, Brahim Abdeslam, 31.
He said today that he would rather not answer questions, because he is tired by the transfer and the judge said he did not want to interrogate him, Berton told reporters outside the courthouse. But he has said he wishes to express himself later and he will do so.
Abdeslam, a French citizen of Moroccan origin, was ordered held in isolation in the high-security prison at Fleury Merogis, south of Paris.
French Justice Minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas said Abdeslam would be watched by guards specially trained to deal with people reputed to be dangerous.
Investigators are hoping that Abdeslam can shed light on the shootings and suicide bombings in Paris and the terrorist cell that carried out attacks on a Brussels airport and public transport system March 22.
Earlier, Berton told journalists his client was falling apart and ready to cooperate with the investigation.
Salah Abdeslam was a fugitive after leaving France on the night of the November attacks. Authorities said he masterminded the logistics for the November attacks, recruiting attackers and renting several apartments used by the attackers.
He was arrested in Belgium three days after a March 15 shootout with police and faces attempted murder charges. France immediately sought his extradition.
The Islamic State extremist group has claimed responsibility for the series of bombings and shootings in attacks in Paris, which killed 130 and left 349 injured, and Brussels, where three suicide bombers killed 32 people and injured more than 300.
Abdeslams lawyer in Belgium, Sven Mary, cast doubt on how much influence Abdeslam could have had on the attacks, reportedly calling him a little jerk.
Hes more a follower than a leader Salah Abdeslam is a perfect example of the GTA [Grand Theft Auto] generation who believe theyre living in a video game, Mary was quoted as saying in LExpress magazine. He has the intelligence of an empty ashtray.
He and his mates have succeeded in making an entire religion despised, Mary said. I asked him if hed read the Koran, which I have, and he told me he had read its interpretation on the Internet. For simple souls, the Net is perfect, its all they understand.
Geraldine Berger-Stenger, a lawyer for several of the French victims relatives, said they were unlikely to see Abdeslam brought to justice for several years. She warned against pinning too much hope on him making any revelations.
I expect he will cooperate, but I am very cautious, she told BFMTV. Abdeslam is a key witness but we are perhaps hoping for too much.
Willsher is a special correspondent.
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The Pacific city of Acapulco remained gripped by fear Tuesday with thousands of businesses and many schools shuttered following two brazen attacks on federal authorities the latest round of bloodshed in the citys long fall from storied vacation paradise to Mexicos murder capital.
Gov. Hector Astudillo of Guerrero state pleaded for a return to normalcy after Sunday nights attacks by suspected drug gangs on a police station and a hotel that housed federal police.
The attacks were apparently reprisals for the arrest Saturday of Fredy del Valle, alias El Burro, head of the Independent Cartel of Acapulco, the governor said.
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Though the casualties were limited to one dead attacker and a wounded policeman, prolonged gunfire transformed several blocks into a war zone and left residents in a state of shock. City streets, including the Costera Miguel Aleman beach side road, were largely deserted Tuesday amid fears that violence could erupt again.
Today we havent had any business, Esmeralda Rios, a 23-year-old waitress at El Fogon restaurant, said Tuesday. The few tourists who have stayed dont want to leave their hotels.
The decline of Acapulco, with a population of roughly 800,000, been underway for at least a decade as the city, its port and Guerrero state have taken on increasing strategic importance as way stations for South American cocaine destined for the United States.
With 903 murders last year, more than any other Mexican city, Acapulco had 111 killings for every 100,000 people. That is more than double the rate in the deadliest U.S. city St. Louis in 2014, the most recent year for which the federal government has published statistics.
The violence stands in sharp contrast to a reputation forged more than a half-century ago, when the city was a playground for international film stars including Brigitte Bardot, Elizabeth Taylor, Errol Flynn and John Wayne. Its glamour was the backdrop for Fun in Acapulco, a 1963 movie starring Elvis Presley.
The attention helped establish Acapulco as a top destination for American tourists including honeymooners Bill and Hillary Clinton in 1975 drawn for decades by the mild climate, white sand beaches and marlin fishing.
Those days are over. As the violence increased, U.S. tourists spurned Acapulco in favor of newer, safer resort cities such as Ixtapa, Cancun and Cabo San Lucas.
While tourism declined and job opportunities diminished, the drug gangs grew in stature as more young people turned to them for employment.
Traffickers have enjoyed near impunity as they have infiltrated the state government, said Samuel Gonzalez, a lawyer and organized crime expert based in Mexico City.
The violence has kept the state in constant crisis, he said.
The bloodshed intensified in 2009 after police killed Arturo Beltran Leyva, a kingpin who controlled the drug trade throughout the state. His death set off a power struggle among splinter groups that continue to battle among themselves and with police.
The gangs used to leave Acapulco in relative peace, said John Bailey, a Georgetown University professor emeritus who specializes in organized crime. But the local drug market, plus the trafficking routes through the port, plus ongoing feuds, have brought gang violence into the city.
The attacks Sunday were directed by traffickers, authorities said.
Arriving in three SUVs, heavily armed gang members descended on the Alba Suites Hotel, where federal police were living. Gunfire echoed through the city for 20 minutes as people strolling along the beachfront roadway ran for cover and restaurant customers hid under their tables, according to local accounts.
Ten minutes later, gunmen attacked a federal police station in the middle of the tourist zone. Although dozens of shots were fired, no casualties were reported in that attack.
On Tuesday, 3,800 businesses in the city remained closed, according to the Guerrero Federation of Chambers of Commerce. They will stay that way until the government restores order, said Alejandro Martinez Sidney, the groups president and owner of a restaurant in the city.
We hope this suspension brings action from [Mexicos] President Enrique Pena Nieto so that we can return to work, he said.
Many business owners accuse the government of abandoning them to the mercy of drug traffickers.
The hotel occupancy rate in Acapulco during this months holy week one of the busiest tourist seasons of the year was 76%, down from 97% last year, the hotel owners association said Tuesday. Since the attacks this weekend, cancellations have been mounting, with only 20% of rooms now occupied.
Laura Caballero Rodriguez, president of the Acapulco Store Owners Assn., said that about 350 stores have closed this year and that many of those still open are struggling to pay their employees.
The violence in Acapulco is terrible, a situation we cant tolerate any more, she said.
Special correspondents Sanchez reported from Mexico City and Kraul from Colombia.
A Palestinian woman and her teenage brother were shot and killed Wednesday at a busy East Jerusalem checkpoint after threatening border police with a knife, Israeli officials said, highlighting persisting tensions even though a wave of stabbing attacks has ebbed considerably in recent weeks.
The incident occurred at the heavily guarded Qalandia checkpoint, a frequent scene of violence, which serves tens of thousands of Palestinian pedestrians and motorists crossing daily between Jerusalem and the West Bank city of Ramallah.
A 23-year old woman and her younger brother walked up to security forces stationed near a lane of cars waiting to be inspected, prompting police officers to warn them several times to stop, Israeli officials said. The woman momentarily retreated, according to the police, but then suddenly spun around, took a butcher knife from her handbag and threw it at a nearby policeman.
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Security guards and border police, fearing a substantial threat to their lives, immediately opened fire on the pair, Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri said.
The woman was identified by Israeli police as Maram Abu Ismail, a mother of two. Her brother was identified by Palestinian and Israeli reports as 16-year-old Ibrahim Salah Taha. Police said Taha was wearing a belt with a butcher knife and a folding knife.
Palestinian witnesses accused Israeli forces of shooting the siblings multiple times and of blocking Palestinian medical personnel from treating the wounded. No officers were hurt.
The deadly confrontation risks reigniting a half-year surge of violence that has been on the wane. Soon after the shooting, fighting broke out at the Qalandia crossing point. Hamas, which claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a Jerusalem bus last week, called on Palestinians to step up clashes with Israel.
According to Israeli officials, the number attacks on Israelis by Palestinians dropped by 75% in March compared with October, the worst month of violence during the recent wave. The attacks have continued to drop in April.
In recent months, Palestinian educators have started discouraging stabbing attacks, and security forces have started to check youths for weapons. Both Israeli and Palestinian security personnel have started to crack down on Internet users accused of encouraging the spate of lone-wolf attacks by spreading incendiary messages on social networks.
The deaths Wednesday also prompted Palestinian allegations that Israeli security forces used excessive force to stop the brother and sister.
Throughout the wave of violence, Palestinian officials accused Israel of carrying out extra-judicial executions of assailants. Late last month, after an Israeli soldier shot dead a Palestinian attacker lying wounded in the West Bank, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat called for a United Nations investigation of the incidents.
Human rights advocates have also voiced concern. Sari Bashi, Human Rights Watchs director for Israel and the Palestinian territories, said that some Israeli ministers have openly encouraged a policy of killing attackers as a means of deterring future attacks.
The job of police and soldiers is to arrest a suspected attacker, and bring them into custody, so the case can be investigated, said Bashi, who noted that her organization had not yet investigated the shootings Wednesday. That is not what they are doing.
Mitnick is a special correspondent.
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On 15 March, four months after arriving in Costa Rica, the final group of Cuban migrants stranded there en route to the US left for Mexico. This followed the launch of a pilot programme on 12 January 2016 to address the crisis caused by the surge in Cuban migrants seeking to reach the US via Central America [SSR-16-01 ]. The crisis made headlines in mid-November 2015, when Nicaragua closed its border with Costa Rica leaving 4,817 Cubans stranded. Under the programme, Cubans were permitted to buy a US$555 ticket that included a flight to El Salvador, and then a bus journey into Mexico, from where they were permitted to make their own way to the US.
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U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., sent President Barack Obama a letter on Monday urging for temporary deportation protection of Ecuadorians in the wake of a massive earthquake that rocked the South American country earlier this month.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is short-term legal status granted to undocumented immigrants escaping catastrophic situations abroad, like civil war or natural disasters. Ecuador isn't designated for TPS by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, but Gutierrez is urging the president to make an exception considering the earthquake's trail of destruction.
"Like other nations, such as Nepal and Haiti in recent years, Ecuador is experience widespread devastation in the aftermath of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the country's coast over one week ago," Gutierrez said, noting over 650 people have died while 130 remain missing.
Gutierrez said Ecuadorians around the country, including many Chicagoans, want government to step in. If approved, TPS would grant deportation relief and the continued ability to send money through remittances.
"The United States Congress created TPS for exactly these types of dire circumstances in foreign countries," Gutierrez said. "Given the magnitude of the destruction, Ecuadorians cannot safely return home."
Relief Efforts Hindered by Debt
Aftershocks continued for days after the April 16 temblor rocked the seaside town of Pedernales, located about 297 miles from Quito, the country capital. Half a dozen nearby provinces declared a state of emergency soon after, and over 13,500 military and police officers were immediately deployed to aid victims.
Gutierrez approximated 25,000 people were left homeless, but housing them will be a problem given the ruins left around the quake's epicenter. Pedernales Mayor Gabriel Alcivar recently told TIME his town is completely destroyed.
"There has been an exodus from the city as people have completely abandoned their homes," Alcivar said. "We are not accustomed to such big earthquakes. We're used to small tremors, but this earthquake has changed the city beyond recognition. We simply aren't prepared to deal with this."
Alcivar wasn't the only one caught off-guard.
Ecuador government officials find themselves burdened with a multi-billion dollar reconstruction project months after making their first-ever on-time bond payment to creditors. Finding means to pay the debt was "a very serious problem," as President Rafael Correa said in December.
In a nationally televised address last Wednesday, Correa announced temporary tax increases nationwide to purchase emergency supplies and alleviate some of the rebuilding costs, which he estimates to be around $3 billion.
Sales tax will range from 12 percent to 14 percent for the next year, and working citizens will have to give a percentage of their wages, depending on how much they make; those with over one million in assets will make a one-time payment equaling 0.9 percent of their wealth.
"This is how a modern society responds to this kind of disaster and the way each Ecuadorian, within his ability, contributes to the recovery of his own motherland."
New Delhi: A total of 32,077 rape cases were reported in 2015 across the country, Rajya Sabha was told on Wednesday.
"As per information provided by National Crime Records Bureau, a total of 32,077 cases of rape reported, out of which 1,706 were gangrapes during 2015," Minister of State for Home Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said.
The Minister said the central government has set up a central victim compensation fund under the Ministry of Home Affairs for assisting and supporting victim compensation schemes of states and union territories with an initial corpus of Rs 200 crore.
Intel is one of the top companies prioritizing initiatives that bring diversity to its company and Silicon Valley, including making a $300 million pledge to the diversity "pipeline" like sponsoring partnerships and programs for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education for underrepresented minorities and women.
The company also publicly set measurable diversity goals to encourage accountability, and the company's statistics over the past year have proved its progress.
Overall, Intel has had a 30 percent increase in underrepresented employees in its workforce in a little over a year, and surpassed its diversity hiring goal by bringing on over 43 percent of new employees that are either women or minorities.
Inclusion and Resistance, Even Inside Intel
Diversity isn't just about numbers though. It's also about fostering a culture of inclusion inside technology companies, and the industry as a whole.
And as Intel CEO Brian Krzanich told the audience at Rev. Jesse Jackson's PUSHTech 2020 summit in San Francisco last weekend, prioritizing diversity -- the way Intel did starting with Krzanich's keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2015 -- hasn't happened without pushback, even from inside the company.
Krzanich told the PUSHTech 2020 summit that there has been "a bit of a backlash within the company" since making diversity Intel's top priority, as TechCrunch reported.
"People worry that as a white man, you're kind of under siege to a certain extent," Krzanich detailed. "There's been a bit of resistance. We've even had a few threats and things like that on some of our leadership team around our position on diversity and inclusion."
Later, an Intel spokesperson elaborated (a little) on the nature of the threats, writing "The context here is that any time you undertake a big initiative it's a journey and an ongoing process toward change and evolution... the words can mean many things so this is the context."
Intel's CEO, however, stated that he had a standard way of dealing with any resistance to change or "threats" from employees. "We stand up there and just remind everybody it's not an exclusive process," Krzanich said.
"We're not bringing in women or African-Americans or Hispanics in exclusion to other people," he added. "We're actually just trying to bring them in and be a part of the whole environment."
Talent Versus Opportunity
While Intel makes progress in its statistics, and slouches towards a culture of diversity within the workforce as well, much of the rest of Silicon Valley has announced diversity as a priority for them as well.
Many, like Facebook and Apple, are committing millions worth in building the "diversity pipeline," boosting STEM education among women and minorities.
But as Rev. Jesse Jackson told Digital Trends in a post-summit interview this week, he sees the technology industry's diversity problem as more of an "opportunity crisis" rather than a pipeline problem.
"We found that there's an unbelievable amount of talent being passed over with the idea that there's a talent crisis when, actually, there was an opportunity crisis," said Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Beyond Tech, Beyond Diversity
He said there are plenty of talented and trained women and minorities ready to work in technology and related fields that are also important to the technology industry.
"These young people are already studying STEM fields. They are studying engineering and computer science, as well as the non-tech areas," said Jackson, noting that there are plenty of non-STEM positions -- advertisers, marketers, lawyers, etc. -- that are essential to Silicon Valley as well, but which have not been inclusive of minorities.
"The fact is that there are more non-tech jobs than tech jobs, and the tech industry for too long has gotten away with not reaching out to the talent that already exists," said Jackson.
On the diversity movement's progress towards opening those opportunities, Jackson said, "We still have a long way to go."
The massively popular Philip Morris pleaded not guilty last Monday to evading hundreds of millions of dollars, mainly for import tax to Thailand. The crime is said to sum up around $2.27 million, which is now being used as concrete evidence for against the tobacco titan.
According to Daily Star, Thai prosecutors cordially accused the local unit of the said company that owns the Marlboro and L&M brands of evading roughly over 20 billion Baht or an equivalent of $568 million tax. The aforementioned crime was pointed towards an under-declaring of import prices for cigarettes from the Philippines between the years 2003 and 2006.
Bangkok Post delivered that the duty-free end price of the cigarettes were notably much higher as per the prosecutors. In relation to it, the company, along with seven Thai staff went on to plead not guilty, based off a written statement that was read out by a judge during a pre-trial hearing last Monday at a Bangkok court.
As per France 24, under the condition that the prosecutors say the company could face a fine that will go up to four times the sum of the unpaid tax, whereas the employees could face a potential maximum of ten years in jail. Along with it, there are four foreign executives that were charged but exited the country in a case that went on for over a decade at least.
Naturally, the company continued to deny the quoted "baseless" allegations, as per Alejandro Paschalides, the Managing Director of Philip Morris Thailand after the hearing. He was quoted, "We would like to encourage the Thai government to reconsider these meritless charges which will harm Thailand's standing in the trade community and ultimately cause damage to the Thai economy and thus the Thai people."
It was in 2011 that the attorney general at the time suggested against charging the company but the prosecution was restarted two years after. The next hearing is to be held on October but is most likely to go on for a number of years.
Three former presidents of Poland have attacked the policies of the governing party in an open letter, accusing it of violating the constitution.
Lech Walesa, Aleksander Kwasniewski, Bronislaw Komorowski who governed Poland as president in the 90s up 2015 signed the letter published Monday on the front page of Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland's second largest newspaper, according to BBC News. Seven other prominent Polish figures, including former foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski, also signed the letter.
The debate centers on the procedures in the main legislative court which the government wants to change. The court says the procedural changes are unconstitutional. Prime Minister Beata Szydlo claims she has the mandate to make the changes.
Newsweek reported that the letter said a row over appointments to the country's constitutional court " is a realistic threat to [Poland's] membership rights in the EU being limited." In the conflict, the ruling party, Law and Justice (PiS), has been accused of neglecting due process in rushing through favored candidates.
The European Commission announced an investigation in January into the observance of the rule of law in Poland. The way court appointments had been handled was one of the reasons cited for the probe.
Since assuming power, the government has taken criticism for passing a media law that gives it expanded control over state television and radio. It was also chastised for the proposal of governing party officials to ban abortion.
The letter also warned of additional "draconian" laws that the party in power plans to adopt, reported the New York Times. "Law and Justice plans to continue their actions, which destroy the constitutional order, paralyze the proceedings of the Constitutional Tribunal and the entire judicial system," the letter further stated.
The government, in dismissing the letter, pointed that all three past presidents have been opponents of PiS paramount leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski. Szydlo simply boasted of their convincing victory in the October elections, in which PiS won a majority in Parliament. The electoral triumph gave the party the power to rule without the need to form a coalition with lesser parties.
Turkish officials have confirmed on Tuesday that 49 migrants have arrived following a migration deal between Ankara and the European Union (EU). Meanwhile, two ferries have left Greece for Turkey on the same day with 18 migrants on board.
A government spokesperson for Greece claims that Athens has been rendering its services in processing returnees under the migration deal. The accord has taken place aiming to stem a huge refugee influx into Europe. So far, more than 340 people have been returned to Turkey since April 4 following signing the agreement in March, reports Reuters.
Quoting Turkish news agencies and an official at Dikili, The Seattle Times reports that Ferries carrying migrants from the Greek islands of Kos, Chios and Lesbos reached the Turkish port towns of Gulluk, Cesme and Dikili on Tuesday. However, the official has spoken on condition of anonymity following government rules.
Papua New Guinea Court has ruled that the Australian Detention Center holding 850 people is unconstitutional. According to the judges, the detention on Manus Island violates the personal liberty of the asylum seekers in Australia.
Australia detains asylums on the small Pacific island under its offshore processing policy, according to BBC. Five PNG judges said that detention of the asylum seekers violates section 42 of the constitution that assure personal liberty. According to them, all means must be taken to stop the Australian Detention Center from detaining asylum seekers. There are nearly 850 asylums in the islands and half were designated as refugees.
"Both the Australian and Papua New Guinea governments shall forthwith take all steps necessary to cease and prevent the continued unconstitutional and illegal detention of the asylum seekers or transfers at the relocation center on Manus Island and the continued breach of the asylum seekers or transferees constitutional and human rights," the ruling states.
In response to the PNG ruling, Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton claimed that people who come to Australia illegally won't be welcomed in Australia, The Atlantic reports. He added, PNG's decision is only an issue with the PNG government and not with Australia.
Almost 15 years ago, the Australian Detention Center was opened as part of Australia's "Pacific Solution." The facility in Manus island is managed by contractors. However, migrants were rallying over the condition of the facility and the detainees. In 2014, a demonstration led to a riot that killed an Iranian migrant.
In the other news, PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said in a statement that he would like the Australian Detention center to be shut down as it only affects his country's reputation. He also claimed that the Australian government has to decide on that matter.
The Australian government spent $342.5 million or 444 million Australian dollars to operate the facility on Manus island last year, WSJ claims. The United Nations and human-rights groups have disapproved the center's operation. The place was called as Australia's Guantanamo Bay by the rights groups.
Until now the local and international human rights groups are protesting over the Australian Detention Center. They alleged that the center keeps details of the actual detention conditions as well as towing boats loaded with asylums. There are also reports of sexual abuse of children that only led to more protest and even suicide attempts by the detainees.
Norway is set to appeal an Oslo district court ruling that the government violated Anders Breivik's human rights when he was put in solitary confinement after having been found guilty of killing 77 people in 2011.
Voice of America quoted Norwegian Justice Minister Anders Anundsen as saying in a statement that he has asked the attorney general to appeal the verdict that said the state violated Breivik's rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.
Breivik, 37, sued the government last month claiming that his solitary confinement, frequent strip searches and his being handcuffed often when moved between cells are violations of his human rights. On April 20 the court sided with Breivik in handing out a decision contrary to the state's position but said his right to a private life had not been violated.
Judge Helen Andenaes Sekulic said in her ruling that the right not to be subjected to inhuman treatment is a fundamental value in a democratic society which also applies to terrorists and killers, reported BBC News. She further said that Breivik's prison regime deviated significantly from that of other criminals in Norway regardless of the severity of their crime that it has to be considered an extra punishment.
Breivik challenged his 22 to 23 hour confinement in solitary and contact with prison staff only through a thick glass wall. The right wing extremist was convicted of killing 69 young people at a summer camp for political activists on the island of Utoeya in July 2011 after setting off a car bomb earlier in the day in the Norwegian capital Oslo that killed eight people.
He is held in a three-cell complex where he can play computer games, watch TV and exercise, reported The Guardian. During the four-day hearing at Skein prison he also complained about the quality of his food and having to eat with plastic utensils.
The government rejected his complaints saying he was treated humanely despite the gravity of his crime and that he was separated from other inmates only for safety reasons. The judge ruled against the government's assertions and ordered it to pay Breivik's legal costs of 331,000 kroner (28,000).
New Delhi: No bilateral meeting was held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Matteo Renzi on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York last year, External Affairs Ministry said on Wednesday.
The ministry was reacting to allegations by James Christian Michel, the middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper deal, on purported meeting between Modi and Renzi where the Indian leader offered to free two Italian marines, facing murder charges in India, in exchange of evidence linking Sonia Gandhi and her family to the corruption in the Rs 3600 crore deal.
Read: BJP links Sonia with VVIP copter scam, Cong forces adjournments in House
There was no meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Renzi of Italy as part of PMs bilateral meetings at the UNGA in September 2015. Insofar as James Christian Michel is concerned, various law enforcement authorities of India are proceeding against him in cases relating to the Prevention of Corruption Act and Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ministry said.
It also noted that an open ended non-bailable arrest warrant has been issued by the special judge of CBI against Michel on September 24, 2015.
Read: Manohar Parrikar questions Cong's claim on blacklisting AgustaWestland
Upon a CBI request a Red notice against him has been issued by the Interpol Headquarters on November 25, 2015. A request for provisional arrest for the purpose of extradition was made to UK authorities on January 4, this year by the CBI. The Enforcement Directorate, another autonomous agency to handle private money laundering and foreign exchange irregularities, has also separately sent a Red Corner notice seeking arrest and a request for his extradition from the UK on February 29, this year, it added.
Read: 'No case' in AgustaWestland, Congress will respond: Manmohan Singh
BJP district General Secretary Gurdeep Singh Deepa was booked on Sunday under sections 354-A (sexual harassment of a woman) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC after the woman filed a complaint. (Representational image)
Phagwara: A local BJP leader was booked for allegedly harassing a woman even as he on Wednesday claimed he was being framed by a party MLA. BJP district General Secretary Gurdeep Singh Deepa was booked on Sunday under sections 354-A (sexual harassment of a woman) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC after the woman filed a complaint.
However, in a press conference, Deepa refuted the allegations and accused party MLA and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Som Parkash of pressuring police to register an FIR against him. He said the matter was brought to the notice of Punjab BJP chief Vijay Sampla. When contacted, Parkash denied the allegations and said he never interfered in police functioning. "Law takes its own course and I have nothing to do with what was said against me," Parkash said.
Deepa, whose wife is a councilor, also accused BJP Mayor Arun Khosla of indulging in corruption. Khosla, too, denied the charges levelled by Deepa. Meanwhile, Deepa claimed that another BJP leader was involved in drug trade. He said he will disclose the name of the leader and furnish documentary evidence if the state DGP gave him assurance of action against the drug mafia functioning under the "big gun" of BJP.
Councillors Om Parkash Bittu -- former personal assistant of Som Parkash, Kuljit Kaur, Vicky Sood, BJP's former Block presidents Balbhadar Sein Duggal, Pankaj Chawla, former district president Tejasvi Bhardwaj were also present in the presser.
Availing the opportunity, PPCC General Secretary Joginder Singh Mann and Congress former district president Harjit Singh Parmar on Wednesday demanded CBI probe into Deepas allegation.
They also asked the BJP MLA and the Mayor to quit in view of serious allegations leveled against them by their own party leader. Another Congress leader Jarnail Nangal with party leaders met Phagwara SP Ashwani Kumar and demanded high-level probe into Deepas allegation about a BJP leader indulging in drug trade.
New Delhi: In view of rising sexual crimes in the country, consultations are underway to set up a Sex Offenders Registry in the country, government told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
"Draft guidelines on the proposal to set up Sex Offenders Registry in India is under preparation in consultation with relevant ministries/organisations, before they are put out for wider consultation with the state governments and the public," Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said during Question Hour, adding that the proposal was at a "primary stage".
This will be an online database of charge-sheeted sexual offenders in the entire country, which people can access through a Citizen Portal in the upcoming Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) project.
The United States has a similar website called National Sex Offender Public Website. Concerned residents can use its search tool to identify location information on sex offenders residing and working not only in their own neighbourhood but in other nearby states and communities.
In addition, it provides visitors with information about sexual abuse and how to protect themselves among other things.
Rijiju said the initial consultation draft includes the registration of individuals "convicted for offences like rape, voyeurism, stalking and aggravated sexual assault" and includes possiblity of registration of "offenders below and above 18 years".
Replying to supplementaries, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said "the central government has issued these draft guidelines to check sexual harassment. They are still at a very primary stage. The draft guidelines, which have been readied have been
sent to ministries including Women and Child Development for suggestions. After this, public comments will be solicited.
According to draft guidelines proposed, extensive information on the offender will be collected.
This will include, inter-alia name and aliases, registration of primary or given name, nicknames, pseudonyms, telephone numbers, addresses including temporary lodging information, travel and immigration documents.
Besides, the information on offenders to be collected for the Registry include those related to their jobs, professional licenses, information of school, college, institute with which they have been associated, vehicle information, date of birth,
criminal history, current photograph, fingerprints and palm prints, DNA sample, driver's license, identification card, PAN card number, Aadhar card number and Voter ID number.
The idea of a nationwide 'Sex Offenders Registry' had also come up during the UPA rule in the aftermath of the horrendous 2013 Nirbhaya gangrape case but had not moved any further.
Delhi government had launched 'MP Special' bus service on Monday to ferry them to Parliament in view of implementation of the Odd-Even scheme and run six-air-conditioned buses for lawmakers. (Photo: AFP)
New Delhi: Delhi government on Tuesday decided to discontinue 'MP Special' bus service after receiving "poor response" from Parliamentarians over the last two consecutive days. On Tuesday, the AAP government withdrew four out of six air-conditioned buses when only three-four MPs had availed the service. On Wednesday as well, a few Parliamentarians travelled in these buses to reach the House.
"Government has decided to discontinue 'MP Special' bus service as we were not getting a good response from them. If demand arises to introduce the service again, we will then come up with such buses to facilitate Parliamentarians," Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai said.
Delhi government had launched 'MP Special' bus service on Monday to ferry them to Parliament in view of implementation of the Odd-Even scheme and run six-air-conditioned buses for lawmakers.
The 'MP Special' buses were to ply from 9 AM to 11 AM and 5.30 PM to 8 PM. The Transport Minister has already ruled out exempting MPs from the scheme but the AAP dispensation will work to address their issues through public conveyance.
On Tuesday, Rai met Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari and discussed how MPs would reach Parliament. After the meeting, the minister had said there were just four days left and by the time any change in the notification is effected, the scheme would itself end.
The Hyderabad High Court has directed the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to demolish all portions of two buildings owned by family members of Qutubullapur MLA K.P. Vivekananda.
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court has directed the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to demolish all portions of two buildings owned by family members of Qutubullapur MLA K.P. Vivekananda, which were constructed in violation of the sanctioned plans. It also asked the authorities to submit a report along with photographs of the demolition by June15, with the Registry.
Justice C.V. Nagarjuna Reddy passed the orders on a petition by one K.M. Pratap, a resident of Qutubullapur, who had alleged that the MLA and his family members had constructed a huge commercial structure adjacent to his plot without GHMC permission.
The judge directed the GHMC commissioner to identify and initiate departmental proceedings against the officers who were responsible for dereliction of their duties pertaining to failure to inspect and stop the illegal construction, and file his report with the Registry on or before June 15.
While refusing the plea of the Narayana Educational Society, which is running a college in the illegal portions of the building to grant time to vacate the premises, the judge asked them to vacate the building by June 1.
Passing the final orders, the judge pointed out: "This case presents a paradigm of a law-maker himself breaking law, not by accident but by design. Though not acceptable, a common man may plead the excuse of violating the law due to ignorance. Can a legislator behave like a common man, violate the law with impunity and get away with it by virtue of the position he occupies? These are the questions troubling this court."
Finding fault with the attitude of the authorities in taking action against the illegal structure and also their response towards the court when it sought an affidavit from the GHMC on the plea, the judge said, "It is this kind of cold approach in taking action against the brazen violation of laws by haves, that is creating a feeling in the minds of the have-nots that law is meant to be enforced only against the latter and not against the former."
Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary replied in the negative when asked if it is a fact that a nexus between Islamic State (Photo: Representational image)
New Delhi: No nexus between Naxals and Islamic State has come to the notice of the government so far, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary replied in the negative when asked "if it is a fact that a nexus between Islamic State and various Naxal groups of the country has come to notice, as supporters in country have been caught trying to carry out a big attack in the country by taking training and weapons from the naxalites."
He said among the agencies probing cases related to ISIS, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested 25 persons, Telangana Police six, Madhya Pradesh Police five, Maharashtra and Delhi Police four each, Tamil Nadu Police three, Karnataka Police and Rajasthan Police one each.
"... no terror attack by ISIS has been reported in the country," he said.
The minister said a few incidents of unfurling of flags of ISIS by some "misguided youth" were noticed on different occasions in Jammu and Kashmir in the recent past.
"'Police' and 'Public order' being state subjects, the State Governments concerned, have been directed to take appropriate action against such elements as per relevant provisions of Law," he said.
Chaudhary said IS led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, which split from Al-Qaeda in February 2014 is using both positive and negative imagery to attract the youth at a global level, including India.
"However, it has influenced/attracted very few youth from India. The National Investigation Agency and the State Police in some States have registered cases and arrested some active cadres affiliated to ISIS in the recent past," he said.
He said the ISIS is using various internet-based platforms for propaganda and to propagate its ideology. The intelligence and security agencies monitor the cyber space closely to identify political recruits and keep them under surveillance and take further action, if necessary.
"In order to assess the threat posed by ISIS/ISIL and to devise a national strategy to deal with it, meetings have been held by the Ministry of Home Affairs with all the central agencies concerned and the state governments on August 1, 2015 and January 16, 2016 respectively. The government has taken all necessary measures including sensitisation of the states to counter the incipient threat posed by the ISIS," he said.
The minister said since 2013, nine major terrorist attacks have taken place in the hinterland. However, these do not indicate any trend of attacks on targets near the national highways.
Green Light for new Secondary School in Portlaoise - FLANAGAN
Laois TD and Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan has confirmed that following a meeting yesterday (26th April) with Minister for Education Ms Jan OSullivan TD, approval has been given for the construction of a fourth secondary school in Portlaoise.
Speaking after the announcement, Minister Flanagan stated:
I can confirm that approval is in place for a new 1,000 place secondary school in Portlaoise. The development of a fourth secondary school marks unprecedented progress in the education sector in Portlaoise.
There has been a rapid population increase in County Laois and construction of a fourth secondary school in Portlaoise will ensure that there are sufficient school places available for pupils in the Portlaoise area. It is expected that the new school will be open in September 2017
Governance of the school has yet to be decided. Interested parties are invited to make submissions to the Department of Education for consideration. Closing date for submissions will be early June 2016
Minister Flanagan concluded.
While this is a good news story, I am acutely aware that a number of schools in Laois are in need of repair and upgrade and I will continue to work with the Department of Education to ensure that these are addressed
An exciting new ceramic artwork, created by art students uniting from all nine secondary schools in Laois, was launched by Minister Charlie Flanagan at Laois Education Centre last Thursday April 7.
'Looking back Looking Forward' is an impressive wall sculpture featuring 3D images of 1916, designed and made by 31 students from across Laois, with the assistance of their teachers, and artist Poilin Ni Aolain and ceramicist Maeve Sookram.
The schools are Portlaoise College, St Fergals College Rathdowney, Scoil Chriost Ri and St Marys CBS Portlaoise, Mountrath CS, Clonaslee College, Heywood CS, Mountmellick CS and Colaiste Iosagain, Portarlington.
Jim Enright is Director of Laois Education Centre.
The sculpture tells the complex story, in a unique way, of 1916 and beyond. It is a rich cultural ceramic asset which will serve as Laois Post-Primary schools legacy. he said at the launch.
Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade Charlie Flanagan said he was honoured to attend the launch.
I am delighted that schools across Laois have embraced the 1916 Centenary programme and the result of this project is outstanding. The wall sculpture is beautifully crafted with great care and attention. Each individual clay tile beautifully depicts its own story and reflects the individuality of the artist. It is an excellent one of a kind project. I hope that it goes on display nationally, he said.
St Fergal's pupil Darragh Carroll spoke on behalf of the students involved, describing the friendships they forged.
This masterpiece we created is an exemplification of heart, mind, patriotism and co-operation. It was our way of showing appreciation for our great history, he said.
Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald, Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, noted that it has now supported over 40 community commemoration projects, praising the interest and quality of projects.
Each school has also designed a specially ceramic tile to commemorate their participation in the project. A commemorative booklet is available at Laois Education Centre, where the artwork is now on permanent display.
The project was a partnership between Laois Education Centre, County Council and Laois Commemorations Committee, funded by the Ireland 2016 programme.
It's 30 years on the 26th of April since the Chernobyl nuclear disaster occurred where four hundred times more radioactive material was released from the Chernobyl reactor than by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
This radioactive cloud of dust travelled across Europe with most of it falling in Eastern Ukraine, Russia but the worst affected country of Belarus. 2,000 towns and villages were evacuated, and more than 400,000 people have been relocated from their homes since 1986.
Decades later, another 70,000 are still waiting to evacuate.The exclusion zone, known as Death Valley, has been increased from 30 to 70 square kilometres. No humans will ever be able to live in it again.
Its hard for the rest of the world to imagine the devastation this disaster has visited on the people, the children and the land. Those 30 years have passed and we think these areas have recovered. But they haven't. Radiation lives on in every sense: in their water, their soil, their animals, their fauna, themselves.
These people now carry a genetic marker passed down from one generation to the next and its effects are catastrophic. 85% of children born since 1986 in Belarus are affected by a 200% increase in birth defects and a 250% increase in congenital birth deformities. More than one million children continue to be born and live in contaminated zones.
Edwina Guckian has travelled to Belaruss worst affected areas on a number of occasions with Adi Roches Chernobyl Children International. In February the people of Leitrim helped her fill a truck with desperately needed adult and childrens supplies.
The truck departed for Belarus on April 8th and arrived this week to some extremely excited children. Jim Kavanagh, Volunteer of the Year 2014, is the mighty man who had the daunting task of leading a convoy of trucks across Europe to deliver the goods to Vesnova Childrens Mental Asylum and surrounding villages.
"Each child living in an institution, such as an orphanage or mental asylum, is allocated just 1 per day to live.
Once institutionalised you are there for life. You lose all citizenship right. Even when you turn 18 you are just moved on to an adult institution. I have worked closely with these children in Vesnova. There are some that if were given half a chance, an education, a family, a future, they would thrive.
While many others are bed bound and have malignant tumours, blood circulatory illnesses and disorders of the bone, muscle and connective tissue system these children are full of positivity and smiles knowing nothing of a better world, only the one they live in.
At the end of the day, regardless of illness, mentality, mobility or communication, they are all children that crave love, attention and hope. Thank you to every single person that helped in anyway towards my appeal. I just put out the word but it's you that makes it all happen.
Compassion and hospitality is alive and well in our beautiful country. Apart from my mission to fill this truck, I really wanted to make people aware that the Chernobyl disaster is not a part of history, but is very much a part of everyday reality. But change is happening and awareness is the first step.
Mile Buiochas - Edwina Guckian
Hundreds descended upon the picturesque village of Dromahair last weekend to pay their final respects to renowned journalist, James Downey who was laid to rest in his native village on Saturday afternoon last.
Throughout a lifetime working in the printed press, Jim as he was known by family and friends, became known as one the most respected voices when commenting on Irish political matters.
Having started his career with the Sligo Champion he later moved to the Carlow Nationalist before moving to the Irish Times where he became London editor and later deputy editor.
He was controversially overlooked for the editor's position in 1986, something he wrote about in his book, 'In my own time' which was published in 2009.
He later moved to the Irish Independent where his weekly column offered an insight into the inner-workings of all things related to the Irish political system.
His love of news was always palpable as his appetite to learn could never be fully satisfied but he was also as eager to share his vast knowledge with others as his daughter Rachel referred to when paying tribute to her father at last Saturday's funeral.
Jim's love of learning saw him travel to all corners of the globe, including Croatia which was then part of the former Yugoslavia. During the funeral mass Fr John McTiernan referred to the day he departed from London for Croatia when he was asked for a lighter by a woman named Moira Stevenson. Although she was advised to stay away from Irish men, Moira and Jim fell in love and would have celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary last Thursday, the day after Jim's death.
While he had become an adopted Dub and having seen much of the world, there was no doubting Co Leitrim retained a very special place in his heart. Visits to Dromahair were always an important part of his busy schedule and a trip home was never complete without a visit to Glencar.
Tributes were led by President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins who said, He will be remembered as one of Ireland's most committed journalists and editors and as having made a lasting imprint on journalism through his deep knowledge of the world of news and public affairs.
In his career as a journalist in Leitrim and Dublin, James Downey showed a continuing concern for the public interest and transparency. He was driven by a strong belief in the power of information and the need for critical analysis to further political accountability.
Sabina and I extend our heartfelt sympathy to his wife, Moira, his daughters Rachel and Vanessa, his siblings and family and his large circle of friends."
President Higgins was represented at last Saturday's funeral by his Aide de Camp, Lt Commander Patricia Butler.
Also in attendance at the funeral were friends and colleagues from the worlds of media and politics.
While always keen to keep abreast of all new developments, the fact that he was 'trending' on Twitter after his passing may be one of the few things that would have gone over Jim's head. Among those who paid tribute on social media were Seamus Dooley, Irish Secretary NUJ, Irish Independent editor Fionnan Sheahan, Matt Cooper and Cathal Mac Coille.
On a day of beautiful sunshine, Creevelea Abbey looked its finest and visitors to the area become wiser as to why Jim had chosen the Abbey as his final resting place.
A murder accused told gardai he went to a country lane with armed men who he knew were planning an assault to get back a missing bag of drugs.
Leitrim native Matthew Gralton (22), of Mt Prospect, Co Roscommon pleaded not guilty to the murder of 47-year-old Christy Daly at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara, Co Offaly between December 29, 2013 and January 7, 2014. His co-accused Ross Allen (25), with addresses in Carrickmines, Co Dublin and Clara in Offaly, has also pleaded not guilty to murder.
At the Central Criminal Court yesterday (Tuesday, April 26) Detective Sergeant Jer Glavin agreed with prosecuting counsel Padraic Hogan BL that he interviewed Mr Allen at Portlaoise garda station on February 15, 2014.
During that interview Det Sgt Glavin said Mr Allen told him he had hidden drugs on Bog Lane, close to where Mr Daly was living in a caravan.
On the morning of December 29, at about 2am he went to collect the drugs, worth about 30,000, but couldn't find them. He phoned the man who owned the drugs to tell him they were missing and left the area.
The following morning he returned to continue the search but found nothing. "There was great panic on my part," he said in the interview. "I thought I was fucked."
He said Mr Daly was immediately suspected of having taken the drugs because his caravan was so close by.
Speaking about his relationship with the owner of the drugs, Mr Allen told gardai that he had fallen into debt when another bag of drugs that he had hidden went missing about nine months previously. He owed the drug owner 15,000 as a result and worked for him to pay off his debt. He said he would pay off between 50 and 150 by doing odd-jobs like selling drugs, hiding drugs and moving cars around.
He said he did not like his life and that he was "in a dark place" and had trouble sleeping. After he reported the missing drugs on Bog Lane he said the owner told him he would get it "sorted out".
Detective Garda John Doran told Mr Hogan that he interviewed Ross Allen at Portlaoise Garda Station on February 16, 2014.
He agreed that Mr Allen told him there was a meeting at a house in Clara with the drug owner and two other men later that evening. Garda Glavin asked him if they discussed using violence or the threat of violence against Christy Daly and he replied, "yes".
"The plan was to give him a few slaps, to find out where the stuff was or who he gave the stuff to," he said. He said he was told to get a hammer and a torch and he did so.
He said they stopped along the way to collect a sawn-off shotgun that was hidden behind a farmer's gate. Mr Allen said he knew where it was because he put it there. "I was asked to, to pay off some of my drug debt," he said.
He said he handed the gun to one of the people in the back seat and they continued on to Bog Lane. He said he was also aware that the other man had brought a firearm with him.
He said he thought the guns would be used to scare Mr Daly or anyone else they might encounter at the caravan. When they arrived at Bog Lane Mr Allen said his job was to wait at the gateway to act as a lookout. The others continued up the lane in the car. A short time later he heard two shots. "I presumed that they were warning shots," he said.
About 15 minutes later the men returned and he got back into the car and they drove off. He said the mood was "panicky" and they drove at speed. Later in the interview he said he had seen the two men taking cocaine earlier in the night and that it caused a change in their personalities. "They were fucking weird" he said.
The following day he was told to burn out the car that they had used the previous night. For this, 150 was knocked off his drug debt. He said he thought burning out the car was an unusual request because at that point he did not know that Mr Daly was dead.
When asked if he feared the drug owner he replied: "Most definitely, yes." He was asked on a number of occasions to identify the drug owner and the two men who had traveled to Bog Lane but he refused.
Speaking to Detective Garda Glavin he said that when he heard Mr Daly was dead he was shocked. "I thought they were going to frighten him with it [the shotgun] or belt him with it."
Garda Glavin asked him if he thought they would shoot Mr Daly and he replied: "Christ no."
"It made me sick to my stomach when I heard. I haven't slept since."
The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of five women and six men.
Suzanne Fletcher with Guy Verhofstadt
Our visit to Brussels has been one of terrific highs and awful low points. The only thing that was consistent was the pouring rain, and the lovely welcoming help from people wherever we went.
I was there at the invitation of the committee of the regions for the ALDE-LeaDeR Awards. I had been taken aback by being shortlisted for the Lifetime Achievement Award for long service as a councillor, for my work on environmental issues long before everyone woke up to it ( I got the first bottle and then can bank in Stockton in 1982), and more recently as founder member and chair of LD4SOS, an organisation within the Liberal Democrats that stands up for and campaigns on issues around asylum seekers and refugees.
The room filled with those nominated from throughout the EU for a range of different awards. There was only one other from the UK, Ray Georgeson from Otley, up for a different award from me. I didnt want to win; what I wanted more than anything was for the amendments from the Lords to be agreed in the House of Commons in the immigration debate that afternoon. I silently prayed for 3,000 unaccompanied children to be given safety in the UK.
I was so glad that husband John was with me. There is nothing I have done that I could not have done without his constant support and guidance, to say nothing of carrying my bags due to very bad neck pain and sorting these rail timetables. He was there to prompt me to go and get my award when my name was read out as the winner and I couldnt take it in. And of course there to share in the applause and the moment, to say nothing of taking the heavy award from me !
It was good to be supported there by Fiona Hall, my brilliant former MEP, and Paul Hayden who works for Catherine Bearder.
As I write this the train goes through Calais. No sign of any problems, just rolling fields, some new semis, and a wind farm in the distance. Then a lot of fences I couldnt conceive of anyone getting through and over, although Ive met a number with the resilience and determination to do so. So much suffering is hidden from us, and we need to remember that as we get on with our lives.
Back to the ceremony. It was so good to hear the citations of other Liberals from around Europe, and meet them to hear more. So good to be reminded that so many people that we never hear about are living and working on our Liberal values. We hear, for instance, of awful things done by the Hungarian government, but to meet a Hungarian Liberal Party member who told me of work she and colleagues are doing there gives hope and inspiration.
There was then an extraordinary meeting of the ALDE Group of the Committee of the Regions. Ill write more for another article on that, but just to say how inspiring it was to be amongst such good people speaking to, and campaigning on, what we all stand for. We debated the referendum, climate change, combating radicalism and aviation strategy. Participants like myself were allowed to contribute and were listened to (how unlike my time on Stockton Council!).
But it was back to the rest of the world, and our UK Parliament, when we were drying out back in our hotel. First the news of the defeat of the proposal to take in 3,000 children. Then the rest of the news. No judicial oversight for those detained indefinitely, and put there with no judicial decision. No exclusion of pregnant women from being detained. No right to work for asylum seekers waiting for more than 6 months for a decision.
We are deeply ashamed of our government for being so heartless, so unreasonable, and so.
The next day we met Fiona Hall in the European Parliament, and experienced more contrasts, as we saw the display of the proud and important history of the EU and what it has achieved. We viewed an exhibition of women and children refugees, with photos showing the agonies and despair as they crowd on unsafe boats and journey over Europe. But then I realise that the despair is worse than pictured. These were people who were together as families, and ended up safe and welcome in Germany.
There was a planned visit to see Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the European Parliament. Ive looked up to and admired so much of what he has said and done, and was surprised to be able to sit down and talk with him. We told him of the awful defeats in parliament the night before, how we have detention with no time limit, and also the attitude of many to the EU and wanting to vote Brexit. We shared our thoughts on the EU Turkey deal, how it wasnt working, and was based on the wrong premise. He told us of his vision for progress in a united Europe. The referendum, of course, is holding up much needed progress. There is the worry about what happens if the UK votes to leave, and the long time it will take to disentangle. It could well destabilise the whole European project with others moving to leave, leaving the EU wide open to a downward spiral. One in which we could not compete with India and China. One where Putin would delight. And, of course, one that would lead to the breakup of the UK, as Scotland would undoubtedly join the EU separately.
As we saw more of the EU parliament we were drawn to the reality that so much has been done, that some things can be reformed, but most importantly that peace can be secured for our future generations.
Returning on the seamless and smooth Eurostar I knew we must never forget those we do not see, but are our responsibility.
* Suzanne Fletcher was a councillor for nearly 30 years and a voluntary advice worker with the CAB for 40 years. Now retired, she is active as a campaigner in the community both as a Lib Dem and with local organisations.
This is my third attempt at writing this piece. Events have been moving quickly on the Immigration Bill as the Government tries its hardest to push it through before the end of the session.
Last night the House of Lords got the Bill back from the Commons who discussed it the previous night.
The debate there concentrated on the amendment that would put into legislation the call for the UK to offer sanctuary to 3000 unaccompanied child refugees who have already arrived in Europe.
Of course the Government does not need legislation to do this, but it seems the force of votes in Parliament is required.
That vote was defeated by a narrow majority in the Commons and it was left to us in the Lords yesterday to reinstate it, inflicting another heavy Government defeat. This gives the Commons and those Tories who talk of Compassionate Conservatism another chance to do the right thing.
Apart from this amendment we also won votes on putting a 28 day time limit on immigration detention of and restricting the detention of pregnant women. Detention should be imposed only in the most exceptional circumstances, and the calculation of the time limits gives too much wriggle room. Safeguards were also inserted similar to those which apply to children which we insisted went into legislation during the Coalition Government.
We will keep pushing the Government to offer concessions at our end and Im sure my colleagues at the Commons end will passionately make the case for these causes when they debate it next week.
Sadly, we were unable to achieve the amendment that would have given permission to work to asylum seekers who are still waiting on a decision on their application after six, or in our offered compromise nine, months; our arguments were not just about the time period but crucially that they should be able to do any work, not just in shortage occupations which makes the current right, after twelve months, effectively meaningless.
The first time we voted on this, Labour not only supported but signed the amendment. Yesterday was a different story. Whilst there were 13 Labour peers who voted with us (who strongly voiced their views as to how their leadership were wrong), it was not enough to defeat a Government whose ideology continues to get in the way of making commonsense reforms.
It is now up to the Commons to vote but the Government should not underestimate our dedication to these issues. We mustnt under-estimate what has been achieved (more judicial oversight of detention, statutory guidance and more focus on pregnant women), but we will go on working with other peers to make this horrible Bill just a little bit better.
* Sally Hamwee is a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords, and the Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Committee on Home Affairs, Justice and Equalities.
New Delhi: The visit of Pakistan's Joint Investigation Team (JIT) in Pathankot terror attack probe case was on the basis of reciprocity and government is in touch with the authorities of that country on the matter, Rajya Sabha was informed today.
"The interaction with JIT was held in accordance with terms of reference mutually agreed on the basis of reciprocity. The Pakistan JIT assured of their full cooperation and promised to execute the LR, which has been received by them.
"The case is under investigation in both the countries. The government is in touch with the relevant Pakistani authorities in the matter," Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said in a written reply. He said the five-member JIT comprising an additional IGP, a DIG, two Lt Colonels and one inspector had visited India between March 27 and March 31 to collect, review and document physical evidence and to interview key witnesses and victims through the NIA, with regard to Pathankot airbase terror attack.
"The NIA briefed the JIT on investigations carried out in the Pathankot airbase terror attack. The Pakistan JIT, in turn, shared with NIA the results of investigations carried out by them in Pakistan so far. The JIT also informed that they were collecting admissible evidence outside Pakistan under the provisions of the CrPC of Pakistan, that will legally enable them to use the evidence in prosecution," he said.
Chaudhary said Pakistan JIT was informed that a team of NIA officials would like to visit Pakistan to carry forward the investigations in the Pathankot airbase terror attack.
The details of the visit are yet to be finalised, he said.
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IRISH Cement is to halve the amount of alternative fuels it is planning to burn at its facility in Mungret in Limerick to 90,000 tonnes.
It comes after a public outcry against the original proposals, which will see tyres and other materials being burnt at up to 1,400 degrees celsius.
Irish Cement had announced it is to invest 10m at the plant to replace the use of fossil fuels at its cement-clinker plant, in a move which will create 40 construction jobs, and secure the future of the 80 staff working on site.
But these proved controversial, with more than 450 people signing a petition in opposition, citing fears over the impact on the environment of burning tyres at such high temperatures.
James Gaffney, Green Party, said although he welcomes the reduction, he warned that using alternative fuels, such as tyres remains inherently risky.
But Irish Cement says due to the extreme temperatures required for cement production, burning tyres will not lead to any increase in emissions.
There is close to 40 years experience in the European cement industry with a wide range of alternative fuels including tyres, which demonstrates the safety of using these fuels in the cement kilns, a spokesperson said.
Irish Cement withdrew its initial planning application, with the council referring it to An Bord Pleanala to decide whether the project should be classed as strategic infrastructural development a move which would have seen the project bypass local planners.
However, the company announced this Monday it is submitting an almost identical application with one key difference.
It is seeking permission to use a lower amount 90,000 of alternative fuels just under half of the amount previously sought, a spokesperson for Irish Cement said.
The Chronicle understands the reduction in proposed production is a bid to ensure the project gets off the ground in a quick a time as possible.
Mungret Cement is the last production plant in Ireland still using fossil fuels.
Fossil fuel replacement is an important part of the industrys climate change commitments. The cement factory is moving away from fossil fuels to help reduce carbon dioxide emission, a spokesperson added.
Mr Gaffney warned: Blockages [in the kiln] can occur, leading to blasts causing dust releases in the air surrounding the plant. Dangerous chemicals such as dioxins and furans could be released into the surrounding atmosphere. It is not the case the new process will allow Irish Cement increase their profit margins at the expense of public health?
PRESIDENT of Ireland Michael D Higgins addressed a large crowd at the University Concert Hall, in UL, where the annual general meeting of the Irish League of Credit Unions took place.
More than 1,500 members, from 431 nationwide branches, discussed the future of the organisation at the conference.
He started his address, discussing the difficulties that came about when the cooperative movement and the Credit Union first began in Ireland.
Public opinion was hostile and consmer cooperation initially unachievable. The Credit Union movement was the result of innovative thought, a collective will and a real desire to praticipate in the enabling of positive and far reaching change, he commented.
President Higgins commended the organisation for its involvement in economic activities over the past 30 years in assisting developing countries in establishing their own credit unions and other cooperative type organisations.
May your philosophy of solidarity, cooperation and care guide you, he added, when mentioning the Unions future challenges.
I am absolutely convinced that there is no such thing as any simple binary choice between care and solidarity on the one hand, and efficiency and competition on the other. You can have both.
He said that the spirit and ethical code that drove the Union to success can be applied in the future of the organisation.
We know that we cannot go back to doing things in the same way as we did before. We need new forms of working together that will transcend the shortcomings of our recent experience.
In a new social economy we will need models like the co-operative movement, built on democracy, mutuality and the value of service; models which enable people to work together, pooling their skills, proactively engaging with their community and placing solidarity and the collective welfare above any self serving individualism.
He added that the Credit Unions have always looked beyond the interests of the few in order to serve the interests of the many, and that it has a definite philosophy based on solidarity.
Like all major and valuable contributors to society, the Credit Union movement is called on continually evolve, adapt and reimagine. There can be no doubt that, following the recent enactment of new regulations, you are facing a time of radical change and transformation.
He concluded that the Union will continue to provide a service built on true participation and shared interest.
Your efforts are an inspiring example of how economic viability can be pursued in partnership with social responsibility, bringing into balance the needs of members and the community.
ILCU president Brian McCrory said that the event was focused on how credit unions can grow and change to best meet the growing needs of their members.
GENERAL practitioners, members of the public and health sector workers discussed primary healthcare reform at a conference hosted by the National Association of GPs this week.
The event, which took place at the Strand Hotel on Monday night, featured a panel discussion with guest speakers Dr Edward Walsh, president emeritus, University of Limerick; NAGP president, Dr Emmet Kerin; Prof Paul Finucane, head of the Graduate Entry Medical School, UL; and was chaired by Sunday Business Post health editor, Susan Mitchell.
Dr Kerin, from Monaleen, spoke about the unions aims to get a consensus with the Government to form a long-term strategy for primary care in Ireland.
During his speech, he called for political reform and that primary care policies, based on five-year Government cycles, have failed.
The strategy needs to be patient-centric, and when we pitch ideas, we need to show the evidence how it will help patients, he said.
Dr Walsh said that Ireland needs an improved integrated IT system, similar to Estonias healthcare, in order to better utilise frontline healthcare staff.
Prof Finucane criticised the current two-tier health system, where access is determined by wealth as opposed to need, but also commended services provided by the local primary and secondary healthcare sector.
See the Limerick Leader weekend editions for a full report on this weeks NAGP conference.
DISCOUNT store Dealz has been announced as the new tenant on Bedford Row/Henry Street, which will result in the creation of dozens of jobs in the city centre.
The store, which is a division of British chain Poundland, will also be maintaining its store on William Street, which opened in 2011, creating 50 jobs in that 5,500 sq ft site.
Spanning three floors, the prime unit at the junction of Bedford Row and Henry Street is larger again, at over 9,000 sf ft. It is understood the deal is for a 15-20 year lease, amounting to a contract worth over 3m.
With the Savoy hotel, the citys only five-star hotel just a few doors away, as well as high-end tenants such as Laura Ashley, some have questioned whether a more suitable tenant could have been found.
The metropolitan Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Jerry ODea, told the Limerick Leader: Whilst Im very happy to see further investment in the city centre, and a vacant unit filled, there is also the question about finding the right mix of retailers for different areas of the city centre.
Ideally, I believe that this location is a prime footfall area for maybe a higher end tenant. Perhaps its not the best location for a discount store, but the council is very restricted in what it can do, he explained.
His views were also echoed by James Ring, of Limerick Chamber, which includes a retail sub-committee, who said there was a great desire for brands such as Topshop or Miss Selfridge to set up in that location in the city.
I would have envisaged a higher end retailer going in there, given that there are many fashion retailers around the street," he said.
"If the council and the Chamber could come together and work with the landlord to find the right tenant that would be the ideal solution to this. As always you have to welcome investment, but at the same time you want to see the right type of investment in the city centre, he said.
Despite numerous requests from the Limerick Leader, a spokesperson for Dealz said that it was not in a position to comment on all the details at present.
Other business sources told the Leader: This is a good letting for the city centre. Dealz is a good operator and theyre not going to bow out after 12 months to somewhere else. Theres still a difficulty in getting high-end tenants to come into the city, as theres a desire to go out to the Crescent.
This retail unit, which was built by developer Michael Dalys Fordmount group, went up for sale for 1.8m in 2014 through the agent Savills.
At that time, the property was being offered with a new 10 year lease at a current market rent of 182,361 per annum, amounting to over 1.8m a year, or 3.6m for two years.
Some 84 apartments, the 93 bedroom Savoy hotel and six retail units were sold for some 18m to a Limerick based consortium.
However, the unit soon to be re-opened by Dealz - and formerly occupied by Pamela Scotts, at No.7 Bedford Row, was not part of that sale.
LIMERICK TDs have expressed renewed confidence a minority government may finally be formed more than two months after the election.
Negotiating teams from Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have been locked in intensive talks for the last few days, with the one sticking point being the implementation of water charges.
Fianna Fail wants a suspension of the charges while they are re-examined by a commission, while Fine Gael wanted the controversial rate to continue regardless of any examination of them.
But this Wednesday, it appeared the two sides were coming close to an compromise with Jobs Minister Richard Bruton saying that water charges will be suspended while a commission looks at the future of Irish Water as part of a minority deal.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny held a meeting of the outgoing coalition cabinet on Tuesday night, with his comments in thanking ministers for their service being seen by many present as an indication another election is on the way.
However, Education Minister Jan OSullivan who was present at the meeting did not read Mr Kennys remarks in this manner.
She said: The Taoiseach did say he expected it would be last cabinet meeting of the outgoing government. But I dont think most of us read this as a snap general election. I think most of us read it that there would not be a need for another cabinet meeting.
The Labour TD whose party has confirmed it will return to opposition following its heavy loss of seats in February said she did not still expect to be a caretaker minister over eight weeks since the public went to the polls.
I am as frustrated as every citizen is at this stage that we havent got to the point of having a government. I do think an election is what we need. I honestly do not think people will change their vote to the extent we are going to have any different configuration after an election, she said.
Ms OSullivan criticised Fianna Fail for its political opportunism over water, saying that in calling for a suspension, there is a suggestion the party remains in favour of a charge it signed up to when last in government.
The idea that this one issue is the most important issue stopping us having a government is not logical. To me, issues around health and housing are more important than paying for water, she said.
But Fianna Fail frontbencher Niall Collins rejected this, saying: We are going into opposition, and see the reality of the landscape where the vast majority of Dail Eireann do not want Irish Water in its present structure. We are saying to Fine Gael they need to realise this. They dont get it, frankly, and they are not getting where the public are.
Despite widespread speculation of a second election in quick succession, Mr Collins does not think this will happen.
He said: Put yourself in Fine Gaels shoes: would you compromise on water charges or face into an election? Which of those will cause Fine Gael the most grief? The answer is an election. I am still of the view Fine Gael will come to a point where they will realise and accept the vast majority of people in this country have an issue with Irish Water and with the present charging regime. They need to come to that realisation and put that issue into a commission and let it drag out the various issues over the lifetime of this Dail.
Mr Collins also rejected public criticism of his own partys pariticipation in minority government talks, saying: They want us to fold on a major point of our election manifesto to allow us to go into government. What does that tell you about them? They just do not live in the real world. If we turn around now and do a U-turn on water charges, we will be remembered for breaking a political promise which will be fatal.
County Limerick Fine Gael TD Patrick ODonovan said the speculation of a second election has been very unhelpful and believes a government will be formed.
There is still a bit of discussion to be done yet, and people need a bit of space to do it. There are two negotiating teams, parliamentary parties need to be consulted, and when that process is over, we will have a government at the end of it, he predicted.
On the issue of water, he said: People have been paying for water in rural constituencies all their lives. Since Irish Water has been conceived, we have seen infrastructural improvements which have not happened before. A case in point is the Athea sewerage scheme.
Speaking from Dail Eireann on Tuesday evening, newly elected Fine Gael TD Tom Neville said he would prefer not to comment on the make-up of a new government.
Im not going to prejudice anything by making any comment that may impinge on the negotiations which are at a critical and sensitive stage, and we will wait the outcome and delivery back to the parliamentary party, he said.
The Dail will reconvene again on Thursday, and it looks likely that Taoiseach Enda Kenny will put himself forward for a fourth time as Taoiseach.
With Fianna Fail abstentions, he requires a bare minimum of 58 votes for his nomination to be successful.
RANKED among the worlds top 50 fashion colleges, Limerick School of Art and Design has reaffirmed its reputation for molding talented Irish designers, having secured a number of high profile awards in the fashion industry.
The college was once again the only Irish college selected to participate at the recent London Graduate Week, and students work was again published in Europe Emerging Fashion Designers.
Other accolades in recent times include graduate Niamh Mannion winning the prestigious Persil Fashion Award which saw her walk away with 10,000.
Michael Stewart was awarded the first Kildare Outlet Village Fashion Bursary worth 15,000.
Meanwhile, LSAD graduates were also big winners at Kerry Fashion Week with Colin Horgan winning The Image Breakthrough Designer of the Year Award, Alanna McIntyre winning the One to Watch Award and Greta Lelyte winning the Kerry Designer of the Year Award.
I was delighted and very shocked to hear I had won the Persil Fashion Award, explained Niamh Mannion, who recently moved to New York to pursue a career in fashion.
The prize and media that came from it will be a great help to me pursuing a career in the fashion industry.
The 22-year-old who is originally from Kilglass, Co Roscommon is currently working in a bar in New York while she finds her feet in the sprawling city. She said the prize money of 10,000 will be a great help to support me as I work in New York".
I also plan for it to fund the making of my next collection, and possibly contribute to completing a master's course in fashion design in the coming years.
Meanwhile, tickets have gone on sale for the much anticipated Limerick School of Art and Design, LIT, Graduate Fashion Show on Thursday, May 12. The show will take place at the LSAD Gallery where 27 graduates from the largest fashion degree programme in Ireland will showcase their creations on the night.
This years students have returned from exciting work placements all over the world including House of Holland, Temperley, and Preen in London, Marchesa and Derek Lam in New York and Farrah Floyd in Berlin. The themes of this years show are as diverse as the students use of fabric, colour and form including sugar candy, legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, the Greek mythology Circe, deforestation, computer malfunction and the late rocker Kurt Cobain among others.
This years show, produced by renowned retail consultant Eddie Shanahan, will see graduates compete for the coveted IFIL, AIB Graduate Business Development Award worth 5,000 which includes a three-month paid work experience with the leading London-based Irish fashion designer Richard Malone.
Richard received the coveted Fashion East sponsorship, The LVMH Grand Prix scholarship and has been described by Vogue as one of the brightest most directional talents around. The student who shows the most unique cut and technical creativity within their collection will win the LIT Award.
Speaking about the upcoming fashion show, course director Anne Melinn, said: The Limerick School of Art and Design is truly an exceptional college with an enormous amount of talent and a deserved international reputation.
Our graduates have gone on to work with some of the leading labels in the world including Paul Smith , Marc Jacobs and Alexander McQueen. The students are extremely professional and take enormous pride in their work.
The Limerick School of Art and Design LIT Fashion Show will take place in The LSAD Gallery, Clare Street on Thursday, May 12 2016.
Tickets are available now and priced 30 each or family rate of four tickets for 100 and can be bought on www.litmt.ie or contact 061-293870.
Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF enforced strict security check on Srinagars Lal Chowk and neighbourhood areas in wake of Amanullah Khan's funeral in absentia. (Photo: DC)
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF enforced strict security check on Srinagars Lal Chowk and neighbourhood areas in wake of Amanullah Khan's funeral in absentia , the co-founder of pro-independence Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).
The 82-year-old Khan, who introduced gun to Kashmiri youths in 1989, died at a hospital in Pakistans Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
In an attempt to curb violence in wake of Khan's funeral in absentia, the police and CRPF have beefed up security in the Lal Chowk area. (Photo: DC)
The security forces made requisite arrangements to block the entry and exit points at Lal Chowk. The neighbouring Maisuma, where JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik resides, has also been placed under strict security blanket.
On Wednesday, Malik was detained and brought to Kothi Bagh police station. Besides, some other JKLF activists have been taken into preventive custody, officials said. Kashmirs Chief Muslim cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, along with half a dozen other senior separatist leaders, have been placed under house arrest to prevent them from gathering at Lal Chowk.
Many separatist leaders have been place under house arrest. (Photo: DC)
Being miffed by the high handedness of security forces, Malik condemned the imposition of curfew-like restrictions at Lal Chowk, Court Road, Aabi Guzar, Koker Bazaar, Maisuma and Gaw Kadal.
A curfew-like situation has been imposed, entry and exit points at Lal Chowk have been closed to avoid any form gathering. (Photo: DC)
Amanullah Khan was the father-in-law of regional Peoples Conference chairman and J&Ks minister for social welfare Sajad Gani Lone. He is married to Khans only daughter, Asma Khan, but he decided not to attend Khans funeral prayer, which will take place in Islamabad later today.
Lone's visit to Islamabad for Khan's funeral prayer might have garnered scathing criticism from the opposition, political watchers said. However, his wife had flown to Islamabad last week to look after her ailing father.
The JKLF leader, who had led a violent campaign for independent Kashmir, was born in Astore area of Gilgit on August 24, 1934. He co-founded the Kashmir Independent Committee in 1963. Apart from being elected as the secretary-general of Jammu and Kashmir Plebiscite Front (PF) in 1965, he was the co-founder of Jammu Kashmir National Liberation Front (JKNLF) with Muhammad Maqbool Bhat, who was hanged in Delhis Tihar jail on February 11, 1984.
Khans death has been widely mourned in Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan. National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah are among the mainstream leaders from the state who condoled Khans death and sympathised with the bereaved family. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also condoled his death, saying that the sacrifices of Khan for Kashmiris would be long remembered.
Apr 26, 2016, 11 PM
By Michael Baadke
Samuel Finley Breese Morse is well-known for his contributions to the development of the telegraph and the communication code that bears his name, but he was also a highly respected portrait artist and a pioneer photographer.
Morse was born 225 years ago on April 27, 1791, in Charlestown, Mass. After completing his studies at Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., Morse attended and graduated from Yale University before leaving for England in 1811 to study painting.
A measure of his talent as an artist is his 1819 portrait of James Monroe, which today serves as the official White House portrait of the nations fifth president.
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Morse returned to Europe in 1832 and began work on his idea for transmitting messages over long distances. He also met French photography inventor Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre and became a photographer and photography teacher after his return to the United States. One of his students was the legendary Mathew Brady.
His success with the telegraph was definitively demonstrated in 1844, when Morse, in Washington, D.C., telegraphed the message What hath God wrought to his assistant Albert Vail in Baltimore, Md.
As use of the telegraph quickly spread throughout the world, Morse found an international fame that is reflected in the array of medals on his chest in the 2 stamp commemorating him, part of the 1940 Famous American series (Scott 890). Those medals represent the recognition and honors he received from leaders throughout Europe.
May 1, 2021, 4 PM
Noted forger Fournier faked the 1902 postage due stamps. One of his imperforate forgeries is at left, and a genuine stamp is at right.
The printing plate of the 1902 postage due stamps used five different types repeated 20 times each. This strip of the 4 contains all five types; note differences in the numeral 4.
The 1 denomination is the lowest of the four that make up the set of Danish West Indies first postage due stamps, issued in 1902.
By Christer Brunstrom
Danish West Indies introduced its first set of postage due stamps (Scott J1-J4) on Jan. 1, 1902, with the following denominations: 1, 4, 6, and 10.
The design was fairly simple, featuring the crowned monogram of King Christian IX (CR for Christianus Rex), who ruled Denmark from 1863 to 1906.
The design was the work of artist Nilaus (Niels) Fristrup (1836-1909), who was quite a famous painter in his native Denmark. Fristrup was even made a member of the Danish Academy of Arts. He was no newcomer to the field of postage-stamp design, having been responsible for Denmarks 1882-1902 Coat-of-Arms type with small and large figures in the corners (Scott 36-54).
The four Danish West Indies postage due stamps, all printed in dark blue on unwatermarked paper, were lithographed by H.H. Thiele in Copenhagen.
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The stamps were line perforated gauge 11, and no completely imperforate stamps were issued. The major perforation variety involves the 10 denomination, which exists with an imperforate right margin. There were three or four printings of the stamps, resulting in minor color shade varieties.
A total of 25,000 of the 6 stamps were issued. As this was the smallest printing of any of the four denominations, that figure also indicates the maximum number of complete sets.
The printing plate of 100 stamps was made up of horizontal strips of five different types repeated 20 times. Thus there are five different types of each denomination. However, in most cases the differences are very minor and basically only of interest to specialists.
The major exception is the 4 stamp, where the differences are easily noticeable without straining your eyes. Pictured here is a horizontal strip of five 4 stamps. What gives the five types away are the differing shapes of the number 4. Look especially at the top of each numeral.
Locating a complete strip of the five varieties might be difficult, but by using this illustration it shouldnt be too hard to pick out individual examples of the five different varieties from a dealers stock.
Finding the complete set of Scott J1-J4 in very fine, mint never-hinged condition probably will be a bit of a challenge, because the majority of sets on the market will most likely have rested in other stamp collections and albums before reaching yours. A mint never-hinged set is basically worth double the value of a lightly hinged unused set. Used examples are scarce, and stamps genuinely used on cover are very scarce indeed.
Fournier forgery
However, you need to be careful when adding these Danish West Indies postage dues to your collection. There have been at least two complete-set forgeries, one of which was produced by the master forger Francois Fournier of Switzerland. He forged all four denominations and then marketed them in both perforated and imperforate versions. The final illustration shows an imperforate example of Fourniers version of the 6 postage due, along with a genuine stamp at right.
Now lets take a closer look at the characteristics of the forgery. First, study the inner circle just above the first I of the word VESTINDIEN. In Fourniers forgery, there is a break in this line.
There is a second giveaway to look for: The central line extending down from the base of the left leg of the letter R in the middle of the design is much thicker than those surrounding it. A close examination probably will reveal many other minor differences as well.
The second forgery of Danish West Indies Scott J1-J4 is of unidentified origin, and not much is known about it except that its perforation gauge is 12.
The Danish West Indies was sold to the United States on March 31, 1917, for $25 million. The territory is now known as the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Danish West Indies first set of postage dues remained in use for three years before being replaced by a new set of four (Scott J5-J8) in 1905, with a different design.
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Apr 27, 2016, 12 PM
The cover bearing the only known example of the 5 postmasters provisional stamp of Alexandria, Va., on blue paper, known as the Alexandria Blue Boy, was a special exhibit that provided one of many visual treats for Washington 2006 show-goers. Image co
The Black Honduras and the Red Honduras, nicknames taken from the colors of the overprint inks, are the worlds rarest and second-rarest airmail stamps, respectively. Mystic Stamp Co. exhibited them at the Aerophilately 2014 exhibition in Bellefonte, and
The legendary Dawson cover not only sports a rare combination of United States and Hawaiian stamps of 1851; it is the only one that includes a 2 Hawaiian Missionary stamp.
Mystic Stamp Co. displayed a large selection of Grinnell Hawaiian Missionary stamps, which the Royal Philatelic Society London had condemned as forgeries, at its booth on the floor of the Washington 2006 exhibition. Among them was this card of 10 stamps t
Ken Lawrences exhibit The Nazi Scourge: Postal Evidence of the Holocaust and the Devastation of Europe earned a large vermeil medal at Washington 2006. In 1943, Joseph Prag, a prisoner in the Buchenwald concentration camp at Oranienburg near Berlin, se
Medals awarded to Nordia 2001 exhibitors were crafted of silver in a Native American style as wearable jewelry. Gemstones represented levels: Turquoise equated to vermeil levels, and turquoise plus a golden arrow to gold levels.
The most newsworthy attraction at Nordia 2001 in Tucson was the legendary Treskilling Yellow, a unique Swedish error of color stamp (the normal color was green) issued in 1855, which had sold for a record $2.3 million in 1996. The Tucson Citizen newspaper
By Ken Lawrence
As we look forward to the upcoming New York 2016 world philatelic exhibition that begins at the end of this month, my Spotlight on Philately column has taken a look back at international stamp shows held in North America for the past three decades.
Last month (Linns, April 18), I reviewed my experiences between 1986 and 1997, from the euphoric success of Ameripex 86 in Chicago to the disappointing financial failure of Capex 96 at Toronto, causing Canada to cease hosting world stamp exhibitions, followed by the calamitous losses incurred by the Pacific 97 show in San Francisco, which wiped out the accumulated patrimony of seed money that had jump-started U.S. internationals since 1976.
Ameripex 86, held under the patronage of the International Philatelic Federation (FIP), had inspired two successful non-FIP internationals World Stamp Expo 89 in Washington and World Columbian Stamp Expo 92 in Chicago. Both shows proved that FIP patronage wasnt needed to bring the whole worlds collectors, dealers, and philatelic treasures to our shores. Nothing comparable to those events occurred between 1997 and 2006.
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The Pacific 97 debacle prompted soul-searching and retrenchment among planners of the next United States international show. The Washington 2006 committee, which consisted largely of experienced organizers of the annual Washington-area Napex national exhibition, resolved to keep a close watch on finances, to contain costs and make no frivolous expenditures, and to keep the FIP burden to a manageable minimum.
Among the first and most important decisions was to reduce the number of days that the exhibition would run. Previous internationals in this country had been 11-day affairs. Washington 2006 was reduced to eight days. That might have been the most important choice that the organizers made to assure the success of their enterprise, but it meant reducing almost every feature, from the number of seminars to the time allotted to jury matters.
Serendipitously an opportunity arose for a smaller-scale international show conducted under FIP rules on American soil in 2001, which served in part to verify the recovery from our collective Pacific 97 hangover, but also demonstrated to the world community that our exhibitions are second to none in quality, comfort, and enjoyment.
Nordia 2001, Tucson, January 19 to 21
Nordia is the annual gathering of collectors from the Nordic countries, the Baltic States, the United States, and Canada who specialize in Scandinavian philately. It moves from country to country, not only under FIP auspices, but also under the continental Federation of European Philatelic Associations (FEPA).
Nordia 2001 was the first ever held in the United States. It was hosted by Aripex, an Arizona-based national World Series of Philately participant, and Ameristamp Expo, which combines the spring meeting of the American Philatelic Society and the single-frame Champion of Champions competition.
Former assistant postmaster general Gordon Morison was president of the show, which in some respects cast it as a rehearsal for his role as executive director of Washington 2006. FIP president Knud Mohr of Denmark was a prominent participant.
Of the exhibits entered and judged according to FIP and FEPA criteria, Tonnes Ore of Norway won the grand prix international for Trieste, Heikki Pahlmann of Finland won the grand prix Nordique for Finland 1566-1856, and Lennart Daun of Sweden won the top prize, the grand prix Nordia, for Swedish Postal Stationery 1872-1897.
International participation also included special exhibits presented by the postal museums of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland. The Swedish court engraver Czeslaw Slania, the worlds best-known stamp artist of the era, attended and autographed his works.
Danish auctioneer Thomas Hoiland displayed the unique Treskilling Yellow stamp on behalf of its owner (the orange color error 3-skilling banco Coat of Arms stamp of 1855, Sweden Scott 1a), which he had sold in 1996 for the equivalent of $2.3 million, a record price at the time.
Upon his arrival at New York en route to Tucson, Hoiland and the stamp were featured on the NBC Today show.
Awards that could be worn as jewelry were an innovation that deserves to be emulated. Morison explained them: The medals were of Native American design, crafted in silver with a different stone signifying the different levels.
In an era when the annual number of opportunities to enter FIP-juried competitions are fewer than in times past, Nordia 2001 provided an extra opportunity for first-time five-frame exhibit entries to reach the vermeil medal level that qualified them for eight frames in subsequent international competitions.
Washington 2006, May 27 to June 3
Our nations capital city was not a newcomer to philatelic pageantry. Besides annual Napex national-level exhibitions, Washington had previously hosted the Sixth International Philatelic Exhibition (Sipex) in 1966 and World Stamp Expo 89. But Washington 2006 was the main stamp hobby event of the first 21st century decade, and it lived up to its billing.
Among the special exhibits were such treasures as the unique Alexandria Blue Boy postmasters provisional cover (Scott 1X2) and the cover addressed to Miss Eliza Dawson franked with two Hawaiian Missionary stamps (2 and 5, Hawaii Scott 1 and 2) and a pair of U.S. imperforate 3 George Washington stamps of 1851 (Scott 11).
Several events at the show engaged me personally. As an exhibitor my eight-frame display titled The Nazi Scourge: Postal Evidence of the Holocaust and the Devastation of Europe earned a large vermeil medal. A year later, I sold the entire collection to the Florence and Laurence Spungen Family Foundation, which has kept it intact. It can be viewed on the foundations website.
Coinciding with the exhibition, the National Postal Museum opened the exhibit Rarity Revealed The Benjamin K. Miller Collection, which is owned by the New York Public Library but had not been on display for more than 30 years. Millers was the most complete collection of United States stamps that had been formed at the time he donated it to the library in the 1920s. To explain the exhibit, NPM and NYPL published a book of the same title by Scott R. Trepel with Ken Lawrence.
William H. Grosss exhibit United States Classics, 1847-1869, and their 1875 Reissues won the grand prix national. Omar Rodriguezs exhibit Classic Mexico The First Issues from Colonial Mail and First Hidalgos to 1867 won the grand prix international. The grand prix dhonneur went to Edward J.J. Grabowskis exhibit Guadeloupe Postal History.
Ellen Peachey and I had donated a special prize, a large framed chromolithograph by Arthur Szyk titled The United States of America together with a smaller print of the same design that Canadian dealer-publisher Kasimir Bileski had sold as a stamp album title page in the 1940s. The jury awarded it to an exhibit from Israel.
Mystic Stamp Co. exhibited the storied Grinnell Hawaiian Missionary stamps. Earlier in the year, the expert committee of the Royal Philatelic Society London had published a book that concluded the Grinnells were dangerous forgeries of rare 1851 Hawaii stamps. Among the selection in the Mystic display were 10 stamps mounted on a card that had not previously been shown in public.
About a month after the show closed, while studying a high-resolution image of the card, I realized that one of the stamps on the card was a genuine 13 Hawaiian Missionary stamp (Hawaii Scott 3). When I shared my discovery with Dick Celler, who had made plating studies of these stamps, he found a second genuine example on the card. Our discoveries were reported on the front page of the Honolulu Advertiser and in news media around the world.
On a personal level, our Grinnell surprise was a gratifying postscript to Washington 2006, but more important for the continuing health of our hobby was the financial success of the exhibition, which left a substantial legacy to support worthy philatelic causes.
Americas 08, Los Angeles, October 10 to 12
Although Washington 2006 did not spark impressive follow-ups comparable to the post-Ameripex international stamp fairs, the United States hosted two smaller international exhibitions during the decade that followed. First was Americas 08, a hemispheric show at Los Angeles co-sponsored by the annual Sescal national exhibition and the Inter-American Philatelic Federation (FIAF).
It was the largest Sescal exhibition ever held, with 600 frames of exhibits, and the first continental exhibition actually brought to completion in this country, after earlier attempts had aborted. Besides FIAF, FIP auspices and an FIP-qualified jury assured that awards earned by exhibitors qualified those exhibits for future internationals.
The grand prix national was awarded to Steven Walskes exhibit Heart of the West: San Francisco as a Postal Hub from 1849 to 1869. The grand prix international went to Yamil Kouris exhibit Spanish Colonial Maritime Mail in the Americas. James Peter Gough won the grand prix of the exhibition (the top award) with UPU: Rules, Regulations, and Rates.
Aerophilately 2014, Bellefonte, September 12 to 14
Aerophilately 2014 was the second smaller North American international between the major world philatelic exhibitions of 2006 and 2016. In 2007, the American Air Mail Society had become the first sponsor of a national-level stamp exhibition at the American Philatelic Center in Bellefonte, Pa., called Aerophilately 2007. When AAMS brought Aerophilately 2014 to the APC seven years later, it was not only a national-level show, but also offered exhibitors the option to be judged according to FIP standards for international-level awards.
In the absence of shows prior to New York 2016 in venues that were accustomed to American entries, such as Israel and Canada, Aerophilately 2014 offered airmail exhibitors another opportunity to qualify their exhibits at the vermeil medal or higher award level, which allowed them to apply for eight frames at the next international outing instead of the five-frame limit allotted to first-time entries.
The show was held in conjunction with the Eighth Postal History Symposium sponsored by the National Postal Museum and the American Philatelic Research Library, this one with an appropriate theme of trans-oceanic airmail. Another outstanding feature was Mystic Stamp Co.s exhibit of the Black Honduras and Red Honduras, the worlds rarest and second-rarest airmail stamps. Those are nicknames for the surcharged 25 black AERO CORREO on 10 dark blue Ulua Bridge and overprinted red AERO CORREO on 5 light blue Bonilla Theater airmail stamps of 1925 (Honduras Scott C12 and C3).
A.D. Jones won the Aerophilately 2014 multi-frame grand award and an FIP large gold medal with Establishing U.S. Trans-Continental Airmail Service 1918-1924. James W. Graue won the reserve grand and an FIP large gold medal with DLH [Deutsche Lufthansa] South Atlantic 1934-1939. Both also earned national gold medals. The single-frame grand award, FIP and national gold medals, went to Cheryl Ganzs exhibit LZ-129 Hindenburg Onboard Postmarks.
Anticipating New York 2016, May 28 to June 4
Naturally, Im eagerly anticipating New York 2016. Continuing the scaled-back duration that began with Washington 2006, this will be an eight-day show. It seems doubtful well ever return to the eleven days that used to be normal.
This year I wont be an exhibitor, a judge, or a prize donor, but Ill be participating as an author.
The United States Philatelic Classics Society will publish My Adventure in Expo Collecting: Postal and Related Relics of New Yorks Crystal Palace and the 1853 Worlds Fair in a special edition of the Chronicle that will be available at the show.
Mystic Stamp Co. will again exhibit the Grinnell Hawaiian Missionary stamps, and will distribute a booklet that I have written about them for the occasion.
Mystic will also display the Black Honduras and the Red Honduras, and will distribute a booklet about them based on my original research.
I look forward to seeing again the unique British Guiana 1 black on magenta stamp of 1856 (Scott 13), often dubbed the worlds rarest stamp and definitely the most expensive, purchased by businessman Stewart Weitzman in 2014 for $9.48 million. It was present in John du Ponts grand prix exhibit at Ameripex, but this time will be on display as a singular highlight.
Conversely, other legendary rarities that have been in past international exhibitions courts of honor, such as the unique 24 Winfield Scott stamp of 1873-75 printed by Continental Bank Note Co. (Scott 164) and the Dawson Hawaiian Missionary cover, will probably be present in competitive exhibits this time.
Most of all, I shall enjoy sharing time with stamp friends old and new, the fellowship that I first experienced 30 years ago at Ameripex.
What will the future bring?
Trying to anticipate the next North American international philatelic exhibition might be an exercise in folly. We cant know today whether we will see more non-FIP shows comparable to World Stamp Expo 89 and World Columbian Stamp Expo 92, whether Canada or Mexico might rejoin the ranks of show hosts, or whether the planned 2026 international slated to be held at Boston will actually materialize as planned.
However, I do think we can anticipate some trends in exhibiting that have not yet matured, especially with respect to U.S. postal history. This year will mark the 75th anniversary of the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that thrust our country into World War II.
Recently on Richard Frajolas chat board for philatelists, Gordon Eubanks, a champion exhibitor of 19th-century classics declared that we should now regard WWII covers as classics.
I agree, and I think over the next 10 years we will see a number of elite exhibitors, having achieved the peak of success with earlier material, directing their resources to mid-20th-century postal history, with greater sophistication than has characterized typical exhibits of Presidential series, Transport airmail, and other mostly rate-oriented studies.
Most Memorable Moment
Looking back over my Spotlight travelogue through three decades of North American international stamp exhibitions, one episode overshadows all my other fond recollections.
Ameripex 86 was held at the convention center in Rosemont, Ill., a small Chicago suburb near OHare International Airport. At the opening ceremony the shows executive director, Les Winick, introduced all the dignitaries who had brought the exhibition to fruition. One was Donald E. Stephens, the mayor of Rosemont.
Winick invited Stephens to the podium, saying, Don, in all these months of work together, today is the first time Ive ever seen you wearing a tie. Stephens replied, Youre right, Les. The last time I wore a tie was to my indictment. The crowd roared.
(In 1983 Stephens had been prosecuted for tax fraud and bribery, but had been acquitted. Nevertheless, when he died in 2007, his obituaries noted that the mayor for life had been dogged by unproven accusations of association with organized crime throughout his long career.)
A more fitting introduction to Chicagoland would have been hard to script. Will New York 2016 have a story to top that? Well soon know the answer. Ill see you all there.
Apr 27, 2016, 8 AM
The Portuguese poet Camoens was entombed in a monastery in Lisbon, near the grave of the explorer Vasco da Gama, who has a major role in Camoens most famous poem.
Seven designs were used for the 31 different denominations of stamps for the 400th birth centenary of Portugals national poet, Luis Vaz de Camoens (circa 1524-80). Six denominations showed the shipwrecked poet swimming ashore while holding aloft the manu
By Kathleen Wunderly
Luis Vaz de Camoens (circa 1524-80) is generally considered to be Portugals greatest poet, the equal of Homer, Virgil and Dante, and the father of the Portuguese language. (His name is usually pronounced Ka-MO-ens in English and Ka-MOIZH in Portuguese.)
His greatest work, an epic fantasy poem titled Os Lusiadas, is narrated by Vasco da Gama (1460-1524), the Portuguese explorer who was the first to sail from Europe to India, around the Cape of Good Hope.
The poem, first printed in 1572, describes Portugals voyages of discovery but also its prehistory, when what is now Portugal was a Roman region called Lusitania (whose inhabitants were the Lusitani or Lusiads).
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The date of Camoens birth is not definitely known, but is generally accepted as 1524, and the day of his death, June 10, is the countrys national day.
Given the national reverence for Camoens, it is odd that the idea of a stamp issue in 1924 for the poets 400th birth anniversary came not from the postal administration, but from the Portuguese Red Cross, which was trying to raise money to set up what we would now call an endowment fund.
The stamps were not set up as semipostal issues (which pay postage plus collect a surcharge for charity), and the 1924 set, Scott 315-345 (yes, 31 stamps), in general was no ordinary commemorative stamp issue.
The story of the Camoens set, itself a sort of epic, is detailed in Portugal: Postage Stamps 1910-1943, by Antonio Henrique R. de Oliveira Marques, a 1958 work published in English translation in 1976 by the Portuguese Philatelic Society.
Oliveira Marques wrote that the origin of the Camoens stamps belongs entirely to Alfonso de Dornelas, President of the Portuguese Red Cross, whose intention was to obtain a permanent fund for that organization.
Dornelas was a writer, archaeologist and official of many organizations at the time.
Dornelas made the stamp proposal in July 1923 to the president of Portugal, who liked the idea and arranged for a meeting with the minister of commerce and communications. The minister approved the idea and told Dornelas to prepare a memo for the post office officials, outlining the idea.
This memo detailed the reasons why Camoens deserved a stamp issue, and then got down to the financial essentials. Dornelas proposed that the stamps on a day of national celebration to be chosen in 1924, would be on sale at all post-offices in Portugal in place of the usual definitive stamps for that day only (actually three days).
Any Camoens stamps unsold after those three days would be sold to collectors through the Portuguese Red Cross and the income deposited in its permanent fund.
The final element in Dornelas memo stated, All expenses connected with the issue would be the responsibility of the same Society, which would be obliged to supply to the General Management of the Posts only those stamps calculated to be on daily sale in Portugal.
In other words, after paying for the production of the Camoens stamps, the Red Cross would give the sales monopoly for three days only to the Portuguese postal administration, and then only in the quantity equivalent to normal daily sales, after which all the stamps would revert to the use of the Red Cross.
Portugal did have a history, dating to 1889, of so-called franchise stamps for the Red Cross and some other groups (see Scott 1S1 and later issues), whereby stamps were supplied as a sort of franking privilege for the groups to use on their own mail, so Dornelas proposal might not have seemed too outlandish.
For whatever reason, the minister of commerce and the director of posts agreed to send the plan on to the Portuguese parliament for final approval.
However, by December 1923, nothing had happened to move things along, and the new director of posts told Dornelas that this idea was within the powers of the post office, and parliamentary approval was unnecessary.
Dornelas formally resubmitted his proposal, and it was approved by the postal authorities and minister of commerce in late January 1924.
The question now was how to produce the stamps.
The Portuguese Mint said it was too busy printing currency and postage and revenue stamps. The mint in Madrid and Thomas de la Rue & Co. also declined. The Bank of Portugal refused to help but recommended Waterlow & Sons, Ltd., of London, who had Portuguese representatives, Walker Bros.
Meanwhile, Dornelas still did not have a signed agreement with the post office, and in repeated visits to those officials he began to realize that they were seriously considering issuing the stamps themselves and keeping all the profits.
The minister of commerce, new to the position, promised support, but by the end of March 1924 it was clear that the Red Cross plans for funding an endowment were becoming less and less likely.
Finally, on March 28, 1924, the post office presented its official agreement, and it bore little resemblance to Dornelas July 1923 proposal.
The printing, issuing and sale of the stamps would be carried out by the General Administration for Posts, but all expenses incurred would be paid by the Portuguese Red Cross, who would be required to hand over an agreed sum before the production began.
The issue will be as large as possible, in order to supply all post offices, the agreement stated.
As in Dornelas original plan, the stamps will be on sale to the public for three days when their use will be obligatory in substitution of the normal stamps. From the proceeds of the three-day sale, a sum corresponding to the normal sale during the same three days would revert to the General Administration for Posts.
Unlike Dornelas plan, which gave the surplus stamps to the Red Cross, the new agreement dictated that the surplus, as well as the income from the sale of stamps when withdrawn from circulation, will revert in equal parts to the General Administration for Posts and the Portuguese Red Cross Society.
The Red Cross signed the agreement on March 31, adding several provisions: that Portuguese artist Alberto Sousa would create the designs, which should be of seven types, bearing in mind that the issue would comprise 31 values and 31 different colours.
The subjects of the seven different designs were specified: Camoens in Ceuta (where the poet served in the overseas militia), Camoens saving the Lusiadas (when he and his manuscript were in a shipwreck off the coast of Cambodia), portrait of Camoens, title page of the Os Lusiadas first edition, and Camoens death, tomb (in a monastery in Lisbon, near the grave of Vasco da Gama), and monument (also in Lisbon).
The stamps would not be printed for use in Portugals colonies, as this would raise a question of principle with the Colonial Ministry.
The postal administration accepted all of these ideas on April 1.
Sousa quickly went to work and was paid 6,000 escudos for the seven designs on May 28 (in this era, the currency exchange rate was approximately U.S. $1.08 to one escudo).
A postal decree of July 5 said that use of the Camoens stamps would be obligatory on Nov. 11, 12, and 13, 1924, and contracts were signed on July 31 between the post office and the Red Cross, and between those two entities and Waterlow & Sons.
The contract between the post office and the Red Cross stated that the latter would meet all expenses related to the issue of 7.5 million stamps, that 361,000 escudos would be paid to the post office by the Red Cross (that being three days of normal stamp sales), and that the remaining profits would be split equally by the contracting parties. Advance payments for the printing and other costs were required from the Red Cross.
Fundraising was taking on definite aspects of expensive gambling for the Red Cross.
Sousas designs were sent to Waterlow in London and its engravers J.A.C. (John Augustus Charles) Harrison and George R. Fairweather divided up the work of the seven different vignettes.
The denominations matched those of the existing Ceres definitive issue (from 2 centavos up to 20 escudos), with the exception of the 5e, which was replaced by a 4.50e, paying the parcel rate.
The stamps were recess-printed in sheets of 100 (10 by 10) and then perforated gauge 14 or 14. The denominations were typographed in black in a separate operation.
Waterlow chose the stamp colors, except for the 32-centavo, 96c, and 1.6e, which had to be a shade of green, red and blue, respectively, to meet the international postal rules.
The six high denominations were printed on colored paper: 2.40e (Scott 340), green ink on green paper; 3e (341), dark blue on blue; 3.20 (342), black on green; 4.50e (343), black on orange; 10e (344), dark brown on pinkish; and 20e (345), dark violet on lilac.
More than a year after Dornelas began his campaign, the stamps finally arrived in Portugal from London, on Oct. 20.
A printing error was discovered on one sheet of the 3e stamps, where 60 of the 100 were missing the denomination. The errors supposedly were invalidated in the presence of the head of the postal administration but enough examples survive for the Scott Classic Specialized Catalogue of Stamps and Covers 1840-1940 to have assigned a number to them: Scott 341b.
A doubled denomination of the 3e, Scott 341a, also exists, and has the highest catalog value of the set: $125 mint or used.
Only 30 percent of the Camoens issue sold on the three designated days in November, but that still meant more than 2.25 million stamps of this colossal set (the population of Portugal at the time was 6.3 million people).
Regular issues returned to sale on Nov. 14, and the Camoens issue was available in post offices for philatelic purposes, according to the Oliveira Marques book, from Nov. 14-21.
Beginning Feb. 2, 1925, they were available to philatelists at face value from the Portugal Mint. They were on sale from the mint until July 14, 1926, when the remaining stamps were turned over to the Red Cross, which would be allowed to retain all the proceeds from any sales, thereby negating the original agreement for a 50-50 split between the post office and the Red Cross.
The Red Cross then suspended all sales of the stamps, saying that it was formulating a plan. Soon after, on July 31, the Red Cross put the stamps back on sale, while holding back 30,956 complete sets. Sales ended again on Nov. 17, supposedly to arrange for sets of covers to be prepared for the philatelic market.
The last of the Camoens stamps were given to the Red Cross on July 5, 1927, and about 1.5 million were subsequently overprinted for use on the Red Cross own mail, through 1936 (Scott 1S6-1S73). Between 1930 and 1940, the Red Cross also sold the Camoens stamps at less than face value to stamp dealers at home and abroad.
The financial summary in the Oliveira Marques book of the costs and sales of the Camoens stamps literally doesnt add up, but it seems clear that the Red Cross did not do well from this hopeful scheme, which defied all the rules and customs of legitimate governmental stamp production and distribution.
The face value of the stamps printed was about 12.25 million escudos, but the value of those sold by the end of 1926 was only about 1.2 million escudos. After paying all its obligations, the Red Cross netted only 148,631 escudos.
Meanwhile, collectors impressions in the United States and in England were that Portugal was continuing a long campaign to swindle philatelists through oversized, speculative issues. The collecting community does not seem to have realized that the Red Cross was trying to benefit from the Camoens set, or there may have been more sympathy toward the stamps. How and where the stamps were available after their initial issuing date also does not seem to have been made clear to collectors.
The editor of the Stanley Gibbons Monthly Journal of January 1925 commented sarcastically that a series commemorating so famous a son of Portugal is justified, but it should not have been sold out within a few days (or was it hours?) of issue, if its real object was to do honour.
The 2016 Scott Classic Specialized catalog values a full set of the Camoens 400th Anniversary stamps at $58.05 mint and $44.60 used.
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Chennai: The Madras high court Madurai bench order to make Tirukkural compulsory in schools in Tamil Nadu from next academic year has evoked a mixed reaction.
Though police had been arresting juvenile offenders in various crimes, certain crimes like killing of a school teacher inside the classroom by a student and murder of an octogenarian woman in her flat for jewellery by a teenager get noticed widely. In the Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case in Delhi, a suspect was a minor.
When contacted, a member of Child Welfare Committee here said learning Tirukkural couplets could be a value addition in building next generation. But just learning is not a guarantee that it would stop violence and crime by students, the member said.
According to a psychologist, Tirukkural comes under the banner of moral education as it includes all psychological concepts. Introducing it in schools will be beneficial to students. However, instead of a teacher teaching the students on the same, the school should assign a psychologist. A teacher tends to have zero per cent emotional interaction with children. Therefore, it is close to impossible that students will open up to their teacher.
However, students will trust a counsellor. Introducing Tirukkural should be done to help students mentally, instead of it being another subject where students can memorise the text and score good grades, said B. Elayaraja, consultant counseling psychologist for 104 helpline.
Introducing Tirukkural in all streams of education will enhance the childs morality and conduct. However, it is the teachers duty to make teaching session interesting by associating real time incidents to those important tenets of life, said Mohan Chander, principal, Rajkumar Sulochana Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Madipakkam.
A senior police officer, who had handled juvenile criminals, says understanding the meaning of the couplets and bringing them into daily life by a child could be a Herculean task. One can comprehend the entire Tirukkural only after certain age, particularly when they start facing real life problems. It also depends on how teachers teach the kids. Parents too sounded optimistic by the court order and said Tirukkural teaching was the need of the hour.
Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh must spend six weeks pouring over sexy photographs, often of scantily clad women or couples in steamy embraces (Photo: DC File)
New Delhi: One of the countrys most senior lawyers has been ordered to study condom and other contraceptive packets to determine if their pictures are too racy and should be banned, according to reports Wednesday.
Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh must spend six weeks pouring over sexy photographs, often of scantily clad women or couples in steamy embraces, promoting the products after the Supreme Court said they may breach India's tough obscenity laws.
"Do you have any plan to regulate such advertisements?" a Supreme Court bench was quoted by the Indian Express asking Singh, the government's third-ranked legal officer.
"You also have to tell us if such advertisements may constitute a penal offence," the newspaper reported the bench as saying.
The bench was hearing appeals filed by Hindustan Latex and other major players against a 2008 Madras High Court order which had directed them to keep condom packets free of sexy pictures.
Singh's office confirmed that the court issued the order on Tuesday, but declined to comment further.
Bollywood actors often find themselves slapped with obscenity charges by conservative elements for their movies that some see as crossing the lines of decency. Former porn star turned actor Sunny Leone was hit with an obscenity charge last year for her online movies and photographs. Police are obliged to register a case when complaints are made.
The latest case came after condom manufacturers appealed against an earlier High Court order banning lurid pictures from their packets on the grounds that they were obscene and an affront to Indian culture.
Last year, India was forced to reverse a controversial order banning hundreds of porn websites after accusations of heavy-handed censorship.
Indian censors also blocked the release of the erotic film Fifty Shades of Grey in cinemas last year, even though a toned-down version of the film was supposed to be screened.
She was on her way to Inverness to become a brewmaster in the land of Scotch when life took an unexpected turn. But that was probably the last lucky accident in the gritty tale of Kiran Mazumdar Shaw.
Once she took the new road, she clearly knew her destination, and the twists and turns she would have to take to get there. It was a series of deliberate and conscious business and technology decisions, outsmarting the likes of Unilever, exhibiting the foresight and innovation to move from beer enzymes to cutting-edge drugs for diabetes and cancer patients that led her to Biocon, Bengaluru and biosimilars, touching billions of lives and, of course, made her Indias first self-made woman billionaire.
Ahead of the launch of an authorised biography of her success story on Thursday, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw tells Deccan Chronicle how she became the Mythbreaker.
Kiran Mazumdar book cover
From peptinpapin and enzymes to biopharmaceuticals and saving lives, tell us about how you made that bet and that transition.
When I started Biocon, I was driven by the spirit to create a business that would leverage science for the benefit of society through affordable innovation. I initially focused on making industrial enzymes, exploring ways in which to replace polluting chemical technologies with eco-friendly enzyme technologies. It was about disrupting industrial processes and it worked. My products succeeded in getting several industries to switch from using polluting chemicals to eco-friendly enzymes.
Having attained success in enzymes, I leveraged my knowledge of biotechnology to try and disrupt the healthcare industry by introducing affordable biopharmaceuticals for patients who needed them the most. Over time, we built the knowledge, expertise and skills essential for developing cutting-edge biopharmaceuticals. We also built state-of-the-art world class manufacturing facilities to create global scale for producing high quality drugs at a cost that makes them affordable to a large global patient pool.
From wanting to green the world through eco-friendly enzyme technologies, Biocons mission has changed to heal the world by developing affordable life-saving drugs for patients across the globe. What spurred me on this mission of making a difference to global health was the realization that a significant proportion of the worlds population does not have access to essential medicines and, where healthcare does exist, it is unaffordable.
Looking back, did you think you would one day become Madam Biotechnology, so to speak?
I graduated as a Master Brewer from the Ballarat Brewing School in Australia in 1975. My aspiration was to pursue a professional career in brewing. However, I was unprepared for the hostility and gender bias that I faced from the brewing industry. It was this rejection that saw me turn to entrepreneurship quite by accident and set up a biotech start-up in India, where I leveraged my fermentation knowledge to produce enzymes and biopharmaceuticals instead of beer.
When I started Biocon, I was 25 years old with no business experience and limited financial resources. In the 1970s, entrepreneurship was an unusual career choice for women and biotechnology was unheard of as an industry sector. I was daring to start a business in a male-dominated society and that too in a sector that no one was familiar with. Fuelled more by drive and vision than by business expertise, I approached the venture with the single-minded aim of succeeding. I was determined to build a world-class biotechnology enterprise and show the world that it was possible to produce high quality, high technology products in India based on cutting-edge R&D. The rest, as they say, is history. In retrospect, I would say it has been a long and eventful tryst with biotechnology.
I was wondering why in India we dont have reportage-based biographies such as those of Elon Musk, Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos when I just sent off a mail to Kiran one evening in July 2014. In 15 minutes, I got a response from Kiran saying that she knew that I would do justice to the work. That's how this book started.
Seema Singh, Author, Mythbreaker.
That figure of Rs. 10,000 is interesting -- that seems to have been the starting capital for both Biocon and Infosys. And the rise of the two companies seems to have been parallel. Even more interestingly, while in Narayana Murthys case, it was wife Sudha Murthy who got things started with her savings, in your case, at a very critical juncture, it seems it was your husband John Shaw who bet big on you and bought out Unilevers stake. Tell us about it.
In 1998, Unilever decided to exit the biotech business worldwide, of which I was a part. When they announced this deal, I said to Unilever, I may be a part of your deal, but I'm not willing to sign off on this. I have pre-emptive rights as a majority shareholder. So, you have to give me the first right of refusal. I told them I wanted to buy back my shares from Unilever. That was also the time when John and I got married, and then John and I got Arthur Andersen to broker the deal with Unilever. They came up with a valuation where I could buy out Unilevers stake in Biocon for about $2 million. So John sold his prime and prized possession a house in London and bought out Unilevers stake and thus backed my venture and took a big bet on me and Biocon!
Now you sit on the Infosys board. Have you and Narayana Murthy/Sudha Murthy exchanged notes about all this?
Mr. Narayana Murthy has been a huge role model. I have frequently brainstormed with him on many issues. Its interesting to note that just as Biocon pioneered biotechnology in India, Infosys sowed the seeds of Indias information technology industry. Companies like Biocon and Infosys have demonstrated how unleashing the power of entrepreneurship and innovation can bring multiple benefits to the country and usher in a better life for millions of Indians.
Today, a large reservoir of entrepreneurial energy in India is waiting to be tapped. It is by investing in breakthrough ideas and embracing entrepreneurship as an economic model of growth that India will be able to unleash the power of innovation to ensure a better life for its billion-plus citizens.
Kiran at work in her early days - Biocon
What does John say today about that bet he made?
John always teases me. He had always heard stories of Indian men getting dowry at the time of marriage. But in our case, he walked into our marriage by parting with his lifetime savings to buy the shares back from Unilever!
6 The rapid growth phase perhaps began after that buy out of the Unilever stake and just as the branded drugs began to go off patent, and that perhaps means the modern phase of Biocon is only about 15 years old. Where do you see Biocon in the next 10 years?
My aim is to take Biocons biopharma business to the next level. We have started focusing on the very exciting and promising new field of Immuno-oncology. The latest advances in the field of Immuno-oncology are in sync with the evolution in the understanding of cancer as an immunological malfunction rather than just a metabolic malfunction. This fascinating insight offers scientists the opportunity to develop therapies that use the patients own immune system to fight malignant tumours. Thanks to our better understanding of the human immune system cancer is no longer a death sentence but in many cases, a chronic disease.
Biocon is building an exciting pipeline of fusion antibody molecules with the concept of preferentially delivering immune modulators to tumor sites, thereby enhancing efficacy while limiting systemic toxicity!
Besides being a globally recognized oncology company, we are positioning ourselves as a global player in diabetology. Biocon has successfully expanded access to insulin by making it affordable, thus making a huge difference to diabetes management in India and many other emerging markets.
Diabetes has been recognized as a global pandemic and the latest numbers paint a startling picture. Diabetes now affects nearly one in 11 adults globally. With almost half a billion people around the world today affected by diabetes, there is a great need for affordable therapies for managing the disease. As the largest Asian Insulin player and the fourth largest producer of Insulin in the world, Biocon has the opportunity to make a huge global impact on Diabetes management. We also have an exciting Oral Insulin advancing in development.
Whats your bet today generics or biosimilars? Why?
When I began my pharmaceutical journey, I had a choice to develop low-cost generic pharmaceuticals or complex, capital-intensive biopharmaceuticals. I chose the latter and invested in disruptively innovative process engineering that could deliver affordable pricing and make a difference to global healthcare. It led me to make long-term investments in creating best-in-class complex biologics manufacturing capabilities. I leveraged the advantages of cost, scale and knowledge that India offers.
Over time, Biocon successfully developed both novel biologic drugs as well as affordable biosimilars. In doing so, I brought advanced biopharmaceuticals against diabetes and cancer to patients in India and other developing countries at price points that made them affordable and thus accessible.
We are now leveraging our experience in India and emerging markets to take biosimilar drugs to a global patient pool. Biocon today has one of the largest portfolios of biosimilar insulins and anti-bodies in advanced stages of development for approvals in the developed markets. We are confident that, together with our partners around the world, we can build a strong global presence in biosimilars to address the huge need for affordable access to these life-saving and life-enhancing biologics.
Kiran with her college mates university of Ballarat Australia
What do you see as the future of biotechnology, especially as it relates to healthcare genomics and proteomics, personalized medicine? And what would Biocons role be in this future?
Biotechnology is already rapidly and disruptively changing the way we medicate and eradicate diseases. Genomics has disrupted the medical world by creating a new breed of life scientists and researchers who look at disease in a very different way than their older peers. It is no longer about treating symptoms but about understanding disease at a cellular and genetic level to deliver personalised diagnostics and therapies.
Technological advancement has brought down the cost of sequencing an entire human genome, thus enabling personalized medicine to leapfrog. Multiplexing genomics with molecular diagnostics, imaging and data analytics is now being leveraged at a cellular level, wherein cancer cells are being deciphered and translated into tailor-made treatment regimens.
Todays medical paradigm is rapidly evolving from a one size fits all to a customized solution of the right treatment for the right patient at the right time with the aim of minimizing side effects and maximizing positive outcomes. Healthcare tomorrow will have no resemblance to what exists today. Imagine a world where every one of us will have a life-long genome map that will be tracked for mutations that are linked to their disease-causing potential. This can enable early diagnosis and early therapeutic intervention, thereby arresting disease progression and enhancing quality of life.
Biocon has harnessed the potential of Biotechnology to increase affordable access to highly complex biopharmaceuticals like Insulins and Antibodies for the benefit of patients the world over. I have always believed that innovation should go hand-in-hand with affordability it is only when the benefits of research reaches the person on the lowest rung of the economic ladder that it can be considered to deliver true value. That is why Biocon is working on developing blockbuster drugs that are not about a billion dollars, but about a billion patients who benefit from it.
You are an exemplar of the successful Indian woman, and that in a difficult, complex business. Can you look back and tell us about that journey, how you felt then and how you feel about it now? What, if anything, did you miss or regret most?
I started out with the ambition to be a doctor, but strangely life took me on another path. I believe that perhaps as a biotech researcher and entrepreneur I have been able to touch many more lives.
As a first generation entrepreneur, I have challenged the Western pharmaceutical model of creating monopolistic markets that deliver high margins at low volumes. This is because I have been driven by the belief that the pharmaceutical industry has a humanitarian responsibility to provide affordable access to essential drugs for patients who are in need and to do so with the power of innovation.
I believe with all my heart that the healthcare industry has a special responsibility as we sell essential life-enhancing and life-saving medicines and provide life-giving care. We cannot profit at the cost of patients. We cannot allow this deplorable reality where only the affluent class of people have access to the best-in-class medicines whereas the rest are deprived of medicines due to lack of financial resources.
My vision is for our research programmes for treating diabetes and cancer to bring transformative change in treatment paradigms. Affordable blockbuster drugs with a Made in India label that can change the lives of billions of patients around the world will truly stand testimony to our foresight. So, there is no time to regret because I have promises to keep... And miles to go before I sleep.
All of these diamonds were found in the vast mines of AP and TS districts. Theres currently a movement to bring the gems back to India.
Hyderabad: Its not just the Kohinoor, around 20 world famous diamonds were mined from Kollur-Paritala of Guntur, Krishna districts in Andhra Pradesh (popularly called Golconda diamonds). These gems are now in museums worldwide or are part of various crown jewels far away from home.
Archaeologists and historians from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are now demanding that both the Centre and the state government should push ahead for the return of the diamonds.
Besides the Kohinoor, which is on the crown of the British monarch, the Pitt or Regent Diamond from Pritala is housed in the Louvre in Paris and the Orloff (Eye of Brahma) is in Moscow. Then there are the Hope diamond (recently auctioned), the Darya-i-Nur, the Taj-e-Mah diamond and the Great Table diamond in the Iranian crown jewels in Tehran, the Dresden Green diamond in the Green Vaults in Poland and others in Vienna.
Read: Sparkling Andhra Prades, Telangana still remain untapped
According to the Geological Survey of India: Along the banks of Krishna River, aptly termed as the Diamond River, for the length of 300 km between Sangam, the confluence of the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers, and Vijayawada in AP, particularly Kolluru-Paritala belt, was the scene of intense mining activity, producing a galaxy of stunning diamonds such as Kohinoor, The Great Mogul, The Pitt or Regent, The Orloff, The Nizam and the Hope Historical accounts though differ on the authenticity of the period of their recovery, and their weights, but all point to the Krishna Valley as the source.
GSI says the famous conglomerate mines were at Ramallkota, Banganapalle, Vajragiri and Munimadugu in Kurnool district and Kolluru in the vast Guntur district.
Large diamonds were not only recovered from the Krishna gravels but also from the mines of Wajrakarur area known for Kimberlite bodies under the Vijaynagar kingdom.
Researcher Ms Sangam Pushpa Sambi Reddy of Guntur, who has written the book, Telugunata Vajrala Ganulu, says: Andhra, Rayalaseema were the sources of precious and rare diamonds and those were delivered not only to the state and country but to the world.
Monarchs around the world, from France, German, Portugal, Russia, Britain and Iran placed on their crowns diamonds that originated from Andhra and Rayalaseema. Around 38 diamond mines existed in Andhra and Rayalaseema during the 16th to 18th centuries, she adds.
Read: The Hope diamond and its many curses
Kollur has been referred to as Gani or Coulour during the Moghul period and Ralconda near Kurnool of Rayalaseema has been mapped as diamond mines in the 1600s.
According to Ms Pushpa there are records that show the Ramallkota diamond mine in Kurnool region had about 30,000 labourers working each day.
Paritala, which now falls in Kanchikacharla mandal of Krishna district, was part of Jujjur Khanan during Nizams rule till 1946.
Archaeologist Mr E. Sivanagi Reddy says, The diamonds mined from Andhra are the property of India. The state government should take up this issue with the Centre and work to get them back.
Dr Krishnasagarapu Upendra, a researcher from the Dravidian University and author of 1947 Nati Paritala Republic Palana, says that Nizam Hisamul Mulk Khan had handed over Jujjur Khanan and other regions of coastal district to the British on May 14, 1759 while retaining Paritala and six other villages which had diamond mines.
The Regent diamond that originated from Paritala was found by a slave who was later murdered. A suicide followed and then the Regent was sold to Governor Thomas Pitt of Fort George in Madras. It was purchased by the Regent of France, owned by French kings and then by Napoleon Bonaparte. Finally, after France became a republic, it was kept in the museum.
Read: Why Andhra Pradesh gems got the Golconda
In the book Diamond Pitt, Ann Wardlaw writes: From an obscure mine in Golconda, India, the Regents diamond had travelled a memorable distance, surviving revolution, native insurrections and unspeakable violence to now rest in a filthy shaking hand spattered with blood a 426-carat evidence of mans madness and greed once transformed, it would reclaim its place of honour and its beauty and perfection would be admired by thousands at the Louvre Museum, who would never know or believe the magical and tragic history that surround Thomas Pitt and his precious stone.
Most of these mines were active till 1830 and slowly, yield fell... only to be abandoned later. But even to this day, during the wettest months, people still search the mud for diamonds, in both Kollur and Paritala.
New Delhi: The Uttarakhand drama continued Wednesday as the Supreme Court ruled out a floor test on April 29 and said Presidents Rule will continue till May 3, the date of the next hearing. The courts decision came as major relief for the BJP and a setback for the Congress and former chief minister Harish Rawat, whose birthday incidentally also fell on Wednesday. He had hoped for a favourable court verdict as a birthday gift, but it was not to be.
I trust the courts, Mr Rawat said on Wednesday, but added that a delay would fuel further horse-trading. Two Congress legislators have alleged they have been offered crores of rupees and Parliament seats by the BJP in return for their support during Mr Rawats floor test.
Congress dissident leader Vijay Bahuguna, however, said that the allegation that Congress MLAs had been offered bribes to jump ship was preposterous, and said that the best way out was to hold fresh elections. Neither me nor any of my colleagues are interested in becoming chief minister in this scenario, he said. The Centre imposed Presidents Rule in the state on March 27, one day before Mr Rawat was due to seek a trust vote in the Assembly.
While extending till May 3 its interim order passed on April 22 restoring Presidents Rule in Uttarakhand, the Supreme Court indicated it will examine whether a state can be brought under Presidents Rule only on the ground that the Appropriation Bill was not passed or irregularly passed in the Assembly. The interim orders extension means that there will not be a floor test on April 29 for Mr Rawat as earlier directed by the Uttarakhand high court.
Soon after the high court had quashed Presidents Rule on April 21, Mr Rawat reassumed charge as chief minister, but the very next day the Supreme Court had restored Central rule on the ground that the copy of the judgment was not available.
During the resumed hearing Wednesday before a bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh, attorney-general Mukul Rohatgi submitted the Centre had prepared a set of issues for the courts consideration. Taking note of these submissions, the bench indicated it will complete the hearing on May 3, 4 and 5 and pronounce the verdict before May 13.
After going through the list of issues, the bench asked the A-G to restrict the number of questions to be answered by the court to seven so that it will be easy to adjudicate. The bench also told the A-G that the Speakers decision that a bill is passed or not passed is final. If the proceedings of the Assembly show that the bill is passed, no authority can question if it is passed or not.
Justice Misra repeatedly told the A-G that irrespective of whether the court upholds Presidents Rule and dismisses the Centres appeal, ultimately a floor test was essential. The bench asked the A-G whether Presidents Rule can be kept in abeyance for three days to allow a floor test to be monitored by the court. The A-G, however, rejected this proposal, and said: There cannot be Presidents Rule and no Presidents Rule. There can be only one situation. We will argue the appeal on merits.
The A-G said the high court could not go into the fact of whether there was relevant/inadequate material for the President to impose Article 356. The Speaker did not accept a division in the voting when the money bill was taken up on March 18, and the Speaker declared the bill passed but did not send it to the governor for his assent.
There was a sting operation showing the chief minister openly saying he will get the MLAs. The President was not answerable to the governor and could take a view that was contrary to that of the governor, and his decision was final. When the proclamation was signed by the President, he was satisfied that there was enough material to show something troublesome had happened in the state. The subjective satisfaction of the President was not subject to judicial review and the courts could not interfere, he said.
Congress counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi reiterated that a floor test was the only way to find out the majority of the chief minister. There cannot be an assumption that there was horse-trading and make it a ground to impose Presidents Rule in order to short-circuit the floor test, he said, adding that misgovernance, corruption or the Speakers conduct/decision in the Assembly could not be a ground to impose Presidents Rule. The arguments will continue May 3, and in the meantime the bench granted liberty to the Centre to amend or modify its appeal.
Whiplash is an injury of the neck's soft tissues resulting from forced movement, such as the forward-backward 'whip' that occurs during a car crash.
Whiplash is a neck injury that is common in car crashes, but it can also be caused during other types of accidents. In the United States, over 2 million people suffer from whiplash each year, according to Rush University Medical Center. Neck injuries are the most common type of injury claim reported to insurance companies in the United States and make up 25 percent of payments made by insurers. Insurance payment for rear-impact-type whiplash injuries in the United States is estimated to be approximately $2.7 billion, according to a 2009 paper published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine.
Causes
Whiplash describes any injury of the neck's soft tissues resulting from forced movement and can include injury to cervical muscles, intervertebral joints, discs, and ligaments and nerve roots, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
The head's jerking action pulls muscles and ligaments beyond their typical range of motion, causing fibers to tear. Torn fibers in a muscle or tendon is called a strain, whereas in a ligament it is called a sprain. Whiplash often involves both. Extreme cases may involve fractured or dislocated bones, as well.
Whiplash can also be a classified as a secondary injury of a concussion, Kenneth Podell, a neuropsychologist at Houston Methodist Hospital, told Live Science. Whiplash and other secondary injuries can complicate concussion treatment. Usually a concussion only needs rest as treatment, Podell explained, but some require additional treatment to treat secondary injuries following an injury to the head such as migraines, whiplash or cervical strain, dizziness or ocular-motor deficits.
Symptoms
Symptoms of whiplash usually become apparent within the first 24 hours after the incident, but typically within the first six to 12 hours. Symptoms can often continue to get worse days after the injury.
Common symptoms of whiplash include neck pain, stiffness and headaches that usually start at the base of the skull, according to the Mayo Clinic. Other symptoms include:
dizziness
pain that hurts more with neck movement
fatigue
loss of range of motion in the neck
tingling or numbness in the arms
tenderness or pain in the upper back, shoulder or arms
Less common symptoms include:
lower back pain
muscle spasms
depression
irritability
blurred vision
ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
sleep disturbances
memory problems
difficulty concentrating
Treatment
People with whiplash usually recover within a few months, though some experience ongoing symptoms. Symptoms that go beyond six months are called chronic whiplash.
Typically, treatments for whiplash include pain medication. The type of medication depends on the severity of the injury. Some people are fine using over-the-counter pain killers like aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), while some need prescriptions for muscle relaxers or injections of lidocaine (Xylocaine), which is a numbing medicine, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Special exercises are often prescribed to help increase range of motion in the neck. Some exercises are as simple as rolling the head from side to side. In more serious cases, the doctor may prescribe physical therapy with a specialist.
When many people think of whiplash they envision people with foam collars around their necks. There are two schools of thought on these collars. Some believe that the neck should be exercised as soon as possible after an injury, while others think that the neck should be supported. While some studies show that early exercise is better than using a collar, other studies have been inconclusive. A paper by Harvard concluded that a soft cervical collar, worn for 10 days or less for symptom relief, doesnt seem to hurt the neck.
Additional Resources
This juvenile frog at the Denver Zoo is small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, but Lake Titicaca frogs can grow to the size of dinner plates.
DENVER In a back room of the Tropical Discovery exhibit at the Denver Zoo, it's feeding time for 17 of the most critically endangered frogs in the world.
The strange, baggy-skinned amphibians leaping for red wiggler worms are Lake Titicaca frogs (Telmatobius coleus), which can grow to more than 2 pounds (1 kilogram) and are found only in the lake along the Peruvian and Bolivian border that gives them their name. This unadorned room and the public exhibit down the hall, which houses three more frogs is the only place to see them in the Northern Hemisphere.
For a species that manages to survive in a 50- to 60-degree Fahrenheit (10 to 17 degrees Celsius) lake at 12,500 feet (3,811 meters) elevation, the Lake Titicaca frog hasn't, traditionally, gotten much respect. It's been given the nickname "scrotum frog" for its folds of skin, which allow it to absorb oxygen from its aquatic environment. In 2013, it was the runner-up in a "world's ugliest animal" contest put on by the United Kingdom's Ugly Animal Preservation Society. And worst of all, the survival of the Lake Titicaca frog is threatened because it is the main ingredient in Jugo de Rana, or frog juice a concoction of blended frog, maca root and other ingredients that's supposed to improve one's sex life.
The aphrodisiac reputation is unearned, said James Garcia, an outreach programs specialist for the zoo. The frogs don't affect sexual function or fertility, he said, though maca root might.
Nor, as far as I can tell, do the frogs earn their reputation for ugliness. The juveniles now in the Denver Zoo collection are still small enough to fit in the palm of a hand. They have permanent smiles and dark, forward-facing eyes that likely help them hunt but also give them a sweet, cartoonish look. My first encounter with these frogs was during a snowy weekend in late March. With family visiting from out of town, we loaded up for a visit to the zoo, with me hyping these weird, critically endangered frogs I'd read about. No one was particularly enthusiastic, until they saw the exhibit and had to admit that the little guys were pretty cool. [Watch: Video of Lake Titicaca Frogs' Awkward Mealtime]
That's the reaction the Denver Zoo is hoping their rare display of these frogs will engender both in Colorado and back in Peru.
"We're trying to teach people to take pride in this animal, to understand this animal," Garcia told me. "Without them saving it and learning about it and taking pride in it, it's not going to be saved."
Save the frogs
The Denver Zoo's involvement in the crusade to save the Lake Titicaca frog started nine years ago. Tom Weaver, assistant curator of reptiles and fish, had been working on a project to save the Panamanian golden frog, but that species had attracted plenty of outside interest, so he and his colleagues started looking for lesser-known species to focus on. Through the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Amphibian Ark, Weaver got in touch with wildlife veterinarian Roberto Elias, a professor at Cayetano Heredia University in Lima.
"He started sending me pictures of confiscated frogs that were ending up in the markets of Lima and Cusco and some of the bigger cities," Weaver said.
Lake Titicaca frogs are the largest totally aquatic frogs in the world. (Image credit: James Garcia, Denver Zoo)
Along with Elias and other conservationists, Weaver and his team built a laboratory at the university to house confiscated frogs. They saved two out of 4,000 or so "When they get them confiscated in the markets, they're usually on their way out anyway," Weaver said and also helped the Huachipa Zoo in Lima set up an amphibian habitat. That zoo was the first to breed the Lake Titicaca frog in captivity, in 2010, Weaver said.
At the lake itself, the researchers have three teams of scientists doing population surveys of Lake Titicaca frogs. They're also working on local education and outreach. Members of the team visit schools around the lake to teach students about the flora and fauna, Garcia said. A public health campaign warns Peruvians that frogs caught from the lake can have cholera and other diseases that make them unappealing for consumption. And there are efforts to open up alternative livelihoods for those living around the lake who might otherwise turn to poaching, Garcia said. In the Denver Zoo gift shop, visitors can buy frog-themed crafts made by Peruvian artisans.
Titicaca frogs in captivity
The frogs themselves landed in Denver in November 2015, transported in a cooler and kept chilled with ice. Three are now on display in a tank lined with river rocks. These were chosen because they were thought to be the biggest of the bunch, Weaver said.
But their size was an illusion.
"We fed everybody, came back and were like, 'Those aren't the biggest ones,'" Weaver said. The frogs had eaten so much that they'd bulked up temporarily. [40 Freaky Frog Photos]
Weaver isn't sure how big the captive frogs will get, but some Lake Titicaca frogs in the wild grow to the size of dinner plates. They've been known to live for up to 20 years in captivity. Their lifestyles are entirely aquatic, and their signature move is a funny little push-up jump that moves water along their skin folds so that they can absorb more oxygen.
Having Lake Titicaca frogs in captivity has been illuminating, Weaver said. The amphibians eat ravenously, he said, and seem to have fast metabolisms. In their native environment, they probably spend all day plucking snails and worms off river rocks, he said. In captivity, they're picky eaters that will scarf a bit of food one moment and spit it out the next. So far, they're thriving on string-like red wigglers, Weaver said. During my visit, he tested a couple larger earthworms in the tanks. A couple frogs made an effort, but ultimately spit the worms out, pulling the wigglers from their mouths with their front feet.
Three Lake Titicaca frogs are on display in this tank at the Denver Zoo. (Image credit: Stephanie Pappas)
Keeping the frogs alive in captivity isn't difficult, Weaver said, as long as the environment is just right. The water in the tanks is chilled to 60 F (15.5 C). Like Lake Titicaca water, it has a basic pH (non-acidic) and is high in dissolved minerals. Weaver hopes to breed the frogs eventually, but isn't in a rush.
"If we start seeing spawning or amplexus [in which a male grasps a female for external fertilization of her eggs], or we're starting to see egg masses, we're going to be doing a lot of work on weights," Weaver said. "We're going to be taking data on everything." [See Photos of the Only Lake Titicaca Frogs in the US]
Amphibians in crisis
Some of this data will likely feed back into the zoo's conservation efforts. Lake Titicaca frogs aren't just at risk from poaching. Every year, Weaver said, the lake sees major die-offs from pollution runoff, and egg-laying females seem particularly affected. Introduced fish species like trout also threaten the frogs. And there's the ever-present specter of chytrid fungus. This highly infectious fungus invades the skin of frogs and essentially dehydrates them to death. It has devastated frog populations worldwide, and threatens to do the same to salamanders. The impact is dramatic.
"When I was in Panama working with the Panamanian golden frog, we were doing surveys up until 2005 to where you'd see frogs everywhere, and then in 2005, everything was dead," Weaver said. "You'd have frogs falling out of trees."
The Denver Zoo frogs, descendants of amphibians rescued from Peru's markets, were swabbed and found to be free of the fungus. But wild Lake Titicaca frogs have been found living with chytrid on their skin, Weaver said. They may be able to coexist with the infection until environmental factors, like pollution or temperature fluctuations, weaken them. That means the fungus may be a factor in the yearly frog die-offs. [Mug Shots: 10 Lost Frogs]
Frogs are important because they're the environmental equivalent of canaries in coal mines. "They are pretty much sponges," Weaver said, absorbing everything in the water. That makes them crucial indicators for water and habitat quality. It also makes them vulnerable to the major changes that humans are wreaking on the ecosystem.
"We're seeing populations of amphibians changing," Weaver said. "It's the first time in human existence we've seen an entire class of animals that are doing this."
No one knows how many Lake Titicaca frogs are left in the wild. Along with local high-school students, the Denver Zoo is building a small remotely operative submersible that will be able to dive 328 feet (100 meters) deep in the lake. Currently, Garcia said, researchers can scuba dive down to only about 33 feet (10 m). In the 1970s, famed oceanographer Jacques Cousteau dove to 100 meters and estimated that billions of Lake Titicaca frogs lived in the lake.
"There's no way there's billions now," Garcia said.
Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.
Researchers found carnivore tooth marks on the ends of a hominin femur bone. The close-ups on the right are magnified 20 times.
Tooth marks on the leg bone of a hominin, an ancient human relative, suggest that the poor soul had a gristly end, a new study finds.
The tooth marks and fractures on the roughly 500,000-year-old femur indicate that a large carnivore, likely an extinct hyena, chewed on the bone, the researchers said. However, it's a mystery as to whether the tooth marks were a result of hunting or scavenging, the researchers said.
It's not surprising that a large, carnivorous predator would hunt down a hominin, said study lead researcher Camille Daujeard, a researcher in the Department of Prehistory at the National Museum of Natural History in France. [Image Gallery: Our Closest Human Ancestor]
"During this period, early humans likely competed for space [such as natural caves] and resources with large carnivores, who occupied many of the same areas," Daujeard told Live Science in an email.
The Thomas Quarry I Hominid Cave (GH) and the Lower Paleolithic sites that were excavated near Casablanca, Morocco. (Image credit: Daujeard C. et al. PLOS ONE (2016))
Researchers first discovered the hominin bone in 1994, in a Moroccan cave named Grotte a Hominides, near Casablanca. The cave contained ancient stone tools and a trove of bones, including those of the hominin Homo rhodesiensis and other animals, such as gazelles and jackals, dating to the Middle Pleistocene (a period lasting from about 781,000 to about 126,000 years ago.)
However, the femur sat unstudied for years, until study co-researcher Denis Geraads rediscovered it recently. Intrigued by the tooth marks and various fractures on the bone, the researchers did an intensive analysis of it. They concluded that a hyena likely caused the damage, largely because the fractures and tooth pits and punctures matched those of the big meat eater.
Moreover, the marks were covered with sediment, indicating that they were very old and were likely made at the time of death or shortly after it, the researchers said.
Hominin-eating hyenas
Other large carnivores might have fed on hominins as well, the researchers said.
"Extinct hyenas were the only large carnivores in Africa, Europe and Asia that regularly accumulated dense concentration of bones, especially in cave sites, but [this finding] does not imply that they were the greatest consumers of Plio-Pleistocene hominins," Daujeard said.
Likewise, hominins hunted local carnivores.
"We know that hominins were quite capable of slaughtering large gregarious prey, of evicting large carnivores off of their habitats and even occasionally hunting or exploiting them," Daujeard said. So both hominins and carnivores could have been predators, prey and scavenged leftovers, she said.
There are other Plio-Pleistocene remains of human relatives in caves used as hyena dens, some of which also contain tooth marks. But the newly studied femur is the first evidence that carnivores ate hominins in this part of Morocco during this time period, Daujeard said.
The study was published online today (April 27) in the journal PLOS ONE.
Follow Laura Geggel on Twitter @LauraGeggel. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.
A view of the National Museum of Natural History that was destroyed after a massive fire broke out in the wee hours of Tuesday in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)
New Delhi: It took nearly 170 firefighters four hours to douse the massive blaze at the National Museum of Natural History in the early hours today that gutted its huge collection of exhibits.
The fire broke out at around 1.45 am on the top floor of six-storeyed FICCI building in central Delhi's Mandi House area.
Initially eight fire engines from the Connaught Place Fire Station were rushed to the spot and a team of 12 fire officials went inside the building to assess the situation.
Read: Delhi museum fire leads to over 800 degrees Celsius heat, rare specimens gutted
In no time, they rang the alarm bells and a dozen more fire engines were rushed from Safdarjung fire station, Deputy Director of Delhi Fire Services Atul Garg said, adding, 35 fire engines in total and two skylifts were pressed into service in the operation that lasted for over four hours.
"In such scenarios, firefighters have to brave extreme heat and temperature that may exceed 800 degrees Celsius and can even touch 1000 degrees Celisus. They are dressed in proper uniform and equipped with techniques to meet the challenges. However, it never stops being a difficult task," Garg said.
Around 170 firefighters joined the operation and they went inside the building that was virtually turned into a burning furnace, by turns, in teams comprising 8-12 officials, said former fire chief AK Sharma who was also supervising the operation.
Read: Massive fire destroys Delhis Natural History Museum, many exhibits gutted
The operation hit a critical point when six firefighters -- including an Assistant Divisional Officer, a station officer and a sub-officer -- were stuck on the fourth floor of the building.
"The fire, that originated from the fifth floor, had spread till the fourth. The aim was to do damage control there. What the officers could not assess well was the rate at which the flame were spreading," Sharma said.
When they were trying to control the situation on the fourth floor dodging burning fibre ceilings which was falling down in pieces, the fire made its way to the third floor too.
They tried to retreat but the approach zone towards both staircases were blocked by burning material.
Read: Delhi museum blaze: Fire safety mechanism was 'not functioning', say officials
The officials gave visual signals with their flash lights and one of them managed to make an SOS call through his wireless, following which a rescue operation was launched immediately.
While two of them were rescued with the help of the skylift, the others came down using scaffoldings that was installed outside the building, part of which is undergoing repair.
They were all rushed to a hospital after having inhaled excessive smoke, and discharged later by this evening, Sharma said.
The cause of the fire is still to be determined and Delhi Fire Services have started preparing a report on the incident, a senior official said.
New Delhi: A book which forms part of Delhi University curriculum calls Bhagat Singh a "revolutionary terrorist", BJP member Anurag Thakur said in Lok Sabha on Wednesday and demanded a debate on what is being taught in the educational institutions across the country.
'India's struggle for independence', a book authored by noted historian Bipin Chadra and Mridula Mukherjee, have made such references, he said.
Read: Bhagat Singh's kin objects to DU book calling him a terrorist
Thakur said the book also describes a Congress leader as a "charismatic leader", which was a "joke" as the party had been reduced to 44 Lok Sabha seats.
This triggered protests from Congress members who objected to the mention of their leader, who was not present in the House. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan later expunged the Congress leader's name.
In an UPSC examination, Thakur said, a question was asked about "revolutionary terrorism" of Bhagat Singh, a noted freedom fighter who was hanged by the British.
While taking strong exception to this, he hinted at the authors' link with the UPA, saying Chandra was National Book Trust chairperson between 2004-12. Mukherjee, he alleged, faced vigilance probe.
"There should be a debate on what is taught in this country," he said, while noting that education plays a key role in building character.
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Nature & Weather, Local News, Press Releases
By Long Island News & PR Published: April 27 2016
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that over $2 million in grants from the Environmental Protection Fund will be awarded to municipalities, not-for-profits and higher educational programs for projects that will help protect New York ...
Albany, NY - April 26, 2016 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that over $2 million in grants from the Environmental Protection Fund will be awarded to municipalities, not-for-profits and higher educational programs for projects that will help protect New York States waters from the spread of aquatic invasive species. The projects, which range geographically from the Adirondacks to the Finger Lakes and beyond, will focus on educating boaters on the dangers of aquatic invasive species through the placement of boat stewards, the installation of decontamination stations, and the uniform training of boat stewards across the state.
New York State is home to unparalleled natural beauty and we must do everything we can to protect it from invasive aquatic predators, Governor Cuomo said. This money will help safeguard lakes and rivers in every corner of this state, protect local ecosystems, and ensure that visitors can experience New Yorks natural beauty and wonders for years to come.
With over 7,600 freshwater lakes, ponds and reservoirs and 70,000 miles of rivers, brooks and streams, New York State is particularly vulnerable to the introduction of invasive species. Once established, aquatic invasive species, such as spiny waterflea and Eurasian water milfoil, can rapidly spread through connecting waterbodies or by hitchhiking on the vessels of recreational boaters and anglers. These grants are an important step in Governor Cuomos initiative to preserve New Yorks vast waterways from the danger aquatic invasive species can cause to the environment, human health and the economy of a region.
Aquatic invasive species are a significant threat to the environment and economy of New York State, and these EPF grants will go far in reducing their spread, said DEC Acting Commissioner Basil Seggos. Fostering partnerships and collaboration with local governments and other partners are essential combat this urgent threat, and I look forward watching these successful projects take off.
The twenty-four projects awarded, which range from $36,000 to $100,000, represent the first grants of the New York Aquatic Invasive Species Spread Prevention Grant Program. These grants demonstrate DECs commitment to implementing the recommendations of the recently updated New York Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan (AISMP). Included among the top ten priority actions in the AISMP is expanding boat steward programs and ensuring consistency of steward program delivery throughout the state. Boat stewards help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species by delivering spread prevention education and outreach, conducting courtesy boat and trailer inspections and showing boaters how to inspect and remove plants and organisms from their boats, trailers and other equipment.
Be sure to carefully examine these common invasive species attachment points. Photo from NYS DEC.
New York State Assembly Environmental Conservation Chair Steve Englebright said, The best way to deal with aquatic invasive species and the ecological damage they cause is to prevent their further spread into New York States wealth of lakes, ponds and streams. The grants from this new program will go far to help municipalities, not-for-profits and higher educational institutions implement projects that will protect our States waters from the spread of aquatic invasive species. I commend Governor Cuomo and the NYS DEC for their efforts to implement the action-based recommendations of the recently updated New York Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan.
Proposed projects were scored on a series of criteria that assessed the objectives, methods, impact, location, long term success and cost effectiveness of a proposal. The program will complement existing aquatic invasive species spread prevention initiatives already underway in New York State including the Adirondack Aquatic Invasive Species Spread Prevention Pilot Program (launched in 2015), which was responsible for the installation of 12 new boat decontamination stations and the placement of boat stewards at 14 new locations within the Adirondack Park.
To learn more about aquatic invasive species and the threat they pose to New York State please visit the following link.
Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases
By Long Island News & PR Published: April 27 2016
In a partnership between the Suffolk County Landbank and Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk, a blighted, vacant former 'zombie' house in Mastic, was demolished on Wednesday to make way for a new, affordable, owner occupied ...
Mastic, NY - April 22, 2016 - In a partnership between the Suffolk County Landbank and Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk, a blighted, vacant former 'zombie' house in Mastic, was demolished on Wednesday to make way for a new, affordable, owner occupied home to be constructed by Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk.
The bank foreclosed home, which had been identified by the Town of Brookhaven as a vacant and blighted structure, was purchased by the Suffolk County Landbank via grant funding from the New York State Office of the Attorney General's Community Revitalization Initiative (CRI). The CRI program utilizes funds from the National Mortgage Settlement to fund New York State Land Banks' efforts to eliminate blight in areas hardest hit by the mortgage foreclosure crisis.
The home, which was un-repairable was then transferred to Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk in March 2016, and the non-profit will construct a new single family home under their existing home-ownership program, which utilizes volunteer labor and sweat equity from program participants in the home's construction.
I am thrilled to see the Landbank moving forward with its second home in Mastic this year, stated Legislator Browning. The housing crisis hit Long Island really hard, but this innovative program is helping to get these blighted properties back into the hands of homeowners. Thanks to Attorney General Schneiderman we have the necessary funding to continue this effort into the future.
Local News, National & World News, Press Releases
By Long Island News & PR Published: April 27 2016
.S. Representatives Kathleen Rice (D-NY), Mike Coffman (R-CO), Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Rod Blum (R-IA) today announced the formation of the bipartisan House Whistleblower Protection Caucus, an informal group of House Members dedicated to protecting ...
Washington, DC - April 26, 2016 - U.S. Representatives Kathleen Rice (D-NY), Mike Coffman (R-CO), Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Rod Blum (R-IA) today announced the formation of the bipartisan House Whistleblower Protection Caucus, an informal group of House Members dedicated to protecting the rights of whistleblowers, who often take on significant personal and professional risk in order to report improper activity in government agencies, help improve congressional oversight and transparency, and eliminate fraud, abuse and wasteful spending. The Caucus will work to build bipartisan support for strong whistleblower protections, raise awareness about retaliation against whistleblowers, and provide guidance to other House offices about how to respond to whistleblower disclosures and allegations of retaliation.
The House Whistleblower Protection Caucus has been endorsed by several organizations across the political and ideological spectrum, including the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), the Government Accountability Project (GAP), the Liberty Coalition, Public Citizen, the National Taxpayers Union, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, and the Union of Concerned Scientists Center for Science and Democracy.
Whistleblowers help us do our jobs more effectively. They come forward to give us the facts so that we can hold people accountable, protect tax dollars, and make our government work better for the people we serve and they often do so knowing they may face retaliation and may be risking their careers, said Representative Kathleen Rice. Whatever issues may divide Democrats and Republicans in Congress, whistleblower protection must remain a bipartisan priority so that people can continue coming forward without fear of retaliation and we can continue to rely on the information they provide.
In many cases whistleblowers are on the front lines discovering fraud and corruption and all too often risking their careers to report it. Certainly that is the case in many of the recent VA scandals, said Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO). A Marine Corps combat veteran, Coffman serves on the House Armed Services Committee and House Veterans Affairs Committee, where he is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. We owe these men and women our gratitude and must ensure they are protected from retaliation.
Whistleblowers are on the front lines, working to uncover waste, fraud, and abuse, said Speier. Throughout my career, whistleblowers have been central to my work in oversight and reform. Theyve brought to light wasteful spending, hostile workplaces, and dangerous practices from the Pentagon to the pipelines beneath our feet. We must provide them with the protections they need to work with Congress and the Inspectors General to conduct genuine oversight. I look forward to working with my colleagues to fight for strong whistleblower protections across all departments and agencies.
I am pleased to join my colleagues Reps. Rice, Coffman, and Speier to found the bipartisan Whistleblower Protection Caucus so we can educate other members of Congress on the issue and work together to implement common sense measure that protect whistleblowers. Federal employees with the courage to blow the whistle play a key role in exposing abuse and mismanagement in our government, and this caucus will play a leading role in raising awareness about the need to support those who are willing to take a risk and report wrongdoing, said Rep. Rod Blum.
Despite a period of extreme partisanship, Congress is banding together to create a foundation of support for employees committed to the truth, said Shanna Devine, Legislative Director for the Government Accountability Project. The House Whistleblower Protection Caucus is the latest action in a cultural sea change toward whistleblowers; since the start of the 114th Congress, more than a tenth of the Senate has joined its companion caucus.
Danielle Brian, Executive Director of the Project On Government Oversight (POGO), said: "In this charged political climate, it's encouraging to see members of Congress from both sides of the aisle come together with the aim of strengthening protections for whistleblowers. A more accountable and effective federal government is in the interest of Americans of all political stripes. I applaud Reps. Rice, Coffman, Speier, and Blum for getting the ball rolling with this important caucus and look forward to supporting their work."
Local News, Press Releases
By Long Island News & PR Published: April 27 2016
Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced that his office has issued an opinion advising Suffolk County that online voter registration, including use of electronically affixed handwritten signatures, is legal in New York State.
Suffolk County, NY - April 26, 2016 - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced that his office has issued an opinion advising Suffolk County that online voter registration, including use of electronically affixed handwritten signatures, is legal in New York State. The determination is in response to a letter sent by Suffolk County to the Attorney Generals office in February, requesting an opinion as to whether implementing online registration would be permitted by State election law.
Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy, and we must strive for and encourage the highest levels of voter turnout and participation, Attorney General Schneiderman said. At a time in New York where our citizens experience too many barriers to participation, I am gratified that this opinion invites a new era of truly online voter registration, an incredibly exciting step that will help make the state election process more accessible and simpler for all. I encourage civic and technology groups to help develop an online registration system that can bring our electoral process into the 21st century.
I want to thank Attorney General Schneiderman for reviewing this request and determining that online voter registration is indeed legal in New York State, said Steven Bellone, Suffolk County Executive. It is vital to the health of any democracy to engage as many residents as possible in the democratic process. Incorporating a digital and mobile component would not only be more convenient for many prospective voters, it would break down one more barrier for those who have disabilities or find it difficult to register in person. Voting is a right, and thanks to this opinion from Attorney General Schneiderman, we can explore avenues to make voter registration more modern and help increase participation in our democracy.
We are thrilled that Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has issued an advisory opinion stating what Citizens Union has long held that current state law permits the use of an electronic handwritten signature for the purposes of registering to vote, said Dick Dadey, Executive Director, Citizens Union. The consequence of this opinion will hopefully increase ease of access to casting a vote and encourage many New Yorkers not only to register, which has been an outdated and cumbersome process for many, but also exercise their civic duty to vote. After many years of being able to pay their income taxes online, New Yorkers will be pleased to know that they now can register to vote online.
With this opinion, the NY State Attorney General has fundamentally advanced the idea that technologies we use daily can increase civic participation and voting, said Andrew Rasiej, Founder of Civic Hall and Chairman of New York Tech Meetup. The future of 21st century civic engagement is now made in New York.
SILO, representing people with disabilities, is appreciative that Suffolk County government is making every effort to make the County totally accessible to all its citizens, said Joseph M. Delgado, Chief Executive Officer, Suffolk Independent Living Organization. The ability to register to vote online is a huge step forward. Online registration makes the process more convenient and readily accessible for people with disability.
"Using technology to modernize elections holds the promise of both greater access and improved security, said Seth Flaxman, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Democracy Works. We stand ready to assist New York with regard to new voter registration systems that meet the needs of both voters and election administrators across the state.
A fully online system of voter registration would streamline the process for many voters, and would allow for electronically affixed handwritten signatures on enrollment forms, expanded and easier voter registration, and the ability to conduct online voter registration drives. For instance, the opinion enables civic engagement organizations to email thousands of eligible New Yorkers, who could complete voter registration right on their mobile device.
The Attorney General is currently exploring convening civic and technology organizations to develop mobile and online applications that would be able to host a voter registration form that could be fully completed online.
The Attorney Generals office determined that while state law requires a place for the applicant to execute the form on a line which is clearly labeled signature of applicant, and requires a signature of a quality and likeness to a signature written with ink, it nevertheless permits acceptance of an electronically affixed handwritten signature on voter registrations. In addition, the law requires any personal registration application completed online to be mailed or delivered in person to the board of elections, though that transmittal can be accomplished by a third party, as is the case in third party voter registration efforts.
A copy of the letter sent by Suffolk County can be found here, and the opinion by the Attorney Generals office can be found here.
Chennai: Attempts to capitalise on the legacy of former President and missile man A.P.J. Abdul Kalam continues with his grand nephew A.P J. M. Haja Syed Ibrahim announcing the launch of a political party, but his family has forbidden him from using the name of the late President in any manner in his political adventure.
Ibrahim, who quit Tamil Nadu BJP as vice president of its minority wing in November last after the Centre refused to convert Kalams official residence into a kn-owledge centre, has named his new outfit as Desiya Jananayaka Katchi (National Democratic Party).
The name of Kalam, who was apolitical throughout his life despite serving as President for a five year term, was dragged into politics for the first time in February when his long-time aide V. Ponraj launched a political party in the name of the late scientist-President despite strong objections from Kalams family.
Abdul Kalam Vision Party, whose flag bears the portrait of Kalam, is contesting the Assembly elections. However, Ibrahim says his party will never use the name of Kalam to further their political interests, but would take every effort to ensure that the goals of the late President are achieved and his dreams are fulfilled in the near future.
Since a major controversy broke out after Ponraj launched the party after Kalam, the family of Ibrahim told him in no uncertain terms that his political venture should not claim the former President as its own.
Our partys agenda is to ensure quality education for students in the country. Kalam always stood for his cause and we plan to take it forward from where he left. The current education system only allows students to develop something, not discover. Kalam wanted to change this system and we would fight for this. Another area where we want to bring change is the health sector, Ibrahim told Deccan Chronicle.
While welcoming Ibrahims move to launch a new outfit to propagate the ideals of Kalam without dragging him into politics, another grand nephew of Kalam, A. P. J. M. Sheik Saleem, who is a BJP member, hit out at Ponraj for claiming the legacy of the former President.
Dr Kalam is a national asset. He belongs to 120 crore people of this country. He was quite popular among the people, especially youth, and if he had wished he could have launched a political party after his tenure as President. But he wanted to work for the youth, but now people who worked with him are trying to use his name for their gains, Saleem said.
He also said the move to claim the legacy of Kalam is against democratic principles of the country for which the late President stood for. We told him (Ponraj) several times not to use Kalams name. He is too big to fit into a small outfit. He lived for the country and every party should try to fulfill his dreams, he said.
However, Ponraj has disregarded the protests from the family and said there was nothing wrong in using Kalams name and propagating his ideals. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a close aide of Kalam denounced any moves to politicise his name in any manner. The aide, who had worked with Kalam when he was President and even after he demitted office, says the former President, was apolitical to the core.
Nature & Weather, Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases
By Long Island News & PR Published: April 27 2016
The East Hampton Department of Natural Resources led the town's recent efforts to go become certified.
East Hampton, NY - April 27, 2016 - DEC is pleased to announce that the Town of East Hampton has achieved certification under the Climate Smart Communities program. This is a tremendous milestone as East Hampton is the first community to achieve certification outside the 2013-2014 pilot program. East Hampton is also the first local government on Long Island to succeed in being designated as a certified Climate Smart Community.
Acting DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said, East Hamptons leadership in acting on climate change is exemplary. Achieving status as a certified Climate Smart Community means the town has implemented a wide range of actions that both reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and help protect the town from extreme weather. I applaud East Hamptons commitment to preserving natural resources and utilizing renewable energy, and I encourage more communities across New York State to follow its example.
How is being designated as a certified Climate Smart Community different from being a registered Climate Smart Community?
The Town of East Hampton became a registered Climate Smart Community (CSC) several years ago by taking the CSC Pledge . There are currently 175 registered Climate Smart Communities in New York State that have adopted the CSC Pledge as a formal municipal resolution.
The East Hampton Department of Natural Resources led the town's recent efforts to go beyond the CSC Pledge and seek certification through documenting the town's accomplishments. The town's Climate Smart Coordinator, John Sousa-Botos, stated, The towns documentation process was greatly assisted by volunteers from the towns Energy & Sustainability Committee. Natural Resources Director Kimberly Shaw added, The department is undertaking a number of projects to enhance the towns sustainability and resiliency efforts. This achievement of certification only adds to the towns ability to implement improvements throughout East Hampton. Implementing and documenting concrete climate actions are what distinguish East Hampton as a certified CSC.
East Hampton has established itself as a local climate action leader.
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The delegation also asked the Election Commission to take charge of the entire election machinery, including the police, under its control besides seeking deployment of Central police forces to oversee the bypoll.
Hyderabad: TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday led a delegation of Congress MPs and MLAs and other leaders which met the Chief Election Commissioner and requested him to take steps to prevent the ruling TRS from indulging in corrupt practices in the Palair Assembly bypoll.
The delegation also asked the Election Commission to take charge of the entire election machinery, including the police, under its control besides seeking deployment of Central police forces to oversee the bypoll.
Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy told the CEC that the TRS is a dictatorial party and is known to have misused official machinery in all the elections it contested after coming to power. He said that as such it was for the Election Commission to take stock of the situation and prevent possible misuse of the official machinery by the ruling party.
The Congress team also sought cancellation of the permission granted to the TRS to conduct its plenary in Khammam on Wednesday. The leaders also sought introduction of the Voters Verifiable Paper Audit Trail EVMs in all the polling stations in Palair to curb any potential tempering or manipulation of the voting pattern and the results by the TRS.
Seeking strict implementation of the Model Code by ordering that no statement is made or assurance given during the TRS plenary, the Congress leaders reminded the CEC that on earlier occasions, the Election Commission has issued warnings to both Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his son K.T. Rama Rao for violating the Model Code.
Mr Reddy also released a book Emperor of Corruption comprising documents of land registration deals in AP capital, GOs issued to benefit individuals and companies.
Hyderabad: AP Opposition leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday met Union home minister Rajnath Singh to register his protest against what he said was Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidus unbridled corruption which is evident from his buying YSR Congress MLAs'.
Reddy also released a book Emperor of Corruption comprising documents of land registration deals in AP capital, GOs issued to benefit individuals and companies. He alleged that the value corrupt deals during Naidus 24-month rule would be around Rs 1. 34 lakh-crore.
Read: TDP downplays 'corruption' booklet by Jagan-led YSRC
Reddy presented the booklet to leaders of some national parties, including Rajnath Singh.
Notably, ahead of the 2009 Legislative Assembly elections, the TDP then opposition in the combined state of Andhra Pradesh, had published a booklet entitled "Raja of Corruption" against the then Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and distributed it to all political parties in the country.
Jagan, who was not even in politics at that time, was listed as a beneficiary of various quid pro quo deals cleared by his father and Chief Minister Rajasekhara Reddy.
Now, with the TDP luring away his MLAs (13 and still counting), Jagan has launched a "Save Democracy" campaign and brought out this booklet to "expose" Chandrababu.
"Under his (Chandrababu's) leadership, the state has become the capital of collusive corruption. Kickbacks, bribes, shares, commissions...the name could differ, but corruption is open and ubiquitous in the state," the YSRC said in the preface.
"Today, in AP there is nothing that can be done without a bribe and there is nothing that cannot be done with a bribe. From sand reaches to solar plants, tenders in irrigation department to power department, Chandrababu ensured that not a single process is unaffected by the corrupt government," it added.
"After acquiring the ill-gotten money, Chandrababu Naidu has brazenly started 'Operation Akarsh' - whereby MLAs from our party are being poached on day to day basis using carrot and stick policy. If they join TDP, they are paid a minimum of Rs 20 to Rs 30 crore, besides the lure of ministerial berths," the YSRC added.
In the name of developing a world-class Capital Amaravati, the state government was doing a "world-class: real estate scandal" worth Rs one lakh crore, it alleged.
"Chandrababu is a byword for extravagance," the opposition party said, adding that his "profligate spending" touched a sum of Rs 736.37 crore.
"Chandrababu always talks about the financial hardships the new state is facing. However, on the other hand, he spends money like water. He thinks spending government money is his birth right and his extravagance knows no limits," it alleged.
The Chief Minister spent Rs 30 crore so far on use of chartered aircraft, Rs 45 crore on refurbishing (CM) office in Hyderabad (Secretariat) and another Rs 42 crore on Camp Office in Vijayawada, it said.
"Chandrababu created a record of sorts in travelling by special chartered planes. Probably there is no other Chief Minister in the country, who made such thorough use of chartered planes," it said.
Had the Chief Minister controlled his unnecessary spending, he could have built a permanent, world-class Secretariat building, the YSRC pointed out.
The Emperor of Corruption booklet also lists some of the "corrupt deals" struck by Chandrababu's son and TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh.
"Nara Lokesh was apparently behind the deal to waive Rs 500 crore value-added tax to rice millers in March 2015. He received Rs 200 crore from this decision (taken by the Cabinet)," the booklet said.
The state government also "gifted" 50 acres of land worth Rs 363 crore in Visakhapatnam to Lokesh's friend Sridhar for just Rs 25 crore. This despite the recommendation of AP Land Management Agency, headed by Chief Commissioner of Land Administration, to sell each acre at Rs 7.26 crore, it claimed.
The YSRC also alleged that Rs 900 crore out of Rs 1217 crore released by the Centre to gram panchayats was misappropriated by TDP men. "There is no end to such stories of open corruption by Chandrababu Naidu," the opposition party said.
The Opposition leader also met senior leaders like Sharad Pawar of the NCP and Sitaram Yechury of CPI(M) along with his party MLAs, MLCs and MPs and highlighted Naidus alleged corruption.
He said that anti-defection law needs to be amended. The only way to end the trend of defections would be to ensure that power of disqualification be vested in the hands of the Election Commission and not the Speaker, Reddy said.
New Delhi: Under relentless attack over the Uttarakhand crisis, the BJP on Wednesday countered the Congress by raking up the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter scam, in which the names of the party top brass, including its president Sonia Gandhi, have also cropped up.
However, Sonia Gandhi rejected allegations linking her and party leaders in the AgustaWestland chopper deal bribes and said she was not afraid of being cornered on the issue.
She asked what the government had been doing in power for the last two years on the issue and demanded the ongoing inquiry be completed impartially. "I am not afraid of anyone cornering me as there is no basis to it. All accusations they are throwing at us are false," Gandhi told reporters in Parliament complex as BJP sought to target her on the deal.
"Where is the proof? They are lying. They are part of a strategy of character assassination which we have known these people indulge in," Gandhi said.
Referring to the Modi government, Gandhi asked what has it been doing over the last two years. "The government is there for the last 2 years. What are they doing? Inquiry is there, why don't they complete it? Complete it as soon as possible, impartially," she added.
Read: 'No case' in AgustaWestland, Congress will respond: Manmohan Singh
Gandhi's political secretary and senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel also rubbished the allegations against him and the party as "absolutely baseless."
"This government, when they are saying all these things outside and inside the Parliament, why can't they investigate," Patel said.
"If there is something against me, they should find out and they should hang me," he said when asked by reporters for his reactions over the allegations.
Earlier in Lok Sabha, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said all newspapers have the news item regarding the VVIP helicopter deal and allegations have been levelled against party leaders.
"Names have appeared. We will have to think about it. We should discuss," he said without naming AgustaWestland. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the issue can be raised after the Question Hour.
Here are the live updates:
2:00 pm: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar challenges Congress to show the order of UPA govt blacklisting AugustaWestland.
We have a copy of the Italian Court order. We are in the process of translating it into English, says Parrikar.
1:30 pm: Congress leader AK Antony says, In last two years this government has done nothing. They were sleeping.
1:10 pm: Lok Sabha adjourned till 2:05 pm.
1:05 pm: Bhagat Singh is being referred as a terrorist in books. What history is being taught in schools and colleges? asks BJP leader Anurag Thakur.
Thakur said this matter must be discussed. No one can call Bhagat Singh a terrorist.
1 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm after uproar by the Congress members.
12:30 pm: Congress leader Ahmed Patel says, They should hang us if they get any proof against us.
The government is there, agencies are there, then they must investigate, says Patel.
12:25 pm: Such big names are coming up in AgustaWestland case, even we are surprised, says BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy on Sonia Gandhi.
12 pm: We have nothing to hide. Let them take my name, I am not afraid, says Congress president Sonia Gandhi on AugustaWestland issue.
11:35 am: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 pm minutes after uproar by the Congress members when BJP leader Subramanian Swamy speaks on AugustaWestland scam.
11:26 am: Uproar in Rajya Sabha by Congress.
11:10 am: Citing a report, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad asks Rajya Sabha, Would like to know whether a meeting took place between two PMs as cited in a newspaper, was a deal struck?
Finance minister Arun Jaitley says in Rajya Sabha, Reports that Prime Ministers of India and Italy met are completely false.
11 am: Parliament session starts in both Houses.
10:30 am: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says, There is no case, my party will respond.
10 am: Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge says, We are ready to discuss AgustaWestland issue in Parliament.
The ruing party will also raise issues like Ishrat Jahan case and Aircel-Maxis deal to target the Congress within Parliament and outside.
In a counter-offensive attack, the Congress on Tuesday sought a discussion on the VVIP helicopter deal and pointed to the role of an industrialist said to be close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Read: VVIP copter scam: BJP targets Congress, says they owe an explanation
Media reports said an Italian court ruling stated how the firm lobbied with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her close aides, besides then NSA M.K. Narayanan and then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the VVIP helicopter deal. Mrs Gandhi was described as the driving force behind the deal in these court papers. The VVIP helicopter scam also figured prominently in the BJP parliamentary party meeting, that was also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The party focused on this strategy to take on the Congress, which is leading the Opposition attack on the government on the Uttarakhand crisis. The BJP has issued a whip asking its Rajya Sabha members to be present in the House during the week as the government plans to push some important bills in the Upper House.
Read: In Rajya Sabha, Swamy links Sonia with VVIP copter scam, Cong forces adjournments
The CBI has, meanwhile, approached the external affairs ministry seeking the help of diplomatic channels to get a copy of the Italian courts ruling in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal. Sources said the CBI has completed the domestic portion of its investigation in the case, but the judicial requests sent to eight countries are still pending.
The Milan court of appeals, which overturned a lower courts order, sentenced Finmeccanicas former chief Giuseppe Orsi to 4.5 years in jail for false accounting and corruption in the sale of 12 VVIP helicopters to India for over Rs 3,600 crores, while former CEO of Finmeccanicas helicopter subsidiary AgustaWestland, Bruno Spagnolini, has been handed a four-year sentence.
Sources said that under the BJPs strategy to take on the Congress, the ruling party will also demand a discussion on the Aircel-Maxis scam, in which the role of former finance minister P. Chidambaram has been questioned. BJP MP Anurag Thakur will raise it in the Lok Sabha, and Bhupender Yadav will bring it up in the Rajya Sabha. Chidambaram is also likely to come under attack by the BJP over the affidavits filed in the Ishrat Jahan case. Mr Chidambaram has been accused of changing the affidavit to conceal Ishrats alleged terrorist links. The BJPs Kirit Somaiya will raise it in the Lok Sabha, while another BJP member will bring it up in the Rajya Sabha.
Read: Ex-IAF chief denies wrongdoing, says chopper deal was a collective decision
Attacking the Congress over the VVIP helicopter scam, communications minister Ravi Shankar Prasad asked the defence minister in the Manmohan Singh government, Mr A.K. Antony, to name the party leaders allegedly involved in the scandal. Bribe-givers have been convicted. Why are the bribe-takers silent? Antony should answer if the leaders of the Congress are involved or not. Are they from your party or not? Please come clean, the minister said.
Hitting back at the ruling party, the Congress also rejected the allegations against Mrs Gandhi and Dr Singh, saying that we reject it with the contempt they deserve.
No one should make loose comments (about) the Congress president and the former PM, whose integrity and intellect was never in question, Congress Rajya Sabha deputy leader Anand Sharma said. He said the BJP had been making irresponsible statements and wild allegations and the Congress was not going to accept this. Mr Sharma also claimed that a businessman close to Mr Modi had entered into an MoU with AgustaWestland, but he refused to name him. He also asked the government why it had removed AgustaWestland from the blacklist it had been put by the UPA government.
Read: Why did Modi govt remove AgustaWestland from blacklist: Congress
Mr Antony asked the Narendra Modi government to fast track the probe into the scam and find out the truth as the UPA government had cancelled the contract and ordered a CBI investigation into it. When the primary allegation came out in the media, we immediately ordered a CBI inquiry. We cancelled the contract and fought the case in the Milan court. We won the case and got back all the money we paid in advance by bank guarantee, Mr Antony said.
On January 1, 2014, India had scrapped the contract with AgustaWestland to supply 12 AW101 VVIP helicopters to the Indian Air Force over allegations of kickbacks by it for securing the deal. The then UPA government had also barred Finmeccanica and its group companies from taking part in any new defence contract bidding.
Taking firm and credible steps to inhibit corruption is needed to deepen peoples faith in the democratic process, but this is not on view. The public has grown cynical with the political class, irrespective of party labels, for firing anti-corruption salvos that are for public consumption alone. From the highest levels of the BJP, including senior ministers, a new refrain has been heard since Tuesday. This appears directed at making insinuations of corruption in the Agusta-Westland helicopter deal against Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. This is an indication that a massive propaganda exercise in the forum of Parliament and outside is likely to follow to achieve the governments ends.
The Vajpayee government had initiated the proposal to purchase the AW helicopters, with specialised equipment for the protection of VVIPs. In 2010, the Manmohan Singh government signed the deal. Three years later media reports surfaced to suggest bribes may have been given and taken. Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi was brought under immediate suspicion.
The UPA government cancelled the deal and set up CBI and Enforcement Directorate probes and blacklisted the company, confiscating the earnest money according to the contract. Subsequently, the Italian court of appeals at Milan overturned lower court verdicts and jailed the top shots of Finmeccanica, the Italian major which is the parent of AW, for resorting to bribery to the extent of euro 30 million, or Rs 360 crore, to bag the deal in India.
Among the papers filed in the court in Milan is said to be an unsigned document from one Christian Michel, a British citizen said to be the middleman who budgeted the alleged bribe money. Mr Michel is an accused in the case. The Milan court has noted that there are strong indications of accepting bribes by the former Indian Air Chief, but mentions no other name in the same vein. Among the papers looked at by the court, there is a statement whose authenticity is to be ascertained to say that Mrs Gandhi was the main driving force behind the proposed purchase of AW helicopters as she thought it was unsafe to fly the Russian helicopters in use until then.
The BJPs case against Mrs Gandhi is sought to be constructed on this basis. This is surprising. How could she have been the main driving force when the proposal was first mooted when Mr Vajpayee was Prime Minister? It might be best for the government to despatch the CBI and the ED to interrogate the middleman, and take the investigation forward if there are suspicions against Congress leaders and bureaucrats and the former IAF Chief. Propaganda noises should not be permitted to short-circuit discussions in Parliament on key issues such as Uttarakhand, embarrassing foreign policy setbacks, and poor key economy indicators.
The US military made an unusual public plea for information yesterday in its hunt for eight members of a terrorist network which is plotting attacks in four provinces in eastern Afghanistan. The organization, known as the Kabul Attack Network, is comprised of fighters from various jihadist groups operating in the country, and has endured for years.
Insurgents from the Haqqani and Taliban networks are known to be planning attacks on the Afghan people in the Parwan, Khost, Kabul, and Logar Provinces, Afghanistan, US Forces Afghanistan, or USFOR-A, reported in a press release.
USFOR-A identified the insurgents as Hayatullah, Mullah Mushfiq, Sangari, and Faruq from Parwan province; Tila Khan and Mansour from Khost; Hamdard-Hasib from Kabul; and Talha from Logar. Anyone with information on those individuals was encouraged to call 0702210396, USFOR-A said.
Yesterdays call for information from USFOR-A followed a deadly suicide assault on a security installation in Kabul which took place on April 19. The Taliban killed 64 people and wounded 347 more in that attack.
The insurgents identified by USFOR-A are undoubtedly members of what the US military previously called the Kabul Attack Network. This network is made up of fighters from the Taliban, the Haqqani Network, and Hizb-i-Islami Gulbuddin, and cooperates with terror groups such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba and al Qaeda.
Top Afghan intelligence officials have linked the Kabul Attack Network to Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate as well. The networks tentacles extend outward from Kabul into the surrounding provinces of Logar, Wardak, Nangarhar, Kapisa, Parwan, Kunar, Ghazni, and Zabul, a US intelligence official told The Long War Journal.
The Kabul Attack Network is led by Dawood (or Daud) and Taj Mir Jawad, military and intelligence officials told The Long War Journal in 2010. Dawood previously served as the Talibans shadow governor for Kabul (the current shadow governor is Hafiz Muhibullah). Taj Mir Jawad is a top commander in the Haqqani Network. In the US military files released by WikiLeaks, Taj Mir Jawad is identified as a key Haqqani Network leader.
The Haqqani Network is not a separate entity, as is implied by the USFOR-A press release, but an integral part of the Taliban. Jalaluddin Haqqani, the patriarch of the Haqqani Network and a member of the Talibans governing council, has maintained that his followers are part of the Taliban. After the Taliban announced the death of Mullah Omar and appointed Mullah Mansour as the new emir, Jalaluddin backed the new leader. His son, Sirajuddin Haqqani, is one of the Talibans two deputy emirs. Siraj has also denied that the Haqqani Network operates independently of the Taliban.
We are one of the fronts of the Islamic Emirate, and we do jihad in the Cause of Allah under its banner, and we are proud of our pledge to its Emir [Mullah Omar] and we carry out its orders and all its regulations, Siraj stated in 2012.
Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.
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The likely withdrawal, around the end of 2016, of the El Nino (Christ Child) weather system is likely to mitigate the adverse effects on the monsoon winds associated with it. It is a matter of cautious hope for India, which has been suffering for the last three years from prolonged drought in the southern, western and central regions. El Ninos strongest effects on precipitation are in Southeast Asia and Western Pacific region.
Of further cheer is the recent prediction of the Indian Meterological Department that the southwest monsoons due in June would be normal and up to the mark, with rainfall in some cases perhaps even exceeding the normal.
The ongoing drought in India has been attributed to the creeping effect of climate change a topic that covers a host of technical, socio-political and economic factors that are much discussed in various fora. All these discussions have led to the unyielding bottomline that chronic shortage of water will now be an almost normal feature of human existence over large parts of the world, both first and third.
Countries in the former obviously possess greater capabilities to ride out the impact, while those in the latter, in many cases, remain mortally stricken and floundering.
The deepening sense of all-round crisis has been compounded by the sense of fear and insecurity created in many parts of the world by unrelated geopolitical factors, i.e. religious radicalisation, fundamentalism and terrorism by organisations like the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Al Qaeda and their outriders in South Asia like Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, Hizbul Mujahideen, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
India is a good example. Not yet in First World, but nevertheless slowly pulling itself by its bootstraps out of the third. The visual media daily brings home the grim reality of the climatological catastrophe creeping up over the country.
The images of women trekking long distances under a blazing midday sun with headloads of metal or plastic pots to collect a few litres of water often dirty and polluted, from dried-up wells, muddy ponds or water tankers, which often operate at irregular intervals and to no fixed schedule are harrowing.
The stoicism and enduring courage of Indias womenfolk in Maharashtra and other states in this daily battle for preservation of hearth and home makes each one them true incarnations of every warrior-goddess in the pantheon. In this context, China had promised to release water from March 15 to April 10 to drought-hit neighbouring countries located downstream along the Mekong river, from the network of hydropower dams and reservoirs constructed along its upper reaches as a good neighbourly gesture. The amount of water released by China is too low to help alleviate drought-stricken Southeast Asia.
This is of tangential significance to India because India and China are at best uneasy neighbours. They share common riverine water resources of the Yarlung Tsangpo river, which originates on the high plateau of Tibet and flows into China, with a major channel branching off into India where it flows through both India and Bangladesh as the mighty Brahmaputra-Jamuna-Meghna river system, and flows through the Sunderbans Delta into the Bay of Bengal. In this instance, both India and Bangladesh are the lower riparian countries and ultimately dependent on the Chinese goodwill for access to the Brahmaputra waters.
As in India, where several states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have been affected by drought, the northern regions of China, mainly Inner Mongolia, Qing Hai and Sichuan provinces have reportedly been similarly hit. This has caused losses of $1.2 billion due to crop failures. Droughts are said to be occurring in China with increasing frequency which, coupled with the inexorable rise of population pressure, have caused massive increase in the demand for water, both potable and non-potable.
China is casting about for additional resources of fresh water, and international rivers like the Mekong and the Yarlung Tsangpo-Brahmaputra, which flow through more than one country to outfall through China have the potential of becoming future flashpoints of water wars unless these issues are addressed in a timely and serious manner.
China has indicated future plans to construct no fewer than four run-of-the-river (a type of hydroelectric generation plant whereby little or no water storage is provided) hydroelectric power plants on the Yarlung Tsangpo at Zhangmu (510 megawatts), Dagu (320 megawatts), Jiacha and Jiexu (capacities not yet known). Indias abiding concern has been the potential utilisation of these power plants as choke-off points, should China choose to regulate or even stop the flow of water downstream to India. Though an unlikely contingency at present, if it happens, it will, of course, affect Bangladesh as well.
India needs to watch and address the future course of geopolitical events on the subcontinent with balance and circumspection. But it should also remain confident, keeping in mind the interplay of forces many of which retain their traditional institutional biases against India.
In the specific context of management of Indias national interests in any future water-sharing arrangements relevant to the Yarlung Tsangpo-Brahmaputra waters, the terms set out in the 1997 UN Convention on Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses (which has not yet been ratified by China), should be informally adopted by India to base its overall guidelines to ensure equitable sharing.
India, China and Bangladesh the concerned riparian states have earlier held technical discussions in respect of sharing of hydrological and other relevant data. A workable answer will ultimately lie in the creation of a suitably structured tripartite Tsangpo-Brahmaputra commission, comprising representatives of the three upper and lower riparian countries.
But beyond the facade of the United Nations and international conventions, treaties and cooperative commissions of management remains the ultimate factor which in the end always takes centrestage, especially in an issue as critical as water, the giver of life Indias national interests. Is India ready?
Luton is a large town, borough and unitary authority area of Bedfordshire. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 258,000. Luton is home to Championship team Luton Town Football Club, London Luton Airport and The University of Bedfordshire. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter. For all the latest news from Luton sign up to our newsletter here.
Mumbai: For all the interested stargazers in India, the International Space Station (ISS) will be visible till May 11 from the country, as per information provided on NASAs website.
On the website, there is a section called spot the station, which has a section for discovering sighting opportunities. According to that section, the ISS will be visible in India.
For people who are not well-acquainted with this habitable artificial satellite, the ISS was built in 1998 as a result of collaboration between five space agencies including NASA.
Apart from being the first habitable satellite where scientists carry out experiments not possible from Earth, the ISS is also the largest artificial object present in Space. Moreover, the ISS is the third-brightest object in the sky after the Sun and Moon.
It travels at a whooping speed of five miles per second and it completes approximately 15.54 orbits per day.
So if you are still interested in viewing the ISS from your location, sit back, open NASAs Website, and enter your country and city; you will get all the details related to the sighting opportunities.
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The new MacBook is here, and its been reviewed against its predecessor, the other portable Macs, and even the iPad Pro. Bottom line is that its a great machineand how cool is it that the choice between iPad and laptop has basically come down to personal preferencebut its still taking heat from people who didnt think Apple went far enough.
Elsewhere, now the government has given up on the New York iPhone-unlocking case too, and its stated reasons arent really passing Glenn and Susies smell test. Apples services division is showing the most growth, but making those services indispensible is a vastly different problem to tackle than making great hardware. But with Apple mixing up the ticks and tocks with the MacBook, the iPhone SE, and maybe the rumored iPhone 7, we might be in store for a shake-up.
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A brand new botnet campaign that Forcepoint is calling Jaku that was discovered as a result of a 6-month investigation by Forcepoints Special Investigations (SI) team. (Representational image)
Mumbai: Forcepoint, a global security technologies company, on Wednesday released the Forcepoint 2016 Global Threat Report, detailing some of the latest evolving threats, gathered from more than three billion data points per day in 155 countries around the world.
According to this years report, a brand new botnet campaign that Forcepoint is calling Jaku that was discovered as a result of a 6-month investigation by Forcepoints Special Investigations (SI) team.
Other than that, a new crop of opportunistic ransomware, anti-malware tools and issues caused by the ever-dissolving perimeter that are posing serious challenges to cyber security professionals and the organizations they aim to protect.
Also, inconsistent security controls between cloud providers and businesses are complicating data protection.
Moving on, risks related to emails are also increasing as nine out of ten unwanted emails contain one or more URLs and millions of malicious macros.
The rapid evolution of the cyber threat environment has consequences that are much broader than just technical, operational, and financial they can impact every piece of a business, said Forcepoint Chief Scientist Dr. Richard Ford.
With this Threat Report, we want to demystify these threats and help enable businesses with tools, recommendations and, quite simply, knowledge, so they can continue to move forward without fear, he added.
Some of the top findings this year include:
Malicious content in email increased 250% compared to 2014, driven largely by malware and ransomware.
The United States hosts more phishing websites than all others countries combined
Ransomware focus is sharpening, targeting countries, economies and industries where a high ransom is more likely to be paid.
Insiders malicious and accidental represent the biggest threat to company security and the one for which businesses feel least prepared.
Advanced evasion techniques are gaining in popularity and are combining multiple evasion methods, such as IP fragmentation and TCP segmentation, to create new ways to bypass access controls, attack watering holes and disguise traffic.
The Forcepoint 2016 Global Threat Report data was collected and evaluated using the Threatseeker Intelligence Cloud, working behind-the-scenes 24x7x365 to provide Forcepoint visibility into the very latest threats.
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India must put quality control at the centre of its policies on IP filing if it doesnt want to deal with a mess of its own making later
In this case, the plaintiff owns trade marks for perfumeries. It sells its perfumes through a selective distribution system, its partners being selected according to qualification criteria. By contract they are barred from selling these products outside the distribution system.
The defendant is a large wellknown distributor of original perfumeries at lower prices with 370 outlets across Austria. It is not part of the selective distribution system of the plaintiff. It has obtained the original perfumes since 1997 from an unnamed wholesaler within the European Economic Area (EEA) who guarantees the legality of the goods because he buys them from regular partners. The goods carry a code which enables the plaintiff to know to whom the goods were first sold without that being recognisable to the defendant.
A test buyer bought three perfumes carrying the trade marks of the plaintiff in February 2012 in an outlet of the defendant in Vienna they were original goods. The producer could verify through the code that one of them was originally sold to Singapore. Other infringements neither past nor actual could not be ascertained.
At the lower instances, an injunction was granted forbidding the defendant to promote and/or sell perfumes under the specific trade marks of the plaintiff when these goods were not brought into commerce in the EEA by the plaintiff or with its consent. A far wider request for injunction was refused. It was requested to forbid the defendant from selling all perfumes under the trade marks of the plaintiff if the defendant is not part of the selective distribution system or if by the sales in its outlets the reputation of the marks would be impaired. The refusal of this request was straightforward since it is not illegal to sell legally obtained original goods outside a distribution system and there was no indication whatsoever that the reputation of the trade marks would be impaired by their sales in those outlets.
The requests for destruction of goods (Article 10 of the EU Enforcement Directive) and for publication of the verdictDirective) were likewise rejected. Article 10 (3) of the Enforcement Directive calls for proportionality in the case of corrective measures such as destruction of the goods. When only one case of infringement since 1997 was found which has to be seen as an oversight rather than a conscious infringement and the economic impact is negligible, the defendant does not know whether there are other infringing perfumes in his possession and the only infringing object has already been bought by the plaintiff then such a claim is disproportionate. In view of the singularity of the infringement and the injunction in place a publication of the verdict is not necessary to further deter the defendant and the public at large needs in this case not be informed to counteract past infringements (see number 27 of the reasoning for the Enforcement Directive). Only the request for information was further prosecuted before the Austrian Supreme Court as third instance.
The Supreme Court (case 4Ob 170/15a) found that the Austrian trade mark law and Article 8 (1) of the Enforcement Directive institute a right for information in case of infringement of IP rights. Therefore, this right is also given when the (only one) object of infringement is original but not commercialised in the EEA with the consent of the originator (illegal parallel importation). However, the second condition for such a claim is proportionality. Here the claim lacks proportionality. This criteria calls for a comprehensive weighing of the interests of the trade mark owner and the infringer. As usual, the interest of the right owner in the uncovering of the origin of the goods and their distribution channels and of the marketing channels are in opposition to the interest of the infringer to keep secret these channels. Here the interest of the infringer outweighs the interest of the trade mark owner.
The plaintiff has clearly an economic interest in uncovering the distribution channels by which the defendant obtained the original perfume. That interest is, however, to a great extent based on the possibility of the plaintiff to also stop delivery of legally marketable (because exhausted) original goods on the basis of the contractual obligations of its partners in the selective distribution system. The court has no doubt that the plaintiff would avail itself of this possibility thus leading to the danger of a market foreclosure. That alone is not a sufficient reason for negating the right for information. However, the weight of the interest of the right owner for disclosure of the channels of trade used is much more diminished than in a case of pirated goods or in a case of nonexistence of a contractual obligation not to sell outside the system.
But there are two further grounds which alone also would not suffice but are to be considered. The first is that the plaintiff does not necessarily need that information. It knows the first recipient of the goods in question. It can obligate it contractually not to sell into the EEA, to transfer this obligation to its customers and in case of a reimport to inform the originator about the recipient within the EEA. The second reason is that the defendant has no way to get knowledge about where the particular goods have first been marketed. These reasons count for the defendant in a weighing of interests. Furthermore, the defendant had no reason to distrust the information and guarantees of its wholesaler. It was a singular act of infringement. Without that the defendant, on the basis of this long positive experience and because it was not possible for it to get to know the place of the first marketing of the perfume, could have guessed the lack of exhaustion. It had also not been made plausible that the defendant "notoriously" reimports original products in the EEA.
Therefore, in this case the weighing of interest leads to the finding that a right for information would be disproportionate. To accept the right for information in this case would have overshooting effects since this leads to the danger that legally permissible sales of exhausted goods could be hindered. Under these conditions (cumulation of serious grounds) disproportionality has to be stated.
Helmut Sonn
SONN & PARTNER PatentanwalteRiemergasse 14A-1010 Vienna, AustriaTel: +43 1 512 84 05Fax: +43 1 512 98 05office@sonn.atwww.sonn.at
Ghana recently published its National IP Policy and Strategy. The aim is to bring Ghana's IP system "in line with its international commitments and international best practices".
The document identifies nine strategic issues. It points out that Ghana now has a rare opportunity to link its IP strategy with various national plans, including a general development plan. The issues are:
Legal framework: Ghana needs to review and develop its IP laws, and accede to international treaties. There's specific mention of integrated circuit layouts, unfair competition, plant varieties, traditional knowledge and genetic resources.
Institutional framework: Ghana has a weak IP framework. This will be addressed by establishing an autonomous national IP office, and through better staffing and automation. The issue of substantive examination will be considered.
Creativity: Creativity and innovation will be encouraged in universities, research institutions and industry, and the use of IP will be promoted. A National Centre for Creative Industries is envisaged.
IP generation and commercialisation: Ghanaians will be educated on the benefits of commercialisation, firstly through an information unit at the IP Office, and subsequently through the creation of technology transfer offices at universities.
Enforcement of rights: IP enforcement laws will be strengthened, and the staffing at the relevant agencies will be improved.
IP profession: The IP profession will be regulated and formalised, and there will be a system of certification.
Public awareness: The low level of IP awareness will be addressed by a public awareness outreach programme. The aim is to promote a culture of IP.
IP service industry: There's a weak IP service industry. Issues to be addressed include creating collective management organisations and creating associations of IP stakeholders.
IP research: Research on IP-related issues will be promoted. There will, for example, be a study on the impact of the Madrid Protocol on the economy.
The policy will be implemented over the period September 2016 to 2020. This policy suggests that the authorities in Ghana understand the importance of IP. Its publication is a welcome development.
Wayne Meiring
Spoor & Fisher Jersey
Africa House, Castle Street
St Helier, Jersey JE4 9TW
Channel Islands
Tel: +44 1534 838000
Fax: +44 1534 838001
info@spoor.co.uk
www.spoor.com
Jens Daniel Vinvand Jens Daniel Vinvand
On March 17, the Norwegian Ministry of Culture sent out a proposal for a new Copyright Act. The legislators aim for better protection for the rights of creative and performing artists in an up-to-date form and language. The proposition is now being circulated for public comment until August 8 2016.
New form and updated language
The legislation that is in force today is the Copyright Act of 1961. A lot has happened in the field of IP rights since 1961. Following recent decades of significant technical evolvement, the ways to utilise copyright have changed.
The act of 1961 has been altered several times, but this has made the law complex and hard to comprehend for non-lawyers. In addition to this, the language of the old act is outdated. The proposal will amend this by restructuring the regulations and giving them a modern wording, but the content will mostly be the same.
New provisions
The proposal includes some alterations of the existing regulations. Some of the alterations are merely codification of non-statutory law, some are implementation of EU directives and others are legislative innovations. In general, the Ministry of Culture wants to strengthen the opportunities creative and performing artists have to utilise their copyright in the digital era.
Right to reasonable compensation
The most important new provision is the originators right to a reasonable compensation when realising or transferring his copyright for commercial use. Under the current Copyright Act, a copyright holder can - due to the freedom of contract - sell his rights at any price, even for free. The Ministry of Culture reports that a considerable number of artists are forced to sell their copyrights at an unreasonably low price. Under the new Act, reasonable compensation is mandatory. Thus, an agreement to transfer copyright for a very low price or for free will not be binding to the originator, who can demand a reasonable compensation.
In addition to this, in a dispute regarding to what extent a copyright holder has transferred a right to his work, the burden of proof shall be borne by the acquirer, and if the proof is not clear, the transfer shall be interpreted in favour of the originator.
Further, anyone who has acquired an exclusive right to make the copyrighted work available to the public has an obligation to use this right within three years from when the originator fulfilled his obligations under the contract, or the originator can terminate the contract.
The above-mentioned rights intend to strengthen the originators rights, especially from a commercial point of view, though there may of course be some difficulties for the court determining what a reasonable compensation implies. The proposed provisions can also put participants such as producers in a squeeze between originators with strengthened rights and distributors who want all rights cleared at a low cost. However, the producer will now be able to tell the distributor that the originator is entitled by law to a reasonable compensation. Hopefully, this can result in better contracts with the different participants of the industry, such as directors, writers, actors and musicians.
Infringements
The Ministry of Culture wants stricter consequences for infringements of copyright. The condition for sentencing prison or imposing fines is proposed to be wilful intention instead of the current negligence, but the maximum penalty will be raised from three months to one year of imprisonment.
Further, the legislators propose new provisions with a wider range of possibilities for claiming damages from infringements. Under the proposed provisions, a wilful or negligent infringement will give the copyright holder the opportunity to choose the alternative he finds most favourable of the following:
1. reasonable compensation for the use and damages that would not have occurred if the use was agreed upon,
2. damages occurred from infringement, or
3. compensation equivalent to the net profit of the infringement
The current Copyright Act includes (2) and (3). Alternative (1) is new, as well as the regulation that the copyright holder can choose the most favourable alternative. This way, it will be simpler for the copyright holder to find a legal basis for his claim.
By both the old and the new Act, if the infringement has been wilful or grossly negligent, the copyright holder will be entitled to damages for non-economic loss. Under the new Act, he can claim the double of reasonable compensation instead, which is a simpler and more dogmatic way to determine the size of the compensation.
Illegal streaming
What created most headlines in Norwegian media is a proposed regulation that will illegalise streaming of for example movies and TV series from illegal sources. Under the current Copyright Act, downloading of copyright protected material from illegal sources is illegal. However, the outdated legislation does not cover streaming. Opposite to downloading, streaming is not considered as producing a copy. Further, the average internet user is not obliged to consider whether the content of a website is made available by consent of the copyright holder.
The Ministry of Culture together with many copyright holders considers this state of law as unacceptable, and proposes to make it illegal to use a work that obviously has been made available to the public illegally on the Internet or any other electronic communication net when use from the illegal source is able to cause considerable damage to the originators economic interests. Thus, if the new Act passes, Norwegian law will not allow the use of pirate streaming services. However, penalties can only be imposed if the infringement is made by wilful intent.
Washington: Billionaire Donald Trump swept all five presidential primaries held on Tuesday, strengthening his hold on the Republican race, while Democrat Hillary Clinton distanced herself from rival Bernie Sanders with three solid wins.
Trump defeated his rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island a stunning show of force by a candidate seen as a populist political savior by millions despite being loathed by the party establishment.
On the Democratic side, US networks projected Clinton as the winner in Delaware, Maryland and the nights big prize, the battleground state of Pennsylvania. But her clean sweep was denied by Sanders, who claimed a victory in Rhode Island, according to projections. He was also leading narrowly in Connecticut, according to early vote counts, but that race was still too close to call.
Thank you Pennsylvania! What a great night, Clinton told a crowd of supporters in Philadelphia.
Subic Bay: A Japanese warship sailed into a Philippine port near disputed South China Sea (SCS) waters on Tuesday in another sign of deepening security ties between the World War II foes to counter Beijing.
Tensions in the South China Sea -- through which one-third of the world's oil passes -- have mounted in recent years since China transformed contested reefs into artificial islands capable of supporting military facilities. The Japanese destroyer Ise docked in Subic Bay while on a "navigational training" mission, the ship's captain said.
It marked the second time in just over three weeks that Japanese naval vessels visited Subic, a former major United States (US) naval base that lies around 200 kilometres from a Chinese-controlled shoal. "We want to deepen the relationship with the Philippines," Ise Captain Masaki Takada told reporters, who were given a tour of the vessel.
Takada declined to say whether the Ise had been in contact with Chinese naval vessels during its voyage. The Philippines, a US security ally with a severely under-equipped military has been seeking to strengthen ties with Japan as tensions mount over the disputed waterway, almost all of which is claimed by China.
Aside from the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan also have overlapping claims. Japan has its own dispute with China in the East China Sea over uninhabited islands that it administers but that are also claimed by Beijing.
Takada declined to say whether the Ise had been in contact with Chinese naval vessels during its voyage. The Philippines, a US security ally with a severely under-equipped military has been seeking to strengthen ties with Japan as tensions mount over the disputed waterway, almost all of which is claimed by China.
Aside from the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan also have overlapping claims. Japan has its own dispute with China in the East China Sea over uninhabited islands that it administers but that are also claimed by Beijing.
Argentina's oil producers have shipped record volumes of crude this month, spurred by a new government subsidy that has also prompted state-owned oil company YPF to return to the export market for the first time in years.
The surge in shipments abroad comes just a month after Argentina's new president, Mauricio Macri, introduced measures to help oil exporters as part of sweeping policy changes aimed at boosting investment and opening the South American nation's economy after years of heavy controls on trade.
Exports are expected to reach a record 91,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude in April, including two cargoes sold by YPF to China and barrels shipped by private producers, according to a source.
Argentina exported 29,000 bpd in March and 30,000 bpd in April last year, according to Thomson Reuters Trade Flows data. After a two-year hiatus, YPF is in April joining other exporters of Escalante heavy crude, including Pan American Energy, ENAP Sipetrol and Tecpetrol.
In October the country exported 65,000 bpd, including large cargoes to China and India, according to data that comprises sales made from late 2014 to April 2016.
The main impetus for the flurry of sales is likely a $7.50 brown per barrel payment that the government gives exporters if international oil prices stay below $47.50 per barrel. The deals may also reveal that the nation's producers have excess crude to export because of lower input to domestic refineries.
The volumes are still tiny compared with those of major exporters such as Russia and Saudi Arabia, and only a small portion of the nation's 700,000 bpd of output in recent years. Argentina's growing exports could add to a global oversupply estimated at 1.5 million bpd, putting further pressure on prices.
The exports also contrast with Argentina's appetite for crude imports since 2014, when the country lifted restrictions on oil imports to reduce purchases of refined products while feeding its domestic refineries with better crude.
The country is struggling to attract investment needed to increase oil production and reverse its position as a net oil importer.
On Their Way
The two cargoes of Escalante crude sold by YPF and private companies were loaded in April at the Caleta Cordova port, with China's Qingdao terminal as their destination. A third cargo is sailing to a terminal operated by Norway's Statoil in the Bahamas, according to the data.
The first cargo, on tanker Maran Penelope, include 200,000 barrels sold by YPF to PetroChina and 700,000 barrels sold by Pan American Energy. It is scheduled to arrive in China in mid May.
The second cargo, on tanker Nordic Zenith, is carrying 925,000 barrels for China's CNR and it is expected to arrive in early June.
Even though YPF had not exported crude in recent years, Pan American Energy, Tecpetrol and ENAP Sipetrol have been selling at least 30,000 bpd of the same grade to international clients, some of them through tenders on the open market.
(Reporting by Juliana Castilla and Marianna Parraga; Written by Hugh Bronstein; Edited by Steve Orlofsky)
The German Navy's third F125-class frigate Sachsen-Anhalt was christened in March during a ceremony held at ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems shipyard in Hamburg.
Dr. Gabriele Haseloff, wife of the premier of the state of Saxony-Anhalt after which the frigate has been named, performed the christening ceremony in the presence of representatives from government, the German Navy and the companies involved.
The F125-class frigate propulsion module consists of one LM2500 gas turbine, two electric motors and four diesel generator-sets in a combined diesel-electric and gas turbine (CODLAG) propulsion arrangement. All four of the new F125-class frigates being built for the German Navy will use the same LM2500 CODLAG-configured propulsion system. The gas turbines are manufactured at GE's Evendale, Ohio, facility. GE LM2500s also power the German Navy's Bremen- (F122), Brandenburg- (F123) and Sachsen-class (F124) frigates.
The ARGE F125 consortium which was awarded the contract to build four F125 class ships for the German Navy in 2007 comprises ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems as the lead company and Fr. Lurssen Werft in Bremen. The pre-fitted bow sections are being manufactured at the Fr. Lurssen Werft shipyards in Bremen and Wolgast. Construction of the stern sections, the joining of the two sections and further fitting out is being carried out at Blohm+Voss Shipyards in Hamburg.
The new F125-class frigates replace the German Navy's eight Bremen-class frigates. The first two frigates of the four vessel series, Baden-Wurttemberg and Nordrhein-Westfalen, were christened in December 2013 and April 2015, respectively.
Sachsen-Anhalt is scheduled to be handed over to the German defense procurement agency BAAINBw in early 2019. Commissioning and in-port trials of the first F125 frigate, the Baden-Wurttemberg, have now advanced to the stage where sea trials can commence as planned in spring this year. Handover of the Baden-Wurttemberg to the BAAINBw is scheduled for mid-2017. The contract for the F125 program is worth around two billion euros in total.
Key data for the F125:
Length: 149 m
Width: 18 m
Maximum speed: >26 knots
Displacement: approx. 7,000 t
Crew: max. 190 (of which up to 120 regular crew members)
The planned freight port, the Stockholm Norvik Port, just north of Nynashamn, is extremely important for the establishment of an efficient, eco-friendly supply of goods to the Stockholm region. In accordance with the Swedish Environmental Code, construction and operation of the port requires a legal ruling. Today the Swedish Supreme Court issued a positive ruling by deciding not to allow permission for an appeal to be heard. This means that construction of the port can begin during the year.
We are very pleased about the Supreme Courts decision. After a long process in this important project for the Stockholm region, the Supreme Court has issued its final ruling and we can at last begin to build the Stockholm Norvik Port, says Johan Castwall, Ports of Stockholm Managing Director.
In Sweden nine out of ten goods arrive by sea, and a large portion of these are destined for the Stockholm region. The Stockholm Norvik Port will make it possible to transport goods as close to their final destinations as possible by sea. This results in major environmental benefits and simultaneously reduces the pressure on Swedens already congested road and railway networks.
The global growth that we are experiencing generates increased freight volumes and Stockholm is the most rapidly expanding capital city in Europe. This imposes high demands for an efficient and sustainable supply of goods. By ensuring that we have the capability to welcome vessels that are becoming ever larger we are creating financially and economically attractive transport possibilities for our region. The Stockholm Norvik Port, with its natural depth, short approach lanes and close proximity to the market is an important piece in the goods supply jigsaw puzzle, continues Johan Castwall.
It is expected that Ports of Stockholm will be able to welcome the first vessel into port about three years after the start of construction.
London: A Pakistani-origin woman Labour MP on Tuesday resigned from the shadow cabinet in the UK over an anti-Jewish Facebook post that called for relocation of Israel to the US to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Naz Shah stepped down as the parliamentary private secretary to Labour's shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, over anti-semitic remarks she made two years ago.
Shah has since apologised, saying: "I deeply regret the hurt I have caused.
"This post from two years ago was made before I was an MP, does not reflect my views and I apologise for any offence it has caused."
In a second statement, she added: "I made these posts at the height of the Gaza conflict in 2014, when emotions were running high around the Middle East conflict.
"But that is no excuse for the offence I have given, for which I unreservedly apologise."
Among a series of messages on social media, she had said that the "solution for Israel-Palestine Conflict - Relocate Israel into United States", with the comment "problem solved".
Alongside the post, Shah added a smiley-face emoji and suggested she would lobby the prime minister to adopt the plan.
The Labour party confirmed that she had stepped down as Parliamentary Private Secretary, an unpaid backbench assistant.
The post was highlighted by the Guido Fawkes political website.
"I will be seeking to expand my existing engagement and dialogue with Jewish community organisations, and will be stepping up my efforts to combat all forms of racism, including anti-semitism," said Shah, who is also a member of the House of Commons home affairs select committee which is conducting an inquiry into the rise of anti-semitism in the UK.
The Campaign against anti-semitism has warned that it would not be able to take the committee's inquiry seriously if Shah remains part of it.
"We have offered to assist the select committee in its work investigating antisemitism. However, if Naz Shah remains on the committee it will be hard for those of us giving evidence to take the inquiry seriously," a spokesperson said.
Incat Crowther has been awarded a contract with shipbuilder Astinave EP of Guayaquil, Ecuador for the supply of vessel design services and aluminum component kits for a pair of 22.5m monohull crewboats currently under construction for an undisclosed client. The vessels will operate in support of Ecaudors state-owned oil and gas company, Flota Petrolera Ecuatoriana (Flopec).
Incat Crowther said the 20-knot crewboats feature modern styling combined with a robust and simple-to-build structure. Propulsion is enabled by two Cummins QSK19 marine engines rated at 750 bhp at 1,800 rpm driving Teignbridge fixed pitch NiBrAl propellers. Electrical power is supplied by two Cummins 55MDDCM generator sets each rated at 55 ekw at 1,800 rpm.
Tank capacities include 11,000 liters of fuel oil and 7,000 liters of potable water.
The crew accommodations resting ahead of the engine room features private staterooms for three crew, with each a locker cabinet for storage. A galley, mess area and washroom complete the crew accommodations.
The main deck includes a generous 40m2 cargo deck covered in hardwood planking and a passenger cabin featuring 25 seats, two water closets, luggage shelves, two PFD storage lockers, and a deck locker.
On the upper deck sits the pilothouse complete with forward and aft facing helm positions and a chart table. Two inflatable life rafts are aft of the wheelhouse and are arranged for easy launching.
According to Incat Crowther , the supply of the aluminum kits represents another capability of outside of its vessel design capabilities. The kits were processed by U.S.-based suppliers and shipped sea-freight from Houston to Guayaquil. Completion of the vessels is scheduled for October.
Specifications: 22.5m Monohull Crewboat
Principal Dimensions
Length Overall: 73 10 / 22.5m
Length Waterline: 71 6 / 21.8m
Beam Overall: 29 6 / 6m
Draft (hull): 4 / 1.22m
Draft (prop or max): 5 6 / 1.68m
Depth: 9 10 / 3m
Construction: Marine Grade Aluminum
Capacities
Fuel Oil: 2,900 gallons / 11,000 liters
Fresh Water: 1,850 gallons / 7,000 liters
Black Water: 150 gallons / 600 liters
Personnel: 25
Propulsion and Performance
Speed (Service): 18 knots
Speed (Max): 20 knots
Main Engines: 2 x Cummins QSK 19
Power: 2 x 750 BHP @ 1,800 rpm
Propulsion: 2 x 5-Blade Teignbridge Propellers
Gearbox: 2 x Twin Disc MGX-5145 SC
Generators: 2 x Cummins 55 kw
Regulatory
Flag: Ecuador
Class / Survey: Lloyds Register
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division marked the start of fabrication for the Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) destroyer Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121) for the U.S. Navy. The start of fabrication signifies that 100 tons of steel have been cut.
This is a significant day for our shipbuilders and for the U.S. Navy as Ingalls once again begins fabrication of another destroyer, said George Nungesser, Ingalls DDG 51 program manager. We have delivered 28 of these ships to the U.S. Navy, and our experienced and talented shipbuilders are more than ready to produce another high-quality destroyer. This is our fourth destroyer started in three years, and we are seeing the efficiencies that come from building these ships back-to-back.
DDG 121 is the third of five DDG 51 destroyers the company was awarded in June 2013. The five-ship contract, part of a multi-year procurement in the DDG 51 program, allows Ingalls to build ships more efficiently by buying bulk material and moving the skilled workforce from ship to ship.
The guided missile destroyer honors Frank Emmanuel Petersen Jr., who was the first African-American aviator and general officer in the United States Marine Corps. After entering the Naval Aviation Cadet Program in 1950, Petersen would go on to fly more than 350 combat missions throughout the Korean and Vietnam wars.
According to the shipbuilder the highly capable, multi-mission ship can conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection, all in support of the United States military strategy. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are capable of simultaneously fighting air, surface and subsurface battles. The ship contains myriad offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime defense needs well into the 21st century.
As the U.S. prepares to enter the European gas markets with its first delivery of liquefied natural gas, Norway and Russia are expected to increase production to lower prices and make exporting less desirable to the U.S., reports Daily Sabah.
Europe will become the third continental customer for U.S. LNG with a delivery set to arrive in Portugal this week, while the U.S. is expected to increase global LNG supplies by 15-20 percent next year.
Cheniere Energys newly completed Sabine Pass facility on the U.S. Gulf Coast recently sent a shipment of American liquefied natural gas, which should arrive in Portugal within a few days.
However, Russia's gas giant, Gazprom, whose biggest customers are in European countries, along with Norway, the second biggest supplier of gas to Europe after Russia, are expected to step up their efforts to prevent losing market share to U.S. gas.
Appearance of the US liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Europe may prompt Russian gas producers to adopt a Saudi-style behavior model and keep gas production maximum high in order to push out marginal producers, says a report in Sputnik.
Most impact from the US LNG is likely to be felt in Europe in 2018 and onward, when US producers might have captured a significant market share.
The US government is unlikely to offer subsidies to American companies exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) to European countries that are dependent on Russian energy sources.
Many energy experts do not anticipate US LNG will be competitive with Russian pipeline resources. As a result, US producers are likely to enter markets that support higher prices.
European LNG demand is rising as domestic natural gas production is falling. Europes LNG imports climbed by 16 percent in 2015 compared to a year earlier.
ExxonMobil has compiled five top-tips to help vessel operators effectively switch fuels when entering and exiting Emission Control Areas (ECAs) without introducing maintenance issues.
ExxonMobil highlights that switching fuels at correct time is key to meeting 0.10% sulphur requirement.
Typically, inadequate management of the fuel switchover process can increase the risk of thermal shock to engine components, which can result in fuel pump seizures and engine shutdowns.
ExxonMobil advises marine operators to consider the following five key fuel switching tips:
1.Have a clear switchover procedure It is important to ensure that the crew is familiar with the process. As an additional safety measure, the procedure should be tested prior to entering crowded and restricted channels where there is a higher risk of grounding or collision.
2.Outline the best time to switchover The optimal switchover period is different for each vessel and operators must allow sufficient time for the fuel system to be flushed of all non-compliant fuel before arriving at an ECA limit.
3.Avoid hazards; know the correct temperature and viscosity The viscosity of heavy fuel oil (HFO), ECA fuels and marine gas oil (MGO) are very different. The appropriate temperature must be achieved to ensure that the optimum viscosity at the injectors is reached. HFO is injected at ~130C and MGO needs to be cooled to ~30C in order to reach the correct viscosity. Major engine manufacturers typically recommend a maximum temperature change of 2C per minute to help avoid thermal shock.
4.Understand compatibility There is a potential risk of fuel incompatibility during the switching process where fuels may mix. This may clog filters, causing engine starvation and possible shut down. In order to understand if fuels are compatible, an industry-standard spot test can be carried on-board or a more thorough compatibility test can be requested from a reputable testing laboratory.
5.Choose the correct lubricant Cylinder oils need to be sufficiently alkaline to neutralise any corrosive acidic sulphur in the fuel. However, when less sulphur is present, less sulphuric acid is produced. Too much alkalinity in the cylinder oil can lead to liner wear, while too little increases the risk of acid corrosion. When burning low-sulphur fuels in slow-speed engines, it is recommended that a lower base number lubricant be used.
In addition to these top-tips, ExxonMobil has developed two ECA category fuels, ExxonMobil Premium AFME 200 and ExxonMobil Premium HDME 50, to help operators comply with ECA requirements safely.
The South Korean carrier Hanjin Shipping plans to generate USD 357 million from asset sales.
South Koreas largest container operator by capacity plans to sell items such as dry bulk activities while the debt-stricken shipping group negotiates with shipowners for a reduction in charter contracts. Without lower prices, a debt restructuring will not be an option, say the creditors.
In a Korea Exchange filing, Hanjin Shipping said, In order to restructure our debts, we have devised intensive measures to raise capital.
Hanjin Shipping will continue aggressive restructuring efforts, the company said in the statement. We will cooperate closely with the creditors should they accept our application.
To start with, the company plans to sell terminal assets in South Korea. These are expected to raise KRW175 billion. It has several terminals worldwide, including Busan, Gwangyang, and Incheon.
Hanjin also plans to securitise its office in Busan, a move that could net KRW102.2 billion.
It could also sell some of its bulk carriers and its remaining stake in H-Line Shipping, the entity to which it divested its bulk and LNG shipping businesses in 2014.
Hanjin Shipping is the latest among South Korean liners recasting their debt after Finance Minister Yoo Il Ho called for an industry overhaul following years of weak demand that eroded cash at companies.
Shipping companies world-wide have been hit by years of slumping demand, particularly from China, forcing some to sell vessels at a discount to survive. A handful of smaller operators have already gone bankrupt.
1805 - With naval bombardment from USS Nautilus, USS Hornet, and USS Argus, Lt. Presley OBannon leads his Marines to attack Derne, Tripoli, and raises the first U.S. flag over foreign soil. The Battle of Derna was the Marines' first battle on foreign soil, and is notably recalled in the first verse of the Marines Hymn.
1813 - A U.S. naval squadron under the command of Commodore Isaac Chauncey supports an attack on York (now Toronto), Canada, of nearly 1,800 troops under Gen. Zebulon Pike during the War of 1812.
1944 - USS Bluegill (SS 242) torpedoes the Japanese light cruiser Yubari west of Sonsorol Island, while USS Halibut (SS 232) sinks Japanese minelayer off Okinawa.
1952 - During the Korean War, USS Samuel N. Moore (DD 747) conducts counter-battery fire against enemy shore batteries off Kosong, Korea. The enemy guns are silenced. Also on this date, USS Waxbill (AMS) is damaged by enemy shore battery off Wonsan, Korea.
1963 - USS Daniel Webster (SSBN 6261) is launched at Groton, Conn. Commissioned a year later, she serves until decommissioned in August 1990.
(Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division)
The United Nations Security Council Libya sanctions committee blacklisted on Wednesday an Indian-flagged tanker carrying crude oil shipped by the rival eastern Libya government, said diplomats, which would prevent it from entering any ports.
Libyan U.N. Ambassador Ibrahim Dabbashi wrote to the 15-member sanctions committee on Monday asking for the Distya Ameya tanker to be blacklisted, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The ship left Marsa el-Hariga port late on Monday.
Diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the sanctions committee chair had informed them that there were no objections to the Dabbashi's request before a 3 p.m. (1900 GMT) Wednesday deadline so the ship was added to the sanctions list.
The eastern Libya government has set up its own National Oil Company (NOC) to act parallel to the Tripoli-based NOC, which is recognized globally as the legitimate seller of Libyan oil.
The Distya Ameya tanker is carrying 650,000 barrels of oil on behalf of Libya's eastern NOC. The ship appeared to be south east of Malta when it last reported its position through the publicly available AIS tracking system on Wednesday afternoon.
The ship is carrying oil ordered by a company called DSA Consultancy FZC, registered in the United Arab Emirates, according to Libyan authorities.
DSA Consultancy said on Wednesday it believed the shipment was legitimate. It said it had "a signed and agreed contract from the NOC dated 13th October 2015 to lift oil", and that the "ultimate beneficiary" was the Central Bank of Libya.
Diplomats said the sanctions committee had also written to the governments of India and the United Arab Emirates to remind them of the Libya sanctions and seek further clarification and relevant information on the shipment.
In March 2014, the Security Council allowed the Libyan government to request that vessels carrying oil from rebel-held ports be blacklisted by the sanctions committee and authorized states to board and inspect designated ships on the high seas.
A 2011 uprising in Libya toppled leader Muammar Gaddafi but left the country in chaos.
Two competing governments, one in Tripoli and one in the east, backed by militias scrambled for control of the oil-producing country, creating a power vacuum that allowed Islamic State militants to gain a foothold in the North African state.
Leaders of a U.N.-backed Libya unity government, designed to replace the rival administrations, arrived in Tripoli last month. That government said on Monday it had taken control of seven ministries in Tripoli.
(By Michelle Nichols and Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Toni Reinhold)
The Port of New Orleans board of commissioners announced today that port president and chief executive officer Gary LaGrange will retire at the end of his current contract in April 2017.The board is expected to name the ports current chief operating officer, Brandy Christian, as LaGranges successor.
LaGrange, a 40-year veteran of the maritime industry, served as president and CEO of the Port of New Orleans since 2001. During his tenure, the port invested more than $500 million in infrastructure, opening state-of-the-art facilities including new container, intermodal, cruise and refrigerated terminals. Port revenues reached record heights for the fourth consecutive year in 2015, topped the half-million TEU mark for the first time and topped one million cruise passengers for the second consecutive year.
LaGranges leadership helped to bring the Port of New Orleans back into operation 12 days after Hurricane Katrina. He has also been a tireless industry advocate touting the importance of ports and waterways to the local and national economy.
The board is expected to authorize William Bergeron, chairman of the board of commissioners of the Port of New Orleans, to negotiate a contract with Christian to take over as president and CEO. Bergeron has praised Christians background and her role as current Port of New Orleans COO.
Christian joined the Port of New Orleans as COO in January 2015 after 14 years with the Port of San Diego, where she served for five years as vice president of strategy and business development. During her tenure in San Diego, Christian helped to secure major accounts for the cruise and cargo business lines at the port, while also helping to improve operational processes and reduce costs for the public agency.
Brandy Christian is the right person to continue our momentum and lead the Port of New Orleans to the next level of success, LaGrange said. He thanked the board of commissioners, port tenants and customers, and most importantly the ports employees for their support and hard work during his tenure in New Orleans.
I have said it before and Ill say it again. You will not find a better team anywhere in the maritime community than here at the Port of New Orleans, LaGrange said.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed to designate a dredged material disposal site to serve the eastern Long Island Sound region. The Eastern Long Island Sound Disposal Site (ELDS) would be located offshore from New London, Conn., and would be available for the disposal of dredged material from harbors and navigation channels in eastern Long Island Sound in the states of Connecticut and New York.
EPA is proposing the same restrictions on the use of this site as it proposed for the central and western Long Island Sound disposal sites, to support the goal of reducing or eliminating open-water disposal of dredged material in the Sound. These restrictions are intended to promote the beneficial use of dredged material, such as beach nourishment, or other alternatives to open-water disposal whenever practicable.
The proposed action is described in a draft rule and Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) that also is being released today for public comment. These documents are available for public review and comment until June 27, 2016. EPA will hold two public hearings on the proposed rule on May 25 and 26. The DSEIS is considered supplemental because it updates and builds on analyses that were conducted for the 2005 Long Island Sound Environmental Impact Statement that supported the designation of the Central and Western Long Island Sound dredged material disposal sites. The DSEIS recommends designation of the ELDS as the preferred alternative from the range of options considered.
EPA determined that a site was necessary because there are currently no disposal sites designated for long-term use in the eastern Long Island Sound region, the dredging needs exceed the available capacity at existing sites, and the regulations require EPA designation for any long-term dredged material disposal site. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) estimates the dredging needs in eastern Long Island Sound to be approximately 22.6 million cubic yards over the next 30 years.
While EPA, the USACE, and the states of Connecticut and New York are committed to developing and promoting the use of alternatives to open-water disposal, EPA has determined that an open-water disposal site still is necessary in case an alternative is not available for some projects. Periodic dredging of harbors and channels is essential for ensuring safe navigation and facilitating marine commerce and recreation.
The designation of dredged material disposal sites by EPA only makes those sites available for use by future dredging projects; it does not authorize the disposal of any material from any project. Any proposal to place dredged material at the ELDS will have a project-specific authorization and must satisfy the stringent requirements of the ocean disposal regulations. Dredged material that does not pass the stringent testing requirements and is determined to be toxic are not, and will not in the future, be placed in the open waters of Long Island Sound. These materials currently and in the future will require either containment or treatment.
EPA will hold four public hearings to receive comments on the proposed rule and DSEIS. Registration will begin 30 minutes before each of the four hearings:
- May 25, 2016 in New York from 1-3 p.m. at the Suffolk County Community College Culinary Arts Center, 20 East Main St., Riverhead, N.Y., and 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Mattituck-Laurel Library, 13900 Main Rd., Mattituck, N.Y.
- May 26, 2016 in Connecticut from 1-3 p.m. and from 5-7 p.m. at the University of Connecticut Avery Point, Academic Building, Room 308, 1084 Shennecossett Rd, Groton, Conn.
Following consideration of the comments received, EPA will issue a Final SEIS which will include written responses to comments.
Norwegian Escape, the first cruise ship in Norwegian Cruise Lines new Breakway Plus Class, was delivered in October 2015. The 164,600 GT vessel, which boasts 19 decks and 4,200 berths over a length of 325.8 m, is not only Norwegians largest cruise ship to date, but also one of the largest cruise ships in the world.
On board Norwegian Escape are a number of Alfa Laval systems installed to perform a wide range of functions on the ship.
Fueled by HFO, with low-sulphur HFO and MGO used as needed, the vessel has six Alfa Laval S separation systems for HFO and one for MGO, as well as an additional system for lube oil. Two oil-fired Alfa Laval Aalborg OM boilers of medium size are also present. Waste fuel recovery is performed by the unique Alfa Laval PureDry, while waste heat from the engines provides energy via five Alfa Laval XW waste heat recovery boilers. In addition there is an Alfa Laval MEP freshwater generator, as well as an Alfa Laval PureBilge system and a 500 m3/h Alfa Laval PureBallast system to ensure environmental compliance.
Abdeslam, a French national of Moroccan origin who grew up in Belgium, is believed to be the last surviving member of the terror squad that killed 130 people in Paris on November 13. (Photo: AFP)
Paris: Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam arrived at a court in the French capital Wednesday where he was to be grilled by investigating judges following his extradition from Belgium.
Abdeslam, a French national of Moroccan origin who grew up in Belgium, is believed to be the last surviving member of the terror squad that killed 130 people in Paris on November 13.
His French lawyer, Frank Berton, told regional newspaper Voix du Nord that his client was "anxious to explain himself" in France. He said he had spoken to Abdeslam only once and had found him "very despondent".
Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said the 26-year-old was formally placed under arrest after arriving on French soil at 9:05 am (0705 GMT).
"He will be presented to judges during the day with a view to being charged," Molins said in a statement.
At around 11:00am, Abdeslam arrived at Paris's main courthouse in a convoy of four cars carrying heavily-armed security forces wearing balaclavas. He was still there some five hours later.
Justice Minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas said the suspect would be placed in isolation in a prison in the Paris region and monitored by "hardened guards trained in the detention of persons believed to be dangerous".
Sources close to the investigation said he would be sent to the over-crowded prison of Fleury-Merogis, Europe's biggest jailhouse.
'Justice is on its way'
Jean Reinhart, a lawyer for about 30 families of the attack victims, hailed the extradition, saying "justice is on its way".
"He knows a lot of things. He has made a lot of statements that he would talk, I hope he stays in that state of mind," said Georges Saline, whose daughter was killed at the Bataclan concert hall along with 89 others.
Abdeslam was arrested in Brussels on March 18 after four months on the run as Europe's most wanted man.
Prosecutors believe he was in charge of logistics for the coordinated series of attacks on Paris cafes, the Bataclan and the national stadium, which were planned in Brussels.
Abdeslam rented the cars that the Islamic State group squad used to travel to Paris, and booked the rooms where they stayed before launching the attack.
His brother Brahim detonated his suicide vest in a bar, and Abdeslam himself said he had been expected to do the same outside the national stadium, but had backed out at the last minute.
After revealing that nugget of information in his first interrogation, Abdeslam has since remained mum.
Abdeslam's arrest came just days before coordinated attacks on Brussels airport and a metro station that left 32 people dead.
Police have uncovered clear links between Abdeslam and the three Brussels suicide bombers, but he has said through his Belgian lawyer that he knew nothing about the attack.
Last month, Belgian police arrested another key Paris suspect called Mohamed Abrini, who was seen with Abdeslam before the attacks, and who also turned out to be the so-called "man in the hat" seen in CCTV footage with two bombers shortly before they staged the Brussels airport assault.
'Little moron from Molenbeek'
Abrini grew up with Abdeslam in the gritty Brussels suburb of Molenbeek along with several other suspects, who all share a similar story of getting on the wrong side of the law and becoming radicalised.
His Belgian lawyer Sven Mary gave a lengthy interview to the Liberation newspaper that appeared on Wednesday, describing the difficulty of representing such an infamous client.
"There have been moments when I thought of giving up. If I had known about the Brussels attacks, maybe I would never have taken this case," Mary said.
He described his client as a "little moron from Molenbeek, more a follower than a leader. He has the intelligence of an empty ashtray. He is the perfect example of the GTA (Grand Theft Auto video game) generation who thinks he lives in a video game.
"I asked him if he had read the Koran, and he replied that he had researched it on the Internet."
The attacks suspects should be judged by an "international criminal court," he said.
"These people committed acts of war."
Mary said he had spoken to Abdeslam seven or eight times and he still was unsure how his client had ended up radicalised.
Defendant 'worth gold'
"A year and a half ago he was clubbing in Amsterdam. The only explanation I can find is that it was Internet propaganda that gave the impression that Muslims were unfairly treated," he told Liberation.
Mary blames Paris prosecutor Molins for his client's silence since he was first questioned.
Molins revealed the contents of the interrogation to French journalists, and Mary filed a complaint against him for doing so.
"I think Salah Abdeslam is of capital importance to this investigation. I would even say he is worth gold. He cooperates, he communicates," Mary said.
IE has repaired the deck of a Ueushuk Fisheries Ltd owned fixed gear vessel, the Atlantic Optimist. The existing steelwork on board the vessel was badly corroded, access tight and a crop-and-replace repair was an unattractive option.
When IE personnel arrived in Canada in mid-April, the 40msq of deck requiring steel reinstatement had already been grit blasted. Solid perimeter bars that form the boundary of the cavity and top plates were welded into place and the resulting cavity injected with the elastomer core to form the new composite deck (existing deck - 3/4 elastomer core - 1/4 steel top plate). The SPS deck reinstatement was substantially quicker than an equivalent conventional steel repair.
Captain Rex Simmonds, Ueushuk Fisheries Ltd commented, Cutting out the deck and replacing it, would have delayed our fishing season and lost revenue. SPS was recommended to us and it was an excellent choice. The deck was completed four weeks faster and cheaper than if we had to cut out the old deck and put in a new one. IEs on-site project manager was very amenable and ensured we were on schedule, whilst management were excellent to deal with and very fair when it came to project administration.
He continued, I like the fact that the new deck is much stronger because the old deck is still there with a new deck on top bonded by the elastomer core. I recommend this process to anyone who has to replace steel on board ships where the SPS system can be used.
France has expressed its willingness to help Libyas new unity government with maritime security as the fledgling administration seeks to assert its authority over the chaos-wracked country, reports AFP.
"We must wait for [Libyan] Prime Minister [Fayez Sarraj] to tell us what security measures should be taken and what he intends to get from the international community to ensure the maritime security of Libya," French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.
On Monday, it was agreed at a meeting of US, UK, French, German and Italian leaders in Hanover that there is an urgent need to provide support to Libya amid the threat posed by Daesh terrorist group and criminal smuggling networks destabilizing the country.
The EU is concerned by the Islamic State group's expansion in Libya, and also by a new increase in migrant arrivals in Italy from Libya since the start of spring.
Libya has been in a state of turmoil since the uprising of February 2011, which later led to a civil war and the overthrow of the countrys longtime leader, Muammar Gaddafi.
The European Union Naval Force Mediterranean (EU Navfor Med) operation was launched in the wake of the April 2015 Libyan migrant shipwreck incidents, with the aim of eliminating refugee smuggling routes in the Mediterranean. Currently, the operation is mandated to operate only in international waters.
NATO is now three months away from launching its own patrols off Libya as part of a plan to stop migrants arriving in Italy, Italian Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti said. This mission will be approved during the July 7 NATO Summit in Warsaw and will be integrated in a broader plan to close the western sea route to Europe and to return economic migrants to their country.
Revenue falls 30 pct; order book at S$9.7 billion.
Singapore rig-builder Sembcorp Marine's quarterly profit halved as customers deferred projects, and it faces prolonged uncertainty on contracts from its biggest client, Sete Brasil, whose shareholders have approved its bankruptcy.
Sembcorp Marine posted a profit of S$55 million ($41 million) for the three months ended March 31, compared with a profit of S$106 million a year ago.
Sembcorp Marine and its cross-town rival Keppel Corp have been hit by slumping orders as oil prices dropped nearly 60 percent since mid-2014.
Exacerbating the situation are troubles at Sete Brasil, a company set up by corruption-battered Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras). The graft scandal and recession have crushed popularity for President Dilma Rousseff, who is facing ouster.
Sete Brasil's shareholders last week voted to allow it to seek bankruptcy protection. It has paid neither Sembcorp Marine nor Keppel since late 2014.
Both companies have said provisions taken last year for those contracts are currently sufficient, while Sembcorp Marine started arbitration proceedings against subsidiaries of Sete Brasil, from which it has won orders worth $5.6 billion.
"For Sete Brasil, there is going to be a lot of unknowns such as the ongoing political scandal there, I doubt anything will be done this year. So the arbitration can just drag on for a while," Joel Ng, an analyst at KGI Fraser Securities, said before the results were announced.
ORDER BOOK
A collapse of Sete Brasil would be devastating not only for the investors that backed the project but for dozens of local suppliers. More than 800,000 local shipbuilding jobs could be lost, triggering $10 billion in losses, industry estimates show.
"In Brazil, the political upheavals remain unabated, with the ongoing process to impeach the Brazilian President," said Sembcorp Marine's chief executive, Wong Weng Sun.
"Such development and the deteriorating economy have contributed to the ongoing volatility and uncertainty of the situation in Brazil."
SembCorp Marine, a subsidiary of industrial conglomerate Sembcorp Industries, posted quarterly revenue of S$918 million - a drop of about 30 percent from a year earlier. Its order book stood at S$9.7 billion at the end of the quarter.
The company's cashflows have come under pressure as customers delay taking deliveries of their projects, hurting its gearing levels, analysts said.
Earlier this year, Reuters, citing people familiar with the matter, reported the parent may inject funds into SembCorp Marine or buy full control to replenish finances.
Sembcorp Marine's shares closed 0.3 percent lower ahead of the results.
Reporting by Aradhana Aravindan
Oregon State University to issue RFI on ship project after design completion
The design phase for a project to construct a new regional class research vessel to replenish the United States academic fleet is complete, and Oregon State University will issue a request for information (RFI) on Monday, May 2, to shipyards interested in constructing the vessel.
In January 2013, the National Science Foundation (NSF) selected Oregon State as the lead institution to finalize the design and coordinate the construction of the vessel and possibly up to two more a project considered crucial to maintaining the countrys marine science research capabilities.
The design phase has been completed by The Glosten Associates, a naval architecture firm based in Seattle, and the RFI is a chance to generate market interest and to get feedback from industry on the design and other project documents. OSU plans to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) in two phases beginning this summer a technical phase to establish a competitive pool of qualified shipyards and a cost phase to elicit vessel cost proposals.
The Request for Information issued on May 2 is a chance for us to make final tweaks in the preliminary design and to open up a dialogue with industry about the project, said Demian Bailey, Oregon State Universitys former marine superintendent and a co-leader on the project. Once we issue the RFP this summer, it will become more difficult to alter the design or other project documents.
Although similar in size, the new ship will differ greatly from the R/V Oceanus, built in 1975 and operated by OSU, and its sister ships, Endeavor, operated by the University of Rhode Island, and Wecoma (retired), according to Clare Reimers, a professor in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences and project co-leader.
This class of ships will enable researchers to work much more efficiently at sea because of better handling and stability, more capacity for instrumentation and less noise, Reimers said. The design also has numerous green features, including an optimized hull form, waste heat recovery, LED lighting, and variable speed power generation.
These regional class research vessels are designed for studying coastal waters out to beyond the continental rise as part of the U.S. academic fleet that is available to all ocean scientists conducting federal and state-funded research and educational programs.
Among the design features:
Each regional class research vessel will be 193 feet, with a range of 7,064 nautical miles;
Cruising speed is 11 knots with a maximum speed of 13 knots;
There are 16 berths for scientists and 13 for crew members;
The ships can stay out at sea for 21 days before coming back to port.
The 2017 Presidents budget calls for building two RCRVs, but until a final budget is passed by Congress the plan is to make ready a shipyard contract to build one RCRV with options for additional vessels.
After reviewing the proposals from industry, OSU will select a shipyard in early 2017. The NSF will assume ownership of the regional class research vessels, but Oregon State expects to operate the first vessel constructed, which will conduct sciences missions primarily in the eastern North Pacific Ocean basin.
Additional vessels would be operated in the Atlantic and Gulf regions of the U.S. by other institutions that the NSF would select in late 2017.
These ships will also have the ability to operate near ice and are considered ice-classed, although they are not icebreakers, Bailey said. The first ship will likely be delivered in 2020.
As piracy on the worlds seas continues to fall, new figures from the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau (IMB) highlight growing violence off the coast of West Africa, where 44 seafarers have been captured so far this year.
Worldwide, IMB recorded 37 piracy and armed robbery incidents in the first quarter of 2016, down from 54 in the same period last year. Three vessels were hijacked and 29 boarded, with 26 crew kidnapped for ransom and a further 28 held hostage.
INFOGRAPHICS Courtesy ICC & IMB
With Nigeria and Ivory Coast accounting for two of the three hijackings recorded globally, and all 28 hostages, the Gulf of Guinea dominates world piracy in terms of numbers and severity.
Additionally the region saw 16 crew kidnapped from chemical and product tankers in four separate incidents. Ten attacks were reported off Nigeria alone, all involving guns.
Reports in the last quarter indicate unacceptable violence against ships and crews in the Gulf of Guinea, particularly around Nigeria. The current increase in kidnappings is a cause for great concern, said Pottengal Mukundan, Director of IMB, who has monitored world piracy since 1991.
IMBs Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) warns all seafarers in the region to stay vigilant, maintain anti-piracy watches and take additional measures to prevent boarding. Armed groups have attacked vessels and their crews along the coast, rivers, anchorages, ports and surrounding waters as well as up to 110 nautical miles out to sea this quarter. Bulk and vehicle carriers
have been targeted as well as vessels associated with the oil industry.
India: armed robbers
IMB noted ten incidents off India in the first quarter of 2016. The seaport Kandla in Western India reported seven of these more than for the whole of 2015. They were predominantly low-level thefts by groups of armed robbers targeting anchored vessels.
Positive signs in South East Asia
No small product tankers have been hijacked in South East Asia so far in 2016, after a spate of attacks between April 2014 and August 2015. Actions taken by the Malaysian and Indonesian authorities against pirate gangs in 2015 appear to have had the necessary deterrent effect, said Captain Mukundan.
Indonesia recorded four low-level thefts. This is a noticeable reduction compared to the 21 incidents noted in the first quarter of 2015.
The Philippines was the location of the third hijacking this year, after the two product tankers hijacked off West Africa. Pirates attacked a tug and coal-carrying barge off Omapoy Islands
in March. The barge was cast off and ten crewmembers kidnapped from the tug. The tug was recovered by the Philippine Police and the still-laden barge recovered a week later by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
Somalia fragile
No pirate attacks have been recorded off Somalia. However, as of 31 March 2016, suspected Somali pirates continue to hold 29 crew members for ransom. IMB PRC advises shipmasters to stay vigilant and follow the industrys Best Management Practices while sailing through these waters especially as the situation onshore in Somalia remains fragile and the threat of Somali piracy has not been eliminated.
Marines with Combat Logistics Regiment 4, 4th Marine Logistics Group, Marine Forces Reserve started live operations at the Joint Operations Center located in Agadir, Morocco during Exercise African Lion 16, April 22, 2016.
The JOCs main function is to ensure that the command post exercise and peace support operations are running smoothly and that the mission of African Lion is being effectively fulfilled.
Ensuring that the hundreds of service members from participating nations have the correct information and supplies to carry out the exercise takes a lot of planning and coordination. The Marines in the JOC work together as a team to manage how each element of the exercise will receive what they need to be successful.
The basic function is to gather and hoard information and give it to the appropriate people so we can gather it back up and get the correct missions pushed out, said 1st Lt. Andrew Edwards, senior watch officer with Combat Logistics Regiment 4, 4th Marine Logistics Group, Marine Forces Reserve.
The JOC is considered to be the heartbeat of African Lion. It is what keeps the exercise up and running successfully and when issues do arise, it uses the information gathered to work effectively to overcome the obstacles.
Without the JOC we wouldnt know where troops are going, how many troops are in the locations of our area of operations, and who needs what and if they did even need those items they would have the proper chain to request those items from., said Sgt. Thomas Hamer, intelligence analyst, Combat Logistics Regiment 4. Without us in the center, everything would just crumble.
The Marines at the JOC work to the best of their ability with the other participating nations to effectively carry out the exercise objective of having a mutual understanding of each nations tactics, techniques and procedures.
If there is anything that needs to be passed to the other nations, or they need anything from the Marines, the lines of communication are open, said Hamer.
The JOC has been working hard to effectively manage Exercise African Lion 16. The exercise is slated to run through late April 2016.
What do you get when 27 central bankers meet up in Switzerland two years after a massive financial crisis? Leaving aside the obvious dorky jokes about pulling away the punchbowl, you also get a boatload of new rules. Thats what we got from the Third Accord of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, aka Basel IIIthe 2010 agreement on new international standards for bank regulation. The rules were tough, and many banks have complained they interfere with lending. So banks cheered on Sunday, when the committee watered down its infamous Leverage Ratio, theoretically giving banks more room to lend. In our view, however, this is perhaps the least significant of the three changes announcedfor most of the biggest US banks, the rule was never a big near-term headwind. The other two likely do more to clear the lingering regulatory uncertainty surrounding Financials stocks.
In theory, financial regulation exists to promote an orderly, transparent financial system that lends to business and households, supporting growth. Since 2008, however, regulators have focused more on crisis prevention, often at the expense of their traditional aims. Measures designed to make the financial system safer can carry negative side effects. Some make it more difficult for banks to secure funding or lend to a large swath of the economy. Others give them fewer options when troubles arise. These are the unseen effects of regulation.
The initial draft of Basel III had several potential unintended consequences. Since then, however, regulators have watered down several pieces, suggesting theyre aware of the possible negative impacts downstreamand shifting back from a crisis prevention mentality to a more traditional approach. Three such changes came Sunday.
Stealing most headlines were adjustments to the Leverage Ratiothe capital provision designed to prevent a buildup of leverage in the banking system. Other capital measures, like the Tier 1 ratio, are often criticized for being too complex and carrying too many exemptions to accurately reflect banks solvency. The Leverage Ratio was Basel IIIs purported solutionthe ratio of a banks total liquid capital to total assets. Basel III set the minimum ratio at 3%. The updated version keeps it there but eases some requirements for the calculation of total assets.
For example, banks can now net some positions in repo and reverse repo transactions with the same counterpartyeffectively canceling money they owe to and are owed by the same firm. Cash they hold as collateral for margin and other securities financing transactions no longer count toward total assetsbanks dont need to hold additional cash to offset ... um ... cash. Credit derivative exposure can be capped at the level of maximum potential loss after accounting for hedges, which should more accurately reflect their actual risk. And off-balance sheet assets now get the same risk-weighting allowances as on-balance sheet items.
Banks are happythe changes make the 3% target easier to hit, and European banks say it should allow them more freedom to lend as they prepare to meet the 2019 deadline for full adoption. In reality though, the likely impact is small. The Leverage Ratio isnt the biggest roadblock to eurozone lendingan honor more justly awarded to the ECBs threats to trigger capital raises and, potentially, bail-ins at banks failing its upcoming stress tests. That likely discourages lending more than capital rules taking effect years from now. On our side of the pond, most big US banks were already close to compliant with the original rule, and those with shortfalls likely would have made it by retaining earningsthe likelihood US banks cut lending to meet the target was exceedingly low. No doubt theyll enjoy the additional flexibility, but we wouldnt expect it to unleash a flood of new loans.
More significant are the two less-heralded rule-changes. The Net Stable Funding Ratio (NSFR), which governs how banks raise funds relative to the amount of foreseeable obligations over the next year, also got a makeover. The NSFR was borne out of regulators desire to limit banks dependence on wholesale funding (e.g., commercial paper), which they see as more prone to flight than deposits. It requires banks to have stable funding greater than or equal to the amount theyll require over the next year. The updates released Sunday include a much broader definition of what constitutes stable funding, and they ease the writedowns required on certain sources of capital. Writedowns on deposits backed by deposit insurance go from 10% to 5%, and those on larger deposits not backed by insurance go from 20% to 10%. More wholesale funding sources are now permissible, albeit with a 50% writedown. And in the denominator, some risk-weighting requirements were eased (while some were toughened).
Not only is the NSFR now easier to meet, but its a symbolic U-turn by regulators, an admission wholesale funding isnt as unstable as many alleged during the financial panic. By giving it more weighting as available stable funding, they encourage banks to tap these financing sources again, broadening fundraising options. Sort of like they encouraged banks to resume securitizing loans late last monthit seems regulators now realize the tools scapegoated in 2008 arent inherently bad, but actually quite useful for fundraising and risk management and perhaps even necessary for a fully functional financial system.
The other change is a small insertion into the Liquidity Coverage Ratio, which orders banks to hold enough High Quality Liquid Assets to be able to meet 30 days worth of obligations in the event of a bank run. Guidance released last year alleviated one key concern about this rule, allowing banks to draw on these buffers in times of crisis without being treated as bankrupt if they slip below the minimum in the process. The latest addition addresses the other lingering question: Would stressed banks be allowed to tap their central bank for emergency funding before being deemed bankrupt? The answer is yes. Banks can now include untapped Committed Lending Facilities from central banksarrangements where banks pay an up-front fee in exchange for a guaranteed line of credit. So far Australia is the only major central bank to have this facility, but with Basels blessing in place, others cant be far behind. Essentially, this will allow the Fed to continue playing the role it was created to fill 101 years ago: Lender of last resort. A system where the Fed and other central banks can do this is likely a more orderly, predictable oneexactly what you want when the going gets tough.
Not that Basel III or any of its provisions guard against future crises. De-risking the financial system is the impossible dream. But those who assume a watered-down Basel III means the system is less safe than it would be under a more punitive regime ignore the many benefits of having a more flexible system. More flexibility means banks can make fewer reactionary moves to stay in compliance with arbitrary capital thresholds when problems erupt, which should limit the risk of contagion and frozen credit. While thats more of a longer-term benefit, it makes it easier for banks to plan and adapt to the new rules in the here and now, which should help clear some of the regulatory uncertainty lingering over Financials.
One Year After: Freddie Gray and Structural Statism
When Freddie Gray was born in 1989, Baltimore hosted 787,000 residents and 445,000 jobs. By the time his fatal injuries in police custody provoked riots last April, the citys population had fallen by one fifth, to 623,000, and its job base had shrunk by one quarter, to 334,000.
Little wonder that throughout his life, Mr. Gray had never been legally employed. Nevertheless, friends and family considered him a good provider, according to The Baltimore Sun.
This was because he worked in the drug trade, which filled his citys economic vacuum. An average day on the corner can yield take-home pay ten times that available in the low-skill warehousing or service jobs sometimes available to high-school dropouts like Gray.
The catch, of course, is that such rewards carry two great risks. The lesser of these is regular involvement with the justice system. Gray was arrested 18 times and served three years behind bars in his tragically brief life.
Far more dangerous is how competition works in illegal markets. When selling contraband, one does not pursue market share by advertising high quality or low prices. Sales are increased by acquiring territory from rivals, often violently.
For Baltimores drug cartels, the post-riot disequilibrium provided an opportunity for market expansion. Inevitably, each strategic assassination produced reprisals and collateral damage.
As a result, 2015 saw the highest homicide rate in Baltimores history, at 55 per 100,000 residents over 13 times New Yorks rate. This horrific suffering was concentrated in the African-American community: 93% of victims were black, of which 95% were male and 65% aged 18 to 34.
In Freddie Grays demographic, then, the homicide rate was 450 per 100,000 higher than the peak U.S. combat death rates recorded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The prevailing narrative is that all this is a by-product of structural racism and exemplifies a society built on plunder (according to the celebrated black radical Ta-Nehisi Coates). This is a myth.
It is not that racism doesnt exist but rather that it is relatively constant. When explaining variations in economic and social outcomes, constants have little power.
Its the application of destructive public policies that explain why neighborhoods like Grays Sandtown-Winchester are deprived. If one had to put a label on this malignant force, it might be structural statism: an addiction to market-unfriendly governmental approaches to every problem.
The federal government encourages this addiction. Its partial subsidies for a vast array of entitlements and so-called urban renewal programs induce dependency and leverage the expansion of bureaucracies in Baltimore and elsewhere.
The damaging effects of the statist compulsion are best seen in housing policy. Shortly after the 1937 passage of the Wagner-Steagall Act premised on the notion that government landlords would serve poor and working-class tenants better than private ones Baltimore established its Housing Authority. At the end of WWII, the city had built ten projects. By 1980, it would have 30 more.
The resulting intracity diaspora destroyed vast amounts of social capital. The neighborhoods that were leveled to access urban renewal subsidies may not have been pretty, but their residents had accumulated valuable but invisible capital relationship networks, commercial contacts, and bonds of trust that government planners simply ignored.
And if that werent bad enough, those placed in projects often found City Hall to be a slumlord. Baltimore recently paid $8 million to tenants alleging that Housing Authority workers demanded sex before making needed repairs. Federal audits have been consistently critical over the years, citing deteriorated public properties and administrative inefficiency that often resulted in high vacancy rates and unspent Section 8 voucher monies.
But most critically, this and other renewal programs opened a budgetary vein. Initially, federal housing loans covering 90% of construction costs were irresistible, but Uncle Sam later paid only one third of operating costs. Tenants and the city were supposed to cover the rest. But revenue shrank as subsidized, poor tenants crowded out working-class rent-payers, while costs soared.
In consequence, Baltimore raised its property tax 19 times between 1950 and 1975, and wrecked its economy. Each rate hike imposed capital losses on home and business owners. Predictably, they fled not plunderers, but plundered. Repeated financial crises, job losses and social dysfunction followed.
Over time, city leaders understood that their tax policy was toxic to investors. Rather than pursue broad-based relief, however, they handed out special breaks to well-connected developers who focused their efforts on the waterfront, far from Mr. Grays neighborhood.
Now, at the anniversary of his death and as Baltimores primary election approaches, there is much talk that the city is about to chart a new course.
But course changes long have been advertised and seldom delivered. There is no meaningful political competition in cities like Baltimore, which has not elected a Republican mayor since 1963. Among the platoon of Democrats vying to fill the leadership vacuum, the platforms are as different as Tweedledum from Tweedledee and predictably statist.
The city recently cadged hundreds of millions of dollars in aid from the state for new social-service programs and slum clearance projects. Officials have also pledged a $535 million tax subsidy to a billionaire for yet another waterfront development its latest attempt to attract new capital without cutting taxes for the little guy. Most troubling, the City Council is advancing legislation to wrest budgetary power from the mayor, which will diminish Baltimores already-feeble fiscal discipline.
Post-unrest Baltimore seems less interested in effective reform than in more extravagant statism: new programs, projects and pork. We are doubling down on a failed strategy, hoping for different results.
By Steve H. Hanke and Stephen J.K. Walters
www.cato.org/people/hanke.html
Twitter: @Steve_Hanke
Steve H. Hanke is a Professor of Applied Economics and Co-Director of the Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Prof. Hanke is also a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C.; a Distinguished Professor at the Universitas Pelita Harapan in Jakarta, Indonesia; a Senior Advisor at the Renmin University of Chinas International Monetary Research Institute in Beijing; a Special Counselor to the Center for Financial Stability in New York; a member of the National Bank of Kuwaits International Advisory Board (chaired by Sir John Major); a member of the Financial Advisory Council of the United Arab Emirates; and a contributing editor at Globe Asia Magazine.
Copyright 2016 Steve H. Hanke - 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.
Steve H. Hanke Archive
2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.
Facebook Censors Pro Trump and Negative Hillary News
The establishment protector of PC purity strikes again. By definition, Free Speech IS political. For reasons that only a hard core Hillary sycophant could understand, the mere posting or sharing of online reports on the 2016 Election Race is now blocked. Such a Facebook policy to disrupt political content goes to the heart of the Corporatocracy assault on open and uncensored political discourse. Little Mark Zuckerberg operates as the front and gatekeeper for the power elites who seek to manage, filter and remove information that does not fit into their plan for globalism.
What other reason can a pro Trump page and personal timeline be tagged and prevented from posting content using an URL address from political news site? Read the Facebook block posting notice?
As a security precaution you can't take this action because your computer may be infected with a virus or a malicious browser extension.
You can learn more about malicious software here
If you think you're seeing this by mistake, please let us know.
Folks this mildly veiled explanation is a scam just as much as every email you receive asking for money. There is no virus or malware on our end. The same blocking notice is received using different computers with various browsers. Welcome to the Newspeak from an arrogant enabler of social media political acceptability.
This may not seem a very big deal in the big scheme of things, but what will happen when Trump is also blocked from the Republican nomination and only Hillary Clinton is left standing and negative news and accounts of her criminality are prevented from being distributed across the range of popular web services?
Over several decades, access to the web has grown and become an integral part of communicating with friends and acquaintances. Email has provided the basic means to keep in touch. However, the explosion of social posting services could easily support the position that if Facebook does not like your content, just hit the road and go to a different service.
This is exactly the danger of public companies setting their own rules to ban people and subject matter that conflicts or even annoys the dramatically intolerant sensibilities of the authoritarian left. Is it not overdue and time to demand that the First Amendment applies to ANY company that deems to go public and operate under the protection of regulatory agencies?
Politics is the language of culture and business. The Corporatocracy effectively owns and controls most of the means used by society to communicate, discuss and organize around particular causes and concerns.
Most individuals are not able to roll out an advertising campaign to gain traction in the public arena. Trump; has the money, will and talent to attract earned media and populist favor by going directly to the people. Nonetheless, in the Facebook asylum of progressive disorder, the mere appearance of an America First philosophy and economic nationalism is far too dangerous for the millions of Facebook viewers to read.
Friends this conduct is called censorship.
When your high grade and current antivirus and anti-malware programs give your computer a clear bill of health, what will the next excuse that Facebook will give to block posting from sites and accounts that contain messages that might hurt the Hildebeast?
Public companies have a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders. Yet, when such a company is based entirely on the good will of the public who makes up the membership for their service, a prudent manager would never place the business in harms way of a populist backlash against selective, arbitrary and capricious suppression of free speech.
People, the globalists are running the planet under a terms of service agreement that runs by, our one and only, set of rules that treat customers as obedient subjects to the technocratic matrix of manipulation and coerced conformity.
Facebook is right in the middle of this system of mass capitulation. In case you never read or heard, of the Reddit post - Mark Zuckerberg is Jacob Greenberg is grandson of David Rockefeller? or the Before this is News item - Mark Zuckerberg is David Rockefellers Grandson I Thought Everyone Knew. Did You? Facebook Started With $500 Million From The C.I.A., give a look.
The accuracy or proof of such assertions is not the point. The clear right to ask the questions should be well within the bounds of free inquiry, investigation and reporting.
But would Facebook ban the account of the poster for having the chutzpah for pointing out that, ODDLY MARK ZUCKERBERGS REAL NAME IS JACOB GREENBERG! SO HE VIOLATES FACEBOOK POLICIES! ?
Ok, you may not think much of these examples, so put on your thinking cap and explain away the so called benign motivations of Facebook employees admit they are willing to manipulate social media to prevent a Donald Trump presidency.
Facebook may be denying that it won't influence the election in 2016, but in a recent poll Facebook employees admitted they thought Facebook should have a role in preventing a Trump presidency.
According to Gizmodo, last month, some Facebook employees used a company poll to ask Zuckerberg whether the company should try to help prevent President Trump in 2017.
And here is the point that should be so disturbing to every person willing to engage in the political arena of ideas and information.
Believing that Facebook has a responsibility to influence the 2016 election is very concerning.
It shows that Facebook employees are willing to censor opinions they don't agree with in the name of social justice.
If you've ever been suspended from Facebook for something extremely mild, this probably explains why.
Hey, Trump posts are entirely appropriate on the 2016 Election Race Facebook page. If MailChimp, Twitter and Hootsuite posts are allowed to appear, but I am banned from adding a URL source, the Facebook service is discriminatory.
Violation of my Constitutional Bill of Rights will not stand. The globalist attack on the free exchange of political views is evident for all to see.
James Hall April 27, 2016
Source: http://www.batr.org/corporatocracy/042716.html
Discuss or comment about this essay on the BATR Forum
http://www.batr.org
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2016 Copyright BATR - 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.
Rome: Italy on Wednesday said it considers India's jurisdiction to be suspended and therefore legally overridden, after Supreme Court extended the stay of an Italian marine who along with his colleague is accused of killing two fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012, in Italy till September 30.
The Italian foreign ministry in a statement said it considers the Indian jurisdiction in the matter suspended since the International Tribunal for the Sea ruled that India and Italy should suspend all internal judicial actions while arbitration is pending.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday extended the stay of marine Massimiliano Latorre, who along with his colleague Salvatore Girone is accused of killing two fishermen, in Italy till September 30.
Italy said the tribunal in Hague is expected to decide in the next few days on Italy's request for provisional measures for a second marine staying in India to return to Italy until the arbitration procedure ends.
Italy confirms its endorsement of the Order of 24 August 2015 passed by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, establishing that both India and Italy suspend all court proceedings relating to the incident until the conclusion of the arbitral proceeding initiated by the Italian Government last June, the statement said.
Italy has also submitted to the Arbitral Tribunal established at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague a petition to pass provisional measures enabling Italian
Marine Salvatore Girone to return to Italy and remain there until the end of the arbitration proceeding.
The Tribunal is expected to deliver its decision in the next few days.
A judge in Henry County Circuit Court has ruled that PHC-Martinsville Inc. (trading as Memorial Hospital of Martinsville & Henry County) is entitled to only one-fourth of the $111,115.37 the hospital billed Glenn Michael Dennis for services rendered when he was treated when he thought he was having a severe heart attack and feared he was going to die in May 2014.
Judge David V. Williams ruled that the hospital was entitled only to the amount the hospital would have received had Dennis pre-paid his bill as an uninsured patient.
An article by Peter Vieth in the April 25 edition of the newspaper Virginia Lawyers Weekly says: "For what may be the first time in Virginia, a judge has ordered a hospital to slash its balance billing charges by 75 percent to reflect the hospitals usual write-off for uninsured patients.
"The decision is rare judicial rebuke to the common hospital practice of billing full rate for patients whose insurance plans do not have reimbursement agreements with the hospital."
Williams wrote in his decision: "The practice of billing the patient for the difference between the amount charged and the amount that the hospital is reimbursed, which is what hospital has done in this case, is known as balance billing."
The hospital charged Dennis $111,115.37 for services he received during a brief stay there (he was discharged after two nights). Dennis had health insurance, and he and his health carrier have paid the hospital $27,254.95, according to Williams ruling.
It added: "The hospital has contracts with a number of health insurance carriers under which the hospital has agreed to sharply discount the bills of patients covered by those carriers. Those contracts permit the hospital to collect only the amount established by the contract plus any co-payment that the patient is required to pay.
"The hospital is also limited in the amount that can be collected from patients covered by Medicare and Medicaid. Denniss health insurance carrier did not have a contractual relationship with the hospital; he was not covered by Medicare or Medicaid."
The hospital sued for the remaining balance of $83,860.42 the difference between the $111,115.37 the hospital charged and the $27,254.95 Dennis and his health insurance carrier paid on two counts:
--Claiming that by not paying all the hospital bill, Dennis breached a binding contract (called a consent for services and financial responsibility form) that he signed in order to be treated at the hospital after he had undergone a preliminary assessment by medical staff.
--If the court does not find that Dennis violated an express contract, that the court order Dennis to pay the hospital for the fair and reasonable value of its services under an implied contract.
Dennis denied that a contract existed, because he signed the consent for services and financial responsibility form while he was lying upon a gurney in the hospitals emergency room suffering from what he thought was a heart attack; that it was forced upon him by the hospital; that he was in extreme distress and unable to know or legally comprehend the meaning of the documents he signed; and he had no choice but to accept the terms.
Dennis also contended, among other things, that the hospital repeatedly refused to allow him to see the hospitals charge description master (or charge master), upon which the charges allegedly were based. (Williams ruling says that the court ultimately ordered production of the documents.)
Williams ruled that the hospital had the burden of proving by the greater weight of the evidence that the hospital and Dennis mutually had entered into a binding contract, and that the hospital failed to meet that burden.
"So far as Dennis knew, his life was on the line," Williams wrote. "His hope of receiving medical treatment lay in signing the papers he was presented. As Chief Justice Roberts has written, (y)our money or your life is a coercive proposition, whether you have a single dollar in your pocket or $500)." (Williams was referring to U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.)
As for the second count (the hospital seeking fair and reasonable value for services rendered under an implied contract), Williams wrote the following:
"The hospital acknowledges that it charges all uninsured patients and insurance providers the same amount for medical procedures and supplies used; however, the hospital accepts payment at different rates from these parties based on pre-negotiated terms.
"For example, an uninsured patient who had arranged pre-payment of services would receive a 75% discount from the hospital. Thus, had Dennis arranged pre-payment, he would still have been charged $111,115.37, but the hospital would have accepted $27,778.84 to satisfy the bill. If Dennis received Medicare subsidies, Medicare would be charged $111,115.37, but due to pre-determined federal rates, the hospital would only receive approximately $20,000. If Dennis were insured by Anthem, Anthem would also be charged $111,115.37, but due to pre-negotiated contract rates, the hospital would only receive $23,389.
"I find that the reasonable value for the services Dennis received is $27,778.84, the amount the hospital would have received had Dennis pre-paid his bill as an uninsured patient. The amount Medicare would pay the hospital is a federally-set rate that remains an outlier in determining reasonable value. The amount Anthem would pay represents a company-negotiated rate on behalf of a large volume of clients.
"Denniss situation more closely resembles that of an uninsured patient, as Denniss insurance was not recognized by the hospital. A similarly situated person could have negotiated for services to be performed at a cost of $27,778.84, and the hospital would have agreed to that amount. Dennis owes the Hospital $523.89, the difference between the reasonable value for the services provided and what he has already paid the hospital."
One of the lawyers who represented the hospital did not provide the Bulletin a comment Tuesday when asked for reaction to Williams ruling and whether the ruling has been or will be appealed.
In a phone interview Tuesday, Timothy S. Jost, professor emeritus at Washington and Lee University School of Law, described Williams ruling as "a thoughtful decision by an intelligent judge" that may persuade other judges to look at the issue this way. However, its not a precedent-setting decision, he added.
Jost said a number of states have prohibited "balance billing" or are adopting regulations to address the issue as provider networks get tighter.
Jost is a consumer liaison representative for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
The NAIC has developed a model act "because of controversy over the growing use of narrow provider networks by issuers on the Affordable Care Acts insurance exchanges, along with concern over enrollees receipt of unexpected charges from out-of network practitioners when receiving treatment at in-network facilities (often referred to as surprise bills)," according to a December 2015 NAIC update. The model act will serve as a template to assist federal and state lawmakers and regulators in drafting insurance laws and regulations.
Jost also was critical of charge masters. "Charge masters are just notorious," he said. He added that they often have nothing to do with cost, competitive prices, or what hospitals collect from anybody, but are "just fantasies."
A recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey "finds that among insured, non-elderly adults struggling with medical bill problems, charges from out-of-network providers were a contributing factor about one-third of the time," according to an online news release. "Further, nearly 7 in 10 of individuals with unaffordable out-of-network medical bills did not know the health care provider was not in their plans network at the time they received care.
The release added: "Surprise medical bill is a term commonly used to describe charges arising when an insured individual inadvertently receives care from out-of-network provider. This situation could arise in an emergency when the patient has no ability to select the emergency room, treating physicians, or ambulance providers. Surprise medical bills might also arise when a patient receives planned care from an in-network provider (often, a hospital or ambulatory care facility), but other treating providers brought in to participate in the patients care are not in the same network. These can include anesthesiologists, radiologists, pathologists, surgical assistants and others."
Dennis, of Collinsville, is an assistant vice president at Carter Bank & Trust.
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Khalid Mahmood said organisers of the event should ensure such banners do not feature in future celebrations. (Photo: Twitter)
Birmingham: A banner depicting a rifle and a slogan supporting a separate Sikh nation that appeared at a Vaisakhi festival in the UK city of Birmingham has led to demands for action against those who raised the flag.
A Pakistan-origin British MP has called for action against those behind the banner showing a rifle and a slogan for a separate Sikh state with the words Khalistan Zindabad at the Vaisakhi celebrations.
The MP Khalid Mahmood said organisers of the event attended by hundreds of British Sikhs over the weekend should ensure such banners do not feature in future celebrations.
Khalistan Zindabad, as many people know, is a proscribed organisation in the European Union and the UK and therefore displaying that at a family event, and displaying those weapons openly at a family event, I think contravenes basic decency that we have, Mahmood told the BBC on Tuesday.
If the organisers didnt know about it, they should have been warned properly about it and certainly they should take action in the future to ensure this does not carry on, said the Birmingham MP.
The flag seen to represent the Khalistan Zindabad Force featured a rifle alongside the slogan, which translates as Long live Khalistan.
However, a member of Sikh Federation UK defended the flag, saying they supported an independent Sikh state and not the terrorist group.
A spokesperson for Birmingham City Council said We did not organise the weekends Vaisakhi celebrations. They took place at Handsworth Park so we are in effect the landlord for this event. If anyone had brought this terrorist flag to our attention, one of the council officers attending would have asked for it to be taken down, however nobody did. That said the event was a wonderful family celebration.
The Khalistan Zindabad Force is banned in India and was added to the European Unions list of banned terrorist groups in 2005.
Gus & Paul Bakery and Deli may have to close
The building that had housed Gus & Paul's Bakery and Deli, which closed on Dec. 31, 2013, is on the market for $395,000.
(Republican file photo)
SPRINGFIELD The East Forest Park building that had housed what's arguably the city's best-known bakery is up for sale, according to news reports.
Gus & Paul's Bakery and Deli at 1209 Sumner Ave. shut its doors on New Year's Eve, with owner Gordon Weissman expressing hope he might reopen by the middle of last month. That didn't happen, however, and now the prime piece of real estate at the corner of Sumner and Powell avenues is on the market.
Realtor John Foley, of The Foley Company of Springfield, told both abc40 and 22News that the asking price for the 5,300-square-foot commercial building is $395,000.
Gus & Paul's closed briefly last year when the Massachusetts Department of Revenue seized the business for nonpayment of taxes. But Weissman reached an agreement on a payment plan that enabled him to reopen within hours of the seizure.
At the time, the DOR incident was just the latest in a series of ups and downs for the business, which opened its doors in 1958. In July 2012, Weissman, citing soft sales, said he might be forced to close and appealed to the community to support his business.
Fast forward to New Year's Eve, Dec. 31, 2013, which Weissman said would likely be his last day unless a new business agreement was reached with a possible partner and a group of investors. "If both of those come to fruition, I will reopen," he said at the time, giving customers hope the city institution might survive.
With the end possibly nigh, the faithful lined up to load up on baked goods, although whatever business arrangement Weissman had been working on apparently faltered.
In the meantime, Gus & Paul's still maintains a website and Facebook page.
MAP showing location of Gus & Paul's at 1209 Sumner Ave. in Springfield's East Forest Park neighborhood:
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The former Gus & Paul's building at Former Gus & Paul's building 1209 Sumner Ave.
(Republican Photo/ Jim Kinney)
SPRINGFIELD -- The longtime home of the landmark Gus & Paul's bakery and deli at 1207-1211 Sumner Ave. in the East Forest Park neighborhood has been sold for $190,000, and its interior has been gutted.
A longtime Springfield institution, Gus & Paul's closed in December 2013 after years of struggling to retain its niche in a changing retail landscape. Former owner Gloria G. Weissman sold the 5,200-square-foot single-story building and its 7,870-square-foot lot in March to husband-and-wife Christian A. Palma and Aura M. Recinos, of Sunridge Drive in Springfield, according to papers on file at the Hampden County Registry of Deeds.
Gloria G. Weissman is the widow of co-founder Paul Weissman and mother of the Weissman brothers who ran Gus & Paul's in recent decades.
Palma and Recinos are both listed on state paperwork as managers and principals of Dads Abatement LLC, a lead paint removal company based in Lawrence but founded in Springfield in 2003.
When reached by phone in Lawrence, Recinos said she plans to turn the building into a daycare center, but she declined any further comment.
A building permit posted on the door lists only interior demolition and future build-out as goals for the project. The estimated cost of the work, according to the permit, is $10,000.
Brothers Paul and Gus Weissman started Gus & Paul's in 1958 after moving to Springfield from the Bronx, New York.
Their business was the place for kosher baked goods and deli sandwiches as well as cakes, cookies, pastries and breads. Gus & Paul's food came from the culinary cultures of France, Greece, Italy and China and elsewhere around the world.
But Gus & Paul's hit hard times. A satellite restaurant in Tower Square closed in 2007.
In 2012, owner Gordon R. Weissman issued an appeal to the community saying business fell off and he was then in danger of having to close. At the time, Weissman said he was losing business to supermarket bakeries and consumers who sought one-stop convenience over quality.
After closing Gus & Paul's, Weissman took his skills to Russ & Daughters Cafe, a spinoff eatery from the flagship Russ & Daughters, the famous Jewish specialty shop in Manhattan's Lower East Side.
In 2014, months after the closing, the building was for sale for $395,000. The equipment and furnishings were auctioned off in late 2015.
Beijing: China on April 27 said it has taken note of growing military cooperation between India and the US and hoped that it would be "conducive" to regional peace and stability.
"We have noted the recent frequent military cooperation in the region between some countries," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing here, replying to a question about US official's reported comments about cooperation between India and Washington to track submarines in the Indian Ocean.
"Hope relevant cooperation is conducive to peace and stability," she said. Earlier China reacted guardedly to India's decision to open up military bases to the US for logistics during this month's visit of US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter to New Delhi.
"India is also an influential country in the world and India has been upholding independent diplomatic policy. India will make up its diplomatic policies based on its own interests," another Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang has said, reacting to India's decision to sign logistic supply agreement, (LSA) which enables troops of both the countries to avail their military bases for logistics.
Massachusetts labor and civic leaders will pause this week at Workers' Memorial Day ceremonies around the commonwealth to honor those who died on the job and to dedicate themselves to preventing such tragedies in the future.
A Northampton ceremony is scheduled for Thursday at noon at Northampton City Hall, 210 Main St., according to the Western Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health. The ceremony will include a parade to the nearby Hampshire County Hall of Records. Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz is expected to attend.
In Springfield, the ceremony will take place Friday at 1 p.m. at the Local 404 Teamsters Hall, 115 Progress Ave. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno is expected to attend. Officials will read the names of all the workers who have died since the most recent ceremony. They include members of the armed forces from Massachusetts who died in the last year, no matter where their deaths occurred.
A ceremony in Boston is set for noon Thursdayat the State House, 24 Beacon St. It's sponsored by the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH), Massachusetts AFL-CIO, and Greater Boston Labor Council.
Labor leaders hold Workers' Memorial Day ceremonies each year in late April to commemorate the rough anniversary of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. The bill, signed into law the following December by President Richard Nixon, created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
There were 63 workplace fatalities in 2015, which works out to 1.9 per 100,000 workers, an increase from 49 fatalities - 1.5 per 100,000 - in 2014, according to the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health.
There were 11 workplace deaths in the first three months of 2016.
Other facts from MassCOSH:
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SPRINGFIELD -- U-Haul Company of Massachusetts and Ohio, Inc. has announced that Tyre Trak Automotive has signed on as a U-Haul neighborhood dealer to serve the Springfield community.
Tyre Trak Automotive at 175 Chestnut St. will offer U-Haul trucks, towing equipment, support rental items and in-store pick-up for boxes.
Hours of operation for U-Haul rentals are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-noon Saturday. After-hours drop-off is available for customer convenience.
Tyre Trak Automotive owner Timothy Andrew said he is proud to team with the industry leader in do-it-yourself moving and self-storage to better meet the demands of Hampden County.
U-Haul and Tyre Trak Automotive are striving to benefit the environment through sustainability initiatives. Truck sharing is a core U-Haul sustainability business practice that allows individuals to access a fleet of trucks that is larger than what they could access on an individual basis.
UNCASVILLE, Conn. The final mammoth glass panel was placed Wednesday morning on the exterior of a 13-story, 400-room hotel, which is slated to open at the Mohegan Sun Casino in the fall.
Modeled after the existing 1,200-room Sky Tower design, construction on the $130 million Earth Tower began last year as a means of recapturing the approximately 450,000 room nights the Connecticut casino turns away each year.
"Raise the glass," Mohegan Tribal Chairman Kevin "Red Eagle" Brown said as a crane lifted the panel 160 feet in the air and workers fastened it into place.
The new hotel will also allow Mohegan Sun to better compete against casinos planned in neighboring Massachusetts, though that was not the intention for building it, Brown said.
Plans for a second tower next to the 34-story Sky hotel were announced in 2008, long before Massachusetts gave a green light to casino gambling, Brown said. However, those plans were put in neutral when the economy softened.
Rooms at the new hotel will be slightly smaller than those at the Sky Tower and prices, which have not yet been set, will be more affordable, Mohegan officials said.
Vivian Huang, project manager for the architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates of New York, said the new hotel will be connected to Earth Casino and Sky Hotel lobby via two connecting corridors.
There will be 12 floors of guest rooms above the lobby level, which includes a pool, spa and fitness center, she said. There will be a patio outside the lobby for guests.
Earth Tower will begin accepting reservations for fall occupancy on July 1.
Mohegan Sun officials hinted the Earth Tower is not the final piece in its expansion plans.
"I can say on behalf of our Executive's, Tribal Council, Mohegan Sun Team Members and so many others that have made this all possible, that it really is one of the more exciting project's we've undertaken here at the property and will really allow for Mohegan Sun to plan further expansions in the future," said Ray Pineault, president and general manager of Mohegan Sun.
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Jesse Eisenberg, left, and Devin Druid portray brothers facing unexpected challenges years after the death of their mother in "Louder Than Bombs."
(The Orchard photo)
FAMILY FOCUS
"God's Not Dead 2" (PG)
"The Jungle Book" (PG)
"Miracles From Heaven" (PG)
"Zootopia" (PG)
10 CLOVERFIELD LANE - THREE STARS - (PG-13) Directed by first-timer Dan Trachtenberg, "10 Cloverfield Lane"is not a full-blooded sequel to 2008's "Cloverfield," though it evokes plenty of chills. John Goodman and Mary Elizabeth Winstead star. (106 min.)
BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE - TWO STARS - (PG-13) All this gloom and doom is just the pits. Ben Affleck and Hery Cavill are just stiffin' around, significantly immobilized by costumes and the screenplay, which overflows with the ham-handed psychosomatic muck that defines them, poorly. Later, both their eyes will glow as they glower at each other, Batman's acting as headlights in his helmet, Superman's burning red with his heat vision, and the imagery is, like, symbolic of things and stuff lurking somewhere in all this unfocused thematic slop. (151 min.)
DEADPOOL - ONE AND A HALF STARS - (R) Nothing is sacred to either "Deadpool" or this character (played with "I'm so naughty" abandon by Ryan Reynolds), which pokes fun at superhero movie culture, Hollywood itself, Reynolds, director Tim Miller, love and human decency -- and that's just in the opening credits. On the page, it sounds like a lot of fun, and it starts out strong with a cheeky, self-awareness, but that wears thin very quickly. (108 min.)
DEMOLITION - THREE STARS - (R) Jake Gyllenhaal stars as an emotionally hamstrung investment banker coping with the death of his wife. Ultimately, the film hinges on Gyllenhaal's ability to be a loose, but not too loose, cannon. (100 min.)
THE DIVERGENT SERIES: ALLEGIAN - TWO STARS - (PG-13) The first two films were all Faction-this and Divergent-that, and now that Tris has helped topple the fascist authority lording over her post-apocalyptic home of Chicago, the lingo is different, all Fringe-this and Council-that, a smidgen less cumbersome and pervasive, but just as dull. (121 min.)
EYE IN THE SKY - THREE AND A HALF STARS - (PG-13) Helen Mirren and the late Alan Rickman in military thrillers about a top secret drone operation to capture terrorists in Kenya. (102 min.)
HELLO MY NAME IS DORIS - THREE AND A HALF STARS - (PG-13) Doris is an aging eccentric who's one trash-pile treasure away from being a hoarder, one Harlequin fantasy away from being a table-for-one lonelyheart, one trip to the shelter away from being a crazy cat lady. She's also the type of movie character who's one mistimed joke away from being the subject of a nasty, point-and-laugh trainwreck. But that doesn't happen. As the title character in "Hello, My Name is Doris," Sally Field finds the sweet spot between mooshy cliche and mean-spirited caricature. (95 min.)
THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER'S WAR - TWO STARS - (PG-13) A fairy-tale action adventure, and a sequel to 2012's "Snow White and the Huntsman," in which the titular huntsman leads a mission to stop two warring queens bent on conquering the land. (113 min.)
THE JUNGLE BOOK - THREE STARS - (PG) An engaging live-action remake of Disney's animated favorite, though it lacks the charm of the original at times and may be too intense in spots for small children. Vocal talents of Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson and Christopher Walken are a plus. (105 min.)
LONDON HAS FALLEN - TWO STARS - (R) A blood-soaked action sequel about a resourceful Secret Service agent who must save the president of the United States from terrorists when, while attending a foreign funeral, he walks right into an elaborate trap. (99 min.)
LOUDER THAN BOMBS - THREE AND A HALF STARS - (R) On the eve of an exhibition celebrating the career of a deceased war photographer, a New York Times writer plans to publish an article that will reveal what many do not yet know about her death: that the car crash that killed her was a suicide. At the center of the story is the woman's now-teenage son, who still accepts what he was led to believe at age 12, that her death was accidental. (109 min.)
MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2 - ONE AND A HALF STARS - (PG-13) Recycled jokes and characters from the first movie and the short-lived TV series "My Big Fat Greek Life." (94 min.)
ZOOTOPIA - FOUR STARS - (PG)
Disney's animated cop buddy movie set in the metropolis of Zootopia. Fung gags mixed with social commentary and an underlying message of tolerance. (100 min.)
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President Ronald Reagan, left, and Will Ferrell
(AP file photos)
Tasteless, edgy or perhaps both, Will Ferrell will star as Ronald Reagan battling dementia during his second presidential term in an upcoming movie.
A script synopsis published in The Hollywood Reporter reads: "When Ronald Reagan falls into dementia at the start of his second term, an ambitious intern is tasked with convincing the Commander-In-Chief that he is an actor playing the President in a movie."
Ferrell, who has spoofed former President George W. Bush since his "Saturday Night Live" days, is attached to star in and produce "Reagan," written by Mike Rosolio ("Lemmings"). Ferrell will produce the film under his production banner Gary Sanchez Productions.
A release date has not been announced.
Reagan served as president from 1981 to 1989.
In 1994, a decade before his death at age 93, Reagan disclosed his diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease.
In his 2010 book "My Father At 100: A Memoir," Reagan's youngest son, Ron Reagan, suggested his father suffered from Alzheimer's while in the White House, a claim dismissed by Reagan's doctors.
Over past years in this column, we have discussed the wide range of records available to research your family trees, from the mid-1800s to more recent times.
These have included marriage, birth and death records, U.S. Census data, military and Social Security records and so many others.
As I've done research on my own family tree and helped others, I've watched the evolution of record-keeping. The greatest change I've noticed, though, is in both cemetery stones and photography.
You can track some of these changes on the website, findagrave.com.
The earlier grave stones are difficult to photograph. Over the years, the quality of the cameras, the skill of the photographers and, especially, the material from which the stones were made, added to the difficulty is using this documentation as a means of tracing relatives.
In Western Massachusetts cemeteries, you'll find grave markers made with East Longmeadow's red sandstone which do not always photograph well. Markers crafted with limestone have been damaged by rain and nature's elements, including the prevailing winds where the cemeteries are situated. Luckily, some cemeteries faced the stones away from the wind.
As an example of this, I'm including photographs with this column of stones from St. Matthew's Cemetery, which was taken by Jim Bianco.
Recently, other photographers, including Dave Robison, Angie Robinson and Beckie Cross are doing a great job in documenting gravestones for findagrave.com.
I am in the midst of adding to my research of my own family tree by adding the spouses of many of my first cousins. A record from findagrave.com has aided me with information about Mandia (LaForme) Ritchott, who was born Dec. 23, 1886, in Chicopee and died on May 25, 1979 in Ludlow. She is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Chicopee. Who was she?
She was the daughter of Moise LaForme and Josephine Melancon. She was the wife of Henry Ritchott. Henry and Mandia Ritchott were the parents of Rena Ritchott. Rena is the wife of Arthur G. Frederick, and they are the parents of Alfred Frederick, who is the husband of my first cousin, Noreen O'Connor.
Good luck as you search for information for your family trees.
As always, I appreciate suggestions for future columns and feedback.
John P. O'Connor can be contacted by email to jpoconnor@springfieldmuseums.org or by calling (413) 263-6800, ext. 483.
Dhaka: The dreaded Islamic State terror group will attempt more sensational attacks on minorities and foreigners in Bangladesh to gain the support of local extremists in the Muslim-majority country as part of its global expansion plan, US-based intelligence assessment company Stratfor said in a report on Wednesday.
In the latest edition of its magazine, Dabiq, the head of Islamic State operations in Bangladesh, Sheikh Abu Ibrahim al-Hanif, discussed the group's "goals" for Bangladesh.
Quoting al-Hanif, the report said, "Bangladesh is strategically important for several reasons as it provides a location from which to expand future operations into eastern India and Myanmar."
"The group has carried out some small attacks in Bangladesh, but it wants to conduct a large attack to boost its credentials among local jihadists and promote the interests of the larger organisation," the report said.
As has been the case elsewhere, however, established jihadist groups in Bangladesh pose a challenge to the Islamic State's ambitions, it said.
In the interview that appeared in the April 13 edition of Dabiq, al-Hanif listed a range of potential targets, including some the group has already hit in Bangladesh: Christian missionaries, Hindu figures, Shiites and foreigners in general, according to the report.
"In a sign of things to come, he indicated that the group intends to also target the military and other radical Islamist groups," it said.
Bangladeshi nationals and foreign extremists of Bangladeshi descent fighting in Iraq and Syria will provide the Islamic State with skilled bomb makers and operational planners in Bangladesh, it said.
However, it also said that more established jihadist groups in the country will fight back against the Islamic State's "power grab".
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the gruesome April 23 murder of English professor Rezaul Karim Siddique, who was hacked to death at a bus stop in northwest Bangladesh.
Since September 2015, the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for eight attacks in Bangladesh.
There have been systematic assaults in Bangladesh in recent months especially targeting minorities, secular bloggers, intellectuals and foreigners.
Last year, four prominent secular bloggers were killed with machetes, one inside his own home.
In February, a head priest was killed at a Hindu temple in an area bordering India, the first attack by the ISIS targeting the community.
Lahore: The 108-carat famed Koh-i-Noor diamond cannot be brought back to Pakistan as it was handed over to UK under the 'Treaty of Lahore' in 1849, provincial Punjab government on Wednesday told the high court here.
"Maharaja Ranjeet Singh had inked the agreement with the East India Company in 1849 under which the precious diamond was given to the UK. Therefore, the UK government cannot be approached for return of the diamond," a law officer of the provincial government told the court during the hearing of a plea seeking direction for the Pakistan government to bring back Koh-i-Noor, which India has also been trying to get from the UK for years.
Petitioner Barrister Javed Iqbal Jaffrey, however, opposed the government's plea, arguing, "both governments were not authorised under the law of the land to sign such an agreement."
LHC Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan directed the government's counsel to submit a copy of the agreement between then Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the East India Company on the next hearing on May 2.
In his plea, Barrister Jaffrey has alleged that Britain had snatched the diamond from Daleep Singh, grandson of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh and took it to the United Kingdom.
"The diamond became part of the crown of incumbent Queen Elizabeth-II at the time of her crowing in 1953. Queen Elizabeth has no right on the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which weighs 105 carats and worth billions of rupees," he said.
He claimed that Koh-i-Noor diamond was "cultural heritage" of Punjab province and its citizens owned it in fact, it said and prayed to the court to direct the federal government to bring the diamond back to Pakistan from the British government.
The Indian Government had recently said that it will make all efforts to bring back the valued diamond, even as it had earlier told the Supreme Court that the diamond was neither stolen nor "forcibly" taken by British rulers but given to East India Company by erstwhile rulers of Punjab 167 years back as compensation for helping them in the Sikh wars.
Australia is likely to become the first international user of Raytheons AIM-120D, the latest, extended range variant US Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). An Australian request for the new missiles was recently approved by the US State Department, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress.
The Australian Defence is planning to acquire 450 such missiles to equip the Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet and Growler aircraft as well as the F-35A. The acquisition could be worth US$1.22 billion. According to DSCA, the sale will provide the RAAF additional air-to-air intercept capability and increase interoperability with the U.S. Air Force.
The Royal Australian Air force (RAAF) currently operates its Hornets and Super Hornets with AIM-120C-7 medium range, radar guided missiles for engagements beyond visual range (BVR), and AIM-132 ASRAAM infrared homing missiles in close-in short-range engagements. Australia plans to equip its future F-35A with the AIM-120D (BVR) and AIM-9X-II short-range air/air missiles.
The AIM-120D is the newest air-to-air weapon in the U.S. arsenal that has significant capability improvements over previous AMRAAM versions, including increased range, GPS-aided navigation, two-way data link and improved kinematic performance. Although some of the 36 international AMRAAM operators have requested access to the new variant, Washington sofar refused the sale of the missile, considered a key overmatch over potential opponents. The AIM-120D represents a significant improvement in air-to-air weapons capabilities and the technologies it brings to the battlefield give U.S. warfighters an unmatched advantage in the air-to-air arena. Explained Ron Krebs, AMRAAM program director for Raytheon Missile Systems.
In long-range engagements AMRAAM heads for the target using inertial guidance (GPS was added to the D model) and receives updated target information via data link from the launch aircraft. It transitions to a self-guiding terminal mode when the target is within range of its own monopulse radar set. The AIM-120 also has a home-on-jam guidance mode to counter electronic jamming. Upon intercept an active-radar proximity fuze detonates the warhead to destroy the target. At closer ranges AMRAAM is able to guide itself using its own radar, freeing the launch aircraft to engage other targets.
As the latest type of air/air missile in US inventory, AIM-120D has achieved initial operational service with US Navy F/A-18 in 2015. The US Air Force also plans to deploy the missile with F-16, F15, F-22 and F-35, following the completion of operational evaluation and testing.
Merck Foundation empowers African Women in the areas of Science and Technology through providing scholarships to more than 550 female doctors out of 1200 scholarships. Merck Foundation launch annually MARS Best African Woman Researchers Awards to acknowledge women in science. Merck Foundation works closely with African policy makers to empower girls in education and women in STEM.
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, marks International Day of Girls and Women in Science 2022 through their Merck Foundation STEM program and Educating Linda program.
Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, Most Influential African (2019, 2020 & 2021) emphasized, We at Merck Foundation mark International Day of Girls and Women in Science 2022 by supporting and empowering women in the areas of Science and Technology. Under-representation of women still exists in these fields, even though women have made tremendous participation and progress in career. Every year, we conduct Merck Foundation Africa Research Summit in partnership with African Governments and African Union Scientific, Technical and Research Commission, MARS brings together researchers and policy makers from across Africa to prepare for the road ahead in Africas development as an international hub for excellence in scientific innovation and define interventions to empower women and youth through education in general and in STEM in particular.
We have also launched MARS Awards to appreciate and recognize Best African Women Researchers and Best Young African Researcher. Our aim is to empower women and young African researchers, advance their research capacity and promote their contribution to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
Merck Foundation has announced the Call for Applications for their prestigious Merck Foundation Africa Research Summit (MARS) Awards 2022. The key focus for this year will be: The Role of Scientific Research in responding to Cancer and Vaccines Development Two emerging challenges in Africa. Through this contest, Merck Foundation aims to empower young African researchers & women researchers to strengthen the important role research plays towards contributing to public health thus improving healthcare capacity in Africa.
Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej further emphasized, In partnership with the African First Ladies, we have been building healthcare capacity through providing training to healthcare providers in many medical specialties. More than 1200 medical graduates have benefitted from this program so far. I am very proud that out of these over 552 are female medical graduates. This is close to 50% of the total beneficiaries, which is a great milestone for us.
Merck Foundation strongly believes that Education is one of the most critical areas of women empowerment. Through their Educating Linda program, Merck Foundation has been supporting education of some of the unprivileged but brilliant girls by providing scholarship and grants that can cover school fees, school uniforms and other essentials including notebooks, pens and mathematical instruments, so they can reach their potential and pursue their dreams
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Le ministre des Services Financier a pris la parole le 26 aout 2022 a lIntercontinental Hotel a Balaclava qui a recompense les meilleurs vendeurs mais aussi de presenter des nouveaux produits de la National Insurance Company.
Thank you for inviting me to this wonderful event to mark the celebrations of NICs top sales achievers of the year and the grand unveiling of the new suite of innovative insurance products of the NIC Group.
It is a great pleasure for me to be amongst you this evening to celebrate these special moments.
I still recall our last gathering in 2019, at the Trianon Convention Centre to mark the end of year celebrations of NIC with many of you here present tonight.
Back then, you would possibly recall that I had taken a firm commitment to work with all key stakeholders to collectively transform the key challenges of NIC and set forth a greater vision for the group.
Today, despite all constraints, I am so proud of what we have collectively achieved in such a short span of time.
We have managed to successfully restructure the whole NIC Group, strengthen the balance sheets of the life and general insurance businesses and laid a much stronger foundation to support the expansion plans of NIC with innovative products and services, forthcoming new ventures and cross-border expansion for the future.
Witnessing the strong growth rates being registered across various lines of the NIC businesses demonstrate the tremendous efforts that you have collectively put in to reach where we are today.
The ultimate shareholder, my Ministry and the Boards of NIC are really proud of these noteworthy realisations thanks to the relentless efforts of one and all.
Ranked in the top 100 companies of the country with a commendable 43rd position in terms of profitability and being amongst the big 4 insurers of the country is not a small feat.
The NIC Group is a pride for all of us here and for what we all collectively achieved in such a short span of time.
I appreciate your continued commitment, contribution and your exceptional efforts in helping NIC take off, consolidate its market position and pave the way for the Group to progress successfully for a brighter future.
Despite the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic, the work accomplished on the life & general insurance businesses including lending and pensions activities, so far, is remarkable.
And I admire your strength, team spirit and determination to better serve your customers and build a great company.
I join the Chairperson, the Board members and Management in congratulating you and thanking you all for your hard work, perseverance and commitment in getting NIC to where it is today.
Today, we are also marking the occasion of recognising NICs top sales performers of the country.
I am also impressed by the determination of some 35 members of the NIC salesforce who completed the Master Financial Advisors programme of LIMRA (US) with flying colours.
I understand you have made a statement by being amongst the first in Africa to be receiving such awards.
Congratulations to all those who have been conferred with their MFA credentials tonight.
As we are united here as one big NIC family, I would like to reiterate my commitment and support to the vision of bringing the NIC Group to greater heights, and turning it into an important player in the region and Africa for the benefit of all stakeholders.
And today, we shall be taking off for another wave of growth and expansion of NIC with the launch of an impressive suite of innovative insurance products whilst gearing up alongside our business diversification and market expansion strategies.
New markets are being explored in the region and Africa.
The setting up of a new micro lending business is also in the pipeline.
All these strategic moves demonstrate our firm intention to mark a solid footprint for the NIC Group and create opportunities for all stakeholders, including you all present here this evening.
Our focus tonight is the launch of new products that have been thoughtfully designed to cater for the needs and demands of the Mauritian population with an impressive blend of innovation, care and value addition to the lives of policyholders.
The products are truly forward looking and will undoubtedly be a landmark in fulfilling their needs of the present, future and beyond.
Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight we are going to unveil 8 new such products that will surely help in furthering the growth of the insurance market and take NIC to the next level with the launch of:
1. The NIC Prosperity Plan is an innovative life insurance product backed by diverse investment funds that enable you to realise your cherished dream projects through regular cash backs and your accumulated policy fund. It brings along full life protection of up to 5 times of the sum assured and loyalty bonuses amongst many other attractive and innovative features.
2. The NIC Child Investment Plan builds financial security for children as they grow whilst gaining easy access to diversified investment funds that provide long term growth and help in building your Childs Heritage Fund up to maturity. This product opens up new horizons for parents and children and goes beyond normal savings with a fund value that can transcend across generations.
3. The NIC Wedding Plan aims to empower parents in financing the dream wedding events of their children without financial pressures and benefit from the Wedding Celebration Bonus, loyalty bonuses, wedding gift, and comprehensive life protection amongst others. We all love travelling and exploring new cultures but often such projects can be expensive, far reaching, and sometimes beyond means.
4. The NIC Holiday Plan is just meant for that. It enables people to save and create a holiday fund that they can cash out to pay for a dream vacation. This product also brings peace of mind in case something unexpected happens by having protection for emergency medical and hospitalisation during vacation, and comprehensive protection over years during the period of insurance.
5. The new NIC Retirement Plan empowers people to be financially independent when they are no longer in active employment and plan a peaceful retirement well ahead. This new product add another dimension to existing offerings with innovative features such as a wellness bonus, guaranteed options, long term loyalty bonus reward and accelerated care benefit amongst others;
6. NIC is also marking the industry today by pioneering the Pilgrimage Plan that opens a spiritual dimension within the insurance world. The NIC Pilgrimage plan will enable citizens of all faiths to set aside savings and prepare for their sacred journeys well ahead all backed by an ESG or shariah-compliant fund of your choice whilst respecting ethical principles and guiding values.
7. Ladies and Gentlemen, it is always very hard when someone close to us passes away. An unexpected loss is even harder to bear and sometimes leave the family in financial hardship. The NIC Funeral Care Plan bridges this gap by providing not only a cash benefit to cover funeral services but also provides additional financial support to the family in these difficult moments in the form of a Family Income Benefit for 12 months post death of the life assured. The product brings affordability, care and flexibility with 24 x 7 prise en charge and funeral service options through the service provider of their choice.
8. On the general insurance front, NIC is introducing a new package of covers with its Multiprotect Home Insurance Plan that enables every family to protect their homes, at very affordable premium, against unexpected risk of flood, fire, burglary and accidental damages whilst providing 24 x 7 home assistance for certain specific services when covered. The policy also indemnifies against liability of the household against accidental injury of the workers or visitors.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it gives me an immense pleasure and comfort to witness such innovation and pioneering moves by NIC to better the lives of every citizen of this Republic and I must say that you are truly serving the nation through your new products, services and activities.
This new wave of offerings will surely mark the minds and lives of many in the future and set the pace in the industry with a fresh orientation of rethinking and reinvention.
Well done and congratulations to you all.
The success of all these initiatives will rest upon us all. It is a future that we shall continue to build together and I know that each and every one of you is committed to building a better tomorrow for you, for your families, for our organisation and for our beloved nation.
On this note, allow me to congratulate you all again for your respective achievements and may this new suite of innovative products bring peace of mind and happiness to all.
Together, lets Insure, Protect & Empower for the Present, Future & Beyond.
Thank you. Enjoy the evening!
In respect of a news which has been diffused in the media to the effect that there has been a walk-out of the Maritime Transport and Ports Employees Union (MTPEU) during a meeting held with the Management of the Mauritius Ports Authority (MPA) on Tuesday 15 March 2022, the Authority wishes to highlight the following.
Upon a request from the MTPEU, a meeting was scheduled with the latter on Tuesday 15 March 2022 at the seat of the MPA to take up the items proposed by the Union.
The Deputy Director-General had been duly delegated to chair the meeting with the MTPEU, in the presence of other MPA Officers concerned.
However, the MTPEU refused to proceed with the meeting under the chairmanship of the Deputy Director General.
It has been reported in the media that a delay has been provided to the MPA up to Friday 18 March 2022 to fix another meeting.
However, the MPA wishes to clarify that, at no point in time the Management has been made aware of such new request.
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Linn County Judge Thomas McHill ruled April 21 in favor of the City of Albany in an appeal case brought by Albany resident Tom Cordier.
Cordier in November filed a petition to prevent the city from using tax increment financing to fund urban renewal projects within the Central Albany Revitalization Area, a designated area the city wants to redevelop to increase economic vitality.
The petition specifically wanted to ensure the city will not finance, or authorize the financing of, an urban renewal plan or project with tax increment financing money. It also sought to prevent the city from borrowing or spending money to buy any property for urban renewal, and wants the city to use existing tax increment money only to erase any existing urban renewal debt.
When that petition was rejected on the grounds it did not comply with the Oregon State Constitution because it seeks to make decisions on administrative rather than legislative matters, Cordier disagreed, citing a similar petition in Oregon City as a precedent for his action.
The initiative petition is an exact duplicate of what is now in the process of collecting signatures in Oregon City, Cordier said in a December interview. He was successful in 2013 in changing the Albany City Charter so that any expansion of an urban renewal district would go before voters.
In his opinion letter, Judge McHill wrote that, in determining whether the proposed law was legislative or administrative, he would look at the purpose of the law. He wrote that state law provides for the creation of Urban Renewal Agencies, and that the law provides that an urban renewal agency function for specific purposes.
Of even more importance, wrote Judge McHill, is that the Oregon Legislature has authorized the URA to borrow money and accept advances, loans, grants and any other form of financial assistance from the federal government, the state, county, or other public body, or from any sources, public or private, for the purposes of undertaking and carrying out urban renewal projects.
Michill also pointed to the City of Albanys Urban Renewal Agency, which has an approved plan for identified projects to be financed with incremental tax financing, or any other financing mechanism allowed by state law.
In the end, the court concluded the proposed initiatives are administrative rather than legislative in nature, and are not subject to the initiative process under Article IV, Section I of the Oregon Constitution.
SCIO Gilkey Covered Bridge spanning Thomas Creek west of Scio will be rehabilitated next summer, Linn County Engineer Chuck Knoll informed the Board of Commissioners Tuesday morning.
The 120-foot long bridge was built in 1939 and has been extensively damaged twice, first in 1997 by an overloaded truck and again in 2007, when an equipment repair truck failed to lower a repair boom and broke several support beams.
Temporary repairs were made at the time, but the bridge has been load limited since.
Commissioners Roger Nyquist, John Lindsey and Will Tucker approved revisions of an Intergovernmental Agreement with the state of Oregon, acting on behalf of the Federal Highway Administration, which provides funding for such projects.
The commissioners also approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) revision for replacement of the Truax Creek Bridge on Old Salem Road, which is not a covered bridge.
The IGAs total more than $3.5 million.
Proposed work would occur in the summer of 2017, according to County Engineer Chuck Knoll. When completed, the county will have renovated five bridges in five years, Knoll said.
Knoll said all of the covered bridges in the county require extensive maintenance, but refurbishing them usually results in 15 years or more without extensive work.
Knoll said repairs to both bridges will bring them up to 40-ton load limits.
Knoll said rehabilitation of the Gilkey Covered Bridge will include replacement of the approach spans and improvement of the road approach and guardrails.
He said the new IGA will replace the existing one, which calls for funding of preliminary engineering work estimated at $338,000. But a report to the commissioners noted that cost is expected to come in at less than $200,000.
The new agreement calls for additional funding to include: right-of-way, $111,000; utility and construction phase, $1,476,000.
The preliminary engineering phase is about 20 percent complete.
The project is scheduled to go out for bid no later than September, with construction the following summer.
Linn County Roadmaster Darrin Lane told the Democrat-Herald that the county has also discovered that many of the states covered bridges have a design flaw.
They failed to calculate the load capacity due to a cut that is made in the lower truss cords of many bridges, Lane said.
The Truax Creek Bridge replacement project is scheduled to go out for bid no later than October.
The concrete bridge was originally built in 1957 and is now obsolete.
Knoll said the county is about 60 percent finished with preliminary engineering work costing about $160,000.
The revised agreement adds the following funding phases: right-of-way work, $111,000; utility phase, $6,000; construction, $1,515,000.
In addition to replacing the bridge itself, the project will include creating a sidewalk access area.
The project is scheduled to go out for bid no later than October.
The Road Department believes going out for bid in the fall allows the winning contractors time to order materials, beams and schedule work so it can be accomplished in a timely manner.
In addition to replacing the bridge itself, the project will include creating a sidewalk access area.
Republican Jo Rae Perkins of Albany says she's better qualified to help veterans than Democrat Peter DeFazio, and hopes to earn the right to challenge the incumbent Democrat in the District 4 Congressional race in the fall.
Perkins first faces off against Art Robinson of Cave Junction in the Republican race in the May 17 election. Ballots are to be mailed out Wednesday, April 27.
Perkins said she would solve the veterans' health-care problem by doing away with the inefficient Veterans Administration. Also, citing the long wait times and administrative red tape, she said that the nation's health care system could become like the VA if the Affordable Care Act is allowed to take hold.
Its what socialized health care looks like, and its what Obamacare is going to become, she said.
As a solution, Perkins said vets should just be able to go to their own doctor.
They should not have to go to the VA, she said.
On states' rights, Perkins believes the federal government should not intervene in any state affairs, and that includes domestic disasters.
The federal government is only there to provide for the common defense, she said. "And actually, the federal government, according to the Constitution, is not allowed to own any property outside of Washington, D.C., and land for military bases."
Perkins cited the January occupation of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge in Burns as an example of a legitimate protest against federal overreach.
"The federal government owns 53 percent of our land here in Oregon," she said, "and they're terrible land managers."
Perkins suggested federal land control contributes to wildfire danger, because states and ranchers are prohibited from clearing brush to lower the fire danger. For this and other reasons, she favors an arrangement where federal intervention is nonexistent. Asked whether the federal government should intervene in the event of a catastrophic event, such as the expected Cascadia earthquake, Perkins remains firm on her conviction.
"It should be handled at the state level," she said. And people would say, How would we pay for it? Well, we would save so much money in federal taxes.
Perkins said paying fewer taxes also would stimulate the economy. If people are not taxed to the degree they are now, they are going to spend more money," she said.
Perkins also opposes any increase in the federal or state minimum wage, saying it would only hurt entrepreneurs. Asked if a minimum wage increase would be in the spirit of Henry Fords model of paying his workers a large wage with the theory that if they make more, they will spend more, Perkins disagreed, citing the growing cost of living as an aggravating factor of wage hikes.
(Minimum wage) was never meant to be a living wage, ever, she said. "When I was in high school, gas was 35 cents a gallon," she said. "And for my first job, I made I think $1.60 an hour."
Perkins dismissed the theory that wages, even a minimum wage, should keep pace with the rising cost of living. Instead, she said, higher wages raises the price of goods and services. Also, removing the minimum wage, as well as unions, could allow people to negotiate their wages.
On immigration, Perkins said she also supports Donald Trumps proposal to build a wall across the entire southern border of the United States, calling the illegal immigration situation complete insanity. We have Americans who wait years to get food stamps and Section 8 housing, and then illegal immigrants come here and get food stamps and housing instantly.
"And, if I go to Mexico illegally, I get arrested," she added. "while Mexicans here are given food stamps and a place to live.
by Philip Rosenstein , Staff Writer, April 27, 2016
Last nights primary results could have sealed the deal for both front-runners.
Donald Trump had another spectacular night, winning over 50% of the vote in all five states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. He won over 60% of the vote in Rhode Island and Delaware and is poised to win the vast majority of available delegates.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton won four out of the five states, dropping Rhode Island to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Despite his win in Rhode Island, Clinton still leaves the state with the majority of delegates.
The Sanders campaign is now facing a near impossible task of catching up to Hillary Clinton in terms of delegate numbers. His campaign is also starting to waver.
Top Sanders adviser Tad Devine told The New York Times that the campaign would reassess its options following last nights results. Sanders wife, Jane, quickly muted Devines comments, rejecting the notion that the campaign would reevaluate their strategy.
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The Sanders campaign looks to be flailing slightly, as it has now become relatively clear that the nomination is Clintons. Quoting Rachel Maddow of MSNBC: She has effectively put this out of reach.
As for the GOP contenders, their pact looks to have completely fallen apart two days after the campaigns announced a strategic relationship. Ohio Gov. John Kasich was supposed to cede Indiana to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, but Kasich devotees in the state have refused to leave the door open for Cruz.
Both Cruz and Kasich dont seem to have taken the hint from Trumps huge wins. Kasich is definitely sticking around: America deserves a president that will make us proud. John Kasichs fight will continue, tweeted the Kasich team. At a rally in Indiana, Cruz likened Trump to Clinton in a bid to highlight the GOP front-runners liberal tendencies, telling the crowd that they are both big government liberals.
Donald Trump, on the other hand, all but declared himself the GOP nominee, as Politico wrote in its post-primary email blast. They also highlighted that David Plouffe, Obamas 2008 campaign manager, believes the nominating race is now over, having tweeted: First Trump-Clinton debate will be global phenomenon.
As it stands, Hillary Clinton is a mere 232 delegates from securing the nomination. She has accumulated 1,267 delegates (including superdelegates) and needs a total of 1,383 to put the nomination out of reach. With 954 delegates to his name, Donald Trump must win 283 of the remaining 616 delegates to hit the magic number of 1,237.
by Larissa Faw , April 27, 2016
After 16 years at DDB, Andrea Arnau has jumped to Rokk3r Labs to become its Chief Growth Hacker, a new position with a unique responsibility. In the role, Arnaus performance is measured by the effectiveness of her job helping portfolio companies grow as opposed to how much revenue she generates for Rokk3r.
Arnau held a number of roles at the Omnicom agency including account services before moving on to roles that added responsibilities for brand strategy, digital strategy and new business development.
Rokk3r Labs is designed to be a company that focuses on building and launching companies with entrepreneurs and also helping corporations develop cutting-edge innovation. "My role here is to complement those practices by designing growth strategies and tactics that will generate growth for products created by those companies," she says.
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Being involved with startups is a unique opportunity to witness innovation close up. At Rokk3r Labs, Arnau will still work with DDB and similar firms. In fact, she notes, Rokk3r and DDB have an existing business relationship.
"We are working on an experiment in which [DDB] will work with our portfolio companies to achieve growth for them through creativity," she says.
Arnau also believes her position is likely to be adapted by other agencies as they recognize the role's growing importance.
"The origin of it is that growth today, specially with startups and specially with products built with technology, is achieved by hacking traditional ways of marketing, says Arnau. It requires an agile strategy that is designed with an open mind for experimentation and uses tactics that are measurable, scalable and aim to achieve exponential growth.
Adds Arnau: A growth hacker is like a marketing person that is obsessed with achieving results. The main tools of a growth hacker are technology, creativity and marketing."
by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, April 27, 2016
A day after confirming that it had selected two agencies to share lead creative agency duties after a review---Interpublics FCB and Dentsu Aegis Networks mcgarrybowen--The Clorox Company detailed the brand assignments to be handled by the shops. The agencies replace DDB, which had done the bulk of the clients creative work for two decades.
FCB's San Francisco and Chicago offices will work on the global marketing campaigns of Clorox branded cleaning and laundry products as well as other home care brands, including Pine-Sol cleaners, Poett home care products and Liquid Plumr clog removers. The assignment also includes Glad trash and food protection products globally.
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Clorox said that FCB was selected based on its robust digital marketing capabilities, creative strength, analytics capabilities and strong leadership team.
mcgarrybowen/Dentsu Aegis will handle the Burt's Bees business (previously handled by Baldwin&) as well as the Hidden Valley, KC Masterpiece, Brita, Kingsford and Fresh Step & Scoop Away brands. The household products giant cited mcgarrys strong track record in building cultural relevance for iconic brands via a digital-first marketing mentality.
Commenting further on the agency selections, company CMO Eric Reynolds stated, "This is a time of tremendous change and enormous digital opportunity. We are delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with FCB and mcgarrybowen/Dentsu Aegis Network as our two agencies of record. Both agencies have a rich history of building brands that consumers love, developing big ideas and campaigns with coherence across today's complex communications channels."
FCB Global Chief Creative Officer Susan Credle stated: "We toss words like team and collaboration around a lot in this business. This win is proof when we take these words to heart, the potential for amazing outcomes increases.
The two shops will start officially for the company in July.
Baldwins David Baldwin issued this statement: "It's very difficult to navigate 6 CMOs in six years on any business. But after such a long time you develop deep, lasting friendships and we wish our colleagues at Burts Bees the very best. We can all be very proud of the innovative work we've done together, including a campaign of the year and 69% sales growth during our tenure. We're leaving the business better than we found it and really, what more can you ask for in this business?"
by Gavin O'Malley , Staff Writer @mp_gavin, April 27, 2016
From ad agencies to auto dealerships, has a mobile-first approach become the mark of a successful business?
Well, new research from The Economist Intelligence Unit shows that a strong mobile strategy assists employees in unlocking their full potential.
Indeed, companies rated by their employees as pioneers in how they support mobile technology saw a rise in productivity (16%), creativity (18%), satisfaction (23%), and loyalty (21%), when compared to organizations that were poorly rated at supporting mobile technology.
Among 1,865 respondents, 60% said mobile technology makes them more productive, while 45% said it contributed to more creativity.
The great thing about mobile appears to be its, um, mobility. Yes, respondents said the ability to work anytime, anywhere provided the single-biggest boost to their productivity and overall satisfaction, the EUI found.
Think about downtime at the airport or on the train, Kevin Melton, sales and marketing director at medical insurance provider AXA PPP International, told the researchers. Theres not much dead time now.
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Respondents also said ability to access information quickly and easily via mobile had a big impact on their productivity levels.
Meanwhile, they said the ability to collaborate more easily through mobile was the most important factor affecting their creativity.
Also contributing to creativity levels is the fact that mobile allows employees to move around freely -- even it its just inside their office.
Also of note, the EIU found that respondents age was not a factor in how mobile technology impacted their performance and engagement.
by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, April 27, 2016
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood has withdrawn a 79-page subpoena demanding that Google provide him with millions of documents related to online copyright infringement.
Hood sent Google a letter withdrawing the subpoena on Friday, two weeks after a federal appeals court allowed him to resume investigating whether the company enables online copyright infringement. But even though Mississippi's top law enforcement official dropped the subpoena, he told Google it was still bound by a June 2013 "litigation hold" letter, which directed the company to preserve evidence.
Google disclosed Hood's move in a motion asking the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider its earlier decision in favor of Hood.
The court battle about the subpoena dates to late 2014, shortly after emails disclosed in the Sony hack revealed Project Goliath -- a secret Hollywood-backed initiative to convince state attorneys general to target Google for allegedly enabling piracy.
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Google sought an order prohibiting Hood from bringing charges against the company, and from enforcing a subpoena demanding information related to outside companies -- including operators of sites that Google indexes in its search engine -- that allegedly play a role in copyright infringement.
Last March, U.S. District Court Judge Wingate in Mississippi granted Google's request, after finding a substantial likelihood that Google's free speech rights were violated by Hood. Wingate ruled that Google's decisions about what to publish online were constitutionally protected, and that interfering with that judgment by threatening legal action would likely produce a chilling effect on Googles protected speech."
Wingate added that Hood lacks authority to target Google for linking to sites that allegedly infringe copyright, because state attorneys general don't have jurisdiction over copyright infringement.
Hood then appealed to the 5th Circuit, asking to resume his "hijacked" investigation.
On April 8, a three-judge panel of that court sided with Hood and lifted the injunction that prohibited him from enforcing the subpoena.
A panel of that court's judges wrote that Google's request for an injunction was premature, given that the company went to court before Hood took steps to force Google to comply with the subpoena. That panel also directed Wingate to dismiss Google's complaint.
On Friday, Google asked the appellate court to reconsider. "The record establishes that Google faces a genuine threat of enforcement action, one that is not imaginary, speculative, or chimerical," Google wrote.
The company added that although Hood withdrew the subpoena on Friday -- the same day that Google filed its court papers -- he also reminded the company of a "litigation hold" requiring it to preserve evidence.
"No one can reasonably be expected to brush off a state attorney generals specific allegations of unlawful conduct and repeated threats of enforcement action," Google wrote. "The law does not require Google to either accede to Hoods demands or call his bluff."
It's not yet clear whether Hood intends to pursue an investigation.
by J. Max Robins , Featured Columnist, April 27, 2016
At the closing session last week of the National Association of Broadcasters Show, Googles president of global partnerships, Daniel Alegre, addressed the throngs of TV and radio brass to send a message. Namely: The content industry is in the midst of massive change. With myriad platforms seeing exponential innovation in digital and mobile technologies, the legacy media world has been turned upside down and primetime is now whatever, whenever and wherever the audience wanted it to be.
With what feels like perpetual upheaval in the media ecosystem, Googles big surprise at the NAB was to offer hope to an industry under siege. The rise of new content models and connected devices has led to more choice than everboth for content creators and consumers, wrote Alegre in a subsequent blog post. But with this choice and opportunity come new challenges to solve as well.
If Google sees, and notes, the opportunity in all this disruption, it would be wise for everybody else to take keen notice of what the most powerful media and technology company in the universe is up to. And what its up to is what its always up tomaking life easier for consumers. Google used the NAB to unveil an enhanced search function that includes live TV listings. As Alegre noted at NAB, if you have a jones for The Big Bang Theory, Google Search will show you the apps and where the latest episode is, as well as where you can tune your TV at a later date to catch it live.
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Tellingly, Google also used the NAB to unveil new features and addressable efficiencies to serve up targeted personalized ads across platforms. Dubbed DoubleClick Dynamic Ad insertion, the service promises to go hand in glove with Google Search TV listings. In addition, DoubleClick clients will be able to prevent multiple car spots appearing in the same commercial pod and do likewise so that alcohol spots dont abut ones for kids cereal. Several major players have signed on with DoubleClick Dynamic, including Cablevision and Roku, adding to already existing clients such as AMC, Fox News, Frances TF-1 and Brazils Globo.
I learned long ago that when Google ventures into traditional media waters, its wise to stay tuned in. I was at NAB in 2007 when Googles then-CEO, Eric Schmidt, gave a keynote interview. A question was asked by a venture capitalist from the floor: Looking out into the next decade, where should he be thinking of investing? Schmidt bookended his response to the question with all emphasis on one arena: mobile. Pretty damn good advice, given that the iPhone would launch two months later.
And nine years later, Google was back at NAB, offering a list of efforts to address and perhaps solve the challenges of a volatile TV landscape. Hearkening back to Schmidts words almost a decade ago, its worth noting that mobile searches for video and film have increased 55% in the last year. So, lets tally it up: A greatly enhanced TV search service, increasingly targeted advertising services across platforms and a particular emphasis on mobile. It all seems like the Emperors of Search may have not-too-subtly presented the industry with some algorithms for success. Sounds like the kind of plan the folks holding too fast to legacy products would be wise to hit the return button on.
In a bid to discover why rates of reported childhood food allergy have risen in recent decades, scientists compared childrens blood samples from 20-30 years ago to some taken 10 years ago and were surprised to find no evidence that rates of sensitivity to foods have gone up.
Share on Pinterest Todays parents and doctors are more aware of childhood food allergies could this be why rates have gone up?
The researchers say their findings suggest either that parents and medical professionals have got better at recognizing and diagnosing food allergies, or that the relationship between allergy markers in the blood and food allergy symptoms has changed.
The study, led by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, is published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.
Since the 1990s, studies have shown that the proportion of children in the United States found to have one or more food allergies has risen by at least 50 percent.
But it is not clear why allergies have increased, and many studies have tried to find out what might be causing this apparent epidemic.
Today, it is thought around 5 percent of American children are allergic to one or more foods the most common being milk, eggs, peanuts, and shellfish.
The researchers wondered if the increase in reports of children with food allergies is matched by an increase in the proportion of children who have evidence of food allergy in the form of antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgEs) in their blood.
An allergic reaction occurs when the body comes into contact with a substance an allergen that provokes an overreaction in the immune system. The immune system identifies the allergen by producing IgEs to instruct immune cells to release chemicals. There are different IgEs for different allergens.
Living in a high-deprivation neighbourhood may lead to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a unique study looking at the health of refugee immigrants in Sweden, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
The study followed the long-term health of over 60000 refugee immigrants who arrived in Sweden in 1987-1991 and were dispersed in housing throughout the country - allowing for a natural experiment studying the effect of neighbourhood deprivation on health. Although previous studies have shown an association between deprivation and health, these findings suggest a more direct link, especially in vulnerable populations such as refugees.
"We found that living in a high-deprivation neighbourhood led to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, compared to living in the least deprived areas. Although the increased risk was small, we found that the effect accumulated over time," said study author Dr Justin White from the University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. "The increased risk didn't develop immediately, which is consistent with the way neighbourhoods are thought to affect health, and chronic diseases in particular. There are likely to be a number of factors explaining the link, such as increased exposure to chronic stress from living in a high-crime or segregated area, the limited income and employment opportunities that affect a person's ability to afford healthy food, the lack of availability of healthy food in the neighbourhood or its low levels of walkability."1
Studies have consistently shown that living in a high-deprivation neighbourhood is associated with increased risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. However, because of the lack of randomised trials, most studies have been unable to show more than a statistical association and were unable to account for limitations such as selection bias (e.g. that less healthy individuals might move to more disadvantaged neighbourhoods). The only randomised trial that has looked at neighbourhood effects was in the USA in the 1990s, where 4600 low-income families were randomly assigned to receive a housing voucher to move out of high-deprivation neighbourhoods.
In this new study, researchers analysed data from 61386 refugee immigrants aged 25 to 50 who arrived in Sweden between 1987 and 1991. This period saw a large influx of refugees to Sweden, largely from the Middle East and North Africa, and policy at the time aimed to actively distribute refugees across Sweden to improve integration and to avoid a large influx of recently arrived, unemployed people arriving in major cities, putting strain on local job markets.
Refugees were placed into housing by local municipal officials who had limited information about their backgrounds, meaning that location assignment was as good as random. Because of Sweden's extensive data registers, the researchers were able to follow refugees for decades, including their housing, medical records and diagnoses.
The researchers analysed the proportion of people who had developed type 2 diabetes between January 2002 and December 2010. They excluded people with type 1 diabetes and people who had a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes within 5 years of arriving in Sweden to avoid including people with pre-existing disease. Overall, 7.4% (4553/61386) had developed diabetes; by comparison, national diabetes prevalence in Sweden was estimated to be 4-6% during the same time period. Of the 28785 refugees assigned to high-deprivation neighbourhoods, 7.9% (2278) developed type 2 diabetes, compared to 7.2% in moderate-deprivation neighbourhoods (1994/27786) and 5.8% (281/4815) in low-deprivation neighbourhoods (table 2).
When the researchers took into account information such as age, sex, educational attainment, marital status, region of initial placement, family size, region of origin, year of arrival, and assigned municipality (table 3), they found that the initial percentage point difference between high and low deprivation neighbourhoods was reduced from 1.7% to 0.8%. Although small, the author say the finding is still important and corresponds to a 15% increase in the risk of diabetes for refugees initially assigned to a high-deprivation versus low-deprivation. The study also found that diabetes risk is cumulative (figure 5), with the risk of diabetes increasing year by year.
The authors add that half of the initial sample of people moved away from their initial assigned location in the 10 years following their arrival in Sweden. However, even in the presence of high relocation rates, in a country renowned for its strong social support, the findings show a long-term effect of initial neighbourhood assignment on refugee health, suggesting that, if anything, this study likely underestimates the true effects of neighborhoods.
Dr White adds: "Our study has direct relevance to the ongoing period of immigration to Europe. Because of the historically high numbers of incoming refugees, combined with already high unemployment rates, the new entrants are encountering less hospitable political and social environments. Our data suggest that decisions affecting the settlement and integration of immigrants can have long-term consequences for the health of the new arrivals, and that these societies may end up paying the price decades later if refugees do not receive adequate support up front. Refugees are among the most vulnerable populations in any society, and as such deserve special attention from governments in creating policies that protect and promote their health. Future studies should also consider the effects of dispersal policies and neighbourhood deprivation on other factors such as mental health or child health."1
Writing in a linked Comment, Dr Nigel Urwin, Chronic Disease Research Centre, the University of the West Indies, Barbados, and the MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, says: "The findings from this study suggest that where people live affects their risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and that by extension this affects the development of related chronic diseases. These results are consistent with those from the Move to Opportunity study done in the USA, which included people from a different population using a different welfare system. These two studies were both done in adults; the long-term effects of neighbourhood deprivation in children might be even greater. Although White and colleagues' study clarifies little about the mechanisms of the increased risk associated with moving to a deprived area, it emphasises the need to understand them to inform preventive interventions. The findings also support the notion that the most effective approaches to prevention will entail addressing both neighbourhood and individual level factors."
This study was funded by US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, US National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, US National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Swedish Research Council.
For more than a decade, a black box warning from the Food and Drug Administration has accompanied the ADHD drug atomoxetine cautioning users of an increased risk of suicidal thoughts. But University of Florida College of Pharmacy researchers found no evidence that children taking atomoxetine were at an increased risk of suicide or suicide attempts.
"Parents generally struggle to weigh the risks and benefits associated with ADHD drug treatment options," said Almut Winterstein, Ph.D., a professor and chair of pharmaceutical outcomes and policy at the College of Pharmacy and co-author of the study. "Having the suicidality safety concern studied and shown that it does not exist will help parents and doctors make more informed decisions related to the treatment of ADHD."
UF researchers evaluated a half million children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, in 26 states for four years. The study assessed whether atomoxetine, which is not classified as a stimulant, was associated with an increased risk of suicidal events when compared with stimulant drugs typically prescribed for ADHD. The findings, which showed no increased risk of suicide attempts among 5- to 18-year-olds treated with atomoxetine compared with those receiving stimulant treatment, were published in the journal Pediatrics on April 26, 2016.
ADHD is the most common mental health disorder in children and adolescents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one in 10 American children ages 4 to 17 have received a diagnosis, and more than 2.7 million children take medication to control the disease.
Stimulants are the most commonly prescribed medication for ADHD. Stimulants can temporarily increase energy levels and concentration, alleviating symptoms of ADHD such as inattention and hyperactivity. Doctors have long prescribed stimulants, despite side effects that include increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure and addiction concerns.
"While atomoxetine has the qualities of a stimulant, it is not classified as one," Winterstein said. "Atomoxetine is not a controlled substance, and people are less likely to abuse it."
Atomoxetine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, as a non-stimulant treatment option for ADHD in 2002. In 2005, a black box warning was added to the drug after a meta-analysis of clinical trial data involving more than 2,200 patients seemed to show a significantly higher risk of suicidal thoughts in patients taking atomoxetine. Five suicidal events occurred, all taking place in children younger than 12 within 32 days of treatment.
"This was a case where there was some evidence that atomoxetine might increase suicidal thoughts, but the evidence was not conclusive," Winterstein said. "The FDA decided to go ahead with the black box warning, but whether this risk translates into an increased risk of actual suicidal events remained unknown."
A black box warning is the strongest type of warning that the FDA can require for a drug. It appears on a prescription drug's label and warns of serious or life-threatening risks associated with taking the drug.
Of the 300,000 children UF researchers studied using atomoxetine or stimulants as a first-line treatment, 140 suicide events were observed. For the 220,000 patients taking atomoxetine as a second treatment option, 90 suicide events were observed. UF researchers found no statistical significance in these results that suggested atomoxetine increased the risk of suicidal events compared with stimulants.
UF researchers also analyzed drug use data that showed a steep increase in atomoxetine usage after FDA approval followed by a gradual decline when safety concerns emerged.
"The massive safety concern associated with the drug label warning probably affected the prescription choices made by physicians," Winterstein said. "Our study's findings indicate that increased suicidal event concerns are not warranted, and some adolescents might benefit from having the black box warning removed from the medication."
Winterstein identified adolescent users because this age group is more likely to abuse stimulants and other drugs compared with younger children and has the most to gain from having a non-stimulant drug option.
The study's lead author, Stephan Linden, Ph.D., completed the research as part of his doctoral thesis at UF. He is now a global epidemiologist at Boehringer Ingelheim, a pharmaceutical company in Germany.
"Risk of Suicidal Events With Atomoxetine Compared to Stimulant Treatment: A Cohort Study" Stephan Linden, Regina Bussing, Paul Kubilis, Tobias Gerhard, Richard Segal, Jonathan J Shuster, Almut G Winterstein. Pediatrics, May 2016.
Overall prevalence of trachoma in Australia is declining as a result of strengthened control programs, according to early release findings from the 2015 Australian Trachoma Surveillance Report issued today by the Kirby Institute at UNSW Australia.
These results come as experts from across the globe gather in Sydney for the 20th meeting of the World Health Organization Alliance for the Global Elimination of Trachoma, to take stock of progress and discuss the roadmap to eliminate trachoma globally by 2020. Many countries have succeeded in substantially reducing the burden of trachoma in their populations.
Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of preventable blindness in the world, and is entirely preventable. In Australia it continues to be found in remote and very remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia. The infection occurs most commonly in young children and can be passed on through discharge from the eyes of an infected child, and spread through personal contact and items such as clothing. It can be easily treated by antibiotics, but early treatment is vital to prevent blindness which occurs after repeated episodes of infection that ultimately lead to scarring of the cornea.
The Australian Government has committed funding of $16.6 million for trachoma control activities. In partnership with the Australian Government's Indigenous Australians' Health Programme, the Kirby Institute monitors and reports on trachoma prevalence and control measures towards the goal of elimination in Australia by 2020.
"Early findings from 2015 tell us that trachoma in at risk communities is down by 9.4 per cent since 2009 (currently at 4.6 per cent), so we are really seeing the results of health promotion and treatment activities in these regions," says Professor John Kaldor, who is responsible for Australian trachoma surveillance at he Kirby Institute. "While trachoma is declining overall, the data has revealed 'hot-spots' that will require continued focused efforts. We look forward to seeing these communities join the many others in central and northern Australia that have been declared trachoma free."
The Fred Hollows Foundation's Indigenous Australia Program Manager Jaki Adams-Barton said community based health staff were a key to eliminating trachoma, providing support screening and treatment activities. "Community workers play an important role in breaking down cultural and language barriers between service agencies and Aboriginal community members and they let people know they can get services," Ms Adams-Barton said.
"A clear commitment and direct action to significantly improve housing and environmental conditions is also essential in ensuring trachoma is eliminated in accordance with Australia's GET2020 obligations."
The full 2015 Australian Trachoma Surveillance Report will be released in June 2016.
A copy of the early release findings can be accessed here.
In its April 11, 2016 editorial, the Iranian daily Kayhan, the mouthpiece of Iran's ideological camp which is led by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, discussed Russia's interests in Syria and the Middle East, and Iran-Russia relations. The editorial warned Moscow not to reach a secret agreement with Washington at the expense of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and Iran in exchange for Washington's lifting its pressure on Russia over Ukraine and Crimea. It also underlined that such an agreement would in any case be doomed to failure, because it would not have Tehran's knowledge or agreement, and stated that Tehran is opposed to Russia's federal plan for Syria.
Noting that while it is important to Russia, Syria is not strategic to it as it is to Iran and Hizbullah. Russia's might in the region stems solely from its protection of the Iran-Hizbullah-Syria resistance axis, it said, adding that if Moscow sells out Assad and Syria, it will become a minor player in the region, like France and the U.K.
The editorial revealed that the Russian military had entered Syria in October 2015 at Tehran's request, and acknowledged that major parts of northern and southern Syria are directly controlled by Hizbullah and Iran. It added that Tehran has for some time been providing Assad with strategic weapons, and that Russia had withdrawn from Syria because its presence there was no longer needed.
The following are excerpts from the editorial:
"What Part Does Syria Play In Russian Foreign Policy?"
"...What part does Syria play in Russian foreign policy? Is it great or small? To what extent is Russia's Syria policy based on cooperation with the West? Great or small? Is Russia's security situation such that it would prefer to trade Syria for Ukraine - meaning that Russia will receive Ukraine and give Syria to the West? What weight does Russia have in Syria - meaning how much does Russia really influence the Syrian security issue? And on this matter, historically, in the past 50 years, was Syria, or was it not, part of the Eastern Bloc and [after the collapse of the Soviet Union] one of Russia's satellite states?
"What is the extent of the military relations between Russia and Syria? How dependent is the Syrian army on Russian arms? What was Russia's aim in becoming [physically] involved in Syria's security situation this past October? What agreement was arrived at between the U.S. and Russia at the Geneva talks?
"Isn't Russia's becoming a main focal point at the Geneva talks, and isn't its secret agreement with the U.S., aimed at weakening Iran's role [in Syria] and placing the fate of Iran's allies in the hands of Moscow-Washington agreements?
"According to this, and in light of the fact that it is clear what the outcome of the secret Kremlin-White House talks will be, what was the point of our five-year effort to protect the Syrian government, and our sacrifice of beloved martyrs? And, ultimately, in light of its past reputation, can Russia's game be trusted?..."
"All Russia's Might Lies In Its Preservation Of Iran, Hizbullah, And Syria; If It Does Not Do This, [Russia] Will Become A Minor Player, Like France And England"
"Syria plays a major part in Russia's foreign policy... Syria and its Mediterranean coast is the only point in the Middle East and North Africa that has [physical] contact with the southern reaches of NATO territory. To some extent, these places are under Russian control, and any plan that impacts Russia's ongoing presence in this sensitive region is certainly contrary to Russia's interests and national security."
"On the other hand, there is no way Russia can trust that any agreement with the West that rejects Assad will not also reject Russian influence. Therefore, we can say that in terms of geopolitics and strategic interests, there is no possibility that an agreement between Russia and the West about the current Syrian government would be achieved - unless the Russians make a mistake in the talks. But even if this happens, there is a possibility for rectification [of such a mistake by Russia], thanks to the good Iran-Russia relations. Additionally, in the past year or two, we have seen at least two such mistakes that were subsequently rectified."
"Regarding Russian control over Eastern Ukraine and the Crimea, and Russian military control of the Black Sea: There is no reason for Russia to bring Syria in [to the equation] in order to obtain Ukraine. At this time, in the Ukrainian issue, the Westerners and the Western government in Kiev are apprehensive about Russia's influence and about Russia's military and security expansion in Eastern and Southern Ukraine. Therefore, the statement that is brought up in Iran - i.e. that Russia wants to trade Syria for Ukraine, is not compatible with reality.
"What weight does Russia carry in Syria? Undoubtedly, Russia is one of the countries that influence the Syrian issue. Russia's military presence in the ports of Latakia and Tartus, as well as the Russia-Syria military agreements, give Russia prominent status. But in comparison with the status of Iran and Hizbullah, [Russia's] status is not considered strategic.
"In principle, in some strategic matters, there are strategic points of contention between Russia and Syria - but there are no such disputes between Damascus and Tehran... Russia's influence in Syria is not so great that [Russia] can make decisions on behalf of the Syrian government and its allies in the region... that is, Russia has no strategic relations either with the Syrian government or with the main rebels such as Jabhat Al-Nusra and ISIS, which would allow it to establish a particular situation in Syria. All Russia's might lies in its preservation of Iran, Hizbullah, and Syria. If it does not do this, [Russia] will become a minor player, like France and England."
"Major Parts Of The Line Of Defense And The Operations Of North And South Syria Are Now Directly In Hizbullah's And Iran's Hands"
"Over the past 50 years, Syria was never recognized as part of the Eastern Bloc, and never expressed solidarity with it, despite its good relations with the Soviet Union and Russia. Perhaps the main reason there was no such alliance is Russia's active relations with the Zionist regime. In any event, Syria was not defined as part of Russia's [interests], and has, since the beginning of the victory of [Iran's Islamic] Revolution, been part of the resistance front and an ally of Iran - and now too it owes its existence to Iran's special and influential aid.
"In contrast to Russia, that has nothing in Syria that belongs to it, major parts of the line of defense and the operations of north and south Syria are now directly in Hizbullah's and Iran's hands. If Russia reaches an agreement with a third country that is unacceptable to Iran, such an agreement will surely fail - because in the past 30 years, every decision made for the resistance states and movements in which Iran had no part failed.
"Syria has no absolute dependence on Russian arms, and Iran has been providing Syria with strategic weapons for a long time. Therefore, in the [second Lebanon] war, the Assad government gave its Russian weapons to Hizbullah in Lebanon, without fearing that this would violate either the military protocols [that were in place] with Russia or the Russians' conditions. Russia also did not succeed in expressing serious opposition [to this move]. Therefore, if Moscow was Syria's only source of weapons, Assad would not have been able to unilaterally violate the agreement."
"On The First Of October 2015, Russia [Physically] Entered The Syrian Security Issue, After Iran Officially Asked It To Do So"
"On the first of October 2015, Russia [physically] entered the Syrian security issue, after Iran officially asked it to do so. Two days after a visit [to Moscow] by a high-ranking Iranian delegation, Moscow sent its air forces and missile defense systems into the war against terrorist elements in Syria, and five and a half months later, it withdrew part of its military forces from Syria. This was because the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) agreement with Putin was in force for five months at most. After the end of the [Russia-Iran] agreement, Russia withdrew only some of its forces from Syria.
"[It was at] Iran's invitation that Russia entered Syria, when such a [military intervention] was necessary and worthwhile, and [Russia] withdrew part of its forces when even withdrawing them all would not have harmed the [Assad] government and the Syrian security apparatuses one bit. In this case, Iran's conclusion was that the Russian forces should return [to Russia].
"The truth is that last summer, because of the advance of the terror elements in Idlib, Shaykh Maskin, Sakhaneh, and Tadmor, terror elements were enthused, and Syria needed a psychological shock; additionally, prior to Russia's entrance, the sensitive region of Zabadani was taken by Hizbullah.
"This shock [i.e. Russia's entrance into Syria] was implemented in early October, and it gave the [Syrian] army, and the forces connected to it, their second wind, and they carried out the Nasser 2 operation in the western part of the city of Aleppo and also determined the fate of the war in Syria. Therefore, when the Russians withdrew their forces [from Syria], there was no longer any need for their presence. So it is not at all correct to say that Iran and Syria were surprised when this happened.
"For Syria, there is a need for diplomatic talks, and Iran always stresses [the need for] this alongside military operations. Iran has had a useful presence in most [of these talks] particularly in the two recent rounds of talks held in Munich and Geneva. Here, Russia's role was two-pronged: First, in the developments in the [war] arena; in this matter [Russia] is fully coordinating with Iran. Second is Russia's special plan, the main point of which is [Syria's] federalization. Iran has neither rejected nor approved [this plan], but it recognizes it as premature, and as not serving the interests of the participants in the diplomatic talks in Geneva."
Following are excerpts from an article on the Russian troop withdrawal from Syria, published by Haftroza Al-Qalam, an Urdu-language jihadi weekly of the Pakistani jihadi terror group Jaish-e-Muhammad that is freely available across Pakistan:
"The Pious Land Of Syria Has Become A Victim Of The Brutality Of International Powers At This Time, As Was The Case With The Land Of Afghanistan Some Time Ago"
"The pious land of Syria has become a victim of the brutality of the international powers, as was the case with the land of Afghanistan some time ago. But the test for Syria's Muslims is more difficult, because there Russia and America, despite appearing to be opposed to each other, are internally aligned. No effort is being spared to destroy the Sunni Muslims there through the coercive steps of the two countries, which was the most dangerous aspect of this war. Both [Russia and the U.S.] countries have declared that they entered the field ostensibly to resolve this issue, but actually they are both protecting the dictatorship of [the Shi'ite ruler] Bashar Al-Assad...
"In such a situation, this fresh news has come up with a good aspect: a part of the Russian troops is leaving Syria. Therefore, as per media reports, Russian president Vladimir Putin has ordered the 'key part' of his military to withdraw from Syria. This is seen as an unexpected step. The process of withdrawal will begin Tuesday (March 15), and the Russian president says his country has achieved its objectives. U.S. officials have cautiously welcomed this Russian announcement, and have also said that Russia did not inform the U.S. in advance about this decision.
"Josh Earnest, the White House spokesman, said: 'We will have to watch what the real objectives of Russia are.' U.S. President Barack Obama has talked to the Russian president by phone in this regard. However, there has been no more information about this, from either American or Russian officials. The Russian statement about the troop withdrawal from Syria came at a time when talks are underway in Geneva... regarding a resolution of the five-year civil war in Syria. Russia is an important ally of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, and a statement by the Syrian president's office has said that he is in agreement with this [Russian] decision. The statement noted that the withdrawal of the troops is 'in consonance with the situation on the ground.'"
"Other Invasion Forces Will Also Slowly Face Failure, And Be Forced To Withdraw" Their Troops From Syria
"The Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war in September 2015 tipped the scales in favor of the Syrian government in this war. After that the government forces retook many regions from rebel control. At a Kremlin meeting, Russian President Putin stated: 'In my view, the mission that was given to the defense ministry and armed forces has been achieved...' Russia has claimed that its military operations in Syria targeted only the terrorists - while the Western powers have been alleging that Russia has been targeting those opposed to Bashar Al-Assad. Syria's opposition party has cautiously welcomed the Russian decision....
"Earlier, the American and Western governments called the Russian intervention a threat to their interests. But they are not concerned about the extreme difficulties experienced by the Muslims there. Even if they [the U.S. and the Western/European powers] made some statements [in this matter], they were meaningless, and their tone and tenor clarified that the land of Syria was basically a grazing ground for both international powers, and that they can go there to hunt whenever they want. Therefore, some time ago, the European governments stated: 'In the eyes of the West, Vladimir Putin entangled himself in a diplomatic difficulty by getting involved in the Syrian conflict...'"
"The fundamental objective behind Russia's intervention in Syria was to offer protection to Bashar Al-Assad and his government. But the Muslims' resistance there was so extreme that it was appearing difficult for Bashar Al-Assad to remain [in power] there. In such a situation, in order to offer him protection the Russian and the American intervention grew [i.e. in concert]. Simultaneously, Russia announced that if Bashar Al-Assad needed asylum, he would be offered political asylum in Russia. Therefore, 'Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he is not rejecting the possibility of providing political asylum to his long-time ally Bashar Al-Assad.' In an interview with the German newspaper Bild, [Putin] said that there is a need for reform in Syria which includes a new Constitution. He said that if the next elections are democratic, then there is no need for Mr. Assad to go anywhere, whether he is elected president or not. But if he loses, then Putin can offer political asylum to him..."
"President Putin launched the bombing campaign in September in order to aid the government of Bashar Al-Assad. Now, the withdrawal [of troops] has begun. This withdrawal is an extremely happy moment for the Muslims, and it is hoped that the sacrifices of Muslims there and their forceful resistance will become stronger and that other invasion forces also will slowly face failure and be forced to withdraw [their troops from Syria]."
Source: Haftroza Al-Qalam, Issue No. 536
HCM Citys general statistics office has reported that from the beginning of the year until April 15, more than 10,450 new enterprises were set up in the city, equivalent to 100 per day.
The office said that the number of new firms was up 24.1 percent from the same period of last year. Over 8,000 are related to the service sector, accounting for 77 percent of the total. Meanwhile, 2,322 enterprises (22.6 percent) have been set up in the construction sector and 50 (3.9 percent) are involved in agriculture.
The total registered capital was VND 81.5 trillion ($3.66 billion), up 82.3% over the same period last year. The service sector received VND63.2 trillion, double last years figure, while the construction sector received VND17.8 trillion, up 29.5 percent on year. The agricultural sector also saw significant growth with capital more than doubling to VND493 billion.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has reported that Vietnams agricultural exports touched $10.2 billion in the first four months of 2016, up 11 percent from the same period last year.
Farm products contributed $4.98 billion, up 13.5 percent, followed by seafood exports at S2.25 billion, up 4.3 percent. Key wood products brought in $1.97 billion, 6.3 percent higher than the first four months of 2015.
The ministry added that in April, Vietnams agricultural export value increased by 13.8 percent on year to reach $2.97 billion.
This month rice exports reached 510,000 tons worth $535 million. Compared to last year, export volume was up 11.8 percent while value also rose by 13.8 percent. However, in mid-April, rice export prices fell by $5 to $370 per ton amid global price hikes. China remained the key importer of Vietnamese rice, accounting for 31.54 percent of total rice exports, followed by Indonesia with 20.45 percent.
Vietnam exported more than 200,000 tons of coffee in April for $344 million, up 44.6 percent in volume and 18.2 percent in value. Some economic experts explained that the prolonged drought affecting global coffee output was the main factor behind the growth of Vietnams coffee exports. Germany and the U.S. were the main markets, accounting for 15.9 percent and 13 percent of coffee export volume.
Data from the ministry also showed that Vietnam, the world's largest cashew exporter, exported 32,000 tons of the nuts in April, up 7.1 percent on year. Export value hit nearly $690 million, up 14.6 percent. The U.S. and China were the main recipients, taking up 29.3 percent and 18.5 percent respectively.
The Vietnam-based Bien Dong Petroleum Operating Company, a 51:49 joint venture between PetroVietnam and Russia's Gazprom, has produced 4.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas and 1.1 million tons of gas condensate from the Hai Thach and Moc Tinh gas fields in Vietnams East Sea since August 2013, according to a Gazprom statement released on Tuesday.
The two fields are part of the joint venture's key Bien Dong 01 project in the East Sea. Its geological conditions are very demanding with high temperatures and depths of 140m, PetroVietnam said.
The company has completed the construction of 12 production wells, three production platforms, a floating hydrocarbon storage terminal and a submarine pipeline system at the two fields, said Gazprom.
PetroVietnam said in late December last year that Bien Dong POC plans to produce 2 billion cubic meters of natural gas and 525,000 tons of gas condensate in 2016. The companys sales value is expected to reach $565 million this year.
Gazprom signed an agreement with PetroVietnam to buy a 49 percent in Bien Dong POC in April 2012. The agreement covers the Kim Cuong Tay oil field and two gas and condensate fields. The aggregate reserves of the two gas and condensate fields are estimated at 55.6 billion cubic meters of gas and 25.1 million tons of condensate. The first gas from the project was pumped in August 2013, according to Gazprom.
The Detroit News says a report from retired federal judge Steven Rhodes noted the federal government says the district didn't properly forward between $25 million and $30 million in federal funds to the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System.
Rhodes was appointed this year to oversee the troubled district. He says the district is negotiating with the U.S. Department of Education to resolve the issue.
Michigan Department of Education spokesman Martin Ackley says the district in December discovered and reported that it had not properly forwarded funding.
Ackley says an audit is being conducted.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee brought a live cheetah to the Capitol on Monday, but news reporters and photographers were initially denied access to the big cat the fastest land mammal in the world.
"This is a closed briefing," said Cory Fritz, a spokesman for Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., the committee's chairman. The panel, like others in Congress, "holds closed briefings for staff to learn about and discuss issues within our jurisdiction," Fritz said.
A few dozen Capitol Hill staffers entered the committee's meeting room in the Rayburn House Office Building while a half-dozen photographers stood outside the door, which was soon locked.
At the end of the hourlong briefing, the committee opened the doors. A cheetah named Adaeze (pronounced ah-DAY'-zah) was lying on a table. The big cat was born in captivity and lives at the Leo Zoological Conservation Center in Greenwich, Connecticut.
The event was held in conjunction with the Cheetah Conservation Fund, a Virginia-based group that works to save cheetahs from hunters, trappers and other threats. There are fewer than 10,000 wild cheetahs left worldwide, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, a 90 percent decrease since 1900.
Laurie Marker, the fund's executive director, said the briefing was intended to raise awareness of threats to the cheetah and build support for bills to increase penalties for wildlife trafficking and boost support for wildlife rangers. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., co-sponsored a Senate measure and attended Monday's briefing.
"People know about poaching of elephants and rhinos, but it happens with big cats, too," said Flake, who has met with Marker in Namibia. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected to vote on the bill on Thursday.
The House passed a Royce-sponsored bill last fall that aims to hold foreign governments accountable by "naming and shaming" the worst violators of anti-poaching laws.
Cheetahs are not the only wildlife under scrutiny in Congress this week. On Tuesday, the House is set to vote on a bill adopting the bison as the national mammal of the United States.
And when the patients aren't real, that's even better.
The Ann Arbor school's new state-of-the-art Clinical Learning Center building features six simulation rooms that house high-fidelity mannequins capable of bleeding, vomiting and even giving birth just like real patients.
Alexandra Noga, a junior from suburban Detroit, said it's "somewhat intimidating the things that some of these mannequins can do." But Noga added that they're "really helpful, because they can simulate a lot of real-life issues" that wouldn't likely surface during training in a typical hospital setting.
That's the point, said Maureen Westfall, a clinical instructor who led a recent simulation in which Noga and another student assisted as "Sarah," a patient with gestational diabetes, gave birth.
"I've seen a build in confidence, and I've seen just an overall level of comfort" in the students, said Westfall, who points out that it benefits her young charges to learn by trial and error.
Or, as Clinical Learning Center Director Michelle Aebersold put it: "People clearly remember the times they screw up."
The simulation exercises the instructors create mimic real-life patient situations that many nursing students won't see in their clinical rotations. Students can practice suctioning secretions from the trachea, electrically shocking the heart into starting again and administering intravenous drugs.
Westfall is part of a team of specially trained simulation instructors who, while seated in front of a bank of screens and behind a one-way mirror, act as the mannequins' minds and bodies. They use wireless controls to prompt just about any possible physiological response.
Michigan is far from alone in training would-be nurses this way. But Aebersold said the school is unique in that it allows all undergraduates including first-year students to take part in the "sims" as they're often called and uses "dedicated simulation faculty."
Plus, Aebersold said, studies indicate undergraduates can replace up to half of their clinical hours with simulations without impacting their ability to pass the nursing certification examination.
When each "sim" ends, students immediately take part in a debriefing session, discussing what they did well and what could have gone better.
"Wouldn't life be so great if we could debrief after every time we go through something at any job that we've had?" Westfall said. "Just to critically think about what we could have done different or better."
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Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue has asked the State Capital Investment Corp. (SCIC) to consider investing in areas that are strategically vital to the countrys development, the Vietnam government portal said in a statement on Tuesday.
These include investments in new strategic industries that Vietnamese scientists or start-ups have potential to develop but require investment, and investments in key industries and fields the private sector is not interested in, Hue said in a meeting with the SCIC, without clarifying further.
He also asked the SCIC to give top priority to making the most of divestments from state-controlled enterprises. Divestments must follow directions issued by the party and government on the reform and restructuring of state-controlled enterprises, he said.
In October last year, the SCIC unveiled plans to sell the state's stake in diary giant Vinamilk, technology conglomerate FPT and eight other major state-controlled enterprises, which could bring about $4 billion. The SCIC holds 45.1 shares worth $2.5 billion, in Vinamilk. The SCIC estimated an increase of 18 percent in this years total revenue, of which VND7.3 trillion ($327 million) is expected to come from divestment from state-controlled firms.
The state's investment arm and the Ministry of Finance have been instructed to work together on a masterplan for the SCIC's development over 2016-2020 with a vision to 2030. The masterplan will serve as a foundation for the government to push forward the restructuring and divestment in state-controlled enterprises, the statement said.
The SCIC was established by the government in 2006. It manages state capital in over 500 enterprises operating in financial services, energy, manufacturing, IT, telecommunications, transportation, consumer products and healthcare.
Defense Department scientists are trying to develop a secure messaging system, so troops can communicate with leaders when radios go down.
"There is a critical DoD need to develop a secure messaging and transaction platform accessible via web browser or standalone native application," according to a recent Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency notice on the DoD Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Program web portal.
"The messaging platform would act as the transport for a cryptographically sound record of all transactions whether they be contracts, troop movements or intelligence. Troops on the ground in denied communications environments would have a way to securely communicate back to HQ."
The DARPA program comes at a time when the threat of cyber attack has all branches of the U.S. military scrambling to build up their cyber warfare capabilities.
"The DoD requires a secure messaging system that can provide repudiation or deniability, perfect forward and backward secrecy, time to live/self delete for messages, one time eyes only messages, a decentralized infrastructure to be resilient to cyber-attacks, and ease of use for individuals in less than ideal situations," according to the notice.
Current legacy messaging and "back-office infrastructures, based on centralized, unencrypted hub-and spoke database architecture," are expensive, inefficient and vulnerable to cyber attack, according to the DARPA notice. Many organizations unknowingly keep duplicate information, increasing the potential for data theft and data corruption.
Phase one of the program would focus on creating a model for the decentralized messaging platform, experimenting with encryption schemes and evaluating hardware to be used in combination with the messaging platform to provide additional security.
Phase two would involve developing, testing and evaluating a working prototype, while phase three would focus on commercialization and full-scale implementation of the platform, the notice states.
Cyber warfare has become a new reality on the battlefield. Cyber operations are now a top priority in the Pentagon.
The Defense Department's Cyber Command was stood up in 2009 as attacks against U.S. military networks escalated. It is responsible for both offensive and defensive capabilities -- defending department networks and conducting cyber operations against U.S. enemies.
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter recently gave Cyber Command its first, wartime mission to go after the command-and control capabilities of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
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The U.S. Marine Corps could enjoy its first plus-up of troops in several years if a provision in the new defense budget bill survives passage.
The draft version of the fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act prepared by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry would provide funding for 3,000 more troops than were asked for in the president's budget request.
The additional troops would bring the Marine Corps back to a pre-war end strength of 185,000, up from its planned steady state of 182,000.
Thornberry, a Republican from Texas, said he sought to meet the needs of the services in marking up his version of the bill.
"For both the Marines and the Air Force, I think a small increase in end strength was on their unfunded requirements list," Thornberry told reporters April 21, as the mark-up process was ongoing. "I take seriously, and I think they take seriously, these unfunded requirements lists."
Each service submits a "wish list" to Congress of items not budgeted for in the president's request.
A copy of the Marine Corps' unfunded priorities list, submitted to Congress in mid-February and obtained by Military.com, does not specifically request additional Marines. It does, however, ask for an additional $75.6 million in personnel funding for selective re-enlistment bonuses, as well as foreign language proficiency bonus pay and permanent change of station funding.
Marine Corps leaders have been adamant about the dangers of drawing down too far while continuing to deploy in support of the fight against the Islamic State and to other areas around the globe. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller has also spoken publicly about his interest in increasing the Marines' young community of cyber and electronic warfare Marines.
In a February lecture at the Atlantic Council, Neller said the Corps faced two options: ask for an end strength increase after whittling ranks to meet budget constraints, or restructure the existing forces to confront the new mission. He said the service might have to cut from the operational forces and infantry community to allow these new specialties to grow.
"I'm willing to take risk in the units we have now," he said. "Once we determine what are the capabilities we need and what are the types of Marines we need to do that, you know, those are not going to be [privates first class] and lance corporals over time."
The commander of Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Lt. Gen. Robert Walsh, outlined the service's need even more clearly in a lecture at the Center for Strategic and International Studies at the end of March.
The Marine Corps, he said, needed to grow cyber, EW, and information warfare by 1,000 to 3,000 troops above the roughly 1,500 already serving in the community.
"We're going to have to trade capabilities within the [Marine air-ground task force] to be able to grow those capabilities," he said. "We're going to grow in that area of Marines; that is going to have to come from within the force to be able to make this a more capable 21st century force."
Generals have also discussed their desire to put more space between deployments for Marines, allowing them to stay home more than twice as long as they spend deployed. More troops would allow the Corps to positively adjust this deployment-to-dwell ratio.
Thornberry opted to move $18 billion earmarked for overseas operations in the president's budget request to the base budget to pay for procurement and maintenance, as well as the Marine Corps troop plus-up. This would leave operations including the fight against Islamic State militants funded only until the middle of next year, forcing the next president to push additional funding through Congress shortly after taking office.
The budget bill has to pass several hurdles before the Corps can start planning for additional manpower. Currently in its draft form, the NDAA will undergo a committee-wide markup within the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday. It then must be passed by both the House and the Senate. President Barack Obama could also choose to veto the bill after passage.
-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
Related video:
The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee has introduced a defense bill that would increase the U.S. Army by 45,000 soldiers.
Rep. Mac Thornberry's version of the fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Bill would provide money to add 20,000 soldiers to the active Army's end-strength, bringing it to 480,000.
The bill would also add 15,000 to the National Guard and 10,000 to the Reserves, resulting in a Guard strength of 350,000 and a Reserve strength of 205,000. The panel was expected to approve the measure on Wednesday.
Under the President Barack Obama's current proposed defense budget, the Army projects its end-strength to be at a total of 980,000 soldiers by fiscal 2018, including 450,000 for the active force, 335,000 for the Army National Guard and 195,000 for the Army Reserve.
"The Chairman's Mark halts and begins to reverse the drawdown of military end strength, preserving the active duty Army at 480,000," according to summary of the proposed bill.
The size of the Army has been a major concern among lawmakers, many of whom have stated that the active force is too small to deal with the growing number of threats facing the U.S.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley has testified that there is a "high-military risk" if the service continues to operate at its current size, but also told lawmakers that growing end-strength without additional funding would lead to a hollow force.
Thornberry's revised budget earmarks just over $2 billion in additional funding for the troop increase, according to language in the bill. That's about $2.5 billion short of what the Army would need, according to Army senior leaders that have testified it will cost about $1 billion for every 10,000 soldiers.
"Where possible, Chairman Thornberry's proposal cuts excessive or wasteful expenditures and rededicates those resources to urgent needs," according to the bill's summary. "Even with a vigorous re-prioritization of programs, the Committee was unable to make up essential shortages in the President's budget and simultaneously provide a full year of contingency funding.
"The proposal is designed to restore strength to the force through readiness investments and agility through much needed reforms, while providing a more solid foundation for the next President to address actual national security needs," it states
The proposal also would increase the strength of the Marine Corps by 3,000 and the Air Force by 4,000.
"Perhaps it is also true every year, that when it comes to overall spending levels for defense, we are presented with only difficult, imperfect options," Thornberry said in his opening remarks at Wednesday's committee-wide markup session within the House Armed Services Committee.
"But, the bottom line for me this year is that it is fundamentally wrong to send service members out on missions for which they are not fully prepared or fully supported," he added. "For that reason, I think that it is essential that we begin to correct the funding shortfalls that have led to a lack of readiness and to a heightened level of risk that we have heard about in testimony and that some of us have also seen for ourselves."
The bill, currently in its draft form, will have to be passed by both the House and the Senate. Obama could also choose to veto the bill after passage.
--Matthew Cox can be reached matthew.cox@military.com.
Vivid collection of graphics for the upcoming National Assembly
By Pham Van April 27, 2016 | 12:42 am PT
There is no campaign without cheering, that goes without saying. As Vietnam approaches its elections for the new National Assembly on May 22, we introduce paintings that will help you through the spirit of May's vote.
An attorney and expert in federal employment law panned the claim by the Veterans Affairs Department that it could not fire a San Juan VA hospital employee following her arrest in connection with an armed robbery.
Cheri Cannon, a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Tully Rinckey LLC, said the VA could easily have made the legal argument necessary to fire Elizabeth Rivera. Rivera pleaded guilty in 2015 to a misdemeanor after initially being arrested in connection with -- though not charged with -- armed robbery.
"They have to show that whatever [the crime] was, that it has a nexus to the efficacy or relationship to the job," Cannon told Military.com on Wednesday. "Any good lawyer for the VA could have made the case that the VA's reputation and ability to do its job and services are harmed when you have known criminals working in the department."
"Any judge would have bought that argument," Cannon said.
The VA has not said to what Rivera, a clerk at the hospital, pleaded guilty.
Rivera was in a car with a man identified as Rolando Rios Febus when Febus allegedly stepped out of the vehicle armed with a gun to rob a couple, according to a June 16, 2015, online report on the San Juan news site Metro. After police spotted the robbery in progress, Febus fled on foot, leaving Rivera in the car.
VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. David Shulkin told lawmakers that Rivera ultimately was not charged with armed robbery, but pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and was given probation.
After first being let go from her job, Rivera was reinstated, angering members of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. In testimony April 19, Shulkin provided lawmakers with an update -- saying he believed that Rivera had been fired.
He later issued a statement saying he was wrong, that she remains employed at the hospital, but that the VA can act only within the scope of the law and federal authority when it comes to discipline.
"As is true in private-sector employment, a federal employee generally cannot be terminated for off-duty misconduct unless there is a clear connection between the misconduct and the individual's employment," Shulkin said.
Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Florida, who chairs the House veterans' panel, called Shulkin's explanation "more proof that the federal government's dysfunctional civil service system makes it almost impossible for VA to adequately discipline most employees, including those involved in serious crimes."
Until the VA gets serious about holding its people accountable, he said, it "will never shake its well-deserved reputation as an agency that coddles and protects corrupt and incompetent employees for wrongdoing."
Cannon said that, as a matter of record, an arrest such as Rivera's would usually end up with the employee fired.
"Unless there are extenuating circumstances, like she didn't have a clue what was going to happen, and maybe someone bought that story," Cannon said. "Maybe an administrative judge sided with her and put her back to work."
-- Bryant Jordan can be reached at Bryant.jordan@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BryantJordan.
Editor's Note: This commentary by Retired Adm. William H. McRaven, former commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command, originally appeared in The Tampa Tribune.
When I was a young boy my father, a veteran of World War II and Korea, schooled me on the downfall of Gen. Douglas MacArthur. MacArthur, he explained, had overstepped his authority and shown blatant disrespect for the civilian leadership of the country. President Harry Truman relieved him of his command, and MacArthur retired soon thereafter.
Civilian rule of the military was one of the most fundamental principles of the armed forces. To believe differently was dangerous, my father told me. Dad strongly supported Truman's action, and he made me understand the value of the civil-military relationship -- a lesson I never forgot.
But over the past decade I have seen a disturbing trend in how politicians abuse and denigrate military leadership, particularly the officer corps, to advance their political agendas. Although this is certainly not a new phenomenon, it seems to be growing in intensity. My concern is that if this trend of disrespect to the military continues it will undermine the strength of the officer corps to the point where good men and women will forgo service -- or worse the ones serving will be reluctant to make hard decision for fear their actions, however justified, will be used against them in the political arena.
Take the recent case of Rear Adm. Brian Losey.
Adm. Losey is the commander of all Naval Special Warfare forces -- the SEALs and Special Boat sailors. I have known Losey for more than 30 years. He is without a doubt one of the finest officers with whom I have ever served. Over the past 15 years no officer I know in the SEAL Teams has given more to this country than Brian. None. As a young officer he was constantly deployed away from his family. After 9/11, he was sent to Afghanistan in the early days to help fight the Taliban. From there, Losey participated in the final march to Baghdad and then stayed in country as a SEAL Task Unit Commander. Afterward he served as the deputy and then the commanding officer of SEAL Team Six during more tough fighting in Afghanistan.
Later he was posted to the White House in the Office of Combating Terrorism. He made rear admiral in 2009 while at the White House. He was subsequently sent back overseas to Djibouti, Africa, to do a 15-month month isolated tour as the commander of all U.S. forces in the Horn of Africa. As a result of that successful tour, he was given command of Special Operations Command, Africa (SOCAFRICA).
SOCAFRICA was a relatively new command, which had been established to address the growing threat in North Africa. Located in the beautiful Swabian city of Stuttgart, Germany, it was initially staffed with military and civilian personnel from another nearby special operations unit. Although most of the men and women were incredibly capable, hard-working staffers, there was a small core who had been living in Europe for years enjoying the comfortable lifestyle in Stuttgart.
Upon Losey's arrival in Germany, the situation in North Africa changed dramatically, and the fledgling SOCAFRICA had to quickly get on wartime footing. Brian Losey did just that.
Losey is a no-nonsense officer who knows what it takes to get results. Combat is hard. Lives are at stake. Being genteel and considerate of everyone's feelings are not the qualities that will engender success. But although Losey can be a tough taskmaster, he is a "by-the-book" officer. Unfortunately for Losey, along the way to strengthening the command there were those who fought the change and through a series of whistleblower complaints sought to seek his removal.
At the time, I was the commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command in Tampa. I worked with Gen. Carter Ham, who commanded U.S. Africa Command and had operational control of Adm. Losey, to investigate the complaints.
The investigation we initiated determined that Losey's leadership style, while brusque and demanding, did not warrant his removal. The Navy subsequently recommended Losey for two stars, and he was confirmed by the Senate in December 2011.
Although the Navy inspector general absolved Losey of any wrongdoing, his promotion was put on hold pending DOD inspector general resolution of the complaints. Nevertheless, the secretary of the Navy agreed to reassign Adm. Losey to the premier job in Naval Special Warfare -- command of all the SEALs.
During the past three years as commander of Naval Special Warfare Command (WARCOM), his staff has consistently ranked WARCOM to be one of the best places to work in the Navy. He has passed all Navy IG inspections with flying colors, and the retention statics for his young officers and enlisted is exceptional.
However, in the course of those three years, the whistleblowers from Stuttgart continued to pursue Losey's removal and resignation, routinely submitting new complaints to prolong the process and hold up his promotion.
A series of DOD inspector general investigations were reviewed by the Navy leadership and, once again, Adm. Losey was found not to have violated any law, rule or policy. In fact, it was clear to the Navy that the personnel action taken by Losey against the complainants was not reprisal. He was recommended again for promotion to two stars.
Despite the Navy's multiple endorsements, certain members of Congress chose to use Losey's case to pursue their own political agenda. They held hostage other Navy nominations until Losey's promotion recommendation was rescinded. The ransom for their congressional support was Brian Losey's career and, more importantly, his stellar reputation.
They portrayed Losey's actions as a case of the big guy seeking retribution on the little guy-whistleblower. In fact, it was a case of a few guys fighting to maintain their comfortable life at a time when others were at war and needed their support.
However, in today's environment, when a leader challenges a whistleblower, there is an automatic indictment of the leader's character. Questioning the whistleblower makes you guilty until proven innocent. And it is clear in this case that certain members of Congress didn't care about Losey's innocence. Nor did they seem to care that he has sacrificed more for this country than most members on Capitol Hill -- or that the emotional strain of this investigation was devastating to his family. It is clear that all these lawmakers cared about was political leverage.
The case of Brian Losey is a miscarriage of justice. But the greater concern for America is the continued attack on leadership in the military.
During my past several years in uniform, I watched in disbelief how lawmakers treated the chairman, the service chiefs, the combatant commanders and other senior officers during Congressional testimony. These officers were men of incredible integrity, and yet some lawmakers showed no respect for their decades of service. I saw the DOD Inspector General's Office frequently act as judge and jury, apparently accountable to no one, dismissing the recommendations of the services and ruining officer's careers. I watched time and again how political correctness and pressure from Capitol Hill undermined command authority and good order and discipline.
Although we in the military understand the absolute necessity to serve and respect our civilian leaders -- and every good leader understands and appreciates the value of anonymous complaints to ferret out bad leadership -- we also need civilians to understand that a strong military, particularly an all-volunteer one, needs the support of our civilian leaders, not the constant refrain of disrespect that seems so common in today's political narrative.
Last month, after the decision to rescind Rear Adm. Brian Losey's promotion recommendation became public, Losey addressed his junior officers. Instead of being angry and bitter over the outcome, Losey had nothing but praise for the Navy and the nation for which he has served so long. He encouraged the young officers not to get discouraged about the ruling against him, but to recognize that this is the greatest military in the world and we are fortunate to be part of it.
I would echo Losey's sentiments. But to keep this the greatest military in the world, to preserve the strong civilian-military relations we have so long enjoyed, we must recognize that respect works both ways. Every time an individual lawmaker's political agenda undermines the integrity of the men and women in the military, we weaken the fabric of the uniform.
In light of the challenging times in which we find ourselves, politically and strategically, we cannot afford to have a military that loses respect for its civilian leaders. My father was right. The strength of America always rests with our nation's civilians. God forbid we should ever see it differently.
-- If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.
Ford Motor Company
FILE
(David Zalubowski)
DETROIT, MI - Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday it's issuing five safety recalls covering about 285,000 vehicles.
The largest recall includes 201,900 vehicles from the 2011 and 2012 model years for a transmission issue linked to at least three accidents.
Ford F-150, Ford Expedition, Ford Mustang and Lincoln Navigator transmission issue
The Dearborn automaker has issued a safety recall for the 2011-2012 Ford F-150, and 2012 Ford Expedition, Ford Mustang and Lincoln Navigator for a potential problem with the output speed sensor in the transmission's lead frame.
The company said that in certain conditions the part can lead to a temporary downshift into first gear. Depending on how fast the vehicle is going, that could lead to an abrupt reduction in speed that could cause the rear tires to slide or lock up.
Ford said it's aware of three accidents reported and no injuries related to the issue.
The affected vehicles have a 6R80 transmission in certain Ford F-150s built at Dearborn Assembly Plant and Kansas City Assembly Plant, Aug. 19, 2011 through March 9, 2012; 2012 Ford Expedition vehicles built at Kentucky Truck Plant, Aug. 19, 2011 through Dec. 19, 2011; Ford Mustang vehicles built at Flat Rock Assembly Plant, Aug. 19, 2011 through Feb. 21, 2012; and Lincoln Navigator vehicles built at Kentucky Truck Plant, Aug. 19, 2011 through Dec. 17, 2011.
Of the 201,900 affected vehicles, 184,000 are in the U.S. and 17,900 are in Canada.
Dealers will inspect the vehicles and fix them at no cost.
Ford Explorer and Police Interceptor suspension toe links
The company is issuing a safety recall for about 81,000 Ford Explorer and Police Interceptor SUVs from the 2014-2015 model years to replace suspension toe links.
In some of the SUVs, the left and right toe links could fracture due to poor weld quality. The issue could lead to steering problems or a loss of steering. Ford is aware of one accident and one injury linked to the issue.
The affected SUVS were built at Chicago Assembly Plant, Jan. 17, 2014 through May 31, 2014.
Tires on F-Series Super Duty trucks
Ford said it's recalling about 2,600 Ford F-Series Super Duty trucks from the 2016 model year to inspect and replace tires, if needed. Some of the trucks could have had tires damaged by a conveyor during assembly.
The company is not aware of any accidents or injuries linked to the issue.
Dealers will inspect the tires' sidewalls for damage and, if need be, replace them at no cost.
Airbag module in Ford Flex, Ford Taurus, Lincoln MKS and Mercury Sable
The company is also recalling about 200 Ford Flex, Ford Taurus, Lincoln MKS and Mercury Sable vehicles from the 2007-2012 model years to replace an airbag module.
The issue is unrelated to the Takata airbag recall, and does not affect primary-stage airbag deployment, the company said.
The affected vehicles were built at Chicago Assembly Plant and Oakville Assembly, Dec. 13, 2007 through Oct. 6, 2011.
Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the issue. Dealers will replace the driver airbag module for free.
Ford Fusion seat track
And finally, Ford is issuing a safety compliance recall for about 40 Ford Fusion cars from the 2016 model year to replace the driver seat track assembly. Some of the cars could have a seat track that was improperly welded, leading to reduced seat track strength, Ford said.
The affected Fusions were built at Ford's Hermosillo Assembly Plant, March 10, 2016 through March 16, 2016.
Dealers will replace the seat tracks for free.
Wondering if your vehicle is affected by a recall? You can plug your vehicle identification number into NHTSA's VIN lookup at vinrcl.safercar.gov/vin/.
David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. Email him at dmuller@mlive.com, follow him on Twitter or find him on Facebook.
Vietnams government said no evidence has been found to link the Taiwanese steel corporation Formosa to the mass fish deaths along Vietnams central coast.
Our test results indicate there is no evidence to conclude that Formosa in Ha Tinh province is behind the mass fish deaths. The environmental indicators do not exceed the regulatory threshold, deputy minister of Natural Resources and Environment Vo Tuan Nhan said at a press conference this evening.
Seven Vietnamese ministries and other related agencies had a closed meeting on the cause of the mass fish deaths in the central provinces of Vietnam this afternoon April 27. Deputy minister Nhan said the problem is very complicated and that it took other countries with a similar problem many years to find the cause [of mass fish deaths]."
According to Nhan, the top scientists who attended the meeting have initially come up with two major hypotheses to explain the mass fish deaths. One is the toxic chemical released by human activities. Another is an abnormal natural phenomenon which causes the algae in water to bloom, commonly known as the red tide.
The deputy minister said the above hypotheses must be thoroughly validated to identify the cause of the mass fish deaths and to draw a long term solution for other similar disasters. Nhan said Ministry of Science and Technology will oversee the process to be carried out by science research institutions, and if necessary, other international research organizations will also be requested to assist.
Nhan said the agriculture ministry would announce the results of the toxic chemical tests and make recommendations on whether the locals should continue fishing, consume the fish or use it as aquaculture product.
Meanwhile, also today, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has ordered Peoples Committees of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue provinces to collect and treat all the dead fish to prevent pollution. Consumption of or using said fish to feed livestock and poultry is strictly prohibited. Ministry of Health is responsible for guiding the provinces in conducting relevant inspections.
Nhan ended the press conference without taking any questions from journalists who had been waiting for the announcement for hours.
The mass fish deaths along the central provinces of Vietnam were first reported in fish cages placed at sea near Vung Ang ward at the beginning of April. Since then, thousands of saltwater and freshwater fish as well as fish raised in cages have died in the provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue. Locals who live along the coast have collected tons of dead fish since then, some weighing up to 50kg.
On April 25, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology established that an oil spill and recent earthquakes were not to blame for the dead fish. Top officials from Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development think that a strong toxic substance that has yet to be identified might be the main cause.
Dead fish found on a beach in Central Vietnam. Photo by Duc Hung
Suspicion has centered on Formosa, a major steel company in the Vung Ang Economic Zone, which has installed a wastewater pipe going out to the sea. A few days before the fish started washing up, the company had flushed the pipe for cleaning. About 300 tons of imported chemicals that the company used are believed to be extremely hazardous.
Yesterday, representatives of Formosa bowed to apologize to the public for a statement made by Formosas deputy chief in Hanoi Chou Chun Fan in an interview with VTC television on April 26: Sometimes in order to win something, you have to lose something. Its impossible to build a steel plant here and keep fish stocks in the surrounding area high at the same time. The company is reported to fire Fan for making the statement.
The last three days have also seen tens of tons of clamshells on a beach in Ky Ha commune, Ha Tinh province. These clams have been identified to have died approximately 20 days ago.
Michigan Men's Glee Club.jpg
Members of the Michigan Men's Glee Club perform "Seven Last Words of the Unarmed," a powerful, multi-movement work by Atlanta-based composer Joel Thompson. The song, which uses the last words of black male victims of police violence as its emotional centerpiece paired with the arrangement of "Glory" from the film "Selma."
(University of Michigan)
ANN ARBOR, MI -- The premiere of the film "Love, Life & Loss" featuring the U-M Men's Glee Club's performance of "Seven Last Words of the Unarmed" will include an appearance from the mother of one of the song's subjects.
Kadiatou Diallo, the mother of Amadou Diallo, will be attending the screening, which takes place at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Angell Hall's Auditorium A.
Diallo will join Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Dr. Jason Geary, U-M Glee Club director Dr. Eugene Rogers, School of Music, Theatre & Dance Dean Aaron Dworkin, composer Joel Thompson and student members of the U-M Glee Club for a question and answer session following the screening of the 30-minute Michigan Media film.
Amadou Diallo, a 23-year-old immigrant from New York, died on Feb. 4, 1999, after being shot at 41 times by four police officers. He is one of six black men -- including Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Kenneth Chamberlain, Oscar Grant, John Crawford and Eric Garner -- remembered in a song by Atlanta-based composer Joel Thompson titled "Seven Last Words of the Unarmed."
Since her son's death, Diallo has dedicated her time to raising awareness of equal justice issues in honor of her son by forming the Amadou Diallo Foundation Inc. The foundation aims to offer scholarships to students in Africa who want to study in America, to improve relations with the police and the community, and to provide a mentoring program for young people, with an overall focus to support the efforts of students who would not otherwise be able to continue their education without additional financial aid.
The song uses the last words of black male victims of police violence as its emotional centerpiece, providing students with a different perspective as they have performed lines like "What are you following me for?" "I can't breathe" and "I don't have a gun, stop shooting." The lyrics are powered by five movements borrowing influences from musical theater, Bach, Brahms, and aleatoric, or improvisational, music.
Diallo's last words, as sung in the third movement of the song, were "Mom, I'm going to college."
The screening is free and open to the public.
Martin Slagter covers higher education for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at mslagter@mlive.com or on Twitter.
BAY CITY, MI -- Steve Bean, a longtime pipefitter at General Motors' Bay City Powertrain plant, remembers the days when parking was at a premium for factory workers.
Once home to more than 3,000 employees, the GM plant's payroll isn't what it used to be. Today, 320 workers manufacture camshafts and connecting rods for Chevrolet V6 and V8 engines.
That's why announcements such as the one made at the plant Wednesday, April 27, are always welcome, Bean said.
Standing next to a red Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck, GM officials announced the automaker is going to invest $118 million into its Bay City Powertrain plant, creating 29 news jobs and retaining 67 positions. The news coincided with an announcement that GM is going to put $788.7 million into new high-efficiency engine program and modernization of facilities at its Spring Hill, Tennessee, manufacturing plant.
"Anytime we can see new work walk into our doors, that's a very good thing," said Bean, of Flushing. "I've seen the ups and downs here. Today, this shows that we're not going away, we're not shutting down. We're doing really good work here."
Construction in Tennessee is slated to begin in May and continue for several years, the company said in a statement.
"'Proud, proud, proud,'" Spring Hill Mayor Rick Graham told the local newspaper there. "Those were the first words that I said yesterday as we were right out here taking the keys to the first sold Cadillac XT5 made right here at the Spring Hill Manufacturing facility, the best auto manufacturing facility in the world. We took some heat in this purchase but it was all about giving back to GM and UAW for continuing to invest in our city."
John Lancaster, Bay City plant manager, said the $118 million for the factory reflects the "excellent workforce" at Powertrain, whose "commitment to building benchmark-quality engine components for many of GM's award-winning vehicles is visible every day."
Lancaster said the new jobs are expected to be filled in the next couple of years. Details about the investment will be announced at a later time, company officials said.
Wednesday's announcement is the third major investment in the past six years. Since 2010, GM has invested about $250 million into the Bay City plant.
"When you hear those numbers, it's almost hard to fathom," said Roland Gonzales, of Saginaw, a GMS representative at the Bay City plant.
Wednesday's news comes as more than 40 experienced plant workers, with more than 1,800 total years of experience, retire at the end of this week.
"That's a lot of experience going out the door," Gonzales said. "It's going to be a good thing to get new people in here quickly, so they can start gaining the experience and knowledge."
Gerald Kariem, director of UAW Region 1D, which represents Bay City Local 362, said the announcement is evidence of a strong relationship between GM management and the union.
"They wouldn't be bringing these great-paying jobs to this community if that wasn't the case," he said.
Bean said plant workers understand GM can take their work anywhere -- including to factories overseas -- so it's important to have a strong working relationship.
"The old ways of us butting heads doesn't work today," he said. "We have to get along if we want these jobs to stay here."
GM officials also used Wednesday's announcement to award $20,000 to area nonprofit organizations through its GM Foundation program. The following organizations were each awarded $5,000:
Delta College STEM Program
Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy
BaySail
United Way of Bay County
Several local dignitaries attended Wednesday's event, including Bay City Mayor Kathleen Newsham, Bay City Commissioners Lynn Stamiris, 1st Ward, and Jim Irving, 5th Ward, Bay City Manager Rick Finn, Bay County Executive Thomas Hickner and Bay Future CEO Mark Litten.
"The numbers of this investment are astronomical," Newsham said. "It is way more than what I was expecting."
Irving said while the number of employees is still nowhere close to what the plant used to employ, new jobs are always welcome.
"And these are good-paying union jobs with benefits," he said. "The type of jobs that are going to allow people to put money back into our economy."
A short tour of the plant gave a glimpse into its modern, high-tech operations today. Areas that were once operated with dozens of workers are now automated by robots with only a few workers manning specific zones.
"This is not the assembly line of yesterday. These are high-tech, high-precision jobs that require smart people," said Pedro Santos, an electrician at the plant and president of UAW Local 362. "The fact that we have robotics in here requires people to have a special set of skills."
GM wasn't the only auto manufacturer announcing investments this week. Ford officials on Tuesday, April 26, said the company was spending $1.6 billion to upgrade manufacturing sites in Michigan and Ohio.
Heading into Wednesday's GM announcement, UAW workers had a good idea more jobs were coming to the Bay City plant. During contract negotiations in September, GM leadership promised to bring 133 new jobs to the plant, said Dave Gunlock, chairman of UAW Local 362.
Scott Whybrew, GM North America manufacturing manager, hinted at the end of his speech that there could be more good news for the Bay City plant in the future.
"You're going to be hearing more and more about this investment down the road," he said.
BAY CITY, MI -- Amid the debate on transgender use of bathrooms and locker rooms, the Bay County Jail has been housing transgender people for years.
If you're a transgender person arrested and lodged in the Bay County Jail, your housing options vary. While there is no county- or facility-specific policy in place, the jail adheres to federal guidelines established by the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) of 2003 and the Department of Justice's subsequent 2012 final rule adopting national standards.
"I would say that act in itself addresses more on that category than anything out there," said Bay County Jail Administrator Capt. Troy Stewart.
Regarding the housing of transgender inmates, the final rule states: "In deciding whether to assign a transgender or intersex inmate to a facility for male or female inmates, and in making other housing and programming assignments, an agency may not simply assign the inmate to a facility based on genital status. Rather, the agency must consider on a case-by-case basis whether a placement would ensure the inmate's health and safety, and whether the placement would present management or security problems, giving serious consideration to the inmate's own views regarding his or her own safety. In addition, transgender and intersex inmates must be given the opportunity to shower separately from other inmates."
The Bay County Jail houses male and female inmates separately. There is no opportunity for interaction between inmates of differing sexes, even in common areas, Stewart said.
Typically at the Bay County Jail, inmates are housed according to their sex at birth. If an inmate has physically transitioned into a different sex, they are housed accordingly, Stewart said.
However, an inmate -- transgender or otherwise -- can ask to be put in a separate cellblock, without a cellmate, to ensure they're not targeted by other inmates, Stewart said.
The jail this spring used its policies to house 39-year-old James/Samantha M. Reinhardt.
About 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 24, a Bay County sheriff's deputy and a Michigan State Police trooper responded to a home in the 900 block of North Huron Road in Linwood after a man called 911 to report his daughter had tried stabbing him with a knife. Bay County Central Dispatch advised police they tried unsuccessfully to call back the number after the call ended, court records show.
When officers arrived, they encountered 71-year-old George Reinhardt outside. He told them his daughter was in the house and was acting very violently, court records show. A moment later, the daughter -- Samantha Reinhardt -- exited the house and police questioned her and her father separately.
George Reinhardt said his daughter is physically a male, but identifies as female. He told police his daughter came to his house the day before, as she'd broken up with her boyfriend and had nowhere else to go, court records show.
On Sunday, Samantha Reinhardt began drinking and smoking cigarettes in the house, George Reinhardt told police. George Reinhardt added smoking is prohibited indoors because his wife is on oxygen, court records show.
When George Reinhardt told his daughter to put out a cigarette, she punched him in the right side of the head near the temple, George Reinhardt told police. The father pushed Samantha Reinhardt and she fell into a chair, but then lunged at her father, court record show. George Reinhardt again shoved his daughter and she proceed to pull him to the floor, breaking a wooden chair in the process, court records show.
When the father regained his footing, he saw Samantha Reinhardt with a piece of the chair raised above her head as though she were going to strike, court records show. George Reinhardt was able to take the object away from her and then went outside to call 911 on his cellphone, he told police.
George Reinhardt's wife gave police a similar account, adding that once her husband walked outside, she tried using her cellphone to call 911 as well. However, Samantha Reinhardt grabbed the phone from her and shoved it down the front of her pants, court records show.
Police had George Reinhardt's wife call her cellphone, which began ringing in her daughter's pants, court records show.
"I didn't know it was there," Samantha Reinhardt told police, according to court records. "Well, my mom told me I could use it."
Samantha Reinhardt told police she had argued with her parents, but denied the dispute ever got physical. She added she didn't know anything about a broken chair, though police noticed pieces of the chair embedded in the back of her pink sweater, court records show.
Police wrote in their reports, contained in court records, that Samantha Reinhardt appeared intoxicated. She claimed she drank only one beer and took eight over-the-counter cold pills.
Police arrested her and took her to the jail. At the jail, police found 18 clonazepam pills in her pants pockets. Police also had Samantha Reinhardt remove non-attached breast implants inside her bra, court records show.
Bay County District Judge Mark E. Janer on Monday, April 25, arraigned Reinhardt on single counts of domestic violence, third offense, and interfering with an electronics communication device. The charges are felonies punishable by up to five and two years in prison, respectively.
Records indicate she has convictions going back to at least 2002 for domestic violence, retail fraud, third-degree home invasion, trespassing, agreeing to commit a lewd act, assault and drug offenses, both in Michigan and Arizona.
Janer set Reinhardt's bond at $10,000 cash-surety or 10 percent.
Capt. Stewart said he read Reinhardt the Prison Rape Elimination Act to determine how to house her. Reinhardt asked to be treated as a male in the jail regarding interactions with staff, but wanted to be housed in a separate cell block.
Reinhardt and Stewart drafted a memo that reads: "I, James Michael (Samantha) Reinhardt prefer to have a Male Deputy 'dress me out' prior to being housed in the jail. I also request to be placed in a cell block by myself for housing purposes only (non-disciplinary)."
"We did that because that was the most appropriate way to house him," Stewart said. "He doesn't feel comfortable being with males or females."
Reinhardt is scheduled to appear for a preliminary examination before Judge Janer at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10.
Related to the public transgender issue sweeping America at the moment, the Bay City Commission voted 8-0 on Monday, April 18, to approve its anti-discrimination ordinance, becoming the 43rd Michigan city to pass such legislation.
A Michigan-built ship launched nearly 100 years ago before burning, sinking, being restored, serving as a flagship in WWII and, decades later, being restored again, is back to its original state as a luxury yacht.
And it's for sale.
The SS Delphine was built in 1921 for Horace Dodge, co-founder of the Dodge Brothers Motor Car Company.
The 257-foot yacht is for sale at EU19.7, or about $22.4 million.
Currently in Portugal, the SS Delphine is the largest U.S.-built steam yacht from the 1920s that's still in existence today, according to its owner.
The yacht was built by Great Lakes Engineering in River Rouge, a city just southwest of Detroit, and named after Horace Dodge's daughter Delphine.
Horace Dodge was never able to see the launch of the boat himself, as he and his brother Jon died of influenza after attending the National Automobile Show in 1920.
Dodge helped design the yacht's four-cylinder, triple-expansion steam engines, which are still in use today.
"They are silent," said Ineke Bruynooghe, who owns the yacht, about its eco-friendly original engines.
The steam engines only make 80 turns per minute, she said.
"Current engines do 18,000 turns per minute and so there are no vibrations. The longer the voyage, the less consumption," Bruynooghe said.
Originally built for $2 million, the most recent restoration of the ship was a massive undertaking that cost Bruynooghe EU40 million -- about $45 million at the current exchange rate.
And it wasn't the first time the ship was restored.
In 1926, the yacht caught fire and sank in New York's Hudson River. It was recovered and restored by Horace Dodge's wife Anna.
Then in 1940, the yacht struck a rock off Canada's north Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron and had to undergo repairs once again.
During WWII, the SS Delphine was requisitioned by the U.S. Navy and renamed U.S.S. Dauntless to serve the flagship for the Commander in Chief of the US fleet Admiral Earnest King.
Micheal Nethersole, a broker for the firm arranging the sale, said it's believed President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Russian Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov once held a secret meeting in the ship's smoking lounge:
"After the war, she served as a steam ship training vessel for 18 years, after which she went throughout various owners, finally ending up in France and left in increasing disrepair," reads the yacht's for-sale listing.
Bruynooghe spent six years returning the ship to its original form after purchasing it at scrap metal prices, completing the restoration in 2003.
Princess Stephanie of Monaco rechristened the ship, which now sails under the flag of Portugal.
According to the listing, "the detailing and restoration work has remained faithful to the era in which SS Delphine was originally constructed," including its grand interior, which was designed by Tiffany's.
The dining salon was completely recreated to reflect its original state, including a wooden dome ceiling, dinning tables, sofas and even the carpet.
The SS Delphine can sleep 26 guests in 11 different rooms and has over 3,000-square-feet of deck space.
It also has a swimming pool, massage bath, Turkish bath, a sauna accommodating up to six people, a fitness room and a hair salon.
More on the details and history of the SS Delphine here.
DETROIT - Downtown Detroit's coveted former Hudson's site and the 900-space parking garage it sits on are expected to officially be added to Dan Gilbert's real estate cache Wednesday.
The Detroit Downtown Development Authority plans to vote on the $15 million deal this afternoon.
Crain's Detroit Business broke the news when an unnamed source tipped them off to Gilbert's Rosko Development Co. LLC moving to buy the Premier Underground Garage, which is owned by the City of Detroit.
Last year, news leaked that Gilbert had big plans for the site. After old renderings of the building his companies had planned were published, Rock Ventures released an official rendering of the futuristic building.
They noted in the release that the building design wasn't finalized. In the 2015, artists renderings, the building looks like a giant glop of mercury on Woodward Avenue.
What's known for sure is that the building will sit surrounded by other spaces Gilbert's Bedrock Detroit controls through leases, including the Z Garage, One Campus Martius and retail along Woodward.
In 2013, Rock Ventures CEO Matt Cullen said he and others knew for sure the building would have ground floor retail, parking, and about 250 apartments.
Both the groundbreaking and expected date of completion for the project, which would fill two-acres of vacant concrete downtown, multiple times.
Gilbert said in December the delays are only due to a desire to get things right.
The former Hudson's flagship store was demolished in 1998.
If the DDA approves the deal Wednesday, the parking garage will sell for $13 million less than it cost to build over a decade ago.
Representatives from Gilbert's companies did not respond to a request for comment on the deal or progress at the Hudson's site.
Crain's reports new renderings of the building might not come for another 60 days.
Ian Thibodeau is the business and development reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. He can be reached at ithibode@mlive.com, or follow him on Twitter.
HCM City destroys nearly 100 pigs today that were allegedly raised under the VietGap standards (Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practice) after they tested positive for salbutamol, a substance banned in animal feed.
The animals were transported to HCM City from Dong Nai province by Nguyen Van Toan. Though the animals had Vietgap certificates issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, they had been fed with salbutamol to stimulate growth and make the meat lean.
Nearly 100 pigs were destroyed today. Photo by Duy Tran
The animals were estimated to be worth about VND400 million ($18,000).
Toan was fined VND25 million ($1,000) and had to pay a fee of VND100 million ($4,500) for the animals to be destroyed.
Authorities are continuing their investigation to find the farm the animals originated from.
Photo by Duy Tran
Since the beginning of this year, authorities have reported nearly 40 cases of pigs testing positive for banned substances.
From July 1, anyone who uses banned substances or processes and distributes food known to be unhygienic could receive fines of up to VND200 million ($9,000) and 20 years in prison.
New railroad proposed to connect Vietnam and China
The Ministry of Transport (MoT) is conducting research on an inter-Asia railroad connecting Lao Cai, Hanoi and Hai Phong to southwest China.
At a meeting with Chinese representatives on April 26, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Ngoc Dong said the Hai Phong Hanoi Lao Cai route will be an important railroad connecting Vietnam to China then on to other Asian and European countries.
The inter-Asia railroad will connect Hai Phong - Ha Noi - Lao Cai with southwest China. Photo by Xuan Hoa
Dong asked the Chinese delegation to suggest financing solutions and social resources for the project.
Commercial and Economic Counselor to the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam Ho Toa Cam said China attaches importance to the railroad project as it is part of the inter-Asia railroad and also under the development strategy of two corridors, one economic belt cooperation.
According to Cam, the project will bring mutual benefit to socio-economic development in northwest Vietnam and southwest China.
The counselor underlined: The research team from the two countries will propose a plan to develop a modern railroad which meets international standards and enhances transportation capacity.
April 27, 2016 | 02:57 am PT
A criminal charge against the owner of a pho noodle restaurant on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City for being five days late obtaining his business registration has been dropped, but for those responsible for bringing the charge, it isnt over yet.
Prosecution officers Le Thanh Tong, former deputy head of Binh Chanh districts procuracy, and Ho Van Son have been suspended and may be permanently removed from office as punishment, said the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Procuracy on Wednesday.
Le Thanh Tong was said to have signed the indictment against 50-year-old Nguyen Van Tan for illegally doing business without a license.
Nguyen Van Tan opened the restaurant in August last year offering the main dish pho and drinks during breakfast and lunch. Eight months later, he was faced with a criminal charge of doing business illegally after district police checked on his business several times and accused him of doing business without a registration certificate as well as breaking regulations on food safety and hygiene standards.
The district prosecutor issued an indictment against Tan on March 11.
"Xin Chao" is directly opposite Binh Chanh district's police station. Photo by Quoc Thang
However, the Chief Procurator of the Supreme Peoples Procuracy Nguyen Minh Tri said last Friday in a meeting with the prosecutors that the restaurant owner had not violated Article 159 of the Criminal Code, which punishes individuals for doing business without a registration certificate.
Tris decision put an end to the case against Tan, which has provoked public concern and criticism of the justice system and even prompted intervention from Prime Minister Phuc.
I did not [sign the indictment against Tan] for personal reasons. Its difficult to never make a mistake. I will take responsibility for the mistake that I have made. No matter what the punishment is, I think the disciplinary committee will carefully look into the case before making a decision, Tong told VnExpress.
Previously, secretary of the city's Party Committee Dinh La Thang, in an attempt to regain the publics trust, stressed that if the local authorities had been wrong to bring a criminal charge against the restaurant owner, they would face severe punishment.
The 2013 Constitution clearly states that the State allows people to do business in areas that are not prohibited. The crime of illegally doing business will no longer be criminalized when the newly revised penal code comes into effect in July 2016.
The Yangon Region chief minister has outlined plans to strengthen the citys taxation system by examining weaknesses in local business audits.
During a meeting with industrial zone officials on April 25, U Pyo Myo Thein said that businesspeople never show their audits to tax officials.
We need to make sure their audits are reliable, he said.
The National League for Democracy-led government set out its budget and taxation policies for the current fiscal year in January.
Once the government has educated people in Yangon Region, reform will follow, said U Pyo Myo Thein. Yangon Region is the most developed area in Myanmar and is the largest consumer for example it uses around 50 percent of the countrys electricity supply, he said.
The government has found that businesspeople often commission more than one audit of their companies, keeping the real one and presenting a false or doctored audit showing lower profits to tax authorities.
Substitute audits detailing higher profits are used for deals with foreign partners or for taking out bank loans, sources said.
U Than Zaw Win, director of the Internal Revenue Department in Nay Pyi Taw, said his office would urge tax payers to report reliable audits.
At the Large Taxpayer Office (LTO), established in 2014, taxpayers must make a self-assessment. A self-assessment system will also be set up for small and medium-sized businesses if their reports become reliable, he said.
Some small businesses said they dont have audits. Therefore, we impose taxes on them as we see fit, though sometimes they think the amount we charge is too high, he said. In such cases, the company has a right to appeal.
The tax office typically assumes companies have under-reported income and treats their statements as unreliable, said the finance officer of a private company who has worked with the LTO. It also often warns companies against this and outlines punishments, she said.
But businesspeople always under-report their profits, or they would be unable to compete with competitors who do not pay regular taxes.
Tax laws for the 2016-17 fiscal year seem to have made things more complicated for citizens rather than focusing on examining tax-dodgers, she added. U Aye Thaung, chair of Shwe Lin Ban industrial zone, said the government should offer incentives to tax payers, such as offering to solve infrastructure problems such as electricity, water and logistics for local manufacturers.
We think our money is clean if we earn it honestly, but the government disagrees, as long as we dont pay tax. First we will have to change this mindset, and the government must tackle corruption and facilitate procedures for tax payers, he said.
Rakhine businesspeople are asking the Union government to provide more than K1 billion to allow them to complete a trading zone on the border with Bangladesh by the end of the year.
They say the zone will allow local companies to rebuild trade ties with neighbouring Bangladesh and beyond, to India and China. According to government figures, trade between Myanmar and Bangladesh fell by two-thirds following inter-communal violence in Rakhine State in 2012.
U Aung Myint Thein, president of Maungdaw Border Trade Chamber of Commerce, has made the plea to Union Minister of Commerce U Than Myint on behalf of local trading associations.
They are asking for up to K1.5 billion to complete Maungdaws Kanyin Chaung trading zone which will centre around trade in fisheries products by December.
Work began on the zone last October with K1 billion of funding, of which K600 million came from the government and K400 million from the private sector. The 50-acre zone, situated 50 miles (80 kilometres) from the Rakhine State capital of Sittwe, is about 90 percent complete.
When finished, it will also include hotels, motels, guest houses and restaurants.
The zone was first discussed in 2008, according to local media reports, in the hope it would perform a similar function to the 105 Mile border trading point near Muse, on Myanmars border with China.
At the time, Burma News International reported that Myanmars military confiscated land for the trade zone from mostly Muslim farmers in Maungdaw, and refused to pay compensation.
U Aung Myint Thein said yesterday that most of the 50 acres is owned by the government and some of it was bought from local people eight years ago. The land was unsuitable for farming, he said, and was bought at K200,000 to K300,000 per acre with the agreement of farmers.
Wed like the new government to provide funding to complete the development of trading zone. It can be finished by December if we get more than K1 billion, he said.
Myanmar has a large trade surplus with Bangladesh, across the border from the Maungdaw zone, because the population of Bangladesh is three times that of Myanmar, and it does not have enough land for cultivation and livestock, he added.
Border trading figures going back to 1995, when formal trade was first initiated, show Myanmar exports to Bangladesh are worth nine times more than imports.
However, since the violence of 2012 between Rakhine Buddhists and Muslims displaced over 140,000 people and entrenched the segregation of the Rohingya community, border trade fell by 68pc.
According to commerce ministry statistics, cross-border trade volume at Maungdaw reached US$8.5 million in the 2011-12 financial year, falling in 2012-13 to $5.9 million, and to just over $2 million in 2013-14.
In 2014-15 border trade rebounded to $7.8 million. As of January 2016, the figure for 2015-16 was $4.36 million.
U Aung Myint Thein said once complete, the Maungdaw trading zone had the capacity to promote exports, reverse the trade decline of 2012-13, and sell Myanmar produce abroad.
Invitations had gone out across the country for further investment, and already 20 local companies have responded, he said.
In his meeting with commerce minister U Than Myint, he said the zone could also be a gateway for stronger trade with China and India, as well as the centrepiece of a more developed region.
The introduction of garment factories would bring jobs to a largely low-skilled local workforce, he said.
Translation by Thiri Min Htun
A new international school set to open in Yangon could receive up to US$100 million in financing from Yoma Strategic, an official from Dulwich College International said yesterday.
The school will operate across two linked campuses, taking over Pun Hlaing International School in Hlaing Tharyar township which Dulwich College International already runs and starting classes in 2017 at a facility under construction in Star City, Yomas large-scale residential development in Thanlyin.
Today we mark the official opening of admissions for our Star City project, said Dulwich College International CEO Christian Guertler.
We will invest around $100 million into this school. We will cater to 500 to 800 students in the beginning, later up to 1400 students, he said.
Yoma Strategic will be responsible for the investment, which will be made in phases. The company will start with an initial injection of more than $30 million, according to a press release, for a development period expected to last two years.
The school will be open to students aged 2 to 18 years old. Founding headmaster Daryl Orchard said the college will be selective, with admissions tests administered and English language ability a crucial criteria.
Competition is also high in the hiring market for teachers. Getting the best educators onboard means students will have to pay the price, according to Dulwich College International founder and executive chair Fraser White.
The fees are going to be set largely by the international market. However, we have made a particular commitment here in Myanmar to develop a scholarship scheme so that the best students will be able to access the school, he said.
This may not be enough for some, as many in Myanmar struggle to keep their children in government schools until graduation, let alone pay private tuition.
Mr Orchard said that in the future, the schools population could shake out to a 60-40 ratio of international students to local Myanmar pupils.
We offer a British independent school style of education, while at the same time recognising the importance of studying Myanmar language and culture, he said in a statement.
This education could lead students to the worlds top universities, according to Mr White, who said 1 in 10 recent Dulwich College Beijing graduates were admitted to Ivy League institutions in the United States.
The school has faced some standard challenges building its school in Myanmar, including human resource and logistics constraints, along with snakes in the building site, said Mr White.
However, this isnt the first time a Dulwich College has been established across the pond, and its Yangon venture is supported by leadership in the region.
Dulwich College Yangon will be the companys 10th international school, with others already running in China, South Korea and Singapore. However, its entry into Myanmar may be particularly resonant considering the colleges ties to the country. U Tin Tut, the first foreign minister of an independent Myanmar who was assassinated in 1948 called Dulwich College his alma mater.
Its really a renewal of a relationship in Myanmar, because over 100 years ago, a very distinguished person in this country, U Tin Tut, was a pupil in Dulwich, said Dulwich College Board of Governors chair Peter Riddell. He played rugby there.
Religious officials say they plan to press charges against Zaykabar Company, which sent uniformed men to destroy a religious building and insulted monks during the Thingyan holiday on a long-disputed plot of land in Yangons Mingalardon township.
The company has admitted destroying part of the monastery, saying it had been built without permission on company-owned land, and said it had raised the issue of illegal monasteries with the minister for religious affairs.
The dispute dates back to early 2010, when Zaykabar allegedly tricked farmers in Shwe Nan Thar village into giving up tenure rights to around 800 acres, which the company planned to use to build an industrial zone.
A local abbot, U Ni Thar Ka Ya, told The Myanmar Times on April 22 that he would seek prosecution for the destruction, which took place in the townships south Paung Ku Nyana quarter on April 13, the first day of Thingyan.
About 20 people in Zaykabar security guard uniforms turned up in the morning, led by Ko Myo Khaing, who works for the company, said U Ni Thar Ka Ya.
They used rude words and excessively obscene language to the monks. Later that evening at around 9pm, 30 of them came and destroyed a shrine under construction as the monks watched by torchlight.
A monastery staff member, U Chit Oo Maung, was hit in the eye by a slingshot, he said. We have reported this to the police and will prosecute Zaykabar.
The monastery is located on Shwe Nan Thar field, which covers more than 1200 acres between Shwe Nan Thar Sanpya village and Paung Ku Nya Na village.
Zaykabar bought 815 acres of the field for K300,000 per acre in 2010, and designated it Mingalardon Industrial Zone 4.
In 2012, disputes with farmers came to a head when the company started bulldozing farmland and employed security guards to keep farmers off the land.
The entire industrial zone covers around 3000 acres.
The exact site of the monastery is to the south of Paung Ku Nya Na village, on land that local resident U Aung Ngwe says he owns, because he refused compensation from Zaykabar. He said he had donated about 100 square feet to the former sayadaw U Kall Wi Da to build the shrine.
Land prices in the industrial zone have rocketed to K300 million an acre, even though Zaykabar has not developed the site as intended. Speculators have bought the land, rather than investors, and the area has been plagued with land ownership disputes with local farmers and informal residents.
Zaykabar chair U Khin Shwe told The Myanmar Times on April 22 that the Ministry of Construction had issued his company a permit to develop the land in 2010, but said the position of the regional government had never been clear.
We believe it is an industrial zone, but we have had problems with trespassers, farmers rights groups and monks. They built about 30 monasteries in the zone, he said, adding that he had ordered the monastery destroyed because the local authorities had failed to take any action.
Speculators pretended they owned the land and built huts to sell on to others, he said. We sent our company security guards to destroy the huts and the monasteries.
U Khin Shwe accused local religious authorities of granting permission to build monasteries in exchange for payment.
The township Sanga Mahar Nayaka would sign whatever was put in front of them if you offered money. But to build a monastery, you need permission from three ministers home affairs, religious affairs and construction, he said.
You cant just buy land from a farmer and build a monastery there. Monks are taking land and selling it to others, in my industrial zone. The police under the former government ignored this. There was no rule of law I raised these issues in parliament, he said, adding that his company had met with Religious Affairs Minister Thura U Aung Ko to discuss the removal of illegal monasteries and the possibility of rebuilding them elsewhere.
Thura U Aung Ko has agreed to discuss the issue with the national Thanga Mahar Nayaka, he said.
Translation by San Lay
Astonishing methods used to solve heinous crimes: Records of Yangon's most famous consulting detective found
The Myanmar Times is pleased to take the opportunity afforded by the launch of our new weekly magazine, Weekend, to recall some of the most heinous crimes ever perpetrated in and around our great metropolis of Yangon. Many of these outrages, which occurred toward the closing years of the last century, may be unknown to our readers, as is the astonishing skill displayed in solving them by the Yangon consulting detective, U Sha Lok, who from time to time assisted the official police in solving mysteries beyond their comprehension. U Sha Lok, who was world-famous throughout Yangon in the eighties and nineties, brought to his singular profession astonishing powers of observation and deduction, which he deployed to bring many an incorrigible reprobate to book.
Though he himself cared nothing for public acclaim, shunned the limelight and was content to dwell modestly in the humble obscurity of his lodgings in Bei Ka Street, history is indebted to U Sha Loks friend and companion, Dr U Wa Zone, for recording, embellishing and sometimes outright inventing the exploits of the great detective. Some of the most gripping of these narratives, written in Dr Wa Zones crabbed hand in his private journal, recently came to light after decades in obscurity. They have now been recovered, translated and edited with devoted care by the leading criminologist Ko Nan Doi. Thanks to his exertions, readers will be able to relive the excitement that convulsed our readers 20 and more years ago as they witnessed U Sha Lok grapple with the forces of lawlessness and darkness.
Readers can learn of the shocking events presented in A Study in Saffron, in which Dr Wa Zone first made the acquaintance of U Sha Lok; of the international cause celebre known as A Scent of Scandal and of the dastardly affair of The Pickled Blend. Above all, we will revisit the great detectives titanic clash with his mortal enemy, Dr Mo Yat Ti, known as the Napoleon of Crime who, in his luxurious den deep in the warren of the meanest streets of Yangon (now the site of a gourmet supermarket), held in his hand the threads of a hundred criminal enterprises. Dr Mo Yat Ti disappeared, at the same time as U Sha Lok, under the bizarre circumstances later related by Dr U Wa Zone in the account he entitled The Great Bell of Magwe, in which he relates how U Sha Lok thwarted an attempt by his foe to purloin with the famed Dhammazedi Bell.
We therefore invite our readers to peruse these tales below, which will be expanded in weekly installments for their delectation. The exploits of U Sha Lok begin with the first chapter of the narrative entitled A Study in Saffron.
Despite intervention by the state government and the police, a prominent monk in Kayin State has erected another stupa, this time in a Muslim area.
Yesterday, The Myanmar Times reported the construction of a stupa in the Saint Mark Anglican Church compound by the same sayadaw. The state government pledged to end such controversially placed stupa projects after the allegedly dream-inspired construction sparked conflict between religious communities.
Yet undeterred, Myaing Kyee Ngu Sayadaw built a stupa near a mosque in Shwe Gon village, in Hlaingbwe township, where most of the residents are Muslim. He added that he plans to construct two more.
U Thein Win Aung, leader of the KAFDG Islamic Organisation, said yesterday that the government needs to solve the issue immediately before the prominent monk builds more stupas in other religious compounds.
It is religious violence. We have been patient after the first time, but he should not be allowed to repeat what he did, U Thein Win Aung said.
The provocation comes at a time of heightened religious tensions, mainly between Buddhist and Muslim communities, aroused by extreme nationalist rhetoric.
We understand it will be difficult for the NLD government to solve these issues at this time. But the situation will be bad if the government doesnt solve these issues, said U Thein Win Aung.
According to residents of Shwe Gon village, Buddhists wanted to stop the monks followers from building the stupa, but were asked by the police and two ministers of the Kayin State government to tolerate them.
U Thein Lwin, who lives in Shwe Gon village, said that the Muslim residents would not react on the issue but instead forgive and tolerate the monk to avoid conflict between the two communities.
There are so many places to build a stupa. I dont understand why the monk wants to build in compounds of other religions. I think someone is trying to provoke religious violence, but it will not be successful, he said.
The issue is on the agenda of the Kayin State cabinet today it was initially scheduled for a day earlier but had to be postponed as the states chief minister was travelling overseas. Yesterday the state government vowed to end future construction of stupas inside church or mission compounds, but it did not manage to prevent yesterdays construction.
The state Sangha Maha Naryaka Committee has tried to stop the monk by sending him letters asking him to cancel his plans, but the prominent monk neglected them.
A member of the Hpa-an township Sangha Maha Naryaka Committee said that Myaing Kyee Ngu Sayadaw would face problems if he did not follow the instructions of committee.
If we take action, it will create other problems because he is a prominent sayadaw in Kayin State and tensions will be high between the two communities. Our Buddha doesnt want [the stupa], he said.
Kayin State Religious Affairs Minister U Min Tin Win told The Myanmar Times that they will submit the issues to the Union government after their cabinet meeting and that the government had formed a group to closely watch the developments.
The same sayadaw built stupa in a Baptist church compound in Mi Zin village in Hpa-an township last year and enshrined a small Buddha statue in a Muslim residential area near a mosque.
Leaders of Taiwanese steel corporation Formosa have apologized for a shocking statement made by one of their executives on April 26 regarding recent mass fish deaths along coastal provinces of Vietnam.
A press conference was held yesterday by Formosa to address the remarks made by Chou Chun Fan the the deputy chief of the company's representative office in Hanoi regarding the role Formosas wastewater pipe may have played in the mass fish deaths in Ha Tinh.
Deputy Director of Formosa Zhang Funing said Chous statements have seriously undermined the good relationship between the company, Ha Tinh authorities and the Vietnamese government.
The statements made by Mr Chou were just personal opinions and our company will take strict disciplinary action, Zhang said, as he and other leaders bowed their heads in a gesture of apology to the Vietnamese people.
On April 25, reporters from VTC asked Chou whether a wastewater pipe Formosa had installed under the sea near the Vung Ang Economic Zone in Ha Tinh was to blame for all the dead fish.
Chou replied: Sometimes in order to win something, you have to lose something. Its impossible to build a steel plant here and keep fish stocks in the surrounding area high at the same time.
Leaders of Taiwanese steel company Formosa Ha Tinh bowed to apologize for the remark made on camera that Vietnam should choose between fish or steel plant. Photo by Duc Hung
Responding to reporters questions about whether the pipe is to blame for mass fish deaths in four central provinces, Zhang said people should wait for the Vietnamese authorities to determine the cause of the phenomenon.
Formosas Director Khau Nhan Kiet said that all the waste discharged by the company is checked thoroughly. Regarding the 300 tons of chemicals that the company imported to clean pipes, Kiet said they had not been used to clean the wastewater pipe.
The press conference was then abruptly ended by Formosa to the surprise of dozens of reporters who attended.
The company did not explain the scale and operation of its wastewater system or quality control procedures on any waste released into the sea. Questions on whether Formosa is responsible for the mass fish deaths in Vietnam's central provinces remain unanswered.
At the beginning of April, fish started washing up along the central provinces of Vietnam, with fish farms near Vung Ang ward in Ha Tinh province the first to report the problem. Since then, thousands of saltwater and freshwater fish have died in the central provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue.
On April 26, dead fish continued to wash up on the shore of Ha Tinh, though the numbers were lower than before. Photo by D.H.
Locals who live along the coast have collected tons of dead fish since then, some weighing up to 50kg. Statistics until April 25 show that Ha Tinh and Quang Binh has recorded 10 tons and 25 tons of dead fish respectively, while a massive 30 tons has been found in Quang Tri.
Since April 20, related ministries and authorities have sent delegations to conduct field surveys, taking fish, water and other samples to establish the cause of the disaster.
On April 25, the investigation established that an oil spill, earthquake or diseases were not to blame for the dead fish. Leaders think there is a strong toxic substance in the environment but have not been able to specifically identify what it is.
Suspicion has centered on Formosa - the major steel company in the Vung Ang Economic Zone which has installed a wastewater pipe going out at sea. A few days before the fish started washing up, the company had flushed the pipe for cleaning. About 300 tons of imported chemicals that the company used are believed to be extremely hazardous.
The European Union has extended its long-standing arms embargo against Myanmar by one year, after which the decision will be reviewed again.
Arms sanctions would be continued at least until April 30, 2017, the EU said. Under the restrictions it is forbidden for EU countries to sell or export arms and related material, with the exception of non-lethal military equipment, to Myanmar.
The April 21 statement also refers to the ban on sales of equipment which might be used for internal repression. Military means are used domestically against Myanmars plethora of ethnic armed groups in the worlds longest-running civil wars. During military rule the junta also sent its troops to quell peaceful protests, like the monk-led popular uprising against the military dictatorship in 2007.
Human Rights Watch, which criticised the lifting of EU economic sanctions three years ago, welcomed the extension of the embargo and said it should serve as a standard for other countries that permit arms sales to Myanmar.
There is no justification for supplying weapons of any kind to a military that is not fully under civilian control, and that continues to abuse civilians in armed conflict throughout the country, said David Mathieson, senior researcher for HRW in Myanmar.
Myanmar acquires weapons mostly from China and Russia. In 2012 then-president U Thein Sein said the military would no longer buy weapons from North Korea. China is also said to supply weapons to ethnic armed groups in conflict with the Tatmadaw near its borders with Myanmar.
Footage of Russian jets and helicopters being used against insurgents, and sometimes causing civilian casualties, should be a salient reminder of how foreign-supplied weapons can be used for repression, Mr Mathieson said.
The European Union lifted economic sanctions against Myanmar in April 2013 after suspending them a year earlier.
Two German travellers and their local guide were wounded by shrapnel from a landmine in north Myanmar, close to an area of recent heavy fighting between ethnic minority rebel groups, officials said today.
The pair, both 24, were taken to hospital in Mandalay late Tuesday evening after sustaining injuries earlier in the day when they triggered the mine near Kyaukme township in war-torn northern Shan State.
Police in Mandalay confirmed to The Myanmar Times that neither were seriously wounded, and had been discharged from the hospital this morning.
"Villagers carried them to the local hospital and we took the victims from there," Tin Maung Thein, the head of a local aid group Zevita, told AFP.
An AFP photographer saw the pair arrive at Mandalay hospital late Tuesday night. The female tourist, Wiebke Rosler, was seen in a wheelchair with a small bandage on her face while her companion Felix Zimmermann was walking wounded carrying a drip.
A military source stationed in the area said that Rosler had suffered injuries to her right arm and forehead, while Zimmermann was unable to hear in his left ear after the blast.
The army source, who asked not to be named, said the guide Sai Khun Oo had suffered scattered shrapnel wounds to his legs.
Myanmar is littered with landmines as a result of decades of bitter fighting between ethnic minority armed groups and the national military, which held the country in the iron grip of dictatorship until 2011.
The country is one of only a handful of nations still laying the explosives and so far tentative peace negotiations have failed to stop the continued use of the devastating bombs, or to open the door for any significant efforts to remove them.
According to the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, about 45 people were killed and more than 200 were injured by mines in 2014, although it conceded that accurate figures were difficult to ascertain and said the real numbers may be far higher.
Heavy fighting in Shan state erupted in February between two rebel groups the Restoration Council for Shan State (RCSS) and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) raising fears that peace efforts could be fracturing and temporarily displacing several thousand people, many in Kyaukme.
Former Saffron Revolution monk U Gambira was convicted yesterday of what critics have called spurious and politically motivated charges.
The Maha Aung Myay Court in Mandalay sentenced U Gambira, who has a documented case of post-traumatic stress disorder related to time he served as a political prisoner following the 2007 uprising, for six months. He has already been detained for over three months, and his sentence could be reduced for time served.
He is being held in the same prison where he was tortured as a former inmate for four years before his 68-year sentence was commuted in 2012. But the court repeatedly denied requests to grant bail to the prominent activist on mental health grounds. Letters from U Gambiras physician in Thailand were rejected and the prosecutions lawyer alleged that claims of poor health were fabricated.
The judge yesterday said U Gambira, whose legal name is U Nyi Nyi Lwin, had been found guilty of violating section 13(A) of the 1947 Immigration Act, also called the Emergency Provisions Act. In the verdict, the judge said U Gambira had failed to provide proof of a valid entry at the border crossing, and gave no evidence to validate claims that he had paid overstay fines owed to both Myanmar and Thailand. The offense of returning without official documents is punishable by up to five years and a fee.
U Gambira was arrested at the end of January at a hotel in Mandalay where he was travelling with his wife.
U Gambira reacted to the verdict with disappointment. He said the judiciary was damaged and the new government has a responsibility to repair it. He requested the National League for Democracy-backed administration release all remaining political inmates.
His mother, Daw Yya, said she was surprised by the courts verdict but doubts her son will be held much longer. This decision was made in a period of change. U Gambira will probably be released soon together with all the last political prisoners, she said.
International rights groups strongly condemned yesterdays ruling, calling the conviction appalling.
Todays verdict against U Gambira casts a shadow over recent attempts by Myanmars new government to release all prisoners of conscience in the country, and we urge them to act swiftly to ensure that he is released immediately and without conditions, said Laura Haigh, a Myanmar researcher with Amnesty International. Arrested before the new administration took power, U Gambira had clearly been targeted for his past human rights activities against the previous military government.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had pledged before her administration took office that there would be no more political prisoners. Starting before Thingyan, more than 200 political prisoners, students and activists were released.
Spokespersons for the party could not be reached yesterday. U Zaw Htay, a spokesperson for the Presidents Office, said he has no idea about the case.
Additional reporting by Laignee Barron
Squabbling over the right temporary location for Mandalays burned market is costing vendors, while indecision over whether to tear down and rebuild the original or just conduct repairs is aggravating the problem, locals say.
The three-storey market caught fire and sent up large plumes of smoke visible from miles away on March 22. Nearly 300 rooms and offices were destroyed in the blaze, which began afterhours at a bedding store.
U Khin Maung Tint, a member of the Mandalay City Development Committee, said yesterday that the cause of the fire remains unknown.
On April 6 and 7, a team from the construction ministry and Myanmar Engineers Association assessed the gutted market at the intersection of 73rd and 30th streets. The team could not come to a consensus over whether the findings merited a fresh start to the market, or if damages could be repaired.
A committee tasked with providing nearby temporary stalls for vendors to continue earning a living has also been plagued by differences in opinion. The committee, made up of region hluttaw representatives, members of MCDC and five representatives from the market, has struggled to determine the right temporary location, said member U Tun Tun Oo, a representative of the market.
Currently, the negotiations are deciding between running the market on 77th Street between 26th and 29th streets, and a larger location proposed at 79th Street between 31st and 33rd streets, he said. These places are located in the west of the city, so people from the market and their clients are not likely to come and run shops or buy things there. Setting up a temporary market place is too difficult for us.
U Tun Tun Oo added that people from the market have proposed alternative locations such as at Gawrar stadium on 35th street and around Koe Na Win monastery, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
We hope that repairs can revive the market that caught fire. Its already very hard to try to run our shops because our property was all burned in the fire. And now we cant even open stalls at the moment because we have to wait for a temporary place to be set, he said.
Translation by Thiri Min Htun
State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is scheduled today to hold her first meeting since taking office with representatives of the military and ethnic armed groups that signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement, according to a senior general.
Lieutenant General Yar Pyae, chair of the ceasefire pacts Joint Monitoring Committee, said in his opening speech to a JMC session in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday that the committee would prepare for talks today with the state counsellor who will lead the new governments peace process.
The future direction of the peace process has been on hold for months while all sides wait for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to lay out her governments plans.
Government spokesperson U Zaw Htay yesterday repeated his earlier statement that the new administration would very soon reveal its intentions for the peace process. He declined to give further details and it was not immediately clear whether her expected meeting with the JMC would clarify the governments plans.
The two-day meeting of the JMC was called to set the terms of reference for local-level bodies monitoring the ceasefire accord signed last October.
However, that pact was only signed by eight ethnic armed groups, of which only two have meaningful operational forces. The National League for Democracy leader has said she intends to involve all other ethnic armed groups but it is not known whether the internationally backed nationwide ceasefire process will remain the core structure for negotiations.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who is also foreign minister and minister in the Presidents Office, is widely expected to appoint her doctor, U Tin Myo Win, as her chief negotiator. He replaces U Aung Min who has established his own peace foundation after leading the peace process under former president U Thein Sein.
Political analysts are broadly divided over whether Daw Aung San Suu Kyi should follow the model in place, or give priority to reaching a political settlement that would involve sweeping constitutional changes.
Writing in The Irrawaddy this week, veteran author Bertil Lintner said U Thein Seins ceasefire-first policy, heavily backed and financed by the international community, had been a complete failure. He called on the government to declare a unilateral nationwide ceasefire and go straight into political talks on the shape of a future federal Union that would give autonomy to the ethnic minority groups.
Not surprisingly, those ethnic armed groups that bought into the current process want it to remain.
Pado Saw Kwe Htoo Win, a senior official from the Karen National Union, told The Myanmar Times that the government should not take a new way.
We can learn from the peace processes of other countries. Nevertheless we do not need to carbon copy theirs. We should take the one that suits us most, he said.
Complicating the way forward is the refusal of the Tatmadaw to cease hostilities against three ethnic armed groups that were shut out of the ceasefire talks.
The three groups yesterday released a joint statement denying reports that they would hold informal talks with military representatives or peace brokers, including U Aung Min and former Lt Gen Khin Zaw Oo who had been on the previous governments negotiating committee.
The reports had said U Naing Han Thar, deputy leader of the United Nationalities Federal Council which represents nine non-signatory groups, and U Hla Maung Shwe, a former advisor to the now-defunct Myanmar Peace Center, had arranged the talks.
A source close to the government also told The Myanmar Times that no military officials intended to meet the three armed groups in a formal or informal capacity.
The three allied groups the Kokang-based Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the Arakan Army and the Taang National Liberation Army have been fighting the Tatmadaw in northern Shan State in a conflict that has displaced tens of thousands of people.
Their joint statement accused the Tatmadaw of deploying more troops for continuing offensives in Kachin, Shan and Rakhine states.
In such a condition, we will not hold an informal meeting despite contacts we received from former peace brokers, they said.
The recently expelled former head of the Union Solidarity and Development Party Thura U Shwe Mann will hold an urgent press conference today to bring attention to what he has termed the wrongful ousting of himself and 16 other party members.
The USDP has long been subject to infighting as camps loyal to rival factions led by former president U Thein Sein on one side and Thura U Shwe Mann on the other have repeatedly come to a head. Just one day after U Thein Sein regained the mantle as party chair, the 17 members were informed of their dismissal.
The expelled camp, which includes members appointed to the parliamentary advisory Commission for the Assessment of Legal Affairs and Special Issues, are perceived to be close allies to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy. The collaboration has been perceived as undermining the militarys hold on the party, which has often served as a political vehicle for the armed forces.
Adding to the sting of the dismissals, the Tatmadaw yesterday issued a statement accusing Thura U Shwe Mann of endangering the militarys image and rejecting him as a brother of the Defence Services Academy.
According to the statement, Thura U Shwe Mann described the current government as one elected by the people, and so pledged to serve it responsibly to better national and public interests.
Such a description suggests that the governments that have emerged throughout the history of the country since independence have never served the nations interests, said the military press unit statement.
U Shwe Manns comments are ignorant of the militarys consistent stance since the pre-election period continuing through the post-transitional period pledging that the Tatmadaw will cooperate with the new government elected by the people.
It is inflammatory to suggest the Tatmadaw is not cooperating well, said the statement, adding that the sentiment stokes a deliberate misunderstanding of the Tatmadaws position.
Thura U Shwe Mann was the third most powerful man during the reign of the State Peace and Development Council under U Than Shwe and served in the Tatmadaw for more than four decades before joining the USDP. After shedding his uniform, he ran in the 2010 general election winning a seat in Nay Pyi Taw. Thura U Shwe Mann was tipped to become the first president after years of the military regimes reign. However, the job passed him by and he became the Speaker instead.
He did not feign to keep his continued presidential aspirations a secret even as U Thein Sein mulled whether he would consider serving a second term. But it was his support of constitutional amendments, specifically sections guaranteeing the militarys 25 percent, unelected parliamentary bloc, that rankled his former colleagues. Shortly afterward he was ousted as USDP chair in a party coup.
A central executive member of the USDP said that Thura U Shwe Mann will get a chance to explain his side of the infighting at todays conference.
Thura U Shwe Mann tried to redeem the partys reputation and when he could make a progress, the group which has a strong desire for power sacked him, said the USDP member who asked not to be named.
Translation by Zar Zar Soe
Two farmers charged with squatting on land they say was confiscated from them by the government have been told to wait even longer for their case to be dealt with. U Kyaw Min and U Bo Maung had been told the case would be handled by Nay Pyi Taw City Development Committee court by April 25, but the judge deferred the case again until May 9.
Farmer U Kyaw Min told reporters outside the court, This is the 18th postponement of our case. Now the judge has put it off yet again.
U Kyaw Min has been charged under a municipal law for farming in the Nay Pyi Taw diplomatic zone, including building a hut on and cultivating what he says is his own land. He denies the charge.
U Bo Maung, the other farmer, said he faced the same charge. Ive been farming my own land. This has been going on for far too long.
U Kyaw Min said the authorities had confiscated a total of 30 acres, including 20 acres that were under cultivation. He says he received K200,000 compensation an acre for 5 acres, and K100,000 per acre for 10 of the cultivated acres. He continued to till the land for which he was not paid compensation. U Bo Maung said he had received no compensation for the 22 acres he says were confiscated from him.
A great deal of land has been confiscated around Nay Pyi Taw to facilitate construction projects. Some former owners were compensated with money or land elsewhere, but others received nothing, they say. Some were sent to prison whey they objected, said U Soe Mying, a local businessperson. At first they paid high compensation because they wanted to accomplish their project quickly. Some former owners received new land elsewhere. But some local farmers got nothing, and were even sent to prison, he said.
U Min Thu, a member of the investigation commission set up by the last parliament to look into the question of land confiscation, said much of the confusion had arisen from inadequate maps used by government departments, which failed to reflect the true ownership pattern. Eight farmers have already been charged since the new government came to power, and their cases are scheduled to be dealt with on April 28.
However, U Thant Zin Tun, Pyithu Hluttaw representative for Dekhinathiri township, Nay Pyi Taw, said he would raise the question of alleged squatting with the Nay Pyi Taw council chair.
Translation by Thiri Min Htun
Intellectual property rights must be respected, the new education minister said yesterday in his first large-scale public speech since his appointment.
At the same event, the administration pledged to reinvigorate the stymied intellectual property law, which was proposed to parliament last year but received little traction after a lengthy drafting process. Two decades after Myanmar first joined the World Trade Organization, the laws still have yet to be enacted.
Knock-offs and copycat products, vilified as theft in Western markets, proliferate in Myanmar, where they are typically not thought of as crimes. But the new Union Minister for Education U Myo Thein Gyi said such assumptions need be challenged, and copyrights upheld in order to boost trade, development and foreign investment.
Speaking at World Intellectual Property Day 2016 in Nay Pyi Taw, he said that in order to build a system protecting intellectual property rights, effective laws will need to be enacted and trainings conducted to make the public more savvy about things like trademarks and plagiarism.
Knowledge-sharing seminars and exhibitions of local products will mark Intellectual Property Day held in Mandalay and in Yangon on April 28 and May 1 respectively, said the Union minister.
The current draft intellectual property law comprises of four bills, drafts of which were made public last year. These include: copyrights, patents, trademarks and trade secrets.
The current government will need to cooperate in order to enact these laws protecting intellectual property rights, said Daw Moe Moe Thwe,director of the Ministry of Educations Department of Intellectual Property.
Bringing intellectual property laws in line with international standards is essential to developing the economy, she said, adding that the laws would provide a sense of security to foreign investors, while also protecting local entrepreneurs.
We held this event today to let local and international experts and the people know we are working on forming a system, and to acknowledge that these protections will be very important to every sector, including education and economics, she said.
Translation by Kyawt Darly Lin
Interfaith peace activists are calling on Yangons new regional government to respond to a campaign by nationalist monks to evict Muslim vendors from the area of Shwedagon Pagoda, the nations spiritual epicentre.
Ko Thet Swe Win, director of the Centre for Youth and Social Harmony, has set up an online petition in response to reports that nationalist monks violently evicted Muslim vendors from the Shwedagon area during the Thingyan festival period.
Democracy is about including and respecting everyone As a new democracy, we need to begin a dialogue on how to do this better. Many other Buddhists think like this, he said outside the revered pagoda.
The petition, which has attracted more than 3000 signatures, asserts that the Patriotic Monks Union involved in the incidents violated Article 370(a) of the constitution, which states that all Myanmar citizens have the right to conduct business freely if operating lawfully.
These monks are not above the law, said Thet Swe Win, himself a Buddhist. He said he launched the petition to counter the extremists and to start a conversation. It asks the government to respond lawfully to the incidents. He also met one of the vendors who said he had been beaten and lost his wares valued at hundreds of dollars.
During an April 17 incident, members of the Patriotic Monks Union were seen seizing products from Muslim-run stalls before violently removing the sellers. The street vendors have left the site while others have placed Buddhist placards at their stalls to avoid any suspicion of being Muslim.
Chair of the Patriotic Monks Union U Nyana Dhamma told the Myanmar Times that their actions were about standing up for race and religion.
We are allowed to prohibit [Muslim vendors] in the religious compound of Shwedagon, he said. A spokesperson for the pagoda disputed this claim, however.
U Thu Seikkta, who holds a leadership position in the Patriotic Monks Union, has talked about the dangers of Muslims gradually occupying the pagoda.
No Muslims should be allowed to do any business near the pagoda, he told the Anadolu Agency after the incident, posing an uncorroborated link to potential terrorist activities.
Ko Thet Swe Win claims said his campaign has led to not unexpected consequences. He said his email account had been hacked and that friends received strange phone calls spreading rumours about his fidelity. Inflammatory material directed at Ko Thet Swe Win has also been posted online.
Separately, the Shwedagon incidents resulted in an anti-nationalist protest rally near Hledan Junction on April 25. A few dozen protestors, who wore masks to avoid reprisals, held signs such as Stop racism, Everybody deserves to live free and Nationalism sucks.
Yangons chief minister Phyo Min Thein could not be reached for comment.
The dramatic drop in malaria deaths since the beginning of the century is one of the great public-health success stories of recent years. Thanks to concerted investments in prevention, diagnosis and treatment, the number of people killed by the disease each year has declined 60 percent since 2000, saving more than 6 million lives.
And yet, even as the dream of eliminating malaria seems closer to becoming reality, growing drug resistance is threatening these remarkable gains. Resistance to the most effective antimalarial medicine, artemisinin, has emerged in Cambodia and is spreading across the Mekong Delta region.
Without effective and timely action, this new, resistant form of malaria will become widespread a pattern that has already occurred twice with older malaria medicines. Governments, international organisations, civil society groups and companies must take urgent steps to prevent an epidemic of resistant malaria and stop a painful episode from recurring.
In order to delay the spread of resistance long enough to allow new drugs to come on stream, an urgent short-term objective must be achieved: preventing resistance from taking hold in South and Southeast Asia and spreading elsewhere. If history is any guide, artemisinin resistance could move into India and onward to sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of the world, putting millions of lives at risk and jeopardising decades of progress.
In the 1950s, resistance to another medicine, chloroquine, emerged along the Thai-Cambodia border. The same thing then happened in the 1970s with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP). From Southeast Asia, resistance to chloroquine and SP spread to India, and from there to Africa and much of the rest of the world. Millions have died as a result, most of them young African children.
The consequences of widespread artemisinin resistance would be similarly devastating. Even the most conservative estimates paint a grim picture. One study found its spread could result in more than 116,000 additional deaths each year and roughly US$417 million in associated medical costs and productivity losses above and beyond the $12 billion in productivity losses malaria already costs sub-Saharan Africa each year.
Despite broad-based concern over the past eight years, artemisinin resistance has not been contained. On the contrary, it has now been detected in Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar, on Indias eastern border.
There has been a welcome increase in donor support, notably the Regional Artemisinin-resistance Initiative, funded by a $100 million grant from The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. But the slow strengthening of conventional control interventions is not proving capable of outpacing the spread of resistance.
To end malaria, we need a united global front against the drivers of resistance. In addition to efforts to contain artemisinin resistance in the Greater Mekong Sub-region, action is needed farther afield. According to the World Health Organization, as of November 2015, national health authorities in six African countries and Colombia had not yet withdrawn their marketing authorizations for oral artemisinin monotherapies an important driver of resistance.
Stronger commitments from the private sector will be needed as well. As of December 2015, 21 drug manufacturers contacted by the WHO had not yet agreed to stop producing oral artemisinin monotherapies. More than two-thirds of these companies are located in Asia.
Research-based pharmaceutical companies must also invest in the next generation of antimalarial medicines. While many artemisinin-based treatments remain effective, at some point they will need to be replaced or risk becoming part of the problem.
Through a public-private partnership with the Singapore Economic Development Board, the Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases has led the formation of a research consortium with this precise aim. The effort has already yielded two promising new antimalarial drug candidates currently in Phase 2 clinical trials new classes of compounds that treat malaria in different ways from current therapies and thus have the potential to combat emerging drug resistance.
More broadly, product development partnerships, such as the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative and the Medicines for Malaria Venture, are bringing together academic, pharmaceutical and funding partners to deliver potential new treatments for neglected diseases. These collaborations can shepherd promising compounds through the lengthy and expensive process of drug development and approval.
Two other antimalarial compounds in Phase 2 clinical trials are currently being developed with support from Medicines for Malaria Venture one with Takeda Pharmaceuticals and the US National Institutes of Health, and another with the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi.
We may be winning many battles against malaria, but familiar warning signs indicate we could lose the war. The spread of artemisinin resistance in Asia today threatens the lives of children in Africa tomorrow. Thats why we need effective action to prevent the spread of artemisinin resistance, including urgent investments in the next generation of antimalarial treatments. If we do not heed the history of malaria, we may be doomed to repeat it.
Thierry Diagana is head of the Novartis Institute for Tropical Disease in Singapore. Nick White is professor of tropical medicine at the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit in Bangkok. Copyright: Project Syndicate 2016.
Prolonged drought, accompanied with a decrease in groundwater levels, has resulted in the most extensive saltwater intrusion in 90 years, affecting about 2 million people in the southern and central regions of Vietnam. Photo by A.X
Vietnam has for the first time called on the international community to support a $48.5 million emergency response plan to address the worsening drought in the country.
Vietnam is faced with the worst drought in almost a century, according the United Nation (UN), which has seriously affected about two million people living in the southern and central regions of the country.
A joint rapid assessment, carried out by the Vietnamese government, the UN and non-governmental organizations in March, estimated that in the 18 most severely affected provinces in the country, as many as two million people have no access to clean water and 1.1 million are in need of food aid.
More than 60,000 women and children are already malnourished, and about 1.75 million people have lost their livelihoods as the drought worsens, according to the assessment.
In the southern Mekong Delta, the prolonged drought, accompanied by a decrease in groundwater levels, has resulted in the most extensive saltwater intrusion in 90 years.
As a result of the drought and salinity, more than 400,000 hectares of crops have been affected with varying degrees of productivity loss, and another 25,900 hectares have not been planted at all, said the assessment.
Since late 2015, the Vietnamese government has provided 5,223 tons of relief food for three drought-affected regions and allocated VND1.081 trillion ($48 million) for national drought relief efforts. Two million cubic meters of water has been delivered by truck and 630,000 doses of Chloramine B and 400,000 Aquatabs have been provided for water-insecure households.
The Vietnamese government has so far made a strong and proactive response but this is a rare event which needs special support from the international community, said UN Resident Coordinator Pratibha Mehta on Tuesday.
"We look forward to working with the government to help meet the most immediate needs of those worst affected," she said.
Since the launch of the emergency response plan, international donors and partners have pledged $7.34 million, said Agriculture Minister Cao Duc Phat, adding that Vietnam is still in need of an additional $41 million for immediate drought relief efforts.
I believe that the international community will help Vietnam and any other countries that are struggling with natural disasters, said Phat. He stressed that the government, under any circumstances, will not allow water and food shortages to happen.
According to the UN, the current El Nino is one of the strongest on record affecting an estimated 60 million people across Africa, Asia, Central and South America and the Pacific.
A global call for support and action for 22 affected countries, including Vietnam, was also announced in Geneva on Tuesday.
In what some are seeing as the first step toward a stronger assertion of its interests in Myanmar, Indias External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will arrive in Nay Pyi Taw on May 1 in the countrys first high-level engagement with Myanmar since the National League for Democracy government took office. The minister will meet President U Htin Kyaw and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who also holds the post of foreign minister.
As India is the worlds largest democracy and Myanmars immediate neighbour, many are wondering why the visit did not take place sooner: Ms Swaraj is already three weeks behind Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the first foreign dignitary to visit Myanmar since its handover to an elected civilian-led government on March 30.
The larger goal of Ms Swarajs mission is to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of Indias Act East Policy, which was initially introduced by the Congress government as Look East Policy.
In recent years, India and Myanmar have improved their bilateral ties on several fronts. And now the three specific areas where India needs to improve are the education sector, democratic institution-building and people-to-people contacts.
In the education sector, the Indian government has taken some initiatives, including the establishment of Language Laboratories and Resource Centre, the Myanmar Institute of Information Technology, and the Agricultural Research and Educational Centre, and the enhancement of the India-Myanmar Centre for Enhancement of IT Skills.
But few, if any, Myanmar students attend Indian universities. The Indian government and educational institutions across India should do more to attract students from Myanmar, perhaps by offering scholarships or through exchange programs. In addition, civil society groups and the private sector should offer vocational training to generate results in the short term.
The second area is democratic institution-building, which can be done in a number of ways. First, the Indian government should invite Myanmar politicians who are new to democracy to give them first-hand experience as to how democracy works in a diverse and pluralistic society.
Myanmar politicians should be allowed to observe parliamentary proceedings, or attend courses offered by Indian universities and think-tanks on the theory and practice of democracy and on questions of importance to both countries, particularly cross-border issues.
People-to-people contacts is another essential element for improving bilateral relations. Not only do India and Myanmar have a shared border, but the two countries are also home to millions of people from the same ethnic community, separated during the creation of India and Myanmar in 1947 and 1948. Examples are the Kachin, the Kuki, the Naga and the Shan, who live side by side along the India-Myanmar border.
The two countries also share a 1624-kilometre boundary in four Northeast Indian states Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. But despite this geographical proximity, cross-border contacts among ordinary people are few and far between. During Prime Minister Modis visit to Myanmar in 2014, India agreed to build 71 bridges along roads used by Indian buses.
Bus service between Imphal and Mandalay, a distance of about 580km, originally planned to start in 2012-2013, was launched by Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh only on December 9, 2015. last, as a trial run which has not been repeated.
Similarly, the first flight service between Myanmar and Manipur was introduced in November 2013, but never followed up because of immigration and other questions. Though weekly direct Air India flights on the Delhi-Gaya-Yangon route and Golden Myanma charter flights to India were launched in November 2014, the connectivity between the two countries still remain very poor.
Reliable road links, bus and train services, the introduction of visa-on-arrival facilities at the border, regular flights and the improvement of people-to-people relations are also essential for the success of Indias broader Act East Policy, as Myanmar is the gateway.
The question is whether this will be enough to establish India as a counterweight to a China that for decades now has pursued important economic and industrial interests in Myanmar, in areas where Indian engagement is quite insignificant. As a neighbour of relatively equal size, India is Chinas natural competitor in Myanmar, and many feel more could be done to enhance its influence; after all, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was partly educated in India and knows the country well.
For its part, Myanmar should not only cooperate with India, but also needs to implement measures and policies that would enhance bilateral ties. The NLD government, particularly Foreign Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, could start by instructing its diplomats in New Delhi to be more open and accessible to people outside the embassy.
NehginpaoKipgen is assistant professor and executive director of Centre for Southeast Asian Studies, Jindal School of International Affairs, OP Jindal Global University. He is the author of three books, including Democratisation of Myanmar.
[April 26, 2016] Copyright Clearance Center Celebrates World Intellectual Property Day
Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), a global licensing and content solutions organization and the leading commercial document delivery provider, celebrates World Intellectual Property Day on April 26 with a series of interviews posted to its Beyond the Book podcast. As organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), World Intellectual Property Day explores the issues of our collective, global cultural future. CCC has recorded three podcasts, one in English and two in Spanish, which discuss the changing IP landscape in today's digital media world. CCC's Christopher Kenneally speaks with Ann Chaitovitz, Intellectual Property attache to the US Embassy in Lima, Peru, who provides IP advice to representatives of the US and South American governments throughout the area an coordinates the US Patent and Trademark Office's activities in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.
And, in separate podcasts, CCC's Victoriano Colodron talks with Alejandra Matus Acuna, Chilean journalist and author, and president of Sociedad de Derechos de las Letras (SADEL), the collective management organization of copyright for text-based works in Chile, and with publisher Alvaro Carvajal from ECOE ediciones publishing house, and Chair of the Board of Centro Colombiano de Derechos Reprograficos (CDR), the collective management organization of copyright in text-based works in Colombia. Both of Colodron's podcasts are recorded in Spanish. "World Intellectual Property Day is an occasion to reflect on the centrality of intellectual property in our lives every day," said Colodron, Senior Director, International Relations, CCC. "With the low cost of digital publishing and anytime, anywhere access to online content through mobile devices and smartphones, nearly anyone can become a global creator and global communicator, making Intellectual Property Day an important occasion for every global citizen."
"Access to culture has been reimagined by new technologies that have changed the distribution of creative materials," said Chaitovitz. "Copyright is working - many new content delivery models have emerged to satisfy consumer needs. But, we must always remember that if we fail to compensate creators, we may no longer have the works we love." About Copyright Clearance Center Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) and its subsidiary RightsDirect are global leaders in content workflow and rights licensing technology. CCC solutions provide anytime, anywhere content access, usage rights and information management while promoting and protecting the interests of copyright holders. We serve more than 35,000 customers and 15,000 copyright holders worldwide, and manage more than 950 million rights from the world's most sought-after journals, books, blogs, movies and more. Since 2008, CCC has been named one of the top 100 companies that matter most in the digital content industry by EContent Magazine. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160426006350/en/
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Having crossed the sand dunes in the scorching heat of Central Vietnam, you have a chance to visit the guides house for a rest. Guides will set you back from VND300,000 to VND500,000 per group. Meals cost from VND50,000 to VND100,000, depending on how luxury you want to go, while lemon juice is fixed at VND10,000.
27.04.2016 LISTEN
Music has many benefits and many music lovers will agree that it sparks a lot of energy and emotions within. Music addicts, musicians, and music producers around the world have certain amazing features in common. Their taste in various genres of music partly or wholely define their personality one way or the other. A person's choice of music can tell a lot about who they are.
Below are some jaw-dropping facts about music that has never crossed your mind. It is a compilation of well researched facts by @engrossingfacts on Twitter. They offer daily tweets on 'Did you Know?' facts you will be awed to know about.
Follow them for more tips.
1. 85% of people use music to escape from daily emotional stress.
A lot more people these days, tend to plug in their sound system or earphones just to suck in some music whenever they feel stressed up and depressed.
2. Listening to music at high volumes makes a person calmer, happier and more relaxed.
Dancing and grooving to loud music wherever you find yourself tends to release happiness hormones that helps us feel more relaxed and happier. Tuning in to music at parties, events or even the home, at higher volumes, indeed does magic to the body.
3. Music with strong beat can stimulate brain waves which improve concentration.
Need I say more? The beat of a music is that powerful.
4. We are subconsciously attracted to people who have the same taste of music as we do.
Truth be told, we tend to like people the more when we realise that they like and listen to the same kinds of music that we love to listen to. Who else can relate?
5. Memorizing song(music) lyrics is found to be one of the best exercises for the brain.
Apart from reading, learning and memorizing song lyrics, and even, singing along, is one of the best exercises that stimulate the brain. This helps to improve the memory and helps one to recollect and memorize things faster.
6. Listening to music while working creates a positive mood and makes you more productive.
Ever tried listening to music while washing or cleaning the house? You will relate easily with this point if you ever tried listening to music while working on strenuous tasks.
7. Music is so influential on the brain that the type you listen to actually has the ability to change the way you think and look at the world.
Just like words are powerful, the lyrics of music teaches us a lot about life, love and culture that we tend to see the world and to perceive things differently.
8. Listening to your favorite song before bed can help you sleep better, wake up easier, and enhance your mood for the upcoming day.
Oh yes! This fact though. Do I have any partners-in-crime when it comes to sleeping to some favorite Playlist?
9. The chills you sometimes feel when listening to music is called "musical frisson"
I mostly get these chills from listening to John Legend, Rihanna, Olly Murs, Asa, and Adele. Walaba you? (what about you?)
10. Music can repair brain damage and return lost memories.
I guess we can try this on the inmates of the Psychiatric hospital. Haha. This last point raises the greatest and key benefit of music.The higher one's consumption, the lower the chances of brain related problems, and vice versa.
I hope these facts taught you a lot about music that you did not know about. Share with me on more facts that you know about music, and which of the above that you do relate to the most. Which are your favorite Playlist and their artiste?
Justica Anima
[email protected]
Switstica.blogspot.com
Adjei Boampong Justica
Public Speaking | Story/Article Writer | Television Presenting
Veteran Ghanaian musician, Obiba Sly Collins has stated categorically that the woes in the lives of some musicians in Ghana currently are as a result of lack of proper investments.
Obiba, who was on Atinka FM's Tete Dwom show, with Roman Fada last Saturday, explained that most Nigerian musicians enjoy luxurious lives because they do more investments.
"Most of the old musicians made big mistakes by not investing in other businesses, and you can see it has caused some of them. When you go to Nigeria, they do a lot of investments. At least, you can put a little at the bank if not at all."
He, therefore, advised the current generation to learn from the past mistakes and try to do more investments at this time of their peak.
"Look at the door you knocked sometime ago and how you struggled before entering. At this moment that you are at your peak, try to put something somewhere cos no condition is permanent."
However, Obiba admitted that music has offered him a lot in life by taking him to places and introducing him as well to famous individuals both at home and abroad.
Though Ghanaian music duo Reggie N Bollie left Ghana to the UK to be with their family, they did not leave their music behind.
We did not forget music when we got there. We actually had families there so it influenced our decision to go there but our hope of doing music was not shattered, Reggie one half of the duo said in an interview with Jay Foley and Jeremie on live 91.9 fm.
Before Reggie Zippy and Bollie made it to the world stage as finalists on the reality music show, X Factor UK, they were champions in their own rights, boasting quite a number of hits songs on the Ghanaian music industry.
Early 2015, the two decided to work together and change their musical fortunes after a long break. They auditioned at Britains Got Talent but didnt make the mark.
They decided to give music another shot, this time on X Factor UK. They impressed the judges and made it as one of 12 contestants, ultimately making it to the finale.
The drought in Ethiopia is having enormous consequences for the population. More than 15 million people are now dependent on food aid. 'The number of people who need food aid may rise dramatically if the international community fails to provide enough aid quickly enough. Norway is now allocating an additional NOK 30 million in humanitarian assistance,' said Minister of Foreign Affairs Brge Brende.
The drought is linked to the El Nino weather pattern, and according to the UN is one of the worst the international community has experienced. The Ethiopian authorities have been contributing to the emergency response, but the scale of the crisis means that further international assistance is vital. The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator has therefore convened a meeting in Geneva today to mobilise increased international support for the Ethiopian people.
'Ethiopia is an important partner country for Norway. Norwegian NGOs have been working in the country for many years, and have built up knowledge and experience in the agricultural and water sectors that is very valuable in the response to the current crisis. We welcome the cooperation between leading Norwegian NGOs on the provision of emergency assistance to Ethiopia,' said Mr Brende.
Norway has been cooperating with Ethiopia on climate-resilient agriculture for a number of years. However, the impacts of the current El Nino, one of the strongest on record, show that the progress Ethiopia has made is very fragile, and that the situation can deteriorate rapidly in poor rural areas. Norway increased the level of its humanitarian assistance to the country from autumn 2015, and recently provided an extra NOK 20 million to the World Food Programme to mitigate the impacts of the drought.
The additional NOK 30 million will be allocated partly to a consortium consisting of Norwegian Church Aid, the Norwegian Refugee Council, Norwegian People's Aid and the Development Fund Norway. In addition, some funding will go to NORCAP (the Norwegian Refugee Council's emergency standby roster), which can deploy experts as needed to support humanitarian crisis response.
By Samira Larbie, GNA
Accra, April 26, GNA - The Islamic Humanitarian Foundation, under the auspices of Sheikh Mohammed Salis Shaban, Tijaniyya Spiritual Cleric has called for peaceful coexistence among Ghanaians especially the youth and the world at large.
Alhaji Mohammed Abdul Salam, Executive Secretary of the Foundation said Ghana, albeit regarded by many as an oasis of peace in the African sub-region does not live in isolation when it comes to occurrences and challenges related to conflict, hence the need for all to contribute their quota in the maintenance of peace.
He was speaking at a professional training workshop on alternative dispute resolution and mediation, to encourage the youth to ensure peace in the country.
The training under the International Compass Mediation Programme was also aimed at equipping the youth with skills on conflict management and resolution to sustain and maintain peace during the 2016 elections.
Alhaji Salam said the perennial industrial upheavals precipitated by labour agitations through demonstrations and strikes in Ghana, even though legitimate, should be a concern for peace lovers and promoters.
He said for this reason all hands must be on deck to resolve these disputes between unions and Government for the sake of peace.
He noted that recent happenings in the country such as the call for a clean voters register ahead of November 2016 general election, by some political parties among others is an issue to note and thus called on all to join hands in preaching and practicing peace.
Mr Irbard Ibrahim, Security and Political Analyst speaking at the event noted that peace cannot be achieved in a vacuum but rather takes deliberate efforts by stakeholders to ensure that peace is sustained.
He said more than 80 per cent of the time when there is ethnic, political and chieftaincy violence; it is young people within the youth bracket that are used as canon for that.
Mr Ibrahim noted that it is important that in discussing the topic on conflict resolution, the youth are given a voice to participate in decision making because they are the important part of the equation as and when the problem arises.
Ghana needs to sharpen its edges of conflict resolution as there are so many parts of the country that has remained conflict zones for far too long and need to be resolved.
He urged the Electoral Commission to play its part as an impartial power superintending over the election therefore if there is lack of trust then the country is sitting on a time bomb.
Mrs Regina Thompson, International Compass Mediation Associate, Ghana-Canada, advised that if husbands and wives are able to resolve conflicts among themselves, then conflicts around the world could as well be resolved.
GNA
27.04.2016 LISTEN
On the 13th of May at the Kempinski Gold Coast City Hotel in Accra, Ghana.
Idea Factory Africa Conference is proud to announce, that Sierra-Leonean Writer and filmmaker Mallence will be hosting this years IFA Conference. The conference is a commitment to create a global African platform that serves as a bridge between Africas industry leaders and young African innovators and thinkers. It is geared to providee life-long values to the African society.
If you have watched Mallences Ted Talk, you will understand our excitement towards her participation Co-Founder of IDEA FACTORY AFRICA Kwame A.A Opoku remarked. She will be hosting alongside Ghanaian ace broadcaster and Chief Executive of the Izar Group Rashida Saani Nasamu.
Mallence Bart-Williams was born in Cologne, Germany to a German mother and a Sierra Leonean father. She is a Sierra Leonean - German writer, film- and theatre producer and fashion designer. She pursued her studies in economics and finance in Paris, Singapore, and Great Britain. Today she lives across the globe, produces an all-natural cosmetics line in Asia, and is the founder and creative director of the Freetown-based creative collective FOLORUNSHO, a SHARITY that she initiated with street kids in Sierra Leone.
Due to her German-Sierra Leonean roots she perceives herself as a bridge connecting two vastly different worlds. Her diverse background enables her to see creative solutions to common problems. Within their three years of operation, her collective has taken homeless children off the streets and into school, developed a sneaker and clothing collection, published a book and documentary of their story, and has held fine art exhibitions. Through her work with FOLORUNSHO she connects cultural contrast, enabling people to share ideas, take action, and get results.
The IDEA FACTORY AFRICA conference is the flagship conference of the IDEAS for FUTURE AFRICA organization that engages ideas that are collectively shaping the world and influencing the continent. The IDEA FACTORY AFRICA conference will be showcasing a wide range of ideas and objectively explore how they all connect in the socio-economic position of the individual within the context of growth on the African continent.
The ultimate goal of this conferences is to shift the focus from idea generation to idea execution.
African pioneers and industry experts will provide insights on how to implement ideas and turn them into revolutionary products and successful services. IDEA FACTORY AFRICA for the first time brings together some of Africas most creative visionaries & influential individuals to elaborate and collaborate on bringing ideas to life.
The IDEA FACTORY AFRICA Conference will be held on the 13th of May at the Kempinski Gold Coast City Hotel in Accra, Ghana.
The 1 Day conference will be hosting a selection of key note speakers as well as interactive panel talks and presentations.
Speakers for the Conference include H.E. Dr. Tal Edgars, Fatima Alimohamed, H.E Girmay Haile, Dr Joyce Aryee, Ruka Sanusi and Cynthia Quarcoo Jumu.
The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party Nana Akufo-Addo has stated he is not disturbed by discordant voices within the membership of the party, who have made it a point to express negative views about him.
He admitted it is a price that comes with leadership.
Im not disturbed, because I understand that this is the price of leadership, the presidential candidate noted during the inauguration of the campaign sector committees of the NPP.
All members of our party have a role to play in the partys victory, and I am calling on all members to work hard towards our victory. I welcome everyones contribution. I have always stood and will always stand for the collective, he added.
The committee is tasked with the formulation of the policies and programmes the party will be presenting in the campaign to the Ghanaian electorate ahead of the conduct of this years polls.
The 18 sector committees, comprising a total of some 150 members, are also to articulate the partys messages in their respective areas, defend the partys messages and contribute to the making of the partys manifesto.
The ceremony, which had Alhaji Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, running mate to Nana Akufo-Addo; C.K. Tedam, Chairman of the Council of Elders; Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensa-Bonsu, MP, Minority Leader in Parliament; Kwabena Abankwah Yeboah, National Treasurer; Otiko Afisa Djaba, National Womens Organiser; Sammy Awuku, National Youth Organiser; Kamal Deen Abdulai, National Nasara Coordinator; Peter Mac Manu, Campaign Manager, and members of the National Campaign Coordinating Committee attending, took place at the Nima residence of the NPP flagbearer.
Nana Akufo-Addo noted that the party was undertaking the final processes of its preparations for election 2016, having completed 273 out of 275 parliamentary primaries, and inaugurated all regional campaign teams and a majority of constituency campaign teams.
The inauguration of the sector committees represented one of the final steps towards positioning the party for the battle ahead to wrestle political power from the incompetent Mahama government, and return the country back onto the path of progress and prosperity.
The newly inaugurated campaign committees are in the following sectors: Economy; Trade and Industry; Agriculture; Employment; Energy; Roads and Highways; Infrastructure; Natural Resources; Education; Health; Science, Technology, Innovation and Environment; and Local Government. The rest are Foreign Affairs; Governance; Public Accountability; Security; Gender, Disabilities and Children; and Youth and Sports.
These committees, Nana Akufo-Addo added, will help formulate policies that, God-willing from January 2017, will be implemented by a competent team so that the Ghanaian people will gain relief from the hardships and suffering they are currently facing under the incompetent Mahama government.
The difficulties facing our people are there for all to see and feel. As a result, Ghanaians are calling for the return of the NPP. We must answer the call. We need to show the Ghanaian people that we are, indeed, ready, willing and able to transform the fortunes of our country. I need your active support to reach this goal, for which I was elected by an overwhelming majority of the grassroots of the party, he said.
Below are the chairpersons of the various committees, who will act as their spokespersons:
SECTOR COMMITTEES
27.04.2016 LISTEN
Food Sovereignty Ghana calls on Parliament to completely withdraw the UPOV-compliant Plant Breeders' Bill and replace it with a "sui generis" plant variety protection (PVP) system suitable to our conditions. This call has become necessary in the light of the announcement by Parliament to provide "organisations and the general public the unique opportunity to have their say in the passage of any law through the BILL SYMPOSIUM SERIES" [1].
First of all, we would like to reiterate our call for the publication of a report on the consultations so far undertaken by Parliament since the Plant Breeders' Bill appeared before Parliament in June, 2013. [2] We note that it is almost three years now since these consultations begun. We are also aware that a lot of petitions have been presented to Parliament. It does no one any good to ignore all these and organize a one-day symposium to replace such valuable and detailed work already presented to Parliament over the years.
We find the inclusion of the Plant Breeders' Bill in these series a strange addition for the simple reason that just a few weeks ago the Vice-Chairman of the Parliamentary Select-Committee on Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs, Hon. George Loh, MP for North Dayi Constituency, claimed in a radio interview with Host, Kweku Vander-Pallen on XYZ 93.1fm in on Wednesday, 16th March 2016 that:
These consultations have supposedly been going on since 11th November 2014. We therefore believe that these series must not be used as an excuse for not accounting for the time and energy of Ghanaians who have already petitioned Parliament. There is absolutely nothing new to say that has not been said before. We are finding it difficult to shake off the thought that this is a way of avoiding the publication of the report on the consultations so far done by Parliament.
Hon. George Loh confesses in the same interview mentioned above that, "The Plant Breeders' Bill, I always say is the most misunderstood bill in our Parliament". What prevents Parliament from publishing the report and clearing the air? Is the organisation of this symposium not also going to end up with a similar claim that "If after consultations, you do stand where you are, fine"? If not, we would like to know why Parliament still "stands at where they are" despite it being pointed out on several occasions that the Plant Breeders' Bill (2013) is illegitimate and must be withdrawn?
We have done extensive consultations. We even did two consultations carried live on television with all stake-holders. So, nobody can pretend that we havent spoken to people If after consultations, you do stand where you are, fine! We have consulted... We have looked at the petitions. We've invited all the relevant people. We sat with Food Sovereignty Ghana, the Attorney-General, we've had all the consultations and all the meetings." [3]
We take notice that this announcement of Monday, 15th April, 2016 on the BILL SYMPOSIUM SERIES follows closely our earlier call on March 29, 2016 for the publication of the report on the consultations of stake-holders ordered by the Speaker of Parliament. [4]
We strongly believe that it is about time that our Parliament shifts the discussion on the bogus UPOV-compliant Plant Breeders' Bill to a focus on a "sui generis" PVP system for Ghana.
We have already pointed out that Ghana is a member of the World Trade Organization and the rights and obligations concerning intellectual property are governed by the WTO Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement). According to Article 27.3(b) of the TRIPS Agreement, Ghana has to provide protection of plant varieties by an effective sui generis system. Ghana has full flexibility under the World Trade Organization (WTO) to develop an effective sui generis system for plant variety protection, i.e. to develop a unique system that suits its needs. [5]
This provision allows Ghana maximum flexibility in the design of plant variety protection (PVP). This is what many developing countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, India have done. The African Union Ministers have also recommended a unique Model Law for Plant Variety Protection.
We are not saying that plant breeders must not be protected. What we want is a system of protection that guarantees the rights of the plant breeder as well as the farmer. So far, neither government nor Parliament has accounted for the basis for the opting for UPOV 91. In the Memorandum to the Bill, we are only informed about the decision without any justifications. [6]
Ghana can protect plant breeder rights without necessarily opting for UPOV 91. The Bill is modelled on the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants of 1991 (UPOV 1991) which is a rigid and an inflexible regime for plant variety protection (PVP). It is worth noting that today out of the 71 UPOV members, only a fraction about 22 developing countries are members of UPOV. Most of these developing countries (e.g. Brazil, China, Argentina, South Africa) and even some developed countries (e.g. Norway) are not members of UPOV 1991 but rather UPOV 1978, which is a far more flexible regime.
It is about time Ghana develops a unique system that suits its needs. That is what an effective sui generis system for plant variety protection is about. This is why the UPOV-compliant Plant Breeders Bill ought to be withdrawn completely. It is certainly not "sui generis". Even the amendments proposed to the Bill, currently before Parliament were dictated to Ghana from Geneva. So far, not even one of the amendments proposed by the petitioners appears anywhere. Every single amendment proposed, currently before Parliament, comes from UPOV in Geneva. [7]
Compare with: Proposed Amendments to the PLANT BREEDERS BILL, 2013 which is supposed to be at the Consideration Stage in the Parliament of Ghana. It is scandalously word for word! [8]
None of the demands by Ghana's civil society and faith-based organisations have been included. For there to be a meaningful symposium, it would be professional to publish first the report on all the consultations, together with the proposed changes as a result of these consultations, so the symposium could serve as our final comments on this report. Otherwise, this symposium appears to be yet another convenient excuse to avoid accounting for the consultations so far and hiding under a symposium to pursue the same agenda.
Our first demand is that as a member of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources (ITPGRFA) we expect Ghana to take steps to realise farmers rights to use, sell, save and exchange farm-saved seeds, to protect their traditional knowledge and to allow their participation in national decision-making. Instead of rather than a Bill that is heavily tilted in favour of commercial breeders and which undermines farmers rights.
"Joining UPOV under UPOV 91 narrows the possibilities for states to adapt PVP law to individual countrys needs and to involve stakeholders effectively".
Farmers Rights according to the ITPGRFA includes the right of farmers to save, use, exchange and sell farm-saved seed and other propagating material; the right to participate in making decisions, at the national level, on matters related to the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture; the right to equitably participate in sharing benefits arising from the utilization of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture; and the right to the protection of traditional knowledge relevant to plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. It also recognizes "the enormous contribution that the local and indigenous communities and farmers of all regions of the world, particularly those in the centers of origin and crop diversity, have made and will continue to make for the conservation and development of plant genetic resources which constitute the basis of food and agriculture production throughout the world. [9]
Secondly, the Bill also contains a presumption whereby a plant breeder is considered to be entitled to intellectual property protection in the absence of proof to the contrary. Usually the onus is on the applicant to prove that he or she has complied with the necessary requirements and is thus entitled to protection. But in this case there is a presumption in favour of the plant breeder.
This presumption provision and the lack of an explicit provision that calls for the disclosure of origin of the genetic material used in the development of the variety including information of any contribution made by any Ghanaian farmer or community in the development of the variety creates opportunities for breeders to misappropriate Ghanas genetic resources using the PVP system and to exploit smallholder farmers. Ghanas farmers must not be criminalized by Ghanas laws for practising traditional farming.
It is important to note that Ghana is a member of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) and the Convention on Biological Diversity and both these instruments champion fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources. Including a disclosure of origin provision in the Bill is critical as it is widely recognized as an important tool to safeguard against biopiracy. Several countries have included such a provision in its their PVP legislation and there is no reason why Ghana should not do the same.
As eloquently expressed by a study by the German Government on the UPOV Convention, Farmers Rights and Human Rights - An integrated assessment of potentially conflicting legal frameworks:
It calls for the harmonising of the goals and obligations from different treaties while implementing PVP law.
"Goals and obligations from different international treaties, such as TRIPS, ITPGRFA and ICESCR, need to be harmonised if a country sets out to develop a national PVP law. The TRIPS agreement as such leaves sufficient discretion to governments to design PVP laws in such a way that the obligations of other treaties are addressed". [10]
Thirdly, the Bill also lacks provisions that will ensure that intellectual property protection will not be granted to varieties that adversely affect public interests. It also provides a long list of plant breeder rights without any responsibilities. We strongly recommend the inclusion of a Strict liability" clause, such as: "All approvals for introduction of GMO or their products shall be subject to a condition that the applicant is strictly liable for any damage caused to any person or entity.
Finally, we recommend that any PVP law in Ghana must protect Ghana from biopiracy. We recommend language such that: any entity or individual who provides germplasm resources to any foreign entity, organisation or individual in cooperation to conduct research, shall make an application and submit a national benefit-sharing plan. [11]
We call on all those who have petitioned either for or against, to join us in demanding the publication of a report on the consultations done so far, and the conclusions of Parliament. A public account of these consultations would not only satisfy the order of the speaker who indicated, This is because it is important to inform the people of Ghana. but render transparent all controversies surrounding the Bill.
We welcome the initiative to organize a seminar on a "sui generis" plant variety protection system. We think our attention should more be focused on that and do our best to draw the attention of our Parliamentarians on the need for a "sui generis" PVP system rather than another symposium on the same Plant Breeders' Bill. There is nothing new to say on this that we have not said before!
We call for a new Bill! We call for a Bill that will be both Plant Breeders' and Farmers like India's Plant Breeders' and Farmers Act. [12]
We also wish to take this opportunity to salute the farmers of Ghana, and the Peasant Farmers' Association (PFAG) in particular, on the occasion International day of Peasant Struggle which is being celebrated by PFAG on 27th April 2016.
Happy International day of Peasant Struggle!
For Life, the Environment, and Social Justice!
Edwin Kweku Andoh Baffour
Communications Directorate, FSG
The European Commission and the International Energy Agency will address the impact of the energy crisis on SMEs in an online event on 21 October.
On April 1, 2016, Ebola resurfaced in Liberia. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Liberian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare have confirmed that a 30 year old lady has died of the virus while taking to the Redemption Hospital in Monrovia. Many people were surprised of this event. A day before, WHO had stated that Ebola was no longer an international health emergency; and about three months ago this year, the organization re-declared Liberia Ebola free for the third time. I have thought it wise to document and put into historical prospective the major events of Ebola in Liberia and to draw my conclusion on Ebola in Liberia.
I was in a gym in March 2014 in Monrovia, Liberia when a radio announced that Ebola was in Liberia. Most people in Liberia did not know about Ebola nor have heard of it in their lives. The general view was that Ebola did not exist in Liberia. This denial was shared not only by the ordinary Liberians but also by some government officials. By June, however, it was real that Ebola was in Liberia and has killed. I was concerned and afraid; I have just come home from the US for a visit. Loffa County reported the first victims.
The virus spread into other counties. Loffa registered the highest death rate followed by Montserrado, the largest county in Liberia. The disease got serious attention in July with the infection of American Doctors Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol. The doctors contracted Ebola while working in Liberia and were immediately flown to the US. Also the death of Liberian permanent physician Dr. Samuel Brisbane and of Liberian born US citizen Patrick Sawyer of the disease in July brought national seriousness to the virus. Sawyer was affected in Liberia and died in Lagos, Nigeria. His contraction of the disease caused the death of seven other people in Nigeria. On July 30th, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf announced to the nation of the reality of Ebola and gave $5 million as government initial donation to fight the virus.
Because of the crisis, the president also cancelled a scheduled trip to the US. On August 6th, she declared a state of emergency, closing schools, reducing civil servants, creating Ebola public awareness effort and establishing a special taskforce for Ebola. Although the president received high public praises for the pronouncement, the death rate of the virus in Liberia continued to increase. For instance, up to August, since the outbreak, over 1075 Ebola victims died, including 380 in Guinea, 340 in Sierra Leone, 413 in Liberia and 8 in Nigeria. The rate increased 356% in Liberia from 116 reported on July 24th, making Liberia the highest affected country in the sub- region. By September 17, the death rate rose to 1670 as the disease extended to additional counties, particularly Nimba. This spread was more worrisome and scary, for Nimba is the second largest populated county in the country. Moreover, like other counties, it did not at that time have Ebola testing and treatment center. Nine family members in a compound in Nimba died of the virus in the first few days of the disease. The remaining members were rushed to Monrovia for treatment, though the city had limited health services.
By December, 2014, Ebola extended to the rest of the fifteen counties and the death rate of the epidemic increased to over 3000. What happened to the first five million dollars and subsequent millions which came in to fight Ebola? What caused the large increase, which surpassed that of other countries in the sub-region when Liberia was the third country affected?
Liberia was ill-prepared to address the crisis. She denied having the virus and failed to timely institute appropriate measures to combat Ebola. Those measures would have entailed contact tracing, isolation of affected persons and immediate closing of the Guinean-Liberian border. Hence, despite subsequent serious efforts, it was too late. The government was overwhelmed and was unable to stop the spread and increase. Moreover, as this paper will later demonstrate, the country lacked needed healthcare services to handle the crisis. Ebola exposed government weak institution, said Liberian economist Samuel Jackson. Public advocate Henry Costa and other observers added that Ebola met a weak system and made it weaker. The New Democrat, a news paper in Liberia, indicated that decades of corruption, deep-rooted mistrust of government and weak public services in Liberia hastened the spread of the Ebola virus. Further, as Dr. Vuyu Golakai, dean of the School of Medicine in Liberia also observed, the Ebola Taskforce as initially structured contained too many politicians and lacked a medical advisory arm.
During the Ebola epidemic, there were bodies of Ebola victims in the streets of Monrovia. Many times the bodies stayed in the streets for days. New Kru Town, considered Liberias largest slum and West Point, another ghetto in Monrovia, were the hottest spots for Ebola. Many of their residents contracted Ebola. New Kru Town, with a population about 75,000, has The Redemption Hospital, which serves the town and the Brewerville area at large, while West Point in down town Monrovia has none. Redemption Hospital was built by the PRC, the People Redemption Council, a military junta, which overthrew the Tolbert regime in 1980 and ended the True Whip Party and settlers rule of the country. Prior, there was no hospital in the area for the poor. Like other hospitals in Liberia during the Ebola crisis, Redemption lacked many services, but it was the only available public health center for Ebola patients in Bushrod Island in Monrovia. Eight of the 180 plus healthcare workers who died of Ebola in the country came from this hospital.
Initially there was no government ambulance for Ebola. Saah Joseph, a Liberian Legislator, operated a private ambulance, which he used in volunteering to help transport Ebola victims in Monrovia. Bodies of Ebola victims who died at home were not removed immediately. Sometimes it took days to pick up the bodies. Hospitals or clinics were closed. As stated earlier, over 180 healthcare workers died of the virus, and they had no meaningful death benefit for their families. Ebola left about 4500 orphans. They suffer the most, causing some girl orphans to go into prostitution, according to reports. For instance, Front Page Africa newspaper reported of the life of Ruth Peterson. She lost her mother, father and three siblings to the virus and is survived by two younger siblings. She had to sleep with men to survive and sponsor her siblings to school.
The disease also became a stigma. Some victims were ashamed and afraid to get treatment, while some with other illnesses, did not get treatment. They were victimized of Ebola. Everybody was just afraid of the virus, said an observer. I too experienced this fear during my visit to Liberia in the heat of the disease. In 2015, I took my sick sister to Redemption Hospital. She was weak and heavier; she could not move and walk. No one could help me to lift her up from the car to the hospital. Will someone help me, I cried out, Ill pay. But no response to my call, I wrote in an article, Who or What Killed My Sister in Liberia? People were afraid of touching patients because of Ebola.
The story of Augustine Jallah and of other victims further typified the condition: Jallahs wife showed signs or symptoms of Ebola. He drove her to the hospitals and clinics, but they were closed, they were not accepting patients. He brought her home; she died in his arms. A pregnant woman needing immediate delivery was refused treatment for fear of Ebola. She and her unborn baby died upon returning home. A mother died of Ebola at home, her child, a little girl, was also affected by the virus. The mothers body was removed but the child was left alone in the house. She died later.
Besides health problem, Ebola had a serious economic impact on Liberia. The nations economy was not performing well. There were indications of economic meltdown before Ebola. Economic condition got harder especially for the poor, as government revenues decreased significantly due to the closing of concessions, borders, some market places and the suspension of some shipping lines and airlines coming to Liberia because of Ebola. Consequently, necessary imported goods became scared, and commodity prices and unemployment increased.
While the economy was of concern, Ebola was on everyones mind. In August 2014, the government imposed a 9PM-6AM curfew and quarantined some areas. But these actions, though necessary, created other problems. The curfew was used by armed robbers dressed in police uniform to break in homes. Few weeks later the government changed the curfew to 11 PM-6AM, apparently in response to complaint from the night club industry. The government was forced also to cut short the quarantine of West Point, because of public outcry in the wake of the fatal shooting of Shaki Kamara, a sixteen years old boy killed on August 20, 2014 by the Liberian Armed Forces. Shakis death was a painful and sorrowful one to watch on a video: he was shot in the leg; he cried holding his foot while slowly dying, calling his uncle not to let him die.
According to a revelation by Daylue Goah, a former employee of JFK Hospital in Monrovia, Shaki was taken to the hospital after the shooting, but he was refused treatment, he was lying on the lobby floor with blood, opening and closing his eyes helplessly. The chief medical doctor and other medical personnel passed by him and allegedly locked themselves up in their offices, apparently fearing of Ebola if they touched him. Shari was taken to Redemption Hospital, but he had already died before arriving. US Ambassador then to Liberia, Deborah Malac, expressed outrage of the shooting. Some Liberians called for President Sirleafs resignation.
Days later, Sirleaf wrote President Obama for help. Her letter showed a president pleading for her country but in essence was also appealing to save her presidency. On September 16, 2014, President Obama promised to send American military engineers and medical personnel to build Ebola medical facilities and establish military coordination in the affected countries. Obama kept the promise. On October 9th, ninety US marines arrived in Liberia.
Six days later, USAID announced $142 million in humanitarian grant to fight Ebola in West Africa. This was in addition to White House announcement on October 6 of more than $350 million for the virus. Moreover, the World Bank promised to give Liberia $50 million grant, the European Union (EU) and other international partners expressed to provide financial and medical assistance. Total international pledges to combat Ebola in the affected countries were more than $3.5 billion.
The diagnosing of Thomas Duncan of Ebola on September 29 in the US brought to the American society a domestic concern of the virus. Duncan was a Liberian who attracted the disease in Liberia. He left for America shortly and was hospitalized, diagnosed and died in Texas, USA. Many Americans called for travelling restriction to America of citizens of Ebola affected countries, but the White House and other Americans went against the request. On the other hand, while hospitalized in the US, the Liberian government and some Liberian media, including the Costa Show, called for action against Duncan for embarrassing Liberia. Many felt that he travelled to America knowing of his contraction of the virus. Others viewed that he did not know. He passed Ebola screening test at ROB airport before departure. Nevertheless, with his death, all was forgiven, I know. His situation was also a sad one, because he and his family had hoped for a better life in the US!
In late July 2014, the government established the Incidence Management System (IMS) to assist the response to Ebola. Deputy Minister of Health and Social Welfare Tolbert Nyenswah headed IMS with James Dorbor Jallah as Deputy Manager. Nyenswah handled the medical aspect while Jallah managed the logistics and operational issues, which involved transportation and burial of Ebola dead victims. Some of the corpses were buried in mass graves, some were cremated. Many community people were unhappy about cremation. It is uncommon in Liberia. Later, the government purchased a land for the decent burial of the dead.
There were public debates whether or not to cancel the special senatorial election in Liberia because of Ebola. Blamo Nelson, former senator from Grand Kru County, and other Liberians called for cancellation of the election. In a narrow vote, the Supreme Court ruled for the election to be held in December, 2014. A different ruling would have caused a serious constitutional crisis in the country.
To the surprise of many, President Sirleaf on December 4, 2014, issued Executive Order 65, which prohibited public gathering and protect of the election results in Montserrado County until after 30 days of the election. The Executive Mansion said that the order was intended to stop the spread of Ebola. The order was immediately revoked by public outcry, including verbal protect by the Montserrado Legislative Caucus and opposition party ANC US based chairman Wilfred Passawe. Opponents viewed the order unconstitutional and discriminatory. Why was the prohibition only for Montserrado County? A question many asked in Liberia. The presidents son Robert Sirleaf was a senatorial candidate for Montserrado County against CDC party leader George Weah and other candidates. Opponents maintained that the order was met to benefit the presidents son, for it would unable the opposition to immediately demonstrate in the streets after the results if they felt cheated. Robert Sirleaf, however, also criticized the order.
By February 2015, Ebola started to retreat in Liberia, though the death rate was still higher compared to the other countries. There were signs of improvement regarding the disease in the nation; there were fewer cases of Ebola. There were many survivors of the virus. Victims who received early treatment reportedly survived, including Decontee Davies.
Ebola survivors, while happy to be alive, face many problems in Liberia. They have no free medical care or services. Some have experienced blindness, ED (erectile dysfunction) and joint pain. The males were advised not to engage in sexual activities for months. Ebola survivors are stigmatized. Some have problem finding place to live. But they receive cash tokens whenever they participate in studies or workshops.
In March, 2015, Representative Saah Joseph with his team went to Sierra Leone to assist the country in their fight against Ebola. The effort was a great humanitarian gesture. Meanwhile, the Liberian government had improved and intensified its public awareness efforts; the Incidence Management System was responding effectively to the crisis; cars were required not to have more than three passengers in the back and not over two persons in the front; public and private places were ordered to have bucket of soap and Clorine water for hands washing; a civil society partner was said to have launched a community awareness program; religious groups had prayer services for the virus; and we were advised not to shake hands and not to touch Ebola death bodies.
This last advice or preventive measure was a tough one, because culturally we Liberians are accustomed and used to shaking hands or doing the Liberian handshaking. Also, we traditionally or in some culture wash the body of our dead love one. Some tradition is said to believe that the washed water of a deceased, when used by the living, would bring blessing, more particularly if the dead was a great person. But we had to do what was recommended in order to live, though culturally difficult.
Traditionally moreover, my most uncomfortable moment was when I attended service at my church in New Kru town, Monrovia. We speak in tongues when the spirit of Pentecost gets in us; we dance and sing in our Kru culture and language. However, I left service about five to ten minutes before the benediction to avoid shaking hands and hugging. I felt uncomfortable and embarrassed went I did that, but I had to protect myself.
Further, air travel to and from Liberia was limited. Delta had stopped flying to Liberia, and I could not travel back to the States due to illness. At the same time, I could not go out as I used to because of Ebola. I stayed home most of the time; reading, writing, praying and exercising regularly to keep in shape.
On May 9, 2015, WHO declared Liberia Ebola-free. This was good news. The Liberian people in particular were happy, many of us celebrated in the streets. The president and most government officials and the diplomatic corps, including the president of Togo celebrated the occasion at the Executive Pavilion in Monrovia.
The government lifted the curfew and reopened the borders. Unfortunately our joy was short lived. In June, 2015, the virus reoccurred. We resumed the preventive measures; the people were determined and resilient. On September 3rd, 2015, WHO re-declared the country free of Ebola. We were not as happy as we did in the first declaration, cognizant of what happened. Surely in November, Ebola resurfaced. Former Minister of Health and Social Welfare Dr. Walter Gweningale called the reoccurrence embarrassing.
When on January 15, 2016, WHO declared Liberia Ebola-free for the third time, many of us thought that was the end of Ebola; that we have just entered a new year and would no longer see the virus. Yet recently as stated before, Ebola resurfaced on April 1, 2016. A 30 years old lady attracted the virus in Guinea, where the disease reoccurred. She returned to Liberia with her three children, one of them has been diagnosed of Ebola. Tolbert Nyenswah and his deputy Jallah said that we should not panic, things are under control. We now know what to do, said Jallah in an interview. IMS has conducted contact tracing, an approach, which was not taken earlier in Liberia during the first outbreak.
What is Ebola, how does it operate and when did it start?
Ebola is a virus caused mostly by exchange of body fluids. It is found in bats, chimpanzees and bush animals. An affected person can pass the disease onto another person through handshake, kissing, sexual intercourse and other body contacts. A person can also get Ebola by eating bush meat or bat bitten fruits such as plums/mangoes.
Doctor Golakia of the School of Medicine in Liberia excellently explained how Ebola operates: he stated that Ebola enters the body and goes into a period of incubation, involving development, reproduction and multiplication of itself into thousands, forming an army of deadly bacteria, which attacks the white blood cells and other vital organs. It feeds on the body fluids, causing dehydration. Within 2 to 21 days, the victim can become weak, showing symptoms such a high fever, vomiting, bleeding, and pain of the muscle and redden of the eyes. The victim may die within days. Ebola is like a homeless stranger who enters your house and takes up a room. You feed him, he grows a family and in no time they attack, conquer and depose you from your house, nothing you can do.
There is presently no known cure for Ebola. 90 to 95% of the victims die. Dr. Thomas Friedan, Director of the Center for Disease Control (CDC), informs that the virus can be active even when the victim dies. In this state, it tries quickly to get out of the dead body and to enter into the body of anyone who touches the dead. Ebola does not like warm or hot environment, it prefers cold or wet weather.
Ebola first occurred in Africa in 1976 in Zaire. The disease got its name from the Ebola River in Zaire. The virus also appeared in Sudan, Uganda and Gabon, killing a total less than 500 victims in the three nations. It was said that Ebola lasted 2 to 3 months respectively in these countries. Although it occurred in Ivory Coast, its effect was little and it did not gain international attention. It is also stated that Ebola appears every 10 to 15 years circle in Africa.
The multiple reoccurrences of Ebola in a short time in Liberia is unprecedented and therefore is troubling and worrisome. Yet the government said we should not worry. There is little attention given to preventive measures. There is no restriction for the number of passengers in public transportation. The hospitals and clinics are still inadequately equipped, JFK Hospital, the number one referral hospital, is considered ineffective and its managers are allegedly corrupt, and the Jackson Doe Hospital, another major hospital in the country, is said to be at the verge of collapsing. Further, the nation is facing financial hardship and budget shortfall. The government does not have adequate funds to pay health workers and has asked the World Bank for help. Why? In the following paragraphs, I will try to answer the question.
The Case of Underdevelopment
The underdevelopment of Africa by Europe through colonialism was an external factor in which the colonized countries had no control. The colonial powers took over and directed the economy, developing their external countries. Many African countries after independence have moved forward, controlling their economy and advancing economically. Liberia, on the other hand, presents a special case. The country, African oldest republic with numeral natural resources, remains underdeveloped. The nation never experienced Western colonialism and has been in control of its economy since independence.
Liberia was created by the American Colonization Society, a philanthropic group, which in the early 1800s, sponsored and transported American former Black slaves to Africa. Unlike the colonial establishment, the Society was not an economic entity and did not export raw materials out of Liberia. It functions were basically humanitarian. The ex-slaves took over the country upon declaring independent in 1847 and excluded the natives of the land as part of the new nation.
Earlier leaders and subsequent elite saw the country as their private farm, focusing on their own entity, a replica of American Southern plantation. They became masters over the indigenous Africans. Additionally, they concentrated development in the urban coastal areas where they resided and neglected the rural sector inhabited by the majority population. A consequence of this neglect together with mismanagement was the state of Growth without Development, as observed by Robert Clower et al, a team of US economists in 1966. With relative increased population and improved output of its enclave economy, there were however inadequate socio-economic services to accommodate growth. Interestingly, the leaders gave no attention to agriculture, though they came from an agricultural background and the land is futile for agriculture. This condition continued for decades. Liberia is 168 years old and is over 100 years older than Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria. These West African countries are far developed than Liberia. The country depends on foreign aid and international investments and is among the five poorest nations in the world.
Before the Ebola outbreak, there were no public ambulances in the country. Also prior and now, government officials and the elite traveled abroad for personal health services, giving little attention to the healthcare sector, particularly in the rural areas, where the majority population have no access to basic health service. There are two major public hospitals in Liberia. They were built by foreign governments. The country has one doctor per 100,000 people, and has about one healthcare worker for every 3,400 people, according to published reports. Projects of lesser priority have more money allocated than the fund earmarked for health services (12%) in the current national budget. The absence of adequate healthcare puts at risk the lives of the people, mostly the poor. Many have died because of inadequate health services. Furthermore, 13% of the current budget is allocated for education while 40% is to pay government salary.
As stated previously, Ebola took advantage of this health neglect and killed over 4000 people in the country. Liberia had the highest Ebola death rate in the sub-region, though the nation was the third country affected by the virus. Ebola killed more people monthly than the countrys fourteen years civil war. The government lacked the capacity and was overwhelmed.
Underdevelopment breeds poverty. When people lack basic access to economic, educational and healthcare services, their standard of life would decline or deteriorate. About 64% of Liberians lives below the poverty line. The average Liberian, or 84%, lives on less than US$1.25 a day while some government officials and others make US$15,000-$30,000 a month, meaning they live on US $500-$1000 a day, a classic demonstration of what economists called Lorenz Curve, a sharp inequality of income. Unemployment continues to be 85%, despite about US$17 billion of international investments and donations have been brought into the country under the present administration. Moreover, 63% or more of the people have no access to clean and safe drinking water. Over 80% of the country is without electricity and about 98% of the population has no electricity. Education in the country, according to the president, is a mess with poor quality and low results. The rural population generally lacks access to education. The demand to meet high salary of government official s, useless expenditures, together with continued faulty economic projections and estimates have contributed to budget shortfall for the past four years. The 2015-16 budget is about US$623 million. Because of current economic reality, observers predict that the next budget would be reduced to about US$400 million, indicating a tougher economic time ahead with further decrease of present social services.
Majority of the Ebola victims were poor people. Poor Liberians use crowded public transportation for daily use, which put them at risk with Ebola, since the virus thrives on body fluids. Well-off or better off Liberians travel by private transportation with fewer passengers. Poor Liberians live in houses with large household size compared to affluent Liberians. When Ebola affected a family member in a poor household, usually other members got affected as shown in this article especially with the family in Nimba. Most ghettoes in Monrovia have no public health services. Some suburban communities outside of Monrovia, including the Waterside Estate Community in Virginia, Montsurrado County, have no school and clinic for the inhabitants.
Corruption
Above all, corruption affects the general fabric of the society. Here again, the president called corruption a vampire, because it sucks the blood, public money, out from the people. Funds intended for development are stolen by some government officials, and they go scot free, a culture of impunity! Liberia is rated as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Attorney Lamii Kpargoi, an advocate, recently pointed out on the Costa Show that those engage in corruption do not see its negative impact on the entire society, because corruption benefits them. Poor and concerned people need to see corruption as a prime enemy and need to fight it.
The Incidence Management System (IMS) was also charged with the purchase and distribution of items or materials for the fight against Ebola. Assuming all donations, including pledges, were paid, I estimate that Liberia should have received a little over $1 billion including goods/materials to combat the epidemic. In April, 2015, the General Auditing Commission (GAC) made its report on the National Ebola Trust Fund for the period August 1 to October 31, 2014. GAC reported financial irregularities and material control deficiency in IMS and the Implementing Partners management of the Ebola fund.
The audit indicated that payments were made without sufficient documentation, without contracts or the contracts did not adhere to the Public Procurement & Concession (PPC) Act and the Public Financial Management Act. In general, IMS and the implementing Partners received US$15,169,635 and L$342,883,302 and disbursed US$10,757,320 and L$231,196,838. Of particular examples were the payment of US$38,228 for a 165 KVA generator from a local dealer, and a US$30,050 payment to BTP Advisers, a UK public relations firm. Regarding the generator, the report said there was no competitive bidding as required and there were insufficient documentation for the public relation work.
IMS defended that the generator was needed for Ebola testing activities, that the need was an emergency and following the established requirements would have taken a longer time, which could have caused more deaths or spread of the virus. IMS also pointed out that the purchase saved the government US $780, because the seller gave about 2% discount off the original price. Regarding the UK firm, IMS argued that the company provided PR work, improving Liberia image abroad concerning Ebola and crafting communication for international donations for Ebola. Moreover, the president personally arranged with the firm and there was no name for signature on the invoice.
IMS reacted harshly to the audit report, calling it unprofessional and erroneous. It demanded strongly that the Auditor General, Yusador Gaye, retract the accusation or else would face serious consequences, including court action against you and your commission for deliberate libel; various public fora {radio & TV talk shows & news paper publications) to clear our names; and report your unprofessional reporting to the National Legislature of Liberia in order to bring to the notice and attention of the legislators that you are supremely unsuitable and incompetent for the position you occupy.
The auditor general, apparently concerned about her career and job, informed IMS that her subordinates wrote the report and that she has reservation of its findings. In response to her excuse, IMS asked her that as the boss of GAC, if you disagreed with its findings, why you signed the report.
The report also stated that several officials of government ministries and agencies used Ebola money without supporting documents. Despite the auditor generals excuse and IMS threats, GAC auditors overall stood by the report.
Seemingly, the president, realizing escalation of the issue would damage the international image of her government regarding the Ebola money, said publically on April 13, 2015 that there were procedural errors in administrating the Ebola fund. With that said, the matter was put to rest.
There were other instances where the Ebola fund was allegedly misused. For example, public report indicated that the Red Cross organization in Liberia has misappropriated Ebola money, and that some of the agencys officials have forcibly resigned for the act. In general, most people accused of corruption in Liberia are not persecuted. Only one government official so far had been jailed for corruption in this current administration.
Need For Leadership
A country will continue to be underdeveloped if she lacks the leadership committed to the citizens and the general welfare of the nation. In other words, having natural resources is not development but a blessing of God. Managing and utilizing the resources appropriately brings development. Liberia has misappropriated, mismanaged the given resources.
For instance, the country has shown signs of possessing oil. The National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCOL), a government entity, was established in 2000 to manage oil exploration and production. NOCOL was put under the leadership of the presidents son upon her election. NOCOL received millions of US dollars from interested international companies for oil blocks. NOCOL became a leading employer, paying its officials and staff handsomely thousands of dollars and giving thousands to members of the legislature for approval of sale of oil blocks. The company had about 200 employees and an annual salary payroll of US$7 million, according to VOA. Thus with 200 workers, average yearly salary was US$35,000. In actuality, however, some NOCOL officials were earning about US$30,000 a month. Today, NOCOL has no money and is bankrupted. While some observers blamed its down fall mainly on declining oil prices on the world market, the Bush Chicken magazine attributed the bankruptcy to dubious oil contracts, allegation of mismanagement, corruption, the Ebola crisis and poor leadership.
What is leadership and what are its characteristics? Experts on this subject have defined leadership to contain the ability to inspire, direct, empower, compromise, unite, care, and to make the right choice, to commit to justice and rights and to be visionary.
Dov Frohman and Robert Howard indicated that leadership is an art and cannot be taught. Thomas Carlyle said that leaders are born and not made. Leadership is a gift. Others see leadership as the ability to win people over. Being eloquent, good at public speaking, debating, or speaking out on every issue and being theatrics in speaking is not leadership. But being able to talk to people to persuade and convince them to take your side is leadership. In fact, good leaders usually resolve issues behind closed doors. We only hear the results but not the drum beating or the noise making if any.
The fallacy of eloquence is of great interest as it reminds me of the famous Douglas VS. Lincoln debates in the 1850s of US history. I like the story because it also proofs what Carlyle said that leaders are born. Stephen Douglas was a democrat who was well educated and a great speaker/debater. On the other hand, Abraham Lincoln was a republican and lacked formal education. He came from a humble background. He also was not a very good speaker, but was good with his wits in storytelling and cracking jokes. Both men were from the State of Illinois. They met in a public debate for a senatorial seat. Douglas was at his best and won the debate easily and the seat. But later they met in the US presidential election of 1860. Before the election, many Americans dismissed Lincoln, because he was not educated, was not a good speaker and had failed at many endeavors. Though Douglas won the debates, Lincoln won the election primarily because of split in the Democratic Party. He became one of American best presidents and famous leaders.
The foundation of good leadership is honesty and integrity. When a leader is honest, he/she will tell the truth about things, will not pretend, will not deceive and will not mislead. Integrity will make the leader not to engage in and not to encourage corruptive activities, acts which are unjust, unfair, selfish and nepotistic. Politically, the key factor or reason a person should want to lead is caring, care for the condition of the country and people, care to make a difference, care to change and to improve condition. If this factor is missing, there will be no change, whether the country is rich in natural resources and whether the person is well educated, has money and years of experience. It will be as we say in Liberia, same wine in new bottle. A leader should be able to forgive and to have compassion. To err is human, to forgive is divine. When we forgive, we empower ourselves and unite with the person whom we have forgiven.
To me, some of the worlds good leaders would include Gorge Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi and Bill Gates. George Washington was a good leader because he cared, was honest, fought for his country independence and guided his nation to greatness. Abraham Lincoln was a good leader because he cared about the division of his country, cared about slavery and fought for freedom and unity. He was honest. He demonstrated to us not to give up in life. Nelson Mandela was a good leader because he cared, sacrificed for his people, forgave, and united his country. He taught us to forgive no matter how long we suffered under the hands of our enemy. Martin Luther King was a good leader because he cared and stood for peace, unity and civil and human rights. Mahatma Gandhi was a leader because he cared and fought oppression with nonviolence. He inspired us to battle injustice with nonviolence and to be humble. Bill Gates is a good leader because he created a major enterprise, empowers others and cares by his many humanitarian and philanthropic deeds globally.
In short, leadership is a privilege to better the lives of others. It is not an opportunity to satisfy personal greed, said an unnamed African leader. Liberia had has poor leadership since independence. Majority of the leaders lacked many of the leadership qualities discussed. They became leaders with intention to satisfy personal greed and to better their social class. This condition has contributed to the country underdevelopment, including poor and inadequate healthcare. In order for the country to develop and improve condition, there is a need for a leadership which cares and wants to change condition for the good of all.
The Government of Japan has been providing funds to local non-profit organizations through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) since 1989.
Today, the Presentation of Special Seedlings for a GGP project The Project for the Rehabilitation of Kalimani Earth Dam was held in Kalimani Location, Matinyani Division, Matinyani District, Kitui County. The Grant Contract of this project had previously been signed at the Embassy of Japan in Nairobi on 30th of September 2015 by H.E. Mr. Tatsushi Terada, the Ambassador of Japan to Kenya and Mrs. Edith Martha Mulwa, representative of the grantee organization, Initiative for Green Kenya.
The project received a grant amounting to USD 101,159 (approx. Kshs 9.1 Million) for the rehabilitation of the earth dam, construction of water withdrawal systems, fencing and seedling plants to improve the access to clean water.
Kalimani Earth Dam was built in the 1980s through manual labor, but the dam silted up and unfortunately breached in 2005. Though there was plenty of rainfall during the rainy season, ever since the dam breached, the dam was not able to hold enough water and most of it flowed out of the dam. Therefore, during the dry season, people in the community had to walk approximately 10km per day to a seasonal river which they had to scoop a hole each time they fetched water. Even before the dam breached, there were problems such as contamination by cattle waste causing water borne diseases and children drowning in the dam.
For those reasons, the GGP project is expected to improve the access to clean water by rehabilitating the silted and breached dam with fences around the earth dam, so to avoid the direct access to the reservoir to make it a safe dam. The project is still ongoing, but the vast amount of silt was excavated and the embankment was rehabilitated, therefore the project reached to the stage of planting the seedlings.
The main purpose of planting the seedlings around the earth dam is; First, to reduce the amount of soils and sands flowing into the dam. If the amount of silt reduces, the water capacity of the earth dam will remain high and the quality of the water will improve. Secondly, planting the seedlings around the reservoir will create shades around the earth dam which can reduce the amount of evaporation caused by the strong sun.
For this project, more than 100 special seedlings were donated by the joint project between the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) called, Project on Development of Drought Tolerant Trees for Adaptation to Climate Change in Dry lands of Kenya. Under this project, the institutions have conducted improved propagation of a fast-growing indigenous tree, suitable for Kenya's arid and semi-arid areas. The special seedling called, Melia Volkensii, grows to an average of 2 meters in only 6 months.
Ambassador Terada expressed his appreciation to JICA and KEFRI for donating the special seedling plants to the GGP project and emphasized that it is the first GGP project to collaborate with the joint project between JICA and KEFRI. In his speech, he said It is important for the Government of Japan to find ways to collaborate with the necessary institutions and people to enhance the activities that we are doing in Kenya and promised that the Embassy will continue providing their full support to make this project successful.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of September 2016.
Information on the Ceremony
Project :
The Project for the Rehabilitation of Kalimani Earth Dam
Grantee:
Initiative for Green Kenya
Grant Amount:
USD 101,159 (approx. Kshs 9.1 Million)
Event:
Presentation of Special Seedlings donated through JICA/ KEFRI Project
Date:
26th April 2016
Time:
12:00-14:30 hrs
Venue:
Project Site : Kalimani Earth Dam
Kalimani Location, Matinyani Division, Matinyani District, Kitui
County
Key Personalities:
Mr. Jacob Mwandikwa - Chief Officer for Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Irrigation of Kitui County
H.E. Mr. Tatsushi Terada - Ambassador of Japan to Kenya
27.04.2016 LISTEN
Sunday, 20.03.2016, 11:00 am, young man giving his testimony in Akan language: Before leaving this morning for Church to come here, I touched in the room I share with a friend the sticker of you my Prophet with your photo on it and prayed over it. Stepping out of the house a car drove by, inside my elder brother, my uncle and the chief of our village. They asked me to join them to come my church here.
I had a strange feeling not to enter and they started to insult me saying I smell bad. Another car passed by with a friend and he took me to church. A short while ago before church I was informed in Dodowa all the people in the car of my Uncle were killed by arm robbers over land issue. I am so grateful to GOD and the Prophet that I am still alive.
Tuesday, 22.04.2016, evening church service, middle aged woman asked by the Prophet two times: Are you fine? Yes, she said even it was not true. She lives in UK he said, she confirmed. She is very worried, he slowly tried to open her up for prophecy. She confessed. Whether she wants to keep her husband, he asked, she strongly said yes. He has a girl-friend and one new born child with that girl, the Prophet said. It is true the woman confirmed even the girl-friend lives behind her house in Accra. She processes all the business and took him to UK in the first place. Her husband does not know she came from Manchester one week ago. I see household items in a shop by the road side in Labone, he proclaimed. Indeed that is her shop, she confirmed. It took the Prophet a few minutes to meditate before he said the husband does not have anything against his wife, it is the mother of the girl-friend that pushed the girl to the husband by giving him food to eat and change his heart. The woman was crying. My husband is a church member here, she said while the congregation was shocked. Africa has a long way to go to be set free, was the Prophets response. I will see you later, did he end his prophecy.
26.04,2016, 2:30 am, Prophet: Elder, do you know your brother died in 2012 and that his wife killed him? Prophet, that is true. I was always thinking so. A relative, middle aged woman in the back seats shaking her head. Your brothers wife was always pretending to love her husband, but behind him she wanted his death and all he had. Prophet, I was always thinking like that, answered the Elder with emotions in his voice.
Easter Sunday 2016, church service, 1:15 pm old woman placed house documents at the Altar. Prophet asked her what the matter was. After asking her several questions it came out the family hated her, wanted to finish her off and used her house as a collateral for a USD 850.000 credit not paid back. So the court was asked to intervene and take her the house away while her did not own anybody money and was not involved in the loan deal. Prophet asked an Elder to reverse the case and let the Lady have peace of mind. He saw the woman had only one child, a daughter. She is living in UK, she answered him, married but not a Christian. She does not believe in anything, the Prophet stated clearly, she would only think of staying abroad which is no basis for life. The daughter tried to poison her as her marriage is no good anymore and a sense in life does not exist for her. The familys intention is to finish the daughter and by so doing also the mother as she would see no sense in life anymore when all the too many troubles in her life would come over her by taking her own life.
Monday, 11.04.2016, evening service, Prophet One Touch: Based on the wrong allegations of a fellow Man of GOD that I was supposed to have had Sex with my daughter, I was sent to ten years in prison, even being innocent of having done anything wrong and against the law. When your Prophet learnt about it he prayed and I only had to serve a nine months prison term.
When I will be born once again, I will not allow my mother to give birth to me as I want to come back as a white man only, declared the Prophet categorily. We Blacks have too many issues. Turning to the old lady he said: Problems in this earth you have to fight spiritually and physically depending on the matter. I will break the family cycle that is 620 years old and our lawyer will reverse the case in court. In most cases the family is the cause of the problem, so you must set yourself free by cutting off the relationship with them and when they fight you in the spiritual, you have to fight back and kill them, otherwise they will kill you first. This is called Kingdom battle. So, take up your sword and fight for your rightful processions, l place them into your life. You did not come to earth to suffer, but to live a rich life; this is in the spricture.
Testimony of a young woman with her brother standing by her side close to the Altar: My brother works in the army. One months before completion of his course a girl was send into his room and found there. He was accused of misconduct and of having intentions to stage a Coup against the Government. Prophet: They see Prez. Rawlings in him, that is why. She continued: We were fighting against the wrong allegations and I told you about it. You prayed over it and set him free. Now we have come to testify that the truth has come out and he continues being in the army, Hallelujah. This is my GOD, the GOD of my Prophet. As long as I live, being poor or rich, having an empty or full church, I will always walk with him and never question his decisions about my life, Prophet said and asked: Do you know why? Because it is a decision!
Tuesday after Easter 2016, evening church service, Testimony read out by Prophet: Yesterday when I went home late at night from church Armrobbers came to us to do harm. When I mentioned the name of my Prophet, they put their guns away and run.
The Bible is far from being a history book, it is the living word with laws, principles and proceedings leading, once followed seriously, finally to victory and glory. The time of breakthrough depends on the mission to fulfill in life and the battle against family witches and wizards, limitations from childhood into adulthood. The wise, active and fighting Believer surely will win the daily battle to have a testimony. Everything in life happens for a reason. We better accept this simple fact to see our life started bad, but most importantly, ended in personal glory.
Author: Dipl.-Pol. Karl-Heinz Heerde, Sakumono Estate, Block D10, Aprt. 9, Tema West, Ghana, phone +233(0)265078287, [email protected] , 27.04.2016
Koku Anyidoho
27.04.2016 LISTEN
Mondays assault by some macho men on Akufo-Addo critic, Baah Acheamfuor, in the studio of private radio station Fox FM in the Ashanti region during a live programme, betrays the fascist nature of the flagbearer of the main opposition New Patriotic Party and his intention to destroy Ghanas democracy with Gestapo tactics, the governing National Democratic Congress has said.
Mr Acheamfuor was manhandled by six heavily built men, who stormed the stations studio, to ruffle him about comments he made about the NPP, which they found offensive.
The Ashanti regional Director of Communication, Kwesi Kyei, has been arrested by the police and charged with assault and conspiracy to commit assault in connection with the attack.
In a statement to condemn the attack, the NDCs Deputy General Secretary Koku Anyidoho said: Yesterday, Monday, April 25, 2016, joined the days that will go down in the dark annals of Ghana's political history as another day that the New Patriotic Party (NPP), under the fascist leadership of Akufo-Addo, resorted to physical attack on a fellow party member who spoke his mind about corruption within the Party.
NPP activist, Baah Acheamfuor, was brutally and mercilessly beaten to near pulp by thugs loyal to Akufo-Addo at Fox FM in Kumasi.
The NDC condemns the manner in which Akufo-Addo is desecrating Ghanas democracy via the Gestapo tactics he has adopted within the NPP to cow his opponents into submission.
The NDC respects the Ghana Police as an effective institution of State and we have no doubt that the Ashanti Police led by DCOP Nathan Kofi Boakye will bring Akufo-Addo's thugs to book.
If it is the case that Akufo-Addo is hoping to unleash the same mayhem he is unleashing on his opponents within the NPP, on the NDC, he must think twice because it will not be countenanced.
Democracy is about the exchange of ideas and not the use of brute force and beastly acts to have ones voice heard, the statement said.
The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), would like to inform you about the inauguration ceremony for Mingkaman River Port in Awerial County. The event will take place on Thursday, April 28, 2016 at 9.30 AM in Mingkaman. The inaugural ceremony will be presided by the Minister of Transportation, Roads and Bridges, and the Ambassador of Japan to South Sudan, and with the participation of the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, and representatives of high ranking officials of the relevant ministries / institutions, local authorities, and others. You are invited to attend the ceremony, which will include a tour of the new port facility.
UNOPS implemented the $4.1 million project funded by the people of Japan. The new port will expand the capacity to provide life-saving supplies to South Sudan's civilian population, particularly those people affected by displacement after the 2013 conflict.
Ghana is finalising an agreement with Mauritius for the establishment of an industrial enclave which will create 15,000 jobs.
The move is part of efforts to boost intra African trade.
Through the African Mauritius Fund, the first phase of the project will see an investment of $110 million and 15,000 people employed for the construction works. The project which has been christened the DAWA Industrial Park is located on the Tema - Ada road.
Speaking to Starr Business on the occasion of the Deputy Prime Minister to Mauritius, Xavier-Luc Duvals working visit to Ghana, the Mauritius Consular, Elizabeth Knaup said other international companies will also invest in the project.
We are finalising the land agreement and the double taxation agreement, the investment protection agreement to protect Mauritius and its not going to be only Mauritius investing, but international companies investing in this project through Mauritius so once their investment is protected they are ready to bring their money and invest in Ghana.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Nii Osah Mills, told the media that the land for the project has been secured.
Its over a 100-acre and therefore it is fairly large, fairly significant and if it is developed as proposed really it will be a very good investment for Ghana, Mills noted.
Omane-Boamah
27.04.2016 LISTEN
He has died and been cremated and gone; and so I guess the NDC Abongo Boys have now got their wish from the man they so loved to hate with a vengeance. At any rate, there can be only two legitimate interpretations of the two disparate pictures depicting, respectively, Mr. John Dramani Mahama, President, and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Opposition Leader, condoling with Mrs. Obetsebi-Lamptey.
In one picture, the widow of the former New Patriotic Partys National Chairman seems to be calm and well-composed, in what the French call sang-froid, as she welcomes Mr. Mahama to her late husbands funeral. The meaning of this picture is very simple one does not let on ones inner turmoil to people who never wished one well, to begin with.
I have amply written about sustained dastardly attempts by surrogates of the late President John Evans Atta-Mills and then-Vice-President John D. Mahama to irreparably ruin the otherwise enviable stature and reputation of Mr. Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, and do not intend to unnecessarily belabor matters here.
About all I can add to what I wrote before, in the recent past, is the fact that not satisfied with their epic failure to thoroughly damage the image and reputation of this political and corporeal giant, even in the immediate wake of his tragic and some even claim his untimely passing, Mr. Koku Anyidoho, the Deputy General-Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, went public with whole cloths of mendacity in avid search for the ruination of not only the recently deceased man but also the good name and reputation of Jakes father, namely, the venerable and immortalized Mr. Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey, a distinguished lawyer and a member of the legendary Big Six, deliberately and systematically assassinated by President Kwame Nkrumah even before the birth of this brazen political scam-artist and moral reprobate who had so heretically presumed to tarnish the image and reputation of the entire Obetsebi-Lamptey Clan.
Well, if in the second photograph she is shown to be disconsolately weeping, or totally beside herself with sorrow and great pain before Nana Akufo-Addo at her late husbands funeral, this was primarily because Mrs. Obetsebi-Lamptey found it therapeutic and even paradoxically comfortable, as it were, to let it all hang out, as Americans are wont to say. Besides, as one whose father, granduncle and uncle were all members of the legendary Big-Six stalwarts, the Obetsebi-Lampteys have far more in common, both politically and personally, with Nana Akufo-Addo than they could ever have with President Mahama and his Ajanguda pack of Nkrumah-leaning operatives of the National Democratic Congress, as well as, of course, the rump-Convention Peoples Party apparatchiks.
Obviously, the Mahama Town-Crier, or communications Minister, in polite conversation, has not been feeling very comfortable since the passing of Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey was reported in London in March. At least not publicly. And the reason, of course, is very simple: Dr. Omane-Boamah was one of the two sharp-toothed surrogates, profuse apologies to Chairman Jerry John Rawlings, whom Messrs. Mills and Mahama used to attempt to venomously sully the hard-earned reputation and good name of the former NPP National Chairman. The other surrogate, of course, was Mr. Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa. And today, true to the form and character of the leaders of the National Democratic Congress, these two would-be character assassins of Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey are relishing their comfortable sinecures in the cabinet and government of President Mahama.
Interestingly, however, both Messrs. Omane-Boamah and Okudzeto-Ablakwa would be best remembered for scandalously defying a Supreme Court order to promptly return Mr. Obetsebi-Lampteys legitimately acquired real-estate property to the man, even after the all-too-predictable fact of their dastardly attempt to ruin the good name and reputation man had failed.
I have said this before and hereby reiterate the same, once more, that in a more enlightened functional democracy, these two men would have been cited for judicial contempt and may well have been serving remarkably long prison terms even as I write. Instead, alas, we find these rascals and pathological reprobates and unconscionable scam-artists rewarded with fat paychecks and all the perks that come with serving in executive capacities in any government in Ghana these days. But even as our sagacious ancestors of eons ago perspicuously observed, Even longevity has its own temporal bounds.
*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs
Counselor Lutherodt
27.04.2016 LISTEN
I harbour so much respect for many of the consistent and respected public speakers who are changing lives. Though I have had something to do in the past concerning counseling, my love for mathematics and economics would not allow my resolution of becoming a great public speaker and counselor. That notwithstanding, some comments from counselors like George Lutherodt cannot be glossed over if we are expecting meaningful progress in society.
It now appears we should be concerned about where these counselors get their certificates and titles from. And the fact that many of them are pastors who have so much influence make it more serious. I know the name Obinim is popping up in your skull but counselor Lutherodt is his replacement in the relationship-counseling fraternity. He is probably the most popular among the counselors, thanks to the many private stations that glamourize noise. Truth be told, we all need one or to counsels to cross our Ts but when those who offer the counsel as professionals rather poison matters, it becomes problematic.
Nobody expects any expert to be perfect in his field and so counselor Lutherodt needs to be congratulated on becoming the counselor that many young ladies like to listen to.
Many weird comments were made or alleged to have been made by him, but I am going to engage him on his advice to ladies about poor men since this one is safe and would present him a weaker case in court. In that comment, he said I want to remind women that if you allow a poor man to marry youyou will murmur in the marriage. This comment is not only too cheap but unfortunate. Maybe he was talking to teenage girls, because even the potters on our streets who hardly make ends meet must be encouraged to appreciate small beginnings in marriage.
MONEY AND DIVORCE
It is true that money is important in marriage and truly as he has opined, many marriages fail because of the lack of money. But it is also true that many failed marriages were not as a result of poverty. Take the likes of our Nigerian, Ghanaian and American pastors whose marriages have hit the rocks and you would not smell poverty in the fumes that come out their private jetsaloo?
There are spouses who are rich but are committing adultery with poor young boys and girls and no reasonable person would say money played a role. You see, George Lutherodt is bold but his attempt to defend his opinion on poverty this week was weaker than the wick in my grandmothers Bobo (local lantern).
What is shocking is a public speaker calling on Gods wrath instead of using the force of arguments to elaborate his opinion. And I am sure he forgot to tell us not to touch my anointed.
As a student of society and a young man who has lived with many foster parents, I have been observing many marriages around me, and I can confidently say that society is replete with many permutations of poor couples who later turned out rich or middle class couples.
The Agyinasares are one of such examples of a poor man and a better of woman, but the woman preferred the poor and virtually jobless Agyinasare who had nothingthe kind Lutherodt would tell ladies not to marry to the rich who approached her. Todays Mensa Otabil and Bola Ray did not propose love to their then girlfriends as rich boyfriends but Lutherodt cannot compare himself to any of these men in terms of wealth today. For me, what Counselor Lutherodt is preaching is the love of money and I dont need Mahamas BNI or TB Joshuas terror prophesies to know he is a security threat because, security in our homes forms the building blocks of national security.
FALSE PRIORITIES
Despite the numerous religious establishments in society, the youth are living at polar ends of their religious doctrines (and I am also one of them). While the gentlemen engage in fornication as a hobby, the ladies have abortion like menstruation. Though the youth are aware fornication and abortion are grave sins, they pretend their masters degrees are more important to them than marriage because higher degrees guarantee higher income.
If Reverend George Lutherodt is not aware of the pervasive cancer of fornication in courtships, then he must be asking his counselees the wrong questions and probably in a harsh tone like the way he speaks on TVhe needs to employ a counseling tone. As society is drifting towards the destructive god of avarice, the least I expect from a marriage counselor who doubles as a Reverend Minister is to preach the love of money.
Frederick K. Kofi Tse
(kelikofigmail.com)
Growing incidents of teenage pregnancy and its associated complications such as criminal abortions among teenagers at Old Tafo and nearby communities in Kumasi is becoming a worrying concern for health authorities.
Authorities at the local government hospital say girls, as young as 12 are getting pregnant and resorting to termination of pregnancy because they feel shy to seek ante-natal care at the regular clinics.
Officials say they will need resources as they appeal for funds to set up a special clinic to cater for pregnant teenagers.
Pregnancy- related conditions rank fourth among top 10 morbidity cases recorded at the Tafo Government Hospital, last year.
The hospital which currently serves over 68 communities with about 334, 102 people has one of the biggest Ante Natal Clinics in terms of numbers
Out of over 125, 500 out-patient attendance, 5, 307 were pregnancy related.
Health authorities blame increasing population, lack of parental control and economic challenges for the trend.
We have teenage pregnancy as young as 12 years. It is very common and they are related to social-economical crises and they are facing a lot of challenges and stigmatization. It is terrible, Medical Superintendent at the Tafo Government Hospital, Dr. Annie Opoku has said.
Dr (Mrs) Opoku tells Nhyira FM for fear of being stigmatized and marginalized, many teenagers skip regular antenatal clinics where they attend with adults some of whom are older as their mothers.
We want to put them in a special teenage ANC so we are planning to put a 200-seat and after that we can work every day intensively and special day for teenage.
She fears more teenagers could be exposed to danger from complications as they stay away from the clinic for fear of stigmatization.
When they fail to follow normal attendance, complications like difficult delivery, anemia and they may induce themselves criminal abortions. There are so many. Said Dr. Annie Opoku.
With counseling and other family planning education activities, health officials hope to change the lifestyle of many teenagers and ensure they stay out of such situation.
A version of this article originally appeared on CapX.
Uber now operates in over 180 cities in the United States. The ridesharing companys success is due to the well-known consumer benefits and flexible work that it provides. Yet, puzzlingly, there are still major US cities that remain Uberless, due to the influence of a powerful special interesttaxi companies.
This month, a group of taxi drivers and union organizers picketed City Hall in Rochester, New York. The city has over 210,000 residents and is home to a number of colleges and universities. Despite the ridesharings ability to expand transportation options and work opportunities, the citys taxi lobby wants to stir up opposition to state legislation that will expand ridesharing services to Rochester.
Uber coming to Rochester (or any other city) is in no way a problemexcept for the local taxi interests that financially benefiting from cartel-like control of what should be a private, dynamic transportation market.
Competition with traditional taxis from innovative ridesharing services reduces consumer costssomething Rochestarians could use desperately. A 2013 USA Today analysis of taxi rates found that of the 60 largest metropolitan areas in the country, Rochester had one of the highest estimated per-mile fares at $3. Depending on the city, Ubers usually costs between 90 cents and $1.10 a mile.
Lower-cost taxi services translate to more Rochestariansparticularly low-income millennials attending the citys many collegeshaving better access to transportation and more money to spend at local businesses. Indeed, according to a Manhattan Institute study of Ubers effect on New York City by one of the authors (Jared), Uber increasingly provide[s] New Yorkers in lower-income and minority neighborhoods with increased access to transportation options. Those benefits are likely to expand to Rochester as well.
Uber is also safer than traditional taxis. [T]here is little evidence that the sharing economy services are more dangerous than traditional taxis. Indeed, the ridesharing business model offers big safety advantages as far as drivers are concerned, according to Cato Institute scholar Matthew Feeney. The safety advantages are obvious: Uber trips are tracked in real time by the company, whereas a traditional taxi can drive anywhere without being noticed. The identities of both parties are also verified for Uber tripswhich removes the dangers that come with anonymity.
In contrast, earlier this year New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton noted that the citys taxi drivers were responsible for a marked increase in the number of rapes. These incidents accounted for around 10 percent of total reported rapes by strangers in the city. He advised the women of the city to buddy up to avoid sexual assault by taxi drivers.
Ridesharing companies also increase employment. Uber expects to bring 1,000 new private jobs to Rochester once it is allowed to expand there. Judging by Ubers effect on the cities where it currently operates, this claim is no exaggeration. The majority of Ubers new jobs will likely be part-time, but that is a featurenot a bugof Ubers system. Since Uber drivers determine their own work schedules, the platform provides a low-cost way to supplement incomes through part-time work.
All in all, Uber is a better product than what is offered by the existing taxi cartel, and it comes at a lower cost. But what of the complaints of the picketing Rochester taxi driversthat it will kill their jobs and replace them with lower-paying ones?
Simply put, there is no support for the claim that Uber has devastated taxi drivers livelihoods. According to preliminary work by Judd Cramer of Princeton University, there is no evidence that the advent of Uber has had a negative impact on wages in the taxi and limousine industry thus far. Further, Uber drivers actually make more than do traditional taxi drivers, according to a 2015 study, and disgruntled taxi drivers are free to switch to the Uber platform if they can maintain high customer ratings.
In places such as New York City, regulators have simply allowed traditional taxis to build Uber-like smartphone interfaces, so they can compete on the same grounds as Uber. Drivers should advocate for the ability to compete without burdensome regulations, not fight to protect their outdated industry from technological advancementespecially when driving with Uber can lead to increased earnings.
Rochesters politicians are right to support Uber. Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle of Irondequoit co-sponsored a bill to bring Uber to Rochester, and Mayor Lovely Warren has also expressed support for bringing the ridesharing service to the city. Both likely realize the large economic benefits that come with increasing consumer choice, creating work opportunities, and embracing innovation.
Letting Uber in will be good for the both the economy and the residents of the Rochester. Taxi lobbies need to give up their futile crusadethere is absolutely no excuse for major cities to remain Uberless in 2016.
Jared Meyer is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Randal John Meyer (no relation) is a legal associate at the Cato Institute. Follow Jared on Twitter here and Randal here.
I am delighted to be here today on behalf of the UK government and its Department for International Development (DFID) to join Zambia in its efforts to eliminate gender based violence and child marriage. And I would like to thank the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Clerk for enabling this event to happen.
Globally if you are a woman aged between 15 and 45 years you are more likely to be maimed and die from male violence than from malaria, cancer, traffic accidents and war combined.
Such violence is used to intimidate, humiliate and discredit women and to force them into a silent, second-class citizenship.
The statistics on violence against women and girls are shocking!
Globally 1 in 3 women is beaten or sexually abused in her lifetime. Usually, the abuser is a member of her own family or someone she knows. And up to half of sexual assaults are committed against girls under 16. In Zambia, almost half of women aged 15 to 49 years have experienced physical violence. Homes should be places of refuge and safety. For too many women in our societies, the UK included, our homes are places of hidden suffering. (between 1 and 1.3 million women in UK suffer domestic violence each year)
None of us here today wants gender based violence to remain hidden. So we are committed together to support the victims of gender based violence and turn them into survivors. And we are committed to stopping gender based violence in the first place. This is why creating the right enabling environment is so important.
In recent years Zambia has demonstrated its strong commitment to addressing gender inequalities in the country. The UK Government is particularly delighted that Zambia has taken a strong lead in the fight against gender based violence with the implementation of the Anti GBV Act, its leadership on child marriage, which is a form of GBV as well as support to the drafting of a Marriage Bill which will make it illegal for children to marry. Zambia is indeed to be congratulated in being the first African country to establish Fast Track Courts for GBV cases.
However, there is still more that must be done:
We need to protect survivors of GBV and to this end, Zambia urgently needs to fulfil its commitments to increasing the number of shelters and safe houses available.
We need to learn early lessons from the establishment of the Fast Track Courts and ensure that these courts are more widely available to survivors across the country.
All stakeholders involved (government, civil society and CPs) need to strengthen efforts for greater coordination around GBV we need to work better together in order to maximise efforts and increase access to services for GBV survivors.
Finally, we need to challenge attitudes and practices which which have stopped too many girls and women having a voice and control over their own lives.
As the USAID Mission Director pointed out, your role as MPs is critical in trying to effectively grapple with these important issues. We stand ready to support you and our partners in your efforts.
Thank you.
Mrs Theodora Georgina Wood
27.04.2016 LISTEN
From recently unfolding developments, one can conclusively declare with absolute certainty that the Chief Justice, Mrs Theodora Georgina Wood, is consciously or unconsciously obliterating all her good achievements/works before she proceeds on retirement. Her much touted fight against judicial corruption; sacking some judges following the daring work done by ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas seems to have been negated by her inept handling of two court cases relating to the ongoing Kumawu chieftaincy dispute.
If she is not aware of what is going on, and how curious persons, both laymen and legally-minded, perceive her, I shall not hesitate to convey it to her knowledge. By her actions, inactions, omissions or commissions, she has made nonsense of the good, but risky work done by Anas Aremeyaw Anas in exposing judicial corruption in Ghana; the bane of Ghanas socio-politico-economic emancipation.
For the attention of the Chief Justice and the reading public, I stand to be corrected if I have erred by the underlying analyses in pointing out the shortcomings of the Chief Justice to her.
I know that anyone involved in a court case can petition the Chief Justice but under any of the following two conditions.
a. When a judge has pronounced a guilty verdict against you, or dismissed your case whereas in the face of the teeming available credible evidence and facts submitted to the court, you rather should have emerged victorious. This may in your opinion go to conclude that the judge has been biased, unprofessional or corrupt.
b. When you have a case pending before the court and from the attitudes and pronouncements of the judge as observed in the course of the proceedings, he is being biased towards you, you can petition the Chief Justice.
However, the Registrar of the National House of Chiefs (Kumasi) has petitioned the Chief Justice on some unknown grounds and shockingly, his petition has somehow been accepted; or on the other hand the presiding judge has been notified by the office of the Chief Justice about the receipt of such a petition hence putting the judge in limbo until further directions from the Chief Justice.
Some people from Kumawu applied to the Registrar to be given a certified true form copy of the form(s) filled in by Dr Yaw Sarfo consequent upon which he was gazetted as Kumawuhene Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua.
When the registrar failed to comply with the applicants request, they sought the assistance of the court. They applied to the court to issue a writ of mandamus to oblige the registrar to provide them with the document because it is a public document. Nonetheless, the registrar notified the Regional High Court Mampong that the judge has no jurisdiction over the case but the Regional High Court Kumasi has.
Little did the registrar know that by Ghanas 1992 Constitution, there is only one High Court in Ghana hence addressing all branch High Courts in Ghana, both inter and intra regional as Regional High Court of say Kumasi, Obuasi, Mampong, Accra Central, Tema, Hoehoe, Ho, Cape Coast etc. This goes to tell that these courts have the same powers to hear cases of the same magnitude and nature as permitted under the 1992 Ghana Constitution.
I am not going to discuss the militating factors of inter and intra regional that can oftentimes be cited when arguing that a High Court in a particular area of Ghana can, or cannot, hear a particular case that is within the jurisdiction of the High Court. This can be another topic for lengthy discussion.
When on an adjourned date the Mampong High Court judge announced that he is able to hear the case and that he would, thereby fixing a new date for the hearing, the registrar quickly petitioned the Chief Justice, Mrs Theodora Georgina Wood, to stop the judge from continuing with the proceedings.
The Office of the Chief Justice notified the Mampong High Court judge about the petition. Subsequently, the proceedings have been adjourned sine die.
I am really against this judicial tactfulness to delaying the hearing of court cases. This weapon is most often employed by the likely guilty parties in court cases to buy time.
If the Chief Justice has received this petition which I hope her office has, and is allowing it to do the very mischievous work as intended by the registrar, then to me, the Chief Justice is being corrupt. She has therefore made absolute nonsense the good job done by Anas Aremeyaw Anas, and made meaningless the sacking of the judges caught on recorded video accepting bribes of all sorts (money, goats, yams, cats, dogs, cassava etc.) to twist justice in favour of the highest, but surely, the guilty bidder.
Again, the Regional High Court Mampong, about a few months ago, determined a case in favour of the four purported destooled Kumawu sub-chiefs (Nana Akwamuhene, Nana Akyempemhene, Nana Nsumankwaahene and Nana Aduanahene). The alleged Kumawuhene Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua (Dr Yaw Sarfo) had purportedly destooled them on the orders of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
Dr Yaw Sarfo said in a letter of which a true form copy has been published on modernghana.com on 1st January 2015 under the title, Kumawuhene Sends a Manipulative Letter to Police Commander Kofi Boakye - Read it. that he has destooled the mentioned sub-chiefs at the behest of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for failing to honour his swearing-in ceremony as the Kumawuhene-elect.
The judge found his decision to be contrary to not only Asante but also, and especially, Kumawu conventions on enstoolment and destoolment of chiefs, and the Ghana Constitution. He subsequently ruled in their favour saying they have not been destooled and must therefore go and practice their respective traditional duties as Kumawu sub-chiefs.
When they were alleged to have been destooled, Dr Yaw Sarfo, the alleged Kumawuhene Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua enthroned another person from Kumawu-Wonoo as his new Kumawu Akwamuhene.
When the supposed destooled Akwamuhene Nana Kwasi Bafo II, was declared by court as the de facto Kumawu Akwamuhene, he later applied to the Regional High Court Mampong, to compel the one allegedly installed by Dr Yaw Sarfo to return the stool properties and regalia he had removed from the Stool house while Nana Bafo II remained allegedly destooled.
When he returned to the court on the date fixed for the hearing, the court told him the case has been referred to the Regional High Court, Kumasi. This has happened because of a letter received from the Chief Justice or from her office.
What does the Chief Justice want to tell Ghanaians and the world? Is there any difference between the Regional High Court, Mampong and the Regional High Court, Kumasi? Is the Chief Justice disrespecting the laws and the Constitution of Ghana? Is the Chief Justice undermining the Regional High Court, Mampong? Has the Chief Justice taken sides in the ongoing Kumawu chieftaincy dispute?
The Chief Justice owes me answers to the above posed questions.
When that anonymous Ghanaian caller leaving threatening messages on my phone is eventually arrested by the British police, a lot will be revealed to the shame of the Chief Justice and the Ghana judiciary for allowing Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to abuse the laws of the land with impunity. That phone caller who may be from Kumawu calls me from an unregistered Lycamobile SIM card phone number (0044) 07459022242.
Is the Chief Justice aware of Asantehene alleging on video posted on YouTube that he is above the laws of Ghana and that no court can reverse his decisions taken no matter how preposterous they may be? Is the Chief Justice not directly aiding Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to justify his claims as may appear in the video? Watch the video via the following link.
Does the Chief Justice know that all the Court judges in Kumasi are scared of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II hence are ready to bend justice in his favour all of the time despite available credible evidence to the contrary?
I hope the Chief Justice will not seek to, or allow anyone in her office to seek to, undermine her good name and good works by the mentioned irresponsible interferences with court proceedings.
People may not understand where I am coming from but I want to let everyone understand the following; the moving force behind my determination to ensure that justice prevails in all situations if I am capable of playing a decisive role. Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph, said the late Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia.
Finally, let me define the following words as they may have been used in this letter.
MANDAMUS is an official order from a court of law stating that a person or organization must do a particular thing.
SINE DIE is without fixing a day for future action or meeting
CORRUPT is dishonestly using your position or power to get an advantage, especially for money
Rockson Adofo
WASHINGTON, ACCRA, April 26 - (UPI/GNA) - Continuing his march toward the Republican nomination, GOP front-runner Donald Trump swept all five Eastern Seaboard primary races on Tuesday.
All five of the states were called within a half-hour of polls closing, an indication of the lopsided nature likely among the final vote tallies in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
The victories put more pressure on Trump's rivals, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. Their hope of forestalling Trump's bid to lock up the nomination prior to the GOP convention are becoming more distant as the race nears the finish line.
Speaking at Trump Tower in New York City after polls closed, Trump said he now believes he is the party's "presumptive nominee" -- a phrase normally reserved for candidates who have won a majority of pledged delegates in the race.
"I consider myself the presumptive nominee," Trump said. "I mean, honestly Sen. Cruz and Gov. Kasich should get out of the race. They have no path to victory."
Speaking to reporters after his speech, Trump reiterated his strong standing in the race, saying the party would have no way to deny him the nomination, even if he falls short of the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination on the first ballot.
"How do you pick a man on a second, third, fourth ballot who has millions less votes? Trump won by 5 million votes. He brought millions of people into the party. How do you say to them, we're going to choose a man who lost by 5 million votes and 500 delegates, because Trump was 12 delegates short?" he said.
There were 172 delegates at stake on the Republican side, roughly 14 percent of the total needed to capture the GOP nomination. The final delegate counts will not be known until vote tallies in individual congressional delegates are completed. Several of the states award delegates on a partially proportional basis, meaning it is likely Cruz or Kasich will peel away a small number of delegates, preventing a clean sweep for Trump.
In at least one state, the ultimate winner won't be known until the convention.
Pennsylvania's quirky delegate rules make Trump's victory largely symbolic. Of the 71 delegates from the state, 54 will head to the convention free to vote for any candidate, despite his victory.
The breadth of his victory in winning close to 60 percent of the vote in a three-way race strengthens Trump's case to those 54 delegates that they should honour the wishes of Pennsylvania voters. If he finishes agonizingly close, but shy, of the 1,237 delegates needed to clinch the GOP nomination, the Pennsylvania delegation will be closely watched -- and courted -- until voting begins at the convention.
Cruz, speaking to supporters in Knightstown, Ind., before polls closed in the East, continued his attacks on Trump, calling him a New York liberal, and predicting the campaign momentum will change again once it shifts back out West.
"The media has told us the candidates in this race, the Republican and Democrat, they're both going to be New York liberals," Cruz said. "I've got good news for you tonight. This campaign moves back to more favourable terrain. Tonight this campaign moves back to Indiana and Nebraska, and North Dakota, and Washington and California."
Indiana is the next state to vote, one week from Tuesday, and as a winner-takes-all state, could represent Cruz's last realistic chance to deny Trump the 1,237 delegates needed to lock up the GOP nomination.
GNA
By Christabel Addo and Alimatu Quaye, GNA
Accra, April 27, GNA - Ghana on Tuesday, joined the rest of the world to commemorate this year's World Intellectual Property Day, which aims at raising awareness of intellectual property issues globally.
The global theme for the year's event was: 'Digital Creativity: Culture Reimagined', to explore the future of the digital age including how to create, access and finance it.
The event was commemorated locally with a specific focus on the creative industries and how to maximise the benefits of the digital environment.
The Ghana Copyright Office in collaboration with the Microsoft Ghana organised a discussion with stakeholders in Accra, to observe the annual event, which falls on April 26, and instituted by the United Nations because it coincides with the date on which the Convention establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization entered into force in 1970.
Mr Derek Appiah, the Country Manager of Microsoft Ghana, in an address described intellectual property as the legal concept which refers to creations of the mind for which exclusive rights were recognized.
He said under the intellectual property law, owners were granted certain exclusive rights to a variety of intangible assets, such as musical, literary, and artistic works, citing some common types of intellectual property rights as copyright, trademarks, patents, industrial design rights, trade dress, and in some jurisdictions trade secrets.
Mr Appiah said in as much as the digital environment presents industries with opportunities and innovative ways of nourishing and enriching human life, it also makes it possible for others to infringe the rights of the very people who nourish the lives with these cultural materials such as music, movies, books, computer software, drawings and images.
He called on individuals, businesses and organisations to desist from patronising cheap pirated software for both their Personal Computers (PC) and for their mobile devices, as these poses serious ethical and security concerns.
He urged them to buy genuine software from honest and accredited dealers, as these were protected against viruses, spyware, malware and other risks, unlike other unprotected ones on the internet, and lacks the Certificate of Authenticity Label or Microsoft Genuine Label.
Mr Appiah said in addition to the ethical concerns around pirating movies, music and software, there are serious risks that comes with the use of counterfeit products, as users often do not realise that such software could open them up to risks such as data loss, identity theft, viruses or damage to their devices.
'In many ways, bringing pirated software into the house is like inviting a criminal in', he said.
The International Data Corporation has documented a link between pirated software and cybercrimes, saying malware deliberately embedded into pirated software by cybercriminal syndicates were used as vectors to launch attacks.
Cyber criminals, he said, use malware to steal people's passwords, imitate their banking sites and allow hackers free access to their operating systems, and citizens in Africa, have an even higher chance of falling victim to a cyber-attack, with the continent accounting for 10 per cent of global cybercrime incidents.
Ms Yaa Attafua, Acting Copyright Administrator at the Ghana Copyright Office, called for intensified public education on the intellectual property legislation, to protect works of creators both traditionally and in the digital environment, saying the Ghana Copyright Act of 2005 (Act 690), contains adequate provisions to deal with all forms of copyright infringements.
She said when people invest time and considerable resources into nurturing an idea or product, only to have their work stolen, it breaks down the creation, research and development cycle, resulting in less investment into new inventions or cultural works.
Ms Attafua said in Africa, the effects were practically damaging to emerging economies, to small businesses and to individuals, because intellectual property protection has a direct link with economic growth, job creation and the development of knowledge-based industries.
GNA
27.04.2016 LISTEN
By Ken Sackey, GNA
Accra, April 27, GNA - ECOWAS member states at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on drugs (UNGASS) have affirmed their commitment to the implementation of the ECOWAS Political Declaration and Regional Action Plan.
The Plan is to address illicit drug trafficking, organized crimes and drug abuse in West Africa.
The regional bloc, according to a statement issued by the Commission and made available to the Ghana News Agency, at the UNGASS held on April 19, 2016 in New York, highlighted their efforts in the areas of drug prevention and treatment.
They also aligned themselves to statements made on behalf of the African Union States and the African States by South Africa and Sudan respectively.
In addition, ECOWAS member states adopted an outcome document titled, 'Our Joint Commitment to Effectively Addressing and Countering the World Drug Problem' at the opening of the Thirtieth special session.
The ECOWAS delegation was led by Ambassador TANOU KONE LAon, Permanent Representative of ECOWAS to the United Nations and it included Dr Sintiki Tarfa Ugbe, Director, Gender, Youth and Drug Control.
They are participating in the event to review progress in the implementation of the Political Declaration and the Plan of Action, including an assessment of the achievements and challenges in countering the world drug problem.
UN Member states at the session commended the Commission for Narcotic Drugs (CND) for the comprehensive and inclusive process undertaken to produce the UNGASS outcome document.
In addition, the UN member states welcomed the adoption of the outcome document and reiterated their commitment to implement the measures elaborated based on an effective balance between supply and demand and to address the key causes and consequences of the world drug problem.
The ECOWAS delegation is expected in the next two days to participate in interactive, multi-stakeholder round table discussions and use the opportunity to engage partners to explore areas of cooperation.
The outcome document adopted will be used by ECOWAS Commission to strengthen actions with member states and will be integrated into the Draft ECOWAS 2016 - 2020 Drug Action Plan to be validated and adopted in third quarter of 2016.
GNA
By Francis Ameyibor, GNA
Accra, April 27, GNA - The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has entreated all who have attained the voting age to take part in the limited voter registration exercise from Thursday, April 28 to Sunday May 8.
The registration is the first process towards participating in the November 7, general election, 'to bring our dear nation prosperity and break the unending hardship. Beyond the civic duty to register and vote, each and every one should as a matter of urgency be part of the 'change-process', which starts with the registration exercise.
'Get-out, register, vote and be part of the many who are clamouring for Good governance, economic and social prosperity, business-friendly environment, employment, safeguarding the public purse as well as political integrity and accountability,' Mr John Boadu, NPP Acting General Secretary said in a statement issued in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.
The Electoral Commission (EC) should also put the necessary measures in place to ensure that the problems encountered during the 2014 limited registration exercise do not re-occur.
The NPP however called on the EC to ensure that all equipment for the exercise function well; create adequate publicity platform for the exercise and put in place measures to avoid shortages of registration materials - challenge forms and guarantee forms.
The party also asked the EC to ensure that persons with NHIS cards are not registered; avoid interference by unauthorised persons and any arbitrary change of registration centres.
The nationwide limited voter registration exercise is to among other things enable voters who have attained 18 years and those who qualified but were unable to register in the last registration exercise to do so.
GNA
By Justina Paaga, GNA
Cape Coast April 27,GNA - The Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, (UCC) Professor Domwini Dambire Kuupole has encouraged university lecturers and professors to develop the interest to conduct quality research that would impact positively on the livelihoods of people living around the university community.
The Vice Chancellor underscored the importance of research work to the development and growth of the individual and the university, noting that apart from improving upon the living conditions of the people living around campus it would also market and give the university an international recognition.
Prof Kuupole said this at the maiden Research Awards and Grants (RAG) ceremony, organised by the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy (DRIC) at UCC, on Tuesday.
He said it was important for the lecturers to engage in research work, which would influence policy-making and implementation and also enhance the development of the people they served and the nation, in general.
A total of seven people were honoured with citations and certificates of participation, in addition to cash awards, between GH5,000 and GH20,000.
Five people from three colleges received awards in the Research Grant category, while two were awarded, in the Research Award category. There was, however, no recipient for the outstanding research award. There was one award in the Best Evolving Research Award.
The five recipients in the Research Grant Award Category include, Professor Elvis Asare Bediako who researched on the 'Incidence of Viral Disease of Okra in the three Agro-ecological zones of the Central Region; and in identifying Resistant /Tolerant Varieties'; and Dr Samuel Acquah, who researched on 'Insulin Resistance in Rat Malaria'.
Dr Patrick Osei-Kufour worked on 'Mapping of Civil Society Organisations involved in Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution work in Ghana', while Dr Simon Mariwah worked on, 'What Has Poverty Got to Do With It? Asset-Based Approach to Household Access to Improved Sanitation'.
Dr Baah Sefa-Ntiri researched on 'Application of Nanotechnology to Underground Water Treatment, Assisted by Laser Light Techniques'
The two in the Research Award category are Dr David Teye Doku, who received the Best Evolved Research Award, researched on 'Measuring Adolescents' Socioeconomic Status in Health Inequality Research in Developing Countries: The Development of Material Affluence Scale' .
Dr Hope Pius Nudzor, the winner of the Best Evolving Research Award worked on 'Unmasking Complexities Involved In Operationalising Universal Primary Education Policy Initiative: Using the 'fCUBE' Policy Implementation in Ghana as an Exemplar' .
Prof Kuupole congratulated the awardees and urged them not to hide their talents and research results; but to make it public and conduct many more researches in future to give UCC a better ranking on the University League Table.
He lauded the colleges of Humanities and Legal Studies, Health and Allied Sciences and College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences (CANs) for participating in the awards programme and encouraged the remaining two colleges to participate next year.
He tasked DRIC to source more funding so that in the next awards ceremony much appreciable cash awards would be given to the awardees.
The Deputy Director of DRIC, Dr Samuel Kobina Anim, in an overview, said the award ceremony was part of the UCC's 2012-2017 strategic plan, which required the university to develop an integrated research policy towards the socio-economic development of Ghana.
He explained that the ceremony was to provide a platform for the two categories of beneficiaries - the Grantees and Awardees to share their research findings to instigate and influence public discourse, inform national policy and engender the conduct of wide -scoping and multidisciplinary research to help address challenges confronting the world.
He said it was also expected that the platform would bring to the fore novel ideas, robust strategies and sustainable solutions for policymakers, industries and the public to make use of the findings, recommendations and experiences of the researchers for national socio-economic transformation and development.
GNA
The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) has added its voice to the wave of demands on former Transport Minister, Dzifa Attivor, to retract and apologizes for her ethnocentric comment.
According to the Greater Accra Regional Chairman, Ade Coker, the former Ministers comment was in bad taste. He said, I dont agree with the narrowness of her statement.
Addressing a gathering of NDC party supporters in the Volta region, Mrs. Attivor charged them to ensure that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is kept out of power else members of the governing NDC, who are Ewes from the region, would be jailed.
To buttress her point, she cited cases of two former NDC government officials namely - Victor Selormey and Dan Abodakpi - who were prosecuted by the Kufuor government.
Dzifa Attivor resigned her ministerial position in 2015 following the controversy surrounding the 116 Metro Mass bus rebranding. The government found the contract to have been bloated and asked the company that executed it, Smarttys Management Production to return 1.5 million cedis to the state.
Dzifa Attivor said the NPP government targeted only Ewes for prosecution and that if the party won the November elections, herself and Fifi Kwetey, MP for Ketu South, would go to jail.
But speaking to Joy News, Mr. Coker said it was improper for the former Minister to narrow her comments to Ewes.
He, however, noted that the Mrs. Attivors comment was meant to draw the attention of Ghanaians to the issue of political victimization which he says has been going on in the country for a long time.
General Secretary of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), Atik Mohammed minced no words in pointing out that, The comment made by the former minister is an admission of guilt.
According to him, Mrs. Attivors comment means that she has committed some crime at the Transport Ministry for which she was afraid she would be jailed.
Atik argues: If you havent committed a crime, I am sure the persons conscience will be clear and there will be no concern about being jailed.
He said asking the former Minister to retract and apologize for her comment will not help and requested the matter be referred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for proper investigation.
Flagbearer of the Convention People's Party (CPP), Ivor Greenstreet expressed surprise over the comments. He said an intelligent woman like the former Minister should not be making such comments.
He called on her to retract the comment and follow that with an apology to all Ghanaians.
Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brako-Powers | Email: [email protected]
Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
The term intellectual property refers broadly to the creations of the human mind. Intellectual property rights (IPRs) protect the interests of creators by giving them property rights over their creations. Copyright and Related rights is one of the main branches of IPRs.
What is Copyright?
It is the exclusive legal right, given to the originator for a fixed number of years, to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material. Copyright law protects only the form of expression of ideas, not the ideas themselves. Copyright law protects the owner of property rights against those who copy or otherwise take and use the form in which the original work was expressed by the author.
What constitutes copyright?
Copyright relates to artistic creations, such as books, music, paintings and sculptures, films and technology-based works such as computer programs and electronic databases.
Works eligible for copyright protection under the Ghana copyright Law, Act 690 include:
(a) literary work, (books, pamphlets, presentations, brochures, flyers, Manuals, Guides, lectures, addresses, sermons; except journal publications)
(b) artistic work, (works of drawing, painting, architecture, sculpture, engraving and lithography; works of applied art; illustrations, maps, plans, sketches and three dimensional works relative to geography, topography, architecture or science;
(c) musical work, (musical compositions with or without words)
(d) sound recording,
(e) audio-visual work,
(f) choreographic work,
(g) derivative work,(translations, adaptations, arrangements of music and other alterations of a literary or artistic work, collections of literary or artistic works such as encyclopaedias) and
(h) computer software or programmes.
What Rights are protected under copyright?
There are two types of rights under copyright. 1. Economic rights allow the rights owner to derive financial reward from the use of his works by others. Economic right ends after the expiration of the protection period. 2. Moral rights allow the author to take certain actions to preserve the personal link between himself and the work. This right persist in perpetuity (i.e. even after the expiration of Economic rights).
Ownership of Copyright
The owner of copyright in a work is generally, in the first instance, the person who created the work, i.e. the author of the work except in some few cases. For example, if the work is a commissioned work, then the economic rights will vest in the commissioner. However, the author or creator still owns the moral right.
Do I have to register my work to get protection?
No. Copyright works are automatically owned by the original author of that work and protected once the idea is expressed and fixed (i.e. the work is created). Thus, protection of works shall not be dependent on the registration of that work.
Why should I register copyrightable works?
Registration of copyrightable works is mainly for the following purposes;
(a) to maintain a record of works,
(b) to publicise the rights of the owners, and (make money through subscriptions, direct sales of copies, licensing, assignment etc.)
(c) to give evidence of the ownership and authentication of intellectual property (very useful in case of infringement).
How do I register?
An author/publisher may submit the works for registration after its first publication to the Copyright Administrator, Accra. Two copies of the best edition of the work may be deposited at the Copyright Office either in an electronic or manual form.
What Law Protects copyrightable works in Ghana?
Copyright Act, 2005 Act 690 and its regulation; Copyright Regulations, 2010
How long will my work have protection under copyright?
Duration of copyright in individuals
The rights of the author referred to in section 5 (of Act 690) are protected during the life of the author and seventy (70) years after the death of the author unless the contrary is stated in this Act.
Where a work is jointly authored, the rights of the author referred to in section 5 (Act 690) are protected during the life of the last surviving author and seventy (70) years after the death of that author.
Duration of copyright in bodies corporate
Where the copyright in a work is owned by a public corporation or other body corporate, the term of protection shalt be seventy (70) years from the date on which the work was either made or first published, which ever date is the later.
Final Remarks
Creativity must be rewarded both financially and morally. Copyright registration is cheap, simple, and when done on time, gives you wide legal options when you find others infringing your work. I recommend all authors to begin registering copyrightable works as the benefits now and future is enormous. For users of copyright works, lets buy CDs of original Movies, Songs. For commercial purposes, do not photocopy Novels/Books; Seek permission before you do so. For all users of copyrightable works, lets respect peoples creativity by paying for their use.
Acknowledgement
The author in compiling this Brief used sections of the Copyright right Act, 2005 (ACT 690) of Ghana and duly acknowledges same.
Respectfully submitted,
Hillary Mireku Bortey (Mr.)
Research Scientist & Intellectual Property Rights Advocate
The National Youth Organiser of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sammy Awuku, has said a comment by former Transport Minister, Dzifa Attivor that a possible NPP government will hound her and other officials belonging to the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and throw them into jail because of their Ewe ethnicity, has shocked him.
He said the comment was unfortunate and wished the former Minister had not said that.
Mr Awuku was speaking to Chief Jerry Forson on Wednesday April 27, 2016 on Accra100.5FMs morning show, Ghana Yensom.
At a recent NDC rally in the Volta Region, the partys stronghold, Mrs Attivor, who resigned a couple of months ago in connection with an overpriced bus branding scandal, told party members to ensure the NPP does not return to power, otherwise an Akufo-Addo government will embark on a jailing spree of Ewes, just as former President John Kufuor did during his tenure, citing the imprisonment of former government officials Victor Selormey and Dan Abodakpi to buttress her point.
But the NPP executive took a serious view of the remark, saying: The ladys statement is not in good taste at all. The statement is divisive, the statement does not promote unity, and the statement has disturbed Ghanaians so much.
According to him, the ex-Cabinet Ministers pronouncement could lend itself to different interpretations since the NDC had also prosecuted some former officials of the NPP including Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, Dr Richard Anane, Dr Charles Wereko Brobby, and Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng.
He asked that given that the above mentioned personalities have some Ashanti lineage, would it be decent language if someone also said that the NDC was executing an agenda of prosecuting Ashantis?
Mr Awuku said since governments do not prosecute, as that was the duty of prosecutors, Mrs Attivors comments were unfortunate and divisive, adding: I wished she had not made that statement.
This is not a statement that we should allow; it is a statement that wrecks nations.
In his view, many Ghanaians have intermarried, for which reason her comment has the potential of inciting a whole tribal group against another, adding that the former Minister should know better.
Mr Awuku further stated that the tribalistic remark of Mrs Attivor reflected the desperation of the NDC government, which, in his opinion, had reached worrying levels.
Mrs Attivor resigned as Minister in 2015 when it emerged the Transport Ministry had awarded a contract of GHS3.6million for the branding of 116 Metro Mass Transit buses to private firm Smarttys Management and Production, owned by Mrs Selassie Ibrahim, for which she feared she may be tried should the NDC lose power to the NPP in the November 2016 elections.
Her fears got Mr Awuku wondering: If you have not committed any offence, why do you make such a statement? Because I do not think that anyone can just be arrested as they walk the streets.
He used the Nigerian example where a change of government in 2015 has seen General Muhamudu Buhari take over the reins of power from Goodluck Jonathan. He said former government officials, who did not embezzle government funds were still living in the country while those, who stole the nations monies and stashed them away, have fled. So, if your hands are clean, I do not see why you should entertain that fear, Mr Awuku added.
And for somebody, who sat in Cabinet as a Minister and who some youth look up to, I am very disappointed in her and I think it is a statement which will take a long time to be wiped away.
The Gig Economy enrages certain political quarters. Ironically, anti-giggers demonize companies like Uber, Lyft, and Airbnb by romanticizing and reinforcing the most hated aspects of post-1800 employmentsubordination of and control over employees by employers. This blinkered nostalgia threatens employability in a world of smart machines.
Ive Been Working on the Railroad
The Industrial Revolution transformed generalists who made their own food, clothes, shelter, and medicine into specialists with long-term, full-time jobs in hierarchical organizations. As Don Boudreaux notes, Having a job only makes sense in a modern world, where each individual typically does only one type of work.
Today, you likely have a boss who also has a boss. Hierarchy reduces transaction costs. (The SVP for Marketing doesnt have to negotiate delivery prices with the mail-room clerk.) Long-term, full-time jobs enable employees to accumulate highly specialized knowledge. (London cabbies spend years absorbing the citys map and drive constantly to maintain that knowledge.)
Dierdre McCloskey characterizes economic history as tens of thousands of years of impoverished stasis, followed by a sixteen fold or more increase in per capita wealth in 200 years. Hierarchical, long-term, full-time jobs made this possible.
Working 9 to 5
But humankinds sudden wealth came at a terrible priceperpetual tension between bosses and subordinates. A steady paycheck demands permanent subservience. Karl Marx boiled up from this tension, along with two centuries of conflict, revolution, war, and slaughter. The boss who offers a job has a dozen tethers controlling the most intimate aspects of your life:
Mandating the hours and days you work; Dictating where you work and live; Limiting time off for illness, fatigue, family, or leisure; Forcing you to work closely with ghastly people; Limiting and homogenizing your skills and routine; Preventing you from exploring new opportunities; Spending your earnings on benefits you didnt choose; Delegating aspects of your life to unseen people; Invading your privacy; Reconfiguring all the above on whim; Plunging you instantly from comfort to destitution; and Poisoning your future employment prospects.
No matter how much you like your job and your boss, youre unlikely to enjoy these tethers. To temper employers excesses, laws and regulations limit employer discretion over firing, pay, harassment, hours, and so forth, but the tethers remain, and the limits create new ones. For example, legal privileges for full-time employees implicitly deny those privileges to part-time employees. The employee wishing to scale back to 30 hours in order to acquire new skills, tend to children, or relieve exhaustion must plunge over a financial cliff to do so.
Yet the anti-giggers demands for employee benefits, 40-hour privileges, and so forth reinforce the tethers.
Sixteen Tons
The romantic attachment to benefits is ironic. From the mid-19th century, mines, mills, and manufacturers routinely gave employees housing and scrip (pseudo-money usable only in the company store). Nonmonetary payments-in-kind comprised the truck system and were despised by unions. The labor movement understood that companies didnt give housing, food, and clothing to employees but, in fact, forced employees to buy them via reduced wages. The truck system discouraged entrepreneurs from providing better housing, food, and clothing. The result was low disposable income, substandard goods, exorbitant prices, punitive credit terms, and handcuffs to jobs. (Employees who quit lost housing and accumulated scrip.)Merle Traviss 1947 classic, Sixteen Tons, was a bitter elegy to the truck system:
You load sixteen tons and what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt.
St. Peter dont you call me, cause I cant go.
I owe my soul to the company store.
Yet, just as Travis recorded Sixteen Tons, big labor demanded a newer, bigger truck system built of life insurance, health insurance, and retirement accounts. This high-tech company store replicated every pathology of the old truck system.
Take This Job and Shove It
Entrepreneurship has been the primary escape from the tethers, but starting a business requires special talents and entails great costs and risksquitting your steady job or building your business during the crevices of time between work, sleep, and other activities.The Gig Economy effectively offers the benefits of entrepreneurship to a broader population at lower cost and risk. Drive an Uber or rent an Airbnb space, and no one dictates your hours or location. If you find routine as oppressive as the factory in Modern Times, divide your efforts between Uber, Airbnb, eBay, DogVacay, and Zaarly. If you like fishing, spend four days at the lake and work long hours the other three days. If your productivity depends on a two-hour midday nap, take a nap.
For many, the variety of multiple jobs, the freedom to fit work hours to one's personal rhythms, and the absence of employer-employee tensions make life far more pleasant.
Perhaps more importantly, the Gig Economy gives workers flexibility to continuously upgrade skills in a rapidly changing economy or pursue dreams that are incompatible with a 9-to-5 routine. No permission is needed to take off hours or days or weekseven on the spur of the momentto attend classes, acquire new skills, compose music, or invent the next killer app or cancer cure.
John Henry
All this is possible because connectivity and artificial intelligence massively shrink transaction costs and learning curves. Consider those London cabbies:
Traditionally, anyone wishing to drive a cab through Londons medieval labyrinth had to first spend several years acquiring the knowledgeinternalizing the map and optimal pathways between any two points. Maintaining the knowledge required continuous, full-time driving.
The knowledge visibly alters the cabbies physical brain structure. When the driver retires, his enlarged hippocampus shrinks back.
But in theory, Uber can crystallize the knowledge into an artificial brain and impart it instantaneously to novices and part-timers. For now, the unique complexity of Londons streets means cabbies still retain an advantage over ridesharing. But three or four more years of Moore's Law should dissolve the difference between the knowledge and a GPS device.
Established business and labor groupings rage against the shift to gigs for two reasons: protectionism and paternalism. They correctly perceive the Gig Economy as a threat to their long-established turfs. And they genuinely fear the loss of protections against the tethers without perceiving that smart machines are fraying the tethers themselves.
Brother Can You Spare a Dime?
Optimists expect the workforce will adjust to artificial intelligence by acquiring new skills, as post-1800 workers adjusted to steam and electricity. Others arent so certain. In his book, Average is Over, Tyler Cowen cautiously worries that machines will turn some individuals into unemployable zero-marginal-product workers as skills fall out of sync with contemporary production. In The Second Machine Age, Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee wonder whether technological change will proceed faster than many workers can adjust their skills. In Rise of the Robots, Martin Ford warns of chronic machine-induced joblessness.
Whether people can adapt is a legitimate concern, and its prudent to avoid both extreme optimism and pessimism at this juncture. Re-tooling will be essential for many, and its prudent to remove whichever obstacles stand in the way of re-tooling. Laws and regulations obstructing the Gig Economy constitute a massive obstacle to adjustment.
For a person whose skills are approaching obsolescence, a 40-hour job with fixed hours may make it impossible to take retraining classes, obtain a new degree, or do part-time work in a different field that may provide his next full-time job. A Gig Economy worker has the flexibility to rearrange the calendar.
Uber drivers Ive encountered recently include: an undergraduate hoping to avoid student loans; a medical student with a highly irregular schedule; a software programmer between jobs; three deaf drivers; a young cancer survivor, ready to earn money but unable to work more than four hours at a stretch; a Chicago resident visiting his parents in Washington, with a few spare hours now and then; a foreign diplomats husband who spoke little English. All were five-star drivers. None had equivalent options in the Job Economy.
Ridesharing keeps these people solvent while giving flexibility to pursue other parts of their livesramping up Uber when they have free time and cutting back when they dont. Unlike, say, a restaurant job, there are zero transaction costs in reconfiguring a gig schedule. If the med student needs an extra two hours to study, theres no need to plead with a boss for time offor risk the boss saying no.
Xanadu
The Gig Economy will never completely replace the Job Economy. The issue is whether law and regulation should favor jobs and discourage gigs, or whether individuals should freely choose one or the other, based on highly personalized considerations.
Uber and Airbnb are the leading edge of the sharing economy, but not its limits. Uber-like technologies are spreading into higher-paying areas, like medicine. In California, Heal provides physician house calls.
As the sharing economy moves into higher-end activities, previously nonexistent opportunities appear. In the early 1960s, my family doctor, Milton Ende, pioneered stem-cell therapy by performing the worlds first cord-blood transplants on cancer patients. This occurred while he maintained an extraordinarily busy internal medicine practice in our small Virginia hometown. His research and writing had to fit into whatever scraps of time he had left. If a sudden insight flashed in his mind, he couldnt shelve his medical practice for an hour or a week to flesh out his idea, so his findings languished in obscurity for decades. A Gig Economy doctor, in contrast, might have that essential flexibility. For a creative mind, the traditional full-time, fixed-hour job is a perpetual Person from Porlockinterrupting or extinguishing nascent strokes of genius. How many would-be Flemings, Listers, Salks, or Ventners are obliterated by the need to fit creativity, innovation, and invention around work, rather than the reverse?
Wichita Lineman
The Gig Economy does for work what packet-switching did for communication. It lets one atomize and reassemble time and resources in ways incompatible with hierarchical, full-time jobs.
In pre-digital days, a telephone call between two parties monopolized lines connecting the two telephones for the duration of the call. When the callers were silent, the lines remained unavailable to others. If all lines were occupied, new callers were shut out of the telephone system. Packet-switching shatters one callers words into fragments sent out across multiple pathways; an instant later, fragments rejoin and the other caller hears the words in real time just as they were spoken.
Packet-switching lets vast numbers of conversations travel over the same line. It also creates multiple pathways, so a call no longer depends entirely on the integrity of a single line.
In a traditional job, a slow workday means twiddling thumbs and staring out of windows. There is little capacity to turn idle time productive. If the employees one job disappears, his income stream ceases as suddenly and as completely as a phone call did when a pre-digital wire failed.
In the Gig Economy (perhaps we should call it the Packet Economy?), workers who so choose can fragment their time and workto engage in multiple productive endeavors in discontinuous packets of time rather than five eight-hour lumps of time, 50 weeks a year. By engaging in multiple activities and modulating the division of their efforts over time, they will no longer have to put all of their financial eggs in a single basket. They will have the flexibility to modulate their work enough to update skills on a continuous basis. In a sense, the Gig Economy transforms the division of labor from an interpersonal concept to an intrapersonal one.
An unfettered Gig Economy will not guarantee that we avoid the jobless future that Cowen, Brynjolfsson and McAfee, and Ford ponder. But it may be the best way to stave off the obsolescence and alienation that Rust Belt steel workers experienced when public policy fought a furious, futile battle to preserve an old way of working.
Robert F. Graboyes is a senior research fellow with the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, and he teaches at the medical centers at Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Virginia. He produces a twice-a-month health care policy newsletter and is on Twitter here. Dr. Graboyes received the Reason Foundations 2014 Bastiat Prize for Journalism.
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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The United States and Vietnam are deepening and broadening their ties in many areas. In a speech to university students in Vietnam, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke about the culture required for entrepreneurship to flourish and how all nations and citizens share a stake in cultivating and upholding such a culture.
In order for Vietnam to become a leader in technology and innovation, it must encourage an educational system that promotes critical thinking, creativity, and experimentation.
Moreover, entrepreneurship and innovation thrive in a policy environment that promotes growth through transparency, the rule of law, the protection of intellectual property and predictable regulations that enable all companies to compete on a level playing field. The task at hand is for Vietnam to consolidate its two decades of tremendous economic gains. An important means of doing that is through the Trans-Pacific Partnership, of which Vietnam is an original signatory. The TPP is a trade agreement that will bring 40 percent of the global economy together behind the highest labor, environment, and intellectual property protections in the world.
Another central ingredient to Vietnam's economic success is respect for human rights. A vibrant culture of entrepreneurship, said Deputy Secretary Blinken, is almost unimaginable without a foundation of rights and freedoms upon which citizens feel able to pursue their ambitions, express their opinions, and bring their ideas to life.
The U.S urges the government of Vietnam to release all political prisoners and cease harassment, arrests and prosecutions of journalists, bloggers, civil society activists or students for exercising their fundamental rights.
And finally, Vietnam, as part of the global economy, has a growing responsibility to participate along with the U.S. and others in efforts to tackle issues from international peacekeeping to wildlife trafficking to maritime security, from climate change to civil nuclear energy to global health.
The United States looks forward to continuing to expand its partnership with Vietnam.
business Market to take cues from BoJ meet; like agri, pvt banks:Ambit The banking space has rallied in the last two months helped largely by disclosures of bad loans. But the pain is not over yet for banks. It will last for two quarters at least, says Vaibhav Sanghavi, MD Of Ambit Investment.
business Rana Kapoor: How Yes Bank emerged from NPA crisis unscathed Yes Bank has traditionally been a corporate-focused lender. How was it then emerged as a bank with one of the healthiest banks despite the economic slowdown and ensuing NPA crisis?
If youre new to property investing, then negative gearing might be a new concept to you. But its actually very simple.
If youre new to property investing, then negative gearing might be a new concept to you. But its actually very simple. Its just property jargon for your property costing more than it earns.
Lets use an example. When you buy property for investment purposes, your income from that property will be the rent you receive.
When you rent out that property it would be ideal to have the weekly rent pay off your monthly mortgage repayments. If this is the case, then your property is positively geared.
But if the rent along with capital of your own is used to pay off that mortgage, then your property is negative geared.
It seems obvious that no one would want to have a negatively geared property, right? Why put money into your investment when it couldnt pay itself off?
Yet there are advantages to negative gearing.
A lot of the time people talk about the tax benefits of negative gearing. As in your investment property costs you more than it earns, so you can apply to deduct those losses. And most people opt to reduce their taxable income. This means that they are now paying less tax on their wages.
This is not a sustainable model for making money. Why would you want pay $1 to get 40 cents back? But in the early stages of property investing it could be beneficial for first time property investors.
Why?
The money received from tax deductions could go a long way in saving up for that second deposit. And there has been lots of talk recently about negative gearing and whether it should be reformed.
But the way I see it, its unlikely that negative gearing will fall to the wayside.
Australia and Aussie banks are already too heavily invested in property. It would be ridiculous to make it harder for property investors to enter the market.
But yesterday the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull wrote a detailed blog post reaffirming why negative gearing should stay as is. He argued that changing the current tax system would be undesirable for a whole bunch of reasons.
Firstly Turnbull argued that negative gearing is a generally accepted principle. It allows property investors to offset losses against gains. And even though you would prefer to have a positively geared home, why not claim some money back if youre making losses?
Second, Turnbull points out that you can reduce your tax discount of up to 40%, recommended by Australian Future Tax System (AFTS). And lowering this discount amount would hurt existing property investors. It could even deter future potential investors as well.
But lets not be fooled. Turnbulls blog post is intended to drum up support for the Liberal party. But so far hes made some good points for why negative gearing should remain as is.
Running with Turnbulls idea, if changes are made to the current tax system, it could mean less than desirable implications for our housing market. If negative gearing is tossed in the bin or changed, then property investing could be grossly unattractive.
And this would be especially true for first time property investors.
First time property investors usually dont have a strong cash flow to service a mortgage for the first few years. However as their career progresses and they move up the organisational chain, their salary increases and along with it their ability to service loans.
Therefore negative gearing could be a huge advantage for these first time property investors. If there is no encouragement to invest in property, then they will quickly look for other investment avenues. The deductions at the start could go a long way in helping them to accumulate more capital for that second investment.
This then might create a barrier for those new to property. If the incentives arent there, then how do you expect anyone to invest?
Thirdly Turnbull believe if any changes were to happen, those changes could be unfair. He refers to the middle to low income earners who might be unable to borrow and invest. And if negative gearing is dead and gone, this could well be true.
As I explained above, first time property investors will be discouraged the most. Theyre usually the lowest income earners and would be hit hardest by a lower tax discount.
Finally, Turnbull voices his concerns that removing negative gearing would increase the effective income tax rate for wage and salary earners. This could, Turnbull believes, reduce the incentive to work.
Harje Ronngard,
Junior Analyst, Money Morning
PS: When investing in property its usually about the long game. Its a steady process, and anyone thinking of investing needs to have a well thought out plan. Thats why you cant just buy a few properties and call it a day. Most property investment plans are expected to last decades.
But ultimately what we are trying to do is retire early. We all want more time. And a way to achieve more time is regular, effortless cash flow. According to Money Mornings income specialist Matt Hibbard, there are many ways to increase your retirement pot.
In Matts report 5 Things You Can Do To Boost Your Retirement Pot he will show you five ways to increase your retirement fund and retire early. Theres one direct question everyone should ask their financial adviser. And theres really only one important factor that will determine your retirement fund size.
If you want to find out the answers to the above check out Matts report. To get your free copy, click here.
The United States condemns in the strongest terms possible the brutal murder in Bangladesh of human rights activist Xulhaz Mannan and his friend Tonnoi Mahbub. The men were hacked to death by machete wielding assailants who broke into Mr. Mannans home.
An employee of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Mr. Mannan served the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka with distinction, and he worked on behalf of his fellow Bangladeshis as a voice for justice, equality, and human rights for all. Mr. Mannan set an example of dignity, courage, and selflessness, and his legacy will live on in the causes he championed.
Attacks targeting intellectuals, secular writers, members of religious minority groups and activists who have criticized Islam have escalated in Bangladesh over the last several years. Indeed, only days before the murder of Mr. Mannan, attackers hacked to death and nearly beheaded university professor Rezaul Karim Siddique. His murder was later claimed by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. The murderers accused Professor Siddique of calling for atheism, although by all accounts Professor Siddique was a pious and privately religious man. Extremists also murdered a student activist Nazimuddin Samad in Dhaka on April 6. According to Amnesty International, there have been four killings by extremists in the month of April alone.
Last year, unidentified men used machetes to attack four activists who published views critical of Islam and two publishers who had printed their works. These murderous attacks have been broad, including Shiite Muslims, Hindu priests and Christian priests.
Bangladesh, said State Department Spokesperson John Kirby, is justifiably proud of its history as a moderate, tolerant, inclusive society that values the diversity of its people, culture, and religions, and this attack fundamentally seeks to undermine all that Bangladesh stands for and all that the Bangladeshi people have strived to bring about in recent years.
The United States remains committed to the principles that were so important to Mr. Mannan, and will support all those who work on behalf of tolerance and human rights in Bangladesh and around the world.
UK equity income investment trusts are going cheap, signalling a buying opportunity to closed end funds investors. Trusts in this sector are currently trading at an attractive discount, driven by selling towards the end of the 2015/16 tax year and a weak stock market year to date.
The UK equity income sector was trading at an average of 5% discount at the end of March from a 1% discount at the start of 2016, according to a report issued by Stifel.
What is a Discount?
Investment trusts trade at either a premium or discount to the value of their underlying assets, based on the forces of supply and demand prevailing in the market for the trusts shares, Chris Traulsen, head of research for Morningstar EMEA says. If demand for an investment trust is low, the shares will trade at a discount to their net asset value (NAV). If demand is high, shares in a particular trust will trade at a premium to their NAV.
Investors took profits on funds which had performed well at the end of the tax year, and by selling resulted in a rise in supply. A volatile start to equity markets in 2016, means it is understandable for some investors reducing exposure to equity investments overall, says Stifel. We saw a similar pattern in the first three months of 2015 and the funds in the sector subsequently positively re-rated to trade on a 1% average premium by August 2015, Stifel added. There are already signs of some discounts narrowing: the UK equity income sector is trading at a 4% discount up from 5% at the end of March, indicating that investors need to act now if they want to avoid missing out a buying opportunity. Which UK Income Trusts Offer the Highest Yield? The UK equity income sector is trading on around a 4% dividend yield at the moment, offering a relatively attractive return compared with bank deposit rates, Stifel says. This includes Dunedin Income Growth (DIG) that is trading a 9% discount, according to Morningstar Direct. Its dividend yield is 5.1%. Its a Bronze Rated trust by Morningstar analysts. Murray Income (MUT), another Bronze Rated trust, trades at a 8% discount with a 4.8% yield. The Cheapest Gold Rated Trusts There are three closed-end UK equity income funds rated Gold by Morningstar analysts according to Morningstar Direct, and Temple Bar Investment Trust (TMPL) offers the largest discount at 7.4%. It is also one of the cheapest trusts with an ongoing charge of 0.49% a year. It currently has a dividend yield of 3.8%. The trust has an experienced manager Alastair Mundy who has managed it since June 2000. Mundy avoids sector specialists as he likes his analysts not to be narrow in their thinking, helping them avoid becoming overly negative on, or biased against, particular stocks, according to Morningstar analysts. The trust has lost 8% in 2015, however, it generates a positive long-term gain with a 6.5% five years annualising return.
In a landmark $480-million deal, three First Nations have bought a large section of land in one of Vancouvers most expensive neighbourhoods with no help from investors, adding to a nearby 21-hectare parcel that was purchased from federal authorities 2 years ago.
The deal with the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh pushed through because of their rights to the land in Point Grey, acknowledged as one of Canadas highest-end real estate and a traditional site of the three communities former villages.
First Nations officials said that the purchase, which yielded 15 hectares in the Vancouver neighbourhood, represents a victory that far outweighs the financial cost.
The value to us is huge. Not monetary, but the feeling of being able to say its ours again in a complete ownership package. I think the idea of the suffering of those who went before us, and the commitment that they made to bring us to where we are, is something that can never be measured in dollars, for sure, but it sure can be measured in spirit, Musqueam Councillor Wendy John told APTN National News.
Among the ideas being considered by the communities is a development that represents the best of the regions indigenous history and culture, officials said.
This is a welcoming home for us to inspire our young people to get involved in these projects, Squamish Chief Ian Campbell stated. Were not a vanished race. Were here. Its very exciting to look at the next chapter of our collective future as we move forward and engage in business and land development.
While some Point Grey residents are apprehensive of the possible implications on their present homes, John provided assurances that any decisions regarding the land would pass through meetings between current residents and First Nations representatives.
They should be comfortable in knowing that were going to sit with them, were going to listen to them, she said.
Hundreds of millions of miles from Earth, the rover Opportunity is helping peel back the layers of Mars surface, revealing its story.
We sent two robotic geologists to Mars, said Steven Squyres, principal investigator of the science payload on NASAs rover project.
Spirit and Opportunity landed in January 2004 on what was to be a 90-day mission that would take the rovers about one kilometer. Spirit has ceased activity but Opportunity continues to work in Mars southern hemisphere. It has been joined by Curiosity, which carries equipment that can search for organic molecules.
What was supposed to be a 90-day mission is now on day 4,357, Squyres said as he began his presentation at the West Texas Geology Foundation luncheon. The annual event raises funds for educational programs and scholarships presented by the West Texas Geological Society.
Jim Geitgey, foundation chairman, estimated the event would bring in $110,000 to support primarily geoscience scholarships, but also programs such as educational programs and teacher training.
Squyres described for an audience of geologists and students the process that went into designing the rovers and how to safely land them on the Martian surface. He told one questioner the program resulted in two primary innovations: the miniaturization of instruments and expanding the air bag technology that cushioned the rovers as they landed. He told another questioner it cost $800 million to get the rovers to Mars, and the current budget is about $12 million annually. Getting Spirit and Opportunity to Mars was a 16-year process that included about 10 years of writing proposals, he said.
The Cornell University graduate with a bachelors degree in geology and a doctorate in planetary science said that as a young student he hoped to do geology in a place where it had never been done.
He initially thought of the ocean floors where technology was beginning to yield maps, Geitgey said. But Squyres saw early photographs of Mars taken by the Voyager space craft and that set him on a different path.
Theres nothing more exploratory than on another planet, Geitgey said. Theyre doing what we, as geologists, traditionally do, but robotically. I found it fascinating to hear of the hurdles and challenges they overcame and the success theyve had in all theyve learned.
Once Spirit and Opportunity began roving the surface of Mars, we had robot geologists with the tools that could read the story of Mars, Squyres said.
The two came equipped with color cameras, infrared spectrometers, microscopes, alpha particle X-ray spectrometers, Mossbauer spectrometers and rock abrasion tools -- a version of the geologists rock hammer.
Mars is a cold, dry, desolate world, Squyres told the audience. But early in its existence it was warmer and wetter. Opportunity immediately found rocks bearing evidence of the past presence of water. The rover also found round rocks imbedded in surface rocks, which Squyres likened to blueberries in a muffin. Analysis showed they were 75 percent hematites.
This tells us there was once a significant amount of water underground, he said.
The theory is that early in Mars formation, it had water underground, water coming to the surface and water flowing over the surface. It also had a magnetic field much like Earth.
A magnetic field forms a protective bubble around the planet that protects it from solar winds, Squyres said.
Scientists have theorized that because Mars is small and didnt retain heat well, it lost its magnetic field, allowing solar winds to directly impact the surface,
Reviewing the rovers mission, Squyres said, the biggest surprise is that its still going after 12 1/2 years. Also, how compelling the evidence is for the (previous) existence of water.
Ive been doing this for over 12 years and I think a lot about the legacy. Im proud of the discoveries weve made and what weve learned, he said. But I think, and hope, our most important legacy is in the young people, like those who came today: future engineers and future scientists who can look at what we did and say Wow. But I can do better and go off and do better.
He and the 4,000 people who worked on the rover project are of the generation who watched the launches of the Gemini and Apollo spacecraft, who dreamed of sending ships to Mars and got to send them. I hope this offers a little inspiration for young people to follow in our tracks.
A Midland man was arrested Sunday for allegedly raping a woman, according to court documents.
Kenneth H. Davidson, 67, was being held Tuesday on a $75,000 bond for a second-degree felony charge of sexual assault.
An MHMR case worker told police that one of her clients told her Davidson had sexually assaulted her, according to the affidavit.
The woman told Davidson to stop, but he would not, according to the affidavit.
If convicted of the second-degree felony, Davidson could face up to 20 years in prison.
Two Midland ISD students were arrested Wednesday after an investigation into a threat against Alamo Junior High School, according to a press release from the district.
The alleged threat was made by two students enrolled in the Midland Alternative Program, according to the release.
ELKO First-year Great Basin College radiology student, Nadia Louhichi was recently selected to attend the American Society of Radiologic Technologists Student Leadership Development Program this summer in Las Vegas.
Two radiology students per state are selected to attend the annual program.
Louhichi was selected after formally applying to the ASRT program and receiving a letter of recommendation from GBC Radiology Technology Program Director Mary Doucette.
The Student Leadership Development Program allows selected students to attend the ASRT Educational Symposium and Annual Governance and House of Delegates Meeting. Students will be assigned a professional mentor during the meeting and have an insiders look into the largest association for medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals.
The program will allow students, like me, to see what the Delegates from different radiologic societies advocate for, said Louhichi. I will learn more about bylaws and practice standards, as well as participate in the educational symposium.
Louhichi is originally from Montreal, Canada, where she received a degree in translation from Concordia University. After moving to Nevada three years ago, Louhichi taught French at a local charter school before deciding she wanted to change careers.
I had a change of heart, said Louhichi. I realized I am more interested in the sciences and GBC had a radiology program which really interested me.
Alongside being selected to attend the ASRT Student Leadership Development Program this summer, Louhichis recent accomplishments include winning the poster competition earlier this year at the Association of Collegiate Educators in Radiology Technology conference held in Las Vegas.
Louhichis poster displayed her research project, A Comparative Study of Ultrasonography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Diagnosis of Rotator Cuff Disorders.
Louhichi said she wanted to compare Magnetic Resonance (MR) to Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (US) Imaging in diagnosing a common shoulder injury.
Studies show that the efficacy of MR and US imaging are comparable in diagnosing shoulder injuries, yet US is more cost effective, convenient and comfortable for patients. Patients may be claustrophobic in the MR scanner. US allows for a dynamic study. Patients can move their arm while the physician sees if there are any tears in the tendons of their shoulder, Louhichi said. With the recent advancement in imaging technologies, more and more physicians agree that US is the primary modality in diagnosing rotator cuff tears.
I am proud of all of our radiology technology students at GBC, said Doucette. Nadia has started her new career running. She constantly strives to be the best and to really learn the processes. I am so excited for her new adventures to learn on a state and national level.
If you are interested learning more about GBCs Associate of Applied Science in Radiology Technology degree, visit www.gbcnv.edu/academics or contact Mary Doucette at mary.doucette@gbcnv.edu.
State Senate GOP tax break proposal press conference in Sacramento View Photos
Sacramento, CA Touting it as a way to make California a more affordable place to live, State Senate Republican lawmakers outlined a new package of tax cutting bills.
As the deadline approaches for Governor Jerry Brown to release his revised budget proposal, the GOP lawmakers announced their 11 bill proposals Tuesday. Among the proposals is a cap on property taxes for seniors and disabled military veterans, creating a weekend-long sales tax holiday for school supplies and allowing people to use pre-tax dollars to save for a down payment on a home. Regarding the bills, Senate Republican Leader Jean Fuller states, It is a very positive agenda that gives voice to Californians being left behind by their own Capitol.
Instead of redistributing funds through state programs, Republicans contend their legislation would keep money in the hands of low-income people.
Brown has until May 15 to propose a revised spending plan. A list of the 11 bills can be found by clicking here.
Rim Fire burned trees View Photos
Sonora, CA The U.S. Forest Service will post the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Record of Decision (ROD) for Reforestation of the Rim Fire on Friday.
The proposed Rim Reforestation project involves treatment for about 42,000 acres within the 2013 Rim Fire area, located on the Groveland and Mi-Wuk Ranger Districts. More details will be provided at a press conference being held by the Forest Service on Thursday in Sonora but Clarke Broadcasting has learned some of the specifics of the chosen project. Forest spokesperson Rebecca Garcia shares, There is going to be reforestation on 21,000 acres, natural regeneration on 4,000 existing acres, plantation thinning on 12,000 acres, nearly 4,000 acres of deer habitat enhancement and noxious weed eradication treatments on nearly 6,000 acres. She adds that the plan has changed considerably from the draft as the alternatives proposed considerable differences in numbers per acre and different planting patterns. However, she notes that the need has not.
Also taken into consideration was a certain bird species, according to Garcia. All of the action alternatives call for at least 50% of the Black Backed Woodpecker habitat to be retained. So, thats an item that has been an item of concern for environmentalists, acknowledged Garcia. She indicates that once the ROD is posted work can begin immediately in the burn scar and that work would only be halted if a legal stay were to be granted by a judge.
TORONTO Barrick Gold Corp. reported a net loss of $83 million for its first quarter.
The net loss for the quarter primarily reflects the impact of one-time foreign currency losses, the company stated.
Production in the first quarter was 1.28 million ounces of gold at all-in sustaining costs of $706 per ounce. The company reduced all-in sustaining costs by 24 percent and cash costs by 14 percent compared to the first quarter of last year. The reduction in costs reflects the impact of ongoing operation and capital cost savings initiatives as well as lower fuel prices and foreign exchange gains, Barrick stated.
First quarter free cash flow was $181 million and EBITDA was $696 million. EBITDA is earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization.
Barrick continues to expect full-year production of 5-5.5 million ounces of gold at lower all-in sustaining costs of $760-$810 per ounce.
Our operations performed well in the first quarter as we began to deliver on our 2016 priorities, including progress on lowering our free cash flow breakeven gold price to $1,000 per ounce, reducing total debt by $2 billion, implementing Best-in-Class to improve efficiency and productivity across all operations, and maintaining strict capital discipline, Barrick stated.
So far this year, the company has reduced its total debt by $842 million, representing 42 percent of its debt reduction target for the year.
Since the start of 2015, we have reduced our total debt by $3.95 billion, or roughly 30 percent, Barrick stated. This is expected to reduce our interest payments by approximately $180 million on an annualized basis.
The company stated aspiration is to achieve all-in sustaining costs below $700 per ounce by 2019.
We are making progress, Barrick stated. In the first quarter of 2016, Barrick produced 1.28 million ounces of gold at all-in sustaining costs of $706 per ounce, compared to 1.39 million ounces at all-in sustaining costs of $927 per ounce in the prior year period. When excluding in the impact of divested mines, gold production for the quarter actually increased, driven by higher production at Cortez, Goldstrike, and Pueblo Viejo.
Cortez
The Cortez mine produced 247,000 ounces of gold in the first quarter at lower all-in sustaining costs of $469 per ounce. Lower costs primarily reflect the impact of higher sales volumes, combined with lower cash costs and lower sustaining capital spend, in part driven by progress on Best-in-Class initiatives.
Barrick continues to anticipate 2016 production of 900,000-1,000,000 ounces of gold. All-in sustaining cost guidance for the year has been reduced to $580-$640 per ounce, down from $640-$710 per ounce.
"Priority Best-in-Class initiatives in execution at Cortez for 2016 are focused on reducing open pit mining costs by improving the productivity and efficiency of open pit operations," Barrick stated. "This includes optimizing haul truck loading, and increasing haul truck availability, by compressing preventive maintenance downtime, improving handover times, and reducing unplanned maintenance. The mine is also targeting a reduction in long-duration shovel maintenance times to further improve open pit mining productivity."
Following the completion of prefeasibility studies in late 2015, the company has moved two significant growth projects in the Cortez district to the feasibility study phase. This includes a feasibility study for expanded underground mining in the Deep South zone, below currently permitted areas of the Cortez Hills underground mine. The project has the potential to contribute average underground production of more than 300,000 ounces per year between 2023 and 2027, at average all-in sustaining costs of approximately $580 per ounce.
Initial capital costs for Deep South are estimated to be $153 million. Barrick is also advancing a feasibility study for an underground mine at the companys Goldrush deposit, located six kilometers from the Cortez Hills mine. The prefeasibility study contemplates a mine life of 21 years, with average annual production of 440,000 ounces of gold in the first full five years of operation, at all-in sustaining costs of $665 per ounce. Initial capital costs are estimated to be approximately $1 billion.
On March 28, 2016, Barrick filed an updated National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report for the Cortez property. The capital expenditure estimates included in the report were based on the life of mine plan in place at Cortez in support of our year-end 2015 mineral reserve statement. Following subsequent optimization work, we have made improvements to the Cortez mine plan that resulted in the deferral of certain capital expenditures. This optimized plan is reflected in the capital expenditure guidance provided by the company on Feb. 17, 2016, for the years 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Goldstrike
The Goldstrike mine contributed 249,000 ounces in the first quarter at all-in sustaining costs of $709 per ounce. Lower all-in sustaining costs primarily reflect lower sustaining capital spend in the quarter. Optimization of contract labor also helped to reduce underground mining costs by $22 per ounce compared to the prior-year period. Barrick continues to expect 2016 gold production of 975,000-1,075,000 ounces at all-in sustaining costs of $780-$850 per ounce.
Major Best-in-Class initiatives in execution include increasing tons mined from the underground through improvements to dispatch systems, and better paste fill utilization. Goldstrike is also targeting an increase in overall equipment availability at the thiosulfate leaching plant through maintenance and reliability improvements.
Turquoise Ridge
The Turquoise Ridge Joint Venture Mine contributed 50,000 ounces of gold to Barrick in the first quarter at all-in sustaining costs of $728 per ounce. The company continues to expect production of 200,000-220,000 ounces in 2016 at all-in sustaining costs of $770-$850 per ounce. Barrick owns 75 percent of Turquoise Ridge and the other 25 percent is owned by Newmont Mining Corp.
Best-in-Class initiatives in execution at Turquoise Ridge include the implementation of an operator competency and training management system designed to drive greater consistency of production rates, and sustainable increases in production over time. The mine is also implementing a project to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of ground support rehabilitation activities, while maintaining a focus on safety. In addition, Turquoise Ridge is targeting maintenance improvements for mining equipment to improve availability and utilization.
The company has completed a feasibility study for the development of a third shaft at Turquoise Ridge, which has the potential to increase output to an average of 500,000 ounces per year (100 percent basis) at all-in sustaining costs of $625-$675 per ounce. The project would require initial capital expenditures of approximately $300-$325 million (100 percent basis) for additional underground development and shaft construction.
Given the positive impact of early Best-in-Class efforts, we have determined the optimal path forward is to defer the construction of an additional shaft in favor of a three-phase approach for the development of Turquoise Ridge, Barrick stated. The first phase, underway now, contemplates additional improvements to sustain a throughput rate of 1,825 tons per day at the lowest possible cost. In support of this goal, we are pursuing greater productivity through continuous mining, additional ventilation modifications, and other alternative mining methods.
The second phase contemplates the installation of a new ventilation shaft. Adding a ventilation shaft would allow Turquoise Ridge to maintain throughput of 1,825 tons per day as mining moves deeper and further away from the existing shaft and ventilation infrastructure.
The third phase, representing full implementation of the feasibility study, contemplates the conversion of the ventilation shaft into a full production shaft. Additional processing capacity would be required for production rates above 1,850 tons per day.
ELKO Sen. Dean Heller says the federal government needs to do its job managing wild horses and he is open to public land being transferred to the state.
During a conference call Tuesday with rural reporters, Heller said he has talked ad nauseam with the Bureau of Land Management and its director, Neil Kornze, about the agency properly managing wild horses in Nevada. He said it is an important issue because it affects cattlemen, mining, sportsmen and others in the state.
When he was told 10 Elko County permittees are being asked by the BLM to voluntarily reduce grazing on their allotments because of wild horse overpopulation, Heller said I think the BLM needs to do their job.
The key is obviously they need to do their work, Heller said. Its an expensive process. They round them up and they feed them and in some cases try to get private ownership of some of those horses after theyve been trained, but this is a huge problem.
He said every time he visits rural Nevada, residents bring concerns to him over the wild horses in the state.
The issue is this, were either going to have wild horses in Nevada, which I dont have a problem with wild horses as long as the herd is managed; or if theyre not going to manage it, then were not going to have elk, deer, antelope or for that matter cattle in our state, he said.
I think we need to find that balance, so Ill continue to have my discussion with Neil Kornze and ask for them to make sure the BLM does everything they possibly can to make sure that this problem is mitigated. It takes a real balance and a real effort to solve this problem, and frankly if the problem is as big as youve stated, theyre not following through with their obligation.
Public Lands
Public lands have been a high profile issue and a concern across the state. Heller said he is all for land transfers as long as local governments city, county and state are in agreement.
When asked about Rep. Mark Amodeis HR 1484 bill, which asks for federal land in Nevada to be transferred to the state, Heller said he is monitoring the legislation closely. The bill has been in committee for about a year.
The lieutenant governor is in town today as we speak, in fact I think hes testifying on that particular piece of legislation, Heller said.
He said he planned to meet with Lt. Gov. Mark Hutchison later Tuesday.
I do support what theyre doing, Heller said.
He said since the bill was introduced in the House, he would follow it and see if it receives support. He said the Senate had a vote about a year ago to release all wilderness study areas, but it received fewer than 50 votes.
If we cant pass the release of wilderness areas, whats the opportunity and the availability and frankly the temperature right now of releasing all public lands to state government? he said. So thats why Im watching it and thats why were kind of slow-walking this thing to better understand and gauge where the House is today with their legislation to see if there is any appetite to do it on the Senate side. I support the measure. I support what Congressman Amodei is doing. I do believe that federal lands are better managed at the state level.
Energy and Water
Heller said the Senate has passed several bills but the one he wanted to highlight was the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2015.
Probably the most important thing, I think, that has come out of the Senate recently is the Energy bill, which frankly really does help rural America and specifically rural Nevada, he said.
Heller also elaborated on the drought amendment he and Sen. Harry Reid passed Tuesday.
Senator Reid and I are on opposite sides of a lot of topics, but what we do try to do is come together when these issues are important for the state of Nevada, he said.
Heller said the program allows for water infrastructure upgrades and regional partnerships between water managers and water consumers.
The amendment supports innovative water conservation projects in the Colorado River Basin that will help ensure that every bit of water from the Colorado River is used as efficiently as possible, according to a press release from both senators.
Governor Rick Scott is set to visit California next week, in another effort to lure businesses to Florida.
Ahead of the trip, the Governors office released a radio ad that will run in both San Francisco and Los Angeles.
In it, two women briefly discuss Californias plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2022.
Woman #1: Every day you hear of somebody else losing a job.
Woman #2: Sure seems like it.
Woman #1: And we will lose more jobs soon - seven hundred thousand.
Woman #2: Excuse me?
Woman #1: Seven hundred thousand. Thats how many California jobs will be lost thanks to the politicians raising the minimum wage.
Woman #2: How can that be?
Woman #1: Economists predict it will be too much for companies to afford, so they will do layoffs. Replace people with computer kiosks and robots.
Woman #2: That will hurt people on a fixed income.
Woman #1: Exactly. The minimum wage hike hurts the same people it was supposed to help.
Woman #2: Its time to leave California.
Woman #1: You got that right.
Woman #2: This place is beautiful, but you just cant afford to live here.
What theyre doing is hurting their economy, Scott said. And hurting the people that need the jobs the most.
Rebecca Harris, a USF St. Petersburg economics instructor, calls it a scare tactic.
Nobody really knows. Its a gradual increase, Harris said. Its going to take place over a number of years so businesses have time to adapt.
Bay News 9 reached out to California Governor Jerry Browns office for a reaction.
As one of the millions of tourists flocking to the Golden State this time of year, wed like to extend a warm welcome to the Governor, said spokesperson Evan Westrup. We can understand why hes coming back -- theres lots to do and plenty to learn. In fact, since his last 2,000 mile cross-country jaunt, California has added twice as many jobs as Florida, while paying down debt, building a robust rainy day fund and taking bold action on issues Governor Scott continues to ignore, like climate change and poverty.
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Dozens of people have been displaced after a large fire broke out at an apartment complex in Brevard County early Wednesday morning.
According to firefighters, the fire happened at the Village Greene Apartments in Cocoa around 1:15 a.m.
When firefighters arrived, they found flames shooting out the top of the complex.
It took crews about 15 minutes to get the fire under control.
At least one person was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating a deputy-involved shooting from Tuesday night in Orange County, according to the Sheriffs Office.
Orange County deputies were called to a residence located at 9549 Holbrook Drive just before 10 p.m. for a domestic call.
When they arrived, deputies said Joseph Heid, 38, came out of the home with a rifle. Deputies fired at Heid who sustained a gunshot wound.
He was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. According to OSCO, he is listed in stable condition.
An organization in Central Florida are pleading for awareness after a recent uptick in the number of sexual assault victims.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month
The Victim Service Center of Central Florida is working to bring awareness to the growing problem
24-hour hotline: (407) 497-6701
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and many people will be wearing teal today to draw attention to the issue.
The Victim Service Center of Central Florida, which works with sexual assault victims in Orange and Osceola County, has noticed a nearly 20 percent increase in sexual assaults in the past year. Calls to their 24/7 crises hotline have seen a spike as well.
Advocates with the center say its never too late to call to receive help if youve been attacked. They hope that the teal on display today will send a message that sexual violence is not tolerated in Central Florida.
You know eventually everybody will be part of the movement and we will say no more, this isnt something we will tolerate in our community, said Lui Damiani, Executive Director of the Victim Service Center.
Advocates with the Victim Service Center say they see an increase in sexual assaults during the summer. They want women and men to know what resources are available to them.
The Victim Service Center has a hotline which is open to calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It also has licensed therapists standing by.
Victims of sexual assault are also encouraged to reach out to law enforcement.
For more information about the Victim Service Center of Central Florida, click here.
The 24-hour hotline: (407) 497-6701
Two men have been arrested after a woman was found stabbed to death inside a Seminole County apartment on Tuesday, police said.
The Sanford Police Department responded around 4:38 p.m. to the Hatteras Sound Apartments located at 13000 Island Bay Circle to reports of two suspicious men inside a unit.
The 911 call was made by management at the apartment complex after they received a request to conduct a well-being check from the mother of a resident living at an apartment, police said. The woman stated she hadn't heard from her daughter since Sunday.
An apartment complex representative and the mother went inside the apartment and located two unknown men. The two men eventually fled on foot.
Sanford Police was called to the apartment and found a woman, later identified as Latrice Randolph, unresponsive with multiple stab wounds.
Randolph was pronounced dead at the scene.
The two men fled the area on foot, but they were later located and captured by police.
According to the arrest report, the two men didn't have any photo identification and were staying inside the apartment for several days.
Both men were transported to the Sanford Police Department for questioning. They provided names of Jeremiah Elliott and Jimmie Elliott.
Based on evidence, both men were arrested in connection with Randolph's murder.
Jimmie Elliott, 28, of Sanford, has been charged with first-degree premeditated homicide and resisting a law enforcement officer without violence.
The other man, who said his name was Jeremiah Elliott, couldn't positively be identified, police said. He was booked into the jail as John Doe and charged with obstructing justice (a compounding felony) and resisting a law enforcement officer without violence. He told police that he was homeless and didn't report the alleged crime because he "was rewarded with a residence to stay."
Both men were booked into the John E. Polk Correctional Facility.
Republican presidential contender Ted Cruz has tapped former technology executive Carly Fiorina to serve as his running mate.
The Texas senator plans to unveil his pick for vice president Wednesday afternoon in Indianapolis. That's according to a Republican with direct knowledge of Fiorina's selection, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized speak before the official announcement.
"Carly is bright, knowledgeable, brings great financial expertise and she's a woman," said Gary Aminoff, the Los Angeles County co-chair of the Cruz campaign. Aminoff said he had also been told Fiorina was Cruz's choice.
The 61-year-old Fiorina, a former chief executive of Hewlett-Packard, has been a prominent Cruz ally since shortly after abandoning her own presidential bid earlier in the year. She was the only woman in the Republican Party's crowded 2016 field.
"Of all the people who didn't make it far in the race, she was one of the best about laying out her plan, talking about who she is and her accomplishments," said Doug De Groote, a fundraiser for Cruz based near Los Angeles.
It was an unusual move for a candidate who is far from becoming his party's presumptive nominee, but Cruz is desperate to generate momentum for his struggling campaign. The fiery conservative was soundly defeated by GOP front-runner Donald Trump in all five primaries contests on Tuesday, and he's been mathematically eliminated from winning the nomination before his party's national convention in July.
Some Cruz allies praised the selection of Fiorina, but privately questioned if it would change the trajectory of the race. Trump has won 77 percent of the delegates he needs to claim the nomination, and a win next week in Indiana will keep him on a firm path to do so.
Cruz was to appear Wednesday afternoon with Fiorina in Indiana's capital city, having staked his candidacy on a win in the state's primary contest next Tuesday. Fiorina's California ties could also give Cruz a big boost in that state's high-stakes primary on June 7.
"Carly has incredible appeal to so many people, especially in California," De Groote said. "She can really help him here."
Her first major foray into politics was in 2010, when she ran for Senate in California and lost to incumbent Sen. Barbara Boxer by 10 percentage points. She has never held elected office.
Trump criticized a Fiorina pick as "ridiculous" and "dumb" even before it was announced.
"First of all, he shouldn't be naming anybody because he doesn't even have a chance," the New York billionaire said in a Wednesday interview on Fox News.
"Naming Carly's dumb, because Carly didn't do well. She had one good debate - not against me by the way, because I had an unblemished record of victories during debates - but she had one victory on the smaller stage and that was it," Trump said.
He added, "She's a nice woman. I think that it's not going to help him at all."
Throughout her presidential bid, Fiorina emphasized her meteoric rise in the business world. A Stanford University graduate, she started her career as a secretary, earned an MBA and worked her way up at AT&T to become a senior executive at the telecom leader.
She was also dogged by questions about her record at Hewlett-Packard, where she was hired as CEO in 1999. She was fired six years later, after leading a major merger with Compaq and laying off 30,000 workers.
In an Associated Press-GfK poll conducted in December 2015, Republican voters were more likely to say they had a favorable than an unfavorable view of Fiorina by a 47 percent to 20 percent margin, with 32 percent unable to give a rating.
Among all Americans, 45 percent didn't know enough about Fiorina to rate her, while 22 percent rated her favorably and 32 percent unfavorably.
By contrast, both Cruz and Trump have high negative ratings even within their own party, according to an April AP-GfK poll. Among Republican voters, 52 percent have a favorable and 41 percent have an unfavorable opinion of Cruz, while 53 percent have a favorable and 46 percent have an unfavorable opinion of Trump.
Among all Americans, 59 percent had an unfavorable opinion of Cruz and 69 percent said that of Trump.
Peoples reported from Washington.
BERLIN PetSmart will be moving into vacant space in Brickyard Plaza on the Berlin Turnpike, according to Economic Development Director Chris Edge.
There are a lot of people in town who own pets and this fits in nicely, Edge said.
The space was formerly a discount clothing store next to Michaels art supplies, but has been empty for more than a year. The plaza, at 259 Berlin Turnpike, also includes a Kohls and Home Depot. PetSmart is slated to open in the fall adding to its more than 1,400 locations in North America. The retailer will offer pet services in addition to supplies and will occasionally host pet adoption days on site.
We are thrilled that PetSmart will be bringing its wide selection of products and services to the residents of Berlin, said Mayor Mark Kaczynski. I look forward to another great pet food retailer joining our business community.
A.S. Labieniec Feed and Grain Store on Farmington Avenue also offers a selection of pet supplies.
Donald Trump keeps throwing temper tantrums like a spoiled school boy, complaining the system is rigged and crooked and he is being robbed of votes.
Youre going to have a very, very angry and upset group of people at the convention, Trump said at an event in Staten Island, N.Y., after Ted Cruz swept the Republican caucuses in Colorado and Wyoming by having the audacity to actually campaign there, unlike Trump. I hope it doesnt involve violence, and Im not suggesting that. I hope it doesnt involve violence and I dont think it will. But I will say this: its a rigged system, its a crooked system, its 100 percent crooked.
After the Colorado outcome was announced a petulant Trump tweeted, The people of Colorado had their vote taken away from them by the phony politicians. Biggest story in politics. This will not be allowed!
Want to know whats rigged? It is the winner-take-all primaries and caucuses.
As of the beginning of this week, Trump had won about 40 percent of the GOP votes cast, but had collected 49 percent of the delegates committed to the top four Republican presidential candidates Trump, Cruz, John Katich and Marco Rubio.
In New York, Trump got 60 percent of the votes cast, but 94 percent of the delegates.
In Missouri, Trump beat Cruz by just 0.2 percentage points 40.9 percent to 40.7, but Trump gets 37 of the delegates to Cruzs 15.
One person, one vote? But thems the rules and no one else is mewling like Trump.
After New York, Cruz was mathematically eliminated from having any chance of reaching the 1,237 delegates needed to win on the first ballot at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July. Trump has a chance to reach that number but the odds are long.
As if all his other whining werent unseemly enough, Trump is taking umbrage with the party rules that set that magic number of 1,237. He told CNN several weeks ago, I think well win before getting to the convention, but if we didnt and were 20 votes short, or were, you know, a hundred short, and were at 1,100 and somebody else is at 500 or 400, cause were way ahead of everybody, I dont think you can say we dont get it automatically. I think youd have riots.
Scottie Nell Hughes, a part of Trumps campaign, told CNN: The majority, the plurality, the people, the majority of the population have voted for Mr. Trump. So you know, riots arent necessarily a bad thing if it means were fighting the fact that our establishment Republican party has gone corrupt and decided to ignore the voice of the people and ignore the process.
Oh? If you cant do the math, can you read the history?
Return with us now to the thrilling days of the second Republican National Convention in Chicago in 1860.
Doris Kearns Goodwins book, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, sets the scene: The convention finally settled down and the balloting began. Two hundred thirty-three votes would decide the Republican presidential nomination. The roll call opened with the New England states, which had been considered solidly for (William) Seward. In fact, a surprising number of votes went for (Abraham) Lincoln, as well as a scattering for (Salmon) Chase.
At the end of the first ballot, the delegate vote tally stood at Seward 173 1/2; Lincoln 102; Chase 49; Edwin Bates 48.
That meant Seward had almost 47 percent of the delegates to Lincolns mere 27 percent and Chase and Bates stood at 13 points each.
As it stood at the beginning of the week for just the four top candidates, Trump has 49 percent of delegates chosen so far to Cruzs 32 percent, while Rubio has 10 percent and Kasich 9 percent. Cruz had more backers than Lincoln did.
In Chicago in 1860 on the second ballot a number of Chase and Bates supporters switched to Lincoln, but Seward still led by three-and-a-half votes, but still shy of 233. Only on the third ballot did Lincoln muster a majority.
That, according to history, is how a convention works. No riots.
As for the inevitability of Trump, thus far only 6 percent of all the registered voters in the United States have cast a ballot for Trump hardly a mandate.
CARSON CITY First Lady Kathleen Sandoval is encouraging all Nevadans to join her in participating in Denim Day on Wednesday. By participating in Denim Day, Nevadans will join an international campaign against sexual assault and sexual violence and demonstrate support for victims of those crimes.
When we work together and raise awareness of sexual assault, expand access to services for survivors, and help find solutions to address this growing problem, we strengthen the fabric of our communities. Denim Day is a sign of our commitment to the survivors across our state and an acknowledgement of our solemn responsibility to help in the fight against sexual assault and sexual violence, said Sandoval.
As Nevadas First Lady, I am extremely proud of the efforts of our schools, community organizations and policy makers to address sexual assault. I encourage all Nevadans to join me in wearing denim this Wednesday and show your support as we work to build a better Nevada.
During the 78th Legislative Session, Assembly Bill 212 was approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Brian Sandoval. This measure amends the statute of limitations for the filing of a criminal charge for sexual assault from 4 years to 20 years after the commission of the offense. Signing of this legislation represented a major step forward in protecting victims of sex crimes and empowering them with more time and opportunity to seek justice.
Denim Day is part of a movement to raise awareness of sexual assault. Local organizations including the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, The Childrens Cabinet, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas will participate in this annual event.
The fashion statement as social statement stems from a 1999 incident in Italy in which a court assigned blame to a young woman who was sexually assaulted because she was wearing tight jeans when she was raped. Italian elected officials responded by wearing jeans in protest and denim has since become a symbol of the need to prevent sexual assault.
The Governors Office will be participating in this important public awareness initiative.
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First-quarter profits for NuStar Energy LP slid 61 percent at $44.8 million, but still beat Wall Streets estimates that projected a tougher quarter.
The San Antonio-based master limited partnership earned 57 cents per share, down from $1.47 per share for the same quarter the prior year when they made $114 million.
NuStar, which owns pipelines, terminals and storage facilities, was expected to earn 51 cents per share, according to an average estimate of 12 analysts polled by Thomson Financial Network.
Last year, a record amount of crude oil from the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas moved through NuStars system, helping boost the companys performance. This year, falling crude oil prices have meant NuStar is moving less Eagle Ford crude.
But NuStar has benefitted from high crude storage volumes. Its storage facilites are effectively full, it said.
NuStar executives also said the companys oil producing customers are blue-chip companies in a strong financial position, and it expects the drillers will uphold their pipeline contracts.
The stock price of master limited partnerships such as NuStar have been moving in lockstep with crude prices mostly down in the last year.
President and CEO Brad Barron said the company has been faring well despite the low price environment. In recent months, the stock price of pipeline companies hasnt been as closely tied to crude oil prices, and Barron doesnt think NuStars value should be tied to oil any more than it should be tied to any other commodity such as cotton, copper or corn.
Its clear we are addressing market conditions effectively, said Barron in a call with analysts Wednesday morning.
However, to protect itself during turbulent times in the oil business, NuStar has liens against the products it holds in storage, and said it continues to monitor the financial condition of its counterparties.
NuStars stock was trading at $48.98, up 5.2 percent, just after 9 a.m., Its was $66.72 per share a year ago.
NuStars board of directors approved a first quarter distribution of $1.10 per unit. It will be paid May 13 to investors as of May 9.
NuStar has around 8,700 miles of pipeline and 79 terminal and storage facilities that store and distribute crude oil, refined products and specialty liquids.
Also on Wednesday, NuStar GP Holdings LLC, which holds a general partner interest in NuStar Energy, announced first quarter net income of $16.7 million, or 39 cents per unit. That was down from $26 million in the first quarter of 2015, or 62 cents per unit.
NuStar GP Holdings will pay 54 cents per unit to investors for the first quarter, the same as the amount paid the year before.
Go to ExpressNews.com later today to read more about NuStar.
Once asked how to learn about investing, Warren Buffett pointed to a pile of annual reports and suggested investors should read as much as they can. "I read 500 pages like this every day. That's how knowledge builds up, like compound interest," he said.
It's neither new nor novel advice, but Buffett's success is a function of his ability to learn from his investment experiences, good and bad. Some of his earliest investments laid the groundwork for what his sidekick, Charlie Munger, calls "mental models," or frameworks of ideas that can be translated into new areas and new investments.
Though we often think of the modern Berkshire Hathaway as being the owner of railroad BNSF, car insurer GEICO, and countless other household names, several forgotten investments shaped Buffett's thinking and ultimately crafted what Berkshire Hathaway has become today. Here are three early investments that had a major impact on Buffett's later investments.
1. An early rewards program
Before credit cards made rebates computerized and ubiquitous, rewards programs took the form of paper stamps. Retailers would give their customers a certain number of stamps based on what they purchased, and in what quantity. The stamps could be affixed to a booklet and redeemed for household goods like toasters and, later, cash.
Buffett loved the business model because retailers paid for the stamps months and years before the stamps were redeemed, if they were at all. Thus, the stamp company could invest the money and earn a return on it before it was paid back out. He ultimately bought a large share of Blue Chip Stamps for himself and Berkshire Hathaway.
Buffett wasn't new to the idea that a business could generate cash to invest. He had earlier been enamored with this model after investing in insurers, namely GEICO. But it cemented Buffett's love for businesses, non-financial or otherwise, that could finance their own growth with funds from their customers.
Modern examples come in the form of retailers like Amazon and Costco Wholesale, which turn their inventory into cash before they have to pay their suppliers. The two also generate a tremendous amount of cash by selling memberships (Prime, in the case of Amazon) on pre-paid terms. The net result is that retailers effectively fund their growth with free financing from their customers and suppliers, leaving a heftier return on less capital contributed by their investors.
2. A tiny bank
In Berkshire's earliest days, it took interest in a tiny Illinois-based bank by the name of The Illinois National Bank & Trust. Buffett knew it was "one of the most profitable banks" he had ever seen, and he wanted to have it for himself.
The Illinois Bank & Trust was already a target of another acquirer, but they began to show their unease with the bank. The would-be suitor wanted a full audit of the company, and its 71-year-old CEO, Gene Abegg, who Buffett described as being "pretty dominant," wanted nothing to do with being shaken down through an audit process.
Buffett ultimately made an offer, which admittedly came in about $1 million below what the original acquirer was willing to pay. He had few reservations, highlighted only a few things he wanted to change, but indicated he wanted Abegg to remain in his role. Abegg called another major shareholder to discuss the deal and ultimately decided to sell out to Buffett at his price.
From here, Buffett realized that executives who are excellent at their craft would prefer a friendly and easy acquisition at an OK price rather than an unfriendly takeover at a perfect price. Notably, Abegg, who rank the bank, also owned 25% of the company and would lose out on roughly $250,000 by accepting a lower bid. Still, he'd prefer to work for Buffett than leave the bank having sold at a better price.
Warren Buffett continues to use the friendly acquirer role to his advantage, once saying that being part of Berkshire is like selling art to a museum compared to private equity investors' porn shop. His hands-off approach is best exemplified by the fact that he speaks to many of his managers only once every two years by letter, reminding them about their basic role to defend Berkshire's reputation.
3. A candy cash cow
The Blue Chip Stamps business that cemented Buffett's interest in capital-light business models lead him to invest in See's Candies, a West Coast confectioner of chocolates and other premium candies. Buffett was introduced to See's by Blue Chip's then-president.
See's Candies was something new for Buffett, a company that essentially survived and thrived on the value of its brand name. Buffett believed the company had the capacity to raise prices given its premium position in the candy business and the fact that most candies are purchased as gifts -- its customers would prefer to pay more than look for alternatives.
Buffett agreed to purchase the company, believing he could increase pre-tax earnings by raising prices just $0.15 a pound. He believed the company's then-current earnings of $4 million before taxes could be closer to $7 million. Just three years later, in 1975, See's earned 2.5 times more than it had when Buffet acquired the company for Berkshire.
Buffett's fixation with brands that turned commodities into products with pricing power never really ended. Pricing power underlied part of his thesis for buying brands like Coca-Cola, Gillette, and Moody's, among countless other companies that have been part of the Berkshire stable, helped in no small part by his early success with a small candy confectioner.
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Located at the corner of Frio and Travis streets, artist Bill FitzGibbons Centro Chroma Tower has been lighting the way to VIAs Centro Plaza since December, but on Thursday the transit company will host a ceremony to officially dedicate the 85-foot-tall illuminated sculpture.
Following a reception, the switch will be flipped on the temporarily dimmed piece at 8:15 p.m. The event is open to the public. A Fiesta-themed lighting sequence is planned for the occasion.
Just 30 minutes from the Dallas Fort-Worth area is the "El Milagro," an avid equestrian's dream home.
After hitting the market at $11 million last year, this operating horse ranch in Hickory Creek, Texas, is now listed at $8,495,000.
A video emerged this week that reportedly shows a Mexican woman being tortured by army and federal police. An army captain and a female soldier have been charged with disobeying orders, according to AFP.
Human rights abuses by Mexico's armed forces and police have become an important focus on the government recently. "Police and troops have faced a slew of accusations of torture and other abuses since soldiers were deployed in the streets of Mexico to combat drug trafficking in 2006," AFP reported.